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State to lay out ‘next steps in managing the asylum seeker crisis’ tomorrow (Updated)

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The mayor broke the seal…


* Media alert from the governor’s office a bit ago…

Tomorrow morning Governor Pritzker will hold a press conference to announce the state’s next steps in managing the asylum seeker crisis. In advance of the presser, we are offering an embargoed background briefing at 9 AM with Acting IDHS Secretary Dulce Quintero, Associate Secretary for Early Childhood, Family & Community Kirstin Chernawsky, and Governor’s Office staff to provide more in-depth background to members of the media.

From what I’ve been hearing, this has more to do with programs than money, but money will be a part of it.

…Adding… Johnson talked a little about the state’s approach…

They know that we have to clear out these police districts, we’ve got to get people who are sleeping outside, indoors. And we have to create work authorization in an expedited way so that these [migrants] can contribute to the economy. And also creating a village in the community so that when other migrants, or asylum seekers arrive that there’s a community to receive them.

Please pardon any transcription errors.

…Adding… The mayor said earlier in the press conference that there would be a new “landing zone” or “entry point” for migrants. “I am grateful that the county and the state have heard our advocacy and their commitment to fund this mission.”

…Adding… More from the mayor…

On the front end, you know, we have to make sure that we are setting up these newly arrivals with the best opportunity to be successful. On the back end, part of the investments that the state will be providing is to expand a more expedited process for them to be resettled.

Also…


…Adding… Update…


  10 Comments      


Afternoon roundup

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Ugh…


* SJ-R…

The U.S. House approved a temporary measure to fund the government Tuesday, keeping fears of a federal shutdown at-bay through the end of the year. […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago, was one of two Democrats voting against the continuing resolution and was joined by all Illinois GOP members in opposition. All remaining Illinois Democrats voted ‘yes.’

No cuts to spending led to ‘no’ votes from Reps. Mary Miller, R-Oakland; and Darin LaHood, R-Peoria — Miller calling on zero funding to the Department of Education and World Health Organization. Quigley, who also voted against the prior stopgap measure, wanted more funding for Ukraine. […]

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, said in a statement that she voted in favor of the resolution due in-part to a one-year funding extension of the Farm Bill. The spending bill funds federal agriculture and food programs for five years will now continue through September 2024, the end of the fiscal year.

* The Illinois Farm Bureau found the price of a Thanksgiving meal has dropped a bit since last year…

Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) volunteer shoppers reported a state-wide average price of $63.87 for a classic holiday feast for 10, or around $6.39 per person. This reflects a 2.5% decrease over the previous year’s state average of $65.53. […]

AFBF reported a national average of $61.17, or less than $6.20 per person, for a classic holiday feast for 10. This is a 4.5% decrease from the previous year’s record-high of $64.05, but a Thanksgiving meal is still 25% higher than it was in 2019, which highlights the impact high supply costs and inflation have had on food prices since before the pandemic.

The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – brought down the overall cost of dinner. The national average price for a 16-pound turkey is $27.35. That is $1.71 per pound, down 5.6% from last year. […]

“Traditionally, the turkey is the most expensive item on the Thanksgiving dinner table,” said AFBF Senior Economist Veronica Nigh. “Turkey prices have fallen thanks to a sharp reduction in cases of avian influenza, which have allowed production to increase in time for the holiday.” […]

Individual Prices

    • 16-pound turkey: $27.35 or $1.71 per pound (down 5.6%)
    • 14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix: $3.77 (down 2.8%)
    • 2 frozen pie crusts: $3.50 (down 4.9%)
    • Half pint of whipping cream: $1.73 (down 22.8%)
    • 1 pound of frozen peas: $1.88 (down 1.1%)
    • 1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.84 (up 2.9%)
    • Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.95 (down 4.4%)
    • 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.44 (up 3.7%)
    • 1 gallon of whole milk: $3.74 (down 2.6%)
    • 3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.97 (up .3%)
    • 1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): $.90 (up 2.3%)
    • 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.10 (down 18.3%)

Meanwhile…

Americans for Prosperity-Illinois (AFP-IL) will be joined by House Republican Leader Tony McCombie and Senate Republican Leader John Curran at Montrose Food Mart & Deli in Chicago to provide free groceries for customers for a limited time.

The event will connect the rising grocery costs to the disastrous Bidenomic agenda in Washington and tax increases coming out of Springfield. The Leaders will join AFP-IL to chat with customers about the challenges they face with rising prices –especially around the holidays and discuss how Illinois can tackle inflationary policies moving forward.

Years of Biden and Pritzker’s reckless spending and inflationary policies have wreaked havoc on the American economy, making it harder than ever for Illinoisans to make ends meet. Governor Pritzker recently increased the grocery tax by one percent, hitting Illinois families even harder during economic uncertainty. From gasoline to groceries, everything seems more expensive nowadays.

Prices for groceries are up 24.4 percent since January 2021, costing a family of four an extra $59.08 per week for a moderate-cost plan. To highlight the consequences of the broken policies coming out of Washington, DC and Springfield, AFP will provide $60 gift cards to be used on groceries for Montrose Food Mart & Deli. To highlight the consequences of the broken policies coming out of Washington, DC and Springfield, AFP will provide $60 gift cards to be used on groceries for Montrose Food Mart & Deli.

* Politico…

The race for Democratic state Rep. Kelly Burke’s seat in the suburban 36th District is about to get interesting.

Sonia Anne Khalil is filing paperwork to run. She faces Rick Ryan, an attorney in Evergreen Park who’s been endorsed by Burke.

Khalil is known in Democratic circles in part for her work in the Cook County Clerk’s Office. Her father is Samir Khalil, founder of the Arab American Democratic Club.

About the district: It includes Palos Hills, Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park, where Burke is also the mayor. The district also has a large population of Arab Americans.

Khalil has close connections to progressives and former Cook County Clerk David Orr.

* Media advisory from SoS Alexi Giannoulias…

Giannoulias will be joined by elected officials and environmental leaders to celebrate the unveiling of the state’s new Monarch butterfly license plate.

Deposits for the plates raise funds for the Roadside Monarch Habitat Fund, which is part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

The Monarch butterfly, Illinois’ state insect, is considered endangered. The fund helps foster habitats to support the butterflies during their twice-yearly migratory journey from Mexico to Chicago with a goal to add 150 million new milkweed stems and other nectar resources to the Illinois landscape in the next 15 years.

* Notice anything off about this calendar?…


There is no month of May. July is listed twice.

…Adding… From Mike Phillips, a geology professor at Illinois Valley Community College…

At 4:42 am (Central), an earthquake occurred in eastern Putnam County, Illinois. The epicenter was approximately 1 mile south of Standard, Illinois (6.5 miles southwest of LaSalle/Peru). The earthquake focus is estimated to be 2.75 mi (4.6 km) below the surface. Reports to the US Geological Survey indicate that the earthquake was felt primarily within a 25-mile radius of the epicenter, but people as far away as Chicago, Illinois, and Dubuque, Iowa, also reported minor shaking. The most common report from my students and co-workers was that people were jarred awake as if someone hit their bed or something hit their house. While there is no known fault at this location, earthquakes happen in our area about once every 5-10 years.

The cause of the earthquake is still to be determined and includes several possibilities. The first is the result of pressure on our tectonic plate. The Earth’s surface is made of plates that move and interact with each other. That interaction results in earthquakes where the plates are touching, but some of that stress can result in the occasional earthquake in the middle of the plate where we are located. A second possibility related to the glaciers that left our area around 12-15,000 years ago. When they melted back, the loss of weight results in our part of the crust rising very slowly (about 1 mm/year) which can also result in the occasional earthquake.

For context, this is a normal experience for our area. Our area experiences a small earthquake about once every five or ten years. There was a M4.2 near Troy Grove in 2004 and a M3.5 near Dixon in 1999. The largest on record was a M5.1 in eastern Ogle County (west of DeKalb) in 1909. The Earth is a very active planet with earthquakes occurring all the time. They tend to make the news when they occur where people live. So, we can expect more earthquakes in the future.

Earthquakes are relatively minor, but it is always a good idea to have fragile, important items attached to something so they do not fall and break, and you probably shouldn’t have a shelf with things that could fall off directly over your bed.

I encourage anyone who experienced the earthquake or would like to know more about it to visit earthquake.usgs.gov to learn more and to share what they experienced. The Did You Feel It? reports are a very important data source for researchers.

* From Isabel…

    * Tribune | Chicago judge rules federal statute barring felons from possessing guns is unconstitutional but says it’s a ‘close question’: As a five-time convicted felon, Glen Prince was facing a mandatory minimum 15 years behind bars when he was charged in federal court with being a felon in possession of a handgun stemming from an armed robbery on CTA train in 2021. Instead, Prince’s case was tossed out earlier this month by a federal judge who ruled the statute barring felons from possessing handguns is unconstitutional in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.

    * Center Square | Prosecutors want life in prison for ComEd 4, defense attorneys say: Defense attorneys had asked for more time to deal with what they said were complex issues regarding sentencing guidelines. At a hearing Wednesday, defense attorney Patrick Cotter said prosecutors would be seeking life sentences for the defendants. “The government apparently is going to suggest that the guidelines of this case are life,” Cotter said. “And we are asking for what we believe to be adequate time, a couple extra weeks, to respond not only to the [pre-sentencing report] but to what the government files when they’re asking to put our clients in jail for life. And I think that that’s not unreasonable.”

    * Crain’s | Rivian lines up $15B fake bond plan to snag tax break: The debt is structured as what’s known as “phantom bonds” that are used by companies to get a property tax break in Georgia, and involve no real financial or accounting impact for the company involved, according to a report by law firm Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP. In Rivian’s case, it’s a workaround because the state doesn’t have legislation allowing for companies to get abatements that provide such relief.

    * ABC Chicago | Inside STIC, the Illinois terrorism intelligence agency fighting real and viral hoax terror threats: At a time when authorities say threats to public safety are mounting and coming from new directions, the ABC7 I-Team went to the STIC for a rare look at the safety net operation that’s working to keep Illinoisans and others across the county safe. Aaron Kustermann, chief intelligence officer for STIC, said there is more suspicious activity than ever before coming into the facility.

    * Tribune | Michael Frerichs and Nell Minow: Those who want to ban sustainability-focused investing are on the losing end: In his ruling on the lawsuit, which was brought forward by 26 Republican attorneys general, Kacsmaryk acknowledged that the rule permits environmental and other risk factors to be considered in determining an investment’s risk and return while requiring pension investment firms to act “solely in the interest” of working people whose retirement they’re protecting. Unsurprisingly, none of the challengers was able to provide a single example of an investment decision that was not justified by strictly financial considerations.

    * The Marshall Project | An Illinois Warden Tried to Fix an Abusive Federal Prison. He Faced Death Threats: “When the regional director called me and said, ‘Well, they looked into it and put those guys back on their post,’ I’m like, ‘Are you freaking kidding me right now?’” Bergami said. “My staff were saying to stab me and the captain. I’ve got to worry about our safety.”

    * The Nation | How We Ended Cash Bail in Illinois: Leaders at these organizations recognized that none of us had the power to win on our own, so we came together and launched the Coalition to End Money Bond in 2016. We intentionally assembled a set of groups with important complementary capacities in the movement ecosystem: base building, electoral work, inside game, policy expertise, political education, and direct service. We anchored the work in an abolitionist orientation but worked to bring in more moderate groups who were willing to join because the abolitionist organizers were serious about power and created a clear center of gravity for the broader bail reform movement in Illinois.

    * Tribune | Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper and Quincy Jones teaming up to reopen Chicago’s Ramova Theatre: Chicago icons Jennifer Hudson, Chance the Rapper and Quincy Jones have teamed up to reopen and revitalize the Ramova Theatre, located in the South Side neighborhood of Bridgeport, after the venue’s nearly 40-year dormancy. With Hudson, Chance and Jones as co-owners, the Ramova will reopen in fall 2023 as a 1,500-capacity live music venue with a grill, beer garden and brewery in partnership with Other Half Brewing.

    * AP | Northern Illinois can become bowl-eligible by winning its final game after shutting out Western Michigan 24-0: Antario Brown ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and Northern Illinois kept its postseason aspirations alive with a commanding 24-0 win over Western Michigan on Tuesday night. The Huskies (5-6, 4-3 Mid-American Conference) last shut out an opponent on Oct. 26, 2019, when they beat Akron 49-0. NIU will get a chance to become bowl-eligible when it closes its regular season Nov. 25 at Kent State (1-9, 0-6).

    * NYT | So Thieves Nabbed Your Catalytic Converter. Here’s Where It Ended Up: An examination of business records and social media posts, as well as interviews with more than 80 officials on three continents who have ties to the industry, showed that the stolen devices pass through middlemen, smelters and refineries in the United States and overseas. Along the way, their provenance becomes opaque, leaving beneficiaries of the thefts with plausible deniability and little incentive to stop them. During processing, the metal is blended with legitimate supplies from mines and scrapyards, The New York Times found, before being sold primarily to companies that make catalytic converters for automakers, as well as pharmaceutical companies for cancer and other drugs, military contractors for weapons production, and banks for their precious-metals trading desks, among others.

    * Sun-Times | Sister Jean’s latest fan? President Biden, who sent flowers during Chicago visit: During his visit to Illinois Thursday, Biden sent a bouquet of flowers to Sister Jean, the 104-year-old icon at Loyola University Chicago, as an amiable gesture to a fellow Catholic. “Dear Sister Jean, Thinking of you during my trip to Chicago today! Keep the Faith!” Biden wrote in a note sent along with the flowers, which were purchased from a florist in Rogers Park.

    * NBC Chicago | Suburban Chicago hot dog joint to be inducted into ‘Hot Dog Hall of Fame’: Scooby’s Hot Dogs, in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, will be inducted into Vienna Beef’s Hot Dog Hall of Fame at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, a press release from Vienna Beef said. Customers are encouraged to join the ceremony, organizers said.

    * Sun-Times | Earthquake measured at 3.6 magnitude confirmed in Putnam County: There were no reports of injuries but about 120 people reported feeling it, according to the U. S. Geological Survey. The quake happened at 4:41 a.m. about 2 1⁄2 miles south of Standard, in Putnam County, said the USGS. It did not occur along a fault line, according to a USGS spokesman.

  23 Comments      


The state needs to step in now

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The solution in this particular instance is to either do actual case work at police stations, which isn’t happening now, or move those folks more quickly into shelters, where case work processing is being done. There’s simply no excuse for spending money on people who would rather be elsewhere…

With the realization that there is a cold winter ahead, combined with the lack of shelter and jobs, many migrants ABC7 spoke to at the 1st and 12th Police District stations said if given the opportunity they would leave Chicago for another city. […]

Jorge Barrera has been living at a police station for six months. With no opportunity to work here, the 39-year-old said he would leave, but he doesn’t have the money or luxury to pack up and go to warmer places like California, Texas or Miami.

So, the man wants to leave, but since there are no case workers at the station he can’t tell anyone who is authorized to hook him up with a bus ticket.

Complicating matters further is that some folks who do wind up in shelters really don’t like the way the shelters are run (not enough food, cold food, etc.), so they go back to the police stations where volunteers help see to their needs. But the volunteers are rapidly burning out and going back to the stations means they receive no case worker assistance and that means they’re stuck.

Ugh!

The city’s process is just so messed up. The state really needs to step in a lot more forcefully there.

* Meanwhile, I agree with Shia Kapos…

The Chicago City Council is expected to approve Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first budget proposal today.

The mayor and his team will call it a balanced budget that provides $150 million for migrant care, even though Johnson has said it costs $40 million a month to care for migrants. So “balanced” seems a stretch to some folks given the budget is for a whole year.

More from the Sun-Times…

Johnson’s $16.77 billion budget is poised to sail through the City Council on Wednesday despite earmarking only $150 million for asylum-seekers.

“That won’t even get you through the first quarter. We’re spending about $40 million a month right now. It’s not a balanced budget,” said Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), who plans to cast one of about a dozen expected “no” votes. […]

Johnson has acknowledged $150 million is not enough to care for migrants, but is using that lowball figure to strengthen the case for more state and federal funding.

That purposely lowball appropriation isn’t going to help the mayor with the state at all, and he can probably forget about convincing this Congress to step up.

* A few more from Isabel…

  15 Comments      


An insight into the Crimo family

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Robert Crimo Jr. swore under oath that he was pleading guilty to several charges of his own free will and was not promised anything in exchange for his plea. He also swore that nobody coerced him into making a plea deal. And he swore that he understood the consequences of his guilty plea, and understood that he was giving up his right to a trial. And then today…


* Kinda reminds me of this Jan. 6 defendant…

A Proud Boy pleaded for leniency from a judge, then yelled ‘Trump won’ on his way out

  16 Comments      


Question of the day

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* ABC 7…

llinois is about two and a half months into Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ new “Skip the Line” program.

The idea is to make an appointment in advance and eliminate the unpredictability of wait times at Illinois DMVs. But, the problem has now shifted to finding an available appointment.

Lynn Cannon spent part of her work day scrolling through the Illinois Secretary of State Office’s website, trying to schedule an appointment for her 16-year-old son.

“I’ve been looking for over a month, because he’s now eligible to get his first driver’s license and he’s pretty upset that he can’t get it yet,” Cannon said. […]

A spokesman for the secretary of state said, in part, “Since launching the program on Sept. 1, more than 500,000 appointments have been scheduled. Customers with appointments are also experiencing little to no wait times, which is a vast improvement compared to the long lines and hour-plus wait times that Illinoisans had been used to.”

