Reader comments closed for Independence Day
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * We’re taking a little break. I hope everyone has a great Independence Day. We’ll be back a week from Monday. * The full Double Door show is here. Mick, Keef and the boys will play us out… Well, I be sittin’ there waitin’, waitin’ for you to come home
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
A recent AP investigation found 94 people had died after given sedatives and restrained by police from 2012 through 2021. …Adding… From Sheriff Dart’s office…
From the interview…
* Housing Action Illinois…
Click here for the study. * Some commentary on this week’s US Supreme Court decisions…
* Center For Criminal Justice | Recidivism Patterns Among Those Released from Prison in Illinois: The majority (75%) of those exiting prison in Illinois during 2018 and 2019 were not arrested for a violent offense within 3 years of their release from prison. […] The shortened lengths of Mandatory Supervised Release (MSR) resulting from Illinois’ Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act will reduce the proportion of individuals at risk of being returned to prison for a technical violation related to a new arrest for a violent crime. * WBEZ | For-profit cosmetology graduates rarely earn more than high school grads: Illinois for-profit cosmetology, esthetician, nail tech and barber schools reported median earnings for their students 10 years after enrolling ranging from $15,420 to $34,368, according to data reported in 2021 dollars. The median earnings of a high school graduate in Illinois was $34,591, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 five-year American Community Survey. And Illinois cosmetology students are typically spending an average of $14,700 a year to attend. Meanwhile, the quality of education at these unregulated for-profit institutions is uneven at best, WBEZ learned in interviews with former and current students who were among the more than 250 who responded to a WBEZ survey. The winners in this system are Illinois’ beauty schools — more than 80% run by for-profit companies — that have a monopoly on training students for the state’s required licensing exams. * USA Today | Unemployment claims in Illinois declined last week: Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Illinois dropped last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday. New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 7,859 in the week ending June 22, down from 9,940 the week before, the Labor Department said. * ABC Chicago | Chicago hate crimes spike, especially anti-Jewish incidents, report says; ordinance targets fliers: Fliers, graffiti and the defacement of Chicago landmarks are among the kinds of crimes and incidents reported. The report found in 2021 there were 109 incidents, 205 in 2022, 303 in 2023 and, as of June 15, 124 reported so far in 2024. * Tribune | Bronzeville microgrid, largest of its kind in Illinois, is a step toward more reliable power, experts say: The Bronzeville Community Microgrid, which went online last month — powered in part by solar panels at a midrise housing project — is the largest neighborhood microgrid in Illinois, and part of a broader effort to build a grid that’s cleaner, more reliable and more secure. Microgrids — essentially minigrids that deliver electricity in defined areas — were the original grids in the United States and have been used extensively in remote parts of Alaska. * ABC Chicago | BARK Air expands airline to Chicago with flights catered to dogs: BARK Air set off on its maiden voyage in May, when they were offering trips from New York to Los Angeles. It was pretty popular last month already, with 15,000 requests for new destinations. […] It will cost you $6,000 for a domestic flight, and $8,000 for an international flight for one dog and one human. * Block Club | Ravenswood’s Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe Recognized By ‘Michelin Of Pizza’ For Its NY-Style Slice: A trio of influential pizza critics ranked Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe as one of the top places for a slice in the nation. […] Since 2018, the trio has put out a yearly list of the best pizzerias in Italy and around the world, without any preference to style. For this year’s guide, Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe was ranked number 9 in the guide’s list of 50 Top Pizza Slices in the USA for 2024. * WTTW | Riding the Chicago Street Race Track With NASCAR Driver Brad Keselowski: Keselowski, who is both a NASCAR team owner and runs the 3D-printing company Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing, is hoping the economic benefits help win new fans. “What the Chicago race stands for, to me, is NASCAR getting out of their comfort zone,” he said. “They’re trying something new, and this might be great and it might flop. The bleeding edge of innovation and risk-taking is where all success comes from in life.” * Labor Notes | Illinois Amazon Drivers Strike, Demand Union Contract: Amazon drivers at the DIL7 delivery station in Skokie, Illinois, struck June 26 over the company’s violations of federal labor laws. A hundred drivers have organized with Teamsters Local 705 and are demanding that Amazon recognize and bargain with their union, after presenting cards signed by a majority of the workforce. * Daily Southtown | Federal fraud charges for former Lincoln-Way chief Lawrence Wyllie dismissed due to health issues: The case against Wyllie, who was District 210 superintendent from 1989 to 2013, dates to September 2017, came after a yearlong investigation by the Daily Southtown that exposed questionable financial practices at Lincoln-Way. These included private use of public funding and deals benefiting staff, including the development of a $45,000 dog-training center called Superdog. Wyllie continues to collect a taxpayer funded pension that in 2020 was more than $351,000, and grows annually to account for cost-of-living increases, according to state records. * Crain’s | Developer reviving former AT&T campus lands new largest tenant: Holmdel, N.J.-based Inspired by Somerset Development announced new leases with three companies totaling 86,000 square feet of office space at Bell Works Chicagoland, deals that bring the transformed portion of the building at 2000 Center Drive in the northwest suburb to about 80% leased. Leading the group is security and safety system designer Convergint, which will become the largest tenant at Bell Works when it moves its headquarters into 50,000 square feet in the building. Convergint will relocate from about 40,000 square feet at 1 Commerce Drive in Schaumburg and has also leased 14,000 square feet of warehouse space at Bell Works. * WCIA | Deere workers learn of more layoffs: Our Quad Cities News has learned that 279 employees at the Harvester Works Plant in East Moline will get layoff notices Friday. Union Local 865 informed its members employees will be told their last day is Aug. 30. * WSIL | US prices didn’t rise last month for the first time since November: The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — a closely watched inflation gauge that the Federal Reserve uses for its 2% target — was unchanged from April and slowed to 2.6% for the 12 months ended in May from 2.7% the month before, according to Commerce Department data released Friday. […] Cheaper prices at the pump certainly helped (energy prices were down 2.1% for the month) and falling goods prices (down 0.4%) helped to slow overall inflation, according to the report. Food prices increased just 0.1%.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Another question raised about new state shelters
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * We talked the other day about the state opening two new migrant shelters in Chicago, one in Hyde Park and the other near Midway Airport. Brief excerpt…
* The Tribune published a story this morning about the plan. This was near the end of the piece…
* So, I asked the administration about this. Alex Gough…
I was also told the state got a good deal on the sites, which were fairly easy to retrofit. The state also has a shelter in Little Village, which is not downtown. Thoughts?
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Lorena and Sugeiri, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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US Supreme Court allows cities to assess criminal penalties on people who camp in public places
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * CBS News…
* Rolling Stone magazine…
* From the decision…
* From Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent…
* Chicago Coalition for the Homeless…
* Fox 2 St. Louis back in March…
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It’s almost a law
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* HB255 was sent to the governor last week…
* HB307 sponsored by Rep. Kam Buckner has been sent to the governor…
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Open thread
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: ‘We should have a sense of urgency’ as farm drainage tile drives nutrient pollution. Investigate Midwest…
- Drainage tile, a system farmers use to drain water from croplands, is also a contributor to the historic loss of up to about 100 million acres of wetlands in the U.S. -Tile is a major influence on the massive amounts of nitrate that flow into the Gulf of Mexico. About 90% of this nitrate comes from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers, which are connected to highly tiled states like Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. * Related stories…
∙ WWNO: Not just a Gulf problem: Mississippi River farm runoff pollutes upstream waters
* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker calls SCOTUS emergency abortion ruling ‘small respite’ as state protections await his signature: The proposal, House Bill 581, would codify abortions as a “stabilizing treatment” that doctors must offer when necessary, in emergency situations such as ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, and fertility loss related to pregnancy complications. The measure passed on partisan lines. Its chief sponsor, Rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, said on Thursday that the “primary reason” the bill was introduced was to preserve the status quo in case a Supreme Court decision casts doubt on EMTALA’s coverage of abortion procedures. * Tribune | Fallout from Supreme Court ruling just beginning in Michael Madigan racketeering case: The fallout from the ruling will be particularly acute in Chicago, where federal prosecutors have used the 666 law for years to bring political corruption indictments, including Madigan’s, where it makes up five of the 23 overall counts charged against the longtime speaker of the House. In a minute order posted to the docket Thursday, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey ordered both sides to meet and confer on the issues — including whether they should proceed with pending motions to dismiss and if the U.S. attorney’s office will seek a superseding indictment — and report back to him by July 8. * Sun-Times | On Kennedy Expressway, Illinois Tollway, no speed cameras are watching despite what signs say: But there aren’t any speed cameras in work zones on the Tri-State or the other toll roads overseen by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. And the Kennedy hasn’t had any work-zone speed-enforcement cameras since