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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Illinois Federation of Public Employees…

Mechanics employed by the State of Illinois will hold a press conference Wednesday morning to draw attention to an issue that’s been affecting their jobs and costing Illinois taxpayers millions of dollars every year. 

Instead of filling mechanic positions that service state vehicles and equipment, state agencies like the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have been outsourcing this work to an outside company. This practice has eroded our state workforce and adds up to millions of extra dollars being spent on work that should be done by state-employed mechanics.

“Illinois agencies are spending three to five times as much as they should on mechanic work on state vehicles. It just doesn’t make sense,” said mechanic and Illinois Federation of Public Employees President Matt Emigholz. “I’m watching millions of dollars get wasted every year, outsourcing our work to an outside company. This is bureaucratic inefficiency at its worst, and we demand better for Illinoisans. We need state agencies to do what’s right, save money, and invest in our workforce. It’s what’s best for Illinois.”

WHAT: Press conference outside of the Democratic County Chairs Brunch. Union members will be passing out leaflets to attendees as well.

WHO: IFPE President Matt Emigholz, state mechanics who are members of the Illinois Federation of Public Employees, IFT Local 4408, and allies

WHEN: Wednesday, August 14 at 8:00 AM

WHERE: Outside of the Bank of Springfield Center, 1 Convention Center Plaza, Springfield, IL 62701

* Click here to view the Executive Order. From Gov. Pritzker…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2024-02 to begin a cross-sector planning process to outline a clear framework for addressing the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers over the next decade.

The Executive Order creates a new strategic position, the Chief Planning Officer, within the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA). This position will lead the development and implementation of a multi-year Multi-Sector Plan for Aging (MPA). The MPA will serve as a 10-year blueprint to support healthy aging in Illinois communities and set clear, measurable objectives for evaluating public and private sector progress toward this goal. The Chief Planning Officer will deliver the MPA to the Governor and General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2025, and an additional status report by Dec. 31, 2026. […]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately one-quarter of Illinois’ population will be 60 or older by 2030, raising significant challenges and opportunities in both the public and private sectors. An MPA will proactively prepare government, non-profit, and private sector organizations to meet a growing number of older adults’ evolving needs, including unmet needs related to health, safety, social and financial well-being, housing, transportation, and more.

The state-led MPA planning process will bring together diverse stakeholders as members of the MPA Community Advisory Council co-chaired by IDoA’s Chief Planning Officer. The Chief will also convene an MPA Task Force, consisting of more than a dozen government agencies, to collaborate on the shared goals of enhancing and integrating services available to older adults in Illinois.

These groups will meet regularly to inform the development of a comprehensive strategic action plan, designed to coordinate existing aging services programs, and propose policy and programmatic changes to optimize their effectiveness. The plan will pay special attention to disparities affecting older adults from historically marginalized communities, aiming to address barriers to health and aging equity. […]

The roughly year-and-a-half-long development process for Illinois’ MPA will include several opportunities for public engagement and feedback.

* Tribune…

Peter Dwars was responsible for creating and providing below-market financing for about 30,000 housing units across the state for low-income and moderate-income families during his time as head of the Illinois Housing Development Authority.

Dwars was skilled both in politics and communications, colleagues said, and adept at using his knowledge to advise three governors on housing finance matters and to explain complex concepts to lawmakers.

“Peter was long recognized as the guru of bond financing and other innovations in housing finance not only in Illinois, but nationwide by governors, mayors and other elected officials, bond attorneys, bankers and others over many years,” said Peter Lennon, who twice served alongside Dwars as the Illinois Housing Authority’s deputy director.

Dwars, 74, died of complications from pancreatic cancer on July 1, said his wife of 42 years, Gail Beesen-Dwars. He was a resident of Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood.

*** DNC ***

* AP | Want to speed up a road or transit project? Just host a political convention: Victor Matheson, economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, co-authored a study that concluded the economic expectations for hosting national political conventions are often “unrealistically large.” Still, he said, there’s “a lot of political will” to accelerate already planned upgrades to impress out-of-town guests — even for an event that lasts just four days. “The real question with these sort of things is, if this is such a good project, why wasn’t the political will there before?” Matheson said.

* Eater Chicago | Where Politicians Eat in Chicago: No mayoral run is complete without an Election Day stop at Manny’s Deli. For over 80 years, the traditional Jewish deli has sliced brisket and served reubens to everyone from construction workers to candidates, as well as the occasional mobster. Retired owner Ken Raskin credits Manny’s political ties to David Axelrod, who first began frequenting the restaurant as a college student and later brought in clients when he worked in politics. You’ll still find traces of Axelrod across the deli, from a plaque over his old table to the over-the-counter photos of President Barack Obama.

* Fox Chicago | DNC 2024: Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx vows to prosecute violent behavior: Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has had a longstanding policy not to charge anyone arrested for protesting peacefully, but she said Monday that her office will prosecute for the two V’s - violence and vandalism. “Our intent with the limited resources we have and the number of people we have in town is to focus on those engaging in behavior that is violent and endangers those around them, including law enforcement officers as well,” Foxx said.

* Axios | DNC to stream vertically on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube: The party hopes making the stream available via vertical video apps will draw in younger viewers who get most of their news on their phones. Roughly one-third of Americans ages 18 to 29 say they get news regularly on TikTok, which only streams vertical video, per Pew Research Center.

* WBEZ | Meet the young Chicagoans getting ready for the DNC: For many college students, this year’s election will be their first chance to cast a ballot for president. Young people have been portrayed as feeling disaffected about politics — or too busy on TikTok to get involved in the democratic process. But when the Democratic National Convention comes to Chicago next week, a lot of local members of Gen Z will be actively involved in supporting the convention, covering it or protesting against it. WBEZ talked with three Chicago college students about their very different roles at the DNC and what they’re hoping to get out of the experience.

*** Chicago ***

* Bloomberg | Mariano’s, Jewel parents spend more than $800 million on merger fees: Kroger and Albertsons have said the tie-up would help them more effectively compete against bigger rivals like Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc. If the deal goes through, banners from Safeway and Vons to Ralphs and Dillons would unite under one umbrella across 48 states and Washington, DC. Kroger has spent about $535 million on merger-related fees since agreeing to acquire Albertsons in late 2022, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Albertsons has spent $329.4 million so far, bringing the total fees to about $864 million.

* Block Club | Former Cabrini-Green Residents Are Working To Preserve Landmark Church As Community Hub: Elliston and Reynolds are raising money to buy the building and have partnered with a handful of organizations, including the All Mankind Coalition and the National Public Housing Museum, to help with preservation and fundraising efforts. Elliston said he has had a few conversations over the past year with real estate investor Marc Bortz, who owns the building. Though the negotiation phase has been moving slowly, he and Reynolds are willing to play the long game, Elliston said.

* Tribune | Chennedy Carter has a coach who trusts her in Teresa Weatherspoon — and it’s taking the Chicago Sky guard to new heights: “First, I have a coach (Teresa Weatherspoon) that trusts in me,” Carter said. “I feel like she understands my value and she understands my talent. She’s a player’s coach, she’s been in my shoes before and she’s (been) helping me grow since I’ve been here. She’s completely taken me under her wing. “I’ve been in places where — I’m a talented player, I’m a great teammate, I’m a great person — and I just wasn’t playing. It’s the fact that Coach is letting me play, letting me showcase my talent and just letting me be me and bring out that unique side of Chennedy Carter that people have never seen. Because I’ve been shielded away for different reasons, multiple times.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Wife of GOP congressional candidate helped by white supremacists during mayoral campaign: Gabrielle Hanson, who’s married to 5th Congressional District hopeful Tommy Hanson of Chicago but lives in Tennessee, refused to denounce the far-right extremists who escorted her and her husband into an October candidate forum and supported her at the event. “If they want to support me, that is their right,” Hanson — then a Franklin alderman who ultimately lost the mayoral race — said during a subsequent city board meeting. “We don’t discriminate in this community against anyone.”

* Daily Herald | Rosemont bans public camping, but vows not to disturb K-pop fans sleeping outside arena: Rosemont — the tiny suburb that’s home to some 4,000 residents and about 20 hotels next to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport — hasn’t experienced issues of homelessness that larger towns have, village officials admit. But the local ban on public camping was prompted by the recent court decision and after the Illinois Municipal League drafted a model ordinance for towns to adopt.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville police make 22nd gun-related arrest since August 2023 at Topgolf parking lot: For the third time in less than two weeks, police have made a firearm-related arrest in the Naperville Topgolf parking lot. Edward Lamont Coffey Jr., 29 of Chicago, was arrested outside the 3211 Odyssey Court facility Friday night on several felony charges, including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possessing a firearm with a suspended Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card and failing to store 10 to 15 grams of cannabis in his vehicle in a childproof, sealed or odorless container, according to police and DuPage County Circuit Court records.

* Crain’s | Northwestern Medicine plans another expansion — this time way out in the suburbs: In its latest expansion project in the Chicago-area, Northwestern Medicine plans to build a new outpatient center on its hospital campus in the far northwest suburb of Huntley. The $96.3 million project will span nearly 80,000 square feet, housing cancer care, infusion services, radiation oncology treatment and cardiac diagnostics, according to an application filed with the Illinois Health Facilities & Services Review Board, which must approve the project before construction.

* NBC Chicago | Illinois’ second-largest school district heads back to school with some changes: The district has over 35,000 students and covers parts of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties, with schools in communities like Elgin, Bartlett, Hanover Park and South Elgin. […] “In an effort to be responsive to feedback from students, teachers, parents, and our post-secondary partners, we have an updated grading and assessment system starting with the 2024-2025 school year,” U-46 announced on its website.

* WBBM | Preparations at Northwestern’s temporary football stadium enter 4th quarter: Wildcat football held its first outdoor practice at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium while several dozen construction workers kept hammering away. “The plans really aren’t changing, but it’s minor things,” said Deputy Athletic Director Jesse Marks. “Are the seats in the right spots? Let’s make sure that our ticket teams and our marketing teams are doing a manifest of all the seats now to make sure what was on paper matches what’s actually in design, making sure that we are adding the TVs in the right spots, our furniture is in the right spots.”

*** Downstate ***

* WICS | Monticello police officer arrested for child pornography: On Tuesday morning, the Monticello Police Department was advised of an investigation involving a member of their department. Illinois State Police arrested William Griswold, 39, for offenses involving child pornography. Once the department was advised of the investigation and arrest, Griswold was immediately placed on unpaid leave.

* UIS | Springfield house explosion under investigation: Two men, a 64-year old and a 71-year old, were taken to the hospital with are believed to be non-life threatening injuries. The department said statements made at the scene indicated the men were working on a hot water heater when the explosion occurred. Ameren was also notified due to suspicion of natural gas contributing to the incident.

*** National ***

* Missouri Independent | Missouri voters will decide whether to legalize abortion in November : If the amendment receives more than 50% of votes in approval, the measure would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

* National Law Review | Illinois Judge Dismisses Bottled Water False Ad Complaint: An Illinois federal judge dismissed a proposed class action alleging that water labeled as “100% Natural Spring Water” is misleading due to the presence of microplastics. According to the judge, “the complaint doesn’t hold water” and is preempted by FDA’s standard of identity for spring water.

  7 Comments      


Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Tuesday, Aug 13, 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 Terryl and Becky, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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‘We’re all trying to find the guy who did this’

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune editorial on Western Illinois University layoffs…

In recent days. Western has announced two big layoffs. On Friday, the school announced it was eliminating 89 positions, including 57 nontenured faculty members and 32 staffers. That came after some 35 faculty roles had been nixed, or “not renewed,” last month. Adding to that is a hiring freeze, the disappearance of several vacant positions, a Quad Cities pullback and all the other types of things organizations typically do when they are in crisis.

At the end of all this, we reckon, Western’s faculty will look a lot grayer. Not ideal. Students need a mix.

Why is this happening? It’s not complicated. Student enrollment at Western has fallen off the proverbial cliff.

