Former Madison County State’s Attorney and Illinois State Sen. Bill Haine passed away early Monday morning.
Haine, a Democrat, was elected in 2002 as senator of Illinois’ 56th District, which includes the Alton area. He completed his last term in 2018 and chose not to run for re-election after he was diagnosed with blood cancer.
He served on the Criminal Law Committee, Judiciary Committee, Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Special Issues and Committee of the Whole.
Haine’s son, Tom Haine, is the current Madison County State’s Attorney. Tom Haine, a Republican, was elected State’s Attorney last year.
* From the Haine family…
Strengthened by the sacraments of the Catholic Church and with his beloved wife of 50 years Anna by his side, retired Senator William R. Haine passed away early in the morning on August 16 after the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. In this time of great sorrow, we feel great joy in knowing that Bill, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, died peacefully. He was to the end a man of deep and committed Faith in Jesus Christ, surrounded by the songs and prayers of his family, to whom he had offered every ounce of his care and devotion. Though we have every hope that Bill has now joined all the angels and saints in the Kingdom of God for eternity, please continue to pray for his eternal salvation and the comfort of his family, who will miss him greatly.
* Senate President Don Harmon…
“There was no more a gentleman in the Senate than Bill Haine.
“We came to Springfield around the same time, and I learned so much from him.
“Bill dedicated his life to public service, beginning by serving his country in Vietnam, holding several local elected offices and ultimately having a storied career in the Senate.
“His focus was always on serving the people of the Metro East, and he frequently worked across party lines to do so.
“He was a man of faith and family. Every time his family came to visit him on the Senate floor, it was easy to see he had a lot of which to be proud.
“My deepest sympathies go out to his children, grandchildren, great-grandchild and his beloved wife, Anna. We will all miss you, Bill.”
Harmon really said it best. I’d add that Sen. Haine was also a student of history, particularly about his region. He was a fascinating conversationalist. And, while he was a conservative, law-and-order Democrat, he also sponsored the state’s medical cannabis bill.
…Adding… AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement in response to the passing of former state Sen. William R. “Bill” Haine.
“I had the honor of serving with Bill Haine in the Illinois Senate and working closely with him on the Senate’s Judiciary and Criminal Law Committees where we developed a friendship I have valued throughout my career. He was more than a colleague, he was a mentor and a teacher. Like many of my colleagues, I was not only impressed by ‘Professor’ Haine’s grasp of the law, but his knowledge of the history behind it, as well as history at large. I am a better lawyer and public servant as a result of my time with Bill Haine.
“Bill was a true statesman who was able to disagree without being disagreeable and for whom ‘bipartisanship’ was more than a talking point. He worked across the aisle and across county lines to improve the quality of life for residents of every region of our state.
“Those of us fortunate to know Bill knew that only his deep love of his large family came before his commitment to service. On behalf of the people of Illinois, thank you for sharing your husband, father and grandfather for so many years. We are all better because of his kindness, integrity and leadership. The state of Illinois mourns your loss and celebrates the life of our great friend and colleague.”
* DPI’s Robin Kelly…
The following statement is from Chair Robin Kelly on the passing of former state senator Bill Haine:
“Everyone who knew Bill Haine respected him deeply. Bill was a true professional who led by example and with a deep commitment to public service. His constituents in Metro East and throughout Illinois benefitted from his dedication to making Illinois a great place to live and work. My thoughts and sympathies are with Bill’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.”
* ISBE…
It is with profound sadness that the Illinois State Board of Elections announces the passing of Board Member William R. Haine.
Haine, 77, of Alton, died Monday.
A former four-term Madison County State’s Attorney and state senator representing parts of the Metro East area, Haine was appointed to the State Board of Elections’ eight-member board as a Democrat in July 2019.
“As a former lawmaker, Member Haine had a particular acumen for helping develop the agency’s legislative agenda,” said Acting Executive Director Bernadette Matthews. “He will be greatly missed both for his deep knowledge and his friendly demeanor.”
The board’s chair and vice-chair also praised Haine.
“Member Haine possessed a wisdom matched only by his wit and charm,” said Chair Ian Linnabary. “His board service, though relatively brief, was marked by the insights of a man who lived a rich, full life. We will all miss him.”
“I was finally able to speak directly with him just last week. Prior thereto, I would leave our messages of support and encouragement with his wife Anna,” said Board Vice-Chair Casandra B. Watson. “It was truly a pleasure to work with him as a member of the State Board of Elections. He will be missed.”
By Illinois law, Gov. JB Pritzker will appoint Haine’s replacement on the eight-member board within 30 days. The board is comprised of four members of each party appointed by the governor.
A full biography of Member Haine can be found on the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
Message discipline. Focus on local issues. Find ways to work with Republicans. And show up. Everywhere.
That is some of the advice offered to swing-district Democrats for winning in conservative areas in a new report written by Representative Cheri Bustos of Illinois, a former leader of the House Democrats’ campaign arm. […]
Ms. Bustos interviewed 25 national and local Democratic lawmakers who won areas carried by former President Donald J. Trump in 2020. She had help from a longtime adviser — Robin Johnson, a political scientist at Monmouth College, which is in Ms. Bustos’s district.
Democrats who won districts where Mr. Trump got a majority of votes are a distinct minority in Congress: There are only seven in the House.
Bustos was one of those seven, but she just barely won reelection and is now leaving the House. She probably shoulda taken her own advice. One constant criticism last year was that she wasn’t spending enough time in her district. The report is here, by the way.
* A group called Patients for Affordable Drugs just dropped $50,000 on cable TV ads in US Rep. Lauren Underwood’s district. Click here to see the buy. Also at that link, Gov. Pritzker’s campaign has spent another $127K on cable.
* I told subscribers a little bit about this earlier today…
Judge Mary K. O’Brien (who many know as “Mary Kay”) is launching her campaign for the Illinois Supreme Court’s 3rd District this week. And she’s already got her first big endorsement — from Sen. Dick Durbin. “I’ve watched Mary Kay O’Brien grow from a promising legislator to an accomplished jurist, and I know she will be a thoughtful Supreme Court judge,” he said in a statement. O’Brien will be campaigning at the State Fair festivities this week. The Third District comprises DuPage and Will counties as well as Bureau, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, and LaSalle counties. O’Brien, who was a state legislator from 1996 to 2003, has served on the Illinois Appellate Court for nearly 18 years. She’s heard more than 4,500 cases, according to her campaign team.
Char Foss-Eggemann, former Maine Township Republican committeeman and current 9th Congressional District Republican state central committeeman, will retain her position as a member of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee despite recently moving from Park Ridge to Munster, IN.
In an email to the Journal & Topics, Foss-Eggemann authorized Aaron Del Mar to speak on her behalf. Del Mar is the deputy chairman of, and spokesman for, the Cook County Republican Party. He is a member of the Illinois Executive Board of the Illinois Republican Party and Palatine Township Republican committeeman.
“I understand she did move, but she is still working in Illinois,” Del Mar said. He said when Foss-Eggemann informed him of the move, she offered her resignation. However, Del Mar said he would not accept the resignation. Foss-Eggemann’s term as the 9th Congressional District state central committeeman ends in 2022.
Del Mar said he understood Foss-Eggemann’s son attends college in Indiana. The family found a good opportunity to move and be near their son.
The rising Latino population across the state isn’t likely to change the face of City Hall or the governor’s mansion overnight — but some Hispanic leaders say it’s only a matter of time.
“I think before the decade is over there will be a Latina or Latino mayor in Chicago,” said U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who ran for mayor himself in 2015.
“And the possibility that Latinos can run statewide — as has been done already but with more frequency — certainly suggests that a Latino or Latina can be a state office holder, whether it’s secretary of state or treasurer or comptroller or governor.
“That is certainly a realistic expectation of what we will see without a doubt.”
Just remember what we discussed last week. A significant aspect to this change has to do with the new way the questions were asked and how the answers were coded.
* NBC News reports on the massive fraud involving pandemic benefits. It’s likely the biggest swindle ever pulled anywhere. The whole story is a must-read, but here are a few excerpts…
Officials and analysts say both domestic and foreign fraudsters took advantage of an already weak system of unemployment verification maintained by the states, which has been flagged for years by federal watchdogs. Adding to the vulnerability, states made it easier to apply for Covid benefits online during the pandemic, and officials felt pressure to expedite processing. The federal government also rolled out new benefits for contractors and gig workers that required no employer verification.
In that environment, crooks were easily able to impersonate jobless Americans using stolen identity information for sale in bulk in the dark corners of the internet. The data — birthdates, Social Security numbers, addresses and other private information — have accumulated online for years through huge data breaches, including hacks of Yahoo, LinkedIn, Facebook, Marriott and Experian. […]
In some cases, overseas organized crime groups flooded state unemployment systems with bogus online claims, overwhelming antiquated computer software benefits in blunt-force attacks that siphoned out millions of dollars. On several occasions, states have had to suspend benefit payments while they tried to figure out what was real and what was not.
“It’s definitely an economic attack on the United States,” said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Jay Greenberg, who is investigating cases as part of the Justice Department’s Covid fraud task force. “Tens of billions of dollars will be missing. … It’s a significant amount of money that’s gone overseas.” […]
The investigative journalism site ProPublica calculated last month that from March to December 2020, the number of jobless claims added up to about two-thirds of the country’s labor force, when the actual unemployment rate was 23 percent. Although some people lose jobs more than once in a given year, that alone could not account for the vast disparity. […]
“The states have been chronically underfunded for years — they’re running 1980s technology,” Hall said. […]
The inspector general has projected that there will be $87 billion in misspent unemployment funds, a conservative estimate that assumes no spike in fraud rates. Both the inspector general and the FBI declined to offer an estimate of what the actual value of lost funds might be.
ID.me’s estimate of $400 billion comes from the data the company has seen across the states, Hall said.
Illinois alone has at least a $5 billion deficit in its unemployment insurance trust fund. The feds need to help before insurance rates skyrocket.
Major thank you to the cosmic forces that brought me to the Alto Vineyard on the same day the Blackberry Blossom Band was here playing their parody version of our terrible state song. https://t.co/Zl12lFXpTW
The state of Illinois is teaming up with the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln to develop a master plan for year-round use of state fairgrounds facilities in Springfield and Du Quoin.
Gov. JB Pritzker and Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II made that announcement Friday, along with John Stremsterfer, president and CEO of the foundation.
“Today, we honor the legacy of paving an even better path forward for these fairgrounds for generations to come,” Pritzker said during a news conference early Friday morning outside the Department of Agriculture building next to the Springfield fairgrounds. “That’s our intention. That’s what our state fair advisory board is tasked with.”
* The Question: Your suggestions for year-round use of the state fairgrounds? Snark isn’t encouraged, but will be allowed.
* Two different anti-masker rallies, two very different newspaper takes. Daily Herald…
A day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moved McHenry County to the “high” level of COVID-19 transmission, residents rallied Saturday at the intersection of Route 14 and Main Street in Crystal Lake against the state’s mask mandate for students.
When several local school districts initially chose to make face masks optional for students, “we thought we won,” said Crystal Lake resident Ame Greco, who organized the rally. […]
Several people at the rally said they were concerned about the health effects of children wearing masks.
In an FAQ on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s website, the CDC notes that carbon dioxide levels breathed in by mask wearers do not rise. Though carbon dioxide molecules are small enough to pass through cloth masks, the respiratory droplets that carry the virus that causes COVID-19 are much larger than carbon dioxide so they cannot pass as easily, according to the CDC.
Some people are willing to believe almost anything except actual science.
Approximately 60 people attended a peaceful rally to express their concern about Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate requirement for all Illinois schools.
The rally, held Sunday afternoon, Aug. 8, was organized by Paris mother Brooke Vice Bishop. It featured Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) who represents most of Edgar County. […]
Describing Pritzker’s action as COVID fascism Halbrook said it is time that tyrannical governors stop picking and choosing what they do.
“This is not the end until we make it the end,” he said. The question, he said, “Is what are you prepared to do?”
Paris 95 Superintendent Jeremy Larson and Crestwood Superintendent Danette Young along with Paris High School Principal Mark Cox and Crestwood Dean of Students Meghan Damler were present to answer questions following the rally.
Illinois State Board of Education officials have reinstated Timothy Christian Schools’ recognition status after initially revoking it over noncompliance with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate intended to reduce spread of COVID-19.
A letter from ISBE State Superintendent Carmen Ayala on Friday, which Timothy Christian administrators shared with the Daily Herald, stated that the institution “is now in compliance with the universal masking requirements” set forth in Pritzker’s executive order. The order requires face masks inside schools. […]
Since having its recognition status removed, the school has changed its position and newly updated its health plan to require universal indoor masking,” ISBE spokeswoman Jaclyn Matthews said. “We appreciate the school’s cooperation to protect the health and safety of its students and staff.
“However, any future verified reports of noncompliance will result in immediate revocation of recognition status.”
* And, apparently, being related to a retired sports celebrity is newsworthy to ABC 7…
Officials at a suburban Chicago high school sent a freshman student home for refusing to put on a mask - a decision her mother said violates her daughter’s rights.
Sheri Urlacher said her 14-year-old daughter was sent home from Fremd High School in Palatine on Friday after officials at the door of the school handed her a mask and asked her to put it on. […]
“As a matter of public safety, we are required to enforce the state of Illinois’ school mask mandate to minimize the risk of COVID virus transmission,” Township High School District spokeswoman Erin Holmes said.
“A student’s refusal to wear a mask poses a potential threat to the safety of other students and staff as we return to full in-person instruction,” Holmes continued. She declined to discuss any specific disciplinary decisions.
