Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Jon Seidel’s thread on Ex-Ald. Ed Burke’s bid for acquittal or a new trial… ![]() ![]() Burke’s sentencing is set for June 24. * In case you missed it…
* WCIA | Governor J.B. Pritzker signs budget: “Overall, our fiscal foundation is getting stronger every year,” Pritzker said Wednesday. The governor was joined by legislative leaders Illinois Speaker of the House Chris Welch (D-Westchester) and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). Also in attendance was Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton and chief budgeteers Rep. Jehan Gordon Booth (D-Peoria) and Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago). * NBC Chicago | 3 key components of Illinois’ budget as Pritzker signs legislation: Among the three key components of the bill was to eliminate the state’s 1% tax on groceries, which is paid out to municipalities. The tax is levied on all items “meant to be consumed off the premises where they are sold,” and according to text of the bill will be eliminated on Jan. 1, 2026. “If it reduces inflation for families from 4% to 3%, even if it only puts a few hundred bucks back in families’ pockets, it’s the right thing to do,” [Pritzker said] said. * Center Square | Bill allows Illinois local government to get loans from state climate bank: A measure ready to be sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker would allow local governments to apply for loans through the Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank in an effort to expand so-called “green energy” infrastructure across the state. State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, advanced Senate Bill 3597, which would allow local governments to apply for loans through the Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank for projects including solar power installations. * WCIA | Illinois state parks face off in fundraising competition: A competitive fundraising effort is underway for Illinois state parks. Throughout June, every donated dollar will equal one “vote” towards your favorite parks. […] Illinois is one of only seven states that do not require an entrance fee for state parks. Officials say donations help make this possible. * Streetsblog | At 2nd People’s Lobby Transit Town Hall, politicians and riders discussed how to create a world-class system: The panel of elected officials concerned with transit at the event included State Representative Kam Buckner (D-26th), who has introduced several bills designed to improve transportation in the Chicago region. “What I’ll just say about a transit system that works for the people is that it’s a system that’s irresistible,” he said. “I mean, the system where it makes way more sense for you to get on the Green Line, or the Jeffery Jump than it does to get in a car or call an Uber. This is, to me, not just about buses and trains. This is about mobility, and mobility is a human right.” * Block Club | Not All Peaceful Protests Constitutionally Protected, Police Chief Says Ahead Of DNC: Police Supt. Larry Snelling warned organizers that not all peaceful protests are protected by the First Amendment ahead of August’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, drawing immediate criticism from local civil liberties groups. “First Amendment protection is only there if you’re not committing a crime, and you can be acting out peacefully but still breaking the law,” Snelling said at a press conference Tuesday to discuss safety at the political convention. * Sun-Times | 4 Chicago police officers face dismissal for allegedly stealing cash and drugs, lying about gun seizures: Officers Daniel Fair, Jeffery Morrow, Kevin Taylor and Rupert Collins are accused of engaging in misconduct the Civilian Office of Police Accountability deemed “substantial and irrefutable.” In one case, Fair and Taylor took cash and marijuana during a vehicle search, COPA said in a report dated Jan. 26. GPS records show they drove to Fair’s block after the search and the contraband was never inventoried. * Block Club | Homeless Residents Relocated In Humboldt Park For Fest Season: On Tuesday, people living in 12 tents at the central and south ends of the park were moved to the north end near North Avenue, where there was already a cluster of at least 30 tents. City officials, Park District staff, Ald. Jessie Fuentes’ (26th) office and Chicago Union of the Homeless volunteers helped relocate people’s tents and belongings, officials said. The move was to make room on the southern end of the park for the Puerto Rican Festival and Parade this weekend and to “streamline the process of serving and connecting our unhoused neighbors with housing services” in closer proximity, Fuentes said in a release. * WBEZ | The transfixing, cathartic experience of rocking out in a Chicago cemetery: When Kim Gordon comes to Chicago on Saturday to perform songs off her new record The Collective, she won’t be appearing at Metro or the Riviera or even a summer music festival. Instead the iconic former leader of Sonic Youth, now two albums into an acclaimed solo career, is performing in a cemetery. In front of a mausoleum. Surrounded by 1,500 adoring and utterly alive fans. * Tribune | WNBA rescinds 2nd technical foul on Angel Reese after Chicago Sky rookie’s ejection during loss: Coach Teresa Weatherspoon said the officiating crew declined to explain the decision to the Sky coaching staff. “I tried to get an explanation and I did not,” Weatherspoon said during her postgame news conference. “I don’t know at this moment what has happened.” * Daily Herald | ‘Unprecedented demand’: Proposed 160-acre data center would be the largest in Lake County: Based on a rough estimate of construction costs, the T5 proposal when built out would represent an investment of $2.25 billion or more, according to Richard Gatto, executive vice president of the Alter Group. […] “Demand for data centers is incredibly high with the rapid evolution and integration of AI (artificial intelligence) into all aspects of business operations,” explained Ron Lanz, business development director for Lake County Partners, the county’s economic development arm. * Aurora Beacon-News | Pay increased for many elected county offices in Kane County: In a split vote on May 29, the Kane County Board approved an increase in pay for four elected positions — circuit clerk, recorder, auditor and coroner — to $109,242, with 2% yearly increases for the following three years. This will equalize the positions’ salaries, which previously varied by around $2,000, and will match the current salaries for the treasurer and county clerk, which were set in 2022. * Daily Herald | Hundreds of acres in Huntley to become Kane County forest preserve — but some land set aside for development:: Hundreds of acres of open land in Huntley could soon become a Kane County forest preserve, though the village has asked that some of the property be set aside for future development. The potential new forest preserve, southwest of where Route 47 meets Interstate 90, would consist of a shelter and trail looping around the property, in addition to parking, Kane County Forest Preserve District Executive Director Ben Haberthur said. * SJ-R | Vietnam War veteran, proponent of veterans issues around Lincoln and central Illinois dies: Joe Schaler, a U.S. Marine who served in the Vietnam War and championed veterans issues in the Lincoln, Ill., area after moving there in 2005, died May 29. […] Schaler was one of the proponents of and later chaired the Veterans Assistance Commission, which assists with individual Veterans Administration claims and points veterans in the direction of VA benefits, including job-training programs. The Commission also helps veterans and their families with short-term emergency assistance. * Reuters | World hits streak of record temperatures as UN warns of ‘climate hell’: Speaking about the findings, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized how quickly the world was heading in the wrong direction and away from stabilizing its climate system. “In 2015, the chance of such a breach was near zero,” Guterres said in a speech marking World Environment Day. With time running out to reverse course, Guterres urged a 30% cut in global fossil fuel production and use by 2030.
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Pritzker on federal money, next year, transit fiscal cliff, Mendoza, Crespo, pensions, historic preservation
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. Pritzker was asked today after he signed the budget if the budget process next year will be more difficult…
Please pardon all transcription errors. * Another question about next year…
* Background is here if you need it. Regarding Mendoza…
* Background on this question is here if you need it…
The governor undoubtedly knows that the budgeteer process doesn’t allow people like Rep. Crespo to pitch the governor about budget matters. Everything has to go through the budgeteers and the respective leaders. And Crespo told me today that he did present his ideas to his budgeteer. Click here to see Rep. Crespo’s actual proposal. * On to pensions…
* Historic preservation…
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Budget signing react
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
Click here and scroll to the bottom for links to the walkdown and the highlights. * SGOPs…
* US Rep. Mary Miller had a similar take…
* Sen. Sims…
* Arne Duncan at CRED…
More budget statements have already been posted on our press release live feed, and I’ll post new releases there as they come in.
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C’mon, people
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Capitol News Illinois…
Yeah, they’re gonna leave all that money behind. But if they do, then what happens, other than maybe we don’t have to watch their endless TV ads on local stations? They basically don’t directly employ anyone in Illinois aside from lobbyists, so layoffs wouldn’t be a problem, except for the lobbyists. But they’re some of the most resilient people I know. And if they did leave Illinois, the smaller operators could expand and/or rush in to fill the void. One thing those two huge companies definitely don’t want to see is the smaller operators gaining a foothold anywhere. If that happened, the smaller outfits might build up strength and then expand into other states, which could damage the sportsbook duopoly. * And the Illinois tax increase is definitely tilted in favor of the smaller companies. Center Square…
Wait, what? Now somebody is saying that the smaller operators are gonna leave? Which is it? * As we’ve discussed before, perhaps the biggest issue here is tax “contagion.” Some other states have kept their tax rates low, so they’ll likely look at what happens in Illinois…
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Figure it out
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Mike Miletich…
* Press release…
* The same group sent out this release after the bill was approved in the Senate…
Some legit business owners were worried the legislation could put them out of business. It apparently needed more time to percolate. * But while the legislation is percolating, things are advancing on the ground. “That’s a barrel of smokable hemp being sold at a trade show in Rosemont,” said a friend who sent me this pic yesterday… ![]() People could buy it by the pound… ![]() * Fox32…
Lovely.
