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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Nov 10, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Nov 10, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Veto session wrapped up last night. State Journal-Register…
- “Karina’s Bill” failed to advance out of Senate committee. committee, it would’ve clarified that guns be taken away from an abuser after a judge grants an order of protection. - Invest in Kids, a program providing income tax credits to those supporting private K-12 school scholarships, was not renewed. * Related stories… ∙ Sun-Times: Unfinished assignment: Lawmakers leave Springfield without final plan for Chicago elected school board ∙ Tribune: Illinois lawmakers validate referendums creating mental health funding for 5 suburban townships and Will County ∙ WTTW: Bill Boosting Chicago Police Officers’ Pensions Clears General Assembly ∙ Capitol News Illinois: Governor, who vetoed previous nuclear power bill, supports new effort * Isabel’s top picks… * Injustice Watch | Most juvenile detention centers in Illinois are failing to meet state standards: In Winnebago County, teenagers in the juvenile detention center had their water shut off for hours “as a precaution to disruptive behavior.” In Cook County, children as young as age 13 who come into the detention center are inappropriately strip searched. In Knox County’s Mary Davis Home, young people are confined to their cells for 24 hours as a disciplinary measure. * Sun-Times | Despite internal police alerts, scant evidence of violent gang members among Venezuelan migrants in Chicago: A Chicago Sun-Times analysis, based on news reports, crime data and court records, identified more than 30 migrants from Venezuela who’ve been arrested in Chicago and DuPage County since April. More than half of the cases involved theft and shoplifting. Two involved violent crimes — a robbery and a stabbing. Records show that only one of those migrants, charged with domestic battery, is listed in Chicago police records as being a suspected member of the prison gang. * Sun-Times | Biden stumps for unions and himself during UAW celebration in Belvidere: Faced with declining poll numbers and a crisis in the Middle East, Biden leaned in to his chance to fire up a crowd rejoicing over the UAW’s historic gains from its targeted strike against the Detroit Big Three automakers. In its deal with Stellantis, the union secured a pledge to restart Belvidere, adding thousands of jobs. * Safe travels home, Cricket!…
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup… * WAND | Illinois lawmakers approve solution for health care licensing delays: House Bill 2394 creates an expedited and competitive bid process for software to modernize the way Illinois processes professional licenses. The measure could also require the agency to extend the expiration date or renewal period for licensees if the department believes it is necessary to avoid undue hardship. * WBEZ | Illinois’ controversial private school scholarship program is ending: The controversial program allows taxpayers to earn an income tax credit by donating to scholarship funds across the state that send students from lower-income households to private schools. About 9,700 students across the state received scholarships last year. Students with scholarships this year will be allowed to finish out the school year. * Tribune | Lawmakers send Gov. J.B. Pritzker revised proposal to lift Illinois moratorium on new nuclear plants: On a bipartisan 98-8 vote, the House approved the compromise proposal, which was passed by the Senate on a 44-7 vote a day earlier. Pritzker’s office has voiced its support for the revised measure, and the governor’s signature would make Illinois would one of a number of states that have rescinded similar bans as policymakers are taking a fresh look at nuclear power as another alternative to generate energy without increasing carbon output. * Shaw Local | State Rep. Matt Hanson charged with DUI in Montgomery: State Rep. Matthew B. Hanson, D-Montgomery, was charged Oct. 27 with driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol content greater than 0.08%, according to police reports and court records. According to the police report, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, police found Hanson, 50, asleep in his vehicle in the parking lot where he lives, in the Holly Ridge Apartments, 2260 Jericho Road, Montgomery. * Crain’s | City Council OKs paid leave measure requiring 10 days off: Although several business groups supported the ordinance approved Thursday, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and industry groups representing restaurants, hotels, hospitals, retail merchants and manufacturers criticized the ordinance as going too far, too fast and potentially exposing companies to lawsuits due to mistakes. * Tribune | Third city employee accused Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin of unethical conduct, records show: Newly released records also shed more light on previously reported ethics allegations surrounding Conyears-Ervin and her husband, Ald. Jason Ervin, 28th. Emails released by the city show Conyears-Ervin directly asked top BMO Harris Bank officials to issue a loan to her husband’s landlord, who is a longtime close family friend. * Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson wasn’t supposed to take campaign money from city