* Chicago’s Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights Beatriz Ponce De León was at the City Club of Chicago yesterday…
Q: What is the ETA on the base camps? It’s clearly really cold out today, for example.
BPDL: Yeah, well, we have several locations that we’re interested in, they need to be assessed, we need to work with the aldermanic offices of those wards. And, you know, things are taking a little longer than we expected in terms of doing the land assessments and also engaging with community about about those sites.
Q: I mean, are you thinking a couple of weeks, a month? Because I’m wondering if they aren’t set up, what’s the backup plan?
BPDL: Ideally, it would be in the next month. And the backup plan has been that we will continue to look for larger spaces where we can open shelters more quickly.
“Ideally.” In other words, that’s the best case scenario.
* The city rolled out this plan way back on September 7, which is coming up on two months ago…
Nearly 1,600 asylum-seekers would be moved out of Chicago police stations “before the weather begins to shift and change” and into “winterized base camps” equipped with massive tents, under a plan unveiled Thursday by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Um, the weather has already shifted.
* Also remember that the city signed a contract on September 12…
Chicago has taken the first concrete step to deliver on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s controversial plan to get more than 2,000 migrants off the floors of police stations and O’Hare and Midway airports and into giant tent cities he prefers to call “winterized base camps” before temperatures plummet.
Piggybacking onto an existing state procurement, the city has signed a $29.3 million contract with GardaWorld Federal Services LLC for “migrant temporary housing.”
“The purpose of this Purchase Order is to allow the City to purchase from the State Contract temporary housing solutions and related services … to provide critical services to asylum seekers,” according to the contract, signed Sept. 12.
Kafkaesque farce.
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Afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Crain’s…
As Chicago’s downtown business district struggles under a post-pandemic malaise, President Joe Biden announced a slate of federal resources this week for developers and cities to speed up commercial-to-residential conversions.
The White House initiative will open up funding from the Department of Transportation to finance residential development near public transit and facilitate transit agencies’ ability to transfer their properties to local governments or developers of affordable housing, according to a release. The administration’s guidance also encourages cities, states and developers to tap into billions of dollars of existing federal grants from the Transportation Department and the Department of Housing & Urban Development.
The president’s push to save ailing downtown business districts comes at a crucial time for Chicago. The city’s office vacancy rate hit another all-time high in early October, climbing up to 23.7%, according to data from brokerage CBRE. Public transit is feeling the pain, too. While Chicago Transit Authority ridership increased this year, the rates are nowhere near 2019 numbers since workers aren’t returning to the office five days a week, CTA spokesman Brian Steele said this month. Whether Mayor Brandon Johnson will prioritize transforming downtown districts is still unclear. With the fate of former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s LaSalle Street initiative up in the air, federal help could fill in funding gaps left by the city.
* Good point. Be careful…
* ISP…
The Illinois State Police (ISP) today provided an update on the condition of Trooper Dakotah Chapman-Green and the investigation into his shooting. On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at 10:47 p.m., ISP Trooper Chapman-Green stopped 37-year-old Cristobal Santana from Chicago in the 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield. During the traffic stop, the suspect fired at least 10 gunshots hitting Trooper Chapman-Green several times, and struck him repeatedly causing facial fractures, a skull fracture, and a brain bleed. The suspect fled the scene, but was taken into custody at 1:58 a.m. on October 25, 2023. Trooper Chapman-Green remains hospitalized. The suspect was taken to the hospital for injuries sustained during the apprehension and remains in the hospital.
“By the Grace of God, Trooper Chapman-Green survived this brutal attack,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Police officers across the state take an oath to protect the lives of Illinois citizens and too often that means facing diabolical, hateful, vicious evil that no innocent human being should ever have to face. We live in a free country, but there is no freedom without the law, there is no law without law enforcement, and there is no law enforcement without brave souls like Trooper Chapman-Green and those standing here with me today willing to do this noble, but dangerous work.”
On Friday, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office filed two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm to a Police Officer, one count of Aggravated Battery to a Police Officer, and one count Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon against Santana.
ISP continues to investigate this shooting and will work with the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office to provide more information as it becomes available.
Video of the traffic stop can be found here: https://youtu.be/LSvCYf0_WkM. Video of the news conference will be available on the Illinois State Police Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/ILStatePolice
* Illinois House Women’s Caucus…
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the recent gun violence that has again struck our state and our nation. How many people must die before addressing the deadly intersection between domestic violence and firearms? This fatal combination was again painfully evident in the recent murder of Adrianna Lopez, who was shot and killed allegedly by an abusive ex-boyfriend who also shot an Illinois State Trooper. These incidents are grim reminders that the ripple effects of trauma echo far beyond the intimate relationship - affecting children who live with and witness it, and the family members, and law enforcement who respond to it.
“The tragic events that unfolded in Maine are all too common, and we cannot relent in our mission to get weapons of war off our streets and out of our communities. Though details are still emerging, early news reports have suggested the suspect, Robert Card may have a history of domestic violence. A recent study showed that in more than two-thirds of mass shootings, the perpetrator either killed family or intimate partners or the shooter had a history of domestic violence.
“While we have made progress in recent years to combat the gun violence epidemic, our work is far from over. We have one more week of the veto session upcoming, and collectively, we urge the General Assembly to pass additional legislation like Karina’s Bill to combat gun violence and get guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.”
* From yesterday…
Today, Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, and Senator Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, joined President Biden at the White House for an event on Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence following the President’s Executive Order regarding AI.
This marks the second time that Rep. Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Edly-Allen have attended events at the White House to discuss their work protecting constituents from emerging digital threats stemming from applications of artificial intelligence.
Last session, Rep. Gong-Gershowitz and Sen. Edly-Allen worked together to pass groundbreaking legislation to combat deepfake pornography, which falsely depicts individuals in sexually-explicit acts without their consent. They are now taking steps in Illinois to mirror President Biden’s federal strategy to address the risks that AI poses to individual safety and security as well as its potential as a tool for malicious disinformation.
“I applaud the sense of urgency displayed by President Biden regarding artificial intelligence and thank him for his much-needed leadership on this critical issue,” said Gong-Gershowitz. “AI is a rapidly-developing tool that fundamentally impacts every sector of our society, including individual safety and civil rights. We must ensure that appropriate legal protections and standards are in place to properly address the complex set of dangers and opportunities that AI introduces in order to effectively safeguard individual consumers and the public against the inherent risks to safety, security and truth it can pose.”
President Biden’s Executive Order can be found at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheet-president-biden-issues-executive-order-on-safe-secure-and-trustworthy-artificial-intelligence/
“We need to balance rapidly progressing technology that maximizes artificial intelligence possibilities, while also protecting against the potential harms it can cause,” Edly-Allen said. “We are starting to see how unrestricted technology can do harm without practical safeguards in place. I applaud the Biden administration for taking urgent action to work toward ending the exploitation, humiliation and harassment that AI has caused.”
Also attending…
State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, a Democrat from Bridgeview, visited the White House on Monday for President Joe Biden’s signing ceremony of an executive order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence. Rashid is a member of a multi-state legislative working group on AI and the co-chair of Illinois’ AI task force.
I asked Rep. Rashid’s spokesperson if that Illinois task force has ever met, but he hasn’t responded.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WICS | New SAFE-T-Act enhances protection for domestic violence victims in Illinois: Christine Raffaele with Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ILCADV) said suspects being able to bail their way out of jail under the old cash system — didn’t help protect the victims of domestic violence. “Someone would appear, they make their plea, the judge sets their bond then the case is over,” Raffaele said. “And very rarely was any consideration given to the safety and security for the victim.”
* Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker, Illinois universities make aggressive bid for federal semiconductor hub: With Chicago in the running for the $11 billion National Semiconductor Technology Center, a multi-university network of researchers and scientists are optimistic Illinois’ advances in engineering and manufacturing — and especially quantum research — will help them seal the deal. So is Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
* Rockford Register Star | Stellantis, UAW agreement pledges new life for Belvidere plant. Here’s what’s next: United Auto Workers Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen is trying not to get overly excited about a tentative agreement reached with Stellantis that could mean thousands of jobs, a new battery plant, parts distribution center and a vehicle to produce at the Belvidere Assembly Plant. Frantzen said he got the call from national union officials on Saturday about the tentative deal during a local membership meeting with about 100 workers filling the Belvidere UAW hall. A raucous cheer erupted when he shared the news.
* WGN | ‘Skip the Line’ service issues draw ire of Illinois seniors: ‘Very frustrating’: Until this year, she could drive to her hometown of Naperville Secretary of State facility and take the test. But now, an appointment is required. McQuaid said she tried unsuccessfully for weeks to get an appointment to no avail. Locations that still accept walk-in services, in Bridgeview and Evanston, are simply too far, she added. The next best option is Aurora but as McQuaid explained, the drive is out of her comfort zone. “Very frustrating,” McQuaid said. On the WGN Midday news Monday, Giannoulias said they’ve come a long way but hearing of Helen’s plight, more is needed.
* WCIA | Family of State Trooper shot in Springfield shares update on recovery: Chapman-Green’s mother, Kris, said that her son is going through occupational therapy and physical therapy. He is also able to hold conversations while staying awake. Chapman-Green was shot in both legs while performing a traffic stop on Toronto Road in Springfield Tuesday night. He was also beaten with the gun, suffering a brain bleed and skull fracture.
* Tribune | A first Chicago snow for many of the migrants sleeping outside: ‘The cold passes through everything’: Anticipating colder temperatures Monday night, the city released a statement Sunday: “To protect new arrivals and unhoused Chicagoans from falling temperatures, the City is collaborating with external partners, volunteers and mutual aid groups to provide blankets, coats and other much-needed items. Warming buses will be provided by the CTA at the landing location and 16 police district locations.” But Annie Gomberg, who leads volunteer efforts at the police station in Austin,said she didn’t know about any effort by the city to provide blankets, jackets or outerwear. She said 16 buses was not enough. And many migrants who she interacts with tell her they are hesitant to get on another bus, after riding a bus for hours to get to Chicago.
* Tribune | Chicago police officer under investigation for striking 8th grader while off duty: The Cook County state’s attorney’s office began looking into Officer Craig Lancaster’s off-duty conduct after a surveillance recording emerged showing him hitting a 14-year-old student near his throat as the boy walked into school. The video does not show the teen interacting with Lancaster before the physical contact or doing anything obvious to provoke it.
* Shaw Local | Police training facility in Cary to open next week: The McHenry County Regional Training Center will have three training areas: two classrooms and a tactical training room. One classroom will fit 100 students, and a second 40-person classroom will be in the lower level, which used to be the Village Board room. The MAT room will be for defensive tactics and scenario-based training. Tactical training usually covers handcuffing and handling people resisting arrest or being violent.
* Sun-Times | Evanston teen Natalie Raanan back in Chicago after being held hostage by Hamas: The north suburban mother and daughter were the first hostages released from among at least 200 people Israeli military leaders have said were held by Hamas. The two were in Israel to visit Judith Raanan’s mother and Natalie’s grandmother to celebrate her 85th birthday and Simchat Torah, the Jewish holiday marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of Torah readings. They were staying in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz near the Gaza border.
* Tribune | ‘Priscilla’ review: The starry road to Lonely Street — and the Presley movie we needed: Coppola, who has known more first- and second-hand celebrity than the average contemporary filmmaker, seems especially well-attuned to Priscilla’s experiences, and to slowly (sometimes suddenly) dawning realizations of what her life has become. Now and then “Priscilla” settles for standard-issue biopic shorthand, as when Elvis shuts down his woman’s desire to work with: “It’s either me or career, baby.” But in this context, without the usual emphasis or underlining, the line feels honest, and authentic, even in the midst of the dream of desire, love and eventual departure we’re watching.
* The Street | Tesla hits 5-month low, down 20% from Q3 earnings, amid fading EV demand: Tesla’s key supply chain partner, Panasonic Holdings, warned yesterday that its battery production facilities are running well below capacity amid a glut in global supplies and a pullback in demand. Panasonic Holdings posted a third quarter loss, and lowered its full-year profit outlook, citing muted sales of Tesla’s high-end Model S and Model X cars even amid the multi-level price cuts put in place in order to stoke demand and maintain market share.
* Semafor | An up to $1 billion fine may end the scandal that has captivated Wall Street: Authorities have spent more than four years investigating whether Morgan Stanley improperly tipped off favored hedge-fund clients to big blocks of stock coming on the market. The bank fired several employees and pulled back from the block trading business, losing market share to rivals.
* WTTW | McCormick Place Says It Will Do Better by Birds After 1,000 Killed in Mass Casualty Event. Conservationists Want Proof: Prince was joined by Judy Pollock and Edward Warden, presidents of Chicago Bird Alliance and Chicago Ornithological Society, respectively, who urged the board to take action in the wake of a mass casualty event that occurred at the beginning of October, in which 1,000 birds fatally collided with McCormick’s lakefront Lakeside Center during a wave of migration activity.
* 21st Show | Halloween legends at the University of Illinois: Today is Halloween… a holiday with a lot of history, going back centuries, even millenia. Nowadays, of course, it’s basically a celebration of all things scary and spooky. We talked about some of the spooky stories, myths and legends that make the rounds at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
* First and Pen | Justin Fields Deserves Better: To suggest that Fields needs to learn from Bagent, who is the Bears’ version of Brock Purdy, is ridiculous. It’s something Score midday host Dan Bernstein called a “back-stabbing whisper campaign” by the Bears. “The story is this stuff, the whispers, the, ‘Hey, it’d be nice if Justin could do that.’ They’re telling you who they would prefer to coach,” said Bernstein. “They would much rather have somebody (Bagent) who could run their stuff, get the ball out, make their reads rather than have to figure out how to best use the talents of a unicorn (in Fields).”
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Happy Halloween, Part 2
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Happy Halloween! Here are some more snaps from the Capitol’s Trick-or-Treat event this past Friday…
* I was really blown away with some of the transformations…
* It’s not every day I have an excuse to visit Stratton’s 6th floor…
I was really impressed by all the hard work that people put into the event. I’m looking forward to next year!
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* Tribune reporter…
* From her story…
Thousands of migrants sleeping at police stations woke up to freezing cold conditions this Halloween morning as city officials, volunteers and faith-based organizations scrambled to find warmth for a population, mostly from Venezuela, that has never experienced cold before.
Temperatures plummeted overnight to a low of 30 degrees at O’Hare International Airport, said the National Weather Service, and safety networks stepped in to react to emergencies brought on by the cold. Temperatures were expected to range between 36 and 37 degrees with light snow flurries for the next 24 hours, weather officials said. […]
Dr. Scott Dresden, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician, said he wasn’t sure how the thousands of migrants that have arrived since last August would influence the numbers of people he treats in emergency departments over the next months.
“This is certainly a unique winter with a larger population who are without housing than we are used to,” he said.
* Fox Chicago…
On Monday, Chicagoans – who know what to expect – bundled up amid chilly temperatures, but many new arrivals will be experiencing the cold for the very first time.
The CTA is now providing warming buses during certain hours at the migrant bus landing zone near Clinton and Vernon Park Place and 16 police districts across the city, but long-term solutions are desperately needed.
“We have minors in police stations and in the streets, this is an emergency response,” said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez who represents the 25th Ward.
Monday morning, the Committee on Housing and Real Estate, which Ald. Sigcho-Lopez chairs, signed off on the city’s plan to purchase land at the corner of 115th and Halsted.
The former Jewel parking lot could become a migrant base camp built by GardaWorld Federal Services, but South Side community members are pushing back.
* ABC 7…
Also on Monday, downtown Alderman Brendan Reilly sent a letter to constituents, claiming the city was looking to convert the Hotel Chicago in River North into a migrant shelter, something the mayor’s office denies, and the hotel said it had no information about.
Ald. Reilly also complained that the mayor was acting without legal authority, despite a gubernatorial disaster declaration that sets aside provisions of the procurement and joint purchasing codes…
To aid with emergency purchases necessary for response and other emergency powers as authorized by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, the provisions of the Illinois Procurement Code and the Illinois Governmental Joint Purchasing Act that would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the disaster are suspended to the extent they are not required by federal law.
We saw that same sort of rhetoric during the COVID emergency.
* I checked out this encampment near the 17th District police station in the Albany Park neighborhood not long ago. Tents are set up on both sides of an adjacent street, with some, like these, right next to houses…
* At the end of a Sun-Times story about how the city says it can’t risk using reserve funds to pay for migrants is this tidbit…
Once the Council approves the mayor’s budget, attention will turn to the urgent search for additional revenue — a task Johnson has punted to a subcommittee led by freshman Ald. William Hall (6th).
[Chicago Budget Director Annette Guzman] expects the options presented by that subcommittee to include broadening the sales tax umbrella to cover a host of professional services favored by the wealthy and business interests.
The idea has been talked about for decades, only to hit a dead-end in Springfield.
But, Guzman said: “We’re in a place now where people are more open to this idea. We’ve seen the dramatic shift in how people purchase things. It’s shifted more now toward services over goods. … Sometimes, it’s all about timing. … I look at it as a way of sharing the burden more equitably.”
A tax on high-end services might feel good, but I seriously doubt it’ll make much of a dent. Looks like the city is again passing the buck. Then again, maybe proponents have other numbers. I’d love to see them.
…Adding… All very valid points…
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* The Telegraph…
Community colleges in Illinois are seeing their largest year-over-year enrollment growth in nearly 15 years this spring.
Figures released this week by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) showed Spring 2023 enrollment increased by 7.2 percent from the previous spring. according to the board’s Spring 2023 Enrollment Report.
The enrollment, however, was 11.8 percent below the statewide figures in 2019. Illinois community colleges in 2019 listed 283,146 students. The Spring 2022 figure was 233,041; this year the enrollment is 249,836.
The report lists 3,992 Spring 2023 students at Lewis and Clark Community College, up 9.2 percent from 3,656 last spring but down 36.6 percent from the 6,301 students enrolled in Spring 2019.
