Afternoon roundup
Monday, Jun 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Some folks went a bit kooky after the April COGFA report. May’s report has better news…
General Funds revenues bounced back nicely from April’s $1.8 billion decline with growth of $677 million in May, as compared to the same month the year prior. The May increases were experienced across the board, with the most significant growth coming from the Personal Income Tax and Federal Sources. Part of the reason for last month’s extensive declines was due to April having one less receipting day in FY 2023. This “lost” day was effectively made up in May, as the extra receipting day helped bolster this month’s revenue totals.
Personal Income Tax revenues recouped a segment of its significant April losses (associated with comparatively weaker final tax payments) with growth of $367 million in May. When removing the non-general fund distributions to the Refund Fund and the Local Government Distributive Fund, the net increase was $311 million. In addition, revenue from Federal Sources, which have trailed last year’s pace throughout much of the year, rose $252 million in May helping to alleviate some of the sting from last month’s declines. […]
Year to Date
When incorporating May’s revenue gains into the FY 2023 accrued total, General Funds base revenues are now ahead of last year’s pace by $484 million with one month remaining in the fiscal year. When including the revenue gains from ARPA reimbursement funds, the overall growth for the fiscal year improves to $809 million. While this year-to-date growth figure is well below the $2.5 billion high-water mark at the end of February, it is a noticeable improvement over the meager $132 million in growth that resulted after March and April’s sizeable declines
* Gov. Pritzker spoke today about the state’s MAP grant spending…
When I came in, we had about $400 million dedicated to college scholarships, MAP grants. Today it’s $750 million.
* Press release…
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined hospital leaders and the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) to unveil the four-year reportof the Chicago HEAL Initiative. Launched in 2018 by Senator Durbin and 10 of the largest hospitals serving Chicago, the HEAL Initiative is a collaboration to address the root causes of gun violence through economic, health, and community projects in 18 of Chicago’s neighborhoods with the highest rates of violence, poverty, and health disparities. Today’s report highlights significant progress made by the hospitals in local hiring, job training and mentorship, and trauma-informed care and youth mental health activities. As part of today’s report, Durbin also announced $6.25 million in new federal funding to support these hospital-led efforts to break the cycle of violence through community programs. […]
Among other highlights, last year the ten hospitals:
• Hired 5,390 new employees from the 18 focus neighborhoods.
• Provided 3,639 students with summer job, pipeline, or apprenticeship programs.
• Operated 24 school-based health clinics and mobile health units that served 11,277 students.
• Served 17,623 individuals with violence recovery programs, including 3,028 victims with ongoing trauma-informed case management services.
* Tribune…
Across the country, marshes, swamps and bogs quietly soak up flood water and filter pollutants. Ecologists agree they are one of the best natural defenses against climate change.
But after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, more than half of the country’s 118 million acres of wetlands, according to estimates from the environmental firm Earthjustice, will effectively no longer have federal protection from developers and polluters.
Illinois, which has lost 90% of its wetlands since 1818, is among the more vulnerable states with no state-level protections for wetlands on private property. Those on public land are still protected.
In a startling precedent for environmental law, experts say, the decision in Sackett v. EPA upends more than 50 years of legal protections by limiting the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act to wetlands visibly connected to major waterways. […]
The Illinois Environmental Council is calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to issue an executive order protecting as many wetlands as possible until the General Assembly can consider new legislation when it reconvenes in January.
Developers and farmers have applauded the decision. But there is now a push on to provide some state protections and Gov. Pritzker was asked today about taking some sort of executive action…
There’s nothing currently on the table to do that. But understand what the issue is. It’s something that a lot of communities, a lot of, particularly rural communities are very concerned about. So, you know, we’ll continue to look at it and our EPA is looking at it.
Not sure what sort of executive order he could even issue.
* The Sun-Times has an explainer on those sweepstakes machines which are at the heart of the Jimmy Weiss trial. Excerpt…
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign staff made supportive comments about video gambling before his election this year, calling it “an important revenue source for critical investments in public safety, transportation, housing and other public accommodations.”
So [Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove] said he’d prefer sweepstakes machines become part of a “larger conversation about whether Chicago is going to opt in to our video gaming regime.”
Meanwhile, Fernandez told the Sun-Times that traditional video gaming devices are “much more attractive” than sweepstakes machines. The technology, he said, rivals that found in a traditional casino.
And, he said, “if there were a market where video gaming were allowed, [sweepstakes] would not survive.”
The city has left countless millions on the table while allowing an untaxed gray market to flourish. Ridic.
* Speaking of video gaming, a Cook County judge granted a rare temporary restraining order against the Illinois Gaming Board because the board can’t seem to do its job in a timely manner...
Lucky Lincoln has been a licensed video gaming terminal operator under the Illinois Video Gaming Act since 2014. On December 14, 2017, the Board filed its first complaint for disciplinary action against Lucky Lincoln (DC-V-17-226). It filed a second complaint on December 17, 2019 (DC-V-19-094). A consolidated hearing on those complaints just began on May 22, 2023, nearly five years after the first complaint.
On May 12, 2023, the Board filed a third complaint for disciplinary action against Lucky Lincoln (DC-V-23-161). The complaint attaches a “Notice of Limited Summary Suspension” issued by the Administrator
* Press release…
Today job seekers from across northern Illinois will participate in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services’ (DCFS) inaugural “On-the-Spot Hiring” event, which connects service-driven professionals with employment opportunities in essential areas of the state’s child welfare system.
Thanks to a collaborative effort between Governor JB Pritzker, DCFS and the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS), attendees interested in pursuing careers as child welfare specialists, child protection specialists, child welfare trainees and child protection trainees will be able to meet one-on-one with DCFS recruiters to learn more about the agency and the critical roles it is seeking to fill. Qualified candidates who have bachelor’s or master’s degrees in related human service, education, criminal justice, criminal justice administration or law enforcement may leave the recruiting event with conditional offers of employment. The expedited hiring process used at today’s event is a milestone for DCFS, reducing the turnaround time traditionally needed to make an employment offer by 80 percent helping the agency to fill vital public service roles without undue delay.
* Dilla was in Springfield?…
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Sun-Times | What are sweepstakes machines? The gambling devices at the center of the latest public corruption trial: Businessman James T. Weiss is accused of paying $32,500 in bribes to then-state Rep. Luis Arroyo between November 2018 and October 2019 to promote and vote for legislation related to sweepstakes machines in the Illinois General Assembly. […] Federal prosecutors charged Arroyo with bribery in October 2019, and a grand jury indicted Arroyo and Weiss one year later, in October 2020. Arroyo pleaded guilty and is already serving a 57-month prison sentence. Weiss is set for trial Monday.
* Tribune | Second jobs for Chicago aldermen would be restricted or even banned under proposed ordinance: Talk of barring outside employment has been floated repeatedly but never gained traction. Members of council instead passed ordinances chipping away at potential conflicts or slightly tightening ethics restrictions. The most recent reforms, passed under ex-Mayor Lori Lightfoot in the wake of a federal corruption sweep, barred aldermen from working for a client if the representation “may result in an adverse effect on city revenue or finances, or affect the relative tax burden or health, safety, or welfare of any city residents.”
* Center Square | Illinois Supreme Court accepts challenge to downstate public safety pension consolidation: The law consolidating about 650 first responder pensions outside of Chicago was enacted in 2019 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. All existing funds were pooled together into two separate funds, one for police and one for firefighters. Each local fund retained a separate account managing operation and the financial condition of each participating pension fund with the power to adjudicate and award retirement and other benefits from the funds.
* Crain’s | Illinois EPA awards $12.6M to build initial wave of EV chargers: Illinois currently has 1,156 public EV-charging stations with 2,896 charging ports, according to federal data. That’s up from 900 charging stations about 18 months ago but nowhere near the 40,000 ports that experts estimate will be needed to support the 1 million EVs that Gov. J.B. Pritzker envisions on the state’s roads by the end of the decade.
* Patch | Those Long Skirts In Hinsdale? Now You Know Why: The series, “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets,” revealed allegations of inappropriate activity at the headquarters of the Institute in Basic Life Principles. It was at Ogden Avenue and Adams Street in Hinsdale for decades. The documentary was released Friday on Amazon Prime.
* Sun-Times | Johnson to Chicago police graduates: ‘I will have your back’: “Know as your mayor, as your brother, I’m here to build the type of coalition that generations to come will marvel because this will be the generation that stared into the eyes of the divisive nature that’s been created by political forces that do not want the city of Chicago to succeed. But this is the freakin’ city of Chicago. The best city in the world and no one — no one — will come before us,” Johnson told the graduates in the grand ballroom at Navy Pier.
* WGLT | Sen. Bennett liked some things in the new state budget, but said it was not transparent: Bennett said the 3,000-page budget was rushed through before lawmakers could see everything that was in it. “We’re still trying to work through what’s all in there,” Bennett said. “That whole lack of transparency, I would think, would really concern every person in the state of Illinois.”
