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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Governor JB Pritzker gets a prime time spot at the DNC…
* Tribune…
* Daily Herald | ‘Elections are now fought in the suburbs’: Illinois delegates hopeful for another historic win in November: DuPage County Board Chairman Deborah Conroy had one bit of advice for fellow delegates at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday morning. “Make sure you have good shoes on Nov. 5 because there will be glass everywhere,” Conroy said, referencing the glass ceiling she and other Democrats are hopeful will shatter with the election of the country’s first female president of color. * Sun-Times | CPD bracing for anti-war protest tonight: Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said his officers are ready for a protest tonight that claims it will be “like ’68” — referring to the rioting in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention that year. The protest set for 7 p.m. outside the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest at 500 W. Madison is not sanctioned by the city, but protesters say on social media that they plan to be there anyway.
* Block Club | Secret Service Looking Into Downtown Bomb Threats: The U.S. Secret service confirmed local law enforcement were investigating and were on-hand at the sites of the bomb threats. “The U.S. Secret Service is aware of threats made to various locations in the Downtown area. Law enforcement personnel are screening the affected areas and examining the credibility of the threat,” said a statement from the DNC 2024 Joint Information Center. * Crain’s | Throughout DNC, Dems play one of the strongest cards in their hand — abortion: Even ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which effectively overturned Roe v. Wade, Gov. J.B. Pritzker moved to enhance access and provide additional resources to abortion providers in the state, and he’s continued to do so since. Illinois Medicaid first began covering abortions in 2018. A year later, Pritzker signed the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, which made abortions a fundamental right in the state and required most private health insurance plans in Illinois to cover abortion as they do for any other pregnancy care. * Crain’s | Malort shots, sliders and skyline views: Inside the DNC party circuit: United Airlines opened the top floors of Willis Tower last night for an after-hours party for reporters and other guests in town for the Democratic National Convention. Among those who were spotted taking in 360-degree views of the city on a picture-perfect night — complete with a rare “super blue moon” — were Maureen Dowd and David Sanger of The New York Times, Jeff Zeleny and Kaitlan Collins of CNN, Philip Rucker of the Washington Post, NBC anchors Lester Holt and his son, Stefan Holt, and Jonathan Martin of Politico. * Sun-Times | Convention canines? Volunteer therapy dogs deployed to help ‘de-stress’ law enforcement during DNC duty: The therapy canines are not police dogs. They are trained to soothe people in crisis, specifically police officers and federal agents waiting to be deployed if any emergency occurs during the Democratic National Convention. “Preparing for the DNC in the advent of thousands of protesters has been a huge undertaking by a multitude of public safety agencies,” said retired police Sgt. Cindy Gross, a 30-year Chicago Police Department veteran who retired in 2001 after years of undercover work dealing with drugs, vice and prostitution. * NYT | A Look Back at Chicago Conventions of Yore: The city’s convention tradition dates back to the mid-1800s, and political parties visited regularly over the century that followed. But it has been an infrequent host since 1968, when clashes outside the convention hall marred the Democrats’ gathering that year. * Tribune | CPS touts progress as Chicago Teachers Union criticism mounts over bilingual education amid bargaining: With CTU members continuing to sharpen their criticism of CPS Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez, the news conference marks the latest salvo in a debate on whether a structural deficit exceeding $400 million in each of the next five school years should limit the district’s ability to fully staff and fund its programs. At Cooper Dual Language Academy, which received 130 migrant students last school year, union members came together to call on Martinez to “step up to the challenge of meeting our students’ needs, or to step aside,” said Walt Disney Magnet School music teacher Kathryn Zamarron. * Chicago Mag | Pay Now, Save Later: Budget whiz Ralph Martire has a plan to close Chicago’s $34 billion pension gap: It’s really not a pension crisis. It has nothing to do with the design of the pension systems themselves or the benefits offered. It is a debt service crisis. For generations, by statute, Chicago was allowed to underfund the pensions. That has created a huge amount of debt owed to the pension systems that compounds interest annually. The big jump in unfunded liability occurred between 2007 and 2020: $22.6 billion. Almost 60 percent of that growth was the statutory allowance for Chicago to underfund its pension. And the reason that legislative rubric was put in place was that the Daley administration wanted to provide services without necessarily paying for them with tax revenue. One way to do that is to defer your long-term obligations. That’s great for taxpayers in the years when you’re underfunding the pension. Not so great later, when you’ve got to make up the difference. * Sun-Times | Pace, CPS paratransit drivers end fourth day of strike without progress in contract negotiations: Nearly 800 drivers employed by SCR Medical Transportation walked out on strike Friday amid efforts to reach a labor contract with the company, said Teamsters Local 727, the union representing the drivers. SCR filed an injunction against Teamsters Local 727 on Monday morning. Union officials said the injunction was “meritless” and was an “attempt to infringe on the union members’ legal right to engage in lawful, peaceful picketing and hand-billing.” * Block Club | The Wild Mile Is Expanding Along Chicago River’s North Branch: Over the past few months, Urban Rivers — a nonprofit that works to transform city rivers into urban sanctuaries — and a team of volunteers have installed floating walkways and garden beds and hauled in over 30,000 pounds of rock aggregate to bring to life the second phase of the Wild Mile. […] The Wild Mile was created as part of a larger effort to redefine and rehabilitate the channelized section of the Chicago River. * Crain’s | Remembering Phil Donahue, a pioneer who elevated daytime TV: “The Phil Donahue Show” built its phenomenal nationally syndicated success as one of those rare places, one particularly appealing for housebound women paternal TV long underestimated as interested only in pap. Phil Donahue, who died Sunday at age 88, presided over what amounted to the People’s Press Conference five days a week from 1967 to 1996, its pre-eminence coinciding with the 11-year, 1974-85 stint in which his signature show was produced in Chicago. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox fail to take advantage of opportunities in 5-3 loss to fall 66 games under .500: At 30-96, the Sox are 66 games under .500 for the first time in franchise history. “We had good at-bats all night, put pressure on, getting guys on,” Sizemore said. “Just got to keep working, keep executing. Even though we got down, we kept fighting, kept clawing back. Getting some big hits late, pinch-hit hits. * Daily Southtown | Park Forest Mayor Joe Woods says he was attacked, seeks outside investigation: In a statement Saturday, Woods wrote he was the victim of a violent crime in which one of the assailants had a large knife in his hands, and Woods said at one point he was “knocked to the ground.” The altercation took place near a restaurant at which a garbage bin fire had just been extinguished. * WTTW | This New Lake County Conservation Preserve is for the Birds, and Only the Birds: The “conservation preserve” designation indicates the Forest Preserves will own and manage the site not for public access or even passive recreational use — which would damage the ecosystem and disrupt the rookery — but solely to ensure these “essential natural resources remain untouched and protected,” according to a statement from the Forest Preserves. * Crain’s | What the activist investor targeting Portillo’s wants management to fix: Engaged Capital wants Portillo’s to aggressively shrink the square footage of its new restaurants as it continues to expand. The brand’s longstanding Chicago-area spaces tend to be vast, some spanning two floors and up to 11,000 square feet, which is uncharacteristically large for a fast-casual chain. Portillo’s here can justify those large spaces because the margins in Chicago remain so strong. Nationally, though, Engaged thinks less is more. * Rockford Register Star | Microsoft proposes Cherry Valley data center on 300 acres: Microsoft unveiled the proposal on 309-acres of what is now agricultural land during an open house Monday at the Tebala Event Center, 7910 Newburg Road. The prospect of new high-paying jobs coming to the region attracted the attention of Dino Pandya, a Rockford resident who has one child who studying for a doctorate in physics at Princeton University and another who will soon graduate from Northwestern University with a master’s degree in computer science. * WCIA | U of I professors help usher in Illinois’ quantum age: University of Illinois Professor Brian DeMarco started studying the theoretical field of quantum computing back in the ’90s. Now, he helps make that theory a reality at the University of Illinois. “I just feel so fortunate to be at the have been in the lab at the beginning of it.” DeMarco said. “And now at this point where the state has made this investment to try to build the big one and do it first.” * The Southern | Historical society to host talk on Illinois’ role in the Civil War: The Jefferson County Historical Society will present ‘Illinois in the Inevitable: the Role of Illinois in the Civil War’ 2 p.m. Aug. 24 in the Schweinfurth Museum at the Historical Village. […] Illinois was a microcosm of the United States during its Antebellum Era, according to a JCHS news release. Northern Illinois and Chicago had ties to the Northeast and industry, while the southern portion remained firmly agricultural with the Underground Railroad in southwestern Illinois and salt mines and slave catchers in southeastern Illinois. * AP | Tens of thousands remain without power in Puerto Rico, a week after tropical storm swiped the island: The National Weather Service issued yet another excessive heat advisory, warning of “dangerously hot and humid conditions.” More than 40,000 out of nearly 1.5 million customers remained without power in the afternoon. All schools should have electricity by late Tuesday, officials said, and noted that some 80% of emergency medical clinics, which exclude hospitals, have power.
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Stellantis confirms Belvidere plant reopening is delayed, but stands by commitment to reopen
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s DNC news coverage roundup
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* WaPo…
* Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* Stephen Colbert’s Chicago anthem… * More… * AP | It’s Been 20 Years Since Barack Obama Made His DNC Debut. He’s Back to Make the Case for Kamala Harris: “President Obama is still a north star in the party,” said Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who credits the 44th president with helping her become her state’s first Black woman lieutenant governor. Besides Harris herself on Thursday, Stratton said, no voice this week is more integral to stirring Democrats, reaching independents and cajoling moderate Republicans than Obama. * Axios | DNC makes Teamsters president sweat: Teamsters President Sean O’Brien has been ghosted by the Democratic National Convention after his request to speak this week in Chicago. […] The Teamsters boss became the first-ever union president to speak at an RNC last month, delivering fiery remarks before a party that has a track record of opposing labor movements.
* Tribune | Steve Kerr returns to the United Center for his DNC speech: ‘I believe leaders should tell the truth’: Former Chicago Bulls star and current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, in a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday. “I know very well that speaking out about politics these days comes with risk,” Kerr said. “I can see the ‘shut up and whistle’ tweets being fired out as we speak. But I also knew as soon as I was asked that it was too important as an American citizen not to speak up in an election of this magnitude.” * Block Club | DNC Celebrity Tracker: Here Are The Famous People At The Convention And Around Chicago This Week: Ana Navarro, a Nicaraguan American political strategist and commentator, will host Tuesday night. While Navarro has said she is Republican, she has long criticized Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump, and she often lends support to Democrat politicians. * Tribune | After RV tour championing Democrats, Gen Z activists bring DNC to peers: Sam Schwartz just finished caravaning around the country in an RV for 28 days with half a dozen fellow Gen Z activists. The 20-year-old gun reform activist stopped in 15 districts across 11 states on a mission to get Democrats elected to Congress. On Sunday, he boarded a plane from Palm Beach, Florida, to Chicago to attend the Democratic National Convention with two of his traveling companions: his girlfriend, Emma Levine, 20, and Highland Park shooting survivor Drew Spiegel, 19. * Crain’s | Playing host or progressive preacher? As DNC kicks off, Johnson tries a bit of both: Johnson’s schedule this week includes events where organizers will push for more federal funding for education, discuss Chicago’s potential investment in a municipally-run grocery store and tout Johnson’s early legislative win on gradually eliminating the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers. The week represents an opportunity for Johnson to prove Chicago’s national image is ready for a makeover and to potentially pump life into what’s expected to be his contentious bid for a second term by showing progressives they were right to spend the energy and resources to elect him. * NYT | Highlights From Night 1 of the Democratic Convention: In a city where he was supposed to claim the mantle of the Democratic Party for the final time, at a convention where he was supposed to cement his political legacy, President Biden instead passed the torch of leadership, wiping away tears as the crowd rose to its feet in a sustained ovation and chanted, “Thank you, Joe.” The outpouring of gratitude for his decision to step aside and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris seemed to encourage Mr. Biden as he claimed credit for saving democracy, and for much more, in a nearly hourlong speech filled with optimism and a fighting spirit that capped the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. * Sun-Times | From high school football coach to VP candidate: How to tackle all this, Coach Walz?: Anyway, Tim, you were the defensive coordinator for Mankato West High School when it won the Minnesota 4A state championship 25 years ago. Here’s what Lance Resner, a linebacker on that Scarlets team, told the New York Times about how you fired guys up: “Tim came in with a different swagger. We were pretty dog [crap] for a long time.” So what would you do to stop Caleb Williams and the Bears, a team full of expectations but also coming off a pretty dog-poop past?
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The IL GOP’s take
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois GOP Chair Kathy Salvi…
Discuss.
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‘Being the biggest crime of the last fifty years, and everybody wanted to get in the newspaper story about it’ (Updated)
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * It looks like the protest organizers did their part to keep the peace yesterday. From the Sun-Times, which had seven (7!) reporters assigned to yesterday’s protest…
* CBS News…
* Check out this video clip from NBC5 of the police push-back. It’s mostly reporters in front of the cops… Another angle from Fox 32…  * The Tribune assigned four reporters…
* AP…
* I posted this yesterday, but one of the defining moments of yesterday’s protest was when the marchers had to pause so they could ask reporters to please get the heck out of their way…
* I wonder who got that fence contract…
* All that being said, this is next…
* More…
* As the DNC in Chicago again sees large protests, a new generation of demonstrators finds inspiration in the past: Michael James, now 82 years old, recalled the police crackdown on those protests, telling CBS News, “It was basically an attack.” James can be seen in a famous photograph of protesters surrounding a police van. * Fox News: Chicago DNC protests to put Illinois’ no-cash-bail law to the ultimate test [Headline explained here.] …Adding… Hope nobody is disappointed…
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President Harmon on staff union legislation: House leadership and staff should “get together and solve their own problems” (Updated)
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * As we discussed, House Speaker Chris Welch was asked yesterday how the Illinois Legislative Staff Association’s lawsuit affects his message on workers’ rights. A reporter asked Senate President Don Harmon this morning why his chamber hasn’t moved a bill that would allow staff to unionize…
Thoughts? [Full video is here.] …Adding… ILSA’s response…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Tuesday, Aug 20, 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 the Ervins, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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IPI commisioned poll has more bad news for Mayor Johnson
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * M3 Strategies is a Republican pollster which did work for Paul Vallas last year, and this particular poll was conducted for the Illinois Policy Institute. However, their polling in the first round of the mayor’s race was dead-on. The results are also about three weeks old. I could go on, but take it for what it’s worth…
Crosstabs are here.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Caption contest!
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From last night… 
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Open thread
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: It’s day two of the DNC… * Capitol News Illinois | As DNC opens in Chicago, state leaders tout Illinois as a ‘model of Democratic success’: But instead of focusing on Trump and other Republicans on Monday, Democrats tried to keep the spotlight on their positive vision for what their party can accomplish. “This convention is our opportunity to share our successes, to set the agenda, and to show the entire country why Illinois is leading the way,” DNC Host Committee Executive Director Christy George, who most recently worked in Pritzker’s office on budget and economic issues, told the breakfast crowd. * Tribune | DNC in Chicago: What happened Monday — and what’s coming Tuesday: * Block Club | DNC Speaker Schedule By Day: The main programming runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night. Here’s the expected rundown of the DNC 2024 speaker schedule for the United Center with the associated themes for the day, according to CNN and Axios. * Daily Herald | Walz makes surprise appearance at Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi event: Northwest suburban Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi was to be the keynote speaker Monday at a meeting of the Asian American and Pacific Islander caucus, but no wonder he began his remarks saying he would observe three rules of public speaking: “be short, be sweet and be gone.” That’s because Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate — was waiting in the wings. * Daily Herald | No ‘cool kids’ table at Illinois delegation’s opening breakfast: Instead of one table for congressional hotshots, one for state politicos and another for grass-roots volunteers, Democrats mixed it up over pancakes at the Illinois delegation’s first breakfast meeting. Democratic National Convention delegates Mark Guethle and Beth Penesis of Kane County shared a table Monday with U.S. Reps. Sean Casten, Bill Foster and Lauren Underwood, state Sens. Laura Murphy and Laura Fine, DuPage County Chair Deb Conroy and others. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth also paused to chat, as did Sen. Dick Durbin. * Sun-Times | Wrought-iron fence closes off site of former homeless encampment cleared before the DNC: What a permanent solution will look like for its former residents isn’t yet clear. “My whole thing with the DNC, it seemed like they were going to give us a vacation from being homeless,” said the neighbor known as “Six-Nine” who now lives at 16th and Union where he feels “safe” and “peaceful.” “When Tremont closes, the people are going to come back to where they know.” * Sun-Times | Biden takes stage at Chicago DNC. ‘Democracy must be preserved.’: “America’s best days are not behind us. They’re before us,” Biden said in a late-night farewell speech capping an evening of delayed programming that bumped him from primetime television. “With a grateful heart, I stand before you now on this August night, to report that democracy has prevailed, Biden said. “Democracy has prevailed. Democracy has delivered. And now, democracy must be preserved.” * Tribune | Planned Parenthood offers free abortions and vasectomies at mobile clinic near DNC to ‘show what is possible’: A few blocks from the Democratic National Convention, Planned Parenthood is offering free medication abortions and vasectomies at its mobile health clinic to demonstrate “what is possible when policies truly support accessible reproductive health care,” according to the agency. Physicians were providing abortions and vasectomies by appointment on Monday in the West Loop and said they planned to continue doing so Tuesday. As of Monday evening, no appointments on Tuesday were available. The Chicago Abortion Fund has also been distributing free emergency contraceptive at the site. * Tribune | Urban historian Shermann ‘Dilla’ Thomas showcases Chicago’s South and West sides during DNC: As he led the tour, Thomas said that he didn’t limit himself to only describing the legendary skyscrapers of the Loop visible during the river cruise. He also talked about the neighborhoods that the DNC organizers weren’t seeing. “I made clear to them that if Chicago is chosen, they need to also make sure that they include Chicago neighborhoods (to the south of) Cermak,” Thomas said, referring to the street that runs along McCormick Place, the daytime venue of the convention. “So once Chicago got chosen, I guess they remembered me.” * Tribune | Gov JB Pritzker’s national moment has come at the DNC. But it’s much different than first imagined.: Even as he ponders what’s next, Pritzker, not even halfway through his second term, is relishing the role of dutiful host, booking John Legend to play an after-party at the Salt Shed following the governor’s speech and ordering up specially branded JBeer from a pair of local breweries to serve to guests. During the summer’s tumult, Pritzker, a Biden campaign co-chair, displayed the patience and party loyalty that have been hallmarks of his political career. * Gov. Pritzker hits the bars during ‘Daily Show’ episode taping in Chicago: With the Democratic National Convention barely begun, the “Daily Show” mostly skipped the United Center politicking in the first of its four Chicago-based episodes. The focus instead was the host city, ribbed by a procession of jokesters who included Gov. JB Pritzker. In a taped segment, the governor smoothly parried tough questions (“Is ‘The Bear’ a comedy or a drama?”) from Jordan Klepper as the “Daily Show” regular (and former Chicagoan) kept diverting their tour of Wrigleyville into his favorite watering holes. * Here are the speakers for today’s Illinois delegate breakfast…