* From the ICCB report…
Significant findings from the ICCB Fall 2023 Community College Opening Enrollment Report include:
• Fall 2023 headcount enrollments (+5.7 percent) and Full-time Equivalents (FTE) enrollments (+5.2 percent) both increased significantly from the previous year.
• Thirty-six community colleges experienced an increase in headcount enrollment from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, while twelve community colleges had a decrease.
• Instructional areas often dependent on in-person instruction increased headcount enrollments in Career and Technical Education (+10.4 percent) and Vocational Skills Training (+6.3%) in Fall 2023 compared to the previous year. Student enrollment in Transfer programs also had an uptick compared to the previous year with an increase of 1.8 percent.
• Adult Education, which is also mostly dependent on in-person instruction, increased headcount by 20.8 percent from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023. Adult Education serves a significant number of at-risk students, and the pandemic exacerbated issues for that population.
• For Dual Credit, which allows academically prepared high school students to simultaneously earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and a college degree, headcount enrollments increased 8.4 percent in Fall 2023 compared to Fall 2022.
• While the number of distance education students decreased in Fall 2023 as compared to the previous year, it remains a prevalent and flexible form of course delivery with 42.3 percent of students enrolling in at least one online course in the current Fall as compared to Fall 2019 (pre-pandemic) at 24.3 percent.
* WRSP…
Richland Community College is reporting an almost 7% increase in Fall 2023 enrollment as the Illinois Community College Board sees the second largest fall-to-fall enrollment increase in 30 years.
This fall, Illinois community colleges saw a 5.7% increase in headcount between Fall 2022 and Fall 2023 enrollment – which is the second largest fall-to-fall enrollment growth in the last 30 years. Only the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 increase of 7.4 percent during the Great Recession was higher.
The increase in enrollment is reflected at Richland – where the fall-to-fall growth from 2022 to 2023 is 6.7%.
This growth can be credited to a number of initiatives with community/government partners in the past year – including the Illinois Works’ Pre-Apprenticeship Program, the Earn While You Learn EMT program (a partnership with Abbott EMS), the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program, and many others.
* WAND…
The fiscal year 2024 budget includes a seven percent increase in operating funds or $19.4 million more for community colleges than the previous year—the highest increase in two decades. It also includes a $100 million increase in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) that when combined with the federal Pell grant, provides working class families with an opportunity for a free community college education. […]
Statewide enrollment data shows 36 community colleges experienced an increase in headcount enrollment from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, while just 12 community colleges had a decrease.
* WSIU looks at more…
But, it was a different story across the institutions serving southern Illinois.
Kaskaskia and Southeastern Illinois Colleges saw modest increases in enrollment, but John A. Logan, Rend Lake and Shawnee Colleges all reported fewer students from Fall 2022.
It was also a mixed bag for the Illinois Eastern Community College system with a major increase at Frontier Community College and a small one at Olney Central, but there were enrollment declines at Lincoln Trail and Wabash Valley.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background on the Local Journalism Task Force…
The Local Journalism Task Force is established to: (1) conduct a comprehensive, nonbinding study relative to communities underserved by local journalism in Illinois; and (2) review all aspects of local journalism including, but not limited to, the adequacy of press coverage of communities, the ratio of residents to media outlets, the history of local news in Illinois, print and digital business models for media outlets, the impact of social media on local news, strategies to improve local news access, and public policy solutions to improve the sustainability of local press business models and private and nonprofit solutions.
* The Illinois Legislative Correspondents’ Association recently updated its members about ideas emerging from the task force…
Tax credits, for example, could be used a few different ways: for small businesses to advertise with local media, residents who subscribe to local media or media companies that hire and retain local journalists. (A tax exemption could also serve a similar purpose for the latter.) Another idea: advertising set-asides, in which governments could be required to spend a percentage of advertising dollars in local news/media outlets.
One problem I see right off the bat is that a whole lot of local news media outlets are owned by gigantic, debt-heavy corporations like Gannett. They suck money out of local communities to pay off debt and pad executive pay.
But, yes, local news is most definitely dying. There are exceptions, but a quick look at just about any local news website, particularly outside the Chicago area, confirms that obvious fact.
* The Question: What role, if any, should the state of Illinois play in preventing the collapse of local news media outlets? Explain.
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* NBC Chicago…
The Illinois State Board of Education on Monday released the 2023 Illinois Report Card, offering a new look at how schools and districts across the state are performing. […]
This year’s report noted schools across the state showed “strong progress in students’ recovery from the pandemic – with increased proficiency rates and the highest graduation rate in 13 years.”
“Gains for Black students, who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, led the significant improvement in many indicators,” the board wrote in a release. […]
One of the largest success stories comes as the state saw record-breaking high school graduation rates, with 87.6% of students graduating, a number the report says was driven largely by gains for Black and Hispanic students.
The report also found teacher retention levels had reached “an all-time high,” exceeding 90% for the 2022-23 school year, though it highlights “severe teacher shortages still exist.”
* WBEZ…
A continued area of concern is chronic absenteeism — students who missed 10 days of school or more last year. State officials say this is an important figure because studies show a high correlation between performance and time in school.
Chronic absenteeism has shot up dramatically since before the pandemic in 2019. It affects 28.3% of students, up from 17.5% in 2019. State officials say this is “alarmingly high” and that “more work must be done to ensure full academic and social-emotional recovery from the pandemic.” […]
The state superintendent stressed that gaps in proficiency are because Black students historically attend schools with fewer resources.
“We educate Black students disproportionately in underfunded school districts with more teacher vacancies, higher teacher and principal turnover, higher chronic absenteeism,” he said.
* Tribune…
Statewide, both English and math proficiency rates increased but are still less than what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Proficiency rates can show the percentage of students who have hit the given target, according to the ISBE, but growth is the way to show “progress toward and even past the target.” On average, students grew more in the last school year than before the pandemic, according to the report card.
Black students had the greatest accelerated rate of growth in both English and math compared to the 2018-2019 school year, but their growth and proficiency rates overall are still behind other students. […]
There were more English language learners and Hispanic, Asian and multiracial students enrolled in the 2022-2023 school year than the school year before, suggesting more diversity in Illinois schools, according to the report card.
* Daily Herald…
The annual measure of academic performance shows a second straight year of gains after two years of slippage due to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions. But while student proficiency levels inched up, they remain below pre-pandemic levels. […]
This year’s results show a 16% change statewide year-over-year in English language arts from 29.9% to 34.6%, meaning an additional 39,000 students have mastered grade-level standards. Black students posted the largest gain with a 33% change in proficiency rates, according to report card data. […]
Schools across the suburbs attributed academic gains to a variety of measures, such as increased instructional coaching, reading or math interventionists, school improvement plans and an increased focus on social-emotional supports. In Round Lake Community Unit District 116, post-pandemic daily tutoring has continued with an evening session available for students. The district also launched a summer activity bus program offering art, science, math and Project Lead the Way learning opportunities for students during the summer months.
* More…
* Capitol News Illinois | Latest state school report card shows proficiency gains, persistent gaps on racial lines: Robin Steans, president of the education advocacy group Advance Illinois, agreed that the report was positive overall, but said it also contains some cautionary information, especially regarding racial achievement gaps and attendance rates. “I think there is some legitimately encouraging news in the new state report card,” she said in a separate interview. “I think there’s also a lot of information that reminds us we’ve a lot of work to do still.”
* Chalkbeat | Illinois student test scores closer to pre-pandemic proficiency levels, but absenteeism remains high: The latest report card offers some good news for Illinois districts that are still working to help students recover from pandemic-related disruptions. To address learning gaps, they have focused on hiring more staff, creating after-school programs, and hosting summer learning opportunities. Some of those efforts were funded with the $7 billion in federal COVID relief funding the state received. However, the state’s public schools will have to figure out how to continue these programs as federal relief funding will expire at the end of September 2024.
* Journal Courier | Jacksonville’s school report card sees mixed results: Jacksonville High School was listed as a targeted school, which means one or more student groups is performing at or below the level of the “all students” group in the lowest performing 5% of schools. Achievement is lacking in the areas of children with disabilities and low income, the report card said.
* WAND | Decatur Public Schools breaks down 2023 Illinois Report Card results: Attendance rate hits a 3-year high = 86.1%, up from 83.4% last year and 76.5% in 2021. Chronic absenteeism rate hits a 3-year low = 50.5%, down from 56.0% last year and 58.9% in 2021.
* Shaw Local | State report cards give central Kane schools good grades: All central Kane County districts – St. Charles, Batavia, Geneva and Kaneland – were listed as either exemplary, which means they performed in the top 10% of schools statewide, or commendable, which means they are not in the top 10%, but none of those schools have underperforming student groups.
* WTVO | Illinois Report Card: Rockford schools show improvements, but have work to do: The 2023 snapshot of academic progress shows the Rockford Public School District with a 69% graduation rate, versus the state average of 87.6%. Students showed a 32% proficiency in science (state average: 51%), 24% passing 8th-grade Algebra, and 75% of 9th-grade students “on track.”[…] The state’s results also showed nearly 50% chronic absenteeism across the 44 Rockford schools, below the state average of 28.3%. But, that’s lower than the 60.8% reported during the 2022 Covid recovery era.
