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Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Talk with you Monday…

Say a prayer for the common foot soldier

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Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The House has adjourned until January 16. As I noted on another post, that means the Senate either has to take up the House’s elected Chicago school board bill (SB2324) or nothing happens. I’ve reached out to the Senate President’s office to see what that chamber will do. I’ll let you know.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Senate President Harmon has decided to call his version of the elected school board bill, HB2233.

*** UPDATE 2 *** Harmon’s bill passed 38-12.

*** UPDATE 3 *** The Senate appears to be adjourning.

*** UPDATE 4 *** Harmon gave his closing remarks. He didn’t mention the dispute with the House. He did note that the House hasn’t finished its 2024 calendar yet, but said the Senate is issuing one today.

*** UPDATE 5 *** Actually, the House did distribute a calendar to members. Click here.

*** UPDATE 6 *** Harmon said during the debate that the General Assembly has until April 1 to finalize a plan. He also told reporters that there would be plenty of time for people to prepare because petitions won’t be circulated until the summer. When asked if Speaker Welch had given him a heads up about adjourning the House before finalizing work on the bill, Harmon said, “We didn’t discuss it but I was not surprised.”

[ *** End Of Updates *** ]

I’m not sure yet what else was left in the air, but the Invest in Kids Act extension springs to mind. The income tax credit program to fund private school scholarships will now sunset at the end of December, but we’ve known that was going to happen for quite a while.

* Background is here if you need it. Subscribers know more about this…

The Senate did agree to extend another state law that’s set to expire Dec. 31, voting 42-12 to give another year to a 2018 law that increased minimum prison sentences for repeat gun possession offenders. The proposal still needs approval in the House.

The law was pushed by former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration after more than 770 people were slain in the city in 2016, but Mayor Brandon Johnson opposes an extension. Crime statistics provide no clear evidence that the law has had any impact in reducing gun violence.

State Rep. Will Guzzardi, a Democrat from Chicago, said he hopes to block the bill in the House. “This is not the kind of policymaking we should be engaged in,” Guzzardi said.

The 12 senators who voted no were all Democrats, most representing districts that cover portions of Chicago.

The main sponsor of the extension was Sen. Patrick Joyce, a Democrat from Reddick in Kankakee County. In a rare bipartisan show of agreement on a criminal justice issue, Senate Republican leader John Curran praised the legislation moments before the vote.

It can’t move without the sponsor’s permission, so Guzzardi doesn’t have to hope for anything…

My statement on legislative action today.

I strongly oppose sentencing enhancements with no proven benefit to public safety. I will make sure that House Bill 1440 doesn't move forward.

Some research on this policy's failures: https://t.co/Jb82taxkA7; https://t.co/fSxLWA0bDD pic.twitter.com/BggMrhd76R

— Will Guzzardi (@WillGuzzardi) November 8, 2023

* Sun-Times…

With the betting window closed on the first full month of operation at Bally’s temporary casino, the Medinah Temple site raked in more than $7.6 million in October, a 12% decline in average daily revenue compared to its first few weeks.

The latest monthly cash count announced Wednesday by regulators at the Illinois Gaming Board put the River North betting house near the top of the state’s roster of 15 casinos — but well behind city tax revenue projections for Chicago’s desperately underfunded police and firefighter pensions.

Bally’s adjusted gross revenue — its profit after paying winners — shook out to about $245,446 per day in October, down from an average of roughly $278,268 from its Sept. 9 opening through the end of that month. […]

Bally’s take generated nearly $768,000 for city coffers, adding up to almost $1.5 million in tax revenue since it opened.

That leaves it a long shot for the long-sought Chicago casino to hit the $12.8 million revenue target for 2023 set by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot shortly before she left office.

* US Attorney’s office in Chicago…

A Chicago man has been convicted in federal court of threatening to commit violence at a women’s reproductive health clinic.

A jury in U.S. District in Chicago on Wednesday convicted FARHAN SHEIKH, 23, of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland did not immediately set a sentencing date.

The conviction was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Melody Wells.