Amid the pageantry of the final Arlington Million Day — a day to honor Dick Duchossois and his family for their contributions to horse racing — Duchossois’ son blamed not Arlington Park owner Churchill Downs Inc. but Illinois politicians for the planned destruction of the grand racing palace his father built.
Craig Duchossois, his father’s longtime right-hand man in family business matters, called Saturday’s tributes at the racetrack bittersweet and emotional after what he said has been the family’s “enjoyable but challenging” journey in Illinois racing and politics. His father, Arlington Park’s 99-year-old chairman emeritus, was at his Barrington Hills home, where he’s spent most of his time since the onset of the pandemic.
“I have no faith in our government in Illinois at all, including Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker. Springfield is a bigger swamp than Washington, if that’s possible,” Craig Duchossois said during an exclusive interview with the Daily Herald from his family’s grandstand suite.
Duchossois said Pritzker’s 2019 massive gambling expansion that awarded long-sought slots and table games to racetracks like Arlington came “too late.” […]
“My father’s strategy to Springfield was just put our industry on a level playing field so that we can have the same level of purses to attract quality horses. And they absolutely refused to. Madigan was afraid because it would be perceived as helping out someone that had a strong balance sheet. Guess who creates the jobs? Someone that’s got a strong balance sheet.”
The owners of Arlington Park Race Track Friday reiterated that they will not rebuild their fire-ravaged facility because the General Assembly Thursday did not approve favorable tax legislation for the track. […]
However, the prospects of reviving the package appear dim, especially in the House, where Speaker Michael Madigan (D., Chicago) has remained steadfastly opposed to tax breaks for the track owners, claiming the owners can easily afford to rebuild without the tax relief.
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) is recovering from a mild breakthrough case of COVID-19.
He experienced mild symptoms late last week. He immediately self-isolated and sought testing. Contact tracing was implemented upon receiving the result.
Harmon was vaccinated this spring.
“I’m even more grateful to be vaccinated, given how mild my symptoms have been. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated and also to not let their guard down as we try to get back to normal,” Harmon said.
…Adding… The Senate Democrats just finished a virtual caucus meeting. “He looked and sounded good,” said one member.
Harmon’s political spokesman said he would not attend any political events this week at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Harmon was slated to speak at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association brunch on Wednesday.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced an Illinois appellate court’s opinion in Hobby Lobby v. Sommerville that reaffirms the rights of transgender individuals under the Illinois Human Rights Act.
The 2nd District Appellate Court issued the opinion in response to Hobby Lobby’s appeal of a previous Illinois Human Rights Commission’s determination. The commission had found that Hobby Lobby violated the Illinois Human Rights Act when it denied Meggan Sommerville, a transgender woman, use of the women’s bathroom at the store where she works. The court affirmed the commission’s determination that Hobby Lobby violated articles two and five of the Human Rights Act, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity in the terms and conditions of employment and in the provision of facilities in a place of public accommodation. The commission had awarded Sommerville $220,000 in damages and required Hobby Lobby to grant Sommerville access to the women’s bathroom.
“Nobody deserves to be discriminated against or feel unsafe in their workplace due to their gender identity,” Raoul said. “I applaud the court for reaffirming the Illinois Human Rights Commission’s determination and the rights of transgender individuals in Illinois. Discrimination of any kind has no place in our society, and I will continue to protect the rights of transgender individuals and fight to hold all employers accountable for following antidiscrimination laws.”
Sommerville, a transgender woman, has worked at Hobby Lobby’s East Aurora, Illinois location since the early 2000s. In 2007, she began transitioning from male to female. In early 2010, she legally changed her name, began presenting as female at work, and formally informed Hobby Lobby of her transition and her intent to begin using the women’s bathroom at the store where she works. Hobby Lobby refused to allow Sommerville to use the women’s bathroom.
In February 2013, Sommerville filed complaints with the Illinois Human Rights Commission alleging she had been discriminated against on the basis of her gender identity. In its appeal of the commission’s determination, Hobby Lobby argued that its policy of regulating bathroom access based upon the users’ “sex” – which, it contended, references users’ reproductive organs and structures – does not violate the Illinois Human Rights Act. Hobby Lobby also argued that the damages awarded by the commission were excessive.
The Attorney General’s office represented the Illinois Human Rights Commission and argued that the commission’s determination was correct because Hobby Lobby’s refusal to allow Sommerville to use the women’s bathroom because she is a transgender woman – which resulted in her being treated differently from other women in the store based solely on her gender identity – falls within the Illinois Human Rights Act’s definition of “unlawful discrimination.” As Raoul explained, the law defines “sex” as “the status of being male or female,” and does not draw distinctions based on reproductive organs, genetic information, or the sex marker used on a birth certificate. Raoul also argued that Hobby Lobby could stigmatize Sommerville by requiring her to use a single-occupant, unisex bathroom that, during the litigation, was built at the store where she works.
Supervising Attorney Evan Siegel handled the matter for Raoul’s Civil Appeals Bureau.
Attorney General Raoul encourages individuals to report instances of discrimination or harassment by calling his Civil Rights Hotline at 1-877-581-3692.
“I’m pleased to see the court recognize Hobby Lobby’s stance against its employee as what it is: discrimination based on gender-identity,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Ours is a welcoming and inclusive state, and the Illinois Department of Human Rights will go toe to toe with any employer or business that tries to treat individuals differently because of their identity. Just last month, I convened a round table with leaders in the state’s transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming community to connect with those on the ground, fighting these fights every day, on the work still left to do. In our continued efforts to shape a safer Illinois, my administration is on a mission to lift up and empower those who too often have been overlooked or forgotten.”
“The Sommerville decision couldn’t have been better for the transgender community in Illinois,” said IDHR Director Jim Bennett. “It means that trans individuals have strong protection from discrimination under the Illinois Human Rights Act. Ms. Sommerville’s experience of discrimination is certainly not unique, as too many of our transgender friends and neighbors continue to face acts of discrimination and hate. With this decision, the IDHR has been given a clear path to enforce the Commission’s orders concerning the rights of trans persons. It is our expectation that Hobby Lobby will comply with the Court’s opinion and allow Ms. Sommerville to exercise her right to use the women’s bathroom.”
…Adding… Press release…
In a case of first impression, the Illinois Second District Appellate Court of Illinois issued an opinion today upholding the decision of the Illinois Human Rights Commission (IHRC) decision under the Illinois Human Rights Act in favor of Meggan Sommerville, a transgender woman, to gain access to the women’s facilities at work that match her gender identity.
Sommerville, a Hobby Lobby employee for more than 23 years, was forced to use the men’s restroom or wait until her lunch break to use a women’s facility at a nearby business after she transitioned on the job. In 2011, Sommerville filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and subsequently with the IHRC which upheld an administrative judge’s findings that Hobby Lobby violated the Illinois Human Rights Act and awarded her damages of $220,000. Hobby Lobby appealed the decision of the Commission and refused to comply with the order that she be permitted to us the bathroom at work while its appeal was pending.
Meggan Sommerville, “I really want to thank the court for the power of its decision. Today, we are seeing anti-transgender legislation all over the country but today I am overjoyed that I live in a State that has such absolute protections for its transgender citizens. The language of the Court’s decision is so clear that it will have positive ramifications across the US.”
Jacob Meister, an attorney for Sommerville says, “Today is a great day in Illinois for transgender rights. With its decision, the Illinois courts have made clear that Illinois law mandates equal treatment for transgender citizens and that those, like Hobby Lobby who discriminate will be held accountable.”
Illinois State Representative Sam Yingling, who represents a portion of the 2nd Appellate District said, “Illinois was one of the first states in the nation to afford full employment protections to the transgender community. I’m proud that Illinois leads the nation in protection of transgender rights. Meggan Sommerville has endured over a decade of abuse at work by Hobby Lobby solely because of her gender identity. But today the Illinois courts sent a clear message that discrimination on the basis of gender identity is not tolerated in Illinois.”
Republican state lawmakers were almost entirely united in opposition to the Democratic-controlled General Assembly’s decisions on how to dole out $2.8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money through the budget passed this spring. […]
Republicans said the money was handed out with few specifics, little public scrutiny and no real opportunity for the minority party to advocate for the needs of their constituents. GOP lawmakers were angry both about being denied the chance to make special requests for their districts and critical of a spending plan that uses federal coronavirus relief funding for programs that reflect Democratic priorities.
If Republicans feel like similar priorities in their communities have gone unaddressed in the first round of funding from the last federal coronavirus relief package, [Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Elgie Sims] said, the onus is on them to be more productive partners in the budget process.
“When you come to the table in a meaningful way, you’re able to identify and outline those priorities,” Sims said. “That’s how they end up in the budget. But if you don’t identify them and don’t come to the table to talk about that, it’s hard to know what your priorities are.”
As the article mentions, the lone Republican who worked the process was Rep. Brad Stephens, who secured some one-time money for Rosemont’s pandemic-battered convention center.
*** UPDATE *** Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie just called. Here’s some of what he said, edited for space and readability…
Probably about a month before the end of session, I pushed myself over to Don Harmon’s office and I went in and I said, ‘Hey, you guys can pass whatever it is you want on your own if you guys get on the same page. What is it that you’re actually interested in doing on a bipartisan basis?’ And he said ‘That’s a good question, budget, ethics.’ He joked about remap, which wasn’t serious, obviously. [I said] let’s keep in contact about those things. Multiple times over the next month, I brought it up in leadership meetings, as well as personally. Every time I had a meeting with Harmon, I would ask about that. My budget people would go over to Elgie’s office for these budget meetings, at which there’s no information that was provided, there was no mock up, there was nothing in regards to that stuff. It would just be kind of like a real generic level of detail, to the point I would bring this up at Harmon. And at one point Harmon finally said, ‘Well, we’re trying to get on the same page with ourselves.’ This was about a week before the end of session. And he’s like, ‘Once we do that, then we’ll bring you in,’ and it never happened. So I can’t comment about what went on in the house. But I can comment that I specifically tried multiple times with Harmon as well as Chapin and DeWitte and Wilcox, with the budget people, would try to and it was a closed door the entire time. So I’m a little frustrated by the characterization.
The official 2020 decennial counts released by the U.S. Census Bureau on August 12 confirm that the Democrats’ redistricting plan, H.B. 2777, violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law, as well as comparable provisions of the Illinois Constitution. Accordingly, no lawful redistricting plan was effective on June 30, 2021. The Illinois Constitution is clear that responsibility for the plan has shifted to the bipartisan Legislative Redistricting Commission.
“Just as we predicted, the maps that were drawn by Illinois Democrats in a closed room and without public input, and signed by Governor Pritzker, have proven to be unusable and unlawful given the release of the U.S. Census data,” said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs). “It is now up to the Legislative Redistricting Commission to draw the fair maps our state so desperately needs.”
The Democrats’ proposed House districts have population counts ranging from 92,390 (District 83) to 124,836 (District 5)—a difference of 32,446. Based on a test directed by the U.S. Supreme Court, that difference represents a total population range of 29.88 percent, which is three times the maximum range allowed by federal law. Because the Democrats’ plan unequivocally violates federal law, it is and will be declared void.
“Despite bipartisan pleas to wait for the Census number like 48 other states, Illinois Democratic politicians that were led by Governor Pritzker ignored the voting rights of their own constituents in an attempt to hold absolute power for another decade,” said Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “By breaking his promise and signing this map that has now been proven to be widely inaccurate, Governor Pritzker once again sided with political insiders against the people of Illinois.”
Background:
• The US Census Bureau released the official 2020 decennial census counts, which is sometimes called P.L. 94-171 data, on August 12, 2021. Those counts were released in “legacy format,” which means that they are capable of being read by computer programs commonly used in redistricting and by demographers and statisticians. The Bureau will release interactive data for public consumption later in September, but the counts will be unchanged.
• Experts and consultants retained by the House and Senate Republican Caucuses computed the population counts for each district in the Democrats’ redistricting plan (H.B. 2777). This is done by overlaying the Democrats’ district boundaries on the population counts.
• This is a simple tabulation. Any qualified person attempting to perform the same calculation will arrive at the same counts by district. Unlike the use of ACS estimates, the Census counts are reported to the block-level, so no manipulation, assumptions, or algorithms are needed.
• The U.S. Supreme Court provided instructions for calculating the so-called “maximum population deviation” in Evenwel v. Abbott(2016), based on an earlier 1975 case (Chapman v. Meier). The maximum population deviation of a plan is the sum of the percentage deviations of the most-populated and least-populated districts from perfect population equality.
• The Democrats’ redistricting plan has a maximum population deviation of 29.88 percent, which is three times the maximum deviation allowed by federal law (10 percent). The least-populated House district is House District 83 (92,390 people), which is 14.91 percent below the average district population, and the most-populated House district is House District 5 (124,836), which is 14.97 percent above the average district population.
• This total deviation of approximately 30 percent is within the range forecasted in the Republican Leaders’ complaint filed in federal court. Based on simulations of the use of 2005-2009 ACS estimates compared to the 2010 decennial census counts, we had forecasted a deviation of at least 23 percent.
• Because the Democrats’ plan violates federal law, the Republican Leaders have asked the federal court to declare H.B. 2777 void, meaning it was never of any force or effect. The Illinois Constitution is clear that if no valid plan was in effect on June 30th, responsibility for enacting a plan shifts to the bipartisan Legislative Redistricting Commission.
This post may be updated. But, as I told subscribers earlier today, the Democrats do not agree with the Republican claim about what this development may do to the existing maps.
* Meanwhile, my weekly syndicated newspaper column went over some of the same ground we covered here last week…
In the wake of last week’s Census numbers release, the news media has widely reported a seeming reduction in the number of white people, both nationally and here in Illinois.
