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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
If you want live updates from the trial, we’ve added a link to the live coverage post.
* WTVO…
* Shaw Local…
* Tribune | ‘Is there even a small contract for Eddie Acevedo?’: Jury sees emails from Madigan confidant asking AT&T to pay former rep: When Michael McClain, the longtime confidant of House Speaker Michael Madigan and fixture at the Illinois Capitol, announced he was retiring from lobbying in 2016, it immediately caught the attention of people over at AT&T. “Huge news,” AT&T President Paul La Schiazza emailed to a colleague on the company’s legislative affairs team. “A shame Exelon was the one to benefit from (McClain’s) last big gig….Unfortunate for us.” * Illinois Times | Law aimed at helping people experiencing a mental health crisis was originally set to go live in 2022: The Community Emergency Services and Supports Act, or CESSA, requires mental and behavioral health calls to 911 be handled by mental health professionals, rather than police. It was supposed to go into effect on July 1, 2022 – two years before Massey, who was having a mental health crisis, was shot by then-Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson. “I think if this system were in place, and emergency responders were trained and aware of what is available to them, then I think Sonya Massey would still be with us today,” said Candace Coleman, community strategy specialist with Access Living, a Chicago-based organization that advocates for disabled people. * WTHI | Illinois seeking public input on how to shape next education budget: ISBE says past requests have led to more funding in certain areas, like early childhood education. The board especially encourages teachers, parents, and community advocates to make their voices heard. “Public advocacy is crucial in shaping the education experiences for all students,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. * Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson a ‘woefully unprepared’ mayor, City Council critic says: Ald. Brendan Reilly is in almost constant contact with business leaders, and “all they want to talk about” is finding a candidate to defeat Johnson in 2027. “Barring a dramatic turnaround — a miraculous turnaround, and I just don’t see that happening — Mayor Johnson is likely a one-term mayor,” Reilly said Thursday.
* Sun-Times | Chicago primed to pay out $15 million to more victims of police misconduct: The biggest settlement — $11.6 million — would go to Anthony Jakes, who falsely confessed to being an accomplice in a 1991 murder when he was just 15 after being beaten by members of Cmdr. Burge’s infamous “midnight crew.” Jakes spent 20 years in prison before being released in 2012. * Tribune | First Watts accuser to settle lawsuit is in line for $500,000 payout, records show: The first settlement agreement between the city and an alleged victim of ex-Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts puts Watts’ accuser in line for half a million dollars, records released Thursday show. Alvin Waddy’s lawsuit was the first to reach resolution out of more than 150 that have been filed against the city related to Watts and his team. It remains to be seen how the agreed payout affects the rest of the cases, but given the sheer volume of lawsuits, the Watts scandal could become one of the most expensive in Chicago police history. * Block Club | CHA Board Could Soon Have 2 New Members Who ‘Get It’: Mayor Brandon Johnson nominated Brian “Jawanza” Malone and Juliana Gonzalez-Crussi — both longtime community activists and nonprofit leaders — to fill two vacant spots on the housing agency’s board. Their appointments were unanimously approved by the Committee on Housing and Real Estate and now go before the full City Council, which is expected to sign off as soon as Sept. 18. * Tribune | UIC pharmacy school gets $36 million donation from late Chicago pharmacy owners: The pharmacy school — which will now be called the Herbert M. and Carol H. Retzky College of Pharmacy — is the first college at UIC to be named after a donor. The donation is the largest ever received by the pharmacy college. It was given to the college as an endowment, meaning the money will be invested to generate income to be used by the college. That income will go toward merit-based scholarships for students and career development programs. * Tribune | Cyclist completes world-record attempt in downtown Chicago: ‘I felt like I could just keep riding forever’: Celebrated endurance bicyclist Lael Wilcox finished a 108-day journey around the world at Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain Wednesday evening, completing a trip of more than 18,000 miles in a bid to break the Guinness World Record for fastest circumnavigation of the world on a bike by a woman. […] Wilcox rode roughly 160 miles a day with a heart rate monitor, a witness book and a power meter to document her as-yet unsubmitted bid to break the current record of 124 days. Her wife, 31-year-old photographer Rue Kaladyte, has traveled with her and produced a podcast, Lael Rides Around the World, and kept followers up to date via Instagram. She is also working on a documentary about the bid, she told the Tribune Tuesday. * WBEZ | Chicago Park District board welcomes back Riot Fest – despite heavy community criticism: One activist bemoaned how the Park District was allowing “significant damage” to Douglass Park and said parks should be enjoyed by everyone instead of being “rented out to the highest bidder.” But Ald. Monique Scott, 24th Ward, lashed out at those critics as she gave her endorsement to Riot Fest, raising her voice to say that “most of the people that spoke against the Riot Fest, I’ve never seen you in my community.” * NYT | Loyalty, history and $5 beers: Why fans still come out to see the Chicago White Sox: The White Sox sold 11,429 tickets for Monday’s game, though the true attendance count appeared to be less than half of that. There was a slight uptick Tuesday, maybe because of a $5 beer promotion or because fans wanted to snatch up some of the last Campfire Milkshakes of the season. Or there’s another reason, one that has grown in importance as this impressively bad season has worn on: witnessing the train wreck, one loss at a time. * Daily Southtown | Homer Glen plans workshop to advise 143rd Street residents receiving eminent domain notices: Homer Glen officials plan to host an informational meeting with their village attorney to help residents who have received eminent domain notices from Will County over the planned widening of 143rd Street. Residents living along the route have protested the widening for nearly a year. While the road is under Will County’s jurisdiction, they have sought help from Homer Glen village officials, who also oppose expanding the road. * Lake County News-Sun | Alleged Highland Park parade shooter ‘declined transport’ to court hearing: Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti waived Crimo’s presence after his public defenders said he “declined transport” from the county jail, where he is being detained for the July 4, 2022 mass shooting that killed seven people and injured dozens more. The attorneys did not give a reason for Crimo’s reluctance to come to court, and Rossetti told them to remind the defendant that his lack of attendance would not delay the case. * WBEZ | A new lawsuit alleges Hawthorne Race Course allowed horses to race after they’d been deemed ineligible: The Chicago-area’s longest-operating horse-racing track is being sued along with state regulators for allegedly allowing dozens of horses to race despite medical diagnoses from a now-terminated track veterinarian they were physically unfit to run. The federal lawsuit filed Thursday against Hawthorne Race Course, the Illinois Racing Board and others at the track and state agency comes from a former Hawthorne veterinarian, Christine Tuma, who alleges she was fired after reporting alleged misconduct at Hawthorne to state and federal agencies. * Sun-Times | Haitian Americans in Chicago deride Trump’s false, racist claims of immigrants eating pets: The mention was also upsetting to Skokie resident Marleen Julien, a Haiti native who has lived in America for 35 years. She called it a way for Trump and Republicans to divide people — and she said it’s specifically targeting a humanitarian program under President Joe Biden that allowed Haitian Americans to come to the U.S. legally due to unrest in the country. * Sun-Times | Vatican slaps down Joliet bishop’s efforts to close historic parish in far southwest suburb: The arm of the Vatican that “revoked” the parish closing in an order dated Aug. 20 raised questions about Hicks’ reasoning, including finances, mass attendance and the “near disappearance of the Slovenian community.” Michael Vidmar, who filed the appeal with support from numerous parishioners, was happy with the Vatican’s ruling but says, “We made it this far but we still don’t know what the bishop is going to do” from here. * PJ Star | Peoria student’s photos of mold on school lunch cause Facebook uproar: This is not the first time food quality at Peoria Public Schools has been a hot button issue for parents and students. In 2022, more than 100 parents shared their concerns with the Journal Star over the poor food quality at Peoria Public Schools, and state Rep. Jehan Gordon Booth, D-Peoria, even pushed a bill in Springfield that aimed to increase the quality of food served in schools. * WCIA | ‘It takes a village’: Mahomet-Seymour schools to host event for special education students and families: Teachers and organizations are getting ready to build deeper relationships with Mahomet families who have students in special education programs. It’s all part of its inaugural “education and empowerment” event on Sept. 12 at Middletown Prairie Elementary. Tracy Patterson, a special ed teacher in the district, said it’s been in the works for years. She is one of many educators who want to ensure parents have the tools needed to help their kids succeed. * SJ-R | Downtown Springfield business launches fundraiser to keep doors open: The fallout continues nearly three months after a fire in the 400 block of East Adams Street in downtown Springfield. While the anchor restaurant at 413 E. Adams St., Cafe Moxo, remains closed and other businesses have moved locations entirely, The Keep Store, a block away at 314 E. Adams St., recently launched a fundraising effort to help keep the business’ doors open. * WSJ | Dumbphones and Fax Machines Are the New Boss Flex: If you think your new iPhone is a status symbol, prepare to be punked—or, rather, Punkt—by Benjamin Crudo’s dumbphone. The chief executive of Diff, which makes software for online retailers, calls and texts from a 4.6-by-2-inch brick with buttons called a Punkt MP02. Send an email or Slack message and the 41-year-old Crudo won’t respond until he is in front of his computer. * ProPublica | “I Don’t Want to Die”: Needing Mental Health Care, He Got Trapped in His Insurer’s Ghost Network: Ravi didn’t know it, but he, like millions of Americans, was trapped in a “ghost network.” As some of those people have discovered, the providers listed in an insurer’s network have either retired or died. Many other providers have stopped accepting insurance — often because the companies made it excessively difficult for them to do so. Some just aren’t taking new patients. Insurers are often slow to remove them from directories, if they do so at all. It adds up to a bait and switch by insurance companies that leads customers to believe there are more options for care than actually exist. * NBC Chicago | TSA proposes new rule that could change how REAL ID deadline is enforced next year: While the approaching deadline of May 7, 2025, remains in place, the TSA has proposed a plan that would delay full enforcement for another two years. That wouldn’t mean that travelers won’t need their REAL ID until 2027, however. “Travelers without a REAL ID compliant ID or another form of acceptable ID after the May 7, 2025 deadline could face delays at airport security checkpoints,” the agency said in a release, noting the potential for warnings or possibly “progressive consequences” for those without a compliant ID. * AP | Average rate on a 30-year mortgage falls to 6.20%, its lowest level since February 2023: The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. fell this week to its lowest level in 19 months, reflecting a pullback in Treasury yields ahead of an expected interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week. The rate fell to 6.20% from 6.35% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.18%. * LA Times | The GOP is targeting ‘noncitizen voting,’ but experts agree it’s not a problem: This week House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., tried to tie a bill to extend government spending and avert a federal shutdown to a controversial GOP proposal — the SAVE Act — that would require states to obtain proof of U.S. citizenship when people register to vote. Johnson pulled the idea Wednesday due to lack of support from even his own members. But the issue isn’t likely going away.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Brad, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * The setup…
* The Question: Should Jerry Reinsdorf sell the White Sox? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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Fun with numbers
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Total electric vehicle counts for Illinois as of August 15th of each year, according to the Secretary of State’s office…
* 2019: 16,882 (+66%) * 2020: 22,612 (+34%) * 2021: 32,561 (+44%) * 2022: 48,917 (+50%) * 2023: 79,559 (+63%) * 2024: 111,107 (+40%) * I asked Isabel to make a couple of graphs… 
* Crain’s headline…
* Scroll way down…
Elon has been damaging his brand with his online antics…
* Also, according to AAA, last year at this time, Illinois gas prices averaged $3.979 per gallon. Today, they’re $3.49 per gallon, a 12 percent drop. * More from the Crain’s story…
That’s still only about half the chargers the state needs, according to the article. * If the current rate of a 40 percent annual increase holds (and it may not), Illinois will have 837,000 electric vehicles on the road by mid-August of 2030. That’ll obviously be short of the governor’s 1 million goal. But, if auto manufacturers continue improving their products and Illinois’ charging infrastructure finally catches up with demand, then the goal is achievable. …Adding… There are also 359,738 hybrid vehicles registered in Illinois. The last time I had a hybrid, I barely used any gasoline except for road trips.
