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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sportshandle…
* Pantagraph | Two Illinois journalism bills made it to Pritzker’s desk, with one already signed into law: One measure that made it into the state’s budget package involves tax credits to local news organizations that are not publicly traded and have no more than 5% ownership by a publicly traded company. House Bill 4951, the revenue bill in that package, passed through both chambers around Memorial Day and was signed into law by Pritzker on June 7. * WMBD | Illinois Secretary of State’s Office Mobile DMV offering service on the go: According to Giannoulias, the first electric-powered mobile DMV will launch later this month in Chicago, with three more coming later this summer that will hold events around the state. “Since taking office, it’s been our mission to make it easier and more convenient for Illinois residents to access government services without having to wait or travel to a DMV facility,” Giannoulias said. “Our DMV on Wheels program will build on the success of our digital programs, saving time by offering efficient ways to do things like renew your driver’s license or get a vehicle sticker without leaving their communities.” * WTTW | Cicada-Induced Vitamin Deficiency Linked to Mystery Disease in Illinois Birds: The current theory is that baby birds are harder hit by the lack of vitamin A because they have a higher need for it and lower body storage than adults. But there’s no rhyme or reason regarding why the affected species are almost exclusively blue jays, grackles, starlings, cowbirds and sparrows, Reich said. The good news is that with the threat of infectious disease off the table, the sick birds can be treated rather than euthanized. A number of birds have turned around after being given vitamin A and eye medications, Reich said. So far, more than 50 birds have been brought to the center with telltale symptoms. * Tribune | Rule curtailing lobbyist donations to Chicago mayors stalled amid Johnson pushback: The ordinance to fine or suspend lobbyists who make contributions to a mayoral candidate’s political fund was blocked by two aldermen during a City Council meeting via a parliamentary tactic. The legislation, crafted in an apparent rebuke of how Johnson handled lobbyist donations his political committee received, could come up for a vote at the next council meeting. * NBC Chicago | Bally’s says it’s on track for Chicago casino despite Johnson comments: A spokesperson for Bally’s said plans for a permanent Chicago casino in the River West neighborhood are still on track despite comments by Mayor Brandon Johnson this week published in the Chicago Sun-Times. In that interview, the editorial board asked the mayor if he believes the permanent casino will ultimately be built. Johnson was noncommittal, saying that was “still to be determined.” * Block Club | Bronzeville Was Promised A Grocery Store. 6 Years Later, The Land Is Still Empty: A plan to build a Pete’s Fresh Market dates to 2018. Ald. Pat Dowell says it’s still “under consideration,” but the Mayor’s Office, a developer attached to the project and the grocer won’t say if they are still committed to the store. * Sun-Times | Lawyer was handcuffed to chair after Cook County judge ordered him removed from courtroom, sparking state inquiry: A lawyer at a top Chicago law firm was handcuffed to a chair after a judge ordered him removed from her courtroom last month, touching off an inquiry by the state’s judicial oversight agency. Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans signed an order Friday referring misconduct accusations against Judge Kathy Flanagan to the Judicial Inquiry Board, which will decide whether to file charges. Flanagan is the acting presiding judge of the Law Division. * Daily Herald | ‘This plan is completely unnecessary’: Kane County OKs climate action plan over objections from some board members: But at least nine members disagreed and voted against it on Tuesday. Board member David Young was the most vocal critic, detailing at least 20 statements or goals in the 144-page plan with which he disagreed. […] The vote was 13-10 in favor. * Daily Southtown | Harvey residents, business owners protest fines, water rates and withholding of business licenses: Business owners said their licenses were not being issued if they did not pay at least $2,500 in fines for delinquent property taxes, pastors were outraged over a Harvey law requiring churches to obtain business licenses and residents protested a water rate hike. Protesters marched from Transformation Community United Methodist Church to the municipal building before the monthly City Council meeting. * Lake County News-Sun | Zion, school districts at odds over how to divide $330M in compensation funds; ‘We … regret we trusted everybody to do what we agreed to do’: A provision of Illinois’ 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) designed to provide relief to Zion taxpayers now has the intended beneficiaries fighting for what they believe is their fair share of about $330 million in environmental compensation over the next 22 years. State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, who crafted the part of the law affecting Zion, said figuring out how to compensate those who sustained economic losses after the Zion Nuclear Power Station closed in 1998, leaving the fuel rods buried there, was complicated. * Shaw Local | Prosecutors seek to revoke ex-Joliet housing official’s pretrial release: Prosecutors are requesting a former Joliet housing official return to jail over allegations that he violated the conditions of his pretrial release in two felony drug cases. On Tuesday, prosecutors filed a petition to revoke the pretrial release of Robert Hernandez, 62, of Joliet, who was arrested twice earlier this year on felony drug charges. Hernandez is a former commissioner for the Housing Authority of Joliet. * Daily Journal | Judge releases Shapiro defendant following detention hearing: A Shapiro Developmental Center employee charged with battering a resident last year was released Monday from jail. Natalie J. Rose, of Gilman, was released following a detention hearing before Circuit Judge William Dickenson. […] Rose must report to pretrial services, wear GPS monitoring devices and have no contact with Shapiro Developmental Center, the victim or a witness. * WAND | Helping Paws reunites Logan Correctional Center inmates with mobility service dogs they trained: Helping Paws, an Illinois Correctional Industries Program at Logan Correctional reunited women in custody with mobility service dogs they trained. “They put so much time and energy into training the dogs, so it’s really neat to bring them back together,” said Michelle Yuen, Director of Animal Intake and Care for Paws Giving Independence. * Tribune | Chicago Red Stars forced to move Sept. 21 match because of Riot Fest relocation to SeatGeek Stadium: ‘It is unfair and unfortunate’: The Red Stars have played at SeatGeek since 2016. The stadium’s distance from the city center and lack of transit access have been key points of criticism for the franchise as the team continues to slip behind competitors in fan attendance. The Chicago Fire in 2019 paid more than $60 million to leave SeatGeek for Soldier Field. The Red Stars’ SeatGeek lease will expire at the end of 2025. New ownership helmed by Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts has made it clear that relocating the franchise to a stadium inside the city limits is a driving goal for the organization. * Lake County News-Sun | Chicago Bears training camp to feature 9 public sessions at Halas Hall in Lake Forest: Specific times will be announced later, according to a team spokesman, who cautioned the times and dates of individual sessions can be changed with little notice. In 2023, attendance ranged between 1,300-1,700 people during every public training camp session, according to the team. However, while intense interest is expected this year due to the presence of Williams, the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, capacity will remain limited to 1,700 people per session. * WaPo | Hundreds of police have sexually abused kids. How do they avoid prison time?: Child sex crimes are among the most difficult cases to investigate and prosecute. Kids are often frightened and embarrassed. They may have been groomed to feel protective of those accused of exploiting them — or may fear for their safety if they admit what has happened. The hurdles are even higher when the abusers are members of law enforcement wielding the power of their badges and guns. The Post identified dozens of officers who were charged with trying to thwart investigations, destroy evidence or intimidate victims and their families. * Prospect | Administration Playing From Behind on Domestic Solar Production: Last Friday, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) voted unanimously to advance investigations of solar imports from Chinese-headquartered companies in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, stating that “there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured” by the shipments. Though the Southeast Asian companies claim to engage in actual manufacturing at these sites, U.S. solar manufacturers allege that Chinese components are merely routed through there to avoid tariffs and restrictions.
