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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Cat Power… Leave your stepping stones behind, something calls for you
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Isabel’s afternoon briefing
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * SJ-R…
* Crain’s…
* Sun-Times…
* I wonder how much this is costing the township?…  * NBC Chicago | Illinois flags at half-staff ahead of funeral for fallen CPD officer Luis Huesca: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has ordered all Illinois flags to fly at half-staff in honor and remembrance of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca, who was shot and killed in the line of duty last week. According to an announcement, flags were ordered to be lowered beginning Wednesday. They will remain at half-staff until Monday, when Huesca will be laid to rest at a funeral. * Sun-Times | After fighting to have gender-affirming care, a former prisoner adjusts to life in Chicago as a woman: Last year, she became just the second person ever to have gender-affirmation surgery while in federal custody — at Rush University Medical Center. The Federal Bureau of Prisons picked up the entire tab after a three-year legal fight that began when she was housed in downstate Marion. Her attorneys argued, among other things, that she was being denied her constitutional right to necessary medical care. “It’s just feeling like I belong,” said Iglesias, who was released from prison last October and lives on the West Side. * WBEZ | Facing budget criticism, CPS officials say changes are ‘milestone’ to be celebrated: Parents at some selective enrollment and magnet schools have complained of apparent cuts to their budgets as the school district focuses on providing resources to schools where students have high needs. And in a surprise, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s top ally — the Chicago Teachers Union — was also critical of the district’s lack of transparency and failure to prioritize classroom aides in the budget, even though the union has long supported a shift toward needs-based funding. * Crain’s | Downtown commercial property fallout not as bad as people think, Kaegi says: Downtown office vacancy recently topped 25% for the first time ever, and Loop retail vacancy hit a record-high 30%. Kaegi acknowledged that malaise, calling declining activity and property values downtown “a problem for all of us” and one that needs to be addressed to restore downtown’s vitality. But he also stressed that not all office landlords are struggling equally. * Illinois Answers Project | City of Chicago Amps Up Its Legal Battle Against ‘City’s Worst Landowner’: The City of Chicago has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $10 million from a north suburban woman and her real estate company in connection with a vacant-lot-turned-dumping-ground on the South Side, claiming that she is a “scourge on the city and its residents” and “the city’s worst landowner.” The lawsuit, filed last week, targets Northbrook resident Suzie B. Wilson and her company, Regal LLC, which owes the city more than a quarter million dollars in fines and owns a West Englewood lot that for years has been a dumpsite for hundreds of decomposing rubber tires that “piled multiple feet in the air.” * Crain’s | Laid-off Foxtrot and Dom’s workers tell former employer to pay up: “If we can get 60 days’ worth of pay, that’s going to help us at least pay some rent,” said Oscar Correa, a former supervisor at the Foxtrot commissary in Pilsen. Correa, who worked at Foxtrot for five years, was one of about 20 laid-off workers who gathered outside the now-closed site this morning to protest the sudden closures. Their argument: By shutting down without prior notice, Outfox Hospitality, the parent company of Foxtrot and Dom’s, violated federal and state Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification acts. * Bloomberg | Some Parents Battle Long Waitlists – And Line Up Overnight – To Get Kids In Park District Summer Camp: After a chaotic online process that parents likened to the “Hunger Games” early last week, parents flocked to Park District field houses the night before and in the early morning hours to line up for in-person registration over the weekend. Sign-up at other parks opened Monday and Tuesday. Laura, a mom from Beverly who asked not to use her last name, was one of thousands of parents struck out trying to sign their kids up for camp online. She logged in at 8:55 a.m. April 16 for online registration, and by 9:03 a.m., the Ridge Park day camp was full, she said. * WBEZ | For the last year, an army of volunteers has been standing behind migrants arriving in Chicago: City officials sent families to police stations as they ran out of shelter space. People slept on floors or camped outside and didn’t have access to showers. This chaos – with parents and children in need of food, clothing and water – marked a turning point in the humanitarian crisis and activated volunteers. Last April kicked off a more unified grassroots volunteer movement that evolved into a fundamental safety net for newcomers. The frenzied scenes at police stations motivated volunteers – mostly women like Jennie Kim. She lives near the South Loop district police station and got involved out of a desire not only to help migrants, but also to help coordinate donations. * WGN | Chicago appeals court rejects R. Kelly ‘s challenge of 20-year sentence: The singer R. Kelly was correctly sentenced to 20 years in prison on child sex convictions in Chicago, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. Jurors in 2022 convicted the Grammy Award-winning R&B singer, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, on three charges of producing child porn and three charges of enticement of minors for sex. * Daily Herald | Extend Central Road? Schaumburg annexes land near Medieval Times that could help fund project: Schaumburg trustees have annexed 5.9 acres owned by Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament to add to the area’s existing tax increment financing (TIF) district that could help fund an eastward extension of Central Road to connect the Sunstar Americas headquarters with the Veridian development near Topgolf. Schaumburg Mayor Tom Dailly said while he’s open to the possibility of such a road extension being studied, he’s skeptical that soil conditions and other environmental factors in the undeveloped area between Sunstar and Topgolf would make it viable. * Daily Herald | Wheels in motion for dissolving the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District: In March, a referendum to dissolve the district failed to receive support, with 48 voting against and only 5 in favor. Following that failure, efforts to close it moved to the state legislature. The district is still collecting property taxes. However, it ceased providing fire and emergency medical services in October, and the area is now covered by Mount Prospect. With a shrinking tax base due to annexations by surrounding municipalities, the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District had been running out of money. * Rockford Register Star | WSJ/Realtor.com names Rockford metro area no. 1 housing market in country: “The median listing price of a home in the Rockford metro area soared to $235,000 in March, up a stunning 51.7% compared with a year ago, which is the largest gain of any metro area in the ranking’s top 20,” the report states. According to the Wall Street Journal, buyers are drawn to the area’s affordable housing stock and its growing healthcare, aerospace and logistics industries. The publication also noted the Rockford area’s quality of life such as access to parks, a variety of retail and low climate risk. * BND | Residents who lost property due to unpaid taxes say St. Clair County owes them money: St. Clair County residents and a business owner who lost their residential and commercial properties due to unpaid taxes filed a federal lawsuit this month arguing the county owes each of them thousands of dollars. Their properties were worth more than the back taxes they owed. They argue that after foreclosure, they should have received compensation for their lost property: the difference between what they owed the government and the fair market value of their property. And they cite a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to support their argument. * WGIL | Former police chief, interim city manager now a part of Knox County economic development efforts: Partnership president Ken Springer tells Galesburg’s Morning News on WGIL there’s been a lot of interest in Galesburg as of late, so he decided he needed to add to the staff to get it all taken care of. “In the last couple months, we were very fortunate to be able to bring John Schlaf on to KCAP’s team,” said Springer. “John had got done with his interim stint as City Manager; and we, of course, were able to work with him a lot during that timeframe. He’s helping to advise entrepreneurs, which is a huge area of growth for the organization in the last few years.” * Rockford Register Star | 4,000 solar panels will help fuel innovation at Rockford aerospace facility: Collins Aerospace broke ground on a new 6.5-acre solar farm Friday at its Electric Power Systems facility in Rockford. The farm will be owned and operated by ENGIE North America as part of a 15-year power purchase agreement. ENGIE is a clean energy company that helps customers run their facilities more efficiently and optimize energy and other resources. * WSIL | Local fire departments receive grants from Illinois Fire Marshal: The total was divided among 165 departments and EMS providers in Illinois. In our region, 24 departments received a portion of the money. Recipients were given up to $26,000 to purchase new equipment. The idea is that offices can use this money to buy smaller equipment not covered by fundraising efforts. * 21st Show | How the Illinois Central Railroad helped develop the Midwest: Recently, the Macon County History museum held a special presentation that showcased the history of the Illinois Central Railroad. This railway was pivitol to the development of the Midwest, as it fostered cities and towns along its path. We’ll look back to the past, around the 1830’s, when Illinois was less than 20 years old. We’ll discuss what the state of the state was like, and when the Illinois Central railroad first emerged. Then, how the railroad was financed, built, and what its current status is. * PJ Star | Why Caterpillar is warning its heavy machinery sales may drop: Shares of the global economy bellwether slumped 7% in morning trade as it said end-user sales of its machines was weaker than planned. The stock had gained about 23% for the year so far as of Wednesday’s close and hit a record high earlier in April. Caterpillar reported weak construction equipment sales in all regions except North America, where construction demand is expected to stay healthy for the rest of the year thanks to the U.S. government’s $1 trillion infrastructure law. * Crain’s | Compared to Chicago’s largest film fest, the city paid a premium for Sundance event: For a weekend of programming featuring the distinguished Sundance Institute, the city paid more than what it’s given the Chicago International Film Festival in the past five years combined. In an email to Crain’s, Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, or DCASE, revealed it paid $175,000 to bring the Sundance event to the city. * Crain’s | Caleb Williams comes to the Bears and one of the NFL’s cheapest mansion markets: When the Chicago Bears tapped him yesterday as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, quarterback Caleb Williams praised the team’s culture, coaches, fans and hunger to win. What Williams didn’t mention is that he’s coming to one of the NFL markets where his mansion-buying money will go furthest. With a four-year salary package reported at about $38.5 million, Williams isn’t likely to have to stretch his housing dollars. Nor is the Bears’ No. 9 pick, wide receiver Rome Odunze, who will reportedly earn $22.7 million in four years with the team. * Food Safety News | USDA declares that Salmonella is an adulterant in some chicken products: As of today, the USDA considers Salmonella an adulterant in raw, breaded, stuffed chicken products, making it illegal to sell them if they are contaminated with the pathogen. The decision has been almost two years in the making. In August 2022 the deputy undersecretary for food safety for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said the move would be a first step in cleaning up America’s chicken. * Sun-Times | How Realtors deal will affect homebuying: Villegas, president-elect of the Chicago Association of Realtors, describes her clients’ awareness about the settlement as a “mixed bag.” It’s become a point of conversation with some clients, but even before the settlement, Villegas regularly discussed how fee structures and compensation worked with her clients. “We’re adding now that there is a proposed settlement and how it could affect them,” she said. “But these conversations we’ve had … haven’t really changed from the day I started doing business.”
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Things that make you go ‘Hmm’
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Hmm…
* Hmm…
* Hmm…
* Sounds like Bears CEO Kevin Warren is already starting to downplay his deal with the city…
Hmm.