* Sun-Times | Vendors forced out of Little Village Discount Mall have mixed success beyond it: She hopes she’ll be able to return to the open half of the mall, but many vendors have moved on and opened conventional storefronts or turned to other malls. Others hope that those locations are just temporary stops along the way to the group opening up a new mall of their own on the Southwest Side. The space those vendors have in mind is a former Kmart at 51st Street and Kedzie Avenue in Gage Park. The owner, they say, is fixing up the space. In April, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), who has supported the vendors throughout their exodus, announced the city had verbally agreed to help by covering the initial cost of rent.
* Center Square | Illinois Bacon Day will be celebrated every May 3: The idea came from state Sen. Tom Bennett, R-Gibson City, who wants to highlight the contribution that Illinois pork producers make to the state’s economy. Illinois pork farmers provide over 6 billion slices of Illinois-raised bacon every year, Bennett said in a statement.
* Crain’s | The maker of Nutella leans on its presence here to grow Kinder Chocolate in the U.S.: Ferrero is already selling its Kinder Joy, Kinder Bueno and Kinder Seasonal lines in the US, and it plans to release Kinder Chocolate in August, according to Bertrac. That will help boost a brand that already racks up $7 billion in sales around the world every year. To support the company’s US growth, Ferrero is expanding its manufacturing facility in Bloomington and it’s also opening a new innovation center in the Loop.
* NPR | An Anti-Vaccine Film Targeted To Black Americans Spreads False Information: When a filmmaker asked medical historian Naomi Rogers to appear in a new documentary, the Yale professor didn’t blink. She had done these “talking head” interviews many times before. […] “I was naive, certainly, in assuming that this was actually a documentary, which I would say it is not. I think that it is an advocacy piece for anti-vaxxers,” Rogers says. “I’m still very angry. I feel that I was used.”
* Tribune | Google users to get about $95 each in Illinois biometric privacy settlement: The Google settlement is one of a number of high-profile settlements in recent years over alleged violations of Illinois’ strict biometric privacy law; other companies that have been caught in the law’s crosshairs include Facebook and Snapchat parent Snap Inc. The law prohibits companies from collecting or saving biometric information without prior consent.
* Sun-Times | Haters can keep hating. Chicago tourists are back: Chicagoans will concede there are much more serious threats to our safety. Yet, in spite of its very real flaws — dog-whistling politicians aside, the rampant gun violence is undeniable — and the babbling naysayers, there’s no denying it. People love the Windy City.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Since 2018, Uber and Arizona State University have provided 5000 qualified drivers and their families with 100% tuition coverage.
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* The Triibe…
A Marshall Project analysis found that from 2010 to 2022, the police made more than 38,000 arrests for illegal gun possession. These arrests — almost always a felony — doubled during this timeframe. While illegal possession is the most serious offense in most of the cases we analyzed, the charges often bear misleading names that imply violence, like “aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.”
Recent research shows that most people convicted in Illinois for felony gun possession don’t go on to commit a violent crime, and the majority of those sentenced to prison for gun possession don’t have past convictions for violence. Instead, people who already committed violent crimes are more likely to do so again.The racial disparities in this enforcement are glaring. Although Black people comprise less than a third of the city’s population, they were more than 8 in 10 of those arrested for unlawful possession in the timeframe we reviewed. The number of Black people arrested could fill every seat at a Chicago Bulls game and then some; the majority are men in their 20s and 30s.
The consequences of these arrests are long-lasting. If convicted, people face a year or more in prison, depending on the charges. Even without time behind bars, those we interviewed faced damning criminal records, time on probation, job loss, legal fees and car impoundments.
Officials justify the focus on confiscating guns — even if they are not being fired at anybody — as a way of curtailing violence. But these tactics have not substantially reduced shootings in Chicago. In fact, as possession arrests skyrocketed, shootings increased, but the percentage of shooting victims where someone was arrested in their case declined.
The research report is here. It found that 72 percent of firearm convictions were for possession offenses. And just 7 percent of defendants were arrested for a violent crime involving a firearm after release from prison for firearm possession.
* Tribune…
With some Republican support, Illinois lawmakers approved a measure to expand and indefinitely extend a probation program for first-time offenders charged with illegally possessing a gun.
A pilot program the Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed six years ago was limited to defendants under 21 with no prior convictions for violent crimes and was set to end in January. Under the new legislation, the age limit would be dropped, the probationary period would be shortened and the program would continue indefinitely.
“It’s one thing to have someone who’s 18 years old being caught with a firearm versus somebody who’s 55 or 60 years old, and so it just gives the judge and the prosecutor that discretion to figure out what program works best for them,” freshman Democratic state Rep. Kevin Olickal of Skokie, the main House sponsor of the legislation, said in an interview.
While the legislation is the latest example of the Democratic supermajority’s progressive stance on criminal justice, it attracted Republican support in part because of fears that the state’s strict gun laws, including a ban on many high-powered weapons, which is now tied up in court, could ensnare otherwise law-abiding citizens. […]
“This bill provides our state’s attorneys the opportunity to demonstrate leniency when the situation calls for it,” [Sen. Seth Lewis, R-Bartlett] said. […]
During the Senate floor debate, state Sen. Ram Villivalam, the bill’s main sponsor in the chamber, cited support from the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association.
The bill passed the House 98-6 and cleared the Senate 37-16. Witness slips are here.
* Related…
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It’s almost a law
Monday, Jun 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Chicago Tribune…
With some Republican support, Illinois lawmakers approved a measure to expand and indefinitely extend a probation program for first-time offenders charged with illegally possessing a gun.
A pilot program the Democratic-controlled General Assembly passed six years ago was limited to defendants under 21 with no prior convictions for violent crimes and was set to end in January. Under the new legislation, the age limit would be dropped, the probationary period would be shortened and the program would continue indefinitely. […]
While the legislation is the latest example of the Democratic supermajority’s progressive stance on criminal justice, it attracted Republican support in part because of fears that the state’s strict gun laws, including a ban on many high-powered weapons, which is now tied up in court, could ensnare otherwise law-abiding citizens.
There was no debate over the bill on the House floor when it was called during the early morning hours of May 27, moments after lawmakers voted to pass a $50.6 billion budget. The bill breezed through the House 98-6, with a number of Republicans voting yes. It was a tougher sell in the Senate two days earlier, passing 37-16 with just three Republicans siding with Democrats. […]
Under the legislation, which has to be signed by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker before taking effect, the probationary program would last anywhere from six months to two years, instead of the current 18 months to two years.
* Crain’s Katherine Davis talks about new regulations put in place around the health insurance industry…
* WTVO…
With a rash of carjackings plaguing the state, the Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill requiring car manufacturers to establish a 24-hour hotline to allow police to track stolen cars.
House Bill 2245 was created in conjunction with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. […]
With certain Kia and Hyundai models the most at risk, Illinois has seen a 767% increase in vehicle thefts over the last year.
“Virtually every car from 2015 on has tracking capacity,” Dart said. The hotline would give deputies the ability to get tracking data on stolen cars in real-time, enabling officers to find a stolen car within 15 minutes.
* Daily Herald…
In the waning days of the legislative session, state lawmakers approved a resolution that lets the Illinois Department of Transportation pursue a public-private partnership to create express toll lanes from I-355 near Bolingbrook to the Dan Ryan Expressway.
It originates from an IDOT study during Gov. Bruce Rauner’s tenure that concluded toll lanes with dynamic pricing were the best alternative to fix traffic jams on the corridor. […]
Community and environmental activists warn it would drastically increase emissions from vehicles in neighborhoods near I-55, such as Little Village, which already has high air pollution and asthma levels. […]
The ultimate decision, however, is up to IDOT and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Neither gave a definitive thumbs-up.
“The governor looks forward to reviewing the proposal,” Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said.
IDOT “is not pursuing these plans at this time and will be reviewing and evaluating next steps,” spokeswoman Maria Castaneda noted.
* Sun-Times…
Cook County’s property tax system is confusing enough when people pay on time, but when they don’t, there’s a whole new level of bewilderment.
Properties with back taxes go into a knot of tax sales in which investors pay what’s due and then try — or maybe not — to collect the back taxes with interest from the owner. It’s a system for collecting tax revenue owed to local governments, but research has shown it doesn’t do a good job. Nor does it help with what should be a secondary goal of getting problem homes into responsible hands so they are no longer a blight. […]
A bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly in May would help community renewal by allowing local governments and agencies they work with, such as the land bank, to file tax liens earlier in the redemption process, Robinson said.
The measure, headed to the governor for final action, would allow counties to act on abandoned or vacant properties after just one failed tax sale. Currently, the land bank has to wait until properties have years’ worth of back taxes and wind up in what’s called the scavenger sale, held every two years.
Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, who chairs the land bank, said homes typically sit vacant for seven to 10 years before her agency can get control. She hopes the legislation, if it becomes law, can cut that time in half.
* WTVO…
A bill on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s desk seeks to stop price gouging on generic drugs.