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‘Potential for criminal prosecution’ appears to be driving down medical residency applications in anti-abortion states
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Katherine Davis at Crain’s…
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CTA would need to increase ridership by 50+ percent to meet Carter’s 2024 goal
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
Gonna be a tough hill to climb in the second half of the year…
* Meanwhile, the CTA helped pay for a study with a sophomore dorm premise…
Literally nobody in power is talking about doing away with public transportation. C’mon. A far more useful study would be the impact of CTA’s current reduced service levels on the region’s economy. * Carter told his board last month that the study, and not governance reforms, will be central to the CTA’s push for more state funding…
The CTA appears to be using the same strategists as the Bears.
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Bears continue to confuse PR messaging with passing legislation
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* NBC Chicago…
* Daily Herald…
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Write better laws
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * This is what I told subscribers back on April 30th…
It was a long piece, but that’s the basic gist. * Tribune…
Stay tuned.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Hearing officer recommends elections board dismiss illegal coordination complaint against Dan Proft, Darren Bailey. Tribune…
* ABC Chicago | Former Mike Madigan chief of staff Tim Mapes reports to prison: He was sentenced to 30-months in prison. The website for the Federal Bureau of Prisons shows he’s in Pensacola, Florida at a minimum security federal prison camp. * Crain’s | Judge dismisses Madigan-related whistleblower suit against St. Anthony: A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed charges brought by a former employee at St. Anthony Hospital who alleged the hospital and its CEO showed contracting favoritism to the son of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Plaintiff Stella Wolf, who had served as chief human resources officer at St. Anthony for four years, was let go in June 2020 as part of a pandemic-era reduction in force. In the 2021 lawsuit, Wolf said the hospital retaliated against her for challenging alleged political corruption and for taking medical leave. Wolf made claims under the Illinois Whistleblower Act and the Family & Medical Leave Act. * WAND | State lawmakers work to protect students, bridge gap in communication: “If a parent, or a teacher, a community member- thinks that a teacher’s actions are egregious enough to warrant removal from the classroom, potential licensure sanctions- there is a process for that,” Jeff Aranowski, the Executive Director of Safe and Healthy Climate for ISBE, told WAND News. But WAND News has learned, there is little communication from other investigating agencies, to ISBE, about staff accused of abuse or neglect. WAND Investigates whether existing laws are working and why new rules may be on the horizon. * WAND | Mendoza honors central Illinois LGBTQ leaders during Pride Month celebration: The Democrat told reporters at her Springfield office that Pride Month is a critical time to celebrate the bravery LGBTQ+ people have shown in response to ignorance and hate. Mendoza said Illinois believes in equity and inclusion, the right and freedom to be yourself, love who you love and live a life with respect and dignity. * Chicago Reader | How the Illinois Department of Corrections fails to protect transgender prisoners: Hannah Finnegan transferred to Lawrence Correctional Center in southeastern Illinois in May of 2021. She’d previously been imprisoned at Centralia Correctional Center, another men’s prison about an hour outside Saint Louis. At Centralia, Finnegan, a transgender woman, experienced harassment and abuse from staff and others incarcerated alongside her. She received letters expressing unwanted sexual and romantic interest. She often had to rely on friends she met inside for physical protection. The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) classified Finnegan as “vulnerable,” meaning she was supposed to be housed alone or with others whom staff determined to present a low risk of danger. But at Lawrence, officials assigned her to a cell with someone who’d been convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault, and who was already under investigation by the IDOC for allegedly abusing a past cellmate. While housed together, Finnegan’s cellmate sexually assaulted her in June of 2021. * WCIA | ISHA announces shot clock for basketball in 2026: The Illinois High School Association announced on Tuesday that starting with the 2026-27 school year, boys and girls varsity basketball games will begin using a shot clock. Teams will have 35 seconds to hit the rim or turn the ball over. * WQAD | IL DOT hiring for more than 70 jobs: Most of the jobs are in construction and road maintenance, but there’s also openings in engineering, design and office roles. On Tuesday, June 11, IDOT held a job fair at the Rock Island Holiday Inn, offering 18 positions in the Quad Cities area. IDOT says IL Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois plan, which puts money into state roads and infrastructure, means more opportunities for them. * NBC Chicago | CPD releases new drafts of crowd control, arrest, protest policies ahead of DNC: The directives, which were recently posted on CPD’s website, are the second chance for public engagement. Initially, CPD’s mass arrest policy was available in February to review. Public comment is now open through June 30. After that, CPD will review the additional feedback received to guide future revisions to the drafts. * CBS Chicago | Bollards coming to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile this summer to prevent crash-and-grabs: More than 40 protective bollards will be set up on the designated stretch of the Mag Mile. […] The bollards, which will be placed in front of stores, are designed to stop a speeding car. Some retailers this year told CBS 2 they have considered leaving Chicago after their businesses were crashed into and burglarized. * CBS Chicago | Migrant arrivals have slowed in Chicago, but new shelter opens as need continues: Now, a shelter at St. Bartholomew Church, 3601 N. Lavergne Ave. in the Portage Park neighborhood, is helping migrants who have newly arrived at the city’s landing zone. “With children sleeping on the street, and outside of police stations, and so forth, it was just unconscionable that we would, in this time in history, we would be experiencing that,” said Fr. Michael O’Connell of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish. * NBC Chicago | New Chicago migrant shelter a joint effort of governments, faith organizations: The Archdiocese and Zakat Foundation tell NBC 5 that there is no 60-day shelter limit here. Right now they have a six month agreement and will determine what happens next once that time approaches. * Sun-Times | Push to monitor Chicago police traffic stops under federal court order faces stiff resistance from community groups: U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer called the hearings to get input about requirements for traffic stops that could be added to a consent decree that took effect in 2019 and mandates sweeping police reforms. Speakers argued the consent decree isn’t the proper way to address a pressing issue that came under increased scrutiny earlier this year after Reed was killed in a gunfight with police tactical officers who purportedly stopped him for not wearing a seat belt. * Sun-Times | Judicial giant Harry D. Leinenweber dies at 87: ‘He was the coolest judge I’ve ever seen, on TV or off TV’: U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber took senior status in 2002, but he continued to preside over blockbuster trials 20 years later. They included the trial of former R&B star R. Kelly in 2022 and a major corruption trial involving four political insiders tied to ComEd. “He was an honorable judge and an honorable man,” said Kelly attorney Jennifer Bonjean. * Fox Chicago | ‘Chicago is why the show is so good’: Gyllenhaal on new Apple TV+ series: Jake Gyllenhaal said that Chicago is the reason why his new AppleTV+ series “Presumed Innocent” is so good. The series follows a Chicago prosecutor who is accused of the murder of a woman he was having an affair with – the eight-episode limited series (which was once a 1990 movie starring Harrison Ford) is set in Chicago. However, despite some beautiful exterior shots of the Chicago skyline, most of the series was filmed in California. * Fox Chicago | Dolton Park District president accuses Mayor Tiffany Henyard of political retaliation: Dolton Park District President Cleo Jones said Henyard is retaliating after the park district allowed four of her political opponents to use a field house for meetings. Jones said part of the retaliation came in the mail last week. “I have four tickets issued from the Village of Dolton,” said Jones. “Each ticket is $500 apiece. That is $2,000 in tickets that I have here.”Jones said they were stunned when they received the citations for doing work without a permit. Two of the tickets were issued for spreading fresh mulch on district playgrounds. * Fox Chicago | Some Stateville employees push back against prison closure and reassignment plans: Some staff workers said that the state’s plans to demolish and rebuild Stateville will unnecessarily disrupt their lives as the facilities they’d be re-assigned to would require commutes of up to two hours each way. […] State Sen. Rachel Ventura, who represents Joliet, said the timeline doesn’t make sense to her. “To completely shut down Stateville in September when we’re at least a year away from any additional aspects of that, I would say that let the courts say it then because right now you’re the ones making that decision to impact all of these people’s lives,” said Ventura. * Center Square | Plans to raze and replace Stateville prison get public hearing: During a Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability meeting Tuesday night in Joliet, Department of Corrections Acting Director Latoya Hughes said Stateville is too far gone to be repaired. “The current living conditions at Stateville are not conducive to rehabilitation,” said Hughes. “The infrastructure is antiquated and inefficient, and delaying action only increases risks to all involved.” * Aurora Beacon-News | Fox Valley domestic violence shelters running out of space: When Linda Maranda took over the reins of Mutual Ground in August, the new CEO of Aurora’s domestic violence shelter knew she would be dealing with a generous community but also plenty of challenges. Calls to hotlines all across the state are on the rise, according to a recent report that indicated the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline recorded a 90% increase in calls, texts and messages since the pandemic, and a record high 17,972 contacts for requests for shelter in 2022, up 45% from the previous year. Simply stated, says Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, which runs the hotline, Illinois is not equipped to meet that need. * Daily Herald | Warren: Bears not ready to sell Arlington Park or minority stake in team: The McCaskey family isn’t considering selling a minority stake in the team to free up cash to get a Bears stadium deal done in Chicago. They’re also not ready to put their 326-acre Arlington Heights property — initially envisioned to be home of the team’s new domed structure — up for sale. […] “Never say never,” Kevin Warren later added. “But that is not something that we would ever focus on.” * WGN | Filmmaker Jon Siskel’s ‘Memorial’ captures Highland Park shooting’s impact: “We don’t show any of the archive,” said filmmaker Jon Siskel. “You don’t hear any gunshots. it’s kind of a very meditative, poetic film.” Siskel, nephew of the late film critic Gene Siskel, created the 20-minute film ‘Memorial’ after he visited Highland Park, calling the village an unforgettable place after seeing it covered in orange yarn and hand-written notes the community helped weave in the weeks and months after the shooting. * Rock River Current | Hard Rock Ramps Up Hiring With Hundreds Of Jobs To Fill As It Prepares To Open Rockford Casino: The company extended offers to more than 120 prospective employees Monday during Day 1 of an RSVP-only mass hiring event at the Northern Illinois University Conference Center, which is about a mile east from where the casino is being built. It hopes to extend at least that many offers during the second day. * WAND | Springfield City Council discuss new ordinance, eliminating alcohol sales after 1 a.m.: “The people who come here from Decatur don’t care about our community,” said Chief Ken Scarlette of the Springfield Police Department. “They come here to do what they want and wreak havoc and go home.”Owners of restaurants and bars pushed back on the restrictions, saying it will prohibit them from making enough to sustain their businesses. * WCIA | ‘Having to go 20 minutes one way to get one item is a nightmare:’ Central Illinois grocery store filling need for fresh produce, meat in the community: One Central Illinois grocery store is making sure people don’t have to travel far to buy all kinds of foods from fresh produce, meat, eggs, milk, soup, and pasta. […] Market on the Hill is the only grocery store in the community. After the local grocery store in the community shut down several years ago, it raised concerns about where people could shop for food. “The community actually came together and realized that we needed somewhere local to buy produce, fresh meat and other groceries, because otherwise we had to travel all the way to Lincoln or Decatur,” Scattergood said. “It was just going to [be a] 15 or 20 minute drive.” * Tribune | ‘I was terrified,’ accuser testifies in rape trial of Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr.: The woman’s testimony took up much of the morning’s court proceedings. The afternoon was largely focused on testimony from the Lawrence police detective who led the investigation into her allegations, and included black-and-white surveillance footage that appeared to show Shannon and the woman moments before — but not during — their alleged encounter inside the Jayhawk Cafe’s Martini Room. * WCIA | Rep. Miller files legislation to suspend new Title IX rules: Representative Mary Miller (R-IL) filed a resolution Wednesday to prevent schools from losing federal funding if they don’t follow the Title IX policy; 67 of her House Republican colleagues have signed on for the bill. Miller criticized the president for the changes, claiming women and girls would be “at risk” under the law. * CBS | FBI quarterly report shows 15% drop in violent crime compared to last year: The latest preliminary quarterly crime figures from the FBI show dramatic decreases: a 26% drop in murders, robberies down by nearly 18% and violent crime overall down 15% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to last year in the same period. The FBI released only percentages Monday, however, and not the underlying figures, because at this point just 72% of law enforcement agencies have provided their crime data. The bureau will disclose more complete figures once 80% have participated.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here 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)
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ABC Chicago…
* Axios…
* Fox Chicago | Illinois State Museum seeks Route 66 memories to honor iconic roadway: Video recordings and interview transcriptions will be made available to the public through an online database as part of the anniversary celebration. “These interviews will help illustrate the significance of this important transportation achievement,” said Erika Holst, the museum’s curator of history. * 21st Show | How did women access abortions in Illinois before Roe v. Wade?: Before Roe v. Wade recognized a constitutional right to abortion across America, women still found ways to end their pregnancies. In Illinois, that meant seeking help from an underground, feminist abortion service operating under the code name “Jane.” * WAND | Illinois Free Fishing days to coincide with Father’s Day weekend: According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, from June 14 through the 17, anglers can fish without purchasing a fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp. Information about fishing spots, regulations, and angling basics can be found at IFishIllinois.org. * WTTW | Facing Shortfall of Nearly $400M, Chicago Public Schools Pushes Back Budget Release to July: CPS on Tuesday announced the CPS CEO Pedro Martinez had informed network and school leaders the final draft of its FY25 budget would now be presented in July as the district continues “finalizing the total budget.” “The District will use this additional time to collaborate with CPS stakeholders and do further diligence since the budget model is new and being implemented for the first time,” a CPS spokesperson said in a statement. “The District will finalize a FY2025 budget that will continue to support strong academic progress.” * Block Club | Could ‘Newcomer Liaisons’ Help Migrant Students Struggling In Chicago Schools?: Calls for more support for migrant students come as the district faces a large budget shortfall for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. With pandemic relief dollars drying up, the district is facing a nearly $400 million budget deficit while the state has its own financial challenges. * Sun-Times | CPS teacher residency program growing, helping fill classrooms: Five years in, the program is making good progress — including growing by the hundreds. A cohort of 193 teachers was honored at an induction ceremony Monday after finishing their year of residency and earning a teacher license. They’ll have their own classes in the fall. CPS has already recruited 225 prospective teachers for next year’s program. * Sun-Times | Buddy Guy bringing ‘that Chicago sound’ to NASCAR Chicago: If you missed Buddy Guy’s incredible Blues Festival closing-night set on Sunday, or if you were there (and thousands were) and you’re hoping to catch the blues icon one more time on a stage near you, you’re in luck. Guy will be among the music lineup for NASCAR Chicago, it was announced Tuesday morning. The Chicago legend will perform on the main stage at Grant Park Festival Field from 1:15 -2 p.m. July 6, following a special 40th Anniversary Chicago House Music showcase. * Crain’s | United gears up for DNC with more flights: The convention would boost United’s total to more than 530 flights a day at O’Hare on peak days, which would be its busiest schedule since before the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline says. The biggest increase comes, not surprisingly, between O’Hare and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, with 38 more flights, or a 40% increase. * Tribune | Dozens of supporters hail convicted ex-Ald. Ed Burke as devoted public servant ahead of his sentencing: Among the dozens of letter-writers: high-profile names in local legal circles and law enforcement, Burke’s family members, a former defensive end for the Bears, and several local Catholic clergymen. A now-retired firefighter wrote that Burke pulled strings to make sure his severely disabled son would not be denied insurance coverage. The former principal of a Southwest Side elementary school said Burke helped the struggling school get two playgrounds, an electronic message board, and support for its pre-K program. * Crain’s | Cook County allots $44 million to mental health efforts: The money will be spread among 53 organizations, including Alivio Medical Center and Alianza Americas. The grant program, dubbed “Stronger Together: Building a More Equitable Behavioral Health System in Cook County Initiative,” is funded by American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle said at a press conference today the investment will help support services and programs addressing behavioral health inequities. The goal is to expand access to early intervention and prevention, treatment and recovery programs for those with depression, anxiety, behavioral and substance abuse disorders. * Naperville Sun | With a deadline pending on its electricity contract, Naperville council rejects hiring energy consultants: Naperville is starting the process of looking at how it will supply the electricity used by residents and business owners after 2035, when the contract with its current provider, the coal-heavy Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), is set to expire. The agency wants the city to extend its contract by mid-2025 instead of waiting until closer to the expiration date. The consultants requested by staff would have explored what the energy world will look like in 11 years to help determine the options available. The two contracts would have cost a total of $250,000, but were rejected by the council last week because of concerns over timing, necessity and the bid process. * SJ-R | More than $20M in state funds going to City of Springfield. Here’s how it will be used: After hinting at its possibility earlier in May, Pritzker signed the $53.1 billion budget for fiscal year 2025 on last week which included $4 million to design and construct a park at the grass lot north of the Governor’s Mansion. The 2.25-acre lot served as the home of the YWCA and has set empty since 2017. […] [Mayor Misty Buscher] added that she wants the new development to include an amphitheater and to allow for the continuation of the Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series. Requests for comment from IDNR regarding when the project could start and be completed went unreturned prior to publication. * WGLT | McLean County to consider eliminating elected auditor, adding advisory panel for mental health funding: The language of the proposed referendum for the November 2024 ballot indicates the county would save money based on “the elimination of redundant functions,” referring to external audits the county must contract for, beyond the scope of the elected auditor. “There are some functions that are required by state law to be completed by an outside firm and then there are other responsibilities that only a CPA [certified public accountant] can do,” said county administrator Cassy Taylor, noting that current county auditor Michelle Anderson lacks those credentials; there are no qualifications required for elected office. * SJ-R | ‘This is history’: Supporters urge Springfield Race Riot site to become national monument: The Rev. T. Ray McJunkins noted that several years ago it was a small group of people in Springfield championing the site of the 1908 Race Riot to become a national monument. After Monday’s listening session at his home parish, Union Baptist Church, once in the sights of those same rioters when it stood at 12th and Mason streets, McJunkins admitted he felt “overwhelmed” seeing more than 400 people in the church hall.
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Today’s quotable
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From the very last graf of the Tribune story entitled “Dozens of supporters hail convicted ex-Ald. Ed Burke as devoted public servant ahead of his sentencing”…
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It’s almost a law
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WTTW…
* WAND…
* WGEM…
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This is not the way to get anything done
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Capitol News Illinois and the Saluki Local Reporting Lab…
Always fixin’ to get ready, but never actually getting ready and never actually accomplishing anything. There’s so much more, so click here.
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Some people will complain about literally everything, including bills they vote for
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Center Square…
Um, not mentioned in the story is that HB5005 received 90 votes. By my count, 18 Republicans voted for the bill, including this legislator who is quoted in the story bashing the bill…
* To the sponsor…
Hilarious. The squareheads left out something from the agreement…
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Mayor Johnson says CTA is ‘moving in the right direction’
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson sat down with the Sun-Times editorial board…
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Illinois and Ontario sign agreement to promote trade, investment
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
The MOU is here. * The ceremony… * Meanwhile… from Bloomberg…
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Rides For Moms Provides Transportation To Prenatal Care
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Surgo Ventures partnered with Uber Health and local health centers to provide transportation assistance to expectant mothers facing transportation challenges to their prenatal appointments. Across one city, the initiative covered over 30,000 miles, ensuring over 450 participants reached their prenatal appointments without hassle. One participant shared, ‘There were days when I didn’t want to get up from bed. Knowing that someone was going to pick me up… made me feel safer.’ With programs like Rides for Moms, transportation is no longer a barrier for new mothers to access essential medical care. Learn more
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Senate releases veto session schedule
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Two weeks in a row instead of straddling a holiday…
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Open thread
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: 1908 Springfield race riot site could be national monument. Dave Dahl…
* Tribune | Feds want 10 years in prison for ex-Ald. Edward Burke, saying he was ‘no novice’ when it came to corruption: The sentence requested by the U.S. attorney’s office would mean that Burke could very well die in prison. But it’s a punishment prosecutors say is warranted, given the “mountain” of evidence in the case — including hundreds of undercover recordings — that captured Burke in his own words and make it “obvious that Burke was no novice when it came to corruption.” “Burke operated as a seasoned professional when it came to identifying new potential clients for his law firm and exploiting his power and position in order to secure their business,” prosecutors wrote. * Sun-Times | Obama visits presidential center as signature tower reaches full height: The site of the presidential center and museum is “about 56%” complete, according to workers at the site, and former President Barack Obama briefly spoke and shook hands with dozens to celebrate the latest milestone — the museum building hitting its full height of 225 feet. * WAND | Illinois Senate could pass plan tackling deepfake cyberbullying during veto session: “House Bill 299 arrived in the Senate as a new House bill on May 22, two days before our scheduled adjournment,” said Liz Mitchell, a spokesperson for Senate President Don Harmon. “As such, time did not allow for the Senate to take it up in the spring session. It will be reviewed.” * WGEM | Bill awaiting Gov. Pritzker’s signature aims to improve birth equity in Illinois: The bill would require private insurance companies to cover all pregnancy, postpartum and newborn care provided by perinatal doulas or licensed certified professional midwives. This includes home births, home visits and support during labor. Insurers would also be required to cover home visits by board-certified lactation consultants including the cost of recommended breast pumps, breastfeeding supplies and feeding aids. * Sun-Times | New initiative to expand gender-affirming care across Illinois: Despite Illinois serving as a blue haven for those seeking gender-affirming care, Illinois officials said many LGBTQ+ adults avoid seeking care due to disrespect and discrimination from providers, and they hope this new initiative will address prejudices. Lawmakers in 2019 approved legislation that directs coverage of gender-affirming surgeries for Medicaid members age 21 and older who are diagnosed with gender dysphoria. * SJ-R | Planned Parenthood sees ‘unprecedented’ surge in out-of-state patients at Illinois clinics: Planned Parenthood said that it has seen patients from 41 states over the course of the past two years, now encompassing some 25% of all patients seen at the 19 in-person facilities and two virtual facilities across Illinois. Overall, the group said that it had experienced a 47% increase in overall patients over the past two years since the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the U.S. Constitution did not guarantee the right to an abortion, overruling the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision and the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs. Casey decision that upheld the former. * Crain’s | Chicago weighs up to $3 billion of debt for O’Hare upgrades: The City Council’s Finance Committee held public hearings today and then approved a series of proposals from the Johnson administration that could add up to more than $4 billion in debt Airport debt makes up the bulk of the proposals with a plan to issue up to $3 billion in general airport senior lien revenue bonds and passenger facility charge revenue bonds for O’Hare capital improvements. * Sun-Times | Bally’s a bad bet? Johnson casts doubt on permanent casino in River West: “I liken it, frankly, to the airlines deal that was negotiated two administrations ago. There were some challenges in there,” said Johnson, who recently hammered out a cost-cutting deal with United and American airlines, clearing the massive O’Hare expansion plan for takeoff. “I wish I could say something definitive today. I know our team is working with ownership to figure it out like we figured out some of the other things that I’ve inherited. It just has to make absolute sense. … I think that one’s still to be determined, to be perfectly frank with you.” * Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson opposes 8 p.m. downtown curfew for minors: “The data indicates that setting … arbitrary curfews does not yield results that are favorable,” the mayor told the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board Monday. “For my administration, it’s not just about youth employment. … We have to create safe spaces for [young] people. … The more activity that you have in neighborhoods, including downtown, that actually creates safer spaces,” Johnson added. * Tribune | City demands thousands of Chicago police officers pay off pension error: Thousands of Chicago police officers received an unwelcome letter from their pension fund this week: thanks to a payroll error spurred by officers’ latest contract, approximately 3,000 are required to cut a check to their pension fund, plus interest. The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 7, which represents most rank-and-file cops, said it planned on filing a grievance over the error so that the city would have to pay that interest charge instead of workers. * WTTW | CPS, CTU to Hold First-Ever Contract Negotiation Session Open to the Public Friday: The CTU announced the sides have agreed to schedule an open contract bargaining session Friday from 5-7 p.m. at Marquette Elementary School, 6550 S. Richmond St., in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. According to the union, this session will be focused on “Healthy, Safe, Green Schools” and how schools can be updated to support student learning. * Chakbeat | Reputation vs. reality: A closer look at four Chicago high schools: In the 2022-23 school year, 44.51% of elementary school students and 76.18% of high school students opted out of attending their zoned neighborhood schools. As the city shifts its focus to neighborhood schools, Chalkbeat spoke with community members and alumni at four Chicago high schools about how reputation affects their schools and communities, and how they’re trying to change the narrative. * ABC Chicago | At least 5 taken to hospitals after CTA bus hits building, cars in Bridgeport: Surveillance video from the scene shows the out-of-control bus also hit a building before slamming into the cars. CPD said there were a total of 11 vehicles involved in the crash. At least five people had to be taken to the hospital. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox are the 1st team to lose 50 games this season — and they did so in grand fashion: Cal Raleigh hit a game-ending grand slam in the ninth inning against reliever Jordan Leasure as the Seattle Mariners stormed back to beat the Sox 8-4 in front of 23,027 at T-Mobile Park. The Sox had a 4-0 lead going into the bottom of the eighth, only for the Mariners to pull even — with three of the four runs allowed in the inning by Michael Kopech. The Mariners loaded the bases with two walks and a single in the ninth, setting the stage for Raleigh’s walk-off slam. * Daily Herald | No Ribfest planned for this year: Exchange Club of Naperville president: “We never planned one this year, so we didn’t really cancel it because we never scheduled it,” said Emy Trotz, president of the Exchange Club of Naperville, the civic group in charge of Ribfest. “We had other things going on that we didn’t have the capability to put it together.” * Crain’s | Wilmette residents irate after park district fences off lakefront beach: Furious Wilmette residents are set to rally in opposition to the park district’s recent decision to fence off and charge admission to the beach at Gillson Park. The rally, which will take place at Wimette’s village hall tonight at 7:00, comes as residents say the fence was erected without proper notice and their input. Beachgoers are now required to pay $5 for residents and $10 for nonresidents for admission, which was formerly free. Park advocates say the move restricts access for “community members including seniors, families and individuals with disabilities, who rely on the open space for recreation and relaxation.” * Illinois Times | Rebuilding the Catholic Church: The future central Illinois school just hired its first president, Kent Lasnoski, who is moving to Springfield from Wyoming, where he led another Catholic college. He hopes to open the doors for San Damiano in the fall of 2025 on the campus of the former Chiara Center, located on the grounds of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis in Springfield. The Franciscan Brothers of the Holy Cross operated the St. James Trade School there from 1928 to 1972. * AP | Justice Alito questions possibility of political compromise in secret recording: Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is heard questioning whether compromise between the left and right is possible in a conversation posted on social media Monday. The conservative justice is also heard agreeing with a woman who says the United States should return “to a place of godliness.” The audio was posted on X by liberal filmmaker Lauren Windsor. She said it was recorded at the Supreme Court Historical Society’s annual dinner last week. * The Athletic | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone shows anything’s possible for her at Paris Olympics and beyond: McLaughlin-Levrone declared before the race she was aiming for the American record. And as she glided down the final 100 meters, resisting the Manhattan wind, she almost got it. She clocked in at 48.75 seconds, just shy of Richards-Ross’ national record of 48.70 set in 2006. “So close,” McLaughlin-Levrone told reporters afterwards. “But you know what, it’s all good. There’s so much time to do that. It’s always just about refining it and learning the race.”
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here 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)
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Beth Hundsdorfer recently reported a camera at the facility catching a mental health technician assaulting a patient, but it took 11 days for anyone to take action. * Illinois Department of Human Services…
* Ballot Access News | Illinois Legislature Passes Bill Moving Petition Deadline for Independent Candidates and the Nominees of Unqualified Parties from June to May: The bill had been introduced early this year on the subject of Crohns and Colitis Awareness, health concerns that do not relate to election law. But on May 23, the Senate deleted all the original contents of the bill and substituted various election law provisions, including the ballot access restrictions. It passed the Senate in its new version on May 24, and passed the House again on May 25. It was sent to Governor J. B. Pritzker on June 6. The news media has not reported on the bill’s ballot access restrictions. The bill does not take effect until 2025. * Block Club | New Law Will Ensure Nearly 1 Million Asian Americans Can Access Vital State Services In Native Languages: On May 23, Illinois lawmakers passed the Language Equity and Access Act, following a rally in Springfield of more than 300 Asian American community members who protested for language justice. The act aims to transform language access across Illinois for limited English-proficient individuals by requiring state agencies to provide adequate and timely oral and written language services in more than a dozen languages. It now awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature. * WICS | Illinois awards $6.9 million to boost urban forestry in disadvantaged areas: The Morton Arboretum announced its selection of the 22 urban forestry projects in priority communities in Illinois which receive funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, under the direction of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). [Arboretum President and CEO Jill Koski said] reported that the organization received 61 applications requesting more than $14 million from communities meeting federal guidelines for disadvantaged areas. * WBEZ | Feds investigating last year’s massive data breach at Cook County hospital system: WBEZ obtained a copy of the subpoena last week, after suing Cook County Health in April for violating the state’s open-records law. Justice Department officials did not return messages, while the spokespeople for Pasqual and the FBI declined to comment, saying in a statement that agency policy prevents officials from commenting “on the nature of any investigation that may be occurring.” * Sun-Times | Southwest suburban residents plead guilty in Jan. 6 case: Kelly Lynn Fontaine and Bryan Dula of Lockport were charged earlier this year and accused of spending 11 minutes inside the Capitol building that day. They are among nearly 50 known Illinois residents to face federal criminal charges connected to the attack. Fontaine and Dula each pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, records show. Their sentencing is set for Oct. 1. * Daily Southtown | Palos Hospital clinic brings recovery a step closer for Oak Forest double lung transplant patient: Northwestern performed the first double-lung transplant in 2020 and its Double Lung Replacement and Multidisciplinary Care program has now performed double-lung transplants on 40 patients, including Knight, at the Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute in Chicago. * Crain’s | Medical debt weighs on Chicagoans even when they have health insurance: Despite 91% of Cook County’s 5 million residents having health care coverage, 13% have medical debt in collections, according to nonprofit research organization the Urban Institute. In general, half of U.S. adults are unable to pay an unexpected medical bill of $500 in full, according to recent data by KFF, a nonprofit health policy research, polling and news organization. * Block Club | Holiday Club In Uptown Would Be Replaced With Apartments Under Plan: During the meeting, Paul Dincin, Catapult Real Estate Solutions founder, said he’d be “happy to talk to [the Holiday Club] if they’re interested in the space we have, if it fits with their business plan versus finding other space right in the area.” […] But Dincin said he wasn’t sure if it would be feasible for Holiday Club to return, given the smaller retail space available and the likelihood that demolition and construction could take up to two years. * Crain’s | Hancock tower observation deck operator buys Signature Room space: Managing Director Nichole Benolken said 360 Chicago is “exploring a number of options for the space.” “I can confirm that we’re not planning on reopening a restaurant at this time, but beyond that, our team is in the very early development stages, and we’ll have more information to share in the coming months,” Benolken said in a statement. * WBEZ | What’s That Building? An architectural tour of the Lakefront Trail: Built in 1916 to replace the smaller clubhouse of a private organization with a nine-hole golf course, Marshall and Fox — the architects behind the Blackstone and Drake hotels — designed this Mediterranean fantasy(South Shore Cultural Center). The Chicago Park District bought the South Shore Cultural Center in 1975. Two of the building’s most quintessentially Chicago moments are when it was used as The Palace Hotel in The Blues Brothers movie in 1980 and when it was the site of future President Barack Obama and future first lady Michelle Obama’s wedding reception in 1992. * Illinois Times | Lakeisha Purchase violated IDOT policy, report says: Lakeisha Purchase took part in phone calls unrelated to her job at the Illinois Department of Transportation for almost half of the time she was supposed to be working during an 18-month period in 2021 and 2022, a state report says. Purchase, 35, a former Capital Township trustee and the Springfield Ward 5 alderperson since September 2021, quit her job as an IDOT supportive services specialist on July 5, 2023, after 14 years with the department. * WREX | RFD passengers to take flight on inaugural flight to LAX: Los Angeles is the second of two new destinations offered at RFD this year with Nashville flights being added and taking off since last month. In January, three international destinations will be added to RFD’s lineup and will offer travelers a wider range of travel opportunities. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford to offer $500K to local manufacturer for expansion: Rockford officials are proposing an incentive package to help the family-owned Slidematic Precision Components expand its operations at 1303 and 1325 Samuelson Road. Slidematic engineers and manufactures cold-headed fasteners and provides supply-chain management for customers internationally. It is planning a 45,000-square-foot addition to its 190,000-square-foot Samuelson Road operation. * Journal Courier | Writer Pensoneau to cover familiar topic in program on governors: “I’ve known a lot of them personally,” said Pensoneau, a statehouse reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from 1965 to 1978. “I have an idea what they are really like.” Pensoneau will present “Inside Revelations of the High and Mighty,” an inside look at governors of Illinois over the past half-century, at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Carlinville Public Library. The program is free and open to the public. * Bloomberg | Ventilator-maker Vyaire goes bankrupt as COVID-19 demand wanes: The Mettawa-based provider of medical equipment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Sunday, listing assets of as much as $500 million and liabilities of up to $1 billion. The company said it intends to sell all its assets and is seeking approval to keep operating through the sales process. Vyaire, which develops breathing technology, experienced significantly higher demand for its products during Covid. But pandemic-related supply chain disruptions diminished the company’s cash flow, while increased competition hurt its business. Vyaire has lost over 10% of its market share in its ventilation segment since Covid infections began to wane.
