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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Emily Rosca at The Patch…

Debbie Kraulidis, who also served on the Will Board until 2022, delivered the Pledge of Allegiance to kick off the first day of the [Republican National Convention] Monday in Milwaukee. […]

Currently serving as vice president for Moms For America, Kraulidis interviewed Trump in late 2023 for the organization’s Presidential Candidate Podcast Special.

She was also among those to participate in the pro-Trump rally that stormed the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021. Despite sharing videos on her Facebook page to say she was there to make sure “only legal votes were counted,” she said accusations claiming she was part of the violence were “false” and “ridiculous,” Patch reported.

* David Paul Blumenshine is an alternate delegate to the national convention. This story is from January 6, 2021…

A candidate for Normal Town Council participated in the events that became an insurrection and riot at the nation’s capital on Wednesday.

David Paul Blumenshine hosted an event called the “Stop The Steal Bus Trip” to Washington, D.C., with Cities 92.9, a conservative talk radio station in Bloomington owned by Great Plains Media. Blumenshine hosts a weekly show on the station. The trip was in support of President Trump’s baseless claims that there was election fraud that overturned a result that favored him when, in fact, Joe Biden was elected president.

* The second story in Illinois Answers’ series on restraint chairs was published today…

Brice Fritz was naked, strapped down to a chair in a jail cell when a staff member monitoring her via video delivered 80,000 volts of electricity through the stun cuff on her leg.

“I felt like I was being electrocuted,” Fritz told the Illinois Answers Project, recalling the incident at Coles County Jail in 2021. The cuff is a sort of shock collar for humans that the manufacturer describes as a wireless device to control detainees, typically used during court or transport. […]

A recent Illinois Answers Project investigation into the use of restraint chairs statewide found county jails used the devices more than a thousand times per year from 2019 to 2023. The investigation also identified a number of extreme incidents at Coles County Jail, which restrained people in chairs more than 200 times during that period and continues to use the device.

In multiple incidents, staff shocked someone with a stun cuff right before restraining them or right after releasing them. In others, staff kept a cuff on a restrained person but did not activate it. At least one other person was shocked with a cuff while restrained, one was stunned with a Taser while restrained, and one was stunned with a Taser while partially restrained. […]

The following year, in 2021, Equip for Equality recommended the jail prohibit the use of stun cuffs, increase mental health staff, revise health screening protocols, curtail use of restraint chairs and limit their use to the shortest duration possible, among other reforms. The report said many of the jail’s challenges appear linked to “insufficient staffing levels – clinical and correctional – and deficiencies in the physical space.”

[Amanda Antholt], of Equip for Equality, said the sheriff’s department took “really quick action on important steps,” such as stopping the use of stun cuffs, which the sheriff says are now in storage.

* Tribune…

A group of West Side and near South Side Democrats are meeting later this month to choose a successor to the late county commissioner Dennis Deer.

That selection process could be a family affair. Multiple sources close to the deliberations say Deer’s wife, Barbara, is among the interested candidates, as is the husband of Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia and former 24th Ward Ald. Michael Scott, whose sister, Monique, is on the selection committee. […]

“As we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague Dr. Dennis Deer, we must also fulfill our duty to the residents of the 2nd District to select a replacement. I look forward to a fair and transparent process and encourage anyone interested in serving their community to apply,” 34th Ward Alderman and Democratic committeeman Bill Conway said in a release.

He has the largest share of Democratic voters in Deer’s district and will chair the selection committee to replace him.

* SEIU Local 73…

SEIU Local 73 has endorsed Barbara Deer for Commissioner in Cook County’s Second District. SEIU Local 73 represents nearly 3,000 workers in the district.

“Commissioner Dennis Deer was a staunch ally of labor unions and working families,” said Dian Palmer, President of SEIU Local 73. “Barbara Deer is equally committed to standing up for the workers we represent and that’s why we’re supporting her for Cook County Commissioner.”

“SEIU Local 73 has a strong track record of electing progressive candidates in Cook County,” said Jeffrey Howard, Executive Vice President of SEIU Local 73. “It’s clear Barbara Deer is the best candidate to carry on her late husband’s legacy.

*** RNC ***

* Sun-Times | Chicago’s ‘rooftop pastor’ to speak at GOP convention: The South Side pastor who routinely crisscrosses the city among shooting scenes said on social media he was “grateful for this opportunity and looking forward to giving a shoutout to Chicago.” Brooks is a Republican who has boosted GOP candidates.

* WTTW | Illinois Republicans Urged to Take Their Message to Democrats – and Take Advantage of Early Voting Laws They’ve Decried: That was the guidance from former U.S. Rep Lee Zeldin (R-NY), the day’s guest speaker, who said if laws expanding voting access are on the books, Republicans ought to take advantage of them. “I believe that every state in the country should have voter ID,” Zeldin said to a round of applause. “Ballot harvesting should not be legal in any state. Universal mail-in balloting should not be legal in any state. But when the Democrats change an election law in a particular state and it is the law for that election, I believe that we should be leaning into that law instead of boycotting that law.”

* WTTW | RNC Live Blog, Day 2: Tuesday Night Speaker Schedule, Republicans Told to Take Part in Early Voting: Zeldin, who unsuccessfully challenged Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022, told attendees about his time campaigning in solidly blue districts with a large number of Black, Latino and Asian voters. “I was told when I was first elected, don’t go there. Don’t waste your time. You will not get their vote,” Zeldin said. “It somehow made me think that that’s exactly where we need to be. If the political consultant is saying, ‘don’t go there, it’s not worth your time,’ … maybe no one in either party is going there.”

* Capitol News Illinois | State GOP members insist it’s a “big tent” party: State Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, said while he wasn’t a member of the Freedom Caucus, the fact that he gathered signatures for Trump shows the ILGOP is a “big tent” party. When asked if the party has room for “anti-Trumpers,” Meier said, “I believe so.”

* CBS Chicago | Illinois delegation at RNC excited about future of GOP nationally and statewide: With day one of the Republican National Convention in the books, the GOP is hoping to build on their momentum on day two in Milwaukee. Republicans aim to whip up the base to get excited about their candidates and spread a message of support.

* Sun-Ties | Suburban native, far-right conservative talk show host Charlie Kirk speaks at RNC: Speaking during a prime-time slot on the first night of the Republican National Convention, far-right conservative talk show host and northwest suburban native Charlie Kirk said former President Donald Trump would reject a “fake, pathetic, mutilated version of the American dream” he claims has taken hold under President Joe Biden. During a four-minute talk that was otherwise largely focused on economic numbers, Kirk bemoaned Democrats “whose vision is this: limit your dreams. Give up. Aim lower, be content with less.”

* Daily Herald | An appeal to youth? Veep choice of Vance a key strategic move, delegates say: “He’ll bring in the young crowd, and that’s important,” said delegate Steve Balich, the Will County Board Republican Leader. “And he’s somebody that the people see as part of them.” Delegate Rick Lawrence was an early supporter of Vance. “It’s nice to see somebody that hasn’t been there forever,” said Lawrence, a former Aurora alderman. “There’s a whole generation looking for younger people.”

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Push to Give Chicago Voters Power to Recall Mayor Raises Less Than $300 in 3 Months: Despite a flurry of media attention after Daniel Boland announced the creation of the Committee for Chicago Mayor Recall, a required campaign finance report filed late Monday with the Illinois State Board of Elections showed just $258.47 in contributions. With 20 days to go before the initiative faces a deadline of Aug. 5 to file at least 56,464 signatures to put the question to Chicago voters on the Nov. 5 ballot, the committee has just $83.47 on hand after spending $175, according to the report.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson plans to remove George Washington statue outside his City Hall office: Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to remove the statue of former President George Washington from the hallway outside the mayor’s office on the fifth floor of City Hall in a move that, a top aide said Tuesday, has nothing to do with the first president’s role as a slave owner. Ronnie Reese, Johnson’s communications director, said the statue “is being removed from the hallway outside the mayor’s office as we make updates to some areas around City Hall.”