“Census shows U.S. is diversifying, white population shrinking,” the Associated Press reported.
“Overall, in the five collar counties [of the Chicago area], the white population declined by 183,869 over the past decade,” the Chicago Tribune reported.
But is that true?
The Census Bureau itself claims that racial and Hispanic origin population changes are “largely due to improvements in the design of the two separate questions for race data collection and processing, as well as some demographic changes over the past 10 years.” The Census Bureau has been working since 2015 to find a different way to ask questions that yielded more informative and realistic results. And the Bureau now claims the tweaks it ended up making to its questions yielded, “a more accurate portrait of how people report their Hispanic origin and race.”
In other words, while significant population increases, decreases, movements and racial mixtures undoubtedly did occur, the new Census questions mean people are supposedly now more able to self-define who they really are, and that has resulted in a major change in the results.
The number of people identifying as white alone “dropped 14% during the 10-year period,” the State Journal-Register reported on the Illinois results. “Meanwhile, the number of people who said they are white and at least one other race rose by 334%, or 820,879 people.” If the Census Bureau is right about the impact of its changes, then all those 800,000+ people didn’t just materialize in the past decade. Many or even most were already here.
The same goes for Black people. “The number of people identifying as Black alone, about 1.8 million people, dropped 3.1%” in Illinois, the State Journal-Register reported. “However, those who said they were Black and at least one other race increased by 76,243, or almost 89%.”
And the 15 % increase here of folks with “Hispanic origin” may have as much to do with the Bureau’s new and “more accurate portrait” than an actual change.
Anyway, it’s food for thought, especially since legislative and congressional districts are drawn with those results in mind.
…Adding… Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy…
“Illinois Democrats forged ahead with a nakedly partisan and sham process of politicians drawing their own districts behind closed doors in the face of repeated pleas from good government reformers and community groups to wait until the official census numbers were released. Democrats refused. Now the courts have no option but to strike down this wildly unconstitutional amatuer artwork presentation masquerading as a lawful legislative map. It’s time for the bi-partisan map-making process to take over.”
* Many thanks to my dad for showing me that working for someone else was way overrated. The rest of the stuff in this song, which was like my own personal anthem for years, I “learned” on my own…
Always took candy from strangers
Didn’t wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss ev’ry night and day
With less than three weeks until in-person classes resume, Chicago Public Schools has announced it will require all teachers and staff to get a COVID-19 vaccine by the fall.
CPS on Friday announced the vaccine mandate will affect all employees, from school-based teachers and staff to central office workers, vendors and all other Board of Education employees.
“The science is clear: higher populations of vaccinated people means better health outcomes in communities, safer places of work and public spaces,” interim CPS CEO Jose Torres said in a statement. “This is the right move for the greater good of our school communities and will help ensure we have a successful and healthy school year starting on Monday, August 30.”
Under the new policy, all CPS employees must submit proof of full vaccination by Oct. 15, except those who qualify for a medical or religious exemption. Staffers who are without an approved exemption and aren’t fully vaccinated by Oct. 15 will be ineligible to work and won’t be paid until they are fully vaccinated and provide confirmation to the district.
Per CPS, 67% of the district’s 38,000 employees are fully vaccinated as of June, the most recent data available, while 78% of all employees are either fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated or had a vaccination scheduled.
The Chicago Teachers Union supported the mandate but said the city “must do much more.” CTU leaders have called on the district to adjust the metrics that would call for a return to remote learning, and to expand school-based vaccination programs.
“We urge the mayor’s CPS team to build on this safety standard by concretely addressing critical outstanding safety issues, and investing CPS’ and the City’s $4 billion in federal relief funds in what our students and families need to return to schools safely this fall, and for schools to remain open,” the union said in a statement.
Kids as young as 12 are eligible to be vaccinated. Students are not required to be vaccinated for the upcoming school year.
Between 80% and 90% of Chicago Teachers Union members are fully vaccinated, CTU Deputy General Counsel Thad Goodchild told reporters in a virtual news conference Friday.
“Vaccines are the best tool we have to provide safety during the pandemic, to end the pandemic,” Goodchild said. “They protect not only vaccinated individuals, but all the people that vaccinated individuals come into contact with, including students under 12 years old who are not yet eligible for vaccines. So we’ve been fighting to get CPS and the city to do more in using the school system to expand vaccination program efforts.”
He continued: “It’s not our members that the city is having the most trouble getting vaccinated. It’s members of school communities and neighborhoods across the city who have good reasons not to trust local government, but they do trust the teachers in their schools. And CPS and the city need to accept our help, our members’ help in getting more Chicagoans vaccinated.”
* Pollsters always ask questions the exact same way so they can track responses over time and distance. They know that if they change the questions that the results will usually change, so comparisons become somewhat apples to oranges.
Keep that in mind when you read this from the US Census Bureau about their new questions, with emphasis added by me…
The 2020 Census used the required two separate questions (one for Hispanic or Latino origin and one for race) to collect the races and ethnicities of the U.S. population — following the standards set by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1997.
Building upon our research over the past decade, we improved the two separate questions design and updated our data processing and coding procedures for the 2020 Census.
This work began in 2015 with our research and testing centered on findings from our 2015 National Content Test and the designs were implemented in the 2018 Census Test.
The improvements and changes enabled a more thorough and accurate depiction of how people self-identify, yielding a more accurate portrait of how people report their Hispanic origin and race within the context of a two-question format.
These changes reveal that the U.S. population is much more multiracial and more diverse than what we measured in the past.
We are confident that differences in the overall racial distributions are largely due to improvements in the design of the two separate questions for race data collection and processing as well as some demographic changes over the past 10 years.
We are also confident, as shown in our research over the past decade, that using a single combined question for race and ethnicity in the decennial census would ultimately yield an even more accurate portrait of how the U.S. population self-identifies, especially for people who self-identify as multiracial or multiethnic. […]
It is important to note that these data comparisons between the 2020 Census and 2010 Census race data should be made with caution, taking into account the improvements we have made to the Hispanic origin and race questions and the ways we code what people tell us.
“Caution.”
* With that clear warning in mind, here’s the Tribune…
Overall, in the five collar counties, the white population declined by 183,869 over the past decade with the most significant drops in DuPage, down 54,689, and Lake, down 50,352. DuPage’s population has gone from 70.5% white to 63.4%, while Lake’s population has moved from 65.2% white to 57.2%.
At the same time, the five suburban counties showed an increase of 102,725 Latino residents. Will County’s loss of 37,159 white residents was offset by an increase in 31,975 Latino residents. DuPage’s loss of whites was countered by an increase of 22,785 Latino residents as well as an increase of 27,189 Asian residents.
Cook County’s population, including Chicago, also has grown more diverse and, like the collar county suburbs, has seen a significant drop in the number of white residents.
Over the decade, the county’s white population declined by 143,115 and now represents 40.5% of its residents. The county’s Black population also declined, by 80,177, and now makes up 22.5% of the population. In contrast, the Latino population increased by 138,016 and they now make up the county’s second largest racial or ethnic group, increasing to 26.2% of the population.
The number of people listed as white alone, 7.8 million people, represented 64% of the population, but that category dropped 14.3% during the 10-year period. The number saying they were white and at least another race rose by 334%, or 820,879.
Those listing their race in the Census as Black alone, 1.8 million people, dropped 3.1% between 2010 and 2020, but the number saying they were Black and at least one other race increased by 76,243, or almost 89%.
The data released Thursday reflected overall growth trends and demographic shifts for the Chicago region that have been reflected in census estimates the past few years — stagnant growth overall with little or no growth for white and Black residents, while the numbers of Latinos and Asians increase at much faster rates.
The data show that white residents are Chicago’s largest group, but their numbers grew by just 1% over the past decade from roughly 855,000 in 2010 to about 864,000 in 2020. While annual census estimates the past few years had established that white residents surpassed Black residents as the city’s largest group, this is the first decennial census count to reflect that since 1980.
Latinos and Asians were the fastest growing groups in those areas with their numbers increasing across the board at levels ranging from 7% to 39%. Conversely, the number of white residents declined in each of those areas at levels ranging from 7% to nearly 11%.
“These changes reveal that the U.S. population is much more multiracial and more racially and ethnically diverse than what we measured in the past,” said Nicholas Jones, from the U.S. Census Bureau. “We are confident that the differences in overall racial distributions are largely due to improvements in the designs of the two separate questions for race data, collection and processing, as well as some demographic changes over the past 10 years.”
* Meanwhile, this Capitol News Illinois story is interesting…
The Census Bureau also developed what it calls a “diversity index,” which attempts to measure how racially diverse a given population is. It is based on the probability that any two people chosen at random from the population would be from different races.
Illinois’ diversity index was listed as 60.3 percent, which is just below the national average but still in the second-highest quintile of states. Hawaii was ranked as the most diverse, with an index value of 76 percent, while Maine was the least diverse, at 18.5 percent.
* Background is here if you need it. From Dan Kovats, Executive Director, Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association…
Dear IDCCA Supporter,
We look forward to seeing you at the 2021 Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Brunch.
We have received a strong response from Democrats all over the state. Our friends, colleagues and allies are eager to welcome our special guest, US Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia, hear from our outstanding Democratic leaders and also share in the pride as we honor John Penn and the late Barb Brown.
BRUNCH WILL BE HELD OUTSIDE AT THE CROWNE PLAZA - SPRINGFIELD
The 2021 IDCCA Annual Brunch will be held outdoors under a tent with open sides to further mitigate any concerns from attendees about the coronavirus. Plan to spend the morning outside under the tent. Pay attention to the weather forecast, we can expect heat and humidity, and dress accordingly. The schedule remains the same, but here are some new details.
IDCCA Annual Brunch Wednesday, August 18th
7:15am – Shuttle Bus from parking lot starts
7:30am – On-Site Registration Opens
9:00am – Program Begins Crowne Plaza- Springfield, 3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield
Covid Guidelines
1. We recommend that everyone in attendance wear a mask.
2. Seating capacity is limited with special precautions given to wide rows of seats and space between seats for social distancing.
3. All meals will be in boxes that you will be given when you arrive. Items in the boxes will be wrapped. Packaged hot sandwiches will be provided.
4. We have modified our ticket pick up and have a virtual option to participate.
5. Crowne Plaza staff will be taking all proper precautions.
6. We will have access to the Crown Plaza for restrooms and cooling off. Inside the Crowne Plaza you will be required to wear a mask.
Ticket Pick-Up Tickets will be held under the name of each guest.
On Tuesday, August 17th, tickets will be available for pick up from 12:00pm to 8:00pm at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association Office – 318 E Monroe St, Springfield.
We are asking everyone to pick up their tickets on Tuesday afternoon. This will help reduce the long lines on the morning of the Brunch. If you are unable to make it to our office on Tuesday afternoon, your ticket will also be available for pick up the morning of the Brunch starting at 7:30am outside of the Crowne Plaza.
Please note, tickets will be required for entry.
If you have not already done so, please submit the individual names for your tickets to xxxxx@ildccabrunch.org ASAP!
Parking
You will not be able to park at the Crowne Plaza, unless you have a handicapped permit. We have provided free parking at the Capitol City Shopping Center just south of the Crowne Plaza, with a shuttle starting at 7:15am running continuously until 11:00 am. Note: You will be required to wear a mask while on the shuttle. Special Accommodation We are providing ASL interpreters and accessible seating for those with need. For more information or to request special accommodations please contact xxxxx@ildccabrunch.org
Again, thank you for your support of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association and this year’s County Chairs’ Brunch.
Questions? Please contact our staff at xxxxx.
I’ll be asking for a response from the Pritzker campaign in a moment.
*** UPDATE *** From Pritzker’s campaign spokesperson…
After deciding not to attend the IDCCA brunch the Governor made plans with his family back in Chicago. He will be sending a video message about the importance of electing Democrats up and down the ballot and will still be hosting a scaled-back outdoor event on the Director’s Lawn in honor of Governor’s Day.
A governor who can afford a private jet can make plans like this, I suppose. Still.
(To address potential comments, yes, he’s coming back to his State Fair event that afternoon.)
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 21,334 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 92 additional deaths since reporting last Friday, August 6, 2021. Currently, 76% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 59% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,457,687 cases, including 23,594 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Since reporting on Friday, August 6, 2021, laboratories have reported 421,009 specimens for a total of 27,609,781. As of last night, 1,652 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 345 patients were in the ICU and 162 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 6-12, 2021 is 5.1%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from August 6-12, 2021 is 5.9%.
A total of 13,510,873 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 30,737 doses. Since reporting on Friday, August 6, 2021, 215,157 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Thursday that Normal is a finalist for a new Samsung battery manufacturing plant that could add thousands of jobs adjacent to Rivian’s facility and cement central Illinois as a Midwestern electric vehicle hub.
Rumors about a potential massive economic development project have swirled in Bloomington-Normal for the past week. Economic Development Council chief Patrick Hoban teased the project Aug. 5 during an event at Illinois Wesleyan, as WGLT first reported. He didn’t specify which industry or company was involved, but said a potential “billion-dollar deal” was possible, and that Bloomington-Normal was one of three finalists for the project. […]
“We’re competing for a major Samsung battery facility,” Durbin said. “The delegation came from (South) Korea this week. I spoke to them, and others did as well. This Samsung facility, we hope, would be located next door to Rivian. That decision has not been made. Having that battery facility will also create thousands of jobs.”
State Rep. Dan Brady, a Bloomington Republican, told WGLT on Thursday that he’s heard the Samsung plant will employ up to 3,200 people.
Sen. Durbin might’ve been better off keeping his mouth shut, but whatever. Too late now.
