Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Thanks again to everyone who has donated to our annual fundraiser to help buy Christmas presents for foster kids. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be a child in such turmoil, especially at this time of the year. Please, click here to contribute. Thanks!

Also, you can continue voting through the weekend on today’s Golden Horseshoe category. We will see your comments even if no one else can.

* We’ll be back Monday…

Qué sabroso pa’ bailarlo, dímelo, a cantar

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Pritzker backs hemp regulation bill (Updated x3)

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a press release…

Today Governor JB Pritzker, joined by medical experts and legislators, announced his support for proposed legislation intended to regulate the “intoxicating hemp” industry, a term used to describe hemp-derived THC and CBD products currently sold outside of a licensed dispensary setting (such as Delta-8 products). The legislation, which follows reports of minors ingesting misleading or poorly labelled products, sets limits on intoxicating hemp products like those imposed on legal cannabis through the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA). These regulations would ban misleading marketing and packaging that rips off consumer brands to appeal to children while moving intoxicating hemp products into the state’s existing marketplace to follow safe testing and dosage requirements.

“This regulatory gray area has created a loophole that put Illinois consumers of all ages, but particularly children, in danger while an underground market flourished—the exact opposite of what Illinois has done by regulating our cannabis industry,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’re closing that loophole and protecting Illinoisans of all ages by incorporating these products into the regulated and equitable system of dispensaries already in place in the state.”

“These changes are motivated by a clear and present need to protect our children and communities. We have a responsibility to close these gaps that let unsafe, unregulated products reach the shelves,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “This legislation ensures clear rules and fair oversight, protecting public health while creating a safer marketplace for everyone.”

The legislation:

• Regulates intoxicating hemp products similar to how legal cannabis is regulated, this includes:

o Prohibiting packaging designed to imitate candy/popular food products
o Prohibiting packaging/marketing designed to appeal to children
o Requiring safe packaging for intoxicating hemp products
o Imposing taxation and testing requirements consistent with CRTA

• Dictates that these intoxicating hemp products will only be sold at licensed dispensaries (as opposed to gas stations, smoke shops, or stand-alone delta 8 shops)
• Makes 21 years old the legal age for purchasing intoxicating hemp products
• Creates a hemp consumer product processor license to allow current hemp processors to sell into adult use cannabis dispensaries

In recent years, there have been increasing reports of minors ingesting intoxicating hemp products, including Delta-8 variants, often marketed using the recognizable brand colors and designs for popular snack foods. With no testing or dosage requirement for these products, many contain amounts of THC that far exceed what is permissible for adult use cannabis products and come from out of state with no oversight or testing for pesticides or biological contaminants.

Retail sale of non-intoxicating CBD products will continue to be allowed outside of a dispensary setting with certain product registration and quality standard requirements.

I’ll post industry/stakeholder react if I receive any.

…Adding… The Cannabis Business Association of Illinois…

“A federal loophole has allowed for the proliferation of intoxicating hemp products such as Delta 8, which use potentially harmful chemicals to alter the composition of hemp to get consumers high. This is happening outside the structure of the state’s legal cannabis industry, meaning there are no rules or regulations guiding the production or sale of these products – which the Federal Drug Administration warns have not been evaluated for ‘safe use in any context.’ This not only leaves consumers at risk, it also undermines the state’s carefully regulated cannabis market, particularly social equity cannabis license holders who face extensive rules and regulations to operate while those selling intoxicating hemp continue to get off easy,” said Tiffany Chappell Ingram, Executive Director of the Cannabis Business Association of Illinois.

“We applaud Gov. JB Pritzker’s call to protect consumers and rein in this gray market. We urge lawmakers to take swift action, as Illinois is already falling behind other states that have adopted meaningful regulations. Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford, House Assistant Majority Leader Kam Buckner and House Assistant Majority Leader Barbara Hernandez have been strong legislative champions, and we look forward to working collaboratively to put in place a measure that will empower consumers, protect public health and help ensure our state’s legal cannabis industry can reach its full potential.”

…Adding… Chris Lindsey at the American Trade Association of Cannabis and Hemp…

Governor Pritzker’s leadership on addressing unregulated synthetic hemp intoxicants represents an important step toward protecting public safety. Synthetic THC products like Delta-8 THC, Delta-10, and others, which are sold without proper testing, labeling, or oversight, pose significant risks to consumers who too often do not know they are consuming. Illinois has invested years in creating a robust regulatory framework for cannabis to provide for consumer protection and public health and safety. Unregulated synthetic hemp intoxicants undermine this goal.

Quote from Michael Bronstein, President of ATACH:
“Governor Pritzker’s call to regulate intoxicating synthetic THC products masquerading as “hemp” is both timely and necessary. These products create potential public health risks to consumers who all too often do not know what they are consuming. ATACH fully supports efforts to ensure cannabis and hemp-based products are tested, labeled, and regulated properly.”

…Adding… The Illinois Hemp Business Association is opposed…

“The Governor supports hemp regulation, and so do we. That is why Illinois hemp businesses – despite being ignored and dismissed – have long championed balanced, sensible regulations that shield families from bad actors who peddle dangerous synthetics disguised as hemp or shamelessly market to children. However, HB 4293 is not regulation — it’s a full-scale ban that wipes out nearly all federally legal hemp-derived products, including CBD lotions, shampoos, and pet care items.

“The legislation would benefit large marijuana corporations at the expense of Illinois residents and the legitimate small businesses that follow federal law, yet does nothing to curb online sales of hemp products to minors from out-of-state companies. We agree with the calls to enhance consumer safety, but we must work together to craft thoughtful, targeted regulations that deliver real public health and economic solutions for our state.”

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* It’s Friday! Kick off your weekend by spreading holiday cheer—donate to our fundraiser so LSSI can help provide Christmas gifts for foster children! Click here to donate.

* Daily Southtown…

Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to overturn the results of what she believes was an improperly run Democratic caucus that kept her off the ballot. […]

She is suing the Thornton Township Democrats as well as committeeman and state Sen. Napoleon Harris, who received the Democratic nomination for supervisor, for denying voters their full rights to choose their own candidates.

Dixmoor Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts was also named as a plaintiff, though he released a statement Thursday stating his inclusion was a mistake on the part of Henyard’s attorney, Max Solomon. Solomon confirmed Friday morning he was working to remove Roberts from the suit and declined to comment until after he had done so.

The lawsuit alleges the township Democrats and Harris acted improperly by allowing members who met at the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District auditorium for a private event to stay there for the following caucus, while denying entry to others seeking to vote to nominate candidates.

*** Madigan Trial ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Judge won’t acquit former AT&T Illinois boss in Madigan bribery case after hung jury: A federal judge on Thursday declined to acquit former AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza after his September trial on charges that he bribed ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan ended in a hung jury. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman was forced to declare a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a verdict in La Schiazza’s case, which ended a few weeks before Madigan’s trial began five floors down in Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

*** Statehouse News ***

* IPM | Illinois teachers urging lawmakers to help them use artificial intelligence safely in the classroom: “With the rapid expansion of AI, we’re not sure which apps are Student Online Personal Protection Act-compliant and which ones aren’t,” Murmann said. “Not all districts have access to screening all of these tools. So teachers are very hesitant to use them, and not using something could inhibit a learning practice.” The Teach Plus fellows are asking the General Assembly and Illinois State Board of Education to provide guidelines to schools “with urgency,” and incorporate teacher voices to continually update its approach. Some states like California and Minnesota have already published policies to guide the use of AI in the classroom.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | As Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson delays budget vote, City Council members complain about what the budget lacked: Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th Ward, a progressive who was going to vote “yes” on the budget Friday, argued opponents of the budget who are dissatisfied with Johnson “just want to be oppositional.” “They’re upset with him,” she said. “I think this is some people in council just kind of flexing — if you want to go that route — on things that they feel like he hasn’t compromised enough on, or he hasn’t talked to them enough, or they feel disrespected, or they feel like he’s not listening.” But she noted that opposition to this budget proposal spans the political spectrum, including from those in Johnson’s own progressive wing. Hadden ultimately blamed the delay on the fact that “the fifth floor can’t get relationships together.”

