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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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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * See you next week!…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Daily Herald…
* WTTW…
Click here to read the full letter. * Daily Herald | ‘An entire life of pensions and six-figure incomes’: Officials tout $8 million grant for apprenticeship programs: Roughly $8 million in federal funding will help Illinois high schools train students for positions operating heavy machinery and secure high-paying careers in fields facing critical workforce shortages. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi visited South Elgin High School on Thursday to announce the grant provided through the Apprenticeships Build America program. Representatives of industry groups and a national apprenticeship program joined local school officials for the announcement in an automotive shop classroom. * WBEZ | CTA’s high violent crime rate keeps away what’s needed to ward off crime: passengers: The number of violent crime victimizations per CTA passenger trip nearly quadrupled between 2015 and 2021 and remains elevated today, according to the analysis. Violent crimes on buses, trains and other CTA properties during this year’s first eight months totaled 656. All but 19 of those crimes were robberies, aggravated batteries and aggravated assaults that didn’t get much public attention. But homicides have also increased since the start of the pandemic, despite steps by CTA and the Chicago Police Department to boost security. * Crain’s | Target for the O’Hare terminal revamp quietly slips to 2034: The timetable for completing O’Hare’s massive $8.5 billion terminal overhaul and expansion has been pushed out another two years. Previously, the Department of Aviation had predicted it would complete the project in 2032. When the terminal project was first announced in 2018, the completion date was expected to be 2026. The project is expected to be completed by 2034, according to a timeline published in connection with a new $1 billion bond offering. * WTTW | Chicago Fair Trade Museum Aims to Highlight Overlooked Stories Behind the Products We Use Every Day: The Chicago Fair Trade Museum opened its first permanent location in Uptown this summer with the aim of educating more people about common exploitative and unsustainable trade practices behind the items we use and consume daily. “Every single day when we wake up, when we figure out what clothing we’re going to wear or what we’re going to eat for breakfast, there’s a chance for us to try to find out what we’re consuming and consume better,” said Katherine Bissell Córdova, executive director of Chicago Fair Trade. * Crain’s | Chicago federal judge on broker commission cases replaced for conflict of interest: On Sept. 4, Andrea Wood, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, withdrew herself from the cases known as Moehrl, Batton (I and II) and Sawbill. The cases all relate to claims that the National Association of Realtors and brokerages have colluded over the years to keep real estate agents’ commissions high and thus cost buyers and sellers more than they should. Wood recused herself, she wrote, because a distant family connection to a defendant’s attorney “has come to my attention.” According to Wood, “the spouse of a person related to me within the third degree of relationship is a partner in a law firm representing” the Moehrl case. * Sun-Times | How right-wing podcaster from Chicago landed at center of federal probe into Russian meddling: Tim Pool, a Chicago high school dropout who became an alt-right media superstar, was apparently paid $100,000 per episode by a covert propaganda campaign funded by Russia, according to a new federal indictment. * Block Club | West Garfield Park Is No Longer A Food Desert After Save A Lot Grocery Store Reopens: The West Side grocery store is the first of six Save A Lot stores owned and operated by Yellow Banana scheduled to reopen this year. The Ohio-based company, which operates grocery stores under the Save A Lot name, is planning to reopen locations before Thanksgiving in West Pullman, 10700 S. Halsted St.; South Shore, 7240 S. Stony Island Ave.; South Chicago, 2858 E. 83rd St.; Auburn Gresham, 7909 S. Halsted St.; and West Lawn, 4439 W. 63rd St., CEO Joe Canfield said. * Sun-Times | Reputed Chicago Outfit figure Peter DiFronzo faced, ah, dogged surveillance, FBI files show: The FBI released 220 pages of records on the reputed onetime boss of the mob’s Elmwood Park street crew, whose brother John “No Nose” DiFronzo was suspected of running the Outfit. Observations include DiFronzo shoveling snow and walking a dog. * Sun-Times | Hazmat suits and headlamps: Subterranean salvaging at the Music Box Theatre: It’s an infrequent occurrence, maybe once a month. And Carr is one of the few staff members who will go into the basement, climb a ladder, enter a small hatch and crawl into the vents beneath the seats to retrieve lost items for customers. They are called plenum vents — used for heating and cooling — and you don’t see them like this modern theaters. * WGN | Chicago priest asked to step down from parish, school due to child molestation allegations: “I write you with difficult news. The Archdiocese has been notified that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has opened an investigation into allegations they termed child exploitation and child molestation during a public penance service against Father Martin Nyberg,” archbishop Blase Cupich wrote in a letter. He went on to say Nyberg “strenuously” denies the allegations and is cooperating after being asked to step aside from ministry. * Triibe | Cook County residents push for lasting programs as American Rescue Plan funding winds down: The meeting was part of a series of “Community Voices Events” hosted by the Cook County government. The meeting was led by Mykel Selph, Cook County’s deputy chief of staff of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She helped facilitate the meeting, which ran nearly two hours and featured participants gathering in intimate groups where they were able to give recommendations and voice concerns as the dollars from the program dwindle. * Daily Herald | Former DCFS caseworker convicted in AJ Freund case is released from jail: A former employee of Illinois’ child welfare agency convicted of mishandling the AJ Freund case months before the Crystal Lake boy was killed by his mother completed his jail term this week. Carlos Acosta, 58, was convicted in October of two counts of child endangerment. He was sentenced to six months in jail along with fines, 30 months of probation and 200 hours of public service, a sentencing order filed in the McHenry County court said. * Sun-Times | Ex-Gangster Disciples leader says he wants justice in son’s killing in Dolton: When he was shot to death by masked gunmen in a restaurant parking lot in the south suburbs last year, James Yates Jr., the son of a onetime Chicago gang leader, became the Cook County medical examiner’s office’s case No. ME2023-03844. He was the sixth of 11 homicide victims last year in Dolton, population 20,000. More than a year later, his parents say they want the Dolton Police Department to treat their 29-year-old son as something more than just another number. Since a face-to-face meeting with police a few months after the killing, they say they haven’t heard anything from the department — no calls, emails, texts or meetings. * Capitol News Illinois | East St. Louis forum to tackle persistent childhood poverty: Illinois has the potential to eradicate childhood poverty, but it will require a concentrated, sustained effort in partnership with families and disadvantaged communities, says Tasha Green Cruzat, president of Children’s Advocates for Change, a Chicago-based nonprofit focused on childhood wellbeing. This hope drives the focus of the policy forum her organization is hosting in East St. Louis next week. The event will bring together social service providers, educators, health officials, and lawmakers to address the barriers to lifting families out of poverty in one of the nation’s most disadvantaged cities. * WGLT | Illinois State University enrolls largest incoming class: The annual enrollment report following the 10th day of classes showed nearly 4,285 first-year students came to campus for classes. That’s up 3%. Total enrollment is also up by 2.7% at 21,546. Executive Director of Admissions and Recruitment Marketing Jeff Mavros said the entire campus community makes intentional recruitment and retention efforts. * WCBU | Sheriff Watkins: Options for Peoria County Jail upgrades coming soon: Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins says an analysis of options to upgrade the jail facility is nearly complete. Last year, the jail addressed some of its exterior infrastructure issues and roof replacement work. But Watkins says they’re looking at more long-term needs. “For the last six months, we’ve been working on a jail master study with a consultant, and that study is almost finished,” said Watkins. “It should be presented with the next month or two to our county board to give them options of what to do: Build a new jail, do an addition, or just revamp what we have.” * Rockford Register Star | Rockford area veterans clash with Winnebago County Board over funding: Services like health care transportation and assistance for homeless vets could be cut in the coming year if the Winnebago County Board declines to fund the Veterans Assistance Commission of Winnebago County’s largest ever funding request. Commissioners approved a $1.6 million budget for 2025 so it can provide its nine employees with health benefits in accordance with a new state law and give them raises in an effort to retain accredited veteran service officers, said VAC Superintendent Jesus Pereira, a retired U.S. Army veteran. […] A county committee proposed $1.3 million, 15% more than last year’s $1 million in funding. * PJ Star | Suspect in Macomb police shooting taken into custody after 20-hour standoff, police say: A suspect who shot two police officers in Macomb was taken into custody without incident, according to the Macomb Police Department. Macomb police said Shaiking M. Mathis, 38, of Macomb peacefully surrendered at about 2:10 p.m. Thursday after 20 hours of extensive negotiations. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail and has been charged with four counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, one county of aggravated discharge of a firearm. Additional charges are pending. * WCIA | Flesor’s Candy Kitchen celebrates 20th anniversary of reopening, mural completion: Flesor’s Candy Kitchen recently wrapped up a project to modernize the 150-year-old building it’s housed in. Part of those renovations include the Coca-Cola mural on the side of the building. The business worked with Cola-Cola on the project, getting access to the soda company’s original painting guidelines from the 1920s, which the original painters used 100 years ago. * The Athletic | Peak Honey Deuce season at the U.S. Open means more drinks than ever before: Last year, approximately 460,000 Honey Deuces were sold, according to Chris Studley, the USTA’s managing director of event services. At $22 per drink, that’s $10.1 million in sales. The drink’s price was raised by a dollar this year to $23, the sixth time the price has gone up in the last 12 years. Studley said the tournament is on pace to sell more than 500,000 Honey Deuces at this year’s tournament. That would push sales to $11.5 million, well over $1 million more in additional revenue compared with last year.
