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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go… * Sun-Times | London calling? Pritzker gives UK trip update — hints Illinois in ‘final throes’ of electric vehicle deals: In a call with reporters Wednesday morning from London, Pritzker said he is actively pursuing Illinois partnerships with electric vehicle companies and original equipment manufacturers. The governor said he introduced Illinois to several electric vehicle firms at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex. * Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker touts Illinois’ clean energy policies during UK trade mission: In addition to seeking overseas companies to boost Illinois’ electric vehicle industry, as well as its standing in manufacturing, financial services, food processing and hospitality, Pritzker said he met with leaders in the quantum computing field, adding that he has a vision of making Illinois the “Silicon Valley of quantum development.” * Tribune | Cook County property tax bills will be late again: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced Wednesday that second installment property tax bills for the 2022 tax year are expected to be ready Nov. 1 and due Dec. 1. * NBC Chicago | Gov. Pritzker considers bill mandating fentanyl education in Illinois high schools: A bill mandating fentanyl education in Illinois high schools is now on Governor J.B. Pritzker’s desk and some Chicago high school students say they now understand why it’s essential to raise red flags about fentanyl. “I realized it’s a massive issue and it’s only growing in the United States. And it’s really affecting people of my generation,” said Eliza McHale, who just graduated from Lane Tech High school in June. * WAND | Illinois lawmakers hope to pass pension reform plan this fall: The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability told the Illinois House Personnel & Pensions Committee Wednesday that the legacy of the 1995 pension ramp is a very “backloaded approach” to handling the state’s debt service. “We have a fiscal system that really can’t put the money into funding this ramp without either a tax increase, a relatively significant one, and or cutting spending on services, neither or which are sort of the best outcomes for taxpayers,” said Ralph Martire, the CTBA’s executive director. * NBC Chicago | AG Raoul joins 20 other state law enforcement officials in sending letter promoting diversity initiatives to Fortune 100 companies: The letter was in response to a previous letter sent by 13 Republican Attorneys General who warned that Fortune 100 companies could face legal action for using race as a factor in hiring or employment. * Crain’s | McDonald’s DEI efforts target of firm co-founded by GOP presidential candidate: The firm, Strive Asset Management, sent a letter July 18 to McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski and board Chairman Enrique Hernandez Jr. It said that Strive wrote on behalf of its clients who are shareholders and expressed concern that some of McDonald’s diversity policies are illegal following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision that Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s affirmative-action admissions policies are unconstitutional. * Sun-Times | Will Danny Solis take the witness stand? Ed Burke’s lawyers would like to know: Former Ald. Solis helped prosecutors build their blockbuster indictments against Ed Burke and Mike Madigan. Solis is now formally charged with bribery, but the feds are expected to seek dismissal of that charge if he holds up his end of their deal. * SJ-R | Safety concerns raised at packed hearing on Navigator’s CO2 pipeline plan: Approximately 39 miles of pipeline collecting emissions from ethanol plants and storing them underground would run through the county, hitting portions of nine townships. Opponents are concerned a potential pipeline burst with this proximity to towns such as New Berlin and Glenarm could lead to a public health crisis exceeding what was seen earlier this year during the I-55 dust storm. * Sun-Times | City Council clears the decks before summer recess: When the 50-member Council meets again in September, it’ll be to begin the possibly contentious process of tackling Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first city budget. * WGN | City council members propose plan to eliminate sub-minimum wage for tipped workers: 26th Ward Ald. Jesse Fuentes and 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa introduced the ordinance. Basically, it would give restaurants two years to get all tipped workers up to the city’s minimum wage — which is currently at $15.80 per hour, plus any tips they earn. * Crain’s | Auction set for Obama records depot in Hoffman Estates: The owner of a former Hoffman Estates furniture store reincarnated as a processing and storage facility for Barack Obama’s presidential records has decided to auction off the property Aug. 7 after trying for months to sell it the conventional way. The firm overseeing the online auction has set the starting bid at $4 million. * WTTW | Kim Foxx Sees Elimination of Cash Bail as Step Toward Equal Justice: Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has