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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* US Rep. Nikki Budzinski…

Thousands of Illinois youth will be able to pursue careers operating heavy machinery, under a new federal grant program announced Wednesday aimed at addressing a critical workforce shortage.

U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski joined officials with the Youth Workforce Development Foundation, affiliated with SkillsUSA Illinois, and the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) on Wednesday, July 31, at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield to announce nearly $8 million in funding through the Apprenticeships Builds America federal program.

Earlier this month, the Biden Administration announced the grant as part of more than $244 million being distributed through the U.S. Department of Labor to help expand the Registered Apprenticeship system. The heavy equipment supply chain is critical to the national economy but workforce shortages in diesel technicians and heavy equipment operators are expected to exceed from 24,000 to 42,000 within a decade with retirements and career changes.

In its successful request for funding, the Youth Workforce Development Foundation and AED noted high costs and specialized skill sets limit high schools’ ability to offer heavy equipment operator and diesel equipment technology training programs.

The two groups will work in Illinois to help schools provide the necessary heavy equipment training programs. They also will support career-focused Industry Pathways events, where students receive hands-on instruction and work on the diesel and heavy equipment with industry companies and laborers. The events help employers meet students interested in the field and develop relationships for youth-focused apprenticeships that might lead to longer-term careers.

One of the key partners of this grant will be SkillsUSA Illinois, Inc., a state association focused on ensuring the future of skilled trade professionals. The funds will focus on enhancing SkillsUSA chapter programs and connecting program graduates to career opportunities.

* WCIA

The Illinois Homelessness Morbidity and Mortality Report 2017-2022 was prepared by the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health. Drawing on statewide hospital records and death certificates, the research found that people who experience homelessness are likely to live nearly 20 years less than the general population and are three times more likely to be a victim of a violent assault or murder.

The report also found that since the start of the COVID pandemic, there has been a 36.6% increase in homeless mortality, compared to only a 6.1% increase in deaths among the general population. The increase in deaths since the start of the pandemic appears to be driven in part by an increase in drug-related overdoses.

“Housing is an important social and structural determinant of health,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “Only the second report of its kind in the United States, the information presented draws into sharp focus the enormous toll that homelessness takes on unhoused Illinois residents, and the health system that works to care for them. The report diagnoses the problem, but it is only the first step. With partners across government, community, academia, and the private sector, the State of Illinois will move forward to design new and improve our current programs and policies to address disparities and achieve optimal health for our residents.” […]

The report also emphasizes the importance of increasing access to stable housing to people experiencing homelessness and of improving their access to healthcare. The IDPH intends to use the report to help partners communicate and understand health inequalities facing the homeless population in order to address those inequalities.

A summary of the report is here. The full report is here.

*** Statewide ***

* PHYS | PFAS found in nearly all fish tested from four northern Illinois rivers: Scientists tested nine fish species from four northern Illinois rivers for contamination with per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, synthetic chemicals found in numerous industrial and commercial products and known to be harmful to human health. They found fish contaminated with PFAS in every one of their 15 test sites. Elevated levels of PFOS, one type of PFAS compound, were found in nearly all fish tested.

*** Trump in Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Trump argues with moderator at Q&A with Black journalists in Chicago: ‘I think it’s a very nasty question’: The first question, from moderator Rachel Scott of ABC News, was prefaced with a recitation of Trump’s past statements, including Trump’s claim that former President Barack Obama wasn’t born in the United States, and Trump’s past treatment of Black journalists. “Why should Black voters trust you, after you have used language like that?” Scott asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump said.

* WGN | Protestors flock to downtown Chicago for Trump’s appearance at NABJ conference: During his 2016 campaign, Trump canceled a rally in Chicago over safety concerns after protesters packed the arena. Sometimes there is no two sides, there’s the truth and there’s lies,” former Sun-Times columnist and past NABJ Chicago President Maudelyn Ihejirika said. “I do not see the reason to give him a further audience to continue to spew those lies.”

Click here for NABJ’s fact checker and here for the full Q&A.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Thompson Center developers buy LaSalle Street building for data center conversion: The real estate firms are eyeing a different kind of conversion at 400 S. LaSalle St. Looking to capitalize on booming demand for buildings that can house servers and other technology that stores and processes data — a particularly fast-growing sector with the advent of artificial intelligence in computing — Reschke confirmed in a statement that he and his partners are “focused on building a data center for LaSalle Street” in the former Cboe building. “The demand is high and the building is a great location for a new data center,” Reschke said in the statement.

* WBEZ | What another six years of a Maduro presidency in Venezuela means for migrants and Chicago: “We’ve lost the hope of going back to our country,” Edwin Leal said this week in Spanish outside a city-run shelter on the Near West Side where he has been staying since arriving from Venezuela. “With the same president, the situation in Venezuela will most likely stay the same or get worse.” Under Maduro’s regime, Venezuela’s economy has plummeted and millions of citizens have fled over the last decade. The growing exodus of people has contributed to Chicago’s migrant crisis, with tens of thousands of asylum seekers bused or flown here since August 2022, primarily by the Texas governor. This has strained social safety nets not only in Chicago but in many other U.S. cities and countries in South and Central America, including in Colombia, Peru and Mexico.