It would allow the attorney general’s office to take legal action if a manufacturer bumps prices by more than 30% in a year. The same goes for 50% spikes over a three-year period and 75% increases over five years.
It would take effect January 1 if signed. The measure does exempt companies if production costs force price increases. […]
“We’re still not completely addressing one of the biggest aspects of the influence of the increase of drug prices, and that’s the claims and pricing setting that pharmacy benefit managers have in this space,” said Garth Reynolds of the Illinois Pharmacists Association.
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Question of the day
Monday, Jun 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. The Daily Herald’s Jim O’Donnell…
When Bears President Kevin Warren met Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli to discuss the possibility of a new Bears stadium in the giant west suburb, the password was “leverage.”
That’s a commodity the McMunchkins don’t have as they step up their campaign to strong-arm northwest suburban governmental entities impacted by any new development at Arlington Park.
The Bears want an array of “tax certainties” and other gift-wrapped concessions before ownership commits to building on approximately one-third of the 326 acres that housed Arlington Park.
From the side of a $5 billion sports entertainment company in which annual franchise profits are goof-proof, that’s a marvelous “ask.”
From the side of direct-hit communities including Arlington Heights, Palatine and Rolling Meadows, that “ask” has steadily edged toward dismissibly imperious nonsense.
A “nonstarter,” as Warren might say.
* Greg Hinz at Crain’s…
Initial reaction to Friday’s news generally was along the lines that the Bears are bluffing, using Naperville to pull a better property tax deal out of officials in Arlington Heights.
That indeed may be the case. But one key figure in this drama says he’s convinced the team’s threat is real.
“This is no bluff. They’re serious,” says state Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Chicago, who is the chief sponsor of a pending bill in Springfield to slash the Bears’ property tax on the Arlington track land. The bill would also provide some cash to neighboring towns and to the Chicago Park District to pay part of the debt on the team’s current home, Soldier Field.
“The team has a product and they’re just trying to get the best deal possible,” said Moylan. “But some people have delusions of grandeur,” he added, making it clear that “some people” doesn’t refer to the team but, rather, local school officials pushing to have the team pay more taxes than it prefers.
* The Question: Bluff or no bluff and does it really matter either way? Explain.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
An often bitter, loud and racially divisive debate played out before, during and after last week’s Chicago City Council meeting where members voted to pass a temporary funding package to shelter asylum-seekers.
The debate pitted mostly older Black alderpersons and moderate-to-conservative whites against Latinos and progressives of all stripes. Much of the division also fell along many of the same council battle lines drawn during the recent campaign between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Paul Vallas.
I asked Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch how his own Democratic members avoided being dragged into the same sort of public dispute over how to deal with an even bigger issue: finding cost-saving solutions to the massive $1.1 billion projected cost growth for undocumented immigrant health care services.
Welch explained his members were able to work things out behind closed doors during private caucus meetings.
“I think caucuses are very helpful,” Welch said. “We caucus a lot.”
He added that caucus meetings “give people a safe space to have conversations.”
And while members probably wished the internal debate on the health care issue had happened sooner, Welch said, “I did think it was important that we had that conversation as a caucus, before you take it to the floor. If you had that conversation on the floor first, it can become kind of chaotic and out of control.
“You have to give people spaces to share their voice. And that’s one of the things that I pride myself on, and I think we’ve had difficult conversations this session. We’re going to continue to have difficult conversations.
“When you’re dealing with a diverse group of people, you’re going to have a diverse group of thought. You’ve got to do that in a civil and respectful way. Many times I will stand up in caucus and tell them we’re gonna have a pretty serious discussion today, and I just ask that we do it in a civil and respectful way, and the caucus abides by that. And that’s all I ask.
“And so you can’t duck and dodge issues. You have to hit them head on. And I think we did that several times this session.”
Members of the legislature can hammer things out behind closed doors ahead of public debates because the General Assembly has long exempted itself from the Illinois Open Meetings Act. So, even if large factions of City Council members wanted to caucus together ahead of meetings, they can’t by law.
State law states no meeting can be held if it’s attended by “a majority of a quorum of the members of a public body.” The City Council’s quorum is 26 of its 50 members. Therefore, only groups of 13 or fewer can meet together in private.
The Illinois House Democrats have 78 of 118 members, but they’re exempt, so they’re all allowed to meet. I’ll leave the judgment of whether that’s good or bad to others, but it was clearly an advantage for Welch’s caucus on the health care issue.
Also, Johnson had broad support among Welch’s membership during the recent campaign while Vallas’ backing was in noticeably short supply. So there wasn’t as much of a built-in conflict going into the House debate as there was on the City Council.
And partisanship can often bind legislators together in times of strife (as it clearly did here), which can’t happen as easily on the officially non-partisan City Council.
Speaking of caucus meetings, I asked Welch if his meetings had improved since state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, was banned from attending them. Members had complained she disrupted debates, spoke at length on topics to the point where the caucus meetings endlessly dragged on, and personally insulted members and staff.
“Every single caucus meeting after I made the decision, and I stand by that decision, I think those caucuses were full of healthy discussion,” Welch said. “People were open and honest about their opinions on various topics. And I was proud of our caucus and how we carried ourselves this session. I thought those caucus meetings became a lot more productive after I made the decision, and I’m looking forward to seeing that continue to get better.”
Asked if he’d received much internal blowback for his decision, Welch said, “I haven’t seen any blowback.” Welch replaced Flowers on his leadership team late last week with state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet.
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* This is a long post, but it’s important, so stay with me. From WBEZ in 2021…
The Chicago Park District is conducting a “broad investigation” into complaints that dozens of workers at the city’s pools and beaches regularly committed “sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, workplace violence, and other criminal acts” – sometimes against minors.
Confidential reports obtained recently by WBEZ show investigators with the park district inspector general’s office have already gathered evidence corroborating accusations against at least three male lifeguards for sexual assault, harassment or retaliatory threats against their subordinates – including one incident involving the sexual assault and attempted rape of a 16-year-old girl. The park district’s watchdog says its investigation is “wide-ranging, comprehensive and robust,” with more reports to come.
The probe began in March 2020, after the park district’s top official and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office received separate complaints from two former female lifeguards. Each of them alleged serious misconduct by “dozens of Chicago Park District employees in the Aquatics Department,” the documents show.
One of the two whistleblowers – who told the mayor’s office she had been sexually assaulted by a “more senior” employee when she was 17 – alleged “a huge incidence of sexual violence within the Park District” and said she believed there was “little support” from parks officials for those who report problems.
Last month, investigators with the inspector general’s office reported to the park district’s board and two of its top officials that one veteran lifeguard likely “committed criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse” in 2018, when he forced the 16-year-old female lifeguard to perform a sex act on him, according to the documents obtained by WBEZ.
* Not long after that story appeared, a Park District official appeared before the Chicago city council…
* Sun-Times in 2022…
The Chicago Park District on Tuesday fired three top executives — and apologized to female lifeguards for dropping the ball on their complaints of sexual harassment and abuse — after a blistering report that exposed a frat-house culture tolerated for decades.
Fired were: Alonzo Williams, chief program officer; Adam Bueling, manager of beaches and pools; and Eric Fischer, assistant director of recreation. All join their former boss, ousted Supt. Mike Kelly, on the unemployment line. […]
The Sun-Times reported in August that, in February 2020, an Oak Street Beach lifeguard sent 11 pages of allegations to Kelly about lifeguards’ conduct during the summer of 2019.
She said she’d been pushed into a wall, called sexually degrading and profane names by fellow lifeguards and abandoned for hours at her post for refusing to take part in their drinking parties and on-the-job drug use. […]
It says the now-former superintendent first was notified of the woman’s allegation by her parents in an email sent to him on Aug. 30, 2019. Kelly forwarded the email to Williams and said, “Take a look and let’s discuss.”
The law firm of Arnold & Porter found no evidence either Williams or Kelly did anything to follow up on the parental complaint. Nor did they report the allegations to the inspector general or the Department of Human Resources, as park district rules require.
The young woman followed up on Feb. 7, 2020, sending to Kelly and separately to Fischer details of heartbreaking abuse she had suffered at work.
Still, Kelly did not report the allegations to the inspector general or to Human Resources, instead giving Williams and Fischer yet another crack at investigating the young woman’s complaints.
So, Alonzo Williams was allegedly given the opportunity to investigate a young woman’s horrific complaints and nothing was apparently done. The full investigative report is here…
We found sufficient evidence that Mr. Williams violated the CPD’s Policy on Sexual Harassment by not reporting Complainant One’s allegations to HR within five days of receiving them, and he violated CPD’s Violence in the Workplace Policy by not immediately reporting potentially dangerous situations.
Young women were forced to recite a “fight song” every morning or faced retaliation. I’m not gonna post the “lyrics,” but click here and go to page 13.
* Tribune today…
Four aldermen have paid more than $48,000 out of their taxpayer-funded expense accounts to a consulting firm run by a former top Chicago Park District official who was asked to resign for his involvement in the Park District’s sexual abuse lifeguard scandal and placed on a do-not-rehire list.
