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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Herald | Secretary of state’s office makes changes amid complaints about appointment system: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is opening two walk-in centers for senior drivers today, among other upgrades to meet demand following a major transition to an appointment system for tests and licenses. The walk-in centers at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview and the Evanston Civic Center will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Giannoulias also has added more appointment slots and calibrated a help line to connect people 70 and older to operators. * Capitol News Illinois | As Illinois Supreme Court Weighs Another Biometric Privacy Lawsuit, Lawmakers Consider Child Data Framework: The Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a pair of class action suits brought by two suburban nurses, Lucille Mosby and Yana Mazya, who allege their employers violated the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act, a landmark 2008 law that gives Illinois residents the ability to sue companies that misuse biometric data, such as fingerprints or facial scans. * Shaw Local | St. Margaret’s CEO blames $7.3 million bank maneuver for hospital closure: court records: St. Margaret’s Health issued statements to an Illinois review board that an unnamed lender had thwarted its efforts to keep the hospital open after the Spring Valley hospital closed in June. That lender was Spring Valley City Bank, according to Sept. 5 federal court filings. In a recent pleading filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, St. Margaret’s President and CEO Tim Muntz said on June 5 the bank “swept nearly $7.3 million” in funds despite a “forbearance agreement” entered about six weeks earlier. * ISBA | Quick Takes on Illinois Supreme Court Opinions Issued Thursday, September 21, 2023: In MB Financial Bank, N.A. v. Brophy, the Illinois Supreme Court overruled the appellate court’s judgment holding that the City of Joliet owed more than $6 million in back property taxes to the former owner of a property subjected to condemnation proceedings. The unanimous opinion authored by Justice Cunningham, concluded that the plaintiff was not entitled to repayment of property taxes that were paid between the date the condemnation complaint was filed and the date the city took possession of the property because the property owner enjoyed the continued use of the property during that time. In reaching this conclusion, the Illinois Supreme Court overruled long-standing caselaw that the appellate court had relied on to reach a contrary result. * WTTW | Chicago-Based Research Initiative Wants to Provide Data and Insight Around a Growing Latino Population: The goal is to become a data hub for community groups, policy-makers and others. “We can produce the kind of research that can be used to help identify the needs of not only a growing population, but a diverse population,” said Teresa Córdova, director of the Great Cities Institute with the University of Illinois at Chicago. * Michael Frerichs | Supporting women in their careers sometimes comes with a big move: Sometimes in marriage, moving comes with the territory. The parent of one spouse gets sick, a job opportunity arises, a fresh start beckons. This summer, I uprooted my life for the woman I love — and it was the right move. […] My work as state treasurer matters to me, to Erica and to others. But if my wife continues to be successful at Kellogg, she could help the company grow, invest and hire more in Illinois. So, too, with all women who contribute to our companies, schools, governments and nonprofits. If my wife and women like her reach their fullest potential, we all do better because of it. Maybe this is doubly important to me because I have a daughter Ella, 14, and I want her to know that her work matters as much as any man’s. * KHQA | Illinois expands cancer care: Groundbreaking Proton Beam therapy now more accessible: 3 years ago, State Representative Norine Hammond got a call from a constituent who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The patient’s doctor recommended Proton Beam therapy, but because some insurance companies couldn’t cover the cost, the family had to pay tens of thousands of dollars. According to Representative Hammond, House Bill 2799 requires that a health insurance policy provide coverage for medically necessary proton beam therapy for the treatment of cancer. The bill further provides that the policy shall not apply a higher standard of clinical evidence for the coverage of proton beam therapy than for any other form of radiation therapy treatment. * WTTW | Chicago Food Pantries Report Stark Increase in Food Insecurity Amid Inflation, Decreased Federal Assistance: Nourishing Hope, formerly known as Lakeview Pantry, says they’re seeing about 76% more families with children coming to their pantry compared to last year. “Our organization provides an equivalent of four million meals a year … I will say for certain that our federal investments have deeply impacted families across the board. When you take away those investments, it really devastates our community,” said Keenya Lambert, chief development officer with Nourishing Hope. * Lake County News-Sun | American Rescue Plan funds used to stock Lake County food bank shelves; ‘We were really struggling to meet the food needs’: “With inflation, rising food prices and the decrease in government benefits, we were really struggling to meet the food needs without these ARPA funds,” Hebein said. “It has made a huge difference, at a time when we’ve seen record