Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Illinois
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Illinois Commerce Commission

Today, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved Commonwealth Edison’s refiled multi-year grid plan (2024-2027) with modifications. The Commission approved $3.3 billion in investments and system improvements needed to strengthen power grid reliability and support the ongoing electrification of the state’s power system. The decision cut the utility’s proposed $4.5 billion in spending by approximately 25 percent.

The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) required the state’s largest investor-owned electric utilities to file grid plans designed to accelerate progress toward Illinois’ clean energy goals and hold electric companies accountable for their performance.

“After extensive review, the Commission is confident that both ComEd and Ameren have the tools necessary to make needed investments to drive the clean energy transition and continue modernizing Illinois’ electric grid. These plans are a key component to meeting the goals of CEJA and represent significant improvement in meeting its requirements,” said ICC Chairman Doug Scott. “The investments approved today will deliver significant benefits to the utilities’ customers in an affordable, cost-effective manner.”

ComEd was required to refile its grid plan earlier this year after the ICC rejected the utility’s initial proposal in 2023, finding the original plan failed to comply with several consumer affordability and environmental justice components of CEJA.

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul

Attorney General Kwame Raoul is warning Illinois residents seeking to purchase GLP-1 medications – including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound – to be aware that many sellers advertising these name brand medications are instead offering unapproved versions of these products that may put people’s health at risk. Raoul is strongly urging people to obtain prescriptions for GLP-1 medications from a trusted health care provider and to fill those prescriptions at an appropriately-licensed pharmacy.

Attorney General Raoul is warning consumers about misleading advertising by med spas, wellness centers, online retailers and social media sellers that states or implies they are offering name brand GLP-1 medications or generic versions of name brand medications, when in reality they are offering compounded drugs. Compounded drugs are not the same as generic drugs. They are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as they are often produced on site and by prescription for individual patients who are unable to take a drug in its FDA-approved form. However, when a drug is in short supply, the FDA allows certain larger pharmacies to use the active ingredient in that drug to produce compounded versions of the drug in order to meet public demand. The FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, quality or effectiveness, however, and these drugs may pose health risks.

“Millions of Americans are looking for help losing weight, and for reasons ranging from the costs to the availability of prescription drugs, they are looking for alternate means of buying what can be lifesaving medications,” Raoul said. “This month, my office issued cease and desist letters calling on five med spas to stop using language that misleads consumers about the products they are purchasing. With scammers and bad actors marketing untested products using brand names, it is critical that consumers obtain prescriptions for GLP-1 medications from their health care providers and fill them at a licensed pharmacy.”

According to Raoul, unscrupulous sellers are also making misleading health claims and promoting GLP-1 products in formulations that have not been evaluated by regulatory agencies or tested in humans at all, such as drops, skin patches and nasal sprays. The FDA has issued warnings to try to stop the distribution of illegal versions of GLP-1 products. Some GLP-1 medications are being sold directly to consumers without prescriptions or are research-only products that should never be used by humans.

* Bloomberg

In recent months, the United Auto Workers reached an agreement with Rivian Automotive Inc. that would make it easier to unionize the company’s workforce — contingent on the electric-vehicle maker ever reaching profitability.

Under Rivian and the UAW’s confidential pact, the automaker would adopt a neutral stance toward efforts to organize workers at its Illinois factory where its vehicles are made, according to people familiar with the matter. The neutrality commitment will only take effect once the company reaches certain criteria including profitability metrics, said the people, who didn’t elaborate on what those metrics were and spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private terms.

The previously unreported neutrality commitment could help pave the way for the UAW to organize workers at Rivian, a longtime target in the union’s uphill struggle to unionize the EV industry. But that opening could still be far off: Rivian has never posted a quarterly adjusted profit. That goal has been elusive as the company struggled with supply-chain snags and a broader slowdown in EV demand.

* The Tax Foundation…

Thirty-nine states will ring in 2025 with notable tax changes, including nine states cutting individual income taxes, three states cutting corporate income taxes, and two states adopting new first-year expensing provisions.

The Tax Foundation just released an all-in-one guide highlighting all the changes set to take effect, including in Illinois. CLICK HERE to see the full breakdown. Key points below.

State Tax Changes Effective in 2025

    - Illinois will increase its franchise (capital stock) tax exemption from $5,000 to $10,000, effective January 1, 2025. Notably, however, Illinois had once been on track to eliminate this tax altogether, a policy that has since been paused.

    - Illinois will also broaden its sales tax base to include retail leases of tangible personal property except motor vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, and semitrailers. Additionally, sales tax assessed on acquisitions by retailers who lease tangible personal property will be paid over the lease term by the final lessee of the TPP, rather than by the business at the time of acquisition of the TPP. This moves Illinois’ state sales tax into conformity with the majority of other states’ sales tax structures as it applies to leases of TPP. This change will also ensure that sales tax is paid by the final consumer of the eligible products, moving Illinois’ sales tax closer to that of a well-structured consumption tax.

    - Additional changes to Illinois’ sales tax include changes made under SB 3362, enacted August 9, 2024. Under this new law, Illinois will transition to destination-based sourcing for retailers that are responsible for remitting sales taxes on retail sales of tangible personal property that occur outside of Illinois but that are made by a business with a physical presence in Illinois.

    - Further, to partially offset the costs to retailers of complying with sales tax collection and remittance laws, Illinois allows retailers to retain 1.75 percent of sales taxes collected. However, beginning January 1, Illinois will cap the retailers’ discount on sales due at $1,000 per month.

    - Finally, effective January 1, 2025, the General Assembly is commissioning a study of the state’s property tax system, with recommendations for improvement due July 1, 2026.

* Congrats Mona!

*** Madigan Trial***

* Tribune | After prosecutors rest, defense in Madigan corruption trial calls ex-AT&T exec about deal to hire Eddie Acevedo: Defense attorneys are likely to call far fewer witnesses, but with a break next week for the Christmas holiday, it appears the defense phase of the trial will stretch into the new year. Prosecutors have indicated they will call at least one witness in rebuttal. The alleged scheme by AT&T to bribe Madigan makes up just one of the 23 counts of the indictment, but it has taken up a good portion of the last two weeks of testimony.

*** Statewide ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois scholarship program aimed at getting more teachers of color faces court challenge: Now, even as advocates say more needs to be done to increase the number of teachers of color in classrooms, the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship program has become the target of a lawsuit claiming it discriminates against white students by limiting awards to Black, Latino, Asian American, and Native American students. Despite the lawsuit claims, numbers show that the majority of the teacher workforce in the state remains white and initiatives such as the scholarship program have made only a small dent in diversifying the ranks. In 2024, 80% of Illinois teachers were white, compared to 85% in 2010. Currently, about 6.4% of the teacher workforce is Black, 8.9% is Latino, and 2.2% is Asian American, according to the Illinois State Board of Education’s 2024 report card data.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | The Never-Ending Line: Migrants Wait For Benefits That Never Come: The families line up outside the state government office at North and California avenues as early as 4 every morning, several hours before it opens, to secure their spots. […] The families know the wait can be long, sometimes up to 10 hours. And they know it can be fruitless. In many cases, they leave with merely a piece of paper reminding them when they’ll have to come back. When they return, they start the process all over again.

* Tribune | Martinez remains mum as alderman, advocates, call for special Board of Ed meeting to be rescheduled: Chicago Public Schools Chief Pedro Martinez didn’t address the controversy surrounding a special board of education meeting called to oust him, instead focusing on congratulating the Luther Bank Elementary School community for earning a rare designation, in being inclusive of students with disabilities as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School. Speaking in English and Spanish to a packed auditorium Thursday morning, Martinez thanked staff for their hard work and encouraged students to continue cultivating a culture of respect. “We need to be treating each other with kindness, with empathy,” he said. “Our children need our support. Our parents and family members need that support.”

* Sun-Times | CTA locks down Red Line extension funding before Trump takes office: The Federal Transit Administration intends to sign an agreement that will contractually obligate the $1.9 billion in federal grants to the project, according to an announcement from Illinois’ congressional delegation. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin called the funding commitment a “significant milestone.”

* Unraveled | Abusive cop named in whistleblower suit convicted of assault: A Chicago cop recently found guilty of assault is also the subject of a whistleblower lawsuit against the City of Chicago that alleges the police department failed to address his “history of violence and misconduct directed toward female colleagues.” According to an October 2023 complaint filed by an anonymous Jane Doe, first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times last year, Chicago police officer Marco Torres became intimately involved with the complainant, a fellow CPD detective, in 2022. His behavior quickly escalated to multiple instances of “aggravated assault, aggravated battery, stalking, intimidation, and criminal sexual assault,” according to attorneys representing Doe. Torres was arrested March 14 of this year on domestic battery and assault charges.

* Block Club | Bally’s Casino Apologizes After Demolition Debris Spills Into Chicago River: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, which oversees stormwater and wastewater treatment across the Chicago area, confirmed that Bally’s Chicago and the Chicago Community Builders Collective — the general contractor building the new casino — accepted responsibility for the demolition debris. “A multi-phase clean-up has been initiated by the construction company,” Fore said in an email to Block Club on Monday. “An oil boom was installed below the Chicago Avenue Bridge to collect any flowing debris, and a barge is now positioned at the site to stop additional debris from entering the river.”

* Sun-Times | Sammy Sosa and Cubs begin reconciliation: A rift between the two, rooted in Sosa’s ties to the steroid era and refusal to admit that he used performance enhancing drugs, has kept Sosa out of Cubs events and away from Wrigley Field. But on Thursday, Sosa sent out a revealing statement. “There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,” he said in part. “I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.”

* Tribune | Are the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics ruining basketball? ‘We just have to play our generation of basketball.’: The main source of this panic is simple. Ratings are down. Fewer fans are tuning into games on television. And never mind that gate revenue and attendance remain steady — this loss of national viewership has thrown up panic flags for fans and executives alike across the league. The underlying fear behind this panic is more intense, more intimate: a sense that basketball itself is devolving into something lesser and unwanted.

* Daily Herald | Does Bears GM Ryan Poles deserve to be next scapegoat? Here’s a look at his record: The first Poles draft was 2022 and he actually got off to a great start, choosing Kyler Gordon and Jaquon Brisker with his first two picks, both in the second round. Reminder: The worst Bears mistake this season was letting Brisker stay in the game after a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit against Carolina. The safety has been sidelined ever since. The rest of that draft isn’t looking great. Velus Jones is gone, Braxton Jones made an impressive rise from fifth-round pick to starting left tackle, but still doesn’t look cut out for that job. The rest of that class has one pleasant surprise in DB Elijah Hicks.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Amazon delivery drivers in Skokie, six other facilities go on strike: ‘We’re the ones who move the packages every day’: Driver Luke Cianciotto called Amazon’s refusal to recognize the drivers as employees a “ruse.” “Everybody can see through it,” Cianciotto said. “If anybody is an Amazon worker, it’s us. We’re the ones who move the packages every day.” “I wear Amazon clothing. I deliver Amazon packages in Amazon vans to Amazon customers who order on an Amazon website,” said Ash’shura Brooks, another driver. “I just feel like it’s not right.”

* Press Release | Former Head of Suburban Chicago Public Library Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzling More Than $770,000: From 2009 to 2019, XAVIER MENZIES misappropriated approximately $770,715 from the library. Much of the money was initially received by the Markham library from the public library district in nearby Posen, Ill., which paid Markham for allowing Posen residents to access the library and use its services. Menzies opened bank accounts in the name of Markham Public Library and deposited checks made out to the library. He later withdrew the funds and used the money for personal expenses, including mortgage payments, ticket purchases, and auto repairs. Menzies concealed the scheme by routinely misrepresenting the library’s financial condition to the Markham Public Library’s Board of Trustees.

* Sun-Times | Far-right provocateur Nicholas Fuentes appears for first hearing on battery charge: Simple battery, a Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine. Battery offenses are eligible for pretrial detention in Illinois if prosecutors ask for it and a judge makes certain findings in the case, but defendants in Illinois have the presumption of release. Fuentes, his attorney and Rose each appeared for the brief hearing via the live-streaming service Zoom before Judge Shawnte Raines-Welch at the Fourth District courthouse in Maywood.

* WGN | Judge rules against Tiffany Henyard’s power grab: Judge Thaddeus Wilson said Henyard’s lawyer chose not file an answer to trustees’ complaint that she was acting beyond her authority to appoint people for key village positions without their advice and consent. The permanent injunction entered this week specifically says Ronnie Burge, Sr is restrained from “holding himself out at the Village Police Chief or conducting any duties.”

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin focuses on innovation, technology during fourth State of the City address of year: The mayor decided to break his State of the City address this year into quarterly speeches, each focusing on a different theme. During the speech on Wednesday, which was held at the Aurora factory and headquarters of Gripple Inc., Irvin said that Aurora has a history of innovation, such as its early adoption of electric street lights, and the city is continuing to embrace that spirit as it heads into the future. “Aurora is no longer simply the City of Lights. We are becoming a city of bytes, bandwidth and breakthroughs. We’re becoming the City of Light Speed,” he said.

*** Downstate ***

* WMBD | Peoria’s airport to have daily flights to Denver: United Airlines will have daily roundtrip flights to Denver that will leave at about 8:50 a.m. each day and then return 12 hours later. This will allow passengers to connect to various places out west as well as some international locations.

* WCIA | ‘I think I’ve done pretty good’; Mattoon man donates 25th gallon of blood: David Myers has donated 25 gallons of blood over the last five decades. “I was trying to get my five, and then I was trying to get my ten, and 20 was my goal,” Myers said. A pint of blood can save about three lives. ImpactLife blood center in Mattoon says Myers’ 25 gallons can save about 600.

*** National ***

* AP | California declared an emergency. How serious is bird flu?: Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed again this week that the virus poses low risk to the general public. Importantly, there are no reports of person-to-person transmission and no signs that the virus has changed to spread more easily among humans. In general, flu experts agreed with that assessment, saying it’s too soon to tell what trajectory the outbreak could take.

* Popular Information | Lies, damn lies, and shoplifting statistics: But this year, the [National Retail Federation] announced it would not release its annual survey. What happened? Mary McGinty, NRF vice president of communications and public affairs, claims that “a broad study about retail shrink is no longer sufficient for capturing the key challenges and needs of the industry.” In other words, the survey did not reinforce the industry’s preferred narrative that shoplifting is a growing problem that demands an aggressive state and federal response.

  5 Comments      


Illinois Supreme Court: Judges and attorneys can use AI tools, with limits

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Reuters

Judges and attorneys in Illinois are allowed to use artificial intelligence tools in their work under certain conditions, the state’s top court said in a new policy.

The use of AI by lawyers, judges, self-represented litigants, clerks and other court officials “may be expected, should not be discouraged, and is authorized provided it complies with legal and ethical standards,” the court said in a policy, opens new tab issued on Wednesday that takes effect Jan. 1. […]

The policy does not require lawyers to disclose the use of AI in filings. An accompanying fact sheet, opens new tab said attorneys will be subject to sanctions for submitting “legally or factually unfounded pleadings.”

Other courts have mandated disclosure of AI, and judges in several have sanctioned lawyers whose AI-assisted filings contained errors or made-up case citations. […]

Lawyers and judges who use AI technology are accountable for the final work product and must review all AI-generated content, the court said. AI tools also must protect sensitive information.

From the court’s policy

The Court acknowledges the necessity of safe AI use, adhering to laws and regulations concerning privacy and confidentiality. AI applications must not compromise sensitive information, such as confidential communications, personal identifying information (PII), protected health information (PHI), justice and public safety data, security-related information, or information conflicting with judicial conduct standards or eroding public trust.

This policy reflects the Illinois Supreme Court’s commitment to upholding foundational principles while exploring the potential benefits of new AI technologies in a dynamic landscape. The Court will regularly reassess policies as these technologies evolve, prioritizing public trust and confidence in the judiciary and the administration of justice. Judges remain ultimately responsible for their decisions, irrespective of technological advancements.

Click here for the fact sheet.

  7 Comments      


Are we really doing this again?

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* A year ago, the Registrar and the Director of Research at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum voted against approving the purchase of a $15,625 flag, after it had already been bought in violation of ALPLM policy. Purchases above $2,000 must be reviewed by a collections committee in advance.

One of the objections raised was the flag’s provenance. In an eerie flashback to the now-infamous Lincoln stovepipe hat, the flag’s authenticity has been challenged. More on that here.

* In May, the Associated Press reported that one of the two “no” votes, Registrar Eldon Yeakel was fired by the ALPLM

The museum fired Yeakel May 6, citing his poor performance and rules violations, but he blamed his “no” vote.

* And now we’ve learned that the Director of Research, who was the other “no” vote, was also fired

A historian and director at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum who voted against the ALPLM’s purchase of a controversial flag last year was fired last week.

Brian Mitchell ran a number of community-based history projects in the area around the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, the New Philadelphia National Historic Site and the Freedom Corridor, linking together a number of Underground Railroad sites, in addition to his work as director of research and interpretation at the ALPLM. […]

Mitchell was fired in a meeting Thursday after a scathing performance evaluation, which he provided to The State Journal-Register. … Mitchell’s evaluation cited his “unwillingness to act as a front-line supervisor.” […]

Mitchell said he was told shortly after his arrival in Springfield that “one of my primary responsibilities was to make sure those sorts of things [the stovepipe hat] don’t happen. Four people told me that, including [ALPLM executive director Christina Shutt].”

  14 Comments      


Madigan trial roundup: Defense calls ex-AT&T exec about deal to hire Acevedo (Updated)

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois

After calling 50 witnesses over the last two months, prosecutors in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s federal corruption trial rested their case Wednesday, followed immediately by defense attorneys calling their first witness.

Lawyers for Madigan’s close friend and co-defendant, longtime Statehouse lobbyist Mike McClain, called a witness the government dropped off its own list last week: retired AT&T Illinois lobbyist Steve Selcke.

Prosecutors had closed out their case detailing a 2017 episode in which AT&T hired newly retired Democratic state Rep. Eddie Acevedo as a consultant while the company was pushing for major legislation. The feds allege Acevedo’s $22,500 no-work contract was meant as a bribe to Madigan in exchange for the powerful speaker’s help pushing the legislation through the General Assembly.

But Selcke insisted neither he nor any of his colleagues believed hiring Acevedo had any bearing on the passage of a bill AT&T had been working on for the last six years, except to prevent against “rocking the boat” with Madigan’s office.

* Sun-Times

Selcke spent three and a half hours on the stand Wednesday, giving testimony similar to what he offered in September. He said that, as a lobbyist, he found it important to respond when an elected official recommended someone for a job — and it “was great” if the response could be positive.

Mitchell asked Selcke if he thought Madigan would allow passage of AT&T’s bill “in exchange” for Acevedo’s money. Selcke told him, “I did not have a feeling that that would result in the Speaker allowing passage.”

Madigan attorney Todd Pugh later pointed out, through Selcke’s testimony, that Madigan’s office moved to add less popular 911 reform language to AT&T’s bill after Acevedo was hired. […]

But before testimony ended for the day, Selcke told Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz there “was a concern” that not hiring Acevedo “might trigger a negative reaction from the Speaker’s office.”

* Courthouse News Illinois

Jurors have also seen a Feb. 14, 2017, email from McClain to AT&T lobbyist Bob Barry, asking if there was “even a small contract” for Acevedo. A separate email from then-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza two days later informed AT&T’s legislative team that Madigan had assigned McClain to work on the company’s COLR relief efforts as a “special project.”

McClain’s attorney John Mitchell tried to reframe this evidence. He had Selcke confirm on the stand it isn’t unusual for lobbyists to help lawmakers with “requests” to build up relationships, or to consider job recommendations. Selcke brought up helping with a youth sporting event, or working out a service payment plan for an elected official’s financially struggling constituent, as examples of legislator requests lobbyists might address.

Selcke also confirmed AT&T tried to lobby the speaker’s office in 2017, and that he knew McClain and Madigan were close. But he told Mitchell he wasn’t aware of McClain ever threatening Madigan would kill the COLR bill if Acevedo didn’t get his contract.

In exchange for the $22,500 contract, Acevedo was ostensibly meant to prepare a report on the “political dynamics of the Latino Caucus of the General Assembly and the City of Chicago.” Prosecutors say Acevedo never made that report, which Cullen himself called “busy work” on the stand last week.

Selcke said Wednesday that such a report would have benefitted AT&T, but also told Mitchell “I don’t recall ever getting any report … relative to Mr. Acevedo’s contract.”

* Tribune

Selcke also testified about Acevedo’s tendency to be overly partisan, which alienated many Republicans, as well as his extracurricular behavior that was the cause of many whispers around the Capitol.

“Eddie, after session, tended to go out in Springfield and occasionally would have too much to drink, and when he had too much to drink he could become belligerent and to a degree loose-lipped,” Selcke said. […]

Schwartz also revealed in her questioning that McClain had previously asked AT&T to expand two other consulting contracts, including one for former state Rep. Annazette Collins, another ally of the speaker who had gone into lobbying.

Schwartz was about to show the jury an exhibit pertaining to Collins — who was convicted of tax fraud related to the Madigan probe and is currently serving a one-year term in prison — but Pugh objected.

After a lengthy sidebar discussion, the judge told the jury the exhibit was not being admitted at that time.

…Adding… McClain rests his case


  8 Comments      


State spending pressures abound

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Capitol News Illinois

Andy Krupin, ISBE’s director of funding and disbursements, explained that the state often does not fully fund MCAT [mandated categorical] expenses and thus “prorates” the amount it reimburses districts for those expenses. The level of proration varies depending on how much the General Assembly appropriates in each category.

Based on the agency’s estimate of next year’s costs, Krupin said, the General Assembly would need to add another $142.2 million to its PreK-12 budget just to maintain the same level of proration as this year.

Combined with the $350 million increase called for under the EBF formula, that would be a total increase in PreK-12 spending of $492.2 million next year [GOMB’s projection of a $3.2 billion deficit assumed a $444 million increase in school spending].

But ISBE has received requests for even more funding increases than that. During a series of public hearings on the budget in October, officials said, the agency heard numerous proposals adding up to about $2.2 billion in funding increase requests. Those included proposals for a $550 million increase in EBF funding and a $10 million increase in career and technical education funding, among other requests.

  21 Comments      


Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Thursday, Dec 19, 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 Janet, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

  Comments Off      


Illinois education officials want lawmakers to revise student discipline, ticketing

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Chalkbeat Chicago

During their monthly meeting on Wednesday, [members of the Illinois State Board of Education] approved a list of agenda items that they will push in Springfield once lawmakers are back at the Capitol for the spring session, which is expected to start in late January. Board officials will still need to draft language for bills and find a lawmaker to carry their bills during the session.

While board members approved most of the agenda without much discussion, there was spirited debate around ticketing kids at school and student discipline. For student ticketing, the state board says it will work on a measure to close loopholes in state law to prevent schools from issuing fines or referring students to local police for disciplinary issues. […]

For student discipline, the state wants to outlaw expulsions for students in kindergarten through second grade and require superintendents to only issue suspensions for those students, while making changes to disciplinary practices for students in third through fifth grades. […]

A spokesperson for the state board said that the proposed measure would not ban or stop law enforcement from stepping in if a student breaks the law.

* From ISBE’s legislative agenda

Licensure

This measure is a continuation of the agency’s efforts to decrease the teacher vacancy rate and strengthen the teacher pipeline in Illinois. It would create a paraprofessional pathway program to provide an expedited pathway for individuals to earn their license in a specific content area; streamline educator licensure requirements for individuals who seek to work as school support personnel and already hold an active and current professional license, strengthen procedures for out-of-state educators by ensuring they pass the content test prior to obtaining full licensure, remove coursework requirements for educators trained in other states or countries to instead require that the topics be covered in the exam individuals seeking licensure must pass, and omit references to incorrect preparation standards for out-of-state educators. This measure
aligns to Goal 3 of the Strategic Plan. […]

Educator Misconduct

This measure would increase transparency and better equip districts in instances of educator misconduct. This proposal allows the state superintendent to release information of a pending investigation to a licensee’s current employing school district. This measure aligns to Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan.

* Related…

    * ProPublica | Illinois’ AG Said It’s Illegal for Schools to Use Police to Ticket Students. But His Office Told Only One District: Despite the attorney general’s declaration that Illinois schools should stop using police to discipline students, officers statewide continue to ticket kids with costly fines. One lawmaker will again pursue legislation to end the practice.

    * Word In Black | What Illinois’ Ticket Crackdown Means for Black Students: School-based ticketing is a growing concern nationwide, and its data has consistently shown the alarming impacts of such policies. While it’s unknown exactly how many schools or districts use the practice, it’s a particularly acute problem in Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Education, Black students make up just 17% of the state’s public school population but account for 42% of ticketed incidents. In the 2021-22 school year, Illinois’s Black and Hispanic students received about 68% of the tickets issued at school, even though they make up about 33% of district enrollment.

    * Chalkbeat | Chicago to change how it flags disruptive behaviors for its youngest students: Chicago Public Schools did away with suspensions in preschool through second grade in 2014 — with one exception. A district official who oversees networks of schools can sign off on a one-day suspension in situations when school leaders fear a student presents a danger to peers and staff. In the school year before the change took effect, schools suspended students in those grades about 2,240 times, including 1,830 out-of-school suspensions. That was out of more than 5,000 times that students were flagged for misconduct under the student code of conduct that year.

    * USA Today | Young children misbehave. Some are kicked out of school for acting their age: An analysis by The Hechinger Report of school discipline data from 20 states found widespread use of suspensions for students of all ages for ill-defined, subjective categories of misbehavior, such as disorderly conduct, defiance and insubordination. From 2017 to 2022, state reports cited these categories as a reason for suspension or expulsion more than 2.8 million times.

    * Education Week | What Happened When a State Banned Suspensions for Young Students: A statewide ban on suspensions for some of the youngest learners in Maryland successfully reduced the use of the practice—but didn’t address how exclusionary discipline affects students of color or students with disabilities, researchers concluded in a recent study.

  19 Comments      


Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rich is taking the morning off, but he asked me to give out the awards today…

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best State Agency Director goes to Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Kristin Richards

Krisitin Richards is a force who understands government in and out. You need someone like her running an agency where complicated deals with the private sector rely on someone who can bridge the gap between the antiquated and complicated state government systems and large corporations. Kristin is the best at what she does, and it shows in all the successes the state has racked up.

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Statewide Staffer goes to Anne Caprara

Anne’s ability to bring together the best people in State Government is unmatched. Look at her lineup of talent in the Gov’s Office. Anne’s strategic advice around policy, communications, legislation and yes politics has been the guiding light for the Governor’s Office for the past six years. Speech Writing - Check (See Pritzker’s Northwestern Commencement Address), Public Speaking - Check (Her panel discussion post election at the City Club was heartfelt and inspiring) and Tenacity - Check (Pritzker has publicly given Caprara credit for organizing and going after the DNC in Chicago). If you dont know - Anne - you should - she is one of the most inspiring people you will ever meet.

Congratulations!

* On to today’s categories

    Best US Representative

    Best Statewide Officer

Please explain your nominations or they won’t count. Also please nominate in both categories. Thanks!

* A reminder! We’re shutting down for winter break on Friday, but there’s still time to help LSSI bring joy to children in foster care. While we won’t be here to nudge you, your support can make a world of difference.

These kids have faced so much chaos in their lives. A simple gift can bring them comfort and remind them they’re cared for.

Let’s spread some love and light this holiday season. Thank you for being part of this effort! Please click here and donate if you are able

  18 Comments      


Open thread

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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


Every child deserves a little holiday magic. Help LSSI bring joy to kids in foster care this Christmas—donate today.

  5 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Make this Christmas special for a child in foster care—your support can bring joy and hope this holiday season. Donate now!

* ICYMI: CPS board moves to oust schools CEO Pedro Martinez. WBEZ

    - The board placed two voting items on its agenda and could choose to pursue either: Martinez’s termination or a buyout agreement.
    - Martinez has already fought off two attempts to remove him from what he has called his “dream job” at the helm of the nation’s fourth-largest school system.
    - Sources have said Martinez wanted to stay until at least the end of the school year.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Crain’s | How would Pritzker’s crackdown on delta-8 affect sales? These states’ track records offer clues.: More than a dozen states have passed laws to regulate or ban delta-8 products made from hemp, a cousin of cannabis that ordinarily contains low levels of THC, the chemical associated with marijuana’s high. In delta-8 products, the levels are concentrated to have increased potency.

* Capitol News Illinois | Budget pressures could impact K-12 funding: With budget forecasters predicting flat revenue growth over the next year and continued demands for increased spending in other areas of the budget such as pension costs and health care, members of the Illinois State Board of Education were told Wednesday that they are now in a different fiscal environment. “I do not envy anybody involved in that process because it won’t be a fun time,” Eric Noggle, revenue manager of the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or COGFA, told the board.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Center Square | Starting Jan. 1, IL media companies must report 120 days before out-of-state sale: Senate Bill 3592 passed the Senate in April. Sponsor of the bill state Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said it requires local media outlets looking to sell to an out-of-state buyer to provide a 120-day notice to the state and their staff. “Private equity firms are coming and buying newspapers, consolidating them until they provide very little local news content with no local journalist and sometimes those newsrooms are shut down as what happened in southern Illinois not that long ago,” Stadelman said in April.

* WAND | Illinois Democratic lawmakers, advocates argue housing is a human right: Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order last week to tackle the lack of affordable housing across the state. However, some Democratic lawmakers believe the state should treat housing as a human right. Nearly one-third of Illinois households spend more than 30% of their income on housing and the state has a shortage of roughly 290,000 homes affordable for low-income families.

*** Statewide ***

* SJ-R | Illinois sees most significant wage drop in the country since 1935, data shows: Illinois nearly 100 years ago could boast the highest national average for an entry level hourly wage, but it is currently ranks close to last amongst other states. Coming from the top spot in 1935, Illinois now ranks 39th. Average entry level workers earn $14.06 hourly in Illinois, but in 1935 they would have earned $15.43 hourly with inflation adjustments.

*** Chicago ***

* Bloomberg | Chicago Faces More Fiscal Pain Even After Budget Narrowly Passes: Higher wages, pension bills and inflation are still weighing on the city as Covid-era funds used to help plug the 2025 deficit are ending. That means less cushion for future shortfalls, and the outlook for more state and federal aid is uncertain. Johnson said that he’ll keep pushing for progressive revenue like higher levies on the rich, a campaign vow that hasn’t panned out yet.

* Sun-Times | Wall collapses at future Bally’s casino site sending debris into the Chicago River: Looking out her window early Saturday afternoon, Michele Berman noticed something that looked like black-mesh netting across the river, partially blocking demolition of the former Chicago Tribune’s Freedom Center printing plant. Within a couple of hours, she said, a wall collapsed, sinking the netting into the Chicago River while debris and a sizable amount of white substance dumped into the water.

* ABC Chicago | Advocate investing $1B on Chicago’s South Side in new hospital at IL Quantum, Microelectronics Park: One billion dollars is going toward healthcare on the South Side of Chicago. It’s a monumental investment by Advocate Health Care, changing the lives of some of those who need it most.

* Block Club | After School Matters Opening Huge Teen Center Near Cabrini-Green: After School Matters, a nonprofit that provides after-school and summer programs for CPS high school students, is overhauling a 36,000-square-foot building near the site of the former Cabrini-Green public housing projects. The renovated space, located inside a former Catholic school at 1065 N. Orleans St., will mark a significant expansion for After School Matters, allowing the organization to offer opportunities there for up to 1,500 teens annually. The facility will host classes in STEM subjects, the arts and culinary arts, as well as expanded sports programming.

*** Chicago’s Mass Transit ***

* WTTW | CTA Officially Secures $1.9B in Federal Funding for Red Line Extension: The 5.6-mile extension will add new stations at 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue near 116th Street, and 130th Street. In August, the transit agency’s board of directors awarded a design-build contract for the project to a coalition of firms with extensive transit experience, including work on the CTA’s ongoing Red and Purple Modernization effort on the North Side.

* Sun-Times | CTA increasing bus service to pre-pandemic levels: The CTA’s winter schedule adds more weekday buses on 19 lines and additional weekend buses on six lines, the agency said Wednesday. The CTA has been increasing the frequency of its trains and buses since the COVID-19 pandemic sent ridership tumbling. The agency has struggled to hire and retain operators but has doubled its hiring efforts in the last year.

* Block Club | South Side Metra Stations Get Accessible Upgrades For First Time In 100 Years: The 79th St./Chatham Metra Electric Line station resumed service Monday, over a year after closing for construction in summer 2023. The station is now equipped with ADA-accessible street-level entrances, lobbies with elevators and new stairs, deck platforms, lighting and signage, according to a news release.

* Block Club | White Sox Change Stadium Name To ‘Rate Field,’ Fans Collectively Boo: “There’s apathy, more than anything,” one fan said about the anticlimactic name change. The White Sox’s naming rights deal with Chicago mortgage company Guaranteed Rate runs through 2029.

* Daily Herald | ‘It does affect me’: Williams trying to deal with Bears’ losing streak: The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, then fired head coach Matt Eberflus. Still, the team keeps losing. After Monday night’s 30-12 loss to the Vikings, Williams called this season “frustrating and encouraging.” He said he’s encouraged by the Bears’ fight. The frustrations come from, well, all the losing.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | ‘A big, bold undertaking’: Elgin plans to move ‘Tent City’ residents to hotel, tear down encampment: The city’s agreement with Litchfield Motel, Inc., the business operating the hotel at 1585 Dundee Ave., calls for a block of 50 rooms for four months at $65 per day for single occupancy. Provisions in the agreement will provide scaled rates for partnered individuals and those with pets.

* Daily Herald | Schaumburg’s 5-year, $412.7 million capital improvement plan envisions no tax hikes: Schaumburg’s ambitious five-year, $412.7 million capital improvement plan includes replacements of village hall and the police station, renovations to two fire stations and the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts as well as extensive road maintenance, all without raising taxes. In fact, no property taxes are included among the revenue sources at all apart from eligible allocations from tax increment financing (TIF) districts.

* Daily Southtown | Homer Glen Village Board race finalized with 9 candidates for 3 trustee positions: Objections were filed to nominating petitions for 15 of the 17 interested candidates who filed to run for three trustee positions. Pericles Abbasi, an attorney to Craig Carlson who objected to 14 of those petitions, withdrew the five outstanding objections to petitions from Ruben L. Pazmino, Kevin Koukol, John Hayes, Katie Surges and Kyle Surges. Because their objections were removed, they will appear on the April 1 ballot.

* ABC Chicago | Teamsters union strike against Amazon to impact Skokie facility amid holiday shipping season: Workers in Skokie will be joining other amazon employees across the country in California and New York to put pressure on the company to reach a labor agreement. All of this taking place just days before Christmas. The unions said it gave Amazon a December 15 deadline to come to the bargaining table and negotiate a contract with better pay and working conditions.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | WCIA holds blood drive in memory of two former employees: For 10 years WCIA has been encouraging viewers to donate blood during our gift of life drive. It’s in honor of Robert Reese and Dave Benton. Jennifer Roscoe talked to their families this week about their legacy that lives on. We lost Robert Reese 12 years ago, and Dave Benton nine years ago. Both to cancer, both too soon.

* WSIL | More than 82,000 deer harvested during Illinois firearm deer season: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says hunters harvested a preliminary total of 82,496 deer during the seven-day 2024 Illinois firearm deer season that concluded December 8. That’s compared to 76,494 deer during the 2023 firearm season.

  16 Comments      


Live coverage

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here to help LSSI bring Holiday joy to children in foster care.

You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

  Comment      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Our LSSI fundraiser is active! So far we’ve raised over $36,000! Thank you to all those who donated! But there’s so much more Holiday joy to spread, so please give if you’re able.

  Comment      


Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

We’ve raised over $36,000 so far to help LSSI buy Christmas gifts for children in foster care—thank you! Let’s keep the holiday magic going. Donate today to bring joy to even more children in foster care.

* Governor JB Pritzker

Today, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), and the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) announced the selection of 13 organizations to receive funding through the unprecedented Healthcare Transformation Capital Investment Grant Program. The grants, which total $200 million, will fund capital projects addressing health-related social needs and reduce disparities in healthcare in historically underserved communities. […]

Healthcare Transformation Capital Improvement grants will build on HFS’ equity-driven Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives (HTC) program, which was established in 2021. The goals of the HTC program are to expand access to care and improve health equity, especially in underserved communities, by leveraging shared resources among collaborative partners to create locally-driven solutions.

These awards also support the State’s safety net hospitals, which are critical to providing essential medical care to our most underserved communities.
​Safety nets are hospitals and medical centers that provide healthcare to patients regardless of insurance status or their ability to pay. Of the awardees, 6 of the 13 are safety net health entities, representing 48% of the total funding. […]

Organizations were selected following a merit-based review in accordance with Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Uniform Requirements. The grant recipients are:

    - Lawndale Christian Health Center: $7.5 million to renovate the Mirador building into a combined community center that includes a fitness facility and fresh food cafe and primary care clinic. Location: Lawndale, Chicago IL

    - Insight Chicago Inc., in support of South Side Health Equity Collaborative HTC: $22.5 million for an Urgent/Primary Care buildout and renovation of Corpus Christi Building into a youth and community empowerment space which will include access to educational and academic support, the arts, and an athletic facility. Location: Bronzeville, Chicago IL

    - Marcfirst (Lifelong Access), in support of Medicaid Innovation Collaborative HTC: $21.7 million to purchase and renovate The Pantagraph newspaper building to serve as a collaborative hub for multiple agencies supporting services in behavioral health, psychiatry, a youth behavioral urgent care center, pediatric primary care, dental wellness, alternative youth education, community day services, food security initiatives and supported employment programming. Location: Normal, IL

    - Clay County Hospital: $12.1 million to construct a Clay County Health Department building on the campus of the Clay County Medical Complex which will be an expansion of the hospital to enhance educational and prevention services, and renovation of the hospital, including Medical Surgical Department, Nutritional Services Department, and Surgery Department. Location: Flora, IL

    - Heritage Behavioral Health Center Inc.: $43.8 million for a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that will provide vital, comprehensive and integrated behavioral-primary healthcare services to people living in Macon, DeWitt and Piatt counties. Location: Decatur, IL
    - Swedish Covenant Health, in support of Chicago North Side Collaborative HTC: $7 million to renovate a church building into a teaching kitchen, workstations, gathering hall, and for a behavioral health program expansion to further address health disparities in the community. Location: North Side, Chicago, IL

    - Touchette Regional Hospital, in support of East St. Louis Health Transformation Partnership HTC: $15 million for construction of a new adolescent mental health wing that will be integrated into the already under development Health Care Campus funded through the Illinois Healthcare Transformation grant previously awarded to Touchette Regional Hospital in 2021. Location: Cahokia Heights, IL

    - Arukah Institute of Healing, Inc NFP: $3.6 million to fund construction and renovations to develop shared space with the Bureau County Health Department FQHC for a “no wrong door” integrated health and rural health workforce training center and to purchase a building enabling a new Child and Family Center that will house specialized child family crisis workforce, child psychiatry, primary care, counseling, and other integrated services to best meet needs of low income families. Location: Princeton, IL

    - TCA Health, Inc., in support of South Side Healthy Community Organization HTC: $7.7 million to establish a nutrition and wellness center connected to the organization’s main health center and administrative building by an enclosed walkway, resulting in improved community health affordable food availability in Chicago’s Far South Side. Location: South Side, Chicago, IL

    - Crawford Hospital District: $6.7 million to construct a new two-story addition for office and treatment spaces, nurses’ stations with privacy screens, and patient registration bring these much-needed specialty care services and the capacity to treat a large volume of patients. Location: Robinson, IL

    - Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (University of Illinois at Chicago) in support of the Target Health HTC: $33 million for the purchase and renovation of buildings to develop a comprehensive care center and a community space for wellness programming including primary and specialty care, medical imaging and diagnostic/screening services, navigation and coaching, and a community space for wellness programming. Location: South Side, Chicago, IL

    - Southern Illinois Hospital Services, in support of Integrated HUB HTC: $9.9 million to increase capacity for mental health treatment, including new acute mental illness beds and updates to the current psychiatric unit to address the critical mental health need in the broader southern sixteen county region. Location: Southern Illinois Counties

    - Thorek Memorial Hospital: $9.3 million to renovate TMH Andersonville’s emergency department to enhance capacity for medical emergencies, psychiatric and substance abuse crisis management and develop robust outpatient behavioral health services. Location: Chicago, IL

* Bloomberg

Federal Reserve officials lowered their benchmark interest rate for a third consecutive time, but reined in the number of cuts they expect in 2025, signaling greater caution over how quickly they can continue reducing borrowing costs.

The Federal Open Market Committee voted 11-1 on Wednesday to cut the federal funds rate to a range of 4.25%-4.5%. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack voted against the action, preferring to hold rates steady.

New quarterly forecasts showed several officials penciled in fewer rate cuts for next year than they estimated just a few months ago. They now see their benchmark rate reaching a range of 3.75% to 4% by the end of 2025, implying two quarter-percentage-point cuts, according to the median estimate.

Only five officials indicated a preference for more reductions next year.

* WTTW

For years, the debate has raged over ride hailing apps Uber and Lyft — are they taxi companies or tech firms? […]

Now, a similar crop of apps has arisen in the temporary employment arena. The apps connect people looking for work with companies just as staffing agencies do, but assert they’re tech platforms exempt from regulations aimed at protecting temp workers.

The companies have drawn millions in funding, hundreds of thousands of workers, and legal action over their labor practices — including here in Illinois.

“Not surprisingly, their assertion is much like the Uber defense — ‘We’re not an employer of record, we provide laborers through an app, we connect workers with jobs, like Monster.com or LinkedIn,’” said Chris Williams, a labor attorney who’s brought complaints against several temp staffing apps on behalf of the Chicago Workers Collaborative. […]

The CWC complaints to the Illinois Department of Labor charge that the apps have failed to register as temp staffing agencies with the state, which Illinois law requires. Williams said that registration might sound trivial but it serves as an important protection for some of the most vulnerable workers in the labor marketplace.

*** Madigan Trial ***

* Tribune | After prosecutors rest, defense in Madigan corruption trial calls ex-AT&T exec about deal to hire Edward Acevedo: After 30 days of testimony over three months, prosecutors rested their case in chief Wednesday in the blockbuster public corruption trial of Michael Madigan, formerly the immensely powerful speaker of the Illinois House and leader of the state Democratic Party. Prosecutors presented about 150 wiretapped calls and undercover video recordings in the case against Madigan and his co-defendant, ex-lobbyist Michael McClain.

* WGN | Prosecutors rest case in Madigan federal corruption trial: The only witness to take the stand for the defense so far is Stephen Selcke, longtime AT&T Illinois lobbyist, who testified separately for the prosecution during the trial of former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza, which ended in a hung jury. La Schiazza allegedly agreed to pay Madigan allies, including former state Rep. Edward “Eddie” Acevedo, a one-time assistant majority leader to Madigan, thousands of dollars in do-nothing contracts.

* Capitol News Illinois | Feds set to rest case in Madigan trial; defense prepares to call first witnesses: Though he wouldn’t get a formal diagnosis of dementia until a few years – and one felony plea – later, former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo told FBI agents and government lawyers in a September 2019 interview that he had memory problems. Those memory issues made for confused and, at times, emotionally charged testimony this week when the government called Acevedo as one of its final witnesses in the trial of ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Prosecutors are set to rest their case Wednesday while defense attorneys gear up to call their own witnesses.

*** Statewide ***

* NBC Chicago | Is the DMV open in Illinois during Christmas week? What to know about holiday hours: Illinois drivers license and DMV facilities across the state will be closed for part of Christmas Week for 2024, according to the Illinois Secretary of State, as well as the week following. According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s list of state holidays, DMVs will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve — and Wednesday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | How the new Chicago budget will hit your pocketbook: In all, increased fees, fines or taxes on everything from plastic bags to rideshares are expected to yield an additional $170 million in revenue for 2025 — helping to close a $982 million deficit. The hikes helped Johnson make good on a promise not to layoff or furlough city workers, or cut essential services. While his budget nixes some vacant positions from the city’s spending, no current employees will lose their jobs.

* Tribune | Chicago Board of Education meeting called, schools’ chief job could be discussed: If the board were to vote to fire Martinez, it would happen in closed session. There is a motion for a closed session on the agenda to discuss the employment of CPS personnel, but it is not clear if the board’s lawyers will move to oust the district’s leader. Anything can technically be discussed in a closed session.

* Block Club | Trump Wants To Deport Them. Chicago Is Scaling Back Help. Meet The Migrants Stuck In Limbo: More than two years after busloads of migrants began arriving in Chicago from the southern border, many of the new arrivals are broke, unhoused or facing eviction, prohibited from working legally and unable to return safely to their home countries — essentially stuck in limbo. Yet local government officials have scaled back resources for recent arrivals by closing shelters and ending rental assistance, citing a decline in new arrivals and budget constraints.

* Crain’s | How did we get all these McMansions? UIC professor finds their origin story.: Stewart Hicks, an architecture professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, believes he’s found the birthplace of the McMansion movement. In a video he posted to YouTube Dec. 12, Hicks traces the McMansion back to the late 1950s invention of a modest metal plate made to keep roofs solid in the face of storms. “This little invention is responsible for the suburbs as we know it,” Hicks says in the video, the 139th in a series about architecture he started posting during the pandemic. Hicks, who has degrees in architecture from the University of Michigan and Princeton University, has been teaching at UIC since 2012. He’s now an associate professor of architecture and associate dean of physical resources and planning and lives in the West Loop.

