…[Defense attorney Katie Hill] stepped up to speak on Mapes’ behalf. She told jurors to imagine being forced to take a pop quiz on their way into their high school reunion.
“The test is full of questions about your life from that time period,” Hill said. “Who was elected class president your junior year? What was the name of that guy your best friend had a crush on when you were a freshman? What color was the corsage you wore to prom?”
Hill later turned to the reputations Madigan and McClain had in Springfield — where people assumed McClain spoke for Madigan. But she said Madigan was not “free-flowing” with information. And when information is not free-flowing, she said, “folklore takes its place.”
But for someone like Mapes, she said, “there was no need to rely on folklore or common knowledge.”
Hill said someone like Mapes, with rare direct access to Madigan, “would not have considered what McClain said to be the gospel truth about what Madigan actually said or wanted.”
According to Hill, Mapes did his “level best” to inform the grand jury about his relationships with Madigan and McClain. She claimed he was only charged because in seven questions out of some 500 he was asked, Mapes gave “answers the government did not like.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur contended Mapes “perverted” the grand jury process and “jeopardized” the corruption investigation against Madigan with “false testimony.”
“The defendant lied. Not just once but again and again and again, to prevent the grand jury from finding out” about Madigan’s actions.
UAW President Shawn Fain on Tuesday criticized early bargaining proposals from Stellantis as a “slap in the face” to members before throwing a copy of the document in a trash can during a livestream on Facebook.
Fain, who last week detailed the union’s “audacious and ambitious” economic demands, including more than 40 percent raises, said the response from Stellantis doesn’t address the union’s concerns. The two sides started bargaining last month on contracts that expire Sept. 14. […]
The company, Fain said, is seeking cuts to medical coverage, threatening profit-sharing payouts, refusing to reopen the idled Belvidere Assembly Plant and insisting on keeping a two-tier wage system.
* The Washington Post took a look at the costs of recharging electric vehicles as opposed to filling up with gas…
The bottom line? In all 50 states, it’s cheaper for the everyday American to fill up with electrons — and much cheaper in some regions such as the Pacific Northwest, with low electricity rates and high gas prices.
That frustration was also voiced by Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette who detailed how recently a neighboring law enforcement agency drove a homeless individual from their community to Springfield to drop that person off.
“That person is now a consumer of our health system, is now a consumer of our social service system, is now a consumer of the mental health system,” Scarlette said. “People are bringing homeless individuals into our community because they think this is where the services exist.”
* Press release…
In a year that saw exponential growth in the youth in agriculture movement, the Illinois State Fair, along with Governor JB Pritzker, announced that the Illinois State FFA Officers will serve as Grand Marshals for the annual Twilight Parade.
Since Governor Pritzker announced in 2022 that every student in the state of Illinois taking an agriculture class would have their FFA dues paid, FFA membership increased from 23,000 to over 41,000 members strong. Additionally, 5,500 students not enrolled in agricultural education courses joined FFA, demonstrating an appreciation of the value of the organization. […]
The Grand Marshals are as follows:
President Thaddeus Bergschneider- Franklin FFA
Vice President Eric Wisely- Nashville FFA
Reporter Cooper Nelson- Canton FFA
Secretary Riley Kessler- Staunton FFA
Treasurer Benjamin Bremmer- Pearl City FFA
* Northwestern’s sports culture ain’t ready for reform…
Several Northwestern coaches/staffers, including OC Mike Bajakian, are donning "Cats Against the World" shirts with No. 51 — Pat Fitzgerald's old jersey number — on them. pic.twitter.com/ZFQ3tNU1Vv
* WBEZ | Researchers say tens of thousands in Cook County have a high risk of flooding: Roughly 172,000 properties in Cook County have a high risk of flooding — about eight times more than what FEMA’s maps show, according to First Street’s assessment. In the city of Chicago, roughly 79,000 properties are at high risk, according to First Street. That’s more than 50 times higher than the number of high-risk Chicago properties indicated in FEMA’s maps.
* Tribune | Tim Mapes perjury trial opens in earnest with clash over alleged lies in sprawling federal probe: Hill maintained Mapes was “limited to what he actually knows” and an appearance before a grand jury “is not the time to start making assumptions, not the time to start guessing.” And while McClain might have told Mapes directly at times about orders he got from Madigan, Mapes knew that McClain was prone to exaggerating, Hill said.
* SJ-R | Helping Hands will most likely open shelter on Dirksen after New Year’s: As members of the city council took up consideration of an ordinance dealing with already-budgeted funds to deal with the city’s homelessness issue, Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr. raised a question of whether the issue had worsened in the city.
* Business Wire | ComEd Announces New Programs to Accelerate Adoption of EVs Across Northern Illinois: ComEd today joined with regional and municipal leaders to unveil its latest programs designed to accelerate the adoption of electrified technologies, including electric vehicles (EVs), in northern Illinois. As part of ComEd’s $231 million investment in new customer programs geared toward removing barriers to electrification, ComEd today announced a new EV Charging Delivery Rate option to incentivize the buildout of an expanded network of EV charging infrastructure to meet a growing need in the northern Illinois region.
* Daily Southtown | Thornton administrator says help may be coming to alleviate stench from quarry reservoir: But Beckman said the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is now taking a proactive approach to address the odor concerns. “They’ve been talking to us about different operational procedures to try to control it, but I think they finally realized they have to do more than that,” Beckman said. “They finally started investing some money.”
* Block Club | Police Are Launching A Nightlife Patrol In The West Loop And West Town: The new unit will consist of six officers and one sergeant, all focusing on criminal activity along entertainment strips. Several focus areas include Greektown, parts of Taylor Street, the University of Illinois Chicago and part of Division Street, said Sgt. Mike Karczewski, business, licensing, and special events supervisor for the 12th District.
* Bond Buyer | On Yvette Shields, and the Hall of Fame: I first want to make it clear that this is not a decision we came to lightly, impulsively, or emotionally. Our intention with this Hall of Fame has been to celebrate those individuals who, over the course of their life’s work, have made an indelible impact on the municipal finance community. When we set that criteria, we did so intending to honor the practitioners of muni finance themselves, not necessarily fellow journalists covering the industry. But that notion began to change after Yvette’s passing.
* WGN | Elmhurst baseball team on the brink of Little League World Series: That has shown as the Elmhurst team is now just one win away from Little League World Series after an impressive season & run through the Great Lakes tournament. They’ll face Ohio for the regional championship in Whitestown, Indiana at 4 p.m. time and will be televised nationally on ESPN.
* Forbes | Chicago’s 30 under 30: The Second City is first class when it comes to its bevy of young entrepreneurs, tech geniuses and changemakers. The inaugural 30 Under 30 Local Chicago list includes a photographer capturing the 2020 protests across the city, a duo creating a burgeoning ceramics studio and a founder streamlining composting for apartments.
* Crain’s | McDonald’s new meal celebrates its pop culture cameos — from ‘Seinfeld’ to ‘Loki’: The meal, which will be available for a limited time starting Aug. 14, is tied to the chain’s upcoming appearance in the second season of “Loki” on Disney+. The bag for the meal includes a list of TV shows, movies and songs that have also referenced McDonald’s, including “Seinfeld” and “Space Jam.” “Loki Season 2” appears last on the list, with an asterisk that clarifies, “New season streaming soon.” The season premieres Oct. 6.
* Sun-Times | Out of sriracha? Try one of these 12 Chicago-made hot sauces: Even now, a 28-ounce bottle of Huy Fong sriracha was spotted selling on Amazon for $24.99, down from $29.99. On eBay, you can still find sellers listing sriracha packets, possibly a hangover from the height of the pandemic-driven hoarding mania.
