|
This just in: We’ve surpassed our fundraising goal!
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * I told you this past Friday that I had reset our fundraising goal to $48,007. That matches what we raised last year plus inflation. We were more than $10,000 away from that goal on Friday, but we just surpassed the target and we’re now at $48,268 as I write this. We’ve now raised enough to allow Lutheran Social Services of Illinois to buy Christmas presents for 1,930 foster kids. I didn’t think we’d get here. Y’all are truly amazing. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. * LSSI has an overall goal of $63,250. Others are fundraising as well, of course, but let’s keep this going. I won’t change the official target, but growth is always important. So, please, if you haven’t donated yet, or if you can afford to give more, please help us buy Christmas presents for foster children by clicking here. CapitolFax.com is more than just a website. We’ve built a community here. And our annual fundraising drive helps bring us together in ways no other blog or news outlet can claim while helping lots of kids in need. I hope some of those children grow up to be readers or subscribers or even advertisers. Wouldn’t that be just the coolest thing? Please, click here. Thanks!!! …Adding… We’re now above $50,000!!!
|
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * South Side Weekly | ICE Detains Illinois Immigrants in Out-of-State Jails: After the Way Forward Act banned ICE from detaining undocumented people in state jails last year, the agency began detaining undocumented Illinois residents in Wisconsin and other states. * Block Club | Aldermen Want Meetings With CHA Boss After Investigation Revealed Vacant, Decaying Properties: Other alderpeople also expressed concerns after Block Club and Illinois Answers found that nearly 500 of the CHA’s scattered-site properties are empty while more than 200,000 people are on the agency’s waiting lists for housing. After news outlets began asking questions, the CHA announced it plans to spend $50 million in 2024 to rehabilitate 176 of the scattered-site properties. * WTVO | Illinois AG charges Rockford instructor for falsifying concealed carry certifications: This is the second case of the Illinois Attorney General charging a Stateline man for falsifying documents to obtain concealed carry licenses in the last month. … Reyes ran for the 34th District Illinois Senate seat and was defeated by Steve Stadelman in 2022. * Tribune | Cook County state’s attorney’s office replaces head of unit that reviews possible wrongful convictions, rebrands effort: Assistant State’s Attorney Nancy Adduci, who previously lead the unit, will remain as a deputy, the release said. She was replaced by Michelle Mbekeani, who joined the office in 2018 as a legal and policy advisor. The office also renamed the Conviction Integrity Unit, now known as the Conviction Review Unit. The shift came as Adduci’s work had come under scrutiny in the past year due to her prosecution of defendants accused of shooting and killing Chicago Police Officer Clifton Lewis in 2011. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in June dropped charges against two of the three suspects amid accusations from defense attorneys of misconduct on behalf of the police and prosecutors who handled the case. * Bolts | “I’m Just Another Traffic Stop”: As the department poured resources into the Community Safety Team, Brown pledged their work would be driven by long-term relationships with residents, businesses, religious organizations and neighborhood groups. By the end of 2020, the Community Safety Teams logged over 200 of those community interactions, according to a Bolts analysis of data from the Office of Emergency Management and Communications’ dispatch system, which generates a unique record each time officers radio headquarters to document civilian interactions or routine activities. Those community interactions included food drives, youth sports events and community input meetings, according to a Chicago Police spokesperson. But those interactions were dwarfed by the 48,000 traffic stops the team conducted in 2020—nearly all of that unit’s documented activity that year. In 2021, when the Community Safety Team was at its largest, its officers logged over 150,000 traffic stops—more than twice the number of community engagement activities, the data show. * Crain’s | Friends of the Parks executive director departing after eight years of ‘good trouble’: Juanita Irizarry, executive director of city park advocate group Friends of the Parks, will be leaving her role after eight years at the nonprofit. Friends of the Parks’ board of directors made the announcement Tuesday, stating that Irizarry was the “face of good trouble” and that her resignation is “regrettable.” * WBEZ | Personal aides for students are the unsung heroes of special education in CPS: CPS was trying to cut costs and, though aides are not highly paid, assigning a full-time staffer to a small number of children is expensive. Over the last five years, the number of aides has gone up more than any other position in special education, except for case managers, which went from being an extra responsibility for teachers to a stand-alone position. There are now about 6,800 aide positions in the school district, up from 4,500 in 2018. The cost also has nearly doubled, from $150 million in 2018 to nearly $280 million. * WCIA | Effingham Flex-N-Gate workers return after two-week layoff: Flex-N-Gate Effingham officials said workers returned on Nov. 6 after a two-week layoff. The UAW strikes in Kentucky caused the plant to temporarily let people go on Oct. 12. One worker, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she’s relieved to be back. She said the days off put her and some colleagues behind financially. She said the time away taught her better money management. * Daily Herald | Another inmate death reported at McHenry County jail: According to the release, the man was found at about 4 p.m. Tuesday in a single-person booking cell. Corrections officers and Woodstock Fire/Rescue personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but the man was pronounced at the scene, officials said. […] It is the third inmate death reported in just two weeks. * WCIA | Family of Decatur woman killed by speeding trooper gets $2.5M settlement: The 8-year-old and 14-year-old daughters of Kelly Wilson from Decatur will split a $2,591,761.26 settlement after a former state trooper rammed into their mother’s car and killed her. The family originally asked for 10 million dollars from the lawsuit. […] In May 2016, Illinois Trooper Jeffrey Denning was working in Macon County when he received a call about a police officer shot in Mahomet. Denning was speeding over 100 miles per hour to the scene where he crashed into Wilson, making a left turn at the intersection of Oakland Avenue and Harrison Street. He later testified his sirens were not continuous as he should have set them when traveling that fast. * Daily Herald | ‘A step in the right direction’: Libertyville has new tool to battle electric vehicle battery fires: “The only effective method is to pierce the battery compartment and cool the thermal runaway (reaction) taking place in the battery bank,” he said. To do that, the department in partnership with the Libertyville Fire Protection District invested $30,000 for equipment specifically designed to quickly extinguish fires involving lithium-ion high voltage batteries in electric vehicles. * Crain’s | Feds provide $95 million toward Union Station upgrades: The funding will come in two buckets: $45 million will go towards track improvements to transform an area previously used for mail service, which has been out of service for nearly two decades, to handle an anticipated expansion of rail service in the Midwest. Another $44 million will fund platform expansions and help pay for ventilation upgrades. * AFP | Planet tipping points pose ‘unprecedented’ threat to humanity: report: The most comprehensive assessment ever conducted of Earth’s invisible tripwires was released as leaders meet for UN climate talks in Dubai with 2023 set to smash all heat records. While many of the 26 tipping points laid out in the report — such as melting ice sheets — are linked to global warming, other human activities like razing swathes of the Amazon rainforest could also push Earth’s ecosystems to the brink. * WSJ | Bitcoin Mining Used More Water Than New York City Last Year: Bitcoin-mining operations slurp up billions of gallons of water globally each year. Estimates vary, but the annual footprint is projected to surpass 591 billion gallons of water this year, according to an article published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Reports Sustainability. * WCIA | Family sells everything, moves to Central IL to help others by opening ‘Monarch’s Haven’: Monarch’s Haven will aim to provide essential services for both the homeless and families facing difficult times. “We want to do a meal ministry and a day center for people to be able to help them with just having a place to hang out,” Jenny said. “If they need help with job applications, applying for assistance, applying for social security, any of those things.” * Daily Beast | You’ll Never See John Lennon’s Death the Same After This: A new Apple TV+ docuseries, John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial, centers almost entirely on the fateful night of Dec. 8, 1980, when Lennon was fatally shot outside his New York City apartment building, the Dakota. Director Nick Holt’s three-part series is mercifully short on cheap theatrics and loopy theories, instead putting us squarely in the middle of a real-life horror story. Narrator Kiefer Sutherland strikes the right tone of equanimity, and while there are aspects of the police procedural, the series doesn’t play like the true-crime docs to which we’ve all become so accustomed and desensitized.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign news (Updated)
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Roundup: Prosecutors push ’shakedown’ narrative in Burke trial
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* WGN…
* Jon Seidel…
* Jason Meisner…
* More… * Tribune | ‘I was taken aback’: Burger King exec testifies about uneasiness with then-Ald. Ed Burke linking permits with tax firm work: Zohaib Dhanani, a vice president for the company founded by his father, Dhanani Group, was the latest witness to paint Burke as wearing two hats, both as the City Council’s most powerful and longest-serving alderman and as a private lawyer prowling for business for his firm, Klafter & Burke. * ABC Chicago | Ed Burke trial: New testimony about ties to alleged shakedown involving Burger King restaurant: Dhanani testified he was “taken back a bit” that Burke would mention property tax appeal work and permits in the same sentence. Dhanani told jurors, “It felt unusual. It felt weird, the two being linked together.” * Crain’s | The ‘unusual’ dealings of Ald. Ed Burke continue in court: Later, on June 27, Burke called his “friend in Houston” to check in. In a recording of that call between Burke and Dhanani obtained by the feds, Dhanani updated the alderman on parking issues at the Burger King. Burke once again brought up his private business. “We were going to talk about the real estate tax representation and you were going to have somebody get in touch with me so we can expedite your permits,” Burke told him, according to the recording played in court today. * ABC Chicago | Ed Burke trial juror replaced after falling ill, defense allowed to call witness out of order: Monday, a juror fell ill and was dismissed; an alternate took over, which comes on the heels of two COVID-related delays that forced the government to reshuffle its case and witnesses.