* Sun-Times | City Hall ouster exposes rift in Johnson’s environmental mission: Mansour’s ouster is the type of behind-the-scenes politics that would’ve been largely overlooked had it not been flagged by community advocates who knew how integral he was to an air-quality assessment that they deemed important. The devices are a step toward understanding how air pollution can significantly fluctuate in low-income communities of color. “Those monitors could be utilized in our community rather than collecting dust,” says Cheryl Johnson, executive director of People for Community Recovery in Riverdale on the Far Southeast Side. “When the city makes the commitment to provide resources, make it happen. In our community, we’ve been waiting over 30 years for air monitors.”

* The Triibe | Chicago activists push for universities to pay for city services to ease budget woes: As Chicago City Council works to pass a 2025 budget that will likely include a property tax increase, organizers are calling for private universities to pay their fair share for public services. “We know these private institutions that are benefiting from services – like law enforcement, like the fire department – aren’t having to pay property taxes,” says Jesse Hoyt, executive director of the community organization ONE Northside, which is pushing for universities here to participate in a tax-paying program named PILOT. “Now, more than ever, we need to see progressive revenue options, and we see the PILOT program as one of those ways of really achieving that.”

* WTTW | CPS Planning ‘All-Hands-on-Deck’ Approach to Protecting Students, Families From Mass Deportations: Martinez said the district enacted a “comprehensive response” to protect its students, families and staff when Trump’s first term began in 2017, and CPS officials are planning to take similar steps before Trump’s inauguration next month. Earlier this week, Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan said that mass deportations would “start right here in Chicago.” “We are not taking these threats lightly and be sure that we will stand strong to protect our school communities from harm,” Martinez said.

* Block Club | ‘A New Day At CHA’? Residents Still Face ‘Ridiculous’ Conditions In Public Housing Buildings, They Say: The CHA and its property managers haven’t properly maintained her building for the last 15 years, causing headaches and safety concerns for her and her neighbors, she said. Flowers’ experience highlights larger, ongoing management failures by the CHA — problems agency officials have said multiple times over the past year they’re working to address.

* Block Club | Chance The Snapper Is Now 7-Foot-1 — And Helping Scientists Study Cancer: Chance is now 7-foot-1. He was just about 4 feet long when I first found him. He has also nearly quadrupled in weight to about 130 pounds since then! It took three of us to pick him up. More importantly, he’s now contributing to vital research that could pave the way for advanced cancer treatments — or perhaps, someday, a cure.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | It’s a wonderful site — Christmas movies find ideal backdrop in the suburbs: The historic Long Grove Bridge doesn’t get much respect from the dozens of vehicles that have bumped it over the years, but directors of Christmas movies love it. Some of the many holiday films shot in the suburbs over the years have used the iconic covered bridge as a backdrop. Dare we say it’s a hallmark of the season.

* Patch | Bald Eagles Stay The Winter In Will County Preserves: That means the regal raptors are likely to be hanging around the Forest Preserve’s Lake Renwick Preserve in Plainfield, McKinley Woods in Channahon, Rock Run Rookery Preserve in Joliet and Whalon Lake in Naperville. However, the preserve is reminding visitors, that proper bird-watching etiquette requires humans to give the birds a wide berth.

* Tribune | Northlight Theatre announces groundbreaking for long-awaited Evanston theater: Northlight Theatre told the Tribune Tuesday that it plans finally to break ground on a new Evanston home in early March. The new theater building, which is projected to cost around $32 million, is expected to be ready in time for the 2026-27 season. Construction is expected to be substantially complete by the summer of 2026. Northlight says it has raised $26.2 million toward that cost and plans a continued public campaign this winter to secure the remaining $6 million. Either way, enough money has been raised for construction to get underway.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Sangamon Co. prepares to hand over info to DOJ; makes changes to hiring processes: Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch has been on the job for about three months, and one of her first tasks was compiling a huge trove of information for the U.S. Department of Justice. “Obviously, they have received some information that they believe that the information they’re requesting for us will help answer the questions that have been posed to them,” Crouch said.

* WGLT | McLean County’s smaller communities embrace ‘a different way of policing’: “We get out of the car, we interact with the students and the staff, making sure everybody gets in safe, and [making] sure everybody leaves safe,” Hudson Police Chief Mark Kotte said. Hudson, located just north of Bloomington-Normal, is home to about 1,700 people. It’s one of a few dozen smaller communities in McLean County with their own police force — albeit a small one with two full-time officers and one part-time.

* WCIA | Illini football takes teen moms on shopping spree for third-straight year: For a third straight year, Bret and Jen Bielema picked up the bill giving 50 young families a financial boost of a $200 shopping spree at the Urbana Walmart through the YoungLives program. They’ve had an incredible season on the field, but the opportunity to do this off the field, it just says so much about his (Bret Bielema’s) heart and the way that he reaches out,” YoungLives director Erin Watson said.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | Environmental Internationalism Is in Its Flop Era: Despite all of that, this year in international environmental diplomacy went exceptionally badly. Inflation and cost-of-living crises, coupled with a rightward shift in politics in many countries, meant that negotiating for major environmental spending this year was poised to be difficult. But environmental diplomacy has also reached a hard new crossroads: The science of ecological destruction is settled, the trajectory is bleak, and the need for change is obvious. All that’s left to do is decide who should deal with it.

* Bloomberg | Inside the Graphic and Bizarre Threats Against Scotus, Federal Judges: For years, the US Marshals Service has been raising red flags about the nature of the threats directed at Supreme Court justices, federal judges and its other protectees, but the agency has never disclosed the content and details of the threats, until now.

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Drilling down

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WGN TV…

On a crisp October day two guys sped away from Illinois State Police and later, officers from two county sheriff’s departments. The men were arrested only after they tried to flee through a corn field where their car caught fire. Inside, police say they found three kilos of drugs laced with fentanyl. Police reports say the men denied knowing the drugs were hidden in the floorboard of the car they claimed to have “borrowed” from someone in California. One said they “fled in fear of being deported,” according to a police report.

Within days a judge released one of the men after an initial check found no criminal record.

“Guarantee you’ll never see him again,” Kankakee County sheriff Mike Downey said. “I can’t call ICE and say ‘This individual is getting released tomorrow, or in three hours.’ I can’t. So he walks out the door.”

The Illinois law that prohibits local police from cooperating with immigration agents and detaining a person because of their immigration status was actually signed by a republican governor, Bruce Rauner, during the first Trump administration. Supporters say it allows people in this country illegally to feel safe reporting when they’ve been a victim of crime and cooperate with police investigating crime. […]

Kankakee County earned $17M from the federal government renting jail space to ICE from 2016-2022 [when a new state law prohibited it]. The sheriff says cooperating with immigration – and deportation – is about much more than money.

“I just don’t believe that Illinois will ever be a safe state until our governor decides to effect policy change and I don’t see him doing that,” Downey said.

* The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights’ senior policy counsel Fred Tsao issued this response to the story…

To say that people arrested in Kankakee County were released “because state law prevents [the Sheriff] from asking about immigration status” is false, and to say that police in Illinois are “handcuffed” when it comes to people in the country without authorization is simply untrue. The TRUST Act does not include any restrictions on Illinois county sheriffs or state’s attorneys from arresting, charging, and sentencing people for violations of state or local laws. On a daily basis across Illinois, sheriffs release people who have served their time, have their charges dropped, or who are no longer ordered to be held on pretrial detention by a judge — as it should be as a matter of fairness and simple due process.

But the TRUST Act is in place to protect immigrants from being punished a second time for the same violation after serving their sentence or paying their fine, or from being put at further risk of deportation even before their local charges are adjudicated. And from how the Kankakee sheriff is telling this story, it shows exactly why we need laws like the TRUST Act and Illinois Way Forward as we face an overzealous incoming presidential administration hellbent on disrupting life for immigrants in Chicago and Illinois.

As to the specific incident in the WGN segment, I’m left with more questions: what happened to the other person who was held? What charges were filed? Couldn’t the judge (unnamed in the segment) have used their discretion under the SAFE-T Act to hold both of them? To the Kankakee sheriff’s other comments in the segment, why does he feel like he even needs to ask the “countless people” released in his county about their immigration status? Couldn’t he and his officers simply continue doing their work as they have since Illinois Way Forward went into effect in 2021? What makes it different now, other than being emboldened by the new administration?

