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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* ProPublica…
Click here to view the complaint. * Citizen Action Illinois…
The complete scorecard is here. * Politico…
* WBEZ | For the third time, Illinois lawmakers fail to pass Karina’s Bill: Despite a coalition of over 40 advocacy groups leading the charge for this bill on the grassroots level, and buy-in from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the bill failed to pass for the third time in a row, leaving advocates “disappointed” and forced to once again look forward to the next legislative session. * WGEM | Illinois comptroller pleased with ‘vanilla’ budget: Mendoza wishes state agencies and her fellow constitutional officers looked for ways they could trim their budgets. “Where do we have bloat? Where are we paying too much for a contract that we can get a better deal on,” she said. * WBEZ | Illinois residents can claim bigger state tax credit next year under new budget: The 2025 spending plan to which the Illinois House gave final legislative approval last week includes funding for once again tying the standard exemption to inflation, meaning the exemption that individuals can claim for tax year 2024 will grow from $2,425 to $2,775. That translates to tax savings for a family of four of more than $69, according to WBEZ calculations. * Riverbender | Sara M. Salger Of Gori Firm Installed As President Of Illinois Trial Lawyers Association: Sara M. Salger, managing partner at The Gori Law Firm in Edwardsville, Illinois, will be installed as the 71st president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) on Friday, June 7, 2024, at its annual convention at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago, Illinois. Salger, 40, received her undergraduate degree in 2004 from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, graduating cum laude. In 2008, she graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law where she received an International Law Certificate and litigation focus. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Missouri. * WTTW | As Locksmith License Requirements Set to Expire, Will Illinois Become the ‘Wild West’ Some Critics Fear?: The state law that currently mandates licensing requirements for locksmiths is expected to sunset in January 2029, thanks to legislation passed in Springfield. Illinois is currently one of only 13 states that require locksmiths to be licensed and is one of the strictest states when it comes to licensing requirements, according to Bill Gibson, executive director at Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA). * WBEZ | Kim Foxx’s proposal to not charge felonies from certain traffic stops has had success elsewhere: [John Choi, the top prosecutor of Ramsey County, which covers St. Paul, Minnesota] said he used to believe such stops were beneficial for police investigations but said he couldn’t ignore that less than 2% resulted in charges and that Black drivers were being stopped at four times the rate of other drivers in St. Paul. “For the longest time, we’ve been policing in a way that is going after that 2% but not recognizing the harm that has been done to communities,” he said when he announced the policy. * Tribune | CPD stresses readiness for Democratic National Convention as Secret Service boss visits Chicago: “With two months left until the convention, we’re finalizing plans and making sure all of our operations are safe,” CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters ahead of a meeting with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. “Make no mistake, we are ready. The partnership, collaboration and open communication between everyone involved is why we are ready.” […] The Secret Service will be in charge of security at the United Center and McCormick Place, where the official DNC events will be held. CPD will retain its jurisdiction across the city and be tasked with handling the expected protests. Other law enforcement agencies — FBI, ATF, Illinois State Police, Cook County sheriff’s police — will also assist. * Sun-Times | $158,234 has been raised so far by all candidates for Chicago’s new elected school board: Candidates have until June 24 to file petitions to get on the ballot in one of 10 districts across the city. The Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ are tracking candidate contributions as they come in. For now, we are only tallying all reported individual contributions over $150 to each candidate in every district. Small donations and in-kind contributions are not included in the total. After the filing deadline, come back for a more granular look at who’s influencing these elections. * Sun-Time | Augustinian Catholic order paid $2 million settlement over rape accusations against priest but left his name off sex abuser list: After hiding the names of sexually abusive priests and religious brothers for years, the Augustinian Catholic order has posted its first public listing of clergy members in its Chicago province deemed to have been child predators, listing five men. The list doesn’t include the Rev. Richard McGrath, who was the longtime head of Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox until he was ousted in 2017 after a student reported seeing a nude image of a boy on the priest’s cell phone while he was a spectator at a wrestling match. * Sun-Times | Priest says he’s OK after run-in with would-be thieves near St. Ignatius: ‘I’m praying for the person who shot at me’: The Rev. Jeremiah Lynch, 73, was in his home about 6 a.m. in the 1000 block of West Taylor Street when he heard noises from a nearby parking lot. When he opened the door to check on what was happening, he saw two males attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a parked car. Lynch asked what they were doing, and one pulled out a gun and fired three shots at him before fleeing, the Chicago police and a spokesperson for St. Ignatius College Prep said. Lynch, who is a priest at the Cook County Jail, suffered a graze wound on the forehead but said he was otherwise OK. * Chicago Mag | The Making of Millennium Park: To mark the 20th anniversary of what has been hailed as “America’s most dazzling urban park,” Chicago spoke with organizers, artists, architects, builders, benefactors, and political insiders who played key roles in its often arduous, sometimes controversial, and ultimately triumphant creation. * Daily Herald | Lake County forest preserves wants to borrow $155 million for habit restoration, land acquisition: Commissioners, during a joint meeting of the forest board’s operations, planning and finance committees, recommended asking voters whether the district should borrow not more than $155 million by issuing general obligation bonds. A tax increase to pay the bonds would cost the owner of home valued at $300,000 about $33 per year, according to the forest preserve district. * SJ-R | Springfield restaurant closing after less than one year being open: An up-and-coming Springfield restaurant is shutting its doors for good.After opening in October 2023, the upscale diner Twisted Fork announced the final day of operation at the restaurant would be on June 5. Owners Amanda and Jered Sandner thanked the community for the restaurant’s support while it was open and made references to future ventures on a Facebook post announcing the closure May 31. * NBC Chicago | More than 1 million chickens dead after massive southern Illinois fire: State Rep. Blaine Wilhour confirmed on his Facebook page that more than one million birds were killed in the fire, which devasted the free-range Farina Farms chicken facility. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Illinois State Fire Marshal. No injuries were reported during the massive response. * WCIA | Urbana asks for special census after 7% population decrease: Mayor Diane Marlin said the 2020 census was 7% lower than the previous population count ten years ago. She said many of the areas that saw population loss were edging U of I’s campus during the pandemic when students were learning remotely. “The reason this is important is because many types of federal and state programs fund and funnel dollars to your community based on population,” Marlin said, “like our share of the state motor fuel tax, our share of the state income tax, federal programs.” * The Sporting News | Angel Reese deserves better: Sky rookie’s Caitlin Clark comment went viral for all the wrong reasons: Reese’s full answer filled with praise for her teammates and the rest of the league wouldn’t fit into her neat narrative as a selfish villain. It was abruptly edited out. Predictably, her haters ate it up. Reese went on to explain the double standard that she and her teammates face. “My teammates have shared experiences where they’ve gotten their nose broken. This has been going on for a long time,” Reese explained.