Between 2010 and 2014, the number of students at the school hovered around 12,000. But then it took a dive over several years. […]

Why did enrollment fall off?

* A little history…

See that red box? That’s Gov. Bruce Rauner’s term in office. You know, the same Gov. Rauner the Tribune editorial board incessantly cheered throughout the budget impasse. Parents and students believed that the directionals were near extinction during that crisis. And those schools just haven’t recovered since.

So, as the kids say…

* Yes, it wasn’t a good situation to begin with, and other things are currently playing a role in the continued decline (including high tuition). But like everything else, Rauner turned a big problem into an existential crisis. And building back from that disaster is gonna take a very long time.

  18 Comments      


Does the IPI have a good case against the Worker Freedom of Speech Act? (Updated)

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* SJ-R…

On July 31, the Democratic governor [JB Pritzker] signed into law legislation limiting employers’ use of “captive audience” meetings where employees are effectively forced to listen to the political or religious views of their boss.

The “Worker Freedom of Speech Act” goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and does not prohibit businesses from holding these meetings, but rather prevents employers from punishing workers if they choose not to attend them. Illinois became the eighth state, joining states like New York and Minnesota, to pass such a law.

The Illinois Policy Institute argue in their federal suit filed last week that the new law infringes the freedom of speech rights of employers and claim the law is too broad — leaving more companies liable to penalties. Under the new law, the Illinois Department of Labor can issue $1,000 fines per violation and employees can sue.

Some employers, such as political organizations and not-for-organizations with 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), and 501(c)(6) IRS designations, are exempt. The Illinois Policy Institute is a 501(c)(3) and is therefore subject to the law alongside churches and traditional charities.

* From the IPI’s lawsuit…

Plaintiff Illinois Policy Institute (“the Institute”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in research related to public policy from a perspective that favors, among other things, civil and personal liberties; effective, efficient, honest, and transparent government; limited government; free markets; and workers’ freedom to choose whether to join a labor union.

The Institute regularly conducts mandatory staff meetings at which the organization’s views on questions of public policy are expressed.

The Act now makes those meetings unlawful.

This restriction on the Institute’s ability to speak to its employees about the very subject matter of the organization’s mission violates the Institute’s right to free speech under the First Amendment. […]

In effect, the Act bans the Institute from communicating with its employees during mandatory meetings about “proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulations, [and] proposals to change public policy”—even though creating such proposals is one of the principal purposes of the Institute.

The Institute is a research organization that publishes policy research on a variety of political topics, including the state budget, jobs, labor, pensions, education, and criminal justice. […]

At the mandatory meetings and mandatory retreats, the Institute has discussed topics such as the Workers’ Rights Amendment, the proposed real estate transfer tax in Chicago, and the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarships.

They’re essentially arguing that the law is a content-based restriction of employer’s speech, and therefore violates the 1st Amendment.

* From the law’s definition section…

“Political matters” means matters relating to elections for political office, political parties, proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulations, proposals to change public policy, and the decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, community, fraternal, or labor organization.

* From Littler, a pro-employer labor law firm…

Recent state laws similar to SB 3649 have faced legal challenges, and it is anticipated that such laws will likely be struck down in the end, even if the U.S. Supreme Court has to swing the final axe. For example, in New York, a New York District Court enjoined enforcement of legislation limiting employer speech during organizing campaigns. There, the District Court granted a temporary restraining order on the grounds that the legislation as written was facially invalid because it violated the First Amendment in constituting “a viewpoint-based law that discriminates against speech based on the ideas or opinions conveyed.”

Further, Section 8(c) of the National Labor Relations Act provides specific protection for employer speech, stating that “[t]he expressing of any views, argument, or opinion . . . shall not constitute or be evidence of an unfair labor practice . . . if such expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit.” Consequently, SB 3649 may also face challenges on the grounds that it is preempted, insofar as it is contrary to Section 8(c) and interferes with national labor policy (an argument Littler successfully made in Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce almost 15 years ago). In light of the unresolved questions about the legality of SB 3649, employers are forced to choose whether to comply or challenge the new law on constitutional grounds, including federal preemption and First Amendment concerns.

The broader point aside, it’s odd that they didn’t exempt 501(c)(3) organizations.

…Adding… Some union officials I talked with this afternoon claim that IPI is actually exempt and point to this section of the law…

Nothing in this Act… limits the rights of an employer or its agent, representative, or designee from communicating to its employees any information that is necessary for the employees to perform their required job duties

  13 Comments      


More new laws

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Several measures signed on Friday outline changes to higher education.

Senate Bill 462 bans public colleges and universities in the state from considering an applicant’s relation to any past, current or prospective donors during the application process. It also bars those schools from considering an applicant’s “legacy status,” or whether they are related to former students.

Senate Bill 3081 requires public universities to provide information about transfer fee waivers to students transferring in from a public community college. It also encourages those universities to automatically waive transfer fees for low-income students.

A third measure is aimed at lowering tuition costs for noncitizen Illinois residents. Senate Bill 461 requires public universities to charge in-state tuition for Illinois residents who attended an Illinois high school for at least 2 years or who graduated from an Illinois high school. It also would require universities to offer in-state tuition rates to some students who attended a high school, any college or university or a combination thereof for a combined three years.

* Sen. Cristina Castro…

Easier and more efficient ways for Illinois businesses and diverse contractors to do business with the state are coming soon, thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro.

“Navigating the procurement process can be a daunting task for small firms. These are the businesses we should be lifting up – not making their jobs more difficult,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Improving efficiency in government contracting not only helps minority-owned businesses get their foot in the door, but also promotes competition and allows state dollars to go further in supporting these projects.”

To eliminate long-standing obstacles and increase diversity in state contracting, the law – previously House Bill 5511 – takes steps to modernize the procurement process, improve transparency, encourage responsible competition and safeguard taxpayer dollars in infrastructure projects.

Supplier diversity improves access to government contracting for businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans and people with disabilities. The new law drives Illinois’ supplier diversity goals forward by requiring benchmarks to be set for minority business development programs and tasking the Commission on Equity and Inclusion with oversight to ensure the programs are implemented effectively.

To address the slow pace of the procurement process, the measure enables contractors to fix procurement violations while the procurement process moves forward, and allows bids to be posted or accepted online.

Further, the law prioritizes local competition and control by ensuring counties follow competitive bidding requirements that apply to other units of local government. It also eases the joint purchasing process to make it easier for towns, villages and counties to utilize existing state contracts – reducing the need for duplicative contracts for similar needs. Under the law, more businesses can qualify as small businesses so they can more easily access contracting opportunities with the Illinois Tollway.

A priority of Castro’s, one provision aims to move the state toward contracting with more Illinois companies on construction projects by expanding the definition of an Illinois business. Under the law, a business operating and headquartered in Illinois for at least one year is eligible to receive a 4% bid preference on state projects.

House Bill 5511 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect immediately.

* WCIA…

The Shelby County Rescue Squad is officially authorized to work under state law.

Their dive team all resigned at a Shelby County Board meeting due to problems with their insurance coverage last year. […]

A new law cracks down on the single, small-sized plastic bottles inside hotels. All hotels with 50 or more rooms will not be allowed to offer those small hygiene products in individual rooms and public bathrooms starting on July 1, 2025, with smaller hotels expected to follow suit by 2026. Advocates hope the bill lessens the amount of plastic waste. […]

Gyms and fitness businesses in the state will be required to offer contracts that can be cancelled online or by email, instead of by letter or in person. Advocates believe the law protects consumers from financial strain of forgotten and unused subscription fees.

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that legislation amending the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) to clarify and strengthen its protections was signed into law.

“The Illinois Human Rights Act is an important tool for combating discrimination,” Raoul said. “I want to thank Gov. JB Pritzker for signing this legislation, which will help my office enhance our efforts protecting the people of Illinois by strengthening enforcement against bad actors and improving processes for taking action. I remain committed to defending the civil rights of all Illinois residents.”

House Bill (HB) 5371 is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Attorney General’s office and the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), which enforce the state’s Human Rights Act. […]

The new law will enhance civil rights protections for people in Illinois and provide important clarifications to the law. Specifically, it will:

    - Continue to bring the IHRA into substantial compliance with federal fair housing law.
    - Strengthen relief in discriminatory pattern-and-practice determinations by clarifying the term “per violation.” For example, a business that repeatedly discriminates against multiple employees could be held accountable for each instance of a violation. Repeated harassment and discrimination should not constitute a single violation of the act, and relief should be proportionate to the amount of harassment and discrimination victims had to endure. The law also increases the maximum penalty amounts that a court may award in the Attorney General’s pattern-and-practice determinations and fair housing lawsuits.
    - Clarify that aggrieved parties have the right to take action to collect judgments, even if they do not intervene in the state’s enforcement action.
    - Codifies criteria language from the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003 to expressly prohibit unjustified disparate impacts in real estate transactions.
    - Ensure confidential reporting of discrimination and hate incidents to helplines administered by IDHR and the Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.
    - Reduce redundancies and improve enforcement processes.

* Sen. Mary Edly-Allen…

Recording artists will now have more protections from artificial intelligence (AI) replicating their voice or work thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Mary Edly-Allen. […]

As an emerging technological platform, there are no current restrictions on AI models replicating a music artist’s voice. Without regulations, some organizations and even music studios have sought to establish a monopoly of control over their artists’ voices and melodies for AI projects.

To give artists more agency of how their voice or melody may be replicated by AI, House Bill 4762 requires artists to have legal representation or support from a collective bargaining agreement when negotiating an AI project involving their art, and how they will be compensated for the AI replica. This would prevent music studios from profiting off an artist’s likeness or voice by using AI to replicate them without the consent of the artist or without fair compensation. […]

House Bill 4762 was signed into law Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 and goes into effect immediately.

* Ride Apart…

Have you ever had the horrifying experience of opening up an old electronic device and finding a leaky battery inside?

Although those aren’t the same type of batteries found in modern e-bikes, that experience gives you some idea that old batteries can develop harmful problems. Not only can they cause issues for the electronic device that they’ve been sitting inside for far too long; but they can also leak out into the environment if they’re, say, disposed of in a landfill. […]

That’s why it passed the new Portable and Medium-Format Battery Stewardship Act and sent it to Illinois Governor Pritzker’s desk, where he signed it into law on August 9, 2024. This new law will require battery sellers and distributors in the state to develop appropriate recycling stewardship programs by the year 2026. […]

Batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters are covered, and are considered as “medium-format batteries.” It’s worth noting here that this law contains language explicitly excluding batteries for larger electric vehicles, such as cars, trucks, or motorcycles. However, since e-bikes and e-scooters only continue to increase in popularity, it’s important to have solid programs in place to properly dispose of their batteries when they’re no longer usable.

As of August 12, 2024, there are nine states (plus Washington DC) where battery producers are now required to fund battery recycling programs (Illinois is the latest).

* WIFR…

A bill allowing alcohol to be served at an event space in Boone County and another bill designed to improve water infrastructure in Marengo become laws. […]

The North Boone Fire Protection District #3 at 305 W. Grove Road in Poplar Grove will soon be able to rent their hall for occasions with alcohol. There is no other banquet facility in Poplar Grove that allows the sale or delivery of alcohol. The new law takes effect on January 1, 2025. […]

Another law allows the city of Marengo to acquire land needed to extend water and sanitary sewer services for the I-90 Route 23 Corridor. This is made possible through a $26.9 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The law takes effect immediately.

* Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton…

In order to make medication more accessible to Illinoisans, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton’s new law prohibits pharmacists from refusing to fill a written prescription.

“Pharmacies must accept doctors’ prescriptions for approved medication regardless of how the prescription is sent to them,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “Every Illinoisan deserves the right to their medication when they need it.”

In response to the opioid epidemic, Illinois passed a law in 2021 requiring prescriptions of controlled substance to be sent electronically. However, some pharmacists have been refusing to fill non-electronic prescriptions despite exceptions under the law. Glowiak Hilton’s new measure will clarify this process by prohibiting pharmacists from refusing to fill paper or non-electronic prescriptions.

