Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WBEZ…
A miscalculation by the state of Illinois is putting in jeopardy after-school programs that serve about 27,000 students across the state. […]
During the pandemic, the state awarded a new set of programs 21st Century grants and allowed organizations to keep unspent money, not realizing this would result in insufficient funding to continue funding longtime recipients. ISBE estimates this could result in a shortfall of up to $15 million.
“ISBE did not adequately forecast the fiscal impact of these programmatic decisions,” spokeswoman Jackie Matthews said in a statement “ISBE is in the process of establishing new internal fiscal and communications protocols to prevent this type of situation moving forward.”
The state recently told some organizations their grants wouldn’t be renewed after they expired this year, and there would be no application for new grants. This group of recipients had been receiving about $9.7 million, with some getting these grants for decades.
Another group of grantees were promised $15 million through next school year, but the state admits it doesn’t have any 21st Century money left. The Illinois State Board of Education says it has asked the U.S. Department of Education if other money could be made available.
* Here’s an update from Alice Yin on asylum-seeker evictions yesterday…
* WBEZ…
To prevent the movement of invasive carp into the Great Lakes, the states of Illinois and Michigan and the Army Corps of Engineers need to sign an agreement — but for months they have been locked in a stalemate over what comes next.
Documents obtained by WBEZ show that Illinois wants a better deal that leaves the door open for more federal funding and an incremental construction process.
“While the federal government has determined this project is of the highest priority, the taxpayers of Illinois and Michigan should not be the only states to carry the burden of the non-federal share of funding when the entire Great Lakes region will certainly experience the devastating impact of inaction,” according to a letter signed by Gov. JB Pritzker to the U.S. Army. […]
To protect the lakes, the federal government will pay for 90% of the costs of the project and Illinois and Michigan will pick up the tab on g the 10%. To date, Illinois has already committed $50 million in state funding to the project. But the governor’s letter shows that Pritzker is wary of overcommitting Illinois taxpayers.
* Press release…
Senate Democrats to outline measure to strengthen child labor laws
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ existing child labor laws have not been substantially updated since the industrial era – nor have they been brought into alignment with the prevailing service economy of the 21st century.
To better safeguard the rights and well-being of the state’s youngest residents, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus are working to strengthen child labor laws through a measure they will outline at a press conference Friday.
WHO: State Senators Robert Peters (D-Chicago), Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) and Christopher Belt (D-Swansea), as well as AFL-CIO Legislative Director Frances Orenic, and Illinois Department of Labor Legislative Policy Director Anna Koeppel
WHAT: Press conference on strengthening child labor laws
WHEN: Friday, March 22 at 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Blue Room, Illinois State Capitol and live on BlueRoomStream.com
* And…
* Here’s the rest…
* NBC Chicago | DMV facilities in Illinois back up and running after ‘network outage’: Secretary of State: Drivers License facilities and DMVs in Illinois are back up and running following a nationwide “network outage,” the Illinois Secretary of State said Thursday afternoon. […] Around 12 p.m., Giannoulias told NBC Chicago systems in Illinois were “back up and running.”It wasn’t immediately clear if a network outage remained at other DMV locations across the country.
* Illinois Times | Springfield doctors join push for statewide insurance reform: Dr. Mary Dobbins, a pediatrician and child psychiatrist at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, also testified and said at the news conference that the bill “literally addresses life-and-death issues.” She said the ongoing shortage of mental-health professionals is “artificially magnified” by insurance requirements and restrictions. “Care is commonly delayed, inaccessible, inadequate or even completely denied,” she said.
* Tribune | Judge rules CPD officers accused of serious misconduct may choose arbitration, but hearings to remain public: “The restriction of public access to arbitrations for serious police discipline is a direct contravention of the well-defined and dominant public policy of accountability and transparency of the government services in general and the Chicago Police Department specifically,” Mullen wrote. “The Neutral Chair’s decision that the arbitration of any cases where discipline could result in dismissal or suspension in excess of 365 days must proceed in private is against a dominant and well-defined public policy.”
* Daily Herald | Fewer than 50 votes separate McHenry County Board candidates; race still too close to call:
Less than 50 votes separate incumbent Eric Hendricks of Lake in the Hills and former board member Robert “Bob” Nowak of Algonquin. Hendricks is ahead in the unofficial totals. McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio said the next update on the votes will be after they’re canvassed on April 8. He said the low turnout was a big reason the clerk’s office isn’t likely to give periodic updates as votes come in since there is a potential to publicize someone’s vote.
* Tribune | All eyes on election authorities as race for state’s attorney remains tight: Processing of mail ballots will begin Thursday, and scanning and counting kicks off Friday. The first updated unofficial election results should be available by Friday evening, Bever said. Between 40% and 60% of outstanding mail ballots have been returned in the two most recent Chicago elections, according to a Tribune analysis, so it is possible the return rate is closer to about 55,000 for Chicago alone. However, given the historically low voter turnout in this election, that number could be even lower.
* WBEZ | She called the number on her syllabus offering counseling. No one picked up: So she left, worked at Target for a year then transferred to the University of Illinois Chicago. That’s when she recognized she needed help processing all the change and upheaval she’d experienced. […] “I called them a couple times and it all went to voicemail … I also emailed. There was never a response,” said Dizon, now a junior and a graphic design major. “It was kind of like, ‘Well, you’re all on your own,’ and ‘You have to be tough.’ … I just wish they picked up.”
* Crain’s | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first chief of staff quits less than a year into the job: Guidice was not expected to be a long-term aide to Johnson, but it was anticipated he would stay on through the DNC. City Hall veterans and members of the City Council described Guidice’s role as becoming tenuous under Johnson in recent months as he’s been left out of important meetings where a chief of staff would traditionally be included.
* Sun-Times | Johnson doubles down, appoints official negligent in Little Village dust storm debacle to run Buildings Department: Mayor Brandon Johnson officially appointed Marlene Hopkins, the Buildings Department employee who oversaw a botched implosion of a Little Village coal plant smokestack four years ago, to be the city’s top official responsible for making sure buildings, as well as demolitions, are safe for the public. The appointment must be confirmed by the City Council.
* Tribune | Judge rules CPD officers accused of serious misconduct may choose arbitration, but hearings to remain public: “The restriction of public access to arbitrations for serious police discipline is a direct contravention of the well-defined and dominant public policy of accountability and transparency of the government services in general and the Chicago Police Department specifically,” Mullen wrote. “The Neutral Chair’s decision that the arbitration of any cases where discipline could result in dismissal or suspension in excess of 365 days must proceed in private is against a dominant and well-defined public policy.”
* Tribune | Sex assault lawsuit against former CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson dismissed by judge: On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo granted motions for summary judgment filed by both Johnson and the city. “The basic problem with Donald’s claim is that virtually all the evidence of her conduct suggests that she welcomed and was an active participant in her relationship with Johnson,” Bucklo wrote. “The explanation that her friendly, welcoming behavior was an attempt to appease Johnson and make her life more bearable is unavailing because the relevant inquiry considers the objective nature of her conduct as it would appear to Johnson, not solely her subjective intent.”
* Tribune | March Madness sports betting big business in Illinois, but Bally’s Chicago remains on the sidelines: March Madness tipped off Wednesday with a record $2.72 billion expected to be legally wagered on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments over the next 2½ weeks, according to the American Gaming Association. A lot of that money will be wagered in Illinois, the third-largest sports betting market in the U.S. None of that money, however, will run through Bally’s Chicago, the city’s first casino, which has yet to open its promised sportsbook.
* WGN | Illinois State Police to increase compensation for new troopers: ISP announced in a news release Thursday that effective July 1, new troopers will earn a total compensation above $90,000 upon graduation from the Illinois State Police Academy. According to the release, “With the tight labor market, the increase in starting pay and benefits for first-year troopers allows ISP to remain competitive and attract qualified candidates who are dedicated to pursuing justice and protecting the public.”
* NBC Chicago | Suburban school board members face calls to resign over handling of former staff member’s criminal conduct allegations: “Superintendent? Any plans for you to resign?” NBC Chicago’s Evrod Cassimy said. “No comment,” Fenton School District 100 Superintendent James Ontengco said. Board President Cary Lewis also resisted calls for resignation, answering “absolutely not” to questions regarding his future.
* Illinois Times | Building “an ecosystem of solutions” on the east side: New city, state funding for CAP 1908 will allow for acquisition of two adjacent buildings
* WTTW | ‘Dream Realized’ as Illinois Conservation Groups Add 1,000 Acres to Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge: The 985-acre farm is now the single largest property within the boundaries of the refuge, which was established in 2012 and encompasses four conservation core areas that straddle McHenry County in Illinois and Walworth County in Wisconsin, all within the Nippersink Creek Watershed. […] “It’s an extraordinary property,” Emy Brawley, Illinois state director for the Conservation Fund, told WTTW News. “It’s really rare to have a parcel that’s this big.”
* Block Club | Vic Mensa Surprises Da Book Joint With Check To Cover A Year’s Rent: What a difference a few months can make. After Block Club reported on their decision to keep the store open, the mother and daughter team have been buoyed by an outpouring of community love, an appearance on the “Today” show and — most recently — a donation from South Side rapper Vic Mensa that will keep the lights on for a year.
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Poulos* loses big
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember this candidate?…
When he announced his candidacy for Cook County judge, Chicago Police Lt. John D. Poulos touted the opportunity to “continue my public service, which spans 23 years.”
It’s a career mired in controversy and allegations of dishonesty from the start, an Injustice Watch investigation shows.
An analysis of thousands of documents from internal police investigations, lawsuits, and county and federal court records reveals a man whose credibility was repeatedly called into question — and a police department’s repeated failures to discipline him.
Poulos’ tarnished track record includes two fatal shootings, omitting previous arrests on his application to become a police officer, inappropriate business dealings while he was on an extended leave of absence from the police department, and blocking undocumented domestic violence victims from applying for legal status.