* NYT | This Is a Reminder That You’re Probably Oversharing on Venmo: The snooping works the other way around, too. Even if you seldom use Venmo today, the app is most likely leaking sensitive information about you to the general public. How do I know? I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I recently discovered that my contacts list, which includes the names of people in my phone book, was published on Venmo for anyone using the app to see.
Q: Last night, voters in Ohio rejected a measure which would have made it more difficult for them to amend the constitution. You sent a tweet that it is a massive win for democracy. However, Ohio makes it a lot easier than Illinois does for citizens [scrambled audio about passing constitutional questions]. Would you support a change to the Illinois Constitution to make it more easy for Illinois citizens to make similar changes like they currently do in Ohio [simple majority]?
Pritzker: What went on in Ohio, leading up to the vote last night was solely an effort to stop pro-choice forces from passing an amendment to their constitution, that’s all it was about. That’s all it was about. It was masquerading as we need to make it harder or, you know, raise the bar for putting an amendment into our Constitution. But it only grew out of the fact that they had already put together the petitions to get it on the ballot, to change the constitution to make Ohio a pro-choice state. So entirely, that’s what that was about. And I’m proud to have supported the Vote No, that’s the side that supported choice. And it was a resounding victory, as you saw in 2022 in so many places around the country, a resounding victory for those of us who are pro-choice and for the people who live in those states who just want to preserve their reproductive freedom. So I was pleased with the outcome.
You’re asking about whether Illinois should change. We have a 60 percent threshold here. We’ve had amendments pass and fail in Illinois. And I think I wouldn’t change what we’re doing here in Illinois.
But I’m just saying what you saw last night was really about choice. That’s all it was. And you also heard Republicans who are backing that, saying last night that they intend to bring their referendum back, to make it hard for people to change the constitution. Maybe they will. But by that time, Ohio would have put into its constitution a restoration of a woman’s right to choose.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
The Illinois Constitution allows the General Assembly, with three-fifth majorities, to put constitutional amendments on the ballot. Those questions must be approved “by either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election.”
* The Question: Should Illinois lower its constitutional amendment threshold to simple majorities of those who vote on the question? Make sure to explain your answer. We’re not going to tackle the legislative aspect of this today. So please just stick to the question at hand. Thanks.
After Florida adopted its Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking standards in 2020, the Department of Education distributed recommended reading lists it said included “top of the line literary works with world renowned titles.”
Authors on the high school list included William Shakespeare.
Three years later, some Florida school districts are shying away from Shakespeare, along with other classic and popular materials. They say they’re attempting to comply with new state law restricting books with and instruction about sexual content.
Hillsborough County became the latest to take this step, telling teachers they could assign excerpts of plays such as “Romeo and Juliet,” but not the full text.
To comply with state law, a major Florida school district has issued guidance that will bar transgender employees from sharing their preferred pronouns and force trans students and staff members to use group restrooms that follow their “biological sex at birth.”
Orange County Public Schools — the fourth-largest district in Florida, with about 209,000 students at 210 schools — released the new guidance for the 2023-24 academic year Monday. […]
As a result, transgender employees or contractors “may not provide a personal title or pronoun to students which does not correspond [to] the employee’s or contractor’s biological sex at birth,” the memo said.
The law also mandates that employees and contractors may not ask a student to provide his or her preferred personal title or pronoun, the memo said.
Large school districts across Florida are dropping plans to offer Advanced Placement Psychology, heeding a warning from state officials that the course’s discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity violates state law.
Eight of the 11 districts with the largest enrollments in the class are switching to alternate courses, and just one said it will stick with AP Psychology. Two others are still deciding, officials said.
The state of Florida has encouraged schools to teach the course without objectionable material about sexual orientation and gender identity. But the College Board, which runs AP, says these topics are central to the study of psychology and cannot simply be excised. Last week, the College Board said the course was “effectively banned” and advised districts not to offer it.
Further complicating the matter, a day later, Florida’s education chief told districts that his agency believes the schools can offer the course “in its entirety” but also said it should be “in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate.” The state has previously said teaching school-age students about sexual orientation and gender is inappropriate.
Civil rights groups asked a federal judge Tuesday to stop Florida officials from enforcing a section of a new state immigration law that criminalizes transporting someone who has entered the United States unlawfully. But the jurist denied the request immediately on a technicality.
The portion of the law known as Section 10 makes it unsafe for people to get to medical appointments, meet with family and go to work, the groups said in a motion that is part of a July lawsuit challenging the law.
“For many individual Plaintiffs, Section 10 interferes with their ability to go about their daily lives,” said the motion, which asks for a temporary injunction halting enforcement.
Almost immediately after it was filed, U.S. District Judge Roy Altman denied the request for a temporary injunction on a technicality, saying Gov. Ron DeSantis and other defendants who include prosecutors from across Florida hadn’t been properly given notice about the motion. The judge said the civil rights groups could file the request again.
* This is the last one from Florida today. I promise…
Of all the PragerU propaganda you've seen, this might be the worst.
Frederick Douglass takes a dig at BLM while praising the founding fathers as abolitionists and calling the Constitution a "glorious liberty document."
The long-simmering debate over school choice in Nevada will hit a pivotal moment Wednesday, when the state’s Interim Finance Committee decides whether to use unallocated federal money to replace dried-up funds for a private school scholarship program pushed by the Republican governor but rejected by legislative Democrats.
It’s a last-ditch effort by Gov. Joe Lombardo to pass a remnant of his landmark school choice priority in Nevada’s increasingly rare split-party government. Instead of expanding the program in both funding and eligibility, Lombardo now is looking to maintain the program at previous levels.
Lombardo originally wanted to expand eligibility and provide an additional $50 million for the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program, passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2015, that allows businesses to receive tax credits on donations that go toward the private and religious school tuitions of mostly low-income students.
With that proposal dead, Lombardo is seeking $3.2 million in unallocated federal coronavirus relief funds to maintain existing scholarships that his office says will soon run out. Lombardo’s spokesperson Elizabeth Ray said nearly 800 students could be forced to switch schools without additional funding.
Newly uncovered records show Texas officials ignored warnings that installing anti-migrant buoys in the Rio Grande and concertina wire along the banks violated federal law and a U.S. treaty with Mexico.
On March 29, a Texas Highway Patrol captain even asked the International Boundary Commission that controls the Rio Grande to help with a permit the city of El Paso refused to grant, to put electricity in a command trailer.
The commission declined, reminding the captain that the trailer — under a bridge in the floodplain — was on federal property without authorization.
“The State of Texas, operating through various entities, including but not limited to, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) (and its contractors) does not have authorization for its presence on the federal property that is managed, owned, and/or controlled by the United States, International Boundary and Water Commission” or USIBWC, said the April 21 response.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Indiana says it filed a lawsuit Tuesday on behalf of a citizen journalist from South Bend, claiming Indiana’s new 25-foot “encroachment” law violated his constitutional right to observe and record the police.
The new law, which went into effect on July 1, prohibits a person from knowingly or intentionally approaching within 25 feet of a police officer after the officer has ordered them to stop. According to our sister station WTHR, it is classified as a Class C misdemeanor.