construction began on the expressway early last year. The Illinois Tollway used to have speed cameras, an agency spokeswoman says, but not for many years. * Tribune | State adds two migrant shelters months before DNC, causing objections from lawmakers: Ahead of August’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration this week revealed it’s opening two new shelters to house up to 1,700 migrants, though the governor’s office sought to downplay the timing. […] [Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar] and state Sen. Mike Porfirio, a La Grange Democrat who also represents the area, said in a statement this week they only learned Pritzker’s administration was moving forward with its plans after it sent out a news release detailing the shelter openings. During previous discussions about the shelter being located in a former hotel near Midway Airport, the lawmakers had raised numerous questions and public safety concerns. (Click here for more info) * WREX | Several new laws set to go into effect Monday in Illinois: The new law will allow a license to be obtained without as much documentation and also act as a form of identification for things such as opening a bank account or renting homes. […] [Mary Lou Castro] believes this change is imperative as non-citizens work to navigate everyday life. “Making you feel more at ease, more at home. They’re paying taxes, they’re working like everybody else and just providing the same services that any individual has to in the state of Illinois in order to survive and move forward,” Castro said. * AGRI News | ICGA, oil industry sue EPA: The Illinois Corn Growers Association joined 12 other state corn organizations and oil industry representatives to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for its inequitable and costly electrification of America’s vehicle fleet. […] “In its multi-pollutant rule, the EPA incentivized the electric vehicle industry for its ability to reduce carbon, but refused to acknowledge the positive impact of renewable fuels,” ICGA President Dave Rylander said. “Ethanol is currently decarbonizing our atmosphere. Why are we penalizing our current solution for a technology that is not obtainable at its proposed level today?” * WGEM | Illinois residents warned about firework safety and regulations: Novelty fireworks such as smoke bombs and sparkles are legal to set off during the fourth. However, bigger fireworks such as mortars are illegal in the cities themselves. Violating these laws is a class A misdemeanor which can lead to fines ranging from $75 to $2,500. * Crain’s | Chicago wants to reach violence victims at the hospital bedside: Chicago will use $3 million in American Rescue Plan funding on hospital-based violence intervention to help those at risk of a repeat of violent injury. The Chicago Department of Public Health on June 26 said it was looking for proposals from qualified hospitals and community-based organizations to deliver programming and services to victims. The project aims to promote partnerships between hospitals that provide care to the highest volume of patients with violence-related injuries and the community-based organizations that can serve them. * Tribune | CTU lobbyist helped craft mayor’s letter to Senate president at heart of Springfield selective enrollment fight: Harmon pointed to Johnson’s promise in the late May letter as evidence of the trust between the two officials, saying the mayor’s “commitment to me is even more clear and more binding than the bill would have been.” But public records provided to the Tribune reveal a CTU official helped craft the eleventh-hour letter that likely saved the teachers union and Johnson from an embarrassing defeat in the statehouse, as well as an earlier, watered-down version. * Sun-Times | Chicago Public Schools lays off nearly 600 support staff members: The school district acknowledged Thursday that nearly 600 support staff were laid off as schools look to the year ahead, about half teacher aides. Officials said only about 5% of all teacher aides lost their positions and that most will find jobs in other schools. They also said these were individual decisions made by principals and that overall, CPS schools are hiring more teachers, special education aides and restorative justice coordinators. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez also insisted, as he has in the past, that spending on schools overall will either stay the same or increase next school year. * Tribune | Cracks revealed between Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Teachers Union at board meeting: [A]s resources have become more scarce—with the district facing an approximately $400 million deficit when pandemic-era federal relief funds expire in the fall—different priorities emerged at Thursday’s more than six-hour meeting. Education support staff, known as paraprofessionals, help manage classrooms and materials and provide tailored support to students. CTU members said that by cutting the number of staff members who often support homeless, bilingual and special education students, CPS will destabilize not only staffers’ families but also their students. * CBS Chicago | Chicago Board of Education approves settlement for lawsuit accusing teacher of sexual abuse: The Chicago Board of Education has given final approval to pay $800,000 to a former student who was sexually abused by a teacher. The payment comes as the settlement of a 2019 lawsuit filed by a woman known only as Jane Doe, who said she was sexually abused by a former teacher at Gurdon S. Hubbard High School in the West Lawn neighborhood. * Tribune | Shradha Agarwal, former Outcome Health president, sentenced to 3 years in a halfway house: Shradha Agarwal, 38, was the second of a trio of former