Truthfully, this sounds like a combination of (1) complaints from a sheriff who lost out on millions in rent from ICE seeking additional reason to profile and punish community members based only on his perceptions and assumptions of their immigration status since he is not allowed to affirmatively ask about it, and (2) a news report that takes what the sheriff was saying at face value when further questions could have poked holes in the story he was trying to tell.

* OK, according to a Shaw Local story from last month, one was held because he had a criminal record. The other was released under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act because the locals thought he didn’t have a criminal record. But it turns out he did have a juvenile record that California did not transmit right away.

Also, FYI, state law does allow local law enforcement to cooperate if ICE produces a judicial warrant.

* From that Shaw Local story…

According to a Wednesday news release, the SAFE-T Act required officials to hold a pretrial release hearing within 48 hours of the arrest.

“Before the hearing, Grundy County officials confirmed that both suspects were Honduran nationals, with one having an immigration detainer warrant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,” according to the release. “At the hearing, the local state’s attorney requested detention for both suspects due to the severity of the charges.”

The court granted one detention request based on the outstanding warrant and criminal history, and the other suspect was released because he had no criminal history available within the 48-hour hearing window.

California authorities informed Grundy County that the released suspect, an 18-year-old, had a juvenile record that would have led to his detention, according to the sheriff’s office.

Also from the story…

“Let’s be clear about the facts,” [Ben Ruddell, the Director of Criminal Justice Policy for the ACLU of Illinois] said. “The requirement that an arrested person appear before a judge within 48 hours is a constitutional standard that was in place before the Pretrial Fairness Act went into effect. In fact, the current law allows prosecutors to request additional time, up to 48 hours, to prepare for a detention hearing. No such request was made in this case.”

However…

For receiving records, [Kyle Klukas, the First Assistant State’s Attorney] said the issue arises that records departments typically only work Monday to Friday. Since the arrest was made on a Thursday and the trial was on a Friday, the time the county was able to detain Barahona would’ve run out.

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Pritzker says he has no preference in debate about possibly adopting a new state flag

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From Gov. Pritzker’s Q and A yesterday…

* Q: The new potential state flags have been unveiled. Do you have an opinion on the top 10 designs, and do you believe that Illinois would be better served by a new banner?

* Pritzker: I really like our current flag. I also like the designs that were put forward. Don’t want to sound too political about that, but I mean, I think a lot of effort was put in that. I saw a report that showed 10 flags, but they forgot that there’s also the centennial flag. There’s also, you know, the original flag. Those will be considered, I think, in the voting that’ll take place by the public. So, you know, I don’t have a preference about any single one of those. I am glad, though, that we’re at least considering all the options here, and what we end up with will be a choice that the public makes.

* The Sesquicentennial Flag is also in the mix…

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IMA chief responds to Pritzker comments on lagging employment growth

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Governor Pritzker on Wednesday…

Isabel: The latest COFGA report found that Illinois’ job growth rate was about a 10th of the national growth rate since October 2019. Are you at all concerned about this, and how do you plan to increase that rate across the state?

Governor Pritzker: Yeah, I would remind you that when I took office, Illinois was in this similar position, right? Where there’s a low, lower growth economy for the state of Illinois than there has been for the United States more broadly.

That’s something I’ve been very interested in and focused on changing. You know, I was in business before I became governor. I have always believed that Illinois could do so much better.

As you know, we’ve had a series of crises that have hit the state, not the least of which was the COVID-19 crisis. So there are things that have impeded our progress in the state.

Having said that, as you know, over the last two and a half years basically since the end of the COVID crisis, if you can say that it’s fully ended, I think it has, the crisis part of it anyway.

We’ve been very focused in my administration on growing the economy, on attracting jobs and businesses, and that’s working. But again, it’s, you know, takes a long time to change the trajectory you’re moving a, a, you know, an aircraft carrier, when you’re changing the trajectory of a state’s growth rate.

But, we’re making progress. And I look forward to, you know, you’ll hear some announcements, as you have in the past. [I] don’t make these things up, people often have asked me ‘well when are we going to hear the’ you know, and then you hear them. But nobody takes into account that I promised them and I delivered them. And you’ll hear more announcements about that as well.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

* I called Mark Denzler yesterday and chatted with him about what the governor had said. Denzler is President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…

I think what I would first say is that, traditionally, Illinois is usually one of the first states to go into, and I’m not going to say recession, but usually one of the first states to start shedding jobs. And traditionally, we’re one of the last states to come out of it. When you look at economic cycles throughout the years, that is a pattern that has traditionally happened. Now that being said, and I can address manufacturing jobs, I’m not an expert on retail or hospitality or other sectors, but when I look back, and I took some time to look back at data from October 2019, to present, which I think is what the report said. You know, in manufacturing, we’ve lost about 6500 jobs. But when you look at other neighboring states, Ohio has lost nearly double the amount of jobs. Indiana lost manufacturing jobs. California lost about 40,000 manufacturing jobs. So we’re doing better than a lot of our neighboring states. Now, Wisconsin gained, Texas gained, but in generally, in the industrial Midwest, we’ve done better than some of our other states in manufacturing.

What I would say moving forward, what we really need to focus on, and again, talking manufacturing is energy policy is critical. Manufacturers are the largest consumers of energy in the United States. We use about one-third of all the energy that’s produced in the United States, and there are growing concerns about the ability to make sure that we have generation, that we have reliability. That’s on the foremost of the minds of manufacturers.

Secondly, a huge issue that we hear about when I talk to my members is permit time. How long is it going to take a shovel to get in the ground? You know, because right now, every state is competing. They all ask the question, how quickly can I get my project started?

And then the third big issue is workforce. And I would say that our workforce is second to none. We have a fantastic manufacturing workforce. We have great colleges and universities.

And the other thing, I think, generally, what I would say is we started behind most other states. You know, Illinois struggled for years, and I do give the governor and his team a lot of credit and members of the General Assembly for focusing on education and workforce and focusing on incentive packages. We have lacked behind the country, quite frankly, severely. And so we started creating a closing fund, and created REV Act and improve the EDGE credit. And so, you know, we have dug a hole in Illinois that’s going to take some time to get out of.

* On turning the ship around…

I would agree with the governor and the fact it takes a while to turn the ship around. And it wasn’t a Republican issue or a Democrat issue, it was quite frankly, for two decades we really struggled with a focus and to kind of create a policy.

The governor has done a great job of marketing the state. And I will tell you I get calls now from companies that had never considered Illinois. They’re now saying, ‘Hey, tell me about your incentive packages, tell me about your workforce. Tell me about your energy.’ Who previously had no interest in Illinois. So I really do see renewed excitement and interest in Illinois that I didn’t see five years ago.

I would agree with the governor on that we still have improvements to make. Like I said, I think we can do things better in permitting. Because companies calling saying, how quickly can I get a shovel on the ground?

I think the incentive package, and again, credit to the governor and in the General Assembly. Literally, every year in the last five or six years, they’ve updated some incentives as they talk to companies.

And then again, the workforce issue. There’s a couple companies that have left Illinois that called me after, one went to Tennessee and one went to Mississippi, and they said ‘We struggle with workforce.’

I think as we continue investing in those at the same time we’re going to have to address the budget challenge, and we need to be careful that they don’t do it exclusively on the backs of employers by raising taxes significantly. We need to continue trying to do some about the property tax system. I continue to hear about that.

We’re going to have to revisit the energy issue. We’re major consumers and users, and we have to make sure that we have safe, reliable and low cost power. It had been an advantage of Illinois for many, many years. We’re slowly losing that advantage as our costs go up.

But you know the advantages we have when you start thinking about climate change, we have access to water. Twenty percent of the fresh water is in the Great Lakes for the manufacturing sector. That’s a huge advantage.

The announcement a few minutes ago on Quantum. I was part of the NDA, and I was with Psi-Quantum in Palo Alto, I think that has great opportunity to continue to grow our biopharmaceutical sector and life sciences, whether it’s Lake County or it’s in Chicago and other parts. I think we have a huge opportunity to grow that.

And I do think you see in the state’s five-year plan, we actually have a plan. We have a focus. If we can continue down that path, I think that will be very helpful.

25 Comments

Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rich is in Florida and is trying to take it a little easy, so he asked me to handle today’s awards the way I see fit. It’s my first time doing this, so here we go.

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Democratic Illinois State Representative goes to Rep. Lindsey LaPointe…

She has taken on the complex and always frustrating issues involving human services. She is far more than just “interested” she dives deep into policy and makes sure her fellow lawmakers don’t just rubber stamp agency decisions that have a huge impact on Illinois.

Her work on budgeting issues for behavioral health providers has been the difference in many cutting programs or being able to continue to serve vulnerable populations. She has earned the respect of everyone who works in the human services arena, whether state or private sector. She is a true “legislative workhorse” not afraid to do the heavy lifting requiring learning complex issues.

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for best Republican State Representative goes to Rep. Jeff Keicher…

He is super responsive when I reach out. Additionally, he was a victim of a politically motivated death threat. He did speak on the stress and toll on him and his family, he even considered quitting - but thankfully he continues to serve - seems very deserving.

Rep. Norine Hammond, our 2023 winner, deserves a honorable mention for her work this year.

Some very solid nominations were made yesterday, so thanks for that and congrats to our winners!

* Today’s categories…

Best Republican Illinois State Senator

As always, explain your nomination or it won’t count. And please do your best to nominate in both categories.

* This is your daily reminder to click here and help Lutheran Social Services of Illinois buy Christmas presents for their foster kids. So far, we’ve helped LSSI buy presents for 1,036 foster children. That’s just so amazing, but they serve 2,530 kids, so please click here.

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State laws taking effect Jan. 1

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Senate Democratic Caucus…

With the new year quickly approaching, a number of new state laws will take effect. Nearly 300 laws will officially be on the books beginning Jan. 1 — from one that fights catalytic converter theft to another that makes it easier to cancel online subscriptions.

In the new year, victims of car theft won’t be on the hook for towing and storage fees, families can expect lower out-of-pocket EpiPen costs and more. The Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus outlined the top 10 laws affecting Illinoisans in the upcoming year. These include:

· HB 2443: Insurers must now cover medically prescribed hearing aids and services for individuals of all ages, ensuring access to essential care.

· HB 3639: Life-saving epinephrine injectors are now capped at $60 per twin-pack, making allergy care more affordable.

· HB 4589: Recyclable metals dealers must track vehicle and part information for catalytic converters to prevent illegal sales.

· HB 4911: Gym memberships can now be canceled online or via email if those options were used to join the contract.

· HB 5561: Employees are protected from retaliation for exposing workplace practices they believe violate the law.

· SB 2654: Vehicles that are stolen and later towed will not incur storage fees if recovered within seven days, and owners can retrieve essential items, like medical devices and textbooks.

· SB 2764: Businesses offering free trials longer than 15 days must email consumers three days before the cancellation deadline.

· SB 3201: Law enforcement will now be trained to better recognize and respond to individuals with autism.

· SB 3471: Illinois drivers can now request free replacement plates if their license plates are stolen.

· SB 3479: Businesses offering veteran or military benefit services for a fee must disclose all terms upfront.

A full list of laws that take effect Jan. 1, 2025 can be found here.

* NBC Chicago…

According to the Illinois General Assembly’s website, at least 293 new laws will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and they cover a variety of topics, including your health insurance, the rights of employees and employers, and even the way you display your driver’s license during traffic stops and other settings. […]

HB 2161 – Employers discriminating or harassing employees based on their family responsibilities is now a civil rights violation. […]

HB 4206 – Tenants will be permitted to pay landlords in cash or paper checks to avoid transaction fees associated with direct deposit or credit or debit cards. […]

HB 5408 – Drivers will be prohibited from stopping or parking vehicles on shoulders of highways within a half-mile radius of the eastern entrance to Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. […]

SB 0275 – The Secretary of State’s Office will be required to offer applicants the option to be issued an 8-year driver’s license within the next two years.

* Fox Chicago
…

Starting in 2025, the cost of medically necessary epinephrine injectors, which are used to reverse the effects of severe allergic reactions, will be capped at $60 for a twin pack for those with health insurance. […]

In 2025, a veteran with a disability or the veteran’s caregiver won’t have to pay a building permit fee for improvements to the home of the veteran.

A person’s DNA profile collected because they were a victim of a crime will not be allowed to be entered into a DNA database. The new law will apply except in certain medical examiner or coroner investigations. […]

Landlords will be prohibited from charging a potential tenant an application screening fee if the prospective tenant provides a reusable screening report that meets certain criteria.

* WTVO…

Starting January 1st, 2025, most employers in Illinois will have to disclose pay and benefits information on job postings, thanks to a new law.

The change is mandated by an amendment to the Equal Pay Act of 2003 that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law last year.

The law requires that all employers with 15 or more employees include the pay scale and benefits on job postings, both internal and external.

It will apply to positions that will be performed in Illinois, including remote work.

Companies will have 14 days from the start of the year to add salary and benefit information to job postings or face a $500 fine.

8 Comments

Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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

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

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Open thread

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

We’re almost to $26,000 in our annual drive to buy Christmas presents for foster kids. Thanks!

But we need to keep it going. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has lots and lots of foster kids in their care network and we’ve raised enough to buy presents for about 40 percent of them. So, please, click here and give whatever you can. Thank you!!!

5 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* We’re thrilled to share that we’re nearing $26,000 in our annual drive to bring Christmas joy to foster kids!

But there’s still work to do—so far, we’ve only covered presents for about 40 percent of the kids in Lutheran Social Services of Illinois’ care. Let’s keep this momentum going! Every little bit helps. Click here to donate and make a difference. Thank you so much!

* ICYMI: Mayor Brandon Johnson calls off vote on 2025 city budget. Sun-Times…

* Related stories…

∙ Crain’s: Johnson budget promise risks securing one vote at the expense of another
∙ WBEZ: As Mayor Johnson struggles to balance Chicago’s budget, he’s reserving millions for cops who’ll never be hired
∙ Crain’s: Fearing rejection, vote on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $17.3 billion 2025 budget to be delayed

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | The best images of 2024 by Chicago Tribune photographers : In 2024, Tribune photographers captured the emotions — anger and joy, determination and fear — that defined an unforgettable year. Through their lenses, our staff documented a 12-month period marked by social change, political extremism, human resilience, environmental challenges and moments of collective celebration.

* NPR | Dixon State Rep. expresses outrage after President Biden commutes the sentence of former City Comptroller Rita Crundwell:
Dixon Republican State Representative Bradley Fritts issued a statement saying he is outraged by the commutation. He says it’s unclear if Crundwell will still owe restitution to the citizens of Dixon. In 2013, Crundwell was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison for stealing more than $53 million dollars from the city over two decades. She used the funds to finance a lavish lifestyle and a horse breeding business.

*** Statewide ***

* Axios | Illinois flag redesign: Readers pick their favorite: This week, the Illinois Flag Commission announced 10 finalists in the running to be the state’s new flag. We asked you to pick your favorite. 21% of you like No. 6 (above), which features a bust of Abraham Lincoln inside an outline of Illinois.

* WICS | Clanin Creative honored as Illinois flag design finalist, highlights agriculture: Clanin Creative design agency right here in Champaign is one of 10 finalists selected by the Illinois Flag Commission. Their design was chosen out of 5,000 others. Clanin Creative says they were shocked to be named a finalist. And no matter the outcome this is a huge milestone for them.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Growth of Chicago area data centers taking off with no signs of a slowdown: Data centers — sprawling facilities that help power the tech behind everything from online shopping to scheduling dentist appointments — are popping up across the country, and Chicago has been recognized as one of the leaders. Industry experts say Chicago and nearby suburbs will continue to be an industry powerhouse, with 30 data center projects planned over the next five years. Utility infrastructure will also expand as companies look toward the suburbs to fit their land needs. But if large companies like Microsoft, Meta or Oracle secure agreements for new data centers, it could eat up the region’s extra power capabilities.