The ACLU of Indiana says the plaintiff, Donald Nicodemus, is a citizen journalist who lives in South Bend and monitors the activity of public-safety personnel — primarily the South Bend Police Department. Nicodemus regularly posts videos to his YouTube channel “Freedom 2 Film,” which has more than 24,500 subscribers as of Tuesday afternoon. […]
“The unbridled discretion given to law enforcement officers by the new 25-foot law allows for, and invites content and viewpoint-based discrimination,” said Ken Falk, legal director at the ACLU of Indiana, in a press release sent to 16 News Now. “This gives police officers unchecked authority to prohibit citizens from approaching within 25 feet of the officers to observe their actions, even if the actions of the citizens are not and will not interfere with the police.”
Six university professors and two teachers’ unions are suing Idaho over a law that they say violates their First Amendment rights by criminalizing teaching and classroom discussion about pro-abortion viewpoints.
The 2021 No Public Funds for Abortion Act prohibits state contracts or transactions with abortion providers and also bans public employees from promoting abortion, counseling in favor of abortion or referring someone to abortion services. Public employees who violate the law can be charged with misuse of public funds, a felony, and be fired, fined and ordered to pay back the funds they are accused of misusing.
The law is “simultaneously sweeping and unclear” and places a “strait jacket upon the intellectual leaders” of Idaho’s public universities, the educators, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho, wrote in the lawsuit.
The case was brought by five University of Idaho professors who teach philosophy, political science, American literature and journalism, as well as a Boise State University professor of social work. Other plaintiffs include the Idaho Federation of Teachers, which represents faculty at UI, BSU and Idaho State University, and the University of Idaho Faculty Federation.
* A few comments on a post about some new state laws yesterday were a hoot, particularly this one…
I don’t believe that Illinois has any need to design or adopt a new/better/different/progressive state flag. Those pushing this agenda aim to abolish history, like Lori Lightfoot removing the Christopher Columbus statues in Chicago.
“The first of these was adopted on July 6, 1915, after a campaign by Ella Park Laurence, State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution.” This is what the leftists don’t like, pesky reminders of the people that founded this state and nation.
Establishes the Illinois Flag Commission Act. Creates the Illinois Flag Commission for the purpose of developing new State flag designs and making recommendations to the General Assembly concerning whether the current State flag ought to be replaced with a redesigned State flag. Identifies the members to be appointed to the Commission. Describes the duties of the Commission. Requires the Chair of the Commission to convene the first Commission meeting by no later than September 1, 2023. Requires the Commission to report its recommendations to the General Assembly by no later than December 3, 2024. Provides for the repeal of the Act on January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.
One of the top proponents of Senate Bill 1818 (get it?) is former Rep. Tim Butler, a Springfield Republican and hardly a leftist progressive.
* And abolish history? Here’s the flag…
Let’s see, there’s “1818″, the year Illinois became a state. “1868″ is the year Illinois adopted a new state seal, which is hardly an historically significant fact except that it’s a self-referential nod to the flag’s design…
Illinois Secretary of State Sharon Tyndale spearheaded the drive to create a third state seal for Illinois. In 1867, he asked State Senator Allen C. Fuller to introduce legislation requiring a new seal, and suggested to Fuller that the words of the state motto be reversed, from “State Sovereignty, National Union”, to “National Union, State Sovereignty”. However, the bill passed by the legislature on March 7, 1867, kept the original wording. Despite declining his suggestion, the legislature nonetheless entrusted Tyndale with designing the new seal. And Tyndale managed to (literally) twist the legislature’s intent; he kept the words in the correct order on the banner, but the banner twists, so the word “Sovereignty” is upside down, arguably making it less readable.
So, the state seal, which is on the state flag, violates legislative intent.
Lovely.
* And the design was so non-Illinois that the state actually added the word “Illinois” to the flag in 1970…
In the 1960s, Chief Petty Officer Bruce McDaniel petitioned to have the name of the state added to the flag. He noted that many of the people with whom he served during the Vietnam War did not recognize the banner. Governor Richard B. Ogilvie signed the addition to the flag into law on September 17, 1969, and the new flag, designed by Sanford (Florence) Hutchinson, became official on July 1, 1970.
* And who the heck is reminded of the founders of our country by looking at the state flag? Ella Park Lawrence was designated “Honorary State Regent of Illinois for life” for her work to pass the flag bill. But, I gotta say it, the flag she helped choose is subpar.
If you still need more convincing, here’s another commenter from yesterday…
The main reason we need a new flag is that Indiana’s flag is much better than ours, and we cannot be upstaged by Indiana.
*** UPDATE *** Rep. Dan Didech recently received an email from George Lonngren with his suggestion for a “Union State” flag…
I like that. Lonngren’s explanation…
It’s “The Union State” flag because our state is really a microcosm and representation of our nation as a whole. We are in the core of the country, we have provided greatly to its defense and preservation. We are a major portion of its breadbasket. Culturally we have strong communities of all groups large and small from all over the nation, and world. We have large cities and small rural communities. If you removed the other 49 states and just had Illinois, the American Spirit would be little diminished in Illinois’ sole contribution to our nation.
Blue Field: Illinois massive contribution to the union army during the civil war to preserve our nation
Lincoln Silhouette: The president who saw us preserve our nation, also from our state
Yellow Silhouette: For Illinois Agriculture
Stars: One for each president with strong ties to Illinois (Reagan, Grant, Lincoln, Obama).
Point being, let’s see what people can come up with.
* The headline, “Alderman Taylor turns thumbs down on migrants becoming cops,” tells you all you need to know about this story…
When Governor JB Pritzker signed HB 3751 into law allowing non-U.S. citizens to become police officers, it sparked a flurry of protests, especially from Alderman Jeanette Taylor (20th).
“It’s a no for me,” Taylor said. “The folks at Wadsworth (in Woodlawn) have been kicked out of their shelter. They are standing around the shelters because they are not familiar with the city.
“Your allowing people who are not familiar with our city or our laws to become law enforcement officers just doesn’t make sense,” Taylor said. “I think once they go through the immigration process and they become citizens, then yes.”
Reminded that federal law prohibits non-citizens from carrying guns, Taylor said she doesn’t understand why the bill was passed in the first place, chalking it up to politics.
“I hope this was not the reason, but I don’t support it because you are talking about people who don’t know the United States. If we know anything about policing, it has not worked in Black and brown communities,” Taylor stated.
The alderman is so frustrated over this added burden of keeping the peace between her residents and migrants, along with fighting for resources, that she placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott who continues to send busloads of migrants to Chicago.
She actually believes that asylum-seeking migrants, who are not even allowed to work, are gonna become police officers. Wow.
Also, just saying, but it might help “keep the peace” between residents and migrants if she stopped ignorantly popping off like this.
Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award. Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar and John Shaw, director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, announced White’s selection on Aug. 8.
Edgar and Shaw applauded White’s half-century of constructive, practical and principled leadership in Illinois.
White, a native of Alton, Illinois, served in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, played baseball in the Chicago Cubs farm system and created the nationally famous Jesse White Tumbling Team for underprivileged young people.
He served in the Illinois House of Representatives, as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds and as the 37th Illinois Secretary of State. As secretary of state from 1999 to 2023, White worked for traffic safety, teen driver safety, strong DUI laws, truck safety, and enhanced organ and tissue donations.
“I first met Secretary White in the 1970s when we were both junior members of the Illinois General Assembly,” Edgar said. “Jesse has always been modest, gracious and committed to working with members of both parties to solve problems.”
“Jesse respected the people of Illinois, and they liked and respected him – and -voted for him in record numbers.”
Shaw said White’s career illustrates the value of searching for common ground and viewing everyone as potential allies and partners.
“Secretary White has been a model public servant,” Shaw said. “He has demonstrated the ability to set partisanship aside to advance the public interest.”
