Afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Former Rep. Mark Batinick in Crain’s…
Illinois’ economic racial equity ranks worst in the nation, according to a recent WalletHub study.
Despite a rich history of minority representation and executive leadership at the highest levels of federal, state and local government, Illinois minority families are materially worse off here than in any other state. How could that be? […]
Illinois Democratic policies verifiably impair — in some cases, catastrophically hurt — many of the individuals and groups they purport to help. Here are just a few examples.
Our local and state tax burden is worst in the nation. Property and sales taxes are profoundly regressive, falling hardest on the shoulders of minority families.
* IDES…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate is down -0.1 percentage point to 4.0 percent in June, the fourth consecutive monthly decline. Nonfarm payrolls increased by +8,400 in June. Both estimates are based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The May revised unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, unchanged from the preliminary May unemployment rate. The May monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +2,500 to +5,400 jobs. The June unemployment rate and payroll jobs estimate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.
In June, the industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Educational and Health Services (+5,300), Construction (+2,900), Leisure and Hospitality (+2,900), and Government (+2,900). The industry sectors with monthly payroll job declines included: Professional and Business Services (-5,400), Manufacturing (-2,100), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-2,000). […]
The state’s unemployment rate was +0.4 percentage point higher than the national unemployment rate reported for June, tied with May for the smallest difference since February 2020 (pre-pandemic). The national unemployment rate was 3.6 percent in June, down -0.1 percentage point from the previous month. The Illinois unemployment rate was down -0.4 percentage point from a year ago when it was at 4.4 percent.
Compared to a year ago, nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +121,100 jobs, with gains across most major industries. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Educational and Health Services (+42,400), Leisure and Hospitality (+33,800) and Government (+31,200). Professional and Business Services (-8,400), Information (-4,200) and Manufacturing (-1,400) reported declines in payroll jobs. In June, total nonfarm payrolls were up +2.0 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +2.5 percent in the nation.
The number of unemployed workers was 258,100, the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic. The number of unemployed was down -2.7 percent from the prior month, and -9.4 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force was down -0.2 percent over-the-month and down -0.3 percent over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.
* Prime example of “fittin’ to get ready”…
The City Council has approved an effort to create a working group that will craft recommendations for a pilot program to publicly fund plowing sidewalks across the city. […]
The working group will include members of various city departments. It must meet at least three times before May 31, 2024 to determine the size, location and funding sources of the pilot, according to the ordinance. The actual pilot program will then still need to be approved by the full City Council.
* Northwestern’s sports program appears rotten to the core…
Players have come forward with allegations of indecent acts in both the baseball and softball programs, according to civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Chicago-based law firm Levin & Perconti. […]
The allegations of hazing in the softball program, the details of which have not yet been reported, “seem to have been as toxic as the football (program),” said Crump during the press conference today. “There were young girls who were not even of age yet, and they were preyed upon from day one, in their words.”
* I just love how Block Club Chicago covers Tyrone Muhammed…
The vacant Near South Health Center will become the latest temporary shelter for migrants newly arrived to Chicago, city officials said Wednesday.
At a town hall meeting held by Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) at the De La Salle Institute, 3434 S. Michigan Ave., city officials were met with strong backlash from community members who said they had received no notice of the plan. […]
Tyrone Muhammad, an activist arrested earlier this year for attempting to block the arrival of migrants at Woodlawn’s Wadsworth School, repeatedly interrupted Wednesday’s meeting. Muhammad expressed concern that migrants would not be individually monitored when leaving the shelter, and worried that some might be “former gang members.”
Ray Wences, a representative of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, stressed that all migrants going through the asylum process are given a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and must demonstrate a “credible fear” of violence in their home country.
Muhammed doesn’t appear to even live in that neighborhood, and he’s well known for being a well-paid agitator for Paul Vallas and Dan Proft. He also broke up a rally to honor dead Black transgender women. Etc.
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup…
* 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.”
* Jose Muñoz and Jennifer Crespo | Latinos deserve a seat on Illinois Supreme Court: Latinos deserve and are prepared to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court. The Cook County Democratic Party must epitomize justice and our shared values by slating a Latino candidate for the 2024 Illinois Supreme Court primary election. The time to embrace the inclusion of Latinos on the court is now.
* CBS Chicago | Victims of SNAP fraud start receiving reimbursements in Illinois: Federal Omnibus legislation passed in December that allotted $153 billion for the entire SNAP program required states to create and implement a way to reimburse recipients who reported fraud.