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Court preserves provision of the Illinois Reproductive Health Act
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for some background. Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
The suit sought to have the Illinois Reproductive Health Act, which requires health insurance plans in Illinois which provide pregnancy-related benefits must also provide coverage for abortion ruled unconstitutional.
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Illinois school district that called police on students “every other day” agrees to reform disciplinary practices
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ProPublica in 2022…
* Today from ProPublica…
* From the agreement…
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A closer look at the money: Chicago’s school board elections
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller Chicago’s school board elections
$553,230 has been raised by all candidates for Chicago’s elected school board. * Tribune…
Click here for Chalkbeat Chicago’s updated list of Chicago school board candidates.
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Meet the athletes representing Illinois at the 2024 Paralympics
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * CBS…
* Tribune…
* WSIL…
* WCIA…
* Fox Chicago…
* More…
* 2 Houston | Rice swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger heads to Paralympics: Lettenberger, who was born with arthrogryposis amyoplasia, a muscular skeletal disorder that affects her lower limbs, plans to swim 200 meters and 400 meters this year, the latter event being her favorite. She races in the SM7 category, which is for swimmers with movement affected from a low to moderate level in the arms, trunk and legs, moderately down one side, those with short stature, or the absence of limbs. All these swimmers have to work harder at stroke timing or getting hold of the water, according to LEXI - an explainer of Parasport classifications. […] Lettenberger, a Chicago area native also relishes the opportunity to represent Team USA again. * 21st Show | Marco De La Rosa: A Vet, a Hero, and a Paralympian: The 2024 Paralympics are underway in Paris. Marco De La Rosa, originally from Chicago, now based in San Antonio, Texas is a para-shooter who competes professionally in the 10-meter Air Pistol category. He will make his second Paralympic appearance at the 2024 games after previously competing in the Rio 2016 games. * IPM Newsroom | Local athlete heads to Paris for his fourth Paralympic Games: Brian Siemann, a local resident, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduate, and four-time Paralympian, will compete in the 100m, 400m, 800m, 5,000m, and marathon events for the US Paralympic Track and Field Team. Morning Edition host Kimberly Schofield, who has Siemann since 2008, recently interviewed him about the upcoming games and his journey to becoming athlete. * NAU Athletics | Keegan Knott Earns Roster Spot for 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games: Following the Paralympic trials in Minnesota this weekend, NAU’s Keegan Knott has been officially announced the U.S. Paralympic roster for the Paris games. The Illinois native will be returning as a Paralympian for Team USA after previously competing in her first-ever games in Tokyo as the youngest on the 2021 roster. Knott will be chasing her first Paralympic podium finish in Paris.
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Cynical, practical, or no big deal?
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WGN TV…
* Sen. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) wrote a provacative “How the sausage is made” op-ed about the bill last month…
Sen. Chesney was one of just 17 “No” votes in the Senate. * Since this law was in the news again, I reached out to the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association for comment about Sen. Chesney’s claims…
* The Illinois Environmental Council pushed the bill and included it in its candidate ratings. So, I also reached out to them…
The IEC’s original press release is here. Thoughts?
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Friday, Sep 6, 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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Clever
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * I saw this Illinois Republican Party email earlier this week and thought it was quite clever…  I ran into the party’s new executive director last night at the Illinois vs. Missouri softball game in St. Louis and he said the email got a huge response. Thoughts?
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Open thread
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois legislators dominated their Missouri counterparts in the annual Greater St. Louis Inc. Bi-State Softball Showdown played at Busch Stadium since the series began in 2019…
* Sun-Times | ‘Everything is on the table’ to eliminate $982.4 million budget shortfall, top mayoral aide says: Budget Director Annette Guzman said options range from layoffs and pay cuts on the expense side to a property tax increase, video gaming and volume-based garbage collection fees on the revenue end. * Crain’s | Chicago Sun-Times knocked down its paywall. Now it’s putting up fences: Two years after eliminating its paywall and giving people access to articles with just an email registration, readers today were met with a message inviting them to sign up for recurring donations or watch a video with advertisements. It appears to be a light reversal of one of the bigger changes to the Sun-Times since its acquisition by WBEZ parent Chicago Public Media in 2022. * Patch | IARF Names Four Legislators Champions for Supporting Wage Increases: The state association representing community providers of services for this disabled is publicly praising four legislators for stepping up to improve care. The Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities has honored the four legislators for their support of funding to hire workers to provide high-quality care. * Daily Herald | Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza to talk about fair pay and economic equity for women: Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza will speak about the status of “Fair Pay and Economic Equity for Women in the state of Illinois” on Wednesday, Oct. 2. This program is sponsored by the AAUW Elmhurst Branch, League of Women Voters Elmhurst, and the Elmhurst Public Library, * WSIU | A south-central Illinois lawmaker launches a petition drive to halt the Illinois flag redesign: Republican State Representative Adam Niemerg from Dieterich says the effort to change the Illinois flag is a blatant attempt to infuse far-left ideology onto the state’s flag and he is calling on Illinois citizens to join him in opposing the redesign efforts. says he’s concerned about the direction of the flag redesign after Governor JB Pritzker said it may be time to create a new flag that exemplifies the values of Illinois. * WSIL | Giannoulias Announces Libraries Receiving Grants: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announces more than $496,000 in grant funding to improve local library services. Library districts will receive funding to help ensure all residents have access to quality resources and programming. Libraries throughout the 58th Senate District, serving over 126,000 people, receive a combined $496,783 in grants. * Sun-Times | Ahead of the DNC, City Hall spent $814,000 on a fence to lock out homeless: The massive barrier was part of an “emergency” effort to permanently lock out unhoused people from the location near the United Center, where the convention was held, the records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show. The Johnson administration had refused to say how much taxpayer money went toward blocking off the green strip of land between the 1100 block of South Desplaines Street and the Dan Ryan Expressway just north of Roosevelt Road until after the nationally televised gathering was over. The Sun-Times has been asking for those records, which should be public under state law, since July, when that tent city was cleared of its residents, the tents and the items they left behind. * Crain’s | Brandon Johnson facing potential labor fight as spending cuts set to begin: Without easy revenue sources, Johnson has said more drastic personnel options are on the table, including eliminating vacancies, furloughs for city workers and, if all else fails, what one member of the City Council described as the “L word”: layoffs. “The L-word is a bad word. Layoffs, that’s a very, very bad word,” said Ald. Michael Rodriguez, 22nd, who chairs the Workforce Development Committee. “Not on the back of city workers do we balance this budget.” * WBEZ | Chicago school board elections see big ’school choice’ cash, including from billionaires: Two groups that support “school choice” and charter schools and are critical of the Chicago Teachers Union have amassed $3.6 million from prominent business leaders — including a few billionaires — looking to shape the city’s first-ever school board elections. […] One of the independent expenditure committees, Urban Center Action, was formed earlier this summer by Juan Rangel, who recently worked for a private school tax credit program and previously was fired amid controversy from UNO Charter Schools, a large network he founded. Paul Vallas, the former Chicago Public Schools CEO who lost against Mayor Brandon Johnson in last year’s mayoral election, is also affiliated. The group has raked in $671,000 in less than two months, state election records show. * Tribune | With CTU and school choice proponents investing in elected school board races, do ‘independent’ candidates stand a chance?: Since filing their nomination paperwork in June, 15 candidates have fallen out of the running in Chicago’s historic school board election this November. With the exception of one candidate, each of the hopefuls either withdrew their names or were knocked off the ballot during the objections process. Challenging the validity of the constituent signatures that every candidate running for office in Illinois is required to file, the more than 40 objections to school board candidates were filed by only a handful of nine lawyers whose ranks include high-profile political operatives and lobbyists. * NBC Chicago | Bears CEO says team is open to working with White Sox on stadium funding bid: Chicago Bears CEO Kevin Warren said that the team would still prefer to build a new stadium within city limits, and expressed a willingness to work with another team in securing funding for the project. Speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago, Warren said that he’s aware of “how difficult” projects like the proposed stadium can be, but that the benefits would far outweigh the drawbacks, bringing marquee events and new jobs to the city. * Block Club | Workers Leave Gaping Hole On South Side Block — And For Months, No One Has Fixed It: Little work has been done at the site since early June, Green said. The street is still largely inaccessible, and the hole in the middle of the street has become a repository for trash, with people tossing empty fast food bags, bottles and dog waste into it. Steel planks put on the ground to cover it have instead started to shift away from the hole, leaving it exposed. Residents are at the end of their rope, with some ready to leave the block altogether. * NBC Chicago | Bronzeville child care center closes due to lack of teaching staff: Low-income families that met certain requirements could send their children, ranging from 6 weeks to 5 years of age, to the center for free before its closure earlier this month. According to the non-profit’s CEO, staffing has struggled as workers have left the facility for jobs with better wages. “We have tried to get additional funding so we can have competitive wages. The main issue is, we are competing for staff. And we cannot afford to compete,” Center for New Horizons CEO Lakisha McFadden said. * Crain’s | Long-awaited O’Hare concessions contracts put out for bid: The city of Chicago is finally putting out for bid the concessions contract for O’Hare’s domestic terminals, one of the most lucrative deals at the airport. But the management and operation of more than 100 restaurants and shops in Terminals 1 and 3 will look very different. Today those deals are largely held by just two vendors — HMSHost and Hudson Group. But a Department of Aviation website shows 20 individual contracts up for bid, as well as another deal to operate duty-free shops. * Sun-Times | 2 Chicago cops, including deputy chief, charged in tire-slashing incident, sources say: Deputy Chief Roberto Nieves, 53, and Officer Jacob Gies, 26, were both charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property, police said in a statement. They surrendered to police at the Central District, 1718 S. State St., according to an internal police alert. They have both been relieved of their policing powers, and Nieves was demoted to captain, police said. * Sun-Times | Evanston shelter mourns former resident killed in Blue Line shooting: ‘Nobody’s really OK’ : Connections for the Homeless helped Margaret Miller Johnson secure housing in 2020. They do not know how she ended up on the Blue Line but said her death is a painful reminder: “Our society can and should do better.” * Daily Herald | A green resting place: Palatine Catholic cemetery embraces natural burial trend: Run by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Meadows of St. Kateri, a new section at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, now caters to green burials. “Natural burial has been becoming more and more prevalent in society. The requests from families for natural burial have continuously increased every year,” said Ted Ratajczyk, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago. * Tribune | Feds flag Chicago-area business magnate over alleged tax fraud involving NFL players: A search warrant recently unsealed in U.S. District Court alleged John Burgess, 75, of North Barrington, directed a scheme to “aid and assist” dozens of National Football League clients in filing false returns that reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in phony charitable contributions and business losses, dramatically altering the players’ tax due. The investigation began in 2017 and centers on two Burgess-owned companies: Valuation Advisory Services, a tax preparation business; and Entertainment Tax Advisors LLC, a consulting services firm that at one point counted around 50 professional athletes as clients, according to the sworn affidavit from a special agent with the IRS criminal investigation division. * WCBU | Peoria County Board of Health ends efforts to implement Cure Violence: The unanimously-passed motion to terminate the health department’s contract, effective immediately, followed an almost two-hour executive session at a special meeting of the Peoria County Board of Health Thursday night. Board of health secretary Ben Brewer told WCBU the entire discussion was held in an executive session because terminating a contract opens the possibility of potential litigation. He said an additional motion, to have an audit performed on the department’s business with Cure Violence, is typical of any contract termination. * Madison Record | Class action over $180 million Casino Queen pension wipeout settles: Former owners of Casino Queen settled a claim that they deliberately sold the casino to employees on terms that nearly wiped out their $180 million pension plan. Ryan Wheeler of Washington D.C., one of eight lawyers representing pension plan participants, reported the settlement to U.S. District Judge David Dugan on Sept. 3. * Pantagraph | Rivian moves toward potential expansion across the street from Normal plant: The company’s plans to subdivide the property, designating two 90-acre parcels for future development, earned a positive recommendation from the Normal Planning Commission on Thursday. The Normal Town Council has the final say on the plans, which also call for an extension of College Avenue. * WCIA | Lincoln fire under control, building likely a total loss: Aaron Johnson, the Chief of the Lincoln Fire Department, said the fire is under control but the building that burned is likely a total loss. He added that there isn’t much holding the building up. Caution tape has been set up to keep people away from the unstable ruins. * Bloomberg | How Local Governments Got Hooked on One Company’s Janky Software: Clerks and lawyers were worried, to put it mildly, about North Carolina’s $100 million-plus software upgrade. After more than three years of custom development, the state was finally ready to introduce Odyssey, a digital suite that promised to streamline trial date scheduling, court document sharing, fine collection and communication among divisions. But within the first few months that four counties adopted Odyssey early last year, state administrators discovered 573 defects. Users complained about the “wheel of death” that spun interminably when they tried to load cases. There were reports of glitches resulting in erroneous court summons, inaccurate speeding tickets and even wrongful arrests.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Sep 6, 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)
Friday, Sep 6, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Shaw Local…
* A lot going on in Downstate today…
* NBC Chicago…
* Freedom From Religion Foundation…
* Illinois State Rifle Association…
* Tribune | City sees modest improvement in violence figures over the summer: Chicago recorded 186 homicides between June 1 and Aug. 31, data show. Another 764 people suffered nonfatal gunshot wounds in that span. Summer 2023 saw 190 homicides while 747 others were shot and wounded. A year earlier, in 2022, the city recorded 207 homicides with another 957 shot over the summer. * Sun-Times | Logan Square art gallery founder calls arrest, citations harassment — and neighbors agree: Trejon D’Angelo Williams said he created the gallery at 2334 N. Milwaukee Ave. to highlight marginalized artists, but he says he has been hindered due to harassment by Chicago police. He said police have been a constant presence at the venue, which showcases provocative art — most recently an exhibit about the war in Gaza and police violence. Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) said Chicago police told him they were not proactively checking on Williams, but responding to 911 calls when they visited Aug. 21. They claimed they arrested Williams after he shoved officers, which resulted in injuries, La Spata said. * Sun-Times | Humboldt Park ‘basement’ comedy club shut down after Instagram video goes viral: For five years, the Humboldt Jungle was the cool kids club, an underground comedy and music venue inside a residential basement that provided a space for local performers and audience members in the know. Humboldt Park resident Nathan Weil operated the secret space out of his home. Potted plants adorned the basement venue to give it a jungle feel, and patrons could bring their own alcohol. The shows had become popular enough to attract the attention of the popular Best Date Food Instagram page, which posted a video of the space in late August. * Daily Northwestern | University administration rolls out new demonstration, discrimination policies: The updated Demonstration policy will enforce new requirements, barring overnight demonstration and adding limitations on what the University considers “activity that disrupts classes and other functions of the University, including prohibiting demonstrations at the Rock before 3 p.m. on weekdays and the use of amplified sound in that area before 5 p.m.” * Tribune | Former assistant state’s attorney who headed wrongful conviction unit amid scrutiny sues Kim Foxx alleging discrimination: Nancy Adduci, who began her career at the Cook County state’s attorney’s office in 1996, filed a federal lawsuit last month that accuses Foxx and the office of demoting and firing her due to her age and race. Adduci, who is white, said in the complaint that Foxx’s deputies in October 2023 demoted her from her position supervising the Conviction Integrity Unit, now called the Conviction Review Unit, telling her they sought someone “more representative of the community” for the role. * Daily Herald | How many officers does a suburban police department need? Answers vary: “You really need to know what your officers’ workload is and when the peaks and valleys are,” said Leonard Matarese, the managing partner at the Center for Public Safety Management at the International City/County Management Association. “You’ve got to really dig into the details, but that’s not something many police departments are equipped to do.” After keeping its police staffing level steady at about 108 sworn officers for the better part of a decade, Palatine is one of those suburbs ready to increase its ranks. The shift comes after officials identified a greater need for neighborhood-based policing and community services. * Daily Southtown | Summit Hill District 161 calls for quick changes to ‘inexcusable’ school bus service: The CEO and founder of Safeway Transportation Services Corp. took full responsibility Wednesday for the bus problems that disrupted the start of school at Summit Hill Elementary District 161 in Frankfort. Meanwhile, the District 161 School Board and administration demanded the bus company improve its services as quickly as possible. […] [Board member John Winters] said he was disturbed hearing about kindergarten students riding the bus for two hours in the afternoon and having bathroom accidents during the long ride. * News-Gazette | Siblings to be honored as grand marshals of Arcola Broomcorn Festival: For many years, Terry and Angie Thornton have let people attending the Arcola Broomcorn Festival know what is going on during the festivities. This year, they will be part of what’s going on. The brother-sister Arcola natives will serve as grand marshals of the 53rd broomcorn festival parade. * Pantagraph | Illinois State, Wesleyan universities safe after false reports of threats connected to WIU shooting: No active shooter and no credible threats were found, according to statements from ISUPD and BPD. The departments noted the rumors about a threat in Bloomington-Normal came at the same time as a shooting near Western Illinois University, almost two hours west of the Twin Cities. * WAND | Man who escaped Sangamon Co. jail arrested by marshals in Springfield: The sheriff’s office said that Chane L. Jones, 42, had been booked on Tuesday for burglary and theft and was able to “mingle with three other inmates, who were administratively released from custody” Jones was arrested by sheriff’s deputies and US Marshals in the 1100 block of North 5th Street in Springfield. He is back in custody and faces additional charges. * WCIA | ‘It left a lasting impact on our family’: Central IL woman urges more Nurse Honor Guard volunteers: When a nurse passes away after a career of serving his or her patients, the care doesn’t stop. The Nurse Honor Guard program aims to remember them even at the end of their lives. Phyllis Rogers called Carle Hospital in Urbana her office for many years. She started in family medicine and eventually switched to a management role. But Ali Boatright, her daughter, said her stethoscope was always close by. * NYT | Republicans Seize on False Theories About Immigrant Voting: There is no indication that noncitizens are voting in large numbers. And yet the notion that they will flood the polls — and vote overwhelmingly for Democrats — is animating a sprawling network of Republicans who mobilized around former President Donald J. Trump’s false claims of a rigged election in 2020 and are now preparing for the next one.
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And now for something a little different
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * NY Times…
* Michigan AFL-CIO chief of staff…
Heh.
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Sean Grayson’s history of credibility issues includes bringing charges with no evidence
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here is Grayson admitting he had no evidence against Adkins… * The transcript…
* Back to the story…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Thursday, Sep 5, 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 Gillian, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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What in the heck is going on at TopGolf?
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * NCTV…
* Make that 24 arrests. Naperville Sun…
* The Naperville Sun in April…
* More from the Sun…
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What’s going on at Menard?
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Southern…
* From the Illinois Department of Corrections…
Menard was still on a Level One lockdown when Sen. Bryant attempted to gain access last Friday. Also, I’m told that St. Clair Emergency Special Services refused to respond to a third call from the prison because they hadn’t found anything at all on the two prior trips.
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois!
Thursday, Sep 5, 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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Open thread
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune | Experts say anti-immigrant rhetoric led to viral — and incorrect — allegations of a migrant takeover: Immigration experts — who pointed to similar incidents that have unfolded across the country in recent days — said some people are spreading misleading content about migrants on social media to sway voters for anti-immigrant candidates and causes. Panic over the emergence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua spread in Colorado last week after Fox News in Denver aired a surveillance video. The footage, which also went viral, showed a group of men armed with semi-automatic long guns and pistols in an apartment complex in the city of Aurora. * WTTW | Illinois Doesn’t Have Parole. A Group of Incarcerated Men is Working to Change That: At 46 years old, Raúl Dorado is 26 years into a life sentence at Stateville Correctional Center. […] “All of us who formed this nonprofit, we all either had a life without parole sentence or we had a de facto life sentence, or virtual life, which means you have so much time, you can’t outlive your sentence,” he said before his Prison + Neighborhood Arts/Education Project (PNAP) class in Stateville’s education building. * Fox 2 Now | Illinois to soon ban mini shampoo bottles in hotel rooms: The law goes into effect beginning July 1, 2025, for hotels with 50 rooms or more and beginning Jan. 1, 2026, for hotels with less than 50 rooms. […] However, the law says a hotel may still provide personal-care products in small, single-use plastic bottles at no charge to a person, but only upon request at a place other than a room or public bathroom. * KHQA | Union leaders demand overhaul of Illinois job posting system amid vacancies: Representatives from the local AFSCME took to the streets to let their voices be heard about the frustrations with the Illinois Central Management Services. The Illinois CMS posts job openings for state workers, but has seen some issues in the recent months. Since February, CMShas failed to post job openings for union related positions. * WICS | Doctors scramble for solutions amid mental health worker shortage: “The whole mental health system suffers, and the whole healthcare suffers when you don’t have access to psychiatrists,” said Dr. Kari Wolf, Chair of Psychiatry for the SIU School of Medicine. Many doctors have been feeling the impact of not having enough mental health professionals, which has been declining since before the pandemic. “Other professionals are left trying to manage psychiatric conditions,” Wolf said, “and they just don’t have the training or expertise.” * Sun-Times | Zone offense? Cardona says he has votes to become Zoning Committee chair — with or without mayor’s support: Business and labor leaders opposed to the mayor’s choice, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, drafted Ald. Felix Cardona to run as a compromise candidate. The Northwest Side alderperson is so confident he has enough support, he’s advising Mayor Brandon Johnson to back off or risk an embarrassing defeat. Sigcho-Lopez is not so sure. * Sun-Times | City Council’s Budget Committee chair to summon CPS CEO Martinez to explain pension defiance: Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) called it borderline “malfeasance” for Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to push through a $9.9 billion school budget that does not include the pension payment the city had absorbed until then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot shifted the cost to CPS. * Tribune | Safe Passage workers honored for protecting CPS students on walks to and from school: Glenda Rivera’s teenage son was shot while walking just across the street from his high school in Hermosa. Rivera’s son survived. But eight years later, when her daughter enrolled in the same school, Rivera felt that she needed to do something to protect the children in her neighborhood from violence on their way to get an education. So she joined her local Safe Passage team, donning a neon vest and standing guard every morning and afternoon as local students walked to and from class. She has now worked for Chicago Public Schools’ Safe Passage program for seven years and counting, she said. * Sun-Times | Pace, CPS paratransit drivers reach tentative contract deal, potentially ending weekslong strike: Nearly 800 drivers walked off the job Aug. 16 in protest of what they said were unfair wages. After reaching a tentative deal with SCR Medical Transportation, they could be back at work by the end of the week if they vote to ratify the contract Thursday. […] Chicago Public Schools said it is “encouraged” that a new deal could soon be reached. * Tribune | Obama Foundation fundraising slows; new museum teaser video released: The foundation raised $129 million in 2023, its lowest sum of the last seven years, according to IRS Form 990 filings, which are required annually from nonprofits. The year before, it raised $311 million, though the bulk of that sum came from tech titans Jeff Bezos and Brian Chesky. The development team raised $1.5 billion through the end of 2023, foundation spokeswoman Gloria Nlewedim told the Tribune in a statement, but “we saw fewer gifts of $25M+ than in previous years, which led to slightly below-average results,” last year. * Block Club | Chicago’s Getting A Picture-Perfect Weekend With Sunny Skies, Cooler Temperatures: Thursday is expected to be mostly sunny and warm, with a high near 85 degrees, while Friday will top out at 69 degrees and could see isolated showers, according to the National Weather Service. But the good weather really kicks in Saturday, when the skies are expected to be sunny and temperatures will hit 65 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. * WBEZ | What’s That Building? Old Town School of Folk Music: In the 1990s, a Chicago public library building that had sat unused for a decade got a second life. Or maybe, because of the traditions at the Old Town School of Folk Music, which took over the Art Deco building, it’s more accurate to say it got a Second Half. The building is now a fine place to watch live music — or make some. In the main auditorium, 450-seat Maurer Hall, nobody’s more than 45 feet from the stage, and over that stage hangs a mural from the WPA era. * Sun-Times | White Sox top Orioles, halt 12-game losing streak: Producing a formula not seen in weeks — three homers, a strong effort from the starting pitcher, scoreless relief pitching and two excellent defensive plays — the Sox improved to 5-38 since the All-Star break. At 32-109, they need to finish 11-10 in their last 21 games against the Red Sox, Guardians, Athletics, Angels, Padres and Tigers to avoid the 1962 Mets’ record of 120 losses. * Daily Southtown | Attorney for embattled Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard labels trustees corrupt, says she has ‘not committed any crimes’: At what was to have been a regularly scheduled Village Board meeting, Beau Brindley, an attorney hired some weeks ago by Henyard, said trustees who are at odds with her have “taken it upon themselves to try to take away the power of the mayor,” and labeled it “political corruption of the worst kind.” Brindley said that Henyard “is under attack by a corrupt board of trustees that believe they can subvert the will of the people.” * Fox Chicago | Dolton’s new Village Administrator faces scrutiny over past allegations: The latest appointment by Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard has sparked significant controversy, as newly hired Village Administrator Michael A. Smith faces questions about his past legal troubles, including allegations of sexual harassment involving a 15-year-old girl and a history of multiple criminal charges. * WGN | Tiffany Henyard’s party goes on, despite trustees’ efforts to stop it: “Let me make sure I’m crystal clear about this: I ain’t never took a goddam thing in my life,” Henyard told Facebook viewers during a livestream from the outdoor gathering. The event was promoted as the “Friends of Tiffany A. Henyard Picnic,” which immediately set off alarm bells among her opponents, who noted that “Friends of Tiffany A. Henyard” is also the name of the embattled politician’s campaign fund. * Daily Herald | DuPage County clerk sued in dispute over how her bills are paid: The DuPage County state’s attorney’s office has asked a judge to order DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek to comply with county regulations regarding the payment of her bills so vendors can be paid in a timely manner. The lawsuit, called a writ of mandamus, was filed Wednesday. It claims the clerk is breaking state law when she refuses to indicate from where in her budget a bill should be paid when the budget line item for the expense does not have enough money for the payment. * Daily Herald | Kane County free speech zone questioned by board members, public: Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog said Wednesday that a First Amendment zone was created at the Kane County Government Center to ensure people had a place to speak — not to prohibit them from doing so anywhere else on the campus. But people who have been handing out leaflets at the county campus in Geneva say Pierog established the zone last week because the materials criticized her. * Daily Herald | Fox River to flow freely through Carpentersville with dam removal: The Fox River will soon flow freely from Algonquin to Elgin. Crews will begin work on a $1.2 million project to remove the Carpentersville Dam this month. The project, which will be finished in November, will create a 10.2-mile unimpeded flow of the Fox River — the longest free-flowing stretch through Kane County. “May this be the model and lead domino in a movement that carries river restoration efforts progressively downstream,” said Friends of the Fox River President Gary Swick at a ribbon-tying event Wednesday to celebrate the start of the project. * Daily Herald | How a nonprofit is tackling math anxiety in girls: Now Mission:MathMinds has entered into a partnership with the Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund and the Herman + Rasiej Mathematics Initiative to further its mission and support innovative programs addressing math anxiety in girls. Programs include mentoring, scholar camps, national conferences, a global literacy campaign, and STEM kit donations to schools, as well as working with partners around the globe. * KWQC | East Moline mayor helps save veteran’s life after heart attack: Mayor Freeman says he was attending the Rock Island County Democrats Labor Day Picnic at Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council in East Moline. His friend, who is a 76-year-old Navy veteran was also in attendance and collapsed after he had a heart attack. Mayor Freeman’s friend’s grandson alerted him that his grandfather was having a heart attack, and that’s when he jumped in to perform CPR. * WCIA | ‘We have made no progress on the issues that we organized around:’ UIS non-tenured faculty union file deamand for federal mediation: The non-tenured faculty union at UIS is fairly new, forming at the beginning of the year. Now, they’re hoping to create a more productive conversation to get a new contract. “Many of our non-tenured faculty were suddenly given contracts that asked them to teach additional classes without any additional compensation,” Fenton said. * Pantagraph | Illinois State University rally denounces discrimination after hate crime report: ozens of students, faculty, staff and others at Illinois State University demonstrated Wednesday afternoon against discrimination of queer students on the Redbird campus. The rally came 10 days after the ISU Police Department issued an advisory on Facebook stating that four suspects confronted a student and knocked him off his scooter in the early morning hours of Aug. 24 outside the Bone Student Center. Investigators said the student was repeatedly punched in the face and called offensive, homophobic terms, prompting the police department to investigate the incident as a hate crime. * Journal Gazette | Charleston, Mattoon wastewater treatment plants getting solar power: The cities of Charleston and Mattoon are pursuing the construction of solar arrays at their wastewater treatment plants with the goal of helping save money on powering these facilities. In Charleston, construction is underway for the array across from the wastewater treatment plant at 1200 W. Madison Ave. In Mattoon, the City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a power purchase agreement for the planned array at the 820 S. Fifth Place plant. Both cities are working with Renewable Energy Evolution and Commercial Electric Inc. of Lake Forest on these projects. * WSIL | Low water levels in the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers impact local businesses: With lower water levels, Golcanda’s Marina Manager Keith Collier says they could see fewer people stopping by. “We have a lot of visitors, river traffic, pleasure crafts that come from the Evansville area down here regularly. So if they’re having issues north of us or south of us, it could affect us,” Collier said. * AP | Right-wing influencers were duped to work for covert Russian influence operation, US says: An indictment filed Wednesday alleges a media company linked to six conservative influencers — including well-known personalities Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — was secretly funded by Russian state media employees to churn out English-language videos that were “often consistent” with the Kremlin’s “interest in amplifying U.S. domestic divisions in order to weaken U.S. opposition” to Russian interests, like its war in Ukraine.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, Sep 5, 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)
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois!