The annual Simon-Edgar Statesmanship Award is presented to an elected state or local government official in Illinois who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility and bipartisanship.
The Simon-Edgar Award shines a spotlight on remarkable leadership that is taking place in our state and our communities, inspiring current and future public servants to act in the best traditions of Illinois.
Edgar, the 38th governor of Illinois, founded the Edgar Fellows Program at the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Shaw is the director of SIU Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.
* From the Sangamon County Historical Society’s website…
Dr. Andrew McFarland, the namesake of the Andrew McFarland Mental Health Center near Springfield, directed the Illinois Hospital and Asylum for the Insane in Jacksonville in the 1850s and ’60s. Perversely, McFarland (1817-91) also helped expand the rights of people accused of mental instability – by opposing them.
McFarland’s nemesis was a Manteno woman, Elizabeth Packard (1816-97), who won national fame in the late 1800s for her efforts to reform mental treatment and the mental confinement process.
Packard was sent to the Jacksonville asylum in June 1860 – literally carried out of her house and put on a train – on the sole authority of her husband, Theophilus, a Calvinist minister. The “evidence” of her insanity was that she publicly disagreed with Theophilus on religious issues. […]
The legislature nonetheless set up a commission in 1867 to investigate Packard’s allegations against McFarland and the asylum. Among other things, the panel found McFarland had tolerated a variety of abusive treatments, including one similar to modern-day waterboarding: obstreperous patients would be wrapped in a straitjacket and dunked in a bathtub over and over, submerged each time until they nearly passed out. […]
McFarland, suffering from depression, hanged himself at Oak Lawn in 1891.
* Today, Gov. Pritzker fittingly announced that the Andrew McFarland Mental Health Center’s name would be changed to commemorate Elizabeth Packard…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced a new name for the McFarland Mental Health Center. By executive proclamation, it is now officially the Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard Mental Health Center. On signage and in common use, it will become known simply as the Packard Mental Health Center. Located on the south side of Springfield, the psychiatric hospital employs more than 250 staff and supports over 120 patients with serious mental illness on a 24/7 basis.
“Today, we are putting a spotlight on the real hero associated with this institution, someone who in truth better expresses our proud history of positive reform and someone who changed our world for the better,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Here in Illinois, we are committed to righting the wrongs of the past wherever we can. Renaming this Center in honor of Elizabeth Packard, who founded the Anti-Insane Asylum Society and pushed multiple states to reform their laws to better recognize the rights of mental health patients, is an important step in the right direction.” […]
Best-selling author Kate Moore published The Woman They Could Not Silence about Packard in 2021. This non-fiction book tells the story of Packard’s involuntary commitment and chronicles Dr. McFarland’s role in keeping her inappropriately confined. Since the book’s release, staff and community members have questioned the appropriateness of keeping Dr. McFarland’s name on the building. In January 2023, an online petition was created, calling on the State to rename the facility.
“I am delighted for Elizabeth that this mental health center is being renamed in her honor, and I have no doubt she would be thrilled too. In her lifetime, she was denigrated and dismissed as a madwoman because she stood up for those in need, but today we honor her courageous stance and her remarkable achievements,” said Kate Moore. “It is fitting, too, that Elizabeth’s name replaces that of her tormentor and doctor, McFarland. She always warned him she was not mad, simply ahead of her time, and today, at long last, her truth is heard. Truly the woman they could not silence, Elizabeth deserves this honor deeply and I am so grateful to the Governor and the State for recognizing this very special woman.”
This renaming reflects the State’s commitment to righting the wrongs of the past, while celebrating the contributions of those who have historically been overlooked.
Ohio abortion rights backers have a clearer path to victory in November now that voters refused to make it harder to amend the state constitution.
Those pushing for a reproductive rights amendment will only need to convince a simple majority of the electorate rather than the 60% sought by the Republican-led legislature and Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
About 57% voted against the proposal (Issue 1) to raise the threshold for future constitutional amendments after some ad campaigns emphasized the potential impact on the abortion question to come in the fall election. The initiative was closely watched as the latest evidence of the extent to which abortion is an issue that animates voters and gets them to the polls.
The yes campaign committee, Protect Our Constitution, raised a little more than $4.85 million according to its filing. Nearly all of it came from a single individual who lives out of state.
Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein donated a total of $4 million to the committee. The right-wing megadonor owns the Uline shipping and office supply company, and his grandfather and great-grandfather ran Schlitz brewing.
* The Uihlein crew also appears to have done its usual schtick, adding to the boss’ direct spending by pushing fake news…
Some of the messaging from the outside groups has been deceptive. A fake newspaper distributed throughout the state has spread misleading claims about the opposition while conspiracy theorists hosted a get-out-the-vote event. […]
But a closer look revealed the mailer was far from unbiased journalism. The articles emphasized prominent elected Republicans who supported Issue 1, while stereotyping the opposition as communists, Black Lives Matter supporters and LGBTQ+ allies. […]
An internet search for The Buckeye Reporter reveals it is one of more than a thousand pseudo-local news outlets created by an Illinois-based network known as Metric Media or Pipeline Media, which churns out content promoting Republican candidates and ballot issues across the country.
A Chicago return address on the mailer matches the business address of Pipeline Media, according to state filing documents.
* You remember these folks, and so does Pearson…
The Uihlein-Proft-Timpone trio were behind millions of dollars in TV ads and fake newspapers that made up the bulk of support for Darren Bailey’s failed bid for governor last year against Dem Gov JB Pritzker.
* Earlier this week, Marcus Gilmer at Crain’s noted that Uihlein is backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid. The closing paragraph was about DeSantis, but could’ve also been about the Ohio effort…
Ahead of last year’s midterm elections, Richard Uihlein donated millions to candidates up and down the Illinois ballot, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey. And given what happened to Bailey — not to mention Walker and Cruz in 2016 — there’s reason to think that this could just be more money sunk into a candidate destined to fall short.
* WTTW | Illinois Lawmakers Look to Address Domestic Violence Rise With Laws to Help Survivors: “Illinois is one of the best funded states for domestic violence services. In this year’s budget we allocated $70 million,” said state Rep. Joyce Mason (D-Gurnee). “We also have one of the most comprehensive Domestic Violence Acts. So, we stack up very well compared to other states — but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of work still to be done and so many victims who need better protection and services.”
* WGFA | Ducat to seek 53rd Senate seat: Ducat is currently the Vice-Chair of the Iroquois County Board. He’s held several positions at the county level. He’s chairman of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) committee, which came about thru the Federal government plan to distribute recovery monies from the COVID pandemic. ARPA is filtering federal dollars to help agencies and people recover from the economic burdens brought on from the pandemic.
* Tribune | Metra took its board members on a train ride to a monthly meeting. It cost the agency more than $10,000: Board members and Metra executives made the journey in an observation car lent by BNSF Railway. Attendees had coffee and breakfast available during the train ride, and lunch after the board meeting. Shuttle vans were provided to take the board members from the Joliet train station to the meeting at the Will County Office Building. All told, records show the outing cost Metra at least $10,836.
* NBC Chicago | Cook County improperly used nearly $240 million in transportation funds for other projects: The legal battle has been raging for years after the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association filed a lawsuit, along with numerous other groups, arguing that Cook County was violating the language of the “Illinois Transportation taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment,” which was overwhelmingly supported by voters in the 2016 election.
* Crain’s | Wilmette officials unanimously oppose Northwestern’s Ryan Field proposal: In a unanimous vote late Tuesday night, Wilmette’s board passed a resolution outlining its concerns over the addition of up to 10 concerts at the stadium, citing increased traffic and parking issues, noise pollution and potential public safety effects.