* Gateway Journalism Review | Chicago media struggle to tell migrant stories as thousands surge into the city: What’s missing is reporting that brings together the whole picture. It starts with tracking how and why right-wing southern politicians began sending uninformed immigrants into liberal northern cities. We need a better understanding of the likelihood that the immigrants will find a haven in Chicago and other big US cities or be expelled – as New York Mayor Eric Adams did, sending migrants to neighboring counties. What happens if the new arrivals simply melt into the more than 400,000 undocumented in Illinois and the 11 million in the US?
* SJ-R | ‘Hands have been tied’ in several important matters with Lincoln Library: A Lincoln Library board of trustee said “a pattern of disrespect and disregard for the board” has made trustees question what their roles are. Geoffrey Pettys, reading a letter signed off by trustees at Tuesday’s Springfield City Council meeting, said the board has been left out of the hiring process for the library’s last three directors, a trend he would like to see reversed as the library seeks a new director.
* Tribune | Ex-Mayor Lori Lightfoot sued to keep a letter about the city treasurer secret from the Tribune. Will Brandon Johnson continue her fight?: When the mayor was asked Wednesday whether he will drop or continue the city’s lawsuit against Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office for siding with the Chicago Tribune in a Freedom of Information Act dispute concerning City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Johnson’s newly confirmed corporation counsel jumped in instead.
* Chalkbeat | Chicago swears in new members to city’s last fully appointed Board of Education: As board members introduced themselves, Mariela Estrada, director of community engagement at the United Way of Metro Chicago, recounted being a “fierce” parent advocate. New board president Jianan Shi, former executive director of influential advocacy organization Raise Your Hand, noted that he is the first educator appointed as board president.
* Crain’s | Alight moving HQ downtown from Lincolnshire: Alight Solutions is relocating its headquarters from north suburban Lincolnshire to a dramatically scaled-down office footprint atop one of downtown’s newest skyscrapers, a move that notches a corporate win for Chicago but likely deals another heavy blow to the reeling suburban office market.
* Axios | Illinois corn growers face off against feds over emissions limits: The Illinois Corn Growers Association last week joined industry groups nationwide in pressuring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pump the brakes on proposed auto tailpipe rules. The rules would radically change our automotive landscape and improve air quality, but some growers in Illinois — the second-biggest corn producer in the nation — say they could also devastate the industry.
* Daily Herald | ‘It’ll be a great addition to town’: STEM school, subdivision planned for Naperville: Developers plan to build a STEM school and a subdivision on 12 vacant acres at the southwest corner of Diehl Road and Mill Street in Naperville. In addition to the 76 two-bedroom, three-story townhouses the Prosperita subdivision will bring to the housing inventory on the northwest side of the city, Orion STEM School, a 45,000-square-foot building, will open on the northern 5 acres of the parcel.
* Block Club | WHPK, University Of Chicago Radio Station With Deep Ties To The South Side, In Trouble After Funding Slashed: After proposing a budget of about $57,000 — in line with more than a decade of established funding — station managers received a letter from the university’s Program Coordinating Council saying the station would only receive $20,600 for the upcoming school year, documents provided to Block Club show.
* Crain’s | Two Hollywood unions on strike: What does it mean for Chicago?: Today, hundreds of Hollywood writers and actors will rally in Chicago’s Millennium Park, joined by other city unions like the Chicago Teachers Union and local Teamsters members, almost one week after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA, called for a strike after contract negotiations with Hollywood companies broke down.
* NBC Chicago | Tesla paying people to test drive its cars in a Chicago suburb: According to a job posting, which remained listed as of Wednesday, Tesla revealed it was looking to pay a temporary “vehicle operator” in Elgin, Illinois for an expected three-month position
* Crain’s | Tavern on Rush owner opening restaurant across from its former site: Less than a year after Phil Stefani closed his storied Tavern on Rush, the restaurant owner has signed a lease just across the street from the Gold Coast building his steakhouse occupied for more than 25 years. Stefani is set to open a restaurant at the base of the Thompson Chicago hotel, taking over the space occupied by Nico Osteria at the corner of Rush Street and Bellevue Place. Stefani said he does not know yet if he will resurrect the Tavern on Rush name.