Evidence at trial revealed that Sheikh posted the threatening communications on Aug. 13, 2019, on the social media platform iFunny. In one of his posts, Sheikh stated, “I am done with my state and thier (sic) [expletive] abortion laws and allowing innocrnt (sic) kids to be slaughtered for the so called ‘womans right’ [expletive].” Sheikh later wrote that he would visit a clinic in Chicago and “proceed to slaughter and murder any doctor, patient, or visitor I see in the area and I will not back down.”

In posts that immediately followed the threats, Sheikh described his anger at law enforcement and his frustration over the arrest of another individual for making threats online. Sheikh referred to the other arrest as “surpressing [sic] our freedoms,” and he vowed to “do the same” to “whores.”

* And, finally, Jim Paul has been a House doorman for 22 years and is retiring. The House gave him a nice sendoff today. Congratulations, Mr. Paul!..

…Adding… One more…

The Illinois Chamber is proud to welcome Lou Sandoval as our new President and CEO. Click here to read our full statement! https://t.co/tocSB4bG0D pic.twitter.com/pTlylcPgGG

— Illinois Chamber (@ILChamber) November 9, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

WREX | Live Updates

* WSPY | Montgomery State Rep. arrested for DUI: In a Montgomery Police Department report, obtained by WSPY news, an officer says that he located [Illinois Representative Matt Hanson] asleep in his vehicle in the 2000 block of Jericho Road on October 27 at around 10:30. The vehicle was said to be parked on two spots and had its taillights on. […] “I am deeply disappointed by my own conduct, and I accept full responsibility for my actions. I’m committed to ensuring this is the only time I ever exercise such poor judgment. I plan to undergo an alcohol evaluation, complete any treatment or education that evaluation recommends, and accept all terms the court deems fit. My focus is on the work I need to do for myself and for the people who have entrusted me to represent them.”

* Sun-Times | Ed Burke trial on hold for a week after lawyer tests positive for COVID: The judge and the lawyers still haven’t finished jury selection in the highly anticipated case. Thirty-eight potential jurors have survived questioning. Nine more must make it through the process without being struck for cause to round out the panel after lawyers exercise peremptory strikes. [US District Judge Virginia Kendall] intended to push lawyers to finish jury selection by lunchtime Thursday. Now the trial is on hold entirely. The lawyers who came to court Thursday were all wearing face masks. So was Burke.

* Tribune | Chicago police officer charged with felony battery after video shows him hitting an 8th grader: The felony charge against Craig Lancaster, 55, come less than two weeks after the Chicago Tribune published a video of the altercation, which shows the veteran officer hitting 14-year-old JaQuwaun Williams near his throat as the boy walked into Gresham Elementary School on May 18. The video, which has no sound, does not show the teen interacting with Lancaster before the physical contact or doing anything obvious to provoke it.

* Daily-Journal | Electric school buses begin to arrive in Herscher: Two of the 25 electric buses going to Herscher Community Unit School District 2 were delivered Thursday. The remaining 23 are scheduled for delivery in late summer 2024. When taking one for a test drive, Decman marveled at the sound coming from the vehicle — or rather, the lack of sound — as the bus traveled in near silence.

* Daily-Journal | Gift from Kankakee as city OKs $85K to Gift of God: The $85,000 pledged to aid improvements at Kankakee County’s lone fixed-based homeless shelter has been officially approved, and the North Fifth Avenue church and shelter location will likely have the money prior to December. […] Gift of God is having extensive and required upgrades to the site completed. To comply with fire prevention standards, the property needed to be equipped with the sprinkler system. The cost is $100,000 and the work is largely complete.

* Tribune | Under new CEO, Walgreens prepares for 267 corporate layoffs: None of the layoffs will impact retail employees at Walgreens stores. Workers at call centers and micro fulfillment centers — where prescription medications are shipped directly to pharmacies, sometimes with the aid of robots — will not be part of this round of layoffs either.

* Sun-Times | Streeterville boutique hotel becoming homeless shelter, prompting staff layoffs: The shelter is expected to open next month, house 116 people and remain open for up to seven months. It is part of an unfolding city plan to provide “an additional 300 emergency shelter beds,” Reese said. It will be staffed by Equitable Social Solutions, a Kentucky-based company, according to the Illinois Secretary of State database.

* AP | Biden celebrates a labor deal saving an Illinois auto plant as he promotes a worker-centered economy: The reopening “goes to the heart of who he is, the heart of his vision for the country and how he’s led,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, White House deputy chief of staff. Stellantis, the maker of Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles, agreed to hire back 1,200 employees to build pickup trucks and to add 1,300 more workers for a battery factory.

* WBEZ | Working in-person costs employees $51 a day over remote work, survey finds: The average per-day cost for employees working in-person: $8 for parking, $13 for breakfast or coffee, $16 on lunch, $14 commuting, and $20 for pet care for those who need it. More companies are calling employees back to the office even though only 22% want to be there. In-person work climbed from 44% in 2022 to 66% this year, according to the survey. Hybrid schedules have held steady, at about 25% of those surveyed.

* Sun-Times | Supreme Court hears decorated Army vet’s claim that VA shortchanged his GI Bill benefits: The case, Rudisill v. McDonough, concerns military veterans who’ve earned college benefits under both the Montgomery GI Bill, which pays tuition, and the newer, more generous Post-9/11 GI Bill, which pays tuition and fees, plus housing and books. The law allows vets to tap both, up to a maximum of 48 months. […] The Virginia resident contends that the “absurd” way the Department of Veterans Affairs oversees benefits shortchanged him out of 12 months of schooling.

* NPR Illinois | Quad Cities airport considers future spaceport: The Moline airport is conducting a study to see how much money and work it would take to add a spaceport in the next twenty years. Spokeswoman Ashleigh Davis says it could become a “horizontal launch” site. “Planes would use the existing ten thousand foot runway that the airport has, they would take off just like a regular commercial aircraft would, however they would have a different system that they’d switch on, a different fueling mechanism, that would allow them to travel into space.”

* AP | In Wisconsin, the old fashioned cocktail come with brandy. Lawmakers want to make it official.: It’s a resolution, not a bill, so even if passed by the Assembly and Senate the brandy old fashioned won’t make it onto the list of other official state symbols that include milk as the official beverage, kringle as the official pastry and corn as the official grain. Getting that level of recognition, enshrined in the state’s “Blue Book,” requires introduction of a bill, a public hearing and then the signature of the governor.

* Block Club | Chicago’s Hottest Music Venue Is a Concrete Pillar In The Chicago River: Since then, the concrete structure that Kinsinger calls an “island” has hosted multiple “Secret River” shows, delighting fans and confused passersby alike. This year’s concert series features two bands alongside Lawrence Tome, the local band fronted by Kinsinger. The fifth and final show of the year will take place 11:11 a.m. Saturday.

* Patch | Super El Niño Winter: What IL Might See For Snow: The Climate Prediction Center says with 100 percent certainty the strengthening El Niño weather pattern will last through early winter, and with 90 percent certainty that it will last until spring. The agency, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, expects the El Niño pattern to bring warmer than normal conditions to Illinois this winter.

* AP | Last 12 months on Earth were the hottest ever recorded, analysis finds: The last 12 months were the hottest Earth has ever recorded, according to a new report by Climate Central, a nonprofit science research group. The peer-reviewed report says burning gasoline, coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels that release planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide, and other human activities, caused the unnatural warming from November 2022 to October 2023.

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Clean Air, Big Savings Central To Fleet Electrification Policy

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

North Illinois has some of the worst air quality in the country, in large part due to heavy freight traffic. Converting just 3 in 10 heavy-duty trucks in Illinois from gas to electric would save $5.8 BILLION in health care costs and over 600 lives.

Incentivizing fleet owners to go electric improves air quality, especially in heavy transit corridors. States like Nevada have incentivized the transition of school bus fleets from gas to electric, and Illinois can do the same to prevent children from breathing dirty air on their ride to school.

Illinois children deserve clean air now and a healthy future. Fortunately, there are bills in front of the Illinois State House and Senate right now that can help transition whole fleets of large trucks to electric – saving lives and saving money. Our legislators must support. More here.

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*** UPDATED x2 *** Senate and House tweak their respective elected Chicago school board bills

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Senate President Don Harmon just introduced a new proposal (click here) that he said addresses the House’s concerns…

Most notably, they raised a legitimate concern that the mechanics of election lead to the possibility of someone easily getting on the ballot and winning election to a four-year term on the school board with a small percentage of the vote without benefit of a runoff or a primary election.

So I am offering an amendment that’s just been filed that will address some of those issues incorporating ideas that came from the House bill. I want to just run through those for the benefit of everyone here.

First of all, all 20 districts would be up for election in 2024. But instead of initiating staggered terms, in the first election all 20 would stand for election to a two year term.

In 2026, the second election, we will have a [non-partisan] primary election in March, from which the top two vote-getters would advance to the November election. That way, we would ensure that the winner of a longer term has a majority of the vote, would begin implementing staggered terms. And 2026 with 10 of the seats being elected to four-year terms and the other 10 being elected two-year terms, and then flip and the subsequent elections leading up to the redistricting election and 2032.

There’s not enough time left on the clock to create non-partisan primaries next year, so this kicks that issue to 2026.

* Harmon also mentioned that the House has introduced a trailer “cleanup” bill for their elected Chicago school board measure. The language is on House Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 2324.

The amendment is said to be designed to address Senate President Don Harmon’s objections to the original bill’s “woefully inadequate ethical provisions”…

For example, there is no prohibition on executives and employees of school district contractors and vendors being able to serve on the board.

The House legislation opens the door for corruption by exempting board members from the requirements under the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act.

So, we still have two competing bills.

…Adding… Isabel asked Senate President Harmon whether there was an agreement yet between the two chambers. “We’re still working on it,” Harmon said. “Our amendment definitely incorporated some of the good ideas from the House bill, and I’m very pleased that they are incorporating the ethics provisions from our bill. These are all positive things.”

*** UPDATE 1 *** The House just passed its cleanup bill, SB2324, on a 99-1 roll call.

*** UPDATE 2 *** The House has adjourned. That means either the Senate takes up the House legislation, or nothing gets done during veto.

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Here’s How To Make The Tax Credit Scholarship Better

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

We’ve been listening carefully to the governor, legislative leaders, and many members of the legislature about how to make the Tax Credit Scholarship better – and we now have an amended program proposal that does exactly that. Thousands of vulnerable kids are counting on us to put them before politics.

In response to direct feedback, our bill offers substantive improvements along with good-faith compromises which justify extending the Tax Credit Scholarship Program:

2. Reduce the overall size of the program to $50MM (down from $75MM) and reduce the individual giving cap to $500,000 (down from $1MM).

3. Reduce the tax credit for donors to 55% (down from 75%).

4. Encourage more middle-income donors by crediting donations of up to $5,000 with a 100% tax credit.

Illinois, let’s do the right thing. It’s about the kids, not the politics. Save the scholarships.

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Unclear on several concepts

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Paul Vallas uses his latest Tribune op-ed to give Gov. Pritzker advice on asylum-seekers. Most of what he’s suggesting sounds like it’s coming from Facebook comments (I’ve seen versions of all of them on that site) and includes this idea…

Just as Pritzker did during the COVID-19 crisis, he should issue an executive order declaring a statewide emergency. That order would supersede the Illinois TRUST Act, as amended, and Chicago’s sanctuary city ordinance. This would allow the governor to take decisive action to deal with the influx of migrants.

1) Pritzker has already declared a disaster. It’s been in place for more than a year…

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, 20 ILCS 3305/7, I find that a disaster exists within the State of Illinois and declare all counties in the state as a disaster area. The proclamation authorizes the exercise of all emergency powers provided in Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, 20 ILCS 3305/7, including but not limited to those specific emergency powers set forth below.

2) This is what Paul Vallas said about COVID-19 executive orders issued by Pritzker and Lori Lightfoot…

On these executive mandates, no legislative input whatsoever. So it gives them the ability to act like dictators. The second thing it does is it creates the perception that somehow they’re being decisive leaders.

3) Vallas also clearly has no understanding of the TRUST Act, which is about local law enforcement non-cooperation on federal civil immigration issues…

Nothing in this Section shall preclude a law enforcement official from otherwise executing that official’s duties in investigating violations of criminal law and cooperating in such investigations with federal and other law enforcement agencies (including criminal investigations conducted by federal Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)) in order to ensure public safety.

* Another genius Vallas suggestion…

It should be made very clear to governors who deliberately send migrants to Illinois that the state is prepared to charter buses to return the migrants to their point of origin.

How can the state legally transport people across state lines against their will? You want to round them up at gunpoint and send them elsewhere? Really, tough guy?

* Another plan…

The governor should use the National Guard and its armories, in partnership with the Illinois State Police, to screen and process many migrants.

I asked the governor’s office about this months ago and was told that, without federal assistance, using the National Guard would be too costly. It’s simply cheaper to contract with staffing companies, I was told.

* Another…

Illinois should bypass obstacles to integrate screened migrants more quickly into the workforce. The state should authorize host cities such as Chicago to award their own temporary work permits and business licenses to immigrants, helping them become self-sufficient.

We talked about this just the other day. There’s just no work-around on federal law. Also, giving the migrants state work permits would essentially be handing a paper trail to the federal government, which could then use that evidence to deport them for working illegally and could make the state and employers liable.

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*** UPDATED x1 *** Despite huge federal grant, small modular nuclear power plant project goes belly-up after costs skyrocket

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* AP…

The Illinois Senate approved lifting a 36-year-old moratorium on new nuclear power installments on Wednesday in a plan proponents say will ensure the state can meet its carbon-free power production promise by 2045.

The Senate’s 44-7 endorsement opens the door for cutting-edge nuclear technology in so-called small modular reactors, designed to sit on sites for which they produce power, such as large factories.

The bill now heads to the House for concurrence.

* Reuters…

NuScale Power said on Wednesday it has agreed with a power group in Utah to terminate the company’s small modular reactor project, dealing a blow to U.S. ambitions for a wave of nuclear energy to fight climate change and sending NuScale’s shares down 20%.

In 2020, the Department of Energy approved $1.35 billion over 10 years for the plant, known as the Carbon Free Power Project, subject to congressional appropriations. NuScale has received about $600 million from the department since 2014 to support the design, licensing and siting of the project.

NuScale had planned to develop the six-reactor 462 megawatt project with the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) and launch it in 2030, but several towns pulled out of the project as costs rose. […]

NuScale said in January the target price for power from the plant was $89 per megawatt hour, up 53% from the previous estimate of $58 per MWh, raising concerns about customers’ willingness to pay.

* Some context on that $89 per megawatt hour price…

Levelised costs of energy for onshore wind and solar come in as low as $24/MWh and gas around $39/MWh, according to latest analysis by Lazard.

*** UPDATE *** The House just passed the nuke bill 98-8.

…Adding… IMA…

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement following passage of HB 2473:

“Manufacturers use one-third of all energy consumed in the United States to produce needed medicines, food and other important goods. Ensuring there are safe, reliable, and low-cost sources of energy is critically important for our sector and consumers who rely on these products. Today’s passage of HB 2473 will allow Illinois to continue leading in energy and manufacturing innovation with the use of small, micro nuclear technology,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Recent studies from regional grid operators show a significant reduction in current energy generation capacity, and new carbon-free nuclear power is a solution to ensure that electricity remains available and affordable for homes and businesses. In addition to nuclear, Illinois needs to continue focusing on the development of other technologies including carbon capture and sequestration and hydrogen to meet our clean energy goals.”

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The White Sox just can’t seem to do anything right

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The White Sox just lost arguably the best play-by-play announcer in baseball to… Detroit? What?…

The Detroit Tigers have their new play-by-play announcer. The team announced on Thursday that Jason Benetti, one of the top voices in sports, will join the Tigers.

Benetti was previously the play-by-play broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox for the past eight seasons.

“I’m incredibly proud to join this historic and ascending Tigers franchise,” said Benetti. “From every single person I talked with throughout the interview process it was clear why so many respected professionals and creative people have joined the organization in the last several years. There’s something special about it, and I’m excited to bring that energy to Tigers fans around the globe. I’d also like to thank Chris Ilitch, Ryan Gustafson, Scott Harris, and everyone else I’ve met with in the last several weeks who have been so welcoming. Everyone I spent time with made it clear this was the right place for me. I was born and raised in the Midwest, and understand how important sports are, especially here in the Motor City.”

Detroit?

* Seriously?…

Here is the White Sox statement after television play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti joined the Tigers today as their TV play-by-play announcer.
.@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/w4jr6bVH8s

— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) November 9, 2023

Sell. The. Team…

This is, in one graphic, who the Chicago White Sox are. https://t.co/94aRWjhClQ

— Patrick Nolan (@SoxMach_pnoles) November 8, 2023

60 Comments

Bost announces Jordan endorsement

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Shot…

It’s time to shake things up in Washington and not elect another establishment speaker. Congressman Jim Jordan stands as a proven, capable conservative leader, primed to assume the role of Speaker and steer our country in the right direction. #twill pic.twitter.com/NmFH7ap3CH

— Darren Bailey (@DarrenBaileyIL) October 9, 2023

* Chaser…

U.S. Rep. Mike Bost today announced that his 2024 re-election campaign has been endorsed by leading House conservative, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

“Mike Bost is a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment conservative who supports our veterans and will fight for a strong border,” said Jordan. “Now more than ever, we need patriots like him in Congress advocating for our values.”

“Jim Jordan is a principled leader in Congress and a pillar of the conservative movement; I am honored to have his endorsement,” said Bost. “I look forward to standing with Jim as we continue the fight for our shared values against the radical Left.”

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

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Open thread

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Nov 9, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: It’s the last day of veto session. Here’s a breakdown on what’s happened so far from Capitol News Illinois…

- Yesterday, the Senate passed a measure that would require the state to purchase exclusively “zero-emission vehicles,” such as electric vehicles, after Jan. 1, 2030.

- A measure that would allow legislative staff to unionize, appears to have stalled in the Senate after clearing the House with broad Democratic support during the first week of veto session.

* Related stories…

∙ Crain’s: Illinois Senate OKs bill lifting ban on constructing new nukes
∙ WCIA: Proposal ending Illinois’ new nuclear power plant ban passes Senate
∙ Center Square: Illinois legislators return for final day this year with unfinished business

* Isabel’s top picks…

* Tribune | Democrats still divided over transition to Chicago elected school board; chances dim for private school tax credit extension: With one session day remaining on the legislative calendar for 2023, the House voted 78-33 to approve boundary lines for 20 districts that eventually will each elect a representative to the school board and a plan to have 10 members chosen by voters in the 2024 election, with the remaining 10 and a board president appointed by the city’s mayor.

* Sun-Times | Incomplete grade? Chicago elected school board plan stalls amid House, Senate divisions: “We are concerned with the failure to include strong ethical safeguards in the legislation the House approved,” Harmon said in a statement released after the Senate adjourned. Harmon wrote that there is no prohibition on executives and employees of school district contractors and vendors being able to serve on the board. He also stated that those who offered testimony during several Senate hearings about the elected school board stressed the importance of electing all 20 board members next year, which anchors his proposal.

* WGN | Dolton dysfunction: Bills go unpaid amid questionable expenses: WGN Investigates also obtained copies of the township’s credit card statements, too. It showed township taxpayers also spent money on the Vegas trip. Charges included more than $8,400 for hotels; $587 at Ruth’s Chris Steak House and $3,741, just on Henyard’s roundtrip flight. During the recent interview, WGN Investigates asked Henyard if she flew first class. “Any other questions?” was her only response.

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

* WICA | Bill to get IDFPR new licensing software passes Senate unanimously: A bill sponsored by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) would expedite the process to get new software to speed up the licensing process for all industries across the state. The bill would also make IDFPR extend expiration dates or renewal periods if the secretary finds operational need to do so or if it would avoid hardship on a profession’s licensees.

* Tribune | Opening statements near in historic corruption trial of ex-Ald. Edward Burke as sluggish jury selection nears end: “I’m going to make you get the openings out before the weekend, so we can get to the evidence by Monday,” U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall told attorneys before breaking for the day Wednesday evening. Friday is a court holiday.

* Sun-Times | Judge promises opening statements in Ed Burke’s trial by Thursday afternoon: Though Kendall insisted opening statements would begin Thursday afternoon — and lawyers began preparing accordingly — it will require jury selection to speed up dramatically. The 38 potential jurors who have survived the questioning amount to about 12 per day. Kendall has given lawyers a half-day to pick nine more.

* Daily Southtown | Calumet City alderman says filing complaint led to Mayor Thaddeus Jones harming his business: A Calumet City alderman said his consulting business has suffered after Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who is also a state representative, sent an email to Democratic colleagues urging them to cease doing business with him. The email advised other legislators not to use the services of 1833 Group, the consulting company run by 6th Ward Ald. James “JR” Patton. Patton said he lost three clients from the email but declined to provide information on them.

* SJ-R | Turner bill amended after property dispute between landowner, District 186 resolved: Springfield resident Joyce Downey has owned the vacant lots on 521 and 523 W. Monroe St. since 1998, according to Sangamon County property records. The district had previously offered the fair market value of $69,000, but Downey wanted more than $200,000. Now, both parties have agreed to a $100,000 deal for the property transaction. District spokeswoman Rachel Dyas said a school board vote scheduled for Nov. 20 will be the final step before the contract is approved.

* Sun-Times | Bally’s temporary Chicago casino sees average daily revenue drop in first full month: Bally’s adjusted gross revenue — its profit after paying winners — shook out to about $245,446 per day in October, down from an average of roughly $278,268 from its Sept. 9 opening through the end of that month. […] Bally’s reported more than 83,000 admissions in October, an average of about 2,681 visits per day. That’s down about 20% from the average of 3,347 who walked through the turnstiles on average each day in its inaugural weeks.

* Crain’s | Johnson taps new legislative liaison to City Council: Johnson has already tapped Sydney Holman, a lobbyist at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, to serve as his next head of intergovernmental affairs — an often behind-the-scenes but crucial post that guides the mayor’s agenda and manages relationships with the City Council and state legislators.

* Crain’s | Hotel near Mag Mile set to become a temporary homeless shelter: Mayoral spokesman Ronnie Reese confirmed in a statement to Crain’s that the Selina Hotel at 100 E. Chestnut St. will be used as a shelter beginning next month “for Chicago’s unhoused” with support from an Illinois Department of Human Services grant. The hotel, formerly known as the Tremont Chicago, will house up to 116 people and is expected to operate as a shelter for up to seven months, according to Reese.

* WBEZ | Suburban Chicago Islamic school copes with fear, sadness after threat: Principal Tammie Ismail, like many, feels that dehumanizing rhetoric spread by U.S. politicians and media about Palestinians, Muslims and Arabs in the wake of the war in Gaza has inspired hate that’s endangering her students.

* WTTW | Push for Reparations in Chicago Gets New Life as Johnson Earmarks $500K for New Panel: “These are the first dollars spent in this city to begin the process of studying both restoration and reparations,” Johnson said. “When residents who have experienced neglect and disinvestment for generations speak out of their pain and their trauma, this administration and the Black Caucus we hear you.”

* ABC Chicago | City council disruptions from gallery prompt call for changes for workplace safety: Tuesday a committee meeting had to recess because things got so chaotic, and some alderpersons are now expressing concerns about their safety. The alders that spoke with ABC7 said they can’t ever remember things being this bad, and they want disrupters put on notice that if they can’t behave in public meetings, they can’t participate.

* Crain’s | Northwestern’s stadium fate is up to Evanston’s mayor: The fate of Northwestern University’s $800 million football stadium reconstruction project hinges on the choice of Evanston’s first-term Mayor Daniel Biss. With Evanston City Council members evenly divided on the controversial project, Biss will cast the tiebreaking vote when the council makes the final call at a meeting scheduled for Monday.

* NYT | Striking Actors and Hollywood Studios Agree to a Deal: The Writers Guild of America, which represents 11,500 screenwriters, reached a tentative agreement with studios on Sept. 24 and ended its 148-day strike on Sept. 27. In the coming days, SAG-AFTRA members will vote on whether to accept their union’s deal, which includes hefty gains, like increases in compensation for streaming shows and films, better health care funding, concessions from studios on self-taped auditions, and guarantees that studios will not use artificial intelligence to create digital replicas of their likenesses without payment or approval.

* AP | A judge is set to hear arguments as Michigan activists try to keep Trump off the ballot: Activists — in two separate suits — point to a section of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment that prohibits a person from running for federal office if they have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. or given aid or comfort to those who have.

* Tribune | Obama Presidential Center museum director aims for history, context: During an exclusive interview, Bernard said she has grappled with how to approach Obama’s history and the controversies and challenges from his two terms in office, and present them at an institution critics worry will turn into yet another of the presidential “temples of spin” instead of an unbiased reflection of the time.