Afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ACLU of Illinois…
More here.
* Crain’s…
“We have had no shortage of wonderful ideas and applications that have come in from Illinois and Chicago for grants we have underway . . . thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure program,” [US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg] said Monday night during a conversation with former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker as part of TechChicago Week. “I would add that under the governor’s leadership, the state is putting up a lot.”
“Lest anybody get caught in the framework that says, ‘Why are we investing as a state if the federal government is going to come anyway?’ — the more the state puts forward, the better partner we can be. The more matching there is, the more gets done,” Buttigieg said. “A state that understands the importance of infrastructure is a critical part of all of this.”
* Press release…
State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville), and State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) held a press conference on Wednesday where they issued new demands for joint hearings of the Illinois House and Senate Human Services and Mental and Behavioral Health Committees after news reports surfaced this week detailing horrific instances of abuse, neglect, sexual assault, and torture of individuals living in Illinois-run facilities serving developmentally disabled citizens.
In February 2023, every member of the House and Senate Republican Caucuses signed on to a letter demanding joint committee hearings to investigate reports of abuse and neglect at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center. This week, ProPublica released shocking details of the abuse of residents living in state care at multiple facilities.
Senator Terri Bryant signed the original letter demanding hearings into Choate and participated in Wednesday’s press conference. Bryant said the Pritzker Administration must answer questions.
“Republicans have consistently called for joint, public, bicameral hearings of the committees charged with overseeing our facilities that serve the developmentally disabled to get answers on the record from administration officials as to what is being done to stop these horrific abuses,” Bryant said. “I am now repeating my demand for public hearings, and I believe new leadership is needed in many facilities, especially at Choate.”
* From an INA media alert…
INA Nurses Protest at Ludeman Developmental Center
WHAT: Dozens of nurses employed by Ludeman Developmental Center, and their union colleagues and supporters will protest unfair labor conditions and unsafe work conditions.
WHEN: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 18th, 2023.
WHERE: Ludeman Developmental Center, 114 N Orchard Dr, Park Forest, IL 60466
WHO: Nurses represented by the Illinois Nurses Association will protest the Ludeman Center management
BACKGROUND: The Ludemann Developmental Center treats adults 18 and over who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. INA members are protesting to fight for a fair contract at Ludeman Developmental Center. According to steward Marika Loftman-Davis, RN, INA nurses worked through the COVID-19 pandemic for years with little to no thanks from the State of Illinois. “People say that nurses are heroes, but now they need to give us a fair contract that actually acknowledges the work we did for our state,” Loftman-Davis said.
“Management needs to bring our facility into the 21st century and provide us with the resources we need to care for our patients. They need to pay us a living wage and provide us with benefits so that nurses can stay their whole career at Ludeman.” Nurses at Ludeman will also be protesting unfair treatment at the Center, and demanding a fair contract that honors nurses’ years of experience working through the pandemic.
* IDFPR press release…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (“IDFPR”) announced today the results of the Social Equity Criteria Lottery (“SECL”) for 55 Conditional Adult Use Cannabis Dispensary Licenses. Almost 2,700 applicants participated in the lottery, which was held in conjunction by IDFPR and the Illinois Lottery. Before Conditional Licenses are issued, the Department will initiate a review process to ensure applicants selected meet all statutorily required rules. Once confirmed, the Department will issue a Conditional License. The results of the SECL may be found online here and below.
Crain’s…
But they’re being awarded at a time when new entrants are struggling in Illinois and elsewhere to raise the estimated $500,000 to more than $1 million required to set up a pot shop. So far a little more than two dozen of the 192 licensees have opened stores.
* Hopefully, this apparent success will trickle down to Chicago…
The two locations illustrate the extent to which Biden administration officials have begun transforming the way asylum seekers and migrants are processed along the southern border since May 11, when the White House lifted the pandemic policy known as Title 42. The policy had allowed quick expulsions of migrants who entered the United States illegally but no penalty for those who tried to get in again and again.
Now the administration is allowing tens of thousands of migrants to enter the United States legally each month through the mobile app CBP One, while those who don’t follow the rules face ramped-up deportations and tougher penalties.
The preliminary result is a nearly 70 percent drop in illegal entries since early May, according to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.
* Press release…
Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL) issued the following statement in support of a young girl from the Springfield, Illinois area who was kicked off her swim team for objecting to men using the girls’ locker room.
During a raucous press conference today, the teenage girl’s father admitted that she was not kicked off the team and that he refused a meeting with the Y because he could not bring others with them, including a leader of an anti-trans group. And the girl told reporters today that she never saw the person in a state of undress, so we don’t really even know if the person was born a biological male. The father would not allow her to answer questions about whether she felt threatened or if the person was leering at her. The YMCA issued a statement about this last month.
* Brenden Moore on yesterday’s release of a new Cor Strategies poll showing Mike Bost leading Darren Bailey 43-37…
Bost campaign manager Myles Nelson said the result proves “that Republican voters are happy with the job Mike Bost is doing.”
“At a time when no one can agree on anything, only 8% disapprove of the job he’s doing in Congress,” Nelson said. “Mike also holds an outside the margin of error lead against a candidate who JB Pritzker spent $30 million supporting in an effort to convince Illinois Republicans to vote for him just last year. We’re happy with where we’re at and know we will have the resources to continue building our support moving forward.”
Bailey’s campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.
* The Illinois Policy Institute is recruiting legislative candidates again…
The ads link here. Their recruits didn’t do so well last year.
* From the ward commiteeperson meeting earlier this week which chose Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez’s favored candidate Natalie Toro for state Senate…
35th Ward committeeperson Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa joined many progressive ward organizations in the district in backing Guzmán. He hammered Toro on Monday for her association with the police union, and for mailers sent in support of her campaign for the County Board by a political action committee funded in large part by the FOP. […]
Toro said she was glad Ramirez-Rosa asked her about the FOP connection, then promptly distanced herself as much as she could from Catanzara.
“I think, maybe naively as a first-time candidate, I was under the impression that any candidate should go to a labor union to earn the support of the rank-and-file members of the union,” she said. “I in no way agree with any of the views of their homophobic, racist leader.”
Totally believable. That link leads to a photo taken during a Martinez fundraiser last year.
* Still “fittin’ to get ready” after almost two years…
State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, is set to attend the first public meeting of Illinois’ Warehouse Safety Standards Task Force on July 18 at Birger Hall on the campus of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) at 10 a.m. The meeting is open to the public.
“Nobody should be injured or lose their life because the building they are working in isn’t built to keep them safe in the event of a completely foreseeable hazard. But that’s just what happened in our community on December 10, 2021 when an Amazon facility collapsed and killed six people,” Stuart said. “That’s why I’ve since led the way in the creation of this task force, and why I asked to be appointed to it. I’m looking forward to beginning the process of better protecting Illinois’ working families.”
On December 10, 2021, an EF-3 tornado struck the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville while workers inside scrambled to find safety and both management and safety procedures proved tragically ineffective. One of the building’s two restrooms was equipped as a storm shelter and the six who were killed had taken shelter in the other restroom. The warehouse suffered a direct hit and was destroyed.
Among issues that authorities examined in the aftermath were the lack of a plan tailored to the region, the fact that emergency equipment was inaccessible due to being kept locked up and that many workers did not recall having been asked to complete required training on what to do in an emergency.
Ultimately, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that Amazon did not technically violate the law, but issued a Hazard Alert Letter identifying several recommended changes it said the company should consider making.