* Block Club | Judge Upholds Decision To Block Metal Scrapper Southside Recycling From Opening: A Cook County judge on Friday reversed a lower court’s ruling that the proposed metal scrapper — which would take on troubled North Side scrapper General Iron’s assets — should have been permitted to open. * Block Club | Chicago River Swim Moving To Lake Michigan After City Blocked Permit: Organizers of the Sept. 22 swim previously planned to host the 2-mile event in the Chicago River, which would have made it the first open-water swim in the river in nearly a century. The city denied that request due to health concerns. To keep true to the original plans and the event’s name, organizers now plan to start the swim by picking up participants along the riverwalk and transporting them to Ohio Street Beach, 600 N. Lake Shore Drive, by boat, according to a Monday news release. * Daily Herald | As national stature rises, Irvin will seek third term as Aurora’s mayor: Richard Irvin made it official this week, announcing he is seeking a third term as the top elected official of the state’s second-largest city. With four current aldermen flanking him on stage, Irvin said that under his leadership, Aurora has improved economically and gained stature, locally, statewide and across the nation. * Daily Herald | Another truck wedged under Long Grove bridge Monday morning: “The vast majority of the times this happens, it damages the vehicle,” Long Grove Assistant Village Manager Dana McCarthy said. “The bridge is made of heavy duty steel.” After the collision at about 7 a.m., it was more a case of deflating the truck’s tires to free it and get it on its way than addressing any structural damage, he added. * Daily Herald | Colbert shouts out Mount Prospect music fest, among other ‘community calendar’ listings in the suburbs: In a bit that aired on his CBS Late Show last Thursday, the Second City alum and Northwestern University grad was joined on set by actor Sean Hayes for “Chicago’s Community Calendar, your source for what’s going on in Chicago and the greater Chicagoland area.” That included shout-outs to the 56 Music Fix festival in Mount Prospect featuring local bands like Uncle Pigeon, Booti Grooviani, and Day Drinkerz, “who take the stage at 5 p.m., unless they’ve already blacked out,” Colbert quipped. * PJ Star | Ryan Spain responds to WTVP donation being linked to him in Peoria police report: State Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, had no knowledge that money improperly donated to his campaign came from the coffers of WTVP-TV, according to a statement from his campaign. Spain’s name was mentioned in a report written by the Peoria Police Department detailing how former WTVP CEO Lesley Matuszak used money from the public television station as her own personal piggy bank, buying luxury goods, vacations, expensive dinners and even making political donations. Matuszak used roughly $7,000 of WTVP’s money to make political donations to Spain’s campaign fund, according to the police report. Non-profits like WTVP are not allowed to make campaign contributions to political candidates under federal tax code. * CNI | In Cairo, massive 3D printer provides affordable housing hope: Hundreds gathered in Illinois’ southernmost city on Saturday to witness a demonstration of the futuristic printer, with American flags waving from the top of its two tall legs. 3D printing is emerging as a promising technology that could accelerate affordable housing development nationwide. The machine, the first of its kind in the region, is owned by Eminence Resource Inc., based in Harrisburg, 80 miles north of Cairo. The company is donating the duplex to the city. * SJ-R | Coroner will serve as sheriff in temporary role following Campbell’s retirement: Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon will serve as sheriff in a temporary capacity it was announced by the county Monday. Meanwhile, a committee will review applications and participate in the interview and nomination process for the candidate who will succeed Sheriff Jack Campbell, who is retiring no later than Aug. 31 in wake of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey by a deputy on July 6.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Yes, things could still turn ugly, however… (Updated)
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Crain’s last week…
I reached out to CoStar and asked if they had any updated numbers. Turns out, those Crain’s numbers compared apples to oranges. Here is what CoStar told me about 2023 hotel occupancy in the Chicago business district for this year’s DNC dates…
The most recent 2024 numbers Costar has are for August 12…
Crain’s was comparing actual numbers last year to pre-booked numbers this year. However, if past is prologue, we can likely expect that the eventual “actualized” number to be significantly higher than the “on the books” number, which is from a week before the DNC began. * Meanwhile, this is from the Washington Post yesterday…
* But here’s the Washington Post today…
* More…
…Adding… Sun-Times…
Hilarious…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Tribune…
* Tribune | Largest planned protest of DNC week begins in Union Park as Chicago officials promise readiness: Demonstrators bearing Palestinian flags and signs had gathered by noon for what is expected to be the largest planned protest of the convention week, ending with a march early this afternoon. Organizers said more than 250 separate groups were part of the demonstration. Rally programming in Union Park kicked off around 12:30 p.m. before a crowd of about 2,000 people, including scores of credentialed journalists. * Sun-Times | Black-Palestinian solidarity has a long history: ‘We’re both extremely dispossessed people’: Chicago community organizer Nino Brown, who is Black, said his turning point to understanding the shared struggle was when Palestinians joined the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, after the police killing of Michael Brown Jr. in 2014. “We had tear gas canisters being repelled back by Black people in Ferguson, and they were the same manufacturers, the same tear gas being used to attack Palestinians,” the 33-year-old said. “For me that cemented the idea that we have common oppressors. * Daily Herald | ‘Positive energy’: Democratic stars mingle with Illinois delegates: DuPage County Chair and delegate Deb Conroy said the enthusiasm about the ticket of Harris and vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is “contagious.” And with several Midwestern states up for grabs, “a lot of people in Illinois are so excited they’re willing to go to Wisconsin and knock on doors.” * Politico | ‘Uncommitted’ delegates want to keep the pressure up on Harris: Leaders of the pro-Palestinian “uncommitted” movement are warning that Vice President Kamala Harris could lose votes — and, potentially, key swing states — if there is not an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and an arms embargo against Israel, something they acknowledge she does not support. “She is at risk of losing key swing states, especially in states like Michigan, where we have the largest concentration of Arab Americans and Muslim Americans — people who know firsthand the effects and the impact of American-funded bombing,” Layla Elabed, a leader of the “uncommitted” movement from Michigan, said in response to a POLITICO reporter’s question at a press conference this morning. Capitol News Illinois, the Sun-Times and Block Club have live updates all day. * Axios | Alexi Giannoulias hobbles into the DNC: Giannoulias showed up to the Illinois delegation’s breakfast meeting on Monday sporting a bulky leg cast and walking with crutches due to an injury from three weeks ago. What they’re saying: “I shattered my knee thinking that I’m younger than I am,” Giannoulias told Axios. “I tried to jump onto a fast moving treadmill and I got tossed like a rag doll. My kneecap ended up in my quad.” * SJ-R | Abortion could become legal in Missouri in November. What does it mean for Illinois?: “I’ve been working all over the country to make sure we have referenda on the ballot, even in Florida,” [Governor JB Pritzker] told a State Journal-Register reporter during an impromptu press conference following Governor’s Day. “That’s not only going to help women in those states, protect their rights, but also bring people out to vote who are going to vote Democratic.” * Tribune | Monarch butterfly numbers have dropped this summer in Illinois, Upper Midwest, experts say: At the national Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, which tracks the number of eggs the butterflies are laying, the counts are down, both in the Prairie State and the larger region, according to the project’s founder and coordinator Karen Oberhauser. […] The U.S. government has determined that the showy orange and black butterflies qualify for threatened or endangered species status, but has effectively waitlisted them. * Tribune | As DNC begins, nurses at nearby University of Illinois Hospital go on strike: The nurses, who are represented by the Illinois Nurses Association, say they want pay that’s on-par with other area hospitals, better staffing and more security at the health system, citing examples of nurses who’ve been attacked by patients. The nurses’ four-year contract expired Monday. More than 650 nurses had shown up to picket outside University of Illinois Hospital, as of Monday morning, according to the union. * Crain’s | Chicago AI-software firm ModelOp gets $10M from Baird: Software maker ModelOp raised $10 million in a deal led by Chicago-based Baird Capital. Its software is used by customers to make sure AI models for data analytics developed by companies comply with internal and external compliance rules. Customers include Fidelity Investments, Bristol Myers Squibb and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which regulates investment broker-dealers. Four of the top 10 financial institutions also are customers, says ModelOp CEO Pete Foley. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox reliever Matt Foster has ‘new appreciation’ after returning from Tommy John surgery: The recovery and rehab from Tommy John surgery was complete. All that was left was getting back on a big-league mound. “As soon as the (seventh) inning finished, I was like, ‘All right, it’s time to go. Get back on again,’” the right-handed reliever said Saturday in Houston. * Naperville Sun | Naperville police charge man with loaded gun at Topgolf lot — arrest no. 23 since August 2023: A convicted felon allegedly driving with open alcohol, cannabis and a loaded gun Sunday became the 23rd suspect to be arrested on an illegal firearm charge in the Naperville Topgolf parking lot, officials said. Courtney Bennett, 36, of Dolton, was taken into custody about 12:55 a.m. after Naperville police officers observed him and a female passenger drive an Alfa Romeo into the Topgolf lot, 3211 Odyssey Court, with a “gun in plain view in the center console along with two open cans of an alcoholic beverage, Spiked Minute Maid,” a Naperville Police Department/DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release said. * Lake County News-Sun | Rock the Ride event raises money, awareness about gun violence; ‘We want to bring the community together’: Laurie Levin, the chair of the Highland Park Community Foundation, understands firsthand the continuing necessity to raise money to help those who experienced trauma or worse at the Fourth of July parade shooting more than two years ago. Marching in the parade when a lone gunman fired 83 rounds in 96 seconds, “killing seven, wounding dozens and causing trauma for countless more,” she said she understood the lingering effects while at Ravinia listening to Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” last month. * Lake County News-Sun | Hawthorn Woods opposes proposed Aqua Illinois rate hike: Hawthorn Woods officials formally approved a resolution and drafted a letter to the Illinois Commerce Commission objecting to a proposed rate hike by its private water utility supplier. Kankakee-based Aqua Illinois wants an increase of approximately $30 per bill to fund infrastructure upgrades and rising operational costs. * Daily Herald | Proposed beekeeping zoning change creates buzz in DuPage County: Before DuPage County Board members loosen beekeeping restrictions, some groups want them to consider the sting those changes may have on native bees. County board members recently delayed a vote that would have allowed beekeeping on smaller lots. Right now, beekeeping is allowed in unincorporated areas on lots that are an acre or larger. * Rockford Register Star | 89 faculty, staff lose jobs: What led to Western Illinois University’s most recent cuts: The announcement came just days before the beginning of a new fall semester at the Macomb, Illinois, public university and less than two months after 36 contingent faculty were informed that their contracts would not be renewed. WIU has found itself struggling with a shrinking student body, the fallout of the 2015-17 budget impasse and state appropriations that haven’t kept pace with inflation. Now, the university is trying to shrink its budget deficit and escape a cash crunch — and WIU officials say there aren’t many options left. * NPR | As Democrats meet in Chicago, Illinois’ role in abortion access is in the spotlight: At Hope Clinic in Granite City, Ill., Dr. Erin King and her staff have rearranged the waiting room for patients who’ve been traveling here from across the country. There are spaces for children to play and for families to relax or watch TV. “Most of our patients have kids, and so if they’re able to come, they can bring their kids with them,” King says. There’s also a supply closet stocked with diapers, snacks and hygiene supplies that patients and their families might need during their trip. King describes it as a “little, mini 7-Eleven — but all free.” * WIRED | Trump Shares AI-Generated Images Claiming Swifties Are Supporting Him: One of the screenshots Trump shared was from an anonymous pro-Trump account with over 300,000 followers that regularly posts AI-generated images. Following its post about Swifties for Trump, this account shared a follow-up post that said the original Swifties for Trump post was “satire.”
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Speaker Welch asked about staff union lawsuit during DNC breakfast
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * A reporter noted to House Speaker Chris Welch this morning that a status hearing is being held this week regarding the lawsuit filed by the Illinois Legislative Staff Association, a group of Welch’s employees who are trying to organize a union. Welch was asked how the lawsuit effects his message on workers’ rights…
Thoughts?
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Question of the day
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * US Sen. Tammy Duckworth was asked today what she thought about Gov. JB Pritzker running for a third term. He’s said in recent days that the decision was kinda up to his wife, MK. Here’s what Duckworth said…
Please pardon all transcription errors. Also, video is here. * House Speaker Chris Welch was asked what the legislature’s large Democratic super-majority and a third term for Pritzker would mean to the state and to his working relationship…
* The Question: Do you think Gov. Pritzker should run for a third term? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. Also, I’m not asking if you think he will run, I’m asking if you think he should run.
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Roundup: Illinois delegate breakfast kicks off Day 1 of DNC
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Minnesota’s First Lady Gwen Walz was a surprise speaker this morning…
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Here are the districts where Speaker Welch claims he can pick up four to six House seats
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Subscribers know a lot more about these races, but here’s a quick overview via my weekly newspaper column…
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Open thread
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: The Democratic National Convention starts today… * Block Club | First DNC Protest Kicks Off Downtown Sunday As Hundreds March For Gaza, Abortion Rights: Sunday’s rally and protest Downtown was organized by the Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws coalition, which includes a wide range of pro-choice, LGBTQ+, pro-Palestinian and various left wing groups. The march came about a week after the group was issued a permit, which it had to sue the city to obtain. The rally was held a day before the DNC officially kicks off Monday and will run through Thursday night.
* Tribe | Organizers worry about mass arrests and police violence during DNC: “We have seen throughout history, from 1919 to 1968 to 2020, that the Chicago Police Department has used violence and other forms of police misconduct to quell protests, and particularly protests that are challenging the status quo,” Sheila Bedi said. She is a clinical law professor at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and director of the Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic. “So there’s a real concern that some of those same strategies will go into play in response to protests for the Democratic Convention in 2024,” Bedi continued. * Mother Jones | Chicago’s Mayor Owes His Career to Activism. How Will He Handle Demonstrators at the DNC?: Johnson’s political beginnings weren’t that different from those of the activists supporting his candidacy. He started his career as a public school middle school teacher in a neighborhood once dubbed “the most dangerous” in the city. He went on to become a paid organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union, known for its polarizing yet successful teacher strikes in 2012 and 2019. In an effort to re-open a shuttered high school in 2015, Johnson joined a hunger strike and refused to eat solid foods for more than a week. Amid the racial justice protests of 2020, Johnson authored a resolution as a Cook County commissioner to “redirect funds from policing” to public services. (On the controversial concept of defunding the police, Johnson once said on a radio show, “I don’t look at it as a slogan. It’s an actual real political goal.”) * NBC Chicago | Pritzker confirms members of Illinois National Guard ‘on standby’ during DNC: During a press availability, Pritzker said that the Illinois Guard members in the city are trained as military police, but that residents shouldn’t expect to see them taking on an active role during the DNC. “They are really on standby,” he said. “They are at the perimeter. Nobody expects that we’ll have to use them for anything very serious. We also want to make sure we have additional law enforcement type folks who are in uniform, and who are trained to be police available.”
