* Um, not really…

We got our hands on some exclusive polling about one of the hottest issues in Springfield: the Invest in Kids Act, a scholarship program that’s set to end Dec. 31 if the General Assembly doesn’t act.

About the law: The law gives tax credits to those who contribute to the scholarship program, which benefits low-income families at non-public schools. It’s opposed by the Chicago Teachers Union.

The topline takeaway: Two-thirds of Illinois voters support the program, “especially” parents, voters of color and voters with annual incomes under $40,000, according to the polling memo from Brian Stryker and Oren Savir, the pollsters who count President Joe Biden as a client.

More details: “Support remains unchanged after voters hear statements from both proponents and critics of the program,” according to the poll memo. Most of those surveyed weren’t even bothered by statements such as: “Wealthy Illinoisans get to take their tax dollars, give them to private schools, and leave public schools underfunded.”

1) According to the polling memo itself, the program is supported by Illinoisans 56-25, not “two-thirds.”

2) We don’t know the wording of the poll’s support or oppose question because it was not in the polling memo.

3) Here are the pros and cons presented to respondents…

Supporters say this program provides low income kids, including many children of color, with a high-quality education they may not have gotten from their local public school. And it doesn’t use a dime of taxpayer money to do it—it is all funded through private donations.

Opponents say this is a school voucher program that funds private schools through a seventy-five million dollar tax break for millionaires and corporations. Wealthy Illinoisans get to take their tax dollars, give them to private schools, and leave public schools underfunded.

The donations qualify for a 75 percent state income tax credit. That’s money the state would’ve normally received.

Methodology…

Findings are based on a phone and text-to-web survey conducted August 16-21, 2023 among n=600 likely 2024 general election voters in Illinois. The margin of error for the full sample is +/- 4%; for subgroups it varies and is higher.

* From Sen. Durbin…

Our immigration courts are essential to a functional and orderly immigration system, but they are in desperate need of reform and improvements. As of August 2023, there were more than 2.6 million pending cases before the nation’s immigration courts. As a result, many immigrants must wait for years until their cases are decided.

While the Department of Justice has made significant progress in hiring more immigration judges, reducing this backlog will require additional efforts. For example, similar advances have not yet been made in hiring the support staff that judges need to help efficiently manage their daily dockets, reduce the backlog, and stay on top of new cases.

* WAND TV…

Federal investigators found that a lack of preventative maintenance on the explosion suppression system of a bucket elevator was a major factor in an April 21, 2023, explosion at Archer-Daniels-Midland Company’s West Plant that resulted in the hospitalization of three employees with burns and other injuries and extensive damage to the grain elevator

U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators responding to the combustible corn germ dust explosion determined that the explosion suppression system on the indoor bucket elevator leg was non-functional and in a state of disrepair. Investigators found the Decatur grain processing facility had not conducted inspections and testing of the explosion suppression systems since late 2016. […]

OSHA cited ADM for two willful, one serious and one other-than-serious health and safety violations and proposed $324,796 in penalties related to this explosion at the West Plant.

* Update on yesterday’s story…

Despite “heroic efforts” to protect animals threatened by a fire at Miller Park Zoo, officials said late Tuesday afternoon that a 20-foot reticulated python had to be euthanized due to smoke exposure.

The 11-year-old snake, named Nani, had lived at the zoo since 2017. A faulty heating element in her habitat was found to be the source of a fire at the historic Katthoefer Animal Building where a number of animals are housed.

* Isabel’s roundup…

* WBEZ | St. Louis groups seek to resettle Chicago migrants to boost workforce and population: The nonprofit International Institute of St. Louis is partnering with unions and philanthropic leaders to resettle hundreds — if not thousands — of Latin American migrants in their city. The goal is to bolster St. Louis’s workforce and stem its population decline. “It could be the potential for a great relationship between both cities,” said Karlos Ramirez, vice president of Latino outreach for the International Institute. “If the [migrants] are going to be in a better place, St. Louis is going to be in a better place, and Chicago is going to be in a better place, I think everybody wins.”