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After 20 years, Illinois’ neglected arson registry is no longer empty
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Pantagraph in January…
* Earlier this week from the Pantagraph…
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Fourth time’s the charm: Chicago data residency ordinance moves forward (Updated)
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The ordinance was blocked by the mayor’s office and the business community in July…
*The ordinance passed the Economic, Capital and Technology Development Committee yesterday. The Tribune…
* Sun-Times…
* Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce…
* The Software & Information Industry Association…
…Adding… President of the Chicago Urban League Karen Freeman-Wilson…
…Adding… Alderman Gilbert Villegas…
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: End of cash bail in Illinois has not resulted in more crime, but has affected court system. CBS…
- But the law has, in fact, impacted the court system in other ways. Professor David Olson of the Loyola University Chicago Center for Criminal Justice said he’s hearing more about “strength of evidence” and “risk assessment.” - Of the nearly 9,000 detention-eligible cases in Illinois at which the team looked, 36% of defendants were detained. - Before the law went into effect, about 17% of defendants missed their court appearance. Now, it is 15%. * Related stories…
∙ The Daily Line: One year of no cash bail: Crime is not up with ‘more thoughtful process’ in court system * Sun-Times | All agree ‘King Madigan’ ruled, but jurors must decide whether speaker was bribed in latest corruption trial: Now La Schiazza is accused of bribing Madigan by hiring a Madigan ally in order to get crucial legislation passed. Though La Schiazza’s attorneys don’t dispute Madigan’s influence, prosecutors still hammered the point home to jurors as the trial began in earnest Wednesday. “Madigan exercised enormous control over Illinois politics and policy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower said in his opening statement. “And that power was no secret, including to the defendant.” * Tribune | ‘Everyone in the system is beholden to the speaker’: Opening statements kick off trial of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan: Mower said Cullen and Selcke will tell the jury that “Acevedo was one of the last people that anyone at AT&T wanted working for their company,” largely because of his loose lips and lack of work ethic. “Acevedo talked too much, drank too much and was generally despised by Republicans in Springfield,” [ Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower] said. So they came up with a scheme to pay Acevedo through a third party — Cullen — and keep his name completely off AT&T’s books, Mower said. * Tribune | Jerry Reinsdorf concedes the obvious — it’s a ‘very painful’ season for Chicago White Sox fans: With the Chicago White Sox drawing national attention as they close in on the modern-day MLB record for losses, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf conceded the obvious Wednesday, calling it a “very painful” season. “Everyone in this organization is extremely unhappy with the results of this season, that goes without saying,” Reinsdorf said in a statement released after reporters left the clubhouse following the team’s 114th loss, a 6-4 defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians. * 25 News Now | State government investing money to find the homeless population jobs, the planning starts now: Most of the program’s money is going to organizations near Chicago, but a team of groups in Central Illinois have received $841,190 to support their work. Career Link will be administering the grant, while United Way and Phoenix Community Development Services will work directly with unhoused people. […] They plan to provide job training and support services that will help people overcome barriers to employment. Some of their ideas are rapid rehousing, job readiness training, and adult education, but the planning process just began. * KFVS | Illinois lawmakers hold hearing pharmacy benefit managers impact on specialty drug market: Wednesday’s state House Health Care Availability and Accessibility Committee hearing focused on PBMs and specifically how they affect the specialty drug market. Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) Acting Director Ann Gillespie said the FTC report shows PBMs are classifying more drugs as specialty. * Crain’s | Pritzker wants to rev up EVs in Illinois, but buyers are tapping the brakes: New EV registrations this year averaged 2,457 per month through August, or about 12% less than during the same period a year ago, according to the Illinois secretary of state. EVs made up about 5.9% of all new-car registrations in Illinois through the first six months of this year, compared with 6.5% last year, according to S&P Global Mobility. There were 111,107 EVs registered in Illinois as of mid-August, according to the Illinois secretary of state. The total number of EVs is still growing, up 21% year-to-date. But it’s increasing more slowly than before. * Sun-Times | Illinois DMVs now accepting contactless payment — with digital IDs coming down the road: State business services and index facilities have also been equipped with new credit card readers to accept contactless payments, including tap-to-pay cards that don’t require signatures. “More and more people are ditching their physical wallets for digital ones,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said. ““We are leveraging this to shorten waiting times, get people out the door more quickly and keep people’s information more safe from fraud in the process.” * WTTW | WTTW News Explains: How Does the Illinois Assault Weapons Ban Work?: At a high level, the law describes an assault weapon as a semiautomatic firearm with the capacity to fire a lot of rounds quickly. That includes AR-15 style guns — like those used in the mass shootings in suburban Highland Park, as well as in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, New York; and elsewhere. The law prohibits high-capacity magazines as well, defining them as anything with at least 10 rounds of ammunition for long guns; 15 for handguns. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson exempts police, fire from citywide hiring freeze after backlash: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration announced Wednesday that a recent hiring freeze across city government would not apply to police and fire employees, following backlash and confusion from pro-law enforcement aldermen. Johnson’s budget team spokesperson, LaKesha Gage Woodard, told the Tribune in a phone call that public safety positions are in fact exempt from the hiring freeze enacted Monday but maintained that was always the plan. “No, it wasn’t a reversal. Absolutely not,” Gage Woodard said. * Chalkbeat | Contributions start flowing into Chicago’s school board race: Campaigning in Chicago’s historic school board race is ramping up, and so are financial and in-kind contributions to candidates, which now total at least $650,000. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in support for Chicago Teachers Union-endorsed candidates and others who are drawing backing from political committees, labor unions, and other organized groups. Meanwhile, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools’ political arm is finalizing a slate of candidates to endorse and gearing up to enter the fray with a multimillion-dollar war chest at a time when the district has signaled a move away from school choice and charters are under growing scrutiny. * Tribune | Court finds Trump Tower violated environmental laws and endangered fish in the Chicago River: “Effectively, what was found is, there’s no question that they have done all the things that they were accused of doing,” Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River, told the Tribune. A lawsuit filed in 2018 by then-Attorney General Lisa Madigan alleged the cooling system intake structure at Trump Tower siphoned water from the river so powerfully that it sucked in fish and trapped them against its screens, resulting in the death of thousands of aquatic organisms. Because of the system’s capability to pull in more than 20 million gallons of water from the river per day, federal law required extensive studies of its environmental impact and of fish populations in the river. The building also pumps water back into the river that is up to 35 degrees hotter. * Sun-Times | Mom of slain Chicago Police Officer Ella French confronts killer as he gets life in prison: ‘With our choices come consequences’: Kim Foxx, who as state’s attorney has championed exonerations for people wrongfully imprisoned and has overseen hundreds of cases overturned over police misconduct allegations, said Morgan’s case didn’t compare with those. Foxx told reporters she was sympathetic to “whatever reality” Flores had to create to process the consequences for her son but added, “I don’t think this is a sentence that anyone, outside of Mr. Morgan’s mother, would question as a just sentence.” * Block Club | ComEd Cited For Giant, Unfixed Hole On South Side Block: City officials have cited ComEd in connection with an unfinished construction project that’s left a huge hole in the middle of a South Side block for months. The utility company is being cited for operating with an expired permit in May, when workers dug into the ground to fix earlier damage to its cable lines, Chicago Department of Transportation spokesperson Erica Schroeder told Block Club Chicago. * US News | Chicago’s Suburbs and the Blue Shift in Illinois: Chicago’s four other collar counties, the nickname given to the five counties that surround the centrally located Cook County in the Chicago metropolitan area, have followed similar evolutions. In 2000, none of the five collar counties gave the Democratic presidential nominee a majority. By 2020, four of the five – all but McHenry County – backed the Democratic presidential candidate, with vote shares between 53% and 61%. * Daily Herald | Elk Grove reverses rule aimed at deterring migrants from local motels: Since enacting the ordinance, Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said there were no reports of migrants staying in local hotels, and none since nearly 100 Venezuelan migrants left the former La Quinta Inn in April 2023. The motel — since purchased and demolished by the village — was among the first suburban locations to host new arrivals in September 2022. […] Elk Grove is keeping a different part of its ordinance that aims to prevent owners of warehouses or vacant shopping centers from turning their buildings into temporary housing. Property owners have to get a village license and meet certain zoning and health and safety requirements, such as providing a complete bathroom including flush toilet, sink, bath or shower in each sleeping unit. * Daily Herald | Naperville could settle wrongful conviction lawsuit for $22.5 million: Amor was sentenced to 45 years in prison in 1997, after he was convicted of arson and murder in connection with the 1995 death of his mother-in-law, Marianne Miceli, in a condo fire on the 1800 block of Bailey Road in Naperville. Amor maintained his confession was coerced and experts testified at his second trial that the way he confessed to starting the fire was impossible. The same year he was acquitted, Amor filed a lawsuit against the city claiming that Naperville police officers “reached an agreement among themselves” to frame him. * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect ethics policy seeps into festival discussion: Mount Prospect’s recent passage of an ethics ordinance is already affecting village business. Two trustees, William Grossi and Vince Dante, withdrew from Tuesday’s public discussion about a new special events policy, citing potential conflicts of interest stemming from their involvement with the Lions Club. Grossi is current president, while Dante is a past president. The village supports such Lions Club events as the Bluesmobile Cruise Nights, the 4th of July Festival and the Farmers Market. The Lions donate annually to help stock the village’s food pantry. * WCIA | U of I service workers reach new agreement with university, members voting: SEIU Local 73, representing food and building service workers, told WCIA that it reached a tentative agreement with the university on Wednesday. Union members will be voting through the end of the week on whether to ratify the new contract. A union representative said they expect to have another statement available on Friday. * WCIA | Central IL police investigating string of recent school threats: Several police departments across Central Illinois are investigating a series of threats that have been made against area schools this week. So far, it appears that the threats are part of a nationwide trend with no apparent connection to the area.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. Click here to keep up with the La Schiazza trial. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * “Many Illinois county clerks have left amid mistrust, threats associated with 2024 election,” by CBS 2 Chicago…
* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner, the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel and Hannah Meisel from Capitol News Illinois are live tweeting Paul La Schiazza’s bribery trial. Assistant US Attorney Paul Mower had this jab this morning…
* Crain’s…
