* The “detective” (among others in the replies) failed to click the link. The second paragraph clearly states that the suspect was held without bond. So many irresponsible people spread false claims about the coming of “The Purge 2″ last year, and even though it hasn’t happened, too many still presume it did…

Meanwhile, in La Salle County…

The SAFE-T Act eliminated cash bail in Illinois. When the new policy was instituted in Illinois this year, pictures were painted of criminals walking free soon after arrest, of an increase in crime, and of jails sitting empty. But what’s the actual result been so far?

The jury’s still out, of course, and it’s just one man’s experience in just one of the state’s 102 counties. But Jason Edgcomb should know. He’s the superintendent of the La Salle County Jail.

Edgcomb told Peru Rotary members last week that, in his jail, anyway, the population’s gone down only slightly, and he says the act hasn’t resulted in an increase in crime. Edgcomb told Rotarians not to believe everything they hear about criminals being released. He noted that violent criminals are still kept locked up.

* US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has sent another letter to the Census Bureau director…

As I continue my review of the 2020 Decennial Census population counts for Illinois and look ahead to the 2030 Census, I am writing to request an update on your efforts to address the repeated potential undercounting of Illinois as assessed by the Post-Enumeration Survey (PES) for the 2020 Census.

In my letters last year and earlier this year, I requested information and updates on the state of the Census Bureau’s methodological review. My interest in these reforms centers on addressing the American Community Survey (ACS) and Census data in recent years which showed Illinois losing a significant portion of its population only for the May 2022 PES to conclude that Illinois was among the 14 states which had been significantly undercounted or overcounted in the 2020 decennial Census.

In addition to helping dispel years of false narratives about Illinois’ purported decline driven by Census Bureau products, those PES findings also raised serious questions for Illinois officials as to the reliability of the Census Bureau’s results more broadly. The implications of such errors could not be more serious when Census Bureau data will be utilized over the next decade to allocate roughly $1.5 trillion in federal funding through approximately 100 programs, including Medicaid, SNAP, Medicare, Highway Planning and Construction, and Pell grants.

In its May 10, 2023, response to my last inquiry, your agency’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs provided an update on the Base Evaluation and Research Team (BERT) initiative as well as to other methodological review activities. Further, the letter noted that, among other ongoing review and audit processes, that the Population Estimates Program (PEP) “is researching ways to improve methods of measuring annual population change.”

In light of your agency’s most recent updates to my office on methodological review efforts and outstanding questions, I request answers to these additional questions by November 30:

1. What is the status of the Census Bureau’s effort to pursue “an expansion of the [Population Estimates Program] so that it may better build an infrastructure that can support not only the timely production of estimates but also the research it needs to modernize and improve its methodology?”
2. In its May 2023 letter, your Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs described research activities including the [Base Evaluation and Research Team] and the 2020 Demographic Analysis (DA) as “an ongoing, multiyear endeavor.” What is the timeline for those efforts, and will they be completed prior to the first phases of the 2030 Decennial Census?
3. How soon will new research review findings be applied to improve PEP data products, and could methodological changes be applied retroactively?
4. What findings from your methodological reviews can be applied to the revision and improvement of the 2020 Decennial Census’ results?

* I don’t understand this story. It’s supposed to be about how lots of South and West Side dog bites are somehow connected to a lack of dog parks and related amenities. But it starts out by describing a dog-bite incident in Uptown, then describes Uptown as being rich in dog parks and says Uptown has some of the worst dog biting problems in the city…

Dog bites hit South and West Sides hardest — areas that lack dog parks, pet shops, other resources […]

On a late August evening, a woman and a man with two kids and two dogs, on-leash, were walking past her at Sunnyside Avenue and Clark Street in Uptown. Kelly had her dog, a Chihuahua, in a bag slung over her shoulder.

The woman walked by and a dog jumped up. Kelly thought it was friendly until it bit her left breast. The dog jumped up again toward her face, which she blocked with her left arm, getting bitten again. […]

In Uptown, where Kelly was bitten, 127 complaints have been filed in the past four years, a higher number than all but a dozen of the city’s 77 community areas.

While dog bites over the past few years have taken place all across the city, including in communities such as Uptown where there are several dog parks, communities with the highest number of complaints are largely on the South and West sides, which offer fewer resources for dogs and their owners.

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) launched $25.5 million in funding for the Equitable Energy Future Grants Program as part of a larger strategy to equitably grow the clean energy workforce in Illinois through the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The program supports renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in low-income and historically disadvantaged communities to grow and diversify the clean energy ecosystem across Illinois. Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process.

“Since day one, I have prioritized moving our state into a clean energy future that is equitable in every facet,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Curbing the devastating effects of climate change requires decisive action. In Illinois, we are making history with the implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and The Equitable Energy Future program is a key cornerstone of that approach.”

The goal of the Equitable Energy Future program is to provide seed and pre-development funding opportunities to eligible contractors to support the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects benefitting businesses, community organizations and the workforce in historically disadvantaged communities. The program is designed to help remove barriers to projects, community and business development efforts caused by lack of access to capital.

