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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * IPM News…
* A small Madigan trial update…
* Tribune | ‘Magic list’ of Madigan-connected lobbyists shown to jury in ex-speaker’s corruption trial: “So since I don’t roam the halls like I use to do I do not have the same ‘on site’ engagement that I use to have,” read the email, which was shown to jurors Monday in the corruption trial of Madigan and McClain. “A Friend of ours and myself have gone through the ‘magic list’ and frankly culled quite a few names…There are now a little less than two dozen on the list.” McClain went on to ask the recipient of the email for help fish for potential clients. * Pat Devaney | Fixing Tier 2 pensions would create a fair retirement for Illinois workers : The solution is the Fair Retirement and Recruitment Act, introduced in the Illinois General Assembly. This legislation would bring the final average salary pension calculation back in line with Tier 1, align Tier 2’s retirement age requirements with Tier 1, implement an across-the-board 3% simple interest cost-of-living adjustment for all Tier 2 members and adjust the pension salary cap to comply with federal Social Security requirements. We understand that fully returning back to Tier 1 for all employees is not currently economically feasible, but the changes proposed by the We Are One Illinois coalition are commonsense reforms that would address the major issues driving workers to leave the public sector. Some have suggested the solution lies with simply fixing the Social Security “safe harbor” requirements within Tier 2, which are widely agreed to be out of compliance with federal law. But only fixing the safe harbor issue would affect a sliver of the highest-earning workers and does nothing to address the core problems with Tier 2. That is unacceptable. * Sun-Times Editorial Board | Illinois must step up as Trump prepares to back away from protecting our environment: In response, environmentalists in Illinois are working to make the Legislature’s January lame-duck session — held before newly elected legislators are sworn in — a busy time. Among their initiatives are copying federal environmental standards into state law so that they remain in place even if Washington weakens or eliminates some of those rules. Many regulations in Illinois are pegged to federal standards, so if the federal government cuts back its requirements on such things as air pollution and water discharge standards, it would automatically affect Illinois. The Legislature should codify existing rules into state law so that won’t happen. * Tribune | Lobbying is so ingrained in Springfield it’s practically a branch of government, but lawmakers are reluctant to regulate it: Unlike nearly every other state, Illinois until recently had no restriction on how soon former lawmakers could start lobbying their onetime colleagues, creating an environment that can tempt officials to legislate with an eye toward their future employment prospects rather than the public good. The state finally enacted a revolving-door restriction last year, but good-government advocates say the cooling-off period between legislating and lobbying is too short, with a loophole that still allows lawmakers who finish out their terms to become lobbyists the next day, rendering the restriction mostly meaningless. * Local 916 president JP Fyans | IDOT is turning to nonunion workers, at a cost to the public: According to a summary statement provided by IDOT, these outside contractors currently work the equivalent of an additional 1,013 full-time employees, at a cost of more than $675 million. Internally, IDOT admitted the use of these contractors and consultants has quintupled in the past three years alone. The driving force behind this massive and expensive shift in staffing is the apathetic hiring approach taken by IDOT and Central Management Services. Based on conversations with several applicants, many civil engineers who were deemed qualified after interviews have been waiting for a year or longer to be offered a position. * Eye On Illinois | Local governments beginning to reinstate grocery tax: With the clock ticking and the budget shortfall approaching, some governments are doing just that: the Normal Town Council voted 4-3 in September to put its own grocery tax in place, preserving about $2.3 million, according to WEEK-TV. The Pekin City Council followed suit earlier this week, also on a 4-3 vote. That community stood to lose $1.7 million. I’m no political strategist, but now is the time to take such actions. We’re still more than a year out from the change, and shoppers won’t actually experience anything different. The alternative approach is letting the state tax expire and hoping the revenue drop doesn’t actually affect operations. But by then, reinstating the tax might feel more like something new than simply local officials taking over what had been a state responsibility. * KSDK | A forgotten war was lost against crows in Illinois. Here’s why conservationists stopped bombing the birds: “Frank N. Davis, inspector in charge of predatory control, … is said to have perfected one that is less expensive than those used several years ago and also more effective,” according to a 1940 article in the Belvidere Daily Republican. “It’s a cylindrical cartridge about 10 inches long and two inches wide, containing an eight-inch stick of dynamite … (surrounded by)two and one-fourth points of No. 6 1/2 steelblast shot and bits of broken metal.” Officials would set the bombs off in trees where the crows would roost, each one killing between 3,000 to 20,000 birds in a single blast. * Block Club | Robberies Drop By Half In Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Avondale Compared To 2023: There were 566 reported robberies in Humboldt Park last year compared to 283 so far this year, city data shows. In Logan Square, there were 368 robberies last year and 165 this year. Avondale saw 121 robberies last year compared to 59 so far this year. […] Many businesses hit by burglars have done away with cash to avoid getting burglarized again or they keep very little in the register, but Aylward recommends business owners leave their empty cash drawer open and visible so they don’t get broken into. * Tribune | University of Illinois nurses reach tentative agreement with hospital, ending strike after four days: Nurses at University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics have ended a four-day strike, after reaching a tentative contract agreement with UI Health late Saturday night. The nurses began their strike Nov. 13, with no set end date. The strike was the second one since August, when the nurses’ last contract expired. About 1,700 nurses are part of the Illinois Nurses Association unit that went on strike. * Crain’s | Chicago Fire near decision on new downtown stadium site: It’s unclear how far talks have progressed with either developer as both try to jump-start projects that have been stuck in neutral since being approved by City Hall in 2019. But multiple sources said Mansueto and the Fire are expected to move forward with one option in the weeks ahead and are said to be primarily targeting The 78, because it likely presents the quickest path to getting shovels in the ground. * Crain’s | Union League’s Monet going to auction — but for how much?: Last spring, the club hired an art adviser to see what it could do, only to have the painting consigned to auction. The estimate is $7 million to $9 million, a range that covers the earlier price but not much more. Ahead of the auction, the club and the auctioneer, Christie’s, have clammed up, not saying whether there’s a minimum price at which the painting would be sold, or what that so-called reserve price is. * Tribune | ‘He was my baby brother’: Hundreds gather for funeral of slain Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez: It was the second time this year that scores of CPD officers, department leaders, suburban officers and law enforcement officials