* Nick Reiner on the passing of former Deputy House Republican Leader Brent Hassert…
Since I came to Will County in 1985, I have made friends with people of both political parties. And, believe it or not, when we got together, we didn’t always talk politics. We talked, and do talk, about life.
Brent Hassert did come in to my life because of politics. I began covering the Will County Board for the Herald News in 1987, the same year I met Tammy, and shortly after, Brent would call me on Mondays after the paper’s popular Pulse political column ran the day before.
“Hey,” he would say. “This is Brent Hassert. I saw you at County Board. How do I get in that Pulse column?”
I told him he’d need to do something funny and/or stupid. And for as long as the Herald News ran that column, he achieved one or the other fairly regularly. And he made it into more than a few county-related stories for doing some good stuff.
As I got to know him as a County Board member, legislator, party leader and lobbyist, I also saw him as a rare elected official, one who didn’t care who got the credit, so long as the people, in his district or not, got what they needed.
There is a good chance the Interstate 355 extension into Will County would not have happened, or happened a lot later, if he did not take that helicopter ride with former Gov. George Ryan to show him it was needed. From then on, it was firmly on the state’s radar.
The Illinois GOP will hold a fundraiser with Article III Project founder Mike Davis, who could be a future Trump administration legal official, including AG.
* WAND | Lt. Governor Stratton and ILAFA to host Workforce Summit for a thriving Agri-Food industry: “Illinois is leading the way in the agri-food industry by nurturing a diverse and skilled workforce,” said Lt. Governor Stratton. “This summit is a critical investment in our future, ensuring that Illinois remains at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. As I often say, ‘Ag connects us all,’ and we’re building a brighter future for generations to come.”
*** Statewide ***
* Crain’s | Illinois computer science programs are enrolling far more women: The biggest gains were made by women, who accounted for 21.5% of computer science majors in four-year programs in the 2022-23 academic year, up from 11.7% a decade earlier, according to a study by the University of Illinois Discovery Partners Institute. The percentage of Asian students nearly doubled to 26.5% from 14.3%, and Latino students grew to 16.9% of computer science majors from 9.5%. Black students declined slightly to 7.5% from 8.2%.
*** Chicago ***
* Bloomberg | Chicago aims to ride muni bond refinancing wave sparked by Fed rate cuts: The reopened window is a win for governments who have had limited refinancing opportunities since the Fed started raising interest rates in 2022. And such sales can save cities, states and towns major cash. Chicago, for example, estimates it can reclaim about $70 million of debt-service costs through a proposed $1.5 billion refunding sale to help close its budget deficit.
* Sun-Times | Homeless tent camp stirs neighbors’ vitriol on Northwest Side: As much as neighbors complain, Johnson is so far not budging. His administration says there’s no money left for Gompers after spending $70 million in federal dollars for homelessness since 2020. There will be no accelerated move from the Northwest Side park this year, the city said in a statement. City officials and nonprofit groups will continue to monitor the situation, the statement added. On Monday, Sendy Soto, Johnson’s top official in charge of addressing homelessness, will attend a community meeting next to the park to face a crowd of neighbors fuming about the homeless camp. They complain about drinking and drug use, open fires and erratic behavior.
* WTTW | As City Prepares to Close 3 Shelters, Advocates See Shifts in Migrants’ Needs: With a decreased migrant population and the unmaterialized surge of new arrivals this summer, the city expects in 2024 to spend less than $141 million to care for the migrants, who are in the country legally after requesting asylum and receiving permission to remain in the U.S. while their cases are resolved. The city is currently facing a projected $982 million budget gap in 2025.
* Block Club | After CPS Slashes Funding, Chicago Debates Asks For Help Keeping Beloved Program Alive: The district has a $1.3 million, four-year contract with the nonprofit, agreeing to cover up to $390,000 in expenses for fiscal year 2025, documents show. That includes costs such as equipment, paying debate judges, recruiting and training volunteers, tournament prep and running the summer camp, according to the contract. […] But CPS officials told nonprofit leaders in July they’d only get $208,000 to cover this year’s expenses, Bolden said. Officials cited a part of the contract saying CPS can terminate an agreement “in the event no funds or insufficient funds are appropriated and budgeted … by the board,” Bolden said.
