Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Mayor Brandon Johnson urged calm today after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability released videos showing police officers killing a man during a traffic stop in Humboldt Park after the man allegedly shot an officer.

The videos show police officers approaching a white SUV driven by Dexter Reed, 26, purportedly because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. The officers gave Reed orders and while directing him to not roll up his windows during the stop, gunfire is heard on the officer body camera footage released today. The officers scramble for cover. One officer, standing next to Reed’s passenger side door, falls back and is seen bleeding.

COPA, the police oversight agency charged with investigating officer misconduct and all police shootings, said the available evidence appears to confirm that Reed fired first at officers before they returned fire. […]

Johnson stressed peace as footage begins to appear on social media and ahead of Reed’s family and attorney holding a press conference today to express their reaction to his death.

* FOP President John Catanzara says it was a legit shooting and that COPA wants to pit the “community against the police department”…

* FYI…

* Press release…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton joined food justice advocates and local stakeholders to announce a new grant program from the Illinois Grocery Initiative. The New Stores in Food Deserts Program will offer competitive grants to encourage the establishment of new grocery stores in USDA-defined food deserts. Paired with the Equipment Upgrades Program, the initiatives are a $20 million effort to address food deserts and prevent grocery store closures in Illinois.

“The truth is: too many people live in food deserts, and it’s contributing to an ongoing public health crisis. As we celebrate the launch of our second Illinois Grocery Initiative grant program today, we aim to support local entrepreneurs and communities as they open new grocery stores in food deserts.” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This is a first-of-its-kind state government investment — and it will have a significant impact on under-served rural towns and urban neighborhoods dealing firsthand with the struggles of food access.”

Awards can range between $160K to $2.4M, with a 1:3 match requirement from businesses.

Requirements for grocery locations include:

- Must be located in a food desert,
- Must earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales,
- Must accept SNAP and WIC, and
Must contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in community.

Qualified entities include units of local government and independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations. New Stores in Food Deserts grants will fund construction and renovation costs for new stores, as well as many first-year operations costs, such as employee wages, utility costs, initial inventory of food, and more.

* Scott Holland…

“It’s nice to know that the state of Illinois is in such GREAT shape that Maurice West only has to worry about school mascots!”

That line opened an email from a regular reader responding to Thursday’s column about House Bill 5617, a plan from state Rep. West, D-Rockford, to functionally prohibit schools from using Native American imagery. […]

My emailer, like all readers, understands West and his General Assembly colleagues can multitask. We all know politicians can talk, while what matters is their action. So what else is on West’s plate? The answers are a few keystrokes away.

Visit ilga.gov. Look under House and click Members. Scroll down to the name Maurice A. West, II. On the next column over, click Bills. This opens up a page showing 268 House and Senate bills and resolutions in the current session (the 103rd, which started in January 2023) including West as a sponsor. Each has a short description and notes the last action and date.

* Here’s the rest…

NBC Chicago | Major changes coming to Illinois DMV location in effort to make center more ‘efficient’:

* Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor announces reelection bid; will face at least 3 challengers: With three candidates — former Mayor Sam Cunningham, Miguel Rivera and Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward — having announced their plans to run to be Waukegan’s next chief executive, incumbent Mayor Ann Taylor is making her reelection bid official. […] Proud of increasing the city’s revenue approximately $32 million without hiking property taxes the past three years, Taylor said she wants to continue what she considers a good stewardship of the city. Four years is not sufficient to achieve long-term goals, she said.

* AP | Librarians fear new penalties, even prison, as activists challenge books: When an illustrated edition of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” was released in 2019, educators in Clayton, Missouri needed little debate before deciding to keep copies in high school libraries. The book is widely regarded as a classic work of dystopian literature about the oppression of women, and a graphic novel would help it reach teens who struggle with words alone. But after Missouri legislators passed a law in 2022 subjecting librarians to fines and possible imprisonment for allowing sexually explicit materials on bookshelves, the suburban St. Louis district reconsidered the new Atwood edition, and withdrew it.

* Tribune | Zombie malls and other retail centers getting extreme makeovers to keep up with the times: Builders have built or plan to add hundreds of apartments at malls in Vernon Hills, Skokie and Aurora. The idea is that residents will have an affordable home with quick access to shopping, restaurants, gyms and things to do, while municipalities will get increased property taxes. The target audience for these developments often is young single workers, new families, or older empty nesters who want convenience and flexibility.

* Crain’s | At City Hall, a progressive crusader steps into the chief of staff role: Cristina Pacione-Zayas, or CPZ, as you’ll hear around the fifth floor of City Hall, was appointed as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new chief of staff at the beginning of this month. Before her promotion, she served as Johnson’s deputy chief of staff. In that role, her acronymic moniker became well known in part as she took the helm of the city’s migrant response — a task that raised her profile while also making her a lightning rod as the Johnson administration struggled to deal with the influx of asylum-seekers being bussed in from Texas.

