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Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough has died (Updated)

Sunday, Apr 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

Cook County Clerk and longtime Illinois political figure Karen Yarbrough has died at 73 years old, the ABC7 I-Team has learned.

Yarbrough’s top communications aide confirmed she died Sunday.

Yarbrough had been hospitalized in critical condition with an officially undisclosed illness, the I-Team learned on Tuesday.

Yarbrough was midway through her term as clerk and was the first woman and African American to hold that office.

* Sun-Times…

She was also active in Democratic Party politics, working for both the Cook County Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Illinois. She was a Democratic committeeperson representing west suburban Proviso Township for the Cook County party, where she was also the treasurer. She’s a member of the state central committee for the Illinois party.

Yarbrough has said that helping people is what she finds most exciting about elective office and her party positions.

“I think people get energy from other people,” Yarbrough told the Sun-Times in a 2020 interview.

* Tribune…

Her most high-profile accomplishments in Springfield included successfully working on legislation to make Illinois the 22nd state to ban indoor smoking in 2008, but she also secured money for basic local projects ranging from repaving a library parking lot to redoing local alleyways and streetscapes.

Yarbrough garnered her biggest accolades for her House sponsorship of the ban on executions in Illinois, culminating in the dramatic passage of the legislation on the second of two votes taken during one of the closing days of a lame-duck session in January 2011.

After the bill fell short by one vote in the first round, Yarbrough brought it back a second time and passed the historic measure. It was the first time a death penalty ban passed the House since executions were reinstated in Illinois in 1977. The proposed ban was heavily criticized by some lawmakers and prosecutors who argued violent criminals could murder multiple victims without fear of being killed themselves.

The measure quickly passed the Senate, and Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed the bill in a private ceremony in his Capitol office with Yarbrough and then-Sen. Kwame Raoul, now the attorney general, looking on with other supporters.

* Clerk Yarbrough was re-elected in 2022, so the end of her term is more than 28 months from now and that means - unless the party waits three to four months to make an appointment - a special election will be held in November. From Cook County’s replacement ordinance…

Sec. 2-142. - Vacancies.

The following provisions shall apply to the following separately elected positions: Assessor, County Clerk, Sheriff, and Treasurer:

(a) Committee of same political party to appoint. In the event of a vacancy, such vacancy shall be filled to no longer than the end of the unexpired term as dictated by this Section by appointment. The appointment shall be done by the appropriate committeepersons of the political party of which the incumbent was a candidate at the time of the candidate’s election or appointment. The appointee shall also be of the same political party that the incumbent was at the time of election or appointment.

(b) Composition of committee. In the event of a vacancy, the committee that shall appoint the separately elected shall consist of Cook County committeepersons of the same political party that the incumbent was at the time of election or appointment. In making appointments under this Section, each committeeperson shall be entitled to one vote. A candidate is required to receive the majority of the total number of votes in order to be appointed.

(c) Written appointment filed with County Clerk. Appointments made under this Section shall be in writing and shall be signed by members of the committeepersons whose total votes are sufficient to make the appointments. Such appointments shall be filed with the County Clerk.

(d) Duration. An appointment made under this Section shall be for no longer than 28 months to the end of the unexpired term. If more than 28 months of the unexpired term of an elected official remains, a special election shall be held at the next general election to elect a person to serve the unexpired term of the elected official. In the case of a special election, the appointed officer shall serve until the election results are certified and the person elected at the special election is qualified. If 28 months or less of the unexpired term remain, the appointed officer shall serve for the remainder of the term.

Notice there’s no mention of a weighted party vote. Let’s hope it doesn’t get too messy.

So, to be clear, there will very likely be a temporary appointment to fill the position until the November election results are certified, and at some point in the near future the parties will appoint their candidates to the ballot.

This post will be updated.

