Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* SJ-R | Everything you need to know about the Real ID ahead of 2025 deadline: “I strongly encourage residents who intend to fly to get their REAL ID as soon as possible to avoid future headaches,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a news release. “Our DMV facilities stand ready to help customers get their new driver’s licenses and identification cards before the federal deadline.” In charge of administering the licenses in the state is the Illinois secretary of state’s office, who said only 23.5% of Illinoisans had the license as of May. * Sun-Times | Bally’s won’t open permanent casino in River West by 2026, gaming expert says — and may not build it at all: Alan Woinski is the CEO of Gaming USA Corp. and editor of the Gaming Industry Daily Report. He has watched Detroit and New Orleans struggle to complete their ambitious casino projects. And in Chicago, he said he believes the financial hurdles now confronting Bally’s — including an $800 million construction funding gap and a buyout offer from its largest shareholder that’s roughly half of what it was two years ago — are infinitely worse. * BGA | Deferred Ethics Bill Continues Alarming Pattern: Ordinance proposed by the Chicago Board of Ethics and introduced by City Council ethics committee chair Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) got the slowroll treatment today, with Alds. Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward) and Nicholas Sposato (38th Ward) using a parliamentary procedure to defer the legislation until the next council meeting. The ordinance, which would codify enforcement powers for an existing ban on lobbyist contributions to incumbent mayors and expand the prohibition to non-incumbent candidates, passed out of the ethics committee last week over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s opposition, with Ald. Taliaferro the lone “nay” vote. * WTTW | Johnson Defends Decision to Begin Evicting Migrant Families With Children From City Shelters: Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday defended his decision to begin evicting migrant families with school-age children from city shelters, even as more than half of adults had nowhere else to go when they were asked to leave. […] Everyone living in a city shelter will “receive case management and wraparound services to help them on their journey to independence,” according to Brandie Knazze, commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services. She added that meetings about migrants’ plans to leave shelters must take place 45 days before they are asked to leave, and then again 21 days before their eviction date. Eviction notices are delivered 10 days before people will be asked to leave and then again three days before the eviction date. * Block Club | Harold’s Chicken On 47th Street Shut Down By The State: Customers of a popular Harold’s Chicken restaurant in Bronzeville were greeted with a “Closed” sign this week after the state shut it down for “noncompliance.” The Harold’s at 503 E. 47th Street opened in November 2022. Details regarding its closure are unclear due to “taxpayer confidentiality provisions in the tax laws,” Illinois Department of Revenue spokesperson Maura Kownacki said. “In general, to be open and operate legally, the business must be in full compliance, or have a department approved payment plan,” Kownacki said. * WBEZ | What’s the lifespan of a book at the Chicago Public Library?: After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Queen Victoria of Great Britain donated 8,000 books that would become the foundation of the Chicago Public Library collection. While none of those original books are currently in circulation, at least one title from around that time can still be checked out today. * Chicago Eater | Calumet Fisheries Reopens and Once More Proves it’s an America’s Classic:Calumet Fisheries is back and better than before with fans lining up around the corner for the smoked and fried seafood they’ve been missing for the last six months. The seafood shack has been closed since a November electrical fire. The restaurant re-opened at 9 a.m. sharp on Saturday, June 8. The timing was fitting as the James Beard Awards took place on Monday, June 10. In 2010, the Beard Foundation recognized Calumet Fisheries as an America’s Classic, an honor for timeless restaurants that have carved out a niche for excellence in a community. * Daily Herald | Operation Dropbox nets 8,000 pounds of supplies for veterans in McHenry County: Operation Dropbox, now in its fifth year, helps veterans in need in McHenry County. Officials said last year’s donations totaled about 5,400 pounds, and the number of drop-off sites tripled from 31 last year to 87, McHenry County Department of Health community information coordinator Nick Kubiak said. Veterans Path to Hope, a nonprofit that runs a shelter in Hebron, was the primary beneficiary of the donations. * Daily Herald | Despite opposition, gas station plan moves forward in Wheeling: After hours of discussion that included comments from critics, Wheeling’s plan commission on Wednesday night voted to recommend approval of plans for a gas station and other businesses on the village’s west side. But support for the proposed Gas N Wash operation on the northeast corner of Hintz and Old Buffalo Grove roads wasn’t unanimous. Two of the commission’s seven members — Steven Kasper and Rick Hyken — voted against three separate aspects of the proposal. Kasper cast the lone “no” vote on a fourth element of the plan. * WCIA | Champaign school board president signals to censure member: One of Baker’s main reasons in calling for a censure is her refusal to cooperate with filling the vacancies on the board. Holder said at that time the board was too decisive and the vacancies should be handled by the Regional Superintendent of Education and purposefully did not attend board meetings so quorum could not be met. “One of the board’s duties is to fill vacancies that occur on the board,” Baker said in a prepared statement. “Holder refused to participate in much of the process and refused to attend meetings, where the board was to interview and ultimately select board members. This is a dereliction of duties.” * WSIL | Carbondale receives funding from Department of Energy for clean energy investment: Carbondale will participate in the DOE’s Communities Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP). The program will give $18 million to 30 underrepresented communities across the nation to focus on clean energy and economic development. Most of these communities also have a tie to fossil fuel industries. “We are living in a moment of unprecedented potential that will require systems-thinking, strategic partnership, and a willingness to be seen trying,” said Carbondale’s Planner & Sustainability Coordinator Lauren Becker. “If you are an innovator, communicator, teacher, artist, you are needed and you are needed now. We are entering an age of collaboration like we’ve never seen before.” * NYT | This Top Democrat Is Leading His Party’s Attack on Trump as a Felon: “I can’t mince words when it comes to talking about who Donald Trump is,” Mr. Pritzker said in an interview on Wednesday. “It’s important, I think, for people to really refocus on the idea that: Do they really want a president who is a felon who faces jail time?” Mr. Pritzker’s aggressive approach comes with a warning for his fellow Democrats. In a fiery keynote speech last weekend at the Wisconsin Democratic Party’s convention in Milwaukee, he compared the party to the proverbial frog that does not realize the pot of slowly boiling water it sits in will soon be deadly.
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Caption contest!
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Governor Pritzker in the driver’s seat of a Lion Electric school bus…
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Study: One out of nine Illinois prisoners were sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Loyola’s Center for Criminal Justice…
* As an aside, the Cook County Public Defender’s Office, the Illinois State Rifle Association and others backed a bill this spring to change the “unlawful use of a weapon” (UUW) charge’s name to “unlawful possession of a weapon,” because so many arrests were made of people who merely possessed a gun. The Illinois State’s Attorney Association and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association were eventually moved to neutral. Anyway, discuss.
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Your feel-good story of the day
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
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Pritzker: Supreme Court ruling protecting mifepristone access is a “small victory” in the fight to protect women’s rights
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Press release…
* NPR…
* The 19th…
* NYT…
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Open thread
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s up?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details. Capitol News Illinois…
- The Tuesday night public hearing was the first of two on the planned demolitions and closures that will be held by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability this week before it gives a nonbinding recommendation to the governor on Friday. - While the governor’s office has not announced an explicit plan for Logan’s rebuild, it has noted it plans to keep the current facility open until a new one is built on the grounds at the Stateville site. * Related stories…
∙ WTTW: At Stateville Closure Hearing, Agreement Over Poor Conditions Yet Questions Remain on Path Forward * Crain’s | Johnson all in on ‘game changer’ quantum center at South Works site: Sources inside and outside city government confirm Johnson and aides have crafted an incentive package with the state and Cook County intended to get California-based PsiQuantum to locate a new type of supercomputer on property developer Related Midwest is purchasing from USX, the corporate descendant of U.S. Steel, which once operated a huge plant in a swath of the city that’s never recovered from the closure of local steel mills decades ago. * NYT | Amtrak Pays Executives Six-Figure Bonuses as Losses Continue: Fourteen Amtrak executives received more than $200,000 each in incentive bonuses last year despite the service’s poor recent financial performance and struggles with its capital improvement projects, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. In 2023, Amtrak paid out more than $5 million in short- and long-term incentive bonuses to its executives even as the passenger rail service posted $1.7 billion in losses, according to records obtained from Senator Ted Cruz’s office. Particularly problematic for Amtrak has been its effort to upgrade its service on the Acela, a popular high-speed express route between Boston and Washington, D.C. * Closing Keynote | Illinois First Assistant Deputy Governor Ryan Croke discusses access to health insurance and investments in disability services: “What has driven the push for the Healthcare Protection Act in Illinois is an unyielding commitment on the part of the governor to expand healthcare, [and] to make healthcare more easily navigable for ordinary people across the state. I think that, in short, the expected outcomes are better access to care for a broader swath of our neighbors,” Croke said. * Agrinews | Lawmakers pass carbon capture guidelines: With multiple corporations targeting Illinois for underground carbon storage and the pipelines that go along with it, the General Assembly passed the Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Act on May 26. The legislation, if signed by the governor, includes a statewide moratorium on construction of carbon dioxide pipelines for two years or until the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has adopted revised federal safety standards, whichever comes first. * Sun-Times | New data on out-of-state abortion patients are a reason to keep abortion rights in mind this November: Nearly a quarter of patients traveled from 41 different states over the last two years, many from neighboring Wisconsin, which has banned abortions after 21 weeks and 6 days; and Indiana, where abortions are now completely banned. In the downstate Carbondale clinic, 90% of patients seeking abortions came from 16 states, many in the south, such as Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas and elsewhere. * Sun-Times | Secretary of state brings the DMV to the driver: The Illinois secretary of state’s office unveiled its first unit Wednesday in Daley Plaza. The aim is to offer more flexibility for busy people who might not have time to drive to an office, stand in line and wait to be served. “Since taking office, it’s been our mission to make it easier and more convenient for Illinois residents to access government services without having to wait or travel to a DMV facility,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said. “Our DMV on Wheels program will build on the success of our digital programs, saving time by offering efficient ways to do things like renew your driver’s license or get a vehicle sticker without leaving their communities.” * ABC Chicago | City Council passes quiet zone ordinance for West Loop abortion clinic, defers vote on youth curfew: Anti-abortion members of the council on May 23 had stalled the second attempt in six months by 34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway to establish a “quiet zone” around the abortion clinic operated by Family Planning Associates at 659 W. Washington Blvd. The ordinance was taken up again today, and while it passed overwhelmingly, the vote was preceded by impassioned speeches on both sides of the debate that pitted women’s rights to access a health care facility against First Amendment rights of demonstrators. * Tribune | Alderman after retaliatory vote stall: ‘If you hit me with a bat, I’m going to shoot you with a gun’: La Spata used the tactic in April to prevent a vote on an ordinance sponsored by Moore that sought to give City Council control over the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system’s future. After the delay, the ordinance finally passed with broad council support in May, despite opposition from Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This was clearly payback,” Moore told the Tribune. “My thing is: Leave David Moore alone,” * Block Club | How Migrant Kids Struggle In Segregated Chicago Schools: 5 Takeaways From Our Investigation: From a lack of language support and long commutes to being unaware of their rights and options, migrant students and their families face many challenges in CPS schools. * Tribune | Chicago begins evicting entire migrant families from city shelters: Friday was the last day of school and family evictions began this past Monday. Four individuals exited the shelter system on Tuesday, the day after evictions started, according to a spokesperson at the city’s Department of Family & Support Services. About 40 people are expected to leave in the next week. Following a Chicago City Council meeting Wednesday, when asked how migrant children’s education might be disrupted by evictions, Johnson, a former CPS teacher, didn’t directly answer the question and instead said his ultimate goal was to help migrant families find houses of their own. * Crain’s | Chicago’s fastest-growing companies for 2024: This year’s winners saw five-year median revenue growth of an impressive 505% and an average revenue increase of 2,375%, driven by the enormous growers topping our list. Logistics, construction and consumer service sectors lead the way, with six companies apiece. For the past two years, the Fast 50 ranking has been dominated by startup logistics companies, and this year is no different, proving Chicago remains a significant industry hub. The logistics firms on the list generated $3.3 billion in revenue last year and averaged a 645% increase in revenue over the past five years * Daily Herald | 3 deputies shot while responding to northern Illinois home, suspect also wounded, official says: Three sheriff’s deputies were shot Wednesday while responding at a northern Illinois home, and the suspect was also wounded, authorities told reporters. Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle says the deputies were shot while responding to a report that someone inside the home was threatening to kill themself or others. He said the suspect also was shot. * Rockford Register Star | Sheriff: Three deputies, suspect shot in Ogle County, Illinois, standoff: Unable to talk to the individual, deputies tried to enter the home shortly before noon, which is when three deputies were shot, VanVickle said. The deputies returned gunfire and struck the individual with the gun. […] During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, VanVickle said neither the deputies nor the suspect were seriously injured. The names of the deputies and the suspect were not released. * Rock River Current | ‘The Wait Is Over’: Hard Rock Casino Has Announced Its Opening Date In Rockford: The casino will include nearly 1,300 slot machines, 50 live table games including a poker room, a sportsbook, six restaurants and a Rock Shop with Hard Rock merchandise and other gifts. Hard Rock said at this time a year ago that its goal would be to open by Labor Day weekend 2024. The opening will happen the Thursday leading into that weekend. * News-Gazette | Board president calls to censure Holder: Tensions between members of the Champaign School Board hit a boiling point early Tuesday morning, as board President Gianina Baker called for a censure of member Betsy Holder for “misconduct unbecoming a board member.” “There is enough evidence that (Superintendent) Dr. (Shelia) Boozer could pursue litigation of member Holder and ultimately the board for creating a hostile work environment,” Baker said. […] Holder said that she’s being attacked for her attempts to shed light on issues within the district and for her disagreements with Baker. * BND | Owner of O’Fallon, Alton restaurants kept servers’ tips, didn’t pay full wages, feds say: The owner of two IHOP franchises in O’Fallon and Alton allegedly violated federal wage regulations, including keeping servers’ tips and failing to pay overtime, a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found. The labor department is now suing the owner, Khalid Ramadan, for approximately $367,890 in compensation and damages for 179 IHOP workers. It also sanctioned him with a civil money penalty of $199,577. * SJ-R | Illinois State Police trooper injured after crashing into highway median near Springfield: An Illinois State Police trooper suffered injuries in a motorcycle wreck in Sangamon County Wednesday morning. The single-vehicle crash happened on Interstate 55 northbound near Sherman north of Springfield just after 7 a.m. […] A preliminary investigation by ISP indicated that “for unknown reasons,” the trooper’s motorcycle left the roadway striking the center median. * The Pantagraph | Heartland approves file request for state funds, hears tentative FY25 budget: Heartland Community College plans to ask the state for $110 million for new health science, science and vocational training facilities, but joining the state’s list of higher education capital projects is no guarantee when or if it will get the money. Heartland’s trustees heard on Tuesday about the college’s submissions for the state’s Resource Allocation and Management Program through the Illinois Board of Higher Education. * Pantagraph | Besides Illinois, where do the most ISU alumni live?: In terms of Illinois State University and where its alumni live now, Illinois naturally is the leader. There are 143,134 ISU alumni still in state, according to ISU statistics. But can you name the next most popular locales of ISU alums to live? (Hint: It’s not either neighboring Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin or Kentucky.) Florida is the next best place to live for ISU alums. There are 5,689 ISU alums there. Next: Texas (4,787), California (4,136), Indiana (3,543) and Arizona (3,336). * NYT | Democrats Plan to Turn Statehouses Blue by Dishing Out Green: The States Project, a Democratic-aligned group, is set to announce a plan to spend $70 million in legislative battles in nine states, according to a memo I obtained, one of the largest investments in such races by a single outside Democratic-leaning group in recent history. They plan to send the funds directly to candidates and groups on the ground, who can decide how best to use it. […] The States Project, which has emerged as a crucial weapon for Democrats focused solely on state legislatures, is targeting competitive races in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, while also hoping to build a Democratic supermajority in Nevada. The organization is also aiming to break up Republican supermajorities in North Carolina and Kansas, arguing that it can often take just a seat or two to have a major impact on state policy.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jun 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sportshandle…
* Pantagraph | Two Illinois journalism bills made it to Pritzker’s desk, with one already signed into law: One measure that made it into the state’s budget package involves tax credits to local news organizations that are not publicly traded and have no more than 5% ownership by a publicly traded company. House Bill 4951, the revenue bill in that package, passed through both chambers around Memorial Day and was signed into law by Pritzker on June 7. * WMBD | Illinois Secretary of State’s Office Mobile DMV offering service on the go: According to Giannoulias, the first electric-powered mobile DMV will launch later this month in Chicago, with three more coming later this summer that will hold events around the state. “Since taking office, it’s been our mission to make it easier and more convenient for Illinois residents to access government services without having to wait or travel to a DMV facility,” Giannoulias said. “Our DMV on Wheels program will build on the success of our digital programs, saving time by offering efficient ways to do things like renew your driver’s license or get a vehicle sticker without leaving their communities.” * WTTW | Cicada-Induced Vitamin Deficiency Linked to Mystery Disease in Illinois Birds: The current theory is that baby birds are harder hit by the lack of vitamin A because they have a higher need for it and lower body storage than adults. But there’s no rhyme or reason regarding why the affected species are almost exclusively blue jays, grackles, starlings, cowbirds and sparrows, Reich said. The good news is that with the threat of infectious disease off the table, the sick birds can be treated rather than euthanized. A number of birds have turned around after being given vitamin A and eye medications, Reich said. So far, more than 50 birds have been brought to the center with telltale symptoms. * Tribune | Rule curtailing lobbyist donations to Chicago mayors stalled amid Johnson pushback: The ordinance to fine or suspend lobbyists who make contributions to a mayoral candidate’s political fund was blocked by two aldermen during a City Council meeting via a parliamentary tactic. The legislation, crafted in an apparent rebuke of how Johnson handled lobbyist donations his political committee received, could come up for a vote at the next council meeting. * NBC Chicago | Bally’s says it’s on track for Chicago casino despite Johnson comments: A spokesperson for Bally’s said plans for a permanent Chicago casino in the River West neighborhood are still on track despite comments by Mayor Brandon Johnson this week published in the Chicago Sun-Times. In that interview, the editorial board asked the mayor if he believes the permanent casino will ultimately be built. Johnson was noncommittal, saying that was “still to be determined.” * Block Club | Bronzeville Was Promised A Grocery Store. 6 Years Later, The Land Is Still Empty: A plan to build a Pete’s Fresh Market dates to 2018. Ald. Pat Dowell says it’s still “under consideration,” but the Mayor’s Office, a developer attached to the project and the grocer won’t say if they are still committed to the store. * Sun-Times | Lawyer was handcuffed to chair after Cook County judge ordered him removed from courtroom, sparking state inquiry: A lawyer at a top Chicago law firm was handcuffed to a chair after a judge ordered him removed from her courtroom last month, touching off an inquiry by the state’s judicial oversight agency. Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans signed an order Friday referring misconduct accusations against Judge Kathy Flanagan to the Judicial Inquiry Board, which will decide whether to file charges. Flanagan is the acting presiding judge of the Law Division. * Daily Herald | ‘This plan is completely unnecessary’: Kane County OKs climate action plan over objections from some board members: But at least nine members disagreed and voted against it on Tuesday. Board member David Young was the most vocal critic, detailing at least 20 statements or goals in the 144-page plan with which he disagreed. […] The vote was 13-10 in favor. * Daily Southtown | Harvey residents, business owners protest fines, water rates and withholding of business licenses: Business owners said their licenses were not being issued if they did not pay at least $2,500 in fines for delinquent property taxes, pastors were outraged over a Harvey law requiring churches to obtain business licenses and residents protested a water rate hike. Protesters marched from Transformation Community United Methodist Church to the municipal building before the monthly City Council meeting. * Lake County News-Sun | Zion, school districts at odds over how to divide $330M in compensation funds; ‘We … regret we trusted everybody to do what we agreed to do’: A provision of Illinois’ 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) designed to provide relief to Zion taxpayers now has the intended beneficiaries fighting for what they believe is their fair share of about $330 million in environmental compensation over the next 22 years. State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, who crafted the part of the law affecting Zion, said figuring out how to compensate those who sustained economic losses after the Zion Nuclear Power Station closed in 1998, leaving the fuel rods buried there, was complicated. * Shaw Local | Prosecutors seek to revoke ex-Joliet housing official’s pretrial release: Prosecutors are requesting a former Joliet housing official return to jail over allegations that he violated the conditions of his pretrial release in two felony drug cases. On Tuesday, prosecutors filed a petition to revoke the pretrial release of Robert Hernandez, 62, of Joliet, who was arrested twice earlier this year on felony drug charges. Hernandez is a former commissioner for the Housing Authority of Joliet. * Daily Journal | Judge releases Shapiro defendant following detention hearing: A Shapiro Developmental Center employee charged with battering a resident last year was released Monday from jail. Natalie J. Rose, of Gilman, was released following a detention hearing before Circuit Judge William Dickenson. […] Rose must report to pretrial services, wear GPS monitoring devices and have no contact with Shapiro Developmental Center, the victim or a witness. * WAND | Helping Paws reunites Logan Correctional Center inmates with mobility service dogs they trained: Helping Paws, an Illinois Correctional Industries Program at Logan Correctional reunited women in custody with mobility service dogs they trained. “They put so much time and energy into training the dogs, so it’s really neat to bring them back together,” said Michelle Yuen, Director of Animal Intake and Care for Paws Giving Independence. * Tribune | Chicago Red Stars forced to move Sept. 21 match because of Riot Fest relocation to SeatGeek Stadium: ‘It is unfair and unfortunate’: The Red Stars have played at SeatGeek since 2016. The stadium’s distance from the city center and lack of transit access have been key points of criticism for the franchise as the team continues to slip behind competitors in fan attendance. The Chicago Fire in 2019 paid more than $60 million to leave SeatGeek for Soldier Field. The Red Stars’ SeatGeek lease will expire at the end of 2025. New ownership helmed by Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts has made it clear that relocating the franchise to a stadium inside the city limits is a driving goal for the organization. * Lake County News-Sun | Chicago Bears training camp to feature 9 public sessions at Halas Hall in Lake Forest: Specific times will be announced later, according to a team spokesman, who cautioned the times and dates of individual sessions can be changed with little notice. In 2023, attendance ranged between 1,300-1,700 people during every public training camp session, according to the team. However, while intense interest is expected this year due to the presence of Williams, the top pick in the 2024 NFL draft, capacity will remain limited to 1,700 people per session. * WaPo | Hundreds of police have sexually abused kids. How do they avoid prison time?: Child sex crimes are among the most difficult cases to investigate and prosecute. Kids are often frightened and embarrassed. They may have been groomed to feel protective of those accused of exploiting them — or may fear for their safety if they admit what has happened. The hurdles are even higher when the abusers are members of law enforcement wielding the power of their badges and guns. The Post identified dozens of officers who were charged with trying to thwart investigations, destroy evidence or intimidate victims and their families. * Prospect | Administration Playing From Behind on Domestic Solar Production: Last Friday, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) voted unanimously to advance investigations of solar imports from Chinese-headquartered companies in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, stating that “there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured” by the shipments. Though the Southeast Asian companies claim to engage in actual manufacturing at these sites, U.S. solar manufacturers allege that Chinese components are merely routed through there to avoid tariffs and restrictions.
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‘Potential for criminal prosecution’ appears to be driving down medical residency applications in anti-abortion states
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Katherine Davis at Crain’s…
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CTA would need to increase ridership by 50+ percent to meet Carter’s 2024 goal
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
Gonna be a tough hill to climb in the second half of the year…
* Meanwhile, the CTA helped pay for a study with a sophomore dorm premise…
Literally nobody in power is talking about doing away with public transportation. C’mon. A far more useful study would be the impact of CTA’s current reduced service levels on the region’s economy. * Carter told his board last month that the study, and not governance reforms, will be central to the CTA’s push for more state funding…
The CTA appears to be using the same strategists as the Bears.
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Bears continue to confuse PR messaging with passing legislation
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* NBC Chicago…
* Daily Herald…
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Write better laws
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * This is what I told subscribers back on April 30th…
It was a long piece, but that’s the basic gist. * Tribune…
Stay tuned.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Hearing officer recommends elections board dismiss illegal coordination complaint against Dan Proft, Darren Bailey. Tribune…
* ABC Chicago | Former Mike Madigan chief of staff Tim Mapes reports to prison: He was sentenced to 30-months in prison. The website for the Federal Bureau of Prisons shows he’s in Pensacola, Florida at a minimum security federal prison camp. * Crain’s | Judge dismisses Madigan-related whistleblower suit against St. Anthony: A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed charges brought by a former employee at St. Anthony Hospital who alleged the hospital and its CEO showed contracting favoritism to the son of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Plaintiff Stella Wolf, who had served as chief human resources officer at St. Anthony for four years, was let go in June 2020 as part of a pandemic-era reduction in force. In the 2021 lawsuit, Wolf said the hospital retaliated against her for challenging alleged political corruption and for taking medical leave. Wolf made claims under the Illinois Whistleblower Act and the Family & Medical Leave Act. * WAND | State lawmakers work to protect students, bridge gap in communication: “If a parent, or a teacher, a community member- thinks that a teacher’s actions are egregious enough to warrant removal from the classroom, potential licensure sanctions- there is a process for that,” Jeff Aranowski, the Executive Director of Safe and Healthy Climate for ISBE, told WAND News. But WAND News has learned, there is little communication from other investigating agencies, to ISBE, about staff accused of abuse or neglect. WAND Investigates whether existing laws are working and why new rules may be on the horizon. * WAND | Mendoza honors central Illinois LGBTQ leaders during Pride Month celebration: The Democrat told reporters at her Springfield office that Pride Month is a critical time to celebrate the bravery LGBTQ+ people have shown in response to ignorance and hate. Mendoza said Illinois believes in equity and inclusion, the right and freedom to be yourself, love who you love and live a life with respect and dignity. * Chicago Reader | How the Illinois Department of Corrections fails to protect transgender prisoners: Hannah Finnegan transferred to Lawrence Correctional Center in southeastern Illinois in May of 2021. She’d previously been imprisoned at Centralia Correctional Center, another men’s prison about an hour outside Saint Louis. At Centralia, Finnegan, a transgender woman, experienced harassment and abuse from staff and others incarcerated alongside her. She received letters expressing unwanted sexual and romantic interest. She often had to rely on friends she met inside for physical protection. The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) classified Finnegan as “vulnerable,” meaning she was supposed to be housed alone or with others whom staff determined to present a low risk of danger. But at Lawrence, officials assigned her to a cell with someone who’d been convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault, and who was already under investigation by the IDOC for allegedly abusing a past cellmate. While housed together, Finnegan’s cellmate sexually assaulted her in June of 2021. * WCIA | ISHA announces shot clock for basketball in 2026: The Illinois High School Association announced on Tuesday that starting with the 2026-27 school year, boys and girls varsity basketball games will begin using a shot clock. Teams will have 35 seconds to hit the rim or turn the ball over. * WQAD | IL DOT hiring for more than 70 jobs: Most of the jobs are in construction and road maintenance, but there’s also openings in engineering, design and office roles. On Tuesday, June 11, IDOT held a job fair at the Rock Island Holiday Inn, offering 18 positions in the Quad Cities area. IDOT says IL Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois plan, which puts money into state roads and infrastructure, means more opportunities for them. * NBC Chicago | CPD releases new drafts of crowd control, arrest, protest policies ahead of DNC: The directives, which were recently posted on CPD’s website, are the second chance for public engagement. Initially, CPD’s mass arrest policy was available in February to review. Public comment is now open through June 30. After that, CPD will review the additional feedback received to guide future revisions to the drafts. * CBS Chicago | Bollards coming to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile this summer to prevent crash-and-grabs: More than 40 protective bollards will be set up on the designated stretch of the Mag Mile. […] The bollards, which will be placed in front of stores, are designed to stop a speeding car. Some retailers this year told CBS 2 they have considered leaving Chicago after their businesses were crashed into and burglarized. * CBS Chicago | Migrant arrivals have slowed in Chicago, but new shelter opens as need continues: Now, a shelter at St. Bartholomew Church, 3601 N. Lavergne Ave. in the Portage Park neighborhood, is helping migrants who have newly arrived at the city’s landing zone. “With children sleeping on the street, and outside of police stations, and so forth, it was just unconscionable that we would, in this time in history, we would be experiencing that,” said Fr. Michael O’Connell of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish. * NBC Chicago | New Chicago migrant shelter a joint effort of governments, faith organizations: The Archdiocese and Zakat Foundation tell NBC 5 that there is no 60-day shelter limit here. Right now they have a six month agreement and will determine what happens next once that time approaches. * Sun-Times | Push to monitor Chicago police traffic stops under federal court order faces stiff resistance from community groups: U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer called the hearings to get input about requirements for traffic stops that could be added to a consent decree that took effect in 2019 and mandates sweeping police reforms. Speakers argued the consent decree isn’t the proper way to address a pressing issue that came under increased scrutiny earlier this year after Reed was killed in a gunfight with police tactical officers who purportedly stopped him for not wearing a seat belt. * Sun-Times | Judicial giant Harry D. Leinenweber dies at 87: ‘He was the coolest judge I’ve ever seen, on TV or off TV’: U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber took senior status in 2002, but he continued to preside over blockbuster trials 20 years later. They included the trial of former R&B star R. Kelly in 2022 and a major corruption trial involving four political insiders tied to ComEd. “He was an honorable judge and an honorable man,” said Kelly attorney Jennifer Bonjean. * Fox Chicago | ‘Chicago is why the show is so good’: Gyllenhaal on new Apple TV+ series: Jake Gyllenhaal said that Chicago is the reason why his new AppleTV+ series “Presumed Innocent” is so good. The series follows a Chicago prosecutor who is accused of the murder of a woman he was having an affair with – the eight-episode limited series (which was once a 1990 movie starring Harrison Ford) is set in Chicago. However, despite some beautiful exterior shots of the Chicago skyline, most of the series was filmed in California. * Fox Chicago | Dolton Park District president accuses Mayor Tiffany Henyard of political retaliation: Dolton Park District President Cleo Jones said Henyard is retaliating after the park district allowed four of her political opponents to use a field house for meetings. Jones said part of the retaliation came in the mail last week. “I have four tickets issued from the Village of Dolton,” said Jones. “Each ticket is $500 apiece. That is $2,000 in tickets that I have here.”Jones said they were stunned when they received the citations for doing work without a permit. Two of the tickets were issued for spreading fresh mulch on district playgrounds. * Fox Chicago | Some Stateville employees push back against prison closure and reassignment plans: Some staff workers said that the state’s plans to demolish and rebuild Stateville will unnecessarily disrupt their lives as the facilities they’d be re-assigned to would require commutes of up to two hours each way. […] State Sen. Rachel Ventura, who represents Joliet, said the timeline doesn’t make sense to her. “To completely shut down Stateville in September when we’re at least a year away from any additional aspects of that, I would say that let the courts say it then because right now you’re the ones making that decision to impact all of these people’s lives,” said Ventura. * Center Square | Plans to raze and replace Stateville prison get public hearing: During a Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability meeting Tuesday night in Joliet, Department of Corrections Acting Director Latoya Hughes said Stateville is too far gone to be repaired. “The current living conditions at Stateville are not conducive to rehabilitation,” said