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Governor, top officials go after Comptroller Mendoza
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * I told subscribers about this earlier, so I’ll just leave these here for y’all. Let’s start with the comptroller…
* The governor’s policy/legislative person was not amused… ![]() * And neither was the Deputy Governor for Budget & Economy… ![]() The full story, entitled “Illinois comptroller pleased with ‘vanilla’ budget,” is here…
* Meanwhile, Capitol News Illinois’ newsletter went out after I’d finished writing, but take a look at this…
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: How Illinois’ hands-off approach to homeschooling leaves children at risk. ProPublica…
- Educational officials say this lack of regulation allows parents to pull vulnerable children from public schools then not provide any education for them. - No oversight also means children schooled at home lose the protections schools provide, including teachers, counselors, coaches and bus drivers — school personnel legally bound to report suspected child abuse and neglect. At 11 Governor Pritzker will sign the FY25 state budget. At 4:30 the governor will participate in fireside chat at Social Innovation Summit. Click here to watch. * Tribune | For special education students, transitional schools bridge the gap between high school and full-time employment: Under Illinois state law, students with significant cognitive disabilities are entitled to up to four years of continued education at what are known as “transitional schools” after their traditional four years in high school, up until they turn 22 years old. But for special education graduates, transitional schools like Southside can provide a bridge from school to the workforce through specialized instruction, social-emotional learning and opportunities to complete paid work at Chicago companies throughout the school year. * Journal & Topics | Democratic Township Leaders Expected To Fill 53rd State House Seat Wednesday: The open appointment meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 5 in Meeting Room A of the Mount Prospect Public Library, 10 S. Emerson St. Those wishing to attend are asked to send an RSVP via email to ElkGroveTownshipDemocrats@gmail.com. * WAND | Pritzker, advocates hope House passes hemp regulation proposal during veto session: “There’s no restriction on who gets it, how much they get, etc,” Pritzker said. “So, I really believe that we need to step back and ask what is in the best interest of the health of kids and adults across the state. I think regulating it is proper.” * WTTW | From Gun Control to Public Transit Rescue, A Look at What Didn’t Pass the Illinois General Assembly This Spring: Advocates who say lives are on the line are hoping Karina’s Bill — named in honor of a Chicago mother shot and killed after getting an order of protection from her abuser — will have a chance come fall. A judge who grants an order of protection can revoke an abusers’ Firearm Owners Identification card, meaning the individual can no longer legally have a gun. But that doesn’t mean that person actually gives up their firearms. * WRAM | Farm Family Preservation Act Not Included in Illinois’ Passed Budget: Last week, Illinois legislature passed a $53.1 billion state budget. One priority for the Illinois Farm Bureau that was not included in the budget was the Farm Family Preservation Act. Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau Manager Ashlyn Quinn explains: “The Farm Family Preservation Act, which is the estate tax law that was going to help increase that, which is so vital for all farm families to have that passed. We did make it all the way to final negotiations on that, but unfortunately it did not get included. So, right now it is sitting at $4 million, this would raise it to $6 million. It did also change it so that it was an exemption and not a threshold, so only those dollars over the $6 million would be taxed, as opposed to right now where the entire estate is taxed if the threshold is reached. It does tie the $6 million exemption to inflation. We were told it is not a no, it is just a not right now.” * WSIU | Inaugural Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees announced: The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association has announced the inaugural class of inductees into the Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame, which recognizes the people, products and companies that have made a substantial and indelible impact on manufacturing in Illinois. The inductees include Abraham Lincoln: The first and only U.S. President with a patent; Lincoln Logs; the cell phone; Cracker Jack; Caterpillar and the University of Illinois system. * PJ Star | Here’s why it could be a bad summer for disease-spreading ticks in Illinois: Experts have suggested Illinois may be seeing more and earlier tick activity. “We’re seeing less severe winters, which might lead to more ticks,” Maureen Murray, assistant director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Lincoln Park Zoo, recently told the Chicago Tribune. “Fewer ticks die during the winter, and ticks can be active sooner in the spring, just because it warms up faster.” * AP | Chicago police tweak mass arrests policy ahead of Democratic National Convention: Chicago police have received fresh de-escalation training, while about 3,000 officers are undergoing specialized training to “respond directly to civil unrest and the possibility of riots,” according to Snelling. Proposed changes to the way police deal with mass arrests, which are still being finalized, include more supervisor review onsite and debriefings afterward to see what worked and what didn’t. * Tribune | Lawyers for ex-Ald. Ed Burke to make in-person pitch to toss corruption conviction: Six months after ex-Chicago Ald. Edward Burke’s landmark corruption conviction, his lawyers will be back in court Wednesday in a long-shot bid for a retrial on some counts and an outright acquittal on others. […] Burke is scheduled to be sentenced June 24. Before that, however, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall must deal with a motion by Burke’s attorneys to toss out the jury’s decision and acquit the former alderman on almost all counts. * Sun-Times | Loop’s safety and hospitality ‘ambassadors’ program expands for summer: The advocacy group Chicago Loop