Payments to a firm owned and operated by Alonzo Williams, the Park District’s former chief programs officer, began less than five months after Williams’ resignation in late 2021 after he was repeatedly cited in an independent investigation as among several Park District executives who mishandled allegations of sexual harassment and abuse in the lifeguard program.
Williams was paid as an independent contractor for various consulting jobs by four City Council members: former Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, and current Aldermen Michelle Harris, 8th, David Moore, 17th, and Jason Ervin, 28th. Three of the four defended paying Williams with city funds even though he was asked to resign and banned from working for the Park District again. […]
In Williams’ case, the independent report found he violated the Park District’s sexual harassment and workplace violence policies by failing to report to the district’s human resources department allegations made by a former Oak Street Beach female lifeguard and her family that she was subjected to sexual harassment, assault, hazing, bullying and retaliation.
The same day the report was released in November 2021, Williams resigned at the request of Park District CEO Rosa Escareño. But two months later, records show, Williams launched 8028 Consultants LLC, and just two months after that he received his first payment from Moore. Records show Williams was briefly employed in Moore’s ward office before he switched to being an independent contractor.
And then by two months later, Williams was being paid by Alds. Sawyer, Harris and Ervin. He also didn’t file financial interest statements as required by law, according to the Tribune.
* Yep…
Also, former Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback.
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Open thread
Monday, Jun 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* I hope you all had a relaxing weekend. What’s going on?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Jun 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* USA Today | How one quiet Illinois college town became the symbol of abortion rights in America: Similar scenes play out each day five miles away, a short drive past the city’s Amtrak station, downtown shops and neon-lit 1950s-era Dairy Queen, on the other side of town. There, at an anodyne medical office where a vinyl sign stuck in the grass reads “Alamo Women’s Clinic,” the parking lot is often filled with out-of-state license plates – women who drive as long as 10 hours from the Deep South for an abortion.
* Crain’s | ComEd president credited with utility’s operational improvement is leaving: ComEd disclosed the news in a terse Securities & Exchange Commission filing late today. It said the company “announced” the news May 31, although there was no release on that day. A spokeswoman said that’s when the news was shared internally, leaving public disclosure for the late Friday time frame companies traditionally choose to disclose bad news.
* Sen. Jil Tracy | Todd Maisch: A man proud of where he lived: A fixture in the Statehouse during his tenure at the Chamber, Todd was well-known for helping find common ground on contentious issues. The Illinois Chamber’s Champion of Free Enterprise Award, given biennially to Senators and Representatives who demonstrated their commitment to the entrepreneurial spirit, was much prized by lawmakers. […] My husband, Jim, served on the Chamber State Board with Todd for eight years. We are both grateful to have known Todd. He was a good friend to us and to all Illinoisans.
* Daily Herald | Jim O’Donnell: Have Kevin Warren and the Bears found their golden crowbar in Naperville?: From the side of a $5 billion sports entertainment company in which annual franchise profits are goof-proof, that’s a marvelous “ask.” From the side of direct-hit communities including Arlington Heights, Palatine and Rolling Meadows, that “ask” has steadily edged toward dismissibly imperious nonsense.
* Politico | Biden looking at big re-election fundraisers for the end of June: The president’s team is in talks with Gov. JB Pritzker (D-Ill.) about holding a fundraiser later this month, according to two people familiar with the event. A fundraiser by Pritzker, a billionaire who has promised to help pay for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 2024 along with other stakeholders on the host committee and elsewhere, would be a major boost to Biden in the final days of the current campaign finance quarter. The details of the event have not been finalized and are subject to change. But one of the dates being considered is June 28.
* WCIA | Illinois may receive up to $76 million in federal grants to restore land affected by coal mines: As a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Illinois is one of 22 states and tribes eligible for parts of $725 million this fiscal year to clean up polluted lands affected by coal mines. The federal government will offer $11.3 billion in funding over 15 years to clean up across the country.
* Sun-Times | Humboldt Park residents say they reported swastika, erratic behavior of man dead after police standoff, but ‘no one was listening’: The man, who apparently took his own life inside the building in the 4100 block of West Chicago Avenue, had been the subject of more than 40 calls for service since January 2022, a CPD source tells the Sun-Times.
* WCCU | Counties across Central Illinois are seeing homeless populations rise: Executive director of Heartland Housed, Josh Sabo, says Sangamon County saw a decrease in homelessness during the pandemic, but they are now back at pre-pandemic numbers. “But through some data analysis we do anticipate that there could be around 155 additional households who experience homelessness in Sangamon County above previous years,” explained Sabo.
* Patch | South Suburban Airport ‘Ties Everything Together’, Sen. Hastings Says: “I’ve served with three different governors, and they’re going to make their mind up whether they’re going to support it or they’re not going to support it,” Hastings told Patch on Friday. “ I just hope that Governor Pritzker supports it. The south suburbs, just in terms of density, is a big area and he knows it’s growing and everyone else knows it’s growing. I think this is a great opportunity for us.”
* AP | Churchill Downs moves meet to Ellis Park to examine protocols following 12 horse deaths: Racing will continue at Churchill Downs through Sunday before shifting to the CDI-owned racing and gaming facility in Henderson, Kentucky. Ellis Park’s meet was scheduled to start July 7, four days after the scheduled close at Churchill Downs, and run through Aug. 27 but will now expand with Friday’s announcement.
* Elgin Courier-News | South Elgin student deprived of wearing Hispanic honor sash at graduation wants to ensure it doesn’t happen again: “We were in line outside of the Now Arena where the graduation was being held. One of the deans came up to me and said, ‘Hey, I need to let you know you are now allowed to wear that. I’m sorry. The district has a strict policy.’” “I was kind of taken aback because a lot of people were wearing them. They never said there was an issue with it,” Pedroza said
* Tribune | Illinois environmentalists push for state action to protect wetlands after Supreme Court ruling rolls back federal rules: In a startling precedent for environmental law, experts say, the decision in Sackett v. EPA upends more than 50 years of legal protections by limiting the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act to wetlands visibly connected to major waterways. “(The court’s rationale) is almost science fiction,” said Richard Lazarus, a law professor at Harvard University who represented environmental groups before the court.
* Tribune | 44 tickets, one excuse: Chicago cop’s go-to alibi helps highlight troubles with police accountability: Most officers face only a handful of complaints over the course of their careers. But at least 92 misconduct complaints were filed against Kriv, according to city and police disciplinary records compiled and analyzed by the Tribune and ProPublica. Even more exceptional: About 28% of complaints against Kriv were found to have merit, compared with about 4% of complaints against all Chicago police officers going back decades.
* Tribune | Faith-based groups step up to help house migrants in Chicago: More than a dozen elected representatives and faith leaders gathered at a church Friday to ask for help from faith communities across the city to respond to the crisis, which deepened Friday when the Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed a migrant died that morning at a shelter in Woodlawn. The migrant died at the former Wadsworth Elementary school building, where a temporary shelter was placed housing single individuals. Migrants told the Tribune recently they were crammed inside, sleeping close together and sharing few bathrooms.
* The Messenger | Migrants Flown into CA on Private Plane Were Carrying Florida Documents, Officials Say: After crossing the border, this group of migrants were approached by a private contractor who told them that they would be given jobs, support and help accessing a migrant center, according to Sacramento Area Congregations Together, a multi-faith social justice organization. The migrants were “dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning,” said Newsom.
* Daily Herald | Spongy moth menacing? It’s the caterpillar that ravages our trees’ leaves: What’s being done: With the ability to completely strip trees bare year after year, spongy moths have the potential to severely affect trees and forests. But since an Illinois county was quarantined first — Lake County in 2000 — two types of prevention treatments have proved successful at holding the line, or least slowing it down.
* Tribune | Advocates say Pride celebrations are even more important this year as attacks on the LGBTQ community intensify. ‘It’s terrifying.’: In contrast, Illinois is often considered an LGBTQ haven in the Midwest. While elected leaders in other parts of the country have worked to restrict LGBTQ freedoms, lawmakers recently passed several bills aimed at increasing gender inclusivity and protecting LGBTQ rights. But even here, some businesses have come under attack.
* People | Taylor Swift Kicks Off Pride Month with Speech at Chicago Concert: ‘This Is a Safe Space for You’: “There have been so many harmful pieces of legislation that have put people in the LGBTQ and queer community at risk. It’s painful for everyone, every ally, every loved one, every person in these communities, and that’s why I’m always posting, ‘This is when the midterms are, This is when these important key primaries are.’” she explained.
* Tribune | Soil salvaged during construction at Rockford’s Bell Bowl Prairie is once again sprouting rare flowers and grasses: “Already we’re seeing some very cool things,” said Forest Preserves of Winnebago County’s director of natural resources, Mike Brien, who spotted the violet wood sorrel growing in the Bell Bowl soil a few weeks ago. He said the plant hadn’t been present at the preserve before the soil transfer.