* Sun-Times | As DNC hits Chicago, Microsoft warns of deepfake artificial-intelligence attacks: President Joe Biden became a target of satirical, manipulated videos before he dropped his reelection bid. And a deepfake photo after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was altered to make it appear Secret Service agents smiled as they encircled him — apparently an effort to make the shooting appear to be a hoax. * ABC Chicago | Illinois Governor JB Pritzker wants Chicago DNC to energize party, city: “Oh boy. Well, I have to say, if you look at the excitement level of the Democratic Party, and frankly, people all over the United States, independents and Republicans for the Harris-Walz ticket, you’ll see that this excitement is going to last all the way through the election,” Pritzker said. But the governor still expects the election will be close. * Lake County News Sun | Lake County Democrats looking forward to ‘historic’ DNC: ‘I don’t think Hollywood could have scripted it better’: State Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, a first-time convention delegate and attendee, said she is emotionally charged at the prospect of seeing a woman of color nominated to become president of the United States. Though the Democrats nominated former President Barack Obama as the first man of color in 2008, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the first woman in 2016, Vice President Kamala Harris could be the first to break two glass ceilings. * Sun-Times | DNC related events you can attend, no convention credentials needed: The party will be jumpin’ for five days straight in the heart of downtown, thanks to the city’s “Celebrating Chicago at Daley Plaza” event, spearheaded by Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). The schedule includes performances by House music DJs, youth tumblers and drill team members, and more. There will also be cultural activities, as well as local cuisine and unique items crafted by local vendors. From Aug. 19 to 23, Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. Admission is free. Visit chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca.html for the full schedule. * Block Club | More Parking Restrictions Near United Center Added Ahead Of DNC: Officials previously revealed the areas around the United Center and McCormick Place where pedestrian and vehicle access would be restricted during the DNC, which kicks off Monday. But parking in some areas outside the designated “security footprint” also will be affected due to “security and logistical needs,” officials said in a press release Thursday. Restricted parking and access for cars now extends as far north as Lake Street, while restricted access for cars now goes as far as Hoyne Avenue to the west. * Sun-Times | Democratic convention roll call to be transformed into a Harris-Walz rally with DJ, music and surprise guests: The vibe of the first-of-its kind roll call on Tuesday, Democratic convention planners say, is intended to be that of a celebration. The roll call comes before the prime time speakers take the stage, former President Barack Obama and, the Sun-Times has confirmed, former first lady Michelle. * Shaw Local | Trump supporters rally in Woodstock ahead of DNC, vow to fight ‘Kama-nism’: Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice spoke, calling Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, as “the most anti-parent candidate” and saying “there is no such thing as a transgender child.” Former Trump advisers Roger Stone and Michael Flynn were among those billed to appear but was a no-shows. Stephen Moore, an economist and visiting fellow at the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, spoke and referred to Harris and Walz as “fiscal pyromaniacs.” Moore also questioned how to pronounce Harris’ first name. * WBBM | Chicago church gets visit from Georgia senator ahead of Democratic convention: Ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) visited Bronzeville’s Apostolic Faith Church with a message to the congregation. Warnock, who’s been a pastor for decades, gave a sermon focused largely on what he described as a “precious exercise” in self-governance. * NYT | JB Pritzker Is Ready to Party at a Convention He Made Happen: In short, the city might be the mayor’s, but the party this week will be the governor’s. “I think his role can’t be overstated,” said State Representative Kam Buckner, an ally in the legislature and a rising star in Chicago politics. “The world is watching, and Governor Pritzker is acutely aware of that.” * Tribune | Former Mayor Richard Daley expected to be in Chicago for DNC but keeping it ‘low key’: Bill Daley said he also expects to attend some of this year’s DNC events along with his brother John, a Cook County Board commissioner. He didn’t detail when or where his brother the former mayor will appear this year but noted how important it was that Chicago pulled off a successful convention in 1996, adding a “debacle” back then would have made it tough for Chicago to land this year’s DNC. * NBC Chicago | Gov. JB Pritzker proclaims Malort the ‘unofficial shot’ of the Chicago DNC: Pritzker has been a proponent of Malört for some time now, and he proclaimed it the “Unofficial Shot” of the DNC this weekend. During an interview with MSNBC host Jen Psaki, Pritzker described Malört as a drink that tests the “mettle” of the person consuming it. * USA Today | Gov. JB Pritzker was Biden’s man in the Midwest. Where’s that leave him with VP Harris?: “So here we sit, a few months out from the election, struggling with the answer to a profound question: How do we save ourselves?” Pritzker asked the Ohio Democratic Party faithful at their annual gathering on a sticky July afternoon. […] “If we stop worrying about whether they might call us woke and instead worry about whether we’re actually waking people up,” he continued. “If we stopped being so damned afraid of a little chaos and just embraced it as a path from here to there: we will win.” * Tribune | On the eve of historic DNC, Chicago named host city for NAACP’s 2026 convention: The NAACP National Convention will hold its 117th annual gathering in Chicago in July 2026, the civil rights organization and the city announced Sunday. Chicago was previously the site of the NAACP convention in 1926 and most recently in 1994, when some 40,000 attendees saw then-President Bill Clinton as a featured speaker. Two years later, Clinton would return to Chicago for the 1996 DNC, where he was nominated for his second term as president. * WCIA | ISP hands Heinz Funeral Home investigation to State’s Attorney: The Illinois State Police wrapped up their investigation to Heinz Funeral Home in Carlinville and handed it over to the Macoupin County State’s Attorney. State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison told WCIA Friday that his office is reviewing the findings to determine if he should file charges. * Effingham Radio | Finalists And Winner Of 2024 Governor’s Hometown Awards Announced: Each year, these awards give formal recognition to those who contributed to projects that improved their community’s quality of life. […] Teen Turf is a year-round operation that operates a free after-school and summer program for children. They serve an average of 20-45 students from toddler to high school age with reading, creativity, and team building; additionally, they encourage community service through their “Clean and Green” program. * Journal & Topics | Aaron Del Mar Named State GOP Co-Chair: Aaron Del Mar, one of three in the running last month for Illinois Republican Party chairman, was appointed state party co-chair on Thursday, Aug, 15. Del Mar, Palatine Township Republican committeeman and Republican state central committeeman for the 5th Congressional District said he was “humbled and honored” to be given the co-chair role by the party’s new chair, Kathy Salvi. * Center Square | Wrongful conviction awareness now taught at all police academies: With Illinois being home to the top state in the country for wrongful convictions, the state agency that oversees police training has now signed off on a plan mandating Wrongful Conviction Awareness and Avoidance Training courses at all local police academies. Approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, the first of its kind courses come as data shows wrongly convicted individuals have spent upwards of 21,000 years in U.S. prisons before being exonerated. * WTTW | Swarms of Dragonflies Are on the Move Across Illinois, Part of a Great and Mysterious Migration: “This is the time of year right now, this is the thick of it. It’s just so exciting to see hundreds of them aloft,” said Crosby, who coordinates dragonfly monitoring at Morton Arboretum and Nachusa Grasslands. “We’ll see 100, we’ll see 300 in a migrating swarm. You’ll see them move across interstates — I’ve seen them move across I-90.” * Sun-Times | Decayed State Street towers attract interest from Chicago developer betting on Loop turnaround: Federal officials, including judges in the U.S. District Court here, had deemed the buildings a security threat and Congress set aside $52 million to raze them. But because they are part of the Loop’s historic retail corridor, the GSA couldn’t act until it finished hearings about their future. In a surprising bureaucratic turn, the agency last week published its preference for renovation instead of wreckage, while attaching conditions that could scare off private sector interest. It said it must retain property ownership and it ruled out uses that could affect security such as creating residences, a hotel or worship space. * Daily Herald | Strike by drivers hits Chicago paratransit riders: Pace warned paratransit riders in Chicago Friday about delays and reduced capacity on vehicles after workers with contractor SCR Medical Transportation went on strike. The action came after SCR Medical Transportation drivers voted to authorize a walkout Wednesday, leaders with Teamsters Local 727 said. “Service will continue to be provided, but this will likely impact service in the city of Chicago, resulting in limited capacity and service delays,” Pace administrators announced in a statement on their website. * Sun-Times | For migrant kids in Chicago, a free soccer program offered a little summer fun: The Amigos Unidos FC, or United Friends, program mostly drew children who are from Colombia and Venezuela. Two friends at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign started it, aiming to reach migrant kids who love soccer. * Sun-Times | Mike Royko exhibit aimed at people who admired the columnist and people who never heard of him: For a certain generation of Chicagoans, it’s unimaginable growing up not knowing the name Mike Royko. But a lot of people in their 20s and younger who grew up as print media declined have never heard of the famed Chicago newspaper columnist. Northwestern English professor Bill Savage and a group of curators at the Newberry Library hope to change that with an exhibition that opened Thursday entitled “Chicago Style: Mike Royko and Windy City Journalism.” * Sun=Times | QB Caleb Williams flashes magic, eventually, in Bears’ victory: For 1½ quarters Saturday, Caleb Williams looked awfully similar to the ghosts of Bears quarterbacks past, stumbling through three consecutive three-and-outs, being flagged for intentional grounding and taking a sack. When he finally led the Bears to a field goal by Cairo Santos, he was aided in part by a 43-yard pass-interference penalty on a deep shot to Tyler Scott. * Block Club | The Onion Is Back In Print: The Onion is known for its satirical headlines, but the latest news to come out of the Chicago-based publication isn’t a joke: It’s back in print after more than a decade. The Onion is offering 12 monthly print editions for a limited-time price of $60, including a special issue for the Democratic National Convention available for those who subscribe within the next two weeks. The price will normally be $99. Learn more and buy a subscription here. * CBS Chicago | Chicago area corrections officer brought drug-soaked paper into jail, police say: The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said Jones was paid $1,000 to take the paper and deliver it to a man in custody at the jail. Testing revealed the paper contained synthetic cannabinoids. Jones was hired as a deputy in June 2019 and has been on “injured on duty” status since July 15, 2024, after she was injured while attempting to intervene in a fight between two individuals in custody. She was de-deputized on July 25 after she was interviewed by investigators related to the drug case. The sheriff’s office is conducting a separate internal investigation and Jones may be subject to disciplinary action including being fired as a result of the probe. * WGN | Dolton deputy police chief facing new lawsuit over overtime pay: Lacey is being sued by the Village of Dolton for overtime they say he paid himself but was never eligible to receive. The lawsuit alleges that between August of 2023 and July of 2024, Lacey submitted and approved nearly $140,000 in overtime for himself, even though he’s a salaried employee and not entitled to overtime pay. * Daily Herald | ‘It’s all about the bumblebees’: Dogs looking for nests help effort to boost pollinator habitats and population: “Today, it’s all about the bumblebees,” explained Kathryn McCabe, wildlife ecologist. More precisely, finding bumblebee nests generally located underground. Finding them helps researchers studying habitat preference and colony behavior. There are 12 species in Lake County, including the federally endangered rusty patched bumblebee. * Crain’s | Activist investor takes stake in Portillo’s: Engaged Capital, an activist investor with a track record of targeting restaurant operators including Shake Shack, has taken a nearly 10% stake in Oak Brook-based Portillo’s and said it has been in discussions with management about “potential steps to unlock the intrinsic value” of the business. In a filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, the Newport Beach, Calif.-based investment firm disclosed that those conversations have included potential changes to the company’s board of directors and a possible sale of the business. Citing unnamed sources, the Chicago Tribune reports management changes are not being discussed. * WCIA | Sangamon Co. announces commission to address systemic issues after Sonya Massey’s death; volunteers wanted: The announcement of the new group came Friday morning. County officials said the purpose for the commission is to “address systemic issues in law enforcement practices, mental health responses, and community relations” and come up with tangible solutions to implement in the county. County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter said he has been working with Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) to come up with solutions since last month, and the latest board meeting affirmed the idea for the commission. * SJ-R | Senior housing locations across Illinois listed for sale following bankruptcy: Two Springfield area elderly assistance locations have been listed for sale according to their parent company, Christian Horizons. The St. Louis-based senior housing company, which operates and owns Lewis Memorial Christian Village in Springfield and The Christian Village on South Seventh Street in Lincoln, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 16, according to Senior Housing News. The nonprofit company served 12 communities of independent living, assisted living and long-term health services for seniors across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri. The Christian Horizons website lists all of their locations currently operating. * PJ-Star | Police reports reveal evidence of embezzlement by former WTVP CEO Lesley Matuszak: The Peoria Police Department would have had probable cause to arrest the former CEO of Peoria’s PBS affiliate on embezzlement charges had she not killed herself, according to a recently completed investigation. Police reports obtained by the Journal Star indicate that both police and the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office agreed that there would have been probable cause to arrest Lesley Matuszak, who served as CEO for WTVP from 2019 to her resignation in September 2023, on charges of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the station’s coffers over a two-year period from 2022-2023. * NBC | Elon Musk’s rightward turn includes a fringe fascination: Civil war: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has repeatedly prophesied a future civil war related to immigration. Musk has posted about the subject on his social media platform X at least eight times in the past 10 months, according to a review of his posts by NBC News. And his posts usually include a specific prediction: He thinks that Europe in particular is headed toward a “civil war” due to the arrival of refugees from other continents. * Bloomberg | CVS defeat shows quiet ways drug middlemen try to influence care: A recent court defeat for CVS Health Corp. is shining a light on how health-care corporations wield their financial might over doctors and pharmacies in ways that can put profits over patient care. With more than a dozen similar cases still pending in private arbitration, the pharmacy giant has millions of dollars on the line. The most recent conflict got so heated that members of Congress cited it as an example of CVS’s overreach during a July hearing where pharmacy benefit managers faced bipartisan scorn over the power they exert over patient care.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Aug 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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