* IDPH…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released a new report on infant mortality that shows the statewide rate decreased to 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, the most recent full year of data, compared to 6.5 per 1,000 in 2018. However, the report released during Infant Mortality Awareness Month also documents the historic racial disparities that have persisted nationally in the area of infant health. Governor JB Pritzker has made it a priority to address these disparities and included more than $23 million in the current state budget to improve birth outcomes.

The Illinois infant mortality rate of 5.6 is slightly above the national rate of 5.4. The state has signed on to the national Healthy People 2030 framework established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which sets a goal for all states to reach a rate of 5.0 or lower by the year 2030.

* Small victories?…

I know everyone* loves making Chicago corruption jokes, but a mayor of Chicago has never been indicted or charged with a crime

*hacks https://t.co/xCoj9ruXYO

— Heather Cherone (@HeatherCherone) September 26, 2024

*** Statehouse News ***

* She Runs Illinois 2024 | Morgan Phillips, candidate for IL House of Representatives, District 105: She Votes Illinois is pleased to feature Morgan Phillips running for IL House of Representatives, District 105. Follow our series, She Runs Illinois 2024!, leading up to election day as we showcase and uplift the voices of Illinois women running for public office in the upcoming election, November 5, 2024.

* She Runs Illinois 2024 | Barbara Hernandez, candidate for IL House of Representatives, District 50: What challenges do you see in addressing child marriage in Illinois, and what legislative measures do you believe are most effective in ensuring the protection of minors? “I have carried the bill many times, however, the main obstacle has been the ACLU. I believe that children should not be able to marry at 16 even with a parent’s note. I feel like students can wait until they are 18 to determine if they do want to get married or not, without any religious or cultural pressure,” Rep. Hernandez said.

* NPR Illinois | Law aims to protect tenants with complaints from landlord retaliation: Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law recently prohibiting landlords statewide from taking retaliatory action against tenant complaints. The bill was proposed by state Rep. Will Guzzardi, a Chicago Democrat. “Far too often tenants face retaliation for … trying to exercise their basic rights, trying to make sure that the unit that they live in is habitable and safe,’ he said, “And when they complain about conditions or raise questions with their landlord, instead of getting those conditions fixed or getting good answers from their landlord, they get an eviction notice on their door.’’

*** Statewide ***

* WBEZ | Lawsuit claims years of discrimination against disabled young people in Illinois prisons: The lawsuit was filed by Equip for Equality, a nonprofit advocating for the civil rights of individuals with disabilities, and Latham & Watkins. It covers those who were 22 or younger when they were first incarcerated and who had a plan outlining special education services from their previous school. The complaint states that the correctional agencies have failed to identify eligible students; notify eligible students of their right to these educational services; or provide any special education services and high school credit-bearing courses.

* Press Release | IDOT’s Cycle Rider Safety Training Program classes returning statewide: In partnership with Southern Illinois University, IDOT is offering its popular Cycle Rider Safety Training Program to any Illinois resident 16 and older with a valid driver’s license. These classes also come with extra credit: Successful graduates can waive the written and riding portions of the Illinois motorcycle license exam that’s administered by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.

* WMBD | Illinois county clerks invite public to watch voting process: Starting Thursday, Sept. 26, anyone that has questions about the voting process can visit any clerk office and learn everything about the voting process. Since the 2016 election, more questions have been raised concerning voting security. The clerks say in the press release, that visiting the offices has always been an option, but they are making it clear this year so voters feel confident.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | City Removing Police And Fire Departments From Mental Health Emergency Response Program: The CARE, or Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement, provides teams of mental health professionals plus specially trained police and paramedics to respond to mental health related 911 calls. The program was launched in two neighborhood clusters during the 2021 budget process with an initial $3.5 million investment and has steadily expanded since then. The CARE program will now operate solely under the Chicago Department of Public Health and will not include police officers or fire department personnel, according to a Wednesday announcement.

