Suspect named in Peoria Planned Parenthood arson
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. News Director at WCBU Radio…
From Tim’s thread…
* From the criminal complaint…
That facility doesn’t do abortions. * His Facebook page includes an anti-gay slur and a post highlighting the county sheriffs who have vowed not to enforce the assault weapons ban. He looks to be a COVID denier. He also tried to recruit folks to go with him to the January 6, 2021 “stop the steal” march, and appeared to be pro-Putin. And then there’s this. …Adding… Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois…
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Afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * From the other day…
Active Transportation Alliance…
I did not know that. But here’s IDOT’s interpretation of that 2017 law…
A WB-65 is a full size semi truck. * SGOPs…
* New Paul Vallas TV ad… * Press release…
* Press release…
* Press release…
* Nice gesture…
* Isabel’s roundup….
* WTTW | García Edits First Television Ad to Remove Uniformed Chicago Cops After Probe Launched: A spokesperson for the García campaign told WTTW News the ad was revised out of an “abundance of caution” after WGN-TV reported that it likely violated police department policy that prohibits officers from engaging in political activity while “wearing a uniform or any part thereof which would identify the individuals as Chicago Police Officer, or use property of the Chicago Police Department.” * CBS Chicago | Illinois gets mixed marks when it comes to reducing tobacco use: The American Lung Association released its State of Tobacco Control report. More money for the Illinois “quit line” improved the access to services that help people quit. It went up from a “C” last year to “B” this year. One “F” grade was given because the state hasn’t banned the sale of flavored tobacco products, but Illinois got an “A” for its strength of smoke-free workplace laws. * Daily Herald | Rosemont’s Stephens adds GOP House leadership post: Add one more title to Rosemont Mayor and state Rep. Brad Stephens’ business card: Assistant House Minority Leader. The Republican politician who has been the Northwest suburb’s mayor since 2007 and in the General Assembly since 2019 was named to new House Republican Leader Tony McCombie’s leadership team, which is otherwise composed of downstate Republicans. * Mother Jones | How Nick Fuentes groomed a new generation of racist hate.: Nick Fuentes grew up in the relative comfort and stability of a two-parent household in the Chicago suburb of La Grange. He has said that his father, Bill Fuentes, a vice president at a ball bearing manufacturer, is half-Mexican, which Nick sometimes uses to claim he’s not a white supremacist—and sometimes brushes off as distant lineage irrelevant after decades of assimilation. * Daily Herald | Rolling Meadows wants ‘attractive gateway’ to any Bears stadium, so no cars outside for body shop: Rolling Meadows officials may be willing to allow an auto body shop to expand its presence in the shadow of the Arlington Park property — so long as no vehicles are stored outside. The prohibition on vehicles waiting to be serviced from stopping, staging or parking in the lot is included as a condition in Body Builders Automotive’s request to operate a repair facility at 3737 Industrial Drive. * Yahoo News | Granholm ecstatic at red state surge in renewable energy: ‘That is fantastic’: According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Texas is poised to overtake California in terms of solar power capacity, and aggressively pursued the construction of new wind, solar and battery storage projects in the second half of 2022. * NYT | 2023’s Biggest, Most Unusual Race Centers on Abortion and Democracy: The election for a swing seat on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has huge policy stakes for the battleground state. Cash is pouring in, and some of the candidates have shed any pretense of judicial neutrality. * WTTW | Cook County Sees 17% Spike In Overdose Deaths Tied to Veterinary Drug Xylazine. Harm Reduction Groups Say Its Presence Is Spreading.: Data from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office shows 146 opioid-related deaths last year where xylazine was listed as a primary cause, marking a 16.8% increase from 2021. The current numbers are preliminary and will likely increase as there are 564 pending toxicology tests from last year as of Tuesday. * WTTW | Push to Reopen Public Mental Health Clinics Closed 11 Years Ago Defines Another Chicago Mayor’s Race: A majority of candidates hoping to oust Lightfoot from City Hall’s fifth floor office have pledged to reopen public mental health clinics and expand efforts to respond to calls for help not just with police officers, but also with social workers and counselors. While the candidates have differing plans, none have backed Lightfoot’s approach. * Bloomberg Law | Jailed Illinois Lawyer Gets License Suspended After Fraud Ruling: he Illinois Supreme Court’s order Tuesday suspended Hassan Ali Abbas from the practice of law in Illinois “until further order of the Court.” Abbas, licensed by