* Subscribers know more. From G-PAC Illinois…

The Gun Violence Prevention PAC of Illinois (G-PAC), the state’s leading gun violence advocacy organization, and GIFFORDS PAC, the national gun safety organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, announced today a slate of endorsements for Illinois House and Senate races.

Since 2015, G-PAC and GIFFORDS PAC have joined together to endorse legislative candidates in Illinois as part of their mission to elect more champions to office to pass common sense gun safety measures. Today’s endorsements of 72 Illinois House incumbents, five House challenger candidates, and 18 Senate incumbents represents the highest number of candidates endorsed by the two organizations, demonstrating the years of work to grow gun safety majorities in Springfield and enact significant gun reforms. See the full list of endorsed candidates on G-PAC’s website.

* Illinois Association of County Clerks & Recorders…

Local Election Officials in Illinois have the responsibility of being defenders of our democracy. Here in Illinois, we benefit by having local control of our elections, rather than state centralized control as in many parts of the United States. This local control of our elections is done by 108 independent Local Election Officials; overwhelmingly locally elected County Clerks and a few appointed Election Commission Directors.

This gives you, the citizens, the highest level of oversight of your election’s operations. These activities are not being conducted by some faceless bureaucrat in a secret centralized office far from your home but rather by individuals who live within your jurisdiction, shop at your local supermarket, have children in school with your kids, and located in offices that you can easily visit and inspect.

As a matter of fact, we want you to visit our offices, ask us questions, tell us your concerns, and see for yourself how we safeguard your vote here in the State of Illinois against all threats, foreign and domestic.

Even better, we want you to join our team and manage your local election!

Election Judges are citizens within each jurisdiction that are appointed by the political parties, managed by the Local Election Authority, and work under the authorization of the local Circuit Judge as Officers of that Circuit Court to run elections at their Polling Location. With that responsibility comes unobstructed access to see for yourself the procedures and policies we have in place to safeguard elections here in Illinois. You will be in a position to oversee all decisions surrounding all votes cast in that Polling Location and can take immediate action to call attention to any problems you may encounter.

Don’t have the ability or time to serve as an Election Judge but still have questions and concerns about elections in Illinois? That’s okay, still stop by our office anytime and ask to arrange a tour, ask your Local Election Official directly the questions you have, see for yourself the policies and procedures we have in place to safeguard your election process. All of our offices are required to be Polling Locations open and available to the public from September 26th through Election Day November 5th.

We want the opportunity to talk with you about your questions and concerns!

Since 2016, questions have been raised concerning the security and the results of our elections. A growing mistrust of our election procedures and policies has resulted. This must stop, for a secure nonviolent democracy is only possible when the citizens have faith in the results of fair, free elections. The ability to visit our offices, ask us questions, express your concerns, and see for yourself how the election process works has always been available from us, the local individuals responsible for this activity here in the State of Illinois. If in the past this was not well communicated and you the citizens did not feel we welcomed your inquiries, we want that to change and we want you to know we want to talk with you!

Your Local Election Official here in Illinois does not answer to any State or Federal Government Official. Our actions cannot be dictated to us by any State Legislator, Congressional leader, President, and especially no foreign government. YOUR LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL is only accountable to you, the citizens of the local jurisdiction we serve. All votes within your jurisdiction here in Illinois must be cast on paper, which can and is audited following each and every election, and can only be counted by individuals from within your local jurisdiction. No mysterious individuals from the state or federal government, no internet hacker, and no foreign government can change your local vote total within the State of Illinois.

We take our responsibility to preserve our nation’s freedom serious, and we also take it personal when our trust with the citizens we serve is in question. We want all the citizens we serve to trust in their LOCAL ELECTION AUTHORITY. We understand trust must be earned, and as such we stand ready to work with each and every one of you to prove the safety and security of our election procedures and policies.

* Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park…

The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, LLC, the University-Related Organization (URO) operating the quantum park located at USX on the South Side of Chicago, today announced its Board of Managers. The Board of Managers is made up of 14 individuals representing various partners of the project and will be responsible for overseeing operations at the historic campus where leading quantum computing company PsiQuantum aims to build the first utility-scale, error-corrected quantum computer in the United States.

“This board includes some of Illinois’ greatest advocates for quantum development, without whom cutting-edge projects like the IQMP and our state’s record investments in the quantum industry would not have been possible,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I know these individuals will continue guiding this project to greater and greater heights as Illinois seals its place as the Silicon Valley of quantum in the United States and the IQMP grows into its role as an international center for research and learning.”

The University of Illinois System, which formally established the URO, facilitated discussions with key stakeholders to determine the makeup of the Board of Managers, and the makeup reflects the collaborative outcome of those conversations. The Board includes representatives from Illinois’ academic institutions, state governments, nonprofits, and the private sector.

“The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park is a historic opportunity to further establish the state as the global hub for quantum and microelectronics, and the University of Illinois System is proud to help support the structure that will bring this campus to life,” said President Tim Killeen of the University of Illinois System. “This is a team of tremendously talented individuals with a mix of expertise and experience that will ensure the IQMP is a success, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.”

The Board of Managers is made up of:

John Atkinson – chair, Intersect Illinois
Rashid Bashir – dean, Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Stacia Edwards – deputy provost, City Colleges of Chicago
Sonja Feist-Price – provost, Chicago State University
Brad Henderson – chief executive officer, P33
Paul Kearns – director, Argonne National Laboratory
Becky Locker – chief of staff, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Susan Martinis – vice chancellor for research and innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Principal Officer of the Board of Managers
Nadya Mason – dean, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago
Lia Merminga – director, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Wilbur C. Milhouse III – chairman/CEO, Milhouse Engineering & Construction and Chair of the Board of Managers
Eric Perreault – vice president for research, Northwestern University
Casimir Peters – chief of business attraction and development, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
A designee from the private sector, to be appointed during a future meeting

“The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park will build upon the strong quantum foundation Governor Pritzker, his administration, and our partners have laid here in Illinois, and the Board of Managers is made up of so many of the members of our state’s ecosystem in the industry,” said John Atkinson, chair of Intersect Illinois. “We look forward to getting to work together to make the IQMP a reality, and to see the job creation, economic development and community investment that comes with it.”

* Block Club, WBEZ and Chalkbeat have all put out voter guides for Chicago’s first school board races.

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | How to avoid AI before heading to the polls; 2024 Voter Misinformation Guide released: On Wednesday, Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a 2024 Voter Misinformation Guide to help Illinois voters identify and report election misinformation generated by artificial intelligence (AI). As the election ramps up, so has the use of AI being used to create fake but realistic content about the November election and its candidates.

* Press release | State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns Missing Money to Nearly 140,000 Residents Through Enhanced Money Match: A record-setting 138,561 people are in line to receive a total of nearly $13.2 million from the state’s Unclaimed Property program and all they have to do is cash the check, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said today.

*** Chicago ***

* South Side Weekly | What’s After ShotSpotter?:” I think the evolution has come from us wanting to see what else is out there, not necessarily committing to another gunshot-detection technology, but we need to see what is in the marketplace to see if there is a fit for the City of Chicago. And quite frankly, I think it’s important to put an RFI out to explore what options are there,” Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Garien Gatewood said.

* Sun-Times | As Chicago’s mayor tries to oust CPS’ Pedro Martinez, the CEO’s contract is a major hurdle: When Chicago Schools Chief Pedro Martinez took the bold step last week of rejecting Mayor Brandon Johnson’s request that he resign, Martinez did it knowing his contract would make it difficult to quickly oust him. Sources tell WBEZ and the Sun-Times that Martinez is waiting for the Board of Education to decide his fate and that he is holding out hope the members will save him. In statements and in a Chicago Tribune op-ed, he says the school district needs the stability he brings.