* Tribune | A 685-acre tiff: Council, community divided on future of Pilsen taxing district: Progressives such as Johnson and Sigcho-Lopez have traditionally railed against tax increment financing districts, which freeze for decades the property tax revenues distributed to schools, parks and other government bodies and instead earmark those funds for projects within the boundaries. While TIF proponents say those projects spur economic development, opponents often decry the spending as a handout for private developers, or unnecessary in areas that are already thriving.
* Sun-Times | Bike theft victims are frustrated, saying the problem is getting worse and isn’t being fixed: Pusateri immediately headed to the nearest police station to file a report. Later, after scouring social media, he found the bike listed for sale on Facebook at a fraction of the purchase price. Someone even contacted him promising to return the bike for a fee after Pusateri listed it stolen online. He brought the Facebook listing — which had the suspected thief’s name and location — to the Chicago Police Department. “I knew exactly who this guy was, and the police were like, ‘We can’t help you at all. We’re too busy,’” Pusateri said. “I did everything I possibly could, even giving the police a solved case, and they still didn’t want to do anything about it.”
* Crain’s | Investors buy hotel next to Rivers Casino for $20 million: The property benefits from its proximity to O’Hare and being next to Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, one of the state’s largest gambling facilities. Neither of the Patels responded to requests for comment on the Courtyard purchase. But the investors are planning a $5 million renovation of the 35-year-old property set to begin in December, according to The Real Deal Chicago, which first reported the sale.
* WBEZ | Chicago’s beach season is over … or is it? Lake Michigan temps are breaking records.: Lake Michigan is heating up. The lake’s surface temperature has surpassed the running average dating back to 1995 nearly every day this year, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. And it’s not just one Great Lake. All five are warming. The massive bodies of water, which provide drinking water to more than 30 million people, are among the fastest-warming lakes worldwide, according to the federal government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment.
* Tribune | What was the final Chicago White Sox home game like? An odd wake, full of melancholy, contradiction — and elation.: In the closing minutes of the last home game for the 2024 Chicago White Sox, one could feel the Earth’s rotation grind to a halt. It was as if Guaranteed Rate Field itself let out an exhausted, terminating sigh of relief. Even the fireworks that marked the end felt rushed, brief and eager to be done with. The hurt was past. The horror — at least here on 35th Street (there were still three games left to play in Detroit) — was over. A lone gull looped high above right field, averted its eyes and flew off. The sky was cloudless and the flat metal top of a vendor’s grill, already scrubbed and cold, chimed with the clumsy clang of dropped tongs. Individual sounds leaped out.
* Block Club | 33 Million Birds Migrated Over Illinois In 1 Day This Week. How McCormick Place Is Trying To Keep Them Safe: Chicago Bird Collision Monitors collects about 100 injured or dead birds daily during the peak migration season in September and early October, Prince said. About 75 percent of the birds the group finds are dead, Prince said. Injured birds are taken to the DuPage Wildlife Center, where they’re treated and released into the wild to continue their migration. The group has already noticed fewer bird casualties around the McCormick Place this migration season, Prince said. The new film is an “exciting development” and serves as an example that it’s worth constructing buildings with bird-friendly designs, she said.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | Grayslake mayor says he won’t seek a fifth term and supports veteran village trustee as successor: Grayslake Mayor Rhett Taylor announced Friday he will not seek a fifth term and will be retiring from local government. “I have enjoyed every day of my time in the office,” he said. “I will be forever grateful to Grayslake for granting me this unique and wonderful opportunity.” Taylor was a village trustee for six years before being elected mayor in 2009. He said he has served with 13 different village trustees in that role, including Elizabeth Davies, who he endorsed as his successor.
* Daily Herald | Hanover Park man sentenced for selling ghost guns, gun converter: Jeffrey Levander, 43, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for the unlawful sale or delivery of an unserialized firearm, six years for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, six years for the unlawful use of a weapon, three years for the unlawful sale of a firearm, and three years for unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a news release from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. His sentences will run concurrently.
* Daily Herald | Kane County offers $755,000 Food and Farm Resiliency Grant Program to support local growers: The Kane County Food and Farm Resiliency Grant Program is now open for applications, offering $755,000 in financial assistance to local food-growing businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible organizations operating in Kane County can apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to help cover essential operating expenses incurred between March 3, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2025.
* Sun-Times | Days after his conviction on corruption charges, Ford Heights mayor says he’s stepping down: “He’s gone,” village attorney Michael Stuttley said Thursday about Mayor Charles Griffin, who was convicted by a Cook County judge earlier this week of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the tiny, cash-strapped south suburb. “I saw his letter of resignation.” Referring to Griffin’s fellow village board members, Stuttley said the resignation will be formalized “once they accept” it in coming days.
* WCIA | Danville officials say construction won’t prevent access to the ballot box: Construction began this week on the northbound road of Vermilion Street up to Harrison, temporarily closing the intersection. This closure is just outside the early voting location at Joseph G. Cannon Building. Officials with the City of Danville said not to worry about the construction, as it won’t impede anybody from casting their vote at the Election Commission.
* Daily Herald | ‘Safest it’s ever been’: Recent high school football deaths not causing alarm: Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the National Federation of State High School Associations, said the organization has counted 12 deaths so far this season. Their data comes from the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, which uses reports from NFHS-member schools as well as private schools outside its membership. […] “We started to pay attention, and through coaching education we modified rules, we shifted how we practice and how we play, and obviously elevated our medical response, resources and awareness,” Niehoff said.
* SJ-R | Hurricane Helene: Workers from Springfield head to Georgia for assistance: Crews from the City Water Light and Power division of the City of Springfield are heading to assist people with the effects of Hurricane Helene in Georgia. Two crews and a supervisor left Thursday afternoon to assist in Douglas, Georgia. The crews were initially headed to assist the City of Marietta but were reassigned. They were originally tasked to assist with power restoration from Hurricane Helene making landfall, according to CWLP.
*** National ***
* AP | Parents will have to set aside some earnings for child influencers under new California laws: The California laws protecting child social media influencers follow the first-in-the-nation legislation in Illinois that took effect this July. The California measures apply to all children under 18, while the Illinois law covers those under 16. The California measures, which received overwhelming bipartisan support, require parents and guardians who monetize their children’s online presence to establish a trust for the starlets. Parents will have to keep records of how many minutes the children appear in their online content and how much money they earn from those posts, among other things.
Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.
We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like David, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
* Here’s an official explainer of New York City’s public financing program for local political campaigns…
The voluntary public financing program matches small-dollar contributions from individuals who reside in New York City, helping to amplify the voices of New Yorkers in city elections. A $10 contribution from a NYC resident to a participating candidate in the 2021 election could be worth as much as $90 to their campaign.
Who is Eligible?
Any candidate running for municipal office (mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough president, and city council) may join the program. The program does not cover county district attorney offices or state or federal offices.
To receive public funds, candidates must:
1. Meet a two-part fundraising threshold:
o Collect a minimum number of contributions (of $10 or more) from the area they seek to represent. (For instance: candidates for City Council must have 75 contributors from their district; candidates for borough president must have 100 contributors from their borough.)
o Raise a minimum amount of qualifying contributions from NYC residents (only the matchable portion of the contributions counts towards this threshold).
2. Certify agreement to and demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the Act and Board Rules.
3. Be on the ballot, and have an opponent on the ballot.
4. Submit a personal financial disclosure filing with the Conflicts of Interest Board
* Press release from the US Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York on the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams…
ADAMS sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of “nominee” or “straw” contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money. By smuggling their contributions to ADAMS through U.S.-based straw donors, ADAMS’s overseas contributors defeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections. Wealthy individuals evaded laws designed to limit their power over elected officials by restricting the amount any one person can donate to a candidate. And businesses circumvented New York City’s ban on corporate contributions by funneling their donations through multiple employees, frustrating a law which seeks to reduce corporate power in politics. ADAMS increased his fundraising by accepting these concealed, illegal donations—at the cost of giving his secret patrons the undue influence over him that the law tries to prevent.
ADAMS compounded his gains from the straw contributions by using them to defraud New York City and steal public funds. New York City has a matching funds program that matches small-dollar contributions from individual City residents with up to eight times their amount in public funds, to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections. ADAMS’s campaigns applied for matching funds based on known straw donations, fraudulently obtaining as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution. ADAMS and those working at his direction falsely certified compliance with applicable campaign finance regulations despite ADAMS’s repeated acceptance of straw donations, relying on the concealed nature of these illegal contributions to falsely portray his campaigns as law-abiding. As a result of those false certifications, ADAMS’s 2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10,000,000 in public funds.
Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Recent polling shows 72% of Illinoisans support incentives for energy storage, and a majority of Illinoisans would be likely to for a candidate that supports building more energy storage in the state.
But it’s not just popular. It’s urgent — Building more storage today is the best way to save Illinois families and businesses from rapidly rising energy costs. By guaranteeing a backup of affordable energy at times when heat waves, storms, or cold snaps threaten
the grid, storage is the key to affordable, reliable energy independence.
Governor JB Pritzker announced the following staff transitions on his communications team.
Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin will depart the governor’s office after six years of service to the state of Illinois. The two have led communications for the administration through major legislative and economic development wins as well as through challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Matt Hill and Emily Bolton will join the administration as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Director of Agency Communications respectively. The two bring deep experience to the roles across federal and state government and national politics.
“Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin have been essential advisors since day one of this administration,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “For nearly six years in state government, they have met every moment with an approach that is the hallmark of their work: thoughtful, deliberate, and above all, fighting to ensure the people of Illinois were at the center of every message in and out of my office. Through challenges expected and unexpected—legislative debates and global pandemics—it has been a privilege to watch these two remarkable people grow into the best communications team in the nation. While they leave big shoes to fill, I have no doubt that Matt Hill and Emily Bolton will rise to the occasion, bringing their deep communications experience across politics and government, to this work. I am thrilled to welcome them to the team and look forward to all that we will accomplish together.”
Jordan Abudayyeh leaves the governor’s office after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Strategic Media, overseeing the governor’s communications team. Abudayyeh previously served as Governor Pritzker’s Press Secretary for his first term. Abudayyeh also served the same role on the governor’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Before entering politics, Abudayyeh was an award-winning political reporter for Springfield’s ABC affiliate WICS-TV, an anchor and producer for Naperville’s NCTV17, and an associate producer for Milwaukee’s WISN-TV. She received a degree in broadcast journalism and sociology from Marquette University.
Jason Rubin leaves the governor’s office after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Agency Strategy, overseeing the governor’s communications team. Rubin previously served as Governor Pritzker’s Deputy Communications Director, a role he held since the governor’s inauguration. Prior to that, Rubin served as Deputy Communications Director on the governor’s 2018 campaign and held communications roles with New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development and Rep. Patrick Murphy’s 2016 U.S. Senate campaign in Florida. Rubin began his career in politics as the Director of Scheduling for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. He is a graduate of Vassar College with a degree in political science.
In their place, the Governor’s Office welcomes Matt Hill and Emily Bolton who will oversee communications for the governor’s office.
Matt Hill joins the governor’s office after serving as the Senior Director of Communications for the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee in Chicago, serving as the top spokesperson and overseeing the event’s messaging and media strategy. Hill spent the last five years as a senior communications aide for President Joe Biden. In the 2020 presidential cycle, he was a national spokesperson for Biden’s primary campaign, the Biden-Harris general election campaign, and the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Hill then joined the Biden-Harris Administration as a Senior Associate Communications Director in the White House, managing communications around key accomplishments on climate, infrastructure, and more. He then served as the inaugural Communications Director for the CHIPS for America program at the Department of Commerce, focusing on bringing semiconductor manufacturing, jobs, and innovation back to the United States. Previously, Hill held communications roles at Georgetown University and the Democratic firm Global Strategy Group. Hill is from Buffalo Grove and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with degrees in political science and communication.
Emily Bolton joins the governor’s office with more than a decade of experience in government and political communications. Most recently, Bolton led communications at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) where she positioned Illinois as a global economic powerhouse and amplified the historic economic development wins achieved under the Pritzker Administration. Prior to joining DCEO, Bolton served in various roles at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), including Director of Media Relations and Strategic Communications during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, Bolton held communications positions at the Democratic Party of Virginia during the 2016 election cycle, Office of the Virginia Attorney General, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and PR firm Burson-Marsteller. Bolton is a graduate of the University of Georgia and a proud native Illinoisan.
Capitol News Illinois launched its election guide yesterday…
Early voting began Thursday in Illinois, and Capitol News Illinois has launched an interactive Election Guide to help Illinoisans navigate the voting process.