* Crain’s | Service workers strike at UChicago Medical Center: The strike by painters, carpenters, building engineers, grounds crews and supply chain specialists represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 73 is not impacting patient care, UCMC said in a statement, and the Hyde Park hospital has engaged replacement workers. […] The union issued a 10-day strike notice earlier this month, saying contract negotiations were at an impasse after more than six months of negotiations.

* ABC Chicago | Chicago cop faces suspension for marching in uniform in pro-Palestinian demonstration: Raid Ghanimah, who’s been on a leave of absence since early 2023, was wearing his black battle-dress uniform and holding Palestinian and Blue Lives Matter flags during a downtown demonstration on Oct. 18, 2023, according to the report. Battle-dress uniforms, or BDUs, are used for special operations. Ghanimah, who was hired as a Chicago police officer in 2000, is accused of using tape to cover his name and star number on his uniform and failing to identify himself to a member of the Chicago Police Department when he was asked. The report said he violated several department rules, including one involving officers engaging in political activity.

* Tribune | Chicago White Sox in the 2024 MLB draft: 15 picks so far, including Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith at No. 5: “[Hagen Smith] took Oregon State for a ride I’ve never seen a college pitcher take any lineup for,” [Chicago White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley] said. “On the big stage. It was (17) punchouts. It was the most dominating stuff I’ve ever seen since I’ve been scouting. “As the great Jim Thome said, ‘I might need to take a day off when we face this guy.’ That’s part of it, this guy’s real.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Rebuilt bridges, improved intersections among this year’s projects in DuPage County: DuPage County has kicked off projects totaling more than $36 million to ease traffic congestion, improve safety and resurface more than 57 lane miles of county roads. The county’s 2024 road construction plan includes major projects such as the reconstruction of the Geneva Road bridge over the west branch of the DuPage River, the widening of Fabyan Parkway in West Chicago west of Route 38, reconstruction of the Warrenville Road bridge over the East Branch of the DuPage River, and York Road reconstruction from Devon Avenue to Irving Park Road.

* Crain’s | Suburban office vacancy just keeps climbing: It’s been four years since the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of remote work began drubbing suburban office landlords with weak demand and surging vacancy. They’re still waiting for the beatdown to end. The share of available office space across the suburbs wrapped up the first half of 2024 at a new all-time high of 31.3%, according to data from real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle. The vacancy rate is up from 28.9% one year ago and 22.1% at the beginning of the public health crisis, and has hit new record highs for 14 consecutive quarters.

* Daily Herald | 180,000 without power after severe storms spawn multiple tornadoes Monday night: Nearly 200,000 people are still without power after severe storms rolled through the Chicago area late Monday, spawning multiple tornadoes, uprooting trees, downing power lines and killing at least one person in Indiana. Radar-confirmed tornadoes near Sugar Grove, Oswego and Warrenville were reported by the agency Monday night. The twisters were reported in those areas around 9 p.m.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Normal council approves expanded enterprise zone for Rivian: The Normal Town Council approved a new ordinance Monday that will expand the boundaries of the Bloomington-Normal Enterprise Zone to include 320 acres along Rivian Motorway to support potentially more expansion at the electric automaker. The zone offers financial incentives for economic development within its boundaries. The benefits include potential tax exemptions and credits for businesses that want to come to a community, including sales tax exemptions on building materials and “personal property used or consumed during the manufacturing process,” utility tax exemptions on gas and electricity, qualified investment tax credits, a natural gas tax exemption for “purchasing direct from the pipeline,” and the potential for real estate property tax abatement.

* AP | Downstate Illinois dam fails after heavy rains and tornadoes sweep the Midwest, killing 1 in Indiana: Water overtopped a dam near Nashville, Illinois, sending first responders to the flooded area to make sure everyone got out safely, officials said. There were no reports of injuries in the community of 3,000 southeast of St. Louis, but crews were sent to a home where a woman reported water up to her waist, said Alex Haglund, a spokesperson for the Washington County Emergency Management Agency.

* WGN | Illinois dam fails, residents told to evacuate area: IEMA spokesperson Alex Haglund said a portion of the dam failed early Tuesday, but it wasn’t clear if it was a break or an overtopping. A “secondary failure” happened later in the morning when the dam was overtopped.

* SLPR | Hundreds of Nashville, Illinois, residents evacuated after heavy rain and dam failures: A shelter has been set up at Trinity Lutheran Church, and the American Red Cross has been activated, according to the Washington County Emergency Management Agency. The state Department of Transportation has closed I-64 north of Nashville in both directions.

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford area residents cope with loss, cleanup after flooding, storms: Hundreds of Rockford area homes and businesses flooded after the weekend’s heavy rains, but for Cynthia Lumzy it was both. The 14th Street resident and hairstylist awoke to a shock Sunday morning. The basement of her home where she has her hair studio had two and a half feet of standing water. The damage, she said, including loss of products, is thousands of dollars. […] A Rockford man drowned in floodwaters Sunday night about a mile from where Lumzy and Nunez live near Churchill Park. On Monday, high winds knocked down power lines and trees across the Rockford region, causing another round of property damage for area homeowners and businesses.

*** National ***

* Lexis Nexis | Disclosure Becomes Legislators’ Latest Tool for Regulating AI: In March, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed SB 149, making the state the first in the nation to require individuals who use generative AI to interact with others to “clearly and conspicuously” disclose when they are doing so. Two months later, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed SB 205, sweeping legislation to regulate the use of AI in the Centennial State. Among the bill’s many provisions aimed at combating algorithmic discrimination are requirements that websites post disclosures about any automated systems that use AI to make “high risk” or “consequential” decisions, like screening for job openings.

* AP | Singer Ingrid Andress says she was drunk during panned MLB anthem performance, will get treatment: “I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition.” […] Sports Illustrated writer Alex Carr posted on X, formerly Twitter, “I’m so sorry, I’m sure Ingrid Andress is a wonderful person, but that was one of the worst national anthems I think I’ve ever heard in my whole life.”

  5 Comments      


Feds, Illinois partner to bring DARPA quantum-testing facility to the Chicago area

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Crain’s…

The quantum-computing efforts planned for the Chicago area got a major boost today with the federal government agreeing to invest up to $140 million to do research here.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, plans to create a quantum-testing facility at the quantum-computing campus planned for the Chicago area. The funds will be matched by $140 million from the $500 million quantum investment that Gov. J.B. Pritzker convinced legislators to approve in this year’s budget. […]

The DARPA investment makes up for Illinois losing out to Colorado on being named a federal technology hub for quantum, which included $40.5 million in funding. […]

DARPA plans a “quantum proving ground” on the campus to test quantum-computing devices. The technology is still in its infancy, and companies are only now starting to build prototypes. PsiQuantum, for example, is attempting to build one of the first large-scale quantum machines.

* Sun-Times…

“It’s going to ensure our quantum campus and the development of our quantum industry is secured as a global leader,” Pritzker said in an interview with the Sun-Times. “We’re the only state that put forward a quantum campus and quantum plan. And the federal government stepping up and becoming an important partner, particularly DARPA, is a lot of validation.” […]

Both the U.S. Steel South Works site in the South Chicago neighborhood and a former Texaco refinery in Lockport are being floated as potential sites for the campus. But the governor said no final decisions have been made. The location is being decided in partnership with quantum companies that plan to be part of the campus. Pritzker said he’s also seeking a “large enough space” that has access to quantum resources that already exist in northern Illinois.

Chicago is already home to the Chicago Quantum Exchange, first launched in 2017 with Argonne and Fermi national laboratories, which now has one of the largest teams of quantum researchers in the world.

The quantum campus will feature a cryogenic facility, which is needed for research and development for microelectronics and quantum technologies. It’s expected to generate up to $60 billion in economic impact, according to estimates from the governor’s office. It’s also expected to create thousands of jobs, but the governor framed it as having the potential of creating “tens of thousands and perhaps more, jobs.”

* The money won’t be doled out all at once, Governor JB Pritzker said during today’s news conference…

They’re looking for the right opportunities to be able to advance a company and bring them to the campus and work with them. So, you know, that’ll happen over some period of time. And so we both committed $140 million to that effort, right? So it’s not like someone’s writing a check today for $140 [million], either side. It’s more that as the opportunities arise, we’re sharing in that opportunity as between us up to $140 million each. So we expect in the end, it will be as much as $280 million.