|
|
Brighton Park migrant tent city shutdown coverage roundup
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * We covered this yesterday, but lots of you might not have seen some late updates because of the timing and the very long length of the post. Mayor Brandon Johnson to NBC 5…
* From the mayor’s office…
* From the governor’s office…
* From Isabel… * Sun-Times | Pritzker tells Chicago to fold its tents — governor rejects toxic migrant shelter site in Brighton Park: Citing “serious environmental concerns,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that the state is ending development of a proposed migrant camp in Brighton Park. The decision follows the city of Chicago’s release of an environmental report Friday night that showed the location at 38th Street and California Avenue required cleanup of heavy metals and toxic chemicals. The state halted construction Sunday. * CBS Chicago | Gov. JB Pritzker scraps Chicago’s plan for first migrant tent camp in Brighton Park over contaminated soil: “IEPA would not approve the proposed Brighton Park site for residential use, based on our regulatory standards for remediation of contaminated properties,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim. “The well-being of residents and workers at the site is our highest priority, and current and planned site conditions do not adequately reduce risks of human exposure to known and potential environmental conditions.” * Greg Hinz | Brandon Johnson and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week: The nastiest flap is over a planned refugee tent base encampment the city had wanted to erect at a former industrial site at 38th and California in the Brighton Park neighborhood. The Johnson and Pritzker camps already had been jostling over that and an increasing number of other matters, but the situation exploded yesterday when Pritzker’s Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said the site was still unfit for human habitation despite claims to the contrary from Johnson. * NBC Chicago | Chicago mayor reacts after state halts Brighton Park migrant site: Johnson said “discovering toxicity [at the site] wasn’t a surprise], but said “the contract that the state of Illinois went into with Gardaworld, as they continued to build out on this site, there was no indication throughout this entire process, that a standard or a different methodology was preferable by the state of Illinois.” “There was no additional information that was provided that would have led us to believe that this particular report that has been validated to be safe by third parties, that somehow that operation will be halted,” Johnson said. * Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker won’t proceed with Brighton Park migrant camp, citing ‘serious’ environmental concerns: Underscoring the escalating tension between Springfield and City Hall, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh shot back at Johnson’s statement, saying state environmental standards “are clear and known to the city.” “Those are not the standards the city chose to use,” Abudayyeh said in a statement. “The city did not engage with IEPA or the state before releasing the report and when it did release the report, was unable to explain the lesser standards they did choose to use and how they arrived at those standards.” “While the city might be comfortable placing asylum seekers on a site where toxins are present without a full understanding of whether it is safe, the state is not,” Abudayyeh added. * NBC Chicago | City releases statement after state halts plans for migrant site in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood: “The City’s goal has been and continues to be to move with urgency in providing shelter for new arrivals currently sleeping on the floors of Chicago Police Department district stations, airports and sidewalks. We have been planning for both the present and the future of the new arrivals mission by standing up nearly one temporary shelter a week and reducing the number of new arrivals sleeping at emergency staging areas and outdoors from nearly 4,000 to approximately 600.” * Crain’s | Citing environmental concerns, Pritzker nixes Brighton Park migrant tent camp plan: No immediate plans were shared on where the state may pay for the construction of a tent camp at a new location. The city has identified another location for a separate tent camp, on vacant land at 115th and Halsted, but it’s unclear whethe the state will fund construction at that location. * ABC Chicago | State will not proceed with Brighton Park camp for Chicago migrants after environmental review: Alderwoman Julia Ramirez, who represents the 12th Ward, said on Tuesday that better decisions should have been made from the very beginning. “As manufacturing-zoned area that shouldn’t have ever been considered. And so, looking forward, I think that should use be something they don’t move forward with if a place is zone for heavy manufacturing,” Ramirez said. “It is unacceptable to proceed without a comprehensive assessment of the health risks. We are pleased to see the halt of construction and the continued work towards assessing the safety of this site.” * Block Club | State Says No Tent Camp For Migrants On Contaminated Brighton Park Site: Despite the tent plan being halted, Ramirez said she’s committed to making her ward a welcoming neighborhood for migrants. “I’m really, really happy the state intervened and was able to further assess,” she said. * Sun-Times Editorial Board | Gov. Pritzker took the right step by ending city’s Brighton Park migrant tent plan: The Johnson administration picked the known industrial site at 38th Street and California Avenue without any thought to its environmental ramifications. Then it rushed through soil testing and started construction last week — while test findings were still pending, and telling the public as little as possible. … Slapdash and slipshod from the start, the tent camp plan had all the warning signs of developing into a hot mess of the first order. And yet Johnson and his administration pressed on.
|
|
Caption contest!
