Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Southtown | Legislative races shape up with filings, John Egofske to quit 82nd House post on Friday: Egofske said in September he would not seek election next year in order to focus on his duties as mayor, a position he has held since 2017. He had appointed as representative in February to replace Jim Durkin. After Egofske said he would not run, Suzanne Akhras filed to run in the Democratic primary and former Homer Glen Trustee Nicole La Ha filed in the Republican primary. * Daily Southtown | Few primaries in Will County races with all countywide incumbents seeking reelection: Republican county board member Raquel Mitchell, who has represented the Bolingbrook and Romeoville area of the county since 2020, is running for recorder of deeds, and James Robert Buiter, Crete Township clerk, has filed to run for auditor. No Republicans filed to run for circuit court clerk or state’s attorney. * Oak Park Journal | Political fund controlled by Oak Park Democrat fined $99,500: On August 31, Casson emptied the All for Justice bank account by transferring $149,515.94 to the Chicago Independent Alliance, which shares a mailing address with All for Justice and the Andreou and Casson law firm. Casson is both the chairman and treasurer of All for Justice, which raised and spent approximately $7.3 million to help elect two Democrats to hotly contested seats on the Illinois Supreme Court to preserve and expand the Democrats majority on the benches. Harmon’s personal campaign committee contributed $500,000 to All for Justice. … Chicago Independent Alliance paid nearly $14,000 to an Oak Park firm, Professional Circulation Inc, which was incorporated in 2017, and is not currently in good standing. The address for Professional Circulation, Inc. listed on the State Board of Elections website is 315 S. Grove, which is also the residence of Luke and Amie Casson, according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds website. Chicago Independent Alliance has been dormant since July 2019, when it paid $950 to the Illinois State Board of Elections in civil penalties for not timely reporting contributions of $1,000 or more. * SJ-R | Springfield woman receives prison time for threatening Pritzker, DCFS employees: A Springfield woman has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison on federal cyberstalking charges for threats she made towards employees of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, juvenile court, and Gov. JB Pritzker. Lerin E. Hughes, 25, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. Central District of Illinois Judge Colleen R. Lawless on charges that she sent threats to kill a DCFS employee and a case worker investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect via Facebook, text messages, and e-mails. * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights village manager gets second straight 7% raise: Longtime Arlington Heights Village Manager Randy Recklaus, the village’s day-to-day point person for negotiations with the Chicago Bears and area school districts over a new stadium at Arlington Park, is getting a 7% raise for a second consecutive year. Recklaus’ salary bump, to $281,701, was approved Monday night on the consent agenda by the nine-member elected board. The raise is retroactive to Nov. 10, following his annual performance evaluation in closed session with Mayor Tom Hayes and village trustees. * Crain’s | Three top leaders depart World Business Chicago: World Business Chicago will soon lose three high-profile leaders, including CEO Michael Fassnacht and Vice Chair Mellody Hobson. After nearly four years at the helm of World Business Chicago, Fassnacht will step down in February. “For me, it’s time to do a very productive, focused transition over the next few months and then look at what the next chapter brings,” Fassnacht told Crain’s. He added that he has no plans to leave the city, but wouldn’t elaborate on his next steps. “I’m fully committed to Chicago. I’m on five non-for-profit boards that I look forward to investing my time in. . . .I loved every single day and now it’s time to start the next new chapter next year.” * Farm Week | Duncan elected IFB’s 16th president: Ogle County livestock and grain farmer Brian Duncan has been elected the 16th president of Illinois Farm Bureau. Duncan’s ascension to president came Monday, after a majority of the 327 delegates gathered for IFB’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago selected him for the position. Delegates also elected Evan Hultine, a sixth-generation grain farmer from Bureau County, as vice president. * Sun-Times | Elk Grove Village police knew man they fatally shot had history of health issues, family says: Antonio Romanucci, attorney for the family of Jack Murray, said at a news conference in River North that his firm was conducting a civil investigation into the Friday shooting, focusing on “officers’ treatment of a known emotionally distressed person and their use of deescalation tactics.” According to Romanucci, Murray, 24, was a Type 1 diabetic whose behavior could become “erratic” depending on his insulin levels. He called 911 for help whenever he felt like his health, mental or physical, was “not right.” * WSIL | Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Expanding Across Illinois, Offers Free Books to Children: The goal of this program is for all children in the state of Illinois, ages 0-5, to receive free books mailed directly to their home. This program is designed to send free, high-quality, age appropriate, books to support early childhood learning, thus instilling lifelong reading practices. * Block Club | West Side Christmas Toy Giveaway Needs More Donations To Help 250 Families: Spokeswoman Lana Simon said each child is guaranteed to receive one toy of their choosing, but children can receive more if donations exceed their planned amount. Families can also take home a bag of food for Christmas dinner, which comes with a turkey, onions, vegetables, potatoes, fruits, stuffing, candy and dessert, said Maureen Hallagan, chief operating officer of Marillac St. Vincent. * AP | A school promised not to send kids to the ER for misbehavior – but hospital trips only increased: Three times a week, on average, a police car pulls up to a school in Wicomico County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. A student is brought out, handcuffed and placed inside for transport to a hospital emergency room for a psychiatric evaluation. Over the past eight years, the process has been used at least 750 times on students. Some are as young as 5 years old.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Yet another update to today’s edition (Updated)
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Pritzker highlights women in the trades during infrastructure events
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Governor Pritzker highlighted women construction workers a couple of times in the past few days, including at a Monday press conference in Peoria. Former Illinois Central College highway careers training student Ericka Crookshanks spoke about her experience…
* Watch her statement… * Sonia Shepard, a graduate of Black Hawk College’s Highway Construction Careers Training Program, worked on the I-280 bridge in Rock Island and spoke at last week’s press event…
You can read more about Ms. Shepard here. * From Pritzker’s Rock Island remarks…
* Watch the clip here…
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Pritzker says ‘literally a dozen more’ EV plants are in the pipeline, plus an additional dozen plants in ‘other categories’
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. Pritzker was asked today about the state’s progress at attracting electric vehicle-related factories and plants on top of the recent successes with Stellantis and Gotion…
“We have a robust pipeline we continue to work on,” said his spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh when asked for clarification. Pritzker also disclosed that he owns a Rivian. * More from the governor…
…Adding… A few more business-related stories from Isabel…
* Inside Indiana | Ameristar Casino owner plans new casino in Illinois: Las Vegas-based Penn Entertainment Inc., the parent of two Indiana casinos, has broken ground on a $360 million casino in Aurora, Illinois. The new Hollywood Casino Aurora will be located about 60 miles from Penn’s Ameristar Casino in East Chicago. Penn currently operates Hollywood Casino Aurora at on the Fox River in downtown Aurora. The move inland is the result of a law passed in 2019 allowing for riverboat casinos to move on land. * Bloomberg | Citadel and its peers are piling into the same trades. Regulators are taking notice.: Multimanager funds like Griffin’s Citadel have come to dominate the hedge fund industry, riding a steady run of outperformance to oversee more than $1 trillion, including a healthy dose of leverage. But the explosive growth has led the industry giants to pile into many of the same trades. That has built unease among regulators, investors and traders over these so-called pod shops. And while Citadel’s billionaire founder has vocally opposed any notion that his firm and rivals pose systemic risks and need more regulation, even he acknowledges that crowded trades could lead to widespread losses if all of them head for the exits at once.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another update to today’s edition
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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State pulls plug on Brighton Park migrant camp
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
…Adding… The mayor responds, but the city actually chose the site…
…Adding… Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
…Adding… NBC 5 has the mayor’s comments…
…Adding… City points finger at state…
…Adding… Right back atcha…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Population of asylum-seekers at police stations continues dramatic decline
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Block Club Chicago…
That’s also down from the 877 the city reported Friday. Progress is being made. More from the story…
More…
There’s some complaining in the story about the disruptions caused by moving people out of police stations, but it simply has to be done. And it’s not like their lives were stable at the stations, or during their journeys here. * This is an idea that I’ve pushed here before. Give them something to do…
It’s good for the community and it’s good for them, in many ways. *** UPDATE *** Background is here if you need it. From Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…
* From Isabel…
* Sun-Times | Suit to stop Brighton Park migrant tent site dismissed, for now: However, Judge David Atkins ordered the city to alert the plaintiffs — a group of Southwest Side residents — if construction resumes and said the motion could be reintroduced then. “That’s the appropriate remedy here since there is no construction going on at this time,” said the circuit court judge. * Block Club | Brighton Park Tent Encampment Construction On Hold For At Least A Week, City Lawyer Says: Atkins also denied the city’s effort to dismiss the lawsuit Monday. Attorneys have until the early next week to file a formal motion to dismiss, but Atkins said it’s unlikely he would rule on that until January because the court won’t be in session much during the holiday schedule. * Center Square | Pritzker says feds must ditch work fees for migrants: Gov. J.B. Pritzker said on Monday that he is working to remove the costs. “Every time I see White House personnel or the President, I have raised this issue and others related to the asylum seekers coming to Chicago,” Pritzker said. “This waiver of those fees is very, very important.” * Tribune | State drafted, but never sent to Texas, flyer aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to Chicago: The aborted flyer, drafts of which the Tribune obtained through an open-records request, also highlights the simmering tensions between Democratic-run Illinois and Chicago and President Joe Biden’s White House over the migrant crisis, with state officials saying they were encouraged to create the document by the federal government. * NBC Chicago | New migrant shelter in Portage Park to house up to 350 people: The new location, part of an initiative from faith groups to help provide housing for migrants as the winter season draws near, was selected after negations between the City of Chicago and the Archdiocese of Chicago, the release said. According to Cruz, the shelter plans to host migrants as early as mid-January of 2024. The Department of Family and Support Services staff are expected to manage the shelter’s operations while accommodating between 300-350 people, the release said.
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Question of the day: 2023 Golden Horseshoe Awards
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Democrat Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Lacey Stauffer, Sen. Cristina Castro’s LA who even received a nomination from Sen. Steve Stadelman…
A handful of Senate Democrats nominated their own LAs for the award. Sen. Doris Turner nominated Thera Bond, who is our runner-up. Sen. Robert Peters nominated his LA Trisha Rebbe and she’s our honorable mention. Sen. Castro nominated Ms. Stauffer, as did a whole lot of others. This was not an easy decision. * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Republican Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Barb Frobish at Sen. Sally Turner’s office…
Becky Gillam with Sen. Don DeWitte is our runner-up. * On to today’s categories…
Best House Republican Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager I know it’s not always easy, but please try hard to nominate in both categories. Thanks. Also, make sure to explain your nominations or they won’t count. * As I write this, we are up to $40,642 in donations of our $48,007 target to give Christmas presents to foster kids. Thanks to everyone for their help so far, but we still have more to do. Please click here and contribute.. Thanks!
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Open thread
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * How are y’all doing today? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Yesterday was the deadline to submit petitions for the March primary. Tribune…
-U.S. Reps. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of Chicago, Sean Casten of Downers Grove, Mike Quigley of Chicago, Jan Schakowsky of Evanston and Bill Foster of Naperville face primary opposition. - Three Democrats will be competing to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost. * Related stories… ∙ SJ-R: On the final day of filings, candidates line up to challenge incumbents Coffey, Scherer ∙ Daily Herald: Two more contested Illinois House primaries appear as filing period closes ∙ Vandalia Radio: Matt Hall files to run for State Representative in the 110th District, will face Blaine Wilhour in the March Primary * Isabel’s top picks… * Tribune | Over vocal opposition, Manteno board clears way for $2 billion Chinese-owned EV battery plant: “We’re upset. We’re mad. We feel that they’re being very un-American. They’re all about themselves,” Rolniak said of the Village Board. “It should be about we the people. And it wasn’t about we the people. It was about their agenda.” * Tribune | State drafted, but never sent to Texas, flyer aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to Chicago: As Illinois and Chicago officials this fall were planning how to ease the strain on the city’s overburdened migrant shelter system, members of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration crafted a Spanish-language flyer aimed at discouraging asylum-seekers at the southern border from coming north by painting a bleaker picture of the weather and support available here. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* Sun-Times | Why Burger King did not hire Ed Burke’s law firm, despite alleged pressure from the powerful politician: Jurors heard from Wachaa as prosecutors returned to evidence revolving around the Burger King near 41st and Pulaski. Burke is accused of trying to shake business for his private law firm out of Dhanani’s company as it sought to remodel the restaurant. The jury also wound up hearing from a longtime employee of Burke’s firm, who explained how a process meant to shield Burke from conflicts of interest apparently failed to do so in 2018. * LSR | New Illinois Sports Betting High Helps Record-Breaking September In US: The recently released state report from the Illinois Gaming Board shows bettors staked $1.078 billion in September, the most in Illinois sports betting history. September marked the sixth time monthly handle eclipsed the $1 billion mark and bested the previous high-water mark set in January 2023 at $1.070 billion. * WMBD | Governor JB Pritzker comes to Peoria to celebrate the Bob Michel Bridge completion: Once completed, the updated bridge will feature a 14-foot wide multi-use path with a concrete barrier separating the pedestrian path from the roadway, new traffic signals, fresh pavement, and a new deck. * IPM | Illinois has created a Rural Education Advisory Council. Teachers don’t have to be on it: Joe Brewer, a teacher at Cuba High School in western Illinois, is worried that teachers’ concerns won’t be represented on the new council. By law, the council must include five superintendents, one principal, and one student. There is no legal requirement for the council to include teachers. * WICS | Illinois State Rep. John Egofske announce resignation: Illinois State Representative John Egofske has announced he is stepping down as State Representative of the 82nd District effective December 8. Egofske announced last month that he would not seek election to the House, after having been appointed in February to the longtime seat held by former House Republican Leader Jim Durkin. * Capitol News Illinois | What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban: At the end of November, with four weeks before the deadline, nearly 4,900 individuals had filed disclosures with ISP. Owners of now-banned firearms, accessories and ammunition face criminal penalties if they fail to file that disclosure paperwork. * Sun-Times | CPD urged to relax restrictions on vehicle chases: Anthony Driver, president of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, joined the chairman of the City Council’s Police Committee in sounding the alarm about restrictions so severe, they have contributed heavily to an alarming citywide surge in robberies. * Sun-Times | ‘The 4-years-fallacy’: CPS students struggle to graduate college in under 6 years, UChicago study says: Just 30% of CPS graduates from the class of 2014 who immediately went on to so-called “four-year” universities graduated in four years. The six-year graduation rate was over 20 percentage points higher at 51%. * BGA | BGA Notifies Johnson Administration of Possible Open Meetings Act Violations: In recent weeks, members of the public–including representatives of the Better Government Association–have been denied access to the second floor of the city council chambers and directed by security to observe council proceedings from the third-floor gallery instead. These denials mark a change of policy, negatively affect access to meetings of this public body, and are an inequitable and likely illegal departure from past practice. * Crain’s | Progressive ally of Johnson stands by scathing comments against him: Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, who’s known Johnson for decades and was elected by the same movement of unions and political organizations, responded “absolutely not” on Monday when asked if she regrets any of the comments or airing them in public. * WBEZ | Chicago Public Media CEO Matt Moog stepping down: The departure of Matt Moog, Chicago Public Media’s chief executive officer, came as unions representing WBEZ and the Sun-Times disclosed to their membership “hostile work environment” allegations against what leaders in one of the labor groups characterized as a “Chicago Public Media executive.” * NBC | Small Illinois town comes together to save supermarket: After the owner of the only grocery store in Sheffield, Illinois decided to retire, the town got creative to keep the vital community resource open. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa shares how they raised the funds to save the store and their access to fresh foods. * Block Club | NASCAR Chicago Street Race Tickets On Sale This Week, New Options Added For 2024: Next summer’s races run July 6-7, and they will be done with a shortened course, according to a NASCAR news release. Children younger than 12 can get in free July 6, and general admission tickets will be $45 July 7. Otherwise, single-day tickets start at $150, two-day tickets start at $269, GA+ tickets are $398 and two-day reserved tickets start at $465, according to NASCAR.
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Live coverage is back, sorta. This will be different than the old Scribble Live feed because Twitter broke itself and almost everything else it touched. These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of posting lagtime, but it’s much better than nothing. We are also limited to just 20 Twitter sources. The service may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees about this. You can still click here or here to follow breaking news the way we’ve done since Twitter stopped Scribble Live from working…
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Live Ed Burke Trial Coverage
Tuesday, Dec 5, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of a lagtime and you have to refresh the page every now and then. The service we’re using may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees. You can still click here to follow the Ed Burke trial on Twitter. Posts without a Twitter author name below them are from online news sources via Bing…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Fundraiser list
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Southtown | Emails show Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones prevents public employees from communicating with aldermen: First Ward Ald. Michael Navarrete sent an email Sept. 12 to set up a time to meet with Calumet City’s economic development director Donald Alesky and Valencia Williams, who works for the small business resources and assistance office. Navarrete proposed a monthly meeting with them so both parties can be better aligned on development proposals and zoning issues. […] Despite not being included in the original emails, Jones interjected and responded to Navarrete Sept. 21. “In the future, please do not send these communications to my employees,” Jones wrote in reference to the Navarrete’s messages to Alesky and Lanzito. “Further, I have instructed Don Alesky and Attorney Dominick not to meet with you and to forward all of your communications to my office for review and responses.” * Block Club | Brighton Park Tent Encampment Construction On Hold For At Least A Week: An environmental report found the site “safe for temporary residential” after remediation, but state officials must still sign off. Neighbors are suing to try to block the shelter, and a judge ordered city officials to notify neighbors of activity at the site. * Daily Herald | Republican files to take on Schneider, while Casten faces a new challenger: Oakbrook Terrace resident Mahnoor Ahmad submitted paperwork to run as a Democrat for the 6th District seat now held by Democrat Sean Casten of Downers Grove. Additionally, Lake Forest resident Jim Carris filed to run as a Republican for the 10th Congressional seat now held by Democrat Brad Schneider of Highland Park. * Tribune | Executive testifies about holding up hiring ex-Ald. Ed Burke’s law firm for Burger King tax appeals: “More or less it seemed…like we weren’t getting the type of service I was getting with (their current firm), which was speed accuracy and organization,” Wachaa testified. Wachaa also testified about getting a quick education in old school, Chicago-style bureaucracy when a colleague who ran their 150 Chicago-area Burger Kings emailed about a meeting he’d had with Burke. * Daily Herald | McHenry doesn’t want gambling parlors, but defining what those are is no sure bet: The problem, City Administrator Derik Morefield said, is defining what a gambling cafe is. “This is a whole topic we wrangled over in 2016 or 2017,” Morefield said, as McHenry tried to define what a gambling parlor looks like or develop guidelines for the city to follow. “We couldn’t come up with anything to define it,” Morefield said. * Washington Examiner | Ronny Jackson endorses Mike Bost for reelection amid primary challenge from the right: “Ronny Jackson is a true patriot who has served his country in the Trump White House, in Congress, and in the U.S. Navy,” Bost said. “Ronny and I have become great friends because we’re fighting for the same things: President Trump’s America First agenda and draining the D.C. Swamp. I am honored to have his endorsement and value his friendship.” Bost has also been endorsed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH). * Sun-Times | New discount rate system a ‘game changer’ for Chicagoans struggling with heating bills, advocates say: The new system was approved as part of the decision that also saw regulators cut a rate hike requested by Peoples Gas from $402 million down to about $301 million. That’s still a record-high increase — which will tack on $6 to the average monthly household bill, as estimated by consumer watchdogs — but the revamped discount rates will deliver much more help to the people who need it most, advocates say. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s mental health plan in Chicago starts small but carries big political implications: The mayor’s answer in his first budget was far from a full response. While he cautioned supporters that reopening the clinics would take time, his budget called for restoring only two clinics and placing them in yet-to-be-determined locations. Still, by including $5.2 million to expand mental health services and $15.9 million to double staffing for the city’s team of behavioral health professionals who respond to mental health and substance abuse crises, Johnson is trying to show he isn’t dropping the ball on the issue while preaching patience and signaling a more robust response is yet to come. * River Bender | Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project And The Village Of Godfrey To Host Invasive Species Management Training And Work Day: “We hope other municipalities across the Riverbend will join us and Sierra Club Illinois for this free invasive species management training and work day,” said Chris Logan, Director of Parks and Recreation for the Village of Godfrey. “Removing invasive species from our local parks and trails is not only critical to our work to protect and conserve local natural resources and spaces, but also to ensuring the citizens of Godfrey and beyond can enjoy our parks for generations to come.” * The Telegraph | Randy Presswood files lawsuit against Madison County Board and sanitary district: Randy Presswood, who has been rejected as an appointee to the Metro East Sanitary District Board, has filed a lawsuit against two Madison County Board members, the MESD and MESD officials. […] Presswood claims Oney and Fancher gave confidential personnel information about Presswood, who worked for MESD for 37 years before retiring as a supervisor, to Madison and Babcock, who then used the information outside of official board or committee meetings to convince others to vote against Presswood’s appointment. * The Daily Illini | Q&A with new UI trustee Jesse Ruiz: Jesse Ruiz graduated from the University in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He was appointed to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees by Gov. JB Pritzker on Oct. 27. […] From 2019-21, he worked as the deputy governor of education at the Office of the Governor in Illinois. Ruiz currently works as a general counsel at the Vistria Group, a private equity firm focused on social good. Ruiz’s appointment as a member of the Illinois Board of Trustees will last until 2029. * Sun-Times | Bears coach Matt Eberflus doesn’t answer whether he believes he’s ‘safe’ for 2024: Eberflus was asked if, based on his relationship with general manager Ryan Poles, he believes he is “safe” for next season and responded by saying, “What you can focus on is leadership. The first rule of leadership is leading yourself… That’s really what you focus on: put your best foot forward every day.” * Sun-Times | Brendan Savage, whose mom sued to get him back on basketball team, plays for Hinsdale South: Brendan Savage, the Hinsdale South senior whose mother sued to get him back on the basketball team, played in his first game of the season Friday at Downers Grove South. Savage received the full high school basketball experience. Mustangs fans booed him when he first checked in with three minutes left in the first quarter. He was the first player off the bench for the Hornets. * WCIA | Secretary of State looking for 2023 John Lewis Youth Leadership award nominations: The award honors young people whose civic contributions have created a lasting impact in their community. Officials say any member of the public can nominate a young Illinoisan making a difference in their community. The National Association of Secretaries of State established the award after the landmark civil rights leader died in 2020. * WSIL | SIU Carbondale offers rooms for Eclipse visitors in April: Community bathrooms and private showers will be available. All persons staying on campus will receive commemorative SIU eclipse glasses. The package costs $750 before tax. A pass for parking will add $25 to that total. The Dining Hall will be open with meals costing around $12.50 a person. * Sun-Times | Amusing doc ‘A Disturbance in the Force’ shows some love for awful ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’: Over the course of the next two hours, “The Star Wars Holiday Special” served up one of the looniest, most disjointed, garish, ill-conceived and at times indecipherably bizarre and undeniably dreadful television programming in the history of the medium. Airing once and then disappearing into the mist of mythology, lore and geekdom, this gargantuan misstep early on in the “Star Wars” canon was so unspeakably awful that George Lucas reportedly once proclaimed, “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.” * Daily Herald | A 50-foot tree and hundreds of ornaments: How Union Station is transformed for the holidays: “It’s hard to see up there,” explained Delgado, who gives directions to workers in mechanical lifts high above passing Metra commuters and Amtrak customers. “We believe this is the tallest indoor tree in Chicago,” said Marc Magliari, spokesman for Amtrak, which owns Union Station. * ABC Chicago | Holiday shopping options made in Illinois: If you consider shopping local this December, you could help to sustain a small business in Illinois. Daniel Thomas, deputy director at the Illinois Office of Tourism, shared some “Made in Illinois” options that can all be shipped.
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Pre-pandemic investor tax credit rule change causing problems
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Crain’s…
JCAR doesn’t create rules, of course, but some backers of the Illinois angel tax-credit program want those administrative rules changed. * During a recent Crain’s podcast, the author of the piece John Pletz explained that several other nearby states have a similar tax credit program, including Wisconsin, Indiana and Kentucky. But their rules are limited to at least 50 percent or 51 percent of employees who must live in-state. Illinois’ 75 percent in-state threshold for new hires is unique, he said, and is “causing people problems.” Thoughts?
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State/charitable migrant food money runs out January 1, but city won’t say what will happen during two weeks of no funding
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * We talked about this Friday, but Tina Sfondeles and Michael Loria highlight an upcoming two-week funding gap that the city won’t talk about…
* Meanwhile, according to the city, another 25 buses arrived last week. Isabel charted the arrivals dating back to the seven days ending October 6, when 53 buses arrived… ![]() * The good news is the city and state have been able to move lots of folks out of police stations and airports. The numbers in the staging areas peaked on October 20th, at 3,684 people. As of last Friday, those numbers were down to just 1,032, with only 877 in police district headquarters and the rest at O’Hare… ![]() * Coverage roundup from Isabel…
* NBC Chicago | Governor pauses construction at Brighton Park migrant site following environmental report: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has paused construction on a base camp for migrants in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood following the release of an environmental report last week. According to the governor’s office, the pause is intended so the governor can review the report and discuss further with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Those discussions are expected to take place Monday. * CBS | Illinois pauses construction of Chicago migrant tent camp in Brighton Park: The state is funding construction of the tent encampment. Last week, Pritzker’s office announced $65 million in funding for the Brighton Park site and for a brick-and-mortar shelter for migrants at a shuttered CVS pharmacy in Little Village. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office confirmed work at the Brighton Park site is on hold while IEPA reviews the city’s environmental assessment of the site. * Tribune | A plea to Biden from longtime undocumented immigrants in Chicago: ‘Please don’t forget about us, we need job permits too’: The work authorization, advocates say, would allow those immigrants to step out from the shadows and improve their lives exponentially. They would receive workplace protections and legally set wages that they may be too afraid to demand under the current circumstances. And they could visit their home countries without sacrificing the lives they have built in the United States. Many living in the country illegally go the rest of their lives without seeing family because they would be barred from reentering the U.S. if they left. * WGN | Elk Grove passes ordinance to help migrants while keeping community safe: The first being migrants who want to stay at a hotel or motel will need to have a document that says they were examined by an infectious disease doctor who verifies they are free of contagious diseases. This applies to people who’ve been in the United States for less than 60 days. […] The second part of the ordinance prevents warehouse and vacant shopping center owners from converting their buildings into temporary housing. * WTTW | State, Greater Chicago Food Depository to Spend Additional $4M on Meals for Migrants; City to Take Over Next Year: Illinois and the Greater Chicago Food Depository will each spend $2 million, on top of $10.5 million the state has spent thus far on a contract with the depository to provide meals to migrants. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration cites “procurement delays” by Chicago as the reason for the shortfall, and says that the city in January will assume the responsibility of making sure migrants are fed, according to a news release. * Tribune | Volunteer networks step up to provide health needs to migrants at police stations: Migrants’ immunity is often weakened from their strenuous journeys walking to get here. In an average week, said Koruba, police make about 50 to 60 ambulance calls across all districts. * Tribune | Volunteer networks step up to provide health needs to migrants at police stations: Mutual aid networks and free and charitable organizations have stepped up to provide health needs to migrants who are sleeping on the floor at police stations and waiting for space in one of the 26 brick-and-mortar shelters around the city. But it is not uncommon for migrants to turn — or, in some cases, return — to police stations looking for basic medical resources, as necessities in shelters can be sparse or nonexistent. It’s not dissimilar from what migrants faced in their countries of origin. * Tribune | State, food bank step in to keep migrants fed during December amid city contract delay: The city in mid-October solicited bids for a new food vendor contract that was to begin Friday, but last week the Johnson administration pushed that start date back a month and a half to Jan. 15, according to city records. The delay raised questions about whether migrants would be fed throughout December. The new deadline for food vendors to submit proposals was noon Friday. * Sen. Robert Peters | Chicago must remain a sanctuary city because ‘that is who we are’: Chicagoans do not subscribe to Trump’s “build the wall” politics. We rejected his xenophobia in 2016 and 2020, and we need to reject it now as we approach the 2024 presidential election and the Democratic National Convention that will be held in Chicago in August. The convention is a once-in-a-generation moment for the city to shine. Instead, some of our city’s leaders are flirting with embarrassing us on the world stage and causing deep fissures within the Democratic Party, which needs to be unified to prevent Trump from becoming president for a second time.
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Question of the day: 2023 Golden Horseshoe Awards
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe for Best Place to Gather for Dinner During Session Weeks goes to Maldaner’s…
The voting was all over the place, but I liked that explanation the best. * The 2023 Golden Horseshoe for Best Place to Gather for Drinks, Etc. During Session Weeks goes to Boone’s…
Runner-up goes to JP Kelly’s. * Today’s categories…
I know it’s difficult to nominate in both categories for things like this, but please do your best. Also, remember this is about intensity, not numbers. If you don’t explain your nomination, it won’t count. * We raised more than $2,500 over the weekend to buy Christmas presents for foster kids. That means 100 more kids will receive presents, bringing our total to more than 1,600 children. Thanks!!! Lutheran Social Services of Illinois serves more than 2,500 foster kids, so we have a ways to go. Please, click here and contribute if you haven’t already, or if you can afford just a little more.
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Report: Illinois prisons need $2.5 billion for overdue repairs
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WGLT…
* Recommendations in the CGL report…
Click here to read the full report. * WBEZ in July…
* In August, Governor Pritzker defended keeping the prisons open…
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Rep. Halbrook says he now understands seniority, while his opponent claims his allies ‘tried to bully, persuade, and bribe me out of the race’
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Tom Kacich looks at the Republican primary shaping up between the father of the “Kick Chicago out of Illinois” campaign and an equally conservative opponent named Marsha Webb. The main issue so far is term limits…
“I had anticipated that number to be much larger than it is today.” Sigh. * Anyway, his opponent Marsha Webb is quoted extensively in Tom’s story, so read the whole thing. But here’s her Facebook response…
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*** UPDATED x1 *** State pauses construction at migrant base camp site
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Shortly after this City of Chicago press release went out, the governor’s office confirmed that it had paused construction over the weekend at the Brighton Park migrant tent camp, pending a review by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. From the city…
*** UPDATE *** The construction pause will continue tomorrow “as IEPA continues their review,” the governor’s office says.