*** UPDATE *** Early react…

6 Comments

It’s just a bill (Updated)

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Today’s House session day was cancelled yesterday. Here’s Leader McCombie’s statement…

DEMOCRATS PRIORITIZE BANNING KANGAROOS, HOP OUT OF TOWN

SPRINGFIELD…After a legislative session day was abruptly canceled in the House of Representatives during a deadline week for legislation to pass out of committees, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:

“Republicans showed up with good bills for consideration. Bans on kangaroos and exotic cats made the cut while Republican bills to reduce taxes, hold criminals accountable, and strengthen families were blocked by Democrats. The priorities of this chamber are upside down and it’s immoral to leave early while so much work remains.”

Legislation Out of Committee This Week: Total of 213 Bills; Democrat 181 & Republican 32 – 15%

Legislation Posted for Hearing This Week: Total of 810 Bills; Democrat 581 & Republican 229 – 28%

Out of Committee: Total of 489 Bills; Democrat 434 & Republican 55 – 11%

Rep. Dan Didech responds…

Click here for more on Rep. Didech’s bill.

…Adding… [From Rich] Rep. Haas worked her bills hard and even though she has a fairly strong Democratic opponent managed to move four bills out of committee this week…

Earlier this week, State Representative Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) passed four bills through committees. All four bills are scheduled to be read and debated on the House floor.

“I am proud to say that four bills I filed have moved out of committee this week,” said Rep. Haas. “All of these bills received unanimous, bipartisan support. These bills will support law enforcement, crack down on dangerous drugs, address our daycare shortages, and regulate sign usage on private property.”

House Bill 5174 passed the Personnel & Pensions Committee with a vote of 11-0. This bill will extend retirement annuities to sheriff’s law enforcement officers who return to work as a school security guard.

House Bill 4450 passed the Judiciary-Criminal Committee with a vote of 15-0. This bill will make the drug xylazine a Schedule III controlled substance, with an exemption for veterinary care.

House Bill 4059 passed the Child Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Education Committee with a vote of 14-0. This bill will create licensing orientation programs for individuals interested in becoming daycare providers.

House Bill 5039 passed the Transportation: Regulations, Roads & Bridges committee with a vote of 14-0. This bill notes that nothing currently requires the content of a sign on the property of a business to relate to the business.

Rep. Haas concluded, “I look forward to continued bipartisan support on these bills that will address some of our state’s most critical issues.”

These four bills join others already passed through committee by Rep. Haas, such as House Bill 4883 and House Joint Resolution 58.

[From Rich] This goes to show that members gotta do more than sit around and complain.

* WBBM…

Legislation advancing in Springfield would target people who make threats against libraries in Illinois. […]

The bill has the support of Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who is also the state librarian. He said it’s a sign of the times that such legislation is needed.

The bill would allow prosecutors to charge people accused of making threats against libraries or library workers with criminal offenses that would draw similar penalties to the ones on the books for threatening school employees and elected officials.

The legislation moved to the floor of the Illinois House, after it was approved by a committee.

* SJ-R…

Workers in the airline and shipping industries could soon see guaranteed paid leave through legislation advancing in the Illinois House of Representatives.

House Bill 4596 passed out of the House Labor and Commerce Committee in a 19-10 partisan vote and now heads to the House for a full chamber vote.

Bill sponsor Rep. Joyce Mason said the bill will be held on second reading to allow for continued conversations, which has received push-back from the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. […]

Donovan Griffith, vice president of government affairs for the state manufacturers’ association, said that negotiations on the legislation took place over four years, and its final form with enough carveouts for business interests to move to neutral. The new bill effectively undermines those negotiations, he added.

* WAND…

State lawmakers could pass a plan this spring to crack down on sexual abuse by educators and authority figures in schools.

The Illinois General Assembly has previously created stronger protections for school children 17 years and under. However, House Republicans said it is currently not illegal for an educator or staff member to have sexual conduct with an 18-year-old student.

“With no criminal charge on a background check, that person can go on to work with other children and other child-facing organizations such as summer camps, park and rec jobs, or volunteer organizations,” said Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton). […]

House Bill 4241 passed unanimously out of the House Judiciary Criminal Committee Thursday. The proposal now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

* WAND…

The Illinois House Restorative Justice Committee unanimously approved a bill Thursday to provide naloxone to people leaving jails and prisons if they were incarcerated for drug-related charges or have a substance use disorder.

Sponsors say programs in correctional facilities that provide medications for opioid use disorders reduce the risk of fatal overdose by 80%. However, Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) said the state should provide adequate recovery services for people after they are released from jail or prison. […]

House Bill 5527 was placed on the calendar for second reading Thursday afternoon. Representatives could discuss the proposal again when lawmakers return to Springfield next week.

* Center Square…

State. Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, acknowledged at a hearing of the Illinois House Judiciary – Criminal Committee that the State’s Attorneys Association is opposed to House Bill 1053, probably because they’re worried about resources being dedicated to habitual criminals, she said. However, she added, she’s actually looking out for taxpayers.

“Basically, to house these individuals as they age, they’re getting sicker and we’re paying for their medical bills. There has to be a balance here and I am looking out for the taxpayer,” Mayfield said. “Now, if you’ve got somebody like a John Wayne Gacy, lock them up and throw away the key and, I don’t know, bring back the death penalty.”

In Thursday’s committee, Democrats waited for more members to break a 6-6 deadlock Mayfield’s measure. The vote was to kill the bill. State Rep. Dennis Tipsword, R-Metamora, said one Democrat was going to vote with Republicans, which led to a pause in the hearing. […]

Mayfield’s bill wasn’t killed, rather it advanced to the House floor for further action.

* WAND…

The Illinois House Judiciary-Criminal Committee approved plans Thursday to help re-open cold cases and provide more transparency on homicide investigations.

One of the plans could allow immediate family members to petition law enforcement to review unsolved murder cases after three years of inactivity. The case file review must include an analysis of steps that may have been missed during initial investigations and assessments of whether witnesses should be interviewed again. […]

House Bill 4753 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on a 13-2 vote. The proposal was placed on the calendar for second reading Thursday afternoon. […]

A separate plan could require every law enforcement agency in Illinois to publish monthly data on homicides and nonfatal shootings, arrests of alleged perpetrators and the status of homicide investigations. Law enforcement would have to submit this information to the Illinois State Police and their official website for the public to view. […]

House Bill 4754 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on a partisan 10-5 vote. The plan now heads to the House floor for further consideration.

* Chalkbeat…

Considering the current teacher shortage, it’s time to rethink the teacher preparation and certification process. This is especially true in the early childhood space, where retention and advancement are notorious problems. […]

Teachers, education organizations, and the Illinois Education Association have drafted a state bill, HB4652, to establish a stipend program for student teachers in Illinois. If passed and fully funded, it would provide a $10,000 stipend for a full semester of student teaching.

* Scott Holland…

In February 2020, [Rep. Maurice West] floated the idea of requiring schools to get written permission from tribal officials to use such iconography. That and similar legislative attempts floundered in ensuing years, but as Shaw Media’s Maribeth Wilson wrote this week, West continues to seek solutions.

Last year West backed House Bill 1633, a plan that garnered bipartisan support to mandate Native American history in public school curriculum. That law stemmed from West’s conversations with members of federally recognized tribes as an offshoot of the mascot discussion.

But the work isn’t done, and so West is back at the table with House Bill 5617, a stronger proposal than past efforts in that it would outright prohibit native names, logos and mascots, setting Sept. 1, 2027, as a deadline. He’s met with groups representing principals and school boards to make sure the spirit of his legislation aligns with its intent and is quite content playing the long game.

“My hope is that we do get it to the finish line,” West said. “But, I don’t want to rush it. If we do pass it, for Native American people, it should not be a one-sided vote. It needs to be a bipartisan vote. And that’s what my focus is and my hope is we can get it to that point.”

HB5617 didn’t make it out of committee this week.

* KHQA…

A bill in general assembly is gaining traction that would allow non-citizens who are authorized to work here in the United States to become firefighters. […]

Supporters of the bill say it could help Illinois fix an ongoing shortage of firefighters. The Illinois Fire Chiefs Associations said they helped write the bill and that the bill has support within the general assembly.

“if we have qualified applicants, who are who meet every other qualification and are going to do what we would believe if they’re qualified, they’re going to do a good service for the community,” said John Buckley of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. “Why wouldn’t we take them?” […]

The bill is passed out of committee and is scheduled for a full vote.

19 Comments

*** UPDATED x1 *** Migrant shelter population falls below ten thousand, influx greatly slows

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE *** Press release…

The City of Chicago, Cook County, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the Zakat Foundation have come together to establish a new family shelter at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church (St. Bart’s), leveraging philanthropic resources to support new arrivals in need.

“This initiative represents a remarkable example of what can be achieved when the public, private, and non-profit sectors collaborate towards a common goal,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “My administration’s Office of Immigrant, Migrant, and Refugee Rights brought together an intergovernmental and an interfaith coalition to the table to work out this agreement. I’m proud to work in partnerships with the Archdiocese, Cook County, and the Zakat Foundation as we work to support those in need.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the Archdiocese of Chicago is leasing St. Bart’s to the City of Chicago at no cost. Subsequently, the City is subleasing the property to the Zakat Foundation, a renowned international humanitarian agency with extensive experience in providing refuge to displaced individuals and families across the globe. The convent and school building of St. Bart’s will be utilized for the shelter. […]

Cook County is overseeing the construction of shower facilities and performing other minor renovations necessary to accommodate the families at this site. This collaborative effort emphasizes the community’s commitment to providing essential services without imposing a financial burden on the city’s budget.

The Zakat Foundation will assume all operational costs, including logistics and staffing for the shelter. Adhering strictly to the City of Chicago’s Shelter Operation Guide, the foundation will offer comprehensive wrap-around services to ensure the well-being and comfort of the families. Additionally, the Zakat Foundation is coordinating with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to facilitate the enrollment of students, guaranteeing that education remains a priority for young residents.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* From a January 31st Block Club Chicago report…

In the last week of December, there were as many as 14,900 migrants in 27 city-run shelters, with 45 people waiting at the landing zone and 255 people waiting at O’Hare Airport, according to data from the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

As of Tuesday morning, there are about 13,900 people in 28 shelters in the city, with one person at the landing zone and 171 people at O’Hare, data shows.

* Those numbers have drastically changed. As of yesterday, 9,764 people were in 21 migrant shelters, with 92 at the landing zone and 1 at a police station. That’s down 5,000 or so from the end of December. At the end of February, 12,189 were in shelters, so that’s a net reduction of 2,425 since then, although at least some of those currently at the landing zone have probably been evicted and are trying to get back into a shelter.

According to the city, 15,763 people have been resettled as of yesterday and 5,793 have been reunited with sponsors. That’s up from 13,798 and 4,893, respectively, at the end of February, for a 2,865 net.

* One reason for this is that the influx has slowed. By the end of December, almost 31,000 asylum-seekers had been sent to Chicago. Another 10,000 or so were transported in by the end of February. Since then, less than 2,600 have been sent to the city. That’s somewhere around half of the late December through late February rate.

* From Isabel…

New Yorker | Can Chicago Manage Its Migrant Crisis?:

* NBC | Denver defends encouraging migrants to leave for other cities over lack of resources: After a Denver official was recorded telling newly arrived migrants they would “suffer” if they stayed there and encouraging them to consider New York City or Chicago instead, the city on Wednesday defended the comments and said promoting “onward travel” is part of its strategy for addressing the influx of new residents.

* Rockford state rep: $165 million available to communities willing to help asylum seekers: In the first round of Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services Grants, Chicago received $30.25 million; Elgin, $1.27 million; Lake County, $1 million; Urbana, $250,000; and the Village of Oak Park, $400,000.On March 28, the Winnebago County Board approved a resolution outlining the county’s response in the event of a crisis where asylum seekers are abandoned in Winnebago County without means of transportation to the landing zone in Chicago.

* Center Square | Illinois coalition urges Biden to extend work permits for migrant workers: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson joined the American Business Immigration Coalition Thursday for a roundtable discussion in an effort they said was designed to address a growing labor shortage and stabilize the workforce. “We are going to continue to urge President Biden to use every tool that is at his disposal to support our new arrivals and undocumented residents,” Johnson said.

* NBC Chicago | ‘Small number’ of tuberculosis infections detected at Chicago migrant shelters: TB cases pop up in Chicago each year, with about 100-150 infections detected annually, said Jacob Martin, a spokesperson for the health department. Because of that, the health department needs to sort through its data to figure out which cases are new arrivals and which are other city residents. Those numbers will be made public once that analysis is complete. “I would not characterize this as an outbreak,” Martin said. “It’s relatively inline with what we expect to see.”

* Tribune | Girl, 5, at migrant shelter recovering from tuberculosis, her father says, as city officials confirm ‘small number’ of cases: The Venezuelan man said he had pleaded for help from staff that night at the city-run migrant shelter on Ogden Avenue where they are staying, but he was told he’d have to pay for the ambulance himself. “Because I don’t have a work permit or any money, I didn’t have any way to pay for it,” said the man who didn’t want to share his name out of fear of being kicked out of the shelter for talking to reporters.

* WTTW | Venezuelan Migrant Depicts His Journey to Chicago in Series of Paintings: Last year, a Belmont Cragin pastor opened his church’s doors to house a group of migrants who were sleeping at a police station. One of the men, 31-year-old Yeison Perez, has now created a series of paintings describing his journey to America. His artwork will be on display this weekend at the church.

* Tribune | Refuge on the field: A migrant teen finds home in baseball: Baseball is more than a sport, Guerra said. It’s a way to build confidence. It’s a refuge. “I try to have the most fun that I can,” he said. “Whatever problems I have, baseball makes them go away.” […] Guerra’s mother Carolina Escobar, 31, said her family of seven came to the United States from Venezuela, mainly for more opportunities for her children. They’ve been lonely since they moved into their new house in Little Village over a year ago.

* ABC Chicago | Southwest Collective, CPS Parent University launch weekly group therapy for Chicago migrants: The road for a migrant to get to Chicago is not an easy one. “They are seeing a lot of things, a lot of trauma. A lot of rape. The children are going days without eating. The parents are going days without eating,” said Maria Perez, a public health ambassador at nonprofit Southwest Collective. “They are walking through a jungle. We are having cases of malaria come in, broken legs, people coming with all types of issues.”

* Sun-Times | Gala to support migrant housing that provides ‘safe places’ amid shelter evictions: Luisette Kraal, who immigrated here 15 years ago from Curacao and now lives in Rogers Park, has been working nonstop since the very first bus arrived in the city in 2022, and Jessica Leving Siegel, a Wilmette resident, stepped up to help once she saw the crisis up close in the Chicago suburbs. […] To Siegel, it’s “mind boggling” that there isn’t a “more organized response.” “There’s no serving dinner at a soup kitchen experience that compares remotely to what it’s like being there when these people are getting off the bus,” she said. “Kids are crying and everyone is scrambling and they’re all talking about how hungry they are.”

5 Comments

Question of the day

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Block Club Chicago…

Speaking to Block Club Tuesday, Johnson punched back at his critics and expressed almost unbridled confidence in his tenure so far, despite “unexpected or unanticipated” crises like the influx of migrant buses and destructive flooding on the city’s West Side.

“Name one thing that I said I was gonna do that I haven’t done. You won’t be able to,” he said.

The mayor, a former public school teacher and union organizer, declined to give himself a letter grade for his performance thus far. Instead, he listed a series of measures he sees as proof he’s fulfilling his campaign promises: phasing out the tipped minimum wage, providing funding to reopen mental health centers, expanding paid time off requirements and not raising property taxes, he said. […]

Also on Monday, an ordinance advanced to the full City Council that would give alderpeople final say on keeping the gunshot detection technology ShotSpotter in their wards — which, if passed, could reverse Johnson’s decision to end the city’s contract to use the devices. Johnson promised on the campaign trail to halt the city’s use of ShotSpotter.

* The Question: Can you name one thing the Mayor said he was gonna do and hasn’t done?

…Adding… Click here to see an archived version of the mayor’s campaign promises.

26 Comments

Live coverage

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

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Live coverage

Wednesday, Apr 3, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

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