* Tribune | Your next O’Hare flight could be (partly) powered by leftover grease: Sustainable fuel is seen as key to meeting the aviation industry’s goals to cut emissions. The purchase was touted as a win by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who highlighted a recently-enacted state tax credit for sustainable jet fuel. United purchased up to 1 million gallons of fuel from producer Neste to be delivered to O’Hare this year, with the first delivery expected Saturday. The sustainable fuel will go into a centralized system at O’Hare where it will be mixed with traditional jet fuel, and the mix will be available to all carriers at the airport. For now, sustainable fuel must be blended with conventional fuel for use in commercial aircraft.

* Block Club | Bike Lanes, Speed Bumps And More Coming To A Dangerous Portage Park Road: Painted bike lanes and plastic posts are being added this week to Long Avenue between Irving Park Road and Grace Street, Ald. Ruth Cruz (30th) said. The lanes are being added to both sides of the road and are part of a two-phase improvement project. The second phase involves repaving Long Avenue between Belmont Avenue and Grace Street. The alderwoman has also introduced an ordinance to lower the speed limit along Long between Belmont Avenue and Irving Park Road to 20 mph. The legislation is being considered in the City Council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety.

* Tribune | Pierogi fest, a 115-year-old tradition in Palos Park, highlights Ukrainian culture: One of the biggest changes is what happens with the money raised. Previously, it went toward parish activities, but after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, proceeds have been devoted to Ukrainian causes. But even that focus has evolved. “We used to send a lot of money to aid and cover the cost of shipping (supplies) to Ukraine. People would donate bandages, for instance,” Sendeha explained. “Now we’re focusing more on the people who are here. A lot of people have come, especially to Chicagoland. We’re helping people here in terms of helping them with rent financially or if they need supplies. They come with just a suitcase sometimes or a backpack. They have nothing.”

* Slate | The Chicago White Sox Are Making History Now. Terrible, Horrible History: In the whole history of Major League Baseball, only the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics, with 86, lost more of their first 110 ballgames than these White Sox. Chicago is tied with the 1932 Boston Red Sox for second-most losses to this point in a season, and the ChiSox are now solidly outpacing any recent team. (The 2003 Detroit Tigers, who lost 81 of their first 110, are next on the list.) Chicago’s .245 winning percentage does not quite touch a handful of teams from the late 1800s, when seasons were shorter and there weren’t as many teams. But in the modern-ish era, just those 1916 A’s would be worse at .235.

* Sun-Times | New life for Cook County medical examiner’s office at $15.5 million West Loop site?: The request to purchase the buildings on Ashland and Fulton was referred to the county’s asset management committee during the board’s July 25 meeting. Committee meetings will resume in September. “After more than 40 years of operation at its current location, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO) is working with the County’s Bureau of Asset Management (BAM) to acquire a new location to accommodate a larger, modern facility that can meet the current requirements and evolving needs of the MEO for decades to come,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Bremer Team launches 30 Days for 30 Vets program: Thirty deserving McHenry County military veterans will receive the gifts of a lifetime this fall as part of the 30 Days for 30 Vets program coordinated by The Bremer Team Keller Williams Success Realty. Nominations will open Thursday, Aug. 1. Sought are stories of veterans whose lives would be vastly improved by receiving a much-needed home renovation, said Dawn Bremer, owner and president of the McHenry-based Bremer Team. She added that, already, home repair, appliance and improvement firms have stepped up with more than $200,000 in pledges of services and materials.

* Daily Herald | Ribfest is done: High costs cited as reason for its demise: “It is with great sadness that we will not be able to continue on with Ribfest in the future,” organizers said in the statement posted Tuesday. For decades, Ribfest reigned over the suburban summer festival season with trophy-winning barbecue, star-studded concerts from the likes of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and Hootie & the Blowfish, thousands of volunteers and the grand finale: a Fourth of July fireworks show over Naperville’s Knoch Park.

*** Downstate ***

* NPR Illinois | Illinois State Museum to close until fall: The facility will close to visitors beginning Thursday, Aug. 1. A plumbing project that will involve asbestos removal and construction. The project is expected to last three months. According to the museum, staff who ordinarily work at the main facility adjacent to the statehouse will be based at the Research and Collections Center in Springfield until it reopens. Objects and artifacts that could be damaged by vibrations or proximity to the construction work have been covered or removed for storage and proper care.