pushed for the elimination of cash bail, calling it “a monumental milestone toward achieving equal justice.” “What this is seeking to address is if you’re a threat to the public, no matter how much access to cash you have, you should be detained if you are a threat,” Foxx said. * WBEZ | Transcript of the interrogation by Waukegan detectives that led to a 15-year-old’s false confession: Conducted by officers Sean Aines and Joshua Amann, the 43-minute interview led to wrongful charges, including attempted murder, and to two nights in jail for the teen. * SJ-R | Richard Mills, Central District and Appellate Court judge, dies at 93: Mills was 93 years old, with the Sangamon County Bar Association announcing his death Wednesday. Mills was nominated to become a District Judge in the Central District in 1985 by then-President Ronald Reagan, after nine years serving as an Illinois Appellate Court Justice and ten years as a Circuit Judge. He replaced J. Waldo Ackerman, who had passed away in November 1984. * Tribune | Oak Park Village Hall could be demolished despite historic status: Wrecking balls could be coming to Oak Park under a new plan to potentially tear down Village Hall, a municipal hub listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Earlier this month, the village board of trustees voted 5-2 in favor of a plan to demolish the building, which houses both the municipal government and the police department. * Sun-Times | At 100, Lou Mitchell’s diner remains an iconic slice of Americana: And though the city that surrounds the diner has grown tall with skyscrapers over the years, little has changed inside. The original wooden stools at the multi-sided counters are packed with coffee-sipping, newspaper-reading regulars; couples cozy up in the wooden two tops; families share laughter over silver dollar pancakes in the larger booths. Shiny silver toasters pop up slices of bread ripe for a generous spread of butter, the salty-sweet smell of bacon wafts through the air, and servers swerve from table to table, gracefully balancing fresh-from-the-skillet omelets and steaming coffee pots. * WBEZ | Sisters to sail the Race to Mackinac 100 years after their great-grandfather’s win was overturned: A century ago, their great-grandfather John P. O’Rourke and his brother James sailed the 1923 Race to Mackinac in their small Q boat — a once-fashionable model rarely seen today. The brothers fought their way to an improbable victory on behalf of the Jackson Park Yacht Club. But their glory was short-lived. Months later, the O’Rourkes were disqualified on a technicality. The story of a great win — and subsequent dismissal — has become family lore. * WGN | A Chicago football tradition is returning this fall to Soldier Field: The Chicago Football Classic is coming back on Saturday, September 2, featuring a match-up of two historically black colleges and universities as it has since its inception in 1997.
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- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 7:55 am:
Congrats to Lou Mitchell’s. It’s a joint you need to visit, even if it’s to punch a ticket of Chicago places.
Still, they serve some good diner food.
- Steve Rogers - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 8:24 am:
Sorry to hear of Judge Mills’s passing. He was a great guy and judge.
One of his more significant cases dealt with the removal of “The “World Needs God” sign on the Montgomery County courthouse.
Condolences to the family.
- JoanP - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 8:56 am:
I used to work on West Jackson and Lou Mitchell’s was one of our frequent lunch spots. Glad to know they are doing well but sad they are no longer handing out Milk Duds.
That’s a great story about the O’Rourke sisters. It would be nice if one of them won the Mac, but even without that, it’s a lovely way to honor their family history. (I’m sure it’s sheer coincidence that in 1923 THREE Jackson Park Yacht Club boats were disqualified and a CYC boat became the winner. /snark/)
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 9:02 am:
Pension Reform, HB 4098 (from WAND story). Anywhere close to 60, 30, 1 (& 4)?
- H-W - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 9:16 am:
Re: WGN story
Good on Chicago city council for taking up eliminating sub-minimum wage. The cost of doing business includes treating all workers as deserving a guaranteed standard of living that keeps them fed, housed, and rested. Putting that burden on customers is immoral.
- Lurker - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 9:48 am:
I’m simply at a loss people that fight against diversity and equity. I am guessing that McDonald’s story is one of many as most large firms, government agencies, etc are finally making needed progress on diversity. That story with the last story got me thinking, are HBCU in trouble? I am sure someone will say they cannot be biased and select as they have historically. I hope not but things are getting quite inane.
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:31 am:
“Basically, it would give restaurants two years to get all tipped workers up to the city’s minimum wage — which is currently at $15.80 per hour, plus any tips they earn.”