Police officials tried to fire Poulos in 2017 but failed primarily because they took more than a decade to file the charges. […]
Last month, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias — whose office oversees the state’s 140,000 notaries — opened a misconduct investigation into Poulos after he notarized documents in a case in which he had a personal stake. If true, it would be a violation of the state’s Notary Public Act, which says notaries “shall not acknowledge any instrument in which the notary’s name appears as a party in the transaction.” […]
Poulos has the deepest war chest in the race, thanks to a $500,000 loan from his wife, Marjorie Schwartz Poulos, an executive at a Wisconsin-based consumer lender.
Poulos busted the contribution caps, but finished a distant fourth in a four-way race, scoring just 4.52 percent.
Money doesn’t always win.
Big hat tip to Injustice Watch, by the way. It not only published that expose on Poulos, it also published a well-researched list of judicial candidates with notations about those with significant past controversies. The rest of the news media could learn a very valuable lesson from them.
* Injustice Watch’s list of apparent winners…
• In the 3rd subcircuit, Lucy Vasquez-Gonzalez, a solo practitioner who focuses on family law.
• In the 7th, Judge Owens J. Shelby, an appointed Cook County judge who hears traffic cases, is on his way to defeating repeat candidate Deirdre Bauman.
• In the 10th, James V. Murphy, a former assistant Cook County state’s attorney.
• In the 14th, Griselda Vega Samuel, a lawyer for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, trounced repeat candidate Steve Demitro.
• In the 15th, Luciano “Lou” Panici Jr., a Chicago Heights lawyer and son of a Cook County associate judge.
• In the 19th, Bridget Colleen Duignan, a Beverly personal injury lawyer, defeated two opponents including former Oak Lawn Village President Dave Heilmann and Risa Renee Lanier, second-in-command to Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
• In the 20th, Nadine Jean Wichern, a lawyer for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, beat Nickolas Pappas, Michael J. Zink and John Poulos, a Chicago police officer with a career tarnished by controversy, allegations of dishonesty and two fatal shootings.
[* Poulos is not related to Local 150 honcho and Statehouse denizen Marc Poulos, by the way. I just wanted to have a little fun with him in the headline.]
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* The way the state’s student assessments are calculated has allowed some of the usual suspects to twist the results into claiming that Illinois is an abject failure. For instance, this is from a Wall Street Journal editorial…
No one thought Illinois schools were a shining beacon in the education landscape, but we didn’t know how truly awful so many of them are. A new report by Wirepoints using the state’s data shows that an epidemic of indifferent instruction and social promotion has left children unable to perform at even the most basic educational level.
* In the real world, our benchmark standards are higher than almost all other states…
Illinois has some of the most rigorous learning standards in the nation: ranking fourth most rigorous for 4th grade reading and fifth most rigorous for 8th grade reading. In Illinois, a student needs to earn a level of 4 or 5 to be considered proficient.
In comparison, the rigor of Florida’s standards ranks 39th and 42nd, respectively, and a student only needs to earn a level 3 on the state assessment to be considered proficient.
(This was a Bruce Rauner initiative, by the way. Seems almost as if he designed it to deliberately make Illinois look bad so that pointy wires and others could scream bloody murder about the evil teachers unions.)
* This is how State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders recently explained what’s going on…
Imagine you have a child competing in a track meet. She has trained diligently for her event – the 100-meter hurdles – but to qualify for the medal round, she must finish in the top three in her heat. As the runners take their places at the starting line, you can feel your heartbeat quicken.
And they’re off! Your daughter is first out of the blocks, but it’s apparent as she crosses each hurdle that she is falling further and further behind the leaders. In a flash the race is over, and despite a valiant effort your daughter finishes fourth.
As you head to the finish line to console your child, you notice something odd out of the corner of your eye. The hurdles in your daughter’s lane are not the same height as those in other lanes – in fact, they are about six inches higher! When you find a track official and point out the clearly uneven playing field, the official appears sympathetic but shrugs his shoulders. “That’s the way we’ve set up this event for as long as I can remember,” he explains. “I know it’s unfair,” he adds, “but I don’t make the rules.”
Sounds ridiculous, right? Something that would never happen. And yet, that’s essentially what’s happening to students in Illinois today. Our current system of student assessment, which should be designed to accurately determine which students are on pace to succeed in college or career, is asking Illinois students to jump over hurdles that are higher than those faced by students in other states.
* Red Bud High School Principal…
* Back to Superintendent Sanders…
Our cut scores for proficiency are 60 points higher in English language arts and 10 points higher in math than the College Board’s national college readiness benchmarks, which indicate a 75% chance of earning at least a C in first-semester, credit-bearing college courses. It’s an uneven playing field that is sending the wrong messages to students and families across Illinois, and it’s been that way for nearly a decade.
Realigning student assessment is one way we can create a more equitable education system, and it isn’t the only way. We also need to reevaluate how schools themselves are assessed. When there are schools with 0% of students proficient in English language arts or math in the same category as schools that have 80% of students proficient and all are labeled “commendable,” we must acknowledge there’s a problem. When 73% of our schools are labeled “commendable,” despite performance indicators that may be telling a different story, we have to agree it’s time to solve that problem.
