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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WTTW…
* WBEZ…
* Tribune | ‘We are on the friends and family plan now’: Jury sees emails from Speaker Madigan’s son in bribery trial of ex-AT&T boss: In his donation request, Andrew Madigan made clear that “our good friend Mike McClain” had suggested he reach out to AT&T. McClain, according to prosecutors, was at the center of a scheme to have AT&T funnel payments to former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo, a Madigan ally, to help win the speaker’s support. In the email exchange shown to jurors, Barry told La Schiazza: “We are…and there is a sensitivity in that office about us going away now that we got COLR. That is something to keep in mind in rest (of) 17 and in 18 regarding budget and profile with the Speakers office.” * Tribune | Former Madigan aide to face cross-examination in bribery trial as Madigan due in court for pretrial conference: Longtime Springfield insider Tom Cullen will face cross-examination Monday in the trial of a former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing House Speaker Michael Madigan by funneling payments the speaker’s ally through Cullen’s lobbying firm. As Cullen is testifying, a pretrial conference is scheduled in Madigan’s own racketeering case in another courtroom at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. * Tribune | Electric bill savings will be lower for some new Illinois rooftop solar owners starting in 2025: Starting next year, some new Illinois rooftop solar owners will see lower savings on their electric bills than those who got their solar panels earlier. The long-expected change — required under the state’s 2021 climate law — essentially trims a generous introductory offer, but ComEd and the nonprofit consumer watchdog Citizens Utility Board say that residential rooftop solar will remain a very good deal for customers. “You can still save an awful lot of money on your electricity bill by deploying solar,” said Scott Vogt, ComEd vice president of strategy and energy policy. * Crain’s | Illinois nursing home associations merging: The Health Care Council of Illinois, or HCCI, and the Illinois Health Care Association, IHCA, announced their plan to merge today. The combined organization will be called the Health Care Council of Illinois and become the Illinois affiliate of the American Health Care Association. The two parties have signed a memorandum of understanding to merge, according to a statement. The plan is still subject to due diligence and detail finalization. * Tribune | Onetime COPA supervisor slams agency leadership in whistleblower lawsuit: Matthew Haynam filed the lawsuit against the city last week, alleging that COPA chief administrator Andrea Kersten fired him in late August “in retaliation for Plaintiff’s good faith disclosure of Kersten’s outrageous misconduct to both the Office of the Inspector General for the City of Chicago and Civilian Commission on Public Safety and Accountability.” Haynam’s suit accuses Kersten of repeatedly tainting the public’s perception of still-ongoing police misconduct investigations. What’s more, Haynam alleges, COPA investigators have a practice of disregarding Chicago Police training materials that are critical in determining if an officer engaged in misconduct.
* Chalkbeat | Explaining Chicago Public Schools: The students: The vast majority are students of color, with 47% identifying as Hispanic, 35% as Black, 11% as white, and 4.5% as Asian American. About 70% come from low-income households, 16% are students with disabilities, and 24% are learning English. These demographics shifted over the past decade — as Black families left Chicago, birth rates declined, and new immigrants arrived. * WBEZ | More arts classes in CPS schools is an easy sell. Paying for it and finding teachers is the real feat.: In Chicago, arts education is determined by a school’s size and, critically, by how much an individual principal prioritizes it. But leaders are questioning whether it should be this way. As the school year starts, district leaders and the Chicago Teachers Union are putting a spotlight on arts education. In ongoing union contract negotiations “more art teachers” is a rallying cry. At the same time, CPS’ director of arts education is spearheading a new plan to replace the existing 12-year-old blueprint. * Tribune | Ex-National Association of Realtors employee files lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, discrimination: An ex-employee of the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors has filed a federal lawsuit against the trade association alleging a hostile work environment that included sexual harassment and discrimination, as well as retaliation after she was fired. Roshani Sheth, a former product manager for Realtors Information Network, a subsidiary of NAR, worked at company headquarters from 2014 to 2019 and was the only woman and person of color on her team, according to the amended lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Sept. 10. Sheth was repeatedly subjected to comments about her body and other derogatory language, as well as sexual advances, by male supervisors, the suit alleges. * Daily Herald | ‘I wouldn’t wish that on anybody’: ’62 Mets hurler has sympathy for White Sox: As the White Sox appear destined to shatter the 1962 New York Mets’ modern-day record for losses in a baseball season, a suburban native who pitched for that infamous Mets squad has empathy — and encouragement — for the South Siders. “As I said many, many times, I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” said Jay Hook, who grew up in Grayslake before going on to an eight-year Major League Baseball career. “I’m surprised I’m still talking about the ‘62 season.” * Daily Herald | Huntley chosen for stop on new Chicago-to-Rockford train line. But where will the station go?: Last year, Huntley was announced as one of the municipalities that would be getting a stop on the proposed Chicago-to-Rockford Metra line. The service is expected to launch in 2027, have maximum speeds of 79 mph and take about two hours from Rockford to Chicago, according to a presentation from the Illinois Department of Transportation to the Huntley Village Board. * ABC Chicago | Threat forces schools in Joliet, Plainfield to switch to remote learning: Disclosing the threats over the weekend, Joliet police said they surfaced online, adding that while there doesn’t appear to be any credible evidence to support them, additional security measures would be taken. Joliet Public School District 86 reverted to e-learning for Monday. As did Plainfield’s Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C. * WCIA | Mahomet president not re-running, endorses board member: Sean Widener has served the community in different positions since 2006. First with planning and zoning, then on the board of trustees, and finally as the president starting in 2015. But now, he knows it’s time to focus on his day job at Clark Dietz overseeing engineering in Chicago, suburban Oakbrook and Champaign. * WCIA | Central Illinois airports improving infrastructure with FAA money: Officials said the money is being used to improve terminals to handle more passengers, modernize technology and improve the integrity of taxiways. Rantoul Airport used their $2.4 million to improve their north-south runway. “The runways are graded by a company called applied payment technology,” said Carson Vericker, the airport manager. “And they put a grade on what their asphalt is and the degrade that come off of runway 1836 was very poor.” * NBC | Cut up and leased out, the bodies of the poor suffer a final indignity in Texas: In the name of scientific advancement, clinical education and fiscal expediency, the bodies of the destitute in the Dallas-Fort Worth region have been routinely collected from hospital beds, nursing homes and homeless encampments and used for training or research without their consent — and often without the approval of any survivors, an NBC News investigation found. * WGN | REO Speedwagon to cease touring in 2025, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’: “To our fans: Bruce has intended to be Back On the Road Again by now. If it were up to just him, he’d be back on tour… but it’s not up to just him. The consensus opinion was that he had not recovered sufficiently to be able to perform at the level the fans have come to expect. Bruce respected that opinion and is grateful that Matt has been around to keep the Wagon rolling through the summer tour. Bruce never had any intention of retiring or walking away from the band, fans, and crew he has loved for almost 50 years.” * Tallahassee Democrat | Florida school board pays over $100K to defend ban on book about same-sex penguin pair: “The question is: Is that what you want your school district spending money on, which could go to providing services or books or hiring staff, rather than defending a decision to keep people from reading a book that some people don’t like,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department Showcasing the Retailers Who Make Illinois Work Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Tresa, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Question of the day
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * As the late state Sen. Vince Demuzio said, “Yard signs don’t vote,” but campaigns do rely on them. From The Hill…
* The Question: Do you regularly/occasionally put up campaign yard/window signs? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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2024 Illinois State Fair breaks attendance record
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Is this a war declaration?
