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State Board of Elections asks Proft papers to take down personal data from websites

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Press release…

The Illinois State Board of Elections has asked the publisher of numerous Illinois websites to remove from its sites personal data of thousands of voters that SBE believes may have been published in violation of the Illinois Election Code.

Since late March, the State Board of Elections (SBE) has received calls from voters who were concerned that their dates of birth and complete street addresses had been published on websites statewide operated by Local Government Information Services, a self-described “media watchdog” based in Lake Forest that operates 20 websites and 11 print publications geared toward specific cities and regions of Illinois. The data appeared in dozens of articles purporting to show which voters in specific precincts had and had not voted in the 2020 presidential election.

While the State Board of Elections is mentioned several times in the introduction of each article, SBE did not provide data to Local Government Information Services for these stories.

Under Illinois statute, political committees registered with the State Board of Elections are entitled to purchase the SBE’s voter data file for “bona fide political purposes” and with an explicit prohibition
on use for other business purposes. In January 2018, in an effort to further protect the personal data of voters, the board of elections stopped providing voters’ dates of birth in the voter file provided to political committees.

Through communications with a representative of LGIS, the board of elections believes that the company combined 2016 and 2020 data sets for its voter stories. It used a copy of the 2016 voter file to obtain the birthdates and many of the street addresses it has published. SBE believes LGIS gained access to the 2016 voter file because at that time it was affiliated with a political committee, Liberty Principles PAC, that funded its operations.

After complaints were filed with SBE regarding the PAC’s financial reporting related to LGIS in 2016, Liberty Principles PAC ended its financial support of the company. Liberty Principles PAC closed in 2020. LGIS bills itself on its website as “a real media watchdog.”

SBE does not know how LGIS obtained 2020 voter data, which would have been available only to registered political committees and whose use for non-political purposes is prohibited. SBE also has confirmed that some of the published voter lists are inaccurate.

So far, LGIS has resisted SBE’s requests to remove the personal data from its sites.

“While LGIS may arguably have had legal access to the voter data when it was being financed by a political committee, any semblance of legality ended when the relationship with the PAC was severed in 2016,” said SBE Executive Director Bernadette Matthews. “In 2018, we decided to remove dates of birth from the voter file provided to political committees as an added security measure for voters. It is disappointing when an organization shows such little regard for voters.”

SBE has been in contact with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office about potential legal action in this matter.

The State Board of Elections is an independent state agency charged with the responsibility of having general supervision over the administration of election laws of the State of Illinois. Elections are administered locally by the state’s 108 election authorities.

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Reader comments closed for the weekend

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Beyoncé will play us out…

All your life

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Good to know…

* IDOT…

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today the completion of a new bridge on Interstate 55 over Lemont Road, a project made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. The $17 million bridge project will improve safety and traffic flow as part of a combined $254 million investment to deliver multiple projects along a key section of a critical travel and freight corridor. […]

The rebuilt bridge at Lemont Road also includes reconstructed ramps with I-55 that will improve traffic operations and efficiencies as well as new lighting and storm sewers. Miscellaneous punch list items and landscaping will start this spring with minimal traffic impacts.

Other I-55 projects in the area made possible by Rebuild Illinois include:

Ongoing projects:

    - I-55 over Illinois 53 and Joliet Road
    The $18 million project consists of replacing the existing I-55 bridges over Illinois 53 and Joliet Road with new wider structures, new deck overlays and approaches, resurfacing and new lighting. - Work over Illinois 53 is anticipated to be completed later this spring, with Joliet Road later this fall.
    - I-55 at Illinois 59 and at U.S. 52 (Jefferson Street)
    - The $80 million project consists of converting the existing interchange at I-55 and Illinois 59 into a full-access, diverging-diamond design to improve safety and traffic flow, with the East - Frontage Road relocated and reconstructed. Construction is anticipated to be completed in late fall. A previous effort completed $9 million in advance work.

Completed projects:

    - I-55 at Weber Road, a $75.7 million project that ended in 2022, converted the interchange into a diverging diamond design, with a third lane added in each direction to Weber Road.
    - I-55 from I-80 to Weber Road, a $48 million patching and resurfacing of both directions of the interstate wrapped up last year.
    - U.S. 52 over I-55, a $5 million project repaired the bridge joints, with a new deck overlay installed. The I-55 ramps to U.S. - 52 were widened to accommodate an additional lane on each ramp. The bridge is scheduled to be painted later this spring with minimal traffic impacts.

* CBS Chicago…

Members of the Dolton Village Board plan to hire former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a onetime federal prosecutor, to investigate Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who has been accused of misusing public funds while the village is millions of dollars in debt.

Sources confirmed the board was working on a resolution proposing to hire Lightfoot to investigate allegations regarding Henyard’s spending, including lavish personal spending, reportedly on the taxpayers’ dime.

Lightfoot also would be tasked with investigating a village employee’s claims that she was sexually assaulted by a Dolton village trustee on a trip to Las Vegas – and then retaliated against. The employee claimed after she told the mayor about the lawsuit, she was eventually fired.

Sources said the board is still finalizing language on the resolution to hire Lightfoot, and will vote on the measure at a special meeting on Monday.

Fox Chicago…

If approved by the Board, [Lightfoot’s] law firm will charge $400 per hour for her services.

* This will be an innovative string ensemble specializing in contemporary classical crossover…



* Here’s the rest…

    * Sun-Times | Heartbreak? Historic Heartland Alliance to spin off its divisions into separate entities: Heartland Human Care Services, Heartland Alliance Health, Heartland Alliance International, and the National Immigrant Justice Center will become independent nonprofits, Ed Stellon, Heartland Alliance’s chief external affairs officer, said in a statement. Stellon said the restructuring was necessary “to protect the long-term viability” of Heartland’s services.

    * LGBTQ Nation | Rep. Kelly Cassidy helped make Illinois a haven for LGBTQ+ rights & says the impact is beyond words: You chair the Restorative Justice Committee in the General Assembly, where you did a lot of work on your cannabis bill. What’s the most egregious miscarriage of justice you’ve seen in your work, and how was it resolved? “I’m a mother of many, many children. I love them all equally, so it’s difficult to choose just one. In the criminal justice arena, there are so many things that are still not quite right. But last year, I was finally able to pass a comprehensive bill that allows incarcerated survivors of gender-based violence, whose abuse was not contemplated in their original trial, to be offered an opportunity to seek resentencing.”

    * Tribune | Justice Department can reopen realtors case, court rules: The Justice Department can reopen an antitrust probe into the National Association of Realtors, an appeals court ruled Friday, rejecting a bid by the real estate trade group to enforce a 2020 settlement with the Trump administration to close the case. “The fact that DOJ ‘closed its investigation’ does not guarantee that the investigation would stay closed forever,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit wrote in a 2-1 decision. “The words ‘close’ and ‘reopen’ are unambiguously compatible.”

    * Crain’s | Johnson unveils plan to cut red tape for real estate developers: The report, dubbed “Cut the Tape,” is the result of an executive order Johnson signed in December giving city departments involved in the approval process 90 days to provide recommendations to streamline the bureaucratic hurdles developers face when seeking zoning changes, building permits and financial assistance from the city.

    * Daily Herald | Keep your eyes on the road: More than 200 law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois this month are stepping up enforcement of the state’s texting while driving law, which spells out clearly what you may and may not do behind the wheel. […] In 2021, 193 people died in distracted driving crashes in Illinois, according to the Illinois State Police. Every one of them was completely avoidable.

    * NPR Illinois | Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton spotlights women in Illinois with two new initiatives: Juliana Stratton is the 48th lieutenant governor of Illinois. In December 2023, the office of the Lt. Governor launched a new initiative called We Thrive, which focuses on women and financial freedom. In February 2024, Governor Pritzker announced a new initiative that focuses on maternal health care called the Birth Equity Initiative. Lt. Governor Stratton spoke to Community Voices about how Chicago shaped her life, the challenges women have faced, and how the whole state will benefit from the two new initiatives. The Lt. Governor also talks about traveling throughout the state hosting “We Chats” to hear from a variety of different women.

    * Chalkbeat | Chicago Public Schools shares student-to-teacher ratios used in new budgeting formula: Elementary schools will get one teacher for every 26 students next year and high schools will get one teacher for every 21 students, according to details about the new budget formula replacing student-based budgeting shared by Chicago Public Schools officials. Those ratios will decline for higher-needs schools — potentially providing them with additional teachers — and all schools will be staffed with at least 10 classroom teachers for the 2024-25 school year, officials told Local School Council members Thursday night.

    * Sun-Times | Union wave is picking up at Chicago, suburban libraries, cultural institutions: In addition to the Newberry’s staff, library workers in the suburbs also have unionized. Since 2020, library employees in the Niles-Maine district, Elk Grove, Oak Lawn, St. Charles and Waukegan have organized. In contrast, none had joined AFSCME in 2019. AFSCME Council 31, which represents workers in Illinois, added more than 2,200 members from the state’s cultural institutions since 2021, according to spokesperson Anders Lindall.

    * Sun-Times | Arab American community in Chicago says data from new racial category could help address disparities: Atassi, who identifies as Syrian American, considered choosing Asian, but the definitions on forms usually guided her to check white. Although she was born in the United States, Atassi often traveled to her parents’ native Syria. The ties to the country were an important part of her identity that weren’t captured in the questions about her race. “It’s really just recently that I’ve been able to see the fabric of how the system works and how there’s power in the system in excluding people, but there’s also power in the system when you want to advocate for what your needs are,” said Atassi, the co-executive director of the Syrian Community Network, based in Chicago.

    * Sun-Times | Bears in a hurry to build domed lakefront stadium, but Friends of the Parks says, `Not so fast’: Bears president Kevin Warren sounds like a man in a hurry when it comes to building a domed stadium adjacent to Soldier Field. But the advocacy group that has long served as the lakefront’s primary protector is saying, “Not so fast.” Gin Kilgore, acting executive director of Friends of the Parks, is not about to go along with what she called Warren’s “Buy now, this deal won’t last!” sales pitch.

    * Crain’s | Baxter among 200 companies warned by FTC over deals: The FTC sent identical letters to Baxter over its $10.5 billion acquisition of medical device maker Hill-Rom Holdings Inc., to Thermo Fisher related to its $17.4 billion deal for clinical research services company PPD Inc. and to Clarivate Plc for its deal to purchase the data provider ProQuest. All of those deals closed soon after receiving the FTC warning letters.

    * WBEZ | Your guide to EXPO Chicago, from must-see artists to after-hours parties: Art from around the globe, along with the who’s who of the art world, will descend on Chicago next week in the first EXPO Chicago since the prominent Midwest art fair was purchased by the mega-global brand Frieze. The event next weekend at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall will bring to town nearly 200 galleries, thousands of artists and seemingly infinite opportunities to see art.

    * Sun-Times | Caitlin Clark vs. Paige Bueckers is a rematch years in the making: “It takes the entire team to win a basketball game,” Clark said. “Both of us are going to do everything we can. “I think the coolest thing about Paige is how resilient she is.” […] “I think the biggest thing about her is she competes and she’s just a winner; she wants to win at all costs,” Bueckers said. “So I know going into that, it will be a great matchup.”

    * Sun-Times | White Sox trounced by Royals, fall to 1-5: Three walks, an error by shortstop Braden Shewmake on a routine ground ball, a throw from right fielder Dominic Fletcher to the wrong base that allowed a run to score and a home run by MJ Melendez against Leone were the lowlights. “Physical mistakes are OK, but we made some fundamental mistakes we’re not accustomed to making,” manager Pedro Grifol said.

    * Sun-Times | What’s that lean, green, pedal-powered machine on Chicago streets? And who’s inside it?: It’s a velomobile, and the man behind the wheel is Greek Orthodox monk Father Ephraim, who moved to the Northwest Side after five years at a religious commune in remote Alaska. And who wouldn’t want to navigate Chicago streets in a vehicle not much taller than a fire hydrant?

    * WaPo | I’m a planetary physicist. An eclipse is wondrous — don’t underestimate it:Thousands of years ago, early scientists used eclipses to refine their calendars by pinning down the regular characteristics of the Earth’s and the moon’s orbits. As the moon passed in front of the sun, an ancient astronomer could also figure out the diameters of both bodies. Today’s astronomers take advantage of the moments of totality to study the sun’s fainter atmosphere, observing important phenomena such as solar flares, which spew hazardous high-energy particles at Earth.

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Judge tells Marquez: ‘You have now handed a gift to Madigan’s defense attorneys’

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The setup…


* From Jason’s story…

While Marquez will not face any charges as a result of those lies, a federal judge in Chicago on Friday bluntly told Marquez he’s essentially “given a really beautiful piece of ammunition to Madigan’s lawyers.”

“The thing that you have is your credibility — that’s it,” U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland told Marquez during a brief status hearing. “And you have now handed a gift to Madigan’s defense attorneys. It is a first year law student’s dream, basically, to do a cross-examination like this.”

Rowland said it’s easy to see the points Madigan’s high-powered legal team will try to score: “‘So you lie to get what you want? You wanted a gun that day, and you said what you had to say to get that gun?’”

“That’s the seriousness of this,” Rowland said.

* Jon Seidel explains why this is important…

FBI agents convinced Marquez to cooperate in the Madigan investigation back in January 2019. He wore a wire and pleaded guilty to a bribery conspiracy in 2020. Then, last year, Marquez spent a week on the stand during the trial of four political insiders accused of scheming to bribe Madigan to benefit ComEd. […]

Defense attorneys in that trial aggressively attacked Marquez’s credibility, at one point even questioning him about money he’d allegedly tried to hide from his ex-wife in divorce proceedings.

“You’ve lied in the past to benefit yourself,” defense attorney Jacqueline Jacobson, representing Hooker, asked him in front of the jury.

Marquez is expected to return to the witness stand — and likely face another withering cross-examination — during Madigan’s trial, set for Oct. 8. A federal grand jury indicted Madigan on racketeering conspiracy charges in 2022.

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It’s just a bill (Updated)

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

DEMOCRATS PRIORITIZE BANNING KANGAROOS, HOP OUT OF TOWN

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

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

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

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

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

Rep. Dan Didech responds…




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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* WBBM…

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

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

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

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

* SJ-R…

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

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

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

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

* WAND…

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

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

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

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

* WAND…

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

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

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

* Center Square…

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

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

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

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

* WAND…

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

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

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

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

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

* Chalkbeat…

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

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

* Scott Holland…

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

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

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

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

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

* KHQA…

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE *** Press release…

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

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

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

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

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

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* From a January 31st Block Club Chicago report…

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

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

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

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

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

* From Isabel…

    * New Yorker | Can Chicago Manage Its Migrant Crisis?: [Kenneth Phelps, the senior pastor at Concord Missionary Baptist Church] told me that he’s trying to “change the narrative that’s being sown” both by and about Black and Latin American migrant communities in Chicago. He calls it a “discord narrative” that pits them against each other as competitors for jobs, housing, and other community resources. “I just think it’s a very, very dangerous thing to nurture the narrative of discord,” he said, because it makes community members feel like “we’re all fighting over crumbs.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  5 Comments      


If you’re heading to Carbondale…

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The eclipse is almost upon us! Here’s an interesting factoid from the SJ-R…

By prioritizing certain shades, tones, and colors, one’s outfit could actually enhance the viewing experience on April 8, rather than take away from the rare sight.

According to experts at Solar Eyeglasses, it’s best to wear shades of red and green to enhance your viewing experience and avoid neutral tones. […]

“This Purkinje effect during the coming eclipse will turn the whole experience from just watching the sky go dark to a real-life science demo on your clothes! But to really see the changes in color saturation, lots of people need to wear these complimentary red and green colors. Two or five in a group of 100 wouldn’t help,” according to Solar Eyeglasses spokesperson.

As the eclipse nears totality, about five minutes prior, the human eye enters the mesopic vision zone, where surroundings begin to look less colorful, turning a gray and silvery color. As the sky darkens, colors, especially warmer ones like red and orange, start to lose vibrancy and saturation, mixing in with the grays. Meanwhile, green shades become brighter and more vibrant.

* I’m heading to my hometown of Carbondale where forecasts say skies will be clear. Tribune…

Early predictions indicate southern Missouri, southern Illinois and central Indiana will have clear skies and offer some of the country’s prime observing locations.

But many meteorological factors — such as water vapor and air temperature — that combine to produce cloud cover can complicate and change forecasts as eclipse day approaches.

“The sun is one of (the) main drivers of weather here on Earth,” Dolan said. “(It) is also responsible for convective-type clouds, meaning the sun heats the surface, the air rises, and then a cloud forms. So when you lose the sunlight, you can get a decrease in shallow convective clouds, which could increase chances of viewing the solar eclipse.”

With a sudden loss of sunlight, like what will happen during totality, humidity increases briefly, temperatures drop and winds die down, which could dissipate any puffy, cotton-like convective clouds that are low to the ground.

* More on the weather…


* SIU will have events going on all weekend…

The eclipse experience at SIU starts on April 5 – the Friday before Eclipse Day – and runs all weekend. Science-based workshops, arts and crafts, live music, a fun run, a convention and much more span the three days leading up to the celestial event as well as Eclipse Day.
Most events are free and open to the public. Two events – Eclipse Day at Saluki Stadium and Saluki Eclipse Con – are ticketed, but low cost.

[Sarah Vanvooren, director of events and outreach for SIU] said SIU is pulling out the stops in its collaborative efforts with NASA and Adler Planetarium to offer visitors extraordinary opportunities that will heighten their enjoyment of the total solar eclipse. […]

Saluki Stadium is the epicenter of Eclipse Day events. SIU will team up with Adler Planetarium, NASA EDGE and others to offer a guided, fun-filled total solar eclipse experience.

The horseshoe-shaped facility has a seating capacity of 15,000, offering plenty of sky-filled views. Seating includes chairback seats as well as bleacher seating and spots on the grass berm enclosing the north end zone. Saluki Stadium is located at 1415 Arena Drive on campus. Doors open at 11 a.m. on Eclipse Day. Get tickets for the stadium and parking passes here.

* PK’s is a southern Illinois staple, I highly recommend seeing Taul Pawl …



Carbondale also has a thriving punk scene with shows all weekend

* Here’s a list of great food in the area…

* Is anyone else heading to Carbondale?…



  26 Comments      


Today’s quotable

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* David Struett at the Sun-Times…

Mayor Brandon Johnson is ramping up the pressure on the federal government to dole out more work permits for long-term immigrants, not just recent ones from Venezuela, in a move that business leaders say would boost the economy.

On the first anniversary of Johnson’s election as mayor, he touted a letter he signed with leaders from dozens of other cities urging the president to push harder for more work permits for immigrants. […]

Johnson said Congress and the president ideally will address immigrant reform themselves. But he’s also open to addressing work permits in the state Legislature.

“We’ve had conversations of sorts. There could be an opportunity there,” Johnson said without elaborating.

Not sure what that’s about.

  15 Comments      


Stop The Political Attacks On Natural Gas - 80% Of Illinoisans Use It To Heat Their Homes

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

We need to stop the political attacks on natural gas. The reality is 80 percent of Illinoisans rely on natural gas to heat their homes. Our politicians need to create a plan for a gradual transition to clean energy that recognizes how homes are heated and powered today.

When Governor Pritzker’s appointees on the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) shut down the natural gas line Safety Modernization Program, it not only wiped out 1,000 jobs, but also subjected residents and business owners to the unnecessary danger of old, leaky gas infrastructure.

At this time, it makes no sense for Illinois to shut down the gas line safety program that prevents methane leaks and catastrophic accidents. We are calling on Illinois residents to fight back with us and tell Governor Pritzker and the ICC to decarbonize the right way. Fix our dangerous gas lines first.