If we are to provide a statewide system of support that effectively and equitably directs resources to the places of greatest need, we simply must have more accurate measurements of student success and school performance. […]
Over the next two years ISBE will undergo a process to engage stakeholders across the state in updating and providing feedback on our ESSA State Plan.
Not a bad idea, but the ISBE definitely needs to do both of the things that Sanders mentioned: Align our assessment system with the rest of the country, and tackle the all-too real problems some schools face.
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* United States District Judge Steven C. Seeger is now officially my hero…
More than a decade ago, Governor Rod Blagojevich left the Dirksen Federal Building in disgrace. He was charged, tried, and convicted of more than ten counts of corruption. He received a sentence of 14 years, and the Seventh Circuit largely affirmed. “The evidence, much of it from Blagojevich’s own mouth, is overwhelming.” See United States v. Blagojevich, 794 F.3d 729, 734 (7th Cir. 2015).
While the charges were pending, the Illinois General Assembly took decisive action to remove him from public office. Blagojevich inspired bipartisanship. The Illinois House of Representatives impeached him by a vote of 117-1, and the Illinois Senate convicted and removed him from office by a vote of 59-0.
At that point, Blagojevich’s career came to a close. The music stopped, the curtain fell, and he exited stage left.
He’s back.
Blagojevich didn’t have a graceful exit from public life. It was disgraceful. And by the look of things, it wasn’t even an exit. Because Blagojevich wants back in the game, and back on center stage, microphone in hand.
Blagojevich served almost eight years in prison, before receiving a presidential commutation. After regaining his freedom, Blagojevich wants to regain the ability to represent the good people of Illinois. So he came back to the Dirksen Federal Building, hoping for a warmer reception and a new lease on political life.
Blagojevich unveiled a two-count pro se complaint under section 1983 and neighboring provisions, challenging the treatment that he received in the Illinois legislature. The first count seeks an injunction to “enjoin the State of Illinois and all of its component parts from enforcing the State Senate’s disqualifying provision which denies Plaintiff his right to run for office in Illinois in violation of the Sixth Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.” See Cplt., at 9 (Dckt. No. 1). The second count seeks a “declaratory judgement [sic] rendering the State Senate’s disqualifying provision as null and void because it violates the First Amendment rights of the voters of Illinois.” Id.
He adds that the “people’s right to vote is a fundamental right.” Id. And by that, Blagojevich apparently means the fundamental right to vote for him.
The complaint is riddled with problems. If the problems are fish in a barrel, the complaint contains an entire school of tuna. It is a target-rich environment. The complaint is an Issue-Spotting Wonderland.
Hilarious.
* There’s far too much to excerpt, but here’s the end…
All of these problems, and perhaps more, stand in the way of his claim. The simple reality is that federal courts have no role to play when it comes to a state impeachment. The state legislature decided to remove Blagojevich from public life, and it is not the place of a federal court to bring him back.
The case began with great fanfare. Surrounded by microphones and cameras, with a gaggle of press in tow, Blagojevich announced to the world that he might want a sequel in public life.
The book is closed. The last page already turned, and the final chapter of his public life is over. The case never should have been filed. Read generally Dr. Seuss, Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! (1972) (“The time has come. The time has come. The time is now. Just Go. Go. GO! I don’t care how. You can go by foot. You can go by cow. Marvin K. Mooney, will you please go now!”).
The case started with a megaphone, but it ends with a whimper. Sometimes cases in the federal courthouse attract publicity. But the courthouse is no place for a publicity stunt.
He wants back. But he’s already gone. Case dismissed.
Seriously, do yourself a favor and go read the whole thing. It’s as close to perfection as a human being can achieve.
…Adding… Idiocy…
If federal judges shouldn’t decide this, then why file a federal lawsuit?
There should be sanctions here.
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* Press release…
Governor Pritzker, joined by Illinois film officials and stakeholders, will depart Sunday, March 24 for an economic development mission to California to promote Illinois to business and film industry leaders. Building on the success of Illinois’ Illinois Film Production Services Tax Credit, the Governor, alongside representatives from the Illinois Film Office and Illinois Production Alliance, will meet with major studios and distributors to discuss increased opportunities for investment in Illinois.
“The strides Illinois has made in growing our film and television production sector in recent years is nothing short of remarkable, and it’s time to ensure that every production company and studio knows exactly what we can offer them here in the Land of Lincoln,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This trip will be a chance to shed a light on what the Illinois Film Production Services Tax Credit as well as our increased film infrastructure can offer companies who may be looking to expand beyond Southern California.”
“When production companies choose Illinois, they not only get the benefits of the state’s Film Production Services Tax Credit, gorgeous locations, and top-flight infrastructure across the state, they also get access to a dedicated, talented workforce,” said Christine Dudley, Executive Director of the Illinois Production Alliance. “One thing that everyone agrees on – labor, business, and government alike – is that bringing more film and television production to Illinois benefits everyone.”
“Through the competitive tax credit incentive enacted by Governor Pritzker, Illinois’ film industry is breaking records and proving its reputation as an industry leader,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “The Illinois Film Office welcomes the opportunity to tout our successes while showing Hollywood studios and companies why they should consider doing business in Illinois.”
