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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Oct 13, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois’ shortage of teachers have improved, John O’Connor from the AP writes…
- The report also revealed there are enough teachers in the state who could become principals. But those teachers are not distributed equally. - However, special education teachers and bilingual education are still declining. * Related stories… ∙ Capitol News Illinois: Illinois’ educator workforce weathered pandemic, but persistent issues remain ∙ Fox 32: Chicago-based nonprofit addresses Illinois teacher shortage with policy report * Isabel’s top picks… * Tribune | Illinois leaders tepid about more quick funding for Chicago’s migrant crisis: During an appearance with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said Chicago will not see a state grant for asylum-seekers in the fall veto session, when Springfield will have the option of designating additional funding for the fiscal year that ends June 30. That means the state might not provide more substantial financial help on migrants until legislators reconvene in the spring. * Tribune | Stuck in red tape: A Venezuelan migrant’s labyrinthine pursuit of the American dream for her US-born son: She had just received her son’s Social Security card, and was hoping to use it to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. But, after waiting all day with her newborn, she was told she was at the wrong office. She needed to go somewhere else. Meanwhile, authorities still haven’t released her son’s birth certificate to her because she doesn’t have the right documents. “I’m really sad because if I want to bring Derick home, he needs a passport. And in order to get a passport, he needs his birth certificate,” she said in Spanish. “It’s all impossible.” * Sun-Times | ‘Karina’s Bill’ advocates aim to take guns from those accused of domestic violence : “I’m here today because two of my constituents, Karina Gonzalez and her daughter, were shot and killed just a few blocks away from my district office,” state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, said at a press conference Thursday. […] Currently, an order of protection revokes a person’s FOID card but “does nothing to get guns out of the hands of those causing harm,” said Amanda Pyron, executive director of the Network, a collection of domestic violence prevention groups. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup… * WREX | Governor Pritzker announces paid trainee program for state’s tech workforces: Trainees will receive a minimum yearly salary of $54,000 from DoIT while learning in one of five high-need concentration areas. * Sun-Times | Crooked Bridgeport bank used these people’s CDs to fuel embezzlement scheme — ‘We were all victims,’ says woman, 83: Most depositors have gotten back all of their money from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which paid $140 million to cover as much as $250,000 for each person on an account. But four dozen customers — including several who since have died — lost as much as $312,525 each because their accounts exceeded the FDIC’s insurance guarantee limit. * Shaw Local | A library grant tied to Illinois’ anti-book-ban law raises red flags for Huntley District 158 school board: Board President Andy Bittman, who called the law “political popcorn” at a Thursday evening board meeting, said he was concerned about the strings attached to the funding, particularly whether they would limit the district’s ability to restrict what students can access on the internet. * Illinois Times | Marijuana money mistakes: A member of the city’s staff called a few months ago to say a $40,000 grant that would have helped L&M Gymnastics & Kids Inc. expand would be withdrawn, she said. The reason given for the withdrawal, she said, was that the gymnastics school she and her husband, Leroy, have operated for 46 years – currently in rented space at 2717 S. 11th St. – hadn’t yet moved into the part of Springfield’s east side designated to benefit from the business grant program. * Sun-Times | What do recent Illinois corruption trials have in common? State Rep. Bob Rita as a witness.: Rita, D-Blue Island, hasn’t found out yet whether he’ll be asked to testify in a fourth trial — that of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, who Rita said in one court appearance ruled through “fear and intimidation.” Unlike some witnesses in the trials, Rita has neither been charged with any crime nor compelled to testify under a grant of immunity from prosecution. He has been subpoenaed to testify at the request of federal prosecutors about the Illinois General Assembly’s inner workings and Madigan’s inner circle. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson and nearly every alderman will see pay hikes next year: At 2.24%, the across-the-board hike is a more modest bump than the 9.6% raise aldermen were able to accept at this time last year just before facing voters at the ballot box. Still, it also comes as the mayor and the council dig into a budget that attempts to close an estimated $538 million gap. * Crain’s | Johnson budget raises concern over fate of LaSalle Street plan: In total, the five selected projects requested $307 million in TIF money from the LaSalle Central TIF district, with one project, from Chicago-based Riverside Investment & Development at 135 S. LaSalle St., requesting a $115 million subsidy to deliver 430 apartments. But Johnson has not committed to LaSalle Street Reimagined. * WBEZ | Chicago is moving to an elected school board but half of voters aren’t aware, poll finds: About a half of eligible voters do not know Chicago Public Schools is on the precipice of electing school board members for the first time, according to a poll of eligible voters commissioned by Kids First Chicago, a nonprofit education advocacy organization. “Awareness is not extremely high, even among parents who had kids in public schools,” said José Pacas, chief of data science and research for Kids First. * Crain’s | Stellantis chooses Indiana over Michigan for EV battery plant — again: The companies announced Wednesday that their joint venture StarPlus Energy would invest $3.2 billion to co-locate a new battery plant with one under construction. Combined, the plants come with $6.3 billion in investment, 2,800 new jobs and 67 gigawatt hours of capacity. * Tribune | A suburban Chicago insurance agent won a contest 40 years ago to make the first commercial cellular call. He’s still on the phone: “This was part of my 15 minutes of fame,” said Meilahn, 74. “Everybody thought it was really a neat novelty that I became the first cellular phone call. But it wasn’t as important the first year as it is today. It’s just part of every person’s life.” * Sun-Times | Tom Skilling, longtime WGN weather forecaster, to retire in February: “If you had told young Tom Skilling that he would go on to have a career in weather spanning seven decades, working in Chicago, with some truly wonderful people, I think he would be overjoyed,” Skilling said in a statement. “And that’s how I feel today. Overjoyed at the colleagues I’ve worked with, the viewers I’ve met, the stories I’ve covered. Overjoyed and grateful. I wouldn’t trade a single minute of it for anything.” * Block Club | Open House Chicago Returns This Weekend With 33 New Sites: This year’s festival spans over 20 neighborhoods across the city. More than 30 newly added sites include the family home and birthplace of Walt Disney, a cottage in Hermosa built by the entertainment tycoon’s father in 1893. * Tribune | 26 marathon runner couples tie the knot: Runner couples get married at the Wrigley Building in River North on Oct. 7, 2023, the day before the 2023 Chicago Marathon. The 26 couples who wed agreed that at least one person of each pair would run the Chicago Marathon. * Sun-Times | Jeannine M. Baker, matriarch of Chicago blues dynasty, longtime IRS manager, dies at 82: “She was the glue. She held it down when my dad was on the road. She was sweet, but tough, and pushed all of us to be better,” Ronnie Baker Brooks said. * The Petersburg Observer | The shoebox saga lives on: October 10 marked the anniversary of the sudden passing of Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell, which sparked one of the biggest scandals in state political history. Three days after his death on Oct. 10, 1970, over $800,000 in cash was discovered in his Springfield hotel room and office, some of it stuffed in a shoebox. The infamous shoebox has since become symbolic of the sordid political history of Illinois, and begs the question of where the money came from – which has never been completely answered.
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- Korn Fan Club - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 7:47 am:
Congratulations to Mayor Johnson and the aldercreatures on the well-deserved pay raise!
- Friendly Bob Adams - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:01 am:
Chicago musician Steve Goodman used to have bit of fun introducing his best-known song “City of New Orleans” with various fanciful titles.
Once at Ravinia he chose “When It’s Ticket-Pickin’ Time in Springfield, I’ll Come Shoeboxin’ Back to You”…
- H-W - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:05 am:
Re: SunTimes story on Katrina’s Law
=== Currently, an order of protection revokes a person’s FOID card but “does nothing to get guns out of the hands of those causing harm,” ===
If you do not have a FOID card, you cannot legally possess a weapon. If a FOID card is revoked, the local law enforcement agencies must be aware that there is a person in possession of a weapon illegally, who is also accused of being a danger and a threat.
So, police and sheriff deputies are negligent in this regard. Their “discretion” is to allow potentially dangerous people (not guilty, but charged) to possess weapons.
Negligent homicide?
- Gravitas - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:07 am:
It wasn’t merely shoe boxes stuffed with cash.
Paul Powell’s crooked actions as Secretary of State led to the creation of the Illinois State Board of Elections. Throughout the USA many Secretaries of the State act as the chief election official. Illinois dispensed with that function as Powell engaged in all types of political favoritism and constantly acted as a partisan rather than as a neutral.
- ARepublicIfUCanKeepIt - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:25 am:
=== Chicago musician Steve Goodman … ===
Thanks for sharing that anecdote, Friendly Bob! That was just what I needed with my coffee on a rainy Illinois morning.
A happy Friday the 13th to all!
- we win - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:47 am:
nothing on illinois being selected as the home of the midwest hydrogen hub? white house has made the announcement.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:54 am:
===illinois being selected as the home of the midwest hydrogen hub?===
That’s not what the release says. Checking.
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 9:59 am:
The migrant crisis in Chicago is a really fascinating breakdown of federalism. I am surprised to see the Governor and the Speaker are basically behaving like this is a municipal problem for Chicago to solve on its own if the Federal Government doesn’t intervene.
Especially since in this case it isn’t an “if” as the United States House of Representatives isn’t even a functioning body of government at the moment.
The Governor and Speaker are really proving Greg Abbot’s point in how they’re responding to this in the long run. Lots of flashy press releases when this started, lack of interest when it becomes inconvenient.
These are human beings, folks.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 10:44 am:
Time for the state folks to step in now and provide funding.
These immigrants need help right now. Finger pointing or complaining about the feds actually does nothing to help these new residents in Chicago.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 10:46 am:
===Time for the state folks to step in now and provide funding.===
Weren’t you reminded last time to “keep up” and learned the monies that have been already put forth?
Either you are a very slow learner or you are purposely spamming false ideas that you have been told are factually inaccurate.
You can choose which.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 10:54 am:
If I really had to choose, I would go with slow learner.
Not saying some help has not been provided, but more funding is required now.
Chicago is still part of Illinois making this an Illinois problem.
People sleeping on floors in Police Stations and outdoors in tents is just not humane.
This is a very big problem and the State needs to play a bigger role in working on it.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 11:00 am:
===If I really had to choose, I would go with slow learner.
Not saying some help has not been provided, but more funding is required now.===
From the Feds at this point, Illinois can’t print money and the policies used by another state need to not be curtailed but taken away, as they need to be done by the Feds too.
I know you have this thing where Pritzker is to blame constantly, but being a “slow learner” to this after it being “explained”, tough not to see a purposeful intent, and why you are choosing “slow learner”
===This is a very big problem and the State needs to play a bigger role in working on it.===
Unless the state is issuing visas, passports, regulating migrant status, the rest is your purposeful want of blame.
If anything, the lack of pointed and direct pushing of the administration by the state is the bigger ask. This isn’t a vacuum situation
- Anyone Remember - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 11:11 am:
Thanks for the Paul Powell story. Had heard about the vending machines. The horseracing track stock - isn’t that what got Otto Kerner in trouble?
As an immigrant, amazed “Big Bill” Thompson’s cash in safety deposit boxes, worth $31.8 million in today’s dollars, gets less attention that Powell’s shoeboxes. And that money, most likely, came from Alphonse Capone.
- don the legend - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 11:35 am:
Back to the future. What would you have the State do? Give tens of millions of dollars to Mayor Johnson’s administration considering how poorly they have performed to date.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 11:36 am:
don is right. You don’t throw good money after bad, which is why I’ve been arguing for the state to take a much greater role there.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 12:07 pm:
@Dan
Good question.
Mayor Johnson along with the Chicago PD, CFD and health providers seem to have their hands full. Chicago needs more resources to deal with the needs of it’s new legal residents.
The state has a lot of talented folks and a very big budget. Time for everyone to get in the same boat and start rowing in the same direction.
The Chicago school system does appear to be absorbing a lot of new children. I think most people will look back at this time and be pretty proud of our local teachers.
The public safety professionals in the city are also showing a degree of understanding, professionalism and kindness that is in sharp contrast to the Governors from other states are showing in shipping people here with little or no notice.
Also I just don’t think we should underestimate the state’s ability to provide more leadership with housing assistance and health care.
It’s fair game to take time to blame folks, but that time is past.
One thing you don’t hear is Chicago Teachers, public safety folks or Cook County or Chicago employees and not for profit organizations saying they have done enough.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 12:11 pm:
===a very big budget===
So, propose some cuts to fund your priorities or find someone who will. And then pass it through both chambers. 60-30-1.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 12:13 pm:
===60-30-1. ===
Actually, since it’s veto session, that number should be 71-36-1.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 12:16 pm:
===The state has a lot of talented folks and a very big budget. Time for everyone to get in the same boat and start rowing in the same direction===
For an entire seated General Assembly there was no state budget.
We’ve now had 5 budgets, a rainy day fund, and a reduction of debt.
Indeed, propose YOUR cuts, find 60/30, get a signature on it.
This is a federal issue where the state has already spent 9 times what the Feds have, and here you are in the weeds trying to blame the state after $300+ million in?
Seriously, what is your end goal here ignoring such things?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 12:17 pm:
===that number should be 71-36-1===
Oops. My bad as well.
The Feds are in the middle of trying to fund their budget, ask them.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 1:03 pm:
71 is the number to pass more funds to deal specifically with this state crisis.
Feds are a mess. 34 or so Trillion deficit problem and counting. Also where did Congress go? Seems they are out of business.for a bit of time and winter is coming. These new state residents are going to need housing and health care now. Thinking Feds are not going to be helping anytime soon and may never find the votes to help Illinois.
It is awfully tough to cut state budgets, but it is always possible.
Perhaps a better thought would be to start by moving some of our state leadership folks into solely focusing on this immigration problem until it is going in a better direction. Some state programs will have setbacks, but this immigration situation is a crisis. New hires that are already budgeted in social service agencies can supplement more experienced State and local social service professionals in working with people caught up in a tough spot.
The state can also work on finding housing for these residents in a very focused and intentional way.
Hard to get to 71 on ending or perhaps just delaying spending programs but I can be done.
For example (without getting into some debate on the value of the
Chinese Factory investment) - thinking that moving 500 million or some portion of the 500 million to support these new Americans may be a better investment of state money right now with greater returns in the future.
Not the best ideas, but increasing state leadership on this problem is really needed.
We have some very smart folks in state government who probably learned a lot of lessons in dealing with a crisis during the Covid crisis. Mayor Johnson should be soliciting the state to provide leadership and work closely with the city folks in addition to pushing for more state funds.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 1:05 pm:
===who probably learned a lot of lessons in dealing with a crisis during the Covid crisis===
lol
This is covid without the money.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 1:15 pm:
“Covid without the money” is very accurate.
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 2:07 pm:
=== These are human beings, folks. ===
Candy, what state services should be cut or what new revenues should be brought in to pay for the additional migrant aid you advocate for?
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 2:08 pm:
=== Time for the state folks to step in now and provide funding. ===
From where?
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 2:16 pm:
=== Some state programs will have setbacks, but this immigration situation is a crisis. ===
There are a lot of state agencies already in crisis. You think they should just stop dealing with those crises and focus only on the migrant issue? I can appreciate your bleeding heart wanting to help people, but there isn’t enough resources to deal with this problem.
There isn’t enough money to do what you want to do. Sorry to say it, but there isn’t enough money to do what you want to do, and there is no guarantee that the majority of Illinois residents would want to spend it that way, even if you did.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 2:28 pm:
=== Some state programs will have setbacks, but this immigration situation is a crisis. ===
It’s disingenuous to say this, given your whole take on this is merely falling back on the Chinese battery issue, again, not about solving or finding, but blaming.
===Hard to get to 71 on ending or perhaps just delaying spending programs but I can be done.===
You’ve yet to show any real grasp of his things need support, instead falling back on dorm room beliefs to fuel your angst to Pritzker, while ignoring the $300+ million already allocated.
Like this…
===It is awfully tough to cut state budgets, but it is always possible.===
Show your work, literally, like where 71/36 signature is after the $300 million and no federal buy in.
- Flapdoodle - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 3:09 pm:
@Hannibal asks good, pointed questions. Everyone knows these are human beings — that’s the whole point. But jumping from that to saying the state should step up to provide funding — that’s when difficulties start. As @Hannibal asks, from where?
As far as the state is concerned, how much of its annual budget consists of mandated spending like debt payments, matching funds, Medicaid, and so on? I’ve been trying to find this information on the web but haven’t been able to do so. Any help?
What’s the real the size of the pie available to be divvied up? How much political will is there to make specific zero-sum funding decisions, the most divisive kind? Every dollar that program A gets means less of the pie is available to others . . . always provided there is enough political will. Because zero-sum decisions are involved here, the most hotly contested kind. More for program A means less for program B. Saying something should be funded without suggesting how really doesn’t get us very far.
This is all be obvious. But it’s too easily elided by blanket statements that the state should jump in to provide funding. Again as @Hannibal asks, from where? Which means, how should the state’s existing available funding priorities be re-structured and existing available funds be re-allocated?
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 3:10 pm:
We have a rainy day fund- it is raining. I don’t begrudge all the money Chicago sends downstate, but maybe give Chicago taxpayers their contributions to that rainy day fund to get the ball rolling.
Slow and extend payments to selective vendors by just 10 days would provide cash flow until this crisis passes.
Simple things might be not paying for pension fund trustee trips out of state and pay for diapers or flu shots. I am sure the Trustees will survive a year without a free trip.
People say we spent 300 million dollars. You can put in any number you want- Illinois has legal residents sleeping on floors of police stations and in tents and that is a crisis.
People’s needs for adequate shelter are more important than the balance in the rainy day fund.
In terms of 71, start with the Chicago GA members and negotiate for the other votes just like any community would do when in a crisis situation.
It is possible to address the immigration crisis. We can do this. These folks will be getting jobs and supporting the state in many ways. Chicago and Illinois will be better off to have these folks in our community- just like the country has benefited from immigrants for well over 300 years.
In a few months all of these folks will be able to get work permits- -some can get them now. In a few years the memory of this crisis will be long forgotten unless we collectively make it worse than it has to be.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 3:21 pm:
===Simple things might be not paying for pension fund trustee trips out of state and pay for diapers or flu shots. I am sure the Trustees will survive a year without a free trip.===
You are not a serious person to any discussions to truth in budgetary policy issues.
Your idea of “getting it done” is phony shows of phony cuts that don’t add up to real policy choices.
===In terms of 71, start with the Chicago GA members and negotiate for the other votes just like any community would do when in a crisis situation.===
No. Show the Chicago GA members “on the steps” along with a total of 71 and 36.
This is dorm room cobbling, actually showing is “here are 26 members asking this and building their numbers”. That’s not happening.
===We have a rainy day fund- it is raining. ===
You first agree it’s Covid without the funding, then you suggest this.
It can’t be both because both are national crisis that need solutions because an isolated band aid won’t stop the Texas governor.
It’s throwing money after money chasing an unattainable answer to a national problem.
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 3:44 pm:
=== In terms of 71, start with the Chicago GA members and negotiate for the other votes just like any community would do when in a crisis situation. ===
You don’t even have the support of all GA members from Chicago. We had two GA members yesterday that they would oppose a supplemental funding bill for the migrants. There is not the support for additional migrant relief funding that you think there is.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 3:50 pm:
Golly I really don’t think I have ever written so much on a blog issue- not saying I am writing effectively, but just think folks may be “missing the boat” here.
Some of these folks have literally walked hundreds or even more than a thousand miles because they believe in the American Dream and the opportunity it offers to everyone.
These folks are going to support that dream.
Look if you are hiring someone and a fellow or lady walks in who is qualified and had literally risked their life to get here and you don’t hire that person you really are probably in the wrong job.
History tells us this is how the American thing works. We just have to get over this financial bump. We are making an investment in folks that are going to really make incredible contributions.
Thinking we really need to spend more time teaching civics and history in our school system.
Relax. Pay the Piper and collect the benefits of this investment.
Most of the time all you have to do to be successful in business, Government or life is to do the right thing. The right thing in the case of our new Illinois residents is to get them plugged into the American way of life.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 4:07 pm:
- Back to the Future -
With great respect and understanding to your thoughts.
That’s a plea, not a plan. It’s also not a policy to build a monetary answer for a state to a federal issue.
With great respect to your thoughts.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 4:19 pm:
Agree to disagree, but appreciate your thoughts and respect your opinions.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 13, 23 @ 4:22 pm:
===Agree to disagree===
While that can be a thing, you didn’t show a workable policy that had measurable legislative support or able to discuss the national policy issue away from your plea.
It’s not a standoff, the hurdles and truths are real, not opinion