* Chicago Mag | As companies flee big headquarters and office parks, suburbs are scrambling to reinvent those spaces — and themselves: One popular option for filling these vacancies: companies acquiring, demolishing, and replacing office campuses and towers with multibuilding logistics hubs that will rival Amazon’s 200-acre distribution center in Kenosha, Wisconsin. That metamorphosis is underway at Allstate’s former 232-acre site (since annexed by Glenview), which sold last year to a Nevada investor group for about $232 million. The insurance giant’s home since 1967 is becoming a 10-building trucking and warehousing complex.
* Sun-Times | Chicago’s ‘bikeability’ is behind the curve in recent cycling studies: Compared to the average of the 50 cities, Chicago had fewer fatal crashes, more bike-share docking stations, a higher percentage of bike commuters and a bikeability score of 72 out of 100. But the city fell short of having enough trails, bike shops and bike rental places per 100,000 people.
* Grist | On Chicago’s South Side, neighbors fight to keep Lake Michigan at bay: Lake Michigan has long tried to take back the land on its shores. But climate change has increased the amount of ground lost to increasingly variable lake levels and ever more intense storms. What was once a tedious but manageable issue is now a crisis. The problem became particularly acute in early 2020 when a storm wreaked havoc on the neighborhood, severely damaging homes, flooding streets, and spurring neighbors to demand that City Hall support a $5 million plan to hold back the water.
* Tribune | Can you eat a dish from every nation on Earth without leaving Chicago? This TikTok influencer is trying: Since January, he has been posting videos of himself on TikTok eating those meals. He uses the tag @BoredinChicago, though considering the work and prickly issues he must navigate to accomplish his goal, he may be the least bored person in the city. His videos, which are posted alphabetically by nation and only now moving into the F’s, have drawn an average of 100,000 viewers per post. What started as a personal project has become decidedly public.
* ScribbleLive is still down. Twitter has stopped allowing people to embed list feeds on websites. So, click here or here to follow breaking news. You can click here to follow the Tim Mapes trial.
Residents and consumer advocates urged state regulators to reject a proposed $402 million rate hike sought by Peoples Gas.
The meeting Tuesday at UIC’s Dorin Forum, was organized by the Illinois Commerce Commission - the state panel that has until the end of the year to rule on the utility’s rate increase request. […]
Peoples Gas made $208 million in profit in 2022, breaking its earnings record for the sixth year in a row, according to a year-end financial report issued in March.
The company filed an increase request in January. Company officials said this was its first request for a hike in nine years. They said it was “meant to ensure ongoing safety, reliability and environmental sustainability in Chicago.”
The nonprofit watchdog Citizens Utility Board has argued the hike would fuel “an excessive profit rate” and should be slashed by at least $63 million.
* The Natural Resources Defense Council is spending about $100,000 on cable TV to run this spot through September 5th…
The gas company just proposed the largest rate hike in history. They also just announced record profits.
Let’s face it, Chicago. Gas stinks. When buildings burn gas, we all pay the price, because burning gas in our homes costs us more, pollutes our city and increases the risk of asthma, especially for kids.
That’s why it’s time for Chicago to take action and shift to newer, cheaper all-electric technologies to make our homes and buildings clean and healthy and affordable.
After serving nearly four years as the watchdog for the Illinois Department of Human Services, Peter Neumer will step down from his role overseeing investigations into the abuse and neglect of some of the state’s most vulnerable people.
The department announced the move to staff on Friday, noting that Neumer accepted a position as the inspector general for the Chicago Park District and that he will be replaced by Charles Wright, Neumer’s deputy since March 2021. Neumer’s last day as IDHS OIG will be Aug. 17.
Neumer and his staff investigated allegations of abuse or neglect of individuals who receive mental health or developmental disability services in programs that are overseen by the Illinois Department of Human Services. That includes oversight of the seven state-operated developmental centers and six mental health facilities.
Reports from Neumer’s office were a critical source of information for a series of investigative stories by Capitol News Illinois, ProPublica and Lee Enterprises into abuse, neglect and a cover-up culture at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in far southern Illinois.
Illinois’ rank as a place to do business rises — to 17th […]
The study is from CNBC, the financial news network, which for the fourth year in a row raised Illinois’ ranking. The state now is 17th, up from 19th last year, right behind Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and just ahead of New York and New Jersey. Illinois was ranked 30th as recently as 2019. […]
On the good side, the No. 2 ranking for infrastructure and education is a boost from third and sixth, respectively, last year. Also rising is Illinois’ ranking for access to capital, up from eighth to sixth, and cost of living, with relatively lower housing and other prices here moving the state from 20th to ninth.
On the other hand, the state’s relative cost of doing business worsened from 31st to 32nd. “Business friendliness” was an abysmal 39th, the overall economy 33rd, and workforce — usually considered a strength by local leaders — no better than 28th, down two ranks from 2022.
Illinois small businesses are improving, according to recent numbers that show the state rent delinquency rate of 22% in July was half of what it was in May.
The survey was conducted by Alignable and showed that 55% of small businesses in the nation had difficulty paying their rent in July.
A few months after its largest tenant walked out, the owner of a landmark Loop office building has landed a deal with a new company that bucks a pair of trends in the battered downtown office market.
Total Quality Logistics signed a five-year lease for 36,322 square feet at 125 S. Clark St., according to a statement from real estate services firm Transwestern, which oversees leasing in the 20-story building. The move is an expansion by the third-party logistics company, which will move from roughly 31,000 square feet it occupies in the West Loop at 328 S. Jefferson St.
The deal stands out as a rare addition of workspace at a time when many companies are cutting back on it, given the rise of remote work that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. TQL is also going against the grain by moving from the trendy West Loop office submarket to the heart of the Loop, which has seen a slew of companies decamp from older buildings in favor of newer office properties elsewhere in the city.
* Opposing a sitting Democratic state Senator in a primary would just be one reason why Martinez likely isn’t being slated, but whatevs…
Cook County Clerk of the Court Iris Martinez held a fundraiser at Moe’s Cantina in Wrigleyville on Monday — just ahead of next week’s slating for the 2024 election.
“I’m ready for the challenge,” she told your Playbook host in between making margaritas for guests. “I hope I get slated because I’m an incumbent. But if not, I’m ready.”
Martinez is going against the machine in next week’s slating by the Cook County Democratic Party. Even though she’s the incumbent Democrat, Martinez doesn’t have the support of county party Chair Toni Preckwinkle.
There’s tension because Martinez has been seen as not always towing the party line. Her goal has been to support Latina candidates, which didn’t necessarily align with Preckwinkle’s plans.
And she has a long way to go with her fundraising. Martinez ended the last quarter with just $19,328.52 in the bank.
* Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton held her first fundraiser last week since being elected statewide. Here’s her speech…
* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced the State of Illinois is accepting grant applications from schools and agencies that support child and adolescent health for a share of $10 million in federal funding intended to strengthen mental health services for students across Illinois. The funding from the CDC’s COVID-19 Public Health Workforce Supplemental Funding program is being offered to help schools and local agencies improve student care in areas such as workforce enhancements, developing frameworks to prevent adverse childhood experiences, interventions to assist children suffering from trauma, and training for medical and school staff to expand adolescent mental health resources. […]
The funding is authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and the application process is being administered by IDPH’s Office of Women’s Health & Family Services. Following are the two program areas in which funds will be allocated:
• $6.9 million for Enhancing Post-Covid Recovery Efforts for School Based Health Needs: Up to $500,000 per school district or qualifying school affiliated organization to expand workforces, purchase mental health training materials and deploy programs and resources to enhance student mental health. (Up to 25 grants expected.)