“Six people were killed in this incident, so the fact that no violations could technically be identified despite that is not comforting—it shows that we have a problem,” Stuart said. “That’s why the work of this task force is so crucial. Illinois needs a building code that will keep workers safe and families whole, and we have until the current code expires in 2025 to make sure we have one.”
* Big fight at the State House Inn, which is a popular session spot…
Sangamon and Menard County Crime Stoppers are seeking information to assist police on a large disturbance on July 8 at the State House Inn located at 101 E. Adams St. in Springfield.
Police located a large crowd fighting in the middle of the road and later determined multiple crimes occurred resulting in multiple injuries. One victim was stabbed and others were battered. The victims were treated at local hospitals.
No suspects have been identified and no photographs are currently available.
Problems of a different sort at another session hotel…
The way Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher figures it, economic incentives available to the owner of the Wyndham City Centre hotel for a proposed $58 million renovation total about half of what the previous mayor estimated.
Rather than the $18.75 million in tax-related incentives described by former mayor Jim Langfelder, Buscher said the assistance package of property, hotel-motel and sales taxes instead would add up to $9 million or $10 million.
“The incentives that were offered before just simply are not there financially,” Buscher told Illinois Times after a City Council meeting in June.
The reason for the math discrepancy is unclear. It’s also unclear whether the reduced number is the reason Wyndham owner Al Rajabi and his associates at Tower Capital Group – also referred to as Sky Capital – haven’t returned to the city with a reaction or counteroffer.
* As I noted earlier today, this is a slow period for news…
Ouch.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Amid hazing scandal, Northwestern has another conflict on its board of trustees: Michael Wilbon worked for the Washington Post for 30 years, first as a sports reporter, then as a sports columnist. Later, he added ESPN to his resume, co-hosting “Pardon the Interruption” with Post colleague Tony Kornheiser. Then he joined “NBA Countdown” as an analyst. […] While school president Michael Schill pens drawn-out statements and athletic director Derrick Gragg keeps himself on mute, Wilbon stands on his purple pulpit, mourning what the university has lost and espousing what it still can be.
* Sun-Times | Surely, with all the recent rain, the region’s drought is over? Nope: “It’s definitely made a huge dent,” said Trent Ford, a climatologist with the University of Illinois. “What we really want to see more of is consistent, moderate rain totals. We probably don’t want to see the 8 inches of rain in a single day … because in that situation, the first maybe inch or 2 soaks in, helps the soil, and the rest just runs off.”
* WLS | ‘He [Mayor Brandon Johnson] is not a labor mayor.’ – Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara on WLS AM 890: President of Chicago’s police union John Catanzara joins Ramblin Ray on the Big 89 to discuss why he believes Mayor Johnson refuses to grant the FOP 12 weeks of paid parental leave, highlights the turnover rate within the Chicago Police Department, and responds to allegations of Chicago police engaging in sexual misconduct with migrants.
* AP | Illinois surveys storm damage after multiple suspected tornadoes hit Chicago, suburbs : Four teams from the weather service headed out Thursday morning to survey storm damage reported Wednesday across numerous areas of the Chicago metropolitan area and points farther west to determine if tornadoes caused that damage, said Zachary Yack, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Chicago area office.
* AP | First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval: The Food and Drug Administration cleared once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The manufacturer, Ireland-based Perrigo, won’t start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales.
* Crain’s | Durbin letter to Supreme Court Historical Society is the latest volley in SCOTUS ethics battle: This week, Durbin wrote to the head of the Supreme Court Historical Society demanding information on how the society provides access between justices and donors. The letter prominently cites a Dec. 30, 2022, report by The New York Times that shows that since 2003, the society has raised more than $6.4 million—or 60 percent of its total donations—from corporations, interest groups or lawyers and firms that had cases before the court. The newspaper highlighted how the contributions gave donors access to the society’s events, most notably its annual dinner when several of the justices typically interact with society members.
* Tribune | How the Double Duty Classic connects Chicago’s rich baseball past with its future: When the story of organized professional Black baseball is told, people typically start in Kansas City, Mo. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is there and it is where Andrew “Rube” Foster famously assembled owners of six Black baseball teams from Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City and St. Louis and Dayton, Ohio, at the Paseo YMCA to form what became known as the Negro National League in February 1920. And while Kansas City’s role is important, Chicago’s role cannot be overlooked.
* Sun-Times | Sriracha shortage has Chicago restaurants, shoppers scrambling for hot sauce: Huy Fong, the California-based producer, uses peppers from suppliers in Mexico, where severe drought affected crops. Huy Fong did not respond to a request for comment, but in April the company told CBSMoneyWatch it was having problems sourcing the peppers.
* SJ-R | Larry Werries, who served as state ag director under Thompson, dies at 83: During his time as state ag director, Werries served as Chairman of the Midwest Directors followed by two terms as President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). After leaving the Thompson administration, Werries served as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the USDA in Washington, D.C., under President George H.W. Bush. Werries was the liaison between the USDA and units of state and local government.
* Vox | Hollywood’s historic double strike, explained: Like the WGA strike, a SAG-AFTRA strike comes with profound economic consequences. The WGA’s picket lines have already managed to shut down most productions in New York and Los Angeles and across the country as crew members refuse to cross. Since SAG-AFTRA represents 160,000 members — “actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists, and other media professionals,” as their website puts it — a strike would have profound effects on many industries. (By contrast, the WGA, which has just entered day 73 of its strike, has around 20,000 members.)
* CNN | This year’s Amazon Prime Day was the biggest in company history: Amazon said July 11 was the single largest sales day in the company’s history, but declined to provide totals. Shoppers bought 375 million items across the two days, up from 300 million last year during the sales promotion.
* Illinois Times | Revitalizing Robin Roberts Stadium: The crack of a bat, the cheer of a crowd and smiles exchanged between a grandparent and child weave a tapestry of memories on Springfield’s north end. But that tapestry is getting frayed and the future of Robin Roberts Stadium is being pondered. Is it a valued amenity or white elephant?
* WCIA | Springfield man killed in I-70 bus crash: State Police : Officials said the Greyhound bus was going from Indianapolis to St. Louis. The bus was passing through Madison County just before 2 a.m. on Wednesday when it hit three semi-trucks. The trucks were parked on the right shoulder near the entrance to the rest stop.
* ABC | Illinois State Fair introduces Sunflower Hours for a sensory-friendly experience: The fair said a variety of free entertainment options will be available within this timeframe to enable families with special needs to visit and experience the fair. There will be a silent dance party from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Reisch Pavillion. Wireless headphones will be sanitized between uses with new playlists starting every 20 minutes.
20 Comments  
|
Caption contest!
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with U.S. Ambassador to Japan and former Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, to discuss Japan’s role supporting Ukraine and the greater U.S.-Japanese alliance. During the meeting, they also discussed China’s actions in the region.
Pic…
28 Comments
|
Today’s task (Updated)
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Wow…
OK, now please click here and then tell us if you or a loved one has any unclaimed property.
…Adding… The treasurer’s office monitored comments today…
Rich,
Thanks for posting. Every bit helps get the word out about the Unclaimed Property program. We continue to try to make it easier, such as…
We have worked with the General Assembly to change the law and the rules to make it easier to claim your money. Today, if you are claiming your money and no item is $5,000 or more, we use an automated process to review the claim. The majority of people will receive an email indicating that the claim was approved and to expect a check. Very few people need to send paperwork.
In the fiscal year that just ended, we paid more than 200,000 claims. Roughly 150,000 of those were paid with no paper from the owner, or about 75 percent of the time. The owner either simply completed the online claim form or we matched them with records and mailed them a check without requiring a claim. To put that in perspective, in FY2003 (the first year the Treasurer’s Office had computerized records) there were a total of 25,000 claims paid. In FY2015, there were roughly 60,000 claims paid.
A few folks mentioned that they don’t bother with small dollar amounts. If they have two minutes, they really should fill out the online form. About 90 percent of the items turned over to the Treasurer’s Office as unclaimed property are $100 or less. And we have been working very hard to make it much easier to claim these funds.
Now if you are claiming money as an heir, it is a bit more complicated (families can be complicated). We try to make sure we are paying the right person – after all, the only thing worse than not paying someone quickly is paying someone who is not legally entitled to the money.
But, with the help of the General Assembly, we now have a more streamlined process for heir claims under $250. Basically, you complete and mail in a notarized affidavit that you are one of the legal heirs and you list the other heirs. You agree to distribute the money to the other heirs. That’s it.
Finally, we recently added a “share” function. You can look up your friends and family. If you find something that belongs to them, there is now an integrated way to send them an email or a text with a link so that they can claim their money.
One-party claims are the easiest. Claims involving the death of a family member, unfortunately, will require additional work depending on the circumstances. At the end of the day, accuracy and efficiency always will be our focus.
33 Comments
|
Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I interviewed Lt. Gov. Stratton in mid-June about her very first fundraiser since being elected statewide. We also talked about her future plans. Politico did a story about it over the break…
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton is fundraising, though she’s not committing to running for any particular office.
In a recent interview with your Playbook host, Stratton didn’t rule out a future run for office, adding she’s only focused on the job she already has.
As lieutenant governor, Stratton would be a likely candidate to run for the state’s top job should Gov. JB Pritzker not seek a third term in 2026.
For now: Stratton is making moves to build up her campaign fund, which has been virtually empty since she left the Illinois General Assembly to join Pritzker’s 2018 campaign.
The big kahuna: Fred Eyechaner, who heads Newsweb Corp. and is a national Democratic megadonor, recently plunked $6,900 on Stratton, according to filings with the State Board of Elections. He’s one of a dozen big donors to donate to Stratton’s political campaign fund in recent weeks.
I dunno about governor. If Pritzker doesn’t run for a third term, I’d assume Alexi Giannoulias, Susana Mendoza and others will be elbowing hard. We’ll see, but some prime down-ballot spots could open up.
And, of course, we don’t yet know what Pritzker’s plans are. I mentioned in my own piece that he was seen by some as a bit of a lame duck and wound up getting a blistering earful for broaching that topic. Heh. Won’t be the last time. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
By the way, you’ve probably noticed by now that no statewide offices are on the ballot next year. The last time I remember this happening was 2000. It was so dead around here that I went to Europe for two months during the summer of 1999 and then to Cuba with Gov. George Ryan and several others (no blog duties back then). [A commenter correctly points out that there was no statewide election in 2012. Somehow, I got by.]
* The Question: I know it’s very early and we don’t even know what the field will look like, but it’s summer and there’s not a heck of a lot going on right now, so what office would you recommend LG Stratton pursue in 2026? Explain.
39 Comments
|
Coverage roundup of yesterday’s storms
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Sun-Times…
Residents in the Chicago area took shelter and kept a watchful eye on ominous skies for hours Wednesday as tornadoes whipped through the area.
The National Weather Service confirmed numerous tornadoes moved through the area at about 7 p.m, prompting a tornado warning for Cook County and tornado watch for surrounding counties. […]
On a scale of 0-5, the severe weather threat was categorized as a 3 by the weather service early Wednesday evening. […]
City officials request that residents refrain from using extra water for showers, laundry or household chores to ease pressure on the city’s wastewater system. Residents can report a backup of water in their homes or businesses by calling 311 or going to 311.chicago.gov to report water in basements, standing water in streets and viaduct flooding.
* The Tribune…
At least one tornado was confirmed as having touched down near O’Hare International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The poor weather briefly grounded all flights at O’Hare and Midway airports, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
While the weather service hadn’t confirmed any other tornadoes, fire officials in Elgin were on the scene of a suspected tornado touchdown that damaged 30 homes.
A NWS meteorologist also confirmed storm damage in the west suburbs, including Countryside, Elgin and Lily Lake. The worst damage near Chicago was a “roof off” in Huntley. […]
ComEd reported outages affecting more than 10,000 customers in the area with the biggest cluster of outages taking place in the East Garfield Park area, where two outages affected 515 customers.
* Elgin was hit pretty hard…
A fast-moving line of storms is believed to have spawned at least one unverified tornado as it moved through the Elgin area Wednesday night and damaged as more than two dozen buildings, officials said. […]
Dave Hoyne, who lives in the area near South Street and Shadow Hill Drive in Elgin, said he initially was watching the storm from the lower level of his home when he saw things change dramatically in a short span of time.
“It went from a very light rain to very intense rain very quickly, and then all of a sudden the phone started beeping (with) tornado warnings,” Hoyne said.
His wife, Kyla, ran upstairs to get their cat so they could take shelter in the basement.
“(Kyla) looked out the window, which faces toward the south, and said, ‘Oh, my god, look at that. It’s a tornado,’” he said.
* More from Elgin…
* From the bird app…
* Heh…
* NBC Chicago…
The National Weather Service confirmed early Thursday morning that “multiple tornadoes tracked across Northeastern Illinois” Wednesday, causing extensive damage to homes, yards, businesses and more across Chicago suburbs including Elgin, Campton Hills, Rosemont, Huntley, Carol Stream, Hodgkins and more.
“Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, multiple tornadoes tracked across Northeast Illinois, some in very close proximity to one another,” a tweet from the NWS said. “These were spawned by rotating thunderstorms known as supercells.” […]
According to the NWS, the total number of tornado touchdowns from Wednesday has yet to be finalized, adding that a final number count should be completed as the week goes on. […]
During the storm, the NWS and the NBC 5 Storm Team confirmed some tornado touchdowns, including a “large and extremely dangerous” tornado in southern Cook County moving towards Chicago. Approximately 30 minutes later, the NWS reported a touchdown near O’Hare International Airport, where more than 300 flights were canceled.
* More coverage…
* NBC Chicago | Hodgkins, Illinois faces major storm damage following severe weather, suspected tornadoes: Several Chicago suburbs are facing extensive storm damage cleanup after “multiple tornadoes” tracked across Northeast Illinois Wednesday, leaving roofs ripped off homes, massive trees uprooted, car windows blown out, debris from shopping centers strewn across parking lots and more. Sandra Torres reports from Hodgkins.
* Patch | Where Storm Hit Burr Ridge The Most: Wednesday night’s storm was brief, causing the most damage in Burr Ridge near 73rd and 74th streets, between Forest Hill and Wolf roads, the village said in a statement. Overall, the village said the damage was minimal. It advised people to refrain from approaching or touching any downed power lines.
* Shaw Local | Violent storm in McHenry County leaves damage behind: Eight residences in Huntley lost roofs, McHenry County Emergency Management Director David Christensen said. A self-storage building also had roof damage that still is being investigated.
* Fox 2 Now | Clean up and power restoration from storm damage in Missouri and Illinois: As the force of the storms downed several power lines in the area, Ameren Missouri is reporting that more than 10,000 customers are still without power Thursday morning. Half of those customers are in St. Louis County, the others affected were St. Louis City, St. Francois County, and Washington County.