* More from Isabel…

* Bloomberg | The New Jersey Mayor With a Plan to End Traffic Deaths: Armed with the Vision Zero plan, Hoboken has steadily been making incremental changes to its streets and transportation policies — with profound results. In 2021, Bhalla welcomed Citi Bike, which as of this summer has recorded more than 850,000 trips. In 2022, he lowered the citywide speed limit to 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour). Crosswalks have been painted and repaved to increase their visibility, and more than 40 curb extensions have been installed to nudge cars farther from intersections. Today, nearly half of Hoboken’s roads have bike lanes. … While pedestrian deaths in the US reach 40-year highs, Hoboken hasn’t reported a single traffic death since January 2017, and injuries have dropped 41%.

* Iowa Capitol Dispatch | Wolf asks to withdraw Illinois pipeline request and refile: Ferguson said Wolf will apply again early next year with the Illinois Commerce Commission for permission to build its pipeline system. About 90 miles of pipe in eastern Iowa would connect to two ethanol plants to transport their captured carbon dioxide to Illinois for underground sequestration. Wolf made its application for a certificate of authority to construct and operate its pipeline in Illinois in June 2023. In October, a commission engineer recommended that the application be denied for a number of reasons.

* Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs | If some Republicans had their way, my twin sons wouldn’t be here: Allow us to explain. Erica suffers from endometriosis, a condition that makes it difficult to conceive a child naturally. But in vitro fertilization made it possible for us to conceive, and we are very thankful for the doctors and nurses who helped us through that process. Erica gave birth in June, and Theo had to fight for his life, spending nearly eight weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital. We are incredibly thankful for the doctors and nurses who helped pull Theo through a life-threatening scare.

* Shaw Local | Local Republican Party seeks ban on providing gender-affirming care in Huntley School District 158: Orville Brettman, chairman of the Grafton Township GOP, sent out a news release detailing the party’s request to add the following paragraph to the school district policy: “It shall be the policy of District 158 that written consent from a minor’s parent or guardian be required before any entity, person, school clinic or school staff can provide a minor (under the age of 18 years) any non-emergency medical procedure, medication, pharmaceutical, or any gender modification procedure, gender identification counseling or gender therapy while on School District property.” However, District 158 policy already requires parents and guardians to sign and submit a form to the school giving permission for a student to take any medication at school, before school staff can administer medication or supervise a student administering it to themselves.

* WICS | Illinois offers funds to train substance abuse counselors: The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and the Illinois Certification Board (ICB) have joined forces to help train those that want to become certified to help people struggling with substance abuse disorders. This partnership was made to address the ongoing behavioral health workforce shortage and continue to sustain a recovery-oriented system of care for individuals and families across Illinois affected by substance use disorder.

* Sun-Times | Cousin of former Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg pleads guilty to bribery charge: According to a federal complaint filed in 2019, Kellogg spent years shaking down a strip club owner of thousands of dollars a month in exchange for allowing prostitution in the club. He wasn’t charged in the complaint, which referred to him only as “Individual A” and “Mayor of the City of Harvey.” But his cousin, Corey Johnson, was charged with collecting bribes from the now-closed club, Arnie’s Idle Hour, and delivering the cash to Kellogg’s brother Rommell Kellogg, who also is charged in the corruption case.

* Sun-Time | Biden approves federal disaster help for parts of Cook County hit in September storm: The White House said in a release that the declaration unlocks a package of federal financial assistance that include “grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”

* Arielle Johnson | New York’s ride-hailing revolution presents an opportunity for Chicago: Under New York State Attorney General Letitia James, ride-share giant Uber has agreed to a groundbreaking settlement, marking a major win for drivers and for the underserved communities so many hail from. James’ announcement marks the end of a years-long case, with Lyft also signing a similar agreement, reinforcing the power of this collective movement for change. This extraordinary development is one that our Chicago City Council should follow if it intends to secure the rights and well-being of ride-share drivers, and ensure that these critical services continue to be affordable for residents and visitors alike.

* Center Square | Group gives Illinois poor marks for laws protecting young trafficking survivors: Shared Hope has produced the report cards and state analyses annually since 2011 as a tool to assist public policy activists and state elected officials in developing and advocating for better laws to support sex trafficking survivors. […] Illinois was one of several states to receive an “F” grade for its efforts, including a poor score in the category of identification of and response to victims. Illinois also received a poor grade in prevention and training in the area for juvenile justice agencies, law enforcement, prosecutors and school personnel.

* Daily Chronicle | Sycamore firearms instructor charged with forging concealed carry licenses: Brian K. Fleming, 44, of Sycamore, was charged with forgery, a Class 3 felony punishable by up to five years in prison, and unlawful violation of the Illinois Firearm Concealed Carry Act, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in county jail, according to DeKalb County court records. The Illinois Attorney General’s office is prosecuting Fleming.

