Lauren Bennett was with her family at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade when she was shot multiple times, which she says felt like a hot, metal dark light burning through her skin at supersonic speed. She ran, bleeding, with her kids from the scene. https://t.co/tBltN4346Zpic.twitter.com/sjUaOrSAPA
* The Better Government Association’s CEO David Griesing bemoans the victory of the Workers Rights Amendment in a Tribune op-ed...
Uihlein, for his part, has cause to wonder if he might have made a difference. He spent more than $50 million supporting Bailey’s campaign against Pritzker that was bound to fail almost no matter how much Uihlein spent. Had Uihlein made his move earlier and diverted, say, $10 million of his Bailey money toward matching union spending on the Workers’ Rights Amendment, the outcome might have been different.
This was a winnable electoral contest, and at least Uihlein tried. Many other conservative funders, the type who helped defeat the graduated-rate income tax amendment just two years ago by contributing alongside Griffin, chose not to commit to defeat Amendment 1 at all.
With Griffin gone, the conservative movement in Illinois lost more than Griffin’s millions. Perhaps they lost his political mojo too.
This morning, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch joined Biden administration policy experts to discuss and collaborate on legislative priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Items for discussion included reproductive health, common-sense gun reform, paid family leave, and lifting up America’s working families.
“I truly enjoyed this thoughtful and insightful conversation with President Biden’s policy experts,” said Speaker Welch. “An overwhelming majority of Americans support these policy initiatives and, as Democrats, we need to ensure that we are better aligned on these issues so that we can deliver for people across this country.”
Speaker Welch met with Julie Chavez Rodriguez, senior advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Morgan Mohr, senior advisor for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
In addition to this morning’s discussion, Speaker Welch will also attend Vice President Kamala Harris’ Holiday Reception later this evening. Speaker Welch plans to network and continue strengthening relationships with leaders from states across the country.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced he has reached a settlement with Walgreens and CVS to resolve allegations that the companies contributed to the opioid addiction crisis by failing to appropriately oversee the dispensing of opioids at stores.
The bipartisan settlement provides more than $10 billion nationally and requires significant improvements to how Walgreens and CVS pharmacies dispense opioids. Raoul and 17 state attorneys general on the executive committee, attorneys representing local governments, Walgreens and CVS have agreed to this settlement, which has been sent to other states for review and approval. The sign-on period for states will be until the end of 2022, followed by a 90-day sign-on period for units of local government. The $10.7 billion settlement will be divided among sign-on states, local governments and tribes, and will prioritize abatement and remediation of the opioid crises.
“The opioid epidemic has tragically affected too many Illinois families that have experienced addiction or even the death of a loved one. This $10.7 billion settlement with Walgreens and CVS builds upon the important progress we’ve already achieved with previous settlements, but more importantly, it holds both companies accountable,” Raoul said. “I am proud of the bipartisan work we are doing across state lines to hold retail pharmacies responsible. I will continue to ensure that resources Illinois receives through settlements are distributed equitably throughout the state to help fund services needed to mitigate the ongoing opioid crisis.”
Raoul said the settlement also includes broad, court-ordered requirements, such as the implementation of a robust Controlled Substance Compliance Program. The program will require independent pharmacist review of prescriptions, additional oversight of controlled substance dispensing, mandatory training and new reporting requirements.
* Press release…
High-impact tutoring is accelerating learning recovery in 72 Illinois school districts, thanks to a $25 million investment of federal pandemic relief funds by the Illinois State Board of Education.
ISBE has partnered with the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to implement the Illinois Tutoring Initiative, which has trained and matched 490 tutors to provide high-impact tutoring to 1,270 students in 45 school districts statewide. An additional 27 school districts have received grant funds to design and implement their own local high-impact tutoring programs, anticipated to reach up to 2,000 students.
“Over the course of the last two and a half years, our students have sacrificed so much,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In the face of turmoil, they’ve been brave. We owe it to them to provide every resource possible so that their aspirations can be met and their dreams fulfilled. By investing millions of dollars in high quality tutoring services, we’re doing just that.”
As part of the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), along with the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB), presented the Midwest Food Bank with 5,280 pounds of ground pork on Monday. The donation will go to agencies across central Illinois this holiday season.
“Illinois pig farmers are pleased to provide quality protein to those in need, especially during the holidays”, said IPPA Board Member, Pam Janssen. “Pork is a versatile protein, and ground pork is easy to use in so many meals.”
Since its inception in 2008, the Pork Power program has generated over 922,000 pounds of pork - enough for over 3 million meals - for families throughout Illinois.
That was in November. This came out today…
What: IPPA Reaches Goal of Donating 1 Million Pounds of Pork!
Where: Central Illinois Food Bank
1937 E Cook St.
Springfield, IL
Details: As part of the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association has donated over 1 MILLION pounds of pork—over 3.3 million servings—to food banks throughout Illinois!
* Paul Vallas releases his public safety plan…
The Vallas Plan calls for the restoration of police strength to the levels left by former Mayor Rahm Emanual at 13,000 officers and the dedication of at least 10 percent to the Detective rank. We will return to a community policing strategy that restores strength level to local police districts and ensures local police beat integrity – in which every beat is covered by a police car.
Vallas also called for the dispensing of the private public transit security and the use of monies to hire an additional 600-700 officers to a restored and expanded CTA Police Transit Unit. This new unit would ensure that all stations and platforms have a Police presence and the officers would ride trains with the full power to enforce city ordinances. Vallas said that people should be as safe on the CTA as they are at the city airports.
“Commuters should be as safe on the CTA as they are at our city’s airports,” said Vallas. “Public transportation in Chicago under my administration will be synonymous with Safe Passage.”
The replacement of Brown and his leadership team, the restoration to a community policing strategy, and a predictable work schedule will do much to slow the exodus of existing officers. There are a number of strategies that I highlight to address this issue and increase the number of new officers.
This includes enabling retired officers to return in either a full or part time capacity. He would also work to remove obstacles for incentivized officers from other police departments to join CPD and recruit directly from select military bases.
Vallas would also move to waive the residency requirement and work to create a CPD Reserve of hundreds of former Police Officers who left the force to become City Firefighters or hold other jobs who could be re-certified and used in emergencies and to cover shortages, special events, emergencies or temporary assignments.
Vallas said he would also utilize the office of the Mayor to immediately convene an intergovernmental summit constituted of city, sister agency and county bodies to fashion integrated solutions to the rampant crisis of unprecedented levels of crime.
At the same time, he would resurrect the Law Department Municipal Prosecution Unit and enact a robust Public Nuisance ordinance with an enforcement and prosecution focus on misdemeanors by recalcitrant, recidivists who disturb the public peace and threaten or do harm to witnesses, victims, and communities. This would work to address the criminal justice and public safety voids left by a lax and lenient States Attorney and court system.
* Press release…
Today, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced that Anabel Abarca, a resident of the McKinley Park community since 2015, will serve as the new alderman representing the 12th Ward. Abarca’s selection comes after a selection process led by community members of the 12th Ward.
“Anabel Abarca is a pillar of the 12th Ward community,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Her passion for public service and deep connection to her community makes her the best candidate to serve the residents of McKinley Park, Brighton Park, and Little Village. I look forward to working with Anabel, and I thank the 12th Ward vacancy committee for their collaboration in this process.”
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | More than just the Tumblers:As he nears retirement, Jesse White reflects on his time in baseball, the military, 1955 Montgomery, as secretary of state and his work with a certain well-known gymnastics group.
* SJ-R | Application deadline set for candidates wanting the GOP nod to replace Butler:Qualified candidates wishing to represent the district in the Illinois General Assembly have until Dec. 22 at 5 p.m., to file an application. The application must include a letter of interest and an up-to-date resume. It can be submitted at the Sangamon County Republican Central Committee headquarters, 1132 Sangamon Ave., or via email at sangamonrepublicans@scrcc.comcastbiz.net.
* Tribune | Young voters’ enthusiasm for Democrats waned during midterms:Voters under 30 went 53% for Democratic House candidates compared with only 41% for Republican candidates nationwide, according to AP VoteCast, a sweeping national survey of the electorate. But that level of support for Democrats was down compared with 2020, when such voters supported President Joe Biden over his predecessor, Donald Trump, 61% to 36%. And in 2018, when Democrats used a midterm surge to retake control of the House, voters 18 to 29 went 64% for the party compared with 34% for the GOP.
* CBS Chicago | Illinois mandates replacement of lead pipes, but who’ll foot the bill?:Instead of a $550 repair, her bill ballooned to nearly $7,700…Her pipe couldn’t just be fixed. The entire thing needed to come out per a new state law called the “Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act.” All this heavy lifting on her property came out of her pocket.
* Illinois Answers Project |As Investors Buy More Homes Around the Obama Presidential Center Gentrification Worries Soar:“People should be afraid, they should be concerned about firms that don’t live in this community buying up homes,” said Dixon Romeo, a South Shore organizer with Not Me We, a group fighting for better housing and sustainability. “It’s very simple, the goal of every firm is to make profit, right? In terms of housing that means raising the rent, imposing unnecessary fees and effectively displacing people.”
* Sun-Times | Son of ex-state Rep. Edward Acevedo pleads guilty to cheating on taxes:Michael Acevedo, his brother Alex and their father were indicted separately in February 2021 for alleged tax crimes. The charges resulted from the same investigation that led to this year’s indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.
* SEIU | The SEIU Illinois State Council Endorses Candidates Who Will Fight for Issues Important to Working Families:SEIU Illinois State Council Municipal Aldermanic Endorsements: 1 Daniel La Spata; 3 Pat Dowell; 4 Lamont Robinson; 5 Desmon Yancy; 6 William Hall; 7 Greg Mitchell; 8 Michelle Harris; 10 Ana Guajardo; 11 Nicole Lee; 12 Julia Ramirez; 14 Jeylu Gutierrez; 16 Stephanie Coleman; 17 David Moore; 19 Matt O’Shea; 20 Jeanette Taylor; 21 Ronnie Mosley; 22 Mike Rodriguez; 23 Silvana Tabares; 25 Byron Sigcho-Lopez; 28 Jason Ervin; 29 Chris Taliaferro; 31 Felix Cardona; 32 Scott Waguespack; 33 Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez; 34 Bill Conway; 35 Carlos Ramirez-Rosa; 37 Emma Mitts; 40 Andre Vasquez; 43 Rebecca Janowitz; 47 Matthew Martin; 49 Maria Hadden
* Washington Post | Renewables to overtake coal as world’s top energy source by 2025, IEA says:The world is set to add as much renewable energy in the next five years as it did in the past two decades, as a global energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine accelerates growth in renewables such as wind and solar, the International Energy Agency says. Led by solar energy, renewables are poised to overtake coal as the largest source of electricity generation worldwide by early 2025, helping to keep alive the global goal of limiting Earth’s warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), according to the Paris-based agency’s latest forecasts.
* Block Club Chicago | Chicago Public Schools Did Not Defame Lincoln Park High Principal Fired Amid Scandal, Jury Rules: A federal jury sided with Chicago Public Schools in its handling of a high-profile scandal involving the school’s athletics program that led to the former interim principal’s firing. The jury deliberated for several hours Monday before reaching the verdict. As it was read at the Dirksen Federal Building in the Loop, former interim principal John Thuet looked down and clasped his hands in his lap as his attorney consoled him by patting him on the back.
* KSDK | CARE STL Adoption Center overcrowded, in desperate need of foster homes:One of Downtown St. Louis’s largest animal adoption centers is overwhelmed with animals, particularly dogs. In a little over a week animal control brought in more than 70 dogs to CARE STL Adoption Center and they’re in desperate need of help.
* Washington Post | Cause of death: Washington faltered as fentanyl gripped America:During the past seven years, as soaring quantities of fentanyl flooded into the United States, strategic blunders and cascading mistakes by successive U.S. administrations allowed the most lethal drug crisis in American history to become significantly worse, a Washington Post investigation has found.
* Axios | Illinois’ nonfatal opioid overdose rate among highest in U.S.:Illinois ranks third nationally in nonfatal opioid overdoses, according to an analysis of emergency medical responder data. Why it matters: The number suggests opioid use is high in Illinois, but also that our safety precautions — including making overdose treatments like naloxone (Narcan) widely available — are saving lives. By the numbers: Illinois recorded 182,402 nonfatal opioid overdoses over the last year, a rate of 55 per 100,000 people.
* Washington Post | Elon Musk uses QAnon tactic in criticizing former Twitter safety chief:Elon Musk escalated his battle of words with previous managers of Twitter into risky new territory over the weekend, allying himself with far-right crusaders against a purported epidemic of child sex abuse and implying that the company’s former head of trust and safety had a permissive view of sexual activity by minors.
* Pantagraph | Abandoned nests reveal gaps in Illinois’ ability to protect endangered bird species:But construction last year on a new trail around the Chicago History Museum displaced a flock of the birds and put the remaining population at risk, as it is now highly concentrated in one location. Lardner wants to know what happened. For some conservation advocates, the herons’ abandonment of their nests represents a long-standing gap between policies in place to protect endangered wildlife and how they play out in practice. The state Endangered Species Protection Act mandates that public entities consult the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on any projects that could alter environmental conditions or could affect wildlife.
* Illinois Environmental Council executive director Jen Walling argues that the state needs to focus on “nature-based climate solutions”…
Nature-based climate solutions involve conserving, restoring or better managing ecosystems to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as allowing forests to regrow, restoring wetlands and switching to regenerative agricultural practices. These ecosystems soften climate impacts, such as extreme weather, and reduce climate pollution by capturing carbon dioxide from the air and sequestering it in plants and soils. They also provide many other important benefits, such as cleaner air and water, economic activity and biodiversity.
According to research conducted by the Nature Conservancy, on a global level, nature-based climate solutions can account for up to 37% of the reductions needed to meet 2030 emission targets and avoid global climate catastrophe.
Yet, Illinois has a dismal reputation for the preservation of natural areas. Less than .01% of Illinois’ ancient prairie remains, less than 4% of Illinois’ land area is in natural preservation, and Illinois ranks 49th out of the 50 states in the amount of preserved natural area per capita.
* Some of her recommendations are to stop leaving federal money on the table and update the state’s ridiculously complex procurement system to make it more small business-friendly…
Maximize every single possible federal dollar. Illinois is leaving millions in federal conservation funding on the table by not matching federal grant funds, not applying for funding or not supporting the efforts of conservation agencies to apply for federal funding. The Inflation Reduction Act, Land and Water Conservation Fund and upcoming Recovering America’s Wildlife are among some of the opportunities the state isn’t prepared to fully utilize, along with past agricultural conservation efforts and upcoming farm bill opportunities.