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A look at the cuts that Rep. Crespo proposed
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
Rep. Crespo ended up voting against the revenue omnibus. * I went back and pulled up the video of House Appropriations-General Services Committee Chair Crespo’s floor comments from last week and turned them into bullet points. My additions are italicized…
* Hiring freeze for one year: “As was mirrored after California, where Governor Newsom says they’re facing a fiscal issue, suggested and proposed that they freeze their vacancies for a year.” [California’s budget deficit was $45 billion. Several Illinois agencies, including DCFS, IDFPR, IDOC etc., etc. are trying to ramp up employment after years of stagnation.] * “Address the weight loss drug coverage that was introduced in the BIMP language a year ago.” [As we previously discussed, last year’s expansion “will only account for a fraction of the total new cost increase.”] * 5 percent reserve on all discretionary GRF lines: “Agencies can use up to 95% of what they’re budgeted, come back in May, and if they needed the 5% then we would consider it if revenues were available. And we could do that without impacting the higher ed, MAP, Medicaid, the courts or constitutional officers. We did that in Fiscal Year 10. We did that in Fiscal Year 11. It’s not a novel concept.” Rep. Crespo said all of that totaled about a billion dollars. Discuss.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * We’re gonna give this a try to see if people find it useful…
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Liberty Justice Center lawsuit claims Illinois is operating an unconstitutional ’system of dragnet surveillance’
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Liberty Justice Center is behind the lawsuit. It’s affiliated with the Illinois Policy Institute. From ABC Chicago…
* Center Square…
* From the suit…
[Rich Miller contributed to this post.]
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Today’s must-read
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for more background on Governor Pritzker’s sports betting tax rate increase. Hannah Meisel of Capitol News Illinois breaks it all down…
* Illinois’ tax will be lower than four other states… 
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Tuesday, Jun 4, 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 Dani, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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The House almost went off the rails last week (Updated)
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Speaker Welch has granted three interviews since the session ended, but he has yet to explain what really happened that night. …Adding… I posted this on the blog last week, but it might’ve been buried…
* Also, from Rep. Terra Costa Howard’s constituent newsletter…
She has not sent an update.
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Open thread
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Judge considering whether slated candidates can appear on November ballot. Capitol News Illinois…
* Related stories… * WTTW | Illinois House Speaker Emphatic That Bears, Sox Won’t Get Public Funding for Stadiums: “As we’ve said to the Bears over and over again, to the White Sox, and also to the Chicago Red Stars, there’s just no appetite to use taxpayer funding to fund stadiums for billionaires,” House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told WTTW News in an interview Monday. “Even after the election.” Those four words — “even after the election” — send a strong signal that the teams don’t stand much of a chance. That’s because the post-election period is when lawmakers traditionally take their most risky votes because they’re either lame ducks not returning to public office, or at least further away from asking voters to be reelected. * Tribune | Dolton trustees override Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s veto, solidifying the hiring of Lori Lightfoot as special investigator: Trustee Jason House requested for the board to allow Lightfoot, who was present at the meeting, to make remarks after the vote. However, Henyard denied the request, which she called “political grandstanding” and encouraged a quick adjournment, angering many in the audience. Lightfoot still got up to the podium and managed to briefly address those in attendance before her microphone was shut off by village staff. She later released a statement commending the board’s decision to override the veto and stating her intention to complete a fair and thorough investigation. * Tribune | Bill aimed at assisting public defenders falls short this spring, backers say they’ll try again in fall: A measure to create a statewide office to assist under-resourced public defenders stalled in the Illinois General Assembly this spring, but the bill’s backers say they will try again when the legislature reconvenes in the fall. “We are going to try to filter as many new ideas or as many new perspectives through the committee process as possible so that we have a really good bill when it’s all said and done,” state Rep. Dave Vella, a Rockford Democrat and former Winnebago County assistant public defender, said Monday. * Tribune | House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch sued by staffers who say he thwarted their efforts to form union: About 20 House staff members have pressured Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, to recognize their efforts to form a union for more than a year, leading the speaker to sponsor a measure that would allow legislative staffers working at the state Capitol to organize. The measure passed through the House last year but has since stalled in the Senate. “We will not be put off, ignored or gaslit any longer,” the Illinois Legislative Staff Association said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. * Tribune | Legislation now before Gov. J.B. Pritzker: Mobile driver’s licenses, medical debt relief and a new state mushroom: Residents would be able to keep digitial versions of their driver’s licenses and other state IDs in their cellphones under legislation pushed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. […] If Pritzker signs the bill, Giannoulias’ office will need to work out more details about how his office will implement and enforce mobile IDs. The secretary said he doesn’t have a timeline for when they will become available to the public. * Sen. John Curran | Gov. J.B. Pritzker should embrace instead of fight reforms to the Prisoner Review Board: A budget is a concrete list of priorities. And in this budget, and in his own words, the governor is saying that public safety is not a priority. We cannot continue to allow Pritzker and his activist Prisoner Review Board to continue their reckless ideological campaign at the expense of victims throughout our state. We must hold the governor accountable for his actions and push through reforms of the Prisoner Review Board before another family has to wonder, what if? * NBC Chicago | Illinois Secretary of State office impacted by data breach: In a statement to NBC 5 Responds, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office clarified that while their e-mail system was infiltrated, none of the agency’s databases, including those containing driver and vehicle records, were compromised. The office added that they’re strengthening their data security framework to protect against any future attacks. * Sun-Times | Illinois’ use of cameras that read license plates amounts to ‘dragnet surveillance,’ lawsuit alleges: The suit, filed last week by Cook County residents Stephanie Scholl and Frank Bednarz, names the state police, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul as defendants. “Defendants are tracking anyone who drives to work in Cook County — or to school, or a grocery store, or a doctor’s office, or a pharmacy, or a political rally, or a romantic encounter, or family gathering — every day, without any reason to suspect anyone of anything, and are holding onto those whereabouts just in case they decide in the future that some citizen might be an appropriate target of law enforcement,” the suit said. * Center Square | Bill allowing IL drivers 3 unpaid tickets before suspension headed for governor: “HB277 is designed to modernize our procedures for people who receive tickets, minor traffic offenses, and fail to appear in court,” said [Rep. Justin Slaughter]. “Current law grants our judges the power to suspend an individual’s driver’s license if he or she fails to appear in court. From a fairness and equity perspective, this current process is creating a significant challenge for individuals at risk as they seek to hold onto their jobs.” * Daily Herald | Crate-free pork is on the rise in some Illinois grocery chains, but not everywhere: “Most people are totally disconnected to the story of the animals that feed us. They go into a grocery store and they see a shrink-wrapped