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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Open thread
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Downstate federal trial poses latest test for Illinois gun ban. Tribune…
- The state’s ban prohibits the delivery, sale, import and purchase of more than 100 high-powered guns including semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and handguns. -The bench trial is before U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn, who said last year the law was likely unconstitutional following a hearing over a request by plaintiffs seeking to temporarily block the ban from being enforced. * Related stories… * Daily Herald | ‘People who should be held are being held’: Pretrial Fairness Act marks first year this week: Supporters include Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart, who said cashless bail has not resulted in the release of accused murderers and rapists, as opponents predicted. “We are holding more sex offenders and all murderers under the new system,” Rinehart said, adding “crime is down in Lake County at a steeper rate of decline than the national average.” * Capitol News Illinois | ADM carbon sequestration project violated Safe Drinking Water Act, per EPA: Agribusiness giant ADM violated federal regulations, a federal permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act earlier this year when a monitoring well at their carbon sequestration site in Decatur leaked liquified carbon dioxide into “unauthorized zones,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In an August notice, the federal regulatory agency also alleged the company failed to follow proper emergency response and remediation plans after it identified the leak. * ABC Chicago | Increasing diversity in Illinois’ adult use cannabis industry: In July, a study by the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office found that 60% of all cannabis business licenses went to minority or women-owned businesses. […] However, not one dollar of sales was documented going to Black or Brown owners when the study ended in 2023. Instead, white male owners took in 78% of recreational dispensary sales and 91% of grower sales. * Tribune | ‘People are desperate’: Illinois harm reduction organizations await settlement funding in effort to reduce opioid overdoses: Now, groups in Illinois providing harm reduction services are set to receive at least $15 million from settlements between states and prescription drug companies. Providers across the state say they could do much more with additional funding, but getting money from the remediation fund is complicated. “Unrestricted settlement dollars could really — I mean, there needs to be an investment in harm reduction supplies across the state of Illinois. People are desperate for them,” John Werning, executive director of the Chicago Recovery Alliance, said. * Press Release | Gov. Pritzker Announces James Jennings as Next Director of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency: Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced his appointment of James Jennings, environment professional and policy expert, as the next director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) pending Senate approval. James Jennings began serving as Interim Director in July. […] Before he was appointed Interim Director, Jennings served as Deputy Director of the IEPA, overseeing policy implementation and regulatory enforcement, as well as working in tandem with the federal EPA on initiatives impacting Illinois and surrounding states. * SJ-R | Former state board of ed superintendent who worked in the Bush Administration dead at 82: Ted Sanders, who served as superintendent of the Illinois State Board of Education and worked in the education department in the President George H.W. Bush administration, died Sunday, Sept. 8. He was 82. […] A towering figure, literally, at 6-foot-8-inches tall, and figuratively, Ted Sanders also served as the chief education officer in Ohio and Nevada and was president of the Southern Illinois University System. * Sun-Times | Ex-lawmaker became ‘borderline unprofessional’ when AT&T offered him money, jurors hear at corruption trial: Prosecutors are nearing the end of their case against AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza. Attorneys say it could be in the hands of the jury by the end of next week. * Capitol News Illinois | In bribery trial, AT&T lobbyists detail contentious meeting with Madigan ally: On an afternoon in late April 2017, recently retired state Rep. Eddie Acevedo was called to a meeting in the state Capitol in Springfield. The 20-year veteran lawmaker had joined his sons’ lobbying firm and was looking for work. Meeting with a trio of lobbyists for telecommunications giant AT&T Illinois was a major step forward in Acevedo’s new lobbying career. But Acevedo grew agitated when the lobbyists offered him $2,500 per month, raising his voice to express that he was worth more, according to testimony Friday in the federal bribery trial of former AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza. * Block Club | City Closes Gold Coast Homeless Shelter Used To House Tent City Residents During DNC: The Tremont Hotel shelter closed for good Sunday, Department of Family and Support Services spokesperson Brian Berg said in a statement. Prior to the closure, shelter staff worked to “slowly place remaining Tremont residents who have not yet moved to housing into other available shelter beds,” he said. “The Tremont shelter was a temporary operation, originally designed to expand shelter bed capacity during the winter months,” Berg said.
* Crain’s | Chicago’s nonprofit leaders saw their pay surge in our latest ranking: Despite retiring from the Big Ten Conference in 2020, James Delany still managed to earn nearly $5.9 million in 2022, according to the organization’s most recent 990 tax filing. The former commissioner holds the No. 1 spot on Crain’s list of the highest-paid nonprofit executives in the Chicago area. The list, which excludes university and hospital executives, ranks 25 leaders by 2022 total compensation, which for most nonprofits is the most recent available data. These executives saw 2022 median compensation swell by 20% to $906,243. * Block Club | Muslim Families Outraged After Headstones Removed From Bohemian National Cemetery With No Notice: Last Sunday, Ayman Halim took his wife, his mother and his 8-month-old son to the Bohemian National Cemetery to commemorate his late father’s 77th birthday. It was his son’s first time visiting the gravesite of his grandfather, who died five years ago, Halim said. When they arrived, Halim found that his father’s headstone and dozens of others were missing. Returning to the cemetery a few days later, he discovered a pile of Muslim grave markers left beside a dumpster. Now, he and his family want answers. * Tribune | Evanston has paid out just over $5 million in reparations so far: The committee met in September to approve records regarding how the first round of reparations has been spent. Of the $5.03 million distributed to 141 people directly affected by unfair housing practices, which the program calls ancestors, and 71 people who are descendants of those who did, $1.36 million will be spent on home improvement projects, mortgage assistance, or be used in the down payment for a home. The remaining $3.69 million will be spent on direct cash benefits, with recipients eligible to receive a $25,000 check from the city of Evanston. Recipients will not need to pay taxes on the benefit, according to 2nd Ward Councilmember Krissie Harris. * Sun-Times | At event honoring K-9 killed in deadly 2023 shooting, Kane County sheriff rips Aurora police: Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain essentially blamed his agency’s strained relationship with Aurora police for the incident that killed a police dog and a carjacking suspect. Aurora’s mayor called the remarks ‘laughingly incredible and absolutely wrong,’ and the area’s top prosecutor says she, too, disagrees with Sheriff Hain. * WBBM | Replacement likely for historic Cenacle Bridge in DuPage County forest preserve: The bridge once led to the Cenacle Sisters commune near Warrenville. The retreat center was demolished years ago, but the bridge has remained in use by hikers and bikers as part of a trail system within the Blackwell Forest Preserve. At a recent planning meeting, commissioners weighed whether it would be best to repair the aging bridge or to replace it completely. The bridge features some visually striking elements, including large stone pillars and white handrails, but Forest Preserve District Civil Engineer Chris Welch said those elements actually present a few issues. * WCIA | Massey family meets with Congressional Black Caucus for police reform push: The families were joined by renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who expressed frustration with the slow pace of change. A bill known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, introduced in 2021, remains stalled in Congress. * BND | Video of traffic backup in O’Fallon goes viral, prompts member of Congress to intervene: A viral TikTok video has gotten the attention of an Illinois congresswoman because it shows a “massive threat to motorists’ safety” on the Interstate 64 exit ramp to O’Fallon and Shiloh, according to the lawmaker. O’Fallon resident Tisha Crawley’s Aug. 15 video shows a line of cars on the Exit 16 ramp so long that it is spilling onto the interstate. More than 40 million TicTok users have seen it, including U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski. […] The Illinois Department of Transportation is aware of the problem, and the agency has plans to add additional lanes to the area to address it. But construction is years away, according to the agency’s project timeline published online. * PJ Star | Referendum on ranked-choice voting in Illinois: Voters in Peoria Township will make their voices heard on whether or not the state of Illinois should opt for ranked-choice voting in future elections. A non-binding referendum will be on the Nov. 5 ballot asking voters if the state should use the system, which is designed to prevent spoilers and allow a more accurate representation of voters’ preferences. * BND | ‘Politics’ by Belleville mayor threatens future of Art on the Square, directors say: Developments in the past few weeks have prompted the co-directors to speak out for the first time about a problem they say they’ve been dealing with for three years: Hostility from Belleville Mayor Patty Gregory, who co-founded the show and formerly served as executive director for 20 years. Gregory wanted to continue running the show after being elected mayor in 2021, but board members rejected that idea due to ethical, legal and practical concerns, according to Bartle and Dorris. “We had created our own little monster because none of us went up against (Gregory),” Dorris said this week. “We didn’t challenge her. She was used to getting her way.” * WSIL | The Jackson County State’s Attorney Office announces a new video camera doorbell program: Starting on October 1st victims and witnesses of violent crimes will be eligible to get a free video camera doorbell from the Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Victims Advocate’s Office. “Upon application, we can get these video doorbells out to individuals in the community to make them feel safer,” Jackson County State’s Attorney Joseph Cervantez said. * WAND | 13-year-old charged after making false threats in Jacksonville: Jacksonville concluded their investigation after speaking with all parties involved after finding the teen did not posses a gun at the time, nor did the teen have access to weapons at their home. […] The threats were shared across multiple social media sites. Shortly after the threats were reported, the Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center was able to deem them not credible. They say the online threats reported on the 11th were unrelated to the arrest of the teen for disorderly conduct. * WSIL | Two 11-Year-Olds Charged in School Threat Investigation in Southern Illinois: Two 11-year-olds face legal trouble in relation to an investigation of threats made at a Centralia school on Wednesday. The Centralia Police Department said they were informed by an school resource officer about a threat made at the Centralia Junior High School on September 11. * Nextstar | Do campaign yard signs even make a difference?: Studies have shown that when it comes to down-ballot races — usually non-presidential, like school board or a county-level representative — it’s important for the candidate to build name recognition. Yard signs can do that, even if the candidate is not real, one study found. * Nieman Lab | An AI chatbot helped Americans who believe in conspiracy theories “exit the rabbit hole”: The uncle who believes 9/11 never happened. The next-door neighbor who thinks Biden stole the 2020 election. The Nieman Lab editor who’s been known to wonder if aliens really do exist and the U.S. government is covering them up. You probably don’t want to talk to these people and convince them that they are wrong. But what if an AI chatbot could do it for you? That’s exactly what a group of researchers just did. In their peer-reviewed article “Durably reducing conspiracy beliefs through dialogues with AI,” featured on the cover of Science this week, Thomas Costello of American University, Gordon Pennycook of Cornell, and David Rand of MIT explain how they put 2,190 conspiracy-believing Americans in brief but detailed conversation with the large language model GPT-4 Turbo.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. Click here to keep up with the La Schiazza trial. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Sep 16, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Con Brio…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Illinois Federation of Teachers president Dan Montgomery and Illinois Education Association president Al Lorens…
* Tribune…
* Tribune reporter Kori Rumore Finley has a fun thread on Friday the 13th…
* Capitol News Illinois | On witness stand, former AT&T lobbyist describes how Madigan ally got $22,500 contract: La Schiazza wrote that getting AT&T’s bill passed “should be simple.” “And if our consultants can’t sell that then we should find new ones..…this should be an easy lift,” his email said. “Just saying.” A few weeks later, when one of those same colleagues forwarded news to La Schiazza about the retirement of ComEd’s longtime top outside lobbyist, the AT&T boss wrote back that it was “huge news.” The lobbyist, Mike McClain, was well-known in Springfield to be close to powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, and therefore more influential than most.
* Sun-Times | Facing defeat, Johnson pulls plug on Sigcho-Lopez as Zoning Committee chair: The Zoning Committee has been without a permanent chair for more than a year. It’s former chair, Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), was forced to resign after being accused of bullying and intimidating his colleagues in an attempt to block a City Council vote on a non-binding resolution that would have allowed Chicago voters to weigh in on whether or not Chicago should remain a sanctuary city. * Tribune | Mayor Johnson shifts course on Zoning chair, picks West Side moderate over progressive ally: The decision, confirmed by a top Johnson administration official Friday, marks a sharp change in course for Johnson, who for months had tried to put Southwest Side Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, into the important position overseeing development. Sigcho-Lopez’s appointment faced strong opposition from council opponents who argued he would be too politically radical and hostile to developers. In Burnett, 27th, a mentee of former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White who is the longest-serving alderman in the City Council and is currently Johnson’s vice mayor, aldermen said Friday they see a more acceptable pick. * Tribune | City to announce phase one of plan to combine homeless and migrant shelter systems: The event, held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 2822 W. Jackson Blvd., culminates months-long discussions between city and state officials and non-profit leaders about how to turn the two systems into a unified shelter structure, dubbed the “One System Initiative.” Homeless advocates have long championed the move, saying it will better serve unhoused Chicagoans and recently arrived asylum seekers with wrap-around services: employment, food, and health care. Some have pointed out, however, that providers helping asylum seekers may be new to housing and homelessness, which could pose challenges. * Block Club | Humboldt Park Tent Encampment Residents Will Get Housing By December, City Leaders Pledge: “In collaboration with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office, the Department of Family Support Services, and Chief Homelessness Officer Sendy Soto, we seek to house ALL tent encampment residents and help them move out of the park by December 2024,” Fuentes wrote in her newsletter. People in the park will be connected to 60 apartments later this month through Chicago Rents. The program is organized by All Chicago and aims to end homelessness by working with private property owners who volunteer their units to house people. The program launched in 2020 and has been expanding its reach to the Northwest, North and West sides within the last year as more landlords offer up their apartments, organizers said. * Sun-Times | Mixed immigration status families around Chicago hope Biden’s ‘parole in place’ plan survives legal challenge: A program announced this summer by President Biden would let undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens remain in the country while trying to adjust their immigration status. But a legal challenge halted the program until at least Sept. 23. * Sun-Times | ‘Three Senators’ mural celebrates Illinois’ Obama, Braun and Burris — all from the South Side: Installed in Mahalia’s Mile in Chatham, the mural by Mike Stidham features the state’s three Black U.S. senators and many other famous Chicagoans, landmarks and symbols, encouraging passersby to pause for a treasure hunt. * WBEZ | Welcome to the CTA bus ‘rodeo’: The history of the bus roadeo in Chicago goes back to the early 1980s. Since then, the annual event has grown to include competitions in mechanical, janitorial and other categories as part of a larger CTA transit “jamboree.” After going on hiatus starting in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the jamboree returned earlier this month. We attended the fete and spoke with competitors, fans and event organizers about the history of the competition and what it means to them. * The Athletic | Hawk Harrelson spent 3 decades calling the White Sox. Now he can’t stand to watch: “This team has no presence. After the pregame show is on, I basically watch part of the first inning to see if they get any presence. They don’t have a presence,” Harrelson told The Athletic in a phone interview this week, one of the few times he has spoken publicly this season. * The Triibe | Family seeking answers about death of Chicagoland truck driver Javion Magee: One family is seeking answers from authorities about their son, Javion Magee, a 21-year-old truck driver from the Chicagoland area who was found hanging from a tree in Henderson, North Carolina. […] The case is under investigation. * Naperville Sun | Naperville City Council to vote on $25.5 million settlement resolving federal civil rights lawsuit over wrongful conviction: With the six-page settlement, plaintiff Jeanne Olson — representing the estate of Amor, who died in 2023 — would agree to accept $25.5 million from the city “to resolve all allegations and claims,” the proposed agreement reads. To pay out the settlement, the city has $18 million in applicable insurance coverage, according to an agenda report for Tuesday’s meeting. The remaining $7.5 million would be accommodated as a one-time payment from the city’s self-insurance fund. The council is also scheduled to vote on a budget amendment Tuesday that would allow for the one-time payment. * Daily Southtown | Dolton firefighters secure contract, trustees put temporary halt to travel by officials: The labor pact was announced Thursday at a special Village Board meeting, where four trustees who have battled Mayor Tiffany Henyard were joined by a fifth trustee who has been a staunch ally of the