• $3 million for Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Post-COVID-19: To identify mental health issues within school populations and provide education, resources, care coordination, and or training that helps to develop frameworks to prevent adverse childhood experiences and improve mental health outcomes for children and youth in a post-pandemic world. (Up to 15 grants expected.)
* Media advisory…
OFFICIAL UNVEILING OF THE 2023 BUTTER COW
What: 2023 Butter Cow Unveiling
Where: Dairy Building
Central Avenue
Illinois State Fairgrounds
When: Wednesday, August 9
3:00 p.m.
Invited: JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois
Jerry Costello II, IDOA Director
Rebecca Clark, State Fair Manager
Paige Van Dyke, Miss Illinois County Fair Queen
Local, State Dignitaries
The iconic Butter Cow will be unveiled on August 9, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. in the Dairy Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Each year, fairgoers look forward to seeing the sculpture made of 500 pounds of unsalted butter.
The 2023 Illinois State Fair will be held from August 10-20.
* Welcome home!…
Theo was diagnosed with an abnormal heart rhythm. First his heart beat too slow, then too fast. There also were complications with his intestines. That was about as scared and as helpless as I have ever felt.
— Treasurer Michael Frerichs (@ILTreasurer) August 8, 2023
Thankfully, everyone is home and we are now sleeping under one roof. Well, sleeping might be a relative term. But it’s the first step in what I’m sure will be a long and rewarding journey, and I cannot be more excited for my wife, our sons, and their big sister, Ella. pic.twitter.com/r6Feaej4zt
— Treasurer Michael Frerichs (@ILTreasurer) August 8, 2023
* Bloomberg | Rivian’s wounded shorts set for potential squeeze: Short interest has risen to 13% of the shares available for trading — representing about $2.2 billion worth of stock, according to data from S3 Partners LLC. Rivian’s 32% advance this year has cost the shorts more than $736 million in mark-to-market losses as of Monday’s close, S3 said. After Tesla Inc., it’s the biggest short position among US electric-vehicle firms.
* SJ-R | ‘Several hundred’ workers laid off from Memorial Health System, citing negative economic trends: “Several hundred” employees from Memorial Health System have lost their jobs, according to announcement from the organization Tuesday. […] The statement did indicate that the number reflected 20% of leadership positions across the organization. The reduction also represents 5% of Memorial Health’s total salary and benefits.
* WGN | COVID hospitalizations jump nearly 30% in Illinois: An additional 9,056 people were hospitalized with the virus last week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – that represents a 12.5% jump.
* SJ-R | Installation set for Busboom as bishop of ELCA synod: Busboom, the lead pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Springfield since 2011, was elected bishop of the synod at a gathering of church officials in East Peoria on June 3. He was elected on the fifth and final ballot.
* WaPo | White House unveils wage rule for federal projects, in win for unions: The measure aims to restore an old definition of the “prevailing wage,” scrapped by President Ronald Reagan, that the Biden administration says would change pay standards on federal construction projects. Under the new rule, employers would be required to pay construction workers the equivalent of wages made by at least 30 percent of workers in a given trade and locality.
* Crain’s | Lime wants electric scooters on the Lakefront Trail: “We’re following the lead of our riders who showed signs of wanting to use the Lakefront Trail, so now we’re looking for more concrete data before we approach the (Chicago) Park District and city,” a Lime spokesperson said. “Anything we do on this would be hand-in-hand with the Park District, (the Chicago Department of Transportation), the mayor’s office, the aldermen and our community partners across the city.”
* Tribune | 19 years ago today, a Dave Matthews Band tour bus dumped human waste on a tour boat in the Chicago River. Here’s our original report.: Nineteen years ago, a Dave Matthews Band tour bus passing over the Chicago River unleashed a torrent of foul-smelling waste onto a tour boat and passengers below. At the time, nobody knew who was responsible for the dumping, but the Chicago Tribune was first to report it based on interviews with passengers, including a Tribune reporter, and the tour boat company. The incident would eventually be connected to the band, and criminal charges, apologies and at least one lawsuit would follow.
Tuesday, Aug 8, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department
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The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois Department of Agriculture today announced temporary changes in traffic patterns around the Illinois State Fairgrounds to accommodate the influx of vehicles during the fair.
Beginning at 5 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, IDOT will change the traffic flow around the fairgrounds to one way counterclockwise. In addition, both eastbound and westbound turn lanes from Veterans Parkway to Eighth Street will be closed. Portable signs will inform motorists of the changes. Normal traffic patterns will resume by 6 a.m., Monday, Aug. 21.
Twilight Parade Route
The Twilight Parade is Thursday, Aug. 10, with the route beginning in Lincoln Park. It will head north through the park to Sangamon Avenue and then east to the Main Gate and to the fairgrounds. Staging for the parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the park.
The parade route will close to traffic at 4 p.m., with detour signs along North Grand Avenue and Veterans and J. David Jones parkways in place. The Parade Run begins at 5 p.m. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. The route is expected to remain closed until 9 p.m. No public parking will be available for parade viewing in Lincoln Park and the Nelson Center. Patrons of the Nelson Center will be able to access the center using Third Street and Black Avenue.
Parking Restrictions
Beginning Thursday, Aug. 10, parking will be prohibited on neighborhood streets south of Sangamon Avenue. These changes will remain in effect until the morning of Monday, Aug. 21.
Gov. JB Pritzker announced a $58.1 million project last year, specifically targeting the Multi-Purpose Arena and the Coliseum, road improvements for a smoother drive through the fairgrounds and replacement of the roof and HVAC systems in many of the site’s buildings. Years of dereliction prompted the investment along with another $6.7 million from the Illinois Department of Agriculture - racking a total of nearly $65 million towards fairgrounds improvements in the last five years.
Renovations caused the closure of MPA during last year’s fair, requiring events to be moved to the Coliseum and the Grandstand instead. This year, IDOA Director Jerry Costello II said the arena will reopen Thursday - opening day for the 2023 Illinois State Fair - as host to the Monsters of Destruction tour in addition to several truck and tractor pulls and a rodeo show over the course of the fair.
The state invested $8.6 million through Rebuild Illinois into MPA, these funds going towards a new canopy and structural repairs to the the foundation and terraced walls. Work on restrooms and new concession stands at the 23-year-old building is also nearing completion.
“I can tell you any fairgoers moving around the fairgrounds, it’s hard to miss the tents of the Multi-Purpose Arena,” he said during fair media day earlier this week. “It’s something that I think everyone will notice is new.”
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to require the state to offer a discount program to allow high-risk diabetics to buy insulin for $35 per month.
Sponsors said this could be a game changer for people who are uninsured or have high deductible plans.
“I personally had one and had a $5,000 deductible years ago and was paying about $1,000 a month for insulin,” said Rep. Jenn Ladisch Douglass (D-Elmhurst). “This kind of program would have been very helpful because the cost of insulin has been very difficult for people and has allowed people to die because of cost.”
Program participants will receive an official card from the state with information about how pharmacies will honor the discount. The bill language also states that participants would receive instructions on how to request reimbursement from their health insurance if they bought insulin at the full purchase price.