Governor Pritzker will begin his trip in the San Francisco Bay area, meeting with business executives to promote Illinois’s investments in quantum computing and manufacturing. Following these meetings, the Governor will depart to Los Angeles for several days of meetings with film studio executives and major production companies to discuss Illinois’s tax credit for film production and other attractive incentives for the film industry. Governor Pritzker will be joined by representatives from the Illinois Film Office and the Illinois Production Alliance.
In 2022, Governor Pritzker extended the landmark film industry tax credit through 2032. The incentive program, which offers tax credits for local labor and production expenditures, has been a key factor in Illinois landing major productions. Recently Illinois broke previous records for the film industry investment with 2022 seeing $700 million in production expenditures– far exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The State’s tax credit has resulted in a $6.81 return on investment for every dollar spent on the incentive, resulting in $3.6 billion in economic activity between FY17 and FY22. 94 percent of Illinois’s current film industry economic impact is attributed to the impact of the tax credit enacted by Governor Pritzker.
Discuss.
…Adding… Sun-Times…
Pritzker also plans to fundraise for the convention’s Host Committee and for abortion rights ballot initiatives in Arizona and Nevada. The money raised would go directly towards the initiatives, not to Pritzker’s political advocacy group Think Big America, a Pritzker campaign spokeswoman said.
Pritzker in October launched the nonprofit to protect and expand abortion rights throughout the country, and has already contributed to efforts in Virginia, Nevada and Ohio.
The host committee is trying to raise between $80 million to $100 million for the August convention. Spokesman Natalie Edelstein would not disclose a fundraising tally, but said they are “well on their way” to that goal. […]
The governor’s office said Pritzker has no plans to meet with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, although his office reached out to let him know the Illinois governor would be visiting the state.
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* Press release…
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced Thursday the Teacher Shortage Working Group, designed to address the issue of vacancies in Illinois schools and exploring ways to recruit and retain qualified educators.
“School districts across the nation have been battling teacher shortages, and Illinois is not immune,” said Speaker Welch. “While we’ve done a lot of work in the legislature that has contributed to teacher workforce growth, we want to continue finding new ways to recruit, retain, and diversify the pool of professionals that will help shape our children’s futures.
“I’m creating the Teacher Shortage Working Group to ensure we’re doing all we can to attract qualified and passionate educators for our Illinois classrooms. I’ve chosen Rep. Katie Stuart to lead this group, not only because she is a former educator, but also because she has a proven record of working collaboratively and finding consensus-building solutions that will be necessary for a topic that is vitally important to our entire state.”
“I want to thank Speaker Welch for shining a light on the topic of teacher shortages in our schools,” said Rep. Stuart (D-Edwardsville). “There is nothing more important than our children’s futures and they all deserve access to quality education; that begins with dynamic, passionate, and skilled educators in every classroom. As a former teacher, I know we have some of the best teachers, administrators, and support staff in the country who care deeply about our children. We need to make sure they stay here, while also finding new ways to bring in more like-minded professionals who help us strengthen our education system.
“I look forward to the work ahead and the robust discussions with stakeholders from across the state to ensure we are helping our schools and students succeed.”
Members of the Teacher Shortage Working Group include:
• Rep. Katie Stuart
• Rep. Harry Benton
• Rep. Sharon Chung
• Rep. Fred Crespo
• Rep. Will Davis
• Rep. Laura Faver Dias
• Rep. Michelle Mussman
• Rep. Aaron Ortiz
• Rep. Sue Scherer
In recent years, the legislature has passed initiatives to simplify the licensing process for educators, lower licensing fees, and create more opportunities for future educators. Illinois has raised the minimum wage for teachers to $40,000 per year, while also investing millions into early childhood education workforce development programs and teacher preparation programs. These efforts, coupled with the passage of the Evidence Based Funding model in 2018, have resulted in Illinois’ teacher workforce and paraprofessional growth year-over-year. Still, data shows the educator pipeline has not kept pace with demand in schools. The Teacher Shortage Working Group is designed to build on this progress, while helping to fill the gaps that remain.
The most recent unfilled positions report can be found on the Illinois State Board of Education website.
Welch announced the creation of a New Arrivals Working Group in January, a Medicaid Working Group last February and four others in 2022.
Thoughts on this latest working group?
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* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is in charge of overseeing registered lobbyists, so they received this e-mail today…
Dear Registered Lobbyist,
At the Secretary of State’s office, we’re steadfast in ensuring the safety and security of all personnel, elected officials and visitors at the Capitol Building and Complex.
Last week, our State Capitol was placed on lock-down after a threatening call to the Sangamon County 911 Center triggered our alert system. While no threat was discovered, the event underscored the dedication and diligence of our emergency responders and the importance of emergency preparedness.
We’re proud of our Illinois Capitol Police command staff, investigators and security guards who responded to Tuesday’s threat quickly, efficiently and without hesitation. We also want to thank the Illinois State Police, Sangamon County Dispatch, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield City Police and Springfield Park Police for their assistance and support in sweeping and securing the Capitol grounds and all buildings on the Complex.
