Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Aug 23, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: For Illinois Dems, the party’s over, but the phone calls are just getting started. Crain’s…
* Tribune | At DNC, survivors of gun violence and families of victims share their stories: The other survivors and family members turned advocates each told their stories Thursday, at times becoming emotional. Democrats in the arena could be seen wiping their eyes at one point as a screen behind the speakers projected the words, “Freedom From Gun Violence.” The advocates were led by Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath, who became an activist against gun violence after her 17-year-old son was shot in 2012 by a white man who was angry over the loud music the Black teenager and his friends were playing. * Daily Herald | Time to ‘end the anger politics’: Illinois Democrats push unity agenda: With Chicago’s Democratic National Convention wrapping up, Illinois delegates begin pivoting to what will be a bruising election. But Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear stressed bipartisanship Thursday at the contingent’s final breakfast caucus. “It seems like the last eight years — every day has been an ‘us vs. them,’ a boiling point in our country where we’ve been asked to pick a side on everything from the car you drive to the beer you drink. Somehow beer got political,” Beshear commented to laughter. * Sun-Times | Illinois first lady MK Pritzker revels in Chicago DNC vibe: ‘The whole place just feels of feminine energy!’: “In a week, Gwen Walz, the wife of [Kamala’s veepmate] Tim Walz, had only hours to turn her life around … and she has now become everybody’s definition of a best friend,” said the state’s first lady, stunned when “Gwen” walked by “unescorted” at a private Pritzker party this past week at the Salt Shed. “It’s like someone threw her in a blender of adorable, kind, non-demanding and considerate,” MK chirped. “She’s the real deal * Tribune | Despite rumors, no surprise performance from Beyoncé or Taylor Swift at the DNC: Those wandering in the United Center in the afternoon heard a sound check (albeit from another singer) using her song “Cuff It.” Plus, Harris had been cleared to use Beyoncé’s 2016 song, “Freedom,” in campaign videos on social media (who rarely licenses her music). A friend of Barack and Michelle Obama, the singer’s 2022 album “Renaissance” also featured an allusion to her disdain for former President Donald Trump: “Votin’ out 45, don’t get outta line.” Trump was the nation’s 45th president. * Block Club | ‘We Delivered’: Mayor Brandon Johnson Touts DNC Successes Ahead Of Convention’s Final Night: During a brief interview with Block Club on Thursday, Johnson said he hopes the DNC will lead to more federal dollars to support the Chicago Transit Authority, build affordable housing and support neighborhood public schools. The mayor also praised the federal support the Police Department received before the convention to buy three new helicopters this year. * Crain’s | O’Hare plans to sell $1B in bonds as terminal project moves ahead: With approval from O’Hare’s carriers, led by United and American airlines, to move ahead with construction, the city is starting to raise the billions required to pay for it. The bond sale is another sign that things are finally moving ahead on the main part of the project, which was announced in 2018. * Block Club | Trio’s Pizza, A Beloved Northwest Side Spot, Is Back In Business: “I’ve been waiting two years for this,” said Don Galiano, a neighbor and devoted Trio’s customer said. “I don’t think I’ve had a decent pizza since they closed.” After being closed for about two years, Trio’s Pizza, 7009 W. Higgins Ave., is back in business. The restaurant has new owners and menu items, and the interior has been completely renovated. However, the pizza joint kept a key ingredient: Frank Scianna. * Sun-Times | Cook County judge, in office for less than 2 years, is named to panel that rules on judicial misconduct: Raines-Welch, who’s married to Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, is one of two circuit judges on the commission, whose authority to punish judges for wrongdoing includes being able to remove them from the bench. Chief Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary Jane Theis won’t say why Raines-Welch was picked for the unpaid post, whose term runs until the end of 2026. * Crain’s | The state’s vision for Peotone airport includes some surprises: Although the South Suburban Airport has most recently been discussed as primarily a cargo airport, the project details released by the Illinois Department of Transportation include the possibility of a passenger terminal. “IDOT’s objective is that the (South Suburban Airport) will include commercial passenger service, cargo operations, and general aviation activities,” the document says. * SJ-R | Grayson to appear in Sangamon County court Monday. What to expect: A former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy charged with murder will make his first traditional pre-trial court appearance at 9 a.m. Monday. Sean P. Grayson, 30, fatally shot Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman and mother of two children inside her home in the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue in an unincorporated part of Woodside Township. * WCIA | City of Decatur offering Lunch & Learn for minority contractors: The city of Decatur is teaming up with the Metro Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce to hold a lunch and learn to teach minority contractors on the bidding process. […] The event is for both established and prospective contractors. Attendees will learn how to