mayor. Trustees voted to put a temporary freeze on travel by village elected officials to curb costs, and said they hope to have a new village budget hashed out in about a month, although they warned job cuts are a real possibility. * WCIA | Illinois State Police Trooper returns to duty after being shot during traffic stop: The ISP trooper who was shot and injured in October of 2023 is back at work, with full duty status, according to Illinois State Police. Trooper Dakota Chapman-Green is back working for Illinois State Police sinceCristobal Santana is accused of shooting Trooper Chapman-Green during a traffic stop in Springfield. * SJ-R | After two years of enrollment increases, here’s where UIS stands for 2024-25: Enrollment numbers at the University of Illinois Springfield held steady for the fall semester officials announced Wednesday, after the school had two years of increased numbers. A total of 4,628 students were enrolled at the 10-day count, compared to 4,661 students last year, a less than 1% dip, though the number of new first-year freshmen, first-time transfer students and online students all increased. * WCIA | ‘I feel like he’s still helping me’: Former Danville mayor’s $100,000 legacy: For more than 40 years, Bob Jones owned and operated the Dairy Queen on Main Street in Danville. Although the former mayor died seven months ago, his legacy continues to live on helping employees going from serving ice cream to sitting in classrooms at Danville Area Community College. “He would also talk to his employees about attending DACC and how they can come here and get financial help,” DACC Foundation Executive Director Tonya Hill said. * Smile Politely | Carle Illinois student team developing “space suit” to protect babies from radiation: Developed by primarily by CI Med student Annie Tigranyan, alongside fellow CI Med students Debora Nya and Madeline Minneci, and U of I chemical engineering student Katherine Park, the suit is meant to reduce the exposure in children in the NICU as some are subjected to dozens of x-ray screenings. Reducing the amount of radiation each baby receives is ultimately the goal, and the suit would be able to be worn in order to do just that. * NYT | Jon Bon Jovi Helps Woman Off Ledge of Bridge: In a video released by the police, Mr. Bon Jovi and another person, whom other news outlets have identified as a production assistant, slowly approach the woman, who is on the edge of the bridge, facing outward, on the far side of a railing. They are seen speaking to her for a minute or so, before she turns around to face them, and they lift her over the railing to safety. Mr. Bon Jovi then hugs the woman and the three walk together along the bridge, attended by law enforcement officials. The woman was taken to a hospital for evaluation, the police told CNN. * CNN | America’s stores are winning the war on shoplifting: At first, retailers underestimated how much merchandise they were losing. When they adjusted their metrics to compensate, they overestimated their original losses in some cases. Stores have also added ways to prevent theft, which may have been effective at reducing the problem, even if they frustrated shoppers. Companies locked up products and removed self-checkout stations. * ProPublica | The NYPD Is Tossing Out Hundreds of Misconduct Cases — Including Stop-and-Frisks — Without Even Looking at Them: In one instance, an officer punched a man in the groin, the oversight agency found. In another, an officer unjustifiably tackled a young man, and then another officer wrongly stopped and searched him, according to the CCRB. The incident involving the young man was one of dozens of stop-and-frisk complaints the NYPD dismissed without review this year — a significant development given that the department is still under federal monitoring that a court imposed more than a decade ago over the controversial tactic.
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‘Preliminary data’ released on Pretrial Fairness Act
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Amanda Vinicky at WTTW…
Those 77 counties do not include Cook and most of the collar counties. Click here and scroll down for the map.
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ADM leak a ‘wake-up call’ (Updated)
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * E&E News…
* From the violation notice…
* Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
* Protect The Mahomet Aquifer campaign…
…Adding… Sen. Chapin Rose…
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Today’s must-read
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Background is here if you need it. In These Times reporter Sarah Lazare spoke with people dependent on Belivdere’s Stellantis plant reopening…
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It’s just a bill
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WGLT…
* Tribune…
After passing the House 71-38 in 2023, HB1294 was referred to Senate Assignments and has not moved. * WGLT…
* Cooley…
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Open thread
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Happy Friday! What’s going on?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: The latest in the La Schiazza trial… * Tribune | ‘Is there even a small contract for Eddie Acevedo?’: Jury sees emails from Madigan confidant asking AT&T to pay former state rep: “Eddie tended to go out in the evenings in Springfield after session and on occasion would have too much to drink,” testified Stephen Selcke, who worked for years as one of AT&T’s top internal lobbyists. “And when he drank too much, he could get belligerent and, to a degree, a little loose-lipped.” But it turned out Acevedo had something going for him that trumped even his more unpleasant attributes. He had Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan in his corner. * Sun-Times | No job at AT&T for ‘loose-lipped’ Madigan ally — until exec ‘got a call,’ jurors hear: The push came when the utility was trying to pass crucial legislation. Selcke said he believed the request came from a Springfield insider named Michael McClain. And Selcke explained to a jury Thursday why the contract for Acevedo was likely so important to La Schiazza. “My impression was that Mr. McClain was advancing a request to [La Schiazza] after a presumed discussion that he had had with Speaker [Michael] Madigan,” Selcke testified. If you want live updates from the trial, we’ve added a link to the live coverage post. * Tribune | Nostalgia and pride: The Chicago history of celebrating Mexican Independence Day by caravan: The event commemorated the cry of the Mexican people to rise against the Spaniards. It was the heart of the celebration for the growing population in Chicago and nearby cities. “It was a beautiful and heartfelt celebration even though there weren’t very many of us yet,” said Teresa Fraga, now the president of the Mexican Cultural Committee of Chicago. * WAND | Treasurer Frerichs introducing lower fees, mobile app for Bright Start 529 program: Illinois families participating in the Bright Start college savings program will soon have lower fees and easier access to their investments. Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced Thursday that he is preparing to launch a new mobile app to help people prepare for their future college students. The Bright Start 529 is already among one of the lowest-cost savings programs in the country. Although, Frerichs said he wants to make it even better. * WGEM | Illinois Treasurer announces changes to Bright Start College Savings Program: Frerichs said the change will lead to lower management fees and give people more investment options. Bright Start will also be launching a mobile app for people to track their savings. “We’re proud of the progress that Bright Start has made over the past nine years but we’re not finished,” Frerichs said. “I want Illinois families to have the absolute best 529 program in the country.” * WTTW | Illinois Child Care Advocates Say Higher Wages Needed to Overcome Staffing Shortage: The state has plans to invest in Smart Start compensation grants and the Illinois Department of Human Services has allocated federal COVID-19 funding, which officials say needs to be allocated by the end of this year and spent by the end of 2026. The lack of those federal dollars could add to the already growing crisis. * WTTW | Dirksen Courthouse Juror Kitchen, Public Cafeteria Tested Positive for High Legionella Levels; CDC Says Building Has Widespread Problem: WTTW News obtained information showing positive results for legionella bacteria across dozens of tests in 2023 and 2024. While many of those tests merely showed reportable levels of legionella, some found fixtures with potentially dangerous levels of the bacteria — including in a kitchen used by jurors and in the building’s cafeteria, which is open to the public. The fixture in the juror kitchen was found to be contaminated last year, while two cafeteria fixtures tested positive as recently as July. * Sun-Times | Mayoral aide who called cops ‘f—ing pigs’ now accused of antisemitism: Ald. Debra Silverstein, the City Council’s only Jewish member, said two days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Kennedy Bartley tweeted, “From the river to the sea. Palestine will be free. Amen!” Four months later, Silverstein said, Bartley jeered her during Council debate on a Gaza cease-fire resolution. * Tribune | Aldermen call on Mayor Johnson aide to resign over social media post, police comment: Ald. Matt O’Shea, 19th, said Bartley’s X post will renew concerns over the judgment of Johnson’s leadership team, given that it came weeks before Israel’s full invasion of Gaza on Oct. 27. “This is disgusting that someone could comment on social media about such a vicious, brutal attack of innocent people,” O’Shea, Johnson’s handpicked chair of the Aviation Committee, said, questioning “how this administration could not have known about this from a high-ranking member on their own social media account less than a year ago. This individual is not suited for leadership in government.” * Fox Chicago | Dolton trustees meet without Mayor Henyard, address layoffs and budget issues: House also noted that the village must [Trustee Jason House] a new bank after Henyard allegedly refused to sign numerous checks totaling millions of dollars. House stepped in to sign them, but said Henyard disapproved. “The mayor’s office was disappointed in that they contacted our bank claiming false, false signatures on the bank account so the bank essentially said we are not playing this game we are tired of it and gave us a 60 day notice,” House said. * WGN | With Henyard absent, an ally and trustee joins village board to help tackle fiscal issues: In the wake of WGN Investigates extensive reporting on Henyard and her allies’ lavish travel on taxpayer dimes – the trustees voted to approve a moratorium on reimbursing the travel for elected officials and employees. “Taking these trips to all of these conferences and bringing back absolutely nothing means you’re just taking trips on the taxpayers dime,” said Kiana Belcher. * Tribune | Convicted ex-US Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. pushing for presidential pardon with help from suburban mayors: Jackson, who served about 17 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2013 to conspiring to defraud his campaign fund of roughly $750,000, has enlisted the help of south suburban mayors from his former congressional district and also put out a general call on his Facebook page for others to write letters of support to Biden. […] That was the same day NBC News reported nine south suburban mayors had sent a letter to the White House requesting Jackson be pardoned. Jackson shared the NBC story and a copy of the letter in one of his posts that day on Facebook. But neither Jackson, who served in Congress from 1995 until he resigned amid burgeoning controversies in 2012, nor the NBC story mentioned the letter was drafted with Jackson’s involvement and at his request. * Daily Herald | ‘A lot of people have an interest in it’: What could be Lake County’s single largest road project advances: Untangling congestion centered in the Hawthorn Woods/Lake Zurich area along Old McHenry Road has been considered for years. Doing that will involve a railroad underpass and related improvements for what could be the single largest road project ever undertaken by Lake County. * Action Network | IIlinois Gaming Board Renews Rivers Casino’s License: Rivers Casino, located in Des Plaines near O’Hare International Airport, is the top revenue generator among Illinois’ 15 casinos in operation, having reported $346.2 million in winnings through the first eight months of the year. That has resulted in $103.9 million in state and local tax revenue. * Rock River Current | Hard Rock’s August Numbers Illustrate High Interest In Casino’s Rockford Debut: The casino had 57,047 admissions in August, according to data released this week by the Illinois Gaming Board. The most monthly admissions Hard Rock has had since opening its interim casino nearly three years ago was 58,379 in March. Specific grand-opening weekend numbers haven’t been released. The data comes from the gaming board’s regular monthly reporting. * Daily Herald | Cook County leaders ponder future of programs begun with ARPA funds: Cook County received $1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds in 2021. After distributing $800 million of those ARPA funds to 73 community programs and spending nearly $200 million on county operations, county leaders are looking for input to determine which programs should continue and how to sustain them as originally funding dries up. Today is the last day for people to submit their thoughts to the Community Voices Survey about prioritizing potential future funding. * Daily Herald | Why Des Plaines might change ambulance rates: The city council may switch to a federally subsidized system that would increase the city’s revenue without increasing most customers’ costs. The program’s fee for a participating fire department is determined annually by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, based on a cost report that includes the department’s budget for ambulance service. The subsidized system’s current rate for Des Plaines would be about $2,647 for advanced life support service and about $2,756 for basic life support service, documents indicate. * ABC Chicago | Teacher allegedly calls Elgin middle school student racial slur; mother sues district: Amica Richardson said last year her then-11-year-old daughter was verbally abused by her math teacher who called her a racial slur. “She walked into the classroom, and the teacher immediately got into her face, and saying, ‘What should you be called? What should I address you as? The N word or Black?” Richardson told media on Thursday. * Tribune | FDA calls out AbbVie over ‘misleading’ commercial featuring Serena Williams: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking North Chicago-based drugmaker AbbVie to task, warning in a recent letter that a migraine medication commercial featuring Serena Williams is “misleading.” The television commercial shows Williams in a talk show dressing room, appearing to experience migraine pain, closing her eyes and holding a hand up to her head. She then starts walking and a logo for the AbbVie medication Ubrelvy appears in a backstage hallway. Williams’ face relaxes and she holds up a single dose packet of Ubrelvy. She then says: “With Ubrelvy, there’s another option. One dose works fast to eliminate migraine pain.” She’s then shown in the dressing room laughing and smiling. The problem, the FDA says, is that a dose of Ubrelvy has not been shown in clinical trials to work immediately or for all patients. * WICS | School district to discipline rumor spreaders disrupting Jacksonville Middle School: Jacksonville School District 117 Superintendent Steve Ptacek sent a letter to parents regarding rumors of threats at Jacksonville Middle School: […] Here are the facts. A student did make a statement today after school, in anger, to a group of students that they needed to back off because he has a gun. The police are involved. They did a threat assessment of the student. It was determined that he does not have weapons and doesn’t have access to weapons in the home. Regardless, this student will face serious disciplinary consequences for his statement and for the disruption he is causing. * WCIA | Springfield bridge to be renamed, decorated with mural to honor Sonya Massey: A bridge in Springfield may be dedicated to Sonya Massey, thanks to the support of the Springfield City Council. The pedestrian bridge over Clearlake Avenue and Jefferson Street has already been painted with a mural by Alex Wells, and now city leaders are working to add more murals on the bridge to remember her and officially designate the bridge as Massey Memorial Bridge. * WIFR | Rockford’s ‘Go Team’ launches at The Music Box: At Thursday night’s launch party at The Music Box in Rockford, dozens of the community’s movers and shakers learned what they could do to become a ‘first friend’ to people who just moved to the area and really make the newcomers feel at home. ‘Go Team’ members will lead tours of the Rockford area and become a resource to those committed to making the stateline their new permanent residence. * Washington Times | DHS designates Electoral College vote count as special national security event: The move comes in response to the 2021 count, which saw a mob storm the Capitol to try to head off the count that certified President Biden as the winner over former President Donald Trump. The vote counting joins other major events such as the national nominating conventions, presidential inaugurations and the president’s annual State of the Union address. * AP | Boeing factory workers go on strike after rejecting contract offer: The strike started at 12:01 a.m. PDT, less than three hours after the local branch of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers announced 94.6% of voting workers rejected the proposed contract and 96% approved the work stoppage, easily surpassing a two-thirds requirement. The labor action involves 33,000 Boeing machinists, most of them in Washington state, and is expected to shut down production of the company’s best-selling airline planes. The strike will not affect commercial flights but represents another setback for the aerospace giant, whose reputation and finances have been battered by manufacturing problems and multiple federal investigations this year. * Press release | AG Raoul calls for DOJ investigation into Texas raids targeting Latino candidates and campaign volunteers: In the letter, Raoul and the coalition argue the Texas attorney general’s office sought to intimidate voters of color by conducting raids and seizing the property of organizers and Latino candidates. Raoul and the coalition are calling on the DOJ to investigate the Texas raids to determine whether they constitute violations of civil rights, including the right to vote. There has never been evidence of widespread voter fraud anywhere in the United States, and by conducting the Aug. 20 raids to search the homes of Latino candidates and voting rights activists, Raoul and the coalition argue the Texas attorney general’s office is perpetuating a racist, baseless claim in order to intimidate voters of color. * News Guard | Triple Hearsay: Original Sources of the Claim that Haitians Eat Pets in Ohio Admit No First-Hand Knowledge: NewsGuard identified and tracked down the two people central to the claim: Erika Lee, the Springfield resident who wrote the original Facebook post, and Kimberly Newton, the neighbor who had provided her with a third-hand account of the rumor, making Lee’s social media post a fourth-hand account: the alleged acquaintance/cat owner; Newton’s friend; Newton; and Lee, who posted it on Facebook. In exclusive interviews, NewsGuard spoke both with Lee, a 35-year-old hardware store worker who has lived in Springfield for four years, and Newton, her neighbor and a 12-year resident of Springfield. The interviews reveal just how flimsy and unsubstantiated the rumor was from the beginning — based entirely on third hand hearsay. Yet it quickly gained traction and, remarkably, found its way to Trump’s lips on a national stage.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. Click here to keep up with the La Schiazza trial. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
If you want live updates from the trial, we’ve added a link to the live coverage post.
