* ICYMI: Under bail reform, more domestic violence defendants ordered held pending trial in Cook County. Sun-Times…

- The year before bail reform, 182 defendants facing domestic violence charges in Cook County were ordered held without bail, 1.5% of total domestic violence cases that year.
- In the first year of bail reform, prosecutors filed petitions for detention in 16% of the 13,326 domestic violence cases.
- About two of every five of those requests were granted, meaning 875 individuals or 6.6% of those charged with domestic violence were ordered to be detained pending trial.

* Related stories…

∙ Amanda Pyron: We need Illinois to step up in the fight against gender-based violence
∙ CBS: Advocates want Illinois judge reassigned after releasing man who police say later killed his wife
∙ WICS: Domestic violence incidents increase during winter months

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* SJ-R | ‘A travesty:’ People react to deputy in Massey shooting being freed from jail: Massey family supporters plan to protest outside of the Sangamon County Complex Monday morning when Grayson, charged with first-degree murder in the July 6 fatal shooting of Massey inside of her home, has a status hearing. Circuit Court Presiding Judge Ryan Cadagin, who twice ordered Grayson to be detained under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, and attorneys for the state and for Grayson are expected to work out a date for a hearing to consider conditions of his pre-trial release.

* SJ-R | Illinois Innocence Project founder sees students’ lives ‘changed by this work’: Larry Golden points out that the Illinois Innocence Project (IIP) at the University of Illinois Springfield uses undergraduate students in researching and reviewing cases, making it the only innocence project in the nation to do so. “The young people who are coming in, their lives are being changed (by this work) and they’re telling us (that) right now,” said Golden, a professor emeritus at UIS and the founding director of IIP in 2001, who is still involved in classes being taught at UIS. “We’re seeing the results of the seeds that got planted.”

* Sun-Times | Inside Matt Eberflus’ firing: As losses mounted and message fizzled, Bears couldn’t take it anymore: The final game of former coach Matt Eberflus’ brief tenure ended haphazardly Thursday as he botched clock management in a 23-20 loss to the Lions, and the fallout wasn’t much smoother. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was visibly angry after Eberflus’ failure to call timeout cost the team a chance to at least tie the game, but remained diplomatic afterward by saying only that he didn’t believe it was his decision as an inexperienced player and he leaves those calls up to Eberflus.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Batteries are a missing piece in Illinois’ clean energy transition. Engineers and lawmakers are racing to add them to the power grid: Sen. Bill Cunningham plans to push forward a bill to significantly increase the battery capacity on Illinois’ electric grid. He considers it a necessary complement to the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which set a 2045 goal to shutter fossil fuel plants and expand renewable energy but did not include significant provisions for energy storage. “Without battery, I think many (coal and natural gas) plants will remain open,” he said.

* Center Square | Trump’s Illinois gain a rejection of Democrat status quo, Republican says: For Illinois Republicans, there was no ground gained in either the congressional delegation or the state legislature. But, state Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said the results are not an endorsement of the status quo, but rather evidence of an electoral map rigged by Democrats. “Donald Trump, who did not do any work or advertising in this state, took 44% of the vote. That’s a far cry from the three districts that are represented in Congress and certainly a far crime from the one-third of the legislature that is represented by Republicans,” Spain said.

* WMCL | JAMES F. “JIM” REA: James F. “Jim” Rea, passed away peacefully on November 25, 2024, at 87, surrounded by his loving family, He was born on September 7, 1937, to Marion and Lucy Rea in the small town of Mulkeytown, IL, where he spent his formative years. […] Over a span of 22 years, Jim served in both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois State Senate, working for the betterment of southern Illinois. His influence and dedication were evident through his active involvement in numerous organizations, including a distinguished membership in the Masonic Lodge for over 50 years, the Lions Club, the Shriners, and many others. Perhaps most notably, he took great pride in his contributions to CASA of Franklin County, advocating for the welfare of children.

*** Statewide ***

* Crain’s | What we’ve learned after 5 years of legal weed: When Illinois legislators legalized recreational marijuana in 2019, thousands applied to get in on the action. What some saw as a short path to riches has turned into a slog. Sales have been hampered by competition, both legal and illegal. Inflation took off, squeezing customers’ wallets and pushing up costs for operators. What little capital there was early on has largely dried up. Even the giant multistate operators that got in early have hunkered down, trimming jobs to conserve cash.