* DARPA Program Manager Joe Altepeter said the goal is to separate hype from reality through testing…

20 years ago, when I was a graduate student at the University of Illinois, I was convinced quantum computers were going to change the world. Five years later, as a professor at Northwestern University, I realized that was going to be really hard, maybe impossible. And for most of the last 15 years I have been DARPA’s designated quantum computing skeptic.

I am the one that they brought in to prove that the algorithm you are hoping is going to change the world isn’t actually useful for anything, or the quantum computer you’re trying to design can’t ever, ever be built.

But in the last few years, something has changed. What began as really tiny DARPA investments grew into a small DARPA program, which grew into a larger DARPA program.

[T]oday, the prospect of building these machines doesn’t seem quite so impossible, and if there is a real path from the scientifically interesting quantum computers of today to critical industrial tools. The United States has to know the stakes are too high for us not to.

  2 Comments      


Pritzker, Durbin talk about Trump, Vance

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…

Q: Since the shooting of former President Trump over the weekend, some Republicans have accused Democrats of name calling and virtual attacks. Do you regret any of the name calling against Trump? … Do you plan to change your rhetoric?

Pritzker: I have never, and never would call for any political violence. And you can take that to the bank. That’s not anything that I’ve ever advocated. I think that there’s always hot competition in the world of ideas, in the political world. And so we all advance our own ideas and when their ideas are bad ones, we call them out.

But it’s still true that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist, has been a congenital liar and is unfit for the office of President of the United States.

Having said that, I am very pleased that he remains relatively unharmed, that it was a relatively minor incident for him. And of course, saddened and find it extremely tragic that someone with apparently an assault weapon killed people at that rally for President Trump. And of course, attempted to take the life of a presidential candidate. That should never happen. And here in Illinois, as you know, we banned assault weapons, and of course, I think you’ve heard all of us that are here and elsewhere talk about the abhorrence that we have for political violence.

I followed up about the “relatively minor incident” bit and was told that the governor meant “medically.”

* Asked about the negative ad pause…

Well, I can’t speak for the broader, for anybody outside myself. I’m not deciding what ads get run. You know, I think that we’re in a political season. I think it’s appropriate for us to just take a pause and recognize that this violence needs to be called out. We need to make sure that this does not happen in American society anymore. It is extremely disappointing that people on the other side of the aisle are in just in the last few days calling for counter violence, as if there was anything that was done by Democrats here. It wasn’t. It turns out that the shooter, in fact, was a registered Republican. And I think none of us think that anybody, whatever their political party is, ought to be committing this kind of violence.

I asked who was calling for violence, and was told the governor was reacting to “some of the rhetoric online.”

* React to new veep candidate JD Vance…

I’d be happy to stay here for about 45 minutes to tell you about the history of JD Vance. But the fact is that he is someone who has very extremist views. As you may know, he is not just anti choice, against reproductive rights, but he also thinks that if you’ve been raped or have had incest committed against you that you should be forced to have that child. He is someone who has ridiculed women’s rights, and you know, there’s a pretty long list of very, very extreme views that he holds. And I think, of course, it’s in keeping with the Maga extremism of the broader Republican Party. So I’m sure he’s being accepted by them, but I think there are a whole lot of independents and Republicans who abhor what he stands for and won’t vote for that ticket. May not have before, but now, especially, will walk away because JD Vance is on the ticket.

* Pritzker then turned it over to Sen. Richard Durbin, who said…

I’ve been chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee for four years. One of our responsibilities is filling the vacancies on the federal bench, as well as US Attorney positions. Under President Trump, some 86 US Attorneys were all appointed through this process with voice votes, no record votes. When we tried to do the same thing under President Biden, there was resistance, particularly from Senator Vance. He objected to the appointment filling the vacancy for US Attorney here in the Northern District of Illinois, as well as in Cleveland, in his own home state.

Three times or more, I went to the floor and asked him, confronted him with this decision, saying,’ How can you be for law and order and talk about stopping the scourge of fentanyl and other terrible things, human trafficking and deny to this president the leaders that they’re asking for in his offices?’ He said, and he repeated himself over and over, his goal was to ‘grind the Department of Justice to a halt.’ I had that printed on a board and put on the floor, and said, ‘Did you say this?’ He said, ‘I still stand by it.’ What was his thinking? Why would he want to stop career prosecutors from moving forward to protect us? He was very clear about it. It was retribution for the weaponization of the Department of Justice toward Donald Trump. It was strictly a political move, had nothing to do with the merits of the nominees or the needs to fill those positions. That does not give me a lot of hope in terms of what his politics mean for a lot of people who are looking for law and order all across the United States to protect their families and neighborhoods.

* Asked about the Teamsters’ president speaking at the RNC and rumors that the union may not endorse anyone, this is what Durbin said…

There’s not been a stronger president in the history of the United States for the union movement than Joe Biden. He has been outspoken on the issue. He doesn’t dance around or mince around when it comes to that subject. He is very direct. He supports labor unions. I do too. When they prosper and their members prosper, the middle class prospers in America we all grew in the right direction. Having said that the reality is not all members of labor unions support Democratic candidates. They are individuals making their own decisions, and some unions will go one way and some the other. I believe that Joe Biden stands by his record on unions, and I do too.

Pritzker…

I would just add that Donald Trump and the entire Republican Party have stood against workers rights, against raising wages for working families, against keeping our workplaces safe. Those are things that unions do, fighting for working families, and so I realized that you might find that there are some union members who will support Donald Trump, but you’ll also find that the majority of unions and union members understand that it’s Joe Biden that has stood up for them and is genuinely the best president that the union movement and working families have had in their lifetimes, perhaps, if not ever.

  8 Comments      


Napo’s campaign spending questioned

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sun-Times…

State Sen. Napoleon Harris’ campaign fund has spent more than $6,600 over the past several years at high-end department stores on clothing and other items, records show, but the Flossmoor Democrat and former NFL linebacker won’t explain what was bought and why.

The largest of those expenses by Friends of Napoleon Harris, totaling $2,257.50, was made four days before Christmas in 2020 at the Neiman Marcus store in Oak Brook, according to Illinois State Board of Elections records submitted by the campaign that say the expenditures were for “clothing and supplies.” […]

Harris, who chairs the Illinois Senate’s Insurance Committee and is part of Illinois Senate President Don Harmon’s leadership team, wouldn’t answer most questions about his spending. In a written statement, he said: “As a candidate and elected official, I have filed publicly available campaign reports for more than a decade. If there are discrepancies that can be remedied to provide greater transparency or clarity, we’ll address them in a timely fashion.” […]

An Alsip company that provides food and supplies to restaurants was paid more than $100,000 by Harris’ campaign since 2022, records show. Some of the expenditures were listed as being for “supplies and food products” or just “supplies.” Three of the 10 payments to the company list no detail. Company officials didn’t return calls.

Harris’ campaign fund paid a private elementary and middle school in northwest Indiana more than $13,000 since 2017, with eight of the nine payments listed as donations. One — for more than $5,000 in 2021 — was described as “contractual.”

Lots more in there.

  8 Comments      


Illinois react: Trump’s VP pick J.D. Vance

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Lynn Sweet at the Sun-Times…

[Sen. J.D. Vance] is the reason there is no Senate-confirmed top federal prosecutor in Chicago. Remember that when the Trump-Vance ticket talks about crime. […]

Standing up for law enforcement is not what Vance did when it came to the Senate confirming April Perry to be the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Vance put a hold on Perry to protest the federal prosecutions of Trump, well beyond the time needed to make his point.

Starting in June 2023, Vance used the power a single senator has —and stalled a confirmation vote for Perry. His hold dragged on for so long that Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee — and who was Perry’s chief Senate champion — moved on as the months rolled by. […]

I asked Tracy about Vance blocking the confirmation vote for a U.S. attorney in Chicago.

Said Tracy, “Nobody’s perfect. There’s no perfect person. There’s no perfect candidate. There’s no perfect vice president candidate. I think he’s going to be a good one.”

