I know many of you are in a difficult position. The pandemic has required us to navigate changing circumstances and guidance. I deeply appreciate your leadership and the courage and integrity you have shown in tremendously challenging times. Many of you have requested clarity on the action the Illinois State Board of Education will take to enforce the universal indoor masking requirement, and this communication seeks to provide that clarity.
As you know, Executive Order 2021-18, which went into effect last Wednesday, requires that all students, staff, and visitors wear masks indoors in all P-12 schools in Illinois. Governor Pritzker took this action after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended it.
The purpose of the universal indoor masking requirement is to ensure all students can safely attend school in-person this fall. We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential. Masks work best when everyone wears one. Research conducted by the CDC found that schools are safe when they have prevention strategies in place, as documented in the updated guidance from ISBE and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Delta variant is causing a surge in cases and hospitalizations, and masking is a critical strategy to protect students’ access to in-person learning and to keep students, staff, and the community around them safe. We don’t throw our umbrella away in a rainstorm because we’re not getting wet. We have to keep our umbrella up until the storm passes.
The executive order has the force of law. I understand the pressure some school and district leaders may be facing from community members, and I will provide you with every support to understand, communicate, and comply with the order.
However, noncompliance is not an option. I will not compromise the health and safety of students or staff, nor will I risk even one child’s life.
Local boards of education, schools, and school districts do not have the authority to deny the Governor’s Executive Order requiring universal indoor masking in schools. Doing so not only puts students’ health and safety at risk but also opens the district to extraordinary legal liability – potentially without any insurance to cover damages. I strongly recommend that each district consult with its legal counsel and insurer to fully understand the repercussions.
Further, ISBE has and will use its regulatory authority, pursuant to 23 Ill Admin. Code 1.20, to ensure school districts protect students and staff; if school districts fail to do so, this risks State recognition.
A district would have multiple opportunities to remedy the deficiencies that present a health hazard or a danger to students or staff before becoming unrecognized. A district would first have its recognition status changed to “On Probation” and would be asked to submit a corrective action plan. Failure to address the deficiencies would lead to nonrecognition, meaning total loss of access to state funding and loss of the school’s ability to engage in any Illinois High School Association and Illinois Elementary School Association athletic competitions.
These are not steps anyone at ISBE wishes to take nor should these steps be necessary. School districts have the moral and legal obligation to follow public health requirements and guidance to keep their students and staff safe.
Wearing a mask is simple, safe, and easy. I know it can be uncomfortable sometimes, but so are football helmets and seatbelts. Sometimes we have to bear a little discomfort for the sake of safety and because it’s the law.
We have so many important issues to face as we start the school year, and we want to start the year off with positivity for all our students. I ask that you respect that there is a mask requirement, communicate this to your school communities, and celebrate the return to in-person learning.
Thank you for your partnership and support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmen I. Ayala
State Superintendent of Education
Illinois State Board of Education
It’s also quite a bit easier to slap private schools with nonrecognition status, which would also mean losing access to Invest in Kids Act money.
* I mentioned that because the guy who runs the private school that Speaker Welch sends his son and daughter to is making a big deal out of violating the governor’s order…
That’s right. The Speaker of the IL House sends his boys to this school.
The Speaker supports Governor Pritzker’s decision to listen to the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and our most trusted health professionals. He believes it should apply to all schools because this is about keeping our children safe, especially those who are too young for the vaccine.
*** UPDATE *** And just like that. Boom. Out goes the recognition…
August 11, 2021
Sent Via Electronic Mail
Mr. Matt Davidson
Superintendent, Timothy Christian Schools davidson@timothychristian.com
Re: Nonpublic Recognition Status of:
Timothy Christian High School (19-022-042Y-03)
1061 S Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126-5263
Timothy Christian Elem Middle Sch (19-022-065X-03)
188 W Butterfield Rd, Elmhurst, IL 60126-5073
Dear Mr. Davidson:
Pursuant to ISBE’s authority under 23 Illinois Administrative Code 425.60, ISBE is removing your school’s status as a recognized nonpublic school, effective immediately. As a result of being non-recognized, your school is now subject to at least the following consequences:
1. Seniors who graduate from a non-recognized school will receive a diploma that is not recognized by ISBE. This action is irreversible should the school later regain its recognition status, and these students will forever have a degree from a non-recognized school.
2. Your school, families, and students will be unable to participate in the Invest in Kids Act tax scholarship program subject to the regulations set by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
3. Your school will become ineligible to participate in Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) sanctioned sports subject to the regulations set by IHSA/IESA.
Per our discussion on August 11, 2021, you declined to affirm that your schools will comply with the universal masking requirements set forth in Executive Order 2021-18. In a publicly disseminated video you also stated that your school will not comply with the requirements in the Order. These
requirements apply to all public and nonpublic schools serving students in any of the grades preK through 12, without exception.
We do not take this action lightly. The purpose of the universal indoor masking requirement is to ensure that all students can safely attend school in-person this fall. We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential. And masks work best when everyone wears one. Therefore, ISBE must take every action possible under its authority to ensure compliance in all schools with the Executive Order.
Should you have questions about this letter, please contact Derreck Langwith at xxx@isbe.net.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmen I. Ayala
State Superintendent of Education
* Another reason to protect kids: Hospitals were already being overrun by RSV and parainfluenza…
The timing of Delta’s pediatric spike couldn’t have been worse. Many hospitals have for months been cracking under pressure from an unseasonal surge of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza—two other airway pathogens that can cause serious illnesses in the very young. Both viruses, typically fixtures of the chilly late-autumn and winter months, had all but evaporated during their typical November-to-February heyday, likely suppressed by pandemic-caliber masking and distancing. When those precautions began to slip, “boom, RSV hit us like a boulder,” Sharon Stoolman, a pediatric hospitalist at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Nebraska, told me.
The usual influx of pediatric traumas and the unresolved strain on hospitals from the pandemic’s relentless 18-month slog add to the stress. Several health workers told me they were terrified that they’d be unable to provide adequate care to all the sick children coming their way. “My hospital is full today—I don’t have a bed,” Melissa J. Sacco, a pediatric critical-care physician at UVA Children’s Hospital, in Virginia, told me last week. “And I’m just thinking, Please, nobody get run over by a lawn mower.”
Wear a mask and get your shots.
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is launching a new immunization portal, Vax Verify, that will allow Illinois residents 18 years and older to check their COVID-19 vaccination record. Vax Verify can be accessed at https://idphportal.illinois.gov.
“As more businesses, events, organizations, and others require proof of vaccination, Illinois residents will be able to confirm using Vax Verify that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “With the current surge in cases, more people are making the decision to get a COVID-19 vaccine and this new tool will aid residents in confirming their vaccination where needed.”
Illinois State Fair concert goers with tickets for the grandstand track area (also known as Standing Room Only) are required to provide a print or digital copy of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours. Ticket holders can register in Vax Verify to check their immunization record for documentation of COVID-19 vaccination.
More and more companies, such as United, Google, Netflix, Morgan Stanley, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ascension Health, and Lyft, are instituting vaccine requirements for at least some of their employees.
The verification system follows best practices to protect confidential health information. In order to download proof of vaccination, residents will go through a brief, one-time identity verification process to gain access to their immunization history. The State of Illinois utilizes Experian® as its identity verification service provider. Individuals who have placed a freeze on their credit will need to unfreeze their credit with Experian® and wait 24 hours before completing the registration process. After completing registrations, individuals can re-freeze their credit by contacting Experian®.
After the verification process, individuals can see their own record in the Illinois Comprehensive Automated Immunization Registry Exchange (I-CARE).
Immunization records are kept confidential and only the individual can access their vaccination history. Parents should talk with their child’s provider to confirm their vaccination status. Some individuals with very common names will need to take additional steps to securely prove their identities.
“A digitized system based on proof of immunization will amplify the lack of access,” the EFF said in a blog post. “Resources, especially tax dollars, should be focused on giving people more information about and access to vaccinations, rather than creating a digital fence against those who haven’t been vaccinated yet – and subjecting people who have been vaccinated to new privacy risks.
That post was written last December, when vaccine access and supply were both very limited and the Electronic Frontier Foundation was mainly concerned about equity.
* Press release…
The Illinois State Fair along with Governor JB Pritzker, announced that eleven healthcare workers from around the state will serve as the Grand Marshals for the 2021 Twilight Parade.
“Since early last year, our brave healthcare heroes have kept Illinois communities safe as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the lives of residents in every corner of the state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Their ceaseless dedication to providing the best possible care for their neighbors saved lives. I look forward to honoring their sacrifices during this year’s Twilight Parade and I urge all Illinois residents to show their appreciation by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.”
“We are proud to have our frontline healthcare workers and spiritual leaders take center stage to kick off the 2021 Illinois State Fair,” said Jerry Costello II, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director. “It is their hard work and dedication that have seen us through this past year and half, and now allows us to welcome folks back to the Illinois State Fair.”