* Sun-Times | The rise in rifle use in Illinois deer hunting: “In 2023, in the regular firearm season, hunters reported that approximately 19% of the deer taken were killed with rifles,” emailed Dan Skinner, forest wildlife program manager for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “But when we looked at just the youth season, that number was much higher – closer to 34%. This is not surprising, given many centerfire rifle proponents are quick to tout their lighter recoil when compared to slug guns, so it seems predictable that youth hunters would adopt rifles at a rate higher than the overall average.

* Tribune | Many Illinois health systems provide gender-affirming care. What happens when Donald Trump becomes president?: Many Chicago-area hospital systems and health care organizations provide gender-affirming care, and a number provide such care to patients under age 18. It’s unclear how those hospitals and providers would survive, or whether they would continue to provide that care, if Trump pulled their Medicare or Medicaid dollars — major sources of funding for most hospitals and health care providers. “Hospitals and clinics will have to basically assess what they can and can’t do in light of an immediate reduction of funds,” said Mony Ruiz-Velasco, deputy director of Equality Illinois, which advocates for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people. “We’re concerned about what that means because most hospitals and clinics can’t operate without federal funding.”

* Tribune | What does the Trump administration have in store for Chicago families? Many are concerned about child care costs, paid family leave: Trump’s campaign included few policy specifics on these issues, though advocates point to key moments in the weeks leading up to the election for clues about what could be in store: Vice President-elect JD Vance suggested in an interview that the child tax credit could be raised. He has also said parents could lean on grandparents and family members for care, drawing consternation from advocates. Trump, when asked about child care policies in September, gave a rambling answer that veered off into discussion of tariffs.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Man Charged In West Ridge Hate Crime Shooting Found Dead At Cook County Jail, Sheriff Says: Around 3:30 p.m. Saturday, sheriff’s office staff was conducting routine security checks when they found Abdallahi unresponsive due to an apparent suicide by hanging in his cell, the office said Sunday. Staff conducted life-saving measures before Abdallahi was taken by paramedics to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago’s Board of Education presses schools chief to settle teachers contract ‘in the coming days’: Board members wrote to Martinez to speed up the negotiations the same day the union sent the board a letter asking them to put pressure on district administrators to settle. The talks have been underway since April. […] Some aldermen and board members elected earlier this month have called on the current board members not to take any consequential actions until the new hybrid 21-member board is seated in January. But the board rejected the plea to “sit on our hands” in its letter to Martinez.

* Tribune | US Senate inquiry into Chicago’s housing of migrants at airports likely to heat up after Republican election wins: A nearly year-old U.S. Senate GOP inquiry into Chicago’s housing of migrants at O’Hare and Midway airports may become more than a political annoyance for Mayor Brandon Johnson next year as Republicans take control of the federal government with an eye on tightening rules about public spending for noncitizens. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, months ago escalated an investigation Republicans on the committee had opened about Chicago’s policy of having migrants sleep at the airports while they waited for shelter beds.

* Tribune | Plans to close Humboldt Park homeless encampments spark criticism from outreach workers and advocates: A group of 20 outreach workers and nonprofit leaders have since signed on to a joint letter criticizing the plans as potentially harmful to the homeless community, which was sent on Monday to Fuentes and Chicago’s chief homelessness officer, Sendy Soto, by Shiloh Capone, executive director of the homeless outreach nonprofit Street Samaritans. The letter detailed concerns regarding the “expedited timeline” of the planned encampment closure, the lack of sufficient “housing pathways” for residents and the potential for criminal enforcement of the sweep.

* Block Club | Overnight Winter Parking Ban Starts Sunday, But No Cars Towed: Instead of towing cars parked on streets that include the parking ban, city workers issued warnings and flyers with information regarding the law, said Mimi Simon, spokesperson for the Department of Streets and Sanitation. The warnings were given instead of tows because the start of the parking ban — annually on Dec. 1 — fell on a holiday weekend, Simon said in a statement. The ban will be enforced Sunday night and beyond.

* Sun-Times | “You Don’t Know Chi” — but now you can: Real history isn’t about absolutes. It is never black or white, but shades of meaning, depths of complexity. Not one cause but a dozen. Which is one reason I’m such a fan of Chicago’s TikTok historian, Shermann “Dilla” Thomas. He goes places. He can be giving a tour of Bronzeville and suddenly start talking about the Marx Brothers, who lived there over a century ago. His Chicago is never the simple child’s drawing of cliches and deep dish pizza that outsiders like to offer, but a rich, varied tapestry of people and places, achievement and heartbreak.

* Tribune | Black cowboys and cowgirls carry on traditions brought to northwest Indiana, Greater Chicago from the South: Today, modern Black cowboys such as White — along with Jack Douglas, Kent Walker and others — hold onto the history of rodeo and horsemanship in the Chicago region. They have taken it upon themselves to instill this aspect of Black American culture in their families and communities. Chicagoan Tommy O’ Penson Jr., 24, was taught by legendary Chicago cowboy Murdock, who is known as “The man with no first name” and who founded the Broken Arrow Horseback Riding Club in 1989.

* Crain’s | $19M Ken Griffin condo is just the latest project in JB Pritzker’s real estate empire: The Pritzkers, who earlier this month paid Citadel chief Griffin $19 million for the top two floors and rooftop pool at No. 9 Walton, have not released any information on how or when they will renovate the 15,000 square feet of interior space on floors 37 and 38. […] The couple’s net worth, reported at $3.7 billion, and their best-known past project, the historical Astor Street mansion the couple bought in 2007 and renovated for far more than the purchase price, suggest they’ll be big spenders.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | For ex-Stateville inmates, prison transfers mean disruption, separation from families: The state Capital Development Board last week announced it was starting to seek teams to oversee the construction for new prisons as part of the plan to rebuild Stateville and Logan. The state previously said the facilities would be two new multi-security-level prisons of 1,500 cells each, one for men and one for women. Latoya Hughes, acting director at IDOC, in a statement said the announcement last week was a “crucial step forward in the Department’s mission to profoundly shift its approach to justice in Illinois.”

* Bloomberg | EV Maker Lion Wins Temporary Creditor Relief, Halts US Factory: Electric bus manufacturer Lion Electric Co. is temporarily laying off about 400 workers and halting operations at its [Joliet,] Illinois factory to save cash after receiving a short-term lifeline from its lenders. The Saint-Jerome, Quebec-based company made the announcement after a Saturday deadline to meet its obligations to key creditors passed. The extensions until Dec. 16 apply to a credit agreement with a syndicate of lenders and a loan provided by the Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec and Finalta Capital Inc., Lion said in a statement Sunday.

* ABC Chicago | O’Neill Burke to be sworn in as Cook County state’s attorney Monday: She will take over the office from Kim Foxx, who did not seek re-election. Burke said updating training for prosecutors and police, prosecuting gun crimes, and addressing the root cause of crime are her top priorities.

* The Pantagraph | McLean County official accused of ‘unethical conduct’ related to auditor referendum: Trevor Sierra, who until recently served as an assistant prosecutor for the county, alleged in a letter to county officeholders that McLean County Administrator Cassy Taylor asked employees to donate to a political action committee in support of the referendum. He acknowledged that he was among the employees who contributed money. “After the County Board adopted a referendum to eliminate the office of McLean County Auditor, Ms. Taylor used her position as County Administrator to orchestrate political activities intended to promote the passage of the referendum,” he wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The Pantagraph.

* Journal & Topics | Del Mar Running For Reelection As Highway Commissioner On ‘Blended’ Slate: Aaron Del Mar wears several hats — Palatine Township Republican committeeman, Illinois Republican Party co-chairman, and Palatine Township highway commissioner. In his run for reelection as highway commissioner, it was learned this week that Del Mar will run on a slate that includes one Democrat, one independent, and six Republicans in the April 1, 2025 election. “As the Republican committeeman for Palatine Township, I am proud to announce our strategic decision to run a blended, nonpartisan slate in the upcoming township elections,” Del Mar said. “This slate includes not only dedicated Republicans, but also a Democrat and an independent. Our aim is simple yet profound: to ensure continued effective local governance for all residents of Palatine Township while maintaining our 6-2 Republican supermajority in Cook County, a traditionally Democratic stronghold.”

* Daily Herald | Batavia council may lower proposed tax hike: The last time Batavia residents saw an increase in their city property tax bill was in 2017 to fund storm sewer projects and several new staff positions. The total original estimated 2024 property tax levy was $11,310,000, a 21.49% increase over 2023. This would amount to a 7-cent tax increase per $100 of equalized assessed value, or a tax increase of about $67 a year on the city portion of the tax bill for the owner of a $300,000 home. Several council members have argued against the tax increase at recent meetings, and at the committee-of-the-whole meeting Tuesday, recommended reducing the levy increase to $500,000 and using $3 million of reserves to cover the deficit.