* Sun-Times | School of the Art Institute will still work for ‘an inclusive campus’ after Supreme Court’s rejection of affirmative action: While she’s concerned about the chilling effect the decision will have on higher education, SAIC’s current admissions policies will not be affected, Tenny said. The school’s population of 3,500 students is currently 60% diverse and 40% white.
* NYT | Google Tests A.I. Tool That Is Able to Write News Articles: The product, pitched as a helpmate for journalists, has been demonstrated for executives at The New York Times, The Washington Post and News Corp, which owns The Wall Street Journal.
* Brenden Moore | Slain Springfield organizer set shining example: Shafer, a Springfield community organizer and activist, was an agitator who had a penchant for stirring up “good trouble” in the interest of social justice. She was also a very dear friend of mine. Last week, I received a call no friend ever wants to receive. It’s never good when someone begins a conversation with “there’s no easy way to say this.”
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* Capitol News Illinois…
Members of a state rulemaking oversight committee voiced concerns Tuesday that Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration didn’t sufficiently seek public input on its plan to cap enrollment in Medicaid-like health care programs for noncitizens.
The controversy centers on the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors programs, which provide health care benefits to low-income noncitizens who would qualify for Medicaid benefits if not for their citizenship status. […]
JCAR – which consists of six Democrats and six Republicans and is responsible for overseeing policy making within the state’s executive branch – didn’t take action on either the emergency or permanent rules Tuesday, although the committee can still take action at a future meeting. […]
Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat and co-chair of JCAR, said the committee was frustrated at the lack of stakeholder engagement from several agencies. JCAR also discussed a controversial emission rule change for heavy industries Tuesday, objecting to two state agencies’ hurried implementation process. […]
Cunningham said the committee will “likely” have another discussion about the health care rules next month.
* Scott Holland breaks down what actions are available to JCAR…
The JCAR can take three actions. The first is essentially powerless, as it merely indicates the committee has concerns. The others are comparative sledgehammers.
An objection indicates the committee finds rules inconsistent with state law, has bad economic effects on small businesses, municipalities or nonprofit organizations or calls into question the rule-making process or the validity of the emergency. The agency has 90 days to respond, and any modification lasts for the rest of the 150-day window.
The committee also can add a suspension to its objection, stopping enforcement unless the committee withdraws its decision. This outcome indicates members find the rule contrary to the public interest, safety or welfare.
* Pritzker defended the move last month via the Tribune…
“We need to make sure that we’re living within our fiscal limits within the state of Illinois,” Pritzker said Monday during an unrelated event at Chicago’s Union Station. “That’s something that wasn’t done for a number of years in Illinois.”
The second-term Democrat, who campaigned for reelection as a progressive who supports providing health care and other services regardless of immigration status, pointed to the budget pressures a day after telling reporters at a Pride Parade event that members of the state legislature’s Latino caucus “knew exactly what we were doing.”
“And in fact, what we have done, and it’s in part because of their advocacy, is we’ve saved the program to provide health care for undocumented immigrants,” Pritzker said Sunday. “And it’s a paused program that I hope and intend to expand.”
Among those criticizing the governor’s actions, which include closing enrollment July 1 for people under 65 who are currently eligible and capping enrollment for people 65 and older, was U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, a Chicago Democrat. In a statement earlier this month, Garcia said that the moves by Pritzker were “wrong and will have life-and-death consequences.”
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
House Bill 4098 would allow the Illinois treasurer and comptroller to transfer $500 million from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Unfunded Liability Reduction Fund each fiscal year. The funds would be used for making additional contributions to the pension funds for retired state employees. The current budget already spends around $10 billion this year on pensions. That accounts for around one out of every five dollars the state takes in taxes.
The House Personnel & Pensions Committee discussed HB4908 Wednesday in downtown Chicago along with officials from the Teachers’ Retirement System and State Employees’ Retirement System.
Not quite right.
* From the bill…
Every fiscal year after all the bonds authorized by Public Act 93-2 are retired, the State Treasurer shall direct and the State Comptroller shall transfer the sum of $500,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Pension Unfunded Liability Reduction Fund each fiscal year, which shall be used to make additional contributions to eligible pension funds in accordance with Section 8s of the State Finance Act.
I checked with the sponsor, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, and she said those annual $500 million payments wouldn’t begin until 2031, eight years from now.
* The Question: Do you support this concept? Explain.
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* WAND…
Sangamon County Judge Jennie Ascher ruled Tuesday that the firearm owners identification (FOID) card is constitutional. […]
Although, the Attorney General’s office said this was a straightforward case. Assistant Attorney General Isaac Freilich Jones noted that people apply for FOID cards and the Illinois State Police issue the identification cards if they are not found to be criminals. Jones said there is no difference between waiting for a FOID card and waiting for a background check before buying a gun.
[Attorney Christian Ambler] later argued that there is no historical support for a law allowing states to require people to have a license before they can purchase guns. He said people did not face this type of burden when the Second Amendment was approved by Congress in 1789.
Yet, the Attorney General’s office stressed there is no way to prove that people living in the 18th century would disapprove of the FOID law. They also claimed that there is no world where $10 is an unreasonably high fee to pay for a FOID card. However, plaintiffs said there is no historical context for fees people would face before purchasing their firearms.
Judge Ascher agreed with the Attorney General’s office that the $10 fee is not unreasonable for people to pay for a FOID card.
* Center Square…
“The FOID card is destined to the dustbin of history because after all there were no FOID cards in 1791, and that’s the standard by which the judges and the courts are supposed to rule today,” [John Boch with the organization Guns Save Life] said. […]
Ascher did take into account the U.S. Supreme Court case from 2022 in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen.
“In particular, the standard for analyzing the scope of the Second Amendment ‘requires courts to assess whether modern firearms regulations are consistent with the Second Amendment’s text and historical understanding’ through a two-step process,” the judge wrote. “At the first step, a plaintiff bears the burden of showing that the ‘Second Amendment’s plain text covers’ the regulated conduct.”
The judge noted that Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly in his defense of the FOID card used Fordham University history professor Saul Cornell’s analysis of historic firearm regulation.
“There is ample historical evidence supporting the constitutionality of the FOID Act, and GSL’s facial challenge fails as the historical record demonstrates that laws ‘relevantly similar’ to the FOID Act have been part of American legal history from the Founding Era to present day,” the judge wrote.
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Hurry! This offer won’t last long!
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From an Illinois Policy Institute blast email…
Have you ever thought about running for office?
In Springfield, there are frighteningly few lawmakers truly working on behalf of Illinois taxpayers.
We’re changing that.
You have a knowledge of Illinois politics far greater than most.
We know because you’re an active and engaged member of our community – and we want to help you use those skills to the benefit of your family and community.
That’s why we’re choosing you. But hurry – this year’s openings are almost full.
Our government affairs team wants to help you get on the ballot and kick off your campaign for public office.
Click here or on the button below to get involved.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
Thank you for believing that a freer, saner Illinois is possible.
In liberty,
Dan Patlak
Director of Advocacy
* The IPI has been running Facebook ads to recruit candidates…
The ads link here.
* They did this two years ago as well…
The libertarian-leaning Illinois Policy Institute will be trying its hand at candidate recruitment this summer and fall, sending out at minimum tens of thousands of postcards to households the organization identifies as “high propensity voters” who also align with the think tank on issues of “economic freedom,” seeking out those who may be interested in running for office.
They ended up spending $2 million in the general election and only one of their candidates won.
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* Fox News…
Sheriffs in southern Illinois say they are bracing for more crime and more victims that result from the end of cash bail across the state.
“Folks who live here are extremely concerned,” Franklin County Sheriff Kyle Bacon told Fox News. “It’s an experiment on the backs of victims of crime. I have serious concerns and so do the people that live here.”
Um, well-respected victims’ rights groups supported the law, including the venerable Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence…
A coalition of 426 organizations and individuals filed a document with the Illinois Supreme Court arguing that the elimination of cash bail will make communities safer. That coalition includes victim rights groups like the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. They point to studies that show when reliance on cash bail was reduced in Cook County, there was no statistical effect on crime.
They write that when people are unable to pay bail, they “often lose their jobs, housing, health care, family and social ties, and potentially custody of their children.” And when people’s lives are destabilized, that makes communities less safe.
That filing is here.
Also…
Advocacy groups including the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Explotation, The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault have all shown support for the SAFE-T Act. CAASE’s website says the SAFE-T Act allows for more victim input in risk-based assessments.
* Meanwhile, let’s move on to TriStates Public Radio…
McDonough County Sheriff Nick Petitgout said that as a result, there will be no repercussions for crimes such as shoplifting, disorderly conduct, and petty theft.
He believes a lot of people will refuse to come to court if they don’t have to put up cash for bail.