* Tribune…

Illinois delegates to the Republican National Convention on Monday said former President Donald Trump’s choice of U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate provides another shot of adrenaline to an already energized campaign while also giving a boost to the GOP ticket in a key Midwestern state. […]

Outgoing Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy said Vance “should be good for the military vote, the working man’s vote, working women’s vote, the Midwest vote and the youth vote.”

State Sen. Andrew Chesney, a delegate from Freeport, said Vance could help Republicans pick up votes in swing states such as Wisconsin and Michigan. […]

“I think four years of mentorship under President Trump could very well set him up to be the president after that,” said Darren Bailey, a delegate and former Illinois state senator.

* Sun-Times…

Earlier, Illinois delegates said they were happy with Trump’s VP selection. U.S. Rep. Mike Bost called Vance “a person who has worked up from nothing in life to understand how the American dream works.”

“He will be a great vice president. He will be able to take over on Day 1, unlike our current vice president,” said Bost, a Trump delegate for his 12th Congressional District. “I think it’s a great choice.”

Illinois state Sen. Terri Bryant, R- Murphysboro, said Trump’s pick can “bring in some of the young folks that we really want to target.”

“I’m excited about the fact that, ya know, four years from now, we wanna have someone positioned to be the 48th president of the United States,” said Bryant, an at-large delegate.

* NBC Chicago…

Former Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin is sharing his thoughts on the nomination of Ohio Sen. JD Vance as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, and on how the former president should proceed after this weekend’s horrific shooting. […]

“The most important thing President Trump can do is stand up and say ‘let’s hit the reset button.’ The rhetoric and actions of people over the past years have contributed to the violence we’ve seen on a regular basis. It’s becoming commonplace,” he said. “This is not the way we should be advancing the issues and the candidates. It should be about issues. It should be about organizing your people. Right now it’s about destruction, and breaking down the opponent, and it’s just wrong.” […]

The former Republican lawmaker says that the decision to nominate Vance will have a temporary effect on the party, but that ultimately the decision will come down to Trump vs. President Joe Biden.

“I think he’s going to be a very good functionary for Donald Trump. He speaks the party line, comes from a state that’s in play, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be Donald Trump or President Biden,” he said. “This is going to be excitement at the convention and certain areas of the Rust Belt for a little bit, but soon enough we’ll get back to Donald Trump vs. presumably Joe Biden.”

* Capitol News Illinois…

After news broke of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance being tapped as Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, Rep. John Cabello told Capitol News Illinois he supports the choice.

“He’s got a great story, he came from nothing. You know, he’s self-made. The man worked his tail off,” Cabello said. “Yeah, I think that’s a good fit for the story. It’s the same thing that Trump did you know, work your tail off, build yourself and you know he’s very knowledgeable. I think it’s a great pick.”

Cabello, a longtime feature of conservative Illinois politics, was one of the first elected officials to back Trump in 2016, going to that year’s convention in Cleveland and delivering the speech casting Illinois’ votes for Trump.

* NBC Chicago…

Following Trump’s announcement, reaction was swift, with Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison released a statement saying “stakes of this election just got even higher” with Vance’s name being added to the ticket.

Harrison went on to say Vance has supported some Trump’s “worst policies” and a Trump-Vance ticket would undermine our democracy, our freedoms and our future. He concluded the statement by saying reelecting Joe Biden and Kalama Harris is “more important than ever.”

In Illinois, several top Democrats were critical of the choice, including Gov. JB Pritzker. Pritzker’s thread on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, begins with “Who is JD Vance” and goes on to refer to him as an “anti-abortion activist,” someone who “voted against IVF access” and more.

Rep. Sean Casten, a representative for Illinois’ sixth district, has not made a public statement, but has reposted multiple posts about Vance’s history of anti-Trump comments and criticisms of his books.

* Democratic Party of Illinois…



  34 Comments      


Open thread

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

  18 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois lands federal partnership to further develop quantum projects. Sun-Times…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday plans to announce a major partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense’s research and development agency to further expand quantum research in Illinois.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, will take residency on the state’s quantum campus to establish a program where quantum computing prototypes will be tested. The location of the campus is expected to be announced soon.

According to DARPA, the goal of the “Quantum Benchmarking Initaitive,” or QBI, will be to evaluate and test quantum computing claims and “separate hype from reality.”

“It’s going to ensure our quantum campus and the development of our quantum industry is secured as a global leader,” Pritzker said in an interview with the Sun-Times. “We’re the only state that put forward a quantum campus and quantum plan. And the federal government stepping up and becoming an important partner, particularly DARPA, is a lot of validation.”

Governor Pritzker will announce federal investments in Illinois at 11 am. Then at 1 pm the governor will give remarks celebrating opening of new PACE South Campus. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Block Club | As Tornadoes Hit Chicago Area Again, City Battered By Strong Storms: Tornadoes touched down at both O’Hare and Midway airports, ABC7 meteorologists said during Monday’s broadcast. Meteorologists saw power flashes on webcams at both airports, “due to likely tornadoes and/or destructive wind gusts near those areas,” the weather service tweeted.

* Tribune | Lawyers for ex-Speaker Madigan ask judge to gut indictment in light of SCOTUS ruling: The 73-page filing largely mirrors the defense’s motion to dismiss in February 2023, which had yet to be ruled on by U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey. Instead, the judge ordered the parties to renew their submissions in light of the Supreme Court’s decision last month in the case of former Portage, Indiana, Mayor James Snyder. The filing Monday includes dozens of citations to the Snyder ruling, which says the federal bribery statute commonly known as 666 after its number in the federal criminal code does not criminalize “gratuities,” gifts given to elected officials to express thanks for taking a favorable action.

*** RNC ***

* Capitol News Illinois | At national convention, Illinois’ beleaguered GOP portrays calm amid internal storm: U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, of Murphysboro, said Monday that Trump himself has started to change his own rhetoric, but not his campaign issues. “It doesn’t change the issues,” Bost told reporters after the breakfast. “Maybe it changes the way, one, the president, Donald Trump, looks at each issue and how he deals with people. But, two, it also showed not only this nation but the world when he came up from that shot, that he’s a fighter.”

* Capitol News Illinois | Cabello praises running mate pick: After news broke of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance being tapped as Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, Rep. John Cabello told Capitol News Illinois he supports the choice. “He’s got a great story, he came from nothing. You know, he’s self-made. The man worked his tail off,” Cabello said. “Yeah, I think that’s a good fit for the story. It’s the same thing that Trump did you know, work your tail off, build yourself and you know he’s very knowledgeable. I think it’s a great pick.”

* CBS | Illinois Republicans believe party will unite at RNC after Trump assassination attempt: Illinois State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) agreed. “Even when we don’t agree on things totally, I think you’re going to see a Ronald Reagan-style Republican Party, where if we agree 80% of the time, we are friends,”

*** Statewide ***

* Press Release | Illinois Federation of Teachers Hires New Director of Political Activities: Today, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) announced the hiring of veteran staffer Bryen Johnson as the union’s statewide Director of Political Activities. Bryen replaces Michelle Paul, who left last month after 20 years at the IFT.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Johnson whipping votes to install progressive ally as head of Zoning Committee: Johnson is whipping votes for Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, to chair the committee with the city’s current vice mayor, Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, taking over the Housing Committee that Sigcho-Lopez would vacate. The shuffle would put to rest the question of who would chair the Zoning Committee that has lingered since Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, stepped aside after apologizing to colleagues for attempting to block Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th, from entering the chamber in an effort to kill a vote.

* Sun-Times | How did the White Sox get this bad? All this losing starts at the top: The Sox are the owners of the worst won-lost record in the game. At their current pace, they’re on track to finish 45-117. If they pick up their pace of losing just a bit, they might break the 1962 Mets’ record for the most defeats in the history of modern baseball.

* Chicago Reader | Chicago’s illustrious American Academy of Art is closing.: The announcement blamed the pandemic and sought to frame the school’s demise in a broader context of falling student numbers: “The decision to close comes in response to a significant decline in enrollments following the COVID-19 pandemic, a challenge faced by many educational institutions,” it said. Arrangements are being made that will allow Academy students to continue their degree programs at Columbia College Chicago. Columbia spokesperson Lambrini Lukidis confirms that “we do have a formal transfer agreement for current students.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Shaw Local | Kane County sheriff, state’s attorney to ramp up security at political events: In a joint statement on July 15, State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and Sheriff Ron Hain condemned the attempted assassination and vowed to enhance security at future political events in the county. “We are horrified by the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump,” The statement read. “Political violence has no place in the United States, and we must all condemn this abhorrent act. In a democratic society, violence is never the answer. No one should have to risk their life to run for office, attend a political event, or advocate for a cause.”

* ABC Chicago | 1st suburban Cook County Restorative Justice Court opens in Sauk Village, following Chicago’s lead: A second chance is being offered for young people in south suburban Sauk Village. A court focused on restorative justice has opened. […] “We let the participants see the decision they made, there can be better decision-making and that they can restore not only within their community, but everybody else’s community,” said Andrea Boler, a case manager with the Cook County Restorative Justice Program.

*** Downstate ***

* Dispatch-Argus | Illinois Quad-Cities state senator highlights new state department, veteran grant funding: [Sen. Mike Halpin] said early childhood education will continue to be a top priority moving forward, calling it the “most cost-effective” dollars the state can spend. “When you spend it at the early childhood level, you don’t have to spend money later on to ‘catch people up,’” he said. “So, I think the $350 million we put in (for K-12 education) every year is going to go that much further.”

* WLCN | Logan Correctional Center staff, workers from other correctional centers unite on softball field to give back to community, maintain awareness of proposed Logan facility closure: While many may think that competition is the only thing taking place between teams on an athletic field, a softball tournament featuring workers from Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln and other Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) facilities from around the state hopes to accomplish more. The six-team softball tournament is scheduled for July 26 from 5 PM until approximately 9 PM on the softball fields at Lincoln Park District, 1400 Primm Road in Lincoln.

* WTVO | Rockford moves to place historic Illinois National Guard Armory up for sale: In 2000, the building was placed under landmark status on the National Register of Historic Places. The building, which has sat vacant for decades, was donated to the City in 2006. Rockford’s Code and Regulations Committee approved the authorization to put the property up for sale on Monday night. It now advances to the full City Council.

* SJ-R | More than $15,000 given out in first round of relief checks following Adams Street fire: According to a news release, 12 residents, seven businesses, and one nonprofit impacted by the fire received the checks from the INB Benefit for the Businesses Affected by the Adams Family Fire fund, which was opened by the Office of Planning and Economic Development on June 20, the day after the fire. Since the fire, the direct donations to the fund have amassed just over $18,000 to support the Adams family businesses and people affected by the blaze; and a first-round of checks totaled $15,750.

* Horse Racing Nation | Accel Entertainment agrees to buy FanDuel track for $35 million: Accel noted in the news release that it is acquiring the only track in the St. Louis-southern Illinois market along with an opportunity to develop a legislatively authorized casino project. It also is acquiring the master sports-betting license used in a revenue-share agreement with FanDuel. “Accel is committed to maintaining Fairmount’s rich horse-racing history, including continuing support of the Illinois Racing Board’s mission to enhance the Illinois horse racing industry,” the company said in the release.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | Congress Accidentally Legalized Weed Six Years Ago: This is probably not what Congress had in mind when it passed the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, commonly called the 2018 Farm Bill, which made the production of hemp—cannabis’s traditionally nonpsychoactive cousin—legal for the first time in nearly a century. Lawmakers who backed hemp legalization expected the plant to be used for textiles and nonintoxicating supplements, such as CBD oil and shelled hemp seeds (great on an acai bowl). They didn’t realize that, with some chemistry and creativity, hemp can get you just as high as the dankest marijuana plant.

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Live coverage

Tuesday, Jul 16, 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)

Tuesday, Jul 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (updated)

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

…Adding… John Kim announced his retirement to his staff more than two weeks ago…

Gov. JB Pritzker Announces Upcoming Personnel Changes at Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Today Governor JB Pritzker announced the resignation of John Kim as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Kim, who has served at the agency since 1994 and has been Director since 2019, will be replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Director James Jennings. Jennings will begin in the role as interim director on Tuesday, July 16.

Jennings has a long history with IEPA, beginning his time with the agency as Assistant Counsel in 2013. Prior to working at IEPA, Jennings served in the Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General. ​ He has also served as Section Manager for Materials Management and Compliance and most recently as Deputy Director of IEPA. Jennings earned a J.D. from the University of Kentucky and Bachelor of Music from the University of Cincinnati.

* The team at Capitol News Illinois will be posting live updates from the RNC. Click here for those updates. They spoke with ILGOP Chairman Don Tracy this afternoon…

Outgoing Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy said if the party wants to grow in the state, more conservatives need to get involved.

“We have too many really good conservatives and Republicans that are not involved,” Tracy said in an interview with the Capitol News Illinois team after the GOP’s Monday breakfast. “There are many of them that are not even voting. And there are many more that are voting, but that’s all they do.” […]

Tracy also said Monday the party grew too reliant on former Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Winnetka Republican and multi-millionaire who largely self-funded his 2014 and 2018 gubernatorial campaigns. […]

Tracy said he wondered if Illinois Democrats might face the same issue once Gov. JB Pritzker – a multi-billionaire who is halfway through his second term – leaves politics.

* WTTW’s RNC live blog is here.

* Let the countdown begin…



*** RNC ***

* RNC updates…

* Tribune | ‘We’re not intimidated’: Chicago protesters head to Milwaukee for RNC: David Phelps, an abortion rights advocate from the Chicago area who works in tech, said he boarded an early morning train to Milwaukee because he felt the upcoming presidential election in November could be “very depressing” for the future of reproductive rights in the United States. […] “My way of dealing with it is doing something about it,” Phelps said.

* Daily Herald | ‘We can’t stay divided’: Rally shooting on minds of RNC delegates: Trump’s close call “got people riled up,” former state senator and gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey said. “So I think there’s going to be a lot of excitement at the convention.” Delegate Richard Lawrence, a former Aurora alderman, said the shooting at a Pennsylvania rally will probably inject “a lot more emotion into the convention,” for the former president, his family and attendees.

* Sun-Times | Energetic Illinois Republicans thank ‘an angel’ for Trump’s survival, push for unity: Illinois Republicans roundly celebrated the dismissal of the classified documents case, viewing it as a sign of the former president’s innocence — despite the federal judge not taking up the legality of the actions. The case was dismissed because U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that the appointment of Jack Smith as special counsel was unconstitutional. State Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said he was not surprised to hear about the classified documents case dismissal — and claimed “this is all because they don’t like the president.”

*** Statewide ***

* Borderless | Illinois Law Makes Housing Discrimination Based On Immigration Status A Civil Rights Violation: The law prohibits housing providers from discriminating against a person based on actual or perceived “immigration status” during a real estate transaction, including when renting an apartment, buying a home, applying for a mortgage, or receiving housing-related services. Diana Mendoza Pacheco, a real estate attorney based in Naperville, Illinois, has focused her work around the intersection of immigration and real estate. “There are not a lot of Spanish-speaking attorneys who can explain everything to our community and then individually explain to them how certain immigration consequences can affect their real estate transactions,” she said.

* Press Release | Rep. Barbara Hernandez-Backed Firearms Restraining Order Enforcement Grants Issued to Local Police Departments: The Illinois State Police (ISP) is issuing a third round of firearm restraining order enforcement grants-totaling $1.5 million-to law enforcement agencies across the state following a law state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, fought for. “Further funding to ensure law enforcement professionals have the tools they need to enforce firearms laws is a step forward for our community,” Hernandez said. “Following the events of the 2019 Henry Pratt shootings, Aurorans personally know the tragic consequences of guns being in the wrong hands. Our system of firearms restraining orders serve a vital role in Illinois’ public safety system, and it must be strong, or else we’re inviting further tragedy.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Johnson hopes to tap progressive Southwest Side alderman as next Zoning chair: Johnson and his administration recently began calling around to see whether aldermen would be on board with Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, chairing the Zoning Committee, and vice mayor Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, leading the Housing Committee, the Tribune has learned from sources familiar with deliberations. Johnson spokesman Ronnie Reese declined comment Monday. […] Sigcho-Lopez said “conversations are ongoing” Monday morning and added that he did not want to “get ahead” of his potential appointment by discussing it further, while Burnett told the Tribune the administration is “still working on that” and “looking at votes” regarding his potential leadership post.

* Chalkbeat | Amid anxiety about Chicago charters’ fate, CPS proposes a slight overall budget boost: But in a $9.9 billion proposed budget for next year released this week, Chicago Public Schools has avoided this approach. The district increased funding at charter schools by about 2.5% — even as some charters with shrinking enrollments are in line for steep cuts in the new budget blueprint. This year, CPS overhauled budgeting for traditional campuses to deemphasize enrollment size and prioritize student needs. But for now, the district is sticking with so-called student-based budgeting for charters, which is more closely tied to enrollment; CPS says state requirements make it trickier to change budgeting for charter campuses. Yet as the district prepares a strategic plan to revitalize neighborhood schools, anxiety about how that vision will impact charters persists.

* Sun-Times | Chicago faith leaders react after Donald Trump assassination attempt: Chicago-area faith leaders called for prayers and action following a suspected assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The Rev. Michael Pfleger, of St. Sabina Church in the city’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, told congregants Sunday they were waking up to an America where “nobody is safe.” “We’re in a country where hate and violence and, most of all, guns have become a norm,” Pfleger told the Sun-Times.

* Sun-Times | Chicago Air and Water Show full lineup for 2024 lakefront event revealed: This year’s show runs 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 10-11, one week earlier than usual, due to the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19-22 at the United Center. More than 1 million people attend the free lakefront show each year. (Less crowded and also exciting is the practice run held on Aug. 9.) The show is centered at North Avenue beach.

* Sun-Times | Mayor’s grooming bill grows: Johnson’s campaign spends another $8,200 on makeup artist: That brings the total amount paid by Johnson’s campaign to the business — based in a South Side home and run by makeup artist and self-described “skincare enthusiast” Denise Milloy — to more than $36,000 in 2023 and 2024, records show. […] Asked about the overall expenses, [Johnson campaign spokesman Bill Neidhardt] said, “I know you are very interested in the mayor’s personal hygiene, but there isn’t much to say beyond that the mayor’s campaign expenditures — not taxpayer funds — are used in a similar manner to other high-profile elected officials who pay people at a fair rate for their services in preparation for frequent public appearances.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Former suburban police chief wounded protecting Reagan expects ‘deep dive’ into security failures: Former Orland Park police Chief Tim McCarthy said he expects a “deep dive” investigation into the handling of former President Donald Trump’s security Saturday, when he was shot and another person killed during a rally in Pennsylvania. “I expect it to be no holds barred,” said McCarthy, who retired from the south suburb’s police department in 2020 and now is president of a security firm. “If the protectee is injured, it’s a failure. So you have to look and find out why.”

* WGN | Dolton meetings devolve into chaos while residents decry village hall lockdowns: It’s become more difficult for residents of south suburban Dolton to attend village board meetings. They now face roadblocks, barricades, long lines, capacity limits, metal detectors and a heavy police presence that some say is being deployed to discourage opposition to Mayor Tiffany Henyard. Dolton’s acting police chief has said the steps are necessary to protect Henyard from “countless” threats she’s faced. However, the police department’s own records show only four threats resulted in police reports from February 1 through April 7, around the time the extra security was put in place. Two of the alleged threats were sent to Mayor Henyard via social media, the others came in the form of an email and phone call. None appear to have resulted in an arrest or charges, according to the police reports.

*** Downstate ***

* Daily-Journal | Sheriff’s department estimates a $634K cost for river patrol: Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey agrees that the recent drowning on the Kankakee River was an unspeakable tragedy. He also said having a sheriff’s department river patrol, as in the past, would not have prevented it. […] For the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department to patrol the Kankakee River like it did more than a decade ago, Downey said it would cost the county $634,000 for four deputies, two jet skis, life vests, boat safety equipment and training.

* SJ-R | Springfield hotel found not in compliance with ADA, will have to make renovations: In addition to the renovations, Driftwood Hospitality will also create an ADA policy and provide ADA training for all hotels it owns, operations, and manages, including the Crowne Plaza. Without admitting to violating the ADA, the hotel also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter.

*** National ***

* AP | Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon that could be used to shelter future explorers: The pit, like the more than 200 others discovered up there, was created by the collapse of a lava tube. […] Most of the pits seem to be located in the moon’s ancient lava plains, according to the scientists. There also could be some at the moon’s south pole, the planned location of NASA’s astronaut landings later this decade. Permanently shadowed craters there are believed to hold frozen water that could provide drinking water and rocket fuel.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Feds approve Medicaid coverage for state violence prevention pilot project

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Coming a bit late to this, but Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) mentioned the July 3rd announcement during an anti-violence press conference last week, and a prominent Statehouse lobbyist mentioned it in her client newsletter today. From a press release…

Today, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Director Elizabeth Whitehorn released the following statement in response to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of Illinois’ “1115” demonstration waiver […]

In addition to supporting housing, nutrition and transition from incarceration and other institutional settings, CMS approval includes services to address substance use disorder (SUD), employment supports for people with disabilities, and violence prevention and intervention.

* More from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services…

Violence Prevention and Intervention Services

CMS is authorizing the provision of violence prevention and intervention services to Medicaid beneficiaries who are enrolled in managed care and who: 1) have survived violence; 2) are currently experiencing violence; or 3) are at risk of experiencing violence. Violence prevention and intervention services are 1905(a) coverable services under the preventive services benefit category. The state requested using 1115 authority to test these services as a pilot for beneficiaries enrolled in managed care before seeking authority in the state plan.

Violence prevention services must be recommended by a physician or other licensed practitioner and include screening, assessment of needs, development of individualized service plans, trauma specific therapy (includes psychotherapy, individual, group and family therapy, grief counseling, mindfulness and relaxation-based treatments, art therapy and other evidence-based clinical and social interventions), mentoring, peer support services, life skills training, psychoeducation, conflict mediation, crisis intervention and care coordination services including linking beneficiaries to medical, social, educational, and other necessary services.

* This match should help augment the state’s existing efforts. From the FY25 budget…

• Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

    o $200 million to the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) program to provide flexibility with the disbursement of additional grants

• Department of Human Services

    o $60 million in state funds for the fourth year of the multi-year Reimagine Public Safety grant program to build upon initial federal investments

The R3 program is funded by adult-use cannabis state tax revenue.

* During that press conference last week, civic leaders announced they had raised $100 million in private funds for violence prevention…

The money will support Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago, which launched in February. It aims to reduce shootings and homicides by 75 percent over the next decade by helping community organizations grow in seven West and South side neighborhoods. […]

The plan — which focuses on East and West Garfield Park, Little Village, Humboldt Park, New City, Englewood, Austin and North Lawndale — is estimated to cost around $400 million over the next five years, leaders said.

“We are celebrating the $100 million that has been raised, but … I want more money,” Sen. Elgie Sims said. “I want a bigger partnership, because we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

That Medicaid match could help.

The private effort was announced last year by Jim Crown, who has since died. Background on that effort is here and here.

* Related…

    * APPLY NOW: The Metropolitan Peace Academy Management and Supervision Fellowship: The Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA) is now accepting applications for its inaugural cohort of the Metropolitan Peace Academy Management and Supervision Fellowship. This six-month training program is for current mid-level management community violence intervention (CVI) leaders who are seeking professional development in this rapidly growing field.

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Question of the day

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I have not been to a White Sox game this year, and I’m betting that I’m not the only one…

The Chicago White Sox have had a season to forget so far in 2024, and they set yet another mark this weekend that they’d just as soon rather forget.

The White Sox wrapped up their pre-All Star Game schedule on Sunday with a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Guaranteed Rate Field, their fourth in a row and their seventh in their last eight games.

The loss puts the White Sox at 27-71 on the season as the All-Star break arrives, and that number is enough to put them in some less-than-desirable company.

According to Stathead, the White Sox now hold the record for most losses before the All-Star Game of any team in MLB history, outdueling the 1979 Oakland Athletics and 2018 Baltimore Orioles for that distinction.