from across the country flocked to St. Rita to remember the life of a young officer. Among those in attendance were former Mayor Richard M. Daley and deputy mayor for public safety Garien Gatewood, along with alders Marty Quinn, Anthony Napolitano, Matt O’Shea, Anthony Beale, Peter Chico, Jason Ervin and former mayoral candidate Paul Vallas. * Crain’s | Stockyards sites proposed for $80 million music campus to support Chicago’s film and TV industry: The DPD put out a request for proposals last November. In its announcement, the DPD said it received two complete proposals. It did not include details of the other proposal. The sale of the site, at a proposed $1.9 million, will need approval from the Chicago City Council. That process is not yet scheduled. “Chicago needs this (facility) because the rest of the production infrastructure is in place and production is booming,” said Rich Daniels, a Chicago Federation of Musicians board member who’s been involved with local production, including as music director for the television show “Empire” for its full six-season run. * Tribune | Historic Chatham Park Village Cooperative defaults on mortgage as residents disagree on property’s future: Once noted for its beautiful and carefully tended facilities, the Chatham Park Village Cooperative has offered affordable homeownership on Chicago’s South Side for more than 60 years. Today more than 20% of the over 500 units at Chatham Park Village are vacant, said co-op board member Eneal Lee, and the property is at risk of foreclosure as the co-op has defaulted on its mortgage, according to documents reviewed by the Tribune. * WBBM | Invasive carp avoid the Chicago area, study finds: ‘There’s something in the water’: Cory Suski, a professor of natural resources and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois and a co-author of the study, said the fish instantly slow down as they move closer to the Chicago area. He believes contaminants in the water play a factor. “This is kind of a stress response,” he said. “It’s a response to, sort of, something uncomfortable in the environment for them. They don’t really know exactly what’s going on, but they’re just going to stop and wait it out and hope that that negative stimulus goes away.” * Crain’s | Look inside Northwestern’s new $850 million Ryan Field plans: Northwestern University unveiled plans for its new Ryan Field stadium today, and the $850 million project — the most expensive in NCAA history — promises to reimagine the college football viewing experience. The stadium will not replicate the traditional bowl design common at other colleges, but rather look and feel more like a miniature NFL or MLS facility. It is designed to maximize sound and bring attendees as close to the on-field action as possible. * Crain’s | Ragu sauce maker moving HQ to Schaumburg: The company that makes Ragu pasta sauce and other food products will move its North American headquarters next year to Schaumburg, where it has signed a deal to become the new anchor tenant of an office complex near Woodfield Mall. Mizkan America, a U.S. subsidiary of Japanese food manufacturer Mizkan Group, has inked a long-term lease for 50,394 square feet at the Woodfield Corporate Center property in the northwest suburb, according to a statement from real estate services firm Savills, which negotiated the deal on behalf of the company * BND | Board calls on metro-east official to resign after she used township debit card at casino: Sally Rodriguez was appointed township supervisor by other members of the board in May of 2023, after elected supervisor Norm Miller died. According to minutes from the board’s Sept. 4 meeting, she admitted using the card for her personal use, but only by mistake. “I asked her how do you make the same mistake five times and how does your personal card have the same pin number as the Township’s?” said board member Rickie Thomas. * WAND | Workforce development program launches newest chapter in Decatur: In partnership with Workforce Investment Solutions, ADM, and Richland Community College, the program is designed to establish a pipeline of skilled professionals to meet the needs of the manufacturing industry in central Illinois. […] “We are thrilled to introduce the FAME program to the Decatur community,” said Tony Davis, National Director for FAME U.S. “Our goal is to bridge the gap between education and industry, ensuring that our graduates are not only job-ready but also equipped to drive innovation within the manufacturing sector.” * The 21st Show | Metro East filmmaker who won Miss Trans Illinois is now running for mayor: Colton Baumgartner, 35, was named Miss Trans Illinois in 2024. She is running for mayor of Granite City, in the Metro East area. Colton is also the author of a children’s book, Cawing Love. She raises funds for Elevated Access, a nonprofit organization that flies people who live in states that outlaw abortions or gender-affirming care to states where such health care is offered. * WGEM | JWCC and WIU sign criminal justice agreement: John Wood Community College and Western Illinois University have established a new transfer pathway for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice and law enforcement. John Wood President Bryan Renfro and WIU Interim President Kristi Mindrup signed the agreement in a ceremony Monday morning. * BND | East St. Louis official has different story than what’s told in housing authority lawsuit: Michael Collins said Shonte Mueller did not tell the truth when she alleged in her recently filed lawsuit that she came to him with concerns that a former interim executive director of the East St. Louis Housing Authority was not following HUD guidelines and could jeopardize federal government money. […] Nick Mueller and Shonte Mueller filed a civil rights and defamation lawsuit in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Illinois claiming they were wrongfully removed from their positions by City Manager Robert Betts. * SJ-R | Watchdog organization finds Springfield hospitals below average for patient care, safety: Springfield Memorial Hospital and HSHS St. John’s Hospital have both received “D” grades from The Leapfrog Group. […] Several of the categories for grading showed in red for the hospitals, being on a green-red scale. Springfield Memorial Hospital scored particularly low in the “problems with surgery” category. HSHS St. John’s Hospital scored particularly low in the “problems with surgery” and “safety problems” categories. * Muddy River News | From small town to national stage: Quincy native earns Grammy nomination for best folk album: Savana Santos, a Quincy High School graduate, recently received a Grammy nomination for best folk album for her work on “Weird Faith” with singer-songwriter Madi Diaz. The album features “Kiss on the Wall,” co-written by Santos. Santos moved to Nashville to pursue music after graduating high school in 2017. She released the song “F2020” with former music group Avenue Beat. The song became a viral sensation, leading to more than 100 million streams across different platforms. Santos took advantage of this momentum and is now a solo artist, releasing songs like “Messy” and “Cheater.” * NYT | Associated Press to Cut Staff by 8%: The news organization said the cuts, which would be done through buyouts, were part of a plan to meet “the evolving needs of our customers.” The cuts will affect both news and business employees. “This is about ensuring AP’s important role as the only truly independent news organization at scale during a period of transformation in the media industry,” The Associated Press said. * Editor & Publisher | Investor building newspaper chain eyes Lee Enterprises, DallasNews: A Florida billionaire with a fondness for local news is looking to build a newspaper giant by potentially scooping up publishers Lee Enterprises and DallasNews. David Hoffmann, who last month disclosed a 5.2% stake in Lee Enterprises, has raised that interest to 8.7%, making him the Davenport, Iowa, company’s second-largest shareholder.