Alliance is expanding its ambassadors safety and hospitality program starting this week to the central Loop — beyond its normal focus on State Street — for four months through the busy summer tourism and festival season and the Democratic National Convention in August. Unarmed paid ambassadors wearing yellow and black uniforms are trained in de-escalation tactics and help prevent violence, illegal activity and “unwanted behavior.” * CBS Chicago | DCFS stops sending children to Chicago center after abuse allegations: The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services said it stopped sending kids in its care to a center in Chicago earlier this year after two workers there were accused of abuse. The men accused worked at Aunt Martha’s, a temporary care center with a facility for foster children on South Michigan Avenue. CBS 2 learned one of the workers has been charged with sexual abuse and another was on the run. * Tribune | Why are so many Chicago medical residents unionizing? Activity follows pandemic, shifting attitudes: Thousands of residents and fellows in the Chicago area have voted to unionize in the last year — at University of Chicago Medicine in May, Northwestern Medicine in January and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park in November. University of Illinois at Chicago residents and fellows unionized in 2021. Residents have long had to work many hours for relatively low pay, as they train to become specific types of physicians after medical school. Traditionally, residents have been expected to put their heads down and grind, for years, as they gain on-the-job experience and progress toward more lucrative, prominent careers. * Tribune | Kevin Warren presses ahead on Bears stadium pitch as Johnson, Pritzker stay quiet on the subject: The Chicago Bears’ bid for billions of dollars in public assistance to build a new lakefront stadium was the elephant on the agenda Tuesday at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting. With a crowd of high-powered business leaders watching, Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren repeated his pitch for the new domed stadium in a keynote address. He presented the stadium as a surefire growth starter for downtown Chicago. * Daily Southtown | Republican walk out prevents Will County vote on raises for elected officials: The Will County Board did not vote on pay raises for county elected officials Tuesday after Republicans left the board room in the middle of a special meeting, resulting in no quorum to conduct official business. Because votes were not taken, countywide elected officials and board members who are up for election in November will have their salaries unchanged for the next four years. * SJ-R | ‘This is ultimately to make everyone safer.’ Massage parlors will have to register with city: The ordinance, crafted after one adopted by the Village of Chatham several years ago, also mandates proof of State of Illinois licensure of the parlor’s massage therapists. “This is ultimately to make everyone safer: people who do massages, people who go in for massages and the neighborhoods where the massage establishments exist,” insisted Ald. Jennifer Notariano, who has a number of the parlors in her inner-city Ward 6. * Pontiac Daiy Leader | Primary winner in state’s 53rd Senate District has eyes on November, ears on residents: Unless there’s a write-in candidate or the Democrats make an effort to get a name on the ballot, Chris Balkema of Channahon, winner of the Republican primary in March will be the next state senator to represent the Pontiac area in Springfield. Balkema won the primary with nearly 50% of the vote. His opponents were Jesse Faber of Pontiac, Mike Kirkton of rural Gridley and Susan Wynn Bence of Watseka.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Jun 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich 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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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* ProPublica…
Click here to view the complaint. * Citizen Action Illinois…
The complete scorecard is here. * Politico…
* WBEZ | For the third time, Illinois lawmakers fail to pass Karina’s Bill: Despite a coalition of over 40 advocacy groups leading the charge for this bill on the grassroots level, and buy-in from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, the bill failed to pass for the third time in a row, leaving advocates “disappointed” and forced to once again look forward to the next legislative session. * WGEM | Illinois comptroller pleased with ‘vanilla’ budget: Mendoza wishes state agencies and her fellow constitutional officers looked for ways they could trim their budgets. “Where do we have bloat? Where are we paying too much for a contract that we can get a better deal on,” she said. * WBEZ | Illinois residents can claim bigger state tax credit next year under new budget: The 2025 spending plan to which the Illinois House gave final legislative approval last week includes funding for once again tying the standard exemption to inflation, meaning the exemption that individuals can claim for tax year 2024 will grow from $2,425 to $2,775. That translates to tax savings for a family of four of more than $69, according to WBEZ calculations. * Riverbender | Sara M. Salger Of Gori Firm Installed As President Of Illinois Trial Lawyers Association: Sara M. Salger, managing partner at The Gori Law Firm in Edwardsville, Illinois, will be installed as the 71st president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) on Friday, June 7, 2024, at its annual convention at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago, Illinois. Salger, 40, received her undergraduate degree in 2004 from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, graduating cum laude. In 2008, she graduated from Saint Louis University School of Law where she received an International Law Certificate and litigation focus. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Missouri. * WTTW | As Locksmith License Requirements Set to Expire, Will Illinois Become the ‘Wild West’ Some Critics Fear?: The state law that currently mandates licensing requirements for locksmiths is expected to sunset in January 2029, thanks to legislation passed in Springfield. Illinois is currently one of only 13 states that require locksmiths to be licensed and is one of the strictest states when it comes to licensing requirements, according to Bill Gibson, executive director at Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA). * WBEZ | Kim Foxx’s proposal to not charge felonies from certain traffic stops has had success elsewhere: [John Choi, the top prosecutor of Ramsey County, which covers St. Paul, Minnesota] said he used to believe such stops were beneficial for police investigations but said he couldn’t ignore that less than 2% resulted in charges and that Black drivers were being stopped at four times the rate of other drivers in St. Paul. “For the longest time, we’ve been policing in a way that is going after that 2% but not recognizing the harm that has been done to communities,” he said when he announced the policy. * Tribune | CPD stresses readiness for Democratic National Convention as Secret Service boss visits Chicago: “With two months left until the convention, we’re finalizing plans and making sure all of our operations are safe,” CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters ahead of a meeting with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. “Make no mistake, we are ready. The partnership, collaboration and open communication between everyone involved is why we are ready.” […] The Secret Service will be in charge of security at the United Center and McCormick Place, where the official DNC events will be held. CPD will retain its jurisdiction across the city and be tasked with handling the expected protests. Other law enforcement agencies — FBI, ATF, Illinois State Police, Cook County sheriff’s police — will also assist. * Sun-Times | $158,234 has been raised so far by all candidates for Chicago’s new elected school board: Candidates have until June 24 to file petitions to get on the ballot in one of 10 districts across the city. The Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ are tracking candidate contributions as they come in. For now, we are only tallying all reported individual contributions over $150 to each candidate in every district. Small donations and in-kind contributions are not included in the total. After the filing deadline, come back for a more granular look at who’s influencing these elections. * Sun-Time | Augustinian Catholic order paid $2 million settlement over rape accusations against priest but left his name off sex abuser list: After hiding the names of sexually abusive priests and religious brothers for years, the Augustinian Catholic order has posted its first public listing of clergy members in its Chicago province deemed to have been child predators, listing five men. The list doesn’t include the Rev. Richard McGrath, who was the longtime head of Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox until he was ousted in 2017 after a student reported seeing a nude image of a boy on the priest’s cell phone while he was a spectator at a wrestling match. * Sun-Times | Priest says he’s OK after run-in with would-be thieves near St. Ignatius: ‘I’m praying for the person who shot at me’: The Rev. Jeremiah Lynch, 73, was in his home about 6 a.m. in the 1000 block of West Taylor Street when he heard noises from a nearby parking lot. When he opened the door to check on what was happening, he saw two males attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a parked car. Lynch asked what they were doing, and one pulled out a gun and fired three shots at him before fleeing, the Chicago police and a spokesperson for St. Ignatius College Prep said. Lynch, who is a priest at the Cook County Jail, suffered a graze wound on the forehead but said he was otherwise OK. * Chicago Mag | The Making of Millennium Park: To mark the 20th anniversary of what has been hailed as “America’s most dazzling urban park,” Chicago spoke with organizers, artists, architects, builders, benefactors, and political insiders who played key roles in its often arduous, sometimes controversial, and ultimately triumphant creation. * Daily Herald | Lake County forest preserves wants to borrow $155 million for habit restoration, land acquisition: Commissioners, during a joint meeting of the forest board’s operations, planning and finance committees, recommended asking voters whether the district should borrow not more than $155 million by issuing general obligation bonds. A tax increase to pay the bonds would cost the owner of home valued at $300,000 about $33 per year, according to the forest preserve district. * SJ-R | Springfield restaurant closing after less than one year being open: An up-and-coming Springfield restaurant is shutting its doors for good.After opening in October 2023, the upscale diner Twisted Fork announced the final day of operation at the restaurant would be on June 5. Owners Amanda and Jered Sandner thanked the community for the restaurant’s support while it was open and made references to future ventures on a Facebook post announcing the closure May 31. * NBC Chicago | More than 1 million chickens dead after massive southern Illinois fire: State Rep. Blaine Wilhour confirmed on his Facebook page that more than one million birds were killed in the fire, which devasted the free-range Farina Farms chicken facility. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Illinois State Fire Marshal. No injuries were reported during the massive response. * WCIA | Urbana asks for special census after 7% population decrease: Mayor Diane Marlin said the 2020 census was 7% lower than the previous population count ten years ago. She said many of the areas that saw population loss were edging U of I’s campus during the pandemic when students were learning remotely. “The reason this is important is because many types of federal and state programs fund and funnel dollars to your community based on population,” Marlin said, “like our share of the state motor fuel tax, our share of the state income tax, federal programs.” * The Sporting News | Angel Reese deserves better: Sky rookie’s Caitlin Clark comment went viral for all the wrong reasons: Reese’s full answer filled with praise for her teammates and the rest of the league wouldn’t fit into her neat narrative as a selfish villain. It was abruptly edited out. Predictably, her haters ate it up. Reese went on to explain the double standard that she and her teammates face. “My teammates have shared experiences where they’ve gotten their nose broken. This has been going on for a long time,” Reese explained.
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A look at the cuts that Rep. Crespo proposed
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
Rep. Crespo ended up voting against the revenue omnibus. * I went back and pulled up the video of House Appropriations-General Services Committee Chair Crespo’s floor comments from last week and turned them into bullet points. My additions are italicized…
* Hiring freeze for one year: “As was mirrored after California, where Governor Newsom says they’re facing a fiscal issue, suggested and proposed that they freeze their vacancies for a year.” [California’s budget deficit was $45 billion. Several Illinois agencies, including DCFS, IDFPR, IDOC etc., etc. are trying to ramp up employment after years of stagnation.] * “Address the weight loss drug coverage that was introduced in the BIMP language a year ago.” [As we previously discussed, last year’s expansion “will only account for a fraction of the total new cost increase.”] * 5 percent reserve on all discretionary GRF lines: “Agencies can use up to 95% of what they’re budgeted, come back in May, and if they needed the 5% then we would consider it if revenues were available. And we could do that without impacting the higher ed, MAP, Medicaid, the courts or constitutional officers. We did that in Fiscal Year 10. We did that in Fiscal Year 11. It’s not a novel concept.” Rep. Crespo said all of that totaled about a billion dollars. Discuss.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * We’re gonna give this a try to see if people find it useful…
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Liberty Justice Center lawsuit claims Illinois is operating an unconstitutional ’system of dragnet surveillance’
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Liberty Justice Center is behind the lawsuit. It’s affiliated with the Illinois Policy Institute. From ABC Chicago…
* Center Square…
* From the suit…
[Rich Miller contributed to this post.]
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Today’s must-read
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for more background on Governor Pritzker’s sports betting tax rate increase. Hannah Meisel of Capitol News Illinois breaks it all down…
* Illinois’ tax will be lower than four other states… ![]()
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Tuesday, Jun 4, 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 Dani, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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The House almost went off the rails last week (Updated)
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Speaker Welch has granted three interviews since the session ended, but he has yet to explain what really happened that night. …Adding… I posted this on the blog last week, but it might’ve been buried…
* Also, from Rep. Terra Costa Howard’s constituent newsletter…
She has not sent an update.
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Open thread
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Jun 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Judge considering whether slated candidates can appear on November ballot. Capitol News Illinois…
* Related stories… * WTTW | Illinois House Speaker Emphatic That Bears, Sox Won’t Get Public Funding for Stadiums: “As we’ve said to the Bears over and over again, to the White Sox, and also to the Chicago Red Stars, there’s just no appetite to use taxpayer funding to fund stadiums for billionaires,” House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told WTTW News in an interview Monday. “Even after the election.” Those four words — “even after the election” — send a strong signal that the teams don’t stand much of a chance. That’s because the post-election period is when lawmakers traditionally take their most risky votes because they’re either lame ducks not returning to public office, or at least further away from asking voters to be reelected. * Tribune | Dolton trustees override Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s veto, solidifying the hiring of Lori Lightfoot as special investigator: Trustee Jason House requested for the board to allow Lightfoot, who was present at the meeting, to make remarks after the vote. However, Henyard denied the request, which she called “political grandstanding” and encouraged a quick adjournment, angering many in the audience. Lightfoot still got up to the podium and managed to briefly address those in attendance before her microphone was shut off by village staff. She later released a statement commending the board’s decision to override the veto and stating her intention to complete a fair and thorough investigation. * Tribune | Bill aimed at assisting public defenders falls short this spring, backers say they’ll try again in fall: A measure to create a statewide office to assist under-resourced public defenders stalled in the Illinois General Assembly this spring, but the bill’s backers say they will try again when the legislature reconvenes in the fall. “We are going to try to filter as many new ideas or as many new perspectives through the committee process as possible so that we have a really good bill when it’s all said and done,” state Rep. Dave Vella, a Rockford Democrat and former Winnebago County assistant public defender, said Monday. * Tribune | House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch sued by staffers who say he thwarted their efforts to form union: About 20 House staff members have pressured Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, to recognize their efforts to form a union for more than a year, leading the speaker to sponsor a measure that would allow legislative staffers working at the state Capitol to organize. The measure passed through the House last year but has since stalled in the Senate. “We will not be put off, ignored or gaslit any longer,” the Illinois Legislative Staff Association said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. * Tribune | Legislation now before Gov. J.B. Pritzker: Mobile driver’s licenses, medical debt relief and a new state mushroom: Residents would be able to keep digitial versions of their driver’s licenses and other state IDs in their cellphones under legislation pushed by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. […] If Pritzker signs the bill, Giannoulias’ office will need to work out more details about how his office will implement and enforce mobile IDs. The secretary said he doesn’t have a timeline for when they will become available to the public. * Sen. John Curran | Gov. J.B. Pritzker should embrace instead of fight reforms to the Prisoner Review Board: A budget is a concrete list of priorities. And in this budget, and in his own words, the governor is saying that public safety is not a priority. We cannot continue to allow Pritzker and his activist Prisoner Review Board to continue their reckless ideological campaign at the expense of victims throughout our state. We must hold the governor accountable for his actions and push through reforms of the Prisoner Review Board before another family has to wonder, what if? * NBC Chicago | Illinois Secretary of State office impacted by data breach: In a statement to NBC 5 Responds, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office clarified that while their e-mail system was infiltrated, none of the agency’s databases, including those containing driver and vehicle records, were compromised. The office added that they’re strengthening their data security framework to protect against any future attacks. * Sun-Times | Illinois’ use of cameras that read license plates amounts to ‘dragnet surveillance,’ lawsuit alleges: The suit, filed last week by Cook County residents Stephanie Scholl and Frank Bednarz, names the state police, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Raoul as defendants. “Defendants are tracking anyone who drives to work in Cook County — or to school, or a grocery store, or a doctor’s office, or a pharmacy, or a political rally, or a romantic encounter, or family gathering — every day, without any reason to suspect anyone of anything, and are holding onto those whereabouts just in case they decide in the future that some citizen might be an appropriate target of law enforcement,” the suit said. * Center Square | Bill allowing IL drivers 3 unpaid tickets before suspension headed for governor: “HB277 is designed to modernize our procedures for people who receive tickets, minor traffic offenses, and fail to appear in court,” said [Rep. Justin Slaughter]. “Current law grants our judges the power to suspend an individual’s driver’s license if he or she fails to appear in court. From a fairness and equity perspective, this current process is creating a significant challenge for individuals at risk as they seek to hold onto their jobs.” * Daily Herald | Crate-free pork is on the rise in some Illinois grocery chains, but not everywhere: “Most people are totally disconnected to the story of the animals that feed us. They go into a grocery store and they see a shrink-wrapped package of pork,” said Jess Chipkin, founder of nonprofit Crate Free USA. “That’s why one of our goals is to spread awareness of how these animals are fed, how they live their lives — and there are other options.” […] Chipkin, who lives in Huntley, formed the organization in 2015 as Crate Free Illinois before expanding nationwide. The group leads campaigns to petition grocers including Aldi and Trader Joe’s to phase out gestation crates from their supply chains. * Crain’s | IBM eyes a quantum computing play in Chicago: The company won’t detail exactly what it has in mind. “At IBM, we are excited to see continuously growing interest and investment in quantum computing across Chicago and the state of Illinois,” Jay Gambetta, vice president of IBM Quantum, says in a statement. “We are working with partners such as the University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and members of The Bloch Quantum Tech Hub on several projects to advance our timeline of bringing useful quantum computing to the world, and are looking forward to being a part of other significant developments soon.” * Invisible Institute | What a new state task force can and can’t do — plus, police reform, city policy and community solutions: While the task force cannot enforce its own recommendations, which will be shared with the Illinois General Assembly and Gov. J.B. Pritzker by the end of 2024 (and on a yearly basis after), these recommendations could be the basis of future legislation. “All we can do is put information into legislation requiring [the Chicago Police Department] to do this and requiring them to do that,” Hunter says. Ultimately, enforcement would fall to the Illinois Attorney General’s office, says Hunter. * AP | Unusual mix of possible candidates line up for Chicago’s first school board elections this fall: “This is not a political race, this is a movement,” said rapper Che “Rhymefest” Smith, who is among dozens of hopefuls who filed fundraising paperwork. “Everyone in this city has a responsibility to the children who are going to be served.” Potential candidates are circulating petitions while educating voters about the inaugural contests. Many are parents, advocates and former educators making their first foray into politics, navigating a steep learning curve with little name recognition or cash. * Sun-Times | Columbia College Chicago lays off 70 staff members amid budget deficit: Columbia College Chicago announced this week it is laying off 70 staff members to reposition itself as a decline in enrollment has led to a growing budget shortfall. Another 32 vacant positions will be eliminated, a school spokesperson said in a statement. The school’s budget deficit has ballooned to an expected $38 million from about $20 million last year. * Crain’s | WBEZ union files unfair labor charge against Chicago Public Media: SAG-AFTRA, the union representing staff at WBEZ-FM, has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the parent company of the radio station Chicago Public Media today alleging that the organization refused “to provide information necessary (for them) to represent (their) members and enforce the union contract.” The union announced news of the filing on X today, adding that it marks the first time the union has filed a ULP charge against Chicago Public Media since the union was formed in 2013. * WGN | The reason Chicago’s lead pipe replacement plan is taking longer than expected: Dr. Deborah Carroll, director of the government finance research center at the University of Illinois at Chicago, joins Lisa Dent to explain why the City of Chicago has been slow with replacing lead service lines and what residents need to do if think their lines need to be replaced. * Sun-Times | Aurora mayor says Kane County sheriff’s decisions before police shooting led to ‘unfortunate loss of life’: Mayor Richard Irvin was referring to Sheriff Ron Hain’s order to seize the suspect’s car the night before the fatal shooting, “compromising” an undercover Aurora police operation to arrest the man safely. Hain called Irvin’s comments “reckless and inappropriate.” * Daily Herald | Suburbs face new dilemma with fate of grocery tax in their hands: Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig, the vice president of the municipal conference and its next president, said he is unsure if his town will enact a grocery tax. “I don’t know if I can do that,” Craig said. “I’ve been trying to keep our taxes low. It’s going to look like if I pass a tax, that’s a negative. If I pass the tax and others around us do not, it’s going to drive business to other communities.” * ABC Chicago | Waukegan City Council censures alderman for posting Facebook photo of severed arm found at beach: Alderman Keith Turner posted a photo on Facebook, showing a severed arm recently found at a Waukegan beach. […] Turner’s fellow alderpersons demanded Turner apologize to that missing woman’s family. But he said he feels he’s being targeted as a candidate for mayor. Mayor Ann Taylor did not respond directly to those allegations tonight. * Tribune | Burbank man pleads guilty to dousing police officers with hornet spray during Jan. 6 US Capitol attack: William Lewis, 57, of Burbank, entered his plea to a count of assaulting police officers during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., court records show. Preliminary sentencing guidelines call for 51-63 months in prison, according to Lewis’ plea agreement with prosecutors. Contreras is scheduled to sentence Lewis on Dec. 16. * ESPN | Bears chairman George McCaskey’s amazing side gig: One of the umpires that day would have more on his mind than calling balls and strikes. Chicago Bears chairman George McCaskey has been officiating youth sports since his football coach at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles, Illinois, asked if any players wanted to ref Pop Warner football. About 50 years later, McCaskey was working home plate for a high school baseball game in a small town a little over an hour west of Chicago. But McCaskey had something else going on that morning: It was the third day of the NFL draft. * Tribune | A young mother’s murder horrified central Illinois. Decades later, the family convicted in her death says DNA proves they’re innocent: Macon County prosecutors built a case entirely on circumstantial evidence, some of it considered at the time to be cutting-edge forensics — dog hair DNA analysis and comparisons of concrete and cinder samples. In the end, they convinced a jury that the elder Slovers murdered their former daughter-in-law, with their son’s tacit approval, to stop her from taking her 3-year-old son and moving out of state. In the two decades since the Slovers were sent to prison, the salacious details of their case have become fodder for the burgeoning true-crime entertainment industry. All the while, the Slovers have insisted they’re innocent and fought in court to clear their names. * Huff Post | Teamsters Memo Signals Rift Between Major Unions: Teamsters President Sean O’Brien sent a memo to the union’s officers and organizers on May 23 informing them he had nullified their “no-raid” agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), according to a copy of the memo obtained by HuffPost. No-raid agreements forbid unions from trying to organize one another’s members so that they defect to the other union. The AFL-CIO has a long-standing policy that bars raiding among its member groups, but the Teamsters are not part of the 60-union labor federation, only the IAM is. * The Atlantic | The One Downside of Gender Equality in Sports: The arrival of a dynamite WNBA rookie class, headlined by the sensational Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, has prompted an explosion of coverage of women’s basketball. But—and perhaps I should have anticipated this—the surge in popularity has come at a cost. Ill-informed male sports analysts are suddenly chiming in about the league and its players, offering narratives untethered to facts and occasionally making me long for the days when the WNBA largely flew under the radar.
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Tuesday, Jun 4, 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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