* Crain’s | UChicago gets anonymous $100M donation to support free speech: The university said the donation will support “UChicago’s leadership on the principles and practice of free expression” and the advancement of a new initiative called the University of Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, which was launched by President Paul Alivisatos in 2023 to buttress open discourse on campus. […] The large donation to support free expression comes after a fraught and turbulent year on college campuses, which saw large student demonstrations and tent encampments protesting the Israeli invasion and ongoing war in Gaza.

* WTTW | Wrongfully Convicted Man Speaks Out on Record $50M Verdict: ‘I Won’t Get That Time Back’: Detectives from the Chicago Police Department deprived Brown of food and sleep and questioned him for 34 hours before he was charged. They denied him access to a phone call and legal counsel while keeping him socially isolated. “I was very, very wronged over three days, and that took a toll on my mental (health),” Brown said. “Fighting with the detectives, with the mind games they were playing, was probably one of the worst experiences of my life.”

* Block Club | How A Taqueria Connected To A Lincoln Park Gas Station Became Illinois’ Top Taco Spot: The taqueria, which just celebrated its three-year anniversary, is tucked away in a small strip mall that shares a parking lot with a Mobil gas station. El Tragón serves fresh, made-to-order street tacos and other items inspired by small taquerias in Jalisco, Mexico, where owner Gerardo Madrigal grew up. The menu is small, consisting of tacos, quesadillas, chilaquiles and some of the best quesabirrias in the city.

* Capitol News Illinois | Sun-Times seeks dismissal of defamation suit centered on Trump Tower reporting: The court, which heard oral arguments in the case last week, is not being asked to rule as to whether the Sun-Times engaged in defamation. It is rather asked if the lawsuit should be dismissed under a state law designed to protect against litigation that “chills and diminishes citizen participation in government” before the case can proceed in circuit court.

* Sun-Times | A look back at Derrick Rose’s legendary high school career: Rose had the physical gifts of a superhero. He was blazing fast with the ball, possessed unreal body control, and was the best leaper anyone had seen. Rose lost a few inches on his vertical when he put on muscle and weight in college and the NBA, which is common. But those that saw him in high school will never forget the dunks: they began beautiful and soaring, but ended with swift violence at the rim.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Appointments of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard blocked by Cook County judge: In a ruling Wednesday, Judge Thaddeus Wilson said Henyard didn’t abide by proper procedure when she named Ronnie Burge Sr. as police chief, Michael Smith as village administrator and Angela Lockett as village attorney. Four trustees who are at odds with Henyard contended the appointments were illegal because the Village Board did not vote on them, and the judge agreed. In barring Henyard from making the appointments, Wilson also said the three appointees are ineligible to hold the posts.

* Tribune | Toxic chemicals at Homewood nature preserve prompt calls for EPA intervention: Napoleon Haney, Homewood’s village manager, said village officials reached out to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency a few weeks ago and met with agency representatives last week to gather information and determine next steps. “We want it resolved; we want our community beautiful,” he said. “We just want to make sure that the right agencies are involved to assist us in resolving any and everything that’s out of compliance. We’re confident that the IEPA will provide some wonderful guidance.”

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Township honors history of boxcar camp, Austin-Western neighborhood: The Aurora Township board approved the honors to “recognize the contributions of generations of working-class immigrants who helped to make Aurora … a major railroad town and major manufacturing center,” according to a resolution passed by the board in the spring. The Austin-Western neighborhood close to the boxcar camp was home to many generations of immigrant working class families who came from many nations.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | Sonya Massey’s cousin named a new co-chair of Massey Commission in leadership shake-up: After only one listening session, the Massey Commission has new leadership. One of the newest co-chairs is Shadia Massey, a cousin of Sonya Massey, the namesake of the commission, who was fatally shot by a now former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy in her home in an unincorporated part of Woodside Township on July 6.

* WCIA | Master key that can open 90% of Urbana mailboxes stolen from mail carrier: [Nikeya Holmes, a customer service supervisor with the Urbana Post Office,] said she isn’t sure what will happen if the key is not found, but that the Chicago-area has seen similar crimes in the past. She said that the Urbana Post Office will communicate with other offices who have experienced this issue before to figure out what to do if the key remains stolen.

