* The Komatsu’s mining truck was named The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois…
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…
Chosen by voters from an initial field of more than 200 entries, the Komatsu mining truck made by Komatsu in Peoria has been crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.
Hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and sponsored by Comcast Business, the bracket-style competition celebrates the incredible work of manufacturers across Illinois. Manufacturers have long served as the backbone of our state’s economy and produce everything from nutritious food and snacks to life-saving vaccines and medical treatments. Manufacturers also make electric vehicles, sporting equipment and structural products like steel, rebar and motors, as well as chemicals, high-tech gadgets used for national defense, and energy to power homes and businesses. Manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product, supporting nearly a third of all jobs in Illinois and contributing more than $580 billion to the state’s economy each year.
With nearly 315,000 votes cast throughout the eight-week competition, the Komatsu mining truck was awarded the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois by Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday during a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield. Manufactured by Komatsu, a leading maker of construction, mining, forestry, and industrial heavy equipment in Peoria, the truck is a rugged, large capacity vehicle used for construction and mining. With a capacity ranging from 30 to 400 tons, the Komatsu truck is built for meeting productivity targets and it comes equipped with new innovations in suspension, transmission, electric drive technology and autonomous operation. It is engineered for reliability, operator efficiency, high performance, fuel efficiency and has a reduced carbon footprint, meeting U.S. EPA Tier 4 emission standards.
“Congratulations to Komatsu’s mining truck for being named the 2024 Coolest Thing Made in Illinois. This magnificent construction and mining vehicle is a shining example of the innovation and creativity that drives the manufacturing sector, where big ideas become products that can change the world,” saidMark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “We applaud all the manufacturers that participated in this year’s competition and commend the skilled workers on our shop floors whose contributions guarantee that these fantastic products are made to the highest standards.”
“Komatsu’s ‘Coolest Thing in Illinois’ mining and construction truck takes something fundamental to our economy and infrastructure and continues to improve and innovate on a basic and essential concept—the absolute best of what manufacturing does for our state and a truly exceptional product,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Congratulations to the team of Komatsu and to all the contestants for your exceptional work in continuing to elevate our state’s manufacturing industry.” […]
Other finalists for the title included the Mullen’s Imitation French Dressing, a delicious food dressing based made by Mullen’s in Palestine; the MQ-25 Stingray (Drone Refueler), an unmanned aircraft with aerial refueling capabilities built by Boeing in Mascoutah and Mod Box by Enviro Buildings, a strong, insulated outdoor building with standardized panel sizes manufactured by Craig Industries in Quincy. […]
To ensure the state’s manufacturing sector remains strong, the IMA is advocating for the passage of several measures this legislative session. Priorities include proposals to support students and families entering the workforce through student loan employer tax credits and scholarships, advancing the development of cutting-edge technology by modernizing the state’s Research & Development tax credit, and allowing carbon capture and sequestration to help the state reach its clean energy goals.
* CHANGE Illinois…
Voters in Rock Island, Proviso and Oak Park townships will have the opportunity to vote for Fair Maps this November. At last night’s annual township meetings, residents brought forth non-binding referendums and successfully put those on the ballot for the upcoming General Election.
Fair Maps continues to speak directly to the needs of voters and their preference to pick their elected representatives, instead of politicians choosing voters. Gerrymandering in Illinois and across the country has stifled the will of voters because those with the power draw maps they directly benefit from by including certain voters in their districts and excluding others.
In the last election, voters in Peoria showed their strong support for Fair Maps through the same non-binding referendum process. Once again, this election, voters in Illinois can show their strong support for an independent commission drawing a truly fair map for Illinois. […]
Over the coming months CHANGE Illinois’ Road to Redistricting Reform initiative will be focused on educating residents in these three townships about what is at stake in the November election and continue building community-led, grassroots support for Fair Maps across the state.
* Speaker Chris Welch offers a resolution to honor Lee Milner…
According to Google Trends, which tracks the volume of certain search terms, “my eyes hurt” and “why do my eyes hurt” spiked significantly as the solar eclipse’s shadow passed over the country.
Searches for “my eyes hurt” reached their peak around 3 p.m. EST. The eclipse’s path terminated in Maine shortly around 3:30 p.m.
Searches for “my eyes hurt” surged strongest among Google users in states on the path of totality from Texas to Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont. Searches also ticked up, though not as quickly, in California, where about a third of the sun was covered by the time the peak eclipse hit at 11:13 a.m.
Yesterday, concern for eye damage skyrocketed in the United States:
Our data revealed that Google searches for “My eyes hurt” increased by 502% in the past 24 hours, and Google searches for “Eyes hurt after looking at eclipse” increased by 5,740% in the last day!
Since the solar eclipse, Americans nationwide have been worried about the potential effects of looking at the sun after not heeding the warnings to wear protective sunglasses during the phenomenon.
Searches for “my eyes hurt” have skyrocketed in these 25 states, with the top three states NOT in the path of totality on April 9, 2024:
* Tribune | Biden EPA limits toxic forever chemicals in drinking water for the first time: New regulations to be announced Wednesday will require every U.S. water utility to begin routinely testing for several of the chemicals. Any that exceed federal limits will get five years to overhaul their treatment plants to reduce, if not eliminate, alarming concentrations of the compounds in tap water. More than 100 million Americans are expected to benefit, including at least 660,000 in Illinois who get their drinking water from a utility that violates the new standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
* BND | Army Corps shelved a plan to address southwest IL flooding decades ago, lawmakers say: U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski said the Army Corps shelved 14 flood control measures authorized in 1965 for the area because of “low cost-benefit ratios.” They noted that decades later, the communities experience frequent flooding.
* SJ-R | Voter data released for nearly 30K Springfield residents by far right publication: At least 29,000 Springfield residents have had their personal voter information published this year, an analysis from The State Journal-Register found. The data has been released by the far-right The Sangamon Sun, published by Local Government Information Services, where the Illinois State Board of Elections is now asking the publisher to remove the information from its 20 websites and 11 print publications.
* WCIA | Champaign Schools: No interviews for Board of Education applicants: Monday night was another fiery night for the Champaign School Board. Members are divided as they try to decide the best way to fill open seats. […] On Tuesday night, 10 of them were hoping for interviews and answers, but because the board did not meet quorum, that meeting couldn’t move forward.
* Crain’s | Amid drastic downsizing, VillageMD brings on new exec: The Chicago-based company today announced that Jim Murray, a former health insurance and managed care executive, joined VillageMD as president and chief operating officer on April 1. In this role, Murray will lead operations across VillageMD’s enterprise, which includes clinics under the Village Medical brand, as well as dozens under Summit Health and CityMD, which VillageMD acquired at the beginning of last year.
* Daily Herald | Officials say they didn’t know religious group was behind land buy until after it was completed: South Barrington Park District officials didn’t learn a religious group was behind the winning bid for 34 acres of public parkland until two weeks after the $2.3 million sale was finalized, they revealed Tuesday. […] Area N Development was created in Delaware about a week before the auction, public records show. It wasn’t until March 22 that Schaumburg-based Fourth Avenue Gospel, which is owned and operated by members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and was behind a failed effort to acquire the property in 2023, publicly admitted it invented Area N Development to buy the land.
* Block Club | Chicago Pride Parade Will Be Smaller This Year Due To ‘Safety And Logistical Concerns’: The celebration — which includes floats, performance groups, marching bands and more — will be capped at 125 entries, organizers said. This is about a 37 percent decrease from last year’s 199 entries. Organizers were notified of the changes from the city in mid-March, they said. Concerns include “the city’s capacity to manage a range of large events throughout the summer,” organizers said.
* Sun-Times | FDA panel reviewing Abbott heart device included 10 doctors with financial ties to the north suburban health giant: One member of the FDA advisory committee was linked to hundreds of payments from Abbott totaling almost $200,000, according to the database maintained by the federal Department of Health and Human Services. Another was connected to 100 payments, totaling about $100,000, and conducted research supported by about $50,000 from Abbott. A third member of the committee worked on research supported by more than $180,000 from the company.
* Crain’s | Bears recruit Andrea Zopp as a legal adviser as stadium push rolls on: Andrea Zopp, a veteran litigator well connected in Chicago business and political circles, is taking on an advisory role in the Bears’ push for a new stadium — and new stadium financing. Zopp, now managing partner of Cleveland Avenue, the venture-capital firm founded by McDonald’s ex-CEO Don Thompson, will work alongside Bears CEO Kevin Warren and the team’s newly named chief legal officer, Krista Whitaker, as the team scopes out its options.
* Sun-Times | There’s nothing surprising about the White Sox’ awful start — not the losses, not the injuries: Did no one think to tell hit-starved, run-famished White Sox players to stare at the eclipse without sunglasses? It only could have improved their vision at the plate. The Sox are the butt of a lot of bad jokes these days because they’re butt ugly as a baseball team. Everyone knew they were going to be feeble this season but few people expected them to be this feeble, which explains the level of anger around town.
* Crain’s | A new rooftop battle emerges for the Cubs: In a victory for the Cubs’ long-running effort to extract more revenue out of the Friendly Confines and its environs, the City Council Zoning Committee approved an ordinance yesterday allowing the team to install two large LED signs on the rooftops of buildings that Cubs ownership controls just beyond the ballpark’s bleachers. The team unveiled plans last month to put a large Coca-Cola sign atop the building at 1040 W. Waveland Ave. and another for paint company Benjamin Moore on the roof of 3623 N. Sheffield Ave., two locations that are highly visible from inside the stadium.
* NYT | The History Behind Arizona’s 160-Year-Old Abortion Ban: After the American Medical Association, which would eventually become the largest doctors’ organization in the country, formed in 1847, its members — all male and white at that time — sought to curtail medical activities by midwives and other nondoctors, most of whom were women. Pregnancy termination methods were often provided by people in those vocations, and historians say that was one reason for the association’s desire to ban abortion. A campaign that became known as the Physicians’ Crusade Against Abortion began in 1857 to urge states to pass anti-abortion laws. Its leader, Dr. Horatio Robinson Storer, wrote a paper against abortion that was officially adopted by the A.M.A. and later published as a book titled “On Criminal Abortion in America.”
* WBEZ | NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public’s trust: A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR’s former CEO, John Lansing, has fed “the absence of viewpoint diversity,” Berliner writes. NPR’s chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner’s assessment.
* CBS | Memorial service this weekend for Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough: The public memorial service will take place on April 14, at the Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. in advance of the 3 p.m. memorial service. Yarbrough was remembered as a trailblazer. She had a career that spanned local and state politics over three decades.
Yesterday, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals REJECTED Smith & Wesson’s attempt to litigate the Highland Park Parade cases in federal court and ruled that they must instead move forward locally in Lake County where the plaintiffs filed them. This is a major loss for Smith & Wesson, a big win for the victims and our community, and reflects a broad shift of momentum we’re seeing across the country in gun cases.
For years, legislatures and our judicial system have refused to hold defendants like Smith & Wesson accountable when victims of mass shootings brought suit. But things are changing. During the Seventh Circuit hearing last Thursday, one of the panel judges cut off Smith & Wesson’s attorney within 30 seconds of his opening argument because he took issue with the way Smith & Wesson downplayed the shooting in its appellate brief, saying:
“You’re familiar in criminal cases, as we are with the concept of minimization. I’m tempted to take up some of your argument time listing the names of the seven people who were killed and the 48 who were wounded.”
I was floored (and deeply moved) by that statement, which set the tone for the entire hearing. And the decision itself not only handed the Highland Park plaintiffs a clear victory, but also invited them to seek fees from Smith & Wesson as a sanction for wasting time in federal court.
This ruling is part of a shift we’re seeing everywhere: while we are still a country with a strong Second Amendment, bad actors like Smith & Wesson no longer have carte blanche in marketing deadly weapons to disaffected kids using video-game style ads and “lone gunman” themes when they know exactly where that leads—again, and again, and again.
So these cases are coming back to Lake County where they belong. There’s a long road ahead but I promise you we will never run out of energy for this fight.
The legal theories advanced against Smith & Wesson rest on state tort law plus the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505/1 to 505/12, and the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, 815 ILCS 510/1 to 510/7. The complaints assert (among other things) that Smith & Wesson should not have offered the M&P15 to civilians, because it is a machine gun reserved for police and military use under 18 U.S.C. §922(b)(4) and 26 U.S.C. §5845(b), and that if the civilian sale of the M&P15 is lawful the manufacturer still is liable because the weapon was advertised in a way that made it attractive to irresponsible persons (especially the young) seeking to do maximum damage in minimum time.
Smith & Wesson then tried moving the lawsuit to federal court and was rejected yesterday.
One final observation. Both this court in Lu Junhong and the Supreme Court in BP v. Baltimore recognized that attempting to remove under §1442 would be attractive to many defendants who sought to sidestep the need for all defendants’ consent or wanted to obtain appellate review of any remand order. The Justices also saw that, when defendants yield to the incentive to misuse §1442 to get around §1447(d) and §1446(b)(2)(A), litigation will be delayed and become needlessly costly—other things that defendants may hope to achieve. Baltimore asked the Court to curtail those incentives by giving the statute a strained reading. The Justices replied that setting policy is for Congress, not the judiciary, but added:
Nor is it as if Congress has been blind to the City’s concerns. As the City itself acknowledges, thanks to §1447(c) a district court may order a defendant to pay the plaintiff’s costs and expenses (including attorney’s fees) if it frivolously removes a case from state court. Additionally, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allow courts to sanction frivolous arguments made in virtually any context […]
The district judge should consider whether Smith & Wesson must reimburse the plaintiffs’ costs and fees occasioned by the unjustified removal and appeal.
Oof.
* From Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield)…
Gun manufacturers like Smith & Wesson keep running to federal courts to protect them from accountability for their role in facilitating mass shootings and other gun-related deaths, and they keep losing. This 7th Circuit decision reaffirms that gun manufacturers cannot hide from their responsibility, and gun violence rests at their feet due to their deceptive marketing practices that have existed for decades. This case is deeply personal for the Roberts family, and also those of us who were present at the Highland Park Mass Shooting two years ago - this is a positive step for those looking for justice
* It’s Illinois Chamber of Commerce day in Springfield, and the four heads of the General Assembly are speaking. Here’s Senate President Don Harmon…
* Here’s more of Harmon’s remarks. H/T Brenden Moore…
I want to begin by telling you a story. A few weeks ago at the Capitol, a swarm of TV cameras and reporters descended upon the hallway outside of my office. No, I had not done anything wrong. Nobody was getting arrested or indicted. Sad that I even have to say that. In fact, they weren’t even there for me. It turns out they were there because Jerry Reinsdorf, the billionaire owner of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls was in town and on his way to my office.
So in case you haven’t been following the news, Mr. Reinsdorf wants a new baseball stadium. As you may recall, the last time the state built him a baseball stadium, it became the stuff of political legend. Clocks were stopped, arms were twisted by then-Gov. Jim Thompson in the deal that happened. Now a quick disclaimer: I was nowhere near the Capital when that happened. In June of 88, I just graduated from Knox College in Galesburg and was preparing to start my first year of a grown up job. But anyways, yes, the White Sox and Mr. Reinsdorf are back with a new ask that’s reported in the press as high as $2 billion for public assistance with a new baseball stadium.
And look, I’m as big a sports fan is the next guy. And I’m always happy to listen to ideas. But I made it clear to them then and I’ve tried to make it clear in the media since that there’s next to no appetite to fund a new stadium with taxpayer dollars. So that’s why the media was camped outside of my office for what was my last meeting of the day.
But I want to tell you the story about what you didn’t read in the media, and that would be my first meeting of the day. I began with a group of advocates from Chicago Lighthouse. For those of you unfamiliar, the Chicago Lighthouse has worked for more than 100 years to provide equality, independence and dignity for the blind and visually-impaired. It has a nationally-recognized vision clinic and is considered a pioneer in vision care innovation. They wanted to talk to me about additional state support for programs that help the blind and visually-impaired find employment. We also learned that the Braille signage around the Capitol is in need of some updating. The Chicago Lighthouse does amazing work to help amazing people. And that’s pretty much how most days go at the Capital. People and groups come in and talk to me and ask for more. Sometimes it’s visually-impaired adults, sometimes it’s billionaire professional sports team owners. But the common theme running through all of this is that it’s often my job to let them down.
In my brief time as Senate President, l’ve confirmed my belief that the best definition of leadership is the ability to disappoint people at a rate they can digest. So when I tell people the key to success in Springfield, it’s progress. Nobody gets everything that they want. The key is whether you are making progress on your priorities. My personal priority for this session, once again, is a responsible, balanced budget. I know that Speaker Welch and Governor Pritzker share that goal.
Wednesday, Apr 10, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
“Let’s focus on facts, not optics. This legislation will result in less wages for servers not more. The hospitality industry is already under immense inflationary pressure and this bill will just drive consumer prices up further.”
Without any opposition, the Illinois Senate on Tuesday passed a measure that would tighten identification standards for human remains that are being handled by funeral homes and enhance punishment for businesses that break the law.
The legislation comes after a funeral home in central Illinois last year was found to have given dozens of families the wrong remains. The owner of Heinz Funeral Home in Carlinville had his license revoked by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation after the discovery for “professional incompetence,” among other things.
The measure passed in the Senate Tuesday by a 55-0 vote would tighten funeral home regulations designed to ensure the human remains in their possession are identified properly. The bill now moves to the House for consideration. […]
The legislation would make it a Class 4 felony, punishable by up to three years in prison, for funeral service providers to intentionally mishandle certain documents related to someone’s death.
A bill in the Illinois state Senate would make it easier for people to learn their risk of getting cancer through genetic testing.
The bipartisan legislation passed unanimously through the state Senate Insurance Committee on March 12. It now heads to the floor.
If it becomes law, insurance companies in Illinois would be required to cover genetic testing if the patient has a family history of cancer. Out-of-pocket costs would be capped at $50. Illinois Medicaid patients would also be covered with no out-of-pocket costs.
“This measure will increase early detection and improve prevention of all types of cancer. With this bill, we are moving the needle further in the right direction,” said state Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, the bill’s sponsor.
As electric vehicle charging networks are taking shape across the country and in Illinois, state Sen. Dan McConchie wants to ensure the infrastructure is accessible to all drivers.
With accessibility regulations for electric vehicle chargers still in progress at the federal level, current stations often are inaccessible to drivers with disabilities. McConchie first caught wind of the issue when he heard from the attorney general’s office that one Illinois resident who uses a wheelchair had bought a Tesla and had it outfitted so it could be used — but could not find a publicly available charger nearby that was accessible to wheelchair users. […]
The bill is silent on whether the rules would apply retroactively to existing chargers.
“It would be my hope that companies who have installed existing units would go back and make sure that there is some accessibility, because at some point I do suspect that there will be some retroactivity down the road, even if it’s not immediate,” McConchie said. […]
The bill unanimously cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, and likely will go before the full Senate for a vote next week.
A bill that would expand tax breaks from newly constructed homes to newly remodeled homes will now head to the Illinois House of Representatives after it passed out of the Senate.
The bill, sponsored by Peoria Democrat Sen. Dave Koehler and outgoing Peoria Republican Win Stoller, changes the property tax code to include tax breaks for remodeled or improved homes in areas of urban decay.
As currently written, the state’s property tax code allows local governments to grant an abatement period of up to 10 years for taxes in a certain area of urban decay. Within that area and during that period, newly constructed single-family or duplex homes receive a percentage of their taxes discounted, maxing out at 2%.
Koehler and Stoller’s law would put newly remodeled homes and duplexes under the same umbrella, granting them the 2% discount. The goal is to encourage property owners to invest in homes in that area to revitalize spots like Peoria’s Southside, where many homes need repair.
The Illinois state Senate passed two bills Tuesday they believe will help limit teen vaping.
One bill, sponsored by state Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, bans companies from selling vaping devices that look like normal household items. The other bill, sponsored by state Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel, D-Shorewood, bans people from shipping them in Illinois except to retailers and distributors. […]
Both bills now head to the state House of Representatives.
* Sen. Robert Peters…
To streamline expungement proceedings, State Senator Robert Peters advanced a measure out of the Senate on Tuesday making record expungement a smoother process for youth involved with the juvenile court systems. […]
Peters’ measure supports the idea of making changes in how court systems handle young people involved with the law by helping them get back on track and be a part of the community again, emphasizing rehabilitation and reintegration.
Often youth involved in the criminal justice system lack long-term legal representation, are unfamiliar with legal proceeding options and miss notifications of future expungement proceedings. His measure, Senate Bill 3463, requires juvenile court record expungements to be scheduled at the same time as initial court decisions to avoid multiple court appearances.
The measure passed the Senate with bipartisan support and heads to the House for further consideration.
Illinois lawmakers are looking at a proposal making it easier for international doctors to practice in the state.
The state House Health Care Licenses Committee unanimously passed a bill on April 3 creating a clinical readiness program to help doctors trained internationally find a residency program in Illinois, which they need to complete their licensing requirements.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, said the idea came out of a working group. It’s the latest step to ensure the state doesn’t lose out on talented physicians. […]
Mah said she is working with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on another amendment to improve the bill. It will go back before the Health Care Licenses Committee before potentially heading to the House floor.
* Sen. Julie Morrison…
To help physicians meet patients’ end-of-life wishes, State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to create an electronic registry to store treatment preferences for critically ill individuals.
“How much or how little treatment a person receives at the end of their life should be up to each individual instead of the one-size-fits-all approach,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This measure will enable physicians to access forms detailing patients’ wishes in a single, accessible location.”
Senate Bill 2644 would establish a statewide electronic registry that would contain Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment forms, which detail what type of medical treatment a critically ill patient does and does not want. POLST forms can help health care practitioners to uphold a person’s wishes regarding their care.
Currently, POLST forms can be maintained in hard copy or electronic format through the Secretary of State’s office. Morrison’s measure would establish a single location to hold all POLST forms, making it easily accessible to physicians throughout the state.
“I worked closely with the Illinois State Bar Association, the Illinois Hospital Association and the Alzheimer’s Association to develop this legislation,” said Morrison. “It is my hope that creating this statewide registry will ensure an individual’s wishes are honored.”
Senate Bill 2644 passed the Senate Tuesday. It now heads to the House for further consideration.
House Bill 2363 to phase out fluorescent lighting advanced through the Illinois House Energy and Environment Committee and is headed for a vote on the House floor.
According to analysis by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project, the switch to LED bulbs would save Illinois consumers more than $1.5 billion on utility bills, avoid 2.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions by cutting energy waste and avoid 419 pounds of mercury pollution by 2050. […]
[Abe Scarr, Illinois director of the Public Interest Research Group] notes a typical small office could see $900 a year in savings by switching to LED bulbs and schools could save $3,700 a year.
* Sen. Steve Stadelman…
State Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation aimed at combatting electronic stalking has successfully passed the Senate and advances to the House. […]
Electronic stalking, a form of harassment and intimidation facilitated through various digital platforms and communication channels, has become increasingly prevalent in today’s society.
In this modern technological era, electronic devices are commonly used to track keys, wallets, luggage, and other personal items. However, these electronic devices can also be used for people to stalk others.
The measure seeks to include electronic stalking as a method of criminal stalking, providing crucial legal protections for victims in the digital age. […]
Senate Bill 2683 passed the Senate and heads to the House for further consideration.
* Isabel posted this story in a roundup earlier this , but I wanted to make sure to highlight it for you: “The real-life spy who stumbled into Glenn Poshard’s campaign for governor,” by Abdon Pallasch…
Dave Rupert was the last guy you’d expect to be able to fool street-smart IRA leaders practiced in sniffing out British spies. A 6’7” protestant from upstate New York with no Irish roots, Dave had to be creative to get the Irish rebels to let their guards down. But by stretching his stories of life as a trucker into actually being a smuggler on the U.S. and Canadian borders, Dave won them over.
Dave was simultaneously infiltrating IRA groups in Ireland and their financial support groups in Chicago. He passed himself off as a wealthy businessman able to travel often to Ireland. It was actually the FBI paying for his flights. The FBI even set him up running a pub on Ireland’s West Coast to make inroads with IRA supporters.
In fine Chicago tradition, Dave told us he made himself the bagman for these U.S. support groups, carrying over envelopes of cash raised in Irish pubs here allegedly to support the families of IRA political prisoners in Northern Ireland – but with which the U.S. and British governments alleged also funded military operations.
When Dave showed up in Ireland with envelopes full of cash, people were happy to see him. And Dave started climbing the ranks of IRA splinter groups there.
The FBI set Dave up with a phony trucking office on Halsted Street in Canaryville. He bought a program to teach himself how to create websites, which were just becoming a thing.
Buildings in our neighborhood are boarded up because some people working in these battalions and in these fire houses used to live in these neighborhoods, and they are so angry they had to leave and they left when we came. And when there’s a fire and they go there, they watch the building burn. Go to the Northside. If you see 16 units, 25 units in a building, they go and put out the fire in the single unit. We have a fire in one unit and the whole building gets evacuated, because we didn’t have people that lived in the community that cared about the community that wanted to put the fire out. They had so much contempt they let the building burn. So to stop that level of homelessness and to stop the self-destruction, we need more Black person first responders or Black firefighters. Kudos for all that you do with the Black Fire Brigade.
* From the Chicago Fire Fighters Union…
The Executive Board of Local 2 is shocked, disheartened, angered, and disappointed to see the statements made about the members of Local 2 by Congressman Jonathan Jackson while addressing his constituents at a speaking event. These comments propagated on social media are not only patently false and maliciously divisive-they are dangerous to our membership. The Executive Board of Local 2 would like to assure our membership that we are working diligently to address this issue.
Local 2 and the [Associated Firefighters of Illinois] have officially and immediately revoked our endorsement of Congressman Jonathan Jackson. Additionally, Local 2 firmly demands Congressman Jackson publicly renounce his comments and issue our membership an apology.
Local 2 has been in contact with [Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt], and we await her response denouncing this hateful rhetoric and unwarranted attack on the Firefighters and Paramedics in which she leads. Additionally, we expect she will properly address those propagating these false statements as facts about the Chicago Fire Department and its members.
Local 2 comprises a diverse workforce dedicated to serving all communities without bias or discrimination. We take great pride in our commitment to inclusivity and professionalism in all aspects of our work.
Local 2 will certainly hold any member disseminating these abhorrent statements, slandering their brothers and sisters, fully accountable to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Chicago Fire Fighters Union.
We thank all of you for your hard work and commitment to the City of Chicago and its citizens.
*** UPDATE *** This statement does not include an apology…
* ICYMI: Pritzker pitches grants to open new stores in food deserts. Sun-Times…
- Pritzker’s Illinois Grocery Initiative, enacted last year, initially offered up $3.5 million in grant funding for local grocers.
- While the first phase supported equipment upgrades for existing independently owned grocers, the second phase of the program will offer grants to open new grocery stores in food deserts.
- The awards, which can range between $160,000 and $2.4 million, require the recipient to put up matching funds equal to one-third of the grant.
* Tribune | Local School Council elections are this week. Why that matters to your community.: Local School Councils exist at each of the more than 600 public schools spanning all 77 neighborhoods of Chicago, and operate independently of the district administration, the school board and other schools. They were created in part to give Chicago parents more control over what happens at their children’s schools. […] In recent months, the autonomy of LSCs came up when the Board of Education voted to remove student resource officers from all district schools — a controversial measure that effectively removed local school decision-makers from the process.
* ABC Chicago | Blue Island Police Department to swear in its 1st officer who is a DACA recipient: On Tuesday night, she will become a police officer for the south suburb, and she wants to encourage others to follow their dreams, regardless of their citizenship status. Mitchell Soto-Rodriguez has deep roots in Blue Island. “Some officers, when I’m riding with them, they are like, ‘you say hi to everyone.’ Well, I know the community, so they know me. They know who I am,” Soto-Rodriguez said.
Governor Pritzker will be in Springfield to give remarks at the Illinois Makers Madness Luncheon. Click here to watch at 12:30 pm.
* Here’s the rest…
* Daily Herald | Lake County staffer leaving for state post as adviser on homelessness: In May, Community Development Administrator Brenda O’Connell will join the Illinois Housing Development Authority as a senior policy adviser responsible for coordinating the agency’s work in the statewide homeless response. In announcing her departure, O’Connell lauded the partnership of others for ensuring the success of various programs.
* WAND | Champaign County Auditor under investigation: Serious allegations have been made against the Champaign County Auditor after months of complaints by his staff and a forensic audit of his computer. WAND obtained documents of filed HR complaints from staff accusing auditor George Danos of having inappropriate images on his work computer, undressing in front of staff and berating and cursing at staff members.
* Daily Herald | Kane County Board delays vote on sales tax referendum: But board member Chris Kious said the resolution should be sent to the finance committee for discussion first. While the committee previously discussed the idea of instituting a sales tax, Kious said the panel never considered a formal resolution. The board agreed unanimously.
* Daily Herald | Should DuPage County elected officials get a pay raise?: Members of the county board’s finance committee Tuesday seemed to settle on a proposal that would offer those board members and countywide officials also on the November ballot no raises in the first two years of their terms. They would receive a 2% and 3% increase in the final two years of their terms if board members sign off on the proposal later this month. Currently, county board members are paid $52,102 a year. Under the proposed increases, board members would see a $1,042 bump in the third year of their term and a $1,594 increase in their fourth year.
* BND | Madison County Board will consider putting secession question to voters in November: The Government Relations Committee of the Madison County Board on April 2 approved a nonbinding advisory referendum 6-1 that asks voters if they should communicate with other counties outside Chicago about secession. The full board still needs to approve the referendum for it to be on the November ballot. The committee’s actions possibly negated a requirement that supporters gather roughly 7,800 signatures — about 8% of the county’s turnout during the last gubernatorial election — to get the referendum in front of the county’s voters.
* Tribune | Evanston to continue exploring options for migrant shelter: Discussions at the April 8 City Council meeting moved away from hosting a potential shelter at 1020 Church Street, a vacant two-story office space with the ability to house anywhere from 60 to 65 people, or the Morton Civic Center, where city operations are being temporarily moved from starting in July.
* Daily Beast | The Catfish Scandal Rocking an Illinois School Board: “We are not a court or jury, but the alleged conduct is just so deeply disturbing, and it has resulted in the district being cast in a terrible light,” board President Andrew Waeyaert said at the meeting. “The board and administration have been inundated with inquiries, complaints, and FOIA requests about this matter, and it has monopolized all of our time,” he added. “This situation and its impact have taken away countless hours from our mission, which is to serve kids and families.”
* Crain’s | On O’Hare expansion, the city gives the airlines what they want: In a letter sent to the airlines last week and obtained by Crain’s, the Johnson administration offers the airlines what they have been pushing for: a new sequence of construction for the long-stalled airport revamp as well as a signal that some of the fancier design elements included in the original blueprint could be dropped. “The city plans to prioritize construction of Satellite 1 and O’Hare global terminal before construction of Satellite 2, while continuing work on aspects of Satellite 2 and other (Terminal Area Project) elements that are necessary,” the letter states.
*Tribune | Federal court delivers another victory to Obama Foundation in park group fight: Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Diane Wood — joined by Judges Ilana Rovner and David Hamilton — ruled against the parks advocacy group, which argued in October that the city’s agreement to lease a slice of Jackson Park to former President Barack Obama’s foundation to build a museum and complex violated the public trust.
* Bloomberg | How the U.S. Steel takeover became about Biden and swing states: Unions don’t typically hold much sway in the world of takeover battles. But Nippon Steel’s bid to buy US Steel is now caught in an election year maelstrom as President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, in the wake of the union’s objections, have both publicly opposed the deal as they vie for blue-collar votes. The turmoil threatens to strain American relations with one of its top allies while underscoring how the politics of winning swing-state voters is dramatically influencing the corporate landscape.
* WCIA | UI study examines social media usage during disaster: Tweets from Puerto Rico and places in the U.S. with large Puerto Rican populations — like Florida, California, New York and Texas — were considered in the sampling. Pérez Figueroa said that despite the collapse of the island’s power grid, users in Puerto Rico were still able to access Twitter during the hurricane. He believes this is because Twitter does not require a strong signal to use, making it more reliable under extreme conditions.
*Tribune | Proposed master plan for former McDonald’s campus in Oak Brook recommends mixed-use district: The proposed master plan for a project to be developed on the former McDonald’s campus site in Oak Brook includes a mixed-use district of restaurants and retail, along with both owner-occupied condominiums and townhomes. The plan was to be submitted Tuesday, April 9 for preliminary review by the Oak Brook Village Board and still needs approval before work may begin. Village Manager Greg Summers said the preliminary board review is the very first step in the process for a proposed Planned Development.
* SJ-R | African American History Museum in Springfield searching for new executive director: The Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum is starting the search for their next executive director, following first director Nalo Mitchell’s resignation from the museum on March 30. Mitchell announced her leaving of the museum in a statement days before a Women’s History Month panel which took place on March 30. In the statement, Mitchell said she has served her one-year contract with the museum successfully, as she moves forward in her career.
* The Nation | Elon Musk Wants to Gut the National Labor Relations Act: In late November, at a New York Times DealBook Summit where the aspiring-to-be-rich gather to get pointers from the actually rich, the Tesla CEO explained that “I disagree with the idea of unions…. I just don’t like anything which creates a lords-and-peasants sort of thing.” In the same interview, Musk—a mega-billionaire who famously threatened, in 2018, to take away the stock options of Tesla workers if they organized to exercise their collective-bargaining rights—griped, “I think the unions naturally try to create negativity in a company.”
* NYT | The U.S. Urgently Needs a Bigger Grid. Here’s a Fast Solution: Replacing existing power lines with cables made from state-of-the-art materials could roughly double the capacity of the electric grid in many parts of the country, making room for much more wind and solar power. This technique, known as “advanced reconductoring,” is widely used in other countries. But many U.S. utilities have been slow to embrace it because of their unfamiliarity with the technology as well as regulatory and bureaucratic hurdles, researchers found.
*Sports Handle | Illinois Sports Betting Handle Totals $1.07 Billion For February: The state collected more than $12.5 million in tax receipts, lifting its two-month total for 2024 to $32.8 million. Cook County, which is home to Chicago and has a 2% levy on revenue generated within its limits, saw an inflow of $921,855 into its coffers for the month.
* Sun-Times | Amid slow start, injuries, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol faces uphill climb: Pedro Grifol, in the second year of a three-year contract, has his hands full with a roster that not only wasn’t built to win but was projected to lose 100 games. And that was before the Sox traded Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease. And before their only star, center fielder Luis Robert Jr., went down for weeks with a torn hip flexor a week into the season.
* The Southern | Despite heavy eclipse traffic, no major emergencies in region: Paul Wappel, public information officer for the Illinois Department of Transportation, said the lack of major emergencies resulted from preparations from state and local agencies. Wappel said IDOT met with more than 36 counties and municipalities months ago to plan and prepare for Monday.
Mayor Brandon Johnson urged calm today after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability released videos showing police officers killing a man during a traffic stop in Humboldt Park after the man allegedly shot an officer.
The videos show police officers approaching a white SUV driven by Dexter Reed, 26, purportedly because he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. The officers gave Reed orders and while directing him to not roll up his windows during the stop, gunfire is heard on the officer body camera footage released today. The officers scramble for cover. One officer, standing next to Reed’s passenger side door, falls back and is seen bleeding.
COPA, the police oversight agency charged with investigating officer misconduct and all police shootings, said the available evidence appears to confirm that Reed fired first at officers before they returned fire. […]
Johnson stressed peace as footage begins to appear on social media and ahead of Reed’s family and attorney holding a press conference today to express their reaction to his death.
Today, Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton joined food justice advocates and local stakeholders to announce a new grant program from the Illinois Grocery Initiative. The New Stores in Food Deserts Program will offer competitive grants to encourage the establishment of new grocery stores in USDA-defined food deserts. Paired with the Equipment Upgrades Program, the initiatives are a $20 million effort to address food deserts and prevent grocery store closures in Illinois.
“The truth is: too many people live in food deserts, and it’s contributing to an ongoing public health crisis. As we celebrate the launch of our second Illinois Grocery Initiative grant program today, we aim to support local entrepreneurs and communities as they open new grocery stores in food deserts.” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This is a first-of-its-kind state government investment — and it will have a significant impact on under-served rural towns and urban neighborhoods dealing firsthand with the struggles of food access.”
Awards can range between $160K to $2.4M, with a 1:3 match requirement from businesses.
Requirements for grocery locations include:
- Must be located in a food desert,
- Must earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales,
- Must accept SNAP and WIC, and
Must contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in community.
Qualified entities include units of local government and independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations. New Stores in Food Deserts grants will fund construction and renovation costs for new stores, as well as many first-year operations costs, such as employee wages, utility costs, initial inventory of food, and more.
“It’s nice to know that the state of Illinois is in such GREAT shape that Maurice West only has to worry about school mascots!”
That line opened an email from a regular reader responding to Thursday’s column about House Bill 5617, a plan from state Rep. West, D-Rockford, to functionally prohibit schools from using Native American imagery. […]
My emailer, like all readers, understands West and his General Assembly colleagues can multitask. We all know politicians can talk, while what matters is their action. So what else is on West’s plate? The answers are a few keystrokes away.
Visit ilga.gov. Look under House and click Members. Scroll down to the name Maurice A. West, II. On the next column over, click Bills. This opens up a page showing 268 House and Senate bills and resolutions in the current session (the 103rd, which started in January 2023) including West as a sponsor. Each has a short description and notes the last action and date.
* Here’s the rest…
* NBC Chicago | Major changes coming to Illinois DMV location in effort to make center more ‘efficient’: According to a press release from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, the Secretary of State facility in Plano, located at 236 Mitchell Drive in Kendall County will be getting a new, “one-stop-shop” DMV design. The new design is intended to “provide a more customer-focused, professional and efficient experience,” the release said.
* Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor announces reelection bid; will face at least 3 challengers: With three candidates — former Mayor Sam Cunningham, Miguel Rivera and Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward — having announced their plans to run to be Waukegan’s next chief executive, incumbent Mayor Ann Taylor is making her reelection bid official. […] Proud of increasing the city’s revenue approximately $32 million without hiking property taxes the past three years, Taylor said she wants to continue what she considers a good stewardship of the city. Four years is not sufficient to achieve long-term goals, she said.
* AP | Librarians fear new penalties, even prison, as activists challenge books: When an illustrated edition of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” was released in 2019, educators in Clayton, Missouri needed little debate before deciding to keep copies in high school libraries. The book is widely regarded as a classic work of dystopian literature about the oppression of women, and a graphic novel would help it reach teens who struggle with words alone. But after Missouri legislators passed a law in 2022 subjecting librarians to fines and possible imprisonment for allowing sexually explicit materials on bookshelves, the suburban St. Louis district reconsidered the new Atwood edition, and withdrew it.
* Tribune | Zombie malls and other retail centers getting extreme makeovers to keep up with the times: Builders have built or plan to add hundreds of apartments at malls in Vernon Hills, Skokie and Aurora. The idea is that residents will have an affordable home with quick access to shopping, restaurants, gyms and things to do, while municipalities will get increased property taxes. The target audience for these developments often is young single workers, new families, or older empty nesters who want convenience and flexibility.
* Crain’s | At City Hall, a progressive crusader steps into the chief of staff role: Cristina Pacione-Zayas, or CPZ, as you’ll hear around the fifth floor of City Hall, was appointed as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new chief of staff at the beginning of this month. Before her promotion, she served as Johnson’s deputy chief of staff. In that role, her acronymic moniker became well known in part as she took the helm of the city’s migrant response — a task that raised her profile while also making her a lightning rod as the Johnson administration struggled to deal with the influx of asylum-seekers being bussed in from Texas.
* Crain’s | Workers at a Chicago Trader Joe’s seek union representation: Employees at the 3745 North Lincoln Ave. location filed a petition yesterday to hold an election with the National Labor Relations Board to be represented by Trader Joe’s United, an independent union of Trader Joe’s workers. If the push is successful, the Lincoln Avenue location would be the fifth unionized Trader Joe’s nationwide.
* Sports Media | Men’s Final Four viewership up slightly; both games trail Iowa-UConn women: Saturday’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament national semifinals averaged a combined 6.0 rating and 12.84 million viewers across TBS, TNT and truTV — down 2% in ratings but up 4% in viewership from last year on CBS (6.2, 12.34M). The games averaged a 21 share, tying 2001, 2015 and 2022 as the highest since 1998. … This year marks the first time in recent memory — if not ever — that the men’s Final Four was not the most-watched sporting event of the week in which it took place.
* Crain’s | Art Institute lands another large donation: The John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Family Foundation is donating $25 million to the Art Institute of Chicago to support campus and visitor-center upgrades. Alexandra Nichols, an Art Institute trustee, and her late husband John Nichols, who ran Illinois Tool Works and previously served as chairman of the museum’s board of trustees, have donated nearly $50 million to the Art Institute over time, including funding the Nichols Bridgeway, which connects the Modern Wing of the museum over Monroe Street to Millennium Park.
* Block Club | Northwest Side Job Training Program Helps Students With Developmental Disabilities Succeed After High School: When Gerald Kelleher started interning at Eli’s Cheesecake Company, he was filled with nerves. Now, the 17-year-old is a pro at boxing cheesecakes and was able to land his first job. Kelleher was one of four Project Wright Access graduates honored Thursday during a ceremony at the Eli’s Cheesecake facility. Started in 2022, the Project Wright Access program teaches Chicago teens who have developmental disabilities about the workforce and helps them find jobs.
* SJ-R | 3 a.m. liquor sales coming to an end at Sangamon County bars this summer: Bars operating outside of Springfield in Sangamon County will soon no longer be able to sell alcohol after 1 a.m. In a split vote 21 to 5, the present 26 members of the Sangamon County Board voted to amend the county’s liquor code, eliminating the sale of alcohol after one in the morning for any business operating within the Sangamon County Liquor Ordinance.
For the first time in 221 years, periodical cicada brood XIII and brood XIX will emerge at the same time!
A periodical cicada emergence can be an exciting event to witness! Periodical cicadas emerge from roughly mid-May until late-June, so be ready for a wild start to summer. This is a great time to visit a local state or city park and watch the adult cicadas fly, listen to their calls and look for the nymphs’ shed skins. In neighborhoods with mature trees, some may even find cicadas in their back yards. You can even take part in a citizen science project by reporting cicada sighting locations on the Cicada Safari app.
Brood XIII emerges in the northern half of Illinois and will consist of three species of 17-year periodical cicadas, Magicicada septendecim, Magicicada cassini, and Magicicada septendecula. Brood XIX is called the Great Southern Brood and emerges in the southern half of Illinois. Brood XIX consists of four 13-year periodical cicada species, Magicicada tredecim, Magicicada neotredecim, Magicicada tredecassini, and Magicicada tredecula. Cicadamania.com is a great website to visit to learn more about the individual species emerging. The two broods have an area of overlap in Macon, Sangamon, Livingston and Logan counties in central Illinois. Springfield could be a great location to spot members of both broods.
Matthew Kasson, an associate professor of Mycology and Forest Pathology at West Virginia University, says both of these broods can be infected by a fungal pathogen called Massospora cicadina.
Once the cicadas emerge from the ground, they molt into adults, and within a week to 10 days, the fungus causes the backside of their abdomens open up. A chalky, white plug erupts out, taking over their bodies and making their genitals fall off.
“The cicada continues to participate in normal activities, like it would if it was healthy,” Kasson told CBS News. “Like it tries to mate, it flies around, it walks on plants. Yet, a third of its body has been replaced by fungus. That’s really kind of bizarre.”
Kasson said the reason the cicadas might be able to ignore the fungus is that it produces an amphetamine, which could give them stamina.
“But there’s also something else unusual about it,” he said. “There’s this hyper-sexualized behavior. So, males for example, they’ll continue to try and mate with females — unsuccessfully, because again, their back end is a fungus. But they’ll also pretend to be females to get males to come to them. And that doubles the number of cicadas that an infected individual comes in contact with
Illinois state entomologist Chris Dietrich said there are two different broods of cicadas emerging this year, one that only comes out every 13 years, and the other coming out every 17 years.
He said these two broods of cicadas have not been out together since 1803.
“These two particular broods of cicadas only come out every 221 years. And it’s really unusual to have two broods that are kind of right next to each other in terms of their geographic distribution that emerge simultaneously,” said Dietrich.
[Bulls coach Billy Donovan] has two years left on his current deal, and even if the front office and Bulls ownership didn’t value Donovan, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf does not like paying dead money for fired coaches.
A source recently said that Reinsdorf — who is also the chairman of the White Sox — knew that manager Pedro Grifol had put in a fireable season by midsummer of 2023, but he wanted to wait at least a year so the dead money wasn’t as big a hit.
The White Sox finished the 2023 season with 61 wins and 101 losses. They are currently 1-9.
And yet Reinsdorf wants up to $2 billion from taxpayers to build a new ballpark.
Anyway, have at it.
…Adding… A commenter notes that while Reisndorf hates spending “dead money” on fired coaches, he “wants taxpayers to pay dead money for an unused stadium.” Spot on.
* Governor JB Pritzker was asked today about Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson asking the city council to kick in $70 million for asylum seekers during an unrelated press conference…
Q: There appears to be a request from the mayor for maybe another $70 million to help with the migrant crisis. Can you just weigh in on the fact it seems like finally maybe the mayor seems to be coming around to kicking in money that you and Cook County have already committed to? Is it about time that they got serious about funding on their side of things?
Pritzker: Look, the city has been working very hard at addressing the crisis of the incoming buses that are being sent here from Texas. I want to commend the city and all the volunteers and all of the workers who have helped us to resettle people or provide temporary shelter and the investment that the city has already made.
We have been working together-the city, the county, the state-since August of 2022 to make sure that we’re providing everything that’s necessary. For people just to get a handle on, you know, they’re in a new place, often don’t speak the language don’t have a place to live, don’t have food that’s provided to them and providing them just basic health care.
And for those who complain about the expenditure that’s being made. Let’s be clear. First, this is just basic needs that people are getting. Nobody’s getting any fancy luxuries out of this, people are arriving and just need a helping hand.
I want to remind you and everybody here, if you didn’t know, that my family arrived with absolutely nothing to this city. Nothing. A social service agency gave them a place to live, they didn’t have one. They started out living in the subbasement of the Chicago train station at the time. My great-grandfather went to a public school, didn’t know how to speak English. By the end of his life, I never met him, but I’m told he spoke what people have described as the King’s English.
So you can imagine the kind of great education that he got in a public school. So all of those things. And again, just taking it all the way back to just arrival, right. He became a lawyer, my great-grandfather, during his lifetime coming from absolutely nothing and being persecuted in his home country.
So think of the people who are arriving here today. First of all, they’re human beings. They deserve to be treated with humanity with care, and to be treated as future contributors to the economy and the greatness of the city of Chicago in the state of Illinois. So we’re doing that and I hope that the governor of Texas will stop treating them as if they’re cattle being pushed on to buses and sent to Chicago and I hope that we will have a better comprehensive immigration program for the United States.
Unfortunately, as you know, former President Trump ruined any chance of any immediate work that might be done, and I think [Trump] doesn’t actually care about immigration, which is an additive to our economy in the United States. We should be pro-immigration in this country. We always have been I don’t know why there are some people who are moving backward.
But we need to work on that today. It’s been 40 years since there was any serious comprehensive immigration reform and boy do we need it again now.
So those are some thoughts that I have. I’m pleased that the city has been contributing and helping to deal with the challenge of people arriving more frequently than I think ever before. Or at least more recent ever before. And I think they’re being treated as best as they can be. Although there’s always work to do on this.
And again, I’d remind you it’s not as if the city has fallen down on providing support. And so this is just a continuation of what the city has already been doing.
* The Record | ‘Not something we would be able to manage’: More migrant buses are arriving in Wilmette and even more may be on the way: More than 50 migrant buses have arrived to the Wilmette Metra station, 722 Green Bay Road, since the new year. Approximately half of those have come in the past three weeks, Village Manager Mike Braiman told The Record. Village of Wilmette police and local volunteers support the migrants as they make their way to Chicago, and to this point, Braiman said the response has not strained Village resources, but any further increase may do just that.
* The Daily Northwestern | City Council indicates support for migrant shelter — but not downtown: City staff revealed a proposal last week to use the two-story building at 1020 Church St. as a shelter for up to 65 migrants. According to the plan, Evanston would apply for Cook County grant funding to cover the projected $2 million annual operating cost. Still, many details remain unclear about how the city would pay for the renovation and whether it would operate indefinitely.
* CBS | Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appears at Republican gala in NYC, faces criticism over migrant crisis: Abbott […] wasted no time talking about the influx of migrants entering the country. “We were sending them only to Washington, D.C., and quite literally out of nowhere, Mayor Adams starts criticizing me for sending them to New York City,” Abbott said. “So after a while, I figured, gosh, if I’m gonna get the criticism, I’m gonna get the credit.”
* Daily Beast | Fox News Uses the Solar Eclipse to Fearmonger About Migrant ‘Invasion’: While mainstream news coverage focuses on the eclipse’s path of totality and the potentially troublesome weather forecast, the conservative cable giant’s “hard news” programming found a way to link the event to Fox’s nearly round-the-clock fear-mongering about immigrants. “Fox News alert! A rare celestial event collides with a policy failure on the ground,” America’s Newsroom co-anchor Dana Perino declared on Monday morning. “The southern border will be directly in the path of totality today when the moon covers the sun for nearly four minutes.”
Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.
We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Edwin, who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Click here to learn more.
Final state revenues for March were up $413 million from the prior year, putting state coffers about $831 million ahead of this time last year. […]
Last month, COGFA increased revenue expectations for the current fiscal year by about $2 billion from what was projected when lawmakers passed the budget last May. It now anticipates $52.6 billion in revenue for the fiscal year that ends June 30.
“While there continues to be subtle signs of weakening in certain revenue areas that must be watched, March’s $413 million in additional growth helps solidify the Commission’s latest forecast,” COGFA wrote in its monthly report.
There’s one quarter left in the fiscal year, and April is a generally volatile month for state revenues as final income tax collections are received. COGFA noted it is not making an adjustment to income tax projections at this time – although April’s performance could move the needle in either direction.
Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois ranks #9 in the U.S. for reported gas leaks, shows a study conducted in June 2022 on methane gas leaks. Frequent leaks are resulting in death, injury, and other damage to our health and environment. Pausing critical replacement of our aging natural gas lines is dangerous for everyone.
When Governor Pritzker’s appointees on the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) shut down the natural gas line Safety Modernization Program in Chicago, it not only wiped out 1,000 jobs, but also subjected residents and business owners to the unnecessary danger of aged gas infrastructure that is no longer allowed to be replaced.
Tell Gov. Pritzker and the ICC to restart the program, lives are at risk. Transitioning to electric without a plan will cost homeowners thousands of dollars. We need to fix our dangerous natural gas lines for our safety.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked by a reporter today if he is interested in running for governor again during an unrelated press conference…
You asked me this question right before I announced that I was running last time and I was trying not to give away what my answer would be.
This time I honestly don’t have an answer for you. We’re a year and a quarter into this term. And I, as you know, I love the job and we’re working very hard and we’ve had some real success, so I’m enjoying it. I’ll stay where I am for the time being.
* The Question: Do you think he’ll run again? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
DRIVER INVOLVED IN DEATH OF DEKALB COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DEPUTY RELEASED FROM JAIL WITH PRETRIAL RELEASE CONDITIONS.
Nathan P. Sweeney of DeKalb, IL who was arrested last week for Reckless Homicide and DUI in connection with the Line of Duty Death of DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Deputy Christina Musil was released from custody this afternoon after the Court set pretrial release conditions.
Obviously, we are very disappointed that Sweeney was released despite the Dekalb County States’ Attorney request to detain. This evaluation was made under the Pretrial Fairness Act, which went into effect 9/18/23, that was a part of the SAFE T Act passed in January 2021.
The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice responds…
The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice is disappointed but unsurprised to see the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association weaponize the death of DeKalb County Sheriff’s Deputy Christina Musil to make arguments for rolling back reforms to our state’s criminal court system.
In the wake of Deputy Musil’s death, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association falsely claimed that the Pretrial Fairness Act was responsible for the release of Nathan Sweeney, the truck driver accused of crashing into Deputy Musil’s vehicle and killing her. This is an opportunistic lie meant to confuse the public and further the Sheriffs’ Association’s goal of returning to the money bail system that failed to keep our communities safe and destabilized our state’s most marginalized communities through the extraction of millions of dollars each year.
It is also important to note that under the former money bond system, reckless homicide was a non-detainable offense. Had this happened prior to the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act, the State’s Attorney could not have filed a petition to detain and the judge would have only been able to set a money bond or other conditions of release. Aggravated DUI resulting in death was also unlikely to result in an actual denial of pretrial release under the old system; instead, money bonds were the standard outcome.
The Sheriffs’ Association, for reasons we do not understand, opposes a system of pretrial release and detention that is based on safety instead of financial status. Instead, they are using their colleague’s tragic death as a platform to spread misinformation and continue their misguided attempts to undermine successful reforms. We condemn this behavior, and our hearts break for the loved ones of Christina Musil.
* Speaking of cash bail, let’s move along to the the House GOP blog…
Six months after the full implementation of the cashless bail, and other provisions, of the Illinois SAFE-T Act, Illinois residents are finding themselves anything but safe.
Um, that third guy was released after posting cash bail. So, are they saying that the cash bail system was flawed and allowed alleged criminals to waltz out of jail if they had the money?
As for the rest of the examples, I’m pretty darned positive I could match up each of those instances of people not being detained with instances of bad people who cash-bailed out of incarceration.
Illinois House Democrats want to pass a plan to prohibit the use of unreliable statements made to law enforcement during criminal or juvenile court proceedings for homicides or Class X felonies. Sponsors hope the bill could change the state’s status as the leader for wrongful convictions.
Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) told the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee Thursday that Illinois spends millions of dollars annually for settlements after people are exonerated. However, he noted that wrongful convictions cost much more to the people put behind bars for 20-35 years on average before exoneration. […]
“Currently, there is a prohibition on the use of involuntary statements,” Slaughter said. “The burden of proving a statement is voluntary rests on the prosecution. Whether a statement is reliable is currently considered by the trier of fact and not by a judge considering allowable evidence in a proceeding.” […]
House Bill 5346 passed out of the House Judiciary-Criminal Committee on a 9-6 vote Thursday. State representatives could discuss the legislation again when they return to Springfield later this week.
* President of Village Haven Housing Foundation Randy McIntyre…
Village Haven is a nonprofit organization with the goal of providing quality shared housing to residents and help them find employment, healthcare, food assistance, educational opportunities, and transportation. People who are in recovery and reentering society throughout Illinois are working incredibly hard to get their lives back on track. […]
That’s why I’m so concerned to learn that lawmakers in Springfield are considering a new bill that will add a $10.49 fee to most prescriptions filled at the pharmacy counter.
This may not sound like a lot to our legislators in Springfield who can personally afford the increase, but for people who are working hard to make ends meet, this could mean choosing between medication or other essentials like putting gas in their car to get to work. […]
This bill will also limit the ability of pharmacies to mail less-expensive prescriptions directly to people’s doors. Many who are in recovery and reentering, not to mention countless older Illinoisians and those with mobility challenges, count on this service to get their medication in a way that is quick and convenient so they can stay healthy and well.
Illinois pharmacists have been able to administer long-acting injectable drugs to help people fighting addiction for the past four years. A bill in the Illinois House of Representatives aims to expand their scope of practice.
Current Illinois law prohibits them from giving the first dose. They can administer subsequent doses of long-acting injectables for substance-abuse problems.
The state House Health Care Licenses Committee passed a bill unanimously on April 3 allowing pharmacists to inject the first dose if it’s prescribed by a doctor, physician’s assistant or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse.
“By allowing pharmacists to the first injection of long-acting injectable medications for substance-use disorder treatment, access to these medications can be now expanded,” said state Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, the bill’s sponsor.
Dental school graduates may soon be able to practice in Illinois before officially getting licensed.
The state House Health Care Licenses Committee unanimously passed a bill on April 3 allowing someone enrolled in a dental residency or specialty training program to practice for up to three months while waiting for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to approve their license.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, said the legislation will ensure new dentists don’t fall behind waiting for their license. […]
The bill has the support of the Illinois State Dental Society.
I am privileged to serve the village of Niles in two capacities. The first is at my family restaurant, which has served local customers for nearly five decades. The second is as mayor, serving my constituents since 2021. I’ve always said that running a great municipality is like running a great business, and being able to wear both hats often allows me to provide a different perspective to my fellow civic leaders.
Take, for example, a proposed bill in Springfield that would eliminate the tip credit and fundamentally change the way Illinois restaurant workers are paid. At its core, this proposal is a business-killer that would pose significant risks to the very employees it aims to help.
I know of no one in the restaurant industry who earns less than the minimum wage right now. My tipped employees see average incomes as high as $25 to $30 an hour between base wage and tips. National data shows that wait staff at full-service restaurants earn a median of $27 an hour, with the highest-paid tipped employees making $41.50 and in some places more. […]
If legislators force restaurateurs to increase their payroll for tipped employees to the full minimum wage, it will upend this system with an unaffordable cost. The ripple effects in my restaurant alone would reach an estimated $300,000 a year at just at one of my restaurants.
The mascot at Nokomis High School has been the Redskins since a 1920 vote among the town’s voters. The town, home to 2,100 residents, itself is named after a Native American mythological figure featured in a Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem.
Legislation being considered in Springfield would do away with Nokomis’ mascot along with every public K-12 school in the state using a Native American name, logo or mascot. Superintendent Scott Doerr told The State Journal-Register that the bill is legislative overreach on what should be a local decision. […]
“Our signage, our gym floors … everything that indicates some kind of logo or mascot is going to have to be changed,” Doerr said in an interview, now in his 15th year as superintendent. “So, you’re looking at a large amount of money that is supposed to go to educate kids are now going to fund another unfunded mandate passed by the state of Illinois.” […]
Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, is the bill’s lead sponsor and plans to file an amendment to his legislation. The amendment, he said, will clarify schools with Native town names like Nokomis or Waukegan would not have to change and create a partnership between the Illinois State Board of Education and the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative to adopt guidelines for schools where the legislation would apply.
Thursday in Springfield, the House Revenue and Finance Committee advanced several measures that would allow for increases in property tax levies. House Bill 1075 would allow villages and townships to increase theirs for museums. Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole supported the museum levy.
“Nobody here wants to support property tax increases but what we’ve already heard is it’s a de minimis amount, it’s for a community function, museum affairs and activities,” Cole said during the committee.
Another from state Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville, House Bill 4179 would allow for a voter referendum to increase taxes for private ambulance costs.
“So the voters will be there to vote for if they want an ambulance service, or if they want to drive whoever of their family members to the hospitals themselves,” Meier told the committee.
* AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Pat Devaney and IMA President Mark Denzler…
While Illinois is leading the way in the effort to mitigate climate change with a goal to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, we will fall short without embracing all available technology, including carbon capture and storage.
Also known as CCS, this process involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions at their source, preventing them from being released into the atmosphere and then storing them deep underground. It’s an established and effective process which is highly regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CCS technology has been identified by the Clean Air Task Force as having safely operated in the U.S. for more than 50 years. Numerous international studies addressing the energy transition suggest that CCS is a required key tool for rapid decarbonization, along with energy efficiency and electrification.
In addition to the proven environmental benefits, deploying CCS more widely in Illinois also offers equally clear economic benefits. CCS development and expansion has an employment demand of 14,400 jobs, generating over $3 billion in additional revenue for the state’s economy over 10 years, according to a study conducted by the University of Illinois. This includes the creation of good union jobs in the construction industry as well as the operation of new facilities. […]
Our legislation builds upon existing federal regulations, requires consultation with impacted communities to address local concerns and establishes strong landowner protections.
* ABC Chicago | Process begins to find replacement for Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough after her death: Bunting hangs over the Cook County buildings in the Loop in memory of Yarbrough. As a loyal foot soldier to the local and state Democratic Party, Yarbrough’s rise in politics was a quick one as she became a fixture in democratic politics for decades. “She worked very closely with Mike Madigan, and she was part of his leadership team. And that was when she was still in the legislature and then she moved on to the Cook County recorder of deeds office, and then the clerk,” said ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington.
* Tribune | Rivian hosts R2 open house in Normal, its new production home: The low-key but festive event showcased the midsize R2 SUV, which will be built in Normal after Rivian delayed plans for a second plant in Georgia. The smaller and sportier R3 crossover, whose production plans have yet to be announced, was also on display. Rivian revealed both new models last month, while announcing that the R2, at least initially, will be made in Illinois. The company received more than 68,000 preorders for the $45,000 R2 within 24 hours of its online debut.
* Daily Southtown | Dolton trustees hire former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as special investigator: Under the terms of her hiring agreement, Lightfoot will provide regular updates to trustees, and when her billing totals $30,000 will give a full summary of her investigation to trustees. A law firm representing the village, the Del Galdo Law Group, sent a letter Monday to attorney Burt Odelson, whose firm serves as legal counsel to the Village Board, warning that hiring Lightfoot is beyond the trustees’ authority.
* Norma Fuentes has been named Partner at Fuentes Consulting…
Fuentes Consulting Shatters Glass Ceiling: First Latina Sister-Run Lobbying Firm in Springfield Welcomes Norma Fuentes as Partner
Norma Fuentes has been named Partner at Fuentes Consulting. Norma’s addition marks a historic moment for the firm, becoming the first Latina sister-run and operated lobbying firm in Springfield. Norma brings a wealth of experience. Since 2020, she has honed her skills as a lobbyist at Stricklin & Associates, advocating for clients and navigating the complexities of the legislative process. Norma is poised to become one of the few Latina lawyers in the lobbying space as she stands on the cusp of graduating from law school next month in May.
Governor Pritzker will be in Chicago to launch the second stage of the Illinois Grocery Initiative at 10:30. At 3:05 the governor will celebrate the tastytrade office expansion. Click here to watch.
* Here’s the rest…
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker taps northwest suburban lawmaker to run state insurance department: State Sen. Ann Gillespie of Arlington Heights will step down from her legislative post to lead the agency as acting director. Her appointment requires confirmation by the state senate. She replaces Dana Popish Severinghaus, who assumed the department’s top post in 2021 and will be leaving the position next week.
* Daily Herald | Giving people a place to go for help: DuPage County breaks ground on new crisis center: County leaders on Monday will celebrate the start of a $25.8 million project to build the DuPage Crisis Recovery Center. The new 24/7 center will be on the grounds of the DuPage County Health Department and will act as a behavioral health triage center where patients experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis can be assessed and provided a plan of action within 24 hours.
* News-Gazette | Urbana voters paying price for 1998 decision: Urbana voters foolishly decided in 1998 to elect school board members from municipal subdistricts rather than at-large. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that idea — at least in theory. But in practice, it’s been another story. The problem? There has been a disappointing lack of candidates in most of Urbana’s seven subdistricts to provide voters a real choice between competing candidates.
* WBEZ | Principals get first look at impact of Chicago’s new school funding formula: These are the first school budgets under a new funding formula that shifts to focusing on the needs of schools, rather than enrollment. Under this new “equity-based” formula, principals are mostly being given positions, rather than pots of money, as was done under the old formula.
* Tribune | In Chicago, President Joe Biden raises millions, assails Donald Trump over abortion rights: Biden’s remarks came hours after Trump made his highly anticipated statement on abortion, stopping short of calling for nationwide federal limits on the procedure but saying he supported the decision of the conservative Supreme Court majority he appointed while president that sent decisions on legalizing the procedure back to the individual states.
* Sun-Times | Chicago man released from prison after serving 11 years for a murder he did not commit: In late 2012, Robinson was shot multiple times in the leg and foot, and endured multiple painful surgeries and a long recovery that left him unable to walk without crutches. In January 2013, just weeks after his surgery and still needing crutches to walk, he was identified by police as a gunman who sprinted after Kelvin Jemison in front of the Washington Park Homes and gunned Jemison down.
* Seattle Times | How Boeing put Wall Street first, safety second ahead of Alaska Air blowout: The arc of Boeing’s fall can be traced back a quarter century, to when its leaders elevated the interests of shareholders above all others, said Richard Aboulafia, industry analyst with AeroDynamic Advisory. “Crush the workers. Share price. Share price. Share price. Financial moves and metrics come first,” was Boeing’s philosophy, he said. It was, he said, “a ruthless effort to cut costs without any realization of what it could do to capabilities.”
* Crain’s | Music equipment marketplace moving HQ to the Salt Shed: Online music-equipment seller Reverb has leased about 25,000 square feet in a two-story brick building along the northern edge of the Salt Shed at 1357 N. Elston Ave., the company confirmed. Reverb is slated to move its main office to the building next year from its current home in a slightly larger space on Lincoln Avenue in the Roscoe Village neighborhood.
* Screen Mag | Steph Curry TV Series ‘Mr. Throwback’ Begins Filming in Chicago in May: When Chicagoans hear “Steph Curry is coming to Chicago” they might quickly leap to the conclusion that the legendary NBA sharpshooter is being traded to the city’s beloved Chicago Bulls. No, Stephen Curry is not being traded to the Bulls. But he is reportedly coming to the Windy City to co-star in a mockumentary project entitled Mr. Throwback that has been ordered straight to series at Peacock.
* WBEZ | Women saw red flags, one man saw defamation: Attorney Marc Trent said his client, D’Ambrosio, is one of dozens of men across the country who have been harmed by false claims about them made in online groups like “Are We Dating The Same Guy?” […] But experts dismissed the lawsuit as a “bad idea” that is aimed at groups that help keep women safe. “The service that [the groups] provide outweighs the danger that they could potentially pose to somebody that’s posted on them,” said Michele McBride Simonelli, an attorney specializing in internet defamation.
* NYT | What Researchers Discovered When They Sent 80,000 Fake Résumés to U.S. Jobs: Two companies favored white applicants over Black applicants significantly more than others. They were AutoNation, a used car retailer, which contacted presumed white applicants 43 percent more often, and Genuine Parts Company, which sells auto parts including under the NAPA brand, and called presumed white candidates 33 percent more often.
* AP | Tesla settles lawsuit over man’s death in a crash involving its semi-autonomous driving software: The amount Tesla paid to settle the case was not disclosed in court documents filed Monday, just a day before the trial stemming from the 2018 crash on a San Francisco Bay Area highway was scheduled to begin. In a court filing requesting to keep the sum private, Tesla said it agreed to settle the case in order to “end years of litigation.” Shares of Tesla Inc., down 30% this year, slipped 1% before the market opened Tuesday.
* Daily Beast | Read Elon Musk’s Wild Deposition in Neo-Nazi Brawl Case: A transcript of the two-hour deposition from March 27 was made public on Monday, and was first obtained by HuffPost. In it, Musk admitted that he had a “limited understanding” of Brody’s allegations against him, to the extent that he originally believed Brody’s attorney was the plaintiff in the case. He also said he did no research of his own before tweeting last June that a brawl between two right-wing extremist groups in Portland, Oregon had actually been “a probable false flag situation,” and that Brody had been involved.