* Crain’s | Workers at a Chicago Trader Joe’s seek union representation: Employees at the 3745 North Lincoln Ave. location filed a petition yesterday to hold an election with the National Labor Relations Board to be represented by Trader Joe’s United, an independent union of Trader Joe’s workers. If the push is successful, the Lincoln Avenue location would be the fifth unionized Trader Joe’s nationwide.

* Sports Media | Men’s Final Four viewership up slightly; both games trail Iowa-UConn women: Saturday’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament national semifinals averaged a combined 6.0 rating and 12.84 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV — down 2% in ratings but up 4% in viewership from last year on CBS (6.2, 12.34M). The games averaged a 21 share, tying 2001, 2015 and 2022 as the highest since 1998. … This year marks the first time in recent memory — if not ever — that the men’s Final Four was not the most-watched sporting event of the week in which it took place.

* Crain’s | Art Institute lands another large donation: The John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Family Foundation is donating $25 million to the Art Institute of Chicago to support campus and visitor-center upgrades. Alexandra Nichols, an Art Institute trustee, and her late husband John Nichols, who ran Illinois Tool Works and previously served as chairman of the museum’s board of trustees, have donated nearly $50 million to the Art Institute over time, including funding the Nichols Bridgeway, which connects the Modern Wing of the museum over Monroe Street to Millennium Park.

* Block Club | Northwest Side Job Training Program Helps Students With Developmental Disabilities Succeed After High School: When Gerald Kelleher started interning at Eli’s Cheesecake Company, he was filled with nerves. Now, the 17-year-old is a pro at boxing cheesecakes and was able to land his first job. Kelleher was one of four Project Wright Access graduates honored Thursday during a ceremony at the Eli’s Cheesecake facility. Started in 2022, the Project Wright Access program teaches Chicago teens who have developmental disabilities about the workforce and helps them find jobs.

* SJ-R | 3 a.m. liquor sales coming to an end at Sangamon County bars this summer: Bars operating outside of Springfield in Sangamon County will soon no longer be able to sell alcohol after 1 a.m. In a split vote 21 to 5, the present 26 members of the Sangamon County Board voted to amend the county’s liquor code, eliminating the sale of alcohol after one in the morning for any business operating within the Sangamon County Liquor Ordinance.

19 Comments

First, a total eclipse, then a cicada-geddon

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the U of I Extension office in February…

For the first time in 221 years, periodical cicada brood XIII and brood XIX will emerge at the same time!

A periodical cicada emergence can be an exciting event to witness! Periodical cicadas emerge from roughly mid-May until late-June, so be ready for a wild start to summer. This is a great time to visit a local state or city park and watch the adult cicadas fly, listen to their calls and look for the nymphs’ shed skins. In neighborhoods with mature trees, some may even find cicadas in their back yards. You can even take part in a citizen science project by reporting cicada sighting locations on the Cicada Safari app.

Brood XIII emerges in the northern half of Illinois and will consist of three species of 17-year periodical cicadas, Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini, and Magicicada septendecula. Brood XIX is called the Great Southern Brood and emerges in the southern half of Illinois. Brood XIX consists of four 13-year periodical cicada species, Magicicada tredecim, Magicicada neotredecim, Magicicada tredecassini, and Magicicada tredecula. Cicadamania.com is a great website to visit to learn more about the individual species emerging. The two broods have an area of overlap in Macon, Sangamon, Livingston and Logan counties in central Illinois. Springfield could be a great location to spot members of both broods.

* “Hyper-sexual ‘zombie cicadas’ that are infected with sexually transmitted fungus expected to emerge this year”…

Matthew Kasson, an associate professor of Mycology and Forest Pathology at West Virginia University, says both of these broods can be infected by a fungal pathogen called Massospora cicadina.

Once the cicadas emerge from the ground, they molt into adults, and within a week to 10 days, the fungus causes the backside of their abdomens open up. A chalky, white plug erupts out, taking over their bodies and making their genitals fall off.

“The cicada continues to participate in normal activities, like it would if it was healthy,” Kasson told CBS News. “Like it tries to mate, it flies around, it walks on plants. Yet, a third of its body has been replaced by fungus. That’s really kind of bizarre.”

Kasson said the reason the cicadas might be able to ignore the fungus is that it produces an amphetamine, which could give them stamina.

“But there’s also something else unusual about it,” he said. “There’s this hyper-sexualized behavior. So, males for example, they’ll continue to try and mate with females — unsuccessfully, because again, their back end is a fungus. But they’ll also pretend to be females to get males to come to them. And that doubles the number of cicadas that an infected individual comes in contact with

Yuck.

