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Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

But now, as he enters his third term as speaker, [Chris Welch] and the Democratic caucus he leads face several new challenges, including significant budget constraints and divisions within the caucus itself. Those divisions erupted in a closed-door caucus meeting during the recent lame duck session and spilled over into public view during contentious negotiations over a bill to regulate the hemp industry. […]

“Let me say that we had a caucus on a very divisive issue,” Welch said. “We’ve had three caucuses in three different years now on that particular issue, and it gets very emotional. And I have talked to members who, I think, crossed the line and asked them to apologize. And it’s my understanding, at least one member has reached out to a staffer and tried to apologize.”

As for the governor, Welch said, “our relationship is great.”

“I love and respect the governor. In my four years as speaker, we’ve accomplished some great policy victories,” he said. “I’ve got two more years here as speaker again, thank God, and we’re going to land more big policy victories. You know, the governor has a job to do, but I have a job to do too.”

* City Bureau…

City Bureau spoke with more than a dozen migrant day laborers who said wage theft, sub-minimum wage rates and clashes with Home Depot security personnel — including off-duty Chicago Police Department officers — have made it precarious for them to look for work.

For decades, Chicago immigrants have turned to informal gigs, often solicited on street corners or in Home Depot parking lots, in hopes of earning money to survive. […]

Unlike publicly funded hiring halls in California and Texas, where day laborers can safely connect with contractors and negotiate pay rates, Chicago’s day labor industry is rife with wage theft, unsafe working conditions, physical violence and exploitation, City Bureau found.

People entering the day labor sector don’t always know about minimum wage laws. Some get paid far less than they were promised at the start of the day, while others might finish a full day of work and end up with no pay at all, organizers and workers said.

*** Statewide ***

* Press Release | Illinois EPA Bringing Recycle Coach To All Illinois Communities: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director James Jennings has announced a new partnership with Recycle Coach to provide all Illinois residents in 6,835 units of local government a holistic, locally-tailored, easy to access recycling education platform. In the coming months, Recycle Coach will be engaging counties and municipalities across the state to ensure all Illinois residents are afforded the opportunity to have their community participate in this opportunity. Use of the program will decrease inbound contamination at material recovery facilities in Illinois, increase the amount of material diverted from Illinois landfills, prevent environmental contamination, and ultimately reduce emissions that contribute to climate change.

* NPR | Illinois students have sent over 5,000 tips to ‘Safe2Help’ school safety helpline since launch: Since its initial launch four years ago, Illinois students have submitted over 5,000 tips to the service. That’s according to a Freedom of Information Act request by WNIJ. The state says if students don’t have a trusted adult in their life, they can confidentially send in information online, through text, or an app. It’s then vetted by the Illinois State Police. They can get in touch with local law enforcement or school staff like a social worker.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | United Center owners snap up nearby lots as Near West Side megaproject takes shape: A venture controlled by the Reinsdorf and Wirtz families that own the teams and arena paid nearly $36 million late last month for a series of surface lots within blocks of the venue, according to Cook County property records. The entity bought the lots from an affiliate of Red Top Parking, a longtime operator of parking lots near the United Center that has sold other land to the team owners over the past few years.

* Carole Brown and Julie Hamos | Money alone won’t resolve the region’s transit crisis: As a former state legislator and transit board chair, we strongly believe in the importance of the public transit services provided by CTA, Metra, and Pace. We are also intimately aware of the shortcomings of the current system, including fragmented and inefficient decision-making, a lack of coordination, rigid and outdated funding formulas, and unclear lines of accountability. So while it is important to address the looming funding crisis, we want to stress that funding alone will not address the very real structural challenges at the heart of the system.

* Crain’s | At 97, Chicago’s pioneering Black capitalist reflects on a career spanning from Afro Sheen to ‘Soul Train’: Johnson is not the first or last business owner to have second thoughts about heading to Wall Street. “Once we went public everything was exposed,” he writes. “Essentially, it meant taking our clothes off in public, in our personal life as well as professionally. The dynamics change when investors own stock in your company. The investors get to ask questions, and you’re there to answer them.”

* ESPN | Are NFL teams letting agents impact coach hiring? Why the league cares: Since 2018, agent and ex-Chicago defensive end Trace Armstrong and his agency, Athletes First, have represented two fired Bears head coaches, Matt Nagy and Eberflus; three fired offensive coordinators, Mark Helfrich, Luke Getsy and Shane Waldron; as well as current general manager Ryan Poles. “I’ve never seen one agent have so much influence on one team and had so little success, but they keep going back and taking his guys,” said one coaching agent, who requested anonymity to speak freely on the topic. “And we all kind of shake our heads like, have they not figured this out yet?”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News Sun | Lake County business leaders told to expect ‘solid’ economic growth, despite uncertainties: Economic analysis painted a generally positive, if somewhat uncertain, picture of 2025 during the Forecast Lake County Luncheon Thursday, with Thomas Walstrum, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, walking local business leaders and officials through an assortment of economic data from S&P Global. “I would call it a good forecast,” Walstrum said. “GDP growth is near trend; unemployment is low. There’s the potential for a bump in inflation … but overall, I’d call it a forecast for solid growth.”

* Daily Herald | ‘He had been wandering all night’: Forest preserve police lauded for finding man missing in frigid conditions: Two veteran Lake County Forest Preserves police officers have been honored for their dedication and effort to find a 60-year-old man with autism who had been lost overnight while the temperature dipped below freezing. Sgt. Brad Ehrhardt was presented with the Service Award and Officer Michael Viramontes received the Lifesaving Award as special recognition during the forest board meeting Wednesday.

* Daily Herald | County, DuPage Foundation raise almost $400K to help shelter homeless this winter: County board members agreed in December to allocate $200,000 from the county’s affordable housing fund to support DuPagePads after President and CEO April Redzic highlighted the demand for shelter. The nonprofit’s board dedicated $150,000 — tripling the budgeted amount — to provide additional winter emergency shelter for people on a waitlist for rooms at an interim housing center DuPagePads operates in a former Downers Grove hotel. But that sum still wasn’t going to be enough.

* Crain’s | Northwestern posts surplus and near-record fundraising: The university posted a budget surplus of $54.6 million for fiscal year 2024, up from a surplus of $8.6 million in fiscal 2023, despite spending north of $200 million more on operating expenses in 2024 compared to the previous year.

*** Downstate ***

* ABC Chicago | Rockford becomes nation’s ‘Hottest Housing Market’ for first time, according to Realtor.com: Their rankings put Rockford in the top spot ahead of Manchester, New Hampshire. Manchester has claimed the top spot on the list for 31 times since 2017. Homes in Rockford, which list for a median price of $242,000, spend just 43 days on the market, compared to the national average of 70, according to Realtor.com. The national median listing price of a home is $424,900.

* WaPo | Only one coach beat Notre Dame this season. Let him tell you about it: The wonderland of this long college football season sits just off Interstate 88 way west of Chicago and just down a boulevard named for Annie Glidden, the famed farmer who lived from 1865 to 1965 while coaxing the soil into wonders. It’s a wonderland that went 8-5 but a wonderland no less, dammit, because of the storybook day it gave itself and the country Sept. 7. It proved how a sunny day can shine even into January when the horizon looks barren and the winter wind means serious business.

* BND | East St. Louis schools reopen a week after others as residents vent about still-icy roads: Most schools across St. Clair and Madison County were back in session by Friday of last week, with several smaller districts with fewer bus routes welcoming students back as early as Wednesday. “Belleville got the same amount of snow as East St. Louis and all of their schools are open. Their buses and cars are running. I’ve gotten stuck three times,” said resident April Jenkins. “I have hit so many pot holes because you can’t see the pot holes over the snow. It’s not fair to the city, the teachers, the students.”

* WCIA | Senior workforce program coming to Decatur: An Illinois non-profit is tapping into a group that might be looking for a new opportunity. It’s offering free healthcare training for people 55 and over. […] The Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation said it will go on for 10-12 weeks. Classes will meet once a week for around 4 hours and teach what you need to know to become a community health worker.

* WSIL | MLK Love Train happening Saturday in southern Illinois: The program will open with a prayer by Darrell Wimberly with a musical performance by LaCaje Hill. Speakers for the event will be Julian Watkins and Ginger Rye Sanders with a performance by Clo Johnson. The closing song will be performed by Aveon Winfield and Anu Dai.

*** National ***

* Atlanta Journal Constitution | Federal loan for Rivian earns approval days before Biden leaves office: The loan, which comes as President Joe Biden exits the White House, will provide Rivian with the financial backing to build its plant in southern Morgan and Walton counties, roughly an hour east of Atlanta. The $5 billion project was first proposed in late 2021 and was initially supposed to open in 2024, but delays mounted as the upstart automaker slogged through supply chain issues and other challenges.

* WaPo | Antiabortion advocates look for men to report their partners’ abortions: The strategy propelled a first-of-its-kind lawsuit filed last month by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that cited first-hand information from an unnamed “biological father” to accuse a New York doctor of illegally providing abortion pills to a woman in the Dallas area, according to two people familiar with the case’s origins.

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Transit fiefdoms ignored 2015 state deadline to streamline fares

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Carole Brown and Julie Hamos writing in Crain’s about mass transit reform…

As just one example, many regional travelers are still unable to transfer easily between Metra and CTA or Pace (without having to pay twice), despite a legislative requirement to achieve this more than a decade ago.

* House Bill 3597 was signed into law almost 14 years ago…

Provides that, by January 1, 2013, the Regional Transportation Authority, in consultation with the Service Boards (Chicago Transit Authority, Commuter Rail Division, and Suburban Bus Division) and the general public, must develop a policy regarding transfer fares on all fixed-route public transportation services provided by the Service Boards. Sets forth the requirements for the policy.

Provides that, by January 1, 2015, the Authority must develop and implement a regional fare payment system. Requires that the payment system developed by the Authority allow consumers to use contactless credit cards, debit cards, and prepaid cards to pay for all fixed-route public transportation services

And yet, we’re supposed to trust these same agencies to reform themselves now?

* Back to Speaker Chris Welch’s interview with the Sun-Times…

I think it’s extremely important that we consider reforms to improve administration and rider experience. I think to talk about money before talking about reforms is irresponsible. […]

They’re not getting anything before we talk about reforms, everyone agrees that we need to implement some reforms first. We need to improve administration. We need to improve the rider experience. We can’t even have that money conversation before that. […]

They gotta get the trains to run on time. They gotta get people to and from work on time. They gotta get people around the city, around the suburbs, so that the transit experience helps our economy and not hurts it.

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Question of the day

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Associated Press…

The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company, holding that the risk to national security posed by its ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the United States.

A sale does not appear imminent and, although experts have said the app will not disappear from existing users’ phones once the law takes effect on Jan. 19, new users won’t be able to download it and updates won’t be available. That will eventually render the app unworkable, the Justice Department has said in court filings.

The decision came against the backdrop of unusual political agitation by President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed that he could negotiate a solution and the administration of President Joe Biden, which has signaled it won’t enforce the law beginning Sunday, his final full day in office.

Trump, mindful of TikTok’s popularity, and his own 14.7 million followers on the app, finds himself on the opposite side of the argument from prominent Senate Republicans who fault TikTok’s Chinese owner for not finding a buyer before now.

* The Question: Which social media apps do you use the most? Explain.

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Today’s quotable

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* More from the Fran Spielman interview with House Speaker Chris Welch. This part focused on the Chicago Public Schools and state school funding…

Q: Will the messy divorce with Pedro Martinez help or hurt the case for school funding?

Welch: Well, you know, school funding is always a debate in Springfield every year, regardless of what’s going on with the Chicago Board of Education. You know, since I’ve been speaker, we have increased education funding every single year. We’re well over a billion dollars in increased funding to the evidence based funding formula. And as we go through this year’s budget, that’s going to be a big topic of conversation. Again, coming from a school board, I spent 12 years on the school board. I know what school districts need, and they need more funding. They don’t need less. And so while I’m trying to be as helpful as we possibly can, but there’s a lot of pressures on us right now, Fran.

Q: But the Pedro Martinez fight, shouldn’t [Mayor Johnson] have waited until the elected board was seated? Isn’t that a distraction and show that there’s turmoil there, and there’s this feeling that he’s giving away the story to the CTU, his former union? Does that hurt his case?

Welch: Fran, I gotta stay focused on what’s going on in Springfield and state government, I gotta leave it to the mayor to decide what fights he wants to have in the city of Chicago.

Oof.

Also, Chicago is a hugely important city. But it’s only about 20 percent of the Illinois population. Everything can’t and shouldn’t be about that place.

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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - 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 the McKay family, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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It’s just a bill

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* HB1077 from Rep. Daniel Didech…

Creates the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act. Applies the Act to a civil cause of action, including an action in federal court under its supplemental or diversity jurisdiction, against a person based on the person’s: (i) communication in a legislative, executive, judicial, administrative, or other governmental proceeding; (ii) communication on an issue under consideration or review in any of these proceedings; or (iii) exercise of a right guaranteed by the United States Constitution or the Illinois Constitution on a matter of public concern. Provides that the Act does not apply to a cause of action asserted: (i) against a governmental unit or an employee or agent of a governmental unit acting or purporting to act in an official capacity; (ii) by a governmental unit or an employee or agent of a governmental unit acting in an official capacity to enforce a law to protect against an imminent threat to public health or safety; or (iii) against a person primarily engaged in the business of selling or leasing goods or services if the cause of action arises out of a communication related to the person’s sale or lease of the goods or services. Creates a procedure for a special motion for expedited relief for a party being sued for issues covered by the Act to dismiss or strike the action in whole or in part within 60 days of being sued. Requires the court to rule on a special motion for expedited relief within 60 days after a hearing, and the court must conduct a hearing not later than 60 days after the filing of such a motion unless it continues it for discovery under the Act or for other good cause. Makes other changes. Makes a conforming change in the Citizen Participation Act. Effective immediately.

This would overturn a recent Illinois Supreme Court ruling that SLAPP suit protections don’t apply to news reporting. Click here and here for some background.

* HB3713 passed out of the House 68-35 last March before dying in the Senate…


* Rep. Brad Halbrook introduced HB1400 yesterday…

Amends the Time Standardization Act. Provides that daylight saving time shall be the year-round standard time of the entire State. Makes other changes.

* Rep. Kevin Olickal introduced HB1427…

Creates the Prohibition of Algorithmics in Rent Act. Provides that in setting the amount of rent to be charged to a tenant for the occupancy of a residential premises, including determining any change in the amount of rent to be charged for the renewed occupancy of a residential premises, a landlord shall not employ, use, or rely upon, or cause another person to employ, use, or rely upon, an algorithmic device that uses, incorporates, or was trained with nonpublic competitor data. Defines “algorithmic device” to mean a device that uses one or more algorithms to perform calculations of data, including data concerning local or statewide rent amounts being charged to tenants by landlords, for the purpose of advising a landlord concerning the amount of rent that the landlord may consider charging a tenant. Provides that this definition does not include (i) any report published periodically, but no more frequently than monthly, by a trade association that receives renter data and publishes it in an aggregated and anonymous manner; or (ii) a product used for the purpose of establishing rent or income limits in accordance with the affordable housing program guidelines of a local government, the State, the federal government, or other political subdivision. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make a corresponding change. Provides that any person who violates the Prohibition of Algorithmics in Rent Act commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Some background from WBEZ…

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined the U.S. Department of Justice and nine other state attorneys general in a lawsuit against real estate software company RealPage and some of the nation’s largest landlords.

The civil antitrust complaint filed Tuesday alleges the companies coordinated to keep rents high by using an algorithm to help set rents and privately sharing sensitive information to boost profits. […]

Together, the landlords operate more than 1.3 million housing units in 43 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Justice Department. All manage multifamily apartment buildings; several own some or all of the properties under their management. […]

The lawsuit accuses the landlords of sharing sensitive data on rents and occupancy with competing firms via email, phone calls or in groups. The information shared included renewal rates, how often they accept an algorithm’s price recommendation, the use of concessions such as offering one month free, and even their approach to pricing for the next quarter, according to the lawsuit.

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Open thread

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please!

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Madigan defense rests its case as landmark corruption trial winds toward an end. WTTW…

    - Madigan’s team officially rested Thursday morning, nearly three months after opening statements and testimony began.
    - Closing statements are expected to begin next Wednesday, followed by jury deliberations the following week.
    - After the government rested, both defense teams for both Madigan and McClain renewed their motions seeking a judgment of acquittal — a standard move following conclusion of the prosecution’s case — but both were denied.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Cook County judge reassigned from domestic violence cases after releasing man later accused of killing wife: Judge Thomas Nowinski made the request himself to be transferred to the court’s Third Municipal District in Rolling Meadows where he will hear misdemeanor and traffic cases starting Tuesday, according to a statement released Thursday by Evans. The move stems from Nowinski electing to release Constantin Beldie, 57, on GPS monitoring after he was charged Oct. 9 with choking and attempting to kidnap his wife, Lacramioara Beldie, 54.

* Silver Bulletin | Polling is becoming more of an art than a science: Natalie Jackson — pollster and Vice President at GQR Insights — thinks pollsters are hesitant to get too excited about this result but sees their mood as optimistic relative to the last few cycles — where large errors dominated the post-election conversation about the polls: “The good thing is it was better than 2020 and 2016. The not-so-good thing is that we still underestimated Trump, which is concerning. It’s concerning when the bias runs in the same direction three cycles in a row. So… it’s really nice that we don’t have a bajillion articles saying death to the polling industry, but I don’t think that means we’re home free either.”

* The Invisible Institute | Illinois law requires transparency when police kill people. Many cases stay in the dark: After fatal police shootings and other deaths at the hands of law enforcement in Illinois, investigating agencies are required to “publicly release a report” if no charges are brought against the officers. However, two Metro East prosecutors have proved to be reluctant participants in that process, giving up what should be public documents only after records requests and maintaining that they are following the law by doing so.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WTTW | Illinois Black Hemp Association Says Industry ‘Under Attack’ by Pritzker Amid Push for Stricter Regulation: Illinois’ legalization of recreational marijuana in 2020 was supposed to be a course corrective on the lopsided implementation of the war on drugs — an opportunity for Black people who were disproportionally prosecuted and imprisoned for drug-related crimes to get in on the ground floor of the legal cannabis industry. Giving Black and Brown people the opportunity was a priority for Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and he has considered it a crowning achievement — the state released a study last year showing that 60% of cannabis dispensary licenses went to businesses owned by minorities or women.

*** Chicago ***

* WGN | FBI Chicago sees bank robberies in city, suburbs plummet in 2024: New data shared with WGN News from the FBI’s Chicago field office shows a major drop in the number of bank robberies that happened last year in both city limits and throughout the suburbs within the field office’s geographic area. According to the data, there were 62 bank robberies in Chicago in 2023 compared to 31 in 2024, a sharp decline of 50%.

* Sun-Times | City Hall lobbyist repays $96,000 in tax breaks Sun-Times showed he never should have been given: Now, after a Chicago Sun-Times investigation uncovered the improper tax breaks, Saleh has paid up — $96,000 including penalties and interest. Saleh, a registered lobbyist for PepsiCo, won’t talk about why he repaid the money he saved as a result of the 34 tax breaks he’s gotten since 2017, along with the penalties and interest, and chose not to fight to prove he should have gotten them.

* Sun-Times | Chicago’s crypto ATMs are magnets for drug dealing and scams on elderly people: Legislation was introduced last year in the Illinois Senate to regulate crypto ATMs and cap usage fees, but the bills were never called for a vote. A state senator from Chicago says the issue may be addressed again after President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has become a champion of cryptocurrencies and has promised to deregulate the industry.

* Tribune | Chicago Bulls’ and Blackhawks’ plan to begin remaking the neighborhood surrounding United Center wins commission approval: This initial step will include the privately financed construction of a 6,000-seat music hall, a boutique hotel and nearly 10 acres of green space, including play areas for all age groups. The initial phase also includes several parking garages topped by elevated parks open to the public, with retail spaces and cafes on the ground floors.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WGN | Markham promotes home ownership with moratorium on new rental properties: Markham’s homeownership rate stands at 72 percent, higher than the rates in all of Illinois and Cook County, according to U.S. Census Data. But city officials say its growing number of rental properties account for a disproportionate number of police and fire service calls, as well as code enforcement and public works problems. […] Ideally, Agpawa said he’d like Markham’s homeownership rate to touch 90 percent. That goal may be challenging to reach, but Markham still took action by recently instituting a moratorium on new rental properties.

* ABC Chicago | Suburban school districts try to calm immigrant community’s fears of mass deportations: By law, Illinois schools must welcome students regardless of race, creed or immigration status. Most public officials in the state have expressed confidence that will continue. However, with the Trump administration about to take over leadership in Washington, some families in the immigrant community are on edge.

* Tribune | Winnetka house made famous by the movie ‘Home Alone’ sells for $5.5M: Now, the five-bedroom mansion has gotten its first new owners in 13 years — and seven years after the current owners renovated and expanded it. The home has six bathrooms, four fireplaces, an entry staircase that famously was showcased in the film, a recently added family room with 10-foot-high coffered ceilings, French doors and a kitchen with double islands, bespoke white cabinetry, a hidden pantry, an eight-burner Wolf range, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a built-in banquette.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | U.S. Department of Justice, Sangamon County Sheriff settle investigation over Sonya Massey’s murder: The agreement they reached demands several changes from the county, but there is little in the way of punishments outlined in the deal for following not following through. […] The deal requires the Sheriff’s office to “review and update policies, rules, and procedures and provide training on a variety of topics, including non-discriminatory policing and interactions with individuals with behavioral health disabilities.”

* ABC Chicago | Amber Alert canceled for girl abducted in Rock Island; 5 arrested, police say: An 18-year-old man and four other teens were arrested and charged in connection to the kidnapping and vehicle theft, police said. Rock Island police said just before 3 p.m. a 4-year-old girl, who had been in her mother’s car when the vehicle was stolen Thursday morning, was later found safe. She has been reunited with her mother, and will be evaluated by EMS, police said.

* Capitol City Now | Monster Pawn at center of alleged retail crime operation: Two pawn shops in Springfield are named as part of an alleged organized retail crime ring, leading to charges against a Bloomington family and employees. On Thursday, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced charges against Monster Pawn owners Edwin Pierce, 65, and Kathleen Pierce, 58, as well as their son, Everson Pierce, 28. Four other employees also face charges in the case.

* WSIU | Governor Pritzker Announces Construction of Applied Technology Center for Olney Central College: Governor JB Pritzker announced that construction will begin on the $3.15 million Applied Technology Center at Olney Central College. The new facility will include additions to the college’s nursing and radiography programs. It will also feature new classrooms, simulation and skill labs, faculty office space, and a student lounge.

* WIFR | Zoning Board of Appeals denies Red Barn Golf Course’s request to build apartments on driving range: Barnes delivers an appeal to the board: allow his special use permit to build “luxury townhomes” on Red Barn’s driving range. The owner claims a 27% decline in business leaves him no choice but to pivot – potentially constructing multifamily housing on the property. In July, Summit Condos spoke out against Red Barn’s driving range: a TopTracer by Topgolf system that reportedly leads to golf balls crashing into nearby homes.

* WIFR | Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition preparation underway at Sinnissippi Park: The 39th annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition is back at Sinnissippi Park and organizers are preparing for the bitter battle. On Wednesday morning, crews were at the park constructing blocks of snow for participating teams to use as their canvases. Because of the lack of snow on the ground, the Rockford Park District had to make the snow earlier in the week.

*** National ***

* Bloomberg | Walgreens Replaced Fridge Doors With Smart Screens. It’s Now a $200 Million Fiasco: The digital displays had a distinct advantage over regular glass, at least for the retailer: ads. When proximity sensors detected passersby, the fridge doors started playing short videos hawking Doritos or urging customers to check out with Apple Pay. If this sounds disruptive—in the ordinary sense of the word, not Silicon Valley’s—that might have seemed a generous description in December 2023, when all the screens went blank.

* NYT | General Motors Is Banned From Selling Driving Behavior Data for 5 Years: The New York Times reported last year that G.M. was collecting data about people’s driving behavior, including how often they sped or drove at night, and selling it to data brokers that generated risk profiles for insurance companies. Some drivers reported that their auto insurance rates increased as a result.

* Mediaite | SCOTUSBlog Publisher Indicted for Tax Evasion, Accused of Misusing Funds to Cover Gambling Debts:
Tom Goldstein, the publisher of the popular Supreme Court news site SCOTUSblog and veteran practitioner before the nation’s highest court himself, was indicted Thursday for tax evasion related to a stunning series of alleged schemes to use funds from his law firm to cover millions of dollars of gambling debts, Law360 reported.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

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Live coverage

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, Jan 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Welch tempers earlier remarks about state funding for Bears’ Michael Reese site: ‘The only ones talking about a Bears stadium are the folks in the media’

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Fran Spielman…

As for the Bears’ quest for a new stadium, [House Speaker Chris Welch] sought to temper remarks he made recently seemingly suggesting that the team could gain some traction on public funding for infrastructure if they shifted their Chicago focus away from the lakefront site south of Soldier Field and toward the old Michael Reese hospital site.

“People want to see tax dollars being used to uplift people who need it—not subsidize stadiums for the wealthy. Whether it’s a stadium at Michael Reese or a stadium in Arlington Heights,” Welch said.

“I made a comment that the Michael Reese site is a different conversation…because you would be talking about infrastructure with road fund dollars. But, we haven’t even had that conversation.”

…Adding… More from the interview…

Q: Should the Bears focus - if they want to stay in Chicago - on Michael Reese? Is the lakefront dead? Should it be and can a better case be made for Michael Reese, which would help spur development in a part of city that needs it?

Welch: I want to be clear about something, you know, just so that we can stay focused on what’s really important here in the next few months, the only discussion about the Bears Stadium in Springfield is in the media.

Right now, people want to see tax dollars being used to uplift people who need it, not subsidized stadiums for the wealthy. I want to be clear about that. Whether it’s the current stadium at Soldier Field, whether it’s a stadium at the Michael Reese site or a stadium in Arlington Heights, taxpayers do not want to see taxpayer money subsidizing that. I made a comment that the Michael Reese site is a different conversation, a conversation that the Bears haven’t even had, because you would be talking about infrastructure, Road Fund dollars. We haven’t even had that conversation.

Q: But should we have it? I’ve seen the plans. They’re beautiful, and you can see the lakefront from there. It is a site that could really be spectacular for the city. Do you think the Bears should give up on the lakefront and if they want to stay in Chicago, focus exclusively on Michael Reese, where you say infrastructure funds might be made available?

Welch: I think we should be talking about tax dollars being used for the people who need it, not subsidized stadiums for the wealthy. If the Bears want to build a stadium with private dollars, and they do it with at the Michael Reese site, you know, they should go for it. And I certainly would love to see them develop an underdeveloped neighborhood like the Bronzeville area.

Q: Is that better than the lakefront?

Welch: Oh, I think it gives them less opposition. You don’t have to deal with Friends of the Parks and things of that nature. And I think that gives them an opportunity to own their own stadium, but those are things that the Bears have to decide.

Q: But you’re saying flat out, there would be no subsidy for the stadium itself, and they never asked for that. But they need infrastructure help, and they need access to the hotel tax that funded, whatever, Rate Field, or whatever it’s called now for the White Sox.

Welch: Is there a question there?

Q: Well, yeah, because they never asked for stadium subsidy. They asked for infrastructure help. Are you saying that the only infrastructure help would be at Michael Reese and not for the lakefront, or [crosstalk].

Welch: Let’s be clear on what the ask was, what the conversation had been the last couple of years, is to grant authority for the Illinois sports facilities authority to extend bond authority to another location and basically use the dollars from bonding authority at the Sports Authority to help pay for their stadium. That’s a taxpayer subsidy. They did ask for that multiple times, and taxpayers don’t want us to do that. They want to see taxpayer dollars right now being used to uplift people who need it, and that’s what we’re going to focus on.

Q: So you’re saying that you’re not willing to use the stadium authority and its bonding authority to help them in any way, to help finance a stadium, no matter where it is, and the only help they can get anywhere is infrastructure?

Welch: People want to see tax dollars being used for the people who need it, not subsidized stadiums for the body. Take that how you want.

Q: It’s not an increase. They say it’s a hotel tax that’s in place right now at a stadium authority created for that purpose, and all they need is to extend those bonds. You’re not willing to consider that?

Welch: Right now, I’m focused on the things that are going to help people around the kitchen table. Talking about a Bears stadium, that’s not it.

Q: Is that a flat no?

Welch: What I’m saying very clearly is that the only ones talking about a Bears stadium are the folks in the media. We’re focused on kitchen table issues in Springfield. We’re not going to give a taxpayer subsidy to build a stadium, whether it’s football, baseball, soccer. We’re not going to subsidize stadiums for the wealthy.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

  20 Comments      


Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said Thursday he expects President-elect Donald Trump to put Chicago “in the middle of a dart board,” but there is no need for the state to protect itself any more than it already has. […]

Whether or not Trump uses federal funding to punish Chicago and Illinois, Welch has his work cut out for him.

The state is facing a $3.1 billion shortfall, and the challenge is to find a way to fill that gap by turning first toward spending cuts, rather than raising taxes.

“The last thing people want to hear around the kitchen table is the Speaker of the House talking about tax increases. That would be tone-deaf to what we heard in November,” Welch said. “The responsible thing to do is to first go through this budget and look for efficiency. We have some work to do — a lot of work to do — well before entertaining the idea of more taxes.”

* WTTW…

The number of people experiencing homelessness in the United States on a single night was the highest ever recorded in 2024. The overall rate increased by 18%, and in Chicago, the number of unhoused people tripled from 2023 to 2024.

But homelessness among Black people is seeing an even higher uptick in Illinois, more than double the national average.

Those figures are part of a report by the University of Illinois Chicago in collaboration with the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report showed a number of structural issues contributing to this disparity — a lack of affordable housing and sufficient income chief among them. […]

Rent burden is a major driver of Black homelessness. If Illinois residents spend 30% of their check on rent, they are considered “rent burdened.”

According to the report, Black residents are more likely to experience rent burden than White residents. Statewide, 63% of Black renters were rent burdened in 2022 compared to 51% of White renters.

*** Statewide ***

* WJBD | Illinois Department of Revenue announces start of 2025 income tax season: Illinois will participate in the IRS Direct File program this year. Eligible taxpayers will be able to use the program to electronically complete their 2024 federal tax returns for free. Eligibility can be confirmed by visiting, directfile.irs.gov. After filing a federal return using Direct File, the program will connect taxpayers to Illinois Free State income filing system, MyTax Illinois, allowing them to file and complete their Illinois state returns.

* USA Today | Unemployment claims in Illinois declined last week: New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, fell to 13,341 in the week ending January 3, down from 16,722 the week before, the Labor Department said. U.S. unemployment claims dropped to 201,000 last week, down 10,000 claims from 211,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

*** Chicago ***

* Unraveled | STRIPPED: The Chicago cops who lost their badges in 2024: At least 80 Chicago police officers were relieved of their police powers for some period of time between January 1 and November 17, 2024. Most officers were benched as a result of drug or alcohol abuse, domestic violence, making false statements, or other criminal charges. […] Most of the officers are currently collecting a paycheck in the Alternate Response Section (ARS), a unit primarily staffed by officers with disciplinary and medical issues who answer non-emergency phone calls. Officers slated to be fired may spend years in ARS as they await final court decisions in the FOP’s fight to allow officers to have their cases heard in secret arbitration proceedings.

* Tribune | Chicago Housing Authority ordered to pay $24 million in lead poisoning lawsuit brought by two residents: The case, filed in January 2022, focused on Shanna Jordan, the mother of Jah’mir Collins, now 10, and Morgan Collins, the mother of Amiah Collins, now 6, who sued CHA, the Habitat Company, East Lake Management Group and Environmental Design International, alleging that the defendants knew their unit had lead-based paint and that their children suffered “severe lead poisoning” while living in the unit. The unit was owned by CHA and is located at 7715 North Marshfield in Rogers Park.

* Tribune | Downtown bike- and bus-lane ticketing program generates more than 3,500 warnings and violations in its first weeks: Even so, the city issued at least 3,564 warnings in the first weeks of the program. Of the tickets issued, eight were for bus lane infractions and five were for bike lane violations, the data show. […] Schroeder said the city Transportation and Finance departments have for years been collecting information about vehicles blocking bike and bus lanes via the city’s 311 service, and enforcement vehicles are using that data to focus on locations where parking violations have been persistent issues.

* Crain’s | On day after city credit downgrade, Johnson seeks to float up to $830M in debt: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to sell as much as $830 million in general obligation bonds, filing an ordinance to approve the borrowing one day after S&P Global Ratings cut the city’s credit rating. The proceeds of the proposed sale would help finance “improvements to public rights-of-way, infrastructure and transportation, loans and grants, acquisition of property, construction and maintenance of public buildings, economic programs, lead service line replacements, and funding of judgments, settlements and escrow accounts payable by the city,” according to city documents.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson’s campaign fund returns $1,000 to O’Hare concessions executive: The mayor has faced repeated questions since he was elected in April 2023 about his acceptance of campaign money from contractors that work for City Hall, as well as unions that rely on his administration’s decision making and contractors for the so-called “sister agencies” such as Chicago Public Schools that he also oversees. He’s previously returned some of the other money from City Hall contractors, but not all.

* Chicago Reader | Former chief of policy Umi Grigsby talks candidly about what’s been accomplished and what’s still ahead: In early January, S. Mayumi “Umi” Grigsby stepped down as chief of policy for the City of Chicago. In this exclusive interview with the Reader, Grigsby reflects on her time in the mayor’s office and shares her thoughts on the challenges the city faces with the incoming Trump administration. Born in Liberia, Grigsby and her family fled the country’s first civil war and eventually resettled in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Georgetown University and explored a number of career paths, including acting and diplomacy, before graduating from Northeastern law school in 2015.

* Crain’s | Proposed zoning changes could bring more density to Far North Side corridor: The Chicago Department of Planning & Development, in conjunction with neighborhood alderpeople and community groups, is putting together a collection of zoning changes and guidelines for a 2.6-mile stretch of Broadway that aims to create more consistency in the area’s zoning, making it easier to develop there, as well as support the local business environment and improve housing affordability, according to DPD.

* NBC Chicago | 30-degree temperature drop in 2 days: What to expect and when in Chicago area: Temperatures continue their free fall on Sunday, dropping into the low teens and possibly even single digits for some. Overnight Sunday and into Monday, temperatures could drop to minus-5 degrees, with wind chills dropping 15-to-25 degrees below zero across the area, according to forecast models.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Massive cryogenic device will help Fermilab explore mysteries of the universe: As the massive 95-metric ton coldbox completed its cross-ocean journey, the crowd at Fermilab braving frigid winter temperatures on Wednesday could imagine what the particle accelerator being chilled to minus 456 F by the device must feel like. The coldbox is part of Fermilab’s Proton Improvement Plan II (PIP-II) project, a new 215-meter linear accelerator. When completed in 2029, it will fire a high-energy beam 800 miles to a repurposed mineshaft one mile beneath Lead, South Dakota. The accelerator will be the most powerful continuous-wave proton accelerator in the world. The beam will contain neutrinos — the most mysterious fundamental particles known in the universe.

* Daily Herald | Noted civil rights attorney to headline ‘I Have A Dream’ Unity Breakfast in DuPage County: Collaboration has been the underlying quality of his career, renowned civil rights attorney Fred Gray says. […] Gray is widely known for representing Rosa Parks after she famously refused to give up her seat on a Greyhound bus, as well as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the victims of the Tuskegee syphilis study. He played a vital role in Alabama’s pursuit of school integration and was honored by President Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022, the nation’s highest civilian award.

* Daily Herald | Plan to open first marijuana dispensary in Batavia nears approval: The city council will vote on a request for a conditional use permit Tuesday for Dutchess Cannabis to open in the building at 144 S. Randall Road. Boston-based Rubino Ventures, LLC is the applicant. The council’s committee of the whole voted 11-1 in favor of it Tuesday night, with one alderman abstaining and one absent. Alderman Nick Cerone cast the lone “no” vote.

*** Downstate ***

* Sun-Times | Amber Alert issued for missing 4-year-old girl in Rock Island: Authorities in Rock Island are urgently searching for a missing 4-year-old girl, Blessing, after the vehicle she was in was stolen early Thursday morning. As of 1 p.m. Blessing had still not been located, Rock Island Police Chief Tim McCloud told the Sun-Times. “We’re calling in every able body at this point — we’re working with the FBI, the state police and every local agency, McCloud said. “We’re doing everything that can be done.”

* Mahomet Daily | Champaign County League of Women Voters Launches “Protect the Mahomet Aquifer” Series: Recent legislative efforts, including the passage of Senate Bill 1289, known as the Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Act, have sparked a debate. The bill regulates the injection of CO2 into underground storage but has been criticized for its inadequacies, particularly after leaks from an existing project by Archer Daniels Midland in Decatur highlighted the potential risks to water safety. Speakers at the event include Andrew Rehn, Climate Policy Director at Prairie Rivers Network, and Pam Richart, Co-Director of the Eco-Justice Collaborative. Both experts will discuss the implications of carbon sequestration on the aquifer and the necessity of proactive measures to safeguard this irreplaceable resource.

*** National ***

* Tribune | ‘Mr. Baseball’ Bob Uecker, the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers, dies at 90: The team announced Uecker died Thursday morning, calling it “one of the most difficult days in Milwaukee Brewers history.” In a statement released by the club, Uecker’s family said he had battled small cell lung cancer since early 2023. “Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spirit to falter,” the family said.

  5 Comments      


Roundup: Defense rests case in trial of ex-Speaker Madigan

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WTTW…

Madigan’s team officially rested Thursday morning, nearly three months after opening statements and testimony began in the landmark case. Government prosecutors then concluded a brief rebuttal case as the evidence portion of the trial officially came to a close. […]

Closing statements are expected to begin next Wednesday, followed by jury deliberations the following week.

Madigan, who is charged alongside his longtime right-hand man Michael McClain, is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his political power to reward loyal allies and enrich himself.

He and McClain are charged with racketeering, bribery and wire fraud. They have each pleaded not guilty.

* Tribune…

The jury was told to return Thursday morning so lawyers could argue over outstanding issues, but in what has become routine in the complicated case, those arguments went overtime.

Attorneys sparred for nearly two hours about loose ends including jury instructions and proposed evidence in the prosecution’s rebuttal case. A further delay was incurred after the FBI, at the request of Madigan’s attorneys, sent out for a box of investigative notes at its headquarters on West Roosevelt Road for possible use during cross-examination of an agent.

The judge at one point proposed sending the jury to an early lunch, but that plan was scrapped. Madigan’s co-defendant, Michael McClain, whose presence was waived, arrived in the middle of the discussions, and his lawyer asked for the record to reflect he was in court.

“Yes, the record should reflect he’s barely missed anything at all,” U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey said.

* Wednesday marked the final witness testimony from Springfield lobbyist Heather Wier Vaught. Capitol News Illinois…

Earlier Wednesday, the jury heard from the defense’s final witness: Springfield lobbyist Heather Wier Vaught, who’d served a dozen years as an attorney in Madigan’s office, including as chief counsel.

Wier Vaught gave roughly the same testimony as two other former top speaker’s office lawyers the defense had previously called as witnesses. She said Madigan followed staff recommendations about key legislation at issue in trial and never interfered with negotiations of those bills. […]

Several times during an hour of questioning, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur tried to undermine Wier Vaught’s credibility, claiming she had represented Madigan in “every facet” of his personal and professional life.

Wier Vaught clarified that she never represented him on anything having to do with his law firm but acknowledged that outside her role as chief counsel in the speaker’s office, she’d served as one of several attorneys representing Madigan’s various political fundraising committees and the Democratic Party of Illinois.

* Sun-Times Federal Courts Reporter Jon Seidel…

* Also from Wesnesday. The Tribune…

On Wednesday, however, the jury learned that if he were called to testify, Pritzker would say he has no recollection of the meeting — or any discussion of Daniel Solis, the alderman-turned-FBI mole, getting a lucrative board seat.

“If called as a witness, Gov. JB Pritzker would testify that he does not recall meeting with Michael Madigan on Dec. 4, 2018, and he does not recall Madigan ever discussing or recommending Daniel Solis or Maya Solis, either orally or in writing, for any position on a state board or commission,” stated a defense stipulation read into the record.

That echoes a statement put out by Pritzker’s camp on the day Madigan was indicted nearly three years ago, saying he’d agreed to an interview with the feds, but “does not recall” Madigan ever asking him to consider Solis “for any position,” and that the administration has no record of the alleged recommendation.

  14 Comments      


Judge’s SAFE-T Act tantrum overturned by appellate court

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* For whatever reason, Will County Circuit Judge Dave Carlson decided to blame the SAFE-T Act for forcing him to release a full-time member of the notorious Outlaws motorcycle gang from jail who was accused of murder and concealing the body. From April…

A Will County judge suggested that he may have no choice under the state’s SAFE-T Act but to release Jeremy Boshears ahead of his second trial for murder in the 2017 shooting of a woman at the clubhouse for the Joliet Outlaws motorcycle gang.

Circuit Judge Dave Carlson made his comments at a Wednesday hearing in which a prosecutor contended that Boshears is a threat to witnesses and the community, while his defense attorney pointed to his record in more than six years of being in jail as someone who “follows the rules.”

Carlson questioned whether the charges pending against Boshears mattered under the SAFE-T Act law that eliminated cash bail and set standards by which defendants could be held in jail before trial.

Calling the Illinois standards the “most lenient” in the nation, Carlson asked attorneys: “Aren’t we supposed to essentially set a blind, false standard for pretrial release? Isn’t that where we’re at in the state of Illinois? Aren’t we supposed to say, ‘You’re charged with a crime, but we’re going to let you go until you’re found guilty?’”

* About a week later…

A Will County judge granted the jail release of a Coal City man who had been previously convicted of a 2017 murder at the Joliet Outlaws clubhouse but also ordered his ruling to not take effect for 21 days. […]

Carlson said he hoped his decision in Boshears’ case would illustrate all the potential problems he believed existed with the SAFE-T Act and the law’s demands on the judicial branch when considering defendants’ pretrial release. […]

Carlson said he was not going to get into the politics surrounding the SAFE-T Act or his own feelings regarding it, but he nevertheless said the law “poses more questions than answers” and puts judges in a “really, really bad spot.”

Judge Carlson retired the following day.

* Fast-forward to early May…

Prosecutors argue a former Will County judge refused to make several findings in accordance with a provision of the SAFE-T Act when he ordered the release of a man charged with murder, such as whether he posed a threat to others and the community. […]

In the May 6 motion, Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Shlifka said there is a statutory requirement that judges make specific findings for detention hearings under the Pretrial Fairness Act.

However, Shlifka argued Carlson refused to make those findings at Boshears’ April 29 court hearing in accordance with the act. […]

Shlifka’s motion argued Carlson “explicitly and intentionally chose not to follow the [Pretrial Fairness Act], or make the requisite findings.”

* The new judge agreed with prosecutors…

A new detention hearing was held for a man charged with murder after a Will County judge determined a retired judge failed to follow requirements under a provision of the SAFE-T Act when allowing the man’s jail release.

On Thursday, Will County Judge Jessica Colón-Sayre vacated a court order from former Judge Dave Carlson that allowed the pretrial release of Jeremy Boshears, 39, of Coal City. Boshears stands charged for a second time with first-degree murder and concealment of a woman’s homicide at the Joliet Outlaws clubhouse.

Colón-Sayre determined Carlson failed to make findings on whether there was clear and convincing evidence that Boshears committed the offenses he’s charged with, posed a threat to others and was a flight risk. […]

Colón-Sayre said while the changes to the legal system brought on by the SAFE-T Act posed a challenge for Carlson, judges still have to follow the law and provide a record that allows for appeals by defense attorneys and prosecutors.

* And an Illinois appellate court has since upheld the detention order…

An appellate court upheld the pretrial detention of a former Joliet Outlaws motorcycle club member who for a second time is facing charges of killing a woman and hiding her body.

Carlson “failed to make the adequate findings” required by the SAFE-T Act and he then “retired from the bench,” according to [Appellate Court Justice Lance Peterson]. […]

While Boshears has no criminal history, his dangerousness was evident from the “nature and circumstances of the offenses,” his access to weapons and his first murder conviction, the appellate court noted.

More details about the crime are in the appellate ruling, so click here. Ugh. That is one dangerous defendant, and that was a very dangerous judicial temper tantrum.

Also, the county state’s attorney sued to block the SAFE-T Act from taking effect. And now, that same state’s attorney has successfully used the new law to keep a dangerous person behind bars.

Funny how life works.

  17 Comments      


The bookies who cried ‘Wolf’

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Remember when FanDuel and DraftKings were threatening to pull out of Illinois? This is from June…

Illinois legislators have called the bluff of online sports betting companies that are suggesting they might reduce operations — or close up shop in the state altogether — after being slapped with a higher graduated tax system in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s latest budget.

FanDuel and DraftKings will soon see their net revenue taxed on a scale that tops out at 40% under the spending plan passed by the Illinois General Assembly last week. That’s up from the 15% flat rate levied against sportsbooks since the now $1 billion Illinois industry launched in 2020. […]

Sports Betting Alliance president Jeremy Kudon said the new rates “counterproductively penalize sports betting operators who invested millions into the local economy and created jobs in the state” — and it leaves them “no choice but to” reconsider their Illinois operations.

“This tax hike doesn’t just threaten the legal, regulated sports betting market — it will have devastating effects for operators’ in-state partners, including the most vulnerable downstate casinos, who rely on sports betting revenue to create jobs and invest in communities,” Kudon said.

* Well, they didn’t leave and they’re thriving…

Sports betting records continued to fall in Illinois in late 2024.

The Illinois Gaming Board reported a November handle of $1.53 billion, the most ever wagered for the second consecutive month. Sports betting operator revenue of $154.6 million also set a new monthly high and eclipsed the previous record of $137.2 million from September 2024. […]

DraftKings set Illinois monthly records with a $527.1 million handle and revenue of $57.3 million. FanDuel wasn’t far behind with $512.4 million in wagers and $54.7 million in profits, the most it has ever hauled in as an Illinois operator. […]

Sports betting operators have already produced 27% more revenue in 2024, thanks to 22% more wagers and a slightly higher hold than in 2023. The state has collected over $228 million in tax revenue through November.

More here.

  17 Comments      


How the heck do these things even happen?

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Two or three others sent me pretty much this same screenshot last night…


* It was a mistake…

Turns out that’s not correct, and his team is filing an amendment, Christian Perry, Johnson’s political director, says the mayor raised about $200,000 (Hello, that’s more like it.) during the fourth quarter and has $1.1 million in the bank.

About his expenditures: The report says the mayor gave $48,500.00 to the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee, $5,000 to the Chicago Federation of Labor and Industrial Union Council PAC and $100,000 to the After School Matters nonprofit. The fourth-quarter filings also show he spent thousands of dollars on catered meals and Uber rides and $3,400 on hair and makeup.

What is the level of incompetency for the mayor of one of the largest cities in the United States to file a campaign finance report like that? The campaign committee has already filed six amended reports since the summer.

* Perhaps more importantly, the campaign did not file a single A-1 report during the quarter. Unless all of that $200K raised was in small contributions, where are the A-1 reports?…

A Schedule A-1 is a special, stand-alone report required for larger contributions received by political committees. Specifically, it is used to report contributions of $1000 or more received from a single source.

Any political committee receiving a contribution (including loans, personal monies, and in-kind contributions) of $1,000 or more must file a Schedule A-1 within 5 business days of receipt.

Hmm.

* Also, Johnson’s third quarter report showed his campaign fund only raised $3,465.77 between July 1 and September 30.

So, you’re telling us that the mayor of the Democratic National Convention’s host city raised less than $4K during those festivities?

Seriously?

I’ve reached out to the mayor’s political director for a response. I’ll let you know.

* Back to Politico…

Looking over his shoulder: Possible mayoral challengers Alexi Giannoulias and Susana Mendoza are also fundraising, though their fundraising could be used to run for their respective statewide offices, too. Giannoulias is secretary of state, and Mendoza is comptroller.

By the numbers: Giannoulias has $3.3 million on hand after raising $922,000 in the fourth quarter, and Mendoza has $1.1 million after raising $259,000, according to their filings.

Discuss.

  29 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WBBM…

Illinois lawmakers are looking to lower prescription drug costs with a new bill.

The Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program Act, introduced during the lame duck session in Springfield, calls for the Illinois Department of Public Health to establish a network with Canadian prescription drug suppliers and wholesalers to provide affordable options to consumers.

It would create a registration process to be used by health providers and pharmacies.

If passed by lawmakers, Illinois would join seven other states who have already passed legislation to import drugs from Canada.

* WAND…

Illinois lawmakers could pass a plan this spring to remove toxic heavy metals from baby food. A suburban Senate Democrat was inspired to file the bill after talking about the issue with her chief of staff.

Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) hopes to ban people from selling, distributing or offering baby food in Illinois that contains arsenic, cadmium, lead or mercury.

“Many people don’t even know that this is an issue,” Fine said. “When you think you are doing something healthy for your child, it is a big wake up call to find out that it’s actually backfiring.” […]

Senate Bill 73 also calls for manufacturers to tell consumers the name and level of each toxic heavy metal present in their products by January 1, 2027. It also requires companies to include the product name, universal product code, lot or batch number to help people identify the product.

* Rep. Jed Davis…

Yesterday, State Representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) introduced House Bill 1346, which aims to bolster school safety in Illinois by establishing the School Resource Officer (SRO) Grant Program. This legislation will provide critical funding to support the hiring of active or retired law enforcement officers as SROs in schools throughout the state.

“Every child deserves safe environments to grow and learn,” said Rep. Davis. “House Bill 1346 provides these environments by ensuring our schools have the resources for hiring trained law enforcement professionals. These professionals will help protect our classrooms, students, and teachers.”

Key Provisions of House Bill 1346:

    - Creates the School Resource Officer Grant Program managed by the State Board of Education.
    - Ensures districts and schools hiring SROs will be eligible for reimbursements of salaries and related costs through this program.
    - Requires active or retired law enforcement officers serving as SROs to meet the certification requirements of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board.

“This bill will help schools prioritize safety while fostering supportive learning environments,” Davis added. “Educators and parents shouldn’t worry about whether their school can afford critical safety measures. This legislation alleviates any worry, providing a path forward to safer schools for every child in Illinois.”

Rep. Davis emphasized the importance of addressing safety proactively, highlighting how SROs serve not only as protectors but also as mentors who can build positive relationships with students.

This bill was produced in collaboration with Kristina McCloy, head of Concerned Parents Illinois, whose advocacy was instrumental in shaping House Bill 1346. Ms. McCloy said, “School safety is deeply personal to me. For years, I’ve been unwavering in my efforts to raise awareness and advocate for the protection of our children. While politicians and public figures enjoy robust security, our classrooms remain exposed and vulnerable. It’s time for meaningful actions addressing these disparities. I’m grateful to Representative Davis for championing this cause and including this critical measure in his Protecting Kids bill package. Together, we can ensure every child in Illinois experiences safe environments to grow and learn.”

House Bill 1346 now awaits further action in the Illinois House of Representatives. Rep. Davis urges bipartisan support for this commonsense solution toward enhancing school safety.

This bill is one of multiple bills in Rep. Davis’ Protecting Kids bill package.

* NBC Chicago Investigates found an uninsured school bus company using expired plates to transport CPS students. Rep. Marcus Evans…

* Rep. Bob Rita introduced HB1389 yesterday…

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Expands the provisions regarding automated speed enforcement systems in safety zones to include municipalities in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will (instead of just the City of Chicago). Provides that the net proceeds a municipality receives from civil penalties imposed under an automated speed enforcement system shall be expended or obligated by the municipality for, among other purposes, the remission of $5 from each civil penalty to the State Treasurer for deposit into the General Revenue Fund, which shall be remitted to the State Treasurer as determined by the State Treasurer. Provides that if an automated speed enforcement system is removed or rendered inoperable due to construction, then the Department of Transportation shall authorize the reinstallation or use of the automated speed enforcement system within 30 days after the construction is complete.

  14 Comments      


Open thread

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

  10 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois launches portal to simplify searching for youth mental health resources. Crain’s…

    - The portal, called the Behavioral Health Care & Ongoing Navigation, or BEACON, is the brainchild of the state’s Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative and its chief officer, Dana Weiner.
    - The centralized resource for Illinois youth and families who are seeking youth mental health services and care, can be found at beacon.illinois.gov and is now available for all Illinoisans.
    - Pritzker said the portal is part of the work being done in Illinois to fight stigmas about behavioral health, break down barriers to finding and affording care, and eliminate silos of services among individual state agencies.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | State Board of Education seeks $11.4 billion for PreK-12 spending: The request includes a $350 million increase in “Evidence-Based Funding,” the minimum annual increase called for under the 2017 law that focuses new education spending on the neediest districts. It also includes a $142 million increase in what’s called “mandatory categorical” aid for expenses such as transportation and special education, and $75 million in new funding for early childhood education.

* NBC Chicago | Amtrak cancels Chicago-area trains ahead of cold blast of Arctic air: With the coldest air of the season expected to blanket the Chicago area in coming days, Amtrak has preemptively canceled multiple trains. According to the agency, the Empire Builder train set to run between Chicago and Seattle on Monday, Jan. 20 will not operate due to expected frigid conditions.

* QC News | Deere responds to Illinois attorney general right-to-repair lawsuit: “This lawsuit, filed on the eve of a change in Administration, ignores the Company’s long-standing commitment to customer self-repair and the consistent progress and innovation we have made over time, including the launch of Equipment Mobile in 2023 and the previously announced launch of new capabilities for John Deere Operations Center later this year,” the response says. “The complaint is based on flagrant misrepresentations of the facts and fatally flawed legal theories, and it punishes innovation and pro-competitive product design.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sun-Times | Campaign contributions surge amid debate over hemp regulation in Illinois: While those figures pale in comparison to political donations from the cannabis industry in recent years, the hemp lobby’s contributions came as the long-running delta-8 debate reached a fever pitch in Springfield.

* QC Times | Quad-Cities area Republican tapped to lead veterans committee in Illinois statehouse: “As a veteran, Rep. Swanson has served our country with honor and distinction, and I know he will bring the same solemn sense of duty to leading a bipartisan Veterans Affairs Committee,” Welch said in a statement. Swanson, in an interview with Lee Enterprises, said he “dropped the phone” and was “speechless” when Welch called this weekend to inform him of the assignment.

* Chalkbeat | While the state faces a tighter budget, Illinois’ schools chief ask for a boost in education funding: The board unanimously approved Illinois Superintendent Tony Sanders’ budget proposal at a Wednesday board meeting without any pushback from members. Sanders proposed an additional $350 million for the state’s evidence-based funding formula for K-12 schools, which distributes new state education funding to schools based on need, sending more to under-resourced schools and those that serve a majority of students from low-income households, English learners, and students with disabilities.

*** Statewide ***

* Covers
| Illinois Sets New Records for Monthly Sports Betting Handle, Revenue: The Illinois Gaming Board reported a November handle of $1.53 billion, the most ever wagered for the second consecutive month. Sports betting operator revenue of $154.6 million also set a new monthly high and eclipsed the previous record of $137.2 million from September 2024.

*** Chicago ***

* Chalkbeat | Chicago Teachers Union alleges paycheck errors, asks new school board to help reach contract deal: The grievance claims at least five unnamed staffers have not been paid according to their seniority with the district. In all five cases, the union alleges, employees have reached out to the district for help in correcting the issue, but CPS has not fixed their pay.

* Tribune | New Chicago school board sworn in as CTU president pushes to reach deal over contentious contract: The hybrid board — currently composed of 10 members who won their seats during the city’s first school board elections and 10 members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson — will have a decisive hand in shaping the future of Chicago Public Schools amid immediate financial challenges at the district and contentious negotiations on a new four-year Chicago Teachers Union contract that has devolved into a prolonged power struggle. Johnson has yet to select his final appointment to the board, which will ultimately bring total membership to 21.

* Block Club | 25 MPH Speed Limit Reduction Proposal Hits The Brakes In City Council: While the measure passed the necessary council committee in October, La Spata ultimately did not bring it up for a vote last year. On Wednesday, he again withheld it from facing a final vote after failing to secure enough support to ensure its passage. Alderpeople did approve a resolution also backed by La Spata to create a working group that would examine Chicago’s traffic laws and design a “more equitable enforcement system, including fines and fees reform.” That measure passed by a 49-1 vote, with only Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) voting against it.

* Sun-Times | Flamingo, seal die of bird flu at Lincoln Park Zoo: How the animals were exposed to H5N1 avian influenza remains unknown, but the zoo said it was “near certain” that it derived from contact with a waterfowl that was infected with the virus. “This is sad news for wildlife and for the zoo team. Not only are we facing the first known cases of HPAI in animals in our care, but we’ve lost two amazing animals,” said Dr. Kathryn Gamble, Lincoln Park Zoo director of veterinary services, referring to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

* Sun-Times | Chicago’s bond rating dropped to BBB — one step above lowest investment grade: Now it has followed through, dropping the city to just two notches above “junk bond” status. Standard & Poor’s last year had cited Chicago’s “heavy reliance on one-time” revenue and a “politically-charged standoff” between Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City Council in warning of the likely reduction.

* Chicago Reader | Chicago Reader Announces Restructuring and Layoffs: n addition to the layoffs, RICJ CEO Solomon Lieberman submitted his resignation to the RICJ board of directors on Monday, January 13. “We are deeply grateful for Sol’s hard work and dedication during his tenure, and wish him the very best in his future endeavors,” says Chicago Reader publisher Amber Nettles.

* Block Club | Late Chicago Folk Legend Steve Goodman’s Guitars, Lyric Sheets Feared Lost In L.A. Fires: The beloved Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Goodman recorded his final album “Santa Ana Winds” in 1984. They are the same winds that spread the Los Angeles wild fires that killed at least 25 people this week and destroyed thousands of homes. Two of those homes belonged to Goodman’s daughters, and they now fear some of their father’s prized keepsakes — including guitars and the original handwritten lyrics to his legendary hit “City of New Orleans” — were lost to the fires.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WBEZ | A former Cook County agency employee will get $180,000 in a legal settlement: A former employee of Cook County’s property-tax appeal agency will get a big payout to end a legal case, just months after he was fired and sued a Democratic elected official. A county board subcommittee on Wednesday approved a $180,000 settlement to end the federal whistleblower case filed last year by Frank Calabrese against the county’s Board of Review, Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele and her top aide.

* Daily Herald | Arlington Heights, Rolling Meadows clash before state Supreme Court over sales tax from Cooper’s Hawk: Appearing before the Illinois Supreme Court Wednesday, attorneys for Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights argued whether the former should pay the latter more than $1 million in misallocated sales taxes from Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant.

*** Downstate ***

…Adding… The Southern | Altercation after Carbondale council meeting under investigation: During the altercation, at least one citizen yelled in the face of Councilwoman Clare Killman, before city staff and police intervened and separated them. This came after a tense three-hour meeting during which Killman and Councilwoman Ginger Rye-Sanders criticized each other during the public portion of the meeting.

* WSIL | Carbondale police intervene verbal situation between city council members and public at meeting, city government reports: A member with the City of Carbondale Government stated on January 14, 2025, at roughly 9:05 p.m., Carbondale police officers intervened a verbal situation which involved two city council members and some members of the public. This happened at the conclusion of an executive session meeting at a Carbondale City Council meeting.

* WTVO | U of I system guarantees admission for Illinois high school grads looking to transfer: The policy takes effect for the 2025 fall semester and the only requirements are that students graduated from an Illinois high school, working toward their first bachelor’s degree, satisfy the system’s English language proficiency requirement and have at least 36 semester credit hours.

*** National ***

* AP | What products contain Red 3 dye? Checking ingredient labels is the best way to find out: The Food and Drug Administration is ordering food and drug makers to remove a dye called Red 3 from the products U.S. consumers eat and drink. The colorant was banned from cosmetics and non-oral medications decades ago because a study showed it caused cancer when eaten by rats. But it kept appearing on the ingredient lists of popular snack foods and other grocery products because it remained approved for use until now.

  12 Comments      


Live coverage

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Jan 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

CTA chief of staff Nora Leerhsen will become the interim president of the transit agency, taking over after Dorval Carter’s retirement at the end of January.

Leerhsen will, for now, take on leadership of an agency that has faced rampant complaints from riders in recent years, with another challenge on the horizon as a massive budget gap looms and lawmakers in Springfield prepare to debate the future of the region’s four transit agencies in a move that could have significant repercussions for the CTA’s authority. Leerhsen will be paid an annual salary of $278,703.73.

This is from Block Club’s 2023 story on how many times CTA officials used public transit…

Nora Leerhsen, chief of staff for the CTA president, did not swipe her work card in 2021 [to ride a bus or train] and then used it on five days in November and December 2022.

* The Illinois Freedom Caucus…

The Illinois General Assembly has once again wasted time and taxpayer resources to push through yet another gun bill that will most certainly not withstand a Constitutional challenge, according to members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus.

“Radical leftists are congratulating themselves for ramming through yet another gun bill, but their victory today will be a short-lived one and they know it. House Bill 4144 mandates police seizure of firearms from anyone subject to an order of protection or “red flag” order and includes ex parte orders in which there is no notification of a hearing or any due process rights. Furthermore, there are no provisions for the return of firearms should the ex parte orders be dismissed.

No one wants criminals to use firearms to commit acts of violence, but the way to stop violent acts from happening is to punish those who break the law and to increase the penalties for those who violate orders of protection. There are solutions that actually work. Unfortunately, the Democrats chose the least effective path by passing a bill that will most likely be ruled unconstitutional, proving that the priority of the radical left is not to solve problems but rather to make political statements. Illinois needs solutions and real leadership not more political slogans and activism.”

Several members of the freedom caucus boycotted the vote for minority leader.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | While deficit looms in next year’s budget, current-year revenues remain on track: Pritzker is slated to give his budget address on Feb. 19, facing the largest projected deficit entering a spring session since 2021, when the pandemic hurt state income – though federal stimulus funds and a strong economic recovery helped erase the gap that year. Since then, the state has enjoyed more robust revenue with little need for new revenue-generating policies – until the current-year budget that passed in May with about $1 billion in new revenues through a tax hike on sportsbooks and businesses among other changes.

* Block Club | Hemp Loophole Causing Chaos In City Hall, Springfield — But Smoke Shop Owners ‘Ready To Fight’: While negotiations in Springfield stall, Ald. Marty Quinn (13th) is quickly advancing a local ordinance to not only ban the sale of “cannabinoid hemp products” but compel the city to not renew any retail tobacco licenses in a part of the Southwest Side he calls the “Midway Residential Area.” That would all but force Race to close two stores near Midway Airport this year. The ordinance is expected to be up for a vote before City Council Wednesday.

* KARE | Minnesota, Illinois attorneys general sue John Deere company alleging ‘repair monopoly’: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued agricultural manufacturer John Deere Wednesday, alleging it has used unfair practices to drive up equipment repair costs for farmers. AG Ellison, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Federal Trade Commission filed the lawsuit, claiming that Deere & Company practices have made it difficult for farmers and independent repair providers to repair Deere products. The lawsuit alleges this has forced farmers to rely on Deere’s dealers for repairs and pay heightened repair fees for decades.

*** Madigan Trial ***

* Tribune | Former chief counsel for Madigan’s office testifies as closer for ex-speaker’s defense team: The former top legal counsel to House Speaker Michael Madigan testified at Madigan’s corruption trial Wednesday that key legislation being pushed by ComEd and AT&T came amid a “political war” with then-Gov. Bruce Rauner and only passed after months of negotiations and compromise. … Wier Vaught also testified there was a strong vetting process to identify any potential conflicts of interest between his private legal clients and state legislation.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Johnson blasted for failing to deliver on environmental promises: Despite promising to fix city policies, Johnson has made no progress in a number of areas, all requirements laid out in a binding agreement with federal officials, the South Side groups said in a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday. The civil rights complaint was filed with HUD in 2020 in response to the city’s multiyear involvement in moving the scrap metal operation General Iron from white, affluent Lincoln Park to East Side, a low-income Latino-majority community. The relocated metal-shredding operation was fully built at East 116th Street along the Calumet River, but the city — under pressure from community organizations and other advocates — ultimately refused to issue an operating permit. That permit denial is still being fought in court.

* WTTW | Key City Panel Advances Measure to Ban Sale of Intoxicating Hemp in 2 Southwest Side Wards: The Chicago City Council’s License and Consumer Protection Committee advanced an ordinance that would prohibit the sale of “cannabinoid hemp products” that are “capable of producing a psychoactive effect in a person who consumes it” in Ald. Marty Quinn’s 13th Ward and Ald. Silvana Tabares’ 23rd Ward. If approved by the full City Council, violations of the ordinance could trigger fines of at least $2,000 and no more than $5,000. A final vote on the measure could come at the City Council meeting scheduled for Jan. 15.

* Crain’s | Bally’s seeking lucrative property tax break for Chicago casino: Chicago regularly approves property tax incentives to developers, including recently inking a deal with the developers of the Southeast Side quantum campus, reducing their taxes by over $175 million for the life of the 30-year incentive. But the request from Bally’s — coming right as the company appears ready to begin construction of a permanent casino that City Hall is banking on to shore up its police and fire pensions — may rankle some in the City Council who have been skeptical of the project since it was approved in 2022.

* SCOTUS Blog | Supreme Court considers Chicago alderman’s “false statement” charges: The Supreme Court on Tuesday grappled with the case of Patrick Daley Thompson, a former Chicago alderman and member of Chicago’s most storied political dynasty. Thompson served four months in a federal prison for making false statements to bank regulators about loans he took out and did not repay. He contends that the federal law under which he was convicted does not apply to statements – like his – that are misleading but not false. But after just over 75 minutes of oral arguments, it wasn’t clear whether the justices would actually decide that legal question, or whether a majority of the justices believed that a ruling on that question would even help Thompson.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WTIP | Cook County sells land to HRA for future Hamilton Habitat project: After several weeks of discussion and working to create a legal description, the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted on Jan. 14 to convey a parcel of public land to the Cook County Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA), earmarked for a future Hamilton Habitat project. The sale has been part of the board discussion for the past several weeks. It is located at the intersection of the Gunflint Trail and Creechville Road. While the final board of commissioner meetings of 2024 included discussion of transferring the land to the HRA, a lack of a legal description of the plot caused some delay.

* Daily Herald | Officials: Fires at Elgin homeless encampment were accidental and unrelated: The Elgin Fire Department’s investigation into the three fires, which took place Dec. 4, Dec. 12 and Jan. 11, found no evidence of suspicious activity in any of the incidents. In a press release Wednesday, the fire department said the use of heating equipment near combustible materials was a common factor in the three fires.

*** Downstate ***

* KWQC | Inquest: Dead man’s DNA found on off-duty Carroll Co. deputy’s truck: The DNA of Jackson Kradle was found underneath the vehicle of an off-duty sheriff’s deputy in July, according to testimony during a coroner’s inquest. […] In November, Carroll County Coroner Matthew Jones said Kradle died from blunt trauma to the head after he was hit by a vehicle.

* Daily Journal | Gotion buys more land around its plant: Since buying the former Kmart distribution center in Manteno in 2023, Gotion has continued to purchase land surrounding the plant at 333 S. Spruce St. is transforming the 1.5-million-square-foot facility into a lithium battery manufacturing plant.

* WMBD | Hundreds of tires popping up across Woodford and Peoria County: Amy McLaren with the Peoria County Highway Department said it’s likely more than one person who’s behind this. “If you have this many tires, it can’t be just one person. You have multiple vehicles. If we fill up our large snowplow trucks with tires, it is more than one person. It’s a larger operation that’s just trying to dispose of these.” said McLaren.

*** National ***

* Streetsblog | Alarming Report Shows that Two Auto-Braking Systems Can’t See People in Reflective Garb: The worst systems were on two popular models made by Honda and Mazda. The alarming finding by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will likely shock millions of American pedestrians … and maybe even force change among the governmental agencies that lay the onus on them for their own safety.

* Fortune | Walgreens CEO describes drawback of anti-shoplifting strategy: ‘When you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them’: he company plans to close approximately 450 additional stores in 2025, noting that the stores that remain open outperform the ones designated for closure by approximately 250 basis points. Wentworth also acknowledged the ongoing struggle with shrink as a “hand-to-hand combat battle.” After reporting a 52% increase in shrink, or lost inventory, in 2020 and 2021, Walgreens invested in increased security that proved to be “largely ineffective.” And while many drug stores have taken to locking up commonly looted goods, Wentworth admitted, “When you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them. We’ve kind of proven that pretty conclusively.”

* WSIL | 140 Illinois National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to assist with Presidential Inauguration Security: Information from the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office detailed the Soldiers and Airmen which includes 100 Military Police Soldiers from the 933rd Military Police Company out of Fort Sheridan and about 30 Security Forces Airmen from the 183rd Wing based in Springfield, the 126th Air Refueling Wing based at Scott Air Force Base, and the 182nd Airlift Wing based in Peoria.

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New RTA transit proposal called ‘too little, too late half-measure that puts holding on to power above the needs of riders and taxpayers’

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WTTW…

The Regional Transportation Authority is pitching what it calls a “historic restructuring” that would grant the agency authority to more aggressively coordinate fare policy, service standards and capital projects among CTA, Metra and Pace — reforms the RTA said could create both cost savings and a vastly improved rider experience.

The proposal comes as the Chicago region’s transit agencies are facing down an estimated $750 million fiscal cliff next year when COVID-19 relief money runs out — and amid conversations in Springfield about tying increased transit funding to major changes to the existing public transit structure. Some lawmakers have floated merging RTA, CTA, Metra and Pace into a single agency, coupled with an additional $1.5 billion in annual funding.

The transit agencies have cheered the proposed funding boost, noting that Illinois invests far less in transit than other states — but have thrown cold water on the idea of a merger, arguing it won’t create the efficiencies or service improvements backers hope.

RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden said the new proposal, set to be outlined by RTA Board Chairman Kirk Dillard in a Wednesday speech at the City Club, is the culmination of more than two years of work that can serve as a roadmap for lawmakers debating transit’s future during the General Assembly’s spring session.

* From the proposal…

• RTA leads a one-stop-shop contact center for all rider issues, including Ventra/ticket purchasing, free and reduced rider certification, and ADA paratransit certification
• RTA manages and sets all fare policy, including unified fare products
• RTA leads development of a universal app for all fare payment, consolidates special fare programs, and expands Access pilot for riders experiencing low incomes region-wide
• RTA sets uniform customer information design standards and centralizes deployment of real-time tracking information

It also wants a lot of control over capital spending. But there’s nothing in there about coordinating schedules between the systems beyond setting some minimum performance standards for buses and trains to cut rider wait times “by as much as 50%.”

* The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition is not happy…

In response to the Regional Transportation Authority’s announcement of their plans to “transform transit” today, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition released the following statement:

“Illinoisans deserve and want a transformed transit system outlined in the Clean and Equitable Transportation Act (CETA) that coordinates smooth, accessible and equitable service, connects folks to affordable, active modes of transportation, and mitigates air and climate pollution. Today’s announcement from RTA reminds riders of many failed promises over the last decade, and is another too little, too late half-measure that puts holding on to power above the needs of riders and taxpayers. Legislative leaders in Springfield have made it clear there is no new revenue to improve transit without major reforms.”

Its membership list, which includes the Illinois Environmental Council, is here.

  17 Comments      


ISP reports 71 percent decrease in expressway/interstate shootings since 2021

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

For the third year in a row, the number of shootings on Illinois interstates has dropped. The Illinois State Police (ISP) is reporting interstate shootings statewide decreased 31% in 2024, compared to 2023. Since a record high in 2021, there has been a decrease in interstate shootings every year:

    • 31% decrease from 2023 to 2024
    • 53% decrease from 2022 to 2024
    • 71% decrease from 2021 to 2024

“The continued dedication of resources, including personnel, license plate readers, Air Ops, K9 units, and investigations, has allowed ISP to reduce crime on interstates and make roads safer,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. ​ “Although our strategies for crime reduction continue to evolve, ISP’s commitment to protecting the public remains unwavering.”

In 2024, through patrol enforcement and special violent crime reduction missions, we saw a 7% decrease in fatal crashes, a 3% increase in illegal firearms seized, and a 24% increase in vehicles recovered. ​

The use of ISP Air Ops and Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) has been a game changer in identifying and tracking those committing crime, as well as reducing crashes. ​ ISP uses its Air Ops to help track vehicles and individuals fleeing from officers, reducing the risk of a high speed pursuit that can result in a fatal crash. ​ ISP also uses ALPRs, not only to assist in apprehending individuals in real time as the crime occurs, like a vehicle hijacking, but also during investigations. ​ Special agents can use ALPRs to identify vehicles that may have been involved in or witnessed an interstate shooting and follow up with those individuals. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

ISP’s crime fighting strategies will continue to evolve as crime evolves and we are committed to reducing shootings and fatalities, getting illegal guns and drugs off the streets, and preventing fatal crashes.

“Injury-related shootings” have dropped 87 percent since 2021.

Thoughts?

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It’s just a bill

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WAND…

Illinois Democratic lawmakers have reintroduced a plan to improve gun storage across the state. The legislation also includes requirements for reporting lost and stolen firearms.

Senate Bill 8 could ban people from storing or leaving a gun outside an owner’s possession or control unless it is unloaded and secured in a lock box. This proposal specifically notes that minors, at-risk people and those prohibited from using guns should not be able to access firearms in the home.

“We need to ensure that all of our gun owners are responsible and they know what they need to do to keep everybody safe, including our youth,” said Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “I want every youth regardless of the community they live in, but especially those communities that have been disinvested in, to feel safe.”

Gun owners could face a fine of $500 to $1,000 if someone prohibited from accessing guns obtains their weapon. The legislation could also create a $10,000 penalty if a minor or at-risk person uses someone else’s gun to injure or kill people.

Rep. Bob Morgan filed HB1365 yesterday…

Amends the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act, and the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act. Establishes temporary licenses for social workers, professional counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, music therapists, and clinical psychologists whose license application is pending and creates termination conditions for such licenses. Removes good moral character standards as qualification requirements for the licensing of social workers and music therapists. Creates procedures for placing a license on inactive status for social workers and professional counselors. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation must allow reasonable exam accommodations for licensed marriage and family therapists and clinical psychologists whose primary language is not English if a test in the therapist’s or psychologist’s primary language is not available.

* 13 co-sponsors were added to HB1226 yesterday…

State Representative Patrick Sheehan (R-Lockport) announced that he is sponsoring new legislation aimed at reducing burdensome requirements for some Illinois motorists. House Bill 1226 would raise the age for mandatory behind-the-wheel tests for older drivers renewing their licenses from 79 to 87 amongst other changes to the Illinois Vehicle Code. The bipartisan legislation builds upon House Bill 4431 introduced by Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) in the 103rd General Assembly and seeks to do away with the discriminatory practice of requiring behind-the-wheel tests for seniors based on age as the sole factor.

“House Bill 1226 is a much-belated change to our state’s driving laws and, beyond that, a sign of respect for our seniors,” said Sheehan. “This legislation would align Illinois with the rest of the nation in no longer requiring road tests based on age and would cut costs for drivers in the process. I would like to extend my thanks to the Secretary of State and Representatives on both sides of the aisle for coming together so that we may remove unnecessary requirements such as these and ensure our license renewal process is fair to everyone.”

Today, Illinois requires drivers aged 79 or 80 to take behind-the-wheel tests in order to renew their licenses. Drivers aged 81 to 86 are required to take behind-the-wheel tests every other year and, at age 87, must take the test each year. If signed into law, House Bill 1226 would no longer require road tests for those renewing their licenses at age 79 or 80, only vision exams taken at the DMV. The same standard would also apply to motorists aged 81 to 86 completing their biyearly license renewals. If passed and signed by the Governor, the new law would go into effect on July 1, 2026.

House Bill 1226 was originally filed on January 9 and awaits further discussion in the House Rules Committee. You can track House Bill 1226 here.

* HB1328 from Rep. Robyn Gabel…

Creates the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. Authorizes a qualified patient with a terminal disease to request that a physician prescribe aid-in-dying medication that will allow the patient to end the patient’s life in a peaceful manner. Contains provisions concerning: the procedures and forms to be used to request aid-in-dying medication; the responsibilities of attending and consulting physicians; the referral of patients for determinations of mental capacity; the residency of qualified patients; the safe disposal of unused medications; the obligations of health care entities; the immunities granted for actions taken in good faith reliance upon the Act; the reporting requirements of physicians; the effect of the Act on the construction of wills, contracts, and statutes; the effect of the Act on insurance policies and annuities; the procedures for the completion of death certificates; the liabilities and penalties provided by the Act; the construction of the Act; the definitions of terms used in the Act; and other matters. Effective 6 months after becoming law.

  20 Comments      


Roundup: Madigan ends testimony

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

Before he left the witness stand Tuesday after nearly 12 hours of testimony over four days, ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan explained why he kept meeting with then-Ald. Danny Solis, even though Solis had caused him “a great deal of surprise and concern.”

Madigan told a jury he thought he’d effectively delivered a message to Solis “that there would be no ‘quid pro quo’” in 2017. He said he gave the 25th Ward City Council member “the benefit of the doubt” after that, given their lengthy political relationship.

But Madigan, who was regarded as Illinois’ most powerful politician before Solis helped the FBI with the historic corruption investigation that ended Madigan’s reign, also told the jury that “we all have regrets in life.”

“One of my regrets is that I had any time spent with Danny Solis,” Madigan testified.

* WGN…

Defense attorney Dan Collins asked Madigan why he continued interactions with Solis.

“Because I thought I had made it clear to him there would be no ‘quid pro quo,’” Madigan answered. […]

Amid Tuesday’s cross-examination, prosecutors say the former Illinois Speaker of the House should have known better.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu: “Sir, you actually voted on bribery laws in the past during the course of your tenure as a public official, right?”

Madigan: “Yes, that’s right.”

* Tribune…

Bhachu ended his cross-examination by asking about the effort to get a job for state Rep. Jaime Andrade’s wife, and a recorded call where Madigan asked McClain about possibly putting her on “retainer” with ComEd consultant Jay Doherty.

Madigan testified last week he suggested Andrade’s wife be retained by Doherty’s firm so nobody would know Madigan was behind the move.

“When you didn’t want folks in the General Assembly to know who was behind payments to Jaime Andrade’s wife, the person who came to mind was Jay Doherty?” Bhachu asked.

“I thought of Doherty, yes,” Madigan said.

* WTTW…

After Madigan concluded his testimony, jurors heard from his longtime legal partner Vincent “Bud” Getzendanner, who similar to Madigan testified that their law practice had guardrails in place to prevent any conflicts of interest with the speaker’s legislative positions. […]

Specifically, Getzendanner said that potential clients who’d had business with the General Assembly or the House of Representatives would be flagged so the firm would not contract with them. […]

On cross-examination, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker focused on Getzendanner’s testimony that Madigan was a “big driver” of their firm, focusing on business and client acquisition.

“Fair to say Mr. Madigan was the rainmaker for the firm?” she asked.

“Yes,” Getzendanner answered, adding that Madigan brought in more business than any other single attorney at the firm.

* Federal Courts Reporter Jon Seidel…


* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner…


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Open thread

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of the world?…

  7 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: RTA Wants Lawmakers to Boost Its Authority to Oversee, Coordinate Chicago-Area Transit. WTTW…

    - The proposal comes as the Chicago region’s transit agencies are facing down an estimated $750 million fiscal cliff next year when COVID-19 relief money runs out.
    - The new proposal is set to be outlined by RTA Board Chairman Kirk Dillard in a Wednesday speech at the City Club.
    - “[W]e know there needs to be this governance reform. We think those two — the governance reform that we’re proposing that’s outcome-driven, focused on riders, coupled with the monies — really could allow a transformative vision for transit,” RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden Said.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WBEZ | Young adults with developmental disabilities face a ‘cliff’ after they graduate high school: When families leave school, they are stopped in their tracks by a patchwork system involving multiple government agencies, service providers and nonprofits — as well as mounds of paperwork, phone calls and convoluted state websites filled with jargon and missing links. “It’s just a lot,” said Lynn Dancy, recalling the years after Adrien graduated from high school. “It’s hard to get answers — just trying to go to this person, this person, this person, and then go right back where I started from in the first place.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Daily Herald | What’s in Giannoulias’ plan to end road test for drivers 86 and younger? Let families report at-risk drivers: “The right to drive should be based on ability, not age,” AARP Illinois State Director Philippe Largent said. Current law requires drivers aged 79 and 80 to take a road exam when their four-year license renewal is up. For drivers aged 81 to 86, it’s every two years, and for those 87 and older, it’s yearly.

* Mark Harris | Oh, say, what will we see on the new Illinois state flag?: That’s where you come in. The commission did get around to picking 10 proposed flag designs and putting up a website — apps.ilsos.gov/stateflag/ — where you can vote for your favorite. There’s even a choice to retain the existing flag. Personally, I think the option of “Nah, let’s skip it,” should be added to more Illinois ballots in the future.

*** Statewide ***

* Center Square | Illinois Supreme Court asked to toss law prohibiting open carry of firearms: The Illinois Supreme Court is considering whether to find a state firearms statute prohibiting open carry unconstitutional in the case Illinois v. Tyshon Thompson. Thompson was found guilty of violating state law for having a firearm in a vehicle without a permit in 2020. Despite having a Firearm Owners ID card, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Tuesday, Eric Castaneda with the Office of the State Public Defender urged the Illinois Supreme Court to find Illinois’ aggravated unlawful use of a weapons statute unconstitutional.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Ratings Agency Downgrades Chicago’s Credit, Pointing to ‘Structural Budgetary Imbalance’: S&P, one of a handful of major ratings agencies, downgraded Chicago’s credit one notch to BBB with a stable outlook on Thursday. A credit rating of BBB indicates a government agency has “adequate capacity to meet financial commitments,” but is susceptible to “adverse economic conditions.” It is two notches above a junk rating. “The downgrade reflects our view that the 2025 budget leaves intact a sizable structural budgetary imbalance that we expect will make balancing the budget in 2026 and outyears more challenging,” S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Scott Nees said in a statement.

* WTTW | Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez on His Firing, Ongoing CTU Negotiations: On his working relationship with Johnson: “We haven’t spoken since last summer when this whole ordeal started. By the way, self-inflicted. When you look at all the work we’ve done, nobody is invested more in our neighborhood schools than myself and my time.”

* Sun-Times | Council faces two more close votes — on 25 mph speed limit and empowering CPD to cooperate with ICE: Stalled proposals to reduce the default speed limit on Chicago streets to 25 mph and restore exceptions to the city’s Welcoming City ordinance face potentially close votes after parliamentary maneuvers to revive both. The speed limit vote could be the more comfortable of the two.

* Sun-Times | U.S. Supreme Court hears appeal by former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson: Thompson, heir to the Daley political dynasty, asked the justices to take a narrow reading of the term “false statement” in the law used to convict him over unpaid loans. A jury found Thompson guilty in February 2022 of two counts of lying to regulators but also five counts of filing false income tax returns. U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama sentenced him to four months in prison, a sentence he has already served.

* Sun-Times | Imagining the ‘next big thing’ in arts and culture in downtown Chicago: Calling themselves “Team Culture,” the group wants to re-imagine major parts of downtown — filling vacant, often shadowy spaces with light and art. “There have been two things in recent history that changed downtown. One was the Theatre District and the other was Millennium Park. It’s time for culture to do it all over again,” said Lou Raizin, president and CEO of Broadway in Chicago, speaking to a Tuesday lunchtime gathering at the City Club of Chicago at Maggiano’s Banquets downtown.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Election finance reports a mixed picture in south suburbs; Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard paying own way in bid for 2nd term: Campaign finance reports filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections show incumbent mayors in Orland Park and Tinley Park with large sums available to spend as election season heats up. Reports show Henyard hasn’t received a campaign contribution since the spring of 2023, and recorded no money coming in for all of last year from outside sources apart from loans she has made to her committee.

* ABC Chicago | High-stakes Thornton Twp. meeting abruptly ends in chaos, blindsiding Henyard: ‘Call the police!’: “The board meeting is over with, so please get out. Do not walk up on me!” said Supervisor Tiffany Henyard. “Call the police! Call the police because we don’t have a board meeting!” For the first time in months, the board of trustees had a quorum, with Trustees Chris Gonzalez and Carmen Carlisle in attendance. The two had been skipping meetings in order to block Henyard from filling a vacant trustee position.

* Daily Herald | Schaumburg has big plans for parcel at Algonquin, Meachem road: “The village is in the process of relocating the facility to 2222 Hammond Drive (in Schaumburg), where a new facility will be constructed,” Dailly said during his annual state of the village address to the Schaumburg Business Association. “Eventually the Meacham Road property will be annexed into Schaumburg, which will allow for future commercial development that will enhance this key gateway near Algonquin and Meacham roads,” he added.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Processing, Slaughtering company investing $2.5M in Effingham Co. expansion project: On Tuesday, Governor JB Pritzker, Frichtl Processing and Slaughtering, LLC and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced an Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) for Startups agreement for the $2.5 million investment.

* WCIA | City of Decatur receiving nearly $10M to expand transit: Decatur is receiving a large gift in the new year in the form of $9.9 million. The money is coming from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and now the city will use it to add a micro-transit system on Jasper St. This system will operate similar to Uber, but instead of using a private service, users can go on an app connected to the city and order rides there.

* WCIA | Champaign City Council considering Downtown entertainment enhancements for 2025: One of the biggest changes has to do with the plaza near Main and Neil Streets in front of Big Grove Tavern. It’s been under construction for the last several months, and the city has potential plans to put it to use once the work is completed. At Tuesday night’s council meeting, leaders will walk through the highs and lows of last year’s entertainment in the downtown area. That includes discussing and reflecting on Friday Night Live, The Beat, and even the Farmers Market on Tuesdays.

*** National ***

* WSJ | Nearly Half of Adults Worldwide Hold Antisemitic Views, Survey Finds: The study surveyed more than 58,000 adults from 103 countries and territories representing 94% of the world’s adult population, and found that 46% of them—which when extrapolated to the global population would equal an estimated 2.2 billion people—display antisemitic attitudes. A fifth of the respondents haven’t heard of the Holocaust, during which six million Jews were killed, while 21% believe it has either been exaggerated by historians or it never happened.

* NYT | Capital One is accused of cheating customers out of $2 billion: For years, Capital One held interests artificially low in the high-yield product, to 0.30% annually last summer, for instance, even as the Federal Reserve raised rates above 5%. Banks are generally permitted to pay as little in interest as their customers will permit, but Capital One went too far, according to the lawsuit, by deliberately confusing its customers about its products. The bank operated two separate, nearly identically named account options — 360 Savings and 360 Performance Savings — and forbade its employees from volunteering information about or marketing 360 Performance Savings, the higher-paying one, to existing customers.

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