* SJ-R | Two Sangamon County Board members call on sheriff to resign in wake of Massey shooting: Tony DelGiorno and Marc Ayers, both Democrats on the Republican-dominated board, called on Campbell, who has been sheriff since 2018, to step down. They said they were swayed by public comments Campbell made at a Department of Justice Community Relations Service listening session at Union Baptist Church Monday that resigning “would resolve nothing.”"(Asking for Campbell’s resignation) was the easiest decision I ever made,” said Ayers, reached Wednesday. “We’re human beings before we’re county board members and if this doesn’t rattle you to your core, I don’t know what will.”

* WGLT | McLean County Center for Human Services tapped as new regional homeless services lead: McLean County has been a leader in homeless services for years, with the Bloomington-based nonprofit PATH Crisis Center leading the region’s Continuum of Care [CoC] dedicated to ending homelessness. The U.S. Department of Urban Development runs the CoC program nationwide, and the Central Illinois Continuum of Care [CICoC] covers 11 counties, including larger counties like McLean and smaller ones like Kankakee. PATH announced it was stepping down as the collaborative applicant for the CICoC in April, and the CICoC board voted in the McLean County Center for Human Services [MCCHS] as the new lead at the end of June, keeping the role local.

*** National ***

* NYT | Trolls Used Her Face to Make Fake Porn. There Was Nothing She Could Do.: Most mornings, before walking into City Hall in Hallandale Beach, Fla., a small city north of Miami, Sabrina Javellana would sit in the parking lot and monitor her Twitter and Instagram accounts. After winning a seat on the Hallandale Beach city commission in 2018, at age 21, she became one of the youngest elected officials in Florida’s history. Her progressive political positions had sometimes earned her enemies: After proposing a name change for a state thoroughfare called Dixie Highway in late 2019, she regularly received vitriolic and violent threats on social media; her condemnation of police brutality and calls for criminal-justice reform prompted aggressive rhetoric from members of local law enforcement. Disturbing messages were nothing new to her. The morning of Feb. 5, 2021, though, she noticed an unusual one. “Hi, just wanted to let you know that somebody is sharing pictures of you online and discussing you in quite a grotesque manner,” it began. “He claims that he’s one of your ‘guy friends.’”

* AP | Stephen Nedoroscik waited his whole life for one routine. The US pommel horse specialist nailed it: Nedoroscik will soar into the event finals Saturday with a chance to put another medal in his carry-on before he heads home. His 15.200 qualifying score tied Ireland’s Rhys McClenaghan for the tops among the eight finalists. He is ready to ride the wave as far as it will take him. Yet whatever happens on Saturday or for the rest of his life for that matter, it will be difficult to top Monday night, when the guy with the curly hair and the glasses that made him the kind of social media sensation only the Olympics provides struck a blow for his sport, his teammates and himself. “I’m really proud of these guys,” he said while sitting alongside the group that became U.S. men’s gymnastics royalty. “I love you boys.”

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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Wednesday, Jul 31, 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 Barbara, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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Today’s timeline: State employee headcount

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability

Headcount has grown by 3,289 since the nadir of the Rauner impasse.

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Pritzker signs IL AFL-CIO’s ‘top priority’ into law (Updated)

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sen. Peters…

State Senator Robert Peters’ law banning employers from requiring workers to attend meetings regarding political or religious matters was signed into law on Wednesday.

“Forcing employees to attend meetings about the employer’s political or religious views goes too far,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “There needs to be a balanced and impartial relationship between employers and employees.”

Peters’ law prohibits Illinois employers from requiring employees to attend employer-sponsored meetings where the primary purpose is to communicate the employer’s opinions on religious or political matters. Further, the legislation safeguards employees from adverse actions for refusing such employer-sponsored meetings.

The law does not explicitly exclude 501(c) organizations so as to not interfere with the work of advocacy groups or organizations seeking to communicate policy initiatives. The law also outlines exemptions for required diversity, equity and inclusion training and higher education employers speaking to employees about coursework and research.

“I want to thank the Illinois AFL-CIO labor organization for bringing these issues to my attention,” said Peters. “By banning such meetings, we safeguard employees from being forced to adhere to anti-union messaging and shield them from employers directly attempting to influence their beliefs.”

Senate Bill 3649 goes into effect Jan. 1.

* Illinois AFL-CIO…

Joined by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Worker Freedom of Speech Act into law Wednesday at the state federation’s convention. The new law makes Illinois the eighth state to bar employers from requiring workers to attend mandatory political and religious meetings at work, known as “captive audience” meetings that often take the form of anti-union rhetoric.

“People go to work to work, not to be indoctrinated. Now, workers will not have to choose between their livelihood and personal values when employers use mandatory meetings to advance their political and religious interests,” stated Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “Today’s bill signing represents a new chapter for Illinois where all workers can feel safe at work and choose to walk away from unwanted political, religious or anti-union rhetoric without fear of retaliation. We are grateful to Governor Pritzker for standing with workers and demonstrating his commitment to workplace fairness.”

The legislation was the top priority for the Illinois AFL-CIO in the 2024 legislative session. New York, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maine, Oregon, Vermont and Washington have passed similar laws protecting workers’ freedom of speech. The laws protect workers from having to hear or read offensive or unwanted political and religious speech unrelated to job tasks or performance.

“I congratulate the Illinois AFL-CIO and its allies on this tremendous victory for working people,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “This new law will ensure that workers are protected from being compelled to listen to their employers’ opinions on political or religious matters on the job. These coercive captive audience meetings have no place in workplaces. We commend the Illinois legislature for passing this bill and Governor Pritzker for signing this important protection into law.”

Although Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) strictly prohibits employers from interfering with the formation of a union, captive audience meetings have been called a “license to coerce” and “an anomaly in labor law, inconsistent with the [National Labor Relations] Act’s protection of employees’ free choice,” by National Labor Relations Board General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo.

…Adding… Center Square

Employer groups opposed the measure. Noah Finley with the National Federation of Independent Business told that same committee the measure is a violation of employers’ rights.

“It doesn’t ban employers from holding mandatory meetings, it bans them from holding them on specific topics and exercises content restriction on the employers’ speech,” Finley said. “In doing so it discriminates against speech that specifically protected by the U.S. Constitution.”

Unions say the meetings prohibit anti-union rhetoric during mandatory meetings. Employers groups say employees need to know how unionization could negatively impact the workplace relationship.

Alec Laird, senior vice president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told the same committee in March similar measures have been blocked for superseding the National Labor Relations Act.

“Finally, Washington just passed its law this year,” Laird said. “It appears the NLRB’s own rulings in recent case law that the legislation is preempted by federal law and an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.”

Other groups listed as opponents were the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Policy, the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

  13 Comments      


Today’s quotable

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sun-Times

Lawyers for the city argue in a legal filing that Dexter Reed was pulled over for having illegally tinted windows before he was killed in a shootout with Chicago cops, contradicting the initial explanation given to police oversight officials. […]

Andrea Kersten, chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, previously wrote an explosive memo informing Police Supt. Larry Snelling that COPA was told Reed was stopped because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. […]

Reed’s sister, Porscha Banks, said the court filing marks a disheartening change in tone from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s initial response to the shooting. At the time, Johnson said he was “personally devastated to see yet another young Black man lose his life during an interaction with the police.” […]

The [city’s] lawyers argued the stop targeting Reed was constitutional because his tinted windows violated state law. “An officer’s subjective reason for conducting a traffic stop — even if based on race — does not violate the Fourth Amendment,” the lawyers said.

Emphasis added.

Some legal arguments shouldn’t be used by a government. That’s one of them.

  19 Comments      


So many ways to describe how horrible this White Sox team is

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Steve Greenberg yesterday

Baseball has had 162-game schedules since 1961. In all the time since, not a single other team has gotten to 82 losses as fast as the sad-sack Sox.

There are untold ways to illustrate just how abysmal the Sox have been, but here’s a personal favorite. First, take their disgraceful 3-22 start to the season, which included separate losing streaks of four, five, six and seven games. Next, add their 14-game losing streak from late May to early June, which tied a single-season franchise record. Now, throw in their current 15-game losing streak — hey! It’s a record! — going into Tuesday night’s game, tally it all up and you get 3-51. But even if you were to wipe away all 51 of those losses, guess what? These Sox would still have more “Ls” (30) than “Ws” (27).

The worst Sox team ever, by winning percentage, went 49-102-1 (.325) in 1932. The worst Cubs teams went 59-103 (.364) each in 1962 and 1966. These Sox are at a previously unthinkable .247, which makes them not only the shoddiest baseball team in the city’s major league history — which began in 1876 — but the shoddiest by miles. It’s undebatable.

* The White Sox ended up losing yesterday, of course

The blown saves are at 28. The losing streak is 16, extending a franchise record.

With the Royals’ 4-3 come from behind victory Tuesday before a paid crowd of 15,360, the Sox fell to 27-83, on pace to break the 1962 Mets (40-120) record for most losses in a season. […]

The Sox bullpen is 0-11 with a 6.37 ERA in the last 24 games. […]

The Sox, who are 8-23 in one-run games, have lost 19 of their last 20 games and are the third team to lose 83-plus games in their first 110 contests.

Part of me hopes they break the Mets’ loss record to make absolutely sure that all the people involved with running this team are permanently stained with shame.

Your thoughts?

  39 Comments      


Illinois is an island on yet another issue

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Yesterday, Governor Pritzker beefed up Illinois’ child labor regulations. Tribune

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday signed into law a measure that updates Illinois’ child labor regulations by setting additional standards for working conditions for children 15 or younger and updating a list of jobs that minors cannot hold.