top Outcome executives to be sentenced this week for their roles in a scheme that prosecutors said defrauded pharmaceutical companies, investors and financial institutions out of $1 billion. In handing down the unusual sentence, U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin said Agarwal deserved to go to prison, but he was giving her a break because of a “ridiculous” policy of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons that non-U.S. citizens like Agarwal cannot go to a prison camp, where most first-time, nonviolent offenders are housed. * Block Club | Chicago Pride Parade 2024: Here’s What You Need To Know: The parade is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, June 30. City officials and parade organizers moved up the start time to give the Police Department an easier shift change once the parade is over and again later at night, Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) previously said. * Sun-Times | Bubba Wallace’s Block Party moves to Douglass Park for 2024 NASCAR Chicago: “I’m excited to host another block party in Chicago,” Wallace said in a statement. “I was impressed by how the community showed up last year, eager and willing to learn more about our sport. Let’s run it back.” Activities for all ages are also part of the mix, including coloring stations, race car courses for kids, free haircuts and giveaways. Attendees can also take laps on racing simulators. * Sun-Times | Kinky Friedman, provocative Texas musician and novelist, dies at 79: Friedman, 79, died Thursday at his family’s Texas ranch near San Antonio, close friend Kent Perkins told The Associated Press. The Chicago native had suffered from Parkinson’s disease for several years, Perkins said. […] Often called “The Kinkster” and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. […] Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. * Lake County News-Sun | Statistics show most Waukegan Township residents struggling to make ends meet; ‘It’s important all people are able to live with dignity’: As the cost of things like housing and food continues to increase, more than half the families in Waukegan Township — and approximately 25% of those in Lake County — are not earning enough to afford the basic necessities of life. […] In Waukegan Township — much of Waukegan, the northern part of North Chicago and some of southern Beach Park — 57% of families are below the [Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed] level. It is 52% in Zion Township, 30% in Warren Township and 33% countywide, according to United Way data. * Crain’s | Can Walgreens save itself: The Deerfield-based company’s stock slid 25% yesterday after disclosing disappointing third-quarter earnings and revealing the pharmacy giant intends to shrink its footprint, write down assets and try to narrow its focus on profitable parts of the business. The poor performance comes amid a $1 billion cost-cutting plan and a strategic review of the entire business, both of which were kick-started by CEO Tim Wentworth. The turnaround moves are intended to boost profits and investors’ confidence, but so far, there’s little evidence the plan is working or will pay dividends anytime soon. Executives said headwinds, particularly in its largest segments, are expected to last into next year. * NBC Chicago | Arlington Heights mayor sheds light on Bears stadium talks after announcing he won’t seek re-election: Hayes, who plans to spend time with his family after serving several terms as mayor, indicated talks with the team are still ongoing. “I’m hopeful about where things are at, otherwise I wouldn’t be leaving,” he said. “We’ve got a really good team here of our own that has been working on it for about three and a half years. And so we’re going to continue to work on it in the next 10 months.” * NBC Chicago | Former AG Lynch recommends that Northwestern enhance hazing prevention training: A team of investigators led by former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch recommended Northwestern enhance its hazing prevention training in the wake of a scandal that rocked the school’s athletic department. Though the report released Thursday by the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP stated “the results of our review have been largely positive,” investigators found room for improvement when it came to preventing hazing during a nearly year-long review. * Daily Herald | Des Plaines shrine welcomes national pilgrimage with special Mass: Starting Wednesday and continuing through Sunday, the Archdiocese of Chicago is welcoming the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, a two-month walking journey across the U.S. led by clergy and a small group of young adults who will converge July 17, at the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis. “The whole idea is to rekindle the faith of the community and call them out, to rekindle people’s sense of hope,” said the Rev. Esequiel Sanchez, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “The message is faith through action, to take responsibility for what we can do and make wherever we live a better place.” * CBS | Illinois cold case victim identified as Ohio woman nearly 50 years after she was killed: The woman found dead in Grundy County had been nameless. Officials identified her on Thursday as JoAnne “Vicki” Smith, who was only 20 years old when she died. Detectives said the woman’s DNA led them to surviving relatives. Earlier this year, a DNA match led authorities to identify the body as Smith’s. […] Ronnie said JoAnne was his older sister and the “apple of my mother’s eye.” She went missing from their family home in Cincinnati in 1976 and was never heard from again. Ronnie was just 8 years old when his sister disappeared. * The Southern | Fuller Dome project includes visitors’ center: Restoring the house was financed through a Save America’s Treasures’ Grant through the National Park Services. The preservation grant meant putting everything back in its place as much as possible. For example, the floors are made of cork from Portugal. Restoring it meant finding a very specific type, size and color to match the original flooring. […] The visitors’ center has 3D printed walls from a California company called Mighty Buildings. There is a “proprietary recipe” for the walls that the company is secretive about. The center is designed to fit with Fuller’s vision of being creative, unique and good for the environment. It features triangular patterns on the outside of the building. * National Low Income Housing Coalition | How Much Do You Need to Earn to Afford a Modest Apartment in Your State?: Hourly wage required to afford a two-bedroom rental home by state.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Jun 28, 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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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Jun 28, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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CTU helped write letter that stopped House’s bill shielding selective enrollment schools
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Chicago Tribune…
I had heard that the first letter Johnson sent to Harmon was long on rhetoric and short on promises. The second letter was far more specific. So, while highly unusual, the CTU input may have actually helped the mayor’s cause with Harmon. Go read the rest. Interesting piece.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Isabel’s afternoon briefing (updated)
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller *** Adding *** Tribune reporter Jason Meisner…
* WCIA…
* Farm Week…
US Reps. Mike Bost and Nikki Budzinski…
* US Sen. Dick Durbin…
* Sun-Times | Most new gas, diesel vehicle sales would be banned in Illinois by 2035 under proposal: A group of health and environmental organizations are asking a state quasi-judicial body to ban the sale of all new gas-powered cars and a large percentage of diesel trucks by 2035 after failing to sell Gov. J.B. Pritzker on the idea. Speeding the transition to electric trucks and cars from gas and diesel models will reduce pollution and save hundreds of lives a year while helping Illinois reduce greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change, the organizations argue in a petition filed Thursday with the Illinois Pollution Control Board, a rule-making panel appointed by Pritzker. * Tribune | Automated ticketing of drivers in bike and bus lanes could have started this summer. Now it won’t: [T]he start of the program has been pushed back, the Chicago Department of Transportation confirmed. Now the program, on the books for more than a year, isn’t expected to start until fall, as the process to acquire supplies and services for the pilot is ongoing. “Just to be slow to roll this out sort of shows that maybe there’s not enough emphasis on public transportation, as there should be,” said W. Robert Schultz III , campaign organizer with the advocacy group Active Transportation Alliance. “It’s the poor stepchild as city issues go.” * Crain’s | Blue Cross Illinois parent watches revenue soar: Chicago-based Health Care Service Corp. reported premium revenue topping $54 billion in 2023 — the highest ever, according to the company’s annual financial report obtained by Crain’s through a Freedom of Information Act request to the state of Illinois. HCSC’s net income was down less than 2% to $1.4 billion due to a larger federal tax burden last year. Before taxes, however, the company posted a $1.7 billion surplus, or profit, 15% higher than in 2022, a fact executives point to as proof the company is “stable.” * Sun-Times | Firefighters to march during NASCAR, DNC to turn up heat on Johnson for new contract: Chicago firefighters and paramedics will march down Michigan Avenue during an action-packed NASCAR weekend to press their three-year-long demand for a new contract that includes adding 20 more ambulances, their union president said Thursday. Pat Cleary, president of Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, predicted “hundreds” of his members would participate in the two-hour march “right alongside of NASCAR,” from Roosevelt to Madison and back again, starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 6. They will be joined by Chicago police officers furious with Mayor Brandon Johnson for convincing the City Council to twice reject an independent arbitrator’s ruling on police discipline. * Sun-Times | Melissa Bell named CEO of Chicago Public Media, will oversee Sun-Times, WBEZ: She succeeds Matt Moog, who will step down once Bell starts in September. Moog’s four-year tenure included shepherding the 2022 merger of the Sun-Times and WBEZ, a deal that netted $61 million in foundation support. But his time ended in controversy. Unions at both organizations criticized Moog for pocketing a nearly 20% pay hike while presiding over layoffs in response to declining revenue. The unions also made public allegations of a “hostile work environment” at Chicago Public Media. * WBBM Newsradio | Evacuation order lifted after freight train derails in Matteson: Officials in the Chicago suburb of Matteson, Ill., have lifted the evacuation order that was put in place after a Canadian National Railway freight train derailed on Thursday. * BND | Company releases statement after collapsed mine swallows part of Alton soccer field: “The New Frontier Materials underground mine in Alton, IL today experienced a surface subsidence and opened a sink hole at Gordon