* DCEO’s Lauren Huffman had a purposefully vague response to my query, likely to not upset the company…
The Pritzker administration is bullish about building a clean energy future for Illinois – and part of that is making a concerted effort to boost electric vehicle and supplier manufacturing here in Illinois. We remain in regular conversation with a number of companies in this space but it is against our policy to comment on any specifics.
Last month, Reuters reported that Samsung SDI, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS), may build a battery cell plant in the United States. Reuters also reported that Samsung SDI has been in talks to supply batteries manufactured at a potential U.S. factory with electric vehicle makers including Stellantis (STLA.MI) and Rivian, which is backed by Amazon (AMZN.O) and Ford Motor Co (F.N). read more
The South Korean battery maker is considering investing at least 3 trillion won ($2.62 billion) to manufacture batteries for Stellantis and a minimum of 1 trillion won for batteries to Rivian, according to the source.
The source added that Samsung SDI has not yet decided whether to launch the U.S. plant as a joint venture with carmakers, or as an independent manufacturing site.
Samsung SDI officials have been making business trips to Detroit recently to discuss battery supply issues with Stellantis, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
* Again, we’ll get to demographics in a bit. Brenden Moore…
All but 14 of Illinois’ 102 counties experienced population decline this past decade, but the distribution was uneven, with eight counties in populous northeastern Illinois (Cook County, the five suburban “collar” counties and exurban Grundy and Kendall counties) combining for nearly 149,000 in population growth. […]
With state legislative Democrats controlling the [remap] process, it is likely conservative downstate will lose representation as the party seeks to maximize its political advantage, which lately has been the Chicago suburbs.
“That’s the area that has become the political battleground,” Redfield said. “If the Democrats are gaining ground in the suburbs and losing ground downstate or the Republicans are gaining ground downstate and losing ground in the suburbs, then those demographic trends obviously favor the Democrats.”
“Some of the narratives we have of decline haven’t really been that accurate,” Paral said. “The suburban portion grew too — barely — but it held its own.” […]
Perhaps a partial reflection of the slowing suburban trend lines, Chicago’s growth came during a decade when the city poached dozens of corporate headquarters from nearby suburbs and saw an influx of young professionals and baby boomers snapping up condos and apartments in and near downtown. […]
Since 1950, the Chicago suburbs in many cases have experienced rapid, double-digit growth, decade over decade. Prior to the 2020 census, 8% marked the smallest population increase for suburban Cook combined with the five surrounding collar counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will.
Over the last decade, those suburbs grew collectively by just 1.4%.
Paral, however, noted that while the growth was smaller, all of the counties in the region did increase their individual populations — including suburban Cook County, which he said is beset with some struggling suburbs that make it more prone to population loss.
Suburban areas grew at roughly the same pace as Chicago. Suburban Cook County and the five collar counties — DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties — each witnessed growth of less than 3%. […]
Aurora remains the second-largest city in Illinois, but it saw a steep drop in population, falling from about 198,000 in 2010 to about 181,000 in 2020, according to the data released Thursday. With more than 150,000 residents, Joliet has overtaken Rockford as the state’s third-largest city. Naperville ranks fourth, and Rockford slides to fifth.
Naperville grew by 5% over the past decade, bringing its population to 149,540, according to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau statistics released Thursday. […]
Newly released census data also shows the populations in DuPage and Will counties rose 2% and 3% respectively over the 10 years. Both counties encompass a portion of Naperville.
DuPage remains the second largest county in the state with 932,877 residents, up from 916,924 in 2010. That gives it a population density of 2,845.9 people per square mile.
Will County is the fourth largest in Illinois. With 696,355 residents counted in 2020, compared to 677,560 in 2010, it has a population density of 833.1 people per square mile.
Aurora kept its standing as the second-largest city in Illinois, but its population decreased by around 17,000 residents over the past decade, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released Thursday. […]
Aurora officials are concerned about a possible serious undercount of residents during the census, and are doing a deeper dive into the numbers.
Aurora had a number of outreach efforts designed to get people to take part in the census, including a census day in late September 2020 where city officials and volunteers hit the streets in some of the city’s harder-to-count areas in hopes of getting as many people counted as possible before the Sept. 30, 2020, census deadline.
City officials have pointed out in the past that each person that goes uncounted costs the city about $1,800 in lost gas, sales and income tax from the state, as well as in federal funding. That adds up to $18,000 a person when figured over the next 10 years.
Chicago remains the 3rd largest city in the U.S., according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. The city’s population grew by nearly 51,000 from 2010 to 2020.
Chicago rebounded from a hefty population loss in the first decade of the 2000s to add about 50,000 residents over the last 10 years, but once-robust growth in the surrounding suburbs has slowed to a crawl, according to new 2020 census data released Thursday. […]
The decennial population count put Chicago’s total at 2,746,388 residents — a 1.9% increase over the 2010 census. The six-county region grew to 8,445,866 people — a 1.6% increase over a decade ago. […]
Chicago’s overall population gain is in striking contrast to the previous decade, when the city lost 200,000 residents, a 6.9% decrease. […]
Rob Paral, a researcher with the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago, called the results showing Chicago’s population gain a “good census” for the city, noting that it bucked expectations from previous surveys that predicted population losses.
“Some of the narratives we have of decline haven’t really been that accurate,” Paral said. “The suburban portion grew too — barely — but it held its own.”
Even though the city added more than 50,000 Chicagoans since 2010, it still has almost 150,000 fewer people than 20 years ago, a total decrease of about 5.1 %. […]
Overall, the city’s population grew nearly 2% from 2010 to 2020 — from 2.6 million residents to 2.7 million, according to data released from the 2020 census. That’s a change from the population decline the city had experienced from 2000 to 2010, when the city lost nearly 7% of its population. […]
Chicago did not grow as much as other large American cities. Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., grew by nearly 10% in its population from 2010 to 2020, according to the census. Houston now has a population of 2.3 million people. […]
The growth in Chicago follows a national trend of more Americans living in metropolitan areas, said Marc Perry, a senior demographer with the bureau. In 2000, 84% of the country’s population lived in metropolitan areas, but that number grew to 86% by 2020.
Among the nation’s 10 largest cities, Chicago’s growth was the smallest at 1.9 percent. New York added more than 600,000 people, Los Angeles a little more than 100,000 and Houston about 200,000.
Phoenix grew 11.2 percent to a little more than 1.6 million, displacing Philadelphia as the nation’s fifth-largest city.
Not sure if you’ve heard, but they say everything is bigger in Texas. Everything except the state’s largest city, apparently.
While Houston couldn’t pass Chicago this time around, in our hearts we know it deserves the top spot in every single category.
I admit I’ve never even been to Illinois, so I asked new Chronicle reporter and Chicago transplant Sam González Kelly to tell me about the place he calls home.
Houston, listen to this nonsense — you’ll be madder at Chicago than that time it stole Whataburger from us.
* We’re going to take yesterday’s Census news in chunks today. We’ll start with Downstate…
“We see a strong relationship to population size with small counties tending to lose population and more populous counties tending to gain people,” [Marc Perry, senior demographer in the US Census Bureau’s Population Division] said.
In general, across the country, Perry said people are moving to larger cities.
“Counties with 1,000 to 5,000 people, 5,000 to 10,000 people and 10,000 to 50,000 people also lost people this decade on average,” Perry said. “Only two categories of counties showed growth. Counties with between 50,000 and 100,000 people grew by 4.1% while counties with 100,000 or more people grew by 9.1%.”
Downstate Illinois is continuing to hollow out, with U.S. Census data, released Thursday afternoon, confirming the region’s losses as the main driver of the state’s population loss over the past 10 years.
All but 14 of Illinois’ 102 counties experienced population decline this past decade, but the distribution was uneven, with eight counties in populous northeastern Illinois (Cook County, the five suburban “collar” counties and exurban Grundy and Kendall counties) combining for nearly 149,000 in population growth.
But, the rest of the state combined to lose nearly 167,000 people, creating a net loss of more than 18,000 residents and making Illinois just one of three states to lose population this decade. […]
There were some pockets of downstate growth, with Champaign’s population increasing 8.2% to 88,302, making it one of the state’s 10 largest cities. Bloomington also registered a 2.6% jump to 78,680.
Other areas of growth included Carroll, Effingham, Johnson, Monroe and Williamson counties.
The Danville, Illinois, area was among 72 metro areas that lost population between the 2010 and 2020 census. The area just west of the Illinois/Indiana border saw the third-largest percentage decline of those 72, losing 12.5% of its population, according to the Census Bureau.
Kendall County, located about 50 miles southwest of Chicago and home to communities including Oswego and Yorkville, was Illinois’ fastest-growing county, growing nearly 15%.
Downstate, Carroll, McLean, Champaign, Effingham, Monroe, Williamson and Johnson counties showed slight growth.
But several downstate counties suffered significant population losses of at least 10%, including some in western and southern Illinois. Alexander County at the southwestern tip of the state had the biggest loss, shedding 36% of its residents over the decade, shrinking from 8,238 people to 5,240.
* And while some college towns increased population, others did not…
Coles County’s population dropped nearly 13% in the past decade, from 53,873 in 2010 to 46,863 in 2020, according to new U.S. Census numbers.
This came as a disappointment for Mattoon City Administrator Kyle Gill.
“I figured we might see a drop in numbers, but I didn’t expect it to be that much,” said Gill. “Especially for the whole county.”
Mattoon dropped from 18,555 people in 2010 to 16,870 in 2020. Charleston also shrank in population from 21,838 to 17,286. […]
Jackson County, home of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, was down 12%. McDonough County, home of Western Illinois University, had a 16.5% decline.
In Sangamon County, 2010’s population of 197,465 dropped 0.57%, or 1,122 people, to 196,343. The city of Springfield’s population dropped 1.5%, from 116,250 in 2010 to 114,394 in 2020. […]
Molly Berns, executive director of the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, said the drop in Springfield and Sangamon County’s population wasn’t as large as predicted based on 2019 population estimates from the Census Bureau.
“You never want to be pleased with a population decline,” she said. “I was kind of bracing myself. We knew there was going to be some sort of drop in the population.”
Berns said Springfield and Sangamon County, like communities across Illinois and the Midwest, are experiencing the effects of an aging population, couples having fewer children, a reduction in manufacturing and other good-paying jobs, and the allure of major metropolitan areas for young adults and warmer climates for older people.
— Congresswoman Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) August 3, 2021
But, here’s the thing. Miller lives in Coles County, which lost 13 percent of its population in ten years. The Danville area is also in her district and lost 12.5 percent of its population.
So, maybe try a little less Chicago-bashing and a whole lot more focusing on solving the very real problems in her own neighborhoods?
The wife of a state trooper issued an impassioned plea to distracted drivers as Governor JB Pritzker signed a law to toughen enforcement of Scott’s Law.
Scott’s Law requires drivers to slow down and move over for first responders to protect them as they do their job.
“I got the phone call that every spouse of a first responder dreads and all they said is it’s bad, but he’s breathing,” said Lauren Frank, Illinois state trooper’s wife.
That phone call came on a snowy day in February. Illinois State Trooper Brian Frank made one final stop at the end of his shift to help a motorist. A driver doing 80 miles per hour on I-55 slammed into the back of Frank’s squad car, leaving him with traumatic brain injuries.
“Today Brian remains in a minimally conscious state. The roller coaster that we’ve been on for six months has been excruciating. And it was all preventable,” Frank said.
Preventable if the driver had slowed down and moved over as Scott’s Law requires.
Seventeen crashes involving Illinois state troopers or their vehicles have occurred in 2021 as a result of violations to the state’s traffic law known as “Scott’s Law.”
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Thursday, Senate Bill 1913, allowing judges to issue community service among other penalties to those violating the law, which requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when there is a first responder present with flashing lights stopped on the roadway. The measure was sponsored by Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, and Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, and will take effect in January. […]
[Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly] said one of the laws signed by Pritzker, House Bill 3656, makes it easier to prosecute drivers violating the law.
That language says, “Drivers of vehicles approaching a stationary emergency vehicle in any lane shall heed the warning of the signal, reduce the speed of the vehicle, proceed with due caution, maintain a safe speed for road conditions, be prepared to stop, and leave a safe distance until safely passed the stationary emergency vehicle.”
That law, sponsored by Chicago Democrats Rep. Fran Hurley and Sen. Antonio Muñoz, also creates a “Move Over Early Warning Task Force” made up of members appointed by state agencies and law enforcement entities to study ways to better enforce road safety and alert drivers to hazards.
In addition to strengthening Scott’s Law, the state is making mental health services easier to access for paramedics, police and firefighters.
“Our first responders face intense physical and mental health challenges every single day on the job. We want our first responders and their loved ones to know the signs to know what they need and most importantly, to how to get help,” Pritzker said. […]
Emergency professionals experience higher rates of PTSD and depression than the general population.
Friday, Aug 13, 2021 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois’ clean energy future—and the thousands of union jobs in line to build it—is in jeopardy if Springfield doesn’t act by Aug. 31.
Tell your state legislator to pass a clean energy bill that creates new union jobs, expands apprenticeships for Black and Latinx communities, safeguards the state’s clean-energy nuclear plants and increases energy efficiency for public schools.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was heckled by a Republican Senate candidate at a recent fundraising event after he refused to say that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
“There are certain states with problems, but don’t kid yourself into believing that’s why we lost,” Crenshaw told Bobby Piton, a 2022 Senate candidate for the state of Illinois, referring to Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the 2o20 election was fraudulent. “It’s not; it’s not. I’ll tell you openly.”
Crenshaw’s refusal to validate lies pushed by the former president and his supporters prompted Piton to shout, “You’re wrong. You’re wrong!”
The Texas Republican maintained that he was not wrong, which led to Piton claiming he had “proof in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.”