Below is a timeline of events:
• 1:43 p.m. — Sangamon County 911 Dispatch received the threatening message and immediately contacted the Secretary of State Police, who mobilized and deployed a SWAT team to begin securing and sweeping the Capitol Building and Complex.
• 1:57 p.m. — All buildings were officially placed on lock-down, and the shelter-in-place protocol was initiated via the Capitol Complex’s Emergency Notification System and REGROUP mass notification system.
• 2:16 p.m. — Secretary of State Police completed their grounds sweep and determined no threats existed outside.
• 2:35 p.m. — Secretary of State Police completed their floor-to-floor sweep of all Capitol Complex buildings and determined no threats existed.
• 3:00 p.m. — An all-clear message was issued via the Capitol Complex’s Emergency Notification System and REGROUP mass notification system.
We’re relieved no threat was found, but the event serves as a reminder of the dangerous world we live in and how crucial it is to be prepared for an emergency event.
That is why, the first month we took office, the administration got to work updating our Capitol Emergency Response Program, which provides an Emergency Action Guide for various emergency events and details the Lock-Down protocol. We also made sure emergency preparedness training is available to all Capitol Complex employees.
• Our office provides Capitol Emergency Awareness training on emergency protocols for anyone who works on the Capitol Complex with regular trainings held every March and September.
• Secretary of State Police also offers the training upon request by contacting SOSPoliceERP@ilsos.gov any time during the year.
• You can also sign up for our REGROUP mass notification, which is one of the quickest ways to communicate emergency events.
If you have not already, we encourage everyone to sign up for a training and to receive REGROUP alerts. Despite having these services and programs available during the last several years, only a small percentage have taken advantage of them.
At the Secretary of State’s office, we plan to require our employees to enroll in an Emergency Training class upon getting hired. We also recommend that lawmakers consider requiring that they, as well as all Capitol and Complex-based employees and frequent visitors who receive entry badges, such as lobbyists and the media, also undergo the training.
We’re relieved and grateful no threat was found and appreciative of our emergency responders’ bravery. We look forward to working with all Complex employees and elected officials to ensure we’re prepared.
Stay safe and vigilant,
Alexi Giannoulias
Illinois Secretary of State
A link to the REGROUP mass notification system was included in the email.
Anyway, your thoughts on the timeline and explanation?
…Adding… Legislative leaders and the governor’s office received a similar email on Monday. So, staff and members should be notified by them.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ABC Chicago…
The Let Parents Choose Protection Act gained momentum on Wednesday in the Illinois General Assembly.
House Bill 5380, also known as Sammy’s Law, is named after 16-year-old Sammy Chapman.
The teen died after buying fentanyl-laced drugs on Snapchat and having them delivered to his home.
Sammy’s Law would mandate social media platforms to provide data to a third-party software for parents to track their children online.
* WGEM…
The bill, which passed unanimously out of the House Consumer Protection Committee, would require large social media companies like TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, which is Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, to use third-party software companies that would alert them if their kid is getting cyber bullied, talking about suicide, buying drugs or potentially other dangerous activity on the platform.
“Social media has become a five-alarm fire for our kids, and lawmakers have been too slow to react. Our laws are outdated. They haven’t kept pace with technology. It’s only now that we’re discovering that tech has had this ability to target our children for years,” said state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenveiw, the bill’s sponsor.
She said similar legislation has been filed in California and at the federal level.
The bill would give the Illinois Attorney General’s Office the power to go after large social media companies that don’t comply. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul also voiced support for the legislation.
* Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights…
On March 21st, 500+ immigrants and allies from across Illinois will gather in Springfield to advocate for key budget demands and legislation that directly impact immigrant communities. Attendees will rally outside the Capitol to demand funding for Immigrant Services through the Immigrant Service Line Item (ISLI) and passing the Work Without Fear Act (HB5071).
Full Demands Include:
- Immigrant Service Line Item (ISLI) - Immigrant community organizations are demanding $40 million for essential services such as interpretation and translation, citizenship assistance, and DACA scholarships;
- Work Without Fear Act (HB 5071) - This legislation aims to protect workers from immigration-based retaliation, ensuring that all workers can assert their rights without fear of consequences related to their immigration status;
- Healthcare for All - Reopen enrollment and ensure long-term stability for the Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors and Adults programs as part of the push for healthcare for all;
- Child Tax Credit - Enact a Child Tax Credit that benefits as many families as possible, including those who file their taxes using an ITIN;
- State Guaranteed Income Pilot Program - Create a state level guaranteed income program targeted at Moms & Babies program participants, those who are unhoused, and those reentering the community after incarceration;
- Revenue - Increased revenue is needed to ensure that all families across the state have access to healthcare, childcare, education, and economic opportunity.
* One Fair Wage…
This Thursday, March 21st at 11:30 AM CDT, service industry workers, restaurant owners, and local and national advocacy leaders will hold a State Capitol Rally ahead of a crucial vote by the House Labor Committee to advance HB 5345, legislation ensuring tipped workers in Illinois earn a full and fair minimum wage with tips on top. The push for statewide legislation follows the passage of a historic ordinance in Chicago that abolishes the subminimum wage for tipped employees throughout the nation’s third-largest city.
Thursday’s rally, hosted by One Fair Wage and the Illinois Full and Fair Wage Coalition, will include a brief speaker program. Immediately following the rally, workers and advocates will kick off a Labor Lobby Day to meet with committee members before their afternoon hearing on the historic subminimum wage bill.
Leaders and representatives from several local and national advocacy and labor organizations will participate in the rally and lobby day, including: Chicago Teachers Union; AFL-CIO (Cicero, IL Chapter); SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana; RAISE: High Road Restaurants; Our Revolution; Arise Chicago; Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; Chicago Workers Collaborative; Raise the Floor Alliance; Shriver Center on Poverty Law; The People’s Lobby; Women Employed; Workers Center for Racial Justice; Warehouse Workers For Justice; National Organization for Women (Chicago Chapter); and AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
* John Downs, president and CEO, National Confectioners Association…
While there has been significant attention given to the proposed food and color additive bans in Illinois and states across the country, the unfortunate reality is that those supporting these proposals are knowingly using inaccuracies and falsehoods to scare consumers and destroy the Food and Drug Administration, including the author of a recent Chicago Sun-Times opinion column.
Here are the facts:
First, all color additives must be approved by the FDA without exception. It is currently reviewing red dye 3 and titanium dioxide with results expected in 2024. Earlier this month, the agency added potassium bromate and propylparaben to their science-based review process. In the case of brominated vegetable oil, FDA conducted its own studies and has initiated steps to remove BVO from the U.S. food supply. This is how our food safety system was designed to work, and it’s a real-time example of it working.
Second, no authoritative body in the world has identified any safety concerns with the use of red dye 3 in food, including FDA, the European Food Safety Authority and JECFA (a United Nations/World Health Organization committee). Although there are broader uses permitted in the U.S., the European Union has determined red Dye 3 is safe in certain products.
Third, FDA deemed titanium dioxide safe in 2021, and JECFA agreed in October 2023. Highly regarded food agencies from the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan have confirmed that titanium dioxide is safe to use in food.
* CPS Parents for Buses Coalition…
he CPS Parents for Buses coalition has sent the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education a letter signed by twenty-six alderpeople urging CPS to enact solutions to ease the hardship that CPS’s decision to cancel busing for students in magnet and selective enrollment students has caused constituents in their wards. Alderman Matt Martin of the 47th ward worked collaboratively with CPS Parents for Buses to draft the letter. […]
Additionally, we ask that CPS work in collaboration with parent advocates to influence state legislators and the Illinois Secretary of State to pass laws and regulations that facilitate driver recruitment. Below are four examples of such action that could increase the number of drivers available to CPS:
-Implement the Federal “Under-the-Hood Waiver” to increase the number of eligible drivers by allowing prospective bus drivers to skip the onerous requirement of physically lifting the hood of the bus and identifying parts of the engine;
-Pass HB3476 to enable HopSkipDrive to come to Illinois;
-Offer more Commercial Drivers License (CDL) certification dates/times; and
Offer CDL certification exams in Spanish.
* Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel…
In an effort to bring equity to funding for special education students, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel passed a measure through the Senate Education Committee that would create a fair reimbursement rate for special education day schools.
“Since I became a state senator, I’ve been working to level the playing field to ensure our students get a quality education in the least restrictive environment,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We have to ensure every child receives the education they deserve, no matter their ZIP code.”
Senate Bill 3606 would equalize the reimbursement rate received by public school districts from the Illinois State Board of Education when sending high-needs special education students to private and public special education day schools.
Under Loughran Cappel’s measure, public schools would be eligible to receive a reimbursement from ISBE for tuition costs for high-needs special education students that exceed the average cost for students not receiving special education services. […]
Senate Bill 3606 passed the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.
* Center Square…
A state lawmaker is concerned about people taking their pets to the shelter post-pandemic, where workers may have to resort to euthanasia.
Senate Bill 3791 from state Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, would make it illegal to euthanize dogs and cats in Illinois, which animal shelter groups say could further harm animals and taxpayers.
Lauren Malmberg with the Illinois Animal Control Association said there would be higher costs for everyone. Animal control services provide programs that are funded by taxpayers, but the legislation directly impacts shelters, which means donors might pay more too. […] Malmberg said she’s had a 40-year career in helping animals. When she began, the estimation was 18-20 million dogs and cats being euthanized. But now it’s less than a million. In Illinois, intake data shows a 94% to 96% live-release rate. So less than 10% of dogs and cats entering Illinois shelters are being euthanized.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* ICYMI: Progress report? Election brings mix of cheers and tears for Chicago progressives. Sun-Times…
-In a low-turnout election with thousands of mail ballots that could still be counted, Johnson’s prized “Bring Chicago Home” referendum appears headed for rejection.
-The CTU-backed Clayton Harris III is narrowly trailing Eileen O’Neill Burke in the still undecided Cook County state’s attorney’s race.
-Graciela Guzmán knocked out appointed incumbent Natalie Toro with a $2.5 million campaign fund in the 20th District state Senate seat.