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Question of the day
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Should Illinois Democrats try to do this, too? Explain your answer…
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Rides For Moms Provides Transportation To Prenatal Care
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Surgo Ventures partnered with Uber Health and local health centers to provide transportation assistance to expectant mothers facing transportation challenges to their prenatal appointments. Across one city, the initiative covered over 30,000 miles, ensuring over 450 participants reached their prenatal appointments without hassle. One participant shared, ‘There were days when I didn’t want to get up from bed. Knowing that someone was going to pick me up… made me feel safer.’ With programs like Rides for Moms, transportation is no longer a barrier for new mothers to access essential medical care. Learn more
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Work your bills, people
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
Rep. Niemerg filed that bill last October, 234 days ago. Niemerg has since picked up exactly zero co-sponsors. He didn’t even bother to sign up his fellow Eastern Bloc members. If the object is to issue a press release and maybe convince your local news outlets that you’re working hard for the district and that the super-majority is just cold and callous to the people you represent, then by all means carry on. If you want to pass a House bill to make things better for your community, however, you need 60 House votes, not 1. And then you need 30 in the Senate. And then a gubernatorial signature. Success doesn’t happen by magic. Success takes work.
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PPIL: More than 90 percent of Carbondale Health Center’s abortion patients are from out of state
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Planned Parenthood of Illinois…
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Musical interlude
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Some clips of Buddy Guy’s powerful performance yesterday…
* The Sun-Times’ Selena Fragassi…
Buddy Guy’s full performance was not recorded, but you can click here to watch performances from the Cash Box Kings, a tribute to Otis Spann.
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Gotion under fire
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Wall St. Journal…
The letters from Sen. Rubio, US Rep. Darin LaHood and others are here and here. * But this goes beyond Gotion. AF…
That’s a huge portion of the industry. * Reuters…
* Pritzker spokesperson Alex Gough…
* Jeanne Ives is jumping in, appearing on WLS Radio to attack Gotion and releasing statements like this…
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Bad law takes a turn for the worse (Updated)
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
…Adding… Sara Albrecht at the Liberty Justice Center…
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Open thread
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Governor Pritzker heads to Canada to discuss trade opportunities. SJ-R…
- The delegation will tour the Lion Electric headquarters in Montreal, an electric vehicle manufacturer who opened the nation’s largest EV facility in Joliet last July, and North America’s largest urban innovation hub, MaRS Discovery District, to discuss potential quantum investments. * Related stories…
∙ Politico: Pritzker taking show on the road * Healthy Illinois…
* Chicago Reader | Illinois promised to help with funeral costs for children lost to gun violence. Only two families benefitted: But almost a year after the measure went into effect, only eight people across the state have applied. Two of them have received funds. That number is far below the 106 juveniles who’ve been fatally shot in Chicago alone since July 1, 2022, and whose families could have been eligible to apply for the funding. Across the state, 203 died in a similar manner. These unexpected deaths leave families to cope with overwhelming grief as well as thousands of dollars in burial costs. The statewide compensation program is meant to relieve families of these financial burdens but, despite the bill’s clear guidelines for how to publicize it, it’s reaching just a few applicants. The bill passed unanimously, but the program’s advocates were uncertain if the program was open a year later, until they were contacted by a Trace reporter. * WCIA | State Representative thanks first responders after a deer got stuck in his office: State Representative Jason R. Bunting is thanking Watseka first responders for their quick response after a deer got stuck in his office on Friday. According to Bunting, the deer jumped and broke through a window at the building, before getting stuck inside. Watseka EMS, Fire and Police Departments all responded to the scene. * WBEZ | Illinois Legislature puts the brakes on a carbon capture boom: “It does offer some really good protections for Illinois that are needed at a time when we are not just anticipating projects —- but those projects are moving forward rapidly,” said Pam Richart, the co-founder of the Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines, an environmental advocacy group that has been organizing across southern and central Illinois. The sweeping package of new rules breaks down into three categories: requirements for how carbon emissions must be captured, regulations around pipeline construction, and rules for what happens once the carbon is stored underground. * Crain’s | Biz leaders give Pritzker, legislators solid marks after spring session: In separate interviews, the heads of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association and Illinois Chamber of Commerce all cited progress on things such as cutting back on the state’s franchise tax and expanded efforts to lure the emerging quantum computing industry and more TV and film production here. Business would have liked more, all three conceded. But with all three branches of state government controlled by Democrats, “We’re making the best lemonade we can,” chamber CEO Les Sandoval put it. “I’m a realist.” Still, he added, “There are a lot of plusses.” * WBEZ | Chair of Illinois Democratic Party floats state law granting work permits to immigrants: Illinois State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, D-Cicero, said she is exploring state legislation that could grant work permits to all unauthorized immigrant workers in Illinois. That would include the thousands of migrants who have arrived in Illinois over the last two years, and an estimated 400,000-plus longtime undocumented immigrant workers. Hernandez spoke at a press conference Friday, championing a recent state resolution urging President Joe Biden to use his executive power to grant work permits to all immigrants. * WGEM | DCSF receives more money from new Illinois budget: Illinois lawmakers passed the new state budget Wednesday, which included an additional $50.3 million for the Department of Children and Family Services. Local organizations who partner with DCFS say that money will benefit them as well. Todd Shackleford, the executive director of the Advocacy Network for Children, said they get money from DCFS and the boost gives their organizations much needed help, as they have had a 16% increase in clientele this year. * Pantagraph | Proposal to shield farm families from estate tax doesn’t move in Springfield: The concept, introduced as a standalone bill in January by state Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, and state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, was not among the tax code