An aggravated Crenshaw noted that Piton had already told him about his thoughts on the ballot review of Maricopa County, adding, “And how’d that turn out?”
Piton went on to say that the audit would flip the election results, which Crenshaw assured the crowd would not happen.
Chicago grew by about 50,000 residents over the last decade, according to 2020 U.S. Census data released Thursday.
The decennial population count put Chicago’s total at 2,746,388 residents — a 1.9% increase over the 2010 total. The Chicago number was revealed during a Washington news conference. More detailed county and regional data is expected later Thursday.
Chicago’s gain in population is a stark contrast to the previous decade, when the the city lost 200,000 residents — a 6.9% decrease.
Chicago remains the third largest city in the U.S. despite worries about population loss, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. […]
But Illinois lost population from 2010 to 2020, according to the data, mostly in the southern and western part of the state.
* Click the pic for a better view if you need it of Chicago’s historical demographic trend from Frank Calabrese…
Interesting stuff there. This post will likely be updated.
* From 32nd Ward Democratic Committeeperson Scott Waguespack and 43rd Ward Democratic Committeeperson Lucy Moog to Cook County Central Committee Chair Toni Preckwinkle…
August 2, 2021
Toni Preckwinkle Chair
Cook County Democratic Party 134 N. LaSalle
Chicago, IL 60602
Dear Chairwoman Preckwinkle:
On June 5, the Cook County Democratic Party held a candidate forum for IL Secretary of State. When the candidates were questioned by the Committeepeople, former State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias was asked whether he had ever endorsed a republican candidate; and specifically, whether he did so, in the 2014 race for Illinois Treasurer of Mike Frerichs vs. Tom Cross. Mr. Giannoulias replied that he said a few nice things about Tom Cross but did not endorse.
We are reaching out today to ask a formal request of the party to explore and determine whether an endorsement was made in 2014 by then Treasurer Giannoulias. If a candidate for the Democratic nomination were to have endorsed a republican in the past, this would be critical information for our fellow Committeepeople to know before going into the Party slating process this fall. Just this past year, we investigated and sanctioned one of our own Committeepersons for supporting a republican candidate for countywide office, recognizing our duty and importance of supporting the Democratic ticket.
We are available to answer any questions about this this request and hope that a subcommittee can get to the truth of what transpired in the fall of 2014. To keep a strong and vibrant party, we need to make sure everyone is playing for the same team with commitment and loyalty.
Thank you for your consideration.
Waguespack has endorsed Ald. Pat Dowell for SoS. Moog has endorsed Anna Valencia.
* Preckwinkle’s reply…
August 11, 2021
Committeepersons Waguespack and Moog:
We are in receipt of your letter dated August 2 in reference to a statement made by Secretary of State candidate Giannoulias at our June 5 forum. The Executive Committee met on August 9 and chose to provide this response.
Mr. Giannoulias’ actions regarding the 2014 race for state treasurer were widely covered at the time in local media outlets, so additional research on our part is unnecessary. Articles appeared in both the Chicago Tribune (https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/chi-democrat-giannoulias-backs-republican-cross-for-state-treasurer-20140921-story.html) and Chicago Sun Times (https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2014/9/21/18592294/giannoulias-a-democrat backs -republican-cross-for-treasurer). We have also searched the Illinois State Board of Elections and have not found any records of Mr. Giannoulias making a donation to Republican Tom Cross. Please feel free to share this public information as you see fit.
* Giannoulias, a Democrat, backs Republican Cross for treasurer: Former state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat, is throwing his support behind Republican Tom Cross in the current race for treasurer, opting to not support fellow Democrat Mike Frerichs.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Hanah Jubeh…
Seven years ago, Alexi said something nice about a candidate from another party. It was not an endorsement and it is certainly not what voters care about. Alexi is running to protect voter rights and modernize the office so we can reduce the lines at driver’s license facilities across the State. These false attacks are exactly what’s wrong with politics today and are what frustrate voters. Right now, people want to elect candidates who care about public service, are committed to restoring faith in government and will work hard for them to make a positive impact in their daily lives.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Greg Hinz got Frerichs on the record…
“He called me this spring, and apologized for endorsing Cross,” Frerichs told me. And Giannoulias did use the word “endorsed” in their talk, Frerichs said. “From my perspective, this all is in the past now.”
* I’m not a huge fan of focusing on case counts these days since people are vaccinated and, therefore, fewer will wind up hospitalized than they would have last November. But the vax rate in Jackson County is under 40 percent, and that’s a recipe for possible disaster…
A single-day record for new COVID-19 cases has been set in Jackson County.
The Jackson County Health Department was notified of 115 cases Wednesday, eclipsing the previous daily record of 87 cases from November 12.
Through the first 11 days of August, the department says there have been 451 new cases in Jackson County, which exceeds every monthly case total except for Nov. 2020 through January 2021.
25 percent of August cases have been in teenagers and younger children.
Get your shots and mask up, folks. We don’t want to wind up like Florida or Texas.
Federal public health officials say COVID-19 is now spreading at a high rate across nearly all of Illinois as the Delta-fueled surge lifts infections to the highest level seen statewide in four months.
Transmission is considered high in all but 13 of Illinois’ 102 counties, including the entire Chicago area except for northwest suburban McHenry County, according to metrics set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the spread is still labeled “substantial” in McHenry and nine of the other remaining counties.
The CDC laid out the sobering color-coded state map Wednesday as the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,933 new cases of the disease, the most in a day since April 9.
The state is now averaging nearly 3,000 new COVID-19 diagnoses each day, a rate that has multiplied by eight since the first week of July.
The seven-day average statewide positivity rate is up to 5.1%, which marks a seven-month high, while the total of 1,558 hospitalized coronavirus patients is the greatest burden facing Illinois care centers since May 15.
Some two weeks after the opening day of Lollapalooza, the music festival shows no signs of having been a “super spreader event,” the city’s top public health official said Thursday.
Of the approximately 385,000 people who attended, 203 attendees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady said Thursday during a news conference at City Hall. As of Wednesday, none of those who tested positive have had to be hospitalized or have died, Arwady said.
For instance…
There was a time Pritzker/Ezike said restaurants/bars were driving spread, citing data, Lightfoot/Arwady said no then reversed themselves.
Outdoor events are safer than most. No doubt. Lolla probably wasn't as bad as naysayers thought. But, it's definitely complicated. https://t.co/f1V76v87hk
* The governor’s people admitted to me that he misspoke at the very end because, in context, he was actually talking about people dying from getting the vaccine, not from the disease. Still, he should be more careful because all he’s doing is giving ammo to those who would sow doubt…
A digital civil rights group says Illinois’ “Vax Verify” program is a step in the wrong direction, and the worst they’ve seen yet.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Director of Engineering Alexis Hancock reviews such systems from around the country and said Illinois’ program requiring people to verify their information through credit tracking firm Experian is severely flawed.
“This system is horrible in Illinois,” Hancock said. “Using Experian is definitely one of the worst ones I’ve seen yet.”
Hancock raised concerns about what that means for people who are not vaccinated, or may even be undocumented residents with little to no trackable credit history, among other issues.
“If you have frozen your credit for whatever reason, you have to unfreeze your credit with Experian in order to actually access a vaccination record from this Vax Verify system.”
Then there’s what she called “scope creep,” and how consumers could be impacted without proper protection to prevent private businesses from tracking citizens. […]
A spokesperson for the ACLU of Illinois said showing vaccine proof is good for public health and expects such measures would withstand legal challenges.
Yeah, I think I’d go with the ACLU on this sort of thing.
This year billions of dollars in U.S. pandemic relief for small businesses finally made it to minority neighborhoods, reaching hair salons, daycares and restaurants in some of the poorest and most-segregated urban areas of the nation.
So far the infusion of Paycheck Protection Program funds has failed to translate into a meaningful economic recovery in many of these neighborhoods, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Nowhere is this more on display than in Chicago, the only metro area tracked by Bloomberg where majority-Black zip codes have received more stimulus dollars per capita than White areas—albeit by a small amount—yet the pace of business reopenings is lagging and the local rate of Black unemployment is high. PPP loans are forgiven if businesses use a large part of the funds to keep employees on payroll, and the struggle to access federal aid early on in the crisis meant many small firms couldn’t stave off layoffs or even closures.
* The folks in Marissa and everywhere else need to finally come to the realization that this is not 2020 COVID…
The number of kids infected with Covid-19 is soaring as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads and schools reopen, pushing children’s hospitals around the country to the brink.
Nearly 1,600 kids with Covid-19 were hospitalized last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — a new seven-day record and a 27 percent increase from the week before. Tennessee’s health commissioner expects the state’s children’s hospitals to be full by the week’s end. Louisiana reached that point more than a week ago. And Arkansas’ only children’s hospital has just two ICU beds remaining.
As dire as the situation is now, hospital leaders and public health officials predict it will get even worse in the coming weeks. They are already contending with unseasonably high levels of RSV, a respiratory virus that can be dangerous for young children and infants. Flu season is on the horizon. And schools across the country are welcoming children back, creating opportunities for Covid-19 and other viruses to spread even faster.
Edward Hospital in Naperville and Elmhurst Hospital, which are part of the same system, saw patients nearly double in a week, with 52 on Wednesday compared to 28 on Aug. 4.
Sixteen of the 52 patients were vaccinated, spokeswoman Janet Hosey said. “The vaccinated COVID-19 inpatients are predominantly immunocompromised or elderly,” she said.
* How the Pandemic Now Ends: The ventilation in our buildings can be improved. Scientists should be able to create vaccines against the existing coronaviruses. Western people can wear masks when they’re sick, as many Asian societies already do. Workplaces can offer paid-sick-leave policies and schools can ditch attendance records “so that they’re not encouraging people to show up sick,” Wiley said. All of these measures could be as regular a part of our lives as seat belts, condoms, sunscreen, toothpaste, and all the other tools that we use to protect our health. The current pandemic surge and the inevitability of endemicity feel like defeats. They could, instead, be opportunities to rethink our attitudes about the viruses we allow ourselves to inhale.
* Background is here if you need it. From the attorney for Timothy Christian Schools to the Illinois State Board of Education…
August 11, 2021
Via Electronic Mail
Mr. Derreck Langwith
Illinois State Board of Education
100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 14-300 Chicago, IL 60601
RE: Nonpublic Recognition Status of Timothy Christian Schools
Good evening, Mr. Langwith:
Our client, Timothy Christian Schools, is in receipt of a letter from Dr. Ayala notifying the school that ISBE is removing its status as a recognized nonpublic school, effective immediately, based on ISBE’s perception that the school will not comply with the universal masking requirement in Executive Order 2021-18.
First, Timothy Christian Schools never communicated its intent to be non-compliant with the Order; and second, neither staff nor students have returned to school for SY21-22, as classes do not begin until August 25th. This was communicated in written and video messages to the Timothy community, and was explicitly told to Dr. Ayala when she called Superintendent Matt Davidson late this afternoon.
Nevertheless, in order to be crystal clear, on behalf of Timothy Christian Schools, we are writing to inform you that Timothy has no intention of defying the Executive Order; Timothy will observe the Order effective immediately, even though school is not in session for two weeks. We trust this statement will be sufficient to reinstate the school’s recognition status, effective immediately, and without blemish to the school’s record.
With this behind us, I would welcome the opportunity to have an amicable conversation about the rules under which the school’s recognition was “immediately” revoked, in order to clear up any misunderstanding of the State’s authority. Regardless of our understanding, please know that Timothy will fully comply with the Executive Order.
We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Vanessa V. Clohessy
* From Timothy Christian Schools Superintendent Matt Davidson to parents…
Team Timothy:
The support for our school is overwhelming. Thank you! Our mission here at Timothy is all about the kids and always has been about the kids. Therefore, we are working with ISBE on the restoration of our recognition status and have informed them that Timothy intends to comply with the Executive Order. We expect to hear from them shortly, so stay tuned. We are hopeful. Please continue to pray.
Our professional conviction is that we cannot allow such significant consequences as outlined by ISBE to adversely impact our children. Many of our high school students are looking forward to IHSA athletics and other activities; many are counting on college scholarships and opportunities; many of our families are receiving much-needed scholarship money from the Invest in Kids Act; and as a PreK-12 school, it particularly doesn’t feel right to have our children used as leverage.
As a reminder, we never stated that we would not comply with the universal mask requirement in the Executive Order to begin the school year. We simply made a schoolwide commitment to you that we would use the time before school starts to investigate this further, and I also made a clear personal pledge that I would not support outright defiance if we hit a dead end. If you haven’t watched the video, yet, I encourage you to do so. We did exactly what we said we were going to do — nothing more, and nothing less. This has never been a political matter for us. As I clearly stated in the video. This was never a fight, but rather an exploration.
Based on the current situation, we’ve determined that we will follow the Executive Order. Additional details on face coverings can be found here (see pp. 10-13). Note: face coverings are not required outdoors, so let’s plan to see each other’s faces outside.
Some will interpret this as wise…some will interpret this as cowardly…but I believe most here in the Timothy community will at least nod their head and understand the situation. This community is strong. Your support goes a long way in bringing calm for our kids. Hang in there!
More information will be coming soon. In the meantime, our entire staff is enthusiastically preparing for the start of school and welcoming your children! Let’s make this the best year in our school’s history.