* The Question: If you or friends and family had any experience with the “Skip the Line” program, how did it go?

  31 Comments      


I kid you not: Freshman Republican legislator claims electing a Chicago school board in November is actually a scheme to elect Dems statewide in perpetuity

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rep. Jed Davis (R-Newark)…

During veto session, we voted to allow public elections of the Board of Education for Chicago Public Schools. Without question, it’s great placing elections in the hands of people. However, the timing is essentially a legislative scheme to ensure electoral victories.

“This bill aligns the city’s school board elections with general elections, meaning it’s the same time people elect statewide officials like their governor, secretary of state, and treasurer.” Representative Davis continues, “Everywhere else in Illinois, school board elections occur during consolidated elections, during off-years, meaning not during general elections. So, we must ask why are we allowing special circumstances for Chicago?”

Representative Davis answers why, “The city’s school board elections will turn out voters in heavily democrat areas. It’s an infusion of democrat votes for statewide officials, ensuring a republican never wins a statewide election again. It’s corruption right out in the open for everyone to see.”

This nonsense must end and Representative Davis promises to push against this legislation and address the issue as needed through judicial means.

“We must ensure equality across the aisle and not give one party or the other advantages during general elections. This legislation is shameful and the people deserve better. Let’s absolutely give the people the power to vote, but let’s not treat Chicago differently from a timing perspective compared with all other Illinois voters. I’m asking both House and Senate leadership to do the right thing and fix this issue before sending anything to the Governor’s desk.”

Seems a bit much to claim that electing those school board members in November will ensure “a republican [sic] never wins a statewide election again.” People turn out in higher numbers in November anyway, and particularly in presidential years. I doubt this will have much turnout impact next year.

Rep. Davis’ head will likely explode if/when the Dems put an abortion-related constitutional amendment on the ballot next year.

Anyway, your thoughts?

  51 Comments      


Pritzker puts $1 million into Nevada abortion rights effort, may also assist in Arizona

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* NBC News…

Pritzker’s Think Big America has hired Christina Amestoy as its communications director after she previously worked at the Democratic Governors Association for four years. At the DGA, she was a top communications strategist in competitive governor’s races, including campaigns in Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nevada and Illinois. […]

Pritzker, a billionaire, has sunk his personal money into the group to fund efforts in competitive races. That includes the group’s donating $250,000 to Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights in the state’s ballot measure vote last week, when voters chose to add protections for reproductive health decisions to the state constitution. Members of Think Big worked as strategists in the Ohio effort, and Pritzker gave $750,000 personally to the effort to defend abortion.

In the Virginia elections, Think Big also gave $250,000 to a combination of the state Democratic Party and support in four state Senate districts that could have been decisive, the group said.

The group has also invested $1 million in Nevada, which is pursuing a 2024 ballot initiative to protect abortion in the state. And according to Amestoy, the group is in conversations to possibly assist the on-the-ground effort in Arizona.

…Adding… I missed it when I first read the story a couple of weeks ago, but Tina Sfondeles reported on the same $1 million Nevada contribution on November 1…

In Nevada, Think Big America also contributed $1 million to the Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom PAC, which is fighting for a November 2024 ballot question that would establish a “fundamental right to reproductive rights.” The newly formed PAC is affiliated with Planned Parenthood.

  11 Comments      


Top mayoral aide offered to empty homeless encampment in exchange for floor votes

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gregory Royal Pratt…

Ald. Bill Conway is crying foul after Johnson’s administration said they would have the city remove the tents in which people are sleeping [in West Loop homeless encampments] only if Conway voted in favor of two pillars of the mayor’s progressive policy agenda.

The conflict between Conway and [op Johnson adviser Jason Lee] begins with the encampment near Union and Ogilvie stations, which Conway said is a trouble spot for drugs and violent crime in the ward. Two recent shootings in the area have exacerbated his concern. […]

Lee pulled Conway into a copy room behind council chambers and offered to help remove the homeless camps, but Conway said he tied the action to the alderman supporting two Johnson initiatives: an increased real estate transfer tax on properties over $1 million to help fund citywide homeless services and an end to the tipped wage for restaurant workers. […]

Conway also recalled Lee saying that the administration’s progressive allies would “raise hell” if they helped clear out the viaducts, but City Hall was willing to make that happen because Conway’s votes “give us all the ammunition we need to justify why this is a critical intervention.” […]

“What I expressed to Ald. Conway is that … there’s a perception that doing something like removing encampments is not necessarily in line with progressive values and that it could be perceived as a callous act disconnected from the realities of what the unhoused and other vulnerable populations are going through,” Lee said.

“Ald. Conway demonstrating his commitment to progressive values, including eliminating the subminimum wage but most importantly Bring Chicago Home, is helpful to neutralize some of the criticism he might face in pursuing that.”

* From Jason Lee in 2018…

I learned the meaning of Dr. King’s axiom that the “ends are pre-existent in the means.” If my goal was truly to create a just world, I decided that I could not use unjust means … to achieve those ends.

This is what Dr. King said…

The means represent the ideal in making and the end in process. And in the long run of history, destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends.

Thoughts?

…Adding… There’s also the practical side…


…Adding… Ald. Conway…

Playing politics with public safety is dangerous, both in the literal sense and when it comes to restoring people’s trust in government.

I take my oath and responsibility to protect our community seriously, so when the Mayor’s Office offered to address rising drug and violent crime incidents under the viaducts in my ward only if I agreed to support two of their legislative priorities, I was shocked.

When I subsequently learned the Mayor’s Office canceled plans to address those issues after I didn’t vote according to their wishes, I was speechless.

As a result, I have referred this matter to the City Inspector General and will cooperate with any investigations that follow.

This all began when I brought concerns about a rise in crime under several viaducts in the 34th Ward to the Mayor’s top aide. What started as peaceful homeless encampments has quickly turned into a magnet for narcotics and violent crime.

On a weekly basis, my staff works on site with Chicago Police and other city departments to safely remove drug packets, guns, abandoned tents, and propane tanks which present a danger to those living under the viaducts, the surrounding community, and the rail line running above. We’ve also been working with Family & Support Services to offer rehousing support to individuals who will accept it. I appreciate all of their work.

I had been told by city agencies that nothing more could be done, despite several overdoses, armed robberies, and two shootings in the immediate area. The Mayor’s aide told me that was not true. He said that the Mayor’s Office frequently intervenes in special circumstances and would do so here in exchange for my votes on the tipped minimum wage and real estate transfer tax.

It’s no secret that political horse trading occurs within the City Council. However, the denial of public safety resources and essential city services in exchange for legislative votes is abhorrent and unethical.

I have supported this administration’s efforts at times and when we disagree, I’ve always been willing to have a conversation and find common ground. But I will not bargain with public safety.

  36 Comments      


Open thread

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on?…

  21 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI:Chicago Mayor Johnson’s first budget leans on one-time revenue, hopes for federal, state help to avoid tough choices down the road. Sun-Times…

    -Johnson’s $16.77 billion budget is poised to sail through the City Council on Wednesday despite earmarking only $150 million for asylum-seekers.
    - Johnson kept his campaign promise to not raise property taxes.
    - Two mental health clinics will open, staff will double for an alternate response program to mental health emergencies and 4,000 more summer jobs will be added for young people.

* Related stories…

* Isabel’s top picks…

    * Daily Southtown | Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones asked police for court order barring Southtown reporter from City Hall, records show: No paperwork was filed in Cook County Circuit Court, however, attempting to secure an order of protection against the reporter, Hank Sanders, an attorney for Calumet City said Tuesday. In an Oct. 20 email from Jones to police Chief Kevin Kolosh, with other city employees and city attorneys copied, Jones instructed the chief to have officers take statements from city employees, including himself and the director of public works, to prepare the citations, according to a public records request filed pursuant to the state’s Freedom of Information Act and recently received by Sanders. The memo directed fines be $750 and $250 each day.

    * WBEZ | Midwestern corn and soybean crop threatened by climate change: Compared to the first half of the 20th century, the Midwest is a warmer and wetter place than it used to be. Precipitation is expected to increase throughout the region as temperatures climb, which will mean wetter springs and winters and summers with more variability. This past July was the hottest on record. So was the following August, September and now October. As the planet heats up, scientists agree that the risk of climate impacts could spiral as extreme events become more frequent and severe.

    * Tribune | Ethics board finds probable cause Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin wrongfully fired 2 whistleblowers: Over the coming months, Conyears-Ervin will have a chance to rebut the findings before the board issues a final ruling and potentially a fine. Her office had no comment on the matter Tuesday. Monday’s findings follow internal complaints by several now-former employees of the treasurer’s office who accused Conyears-Ervin of ethical lapses or misusing public resources for her private benefit. While many of the allegations were made years ago, they weren’t detailed publicly until recent Tribune reports.

* If you’re in town, put this on your radar…


* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

    * Capitol News Illinois | State high court to hear case against staffing agencies accused of suppressing wages: The Chicagoland-based companies have already lost twice in lower court. But they contend those decisions are a new interpretation of Illinois’ decades-old antitrust law. Wednesday’s oral arguments come after Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued the companies in 2020, alleging they used their mutual client to coordinate no-poach agreements, which created a secondary agreement to pay less than the market rate.

    * Pioneer Press | Oak Park taking the lead on ‘coordinated western suburban response’ to migrant crisis, looking for others to partner, officials say: “We are a village of 54,000 and we have hoped that Cook County would step up and lead an effort that we could participate in, that Chicago could lead an effort that we could participate in,” Trustee Brian Straw said at the Oct. 30 board meeting. Straw said “it’s time” for Oak Park to be a leader, and “work on stepping out in front so we can bring along our neighboring communities.

    * Tribune | Johnson administration tied fate of homeless encampment to alderman’s votes: And an official in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is taking the unusual step of acknowledging the would-be quid pro quo took place, calling it a typical example of “how political will is created.” Ald. Bill Conway is crying foul after Johnson’s administration said they would have the city remove the tents in which people are sleeping downtown only if Conway voted in favor of two pillars of the mayor’s progressive policy agenda.

    * NBC Chicago | J.B. Pritzker, a key Biden surrogate, builds up nonprofit group as 2024 looms: Pritzker’s Think Big America has hired Christina Amestoy as its communications director after she previously worked at the Democratic Governors Association for four years. At the DGA, she was a top communications strategist in competitive governor’s races, including campaigns in Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nevada and Illinois.

    * ABC Chicago | Illinoisans struggle to find available DMV appointments through new ‘skip the line’ program: Lynn Cannon spent part of her work day scrolling through the Illinois Secretary of State Office’s website, trying to schedule an appointment for her 16-year-old son. “I’ve been looking for over a month, because he’s now eligible to get his first driver’s license and he’s pretty upset that he can’t get it yet,” Cannon said. Each day, she says she logs on at 6:30 a.m., 30 minutes before the secretary of state’s website says new appointments are made available.

    * Crain’s | Chicago’s labor market is driving migration to the city: Chicago is among the national leaders on that metric with the report finding 13.7% of the city’s newcomers moved for a new job. The city sits just behind Boston and Portland, Ore., and outpaces other major metros including New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles when it comes to the percentage of new residents who also shifted employers.

    * Chalkbeat | Many states are moving toward private school choice. Illinois is letting its program lapse: A little over three years ago, Eva Villalobos was searching for a public school for her four daughters, two of whom she had recently adopted in March 2020. […] The price tag for the Catholic school was steep — Villalobos said it cost her almost $20,000 a year for all four children. But her oldest daughter received funding from Illinois’ tax-credit scholarship, Invest in Kids, to bring the price down to about $10,000 a year.

    * Rockford Register Star | Rockford mayor wants power to appoint members to county mental health board: A measure approved easily last week by the General Assembly and headed to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would change the board from nine members to 11. The nine current board members are appointed by the Winnebago County Board chairman with the consent of the Winnebago County Board. […] “Since we represent more than 50% of the revenue that’s collected and have some of the greatest need for the services, Rockford should be able to appoint members to that board,” he said.

    * Post-Tribune | Highland Police investigating racial epithet broadcast during council meeting: ighland Police are investigating the identity of the person who snuck a screenshot of a video with a racial epithet through an online meeting platform during the Highland Town Council meeting Monday night. The Town Council had just sat down after the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer to start the meeting when a person using the name “John Williams” posted the screenshot through the meeting platform’s image sharing feature. In it, a Black recording artist who goes by the name London Yellow is seen staring at the camera behind the epithet; the song itself repeats the epithet many times.

    * Grown In | Illinois Town Hall meeting to dive deep into hemp, THC and cannabis business issues : Of course, not all hemp-derived THC proprietors are as invested in regulation and education as Cubbington’s. The licensed industry in Illinois, and all other states, incur considerable costs and operational obstacles that are not required by this new set of competitors. There is also scant information about what goes into a hemp-derived THC product and how it will impact consumers.

    * MJBizDaily | Progress not happening fast enough for marijuana social equity entrepreneurs: Arizona, Illinois and Michigan were among a handful of states over the past year where Black entrepreneurs opened marijuana stores in key markets. In March, Nuggets Dispensary became the first Black-owned business with a marijuana social equity retail license to open in Detroit, four years after the state approved recreational cannabis sales.

    * City Bureau | Missing in Chicago: Part 1: A two-year investigation into how Chicago police handle missing person cases reveals the disproportionate impact on Black women and girls, how police have mistreated family members or delayed cases, and how poor police data is making the problem harder to solve.

    * ABC Chicago | Traffic study finds Chicago police are 6 times more likely to stop Black drivers: Free2Move data shows less than 1% of traffic stops in 2021 resulted in the recovery of things like drugs, alcohol or weapons. They said often broken taillights or headlights are the reason for the stop in the first place.

    * Sun-Times | How to always win at a casino: Stepping into the Medinah Temple had none of the existential sorrow of Vegas casinos. I’d pondered how much to gamble and, more importantly, whether I could expense my losses. While I have in the past stuck the newspaper with a variety of vices in the name of research, from a $200 bottle of champagne at the Ritz-Carlton bar, to table dances and tips to strippers at Thee Doll House on Kingsbury, something told me that Chicago Public Media might look askance at financing my casino spree. So I figured: eat my losses. Besides, a gambler should never bet anything he isn’t prepared to lose. I initially thought: $100 but then dialed it back to $50. Frugal.

    * AP | Gaming pioneer who advised Illinois on riverboat gambling dead at 89: Steve Norton, who ran the first U.S. gambling facility outside Nevada — Resorts casino in Atlantic City — and gave advice around the world on how to set up and operate casinos, has died. He was 89. […] Norton spent more than half a century in the casino industry, running companies and advising state governments on the expansion of gambling, including on riverboats. He helped create the industry’s national trade association and worked to address gambling addiction.

    * TEXT:

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Live coverage

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Economic Alliance of Kankakee County responds to continued complaints about the Gotion EV battery plant…

Kankakee County was presented with a rare opportunity this September when Gotion, Inc. announced its plans to invest $2 billion to convert a formerly closed facility in Manteno into an electric vehicle battery production facility. The Economic Alliance of Kankakee County fully supports this development because of the positive economic impact it will make in the region. Further, the Economic Alliance is committed to creating the conditions which ensure Kankakee County’s citizens, business, and organizations benefit from Gotion’s success. […]

According to economic modeling indicators created by Lightcast using data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Gotion’s investment in the county will result in well over 1,000 additional jobs in health care, hospitality, engineering, construction, and so many other areas of our local economy. New businesses will flourish, and our local entrepreneurs will be ready for the challenge.

We believe that concerns related to the tax incentives which were one factor in Gotion’s choice to invest in Kankakee County are short-sighted. Lightcast predicts that Gotion’s presence in the county will increase local tax revenue by several million dollars each year which will be, in turn, reinvested in the communities and organizations relying upon these revenues. These incentives also require investments made locally in a training program to ensure that Kankakee County residents have priority access to these great jobs in a thriving high-tech industry of the future.

Kankakee County was ranked the third best small manufacturing hub in the nation in 2023 in Business Facilities magazines’ annual metro rankings report. This ranking demonstrates the strength of manufacturing in this region, and it’s a diversified manufacturing base. Products made in Kankakee County range from food to biopharmaceuticals to steel. Now, we have an opportunity to further diversify industry in our community, and this can only strengthen our economy and position our communities for prosperity.

But only a single community member showed up to complain…

At last week’s bi-monthly Economic Alliance of Kankakee County board of directors meeting, it adopted a five-paragraph resolution supporting the $2-billion Gotion development set for the long-vacant, 1.5-million-square-foot, former Kmart distribution property in Manteno. […]

At the conclusion of the meeting when audience members are asked to bring up items they would like to share, one audience member took the event in an entirely different direction.

Bob Forsythe, who said he is a 30-plus-year Manteno resident, blasted the alliance for its Gotion support.

* Thinking big at UIUC…

The big ticket in the University of Illinois’ fiscal year 2025 budget request? The School of Art and Design’s proposal for an expansion to its building, clocking in at $111 million.

Leading reasons for the proposed Thinking and Learning addition include facility consolidation, as visual-arts students, faculty and staff are currently spread among 13 buildings.

Kevin Hamilton, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, said the expansion would support continuing growth of the school and create space for community members to practice art. […]

The $111 million request — which makes up 35 percent of the UI’s portion of the capital budget request — would cover both this addition and renovations to the original Art and Design building on the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Peabody Drive, which has not seen a major overhaul since its construction in the late ’50s

* Politico…

State Rep. Mary Flowers is facing another primary opponent — making her reelection bid a little easier. Democrat Mike Crawford has filed paperwork to run against Flowers, according to the State Board of Elections. Crawford is dean at The Chicago School, a private university in the city.