* Sun-Times | Illinois AG Kwame Raoul, local Haitian Americans, deride Trump’s false accusation of Haitians eating pets:“My initial reaction was, I don’t even want to get offended, because that would reflect me recognizing it as a statement that was coming from somebody that was competent,” Raoul said. * The Times Weekly | Teen voter registration surges after Illinois’ pre-registration law took effect: Marking National Teen Voter Registration Day, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias reported that nearly 50,000 16- and 17-year-olds have taken advantage of a new law that enables them to pre-register to vote before turning 18. National Teen Voter Registration Day is a nationwide push to get teens involved in the democratic process, with many communities hosting voter registration drives at local high schools. * WSIL | The Mississippi River is running low again. It’s a problem for farmers moving beans and grain: It was just two months ago that much of the Mississippi River was above flood stage north of St. Louis. Since then, the river level has dropped steadily. The area south of St. Louis has been hit especially hard, mirroring low-water concerns that began around this same time of year in both 2022 and 2023. As part of the fallout, barge companies are forced to limit the soybeans, grain and other cargo they carry to prevent barges from potentially getting stuck. That means less profit for farmers. * Sun-Times | Three City Council leaders demand ouster of top mayoral aide who called police ‘f—ing pigs’: Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), the former Chicago Police sergeant who chairs the Council’s Police Committee, was so outraged by Bartley’s “disparaging” comments about the police, he demanded that Johnson take immediate action against her. […] Public Safety Committee Chair Brian Hopkins (2nd) argued that it is “incumbent on all city employees to support our first-responders” and Bartley’s comments are “incompatible” with that imperative. * Chicago Reader | The Cook County state’s attorney’s Brady list is missing more than 100 cops who made false or misleading statements.: Reporters found that police officers are rarely investigated for making false reports alone. A review of more than two dozen COPA summary reports with sustained Rule 14 violations showed an overwhelming majority included disciplinary findings related to other rule violations. Many came in the context of serious misconduct allegations, such as excessive use of force, unlawful search or arrest, or wrongful discharge of a firearm. * Block Club | After Lincoln Square Gym, Nearby Mosque Shot At, Muslim Chicagoans Fear ‘Targeted’ Attacks: Members of Chicago’s Muslim community are asking police to investigate whether multiple incidents where someone damaged windows and doors at an Irving Park mosque and a Muslim-owned martial arts gym in Lincoln Square in the past three months were targeted attacks. […] “I don’t understand. This is the second time we have camera footage of someone driving by and someone from the passenger side shoots at the gym. We made a police report and gave police footage back then,” Idriz Redzovic said. * Chalkbeat | Special education advocates file new state complaint on bus service in Chicago Public Schools: The advocates say CPS is violating a federal law that requires districts to provide transportation for students with disabilities if it is in their Individualized Education Programs. They say students need reliable transportation to go to school without disruptions and are urging the state board to monitor the district as it did in 2021 and 2022. As of Sept. 4, the district reported 2,226 students with disabilities had yet to be routed. A spokesperson said the latest number includes new transportation requests, students who have been permanently approved for a stipend, and students who have been temporarily approved for a stipend but are waiting for a route. The district reported that 9,232 students had bus service as of Sept. 4, up from 8,782 students on Aug. 21. * WBBM | Chicago to close three migrant shelters by end of October, officials say: Chicago, which at one point had 26 shelters, is down to 17. People in the shelters being closed will be offered places and service at one of the remaining shelters. City leaders said the decision to trim excess beds was made in the interest of fiscal responsibility. * Sun-Times | Parting shot? Last-ditch effort seeks to let Chicago’s top cop extend ShotSpotter deal: Ald. David Moore (17th) introduced the ordinance in mid-July, pushing to give Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling the power to extend the existing deal with ShotSpotter’s parent company, SoundThinking, or enter into a new contract for similar technology. Moore told the Sun-Times he plans to use a parliamentary maneuver at next week’s City Council meeting to force a vote on the ordinance, which has languished in the rules committee, where legislation often goes to die. * WTTW | Ex-Ald. Carrie Austin Set to Stand Trial Nov. 3, 2025 — More Than 4 Years After Indictment: However, it remains far from certain that Austin, 75, will ever face a jury. U.S. District Court Judge John F. Kness ordered Austin to undergo a physical examination by an expert doctor to determine whether she is too ill to stand trial, as her lawyers insist. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois say the evidence shows Austin is “alert, lucid and responsive” and fit to stand trial. * City Bureau | ‘I Know What I’m Worth’: The Joys and Struggles of Chicago’s Migrant Go-Go Dancers: At this particular nightclub, about seven dancers are Venezuelan or Colombian. A bar patron in town from Texas said he noticed this same trend in male strip clubs down south, as well. The shift, in some ways, is tied to cultural tropes of Latino passion, says Héctor Carrillo, a professor of sociology at Northwestern University who studies sexuality, immigration and health. His 2017 book, “Pathways of Desire: The Sexual Migration of Mexican Gay Men,” tells the stories of gay Mexican immigrants in San Diego, before and after their journeys to the United States. * Crain’s | Obamas’ old Hyde Park condo hits the market: Kurt and Jennifer Elling are asking $550,000 for the four-bedroom condo in East View Park, a block-long row of brick six-flats that share a big private greenspace and face a quiet stretch of public park west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The first-floor condo, which still has the green tile fireplace Michelle Obama is pictured with in an early 2000s portrait shot by Katrina Wittkamp for Chicago magazine, is going on the market today. * Tribune | At Chiu Quon, Chicago’s oldest Chinese bakery, mooncakes take center stage for the Mid-Autumn Festival: The moon-shaped pastries are not just desserts but symbols of the harvest season carrying with them the cultural heritage honored across Asia, said Joyce Chiu, owner of Chiu Quon Bakery. “Moon festival is a time for families to get together, have a nice meal together and sit around sharing mooncakes,” Chiu said. “And all the little details, the packaging, and the design are always super intentional.” * Daily Southtown | Thornton Township trustees vote to cancel events planned by Supervisor Tiffany Henyard: During a combative meeting Tuesday night, Thornton Township trustees refused to approve events they say invite reckless spending on the part of Supervisor Tiffany Henyard, who has been under consistent scrutiny for financial mismanagement as township supervisor and Dolton mayor. Henyard railed against Trustees Chris Gonzalez, Carmen Carlisle and Gerald Jones for voting to cancel the upcoming Gospel Fest, House Fest and bingo, saying the events predate her administration. The board approved the monthly Tech Savvy event that provides technology skills training with a reduced budget. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora gathers to reflect on those lost during Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks: ‘Never forget’: Former Aurora resident Miguel Munoz, who now lives in Kentucky, was in town this week to visit his wife’s family and decided to bring his 9-year-old daughter Rin to Aurora’s event on Wednesday honoring those who lost their lives 23 years ago during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. “I wanted her to be here because I think it’s important for her to know the history,” Munoz said about his daughter as they waited for the start of the ceremony held outside the Aurora Police Department headquarters at 1200 E. Indian Trail. “Eventually, she is going to start learning about this in school, but I wanted her to have a first-hand experience about how people felt during that time – people who were there and people who were around then.” * Daily Herald | Sugar Grove OKs controversial 761-acre development proposal: Despite passionate opposition from some residents, the Sugar Grove village board on Tuesday approved the controversial mixed-use The Grove development. The board voted 4-2 to annex 761 acres at I-88 and Route 47, and create a planned development district with housing, offices, stores and businesses that could include warehouses and data centers. * WSIL | Williamson County Supervisor of Assessments to Resign: The Williamson County Supervisor of Assessments Alex Simpson stated he was asked by the Williamson County Commissioners to resign his position. This resignation letter was dated for September 11, 2024. * SJ-R | ‘Moved’ by SPD chief’s speech, family of crash victim wants transparency in investigation: An emotional Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarlette said Tuesday that a retired police sergeant charged in a crash involving two people on a motorcycle last week “failed his oath” and “embarrassed the profession of law enforcement.” Scarlette also apologized for “the lack of compassion” shown by officers at the crash site near Lake Springfield where many believe Michael Egan, who was on the last day of his job but off duty, was shown favoritism. * NPR Illinois | UIS sees a slight drop in fall enrollment: The University of Illinois Springfield has 33 fewer students on campus this fall compared to a year ago. The school announced its official enrollment numbers Wednesday. The drop ends a two year run of enrollment increases. Last year, the number of students jumped 11%. * WCIA | Crunching the numbers of U of I’s record-breaking enrollment: University officials said total student enrollment for the fall of 2024 stands at a record number of 59,238. This number consists of 37,140 undergraduates and 20,765 graduate students who attend in-person, on-campus classes and classes online. The freshman Class of 2028 consists of 9,008 students, also a new record. Within this number: * STLPR | East St. Louis forum attendees propose community-driven solutions to child poverty: Children’s Advocates for Change, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization, hosted a forum aimed at addressing child poverty in East St. Louis, where the poverty rate for children is three times the national average. More than 100 educators, religious leaders, metro-east officials and others gathered at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s East St. Louis Learning Center to discuss potential solutions. * AP | Election officials warn that widespread problems with the US mail system could disrupt voting: In an alarming letter, the officials said that over the past year, including the just-concluded primary season, mailed ballots that were postmarked on time were received by local election offices days after the deadline to be counted. They also noted that properly addressed election mail was being returned to them as undeliverable, a problem that could automatically send voters to inactive status through no fault of their own, potentially creating chaos when those voters show up to cast a ballot. * Missouri Independent | GOP legislator’s son asks Supreme Court to order inquiry into donations to Missouri AG: Eight months into his term as Missouri’s attorney general, Andrew Bailey withdrew his office from defending a state agency being sued by a legislator’s son for disability discrimination. A few months earlier, his campaign and an affiliated political action committee accepted more than $150,000 in donations connected to a witness in the case.
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Map shows historical decline of county populations, with about a third peaking between 1870 and 1900
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * This map is from a PowerPoint displayed at a recent faculty Senate meeting at Western Illinois University. Click the pic for a larger image…  The full document is here. Discuss.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * AG press release…
The letter is here. * The Question: What do you think about this proposal? Explain.
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23 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Illinois remembers the lives lost
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Patch…
* Winnetka annually plants 2,977 American Flags to remember victims…
* More… * SJ-R | ‘I’m not sure if it ever, ever sunk in’: Harvel World Trade Center survivor remembers 9/11: When a plane initially hit Tower 1 of the World Trade Center at 7:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, Shelley Lebeck felt the building go sideways and then right itself. Lebeck, a Harvel native working on the 44th floor as an office manager for a trade group for Wall Street technical analysts, said she thought it was an explosion. A small plane flying into the building also crossed her mind. […] “I’m not sure if it ever, ever sunk in, that it was all gone like that,” Lebeck said of the twin towers. * WILL | 800 Miles from Ground Zero: 9/11’s Impact on Central Illinois: The first plane hit the World Trade Center in NYC at 7:46 CST in 2001. In this first episode of 800 Miles from Ground Zero: 9/11’s Impact on Central Illinois listeners hear memories from this day and the weeks following from a variety of people currently living in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois who recount their experiences during a time that horrified, traumatized, and brought together a nation. * NBC Chicago | From the Archives: Survivor Recalls His Viral 9/11 Email: Adam Mayblum worked on the 87th floor of the World Trade Center’s north tower, just below where American Airlines Flight 11 struck, and he was one of the few who made it out. Shortly after he walked down all those flights of stairs, past firefighters going the other way, he wrote an email to family and friends describing his experience. It quickly went viral, and Mayblum’s words resonated around the world as people were able to relive those moments he spent inside the tower. * Patch | 9/11 Remembrance Events Scheduled For Glencoe, Northfield, Winnetka: In communities around New Trier Township, ceremonies are being held to honor those slain. In Glencoe, the public safety department has partnered with the Am Shalom synagogue to host a memorial service at the flagpole at the coroner of Vernon and Lincoln avenues. It begins at 7:46 a.m. on Wednesday. * WGN | CFD hold memorial tribute on 23rd anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks: The Chicago Fire Department held a memorial tribute on Wednesday at Engine 42 headquarters on the Near North Side to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. A moment of silence is scheduled occurred at 7:46 a.m. * Shaw Local | 9/11 remembrances will mark anniversary in McHenry County: Algonquin: The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District will host a public remembrance ceremony at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Riverfront Park, 201 N Harrison St., Algonquin. Carpentersville: Join the Carpentersville Fire Department in the 23rd anniversary of the National Day of Service and Remembrance 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at Carpentersville Fire Station 91, 213 Spring St. * WSIL | Benton School Honors Victims of 9/11 Attacks: A local school is honoring the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Benton Consolidated High School is displaying 2,977 American Flags on their front lawn and joining campuses across the nation this week in honoring the victims. This is part of the Never Forget Project with the Young America’s Foundation which launched in 2003. * Daily Herald | Sept. 11 observances across the suburbs: Evanston 9/11 Ceremony: 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at Firemen’s Park, Simpson Street and Maple Avenue in Evanston. The Evanston fire and police departments will honor the brave men and women who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. * KMOX | Saluki Stair Climb in Southern Illinois set to honor 9/11 victims: Lt. Col Chay Derbigny, commander and professor of aerospace studies for SIUC’s Air Force ROTC detachment 205, explained that his predecessor originally came up with the idea. “She had the idea last year and she ran it. I mean that was her baby and she made it an incredible event that doubled the pot of people that they were expecting to participate just out of her marketing efforts,” said Derbigny.