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Did Dan Proft’s independent expenditure PAC illegally coordinate with Bailey’s campaign? The case will go before the Illinois Elections Board next week
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * In 2022, the Tribune found evidence of alleged illegal coordination between Dan Proft and Darren Bailey. Here’s the Democratic Party of Illinois’ summery of the story…
Click here to read the Democratic Party of Illinois’ complaint to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Back to DPI’s press release…
* Last year, the ISBE took the first step to probe possible collusion between Bailey and Proft. Crain’s…
Click here for the report. * And now to today. Crain’s…
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PJM’s massive fail
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * PJM Interconnection, which runs the power grid in all or parts of more than a dozen states, has been a fierce critic of Illinois’ Climate & Equitable Jobs Act. There are several others, but this is just one such story is from 2023…
* Mentioned in some of those articles are claims from Illinoisans that PJM has been dragging its feet on approving power generation sources. The Tribune’s Nara Schoenberg took a closer look at those claims earlier this week…
The Citizens Utility Board’s Consumers for a Better Grid manager told the Tribune that PJM “has unnecessarily set our transition to cleaner energy back by years.”
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$117.7B In Economic Activity: Illinois Hospitals Are Essential To Communities And Families
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The vital role of Illinois hospitals and health systems in health and well-being is only part of the story. While best known for treating everything from cancer and broken bones to delivering babies and performing lifesaving surgeries, hospitals are also major contributors to the state economy—to the tune of $117.7 billion annually. A new report expands on hospital and health system contributions to Illinois’ economy: Together, the Illinois hospital community:
• Supports working families through 445,000 full-time jobs. • Creates 1.4 jobs in other sectors for every hospital job. Hospitals across Illinois are economic anchors, and are oftentimes the largest employers in the communities they serve. They fuel job growth as consistent creators of healthcare jobs in Illinois, which have increased 11% between 2010 and 2023. All this comes as hospitals face financial challenges, with an average 3% operating loss as a percentage of net revenue in 2022. Illinois hospitals are essential to communities, essential to families and essential to the economy. Learn more about the hospital community’s economic impact.
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It’s just a bill
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WGEM…
The bill remains in the Senate on Third Reading, but SB595 has been given a May 3 deadline extension. * Rep. Anthony DeLuca…
The House committee deadline has long past and the Third Reading passage deadline was earlier this month.
* Sens. Ram Villivalam and Celina Villanueva…
* Rep. Janet Yang Rohr…
* Rep. Harry Benton…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Beth, who serve their communities with dedication and pride. For more information, click here Happy Dog Barkery - We Are RetaIL (irma.org)
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Open thread
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Gov. J.B. Pritzker pushes increased funding to fight racial disparities in homelessness. Tribune…
- The report found that Black people are about eight times as likely as white people to experience homelessness in Illinois. - Pritzker said that $35 million from the increased funding would go toward rental assistance, $13 million would be for pilot programs to reach at-risk populations and work on racial disparities in homelessness and $2 million would be earmarked for legal aid for those facing court-ordered eviction. * Related stories…
∙ Sun-Times: Pritzker announces new action plan to combat homelessness and address racial disparity ∙ Capitol News Illinois: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations Subscribers know more. * Ugh…  * Paul Colgan has passed…
It’s the final day of Governor Pritzker’s statewide tour to amplify the Healthcare Protection Act. The Governor will give remarks at Lurie Children’s Hospital at 10 am. Click here to watch. * WTTW | Coal Byproduct, Other Pollution Sources at Waukegan and Michigan City Power Plants Face Strict Regulations Under New EPA Rules: The EPA came out with four new regulations Thursday, including a sweeping regulation to sharply limit greenhouse gas pollution at coal-burning plants. Those facilities must cut 90% of emissions by 2039 or shut down. The regulations also take aim at mercury emissions, wastewater treatment and the coal ash byproduct amassed at current and former power plants across the country — including NRG’s offline generating station in Waukegan and NIPSCO’s slated-for-closure generating station in Michigan City. Both of those plants, situated alongside Lake Michigan, have been a flashpoint for environmental activists. * Illinois Times | Attorney trio in trouble: A Springfield lawyer was asked to resign from her city job this month after allegations of unethical behavior came to light from her time working for the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. At the heart of the controversy is Salena Young and the two men with whom she lives; both also worked with her as assistant attorneys general. One of the men, Thomas Ewick, was her supervisor while she worked at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General and the other, Jason Young, is her husband. * Daily Herald | How’s cashless bail going? Here’s what the data says: According to the latest data — which spans from the end of cash bail on Sept. 18, 2023, through April 13 — 30,012 defendants have been granted pretrial release in Cook County, while 1,970 have been detained. Of those released, 26,930 of them — about 90% — have appeared in court as required, including 88% of felony defendants. That’s an improvement from three years ago, when about 80.4% of those charged with felonies and released on bond attended their scheduled court hearings, according to a report from the Civic Federation. * Illinois Times | Man arrested by FBI owns property with an Illinois state trooper: A 60-year-old man charged in federal court with operating six “houses of prostitution” in Springfield wants to transfer his ownership interest in an office building to an Illinois state trooper who jointly owns the building. Gregory L. Fraase of Springfield asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen McNaught for permission to transfer his interest in a vacant two-level building at 2040 Timberbrooke Drive to Nathan Shanks. * Sun-Times | Illinois Republicans grapple with mail voting amid mixed signals from Trump. ‘We have to adapt’: While rallying his political troops last summer in Springfield heading into the primary campaign season, Illinois Republican Party chairman Don Tracy highlighted some of his top priorities to help the party regain a foothold in the Democratic-dominated state. “We’ve got to embrace early voting and voting by mail,” Tracy said at the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee & County Chairmen’s Association breakfast in August. “Democrats have won too many close elections on the strength of their vote-by-mail programs.” * Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association | IDCCA Statement of Kari Lake in Illinois: In advance of election denier and failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake visiting St. Charles, Illinois on Sunday, April 28, 2024 to raise money for her run for U.S. Senate in Arizona, Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association President and Kane Co. Democratic Party Chair Mark Guethle released the following statement: “Kari Lake is a far-right, disinformation spreading, election denier. In addition to Kari Lake, her event is hosted by conspiracy theorists who discuss things like a global world order and share misinformation about vaccines. Sunday’s event is a who’s-who of individuals who don’t represent the values of Kane County or Illinois, and I hope their event is as unsuccessful as Kari Lake’s past legal escapades and her candidacy for office.” * Chalkbeat | Illinois’ children and toddlers are experiencing more delays in getting early intervention services: About a year after Desi Evans’ son Christopher was born, she noticed he wasn’t making sounds or babbling like other young children. After the mother from Barrington, Illinois – a town west of Chicago — raised her concerns to her pediatrician at Christopher’s one-year check-up, the doctor recommended having him evaluated for a state program designed to help students with disabilities or developmental delays. […] But, even though Christopher was found to have a speech delay and approved by the state to receive speech, developmental, and occupational therapies, he was not able to receive service until three months before he turned 3, when children are no longer eligible for Early Intervention. * WCIA | ‘He inspired us’: Family, friends honor Sen. Scott Bennett with highway dedication: People who knew Bennett said he traveled on I-74 frequently. They said it was a trip that showed his dedication to the wide and diverse district he represented. “They were like trying to decide where they would do it,” said Bennett’s wife Stacy. “There was no other option really, because he did this drive so much and just truly loved it.” * WICS | ISP warning public of phone scam: Over the past two days, ISP has received several phone calls from individuals reporting a person claiming to be an ISP investigator telling them their identity has been stolen. ISP says this is a scam. ISP special agents will not make cold calls requesting personal or financial information, or ask you to confirm personal or financial information. * Illinois Answers | Johnson Administration Faces Credibility Crunch Over a Key Plank of $1.25B Bond Plan: But wary financial analysts, TIF experts and even some alderpeople have warned that the city will get access to those recurring revenues only if city officials let the districts expire on schedule — which would be a sharp departure from the city’s past practice. An Illinois Answers Project analysis of TIF districts shows that between 2019 and 2023, city leaders approved extensions for 26 districts, most for 12 years, while allowing 22 districts to expire. * Sun-Times | Facing budget criticism, CPS officials say changes are ‘milestone’ to be celebrated: Christel Williams-Hayes, a senior Chicago Teachers Union official and former school paraprofessional, said the union sees some good aspects of the new budgeting system. But she’s concerned about the impact on paraprofessionals, who aren’t among a few positions — assistant principals and counselors — that will now be guaranteed at every school. * Tribune | Ex-Ald. Edward Burke resigns from Union League Club, scene of key meeting in corruption case: Burke, who joined the Union League Club on West Jackson Boulevard in the mid-1970s and was one of its most high-profile members, officially had his resignation accepted by the club’s admissions committee on Tuesday, according to a member who requested anonymity. Jeffrey Gray, the club’s director of public affairs, said Wednesday he could not confirm or deny whether Burke had resigned. * Tribune | Dexter Reed shot 13 times by Chicago police officers, autopsy finds: Dexter Reed was shot 13 times by Chicago police officers during a fatal March traffic stop that left one of the officers shot in the wrist, authorities found. The Cook County medical examiner’s office released Reed’s autopsy and toxicological reports Thursday, five weeks after he was fatally shot in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said four officers fired a total of 96 shots during the 41 seconds of gunfire. * People’s Fabric | Cop Who Fired 50 Times at Dexter Reed Among Youngest Tactical Officers in the City: In response to a FOIA request for tactical team requirements, CPD sent a recent 15th District solicitation for applications. It lists a minimum requirement of three years with the department. Exceptions are made for prior police or military experience, which [officer Thomas Spanos] does not appear to have. […] According to our analysis of CPD attendance records, the average age of a tactical team member, excluding lieutenants and sergeants, is 35.6, with an average of 8.4 years with the department. * Sun-Times | Four Corner Hustler chief’s conviction threatened by revelation from feds: The feds now say a former prosecutor on the case, Peter Salib, made a more specific — and previously undisclosed — promise as Booker prepared to testify before a grand jury in September 2017: That Salib would recommend a 25-year prison sentence for Booker. Prosecutors only disclosed that information to U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin and defense attorneys in a letter late last week. During a hearing in the case Wednesday morning, Durkin told the feds to file the letter on the public court docket, and they did so later in the day. * Tribune | Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testifies he suppressed a story about alleged Rahm Emanuel affair: The ex-publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid testified during former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial Thursday that in the run-up to Rahm Emanuel’s first run for Chicago mayor, the publisher helped quash a story about an alleged affair Emanuel had. David Pecker, who has had a long relationship with Emanuel and has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to his political campaigns over the years, testified he paid $20,000 for a story about an alleged Emanuel affair before Emanuel’s Chicago mayoral campaign kicked off in 2010, according to testimony reported by Politico. * Block Club | Iconic South Side Blues Bar Lee’s Unleaded Reopens After Long Hiatus: John Primer, fresh off a 2024 Grammy nomination for his album “Teardrops for Magic Slim,” rings in the newest era of Lee’s Unleaded this weekend with his band, the Real Deal. It’s the first show at Lee’s since it closed in 2015. Primer’s band will hit the stage 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Lee’s, 7401 S. South Chicago Ave. in Greater Grand Crossing. * Sports Handle | DraftKings Approved For Full Mobile License In Illinois, Retail License At Wrigley: Shifting from the gridiron to the diamond, a day after the NFL’s Bears formally unveiled plans for a multibillion-dollar stadium project on the downtown Chicago lakefront, the IGB voted unanimously to grant Northside Crown Gaming, a DraftKings subsidiary, a four-year master sports wagering license to offer retail betting at its sportsbook outside the city’s oldest professional sporting venue, Wrigley Field. * WBEZ | Mayor Brandon Johnson defends his progressive credentials after supporting the Bears’ new stadium: The Bears’ pitch would deliver on his progressive agenda, the mayor said, by creating 43,000 construction jobs for the region, bringing in millions in anticipated economic impact and adding green space and amenities that all of Chicago could enjoy. “I’m proud to be a union member,” Johnson told NBC Sports. “But I’m also very proud of the fact that we have an organization and we have a leadership with Kevin Warren, who listened to my platform: public benefit, public use. Let’s make sure we do something that’s special that generations to come can benefit from.” * Sun-Times | Bears President Kevin Warren: ‘I’m not going to think negatively’ about stadium obstacles: What happens if the city and state can come up with only the $325 million for basic infrastructure improvements to open the new stadium — but not the additional $510 million needed for the second phase of work, which includes deconstructing Soldier Field to create new green space? […] On Thursday, Bears President Kevin Warren was asked about that worst-case scenario during a somewhat contentious meeting with the Sun-Times Editorial Board. * Daily Herald | ‘A different philosophy’: Bears’ original goal to own stadium shifts with latest public-private plans: But, [Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes] added, if the club’s initial goal of owning and controlling their own product is paramount, “then Arlington Heights provides everything they’re looking for. Except the lakefront.” In a round of media interviews Thursday, the Northwest suburban mayor was touting a Bears stadium at Arlington Park as a plan B if Warren’s pitch to legislators for lakefront stadium subsidies falls through. Hayes believes the sprawling former racetrack site provides a “much more exciting opportunity for revenue growth,” and better transportation access than the latest city plans presented by the Bears. * Crain’s | Bears angling for huge cut of cash-flow pie at new stadium — including concerts: During an interview with the Crain’s editorial board [yesterday], Bears executives said key pieces to the deal the team is trying to land with city and state officials are either being negotiated or haven’t been broached, including the terms of the Bears’ revenue sharing and lease agreement with the park district. “In all transparency, we have not reached that point of saying ‘what is the proper amount of rent and what is the (revenue share) split, how many events are there, who gets what?’ We have not reached that point,” Bears president Kevin Warren acknowledged during a virtual interview with the Crain’s editorial board. * Daily Herald | Bears making right moves for their roster, not for their stadium dreams: Now, in a span of 30 hours, the Bears announced plans to build a new lakefront stadium that will include a price tag of over $4 billion and then will draft the much hyped quarterback Caleb Williams. It’s easy to be skeptical when it comes to this team based on history. But I can tell you they are operating differently in both processes and gone are the days of doing business of a ma and pop shop. * Tribune | Cook County Democrats to choose Karen Yarbrough’s replacement : Seventeen interested applicants sent their credentials to the party by the Wednesday deadline, including several County Board members, a sitting state senator and the current clerk of Evanston. Yarbrough’s passing came too late for Democratic voters to choose from a slate of candidates — as they did for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s replacement on the Cook County Board in the March primary. Instead, the party will choose both an interim clerk who will serve through December and a candidate to be placed on the November ballot. * Fox Chicago | Suburban teachers call for change amid allegations of toxic work, learning environment: The Hinsdale High School Teachers Association claims the school board’s dysfunction caused an unprecedented amount of administrative turnover. The group said the board made decisions about what students would learn in math, science and social studies without consulting the teachers. […] The Hinsdale High School Teachers Association is asking for a new board president and a reorganization of the school board. * AP | These people were charged with interfering in the 2020 election. Some are still in politics today: Several of those charged or accused of involvement in election interference across the states are still involved in Republican politics today — including the lawyer overseeing “election integrity” for the Republican National Committee. And Trump, who faces federal charges in Washington and state charges in Georgia for his efforts to overturn Biden’s win, frequently still claims the 2020 election was stolen, a falsehood echoed by many of his supporters. * LA Times | How treatment of miscarriages is upending the abortion debate: A seven-figure April ad buy in battleground states by President Biden’s reelection campaign highlights the story of a happily married pregnant Texas woman named Amanda Zurawski. “At 18 weeks, Amanda’s water broke and she had a miscarriage,” the ad reads, with white lettering against a black background. “Because Donald Trump killed Roe v Wade, Amanda was denied standard medical care to prevent an infection, an abortion.” The 60-second ad concludes “Donald Trump did this,” after showing Zurawski and her husband, Josh, looking through a box of items that they had bought in anticipation of the birth of their first child, including a baby book and the outfit they planned to dress her in to bring her home from the hospital. * NYT | This May Be Our Last Chance to Halt Bird Flu in Humans, and We Are Blowing It: The outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza among U.S. dairy cows, first reported on March 25, has now spread to at least 33 herds in eight states. On Wednesday, genetic evidence of the virus turned up in commercially available milk. Federal authorities say the milk supply is safe, but this latest development raises troubling questions about how widespread the outbreak really is. So far, there is only one confirmed human case. Rick Bright, an expert on the H5N1 virus who served on President Biden’s coronavirus advisory board, told me this is the crucial moment. “There’s a fine line between one person and 10 people with H5N1,” he said. “By the time we’ve detected 10, it’s probably too late” to contain.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Apr 26, 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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Pritzker calls some of Bears proposals ‘probably non-starters,’ refuses to divert state dollars intended for other purposes (Updated)
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. Pritzker was asked today about the financial aspect of the Bears’ stadium plan…
Please pardon all transcription errors. …Adding… Pritzker also had this to say when first asked about the Bears plan this afternoon…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
Click here for the full report. * A reminder!…
* Shaw Local | Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs on what the office does, doesn’t do: So, it is not a surprise that with tax filing day approaching, I have been getting a lot of questions about taxes. We try our best to answer them, or refer people to the appropriate agency, but these questions have served as a reminder that many people just don’t understand my office. I would like to use this note to give you a better idea. Let me start with what we don’t do: We don’t collect taxes. That is the job of the Illinois Department of Revenue. * Block Club | Influential West Loop Group Relaunches — But Keeps Who’s Behind It A Secret: But despite the group’s new look, its nonprofit status, and its commitment to transparency, it’s unknown who is running the nonprofit besides [President Julie Darling]. That’s because the board intends to remain anonymous, saying through a spokesperson the members fear “cyberbullying” from West Loop resident Moshe Tamssot, the creator of another West Loop Facebook group who has long clashed with WLCO leaders. * Sun-Times | Dexter Reed was shot 13 times in deadly gunfight with Chicago police, autopsy shows: Dexter Reed was shot at least 13 times when he was killed in a gun battle with Chicago police during a traffic stop last month in Humboldt Park, according to a newly released autopsy report. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the oversight agency investigating the shooting, has reported that four officers fired nearly 100 rounds at Reed after he shot another officer in the wrist on March 21 in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand Street. * Tribune | As Marine Leadership Academy’s embattled principal receives a promotion at CPS, parents demand accountability: Embattled Marine Leadership Academy principal Kristin Novy is resigning from her post as the head of the Logan Square school for 7-12 grade students – to take a city-wide position within Chicago Public Schools, the district said in an emailed statement Wednesday. For parents and community members who’ve been calling for Novy’s removal for months, the development can be summed up in a word, Board of Governors member Mercy Lamourt said at a meeting at the school Wednesday: “Disappointing.” * Block Club | Imani The Piping Plover Has Returned To Montrose Beach: Imani, a male plover, was born with his sibling, Siewka, in summer 2021 and is now nearly 3. He is the son of the famed Monty and Rose, the plovers who stole the city’s hearts and inspired plovermania in Chicago starting in 2019. Imani has returned to Montrose Beach repeatedly, though he has not been joined by a female and has not been able to successfully mate. * Sun-Times | Northwestern students set up protest encampment, call out university censorship of pro-Palestinian speech: University President Michael Schill sent a letter to students Thursday morning saying the university had enacted an “interim addendum” to the student code of conduct to prohibit tents. The letter said that protesters had been informed they were in violation of university policies and that the university was removing tents that protesters didn’t take down. * Shaw Local | Why Kane County is taking more time to decide on new sales tax referendum: Dale Berman, chairman of the finance and budget committee, asked for the item to be removed from the committee’s agenda on Wednesday because he “sensed” members weren’t ready to decide. Berman said he wants an ad hoc committee to review the idea. * SJ-R | Setting a strong foundation: Habitat for Humanity director ready for retirement: After more than a decade of guiding the Habitat for Humanity to build houses and expanding its operations on critical rebuilds, Executive Director of local Habitat for Humanity Colleen Stone is retiring on June 28. […] The legacy Stone leaves will be in good hands after a decade of service to the community, giving life changing homes to first-time homeowners. Since 2013, Stone has had part in the building/renovation of 26 houses, 58 critical home repairs, installed 92 wheelchair ramps and impacted over 200 lives in the community directly. * WCIA | Decatur brewery wins Gold in 2024 World Beer Cup: On Wednesday, Decatur’s Golden Fox Brewing earned Gold in the world’s most prestigious beer competition, the World Beer Cup. The award was given for one of 110 beer-style categories: American-Style Imperial Stout beer. Golden Fox “topped off” 59 competing entries with their winning beverage, the Furious Fox. The beverage is described as an ale that is black in color and packed with earthy flavors, including fig molasses, oak chocolate, dark fruits and light roast coffee. * SJ-R | What to know about near $5M road construction project beginning soon in Springfield: The city of Springfield has targeted May 6 as the start of work for converting traffic on a 1.6-mile stretch of Fourth Street from one-way to two-way traffic. That will include the setup of temporary barricades to close one lane of Fourth Street from South Grand Avenue to Dodge Street, said T.J. Heavisides, the city’s chief traffic engineer. * Fox Chicago | Southwest Airlines will stop flying to these airports as Boeing troubles weigh: As a result, the Texas-based carrier is closing operations at: Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Bellingham International Airport in Washington, Cozumel International Airport in Mexico and Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York.