* ACLU of Illinois…
Today, House Bill 1596, which amends various child welfare and juvenile court statutes to reflect more inclusive language in laws relating to children and families, becomes law. The new law was signed by Governor Pritzker in early June of this year. The new policy recognizes that many of the children under the care of DCFS identify as LGBTQ+ and that our system must affirm and recognize the identity of these individuals. The following can be attributed to Nora-Collins Mandeville, Director of Systems Reform Policy at the ACLU of Illinois:
Today is a good day for the growing number of LGBTQ+ youth under the care of DCFS. We know that the Department has failed to meet the needs of this group of youth. Recognizing and affirming LGBTQ+ youth by using appropriate and inclusive language is a small, but critical first step to providing care to those for whom DCFS is responsible. Adopting gender inclusive language promotes equity and respect for all people. We are proud that the State of Illinois is moving forward to fully implement this laudable goal. Our work to ensure that Illinois serves all the young people under the care of DCFS, including LGBTQ+ youth goes forward.
* Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid…
State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid’s legislation that will ensure the Middle East and North African (MENA) racial category is used on official state government forms, studies and reports was signed by Governor Pritzker on Friday. HB 3768 makes Illinois the first state to officially recognize Arab Americans and minority groups from the Middle East.
“I am proud that Illinois is paving the way for Arab Americans to be counted,” said Rep. Rashid, the first Palestinian-American elected to the Illinois State Legislature. “This information will help our state develop policies that address the unique needs of the Arab American community, such as access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. Additionally, it will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences of Arabs and other groups from the Middle East and help to combat racism and prejudice.”
In Illinois and across the country, statistical racial data is used to understand different groups and communities and to inform programs, funding, and policy. However, Arab Americans are categorized as white, which has been a barrier to studying and addressing the unique challenges experienced by the Arab community. Furthermore, Arab Americans have historically been excluded from benefits that come from minority status and other race-conscious policies. A recent study by the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago shows that Arab Americans have lower household median incomes, higher rates of unemployment, and higher rates of being housing-cost-burdened compared to Chicagoland residents overall.
House Bill 3768 will address longstanding concerns of the Arab American community by ensuring that the MENA racial category is used on official state government forms, studies and reports. This paves the way for minorities from the Middle East to be counted, and equips institutions, advocates and policymakers with important data to support the needs of these communities.
HB 3768 has been signed by Governor Pritzker and will be enacted starting January 1, 2024.
* Press Release…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB1818 which creates the Illinois Flag Commission for the purpose of exploring the creation of a new state flag and developing new state flag designs. The commission will make recommendations to the General Assembly concerning whether the current State flag should be replaced with a redesigned flag. By September 2024, the Illinois Flag Commission will select no more than ten potential flags and submit a report to the General Assembly by December 2024.
“Throughout our 205-year history, Illinois has boasted two official state flags—and it may be time we create a new one that exemplifies the values of our great state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I am proud to sign SB1818 to establish the Illinois Flag Commission to aid us in this process as we decide what our future flag should represent.”
“Our state flag demonstrates who we are as one Illinois, uplifting our history and our values. This bill will ensure the Illinois flag continues to be a symbol of progress and the ideals we uphold with the utmost honor,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. “With the creation of the next flag of our state, we are ushering in a new era that will represent every Illinoisan and commemorate how far we have come so we may go even further together.”
Prior to this, Illinois has had two official state flags. The first of these was adopted on July 6, 1915, after a campaign by Ella Park Laurence, State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Thirty-five designs for the flag were submitted and the winner was crafted by Lucy Derwent. The flag became law on July 6, 1915. In September of 1969, the original flag was amended to carry the state’s name so it was easily identifiable.
The next move to design a new state flag was initiated by Governor Ogilvie. The former Governor convened a committee to develop specifications for a new state flag to ensure uniformity in reproduction of design and color by flag makers. Sanford Hutchinson of Greenfield, who had previously done extensive research on the official design of the state seal, submitted a flag design that was accepted by the committee, the Secretary of State, and the Governor. It became the official flag of Illinois on July 1, 1970.
SB1818 creates a similar committee to the one in 1970, convening the Secretary of State, three members appointed by the Governor, four members appointed by the President of the Senate, four members appointed by the Speaker of the House, four members appointed the minority leader of the Senate, and four members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the State Superintendent of Education, and Chairperson of the Board of the Illinois State Museum.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Friday sweeping reforms that for the first time will give tribal nations — not state agencies, universities or museums — final say over how and when the remains of their ancestors and sacred items are returned to them.
“With the Governor signing these bills into law, Illinois is proving that a government is capable of reflecting on its past injustices and planning for a future that respects and celebrates our interconnectedness,” Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Chairperson Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick said.
The newly signed Human Remains Protection Act was shaped by tribal nations over more than two years of consultations with the Illinois State Museum and the state Department of Natural Resources. The legislation unanimously passed the state House and Senate this spring and follows publication of ProPublica’s “The Repatriation Project,” an ongoing investigation into the delayed return of Native American ancestral remains by universities, museums and government agencies.
The law makes it the state’s responsibility to help return ancestral remains, funerary objects and other important cultural items to tribal nations, and it compels the state to follow the lead of tribal nations throughout the repatriation process. It also establishes a state Repatriation and Reinterment Fund to help with the costs of reburial, tribal consultation and the repair of any damage to burial sites, remains or sacred items.
A new Illinois law fortifies existing legislation aimed at preventing the sexual grooming of students by teachers and staff.
The law is named after Illinois resident Faith Colson. Colson was sexually abused by a teacher at her high school and learned years later during the course of legal proceedings that several adults within her high school suspected the inappropriate relationship but did not take action.
Faith’s Law was passed by the 102nd General Assembly as two separate pieces of legislation. The first legislation, Public Act 102-0676, took effect on Dec. 3, 2021 and, for the first time, established the definition of sexual misconduct within the School Code. […]
The new law closes a loophole that previously allowed teachers and school staff to have a sexual relationship with a student because the age of consent in Illinois is 17.
Tania Haigh, executive director of the nonprofit child protection organization Kids Too, said the new law also closes a loophole and addresses the possibility that an offender moves to another school.
* Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton…
State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton championed a new law to make Native American history a requirement for all public elementary and high school students.
“Native American history is American history. It’s time we introduce it in our classrooms,” said Glowiak Hilton (D – Western Springs). “It is important that our children’s learning experiences are formulated in an atmosphere that is both inclusive and equitable.”
House Bill 1633 requires public schools to make Native American history part of curriculum. Teachings will include the study of the genocide of and discrimination against Native Americans, as well as tribal sovereignty, treaties made between tribal nations and the United States, and the circumstances around forced Native American relocation.
Social studies courses pertaining to American history or government are required to include a unit of instruction studying the events of the Native American experience and Native American history within the Midwest and Illinois.
“By providing our students a better understanding of our history, we are presenting a brighter future ahead,” said Glowiak Hilton. “We need to invigorate our classrooms and present new perspectives to give our children learning opportunities they haven’t had before.”
House Bill 1633 was signed into law Friday. Native American history will begin being taught during the 2024-2025 school year.
Every Illinois school will be required to create, implement, and maintain at least one written policy prohibiting discrimination and harassment against students based on race, color, or national origin.
The law also bans retaliation against students who submit complaints to school administrators. Senate Bill 90 calls for the Illinois State Board of Education to collect data on all reported allegations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation against students.
“This is a bill that would define racial discrimination, prohibit it in schools, and provide an avenue for some restitution and correction of that behavior,” said Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines).
The Illinois Department of Human Rights will start a training program to prevent discrimination and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. Any schools failing to take disciplinary action against students harassing others could face civil rights violations. […]
Senate Bill 90 takes effect on August 1, 2024.