The changes come as President Joe Biden’s administration and some states in recent years have moved to strengthen enforcement of child labor laws while other states — including neighboring Iowa — have sought to weaken their laws. […]

The state’s child labor regulations have long required school officials to review a minor’s work opportunity and, with the permission of a parent or guardian, issue an employment certificate to the minor before they can lawfully work, according to the governor’s office.

The new law prohibits minors from working more than 18 hours per school week and over 40 hours during weeks when school is out. Previously, the standards were 24 hours during school weeks and 48 hours when school was out. The updated list of prohibited workplaces includes cannabis dispensaries, live adult entertainment businesses, gambling establishments and gun ranges.

* So, what’s going on in Iowa? CNN last year

Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill Friday that loosens child labor laws by extending the hours that teens can work and the establishments where they can be employed. […]

Under the newly signed law, 14- and 15-year-olds are allowed to work two additional hours per day when school is in session, from four to six hours. They are also able to work until 9 p.m. during most of the year and until 11 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day, two hours later than previously allowed. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds are now permitted to work the same hours as an adult.

The law also allows teens as young as 16 to serve alcohol in restaurants during the hours food is being served if their employer has written permission from their parent or guardian. It also requires that two adults be present while the teen serves alcohol and for the teen to complete “training on prevention and response to sexual harassment.”

Among the expanded employment opportunities outlined under the new law, 14- and 15-year-olds would be able to do certain types of work in industrial laundry services and in freezers and meat coolers – areas that were previously prohibited.

The law also gives authority to the directors of the education and workforce development departments to provide an exception to the work hours and some of the prohibited work activities to teens 16 and older who are enrolled in a qualified work-based learning program.

* Last week from Iowa Capital Dispatch

Michelle Cox was in disbelief when a U.S. Department of Labor official told her earlier this year she was violating federal law by employing 14- and 15-year-olds past 7 p.m. on school nights.

Cox, the owner of a Subway franchise in Maquoketa, Iowa, knew the state Legislature had made substantial changes to state labor laws in 2023 to allow younger teens to work later on weekdays.

The problem, as critics of last year’s proposed bill pointed out during the legislative debate: Iowa’s new regulations directly conflicted with federal standards. And employers must follow the strictest standards, whether they be state or federal.

Cox said she fixed the problem the day the feds informed her, eliminating later work shifts for her youngest employees. But she said she still faced a $73,000 federal fine.

“I kept telling him I wasn’t trying to break the law,” she said. “I honestly thought I was following the law.”

* Here is a side-by-side from Des Moines Register

State law: Iowa expanded the time children between 14 and 15 years old can work to as late as 9 p.m. on school days. During the summer months between June 1 until Labor Day, children may work until 11 p.m. This is two hours later than the federal standard.

Federal law: Child labor is limited by the time of day and number of hours worked for 14-and 15-years-old, according to the federal youth employment provisions. Work for 14-and 15-year-olds can extend between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the school year. Starting June 1 through Labor Day, children can work until 9 p.m. […]

State law: Iowa’s recent child labor laws allowed children as young as 14 years old to work up to six hours on school days. They are limited to a 28 hour work week during the school year. Children from 16 to 17 years old may work the same number of hours per day as adults.

Federal law: Children between 14 and 15 years old can not work more than three hours on school days including Fridays. They also can’t work more than 18 hours a week when school is in session. When it is not a school day, 14- and 15-year-olds can not work more than eight hours. Their weekly work hours can not exceed 40 when school is out of session. The federal youth employment provision does not restrict the number of weekly hours or times of day children 16 years and older work.

* More…

    * The Gazette | Feds fine North Liberty restaurant after state child labor law conflicts with U.S. rules: A North Liberty restaurant is among several in Iowa facing steep fines of $50,000 up to $180,000 from the federal government for following a new state law loosening work requirements for teens that conflicts with federal child labor regulations. […] The Iowa Restaurant Association heralded it as a “legislative win” for its members. Now, it’s warning members to revert to following the stricter federal regulations for workers under 16 as federal regulators have levied hefty fines on establishments.

    * WaPo | America is divided over major efforts to rewrite child labor laws: Labor experts attribute the spike in child labor violations — which, a Post analysis shows, have tripled in 10 years — to a tight labor market that has prompted employers to hire more teens, as well as migrant children arriving from Latin America. In 2023, teens ages 16 to 19 were working or looking for work at the highest annual rate since 2009, according to Labor Department data. That has led to the largest effort in years to change the patchwork of state laws that regulate child labor, with major implications for the country’s youths and the labor market. At least 16 states have one or more bills that would weaken their child labor laws and at least 13 are seeking to strengthen them, according to a report from the Economic Policy Institute and other sources. Among these states, there are 43 bill proposals.