* Shaw Local | Local schools get mixed grades on Illinois School Report Card: Rock Falls boasts an Exemplary school, Sterling’s all Commendable, two Dixon schools’ ratings point to need for improvement support.
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Happy Halloween!
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Perhaps the most Halloween press release ever. Click here to see the map…
The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control (ARC) has released an interactive map of locations where bats who tested positive for rabies were found in Cook County. So far this year, nine rabid bats have been found. The Halloween-themed map is designed to raise awareness about rabies prevention.
“Rabies is a completely preventable disease and is always fatal to unvaccinated pets,” said ARC Administrator Dr. Mamadou Diakhate, DVM. “Ensuring your dogs and cats are current on rabies and other vaccinations is critical to their health and yours.”
According to Dr. Diakhate, a significant number of these bats were found inside people’s homes, and pets who primarily stay indoors still have the potential to be exposed to rabies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 60 to 70 dogs and 250 cats contract rabies each year.
* Neil Steinberg reminded us today of a column he wrote a few years ago about how candy corn is made in Chicago…
For years the Internet has echoed with derision of candy corn. And not mild criticism. Full-throated condemnation.
BuzzFeed’s 2013 list of “19 Things That Taste Better Than Candy Corn,” included chalk, urinal cakes and earwax.
“Deodorant-flavored earwax nuggets,” Deadspin raged in 2014. “Wee little warhead-shaped misery pellets.”
Then things really heated up. CandyStore.com crunched a decade’s worth of sales figures and announced that candy corn is the most popular Halloween candy in six states, including Michigan, inspiring one Detroit columnist to lash out at his readers.
“You’re all gross,” sneered the Detroit Free Press’ Brian Manzullo.
People just gotta hate something, I suppose.
* And the first candy corn was made in Belleville…
* I did not know this…
Spooky.
* Something else I did not know…
If you’re out trick-or-treating this Halloween, you might notice some homes displaying a teal pumpkin outside their front door — and it’s more than just a decoration.
According to FARE — Food Allergy and Research Education — teal-colored pumpkins are part of a national effort called the “Teal Pumpkin Project” to make Halloween more safe for children with food allergies.
“Placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep signals that, in addition to candy, you offer non-food trinkets and treats that are safe for all trick or treaters,” FARE’s website states.
According to FARE, one in 13 children has a potentially life-threatening food allergy, and many others are impacted by food intolerances or other digestive conditions.
* Things weren’t always so enlightened. Here’s Tom Emery…
Today, Halloween is a mixture of revelry, as both trick-or-treaters and adults are in costume with happy pumpkins and ghoulish skeletons for décor. A century ago, the holiday was more sinister – and violent.
Halloweens of the late 1800s and early 1900s were dominated by “pranks” that were closer to felonies and misdemeanors. Vandalism ruled the night as property was damaged and people were beaten. […]
A 1908 notice in Alton, Illinois, advised that “all persons caught or known to have committed any depredations will be prosecuted … special officers [will] be sworn in … to watch boys and others disposed to injure private property.” […]
In the Macoupin County town of Gillespie, Illinois, in 1926, the local paper reported that four boys were arrested and taken to the police magistrate “for shooting Halloween stunts out of season.”
Then again…
A Beach Park man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly bringing an AR-15 loaded with “penetrator rounds” to a Halloween party in Antioch.
Around 10 p.m., Antioch police responded to a loud noise complaint about a party in the 200 block of Ida Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene, they obsevered a crowd of more than 300 people.
Antioch police called in some backup and began dispersing the crowd, which took more than four hours to completely clear the area.
* The first time I remember hating my parents was when they forced me to wear a heavy winter coat over my costume…
I eventually got over it.
* It’s really difficult to say “Support local media” when local media continues falling for this nonsense…
NPR interviewed Joel Best, a professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaware, about the persistent myths of tainted candy…
Best has been dispelling this myth for years and telling people they shouldn’t worry about people tampering with treats. But even with no evidence of this happening, the urban legend still persists every Halloween.
“We’ve stopped believing in ghosts and goblins, but we believe in criminals,” said Best. “Ghosts and goblins are just kind of silly. But having a criminal, having Michael Myers running around your town, that’s a scary possibility.”
* So cute…
* Transitioning…
Do you have evening plans?
* Related…
* Block Club Chicago: Your Ultimate Chicago Guide To Halloween Events Including Performance, Fests and Family Fun
* Tribune: After winning $50,000 prize for its Halloween display, West Chicago family sets sights on even bigger haunt
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Open thread
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Happy Halloween! What’s going on in your part of Illinois today?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Ford reaches a deal with the UAW. Tribune…
-In addition to substantial pay raises and other benefits for workers, the Ford deal also includes a commitment to invest $400 million in the Chicago Ford Plant on the South Side.
-The Stellantis tentative agreement with the UAW includes bringing thousands of workers back to the Belvidere Assembly Plant near Rockford.
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Happy Halloween!…
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* Sun-Times | Plan for 2nd migrant tent camp at donated Jewel, parking lot clears City Council committee: “The City will soon begin performing work on the site to confirm the underlying infrastructure’s viability before initiating construction. The City will notify residents as to the outcome of this final assessment and will share further operations details prior to placing any individuals into the facilities. At the conclusion of the base camp mission, the City intends to transfer ownership of the site to a local community development corporation and fully provide support for the development of affordable housing and retail space on the site.”
* Tribune | Aldermen delay vote on Johnson paid leave plan amid pushback: It’s likely some version of the paid leave legislation will eventually pass. It’s a key plank of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s pro-worker agenda and supporters Monday said they had the votes necessary to pass it. The delay signaled substantive disagreement over the ordinance, however. It presents a test of whether Johnson, with the help of progressive allies, can live up to the reputation he’s tried to burnish as the city’s unifier.
* WTTW | With Few Granted, Time Is Fleeting for People in Illinois Prisons Hoping for Medical Release: ‘My Hope Is Waning’: Under the law, people in prison can petition the Illinois Prisoner Review Board for early release if they are terminally ill and likely to die within the next eighteen months; have become disabled since being incarcerated; or are likely to become disabled within the next six months. During a WTTW News visit to the facility two hours west of Chicago, Dyches shared letters from both his doctor at UI Health and the Dixon Correctional Center doctor attesting to his terminal illness. Despite that documentation, the board still denied him.
* Capitol News Illinois | Latest state school report card shows proficiency gains, persistent gaps on racial lines: Although statewide average proficiency rates remained below pre-pandemic levels, the results showed improvement over the previous year across all demographic categories.
* CBS Chicago | Hate crimes tripled in Illinois between 2017 and 2022: “Going back to 2017, the number of hate incidents that were reported in Illinois was about 85,” said Special Agent Brian Etchell, who oversees hate crimes out of the Chicago FBI field office. “In five years in 2022, the number of incidents has tripled.”
* Daily Herald | Rosemont hotel no longer hosting pro-Palestinian event after receiving threats: “The decision by the Hyatt Regency O’Hare to yield to pressure and threats to cancel our event is not an isolated incident,” Irshaid said in a written statement. “We have witnessed similar cancellations of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim American events in locations like Orlando, (Florida) and Washington, D.C. Regrettably, by giving in to these threats, these establishments are inadvertently legitimizing and giving credibility to voices of bigotry, violence, and exclusion. In doing so, they contribute to the fueling of Islamophobia, anti-Arab, and Anti-Palestinian racism.”
* Business Journal | Illinois Nurses Association, State of Illinois agree on new four-year contract: The new contract was ratified with a 97% vote. Tori Dameron, RN, president of the Illinois Nurses Association, registered nurse at Quincy Veterans Home, and co-chief negotiator, expressed her enthusiasm for this achievement, saying, “The power of organizing is clear. These nurses stood together to support each other’s needs and demands and it paid off. Never before have these nurses seen a contract this strong and a local union so powerful. We were able to come together through rallies, petitions, and other organizing across the state to win the biggest wage increase that state nurses have ever seen.
* Streets Blog Chicago | State legislation introduced by Kam Buckner and supported by North Lakefront reps urges CDOT and IDOT to “transform DLSD”: The synopsis adds that the bill’s goal is to get the departments “to incorporate safe and efficient multimodal transportation throughout DuSable Lake Shore Drive for pedestrians, cyclists, public transit users, and drivers, to emphasize green urban mobility.” This would “ensure that any proposed changes are considered as part of a comprehensive plan for efficient traffic management and movement of people, including during special events and weather challenges.” The synopsis concludes that the aim is to have “more green space and recreational opportunities for Chicagoans, as well as visitors, and to repurpose, where possible, existing infrastructure as part of expanded recreational opportunities.”
* WTTW | Chicago’s Top Cop Vows to Rein in Police Overtime Spending as 2023 Bill Tops $200M: After spending $126.5 million on overtime for members of the Chicago Police Department during the first six months of 2023, the department remains on track to end the year with a total police overtime bill of more than $250 million. The City Council only budgeted $100 million for police overtime in 2023.