“Denying someone of their medication could have serious medical consequences,” said Glowiak Hilton. “These are unnecessary barriers that must be addressed in our pharmacies to prevent potential harm.”

House Bill 4874 was signed into law Friday and takes effect immediately.

* WSIU…

House Bill 4925, sponsored by State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg), has been signed into law, providing significant protections for local motorcycle dealerships across Illinois. The new legislation amends the Motor Vehicle Franchise Act, specifically targeting burdensome mandates that could impose substantial costs on dealerships.

Under the new law, vehicle manufacturers, distributors, or wholesalers are prohibited from requiring motorcycle dealers to make expensive upgrades or improvements to their facilities. These mandates, which could previously be enforced without consideration for the financial impact on smaller dealerships, often placed undue stress on local businesses trying to remain competitive in a challenging market.

Senator Fowler, speaking on the importance of the bill, highlighted the need to support small businesses by reducing unnecessary financial burdens. “My hope when bringing this proposal before the Senate was to protect our smaller dealers from substantial costs that they could incur due to mandates from manufacturers,” Fowler stated. “We should be looking at ways to alleviate the burdens placed on small businesses, not upholding unnecessary and costly mandates that make it harder to operate here in Illinois.”

Additionally, the law prevents manufacturers from making aspects of the manufacturer-dealer relationship contingent on the dealer complying with potentially unreasonable demands. This ensures a more balanced and fair relationship, allowing dealerships to focus on serving their communities without being pressured into costly changes. The bill was signed into law on August 9 and took effect immediately.

  8 Comments      


DNC Chicago coverage roundup

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

A federal judge will not force City Hall to further alter the path it offered protesters during next week’s Democratic National Convention, finding the route satisfies the First Amendment while addressing significant security and safety concerns.

U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood handed down her 24-page ruling late Monday, writing that challenges to the route “boil down” to a complaint that city lawyers “have not offered the exact route” protesters desire, even though it “allows them to speak near their intended audience.” […]

In her order Monday, Wood said the protest groups had cited “no evidence to support the proposition” that turns in the route “will introduce problems that staying on Washington Boulevard would avoid.”

“Even assuming the protest parades draw as many people as [the protest groups] expect, they cite no prior event precedent or other evidence suggesting that such a crowd could not navigate the two turns onto Hermitage Avenue and Maypole Avenue,” Wood wrote.

Click here to read the full ruling. A court hearing on the case is scheduled Tuesday afternoon.

* Crain’s…

Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling sought to reassure the city’s business community today that the city is prepared for the weeklong spotlight that comes with hosting the Democratic National Convention next week.

Snelling said Chicagoans can expect to see more local police patrols in the downtown area and that his department would be aggressive in shutting down protests that become violent. He delivered his message at the City Club of Chicago, where his warnings to those planning to disrupt the convention were mostly met with applause. […]

“The moment that starts, we’re going to intervene. I’m not going to wait until it gets out of control and then try to bring it back in,” he said. “The moment it starts, you put an end to it quickly, because a greater response now may mean that we need less of an even higher response later. So we will not allow people to come here and destroy the city.” […]

Speaking to reporters after his City Club event, Snelling said the line between protesting and rioting begins with “violent actors, those who are committing acts of vandalism, violent attacks against police officers, against each other — that’s the type of thing we’re not going to tolerate.”

“The minute that starts, we have to put an end to it,” he said. “When people become comfortable committing acts of violence and vandalism, that’s when it turns into a riot.”

* ABC Chicago…

Tuesday morning, CPD will hold their final DNC tabletop exercise with city agencies and the Secret Service.

This comes as the security perimeter is already taking shape around McCormick Place and the United Center.

Fencing is going up this week around the UC, but street closures don’t begin until the end of the week.

* Tribune…

The CTA plans to add some additional “L” runs to handle the influx of convention visitors, though the agency provided few specifics about the service. CTA riders will contend with bus reroutes around security perimeters surrounding the convention sites. The agency is also preparing for some equipment to go to DNC use, though CTA President Dorval Carter has promised aldermen the transit agency would be able to run buses and trains during the convention with minimal effects on everyday passengers.

The stakes will be high for the CTA and the embattled Carter as an expected tens of thousands of politicians, dignitaries, protesters and media descend on Chicago for the convention and the city looks to put its best foot forward. After years of complaints about lagging transit service, ridership and concerns about personal safety, both real and perceived, whether the transit agency can run buses and trains frequently and reliably during the convention could serve as a test of its ability to adequately serve both visitors and everyday residents looking to get to work and about their daily lives in the city. […]

But riders remain worried about how the CTA will handle service during the event. That included downtown commuters such as Claire Widseth and her boyfriend, who plans to work in Rosemont instead of his typical downtown office during the convention in part to avoid the hassle of crowds on transit and elsewhere around the area, he said.

“The CTA Red Line can barely handle when there’s a Cubs game and a Sox game on the same day,” Widseth said. “So like, I can’t imagine when there’s a national convention going on.”

West Wing Playbook put a list of DNC parties together, click here to check it out.

* More…

    * Crain’s | Democrats plan DNC side rally for Jewish voters alienated by Gaza protests: Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker are among at least a dozen lawmakers who will headline an Aug. 19 launch event for an advocacy group seeking to engage progressive, pro-Israel voters, according to a spokesperson. Called the Zioness Action Fund, the group was formed by a coalition of Jewish activists and bills itself as “pro-choice, pro-diversity, pro-LGBTQ, pro-democracy, pro-freedom.” The event will take place in Chicago on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention.

    * Sun-Times | Gaza should be on DNC agenda, Chicago Muslim leaders say: The leaders called for less talk and more action about drawing the war in Gaza to a close — a war that’s killed tens of thousands in Gaza. And while some of them are more hopeful that Vice President Kamala Harris may be more forceful in pressing for a ceasefire, they are waiting to see actual action.

    * Sun-Times | DNC protests planned over Gaza, other causes as one organizer says, ‘People feel betrayed by the Democratic Party’: Protest organizers are concerned about how the Chicago Police Department will handle the protests and have held safety training sessions in preparation. They point to the department’s forceful response to demonstrations after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020 and images of cops beating demonstrators with batons during the Democratic convention in 1968. Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling has promised to protect the right to protest but also said peaceful protests aren’t always legal, indicating the police might go after demonstrations that block streets or occupy buildings without permission.

    * Daily Herald | ‘Face of the convention’: DNC volunteers getting front-row seat to history: After years of teaching her students to appreciate history, retired social studies teacher Cindy Vogt will witness it firsthand during the Democratic National Convention. […] About 30,000 people showed interest in helping out. Of those selected, 77% are from Illinois, 39% are Chicagoans and many come from the suburbs. Vogt and neighborhood ambassador organizer Daniel Schack of Northbrook said offers of help poured in from towns like Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Glenview, Northbrook, Palatine and Wheeling.

    * NYT | New Public Art Rides the Rails in Chicago, Timed to the Convention: Starting Aug. 12, a handful of the city’s famous elevated trains covered in the work of emerging artists and designers will take to the tracks of the Chicago Transit Authority, accompanied by a series of cultural events in neighborhoods throughout the city. The project, called “Track(ed) Changes,” along with the related community events, jibes with the city’s promise to Chicagoans to broaden the limelight and to spread the economic impact of the convention through many of the city’s 77 neighborhoods. More than 50,000 people are expected to descend on the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls of the N.B.A. and the Blackhawks of the N.H.L.

    * Crain’s | Downtown hotels have rooms to fill ahead of DNC: As of Aug. 5, visitors have booked between 63% and 70% of downtown hotel rooms during the four days of the convention, which kicks off Aug. 19, according to data tracked by real estate information company CoStar Group. Those occupancy rates are slightly below the numbers downtown hotels saw during the comparable week of August last year, CoStar data shows, and well below the near-90% occupancy during the same weekday period in 2019.

    * Fox Chicago | Chicago Airbnb bookings surge ahead of DNC, driven by these U.S. cities: Searches for Airbnb listings in Chicago and surrounding areas for the week of the DNC have jumped over 30% compared to the same period last year.

    * Block Club | Some West Loop Businesses To Close During DNC: ‘Too Many Opportunities For Chaos’: “There’s too many opportunities for chaos that to be closed seems easier for our patients as well as my staff,” said Stephanie Wolf, owner of Vitahl Medical Aesthetics, a medical spa at 1135 W. Madison St. that will be closed all four days of the convention. Large-scale events Downtown have prevented customers from attending appointments in the past, Wolf said. Anticipating a similar scenario for the DNC, Wolf decided to close the spa and reschedule the appointments for about 15 patients. Appointments are typically booked three to six months in advance, she said.

    * Tribune | Where to go for a taste of democracy during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago: The new Kamala cake at Brown Sugar Bakery in Chicago did not just fall out of a coconut tree. Baker Stephanie Hart created the cake inspired in part by a visit from Vice President Kamala Harris in 2021. The VP’s staff had pre-ordered a slice of German chocolate cake, made with coconut frosting. Harris had said it’s her favorite cake flavor, and she gets it for her birthday every year.

    * Semafor | ‘Central Park Five’ member Yusef Salaam invited to DNC for convention speech: According to multiple sources, Democratic officials have been in communication with Salaam, but it’s not yet clear if plans have been locked in. One source familiar with convention planning said Salaam had been invited and that other members of the “Central Park Five” could also potentially join him onstage. Reached by phone, Salaam declined to comment, referring calls to his office. A convention spokesman declined to comment on programming.

    * Sun-Times | How Chicago’s 1968, 1996 conventions stirred songs, movies and a dance craze: April of 1969 marked the release of the debut studio album by a local rock band that initially called itself the Big Thing before changing its name to Chicago Transit Authority and then simply “Chicago.” Side four of the double album kicked off with “Prologue, August 29, 1968,” which incorporated audio of anti-war demonstrators chanting “The whole world is watching, the whole world is watching,” as they clashed with police outside the Conrad Hilton Hotel during the 1968 DNC.

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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.

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Open thread

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois!

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Who will replace Sheriff Campbell after he retires? SJ-R…

    - In his announcement, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said he would retire by no later than Aug. 31.
    - From the day the retirement goes into effect, the county board has three days to announce the vacancy with the county central committee per the state election code.
    - County board Chairman Andy Van Meter will then have 60 days to fill the vacancy “with the advice and consent of the county board.”

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Dolton deputy police Chief Lewis Lacey, an ally of Mayor Tiffany Henyard, indicted on federal bankruptcy fraud charges: Dolton police Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey, a strong ally of embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard, was indicted Monday on federal bankruptcy fraud charges alleging he lied under oath in a scheme to hide assets and income from creditors to avoid paying more than $40,000 in a lawsuit settlement. The nine-count indictment returned against Lacey in U.S. District Court charged Lacey, 61, of Matteson, with bankruptcy fraud, making false statements and declarations in a bankruptcy case and perjury. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Click here to view the indictment.

* Tribune | The home buying and selling process is changing. Here’s what you need to know in Illinois.: This is a condensed version of how the home buying and selling process has functioned for years. And this process is about to change. The way real estate agents get paid will shift on Aug. 17, following massive settlement agreements that resulted from numerous class-action, antitrust lawsuits brought by home sellers over the commissions they paid to real estate brokers. The suits were filed against the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors and real estate brokerages nationwide.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | New IL law requires state employee health insurance coverage for Alzheimer’s treatment: alzheimers
The bill requires the State Employees Group Insurance Program to cover medically necessary FDA-approved treatments or medications to slow progression of the disease.
This law also requires coverage for diagnostic testing for doctors to determine the best treatment or medication. “As approximately 90% of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older, these individuals already have access to Alzheimer’s treatments through Medicare,” said Rep. Mary Gill (D-Chicago). “This bill ensures equity for state employees under 65 so that they are also able to access these life-changing treatments.”

* WAND | Illinois law calls for new student discipline procedures, school bus safety guidelines: The Illinois State Board of Education will be required to draft and publish guidance for development of reciprocal reporting systems between schools and law enforcement. This plan also calls on ISBE to publish guidance for re-engagement of students suspended, expelled or returning from an alternative school setting.

* WGN | Governor Pritzker signs law to shield children from AI-generated child pornography: HB 4623 was introduced by Attorney General Kwame Raoul in early April and sponsored by State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz. It passed unanimously in the House on April 19. According to Raoul, the law prohibits the use of AI to create images depicting child sexual abuse that either involve real children or obscene imagery. It also separately prohibits the nonconsensual dissemination of certain sexual images generated by AI.

*** Statewide ***

* NBC Chicago | New effort credited for returning a record $301M in missing money to Illinois residents: Through I-CASH, the state’s missing money program - 321,558 residents owners or heirs received unclaimed property, such as contents of overlooked safe deposit boxes, unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards, Frerichs said in a news release.

* Sportsbook Review | Illinois Remains Second-Best American Legal Sports Betting State in June: In June, sports bettors in the Land of Lincoln spent $848 million with Illinois sports betting apps and retail providers. As mentioned, it is the first time under $1 billion since last August and the end of a nine-month streak. While it represents a 16.6% month-over-month dip from nearly $1.02 billion in wagering activity from May, it is an impressive 27.4% year-over-year spike from almost $668.2 million in last June.

*** Chicago ***

* Chalkbeat | Amid budget challenges, CPS and the teachers union make little movement on contract negotiations: When Chicago Public Schools students head back to class later this month, their teachers likely won’t yet have a new contract. In the past, that was a bad omen, signaling that a strike loomed. This year, a strike does not appear to be on the horizon, and both sides have said the tone at the bargaining table has been more amicable.

* South Side Weekly | More Cops Got Overtime for NASCAR in 2024: Last year, a preliminary analysis by the Weekly estimated that NASCAR cost the City at least $1.1 million in police overtime. That estimate only included overtime data that was available when the request was filed, which was immediately after the race weekend. The Tribune later reported that CPD paid out $1.4 million in NASCAR overtime in 2023.

* Sun-Times | Small businesses are frustrated with Chicago’s bureaucracy as they wait for reforms: To help them, the Small Business Advocacy Council is pressing for reforms to “cut red tape, streamline processes and reduce the costs of launching and expanding Chicago businesses,” according to a proposal released by the nonprofit this spring. It was endorsed by more than 30 chambers of commerce and business advocacy groups and 15 aldermen.

* Sun-Times | Feds want more prison time for former Ald. Ricardo Munoz after DUI arrest: Munoz was arrested in May after he “slow-rolled” into another car in Berwyn and was found slumped over the wheel of own his car with a half-empty bottle of rum on the front passenger seat, according to a motion filed in federal court on Monday. […] Munoz was sentenced to 13 months in prison, with another 18 months of supervised release with the condition he “not commit another federal, state or local crime,” prosecutors said in their motion.

* WBBM | Uptown artist repaints plover mural after city whitewashed original: ‘This makes people happy’: Irene Tostado, with the Chicago Park District, first told WBBM that the park district “did not paint over the mural located at the Buena Avenue Underpass.” Later, though, Tostado sent a follow-up and said the park district did indeed paint over the mural after they learned that Kennedy “did not go through any process with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events for installation on public property.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Disaster declared in Cook County over July storms that spawned more than 40 tornadoes in 36 hours: The storm was the “most prolific tornado event” to hit the Chicago area in recorded history, according to the National Weather Service, breaking the record for the most number of tornadoes reported in a single event. Storms on July 14 produced nine tornadoes in the area, resulting in a total of 41 tornadoes within 36 hours. The storms caused damage to hundreds of homes and businesses across the county, according to the news release. Local municipalities have submitted damage reports for public infrastructure and response costs totaling more than $5 million.

*** Downstate ***

* Axios | Five foods to try at the Illinois State Fair: Springfield may be known for its horseshoe, a toasted sandwich topped with meat, fries, and cheese sauce —and even a deep-fried version that Monica tried a couple of years ago — but the fair offers a lot more. “Count the memories, not the calories,” can be heard across the intercom throughout the fair.

* PJ Star | Four deaths since 2021: Timeline of accidents at Caterpillar facilities near Peoria: Justin Perry, a 36-year-old subcontractor from Michigan, was killed Aug. 7 after he got stuck underneath an electrical box at the company’s proving ground facility in rural Washington. It marks the latest in a series of deadly incidents at Caterpillar facilities in central Illinois. With the Occupational Safety and Health Administration working on a second investigation into Caterpillar this summer, here’s a look at the prior accidents and the aftermath of the investigations.

* WTVO | Hard Rock closes temporary Rockford Casino. Find out what’s next: Hard Rock Opening Act, Rockford’s temporary casino at 610 N. Bell School Road, officially closed for good at 5 a.m., Monday. But not all is lost. In 17 days, the permanent Hard Rock Casino at 7801 E. State St., where the Clock Tower Resort once stood, will open its doors.

* WNIJ | David Gill makes another ‘quixotic’ run for office: Funks Grove resident David Gill is a physician who directs a hospice program. He is running as an independent against another doctor, Bill Hauter of Morton. Hauter is the Republican incumbent in the 87th District which stretches from East Peoria to Heyworth and south to Illiopolis. There is no Democratic candidate. Gill ran for Congress three times as a Democrat and once as an independent (2016), losing each race.

*** National ***

* Bloomberg | Hospitals inch toward recovery as labor woes ease, Fitch says: US hospitals are crawling their way toward a recovery as the public sector slowly shakes off that last of its pandemic woes, according to analysts at Fitch Ratings. Labor challenges in the sector have eased this past year, with most non-profit health-care systems reporting using less external contractors while new hires have outpaced workers who quit

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Tuesday, Aug 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Tuesday, Aug 13, 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 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Chalkbeat…

Some Illinois schools will likely experience major shifts this school year as federal COVID relief funds end, district budgets get tighter, and students continue to recover from school disruptions during the height of the pandemic. […]

Chalkbeat Chicago sat down with [State Superintendent Tony Sanders] to talk about what’s next for the state board after COVID relief funds end in September, support for schools that have seen an increase in newcomer enrollment, the state’s literacy plan, and other education issues. […]

The state board’s share of federal COVID-19 relief dollars is also expected to end in September. The state board created initiatives like a digital equity grant and a mentorship program for teachers among other initiatives. Will the state board continue some of these programs without federal COVID relief funds or will they disappear?

This year within the state budget, we were able to work with the governor’s office and legislators on sustaining some of these programs. For example, we were able to secure some state dollars to support our Student Care Department — which monitors restraint, time-out, and student isolation — which was created using COVID relief funds. We’ve been able to use the extension on COVID relief funds that the federal government gave us to continue programs such as SEL [Social Emotional Learning] Hubs, teacher mentoring, and principal mentoring. One of the things you didn’t see make it into this year’s budget was high-impact tutoring. It was effective, but it was also very expensive.

Next fiscal year, the State Board of Education will have some deeper conversation to see what programs local school districts or the state will help us support or if there are other grants or opportunities for us to start seeking out.

* WHBF…

Team Illinois continued to dominate Team Iowa, winning Tugfest 2024 10-2.

The Port Byron side of the tug took the first three tugs with teams from Declercq Farms, Black Fabrication and Peacocks Tavern. The LeClaire side got on the board with Carsten’s Flooring. Port Bryon bounced right back with wins from Duey’s Corner Tap and Guither Tree Service. A new team from Picknick Real Estate gave LeClaire a second win. It was all Port Bryon from there with teams from Signature Big Timbers, Larson Pump, Rosenow Farms, Hillsdale Storage winning. The final tug was a battle between Riverdale High School and Pleasant Valley High School, with Riverdale wining for the Illinois side.

Tugfest is the nation’s only cross-river tug of war, with 2,700 feet of rope stretched between Port Bryon and LeClaire. Port Byron keeps the coveted Alabaster Eagle trophy for another year.

For those interested, Noon Whistle paid a $1,000 fine to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission after selling cicada infused Malort.

*** Statewide ***

* Brownfield Ag | New ‘Illinois Grown’ label debuts: The executive director of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association says a new “Illinois Grown” label is headed to market shelves. Reghala Scavuzzo tells Brownfield: “There’s always been a discussion we really want to highlight what’s been actually grown in Illinois.” She says, “And so, the Illinois Department of Agriculture this week is launching the Illinois Grown brand and relaunching their branding program.”

* Tribune | A new state law mandates new homes be equipped with EV-capable parking, but for many buyers, home chargers aren’t yet an essential amenity: Although a new Illinois law went into effect seven months ago requiring all new homes and multifamily apartments to be equipped with EV-capable parking spaces, home charging stations aren’t yet an essential feature for many potential homebuyers or renters. Developers and realtors say that most homebuyers and renters are only interested in electric vehicle chargers if they already own an EV, which is a small percentage of drivers. But many in the real estate industry are still incorporating charging capability into their marketing, seeing the potential for it to become a more valuable amenity in the future. When Valentine put his Kildeer home up for sale, his realtor recommended that the property’s EV charging capability be advertised in the listing.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Repeated Police Misconduct by 200 Officers Cost Chicago Taxpayers $164.3M Over 5 Years: Analysis: Cases that involved at least one officer with repeated claims of misconduct accounted for nearly 43% of the cost borne by taxpayers to resolve police misconduct cases between 2019 and 2023, according to the analysis. In 2023 alone, the city spent $34.4 million to resolve lawsuits that named officers whose alleged misconduct more than once cost Chicago taxpayers money, accounting for approximately 40% of the total cost to taxpayers, according to WTTW News’ analysis.

* Block Club | City Street Festivals Are Underestimating Crowds By Tens of Thousands, Endangering Attendees: Vegandale organizers were prepared to manage a crowd of 16,000 people, according to permit data from the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. But advertisements for the event called for a crowd of 30,000. […] But CBS Chicago and Block Club found festival organizers are submitting paperwork to the city saying they expect smaller crowds — while their advertisements say tens of thousands more people will come. The discrepancy can create potentially dangerous conditions, an expert said. In Chicago, safety planning for street festivals relies on crowd estimates, according to at least two city ordinances related to special events.

* Block Club | Loretto Hospital Dangerously Understaffed, Nurses Say In New Labor Complaint: Loretto has lost 30 percent of its nursing staff since 2020 and is down to 93 full-time nurses, with only a portion of them working full time as leaders try to cut costs that “undermines the hospital’s ability to provide adequate care to patients,” according to a union news release. The union is asking the National Labor Relations Board to compel Loretto to release daily schedules, payrolls and other staffing documents that they say have not been turned over during negotiations — in violation of federal labor law.

* Crain’s | Chicago tries a progressive approach to its mental health crisis: The Chicago Department of Public Health estimates about 140,000 Chicagoans were experiencing serious psychological distress in 2023 that wasn’t being addressed. Recognizing the severity of this critical moment, Chicago’s public and private sectors are putting more resources into addressing the root causes of deteriorating mental health, while also seeking to treat those already suffering. But there’s a particular focus in Chicago right now on expanding the public social safety net and its role in the broader health care system.

* Tribune | ‘There is not enough pie’: When companies file for bankruptcy, workers with unpaid wage claims are left in limbo: In March, a federal judge ruled that Luna and her former coworkers were owed $1.52 million in back pay and benefits under the WARN Act, an amount which would work out to an average of about $11,500 per former staffer. The ruling was a default judgment because The Signature Room’s parent company, Infusion Management Group, never responded to the workers’ lawsuit. Luna and her coworkers haven’t seen a penny. Just weeks after Unite Here filed its WARN lawsuit, Infusion Management filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Bankruptcy law dictates that secured creditors — those whose claims are backed by collateral — get paid first. Unsecured creditors who are also owed money — a category that includes employees — are paid out afterward, but there isn’t always money left to pay them.

* Block Club | Developer Wants To Open Salon Suites At Chicago’s Last Black-Owned Bank: A developer wants to convert the former site of the city’s last Black-owned bank into suites for beauty entrepreneurs. But leaders at the troubled bank said they haven’t decided to sell the building, even as the developer meets with neighbors and the local alderman to get their support.