* More…

Illinois state entomologist Chris Dietrich said there are two different broods of cicadas emerging this year, one that only comes out every 13 years, and the other coming out every 17 years.

He said these two broods of cicadas have not been out together since 1803.

“These two particular broods of cicadas only come out every 221 years. And it’s really unusual to have two broods that are kind of right next to each other in terms of their geographic distribution that emerge simultaneously,” said Dietrich.

* Map…

* Brood XII in the northern half of the state…

* Brood XIX in the southern half…

* Other info…

Maps show where trillions of cicadas

* ‘Only happens every 221 years’: Rare cicada emergence expected in Central IL this spring: She said although they’ll create a lot of noise, the cicadas can actually be helpful as a main food source for many animals. They also provide nutrients to the soil when dead.

* When will cicadas emerge in Illinois? Billions of insects arrive this spring

15 Comments

MLB open thread (Updated)

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Joe Cowley at the Sun-Times…

[Bulls coach Billy Donovan] has two years left on his current deal, and even if the front office and Bulls ownership didn’t value Donovan, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf does not like paying dead money for fired coaches.

A source recently said that Reinsdorf — who is also the chairman of the White Sox — knew that manager Pedro Grifol had put in a fireable season by midsummer of 2023, but he wanted to wait at least a year so the dead money wasn’t as big a hit.

The White Sox finished the 2023 season with 61 wins and 101 losses. They are currently 1-9.

And yet Reinsdorf wants up to $2 billion from taxpayers to build a new ballpark.

Anyway, have at it.

…Adding… A commenter notes that while Reisndorf hates spending “dead money” on fired coaches, he “wants taxpayers to pay dead money for an unused stadium.” Spot on.

24 Comments

Pritzker refuses to criticize Mayor Johnson on migrant issue

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Governor JB Pritzker was asked today about Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson asking the city council to kick in $70 million for asylum seekers during an unrelated press conference…

Q: There appears to be a request from the mayor for maybe another $70 million to help with the migrant crisis. Can you just weigh in on the fact it seems like finally maybe the mayor seems to be coming around to kicking in money that you and Cook County have already committed to? Is it about time that they got serious about funding on their side of things?

Pritzker: Look, the city has been working very hard at addressing the crisis of the incoming buses that are being sent here from Texas. I want to commend the city and all the volunteers and all of the workers who have helped us to resettle people or provide temporary shelter and the investment that the city has already made.

We have been working together-the city, the county, the state-since August of 2022 to make sure that we’re providing everything that’s necessary. For people just to get a handle on, you know, they’re in a new place, often don’t speak the language don’t have a place to live, don’t have food that’s provided to them and providing them just basic health care.

And for those who complain about the expenditure that’s being made. Let’s be clear. First, this is just basic needs that people are getting. Nobody’s getting any fancy luxuries out of this, people are arriving and just need a helping hand.

I want to remind you and everybody here, if you didn’t know, that my family arrived with absolutely nothing to this city. Nothing. A social service agency gave them a place to live, they didn’t have one. They started out living in the subbasement of the Chicago train station at the time. My great-grandfather went to a public school, didn’t know how to speak English. By the end of his life, I never met him, but I’m told he spoke what people have described as the King’s English.

So you can imagine the kind of great education that he got in a public school. So all of those things. And again, just taking it all the way back to just arrival, right. He became a lawyer, my great-grandfather, during his lifetime coming from absolutely nothing and being persecuted in his home country.

So think of the people who are arriving here today. First of all, they’re human beings. They deserve to be treated with humanity with care, and to be treated as future contributors to the economy and the greatness of the city of Chicago in the state of Illinois. So we’re doing that and I hope that the governor of Texas will stop treating them as if they’re cattle being pushed on to buses and sent to Chicago and I hope that we will have a better comprehensive immigration program for the United States.

Unfortunately, as you know, former President Trump ruined any chance of any immediate work that might be done, and I think [Trump] doesn’t actually care about immigration, which is an additive to our economy in the United States. We should be pro-immigration in this country. We always have been I don’t know why there are some people who are moving backward.

But we need to work on that today. It’s been 40 years since there was any serious comprehensive immigration reform and boy do we need it again now.

So those are some thoughts that I have. I’m pleased that the city has been contributing and helping to deal with the challenge of people arriving more frequently than I think ever before. Or at least more recent ever before. And I think they’re being treated as best as they can be. Although there’s always work to do on this.

And again, I’d remind you it’s not as if the city has fallen down on providing support. And so this is just a continuation of what the city has already been doing.

* Here’s a migrant news coverage roundup…

* NBC Chicago | Mayor Johnson to seek $70M more in funding for migrant crisis in an apparent reversal: sources: Aldermen were notified of briefings planned this week to learn more about the city kicking in its share of a three-way funding deal between the city, state of Illinois and Cook County, NBC Chicago has learned.

* The Record | ‘Not something we would be able to manage’: More migrant buses are arriving in Wilmette and even more may be on the way: More than 50 migrant buses have arrived to the Wilmette Metra station, 722 Green Bay Road, since the new year. Approximately half of those have come in the past three weeks, Village Manager Mike Braiman told The Record. Village of Wilmette police and local volunteers support the migrants as they make their way to Chicago, and to this point, Braiman said the response has not strained Village resources, but any further increase may do just that.

* The Daily Northwestern | City Council indicates support for migrant shelter — but not downtown: City staff revealed a proposal last week to use the two-story building at 1020 Church St. as a shelter for up to 65 migrants. According to the plan, Evanston would apply for Cook County grant funding to cover the projected $2 million annual operating cost. Still, many details remain unclear about how the city would pay for the renovation and whether it would operate indefinitely.

* CNN | Dozens of migrants unexpectedly flown to Martha’s Vineyard can sue the transport company, federal judge rules: The migrants, solely identified in the lawsuit as Yanet, Pablo and Jesus, allege they were initially told they would be flown to “a city in the Northeast” and “if they got on the flight, they would be provided with stable housing, work, educational resources” and help in their immigration proceedings, according to the order.

* CBS | Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appears at Republican gala in NYC, faces criticism over migrant crisis: Abbott […] wasted no time talking about the influx of migrants entering the country. “We were sending them only to Washington, D.C., and quite literally out of nowhere, Mayor Adams starts criticizing me for sending them to New York City,” Abbott said. “So after a while, I figured, gosh, if I’m gonna get the criticism, I’m gonna get the credit.”

* Daily Beast | Fox News Uses the Solar Eclipse to Fearmonger About Migrant ‘Invasion’: While mainstream news coverage focuses on the eclipse’s path of totality and the potentially troublesome weather forecast, the conservative cable giant’s “hard news” programming found a way to link the event to Fox’s nearly round-the-clock fear-mongering about immigrants. “Fox News alert! A rare celestial event collides with a policy failure on the ground,” America’s Newsroom co-anchor Dana Perino declared on Monday morning. “The southern border will be directly in the path of totality today when the moon covers the sun for nearly four minutes.”

12 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.

We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Edwin, who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Click here to learn more.

Comments Off

COGFA says its revenue forecast is holding up, but April will be key

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Final state revenues for March were up $413 million from the prior year, putting state coffers about $831 million ahead of this time last year. […]

Last month, COGFA increased revenue expectations for the current fiscal year by about $2 billion from what was projected when lawmakers passed the budget last May. It now anticipates $52.6 billion in revenue for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

“While there continues to be subtle signs of weakening in certain revenue areas that must be watched, March’s $413 million in additional growth helps solidify the Commission’s latest forecast,” COGFA wrote in its monthly report.

There’s one quarter left in the fiscal year, and April is a generally volatile month for state revenues as final income tax collections are received. COGFA noted it is not making an adjustment to income tax projections at this time – although April’s performance could move the needle in either direction.

The latest COGFA report is here.

Comments Off

Illinois Is Top Ten In The Nation For Reported Gas Leaks, Fix Illinois’ Aging Natural Gas Lines Now

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois ranks #9 in the U.S. for reported gas leaks, shows a study conducted in June 2022 on methane gas leaks. Frequent leaks are resulting in death, injury, and other damage to our health and environment. Pausing critical replacement of our aging natural gas lines is dangerous for everyone.

When Governor Pritzker’s appointees on the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) shut down the natural gas line Safety Modernization Program in Chicago, it not only wiped out 1,000 jobs, but also subjected residents and business owners to the unnecessary danger of aged gas infrastructure that is no longer allowed to be replaced.

Tell Gov. Pritzker and the ICC to restart the program, lives are at risk. Transitioning to electric without a plan will cost homeowners thousands of dollars. We need to fix our dangerous natural gas lines for our safety.

Click on the links to view our ads: Ticking Time Bomb & Real Change.
To learn more and help fight back, visit us online at Fight Back Fund.

Paid for by Fight Back Fund

Comments Off

Question of the day

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Gov. Pritzker was asked by a reporter today if he is interested in running for governor again during an unrelated press conference…

You asked me this question right before I announced that I was running last time and I was trying not to give away what my answer would be.

This time I honestly don’t have an answer for you. We’re a year and a quarter into this term. And I, as you know, I love the job and we’re working very hard and we’ve had some real success, so I’m enjoying it. I’ll stay where I am for the time being.

* The Question: Do you think he’ll run again? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

online polls

56 Comments

Improve Support For Relatives Caring For Youth In DCFS Care

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Comments Off

SAFE-T Act in the news again

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association…

DRIVER INVOLVED IN DEATH OF DEKALB COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DEPUTY RELEASED FROM JAIL WITH PRETRIAL RELEASE CONDITIONS.

Nathan P. Sweeney of DeKalb, IL who was arrested last week for Reckless Homicide and DUI in connection with the Line of Duty Death of DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Deputy Christina Musil was released from custody this afternoon after the Court set pretrial release conditions.

Obviously, we are very disappointed that Sweeney was released despite the Dekalb County States’ Attorney request to detain. This evaluation was made under the Pretrial Fairness Act, which went into effect 9/18/23, that was a part of the SAFE T Act passed in January 2021.

The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice responds…

The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice is disappointed but unsurprised to see the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association weaponize the death of DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputy Christina Musil to make arguments for rolling back reforms to our state’s criminal court system.

In the wake of Deputy Musil’s death, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association falsely claimed that the Pretrial Fairness Act was responsible for the release of Nathan Sweeney, the truck driver accused of crashing into Deputy Musil’s vehicle and killing her. This is an opportunistic lie meant to confuse the public and further the Sheriffs’ Association’s goal of returning to the money bail system that failed to keep our communities safe and destabilized our state’s most marginalized communities through the extraction of millions of dollars each year.

It is also important to note that under the former money bond system, reckless homicide was a non-detainable offense. Had this happened prior to the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act, the State’s Attorney could not have filed a petition to detain and the judge would have only been able to set a money bond or other conditions of release. Aggravated DUI resulting in death was also unlikely to result in an actual denial of pretrial release under the old system; instead, money bonds were the standard outcome.

The Sheriffs’ Association, for reasons we do not understand, opposes a system of pretrial release and detention that is based on safety instead of financial status. Instead, they are using their colleague’s tragic death as a platform to spread misinformation and continue their misguided attempts to undermine successful reforms. We condemn this behavior, and our hearts break for the loved ones of Christina Musil.

* Speaking of cash bail, let’s move along to the the House GOP blog…

Six months after the full implementation of the cashless bail, and other provisions, of the Illinois SAFE-T Act, Illinois residents are finding themselves anything but safe.

From their top three examples…

Illinois SAFE-T Act diminishes public safety:

• Illinois woman charged with attacking Chicago police officers released on no cash bail thanks to new state law- Fox News- Sept. 19, 2023
• Man, accused of stealing $68K worth of merchandise in smash-and-grab robbery, released under new Illinois SAFE-T Act- WTVO-TV- Rockford- Sep. 22, 2023
• Cook County Sheriff’s Office busts man smuggling guns to Humboldt Park only for him to walk free on $30K bond- ABC-7- Chicago- September 23, 2023

Um, that third guy was released after posting cash bail. So, are they saying that the cash bail system was flawed and allowed alleged criminals to waltz out of jail if they had the money?

Also, according to the ABC 7 news report, the perp was charged with several counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Just one count is now considered a detainable offense under the SAFE-T Act.

As for the rest of the examples, I’m pretty darned positive I could match up each of those instances of people not being detained with instances of bad people who cash-bailed out of incarceration.

23 Comments

It’s just a bill

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WAND…

Illinois House Democrats want to pass a plan to prohibit the use of unreliable statements made to law enforcement during criminal or juvenile court proceedings for homicides or Class X felonies. Sponsors hope the bill could change the state’s status as the leader for wrongful convictions.

Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) told the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee Thursday that Illinois spends millions of dollars annually for settlements after people are exonerated. However, he noted that wrongful convictions cost much more to the people put behind bars for 20-35 years on average before exoneration. […]

“Currently, there is a prohibition on the use of involuntary statements,” Slaughter said. “The burden of proving a statement is voluntary rests on the prosecution. Whether a statement is reliable is currently considered by the trier of fact and not by a judge considering allowable evidence in a proceeding.” […]

House Bill 5346 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on a 9-6 vote Thursday. State representatives could discuss the legislation again when they return to Springfield later this week.

* President of Village Haven Housing Foundation Randy McIntyre…

Village Haven is a nonprofit organization with the goal of providing quality shared housing to residents and help them find employment, healthcare, food assistance, educational opportunities, and transportation. People who are in recovery and reentering society throughout Illinois are working incredibly hard to get their lives back on track. […]

That’s why I’m so concerned to learn that lawmakers in Springfield are considering a new bill that will add a $10.49 fee to most prescriptions filled at the pharmacy counter.

This may not sound like a lot to our legislators in Springfield who can personally afford the increase, but for people who are working hard to make ends meet, this could mean choosing between medication or other essentials like putting gas in their car to get to work. […]

This bill will also limit the ability of pharmacies to mail less-expensive prescriptions directly to people’s doors. Many who are in recovery and reentering, not to mention countless older Illinoisians and those with mobility challenges, count on this service to get their medication in a way that is quick and convenient so they can stay healthy and well.

* WGEM…

Illinois pharmacists have been able to administer long-acting injectable drugs to help people fighting addiction for the past four years. A bill in the Illinois House of Representatives aims to expand their scope of practice.

Current Illinois law prohibits them from giving the first dose. They can administer subsequent doses of long-acting injectables for substance-abuse problems.

The state House Health Care Licenses Committee passed a bill unanimously on April 3 allowing pharmacists to inject the first dose if it’s prescribed by a doctor, physician’s assistant or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.

“By allowing pharmacists to the first injection of long-acting injectable medications for substance-use disorder treatment, access to these medications can be now expanded,” said state Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, the bill’s sponsor.

* WGEM…

Dental school graduates may soon be able to practice in Illinois before officially getting licensed.

The state House Health Care Licenses Committee unanimously passed a bill on April 3 allowing someone enrolled in a dental residency or specialty training program to practice for up to three months while waiting for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to approve their license.

The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, said the legislation will ensure new dentists don’t fall behind waiting for their license. […]

The bill has the support of the Illinois State Dental Society.

* George Alpogiani…

I am privileged to serve the village of Niles in two capacities. The first is at my family restaurant, which has served local customers for nearly five decades. The second is as mayor, serving my constituents since 2021. I’ve always said that running a great municipality is like running a great business, and being able to wear both hats often allows me to provide a different perspective to my fellow civic leaders.

Take, for example, a proposed bill in Springfield that would eliminate the tip credit and fundamentally change the way Illinois restaurant workers are paid. At its core, this proposal is a business-killer that would pose significant risks to the very employees it aims to help.

I know of no one in the restaurant industry who earns less than the minimum wage right now. My tipped employees see average incomes as high as $25 to $30 an hour between base wage and tips. National data shows that wait staff at full-service restaurants earn a median of $27 an hour, with the highest-paid tipped employees making $41.50 and in some places more. […]

If legislators force restaurateurs to increase their payroll for tipped employees to the full minimum wage, it will upend this system with an unaffordable cost. The ripple effects in my restaurant alone would reach an estimated $300,000 a year at just at one of my restaurants.

*SJ-R…

The mascot at Nokomis High School has been the Redskins since a 1920 vote among the town’s voters. The town, home to 2,100 residents, itself is named after a Native American mythological figure featured in a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem.

Legislation being considered in Springfield would do away with Nokomis’ mascot along with every public K-12 school in the state using a Native American name, logo or mascot. Superintendent Scott Doerr told The State Journal-Register that the bill is legislative overreach on what should be a local decision. […]

“Our signage, our gym floors … everything that indicates some kind of logo or mascot is going to have to be changed,” Doerr said in an interview, now in his 15th year as superintendent. “So, you’re looking at a large amount of money that is supposed to go to educate kids are now going to fund another unfunded mandate passed by the state of Illinois.” […]

Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, is the bill’s lead sponsor and plans to file an amendment to his legislation. The amendment, he said, will clarify schools with Native town names like Nokomis or Waukegan would not have to change and create a partnership between the Illinois State Board of Education and the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative to adopt guidelines for schools where the legislation would apply.

* Center Square…

Thursday in Springfield, the House Revenue and Finance Committee advanced several measures that would allow for increases in property tax levies. House Bill 1075 would allow villages and townships to increase theirs for museums. Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole supported the museum levy.

“Nobody here wants to support property tax increases but what we’ve already heard is it’s a de minimis amount, it’s for a community function, museum affairs and activities,” Cole said during the committee.

Another from state Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, House Bill 4179 would allow for a voter referendum to increase taxes for private ambulance costs.

“So the voters will be there to vote for if they want an ambulance service, or if they want to drive whoever of their family members to the hospitals themselves,” Meier told the committee.

* AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney and IMA President Mark Denzler…

While Illinois is leading the way in the effort to mitigate climate change with a goal to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, we will fall short without embracing all available technology, including carbon capture and storage.

Also known as CCS, this process involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions at their source, preventing them from being released into the atmosphere and then storing them deep underground. It’s an established and effective process which is highly regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CCS technology has been identified by the Clean Air Task Force as having safely operated in the U.S. for more than 50 years. Numerous international studies addressing the energy transition suggest that CCS is a required key tool for rapid decarbonization, along with energy efficiency and electrification.

In addition to the proven environmental benefits, deploying CCS more widely in Illinois also offers equally clear economic benefits. CCS development and expansion has an employment demand of 14,400 jobs, generating over $3 billion in additional revenue for the state’s economy over 10 years, according to a study conducted by the University of Illinois. This includes the creation of good union jobs in the construction industry as well as the operation of new facilities. […]

Our legislation builds upon existing federal regulations, requires consultation with impacted communities to address local concerns and establishes strong landowner protections.

13 Comments

Open thread

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

27 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* How was your eclipse experience?…

∙ STLPR: Solar eclipse plunges Illinois and Missouri into darkness as the celestial spectacle dazzles
∙ SJ-R: Feel a chill during the eclipse? A look at how much temperatures dropped in central Illinois
∙ Tribune: ‘I know why a lot of people chase them.’ Solar eclipse lives up to its hype in Illinois.
∙ NYT: Highlights From the Total Solar Eclipse’s Dark Path Through the U.S., Mexico and Canada
∙ Sun-Times: Sky high: Solar eclipse ‘holiday’ sparks exhilaration and emotions across Chicago, southern Illinois
∙ CBS Chicago: Eclipse watchers pour into Carbondale as Southern Illinois welcomes 200,000

* Isabel’s top picks…

* ABC Chicago | Process begins to find replacement for Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough after her death: Bunting hangs over the Cook County buildings in the Loop in memory of Yarbrough. As a loyal foot soldier to the local and state Democratic Party, Yarbrough’s rise in politics was a quick one as she became a fixture in democratic politics for decades. “She worked very closely with Mike Madigan, and she was part of his leadership team. And that was when she was still in the legislature and then she moved on to the Cook County recorder of deeds office, and then the clerk,” said ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington.

* Tribune | Rivian hosts R2 open house in Normal, its new production home: The low-key but festive event showcased the midsize R2 SUV, which will be built in Normal after Rivian delayed plans for a second plant in Georgia. The smaller and sportier R3 crossover, whose production plans have yet to be announced, was also on display. Rivian revealed both new models last month, while announcing that the R2, at least initially, will be made in Illinois. The company received more than 68,000 preorders for the $45,000 R2 within 24 hours of its online debut.

* Daily Southtown | Dolton trustees hire former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as special investigator: Under the terms of her hiring agreement, Lightfoot will provide regular updates to trustees, and when her billing totals $30,000 will give a full summary of her investigation to trustees. A law firm representing the village, the Del Galdo Law Group, sent a letter Monday to attorney Burt Odelson, whose firm serves as legal counsel to the Village Board, warning that hiring Lightfoot is beyond the trustees’ authority.

* Norma Fuentes has been named Partner at Fuentes Consulting…

Fuentes Consulting Shatters Glass Ceiling: First Latina Sister-Run Lobbying Firm in Springfield Welcomes Norma Fuentes as Partner

Norma Fuentes has been named Partner at Fuentes Consulting. Norma’s addition marks a historic moment for the firm, becoming the first Latina sister-run and operated lobbying firm in Springfield. Norma brings a wealth of experience. Since 2020, she has honed her skills as a lobbyist at Stricklin & Associates, advocating for clients and navigating the complexities of the legislative process. Norma is poised to become one of the few Latina lawyers in the lobbying space as she stands on the cusp of graduating from law school next month in May.

Governor Pritzker will be in Chicago to launch the second stage of the Illinois Grocery Initiative at 10:30. At 3:05 the governor will celebrate the tastytrade office expansion. Click here to watch.

* Here’s the rest…

* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker taps northwest suburban lawmaker to run state insurance department: State Sen. Ann Gillespie of Arlington Heights will step down from her legislative post to lead the agency as acting director. Her appointment requires confirmation by the state senate. She replaces Dana Popish Severinghaus, who assumed the department’s top post in 2021 and will be leaving the position next week.

* Daily Herald | Giving people a place to go for help: DuPage County breaks ground on new crisis center: County leaders on Monday will celebrate the start of a $25.8 million project to build the DuPage Crisis Recovery Center. The new 24/7 center will be on the grounds of the DuPage County Health Department and will act as a behavioral health triage center where patients experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis can be assessed and provided a plan of action within 24 hours.

* News-Gazette | Urbana voters paying price for 1998 decision: Urbana voters foolishly decided in 1998 to elect school board members from municipal subdistricts rather than at-large. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that idea — at least in theory. But in practice, it’s been another story. The problem? There has been a disappointing lack of candidates in most of Urbana’s seven subdistricts to provide voters a real choice between competing candidates.

* Tribune | Secret Service, CPD start bracing residents, businesses for impact of this summer’s Democratic National Convention: While it will be months before details such as parking restrictions, street closures and other security measures affecting day-to-day life for city residents are released, agencies charged with protecting delegates and the general public during the Aug. 19-22 convention have started to meet those living and working around McCormick Place south of the Loop.

* WBEZ | Principals get first look at impact of Chicago’s new school funding formula: These are the first school budgets under a new funding formula that shifts to focusing on the needs of schools, rather than enrollment. Under this new “equity-based” formula, principals are mostly being given positions, rather than pots of money, as was done under the old formula.

* Tribune | In Chicago, President Joe Biden raises millions, assails Donald Trump over abortion rights: Biden’s remarks came hours after Trump made his highly anticipated statement on abortion, stopping short of calling for nationwide federal limits on the procedure but saying he supported the decision of the conservative Supreme Court majority he appointed while president that sent decisions on legalizing the procedure back to the individual states.