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Wait. What?… 
|
|
Do better, IDFPR
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Beth Hundsdorfer at Capitol News Illinois…
It wasn’t until Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon held a press conference in September to express his outrage at what he’d seen that IDFPR finally took some action.
|
|
Fun with numbers
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Ray LaHood and Jim Nowlan writing in the Tribune…
Not mentioned is that the House Democrats ran 92 candidates last fall compared to 104 House Republican candidates. But let’s drill down a bit more. The House Democrats ran just five candidates in races that were won by Republicans with at least 60 percent of the vote. On the other hand, the House Republicans ran 38 candidates in races won by Democrats with at least 60 percent of the vote. That’s a difference of 33 races. So, a big part of this disparity is Republicans run a ton of candidates in no-chance districts and the Democrats don’t. Heck, one might even go as far as to say that groups like the Illinois Policy Institute spent a few bucks recruiting lots of GOP candidates to set up this very LaHood/Nowlan talking point. Just sayin. Did the Democrats gerrymander the districts? Of course they did. Hugely so. But a little context would’ve been nice.
|
|
Question of the day: 2023 Golden Horseshoe Awards
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best House Democrat Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Liz Moody…
It wasn’t even close. I’ve known Liz for years and she truly deserves this. Leader Jay Hoffman is fortunate to have her. Runner-up is Torrence Gardner with Rep. Kelly Cassidy’s office. Honorable mention to Michelle Cianferri, the district office manager for Rep. Stephanie Kifowit. Both legislators nominated their staffs, which is encouraged here. * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best House Republican Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Karla Dirks, who works for Deputy Republican Leader Norine Hammond, who was among the nominators…
Runner-up goes to Tina Walters in Rep. Amy Elik’s office. Congratulations to everyone! * On to today’s categories…
This includes all legislative government and campaign staff members. Spokespersons will have their own category, but they’re still eligible here. As always, make sure to explain your nominations or they won’t count, and do your very best to nominate in both categories. Thanks. * As I write this, we are now up to $41,368 in donations toward our $48,007 goal to help Lutheran Social Services of Illinois buy Christmas presents for foster kids. This means 1,654 children will receive gifts because of your generous donations. That’s so very awesome. But LSSI serves 2,530 children, so there’s still a need. Please, click here and donate if you can. Thanks!!!
|
|
A trip down memory lane
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * From COGFA’s latest monthly report…  More from the report…
* Meanwhile…
|
|
Open thread
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
|
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: US retail lobbyists retract key claim on ‘organized’ retail crime. Reuters…
-The research previously stated that “nearly half” of the $94.5 billion in inventory losses reported by retailers in a 2021 survey “was attributable” to organized retail crime. -The NRF’s claim of inventory losses was repeated in multiple media reports on the issue. The NRF has cited growing rates of crime in calls for Congress to pass new laws. * Related stories… ∙ The Street: What Target and Walmart just learned about retail theft ∙ NYT: Is Shoplifting Really Surging? * Isabel’s top picks… * WTTW | Pritzker Pulls State Funding From Migrant Base Camp in Brighton Park, Citing Environmental Concerns: Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for Pritzker, told WTTW News that the city chose not to follow the standards set by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and was “unable to explain the lesser standards the did choose to use and how they arrived at those standards.” “While the city might be comfortable placing asylum seekers on a site where toxins are present without a full understanding of whether it is safe, the state is not,” Abudayyeh said. * WGLT | Pritzker’s rail comments foreshadow transit debate in spring legislative session: Gov. JB Pritzker recently voiced support for the Chicago Hub Improvement Program [CHIP], a plan that also holds promise for Amtrak service through Bloomington-Normal. The investment in transportation infrastructure would fix several problems at Union Station and connect it to two potential passenger-focused main lines. * Sun-Times | Illinois in the middle of the road nationally on traffic safety: Illinois fell short for its lack of a motorcycle helmet requirement, child passenger safety rules and teen driving regulations, according to the report released Tuesday. The state drew good marks for having comprehensive distracted-driving laws and automated speed enforcement. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup… * Scott Holland | Primary filing math points toward continued Democratic majorities: As of 10 p.m. Monday, four current Republican districts have no announced Democratic candidate. Of the 19 districts Democrats currently hold, only 11 have a GOP primary contender. Of the 118 House seats, only 52 appear set for a contested election. Of those, Democrats hold 36 and Republicans have 16. That leaves 42 Democratic and 24 Republican districts without a clear November opponent. With 60 seats needed for a majority, Democrats are bidding for 94 and Republicans 76. * SJ-R | Former Madigan, Welch chief of staff hired as Springfield’s statehouse lobbyist: Jessica Basham, a former chief of staff to Illinois House Speakers Michael Madigan and Emanuel “Chris” Welch, was approved by the city council Tuesday. The Sherman resident started Basham Government Solutions, LLC, after leaving Welch’s office in 2021. The contract with the city is for $75,000. * SJ-R | State, Dolly Parton Imagination Library partner for free books to children five and under: Already more than 30,000 children are registered statewide in the program. In Sangamon and Menard counties, United Way of Central Illinois is the local partner overseeing the distribution of books to nearly 1,000 children. To expand the program to all children from birth to age five, the Pritzker administration is imploring more organizations to partner with the Dollywood Foundation and those already in practice to increase their capacity. The state’s current population for that age range is about 745,000. * Sun-Times | Feds play recording of Burke seeming to link approval of Burger King permit with business for his law firm: “We were going to talk about the real estate tax representation, and you were going to have somebody get in touch with me so we can expedite your permits,” Burke was recorded saying during a call with an executive. * Tribune | Family members of incarcerated people call on State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to investigate convictions related to former CPD detective: The family members, who were joined by activists and attorneys at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, called for justice for incarcerated family members whose cases were investigated by Sgt. Brian Forberg. A Chicago Police Department spokesperson said Forberg retired effective Oct. 10. “We’re tired,” said Lakisha Jackson, whose brother Kevin is serving a 45-year murder sentence. “We want all this put behind us today.” * Sun-Times | Chicago taxpayers have paid nearly $700 million since 2000 in lawsuits by people who claimed they were framed by police: Multimillion dollar payouts come before the Chicago City Council on an almost monthly basis, with the largest sums typically going to victims of police misconduct. Since 2000, the city has paid out nearly $700 million in 300 cases where people claimed they were framed by Chicago police. Of that, $138 million went to outside lawyers who defended the city. * Crain’s | Meet two of the lawyers on the front lines of Chicago’s migrant crisis: Most of the attorneys are working on an unpaid, pro bono basis. They are people like Kimball Anderson, 71, a commercial trial lawyer and partner at the Loop firm Winston & Strawn who encountered his first migrant camp by accident as he approached the 12th District police station on the Near West Side a few months ago. “I was dressed like a lawyer, and the migrants recognized that and crowded around me looking for assistance,” Anderson, who does not speak Spanish, says. “It became obvious to me they were living on the street and were truly desperate for help.” * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect asks court to shut down factory amid ongoing odor complaints: Fed up with odors that have been drawing complaints from neighbors for years, Mount Prospect is moving to shut down a local animal feed producer until it resolves its olfactory issues. Mount Prospect and Prestige Feed Products have been involved in months of litigation, with the company attempting to prevent the village from shuttering its operations at 431 Lakeview Court. * Daily Herald | Buffalo Grove approves plan for Tesla, apartments on Rohrman site, leaving some unhappy: In addition to the Tesla sales and service center, the Shorewood Development Group and Double Eagle Development plans a 224-unit apartment building and 30,000 to 40,000 square feet of retail space on the 16-acre site at 915-945 Dundee Road. Residents who live south of the property told the village board Monday they support the development, but the apartment building, proposed to sit 79 feet from their property lines, is too close to their homes and would cost them their privacy.
|
|
Live Ed Burke Trial Coverage
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of a lagtime and you have to refresh the page every now and then. The service we’re using may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees. You can still click here to follow the Ed Burke trial on Twitter. Posts without a Twitter author name below them are from online news sources via Bing…
Comments Off |
|
Live coverage
Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Live coverage is back, sorta. This will be different than the old Scribble Live feed because Twitter broke itself and almost everything else it touched. These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of posting lagtime, but it’s much better than nothing. We are also limited to just 20 Twitter sources. The service may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees about this. You can still click here or here to follow breaking news the way we’ve done since Twitter stopped Scribble Live from working…
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Southtown | Legislative races shape up with filings, John Egofske to quit 82nd House post on Friday: Egofske said in September he would not seek election next year in order to focus on his duties as mayor, a position he has held since 2017. He had appointed as representative in February to replace Jim Durkin. After Egofske said he would not run, Suzanne Akhras filed to run in the Democratic primary and former Homer Glen Trustee Nicole La Ha filed in the Republican primary. * Daily Southtown | Few primaries in Will County races with all countywide incumbents seeking reelection: Republican county board member Raquel Mitchell, who has represented the Bolingbrook and Romeoville area of the county since 2020, is running for recorder of deeds, and James Robert Buiter, Crete Township clerk, has filed to run for auditor. No Republicans filed to run for circuit court clerk or state’s attorney. * Oak Park Journal | Political fund controlled by Oak Park Democrat fined $99,500: On August 31, Casson emptied the All for Justice bank account by transferring $149,515.94 to the Chicago Independent Alliance, which shares a mailing address with All for Justice and the Andreou and Casson law firm. Casson is both the chairman and treasurer of All for Justice, which raised and spent approximately $7.3 million to help elect two Democrats to hotly contested seats on the Illinois Supreme Court to preserve and expand the Democrats majority on the benches. Harmon’s personal campaign committee contributed $500,000 to All for Justice. … Chicago Independent Alliance paid nearly $14,000 to an Oak Park firm, Professional Circulation Inc, which was incorporated in 2017, and is not currently in good standing. The address for Professional Circulation, Inc. listed on the State Board of Elections website is 315 S. Grove, which is also the residence of Luke and Amie Casson, according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds website. Chicago Independent Alliance has been dormant since July 2019, when it paid $950 to the Illinois State Board of Elections in civil penalties for not timely reporting contributions of $1,000 or more. * SJ-R | Springfield woman receives prison time for threatening Pritzker, DCFS employees: A Springfield woman has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison on federal cyberstalking charges for threats she made towards employees of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, juvenile court, and Gov. JB Pritzker. Lerin E. Hughes, 25, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. Central District of Illinois Judge Colleen R. Lawless on charges that she sent threats to kill a DCFS employee and a case worker investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect via Facebook, text messages, and e-mails. * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights village manager gets second straight 7% raise: Longtime Arlington Heights Village Manager Randy Recklaus, the village’s day-to-day point person for negotiations with the Chicago Bears and area school districts over a new stadium at Arlington Park, is getting a 7% raise for a second consecutive year. Recklaus’ salary bump, to $281,701, was approved Monday night on the consent agenda by the nine-member elected board. The raise is retroactive to Nov. 10, following his annual performance evaluation in closed session with Mayor Tom Hayes and village trustees. * Crain’s | Three top leaders depart World Business Chicago: World Business Chicago will soon lose three high-profile leaders, including CEO Michael Fassnacht and Vice Chair Mellody Hobson. After nearly four years at the helm of World Business Chicago, Fassnacht will step down in February. “For me, it’s time to do a very productive, focused transition over the next few months and then look at what the next chapter brings,” Fassnacht told Crain’s. He added that he has no plans to leave the city, but wouldn’t elaborate on his next steps. “I’m fully committed to Chicago. I’m on five non-for-profit boards that I look forward to investing my time in. . . .I loved every single day and now it’s time to start the next new chapter next year.” * Farm Week | Duncan elected IFB’s 16th president: Ogle County livestock and grain farmer Brian Duncan has been elected the 16th president of Illinois Farm Bureau. Duncan’s ascension to president came Monday, after a majority of the 327 delegates gathered for IFB’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago selected him for the position. Delegates also elected Evan Hultine, a sixth-generation grain farmer from Bureau County, as vice president. * Sun-Times | Elk Grove Village police knew man they fatally shot had history of health issues, family says: Antonio Romanucci, attorney for the family of Jack Murray, said at a news conference in River North that his firm was conducting a civil investigation into the Friday shooting, focusing on “officers’ treatment of a known emotionally distressed person and their use of deescalation tactics.” According to Romanucci, Murray, 24, was a Type 1 diabetic whose behavior could become “erratic” depending on his insulin levels. He called 911 for help whenever he felt like his health, mental or physical, was “not right.” * WSIL | Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Expanding Across Illinois, Offers Free Books to Children: The goal of this program is for all children in the state of Illinois, ages 0-5, to receive free books mailed directly to their home. This program is designed to send free, high-quality, age appropriate, books to support early childhood learning, thus instilling lifelong reading practices. * Block Club | West Side Christmas Toy Giveaway Needs More Donations To Help 250 Families: Spokeswoman Lana Simon said each child is guaranteed to receive one toy of their choosing, but children can receive more if donations exceed their planned amount. Families can also take home a bag of food for Christmas dinner, which comes with a turkey, onions, vegetables, potatoes, fruits, stuffing, candy and dessert, said Maureen Hallagan, chief operating officer of Marillac St. Vincent. * AP | A school promised not to send kids to the ER for misbehavior – but hospital trips only increased: Three times a week, on average, a police car pulls up to a school in Wicomico County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A student is brought out, handcuffed and placed inside for transport to a hospital emergency room for a psychiatric evaluation. Over the past eight years, the process has been used at least 750 times on students. Some are as young as 5 years old.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Yet another update to today’s edition (Updated)
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Pritzker highlights women in the trades during infrastructure events
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Governor Pritzker highlighted women construction workers a couple of times in the past few days, including at a Monday press conference in Peoria. Former Illinois Central College highway careers training student Ericka Crookshanks spoke about her experience…
* Watch her statement… * Sonia Shepard, a graduate of Black Hawk College’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program, worked on the I-280 bridge in Rock Island and spoke at last week’s press event…
You can read more about Ms. Shepard here. * From Pritzker’s Rock Island remarks…
* Watch the clip here…
|
|
Pritzker says ‘literally a dozen more’ EV plants are in the pipeline, plus an additional dozen plants in ‘other categories’
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. Pritzker was asked today about the state’s progress at attracting electric vehicle-related factories and plants on top of the recent successes with Stellantis and Gotion…