the state in 1991, was convicted in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts for wire fraud, money laundering, unlawful monetary transactions, and money laundering conspiracy. He was sentenced to prison in October 2022. * Block Club | Ald. Jim Gardiner Should Be Investigated For Harassing Challenger’s Volunteers, Ethics Board Tells City Watchdog: The November incident, which happened in Norwood Park, shows Gardiner drive up to volunteers collecting signatures for candidate Marija Tomic. Gardiner spends a few minutes speaking with the canvassers and tells them they should “run a clean campaign” and “know what you’re talking about,” according to the video, which was shared with Block Club. * Daily Southtown | Tinley Park’s decision to hold Independence Day festivities prompts park district to cancel longtime event: At Tuesday’s meeting, before the Park District’s announcement of its cancellation, Trustee Diane Gallante questioned why the village would move forward with a separate event and fireworks show. “We’re one community,” she said. “We already have a beautiful event, it’s a community event.” * AP | Chicago White Sox Pitcher Mike Clevinger Investigated by MLB for Domestic Violence: “MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations,” the team said in a statement. “The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.” * Tribune | EPA considers tougher regulation of livestock farm pollution: Food & Water Watch, whose lawsuit prompted the agency’s reversal, said a new approach was long overdue. “For decades EPA’s lax rules have allowed for devastating and widespread public health and environmental impacts on vulnerable communities across the country,” Tarah Heinzen, the group’s legal director, said Monday. * CNN | Washington Post lays off 20 newsroom employees, shuts down gaming section: The layoffs hit multiple departments at The Post, and included pulling the plug on Launcher, the newspaper’s gaming vertical that launched in 2019, a spokesperson for The Post said. Spokespeople for The Post have stressed that the newspaper will not reduce headcount in 2023 as it will reallocate resources and invest in other areas. * The Intercept | Elon Musk caves to pressure from India to remove BBC doc Critical of Modi: Officials from India’s ruling right-wing party said American tech companies like Twitter and YouTube complied with demands to remove the documentary.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** More on the NRA lawsuit; Hearing on DeVore’s second suit tomorrow; Downstate state’s attorney criticizes sheriffs; Weird rumor; AG Raoul files amicus brief in NY case
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller *** UPDATE *** The Illinois State Rifle Association, along with the Second Amendment Foundation and others has filed a motion for preliminary injunction with the Southern District US Court. Click here to read it. * More on that NRA lawsuit from the Sun-Times…
You can read the lawsuit by clicking here. * Also…
* While he’s an opponent of the new law, Livingston County State’s Attorney Randy Yedinak told the Pontiac Daily Leader that the written public statements by dozens of county sheriffs vowing not to enforce the law wer unwise…
* Meanwhile, “Steven in Pecatonica” called in to Brian Mackey’s 21st Show today to chime in on the assault weapons ban…
Not sure where Steven in Pecatonica got his info, but there’s nothing on the Lee County sheriff’s Facebook page, nothing in the Google and I searched a couple of social media sites and found nothing there, either. Maybe some of you can help track down this rumor. …Adding… Just as an FYI, the SAFE-T Act prohibits purchases of these tracked armored vehicles. * Gun rights advocate Todd Vandermyde was on the same show today and said this…
Um, OK. * Press release…
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Giannoulias promises more accessible databases, and I have some suggestions
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Capitol News Illinois…
I’ll add my two cents. The other day, I went to the Corporation/LLC search page to look for a company’s officers. Put in the name, hit search, up comes a list. I clicked on one link, but that wasn’t the company I wanted, so I hit the back button on my browser, clicked on a different company and wound up being directed back to the original (blank) search page. Frustrating. A similar thing happens with the lobbyist search function. Enter a lobbying entity name, get the result, use the back button to go back to the main page, try to search for an expenditure report, and it won’t let you search. You have to reload the page, which not everyone will figure out. Also, why aren’t links to the expenditure reports on the same page with the lobbying entities and the contract lobbyist results? And why isn’t more information showing up on the expenditure report pages? The filing dates are basically all you get, so you have to click numerous links until you find a report with any actual spending. I could go on, but do you have any ideas or suggestions for the SoS website?
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Conspiracies everywhere!