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Protected: *** UPDATED x10 *** SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign updates (Use last week’s password)
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 *** The wrong fight over the wrong things at the wrong time
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * I mean, if it wasn’t obvious on Friday night when the Johnson administration handed the Brighton Park environmental report to reporters before they gave it to the governor’s office, then I’m not sure where you’ve been…
The full story by Fran Spielman and Tina Sfondeles is definitely worth a read. I learned some things. The end graf is brutal…
That last sentence in particular is a sharp insight. Some Chicago mayors have at times considered themselves more important than the state’s governors, and some actually were. But instead of consolidating support after the election, this mayor has allowed circumstances to alienate much of the city, including at least parts of his progressive base. Pritzker, on the other hand, has consolidated power with the two legislative leaders, taken control of the state party, has a net worth in the billions and is undoubtedly far more popular in Chicago than the mayor. There’s just not much Johnson can do to him at this point which won’t badly backfire. Whatever the case, the fighting isn’t good in the long term, so this really needs to end soon. *** UPDATE *** Gov. Pritzker was asked about this today…
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Almost time to ease up on the accelerator pedal
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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Several new items and updates to the ol’ blog
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * I spent part of the weekend expanding our automated news coverage here. The first thing you may have noticed is that our live coverage is back, sorta. As explained below, this will be different than the old Scribble Live feed because Twitter broke not only itself but almost everything else it touched. These new feeds do not update instantly in front of your eyes, like Scribble Live did. There’s also a bit of posting lagtime and the new service itself may not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees on any of this right now until Elon either gets his act together or a realistic online alternative develops. I also added a live coverage post for federal criminal trials. * The automated news feeds on the right-hand side of the page have been tweaked to display a bit better, but almost all of the sources have also been expanded. Bing News search results have been added to the Google results, for instance, so you’ll get more stories about more topics. For some reason, the Capitol News Illinois feed had vanished, but it’s been restored. More news sections of the Sun-Times and Tribune have been added. Suburban and exurban stories from Shaw Local and other local papers have been combined with an enhanced Daily Herald coverage feed. All four legislative caucuses have newsletters, so they’ve been given a feed. News feeds from both state parties and the two Cook County parties are also in there. A feed of news stories from numerous radio and television stations was also created, as was a feed of State Journal-Register stories. Several newspapers were added to the Downstate feed. I’ve added some Substack accounts and more bloggers to the Blog feed. And more news sources have been added to the federal officeholder news feeds. There’s also a new feed for hyper-local Chicago outlets and one for college student papers.
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Open thread
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * I hope you all had a relaxing weekend! What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Chicago finds the Brighton Park migrant tent site safe for temporary residential use despite contaminants. Sun-Times…
-“The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will have to review it,” said Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “We will not utilize that site if IEPA does not sign off.” - The city claims as long as contaminated soil is removed and a stone barrier of at least six inches covers the entire nine-acre site the camp will be safe. * Related stories… ∙ WTTW: Land Set to Become Base Camp Safe for Migrants After Removal of Polluted Soil, Addition of Stone Barrier, City Says ∙ ABC Chicago: Brighton Park migrant camp site environmental report shows soil was contaminated ∙ Block Club: Brighton Park Tent Encampment Deemed Safe — Despite Mercury, Arsenic Contamination, Mayor’s Office Says * Isabel’s top picks… * WGLT | Report finds Logan, Pontiac and Stateville prisons nearly inoperable: The final report from a consulting firm hired by the state has found three of Illinois’ 27 prison facilities, including the Pontiac and Logan correctional centers, approaching “inoperable,” and a list of more than $2.5 billion in overdue repairs in aging institutions across the state. CGL Companies warns in the report initially released in May that the existing price tag of “deferred maintenance” at Illinois prisons could double in five years if unaddressed. Significant deterioration was reported at all prisons, with only three of 27 prisons ranked in the “fully operational range,” and the remainder in the “impaired operation range.” Pontiac, Logan and Joliet’s Stateville were categorized as nearly inoperable. * Tribune | Volunteer networks step up to provide health needs to migrants at police stations: Mutual aid networks and free and charitable organizations have stepped up to provide health needs to migrants who are sleeping on the floor at police stations and waiting for space in one of the 26 brick-and-mortar shelters around the city. But it is not uncommon for migrants to turn — or, in some cases, return — to police stations looking for basic medical resources, as necessities in shelters can be sparse or nonexistent. It’s not dissimilar from what migrants faced in their countries of origin. * ABC Chicago | Brighton Park migrant camp plans need IEPA approval for construction to move forward, state says: The state is funding the project, but Gov. JB Pritzker’s Office said they will not move forward unless the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency signs off the report. New video shows construction still underway at 38th and California on Sunday. * Here’s the rest of your morning roundup… * Tribune | State, food bank step in to keep migrants fed during December amid city contract delay: The city in mid-October solicited bids for a new food vendor contract that was to begin Friday, but last week the Johnson administration pushed that start date back a month and a half to Jan. 15, according to city records. The delay raised questions about whether migrants would be fed throughout December. The new deadline for food vendors to submit proposals was noon Friday. * Sen. Robert Peters | Chicago must remain a sanctuary city because ‘that is who we are’: Chicagoans do not subscribe to Trump’s “build the wall” politics. We rejected his xenophobia in 2016 and 2020, and we need to reject it now as we approach the 2024 presidential election and the Democratic National Convention that will be held in Chicago in August. The convention is a once-in-a-generation moment for the city to shine. Instead, some of our city’s leaders are flirting with embarrassing us on the world stage and causing deep fissures within the Democratic Party, which needs to be unified to prevent Trump from becoming president for a second time. * Daily Herald | A return to tradition: Why Illinois’ primary election is moving back to March in 2024: State Rep. Maurice West, a Rockford Democrat, sponsored the 2021 legislation that set the date for the 2022 primary. At the time, he said the state’s traditional, seven-month gap between primary and general elections was “long and risky, negatively affecting public policymaking.” West deliberately proposed a one-time change “just to see how it works.” If success is measured by voter turnout, the change was a failure. * Tribune | Amid drug abuse crisis, state mounts effort to recruit and train more counselors: The state is spending $3 million in an effort to recruit and retain more substance abuse counselors amid a surge in drug abuse and overdoses that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. […] The state money will go toward expanding a program to recruit potential CADCs to help them with tuition payments, scholarships, internship stipends and other payments related to the training needed to get certified. The program also offers assistance with job placement, continuing education and credential renewal opportunities for existing CADCs. * WTAX | New leader for IL Chamber: The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has a new president and CEO. Lou Sandoval’s career has taken him from the biotech industry through marine sales through business consulting, and he says that’s prepared him for his new position. * Brownfield | Outgoing Illinois Farm Bureau president reflects on decade of service: Illinois Farm Bureau president Rich Guebert has spent the last 10 years representing Illinois farmers on a state, national, and global stage. Throughout his term, he’s met with two sitting Presidents, two Secretaries of Agriculture, and the Speaker of the U.S. House. “I’m going to be forever grateful that I can tell agriculture’s story to those folks with influence,” he says. “And drive policy, that’s not only important to our members here in Illinois, but farmers and ranchers all across the United States.” * State Week | Pritzker and the state’s economy: Gov. J.B. Pritzker talked about the state’s business climate and more during a Crain’s Chicago Business luncheon. The governor touted recent announcements of jobs being added, especially at new manufacturing sites. We’ll talk about Pritzker’s economic record. * Capitol News Illinois | Supreme Court rules teen bicyclist is covered by father’s auto insurance policy: The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that automobile insurance policies must cover people against uninsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents, even if the person covered by the policy is not in a vehicle at the time of the accident. * Daily Herald | Illinois judges reflect on the legacy of pioneering Supreme Court jurist Sandra Day O’Connor: The death of trailblazing jurist Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, prompted expressions of praise and gratitude from the women she inspired to pursue careers in the judiciary. Among them was Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary K. O’Brien, a longtime O’Connor admirer who says the late Supreme Court justice “always sought to hear the other side, to find common ground, to listen.” * Crain’s | For Illinois’ cannabis industry, the roller-coaster ride continues: After years of delay, new license holders are entering the market at a healthy clip, which is helping diversify ownership in the industry and bring down Illinois’ notoriously high prices. There are 173 pot shops in Illinois, up from 113 a year ago. State regulators think 190 could be open by the end of the year. * ABC Chicago | Father of 6-year-old Muslim boy killed in unincorp. Plainfield stabbing speaks with ABC7: Odai recalled the moment he got that call from the Will County sheriff. “I’m confused. He told me, ‘Wadee killed,’” Odai said. “I said, ‘No, Wadee is still a kid.’ He said, ‘No, somebody killed him.’” * WaPo | Factory reopening could save this town, but many still bash the economy: Closed factories almost never reopen. So when Jason Vassar heard last month that his shuttered auto factory plans to restart, he considered it a “blessing.” The Stellantis plant that laid him off in March had agreed to resume production and rehire its workers to help end a nationwide strike against the company. It even pledged to build a $3.2 billion battery factory next door, encouraged by the prospect of federal manufacturing subsidies from the Biden administration. * NYT | What to Know About the Purdue Pharma Case Before the Supreme Court: At issue is whether a bankruptcy plan can be engineered to give legal immunity to a third party — in this case, members of the Sackler family, who once controlled Purdue Pharma — even though they themselves have not declared bankruptcy. If the court approves the deal, that could affirm a litigation tactic that has become increasingly popular in resolving lawsuits in which many people claim similar injuries from the same entity, be it a drug or consumer product. By turning to the bankruptcy courts as a tool to resolve those claims, businesses aim to free themselves from civil liability and prevent future lawsuits.
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*** Live coverage ***
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * Live coverage is back, sorta. This will be different than the old Scribble Live feed because Twitter broke itself and almost everything else it touched. These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of posting lagtime, but it’s much better than nothing. We are also limited to just 20 Twitter sources. The service may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees about this. You can still click here or here to follow breaking news the way we’ve done since Twitter stopped Scribble Live from working…
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*** Live Ed Burke Trial Coverage ***
Monday, Dec 4, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller * These new feeds do not update instantly. There’s a bit of a lagtime and you have to refresh the page every now and then. The service we’re using may also not last long. We just can’t give you any guarantees. You can still click here to follow the Ed Burke trial on Twitter. Posts without a Twitter author name below them are from online news sources via Bing…
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