* WSIL | Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Raises $115,000: Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois held their annual United We Lead Gala, raising more than $115,000 for the organization. The gala took place in Edwardsville on September 6th. This year’s theme was “Envision Greatness.” Girl Scout officials say the event brings together a wide range of people who share a common goal – to empower today’s girls to become tomorrow’s leaders.

* WSIL | Time to enjoy the fall foliage display at Bald Knob Cross of Peace: Bald Knob Cross of Peace organizers say as nature is setting the scene they look forward to their annual Fall Colors at the Cross celebration around one of the world’s largest crosses on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, 2024. Attendees are advised to bring lawn chairs so they can enjoy lunch and help them welcome Nashville recording artist, Marty DeRoche at 1pm on Saturday.

*** White Sox ***

* Fox 32 | Chicago White Sox announce a multiyear deal for analyst Steve Stone: The Sox announced Thursday they’ve inked baseball analyst Steve Stone to a multiyear deal. Stone also announced the deal on the air during the Sox’s series finale against the Angels of Anaheim. Stone’s analysis will move over to the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) and work with White Sox play-by-play announcer John Schriffen.

* WaPo | How to cover the worst MLB team ever without going (too) insane: “You have to kind of try to figure out a specific moment of a game — when did this one turn?” said LaMond Pope, who covers the team for the Chicago Tribune. “That’s how you go into the clubhouse versus, ‘Talk to me about your general feelings about all this.’” For the most part, reporters said, the players have been both understanding of their circumstances and generally approachable. “A month into the year, it’s, ‘Why do you suck?’ And the answer has always been: ‘Well, we don’t want to suck. We’re trying hard not to suck.’ And they’ve answered it over and over and over again,” said Bruce Levine, a veteran baseball reporter in town.

* ESPN | Inside the 2024 White Sox’s road to MLB’s all-time worst recordXT: MORE THAN 17,000 fans — and 375 dogs, attending the season’s final Dog Day promotion — descended upon Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday, there to see the Chicago White Sox set the modern-day mark for losses in a single season. One fan even printed out a hard ticket for the game. “It’s history,” he said. “I want to have a piece of it.”

* NYT | How Does a Baseball Team Lose 120 Games? Every Way You Can Think Of: In the fourth inning of a ridiculous baseball game — ridiculous even by the standards of the 2024 Chicago White Sox — I wandered out into the stands to meet Beefloaf. Beefloaf sits in Section 108. I’d noticed him earlier, from across the stadium, because a White Sox home run (a rare thing) had gone sailing past the right field foul pole and landed near his seat. Even in the maelstrom of high fives, Beefloaf stood out: big guy, round shoulders, wearing a tank-top jersey with the number “108” and, in capital letters, “BEEFLOAF.” (Beefloaf is not Beefloaf’s legal name; his 5-year-old daughter chose the nickname, and it stuck.)

* Tribune | With Chicago White Sox fans rooting against them, the players have to do it for themselves: A playoff-type atmosphere was in store for the Sox, though they were as far away from the postseason as humanly possible. And with Sox fans rooting for a loss the last two days, the players responded with back-to-back wins, including Wednesday’s 4-3, 10-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels on Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off single. “It’s huge,” Benintendi said. “I think if we swept the final series of the year, it would be, not funny, but it’d give us all a chuckle.”

*** National ***

* AP | A Pennsylvania bakery known for its election cookie poll is swamped with orders: The bakery sells 4-inch (10-centimeter) round sugar cookies, one with blue and white sprinkles and a Harris 2024 label on it and the other with red and white sprinkles and a Trump 2024 label on it. The sale of each Harris 2024 cookie counts as a vote in the poll for Democrat Kamala Harris and likewise for Republican Donald Trump. The cookie poll started in 2008 and accurately predicted the winner the first three times, but not in 2020, when Trump lost the election for the White House to Democrat Joe Biden.