changes that were included in a massive revenue package that passed alongside the state’s fiscal year 2025 budget last month. […] Koehler told Lee Enterprises that a legislative push on estate tax relief is unlikely during the fall veto session in November, but that he expects it’s “gonna be part of the next year’s budget discussions.” * Center Square | Pretrial service expansion awaits Pritzker’s signature: House Bill 4621 was sent to the governor’s desk for signature and would create the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services, allowing it to provide pretrial services to circuit courts and counties that don’t currently have pretrial services agencies. There has been an explosion of pretrial hearings since cash bail was eliminated with the Pretrial Fairness Act, a component of the SAFE-T Act. * Daily Herald | Illinois to consider the ‘Future of Gas’ in unprecedented regulatory proceeding: Between electric vehicles and all-electric buildings, electrification has emerged as a leading tool in the fight against climate change. But if we start to plug everything into the grid, where does that leave Illinois’ extensive natural gas system? It’s a question the Illinois Commerce Commission is looking to answer. The regulatory body, which oversees Illinois’ investor-owned utilities, initiated what’s called a “Future of Gas” proceeding this March. The process will “evaluate the impacts of Illinois’ current decarbonization and electrification goals on the natural gas system,” according to the commission website. * Tribune | With soy products booming, Illinois farmers have their eyes on clean, green innovation: Todd Main, director of marketing development for the association, said the innovation center will not only commercialize new uses of soy, but also create jobs in Illinois. “Because about 60% of Illinois soybeans go overseas, we have a broader focus than a lot of other states because we have to have a good relationship with buyers all over the world,” Main said. * Sun-Times | How do I change my name and gender marker? A guide to Illinois’ system for the LGBTQ+ community: In 2019, legislation out of the statehouse paved the way for the state to add an “X” gender marker to designate a nonbinary identity, or one that doesn’t fall under male or female. Last year the state made it so that people can choose the gender on their birth certificate without medical documentation. A way to reduce costs for name changes, which currently can exceed several hundred dollars, is also in the works. * Tribune | Black Chicago drivers more likely to be stopped by police than to get traffic camera tickets, study finds: The findings, published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, follow years of scrutiny of racial disparities in Chicago traffic stops. They also come amid renewed debate about the use of the stops, as outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx unveiled a controversial proposal to decline to prosecute possession cases when guns or drugs are found during traffic stops initiated for reasons like expired registration or a broken light. Officials also recently moved to add oversight of traffic stops to a federal consent decree guiding Chicago Police Department reform. * Tribune | Migrant woman searches for husband who has vanished, a common occurrence as men struggle to find jobs: Licensed therapists and those working closely with migrants say the frustration and shame felt by men of not being able to provide for their families may be a factor in their choice to just walk away. “We see cases like that,” said Ana Gil-Garcia, founder of the Illinois Venezuelan Alliance, who has led informational sessions for migrants at dozens of shelters across the city. “When men can’t provide, they decide to leave. They don’t take responsibility — and then mom is left with the children.” * Tribune | Democratic National Convention poised to drive up hotel room rates this summer — even more than Lollapalooza: Lollapalooza is typically the busiest weekend of the year for Chicago’s hotels, but 50,000 people flocking here for the Democratic National Convention this August are pushing hotel room rates even higher. The average rate during the DNC is $534.88 a night, according to a Sun-Times search of downtown hotel rates during three major events taking place in the city this year — the convention, Lollapalooza and NASCAR Chicago Street Race Weekend. The search, which was conducted Thursday, looked at hotels within a one-mile radius of downtown Chicago. * WBEZ | Northwestern is so busy it’s cutting back on scheduling patients for induced labors: That’s even though Northwestern led a national study that found inducing low-risk women at 39 weeks instead of letting labor happen naturally reduces the rate of Cesarean sections and decreases complications for mothers and babies. C-sections can be life-saving, but also are major surgeries with potential consequences that disproportionately affect Black women, research shows, such as infections and hysterectomies. * Tribune | Country’s first documented gay rights organization started 100 years ago in Old Town: A plaque in the sidewalk outside the building where he lived on the second floor notes it is a Chicago landmark, explaining that the home was where Gerber wrote at least the first of the two published issues of “Friendship and Freedom,” the first documented gay periodical in America. * Tribune | Mom of Palestinian boy who was fatally stabbed in Will County files suit against alleged killer: Shahin’s attorney, John Simon, said the lawsuit, filed late last month in Will County Circuit Court, had been delayed due to the federal hate crime investigation that is currently underway and which has limited some discovery. “We are welcoming the opportunity to get to the bottom of what caused this man to do this and who knew about it,” he said. “This is a racially and religiously charged incident and anyone who had any ability to stop it should have intervened.” * Daily Herald | ‘We’ve got to be ready’: Suburban police gearing up for political conventions this summer: With the national political conventions in Chicago and Milwaukee just weeks away, some suburban law enforcement agencies are preparing for an influx of visitors as well as protests and other activities that could require their intervention. The Lake County sheriff’s office and the Rosemont Public Safety Department already have been asked to assist Chicago police when the Democratic National Convention occurs Aug. 19-22 at the United Center. * SJ-R | 3 a.m. alcohol sales could be coming to an end in Springfield: If the ordinance were to clear the committee of the whole meeting and pass through full city council, bars would have to stop serving alcohol at 1 a.m. This would take effect Jan. 1, 2025. The proposed change would include during the Illinois State Fair when Springfield locations have previously been granted temporary 3 a.m. sale permits for packaged alcohol. * WCIA | Boat races return to Lake Decatur after two decades: Hardy’s Highway Race for the Lake returned on Saturday. A total of 64 boats from throughout the country turned out to race. The event did have a wind delay which pushed back the event later into the afternoon. […] Upwards of 30 sponsors from the community helped to make it happen. Races will continue into Sunday night. Organizers say the race will be back in Decatur for years to come.
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Live coverage
Monday, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here 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, Jun 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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