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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Press release…
* After being interrupted by protesters, Mayor Johnson made this remark during his Chicago Board of Education appointment announcement…
* Also…
* ICYMI, Governor Pritzker is leading a trade mission in Japan…
* Daily Herald | Rivals for 46th District state House seat compare their motivating issues: As they face each other in a second consecutive general election, two Villa Park residents running for the 46th District state House seat are again comparing their different motivations for seeking the office. Democratic incumbent Diane Blair-Sherlock and Republican challenger Robert “Rusty” Stevens first ran in 2022 when they sought to succeed Deborah Conroy, who stepped down to run for DuPage County Board chairman. * WCBU | State looking for public opinions on future of natural gas in Illinois: The Illinois Commerce Commission is deciding the future of natural gas in the state of Illinois, and they want the public’s opinion. The goal of the proceedings is to create an action plan for future gas utilities investment. Scott Allen of the Citizens Utility Board said anyone can provide input. * WSIL | Illinois recognizes October 10th as “National Black Brewers Day”: The recognition came earlier in the month, in collaboration with the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild and National Black Brewers Association, was the first statewide celebration of its kind. It was also the successful introduction of nationally recognizing October 10 as Black Brewer’s Day. Both groups came together for the recognition, and found it was an appropriate celebration for the history and contributions made to beer breweries by Black community. * AP | Chicago mayor names new school board after entire panel resigns amid a fight over district control: Johnson has been trying to oust Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez, who was named to the job in 2021 by Johnson’s predecessor, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Johnson, a former Chicago Teachers Union organizer, has clashed with Martinez, including over how best to close gaps in the district’s nearly $10 billion budget. Martinez has declined to resign, citing the need for stability in the district. Rather than step into the fray, all seven members announced their resignations on Friday — a stunning move during the tenure of a mayor who has touted his experience with schools and education equity in the largely low income district. The outgoing members, whose resignations will take effect at the end of the month, were handpicked by Johnson in 2023, months after he took office. They haven’t said publicly why they are resigning. * WBEZ | Mayor Brandon Johnson names all new CPS school board after mass resignations: Johnson’s quick turnaround appointments will aim to project stability and control of a situation that has rocked the city’s political landscape, with a supermajority of City Council members signing a letter over the weekend signaling deep concern over the developments at the city’s school district. All but nine of 50 City Council members signed the letter, including several mayoral allies and 13 of 19 members of the council’s Progressive Caucus. * Tribune | Mayor Johnson unveils new Chicago Board of Education members after stunning shakeup: Facing a large CPS budget deficit this year as pandemic funding ran dry, the mayor’s team pitched the loan but Martinez refused, saying it would be fiscally irresponsible. Over the weekend, following the Board of Education resignation announcements, more than 40 aldermen agreed with Martinez. They posted an open letter blasting the mayor’s handling of the situation and warned against the loan. * Block Club | Mayor Nominates New School Board Members At Combative Press Conference: Johnson said the six members are the “first batch” of appointments he plans to make in the next few months. The Mayor’s Office had initially announced on Friday that seven members would be nominated on Monday. “When I ran for mayor, I promised to transform our public education system. I’m a man of my word, and that means bold leadership in a moment that doesn’t nibble around the edges and look for incremental gain,” Johnson said during a combative Monday morning press conference. * NBC Chicago | Johnson vows to ‘stand firm’ after protesters interrupt school board press conference: Johnson pushed back against those criticisms, pointing to his activism on behalf of the city’s schools before he was elected mayor in 2023. “The most legitimate existence of anyone in this country is the existence of a Black mayor,” he said. “I understand there are individuals who wish to use this as a political opportunity to sow seeds of doubt, but make no mistake about it: I’m going to stand firm and flat-footed to ensure that our students get what they deserve. I was legitimate when I took arrest against the administration when they were closing down Black schools. I was also legitimate when I went down to Springfield to fight for a fully elected school board.” * Chalkbeat | Chicago school board election 2024: Here are the candidates running in District 3: No schools in District 3 are among the top 10% in the state for academic performance, while five are in the bottom 5%, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Elections. Both candidates say District 3 schools should provide more resources to neighborhood families, who are socioeconomically and culturally diverse. * Block Club | 63 Humboldt Park Tent Residents Find Housing Through City Program: A two-day, city-run accelerated moving event at the end of September to provide services to residents and families living at the park connected 63 people to housing, officials announced. At the event, employees with the city’s Department of Family and Support Services and its partner agencies connected 41 households to housing and six to a Chicago Housing Authority voucher program with supportive services outside of the event, said Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th). * WTTW | 2024 NASCAR Chicago Street Race Generated $128M in Economic Impact for City: Report: This summer’s NASCAR Chicago Street Race weekend generated an estimated $128.1 million in economic impact for the city — up more than 17% from the inaugural race last year, according to a report released by the city’s tourism agency. The NASCAR race, which transformed the streets of downtown into a 2.2-mile street course, is already set to make its return to the city next summer. * Tribune | Faith leaders rally support for gun violence ordinance at Lincoln Park vigil: “We are a mostly white congregation in a mostly white and quite wealthy neighborhood that was intentionally gentrified decades ago to push Black and brown people out,” said the Rev. Beth Brown, the church’s pastor. “It’s important we tell the truth about that. And because of that, we wanted to invite the Lincoln Park neighborhood many, many years ago to see each young person as our young people, as part of our city, and as a result, to want to get activated to address the myriad systemic issues that lead to gun violence. We wanted our neighborhood to understand that no one is free until we are all free.” This is the ninth year the church has held a vigil to accompany the display, bringing Chicagoans together to urge the City Council and Mayor Brandon Johnson to fund sustainable solutions that foster peace. These demands include calls to pass a proposed ordinance to establish a permanent Office for Gun Violence Reduction. * WBEZ | Organizers try to calm chaos at a South Side Home Depot where migrants look for work: In recent weeks, Luciana Diaz has been spending most time outside the Home Depot on west 87th Street in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side. The Venezuelan native isn’t looking for work, like dozens of other migrants there daily. She is trying to ease rising tensions between the new arrivals and security guards, who want them off store property, as well as local residents who say they are intimidated by the presence of the migrants. Diaz, who leads Panas en Chicago, which advocates for Venezuelan immigrants, says she’s there trying to keep the newly arrived migrants out of trouble. * Crain’s | Blue Owl locks in $1B deal to buy Chicago data center fund manager: Blue Owl Capital has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the business of digital infrastructure fund manager IPI Partners from an affiliate of ICONIQ Capital and an affiliate of Iron Point Partners for a purchase price of about $1 billion. The purchase price will consist of approximately 80% in Blue Owl equity and about 20% cash, said an Oct. 7 news release. * Tribune | 3 men have run every Chicago Marathon since 1977. Now in their 70s, they won’t break the streak.: Burt is among just two other runners in this year’s race who can say they’ve run every Chicago Marathon since it began. George Mueller, 76, of the Streeterville neighborhood, and Henry Kozlowski, 74, of Wilmette, also were among the 4,200 runners in the city’s inaugural race through Chicago streets in 1977. “George Mueller, Randy Burt and Henry Kozlowski are a shining example of the spirit of the marathon, as they have run every Chicago Marathon since its inception,” said the race’s executive director, Carey Pinkowski, in a statement to the Tribune. “Their dedication to the race is a testament to the power of setting goals and working tirelessly to achieve them.” * Daily Herald | ‘Street takeover’ at car show prompts Cary law on nuisance events: The village of Cary has updated an ordinance requiring event permits with regulations for some gatherings, after a car show brought hundreds of attendees to a manufacturing area and took police off guard. The Cary Police Department responded to “several complaints” related to an event April 21 on the 700 block of Industrial Drive. Police closed down Industrial Drive until the crowd dispersed, according to village documents. Complaints ranged from dangerous driving to public urination, Police Chief Patrick Finlon told village board members. * Daily Herald | ‘A lot to fight for’: Homeowners resist developer’s offer: Mark Kiel’s neighborhood is just east of Route 83, near Bensenville and the outskirts of O’Hare International Airport, and yet life in Oakdale Woods is quiet, “like living in the country.” East of the subdivision, down Old Grand Avenue, is the Fischer Farm, a historic homestead that sells eggs. It’s a community where neighbors wave to each other. “The people that want to stay have a lot to fight for,” Kiel said. He and other residents of Oakdale Woods are opposing a developer’s attempts to buy homes in the unincorporated area. They’ve put up yellow yard signs against the “Transwestern Industrial Buyout.” * Daily Herald | McHenry County Board weighing small tax hike to hire deputies: A divided McHenry County Board is discussing whether to approve a small tax increase and fund three new sheriff’s deputy positions. Although taxpayers should see relief on the county portion of their tax bills after leaders upheld their pledge to remove the almost $11 million previously allocated to the Mental Health Board, some on the board have floated more cuts. * Lake & McHenry County Scanner | ‘Impact on the community is immeasurable’: Lake County judge retires after 22 years of service: Colleagues, friends and family gathered Friday to celebrate the retirement of Lake County Associate Judge Theodore S. Potkonjak. “Judge Potkonjak, we have known each other for a long time. I have had the privilege of trying cases with you and cases before you. You have been a model for many of us with your vigorous advocacy as an attorney and your equal administration of justice from the bench. You are truly going to be missed,” Chief Judge Daniel B. Shanes said. * The Times | FEMA opens Technical Assistance Center in Joliet to Support Residents filing relief applications: In coordination with the Will County Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Joliet to provide technical assistance to residents applying for federal assistance from damage sustained during the July 13-16 severe weather. The center is located at the Will County Center for Community Concerns (2455 Glenwood Ave., Joliet) and will be open 8 AM to 7 PM on Mondays through Fridays and from 8 AM to 12 PM on Saturdays. It will be closed on Sundays. * BND | ‘Soup bowl’ of mine subsidence cracks homes and floods streets in Belleville neighborhood: Matt and Carolina Paul thought a well-built 1950s brick ranch home in Belleville would be a good place to start a family, so they bought one on Chaucer Drive and settled into the neighborhood. Then their newlywed bliss became a nightmare. In the past year, the home’s foundation, walls, ceilings, floors and caulking around doors and windows have cracked and shifted due to mine subsidence. Periodic flooding has turned pavement into muddy ruble on Queensway Drive, the street that connects to their driveway. * WCIA | St. Joseph man drives 600 miles, brings truck-load of supplies to Helene victims: Much of the Southeast is still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Helene. Last week, a St. Joseph tattoo artist stepped up to help. Now, he’s making the more than 600-mile drive to bring essential supplies to those in need. Ryan Johnson has a 26-foot Penske truck packed to the brim with supplies. He and a friend left Saturday night for Lake Lure, North Carolina. Between road closures and the size of the truck, they anticipated the trip to take around 12 hours. * SJ-R | ‘A safe place.’ Rabbi looks to leave his mark on Springfield after leaving South Carolina: Rabbi Greg Kanter said he just wanted to live his life and raise his two daughters in Charleston, South Carolina. When more discriminatory action against the LGBTQ community there reared its head, Kanter and his husband, Mike Merrill, and their family made their way to Springfield. “We didn’t want to constantly feel like we were looking over our shoulders about, is it safe for our kids to go to school, is our marriage in jeopardy, things like that,” said Kanter, in a recent interview. “That was a big part of it.” * WCIA | Oscar Mayer Wienermobile returning to Central IL this week: The 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels previously stopped by Champaign this summer. If you missed your chance then, you can still see the famous vehicle between Oct. 10-13 in several different locations throughout the area. * AP | Spacecraft on its way to investigate asteroid slammed by NASA in a previous save-the-Earth test: The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft rocketed away on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA two years ago in a dress rehearsal for the day a killer space rock threatens Earth. It’s the second part of a planetary defense test that could one day help save the planet. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket quickly disappeared with Hera into the late morning clouds. An hour later, applause erupted in the control center in Germany as the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s upper stage and then called home. “It’s an amazing day,” the space agency’s director general Josef Aschbacher said afterward. * USA Today | Hurricane Milton grows ‘explosively’ stronger with 175-mph winds: “Milton explosively intensifies with 175-mph winds,'’ the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. ET advisory, urging Florida residents to heed the advice of local officials. The storm, now about 700 miles from the state, rapidly strengthened from Category 2 to 5 in just a few hours Monday. By Tuesday, Milton’s intensity “should be dictated by any eyewall replacement cycles, which will likely cause the system to gradually weaken but grow larger,” the NHC said. * New Yorker | Silicon Valley, the New Lobbying Monster: The super PAC and two affiliates soon revealed in federal filings that they had collected more than a hundred and seventy million dollars, which they could spend on political races across the nation in 2024, with more donations likely to come. That was more than nearly any other super PAC, including Preserve America, which supports Donald Trump, and WinSenate, which aims to help Democrats reclaim that chamber. Pro-crypto donors are responsible for almost half of all corporate donations to PACs in the 2024 election cycle, and the tech industry has become one of the largest corporate donors in the nation. The point of all that money, like of the attack on Porter, has been to draw attention to Silicon Valley’s financial might—and to prove that its leaders are capable of political savagery in order to protect their interests. “It’s a simple message,” the person familiar with Fairshake said. “If you are pro-crypto, we will help you, and if you are anti we will tear you apart.”
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Question of the day
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Jennifer Custer, a union-backed, CTU-endorsed candidate for Chicago school board…
[Custer earlier sent me a slightly edited version and I didn’t notice it until after I’d already posted the original. What you see now is the edited version, which was sent to me before this post went up.] The council confirmation idea was set aside when then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot strongly objected to it during the negotiating process over an elected board. The mayor’s appointments to the Chicago Transit Authority must be confirmed by the council. * The way the law is written, the school board districts are divided in half. Ten members will be elected next month. The mayor will then appoint members for two-year terms in the half of the districts which don’t have an elected member. But keep in mind that the mayor could conceivably announce the next round of school board appointments before the election is certified, and before the GA can pass a bill. He also gets a citywide appointment for board chair, who will serve for two years. * The Question: Should the General Assembly pass legislation during the veto session to require confirmation of school board appointees, or just let it go and allow the law to stand as they originally passed it? Explain.
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No, the mayor did not help pass the actual EBF bill
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s press conference…
* In reality, the CTU, for which Johnson worked, fought hard against that EBF bill because it included the Invest in Kids program. August 25, 2017…
Many of those who voted “No” were Democrats in both the House and the Senate. More on the House’s roll call is here. On the day the bill was signed into law, the union did call it “a step in the right direction.”
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Mayor Johnson announces school board appointments
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Tribune…
* From the mayor’s office…
* More on the nominations…
* The press conference was repeatedly interrupted…
* More from the app formally known as Twitter…
More in a bit.
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Roundup: Jury selection to begin Tuesday in Madigan’s corruption trial
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * AP…
* Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* WTTW…
* More… * Tribune | After storied time as the ‘Velvet Hammer,’ Michael Madigan to face a jury: Jury selection begins Tuesday before U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey, with opening statements a week later, and the high-profile spectacle expected to roll deep into December. Madigan and his co-defendant, Michael McClain, a longtime confidant, former lawmaker and retired contract lobbyist for ComEd and other top companies, have pleaded not guilty. * Center Square | Lawmakers recall former Illinois House speaker’s tactics ahead of corruption trial: [Rep. Kelly Cassidy] said she learned about Madigan’s ways earlier when the speaker’s office had some of her allies question her about betraying her values and working for then-Governor Bruce Rauner’s turnaround agenda. “During the Rauner years, there was a pretty amazing day where, as I moved through the Capitol, I was getting these really weird questions from traditional allies: a union member asking me if I was reconsidering my position on pensions, the trial lawyers asking me if I had rethought my position on workers comp, for example,” Cassidy recalled. * Tribune | Breaking down the charges in the Michael Madigan indictment: Unofficially, it’s one of the biggest public corruption cases ever brought in Illinois, even in a state with a well-chronicled track record for blockbuster political trials. Madigan, 82, the former speaker of the Illinois House and head of the state Democratic Party, and his longtime confidant, ex-lobbyist Michael McClain, 77, are charged in a 117-page, 23-count superseding indictment filed in October 2022 with racketeering conspiracy and a host of other crimes. * Sun-Times | Mike Madigan among cast of powerful characters ensnared in corruption cases playing out in Chicago: Most of them were convicted, some went to prison. But all were caught up in the FBI’s decade-long pursuit of Illinois’ former House speaker. Here’s a look at the individuals and businesses caught in the crossfire ahead of Madigan’s trial.
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DPI down-ballot focus continues with county-level races
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Since that column was written on Friday afternoon, the Democratic Party of Illinois has reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional contributions that appear to be tied to these efforts.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Eric, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Open thread
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: If you’ve been AFK we posted a couple of Chicago school board roundups this weekend. You can find them here and here… * Related stories… ∙ Crain’s: Entire CPS board to quit amid power struggle with Mayor Johnson ∙ WSJ: The Chicago School Board Coup ∙ WGN: Mayor Johnson to appoint 7 new School Board members Monday after current board members’ resignation announcement Mayor Johnson is set to announce appointments to the Chicago Board of Education at Sweet Holy Spirit Church at 10:30 am. * Capitol News Illinois | Federal agency opposes new state law; Pritzker to lead trade mission to Japan: After a coalition of financial institutions sued over the law in federal court this summer, federal officials this week sided with the banks. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency – an independent bureau within the U.S. Department of Treasury – wrote in a legal brief that Illinois’ law is both “bad policy” and in conflict with federal law. The filing, published Wednesday, frames interchange fees as a “core feature of an intricately designed nationwide payments system.” * Bloomberg | Stellantis sues UAW to stop strike over plant investments: In a lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California on Thursday, the automaker accused the UAW of planning to violate a 2023 collective bargaining agreement by way of “impermissible” mid-contract strikes. The UAW is threatening to walk off over delayed investments in the agreement, including a promise from Stellantis to reopen in Belvidere. Stellantis disputes the UAW’s claim that workers are allowed to strike under the agreement if the company fails to deliver on promises in the deal, which runs through April 2028.
