Afternoon roundup
Friday, Jan 27, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release excerpt…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today awarded $13 million to 30 recipients to expand the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program, which creates a qualified talent pipeline of diverse candidates in construction and the building trades. The program’s second year expands access to the program across the state and will serve up to 1,400 pre-apprentices – a 40 percent increase from the program’s inaugural year.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked today at the press conference to announce the Pre-apprenticeship Program expansion about the Chicago mayor’s race and his 22 aldermanic race endorsements…
As I said, first of all, I’m pleased to have endorsed people who are doing a good job. They’ve asked me to endorse them. I could have done it sort of one at a time. I just decided to release it all at once.
And with regard to the mayor’s race for the city of Chicago. You know, it’s very important to me that the mayor of the city, whoever that is, and the governor of the state, whoever that is at the time, work closely together. We saw what happened in previous years when we had a Gov. Rauner who couldn’t work with the Mayor of the City of Chicago, and that was not good for the city. It was not good for the state of Illinois. And so I want to make sure that a good working relationship exists. There is one now with the current mayor, but whoever wins the election, I intend to have a good relationship with them, too. And so I’m staying out of the mayor’s race, but I’m glad to support local officials who are running for public office.
* Vallas press release…
Mayoral candidate Paul Vallas is continuing to build significant momentum behind his surging campaign, and he is announcing today that he has now raised more than $2 Million since January 1. The massive fundraising effort has allowed Vallas to outpace all other candidates in television advertising spending, while also building robust communications, voter outreach and organizing programs.
* Back to Gov. Pritzker. When responding to a question, he had this to say about MAP grant funding changes…
Community colleges play such a critical and important role. And when I came into office, what was happening was we had MAP grants that were available that we were funding and they’re available to community college students as well as university students. But because of the fiscal year and the run of the fiscal year, university students were the first ones to apply and then we would run out of money each year. Everybody else applying later than that would be out of luck. So it turns out many community college students don’t apply in the same semester that the high school students or people who are seeking to go to university apply. So we changed the way we allocated those funds. So the community colleges would benefit to a much greater degree because we need people to get engaged in the trades to learn, to earn a certificate to earn an associate degree for example. And so, again, community colleges being just as important as full four year universities.
Interesting.
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced he charged a former assistant Coles County state’s attorney with 32 counts of misconduct over interactions he had in his official capacity with three Coles County women between the ages of 18 and 35.
Formerly from Charleston, Illinois, Brady Allen, 33, now resides in Missouri but turned himself in to the Coles County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 26 after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Raoul’s office charged Allen with nine counts of bribery, all Class 2 felonies; one count of witness harassment, a Class 2 felony; 21 counts of official misconduct, all Class 3 felonies; and one count of witness intimidation, a Class 3 felony. If convicted, Allen could face up to 7 years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines. […]
From December 2018 until he resigned in August 2020, Allen served as an assistant state’s attorney in Coles County. Raoul’s office alleges that within that time frame, Allen had inappropriate text, email, phone and social media communications that were sexual in nature with female defendants he was currently or had previously prosecuted. According to Raoul, Allen solicited sexual contact, photos and videos with an understanding that in exchange, the female defendants would receive preferential treatment in their pending criminal cases.
Even after Allen was assigned to another courtroom, Raoul alleges Allen continued to solicit sexual contact, photos and videos, suggesting to the women that he could influence his colleagues at the Coles County State’s Attorney’s office. Raoul is further alleging that once Allen’s behavior was discovered, he offered to pay one female defendant’s fines and court costs if she could convince another female defendant to not pursue claims against Allen.
* Press release…
The Park District of Tinley Park [yesterday] announced it has received support from 14 additional members of the Illinois House and Senate for its proposed plan for the site of the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center and Howe Development Center to transform the long-vacant property into a hub of athletic fields, track and field facilities, a domed sports complex and open recreational space.
This week, the 14 legislators, who represent communities surrounding the Tinley Park area, sent a letter of support, including: Reps. Dagmara Avelar, Kelly Burke, Will Davis, Anthony DeLuca, Marcus Evans, Fran Hurley, Thaddeus Jones, Natalie Manley, Nick Smith, Larry Walsh, and Sens. Napoleon Harris, Patrick Joyce, Elgie Sims, and Rachel Ventura.
The Park District has also previously received the support of three legislators who represent Tinley Park: Reps. Debbie Meyers-Martin, Bob Rita, and Justin Slaughter.
Last November, the Park District formally bid on the property located at 7400-7600 W. 183rd St. and laid out its vision to meet the needs of the Tinley Park residents and expand opportunities for neighboring communities.
The Park District’s Phase 1 of development for the property includes playground and sports facilities fully accessible for people living with special needs, multipurpose athletic fields, a domed sports complex with a full-size soccer field, a stadium with a track, a splash pad, concession stands, spectator stands, lighting, ample parking, as well as a pond, picnic areas and open green space.
In their letter this week to the Park District, the group of 14 legislators said the Park District’s Phase 1 plans would create an opportunity for people across the Midwest to attend tournaments, games and events at the site.
“Additionally, transforming this site into a place for all to enjoy addresses a critical need for many of our communities that could benefit greatly from access to more recreation opportunities,” the legislators wrote.
* Leader McCombie…
House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (89th District- Savanna) announced the House Republican’s budget team on Friday, naming Deputy Leader Norine Hammond (94th District- Macomb) as Chief Budgeteer for the caucus for the 103rd General Assembly as well as announcing that Representative Amy Elik (111th District- Alton) will be elevated to Deputy Budgeteer.
“I am pleased that Deputy Leader Norine Hammond has accepted my appointment as Chief Budgeteer. Her in-depth experience in appropriations and policy makes her the perfect candidate for this important role,” said Leader Tony McCombie. “I have no doubt that she will work tirelessly to ensure that the budget benefits all citizens of Illinois and I look forward to the positive impact her input will have on the state. Furthermore, her dedication to serving the people of Illinois ensures that their needs and concerns will be considered in the budgeting process.”
As a member of the Higher Education Committee, Hammond has worked for increased funding for universities and community colleges throughout Illinois. She has successfully passed legislation to tackle the teacher shortage; keep Illinois students attending Illinois colleges and universities; and fairly fund public K-12 education. She has also been a strong advocate for procurement reform and other cost-cutting measures which keep dollars focused on strategic goals instead of overhead and administrative costs.
