* Former Pritzker communications staffers launch Abudayyeh Rubin Communications Strategies…

Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin announce the launch of Abudayyeh Rubin Communications Strategies (ARC Strategies), a cutting-edge communications firm designed to transform how clients tell their stories. From corporate boardrooms to the legislative arena, ARC Strategies is poised to assist companies and organizations in raising their profiles, ensuring the right messages reach the right audiences, and navigating through crises as they arise.

ARC Strategies offers a comprehensive suite of services including crisis communications, public relations, media training, and speechwriting. Founded by a team of seasoned communications professionals with deep experience in media, government, and national and state politics, the firm’s mission is to provide tailored, results-driven solutions that meet clients’ needs and anticipate challenges in an evolving media landscape.

“Building on a record of success in reshaping the communications narrative for the state of Illinois, we are thrilled to launch ARC Strategies and ready to get to work on behalf of businesses and organizations of all sizes,” said Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin, founders of ARC Strategies. “We’re excited to utilize our extensive skillsets, homegrown in one of the toughest political environments in the nation, to provide strategic counsel to clients. From driving a successful message in Springfield, to navigating through a crisis, to carrying a message in a high-profile interview - ARC Strategies will be a full-service communications partner, helping clients tell their stories.”

Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin have over twenty years of combined experience working in politics, government, and media. They most recently served as Deputy Chiefs of Staff for Communications in Gov. JB Pritzker’s office where they led the Governor’s communications through major economic development announcements, transformative legislative efforts, and crises ranging from day-to-day government operations to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ARC Strategies’ launch comes at a time when effective communication is more crucial than ever. As organizations seek to connect with their audiences in an ever-changing media landscape, ARC Strategies provides the expertise and strategy needed to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

* Tribune…

A day and a half of intensive questioning yielded no new jurors by midday Wednesday in the corruption trial of Michael Madigan, as the already sluggish pace of jury selection slowed to a crawl.

From Tuesday morning to midday Wednesday, 18 prospective jurors were questioned, some of whom were on the witness stand for 45 minutes or longer. The majority of them were rejected from consideration due to apparent bias or hardship.

The handful remaining were kicked off the panel by peremptory strikes, for which attorneys do not have to articulate a reason.

Eleven jurors have already been chosen over the course of jury selection, which began Oct. 8 with prospective jurors filling out a written questionnaire. Attorneys still must select one final person for the regular jury as well as six alternates.

* Democratic Party of Illinois…

Ahead of Election Day, the Democratic Party of Illinois is excited to host a Day of Action this Sunday in Lake County in support of U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10), Maria Peterson for State Representative (IL-52), Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, Hilary Winiarz for Lake County Board District 2, and down-ballot Democrats. Through rallying, canvassing and door-knocking, Chair Lisa Hernandez, Governor JB Pritzker, candidates, and volunteers will mobilize their communities to get out the vote.

WHO: Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez, Governor JB Pritzker, U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (IL-10), Maria Peterson for State Representative (IL-52), Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, Hilary Winiarz for Lake County Board District 2, and Lake County Dems

WHAT: Rallying, canvassing and door-knocking for county-wide Democratic candidates
Governor Pritzker and Chair Hernandez to speak around 10:50 AM

WHEN: Sunday, October 20, 2024, 10:30 AM-3 PM

WHERE: 454 Sheridan Rd., Highwood, IL 60040

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | In final public transit hearing, downstate operators join chorus for more state funding: “We are approaching a similar fiscal cliff to the northeast region,” Karl Gnadt, managing director of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, said. Gnadt said CUMTD is expanding to a point where the state may not be able to cover necessary costs. The state funds up to 65% of downstate transit agencies’ yearly costs through the “Downstate Operating Assistance Program,” but transit agency heads say the program is underfunded and can’t keep up with planned expansions.

*** Statewide ***

* Center Square | Panel discusses proposals to shore up Illinois’ unfunded pension liability: Among the issues discussed were how Tier II pensions, or benefit plans for public employees in Illinois hired after 2011, may need to be addressed because it may not comply with Social Security rules. State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, was part of the panel. “Regardless of what plan comes out that’s agreed upon, that’s fiscally responsible for the state, No. 1, and equally respectful of the job that our employees do,” Kifowit said. “We need to acknowledge that it needs to be fixed.”

* SJ-R | Illinois prison employees to picket for safer working conditions: Members of the AFSCME Could 31 union will hold an informational picket from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Members will be outside the Pontiac Correctional Center and other prisons throughout the state, according to local AFSCME President William Lee. A flyer advertising the event states “Safety Matters” followed by the words ‘Say no to drug smuggling,’ ‘Say no to assaults on staff’ and ‘Join the picket line.’

* Press Release | Governor Pritzker Temporarily Suspends IFTA/MFUT Requirements Due to Hurricanes Milton & Helene: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) have temporarily waived the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) registration and motor fuel use tax (MFUT) single trip permitting for qualified motor vehicles engaged in interstate disaster relief efforts as a result of Hurricanes Milton & Helene. The suspension, pursuant to 35 ILCS 505/13a.4 and 13a.5, is effective from October 11, 2024, through November 09, 2024.