Invest in economies. Studies show that every dollar put into conservation drawsmore money into the economy through outdoor recreation purchases, visitors to area businesses and increased property values near nature. Illinois’ procurement system needs to be updated to give small businesses more opportunities to invest in state parks and IDNR should prioritize a conservation corps that hires and trains people from disinvested communities.
Hands down is Liz Brown. She’s everywhere all the time. She is the best at handling a roll call and actually being truthful with her clients and she knows her topic areas in and out. Just head and shoulders above the rest.
Khadine has a huge hand in making Illinois the reproductive rights haven it is now. She is knowledgeable and knows how to listen and address people’s concerns. She’s a first call for so many people in the state on major civil and reproductive rights issues. Just the best imho.
The vote and the intensity were pretty heavily in Khadine’s favor.
Congratulations!
* On to today’s categories…
Best Do-Gooder Lobbyist
Best Legislative Liaison
Do your very best to nominate in both categories and make sure to explain your votes. Thanks.
* And despite my fear of sounding like a broken record, please click here to help buy presents for LSSI foster kids. Together, we help make a difference in the lives of these children every Christmas season, and we are now entering our annual fundraising home stretch. Thanks!
An early holiday gift is being delivered to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois.
The Des Plaines-based non-profit social services organization is receiving $15,328 in unclaimed cash that was surrendered to Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office, which is responsible for safeguarding unclaimed property.
“While we always work hard to give back unclaimed property to the rightful owners or heirs, we make an extra effort at this time of year to return money to non-profits because their generosity, kindness, and caring acts help so many people,” Frerichs said. “Our staff feels fortunate to play a small role in making the holiday season a little brighter for people who might be going through a challenging time.”
The $15,328 total being returned to LSSI consists of 42 cash properties from various sources, such as uncashed checks, insurance payments and vendors’ credits and refunds. The individual amounts range from one cent to $4,876, and the overall total includes $1,640 in interest paid on the assets.
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois was founded in 1867. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, LSSI served more than 42,000 children, adults, seniors and families through more than 50 offices across Illinois. The organization’s programs include foster care, mental health services, alcohol and drug treatment, affordable senior housing, home care services for older adults, residential programs for people with developmental disabilities, and programs that help people and families impacted by incarceration.
“Any family or individual can appreciate how much receiving unanticipated cash can help, particularly during the holidays, but it’s especially meaningful for nonprofit organizations who use the money to provide critical services,” said Mark A. Stutrud, LSSI President and CEO. “We’re deeply appreciative that the Treasurer’s office has streamlined the process for receiving unclaimed property. This can make such a difference in the lives of our clients, whether it’s using the money to support our vital programs or providing a Christmas present to a child who might otherwise go without.”
The Municipal Officer’s Election Board for the City of Pekin voted 2-1 on Friday to remove mayoral candidate Becky Cloyd from the ballot. […]
The Electoral Board hearing was convened as a result of objections to Cloyd’s petition from Pekin residents John Burns and Tim Latronico. Both Burns and Latronico said Cloyd’s nomination petition was missing circulator’s information at the bottom of each page. Burns also said that some of the signatures had come from addresses outside of Pekin’s corporate city limits.
Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman testified that although Cloyd did not fill out the circulator’s information, she had circulated the petition herself, and had properly filled out her candidate information at the top of each page. Two of the signatories were determined to reside outside of Pekin’s corporate limits, he said. The board unanimously overruled the objections to the circulator’s information, but upheld the objection to the two signatures.
* Petitions are also supposed to be signed at the bottom of the page by the circulators. Two pages weren’t signed, so they were tossed…
Burns and Tim Latronico filed separate challenges to Cloyd’s nominating petitions, with the main objection being Cloyd failed to properly fill out and sign the circulator section at the bottom of each page. Cloyd served as her own signature and had filled out her address and provided her signature elsewhere on the petitions.
Cloyd was represented at the hearing by Tom DeVore, the former Republican candidate for Illinois Attorney General.
“These exact issues that were raised, those arguments have been in front of the courts of Illinois already, exactly as they were presented, and the case law is crystal clear that neither of those reasons are a sufficient basis to invalidate her petition,” said DeVore.
Early in the meeting, DeVore made a preliminary motion for [outgoing Mayor Mark Luft, who didn’t support Cloyd’s campaign] to be disqualified from the hearing. With the election code indicating the only barrier to eligibility is if the board member is also running for the office in question, the motion was voted down unanimously.
* From Rick Pearson’s story on the Illinois state GOP’s weekend meeting…
Republican National Committeeman Richard Porter drew the most audience criticism as he sought to focus on the need for post-election party unification and “respecting other perspectives” while calling for “no more RINO crap,” using the acronym Republican In Name Only, which conservatives use to attack moderates.
“We have to recognize a lot of people see us as angry white people that cannot be trusted to govern,” Porter said. “Now we know that’s not true, but they bought it. All right. We have to recognize the face we present to the public is who we are.” […]
“Republicans come in many flavors,” Porter said, prompting a man to reply, “No. One-flavor Republicans,” while a woman yelled, “You guys quashed good candidates.”
“One-flavor Republicans” is the very definition of an exclusive private club. Despite the protestations, however, party leadership remains intact.
There’s been sort of an unwritten rule the past several years in Springfield to stay away from doing things like ban assault weapons.
The votes to pass one have seemingly been there in both chambers, but the will of past Democratic leadership seemed to be to not overtly poke any big, cash-rich bears, like the National Rifle Association, or to alienate or electorally imperil conservative members of their Democratic caucuses.
Perhaps more importantly, Democratic leaders also haven’t wanted to unintentionally set off a pro-gun judicial tripwire that could not only kill the state law they passed but expand national gun owners’ rights even further and perhaps imperil other laws here and elsewhere.
Under duress from the federal judiciary several years ago, Illinois legislators approved a law allowing for concealed carry of firearms. Tucked into that law was a short, 10-day window allowing local governments to pass their own ordinances to ban assault weapons. Highland Park passed such an ordinance within the time limit, but other mayors figured that the state would eventually get around to banning the weapons, so they waited. Five years later, in 2018, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and other suburban leaders went back to Springfield and asked, in lieu of statewide legislative action, that the local option to pass a ban be reinstated. Their proposal went nowhere.
Fast-forward to this past summer, when Highland Park was the scene of a horrific massacre at its Independence Day parade. A man fired an assault weapon 83 times within seconds and killed seven people, wounding 48 more.
Freshman Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) introduced an assault weapon ban this past January, but she had only picked up one co-sponsor before July 4. After the Highland Park shooting, Hirschauer signed up 55 more co-sponsors in quick order.
Hirschauer was not able to round up the 71 House votes it would’ve taken to pass a bill with an immediate effective date in the summer and fall. But I’m told it’s quite safe to say that she had lined up more than the bare majority of 60.
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch convened several working groups over the summer, including the Firearm Safety & Reform Working Group, headed by state Rep. Bob Morgan, who was at the Highland Park parade. Morgan (D-Deerfield) and the working group rolled out House Bill 5855 last week, the Protect Illinois Communities Act. Among other things, the bill prohibits the sale of assault weapons and requires existing owners to register their weapons with the Illinois State Police.
The bill’s first hearing is Monday, Dec. 12. It’s widely assumed that Morgan has more than enough votes to pass his legislation after Jan. 1, when approval will only require a simple majority of 60 votes. Hirschauer is also helping line up votes.
But gun law reform groups aren’t taking any chances. A new not-for-profit group called “Protect Illinois Communities” has been formed to push for passage of the bill in both chambers.
The group will use “paid and grassroots engagement,” including TV ads, phones and direct mail, for a “well-funded” campaign that is apparently designed not only to counter groups like the National Rifle Association, but also to prod legislative Democrats to move past their reluctance and take some action. Expect a significant expenditure.
In the past, we’ve seen things like nearly identical bills advanced by each chamber, with nothing ever actually getting through both chambers and to the governor’s desk, or (as under former Gov. Bruce Rauner) only advanced to the governor’s desk in the face of a guaranteed veto that couldn’t be overridden.
So, keep an eye on the Senate, where the presiding officer has been a vociferous proponent of gun law reform his entire career, but whose caucus contains a sizable number of moderates who have wanted to shy away from such legislation.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Freedom Caucus issued a press release attacking Morgan’s Protect Illinois Communities Act proposal.
The group, composed of far-right Illinois House members, called on legislators “to fulfill their oath of office by standing up for our Constitution, even the parts of that document they don’t like.”
So, I asked the group’s spokesperson if members, who are all avowed Donald Trump supporters, had any thoughts about Trump’s recent claim that the 2020 election, which he still falsely claims was stolen, “allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
It may not surprise you to learn that I never heard back.
* Tribune | Downstate Sen. Scott Bennett, who played major role in changes to SAFE-T Act, dies at 45: “We remain in complete shock because it was all so sudden and unexpected,” Bennett’s wife, Stacy, said in a statement shared by Bennett’s Senate office. “Scott lived a life full of service and constantly looked for ways to lend his time and energy to helping our community and state. He worked tirelessly to find solutions to society’s most pressing issues by finding common ground and compromise. To say he will be greatly missed is an understatement.”
* Tribune | Republican grassroots activists vent post-election frustration at state GOP: More than a hundred grassroots activists, defeated candidates and party loyalists descended on a meeting of the Illinois Republican Party’s top leaders on Saturday, voicing frustration over last month’s election results that extended the state’s one-party Democratic governance. But after four hours and nearly 60 speakers, Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy survived a sometimes raucous Republican State Central Committee meeting at the Bolingbrook Golf Club to continue as head of the state party after contending some outside the state GOP were stirring dissent and seeking to challenge his leadership in order to try to boost their internet presence.
* Greg Hinz | How the Dems could still screw themselves in Springfield: I suspect it’s the House that’s worth keeping an eye on, both because it’s larger than the Senate with more folks who can stir up mischief and because Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch leads the biggest Democratic House majority in state history, the kind of majority that the indicted but shrewd Mike Madigan never wanted because it made enforcing caucus discipline much harder. Ergo, says one veteran Springfield Dem, keep an eye on pressure to bust the budget and spend money that a state that still has $140 billion in unfunded pension liability really doesn’t have. That pressure will be even more intense now that House Majority Leader Greg Harris, who had a real talent for getting budgets through, is retiring.
* Daily Herald | What’s on the next secretary of state’s agenda: Among his top priorities is eliminating the “time tax” state residents pay to access simple government services, Giannoulias said in an interview last week. His agenda, which is still under review by a transition team, prioritizes developing digital licenses and state IDs that can be accessed by smartphones to cut costs and wait times.
* Illinois Radio Network | Gov. Pritzker anticipates lawsuits over gun ban bills: “Not a constitutional lawyer but I will say that my expectation is that there will be lawsuits because once it’s passed the people who oppose it, that’s really all that’s left for them,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event. “I believe that this is a constitutional proposal.”
* CBS Chicago | Glenwood police bust catalytic converter chop shop: Police said they recovered a total of 128 stolen catalytic converters with a value of around $54,000. Also recovered was a stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, which was later stripped for parts. Along with the stolen items, police recovered several reciprocating saws, a loaded .45-caliber handgun and magazines, and cash that has been classified as illicit funds.
* WJOL | Changes To One Day Rest in Seven Act Take Effect Jan. 1: Illinois officials are informing employers in state about changes to the One Day Rest in Seven Act set to take effect January 1st. The One Day Rest in Seven Act gives workers the right to a day of rest every workweek and breaks for meals or rest during daily work shifts. Changes include giving employees a 20-minute break if working a 12-hour shift or longer, and at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every consecutive seven-day period. Also, all employers covered by the act must post a notice at the workplace notifying employees of their rights under the Act.
* Ralph Martire | Illinois education funding shows benefits of bipartisanship: The reality is, it’d be in everyone’s interest if bipartisanship did not become a quaint vestige of America’s political past, but rather a rational way to resolve complex, societal problems. For proof, look no further than the great state of Illinois, and its relatively new school funding formula — the “Evidence Based Formula for Student Success” or “EBF.” As its name suggests, the EBF ties education funding to covering what the evidence shows works to enhance student achievement.
* Crain’s | Rivian to be added to Nasdaq 100: Rivian Automotive Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. will be joining the Nasdaq 100 Index as part of its annual rebalancing, which adjusts the tech-heavy benchmark’s composition for changes in market capitalization.
* Sun-Times | Docs to Pritzker: Truck diesel pollution is killing Illinoisans: More than 130 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to save Illinoisans’ lives by speeding up the state’s transition to electric trucks that will reduce the amount of diesel fuel air pollution.
* Washington Post | The big Republican Latino realignment didn’t happen in 2022. What now?: Leading up to Election Day last month, Republicans were poised to claim major victories, from a red wave in the House to control of the Senate. As part of those grand expectations, they hoped the results would show that Latino voters were continuing to join their ranks. That prediction proved off the mark.
* Crain’s | Latest Fulton Market plans could add 2,100 apartments, office space: On Dec. 14, all three firms will present their plans to the Chicago Committee on Design, which has posted their designs on its website. They’re joining a herd of developers that have stampeded into Fulton Market the past several years, putting up office buildings, hotels and, more recently, lots of apartments.
* The Ringer | This Secret Society in Washington, D.C., Has One Agenda: Fly, Eagles, Fly: Washington media outlets, like the city itself, are crawling with fans of every NFL team. But Eagles fans are particularly noisy. The email thread is the place where they ponder the bad things that could happen after they start the season 11-1. As Anne Caprara, an emailer who is chief of staff to Illinois governor JB Pritzker, says, “You stumbled onto the Illuminati of Philly sports.”
* Daily Herald | How families can safely gather during viral season: If families have plans to gather but want to be mindful about potential transmission, Kusma suggests members either do a mini quarantine one week ahead of the event or proactively limit the number of other people they see right before the holiday.
* Crain’s | How City Hall’s World Cup withdrawals proved prescient: But come 2026, the city will miss out on the action because, in 2018, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel withdrew Chicago from the 2026 bid, citing taxpayer risk and demands from FIFA, soccer’s governing body. What’s less well-remembered: In early 2010, Chicago also withdrew from a U.S. World Cup bid (for 2022) citing concerns about the cost to taxpayers and “a tough economy.”
* Daily Star | Earth hit by intense blast of energy that’s ‘unlike any we have seen before’: The event was detected in December 2021 by NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The gamma-ray burst was significantly longer than average, which might normally suggest it had been produced by the collapse of a massive star into a supernova.