“Representative Amy Elik has spent the past twenty-eight years working as a Certified Public Accountant and auditor for businesses and government bodies. She is a valuable voice for sensible fiscal management and good government budgeting practices within our caucus. Representative Elik will provide critical support to the process and to Deputy Leader Hammond in improving the most important piece of legislation to come out of the State House annually,” Leader McCombie continued.
Rep. Elik has previously served on the House Republican budget team, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, and other relevant financial committees which have prepared her to take on this role in the budget process.
* Press release…
To recognize the most outstanding engineering achievements and celebrate the exceptional work engineers provided to their clients in the past year, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC Illinois) today launched its 2023 Engineering Excellence Awards competition titled “Engineering Works.” The award is designed to honor the best infrastructure projects in Illinois and the engineering companies behind their design and construction. The competitive process to select a winner is now open to the public to learn about the projects and vote to pick a winner to be honored at the ACEC Illinois Awards gala in February.
Vote here.
* A fun Friday fact from the Pantagraph…
What is a Kellogg’s Frosted Flake shaped like the State of Illinois worth?
On eBay, a Virginia woman sold just that in 2008, originally found in her morning breakfast bowl … for $1,350.
…Adding… Fascinating…
…Adding… Press release…
On Saturday, State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) will be joined by friends and community at a district swearing-in ceremony and reception. The oath of office will be administered by The Honorable Judge Rouhy Shalabi.
“I’m eager to reaffirm my oath of office before family, friends, elected leaders, and the communities that make up the 21st District as I begin my first term,” said Rep. Rashid. “As the first Palestinian-American legislator in Illinois, it is especially meaningful that Judge Shalabi will be presiding over the oath.” Judge Shalabi joined the bench in 2020, becoming the first Palestinian-American judge in Illinois.
What: District Swearing-in Ceremony for State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid
Who: U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, State Representative Dagmara Avelar, State Representative Mary Flowers, State Representative Norma Hernandez, State Senator Mike Porfirio, State Senator Celina Villanueva, MWRD Commissioner Eira Corral Sepúlveda, Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele, Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty, Cicero Trustee Blanca Vargas, Riverside President Joseph Ballerine, Riverside Trustee Cristin Evans, Berwyn Mayor Robert Lovero, Berwyn City Council Members Marybeth Arenella, Joe Carmichael, Richard Leja, Scott Lennon, Robert Pabon and Alicia Ruiz, North Riverside President Joseph Mengoni, Bridgeview Mayor Steven Landek, Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott, Summit Trustee Mayra Ortiz, Hodgkins President Ernest Millsap
When: Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at 12pm
Where: SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S Harlem Avenue, 3rd Floor, Bridgeview, IL.
That’s quite a list.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WCIA | State treasurers, comptrollers call on House Speaker, Congressional lawmakers to take action on debt ceiling: State treasurers and comptrollers across the nation including Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs are calling on U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other lawmakers on Capitol Hill to take action to reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling. Otherwise, they warned in a letter to him sent Tuesday, it could have major consequences for their states, including Illinois.
* Tribune | 3 Chicago-area oil refineries that dump toxic chemicals into Lake Michigan and other waterways are among worst polluters in US, study shows: Even when limits are in place, oil companies often pay minimal fines for violating the law. Some aren’t penalized at all. The Joliet refinery, on the Des Plaines River southwest of the city, exceeded its permitted levels of pollution 40 times between 2019 and 2021, federal records show. Neither federal nor state officials have sued ExxonMobil or fined the company for its repeated infractions.
* Crain’s | Here are the committee assignments for freshmen of Illinois’ congressional delegation: Three of the Illinois congressional delegation’s four freshman Democrats are joining the House Agriculture Committee, including two from downstate and one from less rural environs—Rep. Jonathan Jackson of Chicago.The assignments were announced Thursday by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
* Sun-Times | Walking with the victims of Chicago’s gun violence: Gunshot victims in Chicago are regularly sent home from hospitals without the supplies they need to properly care for their injuries. So Mannion travels around with her mobile medical supply cabinet, a sad symbol of the city’s inability to deal with violence and its aftermath. […] Mannion is part of a growing army of former gang members in Chicago working to prevent violence. Some try to intervene in gang conflicts to stop retaliation. Others, like Mannion, seek to stop the cycle by tending to the physical, mental and emotional needs of victims and their families.
* WICS | IDOC responds to lawmaker concerns over Graham Correctional Facility incident: Senator Jason Plummer sent a letter to IDOC earlier this week asking them to be more open about what happened when 25 people got sick inside Graham Correctional Facility last week.
* WaPo | Data shows student debt relief applicants in each state as auditors question cost: The most populous states had the highest numbers of applicants and automatically eligible people, with California leading the pack with 2.3 million people, followed by Texas with 2.1 million, the data shows. Wyoming and Alaska had the fewest, with 30,000 and 38,000 respectively. Locally, 685,000 Virginians, 522,000 people from Maryland and 72,000 D.C. residents have tried to take advantage of the program, according to the data.
* WTTW | Chicago’s Plan to Make Crosswalks Accessible for Blind Pedestrians Moving at a Crawl: Last March, the Chicago Department of Transportation said it was planning to install about 150 accessible pedestrian signals in 2022 and 2023. So far, only nine of those signals are actually up and running – and only eight of them are new, since one of those installations was an upgrade to an older signal.
* ABC | New US race, ethnicity standards proposed; first since ‘97: A Middle Eastern and North African category could be added to U.S. federal surveys and censuses, and changes could be made to how Hispanics are able to self-identify, under preliminary recommendations released Thursday by the Biden administration in what would be the first update to race and ethnicity standards in a quarter century.
* Herald-Advocate | Superintendent’s exit sparks parent fears in Park Ridge-Niles D64: ‘We are not stable… possibly not even civil’: Many parents and community members who addressed the board during public comment said they feared that Olson’s resignation would damage the reputation of the district, particularly on the heels of a rocky year that included conflicts over masking and vaccination requirements and changes to school traditions.
* The Atlantic | ‘We Used to Be Called Moderate. We Are Not Moderate.’: Early this summer, the federal government will, in all likelihood, exhaust the “extraordinary measures” it is now employing to keep paying the nation’s bills. As the country careens toward that fiscal abyss, Congress will face a now-familiar stalemate: Republicans will refuse to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats agree to cut spending. Democrats will balk. Markets will slide—perhaps precipitously—and the economy will swiftly turn south.
* Sun-Times | The quest to visit all Illinois’ state parks and fully enjoy it: Stephanie Swieca and Emma Magrady are on a quest to visit all of Illinois’ state parks, then share their experiences, including the tangential visits around the parks.
* Journal Courier | Springfield museum debuting exhibit on Generation X this weekend: The museum’s “Growing Up X” exhibit will open Saturday at the museum’s downtown Springfield location. The exhibit will feature cultural touchstones for those who grew up in the 1970s and ’80s, such as Apple IIe computers, telephones with cords and Teddy Ruxpin toys. Visitors also will learn how Gen X was shaped by events such as the Vietnam War, the AIDS crisis and the War on Drugs.
* Sun-Times | Billy Packer, college sports broadcaster who covered 34 Final Fours, dies at 82: Packer’s broadcasting career coincided with the growth of college basketball. He worked as analyst or color commentator on every Final Four from 1975 to 2008. He received a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality, Studio and Sports Analyst in 1993.
* David McGrath | How teachers can defeat ChatGPT-using students: If you’re a student, beware: 9 out of 10 who cheat with ChatGPT would likely be caught, earning an F for their trouble or outright expulsion. And the 10th student, smart enough to evade detection, is probably smart enough that they don’t need ChatGPT in the first place.
* AP | FDA eases rules again for gay men seeking to donate blood: The Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced draft guidelines that would do away with the current three-month abstinence requirement for donations from men who have sex with men. Instead, potential donors would be screened with a questionnaire that evaluates their individual risks for HIV based on sexual behavior, recent partners and other factors.
* Tribune | ‘I didn’t have a Plan B.’ How Leila Rahimi became one of Chicago’s favorite sportscasters.: Long before Leila Rahimi was named 2022 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year, she was a teenage girl calling in to her local sports radio station. But she wasn’t just calling in as a fan and avid listener, she was creating the lane to her future. “I had been calling in to the Dallas Cowboys postgame show on KVIL-FM 103.7 starting when I was a freshman because I loved watching the Cowboys, and then I started recording using a cassette,” Rahimi told the Tribune. “Once I had a body of work together, I submitted it to try to get a sports broadcasting scholarship in the name of Mark Holtz, the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers broadcaster.”
* Crain’s | Chicago Cut Steakhouse expanding: The steakhouse will add 4,500 square feet on the floor above its restaurant in the glassy 300 N. LaSalle St. building, said Managing Partner David Flom. That second floor will be all private dining.
* WaPo | The military draft ended 50 years ago, dividing a generation: The announcement, 50 years ago Friday, brought immediate relief to American men ages 19 to 25, who were eligible to be drafted during the war. It also created an arbitrary but lasting divide between the nearly 2 million men who had been drafted and those who would avoid conscription by celebrating their 19th birthdays after January 1973.
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* The former state Representative has been with the administration from the beginning. Back in a minute with an update.
…Adding… Rough transcript of the governor’s remarks…
The progress that we’re here to celebrate today is progress that’s being replicated all around the state in East St. Louis, in Springfield, and Peoria, in Chicago, in Waukegan and elsewhere, Rebuild Illinois has rebuilt nearly 5000 miles of road and hundreds of bridges, cleared congestion and made communities safer and commutes safer, all while creating thousands of jobs and opening doors for a more diverse array of Illinoisans to build skills in this field through programs like Illinois works it’s the largest infrastructure investment in state history. And so much of it is still to come.
For a public servant, that alone could be the policy achievement of a lifetime. It would not have been possible without the leadership of a person that I have leaned on and relied upon, since day one of my administration, whose work on a bipartisan basis leaves a legacy that we all should admire.
Deputy Governor Christian Mitchell was my administration’s lead negotiator for the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. He dedicated every day and night for months on end to making sure that Illinois took nation-leading climate action with equity and workforce development at its heart. And when we announced this accomplishment, he asked me not to praise him. But instead, each and every one of his team members who slogged through pages of text, crunched every number and pursued every innovation possible to get it done. He wanted to ensure that their dedicated service behind the scenes got the credit that it deserved.
That spirit, that spirit of teamwork, of camaraderie of a fierce pursuit of progress, and justice and safety is evident in every policy initiative that he’s been a part of. From providing prompt relief for Illinoisans impacted by tornadoes and floods to ensuring that Illinois was a leader in gun safety. It’s evident even when the task at hand is unlike any ever seen before in government, like finding PPE anywhere in the world during the shortages in the spring of 2020, so that we could keep Illinois and safe from the virus. And of course, in negotiating and implementing our Rebuild Illinois capital plan, which we’re all here talking about, and Illinois Works as a fundamental part of it.
At every turn, Christian Mitchell has delivered. In my first inaugural address, I read a Franciscan prayer shared by Sister Barbara Centner of Mercy Hospital at a vigil for people who had passed away as a result of a terrible attack that occurred there. And I have pledged that my administration would do everything in our power to make a positive difference that would lift up the people of our state. Over the last five years, Christian Mitchell has proven himself a fierce believer in that creed over and over again. Integrity, loyalty, and passion have been the hallmarks of his time in state government. Of course, the greatest hallmark of public service is that if you do the job, right, we can provide support and relief and upward trajectory for the families and people that we serve that far outlasts our tenure in office.
In March, Christian will step down from his role as deputy governor and we will miss him immensely. Christian, thank you. Thank you for your dedication, for your hard work. You’ve been a tremendous friend and ally and have been committed to really doing the best that you could for the people of Illinois at every turn. I thank you for the leadership that you’ve shown. Illinois is stronger because of you.
…Adding… Press release excerpt…
Deputy Governor Mitchell played a pivotal role in negotiating landmark legislation during Governor Pritzker’s first term. He led efforts to pass the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in 2021. Mitchell also oversaw the development and implementation of the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, a $45 billion plan that reimagines and revamps Illinois infrastructure, mass transit, public universities, and more. Mitchell was also point person for Governor Pritzker on the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act of 2019, advocating for policies that addressed historic criminal justice inequity and disinvestment through the legalization of cannabis. Mitchell was also lead strategist for the Governor’s office on the assault weapons ban, criminal justice reform, and vote-by-mail expansion, and led the state’s procurement of a personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpile during the COVID-19 pandemic. He oversaw a broad swath of state agencies during his tenure, including the Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, State Police, Emergency Management, National Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Capital Development Board, and Cannabis Regulation Oversight Office.
Mitchell has held consulting and advising roles throughout Chicago, Illinois, and national Democratic campaigns and offices. A Chicago native, he holds a Bachelor’s in public policy from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago.
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The trick bag is real
Friday, Jan 27, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Fox 32…
A downstate Republican is joining area sheriffs in pushing back against Illinois’ new assault weapons ban.
Sheriffs in Crawford, Jasper and Lawrence counties are among many law enforcement agencies that have refused to enforce the new law, claiming it is unconstitutional.
State Rep. Adam Niemerg said the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines is an attack on Second Amendment rights and an attempt to avoid the larger issue: lack of mental health support in Illinois.
“You’re talking about gun violence, and the solution is we are going to strip these folks in this room of their Second Amendment rights. We have some of the most stringent gun control laws in the nation but still, crime is out of control in the city of Chicago as I alluded to earlier, so if the Democrats want to come to me and talk about mental health, completely open to that,” said Niemerg.
* Gov. Pritzker addressed this during his CBS News interview earlier this week…
We also by the way, have invested in mental health and substance abuse treatment significantly during my term in office. I’ve been in office for four years and I’m proud of that fact. And there is a great deal of investment that we’ve made over the last two years, made in crime prevention that is in in violence prevention on the streets, lots of programs to put kids to work, during the summers and so on. So we’re doing quite a lot what makes me think that we’re going to have a diminution of crime in our state because we’re doing all of those things. You can’t just do one, you know, assault weapons ban, all by itself. It doesn’t have the desired effect of truly reducing gun violence by a significant amount. It’s important, it’s one component, but you’ve got to do all these things.
Now, Republicans talk an awful lot about mental health and say what we really need to do is not pass assault weapons bans, but really we need mental health treatment. But they voted against it every time in our state, and we’ve made significant strides in mental health treatment. So you know, they’re hypocrites.
* But Rep. Niemerg did make a decent point at that press conference…
So, if the Democrats want to come to me and say, ‘Let’s talk about mental health,’ let’s run a standalone bill. Let’s actually approach this as we rightfully should. I am completely open to that. But all too often, you might get a little bit of funding, some crumbs for funding that fall in some huge budget bill, that we don’t know what’s in it. I sit on Appropriations, General Services. I see the budget at 11:55 on an evening and it just dropped at 11:50.
* To that larger point, Capitol News Illinois has a story about the omnibus health care bill that passed the House on the final day of the lame duck session…
A law recently signed by Gov. JB Pritzker will extend the deadline for the state to transfer criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial from jail to a mental hospital.
That same bill, House Bill 240, also gives nursing homes in Illinois two more years to comply with minimum staffing levels implemented in 2022 before getting fined by the Department of Public Health. […]
And even though parts of the bill received criticism, many lawmakers who opposed those elements said they felt compelled to vote for it anyway because other parts of the bill were too important. Those necessary provisions included enabling certain rural hospitals to draw upon more federal funds, distributing federal disaster aid to ambulance services impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and extending the deadline for a shuttered hospital in Chicago’s west suburbs to reopen under new ownership.
“I think that there are some important changes in this bill, and I certainly disagree with the process of putting things together where some I really support and some I don’t,” said then-Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, during a committee hearing on the bill.
Bourne ended up voting against the bill, but quite a quite a few Republicans set aside the opposition from the county sheriffs and voted for it. The bill passed 85-24. Rep. Niemerg, unsurprisingly, also voted “No.”
In the old, old days, omnibus bills were fairly rare and appropriations bills were numerous. Agencies often had their own approp bills. But so many inter- and intra-chamber games can be played with appropriations bills that the practice ended. It also makes for an easy gotcha opportunity by the majority party: “Yeah, they talk a good game, but they won’t vote for the spending bills.”
Your thoughts?
…Adding… Good counterpoint in comments…
Perhaps Mr. Niemerg should come to the Democrats and talk to them about mental health. Perhaps his party should proffer a bill addressing mental health solutions to crime. While he is at it, he could also coordinate a Republican plan for addressing the social causes of many mental health issues, like poverty, underfunded rural schools, inadequate labor market opportunities.
Perhaps instead of waiting for the Democrats to address mental health, the Republicans should take up that issue. It is not as if the Democrats would avoid that discussion.
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Live coverage
Friday, Jan 27, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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* I do not think I have ever seen this from a governor before. Your thoughts?…
Today, on the first day of early voting, Governor JB Pritzker announced his endorsements across several Chicago City Council races.
“With early voting beginning today, I am pleased to offer my strong endorsement of these local leaders,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am confident in their abilities to guide their communities with tenacity and deliver for their constituents. I look forward to working with each and every one of these leaders to continue improving the lives of working families across Chicago.”
Chicago City Council Endorsements
3rd Ward - Pat Dowell
4th Ward - Lamont Robinson
6th Ward - William E. Hall
8th Ward - Michelle A. Harris
9th Ward - Anthony A. Beale
11th Ward - Nicole Lee
16th Ward - Stephanie D. Coleman
21st Ward - Ronnie L. Mosley
22nd Ward - Michael D. Rodriguez
24th Ward - Monique L. Scott
27th Ward - Walter Burnett, Jr
28th Ward - Jason C. Ervin
29th Ward - Chris Taliaferro
33rd Ward - Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez
34th Ward - Bill Conway
35th Ward - Carlos Ramirez-Rosa
37th Ward - Emma M. Mitts
39th Ward - Samantha Nugent
44th Ward - Bennett R. Lawson
46th Ward - Kim Walz
49th Ward - Maria Hadden
50th Ward - Debra Silverstein
* Politico…
“Conversations are ongoing,” according to a person familiar with the governor’s political endeavors. “He’s endorsing a diverse slate of candidates who share his Democratic values and who he can partner with at the local level.”
With that in mind. Missing from the endorsement list are right-leaning aldermanic incumbents, including Raymond Lopez (15th), Nick Sposato (38th) and Anthony Napolitano (41st). And Ald. Derrick Curtis didn’t make it on the list either. Those recent headlines about accidental shootings didn’t do him any favors.
*** UPDATE *** CBS News interviewed the governor a couple of days ago, and he said he wasn’t getting involved in the first round of the mayor’s race…
…Adding… Greg Hinz…
It’s unclear if Pritzker will follow up his City Council endorsements with campaign cash, but the governor has not been shy in past cycles about throwing his billions to candidates he supports.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for Pritzker said no contributions “as of today” and “conversations are still ongoing” with other potential City Council Candidates.