Hughes. “The infrastructure is antiquated and inefficient, and delaying action only increases risks to all involved.” * Aurora Beacon-News | Fox Valley domestic violence shelters running out of space: When Linda Maranda took over the reins of Mutual Ground in August, the new CEO of Aurora’s domestic violence shelter knew she would be dealing with a generous community but also plenty of challenges. Calls to hotlines all across the state are on the rise, according to a recent report that indicated the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline recorded a 90% increase in calls, texts and messages since the pandemic, and a record high 17,972 contacts for requests for shelter in 2022, up 45% from the previous year. Simply stated, says Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, which runs the hotline, Illinois is not equipped to meet that need. * Daily Herald | Warren: Bears not ready to sell Arlington Park or minority stake in team: The McCaskey family isn’t considering selling a minority stake in the team to free up cash to get a Bears stadium deal done in Chicago. They’re also not ready to put their 326-acre Arlington Heights property — initially envisioned to be home of the team’s new domed structure — up for sale. […] “Never say never,” Kevin Warren later added. “But that is not something that we would ever focus on.” * WGN | Filmmaker Jon Siskel’s ‘Memorial’ captures Highland Park shooting’s impact: “We don’t show any of the archive,” said filmmaker Jon Siskel. “You don’t hear any gunshots. it’s kind of a very meditative, poetic film.” Siskel, nephew of the late film critic Gene Siskel, created the 20-minute film ‘Memorial’ after he visited Highland Park, calling the village an unforgettable place after seeing it covered in orange yarn and hand-written notes the community helped weave in the weeks and months after the shooting. * Rock River Current | Hard Rock Ramps Up Hiring With Hundreds Of Jobs To Fill As It Prepares To Open Rockford Casino: The company extended offers to more than 120 prospective employees Monday during Day 1 of an RSVP-only mass hiring event at the Northern Illinois University Conference Center, which is about a mile east from where the casino is being built. It hopes to extend at least that many offers during the second day. * WAND | Springfield City Council discuss new ordinance, eliminating alcohol sales after 1 a.m.: “The people who come here from Decatur don’t care about our community,” said Chief Ken Scarlette of the Springfield Police Department. “They come here to do what they want and wreak havoc and go home.”Owners of restaurants and bars pushed back on the restrictions, saying it will prohibit them from making enough to sustain their businesses. * WCIA | ‘Having to go 20 minutes one way to get one item is a nightmare:’ Central Illinois grocery store filling need for fresh produce, meat in the community: One Central Illinois grocery store is making sure people don’t have to travel far to buy all kinds of foods from fresh produce, meat, eggs, milk, soup, and pasta. […] Market on the Hill is the only grocery store in the community. After the local grocery store in the community shut down several years ago, it raised concerns about where people could shop for food. “The community actually came together and realized that we needed somewhere local to buy produce, fresh meat and other groceries, because otherwise we had to travel all the way to Lincoln or Decatur,” Scattergood said. “It was just going to [be a] 15 or 20 minute drive.” * Tribune | ‘I was terrified,’ accuser testifies in rape trial of Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr.: The woman’s testimony took up much of the morning’s court proceedings. The afternoon was largely focused on testimony from the Lawrence police detective who led the investigation into her allegations, and included black-and-white surveillance footage that appeared to show Shannon and the woman moments before — but not during — their alleged encounter inside the Jayhawk Cafe’s Martini Room. * WCIA | Rep. Miller files legislation to suspend new Title IX rules: Representative Mary Miller (R-IL) filed a resolution Wednesday to prevent schools from losing federal funding if they don’t follow the Title IX policy; 67 of her House Republican colleagues have signed on for the bill. Miller criticized the president for the changes, claiming women and girls would be “at risk” under the law. * CBS | FBI quarterly report shows 15% drop in violent crime compared to last year: The latest preliminary quarterly crime figures from the FBI show dramatic decreases: a 26% drop in murders, robberies down by nearly 18% and violent crime overall down 15% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to last year in the same period. The FBI released only percentages Monday, however, and not the underlying figures, because at this point just 72% of law enforcement agencies have provided their crime data. The bureau will disclose more complete figures once 80% have participated.
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Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Wednesday, Jun 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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