The Grand Marshals represent all regions of the state and are as follows:
Carson Andrew, PA- Oregon, IL
Stephanie Soliz BSN, RN- Hampton, IL
Pastor T. Ray McJunkins- Springfield, IL
Latisha Stennis, A BH NP- East St. Louis, IL
Woody Thorne- Makanda, IL
Dr. Brent Reifsteck- Tolono, IL
Dr. Dan Garganera- Lockport, IL
Dr. Daryl Wilson- Naperville, IL
Gaudalupe Rodriguez- Park City, IL
Dr. Lisa Green- Chicago, IL
Dr. Mahesh Patel- Evanston, IL
This year’s Twilight Parade will turn east on Illinois Avenue and will end past the fire station at Gate 3. Admission to the fairgrounds is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors (60 and older) and kids 12 and under are free on Preview Day (Thursday). All carnival rides, including those in Adventure Village, will be open by Noon and all rides will be $2. Participants and attendees of the Twilight Parade are encouraged to wear masks.
The parade kicks off Thursday afternoon at 5:30.
* Other developments…
* COVID-19 update: 17,068 more shots, 3,933 new cases, 9 more deaths, 5.1% case positivity rate, 1,558 hospitalized, 49,200 tests
* From Gov. Pritzker’s campaign spokesperson in response to my question about his plans for Governor’s Day….
The Governor is planning to host a casual outdoor event on the Director’s lawn to celebrate the tradition of Governor’s Day. With the Delta variant of COVID surging and pediatric cases on the rise, the Governor doesn’t plan to attend the IDCCA brunch, which in its current form is a large indoor event. He continues to encourage others to take all possible pre-cautions to prevent the spread.
I’ve asked the IDCCA for comment.
*** UPDATE *** IDCCA President Kristina Zahorik…
This year’s hybrid gathering will convene Democratic activists from across the state to celebrate the party’s efforts to Build Back Better in a way that is safe and follows the science. While we respect the Governor and other Democrats’ decision not to join the event in person, we’d remind individuals that they can participate in our activities virtually. We hope the Governor takes part in the Brunch virtually or sends a video to address the thousands of grassroots Democrats who will be watching, attending, and supporting his reelection. Furthermore, we’ve put several COVID-19 mitigations in place:
* Do Not Attend in Person Unless Vaccinated: From the start of planning we have included a hybrid virtual option for individuals to participate. If individuals are not vaccinated we ask that they get vaccinated or participate virtually.
* Mask Requirement: All in person attendees are required to wear masks from the time they enter the Crowne Plaza Hotel until they leave the hotel after the event. If you forget your mask we will provide you with one.
* Proper Mask Use: Masks must cover your nose and chin at all times.
* Mask Compliance: If you ignore the mask requirements, you will be asked to leave the event.
* Seating: Unlike in years past, the seats will be spaced far apart from each other for social distancing. We have also limited in person attendance to allow for more spacing in the room.
* Hand Sanitizer: We will have multiple hand sanitizer stations throughout the hotel.
We look forward to seeing the Governor in person at next year’s Brunch.
…Adding… About that “required to wear masks from the time they enter the Crowne Plaza Hotel until they leave the hotel after the event” thing. There will be food and drink, so mask wearing won’t be all the time, of course.
-On Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 294, known as the Wipes Labeling Act, which now requires manufacturers of household disposable wipes for sale in the state of Illinois to clearly label “Do Not Flush” on wipes that should not be flushed down the toilet. The law will go into effect on July 1, 2022. […]
Illinois is the third state to enact legislation on labeling of non-flushable wipes. In June, similar legislation was signed into law in Oregon, continuing the momentum around the Responsible Flushing Alliance’s campaign to equip consumers with more tools to make responsible flushing decisions. Washington State was the first to enact wipes legislation in March 2020. […]
Some examples of non-flushable wipes that warrant the Do Not Flush labeling include baby wipes, cosmetic or facial wipes, hard surface cleaning or sanitizing wipes, floor cleaning wipes, make-up wipes and bath wipes. There are also non-flushable items contributing to clogs that shouldn’t be flushed, such as paper towels, menstrual products, cotton swabs, dental floss, rags, FOG (fats/oil/grease).
There’s still an issue with labeled “flushable” wipes that aren’t actually flushable…
“There is no such thing as a flushable wipe. There never has been such thing as a flushable wipe,” Jessica Walker, spokesperson for the city of Fairhope, which operates its own municipal sewer system, told AL.com.
Illinois will take a first step toward reducing the use of firefighting foam containing harmful “forever chemicals” under a bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker Friday.
The measure aims to curb the use of one source of PFAS chemicals that are tied to a host of health threats, largely through a limitation on using the foam for anything other than emergencies. Fire departments that want to conduct emergency drills or test the foam have to take precautions that prevent the chemicals from reaching waterways through sewer systems, for instance.
The bill, a compromise between environmental groups, an association of fire chiefs and industry groups, does not restrict any use in an emergency. The foam is used for serious industrial fires like those that can occur at a refinery, chemical plant or another source of flammable liquids.
Separately, state officials found more than 100 drinking water systems across Illinois with some PFAS contamination, the Sun-Times recently reported. The chemicals are used in a number of products, from stain-resistant clothing to non-stick pans.
* Press release…
A bill sponsored by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, to include mental health days in students’ excused absences was recently signed into law.
“It’s critical that schools are offering support to students who struggle with their mental health,” said Hernandez. “Just as we would allow a student with a cold or a fever to stay home from school, students should be able to have the same treatment for days where they need a break for their mental health.”
Hernandez sponsored Senate Bill 1577, which expands excused school absences to include mental or behavioral health, allowing for students to have up to 5 mental health days without needing a medical note. This measure passed unanimously through the House and Senate and was signed by the governor last week.
Throughout her time in the General Assembly, Hernandez has been a strong advocate for increasing awareness of mental health struggles among children and teens. This past session she also helped pass a bill to create a mental health task force to help determine methods and programs for K-12 students to receive mental health care. She supported a measure to urge Illinois schools to provide education for all students in grades six to 12 on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of addiction and mental illnesses, as well as provide instruction for how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
“Students of all ages can experience struggles with their mental health, and the pandemic has likely exacerbated that for many,” said Hernandez. “By allowing students to take a day off from school to take care of their mental health, we are not only giving them the support they need, but also validating their feelings and showing them that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of physical health.”
* Press release…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed HB399 on Friday, a bill authorizing the formation of the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission. The commission will be responsible for creating a statewide plan for a high-speed line and feeder network connecting Chicago to St. Louis. It will be integrated with existing Amtrak and Metra services, intercity bus service and connect the Illinois cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria and Decatur. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, and Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines.
“Establishing high speed rail lines that connect Chicago, St. Louis and several other cities throughout Illinois will create thousands of jobs, spur economic growth, lower carbon emissions, improve transportation safety and relieve congestion in cities,” said Rick Harnish, executive director of the High Speed Rail Alliance. HSRA has been advocating for the creation of the commission for more than three years.
Under the newly passed law, the commission has been tasked with conducting a ridership study and issuing its findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service and implementation of the plan. The commission is required to provide yearly reports and be assisted by the state Department of Transportation.
“With the signing of this bill, we have taken an important first step towards creating a statewide network that feeds into the high-speed backbone,” Harnish said. “The plan would encourage coordination and cooperation between state agencies, railroads and local governments to invest wisely in targeted upgrades to the existing rail network. Improving existing tracks and connecting them to a new high-speed line would create the heart of a Midwest high-speed network and make same-day round-trips possible between all of Illinois’ major cities and destinations.
“Every Illinosian will benefit from faster trains, but without a big-picture view, it was hard to coordinate all the stakeholders.”
The proposed high speed rail line would start at O’Hare International Airport and take just 127 minutes to reach downtown St. Louis, stopping at Champaign-Urbana in less than an hour. Springfield would be 78 minutes away from Chicago’s Union Station. Champaign to downtown Indianapolis would take about a half-hour.
“Creating a high-speed rail network would provide a fast, safe and reliable way to travel across the state,” says Sen. Stadelman. “This investment in high speed rail networks will expand travel opportunities for the residents of Rockford and the entire state.”
The Commission will be composed of appointees by the governor, the four top leaders in the General Assembly, the Transportation secretary, chairs of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, Interstate Commerce Commission and Metra board of directors, the Chicago mayor, a rail workers union, a rail-industry trade group, the Metropolitan Mayors and Managers Association, Illinois Railroad Association, the University of Illinois System, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Municipal League, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District and regional planning agencies from the Rockford, Bloomington and Metro East (St. Louis) areas. The commission is authorized to work from the bill’s signing through 2026.
Creation of High-Speed Railway Commission Comes at the Right Time
The creation of the commission comes at an opportune time, as the infrastructure bill moves through both the U.S. House and Senate, with provisions that would commit $66 billion to passenger and freight rail over 5 years, and another $39 billion to public transit.
The formation of the commission puts Illinois in an ideal position to move forward quickly once infrastructure legislation passes. It will create a much-needed forum that the Illinois Department of Transportation can use to move from its current wish-list of individual projects to a true, state-wide railway transportation plan.
Looking ahead, the Illinois network could eventually be connected to other cities in the Midwest and the rest of the nation through a high-speed rail network such as the one envisioned by HRSA. The national network would modernize intercity and commuter trains, transit systems and buses, and integrate them into a nationally connected network, with a 220-mph high-speed trunk line to tie the network together.
The High Speed Rail Alliance is a growing community working to bring the game-changing power of fast, frequent and affordable trains to North America. We know that high-speed trains, integrated with expanding transit networks, will revitalize cities, towns and regions by making visits to family, friends and business partners easier, more productive and more affordable. And they will dramatically reduce carbon emissions in the process. For more information go to https://www.hsrail.org/.
* A relatively recent bill that helped start a national conversation…
Once again, Illinois is leading the way! In 2019, I introduced HB 3394, the Corporate Board Diversity law, which pushes to increase diversity in Fortune 100 & 500 companies in our state. I’m glad to see that Nasdaq is taking similar steps going forward. https://t.co/ZeBFdWwGxF
— Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (@RepChrisWelch) August 9, 2021
* Related…
* Hoping to stave off evictions, state to offer $60 million as ‘additional safety net, another layer’ to keep people in their homes
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted more than $15 billion in dedicated funding for Illinois infrastructure projects included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as billions more the state is eligible to compete for. This bipartisan infrastructure deal, which passed the Senate yesterday, would invest approximately $1.2 trillion in federal resources over the next five years, including $567.4 billion in new infrastructure spending and $93.5 billion in additional funding authorizations.
“This Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal makes significant and substantial investments in our public health, global competitiveness and economic prosperity by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, expanding access to critical broadband services for students and working families and upgrading our nation’s water systems,” Duckworth said.“Illinoisans know how critical this funding is to communities all across the state, and I will do everything I can to ensure this compromise is signed into law to support good-paying jobs for hardworking families throughout Illinois.”
“Illinoisans have come to my office for years asking when we’d get around to passing an infrastructure bill. We have finally reached that moment in the Senate. This bipartisan bill makes once-in-a-generation investments in public transit, passenger rail, drinking and waste water, broadband, and roads and bridges. It also expands electric vehicle infrastructure and battery research to help usher in an era of zero-emission vehicles. Illinoisans from Chicago to Cairo will see the tangible impacts of this bill and the jobs it will create,” Durbin said.
Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Illinois could expect:
• Roads and bridges: $9.8 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $1.4 billion for bridge replacement and repairs. The state will be eligible for billions more in competitive grant programs.
• Public transportation: $4 billion over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.
• Broadband: A minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 228,000 Illinoisans who currently lack it. 2,926,000 Illinoisans, or 23 percent, will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet access.
• Electric vehicles: $149 million over five years to support the expansion of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network in the state. Illinois is eligible for $2.5 billion in competitive EV charging grants.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also fully authorizes Duckworth’s bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA), which would help rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure, and includes a modified version of her All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act to help make transit stations more accessible.
The list also doesn’t include things like Illinois’ potential share of the $6 billion nuclear power plant bailout included in the legislation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1 million people who have received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine have gone back for an unauthorized third booster shot.
Florida is among the states reporting the highest number of people opting for a booster shot, followed by Ohio, California, Illinois and Tennessee.
The estimated 1.1 million, included in an internal CDC briefing document reviewed by ABC News, likely is an undercount because although it counts Moderna and Pfizer shot recipients it ignores people who may have received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and got another shot.
* The Question: Did you already get a booster shot or do you plan to in the future? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Nearly four in five Illinois lawmakers say they’ve received COVID-19 vaccines. But the two legislative blocs most unwilling to divulge their vaccination status — Black Democrats and downstate white Republicans — also represent some of the least-inoculated parts of the state. […]
In the Illinois House, less than half of the 45-member Republican caucus publicly acknowledged being vaccinated, and just under 85% of the 73-member House Democratic caucus is fully vaccinated. […]
All 41 members of the Senate Democratic caucus told WBEZ they are fully vaccinated, and all but three within the 18-member Senate Republican caucus responded they, too, are inoculated against the coronavirus.
First, surveys generally do not produce 100 percent response rates. Some of these folks may very well be vaxed and just didn’t respond for any number of reasons. Some may feel that it’s private information. Some may not want to admit being vaccinated. I do not know if we should assume the unresponsive are not vaxed, but they didn’t respond, so they’ve basically given us the go-ahead to assume whatever the heck we want.
* Let’s go over the list of unresponsive legislators, starting with House Democrats…
Aaron M. Ortiz [Sent me a screen shot of his vax card] Jawaharial Williams [Says he was never contacted, but is “absolutely” vaccinated and is encouraging others to do so] John C. D’Amico [He told me he is vaccinated] Curtis J. Tarver, II [He told me he is vaccinated] Justin Slaughter [”I’m definitely vaccinated!’] Thaddeus JonesVaxed.
Mary E. Flowers Cyril Nichols [”I’m vaccinated”] Janet Yang Rohr [Didn’t get WBEZ’s email and is vaxed] Rita Mayfield [”I’m vaxed!”] Natalie A. Manley [Spokesperson: “Manley is vaccinated”]
Rep. Mary Flowers asked the health experts if Illinois gave a false sense of security that people are “okay” if they’re vaccinated. She also asked if state leaders are playing a “shame game” with people who haven’t gotten vaccinated.
Tim Ozinga
Amy Grant
Deanne M. Mazzochi
Chris Bos
Martin McLaughlin
Thomas Morrison
Tom Weber
Dan Ugaste
Joe Sosnowski
Tony McCombie
Daniel Swanson
Andrew S. Chesney
Mark Luft
Norine K. Hammond
Randy E. Frese
C.D. Davidsmeyer
Brad Halbrook
Blaine Wilhour
Charles Meier
Adam Niemerg
Chris Miller
David Friess
Dave Severin
The only legislator to tell WBEZ he is not vaccinated is state Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, who said he “probably” would wind up getting the vaccine but did not return a phone call seeking further elaboration.
If any legislator on this unresponsive list would like to contact me, I will make note of it here. I’ve also asked the spokespersons for all four legislative leaders to comment on WBEZ’s story and will post those as they are received.
*** UPDATE 1 *** House Speaker Chris Welch’s spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll…
We know the vaccine is our best defense against this virus and the Speaker will continue to encourage everyone to get their shots. He’s extremely proud of the work our Democratic caucus has done when it comes to proactively engaging their communities, both in person and utilizing social media, to get their vaccines and adhere to guidance given by our health professionals even when it feels daunting. That’s the type of action that makes a real difference in communities.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Senate President Don Harmon…
I’m proud of the personal responsibility Senate Democrats have shown and our work to promote the only real way out of this pandemic that exists. Following the science and getting more people vaccinated is how we protect our kids, our neighbors, our communities and our economy.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Leader Dan McConchie…
As you can see from the overwhelming majority of Senate Republicans who were willing to give their private medical information to the press, the Governor’s narrative that the caucus is hurting the vaccination effort is entirely unfounded. Throughout the vaccination rollout, the Senate Republicans have been unrelenting in our fight to improve access and help our constituents receive vaccines. From holding vaccination clinics, to working with their local health departments, our members have been at the forefront of fighting this pandemic on the ground in their communities. The Governor’s goals, as he has articulated them, are more likely to be achieved through a collaborative process that includes the General Assembly and both parties. That has not been his approach thus far.
Since March of 2020 more than two dozen significant incidents have been investigated at 12 offices in every region of the state. Investigations range from acts of arson, vandalism, and bomb threats, among other acts of violence. Individuals have also shown up at IDES employees’ private residences threatening physical violence. This is in addition to countless threats made over phone, via email, and mail throughout the pandemic. Due to the pending investigations IDES is not able to share specific information.
A trio of Wisconsin lawmakers traveled across the state line to an Illinois cannabis store on Tuesday to announce the filing of new legislation to legalize marijuana for adults in their own state.
The three Wisconsin Democrats—Sen. Melissa Agard and Reps. David Bowen and Mark Spreitzer—held the event outside a dispensary in South Beloit, Illinois, which sits on the border with Wisconsin. They were joined by Beloit City Council President Clinton Anderson (D).
“All you have to do is look right that way and you’ll see the state of Wisconsin,” Agard said from the Sunnsyide cannabis shop’s parking lot, gesturing north and describing her state as “an island of prohibition.” She pointed out that a number of the vehicles in the parking lot had Wisconsin plates and shared that some of the store’s employees were in fact Wisconsin residents.
It really is nice that we’re taking cheesehead money for a change.
A judge continued to keep in limbo new cannabis store licenses in Illinois while one applicant alleges that the state mistakenly kept it out of the first lottery to award licenses.
Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius has ordered that the state not award any new dispensary licenses, including for medical cannabis, until he rules on a lawsuit before him. The state plans to hold the last of three lotteries to award licenses Aug. 19, but the judge’s order means the winners won’t get any of the 185 new licenses until the judge rules. State officials noted that lottery results may change as a result of further court orders or administrative review.
A business called Wah Group LLC, claimed that state officials wrongly eliminated one of its applications that qualified for the lottery in the St. Louis region. Court filings by Wah attorney Mazie Harris assert that state officials told Wah it would qualify for the next lottery.
Wah and Haaayy LLC have claimed that the state process for scoring cannabis license applications was flawed, and unfairly required veteran ownership to achieve a perfect score and qualify for all lotteries. The next court hearing is set for Monday.
Last year, after only 21 applicants qualified for 75 new licenses, Gov. J.B. Pritzker admitted problems with the scoring process conducted by consultant KPMG, and ordered that the applications be rescored. Those scores were released July 28, more than a year late, and winners were eligible for up to three lotteries.
The applicants waited for more than a year for a chance to jump into Illinois’ booming weed industry.
But now that they have won lucrative licenses to open marijuana dispensaries, craft grow operations or other related businesses, some could sell the licenses before ever opening up — potentially collecting millions in the process.
With the state’s troubled pot licensing process careening toward a conclusion, corporatized weed firms and other cash-rich buyers are now expected to go after the new licenses — many of which are slated to go to so-called social equity applicants, a designation created to boost diversity in the lily-white weed industry.
Rickey Hendon, a former state senator who won a dispensary license in last week’s lottery, acknowledged he and other companies are now entertaining a host of proposals to sell to owners with deeper pockets. A court order in a pending lawsuit has, however, blocked the formal issuance of the pot shop permits for now.
The winners of the latest batch of 55 precious pot shop permits includes former NBA stars Allen Iverson and Al Harrington, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen, longtime news anchor Robin Robinson and the indicted son of ex-state Rep. Eddie Acevedo. […]
Degnen, who previously served as the deputy director of the state agency that regulates dispensaries, is affiliated with AmeriCanna Dream LLC, which notched a win in a region near St. Louis, Missouri. In a statement, Degnen said she has “worked diligently to ensure our work for equity and fairness in the cannabis space is ethical and transparent.” […]
Acevedo’s son, Alex, and his group, Latino Veterans Health and Revival LLC, also earned a license in the Chicago region. Alex Acevedo, who previously launched a failed bid for alderman, was hit with tax charges stemming from the probe of lobbying practices of Commonwealth Edison, along with his father and brother. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Illinois recreational weed sales hit a record $128 million in July, helped by a late-month boost from the Lollapalooza festival.
The blowout sales month — up 10% from the previous high of $116.4 million in May — included four days of booming business at Chicago-area cannabis dispensaries during the annual music festival, which returned to Grant Park last Thursday after a one-year pandemic hiatus.
Recreational weed was legal in Illinois for the first time in Lollapalooza’s 30-year history, with large crowds of festivalgoers boosting sales by as much as 50% at nearby dispensaries in River North and the West Loop, according to operators.
A federal judge has ordered the Illinois Department of Corrections to “immediately” improve its treatment of inmates seeking treatment for gender dysphoria.
The ruling — which the ACLU of Illinois calls a “major victory” — comes after a four-day trial in East St. Louis last week, in which transgender inmates told the court how they were denied access to basic treatment, including hormone therapy, and how that affected them.
In December 2019, IDOC was ordered to improve care for transgender individuals who were part of the state’s correctional system. But according to U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Rosenstengel, it has failed to do so.
In a rare oral order delivered after the conclusion of the trial, Rosenstengel slammed as “nonsense” and a red herring IDOC’s arguments that the slow process for giving trans prisoners appropriate medical care was due to concerns over non-transgender “predators.”
The court also rejected claims that the COVID-19 pandemic justified delays in the process.
“I don’t have faith to simply ‘let the process play out,’” as the defendants requested. “I acknowledge that COVID understandably caused delays. But, COVID does not authorize inadequate medical care and treatment,” Rosenstengel said.
The injunction is here. I looked around and didn’t see any other news stories about this.
…Adding… IDOC…
“The Illinois Department of Corrections is committed to ensuring world class care for transgender individuals in custody. Under the leadership of Director Rob Jeffreys, the Department has implemented a number of initiatives to improve the quality of transgender care and Judge Nancy Rosenstengel recognized this progress in court. Every person in our custody deserves to have their needs fully met and humanity fully recognized and we are deeply committed to this critical work.”
Background:
Judge Rosenstengel stated in court, “I recognize that progress has been made and I even noted in the preliminary injunction order that changes ordered will take time and I acknowledge that COVID understandably caused delays.”
Under the leadership of Director Rob Jeffreys, the Department has implemented a number of initiatives to improve the quality of transgender care, including but not limited to:
• IDOC entered into a contract with Dr. Erica Anderson, President of the United States Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH), to consult with the Department on its policy changes and transgender initiatives. Judge Rosentengel applauded this effort stating, “Hiring Dr. Anderson was an amazing step in the right direction.”;
• The Department contracted with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to provide three separate trainings to all medical and mental health providers within IDOC;
• We contracted with The Moss Group to provide review and input regarding a new internal policy pertaining to transgender care;
• IDOC implemented a policy allowing transgender individuals to choose the gender of the person that conducts their full body searches;
• The Department approved and sent multiple individuals to receive a surgical consultation for gender affirming surgery by renown surgeon Dr. Loren Schechter;
• The Department contracted with Dr. Ravi M. Iyengar, an endocrinologist with expertise in transgender care, to consult with the Department on hormone therapy issues;
• IDOC is finalizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago to access their transgender telemedicine program;
• We implemented a policy allowing gender affirming items be present in commissary;
• The Department continues to actively review individuals for transfer to a facility that houses the gender in which they identify.
Protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of all individuals in custody is among IDOC’s highest priorities. We are committed to providing the training and resources necessary to ensure the needs of transgender individuals are met.
The following statement is from Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, on the passing of Don Johnston, Democratic State Central Committee member representing the 17th Congressional District:
“I am deeply saddened by Don Johnston’s passing over the weekend. Don spent his entire life dedicated to furthering Democratic ideals - helping those in need, supporting our families, workers and veterans and working to achieve equality for those often left behind.
“Public service was a central theme throughout Don’s life, from service as a Vietnam War-era veteran to Moline Township Supervisor and Rock Island County Board member. Don was well known for hosting an annual military surplus blanket giveaway to benefit Quad Cities residents and social service organizations in need. He had a long career working alongside organized labor, including serving as former U.S. Senator Paul Simon’s statewide labor director.
“Don was always quick to volunteer his time or advice and was a trusted partner in many projects that encouraged people to vote and become more involved in their communities. His legacy of service will be felt in the Quad Cities and across Illinois for a long time to come.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Don and his loved ones. He was a wonderful man, friend, and Democrat, and he will be greatly missed.”
* Press release…
The entire Illinois AFL-CIO officers, staff and board mourn the recent passing of former president of the Illinois AFL-CIO Robert Gibson.
Gibson was the influential head of the state’s largest labor organization from 1979 to 1989, ushering in the state’s collective bargaining law for public sector workers and negotiating major reforms to the unemployment insurance law.
After serving in the Coast Guard during World War II, Gibson went to work as a Steelworker at Granite City Steel. He was named the Illinois AFL-CIO’S first community services director in 1958 and was elected secretary-treasurer in 1963. The Illinois AFL-CIO named its annual Community Services Award after Gibson. The Gibson Award annually honors a rank-and-file member who goes above and beyond in their communities.
“Bob Gibson never forgot where he came from,” said Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea. “He helped build the labor movement in Illinois into what it is today. His charisma and personality are legendary, and his contributions to making people’s lives better are undisputed. His legacy of focusing on service to our communities lives on.”
Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4:00-7:00 pm at Sunset Hill Funeral Home, 50 Fountain Drive, Glen Carbon, Illinois, 62034. Interment will be at Sunset Hill at 10:00 am Friday. He will be laid to rest next to his wife of many years, Martha.
Reporter: What are school districts supposed to do when kids show up and, maybe they’re vaccinated maybe they’re not, and they don’t wear a mask? What are they supposed to do?
Pritzker: School districts have been enforcing dress codes for many, many years. And so they’re expected simply to do the same thing they’ve been doing literally for decades. And, you know, I expect that people will do the right thing nonetheless, and not put their school district in a difficult situation of having to tell somebody ‘follow the rules.’
* And, by the way, I have a strong suspicion that at least some of the same people protesting the loudest about masks are also the types who strongly support bans like this…
Schools “can’t enforce masks” but sure did enforce not letting us wear shorts or spaghetti straps.
Most schools already have rules on skirt lengths, shoulder, neckline, midriff exposure and more. Let’s be real, requiring kids to cover their nose and mouth in a pandemic isn’t a “freedom” issue.
Exactly! They had no problem calling me at work and pulling me away from my job to bring my son a belt because, according to their “uniform code,” he couldn’t stay at school without one.🤬
I think I’ve told you that my grade school lunch ladies refused to serve me because of the length of my hair. I had bangs.
* There’s also this…
My argument also. There's one child in my kids ' school of over 1700 students with a severe peanut allergy and no one has a problem with protecting that child, bc it is the right thing to do!!
* The Mahomet-Seymour and Monticello school district superintendents penned an op-ed for the Champaign News-Gazette. Here’s the end…
We don’t like government mandates, either — trust us: There are plenty sent our way every year — and we believe that our school boards and local communities trust us enough to make the right calls for our local districts when it comes to school (not medical or political) decisions.
Ignoring the requirement for universal masking puts our teachers and building administrators in extremely difficult positions. The continued debate is a distraction from the critically important goal of getting our kids back in school. The “fight,” if you will, is no longer at the local level, since local control has been taken away.
We are looking forward to seeing our students and teachers back in our buildings for full school days, sporting and music events, drama productions, regular recess and lunch times and social opportunities.
They showed us last year that masking was not a big deal — if that’s what it takes right now, then so be it. It’s time to move forward with the 2021-22 school year and to focus on what public schools do best — educate students.
For Marlena and Ben McCoy in Marion, they had their children politely refuse to wear masks Monday, saying it’s not healthy for them to breathe their own air for eight hours a day.
They said at first, administrators at Crab Orchard in Williamson County said to just take the kids home, but the McCoys insisted that if they’re not being disciplined, their children must be in class. The administrators eventually suspended the three children.
An administrator from the district didn’t return messages seeking comment.
Marlena said they couldn’t stand by anymore without fighting back.
“It’s time to stand up and it’s time to fight against what is not the government’s to take,” Marlena said. “The Bible teaches us to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and they are clearly asking something that is not Caesar’s and we’re not going to be willing to give it anymore.”
It was tough to “walk into the fire,” but Marlena said her children understood.
“They’re excited to be part of whatever this movement is going to be,” she said. “My husband made kind of a silly comment, he said ‘your blood bleeds a little bit more red than most Americans right now,’ because they’re fighting what most won’t.” […]
“He’s putting everything on the line, his sports, his academics,” Phillips said, noting her son is a leader on the middle-school baseball team and a good student. “Suspensions are supposed to be for bad things like fights, not for good students.”
Phillips said her son may go back to school Wednesday with a mask in order to be eligible for a Thursday baseball game, but she also has her eye on a national day of action called “Walkout Wednesday.” She said that could have students across the country walking out of schools at noon to protest COVID-19 mitigation protocols.
“Breathe their own air.” A mask ain’t a diving bell.
Illinois jumped from 13th [30th] to 15th among top states for business in CNBC’s annual study of America’s Top States for Business [released July 13th], but some of the state’s metrics still don’t look so good.
The study used 85 different metrics to determine the rankings including infrastructure and access to capital, in which Illinois ranked first and third, respectively.
Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, says while this looks good, a deeper dive into the methodology is telling.
“The categories they use for infrastructure, in which Illinois is ranked number one, and access to capital, we’re ranked number three – if those were not where they are, we would not be anywhere close to 15, I don’t think,” Maisch said.
Some people just can’t stop bashing their own state. Take the W, for crying out loud. There’s plenty of time and room for other criticism. Plenty. Plus, by not trying to grab a share of the credit, the naysayers are allowing Democrats to take it all for themselves. “And we are going to do it,” promised one top Dem today after I sent over the link.
Governor Pritzker remains focused on guiding the state through COVID-19 by following the science, listening to medical experts, and is proud of all the Illinoisans who have been working together to fight the pandemic—his campaign message continues to reflect that.
This would be the first ad released under the campaign’s new management.
Pritzker: We’re ready to put the full weight of the state behind a full fledged response.
I’m gonna fight like hell for you in the weeks ahead.
We need the federal government to lead, follow or get out of the way.
Announcer: Staying focused on the job at hand.
Pritzker: This is not a time for politics. We have too much to do to save people’s lives.
Announcer: Never giving up.
Pritzker: We can defeat this thing in Illinois or do better than the other states because our people are just better at this. We’ve proven that.
Announcer: Never giving in.
Pritzker: We’ve been operating on facts and data and science from the very beginning.
I reject the premise of the question. The idea that this is a complete trade-off between keeping you healthy and making sure that we have an economy that’s moving forward.
Announcer: And always working to keep Illinoisans safe.
Pritzker: We want to make sure we get every dose into every arm that we possibly can across the state as quickly as possible.
Announcer: JB Pritzker. Strong leadership in tough times.
A growing number of companies are pushing their return to the office back to October and beyond, as the COVID-19 delta variant fuels a pandemic resurgence across the country. Some companies are also mandating unvaccinated employees either get jabbed before they come back or get a new job.
From Northbrook-based pizza chain Lou Malnati’s to online retail giant Amazon, many Chicago-area employees are getting the same message: Stay home, at least for now.
That was not the plan for many businesses, which until recently targeted September as the consensus point of return to the office for at least some of their remote workforce. But the rise of the more transmissible delta variant has changed those plans, with companies large and small moving the office return date back to the fall, and in some cases, next year.
In late July, tech giants Google and Apple told employees they were pushing back the office returns from September to October. Microsoft soon followed suit, and Amazon upped the ante, delaying its office return until January 2022.
Illinois lifted all capacity limits and social distancing requirements for private businesses two months ago, ‘fully reopening’ from the restrictive pandemic protocols that confined public life for nearly a year-and-a-half. Yet, months after the state entered the new ‘Phase 5’ of Governor Pritzker’s plan to rebuild from the Coronavirus, approximately four in ten state workers are still working remotely.
A Pritzker administration memo says 40% of state workers in executive agencies are not reporting to work every day in the office, though several agency heads said their workers are still able to be effective and productive by working from home or by visiting the office on rotation in a hybrid manner.
The internal document, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, charts out how many workers from each agency are working from the office every day compared to how many are working virtually or “on rotation.” Out of 48,480 state workers in those agencies, 19,190 were listed as remote or on rotation at the time the July 9th memo was prepared. The figures merely represented a snapshot in time, and have likely fluctuated over the last few weeks as several agencies have ramped up efforts to negotiate a gradual return to government offices.
Nearly a third of those remote or hybrid workers were from the Department of Human Services, which had reported 55% of its workforce back in the office full-time. However, the agency said their productivity actually increased after they sent more than half of their workers home when the pandemic hit.
There are so many distractions in an office, so I can see why productivity might actually increase.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Human Services is responding to outbreaks in care facilities. DHS Senior Policy Advisor Dana Kelly says 10 of the state’s 14 facilities have an “outbreak status.” Kelly noted there are very few breakthrough cases, but you can see several facilities had fully vaccinated staff and residents contract COVID.
The department also reported 155 full-time staff tested positive between April 24 and July 23. Although, only 21 of those employees had vaccinations.
“We continue to promote strict adherence to safety protocols and long-term care guidelines according to IDPH guidance,” Kelly said.
IDHS has provided 28,276 vaccinations at facilities across the state since January. Kelly explained 82% of those, 5,270 shots, went to residents and patients. She also noted 53% of the doses, 6,290 shots, went to IDHS facility staff. 11,179 community members and 5,290 SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid clients also received vaccines.
82% of all patients in DHS facilities have received at least one dose. Kelly explained 79% of patients have received both doses. However, only 53% of DHS staff are vaccinated. Kelly said 45% of employees at developmental centers have received at least one dose. Meanwhile, 67% of staff at psychiatric hospitals received vaccines.
Public health officials from across the state spoke during a House healthcare committee hearing Monday morning. State experts stressed Illinois continues to see increasing transmission, hospitalization, and preventable deaths among unvaccinated people.
IDPH notes the Delta variant is still the most dominant strain of COVID-19 in the state. Contrary to statements by some Republican lawmakers, the variant has spread quickly among people of all ages. The state’s leading epidemiologist says cases of COVID for 5 to 11-year-olds went up 788% over the past month.
“Our 12 to 17-year-olds had an increase in their case counts of 704%,” said Dr. Sarah Patrick. “And the 18 to 22-year-olds had an 1345% increase.”
Patrick says IDPH linked the significant increase in cases to COVID outbreaks at summer camps, sporting events in other states, and community spread. She also explained that just under 1,500 of the new COVID-19 cases in July were children under 18.
Prolific anti-COVID mitigation attorney Tom DeVore on Monday filed suit over Gov. JB Pritzker’s mandate requiring all students, faculty and staff at Illinois schools wear masks in the face of the coronavirus’ more contagious Delta variant spreading across the state.
DeVore filed the suit on behalf of a father of a student in Breese School District 12 in Clinton County, about 40 miles east of St. Louis. The complaint, filed in local district court, alleges Pritzker overstepped his authority in signing an executive order last week mandating masks in all preschools, elementary and secondary schools in Illinois.
“While Pritzker will spill gallons on ink on the history of the COVID pandemic and how his administration has worked to keep people ‘safe,’ none of this obfuscation is relevant to the precise question of what is the extent of his delegated power by the legislature under the [Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act],” DeVote wrote in the 11-page complaint. […]
Unlike most of the suits filed by DeVore and others in the last 18 months, Monday’s lawsuit does not challenge Pritzker’s ability to issue continuous disaster declarations beyond the 30-day period provided for in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, or IEMAA. While the courts have settled that question in Pritzker’s favor, DeVore’s suit over the school mask mandate alleges the IEMAA doesn’t allow a governor to usurp the authority of school districts.
Hannah has done her usual good job at explaining this, so go read the rest if you’re interested in the details. The lawsuit is here. The EO is here. The Revised Public Health Guidance for Schools is here. And the IEMAA is here.
As a last resort, the Illinois State Board of Education can also remove a school’s “recognition status,” he said. That could mean a loss of state funding, said Jackie Matthews, executive director of communications for the board.
The state board has authority under state law to reduce the recognition status of any school district exhibiting “deficiencies that present a health hazard or a danger to students or staff.”
DeVore announced he was seeking a seat on the state’s appellate court in late July. Prior to his announcement, Pritzker said the lawyer offered a “bounty” for photos of him out celebrating Thanksgiving at the height of the pandemic, even bothering his children.
The lawyer referenced these images in the lawsuit, stating that the governor doesn’t follow the restrictions he put in place.
“While this federal guidance is not binding authority on any party involved, It bears mentioning to the Court that Pritzker constantly gaslights the public by stating he’s following the facts and science until times like this,” DeVore wrote. “When local governing bodies exercise their own informed discretion consistent with the facts and science of the federal government, but seemingly in a manner of which he disagrees.”
The peak hospitalization for those under 12 statewide was Nov. 1, 2020, with 105 hospitalized across the state. That dropped in the months after to 31 on Feb. 1, 2021, 58 on March 1, 2021, 58 on April 1, 2021, 55 on May 1, 2021, and 29 on June 1, 2021. For July 1, 2021, IDPH says there were 57 children under 12 hospitalized, or half of the peak in November.
There were fewer 12- to 17-year-olds hospitalized during that same time frame, from August 2020 to July 2021. That category peaked at 72 hospitalized statewide on Nov. 1, 2020. For July 1, 2021, there were 21 children 12- to 17-year-olds hospitalized with COVID, according to data provided by IDPH.
Um, our current overall hospitalization numbers are just 22 percent of what they were at their peak in November. Our current statewide positivity rate is about half what it is in Texas and Florida. But it does appear to be moving this way.
* Related…
* Manito superintendent clarifies position on masking in schools: In specific, Hellrigel’s [Facebook] letter bashes how the order takes away local control from districts. He also criticizes Governor Pritzker, saying he “repeadedly lied” to the public and encourages people to call the Governor and other state officials with their concerns. … “My intention was not to make a political statement but to provide our families with the contacts they needed to express their opinions to those that can make a change,” Hellrigel said.
* Lambasting Gov. Pritzker’s ‘tyrannical mandates,’ Morton school board member protests masks: “If you are from a surrounding school district, I want you to courageously go to your school board and tell them you will not tolerate the governor’s tyrannical mandates,” he said [on Facebook] . “If you will stand up for your children’s individual rights, we can win this battle for freedom and choice. But we must all courageously stand together.”
* Parents speak out against mandatory masks in schools: “I’m not against anybody who wants the vaccine and I’m not against anybody who wants their kid to wear a mask. But that’s because that’s their choice for their child and my choice and what’s best for my family is for my kids to not wear a mask and have in-person learning,” said Rebecca Flanary, from the Facebook Group Unmask Massac.
Democratic state Rep. La Shawn Ford agreed Monday that there needs to be a unified message. He acknowledged political tensions.
“What you have in Chicago, the mayor fighting with the governor, and the judges fighting with the police, and the mayor fighting with the prosecutors and the judges,” Ford told WMAY. “There’s a gang war between politicians. And so I don’t know how we’re going to be able to deal with the crisis at hand when politicians don’t come together and deal with the problems…”
Also, take some time today to read Evan Moore’s tweet thread, either here or here. It’s not what you’ll usually find and the longtime reporter is quite experienced in this topic.
* Illinois Opportunity Project President Mark Cavers is right about the suburbs being the battleground for Gov. JB Pritzker in 2022 because the suburbs are always the biggest battleground…
In 2018, 38 percent of the overall vote came out of Cook County. However, this Democratic stronghold can be balanced out by the 96 downstate counties, where 37 percent of the vote is located. So, rather than a state dominated by Chicago, if Republicans can drive turnout among their voters, they can cancel out Democratic margins in Cook County.
If Republicans can successfully neutralize Cook County by turning out downstate voters, the election will be decided in the suburbs, where the remaining 25 percent of voters live.
And we just saw that there are voters who can be moved by the right message. In 2020, there were 681,000 voters statewide who voted against Pritzker’s tax-hike amendment but not for Trump.
These voters, predominantly located in the suburbs, have rejected Pritzker’s cornerstone issue, but they evaluate candidates individually. In that same 1892 Polling survey, 10 percent of those who said they voted for President Joe Biden had an unfavorable view of Pritzker, and 22 percent had no opinion. They are with Republicans on the message; Republicans just need the right messenger.
It remains an open question which Republican candidates up and down the ballot can successfully prosecute the case against Pritzker and the Democrats while clearing a competence and character bar that Trump struggled to clear in the minds of many voters.
The hard truth is the Republican Party has been scaring away suburban voters in droves for 20 years in Illinois (with some exceptions) with the issues they choose to run on and the types of people they nominate. Also, the sort of person who can gin up a ton of Downstate turnout is not generally the type who can play well in the suburbs. Bruce Rauner did it (barely winning the primary) and eventually brought peace to the party in 2018, but then eventually created loads of chaos.
* The Illinois State Fair starts back up again this Thursday. We didn’t get a State Fair last year, of course, so I was wondering about your thoughts ahead of this year’s event?
Now that he’s a member of the Illinois General Assembly, Nick Smith isn’t embarrassed to say he struggled early in college. As he bounced back and forth between classes and his job, he spent little time on campus.
It wasn’t until Smith got a work-study job at Olive-Harvey College, a Far South Side community college, that things changed. “I started to feel immersed in the academic setting. I started to feel focused,” he recalls. After completing the two-year program, Smith went on to get a bachelor’s degree from nearby Chicago State University, and since 2019 he has represented the 34th District in the State Assembly.
With his personal experience in mind, Smith introduced legislation in Springfield this year that allows community colleges to add student housing for the first time. Signed into law July 9 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the measure allows for residential projects to begin on or near campuses throughout the state starting in January. […]
“Retention, retention, retention” is the goal of the new law, said Thomas Saban, interim president of Prairie State College, a community college in south suburban Chicago Heights. Saban isn’t planning to become a developer of dorms: The law requires community colleges to partner with their local affordable housing agency to build student housing.
When former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the Freedom to Work Act, or FWA, into law in 2016, the circumstances weren’t all that controversial. The measure, prompted by a Jimmy John’s policy that barred employees from getting hired at rival sandwich shops, would protect low-wage workers from noncompete agreements that stifled their earning potential. Even Rauner, a politician reviled by organized labor groups, got on board with the idea after the Illinois Attorney General’s Office sued the chain known for its “freaky fast” delivery
Now the FWA, originally limited in scope, is set to become much more expansive.
Under a bill passed unanimously by lawmakers this spring, and which Gov. J.B. Pritzker still must sign, employers are prohibited from imposing noncompetes on workers earning below $75,000 and from using nonsolicitation agreements on those making below $45,000. Advocates laud the move as a victory for economic mobility—especially as employees re-evaluate their priorities and job preferences during the pandemic. But some local businesses worry the changes are coming at a time of monumental uncertainty. With President Joe Biden recently directing the Federal Trade Commission to rein in the “unfair use” of noncompetes, the rules could continue shifting, and companies fear more restrictions will put their proprietary information, client lists and employee retention efforts at risk.
* Press release…
Legislation sponsored by State Senator Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles) that provides units of government with greater opportunities to obtain more favorable returns on invested reserve funds has been signed into law. The new provisions apply to all units of government, from the State of Illinois, down to counties, municipalities, townships, and smaller local units such as schools, park districts, and libraries.
Senate Bill 273, signed by Gov. Pritzker on Friday, provides units of government with a wider variety of investment tools for reserve funds. The legislation was negotiated between the Illinois Association of Park district and the Illinois Treasurer’s Office.
“This legislation gives those who oversee units of government greater flexibility when they invest public funds,” said Sen. DeWitte. “I want to thank Treasurer Frerichs and his staff for their assistance in helping craft language that ensures governmental units have the widest level of choices possible for their investments, while also protecting taxpayers for overly-aggressive and risky investments.”
Specifically, through SB 273, public agencies can invest in up to 1/3 of their reserve funds in specific corporate investments and an additional 1/3 in other corporate investments that meet prescribed parameters.
“This is one small way that we can help units of government grow their revenues internally without having to go to taxpayers,” added Sen. DeWitte.
SB 273 received unanimous approval in the Senate and House, and its provisions take effect immediately.
* One thing that has almost completely gotten lost in the shuffle about this Exelon bailout plan is that the company is planning to spin off its power generation unit later this year and is naturally hoping to juice up the potential stock price. A state deal would most definitely help them do that. Here’s Steve Daniels…
Exelon has struck an $885 million deal to buy out its nuclear partnership with a French utility giant, removing one impediment to quickly separating into two companies.
But the deal with EDF adds $880 million in debt to Exelon’s balance sheet, all of which will be shifted to the financially weaker power-generation business once the company spins it off from its regulated utilities, including Chicago’s Commonwealth Edison. […]
British banking giant Barclays is providing Exelon with an $880 million 364-day term loan to finance the EDF transaction, according to a Securities & Exchange Commission filing. The loan is being made to Exelon Generation, the company’s power-plant unit, rather than the holding company.
As of June 30, Exelon Generation had $1.2 billion in debt due within a year, according to a different SEC filing, so this amount nearly doubles that total. In addition, ExGen has $4.6 billion in long-term debt.
* Meanwhile, here’s the governor’s chief of staff…
Climate change is here, it’s getting worse, it’s not a niche political issue but an every day concern that has real impacts on health, business and the quality of our lives. https://t.co/71Ci7LQIhx
Nearly half of the Illinois children who are currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (meaning those aged 12-17) have already received at least one dose, according to new state data.
Meanwhile, more than a third – 37.6 percent – were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported.
The numbers for kids ages 12 to 17 were encouraging, said Dr. Anita Chandra-Puri, a Chicago pediatrician and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. “That’s fantastic news if that’s the case. I would love that,” she said in an interview. […]
While comparable data wasn’t immediately available for other states, Illinois ranks high nationally in terms of percentage of all children who have been vaccinated.
Nearly a fifth (19.3 percent) of all Illinois children (aged 0-17, including those not currently eligible for the vaccine) have received at least one dose of the vaccine. At that rate, Illinois is in a three-way tie for ninth place among states, according to data published by the Mayo Clinic. Vermont, which had the highest share of kids with at least one dose, had a rate of 25 percent.
Illinois fares a little worse among states when it comes to the percentage of all kids (newborn to age 18) with full vaccinations. Again, Vermont led the pack, with a rate of 21.4 percent. Illinois trailed behind with a rate of 12.4 percent, putting it in a tie for 15th overall.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago will require that all employees, students, contractors, badged vendors, and volunteers be vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021. The requirement applies to Lurie Children’s workforce of more than 7,500 to stop the spread of the virus and keep all patients and their families, staff, colleagues, and the community safe.
Lurie Children’s will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination, as it does other vaccines, and health precautions (Flu Shot, TDAP, etc.), as a condition of employment noting that exemptions may be made for approved medical or religious reasons.
“Vaccination continues to be the most effective safeguard against coronavirus. As the nation and Illinois experiences a resurgence of cases, we feel that the best way to keep our patients, families, and workforce safe is to continue to follow the proven mitigation protocols and safety precautions including masks, social distancing, hand hygiene and our daily self-screening by employees,” said Thomas Shanley, MD, President & CEO, Lurie Children’s. “The safety of our patients, many of whom are too young to receive the vaccination, and our workforce is our top priority. This vaccination requirement stresses our commitment to the community to help slow and stop the spread of COVID-19.”
The vaccination requirement comes on the heels of rising hospitalizations and COVID-19 cases – particularly of the highly transmissible Delta variant.
Early research is showing that current COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against disease and hospitalization for the Delta variant, and in general, can prevent serious illness or death. Lurie Children’s is a clinical trial site for the Moderna vaccine.
For several years, Lurie Children’s has required vaccination for seasonal flu vaccination and other contagious diseases. “As healthcare professionals caring for children and adolescents, this COVID vaccine requirement is the responsible thing to do and will provide reassurance to the patients and families we serve. We must do everything we can to end this pandemic and save lives,” said Shanley.
A poll of the public by Quinnipiac University has found that 48 percent of those responding favor mandatory vaccines for college students, while 48 percent are opposed. The poll found support for mandatory vaccinations by only 18 percent of Republicans, and 86 percent of Democrats. The poll also found that women and those with a four-year college degree are more likely to support mandatory vaccinations than are men and those who did not earn a four-year degree.
Then came delta — B.1.617.2. It had spread rapidly in India, but in the United States, it sat there for months, doing little as the alpha advanced. As recently as May 8, delta caused only about 1 percent of new infections nationally.
Today, it has nearly wiped out all of its rivals. The coronavirus pandemic in America has become a delta pandemic. By the end of July, it accounted for 93.4 percent of new infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. […]
Hospitals in states with low vaccination rates are struggling to cope with a flood of patients. At the same time, vaccination rates are jumping as the reality of the pandemic and the efficacy of the vaccines overcome fear, inertia and disinformation. […]
The flip side is that the delta surge is expected to peak faster. A more contagious virus finds susceptible people quickly and burns through that “fuel” faster. This may explain why the United Kingdom and India have both experienced surprisingly swift drop in cases after recent delta surges.
Hope is not a plan, but keep your fingers crossed anyway.
Ticketholders in the grandstand track area (also known as Standing Room Only) will be required to provide a print or digital copy of personal Vaccine Card, Vaccine Record, or Negative COVID-19 test within the 72 hours preceding the concert.
Illinois state fair concerts to require vaccine proof or negative test and masks
Grab the mask and your vaccination card, or be ready to prove you don’t have COVID-19, if you plan to attend the concerts at the Illinois State Fair starting Thursday in Springfield.
That’s just a ridiculous over-statement. I sure hope newspapers are actually reading this freely supplied content before publishing it.
DCFS not included in state’s new mask requirements
Gov. JB Pritzker announced sweeping mask and vaccine requirements for multiple state agencies Wednesday, but one was notably left off the list: the Department of Children and Family Services.
Long-term care facilities were among the hardest hit by COVID-19 in McLean County last year. Nursing home employees also were put at the front of the line to receive COVID vaccines when they became available in late 2020.
But many nursing home employees have passed on getting the vaccine.
Records recently posted online by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) show three long-term care facilities in McLean County — Bloomington Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, Luther Oaks and Arcadia Care of Bloomington — have staff vaccination rates of less than 25% as of July 25. […]
An advocate for nursing home residents said facility operators need to figure out why some staff members are reluctant to vaccinate. Angie Baker, regional ombudsman with the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, said unvaccinated staff pose health risks to nursing home residents as the Delta variant fuels a new wave of coronavirus infections.
Andy Ray must have repeated it to himself a hundred times, especially in the minutes before caregivers at HSHS St. John’s Hospital leaned his head back and inserted a breathing tube down his windpipe to keep COVID-19 from killing him.
“I kept thinking, ‘If I had gotten that shot, I wouldn’t be here,’” Ray, 52, told The State Journal-Register Thursday. “That’s all I could think of.”
Before going on a ventilator that would help him breathe for five of the 23 days he spent in the Springfield hospital in May and June, the rural Mount Sterling farmer’s thoughts also dwelled on the close family friend who succumbed to COVID-19 in the fall, before vaccines were available.
Once in the hospital, Ray, who lives about 65 miles west of Springfield, asked whether he could get a COVID-19 shot but was told it was too late for the vaccine to do any good. His wife couldn’t be at his side because she, too, had contracted COVID-19 by that time, though she didn’t need to be hospitalized.
* More…
* Vaccination milestone: 70% of Chicago adults have gotten at least one shot, city says
Vowing to “ensure access to justice for all, the mayor of Highland Park launched her bid for a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court on Friday, setting the stage for what could be a hotly contested race to represent a newly redrawn district on the state’s top court.
Making her third run for higher office in five years, Nancy Rotering, a Democrat in her third term as mayor of the North Shore suburb, joins Democratic and Republican judges in Lake County who are also vying for the seat formerly held by Justice Robert Thomas. […]
Kicking off her run for the state’s top court, Rotering announced a slew of endorsements, including Democratic U.S. Rep. Marie Newman, the mayors of Deerfield, Buffalo Grove and Fox Lake as well as Democratic state Representatives Bob Morgan of Deerfield, Dan Didech of Buffalo Grove, Sam Yingling of Grayslake and Joyce Mason of Gurnee.
Elizabeth Rochford, an associate judge in Lake County, is also running as a Democrat for the Supreme Court seat, which now covers Lake, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb and Kendall counties.
Daniel Shanes, a Lake County judge, plans to run as a Republican for the Second District seat in next year’s June 28 primary.
* Press release from Gary Rabine…
In response to the tragic death of a police officer Saturday night in Chicago and the severe wounding of another officer, Gary Rabine, a candidate for Governor, is calling on Gov. Pritzker to stop ignoring the wave of violent crime in the City of Chicago.
“How many police officers and innocent civilians have to die before Gov. Pritzker takes what is happening in the City of Chicago seriously?” Rabine said. “Where are you Governor? Show us you are not partnered with Kim Fox! A great leader doesn’t sleep as tragedies like this in our state continue because of terrible policies and terrible leadership. JB needs to wake up and hold Kim Fox accountable for violating her professional code of ethics daily when she refuses to enforce the Illinois law she agreed to under oath.”
Rabine said the Governor could put pressure on Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to address the rise in violent crime. He could withhold various state funds to the City to force the mayor to solve the problems. He could call a Special Session of the General Assembly to deal with the violence and, as a last resort, he could deploy the National Guard.
“There are ways the Governor could step up and protect the lives of innocent people and the lives of police officers, but instead he has chosen to ignore what is happening in Chicago,” Rabine said. “Chicago’s best – our police officer – show their passion and their bravery as they serve us every single day. A great governor would respond by serving our police and our communities by using his executive powers to retract the bad policies that have handcuffed our police and take bold action to protect the citizens of this state. Unfortunately, we do not ave a great governor. We have a weak, self-serving leader whose policies are benefitting politically connected insiders at the expense of the people.”
Rabine is asking Illinois residents to pray for this heroic young woman’s 2-month-old baby now without a mother, the other officer fighting for his life, and their families.
“My prayers are also for the many innocent families who have lost loved ones in one of the most violent summers in Chicago history,” Rabine said. “I am also praying for our governor, to find the strength to get his hands dirty and the courage to retract bad policy and protect the people in every community of our state.”
I asked what Rabine would have the General Assembly do in a special session…
The point here is to make this issue a priority and use the bully pulpit that is the Governor’s office to bring about meaningful changes.
Um, OK, but if you bring the GA back into special session, you gotta give them something to do.
* Speaking of which, these folks claim Rabine signed an affidavit demanding an audit of Illinois’ 2020 vote…
A successful #2 event yesterday in Villa Park. Not only did we get to support Back the Blue, we got to hear Gary Rabine, candidate for Governor, Peggy Hubbard, for Senate-Christine Shanahan McGovern for Senate and Kathy O’Shea for Congress - yes they all signed affidavits! pic.twitter.com/TaBQf9PBeC
A great governor will show his passion and bravery to serve our police and our communities by using his executive powers to retract the bad policies that have handcuffed our police. Retract his signature on these horrific bills and FIRE Kim Foxx!
Retract his signature? Fire an elected state’s attorney? Does he have even the slightest clue what a governor does?
Few people can say their spouse encouraged them to go into politics.
But when David Palmer, a local former pro basketballer turned youth-development coach turned financial adviser, couldn’t stop chatting at weekly Illini football tailgates, his wife, Chelsea, took notice.
“You’re not the mayor,” she told him. “You know you can just walk out and leave, right?”
Then November 2020 came around, and politics dominated their conversations. Election buzz lit a fire under the couple, and Chelsea chimed in again:
“We talk about this so often, we’re going to have to get off the couch and do something about it,” she said.
Nine months later, Palmer is booting up his campaign for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, in hopes to unseat five-term U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville.
He has a great story, but nobody has a good handle on what the new districts will look like. We’re losing a seat, so the new map will be drastically different, particularly Downstate.
Please also pray for her wounded partner, who is in the hospital fighting for his life. We're asking for everyone to lift up this officer and his family as we pray for his recovery.
I was told the post doesn’t mean the caucus is “anti-mask.” Um, ok.
* Jordan Abudayyeh at the governor’s office…
While the administration continues to welcome input from the General Assembly, community stakeholders and public health experts, there is no debate on the effectiveness of masks. Masks prevent the spread of coronavirus and the CDC has recommended their use indoors regardless of vaccination status. Insinuating that science is up for debate is reckless and puts the public’s health at risk.
* Jaclyn Driscoll at the House Speaker’s office…
The CDC says students should wear masks indoors. The American Academy of Pediatrics says students should wear masks indoors. Doctors and our most trusted health professionals say students should wear masks indoors. I’m not sure why Republicans don’t trust doctors.
When Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently announced that state employees who work in congregate facilities would have to be vaccinated by Oct. 4, the largest state employee union, AFSCME, released a statement chiding the governor.
“We strongly oppose any effort to define them as part of the problem,” the powerful union claimed on behalf of those workers.
But Pritzker also said that about 80% of new COVID-19 cases in those congregate facilities “have been due to infection among employees.”
“Our most vulnerable residents, such as veterans who can’t live on their own, and adults living with developmental disabilities have no choice but to live amongst these workers,” Pritzker said. “It’s a breach of safety, it’s fundamentally wrong and, in Illinois, it’s going to stop.”
Aside from the danger posed to residents or inmates, outbreaks can also result in potentially exposed unvaccinated workers getting very sick or worse; or being sent home for several days to make sure they haven’t contracted the virus. Most every state facility is under-staffed, so outbreaks have the potential to crush the system, particularly with the highly virulent delta variant spreading like wildfire.
By far, the least vaccinated state agency is the Illinois Department of Corrections, which is infamous for being chronically under-staffed for decades.
Of IDOC’s 34 facilities, only seven had a staff vaccination rate above 50% by late July, which is still too low.
Two IDOC facilities had staff vaccination rates in the single digits: an abysmal 7% at Lawrence Correctional Center and 9% at Vienna Correctional Center. Vandalia CC was not much better at a mere 10%. Pontiac CC was at 14%, Robinson CC was at 18% and Graham CC and its reception and classification center were at 21%, as was Shawnee CC. Six prisons had staff vax percentage rates in the 20s, ten were in the 30s, five were in the 40s, three were in the 50s and just four were in the 60s.
Taken as a whole, 44% of IDOC staff were fully vaccinated at that point in time. Just 45% of the state’s Development Center staff at the Department of Human Services are vaccinated. At the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, 64% of veterans’ home employees are vaccinated, but just 50% at the Anna Home are vaxed and 58% are vaxed at the Manteno facility.
By comparison, as of Aug. 5, 61% of all Illinois adults were fully vaccinated.
“The government has resorted to ‘vaccine shaming’ its public safety employees rather than convincing them that getting an immunization is the best course of action,” said Terry Trueblood, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Illinois Secretary of State Lodge 95, after Secretary of State Jesse White announced that employees must either be vaccinated or tested every two weeks.
But, according to the state, about 70% of prison inmates who are in or who have moved through the system have been fully vaccinated. Eight-two percent of all patients and residents in Department of Human Services facilities are vaccinated. Between 96 and 100 percent of Department of Veterans’ Affairs home residents are vaccinated, depending on the facility. And 62% of young people currently in the Department of Juvenile Justice system have been vaccinated.
It’s time the state stopped waiting on front-line workers to come to their senses while drawing a government paycheck. Too many of AFSCME’s members are not part of the solution, they’re “part of the problem.”
And the FOP can complain about “vaccine shaming” all it wants, but logic and reasoning haven’t worked nearly enough. Not even money has worked. The state rolled out a special cash-and-prizes lottery program just for workers in those four agencies to try to increase vaccination rates. On-site clinics were set up to make it more convenient for employees to get their shots. The union also admirably tried to help convince its members to vax up. The carrots didn’t work. The stick is what’s left.
Pritzker gave the workers two months to comply, likely because he wants to talk details with union leaders at the bargaining table. But AFSCME would do well to remember what the late AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said just last month when explaining why the AFL-CIO supports vaccine mandates: “You have to know what’s around you.”
AFSCME and other unions face a choice between preserving the life and health of their members or standing up for the imagined “rights” of those who would knowingly spread a fatal or debilitating disease to those around them. Something has got to change.
* Meanwhile…
NEW: President of the American Federation of Teachers @RWeingarten calls for support for vaccine mandates on #MTP
Weingarten: “As a matter of personal conscience, I think that we need to be working with our employers, not opposing them, on vaccine mandates.” pic.twitter.com/2yOIxhUzdB
The Chicago Cubs signed Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White to an honorary Major League contract. “I thank the Chicago Cubs and Chairman Tom Ricketts for their heartfelt gesture today. I am humbled and proud to have signed an honorary major league contract with the Cubs.” pic.twitter.com/6DrhOHkIXQ
