* Chalkbeat…

Much attention has been paid to Illinois’ enrollment losses during the pandemic and why almost 70,000 public school students left their districts. Less has been paid to students who stay but don’t attend school regularly — a pattern that can cause them to fall behind, miss learning, struggle to catch up, and possibly drop out of school. […]

Statewide chronic absenteeism rose to 21.2% in 2021, up almost 5 percentage points from 2019, when it stood at 16.5%. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 18 to 20 days of the school year — an average about two days a month — with or without a valid excuse for being absent.

* Tribune…

Regulators on Thursday turned down Arlington International Racecourse’s request to operate off-track betting parlors in Illinois next year, citing its shutdown of live horse racing at the track.

The Illinois Racing Board voted 5-5 on whether to issue Arlington a license to operate OTB facilities, meaning that the request was rejected.

* Also Tribune…

The former Illinois State Police Merit Board financial officer charged with theft and forgery for allegedly falsifying overtime reports is now being accused of falsely listing the agency’s top lawyer as her treasurer in a campaign for a local office in Springfield.

Dan Dykstra, the board’s chief legal counsel, asked the Illinois State Board of Elections this month to strike his name as treasurer from political action committee records filed by Jenny Thornley in her unsuccessful 2019 run for a seat on the Springfield convention center board.

Though his signature is on the Thornley campaign paperwork, Dykstra wrote in a letter to the elections board that “it appears Ms. Thornley used a signature stamp to affix my signature to the form.”

* Politico…

Watch for former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti to announce she’s running for DuPage County clerk. […]

Planned Parenthood Action Fund is hedging its bets and endorsing both Reps. Sean Casten and Marie Newman in their bids for the 6th Congressional District.

State Rep. Will Davis (30th) is running for the 2nd Congressional District Democratic State Central Committee seat that opened up when state Rep. Al Riley announced last month he wouldn’t seek re-election for the position.

* Cardinal Cupich…

Controlling the growth of the contagion is critical, making universal vaccination a moral imperative. Receiving the full series of vaccination injections, as well as considering boosters that could augment our protection against the latest variant, is not just about protecting oneself from this scourge. It is also about protecting others from the virus. It is about each of us doing our part to stop helping the virus mutate, and to ensure that this disease will not paralyze our health care systems.

* BND…

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced Friday that the expiration dates for driver’s licenses and ID cards have been extended an additional three months from Jan. 1, 2022, to March 31, 2022. This extension does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and CDL learner’s permits. White noted this will be the final extension.

* Center Square…

Another name that could pop up is former radio host Mancow Muller. He floated the idea on YouTube, where he said he’ll announce his intention early next month.

“One of the main reasons I got out of radio was to run for governor because I can’t do both,” Muller said. “If elections are fair, I will be the next governor and you will for the first time in your life have freedom.”

Muller didn’t say if he’d run as a Republican.

That video is bonkers.

* Wednesday press release…

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill) today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded more than $4 million to three state agencies to reduce the DNA processing backlog, combat internet crimes against children, and improve adult reentry programs. The Illinois State Police will receive $2,596,295 to reduce the DNA processing backlog. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office will receive $550,852 to combat internet crimes against children. The Illinois Department of Corrections will receive $899,941 to improve adult reentry programs

“These funds will be used to make our communities safer by solving crimes, proactively protecting our children, and reducing the amount of repeat offenders,” said Davis. “It is important we continue to adequately fund our law enforcement and give them the tools they need to do what they do best - protect and serve.”

Project Details

Recipient: Illinois State Police
Amount: $2,596,295
Project Title: Illinois State Police BJA FY21 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog (CEBR) Program […]

Recipient: Illinois Attorney General’s Office
Amount: $550,852
Project Title: Illinois Attorney General’s Office ICAC Task Force Program […]

Recipient: Illinois Department of Corrections
Amount: $899,941
Project Title: Expanding Literacy Attainment and Special Education Opportunities in the Illinois Department of Corrections

* I asked the governor’s office whether Davis had anything to do with this money. Jordan Abudayyeh…

These were competitive federal grants that our agencies applied for. Ya know, the agencies that Rodney Davis claims Gov. Pritzker isn’t running effectively.

…Adding…. Press release…

Today, President Joe Biden announced that he has appointed the following individuals to serve in key regional leadership roles at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) […]

Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, USDA State Director, Rural Development, Illinois

Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is a graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and former Director at the University of Illinois Springfield. She brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, working with community, regional and state leaders to effect positive change. She is a lifelong resident of Springfield, Illinois and is proud that her family members still own and operate the centennial farm in Central Illinois where her grandmother was raised. Dirksen Londrigan is committed to working with rural communities to bring investments to every corner of Illinois to support local and regional initiatives to power economic development and grow local economies.

…Adding… Tribune…

Commonwealth Edison has proposed giving consumers $21.1 million in refunds through credits on their bills to address Illinois Commerce Commission probes into the bribery scandal that led to ex-Speaker Michael Madigan’s ouster.

The amount of the refunds is mostly tied to pay and benefits received by former ComEd executives whose misconduct was outlined in the deal struck with federal prosecutors last year in which the company agreed to pay a $200 million fine.

But utility watchdog Abe Scarr of Illinois PIRG called the proposed refund “chump change” for a utility that is soon expected to rake in $1 billion a year in profits and may not offer the credit until the spring of 2023.