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Friends of the Parks responds to Bears’ lakefront stadium proposal
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * NBC in December…
* Friends of the Parks and the Bears sat down in March. Crain’s…
* Yesterday, Friends of the Parks responded to the Chicago Bears news conference…
* WTTW…
* Daily Herald…
* More…
* Tribune | Chicago Bears’ flashy game plan for lakefront stadium project greeted with questions: Joe Ferguson, president of the fiscal watchdog the Civic Federation, said the presentation raises the need for an independent analysis of the public costs and revenues. “It begs a lot of questions,” he said. One key question is whether the hotel tax could pay the debt, since it has not been enough to pay current stadium construction debt. The other big question is where the city would get money for transportation and lakefront improvements. * WTTW | Bears Ask Taxpayers for $2.4B Subsidy to Build $4.75B Domed Stadium Along Lakefront: The new Bears stadium is set to be built on the same site that former Mayor Rahm Emanuel wanted for the Lucas Museum, on what is now a parking lot south of Soldier Field. Star Wars creator George Lucas dropped his plans in 2016 in the face of unrelenting opposition and built the museum in Los Angeles.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WAND…
* Tribune…
HB5315 was re-referred to the House Rules Committee this month. * WTTW…
HB5013 has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee. Here’s the synopsis…
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Judge rejects state motion to move LaSalle Veterans’ Home COVID deaths lawsuit to Court of Claims
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Fox 32…
* Plaintiffs’ press release…
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Learn something new every day
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * I had no idea this problem existed until I received this press release…
That’s fascinating.
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Protect Illinois Hospitality – Vote No On House Bill 5345
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] “The hospitality industry in Illinois is a strong economic driver to the state’s economy. We have some of the best breweries, restaurants, and hotels in the world and we should be doing what we can to help these businesses continue to prosper and grow. However, policy changes are being discussed that would eliminate the tip credit, effectively hurting the heart and soul of what makes those businesses special – the people. That is not the path that we should take as it will impact our small independent operators in communities all over the state the most. We hope Illinois legislators will reject these plans and vote no on any measure that will eliminate the tip credit on hospitality workers.” Lou Sandoval 
Tell your state legislators to VOTE NO on House Bill 5345 and Protect Illinois Hospitality
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Need something to read? Try these Illinois-related books
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * SIU Press…
* Greg Pratt sat down with WGN earlier this month to discuss his book “The City Is Up for Grabs.” Click here to check it out. Do you have any recommendations?
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Illinois Hospitals Are Driving Economic Activity Across Illinois: $117.7B Annually And 445K Jobs
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Over 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems: Illinois’ hospital community sparks economic activity and growth throughout the state totaling $117.7 billion every year. Such significant economic impact comes from a diverse group of healthcare providers—community and safety net hospitals, teaching hospitals and academic medical centers, rural and critical access hospitals, and specialty hospitals. Yet each one contributes to their community as economic anchors and large employers providing good-paying jobs. Consider the key findings in a new report on the essential role of hospitals on the economy:
• Illinois hospitals directly employ 190,000 Illinoisans; and • Every $1 in hospital spending leads to another $1.40 in spending. Driving economic growth is just one of the many roles hospitals have. Most associated with providing lifesaving care, hospitals and health systems also promote community health and well-being; foster neighborhood revitalization; enhance public health and safety through community partnerships; and advance health equity initiatives to ensure optimal health for all residents. Illinois hospitals and health systems support working families by generating a combined 445,000 jobs among hospitals and other sectors due to hospital spending. Learn more about the hospital community’s economic impact.
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Today’s quotables
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * House Speaker Chris Welch yesterday when asked about the Chicago Bears stadium plan…
Discuss. …Adding… Mayor Brandon Johnson talked to NBC Sports Chicago after yesterday’s presser…
Full video is here.
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Open thread
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Apr 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Bears have designs on the lakefront, as Mayor Johnson plays the wrong position of cheerleader-in-chief. Lee Bey…
But the public and elected officials, not the Bears, should be the ones deciding what remedies are needed. Meanwhile, the Bears said they will pay $2 billion to design and construct the publicly-owned stadium — with the help of the NFL and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. There is a catch though: The team also said it would require an additional $1.5 billion in public infrastructure and transit to make all those pretty renderings fully come to life. * Related stories…
∙ Greg Hinz: The Bears’ big stadium ask faces an equally big battle ∙ Crain’s: Ringing endorsement of Bears plan raises the political stakes for Johnson Governor Pritzker will be at the University of Illinois Chicago at 2 pm to announce new action plan addressing homelessness. Click here to watch. * Druker, Yadgir & Haupt…
* The Guardian | Mega-warehouses heap more pollution on hard-hit Illinois neighborhoods: Two million people in Illinois live within a half-mile of large warehouses, which are disproportionately located in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. A new report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) identified at least 2,400 leased warehouses covering 632m sq ft – a 33% rise from the previous decade. * WAND | Illinois Secretary of State, Attorney General prioritize cybersecurity in budget requests: Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is proposing an $825 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Giannoulias explained his team spent $75 million to improve his office’s technology last year, but he believes there are still critical needs in cybersecurity. Giannoulias stressed that the Secretary of State’s IT systems had not been updated in decades and the only employees who understand the technology are set to retire. * 21st Show | State Senator Celina Villanueva speaks on budget priorities, migrant support, and latino voting trends: Our conversation will begin with a discussion on the state budget allocation and the legislative priorities of the Latino Caucus for this session. We will then shift our focus to the topic of migrants, discussing the current influx and Senator Villanueva’s stance on the funding allocated for them. * WCIA | Senator Scott M. Bennett Memorial Highway signs to be hung this week: IDOT will hang the signs up along portions of I-74 between Route 45 and the Indiana state line Thursday, according to State Senator Paul Faraci (D-Champaign). Faraci, a friend of Bennett and his successor in the Illinois State Senate, announced he is holding a dedication ceremony for the new signs Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in Oakwood at the village hall. He passed the legislation for the signs last year. Family and friends of Bennett will also be in attendance. * First Listen | Governor Pritzker not making any guarantees on a new Logan Correctional Center: Governor Pritzker not making any guarantees on a new Logan Correctional Center, a major bond rating agency has upgraded Illinois’ credit rating, And an Illinois State Police squad car hit on I-55 near Litchfield over the weekend. * WTTW | Rainbow PUSH Coalition Searching for New Leader After CEO Steps Down Just Months After Taking the Job: Rainbow PUSH Coalition said in a statement the search for an interim president is underway and that Yusef Jackson, the group’s COO and the son of Jackson Sr., will provide day-to-day oversight in the meantime. * Daily Herald | Southwest flights from O’Hare to dip this summer amid Boeing fallout: As the company waits for more planes from Boeing, Southwest Airlines is scaling back O’Hare International Airport flights by about 40% this summer. “We are revising our summer schedule due to delays related to receiving new aircraft deliveries from Boeing,” Southwest spokesman Dan Landson said Wednesday. * Sun-Times | Art Institute argues it legally owns watercolor: ‘No evidence’ it was ‘ever physically seized or “looted” by Nazis.’: The Art Institute of Chicago contends that decades of investigation and litigation have concluded that a watercolor it now holds was never stolen by the Nazis from a cabaret performer who later died in a concentration camp — but rather was legally sold by the man’s heirs. In a detailed court filing Tuesday, the Art Institute argued that New York prosecutors’ allegations that they were holding artwork stolen during the Holocaust are groundless. * Sun-Times | Chicago rat hole in Roscoe Village removed by city: “[The Chicago Department of Transportation] is removing and replacing sections of damaged sidewalk on Roscoe Street between Wolcott and Damen in coordination with the Alderman’s office,” CDOT said in a statement. The nouveau tourist attraction was preserved, but its future home is yet to be determined, CDOT said. * Daily Herald | ‘We are at a standstill’: DuPage County Board and County Clerk at odds over clerk’s authority: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek continues to refuse to answer questions about no-bid contracts awarded by her office, potentially setting the stage for a legal fight with the county board. Kaczmarek has come under scrutiny by county board members after an April 11 memo from county Auditor Bill White said two invoices, totaling more than $250,000, from the clerk’s office stemmed from no-bid contracts. On Wednesday, White said three other unpaid bills, totaling more than $135,000, also were the result of no-bid contracts. All of the bills were related to work performed for the April primary. * Daily Southtown | Dolton and Mayor Tiffany Henyard hit with another lawsuit from business owner: A federal lawsuit filed against Dolton and Mayor Tiffany Henyard alleges a business license for a barber shop was denied due to “arbitrary and capricious” actions by the mayor. It’s the latest in a string of lawsuits filed in state and federal court against the village and Henyard, many of which allege retaliatory actions by the mayor and her administration aimed at those who do not support her politically or financially. Tyrone Isom Jr. ultimately did not receive a license to open his barber shop and said he had to sell the property, after putting in thousands of dollars to remodel the building, according to his lawsuit. * Tribune | Northwestern University hazing lawsuits on new track after claims school attorneys mishandled confidential information: Broadly speaking, the lawsuits from former players appeared to be on their way to a settlement, and the Fitzgerald lawsuit was headed for trial next year. But now there appears to be little hope of resolving the ex-players’ suits via mediation, attorneys said. That process “has gotten us not only nowhere but backward,” attorney Lance Northcutt , who represents multiple former players, said in court Tuesday. * NBC Chicago | Suburban Chicago mall permanently closed over the weekend: Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale, the once bustling mall of the 90s, closed for good on Sunday, nearly one month after plans to shutter the mall were first announced. As of Monday, the mall’s website has been removed. Opened in 1981, the mall was previously anchored by Sears, Marshall Fields, and Carson Pirie Scott. It faced many challenges, like other malls across the country trying to keep up with the changing retail landscape, the surge of online shopping and the economy. * Tribune | Angel Reese isn’t taking anything for granted as a WNBA rookie, but her goals for the Chicago Sky are set: ‘I want to dominate’: Throughout her introductory news conference Wednesday, Reese kept emphasizing that she can’t get ahead of herself. She knows the harsh reality of making a roster in the WNBA — and she’s prepared to fight for her spot on the Sky this season. “I don’t want to go into the league thinking that I’m automatically on the team because I’m not,” Reese said. “Anybody can get cut any given day. We have amazing vets on our team and I know they’re gonna push me every day to get even better. There’s no given spot. I don’t take this moment for granted (like) I’m just gonna have it given to me. I need to go out there and earn my spot.” * Tribune | OK, then what? After likely drafting Caleb Williams at No. 1, here are 11 players the Chicago Bears might target at No. 9.: General manager Ryan Poles is excited about the flexibility he likely will have with the team’s second top-10 pick, while coach Matt Eberflus said at last month’s owners meetings he expects the Bears to land a “blue player” at No. 9, the color-coded label that indicates the highest level of prospect. That means the Bears anticipate adding an immediate impact starter. * Bloomberg | Allstate will insure California homes again — under one condition: Allstate confirmed in a statement to Bloomberg News that it seeks to increase its market share in California, but rates must “fully reflect the cost of providing insurance to consumers” before agreeing to lift its current restrictions. The new rules will allow for rate increases that the company says will ensure they can pay customers’ claims in the event of a fire, according to the statement. * Crain’s | Why Realtor settlement might not change commissions much — or even at all: To be clear, Realtor commissions are unlikely to go away. Traditionally, broker compensation was advertised on multiple listing sites visible only to Realtors, but that practice will be prohibited. Under the settlement agreement announced in March, listing agents will no longer be permitted to advertise the commission to buyers’ agents, a practice that change advocates have said led representatives toward homes with higher commissions, a breach of fiduciary duty for Realtors working on behalf of buyers.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Apr 25, 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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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Sun-Times…