* Shelly Palmer | ChatGPT In Its Own Words: ChatGPT has been all over the news. Last week, I asked it to help me write a blog post about Facebook – it did a very good job. Yesterday, just for fun, my son Brent and I asked it for 250 word answers to questions about history and philosophy. ChatGPT returned college-level answers. What exactly is ChatGPT? I asked it. Here’s its answer to the input “a five paragraph essay describing ChatGPT in your own words.”
Monday is the one-year anniversary of my mom’s passing. Mom changed countless lives thru small acts of kindness. In her honor, I am pledging to add $10 to every donation to @MeetLSSI thru @capitolfax annual drive between now & 5 pm on Monday. #twillhttps://t.co/n9NIpeoDpX
Stellantis on Friday said it will indefinitely idle its Jeep Cherokee plant in Belvidere, Ill., early next year in what the UAW blasted as a “grossly misguided” decision.
In a statement, the automaker cited a number of factors that impacted its decision.
“Our industry has been adversely affected by a multitude of factors like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the global microchip shortage, but the most impactful challenge is the increasing cost related to the electrification of the automotive market,” Stellantis said in a statement. “Stellantis has taken a number of actions to stabilize production and improve efficiency at its North American facilities to preserve affordability and customer satisfaction in terms of quality. While it considers other avenues to optimize operations, Stellantis has made the decision to idle the Belvidere Assembly plant effective Feb. 28, 2023.”
The company said workers will be indefinitely laid off, although it will “make every effort” to place them in other full-time positions as they become available. Stellantis noted it is also working to “identify other opportunities to repurpose the Belvidere facility.”
“We are all deeply angered by Stellantis’s decision to idle the Belvidere Assembly plant without a plan for future product,” says UAW Vice President and Director of the Stellantis Department Cindy Estrada. “There are many vehicle platforms imported from other countries that could be built in Belvidere with skill and quality by UAW members at Belvidere. The transition to electrification also creates opportunities for new product. Companies like Stellantis receive billions in government incentives to transition to clean energy. It is an insult to all taxpayers that they are not investing that money back into our communities.”
“We believe Stellantis is grossly misguided in idling this plant which has produced profits for the company since 1965,” adds UAW President Ray Curry. “Not allocating new product to plants like Belvidere is unacceptable. Announcing the closure just a few weeks from the holidays is also a cruel disregard for the contributions of our members from UAW Locals 1268 and 1761. We will fight back against this announcement.”
The Detroit News last year identified Belvidere among the vulnerable North American assembly plants as shifts were canceled, the second shift was cut and it faced other layoffs amid the chip shortage. Cherokee sales were down 61% in the first nine months of 2022.
The move signals the state’s worst fears may have come true: One of the two major auto assembly plants might not make the transition to electric vehicles. […]
State economic development officials have been hoping to convince Stellantis to make the transition to EVs at Belvidere and to locate a battery plant in Illinois. A year ago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act (REV Illinois Act), a package of tax breaks aimed at EV companies, in a ceremony at Rock Valley College Advanced Technology Center in Belvidere.
So far those efforts haven’t paid off. Stellantis is spending $2.8 billion to retool plants in Ontario, Canada. Stellantis and Samsung announced plans to build a $2.5 billion battery plant in Kokomo, Ind., where the company already makes engines and transmissions. The battery plant will employ 1,400 workers.
Illinois recently revamped its incentives to increase the amount of money available and provide flexibility to help existing automakers.
State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, released the following statement on behalf of the members of the House Public Safety Working Group:
“The loss of Senator Scott Bennett is an unexpected tragedy. Senator Bennett’s collegiality and dedication was instrumental to the work of refining and enhancing the SAFE-T Act, and his dedication to his community was paramount. His passing is a sad moment for our state as a whole, and his community, his friends, and his family in particular. We are united in grief with all who loved Senator Bennett, and wish peace and comfort for his family.”
* SEIU Local 73…
SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer issued the following statement on the death of Illinois State Senator Scott Bennett.
“Scott Bennett was an ally to the labor movement in Illinois. He stood up for working families by supporting the Workers’ Rights Amendment and supported our members in their fight for a fair contract at the University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign.”
“On behalf of the members of SEIU Local 73, I send our condolences to Scott’s family.”
* Treasurer Frerichs…
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs On the Passing of Illinois Senator Scott Bennett
“I can’t believe Scott is gone. He was a loving husband, devoted father, and to me, one of my closest friends.
“He fought for people as an assistant state’s attorney and continued to fight for people as an Illinois State Senator. He was not afraid of the difficult issues and there was no challenge too big for him to tackle.
“Scott had a big laugh and an even bigger heart. He made friends easily, understood the value of hard work, and was quick with words of encouragement at just the right time. Certainly, he learned these truths from his family, which date back five generations in East Central Illinois. Today, they remain deeply committed to helping neighbors, especially their fellow farmers, because it simply is the right thing to do.
“Where he really shined, however, was with his wife, Stacy, and their twins. My heart breaks for their loss and the unimaginable grief and emptiness they must feel. I pray the memories they have of better times will strengthen and sustain them in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. I pray they will strengthen and sustain me too.”
“Farewell, Scott. You always will be my friend.”
Bennett was appointed to the Senate seat held by Frerichs after he was sworn-in as Illinois State Treasurer in 2015.
* Gov. Pritzker…
Following the passing of state Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign), Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“Today, the state of Illinois mourns the loss of a dedicated public servant and devoted father. Senator Scott Bennett was a good man who always operated with the best interest of his constituents in mind. Throughout his time in Springfield, he fiercely advocated for the institutions that shaped his life, from his upbringing on a Gibson City farm, all the way to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The entire state is a better place thanks to his service. MK and I send our thoughts to his loving wife Stacy and their two beautiful children during this difficult period.”
Both Champaign and Urbana mayors said they relied heavily on Sen. Bennett, and expressed heartfelt condolences to his family.
“I can’t imagine their loss and grief,” Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen said.
When there was legislation that was going to impact the local area, Feinen said, “he was my first phone call. He was always in contact,” Feinen said. “I will miss that, but what I will really miss is his kind nature, his care for our community and his hilarious sense of humor. He made me laugh every time I talked to him. He was just the best.”
“We have lost a wonderful man way too soon,” Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin said. “I deeply respected Sen. Scott Bennett and, more importantly, just plain liked Scott Bennett very much.”
* Comptroller Mendoza…
What terrible, shocking news to hear of State Sen. Scott Bennett’s passing today. This is a heartbreaking and tragic loss for his wife and children. It is also an immeasurable loss for the state Senate, his constituents and the entire state of Illinois. He was a beloved colleague to all he served with. I had the honor and pleasure of working with Sen. Bennett – including recent discussions to increase awareness of autism in the workplace. He will be remembered for his warmth and wit. Not only was he one of the kindest legislators, but one of the most effective. May his family find peace as they grieve this tremendous loss. We will all miss him, and though his life was all too short, he leaves a lasting legacy. May he rest in God’s peace and eternal glory. To his family, thank you for sharing him with us. Scott will forever remain in my heart as well.
*** UPDATE *** From the family…
State Senator Scott M. Bennett (D-Champaign) passed earlier today surrounded by his wife, family and loved ones at Carle Hospital in Urbana from complications of a large brain tumor.
His wife Stacy released the following statement:
“We are devastated to share that our beloved Scott has passed away. We remain in complete shock because it was all so sudden and unexpected.
“Scott will forever be known for being an extraordinary father, husband, and friend. His quick humor and wit could light up any room he entered. We will miss his stories, the way he could always make people laugh, and his genuine kindness.
“Scott lived a life full of service and constantly looked for ways to lend his time and energy to helping our community and state. He worked tirelessly to find solutions to society’s most pressing issues by finding common ground and compromise. To say he will be greatly missed is an understatement.
“We appreciate the amazing care he received at Carle Foundation Hospital and thank all of the doctors, nurses, and staff who provided Scott with excellent care and support for his family. We are also grateful for the outpouring of love and support. Scott’s impact on our community is very evident.
“At this time, we ask that our privacy is respected as we navigate this difficult time.”
…Adding… The family is asking that people not send flowers. Information about memorial donations will be made available in the near future.
Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) statement on Senator Bennett’s death
“I was devastated today to learn of the death of Senator Scott Bennett.
“My heartfelt sympathy and prayers are with his wife Stacy and their children during this unimaginably difficult time.
“I ask the media and others to respect their privacy.”
* Leader McConchie…
Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie released the below statement following the news of the passing of Senator Scott Bennett:
“The shocking news of the passing of Senator Bennett is absolutely devastating. My heart breaks for his wife and children, who lost him way too soon. Senator Bennett was one of the most genuine individuals and embodied what it means to be a true public servant. Today, the Illinois Senate lost a Senator who was truly serving to make a difference for the state of Illinois. I mourn with my Senate colleagues and the Senate Democratic Caucus. My prayers go out to his loved ones as they grapple with this unexpected and sudden loss.”
* Sen. Rose…
State Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) released the below statement following the news of the passing of Senator Scott Bennett:
“The entire Rose family is deeply saddened to hear of the news of the passing of Senator Scott Bennett. Scotty was a great guy, who worked tirelessly for the folks of Champaign and Vermilion Counties. I always enjoyed the fact that when it came to local issues, we would work together without partisanship.
“I always looked forward to seeing him around town whether at the YMCA or the Buffalo Wild Wings, where we could occasionally run into each other with our kids. The world needs more Scott Bennetts, not less. Our prayers go out to his entire family.”
* Sen. Curran…
State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign), a member of the Illinois Senate since 2015, passed away on Friday. Upon learning of the Senator’s passing, Senate Republican Leader-Elect John Curran (R-Downers Grove) issued the following statement:
“This is a devastating loss. Senator Bennett was a true statesman who was a master at the use of humor to disarm one in a debate. He displayed great passion and wisdom in crafting public policy and it was a privilege to work with him in the General Assembly. While it was evident that he enjoyed his work in the Legislature, nothing was more important to him than his family. The Senator’s wife, children, and extended family are in my prayers during this most difficult time.”
* Chair Hernandez…
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez released the following statement regarding the death of Senator Scott Bennett:
“The Democratic Party of Illinois mourns the passing of Senator Scott Bennett. He was a colleague, public servant and dedicated family man committed to improving the lives of his constituents. We uplift his wife Stacy and their children in our prayers during this time of ineffable loss.”
* Sen. Peters…
Following the death of his esteemed friend and colleague, State Senator Scott Bennett, State Senator Robert Peters released the following statement:
“I am deeply saddened to learn about Senator Bennett’s passing. It was just last week we were sitting next to each other and working on legislation together.
“More than a hard worker and state senator, he truly had a divine sense of humor. He was always making us laugh, and he was a pleasure to work with. He knew how to diffuse a tense negotiation with a perfectly timed joke or comment.
“My condolences are with wife his wife and children, and I know he will not be forgotten.”
* Speaker Welch…
Speaker Welch’s Statement on the Passing of Senator Scott Bennett
“I want to extend my deepest condolences to Senator Scott Bennett’s family and loved ones during this very difficult time. Senator Bennett was a fierce advocate for his community and never wavered in his pursuit to make his district, and all of Illinois, a better place to call home. We are all better for knowing Senator Bennett, and I pray his loved ones find comfort in their most cherished memories during this time of mourning.”
* Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton…
Today, Illinois lost a dedicated public servant, an incredible leader, and a loving family man. I lost a fellow Illini and a friend. It is with a heavy heart that I learned of the passing of State Senator Scott Bennett.
Scott was a brilliant and loyal fighter who not only worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents but also to uplift people throughout the state. Scott understood that being a leader requires the courage to speak up and the heart to listen.
He collaborated with members from both sides of the aisle and always put what was best for Illinois first.
Scott and I are both proud graduates of the University of Illinois. We would often greet each other with alumni pride. Scott brought energy and joy whenever he entered a room. I know that the halls of Springfield will have less joy because he is now gone.
My husband Bryan and I extend our condolences to his wife, Stacy, and their children. We are praying for the family and all who love him including his colleagues in the General Assembly. May we all find comfort during this difficult time.
* Sen. Loughran Cappel…
Following the death of her friend and colleague, Scott Bennett, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel released the following statement.
“The passing of Senator Scott Bennett is a devastating loss to the Senate and to the State of Illinois. He was an incredible legislator, and I have a deep respect for his leadership both on and off the Senate floor.
“Scott was a good, upstanding man whom I looked up to. He brought humor into everything he did. I’m going to miss him as a colleague, but most of all, I’m going to miss him as a friend.
“My heart is with his family and all who knew him.”
* Sen. Sims…
Following the death of his friend and colleague, Scott Bennett, State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. released the following statement:
“To say that I am devastated by the loss of my friend and colleague Scott Bennett is an understatement.
“Senator Bennett always led with much grace and dignity, and I will forever be grateful for his stewardship, partnership and friendship.
“Scott worked tirelessly on behalf of his constituents, evidenced most recently by his work on the subsequent trailer bills of the SAFE-T Act where he willingly sacrificed time with his family over the holiday weekend to improve the lives of people he would never meet. His service is indicative of his commitment to his District and the people of Illinois.
“I will forever remember his smile, words of encouragement, quick wit and unmatched sense of humor.
“My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Stacy, two children, and all who knew him. Scott loved the people he represented, but he loved his family more — they truly were his pride and joy. His legacy will forever live on.”
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement regarding the passing of Senator Scott Bennett.
“I am shocked and saddened to hear we have lost a devoted husband, father, friend, and public servant today. I had the honor to serve beside Senator Scott Bennett and I called him a friend. We worked closely together on numerous pieces of legislation to protect the people of Illinois. Senator Bennett was a passionate advocate for his constituents and was able to fight for them while maintaining genuine and unwavering civility. At a time of increased rancor and partisan divide, Scott treated those around him with dignity and garnered respect from both sides of the aisle. This is a tragic loss to the state of Illinois. My heart breaks for Scott’s wife and young children, and I wish them peace and comfort as they mourn their husband and father.”
* Sen. Hunter…
State Senator Mattie Hunter released the following statement after the passing of her respected colleague State Senator Scott Bennett, who she worked closely with on the Executive Appointments Committee:
“The unexpected news of Senator Bennett’s passing is incredibly saddening. He was a wonderful colleague who loved his job. He was a natural at it all, and he always had ideas on how to make a bill stronger. In just seven years, he made a great name for himself in the Senate.
“As the chair of the Higher Education Committee, and member of many other committees, he was a very passionate and active professional whose work will live on. He was dedicated to the betterment of his constituency, impacting his community and Illinois at large.