* Sun-Times | Northwestern pledges $100 million for Evanston if it gets OK for Ryan Field concerts: Monday’s meeting went late into the night, with most testimony opposing Northwestern. Speakers were given one and a half minutes each to reprise arguments made at length before the city’s Land Use Commission. The advisory panel held three meetings on Ryan Field and on Oct. 11 voted 7-2 against Northwestern’s request for concerts.
* Bloomberg | ADM Reviews Plant-Based Protein Growth Plan on Weak Demand for Fake Meat: “The plant-based protein market has been experiencing de-stocking and consumer demand softness over the course of the year,” Chief Executive Officer Juan Luciano said on a conference call with investors, adding adverse conditions would likely persist into 2024.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Oct 31, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Click here or here to follow breaking news.
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* Background is here and here if you need it. Mayor Brandon Johnson yesterday…
“Early this morning, there was an alleged act of retaliation at a Halloween party in the North Lawndale community that left 15 people injured. Initial reports indicate that the suspect was asked to leave the gathering before returning and senselessly opening fire.
Chicago police responded to the shooting and with the assistance of those in attendance, quickly apprehended the offender.
As with all acts of gun violence in our city, my heart is with the victims, families and communities impacted. The Community Safety Coordination Center will ensure that victims and survivors have the resources they need to address trauma, and my office will continue to mobilize the full force of government in working with City agencies, community-based partners, faith leaders and others to reduce the number of guns on Chicago streets and bring safety to our neighborhoods and families.
Sadly, mass casualty events like these are not exclusive to the City of Chicago. This Halloween weekend alone, 11 people were killed in 12 mass shootings across the country from Tampa to Texarkana. This comes on the heels of last week’s devastating mass shooting in Maine.
The proliferation of high-powered artillery is tearing the fabric of our nation, and as long as I am mayor, Chicago will continue to lead the call for common sense gun reform to bring safety to all communities.”
* The full list is here, but Moms Demand Action has a partial roundup…
• On Sunday morning, a mass shooting in Ybor City in Tampa, Florida left two people, including a 14-year-old, dead, and 16 wounded, 15 from gunshot wounds.
• At a Halloween party in the North Lawndale neighborhood in Chicago, 15 people were shot and wounded when gunfire erupted inside the party. Four more people were shot and wounded in Chicago in a drive-by shooting outside a party.
• In Texarkana, Texas, three people were killed and three others were wounded in a shooting at a party in the back room of a business a little after 9 p.m. on Saturday.
• In northeast Indianapolis, 10 people between the ages of 16 and 21 years old were wounded, one of them fatally, at a large party.
• Four people — two of them students — were shot Sunday near Georgia State University’s Atlanta campus. Another GSU student was shot at the same location in December 2022.
• In Las Cruces, New Mexico – seven people were wounded in a shooting at a party near Hillrise Elementary School.
• A shooting at a Halloween party at a bar in Dodge, Kansas left two men shot and killed and another two wounded.
Your thoughts?
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Crain’s | Stellantis battery plant gives Pritzker momentum to land more EV deals: Gov. J.B. Pritzker has landed deals for two EV battery plants in as many months. Stellantis plans build a battery plant as well as an EV assembly facility in Belvidere that are expected to employ more than 3,000 workers. Chinese battery maker Gotion Hi-Tech plans a battery plant in Manteno with 2,600 jobs. He isn’t done. Pritzker says the state is in talks with other companies, and he hopes to land more deals, though he declined to name the prospects. … “Every survey has Illinois in the bottom five for business climates,” says John Boyd Jr., a principal with The Boyd Company, a site-selection consultant in Boca Raton, Fla. “But success breeds success. These announcements will translate into suppliers and others having incentive to consider locating in Illinois.”
* WAND | Illinois community colleges see second largest fall-to-fall enrollment increase in 30 years: Overall, the Illinois Community College System’s opening Fall 2023 enrollments had an increase in both headcount (+5.7 percent) and Full-time Equivalent (FTE) (+5.2 percent) from the previous year. The Fall 2022 to Fall 2023 increase of 5.7 percent is the second largest Fall-to-Fall enrollment growth in the last 30 years. Only the Fall 2008 to Fall 2009 increase of 7.4 percent during the Great Recession was higher.
* Capitol News Illinois | Latest state school report card shows proficiency gains, persistent gaps on racial lines: A significant gap still existed between Black and white students in English language arts proficiency. But on a percentage basis, Black students saw the biggest gains in proficiency rates, rising from 12.1 percent to 16.1 percent – a 33-percent increase.
* Daily Herald | ‘The good news is we’re recovering’: Illinois School Report Card shows second year of post-pandemic gains: This year’s results show a 16% change statewide year-over-year in English language arts from 29.9% to 34.6%, meaning an additional 39,000 students have mastered grade-level standards. Black students posted the largest gain with a 33% change in proficiency rates, according to report card data.
* Block Club | Key City Committee OKs Purchase Of Far South Side Lot To Become Migrant Camp: Alderpeople on the Committee on Housing and Real Estate approved the city buying a 6.5-acre site for $1 from New Albertons LLC during a Monday morning meeting. The deal needs the full City Council’s approval, and it will go before council during its Wednesday meeting.
* Tribune | Judge rules ex-Ald. Ed Burke’s comments on Jewish lawyers can be heard by jury: “Given the heightened sense of alarm” after the Hamas attacks, “any member of the jury sympathetic toward what the Jewish people have endured might find Mr. Burke’s comments to be particularly distasteful” and unfairly hold it against him, argued Burke attorney Kimberly Rhum at an Oct. 16 pretrial hearing.
* AP | Illinois man pleads not guilty to hate crime and murder charges in attack on Muslim mother and son: His attorney George Lenard entered the not guilty plea after the judge read the 8-count indictment. Czuba did not speak, looking down at the podium with his hands folded behind his back as he stood before the judge in the court in Joliet.
* Sun-Times | No testimony from Highland Park massacre suspect at dad’s trial next week: “I don’t see any reason why he should physically be here to do that,” said Strickland, who will be presiding over the bench trial. The father’s lawyer, George Gomez, said he had subpoenaed the son’s attorneys to call him as a witness. One of the son’s attorneys, Gregory Ticsay, said he still hasn’t received the subpoena.
* Daily Journal | Homeless advocates learn from Rockford: A new light shone on how Kankakee County may be able to assist those who are homeless on a recent trip to Rockford. Several area officials traveled some 150 miles to the northern Illinois city to observe and learn how that community has served its homeless population.
* NBC Chicago | Housekeepers walk out of downtown Chicago hotel, demanding fair pet policy: Workers are demanding that management revert to the previous policy regarding guests with pets, the labor union, UNITE HERE Local 1, said in a statement. The policy would alert housekeepers at the beginning on their shift if there is a pet staying in the room they are assigned to clean.
* Crain’s | Cook County residential property taxes in northern suburbs shoot up by 15.7%: Homeowners are now taking on the lion’s share of the tax burden countywide this year, with 81% of Cook County property owners paying higher taxes this year. Overall taxes in Cook County rose 5.4%, or $909 million, with residents taking on $599 million, or two-thirds, of that increase.
* Daily Herald | How Metra is working harder to stop suicides on tracks: Interventions to save lives and prevent death by suicide on railway tracks increased substantially in 2023, Metra reports. Through mid-October, police and train crews trained in crisis management reached 85 people in time to help prevent a tragedy.
* Press Release | Rep. Rashid Invited to White House by President to Discuss Artificial Intelligence: “I am honored to have received an invitation to the White House to discuss the future and regulation of AI,” said Rashid. “In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping our world, our duty as lawmakers is clear: we must prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens by mitigating the risks that AI presents. The public is counting on us to enact safeguards that ensure their security, privacy, and fundamental rights in this rapidly evolving landscape.”
* ABC | Biden speaks on AI development: Pres. Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris discuss the administration’s commitment to the safe and secure development of AI.
* Tribune | Snow showers, chilly temperatures expected for Halloween; experts say to ‘bundle up’ while trick-or-treating: Periods of snow showers will start mainly after 11 a.m. Tuesday, with new snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible, according to the National Weather Service in Romeoville. If it snows Tuesday, it would be the ninth Halloween with snow recorded in Chicago and the eighth in Rockford.
* The Atlantic | The Secretive Industry Devouring the U.S. Economy: That may not have been such a big deal when private equity was a niche industry. Today, however, it’s anything but. In 2000, private-equity firms managed about 4 percent of total U.S. corporate equity. By 2021, that number was closer to 20 percent. In other words, private equity has been growing nearly five times faster than the U.S. economy as a whole.
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Question of the day
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
State Senator Robert Martwick, State Representative Kam Buckner and Educators for Excellence joined together at a press conference Tuesday to announce a measure that will permit compensation for members of the Chicago Elected School Board.
“Permitting compensation for board members as a way to remove barriers will enable the board to more accurately represent the diverse communities of Chicago,” said Martwick (D-Chicago). “We want the board to truly represent the students and families they serve and to include voices from every community.”
As written, the law that created the Chicago Elected School Board process permits reimbursement to board members for expenses incurred while performing their duties. It currently does not allow compensation for members, which may create barriers for individuals who cannot afford to take the time away from working to serve on the board.
Martwick’s measure does not set a monetary value for compensation, but removes the prohibition of compensation to elected school board members.
“Individuals shouldn’t have to choose between serving on their local school board and providing for their families,” Martwick said. “By allowing for the possibility of compensation, we remove barriers and provide opportunities to future members.”
The bill is here.
* Sun-Times editorial…
Yes, board members are giving up their time to serve. Yes, lower-income and working-class people bear a heavier burden than those who are wealthier when they choose to do so, perhaps having to forgo hourly wages or persuade a stubborn boss to give them time off for board meetings and other activities.
To make up for that, it seems entirely fair to provide a modest stipend for members and/or reimbursement for board-related expenses. If it helps pave the way for more parents and community members to run for board seats, so be it.
But a modest stipend really ought to be the extent of any compensation, and sensible limits should be clearly spelled out in the proposal introduced last week by state Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, and state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, as first reported by Chalkbeat Chicago.
We’re also not swayed by the argument that pay is necessary so teachers can run for board seats. Under the 2021 law, teachers and other Chicago Public Schools employees are rightly prohibited from sitting on the elected board. If they decide to quit their full-time jobs in order to run, taxpayers shouldn’t be expected to foot the bill with anything approaching a full-time salary.
Illinois law currently does not permit school board members to be paid a salary or stipend, though it does allow for reimbursement of expenses.
* The Question: Pay them an adequate salary, give them a “modest stipend” or don’t pay them anything except expense reminbursements? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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The answer you’ve all been waiting for
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Last Friday, Senate and House staff held their annual Capitol Trick-or-Treat. I was asked to judge best trick-or-treat area by the Senate President’s office.
I was told the Senate President’s office had stepped up its game this year. They didn’t take top prize… But they do win best candy. Take a look at those full-sized candy bars.
* And the big winner is….
The Senate Democrat Policy & Budget Department! (The alien stuck on the roomba cinched it.)
Sorry for the dark and blurry pictures. There was a princess behind me and I didn’t want to keep her waiting.
On to honorary mentions…
Over in the Stratton C wing, the Senate Democratic Member/Legislative Assistant Office “killed it.”
Finally, House Republican Leadership office cracked me up…
* On to my unofficial costume contest…
Congratulations to Donald and Eleanore Mitchell!
And some honorary mentions…
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* ChalkBeat Chicago on the Illinois State Board of Education’s latest school report card…
About 28% of students were chronically absent from school last year. That’s a slight decrease — about a 1.5 percentage point — from the 2021-22 school year when about 29.8% of students were chronically absent.
Students are considered chronically absent when they miss about 18 days, or 10% of school, with or without a valid excuse. Student mental health days also count towards chronic absenteeism.
When students miss a significant amount of school it can impact their academic performance.
The report card shows high rates of absenteeism among Black, Native American, and Latino students. But Black, Latino, Asian American, and white students also saw improvement in school attendance compared in 2021-22. During last school year, chronic absenteeism rates were high among students from low-income families, students experiencing homelessness, and students with Individualized Education Programs.
The Illinois data is similar to what schools are seeing across the country. Attendance Works — a nonprofit organization that looks into attendance rates across the country — has seen early data from 11 states that found about 27.9% of students were chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year — a 2.2% decrease in chronic absenteeism rates compared with the 2021-22 school year.
* Chart…
* From the ISBE…
Chronic absenteeism, which skyrocketed during the pandemic, improved modestly in the 2022-23 school year, dropping from 29.8% to 28.3%. Black students, who saw the greatest increase in chronic absenteeism during the pandemic due to having disproportionately less access to in-person instruction, saw the greatest year-over-year improvement. While headed in the right direction, chronic absenteeism remains alarmingly high.
ISBE has dedicated $12 million to Regional Offices of Education to combat absenteeism and more than $100 million for Community Partnership Grants that are designed to improve mental health, regional Social-Emotional Learning Hubs, and programming to support trauma-responsive practices in schools.
More here and here.
Also, one thing that might help is if ISBE fixes its bungling of the after-school program.
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* Donald Trump, Jr. spoke at two Illinois locations on Friday. First up, Marni Pyke’s report from McHenry County…
[Donald Trump, Jr.] castigated “the weak Republicans” in Washington who vote with the Democrats. “Because they understand it’s easy to actually be a Republican in Washington … as long as (Democrats) know you will fold when it matters,” he added.
Also, “you want to fix Illinois? Fix our state party,” said former GOP state Sen. Darren Bailey, who warmed the crowd.
Bailey said he “couldn’t understand” why he lost to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker in the 2022 election.
After a lot of “thinking and praying,” the downstate farmer said the answer was, “We have got to get rid of weak-kneed Republicans.”
Yeah, that’s the solution. Make the party smaller. But, hey, that’d work to his advantage in his congressional primary.
Pic…
* Rick Pearson at the Tribune…
Attending the event was last year’s unsuccessful GOP governor candidate, former state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia. Bailey is challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro in southern Illinois and is seeking the former president’s endorsement, which he got late in last year’s GOP governor primary.
Bailey met with the elder Trump on Thursday at Mar-a-Lago, flew with Trump Jr.’s team to the event and was hosting him at a fundraiser in Effingham on Friday night.
Bailey said he expects to get the former president’s endorsement and told reporters that if the elder Trump is convicted on any of the charges he faces, “my opinion (of the former president) won’t change.”
Asked about three former Trump lawyers who agreed to plea deals in Georgia over charges of trying to subvert the election results, Bailey said, “What I see in government, anybody can be bought and paid for and opinions changed based on power and position.”
From Mar-a-Lago…
* Some local Effingham coverage…
The event featured State Representatives Chris Miller, Blaine Wilhour and Adam Niemerg, but the event was held on behalf of recent Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey. Bailey is seeking the Republican nomination for the 12th District Congressional seat now held by Mike Bost. Bailey was critical of Bost, saying he is a career politician who wants to preserve the status quo in Washington. Bailey said, “We need to send a powerful message to career politicians that the only ticket they will be a part of is a ticket home.”
* Pic from the Effingham event…
Caption?
* Mike Bost is trying to keep up…
The Bailey campaign, however, says Bailey is also a Trump delegate.
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Please, stop doing this
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* On Friday, the City of Chicago revealed that just 16 buses carrying asylum-seekers arrived in Chicago during the previous seven days.
Just a few weeks ago, we were told to expect as many as 25 buses per day.
* So, maybe news outlets like ABC 7 might wanna turn down the hype machine just a wee bit…
Residents in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood have been making their concerns known on Sunday as the city discusses a plan to create a migrant shelter there. […]
The people at today’s protest said [Ald. Ronnie Mosley] should focus on projects like that instead of this shelter.
The extent of the “protest”…
* Back to the story…
“The fact is, in the Roseland community, there’s crime, violence, gangs. It’s through the roof here,” said community activist Patrick Gibbons. “And, we need to protect our own people before we take care of people from the outside.”
NBC 5 also quoted “community activist Patrick Gibbons”…
“If you can’t take care of your own, then we don’t deserve to be a sanctuary city for outsiders,” said Gibbons.
“Sanctuary city” hokum debunked here.
* Thanks to an alert commenter, it turns out that the Patrick Gibbons in the above story appears to be the same guy who, until fairly recently, was running for 31st Ward Republican committeeperson on Chicago’s Northwest Side - far, far away from the Jewels in Morgan Park/Roseland.
I mean, this Patrick Gibbons?…
From our commenter…
Would be nice if the Chicago news media would simply check the google machine once in a while to see if the “community activists” they are quoting are from the actual community they are covering.
* And even without the Gibbons stuff, a tiny handful of disgruntled people milling about a giant parking lot is hardly a compelling teevee visual. From NBC 5’s wide-shot…
Zoom in…
Hilarious.
* More from Isabel…
* Chalkbeat | Amid Chicago’s migrant influx, one school is trying to help newcomer students navigate trauma: Concern led Moorhouse to launch the support group at Brighton Park last year after she met a migrant student who was showing signs of trauma. The student, whom Moorhouse met in January, didn’t want to be in school and sometimes, the student’s body would shake uncontrollably, she said.
* WTTW | Vote Set on Plan to Transform Former Jewel, Parking Lot on Far South Side Into Migrant Shelter: Mayor Brandon Johnson will ask a key City Council panel to purchase the now-vacant Jewel and surrounding parking lot near 115th and Halsted streets and transform it into a shelter for some of the 3,344 men, women and children being forced to sleep on the floors of police stations across the city and at O’Hare Airport.
* Block Club | Ukrainian Village Neighbors Suing Mayor, City Officials To Block Migrant Shelter: In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cook County Circuit Court, James Cole and Danielle Roberts argue the city has illegally skirted zoning and building permit regulations to convert a privately owned building at 526 N. Western Ave. into a temporary shelter for asylum seekers.