* Daily Herald | Apparent twin tornadoes in Kane County, touchdowns in Streamwood, near O’Hare among storms: The tornado by O’Hare was “touching the ground intermittently” about 7 p.m. and moving east, according to a tweet from the weather service, with “additional circulations” south of O’Hare. Cook County had been under a tornado warning after a separate tornado was confirmed by the weather service east of South Elgin, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Did you get caught up in the storm?
19 Comments
|
Open thread
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s goin’ on in your part of Illinois?…
23 Comments
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Tribune | With large contingent of politicians and business leaders in tow, Gov. J.B. Pritzker heads to the UK to sell his vision of Illinois as EV industry hub: The second-term Democrat will be joined on the latter half of the weeklong trip by a large contingent of state officials, including Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, and leaders in higher education and business. The delegation, numbering more than three dozen, will include representatives from Chicago-based United Airlines and the state’s major utility companies.
* Tribune | In fight for Illinois Senate seat, divisions among Democrats on display: The high emotions and big crowd that jammed into the Hamlin Park field house Monday to see Democratic Party insiders name a 20th District replacement for Cristina Pacione-Zayas prove the importance the posts have for some residents, and for a party that’s continuing to separate along ideological lines, with various factions looking to exert their power.
* WAND | Pandemic unemployment benefits: IL Auditor General breaks down latest IDES audit: The Auditor General’s office found IDES didn’t create an audit trail to properly document claims according to federal standards. Auditor General Frank Mautino told WAND News that his team requested this data to determine if claimants were eligible for benefits or acting fraudulently.
* WMAY | New law motivated by Choate Mental Health Center scandal signed by Illinois Governor Pritzker: The new law requires that people who do not report cases of abuse or who actively obstruct investigative reports will be added to a Registry, letting future employers know their role in silencing survivors of abuse at their job.
* BGA | BGA Supports Proposed Improvements to Inspector General Appointment Process: The Better Government Association supports the passage of O2023-1245, introduced by Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward), which brings urgency and accountability to the city’s process for filling a vacant inspector general position.
* Record North Shore | Wilmette officials hear Ryan Field opposition ‘loud and clear’: Ten residents addressed the Wilmette Village Board during its Tuesday, July 11 meeting to express their opposition to the school’s proposed plans to reimagine Ryan Field and urge trustees to dispute potential zoning changes under consideration by Evanston officials.
* Tribune | Asylum-seekers denounce treatment at Pilsen shelter and deliver letter to mayor; alderman denies allegations: On Wednesday morning, Falcon and a group of mostly migrant mothers went to City Hall and attempted to deliver a handwritten letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson, in which they detailed their concerns and living conditions. Those included prohibiting children from drinking bottled water and eating fresh food donations; forcing asylum-seekers, including a family, out of the shelter without a place to go after alleged rule violations; and failing to provide guidance to find permanent housing.
* Sun-Times | Johnson to get names of 3 finalists for top cop Thursday, will have 30 days to make pivotal appointment: The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability will hold an executive session at 3:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss background checks on the six semifinalists for Chicago Police Department superintendent, then choose three finalists from among those names.
* Sun-Times | Kamala Harris coming to Chicago July 24 for Democratic fundraiser: Proceeds from the funder will go to the Biden Action Fund, which benefits the Biden/Harris reelection campaign, and the Democratic National Committee. It will be at Rogers’ Gold Coast home with the goal of raising $250,000.
* Beacon-News | Aurora mayor starts search for new City Council member in wake of death of Ald. Scheketa Hart-Burns: Mayor Richard Irvin said at this week’s Committee of the Whole meeting that the city will take open applications from any 7th Ward resident for the aldermanic position through 5 p.m. Friday, July 21.
* WCIA | Illinois will not have a sales tax holiday for school supplies this year: “Depending on how many children you have, or just what your budget can contain, and with household things that are all costing a lot more these days as well, rent, Tiffany Mathis-Posey, CEO of Central Illinois Boy’s and Girl’s Club, said. “Things have gone up. It makes it a struggle.”
* WTVO | Hard Rock Casino reaches new heights with final beam placement: “It’s almost 200,000 square feet inside. It will have numerous restaurants. It has a concert venue called ‘Live’. Can you picture 2,000 people standing there for hard rock acts that travel the nation on tour?” Johnson asked. “Coming to Rockford, there’ll be restaurants, games. It’s going to be Disneyland for adults.”
* PJ Star | Peoria unveils multi-million dollar plan to overhaul its riverfront. Here are the details: The Peoria City Council will hear about a riverfront redevelopment plan designed by Terra Engineering at its July 25 meeting. “The plan includes a dog park, kayak launch, sports courts, recreational structures, expanded hardscape for the Riverfront Market, and more,” the city said in a news release.
* NYT | With Art Colleges Closing, a Chicago Museum Has an Alternative: The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the educator Romi Crawford have become partners in a new program that focuses on pairing instruction by artists of color with hands-on learning by students working alongside them. This intensive, semester-long course, which its founders announced on Monday, is called the New Art School Modality and will start in September at the museum.
* Tribune | Tornado confirmed near O’Hare as evening storms spark tornado warnings in Cook, DuPage: At least one tornado was confirmed as having touched down near O’Hare International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The poor weather briefly grounded all flights at O’Hare and Midway airports, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
* Tribune | Illinois State Museum’s return of sacred statues to Kenya part of ongoing reexamination of cultural artifacts: Curators at the Illinois State Museum say they don’t know exactly how 38 wooden sculptures made their way from Kenya to Springfield. But the leading theory is that the move wasn’t aboveboard. “We can’t demonstrably state these in particular were stolen, but all the circumstantial evidence sort of points to that,” said Brooke Morgan, the curator of anthropology at the state museum system, a consortium of four museums around Illinois.
24 Comments
|
Live coverage
Thursday, Jul 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Comments Off
|
Afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* ISP…
For the second year, the Illinois State Police (ISP) is reporting a decrease in the number of shootings on Chicago area expressways. At the midway mark for 2023, the Illinois State Police (ISP) is reporting the total number of Chicago area expressway shootings is down 23% compared to this time last year. The number of non-fatal injury expressway shooting in the Chicago area is down 50% compared to this time in 2022.
“The Illinois State Police’s dedication of additional resources has reduced shootings on Chicago area expressways for the second year in a row,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “This year’s reduction in the number of shootings, on top of the decreases we saw last year, shows our actions to reduce violence on the expressway are effective and we will continue tackling shootings head-on to make the expressways safer.”
Expressway shootings have dropped from 109 in the first six months of 2021 to 59 so far this year, but that’s still more than two per week.
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today highlighted Illinois’ top rankings in CNBC’s 2023 Top States for Business publication - an annual report that ranks states based on 10 broad categories of competitiveness. This year, Illinois ranked in the top 10 in the nation for four categories of competitiveness, and six categories in the top 20. Illinois is ranked 17th best state for business, rising ahead two spots from the 2022 ranking and up from 30th in the 2019 ranking.
Highlights include:
• #2 in the nation for infrastructure (up from #3 in ‘22)
• #2 in the nation for education (up from #6 in ‘22)
• #6 in the nation for access to capital (up from #8 in ‘22)
• #9 in the nation for cost of living (up from #20 in ‘22)
Not mentioned is that CNBC ranked Illinois 39th for business friendliness, 33rd for the economy, 32nd for cost of doing business and 28th for workforce.
Minnesota ranked 5th overall, Michigan ranked 10th, Ohio was 12th, Indiana was 13th and Pennsylvania was 15th. Illinois, as mentioned above, was 17th.