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois Review spreading anti-vaxxer nonsense…
That would be this Ryan Cunningham…
* Cunningham was Tom DeVore’s campaign manager…
The two have remained close…
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Chicago and crime
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * It seems that almost all candidates for local offices in Chicago are talking about crime these days. Even Chuy Garcia put the crime problem at the center of his campaign TV ad. So, while I don’t agree with everything in this blog comment from the other day, I think it’s pretty insightful overall…
* And while folks like the governor and others have been saying that crime is going down, check out these year to date numbers and historical comparisons from the Chicago Police Department…
Yes, it’s only a few weeks of data, but it doesn’t look good. And the election is coming up fast. …Adding… The vehicular hijacking data for this month is here.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Here you go…
* CBS Chicago | Illinois workers who filed wage theft claims are still waiting for millions: Wage theft can happen in a lot of ways – including missing tips or overtime - or in the case of one worker we talked to, a company not mailing a paycheck altogether. CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey reports. * Sun-Times | Bringing in the big guns? NRA, lawyers who helped win U.S. Supreme Court case train sights on Illinois’ assault weapons ban: Although the National Rifle Association is not listed as a plaintiff, a spokesperson told the Sun-Times it joined the National Sports Shooting Foundation to bring forth the suit, similar to what it did in a New York case that went before the U.S. Supreme Court. * Herald and Review | Pritzker on gun lawsuits: ‘They’ll lose in the end’: During an unrelated news conference, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday spoke about various legal challenges to the state’s new semiautomatic weapons ban. * Daily Herald | As several support DuPage sheriff, county chair says she’ll seek censure over weapons ban remarks: Saying words matter, DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy Tuesday said she will seek to censure Sheriff James Mendrick. Conroy’s announcement came after more than 200 people gathered at the board meeting on Tuesday to express support or outrage over Mendrick’s refusal to fully enforce the state’s new ban on high-powered weapons and high-capacity magazines. * Tribune | Doctors: A firearm-related injury is a chronic and expensive condition, but many victims are forgotten: Surviving a firearm injury is a chronic condition, “post-firearm injury disease,” which results in ongoing medical needs, mental health challenges and social disruption. As a result of continual improvements in emergency medical services, more firearm victims are surviving but are left with some type of chronic condition. * Shaw Local | New tax ideas just rumblings before hearing budget speech: State Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, has suggested taking another run at changing the flat tax system after voters soundly rejected Pritzker’s first such effort in 2020. State Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, told WTTW-TV his colleagues should consider a wealth tax, which would apply to people with assets exceeding $1 billion. * Brownfield | IFCA anticipating Illinois legislation banning important pesticides : The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association is keeping a close eye out for any pesticide related legislation being introduced in the new General Assembly. President KJ Johnson tells Brownfield he expects there to be debates about atrazine, chlorpyrifos and Round-Up, but based on congressional action last year, he thinks a ban on dicamba and neonicotinoids could move quickly this year. * Alfred Ronan Obituary: At 31, Al was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives representing the northwest side of Chicago. In the Illinois House, Al championed important issues such as a statewide seat belt mandate and consistently pushed for increased funding for K-12 education. * Crain’s | Durbin, Jam Productions CEO slam Live Nation at Senate hearing over Taylor Swift ticket fiasco: “The ticketing and live entertainment markets lack competition and they are dominated by a single entity: Live Nation,” Durbin said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing sparked by the recent problems with Ticketmaster’s handling of sales for a Taylor Swift tour that left fans disappointed and anguished. * Herald & Review | Pritzker on wind, solar zoning rules: During an unrelated news conference, Gov. J.B. Pritzker answers a question about legislation that would set statewide zoning standards for wind and solar projects. * Capitol News Illinois | Replacing Illinois institution as secretary of state, Giannoulias makes modernization push: “Modernization and bringing new technology is going to be at the forefront of everything we do,” Giannoulias said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois at the end of his second week in office. “This office is rooted in customer service, and my goal is to provide the best customer service possible.” * Tribune | FBI’s new Chicago boss says he considers job the ‘pinnacle’ of his career: Wheeler, 52, sat down with the Tribune on Tuesday to talk about his new