* Shaw Local | Machinists union organizing Lion Electric in Joliet: The organization effort is well underway, and workers have signed cards showing their intention to form the union, Machinists Organizer Chris Tucker said. “We have a supermajority of support,” Tucker said. “We filed for an election.” The election to determine whether the union will represent workers would involve about 140 workers now employed in production, according to the machinists.

* Daily Herald | UAW chief, having won concessions from strikes, aims to expand membership to nonunion automakers: According to Fain, workers at some nonunion plants, including the electric vehicle sales leader, Tesla, have contacted the UAW about joining the union, which hasn’t even begun its organizing efforts. Fain noted that the nonunion companies didn’t raise pay for their workers until after the UAW won general and cost-of-living raises, which should reach 33% by the time the contacts expire in 2028. “Companies play their workers as fools sometimes,” he said in the interview. “They care about keeping more for themselves and leaving the employees to fend for themselves.”

* Crain’s | Ford scales down Michigan EV battery plant plans: The project planned for Marshall, a town about 15 miles east of Battle Creek, is now expected to create 1,700 jobs, a 32% reduction from the 2,500 announced previously. Planned capacity of the lithium iron phosphate battery plant is being slashed by more than 40% to just 20 gigawatt hours. Total investment in the plant will likely be reduced by the same measure — from $3.5 billion to roughly $2.2 billion — said Mark Truby, chief communications officer for Ford.

* WaPo | Binance chief Changpeng Zhao to plead guilty to money laundering: The deal ends the Department of Justice’s three-year investigation of Binance and comes months after the firm was accused by regulators of operating as an unregistered securities exchange. Zhao’s departure marks the end of an era for one of the crypto industry’s longest standing titans, who for years sparred with regulators en route to Binance becoming the largest crypto exchange in the world.

* Evanston Round Table | Message from the mayor: My thoughts on Ryan Field: Even though the back-and-forth was sometimes contentious, I was pleased and impressed with the seriousness with which the City Council took all perspectives into consideration. After all this input and lots of consideration, I decided to vote yes on this project, including the zoning changes, because I believe it will have a positive long-term impact on the City and its residents.

* NBC Chicago | Illinois among states impacted by Listeria outbreak linked to fruit sold in grocery stores: According to the CDC, as many as 11 people reported illnesses as part of the outbreak. Ten people were hospitalized and one death was reported, the CDC said. An announcement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration linked the outbreak to peaches, plums and nectarines from HMC Farms that were distributed nationwide and sold in retail stores between May 1 and Nov.15, in both 2022 and 2023.

* AP | IRS delays reporting rules for users of Venmo, Cash App and other payment apps: Originally, app users who made $600 or more selling goods and services would have been required to report those transactions to the IRS, a new threshold required by the American Rescue Plan passed in March 2021. Instead, payment apps and online marketplaces will send out separate tax forms — called 1099-K documents — for taxpayers who receive over $20,000 and make over 200 transactions selling goods or services.

* Rockford Register Star | 2023 IHSA football state championship games: Players to watch and predictions: The Illinois High School Association football state championships are here. Sixteen of the state’s best teams will meet in eight title games scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University.

* Daily Herald | How your Thanksgiving cooking oil can be transformed into biofuel: The nonprofit SCARCE coordinates with 13 drop-off locations throughout DuPage County that collect cooking oil year-round. Because most of these locations are not open on weekends, additional temporary drop-off locations are available the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year.

* Informa | Specialty crops thrive in Illinois: Illinois boasts No. 1 in pumpkins and horseradish production; top 10 in products like cauliflower, broccoli, peas and asparagus; and the third-highest number of farmers markets in the country. Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Specialty Growers Association and other local food leaders around the state developed a Local Food Directory to connect consumers directly with Illinois farms, farmers markets, grocery stores and farm stands based on location. They have over 2,400 farm and food businesses listed across the state, and it’s free to register.

* NBC Chicago | How to watch the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC: In addition to streaming the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, watch one of the biggest Thanksgiving celebrations in the country: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Expect to see 25 giant balloons, 31 floats, celebrity stars, dancers and more make their way through the 2.5-mile route throughout the streets of New York City on a three-and-a-half-hour procession.

* NBC Chicago | This Illinois hotel is in the top 1% of hotels in the world — and it’s not in Chicago: No, this isn’t a bed and breakfast in the English countryside. It’s not a fancy five-star Chicago hotel, either. It’s the Deer Path Inn — an estate-like getaway in the quaint, northern suburbs of picturesque Lake Forest. Down the street, a number of local businesses line the historic market square, which was built in the style of an English village. And though some of the town’s anchors — like Marshall Field & Company — have not stood the test of time, the Deer Path Inn has.

* AP | The Rolling Stones bringing 2024 North American Tour to Chicago’s Soldier Field June 27: Tuesday, the legendary English band announced they’re taking it on the road, including a show Thursday, June 27, at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Starting on April 28 in Houston and concluding in Santa Clara, California, on July 17, the Stones will make their way across the U.S. and Canada.