contractors, but he did: Mayor Brandon Johnson isn’t allowed to take campaign contributions from city contractors under a City Hall ethics rule but has accepted them anyway. Asked about that, Christian Perry, Johnson’s political director, says taking the money was an “oversight” and that it’s being returned — about $46,500 in all. * WTTW | Food Insecurity is on the Rise Again. How Chicagoans Are Helping Meet the Need Ahead of the Holidays: The Woodlawn Community Food Pantry now opens its doors one extra day per week to help meet the demand. “The need has changed drastically from a year ago. … People have to choose between buying food or paying for housing, buying food or paying for medical services,” said Reginald Guy, director of the pantry’s Senior Commodity Box Program. “So this is really impacting our community.” * Block Club | Mystery Woman Who Started Winnemac Park Garden Finally Found By Volunteers: Neighbors began caring for the garden at the southwest corner of Winnemac Park, 5100 N. Leavitt St., in 2021. But they didn’t know who installed the garden beds and its hand-painted sign or planted the chives and single tomato that had survived among the weeds overtaking the area. The only clue neighbors had was the name “Gina” carved into a seat made from a tree stump at the garden. * Tribune | Burbank man accused of dousing cops with hornet spray during Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol: He was arrested Thursday morning and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila Finnegan, who ordered him released on bond pending his first court date in Washington. Lewis is at least the 42nd Illinoisan to be charged in the Capitol breach, an ongoing investigation that has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal investigation in the country’s history. * Sun-Times | Dr. Allison Arwady takes job at top U.S. health agency to curb overdoses, suicides: The Yale-educated pediatrician will work primarily in Atlanta but said she plans to keep a residence in Chicago. Calling Chicago her “long-term home,” she said she hopes to see patients at a community health clinic and lead architectural tours in the city when she has time. “I didn’t want to just pick up and be a commissioner in a different state or a different city,” she said. * Block Club | Giant Balloons Are Back At Chicago’s Thanksgiving Parade: Teddy the Turkey and other giant helium balloons are back after a pandemic-related pause. The balloons will travel up State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph Street with the rest of the parade participants. Now in its 89th year, the parade will run 8-11 a.m. Nov. 23. * Crain’s | Illinois Chamber of Commerce appoints new president and CEO: The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has named Lou Sandoval, a business owner and consultant across a variety of industries, as its new president and CEO. Sandoval will start the role on Nov. 27.
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Live coverage
Friday, Nov 10, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Reader comments closed for the holiday weekend
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Talk with you Monday… Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
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*** UPDATED x6 *** Afternoon roundup
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The House has adjourned until January 16. As I noted on another post, that means the Senate either has to take up the House’s elected Chicago school board bill (SB2324) or nothing happens. I’ve reached out to the Senate President’s office to see what that chamber will do. I’ll let you know. *** UPDATE 1 *** Senate President Harmon has decided to call his version of the elected school board bill, HB2233. *** UPDATE 2 *** Harmon’s bill passed 38-12. *** UPDATE 3 *** The Senate appears to be adjourning. *** UPDATE 4 *** Harmon gave his closing remarks. He didn’t mention the dispute with the House. He did note that the House hasn’t finished its 2024 calendar yet, but said the Senate is issuing one today. *** UPDATE 5 *** Actually, the House did distribute a calendar to members. Click here. *** UPDATE 6 *** Harmon said during the debate that the General Assembly has until April 1 to finalize a plan. He also told reporters that there would be plenty of time for people to prepare because petitions won’t be circulated until the summer. When asked if Speaker Welch had given him a heads up about adjourning the House before finalizing work on the bill, Harmon said, “We didn’t discuss it but I was not surprised.” I’m not sure yet what else was left in the air, but the Invest in Kids Act extension springs to mind. The income tax credit program to fund private school scholarships will now sunset at the end of December, but we’ve known that was going to happen for quite a while. * Background is here if you need it. Subscribers know more about this…
It can’t move without the sponsor’s permission, so Guzzardi doesn’t have to hope for anything…
* Sun-Times…
* US Attorney’s office in Chicago…
* And, finally, Jim Paul has been a House doorman for 22 years and is retiring. The House gave him a nice sendoff today. Congratulations, Mr. Paul!..  …Adding… One more…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WSPY | Montgomery State Rep. arrested for DUI: In a Montgomery Police Department report, obtained by WSPY news, an officer says that he located [Illinois Representative Matt Hanson] asleep in his vehicle in the 2000 block of Jericho Road on October 27 at around 10:30. The vehicle was said to be parked on two spots and had its taillights on. […] “I am deeply disappointed by my own conduct, and I accept full responsibility for my actions. I’m committed to ensuring this is the only time I ever exercise such poor judgment. I plan to undergo an alcohol evaluation, complete any treatment or education that evaluation recommends, and accept all terms the court deems fit. My focus is on the work I need to do for myself and for the people who have entrusted me to represent them.” * Sun-Times | Ed Burke trial on hold for a week after lawyer tests positive for COVID: The judge and the lawyers still haven’t finished jury selection in the highly anticipated case. Thirty-eight potential jurors have survived questioning. Nine more must make it through the process without being struck for cause to round out the panel after lawyers exercise peremptory strikes. [US District Judge Virginia Kendall] intended to push lawyers to finish jury selection by lunchtime Thursday. Now the trial is on hold entirely. The lawyers who came to court Thursday were all wearing face masks. So was Burke. * Tribune | Chicago police officer charged with felony battery after video shows him hitting an 8th grader: The felony charge against Craig Lancaster, 55, come less than two weeks after the Chicago Tribune published a video of the altercation, which shows the veteran officer hitting 14-year-old JaQuwaun Williams near his throat as the boy walked into Gresham Elementary School on May 18. The video, which has no sound, does not show the teen interacting with Lancaster before the physical contact or doing anything obvious to provoke it. * Daily-Journal | Electric school buses begin to arrive in Herscher: Two of the 25 electric buses going to Herscher Community Unit School District 2 were delivered Thursday. The remaining 23 are scheduled for delivery in late summer 2024. When taking one for a test drive, Decman marveled at the sound coming from the vehicle — or rather, the lack of sound — as the bus traveled in near silence. * Daily-Journal | Gift from Kankakee as city OKs $85K to Gift of God: The $85,000 pledged to aid improvements at Kankakee County’s lone fixed-based homeless shelter has been officially approved, and the North Fifth Avenue church and shelter location will likely have the money prior to December. […] Gift of God is having extensive and required upgrades to the site completed. To comply with fire prevention standards, the property needed to be equipped with the sprinkler system. The cost is $100,000 and the work is largely complete. * Tribune | Under new CEO, Walgreens prepares for 267 corporate layoffs: None of the layoffs will impact retail employees at Walgreens stores. Workers at call centers and micro fulfillment centers — where prescription medications are shipped directly to pharmacies, sometimes with the aid of robots — will not be part of this round of layoffs either. * Sun-Times | Streeterville boutique hotel becoming homeless shelter, prompting staff layoffs: The shelter is expected to open next month, house 116 people and remain open for up to seven months. It is part of an unfolding city plan to provide “an additional 300 emergency shelter beds,” Reese said. It will be staffed by Equitable Social Solutions, a Kentucky-based company, according to the Illinois Secretary of State database. * AP | Biden celebrates a labor deal saving an Illinois auto plant as he promotes a worker-centered economy: The reopening “goes to the heart of who he is, the heart of his vision for the country and how he’s led,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, White House deputy chief of staff. Stellantis, the maker of Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles, agreed to hire back 1,200 employees to build pickup trucks and to add 1,300 more workers for a battery factory. * WBEZ | Working in-person costs employees $51 a day over remote work, survey finds: The average per-day cost for employees working in-person: $8 for parking, $13 for breakfast or coffee, $16 on lunch, $14 commuting, and $20 for pet care for those who need it. More companies are calling employees back to the office even though only 22% want to be there. In-person work climbed from 44% in 2022 to 66% this year, according to the survey. Hybrid schedules have held steady, at about 25% of those surveyed. * Sun-Times | Supreme Court hears decorated Army vet’s claim that VA shortchanged his GI Bill benefits: The case, Rudisill v. McDonough, concerns military veterans who’ve earned college benefits under both the Montgomery GI Bill, which pays tuition, and the newer, more generous Post-9/11 GI Bill, which pays tuition and fees, plus housing and books. The law allows vets to tap both, up to a maximum of 48 months. […] The Virginia resident contends that the “absurd” way the Department of Veterans Affairs oversees benefits shortchanged him out of 12 months of schooling. * NPR Illinois | Quad Cities airport considers future spaceport: The Moline airport is conducting a study to see how much money and work it would take to add a spaceport in the next twenty years. Spokeswoman Ashleigh Davis says it could become a “horizontal launch” site. “Planes would use the existing ten thousand foot runway that the airport has, they would take off just like a regular commercial aircraft would, however they would have a different system that they’d switch on, a different fueling mechanism, that would allow them to travel into space.” * AP | In Wisconsin, the old fashioned cocktail come with brandy. Lawmakers want to make it official.: It’s a resolution, not a bill, so even if passed by the Assembly and Senate the brandy old fashioned won’t make it onto the list of other official state symbols that include milk as the official beverage, kringle as the official pastry and corn as the official grain. Getting that level of recognition, enshrined in the state’s “Blue Book,” requires introduction of a bill, a public hearing and then the signature of the governor. * Block Club | Chicago’s Hottest Music Venue Is a Concrete Pillar In The Chicago River: Since then, the concrete structure that Kinsinger calls an “island” has hosted multiple “Secret River” shows, delighting fans and confused passersby alike. This year’s concert series features two bands alongside Lawrence Tome, the local band fronted by Kinsinger. The fifth and final show of the year will take place 11:11 a.m. Saturday. * Patch | Super El Niño Winter: What IL Might See For Snow: The Climate Prediction Center says with 100 percent certainty the strengthening El Niño weather pattern will last through early winter, and with 90 percent certainty that it will last until spring. The agency, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, expects the El Niño pattern to bring warmer than normal conditions to Illinois this winter. * AP | Last 12 months on Earth were the hottest ever recorded, analysis finds: The last 12 months were the hottest Earth has ever recorded, according to a new report by Climate Central, a nonprofit science research group. The peer-reviewed report says burning gasoline, coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels that release planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide, and other human activities, caused the unnatural warming from November 2022 to October 2023.
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Clean Air, Big Savings Central To Fleet Electrification Policy
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] North Illinois has some of the worst air quality in the country, in large part due to heavy freight traffic. Converting just 3 in 10 heavy-duty trucks in Illinois from gas to electric would save $5.8 BILLION in health care costs and over 600 lives. Incentivizing fleet owners to go electric improves air quality, especially in heavy transit corridors. States like Nevada have incentivized the transition of school bus fleets from gas to electric, and Illinois can do the same to prevent children from breathing dirty air on their ride to school. Illinois children deserve clean air now and a healthy future. Fortunately, there are bills in front of the Illinois State House and Senate right now that can help transition whole fleets of large trucks to electric – saving lives and saving money. Our legislators must support. More here.
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*** UPDATED x2 *** Senate and House tweak their respective elected Chicago school board bills
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Senate President Don Harmon just introduced a new proposal (click here) that he said addresses the House’s concerns…
There’s not enough time left on the clock to create non-partisan primaries next year, so this kicks that issue to 2026. * Harmon also mentioned that the House has introduced a trailer “cleanup” bill for their elected Chicago school board measure. The language is on House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 2324. The amendment is said to be designed to address Senate President Don Harmon’s objections to the original bill’s “woefully inadequate ethical provisions”…
So, we still have two competing bills. …Adding… Isabel asked Senate President Harmon whether there was an agreement yet between the two chambers. “We’re still working on it,” Harmon said. “Our amendment definitely incorporated some of the good ideas from the House bill, and I’m very pleased that they are incorporating the ethics provisions from our bill. These are all positive things.” *** UPDATE 1 *** The House just passed its cleanup bill, SB2324, on a 99-1 roll call. *** UPDATE 2 *** The House has adjourned. That means either the Senate takes up the House legislation, or nothing gets done during veto.
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Here’s How To Make The Tax Credit Scholarship Better
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] We’ve been listening carefully to the governor, legislative leaders, and many members of the legislature about how to make the Tax Credit Scholarship better – and we now have an amended program proposal that does exactly that. Thousands of vulnerable kids are counting on us to put them before politics. In response to direct feedback, our bill offers substantive improvements along with good-faith compromises which justify extending the Tax Credit Scholarship Program:
2. Reduce the overall size of the program to $50MM (down from $75MM) and reduce the individual giving cap to $500,000 (down from $1MM). 3. Reduce the tax credit for donors to 55% (down from 75%). 4. Encourage more middle-income donors by crediting donations of up to $5,000 with a 100% tax credit. Illinois, let’s do the right thing. It’s about the kids, not the politics. Save the scholarships.
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Unclear on several concepts
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Paul Vallas uses his latest Tribune op-ed to give Gov. Pritzker advice on asylum-seekers. Most of what he’s suggesting sounds like it’s coming from Facebook comments (I’ve seen versions of all of them on that site) and includes this idea…
1) Pritzker has already declared a disaster. It’s been in place for more than a year…
2) This is what Paul Vallas said about COVID-19 executive orders issued by Pritzker and Lori Lightfoot…
3) Vallas also clearly has no understanding of the TRUST Act, which is about local law enforcement non-cooperation on federal civil immigration issues…
* Another genius Vallas suggestion…
How can the state legally transport people across state lines against their will? You want to round them up at gunpoint and send them elsewhere? Really, tough guy? * Another plan…
I asked the governor’s office about this months ago and was told that, without federal assistance, using the National Guard would be too costly. It’s simply cheaper to contract with staffing companies, I was told. * Another…
We talked about this just the other day. There’s just no work-around on federal law. Also, giving the migrants state work permits would essentially be handing a paper trail to the federal government, which could then use that evidence to deport them for working illegally and could make the state and employers liable.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Despite huge federal grant, small modular nuclear power plant project goes belly-up after costs skyrocket
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * AP…
The bill now heads to the House for concurrence. * Reuters…
* Some context on that $89 per megawatt hour price…
*** UPDATE *** The House just passed the nuke bill 98-8. …Adding… IMA…
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The White Sox just can’t seem to do anything right
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The White Sox just lost arguably the best play-by-play announcer in baseball to… Detroit? What?…
Detroit? * Seriously?…
Sell. The. Team…
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Bost announces Jordan endorsement
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Shot…
* Chaser…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Open thread
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: It’s the last day of veto session. Here’s a breakdown on what’s happened so far from Capitol News Illinois…
- Yesterday, the Senate passed a measure that would require the state to purchase exclusively “zero-emission vehicles,” such as electric vehicles, after Jan. 1, 2030. - A measure that would allow legislative staff to unionize, appears to have stalled in the Senate after clearing the House with broad Democratic support during the first week of veto session. * Related stories… ∙ Crain’s: Illinois Senate OKs bill lifting ban on constructing new nukes ∙ WCIA: Proposal ending Illinois’ new nuclear power plant ban passes Senate ∙ Center Square: Illinois legislators return for final day this year with unfinished business * Isabel’s top picks… * Tribune | Democrats still divided over transition to Chicago elected school board; chances dim for private school tax credit extension: With one session day remaining on the legislative calendar for 2023, the House voted 78-33 to approve boundary lines for 20 districts that eventually will each elect a representative to the school board and a plan to have 10 members chosen by voters in the 2024 election, with the remaining 10 and a board president appointed by the city’s mayor. * Sun-Times | Incomplete grade? Chicago elected school board plan stalls amid House, Senate divisions: “We are concerned with the failure to include strong ethical safeguards in the legislation the House approved,” Harmon said in a statement released after the Senate adjourned. Harmon wrote that there is no prohibition on executives and employees of school district contractors and vendors being able to serve on the board. He also stated that those who offered testimony during several Senate hearings about the elected school board stressed the importance of electing all 20 board members next year, which anchors his proposal. * WGN | Dolton dysfunction: Bills go unpaid amid questionable expenses: WGN Investigates also obtained copies of the township’s credit card statements, too. It showed township taxpayers also spent money on the Vegas trip. Charges included more than $8,400 for hotels; $587 at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and $3,741, just on Henyard’s roundtrip flight. During the recent interview, WGN Investigates asked Henyard if she flew first class. “Any other questions?” was her only response. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup… * WICA | Bill to get IDFPR new licensing software passes Senate unanimously: A bill sponsored by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) would expedite the process to get new software to speed up the licensing process for all industries across the state. The bill would also make IDFPR extend expiration dates or renewal periods if the secretary finds operational need to do so or if it would avoid hardship on a profession’s licensees. * Tribune | Opening statements near in historic corruption trial of ex-Ald. Edward Burke as sluggish jury selection nears end: “I’m going to make you get the openings out before the weekend, so we can get to the evidence by Monday,” U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall told attorneys before breaking for the day Wednesday evening. Friday is a court holiday. * Sun-Times | Judge promises opening statements in Ed Burke’s trial by Thursday afternoon: Though Kendall insisted opening statements would begin Thursday afternoon — and lawyers began preparing accordingly — it will require jury selection to speed up dramatically. The 38 potential jurors who have survived the questioning amount to about 12 per day. Kendall has given lawyers a half-day to pick nine more. * Daily Southtown | Calumet City alderman says filing complaint led to Mayor Thaddeus Jones harming his business: A Calumet City alderman said his consulting business has suffered after Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who is also a state representative, sent an email to Democratic colleagues urging them to cease doing business with him. The email advised other legislators not to use the services of 1833 Group, the consulting company run by 6th Ward Ald. James “JR” Patton. Patton said he lost three clients from the email but declined to provide information on them. * SJ-R | Turner bill amended after property dispute between landowner, District 186 resolved: Springfield resident Joyce Downey has owned the vacant lots on 521 and 523 W. Monroe St. since 1998, according to Sangamon County property records. The district had previously offered the fair market value of $69,000, but Downey wanted more than $200,000. Now, both parties have agreed to a $100,000 deal for the property transaction. District spokeswoman Rachel Dyas said a school board vote scheduled for Nov. 20 will be the final step before the contract is approved. * Sun-Times | Bally’s temporary Chicago casino sees average daily revenue drop in first full month: Bally’s adjusted gross revenue — its profit after paying winners — shook out to about $245,446 per day in October, down from an average of roughly $278,268 from its Sept. 9 opening through the end of that month. […] Bally’s reported more than 83,000 admissions in October, an average of about 2,681 visits per day. That’s down about 20% from the average of 3,347 who walked through the turnstiles on average each day in its inaugural weeks. * Crain’s | Johnson taps new legislative liaison to City Council: Johnson has already tapped Sydney Holman, a lobbyist at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, to serve as his next head of intergovernmental affairs — an often behind-the-scenes but crucial post that guides the mayor’s agenda and manages relationships with the City Council and state legislators. * Crain’s | Hotel near Mag Mile set to become a temporary homeless shelter: Mayoral spokesman Ronnie Reese confirmed in a statement to Crain’s that the Selina Hotel at 100 E. Chestnut St. will be used as a shelter beginning next month “for Chicago’s unhoused” with support from an Illinois Department of Human Services grant. The hotel, formerly known as the Tremont Chicago, will house up to 116 people and is expected to operate as a shelter for up to seven months, according to Reese. * WBEZ | Suburban Chicago Islamic school copes with fear, sadness after threat: Principal Tammie Ismail, like many, feels that dehumanizing rhetoric spread by U.S. politicians and media about Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs in the wake of the war in Gaza has inspired hate that’s endangering her students. * WTTW | Push for Reparations in Chicago Gets New Life as Johnson Earmarks $500K for New Panel: “These are the first dollars spent in this city to begin the process of studying both restoration and reparations,” Johnson said. “When residents who have experienced neglect and disinvestment for generations speak out of their pain and their trauma, this administration and the Black Caucus we hear you.” * ABC Chicago | City council disruptions from gallery prompt call for changes for workplace safety: Tuesday a committee meeting had to recess because things got so chaotic, and some alderpersons are now expressing concerns about their safety. The alders that spoke with ABC7 said they can’t ever remember things being this bad, and they want disrupters put on notice that if they can’t behave in public meetings, they can’t participate. * Crain’s | Northwestern’s stadium fate is up to Evanston’s mayor: The fate of Northwestern University’s $800 million football stadium reconstruction project hinges on the choice of Evanston’s first-term Mayor Daniel Biss. With Evanston City Council members evenly divided on the controversial project, Biss will cast the tiebreaking vote when the council makes the final call at a meeting scheduled for Monday. * NYT | Striking Actors and Hollywood Studios Agree to a Deal: The Writers Guild of America, which represents 11,500 screenwriters, reached a tentative agreement with studios on Sept. 24 and ended its 148-day strike on Sept. 27. In the coming days, SAG-AFTRA members will vote on whether to accept their union’s deal, which includes hefty gains, like increases in compensation for streaming shows and films, better health care funding, concessions from studios on self-taped auditions, and guarantees that studios will not use artificial intelligence to create digital replicas of their likenesses without payment or approval. * AP | A judge is set to hear arguments as Michigan activists try to keep Trump off the ballot: Activists — in two separate suits — point to a section of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment that prohibits a person from running for federal office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. or given aid or comfort to those who have. * Tribune | Obama Presidential Center museum director aims for history, context: During an exclusive interview, Bernard said she has grappled with how to approach Obama’s history and the controversies and challenges from his two terms in office, and present them at an institution critics worry will turn into yet another of the presidential “temples of spin” instead of an unbiased reflection of the time.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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