    * Governing | What’s Driving the Changes to Child Labor Laws?: Last week, the Kentucky House passed a bill that would abolish the state’s child labor laws, in effect replacing them with looser federal standards. The bill would also increase the number of hours that 16- and 17-year-olds can work on school days from six to eight. They’d be able to work up to 30 hours per week during the school year, or even more if their parents approve and they maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average. Several Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats in opposition, including GOP Whip Jason Nemes, but the bill passed easily. “Our current statutes and regulations unnecessarily restrict the number of hours needed to work, often preventing them from seeking an opportunity to help them pay for college, learn new skills and prepare for the future,” said bill sponsor Phillip Pratt, who owns a landscaping and lawn care company.

    * AFL-CIO | Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Wisconsin Gov. Evers Protects Child Labor Law with Senate Bill 436 Veto: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivered remarks Monday at the Wisconsin State Council of Machinists’ 2024 spring conference in Madison and vetoed S.B. 436, which would have eliminated the requirement that employers obtain a work permit in order to employ 14- or 15-year-olds. The work permit process keeps young workers safer at work through parental oversight and gives critical information about where kids work and what jobs they’re doing to Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development, so it can better enforce child labor laws. In 2017, then-Gov. Scott Walker, a national disgrace, signed a bill passed by fellow Republicans in the state Legislature that eliminated the work permit requirements for 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill Evers vetoed would have expanded and built on this exemption.

    * WVIK | Center for American Progress says Project 2025 will hurt child labor protections: Senior Director for Workforce Development Policy Veronica Goodman at the Center for American Progress says corporate influence in Republican states is weakening child labor protections. “So what we’ve seen is that it’s really a result of sustained lobbying from certain industries like restaurants or hospitality, companies that view working minors as an opportunity for cheap labor to boost profits,” Goodman said in a phone interview with WVIK on July 24th.

    * New Republic | Louisiana Republicans Love Child Labor, Hate Lunch Breaks: Nobody expects to find good government in what A.J. Liebling famously termed “the GRET Stet of Loosiana,” but it surprised me to learn that the Louisiana state legislature, or its lower chamber at any rate, recently weighed in against eating. Eating is a sort of religion in Louisiana, land of gumbo and shrimp etouffee. But the state House of Representatives last week voted 61-37 to repeal a law requiring employers to provide a 20-minute meal break to any minor who works more than five hours, or pay a $500 penalty.

    * Kentucky Lantern | House GOP approve bill loosening Kentucky child labor law: House Bill 255, sponsored by Rep. Phillip Pratt, R-Georgetown, repeals Kentucky’s existing child labor laws and aligns them with federal laws, which are less restrictive for minors aged 16 and 17. Kentucky law currently limits the number of hours that 16- and 17-year-olds can work on a school day to six. The limit increases to eight hours on a non-school day and up to 30 hours total during a school week, unless they receive parental permission to work more and maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average. Federal law doesn’t have any daily or weekly hour work limits for ages 16 and 17.

    * Missouri Independent | After a century, states are loosening child labor laws. Where’s the outrage?: Arkansas, for example, in March did away with the requirement that the state’s Division of Labor had to give permission or verify the age of children under 16 to be employed. Although those under 14 still cannot be employed, the ending of age verification requirements is an invitation to child labor abuses. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in signing the new law, said the change was about removing an “arbitrary burden on parents” that required state permission for their children to work. But let’s get real. This isn’t about the rights of parents, it’s about helping businesses cope with the labor shortages in the wake of the pandemic. If you visited any fast food restaurant in the last three years, you’ve probably experienced worse service than in the past and seen the “help wanted’ and hiring bonus signs.

    * LA Times | Opinion: Our failed immigration policy is causing a child labor epidemic in the U.S.: The U.S. government’s failure to pass significant immigration reform since 1986 is one reason children end up as workers. U.S. policies haven’t kept pace with the high rates of displacement from migrants’ countries of origin, nor our need for workers. Without pathways for legal migration, many families, individual adults and unaccompanied children have little choice but to migrate without authorization and remain so long term; 2019 data indicate that 62% of undocumented migrants have been in the U.S. for at least 10 years.

    * NPR | Amid a child labor crisis, U.S. state governments are loosening regulations:[New York Times investigative journalist Hannah Dreier] estimates that some 250,000 children have crossed into the U.S. without their parents in the last two years, and that the majority of them wind up working full-time jobs. “These are jobs working for household brands like Cheerios, Cheetos, Ford,” she says. “These are jobs that used to go to undocumented immigrants. Now they go to undocumented child migrants.”

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Open thread

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

  6 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois underfunds public universities by $1.4B, report says. Is there a solution?. SJ-R

    - Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford and Rep. Carol Ammons unveiled SB3965 — creating a new funding formula for public universities in Illinois.
    - The legislation comes on the heels of a report from the Illinois Commission on Equitable Public University Funding which found the state needs to increase funding to universities by approximately $1.4 billion in current dollars to meet student needs.
    - As it is currently written, the bill puts the timeline for meeting that $1.4 billion gap and fully funding public universities within the next 10 to 15 years. The state would invest an additional $135 million per fiscal year if it commits to doing so in the next decade.