* WICS | Senator urges residents to ‘hog’ all the bacon on new Illinois Bacon Day celebration: On May 1st, the Illinois Pork Producers Association will gather at the Illinois State Capitol to celebrate the commemoration of Senate Joint Resolution 50, sponsored by Senator Tom Bennett (R-53), designating May 1st as Illinois Bacon Day. Illinois pig farmers, IPPA staff, and FFA state officers will be handing out BLT sandwiches to legislators at the Illinois State Capital to discuss the role that pork production plays in Illinois. * Center Square | Measure to provide freed prisoners with naloxone advancing in Springfield: The Illinois House recently passed House Bill 5527 that would provide naloxone to people leaving incarceration if they were behind bars for drug-related charges or have a substance abuse problem. The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, said studies have shown overdose is the leading cause of death for people recently released from incarceration. He said funds from Illinois’ share of the nationwide opioid settlement will cover the cost. * Center Square | Illinois federal judges rescind ‘discriminatory’ policies after complaint: The rules that gave newer, Black female attorneys more time in oral arguments were discriminatory and illegal, he said. “Oral argument is not something the court has to give somebody, but the standing orders of the judges said that they will give oral argument to litigants that have either a female or minority lawyer, pretty much illegal,” said Shestokas. * Tribune | Lawyers for indicted Ald. Carrie Austin say she’s medically unfit for trial, plans to retire in March: In a motion Friday afternoon, Austin’s attorney, Thomas Anthony Durkin, asked that her case be severed from Wilson’s and that she be declared medically unfit for trial due to chronic and worsening heart failure, as well as a breathing condition “that makes her feel like she is drowning when she lays down, so she can only sleep in a recliner.” Durkin wrote that the request was made “out of an abundance of concern that Ms. Austin simply will not make it through the stress of trial or the difficult pretrial preparation.” * Tribune | April Perry nominated for federal judge, nixing bid to be Chicago’s first female U.S. attorney: Perry is being nominated to fill a seat being vacated by U.S. District Judge Nancy Maldonaldo, who has been nominated to the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago, the White House announced Wednesday. Meanwhile, the search for Lausch’s replacement will likely have to begin anew and almost certainly won’t be decided until after the 2024 presidential election in November. * Sun-Times | Family of Dexter Reed files federal civil rights lawsuit over his killing by Chicago police: The lawsuit accuses Chicago police of promoting “brutally violent, militarized policing tactics,” and argues that the five officers who stopped Reed “created an environment that directly resulted in his death.” Reed, 26, was driving in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand Street in Humboldt Park on March 21 when tactical officers in an unmarked car stopped his GMC Terrain. Video footage released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability shows the officers drawing their guns as they yelled for Reed to lower his window and open his door. * Crain’s | Foxtrot, Dom’s facing lawsuit one day after shuttering stores: The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed this morning in federal court in Chicago. It alleges that Foxtrot, Dom’s and parent company Outfox Hospitality violated the federal and state Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification acts. The WARN acts, as they are commonly called, require companies to give employees 60 days’ notice of a mass layoff or plant closure, and provide compensation during that notice period. * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan’s mayor says invitation to Bears was worth a shot: ‘We have to explore every opportunity for economic development’: As the Chicago Bears embark on a plan to build a new stadium near their current Soldier Field home, Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor said she has no regrets about having invited the team to relocate 50 miles north to her city’s lakefront. Taylor said she knew when she invited the Bears to explore putting a stadium on undeveloped lakefront property in June it was a longshot, but the team responded and she also heard from other developers who wanted to be part of any such project. * ABC Chicago | Des Plaines’ St. Zachary School closing after more than 60 years: St. Zachary School in Des Plaines reportedly had only 20 students enrolled for next year, and the school will be closing at the end of this year. A spokesperson from the Office of Catholic Schools called the news “heartbreaking,” saying the decision “only came after thoughtful exploration of multiple options to keep the school sustainable.” * Daily Herald | Judge: Accused Highland Park shooter gets some phone privileges restored: Rossetti ordered Robert Crimo III be allowed to speak by phone with his parents and siblings. The defendant’s phone privileges were suspended last year after authorities say he violated jail rules by using another inmate’s PIN number to call his mother, after his phone privileges were suspended for threatening corrections officers. * Daily Herald | With new campaign contributions in tow, Elk Grove mayor announces reelection bid: Already Elk Grove Village’s longest-serving mayor, Craig Johnson announced Tuesday he will seek an unprecedented eighth term in next year’s election. At the same time, longtime Trustee Chris Prochno — who has been Johnson’s right hand on the village board as long as he’s been mayor — announced she won’t seek another term, wrapping up a 28-year tenure a year from now. * Crain’s | Tech entrepreneur Tom Siebel gives U of I another $50M to fund data science: Tom Siebel, one of the most famous tech entrepreneurs to graduate from the University of Illinois, is doubling down on his support of the school’s computer science program as it gears up to handle the next big thing: artificial intelligence. Siebel, 71, is giving another $50 million to the school, bringing his total donations to $110 million, the university says. The U of I is naming its computer science department the Siebel School of Computing & Data Science. * Tribune | 2024 NFL draft: Everything you need to know, including when the Chicago Bears pick and how you can watch: It’s all happening in downtown Detroit, where top prospects will walk the red carpet at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza before Round 1 — and the traditional booing of Commissioner Roger Goodell — starts at 7 p.m. Thursday CDT. Rounds 2 and 3 will happen Friday beginning at 6 p.m., with Rounds 4-7 kicking off at noon Saturday. * Business Insider | Threads just dethroned X, according to this key metric: Meta’s newest app, launched last summer on the back of Instagram’s tech, has seen daily active users grow consistently since November, according to usage estimates from Apptopia. Threads is a direct rival of X, formerly Twitter, which has struggled to maintain its user base since Elon Musk acquired the platform about 18 months ago. * Missouri Independent | Bill ending Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood clears Missouri Senate: A bill that would make Planned Parenthood ineligible to receive reimbursements from the state’s Medicaid program passed out of the Missouri Senate early Wednesday morning after an 11-hour Democratic filibuster. The bill now returns to the House, where it can be sent to Gov. Mike Parson to sign into law. * AP | Airlines will now be required to give automatic cash refunds for canceled and delayed flights: The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for canceled flights and “significant” delays. Under current regulations, airlines decide how long a delay must last before triggering refunds. The administration is removing that wiggle room by defining a significant delay as lasting at least three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones.
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Pritzker says he ‘remains skeptical’ about Bears proposal: ‘I’m not sure that this is among the highest priorities for taxpayers’ (Updated)
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker was asked today about his thoughts on the Bears’ domed stadium proposal…
Please pardon any transcription errors. You can watch the team’s press conference today on the Bears’ homepage. …Adding… Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren was introduced as the man who shepherded Minnesota Vikings’ new stadium project. From a recent local newspaper story…
…Adding… Mayor Johnson is going all-in with effusive praise, and claimed: “This project will result in no new taxes on the residents of Chicago.” Except, nobody has yet said how that new capital spending will be paid for. …Adding… The mayor just said the new venue would host several events. What he doesn’t say is that the plan allows the Bears to keep the revenues from those events. …Adding… Is it weird that they’re doing a splashy news media briefing before briefing the governor? …Adding… This is the capital plan. The Bears claim they’ve worked “closely with the state” on funding sources, but the governor’s office says they haven’t talked to them about it…  That’s $1.5 billion in capital longterm. Also note the fine print at the bottom. “Financial forecasts subject to change.” …Adding… $15 million for the state ain’t much. Just sayin…  …Adding… Click here for the full press release. Renderings are here. Economic impact study is here. …Adding… Gov. Pritzker just pointed out during another press conference that three professional sports teams are hoping to build new stadiums, but the Bears plan uses all the available bonding authority for this project, leaving nothing for the other two. …Adding… Isabel just asked how the capital plan will be funded. “There are dollars that we believe exist at the state level, at the potentially federal level, [and] at the city level,” CEO Williams said. So, he didn’t answer the question. Isabel asked a follow-up about specific funding from the state, but Williams would only say “We do look forward to having some detailed conversations with the state here in the near future.” …Adding… Senate President Harmon react…
…Adding… House Speaker Chris Welch…
Welch also told reporters today that if he put this plan on the big board today it would fail miserably. …Adding… Asked if he thought the plan could run this spring or if they would wait until the veto session, Warren said…
…Adding… Mayor Johnson was asked: “You have a host of progressive priorities in the capital such as more education and migrant funding. How are you going to make a progressive case for a publicly funded sports stadium?” The response…
…Adding… A top Pritzker administration official says the Bears “have no risk under this scenario. The risk is 100% on the state.” …Adding… Asked about the White Sox plan, Warren admitted the Bears’ plan “doesn’t include any money for what they want. But it doesn’t mean that money does not exist for what they want. So that’s why we’re continuing conversations.” Um. OK. Magic money? …Adding… Gov. Pritzker went from saying he remained skeptical this morning, to saying he is “highly skeptical of the proposal that’s been made” this afternoon. He continued: “I believe strongly that this is not a high priority for legislators and certainly not for me, when I compare it to all the other things when we’re talking about health care here, even when you talk about capital for health care as they’re asking for capital for a stadium.” …Adding… Gov. Pritzker said he could eventually support a plan, but this plan “can be a lot better for taxpayers than what they put forward.” …Adding… Speaker Welch told reporters today what he said he told the Bears privately last week: “If we were to put this issue on the board for a vote right now, it would fail and it would fail miserably. There’s no environment for something like this today. Now in Springfield environments change. Will that environment change within the next 30 days? I think that’s highly unlikely.” …Adding… More from Welch today…