Moore City Park. The impacted area has been secured and will remain off limits for the foreseeable future while inspectors and experts examine the mine and conduct repairs. No one was injured in the incident, which has been reported to officials at the Mine Safety Health Administration (MSHA) in accordance with applicable regulations. Safety is our top priority. We will work with the city to remediate this issue as quickly and safely as possible to ensure minimal impact on the community.” * Sun-Times | Manteno man gets 2 years in prison for shoving officer, tossing mug at police during Capitol riot: Quinn Keen, 36, also faces trial next month for driving under the influence, his attorney told U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington, D.C. Still, the attorney acknowledged that Keen’s actions on Jan. 6 amount to “the most significant crime Mr. Keen has committed.” […] Keen confronted officers on the line, threw the contents of a water bottle at them and then threw the bottle itself, according to court documents. Meanwhile, other rioters pulled a bike rack from the police line to the ground. When an officer bent over to pick it up, Keen shoved the officer backward with both hands, records show. * SJ-R | Future of three Springfield cafes in limbo after multiple fires: The Asani’s much anticipated sophomore effort, The Capital Cafe at 1825 MacArthur Blvd., was gutted by fire a week from its opening date last November. The cafe’s future has been left in limbo because the Asani’s insurance company has yet to sign off on the loss or even determine whether the exterior of the former McDonald’s building is structurally sound enough to be repaired or must be razed. * WCIA | Vermilion Co. village limits number of marijuana-related businesses, rejects second dispensary’s pitch: “We are a town of 2,700 residents and we already have one dispensary,” Billy Wear, the Tilton mayor said in an email to WCIA. “I feel that there is a limited number of people that partake in their use, and that we as a board need to make business decisions on what benefits the greatest number of citizens in our town, and the people that we rely on to support our businesses.” * Bloomberg | Walgreens shares plunge on outlook cut, more store closings: In addition to shuttering locations, management said it would make more organizational changes without specifying further job cuts. The company has had a rocky few years with turnover in the executive ranks amid a challenging retail climate. Walgreens shares sank as much as 25% on Thursday, the biggest one-day decline since at least 1980, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. * Marijuana Moment | NCAA Votes To Remove Marijuana From Banned Substances List For College Athletes: The newly adopted rule, which amends NDAA’s drug testing policies for student sports championships and postseason participation in football, will also be retroactively applied, discontinuing any penalties players are currently facing for a cannabis-related violation. * Vox | The Supreme Court just lit a match and tossed it into dozens of federal agencies: But, as Sotomayor warns, many federal agencies — including the “Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, the Department of Agriculture, and many others” — may only seek civil penalties in administrative proceedings. That means that a wide array of laws guaranteeing workplace safety and advancing other important federal goals could cease to function after * STL Today | Incentives for Chiefs, Royals would have to come from Mo. Legislature, governor says: Parson’s statements Thursday all but foreclose the possibility of the state Department of Economic Development putting forward its own plan this year independent of state legislators. “I don’t think we have the capability of doing that,” said Parson, adding that an offer would have to go through the budgetary process. The Legislature returns to action in January, following the November elections.
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Pritzker talks about violence as a public health crisis
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From the US Surgeon General’s advisory entitled “Firearm violence in America is a public health crisis”…
* AP…
* Illinois’ very own…
Um, he declared gun violence a public health crisis via an advisory. * Flashback to 2021, when Gov. Pritzker declared gun violence to be a public health crisis…
* Pritzker was asked this week what good he thought the Surgeon General’s public health crisis announcement would do…
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Unclear on the concept (Updated)
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WTTW…
Yeah, that argument will most definitely work in Springfield. Just throw gobs more state money at them without changing the way they do business. Right. …Adding… As I’ve noted in comments, Carter will have basically no say in funding. That’s a legislative and gubernatorial task, as well as local governments. He and all transit chieftains have been told by legislative point people and the governor to present their governmental reform ideas. If he doesn’t do that, it’ll be imposed on him.
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US Supreme Court allows emergency abortions in Idaho for now; Bill to ensure Illinois protections is on the governor’s desk
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for the ruling. AP…
* The AP in April…
* From Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent…
* The General Assembly passed a bill in May preparing for a ruling against ER abortions, and shored up protections in Illinois. HB581 has been sent to the governor…
* Governor JB Pritzker…
* Planned Parenthood Illinois…
* Related…
[Rich Miller contributed to this post.]