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IDOC responds to more Menard claims from Sen. Bryant
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Some background is here if you need it. Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) was on Will Stephens’ WXAN radio show on Monday and said this about Menard Correctional Center, which is in her district…
* So, I reached out to IDOC for a response and received this late yesterday afternoon…
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Open thread
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Opening statements are scheduled to begin this morning in the federal corruption trial of Paul La Schiazza. Capitol News Illinois…
- The 12-member jury and three alternates were chosen from a pool of 60 from Chicago and its suburbs. The final group includes nine women and six men ranging from recent college graduates to sexagenarians. - In an unusual move, the prosecutors’ and defense attorneys’ peremptory strikes were not made in open court, but each side exercised their right to nix members of the pool before Gettleman announced the final group. * Related stories… ∙ Tribune: Jury selected in trial of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Michael Madigan ∙ Tribune: Opening statements to kick off trial of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Ex-House Speaker Madigan * WAND | Illinois agency criticized for implementation of child care provider grant program: The Smart Start grant program was created to help day care providers recruit and retain workers without burdening families by raising tuition or co-pays. However, the Illinois Department of Human Services implemented the grant program without a top committee of state lawmakers approving the rules. JCAR members noted that DHS did not file rules for the grant program until July 5, 2024. Yet, the agency had already opened and closed the application process for the grant program before filing the rules. “While the department cited the need to negotiate with stakeholders and obtain appropriations for the program as the reason for the delay in promulgating rules, the consultation and rulemaking processes could have been started any time after the public act became effective,” JCAR wrote. * PJ Star | ‘Serious criminal charges’ possible as Peoria police investigating anti-violence group: Peoria Mayor Rita Ali said she has not yet had any discussions with the City/County Board of Health about its decision to cut ties with the Cure Violence initiative but did say she “respects their decision” and understands that there were “capacity issues” with some of the non-profits awarded money. “I think there became some problems along the way from what I understand, again without many real details, I think there were some capacity issues,” Ali told the Journal Star. “I was disappointed, of course, that Cure Violence is not likely to continue or happen for Peoria. It is a national and international strategy and project that has happened very successfully in other cities across the world and across the nation.” * Capitol News Illinois | Supreme Court hears cases pertaining to detention under the SAFE-T Act: The second case the court heard Tuesday concerned Christian Mikolaitis, 19, of Elwood, who was arrested in December 2023 and charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for allegedly stabbing another individual during a drug deal. Prosecutors filed a petition to hold Mikolaitis pending trial, arguing that he continued to pose a real and present danger to the victim. But they did not make an argument as to why conditions of release could not mitigate the risk he posed. * Block Club | City To Close Troubled Pilsen Migrant Shelter, 2 Others As Pace Of New Arrivals Slows: The city is closing three more migrant shelters — including one of its largest and most troubled — as a federal order slows border crossings and a pledge to send more buses during the Democratic National Convention did not materialize. Next month, the city will close the three shelters located at a Pilsen warehouse, 2241 S. Halsted St., a West Loop office building, 344 N. Ogden Ave., and Kenwood’s Lakeshore Hotel, 4900 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, a Department of Family and Support Services spokesperson said in a statement. * Tribune | As shelters close, a CPS migrant family sleeps in a truck to stay close to school: Facing pressure to leave the shelter from city officials but wanting to stay near his son’s school, Reynaldo’s father Yohan Perdomo, 37, made the decision to sleep in the truck instead of move elsewhere. “If I had a job, I would rent an apartment and move us there,” said Perdomo, who has struggled to find stable work for the past eight months to move them out of a migrant shelter on the Lower West Side. * Fox Chicago | One of Chicago Mayor Johnson’s top aides calls police ‘f—ing pigs’ in 2021 podcast: Kennedy Bartley allegedly made the comments during a 2021 podcast interview. She is currently Johnson’s Managing Deputy for External Relations, a position that was created for her back in May. […] The comments came as part of a conversation about the killing of Elijah McClain, a suburban Denver man, at the hands of police and paramedics. * Sun-Times | Victim recalls tire-cutting that led to charges against 2 Chicago cops: ‘They just started slashing’: Police officials sought felony charges against the officers, but they weren’t approved by prosecutors. “After a thorough review of the information presented to us by police, it was determined that the evidence was insufficient to meet our burden of proof to file felony charges,” according to a spokesperson for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. * ABC Chicago | Northwest Side residents ask city to remove homeless encampment from Gompers Park: ‘It’s not safe’: Members of the Restore Gompers Park Coalition delivered petitions to the alderperson’s office Tuesday morning, asking that the city begin moving them out of the park. They say those living there are part of the unhoused population and are not migrants or recent arrivals. “We want proper housing for these individuals. We’re not saying kick them out and put them on the street,” said Gail Fritz with the Restore Gompers Park Coalition. * Sun-Times | Transgender woman slain on West Side; family calls for hate crime investigation: Redd is the first trans woman killed in Chicago this year, though violence against trans women is often underreported. At least 14 transgender and gender-nonconforming people have been killed in Chicago since 2016, according to data compiled by the Sun-Times, and the majority of those cases remain unsolved. * Sun-Times | Hot mic still smoldering? Former judge caught insulting lawyer is facing state complaint: The complaint against former Associate Judge William Raines was filed in August by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, which accused him of violating its code of conduct. […] After Bonjean left the Zoom hearing, Raines began talking to others in the virtual courtroom, describing Bonjean’s demeanor during the proceedings as “entertaining.” “Did you see her going nuts? Glasses off, fingers through her hair, the phone’s going all over the place. It’s insane,” Raines said, according to the commission’s complaint filing. * Daily Herald | DuPage County Clerk asks for private attorney to represent her: The DuPage County state’s attorney’s office last week filed the lawsuit that claims Kaczmarek is breaking state law because she has refused to indicate from where in her budget a bill should be paid when the dedicated budget line item does not have enough money to cover a bill’s payment. Kaczmarek’s request for a private attorney comes days after DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin filed a motion requesting that a special state’s attorney be appointed to represent the clerk since his office cannot represent both her and the county in the legal dispute. * AP | Protections sought for prison workers in closing of aging Illinois prison: On Tuesday, 187 inmates remained at Stateville, AFSCME spokesperson Anders Lindall said. When plaintiffs in the case sought an injunction in July to shutter Stateville, AFSCME expected Corrections to oppose it, according to the complaint. It says that days before Wood’s ruling, AFSCME and the Department of Central Management Services, the state’s personnel agency, agreed that bargaining over the employee impact of Stateville’s shutdown was premature because Corrections’ plans were not finalized. * Naperville Sun | Changes in state legislation prompt Naperville Park District to consider ban on e-scooters, altered drone regulations: The modification is in response to a state measure that Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law last month. The legislation — Senate Bill 1960 — created a definition for “low-speed electric scooter” in Illinois Vehicle Code and provides a regulatory framework for the operation of electric scooters by local governments that authorize their use by ordinance. * Shaw Local | Joliet, Lockport bridges top list of IDOT projects for Will County: Bridge repairs and replacements top the Illinois Department of Transportation’s ongoing and planned infrastructure projects in Will County over the next six years. Ten projects across the county represent a total investment of $118 million through the Rebuild Illinois capital program, according to a news release from IDOT. * WAND | Springfield Police Chief says disgraced Sgt. failed his oath: The chief said during the meeting, “That oath doesn’t end the day that you retire, that oath is something you take with you to your grave. That man failed this oath, that man embarrassed the profession of law enforcement. That man should be ashamed of his actions, his selfish actions that led to such a horrific crash.” Egan had just retired. Chief Scarlett also reiterated his commitment to a transparent internal investigation of his office. * SJ-R | Former Springfield Police sergeant pleads not guilty in aggravated DUI case: Egan, said Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser, was released from custody with conditions after the hearing. Egan cannot legally drive a vehicle or go to any bars. He must undergo a drug and alcohol assessment and cooperate with probation. Braud set an Oct. 3 preliminary hearing for Egan, who faces 1 to 12 years behind bars if convicted. The charge is probation eligible. * WAND | Springfield bridge to be renamed “Massey Memorial Bridge”: During Tuesday night”s Springfield City Council meeting the council approved a measure to commission a mural for the Jefferson Bridge, and work with IDOT to rename the bridge in her honor. Springfield Alderwoman Erin Conley spoke at the meeting and stated, “Sonya Massey’s mom is in the audience tonight and I just want to say this is a very small gesture in terms of everything, but we’re honored to have her name as part of our city. We will keep her in our hearts and in our thoughts.” * Rockford Register Star | Rockford has a $23 million budget surplus. Here’s how it hopes to spend the money: Rockford could use a $23 million 2023 budget surplus to give a one-time boost to its neighborhood road program, close TIF Districts that are in the red and complete several road resurfacing projects. Collections of income taxes and corporate replacement taxes that flowed into the city from the state of Illinois far exceeded expectations last year, Finance Director Carrie Hagerty said. The city also saved money because of vacancies in the Rockford Police Department. * WREX | Hard Rock Casino Rockford says things are going well less than two weeks after opening: “It’s more about just watching people feed into the building and see how they utilize the space and how they move around and navigate the space. We’ve identified some areas that are a little bit busier than we had thought they would be and probably should have bigger aisleways,” President, Geno Iafrate said. […] “Occupancy and visitation has just been through the roof. We actually twice on opening weekend, we exceeded capacity and had to stop letting people in the building, which I wish that wasn’t the case but at the same time that’s pretty exciting that you got more people than we can actually fit in the building,” Iafrate said. * WQAD | City of Rock Island approves purchase of drones for police department: The Rock Island Police Department will be receiving three drones after city council members voted to approve the purchase on Monday, Sept. 9. All three devices will cost just over $53,000. The city plans to use part of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the purchase. RIPD will now join numerous other Quad Cities agencies using the technology, including the Moline Police Department, East Moline Police Department, Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Bettendorf Police Department and the Rock Island Fire Department. * WAND | One year of progress at Scheels Sport Park: While the over 50 acre plot of dirt behind Scheels might not seem like much, a lot of work has happened in the lot since the groundbreaking occurred a year ago. Construction crews have laid more than two miles of underground piping, set up electrical wires for overhead lights, and built drainage systems for the outdoor fields. Soon crews will start building the foundation of the building and prepare to place the dome. A new General Manager was added to the Sports Park team today. Brandon Doherty will lead the facilities team for the rest of the construction, and when the building is completed. * PJ Star | Peoria’s Brat Summer? Pop star Charli XCX shares TikTok while rehearsing in Illinois: Iconic English singer and songwriter Charli XCX — whose album Brat was a pop culture phenomenon this summer — was apparently in Peoria, Illinois, this week while rehearsing for her upcoming tour with fellow pop star Troye Sivan. The two filmed a TikTok on the streets of Downtown Peoria, posted Monday, in which the duo walks down Main Street near the intersection of Perry Avenue. The words “sweat tour rehearsals lfg” are on screen. * WaPo | 42 state AGs endorse federal plan to add warning labels on social media: A coalition of over 40 state attorneys general urged Congress on Tuesday to place labels on social media platforms warning of their potential risks to children, rallying substantial bipartisan support behind a proposal championed by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy. In a June op-ed, Murthy called on federal lawmakers to pass legislation authorizing the placement of tobacco-style surgeon general’s labels “stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.” Murthy said the move would help tackle concerns that social media is fueling real-world harms among kids and teens. * WaPo | Elon Musk’s misleading election claims reach millions and alarm election officials: A separate analysis found that 50 of Musk’s false or misleading claims about the U.S. election between Jan. 1 and July 31 were debunked by independent fact-checkers and still generated almost 1.2 billion views, according to a recent study from the Center for Countering Digital Hate. None displayed community notes, X’s term for user-generated fact checks that Musk has promised serve as an “immediate way to refute anything false” that is posted on the platform.