* Sen. Julie Morrison…
State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure – which was signed by the governor Friday – to fill a significant gap in current Illinois law by giving victims of doxing a voice in deterring bad actors looking to take advantage of the evolving cyber landscape.
“As technology evolves, so must our laws,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “The measure signed into law today is a positive step toward providing a necessary solution to the dangerous practice of doxing, both by helping victims and deterring future bad actors.”
To give victims of doxing the justice they deserve, Morrison passed House Bill 2954. The law allows people a civil private right of action against the individual who committed the offense. The victim will be able to recover damages and any other appropriate relief, including attorney’s fees.
Among the more than 90 measures the Democratic governor signed into law on Friday, one measure expands the Central Illinois Regional Airport’s tax base beyond Bloomington-Normal, and another allows District 87 schools to acquire property without a public referendum.
The Illinois legislature approved creation of the Central Illinois Regional Airport Authority in May. It would replace the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority as the airport’s governing body and add all of McLean County to the airport’s tax rolls. […]
Pritzker also signed a bill that grants the Bloomington public school system a waiver to buy property to expand early childhood education.
District 87 Superintendent David Mouser has said the district has a pre-K waiting list due to a lack of space and would like to double capacity. Mouser has said the district has available funds for a new building and will not need to raise taxes.
* Background is here if you need it. From US District Judge John Kness’ July ruling denying Tim Mapes’ motion to prevent statements in his indictment from being used against him at his perjury trial…
Defendant seeks to strike the following statement from the Indictment: “MAPES provided [McClain] with messages communicated to MAPES by [Madigan], including messages concerning work and assignments [McClain] was performing on behalf of [Madigan] between 2017 and 2018.” Defendant appears to contend that this statement fails to “state the elements” of perjury as required under Vaughn because this allegation does not contradict any of his statements in Episodes 1–7 and so cannot form the basis of a perjury charge. The Court disagrees.
In Episode 4, Defendant stated that he was “not aware of any” “reason to think [McClain] was acting as an agent for [Madigan],” where “acting as an agent” was defined as “doing work for him or carrying out assignments for him.” If Defendant was, in fact, “provid[ing] [McClain] with messages communicated to [him] by [Madigan], including messages concerning work and assignments [McClain] was performing on behalf of [Madigan],” this would directly contradict Defendant’s response to the question in Episode 4. Accordingly, the motion to dismiss this portion of the Indictment is denied.
That last paragraph has stuck with me ever since we discussed it in July. The judge essentially placed a large neon arrow next to what he viewed as a likely criminal act. Mapes may need a miracle to pull this off.
Mapes and McClain kept each other abreast of other developments in their world for months after Mapes’ resignation, including when Mapes was approached by FBI agents in January 2019. Mapes prepared a memo after his meeting with the feds, and the next month told McClain about a conversation he’d had with Madigan’s attorney, Sheldon Zenner, according to court filings.
Mapes said he’d given Zenner the memo per “a request,” and that he was calling McClain to “report back in” afterward.
“A jury could readily infer that Mapes made these statements to McClain with the intent that McClain relay them to Madigan,” prosecutors wrote last month. “At the end of the call, Mapes again says, ‘I’m just reporting in,’ again clearly showing that he was intending to keep McClain in the loop, so that Madigan too could be kept in the loop.”
* We heard yesterday from House Republican Leader Tony McCombie about why all of her caucus voted for House Bill 3751 the first time it went through the chamber. Now, here’s Senate Republican Leader John Curran writing in the Sun-Times about why all but one SGOP cast their vote against the bill…
First, this legislation — as intended and as written — would empower non-citizens with the lawful authority to arrest U.S. citizens in Illinois. This concept was philosophically opposed by most members of our caucus and the constituents they serve.
Second, some claimed the legislation was symbolic, and no non-citizen would be able to become a police officer in Illinois without a change in federal law regarding non-citizen firearm possession. We believe this is inaccurate and this legislation is not merely symbolic. Due to HB 3751’s passage, non-citizen residents lawfully present in the United States on immigrant visas (which are issued to foreign nationals wishing to live in the United States permanently) will now also be eligible to be police officers in Illinois.
Finally, we opposed HB 3751 as a mandate on all local law enforcement departments in Illinois. Any department that does not want to participate in the lax standard could be opening themselves up to significant legal and financial risks. Under the Illinois Human Rights Act, it is a civil rights violation in this state for an employer to refuse to hire an otherwise qualified applicant for a position on the basis of their citizenship or work authorization status.
Therefore, with this new law, if a local sheriff/police department refused to consider a non-citizen for a position as a police officer, their organization would potentially be subject to civil liability. While HB 3751 was presented as an “option” for law enforcement departments, this legislation is actually a mandate to hire non-citizens as police officers.
Gov. J. B. Pritzker last month signed into law a bill allowing non-U.S. citizens in Illinois to become police officers last month. The measure, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, states that “an individual who is not a citizen but is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law is authorized to apply for the position of police officers.” The bill also includes Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients in the group of non-citizens eligible to become police officers.
“That is the most stupidest bill he could ever sign,” Angel said. “Why would you want an immigrant or any other person to run your city as a police officer?”
* STL PR | Missouri lawmakers find uniting bipartisan cause — beating Illinois in softball: Reprising their victory from last year, Missouri trampled the Illinois delegation in a 10-2 win on Monday night at Busch Stadium. The Land of Lincoln struggled to get on the board as the Show-Me-State secured a pair of runs in the first and second inning. Missouri then sealed the title in the fifth with a 6-run rally which was too much for Illinois to overcome.
* WQRL | Rep. Dave Severin announces re-election campaign: Severin says he is also fighting the leftist progressives’ “Green New Deal” that is hurting working families and driving up electricity bills. Severin noted that his experience in office has allowed him to become the ranking member of the House Energy and Environment Committee.
* Austin Weekly | West Side aldermen to choose State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt’s successor: Democratic ward committeepersons whose wards fall within the state Senate’s 5th District will meet on Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. at Plumbers Local 130 union hall, 1340 W. Washington Blvd., to appoint a replacement for State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt, who resigned in late July.
* The Telegraph | McDonough seeking to challenge Elik: McDonough is seeking to face state Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, in the November 2024 general election. Elik was elected to the post in 2020 and reelected to it in 2022. Last month Nick Raftopoulos of Granite City also announced that he will seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Elik for Illinois’ 111th House District in 2024.
* WAND | New Illinois laws will cap prices of insulin, EpiPens in 2025: Lawmakers helped cap the price of insulin at $100 in 2019. Although, that law only applies to roughly 15% of people under insurance for Illinois state employees. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to require the state to offer a discount program to allow high-risk diabetics to buy insulin for $35 per month.
* NBC Chicago | CDOT’s next leader must ‘enact transformational change’: After Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi announced her resignation earlier this month, advocacy groups have penned an open letter urging Mayor Brandon Johnson to pursue leadership that will “enact transformational change” in the city.
* Week 25 | New ‘Birth to Five’ report highlights gaps in Central Illinois childcare: The report divides the state into 39 regions with Peoria County as its own and Tazewell, Woodford, and Mason counties combined to make up another. Birth to Five regional managers say the biggest gap is in transportation from preschool to aftercare.
* SJ-R | More than $58 million: Where do state fairgrounds renovations stand?: Renovations caused the closure of MPA during last year’s fair, requiring events to be moved to the Coliseum and the Grandstand instead. This year, IDOA Director Jerry Costello II said the arena will reopen Thursday - opening day for the 2023 Illinois State Fair - as host to the Monsters of Destruction tour in addition to several truck and tractor pulls and a rodeo show over the course of the fair.
