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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Nov 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WAND…
* Naperville Sun | Naperville voters turn out in large numbers to cast ballots in Tuesday’s election: Nearly 60% of registered voters in DuPage County had voted early, mailed in their ballots or visited their precinct polling place as of noon Tuesday to make their selections for president, judges, DuPage County offices and other races, reflecting the trend seen all over the country on Election Day.
* Lake County News-Sun | Lake County residents flock to polls on Election Day; ‘Democracy is in the air’: Tens of Thousands of voters cast their ballots within less than six hours of the polls opening Tuesday across Lake County marking their choice for president, Congress, the Illinois General Assembly, a variety of county offices and nine referendums. “Democracy is in the air,” Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega said just after 10 a.m. “We had a big morning rush, and things are now steady. It will pick up again after work.” * WCIA | Sangamon County Democrats call on voters to double check after some complain of getting incorrect ballots: Sangamon County Democrats want voters to double check their ballots before they cast their vote. The party said they’ve received multiple reports of voters receiving the wrong ballot. “One time, in my opinion, is too much,” Sangamon County Democratic Party Chair Bill Houlihan said. “I mean, if someone gets the wrong ballot that shouldn’t have happened.” * WJBD | Marion County Clerk sees steady lines at polling places: Marion County Clerk Steve Fox is reporting steady lines at many polling places, but so far no issues, in Tuesday’s general election. He feels confident his 65-percent voter turnout projection will stand. In addition to the Presidential race, there are contested races in Marion County for State’s Attorney and Coroner, County Board seats in District Two and Four, as well as Congressman. * WSIL | Law enforcement and election officials share plans for voting safety concerns: Robin Harper-Whitehead is busy running the election process for Johnson County. Like many election officials, she is concerned about safety. […] Harper-Whitehead says they have security at the courthouse, and on call for their polling places. She says they also gave their election judges extra training to help mitigate any problems they might have. * Bloomberg | Experts Worry Election-Betting Markets Are Skewed Ahead of Vote: Economists have long loved prediction markets. Even niche platforms such as the Iowa Electronic Markets and betting pools inside companies like Ford Motor Co. have been praised for their fortune-telling prowess. And now, the online emporiums have entered the big leagues with the 2024 presidential election. * Press Release | FBI Statement on Bomb Threats to Polling Locations: The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains. None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far. Election integrity is among the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue to work closely with our state and local law enforcement partners to respond to any threats to our elections and to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote.
* Tribune | Ex-ComEd VP, crucial witness against Madigan, takes stand in corruption trial: The former ComEd vice president who secretly recorded his colleagues as part of a federal corruption probe began testifying against ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday, the first of what is expected to be multiple days on the stand. One of the prosecution’s star witnesses, Fidel Marquez’s cooperation with federal investigators provided the backbone of prosecutors’ allegations that Madigan and his co-defendant Michael McClain supported ComEd-friendly legislation in exchange for benefits from the utility, such as do-nothing contracts for their associates. * Sun-Times | Former ComEd exec who wore a wire for the FBI takes the stand in Michael Madigan’s trial: Meanwhile, Marquez is likely to revisit much of his testimony from last year’s case about an alleged bribery conspiracy at ComEd. He took the stand around noon Tuesday, after a later than usual start to the trial day. U.S. District Judge John Blakey gave the jury an extra two hours to vote in the morning. The judge appeared on the bench with an “I Voted” sticker on his robe. At least two jurors could also be seen wearing their own “I Voted” stickers, and at one point Madigan defense attorney Tom Breen waved his around the courtroom. * NPR | Farmers in Illinois could be surveyed by USDA before spring: The USDA will be tapping farmers across the U.S. to participate in a conservation survey. The statistics and conservation branches of the agency are reaching out to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners to gather in-depth information about the conservation practices they use. Nearly 12,000 operators will receive the 2024 Conservation Effects Assessment Project survey. The 2024 Conservation Effects Assessment Project survey will collect data that paints a picture of conservation practices across the agriculture landscape. * Crain’s | Kaegi sizes up the Loop, completing city reassessment: Loop office buildings are worth less than they were three years ago, but the plight isn’t as bad as recent deals suggest, according to Fritz Kaegi. Releasing his final batch of data in a reassessment of all city property, the Cook County assessor last week illustrated his relatively rosy view of the vacancy-plagued downtown office market. * Block Club | CTA Says Rail Service Restored To Pre-Pandemic Levels, But Some Experts Remain Skeptical: But the new schedules — which went into effect Sunday — are unlikely to match the reality for riders on the system, at least at first, said Brandon McFadden, a cybersecurity analyst who independently tracks CTA reliability. On the first two days of the new schedules, Sunday saw 81 percent delivered service while Monday had 88 percent delivered service, according to McFadden’s data. That’s a dip from a 90 percent or better mark the CTA was delivering regularly under its previous schedule, McFadden said. * ABC Chicago | Chicago police officer killed in East Chatham shooting ID’d; 2 in custody: Superintendent Snelling said one of the suspects was under electronic monitoring, but may have cut off his ankle monitor. “We have to do everything that we can to keep violent offenders off the street, especially those who are repeating these acts,” Snelling said. “If we don’t do that, then we’re failing our citizens. We’re failing our children. We’re failing their futures. We have to keep violent offenders off the street.” * Crain’s | Tempus buying genetics lab company for $600 million: Tempus AI announced today it is acquiring genetic testing and laboratory service provider Ambry Genetics in a $600 million deal that the Chicago-based oncology biotech says will broaden its offerings and move the startup closer to breaking even. Tempus will pay $375 million in cash and $225 million in shares at closing. The deal is expected to be financed in part through a $300 million increase in short- and long-term debt provided by Ares Management, Tempus’ current lender, the company said in a release. Tempus noted $100 million of the price will be locked up for one year. * Crain’s | Stefani group to close Bar Cargo, citing changes in River North: Anthony Stefani attributed the closure in part to what he sees as broader changes to the River North neighborhood’s dining scene. “It’s just not what it was pre-COVID,” he said, citing other recent restaurant closures nearby, including Boka Restaurant Group shifting gears on Le Select and closing GT Fish & Oyster. He thinks much of Bar Cargo’s target clientele now gravitates toward Fulton Market. * Crain’s | Why Revolution is closing its beloved Logan Square brewpub: “Sometimes when you hear about a restaurant closing, it’s because the lease was up, or they’re raising the rent, or the bank is foreclosing on them,” said Revolution founder and CEO Josh Deth. “It’s none of that with this.” Rather, the 15-year-old institution is closing up shop simply because the brewpub is bleeding money. Sales have been declining for years, and Deth cannot justify staying open. “It’s like throwing in the towel in the later rounds to avoid injury (to the rest of the business),” he said. “We ran out of options.” * Block Club | You Can Rent A Private Sauna At North Avenue Beach This Winter: The Fire and Ice Sauna Experience, 1600 N. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, is a collaboration between Thunder Domes and the Park District that aims to provide visitors with a wellness-focused winter escape. The private sauna experience is available 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and can be booked in 25-minute or 60-minute sessions. * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect mayoral hopeful says town’s new ethics rules target her: Mount Prospect mayoral hopeful Trisha Chokshi said she was singled out by changes in the village’s ethics rules that resulted in her departure from the town’s finance commission. Chokshi had been serving as chair of the commission, which helps oversee the village’s financial decisions and provides input during the budget process. But in September, the village made changes in its code to prohibit spouses of village trustees from serving on commissions. Choskshi’s husband, Trustee Augie Filippone, recently announced he is not running for another term. * Daily Herald | Why you can’t ditch old pumpkins in forest preserves: The leftover seeds will sprout in the spring and hurt conservation efforts, according to a forest preserve district video posted on social media. “Pumpkin dumping represents a disconnect between our daily habits and the long-term health of our natural areas,” said Scott Kobal, a district ecologist, in a statement. “When we introduce foreign organic matter, like pumpkins, we inadvertently tip the scales, impacting not just wildlife but also the soil. These changes to the forest floor might take years to reverse.” * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora church to hold early Thanksgiving dinner to help those in need: Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora will host an early Thanksgiving dinner for people in need this weekend. The Rev. Tammy Scott, Wesley lead pastor, said the “Feast of Hope” event will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the church, 14 N. May St. in Aurora. * Crain’s | Walgreens agrees to pay $100 million to settle drug overcharging claims: Walgreens Boots Alliance has agreed to pay $100 million to settle a proposed class-action lawsuit claiming the Deerfield-based pharmacy giant fraudulently overcharged customers when they purchased generic drugs through private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid plans. A lawsuit, first filed in 2017 by a consortium of individuals and unions, accused Walgreens of wrongly requiring insured customers to pay more for drugs than members of its Prescription Savings Club. The program allowed Walgreens customers to buy prescribed generic drugs at discounts without insurance. * ABC Chicago | Misspelled name caused man to sit in Cook County morgue for 6 weeks, family says: The family said they started calling the medical examiner’s office weeks after Davis went missing. “I gave description that he’s very tall, 6′4″ with freckles, very distinctive looking,” sister Deborah Smith said. “She said, ‘We don’t have anyone by that name here.’” * WCIA | Urbana High School students ‘Walk to the Polls’ for first votes: Five local organizations and the City or Urbana are sponsoring a “Walk to the Polls” for UHS students and the community on Election Day. This will take place at 10:30 a.m. Mayor Diane Marlin, as well as the Urbana High School Tiger Marching Band Drumline, plan on attending the walk as well. It will take place on the south side of the Urbana Free Library. * WMBD | CI Hero: Tremont historical secretary finds 13 lost veterans: Secretary Kay Sommer researched and uncovered 13 new veterans who have gone unrecognized dating back to the Civil War. “During my research, I discovered in 1918, we lost some from Tremont and they died from the Spanish Flu because it was a major epidemic at that time,” said Sommer. * TEXT:
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- Donnie Elgin - Tuesday, Nov 5, 24 @ 2:58 pm:
“The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said it was 6th District Police Officer Enrique Martinez who was shot and killed…Superintendent Snelling said one of the suspects was under electronic monitoring, but may have cut off his ankle monitor”
I am so thankful for the bravery and sacrifice of the police and first responders. This story is so sad, such a senseless death. RIP office Martinez.
- Champagne Problems - Tuesday, Nov 5, 24 @ 3:24 pm:
They’re not extending voting because it would take longer to get results? That does not sound like a valid reason not to extend voting hours when there were legitimate problems that affected early morning voting hours….
- TooManyJens - Tuesday, Nov 5, 24 @ 3:56 pm:
==The State’s Attorney told WAND News after researching, officials believe anyone voting after 7 p.m. would have been counted as a provisional ballot==
Is there anything to this? I’ve never heard of votes having to be counted as provisional when they’re cast during officially extended hours.
- Excessively Rabid - Tuesday, Nov 5, 24 @ 5:22 pm:
About the early voting problems in Sangamon County, Mrs. R was one of those. Another was a candidate for county board who was given a ballot and said wait, I’m supposed to be on here. The Dems had 17 of these last I heard. I have never checked my ballot carefully to see if I had the right one but I sure will in the future. I would think this is less of an issue or not an issue for Election Day voters but for early voting you go into the clerk’s office and they’ve got a bazillion precincts.