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Energy Storage Now!
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] If a major storm hits and the electricity goes out, are you prepared? Will your family be safe? What about your friends and neighbors? With climate change causing more massive storms, now is the time to ask yourself these questions. Fortunately, there is a solution. On a typical day, clean energy – like solar and wind installations – creates more energy than we can use that day. The solution? Store now so we can use it later. That stored energy can then be used in the event of a traditional power outage. With storage capacity, we can use energy when it’s needed most, and optimize the clean power produced by wind and solar — making power more affordable and reliable for Illinois. Make sure you’re ready, and make sure Illinois is ready. Click here to learn more! Paid for by Counterspark.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WTTW…
* WCIA…
* Fox 2 Now | Over 180 electric vehicle charging ports to be built along Illinois interstates: Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Monday that the state will be investing $25.3 million in vehicle charging stations. According to a news release, the grants will be going toward the construction of 182 new charging stations along Illinois interstates. Madison County will receive $649,240 in grants to install charging ports. * The Atlantic | Why Police Officers Rarely Change Jobs: Why do police officers like Grayson keep getting hired? Part of the answer comes from today’s guest, UChicago law professor John Rappaport, whose research on “wandering officers” revealed the extent to which previously fired officers find jobs in new departments and the structural incentives of small departments to keep hiring them. * Farm Week Now | Monarch sightings vary across Illinois: With monarch butterfly populations reported at historically low ranges last winter, experts and gardeners watched closely to see what that would mean to this summer’s populations in Illinois. Reports have been mixed with some people noting an absence of the colorful butterflies. “In Clark County, we’re pretty consistent with butterfly numbers this year,” said Don Guinnip, who has been active with sustainability and environmental issues with various commodity groups and farm organizations for years. * Sun-Times | Chicago Parking Meters LLC accused of violating city’s minority participation requirements: The 75-year lease requires CPM to utilize certified minority- and women-owned businesses for “at least 25% of annual expenses tied to operating the parking meter system, excluding construction contracts.” But that’s not what has happened. From 2011 to 2018, CPM “claimed MBE credit for a vendor that was not MBE-certified,” Witzburg said. * Sun-Times | Jury awards $50 million to Chicago man who spent 10 years in prison after wrongful conviction: Brown was convicted at age 18, and spent around 10 years in prison before being exonerated in 2018. Information used to convict Brown was “obtained in clear violation of law,” the suit stated, continuing a pattern of Chicago police detectives using coercive interrogation tactics and targeting young Black men. The lawsuit argued that the defendants violated Brown’s fifth and 14th amendment rights by conducting an unconstitutional interrogation and infringing on Brown’s right to due process. * Block Club | CTA Worker Who Witnessed Red Line Shooting Says Agency Leaders ‘Don’t Care About Our Safety’: “A manager insulted me right after, asking if it was because I owed somebody some money,” said Griffin, who was uninjured and now taking leave. Griffin said he had voiced concerns “ignored by management” that it was unsafe for switch workers to clock in and out at odd hours at the station instead of their work location a block away, which is inaccessible to the public. * Sun-Times | Chicago Public Schools fires sports director David Rosengard: Rosengard’s time in charge was mired by several basketball scandals. In March, five Kenwood players, head coach Mike Irvin and two assistant coaches were ruled ineligible for violating Illinois High School Association rules. Chicago Public Schools’ Office of the Inspector General presented evidence and documents to the IHSA on Jan. 25 that revealed potential residency rules violations for multiple Kenwood basketball players. The IHSA investigated further. * Tribune | Art Institute announces $75 million gift to create new gallery building on Michigan Avenue campus: The largest single naming gift in the Art Institute’s history will create the Aaron I. Fleischman and Lin Lougheed Building, which will house the museum’s collection of late 19th century modern and contemporary art, according to a news release. While the design and location have yet to be finalized, the building will offer “spectacular views of the park, the city and the lake,” and begin the process of “re-envisioning” the campus layout as part of a five-year old conceptual plan, according to the news release. * Crain’s | JPMorgan Chase loans $10 million to jump-start South, West Side affordable housing projects: The loan is part of a broader commitment the financial giant made beginning in 2017 to provide $200 million in philanthropic capital and low-cost loans to address decades of disinvestment in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods. The investment is modeled on an effort Chase pioneered in Detroit to help restore that city. CCLF, a nonprofit providing financial and technical assistance for community development, can leverage the capital from the loan multiple times over, creating as much as $40 million in financing for community projects, said Kevin Goldsmith, managing director of community development tax credits and intermediaries lending at JPMorgan Chase. * WGN | Lincoln Square martial arts studio hit by vandals twice in 2 months; CAIR calls on CPD to investigate as hate crime: The studio’s owner, Eddie Redzovic, is a well-known YouTuber on The Deen Show where he frequently talks about his Muslim faith. […] The Center for American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, is calling on the Chicago Police Department to investigate this latest incident, and another nearby, as possible hate crimes. “It’s really concerning to us because we just got a case from the Muslim Community Center, about 10 minute walk from here, that something very similar happened to them a few days ago. If you look at the security footage, it appears to be the same car. Kind of the same manner in which the attack was taken out. So we’re very suspicious of this that this is the same person,” said Maggie Slavin of CAIR Chicago. * Crain’s | Southwest Airlines cuts more flights at O’Hare: The low-cost carrier is flying about 14 flights on peak days at O’Hare, down from 18 in June, according to data from aviation-research firm Cirium. The cutback comes after a reduction in summer flying, which the carrier blamed in part on delays in getting new aircraft from Boeing. The new schedule is less than half the capacity Southwest was offering a year ago. The airline says the changes are in response to customer demand but “we remain committed to serving our Chicago-area customers from the airport they prefer.” * Crain’s | Law firm planting new flag on Wacker Drive, cutting office footprint: The deal adds to the space-shedding movement that has battered downtown office landlords since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and fueled a historic wave of distressed properties in the heart of the city. It also shows how the newest and most-updated office buildings continue to outperform older ones as companies hunt for workspace that will help get employees to work in-person rather than remotely on a more regular basis. * Block Club | Could Chicago’s Next Weird Tourist Attraction Be This Purse Full Of Lucky Charms?: Chicagoans are already going out of their way to visit the Lucky Charms purse, making sure the unofficial art installation remains undisturbed. […] A Block Club reporter checked out the Lucky Charms purse Monday afternoon and confirmed it was still hanging from the pole, undisturbed. * Sun-Times | S&C Electric opens massive Palatine manufacturing facility amid growing electric grid demand: Longtime Chicago company S&C Electric Co. held a ribbon cutting Tuesday to officially unveil its massive facility in Palatine that will meet the growing demand for its products and help increase its innovation efforts. The 275,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at 200 Sellstrom Drive opened earlier this year, and the company has steadily moved some of its production from Rogers Park, where it’s headquartered, over to the facility. * Sun-Times | Ford Heights mayor’s corruption case is nearing a conclusion — six years after he was charged: Six years after Ford Heights Mayor Charles Griffin was charged with embezzling nearly $150,000 from the tiny cash-strapped south suburb, his case could soon come to a conclusion. A trial before Cook County Judge James Obbish quietly got started in recent months and, after a break in June, is slated to resume next Monday. * SJ-R | ‘Our blood bleeds the same.’ Favoritism of former police sergeant cited at crash: Jason Rule said Monday he started following Farley and Hopkins around Taylor Avenue at Stevenson Drive going towards the lake. Rule witnessed the accident, including Egan swerving from the driving lane across the turn lane into the Anchor Boat Club. […] “It was just atrocious to see everything that happened and the way they treated that guy. He’s laughing and smiling and giving high fives and dabs, laughing about the whole thing. It was ridiculous. * WCBU | Peoria, East Peoria mayors tight-lipped on potential casino move: Speaking at the unveiling of a new downtown mural Tuesday, Peoria Mayor Rita Ali declined to speak at length about the city attempting to persuade Boyd to relocate the casino. “There’s an agreement that was signed many years ago that if land-based casinos were to come to this area, that they would be in Peoria. That’s basically all I have to say about that,” Ali said. * WCIA | 50-pound pumpkin stolen from FFA plot of Rantoul school: Todd Wilson, the principal of Rantoul Township High School, posted on his Facebook page that a 50-pound pumpkin was stolen from the plot. Along with the theft of the pumpkin, Wilson said the vines of the plot were trampled, which he sarcastically called “a nice touch,” and “might make it easier for us to harvest the other pumpkins and gourds.” * IGN | A Prominent Accessibility Advocate Worked With Studios and Inspired Change. But She Never Actually Existed.: According to the source, Craven allegedly received gifts and consistent praise and attention every time he would post about Bank’s ailments or recoveries. In order to prevent any legal ramifications, particularly if Craven was misleading clients, the source hired a private investigator, a retired Chicago police officer, who previously worked with an associate of the source. The goal of the investigation was to find concrete proof of Banks’ existence. Several days later, the investigator returned with no information. No immigration record, address, employment record, marriage license, or birth certificate was found. Banks, according to the investigator, was not a real person. IGN received the receipt of the investigation and can confirm the source was billed for these services. * FOX Chicago | Recall of eggs, apple juice and deli meat: Recent list over various health concerns: The Boar’s Head recall involving more than 7 million pounds of deli meat is the most serious among the recent grocery recalls. The meats were recalled over serious listeria concerns. At least nine people have died and another 57 have been hospitalized, according to U.S. officials, marking the largest listeria outbreak since the 2011 outbreak linked to cantaloupe. * NYT | Doctors Give Black Women Unneeded C-Sections to Fill Operating Rooms, Study Suggests: That’s the conclusion of a new report of nearly one million births in 68 hospitals in New Jersey, one of the largest studies to tackle the subject. Even if a Black mother and a white mother with similar medical histories saw the same doctor at the same hospital, the Black mother was about 20 percent more likely to have her baby via C-section, the study found.
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Another day, another Henyard revelation
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WGN last week…
She may have picked up part of the food tab herself, but taxpayers paid for the bulk of it. * WGN today…
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois!
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] In less than one year, a new law will create credit card chaos for millions of Illinois consumers, small business owners and workers who rely on tips. The law changes how your credit card is processed and has never been done anywhere in the world. The end result is windfall for corporate mega-stores paid for through costly operational hurdles for small businesses and a loss of convenience and privacy for consumers who could have to pay tax and gratuity with cash. There’s still time to protect Illinois small business owners, consumers and workers by repealing the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act now! For more information, visit guardyourcard.com/Illinois.
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Pritzker says he has not had any discussions with city about its budget deficit
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * First, some background from the Sun-Times…
* From the governor’s Q&A today…
Please pardon all transcription errors. * Quick video of that first question and his super-rare one-word response… Heh.
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Pritzker doesn’t think city and state currently need as much migrant shelter capacity
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Tribune reporter…
* Gov. Pritzker was asked by a reporter whether that means no more migrants were coming or whether the state was going to close its shelters as well…
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Rate the Nagel ad
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * I told subscribers about this ad last week. Here you go… * Script…
* I’m not sure how three of these folks had anything to do with Joyce’s Senate salary, but this is from the spot…  Nagel lost to Joyce by 10 points two years ago.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Uber is leading the charge to close critical transportation gaps, ensuring reliable access to its services in places that need it most, such as underserved areas like Englewood. This is a part of Uber’s broader commitment to augment and expand the reach of Chicago’s transportation ecosystem, focusing on overcoming the first-mile/ last-mile hurdles that have long plagued residents in farther afield neighborhoods. Uber aims to extend the public transit network’s reach, making urban transportation more accessible and efficient for everyone. Discover the full story on how Uber is transforming city transportation for the better.
