A federal judge in Texas struck down a key provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires insurers and employers to cover preventive services for free, including cancer screenings and HIV drugs.
The ruling by Judge Reed O’Connor of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas — who previously struck down the entire ObamaCare law before it was upheld by the Supreme Court — applies nationwide.
It immediately jeopardizes access to treatment for the approximately 100 million Americans who use free preventive services annually, and it leaves the door open for insurers to impose deductibles and copays for potentially life-saving screening tests.
The ACA requires insurers to cover, without cost-sharing, more than 100 preventive health services recommended by the U.S Preventive Services Task Force. Cost sharing will likely deter patients — particularly those of limited means — from scheduling mammograms, colonoscopies and other procedures.
Other preventive care mandates under the ACA remain in effect. The decision applies to Task Force recommendations issued on or after March 23, 2010 – the day the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. While the group had recommended various preventive services prior to that date, nearly all have since been updated or expanded.
It is likely the case will be appealed, and the Justice Department has the option to ask that O’Connor’s ruling be put on pause while the appeal is litigated.
Q: Legislation you signed, the Gun Dealer Certification Act, tucked into that was a provision that required ISP to collect a bunch of data on gun crimes in the state. They’re supposed to report it to the General Assembly and to you every year, put it up on, for the public to see. ISP said in a report last month that they’ve been unable to compile that data. How can policymakers like you and Rep. Scherer make good, comprehensive statewide gun policy when we don’t have a full picture? And what’s your administration doing to address some of these?
Pritzker: I think it’s an excellent example for all of us that just passing a law by itself isn’t going to get the job done if there is a problem with implementing the law. That’s not the fault of the General Assembly, I think good intentions, and the general and the administration, good intentions, to be able to gather that data.
Here’s what ISP has discovered, which is, as you go county by county, and law enforcement agency by law enforcement agency, it turns out the systems are, some range of, on paper to, you know, to something that’s, let’s say, somewhat modernized. And so collecting that data year in and year out, or even month in and month out, has just been very difficult. The ISP has found they can’t get the data from some places. And so it’s incomplete. ISP is not able to deliver what the law wants it to deliver. And I think we all realize that there are maybe some adjustments that need to be made, and support for the modernization of law enforcement systems at the local level.
Again, it depends on where you go, right? Chicago has systems that allow them to report on a very regular basis. You probably know Jeremy better than I do. I think it’s on a weekly basis, they’re able to deliver stats in every category. I won’t name places, but let’s just say local law enforcement in some smaller jurisdictions really can’t deliver that stuff in a timely fashion.
So we need to make a change in the law, is likely a need. And then we need to make sure that we have systems that regularly pull the data, and it isn’t a human interaction that is required for every one of these jurisdictions. We just have too many local law enforcement agencies to be able to do that.
“We continue to work with the Illinois State Police to bring this goal to reality,” said Harmon spokesman John Patterson. “We want to make sure the State Police makes available to the public the gun violence information it has, while also working on the bigger issue of how to get more agencies across this state to share that information in a way that’s useful to the public and public policy makers.”
* IDES…
Total nonfarm jobs increased in thirteen metropolitan areas and decreased in one for the year ending February 2023, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in seven areas, increased in five areas and was unchanged in two.
“Today’s data is further indication that job growth continues to trend in the right direction with expansion throughout every corner of the state across sectors,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Job expansion creates new and growing career opportunities for jobseekers and the demand for employers to invest in and retain the talented and diverse Illinois labor force.”
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (+4.8%, +4,500), the Peoria MSA (3.9%, +6,400), and the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+3.4%, +4,000). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago Metropolitan Division were up +2.1% or +77,500. Total nonfarm jobs were down in the Illinois section of the St. Louis MSA (-0.4%, -1,000). Industries that saw job growth in a majority of metro areas included: Mining and Construction and Leisure and Hospitality (fourteen areas each); Education and Health Services, Other Services and Government (thirteen areas each); Manufacturing and Wholesale Trade (eleven areas each); Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities (ten areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were in the Chicago Metropolitan Division (-0.9 point to 4.1%), the Rockford MSA (-0.8 point to 6.3%), and the Decatur MSA (-0.6 point to 5.9%). The largest unemployment rate increases were in the Lake County-Kenosha County Metro (+0.4 point to 5.4%), the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (+0.3%, +4.6%) and the Elgin Metro (+0.3 point to 5.9%). The unemployment rate was unchanged in the Bloomington MSA (4.0%) and the Champaign-Urbana MSA (4.1%).
* G-PAC…
Today, the Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC), the state’s leading gun safety organization, released a statement from its CEO Kathleen Sances, responding to an anti-public safety protest orchestrated by gun lobby supporters, including state lawmakers. The event comes two days after a mass shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville left six dead, including three children.
“It is incredibly disturbing that several lawmakers protested our state’s much-needed assault weapons ban just two days after six people were shot and killed in a school in Nashville with similar weapons.
“Make no mistake, this kind of behavior directly fuels our state and country’s gun violence epidemic, which is now the number one cause of death for children in Illinois and the entire country.
“Elected officials are public servants. Their energy should, first and foremost, be directed towards centering the needs of their constituents. However, it is clear from this demonstration that members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus are more concerned with filling the coffers of the gun industry than they are protecting the lives of the most vulnerable in our state.
“The people of Illinois deserve to live safe and secure lives. We deserve lawmakers who are dedicated to keeping our families safe. Lawmakers who abuse their platforms to carry the gun lobby’s water will be voted out.”
* Press release…
Chicago City Council members today voted overwhelmingly to make Chicago history and create an independent and co-equal branch of city government. The votes to approve a wide range of rule changes signals a seismic shift for the City Council, establishing its independence and removing power from mayors who in recent decades have determined everything from legislative agendas to committee chairs.
As part of the approved changes, members can now make their own committee chair assignments, which were unveiled today. Vice chairs and new members of each 11-member committee will be chosen after the runoff election April 4. This process will provide new council members a significant say in the composition of the committees for the first time.
The rule changes also increased the number of committees from 19 to 28, allowing for more diverse voices in leadership positions. Members agreed to divide committee chairs in an equitable process that created the most diverse council leadership structure in Chicago history. Under the new committee structure there will be:
• Increased percentage and total number of committees chaired by Latino Caucus members from four (21%) to eight (28.5%);
• Increased total number of committees chaired by Black Caucus members from nine to 12;
• Black and Latino members accounting for 71% of committee chairs in total;
• Two Latinas chairing council committees for the first time in the council’s history;
• A record nine women serving as committee chairs, an increase from 26% to 32% of committees; and
• A record three members of the LGBTQ community serving as committee chairs.
The rule changes not only increase council independence, but also minimize mayoral influence over council deliberations, provide for increased transparency of committee business, and provide new ways for committees to operate.
The budget for the new committees is estimated at $700,000 for the remainder of 2023.
With today’s vote, the council joins other legislative bodies across the country as an independent, co-equal branch of city government. The resolutions detailing the rule changes can be found here and a full list of committee chair assignments can be found here.
A Will County judge dismissed an election fraud case Thursday filed by the losing candidate in the 2022 race for Will County clerk that claimed mathematic formulas showed the final vote count was fraudulent.
Republican Gretchen Fritz filed the lawsuit Dec. 28, claiming she believes “mistakes and fraud have been committed in the casting and counting of ballots” in the race because her opponent, Democratic Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry, received more votes than Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker. […]
Odelson, who has been an election law attorney for 50 years, said in court Thursday he had “never ever” seen a case like this one, which he said was not based on facts or presented specific allegations but seemingly came from a “cosmic ray from Mars.”
* Isabel’s roundup…
* WSIL | $200 million to improve freight routes throughout Illinois: “For the last four years, we’ve invested billions of dollars in communities across Illinois to restore and renew all modes of transportation throughout our state: roads, bridges, airports, and transit, as well as pedestrian and bike routes. And today, I’m proud to announce yet another leap forward — nearly $200 million for the freight routes that have defined Illinois for generations,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These funds will be used for 22 port, rail, and highway projects in Illinois to address bottlenecks, increase mobility, and improve the supply chain up and down the state.”
* Crain’s | Peoples Gas breaks another earnings record amid a pending request for a massive rate hike: The natural gas utility serving the city of Chicago earned $209 million, up from $205 million the year before, which also was a record, according to a report made public today. … Peoples has a record $405 million rate hike request pending before the Illinois Commerce Commission, which would take effect at the end of this year. The commission must rule on that by year-end.
* Crain’s | Illinois lawmakers look to tighten hospital merger rules amid pricing, quality concerns: The new policy, which originated at Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office, would amend the Illinois Antitrust Act, State Finance Act and the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act in ways that would require health care organizations to notify the AG’s office within 30 days of a proposed merger or acquisition. The legislation, called House Bill 2222, would also give the AG an opportunity to request additional information about a deal that would help determine whether a proposed transaction warrants further action.
* WIFR | Illinois Tollway decreases toll violation fines with new program: Starting in April, motorists with multiple unpaid toll invoices will see a final notice resulting in $20 fines on top of each invoice. “The Illinois Tollway will no longer issue escalated $50 fines,” Cassaundra Rouse, executive director of the Illinois Tollway states. “It is our hope that every customer takes advantage of all the ways the Tollway offers to pay tolls and avoid fees.”
* Crain’s | City Council moves toward independence after raucous meeting: The rules overhaul was eventually approved after a lengthy debate where those opposed to the deal accused their colleagues of working up a “backroom deal” that was more about securing chairmanships than creating an independent body.
* Block Club | Englewood’s Long-Awaited Nature Trail Will Cost $72 Million To Build, City Says: Dreams to develop the nature trail were ignited more than a decade ago by neighbors and leaders at the local community organization Grow Greater Englewood. The city obtained the abandoned railroad line in 2014 from Norfolk Southern Railway, a company that in recent years has gained attention for its role in tearing down homes in Englewood to expand its intermodal yard and the freight train derailment in Ohio that sent toxic fumes in the air.
* WREX | A look inside the planned $22 million renovation of The Rockford Register Star building: The local solar company’s CEO Teague Dickey says the Iconic Energy is about 90 days away from kicking off a $22 million renovation that’s close to his heart. “Yes it’s old and in disrepair, 93-years-old, but it’s important to me being a Rockford person,” Dickey said. “I’d rather have this building than some new thing.”
* KFVS | Wienermobile coming to southern Ill. this weekend; driver, Carbondale native: Keagan Schlosser, who calls herself Chili Cheez Keagz, competed against thousands of applicants to become one of 12 Hotdoggers nationwide. “I feel fortunate to represent southern Illinois as I criss-cross America–I’ve seen 21 states since June,” Schlosser said.
* Tech Crunch | Twitter is dying: The value that Twitter’s platform produced, by combining valuable streams of qualification and curiosity, is being beaten and wrung out. What’s left has — for months now — felt like an echo-y shell of its former self. And it’s clear that with every freshly destructive decision — whether it’s unbanning the nazis and letting the toxicity rip, turning verification into a pay-to-play megaphone or literally banning journalists — Musk has applied his vast wealth to destroying as much of the information network’s value as possible in as short a time as possible; each decision triggering another exodus of expertise as more long-time users give up and depart.
Ms. Ostaszewski, a 32-year-old energy efficiency consultant, has accumulated a modest following of more than 36,000 TikTok followers for her posts about affordable houses and things to do in Peoria.
She first moved to Peoria from Bloomington, Ill. about a decade ago to be with her partner. She purchased her first home for $33,000 in 2017, when she was 27. “I didn’t know if I would ever achieve homeownership, let alone before I turned 30,” Ms. Ostaszewski said.
Then she started to wave other people in: her brother, her sister and an estimated 300 strangers from across the country.
“I’m trying to show people that they can move here and actually have a reasonable mortgage, while building on the progressive community that is here,” Ms. Ostaszewski said.
Her pitch is attracting people who didn’t believe they could ever own property. “For a lot of people of color and queer people, there is this generational poverty that continues to get passed down. They don’t have family that can pass down housing or other assets,” said Ms. Ostaszewski, who is of Filipino and Polish descent. “I’m bisexual, and I’m a woman of color. I’ve been able to find a lot of community here through both of those aspects of my identity.”
Though she doesn’t work for the town itself, Ostaszewski sets potential transplants up with job boards, moving resources, real estate agents, and lenders, and she has also organized a Facebook group for new residents that is “400 members strong.” Members have organized a kickball team, crafting clubs, and Dungeons & Dragons meetups. They have regular “transplant parties,” too.
She rebuked any concerns of gentrification by noting that Peoria doesn’t currently have enough residents to support its vast infrastructure. Bringing in more people would “grow the tax base,” and she said she would stop recruiting future Peorians if data suggested that residents were being displaced.
The Times article provided a history of Peoria’s housing market, explaining why the median home price, $128,100, is considerably lower than the national average of $328,600. The story also delved into the city’s political leanings, pointing out the fact that the population is more liberal than those of surrounding communities. Two local politicians weighed in on the fact that Ostaszewski’s efforts may be making the city even more liberal.
“I don’t care what side people are leaning to. If they’re going to come in and help rebuild neighborhoods and be good neighbors, I think that’s great,” former Peoria City Councilman Jim Montelongo told the Times.
Republican state Rep. Ryan Spain also said he’s not worried about a wave of liberal transplants.
“I think Peoria is an attractive place, whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, a conservative or progressive. … Really, an ideal community is one that you would have people of diverse views.”
Democratic mayoral candidate Paul Vallas is releasing the following statement reacting to the indictment of former President Donald Trump:
“This unprecedented and historic news begins the process of proving once and for all that no one is above the law and everyone must be held accountable for their actions. A grand jury has reviewed the evidence and found that a crime was committed by a former President — that is unprecedented and must be taken seriously. Donald Trump repeatedly and shamelessly violated the rules and norms that govern the Office of the President, cheapening the most widely respected elected position in the world and demeaning our democracy. He must be held accountable and I’m grateful the first step towards justice has been taken.
The threats of retribution and violence that have been made recently by Donald Trump are dangerous and irresponsible. Our nation is still grappling with the devastation of January 6th and just how close the peaceful transfer of power came to being cast aside, and we must always do whatever is necessary to protect the integrity of our democracy.”
…Adding… This just in over the transom. When talking about the Trump impeachment, Vallas said on February 16, 2021 while substitute co-hosting for Dan Proft, “I always felt that it was a witch hunt.” 1:05:11…
For those wanting to put Republicans on the spot, if he would have been censured, it would have put much more pressure on them. And, you know, I always felt that it was a witch hunt. I mean, it doesn’t mean that they didn’t make mistakes and that Trump has acted irresponsibly and I’ve certainly been a critic of what he’s done. But at some point it is time to move on because what do we need for years of people chasing Kamala Harris? At the end of the day, the country needs to move forward and you know, Biden’s talked about unity and here’s an opportunity. So I just think that, you know, they need an enemy.
…Adding… The Vallas folks point to this…
Trump directly responsible for violation of our capital & deaths of four people. But so are political cowards in Congress like Ted Cruz & others who gave credence to Trump’s claims that election was stolen. Damage done to our democracy will be lasting. They should all resign.
But a month after that, he’s calling the impeachment a witch hunt. Go figure.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* We’re gonna do a little “dueling oppo” today. To set up the first one, here’s Crain’s…
After weeks of jostling between Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas over whether Vallas really is a Republican, the horse’s mouth of sorts has something to say about it: Word from the Chicago GOP is that Vallas is not one of them.
Isabel has been trying to reach that office since early this morning, but nobody’s answering.
* And now, this…
Brandon Johnson Currently Owes The City Of Chicago $3,357.04 In Unpaid Water And Sewer Charges. (Chicago Department of Finance Records, Accessed 3/21/23)
• Johnson’s Payment Of $91.08 On February 13, 2023 Was The First Time He Had Paid His Water Bill Since June 22, 2022. (Chicago Department of Finance Records, Accessed 3/21/23)
• Since 2010, Johnson Has Accrued $6,661.70 In Fines And Penalties Due To Nonpayment. (Chicago Department of Finance Records, Accessed 3/21/23)
Johnson Also Owes The City Of Chicago A Combined $1,044.58 In Unpaid Traffic Tickets From 2014 And 2015. (Chicago Department of Finance Records, Accessed 3/21/23)
Illinois Law Would Prevent Johnson From Being Sworn In As Mayor If His Debts To The City Remain Unpaid
Under Illinois Law, A Person Who Owes An Unpaid Debt To A Municipality Is Not Eligible To Take The Oath Of Office For An Elected Position In That Municipality. “(b) A person is not eligible to take the oath of office for a municipal office if that person is, at the time required for taking the oath of office, in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the municipality or has been convicted in any court located in the United States of any infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony, unless such person is again restored to his or her rights of citizenship that may have been forfeited under Illinois law as a result of a conviction, which includes eligibility to hold elected municipal office, by the terms of a pardon for the offense, has received a restoration of rights by the Governor, or otherwise according to law. Any time after a judgment of conviction is rendered, a person convicted of an infamous crime, bribery, perjury, or other felony may petition the Governor for a restoration of rights.” (65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5, Accessed 3/29/23)
Johnson Currently Earns A Combined Salary Of Over $175,000 Per Year
Cook County Commissioners Earn $93,500 Per Year. “Under the plan, the board president’s annual salary will be bumped to $187,000 from $170,000, while commissioners will see a hike to $93,500 from $85,000 a year and the board’s finance chair salary will increase to $99,000 from $90,000. (Alice Yin, “Cook County Board Members Vote Themselves 10% Raises, With Automatic Future Pay Bumps,” Chicago Tribune, 5/24/22)
In 2022, The Chicago Teachers Union Reported Paying Johnson $85,906. (Chicago Teachers Union Form LM2, U.S. Department of Labor, 11/1/22)
The oppo is from a FOIA. Click here for the documentation.
I can’t believe he didn’t pay that off before getting into the race.
* Another press release from the 43rd Ward runoff…
Aldermanic candidate Brian Comer is once again playing shell games with his finances. This time, Comer broke campaign finance laws by taking several contributions over the legal limit and failing to report several high-dollar donations within the required two-day window.
“Brian Comer is breaking the law and continuing a pattern of hiding information about his finances from voters,” said Alex Hanns, Knudsen’s campaign manager. “Comer previously refused to tell voters any information about his clients from his last nine years as a ‘consultant,’ and now he’s taking illegal contributions and failing to disclose his donors as required by law. Voters deserve better than a shady candidate who is trying time and again to deceive them.”
Two donors, including Comer’s campaign treasurer, donated above the $6,900 limit for individuals. A total of 13 contributions of $1,000 or more were filed past the two business day window that is required by law.
Two donors gave an aggregate of $10,000 each to Comer’s campaign — $6,200 over the limit — both of which included at least one late filing:
* Condron, Michael - $2,500 - received 3/28/2023, filed 3/28/2023 1:58:27 PM
* Condron, Michael - $2,500 - received 3/28/2023, filed 3/28/2023 2:20:16 PM
* Condron, Michael - $2,500 - received 3/25/2023, filed 3/28/2023 2:37:46 PM
* Condron, Michael - $2,500 - received 3/16/2023, filed 3/28/2023 2:42:22 PM
* Tordella, Paula - $5,000 - received 3/20/2023, filed 3/25/2023 8:32:15 AM
* Tordella, Paula - $5,000 - received 3/24/2023, filed 3/25/2023 8:29:55 AM
* Sun-Times | Dollars vs. decentralization: Johnson’s and Vallas’ vastly different fixes for CPS: Paul Vallas plans drastic changes to CPS structure, bolstering principals and local leaders’ power over spending and programming — and even the ability to let a charter school take over their campus. He would prioritize standardized testing and make it easier to hold students back a grade so they don’t graduate without necessary reading and math skills. […] Brandon Johnson would rather the school district’s central office end per-pupil funding and guarantee a baseline of resources for every school — such as art teachers, social workers and librarians. This would reduce the role enrollment plays in whether a school can afford staff and, he says, help ensure every neighborhood can offer a quality education. He would focus on addressing poverty and trauma.
* Sun-Times | Betsy DeVos-founded, Republican-funded school choice group backs Vallas campaign for Chicago mayor: A Vallas spokesman said his campaign “would strongly reject any endorsement from Betsy DeVos.” “Our campaign has not been in contact with this organization, we have certainly not sought its support,” the spokesman said in a statement. “Campaigns cannot coordinate activities with independent expenditure committees by law and we have no control over this group’s actions.” … The American Federation for Children created its Illinois Federation for Children PAC as an independent expenditure committee in March 2022 to support and oppose candidates for statewide office, all with the mission of advancing school choice. The political committee spent over $700,000 toward those efforts last year on Republican candidates for the Illinois Legislature. The PAC lists a Washington, D.C., address. … The Illinois Federation for Children PAC is chaired by Nathan Hoffman, who was a registered American Federation for Children lobbyist in Springfield until January. He has tweeted from Vallas’ February election night party and fundraising events since then.
* Sun-Times | Young voters explain low turnout in Chicago elections: John Cook, 21, said he has noticed excitement about politics declining since 2020. Cook, a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, said he did not vote in February. “Our first election in 2020, it was like, everything is the most important that could possibly be, and so I think everybody was up on that. It’s been like a big deflation in political activism,” Cook said. “Even people who were engaged before have dwindled off.”
* Jewish Insider | Chicago’s Jewish community could swing mayoral race: In February’s nine-way mayoral election, Vallas, 69, performed best in some of the city’s most heavily Orthodox areas, winning two precincts in the 50th Ward with more than 80% of the vote. Across the entire ward, where the majority of Chicago’s Orthodox community is concentrated, he claimed 50% of the vote, defeating Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and outspoken union organizer who has embraced a progressive platform, by more than 30 points. … Meanwhile, Johnson’s close affiliation with the Chicago Teachers Union, which endorsed him even before he announced his candidacy, has fueled speculation that he is beholden to its interests. He has rejected those claims. The union, from which Johnson is on leave as a paid organizer, has opposed the continuation of a tax credit scholarship program that has benefited low-income students who attend Jewish day schools. In alignment with Orthodox leaders, Vallas has expressed support for the state legislation, which is set to expire this year.
* Alisa Kaplan | With an increase in dark money, Chicagoans have a right to know who’s trying to buy their vote: The U.S. Supreme Court says we can’t limit super PAC money, but it has consistently upheld efforts to illuminate it. Our organization, Reform for Illinois, worked with state Rep. Maurice West this year to introduce House Bill 3804, a bill that would require big donors to disclose the original source of their funds no matter how many secretive groups the money passes through. Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Minnesota have all enacted laws aimed at unveiling hidden political contributors, and last fall, 73% of Arizona voters approved a referendum requiring comprehensive donor disclosure. If they can do it, we can too.
* CBS Chicago | Lightfoot, City Council gathering for special meeting Thursday: Several aldermen are calling for a vote on the new rules and committees for City Council members during the 2023 to 2027 term. The timing is considered unusual as council members typically vote on these matters *after the election.
* Tribune | West Side incumbents fending off challengers in 24th and 29th ward runoffs: In the 24th Ward, which includes North Lawndale, challenger Creative Scott received only about 15% of the vote to Monique Scott’s 45%. In the 29th Ward, which includes parts of Austin north to Montclare, former Chicago police sergeant Taliaferro was forced into a runoff by just a few dozen votes, though community activist CB Johnson received nearly 40% of the vote in the first round.
* ABC Chicago | Chicago mayoral candidates break down how they would manage city budget: In his $800 billion tax plan, Johnson proposes bringing back the city head tax, where large corporations who do most of their work in the city will pay a 1-4 dollar tax for each employee. Johnson also pitches increasing the hotel tax, jet fuel tax, a tax on securities trading and increasing the transfer tax on property sold for more than a million dollars.
* NBC Chicago | 3 Former Chicago Police Superintendents Join NBC 5 For Conversation About Public Safety, Crime: “Without question, public safety is top of mind for many Chicagoans,” said Holt. “It’s clear, we need to figure out how to make the city safer. This show is a unique opportunity to sit down with three men who have been at the forefront of tackling this crisis. It’s a chance to learn from the mistakes of the past, figure out new ideas, and try to forge a new path toward a safer city.”
* Block Club | Workers At Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago’s Oldest Museum, Are Voting To Unionize: “We’re forming our union because we want to work with our colleagues and leadership to ensure that our institution is always becoming an equitable, inclusive and safe workplace,” said Anabel Hirano, a member of the union organizing committee who is a volunteer and intern coordinator at the Nature Museum. “That can’t happen unless we have an equal say in the decisions that affect us.”
* Hannah Meisel’s story shows yet again how important it was for the General Assembly to finally mandate lobbyists to disclose their “consultants”…
But a little over two weeks after Mapes’ firing, Anne Pramaggiore told one of her most trusted deputies within electric utility ComEd that she kept “thinking about how we can be helpful to him.”
Pramaggiore was less than a week into her new job as CEO of Exelon Utilities – a promotion after six years as CEO of ComEd, where she’d gotten to know Mapes after years of pushing for legislation in Springfield. […]
“I was talking with Anne and she told me that she’s looking at…doing something for the enterprise and governmental stuff and bringing Mapes on,” Hooker told Marquez. “Now Mapes would work with her, cause she says, ‘I wanted to kinda, well let’s pay him but hide his contract in someone else’s.’”
Hooker told Marquez he’d suggested putting him on as a consultant with Mike McClain, a longtime contract lobbyist for ComEd who was also one of Madigan’s closest friends and confidants.
McClain was no longer a registered lobbyist at that time, but, if memory serves, Mapes did eventually land at a lobbying firm as a consultant. Look, hire who you want to hire, but disclose it.
In multiple emails, McClain made it clear that Madigan had inquired repeatedly about making sure that the law firm of Morgan Murphy, a former congressman, would keep getting legal business from ComEd.
A tranche of emails were introduced as McClain pushed for Kathleen Laski, the wife of the former city clerk who went to prison for corruption, to get a position with the utility company even though she didn’t want to work extra hours during storms.
“Kathy doesn’t want to work storm duty?? Really?” a ComEd human resources official wrote in one email, asking who sent her. Marquez wrote back: “Laski came to us from the Speaker.”
* True…
Marquez says McClain told him what mattered most to Madigan was organized labor, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and, most importantly, staying speaker.
Also, he agreed that the "single most valuable, important, most reliable source of information or intelligence about what Madigan's position might be on any issue was Mike McClain."
* Rent-a-pastor is an old tradition among utility companies and others…
We're now reviewing McClain's proposed strategy for defeating the so-called Harmon-Burke energy bill, which ComEd feared in 2017 would undo parts of FEJA.
McClain wanted to bring in ministers, the Black and Latino caucuses, local governments, vendors and others.
* Hannah Meisel | Former ComEd CEO sought soft landing for Madigan chief of staff who was fired for sexual harassment: Tim Mapes had served as Madigan’s chief of staff for more than 25 years and further solidified his “right-hand man” status by serving as clerk of the House and executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. But Mapes was swiftly fired in June 2018 hours after a longtime female staffer publicly accused him of sexual harassment. The next year, an outside investigation corroborated further allegations of bullying by Mapes.
* Crain’s | ComEd’s formula rate might still be law but for timing of fed raids on Madigan allies: The controversial formula rate that gave Commonwealth Edison great control over how much it could charge customers each year might well still be in effect had the federal probe into ComEd and House Speaker Michael Madigan not come to light just as the 2019 legislative session was concluding. Prosecutors — finishing up their direct questioning of star witness Fidel Marquez, a former ComEd senior executive turned government informant — played an intercepted call that appeared to show ComEd’s 10-year extension of the formula was on track for consideration in 2019 as late as April 8.
The Democratic Party of Illinois has accused three Champaign School Board candidates of pursuing “extremist political agendas.” But, they all deny promoting radical platforms and want to know why they’re being singled out.
In a news release from last week, the party described its $300,000 plan to “prevent extremist conservatives from implementing regressive platforms on school and library boards throughout the state.” To do that, they’re recommending candidates they believe share their values, and steering voters away from those they think have an extremist agenda.
“I am flabbergasted, to say the least,” candidate Jeffrey Brownfield said. “There is no need and there is no room for politics when we’re talking about our children.”
* The local Republican Party has been pushing these three candidates for weeks and months, so the “politics” thing has already been breached…
The party has done things like call out a local school district for the apparent crime of supporting inclusive language and griped about a bill to regulate all-gender restrooms…
HB 5188 – MANDATED COMPREHENSIVE SEX ED. Over 70% of school districts have made public their intent to not serve up comprehensive sex education curricula to minor children after the legislator passed a requirement that those schools that do teach comprehensive sex ed must align their standards with the pornographic National Sex Education Standards. So, what was the response in Springfield by the radical Democrats? MAKE IT MANDATORY. It is an affront to parents, local control, and common decency. As of Jan 7, Bill before Illinois Senate would make sex ed mandatory in public schools, but allow students to opt out
I asked DPI how they came to be involved in the race. Their executive director told me this…
As to how we came to this point with these three candidates in Champaign County, across this whole program, we’ve been very thoughtful about sourcing local feedback and very deferential to understanding of nuances from our stakeholders on the grounds. And from the start of this program, our stakeholders in Champaign County have made it clear that these three candidates are running with bad intentions and are very much in support of that same framework that some of these other extreme organizations are.
I asked if the stakeholders were teachers unions…
Yeah, our party stakeholders. So if across this program and across the state in any instance where we’ve identified a candidate that we had an inkling was running for and in support of this extreme right wing agenda, we worked hard to source information from our apparatus at the local level. So precinct captains, township committees, county chairs any of our our most engaged Democratic grasstops folks on the ground. Because you can’t know everything when you’re operating statewide, so we’ve just been very deferential to local information.
* And DPI also sent me this…
These candidates all emphasize teaching the “basics”- commonly used language by those who support limiting the scope of inclusive curriculum. It’s a dog whistle employed by known extremist candidates and organizations including Darren Bailey (“I believe we need to back up and start teaching reading, writing and math skills”). This is their playbook for implying that schools/teachers are pushing a social agenda by teaching LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum or certain discussions of historical racism that they label “CRT.”
When asked “Do you support censoring books or topics pertaining to racial justice, critical race theory, or LGBTQ issues?” each candidate gave caveats for removing certain books. While they state they wouldn’t support “banning books” they point to scenarios in which books should be evaluated for context or age appropriateness- the same arguments that extreme groups use to justify censoring books they disagree with.
Mark Thies: Expresses concern about “age appropriateness” of books
Mark Holm: Supports a committee to review books for “age appropriateness”
Jeffrey Brownfield: Says that if people have concerns about books that should be elevated and evaluated and sometimes we should keep them and sometimes we shouldn’t
The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that gives financial protection to children whose parents make money posting videos of them on social media. […]
Senate Bill 1782 was introduced by Democratic Sens. David Koehler, of Peoria, and Linda Holmes, of Aurora, but it underwent significant amendments before passing the Senate. Koehler said if the bill is signed into law, Illinois would be the first state in the nation to enact such legislation.
The final version would provide that if a minor is featured in at least 30 percent of a vlogger’s revenue-generating video during a 30-day period, then the minor is entitled to a share of the revenue. That money would have to be set aside in a trust fund that the minor could access after they turn 18.
It would also require the vlogger to report periodically to the Illinois Department of Labor the names and ages of any minors engaged in the work of vlogging, the number of vlogs that generated compensation, and the number of minutes each minor was featured in the vlogs. It would also give minors the right to sue if a vlogger knowingly or recklessly fails to set aside the minor’s earnings in a trust account.
* Senate Bill 1508 also passed unanimously out of the Senate. WAND…
The Illinois Senate approved a plan Wednesday to help people who may become addicted to mobile sports betting.
Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) said his proposal requires sports betting companies to display a message to people at least once every hour noting how much money they have wagered since logging on.
The alert would also include a hyperlink to websites and phone numbers for assistance with gambling addiction.
Cunningham noted that the state is making roughly $1 billion per year off betting.
“I think we would all acknowledge that that brings with it some responsibility for those of us who are policymakers,” Cunningham explained. “And I think that we need to ensure that part of that responsibility is making sure people who have problems with gambling can easily get help.”
* Sen. Robert Peters…
To address employment barriers for individuals impacted by the justice system, State Senator Robert Peters passed legislation to help those previously convicted of a felony to seek an occupational license to perform non-gaming related services at a casino.
“The amount of financially realistic employment opportunities for individuals impacted by the justice system are few and far between,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “Connecting those with prior justice system involvement with employment by allowing them to perform functions in a casino that do not involve gaming ensures financial stability and decreases the likelihood of backsliding into the justice system.”
Senate Bill 1462 also allows the Illinois Gaming Board to consider an applicant’s criminal record, reputation, associations and activities that could potentially threaten the integrity of the gaming institution. […]
Senate Bill 1462 passed the Senate Wednesday and will now head to the House floor for further consideration.
The Pierce twins, Phallon and Kyra, wrote legislation last year that passed the Illinois House but failed in the Senate. […]
The twins have teamed up with state Representative La Shawn Ford to introduce House Bill 2401, which would require school districts to include authors from all ethnicities and backgrounds in reading assignments for grades kindergarten through 12th.
“We want to make sure that everybody knows that it’s not a book ban. It’s simply adding books and adding context with books that kids are reading in schools,” said Phallon and Kyra.
In addition to writing “The Pierce Twins Bills”, the young ladies have started “Positive Change Charities” which has donated more than 2,000 books over the last two years to underfunded school libraries.
* SB1909 will head to the Senate floor for further consideration…
In continuing the fight for reproductive rights for women, State Senator Celina Villanueva passed legislation that prevents crisis pregnancy centers from using deceptive practices that interfere with women’s health care decisions.
“We must ensure that women who are seeking reproductive health care are protected from deceptive and misleading practices,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “At a time when they are already vulnerable, they must have peace of mind that they won’t be taken advantage of. Health care – in all forms – should be safe and transparent.”
Senate Bill 1909 prohibits the use of deceptive practices to interfere with an individual seeking to gain entry or access to the provider of an abortion or emergency contraceptives, induce an individual to enter a limited services pregnancy center, in advertising, soliciting, or otherwise offering pregnancy-related services, or in providing pregnancy-related services.
While crisis pregnancy centers may advertise themselves as health care clinics, many of these facilities provide very limited services, such as basic ultrasounds and counseling intended to discourage and limit access to abortion. Some centers are located near clinics that provide comprehensive reproductive health care and use names similar to these clinics in order to misdirect patients. Many provide misleading information overstating the risks associated with abortion, including conveying false claims that abortion causes cancer or infertility.
* Sen. Dave Koehler…
State Senator Dave Koehler led a measure through the Senate to create awareness of the history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois.
“Our state has a lot of history with the Underground Railroad,” said Koehler (D – Peoria). “Illinois played a huge role in the path toward freedom. Through a new task force, we will map the search for freedom and justice for African Americans throughout the 1800s.”
Senate Bill 1623 would create the Underground Railroad Task Force. The group would develop a statewide plan to connect existing local projects and new projects to create a cohesive statewide history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois, while developing new educational and tourism opportunities.
The task force would identify where historical sites are located, connections they may have to one another, and will paint a picture to recognize the history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois. It would also introduce educational and tourism opportunities throughout the state. […]
Senate Bill 1623 passed the Senate Wednesday. It now heads to the House for further consideration.
After an Illinois Republican lawmaker recently introduced a bill that would lower the state’s legal drinking to 18, an overwhelming number of Patch readers who responded to a poll last week on the subject opposed the measure.
Illinois State Rep. John Cabello (R-Freeport) introduced House Bill 4021 earlier this month. The bill would amend the Liquor Control Board’s Act of 1934, which established the legal drinking age at the end of prohibition.
More than 4,000 Patch readers responded to a poll last week which simply asked if the state’s legal drinking age should be lowered from 21 to 18. Of the 4,044 readers who responded to the non-scientific poll, 86.2 percent voted that the state’s drinking age should not be lowered, while the remaining 13.8 percent responded that 18-year-olds should be able to partake in alcoholic beverages.
* Bill-related…
State Rep. Cyril Nichols, D-Chicago, will be joined by House colleagues La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago and Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, at a press conference in the State Capitol Blue Room at 11:30am on Thursday, March 30 to discuss the new Higher Education—Procurement Subcommittee, of which Nichols has been appointed Chairman.
“Equity and inclusion need to be at the heart of everything we do, especially in an area like higher education, which is so fundamental to equality of opportunity and access to upward mobility,” Nichols said. “The work of this subcommittee will be instrumental in ensuring that procurement practices and programs throughout Illinois’ public institutions of higher learning are consistent with 21st century values of justice and fairness.”
“I’m glad to join this subcommittee and push for a more equitable procurement process in our higher education community,” Hernandez said. “Illinoisans are committed to our state being a nationwide leader in promoting diversity and fairness, and the formation of this subcommittee is another step in the right direction.”
“Rep. Nichols has a strong committee to push our colleges and universities to increase diversity in contracts for professional services and other procurement opportunities,” Ford said. “As Chairman of the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee, I’m setting this subcommittee and naming Rep. Nichols as chairman to meet with colleges and universities in Illinois so that we can lead the nation in contract opportunities to Black, Brown and women-owned businesses.”
Nichols said he expects the subcommittee’s work to focus at least initially on improving the collection and use of demographic data to examine existing procurement practices and uncover areas where change may be needed.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Post-presser meeting with Senate President Harmon…
*** UPDATE 5 *** OK, a prominent lobster is actually wearing it now, which is kinda hilarious but also a bit yucky, if you ask me…
I mean, check out the collar staining…
*** UPDATE 6 *** I hope it’s not driving…
…Adding… I think the shirt is heading north for spring break.
*** UPDATE 7 *** Rep. Kelly Cassidy took the shirt to Wally’s…
Rep. Marty McLaughlin happened to be at Wally’s at the same time, saw what was going on and said, “Hey, that’s my shirt.” He apparently dropped it the other night while helping a fellow legislator. It’s now back in the rightful owner’s hands…
* Patch | IL House Progressive Caucus Supports Key Legislation in Springfield: The Caucus is endorsing more than 20 House Bills that cleared the House last week and are now headed to the Illinois Senate for further consideration. If they pass the Senate, they only need Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature to become law later this year.
* Tribune | Gun rights advocates rally in Springfield, deride the ‘insanity’ of weapons ban passed by Democrats: Two days after an assailant gunned down six people at a school in Nashville, a couple hundred gun rights advocates were joined by a number of Republican lawmakers outside the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday to protest gun control measures such as the one passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature earlier this year.
* Crain’s | With a $150 million infusion, Illinois’ rainy day fund hits a record: Even as political pressure to boost spending grows, Illinois has taken another step to build up its cash reserves. Comptroller Susana Mendoza reports she transferred $150 million today into the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund, more commonly known as the rainy day fund. With the new money, the fund now has $1.22 billion set aside for a recession or other downturn — a new record.
* Tribune | Joliet prepares for Election Day amid warehouse boom, city hall turmoil, neighborhood concerns: As another massive warehouse complex takes shape in the area, Joliet’s courting of the booming logistics industry and the repercussions of those developments on formerly rural areas south of town loom large among the myriad issues facing Illinois’ third-largest city as its residents vote next week to decide a hotly contested mayoral race.
* WBEZ | Chicago’s next mayor needs to change this police PR ‘strategy’: WBEZ’s recently completed Motive podcast season tracked the lives and efforts of anti-violence workers on Chicago’s West Side. In the early stages of the project, WBEZ made multiple requests to CPD to also shadow police officers in their fight against violent crime. Those requests, repeated over the course of many months, went nowhere.
* Block Club | $3.8 Billion Bronzeville Lakefront Megadevelopment Breaks Ground At Former Michael Reese Hospital Site: Mayor Lori Lightfoot, outgoing Ald. Sophia King (4th) joined developers Zeb McLaurin and Scott Goodman, Plan Commissioner Maurice Cox and Transportation Commissioner Gia Biagi for the milestone event at Prairie Shores, 2937 S. King Drive. The hospital, which closed in 2009, once was eyed as a site for the athletes village when Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
* Tribune | Officer Rex Engelbert, Chicago native and ‘gentle giant,’ was part of team that took down school shooter in Nashville: Engelbert, an officer with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, was part of the five-person team that entered the small, private Christian school just south of downtown Nashville after receiving an active shooter call about 10:15 a.m., police spokesperson Don Aaron told The Associated Press. Hearing shots being fired on the second floor of the building, two officers opened fire in response, killing the shooter about 10:27 a.m.
Jeffrey M. Rush, the son of U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Chicago, was charged Friday with official misconduct after being accused of having sexual relationships with women who were inmates at the Aurora halfway house where he worked as a security supervisor.
Rush, 41, of Lake Zurich, was expected to appear in Kane County court Saturday, a day after surrendering at the county jail following his indictment by a grand jury. His bail was set at $500,000.
The Kane County state’s attorney’s office charged Rush with 47 counts for alleged inappropriate relationships with three inmates at the Fox Valley Adult Transition Center between February and June. The violations are Class 3 felonies, each punishable by a 2- to 5-year prison term.
Rush is alleged to have used his position to authorize additional release time for one of the inmates so she could meet him at Aurora motels. He also is alleged to have used his Illinois Department of Corrections vehicle to ferry her to and from the Aurora train station and to a local mall.
The son of U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush will spend six months in jail after pleading guilty to having sexual encounters with two female inmates and arranging encounters with another while serving as a state prison official.
* 2018…
"That's why he left," Madigan says. "The only thought I had was in a new administration, wouldn't the Department of Corrections have a lot of consulting contracts?" This is Bobby Rush's son they're talking about.
"I know we are more sensitive to it at the ComEd side," Marquez says on the video. "Because it's a reputation thing, it's not a policy thing. You could check with David (Fein). But in good conscience I can't."
Keep in mind that the first conversation was just a few months after Madigan and his operation endured one huge hit after another after another over sexual harassment issues. And yet, there he was.
Also, it made me kinda chuckle that Marquez was warning McClain about there being “no secrets” as he was recording the conversation on video for the FBI.
* SB0855 passed the Senate unanimously today. The bill is a direct response to the horrific revelations at Choate Developmental Center in Anna. The facility has a very real problem with employees covering up for fellow workers acused of abuse. So, if the bill passes the House and is signed into law, “material obstruction of an investigation” will be on the list of reportable conduct, which means the workers will be out of a job and won’t be allowed back into the system..
In provisions concerning investigative reports issued by the Department of Human Services’ Inspector General that pertain to allegations of resident abuse or neglect at State-operated mental health facilities, expands the list of reportable conduct to include material obstruction of an investigation by a facility employee. Requires the Inspector General to report to the Department of Public Health’s Health Care Worker Registry, the identity and finding of each employee of a facility or agency against whom there is a final investigative report prepared by the Office of the Inspector General containing a substantiated allegation of material obstruction of an investigation. Defines “material obstruction of an investigation” and “presenting untruthful information”. Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Prohibits mental health facilities or agencies that are licensed, certified, operated, or funded by the Department of Human Services from employing any person identified by the Health Care Worker Registry as having been the subject of a substantiated finding of physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, egregious neglect, or material obstruction of an investigation (rather than abuse or neglect of a service recipient). Amends the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Prohibits health care employers from hiring or retaining any individual in a position with duties involving direct care of clients, patients, or residents who has a finding by the Department of Human Services denoted on the Health Care Worker Registry of material obstruction of an investigation. Effective immediately.
Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza announced a $150 million payment into the State’s Budget Stabilization – also called the Rainy Day Fund – Wednesday, bringing the fund’s balance to a record-high level of $1.22 billion.
After today’s action, three more planned installments by the end of the Fiscal Year ’23 on June 30, will total $850 million as a part of the transfers approved by the General Assembly and Governor Pritzker in January.
Comptroller Mendoza has been a vocal advocate for reviving the Rainy Day Fund, which serves as the state’s main savings account and had been decimated during the 2015-2017 state budget impasse. In April 2018, the reserve account stood at just $48,327.53.
“As Comptroller, being responsible for managing the daily accounting of paying our state’s bills, it’s important we resist spending all the forecast revenue surplus on new spending. We must instead put as much as we can into the state’s reserves to prepare for economic downturns,” said Comptroller Mendoza.
Illinois has earned eight credit upgrades from the credit rating agencies since June 29, 2021 – the first upgrades in more than two decades. The rating agencies have cited the state’s efforts to build up its Rainy Day Fund.
“Building a robust emergency reserve account is responsible. And the credit rating agencies agree. They cited the state’s infusion into reserves as one reason for recent upgrades. Better credit ratings mean better rates on bonds, and that means more savings for taxpayers and better finances for the state overall,” Comptroller Mendoza said.
While these transfers into the Rainy Day Fund are a welcome boost, Comptroller Mendoza continues to call for more regular automatic deposits into the fund during strong economies, without having to depend on one-time infusions from future legislatures.
Comptroller Mendoza will continue to ask the General Assembly to pass provisions contained in HB2515 (Kifowit-McCombie), which has received bipartisan support and would require additional annual contributions into both the Rainy Day Fund and the Pension Stabilization Fund.
“Further saving and paying down our debts when the state can best afford it will better prepare us for the next fiscal downtown or crisis that may come through no fault of our own,” said Comptroller Mendoza.
Ingersoll Machine Tools’ “Rosenberg Moon Habitat” has won the 2023 Makers Madness contest put on by the Illinois Manufacturers Association.
The bracket-style tournament is used to find the coolest thing made in Illinois. […]
The “Rosenberg Moon Habitat” is a three-story 3D printed living space made to house a crew of two. It was designed by students at the Institut auf dem Rosenberg in St. Gallen, Switzerland and printed by Ingersoll’s MasterPrint 3D printer.
It is the world’s tallest single-piece 3D printed polymer structure, with a height of 23 feet, but a thickness of only 5 millimeters.
* WTTW | Owner of Bakery Targeted for Hosting Drag Shows Plans to Stay Open in a New Location: The owner of a suburban bakery targeted for hosting drag performances said she’s planning to stay in operation — and find a new home for her business within McHenry County. Earlier this month, UpRising Bakery and Cafe owner Corinna Sac announced she’d close down her Lake in the Hills business after months of harassment, protests and threats. The attacks came after the cafe announced plans last July to hold two family-friendly drag shows as part of an event series.
* ABC Chicago | Illinois to vote on Vietnam Veterans Day resolution on 50th anniversary of troops withdrawn: Down in Springfield, the House is expected to vote on a resolution, officially making Wednesday, March 29 “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day” in Illinois. […] Wednesday marks the 50th anniversary of when the last combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam in 1973. Nearly 3,000 of those killed in Vietnam were from Illinois.
* CNN | Illinois took action after the Highland Park shooting. But the assault weapon ban there still faces legal hurdles: As Nashville police left a news conference Monday, Ashbey Beasley unexpectedly moved in front of the still-live microphones and television cameras. Beasley then told her story: She and her son survived the Fourth of July parade mass shooting in her hometown of Highland Park, Illinois, last year, in which a gunman used an assault-style rifle to kill seven and injure dozens more people.
* WCBU | Some Peoria councilmembers call for a moratorium on development of carbon capture pipeline on the South Side: First District councilmember Denise Jackson, whose district includes the South Side, said she’s opposed to the project. “I have some grave concerns. It’s not just the South Side. But a project like this, with the potential for any type of problems could affect not only the South Side, but we’ve got East Peoria, we’ve got we’ve got downtown Peoria. It just depends upon the weather, and things of that nature,” she said.
* Shaw Local | What makes a politician ‘do the right thing’?: Does the name Bradley Tusk ring a bell? […] He’s been entirely off my radar, but on Thursday popped up as a guest on Mike Pesca’s “The Gist” podcast to discuss his work supporting anti-hunger advocacy. Tusk presents as someone who knows how government operates while bristling against those conventions, often finding himself at odds with people espousing policy goals because he isn’t a strict doctrinaire or partisan.
* WCIA | ‘Expect delays’, $63.5M IDOT project on I-74 begins next week near Danville: The $63.5 million project includes pavement and shoulder replacement, resurfacing and rehabilitation of multiple structures, pavement patching, drainage improvements, lighting upgrades, guardrail, and collateral work. The project will also require intermittent lane and ramp closures, and traffic flow modifications on I-74 during the project.
* Crain’s | These Chicago restaurants are James Beard Award finalists: Obelix, a new French spot in River North, was nominated for Best New Restaurant; Damarr Brown, chef de cuisine at Virtue in Hyde Park was nominated for Emerging Chef; and Sepia, a fine-dining spot in the West Loop neighborhood, was nominated for Outstanding Hospitality. Chicago has two nominees in the Best Chef in Great Lakes Region category: Tim Flores and Genie Kwon at Kasama, and Diana Dávila at Mi Tocaya Antojería.
* Brownfield AG News | Illinois Ag Day celebrated at State Capitol: House Ag Committee Minority Leader and Okawville Farmer Charlie Meier tells Brownfield it’s about celebrating the state’s number one industry. “We’re here to highlight it and let it be the backbone of Illinois the way it’s been the last 200 years.”
* This is what happens when your campaign only has enough money to run a single messaging track on broadcast TV…
Today, Brandon Johnson for Chicago released a new website, www.WrongForChicago.com, and digital ad detailing Paul Vallas’ long Republican history, his record of destruction and failure, his anti-working family policy platform, his questionable record on racism, and his concerning ties to right-wing extremists.
Vallas said the thing he loves about Chicago the most is its “diversity.” Johnson said it was, “the way the people of Chicago love one another.”
Asked what they hate about Chicago, Johnson said, “I don’t think there’s anything that I hate about the city of Chicago. There are some things that I wish would be better.” Vallas: “The same.”
What’s the first issue that you will fix in office? Vallas: “Public safety.” Johnson: “I want to restore confidence in government and the office of the mayor. I’m gonna fix that relationship.”
Cubs or Sox: Johnson, after a long pause: “Here’s the thing. We only had WGN growing up. How’s that?” Loud laughter ensued. Vallas wasn’t asked the question.
“He’s actually gonna retire with a teacher pension despite the fact that he’s only been a teacher for four years,” Vallas replied.
* Meanwhile, Brandon Johnson is a delegate to United Working Families, and when you click the “Volunteer” button on his campaign website, it takes you to a UWF page.
Johnson’s proposals to reinstate the city’s “Business Head Tax,” his hotel tax, his real estate transfer tax plan, his financial transaction tax, etc. all appear to have come from United Working Families’ Reimagine Chicago proposal.
Not to mention that the group really doesn’t like the police…
And it took Johnson four tries to answer a simple question about his past statements and actions on the topic…
🚨NEW: Brandon Johnson repeatedly refused to answer a question about defunding the police.@cbschicago asked Johnson the same question three times in a row.
Vallas was again confronted about his connection to Awake Illinois, a right-wing organization that has espoused anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. The candidate said he appeared at a fundraiser with Awake last summer only because he was invited by a pro-school choice friend, Chicago pastor Corey Brooks, and was unaware of the group’s history.
He also said during the debate about that appearance: “I should have done a better job vetting. I did apologize for that. And I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
Except that was the second time he spoke at an Awake Illinois event. The first time, in 2021, he said the group’s founder should run for governor. It’s quite amazing that nobody has really called him out on that.
Vallas was confronted a third time about associations with conservatives when moderators cited a 2021 interview he did with a radio show in which he said unspecific school curriculum inspired by critical race theory was harming families and taking emphasis off more important subjects.
The former CEO of Chicago Public Schools denied that and said, “I made no statements of the sort…”
Vallas: When you introduce a curriculum that is not only divisive, but a curriculum that further undermines the relationship of children with their parents, with their families, that’s a dangerous thing. And for White parents, I mean, how are you going to discipline your child when your child comes home and your child has basically been told, you know, that their generation, their race, their parents, their grandparents they have discriminated against others and they have somehow victimized another person’s race. Or for that matter, if you are a Black child, how do you go home and and listen to your parent when your parent has failed to be successful in addressing these historically racist institutional obstacles that have denied them a chance at equal opportunity. So I think it’s detracting from our need to focus on our core subject areas. It’s allowing us to avoid accountability in terms of the quality of our teaching the quality of our schools, and I think it’s not only divisive, but I think it does damage between the children and their own and their own parents, their own family and within their own families.
Wirepoints: Yeah, Paul, I often wonder if you’re a Black kid, why wouldn’t you become a criminal if you’re hearing this stuff in school? It’s everybody with white skin is an oppressor if you have black skin, you’re the oppressed. That makes it pretty easy to justify pretty bad conduct in my opinion.
Vallas: You’re absolutely right. But what you’re also doing, you know, you’re giving people an excuse for bad behavior.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | Johnson accuses Vallas of being ‘dismissive of a Black man’ in TV debate that features both vowing to unify Chicago: A debate that plowed a lot of old ground about the dramatic differences between Johnson and Vallas on public safety, public education and city finances turned personal when Johnson reiterated his claim that skipped pension payments during Vallas’ tenure as Chicago Public Schools CEO during the 1990’s set the stage for an avalanche of property tax increases in recent years. “They called it a holiday to make people feel good about it. But, it’s not a holiday. It’s a disaster. We’re talking about a $2.5 billion property tax bill that we are stuck with because he’s bad at it. He has failed everywhere he’s gone. But unfortunately, Paul Vallas continued to fail up. We can’t allow that to happen. The stakes are just too high,” Johnson said. Vallas countered that the pension fund holiday “actually happened in 2008 when I was in New Orleans.”
* Tribune | In race for mayor, Paul Vallas’ and Brandon Johnson’s campaign donors are as different as the candidates: While well more than half of Johnson’s cash since March 1 has come from CTU, other teacher union organizations or progressive unions, Vallas has received millions of dollars from Chicago and suburban business leaders. Some have ties to groups that back a state-sponsored scholarship program for private schools as well as leaders with interests in charter schools.
* Tribune | Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas spar at last televised debate before Election Day: ‘I’m criticizing his leadership ability’: Vallas was again confronted about his connection to Awake Illinois, a right-wing organization that has espoused anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. The candidate said he appeared at a fundraiser with Awake last summer only because he was invited by a pro-school choice friend, Chicago pastor Corey Brooks, and was unaware of the group’s history. “I immediately denounced them, and I criticized them and obviously I condemned them,” Vallas said. “I’ve had a lifelong history. I’ve supported marriage equality when it was called gay marriage in 2000.”
* Sun-Times | Dollars vs. decentralization: Johnson’s and Vallas’ vastly different fixes for CPS: Paul Vallas plans drastic changes to CPS’ structure, bolstering principals and local leaders’ power over spending and programming — and even the ability to let a charter school take over their campus. He would prioritize standardized testing and make it easier to hold students back a grade so they don’t graduate without necessary reading and math skills. “We should be running districts of schools, not school districts,” Vallas said. “I really believe in radical decentralization.”
* Block Club | Johnson And Vallas Say They’ll ‘Phase Out’ Speed Cameras In Final Televised Debate Before Election: “I’m for phasing them out if the Constitution allows us to,” Johnson said. “And if we can’t, wherever a speed ticket has been accumulated, or acquired, that ZIP code should get the revenue.” […] Vallas agreed Tuesday speed cameras should be eliminated for the most part, but he said he believes they do serve a purpose near schools, at least during school hours.
* WGN | Vallas, Johnson faceoff in final debate ahead of Chicago mayoral election: Brandon Johnson, who this week pledged not cut a single penny from the Chicago Police budget, was pressed about his past statements that he supports redirecting police funds. […] The candidates were asked to react to comments made by Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Union President John Catanzara who told the New York Times 800 to 1,000 Chicago officers will leave the force if Johnson is elected mayor. Catanzara is also quoted predicting there would be “blood in the streets.”
* ABC Chicago | Chicago mayoral poll shows tie between Paul Vallas, Brandon Johnson 1 week away from Election Day: Vallas also accused Johnson of being “largely funded by the Chicago Teachers Union” as he responded to questions about controversial comments made by Chicago Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara in the New York Times. […] “This is a critical moment where the type of fear and trepidation that’s being pushed on the other side, our message has been centered around hopes, and our hopes are turning into votes,” Johnson countered.
* Sophia King | Chicago needs collaborative leadership that will comprehensively tackle public safety: As a leader of one of the most diverse communities in our city, it is clear to me that we need a mayor who will focus on collaboration. Paul has demonstrated a willingness to soundboard ideas and shift his approach with the counsel of those who have the best interests of our city’s most vulnerable people at heart.
* Crain’s | Chicago schools are at a crossroads. The new mayor will determine the district’s next steps.: The Chicago Teachers Union’s current contract expires in 2024. If history is any guide, negotiations will begin this winter under the leadership of the new mayor. Two of the last three contracts were settled only after teachers went on strike, and the next mayor will be under considerable pressure to avoid another one. It’s clear from Johnson’s education platform that he would approach the demands of the teachers union as an ally.
* Block Club | Chicago’s Big Spenders: Here’s Who Is Paying Serious Cash To Shape The Next City Council: The analysis found more than $21 million has poured into City Council races, including $18 million in direct donations to candidates’ campaign funds and $3 million more spent independently by outside groups. The money has paid for a series of proxy wars, pitting longtime City Hall insiders or pro-business candidates against independents and progressives.
* Crain’s | Vallas: Make ‘the city that works’ work again: In a speech to the City Club of Chicago, Vallas, like rival Brandon Johnson did yesterday, summarized his major campaign themes in a final pitch before an audience of movers and shakers. And, like Johnson, he not only explained his plans, but also ripped his opponent, saying the policies of the two “could not be more dissimilar.”
* Block Club | As Outside Groups Spend Big To Back Kim Walz In 46th Ward Election, Campaign Contribution Cap Lifted: The limit on contributions to the campaigns — by individuals and organizations — were lifted after outside groups spent more than $100,000 on the 46th Ward runoff race, the threshold by which contribution limits are removed. By March 21, outside groups had spent at least $102,000 in the runoff that started after the Feb. 28 election — with all of it either in support of Walz or opposing Clay.
* Crain’s | Big TIF requests challenge Lightfoot’s LaSalle Street plan: The scale of taxpayer dollars needed for Lightfoot’s LaSalle Street Reimagined initiative raises key questions about where public resources should be allocated to try to hasten the Loop’s post-pandemic recovery. Lightfoot and her successor must try to restore foot traffic in the central business district with no promise that office users will ever again be enough to keep it healthy. Taxpayers have an interest, too, and a financial role to play to ensure that the heart of downtown isn’t beset by white elephant properties generating little tax revenue and potentially keeping businesses away.