Getting crowded: Flowers, a veteran state rep, also faces competition from fellow Democrat Mark Hamberlin. The competition from fellow Democrats comes as Flowers has faced headwinds in the Democratic caucus. House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch banned her from meetings earlier this year claiming she was too disruptive. Welch also bumped her from his leadership team.

* Common sense finally arrives after way too much disruption was allowed (some of it contrived and maybe even paid for)…

The Chicago City Council’s sergeant-at-arms is laying down the law in a belated attempt to stop raucous, profane and threatening behavior by members of the public that has left alderpersons fearing for their safety during meetings. […]

The rules would ban:

    • Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive or disruptive language.
    • Demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behavior and speech directed towards others.
    • Banners, fliers or signage. […]

Those in the gallery must remain seated, standing only when delivering public comment. They must silence their cellphones, use small handheld devices only when seated and avoid interfering with the “view or hearing” of others in attendance.

* Already?…


* From Isabel…

    * VOX | No Quiet in the Library: When she offered a toast at April’s Time 100 Gala in New York City, Tracie D. Hall, selected for Time magazine’s list of influential people, drew attention to librarians who have faced bomb threats, firings, and even jail time for resisting a growing effort to ban books. Hall, the first Black woman to head the Chicago-based American Library Association, received a standing ovation for her passionate declaration: “Free people read freely.”

    * WICS | Central Illinois organizations spearhead campaign that relived $3.5 million in medical debt: MBCR partnered with First Baptist Church of Bloomington and created a campaign to relieve medical debt, it was through their collaboration with a national non-profit that made this possible. “We reach out to the provider, and then anyone that is 400% of poverty or below or if the debt is a large burden onto them so that means 5% or more of someone’s income, we will relieve that debt,” said Allison Sesso, CEO of RIP Medical Debt.

    * WGLT | Laborers call for drivers to slow down after fatal crash near Bloomington I-74 construction zone: In a Facebook post, Laborers Local 362 called the crash “totally preventable” if the semitrailer truck involved had been “going the speed limit and paying attention in the construction zone.” “He wasn’t. So he slammed into the Crash Truck sending the Teamster in the cab to the hospital. He will live, but the semi driver was not as fortunate. Thank Goodness there were Crash Trucks protecting Laborers who were in the middle of the interstate doing the final touches to open a stretch of interstate that has been shut down all summer. Without the Crash Truck, the Laborers would have been exposed to the semi barreling through a construction zone. We are Thankful this wasn’t worse!” the Laborers said on Facebook.

    * WBBM | Local coalition calls on CPD to ban pretextual traffic stops: Members of the Free2Move coalition are calling on Chicago Police to ban pretextual traffic stops. Members of the coalition spoke at a City Council committee hearing. A member who did not identify herself stated that “Pre-textual stops are the legal loophole that allows police to stop people for minor reasons to fish for other signs of criminal activity, even when they have no suspicion in the first place.”

    * Crain’s | Zion fears loss of cancer hospital’s tax revenue will devastate city finances: McKinney said after the Zion Nuclear Power Station ceased operation in 1998, the cost to the city in lost property taxes resulted in a 135% increase in the city’s tax rate. He said the city’s been trying to dig out of that hole ever since. And while it was finally able to balance its budget recently after several years, if City of Hope gets a tax break, the city will be “back to square one.”

    * WGN | The push to protect nursing home residents: Delores Brown died nearly three years ago, after suffering a fall in a nursing home. The Illinois Department of Public Health later determined the facility was fault. But holding anyone accountable has been a challenge, WGN Investigates has found. “I’m very angry,” said Delores’ daughter, Chereese Brown. “Because you trust the facility to take care of your mom.”

    * ABC Chicago | Libertyville parents sue Volkswagen over tracking of carjacked vehicle with child inside: Last February, Taylor Shepherd was outside her home in Libertyville, about to get her son from the car, when police said two men pulled up, knocked her to the ground, and stole her car with her two-year-old son inside. That toddler was later found in a Waukegan parking lot unharmed. But Volkswagen allegedly refused to give law enforcement the GPS tracking location data from the car because the free trial period had expired.

    * Sun-Times | Howard Brown health care workers kick off two-day strike, seek better pay and benefits: The union’s demands include a raise of the minimum hourly wage of $21 from $16.07, affordable health insurance, layoff protections and notices, overtime pay for shifts longer than eight hours, remote work options and negotiations before the changes of job duties.

    * WCIA | ISBE clerical workers picket outside board meeting: Many clerical workers picketed outside of the Springfield ISBE building Monday evening. The group, which is represented by the AFSCME Local 2811, is demanding a higher wage increase in their collective bargaining. Shelley Hamlin, the president of Local 2811, said their salaries have been behind the market average for decades.

    * SJ-R | Man accused of shooting ISP trooper pleads not guilty to attempted murder: Santana is accused of shooting Chapman-Green more than 10 times, striking him twice in the leg, then hitting the trooper with his firearm, causing a brain bleed and skull and facial fractures. He then fled with law enforcement beginning a nearly three-hour search for him. He was arrested shortly before 2 a.m.

    * Daily Herald | McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge dead after falling ill at courthouse Monday: McHenry County Associate Judge Micheal Coppedge, described by colleagues as courteous, brilliant and honorable, died Monday morning after falling ill in his chambers at the courthouse in Woodstock.

    * AP | Wisconsin Senate approves plan for more than half a billion dollars of public funds to help Milwaukee Brewers repair stadium: The Brewers say 22-year-old American Family Field needs extensive repairs. The stadium’s glass outfield doors, seats and concourses need replacing, the stadium’s luxury suites and video scoreboard need upgrades and the stadium’s signature retractable roof, fire suppression systems, parking lots, elevators and escalators need work, according to the team. Brewers officials initially said the team might leave Milwaukee if they didn’t get public dollars for repairs. Rick Schlesinger, the Brewers’ president of business operations, softened the team’s stance last month, saying the Brewers want to remain in the city “for the next generation.” But the prospect of the team leaving looms.

    * AP | The Biden administration is slow to act as millions are booted off Medicaid, advocates say: Up to 30 million of the poorest Americans could be purged from the Medicaid program, many the result of error-ridden state reviews that poverty experts say the Biden administration is not doing enough to stop. The projections from the health consulting firm Avalere come as states undertake a sweeping reevaluation of the 94 million people enrolled in Medicaid, government’s health insurance for the neediest Americans. A host of problems have surfaced across the country, including hourslong phone wait times in Florida, confusing government forms in Arkansas, and children wrongly dropped from coverage in Texas.

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Pushes to override Pritzker vetoes faded during veto session

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois on August 11…

The bill would have allowed for the construction of reactors that meet the federal government’s definitionof “advanced reactor,” which require that fission reactors have “significant improvements” to things such as safety features and waste yields.

Rezin, in a phone interview with Capitol News Illinois, said Pritzker’s characterization of the bill allowing construction of traditional reactors is “just not true.”

“This is a pattern of a governor that is bending to special interests,” Rezin said.

Rezin also noted the limitation in the bill to only apply to advanced reactors came out of bipartisan negotiations.

Subsequent press release from Sen. Rezin…

Senate Bill 76 passed out of the General Assembly with veto-proof rollcalls because the members of the General Assembly who live and work in our communities know that it is our constituents, and not special interests and political ambitions we are here to serve. That’s why I have immediately filed paperwork to override this veto during our upcoming Veto Session this fall.

Sen. Rezin eventually introduced a proposal that only allowed small-scale reactors. Capitol News Illinois…

Lawmakers on Thursday approved a proposal that would allow companies to develop new nuclear power generation in Illinois for the first time since 1987.

House Bill 2473 does not entirely lift the 36-year-old moratorium on nuclear construction. Instead, it creates a regulatory structure for the construction of small modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs. […]

Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement Thursday that he would sign the bill. He worked with lawmakers on the new language of the new bill after vetoing a broader measure this summer.

* Capitol News Illinois back in August…

Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday vetoed a measure that would have granted existing utilities in downstate Illinois, notably Ameren Illinois, the “right of first refusal” for transmission line construction. [….]

The bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Larry Walsh, D-Elwood, told Capitol News Illinois that he stands by the policy and will try to pass the bill over the governor’s objection during the legislature’s veto session, which begins in October.

“I’m gonna work my bill. I know how the vote went, I know the nuts and bolts of it,” Walsh said.“I’m filing for an override. I went down there to protect Illinois workers. That’s what I’m going to do.”

Walsh stressed that he sees the bill as being beneficial to laborers. In his view, the competitive bid process opens up transmission line construction to out-of-state companies, over which the state has less oversight.

Two months later in Capitol News Illinois…

At a news conference last week, Rep. Larry Walsh Jr., D-Elwood — the chair of the House Public Utilities Committee and sponsor of the vetoed bill — conceded the fight over House Bill 3445.

“We’re not going to carry or try to override the veto,” Walsh told reporters.

* Crain’s last month…

A high-stakes lobbying battle has broken out in Springfield over whether to sustain or override Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s amendatory veto of a little-noticed but impactful bill that would slash property taxes by nearly two-thirds for hundreds of nursing homes located in Cook County.

If enacted into law, the measure would shift tens of millions of dollars “and maybe more” in annual property taxes from nursing facilities to homeowners and other businesses, according to Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office. Some south suburban communities would be particularly affected. […]

Any action on an override will have to begin in the Illinois House. The main sponsor of the property-tax bill, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Aurora, said she will push for an override to keep homes from closing, but will allow the nursing home clause to be removed if that’s needed to save the underlying bill and its other provisions.

No action was taken during session either way on that particular bill. The House passed a bill without the nursing home exemption, but it stalled in the Senate.

* Both chambers of the General Assembly voted to accept the governor’s amendatory veto of our next bill, HB2878. WGN in August…

Pritzker said House Bill 2878 addresses procurement issues important to his administration, but because the bill allows for the creation of public private partnerships (P3) with counties, municipalities and any other unit of local government without proper oversight in place, the governor issued an amendatory veto. The governor removed the provision that creates a local pathway for private industry to enter P3 agreements that he says skirts transparency and anti-corruption requirements established in state statute.

“The potential in this bill for opacity and corruption is too great,” Pritzker wrote in his message. “In addition, the bill as written puts the state at greater risk of project failure because it decreases competition and reduces the opportunity for public input into project planning and implementation currently required for other P3 developments under state law.”

* The governor’s veto stands on this bill as well. From WGEM in October…

As Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield for veto session on Oct. 24, one thing likely on this year’s agenda may impact menus at schools across the state. […]

A bill passed during the regular session, but Gov. JB Pritzker vetoed it citing technical issues. […]

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, said it’s important kids don’t have to choose between their religion and not going hungry.

“Not being able to have the culturally-appropriate meals is a challenge, and the last thing that anyone wants is a student that is not having a meal,” Villivalam said. “We know that that impacts their ability to learn and be educated and be health and safe and so much more.”

Pritzker said Thursday he thinks the technical issues have been worked out with lawmakers. He’s hopeful a similar bill mandating halal and kosher menu options reaches his desk during veto session.

The Senate passed a compromise bill, but it was never taken up in the House.

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Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, please

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WBEZ headline…

Illinois could see more nuclear reactors by 2026

* From the story…

With bipartisan support, Illinois lawmakers [last] week eliminated the state’s nearly 36-year-long ban on construction of new nuclear reactors, opening the door for the development of emission-free nuclear power that proponents say will accelerate the state’s transition to clean energy.

* Last graf…

The law would take effect in 2026, and according to Rezin, could take anywhere from six years to a decade to obtain the permits necessary to build a new reactor in the state.

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‘Rare’ solution heralded

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As we discussed in September, Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) held a hearing to discuss “ongoing delays in licensure processing by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.” Morgan noted at the time that “The delays have led to many professionals, including nurses and other health care workers, as well as their employers, having to worry about their ability to keep working should their licenses lapse.”

IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. dropped a bombshell at the hearing, saying that after several months of attempting to purchase licensing software through a joint purchase master contract, the agency had given up…

Unfortunately, as we drill down into the very specific needs that have to be met, and how we may go about the process to obtain them, we have reached a point where we don’t think the joint purchase master contract will work. That has a development that happened this week. Just this Monday. And candidly we were quite disappointed with the news.

Treto promised he’d keep working on it.

* More from that September hearing from Hannah Meisel…

Daniel Stasi, a consultant with the Illinois Mental Health Counselors Association, noted he’s been the point person for licensing-related issues for 24 years.

“Very little has changed,” Stasi said in September. “The wait is actually longer.”

Illinois State Medical Society executive senior vice president David Porter told lawmakers that the most concerning aspect of IDFPR’s current licensing system is the “lack of transparency” from the agency.

“Applicants tell us that there’s no real way for them to obtain status updates on their applications or renewals, and there’s virtually no chance to be able to connect with someone at the department by phone or email who can provide such updates,” Porter said. “Most frustrating to new applicants is that they are rarely notified when their applicants are deemed to be insufficient or incomplete, which adds days or weeks to when they can expect to obtain a license.”

* Well, a legislative solution may have been found. From the synopsis of HB2394 as amended…

Provides that, if the Secretary of Professional Regulation finds that there is a significant operational need to do so or that it is necessary to do so to avoid undue hardship on a class of individuals whose professional licenses, registrations, or certificates are issued by the Department, then the Secretary shall extend the expiration date or renewal period of those licenses, registrations, or certificates of those individuals for a period not to exceed the standard renewal period of those licenses, registrations, or certificates. Provides that the Secretary may consider specified factors when determining whether to extend the expiration date or renewal period of the license, registration, or certificate of those individuals. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall identify a method of source selection that will make it possible to implement a software solution to support the Department’s mandates to enforce the professional licensing Acts that it administers and rules adopted under those Acts. Provides that the software solution selected by the Department shall satisfy specified criteria. Provides for additional requirements concerning the source selection process. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Effective immediately.

* From the NASW-IL…

The National Association of Social Workers - Illinois Chapter (NASW-IL) expresses heartfelt gratitude to the Governor, esteemed members of the General Assembly, and the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) for their collaborative efforts in successfully passing HB2394 during this veto session.

The challenges in accessing mental health professionals have been heightened by delays in licensure processes. The passage of HB2394 not only enables emergency rulemaking to address these delays but also introduces a streamlined procurement process for new software, a crucial step toward ensuring faster licensure and, consequently, a more robust workforce to facilitate increased accessibility to mental health services for the residents of Illinois.

Witnessing such a swift turnaround from a legislative hearing to a solution in state government is rare, underscoring the stakeholders’ determination to tackle the difficulties that fully qualified professionals encounter in obtaining licensure. Issues were identified, meetings were convened, and solutions with performance benchmarks were proposed and passed—this exemplifies government at its best. NASW-IL extends its appreciation to House Health Care Licensing Committee Chair Bob Morgan and the entire bipartisan work of that committee for prioritizing this critical fix.

Anticipating the positive impact of this legislation on the mental health landscape in Illinois, NASW-IL looks forward to witnessing the tangible benefits resulting from the collaborative efforts that have made this achievement possible.

* From Rep. Bob Morgan…

State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, has passed HB 2394, modernizing the process for professional licenses at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Both chambers passed the bipartisan legislation this week and Governor Pritzker is expected to sign this urgent measure.

The legislation is the House Democrats’ response to historic delays in license application processing at IDFPR. These delays have kept doctors, nurses, social workers, and many more licensed professionals from working, in some cases for up to 1 year, while they await IDFPR processing of their paperwork. “These unprecedented license delays have not only impacted our healthcare professionals, but have literally impacted healthcare delivery in Illinois,” said Rep. Morgan. “This committee has taken on tough challenges together – I am proud of the collaboration that produced this bill, and look forward to working with the administration to build a professional licensing system that models best practices and meets the modern needs of the people of Illinois. This legislation provides real solutions to an urgent problem, and does so on a defined timeline.”

The legislation requires IDFPR to implement a fully online professional licensing system through an expedited, competitive procurement process over the course of the next 6 months. While the Department updates the system, it is required to extend renewal deadlines and waive late fees so that no new applicants or renewing licensees have to worry about their licenses expiring solely because of department backlogs.

House Democrats first called attention to the licensing backlog in September, when a hearing of the House Health Care Licenses Committee heard from provider groups about the impacts of an antiquated, backlogged licensing system that still requires applicants to send in paper applications and paper checks.

* Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton…

“By updating the system IDFPR uses, we will help streamline the application process, connect people with good-paying jobs and alleviate workforce shortages,” said Glowiak Hilton. “This legislation is long overdue. By providing IDFPR with this support, we will move one step closer toward an effective and efficient licensure process for all Illinoisans.”

  30 Comments      


Major Chicago news outlet finally notices decline in migrant influx

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As we’ve been discussing, on October 20th, the City of Chicago reported that 28 buses carrying migrants had arrived in the previous seven days. That was down from 53 during the week ending October 6. On October 27, that weekly number had fallen to 16, and was reported as 15 a week later. This past week, the number remained at 15 buses. The Sun-Times has finally noticed the trend…

After two months of ballooning bus arrivals in Chicago that stretched the resources of the city and volunteers, the number of buses coming into the city has slowed, and the number of migrants at police stations is at its lowest point in months.

On Monday, around 2,300 migrants were awaiting shelter at police stations and airports, the fewest since late September, according to data from the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Bus arrivals are back down to a couple a day from roughly nine a day.

