Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WIFR…
* SOS for Alexi Giannoulias… ![]() * JB for Governor…
* Here you go…
* Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce her VP Tuesday…
* Sun-Times | Chicago abortion providers brace for new clients seeking care after Iowa ban takes effect: Planned Parenthood clinics have been treating triple the amount of patients from Iowa compared with before the Dobbs decision, the organization told the Sun-Times. The majority of patients from Iowa are visiting clinics in Aurora, Peoria, Springfield and Ottawa. And the nonprofit is now anticipating even more Iowans coming to Illinois for care. * WBEZ | CPD traffic stops are down this year, but critics say there are still too many: Officers made roughly 130,000 fewer traffic stops from January through July 15 of this year — a more than 40% decrease — compared to the same period in 2023, according to a WBEZ analysis of Chicago Police Department (CPD) data obtained through a records request. The recent decline largely coincides with the start of CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling’s term. Traffic stops have decreased nearly every month since the beginning of his tenure in late September last year. * Sun-Times | Chicago restaurants are crafting special cocktails for Democratic National Convention: For those in search of more bitter tastes, Malört is currently offering “I Malörted” stickers to anyone brave enough to throw back a shot of the infamous spirit at select bars in Chicago and throughout the U.S. A list of participating establishments can be found at imalorted.com. * WBEZ | A Chicago orchestra preps for its Lollapalooza debut – with pop star Laufey: Musicians in the Philharmonic got their sheet music two weeks prior, but Wednesday’s rehearsal was the only time they’d practice with their guest star — Icelandic-Chinese pop artist Laufey — before appearing alongside her Friday at Lollapalooza. It’s believed to be the first time an entire orchestra has played the festival. The Philharmonic has played with popular artists before — over the past months they’ve accompanied the Violent Femmes and Tank and the Bangas. But during a designated break in a lounge area behind the Bud Light stage, violinist Eleanor Bartsch said, “Lollapalooza is kind of another animal.” * Shaw Local | Will County Clerk Staley Ferry resigns to become Joliet city clerk: Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry is leaving just three months before the general election, creating what will be a new race in November for county clerk. The city of Joliet announced Wednesday that Staley Ferry has been hired as the city clerk. Staley Ferry will leave the county clerk’s office later this month and start with Joliet on Aug. 21, a move that means a $46,000 increase in annual pay. * Crain’s | Schaumburg’s Loeber family farm is slated for high-density development. Some neighbors aren’t happy.: Development, these neighbors say, is both inevitable and fine with them. Their argument is that Schaumburg officials seem poised to approve something that has nearly four times the density that used to be the village’s stated goal for the site. * Daily Herald | Check out library books at the park? Two new self-service locations coming to Arlington Heights: The large metal boxes — each containing 30 individual lockers — will be placed this fall at Camelot Park on the north and Heritage Park on the south, under an intergovernmental agreement inked by the library board in July and pending a vote by the park board. The addition of pickup lockers on both sides of town helps “fulfill our goal of reaching outside of our walls and trying to be where our customers are for our services,” said Mike Driskell, the library’s executive director. * BND | City of Belleville’s new spokesman — its third in eight months — abruptly leaves job: Matthew Allison was the city’s third spokesperson in eight months. The first one quit at the end of November to take another job. The second one was fired in May after 46 days. […] Allison declined an interview but verified via private Facebook message that he no longer worked for the city. When asked this week if Allison had left voluntarily or involuntarily, [Bill Clay, the city’s human resources director] stated, “He did not resign.” * Illinois Times | Downtown fire sparks calls for action: “A revitalized and resilient downtown” was the No. 1 initiative in The Next 10, A Community Visioning Plan for Greater Springfield released by the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln in spring 2021. The report described downtown as “the heart of the community and region, the seat of state and local government, our cultural center and the stage for our living history.” It noted that downtown uses have shifted over the decades and “to act thoughtfully, we must plan and reimagine.” * WCIA | New Ford County solar farm project passes Zoning Board : A new solar farm seems to have the green light in Ford County — at least from the Zoning Board. Energy had the idea to build a solar farm next to their peaking plant on the outskirts of Gibson City. Wednesday night, with a 5-0 vote, the board recommended the solar project. * WSIL | SIU gives almost $60K in scholarships from alumni funding: The association gave $59,288 across 46 new and returning students. SIU says the money came from new and legacy donors and will help cover tuition and textbook costs. Recipients live across the map in states including Illinois, Delaware, Florida, Missouri and Texas. […] Not all funding for the scholarships come out of the pockets of alumni, though. SIU says its alumni association hosted fundraising events around the area, including St. Louis and Chicago, that raised $2,500 and $10,000, respectively. * SJ-R | Fishing tournament, beer school among 5 things to do in Springfield area: he Village of Bath is putting man against fish in this invasive fishing competition. The Redneck Fishing Tournament has two, 