“More than that, he was funny, charismatic and genuine. He adored his wife Stacey and children, and my prayers are with them at this time.”
* Flags lowered…
I’ve ordered flags lowered to honor Senator Bennett and his service to the people of Illinois.
State Representative Carol Ammons (D- 103rd District) said she was with Bennett’s family shortly after he was admitted to the hospital on Thursday.
“We sat until the evening, so that we could see that he was stabilizing,” Rep. Ammons said. “We really wanted to know if he was stable and if the doctors could figure out what was wrong.”
She planned to return Friday to check on him, but then she got the news.
“I was shocked,” Ammons said with tears in her eyes.
* More quotes in this WCIA story, including several from social media posts…
"Champaign County State’s Attorney Julia Rietz has asked if any constituents have campaign yard signs of Bennett to put them back out in his memory" https://t.co/ExAkyetVf9
“Scott embodied professionalism and bipartisanship in his role of senator, and I will be forever grateful for all the accomplishments we were able to bring to the great people of Champaign and Vermilion counties,” said state Rep. Mike Marron, R-Fithian.
The Illinois Supreme Court Pretrial Implementation Task Force (Task Force) will host a town hall meeting on December 16 at noon via Zoom. This town hall meeting will address the Legislature’s recent amendments to the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA) as found in Public Act 102- 1104.
Town hall meetings update stakeholders and the community on the work of the Task Force as it helps jurisdictions prepare for the changes coming when the PFA goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2023 and provides the opportunity to answer questions regarding the PFA. The Task Force was established in 2020 by the Illinois Supreme Court, and the Hon. Robbin Stuckert (ret.) serves as Chair.
The PFA, legislation passed as part of Public Act 101-652, abolishes the use of cash bail in pretrial release decisions as of Jan. 1 and establishes new processes for pretrial release and detention decisions.
Task Force resources including flowcharts and considerations documents, as well as video of previous town halls, a schedule of upcoming town halls, and a list of Task Force members and subcommittees, can be found here. Prior town halls have covered topics such as an introduction to the PFA, release by citation, release from custody, pretrial assessment tools, and first appearance hearings.
* I hadn’t been wondering what he was up to, but then I saw this first tweet and went looking…
If you’re wondering what former IL AG candidate Tom Devore is up to these days, he’s currently at a Town of Normal Electoral Board meeting in which members will hear objections to petitions filed for candidacy for non-existent positions within the municipality…. pic.twitter.com/Eip5tRyHdD
Pekin mayoral candidate Becky Cloyd says she's retained former GOP attorney general candidate Tom DeVore as her attorney for today's petition challenge hearing at Pekin city hall.
COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses are continuing to rise across Illinois following the Thanksgiving holiday, with 74 counties in Illinois rated at an elevated level for COVID-19 by the CDC. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said that the anticipated post-holiday surge is a reminder for the public to take action to protect themselves and their loved ones during the remainder of the holiday season. This is especially important when it comes to members of the family who are vulnerable to severe outcomes.
IDPH is emphasizing these safety reminders as the CDC reported 29 Illinois counties at a High Community Level for COVID-19, up from 12 a week ago; while 45 counties are a Medium Level, compared to 51 last week. IDPH is reporting 21,404 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois since December 2, and 56 deaths.
“Illinois is experiencing a significant rise in communities at elevated risk levels for COVID-19, including 29 counties at a high risk,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “These elevated COVID-19 community levels, along with rising flu levels, are leading to a surge of respiratory infections and increased hospitalizations. I recommend all Illinoisians - and especially those most vulnerable including young children and individuals over 65 - take all preventative steps to protect themselves, their families and friends.
“Preventative measures include COVID-19 testing, especially if visiting someone at risk for severe disease; enhanced ventilation; good hand hygiene; staying home and seeking treatment if sick; and getting up to date with the COVID-19 bivalent booster and the flu shot,” Dr. Vohra said. “A high-quality mask or respirator is also recommended and will protect you from COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory viruses. Our hope is for Illinoisians across our state to have a happy and healthy holiday season.”
Dr. Vohra stressed that those who test positive for COVID-19 should immediately contact their healthcare provider to discuss whether they need treatment with one of the effective antiviral medications, Paxlovid, Lagverio and Remdesivir. All of these have been found to work against the current strains of the virus.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* NPR Illinois | Pritzker doubles down on assault weapons ban: The proposed legislation, spurred by the deadly July shooting in Highland Park, could get a vote in what’s known as the lame duck session next month, prior to the new General Assembly being sworn in. But if not, Pritzker said he will work to see it pass in the spring.
* WTWO | Freed Russian arms dealer released from Illinois prison with notorious past: The federal penitentiary in Marion, Illinois, is where convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout was released in exchange for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner from Russia. The prison has a notorious past. It was once considered a supermax security facility with the toughest security measures in the country. Prisoner uprisings and the murder of two guards in the 1980s led to a 23-year lockdown.
IDPH | IDPH Reports 74 Illinois Counties are at an Elevated Community Level for COVID-19: IDPH is emphasizing these safety reminders as the CDC reported 29 Illinois counties at a High Community Level for COVID-19, up from 12 a week ago; while 45 counties are a Medium Level, compared to 51 last week. IDPH is reporting 21,404 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois since December 2, and 56 deaths.
* Center Square | $1.8 billion for unemployment debt; RTA eyes tax and fee hikes: With colder weather coming, the Illinois Department of Human Services has announced they are appropriating an extra $5 million in state funds to expand emergency housing. According to IDHS officials, most of the fund will expand existing housing program contracts. Advocacy groups report there is a long-term shortage of 4,000 emergency shelter beds across the state.
* Patch | Here’s How Much New La Grange Manager Would Make: Under the proposed contract, Knight would make $175,000 a year. That is less than former Manager Andrianna Peterson’s $182,200, but far more than Knight’s $120,500 salary in Lisle.
* Daily Herald | DuPage County food pantries struggle to meet rising need during holiday season: Food pantries in DuPage County are facing more challenges than usual this holiday season thanks to inflation and the lingering effects of the pandemic. The Downers Grove Area FISH Food Pantry has seen a 30% increase in pantry visits this November compared with November 2021.
* Illinois Restaurant Draws Thousands Of Customers After Viral TikTok Video:Q98.5 | Taco-Bout-Joy’s in Glenview, Illinois has gone viral on the internet after a video showed their restaurant with zero customers. Today, that’s not the case! Taco-Bout-Joy’s won’t have any time to breathe after blowing up on TikTok.
* ABC 20 | Illinois Lottery hosts toy drive: The Illinois lottery was giving back through a holiday toy drive on Thursday night. Adults could donate a new, unwrapped toy at the County Market on Monroe and receive one Illinois holiday instant ticket and two fast play and scan tickets.
His ability to assemble coalitions shows in how he serves his district, turning former opponents into allies through generosity and hard work. It also shows in the statewide voting bloc he and a few others have built essentially from scratch. The rise of Asian-Americans is one of the biggest Illinois organizing successes in memory, and he made it look effortless. The breadth and solidarity of the Asian American coalition was not inevitable, it was forged. Ram’s ability to balance legislative work, constituent service, and an ambitious statewide organizing project makes him one of a kind. He deserves a Golden Horseshoe, a round of applause, and anything else his bright future promises.
I think if you can play that delicate balancing act to represent a suburban Cook/DuPage district well, while maintaining being a Republican and working across the aisle, you’ll be destined to do great things. Not just politically, but also to govern.
Congratulations!
* Today’s categories…
Best Contract Lobbyist
Best In-House Lobbyist
Please do your best to nominate in both categories and make sure to explain your votes. Also, coordinated campaigns are not encouraged and could count against your faves. Thanks!
* And after you vote,please click here and help Lutheran Social Services of Illinois buy presents for foster kids. We’re up to $37,000 as I write this. That’s great! LSSI originally set a fundraising goal of $30K, but y’all have come through so generously that they raised the target. From LSSI’s Mariah Heinz…
Our original goal was $30,000 and we have reached it WAY faster than we anticipated because of you and everyone who is supporting your fundraiser! Reaching that goal means that the cost to provide a gift to every child served by LSSI is now covered. Incredible. We are so excited and grateful to be able to let program staff know that the goal has been reached. Our total raised [as of yesterday] for Christmas is $36,500, the majority of which is thanks to you!
Because of this amazing and overwhelming support, we decided to raise our overall goal to $45,000 and all “extra” dollars beyond the original $30,000 will go toward additional Christmas support for children in foster care and connected to our mental health programs. Our original goal allowed for $25 per child, but every extra dollar will go towards increasing that budget, purchasing additional gifts, and meeting urgent needs for families we serve.
Carbon capture could be a way of the future for utilities, and Springfield appears to be on the leading edge. That’s because it has its own utilities.
Groundbreaking was Thursday for a federal-and-state funded plant. The US Department of Energy’s Lynn Brickett tried to convey how big a deal this is. […]
“We’re trying to remove carbon, essentially, from our emissions as we generate electricity from coal,” explained Doug Brown, the city’s chief utility engineer. “It’s an important project to basically start it at this larger scale, so they can actually scale it up to full-sized installations and when they prove that its economically done, then other companies will jump on board.”
The University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute is involved in the $67 million project. One lawmaker said this is almost as big for the U of I as the Illini basketball team’s win over Texas this week.
The technology is designed to capture carbon dioxide in the atmosphere emitted from the plant’s large smoke stacks. After it makes its way through the equipment, a high purity form of carbon dioxide is formed and can be used for different purposes and stored in the ground. […]
This is a large pilot testing project meant to demonstrate how the technology works. […]
When the state passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021, coal plants like CWLP agreed to clean up emissions to keep their plants running until 2050. This is part of a long effort by the city to get a head start.
“When it comes to a project like this, it proves the benefit of the potential usage of Dallman 4 not only past 2040, which was the state guidelines, but beyond that,” Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder said.
The Department of Energy awarded $47 million for the final phase of the project. The state gave an additional $20 million towards it.
* Carbon storage isn’t without controversy. In Benton County, Indiana, residents remain skeptical of environmental impacts. WFLI…
Benton County residents and elected officials want more information about BP’s possible plans to pipe carbon captured from its Whiting oil refinery to massive, underground sandstone deposits in Benton County. […]
House Bill 1209 outlines property-owner rights and sets parameters for companies planning to sequester carbon in certain underground parts of Indiana. Jeff Cummins, director of state government relations for Indiana Farm Bureau, advised legislators on the bill. […]
BP must reach agreements with 70% of landowners above the sandstone deposits, per the new state law, before proceeding, Cummins says. Before the bill passed, such agreements weren’t required, giving property owners less sway in the decision-making process, he adds. […]
The deposits are located 2,500-3,500 feet underground. Schmitt had this to say about the effect a leak might have on drinking water in the area:
“You can never say there’s no risks to anything, right? … If some got out, it would change the chemistry of the drinking water a little bit, right?” Schmitt says. “So that is a concern.”
* Illinois farmers and environmentalists remain wary as well. Illinois Newsroom…
Karen Brockelsby, a Taylorville farmer, questions the lease program being offered for use of private property. The company wants a 30 year lease with landowners. Brockelsby mentioned concerns about whether that lease will cover any environmental damage.
“If there are problems, who owns the problem? And who has to pay for the problem?” Brockelsby asked. “There are (also) concerns about whether or not insurance companies would cover any kind of damages that would result from CO2 rising back to the surface and damaging something.”
Burns-Thompson said they (Navigator CO2) maintains full liability with the 30 year lease program. […]
Ann Baskerville an organizer with the Illinois chapter of the environmental organization the Sierra Club and a member of the coalition to stop CO2 pipelines does not believe the pipeline will help the environment.
“This proposed pipeline is a false solution to the climate crisis we’re facing today, and puts unnecessary pressure on local landowners and farmers to turn over their land and livelihood to a fossil fuel company. CO2 pipelines extend the life of fossil fuels and undermine the significant climate progress Illinois has made. Illinois should focus on the acceleration of real climate solutions like the implementation of natural climate solutions and renewable energy projects,” Baskerville said.
* Here’s a map of the proposed pipeline…
The Illinois Commerce Commission began hearings about the pipeline in September. A schedule of the hearing dates with the Illinois Commerce Commission can be found here.
A key part of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act would be job-training programs established through new state workforce development initiatives, officials promised to win broad support for the measure.
But 15 months after Pritzker signed what was touted as the most equitable climate change-fighting law in the country, the job-training programs those initiatives were supposed to establish in the growing green economy, helping workers and businesses like Benjamin’s Millennium II Enterprises, still don’t exist.
And not a single new ”equity” job has been created.
That’s despite the promised job-creation efforts Pritzker’s state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is supposed to set up — for which it was given the authority to spend as much as $180 million a year. The money, from a fund paid for by customers of Illinois utilities, also can be spent on economic development aid — for instance for communities that might have lost jobs from, say, the closing of a coal-burning power plant or a mine as a result of the state’s big push to move to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
* More…
* The Conversation | Cumbria coal mine: empty promises of carbon capture tech have excused digging up more fossil fuel for decades: The idea that a technology called carbon capture and storage (CCS) could catch molecules of CO₂ as they emerge from the chimneys of power stations and factories has been around for more than two decades. Michael Gove, the secretary of state responsible for “levelling up” the UK’s regions, recently justified his approval of the UK’s first new coal mine in 30 years with “increased use of CCS”. There’s only one problem: CCS won’t cancel out Woodhouse Colliery’s emissions, which are estimated at 400,000 tonnes a year, because it barely exists.
* NPR | The U.S. wants to slash carbon emissions from power plants. Natural gas is in the way: Under President Joe Biden, the United States aims to cut all carbon pollution by 2035 from the power plants that run American homes and businesses. It’s a first step toward the broader goal of zeroing out greenhouse gas emissions across the entire economy by midcentury to rein in climate change. But the ambitions of the Biden administration are set to collide with the country’s power industry, which looks like it will continue burning fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.
* S&P Global | Iowa carbon capture developer sues home county over new pipeline restrictions: Summit, based in Ames, Iowa, plans to build an interstate pipeline network to transport CO2 emissions from ethanol plants to an underground storage site in North Dakota, where the gas will be permanently sequestered. But the project faces opposition from some landowners concerned about pipeline safety and environmentalists critical of carbon capture. On Nov. 14, Summit and fellow plaintiff William Couser filed a lawsuit against the Story County, Iowa, Board of Supervisors, alleging the county’s recent ordinance on the siting of hazardous materials pipelines is preempted by state and federal law. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
The race for Chicago mayor took a turn toward the bizarre on Thursday as bickering between two candidates over petition challenges escalated to accusations that a high-profile adviser offered money to the other campaign if it would drop its challenges.