* WBEZ | McCormick Place Lakeside Center completes bird-safe glass project in time for fall migration: The easternmost structure in the city has two football fields’ worth of glass, and the $1.2 million project took three months to complete. […] Annette Prince with the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors commended the authority for completing the project. Her organization rescues injured birds and recovers dead birds found in the city — many of which have collided into glass. “We are excited McCormick Place finished its application, and we think it’s already yielding good results,” Prince said. “On days we have had hundreds of birds hitting buildings downtown, McCormick Place hasn’t seen as many collisions.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WBEZ | Lawsuits claim Black students in Northwestern’s prison education program were unjustly disciplined: A pair of federal lawsuits claim the Illinois Department of Corrections unjustly disciplined two Black students in Northwestern University’s prison education program because the students worked together to prevent university staff from harassment during their visits to the prison. Corrections officials deemed the coordinated effort to “stop problems” gang-related activity, according to the federal complaints. The lawsuits were expected to be filed Wednesday morning. The plaintiffs, LeShun Smith and Brian McClendon, allege they were denied due process and targeted because of their race, violating their constitutional rights and effectively ending their education, said their attorney, Alan Mills.

* Sun-Times | Chicago area’s data center push continues as developer T5 breaks ground on Northlake facility: “This will be the nicest data center we’ve built,” said Robbie Sovie, T5’s executive vice president of development. “We’re going to have a lot more in the next five to 10-plus years, but this is going to be a great project.” The building, called T5 Chicago III, will serve an undisclosed user, though T5 CEO and President Pete Marin said the customer is “the best at what they do.”

* Tribune | Pedestrian safety measures still lacking at many rail crossings — sometimes with tragic results: While road-rail crossings in the Chicago area typically have gates to stop vehicles, there often are no such protections for pedestrians. Of 971 rail crossings with roadway gates in Cook and the collar counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, only an estimated 204, or 21%, have pedestrian gates, according to the Illinois Commerce Commission, which regulates crossings.

* Daily Southtown | Thornton Township trustees call for investigations into Tiffany Henyard spending: After tit for tat calls for accountability during heated exchanges between Thornton Township trustees and Supervisor Tiffany Henyard, officials approved audits of all township departments along with a former official’s credit card during a board meeting Tuesday evening. As Trustees Carmen Carlisle and Chris Gonzalez called out Henyard for continued unauthorized spending and general lack of transparency regarding township operations, Henyard shot back by questioning Carlisle’s spending when the trustee worked as her assistant. She motioned to conduct a “forensic audit/investigation” of former Thornton Township administrator Keith Freeman’s credit card “and Carmen Carlisle’s use of said card.”

* Tribune | Weed shops can set up in bustling uptown area of Park Ridge after mayor misses chance to veto: Park Ridge currently has one recreational use cannabis dispensary that opened in 2023 at 1036 Higgins Road. “While my intention was to veto the action taken by Council relative to the expansion of where a cannabis dispensary can apply to operate Uptown … I made a procedural error. My mistake means that my intended action (a veto) never took place,” Mayor Marty Maloney stated in a note to the City Council that he shared by email with Pioneer Press. […] Maloney has been against allowing marijuana dispensaries in Uptown mostly due to the Park Ridge Public Library being in the area. Additionally, the area is a bustling hub in Park Ridge that includes eateries, shopping options, the town’s Metra commuter rail station, is where the farmers market is held and more.

* Sun-Times | Evanston shelter mourns Blue Line victims, reaffirms its mission: Around 50 people gathered for the service Tuesday, hosted by Connections for the Homeless at Lake Street Church in Evanston. While the organization hosts an annual memorial to mourn the lives lost of those involved with the group, it was a unique event this year. A former beneficiary of the group’s services, Margaret Miller Johnson, was one of the victims killed in the mass shooting.