* Can Illinois get some of this?…
Florida Republican Governor and 2024 presidential contender Ron DeSantis quietly rejected hundreds of millions of dollars in federal energy funding, as the Biden administration touts the benefits of its marquee climate law on the campaign trail in battleground states.
The funding, totaling about $377 million, included hundreds of millions of dollars for energy-efficiency rebates and electrification as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as money from the bipartisan infrastructure legislation that became law in 2021.
* Some of this is a bit of a stretch…
EXCLUSIVE — A freshman House Democrat may have violated federal law due to his “improper” Twitter usage, according to a right-leaning ethics watchdog group.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust is demanding that the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent and nonpartisan body that reviews misconduct allegations against lawmakers, “immediately investigate” if Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) “has abused official resources for political purposes” by using the Twitter account for his campaign to post content from his congressional office and the House floor, according to a Wednesday ethics complaint obtained by the Washington Examiner. […]
Sorensen, a former weatherman who was elected in 2022, links on his campaign Twitter account to his official social media account. The congressman’s campaign account, as of this writing, also has a pinned tweet linking to “all of his official accounts” for social media, the watchdog noted in its complaint.
The complaint cites several Twitter posts from Sorensen’s campaign account that purportedly use official resources, including one from May 25 that shows the House floor with the caption, “It’s not even 11 o’clock on Thursday morning and every Republican left the House and went home.”
I reached out to Sorensen’s DC office and haven’t heard back. I’m not quite sure why someone can’t link to government accounts from a campaign account. The other way around would definitely be a problem.
* Background is here if you need it. From Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois…
“This is a sad day for Iowa residents who are facing a draconian 6-week abortion ban, a time when many people are unaware they are even pregnant. Abortion bans and restrictions do not stop people from having abortions, it just creates unnecessary and burdensome barriers to those most vulnerable like young people, immigrants, people living in poverty and people facing domestic violence. Already Illinois is welcoming more abortion patients than any other state; our doors are open and we are actively preparing for the waves of pregnant Iowans fleeing their home in search of care. We continue to fight for everyone to access the health care they need and deserve.”
* StudyFinds…
To find out who is currently dealing with crippling amounts of stress, the WalletHub team compared more than 180 cities across 39 key metrics, looking at everything from unemployment rates and household income to health and divorce rates.
Chicago ranked 32nd most stressed, but Aurora was 147th out of 182.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Bloomberg | Inflation at 3% Flags End of Emergency, Turning Point for Fed: At 3% last month, consumer-price inflation is now just one-third of the level it reached a year ago, which was the highest in four decades. And the details for June were also better than expected, with key measures of underlying inflation coming in below forecasts.
* WTTW | Battle Lines Drawn in Northwest Side State Senate District as Progressives Look to Consolidate Power: In next year’s primary, Toro is likely to face Graciela Guzman, who has the support of the political movement that not only elected Johnson in April but also notched a series of victories in the 2022 Democratic primaries, winning six of seven contested races.
* WTTW | Chicago Officials Seek Community Input on Environmental Issues Facing Neighborhoods: Chicago Department of Public Health Managing Deputy Commissioner Megan Cunningham said that identifying neighborhoods that experience the greatest combined impact of environmental exposure, along with health and social stressors, is important so the city knows which areas might require additional protections and investment when it comes to decisions related to zoning, permits and planning.
* In These Times | Meet the New Leader of Chicago’s Progressive Political Powerhouse: Kennedy Bartley is taking over as the next executive director of United Working Families, the group that helped elect Chicago’s new left-wing leadership.
* Shaw Local | Joliet City Council not in agreement on limiting City Hall contacts: The Joliet City Council had a mixed reaction to a presentation advising how much influence elected officials should have at City Hall.
* Crain’s | Could a union have protected Northwestern football players?: In the wake of the scandal, former University of Minnesota regent and college athlete advocate Michael Hsu has filed a new complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Northwestern. His goal: to help athletes gain employment status — partially so they can better protect themselves in the future.
* Crain’s | CEO of med tech giant joins Walgreens board: “Tom is a strong addition to our board,” Roz Brewer, CEO of Walgreens, said in the statement. “As the health care landscape continues to evolve, his extensive industry and technology experience will be a great benefit to delivering on our consumer-centric health care strategy and driving long-term shareholder value.”
* SJ-R | Disaster proclamation sends city workers scurrying to submit report: Tuesday’s meeting had the added attraction of former Mayor Jim Langfelder addressing what he called “misstatements” by Buscher about technology which might have better aided City Water, Light and Power in the aftermath of the storm that caused widespread damage across the city and knocked power for more than half of its customers.
* KMOV | 3 dead, 14 injured in Greyhound bus crash along I-70 near Highland, Illinois: Illinois State Police told News 4 the Greyhound bus hit three semi-trucks that were parked in the off-ramp on a rest stop on westbound I-70 just before 2 a.m. Officials told News 4 the Greyhound bus was traveling from Indianapolis to St. Louis.
* Sun-Times | Northern lights unlikely to illuminate Chicago skies this week: Though Chicago didn’t get lucky this time, some best practices to see the northern lights include avoiding city light and downtown areas. Light pollution can make it more difficult, especially since the aurora borealis is dim to begin with, said Adam Miller, an astronomy professor at Northwestern University.
* CBS Chicago | More than 500 flights delayed, 200 canceled at Chicago airports due to weather: As of 11:30 a.m., 415 flights were delayed at O’Hare International Airport. There have been 243 flight cancellations. At Midway International Airport, 217 flights were delayed. Two flights have been canceled.
* WCIA | Illinois-shaped pollinator garden coming to Champaign: “I hope that when people visit the pollinator garden, they, number one, recognize the importance of pollinators to agriculture,” said Farm Manager Sophia Hortin. “But number two, the agriculture commitment to pollinators. Farmers really do care about the role that pollinators play and are committed to preserving them and having a role for them in the environment. And that’s what we’re trying to showcase here.”
* AP | A Biden plan cuts student loan payments for millions to $0. Will it be the next legal battle?: Starting this summer, millions of Americans with student loans will be able to enroll in a new repayment plan that offers some of the most lenient terms ever. Interest won’t pile up as long as borrowers make regular payments. Millions of people will have monthly payments reduced to $0. And in as little as 10 years, any remaining debt will be canceled.
* Art News | Illinois State Museum Returns Stolen Artifacts to Kenyan Officials: The Illinois State Museum has returned more than 30 stolen artifacts with ties to the Mijikenda peoples, who are native to modern-day Kenya, to the country’s network of national museums. The memorial statues, known as “vigango,” are considered spiritual objects commemorating deceased ancestors.
* Block Club | A 7-Year-Old’s Mullet Made Him Stand Out. Now, His ‘Chicago Cascade’ Could Win A National Championship: Evan Hall, of Gladstone Park, wanted to highlight that city kids can rock a mullet just as well as country kids. You can vote for him in the USA Mullet Championships.
4 Comments
|
* Jason Meisner and Ray Long…
Former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s attempt to suppress the dozens of wiretapped calls and secret recordings that form the backbone of the government’s bombshell racketeering case is a “flimsy effort to create an air of impropriety where none exists,” federal prosecutors said in a motion Tuesday.
* From the federal filing…
Defendant Michael Madigan was the leader of a corrupt criminal enterprise, the tentacles of which extended from the Office of the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in Springfield, to the Thirteenth Ward Democratic Organization on the south side of Chicago. For approximately eight years, through the operation of this criminal enterprise, Madigan exploited his position as a high-ranking public official to manipulate the levers of State and local government for the purpose of illegally enriching himself and his associates. Madigan, together with his loyal lieutenant Michael McClain—a self-described soldier and faithful agent for Madigan—arranged for a flood of corrupt payments and perks to be doled out to Madigan and his associates in exchange and as a reward for Madigan’s abuse of his official powers.