The Athletics did have a winning percentage that was worse than the White Sox, who have won 27.6% of their games so far this season.

The first All-Star game was played in 1933. Heckuva job, Jerry.

My Sox hat is starting to look rather tatty of late, but I refuse to buy another one. Between the team’s losses and the owner’s stadium drama, I’m just beyond reluctant to give them any money.

* Lately, the team has been sending me increasingly desperate emails. The latest…

* The Question: How should I respond?

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Bost and Bailey set aside feud as Illinois Republicans tout unity at RNC delegate breakfast

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* It’s opening day at the RNC in Milwaukee…

Bailey and Bost had a turbulent primary, click here to get a taste.

* Ben Szalinski followed up…

Bailey said in March he was putting his campaign signs in storage.

* More from reporters in the room…



* Tribune…

The day after former President Donald Trump was targeted in an attempted assassination, Illinois Republicans converging on Milwaukee ahead of this week’s Republican National Convention said the alarming event will only serve to unite the GOP going into the November election. […]

“We have to, as elected officials, be very careful of the rhetoric that we’re using. Words have meaning,” state Sen. Terri Bryant, a Republican from Murphysboro and an at-large delegate, said of Republicans and Democrats. “And so, in this, I think that you may find some folks taking a step back to try to find a better way to get their message out without being incendiary.” […]

While the progress of uniting Republican voters in Illinois remains to be seen, delegate Aaron Del Mar, who dropped out of the running for Illinois GOP chairman before Friday’s vote, said Sunday that the shooting at the Trump rally has only intensified the unity among the party on a national level.

“I think that we were ahead to begin with. I think this even moves us further ahead,” said Del Mar, who ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2022. “Everyone … criticizes President Trump for all of his rhetoric. About immigration, about crime, about these issues. But nobody ever calls the Democrats on their rhetoric. Nobody ever says, ‘Hey, maybe that’s not such a hot idea to be so incendiary … regarding Donald Trump.’”

* Related…

    * ABC Chicago | No changes made to RNC security plan after Trump assassination attempt, Secret Service says: The RNC Secret Service Coordinator Audrey Gibson-Cicchino said they’ve made no change to their security plan and officials remain confident in the plan they’ve put forth. “This event is designated as a national special security event, which is the highest level of security for an event that can be designated by the government. So this is a whole of government approach. We’ve had an extensive planning process, to include many organizations,” Gibson-Cicchino said.

    * Daily Herald | Former suburban police chief wounded protecting Reagan expects ‘deep dive’ into security failures: “I expect it to be no holds barred,” said McCarthy, who retired from the south suburb’s police department in 2020 and now is president of a security firm. “If the protectee is injured, it’s a failure. So you have to look and find out why.” McCarthy was shot in the abdomen on March 30, 1981, when John Hinckley Jr. attempted to kill Reagan outside a Washington, D.C. hotel. […] “It doesn’t take a security expert to ask the question why wasn’t that building better covered. And there will be an investigation to determine that,” he said.

    * Daily Herald | GOP convention opens Monday; meet the suburban delegates: Trump’s popularity among GOP voters aside, it’s still up to the more than 2,400 delegates expected to attend the convention, which opens Monday, to make his nomination official. The delegates from Northeast Illinois are a diverse bunch: political operatives; restaurateurs; attorneys; local elected officials; congressional candidates.

    * Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | A list of all politicians and celebrities speaking at the Republican National Convention: Over 50 individuals are expected to speak at the RNC over the course of the four days. These include Republican politicians and candidates from across the country, high-ranking business leaders, members of the Trump family and administration, and conservative personalities and celebrities.

    * Variety | ‘Daily Show’ Cancels On-The-Ground RNC Plans After Trump Assassination Attempt: The “Daily Show” decision may raise pressure on several late-night programs to recalibrate their tone this week. CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” plans to broadcast live — in New York — on Thursday. And Fox News Channel had planned a week of live-in-Milwaukee broadcasts of the satirical roundtable program “Gutfeld” each evening during the RNC. “The Late Show” also had plans to broadcast live from Chicago, the site of the Democratic National Convention, later in the summer. “The Daily Show” also has plans to visit Chicago for tapings during the event.

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State pre-pays $422 million in pension payments

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Comptroller Susana Mendoza…

Today, the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC) made the first pension pre-payments as allowed under new language included in the fiscal year 2025 budget implementation bill.  
 
Comptroller Mendoza sought the statutory change earlier this year. 
 
July payments to the state pension systems issued today total $1.284 billion, which includes $422 million in pre-payments, or 50% more than the usual monthly amount. 
 
Previously, the law prohibited the IOC from making more than the preset monthly payment to the pension systems. The change allows Comptroller Mendoza to pay more into state pensions earlier in the year when fund balances are strong.   
 
“I’m pleased the General Assembly and the Governor approved my request, enabling my office to make these early payments from existing funds,” said Comptroller Mendoza. “This will allow the pension systems to keep more money in their investment portfolios so they can continue to grow and provide greater predictability for the retirement systems in managing payments to state retirees.” 
 
“The pre-payment of monthly state contributions allows the retirement systems to keep assets working to generate investment returns longer, improving the financial condition of the systems and potentially reducing required state contributions in the future. We appreciate the efforts of Comptroller Mendoza in getting this law enacted and in making accelerated payments the first month the option is available,” said Tim Blair, Executive Secretary of the State Retirement Systems. 
 
It’s anticipated that pre-paying $422 million of the state’s monthly pension contribution will allow funds to remain invested for a few months longer, generating an additional $7 million.   
 
“We are fortunate to have this new cash management tool that is only possible because of continued improvements in the state’s general funds balances and overall finances,” said Mendoza.  

Discuss.

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Dillard’s gambit

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

A little-noticed bill passed both the Illinois House and Senate that will generate $300 million to $400 million a year for local governments, including $95 million to $127 million for the Regional Transportation Authority.

Senate Bill 3362 will help capture sales tax revenue from more out-of-state retailers and in-state retailers who ship to Illinoisans in out-of-state locations.

The new money is not quite one-fifth of the $730 million “fiscal cliff” that northeastern Illinois’ mass transit agencies are facing starting next fiscal year, but it’s a decent start. A down payment, so to speak. But remember, the $730 million deficit is only for fiscal year 2026. It will rise to $1.2 billion by fiscal year 2031, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Even so, not one Chicago-area transit official mentioned that new money in their testimony to the Senate Transportation Committee last week. Instead, most of them simply demanded lots more money and refused to consider any sort of structural management reforms.

But those structural reforms are very much needed. Just a few years ago, the Chicago Transit Authority and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tried to stop a pilot project to cut South Side Metra fares to CTA levels and increase train service on the South Side and south suburbs as well as increase the frequency of some Pace bus service.

Why were they opposed to something that would help people? The CTA believed the proposal would reduce its revenues. So, once the pilot project got off the ground, the CTA refused to provide low-cost transfers between the lines and also prevented riders from using their CTA Ventra cards for Metra fares.

These interagency fights have gone on forever. And while there has been a little progress in cooperation among the CTA, Metra and Pace, it’s mostly because the transit bosses know they have to make a decent show because that horrific fiscal cliff is staring them in the face. If they get the money, they simply cannot be trusted to not revert to their old ways.

“The governance model is not the problem here,” CTA President Dorval Carter defiantly told the committee. The problem, he said, is funding.

Carter’s logic doesn’t quite compute. The CTA is still operating on COVID-era federal subsidies, but rider discontent is rampant. Scheduling is a wreck. Stations, buses and trains are too often dirty. Security is a constant concern, and CTA’s efforts have been a laughable attempt at security theater. Train and bus routes have been slashed. The system is in tatters even with full federal funding.

Also, a lack of capital spending oversight led directly to a recent scandal at Metra that I told you about not long ago. Metra was caught spending tens of millions of dollars on a warehouse purchased outside of any sort of procurement rules.

The only transit chief who told the Senate committee that he understood the stakes was RTA Chairperson Kirk Dillard. “As you said,” he told committee chair Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, “There’s going to be no new revenue without reform.”