package of pork,” said Jess Chipkin, founder of nonprofit Crate Free USA. “That’s why one of our goals is to spread awareness of how these animals are fed, how they live their lives — and there are other options.” […] Chipkin, who lives in Huntley, formed the organization in 2015 as Crate Free Illinois before expanding nationwide. The group leads campaigns to petition grocers including Aldi and Trader Joe’s to phase out gestation crates from their supply chains. * Crain’s | IBM eyes a quantum computing play in Chicago: The company won’t detail exactly what it has in mind. “At IBM, we are excited to see continuously growing interest and investment in quantum computing across Chicago and the state of Illinois,” Jay Gambetta, vice president of IBM Quantum, says in a statement. “We are working with partners such as the University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and members of The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub on several projects to advance our timeline of bringing useful quantum computing to the world, and are looking forward to being a part of other significant developments soon.” * Invisible Institute | What a new state task force can and can’t do — plus, police reform, city policy and community solutions: While the task force cannot enforce its own recommendations, which will be shared with the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. J.B. Pritzker by the end of 2024 (and on a yearly basis after), these recommendations could be the basis of future legislation. “All we can do is put information into legislation requiring [the Chicago Police Department] to do this and requiring them to do that,” Hunter says. Ultimately, enforcement would fall to the Illinois Attorney General’s office, says Hunter. * AP | Unusual mix of possible candidates line up for Chicago’s first school board elections this fall: “This is not a political race, this is a movement,” said rapper Che “Rhymefest” Smith, who is among dozens of hopefuls who filed fundraising paperwork. “Everyone in this city has a responsibility to the children who are going to be served.” Potential candidates are circulating petitions while educating voters about the inaugural contests. Many are parents, advocates and former educators making their first foray into politics, navigating a steep learning curve with little name recognition or cash. * Sun-Times | Columbia College Chicago lays off 70 staff members amid budget deficit: Columbia College Chicago announced this week it is laying off 70 staff members to reposition itself as a decline in enrollment has led to a growing budget shortfall. Another 32 vacant positions will be eliminated, a school spokesperson said in a statement. The school’s budget deficit has ballooned to an expected $38 million from about $20 million last year. * Crain’s | WBEZ union files unfair labor charge against Chicago Public Media: SAG-AFTRA, the union representing staff at WBEZ-FM, has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the parent company of the radio station Chicago Public Media today alleging that the organization refused “to provide information necessary (for them) to represent (their) members and enforce the union contract.” The union announced news of the filing on X today, adding that it marks the first time the union has filed a ULP charge against Chicago Public Media since the union was formed in 2013. * WGN | The reason Chicago’s lead pipe replacement plan is taking longer than expected: Dr. Deborah Carroll, director of the government finance research center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, joins Lisa Dent to explain why the City of Chicago has been slow with replacing lead service lines and what residents need to do if think their lines need to be replaced. * Sun-Times | Aurora mayor says Kane County sheriff’s decisions before police shooting led to ‘unfortunate loss of life’: Mayor Richard Irvin was referring to Sheriff Ron Hain’s order to seize the suspect’s car the night before the fatal shooting, “compromising” an undercover Aurora police operation to arrest the man safely. Hain called Irvin’s comments “reckless and inappropriate.” * Daily Herald | Suburbs face new dilemma with fate of grocery tax in their hands: Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig, the vice president of the municipal conference and its next president, said he is unsure if his town will enact a grocery tax. “I don’t know if I can do that,” Craig said. “I’ve been trying to keep our taxes low. It’s going to look like if I pass a tax, that’s a negative. If I pass the tax and others around us do not, it’s going to drive business to other communities.” * ABC Chicago | Waukegan City Council censures alderman for posting Facebook photo of severed arm found at beach: Alderman Keith Turner posted a photo on Facebook, showing a severed arm recently found at a Waukegan beach. […] Turner’s fellow alderpersons demanded Turner apologize to that missing woman’s family. But he said he feels he’s being targeted as a candidate for mayor. Mayor Ann Taylor did not respond directly to those allegations tonight. * Tribune | Burbank man pleads guilty to dousing police officers with hornet spray during Jan. 6 US Capitol attack: William Lewis, 57, of Burbank, entered his plea to a count of assaulting police officers during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., court records show. Preliminary sentencing guidelines call for 51-63 months in prison, according to Lewis’ plea agreement with prosecutors. Contreras is scheduled to sentence Lewis on Dec. 16. * ESPN | Bears chairman George McCaskey’s amazing side gig: One of the umpires that day would have more on his mind than calling balls and strikes. Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey has been officiating youth sports since his football coach at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, Illinois, asked if any players wanted to ref Pop Warner football. About 50 years later, McCaskey was working home plate for a high school baseball game in a small town a little over an hour west of Chicago. But McCaskey had something else going on that morning: It was the third day of the NFL draft. * Tribune | A young mother’s murder horrified central Illinois. Decades later, the family convicted in her death says DNA proves they’re innocent: Macon County prosecutors built a case entirely on circumstantial evidence, some of it considered at the time to be cutting-edge forensics — dog hair DNA analysis and comparisons of concrete and cinder samples. In the end, they convinced a jury that the elder Slovers murdered their former daughter-in-law, with their son’s tacit approval, to stop her from taking her 3-year-old son and moving out of state. In the two decades since the Slovers were sent to prison, the salacious details of their case have become fodder for the burgeoning true-crime entertainment industry. All the while, the Slovers have insisted they’re innocent and fought in court to clear their names. * Huff Post | Teamsters Memo Signals Rift Between Major Unions: Teamsters President Sean O’Brien sent a memo to the union’s officers and organizers on May 23 informing them he had nullified their “no-raid” agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), according to a copy of the memo obtained by HuffPost. No-raid agreements forbid unions from trying to organize one another’s members so that they defect to the other union. The AFL-CIO has a long-standing policy that bars raiding among its member groups, but the Teamsters are not part of the 60-union labor federation, only the IAM is. * The Atlantic | The One Downside of Gender Equality in Sports: The arrival of a dynamite WNBA rookie class, headlined by the sensational Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, has prompted an explosion of coverage of women’s basketball. But—and perhaps I should have anticipated this—the surge in popularity has come at a cost. Ill-informed male sports analysts are suddenly chiming in about the league and its players, offering narratives untethered to facts and occasionally making me long for the days when the WNBA largely flew under the radar.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Jun 4, 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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Reader comments closed until Tuesday
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * I have officially put the Minack Theatre on my bucket list after watching this video. This Is The Kit will play us out… As the game begins
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WGN…
* Lynn Sweet…
