Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What are y’all’s food recs for the DNC?…

The Redneck Fishing Tournament, an annual quest to have fun while ridding the Illinois River of an invasive species, is ready for another run this summer.

The tournament, hosted by the 279 residents of Bath, takes place along the Illinois River, which forms the western border of the village. This year’s event will be Aug 1-3. Activities on the first day are dominated by a kids’ fishing tournament.

The tournament is a blend of fun and a serious mission. The fun is the festivities and the fishing. The serious part is fundraising and trying to reduce the number of copi, formerly known as Asian carp, in the Illinois River.

“Ugly fish, cold beer, good causes and great times. If you haven’t experienced the Redneck Fishing Tournament, you owe it to yourself to check it out,” said tournament organizer Nikki Gregerson.

* The top copi catchers…

If you’re curious you can try copi during the State Fair at Conservation World.

*** DNC***

* Sun-Times | Where Chicago DNC hosts will get the parties started: The Chicago 2024 Host Committee on Wednesday announced the locations of the three giant parties it is throwing to kick off the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The convention runs Aug. 19-22, with thousands of delegates and journalists expected to begin arriving the weekend before.

* The Triibe | Chicago Police to get the bulk of $75 million in DNC security funds: The document states that $26.7 million of the DOJ funds will be spent on personnel. Of that, more than $17.6 million is allocated to CPD for personnel, including operations and training, as well as regular and overtime pay. The Fire Department will get $4.7 million for operational and personnel costs. The OEMC will receive nearly $800,000 for the event. Another $3.7 million is going toward “Asset Protection Personnel,” according to the budget document. In an emailed statement, the OBM said the Asset Protection Program “is typically a term used to describe strategies and measures implemented by governments to safeguard valuable assets from risks or loss.” However, OBM could not disclose whether the program is part of another agency or a standalone entity.

* CBS Chicago | Chicago’s DNC Organizers Hosting Virtual Community Impact Meetings For Residents: These meetings come after neighbors who live near the United Center have said they’re concerned about the effect of all the tight security restrictions and large crowds. Police and the Secret Service addressed just those concerns. In July, officials unveiled the security perimeters around both the United Center and McCormick Place during the DNC. The secure areas for the convention are divided into a vehicle-screening perimeter and a pedestrian-restricted perimeter.

* Tribune | Chicago business owners unsure if they’ll see DNC business boost: Owner Rick Cheng speculated that diners might be trying to avoid the area during the Democratic National Convention. The Oyster House, at 1933 S. Indiana Ave., is located within the security perimeter outside of McCormick Place. […] Cheng said that typically people booking private parties during other large conventions book reservations months in advance. For the DNC, during which Chicago expects 50,000 visitors to descend upon the city, Cheng said, “We got nada.”

* Block Club Chicago | Illinois Black Panther Party Honored In New Exhibit Ahead Of DNC: When the Democratic National Convention came to Chicago in 1968, the Illinois Black Panther Party was just beginning. That August 56 years ago, Bobby Rush, Bob Brown and Fred Hampton came together to found the party’s Chicago chapter. Now — ahead of another Democratic National Convention in the Windy City — the Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave., and the Historical Preservation Society of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party are honoring the Illinois chapter’s history of Black political struggle in a new exhibit.

*** Chicago ***

* Injustice Watch | Rising rents, unlivable apartments leave tenants desperate, confused, and often helpless: An Injustice Watch investigation found thousands of lower-income renters in Chicago are trapped in unsafe buildings, forced to pay rising rents, even as many landlords are allowed to shirk their responsibilities to keep buildings safe, warm, and free of rats.

* People’s Fabric | “Y’all jump out on us every day”—Tactical team that killed Dexter Reed was involved in a shooting 24 hours earlier: The new videos from March 20 show the squad who killed Reed rolling through the same West Side neighborhood with another unmarked police SUV. Nine plainclothes tactical officers stop and hop out of their vehicle to search a man sitting in a chair on the sidewalk, citing a “large bulge” in his waistband on their investigatory stop report. Cops ultimately found nothing. Within seconds, however, the encounter turned fatal—not for a human, but somebody’s pet. Body-worn camera videos activated after the fact capture, without audio, officer Michael Ambrose pumping multiple rounds into a gray pit bull who approached him excitedly.