high numbers of neighbors coming to our food pantries and soup kitchens.” The nonprofit distributes food to 200 food pantries and programs in Lake and McHenry counties, as well as serving food banks and kitchens in 13 other Illinois counties. * NYT | How a Little-Known Group Helped Resurgent Democrats Wield Power: An increasingly prominent player in this liberal push is a little-known group called the States Project, which was founded in 2017 and made a financial splash in state legislative elections last year, pouring $60 million into races in five competitive states: Arizona, Michigan, Maine, Nevada and Pennsylvania. […] The States Project has had a central role. The group, founded six years ago by Adam Pritzker, a businessman and major Democratic donor, and Daniel Squadron, a former New York legislator, has sought to focus its ample resources and attention exclusively on state legislators, trying to fill the void on the left. * WSPY | DeKalb County Board to reexamine nursing home sale: Last December the County Board approved a plan for Evanston-based Illuminate HC to buy the DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center for $8.3 million. In the summer of 2022, a bid by Skokie-based Saba Healthcare was rejected by the board. In April of this year, the county board found out Illuminate HC intended to work with Saba Healthcare once the nursing home sale was finalized. The move sparked anger from the public due to Saba’s average rating of 1.3 stars. Last week Avi Zuckerman, one of the main principals of “DeKalb Health Care Holdings” which is the entity in contract to buy the nursing home, addressed the DeKalb County Board. * WMBD | City of Peoria and Peoria County using IHDA funds for 2024 demolitions: The city was awarded $712,000 and will demolish approximately 50 homes in the Southside and East Bluff areas. “Anyone who lives in these neighborhoods, lives next to one of these houses can see that it’s an attracted nuisance,” said Joe Dulin, City of Peoria’s Community Development Director. “It attracts crime. It can be a target for arson. So, the more money we have to be able to invest to take these properties down, the better it is for the neighborhood.” * WBEZ | The Damen Silos — now at the center of demolition drama — have a colorful history: Michael Tadin Jr., co-owner of MAT Asphalt, bought the 23-acre property from the state of Illinois last year, saying he plans to tear down the massive structure. Environmentalists and local Southwest Side residents are concerned about the demolition — and how the property might be used in the future — while the Preservation Chicago group wants the city to consider making the old grain elevator into a landmark. * Capitol News Illinois | State’s high court opens new interactive learning center: Now open, the learning center is on the second floor of the building, down the hall from the room where the court sits, in space that was once used by the Fourth District Court of Appeals. It was completed at a cost of about $130,000. “We’re very excited about it,” Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis said in an interview. “It tells the story about the Illinois court system from 1818 to today.”
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Migrants stole my Apes!
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * There are so many legitimate debates to be had about the asylum-seeking migrant issue, but this Anthony Ponce story for Fox 32 is most definitely not one of them. The proprietor of a sketchy-looking poker club using NFT “trading cards” as prizes whines about migrants moving into a building where he also rents is just about the goofiest angle imaginable…
Huh. Let’s not forget that a real casino recently opened up two miles away. Unlike Chicago Card Club, the actual casino doesn’t look like it may be trying to get around state gaming laws with worthless NFTs (click here for an explanation), so maybe that had something to do with their problems…
Pretty swank interior there, bro…  The company’s website is currently down (gee, I wonder if calling so much attention to this “business” might have been a bit on the stupid side), but click here for an archived copy. * Also, this is from a Crain’s report on September 7…
Chicago has lots of empty office space, so that’s one way of filling ‘em up. And, as others have pointed out, the city was able to move impressively fast on this property, moving people in within just a couple of weeks or so. * Also according to Crain’s, the city may have had some leverage with the developer…
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Springfield hospital system pulls support from crisis pregnancy centers
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Scott Reeder for the Illinois Times…
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ILGOP wants to stop 2,600 new jobs from being created in a Republican-held House district
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois GOP fundraising email…
Keep in mind that this deal has the goal of creating 2,600 good-paying jobs in a House district represented by a Republican (Jackie Haas). Haas has a far-right primary opponent who is just the type to use this sort of nonsense against her. Nice job, ILGOP. * Also, I reached out to the state party to ask which military base is “right next” to the Manteno site. I never heard back, but according to Crain’s, an Illinois National Guard training base is 15 miles away in Kankakee and a US Army Reserve training facility is in Joliet, which is about half an hour away. The horror! “All your base are belong to us!” More from Crain’s…
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What the heck is Durbin up to?