* CBS Chicago | More and more migrants are seeking shelter in Chicago Police station lobbies: Police sources tell us as of now, almost every police station across the city at one point has had migrants seeking shelter in its lobby – with no place to sleep. Meanwhile still, Chicago is receiving record numbers of arrivals of migrants – and community groups are bearing the burden of it all.
Good morning! It’s a beautiful day in Springfield. Should be a busy one too. It’s both “Agriculture Legislative Day” and “Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day” at the Capitol. Of course, it’s also deadline week for the Senate. The building should be hopping today. #twillpic.twitter.com/ILjnzUjBU5
On Friday, March 24th, State Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) passed HB 559, the Healthcare Workforce Reinforcement Act out of the Illinois House. This bill is a critical piece of legislation to protect our healthcare workers and the delivery of healthcare as Illinois’ COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ends in Illinois on May 11. […]
“For the last three years, more than 25,000 out of state healthcare workers were able to practice in Illinois under the temporary COVID-19 licensure program put in place by Governor Pritzker’s administration,” said AJ Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association. “Representative Morgan’s creative legislation recognizes the valuable contributions these caregivers provided during the darkest days of the pandemic by offering each of them the opportunity to continue practicing in the state. On behalf of our member hospitals and the patients they serve, IHA commends Representative Morgan for taking an important first step in our collective efforts to sustain the state’s healthcare workforce.” […]
The Illinois State Medical Society supports those components of HB 559 that will foster a strong Illinois healthcare workforce and help ensure adequate access to care for Illinois patients.
The bill will now go back to the Senate, where State Senator Glowiak Hilton will work to get it agreed to in the Senate and sent to the Governor.
The Illinois House advanced a measure last week that would allow noncitizen residents who are currently eligible for a “temporary visitor driver’s license” to instead obtain a “standard” driver’s license that can be used as identification. […]
The measure, House Bill 3882, has support from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
“This legislation will make our roads safer and protects immigrants who are legally able to drive,” Giannoulias said in a statement. “As with all drivers, immigrants who drive in Illinois must prove they are safe, capable motorists in order to earn the standard driver’s license.” […]
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, characterized the bill as an attempt to “hide” a person’s status.
“I think the reality is we’re trying to turn undocumented individuals into documented individuals,” he said. “We have individuals who have come here outside of the legal process, and I know the legal process is broken. So why don’t we work on encouraging the federal government to actually do something to fix a broken system, instead of hiding the fact that it’s broken.”
Empower Life Center, founded in 2000 and run by the Peoria Rescue Ministries, is a crisis pregnancy center (CPC). Illinois is home to nearly 100 centers, usually nonprofit Christrian-based facilities offering ultrasounds, pregnancy testing and STI medication. […]
But these centers do not offer abortion services, medication or contraceptives — nor do they refer patients for these services.
And some state Democratic lawmakers say many of these centers use deceptive tactics to steer patients away from abortion-related services.
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn, and Sen. Celina Vilanueva, D-Chicago, introduced their own versions of legislation that would allow patients to sue if they believe a center deceived them. Specifically, if a center was found to have concealed or misrepresented facts with the intent to “to interfere with an individual seeking to gain entry or access to a provider of abortion or emergency contraceptive.” The bill would also allow a court to impose a penalty of up to $50,000 on a center. However, neither bills have reached the House or Senate floors for a full vote yet.
* Rep. Stephanie Kifowit…
As part of ongoing efforts to expand protections for victims of military sexual assault, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, has filed legislation for Illinois National Guard and reserve military service members have access to the same rights as civilian sexual assault survivors.
“Military sexual assault is a real problem that can have long-term safety risks and consequences for victims,” Kifowit said. “I have been focused on aligning our laws to ensure that survivors receive the protections they deserve, not just from a military tribunal, but from the state they live in as well.”
“Last May, I was proud to sign nation-leading legislation expanding protections for survivors of sexual violence in the military,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “House Bill 3103 builds on that critical work—ensuring that Illinois National Guard and reserve military service members have access to every right and protection as their civilian counterparts. Representative Stephanie Kifowit is a steadfast advocate for survivors of military sexual assault and I am so grateful for her leadership in introducing this vital bill.”
Kifowit’s House Bill 3103 clarifies that Illinois National Guard and reserve military service members who are the survivor of non-consensual sexual conduct and have received a military protective order are also protected under the state’s civil no contact and stalking no contact orders. Additionally, the bill requires a Staff Judge Advocate to obtain a survivor’s consent before filing a petition on behalf of the survivor in civilian court when pursuing:
- A no contact order under the Code of Criminal Procedure,
- A civil no contact order under the Civil No Contact Order Act, and
- A stalking no contact order under the Stalking No Order Act.
* Senate Bill 1543 passed the Senate and awaits further action in the House. Beverly Review…
State Sen. Bill Cunningham recently passed through the Senate a bill that aims to provide mental health support and education for law enforcement officers who are facing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“We are not passing any new mandate on law enforcement,” said Cunningham.
“We are creating a supportive resource that officers can utilize for specific traumatic situations and for PTSD.”
The statewide PTSD mental health coordinator will be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve for a term of four years. The coordinator will be responsible for providing resources, information and assistance to law enforcement officers who may be experiencing PTSD symptoms or other mental health issues related to their work.
* Sen. Robert Peters…
State Senator Robert Peters’ measure to expand on domestic violence laws is on its way to the House.
“Unclear language in current domestic violence laws are undermining victims instead of progressing social justice,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “Reexamining current domestic violence laws and improving protections for survivors of gender-based violence will undoubtedly root out loopholes that delay due process for survivors.”
Senate Bill 2260 builds on current domestic violence laws that created procedures to request resentencing for incarcerated survivors of domestic violence. Ambiguity in the language of current statutes has caused inconsistent interpretations and outcomes for survivors. […]
Senate Bill 2260 passed the Senate and will now head to the House for further consideration.
* Senate Bill 505 passed the Senate Health and Human Services committee and now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration…
To expand those eligible to serve as personal care providers to include guardians, kin or siblings, State Senator Javier Cervantes advances legislation through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday.
“Many Illinois residents who are disabled currently rely on a family member for personal care and assistance,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This legislation will support those who act as personal care providers for family members and will ensure any wages received will not decrease their loved ones’ benefits.”
Currently, a recipient’s spouse is the only eligible family member who can contract with the Department of Rehabilitation Services to serve as a personal assistant to a person with a disability, and that individual may not have more than $10,000 in assets in order to be eligible for the services. People who need home-based services can hire their own personal assistants to provide care in their home, based on their service plan developed in partnership with their DRS rehabilitation counselor.
Senate Bill 505 would allow guardians, kin and siblings to serve as personal assistants for their family member with disabilities. They would be able to provide services such as personal assistance, home-delivered meals, adult day care, respite care, home health services and supported employment services. Under this legislation, any wages earned by the employee would not count against the $10,000 asset limit required for disabled individuals to be eligible for the program.
“The pandemic was very disruptive to how we access food,” said Kelly Lay, of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. “Both how businesses get to you, but also how you get to the businesses.”
As pandemic restrictions kept people at home, many turned to delivery services for groceries and meals. While plenty of restaurants were able to weather the shutdowns by turning to take-out, cottage food producers didn’t have that option.
Under laws at the time, most producers were only allowed to sell their products at farmers markets. “So when the farmers markets closed, that really had a big impact on cottage food businesses,” Lay said.
Lay works with the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a non-profit organization that promotes local food systems. Beginning in 2021, Lay spearheaded a successful effort to reform cottage food law in the state. The Home-to-Market act introduced changes that create a far less restrictive framework for producers. […]
The legislation also brought changes to what kind of products can be sold by a cottage food business. Under the previous law, only items considered to be “non-hazardous” like jams, preserves, and baked goods were allowed. The list of allowed items has now expanded to include things like kimchi, pickles, and buttercream frosting.
* I saw this on Twitter, but a legislator also snapped a pic this morning outside the Capitol Building…
*** UPDATE 1 *** From comments…
A few minutes ago, the shirt had moved to cover the old drinking fountain next [to] the security station inside the East entrance to the Stratton Building.
* You can follow along with the trial all day by clicking here. Those ComEd folks would apparently do almost anything to keep Madigan happy…
Other requests illustrated the closeness of the McClain and Madigan’s family — as well as the pettiness of some of the requests made to Marquez. In one instance in 2012, Madigan’s daughter, Nicole, even emailed McClain about a power outage.
“F.Y.I. Dad asks that I send this email to you. Tiffany’s power went out,” she wrote.
McClain forwarded the email to Marquez. Later that day, he emailed Nicole back with good news:
“Power is back on. Fidel Marquez dropped and did… Enjoy.”
Marquez spoke to Pramaggiore by phone on Feb. 18, 2019. During the call, Pramaggiore suggested that Marquez delay any change in the arrangement. She told Marquez “we do not want to get caught up in a, you know, disruptive battle where, you know, somebody gets their nose out of joint.”
Pramaggiore attorney Scott Lassar predicted during opening statements that the recording of the call would exonerate Pramaggiore, who could be heard saying “oh my God” in the background as Marquez tells her about the history of the deal.
But Marquez denied to Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu that Pramaggiore expressed shock or surprise during the call. Nor did she later call for an investigation, Marquez said. But he said he took the reference to a person who could get “their nose out of joint” to mean Madigan.
During another meeting with McClain and Hooker, Marquez asked how “our friend” — Madigan — might react to the end of the arrangement.
Hooker’s response: “You’re not gonna do it? You’re not going to do something for me, I don’t have to do anything for you.”
* Jay Doherty gives Fidel Marquez the history of his involvement with ComEd. It’s a really interesting video…
* Mike McClain and Marquez meet at Saputo’s…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | ‘How else can we help you?’ Jurors hear and see Madigan’s vast patronage system inside ComEd: Former ComEd Vice President Fidel Marquez spent hours testifying Tuesday about how he and other ComEd executives fielded constant requests to find jobs for people he said were pushed for employment by Madigan, even when evaluations found their qualifications lacking. It would have been a “HUGE stretch” to offer a job to one candidate, one ComEd exec wrote in an email. Marquez said he waived GPA requirements for internship positions at ComEd because candidates came from Madigan’s power base in Chicago’s 13th Ward.
* Tribune | ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it with those guys’: Jurors see undercover videos of Michael Madigan associates in ‘ComEd Four’ trial: The FBI had instructed Marquez to ask Madigan’s associate, Michael McClain, what he should tell ComEd’s new CEO about their scheme to funnel payments to a roster of Madigan-approved allies through a consulting company owned by Jay Doherty, a longtime ComEd contract lobbyist. Marquez’s hidden recorder was rolling as McClain munched on pizza at Saputo’s, a popular restaurant in Springfield frequented by the political crowd — including Madigan himself.
* Crain’s | Government mole’s undercover videos star in ‘ComEd Four’ proceedings: In between large bites of pizza, McClain advised Marquez, “I would say to you, don’t do anything in writing.” McClain offered to meet with Dominguez himself to explain how these payments were important to keeping in Madigan’s good graces. Marquez said he’d prefer to do it himself. Last up was Doherty on Feb. 13 in a clip showing that, at the very least, Marquez had mastered the wire technology the FBI had given him. Doherty went through his long history with ComEd, saying at one point, “This is just you and me talking. This (approach with the no-work lobbying subcontractors) all came from McClain, Hooker and Frank.”
* ABC Chicago | Secret recordings of utility exec, Springfield operative played in court: “Do they do anything for me on a day-to-day basis? No,” Jay Doherty said during a February 13th meeting. “My bottom line advice would be ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ with those guys.”Doherty went on to tell Marquez to remind the new CEO that their money comes from Springfield. By March, the subcontractor budget had been approved.
* Hannah Meisel | ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’: Secretly recorded videos show ComEd lobbyists discussing alleged bribery scheme: “John Hooker calls and said, ‘Jay, I got a sub(contractor) for you…Olivo,” Doherty recalled. “‘We’re going to pay him every month and you just —’ Doherty held up four fingers to indicate the $4,000 monthly stipend Olivo would be paid out of what would eventually become Doherty’s $37,000 per month lobbying contract with ComEd. Doherty would eventually add two of Madigan’s top precinct captains from the speaker’s 13th Ward political base on Chicago’s southwest side: Ray Nice and Ed Moody, at $5,000 and $4,500 monthly, respectively. Zalewski was the last addition after his retirement from the Chicago City Council in the summer of 2018, at $4,000 per month.
* NBC Chicago | Jurors See Bodycam Video for State’s Star Witness in ‘ComEd 4′ Trial: As a new CEO was about to take over, government wiretaps played for the jury Monday showed a level of concern about the costs of the program even as Mike McClain and Anne Pramaggiore discussed the hiring for former Chicago Ald. Mike Zalewski. “We got a lot of people hanging out there,” Pramaggiore said. “Is there anybody who, you know, we could sort of take off the roster?” According to Marquez, the so-called “contract lobbyists” did little to no work but were requested by Madigan’s office.
Dick Durbin. Jesse White. Bobby Rush. Sophia King. Silvana Tabares. All of these Democratic leaders and more are supporting our campaign, because they know that I will be a Mayor for all of Chicago. pic.twitter.com/h7AbRFRFam
* Bears owe it to their fans to consider Arlington Park stadium : Exploring the construction of a stadium in Arlington Heights is something the Bears “owe to their fans,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday at the conclusion of the league’s annual meetings. The Bears closed on the 326-acre former Arlington International Racecourse property last month and will decide whether to pursue building a stadium — in addition to hotels, shops and restaurants — on the property.
* Crain’s | Chicago parks look for outside help to put sex abuse scandal and maybe the Bears in the rearview: In a somewhat unusual step, the Chicago Park District announced that it’s seeking one or more consultants to help it “develop and support a new strategic plan.”"Chicago parks are critical to the overall health and vitality of our city and millions of families, residents and visitors (and) look to provide vital services and experiences that improve their quality of life,” parks CEO Rosa Escareño said in a statement. “This strategic plan will ensure we are prepared to meet the needs of our patrons well into the future.”
* Beverly Review | Gill selected as new state representative: Mary Gill, the current executive director of the Mt. Greenwood Community and Business Association (MGCBA), has been appointed as the new state representative She will succeed Fran Hurley, who resigned Feb. 28 to take a position with the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
* Illinois Newsroom | Danville could soon have an abortion provider, but opponents are pushing back: Abortion rights opponents said the clinic’s location in an Illinois city bordering Indiana could be used to provide abortions to people in both states. “She’s interested in drawing women from Indiana,” Mary Kate Zander, the executive director of Illinois Right to Life, said of the abortion provider planning to open in Danville. “She is disinterested in serving the people of this area.”
* WBEZ | Illinois Democratic lawmakers want to crack down on ‘crisis pregnancy centers’: Megan Jeyifo says she often works with patients coming from CPCs. She is the executive director of the Chicago Abortion Fund, a nonprofit that connects individuals seeking abortion care with resources like travel and lodging accommodations. She recalled one mother from Wisconsin who was looking for an abortion clinic for her 15-year-old daughter, when they walked into a CPC instead. “When her child was in the room, they showed her pictures of the ultrasound that she didn’t want to see. They told her information about the pregnancy that she didn’t want,” Jeyifo said. “They prayed over her, they got her phone number, her email address and they were harassing the family for weeks after this happened.”
* Capitol News Illinois | Secretary of state backs proposal allowing noncitizens to receive standard driver’s licenses: To receive one, the individual must provide their U.S. immigration documentation or, if they don’t have that, a passport or consular card. They must also prove they have automobile insurance. According to the secretary of state’s office, more than 300,000 people currently have a TVDL. Under the bill, these would remain valid driver’s licenses but the secretary of state would no longer issue new ones.
* Sun-Times | Young people in Chicago aren’t voting. Here’s why: “Without knowing Chicago, it’s obvious to me that young people in that city don’t feel empowered by their governance,” said Della Volpe, whose book, “Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America,” came out last year. To turn out young voters, Della Volpe said the first part of the equation is “they need to have trust or faith in the political system, that their vote could actually make a difference, changing their lives and changing the lives of those who they care about.”
The Sanctuary Cities For the Unborn initiative is also trying to help residents draft an ordinance to block the clinic from opening. Pastor and anti-abortion advocate Mark Lee Dickson of Texas said there are 65 cities and two counties across the country that have passed ordinances prohibiting abortion within their jurisdiction.
“Ladonna Prince in Indianapolis, Indiana wants to set up here in this city,” Dickson said. “Well, the voice of this city is loud and they’re saying, ‘Not on our watch.’”
The state’s Reproductive Health Act preempts more restrictive local ordinances, but there’s always the zoning process. Expect a legal fight if either happens…
Under the RHA, a person can sue the State of Illinois or local governments like cities and counties if they improperly deny, interfere with, or discriminate against the person’s fundamental rights to make their own reproductive health decisions.
* DPI…
Infamous grifter and Florida resident Dan Proft recently released a list of candidates to support in the April 4 Illinois municipal elections. Proft, known for distributing right-wing propaganda designed to mislead voters, once again thinks he can prop up his own radical agenda through deceit. Proft’s “newspapers,” distributed throughout Illinois, routinely spewed racist, homophobic rhetoric that his endorsed candidates will no doubt bring to local school boards if elected.
While the extreme views of candidates on the ballot in April are sometimes harder to spot than those of Proft’s once preferred gubernatorial nominee, Darren Bailey, the same network of external power players has banded together to impart regressive policies that will hurt Illinois’ students. Since voters already rejected their extreme vision for Illinois last November, Proft and his allies are now using a different strategy to effect the same backwards agenda.
“Candidates who would align themselves with proven far-right zealots like Dan Proft and Dick Uihlein are unsuited to represent the interests of students, parents, and teachers in Illinois. Having tried and failed to influence the outcome of statewide elections in 2022, these bad faith actors have returned to seize power through supposedly nonpartisan candidates,” DPI Executive Director Ben Hardin said. “Now, they cower behind buzzwords like ‘parental rights’ and ‘pro-family,’ but they’re working from the same playbook, and voters deserve to know who’s really on their ballots.”
In response to organized efforts by these extreme organizations, the Democratic Party of Illinois has launched an unprecedented program to identify and prevent fringe candidates from being elected to local boards. DPI is opposing candidates backed by known far-right organizations as well as those who have embraced values and policies that contradict those of the Party including banning books, blocking full spectrum sex education, teaching revisionist history and ignoring public health. To identify candidates that DPI is recommending or opposing, voters can visit DefendOurSchoolsIL.com.
With a week before the election for the [Wisconsin] Supreme Court, liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz continues to eclipse her conservative opponent Dan Kelly in fundraising — this time with the help of three billionaires who have each given $1 million to the state Democratic Party. […]
Billionaire financier George Soros donated $1 million the state Democrats on Feb. 22, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave $1 million on March 14 and Tulsa philanthropists Stacy and Lynn Schusterman made four donations in March totaling $1 million. […]
“George Soros and J.B. Pritzker’s million-dollar contributions underscore that Protasiewicz will simply be a progressive rubber stamp,” said Rachel Reisner, spokeswoman for the state Republican Party. “They’ll drop whatever cash needed to buy her a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat because her pro-criminal record aligns with their agenda.”
GOP megadonor Liz Uihlein, an Illinois resident who co-founded the Pleasant Prairie-based shipping supply giant Uline, donated $500,000 to the state Republican Party on March 10 — the most of any individual. Her husband, Dick Uihlein, is supporting Fair Courts America, a super PAC that has spent nearly $5 million in 2023 on ads to boost Kelly. Dick Uihlein has donated $4 million of that total.
* Press release…
Seizing the opportunity to capture the billions of dollars of federal and private investment in science, technology and climate initiatives, Governor JB Pritzker, in partnership with P33,the Civic Committee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, is launching Innovate Illinois, a diverse coalition of business leaders, higher education institutions, and elected officials to coordinate the state’s efforts to secure funding through the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“With the formation of Innovate Illinois, we are launching a first of its kind effort to bring federal dollars to Illinois and strengthen the state’s long-term economic vitality for generations to come,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We are uniquely positioned to leverage our innovation hubs, public and private universities, and national laboratories to provide 21st century opportunities for our state’s workers, scientists, and businesses. With this effort, Illinois will accelerate an innovation-driven economic development plan and usher in a new era of scientific and technological progress.”
“Given the enormous capability and innovative nature of the companies and institutions within our state, this powerful coalition positions us to compete aggressively for Federal and private resources that will help us make critical technology advances and inclusively grow our economy,” said Jennifer F. Scanlon, President and CEO of UL Solutions Inc., board member of P33 and Chair of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago. […]
The coalition will be chaired by Governor Pritzker, and vice-chaired by Jenny Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer of UL Solutions and Civic Committee Chair, and Robert Jones, Chancellor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. US Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth will serve in advisory roles. In addition, Innovate Illinois will include a broad coalition of members representing state and local economic development partners, including the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, World Business Chicago, and Intersect Illinois; higher education institutions including the University of Illinois system, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and our state’s Community Colleges; as well as private sector representation through business CEOs, the Civic Committee, and P33. This collective effort will bring together the relevant expertise and capacity to pursue specific grant opportunities in a coordinated way with rigor and focus on priority areas, including science, transportation, innovation and technology where Illinois has a competitive advantage and is well positioned to win. The initiative will serve as the “front door” for businesses who would like to partner with the state and education system for research, technology, and workforce development for innovation-related federal grant opportunities.
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 12 attorneys general, today called for nationwide restrictions on the use of sulfoxaflor, a chemical pesticide that is extremely toxic to bees and other pollinators. The coalition, comprised of some of the nation’s leading agricultural producers, depend on pollinators to sustain their crops and natural ecosystems.
In a letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Raoul and the coalition warned that the unrestricted use of sulfoxaflor could have devastating effects on pollinators, ultimately harming the economy and endangering the nation’s food security. Raoul urged the EPA to adopt reasonable restrictions on sulfoxaflor’s use and support further research into the pesticide’s potential impacts on human health and the environment.
“We must do what we can to protect pollinators, which are critical to Illinois agriculture,” Raoul said. “I am urging the EPA to ensure restrictions on the use of sulfoxaflor are in place to keep Illinois crops and natural ecosystems healthy.”
The EPA previously faced lawsuits challenging its attempts to lift needed restrictions on sulfoxaflor and allow the pesticide’s use in controversial ways — without consulting the public or considering the pesticide’s effects on endangered species. In December 2022, the lawsuits were successful, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ordered the EPA to immediately correct various legal violations. As a result, in February 2023, the EPA published a notice seeking public comment on the use of sulfoxaflor.
Raoul and the coalition’s letter provides important state input in response to that notice. It asserts that the represented states together produce 37% of the nation’s crops and play a key role in American food security and resilience. Illinois and the coalition states are the leading national producers of a wide variety of crops, such as pumpkins, apples, almonds, lettuce, hops, beets, tomatoes, coffee and oranges. The states also have extraordinary natural resources and ecosystems, and are home to a variety of threatened and endangered species and critical habitats. All of this relies on pollination by insects such as bees.
To prevent harm to these necessary pollinators, Raoul urges the EPA to:
• Restrict the use of sulfoxaflor when crops are blooming and pollinators are present.
• Reimpose a required buffer zone between sprayed sulfoxaflor and blooming
vegetation.
• Encourage field owner collaboration to ensure sulfoxaflor is not applied before or during a period when managed pollinators are nearby.
• Support further research into sulfoxaflor’s impacts on the environment and on humans; remain vigilant about its potential harms.
In issuing the letter to the EPA, Attorney General Raoul joined the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
* Daily Herald | ‘A positive sign’: Community colleges see continued enrollment growth: For the first time since 2010, community colleges saw an average 7.2% increase in spring enrollments, according to a recent report from the Illinois Community College Board. In the fall, the ICCB reported an average year-over-year increase of 1.5% in student enrollment.
* Chicago Tribune | Evanston Police Department looks to restrict abortion investigations: The Evanston Police Department is looking to provide enhanced reproductive health protections by vowing to restrict outside agencies from investigating reproductive health issues within EPD’s jurisdiction, Commander Ryan Glew told City Council on March 27.
* SJ-R | Senate Democrats push bill calling for $35 monthly cap for insulin: While nearly identical to the House version, Murphy said her bill differs from Guzzardi’s since it creates a prescription insurance program administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This program, already administered in Utah, would permit individuals to purchase insulin at a discounted rate.
* Capitol News Illinois | Advocates urge regulators to reject natural gas rate increases: “I need the ICC to say no. Don’t raise these prices. Our paychecks are not going up, but our bills are,” Carroll said. “We can’t afford it. The reality of it is we can’t afford it. I have my granddaughters at home and when they go to bed, they have to put on their onesies with socks just so I can manage. Is that fair to them? No. But I can’t do anything about it. I can’t afford it.”
* Insha Rahman | Bail reform is the solution we need to bring about safety and justice: Why does support for bail reform remain high despite the relentless attacks? It’s not because people do not care about safety. Crime is a top concern for many Illinoisans. That’s true across the country, as both fear of crime and fearmongering about crime have increased in recent years, the Pew Research Center reported in October. Support remains strong because people know that we urgently need change. And they know that the Pretrial Fairness Act and other bail reform measures across the country align with common sense on what makes communities safe and brings more justice to a system that has for too long failed to deliver on it.
* Press release | Lawyers and Legal Workers for Brandon Johnson: We, the undersigned members of Chicago’s civil rights, labor, employment, and progressive legal community are proud to endorse Brandon Johnson for Mayor of Chicago. We have dedicated our lives to making Chicago a more just and equitable City. Brandon Johnson is the only candidate in this race with both the experience and the platforms that will move this entire city and particularly its Black, brown, and under-resourced communities, closer to the promise of justice for all.
* Crain’s | What the candidates told us about the real estate transfer tax: Vallas said he believes the solution lies in “streamlining the system” to facilitate development of large numbers of housing units not only for homeless people, but also for victims of domestic violence who often get returned to the homes where their abuse took place, and for people returning from incarceration.
* Daily Herald | Most — but not all — District 64 candidates supported COVID-19 orders for masking and more: Some parents and community members implored board members to end masking rules and other policies aimed to stop the spread of the disease in schools. In September 2021, two parents who were forced to pull their three children from school because the kids hadn’t quarantined after a trip abroad sued the district.
* Bloomberg | U.S. risks another baby formula crisis, ex-FDA official tells Congress: The industry has been under scrutiny since Abbott Laboratories, the biggest maker of infant formula for the US market, withdrew products including bestselling Similac last year after reports of illness and deaths among a few babies who had consumed it. The recall left parents across the country scrambling to find supplies and forced the US to expand its sources of the products.
* Crain’s | Chicago home price growth tops national rate for the first time in years: The region’s new, better-than-average status is partly the result of West Coast real estate markets turning negative and pulling down the national figure. Nevertheless, it’s clear evidence the Chicago-area housing market remained more resilient than those in many other big cities, if only because it didn’t fizz into bubble territory along with them during the housing boom of the early 2020s.
* Tribune | Lollapalooza has daily lineup, with tickets on sale Wednesday: Billie Eilish headlines opening night Thursday, with Karol G. Then Kendrick Lamar and The 1975 are the big acts for Friday. ODESZA and the return of Tomorrow X Together are Saturday, and Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lana Del Ray close out the festival Sunday.
* WIFR | Illinois unclaimed property to be auctioned online: More than 500 unclaimed property items will be available to the highest bidder Monday, April 3 through Friday, April 7 through the Illinois State Treasurer’s office. Items considered for auction are surrendered to the office after remaining untouched and unclaimed for several years.
Secretary Giannoulias Announces Coffee Station Opening at Capitol Building Elm City Roastery will serve coffee
Pastries from Three Twigs and Co.
Who: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias
Elm City Roastery staff
What: Secretary Giannoulias will join employees from Elm City Roastery at their grand opening at the Illinois State Capitol Building. The coffee station will be located on the second floor, south hallway, of the Illinois State Capitol.
Where: Illinois State Capitol Building
Second Floor South Hallway
Springfield
When: Wednesday, March 29 at 10:00 a.m.
Why: Secretary Giannoulias’ office, which maintains the Illinois Capitol Complex, issued a solicitation requesting bids to open the first-ever independently and locally owned and operated coffee station in the Illinois Capitol Building. Elm City Roastery was the winning bidder.
“This is a great opportunity to promote local businesses while also serving top-notch coffee and pastries to Capitol Building visitors, legislators, staff, media and lobbyists,” said Secretary Giannoulias. “I encourage everyone working or visiting the Capitol to stop by the second-floor coffee station and support this local business.”
Yeah, the old Rathskeller was dingy. But it was also handy. We’ve needed something in the Statehouse for a very long time.
* These numbers from BSP Research are not only old, but the poll was taken over an unusually long period, March 15-23. It sure took them long enough to release the results…
With one week remaining until Chicago’s mayoral runoff election on April 4, Northwestern University’s Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy (CSDD) and a coalition of Black and Latino nonprofits released the results of a second nonpartisan poll showing candidates Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas in a neck-and-neck race to the finish line.
Overall, the choice among voters is evenly split between Vallas and Johnson, with each candidate earning 44% of the overall vote, with 12% undecided.
When broken down by race/ethnicity, Black registered voters favor Johnson by a wide margin. Fifty-five percent have decided to vote for or lean toward Johnson, versus 28% favoring Vallas. Among Latino registered voters, 46% favor Vallas, while 35% prefer Johnson. Registered white voters are the most split between candidates with 51% voting for or leaning toward Vallas and 42% for Johnson. One interesting finding is that one-third of Latinos think Vallas also may be Latino.
* Because the horserace numbers are relatively old, let’s look beyond them to some issues…
The poll found that reducing crime is far and away the most important issue, with 50% of registered voters saying it is an important issue. Likewise, across race/ethnicity, 49% of Latino, 53% of Black and 50% of white voters cited crime as the most important issue. There were substantial differences across age, with 80% of registered voters over 65 years of age saying reducing crime is an important issue and 31% of 18- to 29-year-old voters saying it is an important issue.
Despite the concern over crime, 30% of Black voters said police reform was the second most important issue. Among Latinos and whites, 35% of Latinos and 31% of whites said the rising cost of living was the second most important issue.
* Vallas voters and leaners were asked: “Here is a list of reasons why people may vote for Paul Vallas. For each, tell us whether this factor was VERY important, somewhat important, or not important at all in your decision to support him”…
Preferred characteristics: The survey also asked about important characteristics in supporting a candidate for mayor. For voters overall, the top two characteristics were being progressive and fighting for progressive issues (37%) and experience as an elected official (36%). Another strong preference among Latinos is that “the candidate truly understands their community (35%).”
Lastly, the poll shows high levels of perceived commonality by Black and Latino voters. When asked how much they think Latino and Black voters have in common, 75% of Latino registered voters said they had a great deal or a fair amount in common. Among Black registered voters, 73% said they have a great deal or a fair amount in common.
After adjusting for inflation, state funding for Illinois colleges and universities has fallen by nearly 50% since 2000, while tuition has more than doubled, making it increasingly difficult for students from low- and middle-income families generally, and Black and Latinx students specifically, to afford getting a higher education degree.
Despite growing evidence that a college degree is more important than ever for success in the labor market and in spite of recent funding increases, the report finds that, after inflation, Illinois’ General Fund support for Higher Education has declined significantly over the last two decades, and is 46 percent less now in real terms than in 2000.
To help make up for that loss of General Fund support, the average annual student tuition and fee cost of attending a public four-year university in Illinois increased by 115 percent—after inflation—between 2000 and 2021.
As I’ve said many times before, 2001 was Illinois’ budgetary high-water mark. Then came the 9/11 crash, followed by the 2008 crash and three governors in a row who weren’t serious about doing things like properly funding higher ed.
To ensure that Illinoisans in need of insulin have affordable access to the life-saving medicine, the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus is leading a measure to cap its price at $35.
“It’s vital we make insulin more accessible to the people who need it,” said State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “It’s past time to put people’s health ahead of financial gain.”
Building off their 2019 efforts to cap the price for a 30-day supply of insulin at $100, the Senate Democrats are spearheading a measure to cap the price at $35. Recently, drugmakers announced their new $35 threshold, leading Murphy – the chief sponsor of the bill – and her colleagues to enshrine the price into law in case the companies choose to raise the price in the future.
“This has the opportunity to provide much needed relief to many people in our state who rely on insulin to survive,” said State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea). “It is time for Illinois to lead the way in making healthcare more affordable and accessible for all.”
In addition to capping out-of-pocket insulin costs, the measure would also outline a plan to ensure that residents in urgent need of insulin are able to receive it in a timely manner. […]
Senator Murphy expects to call Senate Bill 1559 this week.
A bill to authorize a pilot wind farm in Lake Michigan just off of the south shore has resurfaced in Springfield and has picked up major political momentum, even though it could cost electric ratepayers $680 million in subsidies over the next 20 years.
Approved on a bipartisan 85-21 House vote, the measure would authorize creation of a 10- to 20-windmill facility several miles from Chicago’s lakefront and entitle the developer to $34 million in annual subsidies via a mandatory purchase deal with the Illinois Power Agency. […]
One major green group, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, remains opposed to the legislation, suggesting it would end up being an unwarranted boondoggle for some lucky developer.
The group’s legislative director, David McEllis, testified to a House committee that the proposal “could lead to future private developments in Lake Michigan,” that lake-based offshore wind “is unproven and expensive” and that the subsidy could result in “a significant utility rate increase to pay for a single unproven project.”
* AG Raoul…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced the Illinois House of Representatives on Friday passed his legislation to increase oversight of health care transactions, namely mergers and acquisitions that include health care facilities and large provider organizations, which can lead to higher prices for health care services while quality of care worsens or remains stagnant. […]
Specifically, House Bill 2222 would:
- Require health care facilities to notify the Attorney General within 30 days of a proposed merger or acquisition.
- Establish a premerger notification program at the state level for health care facility mergers.
- Better equip the Attorney General’s office with information necessary to determine whether a proposed transaction warrants an investigation and, when necessary, a challenge for anticompetitive conduct that could substantially lessen competition or harm the public or employees.
[Neelam Dhadankar of Access Living] joined a diverse coalition of organizations to deliver 2,000 petitions to the Illinois State Medical Society - urging them to support HB 2280 and SB 2427.
The two pieces of state legislation require “consistent cultural competency training” for all healthcare professionals.
“When you don’t make the effort to understand your patient, you are missing the whole point,” said Kristen Perez of the Illinois Nurses Association. […]
The Illinois State Medical Association declined our request for an interview.
But online, they listed the cultural competency bill as “one hundreds of onerous mandates on how physicians should practice medicine in Illinois” that they push back against every year.
* Press release…
Returning service members would be united with shelter pets under a new bill recently passed by state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield. […]
Benton’s House Bill 2500 would provide that animal control facilities and shelters shall not charge anyone who can prove they are an Illinois veteran an adoption fee for a dog or cat. Individuals would be allowed to adopt one animal this way every two years. The bill is modeled on a law that took effect in California in 2020. The bill now advances to the state Senate.
“Helping veterans adopt loving pets isn’t just a great way of helping them heal, it’s also a small way of giving back to them after everything they did for us,” Benton said. “Having a pet can be one of the most rewarding experiences everyday life has to offer, and don’t our veterans deserve that? Why should they pay a fee when they’ve already sacrificed so much for our country? For me, that’s really what it boils down to.”
On Friday, the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 2243. The bill sponsored by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Westchester would require the Illinois State Board of Education to develop a “comprehensive literacy plan.” […]
Deborah MacPhee, a researcher and professor at Illinois State University, said early literacy education has become politicized with debates taking place between competing systems of reading instruction.
MacPhee said she liked that the bill requires the plan to involve “education stakeholders.” She said this will contribute to the ongoing conversation around what sorts of educational programs. […]
The House passed a literacy bill later that Friday in a 68-35 vote. House Bill 3147 creates the Literacy and Justice for All Act which permits the state Board of Education to form a rubric for use of the school districts regarding evidence-based, culturally inclusive reading instruction and literacy plans.
* SB909 was referred to Assignments. Madeline Wood of United High School in Monmouth…
Racist incidents have happened and continue to occur across our state. In southern Illinois, protests erupted after a Marion track coach used racially motivated language against one of her student athletes. In Chicago at Jones College Prep, a principal was fired after defending a student’s Nazi imitation during the school’s Halloween event. A student in suburban Will County was racially harassed for five years, until students chased him with baseball bats and he transferred to a different school to seek safety.
When it comes to addressing racial harassment, words are not enough. A 2021 federal report found that hate crimes in schools increased 81%, with roughly half of those incidents related to race. A concrete and meaningful policy response is needed to change behavior in our schools.
That’s why a group of Illinois Teachers of the Year proposed the Racism-Free Schools Act. In simple terms, this bill provides the same kinds of protections to victims of racial harassment that have been extended to victims of sexual harassment for more than 40 years. The act provides clear language and policies to protect everyone involved, resolve incidents quickly, and repair the harm that occurred. By promoting clearer understanding, training for teachers, and age-appropriate communication to students, the bill promotes greater awareness of what racial harassment looks like. Preventing racist incidents will reduce racial trauma, all while improving students’ mental, social-emotional, and academic well-being. Additionally, racism-free schools will help combat the teacher shortage by making schools safer, more welcoming places for students and teachers of color.
These policies aren’t just for schools with diverse student bodies. They are just as important in a mostly white community like where I teach, because white students need to know how to interact appropriately with classmates, community members, and future colleagues who look different than they do.
* NY Times article on the Chicago mayor’s race quoting Chicago FOP President John Catanzara…
Mr. Catanzara is not lying low. He predicted that 800 to 1,000 Chicago police officers would leave the force if Mr. Johnson wins, adding to hundreds of vacancies already awaiting the next mayor.
“If this guy gets in we’re going to see an exodus like we’ve never seen before,” he said, predicting “blood in the streets.”
Are we at the “Before it’s too late” stage now?
…Adding… Par for the course…
Paul Vallas says he “condemns” these comments from John Catanzara and calls them “absolutely irresponsible.” https://t.co/Jqfs3A5pzr
…Adding… Saw this referenced on Twitter. It’s a Trib story from October of 2021 when Catanzara was fighting the vax mandate and predicted half the force would stay away from the job. Didn’t happen…
Two days earlier, he posted a video urging about 10,000 active officers to defy Lightfoot’s vaccination reporting requirement and brace for being sent home without pay. He also said he will sue the city to fight Lightfoot’s mandate.
Catanzara advised his members to report to work Friday with the assumption they would be sent home and said he would also forgo pay.
It is unclear how many officers will follow Catanzara’s directive, but he suggested the department could be operating at 50% capacity this weekend — a prediction Chicago police brass swatted away Thursday.
“Whatever happens because of that manpower issue, that falls at the mayor’s doorstep,” Catanzara said in his Tuesday video.
A task force appointed to study the decline of local journalism in Illinois and recommend ways to revive the industry meets for the first time Monday, March 27.
The task force is being led by State Senator Steve Stadelman, who passed legislation to establish the panel of frontline journalists and academics and who worked 25 years as an award-winning television reporter and news anchor before his election to the Illinois General Assembly in 2012.
“Newsrooms across the nation are shrinking, especially in smaller and more rural areas, and an alarming number have closed in the last decade,” Stadelman said. “When people don’t know what’s happening on their town councils and school boards, they can’t make educated decisions or hold public officials accountable.”
Stadelman’s legislation charges the 23-member task force with studying Illinois communities underserved by the news media, proposing public policy to strengthen local journalism and recommending ways to support private-sector or non-profit operating models. Members of the task force represent higher education including the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, news media including the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council and Illinois Press Association and government including the Illinois Municipal League.
“There needs to be a candid conversation about the future of local news and how its future will affect the lives of families across our state,” Stadelman said. “Although the outcome could be that state government has no role, I’m optimistic about Illinois coming up with creative solutions to keep journalism alive and keep our citizens informed regardless of their zip codes.”
* Members of the task force who participated yesterday…
1. Sam (Sammy) Fisher, Illinois Press Association
2. Tim Franklin, Northwestern Medill School of Journalism
3. Jesús Del Toro, Chicago Independent Media Alliance
4. Tim Myers, Illinois Broadcasters Association
5. Jenna Dooley, Illinois News Broadcasters Association
6. Jason Piscia, Public Affairs Reporting Program @ UofI S
7. Mark Jacob, Chicago News Guild
8. Dong Han, Appointee, Representative of the School of Journalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
9. Sen. Don DeWitte, Appointee, Senate Minority Leader
10. Rep. Dave Vella, Appointee, Speaker
11. Jordan Abudayyeh, Appointee, Governor
12. Sen. Steve Stadleman, Appointee, Senate Majority Leader
13. Christopher Willadsen, Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (CWA)
14. Josh McGee, National Alliance of Black Journalists
15. Julie Moore Wolfe, Illinois Municipal League
16. Adam Rhodes, Association of LGBTQ Journalists
17. Randy Eccles, Illinois Public Broadcasting Council
* The Question: Your ideas for reviving local journalism in Illinois? Make sure to explain. Thanks.
* Sun-Times | ComEd CEO ‘wanted to make sure that we did everything possible’ to earn Madigan’s favor, feds’ key witness testifies: Former ComEd executive turned government informant Fidel Marquez called his ex-boss a “close” and “personal friend,” then detailed how she funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to associates of former House Speaker Michael Madigan to stay on his winning side. The government’s star witness took the stand at the ComEd bribery trial on Monday as prosecutors presented FBI recordings and internal ComEd documents showing the money went to people who allegedly did no work for the utility company.
* Tribune | Feds’ star witness takes stand in ‘ComEd Four’ trial, testifying utility worked to gain leverage with Michael Madigan: The roster of “subcontractors” was curated by Madigan’s longtime confidant, Michael McClain, and read like a who’s who of Madigan’s vaunted political operation, including two legendary precinct captains, a former assistant majority leader in the House and two former Chicago alderman at the center of Madigan’s Southwest Side base of power, according to Marquez. Over the course of eight years, ComEd paid them hundreds of thousands of dollars, even though they had no particular expertise and ultimately did virtually no work for the utility. Some seemed to be downright incompetent, Marquez said.
* NBC Chicago | Prosecution’s Star Witness Takes the Stand in Trial of ‘ComEd Four’: Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet S. Bhachu wasted no time in asking Marquez, “Did you break the law during your employment Com Ed?” “Yes sir,” he said. “What crime was that?” Bhachu asked. “Conspiracy to commit bribery of Michael Madigan,” Marquez responded.
* Crain’s | Star witness, government mole Fidel Marquez takes stand in ‘ComEd Four’ trial: When Zalewski was added to Doherty’s payroll at $5,000 per month — Marquez asked McClain what he was thinking “numbers-wise” for Zalewski, and McClain responded with “5″ — Pramaggiore had to update Doherty’s contract to add $5,000. That came out of her budget, and she signed the contract. Played for the jury was the recording of one of the most quoted exchanges Pramaggiore had with McClain in an intercepted call — one that had been highlighted in pre-trial filings. “The only question Fidel had,” she went on with McClain, “is there anybody we could sort of take off the roster? … We got a lot of people hanging out there,” she said.
* ABC Chicago | Former ComEd executive and prosecution’s star witness Fidel Marquez testifies: Those conversations, many of which are expected to be played for the jury over the next couple of days, are expected to reveal the hiring of several Madigan associates as subcontractors for ComEd for little to no-work jobs. Those associates include: former 13th Ward Alderman Frank Olivo. former 23rd Ward Alderman Mike Zalewski, former 13th Ward Precinct Captains Ray Nice and Ed Moody, and former State Representative Eddie Acevedo.
* Center Square | Ex-ComEd executive says utility shifted money to friends of powerful politician: Marquez detailed how payments were made through contract lobbyists and how those arrangements changed over time. For example, Moody was paid as a subcontractor through Shaw Decremer, but when Decremer got in trouble for harassment, Moody’s payments were shifted to a contract with former state Rep. John Bradley, Marquez said. […] Marquez is expected to return to the witness stand on Tuesday. He has yet to face cross-examination.
* Jim Dey | Reclusive Madigan pulled strings from behind the scenes: “I know you’ve got a law degree, but you’re more of a street fighter than anybody knows, except maybe for guys like me. And if you want to put the squeeze on the guy, you could hurt him pretty badly.” That’s a snippet of a conversation between Michael McClain, one of four defendants in the Commonwealth Edison bribery conspiracy trial, and former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who won’t go to trial until next year.
Bishop Larry Trotter, a South Side pastor at Sweet Holy Spirit Church, endorsed Johnson March 12, telling his congregation the candidate’s plan was “fresh” and “new,” according to the Sun-Times.
But Trotter was a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage in the years leading up to its legalization in Illinois in 2013. Trotter was among a coalition of faith leaders who rallied in Springfield against same-sex marriage, according to a 2013 Tribune report.
Johnson responded to concerns about this endorsement Wednesday during a virtual forum on LGBTQ issues hosted by people-of-color-led organizations serving LGBTQ people.
Johnson said he was raised by two pastors in one of the largest Black denominations in the country, but he can “recognize that within all of our faith communities, that there are elements of our faith community that they don’t get it right.”
“There will be times when people who are close to me, we will have disagreements, and there will be times when we will agree,” Johnson said. “This is an opportunity to educate people and make people stronger and better, and we get to do that as a collective group.”
Vallas has either just avoided the question or appeared indignant that anyone would question his beliefs.
Vallas is a product of the fabled Daley “machine,” having worked for former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration. A key Vallas campaign aide is former Daley Chief of Staff Gery Chico.
Yeah. There’s a whole lot more than that one guy. Crain’s…
Locked in a tight race for Chicago mayor, Paul Vallas is looking for help mobilizing voters from a vestige of the old Chicago machine that once helped defeat the former Chicago Public Schools CEO when he ran for governor in 2002.
Vallas’ campaign committee, Vallas for Mayor, paid $22,500 last week to another committee, Coalition For Better Government, ran by Ronald Calicchio and Dominic Longo, a political street fighter whose 1984 conviction for voter fraud didn’t prevent him from a career on the government payroll while working as a precinct captain to get out the vote for former Mayor Richard M. Daley, former Ald. Dick Mell and former Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios. […]
“Our campaign has had no contact with Dominic Longo, and we were unaware of any connection between him and Coalition For Better Government. We made a contribution to this organization to support voter outreach efforts being conducted by its Chair Ronald Calicchio,” the statement said.
Unaware? From their State Board of Elections page…
I was thinking last night that while John Kass may finally get a fellow conservative Greek-American in the mayor’s office, that fellow will be surrounded by all of Kass’ surviving enemies from the Daley era.
* Also, too, Vallas appears to be moving even further to the left as election day nears. From Block Club Chicago…
Vallas endorsed a series of other stances Monday, like establishing ranked choice voting ahead of the next mayoral election and providing reparations for Chicago’s descendants of enslaved people.
Vallas also said he supports the concept of universal basic income but called the city’s pilot program “ineffective.”
“I support … universal income level in principle, I just think that the program needs to be reimagined, and because again, there’s very little participation in the program, it has been designed as a one-off program,” he said.
He’s right about the current mayor’s universal income lottery program. But do you believe he’ll actually go through with a new and improved version?
* But that late leftward lurch may be having an impact…
At this point in Chicago’s mayoral runoff, there are few endorsements left that could really sway the race, but outgoing 4th Ward Ald. Sophia King, who finished eighth in February’s first round of voting for mayor, is endorsing Paul Vallas. […]
Unsurprisingly, the Vallas campaign notes high up in its announcement that King is currently the chair of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus in an effort to undermine Brandon Johnson’s standing as the more progressive mayoral candidate.
…Adding… Progressive Caucus members…
The following is a statement from a majority of returning Progressive Caucus members:
There’s nothing progressive about mayoral candidate Paul Vallas. His track record is one of harming communities, particularly the most vulnerable. As CEO of the Chicago Public Schools, Vallas canceled an LGBTQ inclusivity training and cut deals with Wall Street that shifted $1 billion from schools to financial firms and investors. Now Paul Vallas is proudly endorsed by MAGA Republican and Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara. Vallas’ campaign is bankrolled by the same wealthy Republicans who backed Donald Trump. MAGA Republicans are backing Paul Vallas because Paul Vallas is on the record sharing and espousing their far-right positions.
The Chicago Progressive Reform Caucus was formed in 2013 as a coalition of alderpersons that stood against machine politics and championed progressive policies rooted in the needs of everyday Chicagoans. As the majority of re-elected Progressive Caucus members, we have endorsed Brandon Johnson for mayor because we know Brandon will prioritize working families and invest in Chicago neighborhoods, jobs, and schools. Brandon is the candidate who stands for the progressive policies and values that will improve the lives of all Chicagoans.
This statement is from the following caucus members:
Ald. Daniel LaSpata (1)
Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20)
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22)
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25)
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33)
Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35)
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40)
Ald. Matt Martin (47)
Ald. Maria Hadden (49)
…Adding… OK, now I’m just laughing…
Paul Vallas tells City Club luncheon one of his favorite movies is Blackkklansman by Spike Lee
The Vallas for Mayor campaign is releasing a new television ad that sharply criticizes Brandon Johnson’s disastrous $800 million tax increase plan, especially in light of recent bank failures, persistent inflation and other economic turbulence affecting Chicagoans. The ad contrasts Johnson’s extreme tax increases with Vallas’ plan to boost the city’s economy by reclaiming vacant properties on the South and West sides and turning them into affordable housing, providing low-interest loans for small businesses, encouraging more community involvement in the budgeting process and much more.
“Business groups, union leaders, small businesses owners, elected officials and residents all agree that Brandon Johnson’s $800 Million tax increase plan would devastate Chicago’s economy at the worst possible time,” said Vallas. “We need to make sure that no one gets left behind by City Hall, now more than ever. As Mayor, I’ll reclaim vacant properties to revitalize the South and West sides, establish a Fair Share Investment Trust that gives homeowners and entrepreneurs low-interest-rate loans, and create an Independent Community Development Authority that brings every community into the budget process. We need to help homeowners and small businesses thrive, not squeeze them with more taxes, fees, or fines.”
Good spot.
* Press release…
Ahead of the 2023 Mayoral Runoff Election, Chicago Public School (CPS) custodians are sharing their experience with Mayoral Candidate and former CPS CEO Paul Vallas and the harmful impact it had on them and their families. When Paul Vallas was CEO of CPS from 1995 to 2001, he failed Chicago’s working parents and children. He took thousands of public custodial jobs and privatized them in order to balance the CPS budget on the backs of the very people who are supposed to keep our kids schools clean and safe– in doing so, essential workers had their wages slashed by $3-$5, lost their healthcare and their pensions leaving families with almost no safety net.
* WGN | Vallas leading Johnson in Chicago Mayoral runoff election: With eight days left before Chicago voters choose a new mayor, new WGN-TV/Emerson College/The Hill poll shows Paul Vallas holding a five-point lead over Brandon Johnson, 46% to 41%. The exclusive poll also found that 13% of likely voters are still undecided.
* Block Club | Paul Vallas Vows To Fire CTA Boss, Doubles Down On Plan To Bring Back Retired Cops In Block Club Interview: Vallas has said he’s heard from retired officers through his work as a consultant for the Fraternal Order of Police during recent contract negotiations to back up his claim. The police union has endorsed Vallas in the mayoral race. “We know, because we’ve put together a list of retirees, and there’s a list of officers who would like to return,” he said. … Asked to confirm Vallas “has a list” of officers who would return under the conditions he mentioned, Vallas said he was referring to a list kept by the Fraternal Order of Police of retired officers.
* WBEZ | Rehiring retirees as a quick fix for Chicago Police could undermine reform, experts say: Vallas has said the rehired cops would analyze records for detectives, run witness protection efforts, and even respond to domestic violence complaints. He has not said what he would do about a municipal code that requires cops to retire from sworn ranks at age 63 or whether he’d offer terms competitive with what many CPD retirees have: a police pension and a non-city job.
* CBS Chicago | 4th Ward chief of staff Prentice Butler faces Illinois State Rep. Lamont Robinson: Butler said he would like to improve collaboration between people who live in the ward and the officers who patrol the streets. But he also said the city needs more mental health first responders to respond to mental health calls rather than police; and more social workers, violence interrupters, and other programming to address the causes of crime. Robinson, who has served in the Illinois House since 2019, touted his efforts to bring in resources for anti-violence initiatives, a local senior center, and a community center; and said he believes the City Council needs new leadership.
* Sun-Times | Lightfoot put Knudsen in 43rd Ward seat — and into runoff against challenger Comer: Five months after Lightfoot appointed him to replace retiring former Ald. Michele Smith, Knudsen came out on top in the Feb. 28 election. But he did so with just about a quarter of the vote across Lincoln Park, Old Town and the Gold Coast — and by less than three percentage points over the upstart, runner-up challenge from consultant Brian Comer.
* Sun-Times | 6th, 21st Ward candidates discuss future of South Side ahead of runoff: Time to ‘resurrect dreams of residents’: After more than a decade as 6th Ward alderperson, Roderick Sawyer stepped down from the council to run an ultimately unsuccessful campaign for mayor. […] Hall, 38, lead pastor at St. James Community Church in Chatham and a field director for the Rainbow PUSH social justice organization, narrowly came in first place with 23.82% of the vote during the Feb. 28 election — about 70 votes ahead of Wooten, an Army veteran and retired police officer.
* Block Club | ‘I Don’t Want To Be A Statistic To You’: Chicago’s Latino Communities Are Focused On Gun Violence: The most striking differences between Vallas and Johnson are their approaches toward public safety. Some Latino voters are leaning toward Vallas because of his promise to hire more police officers and his statements on taking a “more aggressive” approach to prosecuting those who break the law. Others favor Johnson because of his pledge to reallocate police funding toward issues like housing, mental health, and job creation. Both candidates face the tall task of convincing Latino voters that they are sincere in their promises to urgently address the gun violence crisis.
* Flint Taylor | The racist history of Chicago’s FOP: On Dec. 4, 1969, Fred Hampton, the charismatic chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, was slain in his bed by Chicago police in what has been documented and widely accepted as a politically motivated assassination. But the fledgling FOP nonetheless staunchly defended the police raiders.
* CBS Chicago | A Chicago woman rented out her car on a sharing service. Someone stole and totaled it: Barron had listed her white Nissan Rouge for rent through Getaround, the car sharing service. Someone reserved and picked up the car in the middle of the night last fall. “I called Getaround multiple times,” she said. “And they kept telling me everything was fine. This person had checked out. Give them the benefit of the doubt.”
* Chicago Mag | Revisiting What Has Disappeared: During a tour of his old neighborhood, Pete Kastanes idles his Toyota Corolla in front of Frank’s Upholstery, a two-story beige brick storefront on 79th Street. An upholstery shop seems like an odd stop for a youthful reminiscence, but this building was not always dedicated to re-covering sofas. It once contained a music store, right across the street from Bogan High School, from which Kastanes graduated in 1981. “That used to be Kroozin’ Music II,” Kastanes recalled. “They sold cassette tapes, eight-track tapes. They sold bongs, black lights, posters. I used to hang out when I was in high school. Sometimes, I wanted to be alone and browse. I bought my first eight-track there — Styx, Renegade.”
We have gathered here from all across the Land of Lincoln because the lives of unborn babies in our state of Illinois are threatened as never before. Since the United States Supreme Court decision last year in Dobbs v. Jackson overturned the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade and rightfully returned the question of the legality of abortion back to the states, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Welch, and Senate President Don Harmon, along with many others in Illinois state government, have unequivocally expressed their unabashed desire to expand abortion rights and make Illinois an abortion-friendly haven. Every year, over 10,000 out-of-state residents come to Illinois for abortions, often at taxpayer expense, and that number has been increasing dramatically since June of 2022. In states such as ours, we cannot relax our pro-life efforts now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned. On the contrary, we must step up our struggles to counter the evil forces of death.
Our nation is divided today over the question of abortion as it was in the 19th century over the question of slavery. On June 16, 1858, Abraham Lincoln, before whose statue we gather, gave his famous “House Divided” speech in the Hall of Representatives of the Old State Capitol here in Springfield, Illinois. He started by quoting our Lord Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 12, verse 25: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Mr. Lincoln explained, “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”
Similarly, echoing Mr. Lincoln, we should all say, “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half pro-abortion and half pro-life. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”
As people of faith, we come here in peace, prayerful asking the members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of our Illinois state government to “harden not your hearts,” as we read in Psalm 95:8. May you find compassion for the lives of the most vulnerable among us, the sacred human lives of unborn babies.
Former longtime Los Angeles police chief Charlie Beck, who headed CPD on an interim basis in 2019 and 2020, said Chicago could get much more out of the cops it already employs.
“Los Angeles has a million more people and probably twice as much square mileage as Chicago and operates with fewer cops and better results,” he said.
Beck said Chicago could use a bigger police department, but what it really needs is a more effective department.
* Los Angeles’ population is 3.93 million and the city covers 469 square miles and experienced 382 murders last year. Chicago’s population is 2.76 million and covers 227.7 square miles of land and experienced 695 murders last year.
With 9,974 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-largest municipal police department in the United States, after the New York City Police Department and the Chicago Police Department.
Q: I want to talk specifically about guns. The main method of seizing illegal firearms in recent years in Chicago has been traffic stops, pulling over cars for minor violations and then some of those vehicles end up getting searched and a lot of guns are brought in that way. 12,000 guns last year, a lot of them through traffic steps. What do you think of that strategy?
Beck: You should not count success by how many guns are taken off the street. You should count success by how many shootings occur in a neighborhood. If your strategy is strictly how many cars can I stop and search, just increase your odds. And you may get more guns that way, but you may alienate the community, to the point that they don’t talk to you, to the point that you don’t solve the crimes that do occur with guns. And you don’t get people off the street for committing those crimes. And in doing that, you’ve got to change your goal, because your real goal is reduce shootings, not to get guns.
Q: We have a mayoral race here in Chicago. Crime is a hot issue. Politicians tend to want to look tough on crime. As a police leader, what do you make of that campaign rhetoric?
Beck: Well, I think it’s natural that crime is a topic of conversation in Chicago. Crime is too high in Chicago. The number of murders are far too high. But I also think it shouldn’t just be the rhetoric of taking handcuffs off the police. It should be the discussion of how to make police more effective. The solution is about these relationships with police and the community they serve. Shootings can be reduced in some ways, but the only permanent way I know is to, first of all increase the belief of capture after a shooting occurs. And second, especially with gang shootings, be able to clear the crime through community …
Q: Clear the crime. You’re talking about solving the crime based on information from the community.
Beck: That’s exactly what I’m talking about. The most effective gang homicide detectives I ever saw knew everybody in the neighborhood. And they would get calls on cases that weren’t even their own. Because, A, the community knew that they weren’t going to be outed by them; Two, that the community had enough contacts with them and knew the detectives’ real interest was solving the case and solving it in the right way. And that made all the difference. And so, to end my story, I don’t want people thinking that the solution for crime is that more aggressive, you know, more arrests, but not understanding how you affect the outcomes.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
I would add that Chicago needs to get much more serious about removing lead pipes in the city.
* Crain’s | With billions in funding on the line, Illinois looks for coordinated pitches from universities, politicians and business groups: Illinois plans to get its universities, politicians and private-sector groups to work together more closely to chase billions in federal research and economic-development funding that’s about to be unleashed. A new coalition called Innovate Illinois includes the state’s Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and Intersect Illinois, as well as the city’s economic-development arm, World Business Chicago; the University of Illinois, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, as well as community colleges; along with private-sector groups the Civic Committee and P33.
* Tribune | Tornadoes touching down in new areas; season is starting sooner and lasting longer, experts say: Victor Gensini, an associate professor in the Earth, Atmosphere and Environment Department at Northern Illinois University, said the biggest impact of climate change is on the location of tornadoes throughout the United States. He said the number of tornadoes in Plains states is trending down while the Midwest and mid-South are seeing an increase.
* SJ-R | Education legislation takes center stage in General Assembly: Following a lobby day at the Capitol during last year’s veto session, state Native American organizations are one-step closer to seeing one of its highest priorities enacted. House Bill 1633 passed 75-32 on Thursday to require all public elementary and high schools to craft a course teaching Native American history beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.
* Center Square | Illinois lawmaker proposes tax credits to incentivize more affordable housing: The so-called “Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit” legislation included in House Bill 2044 and Senate Bill 1737 would be similar to a federal program now overseen by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and Chicago Department of Housing that currently helps foot the bill for affordable housing across the state.
* Center Square | $175 million in ARPA grants available to certain businesses hurt by pandemic: The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) officially launched the latest $175 million in available resources for restaurants, hotels and creative arts businesses and organizations, all of it coming from the American Rescue Plan Act with allotments for each business being based on revenue declines and tax returns. With applications being accepted from April 5 to May 10, all applicants will receive a grant as long as they meet eligibility requirements, submit proper documentation and attestations outlined by the program.
* WCIA | Illinois Lt. Gov Julianna Stratton joins Reproductive Freedom Coalition: “This coalition is needed now more than ever, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton said. “There is a destructive movement in full swing in this country, hammering away at the rights that give people independence and a sense of wellbeing.”
* WICS | Illinois has $50 million for artists, arts organizations sidelined by COVID-19: It is called the Illinois Creative Recovery Grant Program (ICR) or Back to Business Arts (B2B Arts). Funding comes from federal sources through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and is administered by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.
* NPR Illinois | Strikes loom on three Illinois college campuses: The latest action involves Governors State University in University Park. According to the union, 97% of members voting agreed to strike if a deal can’t be reached. A 10 day strike authorization has also been filed, meaning the earliest a walk out could occur is April 7.
* USA Today | In win for unions, Whitmer repeals Michigan’s ‘right-to-work’ law, brings back prevailing wage: In repealing right-to-work, Whitmer reneged on a promise she made at the outset of her first term as governor to veto legislation containing appropriations. Because voters cannot subject bills that include spending provisions to a referendum, Whitmer signed an executive directive vowing to reject bills that included appropriations to circumvent the public’s right to a referendum.
* AP | Greenland to stay in daylight saving time forever: “The shift of time zone marks an exciting new beginning, an equal connection to North America and Europe, and an opportunity to slow down in a fast-paced world,” Visit Greenland, the local government’s tourism office said in a statement.
* I’d much rather be Vallas than Johnson at this point, but the frontrunner can’t seem to get over the hump despite outspending Johnson 2-1, unless people are lying to the pollsters…
When undecided voters are asked which candidate they lean toward, and the vote is accounted for, Vallas’ lead over Johnson increases to six points, 53% to 47%.
Six in 10 voters (61%) feel there is more crime in Chicago today than there was a year ago, while just 8% feel there is less crime.
When asked who they trust more to handle the issue, a majority (54%) chose Vallas. 38% of likely voters say they trust Johnson to handle crime, while just 9% trust both equally.
Both men have made their backgrounds in education a major selling point on the campaign trail. When asked who they trust more to handle education in Chicago, 48% of those polled picked Paul Vallas, 41% trust Brandon Johnson, and 11% trust both equally.
Regarding city finances, 50% trust Vallas’ vision, 37% trust Johnson.
If crime is the number one issue, and voters trust Vallas 54-38 over Johnson on that issue, then that is horrible news for Johnson’s campaign.
* Johnson has to do a lot better than this with Black voters or he’s doomed…
“Of those who feel there is more crime in Chicago than there was a year ago, 59% are voting for Vallas and 27% Johnson,” Kimball noted. “Of those who think there is the same amount of crime, 60% plan to support Johnson and 27% Vallas.”
The data, however, reveals a stark demographic divide in the mayoral runoff; 58 percent of young voters — those between 18 and 24 years old — favor Johnson, while Vallas performs better among voters 50 and over, drawing 52 percent support.
And men are also leaning toward Vallas, with 52 percent saying they plan to vote for him over Johnson. Women, meanwhile, are more evenly split; forty-three percent say they’re backing Johnson, while 41 percent are supporting Vallas.
Seems obvious that Johnson has to solidify his support among Black voters and lock down more votes from women in order to win this thing.
* What the heck is going on with higher ed? Three?…
Governors State University faculty and staff authorize, file intent to strike GSU UPI is the third IL higher education union heading toward a strike this month. The earliest they can strike is April 7.#Solidaritypic.twitter.com/0C4lFoy9vu
The Illinois Freedom Caucus held a press conference today at a location across from of a proposed site of a new abortion clinic in Danville and called out the far left’s pro-abortion advocacy.
“The people of Danville don’t want an abortion clinic in their community,” said State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich). “My office has received numerous phone calls from people upset by what is happening in their own backyard. There seems to be an effort to bring abortion clinics to parts of Illinois that are overwhelmingly pro-life just to make a point. The far-left has moved far beyond merely making abortion legal. They have become abortion advocates.”
State Rep. Brad Halbrook said what is needed in downstate Illinois is a solution to the doctor shortage in rural areas.
“What we need in downstate Illinois is more doctors – not abortion providers,” Halbrook said. “We have a physician shortage issue in rural Illinois and the far-left’s solution is akin to a mechanic changing the tires to fix a fuel pump. The physician shortage is real. People often have to drive long distances just to get routine tests and basic medical services. We should be addressing the physician shortages instead of opening more abortion clinics.”
The intent of the clinics being built in rural counties is not to address the health concerns of Illinois residents but to capture the growing number of out of state abortions being performed in Illinois. Nearly one-third of all abortions in 2022 involved women not from Illinois. Prior to the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, only about 6 percent of abortions at Illinois clinics involved women from out of state. Women from 31 different states had abortions in Illinois last year.
“The proliferation of abortion clinics in Illinois is not about improving healthcare for Illinois citizens – it is about trying to bring more women from other states to Illinois to have abortions,” said State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City). “The explosion of abortion clinics in Illinois is about making money. Abortion is the most protected industry in Illinois. The State of Illinois is actively working to shut down power plants which is increasing energy costs and leaving working people without a job. Working people don’t get these protections. Abortion providers in Illinois get proclamations from the Governor recognizing them. They get immunity from lawsuits. These clinics don’t have to live up to the same standards as regular ambulatory surgical centers. If you are in the abortion business, Illinois will roll out the red carpet. Illinois is a disgrace and a national embarrassment.”
State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) said the celebration of abortion in Illinois such as Gov. JB Pritzker’s absurd Abortion Provider Appreciation Day proclamation is grotesque political pandering.
“No longer is it enough to merely keep abortion providers open for business in Illinois, but apparently all must bend the knee in humble submission to the sacred sacrament of abortion,” Miller said. “JB Pritzker’s proclamation trivializes the very serious challenges for women facing an unwanted pregnancy. Where is the compassion for these women who believe the only choice they have is to sentence their unborn child to death? If pro-abortion advocates were really ‘pro-choice,’ they would recognize the seriousness of the choice rather than minimizing it. The cartoonish efforts to use abortion and women as props for Pritzker’s laughable presidential aspirations is insulting and disrespectful to women facing the emotional stress of unwanted pregnancies.”
The Illinois Freedom Caucus is comprised of State Representatives Chris Miller (R-Oakland), chairman; Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), vice-chairman; Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich); Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Jed Davis (R-Newark) and David Friess (R-Red Bud). The members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus are members of the Illinois General Assembly who are advocating for limited government, lower taxes and accountability and integrity in government.
* Johnson press release…
Chicago-based, multi-Grammy-award winning band Wilco endorsed Brandon Johnson for mayor.
In a video recorded ahead of their show at the Riviera Theatre, Wilco’s lead vocalist and Chicago native Jeff Tweedy said “we just want to let you know, this is the guy we’re voting for: Brandon Johnson. Be sure to do it before April 4th, do it right now.”
“Wilco started out via Chicago, and has ended up touring across the world, becoming a testament that if you can do it in Chicago, you can do it anywhere,” said Brandon Johnson. “This endorsement is a real shot in the arm for our movement.”
Johnson’s campaign has continued to build momentum in recent weeks, earning new endorsements from several members of Congress, unions, progressive organizations, and community leaders across Chicago since entering the run-off.
* Sen. Ventura…
State Senator Rachel Ventura partnered with DePaul University to create a new legislative internship uniquely catered to incarcerated individuals at the Stateville Correctional Center.
The new program will allow either a Senator or Representative to interview a select few individuals at the Stateville prison to be a legislative intern for a semester. At the end of the program, the legislator will provide them with a grade and they would receive college credits for their participation. Ventura spearheaded this new program and has interviewed three potential candidates.
“As I interviewed the candidates and heard their stories and aspirations, I knew this program would be beneficial for not only the student but also the communities they will return to,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Giving a voice to the voiceless ensures we have balanced and fair legislation that has a positive impact for all.”
Stateville has a number of other programs within its facility including education, job training and restorative justice programs - however this program would be the first of its kind.
“As a society we are coming to better understand the difficulties that formerly incarcerated people often experience when reentering society,” said Dr. Susan Burgess, the Internship Coordinator for the Department of Political Science at DePaul University. “The opportunities that Senator Ventura is providing by opening up internship placements in partnership with DePaul University’s Department of Political Science will give men from Stateville much needed experience and the beginnings of a professional network as they prepare to reenter.”
Ventura has helped spearhead this program alongside DePaul University and other Illinois legislators.
“Many of the men incarcerated at Stateville have spent years improving themselves, pursuing higher education, and cultivating expertise in law and public policy,” said Representative Will Guzzardi. “Their lived experience with our criminal legal system and their extensive knowledge of policy-making will provide invaluable contributions to our office.”
Ventura will pick her candidate of choice in the upcoming week and the new internship will begin thereafter. The student will be researching legislation and providing a unique perspective.
“Stateville Correctional Center is proud to partner with State Senator Ventura and DePaul University on this new offering. The Department and Stateville will continue to provide all available resources to ensure individuals in our custody have educational opportunities at every level. This program will uplift the voices of each participant and enhance their sense of hope, self-worth, and confidence in preparation for community reentry,” said Warden Charles Truitt.
Within this program, they will submit weekly summaries to DePaul and suggested legislation changes to the Senator or Representative. Stateville houses a full law library for their usage as the individual will not have access to constituent records nor the internet.
* Today is March 27th, so some of these numbers are 18 days old. That’s way out of date. SJ-R…
A Cor Strategies poll on the Springfield mayor’s race puts challenger Misty Buscher up by two percentage points over incumbent Mayor Jim Langfelder with a week to go before the April 4 consolidated election.
The poll was based on a survey of 510 registered voters in Springfield conducted from March 9-12.
The poll gives Buscher, the current city treasurer, 39% and Langfelder 37% with 25% undecided.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton today announced she will join the Reproductive Freedom Coalition (RFC), a group of Lieutenant Governors and Second-In-Commands from 22 states and territories. They are united in their dedication to protect and broaden paths to reproductive rights and ensure equitable access to health care for all.
“This coalition is needed now more than ever, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “There is a destructive movement in full swing in this country, hammering away at the rights that give people independence and a sense of wellbeing.”
Right now, more than a dozen states have banned or severely restricted abortions. And there is legal action that seeks to block or limit abortion medication that has been used safely for years. Members of the Reproductive Freedom Coalition will stand on the frontlines, fighting against legislation and policies that harm while advocating for laws that protect reproductive rights.
“I expect my daughters to have more rights than I had, not fewer,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “We cannot go back. Future generations will be shaped by what we do today. Our states can and must lead the way, that’s why in Illinois we fight back.”
* Isabel’s roundup…
* AP | Pardon sought for Black Illinois man executed in 1908: The review board then could make a recommendation for pardon to Gov. J.B. Pritzker. If successful, the posthumous action would be the third such pardon in Illinois over the past decade and follow recent ones elsewhere in the U.S.
* WGLT | Illinois House members pass hundreds of bills onto the Senate: The House of Representatives raced to beat a deadline Friday to move substantive bills that originated in that chamber over to the Senate. The week featured long nights, short debates that at times got testy and the passage of hundreds of bills. Here are some of them…
* Inside Higher Ed | The Role of Politics in Where Students Want to Go to College : The first thing about these studies is to gauge their significance. Most college students attend a college in their home state, and this has been the case for decades. And even states that send a lot of students out of state (say, California or Illinois) also import students. In fact California colleges (public and private) are 88.9 percent made up of Californians, and Illinois colleges have 88.2 percent of students from Illinois. Students who attend community colleges, the plurality of all students, stay close to home. And despite the extensive press coverage of the Ivies and the Universities of California, Michigan and Virginia, all which have tons of out-of-state applicants, they are not the norm.
* NPR Illinois | Strikes loom on three Illinois college campuses: The latest action involves Governors State University in University Park. According to the union, 97% of members voting agreed to strike if a deal can’t be reached. A 10 day strike authorization has also been filed, meaning the earliest a walk out could occur is April 7.
* Crain’s | Rivian relocating some engineers to Normal plant: Engineers hired during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic were allowed to work remotely but are now focused on a reorganization that will see those engineers move to either the Illinois factory or the electric vehicle maker’s headquarters in Irvine, Calif.
* WTTW | Johnson, Vallas Both Talk a Green Game. Here’s a Look at the Candidates’ Environmental Plans: Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas have released environmental plans, both of which sound similar notes: preparing a workforce for green economy jobs; transitioning buildings to cleaner energy; supporting CTA’s plan to electrify its fleet by 2040; and the need to speed up the replacement of lead service lines.
* Tribune | An ISU student created a media platform by and about people of color to fill a void in campus journalism: While reporting, Jackson learned that Black students would arrive in Bloomington-Normal with concerns about resources such as hairstylists and barbers, and other things needed to make them feel comfortable in their new surroundings. So Jackson found people on and off campus who provide these services and wrote about them for the Vidette. The community responded. Those Vidette stories led Jackson to create a stand-alone media outlet for the underrepresented, Onyx Connect.
* Barbara Flynn Currie and Juliana Stratton | This Women’s History Month, remember the rich history of women in Illinois politics: Twenty-three years ago, Loretta Durbin gathered a group of Illinois women attending the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles with an idea. From her decades spent around politics and lawmakers in Springfield, Loretta saw a tremendous need for more Democratic women in elected offices. She knew the policy impact that women could have. So she pitched an idea: Illinois needed an organization that prepared Democratic, pro-choice women to run for elected office, serve as public policymakers and govern effectively in Illinois.
When it opened the NJCAA Division I Tournament Tuesday as the No. 1 seed, [John A. Logan Community College] was 0-4 all-time in the tournament.
When its bench stampeded the floor after time expired Saturday, the Volunteers had the period to end all sentences.
A come-from-behind 73-70 win over No. 7 Northwest Florida State in Hutchinson Sports Arena gave Logan its first national title and a season-ending 31-game winning streak. And it made a prophet out of leading scorer Curt Lewis.
“Defense and free throws,” he said. “That’s what we said it would come down to.”
That’s basically what allowed the Vols (33-2) to overcome a cold shooting day – they were 26 of 78 from the floor, 4 of 20 on 3-pointers – and cut down the nets. Logan also took 19 more shots than the Raiders (29-8), a critical advantage in a one-possession game.
“I think this is a big deal to both the college and to Southern Illinois,” [Scott Wernsman, Asssociate Dean of Career and Technical Education at Logan] said. “A lot of people don’t realize the quality of basketball that comes through our gymnasium and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference.” […]
Vols head coach Tyler Smithpeters said he is thankful for the support shown by the school and SI community. […]
“I don’t really know how to put it into words when it comes to winning a national championship in my first year as a head coach. I don’t do much. It’s more our players. I stand on the sideline. I’m just happy for them.”
Question: A difference in the times? When Illinois State Normal University admitted its first two Black children to its lab school in 1877, how did the Illinois governor react?
Answer: Aghast, saying the state’s universities could not condone such integration, Gov. Shelby M. Cullom wanted to close the university. Fortunately, leveler heads prevailed.
* The Question: What is your own “favorite” bit of ignominious Illinois history?
* Joe Cahill | The verdict is in — ComEd wins: Trial testimony revealed that a 2016 law passed by dint of a massive ComEd bribery scheme was worth $1.8 billion to the Chicago-based electric utility. Add $2.3 billion in nuclear power plant subsidies for Exelon, and ComEd’s illegal conduct produced a $4.1 billion corporate windfall. ComEd and Exelon got to keep it all under a “deferred prosecution agreement” with federal prosecutors, in which ComEd admitted to various acts of bribery aimed at influencing then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who had the power to block or ensure passage of virtually any legislation during his nearly four-decade reign as Springfield’s most powerful figure.
* Tribune | ‘ComEd Four’ trial offering a fascinating and unprecedented look into the inner workings of Michael Madigan’s political power: Cousineau’s testimony describing Madigan’s backroom muscle illustrated the deft political jujitsu that a politician can perform outside of the public view to whip up votes from other lawmakers in order to pass a bill that he actually did not vote upon himself. The move to refrain from voting, which Madigan sometimes employed on various legislation, created the illusion that he’d recused himself or steered clear of the issue when he in fact sent his troops out to round up votes.
* Hannah Meisel | Former Madigan political director details push by speaker’s office for key ComEd bill: The email concerned third-term state Rep. Michelle Mussman, of suburban Schaumburg, whose district was considered “swingy,” as Cousineau testified, making her vulnerable to a Republican opponent. Mussman, along with other mostly suburban and downstate members of the House Democratic Caucus, was often referred to as being “on the target list,” meaning Madigan’s staffers kept a close watch on their legislative positions in order to protect them from votes the speaker and his team considered politically risky.
* Tribune | ‘ComEd Four’ bribery trial: What you need to know: The Tribune has chronicled the events that led up to the trial and the backgrounds of the key defendants and witnesses expected to testify. Follow our writers — Ray Long and Jason Meisner — for the latest news.
* State Week | Corruption or lobbying? Jurors will decide in ComEd bribery trial: Madigan’s trial is set for next year, but he’s playing a prominent role the federal courtroom proceedings now underway. Host Sean Crawford is joined by Professor Emeritus Charlie Wheeler and Capitol News Illinois reporter Hannah Meisel, who is covering the case.
* Sun-Times | Sen. Dick Durbin endorses Paul Vallas, calls him ‘bridge to uniting’ Chicago: “I respect both candidates in the race. And I thought, quite honestly, I know Paul Vallas so well,” said Durbin — for over 40 years, he added. … “Make no mistake, Jesse White and I would not be here today if we did not believe, in his heart, Paul Vallas is a lifelong Democrat committed to democratic values,” Durbin said.
* Greg Hinz | This is what the mayoral choice comes down to, Chicago: But misstatements and bad quips are just a sideshow in the mayoral election. What’s at stake is the city’s future — the direction we should go at a critical time after a long period of real but uneven progress. The two finalists offer wholly differing answers. To my mind, the person you should vote for is the one who will best preserve but also expand that progress.
* Slate | Paul Vallas’ Trail of School Privatization: The mayoral candidate has opened dozens of charter schools around the country, and is opening a militarized school in Arkansas even while campaigning in Chicago.
* Sun-Times | Add the environment to items at the top of new mayor’s agenda: Lake Michigan and the Chicago River will need help. Scientists say future lake levels that fluctuate to a greater degree, along with stronger storms, will threaten shoreline infrastructure — including homes and businesses — erode beaches and cause flooding. Part of the solution, which the new mayor should pursue, is to continue to develop a regional watershed plan that eliminates combined sewer overflows into waterways and the lake.
* Sun-Times | Bridgeport runoff: One more round for Daleys in 11th Ward race?: With former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson’s conviction, it may seem that the Daley family’s grip on the 11th Ward is slipping. But despite boundary and demographic changes in the ward, the Daleys and their allies are still exerting influence.
* Tribune | Development, gentrification focus of aldermanic runoffs in South Side lakefront wards: The lakefront wards are home to historic housing stock and city landmarks including the Museum Campus and Soldier Field, the University of Chicago and the South Shore Cultural Center. A future landmark, the Obama Presidential Center, will have a much-discussed but still to be defined impact when it opens in 2025.
* WBEZ | The most Chicago thing ever happened 20 years ago — an airport was bulldozed overnight: Under the cover of darkness, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley made it clear who ran the city when he ordered the destruction of Meigs Field on Northerly Island without alerting the City Council, the statehouse or the Federal Aviation Administration. The former airport is now a park, which the mayor had wanted for years.
* Crain’s | A rare statue of Buddha fails to sell at auction as questions swirl around a renowned art collection: The Buddha was on loan to the Art Institute beginning in the late 1990s and was last on display in 2018 at the museum, which has galleries dedicated to the Alsdorfs’ vast Asian collection. Marilynn Alsdorf, who died in 2019, left much of the collection to the museum. James Alsdorf, who once led the museum’s board of trustees, died in 1990.
We had an incredible showing from our LGBTQ community supporters at our event in North Halsted. With attacks against the community at a record high, I will make sure Chicago is always a safe haven for our LGBTQ friends and neighbors. pic.twitter.com/mo5ljAx1JU
Thank you so much to Rikki Jones and the Cook County Democratic Women for supporting our campaign today. As Mayor I will prioritize women’s health and safety like never before, and you can read how here: https://t.co/ceRHO8dzqRpic.twitter.com/xTGU3iYkxI
* Sherman, please set the Wayback Machine to 2013…
Rikki Jones, president of a group called the Cook County Democratic Women, is disseminating “an open letter to Lisa Madigan” calling it “very disrespectful to say the least” to equate marriage equality with civil rights.
“As a Christian who believes in the Bible, I feel what you are doing is taking my rights as a Christian and sacrificing them for the gay and lesbian community. How could you?” the letter said. It continues with references to Biblical condemnations of homosexuality.
The letter goes on to say allowing marriage equality violates the Constitution because “you have no business insinuating yourself in the church’s business.
“You have gotten out of your lane and got in God’s lane! Have you lost your mind? Yours arms are too short to box with God!”
* From Equality Illinois CEO Brian C. Johnson…
Paul Vallas has shown a consistent pattern of building a coalition with some of the most strident anti-LGBTQ+ voices in his effort to become mayor of Chicago. When he thinks it will serve his political aims, he is fine associating with people who deny us our dignity. This leaves us wondering: if Paul Vallas were elected mayor, would he appoint officials to the Department of Public Health who have a track record of opposing gender-affirming care? Would he appoint people to the Board of Education with a track record of supporting “don’t say gay and trans” efforts? Would he appoint a police superintendent with a track record of anti-LGBTQ+ views? Paul Vallas is wrong for LGBTQ+ people and wrong for Chicago.
Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes bristled a bit on Monday when a speaker during the village board’s commenting period suggested he and other officials would benefit personally if the Bears end up anchoring a $5 billion redevelopment at the former Arlington Park property.
Hayes called the comments “offensive,” and he’s right. And the exchange highlights an unfortunate tendency in all our politics — a rush to find some sinister personal motive behind every action elected leaders take that contradicts one’s own point of view.
It’s a notion worth reflection as we head into the final stretch of the campaign for local municipal and school offices in the suburbs.
To be sure, history, local and otherwise, teaches us to recognize the temptations that abound in overseeing vast sums of taxpayer and development dollars, and to watch carefully to ensure that officials, whether the cause is fundamental greed or the lure of the moment, don’t succumb.
But there is an important difference between cautious oversight and assumed corruption. When we step over the line from the former to the latter, we degrade our public discussions and weaken our public institutions.
Puppy mills are places of shocking neglect and inhumanity where dogs are horribly mistreated, run by unethical breeders who seek to churn out the maximum number of puppies possible. That’s why, in 2021, the Illinois legislature passed a bill ostensibly designed to protect animals from the cruelty of puppy mills. […]
First, the bill set up a false choice: shelter dogs or purebred dogs. While we can acknowledge that shelters play a vitally important role in matching animals with loving families, that shouldn’t mean someone who loves Golden Retrievers or Yorkies or Australian Shepherds shouldn’t be able to get one from an ethical source. But the authors of the 2021 bill required that pets be obtained only from shelters, never from breeders or small businesses that help breeders place puppies in good homes.
Yet puppies must come from somewhere, especially during the great American dog shortage — and that’s why the bill did not actually shut down puppy mills but merely diverted some of their traffic to shelters. The phenomenon, known as “retail rescue,” refers to the cycle of shelters paying puppy mills to “rescue” their dogs, then adopting out the dogs for a fee — thereby pumping more cash into the mill industry shelters claim to oppose. It’s a symbiotic relationship that keeps puppy mills thriving. […]
That’s why Illinois law desperately needs a tuneup. The proposed HB2793 would choke off demand for mill dogs at the source by prohibiting all entities — small businesses and shelters — from obtaining puppies from a mill. It would establish strict breeder standards of care that require humane, loving treatment in the form of regular veterinary attention and oversight, socialization and exercise, as well as rigid requirements for the way animals are housed and the amount of space they must have. These are the kind of standards that responsible breeders already have in place and will ensure unethical breeders can’t stay in business — which should be the goal we all share.
A bill passed in the Illinois House that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to have multiple-stall gender neutral restrooms has sparked debate. […]
“I am all for inclusivity and diversity but not at the expense and decency and not at the expense of risking the safety of older women or any women and even young children in their development,” said Steve Boulton, chairman of the Chicago GOP party. […]
[Brian C. Johnson, CEO for Equality Illinois,] disagrees with Boulton and believes this bill will be a benefit, citing the reasons why.
“[It will help] parents of children of opposite genders, seniors who have caregivers of opposite genders, LGBTQ+ people and businesses who want to cut back on regulations and red tape,” he said.
Johnson added that this bill is not mandatory, but optional.
* Rep. Maurice West…
Today, the Illinois House of Representatives passed HB 2471 by a vote of 77 to 26 to create the “Healthy School Meals for All” program. Sponsored by State Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford), the legislation, which received bipartisan support, provides a free breakfast and lunch to all students who need and want one.
“This legislation will help ensure every student has access to healthy food at school, an especially important support for the hundreds of thousands of Illinois children who are experiencing food insecurity,” said State Representative Maurice West. “Giving all children access to free, healthy school meals will improve their health, growth, development, mental health, and academic performance. This bill will also help remove the stigma for children who need breakfast or lunch at school while reducing the burden on families and providing a steady budget for school food service programs. I applaud the amazing advocates who helped get this bill over the finish line in the House, and I look forward to its passage in the Senate.”
Federal school meal waivers provided K-12 students with free school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the waiver expired in June 2022, putting thousands of Illinois children at risk. The bill now goes to the State Senate for consideration.
State Senator Laura Fine’s legislation, which would make official transcripts more accessible to students, passed the Senate on Friday.
“Students need their transcripts for a myriad of reasons after they graduate, including seeking employment to pay off their student debts. Without access to their transcript, they can lose out on many opportunities and take even longer to repay any debts they owe the university,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative would give students the opportunity to pursue more post-grad opportunities and address their student debts quicker.”
Senator Fine, a former college instructor, is a longtime advocate of supporting university students working to pay off their student debt. Last year, she passed legislation prohibiting universities from withholding transcripts from students with a past-due debt if the transcript is needed for a job application. This ensured students would be able to use their hard-earned transcripts to find a well-paying job, from which they could repay their debts to the university and pursue a career best suited to the skill set they developed in college.
Senate Bill 49 would expand on this legislation by requiring institutions to provide official transcripts to current or former students if the student requires the transcript to transfer to a different institution, to apply for financial aid, to join the U.S. Armed Forces or to pursue other post-secondary opportunities. The measure also would require higher education institutions to outline the process a current or former student must go through to obtain a transcript or diploma that has been withheld due to debt to the university — making sure students have a clear path to receive their transcripts if they are being withheld.
Single-use foam containers and other items used by restaurants would be banned in Illinois starting in 2024 if a bill that passed the House of Representatives on Thursday gets through the Senate and is signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
House Bill 2376 prohibits the sale or use of disposable food containers and other foodware that is made wholly or in part of polystyrene foam. The bill, which was sponsored by Glenview State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D), passed the House 67-43 on Thursday and now awaits action by the Senate, where a similar bill was introduced. […]
In a statement issued after Thursday’s vote, Jen Walling — the executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council — called the vote a “huge step forward” toward recognizing “we cannot recycle our way out of a plastic pollution crisis.”
A measure sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz assures that Medicaid covers any newborn relinquished under the Act. It also extends the time of notice that the police or fire department can inform a parent to share information of the hospital the child was transported to.
“Senate Bill 1999 not only ensures that abandoned infants can receive Medicaid immediately once they arrive at the hospital, but also creates a path for biological parents to reconsider their options,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago).
Changing the time period from 72 hours to 30 days will provide a biological parent additional time to consider other options, such as putting in place a traditional adoption plan with a child welfare agency or deciding to parent the child if possible.
* Illinois Family Institute…
Last month we alerted you to tyrannical bills designed to shut down the operations of “limited services pregnancy centers.” State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) is looking to advance her bill SB 1909, which is titled the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act.” This overbearing proposal will probably be called in the Illinois Senate Executive Committee hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29.
Make no mistake, this bill takes direct aim at shutting down all pregnancy centers. No other way to say it. SB 1909 allows the Illinois Attorney General (AG) to investigate all centers it believes are providing any wrong information or omitting any correct information in any form (advertising, speaking to a client, offering services, denying services, answering questions, etc.).
nd guess who gets to define what qualifies as “wrong information”? That is correct, the far-left Illinois Attorney General.
The Illinois Attorney General has free reign to investigate any center it believes may be doing something “wrong,” or even about to do something “wrong,” based on any information that comes their way. If it is determined there is a violation of this Act, Pregnancy Care Centers can be fined up to $50,000 per incident and clients may take centers to court for other civil penalties with the AG’s blessing and detailed documentation against the centers.
The Illinois Department of Human Services could be tasked with tracking stolen SNAP benefits and card skimming that leaves low-income people without benefits.
Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago) told her House colleagues Friday that her bill would also require state funds to be used to replace SNAP funding stolen during the period of Jan. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2022. The plan also calls for the department to replace cash assistance stolen from Link cards through skimming, closing, or other fraudulent activity from Jan. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2024. […]
IDHS would be responsible for tracking and collecting data on the scope and frequency of SNAP fraud and where benefits are stolen. The agency will be required to report annual findings to the General Assembly starting on Jan. 1, 2024. […]
“My concern is if in fact we were able to secure $2 million from the federal government as they have allocated to other states, that would still leave Illinois on the hook for anywhere between $22 million and $46 million,” said Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond (R-Macomb).
Could the 2022 massacre during Highland Park’s July Fourth parade have been prevented with a small change to state law?
It’s never been publicly reported before, but several local sources confirmed this week that Highland Park Police Chief Louis Jogmen wanted to send a city-owned drone above the parade last year. That camera-equipped drone could’ve spotted Robert Eugene Crimo III on a building rooftop overlooking the parade before he allegedly fired 83 shots that killed seven people and wounded 48 more. But the chief couldn’t launch that drone because of state law.
Jogmen’s police department has for years wanted to launch the camera drone, which the city uses for search-and-rescue and other emergencies, to fly over major public events. But state law prohibits law enforcement agencies from using the drones for things like event surveillance.
In other words, state law allows police to use drones in the aftermath of horrific and deadly mass shootings, but not to safeguard the public before they happen.
“The Illinois Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act was passed in 2014 in an effort to balance evolving technology with important privacy concerns,” explained state Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, who was at Highland Park’s Independence Day parade last year. “Nearly 10 years later, it has been unchanged and undeniably stands in the way of law enforcement doing their jobs to keep our communities safe. We need to revisit and amend this law to prevent future mass shootings like what we endured on July Fourth in Highland Park.”
Highland Park and other municipalities are allowed to deploy helicopters with high-tech video and tracking capabilities to surveil events, but not drones. Helicopters are expensive to purchase, operate and maintain and are very noisy (just ask anyone who lives in or near a high-crime area in Chicago how loud they can be). Drones are relatively inexpensive, not difficult to fly and operate almost silently.
The quiet operation of the small drones is part of what worries the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois. People “could be observed in a host of different places — like the upper floor of a large condo building or one’s backyard — without knowing that any surveillance was taking place,” explained ACLU of Illinois spokesperson Ed Yohnka. “The same is not true for a helicopter and requires law enforcement to, essentially, announce their presence. This announcement could well deter criminal activity.”
Yohnka is right that the loud noise made by helicopters might deter criminal activity (it’s also a very real and obnoxious intrusion on the lives of South and West Side residents at all hours of the day and night). But, again, helicopters are expensive and difficult to fly and maintain. A town of 30,000 people isn’t going to, and likely can’t afford to shell out that kind of money. Even a place as wealthy as Highland Park.
Highland Park City Manager Ghida Neukirch pointed to a bill introduced last year that would’ve allowed police to use the drones for proactive law enforcement. “Had we had the opportunity to use it last July Fourth, it would have provided our employees with an aerial view of the entire parade grounds and rooftops and the entire area,” she said of the drone.
State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, went further, suggesting that Highland Park’s drone could have prevented the mass killing.
Morrison was just a block away from the site of last year’s parade shooting and she’s involved with the negotiations.
“We’ve been working with law enforcement to tailor a bill that will serve public safety concerns,” Morrison told me last week, adding that she and others have been “meeting on a daily basis” to find a fix for the state’s drone laws.
Chicago has its own drone rules, and is reportedly skittish about any state law changes that could alter them.
“It’s an important issue to me,” Morrison said. She said giving the police the ability to use drones in a more proactive sense, “could have prevented the shooting in Highland Park.”
The General Assembly passed sweeping legislation to ban assault weapons after the Highland Park shooting. But, so far, those are just words on paper as court challenges to the law work their way through the system.
People should have the right to attend public events without nervously scanning unprotected rooftops, or worse. Nobody is talking about giving the police unregulated and unfettered access to drones. Nobody is talking about blocking Chicago’s drone program. It is time to come to an agreement.
* Tribune | Conservatives are targeting suburban school boards. And the elections are becoming political battlegrounds.: The Chicago suburbs have become a key battleground. From Oswego to Wheaton to Barrington to Lockport and beyond, tens of thousands of dollars are pouring into several ostensibly nonpartisan races ahead of the April 4 balloting as what have historically been low-interest elections are roiled by debates where Republican talking points such as “parental rights,” “gender ideology” and “critical race theory” are taking center stage.
* Pantagraph | For Illinois farmers, corn dispute with Mexico raises concerns: Mexico issued a presidential decree in 2020 indicating its intention to phase out the use of genetically modified corn by January 2024, as well as the use of the herbicide glyphosate. Last month, the country issued new rules that dropped the date but kept in language related to the ban.
* AP | Abortion access: As South bans abortions, thousands turn to Illinois clinics: Hundreds of women travel each week to the southern tip of Illinois to secure an abortion, something that is no longer available to millions living in a 1,800 mile stretch of 11 Southern states that have mostly banned pregnancy terminations since the Supreme Court stripped away constitutional protections for women to end pregnancies.
* Sun-Times | One more round for Daleys in 11th Ward race?: With former Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson’s conviction, it may seem that the Daley family’s grip on the 11th Ward is slipping. But despite boundary and demographic changes in the ward, the Daleys and their allies are still exerting influence.
* Tribune Editorial | When will the ghost of the Peotone airport folly finally stop haunting Illinois: That specter has taken various forms over the years. The Illiana tollway was a proposed trucking highway that Illinois didn’t need and couldn’t afford. The $2 billion Crosstown Expressway concept lingered through the 1960s and ’70s, till then Mayor Jane Byrne finally killed it. There have been others, many others.
* Madeleine Doubek | ComEd trial should snap people out of ‘corruption fatigue’: If only the “ComEd Four” bribery trial tied closely to former House Speaker Mike Madigan could be transformed into a reality TV show. The ratings might rise to the roof. More people in Illinois would be riveted to the reveals showing that what happens in Springfield far too rarely results in authentic, democratic representation for the good of its residents. Maybe then people would snap out of their corruption fatigue. A groundswell of people could start agitating for more positive change. Maybe the trial, and the one to follow for Madigan, will persuade even more lawmakers that it’s time to end the days of iron rule by leaders seeking to emulate the man once called “the velvet hammer.”
* Daily Herald | Illinois’ new paid leave law is a win for workers and a win for businesses: While Illinois’ new law will expand access to paid leave to well over 1 million Illinois workers, there are also a few exemptions in the new law. These include school districts and construction workers covered by collective bargaining agreements. This makes sense considering that public school teachers already get a minimum of 10 sick days per year and many union construction workers jump from employer to employer as projects are completed and have access to vacation savings benefits that deliver members the financial equivalent to paid leave.
* MLB | TA ‘no longer trying to prove anything’ in ‘23: “You could go back off the last four or five years — if that’s not enough, then what are you searching for? So I’m just doing me and having fun and enjoying the game and [living] my best life. I’m working on myself to go out and get better and proving things to myself and trying to bring wins to the fans. Other than that, I’m no longer trying to prove anything.”