* Gov. JB Pritzker signed so many bills sponsored by Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) one day that somebody made the joke that it was Robert Peters Day in Illinois. The Democratic Socialist Peters gave a wide-ranging interview to Current Affairs magazine, but let’s look at this part about his methods…
Right now we have 41 out of, I believe, it’s 59 senators. 41 are Democrats. You need 30 to pass a bill. […] I will always say that I generally have about 27, 28 votes that I can rely on, generally. And I go around on every vote. I have a binder and in the binder I have a roll call sheet. I have fact sheets. I have the bill language. And so I was able to pass I think 17 bills this year, and a large part of that is I went around with my binder to everyone’s desk, every one of my colleagues. And I talked to them about the legislation. Everyone. Not only did I do that, if there was someone who was quote unquote a “moderate” Republican, I still talked to them. I said, “You know what, it’s your job to answer the question that I’m throwing at you. It’s not my job to answer it for you.” So I’m going to go up to you with my binder. And I’m going to ask you. One of the things that stands out to me: me and senator Terri Bryant, she’s a pretty right-wing Southern Illinois Republican. She has four prisons in her district. We generally don’t agree on anything. But we had a conversation about, I can’t remember what bill it was. And she said she supported it. And then she got on the floor and she praised me, the most left person in the Senate.
And my colleagues who are a little bit more moderate, they were like, “Robert, can you believe, Robert?” I said, “You know what? I just went around. I asked a question, she agreed, and we were able to move it.” Now, I don’t know if I should be saying this out loud, because I’m sure this could be used against Terri Bryant. And that would be a horrible thing. I don’t want to be someone’s negative attack ad. But the idea is being able to have those conversations.
So there’s a few bills. Some that I want to talk about publicly and some I don’t, because I want to make sure that before I introduce or work on a piece of legislation with folks that we’re in the right place and we’re ready to build on it. But there were some things I wasn’t able to get done this year that left me very disappointed. One of them is the name change bill. Particularly transgender folks who were incarcerated being unable to change their names in the public record, and often times they’re left with their dead name and it causes so many problems and so much pain and trauma for folks, so I want to make sure make people aren’t having to be re-traumatized with a dead name, so they can go buy a house, or if they’ve had a divorce, they don’t have to have that linger. So we’re going to keep pushing on this.
Either to end solitary confinement or get as close as we can to ending solitary confinement. There’s this guy Anthony Gay, he was incarcerated in solitary confinement, he hurt himself so he could be out of solitary and see the sun. I think that’s something we can move from, and I’m hopeful we can get that done, but it’s going to be tough work. I’ve talked to Anthony, to organizers, and we’re just going to have to really convince people that this doesn’t do anything to help people who are incarcerated.
The other one is protecting the end of cash bond. I know with the fact that there has been a heightened level of violence, those that represent the status quo are going to make up whatever excuse they need to to continue the incarceration machine. They’re going to try to roll back what Illinois did. I’m committed to fight them tooth and nail to prevent that from happening.
* OK, I know we generally don’t talk about stuff like this, but we do have a local angle and it’s an interesting story…
A group of U.S. lawmakers who flew from South Korea to Taiwan in June hid their itinerary from officials in Seoul so they could deny knowledge of the trip and avoid a diplomatic fallout with China, Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) revealed at a conference on Tuesday.
Duckworth, who was part of the highly watched whirlwind visit to Taipei along with Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Chris Coons (D-DE), said the morale-boosting trip—sanctioned by the Biden administration—showed the Taiwanese public “that America would not abandon them” during the island’s politically charged vaccine shortage earlier this summer.
Taiwan’s vaccine procurement was “being blockaded by China,” the senator said at an event hosted by the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). During their three-hour visit on June 6, the senators announced the donation of 750,000 Moderna vaccines to Taiwan—an amount later tripled to 2.5 million doses. […]
[Duckworth] said: “We got to South Korea, and it was very much touch and go. We weren’t sure we were going to be able to get to Taiwan. There were no commercial flights. The administration agreed with us and actually sent a military aircraft, and flew us in from a military base in South Korea to Taiwan. […]
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, whose government faced political pressure amid a coronavirus outbreak and a vaccine shortage at the time, met the senators at the airport. In brief remarks, she said Taiwan would “forever remember” the U.S.’ support.
llinois State Fair officials unveiled the treasured Butter Cow Wednesday in the Dairy Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds. This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the unofficial icon, which is one of the most photographed subjects at the fair.
The 2021 Butter Cow features the Dairy Building theme “Embracing Tradition” and has been constructed to signify the 13 essential nutrients found naturally in milk, by having 13 hearts hidden into the mold. Along with the heart the cow features a young exhibitor embracing the animal.
“After a year where the world stopped, I felt including an exhibitor embracing the cow signifies the joy our youth are experiencing as they return to the fair,” said Sarah Pratt, 2021 Illinois State Fair Butter Cow Sculptor. “You only get one chance to celebrate the 100th Anniversary and hope this year’s Butter Cow will invoke those feelings of nostalgia people have experienced for generations.”
“For a lot of families, it is a picture they take year after year,” said Illinois Agriculture Director, Jerry Costello II. “To have such an iconic stop at the Illinois State Fair for 100 years is priceless.”
“Illinois Dairy Farmers are proud to carry on the tradition of the iconic butter cow at the Illinois State Fair,” said Kendra Anderson, Midwest Dairy Farmer Relations Manager. “We are especially delighted that the 2021 butter cow celebrates the return of youth exhibitors to the show ring and the other great traditions that surround the Illinois State Fair.”
The iconic sculpture will remain on display in the Dairy Building for the duration of the fair and be viewable live via the Butter Cow webcam.
Mitigations in place at the fair include: mask mandates at indoor venues, and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for ticketholders in the grandstand track. The Illinois Department of Public Health will have six vaccination sites at the fairgrounds.
Asked, “Should we even be here?” Pritzker responded that the conditions in 2021 aren’t comparable to 2020, when the fair was canceled.
“The big difference is we have vaccines,” the governor said, “and the vaccines work.”
* And this is from the Sun-Times story on Pritzker not attending the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association’s indoor brunch on Governor’s Day…
State Senate President Don Harmon plans to attend and speak at the brunch, but a spokesman for the Senate Democratic leader didn’t respond to a question about whether the Oak Park Democrat will attend Pritzker’s event.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch will be out of town, a spokesman for the Hillside Democrat said.
Most candidates running to succeed outgoing Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White still plan to attend the county chairs’ brunch as well as host other events.
32-year-old Mario Cruz-Cortes is grateful to be alive. Just a few days ago he needed the help of a machine just to breathe.
Cortes caught a case of COVID-19 that knocked him off of his feet, seemingly overnight.
Up until a couple of weeks ago he never had health issues. He had never been in a hospital bed in his life.
Now he wants everyone to know, if he could go back in time, he’d do one thing differently: “If you could go back in time would you get the vaccine? Yeah, I would get the vaccine because…what I went through, I don’t want no one to go through it,” Cruz-Cortes shared.
Cruz-Cortes was discharged from OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana Wednesday afternoon after spending nearly two weeks in a hospital bed, about half of that time was spent on a ventilator.[…]
The 32-year-old was brought here to OSF from Taylorville on July 30. Cruz-Cortes said he had no idea how serious the coronavirus was until he was in the thick of it, and it happened really fast.
“One day you’re moving. The next day you cannot move anymore,” he explained. […]
Cruz-Cortes told us at least one of his friends, that was originally hesitant to get vaccinated, has gotten the shot since he’s been hospitalized. He said he hopes what he went through will encourage as many people as possible to do it for their safety, and for everyone around them.
I know a lot of folks have no sympathy for those who aren’t vaccinated and then become ill. But people like Cruz-Cortes might help save a whole lot of lives.
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce today announced it is calling on businesses to review and implement policies that require all employees to be vaccinated before returning to the worksite, unless a valid health or religious reason is presented, or have stringent masking and testing protocols in place if vaccine requirements are not possible.
“Vaccines have been essential in the fight against Covid-19 and it’s time for businesses to make the necessary decision to mandate vaccinations,” said Jack Lavin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. “Many organizations, including Chamber members, have already made the decision to mandate that employees be vaccinated before returning to the office. Businesses are in a unique position to help change the direction of the pandemic, and we encourage businesses of all sizes and industries to require vaccinations so we can protect ourselves, those around us, and continue on our path to economic recovery.”
“Putting in place a vaccination policy will not only protect an organization’s own employees, but it will also protect employees across our country — from healthcare workers to teachers to delivery drivers, all of whom we would like to express our gratitude for all their support throughout the Covid-19 pandemic,” Lavin added.
I know many of you are in a difficult position. The pandemic has required us to navigate changing circumstances and guidance. I deeply appreciate your leadership and the courage and integrity you have shown in tremendously challenging times. Many of you have requested clarity on the action the Illinois State Board of Education will take to enforce the universal indoor masking requirement, and this communication seeks to provide that clarity.
As you know, Executive Order 2021-18, which went into effect last Wednesday, requires that all students, staff, and visitors wear masks indoors in all P-12 schools in Illinois. Governor Pritzker took this action after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended it.
The purpose of the universal indoor masking requirement is to ensure all students can safely attend school in-person this fall. We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential. Masks work best when everyone wears one. Research conducted by the CDC found that schools are safe when they have prevention strategies in place, as documented in the updated guidance from ISBE and the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Delta variant is causing a surge in cases and hospitalizations, and masking is a critical strategy to protect students’ access to in-person learning and to keep students, staff, and the community around them safe. We don’t throw our umbrella away in a rainstorm because we’re not getting wet. We have to keep our umbrella up until the storm passes.
The executive order has the force of law. I understand the pressure some school and district leaders may be facing from community members, and I will provide you with every support to understand, communicate, and comply with the order.
However, noncompliance is not an option. I will not compromise the health and safety of students or staff, nor will I risk even one child’s life.
Local boards of education, schools, and school districts do not have the authority to deny the Governor’s Executive Order requiring universal indoor masking in schools. Doing so not only puts students’ health and safety at risk but also opens the district to extraordinary legal liability – potentially without any insurance to cover damages. I strongly recommend that each district consult with its legal counsel and insurer to fully understand the repercussions.
Further, ISBE has and will use its regulatory authority, pursuant to 23 Ill Admin. Code 1.20, to ensure school districts protect students and staff; if school districts fail to do so, this risks State recognition.
A district would have multiple opportunities to remedy the deficiencies that present a health hazard or a danger to students or staff before becoming unrecognized. A district would first have its recognition status changed to “On Probation” and would be asked to submit a corrective action plan. Failure to address the deficiencies would lead to nonrecognition, meaning total loss of access to state funding and loss of the school’s ability to engage in any Illinois High School Association and Illinois Elementary School Association athletic competitions.
These are not steps anyone at ISBE wishes to take nor should these steps be necessary. School districts have the moral and legal obligation to follow public health requirements and guidance to keep their students and staff safe.
Wearing a mask is simple, safe, and easy. I know it can be uncomfortable sometimes, but so are football helmets and seatbelts. Sometimes we have to bear a little discomfort for the sake of safety and because it’s the law.
We have so many important issues to face as we start the school year, and we want to start the year off with positivity for all our students. I ask that you respect that there is a mask requirement, communicate this to your school communities, and celebrate the return to in-person learning.
Thank you for your partnership and support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmen I. Ayala
State Superintendent of Education
Illinois State Board of Education
It’s also quite a bit easier to slap private schools with nonrecognition status, which would also mean losing access to Invest in Kids Act money.
* I mentioned that because the guy who runs the private school that Speaker Welch sends his son and daughter to is making a big deal out of violating the governor’s order…
That’s right. The Speaker of the IL House sends his boys to this school.
The Speaker supports Governor Pritzker’s decision to listen to the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and our most trusted health professionals. He believes it should apply to all schools because this is about keeping our children safe, especially those who are too young for the vaccine.
*** UPDATE *** And just like that. Boom. Out goes the recognition…
August 11, 2021
Sent Via Electronic Mail
Mr. Matt Davidson
Superintendent, Timothy Christian Schools davidson@timothychristian.com
Re: Nonpublic Recognition Status of:
Timothy Christian High School (19-022-042Y-03)
1061 S Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, IL 60126-5263
Timothy Christian Elem Middle Sch (19-022-065X-03)
188 W Butterfield Rd, Elmhurst, IL 60126-5073
Dear Mr. Davidson:
Pursuant to ISBE’s authority under 23 Illinois Administrative Code 425.60, ISBE is removing your school’s status as a recognized nonpublic school, effective immediately. As a result of being non-recognized, your school is now subject to at least the following consequences:
1. Seniors who graduate from a non-recognized school will receive a diploma that is not recognized by ISBE. This action is irreversible should the school later regain its recognition status, and these students will forever have a degree from a non-recognized school.
2. Your school, families, and students will be unable to participate in the Invest in Kids Act tax scholarship program subject to the regulations set by the Illinois Department of Revenue.
3. Your school will become ineligible to participate in Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) sanctioned sports subject to the regulations set by IHSA/IESA.
Per our discussion on August 11, 2021, you declined to affirm that your schools will comply with the universal masking requirements set forth in Executive Order 2021-18. In a publicly disseminated video you also stated that your school will not comply with the requirements in the Order. These
requirements apply to all public and nonpublic schools serving students in any of the grades preK through 12, without exception.
We do not take this action lightly. The purpose of the universal indoor masking requirement is to ensure that all students can safely attend school in-person this fall. We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential. And masks work best when everyone wears one. Therefore, ISBE must take every action possible under its authority to ensure compliance in all schools with the Executive Order.
Should you have questions about this letter, please contact Derreck Langwith at xxx@isbe.net.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carmen I. Ayala
State Superintendent of Education
* Another reason to protect kids: Hospitals were already being overrun by RSV and parainfluenza…
The timing of Delta’s pediatric spike couldn’t have been worse. Many hospitals have for months been cracking under pressure from an unseasonal surge of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and parainfluenza—two other airway pathogens that can cause serious illnesses in the very young. Both viruses, typically fixtures of the chilly late-autumn and winter months, had all but evaporated during their typical November-to-February heyday, likely suppressed by pandemic-caliber masking and distancing. When those precautions began to slip, “boom, RSV hit us like a boulder,” Sharon Stoolman, a pediatric hospitalist at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Nebraska, told me.