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Commercial property taxes dropped by $122 million in the south and southwest suburbs, while residential taxes jumped 20 percent
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * The full study is here. Cook County Treasurer press release with emphasis added by me…
* Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* Daily Herald…
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“Food as Medicine” has federal support, but Illinois failed to move legislation during session
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * LexisNexis…
* Rep. Norma Hernandez sponsored HB5249, which would provide nutritional care services by a registered dietitian. Synopsis…
The bill picked up 20 co-sponsors but was stuck in committee during spring session. * The federal government approved a program to allow states to use Medicaid to pay for groceries and nutritional counseling. This month Colorado’s governor signed a this bill to potentially fund nutrition support through Medicaid…
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: SCOTUS ruling could upend federal corruption cases for Madigan, allies. Capitol News Illinois…
* Related stories…
∙ Sun-Times: Madigan, ComEd bribery cases could be upended by U.S. Supreme Court ruling, defense attorneys say ∙ Tribune: Madigan, ComEd Four cases imperiled by U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakening public corruption law * The Alton Telegraph reported the sinkhole was caused by a collapsed mine…
* Tribune | Inmate’s death during heat wave ramps up criticism of conditions at Stateville: The Will County coroner’s office did not yet have a cause of death for Michael Broadway, who had earned a college degree while serving a 75-year sentence for a 2005 murder, and a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Corrections would only say the agency is investigating. But his death during a severe heat wave has led inmates and prison advocates to put the blame at least partly on the squalid environment inside Stateville, where accounts from people incarcerated there and others in legislative hearings and elsewhere describe poor ventilation, visible mold, rodent infestations and unsanitary drinking water. The prison’s housing units also lack air conditioning, according to the John Howard Association, a prison watchdog group. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox shut out for 12th time and fall to 40 games under .500 in front of 1st sellout crowd of the season: The Sox were shut out for the 12th time this season, falling 4-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of 36,225. The Sox hosted their first Mexican Heritage Night, resulting in the first weekday sellout for a game that wasn’t opening day or against the Cubs since 2012. Manager Pedro Grifol referred to the crowd as “phenomenal.” “We just couldn’t take advantage of it,” he said. * Illinois Times | Big plans for future of the State Fairgrounds: IDOA Director Jerry Costello says the master plan refined the concept of a Town Square gathering space and how that can enhance the appeal of the fairgrounds. This builds upon improvements already underway. In the 4 ½ years Costello has been director under Gov. JB Pritzker, the IDOA staff has increased from 299 to 408. In addition, $58.1 million was included in the capital budget in June 2022 for improvements to buildings and grounds to begin to address deferred maintenance. “Governor Pritzker has done more for the fairgrounds than at any time since Governors Thompson and Edgar,” said Costello. * Capitol News Illinois | Quantum technology companies set for big tax incentives under new law: Proponents of the legislation, which include a who’s who of business leaders and representatives of organized labor, say it will help attract businesses to the state, encourage growth and generate jobs. The programs will generate an estimated $21 billion in new state revenue over the next 30 years, according to the governor’s office. The largest new program set up in the legislation would designate a “quantum campus” somewhere in the state. Businesses in that area would receive tax breaks on construction, materials purchase and use taxes, similar to an existing enterprise zone program. * WGN | Illinois said to have ‘momentum’ in ending HIV in state: In 2022, more than 1,300 Illinoisans received an HIV diagnosis, but that number is diminishing, Gov. JB Pritzker said at a Wednesday workshop at the University of Illinois Chicago Student Center West on Wolcott Avenue. “The number of new cases diagnosed statewide has decreased 18 percent. In addition, the national HIV/AIDS strategy established a target to increase rates of care access within one month of diagnosis, to 95 percent,” Pritzker said. * SJ-R | Illinois gas tax is set to increase on July 1. Here’s what to know: According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, the tax on motor fuel in the state of Illinois will increase to 47 cents a gallon, an increase of 3.5% from the 2023-24 fiscal year. The increase may lead to customers seeing higher prices at the pump, unfortunate timing coming days before the busy Fourth of July travel weekend. * State Week | The Dobbs decision and Illinois — two years on: This week saw the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade. The result has been a patchwork of laws related to abortion. While some states outlawed the procedure or passed restrictions, Illinois has become a safe haven for those seeking abortions and other care. * CBS | How Illinois soybean farmers deal with the effects of climate change: Michael Langemeier, a professor of agriculture economics at Purdue University, said the weather changes are something farmers are discussing more and more. “I don’t know if it’s directly impacting what the consumers pay to a large degree, yet,” Langemeier said. He and his team have surveyed 400 farmers nationwide. He asked farmers about how worried they were about