…Adding… Sen. Peters…
And Sen. Lewis…
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Bloomberg…
* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois Restaurant Association and more…
* WAND…
* WCIA…
* SJ-R…
SB2209 has not made it out of Senate Appropriations. * Rep. Harry Benton…
* Rep. Laura Faver Dias…
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It sure looks like lawmakers were right to be worried
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WTTW last week…
That bill passed 92-8. * Well, Sarah Karp and Nader Issa crunched the numbers and found that CPS - which also appears to be playing a game of “Hide the ball” - is indeed cutting budgets for selective enrollment and magnet schools…
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Flashback: Candidate Johnson opposed Bears stadium subsidies (Updated x2)
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Mayor Johnson will attend the Bears’ press conference today unveiling plans for its new domed stadium. From a media advisory…
* From a mayoral runoff debate in early March of 2023…
…Adding… From the Chicago Public Schools’ 2024 capital plan document…
And yet the mayor is supporting hundreds of millions of dollars in capital spending to build a domed stadium for a wealthy NFL franchise on Lake Michigan. …Adding… SDG supports using state capital money for sports stadiums? Unreal… 
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$117.7B Economic Impact: More Than Healthcare Providers, Hospitals Are Economic Engines
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois hospitals and health systems are essential to economic growth across the state. A new report illustrates the hospital community’s role as strong economic contributors who fuel $117.7 billion in economic activity every year, resulting in good-paying jobs and more vibrant communities. While hospitals are first and foremost providers of life-saving care, their role stretches farther. They are innovators; community partners in addressing challenges of food insecurity, homelessness, health disparities and more; and major employers serving as the hub of economic activity in their communities. Illinois hospitals and health systems create 445,000 direct and indirect jobs, and they support working families through over $50 billion in direct and indirect payroll annually. What’s more:
• Illinois hospitals directly employ 190,000 Illinoisans; and • Every $1 in hospital spending leads to another $1.40 in spending. As larger purchasers of supplies and services, Illinois hospitals and health systems spend nearly $62 billion to have on hand for every patient the medical equipment and supplies needed to care for patients in any circumstance. In addition, the hospital community spends over $5.5 billion in capital projects yearly that benefit patients, and provide good jobs to Illinois workers. Learn more about the hospital community’s economic impact.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Bears want taxpayers to help pay for their new stadium, experts say city unlikely to get revenue. ABC Chicago…
* Related stories…
∙ Sun-Times: Bears to reveal how they want to pay for a domed lakefront stadium — and what it will look like ∙ Crain’s: Bears will unveil $3.2B domed stadium, with a potential final price of $4.7B Governor Pritzker will be at Silver Cross Hospital Conference Center in New Lenox at 10 am and Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine at 12:15 pm promoting the Healthcare Protection Act. Click here to watch. Bear’s Lakeshore Redevelopment press conference at noon in Soldier Field. You can watch here. Mayor Brandon Johnson will attend the news conference. * Press release…
* From Sean Tenner…
* Illinois Answers | For Many Illinoisans in Flood-Prone Areas, Buyouts Are the Only Way Out: In Illinois, there are two buyout programs: one run by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and funded through state legislative allocation, and another run by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Buyouts offer people in distress significant help, but they often come with long wait times and bureaucratic complications. And they often don’t prevent people from moving into other flood-prone areas, experts who evaluate these programs told the Illinois Answers Project. * ABC Chicago | Recycle plastic bags? New information about where they really end up: ABC News and the I-Team first glued trackers to plastic bags in May 2023 and dropped them off at Target and Walmart stores with plastic bag recycling. Out of the 46 trackers deployed by ABC News and ABC stations, a majority of the bags ended up at landfills or incinerators. * Sun-Times Editorial Board | Time for a leadership change at CTA: Show Dorval Carter the exit door: Everyone agrees, it seems, except Mayor Brandon Johnson, who so far has resisted the idea of replacing Carter despite the overwhelming hue and cry from aldermen, CTA riders, transit advocates and now the governor to do so. But with the CTA, Metra and Pace together facing a $730 million shortfall once federal COVID-19 funding runs out in 2026, a Carter-run CTA is a potential liability to the city’s efforts to seek state funding to shore up the agency’s finances. * SJ-R | Top general for Illinois National Guard retiring after joining military nearly 40 years ago: On May 4, Neely, the adjutant general for Illinois and commander of the Illinois National Guard, will be giving the flag back, marking his retirement from the military after nearly 40 years of service. “It’s the symbology of one leader giving the flag up and one leader taking the flag,” Neely said, referring to his successor, Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, the assistant adjutant general. “One…of my priorities was to ensure the continuity of leadership. * WTVO | Pritzker touts Healthcare Protection Act as ‘lifesaving’ bill in Rockford visit: Pritzker was at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center on Tuesday to explain what the bill, which has been passed in the House, could mean for patients, doctors, and insurance companies. “With this bill, we’re putting power back in the hands of doctors and patients,” Pritzer said. * Illinois Farmer today | Farmland values increase at slower rate with tighter profits: While farmland remains a stable long-term investment with a long track record of growing in value, tight profit margins could mean a few years of stepping back in land values, Purdue University ag economist Michael Langemeier says. “Farmers are just more cautious for obvious reasons when they start seeing signs the margins are tighter,” he says. * WBEZ | Most of Chicago’s mass shootings involve young victims: More than half – 53% – of mass shootings in Chicago involved at least one victim younger than 20. Mass shootings have occurred in 56 of the city’s 77 community areas, but nearly three-fourths of them have happened in just 16 communities on the city’s South and West sides. * Tribune | Police Department rules Officer Luis Huesca died in line of duty: The designation was announced Tuesday, on what would have been Huesca’s 31st birthday, and it entitles his family to survivor’s death benefits. In a message to all CPD members, Superintendent Larry Snelling said he’s recently spent time with those closest to Huesca. * WBEZ | CPS’s selective and magnet schools appear to take a hit under new equity funding formula: So with no clear sources of new revenue, it appears CPS is redistributing existing funding from some schools to others, based on a WBEZ/Sun-Times analysis and interviews with school leaders. The district has so far refused to publicly release the budgets for broader analysis. Jen Johnson, the deputy mayor for education, told WBEZ that the mayor’s office instructed the district to protect programming at all schools, even as it looks to prioritize high-poverty schools. * Tribune | Chicago-based Dutch Farms makes bid to buy bankrupt Oberweis Dairy: Brian Boomsma, owner of Chicago-based Dutch Farms, made a stalking horse bid for nearly all of the operating assets of the company, with plans to “operate and grow the business” when it emerges from bankruptcy, Adam Kraber, president of Oberweis, said in a news release. * Tribune | Water quality has improved dramatically in the Chicago River. But how safe is swimming?: “A lot of people think about the Chicago River as being super gross, super polluted,” Elsa Anderson, an assistant professor of environmental science at Northwestern University, said. “And at one point in time, that was true. But with the Clean Water Act in the early 1970s, it’s not.” Anderson said scientists have been able to measure the river’s improvement by looking at the vast increase in fish and plant species. The river has become a thriving wetland, according to Anderson. * Shaw Local | McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally calls his surprise decision to step down ‘agonizing’: He also said that there is someone who is going to take his place, although he declined to identify whom. Who would replace him on the November ballot will also be a decision involving the county’s Republican Party. : * Daily Southtown | Will County Board Republicans sue county executive over 143rd Street project veto: Bertino-Tarrant inadvertently signed the resolution that stopped the widening Feb. 16, realized her mistake and then vetoed it the next day. The County Board did not have enough votes to override the veto. The lawsuit, filed April 18 by attorneys Steven Laduzinsky, John Partelow and Jeff Tomczak, said there is no authority in Illinois law that allows a county executive to sign and approve a resolution and then subsequently veto it. The lawsuit cites the Illinois Counties Code that says when the executive approved the resolution on Feb. 16 it became law. * AP | College students, inmates and a nun: Unique book club meets at Cook County Jail: For college senior Nana Ampofo, an unconventional book club inside one of the nation’s largest jails has transformed her career ambitions. Each week, the 22-year-old drives a van of her DePaul University peers to Cook County Jail to discuss books with inmates and recently, the well-known activist Sister Helen Prejean. Ampofo comes prepared with thought-provoking questions to launch the conversations at the Chicago jail about the most recent books they’ve been reading together. * WCIA | State senator weighs in on Champaign School Board ‘chaos’: It’s not very often a state senator gets involved with a school board’s inner workings, but Rose had been reading about frustrations within the district. He decided to reach out to the State Board of Education’s Superintendent Tony Sanders about a month ago. “You maybe just pick up the phone and suggest mediation for this board, maybe organize some facilitators to come down and have a sit-down, and try to put Humpty-Dumpty back together again,” Rose said. * Sun-Times | Ken ‘Hawk’ Harrelson on White Sox: ‘It’s been ugly, and I feel bad for our fans’: No one lived and breathed the White Sox more than Ken Harrelson, the retired Hall of Fame broadcaster. There is no bigger fan. Maybe it’s a good thing he and his wife, Aris, had been at their Florida home until they returned to Granger, Indiana, two days ago. Until watching the 7-0 loss to the Twins on Monday, Harrelson had followed his beloved online, reading box scores and reports and communicating via other channels as his South Side nine crumbled to an embarrassing 3-19 start. * Daily Herald | Illinois PGA tournament season to feature team play: Team play will make its debut on May 13 at the first stroke play event at Schaumburg Golf Club. This is real team play, not best ball or foursome competitions. With nine six-player teams and a seven-tournament schedule, it more closely resembles what the LIV Golf League started doing three years ago at its tournaments. * WaPo | Bird flu virus found in grocery milk as officials say supply still safe: Viral fragments of bird flu have been identified in samples of milk taken from grocery store shelves in the United States, a finding that does not necessarily suggest a threat to human health but indicates the avian flu virus is more widespread among dairy herds than previously thought, according to two public health officials and a public health expert who was briefed on the issue. * WaPo Op Ed | You don’t want immigrants? Then tell grandma she can never retire: To put a finer point on it, there’s so much demand for workers now that even the most marginal American workers, such as teenagers and people with disabilities, are doing unusually well in the labor market. Ironically, some parts of the country complaining loudest about immigration today are the same places trying to loosen limits on child labor because their worker shortages are so acute. * AP | Cicadas are so noisy in a South Carolina county that residents are calling the police: Some people have even flagged down deputies to ask what the noise is all about, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said. The nosiest cicadas were moving around the county of about 38,000 people, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Columbia, prompting calls from different locations as Tuesday wore on, Foster said.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Apr 24, 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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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Shaw Local…
* HuffPost…
* Shaw Local | Debate on IHSA transfer policies seems likely to intensify: It has been in the Rules Committee since March 2023. State Rep. Camille Lilly, D-Chicago, became the chief sponsor on April 15, 2024, the day the committee approved it for consideration and sent it to the Elementary & Secondary Education Committee. Lilly filed the floor amendment that has the IHSA on high alert: “An association or other entity that has as one of its purposes promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within this state may not adopt any policy restricting a student from participating in interscholastic athletics when the student transfers from one school to another school.” * KWQC | Illinois ranks 2nd highest in number of tornadoes so far this year in the US: Iowa has had 15 tornadoes so far this season, all of which occurred during the severe weather outbreak on April 16. Illinois, on the other hand, has had 40 preliminary reports of tornadoes so far this year, trough April 22. * NBC Chicago | Multiple Chicago, Illinois high schools land on new ranking of ‘Best High Schools’ for 2024: While suburban schools didn’t rank as high on the national list, many topped the report’s list of best high schools for 2024 in the state of Illinois, including Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Vernon Hills High School in Vernon Hills New Trier Township High School in Winnetka and Hinsdale Central High School in Hinsdale. * Chalkbeat | Chicago’s low-income families of students with disabilities eligible for new $500 grants: The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities is partnering with Ada S. McKinley Community Services to distribute $5 million through the new Diverse Learners Recovery Fund, supported by American Rescue Plan dollars, which the federal government distributed to help cities and states recover from the pandemic. Chicago received nearly $1.9 billion in those funds, which must be allocated for spending by December 2024, according to the city. * Block Club | Only Half Of Black Seniors Approved For Home Repair Or Refinance Loans To Age In Place: Between 2018 and 2022, Black neighbors 62 and older were twice as likely to be denied home loans as their white counterparts in Chicago, an analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data by the Investigative Project on Race and Equity shows. Over that time, 48 percent of older Black residents across the city were denied a mortgage loan compared to 23 percent of white applicants, the data shows. * Crain’s | With precious few existing homes for sale, buyers shift to new construction: When they bought a Wicker Park site a year ago with a plan to build 10 condos there, one of the development principals expected that when the units were ready to go up for sale, they would take about six months to sell. Wrong. It took three months to get buyers under contract for all 10 units of the Crystal Street condos, at asking prices of $650,000 to $1.25 million. * Sun-Times | Loop’s weekend foot traffic exceeds level before pandemic, but retail vacancies still at record high: The average weekend pedestrian activity on State Street was 107% of 2019 levels. During the work week from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., foot traffic was about 91% of pre-pandemic activity. Total pedestrian activity on State Street was up 7% compared to the first quarter of 2023, representing 1.5 million “impressions” per week, and 94% of 2019 levels. The impressions are counted by analytics firm Springboard MRI, which collects data daily from counters on top of buildings along State Street, from Ida B. Wells to Wacker Drive, that track silhouettes of people but not any identifying features. * Crain’s | Paris Schutz to join Fox 32 Chicago after departing WTTW: He will help fill the void left by recently retired political editor Mike Flannery. “I’m really excited about the opportunity at FOX to do creative and unique things . . . like long-form interviews, roundtables and enterprise stories,” said Schutz. “I was really excited by the management at FOX, talking about how they wanted to be really entrepreneurial, and they really wanted to move into the future of local TV news.” * WBEZ | Here’s how some Chicagoans are taking an eco-friendly approach to funerals: Green burial is a catchall term for many new far-out interment options, including human composting and aquamation, also called water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis. But for many, green burial simply means placing a body directly into the ground, according to Sam Perry, a mortuary science professor at Southern Illinois University. He is also president of the Green Burial Council, a nonprofit that sets burial standards. * Chicago Daily Law Bulletin | Suspend attorney over baseless lawsuits, ARDC board says: An attorney who filed frivolous lawsuits against the village of Tinley Park and one its attorneys after being denied employment should be suspended for six months, according to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission hearing board.Stephen E. Eberhardt was charged with filing frivolous claims and engaging in conduct that had no substantial purpose other than to embarrass and burden the village of Tinley Park and several of its officials, in violation of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. * Daily Herald | Controversial Downers Grove library trustee removed from board: Bill Nienburg’s controversial tenure as a Downers Grove Library Board trustee ended last week when the village council voted 4-3 to remove him from the board. The April 16 vote came roughly six weeks after library trustees censured Nienburg and recommended his removal from the board. * Sun-Times | Finding early morel mushrooms is underway: Ryan Leonard found morels in the past week, noting, “I think they were the earliest I have found them. Found four tiny ones Thursday. This morning I found about 20 on my Sunday morning walk in Park Ridge. They were fresh and I think with more rain this week they should really come out. I’m hoping for a good season.” * Daily Herald | ‘A transformative force’: Lurie Children’s Hospital breaks ground on outpatient center in Schaumburg: The project is an expansion for Lurie in the Northwest suburbs as well as a replacement for its smaller facilities in Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates and Huntley, which will close upon its completion. In a letter outlining the project last year, Lurie officials cited a 150% increase over the past decade in patient visits to their satellite locations, which have limited access and extended wait lists. * WICS | Generation X nostalgia exhibition earns top honors at Illinois State Museum: “Growing Up X” won an Award of Superior Achievement, the highest award given in the exhibits category, and the Innovation Award for the interactive rec room component of the exhibit. The exhibit explored the toys, technology, and cultural touchstones familiar to those born between 1965 and 1980 in their youth. It was the first museum exhibition in the country to focus on Generation X. * SJ-R | Springfield-area man who is part-time police officer slams Jeep into school, leaves scene: McIntire insisted he was sober at the time of the crash. McIntire, who was driving westbound on Temple Street and crossed North Miller Street, said he swerved to avoid a collision with “a bunch of deer and dogs” in the road. McIntire stated he had a case of beer in the trunk of the jeep and started drinking on his way home. He told deputies that he had drunk around 10 beers and consumed “a large amount of vodka” before deputies arrived at his home. * SJ-R | Springfield school district employees to have choice of insurance plans as costs rise: School District 186 Superintendent Jennifer Gill insisted it wasn’t the district that was responsible for increased health insurance rates for employees who take the plan. That came from the carrier, Cigna, because of high claimants in the district and the overall spiraling costs of health care in the country, she said. * WICS | Jacksonville hospital hosts flag-raising to emphasize organ donation importance: According to Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, which serves Illinois and northwest Indiana, nearly 5,000 Illinoisans are currently waiting for an organ transplant. “April is National Donate Life Month,” said Carrie Carls, chief nursing officer at JMH. “We hold the flag-raising ceremony each year as a way to honor organ and tissue donors for giving the gift of life to others.” * Tribune | Navy Pier announces summer 2024 music, fireworks and sports events: Chicago: Home of House Exhibit (May 1 to Oct. 31): Commemorating the 40th anniversary of house music, an exhibit devoted to the artists from Chicago’s South and West Sides who helped create the style. Presented in partnership with the Design Museum of Chicago and Vintage House Show Collective. * STL Today | Busch Stadium food: Which menu items score and which strike out?: Farmtruk chef and owner Samantha Mitchell knows how to feed a stadium. Her food truck has already established a presence at Enterprise Center for the Blues and Citypark for City SC. And beginning this season, you can find Farmtruk in the right-field upper deck at Busch (429). Yes, you’ll need to make a pilgrimage there if you’re sitting elsewhere, but Farmtruk will repay the effort with the best food in the ballpark — by far. * AP | US government agrees to $138.7M settlement over FBI’s botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations: The U.S. Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest. When combined with other settlements, $1 billion now has been set aside by various organizations to compensate hundreds of women who said Nassar assaulted them under the guise of treatment for sports injuries. * Capitol B | Flint’s Warning to America: The federal Environmental Protection Agency and officials with Flint’s mayor’s and city attorney’s offices did not respond to multiple requests from Capital B for comment. Residents argue that even though they’ve brought the country’s water woes to the forefront, they’re in a worse position today despite hundreds of millions of dollars of investment — and they want you to know that your city can be next. * WaPo | Why this summer may be especially hot in the United States: The hot summer forecast is linked to the probable switch from the El Niño to La Niña climate pattern by the summer’s second half. While La Niña has a small cooling effect on the planet overall, it has boosted summer heat in the United States, especially in recent years when human-caused climate change has also fueled higher temperatures. * Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi | Countering Chinese cyber threats of tomorrow demands we prepare today: Recent reports revealed that the Justice Department and FBI were authorized to disable hundreds of U.S.-based routers hijacked by Volt Typhoon. This operation protected everyday citizens from malicious PRC-sponsored cyber actors and is exactly the type of action necessary to counter cyber threats before they escalate. Second, we must deter our adversaries. As the “father of information theory” Claude Shannon once said: “assume the enemy knows the system.” Although malicious Chinese code has yet to disrupt our networks, any cyberattack leading to physical harm or loss of life would invoke our inherent right to self-defense.
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McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally abruptly aborts reelection bid without explanation
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Shaw Local…
* Here’s a February, 2023 op-ed by State’s Attorney Kenneally…
* That’s… not how he has always behaved. From a CBS2 story on November 30, 2020…
* I also don’t recall him speaking out about this…
Except to say this…
* And then there was this 2023 op-ed by State’s Attorney Kenneally that undercut state cannabis laws…
Gov. Pritzker’s office released a statement in part saying that the governor, “is disappointed to learn that the McHenry County State’s Attorney prefers focusing on spreading disinformation instead of tackling the issues that keep actually keep residents safe.” * He has, however, filed his share of lawsuits. 2022…
* ABC 7…
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * I still call it “pop.” You?…  >
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* KSDK…
* SJ-R…
* Riverbender…
* Rep. Sharon Chung…
* WSPY…
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Protect Illinois Hospitality – Vote No On House Bill 5345
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] “Making the Southland a destination for people visiting Chicago is a top priority for the groups we represent. We are building a new casino that will employ hundreds, bring in millions in local revenues, and increase employment opportunities for our community in the hospitality industry. This is why we need to find ways to help support these businesses – the restaurants, hotels, and now casinos, but eliminating the tip credit is not the answer. Instead of passing unnecessary solutions for a problem that doesn’t exist, let’s work together to find better options that will benefit our local businesses, help reduce the possibility of empty storefronts, and support our neighboring communities.” Cornel Darden, Jr.
Tell your state legislators to VOTE NO on House Bill 5345 and Protect Illinois Hospitality
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You gotta be kidding me
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Crain’s back in February…
Hilarious. He’s doing neither right now. * More from that February story…
* Three wins and 19 losses later, here’s Crain’s again…
Wait, what happened to the $2 billion in total public funding that Reinsdorf himself talked about?
$200 million in private funding for a publicly owned stadium is not “significant.” It’s an insult. * Frankly, I’ve begun to believe that the White Sox are only floating this South Loop idea to prevent the Bears from tapping into the excess bonding authority at the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. All we’ve seen so far from the team is a couple of quickie AI renderings (complete with misspellings). And then a few hours after the Bears announced that they’ll lay out an actual stadium plan on Wednesday, supposedly with $2 billion in private money, the Sox come up with this little press pop. Makes you wonder.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Beth, who serve their communities with dedication and pride. For more information, click here Happy Dog Barkery - We Are RetaIL (irma.org)
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Moody’s revises Illinois outlook from stable to positive (Updated)
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
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Open thread
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Chicago Bears to announce plans Wednesday for new domed stadium on lakefront. Tribune…
- The team said it plans to present a “state-of-the-art, publicly owned enclosed stadium, along with additional green and open space with access to the lakefront for families and fans, on the Museum Campus.” -The team has pledged to spend $2 billion in private money for the project. The cost of the stadium is estimated at $2.5 billion to $3 billion, plus $1 billion for associated roads and other infrastructure. * Related stories…
∙ Daily Herald: Bears to unveil plans for domed stadium on lakefront Wednesday ∙ Crain’s: Reinsdorf offers to open wallet for new Sox stadium ∙ WGN: Illinois: We like our sports teams more than our jobs, study shows At 11:45 am, Governor Pritzker will be at the Rockford OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center on his state-wide tour to promote the Healthcare Protection Act. Click here to watch. * Sierra Club Chicago calls for new CTA leadership…  * Tribune | Illinois residents encouraged to destroy the eggs of invasive insects to slow spread: The spongy moth, formerly known as the gypsy moth, has been in Illinois for decades and can strip leaves and kill trees, sometimes defoliating large swaths of land. Kathryn Bronsky, a national policy manager with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said while it’s important to stop spongy moths from killing trees in the 20 states in which they are currently established, it’s even more important to limit the insect’s expansion across the United States. * STLPR | Pritzker, local lawmakers tout health insurance reform in Belleville hospital visit: Dr. Jennifer Neville, an internal medicine specialist based at BJC’s location in Shiloh, treats women with osteoporosis who have an increased risk of fracturing their bones. Often Neville prescribes a higher-tier medication to her patients, but it’s usually denied right away, she said. “Unfortunately, this process is the norm,” Neville said. “I spend an inordinate amount of time and resources fighting with the insurers to get the patients the care they need.” * SJ-R | As Illinois weighs carbon dioxide pipeline moratorium, feds recommend technology: Following visits to Archer Daniels Midland facilities in Decatur and Springfield, U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Brad Crabtree touched down in the Illinois State Capitol on April 16. The state, he said, plays a major role in helping the Biden administration’s goal of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Carbon capture can help in its aim, Crabtree added, while not hindering manufacturing. * Capitol Connection | Keicher gives update on Republican priorities heading into final month of session: Lawmakers are preparing to head into their last month of the Spring Legislative Session. The budget will take center stage, as the state deals with a tight fiscal year. Representative Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) joined Capitol Connection to talk about the rest of session, the role Republicans will play in the final days, and a couple of his own legislative priorities. * Center Square | Bill enhancing penalties for threats against librarians stalls: Long pauses were taken by state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Downers Grove, when she was questioned by a fellow Democratic representative on the House floor Friday. The bill would enhance penalties for those who transmit lewd or offensive behavior against a librarian in any manner. State Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, said Murray didn’t have a clear definition for lewd and offensive behavior. * High Times | Illinois Governor Cites Cannabis Reform While Campaigning for Biden: At a campaign stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday, Pritzker said that cannabis policy reform can have significant economic benefits in states that legalize marijuana for adults. “I wanted to come up here on 4/20, because we, too, legalized cannabis in the state of Illinois, and I know that’s been a boon to not only state revenues but also to business and job creation in the state of Michigan,” said Pritzker, according to a report from Michigan Advance. * Daily Herald | Congressional primary winners vastly outraised and outspent their opponents: The fundraising front-runner of the group, Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster of Naperville, already has raked in more than $2 million and spent more than $1 million to retain his 11th District seat. Foster’s primary challenger, fellow Naperville resident Qasim Rashid, was the only defeated candidate in either district to spend in the six-figure range. Even so, he lagged far behind Foster. * Capitol Connection | Rape Crisis Centers in dire need of life raft from the state: The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault is asking the state for $20 million dollars, which is more than double what they get from the state currently. They need additional money because the federal government cut down the amount of money going to a fund for victims of crimes. Several facilities have already closed their doors because of the shortfall. * Austin Weekly News | Rep. La Shawn Ford spotlights opioid crisis with Harm Reduction Solidarity Week: At a news conference in Springfield April 17, Ford was joined by the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Sameer Vohra, and the Illinois Harm Reduction and Recovery Coalition, along with other advocates, to spotlight the crisis and efforts to stop it and to save lives. “We were educating the Springfield members, and all those that listen, about how important it is to have what you call harm reduction tools in our community,” Ford said. * Tribune | Senators show confidence in Johnson’s O’Hare rebuild plan: Johnson wants to change the sequencing of construction on the long-awaited Global Terminal and two new satellite concourses. That idea had initially drawn pushback from the congressional leaders when first reported earlier this month. But Durbin and Duckworth rallied behind the plan Monday. “We’re in a better place. There’s been an effort to increase the conversation,” Durbin said at a groundbreaking for a separate O’Hare redevelopment project. “I think we have a proposal that will reach our goal of 25% increased capacity.” * Sun-Times | Makeover of O’Hare’s Terminal 3 takes off as airlines mull deal on expansion, Global Terminal: The project calls for wider concourses, renovated restrooms, a revamped baggage claim area, more concession space and a host of other passenger amenities. Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints will also be reconfigured into a single screening area. * Sun-Times | Chicago police union files notice of appeal in case that would open serious discipline cases to the public: At the Police Board’s meeting Thursday, President Kyle Cooper announced that the board would hold off on making final decisions on disciplinary matters in anticipation of an appeal. Cooper noted that 16 officers with pending disciplinary cases have filed motions to transfer their cases to arbitration. * Sun-Times | Chicago police release photos, video of person of interest sought in probe of Officer Luis Huesca slaying: A community alert asks for help in identifying the male “subject,” noting that he “should be considered armed and dangerous.” Meanwhile, those who knew Huesca have been left reeling. Rocio Lasso said she leaned on Huesca after her own son, Andres Vásquez Lasso, was killed in the line of duty last year. * Illinois Review | Steve Boulton Says he’s not Running for Chicago GOP Chairman After IR Exposes his Past Comments Comparing Trump to Hitler, Blames “Far Right” for his Downfall: The embattled chairman lost his election to save his 27th Ward Committeeman seat this past March after he was originally knocked off the primary ballot for submitting an “insufficient number of valid signatures.” Boulton then tried to run as a write-in candidate, but only received 24 votes – falling far short of the 111 required to remain a committeeman. * Sun-Times | Judge OKs $12.25 million class-action settlement over Hilco’s Little Village dust storm: One resident, Elizabeth Rodriguez, told U.S. District Judge Young B. Kim that her husband still has difficulties breathing four years after the event. She and her family were left out of the agreement because she was just outside of the agreed boundaries for payouts. Rodriguez said she lives directly across the street from residents eligible for payments for either property damage or personal injury. Kim told Rodriguez that although she cannot benefit from the agreement, she is not bound by its restrictions, meaning that she can individually sue the companies because she’s not part of the class action. * Crain’s | Raising Cane’s in talks to lease Fulton Market space: The Baton Rouge, La.-based fast-casual restaurant chain is in talks to lease the space at 820 W. Randolph St., formerly home to the Little Goat diner, according to people familiar with the negotiations. A Raising Cane’s spokesperson confirmed that the chain has “a deal moving through out process, but it is still very early to share timeline or anything involving the lease.” * NBC Chicago | Are cicadas already emerging? Images, videos show large sightings in Chicago area: Sightings of cicadas, many still in the ground, have already been reported in numerous parts of the city and suburbs. A wall of what may be cicadas was spotted over the weekend on Wisconsin Avenue in Chicago’s Lincoln Park and Old Town Triangle neighborhoods. In Downers Grove, gardeners reported seeing several just underneath the surface in the soil. * WBEZ | Toni Preckwinkle is unanimously re-elected head of the Cook County Democratic Party: In a brief victory speech, Preckwinkle touted how well Democratic Party-backed candidates did in the March primary, winning 21 out of 23 races — the best “win ratio” for the party in at least 25 years, she said. She acknowledged some narrowly defeated candidates, including Clayton Harris, III, whom she and the party backed for State’s Attorney. He lost to retired judge Eileen O’Neill Burke. Preckwinkle also made a nod to the preparation the party will take on for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, and November’s general election. * Daily Herald | DuPage County clerk won’t attend board meeting to discuss no-bid contracts: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek says she will not attend a Tuesday meeting to answer questions from county board members about two no-bid contracts, totaling more than $250,000, for materials related to the April primary. In a letter sent Monday to DuPage County Board Chairwoman Deborah Conroy, Kaczmarek said she is not an employee of the county board and that she has the authority to make decisions about how she spends her budget. She also suggested that a courtroom, not the county board room, is the proper venue to discuss the issue. * Tribune | Logistics Campus at former Allstate headquarters off to slow start, with plans for lab-grown meat plant on hold: The slower-than-expected start for the $500 million project, one of the largest urban logistics developments in the U.S., may reflect both waning post-pandemic demand for warehouse space and perhaps an overly optimistic bet on when lab-grown chicken would be ready to land on your kitchen table. In October 2022, Allstate sold its longtime north suburban corporate campus for $232 million to Dermody Properties. The Nevada-based developer is turning the 232-acre property, which was annexed by Glenview, into a 10-building, 3.2 million-square-foot industrial park dubbed The Logistics Campus. * Route Fifty | Justices debate whether cities can make sleeping outside a crime: But much of Monday’s hearing centered on whether the city’s law punished people for who they are or for what they did. That’s because in 1962, the Supreme Court ruled that people could be punished for a discrete act, but not for their “status.” The 1962 case involved a California law that punished both drug use and drug addiction. The Supreme Court ruled that the Eighth Amendment prohibited people from being punished for their addiction because it was a status. * USA Today | Contact restored with NASA’s Voyager 1 space probe: For the first time since November, the spacecraft is now returning usable data about the health and status of its onboard engineering systems, NASA said in a news release. The 46-year-old pioneering probe, now some 15.1 billion miles from Earth, has continually defied expectations for its lifespan as it ventures further into the uncharted territory of the cosmos. * Illinois Humanities | Can the Public Humanities Help Prepare Us for Global Warming?: For many, Katrina was the first large-scale extreme weather event clearly borne of global warming. It also highlighted the trademark points that so many had predicted: the vulnerability of low-lying coastal communities; the heaviest burden falling on the poor; the economic disruption; the displacement that results and in many cases becomes permanent. But also the powerful role of grassroots groups and organic networks in response.
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Tuesday, Apr 23, 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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