* Crain’s | Climate change is slowing moves from the Snow Belt to Sun Belt: The implications for Chicago and other cold-climate cities are obvious in a study that says “the U.S. population is starting to move away from areas increasingly exposed to extreme heat days toward historically colder areas, which are becoming more attractive as extreme cold days become increasingly rare.”

* Crain’s | American Bar Association names new president: Thompson Coburn partner Bill Bay has been tapped as the next president of the Chicago-based American Bar Association. Having served as chair of the ABA house of delegates and chair of the ABA section on litigation, Bay brings experience to the role, which he assumed yesterday following the close of the ABA house of delegates meeting in Chicago. He replaces Mary Smith.

* Block Club | Cellphone Thefts Ruin Lollapalooza For Some, But Fest Arrests Down: The music festival, which ran Thursday-Sunday in Grant Park, saw arrests drop to a five-year low, with nine arrests made and seven citations issued, according to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. There were 63 ambulance transports made over the course of the fest. […] But cellphone thefts remain a stubborn problem at Lollapalooza.

* NBC Chicago | Meet ‘Oscar from Chicago,’ Lollapalooza fan plucked from crowd to drum with The Killers: NBC Chicago caught up with the lucky fan, 20-year-old Oscar Reza Bautista, on Monday. “I had seen people play the drums with them before, and I said, ‘I want to be one of them,’” Reza Bautista said. “Brandon starts looking at my sign and pointing at it, and everything starts shaking.”

* Tribune | ‘Hot Ones’ live event coming to Chicago on Aug. 28: Stella Artois will host the event Aug. 28 at Moonlight Studios from 6-9 p.m. as part of Stella Artois’ Let’s Do Dinner Summer Series. The series will also have stops in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York City. More than 300 contestants at the event will take part in the “Wings of Death” in an eat-along experience with 10 mouth-watering hot sauces. Evans will be joined by a special celebrity guest, who will be announced the week before the event.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Capitol News Illinois | South suburban airport could bring over $1B in economic activity, per report: A study from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, a think tank with ties to organized labor, found that building a cargo-focused airport in the south suburbs would create around 6,300 total jobs. […] The Illinois General Assembly has recently taken several steps to advance progress on the long-delayed south suburban airport. In 2023, state legislators passed a law requiring the Illinois Department of Transportation to develop a process for requesting contractors and other developers to submit plans.

* Daily Herald | Jury orders city of Naperville to pay $22.5M in damages connected to wrongful conviction in arson, murder: A federal jury awarded the damages to William Amor’s estate, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday. […] He spent 22 years in prison before a judge ruled that advances in fire science proved descriptions in his confession were impossible. The judge later acquitted him. Amor filed a federal lawsuit against the city in 2018. He died last year before the case went to trial.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville police make 21st gun-related arrest in Topgolf parking lot since August 2023: Officers approached Altman-McCray and another person after they retuned to the vehicle and found that while Altman-McCray possessed a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card and Concealed Carry License, he had improperly stowed the weapon and was in possession of the firearm while allegedly intoxicated, Munch said. […] Naperville police also have been making arrests on drug-related charges outside the facility in recent weeks.

* Daily Herald | ‘Everything was gone’: Burglars tunnel through stores to steal $1.5M in jewelry from Woodfield: Schaumburg police said the crime was discovered by a construction worker who entered a vacant store adjacent to Marquise Jewelry at about 9:30 a.m. Monday and reported a hole in the drywall. Police said they found the suspects covered one of the surveillance cameras to avoid detection. More disturbing was how the burglars gained access to their store. The couple found a small hole in the wall, and later learned from police the burglars cut through the walls of three other businesses to get to their jewelry store.

* Patch | Will County Brewing Company Closes Channahon Bar For Good: About a year and a half after Will County Brewing Company opened their second location, taking over the shuttered River Hawk Brewery along Route 6, the owners of the Shorewood-based microbrewery have decided that enough is enough, it’s time to close the Channahon location forever.

*** Downstate ***

* WICS | Pork Patio serves up family favorites at Illinois State Fair: The menu will feature budget friendly classics, including chop on-a-stick, pork twister, pork burgers, pork chops, and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. JBS, Smithfield, Tyson, and Rantoul Foods have generously donated pork for the patio. Illinois pig farmers, industry organizations, sports teams, and other volunteers graciously spend time working shifts at the fair to serve customers and make the patio a success.