“It’s difficult to get anything done the way the system is written now. I can imagine when it’s just simply handing people a piece of paper that says, ‘I need you to go to court on this date,’ and they already don’t go to court,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be difficult to hold anyone accountable for these low-level crimes.”
Petitgout said now they need to work on making the law better.
“We’re going to collaborate with the state legislature and try to fix some of the things that we’ve pointed out and they’ve pointed out that, ‘Hey, this doesn’t work,’” he said.
Full Petitgout quote…
I think some of your nuisance-type crimes where, you know, there will be no repercussions for going out and doing these, you know, shoplifting and stealing and being unruly, being disorderly, you know, petty theft. I think it’s going to create this culture where there’s just no consequences for some of those minor crimes. And I see that being an issue. I really do, because we already deal with a certain element of the community that tend to commit these low level crimes just over and over and over again. And it’s difficult to get anything done the way the system is written now. I can imagine when it’s just simply handing people a piece of paper that says, I need you to go to court on this date, and they already don’t go to court [laughs]. I think it’d be really difficult to hold anybody accountable for these low level crimes.
Judges are given discretion in the new law to impose certain conditions “needed to assure appearance in court & safety of other persons” on repeat offenders.
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Meanwhile… In Opposite Land
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Texas…
Texas’ abortion restrictions – some of the strictest in the country – may be fueling a sudden spike in infant mortality as women are forced to carry nonviable pregnancies to term.
Some 2,200 infants died in Texas in 2022 – an increase of 227 deaths, or 11.5%, over the previous year, according to preliminary infant mortality data from the Texas Department of State Health Services that CNN obtained through a public records request. Infant deaths caused by severe genetic and birth defects rose by 21.6%. That spike reversed a nearly decade-long decline. Between 2014 and 2021, infant deaths had fallen by nearly 15%.
The increase in deaths could partly be explained by the fact that more babies are being born in Texas. One recent report found that in the final nine months of 2022, the state saw nearly 10,000 more births than expected prior to its abortion ban – an estimated 3% increase.
In 2021, Texas banned abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy. When the Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights the following summer, a trigger law in the state banned all abortions other than those intended to protect the life of the mother.
But multiple obstetrician-gynecologists who focus on high-risk pregnancies told CNN that Texas’ strict abortion laws likely contributed to the uptick in infant deaths.
* More from Texas…
A hearing in a lawsuit challenging Texas’ abortion ban opened Wednesday with dramatic testimony from three women who experienced serious pregnancy complications but were denied abortions.
One of the plaintiffs in the suit, Samantha Casiano, vomited on the stand while discussing her baby’s fatal birth defect, which she said also put her life at risk. […]
Casiano is part of a group of 13 women and two OB-GYNs who are suing the state of Texas. The lawsuit, filed in March by the Center for Reproductive Rights, asks the court to clarify the types of situations that constitute a medical emergency under Texas’ abortion laws.
The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in June 2022 triggered a ban in Texas that outlawed all abortions, except to save the life of a pregnant woman. Prior to that, the state had banned abortions after the detection of a so-called fetal heartbeat — around six weeks into the pregnancy. Physicians who violate Texas’s abortion laws can lose their medical licenses, face up to 99 years in prison or incur fines of at least $100,000, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.
* Nebraska…
A law that bans abortions at 12 weeks while also restricting gender-affirming care in Nebraska will stay in effect for now.
According to the Nebraska examiner, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, who filed a lawsuit directed at the “let them grow act” had asked the judge to place a preliminary injunction on the bill due to its damaging impact on abortion providers and medical care.
A judge said yesterday she would take a request to block its enforcement under advisement.
Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Nebraska had filed the lawsuit because they say it violates the single subject rule in the Nebraska constitution.
* Florida…
The Florida Board of Education approved a new set of standards for how Black history should be taught in the state’s public schools, sparking criticism from education and civil rights advocates who said students should be allowed to learn the “full truth” of American history. […]
The new standards require instruction for middle school students to include “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit,” a document listing the standards and posted in the Florida Department of Education website said.
When high school students learn about events such as the 1920 Ocoee massacre, the new rules require that instruction include “acts of violence perpetrated against and by African Americans.” The massacre is considered the deadliest Election Day violence in US history and, according to several histories of the incident, it started when Moses Norman, a prominent Black landowner in the Ocoee, Florida, community, attempted to cast his ballot and was turned away by White poll workers.