the changing weather patterns, and about 25% said they were either “very worried” or “fairly worried.” * Block Club | How Can Chicago Make More Money? First Revenue Committee Hearing Offers Few Specifics: “We’re going to continue to support as many options as possible. As you all know, we’ve dedicated an entire subcommittee to find revenue ideas,” [Mayor Johnson] said at a March 20 press conference. But Wednesday’s inaugural hearing of that body served more as a briefing for alderpeople on how the city currently collects taxes and other revenue than a forum for proposals to bring in new funds. Several alderpeople did ask questions about a head tax, a standalone grocery tax and a carbon tax for airlines. * Crain’s | Service tax? Grocery tax? All ideas on the table as City Hall probes revenue options.: Since it was first created last year, Johnson has pointed to the new subcommittee on revenue, chaired by his ally, Ald. William Hall, 6th, when asked which taxes and fees he still supports to bring in the $800 million in new revenue he promised on the campaign trail. The discussion was more of a Budget 101 crash course on the city’s finances than a detailed presentation of which revenue options are on the table this fall. No votes were taken, and many of the potential taxes will likely never receive a vote because they either need state approval first or are nonstarters for a majority of the City Council. * Daily Herald | ‘Evil and manipulative’: Families outraged after Highland Park suspect backs out of plea deal: Lance Northcutt represents the family of Kevin and Irina McCarthy, whose young son was orphaned after the Highland Park couple was killed at the parade. “What happened today, make no mistake, was nothing more than a re-victimization of that family and every family that has endured this tragedy,” he said. * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights mayor won’t seek reelection, but believes Bears stadium talks are ‘in a good place’: The uncertain future of the 326-acre Arlington Park property and the NFL franchise’s ongoing stadium search “has weighed on my mind” as he contemplated running for a fourth four-year term, Hayes said. But “I do think we are in a good place with that. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be leaving.” * WGN | Precious Brady-Davis blazing a trail as first Black trans woman to serve public office in Cook County: Precious Brady-Davis may be a first, but she doesn’t want to be the last. Three years ago, the trailblazing Cook County official published her memoir. It’s called, “I Have Always Been Me.” She says she’s always dreamed big and with every challenge, she refused to be refused. * Tribune | Big Cook County property tax hikes coming for many in south suburbs: More than a dozen Cook County suburbs have median bills that have increased by more than 30%. That includes Dixmoor, where the median tax bill for homeowners jumped from $1,073 last year to $1,950 this year, and Hazel Crest, where the median bill jumped by $1,586 to $5,651. * Tribune | DuPage: No criminal charges for officers involved in fatal shooting of Carol Stream man: An attorney representing the Goodlow family said they would continue pursuing that case in federal court and that the family “fundamentally” disagreed with Berlin’s decision. Berlin said he had not found that Officer Daniel Pfingston, who shot Goodlow, was justified in his use of force, but that he could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Pfingston had not been justified. According to a village statement, Pfingston has not been employed with the Carol Stream Police Department since May 2. * WCIA | IL program helping disadvantaged farmers fills need for local, fresh foods at one Central IL food bank: “We have seen a 90% increase in the number of people seeking our services since 2022 so the need out there is really high,” Amanda Borden, the food bank’s vice president of development, said. In March, Governor Pritzker announced nearly $29 million in grant money for the program to 15 food organizations including the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, which received $1.5 million. They serve about 55,000 people on average every month through 18 counties in East Central Illinois. * The Atlantic | New, Ominous Signs for Gay Rights Keep Emerging: Now alarm bells are ringing for same-sex marriage and LGBTQ rights in general. A new Gallup poll shows that Republican approval of homosexual rights has dropped from 56 to 40 percent in two years, and that support for same-sex marriage is down to less than half, at 46 percent. Liberal justices on the Supreme Court warned in a dissent last week that their colleagues are chipping away at the right to marriage. Over the past four years, Republican policy makers have mounted a campaign against transgender rights and discussion of homosexuality in schools, but the result appears to be a wider backlash against LGBTQ rights. * Gallup | Same-Sex Relations, Marriage Still Supported by Most in U.S.: As with support for same-sex marriage, Democrats (81%) — and, to a lesser extent, independents (68%) — are more likely than Republicans (40%) to say relations between gays or lesbians are morally acceptable. Whereas a majority of Democrats have thought same-sex relations are morally acceptable since 2006, no more than half of Republicans have said the same throughout Gallup’s trend, except for three readings — 51% in 2020 and 2021 and 56% in 2022. The current 41-point gap between Democrats and Republicans ties 2011 as the largest on record. * Crain’s | June auto sales could take ‘significant’ hit from CDK outage:
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Live coverage
Thursday, Jun 27, 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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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jun 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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