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Question of the day
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Hmm…
* The Question: Your prediction for Rahm Emanuel’s political future?
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Legislators pressure IDOC on inmate mail
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From a legislative letter addressed to Illinois Department of Corrections Acting Director Latoya Hughes…
IDOC has not yet responded to the letter. From the governor’s office…
* Some links from the authors…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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BIPA reforms surviving court challenges for now
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Bloomberg…
The decision is here. * More…
* Another judge appeared to concur…
* Capitol News Illinois…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Monday, Nov 18, 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 Emil, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Asked about Trump using ‘military assets’ for mass deportation, Pritzker says the plan may be ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘illegal’
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Background is here if you need it. ABC News…
* During an unrelated news conference today, the governor was asked about Donald Trump’s plan to declare a national emergency to carry out mass deportations of migrants in the US…
* Meanwhile, from the New York Times…
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Abandon ship?
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * The thing I most despise about the current version of X (Twitter) is that the site rewards outrage engagement farming. Look below any post by a public figure and you have to wade through a wide band of paid “blue check” subscribers tweeting increasingly vile things for the sole purpose of garnering attention and being compensated by the site’s ownership. The system is specifically designed to produce a super-ugly feedback loop, and it’s not gonna get any better. I don’t usually read the comments over there. So, that ugliness mostly doesn’t bother me, and I stay away from the site’s darker corners. But even if I did let that stuff get to me, I can’t leave yet because I use X mainly as a way to spot breaking news stories. Until state reporters and politicians also decide to leave, I’m stuck there and I’ll just make the best of it no matter what. * But there is a growing alternative. I’ve set up an account at BlueSky. During the past few days, a large number of reporters and some major news media outlets have created profiles at the site. Click here for a “starter pack” I created of state reporters, and click here for a broader Illinois news media list. A handful of state legislators, a few members of the governor’s top staff, a couple of state agencies, the Senate Democrats and a smattering of lobbyists and PR people have also set up BlueSky accounts. Click here for a list I created of those folks. Even Oswego Willy has a BlueSky account. * It feels like a tipping point might - *might* - be coming. If that happens and if we can easily follow events like the Michael Madigan trial and all the the spring legislative session news and upcoming elections, then I’ll move fully over to BlueSky. Heck, we might even be able to return to actual live coverage if I can convince my third party app to create the software. Anyway, click here to check it out. And let me know if you’ve joined the exodus.
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Energy Storage Can Minimize Major Price Spikes
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Each month, families and businesses pay a capacity charge through their energy bill. It’s essentially an insurance policy that pays energy resources (or “capacity”) to be available for when the grid needs them most. Grid operators project a possible shortage of capacity in the coming years, which means the charge for this insurance policy will rise next year for many Illinoisans. Batteries, or energy storage, are currently the best solution to minimize this price spike (which could be as high as $30 in 2026)—but building them at the pace we need will require legislation. The added benefit is the ability to store cheap electricity for use when demand peaks during the day—lowering energy bills and making the grid more reliable. Learn more about legislation that builds urgently needed energy storage here.
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Welch talks Trump, budget, staff
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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Open thread
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: DOJ investigating Sangamon County for discrimination after Sonya Massey murder. WCIA…
- DOJ officials said Sonya Massey’s murder “raises serious concerns” about members of the Sheriff’s Office’s interactions with Black people and people with behavioral health disabilities. -The department also asked for review of several years of policies, practices, procedures, and training deputies receive on de-escalation, rendering medical aid, and responding to behavioral health crises. * Meanwhile, from the Illinois Times…
* At 10 am Governor Pritzker will give remarks at the Inwood Athletic Club in Joliet to celebrate the first CEJA-funded EV charging stations. Click here to watch. * Sun-Times | Secretary of State Giannoulias discusses importance of organ donation at west suburban church: He joined Jordan Temple’s Senior Pastor Stephen Richardson, the recipient of two heart transplants. He received the first in November 1996 when he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. He got the second in November 2013 when medications formed plaque buildup that blocked his arteries. He also got a new kidney that same year. “Three hearts, three kidneys and I’m still moving, I’m very thankful,” Richardson told the Sun-Times. “A donor extends a person’s life.” * Tribune | After-school programs on the chopping block due to delayed funding disbursement: About 40% of the state’s after-school programs have been slashed this year, following delays in the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, and the number is expected to rise to 87%, totaling about 290 sites, by the end of this year. The problem is that the governor’s office is at a standstill with the money, and there has been no communication on when funds will be released. * Center Square | Illinois homeschoolers worry Trump tax credit could lead to state regulation: Trump, in a video posted on social media, promised homeschooling parents tax relief on their education costs, up to $10,000 per year per child. […] Illinois Family Institute Executive Director David Smith said rumblings of regulation coming out of the Illinois capitol might deter homeschooling parents from applying for the credit. * Tribune | Illinois nuclear plants are in the crosshairs of data centers and AI’s insatiable demand for clean power. At what cost?: On Tuesday, President Joe Biden’s administration unveiled plans to triple the nation’s nuclear power supply by midcentury. While support for most clean energy projects is threatened by Republican control of Washington, this one might stick. A Pew Research poll from August shows Republicans are more likely than Democrats to favor expanding