The claims of dirty politics grew after an Instagram account posted three video clips that purported to include the voice of former state Sen. Rickey “Hollywood” Hendon, an aide to wealthy businessman Willie Wilson’s mayoral campaign, offering money to a staffer for candidate Ja’Mal Green if Green’s campaign dropped its legal efforts challenging the validity of Wilson’s petitions. […]
Flash-forward to Thursday, when the Instagram account named “chicagomediatakeout” posted the video clips with the caption: “Willie Wilson’s campaign manager Rickey Hendon trying to bribe a Green staffer to drop the legal challenge against Willie Wilson and to join their team.” Hendon is not Wilson’s campaign manager but is a paid adviser, Wilson campaign spokesman Richard Boykin said.
Hendon does not appear in person in the video clips, but a male voice that is purportedly Hendon’s says over the phone to a man on the other end of the line: “If you withdraw, I will take care of you. And you can tell me how much you would need.” That person, listening on speaker while wearing a Green campaign shirt, was identified later by Green’s camp as campaign volunteer Kevin Hobby, who filed the objection to Wilson’s signatures.
Green is also accusing Wilson of violating the residency requirements to run for Chicago mayor, claiming Wilson’s main home is in south suburban Hazel Crest. The two candidates have a history dating back to at least the 2019 Chicago municipal election, when Hendon—who was Wilson’s campaign advisor at the time—challenged Green’s petitions. After that, Green clashed with Hendon, with Hendon later posting on Facebook that he and Green exchanged threats about fighting one another. […]
In a response to The TRiiBE, Wilson’s campaign spokesperson Richard Boykin confirmed that Hendon’s voice is on the recording.
“The comments made by former Sen. Rickey Hendon were not authorized by me or my campaign. This is a personal issue between Sen. Hendon and Mr. Green,” Boykin wrote in a press release on Thursday. […]
Illinois law makes it a felony to intercept, record or transcribe any private telephone or electronic communication unless all parties consent. The TRiiBE has not yet been able to verify if the conversation was recorded legally.
Hendon: We both know ya’ll wasn’t in there looking at them [petition signature] lines. So Willie is gonna make it. Ja’Mal is not. So, why do you have to suffer? We can work something out. You can come on our team, or not. But I don’t want to jam you, bruh. I got people that know you that’s like ‘He’s cool, brother, can you give him a call?’ So that’s where I’m calling.
Kevin Hobby: Well, what you offering?
Hendon: Say what now?
Hobby: What you offering?
Hendon: Well, you know, everybody can use some help financially. So I would help you there, if that was the case. I mean, I could just go through [with] the case. You know, Willie got money, he can pay the lawyer, you know he done paid the lawyer already. But I’d like to get it over with, you know, so you let me know what you’re trying to do.
[Crosstalk]
Hendon: So, if you withdraw, I will take care of you. And you can tell me how much you would need. You know, don’t nobody want you to lose money. You know? Ja’Mal ain’t gonna be on the ballot, bruh. I went through that sh*t. I had 25 people down there for a week. Sawyer ain’t gonna be on the ballot. I never miss. Don’t shoot if I’ma miss. So what about what’s gonna happen with you? You know, you got a family. You know, kids and sh*t. They gotta eat. Christmas coming up. Why go through this? And then, you know, the [Chicago Board of Elections] can look at the shotgun [challenges, which are against the law] that they did it on Willie because they don’t get every name on every page, you know, and refer that sh*t over to the states attorney. Who wants to do that? I won’t to do that to you.
Hobby: Right.
Hendon: So just think it over, and then you let me know if there’s something you willing to do. You know, you’d have to, you know, file it as a document, you’d have to file it, you know, 69 W. Washington [the Chicago Board of Election headquarters]. Just withdraw the objection against Willie and I’ll look out for you. I don’t like putting, you know, amounts and stuff. We are talking on the phone. But you can tell me, look, ‘Okay, I’ma do it.’ Soon as you do it, I’ll meet up with you. I’ll meet you down there. You know what I’m saying? If you talk in the streets with people who know me like, the people who called me about you, they’ll tell you, Rickey Hendon keeps his word. Whether it’s good or bad [laughs]. I’ma keep my word, you know?
Hobby: Right.
Hendon: You know, that’s why I’m kicking Ja’Mal off because I told him, that [redacted], you know, if you run for dogcatcher or bootylicker, I’ma kick you off every time. Your sh*t better be perfect every time. I guess he thought I was joking. And I don’t, I’m serious.
Ja’Mal was recently made aware of the leaked conversation a volunteer made online. The Go Green team takes discretion very seriously and as such is taking steps to ensure this does not happen in the future. He was surprised a volunteer would leak this. After talking with our counsel, the video did not break the law as it was a public setting & Rickey was engaging in criminal activity. We want the proper authorities to investigate this matter further…
The leaked audio in question was a conversation between Rickey Hendon and Kevin Hobby. What was witnessed was appalling, to say the least. The complete brazenness of Mr. Henderson, to offer a quid pro quo to such a dedicated member of our team, is illegal and abominable. Mr.Green condemns the open nature of Chicago’s rampant political corruption and calls for Willie Wilson to fire Hendon. […]
Mr.Green is hoping to run a clean campaign, which is what we expect from anyone who works for our organization. However, Ja’Mal Green had this to say…
“I’m glad someone was able to capture the corrupt openness Ricky has. Let me just say that the old way of politics is pulling some desperate moves to drag me and my campaign down, going so far as to offer financial compensation to my ally. This city’s corrupt nature shows its face almost out in the open now. The sleazy deals, the open bribery, the big money talking, it needs to end! That’s why I am running for mayor in the first place.
“It’s time for the new generation of leadership, if the audio didn’t prove it then I’m not sure what will.”
Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s campaign laid out its strategy for what is shaping up to be an expensive runoff in Georgia for his seat on Dec. 6, projecting confidence about victory in a memo Thursday.
“Reverend Warnock will win the runoff by continuing the strategic investments in paid communication and field organizing, continuing to hold the diverse coalition that has driven Reverend Warnock’s success, and emphasizing that this race is about who is able to represent our state,” Warnock campaign manager Quentin Fulks wrote. “We are confident we will win on December 6th.”
Fulks presented a two-prong message that signals the senator will continue to campaign as he has been so far: promoting his work with lawmakers in both parties for Georgia and attacking Republican rival and former football star Herschel Walker as “completely unqualified for a job that requires knowledge of the issues and an interest in listening and learning.” […]
Turnout will, again, be a challenge for both parties. Warnock is kicking off his campaigning for the runoff Thursday afternoon with an event in Atlanta, his campaign said. Fulks wrote in his memo that prior to the Nov. 8 election, the Warnock campaign’s field operation had “ramped up” with “more than 3.4 million conversations with voters on doors and via phone.”
* Warnock won, of course, and Gov. Pritzker congratulated him this week…
I will forever be grateful to Governor @JBPritzker for many reasons, this tweet is just the latest. Sometimes in life all you need is someone to believe in you and give you a shot - he was the first to do that for me in a real meaningful way. 🙏🏾 https://t.co/tJVAU1DaT7
Fulks, of course, ran Pritzker’s campaign operation after the 2018 cycle, and headed up a tough loss on the progressive income tax amendment, for which he got never-ending grief in the comment section of this blog.
Being a campaign manager for a presidential reelect is a resume line many political operatives covet.
But as the search begins for the guide of JOE BIDEN’s expected reelection bid, senior Democrats are wondering whether the president will have a tough time filling the job given the way Biden’s inner circle operates. […]
Democrats inside and outside the White House have also been looking at the class of campaign managers from the 2022 midterms. That includes … QUENTIN FULKS, a J.B. PRITZKER alum who made a name for himself as the campaign manager for Sen. RAPHAEL WARNOCK.
The DC newsletter Puck reported that Fulks is now in “high demand” and said the rumor mill has it that he might return to Pritzker’s campaign staff, just in case President Biden doesn’t run again.
* Bond Buyer | Smoothing cushions the worst in Illinois 2022 pension funding report: The actuarially based unfunded liability tally that smooths the impact of investment returns improved slightly to $139 billion from $139.9 billion last year, propped up by the notable double-digit 2021 returns, according to the General Assembly’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s newly published review of the system’s actuarial reports for fiscal 2022.
* Vandalia Radio | Witness slips stacking up as Illinois House committee set to hear more gun restrictions Monday: As of Thursday, a subject matter hearing in a House committee scheduled Monday morning shows 7,300 witness slips in support and more than 13,400 in opposition. If the bill is enacted, opponents say they plan to file a lawsuit immediately. The Illinois State Rifle Association said Thursday there is no part of the bill they think is constitutional.
* Herald and Review | Rodney Davis is lone Illinois Republican to support same-sex marriage protections: “I voted for the Respect for Marriage Act because it’s the right thing to do,” Davis said in a statement. “Nobody should face discrimination or be subject to a different set of rules because of their race or sexual orientation. This is about equal protection under the law for all families regardless of where they live.”
* Injustice Watch | Chicago police denied scores of undocumented crime victims a path to citizenship: A U visa offers temporary legal status and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who were victims of certain crimes and who are considered to be helpful or likely to be helpful to law enforcement. Congress created the visa program in 2000 to encourage undocumented immigrants to report crimes and help law enforcement better serve immigrant communities.
* Journal Star | Pekin mayoral candidacy under review as 2 residents contest nomination petition: According to information from Pekin City Clerk Sue McMillan, Pekin residents John Burns and Timothy Latronico said that Cloyd’s petition did not include required circulator’s information at the bottom of each page. Additionally, Burns claimed that some of the signatures on the petition came from people who do not reside within Pekin’s corporate city limits.
* Crain’s | Let’s see a public safety New Year’s resolution from city leaders: As Chicago continues to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and celebrates the holiday season with skating in Millennium Park and the CTA Holiday Train, the city’s improved finances are also worth celebrating. Less worth celebrating, however, is the city’s progress toward public safety and police reform.
* SJ-R | Dick Austin, former Sangamon County board chairman and top GSA administrator dies at 74: The Springfield native was chairman and chief executive officer of the Sangamon County board from 1978 to 1986. He was first elected to the county board in 1970. Austin served as a regional administrator in the General Services Administration under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He was nominated to the post in Chicago by then-U.S. Rep. Bob Michel, R-Peoria in 1986.
* Crain’s | More customers are shunning ComEd rivals: The number of households in northern Illinois getting their electricity from a supplier other than Commonwealth Edison is at its lowest level in more than a decade. Over the year that ended Oct. 31, residential customers of non-utility suppliers fell nearly 30% to 650,892 from 914,120 in ComEd’s territory, according to data tracked by the Illinois Commerce Commission. That amounts to less than 20% of the 3.7 million households in the region.
* SF Gate | Tracy ready to represent new, but familiar territory: Tracy was re-elected to the Senate on Nov. 8 after representing the 47th District, north of Interstate 72. Tracy will be inaugurated Jan. 11 to represent the 50th District, which lies mostly south of the old 47th District. The northern border of the new district is relatively close to the former southern border of the old 47th District. The new district includes all or parts of Morgan, Scott, Greene, Pike, Cass, Brown, Schuyler, and Jersey counties. To the south, it stops just north of Alton and the Metro East.
* Tribune | Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez gets $10,200 raise: The Chicago Board of Education has approved three changes to Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez’s employment contract, including a 3% raise and the ability for future annual raises to be given without a board vote.
* Crain’s | Chicago landlord selling portfolio in $600 million deal: Chicago-based Pangea has agreed to sell the properties it owns here to Emerald Empire, a real estate investment firm based in suburban New York, the two companies confirmed. Emerald is paying in the ballpark of $600 million for the 400-property portfolio, according to a person familiar with the sale.
* CBS Chicago | ‘Not in the normal conditions’: Sen. Duckworth wants to change how airlines downsize seats, evacuation plans: Airlines have been downsizing their seats for years which led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set new standards, to ensure passengers can evacuate a plane in 90 seconds or less. But that testing has been widely criticized for not taking people with disabilities into account. CBS Correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports Illinois U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is looking to make changes.
Today Governor JB Pritzker signed the historic Unemployment Insurance (UI) Agreement, finalizing a bipartisan plan to pay down $1.36 billion in UI loan debt remaining from the COVID-19 pandemic. The agreement will save taxpayers an estimated $20 million in interest costs that would be due next September and preserves hundreds of millions of dollars in future federal tax credits for Illinois employers, without decreasing benefits for employees.
“Today, I signed historic, bipartisan legislation to eliminate pandemic-induced UI Trust Fund debt, replenish the fund for the future, protect benefits for working families, and further fuel Illinois’ strong economic trajectory,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are delivering an investment of $1.8 billion—$1.36 billion of which will pay off the remaining balance of federal advances and $450 million of which will serve as an interest-free loan to the Unemployment Trust Fund. This bipartisan agreement eliminates the final portion of the $4.5 billion debt forced upon our state during the pandemic. It will save Illinois businesses hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade, and it will save taxpayers $20 million in interest costs that would otherwise have been due next September.”
The bill, negotiated by representatives from business, labor, bipartisan members of the General Assembly, and the state, will contribute more than $1.8 billion in state funds to the unemployment insurance trust fund, which includes the payment of the remaining $1.3 billion federal loan balance borrowed under Title XII of the Social Security Act. The remaining $450 million will be placed into the trust fund from state funds as an interest-free loan. As the loan is repaid over the next ten years, funds will be deposited directly into the state’s Rainy-Day Fund, also known as the Budget Stabilization Fund.
“This agreement makes history and makes financial sense,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “It is a collaborative effort by stakeholders and members of both sides of the aisle to save taxpayers’ money while protecting the rights of workers. Illinois continues to make fiscally responsible decisions that strengthen our economy and puts families first.”
“With this measure, we continue our work of rebuilding Illinois’ fiscal house and laying the foundation for a stronger future,” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Chicag0). “This was a difficult process, but is an example of how good policy gets made. I want to thank those who pulled up a seat at the negotiating table and made a true effort to find common ground and reach a solution.”
“In my time as leader of the Senate, what I’m most proud of is the work we’ve done to restore fiscal stability to the state after years of mismanagement,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D- Oak Park). “This agreement is yet another step forward. I applaud everyone involved for coming to the table and working together to find practical solutions and keep our state moving forward.”