“We have a robust pipeline we continue to work on,” said his spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh when asked for clarification. Pritzker also disclosed that he owns a Rivian. * More from the governor…
…Adding… A few more business-related stories from Isabel…
* Inside Indiana | Ameristar Casino owner plans new casino in Illinois: Las Vegas-based Penn Entertainment Inc., the parent of two Indiana casinos, has broken ground on a $360 million casino in Aurora, Illinois. The new Hollywood Casino Aurora will be located about 60 miles from Penn’s Ameristar Casino in East Chicago. Penn currently operates Hollywood Casino Aurora at on the Fox River in downtown Aurora. The move inland is the result of a law passed in 2019 allowing for riverboat casinos to move on land. * Bloomberg | Citadel and its peers are piling into the same trades. Regulators are taking notice.: Multimanager funds like Griffin’s Citadel have come to dominate the hedge fund industry, riding a steady run of outperformance to oversee more than $1 trillion, including a healthy dose of leverage. But the explosive growth has led the industry giants to pile into many of the same trades. That has built unease among regulators, investors and traders over these so-called pod shops. And while Citadel’s billionaire founder has vocally opposed any notion that his firm and rivals pose systemic risks and need more regulation, even he acknowledges that crowded trades could lead to widespread losses if all of them head for the exits at once.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another update to today’s edition
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
State pulls plug on Brighton Park migrant camp
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
…Adding… The mayor responds, but the city actually chose the site…
…Adding… Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
…Adding… NBC 5 has the mayor’s comments…
…Adding… City points finger at state…
…Adding… Right back atcha…
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** Population of asylum-seekers at police stations continues dramatic decline
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Block Club Chicago…
That’s also down from the 877 the city reported Friday. Progress is being made. More from the story…
More…
There’s some complaining in the story about the disruptions caused by moving people out of police stations, but it simply has to be done. And it’s not like their lives were stable at the stations, or during their journeys here. * This is an idea that I’ve pushed here before. Give them something to do…
It’s good for the community and it’s good for them, in many ways. *** UPDATE *** Background is here if you need it. From Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…
* From Isabel…
* Sun-Times | Suit to stop Brighton Park migrant tent site dismissed, for now: However, Judge David Atkins ordered the city to alert the plaintiffs — a group of Southwest Side residents — if construction resumes and said the motion could be reintroduced then. “That’s the appropriate remedy here since there is no construction going on at this time,” said the circuit court judge. * Block Club | Brighton Park Tent Encampment Construction On Hold For At Least A Week, City Lawyer Says: Atkins also denied the city’s effort to dismiss the lawsuit Monday. Attorneys have until the early next week to file a formal motion to dismiss, but Atkins said it’s unlikely he would rule on that until January because the court won’t be in session much during the holiday schedule. * Center Square | Pritzker says feds must ditch work fees for migrants: Gov. J.B. Pritzker said on Monday that he is working to remove the costs. “Every time I see White House personnel or the President, I have raised this issue and others related to the asylum seekers coming to Chicago,” Pritzker said. “This waiver of those fees is very, very important.” * Tribune | State drafted, but never sent to Texas, flyer aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to Chicago: The aborted flyer, drafts of which the Tribune obtained through an open-records request, also highlights the simmering tensions between Democratic-run Illinois and Chicago and President Joe Biden’s White House over the migrant crisis, with state officials saying they were encouraged to create the document by the federal government. * NBC Chicago | New migrant shelter in Portage Park to house up to 350 people: The new location, part of an initiative from faith groups to help provide housing for migrants as the winter season draws near, was selected after negations between the City of Chicago and the Archdiocese of Chicago, the release said. According to Cruz, the shelter plans to host migrants as early as mid-January of 2024. The Department of Family and Support Services staff are expected to manage the shelter’s operations while accommodating between 300-350 people, the release said.
|
|
Question of the day: 2023 Golden Horseshoe Awards
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Democrat Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Lacey Stauffer, Sen. Cristina Castro’s LA who even received a nomination from Sen. Steve Stadelman…
A handful of Senate Democrats nominated their own LAs for the award. Sen. Doris Turner nominated Thera Bond, who is our runner-up. Sen. Robert Peters nominated his LA Trisha Rebbe and she’s our honorable mention. Sen. Castro nominated Ms. Stauffer, as did a whole lot of others. This was not an easy decision. * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Republican Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Barb Frobish at Sen. Sally Turner’s office…
Becky Gillam with Sen. Don DeWitte is our runner-up. * On to today’s categories…
Best House Republican Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager I know it’s not always easy, but please try hard to nominate in both categories. Thanks. Also, make sure to explain your nominations or they won’t count. * As I write this, we are up to $40,642 in donations of our $48,007 target to give Christmas presents to foster kids. Thanks to everyone for their help so far, but we still have more to do. Please click here and contribute.. Thanks!
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Open thread
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * How are y’all doing today? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
|
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Yesterday was the deadline to submit petitions for the March primary. Tribune…
-U.S. Reps. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Chicago, Sean Casten of Downers Grove, Mike Quigley of Chicago, Jan Schakowsky of Evanston and Bill Foster of Naperville face primary opposition. - Three Democrats will be competing to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost. * Related stories… ∙ SJ-R: On the final day of filings, candidates line up to challenge incumbents Coffey, Scherer ∙ Daily Herald: Two more contested Illinois House primaries appear as filing period closes ∙ Vandalia Radio: Matt Hall files to run for State Representative in the 110th District, will face Blaine Wilhour in the March Primary * Isabel’s top picks… * Tribune | Over vocal opposition, Manteno board clears way for $2 billion Chinese-owned EV battery plant: “We’re upset. We’re mad. We feel that they’re being very un-American. They’re all about themselves,” Rolniak said of the Village Board. “It should be about we the people. And it wasn’t about we the people. It was about their agenda.” * Tribune | State drafted, but never sent to Texas, flyer aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to Chicago: As Illinois and Chicago officials this fall were planning how to ease the strain on the city’s overburdened migrant shelter system, members of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration crafted a Spanish-language flyer aimed at discouraging asylum-seekers at the southern border from coming north by painting a bleaker picture of the weather and support available here. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* Sun-Times | Why Burger King did not hire Ed Burke’s law firm, despite alleged pressure from the powerful politician: Jurors heard from Wachaa as prosecutors returned to evidence revolving around the Burger King near 41st and Pulaski. Burke is accused of trying to shake business for his private law firm out of Dhanani’s company as it sought to remodel the restaurant. The jury also wound up hearing from a longtime employee of Burke’s firm, who explained how a process meant to shield Burke from conflicts of interest apparently failed to do so in 2018. * LSR | New Illinois Sports Betting High Helps Record-Breaking September In US: The recently released state report from the Illinois Gaming Board shows bettors staked $1.078 billion in September, the most in Illinois sports betting history. September marked the sixth time monthly handle eclipsed the $1 billion mark and bested the previous high-water mark set in January 2023 at $1.070 billion. * WMBD | Governor JB Pritzker comes to Peoria to celebrate the Bob Michel Bridge completion: Once completed, the updated bridge will feature a 14-foot wide multi-use path with a concrete barrier separating the pedestrian path from the roadway, new traffic signals, fresh pavement, and a new deck. * IPM | Illinois has created a Rural Education Advisory Council. Teachers don’t have to be on it: Joe Brewer, a teacher at Cuba High School in western Illinois, is worried that teachers’ concerns won’t be represented on the new council. By law, the council must include five superintendents, one principal, and one student. There is no legal requirement for the council to include teachers. * WICS | Illinois State Rep. John Egofske announce resignation: Illinois State Representative John Egofske has announced he is stepping down as State Representative of the 82nd District effective December 8. Egofske announced last month that he would not seek election to the House, after having been appointed in February to the longtime seat held by former House Republican Leader Jim Durkin. * Capitol News Illinois | What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban: At the end of November, with four weeks before the deadline, nearly 4,900 individuals had filed disclosures with ISP. Owners of now-banned firearms, accessories and ammunition face criminal penalties if they fail to file that disclosure paperwork. * Sun-Times | CPD urged to relax restrictions on vehicle chases: Anthony Driver, president of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, joined the chairman of the City Council’s Police Committee in sounding the alarm about restrictions so severe, they have contributed heavily to an alarming citywide surge in robberies. * Sun-Times | ‘The 4-years-fallacy’: CPS students struggle to graduate college in under 6 years, UChicago study says: Just 30% of CPS graduates from the class of 2014 who immediately went on to so-called “four-year” universities graduated in four years. The six-year graduation rate was over 20 percentage points higher at 51%. * BGA | BGA Notifies Johnson Administration of Possible Open Meetings Act Violations: In recent weeks, members of the public–including representatives of the Better Government Association–have been denied access to the second floor of the city council chambers and directed by security to observe council proceedings from the third-floor gallery instead. These denials mark a change of policy, negatively affect access to meetings of this public body, and are an inequitable and likely illegal departure from past practice. * Crain’s | Progressive ally of Johnson stands by scathing comments against him: Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, who’s known Johnson for decades and was elected by the same movement of unions and political organizations, responded “absolutely not” on Monday when asked if she regrets any of the comments or airing them in public. * WBEZ | Chicago Public Media CEO Matt Moog stepping down: The departure of Matt Moog, Chicago Public Media’s chief executive officer, came as unions representing WBEZ and the Sun-Times disclosed to their membership “hostile work environment” allegations against what leaders in one of the labor groups characterized as a “Chicago Public Media executive.” * NBC | Small Illinois town comes together to save supermarket: After the owner of the only grocery store in Sheffield, Illinois decided to retire, the town got creative to keep the vital community resource open. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa shares how they raised the funds to save the store and their access to fresh foods. * Block Club | NASCAR Chicago Street Race Tickets On Sale This Week, New Options Added For 2024: Next summer’s races run July 6-7, and they will be done with a shortened course, according to a NASCAR news release. Children younger than 12 can get in free July 6, and general admission tickets will be $45 July 7. Otherwise, single-day tickets start at $150, two-day tickets start at $269, GA+ tickets are $398 and two-day reserved tickets start at $465, according to NASCAR.
|
|
Live coverage
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Live coverage is back, sorta. This will be different than the old Scribble Live feed because Twitter broke itself and almost everything else it touched. These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of posting lagtime, but it’s much better than nothing. We are also limited to just 20 Twitter sources. The service may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees about this. You can still click here or here to follow breaking news the way we’ve done since Twitter stopped Scribble Live from working…
Comments Off |
|
Live Ed Burke Trial Coverage
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of a lagtime and you have to refresh the page every now and then. The service we’re using may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees. You can still click here to follow the Ed Burke trial on Twitter. Posts without a Twitter author name below them are from online news sources via Bing…
Comments Off |
| « NEWER POSTS | PREVIOUS POSTS » |