* CBS Chicago | Hadiya Pendleton’s family still pushing for end to gun violence 10 years later: This weekend there is a strong push to put an end to gun violence. That push includes a celebration for Hadiya Pendleton Saturday afternoon. Her murder rocked the nation and sparked a movement. But ten years have passed since she was caught in the crossfire crossfire of a gang shooting, and nothing has changed. People at the event pointed to the violence in Chicago one week ago during Memorial Day Weekend when 53 people were shot, but they say that won’t stop them from trying.
* Sun-Times | The Sun-Times introduces a ‘right to be forgotten’ policy: At the Sun-Times, we don’t think it’s fair for stories about arrests to follow people around forever if they were never convicted or if charges were dropped or expunged. In recognition of the unintended harm that some of our work has caused, we want to be intentional about reviewing these articles and considering whether they should remain part of the searchable internet record.
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Live coverage
Monday, Jun 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Afternoon roundup
Friday, Jun 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. Federal prosecutors have released their witness list for next week’s Jimmy Weiss trial…
*** UPDATE *** The attorney who sent me this wrote, “In 25 years of practicing law, I have never seen this before.” A minute entry today from the judge in the Weiss case, Steven C. Seeger…
During the continuation of the final pretrial conference yesterday, defense attorney Ilia Usharovich behaved in a disruptive, disrespectful, and contemptuous manner. The inappropriate conduct was on full display from the outset of the hearing, and devolved from there. Usharovich was disruptive and disrespectful - in speech, tone, content, body language, etc. - the whole time. For example, at one point, he announced that he was withdrawing, and proceeded to grab his bag and head toward the exits (before this Court directed him to stay). He suggested at one point that this Court had somehow put him under arrest. He later declared that he had just vomited in his cup, and offered to show the Court. And so on. Frankly, the display that this Court witnessed tests this Court’s ability to put the conduct into words and fully capture what transpired. For whatever reason, Usharovich was unable to control himself, and was unable to follow repeated admonishments from this Court about how to comport himself. That conduct will not be repeated. His performance was not matched by anyone else in the courtroom. The other defense attorney, Sheldon Sorosky, had no trouble behaving in an appropriate manner, and he comported himself appropriately and professionally throughout the hearing. So did counsel for the government. The Court issues this Order to remind all counsel of the importance of behaving appropriately in the courtroom at all times. Counsel must show respect to the Court, to opposing counsel, and to witnesses at all times. Counsel must not interrupt the Court, or anyone else. Counsel must maintain a respectful tone, and must avoid any belligerent speech or conduct. Counsel must not engage in any disruptive behavior. Counsel must obey orders and comply with this Court’s directives. Counsel must comply with professional standards about civility. Counsel must keep their cool. And counsel must behave like a lawyer at all times. The Court requires all counsel to comply with this Order. All counsel must file a statement on the docket by the end of the day today confirming that they have read and understood this Order. The Court expects full compliance, and expects trial to go smoothly. Everyone has a right to counsel, but no lawyer has a right to behave however they please in a courtroom. If any attorney violates this Order, or engages in any future misconduct of any kind, this Court will issue appropriate relief. That relief can include surrendering the ability to participate in the trial, and other possible remedies.
Whew.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Alton Telegraph…
Dry conditions continue to worsen in Illinois as drought spreads across the state, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford at the Illinois State Water Survey.
The U.S. Drought Monitor now shows the Chicagoland area, much of central Illinois, and areas along the Missouri border from Quincy to St. Louis are in moderate drought. The northern two-thirds of the state are characterized as abnormally dry.
“Forecasts for the next seven days show continued drier weather with only a few chances of rainfall, and near to above normal temperatures,” Ford said. “Without significant rain in the next week, conditions will likely worsen, and more drought impacts may occur.” […]
Outside of a few areas of heavy rain, most places have had only 25 to 60 percent of normal precipitation in the past 30 days, Ford said, and parts of northeast and western Illinois have had less than 25 percent of normal precipitation since the start of May. Chicago had its fourth driest May on record, and April and May total precipitation in Quincy was the third lowest on record.
* This was in the BIMP. From Crain’s…
[Choose Chicago] and the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority — the agency that owns and operates McCormick Place — also recently got some breathing room on using up the nearly $10 million that remains in an incentive fund to help recruit conventions. The fund, which the state legislature approved during the pandemic to help McCormick Place compete with rival cities, previously needed to be used only on conventions that would be coming by 2026. The group recently won approval to dole out those funds for events that would come later than that, though all the money must be used by the end of 2026, according to a Choose spokesman.
* Wait. According to Rep. Martin McLaughlin, these pre-school deserts would be wiped out by pro-business legislation, or something…
Even though Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to sign the budget bill lawmakers just passed, the Illinois State Board of Education is seeking applicants for some of the new money contained in that bill.
ISBE is looking for new providers to offer preschool programs in areas of the state designated as “preschool deserts,” with the goal of creating 5,000 new preschool slots in the upcoming school year.
The $75 million in new funding available for new preschool slots this year is part of Pritzker’s $250 million “Smart Start Illinois” initiative, a four-year effort that seeks to make early childhood day care and preschool available and affordable to every family in the state who needs it.
* Listen to learn more…
* Todd Maisch arrangements…
A Memorial Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2023 from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Bisch Funeral Home West, 2931 South Koke Mill Road, Springfield, Illinois 62711. At 7:00 p.m. family and friends will share memories and tributes.
In lieu of flowers, those interested may donate to Share The Spirit Foundation, PO Box 78, Sherman, Illinois 62684 or the Todd Maisch Memorial Fund at INB Bank.
* Isabel’s roundup…
* Illinois Newsroom | Alert issued for unhealthy air quality throughout all of Illinois on Friday: The problem is ground-level ozone. According to a statement from the Illinois EPA, “Ground-level ozone is formed when emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from vehicles, power plants, and other industrial sources, react in the presence of sunlight.” People with respiratory or pulmonary disorders are encouraged to take special precautions and follow the regimen prescribed by their doctors.
* WTTW | Chicago Just Had One of Its Driest Mays in History, How Serious Is This Drought?: Lake Michigan isn’t at any risk, but smaller streams and ponds are drying up, and drought-sensitive shrubs and plants, as well as young trees, are likely to be feeling stress too, said Ford. Thanks to irrigation systems and drought-resistant seed strains, so far agricultural crops, particularly commodities like corn and beans, haven’t been impacted.
* Washington Post | Journalists at country’s largest newspaper chain will walk off the job: Hundreds of staffers for 24 Gannett newspapers, including the Arizona Republic, Austin American-Statesman and the Palm Beach Post, say they will not report to work for a day or two starting Monday, forfeiting pay and forgoing assignments ranging from city council meetings to high school sports championship games. At some papers, the strikes begin Tuesday.
* WCIA | Illinois may receive up to $76 million in federal grants to restore land affected by coal mines: As a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Illinois is one of 22 states and tribes eligible for parts of $725 million this fiscal year to clean up polluted lands affected by coal mines. The federal government will offer $11.3 billion in funding over 15 years to clean up across the country.
* Shaw Local | Eminent domain bill passed by state to help McHenry County with Randall Road project: The project is the last piece of the Randall Road expansion, which first saw construction in 2009 and is slated to wrap up next year, McHenry County Division of Transportation spokesperson Darrell Kuntz said.
* Sun-Times | Ex-priest, who left after sex abuse accusations, settlements, not among 451 predatory clergy Kwame Raoul’s investigation turned up: John D. Murphy, a former Augustinian priest, isn’t on any public list of abusers. The attorney general’s investigation didn’t name him. The Archdiocese of Chicago settled claims over Murphy but doesn’t include him on its list. And his Catholic religious order refuses to name abusive clergy.
* Crain’s | Chicago Housing Authority sued over deal to lease public land to Lightfoot’s billionaire donor: A “no-bid deal” for the 23-acre site was made with Morningstar Inc. Chairman Joe Mansueto, owner of Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire, even though the land has long been earmarked for public housing to replace units torn down decades ago, according to a suit filed Thursday in federal court.
* Daily Herald | After 2nd bicyclist hit, Batavia asks IDOT to speed up Route 31 safety work: “In light of the recent serious accidents, the city plans to request IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) to expedite their review for the road diet so that we may get that implemented as soon as possible,” city administrator Laura Newman announced in a news release Thursday.
* Tribune | City officials, community discuss proposal to transform Diplomat Motel in Lincoln Square into transitional housing for homeless residents: Through the proposal, the Diplomat Motel at 5230 N. Lincoln Ave. would be redeveloped following in the steps of a pilot project in 2020 by which a handful of downtown hotels, including Hotel One Sixty-Six in the Gold Coast, were transformed into supportive housing for 259 individuals.
* Daily Herald | Lake in the Hills bakery that drew protests over drag brunch closes its doors ‘forever’: “I want to be abundantly clear, this is not goodbye,” she wrote. “I promise you will be seeing A LOT of our faces and good outcomes will sprout from the hideous actions of so many against us here. This will not continue to happen to people, not while I have a voice and a beating heart.”
* CNBC | Payrolls rose 339,000 in May, much better than expected in resilient labor market: Payrolls in the public and private sector increased by 339,000 for the month, better than the 190,000 Dow Jones estimate and marking the 29th straight month of positive job growth.
* Crain’s | McDonald’s shareholders veto proposal for DEI policy audit: A proposal from a conservative think tank demanding McDonald’s commission an audit analyzing the effects of its diversity policies was voted down by shareholders. […] The proposal asked the company to analyze the effects of those policies on civil rights, non-discrimination and returns to merit, and the impacts of those issues on McDonald’s business.
* Pantagraph | Moms Demand Action to hold ‘Wear Orange’ event in Bloomington: The sixth annual event will be held at the Western Avenue Community Center, 600 N. Western Ave. in Bloomington. The free family-friendly event will feature more than 15 community partner tables, kids games, art activities with the Illinois Art Station, music and entertainment, 10-11:15 a.m.
* WGN | A few Chicago pro sports teams continue an alliance in 2023: The Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox are continuing the Chicago Sports Alliance which they started in December 2017 in which they are giving financial support and resources to find solutions to gun violence.
* Tribune | Chicago’s favorite barbecue sauce titan makes it into Hall of Fame: Raymond started out in the pharmacy business but was lured into the barbecue game after a salesman came in boasting about his barbecue. “He told me, ‘I make good ribs,’ so I told him that I make great ribs,” Raymond said.
* Tribune | Dale Earnhardt Jr. test drives NASCAR’s Chicago course: “We want to put drivers through some of the toughest challenges we can and I think this track will do that,” said Earnhardt, 48. “There’ll be some guys that really like it. There will be some guys that find it really challenging and miserable.”
* AP | Some trans people turn to crowdfunding to leave Florida after anti-LGBTQ+ laws: For Sage Chelf, the decision to leave hardly felt like a choice, but she didn’t have the funds to cover a move. The 30-year-old trans woman, who lives in the Orlando area, was nearly out of one medication when she found out the clinic that had been prescribing her hormone therapy was ending all treatment for trans patients. […] Chelf hopes to move to Illinois and move in with her girlfriend. The donations to her GoFundMe have restored her faith in humanity.
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Bears dangle possible move to Naperville
Friday, Jun 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Daily Herald…
Plans for the Chicago Bears to plant their goal posts in the suburbs took a surprising turn Friday afternoon when Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli met with team President Kevin Warren to discuss the possibility of building a new NFL stadium in Naperville rather than Arlington Heights.
The meeting between Wehrli and Warren took place despite the team purchasing the 326 acres at Arlington Park on the western edge of Arlington Heights for $197.2 million. The deal to buy the shuttered racetrack closed in February.
Wehrli sent a letter to Warren, dated May 24, that’s termed a formal introduction to the Bears “as you consider or reassess your planned relocation. The city would welcome the opportunity to review your business needs and our available properties.” […]
On Friday, the Bears released a statement saying they are now looking at stadium opportunities other than Arlington Park.
“We will continue the ongoing demolition activity and work toward a path forward in Arlington Heights, but it is no longer our singular focus,” Scott Hagel, the Bears senior vice president of marketing and communications said in a statement. “It is our responsibility to listen to other municipalities in Chicagoland about potential locations that can deliver on this transformational opportunity for our fans, our club and the state of Illinois.”
* Tribune…
Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes said he understands that the Bears are a for-profit business and have to pursue all opportunities.
“I would be doing the same thing, explore all my options and pick the best one,” he said. “I still think Arlington Heights is the best option.”
The team is unlikely to find such a prime property as the former Arlington Park, Hayes said, with 326 mostly open acres next to major roadways and with its own commuter train station. And the Bears already own the land.
The mayor encouraged the school districts and the team to continue negotiations over property taxes, with the requirement that any deal would be a long-term economic boost for the team and the region.
Could the company just be using Naperville as bargaining leverage? Your thoughts?
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* Center Square…
Despite the Illinois General Assembly taking no action in extending the Invest in Kids school choice scholarship program, the governor says it still may be approved this year.
The program, which grants tax credits to people who use private dollars to fund scholarships that allow students to attend private schools, is scheduled to sunset Dec. 31, if legislative action isn’t taken.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said lawmakers could approve an extension during a special session or during the fall veto session, but that the tax credit portion of the program needs to be reworked.
“I think we should have tax credits that support education and other things in state government, but we also have the federal government willing to cover about 40% of the cost,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event in Champaign Wednesday. “Why have we created a program in which we’re paying for 75% of it and not having the rest of the country essentially paying 40%?”
More from Pritzker’s quote…
This is a problem in the fundamental makeup of it. And I’ve suggested to the General Assembly if they decide to renew Invest in Kids, let’s alleviate the burden on Illinois taxpayers and make sure that, frankly, as other states do, let’s let other states pay in part for the benefit that we get.
I called the governor’s office to ask for clarification. The way the state tax credit is written, people who donate to Invest in Kids can’t claim any federal income tax deduction. But the law can be rewritten to allow for that.
* Meanwhile, you may have noticed that the Tribune has given failed mayoral candidate Paul Vallas a regular column. His latest is about Invest in Kids and quotes both Wirepoints and the Illinois Policy Institute…
Chalkbeat Chicago reports that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s 2024 budget, just approved in Springfield, adds another $570 million in education funding, a 6.2% increase that brings annual K-12 funding to $10.3 billion. And yet the legislature could not muster the courage to extend the modest Illinois Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program.
Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin, in now classic union fashion, has said that “once we get to fully funding our schools, then let’s talk about adding these types of programs.” Hogwash!
Personally, I’d like to see an analysis of whether the students/parents who’ve benefited from the program were receiving similar scholarships before Invest in Kids was begun, or whether they’re all new to the private school system.
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Question of the day
Friday, Jun 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I attended the University of Maryland in Munich in 1980-81. Two of my classmates were nicknamed “Big Steve” and “Little Steve.” Little Steve wasn’t small, but he looked small compared to his best friend Big Steve, who was a body-builder and had placed second in the Mr. Southwest Germany contest. The two made decent money working as stagehands at Munich concert venues. Through those connections, they were invited to work on the massive set at the 8-day Pink Floyd concert in Dortmund, West Germany (back when there was a West Germany). The band was promoting their fantastically popular album The Wall.
As I recall, the setup took two weeks and the tear-down lasted a week. They unloaded 10 (maybe it was 20, I can’t remember now) semi-trucks. It was quite an impressive set…
The problem, really, with the show is that it wasn’t a touring show, so it had to be set up, and left, and taken down again. There were a lot of light operators and stage operators and wall builders. Because of the amount of stuff that went up and down, floated across, did this, did that, there were a lot of operators, rather than just people putting stuff up. And, of course we had lots of semis, as I believe you call them, because of the special lighting pods that we used which needed, each one needs a trailer unit to hold it. And the special stage, because of the way the stage was actually used, there was a sort of structural bracing piece for the building of the wall. So it was all special equipment, I mean it was absurdly expensive. It’s not something other people will do, generally, because it’s just so expensive to put on, it’s simply not feasible. But it was great to have done it once.
They built a wall during every show and then the stagehands took it down every night. Big Steve didn’t have to mess with those daily tasks, though, because the band took one look at the guy and hired him as a bodyguard and he rode the helicopter with them back and forth to the venue and stayed on their private hotel floor. Pretty sweet.
The two missed more than a month of college, but somehow managed to stay enrolled. And they made bank.
* Anyway, I thought about all of that last night when I saw this…
50 trucks? That’s a lot of costume changes.
* The Question: Your all-time favorite concert experience?
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* Block Club Chicago…
Chicago saw its most fentanyl-related deaths ever in 2022, with the drug — widely responsible for a surge in fatal opioid overdoses in recent years — linked to 1,307 deaths in the city last year, compared to 1,289 in 2021, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Fentanyl-related deaths skyrocketed during the pandemic, leading to 2022’s record number — but that surge is beginning to slow, though deaths remain high, officials said. There have been at least 391 fentanyl-related overdoses so far this year in Chicago, compared to 669 over the same period in 2022.
Black and Latino Chicagoans have been disproportionately affected by the fatal overdoses.
Sarah Richardson, of the Behavioral Health team at the Chicago Department of Public Health, said steadying numbers are an encouraging sign. Growing public awareness of opioid overdoses and understanding of addiction are helping — as well as the more widespread distribution and use of Narcan, which can reduce fatal overdoses, Richardson said. […]
Local officials and groups have worked to bring down opioid overdoses by trying new approaches: Chicago’s public libraries distribute Narcan, people leaving Cook County Jail are given harm reduction kits, the health department will mail people fentanyl test strips and the CTA has a Narcan vending machine coming to its 95th Red Line station.
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* NBC News…
The number of migrants illegally crossing the southwest U.S. border is at its lowest point since the start of the Biden administration, with just over 3,000 migrants stopped by Border Patrol each day. The number has plummeted from more than 10,000 daily just three weeks ago, despite widespread predictions of a surge after the end of the Title 42 Covid ban on May 11.
And there may also be fewer migrants waiting just across the border to cross. Shortly before Title 42 was lifted, Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz estimated that up to 65,000 migrants were living in shelters and tent cities in Mexico, ready to enter the U.S. While numbers for tent cities were unavailable, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration said the population of 130-plus shelters in northern Mexico had fallen from above 25,000 on May 19 to just over 20,000 on Monday. […]
Customs and Border Protection officials also attribute the slowdown in illegal border crossings to “consequences.” Under Title 42, migrants could repeatedly try to cross the U.S.-Mexico border and face no consequences if they were turned back. After Title 42 ended, migrants who are caught illegally entering the U.S. are charged with a felony if they are deported and caught trying to re-enter the U.S. within five years, a reimposition of an older regulation called Title 8. A CBP official said word of the increased penalties and deportations — of the “consequences” — has reached migrants considering crossing. […]
A Department of Homeland Security official said the agency also attributes the decline to the policy known as asylum ineligibility put in place after the ending of Title 42. Under the new policy, migrants who do not first seek asylum in countries they pass through on the way to the U.S. are deemed ineligible to apply for asylum at the U.S. border, unless they were denied by a country they passed through or they prove they meet a special set of criteria, such as being potential victims of torture if they are deported.
Other factors include the rainy season discouraging travel. Also, the ACLU is suing to block the asylum ineligibility policy, according to the report.
I’ve been checking out El Paso news media outlets the past week or so, including the local Fox affiliate, and I didn’t see any stories about mass crossings. That’s a marked change from a few weeks ago, when national news media was filled with dire predictions about that border crossing. The migrants bused north were mainly from the El Paso crossing.
However, Chicago was only being shipped a small fraction of all asylum-seekers, so don’t get your hopes up yet that the Texas-funded influx will ease.
* Related…
* From Woodlawn to West Ridge, migrants live in temporary shelters across Chicago: Roughly 10,000 new arrivals have come to Chicago since August of last year — and more than 4,000 of them are living in shelters across the city. To serve these migrants, city officials are currently operating 10 shelters and respite centers in neighborhoods across the city — including the Inn in Streeterville. Some of these shelters have been met with pushback because residents argue the resources dedicated to asylum-seekers should instead be poured into their own disinvested communities. But no neighborhood or section of the city is exclusively bearing the responsibility of providing a place to eat and sleep for asylum-seekers. Shelters span from Woodlawn to West Ridge, from Humboldt Park to Streeterville.
* Little Village is a model for how to help migrants build new lives: Hyperlocal organizing strategies have been successful specifically because of a strong network of support: a group of people who, regardless of where they work or who they work for, are familiar with and trust each other because of relationships fostered for many years. We update each other daily through group texting, and have weekly check-in calls to share what is happening on the frontlines.
* One-Day Donation Drive Will Collect Items For Migrants On Northwest Side: Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th), the Irish American Heritage Center, community groups and Northwest Side leaders are hosting a donation drive 3-7 p.m. Monday at the center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., to collect items for migrants. People can donate medical items, personal hygiene products, educational materials, food and water, event organizers said.
* For migrants, used bikes offer a path forward in an unfamiliar city: In the past few weeks, organizers with Bike Grid Now and Communities United have teamed up to repair used bikes and convert donated bike parts into functioning cycles for people seeking asylum in the city. The work, which started with a few bikes, is scaling into a bigger pipeline project as more donations of equipment and money pour in — and as more migrants arrive.
* Tempers flare at community meeting about housing migrants at Richard J. Daley College: “You’re not treating our own with any dignity and respect, but you’re treating the immigrants with a lot of dignity and respect. I have a problem with that,” said Juanita Eason, who lives on the Southwest Side. … Officials [say] moving people into Wright College reduced the number of migrants sleeping at police stations from more than 800 last week to less than 640 now.
* 400 Migrants Will Move Into Daley College This Weekend, But Some Neighbors Oppose City’s Plan: Patrice Beamon, an 18th Ward resident, said she recently drove by the 6th District police station and saw people laying on the concrete outside and in the lobby. She urged her neighbors to think about how they can help. “We’re trying to come up with solutions, but it’s not going to be solved by us attacking one another,” Beamon said, leading to applause from the crowd. “The most important thing is our humanity. When we lose that, we have lost everything.”
* Edgewater Residents Call for Answers as City Eyes Broadway Armory as Possible Migrant Center: “We couldn’t believe it,” said Linda White, an Edgewater resident. “There’s so many wonderful programs here — dance, fitness and wellness for all the kids and the seniors. They said this will all be shut down and it will become a shelter.” … The building has multiple rooms, five gymnasiums, showers, several bathrooms and a kitchen. “I don’t think I would feel that put out by it, compared with the needs of the migrants,” Buckley said. “It’s a good space and it should be used and hopefully move them on to better housing.”
* Illinois hotel industry, downtown residents speak out on migrant crisis: According to the association, many of these individuals are staying in hotels that are understaffed and urgently require various positions to be filled, including housekeeping staff, culinary workers, front desk personnel, customer service representatives, and sales and marketing employees. Michael Jacobson, President and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, has underscored the importance of addressing this situation promptly. “That’s the crazy thing about this is that we have 1,600 open positions in hotels just in the city of Chicago and we have thousands of migrants looking to work. The math doesn’t add up. People want to work and we have positions open for them and yet, our federal government is telling them you have to wait six months until we allow you to work. Something needs to change here,” Jacobson said.
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* Greg Sargent and Paul Waldman at the Washington Post…
We have also learned that nine Democratic governors representing nearly 9 million students have sent a letter to leading textbook companies decrying “the negative impact that censorship and book-banning has on this nation’s students.” The letter indicates that the governors are watching closely to see if attacks on the companies by right-wing governors — such as DeSantis — are producing books that are “inappropriately censored.”
Phil Murphy, governor of New Jersey and the head of the Democratic Governors Association, says these governors will be modeling an alternative to right-wing censorship going forward.
“There’s a broad lane available for Democratic governors to reclaim the mantle of core American values — freedom, patriotism, rights,” Murphy told us. Murphy recently responded to DeSantis’s restrictions on an Advanced Placement course on African American studies by expanding the number of such classes in his state.
* Illinois’ governor signed the letter…
Dear Textbook Publishers,
We are deeply troubled by the news of some textbook publishers yielding to the unreasonable demands of certain government representatives calling for the censorship of school educational materials, specifically textbooks.
We write to you out of concern that those who are charged with supporting the education of this country’s students, such as yourselves, may be tempted to water down critical information to appeal to the lowest common denominator. We urge any company who has not yet given in to this pressure to hold the line for our democracy.
Our country’s future is at stake. You hold enormous influence in shaping how our great nation’s history is told, and the consequences of your actions will reverberate for generations to come. Honestly grappling with our legacy has long been a cornerstone of American patriotism. If we are to continue striving for a more perfect union, then we must carry out our duty of ensuring future generations understand our full history as well as the contributions of all its people. That includes learning from our mistakes. These lessons are vital to preparing our youth to fully engage in a free and fair democracy. Sanitizing our educational texts for the mercurial comfort of a few today ultimately limits the next generation’s ability to make informed decisions for themselves. Moreover, the negative impact that censorship and book-banning has on this nation’s students – many already marginalized and underrepresented in society – cannot be overstated during a time when we are facing an unprecedented youth mental health crisis. Each and every single student in the United States of America has the right to exist, to be seen, and to be represented.
It is an important priority of our administrations to ensure that any educational materials censored to appeal to political pressure do not negatively impact our educational goals and values in our states. As such, please know that we will be working closely with all of our school districts to ensure they are fully informed of which texts include comprehensive and accurate educational information – and which have been inappropriately censored – when they consider procurement of instructional materials for the nearly nine million students our states serve.
…Adding… From the governor’s office…
In addition to the Association of American Publishers, the letter was sent to:
Cengage Learning
Goodheart-Willcox
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
McGraw Hill Education
Pearson
Routledge Taylor and Francis Group
Savvas Learning Co.
Scholastic
Teachers Curriculum Institute
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* Yesterday…
Today, Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes officially announced his candidacy to become a member of the Illinois Supreme Court. He was joined by community leaders, members of the judiciary, and friends and family. State Senator Omar Aquino introduced Justice Reyes. The program can be viewed here.
Transcript from Justice Jesse Reyes’ Announcement:
“Four years ago, I stood in this location and announced my candidacy for the Illinois Supreme Court. In a field of seven honorable candidates, in spite of the challenges of the COVID pandemic and having to contend with the disadvantage of not receiving the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party, our team came in a close second. Since that time, I have continued to serve the public on and off the bench.