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Jury selection underway in the trial of former AT&T boss La Schiazza
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
CNI’s Hannah Meisel is in the courtroom today. * The Sun-Times’ federal court reporter Jon Seidel…
* Tribune…
* Sun-Times…
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Open thread
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Head of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s legislative affairs team resigns amid staff shakeup. Crain’s…
- According to sources, two of Homan’s deputies also left the team as part of a larger upheaval within the close-knit team charged with building relationships across the City Council and whipping votes to secure Johnson’s progressive agenda. - The mayor’s office circulated an internal organizational chart late last week that showed Holman’s team and staffers in community engagement would report to Kennedy Bartley, a leader in Johnsons’ progressive movement hired into the administration in May. Holman had previously resisted having to report to Bartley. * Related stories…
∙ Sun-Times: Deep freeze? Mayor halts hiring in ‘all departments’ — even police and fire — to confront budget crisis ∙ Tribune: City Council spars over ShotSpotter once again as end date in Chicago nears Governor Pritzker will be at the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation at 12:30 pm for a grant award presentation. Click here to watch. * WCIA | By the numbers: Illinois State Fair Grandstand Acts: WCIA obtained the number of tickets sold for each Grandstand Act at the 2024 Illinois State Fair from the Illinois Department of Agriculture. After the record breaking crowd for Lil Wayne’s concert, the next most popular acts were the pop boy band Jonas Brothers with 9,952, then country singers Keith Urban with 8,778 and Miranda Lambert with 8,216. * SJ-R | Former Springfield police sergeant arrested after crash as residents protest: Michael A. Egan, 50, has been charged with aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm, a Class 4 felony. Authorities said Egan’s vehicle was traveling northbound on East Lake Shore Drive and made a left turn in front of a motorcycle which crashed into Egan’s SUV. Egan was taken into custody by Illinois State Police troopers and U.S. Marshals around 12:45 p.m. Monday. Egan will make his first appearance in Sangamon County Tuesday afternoon. * RIP James Earl Jones… * Daily Herald | When it comes to funding state-level campaigns, Pritzker in a league of his own: Even though he’s not running now, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has donated a whopping $25 million to his campaign committee this election cycle, according to Illinois State Board of Elections data. None of the Illinois residents on the nonprofit group OpenSecrets’ list of Top 100 donors at the federal level comes close to that kind of in-state giving ahead of the Nov. 5 election. * WGEM | New Illinois law mandates coverage for medically necessary jaw treatments: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) signed legislation Aug. 9 requiring insurance companies cover all medically necessary treatments for major jaw injuries. This includes oral and facial surgery, dental implants and prosthetics. “This law closes a major loophole for patients requiring necessary medical treatments for a life-threatening disease. It ensures that in a time of crisis, no one has to experience financial roadblocks to receiving medical care,” said state Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, the bill’s Senate sponsor. * SJ-R | Insurance coverage of abortion care protected by Illinois judge. What to know: A Sangamon County judge upheld a provision of the Illinois Reproductive Health Act in a ruling last week, maintaining that state-regulated health insurance plans that cover pregnancy care must also do so for abortion services. The Illinois Baptist State Association filed suit in 2020 against the law passed by state lawmakers in the prior year, claiming it violated their religious beliefs. Named in the suit was the Illinois Department of Insurance. * Sun-Times | After Georgia school shooting, Illinois lawmakers, firearms safety advocates push stronger gun storage law: Illinois Democrats are calling for stronger gun storage legislation just days after 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly killed two teachers and two students at a Georgia high school with an AR-15 style rifle purchased by his father. The legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, and state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, would require gun owners to securely lock weapons in homes with anyone aged 18 or younger. Current state law requires storage in homes with those 13 or younger. Similar legislation was introduced in the spring session, but Hirschauer said she’s hoping to pass a new version — with some changes negotiated with Gov. JB Pritzker’s office, during the November veto session or in early January. * Tribune | Wheatland Tube closes Southwest Side plant, will lay off nearly 250 workers: Wheatland Tube reported the closure of its 4435 S. Western Blvd. factory in accordance with Illinois’ Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which requires companies to report certain mass layoffs and plant closures two months in advance. Layoffs at the factory will begin about Nov. 1 and continue on a rolling basis through next year, a company spokesperson said. The company did not provide an exact date on which the factory would close. * Block Club | Cleaning Up Contaminated Acme Steel Site Could Take Years, Feds Say As Neighbors Focus On Its Future: The property is contaminated, threatening nearby wetlands and waterways, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Neighbors may be exposed to contamination if they trespass on the site, officials said. Past studies and cleanups have found compounds which can cause cancer, reproductive disorders and nervous and immune system issues, as well as soil contaminated with cyanide. * WTTW | Chicago Taxpayers Have Already Paid $1.1M to Fight Lawsuit Filed by Family of Adam Toledo as Trial Approaches: Chicago taxpayers have already paid more than $1.1 million to fight a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Adam Toledo, the 13-year-old shot and killed by a Chicago police officer after a brief foot chase in March 2021, according to documents obtained by WTTW News. Three and a half years after Adam’s death spurred demonstrations and renewed calls for police reform, the lawsuit filed by his parents is set to go to trial Nov. 6, ramping up the pressure on lawyers for the city to negotiate a settlement in the high-profile case or face the possibility of a trial that could lead to a multimillion-dollar jury verdict. * ABC Chicago | Jury awards $50M to man who spent 10 years in prison for Chicago murder he didn’t commit: Marcel Brown sued the City of Chicago, alleging he was coerced into making a false confession to an August 2008 murder. […] Brown was released from prison in 2018 after his sentence was vacated. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox are ‘not going to rush into anything’ regarding managerial search, says GM Chris Getz: “I think if you would have told me (before the season) we were going to end up flirting with the (major-league) record (for losses) I would have been a little surprised,” Getz said Monday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. “Now if you would have told me prior to the year that we would have ended up with over 100 losses, 105, 110, I wouldn’t have been as surprised. But this is the cards that we’ve been dealt at this point. * WGN | Angel Reese uses social media to explain wrist injury that will sideline her the rest of WNBA season: “I fell on my hand when I got the and-one, when I fell back (and) fell on my hand and it is a small crack in my bone,” Reese said in a video posted to her TikTok late Sunday night. “Basically, the doctors told me that I could either not get surgery or have surgery. The risk of not having surgery – I could literally have arthritis at 22 years old. That wasn’t an option. The bone could literally crack and completely shatter. Right now, it’s like a hairline… They’re going to put a small screw in it. And I wasn’t going for it getting any bigger.” * Daily Herald | Union says Palatine wrongfully terminated public works employee: The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, AFL-CIO, announced it has filed a grievance in the termination of Charles Swanson, a seven-year employee. In a release, the union said the “village’s actions raise questions of workplace fairness and the value shown to employees working at the municipality.” Swanson suffered a workplace injury that required back surgery in January 2023, the union said. * Daily Herald | Lake Zurich sales tax hike to help defray cost of $154 million Lake Michigan project: Village officials recently authorized a local sales tax increase of 0.5% to help defray scheduled rate increases associated with a pending switch to Lake Michigan water. The increase will bring the municipal sales tax rate to 1% or a penny on every dollar of goods sold in town. The overall sales tax rate will increase to 8% as it is in Buffalo Grove, Deer Park, Barrington and Highland Park for comparison. Village officials say the rate increase will generate an additional $2.5 million annually to be used for project-related expenses and debt service of the $154 million Lake Michigan water project. * Daily Herald | Judge denies Mount Prospect’s request to halt operations at malodorous business: A Cook County judge Monday denied Mount Prospect’s emergency request for a temporary restraining order against animal feed producer Prestige Feed Products. Although the village provided ample testimony from neighbors about noxious odors reaching them from the plant at 431 Lakeview Court in Mount Prospect, Circuit Judge Clare Quish said the facts did not show “irreparable harm” without the emergency relief. * Daily Southtown | Sept. 11 ceremonies set for some south and south suburban communities: Observances are planned in some south and southwest suburbs Wednesday in remembrance of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 1, 2001. Southland communities will gather at firehouses, city halls and memorials to observe the 23rd anniversary of the attack, which killed nearly 3,000 people after al-Qaida hijackers sent two planes into New York’s World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and another into a field in Pennsylvania. * Daily Herald | ‘Big Boy’ chugs through the suburbs, delighting observers: Thousands of spectators lined the tracks to photograph and view 4014’s passage. It is the second time massive black-and-graphite painted “Big Boy” has visited the area — the first was in 2019, shortly after the engine’s restoration to service. Sporting a 4-8-8-4 articulated wheel arrangement and stretching to a length of more than 132 feet, the engine is one of 25 examples of the largest successful steam locomotive ever built and is the only one of the eight remaining operable. The locomotives were produced by the American Locomotive Company between 1941 and 1944 and used by the UP for heavy freight service on Sherman Hill, west of Cheyenne, Wyoming. * WAND | Family of motorcycle crash victims meets with mayor and police: Caitlin Weiss and Cicely Leonetti — Farley’s sisters — said that she is currently sedated and on a ventilator. “We have a huge road to recovery.” explained Weiss. “He completely smashed my sister, so her pelvis was completely broken as an open loop fracture. She had broke her hip. She’s broke her clavicles and, maybe some internal organ injuries that they found when they opened [her] up during surgery.” * Herald-Whig | Southern Airways officially objects to city request for new airline, denies safety issues: In a new letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Southern Airways Express objects to a request for the early termination of its contract with the city of Quincy. “Southern fully intends on not only serving the remainder of our current contract but also garnering (public support) as airline proposals are reviewed (for the next contract period),” reads the Sept. 4 letter from Southern Airways Chief of Staff Keith Sisson. “To this end, we respectfully ask the Department to allow the improvements and investment Southern is making in the marketplace to be realized … we implore the Department to resist the urge to comply (with the city of Quincy’s request) as such drastic action would lead to a globally unsustainable and damaging precedent for the EAS program and the airlines which serve its needs.” * WCIA | Champaign high schools locked down after ‘unfounded’ 911 call of armed person: Officials said that as details of the call developed, the story the caller gave had several inconsistencies. No threat was found, and the lockdowns were lifted at 2:30. The Champaign Police Department is investigating the source of the call and is looking for any information that may assist in the investigation. At this time, no one has been arrested. * WAND | Unit 4 board approves audit of special education department: Parents and advocates say there is a disconnect between special education teachers and leaders, the school principal, and district officials. One advocate claims an Elementary special education student was assaulted last month, stating during the public comment section, “The audit is a good audit, but its going to take time, and meanwhile we’ve got broken bones. And the same thing that happened to that little boy at Bottenfield, that same system happened again- we did not learn from that boy that was out of school for six months.” * NYT | He’s Known as ‘Ivan the Troll.’ His 3D-Printed Guns Have Gone Viral: Court documents, corporate records and information posted on his social media accounts link the Ivan the Troll persona to a 26-year-old Illinois gunmaker named John Elik. The nephew of a state representative, Mr. Elik has emerged as one of the most important figures in the nascent international industry of 3D-printed guns. […] Dr. Basra and a security researcher, Nathan Mayer, first linked Mr. Elik to the Ivan the Troll accounts using online clues after he was identified in a lawsuit as an owner of a website promoting 3D-printed guns. The Times replicated and built on that research, using photographs and videos that Mr. Elik posted of his home and shooting ranges on his family’s property, including his aunt’s. * DNYUZ | Greed, Gluttony and the Crackup of Red Lobster: New management had arrived in 2020 and tried to revive the chain with the corporate version of heart paddles. Thai Union, a seafood giant based in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, administered the shocks in the form of stern lectures, surprise inspections and cost-cutting measures that strained the staff to its breaking point. Now, by unveiling perpetual Endless Shrimp, Thai Union wanted Red Lobster employees to work even harder. “When they dumped this on us in June, we’d already been squeezed to the bone,” said Malcom Clarke, then a service manager at the Red Lobster in Orem, Utah. “We got emails from corporate saying: ‘This is a free-for-all. Get that shrimp out as fast as you can.’”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some debate stuff