* WTVO…
* Shaw Local…
* Tribune | ‘Is there even a small contract for Eddie Acevedo?’: Jury sees emails from Madigan confidant asking AT&T to pay former rep: When Michael McClain, the longtime confidant of House Speaker Michael Madigan and fixture at the Illinois Capitol, announced he was retiring from lobbying in 2016, it immediately caught the attention of people over at AT&T. “Huge news,” AT&T President Paul La Schiazza emailed to a colleague on the company’s legislative affairs team. “A shame Exelon was the one to benefit from (McClain’s) last big gig….Unfortunate for us.” * Illinois Times | Law aimed at helping people experiencing a mental health crisis was originally set to go live in 2022: The Community Emergency Services and Supports Act, or CESSA, requires mental and behavioral health calls to 911 be handled by mental health professionals, rather than police. It was supposed to go into effect on July 1, 2022 – two years before Massey, who was having a mental health crisis, was shot by then-Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson. “I think if this system were in place, and emergency responders were trained and aware of what is available to them, then I think Sonya Massey would still be with us today,” said Candace Coleman, community strategy specialist with Access Living, a Chicago-based organization that advocates for disabled people. * WTHI | Illinois seeking public input on how to shape next education budget: ISBE says past requests have led to more funding in certain areas, like early childhood education. The board especially encourages teachers, parents, and community advocates to make their voices heard. “Public advocacy is crucial in shaping the education experiences for all students,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. * Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson a ‘woefully unprepared’ mayor, City Council critic says: Ald. Brendan Reilly is in almost constant contact with business leaders, and “all they want to talk about” is finding a candidate to defeat Johnson in 2027. “Barring a dramatic turnaround — a miraculous turnaround, and I just don’t see that happening — Mayor Johnson is likely a one-term mayor,” Reilly said Thursday.
* Sun-Times | Chicago primed to pay out $15 million to more victims of police misconduct: The biggest settlement — $11.6 million — would go to Anthony Jakes, who falsely confessed to being an accomplice in a 1991 murder when he was just 15 after being beaten by members of Cmdr. Burge’s infamous “midnight crew.” Jakes spent 20 years in prison before being released in 2012. * Tribune | First Watts accuser to settle lawsuit is in line for $500,000 payout, records show: The first settlement agreement between the city and an alleged victim of ex-Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts puts Watts’ accuser in line for half a million dollars, records released Thursday show. Alvin Waddy’s lawsuit was the first to reach resolution out of more than 150 that have been filed against the city related to Watts and his team. It remains to be seen how the agreed payout affects the rest of the cases, but given the sheer volume of lawsuits, the Watts scandal could become one of the most expensive in Chicago police history. * Block Club | CHA Board Could Soon Have 2 New Members Who ‘Get It’: Mayor Brandon Johnson nominated Brian “Jawanza” Malone and Juliana Gonzalez-Crussi — both longtime community activists and nonprofit leaders — to fill two vacant spots on the housing agency’s board. Their appointments were unanimously approved by the Committee on Housing and Real Estate and now go before the full City Council, which is expected to sign off as soon as Sept. 18. * Tribune | UIC pharmacy school gets $36 million donation from late Chicago pharmacy owners: The pharmacy school — which will now be called the Herbert M. and Carol H. Retzky College of Pharmacy — is the first college at UIC to be named after a donor. The donation is the largest ever received by the pharmacy college. It was given to the college as an endowment, meaning the money will be invested to generate income to be used by the college. That income will go toward merit-based scholarships for students and career development programs. * Tribune | Cyclist completes world-record attempt in downtown Chicago: ‘I felt like I could just keep riding forever’: Celebrated endurance bicyclist Lael Wilcox finished a 108-day journey around the world at Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain Wednesday evening, completing a trip of more than 18,000 miles in a bid to break the Guinness World Record for fastest circumnavigation of the world on a bike by a woman. […] Wilcox rode roughly 160 miles a day with a heart rate monitor, a witness book and a power meter to document her as-yet unsubmitted bid to break the current record of 124 days. Her wife, 31-year-old photographer Rue Kaladyte, has traveled with her and produced a podcast, Lael Rides Around the World, and kept followers up to date via Instagram. She is also working on a documentary about the bid, she told the Tribune Tuesday. * WBEZ | Chicago Park District board welcomes back Riot Fest – despite heavy community criticism: One activist bemoaned how the Park District was allowing “significant damage” to Douglass Park and said parks should be enjoyed by everyone instead of being “rented out to the highest bidder.” But Ald. Monique Scott, 24th Ward, lashed out at those critics as she gave her endorsement to Riot Fest, raising her voice to say that “most of the people that spoke against the Riot Fest, I’ve never seen you in my community.” * NYT | Loyalty, history and $5 beers: Why fans still come out to see the Chicago White Sox: The White Sox sold 11,429 tickets for Monday’s game, though the true attendance count appeared to be less than half of that. There was a slight uptick Tuesday, maybe because of a $5 beer promotion or because fans wanted to snatch up some of the last Campfire Milkshakes of the season. Or there’s another reason, one that has grown in importance as this impressively bad season has worn on: witnessing the train wreck, one loss at a time. * Daily Southtown | Homer Glen plans workshop to advise 143rd Street residents receiving eminent domain notices: Homer Glen officials plan to host an informational meeting with their village attorney to help residents who have received eminent domain notices from Will County over the planned widening of 143rd Street. Residents living along the route have protested the widening for nearly a year. While the road is under Will County’s jurisdiction, they have sought help from Homer Glen village officials, who also oppose expanding the road. * Lake County News-Sun | Alleged Highland Park parade shooter ‘declined transport’ to court hearing: Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti waived Crimo’s presence after his public defenders said he “declined transport” from the county jail, where he is being detained for the July 4, 2022 mass shooting that killed seven people and injured dozens more. The attorneys did not give a reason for Crimo’s reluctance to come to court, and Rossetti told them to remind the defendant that his lack of attendance would not delay the case. * WBEZ | A new lawsuit alleges Hawthorne Race Course allowed horses