Today’s quotable
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m posting this press release because I do not ever recall a Republican legislator saying “Illinois is a great place to do business”…
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced the launch of the Blue Collar Jobs Act (BCJA) Tax Credit application for eligible companies. BCJA is a bipartisan legislative package designed to promote economic expansion and growth in Illinois by incentivizing construction projects. The legislation makes $20 million in tax credits available per year for eligible companies. […]
The BCJA amended legislation for Illinois’ premier incentive programs to provide tax credits attributable to the wages paid to construction workers on eligible projects. Eligible companies include those who are located in an Enterprise Zone (EZ) or a River Edge Redevelopment Zone (RERZ), companies designated a High Impact Business (HIB), or companies with an agreement under the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) Program. Companies that completed construction projects in 2021 (the effective date of the legislation) or later are eligible to apply for credits. […]
Eligible companies can receive tax credits equal to 75 percent of the income tax attributable to construction workers on eligible projects located in an underserved area, or 50 percent for projects located in other areas. The BCJA is designed to further incentivize major capital investments in communities across Illinois and create good-paying construction jobs. […]
“Illinois is a great place to do business, and the tax credits provided by the Blue Collar Jobs Act will encourage capital investments across Illinois,” said Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford). “Incentivizing major construction projects while supporting manufacturers will have a long lasting, positive economic impact on Illinois communities.”
…Adding… On-topic update…
Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) released the following statement on DCEO’s announcement that the Blue Collar Jobs Act will be coming back online.
“We have consistently requested that the governor implement the long-stalled Blue Collar Jobs Act that was a part of the 2019 Rebuild Illinois bipartisan agreement. Manufacturers and businesses throughout the state can now begin applying for these jobs and development tax credits. This is a step in the right direction for rebuilding our economy and providing more job opportunities to Illinois workers.”
* Senate President Don Harmon…
“This is the result of a bipartisan effort to foster economic development in Illinois. These tax incentives are an excellent way to create good-paying jobs and continue our growth as a business leader in the Midwest.”
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*** UPDATED x1 *** It’s almost a law
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
*** UPDATE *** Heading to the governor…
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Brenden Moore…
* Chicago Tribune…
A measure aimed at keeping anti-abortion pregnancy centers from employing deceptive practices in an effort to dissuade women from seeking the procedure has been sent by Illinois legislators to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who already has indicated his support.
Sometimes referred to as “limited practice facilities,” the nonprofit clinics operate nationwide and often open near or even adjacent to clinics where abortions are performed. The bill, passed by the House last week after earlier clearing the Senate, empowers the Illinois attorney general to investigate claims that a limited practice facility engaged in fraud, deception or false pretense. Violations could lead to fines of up to $50,000.
“This is literally giving and clarifying the authority of the attorney general in order to prosecute these cases where people are using misleading and deceptive practices in order to take women away from being able to actually get the abortion care that they are looking for,” Democratic state Sen. Celina Villanueva of Chicago said in an interview.
Opponents say the bill violates the First Amendment, discriminates against certain organizations and gives too much leeway to the attorney general’s office to decide what facilities should be penalized.
* Sen. Loughran Cappel…
In an effort to recognize and honor Illinois veterans, State Senator Loughran Cappel led a measure that would allow the Secretary of State to issue United States Submarine Veterans special license plates
“After hearing from a number of constituents, I saw the reason this was important to submarine veterans,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We have to honor the sacrifices all our veterans have made and this is one way we can show our support.”
House Bill 1581 would allow the Secretary of State to issue United States Submarine Veteran license plates to Illinois residents who served in the United States Navy as a submariner. New York and Connecticut offer similar submarine service license plates.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office offers a number of different specialty license plates. Requests for these license plates can be accepted at Driver Services Facilities.
“Our armed forces uproot their lives, leave their families and head off to fight for our country and we can’t thank them enough for that,” Loughran Cappel said.
* Ben Szalinski…
* WAND…
Illinois could be the first state in the country to ensure children featured in social media videos with their families are compensated for their work. […]
The bill states children under 16 could be entitled to a share of the revenue from videos if they are featured in at least 30% of a vlogger’s content within a 30-day period. Minors would receive access to the money once they turn 18 or become legally independent from their parents or guardians. […]
Senate Bill 1782 passed out of the House Tuesday on a 98-17 vote. Some House Republicans opposed the plan as they feel government should not impede on family relationships.
The legislation now heads back to the Senate on concurrence. This measure previously gained unanimous support in the Senate on March 29.
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* New York Times…
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block two Illinois laws prohibiting the sale of high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines while challenges to them move forward.
The court’s brief order gave no reasons, which is typical when the court acts on requests for emergency relief. There were no noted dissents.
Several other states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Washington, along with many municipalities, have enacted similar laws in the wake of mass shootings around the nation. Recent shootings, including one at a Texas mall that left eight people dead, have prompted calls for further efforts to address gun violence.
The case that reached the Supreme Court was a challenge to a city ordinance in Naperville, Ill., enacted in August and a state law enacted in January. The ordinance prohibited “the commercial sale of assault rifles,” listing 26 categories of weapons, including AK-47 and AR-15 rifles. The state law covered similar weapons along with high-capacity magazines.
The order is here.
…Adding… Annie Thompson at the attorney general’s office…
We are pleased the Supreme Court has denied the emergency application for injunction pending appeal, and that communities in Illinois will continue to benefit from this important public safety measure. The Attorney General’s office remains committed to defending the Protect Illinois Communities Act’s constitutionality.
* Rep. Morgan…
State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, is commenting publicly following news that the U.S. Supreme Court declined to halt enforcement of the statewide assault weapons ban while cases against it are decided. Those cases are currently before the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Justice Coney Barrett’s decision reinforces what we already knew–that the Protect Illinois Communities Act is, by design, constitutional, and that it comports with legal precedent,” Morgan said. “That this ruling comes from a member of the Court’s conservative majority without noted dissents is the clearest indication yet of the strength of this lifesaving law.”
“The Protect Illinois Communities Act has already prevented the sale of thousands of assault weapons and high capacity magazines in our state. This ruling is a victory in the fight to keep these weapons of war from creating more carnage in communities like mine and countless others across this state.”
* Sen. Morrison…
State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) released the following statement after the nation’s top court refused to block two Illinois laws prohibiting the sale of high-powered guns and high-capacity magazines:
“The decision by the U.S. Supreme Court is a positive step toward further ensuring military-style weapons – designed for war and not for sport – do not decimate our communities.
“I remain hopeful that this is a positive sign for the Protect Illinois Communities Act and trust in Attorney General Kwame Raoul to work diligently to defend its constitutionality.”
* G-PAC…
Today, the Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC) released the following statement from John Schmidt, a former U.S. Associate Attorney General and member of the Executive Board of G-PAC, in support of the denial from the United States Supreme Court to halt the state’s ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.
“The Supreme Court today rejected the last-ditch effort by a Naperville gun dealer to stop continued enforcement of the Illinois ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines passed in January.
The Court issued a one word order: Denied.
As a strong supporter of the new law, we welcome the Court’s action. The dealer had previously lost in the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. He now has nowhere left to go.
The Illinois law will now remain fully in effect while the dealer appeals to the Court of Appeals from District Judge Virginia Kendall’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction because, she said, the statute is “constitutionally sound”. The Court of Appeals will hear oral argument in the case on June 29. It will also hear arguments in a second case in which District Judge Lindsay Jenkins denied relief against the statute in an action brought by a Chicago gun owner, and in a third case in which Judge Steven McGlynn in East St. Louis issued an injunction against the statute that was immediately stated by the Court of Appeals.
We applaud the Illinois Attorney General and the superb lawyers in his office for their effective representation of the public interest in these cases. Stopping enforcement of the law would allow resumption of a continuing flow of new assault weapons and large capacity magazines into our communities. Sale of those dangerous weapons has now stopped and it should never be resumed.”
* IFC…
The IL Freedom Caucus is issuing the following statement on the US Supreme Court decision to allow enforcement of Illinois’ weapons ban law to continue.
“The US Supreme Court is being consistent with a similar decision in January to allow a New York gun ban to remain in effect while the legal challenges move forward. It is our belief the United States Supreme Court will ultimately decide the constitutionality of the New York law, the Illinois state law as well as the Naperville, IL gun ban. We don’t believe unconstitutional laws should ever be allowed to be enforced, but we remain confident the High Court will rule to uphold the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and prevent state and local governments from enforcing laws that blatantly violate our constitutional rights.”
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Work your bills, people
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Freshman Rep. Dennis Tipsword (R-Metamora) spent much of his interview with the Pontiac Daily Leader complaining about how woke ideology has infected the legislature, Chicago’s dominance, and even mentioned the counties topic…
“But it’s just frustrating that we, as the Republican Party with only our 40 members, have constituents in every one of our 102 counties. We, as Republicans, touch every county in this state. Democrats can’t say that.”
* Anyway…
Tipsword’s frustrations include his bills not getting a chance to be read. One such bill involved monitoring those with Alzheimer’s or with other dementia or brain-injury issues. This is bill was based on something employed by Woodford County. […]
He pointed out that this program in Woodford County began three years ago. It involves a monitoring bracelet to allow for easier location of the individual when such a situation arises. Tipsword said that there have already been 12 successful finds. […]
He said he wanted to do a test through a few counties but could not get it off the ground. Tipsword found this to be very frustrating and couldn’t understand why there was no momentum.
It got sent to sub-committee, which is an abyss, a place where bills go to die, he said.
The statewide pilot project seems like a decent enough bill. It would even be privately funded.
But Rep. Tipsword only convinced a single member to co-sponsor his bill, and that wasn’t until more than two weeks after the committee passage deadline had passed, and that co-sponsor was a Republican. Only one person filed a witness slip in support.
* Contrast that with fellow Downstate Republican freshman Rep. Bradley Fritts, who passed a bill removing the testing requirement for motorcycle operators who are under the age of 18. Fritts worked that bill hard with ABATE, and they signed up lots of Democratic and Republican co-sponsors (including Speaker Welch) and more than 100 witness slips in support. It passed with a unanimous vote. Rep. Fritts also passed a bill allowing one of his local park districts to buy solar panels and signed up Majority Leader Robyn Gabel as his chief co-sponsor. It cleared the chamber 112-1.
Freshman Republican Rep. William Hauter passed a medical licensure bill with bipartisan support and medical institutional backing.
Republican freshman Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro passed a bill that expanded the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to include some mortgage marketing materials and a bill mandating insurance companies cover medically necessary home saliva cancer screening every 24 months. Both had bipartisan support.
* Do the House and Senate Republicans get the shaft? Heck yes, they do. And some of it, probably more than some, is not of their own making.
But don’t put in minimal visible effort and then complain you can’t get anything done.
…Adding… Even this guy got a bill to the governor’s desk…
The Illinois Senate has given final approval to a measure State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dietrich) sponsored to enable abuse victims under 13 years of age to avoid appearing in open court when providing their testimony.
House Bill 2607 passed both the House and the Senate without any opposition. The measure establishes a presumption that the testimony of a victim who is a child under 13 years of age shall testify outside the courtroom, and the child’s testimony shall be shown in the courtroom using a closed-circuit television. The presumption could only be removed if the defendant proves the child will not suffer emotional distress by providing testimony in the courtroom.
“This bipartisan legislation is a common-sense solution to prevent kids in abuse cases from facing their abuser in open court,” Niemerg said. “It sets the practice of closed-circuit TV testimony as the norm. Nothing is more important than protecting our kids, and that’s exactly what this legislation does. I hope the Governor will sign this bipartisan legislation into law.”
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Afternoon roundup
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* All branches of government have revolving door issues, including the US Attorney’s office…
John Lausch, who stepped down as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois in March, is headed to Kirkland & Ellis, the law firm announced today.
Lausch began his legal career at Kirkland in 1997 as an associate and will return to the firm as a partner in the government, regulatory and internal investigations practice group.
* Civic Federation…
SB1629 would change the calculation of final average salary [for Chicago firefighters] from the highest 8 consecutive years within the last 10 years of service to the highest 4 consecutive years during the last 10 years of service. SB1630 would change the limitation on pensionable salary to one that increases based on inflation from one that changes by the lesser of 3% or [deleted because of an amendment] the inflation rate. The legislative sponsors and supporters of these proposals argue that the benefit enhancements are needed to preemptively solve the concerns about Tier 2 benefits failing to meet Safe Harbor rules. But there has been no comprehensive, statewide evaluation done to determine if or when Tier 2 benefits will violate Safe Harbor rules.
SB1629 passed the Senate 55-0, but hasn’t yet received a House floor vote. SB1630 also passed the Senate 55-0, and cleared the House today 88-24-2. The Tribune editorial board has railed against both bills, to no avail. Mayor Lori Lightfoot was opposed to the bills, but Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new deputy chief of staff, is a co-sponsor of both bills.
* A last-minute move to add punitive damages to the Wrongful Death Act is criticized…
A coalition of business groups has issued the following statement in opposition to HB219, which will add punitive damages to select court cases and stifle job creation and growth in Illinois:
“Two years ago, in the waning hours of the lame duck session, Democrats in the General Assembly imposed pre-judgement interest on lawsuits adding immense pressure to defendants to settle cases regardless of the merits of the case. And now, with only days remaining in the spring legislative session, it’s déjà vu with a last-minute amendment adding punitive damages to certain, select court cases. Lawmakers should not upend decades of legal precedent in order to tilt the playing field even more in favor of wealthy trial attorneys. This will further solidify Illinois’ reputation as a poor place to do business and make job creators take a second look at expanding or investing in Illinois.”
The measure is scheduled to be heard this morning in the House Judiciary-Civil Committee. The groups opposing the measure include:
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
National Federation of Independent Business Illinois
Illinois Railroad Association
Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council
Mid-West Truckers Association
American Property Casualty Insurance Association
Illinois Trucking Association
Illinois Movers and Warehousemen’s Association
Chemical Industry Council of Illinois
National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies
Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
Allstate
Zurich North America
* Rep. Ammons will run for reelection instead of vying for the Senate…
Discretion is the better part of valor. Look before you leap.
Those thoughts, among others, must have been running through state Rep. Carol Ammons’ mind as she contemplated following through with her January announcement that she would challenge appointed state Sen. Paul Faraci for the Democratic nomination for the Illinois Senate’s 52nd District seat.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ammons filed papers Monday with the Illinois State Board of Elections amending a previous filing declaring her Senate run. The new filing by the Friends of Carol Ammons stated her intent to seek “re-election to the 103rd Illinois House seat that comprises Champaign-Urbana.” […]
Faraci accepted the news with equanimity.
“I really do look forward to working with Representative Ammons,” he said. “This (decision) allows us to focus on that, and I think it’s great.”
Her new D-1 is here.
…Adding… From what I was told, Tracy won a super-majority…
Attendees of the Illinois Republican Party took a vote Saturday on whether they had confidence in GOP Leader Don Tracy.
It happened at a regular meeting of the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee in Edwardsville.
At Issue: Republican state Sen. Jason Plummer, who represents the 55th District, and a few others called for new leadership. There are concerns about where the party is headed, that the party isn’t raising more money and that the Illinois GOP isn’t doing more to expand its reach.
Tracy ultimately received a majority of support, according to two people in the room. But divisions within the party remain.
It has always been thus within that state party. Always.
* Press release excerpt…
Today, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced that, thanks to a partnership with Cook County Health (CCH), the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC) has added behavioral health care coordinators to 18 HACC public housing communities. Thanks to federal funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), HACC behavioral health care coordinators will play a proactive role in ensuring that Housing Authority residents receive resources that foster mental health, physical health, and will also provide referrals to other healthcare resources when necessary. This includes case management, therapy/counseling, housing stability support and workforce development.
* SoS…
Fulfilling a campaign promise, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has established the first-ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer position in the Secretary of State’s office.
Dr. Margaret “Margie” Lawler, who joins the office today, will fill this important inaugural role, Giannoulias announced.
Dr. Lawler brings significant experience, most recently serving as Blackburn College’s inaugural DEI Officer. She has been engaged in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts for over 12 years at institutions of higher learning, including key roles at Illinois Central College and the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She also brings private sector experience from her years with Caterpillar, Inc. in Peoria. […]
In addition to serving as DEI Officer, Dr. Lawler will serve as deputy director for training in the Secretary of State Springfield Personnel Office. In this capacity, she will revive and refresh the office training for all employees, especially managers.
* Crain’s…
Co-working company Industrious owes its former West Loop landlord more than $2.3 million for walking out on its lease in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Cook County judge ruled last week.
In what will likely be seen as a win for all landlords that have leased space to major shared-office providers in recent years, the court found New York-based Industrious committed fraud and violated its contract with Stockbridge Capital Group, the San Francisco-based investor that used to own the building at 600 W. Jackson Blvd. where Industrious closed a location in 2020, court records show. Stockbridge alleged in a 2020 lawsuit that Industrious stopped paying rent in April 2020 and was abandoning the $4 million in remaining rent payments on a lease that runs until 2030.
* Yesterday…
Tomorrow, lawmakers will sport their suits and sneakers to show their support for those touched by cancer in the state, those lost to cancer and cancer control policies in Illinois. This year, 74,580 individuals are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer in Illinois and an estimated 23,730 will die from the disease.
Illinois has made great strides over the years to reduce the cancer burden through policies to prevent cancer and access to care legislation, including being the first state in the nation to pass legislation to improve access to biomarker testing.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) thanks Rep. Marcus Evans for his continued dedication to being a champion for those affected by cancer and leading this suit and sneakers effort. ACS CAN also thanks Rep. Camille Lilly for championing tobacco control measures, including adding e-cigarettes to the Smoke-Free Illinois Act this year, as well as Rep. LaShawn Ford, Rep. Joyce Mason, Rep. Laura Faver Dias and all the other dedicated legislators who have joined us in our fight against cancer.
Today…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Jim Dey | On second thought, Ammons files for re-election in House: It’s quite a flip-flop, but one that makes political sense both for her and her party. “I think Carol is doing the right thing by herself, by the party and by the electorate,” said Champaign County Auditor George Danos, a fellow Democrat. “By avoiding a risky state senate primary, she maintains experienced representation for us in Springfield as well as her own tenure in the House.”
* Sun-Times | Electrical grid power play: Utilities take control of coming boom in transmission lines: In the world of energy regulation, the shorthand for what utilities want is ROFR — the right of first refusal. The companies have persuaded legislatures in 12 states— Illinois isn’t one of them, but Indiana, Michigan and Iowa are — to pass laws that codify this as a right regarding new transmission lines.
* WCMY | House bill considers making corn starch ethanol an advanced biofuel: The Fuels Parity Act introduced by Representatives Nikki Budzinski and Eric Sorensen of Illinois, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma and Wesley Hunt of Texas would allow ethanol from corn starch to be classified as an advanced biofuel.
* Sun-Times | No ‘slam-dunk’ in potential precedent-setting case against Highland Park shooting suspect’s father, experts say: The success or failure of the case against Robert Crimo Jr. will tell other prosecutors about the court’s appetite for holding parents responsible for the acts of their children.
* Lake County News-Sun | Reaction mixed to Highland Park’s guide to compassionately communicating about parade shooting: But its circulation has also prompted some discussion among residents, some who say they don’t appreciate being told how to speak about what happened. Others do not agree with the city’s prompting of people to move away from using certain terms such as “mass shooting” to refer to the tragedy, and the phrase “Highland Park Strong” and “Fuerza Highland Park,” which were printed on numerous shirts, stickers and other items as the community rallied last summer.
* Arlington Heights Post | Arlington Heights considering Bears’ demolition request because town ‘does not have any authority’ not to, mayor says: “The village does not have any authority to withhold approval of demolition for any reason if the application is complete and the property owners’ demolition plans comply with the village code,” Hayes said at the meeting. He and other Village Board members said the village is “100% committed” to transparency as the village and team navigate the early stages of what could be a behemoth project at the old racetrack.
* SJ-R | Moredock named city’s corporation counsel; mayor selects other directors: Moredock has been with the IML since November. Prior to that, he was in private law practice. […] James Sullivan was named director of the city’s information systems division and had been manager of technical support and has been with the city since 2004.
* Labor Tribune | Illinois AFL-CIO salutes legislators for their support of Organized Labor: Margaret Blackshere, a Metro East legislative and Labor leader, fought during most of her adult life for women’s rights and better working conditions for women. Blackshere, who died almost four years ago at age 78, would have been proud of an Illinois state representative who recently was awarded an Illinois AFL-CIO Labor Salutes award that was named after Blackshere, speakers at the ceremony in Springfield said.
* WBEZ | Scabby the Rat gives bite to union protests, but is he at the tail end of his relevancy?: “It’s kind of unfortunate, changing times, older members of the public know exactly what the rat is for,” said James Smith, union activity administrator for the NYC District Council of Carpenters. “The newer generation sometimes doesn’t — one person thought that we were protesting a building that needed an exterminator.”
* 217 Today | U of I professor argues college debt is making jobs and care less accessible: Kevin Leicht, a sociology professor at UI, published a book about the declining respect for professional jobs. Titled “Crisis in the Professions: The New Dark Age,” the book discussed how college debt forces professionals to pursue higher-paying jobs.
* WCIA | Former Champaign deputy chief expected to take over U of I police academy: The University of Illinois Board of Trustees will vote with Thursday on whether to appoint Joe Gallo as the director of the U of I Police Training Institute. Gallo has been serving as interim director if the institute since May 1.
* NBC Chicago | ‘Pneumonia Front’ to Drop Temps More Than 20 Degrees in Matter of Minutes Tuesday: Temperatures are expected to reach into the low-80s across much of the area, but as the front passes through, temperatures will drop into the mid-50s in areas east of Interstate 355, with many locations seeing temps plunge more than 20 degrees within a matter of minutes, according to officials.
* NBC Chicago | Tim McGraw Added as Headliner in 2023 Illinois State Fair Grandstand Lineup: The country music star and three-time Grammy winner is slated to perform with Landon Parker at the fair on Aug. 17, with tickets going on sale Friday.
* Sun-Times | Foo Fighters, The Cure among Riot Fest 2023 lineup at Douglass Park festival: Foo Fighters, The Cure, The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie and Queens of the Stone Age will headline the 2023 edition of Riot Fest, it was announced Tuesday, along with the full lineup of bands set for the event this fall.
* Far Out | Hacked, looted and burned to the ground: the worst festival of all time: Where did this spiritual successor to Woodstock take place? On Bull Island, near Griffin, Indiana. It’s a strange chunk of land technically in Illinois, but on the Indiana side of the Wabash River, something that would play a role in how this disaster panned out.
* NYT | Why Some Companies Are Saying ‘Diversity and Belonging’ Instead of ‘Diversity and Inclusion’: Ms. Foster said companies must address racism, sexism, homophobia and antisemitism in the workplace. But she believes that an overemphasis on identity groups and a tendency to reduce people to “victim or villain” can strip agency from and alienate everyone — including employees of color. She says her approach allows everyone “to make mistakes, say the wrong thing sometimes and be able to correct it.”
* Dame Magazine | Men Are Killing Thousands of Women a Year for Saying No: For every mass shooting on the national news, there are countless smaller gun-related murders the media overlooks perpetrated by angry men who can’t bear rejection.
* Tribune | ‘It’s hard to open up … you don’t know how people are going to react.’ Chicago White Sox speak out about mental health awareness.: Burger and teammates Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech discussed the importance of mental health awareness in a video the Sox released Monday. “It’s great seeing a professional sports team relay this message and bring awareness to how important it is,” Giolito told the Tribune. “Some things require help and I’m glad that we’re sending that message.
* The Athletic | The base-stealing technique that has Yankees looking ‘like Usain Bolt,’ and others following: The numbers jumped out at him. Aaron Judge is known far more for hitting home runs than stealing bases. But when he noticed the high stolen-base totals of several Yankees minor leaguers in 2021, it piqued his curiosity and sparked his competitive fire. “Guys I’m faster than had more stolen bases than me,” the Yankees’ 6-foot-7, 282-pound slugger said. “I wanted to know why.”
* Donna Vickroy | No need to seek out distant places when there’s so much to see in Illinois, author of new travel book says : Wine trails, a national forest, a treehouse resort and — not one, but two — state fairs are just a few of the highlights in “100 Things To Do in Illinois Before You Die,” a newly released entry in the Reedy Press nationwide line of travel books.
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Afternoon roundup
Monday, May 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Herald & Review…
Twelve inmates in the Sangamon County Jail have been declared unfit for trial and ordered to be taken from the jail’s custody and committed to a state approved treatment facility.
But all 12 of them are still in jail, having waited multiple weeks or months to access critical inpatient psychiatric care from the state. […]
Lee Enterprises reporters spoke to seven Central Illinois sheriffs, state’s attorneys and jail administrators about the inmates declared mentally unfit for trial left in their custody pending transfer to Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) approved facilities.
A spokesperson for the department discussed this story in a phone call with a reporter, who provided a detailed list of questions by email at the spokesperson’s request. However, IDHS did not respond to the questions, or to any subsequent attempts to follow up by email and phone.
Some county officials reported inmate wait times of well over 100 days. In Macon County, for example, three inmates are awaiting care. One of them has been waiting for over 140 days. McLean County Sheriff Matt Lane said one inmate has waited since Nov. 3 of last year.
The state simply has to put a bigger effort into building up its psychiatric services. And not just for inmates. The governor has announced a plan, but dollars need to be put into hiring ASAP.
* Crain’s…
A little over a year ago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker extolled the beneficial effect his Climate & Equitable Jobs Act would have on ComEd customer bills thanks to a credit they would get from the owner of Illinois’ nuclear power plants.
“I’m proud that our commitment to hit carbon-free power by 2045 is already bringing consumers savings just months after becoming law,” he said in a press release at the time.
That credit of 3.087 cents per kilowatt-hour, though, quickly turned out to be overly generous — so much so that ComEd customers now owe the utility $1.1 billion for credits it provided them but couldn’t collect from nuclear plant owner Constellation Energy Group when wholesale power prices dropped unexpectedly beginning last year.
* Also Crain’s…
Illinois pharmacists are now allowed to dispense certain types of birth control to patients without a prescription from a doctor thanks to a new order from the state that looks to expand access to contraception.
The order, signed May 10 by the head of the Illinois Department of Public Health, proclaims that with additional training, pharmacists can dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives, which includes birth control pills, vaginal rings and injections. […]
More than 20 other states, including California and South Carolina, have enacted similar policies that allow residents to receive birth control from pharmacists.
* A couple of Brandon Johnson inauguration excerpts…
It’s true, y’all know we need revenue. We have a structural deficit. And we have to invest in people. And we have to do that without breaking the backs of working people with fines, fees and property taxes.
You can’t make people feel bad because they have a payment plan. [applause]
You can’t stop someone with a payment plan from becoming mayor of the city of Chicago. [massive applause]
And…
We cannot afford to get it wrong, Chicago. We don’t want a Chicago that has been so overwhelmed by the traumatization of violence and despair that our residents felt no hope or no choice but to leave, shrinking our economy and make it difficult for this city to remain a world class city.
* This is just nuts and it’s becoming all too common…
…Adding… Mayor Johnson has signed four new executive orders…
EO 2023-15 — Boost Youth Employment
Mayor Johnson’s youth employment executive order instructs the Office of Budget and Management to prepare an analysis of all resources in the City’s FY2023 budget that are available to fund youth employment and enrichment programs, including any state, county, or federal funds. In addition, the executive order instructs the Deputy Mayor of Education and Health and Human Services to lead all city departments and agencies in identifying additional entry-level jobs that would be suitable for young people. The order instructs the Mayor’s Office staff to coordinate year-round youth employment and enrichment activities among City sister agencies and City Departments, including collaboration with companies and non-profit organizations, for summer internships and community service credit opportunities with Chicago Public Schools and college credit opportunities with City Colleges of Chicago.
EO 2023-16 — Establish a Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights
Mayor Johnson’s executive order to establish a Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights makes the new role responsible for the coordination and communication between all applicable City departments and officials related to the City’s efforts to support newly arrived and established immigrants, refugees, and migrants. In addition, the order instructs all City department heads to take direction from the Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights to assist with efforts to address immediate needs and long-standing policy and programmatic goals to ensure the efficacy of Chicago’s status as a welcoming and sanctuary city.
EO 2023-17 — Establish a Deputy Mayor for Community Safety
Mayor Johnson’s executive order to establish a Deputy Mayor for Community Safety calls on the new office to focus on eradicating the root causes of crime and violence and advance a comprehensive, healing-centered approach to community safety. In addition, the order instructs all City departments to work with the Deputy Mayor for Community Safety to achieve this goal.
EO 2023-18 — Establish a Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations
Mayor Johnson’s executive order to establish a Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations will allow coordination to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of Chicago, in addition to improving working conditions, advancing new job opportunities for employment, and protecting workers’ rights.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WAND | Illinois House Democrats pass firearm omnibus bill helping domestic violence survivors: The plan could allow judges to order law enforcement to seize guns while issuing emergency orders of protection. Although, Republicans and gun advocates are worried police will take expensive guns from families.
* Sun-Times | Federal prosecutors urge judge to block defense efforts to contact ComEd jurors, call it a ‘fishing expedition’: Federal prosecutors argued the appropriate response is “not to authorize the defendants to hound this jury — a move that no doubt will send a public message that jury service is something to be avoided.”
* Tribune | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago mayor: ‘Our best and brighter days are ahead of us’: Johnson began his sweeping remarks by shouting out the greatness of Chicago: the “beauty” of Lake Michigan, its “boundary-breaking” arts and cultural scene and even the signature Italian beef. And, ever eager to reference his former profession as a social studies teacher, he shouted out the unique history of Black Chicago, starting from its founder, the Haitian voyager Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, before broadening to the city’s tapestry of immigrants who hail from all corners of the earth.
* Sun-Times | ‘Soul’ searching: Johnson takes office, vows ‘to tell a different story’ for ‘Chicago with its sturdy shoulders’: The inauguration started with the introduction of the newly-elected City Council, which includes 16 fresh faces; a record 14 Hispanics; 18 women, matching a previous all-time high; and nine members who identify as LGBTQ. The average age is 47. That’s nearly four years younger than the average age of the old Council.
* ABC Chicago | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago mayor at inauguration ceremony: Later Monday night, Johnson will celebrate at an invitation-only gala at what’s being called the “people’s ball” at 7 p.m. at the UIC Forum.
* Crain’s | In inaugural address, Johnson promises to bring ‘the soul of Chicago’ to City Hall: Delivering his speech with local, state and federal elected officials, labor allies, campaign aides and their guests seated behind him, Johnson said the “soul of Chicago is alive in each and every one of us” and only by working collaboratively would the city fix its “shared challenges.”
* Fox Chicago | Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago’s 57th mayor: Andrea Sáenz, president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust foundation, said she’s hopeful that Johnson can bring philanthropies, businesses, police and activists together to create a wide-ranging strategy to prevent violence now and chip away at the conditions that let it flourish. “It feels like this is a moment — the moment — to have those conversations, for a mayor to bring everybody to the table,” Sáenz said.
* Joe Cahill | Chicago’s $20 million club shrinks: Belts tightened across corporate America in 2022, and Chicago’s $20 million club was no exception. Membership in the exclusive club for CEOs paid $20 million or more shrank to eight from 10 amid a broader slowdown in CEO pay growth last year.
* Sun-Times | Funeral arrangements set for Chicago police Officer Aréanah Preston: Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn, police said. Her funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Trinity United Church of Christ on the South Side.
* Tribune | Urban Prep’s looming closure concerning for students, parents as CPS takes over: ‘The school was a safe haven for these boys’: Looking ahead to his senior year of high school, Myles Brown isn’t sure what to expect. He’s conflicted, hopeful, sad. “I really thought this would be the school I graduate from,” the Urban Prep Academies junior said last week. “But just the turn of events has been very turbulent, to say the least.”
* Rev. Charles Straight and Rev. Michael P. Russell | Illinois is ready to redefine community safety : During Chicago’s 2023 mayoral race, conservative democrats and the right-wingers supporting Paul Vallas repeatedly claimed that Brandon Johnson wanted to defund the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Millions of dollars were spent trying to convince voters that Johnson would make Chicago less safe because of his association with community organizations leading the charge to redirect money from policing to resources like mental health care, substance use treatment, and violence prevention programs. Vallas’ supporters failed to leverage fear to convince marginalized communities that crime would worsen if Chicago adopted a more holistic approach to public safety — one centered on preventing crime before it happens instead of simply responding afterwards.
* Crain’s | Pharma services giant expands in Fulton Market: Charles River Laboratories, a Wilmington, Mass., pharma services giant, is further expanding its footprint in Chicago as it takes up more space in one of the two buildings that make up Fulton Labs.
* Block Club | Northeastern Illinois University Faculty Avoid Strike As Contract Agreement Reached: The ratified contract adds 3 percent yearly pay raises and bonuses to faculty salaries, better balances workload and brings back awarded merit pay, the union president said.
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