* Block Club | What Happened To Neighborhoods When Their Schools Closed? New Documentary Explores Aftermath: “Beyond Closure,” by Chicago-based Borderless Studio and On The Real Film, features local journalists and community advocates reflecting on the school closures and looking toward the future as some of the vacant properties are redeveloped.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appoints a seventh school board member:
Sean Harden will be the seventh board member and will fill a spot left vacant by Rev. Mitchell Johnson, who served as board president for a week before resigning amid social media posts criticized as antisemitic, misogynistic, and conspiracy-laden. City officials did not immediately say whether Harden will serve as president of the board. But he might only be able to continue serving after a new partly elected board takes over in January if he is appointed to lead the board.

* NBC Chicago | Lawmakers push for hearings on state’s hemp industry in January: Local lawmakers are pushing for hearings on Illinois’ hemp industry next month, highlighting a push for further regulation and more emphasis on social equity in the business. Chicago Ald. William Hall said Thursday that he will be seeking a public subject hearing on hemp shortly after the new year.

* Sun-Times | IBM will join Illinois’ sprawling quantum park on South Side, state aims to be ‘the global quantum capital’: IBM’s decision is a huge win for Gov. JB Pritzker, who has for years sought to make Illinois a global leader in quantum computing and innovation. The announcement comes a day after the City Council gave the multibillion-dollar quantum computing campus final zoning approval.

* CBS | Chicago firefighters’ union casts “no confidence” vote against CFD leadership: In a letter posted on the union’s Facebook page, Cleary noted that, even as firefighters were putting out a fire at the County Building and City Hall on Wednesday, the city’s contract negotiators “appeared unprepared to discuss anything relevant to the contract issues that Local 2 leadership provided months to years in advance.”

* Block Club | Meet The Death Doulas Helping Chicagoans Die — And Live — Better: The Chicago Death Doula Collective specializes in “death work,” helping people with end-of-life planning and emotional support through art, therapy, massage and other healing practices.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Tiffany Henyard, once seen as a reformer, now at odds with both her boards. What happened?: But not long after her election as mayor and even before her installation as supervisor of the state’s biggest township, Henyard began clashing with village trustees over spending and transparency. Her building and breaking down of intergovernmental relationships would continue in Dolton and at the township. Now she faces head winds as she seeks reelection as mayor in the February Democratic primary and tries to challenge being kept off the ballot in her run for a full term as township supervisor.

* Daily Herald | School districts approve Arlington Park tax deal with Bears: Three Arlington Heights-area school districts have given stamps of approval to an agreement with the Chicago Bears that resolves a property tax dispute over Arlington Park and other issues. Boards of education for Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 voted on the 12-page memorandum of understanding late Thursday, following the Palatine Township Elementary District 15 school board’s vote Wednesday night.

* Sun-Times | Dispute between a landlord and city of Markham has young family paying the price: A dispute between the city of Markham and a landlord has left the property owner’s tenant and her four young children without water for nearly a month, a newly-filed lawsuit says. The lack of running water for Iesha Taylor made for a dismal Thanksgiving and has threatened to ruin Christmas as well, says Taylor, a single mom who’s been decamping to nearby hotels so her kids ages 4, 7, 13 and 15 can wash up, shower and sleep.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Outgoing DACC president voted off board of trustees ballot: Community member Lynn McLinden filed an objection against Nacco’s candidacy. The board’s decision was based on Nacco not having the needed 50 registered voter signatures on his candidate paperwork. They disqualified 33 of his signatures because of incorrect addresses among other reasons.

* BND | Lawsuit: East St. Louis allows sewage to spill into lake, Mississippi, despite EPA orders: East St. Louis Mayor Charles Powell III and City Manager Robert Betts could not immediately be reached for comment about the lawsuit on Wednesday. Attorneys representing the city also did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The complaint alleges that untreated sewage spills from East St. Louis outfalls into the Mississippi River and Whispering Willow Lake during “high-flow conditions,” such as heavy rain.

* WSIL | Three Polar Plunge events scheduled in southern Illinois for Special Olympics: The Polar Plunge started in Lake Bluff in 1999 with 150 plungers. This event raised more than $34,000. Since then, thousands of people plunged in the frigid waters across the state of Illinois, supporting Special Olympics Illinois for more than two dozen years.

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

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

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

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, Dec 13, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Our LSSI fundraiser is active! So far we’ve raised over $25,000! Thank you to all those who donated! But there’s so much more Holiday joy to spread, so please give if you’re able.

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Protected: Subscribers Only - Legislative news

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Thank you to all who have donated! We’ve raised just under $26,000, that’s around 1,032 presents for children in foster care. But LSSI serves 2,530 children in Illinois. We have a long way to go. So please, donate today.

* Crain’s…

Toni Preckwinkle is tired of the bickering over how Cook County values commercial properties for tax purposes. She’s hoping a new set of recommendations will fix the problem.

The Cook County Board president last week issued a series of practices she expects Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi and the county’s Board of Review to adopt to improve an assessment process she says has been flawed for decades and needs substantial reform to be fair to taxpayers.

At the heart of the recommendations: The assessor’s office and the appeals board need to start sharing more data, consulting with each other about it and using a more uniform approach to deciding how much commercial buildings countywide are worth.

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) in announcing significant action to address chronic failures of the sanitary sewer systems in Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis. […]

Raoul and the DOJ filed the lawsuit and consent decree to resolve allegations the city of Cahokia Heights violated federal and state environmental protection laws that stem from the city’s failure to address sanitary sewer overflows. Aging infrastructure and years of poor maintenance and neglect have led to more than 300 occasions of sanitary sewage being discharged to nearby waterways in violation of the Clean Water Act since November 2019.

The consent decree requires Cahokia Heights to pay a $30,000 civil penalty and invest approximately $30 million in extensive sewer improvement projects, conduct system-wide repairs and ensure the community is updated with its progress on upgrades.

Raoul and the DOJ filed a separate lawsuit against the city of East St. Louis over its alleged failure to develop a long-term control plan to properly clean and maintain its combined sewer system. The lawsuit alleges the city regularly releases sewage into the Mississippi River and Whispering Willow Lake during periods of heavy rain. Whispering Willow Lake is located within Frank Holten State Park where fishing, boating and other public activities take place.

Raoul’s lawsuit seeks to require the city of East St. Louis to cease further violations of the Clean Water Act and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and implement actions to ensure compliance with state and federal environmental laws. […]

Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis are both located in a floodplain with a high groundwater table, requiring sewer operators to be vigilant in maintaining pipes to prevent water infiltration and inflow into the system.

* Capital B News published a great write up of the ‘sewage crisis’ in Cahokia Heights…

Each time it rains, even if it’s just a light rainfall, the streets of Cahokia Heights, Illinois, flood. But that’s not all. Those floodwaters bring in a nightmarish brown tide, a disgusting slurry that engulfs the area, dragging with it the stench of human excrement and decay.

With such constant and high floodwaters, people have resorted to using boats to navigate the coffee-stained water that inundates their neighborhoods, while homes suffer the long-term damage of mold and residents reel from bacteria exposure. It’s a story that has become far too common in rural Black communities. With aging infrastructure and dwindling local budgets, drinking water and sewage crises have propped up nationwide in Black communities.

Despite years of warnings, pleas for help, and several lawsuits, state and local officials have failed to address Cahokia Heights’ crisis even after receiving tens of millions of dollars of state and federal support since the late 1980s. The stench of neglect has been inescapable there in the 75% Black city— formed by the merger of the three towns of Centreville, Alorton, and Cahokia — that was deemed the poorest place in America in 2018.

Yet, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Illinois just put forth a move that they claim will usher in a new reality for residents. On Tuesday, the agencies announced that they were putting the city under a consent decree. On average, less than four municipalities are put under such agreements every year, and rarely are they ever implemented in a town so small. (Cahokia Heights has fewer than 18,000 residents.)

* Sun-Times…

Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday announced that IBM will partner with the state to create a new national quantum algorithm center in Chicago — marking the first Fortune 500 company to join the soon-to-be-constructed Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on the Far South Side.

It’s a huge win for Pritzker, who has for years sought to make Illinois a global leader in quantum computing and innovation. The announcement comes a day after the City Council gave the multibillion-dollar quantum computing campus final zoning approval.