There won’t be any tips earned. I won’t feel bad about not providing a tip when I go out to eat or have a drink at a bar in Chicago, and won’t leave my standard minimum $5 tip for housekeeping when I stay at a Chicago hotel. Will also make sure others know that tipping is no longer required in Brandon Johnson’s Chicago.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:37 am:
===tipping is no longer required===
Huh…
Tipping is *never* required.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:39 am:
===Tipping is *never* required.===
Granted that many a location will automatically add a gratuity to large groups, but I’m sure that also isn’t in place because folks are over-generous
- JS Mill - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:41 am:
=A bill mandating fentanyl education in Illinois high schools is now on Governor J.B. Pritzker’s desk=
Another in a growing and impossibly long list fo requirements that schools should not be handling. This is a job for IDPH or county health departments. Schools are not hospitals or medical clinics and should not be.
I get the idea, and know the subject is important, but schools cannot be the place to stick things “because somebody needs to do it”. We are struggling to address the increasing instructional needs and now we are devoting, by my math within our district, 25% of our day on medical issues we are not qualified to address.
=I’m simply at a loss people that fight against diversity and equity.=
I am about equality. Equity entered the lexicon a few years ago and I have yet to hear a consistent description, which hurts the effort to achieve equality. I will fight for equality every day.
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:56 am:
===Tipping is *never* required.===
===Granted that many a location will automatically add a gratuity to large groups, but I’m sure that also isn’t in place because folks are over-generous====
In the US, if you go out to eat at a restaurant (other than fast-food), the understanding is that you tip your server. Usually the same thing for services like housekeeping, hair salons, food delivery, livery services. It’s not a requirement, but it’s a social understanding.
You know this.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:59 am:
Many people choose tipped occupations because they can make a lot more money than in other jobs. This proposed action would likely result in a pay cut for those workers.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:02 am:
===It’s not a requirement, but it’s a social understanding.===
So now you will be stopping AND tell others to stop too?
Like I said.
Huh.
- Jibba - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:07 am:
Old dude must not know that servers in nicer Chicago restaurants typically make far more than 15/hr, which is why they are usually opposed to changes in compensation that involve reducing tips.
- H-W - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:17 am:
=== Many people choose tipped occupations because they can make a lot more money ===
I understand that argument and appreciate it. However, I worked in the restaurant industry from 16 to 26.
The reality is cooks and dishwashers and line workers and servers are poorly paid. And suffice to say, many servers are paid poorly, even with the tips.
If a minimum wage is set at $15+ per hour, we know that all workers will earn about $30,000 annually, if they work full time, full year. That is an adequate base wage. Below that is sinful. For single moms, that would make work less precarious, and earnings more predictable.
=== I won’t feel bad about not providing a tip when I go out to eat or have a drink ===
You shouldn’t feel compelled to give cash to employees, because employers do not pay a living wage.
On the other hand, I anticipate I would still tip exceptional service, but not feel compelled to tip all service.
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:29 am:
I will still tip.It’s just good manners to do so. Also $15 is not all that much. And yes, waiters at fancier places make a lot more than that but this is not about them, it’s about making sure the guy who waits tables at establishments with custom that is less well feathered gets a decent wage.
I have never tipped because Edna gets paid subminimum so I need to make up the difference. I have always tipped because Edna served me well (or at least adequately I’m a pretty easy to please person) and so I leave a tip to say thank you.
- Captain Obvious - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:38 am:
Eliminating the sub minimum wage for restaurant workers is a fine example of gevernment “help” that is likely to hurt a goodly number of the “helpees”.
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:47 am:
===I will still tip.It’s just good manners to do so. Also $15 is not all that much. ===
The point of tipping was to ensure good service but also to help keep the service provider’s costs lower. I will expect that restaurants will raise the cost of their menu items to cover their workers wages, so I’m not going to pay more out of my pocket for someone paid to do their job. This is what unions wanted out of Brandon Johnson and Preckwinkle, and now they got it.
I also don’t tip at Menards, or at Walgreens, or at the service station. Why would I tip those workers, or any worker?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 11:57 am:
===was to ensure good service===
Never-ever be “that guy”. I mean… whew
I once had a small dinner with someone very high up in a group like “Lettuce Entertain You” kind of thing, top type person and they told me this;
“Never be ‘that guy’ that needs a minimum of coffees like ‘Mr Pink’ or hold a tip over the servers. You come off smug and likey will get that minimum experience. What servers dred is the generous tip with the 5 minute discussion with their GM on how poor they were… and the GM seeing the tip left. That hits home”
Always stuck with me when folks “decide” a worth.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:01 pm:
===I also don’t tip at Menards, or at Walgreens, or at the service station. Why would I tip those workers, or any worker?===
If you can’t honestly decipher the differences between all these workers, but I think you can…and you’re using an excuse to be merely “less inclined” in understanding restaurants and servers likely “see you coming”?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:03 pm:
===The point of tipping was to ensure good service but also to help keep the service provider’s costs lower. I will expect that restaurants will raise the cost of their menu items to cover their workers wages, so I’m not going to pay more out of my pocket for someone paid to do their job.===
Reasonable. When I lived in Germany, tipping was considered an insult.
