* The only other Republican to speak out publicly has been House Republican Leader Jim Durkin. The state party chair, Sen. Bailey’s caucus leader and everyone else has been silent. Press release…
Responding to comments made by Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s comments comparing abortion to the Holocaust, Representative Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) issued the following statement:
“Darren Bailey has crossed a line, a line which you just do not cross,” Reick said. “I’ve been to Dachau and even though it wasn’t one of the bigger death factories, it leaves no doubt as to the scale of what the Holocaust was, and once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it.”
Bailey’s comment, made 5 years ago on Facebook was that “the attempted extermination of the Jews of World War II doesn’t even compare on a shadow of the life that has been lost with abortion since its legalization.”
“The past 50 years of abortion politics have left this country scarred. We have the opportunity to begin healing those scars by giving the people of Illinois, for the first time in 50 years, the power to decide where we go from here with their votes.” Reick continued. “But there’s more to it than that. These comments are coming from someone who’s supposed to be the voice of our party, who’s supposed to be speaking for all of us. And whether he said it 5 years ago or the day before yesterday is no excuse. He’s using the greatest criminal act in human history to score political points. I’ll not be party to that and will not follow anyone down a path strewn with that type of rhetoric.”
*** UPDATE *** Another one…
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Pritzker embarks on a ribbon-cutting spree
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Media advisory…
What: Governor Pritzker to announce Cahokia Heights investments.
Where: Cahokia Heights City Hall (Council Room) 103 Main St, Cahokia.
When: 9:30 am
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
What: Governor Pritzker to make remarks at Tyson Foods plant expansion groundbreaking.
Where: Tyson Prepared Foods Plant, Visitor/Employee Parking Lot, 12 Tucker Drive, Caseyville.
When: 10:35 am
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
What: Governor Pritzker to announce Rend Lake investments.
Where: Rend Lake Resort and Conference Center, 11712 E Windy Ln, Whittington.
When: 1:30 pm
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
Note: This event will be held outdoors immediately outside of the Rend Lake and Conference Center. Free parking available in main visitor parking lot.
* Cahokia Heights…
Governor JB Pritzker along with local officials, stakeholders, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced $21 million in funding to the City of Cahokia Heights to support infrastructure projects in the area. The funding, made available through Gov. Pritzker’s historic Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan, will include rehabilitation of lift stations and improvements to the sewer collection system.
“No community should have to go without clean drinking water and functional waste infrastructure, and our Rebuild Illinois capital plan is investing across the state to correct those inequities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I’m proud to announce more than $21 million in state funding that will bring 21st century wastewater infrastructure to the Cahokia Heights community. This new investment will upgrade the existing wastewater collection system and prevent the sewage flooding that has become notorious for area residents. True justice and true fairness mean a safe home, clean streets, clean water and clean air. It involves providing solutions that work for all our communities. This grant is another step toward justice for the Cahokia Heights community.”
The funding announced today includes a $9.9 million investment in rehabilitation or replacement for approximately 35 lift stations, 5,800 feet of cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) liner (including 1,500 feet of sewer line repair), and 3,500 feet of slip lining for the City’s main trunk line.
Lift stations are used in sewer collection systems throughout the country to move wastewater from lower to higher elevations, particularly where the elevation of the source is not sufficient for gravity flow. The rehabilitation requirements of lift stations in Cahokia Heights range from minor repairs, such as control panel repairs, to extensive rehabilitation or full replacement of pumps and structural components.
Slip lining and CIPP liner are trenchless methods to repair leaks or restore the structural stability to an existing pipeline, such as a sewer line. The slip lining improvements made are expected to last between 35 and 50 years.
The City will also use this grant funding to modify the wastewater collection system, where many components of the system have exceeded their useful design life. These updates will improve collection efficiency, reliability, and ease of operation and maintenance, helping to prevent flood water from entering the sewer collection system during storm events and relieving stress on the system.
The Illinois EPA will work closely with City officials to ensure the grants funds are used to address existing, chronic problems within the collection system to bring relief to residents and businesses. As part of the grant agreement, the City will provide regular updates to the community, including a webpage and regularly scheduled meetings, held by the City, to keep all interested parties informed.
“Stable sewer systems are vital for a functioning community, as anyone without well-maintained sewers can tell you,” said State Representative LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis. “Especially with high rainfall putting more pressure on our system, our community is seeing overflowing sewers that create unsafe driving conditions, damage to property and general hazards to public health. Rebuild Illinois is living up to its name right now, and I thank Governor Pritzker for such essential support.”
“Families who call Cahokia Heights home have dealt with persistent sewage and flooding issues in their homes, neighborhoods and community for decades,” said State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea). “With this $10 million investment, I appreciate Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for acknowledging the importance and urgency of updating the sewage infrastructure and helping us address flooding concerns.”
“Residents and businesses in Cahokia Heights have faced significant challenges due to a deteriorating wastewater collection system, including sewer system surcharging and basement backups,” said EPA Director John J. Kim. “While we know additional state and federal financial assistance is necessary to resolve the wastewater challenges within Cahokia Heights and other communities with aging infrastructure, this is a positive step forward to help meet the needs of residents and customers of Cahokia Heights.”
That project is long overdue.
* Tyson…
Governor JB Pritzker joined Tyson Foods, Inc., as well as state and local officials, to announce a new expansion of Tyson’s Caseyville facility, which will expand the production of Hillshire Farm® and Jimmy Dean® products. The company’s commitment to expand its Caseyville facility is expected to bring a $180 million investment and create 250 new jobs - generating economic benefit for the region and state. The new facility is expected to be complete in the summer of 2023.
“I am thrilled to celebrate the expansion of Tyson Foods’ Caseyville facility thanks to our EDGE credit program,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Tyson will be expanding their regional footprint by 170,000 square feet and over 250 new jobs with a total investment of $180 million in this community. Tyson’s decision to expand in Illinois speaks to our strengths in manufacturing, our world-class infrastructure, and our abundant — and highly talented — workforce.”
The Caseyville plant currently produces Hillshire Farm® and Jimmy Dean® products. The 170,000 square foot expansion will increase production for grab-n-go snacking and breakfast items through the addition of 7 new production lines in order to meet increasing demand.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the expansion of our Caseyville prepared foods plant, creating new job opportunities for those in the community and keeping workplace ease and efficiency in mind for our current team members,” said Noelle O’Mara, Group President, Prepared Foods, Tyson Foods. “With automated warehousing and robotics at the heart of the project, we’re looking forward to its full completion.”
This builds on a significant economic impact generated annually by the company – with nearly $933 million in output in Illinois alone, over 4,000 current full-time staff in Illinois, and more than 293 staff in Caseyville.
“Tyson’s expansion in Caseyville will create at least 220 new jobs which will benefit the community and the entire Metro East region,” said DCEO Director Sylvia I. Garcia. “Tyson’s decision to expand operations here in Illinois further solidifies our state’s reputation as a top food manufacturing powerhouse.”
As part of the expansion, the company received an Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) tax credit, which stipulates a goal of investing $130 million and creating 220 jobs over the next two years. All executed EDGE agreements can be found here.
Employing more than a half a million Illinoisans with $106.7 billion annual output, manufacturing represents a significant portion of Illinois’ economy. To support the continued growth of manufacturing companies in Illinois today and for the future, the Pritzker administration has taken several actions to invest in its workforce, with new training in high growth industries, and the development of new business development tools, including the apprenticeship tax credit, which encourages investment in high tech job training.
* Rend Lake…
Governor JB Pritzker announced today a long-awaited renovation of the popular Rend Lake Resort in Southern Illinois will get underway in 2023 with an investment of more than $17.5 million. The funding will be used to renovate the conference center, restaurant, cabins, pool, and boatel, which collectively will enable the resort to host lodging guests, conferences, and other visitors and events.
“Rend Lake has been around for 50 years—and for that half-a-century, it has been a shining example of the rich history, the human ingenuity, and the values of sustainability that make Illinois special,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, I am proud to announce that we will be investing more than $17 million to renovate Rend Lake Resort—restoring the site to its former glory. With this funding, we are strengthening our tourism industry, our economy, our recreational offerings, and our holistic and social wellbeing all in one.”
The Rend Lake Resort is located at the 3,300-acre Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area and is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the shore of Rend Lake in Franklin and Jefferson counties. The resort site features a hotel, conference center, cabins, restaurant, boatel, gift shop, pool, tennis courts and more.
Opened in May 1991, the space was shuttered in 2016 after mold was discovered in the hotel and other buildings, requiring extensive remediation throughout the site. At the height of its operation, the Resort drew 2.4 million visitors annually and employed up to 125 staff members. It had an estimated economic impact of nearly $245 million in 2010, and occupancy rates were around 90% during the high-season period between late spring and late fall.
“Rend Lake Resort was and will be again, an important part of our regional economic engine for Southern Illinois,” said Mayor Jason Ashmore, City of Sesser. “The resort will offer more opportunities to visitors of Rend Lake which will in turn spur economic growth for all of the surrounding communities. We want to thank Governor JB Pritzker, DNR, CDB, Senator Bryant, Senator Fowler and Rep Severin for all their hard work on making this come to fruition.”
“I want to thank Gov. Pritzker for helping us make this long-awaited project a reality,” said Colleen Callahan, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “This is so much more than an investment in the Rend Lake Resort. It’s also an investment in our state parks, in local jobs, in the regional economy, and in the people of Southern Illinois.”
Rend Lake is the second largest of Illinois’ three man-made lakes with 19,000 acres of water and 162 miles of shoreline. The lake itself is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is a tremendous economic driver for southern Illinois. Easily accessible from interstates 57 and 64, it’s a popular site for boating, fishing, hunting, camping, picnicking, hiking, swimming, golfing and more. The lake also provides drinking water for customers in seven Southern Illinois counties.
Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area draws more than 1.3 million visitors annually. Dedicated in 1975, the park is popular for hunting, camping, wildlife-watching, picnicking, boating access, horseback riding, field trials and other outdoor activities. The park was dedicated in 1975, and is named for the late Wayne Fitzgerrell, a former State representative from nearby Sesser who was a strong advocate for the construction of Rend Lake.
I’ve spent a bunch of time at that place over the years. Glad to see it’s coming back.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kansas City Star…
In the first ballot test of abortion rights in a post-Roe America, Kansas voters turned out in historic numbers to overwhelmingly reject a constitutional amendment that would have opened the door for state lawmakers to further restrict or ban abortions across the state. […]
It upholds a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court ruling that, in response to an attempt to ban a common second-trimester abortion procedure, said Kansans had a right to bodily autonomy and therefore the right to terminate a pregnancy. […]
Advocates for the amendment insisted that the vote would not directly ban abortion. They refused to answer questions about whether they’d seek a ban if it passes, even after Roe was overturned and the National Right to Life Committee published detailed model legislation to ban abortion in all 50 states.
Instead they sought to convince Kansans that, without a change to state constitution, abortion would be rendered unregulated and uninhibited in the state. Kansas, they said, was guaranteed to be a destination for abortion.
The pro-choice side won 59-41. The turnout was huge and generally unexpected in Kansas.
* Vox…
But it’s difficult to make broad declarations based on the results of one race. On Election Day, abortion measures in California, Vermont, Montana, and Kentucky (and likely Michigan as well) will give more data on what Americans want. And it’s important to remember that abortion won’t directly be on most ballots in the fall; voters will instead largely be weighing in on candidates with a range of stances on a variety of issues. Still, it’s notable that a red state struck down a pathway to greater abortion restrictions so forcefully, and that so many voters who usually don’t vote in midterm primaries showed up this time.
It’s too late to put a state constitutional amendment on the Illinois ballot this fall for an up or down vote on abortion rights.
* The Question: Should a special session of the General Assembly place a non-binding referendum on the ballot this November to gauge public support for a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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More like this, please
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Megan Hickey at CBS2…
For a year, a specialized team has been taking mental health calls across Chicago. […]
The 22-person team has responded to hundreds of call over the last year and so far, none of them have escalated to an arrest or the use of force. […]
“We’ve come across people who may not have pants or may not have a shirt and we’re able to give them these items,” said Jennifer Garross, a licensed clinical social worker on the [Chicago’s Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement] Team.
Garross added these include items that a police squad car would not have. She uses her radio, pairs up with a specially trained community paramedic and a crisis intervention-trained officer.
She heads out to pilot areas in the Uptown and Lakeview area, the Auburn Gresham and Chatham neighborhoods and the area around Lawndale.
“We’re able to show up to a situation where there’s a mental health crisis, help to deescalate it,” Garross said.
They hope to avoid a scene like one in 2020 when Chicago native Daniel Prude’s family called police in Rochester, New York because he was walking around naked and acting erratically.
That call escalated and Prude ultimately suffocated and died after being taken into custody.
“What we’ve found through cases like this is often getting them in a first response mode at the same time always presents a possibility for a different outcome,” said Jonathan Zaentz, district chief of special projects, who oversees the 10 paramedics on the CARE Team. He said they’ve been trained to respond differently.
“The focus often isn’t on immediately getting someone to a hospital or an emergency room,” Zaentz said. “It’s on deciphering what’s going on here? What can we do and how can we have an outcome that is going to beneficial to them?”
In the past year, the team responded to 269 calls. They’ve had 198 follow-ups with zero use of force events and zero arrests.
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* Background is here if you need it. Fox 32 conducted a brief interview of Darren Bailey in the wake of his newly revealed claim about comparing abortion to the Holocaust…
Darren Bailey: Well, again, we’re here to support what’s going on here. I don’t want to make, I don’t want to make light of what’s taking place here. Things were taken out of context as they typically are, so we’ll be addressing that later. So we’ll get you a statement on that that you can look at.
Dane Placko: How were they taken out of context?
Darren Bailey: Well.
Dane Placko: I mean the words are the words. They’re out there.
Darren Bailey: The words are the words. The context is missing. The context needs to be taken in and the press unfortunately misses that sometimes. So we’ll send you a statement and I’ll answer questions later. Let’s focus on what’s going on here [crosstalk].
Click here for the full video. And you can click here for a very rough Otter transcription…
God knows when we’re created, when we’re conceived, even before that, He knows that He has plans for us. And I believe that abortion is one of the greatest atrocities of our day. And I believe it’s one of the greatest atrocities probably forever. The attempted extermination of the Jews of World War II, that doesn’t even compare on a shadow of the life that has been lost and with abortion since its legalization.
And then he continues to talk about HB40, which provided for taxpayer-funded abortions.
*** UPDATE *** Bailey also insisted that his remarks about Highland Park were “taken out of context”…
The comments he was referring to were made during an Independence Day speech in Skokie, shortly after the shooting.
“The shooter is still at large. So let’s pray for justice to prevail, and then let’s move on and let’s celebrate the independence of this nation,” Bailey had said during that speech.
When talking with the Highland Park woman, Bailey said he was able to explain what happened.
“It was completely taken out of context,” he told her, and recounted to the Kankakee GOP. “Our prayers were hurting for your friends and your family, but the news media does this stuff.”
But, again, it was not taken out of context…
About 20 minutes away from here, in Highland Park, there was a shooting. There were several people that we know have been shot. That’s all we know. And we’re just going to take a moment and pray for the families. Friends, let’s pray for the law enforcement and and even the organizers of this parade. They’ve done an amazing job. There’s a lot of confusion and frustration that the parade’s being cancelled but they did the right thing because people’s safety has got to come first. The shooter is still at large. So let’s pray for justice to prevail. And then let’s move on and let’s celebrate, celebrate the independence of this nation. We know the mission. We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government and we have got to elect men and women of honor and of courage to get this country and this state back on track. So right now if you would, join me in prayer for the families.
…Adding… More Bailey on Highland Park…
Bailey made national headlines after his comment on the Highland Park mass shooting that left seven dead. Bailey said, “let’s move on and celebrate the independence of this nation”. He later apologized for his comments.
“No, I apologized for that and as a matter of fact that was taken out of context,” said Bailey
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* Tribune…
The racketeering case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime confidant will likely not see any significant court action until next year after a judge Tuesday granted the defense a lengthy extension to review the massive pile of evidence turned over by prosecutors.