* Block Club | At South Side Garden, Migrant Families Build A Community As ‘Burned Out’ Volunteers Ask For Help: There are 24 tents at the garden, 1812 W. Monterey Ave., sheltering roughly 100 asylum seekers. […] “You can only work it strongly for a few weeks at a time,” said Kathy Figel, director of the Edna White Community Garden, where the overflow of asylum seekers from the station have been sheltering in tents. “Then they have to take a break. That’s what happened to a lot of volunteers [who helped out in the summer.]” The city, Figel said, hasn’t provided anything. All funds and support has come from volunteers and even her own personal funds.

* ABC Chicago | Alderman visiting Mexican border says disaster declaration needed to better help Chicago migrants: Among their first stops were shelters in El Paso run by nonprofits to help better establish connections between organizations in the Lone Star State and in the Windy City. But, even on their first day to the southern border, these city leaders are saying it is obvious that more help from the federal government is absolutely crucial.

* NYT | Texas Has Bused 50,000 Migrants. Now It Wants to Arrest Them Instead.: Mr. Abbott is now pursuing an even more audacious effort: to change Texas law to make crossing the border from Mexico without authorization a state crime, allowing the police in Texas to arrest people coming across the Rio Grande, including asylum seekers.

* NYT | Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois Starts Group to Promote Abortion Rights: A spokeswoman for Think Big America said the group was providing “financial and strategic support” to the campaigns in Ohio, Arizona and Nevada, including putting members on advisory boards, helping to develop messaging and analyzing polls. She added that it was also prepared to help with direct voter contact and, if applicable, legal challenges.

* Capitol News Illinois | Assault weapon registration period remains open as Illinois State Police seeks further input: ISP says it plans to hold additional public hearings about that process and may refine the rules before they become permanent next year. “We are happy to address all questions and comments submitted to ISP and will be doing so in the weeks to come,” ISP said in a statement this week.

* WGEM | JCAR members bash DCFS, reject daycare rule proposal: “We need daycares to get people back to work after COVID,” said Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford. “We need daycares to make sure that our kids are taken care of and not in unapproved places. We need just need daycares and, not just the rule, but the whole system has been very frustrating.”

* Block Club | Chicago Top Cop Larry Snelling Says Technology Is ‘No. 1 Way’ To Fix Crime: “Officers have a focus” on using technology like license plate readers to identify drivers and stolen cars, which are often then used to commit more crimes, Snelling said. The department is also using “technology across borders” to identify people who travel between city police districts to commit robberies — a “pattern” leaders have noticed, Snelling said.

* Sun-Times | Slain Palestinian American boy remembered: ‘We are Plainfield strong; we are here for Wadea’: “Tonight is to celebrate the life of this child and make sure that this does not happen again,” said Mohammed Faheem, president of American Muslims Assisting Neighbors, the Plainfield nonprofit that organized the vigil. “This is to express our solidarity as one community. Plainfield is a very welcoming community, and we want to make sure that people understand that.”

* Shaw Local | Thousands attend vigil in Plainfield for slain Muslim boy: Nearly two thousand turned out in Plainfield Tuesday night to mourn the slaying of a Muslim boy and to oppose the hatred and prejudice that authorities said motived the attack on him and his mother. […] Wadea’s father Oday Al-Fayoume and several others spoke at the vigil. Among them was Zaki Basalath, of the Islamic Foundation of the Southwest Suburbs.

* Tribune | Lawyers for ex-assistant state’s attorneys standing trial criticize handling of third Jackie Wilson trial in heated questioning of special prosecutors: The trial entered its second day Tuesday at the Rolling Meadows branch court in northwest suburban Cook County, with Wilson’s special prosecutors Lawrence Rosen and Myles O’Rourke taking the stand for hours. Rosen and O’Rourke dropped charges against Wilson after learning about Trutenko’s longtime friendship and recent contact with a witness they had been unable to locate.

* Fox Chicago | $5 million in grants to help Cook County domestic violence victims: The grants were awarded to local nonprofits as part of the Cook County Domestic Violence Intervention and Support Services Initiative. Preckwinkle said the grants will change lives. “We cannot let these patterns continue,” Preckwinkle said. “This Domestic Violence Awareness Month we are making an important investment to disrupt this trend. We’re investing in programs and services that provide critical support to survivors and their families.”

* ABC Chicago | Cook County domestic violence survivor center opens in Markham: The new facility is located in the basement of the Cook County Circuit Court Building in Markham, and it is out of public view. The center includes a private and comfortable space for victims to meet with advocates, a space for Zoom hearings and a children’s area.

* PJ Star | Peoria City Council debates new $321 million proposed budget. Here’s what we know: The new budget proposed to the council by City Manager Patrick Urich and Finance Director Kyle Cratty for 2024 would have $321.8 million in spending — an increase of 5.4% from 2023. […] A major source of the revenue decline for 2024 is coming from a loss 26% decrease in corporate income and a 20% decrease in real estate transaction taxes and “some level of financial pullback in the economy.”

* Block Club | Chicago State Unveils $250 Million Plan For 95th Street: The economic development plan targets 95th Street between King Drive and Cottage Grove Avenue. The plan recommends several projects on vacant land with a focus on adding to the community’s housing and retail options and improving pedestrian experiences, among other points.

* Shaw Local | After McHenry rejects gravel mine, industry tries to show elected officials its benefits to county: In August, the McHenry City Council rejected a controversial plan to annex a proposed gravel mine to the city. On Thursday, the same business owner who submitted that proposal, Jack Pease, joined McHenry County officials for a tour of gravel pits.

* SJ-R | Downtown Springfield Inc. holds 30th annual awards ceremony, dinner Wednesday: Downtown Springfield Inc. will hold its 30th annual awards and dinner at the Bank of Springfield (BoS) Center at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher will give her first State of Downtown address. It is DSI’s major fundraiser to support its work to revitalize downtown.

* Crain’s | Fulton Market developer ditches luxury condo plan in favor of ‘modern social bathhouse’: It’s a sign that even the hot Fulton Market area isn’t immune to slowing condo demand in Chicago. The city’s condo market has been hit hard in the 2020s, with the slower-than-expected return of office workers and downtown draws like theaters struggling to regain pre-pandemic activity levels, as well as the perception that crime is out of control in and around downtown.

* Streetsblog | Pedestrian fatally struck at Chicago/DLSD, which has stoplights, but no east-west crosswalks: According to the preliminary police report, on Tuesday, October 17, at about 5:25 a.m., two men were attempting to cross DLSD on foot on the 800 North block. The police report mentions that the men were “not in a crosswalk.”This intersection has stoplights in all directions to accommodate drivers entering and leaving the drive. But there are no east-west crosswalks here because pedestrians aren’t supposed to cross to and from the lake at this location. That must be confusing to some Chicago visitors trying to walk to the lakefront from Streeterville.

* Crain’s | Hyde Park is the world’s 19th-coolest neighborhood: “Notable for being the home of the University of Chicago and President Barack Obama, Hyde Park embodies the spirit of a small town while providing all the amenities of a bustling metropolis,” according to Time Out’s sixth annual list, published Tuesday.

* Esquire | The DOJ Is Cracking Down on the Dumbest Form of Climate Denialism: These are the folks driving the big rigs who have adapted their vehicles to belch as much carbon waste product as they can produce. It’s is an own-the-libs deal, as you’ve probably guessed. I gotcher climate change right here, Snowflake. Whoo-hoo! Mercy sakes alive, looks like we’ve got ourselves a cloud bank.