* Center Square…

Northern District of Illinois federal Judge Iain Johnston ruled the Second Amendment is violated by the state’s prohibition of people carrying concealed firearms on mass transit. […]

The state appealed and in a motion said the “the potential safety implications of the Court’s order are highlighted by a recent mass shooting on the CTAs Blue Line, in which four people were murdered with firearms three days after the Court’s order was entered.”

Johnston demanded whoever wrote that to answer questions during a hearing scheduled Wednesday. […]

In a statement from the defendants in the case filed Monday, attorneys with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office said they “aimed to argue that a stay of the Court’s order is justified by the public interest in maintaining public safety.”

“The sentence was not intended to suggest that the perpetrator of the Blue Line shootings held a concealed carry permit, acted in self-defense, or engaged in conduct permitted under the Court’s order,” the attorneys wrote Monday. “The sentence also was not intended to state, suggest, or imply that this Court’s order was responsible for or specifically related to the shooting referenced in the stay motion, and counsel apologizes if any such inference was mistakenly created.”

Click here to read the statement.

* The National Conference of State Legislatures on the “6 strategies for recruiting top talent to state legislatures”…

Three years after the “great resignation” of 2021, recruitment continues to be a high priority for employers across the country, including state legislatures. In response, legislatures are recruiting in interesting ways, such as the Utah Legislature’s first-ever job fair at the state Capitol, aimed at showcasing careers in legislative affairs and recruiting for open positions.

“We wanted to provide attendees an opportunity to hear from current staff about our work culture, showcase how each office fits into the legislative process and how there are many pathways to a career in the legislature,” says Debbie Cragun, Utah’s legislative services administrator.

The spring career fair provided job seekers direct access to veteran legislative staff. Attendees were welcomed by Rep. Brady Brammer, House Rules Committee chair, and heard comments from staff from various offices, including the Office of Legislative Auditor General, the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst, the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, the Utah Senate and House of Representatives. Attendees also learned about the process of applying for employment with the Utah Legislature.

Utah is not the only state using a variety of recruitment methods. Earlier this year, NCSL’s Center for Legislative Strengthening surveyed legislative HR and staff directors, asking about recruitment and retention efforts. Benefits of a strong recruitment program include:

- Improving morale by bringing in individuals who fit well with the office culture.
- Attracting top talent.
- Filling vacant positions quickly.
- Improving employee retention rates.
- Reducing costs associated with prolonged or failed recruitment attempts.
- Enhancing the candidate’s experience by providing a positive first impression of the hiring organization.

* Governor Pritzker…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), local leaders and workforce partners at Richard J. Daley College to celebrate the launch of “Make It In Illinois,” the State of Illinois’ first manufacturing marketing campaign. This $5 million campaign aims to revitalize Illinois’ manufacturing sector by attracting new talent and changing perceptions about careers in manufacturing. ​

“Over the past five years, with shoulder to the wheel, Illinois manufacturing has been undergoing a period of growth and transformation that is powering a notable economic turnaround. We’re rebuilding and reclaiming our status as a manufacturing powerhouse,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With the launch of the Make It in Illinois marketing campaign, we are letting people know the doors of opportunity are open for thousands of Illinois workers and the state of Illinois is open for business.”

“By investing in the next generation of skilled workers, we are ensuring that Illinois remains a leader in innovation and growth,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “The ‘Make It In Illinois’ campaign will inspire more people to pursue fulfilling careers that contribute to the success of our state.”

The “Make It In Illinois” campaign seeks to showcase the modern face of manufacturing in Illinois, highlighting the industry’s technological advancements, career growth opportunities, and vital role in the state’s economy. By giving the public an insider’s perspective on manufacturing, the initiative aims to appeal to a new generation of workers, including recent graduates, career changers, and those seeking meaningful employment.