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Personal PAC…
* Pantagraph…
* SJ-R | Illinois Republican claims new state flag would ‘advance the far-left’s political ideology’: A Secretary of State official said there have been more than 370 designs submitted so far. Submissions will be accepted until Oct. 18. * WGN | Chicago enacts citywide hiring freeze to address 2025 budget gap: In an official statement from Budget Director Annette Guzman Monday, the city has enacted a citywide hiring freeze and “stringent limitations” on non-essential travel and overtime expenditures outside of public safety operations. * WBEZ | Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson floats a hiring freeze ahead of a $982 million budget gap: “There are sacrifices that will be made,” Johnson said. “This budget gap does present us with a challenge, but it does certainly present us with an opportunity to transform the structure of our budget to ensure that, again, working people in this city can ultimately thrive.” Despite savings this year, the nearly $223 million end-of-year deficit in the city’s corporate fund is affected by a $417.7 million underperformance of revenue, primarily from a decline in personal property replacement taxes and the refusal of Chicago Public Schools to make a pension payment that the city was counting on. The new end-of-year deficit comes after budget officials had passed a $16.77 billion dollar budget to close an previously estimated $538 million gap for 2024. * WBEZ | Turnover roils Chicago’s cultural affairs department under new commissioner: At least 13 staff members, including some top deputies, have departed Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) since March, according to public records and interviews. That means about 18% of the department has turned over in the six months since Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed a new commissioner. Departing staff include three deputy commissioners, the department’s second-in-command, a creative director and three program directors. The department oversees large-scale events, such as Taste of Chicago and Blues Fest, and neighborhood programming, as well as directs grants to artists and organizations. * Block Club | Celebrate 75 Years Of Garrett Popcorn By Getting A Bag For $1.75: Popcorn fans can celebrate Garrett Popcorn Shops’ 75th anniversary with $1.75 bags of their signature flavors, available for a limited time as part of a special promotion. Between 1 and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday this week, fans can pop into any Garrett shop to purchase a small bag of their favorite popcorn — like CaramelCrisp, CheeseCorn and the Garrett Mix, a blend of those two — for just $1.75, according to a news release from the company. The offer is limited to one bag per person per transaction. * Pioneer Press | Voters will decide Nov. 5 whether Glencoe should have home rule: Village trustees unanimously approved a measure to put a home rule referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot at their Aug. 15th meeting. Under the State of Illinois constitution, home rule municipalities have more local decision-making authority and can opt out of some types of state legislation and mandates unless prohibited to do so by the legislature or the constitution. * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect factory responsible for odor complaints agrees to temporary halt: Prestige Feed Products agreed to the shutdown during a hearing Friday on the village’s emergency motion for a temporary restraining order against the company. The hearing is scheduled to resume Monday. Prestige attorney Riccardo DiMonte expressed concern about the company losing revenue and workers losing wages by calling off shifts Sunday and Monday morning, but said it was willing to do that “grudgingly” as an act of good faith. * Crain’s | Naperville medical office building sold for $28 million: A real estate firm betting on the future of health care properties has picked up its first medical office building in the Chicago area, paying $28 million for a nearly full property in Naperville. MCB Science + Health last week acquired the 72,468-square-foot iMed Naperville Medical Office building at 1331 West 75th St. in the western suburb, the company confirmed. MCB bought the property from Naperville-based DynaCom Management, which developed the four-story building in 2015 and leased up 96% of its space. Hospital system Endeavor Health occupies almost half of the property. * WAND | Springfield protestors ‘demanding accountability’ from police: Demonstrators are currently gathered outside the Municipal Center East building in Springfield to demand accountability from the Springfield Police Department. The protest, originally organized by Intricate Minds, is meant to address multiple issues regarding policing in Springfield, most recently the case of a retired Springfield Police Sergeant who severely injured two people on a motorcycle last week.
* STL Today | Biden may block U.S. Steel sale to Nippon Steel. Questions remain for Granite City plant.: The news, which was first reported by The Washington Post, comes while the blast furnace at Granite City’s U.S. Steel plant remains idle after the Pittsburgh-based company announced its indefinite closure last fall. The Granite City’s plant has two blast furnaces, used to make steel. One was previously shut down and the second was temporarily closed for six months last year, but now no longer has a reopening date. The company’s steel rolling and finishing operations, using metal slabs from other facilities, continue at Granite City Works. The 128-year-old mill in Granite City has 850 workers. Hundreds were previously let go or are on layoff due to the closure of the blast furnace. * BND | Officials silent on conflict and upheaval in Freeburg’s elementary school district: A school principal quits abruptly, citing a “toxic environment.” A superintendent tries to resign but is persuaded to stay and honor her contract. A parent files a complaint, prompting police to launch an investigation into the superintendent. Police are called to the elementary school about a disturbance involving a school board member. Another board member goes to court to get a stalking no contact order against him. Now others are pushing for the second board member to be removed from office. The past two years at Freeburg Community Consolidated School District 70 have been full of conflict and upheaval, yet officials won’t talk about it publicly. * WCBU | Justice, order and safety top of mind for Peoria County State’s Attorney candidates: For the first time since Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos was appointed to the office in 2019, she faces a challenger from outside of her own party. Peoria trial attorney Robert Boucher is running as a Republican in November’s General election. The third generation Peorian says the position is mainly one of leadership, and claims he’s a strong leader with administrative abilities. * WAND | U of I launches new awareness campaign to highlight research’s impact on local communities: There will be billboards, bus ads, digital ads, and a new website where community members can learn more about how Illinois research impacts their lives. The website is broken down into eight themes: water, health, economy, agriculture, kids, pets, aging, and vibrant communities. Each theme page contains stories, stats, Q&As, and more to show how Illinois research impacts Central Illinois. * WGLT | McLean County school administrators ponder a countywide sales tax after failed effort in 2014: Bloomington-Normal school superintendents are entertaining the idea of returning a one-cent per dollar countywide sales tax for education to the ballot. The Illinois County Schools Facility Sales Tax is an option to add a 1% sales tax that would shift facility funding away from property taxes. Fifty-seven Illinois counties have passed the ballot question since the option became available in 2007, including nearby counties such as Peoria, Livingston, Logan, Champaign, Piatt, Macon, Sangamon and Woodford. * WCIA | Decatur Park Police looking for tips on 9/11 memorial vandalism: Officials said the vandalism happened overnight on Friday and Saturday. Several people damaged the area around the 9/11 Memorial and the Beach House in Nelson Park. Bushes and greenery were knocked over, and some items were left in the water. Surveillance footage captured images of two people believed to be involved with the incident. * STL Today | Third former East St. Louis cop charged in connection with macing sleeping juveniles: Police department surveillance video of men in police uniforms spraying a substance on a sleeping teenager surfaced in police circles in 2022. It’s not clear why the video surfaced or who released it. The beginning of the video shows an officer pulling something from his belt and opening the cell door. He reaches into the cell but a wall obstructs part of the view of what is happening inside. The officer then closes the cell door, and seconds later, the young man in the cell reacts in distress. * WAND | New plan will connect parks for over 80 acres of green space in east Urbana: Master plans approved by the Urbana Park District Board of Commissioners will update Weaver and Prairie Parks and connect green space in the city. “We will connect 22 acres of Prairie Park with 60 acres of Weaver Park to create over 80 acres of green space in east Urbana,” said Tim Bartlett, Executive Director of Urbana Park District. He added, “The new Health and Wellness Center will serve as a focal point for the plans.” * WAND | University of Illinois homecoming week underway: The homecoming festivities started Sunday and run through Saturday. The week kicked off with the annual dying of the fountain and flying pancake breakfast. The homecoming parade is on Friday, Sept. 13. * AP | GOP lawsuits set the stage for state challenges if Trump loses the election: Before voters even begin casting ballots, Democrats and Republicans are engaged in a sprawling legal fight over the 2024 election through a series of court disputes that could even run past Nov. 5 if results are close. Republicans filed more than 100 lawsuits challenging various aspects of vote-casting after being chastised repeatedly by judges in 2020 for bringing complaints about how the election was run only after votes were tallied. * CBS | Texas sues to block federal rule protecting health records of women crossing state lines for abortions: In the suit filed Wednesday in Lubbock, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused the federal government of attempting to “undermine” the state’s law enforcement capabilities. It appears to be the first legal challenge from a state with an abortion ban that took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the nationwide right to abortion. “With this rule, the Biden Administration makes a backdoor attempt at weakening Texas’s laws by undermining state law enforcement investigations that implicate medical procedures,” Paxton said in a news release. * Tampa Bay Times | DeSantis’ election police questioned people who signed abortion petitions: Isaac Menasche remembers being at the Cape Coral farmer’s market last year when someone asked him if he’d sign a petition to get Florida’s abortion amendment on the ballot. He said yes — and he told a law enforcement officer as much when one showed up at the door of his Lee County home earlier this week. Menasche said he was surprised when the plainclothes officer twice asked if it was really Menasche who had signed the petition. The officer said he was looking into potential petition fraud.
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Meanwhile, in Opposite Land
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* CBS News…
* LA Times…
The draft proposal is here. Like the California assembly, the Illinois legislature has not been able to get its act together on this topic. I doubt our governor has such expansive executive powers, however.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Brad, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Background is here if you need it. HB5862 from Rep. Kevin Olickal…
* The Gun Violence Prevention PAC…
* Rep. Harry Benton…
* UChicago Harm Reduction Project founder Eshan Dosani and University of Chicago professor Harold Pollack…
* Chicago Ald. Gil Villegas…
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Now we know why the White Sox built that sandlot
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * August 30th in the Sun-Times…
* The sandlot pic…  * On a “related” note, legislators recently received this invite…  “Round the bases and shag ground balls on the diamond with White Sox Greats and Hall of Famers.” Should be fun, doubt it will work.
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Energy Storage Now!
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] If a major storm hits and the electricity goes out, are you prepared? Will your family be safe? What about your friends and neighbors? With climate change causing more massive storms, now is the time to ask yourself these questions. Fortunately, there is a solution. On a typical day, clean energy – like solar and wind installations – creates more energy than we can use that day. The solution? Store now so we can use it later. That stored energy can then be used in the event of a traditional power outage. With storage capacity, we can use energy when it’s needed most, and optimize the clean power produced by wind and solar — making power more affordable and reliable for Illinois. Make sure you’re ready, and make sure Illinois is ready. Click here to learn more! Paid for by Counterspark.
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Illinois State Police investigation underway, protest planned after newly retired Springfield police officer allegedly severely injured two motorcycle riders (Updated x2)
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WCIA…
* WCIS…
* Videos taken after the crash and posted online by Chelsey Farley’s sister are here. * SJ-R…
A protest is scheduled for tonight. …Adding… Interesting…
…Adding… ISP…
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Is a third term in Gov. Pritzker’s future? Or maybe a Cabinet position?