Major corporations handed out more than one million dollars in bribes to Madigan’s cronies to secure Madigan’s assistance and favor with respect to the passage of legislation worth hundreds of millions to the companies. Madigan was sure to line his own pockets as well through the abuse of his official position. Without batting an eye, time and again Madigan stood prepared to take official action in his capacity as an Illinois Representative and Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, at times with the connivance and assistance of his confederate McClain, in exchange for legal work being steered to his private law firm. Indeed, Madigan was prepared to exploit the official positions of others, including Chicago Alderman A, in order to personally benefit himself.
* Prosecutors justify the personal benefit argument by relying on an alleged attempt by Madigan to pick up a new law firm client in Chinatown by transferring property ownership from the government to private hands…
Here, Madigan’s and McClain’s scheme was designed to facilitate the transfer of public property to private hands—exactly the scenario contemplated by the Kelly Court. Moreover, unlike in Kelly, the Chinatown parcel did not play “some bit part in a scheme.” The entire object of the scheme was to transfer the real property and to allow Madigan to privately benefit from the transfer by cashing in on the associated real estate tax work.
* Back to the Tribune’s story…
The [defense] motions have focused largely on an Aug. 18, 2014, meeting at Madigan’s law office where developer See Wong, who was secretly cooperating with investigators due to his own misdeeds, met with the speaker, [then-Ald. Daniel Solis, who was also cooperating and wearing a wire], and a Chinese real estate magnate who wanted to build a hotel in Chinatown.
The roughly half-hour meeting formed the basis of future wiretap requests for Solis and was also included in later applications to tap a phone belonging to McClain, which led to numerous recordings of Madigan himself.
The defense motion said prosecutors improperly “theorized” in their original 2014 application that Madigan and his law partner had conspired with Solis, who at the time was the head of city’s Zoning Committee, to threaten to withhold Solis’ approval of a zoning request unless the developer hired Madigan’s law firm. […]
It wasn’t until 2018 that the government, in a footnote “buried” in the McClain wiretap application, acknowledged Solis’ statements denying any quid pro quo at the meeting. But the footnote also tried to “spin” Solis’ comments by adding he’d admitted “an independent observer would interpret” what was said at the meeting as pressure to hire Madigan’s firm.
But even that alleged Solis admission has been challenged because he would only tell prosecutors “I see (your) point.” Also, the Chinatown deal was never consummated because no bill was passed.
12 Comments
|
Choate management blasted in new IG report
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From an IDHS Office of the Inspector General report entitled “Reducing Abuse and Neglect at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center”…
Although changing a facility’s culture is by no means a simple task, the first step in that process is recognizing that there is indeed a problem. Stated plainly, the status quo at CMHDC is not acceptable. Every CMHDC employee has to understand that the reporting of misconduct is one of their fundamental responsibilities and that not reporting misconduct is what could lead to their discharge. That message is clearly not getting through right now. CMHDC must take steps to identify how it is that certain CMHDC staff are so effectively able to indoctrinate and intimidate new staff and counteract the training that is being provided regarding reporting.
It is also imperative that CMHDC staff feel safe and secure when reporting abuse and neglect. If current CMHDC staff are worried about possible negative reactions if they do the right thing and report misconduct, an important oversight component is removed and abuse and neglect, even when witnessed, will not be punished.
* From a ProPublica story in conjunction with Lee Enterprises and Capitol News Illinois entitled “Illinois Leaves Three Administrators in Charge at Choate Despite Troubled History of Resident Care”…
The inspector general’s report raises new questions about the management and administration of Choate, as well. Employees at the facility “raised concerns that CMHDC administration played favorites and was biased in their decision making,” the report said. “Another CMHDC employee stated that abuse and neglect occurred at the facility due to the systemic tone from the administration and nursing staff.”
The report also found “some indication that substandard work performance is seen and accepted by CMHDC supervisors and management.”
The findings about Choate administrators are particularly notable because Pritzker’s administration decided to retain the facility’s top three administrators in March when announcing a plan to reduce the size of Choate and move some residents to community settings or other state-run facilities.
All three administrators were previously indicted on felony charges in connection with their handling of an abuse allegation at the facility. Facility Director Bryant Davis and Gary Goins, who has served as quality assurance and improvements director, were both charged with official misconduct in 2021. Assistant Director Teresa Smith was charged twice with official misconduct and obstruction of justice, in 2020 and 2021. A judge dismissed the first case, finding there was not probable cause to sustain the charge. The prosecutor dismissed the most recent charges against the three administrators. Smith, Goins and Davis did not respond to requests for comment.
In explaining her rationale for keeping the administrators, IDHS Secretary Grace Hou said in March: “We’ve weighed a lot of different perspectives, but I think we need a leader who knows Choate inside and out, who has relationships with the residents and the parents and the staff to lead us through this challenging transition.” Pritzker publicly backed Hou’s decision at the time. […]
In her official response to the report, Hou wrote that her agency had hired new leadership, including Tonya Piephoff, the new director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities, and a chief resident safety officer, to oversee patient care at the state’s seven developmental centers. […]
The status-quo approach to facility leadership has drawn criticism, including from a southern Illinois state senator and longtime proponent of reforming Choate but also keeping it open. Sen. Terri Bryant, a Murphysboro Republican, has said keeping the same leadership demonstrates a lack of commitment to Choate’s long-term success.
“This is a no-brainer. How do you change the culture of the facility and leave the people in place who allowed the culture to grow and flourish?” Bryant said in an interview. “This plan is a setup for failure. I don’t care how much money you are going to put into the buildings, you will change nothing without removing the leadership.”
* From IDHS…
Earlier this year, IDHS announced a system-wide transformation aimed at providing better care and resources for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This system-wide transformation includes appointing new division-level leadership, improving safety, employing new staffing strategies, and planning and implementing resident transitions. IDHS believes these changes will bring Illinois in closer alignment with nationwide, research-informed best practices and advance the State’s commitment to equity and civil rights of people with disabilities, and meet the State’s legal duty to ensure that residents with disabilities have a full opportunity to live in the least restrictive environment of their choosing. IDHS knows that strong, effective leaders at State-Operated Developmental Centers are imperative to carrying out this system-wide transformation. IDHS leadership is constantly working with and evaluating the performance and effectiveness of facility administrators to ensure alignment with IDHS’ mission and priorities.
I’m hearing that some top administrators at Choate may be moved out soon. But this “trust us” stuff just isn’t gonna fly.
Also, the old saying “fittin’ to get ready” comes to mind after reading that IDHS statement. As with much of government, it’s time to conclude those things and get on with the taking action stuff.
10 Comments
|
* Danny Parkins at 670 The Score…
In his first season leading the Northwestern baseball program, coach Jim Foster created a toxic environment that has run off coaches, broken the spirit of his team and led to a human resources investigation by the university regarding his alleged bullying and verbally abusive behavior, nine sources told 670 The Score.
As part of the toxic culture, Foster discouraged players from seeking medical attention for their injuries, made racially insensitive comments and made an inappropriate comment to a female staff member. Northwestern’s internal investigation didn’t find enough evidence to corroborate all of the allegations, but the university didn’t speak with players on the team while looking into the allegations, sources said.