* WPSD | Southern Illinois sinkhole causes apartment building to ‘fall into the earth’: A sinkhole forced three families to evacuate Sunday, Aug. 4, after shifting an apartment building 23 inches, according to Carrier Mills Police Chief Scott Isaacs. […] The sinkhole was discovered Sunday morning when a spouse of a city street department employee was traveling on Russell Street and noticed the road had buckled, according to Isaacs.

* River Bender | Southern Illinois University Carbondale Faculty Secure New Contract: The agreement not only provides salary adjustments for faculty but also reforms office hour policies to encourage more comprehensive student engagement, and it provides support for program directors and coordinators who work to recruit and grow students in programs across campus.

* WSIL | Carterville’s National Night Out helps the community meet their local police officers: Officer Travis Morgan hopes these events help remove any divides between the police and the people they serve. “But I’m big on the personal relationship between the police and the community. Especially since becoming a school resource officer and seeing the kids recognize you,” Morgan says. “So tonight it’s a good time. It’s great for the kids and the families.”

*** National ***

* AP | NASA delays next crew launch to buy more time at the space station for Boeing’s troubled capsule: Tuesday marked the two-month point at the space station for Starliner’s test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who should have been back by mid-June. NASA is weighing all its options for returning the two veteran astronauts, including a ride home in a SpaceX capsule. “NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft’s readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner’s return,” NASA said in a statement. Further details were expected at a news conference set for Wednesday.

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Your moment of zen

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Thousands of rubber ducks were dumped in the Chicago River today to benefit Special Olympics Illinois. Photo from Colin Boyle, one of my favorite Chicago photojournalists…

Duck Derby 🦆 pic.twitter.com/bKXknBinyk

— Colin Boyle (@colinbphoto) August 7, 2024

* WGN…

The Ducky Derby will raise more than $300,000 for Special Olympics Illinois athletes. Ducks can still be purchased for $10 each right up until the massive dump truck of rubber ducks is poured off the Columbus Bridge and into the river.

Ashley Jones, this year’s Special Olympics Illinois Ambassador, will race down and pluck the lucky duck that wins the race out of the river.

“I’m so excited,” said Jones, a 13-time Special Olympian with gold medals in gymnastics several years in a row. […]

“I’ve been able to see her make a lot of friends, grow a lot of leadership skills,” Tatiana Jones, Ashley’s sister, says. “She’s had an opportunity to travel, have fun, participate in a lot of sports, and have once-in-a-lifetime experiences like this.”

You can watch the Ducky Derby live by clicking here.

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Pritzker calls for Sangamon County Sheriff Campbell’s resignation (Updated x3)

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. Governor Pritzker at an unrelated news conference this morning…

Amanda Vinicky: Could speak about you why are you calling for the resignation of the Sangamon County Sheriff? And also, I believe, you committed to the Massey family that you would sign a bill in her name?

Governor Pritzker: That’s a little inaccurate. We had a conversation about it. There wasn’t a bill. There were some ideas that were discussed when I visited with the Massey family.

But let me just begin by reminding everybody of this terrible tragedy and something that never should happen anywhere in the United States, let alone in the state of Illinois or in Sangamon County. Where a woman who called police to get help, asked them to protect her was instead killed by the deputy sheriff. And if you watch the video, in a horrific fashion.

I can’t get past the idea that we have to do more to protect people. We’ve done a lot, and I want to credit the Illinois State Police, who did the investigation in a very short 10 days. That’s hard to do, to do an investigation, because you’ve got to do a lot of interviews. It’s a, you know, I think a fulsome endeavor and came to the state’s attorney, who immediately was able to get a grand jury to file charges. So it happened in a quick fashion as it can. But it never should have happened in the first place.

And I talked to one of the Black elected leaders in Illinois just after it happened, to get her perspective and she shared with me because I was so upset about it. She shared with me that even though, yeah, we haven’t made enough progress. She said to me that, you know, in years past, there never would have been an investigation. There wouldn’t have been a body cam. No one would have known what really happened. And maybe the silver lining, if there is a silver lining in this, is that someone is being held accountable. And yet we have much more to do.

So, yes, I sat with the Massey family and promised them that we would look at every avenue to determine how we might prevent this from happening to anyone ever again.

And I called for the Sheriff’s resignation, because the sheriff has failed. He has failed to explain how he ended up hiring this deputy sheriff who has been fired from other departments. He failed to put forward reforms that clearly need to be made, training and other reforms.

And [Campbell] still has failed to meet with the Massey family. That seems to me, I’m not saying that’s a fireable offense to not meet with them. But that just seems outrageous to me. At a minimum, listen to them, hear them and then, hopefully, take action.

So that’s why I called, and the Lieutenant Governor and I did that together, just to be clear, called for his resignation.

…Adding… WAND reporter Caryn Eisert has Sheriff Campbell’s response…

I was overwhelmingly elected to lead the Sheriff’s Office through both good times and bad. I am fully prepared to continue leading my office and serving the residents of Sangamon County through this difficult period, ensuring we learn from this tragedy and work toward a better future.

* Campbell’s full statement…

The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office continues to grieve for Sonya Massey and her family. While our grief cannot compare to the pain of the family, our office is trying to heal from within; All employees of the Sheriff’s Office feel betrayed by one of their own.

On four separate occasions, I have requested to meet with the Massey family through intermediaries designated by the family. My requests have been rejected or not accepted. I am still willing to meet with the family.

The Sheriff’s Office is willing to modify our hiring practices in order to prevent an incident like this from occurring again. However, before changes can be made, it is important to identify the problem. We have used a process that we believe was consistent with statewide standards. If these standards are deficient, we would advocate a change at all necessary levels.

We are working diligently to gather all the facts in order to make intelligent decisions and to avoid making changes that are unlikely to lead to meaningful results. I agree with the Governor’s comments from yesterday, there are still questions. I have worked tirelessly to make all the facts available to the public as swiftly and transparently as possible.

I am committed to working with our community and elected leaders to improve not only the Sheriff’s Office but also hiring standards on a statewide level to prevent a state agency from certifying a similar law enforcement officer six different times in the future.

We need to unite and heal. The one responsible is in jail and will never work in law enforcement again. Calls for my resignation are nothing more than political maneuvering during a tragic event and only hurt the good citizens of Sangamon County.

I was overwhelmingly elected to lead the Sheriff’s Office through both good times and bad. I am fully prepared to continue leading my office and serving the residents of Sangamon County through this difficult period, ensuring we learn from this tragedy and work toward a better future.

…Adding… The governor pushed back on Campbell’s statement during his second press conference of the day…

It’s been a month. It’s been a month. We should have seen already a meeting with the Massey family. If he’s reached out, he hasn’t done a very good job, because the Massey family hasn’t had the meeting that they’ve asked for.

Second, as you know, the deputy sheriff resigned from every position. [Sean Grayson] held positions for less than a year, sometimes for just a few months, six times resigned. And I ask the question simply, and I think people have for a month now, what did the sheriff know about his background? Why didn’t he do more work on his background before hiring him? And a month has gone by again. A lot could have been said about that over the course of this month.

And the final thing is, this isn’t about politics. It’s about bringing people together in Sangamon County and making people feel safe. It’s the sheriff’s job to make people feel safe, and he’s done the opposite of that by not answering questions, by going to a church and beginning his remarks by saying, I’m not resigning, like as if that’s the first thing people want to hear. And then there are signs that have been put up about saving him, not doing something about the murder of Sonia Massey, but about saving his political career. So I think he’s the one that’s played politics. It’s time for him to go.

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Pritzker signs three abortion-related bills

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* AP…

Abortion was slightly more common across the U.S. in the first three months of this year than it was before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and cleared the way for states to implement bans, a report released Wednesday found.

A major reason for the increase is that some Democratic-controlled states enacted laws to protect doctors who use telemedicine to see patients in places that have abortion bans, according to the quarterly #WeCount report for the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion access. […]

Fallout from the Supreme Court’s June 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has remade the way abortion works across the country. The #WeCount data, which has been collected in a monthly survey since April 2022, shows how those providing and seeking abortion have adapted to changing laws.

The survey found that the number of abortions fell to nearly zero in states that ban abortion in all stages of pregnancy and declined by about half in places that ban it after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Fourteen states are enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions, and four others bar it after about six weeks of pregnancy. [.,.]

Numbers went up in places where abortion remains legal until further into pregnancy — and especially in states such as Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico, which border states with bans.

* From the report…

During the period of January-March 2024, states that provided the largest average number of abortions per month included California (16,217), New York (9,660), Illinois (8,243), Florida (7,470), and New Jersey (4,983)

In June, WTTW reported 25% of Planned Parenthood of Illinois patients are from out of state — compared to about 4% pre-Dobbs.

* Governor JB Pritzker…

Today Governor JB Pritzker, joined by legislators, civil rights leaders, and activists, signed multiple bills designed to further protect reproductive rights in Illinois. The package of bills signed includes HB581, which ensures that pregnant women can access needed emergency medical care, HB5239, which expands Illinois’ shield laws, and HB4867, which clarifies and expands the Illinois Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on reproductive health decisions.

“It is no longer enough to legislate for the current moment. We sadly have to anticipate a future when the Supreme Court and other bad actors further restrict and punish women seeking to exercise their medical rights and control over their bodies. These new laws will ensure that women in Illinois and those travelling from out of state can avoid persecution and discrimination on every level,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These laws work together alongside the legislation my administration has already put in place to ensure providers and patients alike can make the best decisions for themselves, their bodies, and their families without fear of retribution or legal liability from hostile states.”

“These bills ensure that medical decisions remain where they belong - in the hands of individuals and their doctors,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “Our state is committed to being a place where the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare is accessible and respected. The legislation signed today ensures that Illinois remains a beacon of hope and personal freedom.”

The Illinois response to EMTALA was passed due to concerns that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the federal EMTALA, which protects people’s right to stabilizing emergency care, including abortion when it is necessary to save the life or health of a patient. The passage of HB5239 ensures that doctors can continue to provide, and women can continue to receive, life and health saving reproductive care even if the federal legal standards change.

Illinois has passed legislation that shields both providers and patients who travel to Illinois from being punished by states with draconian abortion and gender affirming care restrictions. In January of 2023, Governor Pritzker enacted an interstate shield law protecting providers, patients, and those who assist patients in any way from licensure consequences and out of state legal actions. HB5239 further expands these protections. Under the law, state and local jurisdictions cannot provide any information or expend any resources to help an out of state entity investigate legal healthcare, including abortions or gender affirming care, provided in Illinois.

HB4867 adds reproductive health decisions to the Illinois Human Rights Act. Reproductive health decisions include a broad continuum of personal decisions regarding abortion and birth control, fertility or sterilization care, miscarriage management care, assisted reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization, and prenatal, intranatal, and postnatal care.

HB 4867 clarifies and extends existing anti-discrimination protections by ensuring Illinoisans have the right to engage in reproductive health decision-making without facing discrimination. It also complements existing protections found in the Reproductive Health Act, which protects Illinoisans from State of Illinois interference with the fundamental rights of individuals to make autonomous decisions about their reproductive health. The Reproductive Health Decisions bill further protects Illinoisans from discrimination based on those decisions.

The protections apply across all areas of the Act, including employment, housing and real estate, financial credit, and public accommodations. Under this amendment, it would be a civil rights violation for:

An employer to terminate an employee for seeking to start or expand their family with the assistance of in-vitro fertilization
A housing provider to refuse a prospective tenant an apartment rental because the person had an abortion
A bank or credit union to deny an applicant a loan or credit because it would be used for fertility treatments

“Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states around the country have enacted draconian measures to restrict patients’ access to critical reproductive health care – at the expense of patients’ health and lives,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “My office is proud to continue to partner with Gov. Pritzker’s administration to draft legislation and identify new avenues to ensure Illinois is a safe haven for patients to access comprehensive abortion and gender-affirming care. I am committed to using the authority of my office to continue to defend against legal challenges to our laws that preserve Illinois as an oasis of reproductive health care.”

“Illinois stands as a sanctuary for all who seek to make personal health care decisions in privacy and safety,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “These new laws reflect our unwavering commitment to protecting and valuing the rights of every individual.”

“Regardless of what happens at the federal level, or any decisions made by an extremist Supreme Court, in Illinois we believe that equitable access to safe reproductive health care is a fundamental right,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. “In Illinois, people seeking health care won’t be criminalized, providers will never be forced to abandon their patients, and we will remain a safe haven for anyone in need of lifesaving care. I want to thank Reps. Cassidy, Moeller, Avelar, as well as the rest of our House Reproductive Health Working Group for their commitment to ensuring Illinois has the strongest protections possible.”

* Sen. Celina Villanueva…

A new law from State Senator Celina Villanueva will ensure reproductive health care records are not being improperly disclosed.

“As we navigate the war on reproductive rights, preventative laws like this are essential in counteracting restrictive and overarching laws of other states,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “As a safe haven state, it is our responsibility to reinforce state-level protections where federal protections have failed us.”

Last year Villanueva led House Bill 4664 – a law to shield out-of-state patients and in-state providers from legal action originating from other states regarding abortions performed here. To expand upon that measure and provide further protections, Villanueva championed House Bill 5239 this year.

The law will ensure that location information and health records for reproductive health care performed in Illinois will not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Further, it will ensure that units of local governments could not assist in imposing a civil or criminal liability against a person or provider who received reproductive or gender affirming care in Illinois.

“While federal protections are important, they have made it clear that state-level protections are crucial in safeguarding reproductive rights,” said Villanueva. “This law stands to uphold state autonomy as we continue to make reproductive healthcare a priority.”

House Bill 5239 was signed into law Wednesday and is effective immediately.

* Sen. Laura Fine…

o further safeguard patients from discriminatory practices based on their reproductive health decisions, State Senator Laura Fine spearheaded a law that adds additional protections under the Human Rights Act.

“Reproductive health and family planning decisions are personal and it is important that there are laws in place to ensure these rights are upheld in Illinois,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “These additions to the Human Rights Act will provide necessary protections.”

House Bill 4867 will protect against unlawful discrimination for individuals who exercise their reproductive health rights. The law adds “reproductive health decisions” as a vital protection under the Human Rights Act. This ensures an individual is not discriminated against in employment or housing for their reproductive health decisions, including the use of contraception, fertility or sterilization care, assisted reproductive technologies, miscarriage management care, health care related to the continuation or termination of pregnancy, and prenatal, intranatal and postnatal care.

“Illinois supports individuals making personal health care choices,” said Fine. “This law will help individuals feel protected.”

House Bill 4867 was signed into law Wednesday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* Sen. Celina Villanueva…

State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a newly signed law to continue to support reproductive health care, as anti-choice action threatens to infringe on people’s rights.

“These persistent anti-choice attacks are intolerable and protections are absolutely necessary,” said Villanueva (D – Chicago). “Women throughout Illinois and beyond have a constitutional right to access vital life-saving care and medically necessary services.”

House Bill 581 protects Illinois patients from another pending Supreme Court rollback of reproductive rights by ensuring Illinois hospitals must provide any medically necessary services—including abortion services—to stabilize a patient at risk of severe injury or death.

Villanueva’s measure came as the Supreme Court heard Moyle v. Idaho. This case questioned whether Idaho’s total abortion ban is exempt from the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. Idaho argued that it should be exempt, which would have undermined critical patient protections in cases of severe pregnancy complications. The Supreme Court dismissed the case – putting it back in the hands of Idaho’s Ninth Circuit Court. However, it is expected the case will once again be heard before SCOTUS in the future – further securing the need for Illinois to ensure these protections remain in place and impose civil penalties on hospitals that refuse to provide lifesaving abortion procedures through House Bill 581.

“Maintaining and reinforcing measures that ensure the well-being and inalienable rights of women in Illinois will always be a priority,” said Villanueva. “By strengthening our reproductive health care laws to support the delicate process of bringing life into this world we are able to protect women in a nation that is committed to denying our rights.”

House Bill 581 was signed into law Wednesday and is effective immediately.

* Rep. Dagmara Avelar…

Today, Governor Pritzker signed into law House Bill 581, sponsored by Representative Dagmara ‘Dee’ Avelar, D-Romeoville, which will proactively protect women’s right to life-saving care from being restricted by adverse rulings from the Supreme Court of the United States.

“Today, Illinois stands as a model of compassion and care, reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that no pregnant person facing a medical crisis is denied the care they need,” said Representative Dagmara ‘Dee’ Avelar, D-Romeoville. “Unfortunately, we are being forced to take action as the recent decisions by the anti-choice majority on the Supreme Court has put the lives and wellbeing of millions of women at risk. I am proud to stand with Governor Pritzker and my colleagues in the General Assembly to remove the possibility of a Supreme Court ruling restricting the ability of pregnant people to receive the unfettered professional care that is their right.”

Although currently protected by federal law, the Supreme Court’s anti-choice majority deferred a ruling in Moyle v Idaho, a case that would exempt Idaho’s total abortion ban from the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). Idaho has presented the Court with an argument that, if accepted, would dismantle critical patient protections in cases involving severe pregnancy complications. The court’s decision has kept open the possibility that they may interfere with women’s ability to access lifesaving care on very short notice.

Should the Supreme Court again strike down federal protections for patient health, House Bill 581 would ensure these protections remain in place in Illinois and would impose civil penalties on hospitals that refuse to provide lifesaving abortion procedures.

With the passage of this bill into law, women, and all pregnant people, will not have to worry about accessing lifesaving treatment in Illinois.

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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation

Wednesday, Aug 7, 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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Open thread

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

4 Comments

Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois!

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

In less than one year, a new law will create credit card chaos for millions of Illinois consumers, small business owners and workers who rely on tips. The law changes how your credit card is processed and has never been done anywhere in the world. The end result is windfall for corporate mega-stores paid for through costly operational hurdles for small businesses and a loss of convenience and privacy for consumers who could have to pay tax and gratuity with cash. There’s still time to protect Illinois small business owners, consumers and workers by repealing the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act now! For more information, visit guardyourcard.com/Illinois.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Aug 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker sees the writing on the Walz — calls Minnesota governor chosen for VP slot ‘kind and decent human being.’Sun-Times…

Viewed by many as a dark horse candidate, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not been selected to serve as Kamala Harris’ running mate.

Harris instead chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential candidate on Tuesday. Elected to Congress in 2007, he has served as the governor of Minnesota since 2019. Walz, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly were widely viewed as the final contenders. […]

Speaking at a bill-signing in Chicago on Tuesday, Pritzker said he was “torn” about being considered as a vice presidential candidate and called the vetting “a grueling, long process,” despite it being an abbreviated one. […]

Pritzker would not definitively say whether he is considering a third run for governor in 2026 or would consider taking over for Walz as chair of the governors association should the ticket win.

“At the moment, I’m just focused on the job that I’ve got,” he said. He also said that he has not contemplated a Cabinet position should Democrats win.

* Related stories…

∙ WTTW: Kamala Harris Did Not Pick JB Pritzker as Her Running Mate, but the Illinois Governor’s National Profile Has Only Grown
∙ Tribune: Kamala Harris’ choice of Tim Walz leaves questions for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s political future
∙ Daily Herald: Local DNC delegates like Harris’ pick Gov. Tim Walz’s chops as veteran, congressman, quipster

Governor Pritzker will sign bills expanding reproductive rights access at 10 am. Then, at 3 pm the governor will unveil the 2024 Illinois State Fair Butter Cow at the State Fairgrounds. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | The nightmare is over: Chicago White Sox snap historic 21-game losing streak with 5-1 win: It was the team’s first victory since the first game of a July 10 doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field. That was nearly a month ago. The skid ends with the Sox tied with the 1988 Baltimore Orioles for the second-longest losing streak in major-league history.

Imagine telling someone on July 10 that before the White Sox win another game, Kamala Harris would've picked her running mate.

— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) August 6, 2024

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Johnson calls off plans for special meeting to confirm Sigcho-Lopez as Zoning chair: Unable to attract a quorum, Mayor Brandon Johnson has abandoned plans to interrupt the Chicago City Council’s summer recess to install Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) as Zoning Committee chair. “We never meet in August. August has traditionally has been the month off for all of the City Council. I know many of my colleagues are traveling. I’m getting ready to go to a family reunion,” said Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell (3rd).

* Crain’s | Johnson under pressure as budget gap could reach nearly $1 billion: “All options are on the table” for Mayor Brandon Johnson as his administration prepares for a significantly larger budget gap in 2025 than the $538 million shortfall he closed after taking office last year, according to the city’s budget director. When the city announced the $538 million gap last year in its annual forecast, officials projected a $986 million gap for 2025 under a baseline economic outlook. Budget Director Annette Guzman has met with members of the City Council and department leaders in recent weeks to warn the outlook hasn’t changed much in the last year.

* Sun-Times | Before gunfight with Dexter Reed, Chicago cops made 50 traffic stops in just 3 days: In the wake of the shooting, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling has pushed to overhaul the department’s controversial traffic stop practices under an ongoing federal consent decree. Advocates and activists argue the pace of court-ordered reform is too slow to address a pressing issue that was brought into sharp focus when Reed was fatally shot. Many have called on the department to immediately disband its tactical units and to stop making traffic stops as an excuse to conduct searches.

* The Triibe | How Chicago’s young peacekeepers build up community to bring down violence: Through its summer Peacekeepers pilot program, GKMC is building on the heart of its mission, using healing, restorative justice practices and a holistic approach to violence prevention. This approach addresses the root causes of violence rather than taking a punitive approach, and the program makes space for “young people to be the peacekeepers and the changemakers,” said Carlil Pittman, executive director of GKMC, and brother of Carleeta Pittman.

* Sun-Times | Greyhound to be booted from West Loop station by mid-September, CEO says — so city must act now: Greyhound and other bus carriers are set to be evicted from their longtime station in the West Loop in mid-September. The city hasn’t offered a viable alternative with indoor accommodations. The bus lines’ mostly low-income riders may soon find themselves waiting outdoors with their belongings and without restrooms or protection from harsh weather.

* WBBM | Once vacant lot in Chicago’s South Side Bronzeville now a sanctuary: The new outdoor space at Martin Luther King Drive in East 47th Street in Bronzeville offers the community a green space to enjoy. The ribbon cutting ceremony for the South Side Sanctuary plaza featured an opening from the King College Prep High School marching band and included local vendors, selling food, drinks and merchandise.

* Block Club | Bea Lumpkin, Chicago Labor Legend, Marks 106th Birthday As She Keeps Up The Fight For Workers’ Rights: The labor organizer, who has been active since the ’30s, celebrated her birthday with retired steelworkers this week — but only after speaking on the presidential race, union contracts, intergenerational unity and other causes that have defined her life.

* Block Club | Christkindlmarket Will Not Return To Wrigleyville In 2024: Organizers of the popular Christkindlmarket announced the German-style outdoor market will not return to Wrigley Field’s Gallagher Way in 2024. “Due to the NHL Winter classic and additional programming, the Christkindlmarket will not take place in Wrigleyville at Gallagher Way this year,” the market’s organizers wrote in a statement. “(We) regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate the community’s understanding and we look forward to returning to Lakeview in future years.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | How Palatine plans to jump start development near Dundee Road and Route 53: While taxing bodies collect property taxes from the frozen value, dollars from new growth go into a fund that can be used to cover infrastructure costs in the project area. The new TIF district includes 17 parcels and 24 buildings on 44 acres.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Massey family holds vigil one month after her death: The vigil packed the small street. Her family, who is still processing it all, said the support has helped them a long these thirty days, but their path towards healing will go much longer. “The community has been awesome and great for us, with us being together, and not just the Massey family having to do this by ourselves,” [Shadia Massey, Sonya’s cousin] said.

* WGLT | An effort would let voters weigh in on the Sangamon County Sheriff’s job: Campbell’s term as sheriff won’t end until 2026. The ballot initiative would be non-binding, so Campbell, 60, would not be forced to leave no matter the outcome.

* WGEM | ‘That is fiscal insanity’: Western Illinois University board approves staff reduction: In a special board of trustees meeting early Tuesday morning, Western Illinois University administration unanimously received approval to proceed with more layoffs. This comes as Western is trying to balance a $20 million budget deficit. However, the question as to how many employees will be laid off still remains. Administrators would not release a number.

* SJ-R | Illinois State Fair, art showcase and more: 5 things to do around Springfield: The first week of the Illinois State Fair means fun for the whole family and enough sugary food to keep kids bouncing the entire day. But the fair isn’t the only thing going on this weekend. Here’s a look at five things to do in the Springfield area this weekend.

* Shaw Local | It’s (almost) showtime at the Illinois State Fair: The Illinois State Fair will kick off this week in Springfield with music, a parade and plenty of food. Illinois 4-H will serve as the grand marshals of this year’s Twilight Parade, celebrating youth involved in the state’s No. 1 industry.

* WCIA | Meet the traveling plumber representing Central Illinois in a national competition: Now, Hall is taking those traits to the next level. He won the Illinois Pipe Trades Plumbing Championship for Apprentices in the spring. […] Hall’s next stop is the national competition in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He’ll be competing against six others in the plumbing category.

*** National ***

* Reuters | US judge describes how Google built and defended illegal search monopoly: U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta on Monday ruled that Google had violated antitrust law by spending billions of dollars to secure exclusive agreements with developers, carriers and equipment makers to be the default search engine. […] “Sure, users can access Google’s rivals by switching the default search access point or by downloading a rival search app or browser. But the market reality is that users rarely do so.”

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