Illinois gives voters 40 days prior to Election Day to cast their ballot – in most jurisdictions. Beginning Thursday, most Illinoisans can vote at their local election authority’s office – in most cases, that’s the county clerk, but for about a quarter of the state’s population it’s a city or county election commission. […]
While early voting began this week for most of the state, the same can’t be said for Chicago and the rest of Cook County. Early voting begins Oct. 3 in the city, while voting in suburban Cook County begins on Oct. 9.
On Oct. 21, early voting expands so that voters in many counties can vote at locations other than the election authority’s office. Early voting generally runs through Nov. 4.
* The Question: Do you plan to vote early (in-person or by mail)? Explain your answer please.
* ICYMI: Chicago Board of Education unanimously votes to halt school closures until 2027. Tribune…
During his remarks Thursday evening, [CPS CEO Pedro Martinez’] addressed the “misinformation campaign” he claimed was waged against him regarding school closures, reiterating that the district has no plans to close schools. He also discussed his role in authoring a resolution extending a moratorium on school closures until January 2027. However, Martinez did not address speculation that he would soon be ousted.
“There is simply no truth to this,” Martinez said at the meeting. “To put this issue to rest once and for all, I’m asking the Board to adopt the resolution today, clearly stating that CPS will not close or consolidate any schools before the fully elected school board is in place on January 2027.”
CTU Vice President Jackson Potter stepped to the podium at Thursday’s board meeting, calling on Martinez to amend his resolution on school closures, claiming that it currently doesn’t fully protect schools as it doesn’t ban co-locations, in which schools share facilities without any changes to school programming.
“We’re debating school closures, staff reductions, rather than implementing a plan for transformation or suing the banks for their graft and deceit,” Potter said. “We’re going through stages of grief. We’ve been traumatized by closing lists that have been mistakenly given to us in the past, and then they pretend to be theoretical and become a harsh reality. We’re reminded the same procedures for co-locations do not apply as they do with closures and consolidations because neither the law or the resolution you aim to pass tonight would prohibit this form of school action. Therefore we’ve amended your resolution,” he said.
* WGLT | McLean County clerk predicts 80% turnout as early voting begins: McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael manages elections in the county except for Bloomington, where it’s handled by the city’s election commission. […] More than three of four registered voters [76%] in McLean County cast ballots in the 2020 presidential election. Michael predicted voter turnout could reach 80% in McLean County this year with the rise of early voting and mail-in voting. “We’ve had the [biggest] response of the vote-by-mail applications coming back — hundreds,” said Michael, who encouraged voters to cast their ballots before Election Day to avoid a wait.
* Capitol News Illinois | Capitol News Illinois launches Election Guide as early voting begins in Illinois: Capitol News Illinois’ interactive guide aims to help navigate the process of voting, from how to register and what to do if you feel your rights have been violated. While early voting began this week for most of the state, the same can’t be said for Chicago and the rest of Cook County. Early voting begins Oct. 3 in the city, while voting in suburban Cook County begins on Oct. 9.
* Daily Herald | What’s happened to crime rates, court-skipping since cash bail went away?: In fact, the report finds — with some important caveats — that both crime and court-skipping have declined in the past year. “This isn’t any kind of definitive word on the law and its impact,” noted Professor David Olson, who co-directs the center that is in the first stages of a four-year study of the PFA’s impact. “These (findings) certainly could change and evolve.”
*** Statehouse News ***
* NPR | Law aims to protect tenants with complaints from landlord retaliation: 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.’’
* Crain’s | Millionaire’s tax could raise $4.5 billion for property tax relief: report: A new state estimate shows a so-called millionaire’s tax up for an advisory referendum on the November ballot could generate at least $4.5 billion for property tax relief. WBEZ Chicago and Chicago Sun-Times reported the figure today after obtaining it through an open records request. The ballot measure, which is non-binding, asks voters: “Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?”
* Tribune | State agency lacks data to back $6 million in unemployment claims, audit finds: The state agency charged with distributing unemployment benefits continued to fall short in administering claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving auditors unable to determine if more than $6 million wound up in the proper hands, according to a report released Thursday. The report from Auditor General Frank Mautino’s office marked the latest criticism of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, which has come under scrutiny over the last few years for how it administered the distribution of unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic.