2-hour heats in which teams, many in costumes, go out on the water to see how many flying invasive carp they can net out of the air or jump in the boat. Winning teams often collect hundreds of the fish. * NBC | Johnny Cash statue to be unveiled in U.S. Capitol in September: A statue honoring country music icon Johnny Cash will be unveiled in the U.S. Capitol next month, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced Thursday. The statue will be the second of an Arkansas native in the Capitol, a news release states. A statue of Daisy Bates, a civil rights leader who headed Arkansas’ chapter of the NAACP and mentored the Black students known as the Little Rock Nine who integrated Central High School in 1957, was unveiled in National Statuary Hall on May 8. * WSJ | Inside the Secret Negotiations to Free Evan Gershkovich: The Russian Federation had a few final items of protocol to tick through with the man who had become its most famous prisoner. One, he would be allowed to leave with the papers he’d penned in detention, the letters he’d scrawled out and the makings of a book he’d labored over. But first, they had another piece of writing they required from him, an official request for presidential clemency. The text, moreover, should be addressed to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The pro forma printout included a long blank space the prisoner could fill out if desired, or simply, as expected, leave blank. In the formal high Russian he had honed over 16 months imprisonment, the Journal’s Russia correspondent filled the page. The last line submitted a proposal of his own: After his release, would Putin be willing to sit down for an interview? * Deadline | Tom Cruise Poised For Olympics Closing Ceremony Stunt: Already a presence at the Opening Ceremony and at some competitions, the Mission: Impossible star will be dropping in — literally — when the Olympic flag is handed over the 2028 games host city, source close to events have told Deadline. Details of the Closing Ceremony are a closely held secret, but it known that L.A. Mayor Karen Bass to receive the Olympic flag from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. “Expect a major Hollywood production,” a well-positioned source tells Deadline.
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In wake of recent layoffs, Pritzker points at Federal Reserve
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Tribune…
* From Gov. Pritzker’s Q and A yesterday…
* On a related note…
The number of Illinois’ unemployment claims year to date vs. the same period in 2023 dropped by 2.3 percent. * Roundup from Isabel…
* Sun-Times | Boeing names new CEO as it posts loss of more than $1.4 billion in second quarter: Boeing announced its new CEO as it reported a loss of more than $1.4 billion on falling revenue during the second quarter. The loss was wider and the company’s revenue lower than Wall Street’s dismal expectations, as both Boeing’s commercial-airplanes business and defense unit lost money. […] Boeing Chairman Steven Mollenkopf said Ortberg was chosen after a “thorough and extensive search process” and “has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter.” Ortberg has earned a reputation for running complex engineering and manufacturing companies, Mollenkopf said. * Tribune | CVS doubling down on primary health care, opening new clinics in Chicago, even as Walgreens pulls back: CVS announced the plans Thursday, saying the Oak Street Health locations will be in CVS stores in 14 states, including Illinois. It plans to open another 11 in-store clinics next year. Oak Street Health provides primary care for people on Medicare, focusing on low- to moderate-income seniors in underserved communities. […] CVS leaders hope that by combining the clinics and the pharmacies, they’ll be able to draw more patients to Oak Street. Also, doctors and nurses and Oak Street will work directly with the CVS pharmacists on-site every day to better coordinate care and improve patients’ health, Pykosz said. * Utility Drive | Illinois can replace fossil plants with storage, capacity from queues: NRDC: Illinois could reliably replace its fossil-fueled power plants by 2030 with nearly 3 GW of battery storage and about 7.7 GW of resources that are seeking to connect to the grid in the state, according to a report released Thursday by the Natural Resources Defense Council. […] The consulting firm found that adding 2,972 MW of 4-hour battery storage at retiring power plant sites, plus a mix of generation in interconnection queues could lead to a reliable grid without the need to build transmission to import power from neighboring states. * Bloomberg | EPA issues emergency fuel waiver to address Midwest shortages: The EPA issued an emergency waiver of fuel rules in four Midwest states to address shortages tied to a power outage at an Exxon Mobil Corp. refinery in Joliet. The order waives Reid vapor pressure and reformulated gasoline requirements in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin through Aug. 20. * Tribune | Instead of competing for land, some farmers and solar developers want to work side by side: While there are very few agrivoltaic projects in Illinois, early research and small projects show synergies between solar energy and agriculture. The co-location of solar panels and agriculture could keep farmers in business, improve ecosystem health, feed the country and provide clean energy. * WQAD | Over 300 salaried John Deere workers laid off in Illinois Quad Cities: A total of 298 employees at John Deere World Headquarters in Moline and 21 employees at Harvester Works in Moline were laid off, according to emails obtained by News 8 on Tuesday. Those emails were sent to the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity by Deere officials and say that the affected employees are salaried, adding that they are not represented by a union. Impacted workers will receive an additional 60 days of compensation.