* Daily Herald | Helping where they can: Elgin’s Centro de Informacion assists newcomers: An organization that “empowers the Latino and immigrant community to integrate effectively,” Centro de Informacion is one of five recipients of the Daily Herald/Robert R. McCormick Foundation Neighbors in Need fundraising campaign, now in its fourth year. As part of the partnership, the McCormick Foundation contributes 50 cents for every dollar readers donate to the fund, with proceeds distributed equally to the five charities.

*** Downstate ***

* Tribune Homeless people and advocates brace for Peoria’s new public sleeping ban: “If they remove me from here, I will put my tent right in front of them,” said Samara, 26. “If someone comes into your home, that’s what you would do, fighting for your home.” Samara and her neighbors are facing warnings, fines and possible jail time after Peoria became the largest city in Illinois to penalize public camping on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this summer that allowed municipalities to enforce bans on people sleeping outdoors.

* The Southern | Williamson County Sheriff’s Office solves multi-county communications wire theft case: The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man allegedly invovled in the theft and criminal damage of more than $100,000 worth of communication wire. The thefts disrupted phone and internet services for thousands of customers across multiple counties. The WCSO investigators apprehended the suspect.

* PJ Star | ‘Forever strained’? Latest casino battle tests Peoria, East Peoria relationship: A disagreement over the future of casino operations in the Peoria area has threatened to damage the relationship between the cities of Peoria and East Peoria. Despite what has been considered a strong partnership, the possibility of a lucrative land-based casino opening in Peoria has created tension on both sides of the Illinois River. Plans for a new casino are still over a year away from being introduced, but in Peoria, politicians and attorneys have already gotten involved in a municipal battle where millions of dollars are on the line.

* PJ Star | ‘David vs Goliath’: How East Peoria won the riverboat casino battle three decades ago: Early in 1989, lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly signaled plans to legalize riverboat gambling in Illinois, a financial move designed to raise tax dollars locally and at the state level. […] Peoria city councilmember Gary Sandberg said in June of 1989, “If you stand for what’s probably right, then people will have to drive a little farther to do what’s wrong,” in regard to a riverboat ending up on the other side of the river.

* WCIA | Ford Co. negotiating transportation partnership with Iroquois, Livingston: WCIA’s partners at the Ford County Chronicle reported that the counties want to begin negotiating a mutually acceptable intergovernmental agreement for providing public transportation to rural residents. The Ford County Board voted 8-0 in a special meeting on Nov. 27 to approve a resolution formally stating its intent to move ahead with the negotiating process for the proposed tri-county partnership.

* WCIA | Adams Street businesses prepare for first Small Business Saturday, holiday shopping season after summer fire: “Ever since the fire, foot traffic has gone down quite a bit,” Krissy Prellwitz, the co-owner of Itty Bitty Fashion Trunk, said. The store has had their doors open for seven years on Adams Street not too far from where the fire happened. “There was a lot of support right after the fire and people were wanting to come and support the businesses that were still here,” Prellwitz said. “But as time goes on, people kind of forget and we’re just hoping that this holiday season, everyone can come out and support like they have in years past.”

* WSIL | Southern Illinois Manufacturing Academy opens with ribbon cutting in Mt. Vernon: Two years ago, the academy was able to secure $5 million in federal funding which helped with construction on the facility. “We formed partnerships along the way,” Rend Lake College President Terry Wilkerson said. “Rend Lake College extended our hand to work with Kaskaskia College and with Southeastern, and they decided to partner up. We had the confidence to work together and move our region forward.”

*** National ***

* AP | How to sum up 2024? The Oxford University Press word of the year is ‘brain rot’: While it may seem a modern phenomenon, the first recorded use of “brain rot” was by Henry David Thoreau in his 1854 ode to the natural world, “Walden.” Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl said that in its modern sense, “’brain rot’ speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time.”

* Sun-Times | As World AIDS Day approaches, pioneering activist Rae Lewis-Thornton reflects on groundbreaking Essence cover: “I never thought that I would live 30 years after the article,” said Lewis-Thornton, now 62. “And I was sick enough that I should have died.” Observed Dec. 1, World AIDS Day raises awareness about the illness and commemorates millions of lives lost. […] Forced to live on her own at 17, Lewis-Thornton gradually built a better life for herself. She attended Southern Illinois University, where she conducted an absentee ballot drive during former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington’s campaign. She would go on to become a political organizer for Rev. Jackson and former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun.