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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Mike Miletich…



* Politico…

— Congressman Bill Foster is out with a new ad focusing on the Belvidere Assembly Plant and featuring members of the United Auto workers talking about how the plant was saved.

— The Illinois Federation of Teachers is out with its endorsements for the March primary. Read ‘em here. […]

— Carolyn Zasada has been endorsed by Democratic state Reps. Stephanie Kifowit and Theresa Mah in her bid for Democratic state Rep. Lance Yednock’s seat in the 76th District. Yednock isn’t running for reelection. Two other Democrats and two Republicans are also running for the seat. More from Shaw Media

* House Republican Organization…

House Republican Leader Tony McCombie is announcing new additions to her leadership teams. State Representatives Amy Elik (Alton) and Dan Ugaste (Geneva) will join McCombie in the new legislative year to continue to fight for better checks and balances in state government and to protect the rights and freedoms of Illinois residents.

* Press release…

Nearly $55 million in state grants are being awarded for 111 local park projects throughout Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities, Gov. JB Pritzker announced today.

For the second year in a row, the governor ensured funding was set aside for economically distressed communities, resulting in 32 underserved locations receiving $18.7 million in grants from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development, or OSLAD, program. This is the 37th year for the program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

* And…

* Here’s the rest…

    * Crain’s | Study shows how much of a boon Illinois’ film tax credit has been: The top-line numbers are eye-popping: The state averaged $404 million in direct production expenditure by Hollywood studios from 2012 to 2022, billions in additional economic benefits over that time and a $6.81 return on investment for every dollar the state spends on the tax incentive.

    * Peoples Fabric | Financial Wizardry: Paul Vallas Sues to Reveal Fraudster, Finds Another Campaign Error: Two days after last year’s mayoral election, Vallas’ campaign wired $58,001.80 to an account number at Chase Bank. The recipient’s account name entered on his team’s wire transfer was “Vallas for Mayor.” Vallas initiated a lawsuit against Chase to ascertain the identity “of the individual and/or entities that may be responsible in damages related to the April 6, 2023 wire transfer,” as Vallas had “never authorized the transfer.” … It appears the money was transferred to the correct account number, but accidentally listed the wrong accountholder name. Vallas’ campaign had paid $160,260 to the same company just a few days before the wire transfer in question. Since the beginning of the year, Vallas has filed ten amendments to correct previous campaign disclosures of various errors. … In November, a currency exchange filed a lawsuit against Vallas over a campaign check they had cashed for a third party, only for Vallas to later stop payment on the check and refuse to honor it.

    * Hyde Park Herald | 14 Parish gets $57M contract to supply meals for city’s migrant shelters: Hyde Park’s Caribbean fusion eatery 14 Parish received a $57 million contract with the city to supply meals to more than 7,000 migrants living in temporary shelters across the South and West sides. 14 Parish and Seventy-Seven Communities, a suburban caterer, will take over meal distribution for the city’s 28 shelters, according to a Wednesday press release. In it, the city cited a need to reduce the cost of its meal program and improve food quality as its reasons for choosing new vendors.

    * Tribune | Niles, Lincolnwood, Norridge pass ordinances to curb unscheduled bus drop-offs of migrants: The ordinances generally have the same language, giving administrative fines to companies that make unscheduled stops and drop off more than 10 people in the village’s boundaries. The three villages don’t have a Metra connection to the city of Chicago but border the city at multiple points and have Pace and CTA bus routes that connect them to the city.

    * Sun-Times | Chicago’s top cop halting initiative that has sent ‘scarecrow’ police cars downtown: But in an interview, Snelling raised alarms about the overtime spending and the strategy of placing cops at fixed posts. “When we’re putting overtime out there and there’s an overtime initiative, we want to make sure that we’re getting the most effective work from our officers with these overtime initiatives,” he said. “I don’t believe in the scarecrow policing, where it’s just serving as a deterrent.

    * Sun-Times | Chicago police officer charged with DUI in deadly crash outside House of Blues: Tangie Brown, 40, faces counts of aggravated driving under the influence, unlawful use of communication device, reckless driving and other charges in the Dec. 7 crash. Prosecutors said Brown’s blood alcohol level was .093 when she was tested about two hours after the crash. The legal limit in Illinois is .08.

    * WTTW | Native Mollusks Are Key to Freshwater Ecosystems. Here’s How One Group is Helping Build Mussel Mass on the Chicago River: Anyone who thinks of science as a sterile occupation should spend a morning hunting for freshwater mussels in the Chicago River. […] So why would anyone sign up for the job? To play a small role in the revival of Chicago’s once thriving waterway, which is still recovering from decades of abuse.

    * Daily Herald | Waived during the pandemic, student fees reinstated in districts 211 and 214: District 214 will charge $350 per student — less than the pre-pandemic $420 fee recommended for reinstatement by administrators — while District 211 will charge $75, which is less than the $170 amount students paid years ago.

    * Crain’s | Chicago and Detroit wealth management firms merge: Both firms are part of New York City-based Focus Financial Partners and are forming the second “hub” within the wealth management giant that went private last year in an all-cash, $7 billion-plus deal with private equity firm CD&R. Focus has invested in more than 90 firms across the United States.

    * Tribune | Chicago man arrested in massive $400 million ‘SIM swap’ scheme allegedly targeting company’s cryptocurrency accounts: SIM swapping is a technique in which attackers gain control of a telephone number by having it reassigned to a new device. Such attacks represent a growing security threat for government agencies and corporations because they can target not only finances but manipulate social media accounts to spread misinformation, authorities have said.

    * Politico | The anti-abortion plan ready for Trump on Day One: Many of the policies they advocate are ones Trump implemented in his first term and President Joe Biden rescinded — rules that would have a far greater impact in a post-Roe landscape. Other items on the wish list are new, ranging from efforts to undo state and federal programs promoting access to abortion to a de facto national ban. But all have one thing in common: They don’t require congressional approval.

    * WaPo | Want safer streets? Paint them: Asphalt art projects — collaborations between cities, community groups and artists — have taken off in the past decade, thanks to early-adopting cities such as New York, Seattle and Portland, Ore., with help from the National Association of City Transportation Officials and “tactical urbanism” firms such as Street Plans. They provide street designs that cue drivers to slow down, provide people on foot more interesting places to walk and create new local landmarks. They can even be used to widen sidewalks without digging up streets, giving space back to the public and making the whole street safer. To provide a road map for the increasing municipal interest, in 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies produced the Asphalt Art Guide and launched the Asphalt Art Initiative (AAI), distributing grants to 90 projects in cities across the United States and around the world to produce and assess their own eye-catching street design projects.

    * Daily Herald | Got transponder fatigue? New tollway stickers are now at customer service centers, coming to Jewel and online in February: The upgrade is free and totally optional, officials noted. The tollway is gradually phasing in the new devices and I-PASS customers will not be required to switch if they have a working transponder. The stickers will work in other states that are part of the E-ZPASS coalition, which the tollway belongs to.

    * WCIA | Historic Lincoln Tree topples in Virden, damaging Civil War Era home: The tree towered over the home. It was planted nearly 160 years ago. Town historians say the woman who first lived in the house took the acorn from Oakridge Cemetery in Springfield on the day of Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral.

    * Chicago Mag | How a U. of C. Professor Wound Up a Prisoner of Iran: When he opened the door, the leader of the group pulled out papers bearing the stamp of Iran’s attorney general and thrust them at Alizadeh, as if presenting the search warrant were a mere formality and not a necessary legal procedure. As Alizadeh scanned the document, a single line stood out to him: He was being charged with espionage, a capital offense in a country rife with subterfuge surrounding its clandestine nuclear weapons program.

    * NYT | UPS to Cut 12,000 Jobs as Wages Rise and Package Volumes Fall: Carol Tomé, the chief executive of UPS, told analysts on an earnings call Tuesday that it had been a “difficult and disappointing year.” Revenue fell more than 9 percent last year, and profit dropped by a third. Ms. Tomé said most of the job cuts would be made in the first half of the year, reducing expenses by about $1 billion. UPS employs nearly 500,000 people.

    * NBC | Fake news YouTube creators target Black celebrities with AI-generated misinformation: YouTube videos using a mix of artificial intelligence-generated and manipulated media to create fake content have flooded the platform with salacious disinformation about dozens of Black celebrities, including rapper and record executive Sean “Diddy” Combs, TV host Steve Harvey, actor Denzel Washington and Bishop T.D. Jakes.

  19 Comments      


Another area of disagreement between the governor and Chicago’s mayor

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune last week…

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson backed calls for a cease-fire in the war in Gaza Wednesday ahead of a hotly contested vote on a City Council cease-fire resolution set for next week.

Asked if he supports the resolution from Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, 33rd, Johnson said he condemned the actions of Hamas when fighting began.

“But at this point now, I believe we’re looking at 25,000 Palestinians that have been killed,” he said. “The killing has to stop. So, yes, we need a cease-fire.”

* Gov. Pritzker was asked yesterday about the city council resolution and the mayor’s support of it…

We all have to recognize that there are an awful lot of people who’ve been affected by the war between Hamas and Israel. The attack by Hamas, of course, was the starting point for all of this. Many people died. Many people are still being held hostage and they need to be released. And that needs to be a precondition for ending the hostilities. What Israel is going after is, of course, the terrorists. And I think we all feel that the innocent civilians, whether they are Palestinians, or Israelis, you know, want to be protected as best that they can be. And we’d all like the the hostilities to cease, but we also need the results that are necessary for that cessation.

Pritzker then went on to say that the resolution will have “no effect on the foreign policy of the United States.” Asked why he believed that, particularly with the Democratic National Convention coming in August, the governor said…

The reality is people are just trying to make a statement on their own and using the City Council as some way to amplify their statement as individuals. You know, it’s just not going to have an effect. There are so many aspects of this conflict. Remember, the Iranians have made their militants part of this, they clearly have provided the weaponry, and many of the tools that Hamas used in their attack against Israel. There’s a lot going on here that is not recognized by the City Council’s resolution and for that, I’m sad. But the reality is, I don’t think it’ll have any real impact, other than to make a statement that there are people in the city council who feel strongly one way or another.

Please pardon all transcription errors, and take like five deep breaths before commenting on this one. Thanks.

  27 Comments      


Bears want Arlington Heights site taxed as residential property, push for 62.5 percent appraisal reduction

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crain’s…

The Chicago Bears and three northwest suburban school districts are $100 million apart in their valuations of the vacant former Arlington International Racecourse property in Arlington Heights, a major obstacle that continues to stifle the NFL team’s plan to redevelop the 326-acre site with a stadium-anchored mixed-use campus. […]

Today the team argued at a hearing of the Cook County Board of Review that the land should be appraised at $60 million rather than the $160 million put forward by three area school districts.

The team’s property tax attorney, Matthew Tully, also asked that the team be taxed at the county’s 10% residential rate rather than the 25% commercial rate because of the ongoing demolition work to dismantle the racetrack that formerly occupied the property.

Thoughts?

  42 Comments      


Mapes asks for leniency, feds want him to serve 5 years

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WTTW…

Federal prosecutors say Michael Madigan’s former chief of staff Tim Mapes chose to “willfully obstruct” the government’s sprawling investigation into the former Illinois house speaker when he repeatedly lied to a grand jury and should be sentenced to as much as five years in prison.

In a sentencing memo filed Monday, the government asked a federal judge to sentence Mapes to between 51 and 63 months in prison following his conviction last August on charges of making false declarations and attempted obstruction of justice.

“Even now, after a jury convicted Mapes of both perjury and obstruction of justice, and of every single false statement listed in the indictment, Mapes still refuses to accept responsibility for his actions,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz wrote in the memo. “He instead blames the government for not presenting him with more information when he repeatedly (and falsely) asserted a lack of memory before the grand jury.”

* There’s no doubt in my mind that Mapes lied under oath. The feds had him, he undoubtedly knew they had him, and yet he still lied. Why? The prosecutors’ theory…

Mapes’ motive for lying was obvious. Mapes wanted to protect his long-time boss, Madigan, as well as his friend McClain, and ensure that he could never become a witness at a criminal trial. After having been compelled to testify despite his assertion of his Fifth Amendment privilege, Mapes relied on “I don’t remember” or “I don’t recall” responses in an effort to make it appear he was fulfilling the immunity order when, in fact, Mapes knew the answers and refused to provide them. Below are just some of the lies Mapes told in the grand jury. Throughout his testimony, Mapes’ goal was to ensure that the government did not learn any useful or new information involving Madigan, McClain, and their relationship to one another.

* From the defense…

Tim’s counsel insisted on immunity—Tim himself did not. Counsel requested immunity solely because the government flatly refused to engage at all in a discussion with counsel about the topics they wanted to discuss with Tim, what if any concerns they had about him, and whether they would provide any documents and other information in order to help him best prepare himself to talk about events that had occurred many years ago.

Meh. From the prosecutors…

On February 11, 2021, the government questioned Mapes during a proffer-protected interview, with two defense attorneys present. During the interview, Mapes was asked numerous questions about Madigan’s relationship with McClain. Thus, prior to his appearance in front of the grand jury, Mapes was not only fully aware that a major indictment had been returned against his friend, McClain, alleging that he had been acting on behalf of Madigan, but he also knew from the questions that were posed during his interview that the government was keenly interested in the nature of that relationship.

Also, the prosecution has a different version of Mapes’ immunity…

On February 12, 2021, after that interview, Mapes was served a subpoena to testify in the grand jury. Tr. 615. Through his defense attorney, he refused to testify by asserting his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. Owing to his assertion of his Fifth Amendment privilege, before Mapes’ grand jury appearance, Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer entered an order granting Mapes derivative use immunity pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 6002. On the morning of his grand jury testimony, March 31, 2021, Mapes appeared before Chief Judge Pallmeyer in person, and Chief Judge Pallmeyer admonished Mapes that the order required him to testify truthfully before the grand jury and that, if he failed to do so, he could face prosecution.

* Back to the defense…

When considering the nature and circumstances of the offense, accepting the jury’s verdict, we ask the Court to consider that (a) Tim’s allegedly perjurious and obstructive testimony solely concerned legal matters; (b) Tim did not profit from this activity; (c) Tim did not interfere with the investigation; (d) Tim was treated differently than others who appeared before the grand jury (and, in some cases, who testified similarly about a lack of knowledge of criminal conversations between McClain and Madigan); and (e) the underlying bribery offense may actually not be a crime, pending the Supreme Court’s decision in Snyder.

Prosecutors…

Mapes claims there is no evidence that he was involved in any of the underlying bribery conduct. Of course, Mapes’ false testimony made it impossible to ever know the full extent of his knowledge of or involvement in the underlying bribery activity that was under investigation. The immunity bestowed on Mapes protected Mapes from any truthful disclosures he made but he chose to provide no information of substance at all. […]

The government is not required to prove that the defendant was actually an accessory to the underlying offense.

* More coverage…

    * Tribune | Prosecutors want up to 5 years in prison for former Madigan aide Tim Mapes, while defense asks for community service: Mapes’ attorneys, meanwhile, asked in a filing of their own for a sentence of probation and community service, arguing he never stood to personally benefit from any of his alleged misstatements and that while he accepts the jury’s verdict he “disagrees with it and continues to maintain his innocence.” “Tim Mapes is a good man,” defense attorneys Andrew Porter and Katie Hill wrote in their 47-page filing. “…He has spent decades working very hard (and expecting it of others) trying to make the State of Illinois better, fairer, and more compassionate to its citizens.” U.S. District Judge John Kness is scheduled to sentence Mapes on Feb. 12.

    * Sun-Times | Madigan’s ex-chief of staff should get up to 5 years in prison for lies ‘calculated to thwart’ probe into former boss, feds say: Defense attorneys Andrew Porter and Katie Hill argued that, between Mapes’ prosecution and his 2018 dismissal by Madigan, “the last five years have constituted a half decade of misery for Tim and his family.” They pointed to more than 130 letters of support and insisted that “sending this nearly 70-year-old man to prison would achieve nothing more than to inflict undue additional suffering and hardship on Tim, his family, and his community.”

  12 Comments      


Sounds like a sit-down is in order here

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* January 24…

In mid-November, Pritzker pledged to use $65 million to open a 200-bed shelter in a vacant CVS drugstore in Little Village and to house another 2,000 migrants in a massive, winterized base camp. Plans to build that structure in Brighton Park were scuttled by state officials, citing environmental concerns.

“The state committed to 2,200 beds, and we could really use those beds right now,” Johnson said.

* Yesterday…

Illinois remains committed to building new shelters, Johnson said. He called on the state to build at any sites it is considering. The process of prepping buildings for shelters is slow, he added.

“Remember: the state of Illinois committed to 2,200 beds, right? So, so far they have 200. They’re still committed to 2,000 beds. But again, the goal is of course, is to resettle families as fast as we can to make sure that we are able to handle the flow in the event that it picks up again,” he said. “The state of Illinois can move today to build a shelter, and I’m confident that that will take place.”

The mayor has been saying lately that the state can build shelters anywhere it wants, including in other towns.

* I asked the governor’s spokesperson why there’s been a delay…

We have repeatedly asked the city where they would like to locate the additional beds after the tent site did not meet IEPA standards. They have not provided us where or how they prefer we provide the additional capacity.

The governor has often said the state doesn’t control any facilities that it can use, so it needs the city to choose locations.

* Meanwhile, the mayor said yesterday that the influx was costing the city $1.5 million a day, and he reminded reporters that he budgeted $150 million. So, Isabel asked Gov. Pritzker today what he hopes the city will do in April when its appropriation runs out…

We’re gonna have to continue to manage the influx of migrants to the city would be my expectation. And so, as partners with the county, with the state, the city is going to have to be right there at the table as they are now to make sure that we’re serving the needs of those who, in this humanitarian crisis, need our help.

* More from Isabel…

    * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson postpones shelter eviction dates until March: Migrants who originally had an exit date between Jan. 16 and Feb. 29 will be given a 60-day extension starting from their original exit date, according to Brandie Knazze, head of the city’s Department of Family and Support Services. If an individual was scheduled to leave Jan. 16, for example, their new exit date is March 16. There are 5,673 people who fall into that category. The 2,119 individuals who were scheduled to exit between Mar. 1 and Mar. 28 will receive a 30-day extension. Anyone who enters the shelter system starting today will receive the standard 60-day notice. The 5,910 new arrivals who entered the shelter system between Aug. 1 and Nov. 16, 2023, will also receive their 60-day notice starting Feb. 1. Those individuals are eligible for the state’s three-month rental assistance program.

    * ABC Chicago | City Council committee to meet on conditions of Chicago migrant shelters: A City Council committee will meet Tuesday morning to discuss conditions at migrant shelters across the city. The meeting comes as Mayor Brandon Johnson has extended the deadline once again for evicting Chicago migrants from city-run shelters.

    * Center Square | Chicago provides 300,000 meals a week to non-citizen migrants, among other services: The taxpayer cost to care for the migrants is about $1.5 million per day. Johnson said that money has gone to housing, health care and meals. “In response, my administration and our city have stepped up to meet this moment,” Johnson said. “We have stood up 28 temporary emergency shelters, and we have done this across the entire city of Chicago. We have provided over 300,000 meals per week.”

    * Sen. John Curran | Gov. J.B. Pritzker invited, then mismanaged Illinois’ migrant crisis: This isn’t an argument about the value of immigration and the role it has played in building the United States of America. It’s a question of reality, of management and of what our already overtaxed residents can afford. The people of Illinois cannot afford the misplaced priorities, radical policies and grandiose promises of a governor seeking attention on the national stage.

    * Austin American-Statesman | Texas paid at least $135,000 to fly migrants from El Paso to Chicago, records show: The $135,000 figure represents a portion of the total cost of flying migrants since the initial Dec. 19 flight. Since then, the state has flown nearly 900 passengers out of the state, said Wes Rapaport, a TDEM spokesperson, in a statement.

  12 Comments      


Illinois State Board of Elections bows to precedent, punts on Trump ballot status

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

* Background from Rick’s earlier story…

A state elections hearing officer agreed with objectors that former President Donald Trump “engaged in insurrection” at the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, but said he believed it is up to the courts and not the State Board of Elections to decide whether to remove him from the March 19 Illinois primary ballot.

The nonbinding recommendation from Clark Erickson, a retired Republican judge from Kankakee County, comes ahead of the state election board’s meeting Tuesday to certify the names that will appear on the primary ballot. […]

Section 3 of the post-Civil War era amendment says those who have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution “as member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state,” shall not be able to serve in Congress or “hold any office, civil or military” if they have engaged in “insurrection or rebellion” against the Constitution.

Erickson said previous Illinois Supreme Court rulings bar the State Board of Elections from acting on candidate disqualifications based on constitutional analysis. Because of those rulings, he said, the board should reject the Trump ballot objection.

“It is impossible to imagine the Board deciding whether Candidate Trump is disqualified by Section 3 without the Board engaging in significant and sophisticated constitutional analysis,” Erickson wrote. “All in all, attempting to resolve a constitutional issue within the expedited schedule of an election board hearing is somewhat akin to scheduling a two-minute round between heavyweight boxers in a telephone booth.”

* From the 14th Amendment…

Section 3.
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

But there’s also Section 5…

The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

Deep breaths, please.

  22 Comments      


Jason Isbell will perform at the Illinois State Fair

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will perform at the Illinois State Fair on Sun., Aug. 11 with special guest Ashley McBryde kicking off the evening.

The band’s latest album, “Weathervanes,” combines a storyteller at the peak of his craft with a band who has earned its place in rock and roll history. The songs on the album have been described as those that make you cry alone in your car while others make you sing along with thousands of strangers. Such high praise is backed up by multiple Grammy award nominations, including Best Americana Album.

“Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit will add a unique flavor to the Illinois State Fair Grandstand lineup,” said Illinois State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark. “We are excited to book an Americana icon and look forward to a powerful performance from the band.”

Ashley McBryde has earned some of the industry’s biggest accolades, including a Grammy, CMA and ACM awards in addition to being inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The Arkansas native’s latest critically acclaimed album The Devil I Know is available now.

Ticket sales for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit go on sale Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster. Tickets for all other announced show are on sale via Ticketmaster.

Tier 3 - $38 / Tier 2 - $43 / Tier 1 - $48 / SRO Track - $48 / Blue Ribbon Zone - $103

*A $30 Pre-Show Party ticket is offered as an additional upgrade for all paid concerts.

Very, very cool.

* From the new album…

  25 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rep. Justin Slaughter filed HB4603 yesterday…

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no law enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle for: (i) failing to display registration plates or stickers; (ii) being operated with an expired registration sticker; (iii) violating general speed restrictions (unless that violation is a misdemeanor or felony offense); (iv) improper lane usage (unless that violation is a misdemeanor or felony offense); (v) failing to comply with certain requirements concerning vehicle lamps; (vi) excessive tint; (vii) defective mirrors; (viii) an obstructed windshield or defective windshield wipers; (ix) defective bumpers; (x) excessive exhaust; and (xi) failure of the vehicle operator to wear a safety belt. Provides that no evidence discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation of these provisions, including, but not limited to, evidence discovered or obtained with the operator’s consent, shall be admissible in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding. Preempts home rule powers.

* HB4621 from Rep. Justin Slaughter…

Amends the Pretrial Services Act. Establishes in the judicial branch of State government an office to be known as the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services. Provides that the office shall be under the supervision and direction of a Director who shall be appointed by a vote of a majority of the Illinois Supreme Court Justices for a 4-year term and until a successor is appointed and qualified. Provides that the Director shall adopt rules, instructions, and orders, consistent with the Act, further defining the organization of this office and the duties of its employees. Provides that the Illinois Supreme Court shall approve or modify an operational budget submitted to it by the Office of Statewide Pretrial Services and set the number of employees each year. Provides that the Chief Judge of each circuit court shall elect to receive pretrial services either through the Office or through a local pretrial services agency (rather than each circuit shall establish a pretrial service agency). Provides that the pretrial services agency has a duty to provide the court with accurate background data regarding the pretrial release of persons charged with felonies and effective supervision of compliance with the terms and conditions imposed on release. Effective immediately.

* HB4613 from Rep. Maura Hirschauer…

Amends the Probate Act of 1975. Allows a ward in guardianship to get married who understands the nature, effect, duties, and obligations of marriage. Prior consent of the guardian of the person or estate or approval of the court is not required for the ward to enter into a marriage. A guardian may contest the validity of the marriage pursuant to Sections 301 and 302 of Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act.

* Rep. Bradley Fritts introduced HB4612…

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that a county may set blade tip height limitations for wind towers in commercial wind energy facilities near a restricted landing area to ensure compliance with specified provisions of the Illinois Administrative Code.

* HB4602 from Rep. Marcus Evans…

Amends the One Day Rest In Seven Act. Provides that the calculation of required rest days does not include any time that the employee is on call. Provides that an employee who voluntarily agrees to work on a day of rest must be paid at his or her regular hourly rate or, if applicable, at the overtime wage rate as required by the Illinois Minimum Wage Law. Provides that every employer shall permit its employees who are scheduled or expected to work (rather than are to work) for 7 1/2 continuous hours at least 20 minutes for a meal period beginning no later than 5 hours after the start of the work period. Provides that any employer, or agent or officer of an employer, has violated the Act if he or she discharges, takes an adverse action against, or in any other manner discriminates against any employee because that employee has exercised a right under the Act. Provides that the Director of Labor may (rather than shall) grant long term and short permits authorizing the employment of persons on days of rest. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions; posting requirements; recordkeeping; and civil offenses. Makes other changes.

* HB4622 from Rep. Daniel Didech…

Creates the Local School District Mandate Note Act. Provides that, every bill that imposes or could impose a mandate on local school districts, upon the request of any member, shall have prepared for it, before second reading in the house of introduction, a brief explanatory statement or note that shall include a reliable estimate of the anticipated fiscal and operational impact of those mandates on local school districts. Provides that the sponsor of each bill for which a request has been made shall present a copy of the bill with the request for a local school district mandate note to the State Board of Education. Provides that the State Board of Education shall prepare and submit the note to the sponsor of the bill within 5 calendar days, except as specified. Sets forth provisions concerning the requisites and contents of the note; comments or opinions included in the note; and the appearance of State officials and employees in support or opposition of measure.

* HB4626 from Rep. Janet Yang Rohr…

Amends the School Code. Provides that a public school student may communicate and work with federally elected, State-elected, or locally elected officials or other stakeholders or officials as part of the student’s education.

  43 Comments      


Open thread

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

  13 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Johnson extends shelter stays for migrants for third time. Crain’s…

    - The delay comes three days before nearly 2,000 migrants would be required to leave city shelters.
    - People who were expected to leave between January and the end of February -roughly 5,700 people- will now receive a 60-day extension.
    - As of Monday, more than 14,100 people were staying across 28 city shelters, with a little over 180 staying at O’Hare Airport as they waited for a shelter bed.

* Related stories…

* Isabel’s top picks…

At 9 am Governor Pritzker will announce the National Science Foundation grant award. Click here to watch.

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

    * STL Today | Holleman: To get things done, Illinois’ Nikki Budzinski says she ignores ‘political noise’: Nikki Budzinski didn’t arrive on time for an interview. In fact, she was early. Should Budzinski, a Democrat who just finished her first year representing part of the Metro East area in the U.S. House, be aiming to position herself as unique among politicians, punctuality is a solid start.

    * WTTW | Rep. Delia Ramirez on Immigration Policy, Congressional Conflict Over Bipartisan Border Deal: Ramirez: I have felt the urgency to pass immigration reform since the moment my mother crossed the Rio Grande pregnant with me. This isn’t simply an election-year issue to our immigrant communities, it is a 365/24/7 issue. I’ve presented 17 ideas to my colleagues about how we could take concrete action to reform our immigration system rather than waste time and congressional resources on baseless impeachment.

    * Sun-Times | Brent Manning, former director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, dies at age 70: John Schmitt, the first executive director of the Illinois Conservation Foundation, rattled off an impressive list of accomplishments during Mr. Manning’s time as director: “Conservation Congress, Habitat Stamp, Conservation Reserve Plan, the additions of [Jim Edgar/Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area] and other sites, the World Shooting site Downstate, Illinois Conservation Foundation that I worked for Brent and we raised over $16 million for the IDNR, new IDNR headquarters … the list goes on and on…He was an outstanding mentor and friend.”

    * Tribune | Support staff at Crystal Lake D47 file unfair labor practice charge after district hires staffing firm: Crystal Lake Association of Support Staff, or CLASS, the union representing Chaix and more than 100 paraprofessionals across 12 schools in District 47, filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board in October after district administrators retained a recruiting firm to hire temporary employees. The union said the move was made illegally and without giving them notice.

    * STL Today | Miscommunication between lawyer, police caused fugitive label for former Town and Country cop: The issues with Fowle’s arrest began when, in an unusual move, before Fowle was in custody, Lozano filed a motion to reduce Fowle’s bond. A hearing was scheduled and approved by a judge even though Fowle had not surrendered. “The timing was just not good,” Lozano said Monday. “Which was my fault. I was out of state … so I scheduled with the court a bond hearing for this morning.”

    * The Center Square | Illinois partners with Google for AI-driven child behavioral health portal: Gov. J.B. Pritzker was at Google Chicago Monday to announce the creation of BEACON, or the Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation, a service access portal for Illinois families to access behavioral and mental health resources for children. The plan will incorporate artificial intelligence and create an online portal that provides families with access to behavioral and mental health resources.

    * Sun-Times | Cook County treasurer mails nearly 2 million first installment property tax bills: Property taxes are mailed twice a year in Cook County. This first installment is equal to 55% of last year’s total. Residents wanting to use exemptions, which reduce their total property taxes, can apply those to the second installment.

    * WBEZ | Illinois election officials are ramping up efforts to recruit election judges for March primary: “We need help, real help, to prop up democracy. Because if we don’t get the election judges there, it allows these other factors to win,” Ed Michalowski, the Cook County deputy clerk of elections said. “When good people could serve as election judges, and they don’t, it allows for some of that negativity to creep in, and some of those false statements and some of those false expressions on the internet.”

    * Decatur Tribune | FOP State Lodge endorses Regan Deering in race for 88th District Illinois House: “Regan Deering listens to the concerns of the law enforcement officers who protect our communities, and will fight for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to keep our citizens safe,” said Illinois FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Regan feels that it’s the heroes in blue, and not the perpetrators in the shadows, that should be backed by state government, and that is why she has our support in this election.”

    * Sun-Times | Formula One in Chicago? Series applies for race trademarks: There is some indication the city has held initial talks with F1 about a possible Chicago race, downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) says. “I’m told that F1 typically requires a 10-year minimum deal. And that appears to be non-negotiable. The conversation [with the city] did not get much past that,” Hopkins said.

    * Crain’s | Baseball commish gives thumbs-up to ‘game changer’ Sox stadium plan: Manfred said what’s particularly solid about the proposal is the “proximity to downtown” it would bring a team that now plays several miles to the south in a neighborhood that pretty much shuts down after dark. “Baseball has always worked well close to downtown,” which offers not only other entertainment options but good transit and highway access.

    * Sun-Times | State Street Macy’s shutters basement candy department — but vows ‘we will always sell Frango’s chocolates’: Now one floor above, there’s a new in-store bulk candy shop called It’Sugar, which opened in November last year. It’Sugar also has locations on the Magnificent Mile and Navy Pier. The store offers an array of sugary treats, including vintage candies, giant gummy bears and Japanese sodas, said Megan Peterson, a supervisor at It’Sugar.

    * Crain’s | Weed sales boom in Dry January as people drink less: Revenues at Curaleaf, Green Thumb Industries Inc., Verano Holdings Corp., Tilray and Canopy Growth Corp. are set to grow about 6% on average in the first quarter. At the state level, Oregon’s cannabis sales have jumped 19% on average in January since 2018 versus 12% on average in other months. In Colorado, cannabis sales grow the fastest in January on average.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - A big campaign update

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Tuesday, Jan 30, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news because, as I initially suspected, the widget we had been using didn’t last long.

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Congressman Mike Bost wins FOP endorsement…

U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced that his 2024 re-election campaign has been endorsed by the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge.

“The men and women of law enforcement have always known they can count on Mike Bost for his unwavering support. Mike has always had our backs, even when many other elected officials abandoned us,” said Chris Southwood, Illinois FOP State Lodge President. “He has supported bills to give law enforcement officers better pay and benefits in our dangerous but vital profession. The Illinois FOP State Lodge gives Mike Bost our sincere and hearty endorsement.”

“I have never wavered in my support for our law enforcement officers, especially now when woke liberals in Illinois and Washington, D.C. continue to demonize them with an anti-police agenda,” said Bost. “I would like to thank the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge for putting their confidence in my re-election. I’ll always Back the Blue in Congress and will never stop defending the brave men and women who protect and serve our communities.”

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) and Google Public Sector on Monday to announce the creation of BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation): A Service Access Portal for Illinois Youth. Powered by Google Cloud’s secure, scalable, and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing technology, the new state-of-the-art online portal will provide a user-friendly experience for Illinois families to access behavioral and mental health resources for children. The Division of Mental Health (DMH) at DHS is collaborating with Google Public Sector to deliver this ongoing statewide transformation.

“We are doing away with decentralized, difficult-to-navigate behavioral health resources scattered across different agencies, providers, and websites,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Instead, families will have a modern, easy to use online system to guide them through the behavioral health universe. This is another example of Illinois is leading the way — to mobilize public-private partnerships and couple ingenuity with empathy.” […]

On February 15, 2023, the Pritzker Administration published this groundbreaking transformation plan, entitled “Blueprint for Transformation: A Vision for Improved Behavioral Healthcare for Illinois Children.” A team of experts, led by Dr. Dana Weiner, Director of the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, will work closely with various Illinois agencies to create a comprehensive approach to expanding resource availability. […]

The centralized point of access will improve the experience of families engaged with the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). This distinct support service will eliminate any further frustration for parents and caretakers who are already challenged by their child’s distress.

The development of the BEACON portal moves the State closer to accomplishing the five goals recommended by the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative:

    - Streamlining processes to make it easier for youth and families to access services,

    - Adjusting capacity to ensure the right resources are available to youth in need,
    Intervening earlier to prevent crises from developing,

    - Increasing accountability to ensure the State has a transparent system, and

    - Developing agility so that the system can adjust to meet the evolving needs of youth.

* Here’s the rest…

    * South Side Weekly | CPD Reported Hundreds of Missed Shootings to ShotSpotter Last Year: “I got my head handed to me yesterday by Dan Casey,” wrote Gary Bunyard, ShotSpotter’s vice president of public safety solutions, in an email to other senior employees. “This incident involved a high-profile shooting with ‘55’ rounds. And, we missed it! …I am a big boy—I can deal with Dan. However, I owe Dan some explanation! Obviously, I cannot tell him that we have a bunch of down sensors in that area and insufficient resources to service our largest customer.”

    * IPM | Champaign hired Police Chief Timothy Tyler despite disciplinary past and allegations of misconduct: After receiving information and questions about Tyler’s background and disciplinary history from Invisible Institute and IPM Newsroom, City Council member Davion Williams forwarded the email to City Manager Dorothy Ann David and asked, “Were we aware of these incidents as a city?” Several of the investigations into Tyler’s misconduct led to settlements and disciplinary action. Among those: an off-duty domestic incident with an ex-girlfriend, an improper vehicle pursuit that ended in a crash outside of Chicago Police headquarters, and missing currency from a narcotics bust. In addition, federal civil rights lawsuits accused him of false arrest and conspiring with city officials to illegally shut down a nightclub in his previous position in Markham.

    * Herald-News | What’s happening in Joliet mass shooting investigation: A spokesperson for Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow said his office will not be able to provide a response on Friday to questions regarding the $100,000 bond in Nance’s 2023 case, the SAFE-T Act and the statement from the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice.

    * Daily-Journal | Kankakee Auditor’s job function comes under scrutiny at finance committee: During County Treasurer Nick Africano’s report, he shared with the committee the results of a Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, request for how many times Lee logged into the county’s bank accounts online to view the inflows and outflows of money since Jan. 1, 2021. Africano said more than $200 million flows through the county’s bank accounts annually. […] The report showed that there were 9,372 total logins to see the county’s bank accounts in the approximate three-year time span. All the logins were people from the treasurer’s office and no logins by Lee.

    * Bond Buyer | Muni advisor to Harvey, Illinois library district charged $86,000 by SEC: Brandon Comer and his firm Comer Capital Group, the Mississippi-based municipal advisor to the library district of the City of Harvey, Illinois, have been fined a total of $86,000 in a final judgment reached in the Northern District of Illinois after years of litigation.

    * NPR | Cook County kicked off a wave of local governments erasing billions in medical debt: New York City pledged last week to pay down $2 billion worth of residents’ medical debt. In doing so, it has come around to an innovation, started in the Midwest, that’s ridding millions of Americans of health care debt. The idea of local government erasing debt emerged a couple of years ago in Cook County, Illinois, home to Chicago. Toni Preckwinkle, president of the county board of commissioners, says two staffers came to her with a bold proposal: The county could spend a portion of its federal pandemic rescue funds to ease a serious burden on its residents.

    * Crain’s | Ascension nurses threaten another strike at Joliet hospital: The union said a third strike is being called in response to leadership implementing an offer rejected by the union in December. INA said its members voted against the offer for several reasons, including management’s “insistence on certain nonmonetary terms and conditions of employment which would pose serious health and safety risks to both nurses and patients.”

    * NBC Chicago | When will new I-PASS stickers replace Illinois Tollway transponders? What to know: Officials say the stickers will be available at oases, participating Jewel-Osco stores and the Tollway’s headquarters at the end of January. They will be available for online ordering by February.

    * Press Release | SIU researchers work to place Southern Illinois Black heritage sites on National Register: Work by Southern Illinois University Carbondale researchers in recognizing significant Black heritage properties in the region could also reveal more information about a Union Army military camp that hosted up to 5,000 freed Blacks in Cairo at one point during the Civil War. The work is part of a project led by Mark Wagner, a professor in SIU’s Center for Archaeological Investigations and anthropology department. Wagner and his team of graduate students will produce National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nominations for several locations in Southern Illinois associated with Black history and amend existing National Register nominations for three other sites in the region. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) announced the $75,000 grant in late November. Wagner hopes all of the applications can be completed by the end of the semester in May.

    * Press Release | UChicago engineer driving key role in Great Lakes water transformation: For Junhong Chen, Crown Family Professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago and Lead Water Strategist at Argonne National Laboratory, the announcement is the culmination of years of effort – and the promise of years more important work ahead on a critical task. Chen is the co-Principal Investigator and Use-Inspired R&D Lead for Great Lakes ReNEW.

    * Block Club | The CTA Will Let You Charter Your Own Train — For $3,000: The agency books “a few” private train parties a year, usually for birthdays and nonprofit fundraisers, and once a wedding reception, the spokesperson said. The chartered trains are mostly used for movie productions and commercial shoots, the spokesperson said.

    * Crain’s | THC-infused wing sauce for the Super Bowl? It’s a sign Illinois’ cannabis industry is maturing: Green Thumb Industries’ edible brand Incredibles launched chocolate bars with New York’s Magnolia Bakery just before the holidays last year. And Okay Cannabis, a newer dispensary chain, sells infused brownie and cake mixes using West Town Bakery’s recipes. The collaborations are one more step in the industry’s long-running effort to build identifiable consumer brands. Such products also rope in new customers. A fan of Magnolia Bakery might come into the dispensary to try a Swirled Famous Banana Pudding Bar and pick up a few other items.

    * WCIA | Daylight saving time: How long until the clocks change, and could it be the last time?: More than two dozen states at least considered withdrawing from the biannual clock change. Unfortunately, they’re largely hoping for permanent daylight saving time, not permanent standard time. For a state to observe daylight saving time all year, Congress ultimately needs to take action. There have been multiple bills introduced to make that change.

    * The Guardian | ‘Chaos campaign’: how an Armenian enclave became the center of an anti-LGBTQ+ battle: On a gray afternoon last June, the school board in Glendale, California, was preparing to make what was once a routine vote to honor June as LGBTQ+ pride month. School board meetings used to be pretty placid affairs. This year, however, cops in riot gear surrounded the building and helicopters hovered overhead. As Erik Adamian, an alum of the school district, waited in line to get inside the meeting, he heard demonstrators shout: “You are all a bunch of pedophiles!” “Stop grooming our kids!”

    * AP | Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands: Unmarked trucks packed with prison-raised cattle roll out of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, where men are sentenced to hard labor and forced to work, for pennies an hour or sometimes nothing at all. After rumbling down a country road to an auction house, the cows are bought by a local rancher and then followed by The Associated Press another 600 miles to a Texas slaughterhouse that feeds into the supply chains of giants like McDonald’s, Walmart and Cargill.

    * The Philadelphia Inquirer | Self-checkout can be convenient, but human cashiers may inspire more customer loyalty, study finds: Businesses including Costco, Kmart, and Jewel-Osco have removed self-checkout in many stores, the study cites. Others are still betting on the machines. [Yanliu Huang, associate professor of marketing at the Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business] says more research is needed to understand if this study’s findings are also applicable in other retail environments, if the kinds of products being purchased influences the outcome, or if the use of other shopping technologies such as smart carts or scan-and-go apps affect customers’ loyalty.

    * WBEZ | An end of an era for Pitchfork: What’s next for music journalism?: Reset’s Sasha-Ann Simons spoke with Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber, former Pitchfork president Chris Kaskie and former executive editor Amy Phillips. Journalists Britt Julious, a music critic for the Chicago Tribune, and Alejandro Hernandez, a freelance music writer in Chicago, later joined Simons to discuss Pitchfork’s influence and what the changes mean for the future of music journalism.

    * SJ-R | Springfield’s Super Bowl connection: Brendan Daly headed again to the NFL’s big game: Daly, 48, played for Ken Leonard, the winningest high school football coach in Illinois history, at Sacred Heart-Griffin High School. He has remained friends with Leonard, who retired from coaching after the 2022 season, through the years. […] Before reaching the National Football League, Daly had a nomadic coaching career, starting off at a high school in New Port Richey, Florida. His father, Mike, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, recalled in a 2021 interview with The State Journal-Register that the team didn’t win a game that season.

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Question of the day

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Danville Commercial-News…

Illinois State Police Troop 7 Commander, Acting Captain Brian Dickmann, has announced the results of Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREP) held in Macon and Vermilion counties during January.

These OREPs provided extra patrol coverage for the ISP so officers could focus on saving lives by making sure all vehicle occupants were buckled up.

Among violations reported were 25 safety belt citations; 1 child restraint citations; 34 total citations; and 11 total written warnings.

* The Question: How often do you wear your seat belt? Explain.

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Asylum-seekers coverage roundup

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Reporter for Austin TV station KXAN…

* People helping people, part one…

Chicago rapper and activist Vic Mensa was among Showtime’s “The Chi” cast members who helped feed asylum seekers waiting for shelter.

Mensa hosted two events Friday, including one across the street from a temporary migrant shelter in Wicker Park.

* Part two…

A south suburban community is trying to help asylum seekers who are now living in Chicago.

Three weeks ago, the discussions at a Markham City Council meeting focused on migrants and what people in this community could do to help them. […]

They came up with a plan to hold a community dinner, with all the proceeds donated to Chicago to help with the migrant crisis. […]

Officials said hundreds of $15 spaghetti dinners were sold before the event, with volunteers from the VFW cooking and plating the meals.

* Part three…

Large cardboard boxes full of coats, hats and gloves are tidily arranged along one wall. Volunteers are working there daily, accepting donations of socks, puffy North Face jackets, snow pants and bars of soap. When busloads of migrants are dropped off in Wilmette — where their chaperones help them catch trains to downtown Chicago to be transferred to a shelter — they are first met by volunteers at the Wilmette station and given a few essentials.

* Part four…

Among the many legal clinics that have popped up across Chicago to help newly arrived migrants, one that took place on Saturday offered a face-to-face with local labor representatives.

The legal clinic — held at the UNITE HERE Local 1 Headquarters on South Wabash Avenue in the Loop — did more than simply introduce dozens of migrants to Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL) partners. The volunteers, which included attorneys and translators, helped individuals fill out the piles of legal paperwork necessary to gain Temporary Protected Status and work authorization.

* The limits of processing paperwork…

The City of Chicago began a partnership on Nov. 9 with the federal government, state government, and The Resurrection Project, a nonprofit organization, to help migrants apply for work permits so they can legally get a job. […]

That’s the good news, according to Rendón, who explained the lengthy application migrants have to fill out to be able to legally work in the U.S. First, they have to be eligible. Out of the 14,200 who are in the city’s shelters, only 3,600 qualify, according to The Resurrection Project. […]

Of the 2,722 migrants who submitted applications through the [city/state/federal] partnership, about 1,800 have been approved, and 1,011 have their documents in hand, per data from the nonprofit. That represents a significant increase from Dec. 28, when CBS 2 reported that only 279 received social security cards and 284 received work permits.

Still, only about 13% of migrants in the city’s shelters are eligible and have been approved.

* Supposedly random neighborhood resident quoted in the news media, part one (January 2023)…

Kerwin Spratt, who has lived in Woodlawn more than 20 years, said he would like the city to show the South Side residents the same respect officials are showing asylum seekers. He noted that the city’s presentation mentioned providing mental health services for asylum seekers and pointed out that the city had shuttered mental health centers across Chicago.

“You threw this upon us with no regard to us at all,” Spratt said.

* Part two (February 2023)…

Kerwin Spratt, a longtime resident who was driving by the school, said he didn’t agree with the city’s decision because of “unfair allocation of resources.”

“They’re going to provide three meals a day and a computer lab. Many schools out here don’t have that,” Spratt said. “The senior home — nobody’s giving them three meals a day.”

Just happened to be driving by.

* Part three (today)…

Kerwin Spratt has lived in Woodlawn 22 years. Wadsworth Elementary is right outside his back door. Spratt told the Crusader he’s grown weary of the migrant situation in his neighborhood.

“One night a lady resident came home and found a car parked in her spot. She asked a migrant to move their car and they busted out her windows and came into her house,” Spratt said.

“The city is pouring out resources towards non-citizens. But many of us can’t even pay our property taxes.”

* This could be interesting…

* From Isabel…

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign updates

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Today’s quotable

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Maia McDonald in the Chicago Reader…

In Illinois, the latest legal decision to impact reproductive health care involves so-called crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), organizations (typically affiliated with national religious groups opposed to contraception) that pose as medical clinics to dissuade pregnant people from considering abortion and other pro-choice options, often through deceptive means.

In a shocking about-face, Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul’s office announced an agreement last month with anti-abortion advocates that the state will not enforce legislation that would have cracked down on deceptive practices by these fake abortion clinics. It was a surprising move for the attorney general, who’d helped introduce such legislation himself earlier in 2023. As a result, many Illinois abortion rights advocates say they’ll need to work even harder to protect residents seeking reproductive health care. […]

State representative Terra Costa Howard, who carried the bill in the house, says she and other sponsors were initially confident in its chances (similar laws in Colorado and Connecticut had been successful) and are disappointed in its outcome. Costa Howard, who says she has a CPC in her district, also doesn’t believe the First Amendment should shield groups that jeopardize the health of Illinois residents from being held accountable for dishonesty and misinformation.

“I don’t believe that the First Amendment protects lies, and that’s what’s occurring. If these fake clinics were giving accurate information—that’s one thing,” Costa Howard says. “There is nothing in the bill that required the fake clinics to provide information about abortion. There’s nothing in the bill that requires them to give that information. You can’t lie about health care.” […]

Costa Howard says she and other members of the Illinois General Assembly who’d previously supported Senate Bill 1909 are working to find ways to address the negative impacts of CPCs, though they’ll also “have to make sure that we have somebody who’s in place who’s actually going to enforce the laws that we pass.”

Ouch.

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*** UPDATED x1 - Pritzker: Majority of effort ‘needs to be in the city of Chicago’ *** April gets closer every day (Updated)

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget that he passed last November deliberately underfunded programs for asylum-seekers. The meager appropriation could be exhausted by April, but nobody knows yet what the city plans to do when it reaches that point.

Also last November, Gov. J.B. Pritzker made it clear to reporters “the state doesn’t run shelters” and said he was waiting for the city to recommend shelter sites. “The state doesn’t control property in the city of Chicago that could provide a location. The city really has to do that.”

Pritzker also criticized the city for not asking the General Assembly for additional money and noted, “We have spent much more money to support the system of asylum-seekers arriving here than the city has.”

In December, the state declined to fund a huge, 2,000-bed tent shelter in the city’s Brighton Park neighborhood after an evaluation of a city contractor’s report by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency found the remediation completed by the city “did not meet IEPA standards to receive [a formal letter stating no more mediation was needed] and was therefore not approved,” an IEPA spokesperson reiterated last week.

The city was furious at the denial, and Johnson complained to reporters again last week that the state still has not fulfilled its promise to open those 2,000 new beds. The state claimed then and has ever since then that, despite repeated requests, the city has not yet offered up any more sites. Johnson told reporters this was not true. I’m still checking on this.

Also in December, Johnson announced a program to ticket and even impound buses carrying migrants to the city from Texas unless drivers followed rules for when and where their passengers could be dropped off.

That quickly had the effect of forcing the bus companies to dump people in the suburbs and exurbs, where they are then directed to public transportation to Chicago. During the week ending Jan. 19, not a single bus from Texas arrived directly in Chicago, according to a document released to city officials.
Mayor’s no longer very welcoming

The city has opened no new migrant shelters since November, although Chicago officials made it appear as if they were still working on plans to do so in December, specifically a shelter on the city’s Northwest Side at a site owned by the Catholic Archdiocese. Will Chicago still open and operate that shelter? No. But the city has been hoping the state and/or the Archdiocese could open it, and now I’m hearing the shelter might possibly go forward.

On Jan. 12, city officials went even further and told state legislators the city had “begun planning for rightsizing” its shelter system. That’s corporate-speak for “downsizing,” although a city official now says they probably shouldn’t have used that word.

And then last week, Johnson told reporters the state government “can build a shelter anywhere in the state of Illinois,” adding the state “does not have to build a shelter in Chicago.”

This, of course, ignores the fact the migrants’ stated preference is a Chicago destination. More importantly, it’s also the politically targeted destination set by the Texas governor. In other words, the mayor can say what he wants, but they’re coming regardless.

His comment also ignores the fact the state has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on infrastructure and caring for asylum-seekers in Chicago. Expanding that out would be prohibitively expensive and disperse scarce human resources.

There are only so many people who are willing to do the work and qualified to do it. Dispersing those workers throughout a large geographic area would make their task a lot tougher. It may be unfair to the city, but that’s where the infrastructure is.

Not to mention that suburban mayors aren’t exactly falling all over themselves to take any of these folks in. When a reporter asked Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle last week if any suburban mayors had taken up her offer to open shelters, Preckwinkle said, “Those conversations didn’t result in offers of assistance.”

It’s becoming more clear almost every day that, despite his initial promises to welcome the new arrivals with open arms and share with them the city’s “abundance,” Johnson’s aim for weeks if not months has been to pull back from the task of accepting and caring for the continuing influx of asylum-seekers and return to his progressive agenda, like banning natural gas connections in most new construction.

Meanwhile, April gets closer every day.

* A few hours after I wrote that column, this story was published by Nadig Newspapers…

Plans are moving forward for a migrant shelter at the former Saint Bartholomew school and convent in Portage Park, while another former parochial school in the 30th Ward would be converted into 24 apartments, said Alderwoman Ruth Cruz. […]

Officials have said that 300 to 350 people would be housed on the site.

It’s unclear from the story what entity will actually be responsible for opening and operating the shelter, but I was told by a top city official late last week that it wouldn’t likely be them.

*** UPDATE *** Gov. Pritzker was asked today to respond to Mayor Johnson’s statement that the state doesn’t have to build more shelters in Chicago…

Well, it’s unfortunate that the governor of Texas is sending thousands of migrants to the city of Chicago. That is where they think they’re going, that is where they expect to be arriving. Not in Elmhurst, not in other suburbs, but in the city of Chicago.

It is also where all the services are that they need when they arrive. It is also where the major landing zone that we’ve paid for, to make sure that we’re welcoming them as appropriate to the city. And frankly, the city has a shelter system like none other.

So all I would say is that we certainly have encouraged other jurisdictions to step forward. We’ve created grant programs. Some of them have taken us up, Oak Park, for example. And we’re providing resources for other jurisdictions. So that is happening, there is shelter and services.

But the major and majority part of what’s necessary needs to be in the city of Chicago. And we have been supporting the city of Chicago with literally tens of millions of dollars directly as well as hundreds of millions of dollars indirectly.

  19 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* HB4589 from Rep. Jay Hoffman…

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Act. Eliminates the provision that provided for the repeal of the Act on January 1, 2025. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Includes “catalytic converter” in the definition of “essential parts”. Amends the Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law. Excludes catalytic converter from the definition of “recyclable metals”. Requires transactions involving a catalytic converter to include the identification number of the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed and the part number or other identifying number of the catalytic converter that was removed. Provides that, in a transaction involving a catalytic converter, the recyclable metal dealer must also require a copy of the certificate of title or registration showing the seller’s ownership in the vehicle. Makes it unlawful for any person to purchase or otherwise acquire a used, detached catalytic converter or any nonferrous part thereof unless specified conditions are met. Provides that a used, detached catalytic converter does not include a catalytic converter that has been tested, certified, and labeled for reuse in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act. Defines terms. Makes technical changes.

* Center Square…

Illinois farmers and landowners are concerned that Illinois law makes it too easy for developers to use eminent domain to seize land for carbon dioxide pipeline projects.

Bill Bodine, the Illinois Farm Bureau’s director of business and regulatory affairs, said preventing the use of eminent domain for CO2 pipeline rights of way and storage areas is a top priority for IFB members in the current state legislative session. […]

In 2011, the legislature passed the Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Act. It grants CO2 pipeline developers eminent domain authority. Illinois Farm Bureau members want to see that power taken away from developers. […]

Illinois landowners want regulators to require proof of progress being made on willing agreements between landowners and developers before a pipeline project can be approved, Bodine said.

* Rep. Joyce Mason filed HB4596…

Amends the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. Removes a provision that the Act shall not apply to any employee who is covered by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with an employer that provides services nationally and internationally of delivery, pickup, and transportation of parcels, documents, and freight. Provides that the definition of “employee” does not include an employee as defined in the Federal Employers’ Liability Act.

* SB2897 from Sen. Tom Bennett…

Creates the Campus Free Speech Act. Requires the governing board of each public university and community college to develop and adopt a policy on free expression; sets forth what the policy must contain. Requires the Board of Higher Education to create a Committee on Free Expression to issue an annual report. Requires public institutions of higher education to include in their freshman orientation programs a section describing to all students the policies and rules regarding free expression that are consistent with the Act. Contains provisions concerning rules, construction of the Act, and enforcement.

* Rep. Edgar Gonzalez filed HB4595 Friday…

Amends the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986. Provides that the Secretary of State shall include data fields on its annual report form that allows a corporation to report, at its discretion, the aggregated demographic information of its directors and officers, including race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Provides that, within 30 days after filing its annual AG990-IL Charitable Organization Annual Report, a corporation that reports grants of $1,000,000 or more to other charitable organizations shall post on its publicly available website, if one exists, the aggregated demographic information of the corporation’s directors and officers, including race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Provides that the aggregated demographic information shall be accessible on the corporation’s publicly available website for at least 5 years after it is posted. Provides that the Department of Human Rights shall work with community partners to prepare and publish a standardized list of demographic classifications to be used by the Secretary of State and corporations for the reporting of the aggregated demographic information. Provides that, in collecting the aggregated demographic information, a corporation shall allow for an individual to decline to disclose any or all personal demographic information to the corporation. Effective January 1, 2025.

* Sen. Sue Rezin filed SB2908…

Specifies that the amendatory Act may be referred to as Sami’s Law. Amends the Equitable Restrooms Act. Provides that the owner or operator of each public building and State-owned building shall install and maintain in that building at least one adult changing station that is publicly accessible if the building is constructed 2 or more years after the effective date of the amendatory Act or if certain alterations or additions are made to the building 4 or more years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Requires the owner or operator of a public building and the owner or operator of a State-owned building to ensure that certain information about the location of adult changing stations in the buildings is provided. Defines terms.

* SB2926 from Sen. Natalie Toro…

Amends the Illinois State Police Act and the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that a person may not be selected or appointed as a State Police officer or certified as a law enforcement officer unless the person has performed satisfactorily on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2) or another preemployment personality test prescribed and administered by the Illinois State Police or the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board. The test shall be taken by all applicants in the final selection process for a State Police officer or law enforcement position. Includes provisions relating to interpretation and evaluation of the preemployment personality test and testing dates. Provides that the Illinois State Police or law enforcement agency shall screen all officers at least once annually to evaluate the overall mental health of the officer, including whether the officer has negative impact of lateral trauma, signs of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, or other negative outcomes related to the officer’s career.

* Lake County News-Sun…

After a wildcat being kept as a pet got loose in a Vernon Hills neighborhood, a state representative introduced legislation proposing a ban on the possession of the African feline, called a serval, in Illinois.

Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, proposed the legislation during the first week of the 2024 General Assembly session. Vernon Hills is part of Didech’s district. […]

Because servals are not included in the state’s dangerous animal statute, Didech said it limited Vernon Hills’ ability to respond to the November incident.

Deputy Police Chief Shannon Holubetz said the village was not able to cite the serval owners because the animal was not regulated under any local, county or state statutes.

* Sen. Tom Bennett filed SB2905…

Amends the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984. Provides for the acquisition and placement of statues depicting: (1) President Ronald W. Reagan; and (2) President Barack H. Obama. Provides that the Architect of the Capitol may provide for the design and fabrication of the statues, or may otherwise acquire, using funds collected for such purpose or through donation, a suitable statue for placement on the grounds of the State Capitol. Requires the Architect of the Capitol to take actions necessary to provide for the placement and unveiling of the statues within specified periods of time. Requires the Architect of the Capitol to issue a report to the Governor and General Assembly detailing actions taken to acquire and place the statues. Provides that the Capitol Restoration Trust Fund shall contain separate accounts for the deposit of funds donated for the payment of expenses associated with the placement of the statues. Provides that the separate accounts may accept deposits from any source, whether private or public, and may be appropriated only for use by the Architect of the Capitol for expenses associated with the acquisition, placement, and maintenance of the statues.

  10 Comments      


Open thread

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on?…

  10 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI:Illinois election officials to consider removing Trump from March primary ballot. WBEZ…

    - The Illinois State Board of Elections is expected to consider the recommendation Tuesday.

    - The effort in Illinois to keep Trump off the March ballot is similar to those filed in several other states.

    - The objection to Trump’s candidacy was brought by five Illinois voters, a national voting-rights organization involved in trying to keep Trump off the ballot and two Chicago law firms.

* Related stories…

* Isabel’s top picks…

    * Tribune | Despite state law to address controversy, Wheeling Township blocks taxes for new mental health program approved in referendum: “It’s just frustrating,” mental health advocate Lorri Grainawi said. “The effect is that people with mental health issues, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse are not getting the funding they need.” To honor the will of the voters, she said, the township should proceed with the new tax, or use money from its reserves to fund increased mental health services until the issue is resolved.

    * NYT | As Buses of Migrants Arrive in Chicago Suburbs, Residents Debate the Role of Their Towns: In Wilmette, a town of 27,000 people where the median household income is about $183,000, dozens of residents have mobilized to help the migrants with clothing and other needs before they board trains for the so-called landing zone in downtown Chicago, where they are then routed to shelters around the city. Jessica Leving Siegel, a nonprofit marketing consultant, lugged trash bags around the Metra station one evening last week and directed fellow volunteers. Ms. Leving Siegel, who wore a messy bun and a maroon T-shirt printed with the words “We are all refugees,” has organized clothing drives and helped migrants make money by shoveling snowy sidewalks in Wilmette.

    * Tribune | No help: The federal immigration deal won’t fix the migrant crisis in Chicago — and it’s unlikely to pass Congress anyway: While details of the bipartisan bill have not been made public, proposals from Republican senators center around raising the bar for migrants to claim asylum and curbing the president’s ability to grant parole — or permission to enter the United States on a temporary basis while asylum claims are reviewed by the courts. These efforts may deter the flow of migrants across borders, but there are larger factors that could keep driving immigrants to Chicago.

At 10 am Governor Pritzker will be at Google’s Chicago offices to announce next steps for Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative. Click here to watch.

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

    * WBEZ | The DNC is launching a neighborhood ambassadors program to recruit volunteers: The main responsibility of an ambassador will be to help recruit some of the roughly 12,000 volunteers needed for the convention. Ambassadors are expected to recruit at least 50 volunteers from their respective neighborhoods. Volunteers will be responsible for everything from assisting with media or security logistics, to meeting people at O’Hare and Midway airports to help direct them to the city.

    * SJ-R | Flood stages on Sangamon River subside; rise on Illinois River still expected: “There may still be some ice on the Sangamon,” [NWS meteorologist Nicole Albano] added, “so we do need to stay vigilant for maybe some ice jam or ice activity, but with temperatures continuing to stay mild and even increasing this week, we should start to see a decrease in ice activity, at least along the Sangamon.”

    * Sun-Times | Illinois home-based child care providers often make minimum wage — or less: Represented by SEIU Healthcare Illinois, the providers are currently in contract negotiations with the state over retirement benefits, training and, most importantly, pay — in the form of the state’s rates per child, which range from around $22 to $48 a day per child, depending on license status, geographic location and the child’s age.

    * Chicago Reader | (Don’t) be deceived: In a shocking about-face, Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul’s office announced an agreement last month with anti-abortion advocates that the state will not enforce legislation that would have cracked down on deceptive practices by these fake abortion clinics. It was a surprising move for the attorney general, who’d helped introduce such legislation himself earlier in 2023. As a result, many Illinois abortion rights advocates say they’ll need to work even harder to protect residents seeking reproductive health care.

    * Shaw Local | Election 2024: Meet the 5 who want Lance Yednock’s seat in Illinois House: At a candidates forum Wednesday at Illinois Valley Community College, some expressed divergent views on how to alleviate the tax burden on Illinois residents. Crystal Loughran and Liz Bishop are vying for the Republican nomination, and both are political newcomers who trumpet their allegiances to constituents rather than special interests.

    * Daily Herald | How much property taxes per person does it cost to run your town?: Property taxes used to fund daily operations of suburban municipalities have climbed an average of $44 per resident from 10 years ago. In at least nine suburbs, the amount of property taxes charged per resident has climbed more than $100 from a decade ago.

    * Tribune | Illinois appeals courts see ‘dramatic increase’ in cases following elimination of cash bail: From Sept. 18, when the law took effect, through the end of the year, more than 1,300 pretrial appeals of detention decisions were filed in the state’s five appellate districts, an increase that comes on top of the normal caseload. In all of 2022, there were 1,981 criminal appeals filed across all five districts, according to data from the court.

    * Intelligencer | ‘Enough is enough’: Feds argue against further delays in former senator McCann’s trial: McCann, a one-time gubernatorial candidate, is accused of using some of about $5 million in campaign money he oversaw for personal purchases and concealing it from donors, the state and law enforcement authorities. He originally was scheduled for trial in April 2021, two months after being indicted by a federal grand jury. Since then, scheduled trial dates have come and gone after changes in defense attorneys or because of the contention that volumes of documents and files — nearly 70,000 pages — prosecutors compiled in the case required more time to review.

    * Tribune | Illinois farmers struggle to balance livelihoods with reducing agricultural runoff, a major contributor to Gulf dead zone: Nitrogen and phosphorus are flowing from the Mississippi River Basin into the Gulf of Mexico, creating an oxygen-void area along southern Louisiana and eastern Texas over 18 times larger than Chicago. Fish, shrimp and other commercial species swim farther from the coast to escape, and those that can’t move fast enough die. Fishermen must follow, spending more time and money to sail away from this “dead zone” with dicier odds of a good catch.

    * Sun-Times | Chicago restaurants struggled with labor shortages last year. Relief is coming slowly: A new report says city eateries had trouble finding workers last summer, with 82% of them short at least one kitchen staffer. Local owners say things have started to improve, but food and labor costs are still a concern.

    * Tribune | Man who conspired with sister in infamous 1993 ‘black widow’ murder case released from prison: Suh had been serving an 80-year sentence for the Sept. 25, 1993, murder of his sister’s boyfriend, Robert O’Dubaine, in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Suh has long admitted he pulled the trigger in the premeditated, ambush-style killing. But, in repeated clemency requests, he argued his remorse and efforts to better himself have earned him a measure of mercy.

    * Pantagraph | One year in, Budzinski remains ‘optimist’ while touting wins for 13th District: The freshman lawmaker introduced 15 bills and co-sponsored nearly 300 more during her first year. She touts the closing of more than 700 constituent cases, which often include helping people navigate federal agencies and resolve issues with benefits like Social Security, among other tasks. She has also been bringing home the bacon, claiming more than $320 million in federal dollars for projects in the district. An analysis from Roll Call last year found Budzinski to be the top Democrat in securing earmarks, which are funds directed by members of Congress towards specific projects.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, Jan 29, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news because, as I initially suspected, that widget we were using didn’t last long.

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« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Selected react to budget reconciliation bill passage (Updated x3)
* Reader comments closed for Independence Day
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Some fiscal news
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
* RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
* Groups warn about plan that doesn't appear to be in the works
* SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth
* Campaign news: Big Raja money; Benton over-shares; Rashid's large cash pile; Jeffries to speak at IDCCA brunch
* Rep. Hoan Huynh jumps into packed race for Schakowsky’s seat (Updated)
* Roundup: Pritzker taps Christian Mitchell for LG
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition (Updated)
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Trump admin freezes $240 million in grants for Illinois K-12 schools
* Yesterday's stories

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