The usual influx of pediatric traumas and the unresolved strain on hospitals from the pandemic’s relentless 18-month slog add to the stress. Several health workers told me they were terrified that they’d be unable to provide adequate care to all the sick children coming their way. “My hospital is full today—I don’t have a bed,” Melissa J. Sacco, a pediatric critical-care physician at UVA Children’s Hospital, in Virginia, told me last week. “And I’m just thinking, Please, nobody get run over by a lawn mower.”
Wear a mask and get your shots.
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is launching a new immunization portal, Vax Verify, that will allow Illinois residents 18 years and older to check their COVID-19 vaccination record. Vax Verify can be accessed at https://idphportal.illinois.gov.
“As more businesses, events, organizations, and others require proof of vaccination, Illinois residents will be able to confirm using Vax Verify that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “With the current surge in cases, more people are making the decision to get a COVID-19 vaccine and this new tool will aid residents in confirming their vaccination where needed.”
Illinois State Fair concert goers with tickets for the grandstand track area (also known as Standing Room Only) are required to provide a print or digital copy of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the previous 72 hours. Ticket holders can register in Vax Verify to check their immunization record for documentation of COVID-19 vaccination.
More and more companies, such as United, Google, Netflix, Morgan Stanley, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ascension Health, and Lyft, are instituting vaccine requirements for at least some of their employees.
The verification system follows best practices to protect confidential health information. In order to download proof of vaccination, residents will go through a brief, one-time identity verification process to gain access to their immunization history. The State of Illinois utilizes Experian® as its identity verification service provider. Individuals who have placed a freeze on their credit will need to unfreeze their credit with Experian® and wait 24 hours before completing the registration process. After completing registrations, individuals can re-freeze their credit by contacting Experian®.
After the verification process, individuals can see their own record in the Illinois Comprehensive Automated Immunization Registry Exchange (I-CARE).
Immunization records are kept confidential and only the individual can access their vaccination history. Parents should talk with their child’s provider to confirm their vaccination status. Some individuals with very common names will need to take additional steps to securely prove their identities.
“A digitized system based on proof of immunization will amplify the lack of access,” the EFF said in a blog post. “Resources, especially tax dollars, should be focused on giving people more information about and access to vaccinations, rather than creating a digital fence against those who haven’t been vaccinated yet – and subjecting people who have been vaccinated to new privacy risks.
That post was written last December, when vaccine access and supply were both very limited and the Electronic Frontier Foundation was mainly concerned about equity.
* Press release…
The Illinois State Fair along with Governor JB Pritzker, announced that eleven healthcare workers from around the state will serve as the Grand Marshals for the 2021 Twilight Parade.
“Since early last year, our brave healthcare heroes have kept Illinois communities safe as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the lives of residents in every corner of the state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Their ceaseless dedication to providing the best possible care for their neighbors saved lives. I look forward to honoring their sacrifices during this year’s Twilight Parade and I urge all Illinois residents to show their appreciation by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.”
“We are proud to have our frontline healthcare workers and spiritual leaders take center stage to kick off the 2021 Illinois State Fair,” said Jerry Costello II, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director. “It is their hard work and dedication that have seen us through this past year and half, and now allows us to welcome folks back to the Illinois State Fair.”
The Grand Marshals represent all regions of the state and are as follows:
Carson Andrew, PA- Oregon, IL
Stephanie Soliz BSN, RN- Hampton, IL
Pastor T. Ray McJunkins- Springfield, IL
Latisha Stennis, A BH NP- East St. Louis, IL
Woody Thorne- Makanda, IL
Dr. Brent Reifsteck- Tolono, IL
Dr. Dan Garganera- Lockport, IL
Dr. Daryl Wilson- Naperville, IL
Gaudalupe Rodriguez- Park City, IL
Dr. Lisa Green- Chicago, IL
Dr. Mahesh Patel- Evanston, IL
This year’s Twilight Parade will turn east on Illinois Avenue and will end past the fire station at Gate 3. Admission to the fairgrounds is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors (60 and older) and kids 12 and under are free on Preview Day (Thursday). All carnival rides, including those in Adventure Village, will be open by Noon and all rides will be $2. Participants and attendees of the Twilight Parade are encouraged to wear masks.
The parade kicks off Thursday afternoon at 5:30.
* Other developments…
* COVID-19 update: 17,068 more shots, 3,933 new cases, 9 more deaths, 5.1% case positivity rate, 1,558 hospitalized, 49,200 tests
* From Gov. Pritzker’s campaign spokesperson in response to my question about his plans for Governor’s Day….
The Governor is planning to host a casual outdoor event on the Director’s lawn to celebrate the tradition of Governor’s Day. With the Delta variant of COVID surging and pediatric cases on the rise, the Governor doesn’t plan to attend the IDCCA brunch, which in its current form is a large indoor event. He continues to encourage others to take all possible pre-cautions to prevent the spread.
I’ve asked the IDCCA for comment.
*** UPDATE *** IDCCA President Kristina Zahorik…
This year’s hybrid gathering will convene Democratic activists from across the state to celebrate the party’s efforts to Build Back Better in a way that is safe and follows the science. While we respect the Governor and other Democrats’ decision not to join the event in person, we’d remind individuals that they can participate in our activities virtually. We hope the Governor takes part in the Brunch virtually or sends a video to address the thousands of grassroots Democrats who will be watching, attending, and supporting his reelection. Furthermore, we’ve put several COVID-19 mitigations in place:
* Do Not Attend in Person Unless Vaccinated: From the start of planning we have included a hybrid virtual option for individuals to participate. If individuals are not vaccinated we ask that they get vaccinated or participate virtually.
* Mask Requirement: All in person attendees are required to wear masks from the time they enter the Crowne Plaza Hotel until they leave the hotel after the event. If you forget your mask we will provide you with one.
* Proper Mask Use: Masks must cover your nose and chin at all times.
* Mask Compliance: If you ignore the mask requirements, you will be asked to leave the event.
* Seating: Unlike in years past, the seats will be spaced far apart from each other for social distancing. We have also limited in person attendance to allow for more spacing in the room.
* Hand Sanitizer: We will have multiple hand sanitizer stations throughout the hotel.
We look forward to seeing the Governor in person at next year’s Brunch.
…Adding… About that “required to wear masks from the time they enter the Crowne Plaza Hotel until they leave the hotel after the event” thing. There will be food and drink, so mask wearing won’t be all the time, of course.
-On Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 294, known as the Wipes Labeling Act, which now requires manufacturers of household disposable wipes for sale in the state of Illinois to clearly label “Do Not Flush” on wipes that should not be flushed down the toilet. The law will go into effect on July 1, 2022. […]
Illinois is the third state to enact legislation on labeling of non-flushable wipes. In June, similar legislation was signed into law in Oregon, continuing the momentum around the Responsible Flushing Alliance’s campaign to equip consumers with more tools to make responsible flushing decisions. Washington State was the first to enact wipes legislation in March 2020. […]
Some examples of non-flushable wipes that warrant the Do Not Flush labeling include baby wipes, cosmetic or facial wipes, hard surface cleaning or sanitizing wipes, floor cleaning wipes, make-up wipes and bath wipes. There are also non-flushable items contributing to clogs that shouldn’t be flushed, such as paper towels, menstrual products, cotton swabs, dental floss, rags, FOG (fats/oil/grease).
There’s still an issue with labeled “flushable” wipes that aren’t actually flushable…
“There is no such thing as a flushable wipe. There never has been such thing as a flushable wipe,” Jessica Walker, spokesperson for the city of Fairhope, which operates its own municipal sewer system, told AL.com.
Illinois will take a first step toward reducing the use of firefighting foam containing harmful “forever chemicals” under a bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker Friday.
The measure aims to curb the use of one source of PFAS chemicals that are tied to a host of health threats, largely through a limitation on using the foam for anything other than emergencies. Fire departments that want to conduct emergency drills or test the foam have to take precautions that prevent the chemicals from reaching waterways through sewer systems, for instance.
The bill, a compromise between environmental groups, an association of fire chiefs and industry groups, does not restrict any use in an emergency. The foam is used for serious industrial fires like those that can occur at a refinery, chemical plant or another source of flammable liquids.
Separately, state officials found more than 100 drinking water systems across Illinois with some PFAS contamination, the Sun-Times recently reported. The chemicals are used in a number of products, from stain-resistant clothing to non-stick pans.
* Press release…
A bill sponsored by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, to include mental health days in students’ excused absences was recently signed into law.
“It’s critical that schools are offering support to students who struggle with their mental health,” said Hernandez. “Just as we would allow a student with a cold or a fever to stay home from school, students should be able to have the same treatment for days where they need a break for their mental health.”
Hernandez sponsored Senate Bill 1577, which expands excused school absences to include mental or behavioral health, allowing for students to have up to 5 mental health days without needing a medical note. This measure passed unanimously through the House and Senate and was signed by the governor last week.
Throughout her time in the General Assembly, Hernandez has been a strong advocate for increasing awareness of mental health struggles among children and teens. This past session she also helped pass a bill to create a mental health task force to help determine methods and programs for K-12 students to receive mental health care. She supported a measure to urge Illinois schools to provide education for all students in grades six to 12 on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of addiction and mental illnesses, as well as provide instruction for how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
“Students of all ages can experience struggles with their mental health, and the pandemic has likely exacerbated that for many,” said Hernandez. “By allowing students to take a day off from school to take care of their mental health, we are not only giving them the support they need, but also validating their feelings and showing them that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of physical health.”
* Press release…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed HB399 on Friday, a bill authorizing the formation of the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission. The commission will be responsible for creating a statewide plan for a high-speed line and feeder network connecting Chicago to St. Louis. It will be integrated with existing Amtrak and Metra services, intercity bus service and connect the Illinois cities of Rockford, Moline, Peoria and Decatur. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, and Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines.
“Establishing high speed rail lines that connect Chicago, St. Louis and several other cities throughout Illinois will create thousands of jobs, spur economic growth, lower carbon emissions, improve transportation safety and relieve congestion in cities,” said Rick Harnish, executive director of the High Speed Rail Alliance. HSRA has been advocating for the creation of the commission for more than three years.
Under the newly passed law, the commission has been tasked with conducting a ridership study and issuing its findings and recommendations concerning a governance structure, the frequency of service and implementation of the plan. The commission is required to provide yearly reports and be assisted by the state Department of Transportation.
“With the signing of this bill, we have taken an important first step towards creating a statewide network that feeds into the high-speed backbone,” Harnish said. “The plan would encourage coordination and cooperation between state agencies, railroads and local governments to invest wisely in targeted upgrades to the existing rail network. Improving existing tracks and connecting them to a new high-speed line would create the heart of a Midwest high-speed network and make same-day round-trips possible between all of Illinois’ major cities and destinations.
“Every Illinosian will benefit from faster trains, but without a big-picture view, it was hard to coordinate all the stakeholders.”
The proposed high speed rail line would start at O’Hare International Airport and take just 127 minutes to reach downtown St. Louis, stopping at Champaign-Urbana in less than an hour. Springfield would be 78 minutes away from Chicago’s Union Station. Champaign to downtown Indianapolis would take about a half-hour.
“Creating a high-speed rail network would provide a fast, safe and reliable way to travel across the state,” says Sen. Stadelman. “This investment in high speed rail networks will expand travel opportunities for the residents of Rockford and the entire state.”
The Commission will be composed of appointees by the governor, the four top leaders in the General Assembly, the Transportation secretary, chairs of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, Interstate Commerce Commission and Metra board of directors, the Chicago mayor, a rail workers union, a rail-industry trade group, the Metropolitan Mayors and Managers Association, Illinois Railroad Association, the University of Illinois System, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Municipal League, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District and regional planning agencies from the Rockford, Bloomington and Metro East (St. Louis) areas. The commission is authorized to work from the bill’s signing through 2026.
Creation of High-Speed Railway Commission Comes at the Right Time
The creation of the commission comes at an opportune time, as the infrastructure bill moves through both the U.S. House and Senate, with provisions that would commit $66 billion to passenger and freight rail over 5 years, and another $39 billion to public transit.
The formation of the commission puts Illinois in an ideal position to move forward quickly once infrastructure legislation passes. It will create a much-needed forum that the Illinois Department of Transportation can use to move from its current wish-list of individual projects to a true, state-wide railway transportation plan.
Looking ahead, the Illinois network could eventually be connected to other cities in the Midwest and the rest of the nation through a high-speed rail network such as the one envisioned by HRSA. The national network would modernize intercity and commuter trains, transit systems and buses, and integrate them into a nationally connected network, with a 220-mph high-speed trunk line to tie the network together.
The High Speed Rail Alliance is a growing community working to bring the game-changing power of fast, frequent and affordable trains to North America. We know that high-speed trains, integrated with expanding transit networks, will revitalize cities, towns and regions by making visits to family, friends and business partners easier, more productive and more affordable. And they will dramatically reduce carbon emissions in the process. For more information go to https://www.hsrail.org/.
* A relatively recent bill that helped start a national conversation…
Once again, Illinois is leading the way! In 2019, I introduced HB 3394, the Corporate Board Diversity law, which pushes to increase diversity in Fortune 100 & 500 companies in our state. I’m glad to see that Nasdaq is taking similar steps going forward. https://t.co/ZeBFdWwGxF
— Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (@RepChrisWelch) August 9, 2021
* Related…
* Hoping to stave off evictions, state to offer $60 million as ‘additional safety net, another layer’ to keep people in their homes
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted more than $15 billion in dedicated funding for Illinois infrastructure projects included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as billions more the state is eligible to compete for. This bipartisan infrastructure deal, which passed the Senate yesterday, would invest approximately $1.2 trillion in federal resources over the next five years, including $567.4 billion in new infrastructure spending and $93.5 billion in additional funding authorizations.