* Shaw Local | Tiny McHenry County town where mayor fills the potholes is asking to levy its 1st property tax: But that could change on Nov. 5. The village board has placed a question on the general election ballot, seeking approval of a .25% property tax levy. If approved by voters, the levy would bring the village about $5,000 a year for its roads, said Jim Kelly, the village attorney. Even if the village board were to raise that hypothetical levy in the future “it would take us 10 years to get to what Wonder Lake taxes at,” Village Trustee Brian Spiro said at the board’s Monday night meeting.

*** Downstate ***

* KFVS | U.S. 60/62 bridge over Mississippi River to reopen ahead of schedule: According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the bridge carrying U.S. 60/62 over the Mississippi River in Alexander County and Mississippi County, Missouri is reopening ahead of schedule. The bridge is set to reopen, weather permitting, by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, September 25.

* WAND | Springfield Mayor releases statement on 5th and North Grand community concerns: Memorial Behavioral Health, the City of Springfield’s Community Outreach Coordinator, and the City’s Homeless Outreach Team responded to those concerns Wednesday morning. […] Outreach coordinators were sent out to connect with everyone there, provide referrals, resources, and contact information. “Everyone was given the opportunity to collect their belongings. However, some unclaimed items were left behind,” the Mayor’s Office said.

* WCIA | Champaign Co. 911 center experiencing staff shortage: According to METCAD’s Director, Ralph Caldwell, the call center is having a hard time hiring and keeping dispatchers because of the demands of the job. He said the stress and relatively low-pay of the job makes it difficult to keep qualified call-takers. Relatives and loved one of dispatchers, however, have been showing their concern for the lack of staff support. They said it’s not only an added stressor for their loved ones but might impact METCAD’s ability to handle calls.

* BND | A second juvenile is arrested in connection with threats made against metro-east school: A 15-year-old has been charged in connection with a social media threat against Cahokia High School last week. Law enforcement officials are not naming the juvenile or the specific charges filed due to the suspect’s age. The teen is being held at the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center, Cahokia Heights Police Chief Steven Brown said.

* BND | Belleville Oktoberfest is latest metro-east festival ended early by ‘unruly’ juveniles: Officers asked the band to stop playing and began clearing out the crowd about 8:30 p.m., according to Assistant Police Chief Mark Heffernan. The festival was supposed to run until 9 p.m. […] Heffernan estimated that more than 100 juveniles were involved in the disturbance at Oktoberfest. No one had been charged as of Monday, he said, but police still were investigating alleged crimes, including one case of aggravated battery.

* SJ-R | Campaign celebrating Abraham Lincoln’s Illinois roots goes from Freeport to Jonesboro: Pontiac, Illinois, could be getting its 10th Looking for Lincoln wayside exhibit with some recently announced grant funding, but did you know there already are 260 exhibits across the state? Many of them are in a community near you. Wayside exhibits are essentially storyboards that serve as historic markers. The exhibits help residents and visitors learn more about Abraham Lincoln, the nation’s 16th president and the Lincoln from which the Land of Lincoln gets its name.

*** National ***

* AP | The chunkiest of chunks face off in Alaska’s Fat Bear Week: Fat Bear Week doesn’t officially start at Katmai National Park and Preserve until Oct. 2, when fans can begin voting online for their favorite ursine behemoths in tournament-style brackets. But on Tuesday organizers revealed the four cub contestants in this week’s Fat Bear Jr. contest — with the “chubby champ charging on to face the corpulent competition” in the adult bracket, as Naomi Boak of the nonprofit Katmai Conservancy put it during the livestreamed announcement.

* NYT | As School Threats Proliferate, More Than 700 Students Are Arrested: “Five years ago, we averaged 29 school threats per month. Last year, we averaged 785 per month,” said Don Beeler of TDR Technology Solutions, a software company that tracks threats using data from schools, the police and news accounts. On the Monday after the Georgia shooting, he said, 500 schools were under threat.