Similar standards are noted for lessons about other massacres, including the Atlanta race massacre, the Tulsa race massacre and the Rosewood race massacre.
* Virginia…
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration said Tuesday that it has finalized new policies on the treatment of transgender students, guidance that will direct school districts to roll back some current accommodations and increase parental notification requirements about certain discussions involving gender identity.
Youngkin said the guidelines, which have been sharply criticized by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups since they were first unveiled last year, will empower parents while prohibiting discrimination and creating a safe learning environment.
“This is about doing what’s best for the child,” Youngkin said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And oh, by the way, also recognizing that we need to ensure the privacy and dignity and respect of all children and all parents in the school system. And that’s what I think we have … very carefully constructed here.” […]
The guidance says students’ participation in certain school programming and use of school facilities like bathrooms or locker rooms should be based on the sex assigned at birth, with modifications offered only to the extent required under federal law.
* Ohio…
A bill similar to an unconstitutional Tennessee law prohibiting drag queens’ performances in public or where children are present has come to Ohio.
House Bill 245 was introduced at the Statehouse Monday to ban “adult cabaret performances,” defined as a show “harmful to juveniles” that features “entertainers who exhibit a gender identity that is different from the performers’ or entertainers’ gender assigned at birth.” The bill would prohibit these shows in all locations other than “adult cabarets,” meaning “a nightclub, bar, juice bar, restaurant, bottle club or similar establishment.”
Reps. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) and Angela King (R-Celina) are proposing the bill with the support of 41 out of 67 Ohio House Republican representatives. The 43 lawmakers outline the following penalties if entertainers are found violating the proposed law:
- A misdemeanor of the first degree if a performance occurs in the presence of a juvenile under the age of 18.
- A felony of the fifth degree if the performance is “obscene.”
- A felony of the fourth degree if the performance is “obscene” and occurs in the presence of a juvenile under the age of 13.
Williams said the bill’s intention is to modernize Ohio’s revised code regarding obscenity viewed by minors, not to effectively ban drag in Ohio. The lawmaker stressed that the proposed measure only means to prohibit shows “harmful to juveniles,” with events like drag story time readings and plays like “Mrs. Doubtfire” covered under the First Amendment.
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* I’ve never seen a press release quite like this one, but it appears to be good news for Illinois, so here you go…
Infleqtion and QinetiQ Win Award to Apply Quantum Computing to Logistics
Infleqtion, the world’s quantum information company, and QinetiQ, a leading defense company, are thrilled to announce their successful bid for the Quantum End-to-end Compilation for Combinatorial Optimisation (QECCO) project through Innovate UK. This groundbreaking initiative will focus on using quantum algorithms to solve complex combinatorial optimisation problems in logistics and deliver this crucial quantum software capability to the UK National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC). These optimisation problems are critical for national security yet often computationally intractable using classical computers, but quantum computers have the potential to provide significant speedups.
QECCO will address key challenges in the logistics sector, including job-shop scheduling, packing, routing, and satisfiability problems. These complex problems possess high business value, limited classical solutions, and tremendous potential for quantum solutions. Through stakeholder workshops and collaborations with end-users in logistics and transport, QECCO will identify specific high-impact target problems and refine algorithmic implementations.
The project team comprises experts in quantum software development, algorithmic implementation, and benchmarking, with a strong foundation from Infleqtion’s Superstaq platform, which has already demonstrated enhanced solution quality on real quantum hardware, along with the Supermarq benchmarking infrastructure for performance evaluation.
“We are delighted to be part of the QECCO project and collaborate with QinetiQ to unlock the full potential of quantum computing,” said Dr Timothy Ballance, GM of Infleqtion UK. “This project aligns perfectly with our vision of applying quantum technology to solve real-world problems. With our cutting-edge software capabilities and QinetiQ’s expertise in dual-use logistics applications, we are confident that we can deliver groundbreaking solutions for the UK.” […]
In May 2022, Infleqtion acquired Chicago-based Super.tech, a leading quantum software company that accelerates the development and adoption of quantum computing. The company was spun out of pioneering quantum computing research from EPiQC, an NSF Expedition in Computing at the University of Chicago. Super.tech is embedded in Argonne National Laboratory’s Chain Reaction Innovations program and also incubated by Duality, the first accelerator dedicated exclusively to supporting quantum startups, operated by the Chicago Quantum Exchange and UChicago’s Polsky Center.