* Block Club | More Than 3,400 Migrants Have Been Flown Into Chicago Since June, City Data Shows: Most people were flown in from San Antonio, Texas, with a few hundred others coming from Houston, New York City and Denver. The majority of the flights have come to O’Hare, bringing in 2,705 people, according to city data.
* WTTW | With Temperatures Set to Dip Below Freezing, Warming Buses Set to Shelter Migrants: Warming buses will be sent to 16 Chicago police stations to shelter some of the 3,344 men, women and children being forced to sleep on the floors of police stations across the city and at O’Hare Airport, as cold weather settled over the city in earnest and temperatures dipped below freezing, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said late Sunday.
* The Hill | Tensions rise between new and established migrants: The tension is especially felt in Democratic strongholds such as New York and Chicago, where community leaders and elected officials have spent decades organizing their constituents with limited success. “Mixed-status families, people who have lived here for 10, 20, 25, 30 years, who have been working, paying taxes, sending money back to Mexico, abiding by the laws, laying low — probably being better citizens than most Americans — are frustrated,” said Illinois Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D).
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* Crain’s…
Illinois is a big winner in the new contract between the United Auto Workers and Stellantis, which will reopen its Belvidere plant to make trucks and build a new battery factory.
The tentative deal reached Saturday could result in more than 3,000 jobs, more than doubling the company’s recent headcount, with an investment of billions of dollars, Gov. J.B. Pritzker says.
“Eight months ago, Stellantis idled Belvidere Assembly Plant, putting 1,200 of our members on the street. From the strength of our strike, we are bringing back those jobs and more,” UAW Vice President Rich Boyer said in a statement. “Stellantis is reopening the plant, and the company will also be adding over a thousand jobs at a new battery plant in Belvidere.” […]
Stellantis marks the second major EV-battery win for the governor, who won re-election last year and will host the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next year. Last month, Chinese battery maker Gotion Hi-Tech said it will build a $2 billion battery-assembly plant in Manteno that will eventually employ 2,600 workers. The deal included $536 million in tax incentives and more in property tax concessions from local governments.
* Tribune…
The tentative agreement, announced Saturday by the UAW, includes a 25% increase in base wages, cost of living adjustments and the right to strike over plant closures, mirroring a similar deal struck by Ford on Wednesday. But the Stellantis agreement also would restart the 60-year-old Belvidere Assembly Plant, which has been idled since February.
As part of the deal, the Belvidere plant will get both an unnamed vehicle and an adjacent battery manufacturing facility, bringing thousands of jobs back to the small river city near Rockford. The state recently optioned a large parcel of land next to the 280-acre Belvidere plant to accommodate manufacturing expansion. […]
Sources said the Belvidere plant may become home to a light truck, a battery plant and a parts distribution center. The new vehicle to be built at Belvidere would likely be electric, sources said. […]
The plant’s future became a pivotal negotiating point during the six-week UAW strike, with everything from a “megahub” parts distribution center to a battery plant on the table. The agreement seems to incorporate all of the above, an outcome that was met with enthusiasm in Belvidere.
* UAW VP Rich Boyer says the plant will produce a new midsize truck and will run two shifts, according to Motor1.com…
In an official statement published on YouTube, the UAW’s Vice President Rich Boyer shared the good news: “UAW family, it is… my great honor to announce that we have saved Belvidere. Again, we have saved Belvidere… We have won a new vehicle at Belvidere…it will be a midsize truck, and we will have two shifts.”
* WIFR…
UAW Vice President Rich Boyer announced Saturday that the Belvidere assembly plant is going to bring back over a thousand jobs upon its return, and bring with it a new electric vehicle battery plant what will more than double that amount.
“We got everyone that lost their job in Belvidere put back on temporary layoff meaning they’ll get sub-pay and health care until their job is back in Belvidere,” says Boyer says. “Under our contract members from Belvidere who have been scattered across this country will have the right to return back home to Belvidere.”
While the agreement goes through ratifications, Stellantis workers are expected to return to work. State Senator Steve Stadelman says he hopes things can keep moving forward in an optimistic fashion.
“I think at the end of the day, workers want to be paid what they think they deserve, and we allow negotiations, and efforts to make sure that working men and women get what they want. Hopefully that’s the end result of this long process,” says Stadelman. “Hopefully everything comes together, hopefully the contract leads to the reopening of the Belvidere plant and good news for the area. But it’s something that the state of Illinois and I have been personally involved in making sure that we get everybody on the same page to providing these incentives and encouraging Stellantis to use that plan.”
* ABC7…
President Joe Biden called the deal a “ground-breaking contract” that offers “record raises, more paid leave, greater retirement security, and more rights and respect at work.”
* Gov. Pritzker…
With the announcement that United Auto Workers and Stellantis have reached a tentative agreement that’s good for workers and good for the state of Illinois, auto workers can get back on the job with higher wages, expanded benefits, and new and valuable opportunities in a growing industry.
For over two years, I have been laser-focused on working toward a permanent solution in Belvidere that retains and grows good-paying jobs, while supporting economic development in the surrounding region. Since the plant was idled in February, we’ve provided support to furloughed auto workers, while concurrently leading a collaborative effort with local officials and legislators to craft aggressive incentives that position Illinois at the forefront of the EV manufacturing industry. Thanks to that collaboration and the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the Reimagining Energy and Vehicles Act, we are on the verge of significantly advancing that effort.
I’ve been in constant contact with auto workers, Stellantis executives, UAW representatives, and the White House as the bargaining has unfolded, and I am delighted we are now on the verge of getting this done. I look forward to finalizing the state’s economic package and not only reopening the shuttered assembly plant in Belvidere to manufacture electric vehicles, but also co-locating a new battery production facility. This will be thousands of jobs, billions in investment, and a huge win for Illinois.
* US Rep. Bill Foster…
“The tentative contract agreement announced by the UAW and Stellantis today, that promises a strong future for the Belvidere Assembly Plant in both vehicle and battery production, is an important milestone along a path involving months of hard work by negotiators on both sides, as well as state, local, and federal officials.
“It is a cause for celebration for Belvidere and the generations of workers who made their careers at the Assembly Plant. Under the Governor’s leadership, powerful state incentives have been assembled to help close the deal; local officials made sure that the site would accommodate Stellantis’ ambitious future plans for Belvidere; and the federal incentives for EV and battery production from Congress and the Biden Administration will continue to be essential in ensuring the economic future of the Assembly Plant for generations to come.
“This milestone would not have been achieved without the incredible support for the Belvidere Plant from UAW workers throughout the country — the truest expression of the meaning of the words “union solidarity.”
“This is a big win for Illinois, and means that the iconic Belvidere Assembly Plant should remain the beating heart of the entire community, and that the workers who’ve been displaced since the idling can finally return to work with a bright future.”
* US Sen. Dick Durbin…
From my very first meeting, and every one since, the President of UAW, Shawn Fain, made it clear that the future of Belvidere was a critical bargaining issue. He kept his word. Today’s announcement creates a path for every Belvidere worker to return and be part of a new EV launch.
“I spoke to Governor Pritzker this afternoon. There is a need for federal infrastructure investment on the site and I pledged our delegation’s total cooperation in that effort.
* US Sen. Tammy Duckworth…
Today’s tentative agreement announcement is not only great for Stellantis workers across the country — a historic deal to help to bolster UAW members and their families — but it’s especially impactful for Belvidere. This tentative agreement shows the power of companies and labor coming together to empower workers and provide them a fair and living wage while ensuring modern businesses can still compete, grow profits and succeed. This reinforces what we all know: that the future of manufacturing doesn’t mean fewer workers, the future of manufacturing depends on the power of our workforce, and I’m so proud to join the brave UAW workers in celebrating this historic tentative agreement today.
* Meanwhile, General Motors has reached an agreement as well…
General Motors and the United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative contract agreement that could end a six-week-old strike against Detroit automakers, two people briefed on the deal said Monday.
The agreement follows the pattern set with Ford last week and Jeep maker Stellantis over the weekend.
The deals will last four years and eight months and include 25% general pay raises and cost of living adjustments. Combined they bring the wage increase to over 30% over the life of the contract.
*** UPDATE *** Crain’s…
Ford will invest more than $400 million in its two Chicago-area factories as part of its proposed new contract with the United Auto Workers.
The company will invest $400 million at its Torrence Avenue factory where it makes Explorer SUVs, says Chris Pena, president of UAW Local 551, which represents about 6,000 workers at the plant. Ford invested $900 million in the plant in 2015 during its last major upgrade.
Ford also says it will invest $30 million at its stamping plant in Chicago Heights, which employs about 1,200 workers, and supplies the Torrence Avenue assembly line.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Back in May 2017, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson traveled to Springfield and promised a House committee that passing a criminal penalty enhancement bill he favored would drastically reduce gun crimes in his city.
The bill, SB 1722, was sponsored by then-Sen. Kwame Raoul, who would run successfully for attorney general the following year. It sought to establish higher minimum prison terms for people convicted of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon if they’d previously been convicted of various crimes. The bill would also increase penalties for unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Johnson was asked by committee member then-Rep. Christian Mitchell, D-Chicago, to estimate how many shootings, whether fatal or not, the legislature might prevent by passing the bill.