*** Chicago ***
* Sun-Times | Burnett says to count him out of ShotSpotter veto override: Zoning Committee Chair Walter Burnett said the City Council gains nothing by further “antagonizing” the mayor. So while he voted to keep ShotSpotter, if the Council tries to override a threatened Johnson veto, he won’t back that effort.
* Tribune | Chicago Board of Education unanimously votes to halt school closures until 2027: In a unanimous vote, the seven-member Chicago Board of Education voted Thursday to prohibit school closings until 2027. The vote concluded – at least for now – an increasingly fractious month in which the district faced accusations of clandestinely plotting to close schools and the fate of Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez’s job was in constant question.
* WBEZ | CPS enrollment increases a bit for second year in a row; also a bump in English language learners: After Chicago Public Schools enrollment increased for the first time in more than a decade last year, the total number of students has gone up once again to 324,311, officials said Thursday. That’s a less than 1% increase compared to last year’s official count of 321,539 — and a drop from later in the school year, when newly enrolling migrant students brought numbers up by the spring.
* CBS Chicago | U.S. EEOC lawsuit accuses Chicago’s Admiral Theatre of sexual, racial discrimination: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accused the Admiral of creating a hostile environment toward the entertainers. The lawsuit claimed the Admiral subjected female dancers to hostile and dangerous conditions. Among the allegations were that the dancers were exposed to harassing and sometimes violent behavior from patrons at the club—including grabbing, groping, slapping, and even sexual assault.
* CBS Chicago | Hurricane Helene’s effects will be felt in Chicago as early as Friday, according to forecasts: The storm is racing inland at an unusually fast forward speed, so even as its access to warm water which serves as hurricane fuel is cut off after landfall, the storm will not have much time to weaken on its journey through the southeastern U.S. Hurricane warnings were placed into effect 200 miles inland – nearly to Atlanta, Georgia, where 70 mph wind gusts will be possible Thursday night. As the storm is absorbed into a larger area of low pressure sitting to its west, a tight pressure gradient will lead to strong winds as far north as Illinois and Indiana.
* CBS Chicago | After judge’s order restricting Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who’s running Dolton, Illinois?: “I’ve been covering government in Northern Illinois for more than 40 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said David Greising, president and chief executive officer of the Better Government Association. “This has been a slow-moving train wreck for months.” “The trustees, when they can get a quorum, are the ones running Dolton,” Greising said.
* CBS Chicago | Sauk Village, Illinois clerk speaks after fight with mayor during village board meeting: During the Tuesday night meeting, the clerk grabbed the mayor’s gavel after she made several requests for the mayor to stop pointing it at her. Out of frustration, she yanked it out of his hand and threats were made. “I personally extend my apology, because it’s not typical of me,” Campbell-Pruitt said. Campbell-Pruitt said she was defending herself in the exchange. She admitted she physically touched Burgess and grabbed the gavel from him.
* NBC Chicago | ‘Report, not repost’: Suburban police, school district leaders send message to parents amid rise in threats: The letter, issued by the Chief of Police in both cities, the DuPage County and Will County State’s Attorney and the superintendents of Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204, encouraged starting an open dialogue with children on the severity of the threats. “Parents, please discuss the topic of school threats with your child in an age-appropriate way and pledge as a family to both report threats to the proper authorities and refrain from sharing threats and rumors with others,” the statement said in part.
* Daily Herald | ‘Steadfast leadership’: Wheaton city manager reflects on career: Distilling Mike Dzugan’s career into a few top accomplishments isn’t an easy thing to do. Dzugan has spent more than three decades in Wheaton government, first as the assistant city manager and then as city manager. Over the years, he oversaw some major construction. More recently, the city wrapped up a $35 million downtown streetscape project that also replaced infrastructure, reconfigured parking and created new gathering spaces, including the French market pavilion.
* Tribune | The American Toby Jug Museum in Evanston is closing. What does one do with 8,500 Toby jugs?: A Toby jug is one of those old-timey ceramic mugs shaped to look like a person — traditionally, a caricature of a British drunkard, ruddy complexion, tricorn hat, long coat, on a stool, cradling a mug of lager. Across the 250 year or so history of the Toby jug, there have been jugs with the likenesses of Winston Churchill and Barack Obama, Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, Gandhi, Hitler and Spuds MacKenzie. A Toby, to be specific, shows a full figure likeness, and a “character mug” shows only the bust of a figure. But Mullins bought both, and anything else (pitchers, thimbles) remotely related.