* Sun-Times | School cops, migrant students, funding shortfall: How CPS fared in Springfield: A late-developing bill that came in response to a sexual abuse lawsuit against CPS passed unanimously in the Illinois House and is expected to be taken up by the Senate in the fall veto session. The bill would prevent courts from considering “contributory fault” in child sex abuse cases. That practice limits the damages a plaintiff can seek in a personal injury case if they were considered partially at fault. The bill would also establish that all sexual abuse of children is traumatic, and victims would no longer need to provide evidence that they were harmed. Instead they could provide evidence showing the extent of their harm. State Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, introduced the bill after he criticized CPS for its handling of a former student’s lawsuit claiming she was sexually assaulted by a former teacher. He has called on the district to fire its top attorney. * WBEZ | Illinois legislative staff union sues Speaker Welch demanding recognition: General Assembly employees are among a small number of groups carved out of state labor laws – agricultural workers and independent contractors are also in this category. That means they do not fall under the jurisdiction of the ILRB, which oversees the election unions must hold to be certified and recognized. ILSA tried to work around this. In 2023, organizers said 70% of its 35 potential unit members signed petition cards saying they supported the efforts, a percentage they believed signaled an election was unnecessary. But the Speaker’s office replied that it would be undemocratic to forgo an election. * WTTW | Lawmakers Greenlight State-Level Child Tax Credit in Illinois Budget, Pending Pritzker’s Approval: Illinois lawmakers on Wednesday morning finalized a $53.1 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that designates $50 million in funding for a new child tax credit. […] Upon final budget approval from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, working parents who are at or below the state median income of $75,000 for joint tax filers and $50,000 for single parents, will be eligible to receive an average tax credit between $300 and $600 per household for children under the age of 12. * Chicago Reader | Recapping the Illinois General Assembly’s spring legislative session: Efforts to generate additional revenue will be used to fund a $50 million child tax credit program for low-income families with children younger than 12 years old. The state budget also scraps a 1 percent tax on grocery sales, a move Pritzker and state lawmakers made permanent after suspending the tax at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Local governments can still vote to impose their own 1 percent tax in its stead.) And it includes an additional $182 million to care for people seeking asylum in Illinois, as well as $440 million for health care for undocumented residents. * Center Square | Measure to allow more electric scooters in Illinois headed to governor: Senate Bill 1960 also states that low-speed electric scooters can only be used in municipalities or park districts if authorized, and that they cannot be operated on highways with a speed limit over 35 mph. “It is an opt-in, you don’t have to do this, but if you want to regulate electric scooters in your community or your park district then this is the way to do it,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria. * Tribune | Prosecutors in ‘Walking Man’ murder case allege defendant was involved in prior attack: On May 10, records show, a CTA operator reported that a young man had tossed liquid on him after asking a question about a train stop. The attack at the Oak Park Green Line station was captured on video, and court records show the operator later picked Guardia out of a photo lineup. Prosecutors did not charge Guardia in the CTA incident. But the state’s attorney’s office is seeking to use evidence of his alleged involvement to help prove intent or state of mind in the later attack against Kromelis, according to a recent court filing. * WTTW | Mayor Brandon Johnson Unveils Plan to Test Whether City Crews Should Clear Sidewalks of Snow and Ice: Mayor Brandon Johnson unveiled a plan Friday to test whether city crews should be responsible for clearing not just Chicago’s roads but also its sidewalks of snow and ice during winter storms. But the plan — which will cost between $1.1 million and $3.5 million per year — isn’t slated to clear its first shovel-full of snow until the winter of 2025-26, and must be approved and funded by the Chicago City Council. * Chicago Park District | A Great Lakes Piping Plover Nest & Egg Have Been Spotted at Montrose Beach Dunes!: The egg is the product of the recent pair bond between native-born Piping Plover Imani, who hatched at Montrose in 2021, and Searocket, one of the 5-week-old captive-reared Piping Plover chicks that were released back into the wild at Montrose in July 2023. This release marked the first-time piping plovers were released outside Michigan in an effort to achieve the recovery goal of 50 pairs of plovers outside Michigan. * Sun-Times | Soldier Field ready to combat homophobic slurs at Mexico national team soccer match: In a statement to the Sun-Times, the Chicago Park District said ticket holders have been advised of Soldier Field’s code of conduct, which will be broadcast at the stadium on the day of the event. The code includes policies on prohibited acts, such as discriminatory chants, and consequences for violations, which could end up with civil and/or criminal action. * Sun-Times | Elaine Pierce, who opened her Oak Park home to migrants, has died at 69: Elaine Pierce, an Oak Park resident who opened her home to South American migrants last summer while coping with terminal cancer, died May 26. She was 69. Ms. Pierce initially took in two families — six people — who’d been staying temporarily at a West Side police station. “I only wish I could do more,” she told the Chicago Sun-Times last October. * Daily Herald | Mayor: Sheriff interfered in Aurora investigation of man shot to death by deputies: Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin has criticized Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain, accusing the sheriff of interfering in an Aurora police investigation that ultimately led to deputies shooting a man to death a day later. The mayor made his remarks at Tuesday’s city council meeting in reaction to what Hain said in a Chicago Sun-Times article about the death of James J. Moriarty, 38, of Aurora, on May 24, 2023, on the Geneva-Batavia border. The death may have been prevented, according to Irvin, if deputies had not interfered with Aurora police’s plan to arrest Moriarty the day before. * Daily Herald | How a suburban well-being check cracked an international ‘suicide drug’ operation: In March 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents working in Kentucky intercepted a package shipped from Mexico and addressed to a long-term stay hotel in Libertyville, authorities say. Tests conducted on the contents determined it to be a drug commonly used to euthanize animals, court records show. The investigation was turned over to U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents based in Chicago. Those agents accompanied local law enforcement officers making a well-being check on the intended recipient, a Lake Villa man staying at the Libertyville hotel, officials said. * Tribune | Northwestern University unveils what temporary lakefront football stadium will look like: Northwestern University has released a new concept plan of its temporary lakeside football complex along with seating and sideline details as it works to rebuild Ryan Field for the 2026 football season. Seating will be along all four sides of the field with a majority placed beyond the end zones on the north and south ends. The south side structure will include semi-private suites and club seating, which will feature all-inclusive food and beverage options, along with field lodge seating with tables and swivel chairs for up to four people. Typical stadium seating will also be available on the south structure. * Daily Herald | ‘Push positivity’: Elgin’s second Pride Parade and Festival kicks off Pride Month in suburbs: After a successful inaugural event, bigger is the operative word for the second year of the Elgin Pride Parade and Festival on Saturday. Presented by ELGbtq+, the event that drew between 4,000 and 5,000 people last year will feature twice as many parade entries and twice as many vendors. It also will use all of Festival Park for the post-parade fest as opposed to half last year. * PJ Star | Peoria police will get new drones, surveillance camera software. Here’s how it works: Grant money totaling $220,000 was approved by the Peoria City Council on Tuesday night to be spent by the Peoria Police Department for the purchase of three new drones to add to its fleet and the purchase of a Fusus software intelligence program that will help the police department tackle retail and property crimes. The camera software system would allow the police department — with permission — to monitor in real time security cameras at businesses, license plate readers, police body cameras, ShotSpotter software and in-squad cameras as incidents of crime occur.
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House Dem leaders Ortiz, Evans apologize for their absence
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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The jury angle
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * ILGOP…
I followed up by asking if all the jurors were in on it, too. I never heard back. * The Illinois Freedom Caucus sent out a similar email…
I asked the same question about the jurors. But, in this instance, I did get a response…
I responded: “Are you saying that the jury system doesn’t work?”…
* Along those same lines, here is Center Square…
* Meanwhile, this photo was taken earlier today in Homer Township…  Homer Township Supervisor Steve Balich has been organizing monthly pro-Trump rallies. I was told he was the one who ordered the flag to be flown upside-down. So, I called him. “The flag is flying the correct way now,” Balich told me. Asked why he ordered the flag to fly upside-down, Balich said, ” I considered the whole United States under extreme distress.” The verdict, he said, “is only part of it. I’m just saying we don’t have the rule of law anymore.” Asked about the 12 jurors who unanimously agreed to convict the former president on all 34 counts, Balich said, “It wasn’t about the verdict of 12 people that I don’t agree with. They can do whatever they want, they’re the jurors.” Instead, he said, it was “not a fair trial.” Balich said he reversed his decision after talking to the attorney general’s staff and his own private lawyer, who said, “It’s best if I just put it up the right way.” “Do I want to do that? No. If it was up to me I’d leave it up until Trump is elected president.” * More…
OK, take at least four deep breaths before commenting.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Chamber speaks up about ‘interchange’ bill
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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House Democratic staff union filing lawsuit against Speaker Welch (Updated x2)
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Illinois Legislative Staff Association…
* What plaintiffs are asking from the court…
Thoughts? …Adding… The filed version, which has some minor corrections, is here. …Adding… From the WBEZ story…
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Illinois public defenders’ push for legislation to address funding, oversight falls short
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can find backgroundhere. Tribune…
* More… * Stephanie Kollmann | Illinois legislators should create a statewide system for public defense: According to the National Registry of Exonerations, Illinois leads the U.S. in wrongful convictions. But these cases, terrible as they are, are the tip of the iceberg, illustrating a much more sizable threat lurking below the surface. Illinois has, for too long, failed to safeguard the rights of people accused of a crime, regardless of their access to money. The new pretrial system that launched with the SAFE-T Act was a critical step toward addressing this problem. A fully funded public defense system accountable to the public — not to local politicians and judges — is the next needed reform for this session. * WTTW | New Bill Aims to Create Statewide Public Defender Office in Illinois: Stephanie Kollmann, policy director at Northwestern University’s Children and Family Justice Center, said it’s likely going to be quite costly for the state to implement new standards for public defense. “Illinois is short about 900 public defense attorneys, and even more than that in terms of investigators and support staff,” Kollmann said. * Sun-Times | Statewide public defense office would help Illinois counties in need of support: We’d have to go further back in time — to 1949 — for the last time Illinois changed its public defense structure. An upgrade is overdue, especially when 60% of the state’s 102 counties do not have a full-time public defender. In many of those mostly rural counties, it is a judge who appoints a local private practice attorney, typically using flat-fee contracts to represent someone who doesn’t have the means to hire a lawyer.
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Today’s quotable (Updated)
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Crain’s…
…Adding… As I pointed out in comments, this is not really a walkback. Some reporters simply read too much into what the teams claimed Harmon said. But he was pretty clear way back in February. From Crain’s…
And here is the statement Harmon’s spokesperson gave me…
He wasn’t directing them to work out a deal that would then be rubber-stamped.
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Post-session press releases (Live updates)
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Open thread
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Despite lackluster response to his Springfield agenda, Mayor Brandon Johnson vows: ‘We keep demanding’. Tribune…
Governor Pritzker will be at the Executive Mansion in Springfield at 2 pm to give remarks at the Special Olympics Illinois Rally. Click here to watch. * NBC Chicago | Illinois budget includes $20M aimed at repairing cuts to sexual assault crisis services: Of the more than 21,000 sex crimes reported to Chicago police between 2018 and 2023, an NBC 5 Investigates’ analysis found authorities made fewer than 1,600 arrests. All told, our investigation found just 1.5 percent of all reported sex crimes resulted in sex crime convictions with prison time. * 21st Show | A recap of the Illinois General Assembly: Today, we will talk with a couple of the reporters who worked into the night and the morning to cover what happened. We are joined by Alex Degman, a statehouse reporter who covers state government for public radio stations across Illinois, and Jerry Nowicki, the editor-in-chief of Capitol News Illinois. * Capitol News Illinois | Ban on ‘captive audience’ meetings, AI regulations among 466 bills to pass this session: A bill banning what unions refer to as employer-sponsored “captive audience” meetings about religion and politics has cleared both chambers of the General Assembly. It was one of 466 measures to do so during the Illinois legislature’s recently concluded spring session, including measures targeting artificial intelligence and allowing for digital driver’s licenses. A Capitol News Illinois analysis shows 287 of the bills passed in the session’s final two weeks. * Capitol City Now | IL Chamber rains on guv’s parade: Illinois Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Lou Sandoval (pictured) used Crespo’s warning as a jumping-off point to criticize the legislature and especially Gov. JB Pritzker. “As rosy as the governor may want to make it sound, it’s almost a flippant response to Fred Crespo’s comments,” Sandoval said, citing the governor’s reaction of “oh, yeah, every year the Republicans talk about hitting the wall, and we always seem to do okay. * Politico | Illinois set to adopt ‘nation-leading’ carbon pipeline, storage rules: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to sign legislation to enact sweeping regulations for carbon dioxide storage and transportation, including a pause on approvals of CO2 pipelines for up to two years. The Illinois Legislature on Sunday passed a 104-page “SAFE CCS Act” meant to create standards for the burgeoning carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry. The legislation includes a pause on carbon pipelines until July 2026 or until the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration updates its safety rules. * Sen. Tammy Duckworth | Capturing carbon emissions can have major positive economic impact in Illinois: Illinois is already a leader in research and early deployment of this technology. And now, our state has an opportunity to go further thanks to legislation passed by the Illinois House and Senate. This legislation recognizes the role CCS can play in growing our state’s economy and the importance of safety by establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework that provides certainty to investors and stronger rights for landowners. It also rightly presses pause on new carbon pipelines until federal regulators finalize updated safety rules. * WBEZ | Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson unveils plans to reopen mental health clinic in Roseland: This year the city plans to re-open the Roseland Mental Health Clinic and add mental health services at the city’s Pilsen clinic and at the Legler Regional Library in West Garfield Park. These neighborhoods were picked based on need, and the city says Legler is one of the busiest distribution sites for the overdose-reversing nasal spray Narcan. […] “Our city went from 19 mental health centers to a mere five. And we began relying heavily on our police and fire departments to respond to behavioral health crises. But that trend ends today,” Johnson said standing in front of the red brick building that formerly housed the Roseland clinic, later adding: “I’ll continue to keep my brother Leon front and center” * Sun-Times | Bears keep stadium focus on lakefront despite Springfield funding shutout: As the Chicago Bears gear up this summer for their upcoming season on the field, they’ll be refining their business pitch off the field after state lawmakers concluded their spring legislative session this week without acting on the team’s request for public dollars to help build a new lakefront stadium. That pushes their drive for a dome to the fall veto session, when the Bears will try to avoid going three-and-out in their Springfield stadium efforts. They came up empty-handed in a push last year for a change in state law to freeze property taxes on land they bought in Arlington Heights to make a potential suburban move more palatable. * Tribune | Peoples Gas loses funding bid for pipeline replacement projects in progress: State regulators rejected most of an additional $7.9 million rate increase proposed by Peoples Gas, which was seeking to charge consumers to complete unfinished work in the paused pipeline replacement program. Instead, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved a $1.6 million rate increase for emergency work “out of an abundance of caution,” Chair Doug Scott said during an open meeting in Springfield Thursday. * Sun-Times | Northern lights could be visible again in Chicago, but less illuminating than last display: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a moderate geomagnetic storm in the Northern Hemisphere late Friday night and early Saturday, causing the aurora borealis to stretch farther south than usual again, possibly just reaching the edge of northern Illinois. * Sun-Times | Russian propaganda push expected in Chicago for Democratic National Convention, experts say: When the Democratic National Convention hits Chicago in August, demonstrators are expected to take to the streets to draw attention to a wide range of causes — immigration, police misconduct, abortion, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. What they might never know is how much Russia and other nations will have been aiming to influence the marches and demonstrations near the United Center and McCormick Place convention sites, experts on disinformation say. * Tribune | Chicago watchdog warns Police Department crowd management training ‘insufficient’ ahead of DNC: While the report from Inspector General Deborah Witzburg acknowledged several of the department’s strides — improving its written policies and procedures after the fumbled response to unrest in 2020 — it highlighted a lack of community input in those policies and “outdated concepts and tactics” in CPD’s plans to manage crowds. * NBC Chicago | Chicago Air and Water Show dates shift due to Democratic National Convention: The Chicago Air and Water Show will once again put on incredible displays in the skies and waters of Lake Michigan, but the dates were moved due to one of the biggest political events on the calendar. With Chicago hosting the Democratic National Convention for the first time since 1996, the Air and Water Show will take place one week earlier than normal, according to city officials. * Daily Herald | DuPage County clerk controversy prompts push for change in state law: DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy enlisted the help of state lawmakers to make it clear that countywide elected officials, such as the county clerk, need to follow state bidding laws and seek county board approval for certain budget transfers. During a Tuesday evening county board meeting, Conroy announced lawmakers approved changes providing the “highest level of clarity” regarding competitive bidding and budget transfer regulations as they relate to countywide elected officials. * Tribune | Morton Grove to OK video gaming for ‘legacy restaurants’: Morton Grove’s legacy restaurant program would allow longtime family-owned restaurants to receive a $5,000 facade grant or a video gaming license, if they qualify. The Village Board, which reviewed proposed changes to Morton Grove’s video gaming ordinance to accommodate the legacy program at its May 14 meeting, is expected to approve the program and the amendments at its May 28 meeting. * Sun-Times | Amid presidential chatter, Gov. Pritzker will address Wisconsin Democrats at annual convention: The party plans to host Pritzker as a keynote speaker for its annual state convention in Milwaukee on Saturday, June 8. Other Democratic speakers at the two-day convention include Wisconsin’s U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan, D-Wisc., and Gwen Moore, D-Wisc., and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison.
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Live coverage
Friday, May 31, 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 (Updated)
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller …Adding… Tribune…
* Capitol News Illinois looks at the elections omnibus bill (HB4488). Excerpt…
Subscribers were tipped about this last week. * Sun-Times…
Daily Line reporter Michael McDevitt has a Twitter thread with more of the hearing. Click here if you’re interested. * 21st Show | Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch on the policy and process of the state budget: Today, we’re going to focus on the Illinois General Assembly. On Wednesday morning, members of the House of Representatives passed a spending and taxation plan for the budget year that begins July 1st. The package includes more than $53 billion in discretionary spending and puts in place some $750 million in tax increases on things like sports betting companies, stores and other businesses. We are joined by Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. * 21st Show | A conversation with House Minority Leader Tony McCombie about the state budget: First, we’ll talk about her reaction to the budget that was passed. We’ll ask her if Republicans were invited to any budget-making meetings. Republicans have been against funding for immigrants being bussed to Chicago from Texas. We will talk about what she thinks Illinois should have done when these people arrived. Then, we’ll end by talking about what some of the Republicans’ top policy agenda items were this spring and what happened with them. * NBC Chicago | Illinois officials ‘tremendously concerned’ about REAL ID deadline, Giannoulias says: In a wide-ranging interview with NBC Chicago’s Kye Martin, Giannoulias said his office is working to ease the flood of applicants he expects will occur prior to the May 7 deadline next year, but that progress has been slow. “We feel pressure. We are tremendously concerned about what happens next May, and that’s why we’re out there now a year ahead of time trying to convince people of the importance of getting this done before the last minute,” he said. Our facilities will swell up, and it will be a problem if people don’t get out and get their REAL ID’s.” * Crain’s | Ascension outsourcing prompts large share of hospital workers to quit: Following Ascension Illinois’ decision to outsource hospitalist staff at all 10 of its Chicago-area hospitals to a private-equity-backed staffing firm, more than a third of those doctors and clinicians are leaving the organization, Crain’s has learned. About 35% of the 110 full- and part-time workers, including medical directors, doctors, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners and other providers, plan to leave Ascension when the outsourcing transition takes place June 1, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to Crain’s on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. More hospitalists are expected to leave once the transition is complete, the person said. * Sun-Times | Chicago measles outbreak is over, health department says: Chicago and the surrounding area accounted for the majority of the country’s measles cases this year after cases were detected at a migrant shelter in Pilsen in March. Over the next several months, a total of 64 cases were detected throughout the city. Illinois had just five cases in 2023, which were the first in the state since 2019. * ABC Chicago | ShotSpotter says it has offered to install tech around United Center ahead of 2024 Chicago DNC: The area around the United Center is currently a ShotSpotter-free zone because, when the city first started using the technology, gunfire was not a problem in that part of the city. […] But, former Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, who is working with ShotSpotter’s lobbyist, believes, with so many protests planned around the United Center, ShotSpotter could be a good tool for police. * Tribune | Search the database: Chicago Public Schools release FY2025 budget: Despite a “challenging financial year” ahead, CEO Pedro Martinez said at a media briefing Tuesday that CPS will maintain, if not increase, the total amount of funding provided to schools in the coming year — which officials said will begin with more teachers, restorative justice coordinators and special education classroom assistants on staff than at the start of last school year. The district will post its entire budget online June 12, ahead of a Board of Education vote on its approval later that month. The CPS total budget last year was $9.4 billion. * WBEZ | After challenging journeys, migrants in Chicago adjust to life in their new city: ‘We need to be more social and not be so afraid of asking questions [in English],” Elizabeth, an asylum seeker from Ecuador, said in Spanish. She asked not to use her last name. “Most people don’t speak English because they are afraid of mispronouncing it.” Elizabeth, like Luz, is also relying on community organizations, like Onward Neighborhood House, for help adjusting. Other asylum seekers are learning the rules of the road when driving, and their rights and responsibilities as new residents. * Daily Herald | Family of man fatally shot by police files suit against Elk Grove Village: The family’s attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said Jack Murray was in a diminished and impaired mental state when he called 911 the afternoon of Dec. 1. After officers arrived outside his house on Fern Drive, Romanucci said they failed to use de-escalation tactics or give Murray the “the time, physical space and ultimately the desperate assistance he needed.” Though police deployed a Taser as Murray approached them with a knife, Romanucci said they could’ve used additional nonlethal weapons they had, like a beanbag rifle, batons or pepper spray. * Fox Chicago | Illinois music festival with legal on-site cannabis consumption returns with star-studded lineup: The two-day event will take place on Sept. 7 and 8, across from RISE Dispensary in Mundelein, Illinois. Headliners for this year’s festival include Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist Wiz Khalifa, reggae band Slightly Stoopid, and reggae fusion band Rebelution, among others. * SJ-R | Report suggests ‘reasonable cause’ that Ward 5 alderwoman did city business on state time: The report said [Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase] “at minimum” violated workplace policy by attending meetings and participating in phone calls related to her role as Ward 5 alderwoman during state time. There was no record, it further stated, that Purchase informed IDOT about her service as a Capital Township trustee from 2017 to 2021, or about her businesses, Kashmir DST, LLC, a residential real estate development and management company, or Precisions 1-on-1 Properties, from which she gained income. * IPM | Professor blends nature and music with the sounds of cicadas in Illinois: David Rothenberg has a keen interest in how humans and nature can connect in ways some may have never thought of before, specifically through music. A professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rothenberg has written books about the musicality behind humpback whales, birds, and even bugs, playing instruments with each species of animal. In June, Rothenberg is visiting Illinois into make music with the emerging cicada broods. IPM Newsroom’s Kimberly Schofield spoke with Rothenberg about his work, including a concert he performed with cicadas right here in central Illinois. * Illinois Times | Frito-Lay distribution center slated to be built in Springfield: Local economic development officials told Illinois Times they don’t yet know who would operate the site, which, based on industry estimates, could cost between $30 million and $51 million to build. But several sources who were not at liberty to speak on the record confirmed the end user would be Frito-Lay, the Texas-based maker of snack foods such as Lay’s Potato Chips, Doritos and Cheetos. A Frito-Lay spokesperson declined comment when reached by phone May 28. * KSDK | Firefighters battle massive fire at chicken farm in Marion County, Illinois: The fire was still smoldering Thursday morning, and firefighters said they expect to continue battling the flames well into the day. The fire began around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Farina Farms along Highway 37. Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps described the fire as “humongous” and said multiple buildings spanning 200-300 yards long were on fire. * BND | What’s the status of property St. Clair County wants for Belle-Clair Fairgrounds overhaul?: St. Clair County purchased the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds property at 200 South Belt East with $2.3 million in federal COVID-related relief funds from the American Rescue Plan. County Buildings Director Jim Brede said that after residents learned about the fairgrounds purchase, some nearby property owners approached the county because they were interested in selling, too. * LA Times | DACA recipients, facing long waits for renewal, risk losing their jobs: Recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program must reapply every two years for protection and work permits. But many of the roughly 530,000 current DACA holders have recently reported lengthy processing delays. […] U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services aims to process each renewal fairly and efficiently, said spokesman Matthew Bourke. But he acknowledged that some DACA recipients have experienced processing times beyond 120 days in recent months. * NYT | How Republicans in Key Senate Races Are Flip-Flopping on Abortion: Republican candidates in all eight of the country’s most competitive Senate races have changed their approach on the issue of abortion, softening their rhetoric, shifting their positions and, in at least one case, embracing policies championed by Democrats. From Michigan to Maryland, Republicans are trying to repackage their views to defang an issue that has hurt their party at the ballot box since the Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights. While the pivot is endemic across races in swing states, the most striking shifts have come from candidates who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate just two years ago in their home states, with abortion views that sounded very different. * Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Guns allowed while hard water bottles, tennis balls banned in RNC security footprint: Wisconsin law prevents the city and all local governments “from prohibiting the possession or carrying of legal firearms,” City Attorney Evan Goyke told the Journal Sentinel in an email in response to questions the news organization raised about the proposed ordinance. […] The security footprint will surround a “hard perimeter” where credentials will be required to enter, and guns will not be allowed.
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Deficit spending reported as revenues plunge, salaries and debt increase (Updated)
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From Wirepoints’ 2023 990…  …Adding… I didn’t notice the loans until ArchPundit pointed them out…  Others might call that a “death spiral.”
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What’s next after ‘Karina’s Bill’ stalls? (Updated)
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Two press releases from yesterday. The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence…
More background on the upcoming US Supreme Court’s Rahimi decision is here…
One of the counter-arguments I’ve heard from the Senate about that highlighted passage above is it might be better to wait until after Rahimi is decided to see if there is room for state action. But proponents aren’t buying it. * And G-PAC…
I followed up on the passage I highlighted above, asking them to flesh it out a bit. Since there was no vote in the Senate or the House, how could that impact an endorsement?…
…Adding… From ISRA lobbyist Ed Sullivan…
The attachment is here.
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Post-session press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Reps. Walsh, Chung talk about revenue, budget votes
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * As you’ll recall, Rep. Larry Walsh (D-Elwood) voted against the revenue omnibus bill twice (even though numerous pols say he was supposed to vote for it on the second try) and then voted for the bill on the third and final try, which made him the deciding vote. Walsh had earlier voted against the appropriations bill. Anyway, Rep. Walsh released a statement today…
* Brenden Moore talked with Rep. Sharon Chung (D-Bloomington) about her votes for the budget and against the revenue bill…
She almost certainly voted that way because of her target status. But, if she truly thought more spending cuts were needed to avoid revenue increases, she should’ve voted against the approp bill. Also, Brenden tried to reach Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur), but she wouldn’t respond.
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It’s almost a law
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Tribune…
* Chalkbeat…
* WTVO…
* Sen. Karina Villa…
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Open thread
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on with y’all?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Lawmakers leave Springfield without regulating delta-8, other hemp products. Sun-Times…
- Legislation from Sen. Kimberly Lightford would’ve cut out delta-8 sellers who haven’t gone through Illinois’ rigorous — and expensive — cannabis dispensary licensing process, but House members didn’t take up the bill - Lightford’s bill could be taken up by the House when members return to Springfield in the fall, though it would have a higher hurdle for approval. Bills passed after May 31 require a three-fifths majority. * Related stories…
∙ Crain’s: Cannabis legislation falls apart at the last minute in Springfield — again * Covers | Worry Over Sports Betting Tax Hikes Overblown, Analysts Say: Jeffries also points out that as many of these sports betting companies mature, they will no longer need to spend as much on promotion and customer acquisition. In fact, sports betting companies are already trimming their advertising budgets. As a result, they will have more bandwidth to address incremental tax hikes should they occur. * Block Club | Where Are Chicago’s Cicadas? This Map Will Show You: Chicagoans were preparing for the Great Summer of the Cicada — a two-pronged invasion the likes of which we hadn’t seen in 17 years. Instead, there … haven’t been a ton? Or … any, it feels like? While the suburbs are crawling with cicadas, the city has so far seen “pretty patchy distribution,” experts told Block Club. That makes it hard for fans to catch a glimpse of the red-eyed buggers. * Tribune | Bill that would make key changes to Prisoner Review Board isn’t called for a vote: After earlier passing the Senate without any no votes, the bill passed 15-0 through the House Judiciary Criminal Committee on Tuesday night. But Jaclyn Driscoll, a spokesperson for House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, said lawmakers ran out of time to consider it in a full vote while focusing on priorities including a $53.1 billion budget. * Crain’s | Illinois muni-debt penalty shrinks as ‘unexciting’ budget passes: Illinois’ spread above AAA 10-year municipal bonds has shrunk to under 62 basis points, down from 95 in January and more than 440 basis points in 2020, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Yet it still pays the highest penalty among peers to borrow in the muni market. Its spread is more than double that of New Jersey, which has the second-lowest rating among US states. * NBC Chicago | Illinois will soon have a new child tax credit program. Here’s how much you could get: When it was first proposed earlier this year, officials aimed to make a $300 tax credit available for each child in a qualifying household. The approved budget includes “investments for $50 million for a child tax credit for eligible low-income families with earned income tax credit as well as wage increases for direct support professionals and Community Care Program workers and increased funds for safety net hospitals.” * WCIA | Pritzker ‘pleased’ with $53.1 billion budget on his desk: The $53.1 billion budget passed the Senate Sunday night and the House of Representatives early Wednesday morning. Later Wednesday morning, Pritzker held a news conference, where he said the budget “continues our track record of fiscal responsibility.” He added that “Our state is in its strongest fiscal position in decades.” * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson to reopen Roseland mental health clinic and two other sites: Johnson is set to announce the moves Thursday morning outside the city’s closed Roseland clinic on the Far South Side, now set to reopen by the end of the year. The city will also add mental health services to a Chicago Department of Public Health clinic in Pilsen in August and inside the Legler Regional Library in West Garfield Park as soon as June, according to a plan the Johnson administration shared with the Tribune. The move comes more than a decade after former Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed six of the city’s 12 public mental health clinics. Emanuel’s decision sparked fiery protests by patients and union members who lost jobs at those clinics, which developed into a campaign that has badgered Chicago’s politicians ever since. * Sun-Times | $27 million streetscape project will transform Logan Square, officials say: It will keep Logan Square Park intact. Milwaukee Avenue will be reconstructed from Logan Square to Belmont, but will no longer divide Logan Square Park. Instead, traffic will circle the park. Kedzie Avenue will be re-routed. A new public plaza known as “La Placita” will be created at Kedzie and Milwaukee to celebrate Latin American culture. Traffic safety will be dramatically improved by seizing space from cars and giving it to pedestrians and cyclists. * Shaw Local | Has Memorial Day gotten ‘too celebratory?’ Huntley American Legion ends local parade sponsorship: Stojak said the ceremony used to consist of a march from the American Legion post to the cemetery. But over the years, people started throwing out candy, as took place Monday. Candy throwing was also observed at Johnsburg’s parade Monday. Besides candy throwing, Stojak cited children dancing during the parade, which he said “has become too celebratory.” * Daily Herald | ‘Things look good for West Chicago’: Mayor delivers State of the City address: During his May 20 address, Pineda noted the city spent $8 million on capital improvements, including rehabilitating street and sewer infrastructure and replacing a 50-year-old lift station at the train station. In addition, there was a resurfacing of Technology Boulevard between Roosevelt Road and Fabyan Parkway, where Pineda said 95 acres of the DuPage Business Center are under contract for development, with an additional 34 acres receiving offers. * Pantagraph | How Central Illinois lawmakers voted on state spending, revenue bills: Central Illinois state Reps. Sharon Chung of Bloomington and Sue Scherer of Decatur were among five House Democrats who voted for the spending plan but against the bill that would raise the revenue to pay for it. Chung, in an interview Wednesday afternoon, said she voted for the budget because she wanted to show her support for funding that “could really help people here in my district,” specifically mentioning investments in public schools, public safety and healthcare. But she disagreed with “how to get there” on the revenue side, stating her opposition to the tax increases that were included and her wish that more cuts had been considered. * Tribune | Diamond DeShields ‘grateful’ for a new chapter with the Chicago Sky after years of injuries and setbacks: At some point, the pain became routine for Chicago Sky wing Diamond DeShields. She didn’t have any other choice. For more than four years, the pain was simply a constant. First from a grape-sized spinal tumor discovered in 2019. Then from the nerve damage that followed its removal in 2020. Even when she was trying to find joy on the court, the pain crept back in, persistent and monotonous. And then Saturday came.
* Sun-Times | Seeing is believing? White Sox’ Martin Maldonado hopes glasses make a difference: “So before, I wasn’t seeing the ball,” Maldonado told the Sun-Times on Wednesday. “I went to an eye doctor, and I found out I needed prescription glasses, and I’ve been using them in the last three games.” Maldonado had never worn glasses. The jury is still out, because Maldonado is hitless in his last seven games and has one hit in his last 11, but he said he’s “seeing the ball better.” * Bloomberg | FBI Takes Down Massive Global Army of Zombie Computer Devices: The botnet, which was spread across more than 190 countries, enabled financial fraud, identity theft and access to child exploitation materials around the world, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by FBI Director Christopher Wray. Other violations tied to the botnet included bomb threats and cyberattacks, likely leading to billions of dollars in victim losses, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, May 30, 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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