“We thank Gov. JB Pritzker for swiftly signing this historic agreement into law. While the problems facing Illinois’ unemployment system were not unique in the wake of the pandemic, how we went about solving these challenges was. Through careful and deliberate negotiations via the tried and true ‘agreed bill’ process, we have chartered a path forward that will resolve this debt, save businesses more than $900 million in taxes they would otherwise have paid, and secure benefits for laid off workers,” said Rob Karr, President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “We extend our gratitude to our partners in organized labor, Governor Pritzker and his team led by Deputy Governor Andy Manar, as well as the bi-partisan legislative negotiators including Senators Bill Cunningham, Linda Holmes, Sue Rezin, and Win Stoller, and Representatives Marcus Evans, Jay Hoffman, Mike Marron, and Dan Ugaste. We also appreciate the hard work of Illinois Department of Employment Security Director Kristin Richards and her staff for their valuable assistance through the agreed bill process, as well as their vital services every day.”
“Every day, more Illinoisans are finding quality employment opportunities, but it’s still vital that we work together to ensure that if workers fall on tough times there’s a strong safety net for them,” said Pat Devaney, Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer. “We have a historic opportunity to protect the benefits of workers while also repaying a debt and continuing to keep Illinois on the right financial path. I’m thankful to Governor Pritzker for his continued commitment to the success of working families in Illinois.”
“As we approach another month of low unemployment claims and continue our pattern of responsible bill-paying and financial prudence, we find ourselves in a position to once again make an investment in Illinois’s future,” said State Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago). “Thanks to the collective work of so many on both sides of the aisle, our budgets are balanced and we have the opportunity to fully pay down our debt in a timely manner, saving real taxpayer dollars.”
“This signing, and the agreement it ratifies, is just the latest building block in our efforts to improve the financial status of our state,” said State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora). “It’s why we’ve received these credit upgrades and why Illinois continues to grow to a bright financial future.”
“I’m proud of the long hours negotiators on both sides have put into creating this agreement,” said State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris). “It’s good to know we’re working together to pay off debt and even better to know that the funds previously allocated to paying down that debt will now go to shoring up the state’s Rainy Day Fund.”
“The UI system helps the people who I care about in my community and are struggling daily to make ends meet,” said State Representative Marcus Evans (D-Chicago). “Together, we did what we were obligated to do for those in need by creating a safety net for these challenging times. Thank you, Governor Pritzker, for prioritizing fiscal responsibility today, thus; creating the opportunity to help the people I care about and serve tomorrow.”
“This bipartisan measure represents real action to support working families and underscores the significant value of putting aside differences to work together,” said Assistant Majority Leader Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea). “This plan protects benefits, saves employers money, improves our state’s financial outlook and provides long-term security for workers across Illinois. I am appreciative of those who negotiated on behalf of labor and business, and am optimistic that we can continue to work together in good faith to prioritize working families.”
“A deal was reached by the bi-partisan Unemployment Insurance working group that will reduce taxes on job creators protecting all our Illinois workers by maintaining benefits and avoiding unnecessary taxes,” State Representative Mike Marron (R-Fithian) said. “This successful negotiation brought all levels of government, business, and labor to the table to achieve a good deal for the people of Illinois. I am always willing to work across the aisle to collaborate in good faith on the real issues facing our constituents and I would like to thank everyone involved in this process for their candor and leadership.”
“Under the leadership of Governor Pritzker, this historic bipartisan agreement will fund a vital state resource benefiting both employers and workers,” said IDES Director Kristin Richards. “IDES is proud to have taken part in the agreed bill process that has led to SB1698, and thanks the four legislative caucuses for their support.”
This is the third significant contribution to the outstanding loan balance, which increased significantly after the fund was forced to borrow $4.5 billion in federal funds to provide relief to workers unemployed due to COVID-19. In March of 2022, Governor Pritzker signed legislation which provided an historic $2.7 billion contribution to assist the state’s unemployment trust fund via one-time federal ARPA dollars; in September of 2022, another $450 million payment was made toward the loan balance from the fund itself due to months-long historically low unemployment claims.
Governor Pritzker has also previously invested over $1 billion in the state’s Rainy-Day Fund during his first term. The fund had previously dipped as low as $60,000. Major investments in the Fund are a key reason for Illinois’s six recent credit upgrades. S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings both cited the fund’s improvement in their decision to increase its rating, as well as responsible payments to pension funds and up-to-date bill payments.
Hospitals are more full than they’ve been throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a CNN analysis of data from the US Department of Health and Human Services. But as respiratory virus season surges across the US, it’s much more than Covid that’s filling beds this year.
More than 80% of hospital beds are in use nationwide, jumping 8 percentage points in the past two weeks.
Hospitals have been required to report capacity information since mid-2020 as part of a federal effort to track the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hospitals have been more than 70% full for the vast majority of that time. But they’ve been 80% full at only one other point: in January, during the height of the Omicron surge in the US.
The broader respiratory virus season is in full swing across the US. All but six states are experiencing “high” or “very high” respiratory virus as seasonal flu activity remains “high and continues to increase,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On that same day in January, just 260 intensive care beds were available. Today, that number is 403.
…Adding… By the way, the governor’s executive orders that the IPI and pointy wires constantly complain about allow IDFPR to approve out of state and inactive healthcare professionals to work in Illinois at a time when hospitals are still bleeding workers.
Illinois’s debt to its employee retirement funds rose as the pensions were hammered by investment losses, erasing some of the bull-market gains that briefly chipped away at the state’s obligations.
The unfunded pension liability across Illinois’s five retirement systems rose 7.5% to $139.7 billion in the fiscal year that ended in June, based on the market value of their assets, according to a report from the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on Thursday.
At the end of FY 2021, the aggregate unfunded liability based on the actuarial value of assets was approximately $139.9 billion. A year later, it stood at $139.0 billion as of FY 2022. The combined unfunded liability dropped by $848.4 million during FY 2022, a 0.6% decrease, compared to FY 2021.
As shown in Chart 4, the primary contributor to this decrease was due to positive actuarial investment returns. Although all five systems reported negative rates of return on market value investments, through statutorily- required asset smoothing, actuarial values of investment returns resulted in overall gains for each retirement system. This actuarial gain is equivalent to approximately $787 million in investment returns for FY 2022. Other factors in the overall decrease in aggregate actuarial unfunded liability included a $511 million actuarial gain from changes in actuarial assumptions, a $232 million gain in changes in demographics and other factors, and a $256.3 million gain from the effect of the buyout provisions pursuant to P.A. 100 -0587.
SERS experienced an actuarial gain of $877 million in FY 2022 due to actuarial assumption changes tied to their statutorily-mandated experience study for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. The following assumptions were modified as a result of the experience study: salary increase assumptions, mortality assumptions, and other demographic factors, including normal retirement rates, early retirement rates, and turnover rates, among other factors. SERS reported a $176.0 million actuarial gain from the buyout programs. The system also reported an actuarial gain of $304 million due to favorable demographic factors.
* And state payments are scheduled to go down again next fiscal year…
FY 2024 estimated State contributions were certified by the Boards of trustees of the five systems. FY 2023 State contributions to the five systems were $10.98 billion. The FY 2024 State contributions are estimated to be $10.94 billion, a decrease of $39.6 million or 0.04% over FY 2023.
* Also, if you look at the report, the state pension payment is at 49.4 percent of payroll in this fiscal year. It’s projected to be 48.4 percent in ten years and then go up to 51.5 percent, where it will essentially remain until 2045.
U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after being unanimously re-elected as the Senate’s second-highest ranking Democrat, the Senate Democratic Whip, for the 118th Congress by his Senate Democratic colleagues this morning. Durbin has served in the number two role in the caucus since 2005. Durbin will also continue in his role as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“I am honored to continue to serve the Senate Democratic Caucus as Whip and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The midterm elections showed that Americans support the vision Senate Democrats, along with President Biden and Vice President Harris, have for the nation. And we will continue our work for the American people.”
Only five other Illinoisans have served as leaders for their parties in the Senate. Shelby Moore Cullom served as Republican Conference Chairman from 1911-1913; J. Hamilton Lewis became the first Democratic Whip of the Senate in 1913, and was again elected Whip in 1931; Scott W. Lucas served as Democratic Whip from 1947 to 1949 and Majority Leader from 1949 to 1951; Everett McKinley Dirksen was elected Republican Whip in 1957 and Minority Leader in 1959, a position he held for ten years; and Alan Dixon served as Chief Deputy Whip from November 1988-January 1993, the chamber’s third-ranking Democrat.
* Hmm…
Outgoing Rep. Rodney Davis was the only Illinois Republican to vote yes on protecting same-sex marriage.
I joined MSNBC to discuss my efforts urging Elon Musk to address possible manipulation of information by the Chinese Communist Party. "We are asking Mr. Musk… what are we going to do to prevent this from happening going forward?" Full interview: https://t.co/w1RhSdNZ4i
Illinois State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) joined roughly 50 Democratic lawmakers from 31 states at the White House this week to discuss top issues for the 2023 legislative session.
Biden administration policy experts organized discussion panels to allow lawmakers to collaborate and better align on strategies to protect the rights of all Americans. On Wednesday, Rep. Cassidy was the only legislator to participate in all three sessions which included gender equity and economic justice, reproductive freedom, and LGBTQI+ issues.
“I am thankful to have this opportunity to meet with my peers from across the country as we begin the very serious task of protecting and preserving rights that many conservative lawmakers are working to take away,” said Rep. Cassidy. “During these strategy sessions, I was able to relay the work of our Reproductive Health Working Group and what Illinois is considering to address the devastating impact of the Dobbs decision.”
”Our working group and staff continue to work tirelessly to ensure we can protect and expand reproductive health care. We recognize the importance of the task ahead and this meeting at the White House allowed for an opportunity to collaborate with other policymakers and get a better understanding of the national landscape.
“We are at the precipice of what we have set out to accomplish since the Supreme Court overturned Roe and it’s imperative we leave no stone unturned. After my visit to the White House, I am even more motivated and energized to make sure that Illinois remains a safe haven for reproductive freedom.”
In addition to the panels on Wednesday, Rep. Cassidy will also participate in discussions on Thursday.
* News…
The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the creation of the Supreme Court Committee on Domestic Violence. The Committee is tasked with reviewing and making recommendations on matters affecting domestic violence, human trafficking, and the court system. https://t.co/oKBXOjhhRf
* They’ve been asking that I post this, so here you go…
* I occasionally get emails from companies asking me to include links to old stories, but this is the very first time I’ve received a corporate request to add a link to a post about a federal criminal investigation of a major corporation…
Should I add it?
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Patch | U.S. House Passes Respect For Marriage Bill: How Illinois Reps Voted: On Thursday, 39 Republicans joined all Democrats in favor of the bill a week after Republicans also voted on the bill during last week’s Senate vote. Illinois Republicans Rodney Davis (Taylorville) was among the Republicans who voted in favor of the bill on Thursday while Darin LaHood (R-Peoria), Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro), and Mary Miller (R-Oakland) voted against the measure.
* Sun-Times | Nearly 2,000 granted U.S. citizenship in largest Chicago ceremony ever: ‘I consider this my home’: When Svjetlana Kiponjic left Bosnia nine years ago, she was looking for a better life. She got a green card, worked a cleaning job, then met the love of her life. They married six years ago and had a child, David, now 2. On Wednesday, she clutched a bouquet of flag-themed balloons minutes before she was granted U.S. citizenship in the largest naturalization ceremony ever held in Chicago.
* WSIL | What is in the proposed bill to ban assault weapons in Illinois?: The proposed legislation, HB 5855 or the “Protect Illinois Communities Act,” would not only ban the future sale of assault weapons, but also high capacity-magazines. It would also raise the minimum age to purchase or own a weapon.
* KPVI | Gun bill vote could come sooner; property tax board wants more space; first social equity dispensary opens: State Rep. Bob Morgan expects to get his proposed bill banning future sales of certain types of semi-automatic firearms and magazines passed when lawmakers return for the lame-duck session starting Jan. 4. Morgan told WMAY his goal is to pass the measure, which also restricts anyone younger than 21 from getting a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card unless they are enlisted in the military or National Guard, by Jan. 10. Gun rights groups have promised lawsuits if the measure passes.
* Sun-Times | Police don’t need unfettered right to surveil First Amendment-protected gatherings with drones: Privacy on the ground is receding more quickly than a drone speeding through the air. The Legislature should step in to protect Illinoisans. Most recently, we’re told an effort is underway in Illinois to weaken an almost decade-old law that governs how police may use drones, which are aerial vehicles that can fly without a human pilot aboard. The proposal being pushed by law enforcement would expand the ability of police to use drones in a variety of settings, including mass gatherings that could include protests, rallies and other types of First Amendment-protected activity.
* Crain’s | NLRB: Weed shop violated labor law by refusing to bargain with unionized Chicago workers:Curaleaf Holdings Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) violated labor law by refusing to bargain with unionized workers at its Chicago location, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board ruled Tuesday. A three-member panel said that the company, GHG Management LLC, which oversees Windy City Cannabis and Curaleaf Weed Street, must recognize and bargain with workers within 21 days of receiving the notice from the NLRB, Law360 first reported.
* Daily Herald | Funerals are changing. One McHenry funeral home wants liquor license to adapt to those changes: “With the growing shift to cremation as (the) method of disposition, we have more and more families wanting to have a celebration of life, … a short service not necessarily religious but mainly a gathering with some beer and wine and appetizers,” [Robert Justen, owner of Justen Funeral Home] wrote on his liquor license application.
* IL Lottery paid $2.2B to winners last fiscal year. Where does the remaining money go?: Illinois Lottery officials say it’s a “common misconception” the lottery was created with the intention of fully funding education in the state. That said, 25% of Illinois Lottery proceeds went to fund education and other specialty causes in fiscal year 2022, officials report.
* Sun-Times | School of the Art Institute rescinds Ye’s honorary degree: “The School of the Art Institute of Chicago condemns and repudiates Kanye West’s (now known as Ye) anti-Black, antisemitic, racist, and dangerous statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities. Ye’s actions do not align with SAIC’s mission and values, and we’ve rescinded his honorary degree,” SAIC officials said in a statement.
* Florida Politics | Author of ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Indicted for Money Laundering: The indictment alleges that between Dec. 1, 2020 and March 1, 2021, Harding committed two acts of wire fraud through a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) and by obtaining COVID-19-related small business loans through false and fraudulent pretenses.
* The Conversation | Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s pending promotion sheds new light on his overlooked fight for equal rights after the Civil War: Tucked away in an amendment to the FY2023 U.S. defense authorization bill is a rare instance of congressional bipartisanship and a tribute to U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. If approved, the measure would posthumously promote Grant to the rank of General of the Armies of the U.S., making him only the third person – along with John J. Pershing and George Washington – to be awarded the nation’s highest military honor
* Washington Post | She founded Moms Demand Action for gun reform. 140 of its volunteers won office.:Shannon Watts spent midterm election night glued to her phone, tweeting as Nabeela Syed won in Illinois. And Erin Maye Quade in Minnesota. Then Jennifer Boylan in Rhode Island. In total, up to 140 candidates who were volunteers with the organization she founded, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and its newly formed arm, Demand A Seat, were elected to office. In Rhode Island alone, seven of the eight Moms Demand Action volunteers running won. Sixteen won in Illinois. Seats were flipped in previously Republican-held districts.
State Sen. Scott Bennett, D-Champaign was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital early Thursday morning.
A spokeswoman for the Illinois Senate Democrats relayed information from Bennett’s wife, Stacy, confirming that he is receiving medical attention for an undisclosed problem, but his condition was not available.
First responders were called to the couple’s Champaign home just before 3 a.m.
Hoping for nothing but the best for both Senator and Mrs. Bennett.
You’ll know more when I do.
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…
In response to the hospitalization of state Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign), Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“Scott Bennett is genuine, kind and dedicated to serving his constituents. MK and I are keeping Scott, Stacy and his entire family and community in our prayers.”
* Excerpted polling memo from pollster Global Strategy Group on behalf of gun law reform organization Everytown…
A majority [of Illinois registered voters polled] support the passage of an assault weapons ban (58%), with nearly half (46%) strongly supporting the ban. Establishing an anti-gun trafficking unit (80%), increasing resources for red-flag laws (74%), and increasing the minimum age to obtain a FOID card to 21 (66%) all enjoy widespread support in the state.
A majority of voters (58%) support an assault weapons ban, most of which with high intensity - nearly half (46%) of voters stating they strongly support a ban in the state. Support spans across communities with 60% of Hispanic voters, 64% of Black voters, and 56% of white voters supporting an assault weapons ban in Illinois. Even a majority (58%) of independents support it. The ban has strong support among voters in the Chicago media market, but still enjoys net-positive support in the southern part of the state (55%) and near- even support (47%) among those in the far northwest and central regions.
There is broad support for measures to prevent gun violence in Illinois. Illinois voters strongly support policies aimed at restricting who may access weapons – two-thirds of voters (66%) support increasing the minimum age to obtain a FOID card from 18 to 21 years old, with the majority (55%) strongly supporting the policy. This includes 59% of independents. Measures to increase resources for red-flag law implementation enjoy even higher levels of support with three-quarters (74%) of voters backing the policy.
The vast majority (80%) of voters also support establishing an anti-gun-trafficking unit to stem the flow of illegal guns, with broad support across racial lines with 78% of white voters, 86% of Black voters, and 86% Hispanic voters supporting the measure.
A majority of voters (52%) believe gun laws in the state of Illinois should be stronger, including nearly three-quarters (72%) of Black voters and 56% of Hispanic voters. Conversely, there are few who think gun laws should be weaker – indicating that legislative action on gun violence prevention thus far has been well-received. Fewer than one-in-five (18%) believe gun laws should be weaker in the state. Support for stronger gun laws statewide is buoyed by especially high support in Chicagoland - 64% of Chicago residents and 61% of voters in the rest of Cook County want stronger gun laws.
Global Strategy Group conducted a survey of 1,010 registered voters in Illinois between October 20th and October 27th, 2022, including an oversample of 210 additional Black and Hispanic voters. The margin of error is +/- 2.6% for this survey. Interviews were conducted over the phone and with text to web invitation. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the populations of likely voters are properly represented.
Over 300 people gathered Sunday on the North Side to push for better city infrastructure that protects bicyclists and pedestrians after drivers hit and killed toddlers Raphael “Rafi” Cardenas and Elizabeth “Lily” Grace Shambrook this month.
Families, elected officials and bike safety advocates gathered for the “Walk and Roll for Safe Streets” event organized by Better Streets Chicago and Chicago Family Biking. The group held moments of silence to honor Rafi and Lily, chalked messages on the streets to alert drivers to pedestrians and bicyclists, and marched from the Lincoln Square intersection in where Rafi was killed June 2, to the Uptown corner where Lily was killed Thursday.
This past June, [Peter Paquette] marched alongside hundreds of Chicagoans demanding safer streets following a spate of pedestrian deaths, including two toddlers killed by drivers in the same month. Later that day, Paquette joined Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, state representatives and Chicago aldermen for an early vote rally at O’Donovan’s, a nearby bar on Irving Park Road.
He never made it home.
Leaving the gathering at O’Donovan’s, Paquette and his wife were crossing Irving Park Road when a driver struck him in the middle of a marked crosswalk. He was thrown into the air, and though bystanders jumped in to help, he was pronounced dead a half hour after the accident, recalled Alderman Matt Martin, who represents the 47th Ward.
Local politicians and residents had flagged the four-lane state road, which bisects a residential neighborhood with three schools, two older adult living facilities and an L train station, as a hazard for pedestrians. In fact, Martin had pushed for safety improvements such as pedestrian refuge islands and curb extensions near the area where Paquette was struck.
Of the 30 sites with the most crashes in Chicago, all but one included a state road, according to Islam’s analysis. One state road, Stony Island, runs down the South Side of Chicago and counts two of its intersections, at 79th and 95th, among sites with the most crashes in the city. That danger isn’t surprising to Courtney Cobbs, co-founder of Better Streets Chicago.
“This has been known for decades,” Cobbs said. “And there has been no movement to change that, unfortunately.”
Her transit advocacy peers argue the Illinois Department of Transportation is not only slow to respond to pedestrian deaths but also is a huge barrier to any type of traffic safety improvements.
“A lot of these roadways are controlled by the state, and they have traditionally been much more backward-looking, honestly, in terms of the types of roadway improvement designs they’re willing to consider,” said Jim Merrell, managing director of advocacy for the Active Transportation Alliance, a nonprofit pedestrian and public transportation advocacy group.
Even when pedestrian safety advocates have the support of local aldermen or the Chicago Department of Transportation, IDOT often is reluctant to approve of changes such as physical barriers between car traffic and pedestrians or bicyclists that could protect more vulnerable roadway users, he said. The current state law requires IDOT to give full consideration to bicycle and pedestrian ways in urban areas during a project’s planning phase; however, the IDOT secretary can make an exception for resurfacing projects or what might be deemed as safety issues, excessive cost or absence of need.
“We talk to IDOT all the time and have engaged with the secretary, with the local districts, with the General Assembly and the governor’s office, and it’s clear we have a really big structural issue with the state Department of Transportation and just how it’s set up,” Merrell said. “It’s not set up to build streets for the 21st century.”
Again, emphasis added.
* This, as always, is an issue of leadership, which appears to be sorely lacking at IDOT and CDOT…
In Illinois, a major sticking point is that IDOT and the Chicago Department of Transportation fail to coordinate with each other, said Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Democrat who represents a district on the South Side of Chicago.
“What I usually hear is that CDOT says, ‘We can’t do anything because IDOT won’t, this is an IDOT space.’ And then they just leave it there,” Buckner said. “But if you ask IDOT, often they’ll say, ‘We’re happy to work together to figure it out if they ask us.’ The advocates are talking to both sides, but both sides aren’t talking to each other.”
Buckner is working on legislation for the upcoming legislative session that would lower speed limits in cities. Another bill would give municipal transportation agencies the ability to implement traffic calming and pedestrian safety work on state roads within a jurisdiction that has a population of more than 2 million people, he said. Buckner stressed that any new law would not only require buy-in from IDOT, but the city as well.
If the governor and the mayor made this issue a priority, there might not be a need for legislation.
* The 2022 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Best Illinois State Representative - Democrat goes to Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside)…
His bipartisanship, consensus building, common sense, attention to detail, and collegiality are rare in the Capitol. His experience and institutional knowledge will be missed more than others. Hate to see you go, Z.
Same.
* The 2022 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Best Illinois State Representative - Republican goes to Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City)…
One of the best human beings you will ever meet. Conservative but reasonable. Works his district like a pro. Plow horse mentality. Did I mention he is just an incredible and decent man?
As subscribers know, Rep. Bennett is hoping for an appointment to the Senate, so he could eventually wind up with an exacta one day.
Congratulations to both!
* Today’s categories…
Best Illinois State Senator - Democrat
Best Illinois State Senator - Republican
Please vote in both categories and make sure to explain your votes or they won’t count. Thanks.
* And, after you vote, please click here and help raise money to buy presents for foster kids. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois does a great job with these kids, but it costs money to buy them presents every year and we’re a big part of that. Actually, we’re a bigger part of that than at any time except when I threw a 50th birthday party and helped raise a bunch of dough for LSSI…
Thanks to House Speaker @RepChrisWelch's generous $2,500 contribution, and to many other contributors large and small, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has now raised $34,523 to give presents to foster kids https://t.co/7iN15PU5wH
Two candidates in the upcoming mayoral election for Decatur are facing a pair of objections that could result in them being left off the ballot in April.
The petitions of Abeer Motan and Mary Williams are being challenged by two people from Decatur who said they were invalid for several reasons. Chief among them is that the petitions supposedly have signatures from unregistered voters.
City Clerk Kim Althoff said that each petition requires 85 signatures to be valid. Motan and Williams submitted 95 and 87 signatures, respectively, but the objectors claim that there are enough signatures from nonregistered voters to push Motan and Williams under the required 85.
Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe’s petitions, containing about 150 signatures, were not challenged. If Motan and Williams’ petitions are rejected, it would leave Wolfe running unopposed.
Three candidates who filed to run for the Macomb city council are having their nominating petitions challenged.
In one case, at large city council member Tammie Leigh Brown-Edwards filed a challenge to the paperwork submitted by A.J. Bauser. Brown-Edwards said it contains invalid signatures, the notary sections are blank, and the sheets are not numbered as required.
Bauser filed to run against Brown-Edwards.
The other candidate planning to run against Brown-Edwards, Don Wynn, had his petitions challenged by former McDonough County Voice Editor Michelle Langhout.
And in the third ward, new county board member Dana Walker is challenging the petitions submitted by Byron Oden-Shabazz.
In both of those cases, the complainants said the sheets are not numbered and stapled together as required.
Naperville mayoral candidate Tiffany Stephens could be kept off the April 4 election ballot if an allegation that she does not meet the residency requirement is found to be valid.
Arian Ahmadpour, finance chair of the Will County Young Democrats, filed a challenge to Stephens’ nominating petitions this week as well as those submitted by Naperville City Council candidate Derek McDaniel.
In addition, Naperville council candidate Nag Jaiswal’s petitions are being challenged by Naperville resident Elizabeth Zega.
Naperville Electoral Board hearings for all three objections will start at 9 a.m. Monday in the Naperville Municipal Center council chambers.
A challenger running for the Crystal Lake City Council filed objections Monday to three other candidate petitions, including Mayor Haig Haleblian’s, arguing that they had several omissions and errors. […]
“When I first heard, I was confused: What did I do wrong?” Haleblian said. “But lo and behold, I left a critical piece of paper out of my packet. He [Kountz] got me. I’m going to have to work a little bit harder and different than I thought [to win the election] but that’s OK.”
Haleblian omitted a statement of candidacy and a receipt for filing a statement of economic interests, Kountz said. He also argued that Hopkins cited an “ambiguous office,” writing City Council as opposed to council member or mayor, on his signature petition, and said Brady wrote the primary date, rather than the regular election date, on her statement of candidacy.
Haleblian said in the likely event the objection is sustained, he will run as a write-in candidate for the mayoral election and “teach people how to spell my name.”
Outside legal counsel retained by the Town of Normal in recent weeks said three petitions of candidacy filed for nonexistent or appointed offices within the municipality cannot legally be certified for the 2023 election.
Normal officials retained Chicago-based Michael Kasper of Kasper and Nottage to review petitions filed by residents Robert Shoraga, Charles Sila and Amy Conklin.
Shoraga and Sila filed petitions of candidacy Nov. 28 for the currently nonexistent offices of town supervisor and town collector and Conklin filed to run for clerk, a position that has historically been appointed.
Town spokesperson Cathy Oloffson said Nov. 29 the town had turned over the petitions for a review of their “legal conformity,” saying once that review was complete, the town would “take appropriate action under the state Election Code.”
In letters mailed to each of the three candidates late last week, Kasper wrote that none of the three petitions conform with legal requirements, meaning “the Town cannot certify your name to the County Clerk for inclusion on the 2023 municipal ballot for election to an office that is not an elective office under the Town Code, and your name will not appear on the ballot.”
Normal City Councilmember Stan Nord has issued the following statement after Normal’s Deputy Clerk Jodi Pomis told the council Nord acted unprofessionally and with the intent to intimidate during Monday’s council meeting.
Nord shared the following statement with WMBD.
Normal has told residents that they cannot have district representation nor can they have the elected representatives that are spelled out in state law for “each,” “every”, and “all” incorporated towns. I apologize to anyone who misinterpreted my group email. It is long past due for the incorporated town of Normal to comply with state laws and act as an incorporated town.
Pomis has filed a grievance against Nord for the email she said was unethical.
Tuesday, five other council members and the mayor continued to condemn Nord’s email and are now looking into what, if anything can be done about the incident.
Newly elected Champaign County Board members held their organizational meeting Monday night. The meeting opened with Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons swearing in the assembled board members, which include six new Democrats replacing four Democrats and two Republicans.
After losing two seats in the November election, Republicans have just six of their own on the 22-member county board. That’s the smallest Republican minority since Democrats gained majority status in 2000.
Former Champaign County Board member Jennifer Putman was part of both the minority and the majority on the board.
The 74-year-old Putman attended Monday’s organizational meeting and addressed the county board, with advice for the minority party, based on her own experience serving on the board in the 1980s, when Republicans outnumbered Democrats 21-6.
“So, what do you do when you’re in the minority?” said Putman. “You make common cause, you build relationships and you serve the people of Champaign County. And that’s what we did.”
It’s early — really early — but Urbana City Council member James Quisenberry is letting it be known that he’s interested in running for mayor in 2025.
Two-term Mayor Diane Marlin said she probably won’t run again.
“At this point, I do not plan to run for mayor,” she said. “I also think it’s crazy that people are starting this early. But that’s just my opinion.”
Quisenberry, a former Champaign County Board member who is now the Ward 7 alderman in Urbana, doesn’t disagree.
“It is a long way away, politically,” he said. “It feels like a long time away. But I’m interested in it. I’m planning like that is what I’m going to do. I’m going to reach out to other people and talk to them.”
With Ald. Sophia King (4th) challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the mayoral election next year, up to seven candidates — including King’s longtime aide — are trying to fill her seat at City Council.
Appointed by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel to replace former Ald. Will Burns in 2016, King won a special election in 2017. She won again in 2019 against challenger Ebony Lucas, getting 66 percent of the vote. She announced her bid for mayor in August.
The 4th Ward — which includes Kenwood, Oakland and parts of Bronzeville — is one of the city’s more progressive communities. It is home to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who served as alderperson for 19 years before her election to the board in 2010.
The election is Feb. 28. If no one candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will go to a runoff April 4.
A push to place a referendum on the April 4 general election ballot to change Waukegan’s form of government — to one run by a city manager rather than a mayor — is accelerating, pending action by the City Council and an independent petition drive.
A pair of council committees discussed four potential referendums for the April 4 election prior to Monday’s council meeting. Three are related to a managerial form of government, and the fourth would make elections for city officials nonpartisan.
Only three referendums can be placed on a general election ballot for a municipality, either by a petition circulated by voters or legislative action, according to Illinois law.
The City Council plans to vote whether to place any, or potentially three referendums on the April 4 ballot at 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at City Hall in Waukegan to determine the future of the city’s government and how its voters choose their elected officials.
* Press release…
Chicago Conservative activist Patrick Gibbons was assaulted yesterday while boarding Pace Bus #223 at approximately 5pm at the Rosemont Blueline station. During the assault, the perpetrator used a sharp object to slice Gibbons’ hand. Gibbons stated that the suspect “was acting strangely and appeared to be under the influence of narcotics.”
The suspect also attempted to choke Gibbons on the bus before a good samaritan was able to get between Gibbons and the suspect. Rosemont PD responded. The police report is #202200019334. Gibbons is offering a $5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of his attacker and is voicing his belief that the community needs additional police patrols and greater security on the CTA and Pace Platforms to deal with the increased number of violent assaults on Chicago-area mass transit in the past year.
Gibbons has also filed as an Aldermanic candidate in the 31st Ward (Belmont-Cragin).
One of the great Houdini achievements of the gay rights campaign has been to take an issue all about sexual behavior and turn it into a discussion about everything but sexual behavior.
The premise, which was not at all new at the time, was to push back on gay rights by injecting the “Yuck Factor” into the debate. Most people, it was believed, saw the physical act of gay sex as yucky. And activists could use that mental image as a wedge between the majority and formalizing civil rights.
Seventy-one percent of Americans say they support legal same-sex marriage, which exceeds the previous high of 70% recorded in 2021 by one percentage point. […]
When Gallup first polled about same-sex marriage in 1996, barely a quarter of the public (27%) supported legalizing such unions. It would take another 15 years, until 2011, for support to reach the majority level. Then in 2015, just one month before the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision, public support for legalizing gay marriage cracked the 60% level, and last year it reached the 70% mark for the first time. […]
Rising national support for legal same-sex marriage reflects steady increases among most subgroups of the population, even those who have traditionally been the most resistant to gay marriage. Adults aged 65 and older, for example, became mostly supportive in 2016 — as did Protestants in 2017 and Republicans in 2021.
Americans who report that they attend church weekly remain the primary demographic holdout against gay marriage, with 40% in favor and 58% opposed.
Ives calls for Wheaton principal to be fired over ’sex tree’ for middle schoolers
Jeanne Ives is calling for the firing of Edison Middle School Principal Rachel Bednar.
The call for Bednar’s termination comes after a “Gay Pride” Christmas tree was spotted on school grounds.
Ives, a former state representative who is now CEO of Breakthrough Ideas, also referenced the school’s poor academic performance in her call to dismiss Bednar.
“If you let this stand, you are just as morally depraved as the principal,” Ives told the Community Unity School District 200 board and Superintendent Jeff Schuler in an email. “Bednar should be fired for destroying the innocence of young children, promoting racist programs, and failing to educate kids.”
Imagine the sort of mind that sees a rainbow-colored Gay Pride tree as a “sex tree.”
It turns out, most normal people aren’t all that interested in what consenting adults do. And they also want their kids to not judge people lest they be judged. And they really don’t like people who cannot separate private, personal matters from overall public issues. That’s the very real “Yuck Factor” in most Americans’ lives these days.
* Poll results are here. Cor Strategies conducted a post-election poll from Nov. 15-18. It’s a Republican outfit, so the object was to find out what went wrong for the GOP and where it could improve. One big point is that Republicans are not viewed as the “governing party” and that has to change…
It doesn’t help that the last time voters gave our party the opportunity to govern, Bruce Rauner and his administration spent four years trying desperately to convince voters our party had no idea what we were doing.
By contrast, Governor Pritzker has focused on getting state government running smoothly, and it’s worked. A 47% to 47% split in the right direction vs wrong track question may not seem great until you look at the trendline and realize this is the best IL has been viewed by voters in this category (by far) over the past decade.
The Republican strategy of screaming “the sky is falling” and “all is lost” is clearly not working. The voters in this state aren’t hyper-partisans or idealogues. They just want things to get done—they’re not interested in the drama and hyperbole. I can’t remember the last time Republicans proposed any sort of productive plan, policy, or initiative that would make people’s lives better in this state, other than simply saying no to bad ideas.
As a result, in Illinois, Republicans are decidedly not viewed as governing material. Voters trust Democrats to govern 49% to 34%. The numbers are worse with moderates, who trust Democrats over Republicans 56% to 21%. Among minorities, the numbers are even worse: African Americans (71% to 15%), Hispanics (56% to 17%), and Asians (51% to 6%).
Throughout the Illinois suburbs and beyond, there are conservative and Republican mayors earning high praise in their communities for leading, as clients in one village put it, by putting “people over politics.” Their communities are thriving and people are moving there to live, work, and raise their families. These are governing Republicans. That’s the model of a winning Republican candidate.
Where Republicans failed (including us) was in making crime THE issue instead of a gateway issue to voters’ real concerns. Crime was never THE issue: it was the 4th most important issue among even conservatives, let alone moderates and independents. But it could’ve served as an excellent emotional issue to gain attention to then paint Democrats as extreme, position Republicans as the more mainstream governing party, and address voters’ economic concerns. We didn’t do that.
By contrast, Illinois Democrats did it right: they used their emotional issue, abortion, to get voters’ attention and then flowed right into their most persuasive issue, painting Republicans as too extreme and a threat to democracy.
When asked which party is most extreme, nearly as many Illinois voters said Democrats were extreme (42%) as Republicans (43%). All saying Democrats are more extreme: Hispanics (42% to 39%), Whites (44% to 40%), independents (44% to 35%), and even suburban voters (42% to 41%).
That’s right—even after millions of dollars were spent painting Republicans as extremists while Republicans barely (if at all) fought back, voters are still nearly as likely to believe that Democrats are just as bad.
Independents tell this story best. When asked which party they trusted more to govern, they couldn’t choose between Republicans and Democrats (tied at 29%)—instead, they chose neither (37%). They overwhelmingly believe Illinois is on the wrong track (56% compared to 30% right direction).
Instead of constantly playing defense, it’s time to go on offense. Illinois Democrats hold extreme positions on many hot-button issues, yet Republicans seem to enjoy the Rocky strategy of getting pummeled round after round—without the Hollywood happy ending. And with the Democrats’ elected ranks moving further and further leftward, and their politicians feeling emboldened by record majorities in Springfield, Chicago, and many suburban counties, Republicans are sure to have excellent opportunities to paint our opposition as extreme, which by definition, makes us mainstream. We must capitalize on these opportunities.
This is essentially the same argument put forward by longtime hardcore Republican commenter “Lucky Pierre,” although LP is also a major proponent of the “sky is falling” argument.
Today, Lightfoot for Chicago released “Movie Night Delivery,” the third and final installment of its digital ad campaign with “Oscar” and “Felix,” the two Chicago “experts” who discuss Mayor Lightfoot’s track record for the city.
“Movie Night Delivery” features the two men talking about the Mayor’s progressive accomplishments over her time in office, including:
Felix: Progress. Chicago needs someone to be a truly progressive mayor. [Oscar grabs remote and pauses movie] Hey, what did you do that for?
Oscar: Mayor Lightfoot has literally raised minimum wage to $15, made Chicago a safe haven for abortion, and has made record investments in affordable housing.
Felix: I don’t know. Sounds pretty suspect.
Oscar: [Turns to Mayor Lightfoot] Mayor! Can you?
Mayor Lightfoot: You’re right. Chicago did need someone to clean up the mess and pass a progressive agenda.
Oscar: [to Felix, handing him Lightfoot’s agenda] It’s all in here, dude. Lightfoot delivers.
Mayor Lightfoot: [to Oscar] Does he read?
Oscar: About as much as he cleans!
The ads kinda sneak up on you when you’re watching TV. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s just, you’re watching what looks like a normal ad, and then, boom, there’s the mayor.
Winnebago County State’s Attorney J. Hanley said he may no longer be part of a multi-county lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act.
Hanley told the Rockford Register Star Tuesday he is considering withdrawing his name from the suit after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a series of amendments to the SAFE-T Act.
“It would be irresponsible of me,” he said, “not to monitor or to continue to think about the advisability of continuing litigation.”
Hanley also said he regrets if any of his comments leading up to the Nov. 8 elections contributed to the “hysteria” over the elimination of the cash bail system on Jan. 1, 2023.
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker aims to get assault weapon ban proposal ‘done in the first half of the year’: “I favor the legislation that he’s put forward,” Pritzker said of Morgan’s bill, while the governor added the caveat that “the legislative process can be a grinding one that requires a lengthier look at each piece” of a proposal. Lawmakers could take up the plan as early as next month during the lame-duck session, when legislators return to Springfield for their final session days before the newly elected General Assembly is seated Jan. 11.
* Dispatch Argus | What two Illinois GOP lawmakers’ post-election resignations mean: In Butler’s case, one replacement will serve the final days of his current term and another will serve the entirety of the new two-year term that begins Jan. 11. That latter choice will largely be left up to Sangamon County Republican Party chair Diane Barghouti Hardwick, who has more than 90% of the weighted vote needed to appoint.
* WGLT | Union pickets over ‘crisis’ staffing shortage at Pontiac prison: Officers at the Pontiac Correctional Center staged a picket Wednesday to call attention to what they say is a dire lack of security at the maximum-security prison. A corrections sergeant was stabbed in the neck last month by an inmate at Pontiac. A second officer also was injured in the attack.
* Brian Costin and Joe Sosnowski | New legislation would end the Illinois corporate welfare civil war: Under this legislation, Illinois lawmakers and businesses would both refocus their energies on the state’s economic, education, law enforcement and infrastructure policies to put the state’s economy to work for everyone, not just the privileged few. Anti-poaching legislation will make Illinois’ economy as competitive as any state in the country, all year round.
* Crain’s | Who has final say over election rules? Illinois files a brief with Supreme Court.: Illinois is taking the lead among a coalition of blue states arguing against the theory, which arises out of a North Carolina redistricting dispute in the case of Moore v. Harper. Earlier this year, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the redrawn congressional district map approved by the state’s Republican-led state legislature, citing it as gerrymandered and, therefore, unconstitutional.
* Crain’s | Key city, state pension funds say they have no crypto exposure: Representatives of key retirement funds that cover teachers in Chicago, the suburbs and downstate say the financial collapse of the FTX exchange and other setbacks do not directly impact them because they did not invest in such assets. City of Chicago officials report the same for its four retirement systems.
* ABC 20 | Memorial Health seeing increase in flu: The hospitals collectively have seen 104 patients hospitalized with influenza, compared to four at this time last year. “This year’s strains of influenza are proving to be highly contagious,” said Raj Govindaiah, MD, Memorial Health senior vice president and chief physician executive. “We don’t like to see this kind of increase this early in the flu season. We strongly encourage people to be proactive about protecting themselves and others from contracting the flu right now. People who are young, elderly and immunocompromised are especially at risk for dangerous complications.”
* Chicago Reporter | Culture Is Key In Treating Mental Health Concerns: Due to higher rates of deaths, unemployment, college dropout, homelessness, and access to quality health care, the community is more prone to developing symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Systemic barriers to mental health support have worsened for the community — at a time when getting timely help has never been more critical.
* Tribune | Chicago attracting a healthy amount of investment, but all neighborhoods aren’t equal: Together, public and mission-driven investors poured $9 billion into Chicago neighborhoods over the decade, compared with nearly $200 billion spent by private investors on the city’s single-family homes and in the nonresidential sector. But if public and mission-driven investors can show new business and homes can thrive, it may convince private investors to set aside more funds for deprived areas.
* WSIL | New 730 area code coming to southern Illinois: The new 730 area code will “overlay” the existing 618 area code to “address the depletion of prefixes available for assignment within the region.” The first prefix in the new area code will not be introduced until after July 7, 2023.
* Crain’s | Carol Ross Barney wins one of architecture’s top prizes: The American Institute of Architects has given its Gold Medal award to Carol Ross Barney. One of the industry’s top prizes, the award puts Barney, 73, in the company of past winners including Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Frank Gehry and Santiago Calatrava. In fact, Mies van der Rohe was the last winner from Chicago, in 1960.
* Crain’s | The biggest brand fails of 2022: This past year saw plenty of mistakes from brands—Ad Age even keeps track of such flubs in a weekly Marketing Winners and Losers column—but some fails were worse than others. As consumers increasingly pay attention and become more willing to cry foul on social media, marketers are constantly under the microscope of public opinion. Below, we track some of the biggest bungles of the year.
* Time Out | Check out the inaugural lineup for The Salt Shed’s new indoor venue: The venue’s initial lineup kicks off on February 17 with a performance from Scandi-pop artist Tove Lo and “Mine” singer Slayyyter. Other notable shows this season include a performance from punk icon Iggy Pop (March 10), the first Bikini Kill appearance in Chicago since the group reunited in 2019 (April 22) and the Flaming Lips celebrating the 20th anniversary of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (May 5). More concerts are expected to be announced in the coming months.
* A little too cloudy where I was, so I didn’t get a chance to see this…
This is the moment Mars peeked out from behind our moon after being hidden for an hour. This shot was captured using my largest telescope and a special high-speed camera. Seeing another planet rising on the horizon of our moon was such a surreal experience. pic.twitter.com/8IctbVXuUM