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The day after then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested…
* February of 2009…
* Shortly after a photo was unearthed showing Al Franken making an inappropriate physical joke about a woman before he was a US Senator…
* Right after the 2020 general election…
* Sunday…
The feds busted Sen. Menendez red-handed on straight-up bribery charges…
[Hat tip: Amdor]
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Brilliant if true
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * SBNation…
Has anyone considered that maybe the team wants to tank in such a thoroughly horrific manner that Chicago legislators will actually be eager to vote for a bill that subsidizes their exit from the city? OK, I’m kidding. But, sheesh. What a disaster. Anyway, this is a Chicago Bears open thread.
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Drivers Sign Up To Drive With Uber As A Flexible Way To Manage Rising Costs
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] In a recent survey, nearly 90% of new rideshare drivers cite flexibility and financial need as key factors in their decision to sign up. And over 70% of drivers joined Uber to help fill financial gaps caused by inflation. Whether it’s to supplement earnings or tackle unexpected expenses, Uber offers a flexible way to achieve financial goals. Watch and learn how drivers earn what they need to make ends meet.
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Without a doubt, there will be some problems implementing this new law
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Discuss.
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Open thread
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * I hope you all had a relaxing weekend. What’s going on in your part of Illinois this week?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go…
* Crain’s | The Midwest fell behind in the race for EVs. Now, it’s mounting a comeback: Southern states were decades ahead in site readiness, but other factors including market dynamics and business climate also have influenced the auto migration south, Barrott said. It’s become more important for automakers to produce batteries and vehicles nearer to where they sell them, for one. Cheaper labor, as facilities are largely nonunionized, lower energy costs and taxes, faster permitting and the lack of UAW influence are all major bonuses in the South, too. * Daily Herald | Bill inspired by July water crisis in Lake County introduced in state House: On Thursday, Syed filed legislation that would require water utilities to notify affected fire departments within two hours of the discovery of an unplanned service disruption, including those as small as a damaged fire hydrant. * Crain’s | Gotion’s $2 billion battery plant is a possible front for Chinese spies, Illinois GOP claims: The email pitch, which went out late last week, says the Gotion plant, to be located in a former Kmart warehouse, claims the facility will be located “RIGHT NEXT to a military base.” It adds, “Vote Red. Vote the Reds out,” urging recipients to send a donation and “put the CCP on notice.” * Tribune | Use of 14th Amendment to keep Trump off 2024 ballot still under debate in Illinois: Several legal experts say they believe any lawsuit seeking to prevent the Illinois State Board of Elections from placing Trump’s name on the GOP primary ballot or object to his candidacy would be premature prior to the two-day filing period for petitions for presidential candidates on Jan. 5-6. * Scott T Holland | To gauge intent and consequence, wade into legislative language: On Tuesday, state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, issued a release recapping a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on her Senate Bill 1126, which Rezin described as “regulations to protect minors from harmful aspects of social media platforms.” […] the legislative language itself has a few red flags, including one near the top of page two, defining an online service as “likely to be accessed by children” to mean, in part: “the online service, product, or feature is determined, based on competent and reliable evidence regarding audience composition, to be routinely accessed by a significant number of children.” * Block Club Chicago | Mayor, All But 2 City Council Members In Line For Raises In January: Johnson’s office did not answer questions about whether he would accept the raise, but he did not submit paperwork declining it, according to records obtained by Block Club. By not opting out of the pay hike, Johnson would receive a raise of about $4,800 next year, which would bring his salary to $221,052. With raises, most members of the City Council — including 12 freshmen alderpeople who took office in May — are set to make $145,974 in 2024. * Tribune | Suburban Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi balances Illinois’ more progressive politics as he looks to future: Krishnamoorthi said there’s nothing difficult or contradictory for him about working within the Democratic Party’s new reality. “I think a lot of (progressives) are in the same place I am,” Krishnamoorthi said before rattling off a string of GOP-lead initiatives in Congress he said Democrats of all stripes would oppose. * WJBC | Speaker of the Illinois House leads contingent to Israel: The Speaker of the Illinois House led a contingent to Israel this month. State Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), chairman of the Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus, says there were about eight House Democrats on the trip. He says it was unforgettable. “The NATAL Trauma and Resiliency Center in Tel Aviv is focused on trauma and recovery of those who have been victims and have been impacted by terrorism. To be able to relate that to some of the trauma challenges that we have in Illinois and the ways in which we provide wraparound services and supports for those who have experienced – particularly gun violence – was very powerful for me.” * Tribune | Wheaton College examined its racial history, but absence of hijab-wearing professor, LGBTQ rights questioned: Over the course of the next century and a half, the private evangelical Christian liberal arts college at times held an “underlying mindset of white superiority” as well as “attitudes, beliefs and actions that created an inhospitable and sometimes hostile campus environment” for people of color, according to a 122-page report on Wheaton College’s history of racism and discrimination, which was recently released by a college task force. * Tribune | A month after shooting inside Sox Park, a mystery persists: Rumors and hearsay, peddled largely by content aggregators on social media, have done little to quell speculation about the shooting — which, in the nearly 150-year history of Major League Baseball, is believed to be perhaps just the fourth instance of a fan being shot while inside a big league ballpark. * SJ-R | Willing to take on the responsibility: Marine vet becomes first Black female firefighter: Jackson came on under former SFD Chief Brandon Blough, who attended the graduation along with other former fire chiefs Bob Bartnick and Allen Reyne. “We’ve been trying to improve our recruitment process and in doing so, with our last couple of classes, we are increasing our minority hiring,” Canny said. “We feel our efforts are paying off, so we hope that trend continues in the future, but again, we’ve got a lot of work ahead.” * Tribune | Illinois is running out of volunteer firefighters: ‘It’s going to become very critical, very shortly’: “It’s going to become very critical, very shortly,” said Kevin Schott, an Illinois Firefighters Association board member. “The county and the state are going to need to look at this because the public safety is going to be impacted.” Firefighting organizations and some state lawmakers have tried over the years to address the dearth of volunteers, offering tax breaks and other incentives aimed at buoying department ranks. * Sun-Times | Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams left after ‘inappropriate’ activity, sources confirm: Two sources confirmed ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s report Sunady characterizing former Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams’ departure being related to “inappropriate” but not illegal activity. Schefter did not give give details other than to say the Bears’ human resources department was involved and the team examined his computer. * 247 Sports | Jordan Love’s dismantling of the Bears earns praise from Aaron Rodgers: “I think you just gotta not listen to those expectations outside the facility and outside your own mind,” Rodgers said. “He’s done a great job of that. He’s always had a good head on his shoulders. He put in a lot of great work last year that I think set him up to be confident. I think that’s what I saw in the preseason — he just looked confident. * ABC Chicago | Rare pink flamingo sighting on Lake Michigan in Wisconsin draws large crowds: Jerry Lorenz, the state director of research for Audubon Florida, told WISN that he speculates the birds were flying between Cuba and the Yucatan and got diverted by Hurricane Idalia. According to the American Birding Association’s Facebook page, flamingos have shown up in at least 12 states with Wisconsin being the northernmost. This is the first recorded flamingo sighting in Wisconsin.
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Live coverage
Monday, Sep 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ScribbleLive is still down. Twitter has stopped allowing people to embed list feeds on websites. So, click here or here to follow breaking news.
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Saw these folks last weekend at the Salt Shed. They still have it… Entertaining passers-by
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times | UAW strike spreads to GM, Stellantis parts sites in Bolingbrook, Naperville: Two auto parts distribution sites in the Chicago suburbs are striking Friday, after the president of the United Auto Workers expanded its action against major automakers by walking out of 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts centers in 20 states. Ford was spared additional strikes because the company has met some of the union’s demands during negotiations over the past week, said UAW President Shawn Fain. As a result, Ford’s Chicago operations are not included in the new walkouts. * Tribune | Blood suppliers warn of potential rationing at hospitals if donors don’t step up: ‘We need it now’: “We don’t ever want to be in a situation where we have to start making a decision on who does and doesn’t get blood,” said Versiti’s area vice president, Amy Smith. “We need it now.” Versiti seeks to have 10,000 units of blood in its inventory. Instead, inventory has dropped to 2,800 units for the nonprofit, which supplies blood to 85 nearby hospitals, including Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Edward-Elmhurst Health and Silver Cross Hospital. * WCIA | Scherer files bill to give Dennis Lab students their summer back, but at a cost: Dennis Lab students started the school year two weeks late. The two Dennis Lab buildings in Decatur were found to be structurally unsafe this past summer and the district set up modular classrooms for students. But they were not ready by the official start of the school year. Since they started two weeks late, the students are also scheduled to go two weeks longer in this summer. * Press Release | Governor Pritzker joins U of I System board in roundtable discussion: “Affordability really matters,” Pritzker said. “Scholarship money and financial aid is the most important thing, at least from the General Assembly and the governor, that we can do for you.” U of I System President Tim Killeen said the governor’s participation in the meeting was a reflection of the state government’s extensive commitment to and support of higher education, as well as the role that the system plays in the state’s overall well-being. * WTTW | Debate Continues Over Plan to Raise Real Estate Taxes on High-Priced Homes to Fight Homelessness in Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson recently announced a new proposal dubbed “Bring Chicago Home,” which would raise about $100 million dollars to fight homelessness by raising taxes on all sales above $1 million, and then an additional hike on sales of more than $1.5 million dollars. The proposal would also slash the transfer tax on real estate that sells below $1 million. * WCIA | Drug company announces move into Decatur using former Akorn building: Rising Pharmaceuticals, based in New Jersey, announced its move in the community earlier this week. Company officials said they plan to use the former Akorn building to make and package sterile products. Back in February, Akorn announced that it was filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and laying off its hundreds of workers. It sparked outrage from local politicians and prompted a state investigation. […] Rising Pharmaceuticals said the move into Decatur is expected to improve the company’s portfolio and boost the country’s supply chain. * CBS Chicago | Hundreds turn out in Chicago suburb’s municipal court to pay tickets they didn’t know they had: “At first, I thought it was $50 – and then I had to put my glasses on,” said Elizabeth Watson. Watson quickly saw an extra zero for a total sum of $500 – if she did stand in the line to appear in court. * Crain’s | Chicago’s hospitality business hasn’t seen this bullish an outlook since 2019: Travel and hospitality in Chicago continue to make a comeback from the depths of the COVID pandemic, when at a point in 2020 hotel occupancies sank to a low of 26%. Travel industry consultant HVS, employing research from STR Inc. as well as its own surveys of hotels and restaurants, recently released its most bullish assessment of the Chicago market since 2019. * STLPR | Barges are very efficient. Does that make them a good climate alternative for shipping?: It would take more than 1,000 semitrucks to carry the same load as 15 barges and a single tow boat, the standard for this part of the Mississippi River, he said. That’s significant given that the transportation sector accounts for about 28% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. But only about 2% of that sector is ships and boats, Rohde said. * Block Club | The Voice Of The CTA Hits 25-Year Milestone Of Telling Us Where We Are: The polished voice actor, now 64, drives down to Chicago two or three times a year to record updates to the transit system. Most recently Crooks told Chicagoans about detours due to the Blue Line’s West Side rebuild, laid down sharper recordings for the new 7000-series trains and gave folks a reminder to give up their seats to “people who are pregnant.” * SJ-R | Sangamon County home prices rose 8.2% in August, with houses listed at a median of $194,800: Sangamon County’s median home was 1,885 square feet, listed at $108 per square foot. The price per square foot of homes for sale is up 4.5% from August 2022. * SJ-R | A memorial service for trailblazing SIU physician to be held on Saturday: Robinson-McNeese was best known for his work in diversity and inclusion initiatives at SIU, helping to found the Office of Diversity, Multicultural and Minority Affairs, serving as the system’s executive director of diversity initiatives, and for collaborating with Springfield Public Schools District #186 to create the Physician Pipeline Preparatory Program (P4). * Daily Southtown | Homer Glen mayor nixes parade request as strife between village, township mounts: The village of Homer Glen has declined Homer Township’s application to conduct its annual Independence Day parade as political tensions between some local leaders were heightened during meetings this month. Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said she felt the parade, which usually takes place in late June in conjunction with HomerFest, has become too political when she and village staff declined the township’s request to use village streets. The application was not voted on by the Village Board. * Commercial-News | Tilton cannabis dispensary now open; cultivation center construction underway: It had a soft opening Friday and Saturday. An official grand opening will be Saturday for the dispensary and the two other businesses of the 14,500-square feet building. The site also includes Molly’s Joint, cannabis consumption lounge with couches and tables and chairs; and a bar/restaurant area with video gaming machines and an outdoor patio and grass area for bands and food trucks. * WTTW | Lin-Manuel Miranda Talks Chicago, His PBS Roots and the Return of ‘Hamilton’: Lin-Manuel Miranda made a stop in Chicago to commemorate the official return of “Hamilton.” Arts Correspondent Angel Idowu sat down with Miranda to get his take on why the show’s return to Chicago is so special.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another supplement to today’s edition (Updated)
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * We’ve all seen the amusing back and forth over the US Senate’s relaxing of its attire rule. But the Illinois Senate also has a rule…
It’s generally defined as “business attire.” Men must wear a jacket and tie, for example. Masks are considered to be “attire,” and that’s how they enforced their mandate during the pandemic. * The Question: Should the Illinois Senate drop its attire rule? Make sure to explain your answer and stick to Illinois, please. Thanks.
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Illinois State Library closed after emailed bomb threat
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * From the Illinois Secretary of State’s office…
…Adding… I’m told there are no suspects as of now. But the incident “will be investigated and the FBI will be notified.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign news
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Illinois *not* spared from expanded UAW strike
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois has just 5,621 UAW members in the auto industry, according to a recent analysis by Fitch Ratings. All those members work for Ford. The Stellantis plant has been at least temporarily shuttered. From the AP today…
* Meanwhile, Fitch also looked at the effects of a UAW strike on state budgets…
*** UPDATE *** Welp, turns out Illinois wasn’t spared after all. The headline has been changed as a result. From the Illinois AFL-CIO…
* From ABC 7, the impact is pretty small…
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Bailey back to his election-denying ways
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Darren Bailey on Nov. 10, 2020…
* After Bailey won the Republican gubernatorial primary with Trump’s help, he moved away from the former POTUS. From an October, 2022 Sun-Times editorial…
* Now that he’s running for Congress…
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Today’s quotable
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Craig Wall at ABC 7…
There’s more, so go read the whole thing. * It would also be nice to know why the Inspector General didn’t do anything about this for years. I reached out to former IG Joe Ferguson several days ago, but have not yet heard back.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Open thread
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * It’s Friday! What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go…
* Inside Climate News | Pritzker’s signature climate law has seen slow progress on clean energy, green jobs promises: Today, renewable sources make up only 10.5% of power. That includes not only current projects but also others planned with promises they will soon come online. On the promised new “equitable” jobs in clean energy industries, the state has yet to train or help place even one worker, though training programs are being set up to be in place by next year. * WIFR | Trial over Illinois abortion referral law begins in Rockford: Attorneys are arguing the 2016 an amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act that requires medical and counseling personnel to promote abortion regardless of their ethical or moral views. The act became law seven years ago but it’s not in effect because it’s hung up in court. Lawyers who are trying to stop it say requiring someone to go against their personal and religious beliefs violates the First Amendment of the Constitution * Tribune | National Association of Realtors takes additional steps to address alleged workplace issues: A new member task force will work with outside legal counsel, whose attorneys will conduct an independent assessment of company policies and practices and then make recommendations “to improve our procedures, trainings, and systems to prevent inappropriate behavior, encourage reporting of alleged misconduct, and promote an environment of transparency and accountability,” according to Goldberg’s email. * Daily Southtown | Indicted Orland Park pastor requests to have case severed from Trump, other defendants: Lee’s legal team, led by Illinois-based lawyer David Shestokas, has similarly filed a severance request and is waiting to hear back, Shestokas confirmed“We are of the opinion that, on a couple of levels, Pastor Lee will be prejudiced by having his trial take place with everybody else,” Shestokas said. Shestokas is working on the case with Georgia-based lawyer David Oles. * Chicago Daily Law Bulletin | Illinois Supreme Court disbars 12 attorneys, suspends 11: The Illinois Supreme Court disbarred 12 attorneys and suspended 11, including former ComEd CEO Anne R. Pramaggiore and lobbyist Michael McClain, in lawyer disciplinary orders since its last term. * ABC Chicago | Chicago treasurer denies wrongdoing in exclusive interview after IG launches ethics investigation: Conyears-Ervin repeatedly evaded questions about whether she engaged in such activity. “According to the allegations, employees were doing personal errands on city’s time. That did not occur,” Conyears-Ervin said. “Craig, I am going to speak to the allegations, and the allegation spoke to employees doing work for me on city’s time; that did not occur.” * WCIA | New dispensary planning for future changes to state’s marijuana law: Constructing a business plan is all about planning for the future, but what if your plans are illegal in the present? The owners of Share. — Springfield’s newest dispensary — don’t think that’s a problem.