job leading the Chicago FBI, the bureau’s fourth-largest field office with more than 1,000 agents, support staff and other personnel responsible for investigating everything from domestic and international terrorism to public corruption, gang racketeering, bank robberies and white-collar crime. * Tribune | Environmentalists to file lawsuit over Rockford’s Bell Bowl Prairie, home to the endangered rusty patched bumblebee: “Notwithstanding this conclusion, USFWS is now — incomprehensibly — authorizing the type of development and construction on Bell Bowl Prairie (including road construction) that will lead to the extinction of the Bee,” says the letter from the Natural Land Institute’s attorneys. * WGN | Garcia’s police ad appears to violate police rules: The commercial features images of Congressman Garcia walking down a street flanked by two uniformed officers whose faces are fully visible. While it’s not uncommon for candidates to use imagery of police – or even show a politician speaking with unidentified officers – the police participation in this ad is notable because the officers appear to fully participate in the filming and staged walking shots. * Sun-Times | Garcia punching back after weeks of getting pummeled by Lightfoot: A new 30-second spot TV spot, the congressman’s first of the mayoral campaign, focuses on crime. * WBEZ | From downtown Chicago to the neighborhoods, here’s how the mayoral candidates are vowing to strengthen the city’s economy: State Rep. Kam Buckner laid blame directly on the mayor for North Michigan Avenue’s troubles. “I represent the Magnificent Mile in the General Assembly, and the mayor told the shop owners there that it was their fault that what happened to them in 2020 happened,” he said at Thursday night’s debate. “Listen, many of us thought that this administration would raise the bar. But all we’ve seen is raised bridges, an attempt to raise taxes and raise the murder rate. We have to do better.” * Tribune | Embattled Ald. Jim Gardiner’s fitness is key issue in race for 45th Ward: His time in public office has been marked by allegations he used his power as alderman to target political opponents, including a reported federal investigation into whether he sought to withhold ward services from some residents who opposed his agenda. * WTTW | Chicago Ethics Board Asks Watchdog to Probe Ald. Gardiner For Harassing Opponent’s Volunteers: The incident represents the second time the Chicago Board of Ethics has asked the city’s watchdog to probe Gardiner’s conduct. In November 2021, the board asked the inspector general to determine whether Gardiner violated the city’s Governmental Ethics Ordinance twice by using his office to retaliate against his political foes. Mayor Lori Lightfoot also called for Gardiner to be probed after those complaints. WTTW News reported in September 2021 that federal agents are probing whether Gardiner took bribes and demanded payments before taking official actions. He has not been charged. Gardiner apologized [last year] for sending profane and misogynistic texts to a former aide about Ald. Tom Tunney (44th Ward) and two women who work at City Hall. * ABC Chicago | Willie Wilson defends cash giveaways as fellow mayoral candidates raise ethical concerns: “We always done that,” Wilson said. “I’d rather lose the election versus see somebody starving to death.” In fact, Wilson came under scrutiny in 2018 for giving out cash at a church where he campaigned with Governor Bruce Rauner. The State Board of Elections investigated, but cleared Wilson of any wrongdoing. * Block Club | At Jefferson Park Transit Center, CTA Security Teams Give Unhoused Chicagoans The Boot: CTA officials said the people were kicked out because they were loitering on agency property. Witnesses say guards threw away belongings in an attempt to make people move. “It’s disgusting [and] dehumanizing,” one advocate said. * CBS Chicago | Dr. Ngozi Ezike reflects, three years after first official Illinois COVID-19 case: The first major COVID challenge for Dr. Ezike came three years ago Tuesday - as a patient fresh from Wuhan, China entered a Hoffman Estates hospital and became just the second official COVID patient in the U.S. * Politico | The improbability of George Santos’ $199 expenses: The vast majority of congressional campaigns never recorded a single disbursement of $199, just below the level requiring preservation of receipts. * Sun-Times | Construction begins on new FlyOver ride at Navy Pier: The ride uses a moving platform with six degrees of motion and a 65-foot wraparound screen to simulate the feeling of flight as guests sit suspended above the ground. * Capitol News Illinois | Veteran Statehouse reporter Hannah Meisel joins Capitol News Illinois reporting team: Throughout her career she’s been a frequent guest on TV and radio programs throughout Illinois and beyond, including hosting a weekly public television roundtable show and being tapped as a featured speaker and panelist for live events. Meisel has excelled in both print news and broadcast formats, and she has developed a wide-ranging knowledge of state government and extensive sources.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Finally, some snow that sticks… * Anyway what’s going on in your part of Illinois today?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Follow along with ScribbleLive…
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