Dillard is a former gubernatorial aide and a former Republican state senator who faced down huge blowback from his own caucus years ago when he voted to raise sales taxes to fund mass transit. He’s one of the last old-school “governing party” Republicans. And he told me he greatly appreciated the extra state funding this year.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has suggested two models for transit agency consolidation. One of them is “Integrate the RTA and the service boards into one regional transit entity.” Dillard has fully jumped on that recommendation.

Dillard told the committee the RTA wants to set regional standards for service and set a regional fare policy, wants greater oversight on capital spending, consolidation of staff, and “There should be a review of board seats to ensure regional and balanced decision makings.”

The problem with that last bit is suburban politicos view this consolidation idea as a Chicago takeover, and Chicago folks think it’s a suburban power grab. Assistant House Majority Leader Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, told the Tribune recently he was “adamantly opposed” to giving suburban officials control over the CTA.

So, Dillard most definitely has his work cut out for him. I think there is an appetite in the General Assembly for more transit funding, even above and beyond the fiscal cliff. But nobody wants to throw good money after bad, and regional mistrust is intense on this topic from all sides.

  12 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois pharmacists, State Medical Society split over new test and treat practice. WAND…

    - Illinois pharmacists are now allowed to administer tests for the flu, COVID-19, strep throat, lice and RSV.
    - The Illinois State Medical Society argues that pharmacists do not have proper training to provide certain exams or diagnose illnesses.
    - Advocates said the new law will help pharmacists fill a critical gap in care.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Crain’s | Sidewalk plaques will memorialize 1919 race riot victims: The plaques will highlight victims of a horrific episode in Chicago’s history that “we need to know about because it literally explains why we’re so segregated,” said Peter Cole, a professor of history at Western Illinois University in Macomb and a part-time Chicago resident who heads the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project. The anger and mistrust that followed the riots contributed heavily to the patterns of segregation that became entrenched in the 20th century, Cole said. Until now, the only monument to the event has been a bronze plaque on a knee-high boulder near the beach where the riots started.

* Tribune | Alderman wants explanation for low arrest rates on cyberstalking, electronic harassment complaints: Ald. Nicole Lee, 11th, who heads the City Council’s women’s caucus, raised the issue this week in response to a Tribune investigation that found Chicago police made arrests in only 2% of the domestic-related electronic harassment and cyberstalking complaints received in the past 10 years. The arrest rate last year was about 1%. “I certainly want to have a conversation with CPD about it, to just better understand what their processes are and what the challenges are,” Lee said. “I know that we’ve got challenges across the city. … I think there’s a lot that needs to be done to better understand how we can support the police in providing more resources to address these issues. It seems like we’ve got the right laws on the books, but enforcement is key in terms of the actions that are taken.”

* WaPo | ‘Everyone is drinking it’: Why this type of ‘forever chemical’ seems to be everywhere: A growing body of research has raised concerns about a forever chemical known as TFA, which is short for trifluoroacetic acid and has been found in increasing amounts in rainwater, groundwater and drinking water. […] Recently released research by the Pesticide Action Network Europe, an organization that advocates against the use of pesticides, found strikingly high levels of TFA contamination in 23 surface and six groundwater samples from 10 European Union countries. The researchers found that the TFA levels were 70 times higher than those of other, better-known forever chemicals in the water.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WSIU | A Deep Dive Into This Years Illinois Fiscal Budget and Beyond: A little more than a week into the new Illinois fiscal year, CNI Broadcast Director Jennifer Fuller talks with Center for Tax and Budget Accountability Executive Director Ralph Martire. The discussion includes a look at the high points, the low points, and what Martire and others are keeping an eye on for future budget negotiations.

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | Advocates criticize bid by Illinois power grid operator to skip some federal reforms: Last year federal regulators approved a long-awaited set of reforms designed to ease waitlists for new power sources seeking to come online and deliver electricity to homes and businesses. Such waitlists have emerged as one of the leading barriers to clean energy — including wind and solar power — and the federal reforms were widely viewed as an important step forward. But now PJM Interconnection, the powerful but little-known company that runs the waitlist in northern Illinois, is pushing back, with requests for exemptions from aspects of the reforms, including a new timeline for key studies.

* WTTW | From the Uihleins to Prominent Business Owners, Who Are Illinois’ Biggest Republican Donors?: Craig Duchossois, whose billionaire family previously owned the Arlington Park horse racing track, has given more than $9 million to an array of candidates and committees this cycle. According to federal records, Duchossois gave $3 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, which backs GOP House candidates; $2 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, which supports Republican Senate candidates; and $1 million to the PAC associated with the Koch Brothers-founded group Americans for Prosperity. He also gave $13,200 to Ricketts’ campaign and an associated fund.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Johnson rejected by Board of Education on CPS loan, pension payment: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointed Board of Education has refused to take on a pension payment that the mayor had insisted be paid by the school district. And the board and Chicago Public Schools leaders are strongly opposing a City Hall request that they take out a loan to cover the payment and a new Chicago Teachers Union contract, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ. The stunning rejections from Johnson’s own school board and district leaders come as discussions continue on the short-term, high-interest loan CPS officials and board members fear could impact the district’s financial health.

* Block Club | Loretto Hospital Executive At Center Of COVID Scandal Charged With $15 Million In Fraud: The federal charges came after a Block Club Chicago investigation that began with allegations Ahmed funneled hard-to-get vaccines early in the pandemic to his neighbors at Trump Tower and to workers at high-end businesses he frequented. The vaccines were meant for the city’s poorest people but ended up in areas where Chicago’s wealthiest lived and played.

* Sun-Times | 3rd piping plover chick dies in 5 days at Montrose Beach: Late Saturday, the chick was seen “lethargic and struggling” by observers near Montrose Beach after “feeding and moving normally” throughout the day, according to the statement. After being cleared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the chick was collected and taken to Lincoln Park Zoo for observation. Despite no signs of external or internal injuries, the chick died overnight after being given warmth, fluids and oxygen.

* Block Club | Dogs And Cats Scared Of Fireworks Overcrowded Chicago’s Animal Shelter. Now They Need Your Help: Armando Tejeda, the public information officer for the [Chicago Animal Care and Control Department], said there were 251 dogs and 234 cats staying in the shelter as of Thursday. That’s 21 percent more than average, and the highest number of animals in their care in five years.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | ‘A big win for the community’: How $6 million project aims to end decades of flooding in Wheeling: “There are no pipes in the neighborhood,” Wheeling Public Works Director Dan Kaup said. “The water has nowhere to go.” As a result, water accumulates on streets and in yards during every heavy rainstorm, typically two or three times a year, Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said. Houses rarely take on water, but cars driving down flooded streets can create wakes that splash up to front doors and into garages. The new project should change that.

* Shaw Local | Storm damages downtown Joliet buildings, knocked down several trees: An exterior section of the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66 was damaged in a freakish development during a storm that blew through downtown Joliet on Sunday morning. The storm intensified when it reached the near West Side of the city, blowing down trees that blocked at least one section of Broadway Street, which also serves as Route 53, before doing more damage downtown.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | ‘She was like a fresh breath of air’: Springfield community remembers Emma Shafer one year after her death: “Everywhere we went, Emma was there,” said Pastor Susan Philips from First Presbyterian Church in Springfield. “This last year has been really hard for many of us because we go to those same places and her absence is so profound. And it’s also inspired so many people to get more involved and to show up in deeper ways, and to make sure the things that have been part of Emma’s vision continue to be part of our future, too.”

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | AI Has Become a Technology of Faith: An important thing to realize about the grandest conversations surrounding AI is that, most of the time, everyone is making things up. This isn’t to say that people have no idea what they’re talking about or that leaders are lying. But the bulk of the conversation about AI’s greatest capabilities is premised on a vision of a theoretical future. It is a sales pitch, one in which the problems of today are brushed aside or softened as issues of now, which surely, leaders in the field insist, will be solved as the technology gets better. What we see today is merely a shadow of what is coming. We just have to trust them.

  9 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, Jul 15, 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)

Monday, Jul 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
* Reader comments closed for the holidays
* And the winners are…
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to previous editions
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Report: Far-right Illinois billionaires may have skirted immigration rules
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards (Updated)
* Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

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