nuclear power generation. […] If early experiments reopening plants and developing smaller reactors fail, tech giants could zero in on Illinois’ operational plants, which provide more than half of the state’s power. * WCIA | IL launches multi-million-dollar Cannabis Research Institute: On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker, U of I System President Tim Killeen, government officials, and cannabis researchers with Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) launched the Cannabis Research Institute (CRI). […] “The Cannabis Research Institute will use innovative research and data collection to deepen our understanding of cannabis and help shape the future of the industry, better inform the public, and develop policies for consumer protection, economic and community development, and equity,” Pritzker said. * Tribune | After Trump win, Illinois providers report a spike in demand for abortion pills, birth control and sterilizations: Planned Parenthood of Illinois saw a 15% increase in calls immediately following the Nov. 5 election, with many callers asking about vasectomies and options for long term but reversible contraception, such as intrauterine devices and birth control implants. “People are frightened,” said Cristina Villarreal, chief external affairs officer for Planned Parenthood of Illinois, which has 17 clinics statewide. “We are concerned about a lot of different things with the coming administration and we are doing what we can to prepare for it. But I think the important thing for patients to know right now is that we are open for providing the reproductive and sexual health care that they need … and we will fight to continue to do that.” * Sun-Times | After 50-0 defeat of his $300 million property tax hike, Mayor Brandon Johnson brokers a new deal: The largest chunk of new revenue — $128 million — will come from raising the personal property lease tax on cloud computing to 11%. Another $14 million would be squeezed out of “redundancies and efficiencies” in administrative costs tied to the spending programs bankrolled by federal pandemic relief programs in 2026 without laying off employees or disrupting programs. * Tribune | Killing extra pension payment could spare Mayor Brandon Johnson and aldermen political headaches, but cost Chicagoans later: Some officials are rallying around the idea of diverting surplus dollars from past years’ budgets that were set aside to keep the city’s pension funds afloat. The “advance” or “supplemental” pension payment Johnson wants for 2025 is $272 million, just shy of the $300 million tax hike he called for then abandoned last week in the face of an overwhelming council revolt against it. Cutting that pension payment is among the most straightforward fixes floated to fill the gaping property tax hole in Chicago’s budget. But there are plenty of warnings against skipping it, including from Johnson’s budget team and municipal finance experts. * Block Club | Most Chicago Street Fests Aren’t Paying Police Overtime, Leaving Taxpayers On The Hook: Last week, alderpeople grilled officials from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, demanding to know how many police resources were poured into neighborhood street festivals while raising concerns about officer burnout amid so many competing demands. […] “It’s my understanding there are a number of events in the city where, for whatever reason, we don’t ask the event organizer to reimburse us for things like police resources, police and fire, paramedic, traffic control,” Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said during the hearing last week. “Some events spend lots of money on those sorts of things, like Lollapalooza, for example. Yet other events don’t get charged these things.” * WBEZ | Trump’s inroads in Chicago driven by staggering dropoff in votes for Democrats: Citywide, former President Donald Trump saw a roughly 16,000 vote bump compared to 2020, but Vice President Kamala Harris’ vote total was more than 205,000 votes behind President Joe Biden’s in 2020. “The real story is you have fewer people voting and that Trump got the same number of votes in 2024 than he got in 2020,” said Delmarie Cobb, a Democratic political and media consultant. * Crain’s | Chicago Tribune union ratifies first-ever contract: Per the deal, employees will now receive a 3% pay raise each year along with a 401(k) match and bonuses, according to an announcement by the publication. Several Tribune employees went decades without raises and “no one can remember the last time back-to-back, company-wide raises were made,” the union claimed in a social media post. * Crain’s | Loop landlords pitch taxing themselves to boost ailing downtown: * Sun-Times | Celebrated as a ‘voice’ for the community, Perri Small retires from WVON: Small was not only celebrating her retirement, but her 65th birthday. Sitting in front of a bouquet of flowers and sipping champagne, she spoke to in-studio visitors and took calls from prominent figures honoring her decadeslong career as a journalist and media personality. Public intellectual and former presidential candidate Cornel West even called in, encouraging Small to “keep that smile and that style and that spirit and that soul.” * Tribune | Addiction treatment center opens Mac’s Deli, a new West Loop restaurant staffed entirely by patients in recovery: Monday marked the grand opening of Mac’s Deli, a restaurant that Haymarket Center has opened in order to employ patients in recovery and provide them with job training. Mac’s Deli will be fully staffed by Haymarket Center clients, with the proceeds from its classic Chicago fare going toward the center’s initiatives. The restaurant was built into the side of Haymarket Center’s building, just paces away from its other services. Mac’s Deli is designed to provide patients with substance use disorder an opportunity to return to the workforce within a supportive community centered around recovery, according to Haymarket Center President and CEO Dan Lustig. * Block Club | Chicago Crowns Jeremy Allen White Lookalike Contest Winner: The contest sought to find the person who most closely resembles White, who plays Chicago chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto in the hit FX on Hulu series “The Bear.” Ben Shabad, 37, took home the coveted “Num. 1 J.A.W.” ribbon along with a cash prize of $50 and a pack of Marlboro Cigarettes. * WBEZ | Amid concerns about a federal rollback, Cook County Commissioner pitches more money for reproductive health: Amid concerns about the next presidential administration’s lack of support for abortion rights, Democratic Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen wants the county to infuse more money into access to reproductive health services. County commissioners are set to vote on a proposed 2025 budget next week totaling nearly $10 billion. Degnen wants to amend the proposed budget to provide $2 million in grants to community organizations that provide wraparound reproductive health services. These organizations help cover the cost of everything from hotel stays and travel to medical bills for people seeking abortions. * Sun-Times | Kim Foxx sees legacy as helping community trust law enforcement: After eight years as Cook County’s top prosecutor, 12 before that as an assistant state’s attorney and three with the office of the public guardian, Foxx said it has been “decades of sadness first thing in the morning,” as she briefs herself on cases that came in overnight. But the reports were also motivating, she said, inspiring her to try to make the county better. * Daily Herald | ‘Looking out for the child’: How a Lake County nonprofit helps low-income families: Since the nonprofit’s inception in 1998, some 53,000 children and their families have received financial support totaling nearly $6 million. That includes nearly 2,900 kids and $688,619 over the last year. “Barbara set the mission up, and the mission hasn’t changed,” said Lisa Cervieri, the organization’s executive director. “The crux of it is just helping kids that are in dire situations, and she hit the nail on the head because of her years in social work: It’s the little things that make the biggest difference to these kids.” * Evanston Round Table | Mayor Biss ready to do ‘whatever it takes’ for what’s to come in Trump presidency: Biss acknowledged early in the interview that what’s to come is still somewhat unknown. He sees a push toward Trump’s mass deportation plans, which the president-elect had alluded to during debates, happening early in the administration. Beyond that, though, “I don’t think we know,” Biss said. “I don’t think we should pretend to know.”  * SJ-R | ‘This isn’t over yet.’ Final ballots to be counted in Springfield-area recorder race: The four-term incumbent in the Sangamon County Recorder’s office and the only Democrat to hold a county-wide seat said he is feeling upbeat despite having to make up a 68-vote deficit against his opponent. On Tuesday, county clerk officials will tabulate some 450 late-arriving vote by mail ballots and qualified provisional ballots under the gaze of the two candidates, Springfield Clerk Frank Lesko who leads current Recorder Josh Langfelder by just a handful of votes. * IPM News | Josh McCray runs for three TDs to lead Illinois to a 38-16 win over slumping Michigan State: Josh McCray ran for three touchdowns and Luke Altmyer threw two TD passes, leading Illinois to a 38-16 victory Saturday over Michigan State. McCray had nine carries for 61 yards, Altmyer completed 19 of 32 passes for 231 yards and Pat Bryant caught four passes for a career-high 135 yards and a TD in his final home game as the Illini (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) ended a two-game losing streak. * The Chicago Council on Global Affairs | How cover crops could help the Midwestern agriculture business: While cover cropping in the Midwest has increased fourfold from 2011 to 2021, it still occurs on just a small percentage of the region’s 148 million acres of farmland. That stands in stark contrast to the practice’s use in some farming regions overseas. Parts of Europe, for instance, use cover crops on almost all of their arable land due to stricter regulations. Coppess said more state and federal incentives could similarly increase uptake in the Midwest — though he also notes that, while the practice helps eliminate some risks, it also comes with risks of its own. * The Guardian | ‘Queen of polling’ J Ann Selzer quits after Iowa survey missed by 16 points: In a column published by the Des Moines Register on Sunday, Selzer wrote that public opinion polling had been her “life’s work” and had made a decision to step back from it a year ago. “Would I have liked to make this announcement after a final poll aligned with Election Day results? Of course,” she wrote. “It’s ironic that it’s just the opposite.” Seltzer ventured that her strong track record had “maybe that history of accuracy made the outlier position too comfortable”. * NYT | How Bluesky, Alternative to X and Facebook, Is Handling Explosive Growth: Bluesky’s 20 full-time employees have been working around the clock to deal with the issues that come with hyper-growth: site outages, glitches in the code and content moderation issues. Most importantly, they have been trying to keep early users happy as new members have flooded in. “We as a team take pride in our ability to scale quickly,” Jay Graber, 33, the chief executive of Bluesky, said in an interview. “But there’s always some growing pains.” She added that the app — which is still dwarfed by Facebook, Instagram and X — was adding more than one million new users a day. * Vox | Bluesky brings the fun, weird vibes of old Twitter back to life: Bluesky looks a lot like the old Twitter you knew and loved. It’s a reverse chronological feed of posts, including images, videos, and links that you can like and repost. Like old Twitter, your feed is not ruled by an algorithm. Meanwhile, Bluesky’s open source, decentralized framework gives you a lot more control over how your feed works than X or even Threads, the X alternative Meta has been pushing onto Instagram users.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Nov 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * By special request… Sunset doesn’t last all evening
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WBEZ…
* Illinois Department of Employment Security…
* Governor JB Pritzker…
* WSIL…
* NBC Chicago | Real ID deadline is coming soon. Here’s what you should know for Illinois: Beginning on May 7, 2025, Real ID-compliant identification will be required for residents who plan to fly domestically. “For Illinois residents who fly domestically, effective May 7, 2025, the federal government will require you to use a valid U.S. passport or obtain a REAL ID from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office. If you have a valid U.S. passport or passport card, military ID or other federally approved identification, you may continue to use it as your form of identification after May 7, 2025,” the Illinois Secretary of State’s office said. * Press Release | IDNR awards historic sites field trip grants to schools: More than $4,376 in donated funds were awarded for 12 field trip grants. Grantees represent six Illinois counties. “This program allows students to visit state historic sites throughout the state to see first-hand what they’ve been learning about in the classroom and to visit a place where notable historic events happened,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “Students need the opportunity to experience Illinois’ historical resources in person. We’re pleased to be able to enhance classroom learning with these grants.” * Block Club | Mayor’s Plan To Cut Police Therapist Positions Raising Alarms: ‘It’s Bewildering’: Under the mayor’s draft 2025 budget, 22 positions for clinical therapists within the police department would be eliminated — handcuffing an effort to have one counselor for each of the city’s police districts. […] Between 2016 and 2023, 31 department employees died by suicide, including seven in 2022 alone, according to the Sun-Times. That included three officer suicides within a month, reigniting a push to expand mental health services as a short-staffed force worked through cancelled days off. * Tribune | Potential settlement reached in first suit alleging phony arrests by corrupt ex-Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts: Ben Baker sued Watts and the city in 2016, alleging Watts and his team pinned bogus cases on him — and in one instance, his partner, Clarissa Glenn — in retaliation for refusing to pay Watts a $1,000 bribe. Baker spent about 10 years in prison before his conviction was thrown out. Attorneys for the city reached a deal to settle with Baker and Glenn last month that is pending approval by the City Council, according to court records. The agreed-on payout has not been disclosed, but only payouts above $100,000 must be approved by aldermen. * Sun-Times | Chicago police officer found not guilty of lying about gun arrest — but still faces firing: A Chicago police officer was acquitted this week of writing a bogus report and providing false testimony about a gun arrest, but he still faces dismissal for allegedly stealing cash and drugs and lying about other firearm seizures. Cook County Judge Ursula Walowski found Officer Daniel Fair not guilty Thursday of felony charges of official misconduct and obstruction of justice during a bench trial. * Tribune | Long-lost mother and son find healing and sweet reunion at South Shore bakery: Lindsey wanted him to enjoy within reason, perhaps a subconscious motherly instinct. She’d given her only son up for adoption and forgone any contact after giving birth to him at 17. […] “Disbelief,” Hunter said when asked how he felt upon learning his mother was his neighborhood baker. “You mean my mother is this outstanding figure in the community, owning a business?” * Daily Southtown | A year after $1.2 million project, nature rebounding at Chicago’s Powderhorn preserve: Fisher said the fish are a sign that, after a year, the drainage system is making good on its promise to encourage fish movement from Lake Michigan and Wolf Lake to Powderhorn’s recovering hemi-marsh, where fry can mature among plants that provide refuge from predators. The idea is to support a wider diversity of species and provide food for birds and other wildlife. * Sun-Times | Fritz Kaegi OK’d tax breaks for ‘low-income’ seniors, now demands proof they qualify amid Sun-Times probe: Perched on a bluff along Lake Michigan’s shoreline in Winnetka is a brick-and-stone mansion that has six bedrooms, six bathrooms and a swimming pool. It’s owned by Jill Fitzgerald, an 84-year-old widow whose family made a fortune distributing produce to Chicago restaurants. The mansion is worth $7.1 million, according to Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. Yet Fitzgerald has gotten massive tax breaks under Illinois’ low-income senior citizens assessment freeze, a program that allows people 65 and older with a household income of no more than $65,000 to get tax relief on their primary residence. * Sun-Times | Judge in Highland Park massacre case to rule on suspect’s attempt to bar hours of interrogation from trial: The lawyers contend that police violated the constitutional rights of Robert Crimo III by not giving him complete details about a lawyer who came to the police station that day to consult with him. Judge Victoria Rossetti said she would issue a written ruling on that motion and another one made by prosecutors. The next court hearing is Dec. 18. * Tribune | One year after Yellow Line crash, effects linger for riders, Skokie and CTA: As the NTSB has continued to investigate, the effects of the collision have lingered. The Yellow Line, also known as the Skokie Swift, was closed for seven weeks after the crash as the CTA worked to ensure the safety of the trains that carry commuters between the Rogers Park neighborhood and Skokie. Though trains resumed running in early January, they have remained limited to the CTA-mandated maximum speed of 35 mph for the line, down from 55 mph before the crash. And Yellow Line riders have had to contend with closures since then. On a recent weekend, train service was shut down each day along the length of the line and replaced with shuttle buses, while the CTA power-washed the rails to clean them of debris like leaf residue. The CTA committed to expanded cleaning of the rails after the crash. * Daily Herald | Lake County sees a mix of incumbent leaders seeking reelection and those voluntarily ending their runs: As of Tuesday afternoon, challengers in municipal races filed to face incumbent village presidents, commonly referred to as mayors, in Gurnee, Libertyville and Round Lake Beach, but incumbent mayors in Fox Lake, Hawthorn Woods, Wauconda, Lake Zurich, Barrington Hills, Long Grove and Deer Park so far are unopposed. * News-Sun | Waukegan D60 joining suit to recover insulin charges; ‘No rhyme or reason for these increases other than price-gouging’: As an employer providing health insurance to its workers who choose to have it, Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 is faced with paying much of the ballooning cost of insulin for those who need the diabetes medication for themselves or family members. William Shinoff, an attorney with the California-based Frantz Law Group representing the district, said the amount the three primary manufacturers of insulin charge has escalated more than 550% in the past 11 years. He believes it is illegal. * Sun-Times | Tearing down Elgin building designed by Marina City architect is a bitter pill to swallow: Built in 1967, the five-story building has been closed since July 2002. An Illinois Department of Human Services spokesperson said the building was shuttered due to the dangers of asbestos and “multiple” structural hazards. “At this time, the building is on a list for possible demolition,” the spokesperson said. “However, at this time IDHS does not have a timeline for when the potential demolition might occur.” * Evanston Now | Skokie far outpaces Evanston in new housing: Overall, Evanston’s neighbor to the west has approved 1,553 new housing units in that time, while the current Evanston City Council has approved just 627. In both communities the bulk of the approvals have come within the past 12 months, and most of the approved developments have yet to begin construction. * WTVO | Illinois awarded $95M to electrify freight operations at its ports: The money will fund zero-emission locomotives, skid steers, and forklifts, as well as electric vehicle chargers, hydrogen dispensers, solar power, and on-site battery storage. In addition, the grant will support the purchase of a battery electric passenger ferry in the Quad Cities. * BND | Some small metro-east villages lack their own police. Can St. Clair County find a fix?: Now, St. Clair County has drafted a budget for 2025 that includes a possible solution to the public safety issue affecting thousands of people along the eastern edge of the county from Marissa to Summerfield. County Board Chairman Mark Kern said the 2025 budget proposal sets aside $300,000 for a pilot program to offer money to the towns to help them hire an officer. * Press Release | Learn about hunger and homelessness in Illinois at SIU event: CARBONDALE, Ill. — In conjunction with Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week 2024, Ericka Potter, a first-generation college student who serves as homeless youth supervisor for Youth Services Network, will speak Monday, Nov. 18. Her free, public keynote presentation is set for 4-6 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom B. * Bloomberg | ‘Rates will be a lot lower’ in 12-18 months, Goolsbee says: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Austan Goolsbee said as long as inflation continues down toward the central bank’s 2% goal, interest rates will be “a lot” lower over the next 12-18 months. But Goolsbee agreed with Fed Chair Jerome Powell, noting policymakers are not in a hurry to lower borrowing costs. “As long we