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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Open thread
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Ex-AT&T Illinois president in big trouble over ’small contract’ for Madigan ally — trial starts Tuesday. Sun-Times…
* Related stories… * Tribune | Chicago never ready for reform: In the half-century since Mayor Richard J. Daley presided over Chicago’s notorious Democratic machine at the height of its power, nearly 40 aldermen from across the city have ended up behind bars. The roll call of aldermen convicted of corruption includes a father and son charged nearly 30 years apart, the two most powerful aldermen over the last five decades and a self-styled good government champion who was known to some as the “conscience of the council.” * Crain’s | States that restrict abortion the most support families the least, Northwestern finds: In one of the first studies of its kind, Northwestern Medicine researchers point out a glaring contradiction in the emergence of abortion-restrictive policies across the U.S.: For all the resources some states put into establishing new anti-abortion policies, precious little goes into making childbearing and childrearing easier. * USA Today | Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock emotional after Notre Dame upset: ‘I just couldn’t be more proud’: Every now and again, college football reminds fans that anything can happen in a game. That was proven again Saturday inside Notre Dame Stadium when Northern Illinois knocked off No. 7 Notre Dame 16-14 on Saturday in one of the biggest upsets of the college football season. That also resulted in an emotional postgame interview from Huskies coach Thomas Hammock as he joined NBC’s Zora Stephenson in postgame. A former NIU football player himself, Hammock was brought to tears as he talked about the impact of his team’s victory. * Crain’s | Illinois law mandating abortion coverage doesn’t violate religious freedom, judge rules: “This decision is a win in a years-long fight that is by no means over,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement today. “My office is continuing to fight for reproductive care on all fronts because abortion care is health care. Full stop. We are committed to protecting access to comprehensive reproductive health care that includes abortion. However, coverage for reproductive health care is just as critical as access to reproductive health care. We will continue to fight to ensure that all women are able to access the reproductive and abortion care they need and deserve without having to worry about the cost.” * Journal & Topics | State Rep. Moylan Joins 40 Other Motorcyclists On Trip Down Route 66: Moylan and his fellow travelers rented their motorcycles at Eagleriders on Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines. Most of the participants reached Chicago through O’Hare Airport. Most participants are from Australia, England and Germany. “They love the wide openness of the United States,” remarked Moylan during one of his many stops in the state of Missouri. “For several people this was on their bucket lists.” * WTTW | Advocates Seek Mandatory Training for Illinois Judges, Attorneys on Legal Needs of LGBTQ+ People: A letter to Illinois’ Supreme Court justices sent in late August by a couple dozen organizations says that mandatory cultural competency instruction is “imperative, especially at this time when we’re experiencing a fierce onslaught of anti-equality and anti-healthcare legislation and laws being advanced and passed across the country.” The campaign aligns with resolutions adopted this spring by the Illinois House and Senate that call on the Illinois Supreme Court and the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission to require LBGTQ+ and HIV cultural sensitivity training. * Daily Herald | Who are the top federal campaign donors from Illinois?: The nearly $72 million a Lake Forest billionaire and his wife have contributed to federal candidates and groups this election cycle is significantly greater than any other Illinoisans’ donations, data from an independent research group shows. The total makes Republican benefactors Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein the nation’s third-most prolific campaign donors ahead of the Nov. 5 election, according to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit group that tracks money in American politics. * Tribune | CTA Blue Line slayings, while unprecedented, are unsurprising to homeless, advocates: ‘You shouldn’t dread getting on the train’: Betty Bogg remembered how excited Margaret Miller and her husband were when they landed a place to stay at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. […] Bogg and her colleagues were devastated to learn last week that Miller was one of four people shot and killed as they slept on the train early Monday morning in one of the deadliest acts of violence on a CTA train in recent memory. Bogg said she had never heard of a client “executed” on public transit. But premature deaths among the homeless population that Connections serves are all too familiar. * Tribune | CTA boosted security spending, but violent crime rate remains above pre-pandemic levels: A gunman’s attack on four people sleeping on the Blue Line early Monday came during a difficult week on the CTA, highlighting the challenges city and transit officials face in tackling violent crime rates that have remained persistently higher than before the pandemic. The likelihood of being a victim of violent crime on the “L” remained lower through the first six months of 2024 than highs seen in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a Tribune analysis shows that reported transit crime has stayed stubbornly above pre-pandemic levels. And reports of gun crimes such as shootings, armed robberies or attempted armed robberies, while relatively rare, have also remained stubbornly high compared to the past decade. * WBEZ | Homeless hotline partly restarted 2 months after closing: A hotline to help Chicago’s homeless population find housing is up and running this week after being shut down at the end of June, though the service has been scaled back. The Sun-Times reported last month that a call center — an important first step toward getting unhoused people off the streets — abruptly shut down June 30 with little warning. * Tribune | Cannabis Research Institute opens in Chicago, looking to dig deep into marijuana: Nearly a year and a half after it was announced, the Cannabis Research Institute is getting operations underway in Chicago, with the goal of studying, among other things, how marijuana could help or harm people. The institute’s leader hopes to break new ground in finding medical uses for cannabis, possibly for the treatment of cancer. Researchers also can help with the creation of a new state reference lab to check for accuracy in the testing of commercial pot. And they could track down a virus that threatens to ruin crops. * Sun-Times | It won’t always look like this for Bears, rookie QB Caleb Williams as they sneak by Titans 24-17: Even with the enormous expectations for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears hoped to bring him along gradually, making sure they didn’t ask too much of him too soon. Williams, who doesn’t need to be the reason they win yet, certainly wasn’t the reason Sunday as the Bears wrested momentum from the Titans late and escaped with a 24-17 victory to open the season. The Bears’ only touchdowns came on defense and special teams, and their three scoring drives — all Cairo Santos field goals — averaged 24 yards. * Tribune | Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese suffers a season-ending wrist injury, bringing her record-breaking year to an unexpected finish: Coach Teresa Weatherspoon declined to give details of Reese’s injury ahead of Sunday’s game against the Dallas Wings. Reese sat on the sidelines in street clothes and shot baskets with her right hand ahead of the game. She will continue to attend all home games for the Sky, but the team has not determined if she will travel for any remaining road games. From her debut for the Sky, Reese dominated the boards on both ends of the court, leading the league in rebounds with 446. Reese broke the league’s single-season rebounding record in one of her final games. * Crain’s | South suburban towns get crushed by the weight of heavy property taxes: In late June and early July, property owners in Chicago’s southern suburbs found shocking news in their mailboxes. Cook County had mailed residential property tax bills bearing increases larger than any in at least 29 years, with a median rise of 19.9%. Hit hardest were majority-Black municipalities with populations whose median household incomes range from $24,500 to $69,700. The skyrocketing increases in those towns of over 30% could force many of the region’s low-income residents to choose between taking on unsustainable debt and losing their homes. Property tax inequity is another example of how systems impose extra costs on Black homeowners and renters, putting low-income families — and entire communities — in precariously unstable financial situations. * Daily Herald | Liquor at the library? Geneva set to approve license request: The library district’s initial fee will be $700, then $500 per year for an annual renewal fee, Dawkins said. The library’s liquor license is similar to one the council previously approved for the Geneva Park District, also for its events and fundraisers, officials said. * Daily Herald | Amid 708 board flap, Democrats mount Wheeling Twp. challenge: Amid ongoing controversy over funding for mental health services, Wheeling Township Democrats plan to run a slate of challengers for township board seats in the April election. The upcoming race could turn into a second referendum on the township’s 708 mental health board. Voters in 2022 approved a referendum creating the board and a tax to fund it, but the township board has refused to levy that tax. * News Channel 20 | Retired Springfield Sergeant under DUI investigation: Chelsey Farley and Trevor Hopkins both suffered serious injuries, and their loved ones said they believe the proper measures were not taken hours following the crash. Farley’s sister, Caitlyn Weiss demands answers. […] “The state police told me that I shouldn’t believe things on social media and that I need to put trust in them,” Weiss said. “They wouldn’t give me an answer, the answer that we all need, of why there was no field sobriety test given to the Springfield police off duty officer.” Witnesses said Springfield Police arrived on the scene and gave Egan gum and hours to sober up. They also said that responding officers did not give Egan a field sobriety test. * WICS | Sangamon County narrows down sheriff candidates to seven finalists: Interviews with the finalists will begin next week, and each candidate will undergo a comprehensive background check. […] In a joint statement, Chairman Van Meter and Committee Chairman Kelley said, “We are truly thankful for the interest and willingness to serve shown by so many candidates. The Sheriff’s Office is crucial to public safety and community trust, and we are confident that from these seven finalists, we will find the best person to lead with integrity and transparency.” * Rock River Current | Rockford Sets Out Plan For Spending New Wave Of Hard Rock Casino Revenue: The city has set forward its plans for spending the guaranteed $7 million in annual Hard Rock Casino gaming revenue by expanding a college scholarship program, investing in economic development in high-risk neighborhoods, contributing toward police and firefighter pensions and supporting arts and culture, among other initiatives. The plan was released Friday in anticipation for City Council members to begin discussing the proposal from Mayor Tom McNamara’s administration during Monday’s meeting of the Finance & Personnel Committee. The plan requires City Council approval, and Monday’s meeting is the start of those public discussions. * KHQA | Western Illinois University sees 6.2% increase in high-performing admits for Fall 2024: Western Illinois University’s Fall 2024 total new student (freshman, transfer and graduate for Macomb, Quad Cities and online) enrollment is 1,729, according to 10th-day data released by WIU’s Institutional Research and Planning. Western’s total Fall 2024 enrollment is 6,332. * WCIA | Lincoln Fire Dept. details fire response, thanks community in press release: A total of five trucks were positioned around the building, including ladder units that could provide an elevated position to shoot water streams from. Johnson said these aerial units were requested to be on standby in the event firefighters had to switch a defensive attack from the outside of the building. That happened after about 90 minutes of fighting the fire on the inside, Johnson said. Firefighters were also positioned in neighboring buildings on the block to prevent the fire from spreading. Thermal imaging from a drone also helped firefighters direct water streams, as visibility was extremely poor due to the smoke. * WCIA | Champaign County Clerk stresses importance, appreciation of election judges: The State Board of Elections has launched a social media campaign to stress the integrity of the voting process. Several Facebook posts highlight voter registration, election judge safety and warn of misinformation. In Champaign County, Clerk and Recorder Aaron Ammons stressed the importance of supporting local election workers. He said his office expects to have about 325 election judges working this year. * WCIA | New Macon County early voting facility ready for election season: Board member Debra Kraft says work on the new building started a year ago. “I was very disappointed that we didn’t have it ready for the primary,” Kraft said. “However, I’m very ecstatic that I mean, this is a big election, the general election year.” * WSIL | Carbondale salon debuts new name in push for confidence among LGBT+ patrons: The E. Claire Salon changed it’s name to E ² Salon, pronounced E squared Salon, to honor the founders Elizabeth and Chrissy Strusz’ teen. “This name change is particularly personal and significant,” said Strusz. “As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I believe that if we say we support our trans community, it must start at home. * WSIL | Dolly Parton library passes 6,000 registrations before first shipment: Over 6,000 children in our region have joined the Dolly Parton Imagination Library since it came to Southern Illinois two months ago. […] “We are thrilled to see the overwhelming response from families in Southern Illinois,” said the Southern Illinois branch of the Imagination Library. “Reaching over 6,000 children is a testament to the community’s commitment to nurturing a love of reading and supporting the educational growth of our youngest learners.” * NYT | Missouri Judge Rules That Abortion Ballot Measure Is Invalid: With the state scheduled to print ballots on Tuesday, the judge said he would wait until then to issue an injunction instructing the secretary of state to remove the measure that was certified last month. That will give the abortion rights groups a chance to appeal to a higher court. The coalition behind the measure vowed to do so immediately, calling the ruling “a profound injustice to the initiative process.” They have expressed optimism that the appeals court will be more sympathetic to their arguments. * AP News | Google faces new antitrust trial after ruling declaring search engine a monopoly: The Justice Department and a coalition of states contend that Google built and maintains a monopoly over the technology that matches online publishers to advertisers. Dominance over the software on both the buy side and the sell side of the transaction enables Google to keep as much as 36 cents on the dollar when it brokers sales between publishers and advertisers, the government contends in court papers.
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Live coverage
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Sep 9, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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