The newly announced National Quantum Algorithm Center will be anchored by IBM’s modular quantum computer, called IBM Quantum System Two, which will try to advance quantum supercomputing across industries.

“We’re making Illinois the global quantum capital and the center for job growth in the quantum industry — a true center of innovation with the power to solve the world’s most pressing and complex challenges,” Pritzker said in a statement.

* Tribune…

President Joe Biden on Thursday commuted the sentences of two of the Chicago area’s most notorious fraudsters: former Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell, who embezzled nearly $54 million from the tiny town to fund a lavish lifestyle, and Eric Bloom, the onetime leader of a Northbrook management firm who defrauded investors of more than $665 million.

The decisions in the clemency petitions for Crundwell and Bloom were announced by the White House as part of a massive list of some 39 pardons and 1,499 commutations. Biden’s orders do not wipe out their felony convictions, but end their sentences immediately.

Crundwell, 71, pleaded guilty in 2012 to what authorities then called the largest municipal fraud in the country’s history, admitting she stole $53.7 million from the city over more than a decade and used the money to finance her quarter horse business and lavish lifestyle.

She was sentenced in 2013 to nearly 20 years in federal prison. In April 2020, Crundwell had petitioned a federal judge for early compassionate release based on her poor health and the COVID-19 pandemic.

*** Statewide ***

* Illini News Bureau | Illinois historian says Midwest played a crucial role in Black freedom movements worldwide: The Midwest played a central role in the growth of Black freedom movements in the 20th century. It was a key site for incubating and expanding the ideas of political activist Marcus Garvey, not only in the U.S., but globally, said University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of African American studies and history Erik S. McDuffie. McDuffie examined the influence of Garvey and the importance of the Midwest in the growth of Black internationalism and radicalism in his new book, “The Second Battle for Africa: Garveyism, the U.S. Heartland and Global Black Freedom.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | What to know about tonight’s Chicago Board of Education meeting: CTU to rally before contract discussion: An hour before the meeting begins, the Chicago Teachers Union will demonstrate outside the district’s administrative offices in Greater Grand Crossing demanding their four-year contract be settled before the Trump administration is sworn in. They are tying their contract demands to fears of changes on the federal level due to Project 2025. Once the board is seated, among the most salient topics is a discussion on the district’s response to the planned closure of seven schools operated by the Acero charter network at the end of the school year. The district will present options for the families of the approximately 2,000 predominantly Latino students impacted, according to the meeting agenda. Whether ongoing political tension over the Chicago Teachers Union contract negotiations will come to a head remains to be seen.

* WBEZ | ‘Shame on you!’ Acero Charter community tells charter leaders: During the board meeting, which was held inside the school’s gymnasium, Acero officials ceded their speaking time to allow more time for public comment. It was the first time since the closures were announced that families had a chance to face the board, CTU leaders said. More than 200 people packed the gym. Speakers, including several young children, had harsh words for Acero leaders.

The firefighters union issues vote of no confidence in ⁦Chicago Fire Dept leadership today as firefighters have been without a labor contract for more than a year pic.twitter.com/oB7qHKOuct

— Paris Schutz (@paschutz) December 12, 2024

* WTTW | Jury Awards Nearly $80M to Family of Girl Killed During 2020 Chicago Police Chase: A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Law said officials are “reviewing the verdict.” If the verdict is upheld, it would nearly equal city’s annual $82 million budget to cover the cost of police misconduct lawsuits. In all, Chicago taxpayers have spent more than $73 million from January 2019 to August 2024 to resolve two dozen lawsuits filed by Chicagoans injured during police pursuits, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News.

* Sun-Times | Bitter cold cracks CTA Brown Line rail, service fully resumed: “The cracked rail was likely caused by the cold,” said Gonzalez. “They did make the repair.” Shuttle buses were made available between Kimball and Southport to provide connecting service through the affected area, the CTA said.

* Chicago Mag | Why Does the City’s Border Extend North of Howard Street in Rogers Park?: When Rogers Park was annexed to Chicago, in 1893, Howard Street became the city’s boundary with Evanston. The little 80-acre neighborhood just north of Howard along the lake was known as Germania, after the German immigrants who had settled there. But Germania had a problem. It was cut off from the rest of Evanston by Calvary Catholic Cemetery to the north and later by the L tracks to the west. That made it impossible for the suburb to extend electrical or sewer lines to its southeasternmost district. “The territory received almost no services from Evanston,” the Tribune reported at the time. As a result, Germania picked up a new nickname: No Man’s Land.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Elgin Salvation Army ‘very afraid’ of not having enough toys for area kids at Christmas: More than 1,700 children from 540 families are signed up to receive what could be their only Christmas gifts this year. “Many families are debating between buying Christmas presents or buying food,” Viquez said. “A lot of people rely on us. They really need it, and we need support from the community.”

* Naperville Sun | Naperville Riverwalk expansion, renovation plans for 2031 anniversary making progress: There are a total of 12 projects the city wants to tackle over the next seven years to help ring in the Riverwalk’s 50th birthday. Work is laid out in the 2031 Riverwalk Master Plan, which was endorsed in fall 2020 to guide future development. Aspirations are big and small, ranging from building out new sections of the Riverwalk to ecological restoration along its riverbank. The multistep, multimillion-dollar initiative is split between capital and enhancement projects. There are six of each, according to the city’s master plan.

*** Downstate ***

* WSIL | New inmate work detail program announced in Williamson County: The new program at the jail went into effect on December 12, and will take non-violent offenders, with low-level offenses, and they will help as volunteers to pick up trash and clean up the area. While out on the site, the sheriff’s office will alert citizens of their presence in the area to let them know they are working.

* Smile Politely | A loving tribute to the valiant guardians of Illinois Terminal: Try as I might, I could not find any information about this massive frieze and these two sculptures. There’s no plaque or anything nearby giving artist information, and the internet yielded nothing. I must assume that these powerful artifacts have always been here, and the Illinois Terminal was simply built around them.

* WCIA | Kofusion under investigation after employees allege owners pocket percentage of tips: Kofusion, an Asian restaurant located on Main Street, is under investigation by the Illinois Department of Labor for wage-related violations, a spokesperson with the agency confirmed. WCIA obtained documents from several investigations through a Freedom of Information Act request. The claims are related to the amount tipped employees, both current and former, are paid. Receipts submitted by employees to the IDOL show that employees have to tip out between 5-8% of their earnings if they reach a certain total in sales each shift.

* WSIL | Rend Lake College welders partner with Cedarhurst for holiday display creation: Rend Lake College’s welding program, along with their instructor Mike Meinert, created a partnership with Cedarhurst Center for the Arts to help with a decoration at the Lights at Cedarhurst. “We have partnered with Cedarhurst for the last two years, helping them with their Christmas decoration display,” says Meinert. “Asking us to partner with them has been great for both the students in welding as well as the college being able to display the program’s potential in creative design.”

16 Comments

Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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Roundup: Testimony focuses on ex-aides loyalty to Madigan

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Courthouse News…

The federal corruption trial of ex-Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan continued Wednesday as U.S. attorneys probed the extent of AT&T’s involvement with the state’s politics.

The government claims AT&T Illinois offered Democratic ex-state Representative Eddie Acevedo a do-nothing subcontractor gig worth $22,500 in April 2017, through a firm owned by lobbyist Tom Cullen — also a longtime Madigan ally and Democratic political operative.

Jurors on Wednesday saw that Cullen’s lobbying firm Cullen & Associates signed a contract with AT&T Illinois in January 2017, initially for $7,500 per month. AT&T amended the contract in April to pay Cullen & Associates an additional $2,500 per month for April through December.

Internal AT&T documents jurors saw stated the extra funds were meant to cover Cullen’s firm taking on “an additional asset.”

Prosecutors say that asset was Eddie Acevedo.

* Tribune…

On March 28, 2017, then-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza emailed his government affairs team: “Got a call. … Do we have $ set aside for a small contract for Eddie Acevedo?”

La Schiazza let his colleagues know they had the “GO order” to offer Acevedo a $2,500-a-month contract through the end of the year. A few days later, AT&T legislative affairs head Brian Gray suggested they add Acevedo, a Democrat, as a consultant under an existing contract so as not to rub Republicans the wrong way.