*** Chicago ***

* Bloomberg | Johnson-CPS drama has credit assessors on alert: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed a new slate of board members earlier this month after all seven prior designees resigned from their seats. While the management changes alone don’t represent a “material” shift in credit quality, the new board may undertake policies that could change the district’s financial operations,” Moody’s analysts led by David Levett said in a report on Tuesday.

* Chalkbeat | Chicago Public Schools sees enrollment bump for second year in a row: As of the 20th day of school this year, CPS had enrolled 325,305 students compared to 323,251 students this time last year, according to district data. That’s less than a 1% increase from last year. The district uses the 20th day of school as the official date to take stock of enrollment and demographics each year. Officials hinted at the slight bump last month, when by the 15th day of school 2,800 more students had enrolled compared to that day last year.

* Block Club | Should City Pay For New Bears Stadium? West Side Voters Can Weigh In On November Ballot: Voters in parts of the 29th Ward, including portions of Austin, Galewood and Montclare, have a referendum question on their ballots that asks, “Shall the people of Chicago provide any taxpayer subsidy to the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium?” The question was put on certain West Side ballots by former Gov. Pat Quinn with the help of Jacob Drews, a former intern to U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, records show. It will appear on ballots for voters in the 29th Ward’s 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 17 precincts.

* Sun-Times | Chicago-based True Value hardware files for bankruptcy, agrees to sell to Do it Best: True Value, the hardware retailer based in Chicago, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and agreed to sell itself for $153 million to Do it Best Corp., the home improvement company based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to court filings.

* Block Club | Busted Sidewalk In Pilsen Unfixed For Over A Year, Stranding Neighbor In Wheelchair: Hernandez said he and his family have reported the sidewalk’s condition to Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez’s (25th) office several times and made city requests over the past year — requests that remained open until Block Club brought the issue to the city’s attention last week. “The government of the city does not remember us at all, except when they collect the taxes and our alderman is the worst that we ever had,” Hernandez said.

* Sun-Times | What a La Niña winter could mean for the Chicago area: La Niña has around a 60% chance of emerging through the end of November and could last until March, according to projections from the National Weather Service. This year, La Niña is forecast to be weaker than normal, making weather predictions this far in advance tricky, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Zachary Yack.

* Chicago Reader | Mazdaznan’s enlightened grifter: In late-1800s Chicago, a charismatic eccentric built a religious cult following. : The first time Otoman Zar-Adusht Hanish caught significant press attention was in 1904, when Emma Reusse—or Eloise, as she was sometimes called—was seen running from his temple shrieking and pulling out her hair. She was committed to an Elgin sanitarium after the guru and self-described doctor had advised her to juice fast for 40 days to spiritually and physically “perfect” herself. Two weeks later, she died.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Press Release | Illinois Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach: Robin Lee Reierson, 69, of Schiller Park, Illinois, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $7,000 in restitution and fines by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton. […] At approximately 2:06 p.m., Reierson used his back and body to push against a bike rack barrier and into the line of assembled officers. The police line began to fall at approximately 2:25 p.m., and, minutes later, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Reierson physically pushed against police officers using both of his hands and by lowering his shoulder into officers. Reierson also attempted to take hold of an MPD officer’s baton.

* Daily Herald | Verna Clayton, ‘a pioneer leader’ in Buffalo Grove, guided village through period of growth: A housewife in Buffalo Grove’s Strathmore subdivision, Verna Clayton didn’t initially seek a career in politics. But her dissatisfaction with the village board led her to a political career that saw her rise to Buffalo Grove village president and ultimately a state representative. Today, the village’s municipal campus bears her name. Clayton died Oct. 8 in Anderson, Indiana at 87.

Really big balance: Per just filed #FEC report, Illinois Democrat Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi @CongressmanRaja cash-on-hand balance is $18,456,126.99. Good bet: Will run for Senate one day.

— Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet) October 15, 2024

*** Downstate ***

* Fox Chicago | Illinois trooper honored with Medal of Honor after suffering injuries in Will County crash: An Illinois State Police (ISP) trooper was awarded the Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor on Tuesday after he suffered incapacitating injuries in a Will County crash in 2021. The award was presented to ISP Trooper Brian Frank by Gov. JB Pritzker and ISP Director Brendan Kelly.

* BND | Well-known Madison County attorney, gun rights advocate could lose his law license — again: An attorney from a prominent legal family in Madison County who’s known for representing clients in Illinois gun-rights cases may get his law license suspended for the second time in five years. A hearing board for the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission is recommending that the Illinois Supreme Court suspend Wood River-based Thomas Maag for two years.

* WGLT | With an open seat, east Bloomington voters to choose between two candidates for McLean County Board: Voting is underway, and Bloomington’s east side must select a new McLean County Board representative for District 10. Republican Chuck Erickson served the area for over a decade but is vacating the seat, opening the door for one of two new candidates to fill the role. Republican Mark Clauss and Democrat Erica Larkin are battling it out on the ballot to represent the district. Both are new to politics and said they will rely on experts to steer policy decisions.