The slowing rate of arrivals and falling number staying at police stations comes with winter just around the corner, something advocates have feared could put the health of thousands at risk.

The 1,800 migrants still camped out at police stations, with freezing weather coming, is down 33% from just a week ago.

The number of new arrivals in staging areas dropped about 22 percent, from 3,228 the previous week to 2,529 by last Friday. This is a trend we’ve noticed for a while now.

The number of new leases signed jumped to 640 in October, from 125 in July. Again, same upward trend that’s been happening for months.

Fox 32 picked up the Sun-Times story, so maybe the word will finally spread.

* Meanwhile…

As a sense of urgency grows, with winter fast approaching, Chicago’s mayor says he is looking to shore up support with influential pastors as the city efforts migrant relief. […]

Addressing the latest concerns at the Indiana Avenue Pentecostal Church of God in Bronzeville, Johnson was joined by Bishop Simon Gordon with the Triedstone Church of Chicago. Gordon asked Chicagoans to stand with their mayor as the city navigates their plans for the unhoused.

“We have to be good citizens and be able to accept and deal with those who come in to be a part of the process,” Gordon said.

* At that same press conference, a reporter asked this…

Have you ever considered turning the buses around? The buses arrived here saying, You know what, there’s no more room at the inn. We can no longer have the capacity to take anyone else. Maybe it’s time to turn the buses around.

And how would the city do that? Surround the buses with armed police officers and force people to go where they don’t want to go? I can think of a few laws off the top of my head that this would be violating. Also, are they going to put armed officers on buses full of people here legally until they reach city limits?

Do reporters even stop to think for one second before they pop off like that? That person sounded like George Wallace at the school house door, for crying out loud.

Not to mention that the phrase “no more room at the inn” was uttered at a Christian church, of all places.

* From Isabel…

    * Fox Chicago | Chicago law firm steps up to assist migrants free of charge: Compelled to help, Anderson teamed up with his law firm’s pro bono attorneys and other agencies, like the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), to host a series of free legal clinics. Those sessions served to educate new arrivals on their rights, and guide them on what to do next. “To apply for work permits, to apply for a change of venue – to move their hearings from, let’s say, Denver to Chicago. And fundamentally, just to register their whereabouts with the Department of Homeland Security. So they needed to go online basically,” said Anderson. Meanwhile, city officials have launched a pilot program for a one-stop work authorization clinic that aims to serve at least 150 migrants per day. It’s being done in partnership with the White House and The Resurrection Project (TRP).

    * Pioneer Press | Oak Park taking the lead on ‘coordinated western suburban response’ to migrant crisis, looking for others to partner, officials say: Oak Park resident Derek Eder also voiced his support for the the village rendering aid. “Let’s show them that love wins over fear, and let’s show them that diversity is strength. Let’s show them that this crisis is actually an opportunity to enrich the lives of our new arrivals and to enrich the lives of our own village,” Eder said. “Let’s show them what Oak Park really stands for.”

    * WGN | CPD officers helps migrant kids write new stories with donated books: Officer Jesus Magallon began his mission to hand out books to the children, newly arrived in Chicago over the summer. He saw the children of those newly arrived migrants and noticed they didn’t have any books. He set out to change that. […] He has given away hundreds so far. Many of them came from Bernie’s Book Bank on the North Shore.

    * Sun-Times Editorial Board | Catholic Charities of San Antonio does Chicago no favors by failing to give a heads-up when migrants are on the way: Catholic Charities of San Antonio said in a statement: “Catholic Charities does not direct or suggest travel to any specific location, and migrants have been advised at times not to travel to certain areas due to a possible lack of services. However, Catholic Charities cannot prevent migrants from traveling to their preferred locale.” But parts of those statements are hard to square with migrants who have told the Sun-Times they chose Chicago based on a recommendation by Catholic Charities of San Antonio. San Antonio is among the first stops for many migrants. Its local Catholic Charities operates the Migrant Resource Center. When migrants insist that Chicago is their choice, at least give city officials or Catholic Charities in Chicago some notice. A phone call will do.

  10 Comments      


It’s not as simple as they’re making it look

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* CBS 2 in May…

Last week, a 696-page report was released detailing child sex abuse committed by Catholic clerics in Illinois - following a nearly-five-year investigation by the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

As CBS 2’s Tara Molina reported, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, is taking issue with the bishop in one of the state’s six Catholic dioceses. The group claims the bishop of the Diocese of Joliet is not being forthcoming.

SNAP says abusive clerics are still being protected or hidden in the Diocese of Joliet. They are calling for all the abusive priests’ names to be shared and posted publicly.

* Shaw Local in July…

Joliet Catholic Academy is interested in buying the neighboring Our Lady of Angels property for a campus expansion that could include a future stadium.

JCA has included a stadium study in its strategic plan since 2018 but has not made a commitment to the project, President and Principal Jeffrey Budz said.

“We’re exploring and investigating,” Budz said Thursday. “I can’t emphasize those words enough.”

* Shaw Local in September…

The fallout from a Minooka company that federal authorities deemed a Ponzi-like enterprise has cost a Joliet school and a church hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlements, along with a $153,500 judgment against a Channahon nonprofit organization, court records show.

Joliet Catholic Academy, Messiah Lutheran Church and Legacy Families all received money from Today’s Growth Consultant in Minooka. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said in a 2019 lawsuit the company was engaged in a “Ponzi-like scheme” to defraud investors. […]

As a result, Damian reached settlements that required Joliet Catholic Academy to pay $100,000

* Sun-Times in late September…

In a report earlier this year by the Illinois attorney general, the Diocese of Joliet was criticized for continued secrecy over the extent of child sex abuse by priests and religious brothers who served in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction. […]

As the diocese embarks on an initiative that could lead to mergers and closings of Catholic parishes and schools, Bishop Ronald Hicks and his aides won’t provide key financial details about their organization even as they acknowledge that finances are part of the reasons for the restructuring.

Among the subjects they won’t address: how much money has been spent under Hicks and his predecessors in settlements and others costs responding to child sex abuse accusations lodged against clergy members and other religious figures.

* Shaw Local in late October…

The Diocese of Joliet soon will be making some difficult decisions about what the city’s Catholic community will look like moving forward as it continues its “targeted restructuring” initiative.

Because of continued declining revenue and attendance in diocese churches and a need for significant work and repairs at many of the older parish buildings, the diocese began the process two years ago of evaluating church assets and trying to formulate a plan to restructure the diocese in a way that improves efficiency and saves money.

* Shaw Local yesterday…

The end of a tax credit scholarship program for students at nonpublic schools will leave parents with a “huge unknown” for the next school year, according to an official with Joliet Catholic Academy.

On Thursday, state lawmakers adjourned their fall veto session without calling House Bill 4194 for a vote to keep the Invest in Kids Act alive. The scholarship program allows students at nonpublic schools in Illinois to receive tax credit scholarships. […]

On Thursday, [Ryan Quigley, Joliet Catholic Academy institutional advancement director] said he thinks the expiration of the Invest In Kids Act could cause the closure of Catholic schools in Joliet, which already faces parish closures because of falling attendance.

* From an Illinois Families for Public Schools report shared with legislators last month…

Joliet Catholic Academy is a private religious school that had 27 students using vouchers via Illinois’ Invest in Kids voucher program last year. They received at least $346,320 in Invest in Kids vouchers. $57,720 of that (17%) went to low-income students (i.e. students who would qualify for free or reduced price meals.) No voucher recipients at JCA last year identified as Black.

JCA had a $12.9 million endowment FY2022, according to this spring 2023 report.

According to the data on non-public schools from the Illinois State Board of Education, in 2022-2023, JCA was 29% students of color, 4% special education students, and 0% low-income students.

ISBE doesn’t report data on English-language learners at private schools, so there is no information on whether JCA serves any ELLs. There is no mention on the JCA website of any programs for ELLs, dual-language programs or bilingual services.

Nearby public schools

The public school district where JCA is located, Joliet Township High School District 204, serves a very different population than JCA. Last year it was 79% students of color, 58% low-income students. 14% of students had IEPs, and 13% were ELLs. […]

Invest in Kids vouchers have funded students at JCA since 2018. Comparing JCA’s pre-IIK enrollment to post-IIK enrollment, the percentage of Black & Latinx students has inched up slightly, but mostly due to the fact that the white population has been falling since 2015-2016.

There’s more.

  23 Comments      


Open thread

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

  3 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Most juvenile detention centers in Illinois are failing to meet state standards. Injustice Watch…

    - In Cook County, children as young as age 13 who come into the detention center are inappropriately strip searched.

    - In Knox County’s Mary Davis Home, young people are confined to their cells for 24 hours as a disciplinary measure.

    - Last year, just four of the 16 county-run detention centers throughout the state were in full compliance with state standards. So far this year, two out of eight inspected juvenile jails have been found compliant.