* Lake County News Sun | Early voting begins in Lake County; ‘I tell everyone to vote as soon as they can’: Bill Weber of Lake Villa, the brother of state Rep. Tom Weber, R-Lake Villa, said he always votes early on the first day because it frees him to help his brother’s campaign the rest of the time until Election Day. “I tell everyone to vote as soon as they can,” he said. “You never know if you might be sick, or be busy at work on Election Day. And, vote at the courthouse. You don’t have to worry about fraud there. If you vote at the courthouse, you know your vote will be counted.
* Shaw Local | Attorney lays some blame on Trump for Lockport couple’s role in Jan. 6 riot: In a sentencing memorandum on Wednesday, Daniel Hesler, attorney for Kelly Lynn Fontaine, 54, said the “simplest explanation” for why Fontaine and her husband Bryan Dula, 53, went to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021 was “because Donald Trump invited them.” […] On June 10, Fontaine and Dula pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge of disorderly or disruptive conduct on the grounds or in the buildings of the U.S. Capitol. The Lockport couple also pleaded guilty to another misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building.
*** Downstate ***
* WGLT | ISU imposing 2% budget cut in every division for current year: In a “Dear Colleagues” email to the campus, provost Ani Yazedjian said every division will cut its budget by 2% for the current budget year that began in July. That is in addition to a pay freeze announced last week in president Aondover Tarhule’s annual State of the University address. At that time, Tarhule confirmed the three-year structural deficit could rise to $32 million, or about 6% of the general fund budget, at the end of that period.
* WGLT | Bloomington-Normal unemployment drops below 5%: According to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security [IDES], a bulk of the new jobs are in Leisure and Hospitality. That sector added 600 jobs, while Private Education and Health Services [+200], Mining and Construction [+200], Manufacturing [+100], and Retail Trade [+100] also saw job growth. Professional and Business Services [-300] and Financial Activities [-200] lost jobs.
* WCBU | Bradley University enrollment dips below 5,000 for first time in over 30 years: Bradley University’s total enrollment has dipped below 5,000 students for the 2024-25 academic year. Total enrollment is about 4,800 students, a university spokesperson told WCBU on Wednesday. That’s down from 5,217 total students in 2023-24. It’s the lowest overall enrollment Bradley has posted since at least 1990.
* QC Times | Moline to rehabilitate bridge to Rock Island Arsenal: According to a city press release, the project will replace the current bridge deck and parapets with modern updates. Beams, beam bearings and seats will all be rehabilitated, and new street lighting will also be installed. The project will ensure that large vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, can access the military installation, assisting critical readiness at the Arsenal.
* Herald-Whig | ‘This is a trend … that needs to stop’: QPS, QPS address school threats: QUINCY — Quincy Public Schools and the Quincy Police Department offer some simple advice for community members tied to the recent threats to area schools. If you see something, say something to local law enforcement and school officials — not to a social media account. “While the online chatter and anxiety regarding these threats continues to escalate, we need your help to end the hold these threats are having on our students, staff and families,” QPS Superintendent Todd Pettit said. “Resharing hearsay, rumors or false information on the internet has created panic that makes it difficult for law enforcement and school officials to investigate these threats.”
* WCIA | Champaign County records first human case of West Nile Virus: The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District said human cases would be probable after it upgraded the county’s West Nile alert status at the start of the month. Now, a Champaign resident in their 60s has tested positive, health officials said. Champaign County is the third county in Central Illinois to record at least one human case, after Christian and Coles Counties recorded one each. There are a total of 43 cases statewide and at least one death.
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* Sun-Times | Kudos to Illinois lawmakers for proposed bill to hop away from kangaroo slaughter: Kudos to U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., for introducing legislation to ban the sale of kangaroo parts in the United States and stem the killing of 1.5 million of the iconic marsupials per annum. Demand for soccer cleats made from kangaroo skins is driving an unprecedented commercial slaughter of native wildlife. Last year, Nike, Puma and New Balance announced policies to stop sourcing kangaroo skins, but the world’s largest athletic shoe sellers, Adidas, is still driving the massacre of the iconic marsupials.