* Sun-Times | Connie Wilkie, ‘gruff drill sergeant’ who kept the Sun-Times newsroom running, dies at 85: Ms. Wilkie died Aug. 5 of COVID-19 at Liberty Village in downstate Pittsfield. She was 85. “Connie was a rock in the Sun-Times newsroom, efficiently ensuring that phone calls into the city desk from sources, reporters, cranky readers and others were channeled in the right direction,” said Alan Henry, a former editor. “Graced with a kind heart and a dry sense of humor, she was a pleasure to be around and was one of the ‘characters’ who helped make the newsroom a fun place to work.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News-Sun | Plans for Gurnee homeless shelter appear to be in trouble: Evidence is mounting that Lake County PADS has picked the wrong location for a fixed-site homeless shelter. Gurnee residents on the village’s east side have been adamant in their opposition to the proposal, and there’s a good chance village officials will deny the request. The Village Board is slated to decide the issue at its Aug. 19 session, where opponents and proponents undoubtedly will make final pleas to trustees for the proposed 90-person lodging for the unhoused. The county’s homeless population is estimated at 701.

* Sun-Times | Majority of Marquette Bank ATMs still out of service after criminal attack: “Among other financial institutions in the region, multiple Marquette Bank ATMs were targeted by criminals over the Fourth of July holiday,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, Marquette Bank and its ATM vendor have taken most of the ATMs offline in order to upgrade and strengthen the security of the bank-owned ATMs.” […] The Orland Park-based company said 20 of its 23 machines were down. As of Aug. 9, the locations back online include the drive-up locations in Mount Greenwood, 3435 W. 111th St., and Tinley Park, 16700 Oak Park Ave., as well as a walk-up and drive-up site at 6155 S. Pulaski Rd. in West Lawn.

* Crain’s | Northwestern lands naming rights deal for temporary lakefront stadium: Northwestern University’s temporary football stadium along the lakefront now has a name: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. The university and Northwestern Medicine struck a deal on a two-year exclusive naming rights agreement, one of the first in the country that capitalizes on a new rule in college football allowing commercial sponsorship advertisements on the field. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

* Daily Herald | ‘The girls didn’t stop screaming’: When Beatlemania hit suburban theaters 60 years ago: The premiere of “A Hard Day’s Night” at 500 theaters nationwide only served to build the anticipation of the film’s release weeks later in the Chicago area, coinciding with the Beatles’ North American tour that included a Sept. 5 stop at the International Amphitheatre. […] Larry Andres, then 13, also was at the first showing. “We stood in line. I remember the line stretched down Evergreen (Avenue) in front of the theater, around the side, and went all the way down Arlington Heights Road,” said Andres, a retired Buffalo Grove Fire Department lieutenant. “The girls didn’t stop screaming. They screamed from the moment the movie started until the movie ended. You couldn’t hear a thing. You couldn’t hear the lines to the movie. Every time the Beatles opened their mouths, the girls screamed.”

*** Downstate ***

* Telegraph | Fundraising gap: Nikki Budzinski’s $3.2 million vs. Joshua Loyd’s $26,000 in Illinois 13th: As of June 30, the most current information available, Budzinski’s total contributions were $3.27 million while Loyd received $26,636.44. Through the end of March, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) showed that Budzinski had received $2.6 million and Loyd had garnered $18,584.51. Between April 1 and June 30, Nikki For Congress brought in $643,524.73, and Loyd for Congress generated $8,215.52 in contributions.

* WSIL | Southern Illinois winery wins statewide award: The Blue Sky Vineyard was recognized with a first-place award at the 2024 Illinois Wine Competition. The Makanda-based winery was recognized as “Best in Show” for its Chambourcin Reserve. The reserve is grown on site and features cherries and other berries surrounded with mild tannins and a smoky finish. Blue Sky recommends drinking it alongside a steak, stew or pasta.

* PJ Star | ‘Very important part of downtown’: Peoria proposal would funnel more money to Dozer Park: The Peoria City Council plans to review a proposal to raise Dozer Park’s tax increment by 5% in order to meet rising inflation and also help fund renovations at the baseball stadium in Downtown Peoria. Dozer Park, which opened in 2002, serves as the home for the Peoria Chiefs, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Chiefs have been in Peoria since 1983.

* WGEM | Western Illinois 4-H members well represented at state fair Sunday: Marissa Mintle, of Liberty, created an interior design project by making a jewelry cabinet. She said her and her family all share jewelry, and her project will help put it all in one space. […] ”I really enjoy that there’s so much versatility, a lot of people think that 4-H is just showing animals or being a farm kid, I didn’t grow up on a farm, I live in a town, so through 4-H I was able to express my hobbies and kind of show what I like and find something that fit me,” Mintle said.

*** National ***

* NYT | Here Are the Olympic Moments We Won’t Forget: Whenever and wherever American athletes competed, there always seemed to be a hip-hop icon cheering them on. Flavor Flav, the Public Enemy rapper, went all in for women’s water polo. But it was Snoop Dogg who became ubiquitous, amplifying the athletes through his role as a special correspondent for NBC and his endlessly wide-eyed perspective of the action during prime-time broadcasts. He swam with Michael Phelps. He danced with Simone Biles. He rode a horse at equestrian.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Federal judge’s Stateville closure order is a big loss for AFSCME

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

A federal judge on Friday ordered Illinois prison officials to move most of the people incarcerated at Stateville Correctional Center to other prisons around the state by Sept. 30 after civil rights lawyers argued the living conditions at Stateville were too hazardous for those housed there.

The court order from U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood gives the clearest first steps yet for the Illinois Department of Corrections to begin the process of closing the sprawling facility after state officials announced earlier this year a plan to dismantle the prison and build a new one on the Stateville grounds.

The plan is part of a nearly $1 billion project that includes tearing down Logan Correctional Center, a women’s prison in downstate Lincoln, and possibly rebuilding that as well on the Stateville site in Crest Hill, near Joliet.

* From the order [fixed link]…

Defendants also have confirmed that for purposes of resolving Plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion, they will not oppose entry of a preliminary injunction that imposes the least intrusive means necessary to correct the risk of harm class members face from falling concrete at Stateville by requiring the Department to transfer class members who remain housed in Stateville’s general housing units (Quarter House and X House) by September 30, 2024. Defendants acknowledge that such an order is consistent with the State’s publicly announced plan to begin closing Stateville 180 days after the start of the closure process required by Illinois law. Defendants do not dispute that this relief is narrowly drawn and extends no further than necessary in that rather than ordering the Department to make extensive repairs to Stateville’s facilities, ordering the transfer of class members out of Stateville’s general housing units is consistent with the State’s publicly announced plan to begin closing Stateville 180 days after the start of the closure process required by Illinois law. Defendants also do not dispute that the relief is the least intrusive means necessary in that the Department maintains its discretion to develop its own plan to transfer class members and implement that plan in a time and manner of the Department’s choosing, provided that the Department completes the required transfers by the Court’s deadline of September 30, 2024. […]

The Court defers to the Department to develop its own plan to transfer class members and implement that plan in a time and manner of the Department’s choosing, provided that the Department completes the required transfers by the Court’s deadline of September 30, 2024.

* Illinois Department of Corrections…

The Department previously indicated to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) that it would not begin to wind down operations at Stateville Correctional Center until at least 180 days from filing its notice to COGFA. The Department did not oppose the preliminary injunction entered on Friday, and our anticipated timeline for transfers is in line with the order issued by the court. Our priority is ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of everyone involved during the transfer process, along with a smooth transition to the new facility when the time comes. Once the rebuilds are complete, the Department will have modern facilities with the technological and structural capabilities necessary to provide a safe and secure environment for staff and individuals in our custody, enhancing rehabilitation and reentry opportunities and fostering safer communities.

* AFSCME Council 31…

“The closure of Stateville would cause immense disruption to the state prison system, its employees, individuals in custody and their families. We are examining all options to prevent that disruption in response to this precipitous ruling.”

* Sen. Ventura…

Following a federal judge’s ruling that the Illinois Department of Corrections must move most of the incarcerated individuals out of the Stateville Correctional Center by the end of September, State Senator Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet) released the following statement:

“After working intimately with system impacted individuals at Stateville, I recognize how important educational programs are at the facility. As the state transitions individuals out of Stateville, I am advocating for them to be placed in facilities that meet their needs, including those pertaining to education, accessibility and workforce and restorative justice programming.

“I encourage the Department of Corrections to work with all stakeholders, including AFSCME, universities, families and restorative justice programs to make sure the transition fulfills the needs of those impacted.

“We must keep stakeholders, families and employees in mind during this transition and be cognizant of their limitations and financial barriers when it comes to transporting these individuals and job relocation. I will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure all parties are given full transparency.”

* Background…

    * Stateville may close as early as September under Pritzker’s prison plan: Top officials with the Illinois Department of Corrections testified in front of a key panel of state lawmakers. The 12 members on the General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability face a mid-June deadline to make a recommendation on the governor’s plan to close and rebuild a pair of prisons in central Illinois and in Chicago’s south suburbs. But no matter what the panel decides, the Pritzker administration can go ahead with its plans so long as money is built into the state’s next budget. “I want everybody to understand that (any) recommendation that comes from this commission here is advisory,” COGFA Co-Chair Dave Koehler, a Democratic state senator from Peoria, said after 1 ½ hours of testimony on the matter in front of his panel Friday.

    * Attorneys Say People Housed at Stateville Prison Should Be Transferred Over ‘Dire Injury’ Risks at Aging Facility: An IDOC spokesperson said the department cannot comment on active litigation, noting IDOC previously indicated it would not begin to wind down operations at Stateville until at least 180 days from the time it officially filed its notice of the closure. That would put the wind-down date at Sept. 13.

    * I Watched My Neighbor Die a Preventable Death Due to Scorching Heat in Prison: As I write this, I am sitting in a tiny, unventilated cell five stories high at Stateville Correctional Center, a prison located about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. It is a decrepit, 100-year-old prison deemed unfit for human habitation. When the temperatures outside rise into the mid-90s, which has been occurring repeatedly this summer, the heat index in my cell rises to at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

  8 Comments      


Giant puffball is now state’s official mushroom

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Today, Governor Pritzker signed SB3514, designating the Calvatia gigantea, commonly known as the “giant puffball,” as the official mushroom of the State of Illinois.

Senate Bill 3514 began as an initiative led by elementary school students from Prairie School of DuPage in Wheaton, who embarked on a civic journey to see their chosen mushroom recognized as a state symbol.

“Today we celebrate not only a new state symbol, but the hard work and dedication of our state’s young leaders,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The giant puffball will now stand as a testament to the curiosity and determination of the bright students of Illinois, who have shown us that even the youngest among us can make a difference.”

“Thanks to the passionate advocacy of the Prairie School students, Illinois is deepening our connection to the natural world,” said Lt. Governor Julianna Stratton. “Now a cherished state symbol, the giant puffball invites us to marvel at the inherent beauty that exists in and on our land. In recognizing this state mushroom, we are collectively exploring, preserving, and passing on the joy of discovery to future generations.”

Beginning in November 2023, the students from Prairie School conducted research, collected data, and surveyed over 100 stakeholders across Illinois to determine the most fitting mushroom to represent the state. The giant puffball was ultimately chosen after the students voted in a school-wide election. To see their proposal turned into law, they actively participated in the legislative process by presenting their findings, testifying in committee hearings, and gathering public support through witness slips.

The giant puffball can be found all across grassy areas statewide and is known for its size, sometimes reaching nearly 20 inches wide. While most of the fungus remains hidden underground, the giant puffball’s large, round, white fruiting body is what people commonly see. As it matures, its thin outer layer flakes away to reveal yellow to green-brown spores inside. This unique and temporary appearance makes it one of the most recognizable mushrooms in the state. ​ […]

“At Prairie School of DuPage, we strive to nurture life-long learners, encouraging curiosity, critical thinking, and hands-on, real-world challenges. When one of our students, Charlotte DiGangi, asked, ‘What is the Illinois State Mushroom’? Her question led the class to a deep investigation of the fungal biome of Illinois, the state political system and legislative processes,” said Liza Moraitis, Head of School at Prairie School of DuPage. “We encourage our students to use their observations to enact meaningful social contributions through research, investigation, and collaboration. The empowering opportunity to use personal curiosity and community activism to create positive change is a cornerstone of our education and as a responsibility as global citizens.”

* A pic…

* You can apparently eat these things…

Since the puffball’s flavor is so understated, I think they taste best with some extra seasoning. My favorite method was to saute some minced garlic in butter, then add the puffball slices and season them with salt and pepper. After cooking them for a few minutes, I flipped the slices over and added a couple of tablespoons of white wine to the skillet. I continued cooking the mushrooms until the wine evaporated and the mushrooms were golden-brown on both sides.

  9 Comments      


DNC Chicago coverage roundup

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ABC Chicago…

Monday marks one week until the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Parking restrictions went effect Monday morning. Neighbors will start to see fencing and other security measures going up as well.

At around 8 a.m., forklifts came in and dropped off fencing materials. […]

Monday begins build out for the convention at the United Center and McCormick Place.

Click here for the United Center and McCormick Place security perimeters.

* Sun-Times Audience Engagement Specialist…


Click here to sign up.

* Tribune…

Metra will run hourly shuttles between O’Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago for much of August, as the city prepares for the Democratic National Convention to bring tens of thousands of expected visitors, many of whom will be flying into the major hub.

The boost in service is the latest way the city’s transportation agencies and companies are preparing to move the influx of politicians and visitors to and around the city. Hometown airline United Airlines is adding 118 flights to and from Chicago in August. And the CTA has committed to provide up to 250 of its buses to transport convention participants as part of a “secured transit system,” despite concerns about the agency’s ability to provide reliable regular bus service.

The Metra shuttles mark a dramatic increase in the rail agency’s typical service to its station near O’Hare’s rental car facility, reachable from the terminals via the “people mover” train. The agency usually runs six North Central Service trains between Chicago and O’Hare on weekdays, and none on weekends.

But between Aug. 12 and 30, trains will run every hour on both weekdays and weekends, in addition to the six regular trains. The shuttles will make two stops in addition to Chicago Union Station and O’Hare, with the last shuttle leaving O’Hare around 10:45 p.m.

Um…


* More…

    * Block Club | A Locals’ Guide To Getting Around During The Democratic National Convention: Residents who live inside the pedestrian-restricted areas will be required to show a government-issued identification card with their correct address to access their homes. Those who do not have a government-issued ID card or one with a matching home address should sign up for a CityKey, according to the City Clerk’s Office.

    * WTTW | What We Know About Chicago’s DNC Safety and Security Plans: According to police officials, the 2,500 CPD officers who will be assigned to DNC duties will receive 48 hours of training beforehand. The department is also planning to cancel officers’ days off during the DNC as police will be working extended hours during the convention.

    * Tribune | DNC cleanup aims to improve Chicago beyond the convention, but also echo 1996 efforts: Much of the most noticeable work being done is within the several square miles bordered by Lake Michigan on the east, the United Center on the west, the Gold Coast on the north and McCormick Place on the south. Indeed, on Friday, crews were cutting the grass, whacking weeds and trimming trees in the shadow of the United Center by the corner of Wood and Monroe streets. The last time Chicago hosted a political convention, the Democrats in 1996, the city’s showing was widely credited with improving Chicago’s national image. Still, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley bristled at the criticism that he cleaned up just enough of the city to make convention delegates comfortable but turned his back on immediate needs outside the zone where the out-of-towners would be.

    * ABC Chicago | Some Chicago residents frustrated with DNC preparations as parking restrictions set to begin: There are some businesses near the United Center that are actually benefiting from the security perimeter. That includes a taco shop on Wood Street, right outside of the perimeter. They are preparing for an uptick in business. “We’re very excited because this has never happened before here,” Su Taqueria El Rey Del Taco employee Ashley Franco said. “We’re gonna also have a lot more workers at that time, and we’re gonna set up a taco stand out here so people can come in and out very quickly.”

    * Sun-Times | ‘Misunderstood’ Gen Z voters fight cynicism, gear up for DNC VoteFest: “Being a part of the excitement around the political process is exciting to young folks, which feels like it’s counter to the stereotype of young people being disengaged, not caring,” said Purvi Patel, the IOP’s director of civic engagement. “When you actually are talking to young people, they have a lot of desire to be engaged in the process. They have a lot of opinions, and they want their voice to be heard.”

    * Sun-Times | DNC protests planned over Gaza, other causes as one organizer says, ‘People feel betrayed by the Democratic Party’: Protesters are expected to hit the streets on the first, third and last day of the convention — Aug. 19. Aug. 21 and Aug. 22 — marking the kickoff and the acceptance speeches of both Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the vice presidential candidate, and Harris. The largest of the planned demonstrations, the March on the DNC, are scheduled to start at noon Aug. 19 and 5 p.m. Aug. 22 with rallies at Union Park on the Near West Side. Speakers from community organizations will take turns on the mic, and organizers aim to book a few noteworthy politicians and celebrities, after which those gathered will march to the vicinity of the United Center, where the DNC main events will be held.

  7 Comments      


Bill Holland

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Bill’s family sent me his obituary today…

William G. Holland (Bill), distinguished public servant, loving father, and adoring grandfather, died peacefully surrounded by family at his home in Seattle, Washington on August 10, 2024. He was 72.

Bill was born in Joliet, Illinois, on November 22, 1951, to Edward James Holland and Jane Murdock Holland. Raised in Prairie Village, Kansas, he was the fifth of six children. In 1970, he moved to Seattle to attend Seattle University, graduating in 1974 with a degree in Public Affairs. While at Seattle University, Bill met Liz Meagher, currently Liz Bernahl, and the two married after graduation. They later divorced, but remained friends until his death and together raised three beautiful children.

Bill worked proudly in public service to the state of Illinois for 41 years. Early in his career, Bill served as director of the Illinois House Majority Appropriations Committee Staff and the first director of the Illinois General Assembly’s Washington D.C. Office. In 1983, he was appointed chief of staff for Illinois Senate President, Phillip J. Rock, a position he held for nearly 10 years.

In 1992 Bill was appointed Illinois Auditor General by the 87th Illinois General Assembly. As the state’s longest-serving auditor general, Bill’s career spanned the administrations of five governors, five state treasurers, and six state comptrollers, earning him establishing him a well-earned reputation for fairness, objectivity, and high ethical standards. He loved each day as Auditor General, and was quick to deflect credit and recognition to his staff and their hard work.

As Auditor General, Bill was a committed member of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers (NASACT), serving as its President and ultimately being inducted into the NASACT Hall of Fame in 2022. Bill cherished the many friends he made over the course of his career. He retired from public service in 2015.

While Bill loved his work in state government, he was most proud of his three children, their spouses, and his seven grandchildren. Known for his sense of humor, his favorite and most frequent punch line was himself. He was a skillful handyman, principled gin player, above-average golfer (at times), fervent Fighting Illini basketball fan, dedicated saloon enthusiast, and consummate good neighbor.

After his diagnosis of colon cancer, Bill moved to Seattle to live his best life near his children and grandchildren. Never one to complain, Bill plowed through cancer, finding joy working on house projects, attending sporting events and playing cards with his grandkids, re-discovering Seattle on an electric bike, and watching the ships come into port from his living room window overlooking the Puget Sound.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Edward James Holland and Jane Murdock Holland. He is survived by his siblings, Edward James Holland, Jr. (Bridget), James Holland (Julie), Mary Schmidt (Chuck), Jack Holland (Karen), and Jan Stacy (Jim); his children, Meghan Squires (Greg), Tom Holland (Catherine), and Jack Holland; and grandchildren, Madeleine, Maggie, Lydia, Johnny Holland and Charlotte, Rudy and Peter Squires. Bill’s legacy of family, friendship, good humor and doing-the-right-thing will be carried forward by his family and friends.

Bill will be remembered as a public leader of high integrity, a dear friend to many, and a father and grandfather full of wise cracks and wisdom.

His children, Meghan, Tom and Jack, will host a Memorial Party in Springfield in the fall. Details T.B.D.

Memorial contributions may be made to the PJR Center and School Foundation – https://www.pjrfoundation.org/.

He was one of the finest public servants this state has produced.

* The Sun-Times published this story on his retirement in 2016…

William Holland, the Illinois auditor general who has shaken up Springfield for decades with his critical reports of state agency spending and performance, announced Wednesday that he is retiring at the end of the year.

Holland has served in the post since 1992 when he was first appointed to the job by the General Assembly.

Holland had a longtime, ironclad hold on his office and is known as a non-partisan, independent auditor despite previous partisan jobs in the General Assembly.

In 2014, his scathing audits of the state’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative became campaign fodder for Gov. Bruce Rauner’s election campaign.

The audits showed that Gov. Pat Quinn promised millions of dollars in state money to a series of neighborhood groups before his 2010 election. Some of the grants went to questionable recipients.

His office also issued a scathing audit of the state’s Department of Central Management Services under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration.

Holland said that audit received the “worst” pushback out of the thousands that his office had done over the year.

* From one of his exit interviews…

Q: Back in 2005, your office came out with an explosive audit of the state’s purchasing agency under former Gov. Blagojevich’s administration. The audit found that the agency shelled out more than half a million tax dollars to contractors for questionable expenses. Some of it was used to pay for their wining and dining and for parking at a Chicago Bulls game. You got a lot of heat for that audit, right?

A: When we released that audit in 2005, the public was in a love affair with Blagojevich. I think we were the first people who cast some doubt about the quality of the administration. We saw that what was being executed was not described in their press releases. His administration went to great pains to discredit the audit. They selectively leaked portions of it before it was released and claimed they had solved the problems.

The day I released the audit, I had a press conference, and I had never had done that before. I said: Here’s what our findings are. I answered every question. I documented it. Days later, the Blagojevich administration did a flip and accepted all the findings.

He was unearthing things about Blagojevich years after that guy was removed from office. And he had the guts to push back against some simple-minded reforms proposed after Blagojevich’s conviction.

  22 Comments      


Meanwhile… In Opposite Land

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* AP…

Even as the Biden administration has publicly warned hospitals to treat pregnant patients in emergencies, facilities continue to violate the federal law.

More than 100 pregnant women in medical distress who sought help from emergency rooms were turned away or negligently treated since 2022, an Associated Press analysis of federal hospital investigations has found.

Two women – one in Florida and one in Texas – were left to miscarry in public restrooms. In Arkansas, a woman went into septic shock and her fetus died after an emergency room sent her home. At least four other women with ectopic pregnancies had trouble getting any treatment, including one California woman who needed a blood transfusion after she sat for nine hours in an emergency waiting room.

The White House says hospitals must offer abortions when needed to save a woman’s health, despite state bans. Texas is challenging that guidance and, earlier this summer, the Supreme Court declined to resolve the issue.

* Idaho…

An Idaho law banning minors from receiving healthcare without parent approval has created a thorny new legal problem. If a child is raped by their parent, Idaho medical providers now require that parent’s permission to administer the rape kit that would prove their own guilt.

Preventing young people from receiving medical care of their own accord has long been a priority for Republicans throughout the Gem State. A provision asserting that parents have “the supreme authority” to make medical decisions for their children was published in the Idaho GOP’s platform in June.

Idaho Senate Bill 1329 brought that platform item to fruition this July, giving parents ultimate discretion over their children’s medical decisions after a national conservative push to keep young people from receiving gender-affirming medical care.

“Children…often lack maturity and make choices without considering either immediate or long-term consequences,” the bill’s statement of purpose said.

* Florida…

Florida is one of 13 states that give prosecutors unfettered power to try children as adults without getting sign-off from a judge. And when judges determine the penalties for those kids, they give them higher sentences on average for felony crimes than older, adult offenders, according to a Miami Herald investigation. […]

Florida judges have the option to give teenage offenders “juvenile sanctions,” which send them to a juvenile facility rather than prison, or classify them as “youthful offenders,” resulting in either probation or being confined at a camp with other convicted young adults for up to six years. […]

Only one in 10 of the more than 20,000 children tried as adults in Florida were given juvenile sanctions and less than 5% received a “youthful offender” designation, the Herald found in an analysis of the last 15 years of state court system sentencing data from 2008 to 2022. […]

Children tried as adults were sentenced to a little more than three years in prison on average for third-degree felonies — around 50% longer than the average sentence given to adults for the same class of offense. The vast majority of all felony charges are third-degree offenses, which are the lowest class of felony crimes and include burglary, some types of assault, drug possession and certain DUI offenses.

* Louisiana…

Here’s a look at other new regulations passed during Louisiana’s legislative session and signed by [Gov. Jeff Landry] that will impact schools this year.

“Don’t Say Gay:” Act 681 bans K-12 school employees and “other presenters” from discussing gender or sexual orientation.

Pronoun punishments: Act 680 prevents school employees from being punished for refusing to use a student’s preferred name or pronouns.

Bathrooms: Act 436 bans people from using bathrooms that don’t match their sex assigned at birth when in public schools, domestic violence shelters and correctional facilities.

* Texas…

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order Thursday requiring hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status to help the state determine the cost of providing healthcare to noncitizens.

Beginning Nov. 1, Abbott is directing hospitals in Texas to gather data on “patients who are not lawfully present in the United States,” as well as the number of inpatient discharges and emergency visits and the costs of care.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission must provide regular reports to state authorities, the order said. […]

The executive order is likely to be challenged by immigration rights advocates. The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

* Iowa…

Iowa can enforce a book ban this school year following a Friday ruling by a federal appeals court.

The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a district judge’s earlier decision that temporarily halted key parts of the law, including a ban on books depicting sex acts in school libraries and classrooms.

The law, which the Republican-led Legislature and GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds approved in 2023, also forbids teachers from raising gender identity and sexual orientation issues with younger students.

Reynolds said in a statement that the ruling reinforces the belief that “it should be parents who decide when and if sexually explicit books are appropriate for their children.”

  15 Comments      


It’s a law

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Governor Pritzker signed 265 bills on Friday. Center Square…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced [265] measures were enacted Friday, ranging from regulations over artificial intelligence, offering digital driver’s licenses and requiring climate change education in public schools.

The Illinois General Assembly this year approved more than 450 measures. Pritzker hasn’t vetoed any of them so far. […]

Effective immediately, Senate Bill 3455 has the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to evaluate the property tax system in the state. […]

Local media outlets looking to sell to out-of-state buyers must notify the state and the company’s employees 180 days in advance of the sale beginning Jan. 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 3592.

* WAND…

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to prohibit landlords from retaliating against their tenants.

The new law will ban landlords from terminating leases, increasing rent, decreasing services or threatening lawsuits.

It also states that landlords can no longer refuse to renew a lease after a tenant complains about code violations or seeks help from elected leaders. […]

The new law takes effect January 1.

* WTVO…

Governor JB Pritzker signed a law to protect police officers from disability-related retaliation on Friday. […]

The law prohibits municipalities from discharging an officer from their duties based on their application for disability-related pension benefits.

This protection was previously given only to firefighters; the new law brings police officers into the fold.

All previously injured officers who return to work must now be reinstated to the same rank they held before going on leave, according to the law.

* WAND…

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to educate more drivers about vehicles transporting hazardous materials. The legislation was filed in direct response to the tragic accident in Teutopolis that killed five people and left 11 others injured last fall.

The law requires the Illinois Secretary of State to include education on hazardous material placards in the Illinois Rules of the Road book students read during driver education courses.

Local lawmakers hope this change can help young drivers know they need to drive more cautious.

“We have to include hazardous material placards so they know that when they get around larger trucks or larger vehicles that have these hazardous material placards that they should be a little bit more careful as they decided to pass,” said Rep. CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville).

* Mahomet Daily…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Friday that will cap the monthly cost of prescription inhalers at $25 for people with health insurance. The new law, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, will also prohibit health insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage for these essential medications starting Jan. 1, 2026.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 850,000 adults and 160,000 children in Illinois are diagnosed with asthma. Currently, many of these individuals pay between $180 to $300 per month for rescue and controller inhalers. […]

Kristina Hamilton, Illinois Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association, praised the bill’s signing.

“We applaud Governor Pritzker for signing Illinois Senate Bill SB3203 into law and helping to reduce the financial burden of rising inhaler costs for Illinoisans. This new law will not only make these life-saving medications more affordable for Illinois residents but also more accessible,” Hamilton said. “People with chronic lung disease often need two to three inhalers. Nearly one in four adults who take prescription drugs report difficulty affording their costs. Nationwide, the annual per person medical cost of asthma was $1,830 for prescriptions alone.”

* Sen. Natalie Toro…

State Senator Natalie Toro’s legislation to protect people with disabilities from violent encounters with police has just become law.

“Autism sensitivity training will make interactions with police much more comfortable for people with disabilities and prevent tragic misunderstandings,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “Through learning about the unique communication challenges people with autism may face, especially in stressful situations like encounters with police officers, members of law enforcement will be able to respond with empathy and de-escalate before a situation turns tragic.”

People with autism may experience unique challenges when interacting with police. Without proper training on how some people with autism communicate, law enforcement officers may interpret their behavior as being noncompliant with questioning or instructions. This has caused interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism to escalate quickly, resulting in unnecessary use of force, trauma and even death.

Senate Bill 3201 requires law enforcement to go through training on autism-informed responses, as well as best procedures and techniques when engaging with individuals with autism, including those who may be victims. Under the new law, all law enforcement officers must complete this training every three years.

People with disabilities are seven times more likely than people without disabilities to have an encounter with law enforcement, underscoring the importance of the new training requirement. […]

Senate Bill 3201 was signed into law Friday. It goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* WAND…

A new state law will require DCFS caseworkers to develop hair care plans with youth in care and their parents.

The DCFS Youth Advisory Board worked with Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet (D-Chicago) and Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) to make their recommendation into legislation. […]

Every youth in care will have a hair care plan that accounts for their racial, cultural, gender, religious or other identities unless the child indicates they don’t need a hair care plan. DCFS will also be required to develop training for caregivers to provide culturally-competent hair care by June 1, 2025. […]

The law allows DCFS to adopt rules to facilitate implementation of the changes, including responsibilities of caseworkers and placement plan specialists in developing the hair care plan, engaging parents regarding the hair care needs of youth and procedures to follow if the parents cannot be contacted, and factors to consider in granting children increased autonomy over hair care decisions.

“It’s going to be up to DCFS to determine how the cost will be covered and what cost will be covered,” Du Buclet said. “So the cost could potentially fall on DCFS, the foster parents or from a youth’s allowance.”

* Sen. Michael Hastings…

State Senator Michael E. Hastings’ new law opens the door for Illinois drivers to have their license on their phone. […]

Hastings – in tandem with Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias – led a new law to allow the Secretary of State’s Office to create a program and technology to give Illinois residents the option of receiving a digital copy of their ID or driver’s license.

A key feature of Hastings’ law is the requirement that mobile driver’s license and IDs use an electronic credential system – such as a barcode system – to certify there is no requirement for individuals to surrender possession of their mobile device to the requesting party. This ensures residents maintain control and privacy over their mobile devices at all times.

Additionally, an individual displaying their mobile driver’s license or ID would not constitute consent to have the device searched, further safeguarding the privacy of the user. […]

House Bill 4592 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* WGLT…

Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed a battery recycling law sponsored by State Rep. Sharon Chung of Bloomington and State Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria.

Under the law, battery sellers or distributors will have to develop a recycling stewardship program for small- to medium-sized batteries by 2026. Medium-sized batteries include those made for electric bikes and scooters.

Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel. […]

There also will have to be recycling labels attached to all batteries by 2029.

* WAND…

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to prohibit landlords from retaliating against their tenants.

The new law will ban landlords from terminating leases, increasing rent, decreasing services or threatening lawsuits.

It also states that landlords can no longer refuse to renew a lease after a tenant complains about code violations or seeks help from elected leaders. […]

The new law takes effect January 1.

* Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel…

To protect youth from the dangers of vaping, e-cigarettes will no longer be shipped to Illinois under a new law led by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel.

“The internet has made it very easy for kids to get vapes,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Manufacturers are making e-cigarettes look like school supplies, making it difficult for teachers to decipher if it’s a vape or not. After hearing from local elected officials who were seeing an uptick in the usage of vapes in schools, it was clear we had to put guardrails in place to protect kids from the dangers of smoking.”

Senate Bill 3098 prohibits electronic cigarettes purchased by mail, online or through other remote sale methods from being shipped to anyone in the state other than a distributor or retailer. Loughran Cappel’s law came in response to students obtaining e-cigarettes that are designed to look like everyday objects, such as highlighters. […]

Senate Bill 3098 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* Sen. Elgie Sims…

If a person’s license plate or sticker is stolen from their car, they won’t be on the hook for paying the replacement fee under a new law led by State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr.

“Imagine the stress of seeing someone violated your personal belongings,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Now imagine the exacerbated stress of wondering how you are going to pay to fix the problem so you don’t get fined. We should never penalize victims – no matter how big or small the price.”

Under Sims’ law, if a person’s license plate or registration sticker is stolen, they will be able to receive a new one at no cost. Previously, drivers would have to pay either $6 for a new plate, or $20 for a new registration tag if stolen.

According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, 651 drivers reported their plates stolen over a three-year period.

“There’s no reason someone should have to open up their pocketbook because of someone else’s wrongdoing,” said Sims. “Public safety isn’t just about keeping our communities safe – it’s also about protecting and uplifting victims.”

Senate Bill 3471 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.

  8 Comments      


Open thread

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

  8 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Aug 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Judge orders Stateville Correctional Center inmates transferred by the end of September. Tribune…

A federal judge on Friday ordered Illinois prison officials to move most of the people incarcerated at Stateville Correctional Center to other prisons around the state by Sept. 30 after civil rights lawyers argued the living conditions at Stateville were too hazardous for those housed there.

The court order from U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood gives the clearest first steps yet for the Illinois Department of Corrections to begin the process of closing the sprawling facility after state officials announced earlier this year a plan to dismantle the prison and build a new one on the Stateville grounds. […]

State officials previously said they would not begin “to wind down operations” at Stateville until at least September and that plans to tear down and rebuild Stateville and Logan were expected to take three to five years. In addition to the lack of specific dates for each phase of the plan, officials have not laid out a plan for how those housed in Stateville will be handled during the transition. […]

Wood’s decision was based on a court motion filed by civil rights lawyers representing people housed at Stateville, originally requesting that IDOC transfer or release them by Sept. 20, citing the aging prison’s “degradation and deterioration.” The motion was filed as part of 2013 litigation that’s meant to address the horrid conditions at the nearly century-old facility.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WAND | Amid pressure from community activists, politicians, Sheriff Campbell announces retirement: Campbell had previously maintained that he would not resign and that he planned on upholding his responsibility as sheriff during “this difficult time.” In Friday’s statement, the sheriff said the “current political climate has made it nearly impossible” for him to continue effectively in his role and that some individuals would rather see the community divided and in turmoil.

* NYT | Black Men Rally for Kamala Harris, and Confront an Elephant in the Room: “Sometimes as Black men we get confused as to what strength is, and sometimes we think that standing behind a Black woman as a leader does not display strength as Black men,” said Kwame Raoul, the attorney general of Illinois. “I’m here to tell you all tonight that it does the opposite of that, it displays strength.” Mr. Raoul then drove home his point. “I’m standing behind a Black woman to be president of the United States, and it doesn’t make me any less of a Black man,” he said. “I’m asking all of you all to do the same.”