Northwestern pitchers, in particular, hid their injuries from Foster this past season due to his demanding nature, and they instead sought treatment from trainer Josh Kuester away from the field, sources said. One Northwestern player had an elbow injury and pushed too hard to return because Foster wanted him back by a certain date. That player ended up needing Tommy John surgery. Foster also told multiple upperclassmen that they should quit if they didn’t return from injury sooner than expected, sources said. […]
One player detailed to 670 The Score how he was the subject of a punishment run for nearly the entirety of a 2 1/2-hour practice last fall. After that, in November, the HR complaint was filed against Foster, and the university began monitoring him more closely, though toxic culture didn’t stop, sources said. […]
This isn’t the first time that Foster has found himself in a concerning situation regarding his players’ physical well-being. Foster was the head coach of the Rhode Island program from 2006-’14. In October 2011, a player on his team died following a strength and conditioning workout outdoors. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university, and it was settled for $1.45 million.
Other Northwestern baseball coaches and staffers made repeated attempts to meet with athletic director Derrick Gragg to detail the toxic culture and medical mistreatment, but they were repeatedly denied a chance to meet with him, sources said. […]
Foster was hired in June 2022 by Northwestern, which went 10-40 this past season. The Wildcats have about 15 players who plan to transfer, sources said. […]
The nine sources that spoke with 670 The Score were comprised of former coaches, current and former players and others close to the program. [Emphasis added.]
Foster denies everything. Go read the whole story.
* More on athletic director Derrick Gragg in the Tribune…
The last week of turmoil surrounding Northwestern’s football and baseball programs has thrown a spotlight on one key administrator — athletic director Derrick Gragg.
The university fired longtime football coach Pat Fitzgerald on Monday in the wake of a hazing scandal. Now, the department is facing a similar choice after accusations of a toxic workplace and problematic behavior were levied against head baseball coach Jim Foster. […]
When Northwestern announced Jim Foster as the new head baseball coach last June, Gragg cited Foster’s “combination of on-field success and student-athlete development” at West Point as the deciding factor in the hire. He added that “the future of Wildcats baseball is exceptionally bright with Jim at the helm.”
But within months, the program had begun to fall apart. A collection of current and former players, alumni and people close to the program told the Tribune they reported problematic behavior dating back to last fall to the university, which prompted an HR investigation. Complaints of Foster’s behavior detailed to the Tribune included an intimidating workplace environment, expletive-filled tirades directed at staffers, and pressure on players to forego medical advice on injuries to maintain their roster spots.
* In related news…
* Two Northwestern recruits have decommitted from the football program since the scandal broke. NBC Sports…
According to social media, Greenville, South Carolina offensive lineman Julius Tate was the first to decommit from the school on Tuesday: […]
A short time later, Payton Stewart, an offensive tackle from Kelso High School in Washington, followed suit.
“After talking with my parents and coaches about the news that has broke, I have reconsidered my decision and decided to decommit from Northwestern,” he said.
* An open letter from a group of Northwestern women faculty…
We are a group of tenured Northwestern women faculty who have worked together for several years to improve the university. We have built careers here and care about what happens on campus. In 2021, we drew attention to abuses on the Northwestern cheer squad and to the misguided promotion of Mike Polisky to athletic director after he was implicated in Northwestern’s failure to adequately respond to the cheer team’s experiences of race and gender discrimination and harassment. […]
The athletics department desperately needs long-term institutionalized oversight. Though staffed by professionals who care about athletes’ well-being, the potential for abuse in such high-pressure environments is immense. Students have been paying the price. […]
Is Northwestern Athletics ready to be “showcased”? The university should halt the marketing and focus attention on reforming the athletics department first. The evidence of harassment and abuse across several programs – and high-level efforts to minimize these problems – suggests that we need to get our existing house in order before we expand it. And if the Ryan Field project does go forward, the university must ensure that we invest in our athletes equitably, supporting our women’s teams and ensuring that all athletes can thrive in an atmosphere of gender equity, free of abuse and harassment, as we pointed out in an open letter on May 17.
My colleague Isabel Miller collaborated on this post.
38 Comments
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** Poll: Bost leads Bailey 43-37
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
*** UPDATE *** Some limited crosstabs are here.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Cor Strategies has polled the GOP primary race between US Rep. Mike Bost and former legislator Darren Bailey…
More in a bit.
…Adding… Bailey’s name recognition is actually a bit higher than Bost’s…
* They also polled by region. Bailey is doing well in areas he represented in the General Assembly…
* Trump is polling at 53 percent in the district, with DeSantis at 16 and Pence at 9…
* If Trump were to endorse one way or another, would that impact your decision?…
I think people tend to be reticent about questions like that, but here’s the breakdown of how a Trump endorsement would help each candidate…
Thoughts?
35 Comments
|
* Background is here if you need it. Press release from yesterday…
Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi continued his efforts to correct the Census Bureau’s undercounting of Illinois in the 2020 Census and its resulting loss in its fair share of federal funding by urging the Department of Commerce’s Office of the Inspector General (COIG) to address ways to improve the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program (PEP) as part of its ongoing audit of the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey (PES).
The PES is a tool used to evaluate the accuracy of the decennial census and the PES of the 2020 Decennial Census found 14 states had been undercounted or overcounted, including Illinois which was undercounted by an estimated 1.97 percent.
Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s new letter requests that, as the COIG audits the 2020 PES, that it also addresses how PES findings can be used to improve the PEP’s annual population and resulting federal aid allocations as a means to ensuring Illinois receives its fair share of funding from Washington.
* The letter…
Assistant Inspector General Scott,
I am writing regarding your June 14, 2023 announcement that you had initiated an audit of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Post-Enumeration Survey (PES) to assess the validity of the 2020 PES results as they relate to overcounts and undercounts. Those results included the estimate that 14 states had an undercount or overcount, including my home state of Illinois, which was undercounted by an estimated 1.97 percent.[1]
As part of your audit of the PES’s validity, I urge you and your office to specifically address not only the quality of the PES, but also the applicability and transferability of those results and any methodological findings to immediately improve the accuracy of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program (PEP) and the resulting federal funding allocations, in addition to improving the 2030 Decennial Census.
As you know, Census Bureau data determines the allocation of $1.5 trillion of federal funding over the course of a decade, and Illinoisans rely on roughly 100 programs, such as health care and education programs, for which federal funding levels are determined by such allocations. Because of this funding structure, the undercount and flawed projections are not simply questions of statistical theory and data practices, but of the health and wellbeing of millions of people.
Given the high stakes inherent in Census-based funding allocations and thus the accuracy of the Decennial Census, the PEP, and other Census Bureau programs that rely on it, I sincerely ask that your audit of the PES addresses not only the validity of the PES, but also how it can be most quickly and effectively used to improve other Census Bureau data.
Sincerely,
Raja Krishnamoorthi
Member of Congress
17 Comments
|
Question of the day
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An official with the secretary of state’s office told me yesterday that they specifically looked at your comments on this January post during the process of revamping their website. From a press release..
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office launched a redesign of its website, making it easier to navigate and adding new functions for services that users can access remotely, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced today.
“The revamped website is more intuitive and prioritizes our most popular programs and services so customers can find the information they want and need faster and more conveniently,” Giannoulias said. “Whether it’s renewing your driver’s license, searching for information about a business or looking for a job, making these changes and adding new functionality to the website reflect our commitment to residents and understanding their needs.”
Along with creating a new and consistent look throughout the website that is easier to view and navigate, other enhancements include:
• Simplifying the homepage to prominently feature key services and most frequently sought information.