keep making progress toward the 2% inflation goal, over the next 12 to 18 months rates will be a lot lower than where they are now,” Goolsbee said on CNBC Friday. * KSDK | She’s qualified to be a nurse, Missouri needs nurses, but won’t give her a license: Alondra Orozco, a recent nursing school graduate, has spent years working toward her dream of becoming a registered nurse — but her immigration status is blocking her from reinforcing the depleted ranks of Missouri’s nursing workforce — even though federal law allows states to issue professional licenses to non-citizens. […] “I’ve given them everything. I have everything that they need for a nurse to work in Missouri, and they still don’t want me,” Orozco said, tears welling in her eyes as she contemplated the possibility that she would have to decide between moving away from her family or remaining in her chosen field. * Axios | Rahm Emanuel weighs bid for DNC chair: David Axelrod, who steered Barack Obama’s campaigns and is a friend of Emanuel, floated earlier this week that the combative and energetic Emanuel would be an ideal leader for a deflated party. “If they said, ‘Well, what should we do? Who should lead the party?’ I would take Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, and I would bring him back from Japan and I would appoint him chairman of the Democratic National Committee,” Axelrod said on his podcast, “Hacks on Tap.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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They don’t call it the ‘Show Me State’ for nothing
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Missouri state Rep. Justin Sparks (R-Wildwood) was elected just two years ago, in 2022…
The always entertaining Donnybrook TV show cast discussed the allegation. Click here. Some folks defended it.
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Asked about the RFK Jr. appointment, Pritzker says ‘I think there are challenges ahead, but we’ll work through them’
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
There’s lots, lots more, so click here. * Gov. Pritzker was asked about the RFK Jr. announcement earlier today…
Please pardon all transcription errors. Bruce Rauner did sign a law limiting the religious exemption for vaccinations. * But this is from a 2019 story in Healthcare Weekly…
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Roundup: Madigan corruption trial
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* WGN…
* Meanwhile… The Sun-Times…
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It’s just a bill
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
* HB5911…
* WICS…
* Rep. Anthony DeLuca filed HB5913 yesterday…
HB2347 passed the house 61-45 in May of 2023 and sits in Senate Assignments. * WCIA…
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Open thread
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Chalkbeat Chicago | In wake of Trump win, Chicago Board of Education moves to reaffirm protections for immigrants: The resolution, approved unanimously by the school board during a special board meeting, acknowledged that the results of the election “may have caused fear, concern, confusion, sadness, anger, or anxiety in CPS staff, students, and their families.” “We stand very steadfast to these principles and we will defend every student here,” said board member Olga Bautista. She added that it’s “unconscionable” to see anyone “emboldened” to call immigration officials on “our people at work or at schools.” * Sun-Times | ComEd lured TikTok historian out of safe union job, then fired him: Then Thomas met Gov. J.B. Pritzker, which really caught the attention of the utility. If you’re following the Michael Madigan trial, you know ComEd has been accused of putting its thumb on the scales of government. “The VP of communications said it would be cool if Gil heard about you — maybe a good idea to take him to meet Gov. Pritzker,” said Thomas. “So I did.” That would be ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones. Suddenly, the CEO and the night shift worker were pals. “He would text me, ‘Hey Dilla, retweet this,’” said Thomas. “‘Hey Dilla, we’re going to do this ribbon cutting, can you show up? Dilla, we’re graduating this class at training; can you show up?’” * Fortune | Red Lobster CEO says endless shrimp is never coming back because ‘I know how to do math’: Since taking the helm at Red Lobster, Adamolekun has committed to controlling the crustacean chaos caused by the endless shrimp fiasco by doing exactly what he referred to: going back to what made the company successful in the first place. “This is, without exaggeration, one of the most important companies in American history,” Adamolekun told CNN. “There were certainly big mistakes made over the last few years.” * At 10 am Governor Pritzker will announce new clean energy grant awards. Click here to watch. * A quick moment of zen…
* WTTW | Illinois House Speaker on Protecting Reproductive Rights, Balancing the State Budget: Though Illinois Democrats all won reelection in the state, the outcome for the presidential race was less successful. Welch said although it’s bittersweet to see Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign end, as a state, Illinois has planned ahead. “We have said every time we stand up on the floor and fight for certain bills, that we couldn’t predict what was going to happen in 2024,” Welch said. “We needed to make sure that we protected the values of Illinois. And so we’ve done that when it comes to workers’ rights and women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights and the climate. We’ve done a lot of work on some very important things, and what we do know is what Donald Trump has said he will do.” * Tribune | More Illinois hospitals get A grades for safety; a dozen get D’s: In Illinois, 32 hospitals have notched A grades, up from 24 hospitals in the spring, according to the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit founded by large employers and other organizations that buy health insurance. Illinois now ranks 23rd in the nation for patient safety — up from 30th in the spring. Illinois hospitals that earned top marks this fall include University of Chicago Medical Center; Rush University Medical Center; six Endeavor Health hospitals in Evanston, Highland Park, Glenview, Elmhurst, Naperville and Arlington Heights; and seven Northwestern Medicine hospitals in Huntley, DeKalb, Chicago, Winfield, Geneva, Lake Forest and McHenry. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson makes no promises after warnings over proposed police reform cuts: Asked to respond Thursday, the mayor defended his record on the consent decree but did not otherwise indicate what’s next for the hundreds of proposed cuts across the offices of constitutional policing, community policing and more, beyond calling “for us all to look at it and reflect on it.” “What we said we were not going to do is lay off police officers and firefighters,” Johnson said at an unrelated news conference on the West Side. “We’ve made a commitment — I did — to hire more detectives, to create better supervision. These are all elements within the consent decree that we have to adhere to. That’s what my administration has done.” * Sun-Times | CPS board presses Acero officials for plan to keep charter schools open: Johnson’s newly appointed board members — who replaced the previous board that resigned en masse in October — held a special meeting Thursday to pass the resolution demanding Acero officials come before them at a Dec. 4 meeting. The board also passed a resolution reaffirming CPS as a welcoming district that will protect students from President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration mandates. * Tribune | School board pushes to keep Acero schools open, as CPS Chief Pedro Martinez’ job status remains unclear: Some Acero parents who recently heard their children’s schools were closing blame CPS Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez and said he should have done more to help them, though the district leader said he has followed regular procedures. Martinez, who prepared a presentation obtained by the Tribune to address the charter schools closures, did not speak during Thursday’s special board meeting. * CBS Chicago | Family of man who died of asthma attack in Illinois prison sues state for wrongful death: Michael Broadway, who was 51, died on June 19 after suffering an asthma attack amid excessive heat inside the prison. His family claimed his death was entirely preventable if prison guards and medical staff had made sure he received immediate care after he started struggling to breathe inside his cell. “Instead of helping him, Defendants watched Michael slowly perish while gasping for breath,” the family’s lawsuit states. * WBEZ | Billy Lawless Sr., pub owner, immigration activist, dies at 73: Mr. Lawless poured himself into advocating for immigration reform as he realized the scope of the problem for thousands of Irish in Chicago and countless others from around the world who were part of the broader immigration crisis in the U.S. He was a co-founder of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform. * Tribune | State rests case against 2 former Cook County assistant state’s attorneys accused of wrongdoing: Special prosecutors on Thursday rested their case against two former Cook County assistant state’s attorneys standing trial on accusations of wrongdoing in connection with an infamous wrongful conviction case. The end of the state’s case moves the at-times contentious trial into a new phase, after it resumed in October following an 11-month break due to a rare midtrial appeal. Moments after prosecutors wrapped up, defense attorneys for Nicholas Trutenko, 69, and Andrew Horvat, 49, vigorously argued to Lake County Judge Daniel Shanes — who is hearing the matter instead of conflicted Cook County judges — that the state failed to prove its allegations. * Daily Herald | Defense wants Highland Park shooting suspect’s statements to police barred from trial: Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti will rule on the defense request Dec. 18, about two months before the defendant is scheduled to face trial on 21 counts of first-degree murder and dozens of others charges. During Thursday’s court hearing, prosecutors played video clips from the interrogation showing officers informing the defendant that a lawyer was present and willing to talk with him. They also offered the defendant the lawyer’s business card on several occasions, as well as opportunities to make a phone call, which he declined. * First Alert 4 | Gov. Pritzker visits Alton talks Trump, abortion & Madison County advisory question vote: Pritzker made this stop in Madison County, which last week voted in favor of a symbolic referendum declaring it wants to secede from Illinois. Pritzker did not sound very concerned. “I know that Madison County didn’t vote for my candidate for president, so I’m not surprised it voted the way it did on the referendum,” said Pritzker. * KSDK | Illinois Governor tours new development in Alton: On Thursday Illinois Governor JB Pritzker toured a new innovation center in Alton. The Wedge Innovation Center is a 55,000-square-foot facility that will be the new home for the Midwest AI Network, some Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville educational programs, tech start-ups and local entrepreneurs. * BND | Commissioner, cop fired for blowing whistle on East St. Louis Housing Board, lawsuit says: A former East St. Louis police officer and his wife, a member of the housing board, filed a civil rights and defamation lawsuit in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Illinois claiming they were wrongfully terminated by City Manager Robert Betts. In the four-count lawsuit, Shonte and Nicholas Mueller say they were fired in retaliation for reporting problems with the East St. Louis Housing Authority and its interim executive director. * WCIA | Movie shot in Champaign and Piatt Counties premiering in theaters nationwide: The film is called Albany Road, and you might not know all the actors, but you will recognize where they’re standing. Director Christine Swanson said she wanted to film in Illinois because she needed snow, and the tax incentives were better than in Georgia. A good friend of hers, who has a production company in Champaign, pitched the idea of doing most of the filming in Central Illinois. * Columbia Journalism Review | Trump Threatens New York Times, Penguin Random House over Critical Coverage: The letter, addressed to lawyers at the New York Times and Penguin Random House, arrived a week before the election. Attached was a discursive ten-page legal threat from an attorney for Donald Trump that demanded $10 billion in damages over “false and defamatory statements” contained in articles by Peter Baker, Michael S. Schmidt, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner. t singles out two stories coauthored by Buettner and Craig that related to their book on Trump and his financial dealings, Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, released on September 17. * Reuters | Trump’s transition team aims to kill Biden EV tax credit: President-elect Donald Trump‘s transition team is planning to kill the $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric-vehicle purchases as part of broader tax-reform legislation, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. […] Tesla CEO Elon Musk, one of Trump’s biggest backers and the world’s richest person, said in July that killing the subsidy might slightly hurt Tesla sales but would be “devastating” to its U.S. EV competitors, which include legacy automakers such as General Motors (GM.N). * Tribune | Fighting conspiracy theories with comedy? That’s what the Onion hopes after its purchase of Infowars.: On Thursday, The Onion immediately shut down Infowars and said it plans to relaunch it in January as a parody of conspiracy theorists. “Our goal in a couple of years is for people to think of Infowars as the funniest and dumbest website that exists,” said Ben Collins, the Onion’s CEO. “It was previously the dumbest website that exists.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Addition to today’s edition
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The Pace Rideshare Access Program subsidizes Uber trips, leaving riders with a co-pay of just $2. The impact: “This program has been a godsend for me. It offers flexibility, independence, freedom and the ability to maintain a beautiful life on so many levels,” says one rider. CTA: See how it works.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Nov 15, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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