tell if they are qualified and how to bid on City of Decatur Public Works and Economic & Community Development projects. * SJ-R | ‘Confrontational and reactive’: UIS outlines expectations for men’s and women’s golf coach: Anonymous allegations surfaced against Leotta in a 2aDays.com report on July 9 before a former player supported those claims in a subsequent State Journal-Register article on July 30. The allegations ranged from verbal and emotional abuse to reckless driving. * The Bee | Lawmaker defends Google deal to fund California newsrooms, as labor criticism grows The $242.5 million deal has led to the demise of Assembly Bill 886, authored by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, which would have made Big Tech pay for news that appears on its platforms in perpetuity. Wicks, in an interview Thursday with The Bee, said the public-private deal represented the best of what was actually achievable, and called it a win for California journalism. * New Yorker | Elon Musk’s Surging Political Activism: Beyond the self-serving speciousness of Maduro’s actions, his concerns about Musk’s propensity to meddle in politics and the affairs of nations are not without foundation. Since Musk acquired Twitter, in 2022—and rebranded it as X, a year ago—the onetime libertarian multibillionaire has increasingly propagated far-right viewpoints. He endorsed a post on X promoting an antisemitic conspiracy theory, shared a since-deleted link to unsubstantiated claims involving the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, and said that “the Biden-Harris Administration is importing vast numbers of voters.”
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- Dance Band on the Titanic - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 8:44 am:
That photo of her niece watching Auntie Kamala accept the nomination will be iconic.
“@IBEW we light up the Party and glow good” for the win
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 8:56 am:
Better probably that Beyoncé or Taylor Swift didn’t show up. There were previous complaints that the convention was going on too long into the night. Many political speakers needed to go on stage, like former Rep. Kinzinger. He and VP Harris delivered great speeches. There’s so much cheering and tremendous enthusiasm, great enthusiasm, the likes of which no one has ever seen. In seriousness, it was a great success given how it could have turned out. Great job by police and peaceful protesters also.
- Arock - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 9:07 am:
Governor Pritzker, abortion is not reproductive healthcare. If a woman seeks an elective abortion, it is not because her reproductive system needs any care because it must already be functioning properly. An elective abortion is for ending a life that was made by a properly functioning reproductive system. What we need is a healthcare system that makes sure every woman that is pregnant has access to proper medical care before and after her child is born. As well as proper medical care for the child before and after birth.
- TJ - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 9:10 am:
@Arock - using that logic, literally any type of elective procedure isn’t healthcare. Nonsensical.
- thechampaignlife - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 9:36 am:
Re: the college enrollment cliff, we need to seriously consider implementing direct admissions (https://forum.illinois.edu/Direct-Admission).
- BobIsMyUncle - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 9:54 am:
@Arock, abortion is absolutely health care. What we need is people to quit trying to control women - including you.
- Demoralized - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 10:07 am:
==Governor Pritzker, abortion is not reproductive healthcare.==
I’m going to take a line from Governor Walz’s speech: “Mind your own damn business.”
Too many busybodies who think they have a right to insert themselves into the medical care of others.
- Proud Papa Bear - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 11:18 am:
Those IBEW shirts are fab.
I’ll admit I’ve had trouble with Kamala’s name because when I was a kid, there was a professional wrestler with the same name but it was pronounced differently. For the VP, I just think of the comma punctuation mark.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 11:28 am:
“I’ll admit I’ve had trouble with Kamala’s name because when I was a kid, there was a professional wrestler with the same name but it was pronounced differently.”
Same.
R.I.P. Sugar Bear Harris.
– MrJM
- JS Mill - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 11:36 am:
Demoralized and Cool Pappa Bell for the win.
- Telly - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 11:37 am:
Re: college enrollment cliff
As a parent of college age and near college age children, I get a vibe that attending a “directional” state university just isn’t cool enough for Illinois kids — it doesn’t create good social media content. I just don’t sense kids make the same utilitarian choices when picking a college that my generation of Illinois high school graduates did. Not sure there is much our state universities can do about that.
- Keyrock - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 11:47 am:
What a shock. The Illinois Supreme Court made a thoroughly inappropriate political appointment.
The people change, but the song remains the same.
- The Dude Abides - Friday, Aug 23, 24 @ 12:15 pm:
=I’ll admit I’ve had trouble with Kamala’s name because when I was a kid, there was a professional wrestler with the same name but it was pronounced differently.=
For a pro wrestling heuristic that helps, think of Kama (fka Papa Shango, Godfather, Goodfather).