Kim Walz trumpeted her endorsement this afternoon.
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Live coverage
Thursday, Jan 26, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Suspect named in Peoria Planned Parenthood arson
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. News Director at WCBU Radio…
From Tim’s thread…
The official charge is “Malicious Use of Fire and an Explosive to Damage, and Attempt to Damage, Property Used In and Affecting Interstate Commerce.”
From the complaint: “MASSENGILL also told investigators he thought that, if his actions the night of January 15, 2023 caused “a little delay” in a person receiving services at the PHC, his conduct may have been “all worth it.”
Massengill offered a woman in Sparland $300 to paint the distinctive red door on his pickup truck white the day after the arson, prosecutors said. A paint grinder with red paint residue was found on the scene.
* From the criminal complaint…
On January 24, 2023, MASSENGILL telephonically contacted the Peoria Police Department and stated he wanted to speak about the incident at the PHC. MASSENGILL arrived at the Peoria Police Department, at approximately 6:00 PM on January 24, 2023. MASSENGILL was advised of his Miranda rights and was subsequently interviewed by Peoria police and the FBI. During the interview, MASSENGILL stated he saw his truck on the news while he was at work. Initially, MASSENGILL denied responsibility for the fire, claiming that he traveled to Peoria on January 15, 2023 and allowed two adult males to borrow his truck.
MASSENGILL then changed his story and told investigators about a relationship he had been in approximately three years earlier. At that time, MASSENGILL’s girlfriend had become pregnant. MASSENGILL’s girlfriend, who was in the Peoria area while he was working in Alaska, informed MASSENGILL, via telephone, that she had elected to abort the child, which upset MASSENGILL. On or around January 15, 2023, MASSENGILL heard or saw something that reminded him of the abortion, again upsetting him. MASSENGILL admitted that, on January 15, 2023, he broke the window out of the PHC and placed a burning container inside of the building. MASSENGILL confirmed that he had driven his truck to SOI-1’s residence and asked her to paint the truck white. MASSENGILL also told investigators he thought that, if his actions the night of January 15, 2023 caused “a little delay” in a person receiving services at the PHC, his conduct may have been “all worth it.
That facility doesn’t do abortions.
* His Facebook page includes an anti-gay slur and a post highlighting the county sheriffs who have vowed not to enforce the assault weapons ban. He looks to be a COVID denier. He also tried to recruit folks to go with him to the January 6, 2021 “stop the steal” march, and appeared to be pro-Putin. And then there’s this.
…Adding… Jennifer Welch, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois…
“We are pleased an arrest has been made in the firebombing of the Peoria Planned Parenthood Health Center on January 15. The damage to the health center is extensive and we are estimating it costing over $1M to rebuild. The repairs will take numerous months before we can reopen stronger than ever.
This senseless act of vandalism has robbed the community of access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and gender-affirming care as well as medication abortion services. We appreciate the outpouring of support from the community, state, and nation as we continue to meet our patients’ needs through telehealth and at our other 16 health centers across the state.
If supporters wish to help out in this moment we have information on our website, www.ppil.org, to donate directly to rebuilding the Peoria health center.”
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*** UPDATE *** The Illinois State Rifle Association, along with the Second Amendment Foundation and others has filed a motion for preliminary injunction with the Southern District US Court. Click here to read it.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* More on that NRA lawsuit from the Sun-Times…
Two Second Amendment lawyers who helped win a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that struck down a New York concealed carry gun law are now challenging the constitutionality of Illinois’ assault weapons ban — with help from the National Rifle Association.
Paul Clement, who successfully argued the New York case, is one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs in the latest federal lawsuit seeking to overturn Illinois’ two-week old ban.
Clement is a former partner in Kirkland & Ellis’ Washington, D.C., office who served as solicitor general of the United States, representing the government in cases before the nation’s top court from 2004 to 2008, during the George W. Bush administration. […]
Clement and attorney Erin Murphy began their own firm after Chicago-based Kirkland & Ellis decided it would no longer handle Second Amendment-related litigation. Murphy, who was part of the New York case, is also working on the challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban, filed Tuesday in the Southern District of Illinois.
You can read the lawsuit by clicking here.
* Also…
An emergency hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning for a second lawsuit against House Bill 5471.
The lawsuit calls the ban unconstitutional and an attack on citizens’ right to bear arms. Tom DeVore, the former Republican candidate for state attorney general, is the plaintiff in the case, and he is joined by former gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey. Last week, a judge in Effingham County granted a temporary restraining order blocking the law.
* While he’s an opponent of the new law, Livingston County State’s Attorney Randy Yedinak told the Pontiac Daily Leader that the written public statements by dozens of county sheriffs vowing not to enforce the law wer unwise…
“I do think there’s a little bit of danger in people making these statements about whether they will or will not enforce the law, or they will or will not charge people,” Yedinak said. “That’s giving up the very discretion they have to use. We saw it a lot during COVID when the governor was passing all sorts of legislation and people were just banging on my door, hounding me on the phone to say that I’m not going to enforce these COVID laws.
“We had one particular person running around here in Pontiac (who tested positive for COVID and said) he was going to cough on as many people (as he could). If I would have gone on record and said I wasn’t going to enforce those laws, then I wouldn’t be able to do something about that guy. That’s something a lot of state’s attorney’s recognize and that’s why you don’t see a lot of state’s attorneys making these statements because there maybe a situation where we want to enforce these brand new laws.”
* Meanwhile, “Steven in Pecatonica” called in to Brian Mackey’s 21st Show today to chime in on the assault weapons ban…
Steven in Pecatonica: I’m calling to see if I could speak to what the gentleman was discussing in terms of the implementation of the law. It’s my understanding that my hometown Dixon, Illinois, county seat of Lee County, recently just this last week had a demonstration for law enforcement officers, showing them what amounted to an armored skid steer that they were being directed, they’re being told that this was going to be used for the implementation of this law. That goes in contrary to what the gentleman just said.
Brian Mackey: All right. Thank you for that. A skid steer. I guess that’s like a piece of heavy equipment, full bulldozer like thing. Sheriff Dart, are you hearing anything about this?
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart: Absolutely not. I mean, that would be contrary to literally every type of law enforcement doctrine that we have. I would imagine it would be something similar to what I said earlier about going to people with revoked FOID cards, where you attempt to approach, knock on the door and see if they are aware of the law and all these other things. That’s been the normal approach that people would take. It would be literally contrary to every law enforcement doctrine I can think of to use something like that.
Brian Mackey: Kathleen Sances, I can’t remember if it was you or one of the other guests who mentioned misinformation from people who are advocating for a broader view of gun rights. Say more about what your perspective is on that.
Kathleen Sances with GPAC: The sheriff touched on this. Nothing in this bill says that we’re going to knock on your door and take your existing collection of weapons and if you do have existing weapons, you have almost a year to get them registered. So I think that that’s the disinformation we’re talking about. This whole notion of confiscation is a typical gun lobby talking point. The gun lobby is motivated by the greed of the gun manufacturers who are worried about their profits. And you know, on the other side, our coalition is a movement of survivors, advocates, policy experts, faith leaders and youth who are motivated to keep our families and communities safe. And we’re going to continue to do so. We’re going to stand up and fight against this disinformation.
Not sure where Steven in Pecatonica got his info, but there’s nothing on the Lee County sheriff’s Facebook page, nothing in the Google and I searched a couple of social media sites and found nothing there, either. Maybe some of you can help track down this rumor.
…Adding… Just as an FYI, the SAFE-T Act prohibits purchases of these tracked armored vehicles.
* Gun rights advocate Todd Vandermyde was on the same show today and said this…
They simply want to make it impossible for people on the South Side, people on the West Side to be able to obtain a firearm either through regulations, red tape, fees, or whatever. This is your modern Jim Crow law.
Um, OK.
* Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Attorney General for the District of Columbia Brian Schwalb led a coalition of 18 attorneys general asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to reverse a lower court decision that enjoined New York’s prohibition on carrying firearms in places of worship and religious observation. In an amicus brief, Raoul and the coalition argue that the prohibition is consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent and with a long tradition of similar regulations designed to meet the states’ responsibility to protect their residents from the harmful effects of gun violence.
The coalition argues that states have an interest in limiting the possession and use of firearms in locations where people exercise other constitutionally protected rights, where vulnerable populations like children and older adults gather, and where large groups of people meet in confined spaces. Locations like churches, synagogues, and mosques are the heart of many people’s religious exercise. The brief notes that they are also increasingly targets of gun violence, which may dissuade people from attending religious services and otherwise exercising their First Amendment rights.
“States have the authority to craft policies that best protect their residents from gun violence – including those restricting firearms in places where large groups of people gather in confined spaces to exercise their constitutional right to observe their religious beliefs,” Raoul said. “States’ long-standing authority to tailor firearm regulations to local nuances is essential for policymakers to be able to address gun violence and keep their communities safe.”
The brief explains that though the U.S. Supreme Court recently altered the judicial analysis for Second Amendment claims in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the court’s decision did not upend the states’ long-standing authority to regulate the carrying of firearms in certain places. The court reaffirmed in Bruen that the Second Amendment has never given Americans an unrestricted right to carry loaded firearms in all public places. Instead, states may enact a variety of regulations to combat the problem of gun violence, including solutions tailored to local needs.
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Chicago and crime
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It seems that almost all candidates for local offices in Chicago are talking about crime these days. Even Chuy Garcia put the crime problem at the center of his campaign TV ad.
So, while I don’t agree with everything in this blog comment from the other day, I think it’s pretty insightful overall…
I think there are a few answers to why the crime rate from 25 years ago is so disturbing to modern day Chicagoans.
First, many Chicagoans moved there during the 2000s when things were better. They don’t remember the 80s. They wouldn’t have moved in if things were like the 80s.
Second, like it or not, we are now in a position to read every detail of every attack on the red line or Logan Square or anywhere else. If it bleeds it leads has always been a thing, but the media back in the day would pick one or two stories, not deluge their audience with a full hour of crime stories. Social media, however, can. I think that’s for the better, too much was hidden back in the day, and social media makes for a better telling of full scope of the crime (not just the primary but secondary and tertiary victims).
3rd where the crimes happen has changed a bit. Violent crime on the CTA was low even in the 80s. Crime didn’t happen in wealthier neighborhoods in the 80s. It was limited to places like Uptown and other poorer neighborhoods. Here I would say that Preckwinkle was both correct and impolitic in her observations about violent crime and wealthier neighborhoods.
* And while folks like the governor and others have been saying that crime is going down, check out these year to date numbers and historical comparisons from the Chicago Police Department…
Yes, it’s only a few weeks of data, but it doesn’t look good. And the election is coming up fast.
…Adding… The vehicular hijacking data for this month is here.
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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* Press release…
The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other pro-Second Amendment organizations filed a lawsuit today challenging the Illinois law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker that bans commonly owned firearms and magazines.
“The Supreme Court already ruled that the Second Amendment protects the right to keep arms that are commonly used by the people,” said John Weber, NRA Illinois state director. “Gov. Pritzker’s decision to ignore the court and sign this bill demonstrates a blatant disregard for the rule of law and a willful ignorance of the nightmare he and his anti-gun allies in the statehouse have created with their soft-on-crime policies.”
Originally known as House Bill 5471, the law bans many semi-automatic firearms that law-abiding citizens commonly own for self-defense, competition, and recreation. It also bans certain spare parts for those firearms, handgun magazines that can hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition, long gun magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, and a “combination[s] of parts” from which such magazines can be assembled. Additionally, the bill also expands the duration of “red flag” law restraining orders from six to 12 months.
“Instead of arresting, prosecuting, and punishing the criminals who break the law, Gov. Pritzker is focusing his attention on those who haven’t broken any laws. The people of Illinois deserve better,” Weber concluded.
That’s definitely one to watch.
*** UPDATE *** Another one…
Members of the Illinois Gun Rights Alliance (ILGRA) today filed a federal lawsuit challenging the recently adopted Protect Illinois Communities Act, alleging it to be an infringement on the constitutionally protected activity of Illinois sportsmen, firearms retailers, distributors, and manufacturers, and lawful users of firearms. Defendants are Governor Pritzker, Attorney General of Illinois Kwame Rauol, and Brendan F. Kelly, Director of the Illinois State Police.
Named plaintiffs in this action are:
• Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois, Inc – the FFL Dealers’ Association
• Guns Save Life – an Illinois-based, grass-roots gun rights organization
• Gun Owners of America - a national grass-roots gun rights organization
• Three private citizens
• One local dealer
“We are, or represent, members and supporters who are law-abiding Illinois residents who seek to purchase, sell, and protect themselves, and/or their homes and families with firearms owned and in common use by millions of Americans for self-defense,” the complaint begins.
“We began with the so-called ‘Assault Weapon’ ban,” said Mandi Sano, FFL-IL Spokesman. “As the Governor and General Assembly gleefully strip law-abiding Illinois retailers and gun-owners of their gun rights, property rights, and privacy, we will not stand by. We will act.”
“Our group has said all along that we will not help the State craft a ‘better bill,’ we will not provide subject matter expertise, and that if the State wishes to read our opinions, it may do so in the complaint,” added FFL-IL President Dan Eldridge.
John Boch, Executive Director of Guns Save Life, Inc. holds that, “the so-called Protect Illinois Communities Act does nothing to actually protect Illinois communities. Its only effect is to criminalize law-abiding gun owners. The General Assembly should instead be holding criminals accountable for violent crimes.”
The measure remains broadly unpopular, sparking a surge in purchases before the Act’s effective date and drawing the opposition of more than 80 of the State’s 102 Sheriffs.
“The Supreme Court has reset the table by striking down New York’s concealed carry ‘may-issue’ law and along with it magazine limits in California and New Jersey, and Maryland’s ’assault weapon’ ban. We seek immediate state-wide relief from enforcement of this unconstitutional law and look forward to prevailing in the Federal Court.” concluded Ms. Sano.
Click here for the suit.
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Afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced a settlement agreement today with online used-car retailer Carvana, which admitted to violating Illinois law and agreed to abide by new restrictions aimed at protecting consumers. Illinois was the first state in the nation to suspend Carvana’s license in May 2022.
“The admission by Carvana demonstrates what we knew all along: that Carvana was violating the law in a manner that was harmful to Illinois consumers,” Giannoulias said. “Under my administration, I will do everything to ensure that proper safeguards are in place that protect Illinois consumers regardless of how they purchase a vehicle.”
Click here to watch a video statement from Secretary Giannoulias.
Illinois began investigating Carvana’s practices in February 2022 after customers alleged it was issuing out-of-state temporary registration permits and for failing to transfer titles in a timely manner as required by the state’s vehicle code.
The agreement also calls for Carvana to: adhere to Illinois law in the future; surrender its $250,000 bond; and allow for pre- and post-licensing Secretary of State Police inspections to ensure it remains in compliance. Most important, the settlement agreement allows the Illinois Secretary of State to summarily suspend and revoke Carvana’s dealership license once again if it fails to comply with either the agreement or the laws.
Secretary Giannoulias emphasized that Carvana’s actions of putting unregistered license plates on vehicles jeopardized Illinois consumers who were at risk of being ticketed by law enforcement for driving without proper title and registration.
Prior to the settlement agreement, Carvana was allowed to sell cars, but only under strict guidelines set forth by a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) granted by a DuPage County judge. Under these guidelines, Carvana was not allowed to issue temporary registration permits or license plates, but was required to register titles through Illinois remitters, which are third-party entities licensed in Illinois to process title transactions. This ensured titles would be processed expeditiously.
…Adding… From Carvana…
Carvana, a pioneer in the automotive industry, will continue selling and buying vehicles using the Company’s innovative e-commerce platform as well as its iconic car vending machine located in Oak Brook, Illinois under an agreement reached today with the Illinois Secretary of State.
Upon reaching this agreement, the Company issued the following statement:
“For the past eight years, we have been an economic engine in the state by providing Illinoisans with an unmatched e-commerce experience that includes great selection, home delivery and a 7-day money back guarantee and today’s agreement with the Secretary of State allows us to move forward in our journey to becoming the largest automotive retailer,” said Alan Hoffman, Carvana Head of Corporate Affairs. “We look forward to working with Secretary Giannoulias to ensure customers continue having access to the best car buying and selling experience possible.”
* Chicago Tribune editorial headline from 2016…
Say ‘no’ to more Chicago business mandates, including paid sick time
Chicago Tribune editorial headline from today…
A week’s paid leave? What took Illinois so long?
* Press release…
Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) today announced that $113.8 million has been awarded to downstate transit providers as part of the historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. The funding brings the total investment in downstate transit via competitive grants to $337.8 million, supporting the Governor’s mission to create economic opportunity by improving all modes of transportation while boosting safety and efficiency. […]
Today’s announcement, made in Decatur to celebrate three awards that will help expand the city’s transit campus, install solar panels on a bus barn, and replace older vehicles with hybrids, represents the third round of competitive grants in Rebuild Illinois funding to invest in transit outside the Chicago area. Awards are supporting projects that include the purchase of new vehicles as well as the construction of bus shelters, plus stations and maintenance facilities that expand and improve service. The projects provide more transportation options in downstate communities and promote an enhanced quality of life. […]
A total of 32 transit systems are receiving $113.8 million to advance 44 projects, including:
• St. Clair County Transit District, $10.8 million for the electrification of transit vehicles with supporting charging stations.
• Champaign–Urbana Mass Transit District, $7.2 million for hybrid bus replacement.
• Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District (MetroLINK), $6 million to replace six buses with zero emission buses.
• Sangamon Mass Transit District, $6.9 million for a secondary transfer center.
• Coles County, $70,000 for new bus passenger shelters.
• City of Macomb and McDonough County Public Transportation, $2 million for new buses.
* Something that’s been noted by many since last year’s campaign is the number of junk polls, mainly GOP in origin, flooding the discourse and skewing the average to make a “Red Wave” look much bigger than it turned out to be. As a result, some money shifted away from competitive races to shore up what had been presumed to be comfortable Democratic incumbents. An argument can be made that this may have cost Wisconsin Democrats a Senate seat, among others. And, right here in Illinois, junk polls were used to try to stir up money for and news media interest in Republican candidates who wound up being clobbered. Is this happening again in the city’s mayor’s race?
Here’s a Paul Vallas campaign press release. The first poll is from a GOP pollster and the second is not verifiable…
According to an independent poll by M3 Strategies, mayoral candidate Paul Vallas is now leading the field in the race for Chicago Mayor with 26% of the vote. Vallas is followed by Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, with Mayor Lori Lightfoot in fourth and businessman Willie Wilson in fifth place among the nine candidate field.
“These polling results prove what our campaign already knew — that Paul Vallas is surging and establishing himself as a frontrunner in the race for Mayor,” said Vallas campaign chief strategist Joe Trippi. “Paul’s message of putting crime and Chicago’s safety first is clearly resonating with the voters and our campaign has the financial resources and support necessary to continue driving that message home over the next six weeks.”
The results of the poll are consistent with another that was reportedly done on behalf of the SEIU Healthcare union, which also shows Vallas in the lead with 32% of the vote.
Yeah, about that second “poll”…
SEIU Healthcare Illinois issued the following response to coverage by NBC 5 concerning a poll attributed to SEIU Healthcare:
NBC 5 recently reported on a poll “conducted by Celinda Lake with SEIU Healthcare” stating that NBC had reached out to SEIU Healthcare concerning the poll but had “not yet heard back” from us.
This is not our poll. Our only knowledge of this poll has come from media sources. We are not currently working with Celinda Lake on any polling projects.
We communicated this information to NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern on Sunday evening.
And yet the Vallas campaign still flung it out there.
* Mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson’s website…
Audit Lightfoot’s Inefficient Spending to Save Half a Billion
Ah, yes, the ol’ waste, fraud and abuse approach.
More magic…
Stop Raising Property Taxes
…Adding… Has anyone told him he lost?…
Enough with this nonsense! The Republican Party wants to distract from their failures by blaming the candidates that…
Posted by Darren Bailey on Tuesday, January 24, 2023
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WTVO | New Illinois House Budgeteer first woman, African-American to hold position: The Illinois House of Representatives has a new Chief Budgeteer, and she is making history with the new title. Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth is now the first woman, and first African American lawmaker to run budget negotiations for the House.
* ABC Chicago | Hundreds pack DuPage County Board meeting to criticize, laud sheriff over assault weapons ban: On Tuesday morning, DuPage County residents from both sides of the aisle, both for and against the ban, filled the county board meeting rooms, passionate about how they feel about this new law.
* Chalkbeat | Illinois public school enrollment continues to drop, preliminary numbers show: Preliminary data released last week by the Illinois State Board of Education shows overall enrollment dropped by about 31,000 students — or 1.7% — between last school year and the current one, according to numbers as of Dec. 14. Chicago Public Schools accounts for at least a quarter of the decline. The district lost 9,000 students and its place as the third largest school district in the country.
* Tribune | Who are the candidates for mayor of Chicago?: Voters in Chicago will head to the polls on Feb. 28 to cast their ballot for mayor, 50 aldermanic seats, the city clerk and city treasurer. There are nine candidates running for Chicago mayor. Here’s what you need to know about each of them.
* Center Square | Illinois lawmaker demands change at embattled child services agency: State Rep. Dan Ugaste can’t see how Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker can remain silent about all the turmoil now going on at the Department of Children and Family Services. “We’ve been pressing the governor for over a year now about all the chaos at DCFS and he simply chooses not to respond,” Ugaste told The Center Square. “I’m again calling on him to do something about the situation that only seems to be getting worse by the day.”
* Tribune | Chicago is a key battleground as railroads struggle to figure out the future: The turbulent week stands as an apt metaphor for the state of the nation’s railroads, and the role of Chicago and its suburbs as the biggest freight hub. They’re key battlegrounds as the U.S. struggles to decide what sustainable growth means, and whether it’s possible.
* Sun-Times | Is ShotSpotter missing the mark?: We also see it as yet another flaw with the high-priced system. It was sold to the Chicago Police (and other departments more than 140 cities) as a law enforcement tool that is accurate and technologically-advanced — with heavy emphasis on the ‘technology’ part — but time and again, it has proven to be considerably less-than-advertised.
* Crain’s | City touts ’social bonds’ sale as success: According to the city, 8% of the bond offering, or $12 million, went to Chicago retail investors who were able to make investments from a minimum of $1,000 up to $1 million. Illinois residents made up 24%, or $38 million, of the purchases. And $88 million in orders came from “11 ESG-focused investors,” following outreach to the ESG market ahead of the offering to learn how to structure what services the city would fund with the bond proceeds.
* KFVS | Southern Illinois native appointed new IDNR director: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (KFVS) - A former Illinois State Representative and southern Illinois native has been named the new director of Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Governor JB Pritzker appointed Natalie Phelps Finnie to lead IDNR on Monday, January 23.
* Daily Herald | Northern Illinois Food Bank launches innovative food finder map to help connect neighbors with food pantries and programs: Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva recently launched Vivery, an innovative platform and digital Food Finder map helping neighbors experiencing food insecurity connect with vital food resources in their community and surrounding areas. The new mobile-friendly map increases access to the fresh and nutritious food neighbors need to thrive.
* Center Square | High operating expenses tempering Illinois farmer optimism for 2023: “It looks like 2023 is going to be another good income year – but down from the recent years because of high operating costs,” ag economist Gary Schnitkey of the University of Illinois told The Center Square.
* Crain’s | Rivian’s chief lobbyist is leaving the company: His departure comes after several top executives at the startup, including the vice president overseeing body engineering, its supply-chain chief and general counsel, have exited in recent months as the company seeks to implement cost-cutting measures.
* The Guardian | Ohio Republicans accused of taking $60m in bribes as corruption trial opens: The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, is the latest utility scandal following cases in the last 10 years in Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida which experts say has led to higher bills for consumers, less green energy, and more CO2 emissions.
* AP | EPA considers tougher regulation of livestock farm pollution: EPA has not revised its rules dealing with the nation’s largest animal operations — which hold thousands of hogs, chickens and cattle — since 2008. The agency said in 2021 it planned no changes but announced Friday it had reconsidered in response to an environmental group’s lawsuit.
* SJ-R | Here’s what you need to know about the snow headed to Springfield and central Illinois: A relatively quiet winter in central Illinois is about to get a bit busier this week, with nearly half-a-foot of snow expected for much of the area. The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a winter weather advisory for Sangamon County and areas north of Interstate 72, beginning at 9 p.m. and continuing through Wednesday. NWS says that 2-6 inches of snow are expected for areas in this band, with slick roads coming as a result of the blanketing.
* Sun-Times | Thousands of letters — some sent from Chicago nearly 2 centuries ago — up for auction: One piece of mail on the block features faded red fountain pen looping across an envelope mailed in 1833 from Chicago to Connecticut. Another is an envelope from the 1860s with the words “Death to Traitors” stamped in one corner — which showed support for the North during the Civil War.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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