In the first status hearing in the bombshell case in four months, U.S. District Judge Robert Blakey set a Feb. 1 deadline for the filing of pretrial motions, saying he was granting the delay “up front” so defense attorneys wouldn’t have to come back and ask for more time.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu had asked for pretrial motions to be due sometime this year. The prosecutor said discovery was “substantially complete” in the case, and noted that Madigan “is being represented by a large and prestigious law firm” and has six criminal defense attorneys that have entered appearances for him.
But Patrick Cotter, who represents Madigan’s co-defendant, Michael McClain, said he and his team are busy preparing for McClain’s upcoming trial in March on separate charges involving an alleged scheme by Commonwealth Edison to bribe Madigan.
The judge set a status hearing for January 9th and a February 1 deadline for pretrial motions.
* Also from the Tribune…
As a federal judge Tuesday granted a lengthy extension for Michael Madigan’s racketeering case, the former Illinois House speaker’s state pension has risen to nearly $149,000 a year, a more than $63,000 increase since he retired last year, records show.
The windfall is the result of both Madigan’s 50-plus years in the House and an often-beneficial state pension formula for lawmakers that Madigan himself helped push through. It also comes as the former Southwest Side lawmaker continues to battle a federal bribery-related case that will likely not see any significant court action until next year.
But while the case works its way through court, Madigan will continue to collect more than $12,400 per month from his state pension, a development one good government advocate said represented an “example of how out-of-whack the pension system is in Illinois.” […]
Kent Redfield, a longtime political analyst, acknowledged lawmakers often work hard and House legislators must run every two years to keep their jobs, but he considered the Madigan pension “overly generous,” particularly since it is almost $50,000 more than his final salary as speaker.
As of November of last year, the General Assembly Retirement System’s unfunded liability was above 80 percent.
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Skillicorn loses again
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square, January 2021…
Even Illinois’ legislature isn’t immune to population loss to other states.
As the 101st General Assembly wraps up, they’re without state Rep. Allen Skillicorn, a Republican formerly of suburban East Dundee. The vocal conservative announced on Jan. 5 that he had tendered his resignation in the state Legislature, saying he would no longer pay Illinois’ “corruption tax” in good conscience.
“Illinois has been ruled for far too long by a small handful of Cook County Cronies, lead by Speaker Michael Madigan,” he said in his statement. “For more times than I care to count, the Democrat majority and, disapprovingly, many Republicans have voted to pass legislation that raised taxes, increased spending, and created more regulation. It is to Illinois a death by a thousand legislative cuts.” […]
Fountain Hills, Arizona lies on the far eastern side of the Phoenix metropolitan area that includes Scottsdale, Peoria, Glendale, Tempe, and other cities that represent the majority of the state’s population. The town is in a congressional and state legislative district that leans heavily Republican. Skillicorn said he had no plans to run for office in his new home at present but would help other like-minded Republicans get into office.
Skillicorn lost his re-election bid to Democrat Suzanne Ness of Crystal Lake in November. The two-term representative was first elected in 2016.
Accompanying photo…
Skillicorn didn’t just lose. He didn’t bother to put on a real campaign, essentially handing the GOP seat to a Democrat.
* December 2021…
Allen Skillicorn, a marketing and advertising professional, is officially announcing his candidacy for Fountain Hills Town Council. Skillicorn has filed intent to run with the town clerk and is circulating petitions to get on the ballot.
“President Ronald Reagan once referred to America as ‘a shining city on a hill.’ Well, that also perfectly describes Fountain Hills,” Skillicorn said. “I want to preserve our small-town charm and distinctive character. I live here with my wife, Heather, and our eleven-year-old Doberman, McFly, on Trojan Court. We are both active at First Baptist Church of Fountain Hills. We love the views, the outdoor activities, and we see the potential for a vibrant downtown.
* Arizona Republic last night…
Some of the most hotly contested local elections in the metro area are being decided by voters in northeast Valley communities, where early voting tallies show how the three dozen candidates in the area are stacking up.
Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey, who’s held her seat since 2018, is beating-out former Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the mayoral contest.
The biggest vote getters for the town’s three open council seats are incumbents Brenda Kalivianakis and Hannah Toth, and newcomer Cindy Couture. Incumbent Allen Skillicorn has received the least number of votes so far.
Results…
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LIVE COVERAGE
Wednesday, Aug 3, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
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