• Consolidating the process of renewing a driver’s license or ID card online by eliminating unnecessary and confusing steps.
• Developing a job portal allowing people to search and apply for available Secretary of State positions.
• Adding new functionality to Businesses Services that allow users to submit more filings online, including terminating an LLC.
• Creating a new Business Entity search function that details more information about all Illinois corporations, LLCs, and other businesses and allows the entity to perform transactions such as ordering a certificate of good standing or filing an annual report.
• Enhancing the search function to allow for detailed searches and a reformatted page to display more information about lobbyist activities.
• Streamlining the search functions for business entities and lobbyists to allow the user to use the back button on the browser to return to the list of entities generated by the user’s initial search entry. The old website feature took the user back to the original blank search page.
• Uploading essential lobbyists’ information maintained by the office to the State of Illinois Data Portal.
Giannoulias emphasized that his office will continue implementing new features on the website in conjunction with the efforts to modernize the office’s antiquated IT infrastructure.
“This is only the beginning,” said Giannoulias. “I hope people explore ilsos.gov to see what services they can conduct online. We will continue modernizing the website and adding capabilities to ensure customers can access the resources they need. We look forward to feedback from the public about their experience with the new functions on the site and incorporating more updates and improvements in the future.”
Giannoulias has spearheaded efforts to modernize the office since taking office in January, and this represents another step in the ongoing process.
* The Question: What do you think of the new ilsos.gov?
15 Comments
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Sun-Times | Pritzker proclaims disaster after record-setting area rainfall, downstate tornadoes ‘to mobilize every available resource’: The Democratic governor’s proclamation also extends across a swath of central Illinois that fell in the path of a June 29 derecho, a massive wind storm that raked much of the central Plains and spawned at least five tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.
* Sun-Times | Ex-top aide to Madigan kept the former House speaker’s lawyer informed about meeting with FBI agents, prosecutors say: Details about the case against Timothy Mapes were revealed in a 65-page document filed by prosecutors early Tuesday morning, four weeks ahead of Mapes’ trial on perjury and attempted obstruction of justice charges.
* Center Square | Illinois law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent or sell property to undocumented migrant: Illinois landlords will soon be required to rent or sell property to undocumented migrants. Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, protections go into place in the Illinois Human Rights Act for housing regarding immigration status and discriminatory advertising. The law will add immigration status as a protected class.
* Sun-Times | Residents, organizations weigh in on preliminary Cook County 2024 budget: The preliminary budget shows a projected gap of $85.6 million for next year. At a public hearing, speakers representing various organizations advocated for continued funding of their programs.
* Tribune | Fired NU coach Pat Fitzgerald exploring breach-of-contract claims, lawyer Dan Webb says: “Northwestern University made some unusual, bizarre decisions in the past week that seriously have damaged Pat Fitzgerald’s reputation,” attorney Dan Webb told the Tribune. The university initially handed Fitzgerald a two-week unpaid suspension after an outside investigation that confirmed hazing among teammates but did not implicate Fitzgerald. Then on Monday, Fitzgerald was ousted altogether.
* Tribune | Northwestern University had many anti-hazing tools in place before the football scandal. So what went wrong?: Northwestern University’s anti-hazing policies and prevention tools are extensive, including an online hazing education course all incoming undergraduates are required to complete during their first term of enrollment.
* Chicago Mag | As the city spends millions of dollars to house bused-in migrants, many Black residents worry about getting pushed aside again: “No one should be surprised over tension between migrants and Black Americans,” says Adrian Norman, a member of the Black leadership network Project 21, which is affiliated with the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research. “There are destabilized communities across the entire country that have produced horrible outcomes for Black folks for decades, and there is a case to be made that those communities should be prioritized over individuals who forced their way into the country unlawfully.”
* ABC Chicago | Alderman calls on COPA to expedite investigation into CPD, migrants: ‘We have to resolve this’: The Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents the rank-and-file police officers, is questioning the validity of the allegations, suggesting that if there was anything to them, the suspected officers would have been taken off the streets pending the investigation.
* Tribune | Arlington Heights downtown area needs a distinct identity, especially if Bears come to town, merchants say: Group members at a July 10 Village Board committee meeting said they’d formed the alliance to improve the village downtown overall and support its growth as an entertainment destination. Many downtown business owners have been discussing how to maintain and grow the central business district with village officials since the onset of the pandemic, which led to the village’s outdoor dining and entertainment program Arlington Alfresco.
* Tribune | Former Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin sells Western Springs home for $1M: The Durkins previously tried selling the house several times. They first listed it in 2018 for $1.15 million and reduced it to $1.05 million and then to just under $1 million before taking it off the market late that year. They then had it on the market for several months in 2021 at $1.19 million. Finally, they relisted it in March for $1.09 million, and the house went under contract within two weeks.
* Jim Dey | Cash continues to pour into Illinois’ coffers: “The record levels of revenue are despite the volatility of General Funds receipts throughout much of FY 2023. Through the first two-thirds of the fiscal year, General Funds base revenues were $2.2 billion above” FY 22’s level, reported Eric Noggle, revenue manager for the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability
* CBS Chicago | Amid worker shortage, Chicago hotels want to be able to hire migrants more easily: Leyva said other Chicago hotels are struggling to hire for housekeeping roles. If only some of the rooms get cleaned, not all the rooms can be available. That means lost hotel revenue and less hotel tax for the city.
* CBS Chicago | After several years Chicago’s water arc is still off, so when will the fountain be back on?: “It should be alive. It should flow,” said Centennial Fountain architect Dirk Lohan. The water was flowing here since 1989 but it came to a halt in 2020. Broken and in need of repair, it’s been off ever since.
* Sun-Times | One of stars of Lightfoot’s cabinet moving on: Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara announced her resignation Tuesday after a four-year sprint that included leading Chicago through a pandemic that shined an even more glaring light on the city’s 120,000-unit shortage of affordable housing.
* Tribune | City Housing Commissioner Marisa Novara leaving Mayor Johnson’s administration: Novara announced her resignation Tuesday after leading the department for four years and through a time when the city saw mounting concerns over gentrification and homelessness as well as a pandemic. She was appointed in 2019 by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot after serving as vice president of the Metropolitan Planning Council.
* Tribune | Wrigley Field in the mix to host the 2025 All-Star Game — its 1st since 1990 — MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says: The Chicago Cubs haven’t held the Midsummer Classic at their historic ballpark since 1990, with all but two teams — the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays — hosting since then. Six teams have received two All-Star Games in that span: the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers.
* Chicago Mag | The Bear Understands That Chicago Makes Room for Class and Comfort: This season makes explicit the ways in which people like Carmy, who’ve endured family trauma, fall into this work environment. The sixth episode of this season, “Fishes,” takes us in flashback to a dinner in the Berzatto family home. We meet Carmy and Natalie’s mother Donna, an alcoholic with a borderline personality disorder who is staging an elaborate Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve for a full house of family and friends. Between forensic shots of tomato-sauce-shmutzed timers screaming like harpies, we spend a grueling hour in this domestic hellscape. If the terse and claustrophobic “Review” from the first season was like Das Boot with sweet or hot peppers, “Fishes” is more like the overstuffed metaverse of Everything Everywhere All At Once collapsed into a black hole of family dysfunction.
* Sun-Times | Jamie Foxx, out of view for months, resurfaces on Chicago River boat: The public outing comes two months after his daughter Corinne Foxx revealed Foxx is out of the hospital and recovering at home following a medical complication.
27 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
Live coverage
Wednesday, Jul 12, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