to race after they’d been deemed ineligible: The Chicago-area’s longest-operating horse-racing track is being sued along with state regulators for allegedly allowing dozens of horses to race despite medical diagnoses from a now-terminated track veterinarian they were physically unfit to run. The federal lawsuit filed Thursday against Hawthorne Race Course, the Illinois Racing Board and others at the track and state agency comes from a former Hawthorne veterinarian, Christine Tuma, who alleges she was fired after reporting alleged misconduct at Hawthorne to state and federal agencies. * Sun-Times | Haitian Americans in Chicago deride Trump’s false, racist claims of immigrants eating pets: The mention was also upsetting to Skokie resident Marleen Julien, a Haiti native who has lived in America for 35 years. She called it a way for Trump and Republicans to divide people — and she said it’s specifically targeting a humanitarian program under President Joe Biden that allowed Haitian Americans to come to the U.S. legally due to unrest in the country. * Sun-Times | Vatican slaps down Joliet bishop’s efforts to close historic parish in far southwest suburb: The arm of the Vatican that “revoked” the parish closing in an order dated Aug. 20 raised questions about Hicks’ reasoning, including finances, mass attendance and the “near disappearance of the Slovenian community.” Michael Vidmar, who filed the appeal with support from numerous parishioners, was happy with the Vatican’s ruling but says, “We made it this far but we still don’t know what the bishop is going to do” from here. * PJ Star | Peoria student’s photos of mold on school lunch cause Facebook uproar: This is not the first time food quality at Peoria Public Schools has been a hot button issue for parents and students. In 2022, more than 100 parents shared their concerns with the Journal Star over the poor food quality at Peoria Public Schools, and state Rep. Jehan Gordon Booth, D-Peoria, even pushed a bill in Springfield that aimed to increase the quality of food served in schools. * WCIA | ‘It takes a village’: Mahomet-Seymour schools to host event for special education students and families: Teachers and organizations are getting ready to build deeper relationships with Mahomet families who have students in special education programs. It’s all part of its inaugural “education and empowerment” event on Sept. 12 at Middletown Prairie Elementary. Tracy Patterson, a special ed teacher in the district, said it’s been in the works for years. She is one of many educators who want to ensure parents have the tools needed to help their kids succeed. * SJ-R | Downtown Springfield business launches fundraiser to keep doors open: The fallout continues nearly three months after a fire in the 400 block of East Adams Street in downtown Springfield. While the anchor restaurant at 413 E. Adams St., Cafe Moxo, remains closed and other businesses have moved locations entirely, The Keep Store, a block away at 314 E. Adams St., recently launched a fundraising effort to help keep the business’ doors open. * WSJ | Dumbphones and Fax Machines Are the New Boss Flex: If you think your new iPhone is a status symbol, prepare to be punked—or, rather, Punkt—by Benjamin Crudo’s dumbphone. The chief executive of Diff, which makes software for online retailers, calls and texts from a 4.6-by-2-inch brick with buttons called a Punkt MP02. Send an email or Slack message and the 41-year-old Crudo won’t respond until he is in front of his computer. * ProPublica | “I Don’t Want to Die”: Needing Mental Health Care, He Got Trapped in His Insurer’s Ghost Network: Ravi didn’t know it, but he, like millions of Americans, was trapped in a “ghost network.” As some of those people have discovered, the providers listed in an insurer’s network have either retired or died. Many other providers have stopped accepting insurance — often because the companies made it excessively difficult for them to do so. Some just aren’t taking new patients. Insurers are often slow to remove them from directories, if they do so at all. It adds up to a bait and switch by insurance companies that leads customers to believe there are more options for care than actually exist. * NBC Chicago | TSA proposes new rule that could change how REAL ID deadline is enforced next year: While the approaching deadline of May 7, 2025, remains in place, the TSA has proposed a plan that would delay full enforcement for another two years. That wouldn’t mean that travelers won’t need their REAL ID until 2027, however. “Travelers without a REAL ID compliant ID or another form of acceptable ID after the May 7, 2025 deadline could face delays at airport security checkpoints,” the agency said in a release, noting the potential for warnings or possibly “progressive consequences” for those without a compliant ID. * AP | Average rate on a 30-year mortgage falls to 6.20%, its lowest level since February 2023: The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. fell this week to its lowest level in 19 months, reflecting a pullback in Treasury yields ahead of an expected interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week. The rate fell to 6.20% from 6.35% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.18%. * LA Times | The GOP is targeting ‘noncitizen voting,’ but experts agree it’s not a problem: This week House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., tried to tie a bill to extend government spending and avert a federal shutdown to a controversial GOP proposal — the SAVE Act — that would require states to obtain proof of U.S. citizenship when people register to vote. Johnson pulled the idea Wednesday due to lack of support from even his own members. But the issue isn’t likely going away.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Brad, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * The setup…
* The Question: Should Jerry Reinsdorf sell the White Sox? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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Fun with numbers
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Total electric vehicle counts for Illinois as of August 15th of each year, according to the Secretary of State’s office…
* 2019: 16,882 (+66%) * 2020: 22,612 (+34%) * 2021: 32,561 (+44%) * 2022: 48,917 (+50%) * 2023: 79,559 (+63%) * 2024: 111,107 (+40%) * I asked Isabel to make a couple of graphs… 
* Crain’s headline…
* Scroll way down…
Elon has been damaging his brand with his online antics…
* Also, according to AAA, last year at this time, Illinois gas prices averaged $3.979 per gallon. Today, they’re $3.49 per gallon, a 12 percent drop. * More from the Crain’s story…
That’s still only about half the chargers the state needs, according to the article. * If the current rate of a 40 percent annual increase holds (and it may not), Illinois will have 837,000 electric vehicles on the road by mid-August of 2030. That’ll obviously be short of the governor’s 1 million goal. But, if auto manufacturers continue improving their products and Illinois’ charging infrastructure finally catches up with demand, then the goal is achievable. …Adding… There are also 359,738 hybrid vehicles registered in Illinois. The last time I had a hybrid, I barely used any gasoline except for road trips.