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For third time, former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar won’t be voting for Donald Trump (Updated)
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar announced in 2016 that he wasn’t voting for Donald Trump….
* Edgar said he’d vote for Joe Biden in 2020…
* Two weeks ago…
* So, it should be no surprise that he’s voting for Kamala Harris this year…
…Adding… From Personal PAC…
The full letter is here.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
One of Hopkins’ signs… ![]() * Many municipalities have ordinances requiring dogs to be leashed. Illinois does not have a statewide leash law, but does have some restrictions for “dangerous dogs”…
* In 2020 Sen. Laura Murphy passed legislation to hold pet owners responsible for dog attacks. ABC Chicago…
The Question: Should the Illinois General Assembly pass a statewide leash law? Explain.
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois!
Thursday, Aug 1, 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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Staff union ‘tires’ of Speaker Welch’s ‘delay tactics’
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. From the Illinois Legislative Staff Association…
You can read the ILSA’s filing here Welch’s motion to dismiss is here.
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Pat Quinn finds his latest cause
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois Policy Institute back in May…
* Former Gov. Pat Quinn is using that statute for his next crusade. Press release…
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Open thread
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Deputy who killed Sonya Massey had job reference from fiance’s dad, a longtime sheriff’s deputy. WCIA…
* Related stories… ∙ AP: 911 calls before Sonya Massey’s shooting include 1 from her mother asking officers not to ‘hurt her’ ∙ SJ-R: Records: Deputy in Massey shooting ‘needed more training’ ∙ SJ-R: In the wake of Sonya Massey’s death, advocates want the state to act * Crain’s | Durbin seeks major boost in quantum funding: Durbin plans to introduce legislation today with Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., that would boost the amount of money available for quantum from the Department of Energy to $2.5 billion from $625 million. The legislation could have major implications for quantum efforts in Illinois because the Department of Energy is a primary source of funding for research and development in the space, and the state is a major beneficiary. It also comes as J.B. Pritzker is launching a new quantum-computing campus along Lake Michigan at the former U.S. Steel mill on the South Side. * SJ-R | Who’s performing, how much is admission?: Your 2024 Illinois State Fair questions answered: Kids 12 and younger get in for free every day at the fair, while adults pay $10 Fridays and Saturdays and $5 for every other day. Seniors 60 and older pay $3 per day. Adult admission booklets go for $45, covering all 11 days, and $30 for seniors for 10 days of the 2024 fair. * Sun-Times | Schuler Scholars program backs out of scholarships promised to Chicago students: The college dreams of hundreds of low-income and first-generation students from Chicago are up in the air after a north suburban family backed out on a longstanding commitment to provide scholarships just weeks before the start of classes. “I’m just kind of at a loss for words,” said Marcus Jackson, a participant in the Schuler Scholars program who grew up on Chicago’s South Side. “I just hope something can be done so that everyone can stay in school and not have to be in debt the rest of [their lives].” * Capitol News Illinois | Under new law, Illinois employers can’t force workers to sit through anti-union meetings: The law, dubbed the “Worker Freedom of Speech Act,” was a top priority this spring for organized labor groups in Illinois, which played host to Pritzker’s bill signing at the Illinois AFL-CIO’s biennial convention. “You’re helping every worker in the state of Illinois,” the governor told the hundreds of organized labor members and leaders gathered in a suburban Chicago hotel ballroom. “And as people recognize that more and more, they organize and they join a union.” * Illinois Association of School Boards | 2024 End of Session Report : The 2024 session, like all others, provided a series of challenges for Illinois school districts. Since 1982, the Illinois General Assembly has imposed more than 700 mandates on schools averaging about 18 per year. This year, IASB prioritized reducing educational mandates and with this increased focus, this session was notably different. While an additional 11 new educational mandates were passed, that is well below the average of 18 and half of the 22 education-related mandates passed last session. Other good news is that none of the curriculum bills passed will require the creation of new, stand-alone courses or add to current graduation requirements. * WGEM | Illinois career and technical education programs receive $8 million federal grant for heavy machinery training: Career and technical education (CTE) programs throughout Illinois are getting an $8 million boost from the federal government. U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, joined leaders from the Youth Workforce Development Foundation and Associated Equipment Distributors Wednesday at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield to announce an $8 million grant for CTE programs to offer heavy equipment operator and diesel equipment technology training programs. * Sun-Times | Chicago’s Democratic National Convention retooled to capture jolt Kamala Harris has injected into presidential race: The revamp of the convention, kicking off Aug. 19, includes moving away from a heavy use of pretaped pieces, which had been in the works while President Joe Biden was the nominee, to doing more of the convention live. * Sun-Times | Johnson wants to summon Council back to session in August to install Sigcho-Lopez as Zoning chair: Several alderpersons said Wednesday they’ve gotten calls from the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs asking whether they’d be available in August to attend a special City Council meeting — preceded by a Rules Committee meeting — to confirm Sigcho-Lopez as Zoning chair and replace Sigcho-Lopez as Housing chair with Vice Mayor Walter Burnett (27th). Sigcho-Lopez confirmed the mayor’s office was “trying to get a date set” for “whenever we can get a quorum.” * Crain’s | Johnson condemns Trump’s jabs at Harris during Black journalists convention: Hours after former President Donald Trump walked off the stage at the national convention for Black journalists where he questioned the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris, Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the same audience to criticize the Republican presidential nominee. “Earlier today there was an elephant in this room,” Johnson said. “Unfortunately, that elephant is not just a symbol but a representation of a very dark history in our country.” * WBBM | Fed up Chicago firefighters union threatening to shut down DNC setup with protest: Chicago Firefighters Union- Local 2 President Pat Cleary said it’s clear why the permit was denied. […] “I’m also considering protesting outside the United Center sometime very soon, and I’m going to call on my CFL brothers and AFL-CIO brothers to stop construction at the United Center,” Cleary said. * ABC Chicago | Charges in shooting death of Cook Co. deputy to be announced Thursday; family hold balloon release: A person of interest has been in custody, but police said CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling, Chief of Detectives Antoinette Ursitti, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon will formally announce charges in Rafael Wordlaw’s death Thursday morning. * Rick Morrissey | This season is Jerry Reinsdorf’s perverse revenge against those who want him to sell the White Sox: In a better world, Chris Getz would do his public duty and resign as general manager of the White Sox. A resignation would serve as a warning to anyone with aspirations of working for the Sox: Don’t do what I did. Don’t seek employment here. Get yourself and your family as far away from 35th and Shields as possible. Block all calls from Jerry Reinsdorf! In essence, Getz would be putting his own head on a pike in front of Guaranteed Rate Field as a deterrent to any naive, desperate or delusional executive who thinks the Sox GM job is a good one. Woe to anyone who dares tread here, it would say. * Tribune | Stateville inmates request transfer or release in court motion citing prison’s decrepit conditions: At Wednesday’s news conference, former Stateville inmates shared complaints about the prison’s conditions that included falling concrete, electrical outages and a lack of ventilation amid excessive heat. Advocates say some of those conditions contributed to the death of 51-year-old Michael Broadway, who was incarcerated at the facility and died during a June heat wave. The Will County coroner’s office has not released a cause of death for Broadway, who graduated last year from Northwestern University’s Prison Education program. * Daily Herald | Krishnamoorthi receives reelection endorsement by 13 mayors in the 8th District: Those who provided statements of endorsement for Krishnamoorthi included the mayors and village presidents of Addison, Carol Stream, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Itasca, Lake Barrington, Oak Brook, Roselle, Schaumburg, Villa Park and Wood Dale. “I am honored and grateful to have received this outpouring of support from these outstanding local leaders on both sides of the aisle,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. “Together, we will continue to ensure that the communities that we represent have the support and resources necessary to thrive in the years to come.” * ABC Chicago | Some must pay erroneous Cook County property taxes after bills not corrected before due date: “Almost all of them, the bills were made accurate by fixing them before the bills were sent out,” Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi said. Kaegi’s office fixed about 4,400 assessment errors his office made in the south and southwest suburbs. But, just under a couple hundred of them will not be corrected by the time bills are due because the Cook County Board of Review did not yet approve those certificates of error. * Daily Herald | Alumni Olympians, coach inspire St. Francis Spartans at watch party: Three-time Team USA outside hitter Kelsey Robinson-Cook or assistant coach Erin Virtue [are] both St. Francis graduates. […] “I wonder, sitting back and reflecting, how many girls has she inspired?” Kopec asked rhetorically. “How many girls, just by being her, has she encouraged to go for their dream? I think Kelsey has been a great representative not only for St. Francis but in volleyball.” * BND | Southern Illinois brewery forages, grows or locally sources ingredients for its earthy fare: The footprint of of the brewery is minimal. The beers and food are made using local ingredients, all foraged, grown, or purchased from local farmers. There’s a bottling facility on-site, and the land that it sits on is rich with growing edibles both native and introduced. “Everything we have is produced on site or by supporting local farmers,” said co-owner Marika Josephson. “We really do have a small footprint here.” * WCIA | More Republican election judges needed in Champaign County: Clerk Aaron Ammons said the biggest concern is having enough people on Election Day. He said they need a total of 325. Right now, they have 302 — but they’re short on Republican judges, with only 91 so far and 211 Democrats. Ammons said the ideal break down would be 171 Democrats, and 154 Republicans. * WCIA | IL welcomes 5,000 sports shooters, spectators for annual competition: The Amateur Trapshooting Association is hosting its annual Grand American Trapshooting Championships in Sparta, Ill. The Grand American is the largest and oldest shooting event of its kind; this year will be the 125th edition of the event, featuring more than 20 events and over 5,000 competitors and spectators. The host facility, the World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC), has been the home of the Grand American since 2004, and the event brings in an estimated $25 to $30 million in economic activity to the area. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources operates the complex. * WSIL | People are doing their best to beat the heat at the Pulaski County Fair: And Pulaski County Fair Officials say they have safety precautions for people to stay cool. Bryan Curry is the vice president of the county fair’s committee. “We have an airconditioned office that’s available if needed. And we have water at the Cook Shack and the hot dog stand. And there will also be an ambulance on the grounds if needed,” Curry said. * Crain’s | Record payouts on biggest U.S. grid signal costs of reliable power: The cost to keep the lights on for 65 million Americans who tap into the largest US electrical grid will rise 833% starting in June. Generators that provide electricity to the 13-state grid that stretches from New Jersey to Illinois will get a record $269.92 per megawatt-day from utilities to provide capacity over a 12-month period starting in June, according to results of an auction by grid operator PJM Interconnection LLC disclosed Tuesday. That’s more than a ninefold increase from $28.92 in last year’s auction. * Bloomberg | Almost 20% of Americans face prospect of higher electric bills: An increase for the year starting in June would follow a power auction held in 2023 that saw prices come in at a decade low of $28.92 per megawatt-day. The latest auction results are expected Tuesday afternoon. This time around, analysts predict prices could be two to four times higher. The jump comes as the grid pushes to rein in an oversupply of capacity just when Virginia ramps up power demand to feed its artificial intelligence and data centers. Closures of coal and natural-gas fired plants will also remove about 4 gigawatts of generating capacity from the grid — enough to power about 3.2 million homes.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Aug 1, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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