* Related stories…

Governor Pritzker will sign workers’ rights legislation at 11:15 am. At 1 pm the governor will be joined by President Don Harmon and Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch to celebrate the first Sustainable Aviation Fuel powered United Airlines flight. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | In Chicago, civil rights leaders want Sonya Massey’s killing to be a catalyst for police reform: Enough is enough. That’s the message civil rights leaders the Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump conveyed during a rally Tuesday in West Garfield Park for Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman who was gunned down by a white sheriff’s deputy in her kitchen near Springfield. Speaking at a news conference at New Mount Pilgrim Church ahead of the rally, Crump and Sharpton called on Congress to pass national police reform legislation in Massey’s name. They blamed the same lawmakers for their inaction in the wake of past killings of unarmed Black people at the hands of police for Massey’s shooting.

* Sun-Times | City lawyers say Dexter Reed was stopped by Chicago cops over tinted windows, contradicting earlier claim: The lawyers’ explanation for the deadly traffic stop was detailed in a court filing last week urging a federal judge to toss out key portions of a lawsuit filed by Reed’s mother after the March 21 gunfight in Humboldt Park. Andrea Kersten, chief administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, previously wrote an explosive memo informing Police Supt. Larry Snelling that COPA was told Reed was stopped because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WTTW | What Is Carbon Capture? A New State Law Puts Much-Anticipated and Controversial Plans on Hold — For Now: It’s a technology that’s been eyed by energy producers in Illinois for years, with multiple previous proposals and one that’s expected to resurface soon. And it’s a technology that landowners and environmentalists view with concern at best and fear at worst. […] But One Earth’s proposal to transport CO2 and bury it underground has left some neighbors queasy. While CCS in Illinois is on hold temporarily, the technology will again be under consideration when the moratorium lapses or once further federal rules are in place, subject to additional state regulations created by the new law.

* Eye On Illinois | Lawmakers can push, but prescription drug ecosystem unlikely to budge: The Federal Trade Commission is conducting an antitrust probe of pharmacy benefit managers, the for-profit companies that negotiate drug purchase rules and prices with pharmacies and insurers. As those companies consolidate – the top six process 94% of the drugs American pharmacies dispense – consumer choice dwindles, both in the types of medication available and, more importantly, the places to buy those drugs. […] General Assembly members will keep investigating and may be able to effect some small, state-level reforms. But they’re facing billions in corporate money and Congressional stagnation. Don’t get your hopes up.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | Abused Chicago lifeguards receive more than $6.5 million in legal settlements: The Chicago Park District’s legal tab for sexual misconduct at the city’s public beaches and pools now exceeds $6.5 million — including a record $4 million settlement for a woman who was underage when a supervisor at Humboldt Park sexually abused her. Officials said it was the largest legal settlement that the Park District has paid out since at least 2001.

* Tribune | Donald Trump’s invitation to Black journalists convention in Chicago divides membership: Karen Attiah, a Washington Post columnist, said on Tuesday she was stepping down as co-chair for the NABJ convention. “While my decision was influenced by a variety of factors, I was not involved or consulted with in any way with the decision to platform Trump in such a format,” Attiah wrote on X. She didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for additional comment Tuesday.

* Block Club | Trump At Black Journalism Conference ‘Makes Members Feel Unsafe,’ Some NABJ Attendees Say: National and local reporters blasted the decision on social media and questioned the timing of the announcement so close to the convention’s start. A convention dedicated to uplifting Black media members will now potentially draw a national crowd and protestors in an already jam-packed weekend in the city while spotlighting a figure who helped coin the phrase “fake news,” they said.

* Sun-Times | For a hustling Chicago, the Democratic National Convention is all in a day’s work: Chicagoans can be hard to impress. That applies even to an occasion infused with intrigue and involving the nation’s highest office — the upcoming Democratic National Convention. On the one hand, the city is doing everything it can to present a well-scrubbed face for the four-day TV show. Security and traffic plans have been in the works, a progressive City Hall has cleared out a homeless camp to thwart prying TV eyes, and city crews are lavishing attention on streets that delegates are likely to encounter.

* Tribune | City begins to clear out North Park homeless encampment Tuesday, leaving some residents unsure where they’ll sleep tonight: Advocates for the homeless say the only solution for homelessness is permanent housing. If it cannot be offered, they say the homeless should be left in their makeshift shelters until it can be provided, Doug Schenkelberg, executive director of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, previously told the Tribune.

* Sun-Times | Firefighters union denied permit to protest during Democratic National Convention: The Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2 wants to march near the United Center to light a political fire under Mayor Brandon Johnson to negotiate with firefighters and paramedics waiting more than three years for a new contract. The Johnson administration denied the permit, saying it was “too close” to the United Center.