* Related stories…

* Isabel’s top picks…

    * Jim Salma | This is a powerful solution for climate change: “Common Ground” offers a simple message: Let’s grow nutrient-dense food in a manner that sequesters vast amounts of carbon in our soil. According to the Rodale Institute, if we converted all global croplands and pastures to regenerative and organic, we could sequester more than 100% of current annual CO2 emissions. Farmers using these practices grow organically, using crop rotations, cover crops and, in many cases, rotational grazing of livestock and/or poultry. The result is incredibly healthy, carbon-rich soil and food loaded with nutrients, minerals and vitality.

    * Tribune | Staffer recommends Illinois regulators deny approval for Wolf CO2 pipeline, one of 2 under consideration by state: The staff member, gas engineer Brett Seagle, also said that the pipeline, a project of Denver-based Wolf Carbon Solutions U.S., should not be approved until new federal safety regulations are completed. “The lives and safety of Illinois citizens must come before business concerns,” Seagle said in Oct. 24 testimony filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission.

    * Windy City Times | IDHS head Dulce Quintero reflects on making history, being an advocate: Dulce Quintero has always believed in helping people—and decades of doing so has resulted in an especially noteworthy achievement. Recently, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker appointed Quintero, a member of the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, as secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), making them the first nonbinary individual to helm a state agency. On Nov. 30, the Association of Latinos/as/xs Motivating Action (ALMA) will present Quintero with the inaugural ALMA del Líder (Soul of A Leader) award to celebrate this development.

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

    * Forbes | Illinois Becomes First State To Roll Back School Voucher Program: Tax credit scholarships create the illusion that taxpayers are not footing the voucher bill. But the Invest In Kids tax credits created a hole in the budget as large as $75 million; taxpayers can either fill the gap by paying more, or accept cuts in services. Directly or indirectly, taxpayers pay the price for tax credit scholarships. That’s why Kentucky’s supreme court rejected that states tax credit scholarship program. “The money at issue cannot be characterized as simply private funds,” the court wrote, “rather it represents the tax liability that the taxpayer would otherwise owe.”

    * Capitol News Illinois | Lawmakers pass bill aimed at modernizing professional licensing in Illinois: The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has failed to meet its goals to speed up both initial licensing and renewals in key industries as applications to the agency grew by 15 percent between 2019 and 2022. IDFPR’s director called the situation a “crisis” earlier this fall when testifying before lawmakers at a committee hearing on the issues facing the agency.

    * Patch | Elmhurst State Lawmaker Bowing Out: Elmhurst’s state representative has decided against running for a second two-year term. Meanwhile, an Elmhurst alderwoman is planning to run for the seat. On Oct, 30, Ward 1 Elmhurst Alderwoman Marti Deuter set up an account with the state Board of Elections to run in March as a Democrat in District 45.

    * WTTW | Following Sluggish Start and COVID Delay, Trial of Former Ald. Ed Burke to Resume This Week: Proceedings were slow going last week, which was marked by the extensive questioning of dozens of potential jurors and at least one confirmed COVID-19 case that brought the case to a halt before it could truly get going.

    * WBEZ | Right turn on red? With pedestrian deaths rising, US cities are considering bans: The United States is one of few major countries that generally allow right turns on red. Concerned that cars idling at stop lights could compound an energy crisis, the U.S. government warned states in the 1970s that they could risk some federal funding should cities prohibit right on red, except in specific, clearly marked areas. Although another energy-conscious provision capping speed limits at 55 mph has long been abandoned, right on red has endured. “It’s an example of bad policy,” said Bill Schultheiss, director of engineering at Toole Design Group, which consults with public transportation agencies. “It made sense in the context of the gas crisis, but it was way oversold on what it would achieve. It’s a mandate that doesn’t consider the full consequences.”

    * WTTW | Ethics Board Dismisses Complaint Prompted by Lori Lightfoot’s Campaign Cash Pleas to City Employees: Ethics Board Chair William Conlon did not explain the board’s decision, which reverses an earlier unanimous decision by the board to find there was probable cause Lightfoot had violated the city’s ethics ordinance, upholding Witzburg’s determination. The board’s decision to dismiss the complaint against the former mayor came after attorneys for the former mayor vigorously fought any finding of wrongdoing for nearly six months. Lightfoot, who left office in May, appointed all of the current members of the Chicago Board of Ethics, as well as Witzburg.

    * Tribune | Aldermen move to establish quiet zone around downtown abortion clinic: The City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted to bar protesters from using a bullhorn, loudspeaker or hitting a drum or other object “to produce a sharp percussive noise so as to interfere with the functions” of Family Planning Associates clinic.

    * WGN | Faith leaders join Johnson in call for patience amid Chicago’s migrant relief efforts: Addressing the latest concerns at the Indiana Avenue Pentecostal Church of God in Bronzeville, Johnson was joined by Bishop Simon Gordon with the Triedstone Church of Chicago. Gordon asked Chicagoans to stand with their mayor as the city navigates their plans for the unhoused. “We have to be good citizens and be able to accept and deal with those who come in to be a part of the process,” Gordon said.

    * Evanston Review | Evanston council postpones final vote on Northwestern’s Ryan Field rebuild till Nov. 20: The vote to table was 6-2. Council members Krissie Harris and Devon Reid voted against tabling. The pair, along with Councilmember Bobby Burns, held a town hall meeting Thursday to get further comment from residents. Reid said he felt he and other council members who put in the effort to negotiate with the university were being overpowered by those who hadn’t come to the table.

    * Tribune | R. Kelly sues YouTuber and federal employee alleging ’chaos and discord’ over leaked jail conversations: In all, more than 60 federal employees illegally accessed R. Kelly’s emails and phone calls, and some of them leaked or sold the information to the outside world — including YouTuber “Tasha K” and a Washington Post reporter, according to the suit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

    * Tribune | Bankruptcy at Friendship Village retirement community in Schaumburg has financial impact on residents and families too: Her dispute is over Friendship Village’s policy of only paying back entry fees upon the resale of a resident’s unit. The facility — the largest not-for-profit retirement community in Illinois, with 815 units — didn’t resell Kroll’s one-bedroom unit, so hadn’t paid his family back. Now that Friendship Village has entered bankruptcy, families of former residents are unlikely to ever receive full repayment, which Barnes and other families see as a betrayal of what they were promised.

    * Daily Herald | Is your Nicor bill going up by $9 a month? The ICC decides Thursday: Residents across 37 counties that include the suburbs will learn Thursday if Nicor Gas rates will spike by an average of $111 annually. The Illinois Commerce Commission is set to vote on Nicor’s controversial request for a $321 million increase, which the utility says will help modernize its system and meet rising energy prices.

    * Tribune | The federal government wants to demolish 2 historic State Street skyscrapers. Preservationists are mobilizing in opposition.: Advocates and neighborhood residents lined up at a public hearing Monday to plead for the survival and renovation of the vacant Century and Consumers Buildings, at 202 and 220 S. State St. The federal government owns the pair, and for several years has sought to raze the structures, claiming that if they were redeveloped and occupied it could pose an unacceptable security risk to employees in the modernist federal courthouse just to the west at 219 S. Dearborn St.

    * AP | Supreme Court’s New Ethics Code Does Not Appear to Impose Any Significant New Requirements: The code leaves compliance to the justices themselves and does not create any other means of enforcement. The issue has vexed the court for several months, over a series of stories questioning the ethical practices of the justices. Many of those stories focused on Justice Clarence Thomas and his failure to disclose travel and other financial ties with wealthy conservative donors including Harlan Crow and the Koch brothers. But Justices Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor also have been under scrutiny.

    * NBC Chicago | Suburban middle school teacher sets remarkable world record: Guinness World Records has named Paul the longest working social studies teacher in the world, with 53 years on the job. The honor took him by surprise. “In fact, I didn’t believe it at first,” he said.

    * Tribune | Chicago Bears want to see Justin Fields do full-team work in practice before deciding on status vs. Detroit Lions: Eberflus said the Bears want to see how Fields looks in full-team work before determining whether he can play for the first time since Oct. 15. The Bears will hold a full practice Wednesday. “Once we see him in the game of football in terms of going against the scout team and taking snaps and playing full speed, then we’ll make a determination,” Eberflus told reporters after practice. “But it’s not there today.”

  25 Comments      


Live coverage

Tuesday, Nov 14, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here or here to follow breaking news.

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« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Uber Partners With Cities To Expand Urban Transportation
* Governor Pritzker endorses Kamala Harris for president (Updated)
* Mayor Johnson's actual state ask is $5.5 billion, and Pritzker turns thumbs down
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Pritzker, Durbin, Duckworth so far keeping powder dry on endorsing VP Harris (Updated x7)
* Biden announces withdrawal from reelection (Updated x3)
* Yesterday's stories

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