“I think over time, we will probably, we will cut it, cut it down in half, to half,” Johnson replied.
Asked if that might take three years, five years, 10 years, etc., Johnson said, “I don’t think it would take that long. So I would say we would probably start seeing a reduction in less than a year.”
Mitchell pressed further: “Okay. So in less than a year. But certainly, it’s safe to say in three years, if we pass this bill, we should see about a half reduction in the shootings and crime in Chicago?”
Johnson: “The gun violence. Correct.”
The logic behind this claim, Johnson explained, was that his data showed about 1,400 people were “driving most of the violence in Chicago.” And those 1,400 people were very likely to qualify for the enhanced penalties. Get them off the street for longer periods and crime would plummet.
The bill passed both chambers by wide margins and was supported by members who a few years later would lead the charge to reform the criminal justice system. It was one of the last times the General Assembly would pass a major penalty enhancement bill like that.
If you’re a sentient being, you know that Johnson’s confident prediction was wildly incorrect. Gun crimes did not plummet by 50 percent.
The law did lead to people being locked up longer, however. Research by the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council, an entity created by the General Assembly, showed that sentences rose after the law took effect in 2018.
“The mean sentence length for Aggravated UUW sentences with qualifying predicate convictions increased by about 5 months and the likelihood of a sentence of at least six years was about 3.2 times higher” than before the law took effect, the 2021 study found. And the average sentence length for UUW/felon sentences with predicate convictions, “increased by about 4 months and the likelihood of a sentence of at least seven years was about 2.5 times higher than before the effective date.”
Also of note, the prison sentences for UUW offenses that weren’t specifically covered by the 2017 law Johnson backed “did not change,” SPAC reported.
In other words, while more people have clearly been sentenced to more time in prison because of this law (particularly Black men from Cook County), gun crimes have just as clearly not been reduced by half, or even close to half. While certain violent crimes fell for a couple of years after the law took effect in January 2018, they rose again during the pandemic. They’ve since started to wane but to nowhere near the levels that Johnson boldly promised.
I’m telling you this because the Senate is set to take up a bill (SB 853) that would extend several statutory sunset provisions, including those UUW changes made in 2017. The law had been set to expire in January 2024, but the proposal would extend that deadline for another year.
This could be an interesting debate and a political temperature check on the General Assembly. Illinois politicians have taken a lot of public heat over crime and the criminal justice reform bills they’ve passed. Allowing penalty enhancements to expire on repeat felony offenders, essentially letting them out of prison earlier than before, regardless of its impact on actual crime statistics would certainly be a bold move.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Patrick Joyce, a conservative Democrat from Kankakee County who is up for reelection next year. The amendment containing the language unanimously passed Joyce’s State Government Committee.
This is an omnibus bill containing several sunset extensions. If the bill doesn’t pass, a whole lot of laws could expire at the end of December because the General Assembly won’t return until January at the earliest.
But opponents are vowing a fight. We’ll see.
Discuss.
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Open thread
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* I hope you all had a relaxing weekend. What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: UAW-Stellantis agreement may include a new vehicle, EV battery facility for idled Belvidere plant. Crain’s…
- Governor Pritzker learned about a week ago that both an EV factory and battery plant were on the table in the deal being worked out between Stellantis and the UAW.
- The Belvidere plant was idled in February.
- Stellantis will likely receive a more than Gotion’s $536 million tax incentive package from the state since it involves an assembly facility and a battery plant.
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Thoughts on the Governor’s Halloween costume?
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* ABC Chicago | Morgan Park residents raise concerns over city’s plans for migrant shelter at vacant lot: But, the people living in Morgan Park say they want the city to provide critical resources for current residents, echoing the same message people have had in other neighborhoods that are being discussed as shelter options. “The people here in the community, they’re afraid they’re going to lose jobs. They’re afraid there won’t be shelter for the homeless. And so, this is a big thing for this community,” said Pastor Anthony Wilson. “I don’t oppose migrants or foreigners. I’m not against that, but the citizens of Chicago come first.”
* NBC Chicago | Roseland residents frustrated over proposal to build migrant shelter: At a meeting in September, 21st Ward Ald. Ronnie Mosely, which represents the community, listened to residents concerns about the proposed tent city. In a statement, the alderman expressed his disappointment over the plan and said his “ward will not tolerate the prioritization of a crisis over our needs and voices!”
* South Side Weekly | UN Specialist Warned City Council that Tent Camps Could Become Permanent: Emails obtained by the Weekly reveal that Committee Chair Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) discussed the camps with Joseph Ashmore, the IOM specialist, last month. In an email exchange following the discussion, Ashmore provided materials on mass shelters that explain topics such as preparedness, violence prevention, and community involvement. Ashmore emphasized that tent camps are “a last resort,” adding in his email to Vasquez, “They can be unsustainable, can last for much longer than expected, and are expensive to run and maintain.” Ashmore declined requests for an interview.
* Sun-Times | Danny Solis’ rise and fall, from promising activist to disgraced Chicago politician to FBI mole: The former 25th Ward alderperson sold his political soul for small favors, then tried to reclaim it by wearing a wire on two of the biggest powerhouses in the history of Illinois politics.
* Sun-Times | 15 shot at unsanctioned Halloween party in North Lawndale; suspect in custody: William Betancourt, commander of the Chicago Police Department’s Ogden District, told reporters the “senseless act of violence” occurred around 1 a.m. in the 1200 block of South Pulaski Road. Some of the roughly 100 partygoers told officers that the alleged shooter “was ejected from the party, and he came back a few minutes later with a gun and he began to shoot,” Betancourt said during a news conference Sunday afternoon.
* Cook County Record | Union League Club hit with class action over worker fingerprint scans: The Union League Club of Chicago has become one of the latest employers in Chicago targeted by a class action lawsuit under the state’s biometrics privacy law, because the Club allegedly improperly required workers to scan their fingerprints when punching in and out of work shifts. The club’s biometric timekeeping system “includes the dissemination of biometrics to each other and third parties, such as data storage
* Tribune | As Mayor Brandon Johnson invests in mental health, questions linger about funding for other public health crises: Johnson’s 2024 plan devotes relatively few additional city resources to keeping the systems that were created during the pandemic in place. Instead, the new mayor’s 2024 Department of Public Health proposal pledges to boost spending on mental health by more than $15 million.
* Tribune | North suburban homeowners seeing biggest property tax increase in 30 years, treasurer’s analysis finds: After months of delay, nearly 1.8 million property tax bills for Cook County home and business owners are landing in mailboxes this week, and many homeowners in the north and northwest suburbs are in for jarring news. A new analysis from county Treasurer Maria Pappas’ research team found the median residential tax bill there increased by 15.7%, according to the report, “the largest percentage increase in the last 30 years.”
* Tribune | Chicago-area environmental activists, experts seek to protect region’s trees after bur oak removal in Kane County: For years, Maher and a group of activists have tried to stop the removal of bur oak trees at a proposed industrial park development in Kane County near Geneva, contacting local elected officials, starting a petition and even climbing on machinery. They say almost all of the historic trees were cut down in the two weeks after Labor Day, calling it a “colossal failure” for the “Tree City USA” community.
* Block Club | Columbia College Adjunct Faculty Plan To Strike Monday: The decision comes as a result of the school administration’s plans to cut hundreds of class sections, which union leaders said would decrease adjunct faculty’s workload — and therefore pay — or increase class sizes without a corresponding pay increase. Diana Vallera, union president and a part-time faculty member in the photography department, said about 340 class sections would be eliminated.
* Fox 2 | George Harrison’s long-lasting impact on southern Illinois: Lead guitarist George Harrison ended up in southern Illinois for several days. Archives from BeatlesBible.com note that he flew into New York and caught a connecting flight to St. Louis before a roughly hour-and-a-half car ride to southern Illinois. At the time, Harrison’s sister, Louise, had recently moved to Benton, Illinois, with her husband, Gordon Caldwell. He was a passionate engineer and found opportunities within Illinois’ coal mining industry.
* AP | Biden administration encouraging conversion of empty offices to affordable housing: The Biden administration is launching a multi-agency effort to encourage states and cities to convert more empty office buildings into housing units, with billions of federal dollars available to help spur such transitions
* WaPo | Faced with abortion bans, doctors beg hospitals for help with key decisions: Huntsberger said she called six administrators before she finally got ahold of someone, her patient awaiting help a few rooms away. When she asked whether she could terminate a pregnancy under Idaho’s new abortion ban - which allows doctors to perform an abortion only if they deem it “necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman” - the OB/GYN said the decision was punted back to her.
* The Atlantic | What Financial Engineering Does to Hospitals: Watkins and other Riverton residents concluded that, instead of dividing specialties between the two hospitals and beefing up the ones remaining at each location, hospital managers were simply stripping away essential services from their community. The drive to Lander isn’t hard in the summer, Watkins told us, but in the winter, the roads are often closed. Many more patients needed to be transported out of the county altogether.
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Live coverage
Monday, Oct 30, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Click here or here to follow breaking news.
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