[…] The owners are already building a drive through window on the building. Drive throughs are not allowed by law now, but lawmakers have already considered the change in the past. * WBEZ | ‘A good place:’ Queer youth seek acceptance at state’s first foster home for LGBTQ+ teens: Nationally, about one-third of foster care youth identify as LGBTQ+, and according to researchers, they are at significantly higher risk of experiencing homelessness, physical harm and exchanging sex to meet basic needs. “It’s important that they’re doing this,” said Charles Golbert, a court-appointed lawyer who advocates for children in DCFS custody and a vocal critic of the department. But now, Golbert said, “it needs to be expanded for more than just five beds.” * Sun-Times | My fault Sox game not stopped after stadium shooting, interim police superintendent says: Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller told the Sun-Times the game was allowed to continue without interruption due to “miscommunication” on the protocol for notifying Major League Baseball. That issue has been addressed and won’t happen again, he said. * WBEZ | Johnson administration defends contract with private defense firm to prop up migrant ‘base camps’: In a brief interview with WBEZ, Johnson’s deputy chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas said the city had limited options as it seeks to move people out of police stations as quickly as possible. “There’s not many companies that have this type of capability of literally standing up prefabricated structures driving 50 foot poles, creating flooring, and then staffing 24/7,” Pacione-Zayas said. * Tribune | Cook County chips in to help buy hotels in Evanston and Oak Park for people who are homeless; also approves water bill relief: The board voted to award a $7 million, no-interest, fully forgivable 30-year loan to Connections for the Homeless Inc. so the nonprofit can buy the Margarita Inn in Evanston. It also approved a similar $6.5 million loan to Housing Forward LLC and the Oak Park Residence Corp. for the purchase of the Write Inn in Oak Park. * Tribune | Chicago Plan Commission approves Fulton Market apartment tower that will reserve 30% of its units as affordable: The original plan called for reserving 20% of the units as affordable housing to comply with the city’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance, but after a last-minute push by 27th Ward Ald. Walter Burnett, city planners hammered out a new agreement with the developers, boosting that to 30% using tax increment financing dollars from the local TIF district. * Sateline | States and cities eye stronger protections for gig workers: Roughly 1 in 6 American adults have engaged in gig work for platforms such as Uber, Lyft and DoorDash, according to a 2021 report by the Pew Research Center. But while those jobs promise flexibility and a low barrier to entry, they often pay less on an hourly basis than the prevailing minimum wage and lack basic protections such as overtime, sick pay and unemployment insurance. * Crain’s | Oscar Mayer is renaming its hot dog vehicles, again: Just four months after rebranding as the “Frankmobile,” Oscar Mayer is calling its iconic six-car fleet of hot dog-shaped vehicles the “Wienermobile” once again. “It was a franktastic summer celebrating our 100% Beef Franks with the Frankmobile from coast to coast,” Oscar Mayer Associate Director Kelsey Rice said in a statement. “Though, like many of you, we miss our original icon. Starting this week, we’re welcoming back the Wienermobile.” * Sun-Times | Acorns galore: ‘Mast year’ for oak trees means massive seed production across Chicago: An abundance in acorns this fall is the result of a “mast seeding event,” a phenomenon that only happens once every few years, when oak trees produce a much larger amount of acorns than normal. * Crain’s | Portillo’s expansion plans just got even more aggressive: Portillo’s is boosting its growth goals by more than half, aiming to open at least 920 restaurants around the country in about 20 years. It’s the first time the Oak Brook-based hot dog and Italian beef chain has updated its growth goals since going public in 2021, when it was targeting 600 restaurants in 25 years. Portillo’s also increased its annual growth target to 12% to 15% annually from 10%.
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Friday, Sep 22, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ScribbleLive is still down. Twitter has stopped allowing people to embed list feeds on websites. So, click here or here to follow breaking news.
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