I belonged to the now-defunct Sangamo Club. The club years ago added a service charge to orders, but I always tipped on top of that. You could choose to do the same or be petty. Lemme guess…
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:09 pm:
So, paying the list price of an item, as set by the owner, is now considered being petty? Do you tip your pharmacist? Or the guy working at 7-11? Lemme guess…
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:12 pm:
===So, paying the list price of an item, as set by the owner, is now considered being petty?===
Counterpoint.
===In the US, if you go out to eat at a restaurant (other than fast-food), the understanding is that you tip your server. Usually the same thing for services like housekeeping, hair salons, food delivery, livery services. It’s not a requirement, but it’s a social understanding.
You know this.===
Lemme know how this argument with yourself works out.
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:20 pm:
Right now, servers do not make the minimum wage. With this new legislation, they will. But hey, what ever you have to do to make yourself look smart, right OW?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:23 pm:
===With this new legislation, they will.===
Who won your argument, that’s all I wanna now.
Be well. Be safe. Tip your waitress.
- RNUG - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:28 pm:
RE Pension Reform
CBTA’s response is just as predictable as IPI’s response.
Other than a possible ramp reset, I don’t see anything happening. I expect Illinois will just muddle through like always.
- RNUG - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 12:29 pm:
== even if it’s to punch a ticket of Chicago places. ==
I think I’ve done that a few times
- Lurker - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 1:18 pm:
Just an fyi, for places that pay the minimum wage, the tips go to the establishment. For example, here in Springfield, a few local car washes have tip boxes or you can add a tip when you pay with a credit card. The workers see none of that money. They get tips if you give them cash. The same is true at two restaurants in town (that I know of).
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 1:37 pm:
==tipping was considered an insult==
Where my wife is from tipping isn’t even a thing. But they pay their service workers well there. If a place wants to pay their workers well above the minimum wage then I might consider not tipping. But if that waitress is only making $13 an hour then you can bet I’m still tipping. There are simply far too many businesses that do not value their workers.
- DuPage - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 1:57 pm:
About the CO2 pipeline…Illinois should not allow Illinois to be used as a dumping ground for other states. If the CO2 injected into the ground seeps into aquifers it could contaminate water wells over large areas. NO to CO2 disposal in Illinois.
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 2:21 pm:
The next time I go to Home Depot, I will make sure to tip the garden center guy for stacking the mulch and making sure the rubber hoses are rolled.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 2:22 pm:
===The next time I go to Home Depot, I will make sure to tip the garden center guy===
Counterpoint…
===In the US, if you go out to eat at a restaurant (other than fast-food), the understanding is that you tip your server. Usually the same thing for services like housekeeping, hair salons, food delivery, livery services. It’s not a requirement, but it’s a social understanding.
You know this.===
I really do wanna know who wins your argument, “you” or “you”
- Old IL Dude - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 2:34 pm:
OW, we know who continually loses, just sayin’…
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 2:35 pm:
===we know who continually loses===
Your future waiters and waitresses?
- Demoralized - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 3:13 pm:
==The next time I go to Home Depot==
That’s clearly not what is being talked about you dolt. But you keep being an ignorant about it.
- NotYourGramma - Thursday, Jul 20, 23 @ 10:19 pm:
@JS Mill - I think of equity is recognizing that “the same” (or “equal”) isnt always what’s best or needed. If I have a big pizza and 3 people, equality says everyone gets a third. Equity says I look at everyone’s needs: turns out I have one little kid (who doesn’t need a third of a pizza), a regular adult (who is fine with a third of a pizza), and a guy who just ran a marathon (who could really use some extra calories). Equity tells me it’s ok to give the little kid less (who doesn’t need as much) and give the marathoner more (who needs more in this moment). No one is harmed because the servings aren’t equal. In fact, people might be better off: the kid doesn’t barf from over eating. The marathoner gets the extra he needs.
It’s not the perfect metaphor for this. There’s flaws to my example. But just one way to start thinking about it.