Click on the links to view our ads: Ticking Time Bomb & Real Change.
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Paid for by Fight Back Fund

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Open thread

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* It’s Friday! What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

  10 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Ahead of solar eclipse, early forecast is clear skies for southern Illinois. Tribune…

    - Early predictions indicate southern Missouri, southern Illinois and central Indiana will have clear skies and offer some of the country’s prime observing locations.
    - There is a less than 15% chance of rain for certain parts of southern and eastern Illinois.
    - The US won’t see another total solar eclipse for 20 years.

* Related stories…

* Isabel’s top picks…

    * Tribune | New DCFS director in court to face questions on children stuck in emergency placements: “I don’t think there’s disagreement about the fact that there’s a lot of work to do,” DCFS head Heidi Mueller said in a Cook County juvenile courtroom. Cook County Judge Patrick Murphy, the county’s former public guardian, summoned Mueller to his courtroom to discuss what he called the “systemic” problem of children being kept by DCFS in emergency or psychiatric facilities longer than medically necessary, which often causes their condition to worsen.

    * Crain’s | Bears sit down with agency that would subsidize their lakefront stadium: The Bears met with Illinois Sports Facilities Authority CEO Frank Bilecki on April 2 at the team’s office for a “high-level” discussion about their looming request that the agency issue tax-exempt bonds to help pay for a new stadium just south of Soldier Field — a project that could cost over $3 billion. Despite the team’s own $2 billion private commitment, it was expected the Bears, like the Chicago White Sox, would look to the authority — which is still paying off hundreds of millions in debt tied to the 2003 renovations of Soldier Field — to subsidize the stadium costs

    * WGLT | State authorities are looking into release of voter data that includes McLean County: The McLean County Times, one of more than 30 websites owned by Local Government Information Services [LGIS], has published a series of articles that purportedly examine “who voted” or “how” a given precinct voted in the 2020 presidential election. But those articles provide little context or analysis of any electoral trends and instead are largely populated by identifying voter information — the release of which is being contested by the Illinois State Board of Elections [SBE].

* Make sure to put this in your calendar…



* Here’s the rest…

    * Madison-St. Clair Record | Raoul asks IL Supreme Court to dismiss cross-appeal on claim that firearm liability law violated the three readings rule: The motion to dismiss was filed April 1 by Deputy Solicitor General Alex Hemmer. He argues that Maag’s appeal was not based on a final judgment adverse to the plaintiff. Instead, he asserts the plaintiff must wait to seek further review after final judgment of the case, “as is the norm in civil litigation.” Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) told the Record that he would welcome a response from the state’s Supreme Court if they would actually weigh in and provide some guidance on the three readings rule.

    * Shaw Local | Numbers don’t lie: It’s true, Kane County has shifted blue: Now Board Chair Corinne Pierog is a Democrat. State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser is a Democrat. Sheriff Ron Hain is a Democrat. Circuit Clerk Theresa Barreiro is a Democrat. Auditor Penny Wegman is a Democrat. That leaves County Clerk Jack Cunningham, Coroner Rob Russell and Recorder Sandy Wegman as the only three current county-wide elected officials who are Republicans. Sixteen of the 24 County Board members are Democrats.

    * Capitol News Illinois | Court upholds law limiting where child sex offenders can live: In a 6-0 decision, the court found the residency restriction “does not infringe upon a child sex offender’s fundamental rights” and that there was a “rational basis” for the state to restrict where a person convicted of such a crime can live.

    * Lake County News-Sun | Judge throws out challenge to Waukegan casino-selection process; rejects discrimination claim: U.S. District Judge John F. Kness issued a summary judgment dismissing the case Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago because, he ruled, it had no right to claim discrimination under the Constitution. After the state gave Waukegan the right to have a casino in 2019, the city sought proposals from potential operators and four — the Potawatomi, Full House Resorts, North Point and Rivers — applied.

    * WCIA | Danville agencies, politicians prepare for new jobs and resources after Quaker factory closure announcement: State lawmakers including State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) and State Senator Paul Faraci (D-Champaign) have worked with local resources to help the transition into new jobs. “I am stunned and immensely saddened by the news that the Quaker Oats factory is closing after 65 years of doing business in Danville,” Schweizer said. “This is devastating to our community, to the families that depend on the income they receive from the factory, and also to our local economy.”

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

    * Sun-Times | Johnson to Biden: Long-term undocumented immigrants deserve work permits, too: On the first anniversary of Johnson’s election as mayor, he touted a letter he signed with leaders from dozens of other cities urging the president to push harder for more work permits for immigrants. “We need the president to extend the same economic opportunities to our long-term undocumented brothers and sisters,” Johnson told a roundtable of business and immigrant advocates Thursday.

    * Crain’s | Johnson stands by Bally’s despite financial speed bumps: In a statement, the mayor’s office says it “expects Bally’s to fulfill its obligations to build, finance and open the permanent casino” on former Tribune printing plant property at Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street in River West. The company has opened a temporary casino in the former Medinah Temple in River North.

    * Tribune | The popularity of women’s basketball is undeniable. It’s not an interest issue — it’s access.: All of the most-watched games included either Hall of Fame players such as Cheryl Miller, Sheryl Swoopes and current South Carolina coach Dawn Staley or future WNBA stars such as Clark and Reese. The matchups also featured some marquee coaches in Geno Auriemma, Pat Summitt, Tara VanDerveer and Stringer. But the most important common denominator was their availability on national TV. (ESPN took over as the broadcast partner for women’s college basketball in 1995.)

    * NYT | A Breakthrough in Plastic Recycling Is Coming Up Short: To get there, these companies and others are promoting a new generation of recycling plants, called “advanced” or “chemical” recycling, that promise to recycle many more products than can be recycled today. So far, advanced recycling is struggling to deliver on its promise. Nevertheless, the new technology is being hailed by the plastics industry as a solution to an exploding global waste problem.

    * Block Club Chicago | Mavis Staples Urges South Siders To Use Art As Activism In First UChicago Show In 62 Years: Staples shared a small fraction of the knowledge and experiences she’s gained in the 70 years since at a stirring University of Chicago performance Wednesday, aiming to inspire today’s young South Siders to join her in carrying forward the ideals of the Civil Rights Movement. “We can’t save the world, but we help with some parts of it,” Staples told the audience after the concert. “I wonder sometimes, but I feel like I know that our music has done some good. It has changed some things.”

  6 Comments      


Live coverage

Friday, Apr 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* As you know, Gov. Pritzker has been pushing Illinois as a quantum computing hub…

Practical quantum computing tools are about 3 to 5 years out from workforce use and will likely be accessed through cloud based environments, a top National Security Agency official predicted at a Tuesday Palo Alto Networks public sector cybersecurity event.

Neal Ziring, the NSA’s cybersecurity directorate’s technical director, said that quantum computing systems — which use the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems at an exponentially faster rate than traditional computers and are still largely theoretical — will likely be accessed via cloud computing platforms rather than on-premise installs, due to cost and practicality considerations. […]

For now, the U.S. is still in a “good spot” to take advantage of quantum, but better partnerships between government, industry and academia will be needed to reap the full benefits of the nascent technology, Ziring said.

* Shaw Local…

An Illinois Supreme Court ruling that favors truckers in a case against Joliet City Hall has statewide impact, an attorney for the truckers said Thursday.

The court ruling issued Thursday basically says Joliet violated its own city ordinances in issuing fines to truckers ticketed for violating overweight restrictions without allowing them to take the case to a circuit court.

The larger impact, according to Joliet attorney Frank Andreano, is that Illinois municipalities cannot independently fine truckers without providing them recourse in court. […]

The supreme court decision does recognize home rule authority for cities like Joliet that conduct administrative hearings on trucker violations of local laws. But the supreme court ruled that truckers still had the right to object in circuit court once decisions were delivered at city hall.

* Daily Southtown…

A Dolton bar is suing the village in federal court, saying it has been denied the renewal of its business and liquor licenses because it didn’t contribute to Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s first mayoral election campaign.

The village contends, however, that Pablo’s Cafe and Bar is a nuisance and the subject of numerous police calls since it opened four years ago.

It has been closed by the village on multiple occasions and was recently shut after a shooting incident, Lewis Lacey, Dolton’s deputy police chief, said at Monday’s Village Board meeting.

Pablo’s isn’t the first Dolton liquor license holder to go to court over renewal of permits, and others have had success in the courts.

* Here’s the rest…

    * Capitol News Illinois | Bill ending state’s tipped wage advances but prospects uncertain amid pushback: While the bill is intended to increase wages for tipped workers and address inequities within the industry, much of the roughly two-hour debate in the committee hearing focused on how the proposal will impact businesses and employees.

    * WTAX | Giannoulias calls organ donors “Superstars”: A single donor can save or improve the lives of as many as 25 people in need of a transplant, Giannoulias said. We need more Superstar of all ages, ethnicities and racial backgrounds to register and fill the critical need for organ and tissue donors. A more diverse donor pool increases the likelihood of finding suitable matches for those who wait.

    * WTTW | Chicago Police Continued to Target Black, Latino Drivers With Flood of Traffic Stops in 2023: Report: The vast majority of the more than 537,000 traffic stops made by Chicago police in 2023 were based on dubious evidence of minor violations that took direct aim at Black and Latino Chicagoans but spared White Chicagoans, according to a new report from Impact for Equity, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization that has helped lead the push to reform the Chicago Police Department.

    * Daily Herald | Pro-Bears-to-Arlington Heights group sends school districts a message: The Bears say they’ve shifted their focus to developing a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront, but a pro-Bears-to-Arlington Heights business coalition isn’t giving up on Arlington Park just yet. In the shadow of the shuttered racetrack property the NFL franchise now owns, Touchdown Arlington hosted a rally and letter-writing party Wednesday night at Jimmy D’s District sports bar to show there’s still plenty of support for a Bears move to the suburbs.

    * Shaw Local | State Rep. Yednock appointed to Illinois Forestry Development Council: Yednock was appointed to the state’s Illinois Forestry Development Council by House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch this week. “As an outdoorsman and nature enthusiast, I am ready to get to work to protect Illinois’ forests and make them work better for everyone across our state,” Yednock said in a Wednesday news release. “We are in the midst of a climate crisis, and we must do what we can to keep our forests in good condition for future generations.”

    * WBEZ | Democratic National Committee hires local sustainability firms for Chicago convention: The Democratic National Convention Committee and Chicago 2024 Host Committee selected two Chicago-based firms, Bright Beat and Purpose, to help implement sustainability practices during the four-day, multimillion-dollar convention. Together, the two women-owned businesses will be responsible for cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.

    * Pensions & Investments | Chicago’s pension funding crisis is a century in the making. 5 grad students could change that: To decrease liabilities, the team proposed introducing a new tier for newly hired city employees that creates an adjusted vesting schedule. According to the team’s presentation, pension fund participants earn between 2.4%-2.5% of their baseline annuity per service year, and the team proposed a graduated percentage: 2% for one to 20 service years, 3% for years 21-25, 4% for years 26-30 and 5% for 31 or more years. This would save between $20 million and $25 million in liabilities annually, according to the presentation.

    * Daily Herald | Lots of construction angst on I-80 in Will County as rebuild revs up: The $1.3 billion project, which is 16 miles in its entirety, stretches between Ridge Road in Minooka and Route 30 near Joliet. Workers will replace over 30 bridges and multiple interchanges, including a new flyover ramp connecting southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80.

    * Crain’s | Chicago Fed chief shrugs off inflation pickup in early 2024: The wave of commentary from officials follows remarks by Chair Jerome Powell just a day earlier. Powell emphasized the Fed has time to assess incoming data before reducing rates, signaling policymakers are willing to wait for clearer signs of lower inflation to act. It’s not yet clear whether the pickup in key price gauges at the start of 2024 is a temporary blip on the path to the central bank’s 2% inflation goal or a sign that progress has stalled.

    * Sun-Times | Sean Tyler proved his innocence but the trauma of wrongful murder conviction has become its own sentence: “It’s still a hurting feeling and I don’t think that’ll ever be gone,” he said. “It’s so many layers and so much hurt wrapped up in it. It doesn’t feel like you can even enjoy it.” Tyler said he can finally walk down the street knowing no one can look at him and call him a murderer — worse, a person who killed a child.

    * Reuters | Bird flu hits Texas dairy cows, hens, human as ducks migrate: The U.S. government since last week has reported cases of the disease in seven dairy herds in Texas and one person who had contact with cows, making it the state most affected by the country’s first-ever outbreaks in cattle. Texas is the biggest U.S. cattle producer.

    * MSN | Tired of late messages from your boss? A new bill aims to make it illegal.: If passed, the California bill would require employers to establish a companywide policy on what their working hours are and how they will respect employees’ “right to disconnect.” The law would not supersede any collective bargaining contracts and applies only to salaried workers, as hourly and gig workers are protected by other laws. It’s needed to keep laws up to date with the modern realities of work, said Matt Haney, a State Assembly member representing San Francisco who introduced the bill this week. Thirteen other countries, including France, Australia, Portugal and Canada, already have laws like this, he added.

    * NYT | Ford Slows Its Push Into Electric Vehicles: “We are committed to scaling a profitable E.V. business, using capital wisely and bringing to market the right gas, hybrid and fully electric vehicles at the right time,” Ford’s chief executive, Jim Farley, said in a statement.

    * Sun-Times | Chicago-area solar eclipse hunters plan trek south to take in totality: ‘You have to experience it’: Sanchez, his wife and their 3-year-old daughter, along with his brother’s family will leave their home in Riverside about 4 a.m. Monday to drive to Carbondale, take in the eclipse, then drive home. It should take about five and a half hours to drive there, he said. Sanchez expects about an eight-hour trip home, plus he wants to find some souvenirs for his daughter to “look back on this experience” that he described as “extraordinary.”

    * SJ-R | Are you hearing about a ‘new’ path of totality in Illinois? Don’t worry about it too much: The reports are based on an article, “Why Your Total Solar Eclipse Map Is Now Wrong (And Where to Find the New One),” by Jamie Carter, a Forbes.com senior contributor. The story cites revised calculations for the size of the sun. It says previous maps of the path of totality might be off by about 2,000 feet at their edges. But the article concedes that those heading far into the path will see little consequence.

    * Chicago Review of Books | Chicago in Flux: An Interview with Gregory Royal Pratt about “The City is Up for Grabs”: Gregory Pratt: As soon as I started covering Mayor Lightfoot, I understood early in 2018 that we were potentially looking at a big sea change in Chicago, where you had the big bad, established Mayor Rahm Emanuel, leaving. Now, you potentially had a power vacuum and turnover. I thought this could be a great story. I got more serious about writing a book about this in 2020. I would cover Mayor Lightfoot day-to-day then, which I like to think of as our soft apocalypse here. Because it was crazy, right? You had the pandemic, you had civil unrest, you had a lot of institutions being remade and tested.

    * Tribune | Do they still make pinball machines? They do, in a huge new factory near O’Hare — with most selling to the 1 percent: They still make pinball machines? They do, and Stern is not alone: There’s also Jersey Jack Pinball of Elk Grove Village, American Pinball of Palatine, Chicago Gaming Company of Cicero, as well as several others, in Wisconsin, Texas. But none as large as Stern these days. Stern, by several assessments, controls at least 75% of the pinball market now, internationally. It’s been so successful the past few years, the company has doubled its workforce since 2019 and sold enough new machines that they need to upgrade from a nearby Elk Grove Village factory of 100,000 square feet to this new one, with 160,000 square feet.

  3 Comments      


Musical interlude

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* It isn’t every day that a candidate kicks off a campaign while singing a song he co-wrote that won both an Academy Award and a Grammy…


Full song is here.

  5 Comments      


Improve Support For Relatives Caring For Youth In DCFS Care

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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Question of the day

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Block Club Chicago…

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

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

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

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

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

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

  26 Comments      


Former PRB Chair says he takes issue with governor’s criticism

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Last month, Governor Pritzker announced the resignation of Prisoner Review Board Member LeAnn Miller…

“The Prisoner Review Board must be able to operate independently as they review enormously difficult cases, but I believe LeAnn Miller has made the correct decision in stepping down from her role.” said Governor JB Pritzker. “It is clear that evidence in this case was not given the careful consideration that victims of domestic violence deserve and I am committed to ensuring additional safeguards and training are in place to prevent tragedies like this from happening again. My thoughts are with Laterria Smith as she recovers and with the entire family of Jayden Perkins as we mourn this tragic loss—may his memory be a blessing.”

* Today from WTTW…

Donald Shelton, who served on the Prisoner Review Board since 2012 and who led the board since last year, took issue with a statement released by Pritzker concerning board member LeAnn Miller’s resignation. […]

“I don’t agree,” said Shelton, in an exclusive interview with WTTW News. “It’s one thing to say that I think the judgment was in error. It’s another thing to say that there was a lack of concern for a victim of domestic violence.” […]

“If the decisions are being made in good faith, then I don’t think she (Miller) is responsible for a murder that happened that she could not anticipate,” said Shelton. […]

“[Board members] have an obligation not only to hold the person that’s before them accountable for their actions if they believe that’s the appropriate point of view,” said Shelton. “They have an obligation to hold the state responsible for making its case to a preponderance of the evidence standard. Now, that’s a low standard, but it’s still a standard. And I can’t tell you how many cases in 11.5 years where I had a gut feeling that, ‘Jeez, I don’t think I like this person.’ But I can’t decide that a person’s going to be held in custody and is a violator because I have a gut feeling that they’re not a nice person.”

Thoughts?

  25 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WGEM…

linois state lawmakers took another step Wednesday towards eliminating the subminimum wage for tipped workers.

The state House Labor and Commerce Committee passed a bill requiring employers pay tipped workers the full minimum wage. They’re currently only required to pay them $8.40 per hour plus tips in Illinois. The state’s full minimum wage is currently $14 per hour. Employers are required to make up the difference if tips don’t get their employees to at least $14 per hour.

Supporters argue the bill will clear up confusion in minimum wage laws and bring uniformity after Chicago passed similar legislation phasing out the tipped wage by 2028. […]

Opponents fear the bill would lead to job losses, especially for those whom it’s supposed to help.

* Brenden Moore…



* WCIA…

A bill in the Capitol aims to protect people from how companies store and collect their health data.

The proposal passed out of a House committee Wednesday, but the bill’s sponsor and advocates say they still have more work to do on it.

“We don’t want to do things that we don’t need to do and require businesses to go through hurdles they don’t need to but at the same time, this is really the wild wild west, there is very little regulation,” State Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) said during the committee hearing Wednesday. […]

The bill would require companies to have a health data privacy policy laying out what information they’re collecting, using, selling, and storing and why. They would also have to get people’s consent. […]

Opponents of the bill argue the definition of health data in the proposal is too broad.

* Center Square…

State Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, offered up House Bill 2161 in committee Wednesday. […]

“House Bill 2161 adds family responsibilities to the list of protected categories in the Illinois Human Rights Act protection against harassment and retaliation,” he said.

Democratic state Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, said there needs to be clarity for the bill. […]

Guzzardi said the measure doesn’t protect anyone from being held accountable by their employer for poor job performance. The measure advanced out of committee. Guzzardi said he plans to bring back an amendment he hopes will allay concerns.

* Illinois PIRG…

Legislation to phase out fluorescent lighting (HB2363) passed through the Illinois House Energy and Environment Committee on Tuesday. If the bill becomes law, fluorescent lighting would be replaced over time with highly efficient LED bulbs, saving Illinois consumers more than $1.5 billion on utility bills, avoiding 2.2M metric tons of C02 emissions by cutting energy waste, and avoiding 419 pounds of mercury pollution by 2050, according to analysis by the Appliance Standards Awareness Project.

“Passing the Clean Lighting Act is a clear winner – it will save consumers money, cut energy waste, and remove a persistent neurotoxin from the Illinois waste stream,” said Illinois PIRG State Director Abe Scarr. “Members of the Illinois General Assembly should jump at the opportunity to save their constituents money and protect our environment.”

If the bill becomes law, Illinois would become the 9th state to pass similar policies. With a clarifying amendment filed at the hearing, there is no known opposition to the legislation.

The utility bill savings of replacing fluorescent lights with LEDs are clear and overwhelming: A typical small office could see $900 a year in savings and an average school could save $3,700 per year. […]

The bill has until April 19th to be passed by the full Illinois House for consideration in the Illinois Senate.

* The Coalition for Prescription Drug Affordability…

This morning, President Biden made an announcement, echoing previous remarks in his State of the Union address, about his proposal to allow Medicare to negotiate prices on up to 50 drugs annually. This proposal would create an added savings of $200 billion on top of the current projection of $160 billion over the next ten years.

The Illinois General Assembly is currently considering HB 4472, which would leverage federal drug price negotiations to benefit all Illinoisans. The bill would give Illinois a mechanism to extend Medicare-negotiated drug prices for all Illinoisans and require a pass-through of those savings to consumers. Without such a mechanism, more than 6.8 million Illinoisans on commercial insurance would not see the benefits of drug price negotiations through lower prescription co-pays and insurance premium costs.

HB4472 also allows for additional drugs to be considered for upper payment limits, extending even greater relief for seniors grappling with prescription drug costs. 90% of seniors regularly rely on prescription medication.

“President Biden is fighting to lower the out-of-control cost of prescription drugs that keeps people up at night,” said Julie Sampson, Executive Director of Citizen Action/Illinois. “The Illinois General Assembly has an opportunity to leverage federal drug price negotiations and bring those savings home for all Illinoisans by passing HB 4472.”

* Rep. Jed Davis…

Yesterday, House Bill 4350, filed by State Representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) passed the Adoption & Child Welfare Committee with a unanimous vote of 14-0.

“I am thrilled the Child Abuse Notice Act passed committee yesterday,” said Rep. Davis. “This act will require specific establishments to post informational signs targeting minors caught in child abuse and trafficking, providing pathways for immediate help.”

Establishments with the highest likelihood of being frequented by children being abused or trafficked, such as bus stations, emergency rooms, and hotels will be required to post these signs. Rep. Davis worked with the Illinois State Police when identifying these locations.

Rep. Davis continued, “Children who are in these horrendous situations may not know how to get help. Many of them feel alone and trapped, and these signs will provide victims a way out.”

“I also want to thank Colleen Murphy who testified on behalf of this legislation. Colleen is a constituent and the founder of the national movement, My Body Tells The Truth (MBTTT). She brought the idea for this legislation to my office, and I appreciate her continued determination to protect children in Illinois.”

This bill is one of five bills included in the Protecting Kids legislative package filed by Representative Davis.

* KHQA…

In the push to increase wages, Direct Support Professionals (DSP) are fighting for a wage increase for their work and care across Illinois. Senate Bill 3764 aims to help caregivers get the pay they believe they deserve. […]

On Wednesday the Illinois Senate Appropriations – Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing to discuss this legislation.

With unfilled positions, closed group homes, excessive overtime, and thousands of Illinoisans stuck on the waitlist for services and care, DSP caregivers are seeking a $3 an hour wage increase for their work and care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. […]

At the committee hearing, it was shared with the public that this isn’t the first time the state has improved funding over the years for this community. However minimum wage increases have weakened the impact of wage increases for the developmentally disabled community.

* WAND…

Illinois lawmakers know there were 109 cardiac events involving Illinois students under 18 during 2022. School districts may soon be required to develop cardiac emergency response plans to help address the growing issue.

The Illinois General Assembly has previously passed plans to require every school to have AEDs available on school property. However, House Bill 5394 would require school districts to work with local paramedics to create a plan in case there is a cardiac event. […]

Moline High School student Maddox McCubbin became an advocate for this change after he suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest last year. He was on the ground of his study hall room without oxygen for three minutes until the school nurse arrived and was able to quickly provide CPR. […]

House Bill 5394 passed unanimously out of the House Elementary & Secondary Education: School Curriculum & Policies Committee. The plan now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

* SJ-R…

A bill proposed by Peoria state Sen. Dave Koehler aimed at lowering carbon emissions into the atmosphere could result in higher gas prices, opponents to the legislation say.

Koehler, who proposed SB 1556 — also known as the Clean Transport Standard — says any fears that his bill would raise gas prices is a “scare tactic” being used by its opponents and the legislation is something that needs to happen now to tackle climate change. […]

Koehler and his team are currently working on another amendment for the bill. He said they hope to have it done within a month but added this is something he wants to “get done right, not fast.” If the bill has to wait until a later legislative session to become law, Koehler said that is a satisfactory outcome.

The coming amendment is ironing out details on how the credit system works, among other things, at the request of some agriculture groups, Koehler said.

  22 Comments      


Open thread

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on?…

  11 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Restaurants push back against bill ending tipped wage. SJ-R…

    - Tipped workers at restaurants throughout the state earn an hourly wage of $8.40 plus tips. Through House Bill 5345, tipped wage would jump to $15 starting next January.
    - Rep. Mike Coffey manager of Saputo’s, expects inflation that will be passed on to the customer.
    - Sponsor Rep. Lisa Hernandez said the bill will be held on second reading, allowing for further discussion before a full chamber vote in the House.

* Related stories…

* Isabel’s top picks…

    * Michael Phillips | Is Gov. Pritzker’s sales pitch to Hollywood working?: I talked to Gov. Pritzker and, separately, Illinois Production Alliance executive director Christine Dudley about last week’s flurry of Los Angeles sit-downs and meet-ups; what Georgia offers filmmakers in tax incentives that Illinois doesn’t; and, inevitably, “The Bear,” now filming its third and fourth seasons in Chicago.

    * Tribune | Illinois lawmakers consider measure to criminalize AI-generated child porn: The measure, which ultimately passed through the House Judiciary Criminal Committee, is being pushed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Its main sponsor is state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, a Glenview Democrat who has been working on ways to have state law keep up with the new technology. […] David Haslett, chief of the attorney general’s office’s high-tech crimes bureau, testified that AI could make it more difficult for law enforcement to bring charges of child pornography because of confusion over whether images were real or computer-generated.

    * Capitol News Illinois | Lawmakers question Pritzker’s plan for new early childhood agency: The plan, which Pritzker first announced in October and which he included in his budget address in February, would consolidate a host of programs and services currently run by three different agencies under one roof. That would include such things as child care subsidies for low-income families currently housed in the Department of Human Services; preschool block grants administered by the State Board of Education; and the licensing of day care centers, which is currently done by the Department of Children and Family Services.

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul presented the proposed budget for the Attorney General’s office for the next fiscal year to lawmakers today in Springfield. Raoul announced to a legislative committee that his office generated more than $1 billion in revenue on behalf of the state in 2023. The revenue the Attorney General’s office collected for the state shows that for every dollar of taxpayer funding the office received in Fiscal Year 2023, it generated $17.55 for the state. Since Raoul took office, the Attorney General’s office has generated more than $5.4 billion for the state.

“The Attorney General’s office serves our state as the people’s law firm, and we are able to bring in needed revenue as we do this critical work,” Raoul said. “We have remained steadfast in our work to curb violent crimes in our communities and protect children and our most vulnerable populations. I look forward to building upon our efforts to improve the quality of life in every part of Illinois.”

In 2023, the Attorney General’s office was able to bring in $290 million through collections litigation, including cases involving the collection of funds for damage to state property, child support enforcement, fines and penalties. The Attorney General’s office also collected more than $299 million through tobacco litigation and more than $284 million in estate tax revenues.

* Some perspective…



* Here’s the rest…

    * WREX | $4.3 million in state grants awarded to prepare current high school students for teaching careers: This is the fourth round of funding for this program, which has awarded a total of $5.6 million so far. The grants have benefitted nearly 12,000 Illinois high school students across 212 school districts and three community colleges.

    * STLPR | Missouri solar power grew significantly last year, but it’s still far behind neighboring Illinois: Solar energy grew faster in Missouri than Illinois in 2023. Missouri generated almost 32% more power from the sun in 2023 compared to 2022, while Illinois’s solar generation grew by about 24%. […] Illinois still produces significantly more wind and solar energy than Missouri does, the Climate Central report said. In 2023, Illinois generated more than 25,500 gigawatt-hours of solar and wind energy, while Missouri produced about 7,700 gigawatt-hours.

    * Block Club | Mayor Brandon Johnson, 1 Year After Election: ‘Name One Thing … I Haven’t Done’: The mayor, a former public school teacher and union organizer, declined to give himself a letter grade for his performance thus far. Instead, he listed a series of measures he sees as proof he’s fulfilling his campaign promises: phasing out the tipped minimum wage, providing funding to reopen mental health centers, expanding paid time off requirements and not raising property taxes, he said.

    * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ex-chief of staff joins private security firm that hires Chicago cops: Guidice stepped down as Johnson’s top deputy Monday following a City Hall career that stretched back to the administration of former Mayor Richard M. Daley. He has been replaced by Cristina Pacione-Zayas, a former state senator who was Johnson’s deputy chief of staff since the beginning of his term in office. Guidice led the Office of Emergency Management and Communications before he joined Johnson’s cabinet last spring. Blue Star portrayed Guidice’s city government-heavy resume as unique expertise.

    * Sun-Times | Johnson’s failed Bring Chicago Home referendum gets boost from unlikely source: Developer Quintin Primo III sounded almost like a cheerleader for the $100 million-a-year tax increase during a news conference called to announce $151.2 million in tax increment financing subsidies to help adapt four Loop office buildings for residential and commercial use.

    * Crain’s | Why private-equity investors see a target-rich environment in Chicago’s accounting biz: In 2021, private equity made a notable push into the accounting industry, buying national firms like EisnerAmper and Schellman & Co., among others. The trend continued this year with Chicago-based players Grant Thornton and Baker Tilly opening their doors to private equity. “It’s definitely a new trend,” said Michael Minnis, an accounting professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. “There’s certainly been a lot of interest and activity in the accounting space by private equity.”

    * Sun-Times | Janitors union rallies in Loop for better pay as contract deadline looms: The unionized workers, represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 1, will decide Saturday whether to ratify an agreement or vote to strike before their three-year contract expires on Sunday. The negotiations affect 8,000 janitors in the Chicago area who clean buildings including Willis Tower, Hancock Tower, Merchandise Mart and other iconic sites.

    * Crain’s | United CEO’s pay soared last year from COVID lows: Kirby received $6.6 million in “non-equity” incentive or cash bonus last year, the biggest factor in his overall compensation climbing to an estimated $18.6 million from $9.8 million in 2022. His $2.9 million bonus from 2022 and $3.7 million bonus from 2023 were both paid out last year, the proxy shows.

    * Sun-Times | Inside the Chicago court fight on Black hair care: In October 2022, the first of several thousand lawsuits was filed at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in the Loop by a woman from St. Louis claiming that chemicals in hair relaxer products she used — such as Soft Sheen, Just for Me and Dark & Lovely — caused her cancer. Near-identical lawsuits began piling up in state and federal courts across the U.S. The federal cases — now counting 8,500 plaintiffs, with more added every week — were consolidated last year in front of a single federal judge in Chicago. Dozens of cases have been filed in Cook County, and dozens more are in front of judges in local jurisdictions across the country. Love filed a lawsuit of her own in June.

    * The Hollywood Reporter | Iowa-LSU NCAA Rematch Sets All-Time Record for Women’s Basketball: Iowa’s 94-87 victory over LSU averaged 12.3 million viewers for ESPN, the largest TV audience ever for a women’s basketball game in the United States. The previous record was set more than 40 years ago, when CBS’ broadcast of the 1983 title game — featuring USC legend Cheryl Miller — drew 11.83 million people. LSU’s 102-85 win in last year’s championship game was the previous ESPN record, drawing 9.9 million viewers across ABC and ESPN2.

    * CBS | Former Gov. Pat Quinn has warning for White Sox, Bears after Kansas City stadium tax referendum fails: “I think the people of Chicago should have the same opportunity as the people of Kansas City,” Quinn said. “In Kansas City, the voters were clear for not raising a sales tax.” Last week, Quinn filed an ordinance with the Chicago city clerk that would ask the City Council to put a referendum on the November ballot allowing voters to decide if their tax dollars should support new stadiums.

    * TNC | Georgie Geraghty Named Illinois Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy: “Leading The Nature Conservancy in Illinois, alongside committed colleagues and partners in the Midwest and around the world, is a full-circle moment,” said Geraghty, who began her career with General Electric (GE). “We are all seeing and feeling the impacts of climate change and the loss of nature. But I am as hopeful as ever because local communities, decision-makers and influential businesses are pushing for much-needed change.”

  9 Comments      


Illinois Is Top Ten In The Nation For Reported Gas Leaks, Fix Illinois’ Aging Natural Gas Lines Now

Thursday, Apr 4, 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.

Click on the links to view our ads: Ticking Time Bomb & Real Change.
To learn more and help fight back, visit us online at Fight Back Fund.

Paid for by Fight Back Fund

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Thursday, Apr 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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

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« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Catching up with the congressionals
* Do better
* Big Beautiful Bill roundup: Pritzker says special session may not be needed, warns 330,000 Illinoisans could lose Medicaid; Planned Parenthood of Illinois pledges to continue care despite cuts
* RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
* 'The Chosen One' tones himself down
* Open thread
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* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
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