* KWQC | Deere laying off hundreds more: Deere confirmed about 287 will lose jobs at Harvester Works in East Moline, 80 at Davenport Works and seven in Moline Seeding. Employees were being alerted on Wednesday. The layoffs are the latest in a global workforce reduction happening at Deere.

* Journal Gazette | Vice Chair Bennett steps down from Shelby County Board following Chair Orman’s resignation: Bennett wrote, “For which in the last four years the audits have disclosed procedures and policies with which need to be followed and an unwillingness by many of those employed by Shelby County, as well as the public, to accept these changes. The Constitution comes first and foremost.”"Bobby Orman was a great chairman for Shelby County. Thank you, Bobby, and many of my colleagues,” Bennett wrote. He added,” Harassment has no place in our day-to-day representation as a board member. I encourage all people to educate themselves on the Constitution.”

* WCIA | State Comptroller honors three Illinoisans for Hispanic Heritage Month: Mendoza’s office held a ceremony celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. The three who were honored included Héctor Javier Maymí-Sugrañes, the Dean of Libraries and General Studies at Western Illinois University, Yolanda Alonso, a blogger for Latinos en BloNo, and Carolina Huser, the Visionary Society & Development Manager for the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

* WCIA | Springfield’s Lincoln Library celebrating 20th anniversary: On Oct. 16, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) will host a reception to honor its 20th anniversary. It’s been 20 years since the library section of the ALPLM started serving the public in Oct. 2004. The museum opening came just a few months after in April 2005.

* WICS | $5 million for biomanufacturing research at U of I: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign will receive a $5 million National Science Foundation grant to support groundbreaking biomanufacturing research and advance the future of sustainable production. This funding will support research to develop more reliable biomanufacturing processes that can be scaled up and replicated to facilitate commercial production in industries at the forefront of the growing bioeconomy, such as pharmaceuticals and biofuels.

* Smile Politely | After 30+ years, Cafe Kopi is closing in December: “We are very grateful to the wonderful customers who have supported us through the years. You are what made Cafe Kopi such a special place. Coffeehouses are not just businesses; they are communities where lasting connections are made, and lifelong friendships are forged,” says Cafe Kopi owner, Douglas McCarver. “Cafe Kopi holds a special place in the hearts of many, and while we are saddened by this chapter’s end, we believe that all good things must come to a close. Serving generations of patrons has been both an honor and privilege.”

*** National ***

* AP | Listeria recall grows to 12 million pounds of meat and poultry, some of it sent to US schools: The updated recall includes prepared salads, burritos and other foods sold at stores including Costco, Trader Joe’s, Target, Walmart and Kroger. The meat used in those products was processed at a Durant, Oklahoma, manufacturing plant operated by BrucePac. The Woodburn, Oregon-based company sells precooked meat and poultry to industrial, foodservice and retail companies across the country.

* WTTW | Are People Loving Monarch Butterflies to Death? New Study Suggests ‘Helpful’ Human Interventions Contributing to Decline: Researchers at the University of Georgia combed through 17 years’ worth of observational data on roost sizes during monarchs’ annual fall migration to Mexico. What they found was a stable breeding population in the north, but then a consistent decrease in roost size as the butterflies make their way south — falling off by as much as 80% — indicating something is going awry along the route. Davis and his fellow researchers identified two likely culprits. One is the misguided planting of non-native tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), milkweed being the only plant on which monarchs lay their eggs and that monarch caterpillars feed on.

* Press Release | Federal Trade Commission Announces Final “Click-to-Cancel” Rule Making It Easier for Consumers to End Recurring Subscriptions and Memberships: “Too often, businesses make people jump through endless hoops just to cancel a subscription,” said Commission Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC’s rule will end these tricks and traps, saving Americans time and money. Nobody should be stuck paying for a service they no longer want.”

* Politico | Crypto has quietly become one of the biggest electoral players. You wouldn’t know it from their ads: The industry’s ads are about trying to help their preferred candidates win elections — not making cryptocurrency a campaign issue. That reflects a reality acknowledged by several candidates: Cryptocurrency is hardly top-of-mind for most voters. The ads from the various industry-linked super PACs are instead universally positive spots about their candidates, often biographical or hitting on hot-button issues such as the border, the economy and access to IVF.

* WSJ | The Death of Main Streets Across America—and the People Trying to Save Them:There was a time when the main streets in small towns were the lifeblood of small businesses. The hardware store, the candy counter, the dress shop—this was where the locals gathered and where entrepreneurs thrived. But that hasn’t been the story for a long time. Across the country, many small towns have been reeling, as local industries close down, and people move to find jobs. Main streets have lost out to the convenience of online shopping, as well as to nearby malls, where chains and big-box stores offer lower prices and a greater variety of goods. Meanwhile, credit can be hard to obtain for entrepreneurs, and inflation has driven up costs.