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Tahman Bradley…
* Here’s the rest…
* Capitol News Illinois | For the most part, incumbents beat back challengers amid low primary turnout: Although final numbers won’t be known for several more days, preliminary returns from many of the state’s larger counties showed turnout hovering in the range of 20-25 percent. That compares to a statewide average of 47 percent in 2016, when the White House was an open race, and 28 percent during the pandemic-impacted primaries in 2020.
* ABC Chicago | Correcting Stateville Correction Center’s critical problems: ‘Decrepit, unsafe, and inhumane’: “It was a little disappointing to hear only rebuilding without any closures announced, given the state of the system,” said Jennifer Vollen-Katz, the Executive Director of the John Howard Association “Our [prison] population is under 30,000. We have a prison system that can hold over 42,000 individuals.”
* Tribune | Illinois moves to make it easier for schools to get asthma inhalers: Illinois first passed a law in 2018 that allowed schools to keep inhalers on-hand in case a student or staff member without their own inhaler needed it. But until now, if a school wanted an asthma inhaler to keep on-hand for anyone — as opposed to for a specific student with a prescription — it had to find a local physician willing to issue a standing order for the school. The new standing order covers schools statewide.
* WBEZ | Winner of Cook County state’s attorney primary may not be decided until end of the week — or later: Eleven of the city’s 1,291 precincts still have not reported their totals in the race between Eileen O’Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III after officials announced Wednesday evening that they had added unofficial results from nine more precincts of the 20 that were not immediately available on election night. Election officials said judges in those precincts left before the results were “properly transmitted.”
* Crain’s | Johnson, defiant after ‘Bring Chicago Home’ loss, vows agenda push will ‘get stronger’: While the supporters have called for all outstanding mail-in ballots to be counted before officially conceding, the lead City Council sponsors of the measure and Johnson spoke in resigned terms about the unlikelihood the outcome will change.
* Tribune | Founder of employment law firm donates $100,000 toward Chicago’s migrant crisis: Instituto del Progreso Latino, a decades-old nonprofit organization that provides education, training and employment resources to Latino communities, received the donation from David Fish, founder of the law firm Fish Potter Bolaños, P.C. The funds will support the organization’s Asylum Migrant Outreach Response, called Project AMOR.
* Tribune | Judge’s ruling on Chicago police discipline expected this week after court arguments: A Cook County judge will issue a ruling this week in the lawsuit brought by the city’s largest police union that seeks to enforce an arbitration award that would allow the most serious police misconduct cases to be decided behind closed doors. About two months after the lawsuit was filed, along with hundreds of pages of motions and exhibits, attorneys for the Fraternal Order of Police and the city on Wednesday presented about an hour of oral arguments to Judge Michael Mullen at the Daley Center.
* Bloomberg | Republicans Call for Retirement Age Hike in Clash With Biden: The Republican Study Committee, which comprises about 80% of House Republicans, called for the Social Security eligibility age to be tied to life expectancy in its fiscal 2025 budget proposal. It also suggests reducing benefits for top earners who aren’t near retirement, including a phase-out of auxiliary benefits for the highest earners. The proposal sets the stage for an election-year fight with Biden, who accused Republicans of going after popular entitlement programs during his State of the Union address.
* SJ-R | Popular sandwich shop ready to open first Springfield location: Potbelly Sandwich Works first announced plans to bring the Chicago sub shop to the Capital City in 2022. This spring the brand bursts on the scene with the first of three anticipated stores and a food truck. Potbelly Sandwich Works will begin serving up its toasted sub sandwiches Tuesday from the ground floor of the Memorial Learning Center on the Memorial Health campus.
* NYT | When Cicadas Emerge, Things Might Get a Little Wet: “It’s this beautiful physics-of-life perspective” to see all the data laid out in a single graph, said Saad Bhamla, a bioengineer at the Georgia Institute of Technology, who was a co-author of the study. The jets of urine that cicadas produce, the research shows, have a velocity of up to 3 meters per second — the fastest of all the animals assessed in the new work, including mammals like elephants and horses.
* WMBD | Governor in Peoria: Illinois’ tourism industry is booming: “Last year alone, I think you know Illinois’ hotel industry set a record of $5.5 billion in revenue, for a total tourism industry economic impact of $78 billion, just here in the State of Illinois,” Pritzker told conference attendees. Pritzker – referred to by Discover Peoria’s JD Dalfanso as the “Chief Marketing Officer” of the state – says the new “Illinois: in the Middle of Everything” campaign certainly helped, but local tourism leaders weathered the pandemic storm very well.
* NYT | Eclipses Injured Their Eyes, and the World Never Looked the Same: When Dr. Deobhakta examined her eyes, he was astonished. He saw a burn on her retina that was exactly the same shape. It was “almost like a branding,” he said. She had looked at the sun during the eclipse without any protection. The burn was an image of the sun’s outer edge.
* Block Club | The Tomato Man’s Annual Plant Sale Is Back And Bigger Than Ever: Zeni has spent the past decade growing tomato plants in his suburban greenhouse and distributing them throughout the Chicago area. His annual sale has grown each year, with more than 7,000 tomato plants sold in 2023. He expects to sell about 10,000 this year, he told Block Club.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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