* WCIA | Pritzker heading to Japan to try and attract businesses to Illinois: The trip will be used as an opportunity to advertise Illinois, and the products that are made here. Exports from Illinois to Japan increased by almost 32 percent since 2019, according to the Governor’s office. But the governor will also be using the trip to try and attract more businesses to come to Illinois as well. The state is making huge investments in new areas like quantum computing, electric vehicle manufacturing, and data center construction. This is just the latest trip that Pritzker has made to try and tout these opportunities. * WAND | What landlords, tenants should know about the new Illinois rental assistance program: A new Illinois rental assistance program for tenants and landlords with a pending eviction case has started taking applications and those who are eligible could receive thousands of dollars to help cover past-due rent or prevent an eviction. The state-funded, court-based rental assistance program started Sept. 20. Tenants and landlords can apply for up to $15,000 in emergency rental payments, which can be applied to past-due rent dating back to March 2020. The funds can also pay up to $500 for court costs and up to two months of future rent payments to prevent an eviction. * Daily Herald | Are we there yet? Illinois’ drive to 1 million EVs is still in second gear: There’s a significant “meh” factor when it comes to consumer attitudes about EVs, experts said Thursday at the Chicago Automobile Trade Association’s Chicago Drives Electric media day in Oakbrook Terrace. But, there’s positive news on charging networks. And, inch by inch, battery-powered cars are gaining market share, analysts noted. * Tribune | Mayor Johnson’s budget timeline delay spells difficult months ahead for Chicago’s financial conundrum: Though Johnson has downplayed the extra two weeks he’s taking to unveil his budget proposal, the domino effect of department hearings now concluding the week before Thanksgiving has aggravated aldermen across the political spectrum who worry they’ll have less time to propose their own amendments and confer with constituents and experts. * Crain’s | Quantum-anchored South Works campus would be bigger than four Lincoln Yards campuses: The first-phase projects could include cryogenic facilities and equipment labs “as well as research and office spaces for private companies and universities to collaborate,” the application said. If the City Council signs off on the planned development in the next few months, construction on that first phase could begin early next year with the goal of being completed in the summer of 2026, according to a source familiar with the plan. * Shaw Local | Jaquan Brisker’s hard hit sparks Chicago Bears defense to another 3-takeaway afternoon in win over Carolina: Jaylon Johnson wanted to make sure Jaquan Brisker was OK. Brisker, the Chicago Bears safety, had just demolished Carolina Panthers tight end Tommy Tremble and caused a fumble. It was the first of three Bears takeaways in a 36-10 win over the Panthers on Sunday at Soldier Field. The hard-hitting Brisker has never been afraid to take on contact if it means hitting the ball carrier. The hit looked scary for both players. It sent Tremble into the concussion protocol. Brisker, however, appeared to be OK afterward. * Crain’s | Harry Potter concept, Spanish fashion chain coming to the Mag Mile: Warner Bros. has signed a lease for a multilevel space that includes about 10,000 square feet on the ground floor at 676 N. Michigan Ave., with plans to open a Harry Potter store like it has in New York, and separately, Barcelona-based chain Mango has a deal for an approximately 16,000-square-foot store at the base of the Ritz-Carlton Residences condominium tower at 664-670 N. Michigan Ave., according to sources familiar with the transactions. * Crain’s | United is banking on big demand for end of Taylor Swift tour: United Airlines continues to cash in on demand for all things Taylor Swift, adding extra nonstop flights to Vancouver in early December for her Eras Tour finale. The airline is adding one daily flight from both Chicago and Denver from Dec. 5 through Dec. 9 and San Francisco from Dec. 5 through Dec. 8. * Sun-Times | Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson endorses Republican Fioretti for Cook County state’s attorney: “We need Bob Fioretti as Cook County State’s Attorney. This is not about party labels. This is about electing our community’s best State’s Attorney, who will temper justice with mercy,” said the civil rights leader, who said that he has endorsed Republican candidates in the past. “We need to split our ticket this year. After we vote for Kamala Harris for President, we must cross over and vote for Fioretti for State’s Attorney,” Jackson added. * Tribune | Stateville’s storied past recalled as state readies to demolish, rebuild century-old prison: Stateville’s famous roundhouses were once seen as just that, state of the art facilities based on ideas sketched out by Jeremy Bentham, an 18th and early 19th century English philosopher and social reformer, in his essay, “Panopticon, or The Inspection House.” “The Building circular,” Bentham wrote, “The Prisoners in their Cells, occupying the Circumference — The Officers, the Center. By Blinds, and other contrivances, the inspectors concealed from the observation of the Prisoners, hence the sentiment of a sort of invisible omnipresence.” * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois State Police investigate another Sangamon County officer-involved death: Two hours later, deputies spotted a Dodge Ram with a motorcycle in the bed, according to the news release. Deputies tried to stop the truck, but the driver continued. As the pursuit continued, tools and a tire were thrown from the truck in the deputies’ path. The vehicle traveled south on Interstate 55 through Macoupin and Montgomery counties and then into Madison County. Deputies lost sight of the vehicle, according to the news release, and were only able to follow the truck’s taillights. While following the truck, the release said they found Davenport lying next to the road and stopped the pursuit to deliver medical attention. * WCIA | Field catches fire near Gibson City: The fire happened about three miles north of Gibson City just after noon. Firefighters from the Gibson City and Sullivant Township Fire Protection Districts responded to put out the flames and stop it from spreading further. The fire was controlled by around 1 p.m., with firefighters staying on the scene an hour after to monitor hotspots. Gibson City Fire Chief Bruce Kallal told WCIA they believe the cause of the fire was some garbage that was burning in the field. No one was hurt. * PJ Star | Pritzker defends elimination of ‘embarrassing’ Illinois tax; Peoria worried about revenue: Peoria Mayor Rita Ali, who was in attendance for Pritzker’s appearance at the CJ Harvest grocery store in Peoria on Thursday, had said in February that ending the tax would have “unintended consequences.” “This I believe is the unintended consequences of what was deemed to be a break, something good for the residents of Illinois, without fully understanding the impact that it has on municipalities, cities across the state of Illinois like ours,” Ali said in February. “We would not have anticipated a $4 million annual loss moving forward from 2024 and really the damage it could cause to services because it would mean significant, deep cuts.” * The Southern | Kincaid Mounds celebrates 1,000-year-old artifacts at Archaeological Field Day: The Kincaid site likely served as a trade link between native settlements in the Cumberland-Tennessee river valleys and the metropolis at Cahokia, according to Illinois.gov. Artifacts found at the Kincaid site indicate that while the mounds were built relatively shortly before the appearance of Europeans in Illinois, Native Americans had occupied the area at different periods over hundreds of years. * AP | More Black and Latina women are leading unions — and transforming how they work: Women make up roughly half of U.S. labor union membership, but representation in top level union leadership positions has lagged, even in female-dominated industries and particularly for women of color. But Black and Latina women are starting to gain ground, landing top positions at some of the biggest unions in the U.S. That has translated into wins at the bargaining table that focus more attention on family-friendly benefits like parental leave and health care coverage, as well as protections against sexual harassment. * Gizmodo | Truth Social Users Are Losing Ridiculous Sums of Money to Scams: One person who says they lost $170,000 explained they were initially scammed on a different site but met someone on Truth Social who claimed they could help get their money back. That turned out to be a scam as well. But more often, the victims are first contacted on Truth Social before being told to take the conversation somewhere else, like WhatsApp. Truth Social seems to be a target-rich environment for people who are easy to con.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Oct 7, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Sunday roundup: Rep. Williams says no takeover; ‘Guardrail’ bill floated; More alderpersons sign letter; Biz weighs in; CTU president claims city pays the bills for ‘every municipality in this state’; Progressive Caucus supports letter
Sunday, Oct 6, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) tells the CTU’s vice president that nobody is talking about a state takeover…
* Anyone can introduce a bill and this idea hasn’t even been introduced yet. But is there the will to pass a “guardrails” bill without also addressing school funding, for which there is no current money?…
* Meanwhile, a total of 41 Chicago alderpersons have signed on to the letter, up from 38 on Saturday…
“Earlier this year, legislators in Springfield noted the requests they received from the city’s lobbying efforts. Many of them shared that the requests focused too much on $2 billion for a new Bears stadium, and not enough on additional funds for CPS and other school districts across Illinois. We must find new ways to work with one another, CPS leadership, and our colleagues in Springfield to achieve our shared vision of fully funded schools for all Illinois students.” * List of alderpersons who have not signed the letter…
6 - William Hall 25 - Byron Sigcho Lopez 26 - Jessica Fuentes 27 - Walter Burnett, Jr. 28 - Jason Ervin 29 - Chris Taliaferro 33 - Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez 35 - Carlos Ramirez-Rosa * Biz weighs in…
* A candidates’ forum was held yesterday by Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education, which is partially funded by the CTU’s foundation, but on Friday expressed deep concerns about “a season of disruption in CPS leadership. Tribune coverage…
…Adding… Raise Your Hand claims it receives no funding from the CTU Foundation, but I got that info from their own website. Click here in case they alter the page. …Adding… Raise Your Hand: “My apologies. We did not realize that logo was still available on our site. We have removed it and clarified our other funders in line with our tax filings.” * CTU President Stacy Davis Gates on WVON Radio…
Yes, Chicago is a strong economic engine, but the city most definitely does not “pay the bills for every municipality in this state.” C’mon. …Adding… Oops. I forgot about this one…
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News coverage roundup: Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign (Updated x2)
Saturday, Oct 5, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller …Update - 2… Chief House sponsor of Chicago elected school board bill: “The level of state oversight necessary for the district will be informed by the decisions made by the Mayor and his administration in the coming weeks and months. I will continue to talk with Chicago families and my colleagues to evaluate what additional guardrails may be needed to ensure policy decisions are consistent with the best interests of Chicago students and communities”…
…Update - 1… All of the usual Johnson opponents on here, but some progressives as well…
* Education reporters Sarah Karp and Nader Issa broke the story…
* ICYMI: Check out our coverage from yesterday…
* Ahead of mass school board resignation, some mayoral opponents ask Pritzker to step in, but he says he has no legal authority (Updated x5) * WTTW…
* Tribune…
* WBEZ…
* Chalkbeat…
* NBC Chicago…
* More… * Tribune | With the entire Board of Education resigning, what’s next for CPS families?: “Why is this happening when we’re so close to having part of our board be elected?” Maleeha Mubashiruddin, a CPS parent whose children attend Peterson Elementary and Whitney Young High School, said. “The district needs to have a leader … (and) there isn’t someone in place. We don’t know who Mayor Johnson is going to appoint. Especially with the school board changing at the start of the school year, there needs to be someone leading this giant district instead of having this void in leadership.” * CBS | Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign amid dispute with mayor over CPS CEO’s future: On Friday afternoon, activists, parents, and politicians all gathered outside CPS Headquarters, 42 W. Madison St. once word got out about the unanimous resignation of the board members. “When an entire board that you selected resigns, that’s a rejection of you as a leader, Mr. Mayor,” said Juan Rangel of the Urban Center. * NYT | Entire Chicago Education Board to Resign Amid Tensions Between Mayor and Schools Chief: Mr. Johnson, who is aligned with the union, and Pedro Martinez, the chief executive of Chicago’s school district, have clashed over the mayor’s plan to fill a $1 billion gap in the district’s budget. As part of his plan, Mr. Johnson had proposed a $300 million high-interest loan to cover a $175 million pension for staff members in the district who aren’t teachers, and to cover pay increases for members of the union, among other things. * ABC Chicago | Entire Chicago Board of Education to resign, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office says: Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward said school board members owe CPS families an explanation of why they are resigning, as there was no mention of it in a joint statement with the mayor. At the last monthly meeting, the board refused to act on Martinez’s contract after the Mayor asked the CEO to resign. “For years, we’ve heard the far left of Chicago scream about elected school board, elected school board now they’re getting an elected school board, and yet they want to take it over in a last minute coup and appoint people,” Ald. Hopkins said. “That’s wrong.” * WGN | Chicago Board of Education to resign; mayor to announce new appointments Monday: Mayor Johnson denied on Monday if he is pushed board members to resign regarding Martinez. “I don’t ever discuss personnel issues. I find it irresponsible and raggedy, and I don’t do raggedy,” Johnson said in September. However, on Wednesday he told reporters at City Hall, “I was elected to fight for the people of this city, and who ever is in the way of that…Get out of it.” * The Rundown | Entire Chicago school board to resign: The board at times has seemed to back CPS CEO Pedro Martinez in clashes with Johnson, but the board has also had concerns about Martinez’s performance, WBEZ and the Sun-Times previously reported. The departures seem mutual: Board members were upset with the position they were put in and the mayor wants a board that will follow his orders. * AXIOS | Entire Chicago Board of Education is resigning: The mayor’s office says no current board members planned to continue next year. None of them are seeking election either. The resignations don’t bode well for Martinez who had already faced some criticism from board members for his interaction with them but may fare even worse under new mayoral appointees. * Chicago Crusader | Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Board of Education Announce Board Member Transition Plan: Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with fellow elected officials, faith leaders and community partners, will announce seven new appointments to the Chicago Board of Education on Monday, October 7, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at Sweet Holy Spirit Church, 8621 S. South Chicago Ave. in Chicago.
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Mayor to announce school board appointments on Monday
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Media advisory…
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Randy Newman will play us out… You just remember what your old pal said
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans…
* WGEM…
* WCIA | Illinois AG leads coalition supporting minimum staffing for train operations: Unsafe railroad conditions have cost train workers their lives, and the Illinois Attorney General is part of a movement pressing to put an end to the problem. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general in favor of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) rule that requires freight and passenger trains be staffed with at least two crew members to ensure safer conditions for workers., according to a release on Wednesday. * Capitol News Illinois | Jury selection begins next week in corruption trial of former Speaker Madigan: The 82-year-old ex-speaker faces 24 counts of bribery and racketeering — along with his longtime friend and powerful Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain — in a case that frames Madigan’s power in government, politics and as a partner in his law firm as a criminal enterprise. The trial, which is scheduled to last through mid-December, is the culmination of more than a decade of digging by the FBI and prosecutors, and it’s the final in a series of related cases that have played out in Chicago’s federal courthouse over the last few years. * Sun-Times | Head of CPD drug investigations is finalist for Iowa police chief job — and is saddled with mountain of debt: A Chicago police commander of major narcotics investigations was struggling with almost $840,000 in debt earlier this year, including more than $30,000 in taxes he owed the IRS, according to bankruptcy records. Joshua Wallace, 50, is one of the two finalists to become the next police chief in Des Moines, Iowa. On Wednesday, the Des Moines Register newspaper first reported on Wallace’s bankruptcy filing in February. * Block Club | Garfield Park Conservatory Starts Charging Entry Fee For Non-Chicagoans: Starting Oct. 16, people who do not reside in Chicago will be charged an entrance fee to the conservatory, with prices depending on age. Non-resident adults will be charged $10, while children 7-17 will get in for $5 and kids younger than 7 will be admitted for free, according to an announcement. College students and people 65 and older will be charged $5. * Sun-Times | U.S. Supreme Court to hear appeal of Patrick Daley Thompson, heir to Chicago political dynasty: The high court’s deliberations are not expected to completely undo the former City Council member’s conviction for tax crimes, regardless of how things play out. But 2025 could be the second year in a row that the justices hear arguments about how the feds pursue local politicians in high-profile cases. * Sun-Times | Schwinn led the bicycle industry from Chicago for a century before losing its way: The pioneering bike company was sold long ago and no longer is based in Chicago. But it left behind a huge legacy that even missteps of the ‘70s and ‘80s can’t erase. * NBC Chicago | With Savannah Bananas coming to Chicago for 1st time, here’s how to enter the ticket lottery: The Bananas, who have pioneered a style of baseball called “Banana Ball” will play at Guaranteed Rate Field against the Firefighters on Aug. 15-16, 2025. Fans interested in purchasing tickets must sign up for a ticket lottery via the team’s website. Only one city can be selected when entering the lottery. * WGN | Judge warns Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard to comply with rulings: Trustees opposed to Henyard returned to court Thursday, claiming Henyard disobeyed the order by instructing a vendor to cut off Keith Freeman’s access to village license and permitting software. Freeman was Henyard’s top adviser in both Dolton and Thornton Township before he fell out of favor for cooperating with Henyard’s opponents and she attempted to fire him. * Shaw Local | Kane County offering $755K in ARPA funds to food-related businesses: The Kane County Food and Farm Resiliency Grant Program is now open for applications, offering $755,000 in financial assistance to local food-growing businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, officials announced in a news release. The funds are available through Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds created through the American Rescue Plan Act. * Beacon-News | $26M Dauberman Road extension in Kane County nearly complete: A $26 million Kane County project to extend Dauberman Road over Route 30 and the nearby railroad tracks in Big Rock is nearly complete, county officials announced Tuesday at a ribbon cutting. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Dauberman Road Extension Project comes around a year and a half after construction began on the project, according to a news release about the ceremony. County officials said during the ceremony that the road extension project will improve accessibility and safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists in the area. * Daily Herald | ‘Best day ever’: Wheaton man grows 2,000-pound pumpkin : His 2,021-pounder took first place at the Illinois Giant Pumpkin Growers Association weigh-off on Saturday. Adkins didn’t know how much it weighed until it went on the scale during the event in Minooka. “It was so unbelievable,” he said Thursday. “I’ve been shooting for this for the longest time, so I can’t even tell you the excitement I felt. It still feels so incredible. Best day ever.” * WGN | Wildlife expert describes pulling python from woman’s car in Kane County: Brad Lundsteen of Suburban Wildlife Control says the job was among the top 10 strangest scenarios he’s encountered. The reptile was first spotted in a neighborhood in Geneva on Tuesday before it made its way under the vehicle. After multiple efforts to remove the reptile, the car was driven to an area body shop where it could be lifted to grant Lundsteen easier access. * WSIL | 80 vacancies for 12 job positions posted in connection to Choate in Anna: 80 vacancies for job positions are posted on an Illinois official state website with dates ranging from mid-September to early October for Choate Mental Health and Development Center in Anna. On the Illinois Department of Human Services website are employment opportunities linked to the Work For Illinois page with a number of positions posted across the state. In Anna, a total of 12 jobs are posted from dates starting from September 16 through October 3 in connection to Choate Mental Health and Development Center. * State Week | What changes might come from Sonya Massey’s death?: Sonya Massey was an unarmed Black woman who was shot and killed by a former sheriff’s deputy in Sangamon County this summer. The case drew outrage and placed more focus on police hiring and training. It could lead to new legislation. Massey’s mental health struggles also showed how a law designed to prevent such individuals from having police confrontations has failed to get up and running. * PJ Star | Runaway trucks, tornadoes and millions of pies: Beloved Peoria bakery had long, colorful history: The fondly remembered Kitchen Made Pie Co. has a storied, if turbulent, history. It supplied more than 10,000 pies to the 1951 Eureka Pumpkin Festival, when that was a thing. It weathered a runaway pie truck in 1963, a safecracking and tornado in 1965, and a worker dismemberment in 1972. For decades, the company supplied restaurants and groceries across the Peoria area. * WCIA | Champaign’s Promise Healthcare receives $600K for mental health, substance abuse services: A new grant for $600,000 has been received by Promise Healthcare after applying in June. They were one of 16 clinics in Illinois to be chosen by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). 400 clinics were selected nationwide. * NPR | Storm damage closes N.C. factory that makes vital hospital supplies: The Baxter International factory in Marion, N.C., about 35 miles outside of Asheville, was evacuated right before the worst of the storm passed, according to social media posts from employees. It’s now shut down and covered in mud — like a lot of western North Carolina. Bridges leading to the facility were also badly damaged. The facility is one of the largest suppliers of IV fluids in the country, the Food and Drug Administration says. Baxter says it will spare no expense to get the factory back online, but the company doesn’t “have a timeline for when operations will be back up and running.” * Vox | Get used to more absurdly hot Octobers: Palm Springs, California, hit a staggering 117 degrees Tuesday, setting a new October record for itself, and matching the highest temperature that’s ever been documented in the US in October. Other places in California, Arizona, and Wyoming have also experienced some of their hottest October temperatures ever, with San Jose reaching a temperature of 106 degrees, Phoenix hitting 113, and Cheyenne reaching 85 degrees.
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Question of the day (Updated)
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
* However, Isabel and I scrolled through Desi Anderson’s Facebook page and found these… 
* From Anderson’s campaign website…  * From the actual Democratic mailers in question sent to me by the HGOPs… 
* The Question: Your take on this? …Adding… From Democrats for the Illinois House…
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Ahead of mass school board resignation, some mayoral opponents ask Pritzker to step in, but he says he has no legal authority (Updated x5)
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
* Mayor Johnson’s spin…
The new board doesn’t take office until next year. Nothing in that joint release from the mayor and the board says what they’re gonna do after this month ends. * Press release from Johnson opponents…
* I reached out to the governor’s office earlier today. From Alex Gough…
…Adding… WBEZ…
…Adding… Jennifer Custer, candidate for School Board in District 1, who is endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Unioin…
…Adding… INCS…
* Also…
…Adding… Illinois Latino Agenda…
…Adding… Another CTU-endorsed candidate…
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Governor’s office says Senate Republicans are “spreading falsehoods” with their calls for DCFS audit (Updated)
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * On September 20, Injustice Watch published a story alleging cases of abuse at Aunt Martha’s Integrated Care Center…
* Senate Republican Leader John Curran held a press conference today calling for an audit of DCFS to investigate the allegations…
* Greg Bishop asked Curran why there hasn’t been more local or state criminal investigations into the allegations…
* Pritzker Press Secretary Alex Gough…
…Addding… Leader Curran’s response…
…Adding… DCFS response…
Lots more at the link.
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Meanwhile… In Opposite Land
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * News Channel 9 in July…
More on the Tennessee law is here if you’re interested. * Governor Pritzker was asked at a news event yesterday if he’d consider signing any legislation that would target parents of repeat juvenile offenders…
Thoughts?
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Open thread
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Gov. Pritzker announces $7.9M in grants to grocery stores across Illinois. WGEM…
- Pritzker said right now, there are more than 3 million Illinoisans living in food deserts, which means they don’t have easy access to affordable healthy food options. -Recipients include stores in Peoria, Rockford, Marion, Carlinville and Alton. A full list of recipients can be found here. * Related stories…
∙ WMBD: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker makes two stops in Peoria ∙ WAND: Carlinville, Urbana receive grant money for grocery stores * Capitol News Illinois | ADM stops carbon injection as its Decatur facility remains under federal scrutiny: After identifying an underground carbon dioxide leak earlier this year, agribusiness giant ADM found a further “anomaly” in one of the wells at its Decatur carbon dioxide sequestration plant last week. […] As part of the company’s “ongoing diagnostic efforts,” it found evidence of brine – salty water – moving between the underground rock formations it uses for carbon dioxide storage, according to a letter from ADM to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This creates the potential for other underground material to escape its containment zones, although the company’s letter said it has not collected any data indicating that has happened. * Bolts | In Illinois, a Private Prison Company’s Long Trail of Deaths and High-Dollar Contracts: Sarah Grady, a civil rights lawyer who has represented a number of incarcerated people in lawsuits against IDOC and Wexford, is disappointed in state leaders like Governor JB Pritzker and Latoya Hughes, the governor’s pick to lead IDOC as interim director since March 2023 for awarding Wexford a new contract despite its tumultuous history. “It was a really incredible opportunity for the governor and the state to really think about a model that does not embrace this privatization,” she told Bolts. * Sun-Times | Want to apply for the new Illinois rental assistance program? Here’s what landlords, tenants should know: The state-funded, court-based rental assistance program started Sept. 20. Tenants and landlords can apply for up to $15,000 in emergency rental payments, which can be applied to past-due rent dating back to March 2020. The funds can also pay up to $500 for court costs and up to two months of future rent payments to prevent an eviction. * Sun-Times | Mike Madigan, once Illinois’ most influential powerbroker, now faces federal corruption trial: Prosecutors still have one crucial task ahead of them: proving former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan guilty of a racketeering conspiracy. That work finally begins Tuesday, in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge John Blakey, where the once-powerful Southwest Side Democrat is expected to face a jury of fellow Illinois residents whose lives have all been affected by Madigan — whether they know it or not. * Daily Herald | Opponents in 45th District state representative race share their differing top priorities: Democrat and Elmhurst Ward 1 Alderman Martha “Marti” Deuter is running against Republican and Addison Township Supervisor Dennis M. Reboletti, also of Elmhurst, to succeed Democratic incumbent Jenn Ladisch Douglass, who chose not to seek a second term. Reboletti is a former Will County assistant state’s attorney and served as a state representative from 2007 to 2015. He said he considers himself the more effective choice for the seat because of his previous experience and ability to provide a fresh perspective to a Democratic-dominated legislature. * Sun-Times | Emboldened by CPS strife, CTU critics pour more cash into school board elections: A month out from Election Day, business and charter school interests that have raised millions of dollars are now infusing cash and stepping up in school board races against the CTU — in three districts dishing out so much money that election officials have lifted the contribution limits. They appear emboldened by the strife at CPS, many of them having spent the past few weeks backing schools CEO Pedro Martinez in his ongoing fight against Johnson and the teachers’ union. * Tribune | Chicago sees steep drop in number of deaths tied to opioid overdoses: Public health and law enforcement officials point to a variety of factors that could be responsible. Increased community outreach, addiction treatment efforts and less available fentanyl all likely play a role, they said. Through Sept. 20, Cook County had recorded 806 opioid-related deaths this year, according to data from the medical examiner’s office. Of those, 580 occurred in Chicago. In that same time frame in 2023, the county saw 1,363 opioid-related deaths with 1,022 in Chicago. * Tribune | ‘Make a plan to vote now’: First 2 Chicago early voting sites open: Between June 1 and the end of September, close to 50,000 Chicagoans — more women than men, and the majority were under the age of 35 — registered to vote, according to the city’s elections board. More than 3,600 18-year-olds and over 3,000 19-year-olds, who will be voting in their first presidential election, registered. No ages registered more than those two, which board Chair Marisel Hernandez said was “truly inspiring.” * Tribune | In an effort to address food deserts, Illinois doles out first round of state grocery funding. An Austin grocer is among the recipients.: The state awarded $750,000 to Forty Acres for its new bricks-and-mortar store at 5713 W. Chicago Ave. Reached by phone while running a produce stand at an Austin farmers market Thursday, Forty Acres founder Liz Abunaw described the state grant program as a “game changer” because unlike many grants which must go toward construction and renovation costs, the program allows funds to go toward first-year operational costs such as labor and inventory. * Block Club Chicago | Babe’s, A Women’s Sports Bar, Launches Fundraiser To Help It Open In Logan Square: Nora McConnell-Johnson, a lifelong athlete and sports fan, plans to open Babe’s at 3017 W. Armitage Ave. after getting overall positive feedback from neighbors and the alderperson on the idea. Now that the storefront is officially hers, she aims to raise $75,000 to transform the former Music Lounge space, which has sat vacant since 2017 or early 2018. * Daily Southtown | Ford Heights residents voice ire at new mayor’s first meeting: ‘Give us : Frustration erupted Wednesday in Ford Heights as the Village Board met for the first time following the appointment of interim Mayor Freddie Wilson, who was elevated last week to mayor of the impoverished community despite being in his first term as a trustee. Roughly 50 people were on hand to witness how the Board would move on after their former mayor resigned due to a criminal conviction. After Wilson failed to address former Mayor Charles Griffin’s embezzlement of village funds as well as concerns over his personal ties to Griffin, the crowd became restless. * Daily Herald | New Cook County dashboard tracks opioid, gun and temperature deaths: The Medical Examiner Case Archive Dashboard allows users to access a range of demographic information for Cook County residents who’ve died as a result of opioids, guns or temperature-related deaths, including age, gender, race and ethnicity. The dashboard allows users to filter data by municipality and cause of death. Visitors also can pinpoint which neighborhoods are experiencing higher death rates. * Daily Herald | Judge’s decision in Barrington Hills horse-boarding case upheld: A three-judge panel on Monday unanimously affirmed Judge David B. Atkins’ decision against James J. Drury III, who’d sued Barrington Hills in 2015 over a zoning ordinance establishing rules for boarding businesses in the equestrian-friendly town. Drury alleged the ordinance was unconstitutional; Atkins disagreed. The appeals court found Atkins made no errors and that the evidence presented at trial “fully supported” his conclusion. * KFVS | Union members at Choate Mental Health hit the picket line for more staffing: According to AFSCME Local 141, union members hit the picket line over unsafe working conditions and delays in hiring new staff. Union President Ona Rivero Winfield said there has been an increase in staff assaults over the last several months due to insufficient staffing. The union is citing changes in hiring have caused delays in hiring new staff. She said current staff members are assigned to oversee a greater number of residents than has been deemed acceptable by recent policy. * WCIA | Motorcyclist injured in crash sues former Springfield officer charged with DUI: Court records show Trevor Hopkins filed a lawsuit for negligence against former Springfield police seargent Michael Egan and the Blue Ridge Club on Tuesday. […] Blue Ridge Club is also named in the lawsuit. Under Illinois’ Dram Shop Act, businesses that serve alcohol are liable if they overserve their customers. * WTVO | Hard Rock Casino donation to help Northwest Communtity Center with outreach programs: Northwest Community Center received a $1,000 donation from the Hard Rock Casino Thursday morning, in an effort to help with employment training and afterschool programs. “This is going to make a tremendous impact on the programming we have here. It’s gonna help further our mission, which is to provide a place for the local community to gather, learn, and actually be social,” said Northwest’s executive director, Nicole Fricks. * WCIA | Urbana Police letting clergy care for victims at crime scenes in new program: Chief Larry Boone brought this concept with him from his previous job in Norfolk, Virginia. He saw how successful it was there and believes the same results can be achieved here. They overlaid the map of gun violence with churches in the same area, and plan to pull from that pool. “A lot of people are looking forward to it,” Behavior and Health Detective Antwan Funches said. “The community, as well as my department.” * SJ-R | Remaining Neuhoff owned radio stations officially sold in Springfield area: Woodward Communication, Inc. officially acquired seven radio station brands from Neuhoff Media in Springfield and Bloomington on Sept. 30, according to a press release from WCI. “We are pleased to announce that today we successfully consummated the acquisition of Neuhoff Media’s radio stations and brands based in Springfield and Bloomington, IL,” stated WCI President/CEO Tom Woodward in the news release. “Over the past couple of months, we have gotten to know each other better, shared ideas, aspirations, etc. which in turn has created positive momentum and energy on which we can enhance our capabilities to serve our customers and communities.” * PJ Star | Here’s the plan to replace the Christopher Columbus statue in Peoria. And how much it will cost: Artist Preston Jackson was tabbed by the Peoria Park District to construct a new art piece to replace the statue of Christopher Columbus, which was removed from Laura Bradley Park in 2020. Jackson’s piece, which the Peoria Park District is paying him $100,000 to create, will pay homage to Peoria’s Native American population. * Tribune | President Biden’s student loan cancellation is put on hold again after day of legal whiplash: A federal judge in Missouri put a temporary hold on President Joe Biden’s latest student loan cancellation plan on Thursday, slamming the door on hope it would move forward after another judge allowed a pause to expire. Just as it briefly appeared the Biden administration would have a window to push its plan forward, U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp in Missouri granted an injunction blocking any widespread cancellation. * WaPo | Dockworkers’ union suspends strike, ports reopen on East and Gulf coasts: The deal — brokered with the apparent help of senior Biden administration officials, according to a person close to the talks — came on the third day of the strike, sparing the U.S. economy the worst of the disruptions. It also takes a difficult issue for the Biden administration out of play less than five weeks before the presidential election, in which the White House’s stewardship of the economy is a key issue. * WaPo | With races tight, some House Republicans tout ‘pro-choice’ credentials: Not all of the Republicans using the phrase support the legal protections for abortion that Democrats have championed. But their tone is a significant shift that reflects the Democrats’ success in campaigning on the issue since 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and hints at Republican anxiety about how voters are responding. In the vice-presidential debate on Tuesday, JD Vance (R-Ohio) conceded that the Republican Party has to do a better job in “earning the American people’s trust back” on abortion.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign and court-related stuff
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Oct 4, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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