So, you may ask, Why am I here today? It’s simple. The Illinois Supreme Court should be reflective of the community at large it serves. While the court has made some strides in advancing the cause of diversity and inclusion, including gains in representing women and African Americans on the bench. The fact remains that, unfortunately, the largest minority group in Illinois and Cook County – the Latino Community - continues to be excluded from our state’s highest court. Latinos are a critical part of our state. Yet our lived experiences as Latinos are missing from the court. Our numbers and contributions to our state necessitate that we be part of the state’s highest court. It should be further noted that in the past five years, there were three opportunities to rectify this significant omission from the bench. Think about it, three times in just five years, there has been an opportunity to appoint a Latino to the Illinois Supreme Court. Three times the Latino community has been ignored.
Diversity on the bench is something that I have always advocated for throughout my career as a lawyer and a judge. My passion for inclusion in the legal profession is what has motivated me to continually promote diversity even when it was not a popular concept in our society. Recognizing we are all immigrants or the descendants of immigrants, I have always advocated and supported the efforts of other communities in promoting diversity and inclusion and not only when it was personally convenient or politically beneficial. I do so because it is the right thing to do, and I will continue to do so today, tomorrow, and forever.
So Today, I formally announce my candidacy for the Illinois Supreme Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anne Burke.
I am running because representation matters.
I am running because, in the words of Marian Wright Edelman, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
I am running so that generations of young people will have a point on the compass to guide them.
I am running because, as a product of a blue-collar immigrant family, I have never forgotten where I came from and never will.
I am running because I believe in diversity and inclusion for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.”
Let’s be clear, because of equality and equity, it is time to add a Latino to the Illinois Supreme Court.
# # #
About Justice Jesse Reyes
Raised in Chicago’s Pilsen and Bridgeport neighborhoods, he is the oldest of four children and the first in his family to attend high school and college. In 1997, Reyes was elected Associate Judge by his peers on the Circuit Court. In 2006, Reyes became the first Latino to lead the Illinois Judges Association. Reyes was elected to the First District Appellate Court in November of 2012, becoming the first Latino elected to the Illinois Appellate Court.
Reyes is the founding member and current president of the Diversity Scholarship Foundation. He is also a founding member and the former president of the Illinois Judges Foundation. He has served as president and member of many other Bar Associations throughout the years. In addition, The North Suburban Bar Association recently created the Justice Jesse G. Reyes Student Scholarship. Jesse and his wife, Terry, live on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Their daughter, Renee, is currently a high school teacher.
Reyes finished second behind P. Scott Neville, Jr. in the 2020 Supreme Court primary. He’ll face appointed incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham, who replaced retired Justice Anne Burke last year.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Jun 2, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Here you go…
* Capitol News Illinois | State board of education looking for new providers in preschool ‘deserts’: ISBE is looking for new providers to offer preschool programs in areas of the state designated as “preschool deserts,” with the goal of creating 5,000 new preschool slots in the upcoming school year. The $75 million in new funding available for new preschool slots this year is part of Pritzker’s $250 million “Smart Start Illinois” initiative, a four-year effort that seeks to make early childhood day care and preschool available and affordable to every family in the state who needs it.
* Center Square | Pritzker tours state discussing increased taxpayer-funded education in the state’s budget: “It has been the mission of my governorship to not only reverse the harm that has been done but to shape an Illinois that truly uplifts our residents from cradle to career,” Pritzker said.
* Capitol News Illinois | Lawmakers approve measure giving utilities control over new downstate transmission lines: The measure applies to companies that already own or operate electric transmission lines under the purview of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, the grid operator for a wide swath of the Midwest, including much of downstate and parts of northwestern Illinois.
* Bonus | Illinois Passes Bill Allowing Casinos to Hire People with Felony Convictions:The bill also gives the gaming board the power to review each licensee and refuse a permit to anyone deemed a threat to the state’s public interests or gaming integrity. IGB will consider the time since conviction, the number and severity of the charges, and more when deciding.
* Tribune |Indiana now ranked first among inland ports, second in Great Lakes ports by feds: The state was previously counted as having multiple small port districts but now has just two. The southern district includes facilities run by the Ports of Indiana in Mount Vernon and Jeffersonville, along with private terminals along the Ohio River from Posey County to Dearborn County. The northern district includes the Ports of Indiana’s Burns Harbor terminal in addition to private terminals and steel mills along Indiana’s Lake Michigan coastline.
* Daily Herald | Why the DuPage Water Commission wants to spend billions for own pipeline from Lake Michigan: “The question becomes can we build a new system and have it cost less than $120 million a year,” said Paul May, water commission executive director. “As concluded by that report, the answer is yes.”
* Sun-Times | Judge silences, scolds attorney for Berrios relative who faces trial Monday for bribing state lawmaker:James T. Weiss’ attorney wound up having to raise his hand to speak in court, including when he said he had to use the bathroom. He claimed he’d been unlawfully restrained and had thrown up in a cup. He told the judge, “look at the cup!”
* Chicago Law Bulletin | Jesse Reyes announces 2nd run for Illinois Supreme Court:Appellate Justice Jesse G. Reyes announced his candidacy for the Illinois Supreme Court at a press conference Wednesday in Chicago, saying the court should reflect the community it serves. — Grace Barbic/Chicago Daily Law BulletinFirst District Appellate Court Justice Jesse G. Reyes announced Wednesday his candidacy for the Illinois Supreme Court next year. He will be running for the seat held by Justice Joy V. Cunningham, who was appointed when former Chief Justice Anne M. Burke retired Nov. 30.
* Erickson Institute | Erikson Institute Receives $8 Million from MacKenzie Scott to Advance Equity in Early Childhood:Erikson Institute has announced an $8 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. In keeping with MacKenzie Scott’s charitable vision of advancing opportunities for people in underinvested and underserved communities, the funds associated with this transformational gift will fuel Erikson’s mission of building equitable and just futures for young children, their families, and communities. The gift is a testament to the vision and work of Erikson Institute, under the leadership of President Mariana Souto-Manning, Ph.D.
* Tribune | Watchdog group seeks to cut more than $110 million from record Peoples Gas rate hike request: Targeting everything from the “mismanaged” pipeline project to high residential heating costs, the consumer watchdog group recommended slashing $63 million from the proposal, with the Illinois attorney general’s office expected to seek $49 million in additional reductions.
* Tribune | Civic Committee announces initiative to tackle public safety as ‘the No. 1 issue’ in Chicago: “The issue of public safety is the No. 1 issue for pretty much everyone in the city of Chicago,” said Derek Douglas, who became the first Black president of the Civic Committee in August. “And the business community is no different.”
* WBEZ | There’s a surge in calls for shelter. Chicago’s 311 help line can’t keep up: Data analysis by WBEZ also shows a declining percentage of calls appear to result in a placement. But it’s hard to measure how well the system is working because of several major flaws in the 311 data system the city uses to track shelter requests. “The demand for resources, be it through 311 to get people into a shelter or any other piece of the shelter system, is so much greater than what the system can handle,” said Douglas Schenkelberg, the director of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.
* WTTW | Edgewater Residents Call for Answers as City Eyes Broadway Armory as Possible Migrant Center:“We couldn’t believe it,” said Linda White, an Edgewater resident. “There’s so many wonderful programs here — dance, fitness and wellness for all the kids and the seniors. They said this will all be shut down and it will become a shelter.” White said in May a group of city officials looked at the property along with Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th Ward). It’s a move that makes White believe the plan to convert this facility into housing for migrants is highly possible.
* Sun-Times | Inside the political survival of Chicago City Council dean: “I’m the type of guy that, when I’m in with you, I’m in 100%,” Burnett said. “I went that extra mile working on his campaign for county commissioner, and he won. You could say … we’re part of his success because, if he wouldn’t have been county commissioner, he wouldn’t have run for mayor, and he wouldn’t be where he is today.”
* Center Square | Illinois General Assembly fails to address the state’s biometric privacy law: Business groups have been pleading with lawmakers to address the law, which has spawned hundreds of lawsuits, none of which have proven harm to anyone. “No data breaches, no lost information, but billions of dollars have already been paid out with more on the way, and it’s already having a significant impact on our economy,” said Mark Denzler, CEO and president of the Illinois Manufacturers Association.
* AP | Peregrine falcons protecting chicks and dive-bombing Chicago pedestrians:Just ask Chuck Valauskas, who was struck by one of the falcons. The patent attorney was leaving work one day last week, walking below the nest situated on a seventh-floor ledge when he felt a thud on his head.
* Crain’s | New figures show tourists flocked back to Chicago in 2022: Officials from Choose Chicago announced today that visitation to the city during 2022 was up 60% from 2021 as public health restrictions faded and a surge of leisure travelers poured in during peak tourism months. The total, reported by the city’s official destination marketing group using data from travel research firm DK Shifflet, was roughly 80% of the 2019 figure, when the city boasted a record 60.8 million visitors.
* Crain’s | State chamber chief Todd Maisch has died: “Todd was a fierce champion for the business community and an integral part of major policy wins for our economy, namely the Blue Collar Jobs Act and the historic Rebuild Illinois capital bill,” Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said in a statement. “Though Todd and I often found ourselves at opposite ends of policy debates, I knew he was driven by an adoration for our state and a sincere commitment to doing what he believed was right.”
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Live coverage
Friday, Jun 2, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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