“Manufacturers have a storied history in Illinois, and through the Make It In Illinois campaign, we’re working to grow our world-class manufacturing industry and workforce,” said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. “From watching success stories online, to visiting a one-stop-shop for resources on the campaign website, and even driving past billboards in neighboring states, this campaign will meet people where they are and encourage them to make their future right here in Illinois.” ​

Building upon the state’s strong manufacturing industry and storied history, the key campaign objectives include: ​

- Increase applications for jobs at Illinois manufacturers
- Boost enrollment in manufacturing-aligned training programs and apprenticeships
- Promote manufacturing as a pathway to personal and professional growth

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Lawmakers advocate for life-saving legislation one year after Haz-Mat crash in Teutopolis: On September 29, 2023, people had to rush out immediately after anhydrous ammonia leaked from a tanker truck after it crashed outside the city. The leak caused the death of five people — including two children — and severe injury to nearly a dozen others. In October 2023, WAND reported that State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) and State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Teutopolis) proposed a bill that would require companies providing GPS services to offer detour and routing services provided by emergency services.

* She Runs Illinois 2024 | Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, candidate for IL House of Representatives, District 85 : “ As the State Representative for the 85th district, my focus during my third term in office will be to continue advocating for healthcare accessibility, affordable housing, and economic opportunity.”

* WAND | State Rep. Stuart calls on IDOC to improve access to Lincoln Developmental Center Cemetery: State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, has filed a resolution calling on the Illinois Department of Corrections calling for them to improve access for families with loved ones buried at the Lincoln Developmental Center Cemetery. The cemetery shares ground with Logan Correctional Center. “Families need access to the places where their loved ones have been laid to rest so they can honor and celebrate their lives,” Stuart said. “When a cemetery is located on the site of a correctional facility, that is absolutely a situation that needs to be navigated carefully to ensure safety and accountability, but it shouldn’t be the case that the cemetery is effectively off-limits to the families of those interred there.”

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | IL served over 85.6M meals, snacks to kids through Child and Adult Care Food Program in FY 2024: The federal program, administered by ISBE and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helps make sure kids in participating childcare centers, day care homes, after-school programs, and emergency shelters receive healthy meals at no extra cost. Oct. 1 marks the start of the period when CAFCP sponsors renew their applications to continue operating the program for the coming year.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Chicago police officer with history of misconduct cases could cost taxpayers another $332,500: The City Council’s Finance Committee will be asked Wednesday to authorize that settlement to Jeanette Bass, a former Gold Coast resident who claims she was arrested, physically and emotionally abused and involuntarily admitted to a psychiatric ward because of alleged misconduct by 29-year veteran CPD Lt. Andrew Dakuras.

* Tribune | City allocates $75 million in bond funds to market rate housing initiative on South and West sides: The program — officially called the Missing Middle Infill Housing Initiative after originally being named “Come Home Chicago” — will start in North Lawndale with 44 vacant, city-owned lots being offered to developers to purchase for $1 each. The lots have assessed values ranging from around $4,000 to nearly $50,000. Developers can submit applications to purchase the lots through Nov. 15 and can receive up to $150,000 per unit to further subsidize construction costs. Applicants will get a minimum of five lots. Construction costs have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic due to supply chain issues and elevated labor costs, making it harder for developers to sell new construction homes at more affordable price points.

* Crain’s | Anti-gentrification ordinance gives rare power to tenants over building sales: Renters in some North and West Side neighborhoods will soon have the rare power to control who buys the buildings they live in, under the city’s latest tool for cooling off gentrification hot spots. In parts of Humboldt Park, West Town, Logan Square and Avondale, renters in many buildings will have the right of first refusal over any sale contract their building owner signs with a potential buyer.

* Block Club | COVID Lab Owner Pleads Guilty To $14 Million Scheme To Defraud Government: The owner of a Chicago COVID-19 testing lab has pleaded guilty to a $14 million scheme where his company provided fake negative results to people getting tested — while billing the government for the tests. Zishan Alvi, 45, of suburban Inverness, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, for which he could face up to 20 years in federal prison, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release.

* Crain’s | Two Chicagoans win MacArthur ‘genius grants’: The MacArthur Fellows will each receive an unrestricted $800,000, paid out over five years, to pursue their own creative, intellectual and professional inclinations, according to the foundation. Ling Ma, 41, is a fiction writer whose work blends realism with fantastical elements to reflect on and critique the modern, globalized world we inhabit. Her 2018 debut novel, “Severance,” won a Kirkus Prize for fiction, and her second book, a short-story collection titled “Bliss Montage,” won the 2022 National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Work set to begin on $21 million expansion of Elgin Sports Complex: A ceremonial groundbreaking will take place at 11 a.m. Friday at the complex, located just south of U.S. Route 20 and east of McLean Boulevard. The project will add three new synthetic turf fields, lighting, a concession plaza, maintenance building, restrooms, shade pavilion, bike path and additional parking for 270 vehicles, to 87 acres on the east side of the property that were acquired from the state.

* Naperville Sun | Houlihan’s shutters Naperville location, Wayfair outlet to open Thursday: The 23,000-square-foot outlet will sell returns from online purchases and discounted items in good condition across a large number of product categories. Customers will be able to browse the outlet inventory online, but products will only be available for purchase in-store. Naperville’s inventory is coming soon, the spokesperson said.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Massey Commission names new members, workgroup rosters: Shadia Massey, one of Sonya’s cousins, said over 200 people submitted their names and indicated a willingness to serve on the commission. “This is a true citizens’ commission with people from all walks of life and with diverse professional and personal experiences,” Dr. Kruse said. “The collective wisdom developed through those experiences will give the commission a broad view of the community’s needs and opportunities for change.”

* WICS | Western Illinois University waives $30 fee for domestic undergrad applicants in October: Western Illinois University is offering an exciting opportunity for prospective students by waiving the $30 application fee throughout October for all undergraduate, domestic applicants. This waiver applies exclusively to domestic undergraduate students.

* Casino | Hard Rock Rockford Delivers New Tax Revenue, but Also Competition: A growing concern, however, is how the Hard Rock Casino, which features a 23,000-square-foot concert venue with accommodation for up to 2,000 guests, will impact the city-owned Coronado Theatre and BMO Center. The Rockford Area Venues & Entertainment Authority (RAVE) owns and operates the 2,300-seat Coronado, dubbed the Crown Jewel of Rockford, as well as the multipurpose BMO Arena that can be configured to accommodate nearly 6,000 patrons for concerts.[…] RAVE officials told the city council this week that the Coronado is losing about half of the shows it would typically book to Hard Rock. However, larger shows like the ones earlier this year for A-list comedians Shane Gillis and Nate Bargatze, which respectively played at the BMO Center in February and May 2024, will likely remain at the RAVE arena because those audiences numbered more than 5,000 per show.

* WAND | Giannoulias awards $1.5M to Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has announced $1.5 million will be awarded to the Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force. The funds will go to support operations and expand specialized investigations into carjackings and vehicle thefts. The grant funding will allow GPACT to expand operations and specialized investigations into crimes related to vehicular hijacking, auto theft, insurance fraud and recyclable metal theft.

* KWQC | ‘American Pickers’ star Frank Fritz dies: According to a close family friend, Fritz died peacefully Monday evening in Davenport surrounded by friends, including “American Pickers” co-star Mike Wolfe who traveled from Tennessee to be there. […] Fritz, born in Davenport, worked across the Quad Cities Area and owned his own shop in Savanna, Ill., called “Frank Fritz Finds”.

*** National ***

* The Athletic | How fast could a human being throw a fastball? 106 mph, 110 mph — even 125 mph?: “When you build up a simple physics model that is essentially a series of collisions between body parts, you get a max fastball velocity of about 125 mph,” said Jimmy Buffi, who has a PhD in biomedical engineering. Buffi is a former Los Angeles Dodgers analyst and is a co-founder of Reboot Motion, a player development consultancy firm. “We’ll need to use new methods,” said Kyle Boddy, current Boston Red Sox consultant and the founder of Driveline Baseball, a player development lab and consultancy company. “If there is a way to continue on, it won’t be with current methods. Using the best mechanics from elite pitchers, piecemeal, is unlikely to be the way we can create the 110 mph pitcher.”

* STL Mag | Hawley calls out KSDK’s Mark Maxwell, but his allegation appears to be fake news: U.S. Senator Josh Hawley came after a St. Louis TV reporter on Friday, accusing him of having been fired from a previous journalism job for unethical behavior. But the journalist’s former boss tells SLM that’s simply not true. “I have a lot of respect for Mark,” says Andy Miller, who was the news director of WCIA when it employed Mark Maxwell, who is now the political editor at KSDK. “I didn’t fire him. When his contract expired with our television station, he departed.”