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After 20 years, Illinois’ neglected arson registry is no longer empty
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Pantagraph in January…
* Earlier this week from the Pantagraph…
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Fourth time’s the charm: Chicago data residency ordinance moves forward (Updated)
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The ordinance was blocked by the mayor’s office and the business community in July…
*The ordinance passed the Economic, Capital and Technology Development Committee yesterday. The Tribune…
* Sun-Times…
* Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce…
* The Software & Information Industry Association…
…Adding… President of the Chicago Urban League Karen Freeman-Wilson…
…Adding… Alderman Gilbert Villegas…
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: End of cash bail in Illinois has not resulted in more crime, but has affected court system. CBS…
- But the law has, in fact, impacted the court system in other ways. Professor David Olson of the Loyola University Chicago Center for Criminal Justice said he’s hearing more about “strength of evidence” and “risk assessment.” - Of the nearly 9,000 detention-eligible cases in Illinois at which the team looked, 36% of defendants were detained. - Before the law went into effect, about 17% of defendants missed their court appearance. Now, it is 15%. * Related stories…
∙ The Daily Line: One year of no cash bail: Crime is not up with ‘more thoughtful process’ in court system * Sun-Times | All agree ‘King Madigan’ ruled, but jurors must decide whether speaker was bribed in latest corruption trial: Now La Schiazza is accused of bribing Madigan by hiring a Madigan ally in order to get crucial legislation passed. Though La Schiazza’s attorneys don’t dispute Madigan’s influence, prosecutors still hammered the point home to jurors as the trial began in earnest Wednesday. “Madigan exercised enormous control over Illinois politics and policy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower said in his opening statement. “And that power was no secret, including to the defendant.” * Tribune | ‘Everyone in the system is beholden to the speaker’: Opening statements kick off trial of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan: Mower said Cullen and Selcke will tell the jury that “Acevedo was one of the last people that anyone at AT&T wanted working for their company,” largely because of his loose lips and lack of work ethic. “Acevedo talked too much, drank too much and was generally despised by Republicans in Springfield,” [ Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower] said. So they came up with a scheme to pay Acevedo through a third party — Cullen — and keep his name completely off AT&T’s books, Mower said. * Tribune | Jerry Reinsdorf concedes the obvious — it’s a ‘very painful’ season for Chicago White Sox fans: With the Chicago White Sox drawing national attention as they close in on the modern-day MLB record for losses, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf conceded the obvious Wednesday, calling it a “very painful” season. “Everyone in this organization is extremely unhappy with the results of this season, that goes without saying,” Reinsdorf said in a statement released after reporters left the clubhouse following the team’s 114th loss, a 6-4 defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians. * 25 News Now | State government investing money to find the homeless population jobs, the planning starts now: Most of the program’s money is going to organizations near Chicago, but a team of groups in Central Illinois have received $841,190 to support their work. Career Link will be administering the grant, while United Way and Phoenix Community Development Services will work directly with unhoused people. […] They plan to provide job training and support services that will help people overcome barriers to employment. Some of their ideas are rapid rehousing, job readiness training, and adult education, but the planning process just began. * KFVS | Illinois lawmakers hold hearing pharmacy benefit managers impact on specialty drug market: Wednesday’s state House Health Care Availability and Accessibility Committee hearing focused on PBMs and specifically how they affect the specialty drug market. Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) Acting Director Ann Gillespie said the FTC report shows PBMs are classifying more drugs as specialty. * Crain’s | Pritzker wants to rev up EVs in Illinois, but buyers are tapping the brakes: New EV registrations this year averaged 2,457 per month through August, or about 12% less than during the same period a year ago, according to the Illinois secretary of state. EVs made up about 5.9% of all new-car registrations in Illinois through the first six months of this year, compared with 6.5% last year, according to S&P Global Mobility. There were 111,107 EVs registered in Illinois as of mid-August, according to the Illinois secretary of state. The total number of EVs is still growing, up 21% year-to-date. But it’s increasing more slowly than before. * Sun-Times | Illinois DMVs now accepting contactless payment — with digital IDs coming down the road: State business services and index facilities have also been equipped with new credit card readers to accept contactless payments, including tap-to-pay cards that don’t require signatures. “More and more people are ditching their physical wallets for digital ones,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said. ““We are leveraging this to shorten waiting times, get people out the door more quickly and keep people’s information more safe from fraud in the process.” * WTTW | WTTW News Explains: How Does the Illinois Assault Weapons Ban Work?: At a high level, the law describes an assault weapon as a semiautomatic firearm with the capacity to fire a lot of rounds quickly. That includes AR-15 style guns — like those used in the mass shootings in suburban Highland Park, as well as in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, New York; and elsewhere. The law prohibits high-capacity magazines as well, defining them as anything with at least 10 rounds of ammunition for long guns; 15 for handguns. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson exempts police, fire from citywide hiring freeze after backlash: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration announced Wednesday that a recent hiring freeze across city government would not apply to police and fire employees, following backlash and confusion from pro-law enforcement aldermen. Johnson’s budget team spokesperson, LaKesha Gage Woodard, told the Tribune in a phone call that public safety positions are in fact exempt from the hiring freeze enacted Monday but maintained that was always the plan. “No, it wasn’t a reversal. Absolutely not,” Gage Woodard said. * Chalkbeat | Contributions start flowing into Chicago’s school board race: Campaigning in Chicago’s historic school board race is ramping up, and so are financial and in-kind contributions to candidates, which now total at least $650,000. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in support for Chicago Teachers Union-endorsed candidates and others who are drawing backing from political committees, labor unions, and other organized groups. Meanwhile, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools’ political arm is finalizing a slate of candidates to endorse and gearing up to enter the fray with a multimillion-dollar war chest at a time when the district has signaled a move away from school choice and charters are under growing scrutiny. * Tribune | Court finds Trump Tower violated environmental laws and endangered fish in the Chicago River: “Effectively, what was found is, there’s no question that they have done all the things that they were accused of doing,” Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River, told the Tribune. A lawsuit filed in 2018 by then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan alleged the cooling system intake structure at Trump Tower siphoned water from the river so powerfully that it sucked in fish and trapped them against its screens, resulting in the death of thousands of aquatic organisms. Because of the system’s capability to pull in more than 20 million gallons of water from the river per day, federal law required extensive studies of its environmental impact and of fish populations in the river. The building also pumps water back into the river that is up to 35 degrees hotter. * Sun-Times | Mom of slain Chicago Police Officer Ella French confronts killer as he gets life in prison: ‘With our choices come consequences’: Kim Foxx, who as state’s attorney has championed exonerations for people wrongfully imprisoned and has overseen hundreds of cases overturned over police misconduct allegations, said Morgan’s case didn’t compare with those. Foxx told reporters she was sympathetic to “whatever reality” Flores had to create to process the consequences for her son but added, “I don’t think this is a sentence that anyone, outside of Mr. Morgan’s mother, would question as a just sentence.” * Block Club | ComEd Cited For Giant, Unfixed Hole On South Side Block: City officials have cited ComEd in connection with an unfinished construction project that’s left a huge hole in the middle of a South Side block for months. The utility company is being cited for operating with an expired permit in May, when workers dug into the ground to fix earlier damage to its cable lines, Chicago Department of Transportation spokesperson Erica Schroeder told Block Club Chicago. * US News | Chicago’s Suburbs and the Blue Shift in Illinois: Chicago’s four other collar counties, the nickname given to the five counties that surround the centrally located Cook County in the Chicago metropolitan area, have followed similar evolutions. In 2000, none of the five collar counties gave the Democratic presidential nominee a majority. By 2020, four of the five – all but McHenry County – backed the Democratic presidential candidate, with vote shares between 53% and 61%. * Daily Herald | Elk Grove reverses rule aimed at deterring migrants from local motels: Since enacting the ordinance, Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said there were no reports of migrants staying in local hotels, and none since nearly 100 Venezuelan migrants left the former La Quinta Inn in April 2023. The motel — since purchased and demolished by the village — was among the first suburban locations to host new arrivals in September 2022. […] Elk Grove is keeping a different part of its ordinance that aims to prevent owners of warehouses or vacant shopping centers from turning their buildings into temporary housing. Property owners have to get a village license and meet certain zoning and health and safety requirements, such as providing a complete bathroom including flush toilet, sink, bath or shower in each sleeping unit. * Daily Herald | Naperville could settle wrongful conviction lawsuit for $22.5 million: Amor was sentenced to 45 years in prison in 1997, after he was convicted of arson and murder in connection with the 1995 death of his mother-in-law, Marianne Miceli, in a condo fire on the 1800 block of Bailey Road in Naperville. Amor maintained his confession was coerced and experts testified at his second trial that the way he confessed to starting the fire was impossible. The same year he was acquitted, Amor filed a lawsuit against the city claiming that Naperville police officers “reached an agreement among themselves” to frame him. * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect ethics policy seeps into festival discussion: Mount Prospect’s recent passage of an ethics ordinance is already affecting village business. Two trustees, William Grossi and Vince Dante, withdrew from Tuesday’s public discussion about a new special events policy, citing potential conflicts of interest stemming from their involvement with the Lions Club. Grossi is current president, while Dante is a past president. The village supports such Lions Club events as the Bluesmobile Cruise Nights, the 4th of July Festival and the Farmers Market. The Lions donate annually to help stock the village’s food pantry. * WCIA | U of I service workers reach new agreement with university, members voting: SEIU Local 73, representing food and building service workers, told WCIA that it reached a tentative agreement with the university on Wednesday. Union members will be voting through the end of the week on whether to ratify the new contract. A union representative said they expect to have another statement available on Friday. * WCIA | Central IL police investigating string of recent school threats: Several police departments across Central Illinois are investigating a series of threats that have been made against area schools this week. So far, it appears that the threats are part of a nationwide trend with no apparent connection to the area.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. Click here to keep up with the La Schiazza trial. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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