* Sun-Times | How abortion providers in Chicago are preparing for the DNC: Sometimes that’s dozens of people parading around the sidewalks outside Cowett’s clinic, Family Planning Associates, trying to persuade women on their way inside not to end their pregnancies. Cowett said the noise isn’t as loud since the Chicago City Council this summer passed an ordinance to protect the clinic from the booming loudspeakers and bullhorns that could be heard inside the building, making it hard to hear conversations with patients. But as Chicago prepares to host the Democratic National Convention at the United Center about two miles from Family Planning Associates, drawing an estimated 50,000 people, it’s the unknown that Cowett said makes her nervous.

* US Bets | Bally’s Chicago Posted 15% Hold On Slots In First Nine Months: Bally’s temporary casino in downtown Chicago posted a robust 15%-plus hold on casino slots and electronic gaming devices (EGD) spanning its first nine months, according to a fulfilled Freedom of Information Act request by the Illinois Gaming Board. That win rate against $396.1 million in coin drop spanning last September through May is the highest among its seven properties where drop and revenue figures are available from state agency reports.

* Block Club | Lollapalooza Returns To Chicago This Weekend: Here’s What You Need To Know: SZA, Megan Thee Stallion, blink-182, The Killers, Future x Metro Boomin, Hozier, Stray Kids, Melanie Martinez and Skrillex are among the headliners. There are 170 other artists performing at Lollapalooza; among them are Deftones, Zedd, Dominic Fike, Labrinth, Pierce The Veil, Friko, Sir, Tyla, The Japanese House, Reneé Rapp, Sexyy Red, Kesha and Hippo Campus.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Dems choose former Ald. Michael Scott for vacant Cook County Board seat: Scott will serve in the role until December, and his name will be placed on the November ballot to complete the rest of Deer’s term through 2026. The Cook County GOP can also select a name to place on the ballot, but Scott is favored in a heavily Democratic district.

* Daily Herald | A ‘concerned advocate’: Arlington Heights trustee who opposed initial Bears plans running for mayor: He said the team’s proposal for a mixed-use transit-oriented development — with restaurants, stores, offices, hotels, homes and more on 206 acres of the 326-acre property — would “negatively impact” what is already in downtown Arlington Heights. And like he told the Bears’ attorneys and consultants during an initial review of site plans in October 2022, Tinaglia said he’d still be a “no” vote.

* Shaw Local | McHenry County judge accused of speeding 93 mph in 55 mph zone pleads guilty to lesser offense: Associate Judge Jeffrey L. Hirsch, 55, was accused of driving at least 35 mph over the speed limit, according to the citation and complaint filed in the McHenry County court. McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, which alleged that on June 10, he was driving his Harley-Davidson motorcycle 93 mph in a 55 mph zone north on Route 47 in Hebron Township, according to the complaint.

* Naperville Sun | Wayfair planning to open first Illinois outlet store in Naperville this fall: Wayfair’s Naperville outlet will be about 23,000 square feet, the spokesperson said. It will sell returns from online purchases as well as discounted items in good condition across a large number of product categories. Customers will be able to browse the outlet inventory online, but products will only be available for purchase in-store.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | Springfield residents seek reform as police chief speaks out after Sonya Massey shooting: Anupama Paruchuri, who lives in Ward 7, said she still wanted to see “thorough, genuine police reform.”Specifically, Paruchuri said, the city should start “a focused committee to develop and implement meaningful reforms. This committee should engage with community leaders and provide regular public updates.”Paruchuri cited two city officers dismissed from the force, Nicholas Renfro and Aaron Paul Nichols, proving it has “similar issues” as other departments.

* WCIA | Former EIU athlete wins historic Olympic medal in Women’s Rugby: An Eastern Illinois University alumna and co-captain of the Team USA Women’s Rugby team earned a historic Olympic medal on Tuesday. Class of 2012 graduate Lauren Doyle and her team won the bronze against Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It marks the team’s first-ever Olympic medal.

* WCIA | Maize Mexican Grill thanking community for memories after original building was demolished: A fan favorite around the Champaign-Urbana community, the original location of Maize Mexican Grill and has been torn down. Owner Armando Sandoval said the building had to be torn down due to the lease not being renewed by the land owners, the University Group.

*** National ***

* AP | Find out which Olympic sport you could play, based on your height and weight: There’s an Olympian inside all of us. We’ll tell you what Olympic sport you might be able to play, based solely on your height and weight. Skills not included.

  12 Comments      


Live coverage

Wednesday, Jul 31, 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)

Wednesday, Jul 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Reader comments closed for the weekend
* Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders
* UIC testing lab accused of providing flawed results in 1,600 cannabis DUI convictions
* Today's must-read
* COGFA: Illinois job growth rate is about a tenth of national growth rate since October of 2019
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards
* Roundup: Madigan trial delves into political fight over Chinatown land deal
* It’s just a bill
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Federal appeals court stays Downstate federal judge's gun ruling (Updated)
* Yesterday's stories

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