“This Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal makes significant and substantial investments in our public health, global competitiveness and economic prosperity by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, expanding access to critical broadband services for students and working families and upgrading our nation’s water systems,” Duckworth said.“Illinoisans know how critical this funding is to communities all across the state, and I will do everything I can to ensure this compromise is signed into law to support good-paying jobs for hardworking families throughout Illinois.”
“Illinoisans have come to my office for years asking when we’d get around to passing an infrastructure bill. We have finally reached that moment in the Senate. This bipartisan bill makes once-in-a-generation investments in public transit, passenger rail, drinking and waste water, broadband, and roads and bridges. It also expands electric vehicle infrastructure and battery research to help usher in an era of zero-emission vehicles. Illinoisans from Chicago to Cairo will see the tangible impacts of this bill and the jobs it will create,” Durbin said.
Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Illinois could expect:
• Roads and bridges: $9.8 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $1.4 billion for bridge replacement and repairs. The state will be eligible for billions more in competitive grant programs.
• Public transportation: $4 billion over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.
• Broadband: A minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, including providing access to the at least 228,000 Illinoisans who currently lack it. 2,926,000 Illinoisans, or 23 percent, will be eligible for the Affordability Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet access.
• Electric vehicles: $149 million over five years to support the expansion of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network in the state. Illinois is eligible for $2.5 billion in competitive EV charging grants.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also fully authorizes Duckworth’s bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA), which would help rebuild our nation’s crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure, and includes a modified version of her All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP) Act to help make transit stations more accessible.
The list also doesn’t include things like Illinois’ potential share of the $6 billion nuclear power plant bailout included in the legislation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1 million people who have received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine have gone back for an unauthorized third booster shot.
Florida is among the states reporting the highest number of people opting for a booster shot, followed by Ohio, California, Illinois and Tennessee.
The estimated 1.1 million, included in an internal CDC briefing document reviewed by ABC News, likely is an undercount because although it counts Moderna and Pfizer shot recipients it ignores people who may have received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine and got another shot.
* The Question: Did you already get a booster shot or do you plan to in the future? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Nearly four in five Illinois lawmakers say they’ve received COVID-19 vaccines. But the two legislative blocs most unwilling to divulge their vaccination status — Black Democrats and downstate white Republicans — also represent some of the least-inoculated parts of the state. […]
In the Illinois House, less than half of the 45-member Republican caucus publicly acknowledged being vaccinated, and just under 85% of the 73-member House Democratic caucus is fully vaccinated. […]
All 41 members of the Senate Democratic caucus told WBEZ they are fully vaccinated, and all but three within the 18-member Senate Republican caucus responded they, too, are inoculated against the coronavirus.
First, surveys generally do not produce 100 percent response rates. Some of these folks may very well be vaxed and just didn’t respond for any number of reasons. Some may feel that it’s private information. Some may not want to admit being vaccinated. I do not know if we should assume the unresponsive are not vaxed, but they didn’t respond, so they’ve basically given us the go-ahead to assume whatever the heck we want.
* Let’s go over the list of unresponsive legislators, starting with House Democrats…
Aaron M. Ortiz [Sent me a screen shot of his vax card] Jawaharial Williams [Says he was never contacted, but is “absolutely” vaccinated and is encouraging others to do so] John C. D’Amico [He told me he is vaccinated] Curtis J. Tarver, II [He told me he is vaccinated] Justin Slaughter [”I’m definitely vaccinated!’] Thaddeus JonesVaxed.
Mary E. Flowers Cyril Nichols [”I’m vaccinated”] Janet Yang Rohr [Didn’t get WBEZ’s email and is vaxed] Rita Mayfield [”I’m vaxed!”] Natalie A. Manley [Spokesperson: “Manley is vaccinated”]
Rep. Mary Flowers asked the health experts if Illinois gave a false sense of security that people are “okay” if they’re vaccinated. She also asked if state leaders are playing a “shame game” with people who haven’t gotten vaccinated.
Tim Ozinga
Amy Grant
Deanne M. Mazzochi
Chris Bos
Martin McLaughlin
Thomas Morrison
Tom Weber
Dan Ugaste
Joe Sosnowski
Tony McCombie
Daniel Swanson
Andrew S. Chesney
Mark Luft
Norine K. Hammond
Randy E. Frese
C.D. Davidsmeyer
Brad Halbrook
Blaine Wilhour
Charles Meier
Adam Niemerg
Chris Miller
David Friess
Dave Severin
The only legislator to tell WBEZ he is not vaccinated is state Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur, who said he “probably” would wind up getting the vaccine but did not return a phone call seeking further elaboration.
If any legislator on this unresponsive list would like to contact me, I will make note of it here. I’ve also asked the spokespersons for all four legislative leaders to comment on WBEZ’s story and will post those as they are received.
*** UPDATE 1 *** House Speaker Chris Welch’s spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll…
We know the vaccine is our best defense against this virus and the Speaker will continue to encourage everyone to get their shots. He’s extremely proud of the work our Democratic caucus has done when it comes to proactively engaging their communities, both in person and utilizing social media, to get their vaccines and adhere to guidance given by our health professionals even when it feels daunting. That’s the type of action that makes a real difference in communities.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Senate President Don Harmon…
I’m proud of the personal responsibility Senate Democrats have shown and our work to promote the only real way out of this pandemic that exists. Following the science and getting more people vaccinated is how we protect our kids, our neighbors, our communities and our economy.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Leader Dan McConchie…
As you can see from the overwhelming majority of Senate Republicans who were willing to give their private medical information to the press, the Governor’s narrative that the caucus is hurting the vaccination effort is entirely unfounded. Throughout the vaccination rollout, the Senate Republicans have been unrelenting in our fight to improve access and help our constituents receive vaccines. From holding vaccination clinics, to working with their local health departments, our members have been at the forefront of fighting this pandemic on the ground in their communities. The Governor’s goals, as he has articulated them, are more likely to be achieved through a collaborative process that includes the General Assembly and both parties. That has not been his approach thus far.
Since March of 2020 more than two dozen significant incidents have been investigated at 12 offices in every region of the state. Investigations range from acts of arson, vandalism, and bomb threats, among other acts of violence. Individuals have also shown up at IDES employees’ private residences threatening physical violence. This is in addition to countless threats made over phone, via email, and mail throughout the pandemic. Due to the pending investigations IDES is not able to share specific information.
A trio of Wisconsin lawmakers traveled across the state line to an Illinois cannabis store on Tuesday to announce the filing of new legislation to legalize marijuana for adults in their own state.
The three Wisconsin Democrats—Sen. Melissa Agard and Reps. David Bowen and Mark Spreitzer—held the event outside a dispensary in South Beloit, Illinois, which sits on the border with Wisconsin. They were joined by Beloit City Council President Clinton Anderson (D).
“All you have to do is look right that way and you’ll see the state of Wisconsin,” Agard said from the Sunnsyide cannabis shop’s parking lot, gesturing north and describing her state as “an island of prohibition.” She pointed out that a number of the vehicles in the parking lot had Wisconsin plates and shared that some of the store’s employees were in fact Wisconsin residents.
It really is nice that we’re taking cheesehead money for a change.
A judge continued to keep in limbo new cannabis store licenses in Illinois while one applicant alleges that the state mistakenly kept it out of the first lottery to award licenses.
Cook County Judge Moshe Jacobius has ordered that the state not award any new dispensary licenses, including for medical cannabis, until he rules on a lawsuit before him. The state plans to hold the last of three lotteries to award licenses Aug. 19, but the judge’s order means the winners won’t get any of the 185 new licenses until the judge rules. State officials noted that lottery results may change as a result of further court orders or administrative review.
A business called Wah Group LLC, claimed that state officials wrongly eliminated one of its applications that qualified for the lottery in the St. Louis region. Court filings by Wah attorney Mazie Harris assert that state officials told Wah it would qualify for the next lottery.
Wah and Haaayy LLC have claimed that the state process for scoring cannabis license applications was flawed, and unfairly required veteran ownership to achieve a perfect score and qualify for all lotteries. The next court hearing is set for Monday.
Last year, after only 21 applicants qualified for 75 new licenses, Gov. J.B. Pritzker admitted problems with the scoring process conducted by consultant KPMG, and ordered that the applications be rescored. Those scores were released July 28, more than a year late, and winners were eligible for up to three lotteries.
The applicants waited for more than a year for a chance to jump into Illinois’ booming weed industry.
But now that they have won lucrative licenses to open marijuana dispensaries, craft grow operations or other related businesses, some could sell the licenses before ever opening up — potentially collecting millions in the process.
With the state’s troubled pot licensing process careening toward a conclusion, corporatized weed firms and other cash-rich buyers are now expected to go after the new licenses — many of which are slated to go to so-called social equity applicants, a designation created to boost diversity in the lily-white weed industry.
Rickey Hendon, a former state senator who won a dispensary license in last week’s lottery, acknowledged he and other companies are now entertaining a host of proposals to sell to owners with deeper pockets. A court order in a pending lawsuit has, however, blocked the formal issuance of the pot shop permits for now.
The winners of the latest batch of 55 precious pot shop permits includes former NBA stars Allen Iverson and Al Harrington, Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen, longtime news anchor Robin Robinson and the indicted son of ex-state Rep. Eddie Acevedo. […]
Degnen, who previously served as the deputy director of the state agency that regulates dispensaries, is affiliated with AmeriCanna Dream LLC, which notched a win in a region near St. Louis, Missouri. In a statement, Degnen said she has “worked diligently to ensure our work for equity and fairness in the cannabis space is ethical and transparent.” […]
Acevedo’s son, Alex, and his group, Latino Veterans Health and Revival LLC, also earned a license in the Chicago region. Alex Acevedo, who previously launched a failed bid for alderman, was hit with tax charges stemming from the probe of lobbying practices of Commonwealth Edison, along with his father and brother. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Illinois recreational weed sales hit a record $128 million in July, helped by a late-month boost from the Lollapalooza festival.
The blowout sales month — up 10% from the previous high of $116.4 million in May — included four days of booming business at Chicago-area cannabis dispensaries during the annual music festival, which returned to Grant Park last Thursday after a one-year pandemic hiatus.
Recreational weed was legal in Illinois for the first time in Lollapalooza’s 30-year history, with large crowds of festivalgoers boosting sales by as much as 50% at nearby dispensaries in River North and the West Loop, according to operators.
A federal judge has ordered the Illinois Department of Corrections to “immediately” improve its treatment of inmates seeking treatment for gender dysphoria.
The ruling — which the ACLU of Illinois calls a “major victory” — comes after a four-day trial in East St. Louis last week, in which transgender inmates told the court how they were denied access to basic treatment, including hormone therapy, and how that affected them.
In December 2019, IDOC was ordered to improve care for transgender individuals who were part of the state’s correctional system. But according to U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Rosenstengel, it has failed to do so.
In a rare oral order delivered after the conclusion of the trial, Rosenstengel slammed as “nonsense” and a red herring IDOC’s arguments that the slow process for giving trans prisoners appropriate medical care was due to concerns over non-transgender “predators.”
The court also rejected claims that the COVID-19 pandemic justified delays in the process.
“I don’t have faith to simply ‘let the process play out,’” as the defendants requested. “I acknowledge that COVID understandably caused delays. But, COVID does not authorize inadequate medical care and treatment,” Rosenstengel said.
The injunction is here. I looked around and didn’t see any other news stories about this.
…Adding… IDOC…
“The Illinois Department of Corrections is committed to ensuring world class care for transgender individuals in custody. Under the leadership of Director Rob Jeffreys, the Department has implemented a number of initiatives to improve the quality of transgender care and Judge Nancy Rosenstengel recognized this progress in court. Every person in our custody deserves to have their needs fully met and humanity fully recognized and we are deeply committed to this critical work.”
Background:
Judge Rosenstengel stated in court, “I recognize that progress has been made and I even noted in the preliminary injunction order that changes ordered will take time and I acknowledge that COVID understandably caused delays.”
Under the leadership of Director Rob Jeffreys, the Department has implemented a number of initiatives to improve the quality of transgender care, including but not limited to:
• IDOC entered into a contract with Dr. Erica Anderson, President of the United States Professional Association for Transgender Health (USPATH), to consult with the Department on its policy changes and transgender initiatives. Judge Rosentengel applauded this effort stating, “Hiring Dr. Anderson was an amazing step in the right direction.”;
• The Department contracted with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to provide three separate trainings to all medical and mental health providers within IDOC;
• We contracted with The Moss Group to provide review and input regarding a new internal policy pertaining to transgender care;
• IDOC implemented a policy allowing transgender individuals to choose the gender of the person that conducts their full body searches;
• The Department approved and sent multiple individuals to receive a surgical consultation for gender affirming surgery by renown surgeon Dr. Loren Schechter;
• The Department contracted with Dr. Ravi M. Iyengar, an endocrinologist with expertise in transgender care, to consult with the Department on hormone therapy issues;
• IDOC is finalizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago to access their transgender telemedicine program;
• We implemented a policy allowing gender affirming items be present in commissary;
• The Department continues to actively review individuals for transfer to a facility that houses the gender in which they identify.
Protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of all individuals in custody is among IDOC’s highest priorities. We are committed to providing the training and resources necessary to ensure the needs of transgender individuals are met.