“We are pleased to see Infleqtion’s software capabilities expand in the UK as the country has a strong track record of innovation in science and technology. We recognize the strong partnership between the UK and Chicago as global partners, and we look forward to working with our UK colleagues to accelerate the development and adoption of quantum computing,” said Infleqtion’s VP of Quantum Software, Pranav Gokhale.
“Quantum is unquestionably one of the most exciting new technologies in development, with the potential to reshape global solutions for generations to come. And that ripple effect comes from auspicious beginnings in the heart of Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Rooted in the groundbreaking quantum computing research coming out of the University of Chicago, Argonne Laboratory, and the Chicago Quantum Exchange, the impact of Infleqtion’s work will now stretch to our global partners in the United Kingdom to increase efficiency and continue to build the quantum network worldwide,” said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
The partnership is expected to last for three years and will result in the development of new software tools and applications for quantum-enabled systems. By compiling end-user applications directly to quantum hardware, Infleqtion aims to leverage the unique characteristics of quantum computing to achieve faster and more efficient solutions, making quantum technology more accessible and easier for various finance, healthcare, and national security applications.
* Gov. Pritzker talked to reporters yesterday about quantum technology and his trip to the UK…
I have to admit that although Goodwood was a great experience with all those executives together and being able to talk specifically about one industry [EV] that we’re working to attract companies, manufacturers, I have to say the meetings with quantum leaders here in the UK and bringing our quantum leadership from Illinois reinforced for me that Illinois, and Chicago in particular, are leaders in the world. We really are the leader in the United States that people look to. The University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, the duality accelerator at the University of Illinois, all of that, an exciting prospect for tremendous growth in something that I think will lead to Illinois being the Silicon Valley of quantum development. Again, you can look at what we have and think that we’re a leader, but to come to the UK and have people acknowledge that is quite exciting to me. And very importantly, we have already companies that are US-based that have opened an office here in the quantum space. And the same thing, quantum companies that want to come to Illinois and work with our university researchers, as well as, most importantly, to develop and sell their products into our industries.
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* Horrible news…
Yvette Christine Shields, longtime Bond Buyer reporter who spent decades building a stellar career as one of Chicago’s finest and well-known financial reporters with a national reputation in the public finance industry, died unexpectedly this week. She was 57.
Shields died early Wednesday at a Chicago hospital after a brief illness.
“Yvette was everything a reporter should be — perpetually curious, tenacious, whip smart, and unafraid to ask the tough questions,” said Mike Scarchilli, editor in chief of The Bond Buyer. “More importantly, she was a wonderful person, both personally and professionally, beloved by colleagues and industry sources alike. She was the lifeblood of our newsroom, the de facto captain of our reporting team. Yvette is truly irreplaceable, and she will be sorely missed.” […]
Shields was born, raised and educated in Chicago and its suburbs. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago and began her reporting career at the storied City News Bureau of Chicago, where she met many of her lifelong friends and sources.
Scarchilli is right. She’s irreplaceable. Nobody knew that beat like Yvette. She was so good at her job. And, while we never met (although we did promise to get together for drinks a few weeks ago), she seemed like such a fun person.
I’ll likely update this post later.
…Adding… Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
We are all heartbroken at the sudden and unexpected passing of the most knowledgeable reporter covering state finance in the Midwest, Yvette Shields. Her mastery of financial issues was matched by her larger-than-life personality; her kindness and her love for her sons. Yvette’s passing leaves a void in so many lives she touched. Her writing about municipal bonds; about Illinois’ financial challenges and progress; showed such a command of the issues. Coming on the heels of the loss of Civic Federation President Laurence Msall and Illinois Chamber of Commerce President Todd Maisch, Yvette’s death deprives us of yet another trusted voice on state finance. We send out love and condolences to Yvette’s sons and pray that she rest in God’s peace and eternal glory.
*** UPDATE *** Bond Buyer…
The family has set up the Yvette Shields Memorial Fund to primarily support the education of her 16-year-old son Wesley. The fund can be accessed through this link.
…Adding… Leader Sims…
State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the unexpected death of Yvette Shields:
“I am devastated by the untimely death of Yvette Shields. The journalism industry needs more honest, steadfast trailblazers like Yvette. She was bold and powerful yet she was calm and understanding. All who knew her or read her work were touched by her. Her legacy will live on for decades. My heart is with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
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Open thread
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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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.
36 Comments
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Live coverage
Thursday, Jul 20, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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