* Tribune | Team USA and Illinois Olympians bid adieu to Paris Games: Illinois athletes made a solid contribution to Team USA’s medal count, with half of the state’s three dozen athletes bringing home medals. That total doesn’t include the historic medal ceremony in which the 2022 U.S. figure skating team members — including Addison native Alexa Knierim — finally received the gold they’d won at the Beijing Games.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WBBM | With new law, Illinois joins states making it easier to expunge some juvenile offenses: The Juvenile Court Act, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed into law, will eliminate some of the red tape when people seek to have juvenile offenses expunged from their records. Instead of people having to go to court to seek hearings for expungement, those hearings will be automatically scheduled.

* WAND | New Illinois law will ban landlord retaliation, add protections for tenants: Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to prohibit landlords from retaliating against their tenants. The new law will ban landlords from terminating leases, increasing rent, decreasing services or threatening lawsuits. It also states that landlords can no longer refuse to renew a lease after a tenant complains about code violations or seeks help from elected leaders.

*** Statewide ***

* Sun-Times | DraftKings is taking a big gamble by adding fees in high-tax states such as Illinois: Chicago native Sam Panayotovich, betting analyst for the New England Sports Network and Fox Sports, says there is “no way” he’d shop at a book that taxes triumphs. “They already tax you 10%,” he says of the typical -110 wager, “on the average loss in basketball and football, now they want to take money when you beat the house? That’s BS. No platform or technology is worth that.” Panayotovich knows Chicago “street guys” who are “ecstatic.”

* Tribune | Illinois State Board of Education launches bilingual campaign to recruit teachers amid ongoing shortage: The program, called “The Answer Is Teaching,” will use targeted advertising, digital platforms and partnerships with educational institutions and community groups to recruit potential teachers across Illinois. The campaign’s messaging is centered around the rewards of being a teacher, including testimonials from current teachers also featured on a promotional website. The website includes a form for interested candidates to fill out to begin the process of becoming a teacher.

* Tribune | ‘A movement, not just a moment’: Inside the arduous work of Illinois’ reparations efforts: Illinois was the second state to create such a commission, born out of legislation passed in 2021 amid a national racial reckoning following the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville. But its existence has been somewhat overshadowed by similar efforts elsewhere. Since the commission’s official formation on Jan. 1, 2022, its output has largely centered on educating the public about the commission and on orchestrating a study on possible reasons for reparations. That study began last month and is projected to take more than a year to complete.

* SJ-R | Despite new assault weapons ban, gun sales increased last year in Illinois: Gun sales in Illinois went up 5% in the past year despite a recently enacted ban on assault weapons, according to data compiled by a national home safety and security news site.

*** DNC ***

* Sun-Times | Pritzkers throwing big Salt Shed party with John Legend on second day of Dem convention: Known for hosting lavish inaugural balls, Gov. JB Pritzker and first lady MK Pritzker are throwing a big party in Chicago with musical guest John Legend on Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention. Invitations to the Salt Shed concert on Aug. 20 were sent Friday. Pritzker, who helped bring the convention to Chicago, along with U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, is also expected to speak at the convention on the same day.

* Sun-Times | An insider guide to the Democratic convention in Chicago with Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi: Krishnamoorthi has emerged as a major national fundraiser. His first bucket is filled with fundraising events. He is a member of the Harris Victory Fund National Finance Committee, and he is also a member of the Harris for President AAPI Leadership Council. Krishnamoorthi was born in India, and he came to the U.S. as a youth. His second bucket is around Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders events and fundraising. Turning out the AAPI voters in the swing states will be critical for Harris, whose father is from Jamaica and mother from India.

* Tribune | DNC cleanup aims to improve Chicago beyond the convention, but also echo 1996 efforts: “You cut the grass, you may plant flowers, you may decide to buy new patio furniture, you may decide to buy a new grill. It doesn’t mean that you weren’t taking care of those things before, but when you decide that you’re going to host … you want to make sure that when your guests show up that they have a wonderful experience,” Chicago Chief Operating Officer John Roberson said in an interview with the Tribune. “And part of that is doing things like painting light poles. Do we paint light poles on a day-to-day basis? Absolutely. But the ability for us to accelerate that type, that level of enhancement and aesthetic in advance of the DNC, just makes our city look more beautiful.”

* Tribune | On eve of DNC, a summit that centers racial equity will bring together elected officials and community leaders: The day before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the Journey for Justice Alliance will convene a summit centering racial equity at Insight Hospital and Medical Center on the Near South Side, where community leaders, elected officials and educators will come together to discuss urban policy reform. “That is our mission and agenda — being in the room with grassroots leaders and progressive mayors from around the country talking about how do we truly uplift Black people in the United States,” said Angel Gober, a 23-year community organizing veteran and executive director of 412 Justice, a grassroots nonprofit in Pittsburgh.

* Sun-Times | Pritzker serves up a cold one, debuts JBeer — two new Chicago craft beers for Democratic convention events: “I think that there’s a lot to see across the city of Chicago and a lot of places to visit. We have some James Beard restaurants, as well as some great hot dog joints that are outside of that circle that you’re talking about, around the convention center, and people want to go check it all out,” Pritzker said. “We’ve got sites to see. Beautiful architecture. You can’t see all of that when you’re just around the United Center.”

* Block Club | Abortion Rights Group Gets Permit To March Downtown During DNC: Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws sued the city after being denied a permit to demonstrate outside the DNC, set for Aug. 19-22. The group intended to protest in support of protecting and strengthening abortion laws and bodily autonomy as well as call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The coalition argued its First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated by the city’s decision to deny a permit to protest along Michigan Avenue the day before the DNC.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Parking meter deal violation could cost Chicago over $100 million: Chicago Parking Meters, the private company with a monopoly on the city’s paid street parking, filed a lawsuit in April asking the court to enforce an arbitration panel’s ruling that determined the city twice shorted the company under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Experts hired by the city and CPM agree the cost of one of the rulings, over an alleged scheme by the city to take advantage of parking space value fluctuations, could be more than $100 million, according to court records.

* Tribune | Cook County judge who was reassigned amid investigation into alleged racist comments retires: Judge William Hooks, who was appointed in 2008, retired in July, more than a year after he was taken off judicial duties in the wake of an investigation into alleged derogatory remarks made about Middle Eastern men during during a conference in chambers Jan. 17, 2023. During his time as a criminal judge at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, Hooks presided over a number of high-profile cases, including the infamous third trial for Jackie Wilson, whose case was critical to unveiling systemic practices of torture at the Chicago Police Department by notorious former Cmdr. Jon Burge and other investigators.

* Tribune | Chicago wrestler Kennedy Blades brings home a silver medal in her Olympic debut: ‘A huge accomplishment’: Chicago’s Kennedy Blades won a silver medal Sunday to finish a remarkable Olympic debut and usher in a new era of U.S. wrestling. Blades, 20, lost to reigning world champion Yuka Kagami of Japan in the 76-kilogram final. The 3-1 defeat marked Blades’ lowest-scoring effort over four matches at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.

* Tribune | Mike Myers of ‘Wayne’s World’ and ‘Austin Powers’ will return to Chicago in October: Mike Myers, a 1988 member of Chicago’s Second City ensemble, returns to town Oct. 19 to collect the 2024 Chicago International Film Festival career achievement award. The writer-performer best known for “Saturday Night Live,” “Wayne’s World” and the “Austin Powers” trilogy will be the subject of “An Evening with Mike Myers.” He’ll be interviewed by friend and fellow Canadian comedy veteran Dave Foley of The Kids in the Hall ensemble and the NBC-TV sitcom “Newsradio.”

* Tribune | Let us now praise famous bluesmen: Buddy Guy is retiring at age 88: Buddy Guy, who just turned 88, will be officially retired from the road by early fall. Only, before that happens, before the Chicago legend slows, a few facts demand context. For one, retirement doesn’t mean he’ll never play again. Just less often. Also, though his current tour is billed as his farewell to the touring life, he could tour again. Who knows? Depends on how he feels. Bluesmen, those around him like to repeat, never really retire. They just don’t do sound-check anymore.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Patch | GOP Challenger Attacks Incumbent Democrat Over ‘Sweetheart Plea Deal’ For Shorbonia Poole: As the race to become Lake County’s next top prosecutor heats up, first-term Democratic Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart is facing accusations of being soft on crime from Republican challenger Mary Cole over a plea deal with a Round Lake Beach man who now faces murder charges.

* WSPY | Former Kendall Chief Assistant SA Accused of Criminal Battery and Video Recording by States Top Legal Watchdog: Mark A. Shlifka, the former Chief Assistant State’s Attorney of Kendall County, is facing a law license review following allegations of criminal misconduct by the States top Legal Watchdog. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) has brought forth charges against Shlifka, claiming he committed criminal acts, including unauthorized video recording and battery, during his final year as Kendall County’s Chief Assistant States Attorney.

* Daily Herald | Bears to host stadium focus groups in Schaumburg and downtown Chicago next week: But will fans be asked about their preferences on a location for the new stadium — either the team’s current proposal for a dome on the Chicago lakefront, or the shelved plan at the 326-acre Arlington Park property the NFL franchise owns in Arlington Heights? Bears spokesman Scott Hagel said Friday he didn’t have a list of the specific questions, but said the forums are likely to focus more on amenities that would be found in a stadium in general — no matter its geographic location.

* Daily Herald | For the second time this year, Barrington’s police chief leaving for another suburb: Months after its longtime police chief took over the Elk Grove Village Police Department, Barrington is again seeking a new top cop, as the village is set to lose its chief to another suburb. Lake Forest officials on Friday announced the hiring of John Burke as the city’s new police chief. The city council is scheduled to confirm his appointment at its Sept. 3 meeting.

* ABC Chicago | Lightfoot investigation found some Dolton police officers received staggering overtime pay: Expenses are up nearly 30%, including administration and administration compensation, which are up 47%. One item highlighted was overtime for former Acting Police Chief Lacey, which totaled over $215,000 from 2022 to 2024.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | ‘Chemical drift’ depleting crops, Central IL farmers say: Sola Gratia is an Urbana farm using organic production methods to bring locally grown produce to people in the area. But this year, farm manager John Williams said they haven’t produced as much as they expected. […] They figured out herbicide residue was drifting onto their fields, and it wasn’t just affecting leaves. Williams and Barkley said plants weren’t producing as much fruit. “We’re talking about, likely, an event where a product was applied a quarter-mile away or half-a-mile away,” Barkley said

* WCIA | Send-off ceremony to be held this week for U of I Paralympic athletes: While the Summer Games have wrapped up, the Paralympic Games are just 17 days away. Around two dozen students, alums and trainees from the University of Illinois will be heading to Paris. You can send them off this Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 4 p.m. right outside the Disability Resources and Educational Services building on Oak Street.

*** National ***

* Sun-Times | Why would Illinois Democrats knock on doors in Wisconsin? ‘The election is likely to be decided there.’: The volunteers tended to be older, many retirees, while the organizers skew young, like Carter Gulyas, 19, a history major at Illinois State University, and today’s canvass captain. He’s seen a big change since President Biden took himself out of the race. “It’s like turning a new chapter — people are really getting excited,” he said, noting that about 50 people signed up for today, double what it had been previously. “This is going to be our biggest turnout yet.”

* ProPublica | Inside Project 2025’s Secret Training Videos: “Eradicate climate change references”; only talk to conservative media; don’t leave a paper trail for watchdogs to discover. In a series of never-before-published videos, Project 2025 details how a second Trump administration would operate.

* NPR | FDA gives thumbs down to MDMA for now, demanding further research: It represents a significant setback for the company and the broader movement to bring psychedelics into the mainstream of mental health care. […] Many in the psychedelics industry had viewed this as a pivotal moment. The FDA decision on MDMA could be seen as a bellwether for other drugs that are in the pipeline like psilocybin and LSD, which are both considered “classic psychedelics” unlike MDMA.

* Pantagraph | Despite continued losses, Rivian’s second quarter could redefine its future: Between April and June, the automaker announced a second generation of its flagship vehicle model and a partnership with Volkswagen that could ultimately be valued at up to $5 billion. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe called the second quarter a “defining” period for his company.

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