“Our recommendation would be to plus up one of our existing firms, probably Tom Cullen,” Gray wrote in a March 31, 2017, email, a reference to the consulting firm run by one of Madigan’s former top political aides. “We need to run this by Tom but believe he would be open to it. Of course we would make sure that AT&T gets credit for fulfilling this request.”

La Schiazza emailed back: “If you guys really believe it will be harmful to contract with (Acevedo) directly, I have no objection to that plan, as long as you are sure we will get credit and the box checked, and of course we have legal approval to engage Eddie in this way.”

But when they approached Acevedo with the offer, he was apparently indignant.

* Tribune courts reporter Jason Meisner…

Jury sees emails between Cullen and Bob Barry about who's going to be seen as "the man" that got Eddie Acevedo money.
Cullen says it was a joke. "I don’t really want to be the man for Eddie Acevedo."
Why?
"Because it didn’t matter to me. I was doing this as a favor for (AT&T)."

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 11, 2024

* Capitol News Illinois…

[T]he feds are also using Cullen’s testimony to remind the jurors of evidence from earlier in the case involving the speaker’s loyal inner circle.

It was Cullen’s loyalty that led him to participate in meetings in the spring and summer of 2018 to formulate a strategy to save Madigan’s political future after his organization was hit with allegations of sexual harassment at the height of the #MeToo movement. […]

“Whatever you want, 100% on any of that stuff … It’s not even a question,” Cullen said in a wiretapped phone call with retired Statehouse lobbyist and longtime Madigan confidant Mike McClain in August 2018. “You know, that’s as loyal as I am on this stuff. It’s just, it’s ridiculous. You just tell me where, when, how, all that s— and it’ll be done.” […]

Cullen was at least the fourth call that McClain made on Aug. 28, 2018, asking lobbyists close to Madigan whether they’d be willing to pay about $1,000 per month to Kevin Quinn, a longtime political staffer in the speaker’s organization.

* Related…

Sun-Times | Ex-AT&T Illinois president still on the hook:

* Tribune | Judge denies acquittal bid for ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan: The ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman not only sets the stage for a potential retrial for La Schiazza, but also comes as jurors in Madigan’s own corruption trial are hearing the same evidence of the alleged scheme to steer a do-nothing contract to ex-state Rep. Edward Acevedo to help win the powerful speaker’s support on key legislation in Springfield.

This is a ruling that both sides in the Madigan trial will be examining closely, as it deals directly with issues of the bribery statute and quid pro quo.
Here, Judge Gettleman says the timing of Madigan meeting with AT&T and Eddie Acevedo getting a contract is crucial: pic.twitter.com/a1nlkBZ4JX

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) December 12, 2024

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Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The Pace Rideshare Access Program subsidizes Uber trips, leaving riders with a co-pay of just $2.

The impact: “This program has been a godsend for me. It offers flexibility, independence, freedom and the ability to maintain a beautiful life on so many levels,” says one rider.

CTA: See how it works.

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Some not-great state flag redesign contest feedback from WGN

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. With a hat-tip to a commenter, WGN’s B-Team wasn’t all that overwhelmed with the Illinois state flag redesign contest nominees…

Oof.

* They didn’t appear to notice however that the state’s 1918 Centennial Flag is eligible…

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Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Government Spokesperson/Comms goes to the overwhelming crowd choice Jordan Abudayyeh…

(In her last year of eligibility) For 6 years she kept her boss on message every fricking day. Unbelievable. And let’s be clear - on message everyday during COVID, MJM downfall, Dem Party restructure, budget insanity. Sidenote, I am still impressed at every off topic JB gets and how well briefed he is, it is a testament to how hard she worked that job.

Also this: “She hates to lose and works around the clock to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Yep. She coulda been a power forward.

* The 2024 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Statehouse-Related Public Relations Spokesperson is once again a tie. Bridget Shanahan…

In the last year, her efforts have gotten the IEA more spotlight in the Capitol and statewide. She is their hidden weapon and there’s no guessing where she goes from here.

And Becky Carroll…

Becky has built a powerhouse firm with an ever-growing team that continues to impress not just in Illinois but nationally. Becky takes on the work that she cares about personally and professional, a testament to the level of commitment to the work.

Congratulations to our winners!

* On to today’s categories…

Best Republican Illinois State Representative

As always, do your best to nominate in both categories and explain your nominations. Thanks.

* We’re almost to $26,000 in our annual drive to buy Christmas presents for foster kids. Thanks!

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Pritzker: Gia Biagi signals a “new era” at IDOT

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* I asked Governor Pritzker yesterday at an unrelated news conference whether Gia Biagi’s appointment as transportation secretary signals a shift toward a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly IDOT…

It certainly signals that we’re in a new era at IDOT. As you know, one of my goals is to make sure that we are focused on all the projects that are lined up that need to get done. And we’ve had some challenges during COVID, as you know, just broadly in the labor market it was hard to find people to do the jobs are necessary, including especially engineers. And so one of the things that I think that Gia will be very good at is focusing on speeding up that process and making sure that we’re delivering on all the promises that have been made by the Rebuild Illinois program.

We’ve done an awful lot, I want to be clear. I could cite all of the miles, lane miles that have been rebuilt and bridges, which I always love to do in the airports and our water ports. But we want to make sure that those projects get done in a timely fashion. And she’s going to do a great job.

* Background on Biagi from the Sun-Times…

Biagi left [Chicago’s] Transportation Department in August 2023, early in Mayor Brandon Johnson‘s administration. She had taken heat for Lightfoot’s decision to reduce the ticketing threshold for Chicago speed cameras.

But she also took credit for adding 100 miles of bike lanes and implementing pedestrian safety projects at more than 1,000 high-crash intersections. Biagi also expanded the city’s Divvy bike-share program into every neighborhood and developed a “mobility and economic hardship index” to prioritize infrastructure investments.

After leaving CDOT, she returned to the Chicago architecture firm Studio Gang, where she took a leadership post.

* Daily Herald…

In the metro area, Biagi will inherit some major infrastructure projects, including the Kennedy Expressway widening and rebuilding I-80 in Will County.

“Investments in our critical infrastructure connect our residents to the places they need to go, create jobs, and improve the quality of life in communities in every corner of our state,” Biagi said.

* Yesterday, the governor was asked if he’s satisfied with the pace of construction on the Kennedy Expressway…

Never, I mean, really, anybody that sat on the Kennedy, right? I mean you’re constantly feeling it. I mean, it’s a years long problem that’s gone on. There is a schedule that they’re on now, I don’t want to make promises about because we’ve all heard promises and they haven’t been delivered on in the past, with regard to the Kennedy.

But I will say I’ve asked an awful lot of questions about it, and so I would expect that the work will continue at a rapid pace.

* Some social media react…

Woah! I didn't even know Secretary Osman was retiring! I actually welcome this news. Gia Biagi will be leaps and bounds ahead of any other recent IDOT secretary on bike/ped issues. https://t.co/BHjvbC5XcY

— Jeremy Glover (@JGrantGlover) December 11, 2024

Congratulations to former CDOT Commissioner Gia Biagi for being named Commissioner of the Illinois Department of Transportation! I'm confident that she will improve the sustainability, safety, and efficiency of transportation in Illinois.

— Alderman Matt Martin (@AldMattMartin) December 11, 2024

Simply incredible! One of our most transformative transportation leaders Gia Biagi will be taking her incredible talents and vision to IDOT. Giving me great hope! Great pick @GovPritzker https://t.co/KR0Gn9jPcf

— Daniel La Spata (@DanielLaSpata) December 10, 2024

53 Comments

Open thread

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

Our LSSI fundraiser is active! So far we’ve raised over $24,000! Thank you to all those who donated! But there’s so much more Holiday joy to spread, so please give if you’re able.

8 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

* ICYMI: Pritzker to take aim at hemp-derived delta-8. Crain’s…

- Pritzker has previously said he favors regulating hemp-based products.

-The Illinois Senate passed a bill earlier this year that would allow only licensed dispensaries to sell delta-8 products. But the bill didn’t receive a vote in the House.

Subscribers were told about this yesterday morning.

* At 2 pm the governor Pritzker will announce a new business development initiative. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Injustice Watch | Property records raise new questions about influential Cook County judge : Judge E. Kenneth Wright Jr. acquired a handful of Chicago homes from the estates of deceased clients when he was a solo law practitioner in the 1990s. Now, two families claim he took advantage of his elderly clients.

* WBEZ | What to know about an effort to make college in Illinois more affordable: A group of Illinois legislators and advocates is proposing groundbreaking legislation to try and address the problem. The bill has largely flown under the radar, perhaps because of its very unsexy name: the Adequate and Equitable Funding Formula for Public Universities Act. Or maybe it’s because the formula it prescribes, by necessity and design, is incredibly complex.

* WTVO | Pritzker signs Executive Order to explore cheaper home ownership in Illinois: The order creates an Illinois Director of Housing Solutions, who will oversee the exploration of “how Illinois can accelerate plans to expand the supply and access of housing for working families,” according to the Governor’s Office. Nearly one third of Illinois households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Crain’s | Illinois pensions face near-record $144B funding hole — but show some signs of progress: A new report from the General Assembly’s research unit indicates that, as of June, the five funds collectively were short $143.7 billion of the funds needed to pay promised benefits to current and future retirees. That combined unfunded liability was up $1.5 billion from last year and just $500 million below the high set in 2021.

* WAND | Lawmakers fight for affordable housing tax credit, Pritzker signs housing executive order: As more companies locate to Illinois, lawmakers and business leaders know the state needs more housing for workers. Illinois could become the twenty-sixth state to create a tax credit for building affordable housing. The Illinois Housing Council has reported the state has lost 20% of its low-income apartments since 2011. Experts believe the demand for new housing will continue to grow each year, and business leaders said housing is essential to the future of the economy.

* NBC Chicago | New Illinois law could impact your job searches in 2025: Under the provisions of HB 3129, which amended the state’s Equal Pay Act, most Illinois-based businesses will be required to include information on pay scale and benefits on job listings beginning on Jan. 1. According to the law, the requirement will apply to all companies with at least 15 employees.

* Sun-Times | Pritzker ‘open’ to meeting with Trump border czar, but vows to protect undocumented from deportation: Gov. JB Pritzker said he’ll continue to protect the state’s documented immigrants, migrants and immigrants lacking legal status against the pending deportation plan. “I believe it’s my obligation to protect them too. Those are residents of the state of Illinois.”

* Capitol News Illinois | Recent incidents prompt heightened Statehouse security: “Unfortunately, the world is not getting safer,” Amy Williams, senior legal advisor in the secretary of state’s office, told a legislative oversight committee Tuesday. One of the more serious threats, Williams said, occurred in March when security officials were notified of an active shooter threat, prompting a lockdown of the complex. The lockdown was lifted after investigators determined there was no credible threat, according to reports at the time.

*** Statewide ***

* WICS | Changes coming to drivers’ licenses in Illinois: The Secretary of State is making adjustments to the way driver’s licenses operate in Illinois. A new law states that by July 2027, the Secretary of State will allow qualified drivers the option to be issued 8 year licenses instead of the common 4 year licenses expiree period. The 8 year license will require a fee of $60.

* NBC Chicago | Big changes coming to Illinois driver’s licenses, but there’s a catch: Another significant change will impact Illinois residents sooner than that, with the Secretary of State’s Office having the ability to issue mobile ID cards and driver’s licenses by the end of 2025. The new policy would allow motorists or residents to download a specialized app that would display their identification cards on a mobile device, with law enforcement and other entities required to accept that type of identification.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Red Line Extension Zoning Changes Approved By City Council: The 5.6-mile Red Line Extension project aims to move the end of the CTA’s South Side Red Line from 95th Street to 130th Street. The agency plans to build new stations at 103rd and 111th streets near Eggleston Avenue, at Michigan Avenue near 116th Street and at 130th Street near Altgeld Gardens. The zoning changes are needed “to secure permits in advance of construction, which is anticipated to start late next year and [be] completed by 2030,” according to Sonali Tandon, senior manager of strategic planning for the CTA.

* Sun-Times | Red Line extension, quantum computing campus get final zoning approval: Ald. Scott Waguespack briefly threatened to block any vote on items sent to the Council by the Zoning Committee because that committee’s report did not include its rejection of a Sterling Bay proposal in Lincoln Park that Waguespack opposes over concerns about traffic, parking and height of the buildings.

* NBC Chicago | Organizers reveal secret hack for avoiding major crowds at Christkindlmarket: Leila Schmidt, a manager with the market, told NBC Chicago’s Matt Rodrigues that guests can book what is called a “Culture and Cheer Tour” in Chicago. The tours allow guests in at 10:15 a.m., before the market opens at 11 a.m. It takes attendees on a tour with a German-speaking Christkindlmarket team member “for a behind-the-scenes journey through Daley Plaza before the market opens to the public.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Crain’s | Michael Jordan’s house sold, at last, for $9.5 million: ordan let go of the Point Lane property, a 56,000-square-foot house on about seven acres, for less than one-third of what he was asking for it in 2012. On Feb. 29, 2012, Leap Day, the basketball icon known for his vertical leap put the home on the market at $29 million. By the time the estate went under contract in September, Jordan had cut the asking price by close to half, to $14,855,000.

* Tribune | Candidates for Oak Park and River Forest School Board challenged: Three of the six candidates running for the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 School Board have had their nominating papers challenged in an attempt to knock them off the April 1 ballot. Two of the objectors are fellow candidates. Candidate Josh Gertz objected to the nominating papers of Tania Haigh, alleging Haigh did not file the required statement of candidacy. Candidate Nate Mellman has objected to the nominating papers of incumbent Audrey Williams-Lee, the only Black member of the School Board and the only Black candidate in the race, claiming Williams-Lee’s nominating petitions doesn’t state whether she is running for a full term or to fill a vacancy and refers to the 7th District, presumably the 7th Congressional District, instead of OPRF District 200.

* Daily Herald | Old Rosemont village hall to meet wrecking ball — but glass mosaic will be saved: The 1960s-era office building, which housed Rosemont’s government offices and public safety department from the 1980s until this year, is across the street from Rivers Casino in Des Plaines. Such a location could be well-suited for one or more restaurants, an entertainment venue, or new office structure with better floor layouts for businesses looking to relocate, said Mayor Brad Stephens.

* Daily Herald | George Dunham, Schaumburg’s longest-tenured trustee, stepping down after 33 years: “I am beyond honored and beyond privileged to have served with all of you and with a number of other people that have gone before,” Dunham told his fellow trustees Tuesday while running his final village board meeting on behalf of absent Mayor Tom Dailly. “I will miss this responsibility a great deal, but due to some life changes and some other things, it is time for me to move forward,” he added.

*** Downstate ***

* WTVO | Affordable housing, state budget deficit at issue as Northern Illinois lawmakers meet with Rockford-area leaders: Legislators from both Republican and Democratic parties agreed that they would have to make some tough decisions. Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park), said, “The taxpayers just can’t afford to pay any more. So there’s just going to have to be some cuts. And the state has never had a revenue problem. It’s always a problem. So we’re looking forward to trying to help find those cuts that will be as harsh. But there’s got to be some cuts.”

* BND | Most of the world’s horseradish is grown in southwest Illinois. What makes area special?: J.R. Kelly Company says “about 2,000” acres of horseradish are farmed in the metro-east. From those farms comes 70% of the United States’ supply, the other 30% coming from California and Wisconsin. That means roughly 16 million pounds of horseradish comes from the metro-east each year.

* SJ-R | Springfield-area dive bar named one of best in nation for food: The Curve Inn, 3219 S. Sixth St. Road, is a historic bar and grill established in 1932. Bought in 2002 by husband-wife duo Ray and Ami Merchant, the locale is known for its vibrant atmosphere, the love of all things grunge, pony shoes and national acts on its state-of-the-art beer garden stage.

17 Comments

Live coverage

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

Comment

Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Dec 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Our LSSI fundraiser is active! So far we’ve raised over $24,000! Thank you to all those who donated! But there’s so much more Holiday joy to spread, so please give if you’re able.

Comment

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