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] In less than one year, a new law will create credit card chaos for millions of Illinois consumers, small business owners and workers who rely on tips. The law changes how your credit card is processed and has never been done anywhere in the world. The end result is windfall for corporate mega-stores paid for through costly operational hurdles for small businesses and a loss of convenience and privacy for consumers who could have to pay tax and gratuity with cash. There’s still time to protect Illinois small business owners, consumers and workers by repealing the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act now! For more information, visit guardyourcard.com/Illinois.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Update…
* Former Rep. Brent Hassert passed away last week. From his obituary…
* WGEM | Health departments in Illinois monitoring Mpox cases, but threat level is low: But the case count in the Tri-State area is much lower — try zero. That’s according to Adams County Infectious Disease Supervisor Jon Campos. He said due to increasing cases of Mpox in areas where it’s endemic, like central and west Africa, Illinois is looking to get ahead of the curve. “We’ve decided to increase surveillance,” said Campos. “The state of Illinois is asking local health departments to just be on the lookout for it, just in case.” * Tribune | Alleged Blue Line shooter ordered detained pending trial: The suspect charged in the quadruple homicide on a CTA Blue Line train earlier this week made their initial court appearance in Maywood on Wednesday, where a Cook County judge ordered they be detained pending trial. Rhianni Davis, 30, faces four counts of first-degree murder in the fatal shootings of four people who were sleeping on a Blue Line train early Monday as it passed through the near west suburbs. * Block Club | Mexican Independence Day Fest Planned Downtown As Police Pledge ‘Zero Tolerance’ For Caravans: Residents blasted El Grito festival organizers at a virtual community meeting Tuesday, citing concerns over potential caravanning the festival could attract Downtown — an activity police will have “zero tolerance” for, a police official said. El Grito, a two-day festival celebrating Mexican Independence Day, is slated for Sept. 14-15 in Grant Park and is expected to draw 12,000 people per day. The festival is being organized by the city, the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Chicago Park District and the Mexican Consulate in Chicago. * Tribune | Northerly Island’s potential as an urban oasis goes unrealized as grand plans come and go: During its colorful history, the manmade island was the center of the Chicago World’s Fair from 1933 to 1934, made the short list of potential United Nations headquarters in 1945 and had a stint as an airport for elite business travelers until it was abruptly closed by former Mayor Richard M. Daley in a controversial move in 2003. Today, Northerly Island houses a seasonal music venue and the little-known nature preserve. Waves smash against the shore, testing the structural integrity of a manmade seawall. A singular access point makes traffic terrible on concert days and leaves the island eerily quiet otherwise. A century after it was built, Northerly Island exists with no clear purpose. * Block Club | Another Boat Left Abandoned And Sinking On The Chicago River — And It Could Be There Awhile: In these cases, the Coast Guard will usually investigate to find the owner of the boat and figure out what kind of salvage needs to happen, Lt. Junior Grade Santiago Tamburini of the U.S. Coast Guard said. “On our end, we make sure that at least our notification of a hazard to navigation is still current to make sure nearby boaters are safe and can expect to see it as they transit through there,” Tamburini said. “We obviously, sometimes can’t do much without the owner first having an opportunity to handle it directly. And obviously, if that avenue doesn’t work, we step in and work with salvage companies to have it removed.” * Tribune | Ultra swimmer nicknamed ‘The Shark’ abandons his 4th attempt to cross Lake Michigan again: An online tracker showed Jim Dreyer returned to Grand Haven, Michigan, where he started his planned 82-mile swim to Wisconsin on Monday night. Dreyer, 61, has tried four times since 2023 to swim across Lake Michigan, including an effort just a few weeks ago, but has been unsuccessful due to lake conditions or other factors. * Block Club | The O’My’s’ Dreamy, Soulful Sound Leads Right Back To Rogers Park: It’s the peak-summer type of sound that flows through Chicago’s streets during festivals, beach days and dancy backyard hangs. The genre-defying group takes inspiration from hip-hop, jazz, soul, blues, gospel and house — “music that helped raise us,” the members wrote on Facebook. […] Comprised of duo Nick Hennessey and Maceo Vidal-Haymes on the keyboard and guitar, respectively, The O’My’s’ spacey, soulful, eclectic sound makes complete sense. The two Chicago natives live and record in Rogers Park — a Far North Side enclave known as a place where artists and nature can flourish together. * Daily Herald | State panel denies parole for suburban serial killer: The Illinois Prisoner Review Board has denied parole for a serial killer linked to at least 12 murders of young women and teens, including three in the suburbs, authorities announced Wednesday. The decision means Mark Alan Smith, 75, will continue serving the 500-year sentence handed to him in 1971, after he was convicted of killing two women in McHenry County and a third in Des Plaines. * Sun-Times | Billionaire Crown family sells pizza maker Miracapo to private equity firm: Adding to its portfolio of Chicago-area food manufacturers, a private equity firm announced Tuesday that it has purchased Elk Grove Village-based Miracapo Pizza Co. from the billionaire Crown family. The acquisition gives Brynwood Partners its fourth Chicago-area company producing a range of grocery products, with an emphasis on pizza, and brings its total number of Chicago-area jobs to 1,500. Brynwood deals in “corporate carveouts,” slicing off respected brands from conglomerates whose priorities are elsewhere. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and the sale closed last month. * US Attorney’s Office | Former Chief Operating Officer of Covid-19 Testing Kit Company Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Embezzling $1.85 Million: he former Chief Operating Officer of a suburban Chicago company that sold Covid-19 testing kits has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for embezzling more than $1.85 million in company funds. While on pre-trial and pre-sentencing release for an earlier fraud scheme, Dennis W. Haggerty, Jr. issued fraudulent payments from the Willowbrook, Ill.-based company’s bank account for services and goods purportedly provided by himself or the company’s main vendor, a manufacturer from whom the company purchased Covid-19 testing kits. In reality, the services and goods had not been provided. * Capitol News Illinois | Coroner’s affidavit shows as many as 800 human remains could have been misidentified: As many as 800 families across the country who patronized a Carlinville funeral home may never know if the remains on their mantles belong to their loved ones, according to an affidavit signed by Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon. The affidavit was filed in a lawsuit pending against Carlinville-based Heinz Funeral Home and its director August Heinz for mishandling remains and providing the wrong cremated remains to family members. * Capitol City Now | Bigger deficit greets D-186: The deficit looks to be $21 million, more than twice that of a year ago: a deficit which the district managed to erase by spending only 95 percent of the budget. Still, it does not sit well with board president Micah Miller. “I trusted the process last time,” he said. “This time we need to consider how much of that fund balance we are holding onto.”
* WSIL | SIU Carbondale sees biggest enrollment increase since 1991: Overall, the school saw 11,790 students enroll for classes at the Carbondale campus this year. This number was released by the school on Wednesday along with further enrollment discussions. For the first time since 2000, that number rose for a second consecutive year compared to last year. Specifically, an extra 431 students enrolled in classes this semester. * WSIL | John A. Logan enrollment grows for fall semester: The school saw a 2.8% increase in headcount and 3.1% increase in credit hours enrolled this semester, according to the college’s Assistance Vice President of Marketing and Communications Dr. Steve O’Keefe. Overall, the school has gained an 8.6% growth since 2021. * WCIA | Champaign County estimated to be short more than 300 nursing home beds by 2026: Advocates for Aging Care and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District conducted a needs assessment this year. They found the 65+ population has grown by 67% in the last 20 years. That will be bring a unique set of challenges to the area. * WSIL | Carbondale officials still searching for name for entertainment space: The city first asked residents for ideas back in January. Officials say the city received many responses suggesting the names of individuals credited with having an impact on the music scene of the city. The city hopes, though, to find a name a bit more broad. “Rather than naming this space after a specific individual, we are striving to broaden the scope of this venue name to be inclusive, diverse, and unifying,” said the city on Facebook. * First Alert 4 | Over $170k of donations save Illinois prairie that’s rapidly disappearing: The goal was for $175,000 by August 30. It was simple, if funds could be reached by that date – a disappearing section of natural Illinois prairie might be saved. Technically called the Trout Hollow Hill Prairie, the land has been family owned and in this natural state is a rarity, according to people familiar with the fundraising and property. It’s located in Monroe County, Illinois. Less than 1% of the Prairie State is actually still prairie in 2024, according to the National Forest Service and USDA. Once, over 20 million acres of prairie land covered the state – now only tiny, isolated patches stay true to the nickname. * KCCI | Illinois governor to deliver keynote speech at annual Polk County Democrats Steak Fry: The Polk County Democrats announced Wednesday that JB Pritzker, an Illinois Democrat first elected to the governor’s office in 2018, will be the keynote speaker at the annual event. The rest of the speaker lineup will be announced next week. […] The Steak Fry will feature several prominent Iowa Democrats, including Auditor Rob Sand, Iowa Democratic Party leader Rita Hart, Senate Leader Pam Jochum and House Leader Jennifer Konfrst. Congressional candidates Lanon Baccam (3rd District) and Ryan Melton (4th District) will be featured as well. * WaPo | A louder voice in fighting abortion bans: Men in red states: Thomas Stovall grew up in a strict Baptist family in Mississippi and always believed that anyone involved with abortion was destined for hell. But his lifelong conviction crumbled when his wife, Chelsea, was 20 weeks pregnant with their third child. Tests showed a severely malformed and underdeveloped fetus, one that was sure to be stillborn if carried to term. There was other devastating news, too. Continuing with the pregnancy could threaten Chelsea’s health and future fertility, doctors warned.
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Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
Wednesday, Sep 4, 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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Citing news media coverage that ‘bordered on obsession,’ Madigan attorneys want to delve deeply into potential jurors’ views
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for the filing…
* Tribune…
* From the filing…
Thoughts?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to yesterday’s edition and some other stuff (Updated)
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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A peek behind the curtain
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * From the Tribune’s campaign contribution story…
That federal procedure doesn’t really apply to this situation. The ultimate decisions are not made by the original contributors, they’re made by the people in charge usually after the contributions are given. But, yes, the practice does allow for an evasion of the contribution caps. I’ve been writing about this behavior for years. It obviously increases the power of the chamber leaders. And it allows groups and companies that may not be popular with voters to participate in crucial elections without being unmasked.
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As deadline looms, abortion providers and advocates warn about possible loss of Greyhound bus station
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * NBC 5 with some background…
* Press release…
* More from Isabel… * Streetsblog Chicago | Wake them up *before* September ends: New statements from Amtrak, Ald. Conway, Mayor’s Office on Greyhound terminal negotiations: “The Johnson Administration continues, as it has over these past months, to work with Greyhound and other stakeholders to find a viable solution for intercity bus services and its passengers in downtown Chicago,” replied the City’s Chief Operating Officer John Roberson in a statement. “While we have looked at a number of different options, it should be noted that Greyhound has an option to renew its lease at its current Harrison Street location under the same terms and conditions that it currently operates under.” (The Greyhound company was bought in October 2021 by the Germany-based firm FlixBus. DePaul’s Chaddick Center Director Joe Schwieterman said at Tuesday’s webinar, “The property tax on this station alone, paid by Greyhound, has topped $120,000 a year in the past,” which could be a deterrent to renewing the lease.) “The City has had productive conversations with Amtrak, which has agreed to work in partnership to solve Greyhound’s problem of providing a clean and safe terminal facility for intercity bus passengers,” Roberson added. “These conversations are ongoing, and the City continues to work in close partnership with Amtrak and other stakeholders on a long-term comprehensive solution for travelers and Chicagoans.” * Crain’s | Chicago faces dubious distinction with Greyhound station closure looming: Amtrak claims in a statement that Flix told the company “we don’t do stations,” and plans to move forward with a stop on the traffic lane on Jackson Boulevard. Amtrak is now asking the city to help find an alternative solution. The train service confirmed it had a meeting with city officials this week but declined to disclose what was discussed. * CBS | DePaul says if Greyhound station closes, Chicago will be only 1 of 3 top world cities with no intercity bus depot: The study by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul focused on the world’s 130 largest cities—out of which Chicago ranks 114th in population. Only two cities currently lack an intercity bus station, and both are in Sub-Saharan Africa—Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
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Privacy for me, but not for thee
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WBEZ…
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The implausible “New Illlinois”
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Emphasis added by me, lol. * WGN…
* Justia…
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Motive unknown in fatal shooting of 4 on Blue Line. Sun-Times…
- Cook County State’s Atty. Kim Foxx said “right now we don’t have answers as to why anyone would engage in such a heinous, heinous act,” she said. “I think it is safe to say that this was a random attack.” - When asked about the safety of people who sleep on trains CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. said that Monday’s attack doesn’t mean those who choose to sleep on trains should fear for their lives. * Related stories… ∙ CBS: Suspect charged in shooting that killed 4 sleeping people on CTA Blue Line train ∙ Sun-Times: CTA worker shot outside Howard Street station in Rogers Park ∙ AP: 4 people killed on Chicago-area L train likely didn’t even see the shooter, official says * Tribune | He boasted on social media about paying strangers to take pictures of his children and ex-partner. Now he’s under arrest.: Micah Berkley, 41, had outstanding warrants in Cook County, Miami and Florida’s Palm Beach County at the time of his arrest, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department. He is being held without bond pending an extradition hearing later this month, according to records from Miami-Dade County Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. * Tribune | UAW-Stellantis faceoff over Belvidere plant’s future centers on a single contract sentence: One sentence in a contract document that runs more than 300 pages is drawing scrutiny as the United Auto Workers warns it could strike Stellantis NV over the automaker’s delays reopening the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois. The language says that the company’s investments and employment levels are “contingent upon plant performance, changes in market conditions, and consumer demand continuing to generate sustainable and profitable volumes for all of the U.S. manufacturing facilities described above.” * Crain’s | Banks push for quick end to Illinois law reducing credit card processing fees: The industry is already racking up costs to prepare for implementation of the law, which is to take effect next summer. […] The Illinois Attorney General’s Office downplayed the urgency, arguing there was currently no enforcement of the law so there was no need to expedite a hearing on the banking industry’s request for a preliminary injunction. * Center Square | More Illinois communities explore reinstating grocery tax: Highland, Normal and River Forest are just some of the communities considering reinstating the tax, with more likely to follow. Each Illinois city will have until October 2025 to pass an ordinance to continue the 1% tax on groceries in order to avoid a lapse in revenue. * NBC Chicago | Debates, Illinois early voting and other key dates ahead of November election: Early voting starts on Sept. 26 in Illinois and Oct. 8 in Indiana. The National Conference of State Legislatures has a full list of when each state begins early voting. On Oct. 1, the running mates, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, are set for their televised debate. * NBC Chicago | All Illinois newborns to be screened for genetic disorder, thanks to Oswego family: The developmental discrepancies illustrate why early detection is key. The Robinsons worked with their medical team and other advocacy groups to push for creatine deficiency disorders to be part of the heel stick screening that newborns undergo in the hospital. “Adding GAMT or creatine disorders will be a significant milestone because you can diagnose them first week, second week of life,” [Dr. Carlos Prada, the Division Head of Genetics, Genomics and Metabolism at Lurie Children’s Hospital] said. * The Real Deal | State regulators slow to act when Illinois brokers behave badly: FPR receives an average of 450 complaints against real estate professionals each year, according to state data from 2020 through June of this year. The number of annual complaints has grown in recent years, with a 20 percent increase from 2022 to 2023. Of those complaints, about 30 percent are closed at the intake interview. This may be because the complainant did not file enough evidence, or because their complaint does not constitute “unlawful or unprofessional conduct,” according to the agency. * Crain’s | Agricultural hub for small biz, energy and produce sets up shop on the South Side: The Green Era Campus, a 9-acre facility at 650 W. 83rd St., transformed a site once used as an auto impound lot for the Chicago Police Department into a hub for green energy, jobs, fresh produce, small business incubation and educational programming, according to a statement from the joint venture. * ABC Chicago | Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard appoints new village staffers despite absence of trustees at meeting: Tuesday night’s regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting was canceled because there were not enough trustees present. But Mayor Tiffany Henyard still showed up and appointed a new village administrator and a new village attorney. Dolton Trustee Jason House told ABC7 those appointments are not valid, and the appointees will not be paid. * Naperville Sun | Naperville police make 24th gun-related arrest since August 2023 at Topgolf parking lot: A 24-year-old from Calumet Park was arrested Friday night for having a firearm inside his car while it was parked in the Naperville Topgolf parking lot, the 24th time a suspect’s been charged with a firearm-related offense since August 2023, officials said. […] Consistently making headlines for more than a year now, the trend of people bringing guns into Naperville’s Topgolf parking lot was first observed in August 2023. Since then, Naperville police have been routinely doing foot patrols around the business and making arrests for illegal gun possession, among other offenses. * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect passes ethics ordinance; trustee says it unfairly targets him, wife: The ordinance covers a wide range of potential ethical pitfalls. They include rules regarding trustees representing clients with business before the village board and would ban immediate family of trustees serving on commissions. It also carries penalties including possible fines and even expulsion from the board. * Daily Northwestern | ‘A gut punch’: End of CTA 201 Ventra card program draws student rebuke: Days after Northwestern announced it would discontinue its Chicago Transit Authority 201 Ventra card program — which provided free 201 bus fares for undergraduate students — the response from students has been swift and sharp. Since Saturday, a petition to restore the program has gathered over 850 signatures, with a goal of reaching 1,000 before being delivered to University administration next month, according to Weinberg junior Beth Asfaw, the petition’s organizer. * Daily Herald | DuPage County offers rare glimpse at Elmhurst Quarry: The first line of defense against flooding in DuPage, the mammoth reservoir has a floodwater capacity of 2.7 billion gallons and is the largest of the county’s 17 flood control facilities. In previous years, tours of the facility have quickly sold out. * SJ-R | ‘Everybody just wants you to be OK.’ Sonya Massey was subject of 911 call hours before shooting: The roughly 45-minute footage shows a Springfield Police officer, who had responded to a call about Massey the week before, talking to her calmly. “(Your kids) are worried about you, too,” the officer said. “They’re both good. Everybody just wants you to be OK, that’s all it is.” * WCIA | First listening session for Massey Commission co-chairs announced: The three co-chairs of the commission — Dr. Jerry Kruse, Dean and Provost of the SIU School of Medicine; Pastor T. Ray McJunkins, pastor of Union Baptist Church; and Nina Harris, chair of the Illinois Commission on Equity and Inclusion — will all be in attendance. * SJ-R | Springfield pulls ordinance that would give city authority to address homeless encampments: Mayor Misty Buscher said the ordinance was put on “emergency passage” because two “campers” have died with the past couple of weeks and Springfield Police were “concerned about the safety of campers.” But Buscher, who proposed the ordinance with Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase, also acknowledged that route created “angst within the community.” * Sun-Times | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign settles federal civil rights complaint: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights investigated 139 incidents reported at the school between 2015 and 2023, of which 135 were anti-Jewish discrimination complaints and the others were allegations of anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination allegations, the department said. Allegations included reports of swastikas drawn throughout campus, a brick thrown through a Jewish fraternity’s window, and a university employee writing, “I won’t tolerate Islam,” on social media, the agency said. Another employee allegedly hit a pro-Palestinian student who was protesting the war in Gaza. * Louisiana Illuminator | Doctors grapple with how to save women’s lives amid ‘confusion and angst’ over new Louisiana law: When a woman starts bleeding out after labor, every second matters. But soon, under a new state law, Louisiana doctors might not be able to quickly access one of the most widely used life-saving medications for postpartum hemorrhage. […] In May, Gov. Jeff Landry signed legislation reclassifying misoprostol and mifepristone as Schedule IV controlled dangerous substances, despite more than 200 doctors signing a letter against the measure. The law goes into effect on Oct. 1, and doctors and pharmacists are scrambling to come up with postpartum hemorrhage policies that will comply with the law while still providing proper medical care for women. * WaPo | In a first, Phoenix hits 100 straight days of 100-degree heat: At 11 a.m. local time, temperatures in Phoenix hit 100 degrees for the 100th day in a row. The longest previous 100-degree streak was 76 days in 1993. In other words, this year has seen an uninterrupted stretch of 100-degrees days at least 3½ weeks longer than in any other year since records began in 1896. * STL Today | Cost of Missouri secretary of state’s failed ‘woke’ investing rules could top $2 million: Two weeks after a federal judge struck down a controversial set of investing regulations pushed by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, an industry group filed a request for attorney fees in connection with the case. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association said in a court filing last week that Ashcroft’s failed gambit cost the group $1.3 million in attorney fees. In addition to potentially paying for the organization’s legal bills, public payroll records show taxpayers have already paid more than $876,000 to a politically connected law firm representing Ashcroft, putting the initial price tag for the lawsuit at $2.1 million.
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Wednesday, Sep 4, 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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Wednesday, Sep 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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