* Tribune | CTA said more train service would be coming. Most riders will have to wait longer for that to happen: The CTA’s latest schedules come after years of frustration about unreliable bus and train service, which has left riders with long wait times and crowded vehicles. An October Tribune analysis found the CTA slashed schedules on some train lines by as much as 25% to 30% compared with 2019 service levels.

* Block Club | Antisemitic Flyers With Rat Poison-Like Pellets Found In Lincoln Park, Alderman Says: The small bags included light brown pellets that “I believe has the intent to appear like rat poison, whether it is or not,” Ald. Timmy Knudsen (43rd) said. It’s the latest similar antisemitic incidents on the North Side.

* Tribune | Northwestern gets initial application OK’d by Evanston for temporary football field, with conditions: The stadium, which hosts the university’s competitive men’s and women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams, would be used while the university executes its $800 million rebuild of the 98-year-old Ryan Field. Construction on the stadium is expected to be completed in 2026.

* Sun-Times | Chicago man released from prison after serving 11 years for a murder he did not commit: In late 2012, Robinson was shot multiple times in the leg and foot, and endured multiple painful surgeries and a long recovery that left him unable to walk without crutches. In January 2013, just weeks after his surgery and still needing crutches to walk, he was identified by police as a gunman who sprinted after Kelvin Jemison in front of the Washington Park Homes and gunned Jemison down.

* Seattle Times | How Boeing put Wall Street first, safety second ahead of Alaska Air blowout: The arc of Boeing’s fall can be traced back a quarter century, to when its leaders elevated the interests of shareholders above all others, said Richard Aboulafia, industry analyst with AeroDynamic Advisory. “Crush the workers. Share price. Share price. Share price. Financial moves and metrics come first,” was Boeing’s philosophy, he said. It was, he said, “a ruthless effort to cut costs without any realization of what it could do to capabilities.”

* Crain’s | Music equipment marketplace moving HQ to the Salt Shed: Online music-equipment seller Reverb has leased about 25,000 square feet in a two-story brick building along the northern edge of the Salt Shed at 1357 N. Elston Ave., the company confirmed. Reverb is slated to move its main office to the building next year from its current home in a slightly larger space on Lincoln Avenue in the Roscoe Village neighborhood.

* Screen Mag | Steph Curry TV Series ‘Mr. Throwback’ Begins Filming in Chicago in May: When Chicagoans hear “Steph Curry is coming to Chicago” they might quickly leap to the conclusion that the legendary NBA sharpshooter is being traded to the city’s beloved Chicago Bulls. No, Stephen Curry is not being traded to the Bulls. But he is reportedly coming to the Windy City to co-star in a mockumentary project entitled Mr. Throwback that has been ordered straight to series at Peacock.

* WBEZ | Women saw red flags, one man saw defamation: Attorney Marc Trent said his client, D’Ambrosio, is one of dozens of men across the country who have been harmed by false claims about them made in online groups like “Are We Dating The Same Guy?” […] But experts dismissed the lawsuit as a “bad idea” that is aimed at groups that help keep women safe. “The service that [the groups] provide outweighs the danger that they could potentially pose to somebody that’s posted on them,” said Michele McBride Simonelli, an attorney specializing in internet defamation.

* NYT | What Researchers Discovered When They Sent 80,000 Fake Résumés to U.S. Jobs: Two companies favored white applicants over Black applicants significantly more than others. They were AutoNation, a used car retailer, which contacted presumed white applicants 43 percent more often, and Genuine Parts Company, which sells auto parts including under the NAPA brand, and called presumed white candidates 33 percent more often.

* AP | Tesla settles lawsuit over man’s death in a crash involving its semi-autonomous driving software: The amount Tesla paid to settle the case was not disclosed in court documents filed Monday, just a day before the trial stemming from the 2018 crash on a San Francisco Bay Area highway was scheduled to begin. In a court filing requesting to keep the sum private, Tesla said it agreed to settle the case in order to “end years of litigation.” Shares of Tesla Inc., down 30% this year, slipped 1% before the market opened Tuesday.

* Daily Beast | Read Elon Musk’s Wild Deposition in Neo-Nazi Brawl Case: A transcript of the two-hour deposition from March 27 was made public on Monday, and was first obtained by HuffPost. In it, Musk admitted that he had a “limited understanding” of Brody’s allegations against him, to the extent that he originally believed Brody’s attorney was the plaintiff in the case. He also said he did no research of his own before tweeting last June that a brawl between two right-wing extremist groups in Portland, Oregon had actually been “a probable false flag situation,” and that Brody had been involved.

1 Comment

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

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

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Live coverage

Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

Comments Off

« NEWER POSTS