* NBC Chicago | Chicago White Sox announce new ballpark name for 2025 season: The Chicago White Sox will be playing in a renamed ballpark for the 2025 season. According to an announcement from the team Tuesday, the ballpark will now be known as Rate Field beginning with the 2025 season, reflecting their sponsor’s name change that dropped the word “Guaranteed” earlier this year.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Accused Highland Park parade shooter’s incriminating statements to be admitted at trial: Incriminating statements made by the man charged with fatally shooting seven people two years ago at Highland Park’s Independence Day parade can be played in court at his trial, a judge ruled Wednesday. Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti denied defense attorney’s motion to suppress the videotaped remarks Robert E. Crimo III gave to police after his arrest, rejecting arguments that his constitutional rights had been violated during questioning.

* Daily Southtown | Homer Glen Village Board race finalized with 9 candidates for 3 trustee positions: Objections were filed to nominating petitions for 15 of the 17 interested candidates who filed to run for three trustee positions. Pericles Abbasi, an attorney to Craig Carlson who objected to 14 of those petitions, withdrew the five outstanding objections to petitions from Ruben L. Pazmino, Kevin Koukol, John Hayes, Katie Surges and Kyle Surges. Because their objections were removed, they will appear on the April 1 ballot.

* Daily Southtown | Lawsuit seeking back rent from Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard pushed to January: Hull filed eviction papers in September, saying Henyard and Kamal Woods owe more than $3,350 in unpaid rent and late fees for the home in the 14600 block of Harvard Street. In an amended complaint filed Dec. 2, Hull now seeks more than $13,600 in rent, damages and attorney fees. The new complaint said Henyard and Woods last paid rent in August.

* ABC Chicago | Supervisor Tiffany Henyard warns Thornton Township shutdown could start Wednesday: The threat of a government shutdown comes as a fifth Thornton Township meeting had to be canceled because of a lack of a quorum. The result of Trustees Carmen Carlisle and Chris Gonzalez not showing up. Their aim is to block Supervisor Tiffany Henyard from appointing someone to a vacant trustee position, who could provide tie-breaking votes.

*** Downstate ***

* Capitol City Now | The man with two jobs: The answer has not changed, but aldermen continue to press the question: Can Frank Lesko serve as Springfield city clerk and Sangamon County recorder simultaneously? “There’s about 26 pages from the attorney general’s office.” said corporation counsel Greg Moredock. “They will look at each individual conflict, and there has never been an opinion (dealing with the combination of) a city clerk and a county recorder.”

* WJBD | Centralia City Manager announces plan to resign: “I’m going to miss you terribly, but you taught me a lot about city management, and I appreciate that,” Allen said to Smith. “You’ve taken the time, listened, and done a lot of things that I asked you to do. You have done fabulously for the city.” Smith plans to vacate the city manager position in January, and will be joining the Crain, Miller & Wernsman law firm in Centralia.

* Herald & Review | Decatur council approves hiring of high-powered lobbying firm: The Decatur City Council unanimously approved a two year, $8,333-per-month contract with Mercury Public Affairs, adding to the city’s portfolio of lobbyists to push the city’s legislative agenda and fight to bring more state and federal dollars back to Soy City.

* WSIL | Carbondale city leaders look to the future in their state of the city address: “I am proud of our budget,” Mayor Harvey says. “We’ve received these awards for our budget for many years.” During her speech, Harvey shared that the city has not raised its portion of property tax for several years, and talked about its work to invest in the town.

*** National ***

* WaPo | How much abuse can a local newspaper reporter take?: On Feb. 1, Tom Lisi took a seat in Courtroom 12 of the Lancaster County Courthouse. He was looking into a possible story on how prosecutors handle criminal cases, a routine outing on his beat as county reporter for LNP/Lancaster Online, which is a daily newspaper of 70 newsroom positions in south-central Pennsylvania that shares ownership with Harrisburg-based public broadcaster WITF. After settling into his seat, Lisi received some not-so-routine attention from a deputy sheriff, who yanked the journalist from the courtroom and inquired about the topic of his reporting.

  4 Comments      


Please, slow down and move over

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Fox Chicago

The Illinois State Police is urging drivers to follow Scott’s Law—commonly known as the Move-Over Law—after a troubling rise in crashes this year. […]

With 25 crashes related to violations, 12 state troopers have been injured, and Chicagoland remains a hotspot for these dangerous incidents.

Scott’s Law requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when approaching any vehicle with flashing emergency lights. Violators face serious consequences, including hefty fines, license suspensions, and possible jail time for severe offenses.

In the past eight weeks alone, six crashes tied to Scott’s Law violations occurred in the Chicago area, with three state troopers injured badly enough to require hospitalization. State Police say these incidents highlight the ongoing risks they face daily.

* Meanwhile…

* Today from the Illinois State Police…

The Illinois State Police (ISP) is expanding the number of ways drivers receive alerts when ISP activity is up ahead and they need to slow down and move over. ​ ISP and the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology, (DoIT) are partnering with HAAS Alert to expand notifications to select Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, RAM, and Volkswagen vehicles. These safety alerts to drivers will be powered by Safety Cloud, HAAS Alert’s solution for delivering digital alerts through leading navigation apps and compatible vehicle infotainment systems. ​ […]

ISP is one of the first law enforcement agencies in the country to provide real-time GPS-based traffic information to help prevent what are commonly referred to as ‘Move Over’ crashes. The Move Over Law, also known as Scott’s Law in Illinois, requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when approaching stationary emergency vehicles, including all highway maintenance vehicles displaying flashing lights, and any stationary vehicle with their hazard lights activated.

Building on ISP’s partnership with Google Public Sector and Move Over crash notifications in Waze and Google Maps, the partnership with HAAS Alert will expand these real-time, GPS-based alerts to even more drivers of ISP traffic activity on the road, urging them to slow down and move over and making roads safer for all drivers. ​ […]

To alert drivers to slow down and move over, ISP generates information about a crash, traffic stop, motorist assist, or debris in the roadway, which HAAS Alert then pushes to Safety Cloud for distribution to select vehicle infotainment systems. ​ As drivers approach the GPS location of the ISP trooper, they will see a police icon and receive an alert to slow down and move over.

“As an Illinois small business, we couldn’t be more grateful to do our part in keeping ISP troopers safe on the road,” said Cory Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert. “Drivers and vehicles today are more connected than ever, and these alerts save lives and prevent tragedies. We’re committed to working with even more automakers in 2025 and beyond to help ensure everyone on the road gets home safely, including and especially first responders.”

Since 2019, two ISP troopers have been killed and more than 60 others injured.

On January 12, 2019, Trooper Christopher Lambert was handling a crash on I-294. ​ Trooper Lambert was outside his vehicle with his emergency lights on when a vehicle failed to slow down and Trooper Lambert was killed.

On March 28, 2019, Trooper Brooke Jones-Story was conducting a motor carrier safety inspection on U.S. Route 20. Trooper Jones-Story was outside of her vehicle with the emergency lights on when another semi-truck hit her squad car. Trooper Jones-Story was killed as a result.

This new notification system will help drivers see in advance the locations where ISP is handling a crash or other traffic activity, warning people to slow down and move over.

More information about Illinois’ Scott’s Law can be found on the ISP website, as well as a Scott’s Law dashboard that includes information and data about ISP crashes.

  7 Comments      


Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois’ economy is growing and as a result, so is electricity demand. This rising demand is projected to outpace supply, which means higher costs and the potential for reliability issues. The solution? Build more clean energy resources while lowering demand peaks. By expanding small- and large-scale energy storage and renewable energy, Illinois can ensure the economy has the electricity it needs to fuel growth. What’s more, renewable energy is low-cost while energy storage optimizes supply and demand, lowering costs for all Illinoisans.

Illinois can’t make a successful transition away from expensive fossil fuel plants without enough energy storage. Support comprehensive renewable energy and energy storage policies; learn more here. https://www.solarpowersillinois.com/legislation-hb-5856

  Comments Off      


It’s just a bill

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rep. Janet Yang Rohr filed HB5923 yesterday

Creates the Mobile Panic Alert System Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Alyssa’s Law. Requires, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each public school to implement a mobile panic alert system capable of connecting diverse emergency services technologies to ensure real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies. Requires, for the 2026 fiscal year, the State Board of Education to issue a competitive solicitation to contract for a mobile panic alert system that may be used by each school district. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2026.

Click here for more background on Alyssa’s law.

* A mobile panic alert system similar to Rep. Yang Rohr’s proposal was used during a school shooting in Georgia ABC

The deadly shooting Wednesday at a high school in Georgia has drawn attention to the school’s use of a panic button system to alert the threat.

Two students and two teachers were killed when the alleged 14-year-old suspect opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, authorities said. Nine others were also injured, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

The suspect — 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at Apalachee High School — was encountered by three school resource officers and immediately surrendered, according to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith. He was taken into custody at 10:30 a.m. ET, seven minutes after the initial service call went out, according to the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, which employs the school resource officers. […]

Smith said all teachers at the school have an ID made by the safety technology company CENTEGIX wherein they can press a button to alert an “active situation.” The button was pressed during the active shooting situation on Wednesday and the school resource officers began “actively looking,” he said.

* Florida passed legislation requiring panic buttons in classrooms in 2020. CNN

Florida adopted Alyssa’s Law in 2020, named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, who was 14 when she was killed in the Parkland shooting. The law requires public schools to install a silent panic alarm system in schools that is directly linked to law enforcement. In the absence of gun reform, proponents of Alyssa’s Law say a silent panic alarm system can reduce response time in the face of gun violence or a medical emergency. […]

Funding is generally built into the laws at a state level. Florida allocated $6.4 million in recurring funds to help schools implement panic button systems.

Brent Cobb, CEO of Centegix, a company specializing in safety technology, told CNN the cost of outfitting a school with his company’s panic button systems is about $8,000 a year. […]

[Centegix] released a report in January showing of about 15,000 alerts sent within Texas schools, 98% were for “everyday incidents related to health and behavioral emergencies.” The report cites incidents of cardiac arrest and seizures on campus, where a panic button was used to quickly get help.

In 2019, the Illinois State Board of Education reported a total of 4,231 public schools across the state. Outfitting each school with a panic button at an estimated cost of $8,000 could amount to nearly $34 million.

* New York also passed legislation, though it only requires schools to consider installing the alarms

The measure requires that schools consider the usefulness of silent panic alarms when developing their district-level school safety plans, and expressly authorize their inclusion within building level safety plans. The panic alarm systems themselves can cost a few thousand dollars to purchase, and can be implemented in the classroom as a smartphone app, according to a statement released by the governor’s office.

“It’s not a mandate, but I stand here today to ask all school districts to adopt this,” Hochul said during a signing ceremony in Manhattan. “Please, please consider this technology to protect your students and your staff and your administrators. It will save lives.”

Thoughts?

  15 Comments      


Roundup: Federal prosecutors rest their case against Michael Madigan

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Just in


* Sun-Times

Federal prosecutors rested their case Wednesday against former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, the once-powerful Southwest Side Democrat whose reign in Springfield shattered records but ended amid a wide-ranging corruption investigation.

Now, six years after that investigation first surfaced publicly — and almost three
years after Madigan’s indictment — federal authorities have made their case against one of the most significant politicians in Illinois history.

It’s a crucial moment that shifts Madigan’s trial into a new phase. Defense attorneys for the former speaker and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain, will get a chance to summon their own witnesses to testify before the jury. Attorneys signaled Tuesday that McClain’s defense team will go first.

It also means closing arguments and deliberations may not be far off — but neither is expected until after the holidays.

* Yesterday, ex-state Rep. Acevedo was back on the stand. Tribune

Prosecutors had in fact been expected to rest their case in chief Tuesday afternoon, after Acevedo left the stand and they presented a handful of remaining witnesses and wiretaps.

Instead, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey sent jurors home for the day at about 2:30 p.m., telling them only that he had “some legal matters to attend to.” Bhachu later told the judge they had some “homework to do,” but the attorneys said nothing in court about the reason for the sudden change of plans.

The focus lingered on Acevedo for much of Tuesday, though he was on the stand relatively briefly, testifying for only an hour altogether between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

It’s unclear how much his testimony helped the prosecution’s case, if at all. Acevedo has been diagnosed with dementia and a brain tumor, and his testimony, which was scattershot at best, is sure to be framed by the defense as unreliable.

* Courthouse News Service

Besides the apparent inconsistencies in his testimony this week, [Acevedo] also gave responses that did not directly address prosecutors’ questions. During cross-examination, he began sniffling on the stand as he claimed to not be able to remember his grandchildren’s names.

He did give one definite answer to McClain’s attorney Patrick Cotter Tuesday, when Cotter asked him if he ever asked McClain for a “no-show” job.

“I never asked anyone for a no-show job,” Acevedo said.

Unlike the trial’s other big-name witnesses who spent multiple days on the stand — like ex-ComEd Vice President Fidel Marquez and ex-Chicago alderman-turned-FBI informant Danny Solis — Acevedo only spent about an hour testifying between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. […]

Besides Acevedo and [FBI Special Agent Kyle Scherrer], jurors also heard testimony Tuesday from FBI Special Agent Eileen McDermott and former AT&T internal lobbyist Michael Lieteau.

* Sun-Times

The feds also took issue with another part of Acevedo’s testimony. He claimed on the witness stand Tuesday that he told the presiding judge about his dementia diagnosis when he pleaded guilty in December 2021.

FBI Special Agent Kyle Scherrer took the stand and testified that a transcript from that hearing shows Acevedo did not mention that diagnosis.

But under cross-examination by Collins, Acevedo did testify that he saw a neurologist about his dementia, although it was in January 2022, a month after his guilty plea. Acevedo was then sentenced in March 2022.

* WGN

Bhachu asked whether Lieteau ever worked with Micheal Lieteau, an independent lobbyist, and former AT&T Director of Government Relations, in 2017. “I would tell him information,” Acevedo said, but he would not say whether the two worked together directly.

Lieteau also took the stand Tuesday morning; his testimony directly contradicted statements made by Acevedo.

According to Lieteau, Acevedo was one of the legislators he was assigned to lobby for different clients during his time with AT&T, which came to an end in 2014.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz asked Lieteau, “During 2017 after Mr. Acevedo left the General Assembly, do you recall having any conversations with Mr. Acevedo about work Mr. Acevedo was doing for AT&T?”

“No,” Lieteau responded.

  27 Comments      


Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Do-Gooder Lobbyist goes to John Amdor

The dude is the face and voice for active transportation issues. And look at the list of other clients: AARP, Elevate Energy, Justice Project, Prison Action Fund, John Howard Association, Shriver, United way. Not a session day goes by that you don’t see him working it at the Capitol.

Amdor is, indeed, an Illinois treasure. I just love the guy. John also has one of the coolest houses that you have ever seen.

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Legislative Liaison goes to Wendy Butler

Wendy Butler is retiring this year and she gets my vote for best liaison. Wendy has served through changes in administrations and avoids being dragged into political fights. She advocates for her agency’s position — a task that is not easy, as those who understand the vast policy areas in CMS know. Procurement and personnel are not for the faint of heart. She’s taught many lawmakers and stakeholders (including me) how to actually get votes for their bills. She will hold you to your word and expect the same in return. She’s a resource to all other liaisons and the state is better for her years of service. Thank you Wendy!

Congratulations!

* On to today’s categories

    Best State Agency Director

    Best Statewide Staffer

Please explain your nominations or they won’t count. Also please nominate in both categories. Thanks!

* We’re shutting down on Friday for the winter break. You’ll still be able to help buy Christmas presents for foster kids after then, but we won’t be around to bug you several times a day. So, please, please click here and donate whatever you can to help Lutheran Social Services of Illinois brighten a child’s life.

Think of the awful chaos in these kids’ lives and the joy a simple gift could bring to their hearts. We’re not trying to solve big problems with this annual fundraiser, we’re simply hoping to alleviate some heartache. Again, please click here. Thank you.

  26 Comments      


Open thread

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

We’ve raised over $35,000 to help LSSI buy Christmas gifts for children in foster care—every $25 brings us closer to making their holiday magical! Click here to donate if you are able.

  2 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: We’ve raised over $35,000 to make Christmas magical for children in foster care! Click here to donate

But with 2,530 kids to serve, we still need your help to cross the finish line.

$25 buys a gift and brings joy to a child this holiday season.

Let’s keep the momentum going—Christmas is just around the corner!

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WTTW | Waiting for Grace: Incarcerated People Hope Pritzker Addresses More Petitions for Clemency: Zavala is one of more than 1,100 people who submitted petitions for clemency to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in 2021 alone. He’s one of 535 that landed on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk. […] The Prisoner Review Board said just this year, Pritzker has granted only six clemency petitions. In 2023 he granted 57, and 11 in 2022. But he granted 144 in 2020 and 2021 each.

* Center Square | Illinois Senate Human Rights Committee says housing is a human right: State Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, said he called for the hearing in an effort to fight for humane, clean and well-kept residential buildings while addressing the strain of increased property taxes in Illinois, the second highest in the nation. “Housing directly impacts a person’s health, ability to thrive, and generations of families just like my own, so today we aim to address the fact that housing is a human right,” said Simmons.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sanborn Williams Consulting | IDFPR Hosts Town Hall on New Licensing Software Launch: Secretary Mario Treto opened up the town hall meeting with a pledge to be a partner with license holders, wanting to right the debacles of the past and not just start a new chapter but write a new book on the relationship between licensees and regulators. Treto’s genuine desire to improve the licensing system has already been felt by the music therapists, who have had a direct line of communication with the Department to get every glitch fixed, even something as small as a formatting issue on a pocket-sized license printout.

* WREX | Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has returned from the State of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Midwest Delegation: Representative McCombie sharing that following the delegation, the Illinois House’s next step is to successfully re-file a resolution in remembrance of October 7th. Adding that once passed, it’ll show as another form of strong support.

*** Statewide ***

* Covers | Revenue Plummets in Illinois Despite Record Sports Betting Handle in October: Sports betting operators’ 5.6% hold was the state’s eighth-lowest ever and down from four points year-over-year. Retail sportsbooks didn’t even produce a 4% win rate on the $36.7 million wagered in person. Mobile operators kept 5.7% of a nearly $1.41 billion handle.

* WAND | Workers prepare for Illinois minimum wage increase in the new year: “So for tipped workers you know, it goes up to $9 dollars an hour. It was set at 8 dollars and 40 cents, so it goes up to nine. And, for those child workers or those under the age of 18, it will go up to $13 dollars,” explained Jason Keller, the Assistant Director for the Illinois Department of Labor. This is the 7th and final minimum wage increase, with the first one being in January of 2020.

* Fox Chicago | Scott’s Law violations on the rise in Illinois, Dan Ryan and Eisenhower are ‘danger zones’: The Illinois State Police is urging drivers to follow Scott’s Law—commonly known as the Move-Over Law—after a troubling rise in crashes this year. With 25 crashes related to violations, 12 state troopers have been injured, and Chicagoland remains a hotspot for these dangerous incidents.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Calls for CTU transparency from principals and newly elected school board members: Angel Gutierrez, who won the race for school board in the Southwest Side’s District 8, wrote a letter to Chicago Public Schools officials last Friday asking for an explanation as to why a scheduled training for newly elected school board members this week was canceled. Gutierrez urged the current seven-member appointed board “to refrain from making significant decisions until the new board — both elected and appointed — is officially seated in five weeks.”

* Greg Hinz | Will Johnson learn from his budget fiasco?: Overall, this budget process was the bonehead amateur hour, be it initially proposing a $300 million property tax that was a deal breaker and not a conversation starter, moving to gut enforcement of the police department consent decree that is critical to achieving racial justice in Chicago, or trying to pass the budget tab to Chicago Public Schools, Springfield or the business community — anyone except Johnson’s labor allies, who suffered neither job nor pay cuts.

* WBEZ | Chicago Film Office leader out of job at city’s cultural department: Deputy Commissioner Jonah Zeiger’s departure, which was confirmed Tuesday by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is the latest in a series of high-profile staff changes in recent months at the department. Zeiger — who often greeted the public at events like Millennium Park’s movie series and other film festivals — is at least the fourth DCASE deputy commissioner to exit since Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Clinée Hedspeth to lead the department in March.

* Crain’s | Old Post Office owner nears deal for East Loop office tower: If a sale is completed at close to that price — no guarantee, given many buyers’ struggle to secure financing today for office purchases — it would add to the list of office building sales downtown that have financially clobbered sellers over the past couple years. The COVID-19-fueled rise of remote work has combined with elevated interest rates to hammer office property values and leave landlords with few options to pay off maturing debt. The result: a Chicago central business district riddled with buildings in foreclosure and other types of financial distress.


*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* ABC Chicago | Supervisor Tiffany Henyard threatens Thornton Township government shutdown: The threat of a shutdown comes as a Thornton Township meeting, for the fifth time in recent weeks, had to be canceled because of a lack of a quorum. It was the result of Trustees Carmen Carlisle and Chris Gonzalez not showing up. Their aim is to block Henyard from appointing someone who could provide tie-breaking votes to a vacant trustee position.

* Sun-Times | Sheriff Tom Dart plans to scrap decades-old electronic monitoring program over safety concerns: More than 1,500 people are in the program, including more than 100 facing charges of murder or attempted murder. Dart says he thinks the program should be for people charged with lower-level crimes. He’s negotiating with Chief Judge Timothy Evans to handle all of the county’s electronic monitoring cases after April 1.

* Naperville Sun | After decades of red, 2024 election shows DuPage County now ‘reliably blue,’ observers say: County-wide, three-term DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen was unseated by Democratic challenger Judith Lukas. Democratic incumbents prevailed in their reelection bids for circuit clerk and auditor while the Democratic candidate clinched a win in the race for recorder. On the DuPage County Board, a Democratic challenger unseated her Republican predecessor, while other Democratic incumbents held onto their seats, leaving the body with 12 Democrats, six Republicans and a Democratic chair.

* Daily Herald | Des Plaines joins coalition against hate speech: Des Plaines is the latest community to join a suburban coalition against hate speech and hate crimes. The city council on Monday approved a resolution supporting the Cook County United Against Hate initiative. Championed by Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton, the organization formed nearly three years ago after antisemitic literature was left in residential driveways across northern Cook County.

* Daily Herald | Authorities: Two dozen geese sickened, killed by lead pellets in suburban parks: The volunteer managed to catch one and bring it to the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in Glen Ellyn. X-rays determined the goose had eaten lead pellets. From Nov. 15 to Dec. 7, volunteers captured sick geese nearby. Some were found in retention ditches off North Avenue in Lombard, at North Terrace Pond in Villa Park, and some at an industrial park retention pond in Addison.

*** Downstate ***

* Herald Whig | Quincy Park Board to consider action on Frankenhoff: Following accusations from Trent Lyons made last week as his explanation for his resignation, the Quincy Park Board will hold a special meeting on Thursday to consider action against long-time Commissioner John Frankenhoff. In his statement of resignation as a Park Board commissioner and the board’s vice president, Lyons said the motivating factor in his stepping down was what he called Frankenhoff’s “history of manipulation, bullying, harassment, and abuse.”

* WCIA | Central IL volunteer fire departments facing staffing shortage issues: “The last ten years, we’ve kind of seen a trend in people not wanting to do it,” Dilley said. “The last five years, it’s become a crisis, for us at least. And I think for a lot of other departments.” He said right now they have a roster of 10 to 12 people. They’ve tried everything from recruitment videos, sending out mailers to the communities, pleading for help and brainstorming with other departments. But nothing has worked.

* WCIA | 23 Central IL nursing homes, rehab facilities fined by IDPH: Almost two dozen nursing homes and rehab facilities across Central Illinois are facing fines from the IDPH for violations of both state and federal law. The Illinois Department of Public Health recently released its quarterly report for nursing home violations throughout the state. Over 300 facilities were fined between $50,000 and $500 for violations of varying severity that were found in the third quarter of the year.

* WCIA | Southern Illinois organization temporarily closes meal centers after delays in reimbursements: The organization gets reimbursements through the Department on Aging, but in October, they never got paid and have used up their reserve funding. And when they do get payments, they say they’re often late. “Right now, it consistently runs about 60 plus days behind in funding,” Jessica Backs, the executive director of BCMW Community Services, said. “The program itself, on average is $50,000 to $60,000 a month to run, so it does take a big chunk of change to operate and run the program to ensure that we have staff, food, gas for the cars and so forth, insurance and things like that.”

* WGLT | State grant to fund sustainable park in west Bloomington: The city said the project is a step forward in Bloomington’s commitment to environmental stewardship, public education, and residential quality of life. The grant is one of 100 park projects the state is funding with $55.2 million; 29 of the grants from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program will go to economically distressed communities.

* WSIL | Local lawmakers team up with food pantry for free turkey giveaway: State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and State Representative David Friess (R-Red Bud) partnered with Meridian Health Plan of Illinois and Chester Area Christian Food Pantry. On Wednesday, they handed out donated turkeys to more than 130 Randolph County residents at the food pantry’s mobile market.

* SJ-R | Possible closure of Boys & Girls Clubs programs in Springfield has families in limbo: More than one parent or grandparent has said they are heartbroken that their child’s Boys & Girls Clubs of America program could be closing because of grant funding that was not able to be renewed earlier this month. Eight programs in Springfield are scheduled to end after New Years, though money raised and matched by large donor could extend the programs to reach the end of the school year.

* WIFR | Rockford-area leaders support funding private school safety after Madison shooting: State Rep. Dave Vella (D-Rockford) attended Boylan Catholic High School years after a student shot his teacher in 1983. On Monday, a deadly shooting at a private Christian school in Madison, Wis., reminded him of his responsibility as a lawmaker: “to protect every child in my district.” That duty also raises a question to him: how can private schools stay as safe as public schools?

* WTVO | ‘The culture is shifting’ Winnebago Co. overdose deaths plummet: The nation has experienced a decline in overdose deaths, according to the CDC, and Winnebago County is no exception. Overdose deaths in Winnebago County peaked in 2022 at 166, but as 2024 starts to wind down, there have been only 63 overdose deaths. This would be a 57.7% decrease compared to last year.

* Crain’s | Marriott acquires cabins near Starved Rock as part of 2025 outdoor recreation push: Marriott International is expanding into the outdoor hospitality market through deals with Postcard Cabins and Trailborn that include the acquisition of a large network of cabins near the popular Starved Rock State Park. The two companies specialize in accommodations tailored to outdoor recreation, and the new portfolio will serve as the anchor of Marriott’s outdoor-focused collection set to launch in 2025.

*** National ***

* Tampa Bay Times | Pinellas County approves bonds to pay for new Rays stadium: “It was unsurprising to see the Commissioners acknowledge how important the Tampa Bay Rays and our stadium development agreement are to this community and its citizens,” Rays president Matt Silverman said. “As we have made clear, the County’s delay has caused the ballpark’s completion to slide into 2029. As a result, the cost of the project has increased significantly, and we cannot absorb this increase alone. When the County and City wish to engage, we remain ready to solve this funding gap together.”

* WaPo | In online drone panic, conspiracy thinking has gone mainstream: More than half of U.S. adults now get their news from social media, according to data from the Pew Research Center, and the voracious demands of the content economy often influence what’s considered newsworthy and how fast stories develop. Over the past month, as authorities have met the growing drone panic with occasional flight restrictions and scant information, online creators and communities have taken over, rushing to fill in the blanks with theories tailored to followers across the political spectrum.

  4 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


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

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Live coverage

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here to help LSSI bring Holiday joy to children in foster care.

You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

  Comment      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Our LSSI fundraiser is active! So far we’ve raised over $32,000! Thank you to all those who donated! But there’s so much more Holiday joy to spread, so please give if you’re able.

  Comment      


« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
* Reader comments closed for the holidays
* And the winners are…
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to previous editions
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Report: Far-right Illinois billionaires may have skirted immigration rules
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards (Updated)
* Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller