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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Phil’s bass lines in this are just crazy good… Once in a while, you get shown the light
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Phil Lesh
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NY Times…
* Turn up the bass in your mix and listen to this song… Nothin’s gonna bring him back. I played bass guitar in bands during high school and college. But what Phil did was just so far out of reach. Nobody could do it. He was an essential element to the Grateful Dead’s music and he can’t ever be replicated. * Bertha… It was like having another guitar player in the band, but with that bass kick. Top of the scale and way down low. Click here for another example. Amazing stuff. * The camera focuses often on Phil in this video, so you can see how he made the magic…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * I thoroughly enjoyed reading this profile of courtroom sketch artist Lou Chukman from Block Club…
* At 7 pm the governor will give remarks at La Casa Norte Annual Gala Esperanza. Click here to watch. * Sun-Times | A Chicago cop faces firing over a fatal shooting. Months earlier, he shot and paralyzed another man: Ruiz arrived with other officers, approached the driver’s side of Comer’s friend’s vehicle “and immediately fired his weapon at Mr. Comer at least eleven times without issuing commands,” the lawsuit claims. Comer was trying to park the car closer to the curb when the cops showed up, and he wasn’t holding a gun at the time. “At no point did Mr. Comer grab a weapon, much less threaten an officer with it or pose a threat to any officer or citizen of bodily harm or death,” the suit holds. The shooting left Comer, 39, paralyzed from the waist down, according to the suit, which targets the city of Chicago, Ruiz and other officers. * Chicago Reader | ‘A common sense problem’ : A coalition of Black women alders led by Jeanette Taylor (20) and Stephanie Coleman (16), along with Mayor Brandon Johnson, pushed for the hearing. The resolution that called for the hearing cited the seven-part investigation “Missing in Chicago,” copublished by Invisible Institute and City Bureau in November, an excerpt of which also ran as a Chicago Reader cover story. The series was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. Alders also highlighted a 2023 series by CBS Chicago journalist Dorothy Tucker on crime and violence against Black women. * Bloomberg | Bally’s $1.8 Billion Chicago Casino Hinged on Landlord Redesign: For months, casino industry veteran Peter Carlino pondered whether to back the massive gambling resort Bally’s Corp. had won approval to build in downtown Chicago. Carlino, chief executive officer of Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc., liked the idea of financing the only casino in America’s third-largest city, but he had issues with the design. So he dispatched one of his staffers to engage with Bally’s on a top-to-bottom rethink of the property. * Block Club | Latino-Owned Cannabis Dispensary Opens In Avondale: Bloc Avondale opened last week at 3545 N. Kedzie Ave., a former mattress and paint warehouse building. Bloc is the first social equity license dispensary for Avondale and the second dispensary to open in the neighborhood. Louis Lopez, who grew up in Hermosa and Belmont Cragin, owns the dispensary. It’s one of 11 stores nationwide from operator Justice Cannabis Co., which was started by Chicago civil rights attorneys in 2014. Justice CEO Alexzandra Fields, who lives in Lakeview, helps run the shop. * Sun-Times | Former Loyola football teammates battle cancer together as doctor and patient: Mike Lowe and Dan Dammrich watched the Loyola vs. Providence game together. The two former Loyola football teammates blended in with all the others hanging out on the sideline. They greeted old friends, talked with assistant coaches and enjoyed a warm mid-October Saturday afternoon. […] Lowe, a reporter for WGN-TV, was diagnosed with stage 3(c)N+ colon cancer in May. […] But the personal connection and the old high school football tie is making it easier for Lowe. * Sun-Times | Substandard Media: Chicago Sports Network’s broadcast partner isn’t doing channel, fans any favors: The decision by the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks to partner with Standard Media for their new regional sports network was perplexing from the start. Here was a small media company based in Nashville, Tennessee, carrying the teams’ hopes and dreams. Its job would be to get the network distributed as widely as possible. For that to happen, Standard would need to agree to a carriage deal with Comcast, the largest TV provider in the Chicago market. More than three weeks into Chicago Sports Network’s existence, no deal is in sight, validating concerns that Standard was not equipped for the job. * WTTW | Day of the Dead’s Iconic Flower Plants Seeds of Cultural Connection in Chicago: For the past six months, staff and students at the University of Illinois Chicago have been tending thousands of marigolds on the grounds of the school’s Plant Research Laboratory, sowing seeds in the spring and nurturing plots of the flowers throughout the growing season. The brilliant orange and yellow blooms aren’t part of an official scientific study, but they do represent a cultural experiment of sorts. […] Turns out the marigolds in UIC’s garden — specifically the species known as Aztec marigolds (Tagetes erecta) — are destined for use during Dia de los Muertos. * Block Club | Old Irving Park Lawn Transformed Into ‘Six Hags Boosment Park’ For Halloween: The Old Irving Park Halloween display features amusement park rides like Skelly the Striker, The Bone Rattler roller coaster, the Wheel of Death and the Fright Flight swing tower. An archery target with a skeleton is spinning in the background, and a skeleton dog and human are at the park enjoying the fun. * AP | DNA tests identify 19th-century teenager’s skull found in Illinois home’s wall: The skull went forgotten until March of 2021, when museum supervisors discovered it during an inventory audit. They called police, who sent the skull to the coroner’s office. Working with Othram Laboratories, a forensic laboratory in Texas that assists law enforcement, the office was able to build a DNA profile from the skull that suggested it was that of Esther Granger, a 17-year-old woman who died during childbirth in Merrillville, Indiana, in 1866. * Shaw Local | Downers Grove at odds: Video gambling referendum stirs passionate debate: Residents will be asked to vote on a nonbinding advisory referendum that would allow restaurants and recreational/club/private facilities to operate video gambling terminals beginning Jan. 1. If approved, the measure would restrict the number of licenses to 10. The ordinance also would have specific stipulations on the number of terminals (six), terminal configuration and terminal visibility. * Sun-Times | At this Northwestern professor’s lab, plastic-eating microbes show promise to gobble up microplastics in nature: The 18-person team’s latest finding has helped science inch closer to answering a question that’s perplexed researchers for years: Can the bacteria that cling to plastic bottles in rivers eat up all of that plastic and help get rid of that pollutant? The answer, according to Aristilde’s team’s recently published research, is yes. * Daily Herald | Delnor Hospital’s drone delivery program saves time transferring specimens, medical supplies: A partnership between Northwestern Medicine and the Valqari drone delivery company in Lombard sends specimens and medical supplies in time-saving flights between the hospital and the Delnor Cancer Center. Without the drones, most deliveries at Delnor are made during four scheduled courier trips, or by nursing staff or laboratory technicians who make the deliveries on foot across Delnor Drive. It takes about a half-hour to cover the half-mile round-trip on foot. Staff does this more than 40 times a month. […] “A half-hour is a good chunk of a nurse’s day,” said Ryan Walsh, Valqari CEO and founder. “We can make that same delivery in about 4 minutes.” * WCIA | Former deputy accused of murdering Sonya Massey now in Macon County Jail: Macon County Jail records show Sean Grayson was transferred Thursday afternoon to the facility. He was previously held in Menard County Jail. […] Grayson’s next trial date is Dec. 2. His lawyer appealed for pre-trial release for him under the SAFE-T Act, but two courts so far have denied him. * Rockford Register Star | Winnebago County Mental Health Board appointee drops out after questions are raised: County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli during a Thursday night board meeting said that Terri Hitzke of Loves Park no longer wanted to be considered for the four-year appointment “for reasons that she is going to put in a letter to the county board chairman and to the county board about what she has had to endure during this process.” […] Chiarelli said he looked into concerns that had been raised and ultimately decided they were unfounded. Chiarelli had planned to bring her appointment back to the County Board floor on Thursday night. * WIFR | Winnebago County Board members react to RAVE Board vacancy: ‘Surprised’ is how some Winnebago County Board members describe the news that Hard Rock Casino Rockford President Geno Iafrate is stepping down from his position with the RAVE Board. […] John Guevara, Winnebago County Board member, says he’s surprised to hear about Iafrate leaving RAVE. “I think the contributions, you know, spoke for themselves. There was a significant partnership between entities across the board,” he says. * SJ-R | Public gets a look at new master plan for downtown Springfield, medical district: The 278-page document was recently rolled out online, but members of the public got a close-up of specifics at an open house at Memorial Learning Center on Oct. 24. […] “We all kind of want to see, in my opinion, the end result. We want cool shops. We want good restaurants,” Stremsterfer said. “We do have a lot of those great things already. We just want more of them. * SJ-R | City of Springfield will resume showing faces of public commenters at meetings: The city of Springfield will resume showing faces of public commenters at its committee of the whole meeting Tuesday. For the past two meetings, the city preempted video but not audio during public commentary citing “unauthorized recording and sharing of meeting content.” Haley Wilson, a spokeswoman for the city, told The State Journal-Register last week the move was “temporary” and may be lifted. * STLPR | A Metro East nonprofit increases after-school programs with a $450,000 Illinois state grant: East Side Aligned, a local nonprofit serving youth, received a nearly $450,000 Illinois state grant to help bring more after-school programs and services to children and families in East St. Louis and the surrounding communities. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority’s Restore, Reinvest and Renew program funds community organizations that work in areas that have been harmed by economic disinvestment, violence and excessive incarceration. It is funded through state revenue from adult recreational cannabis sales. * Semafor | Why there are fewer polls this election: In addition to the usual concerns about accurately predicting a race that’s effectively deadlocked in every swing state, the sheer number of high-quality, brand-name polls has been in decline for several cycles. Politico’s polling reporter Steven Shepard lamented that last weekend bizarrely passed without any major polls of note nationally or in battlegrounds, although they picked up later this week on both counts. That means less grist for obsessive news consumers and less data for big aggregators and forecasters trying to make sense of the race. * The Atlantic | Election officials are under siege: ”Stop counting votes, or we’re going to murder your children”: Around the country, election officials have already received death threats and packages filled with white powder. Their dogs have been poisoned, their homes swatted, their family members targeted. In Texas, one man called for a “a mass shooting of poll workers and election officials” in precincts with results he found suspicious. “The point is coercion; the point is intimidation. It’s to get you to do or not do something,” Al Schmidt, the secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, told me—to get you to “stop counting votes, or we’re going to murder your children, and they name your children,” a threat that Schmidt said he received in 2020. This year, the same things may well happen again. “I had one election official who said they called her on her cellphone and said, ‘Looks like your mom made lasagna tonight; she’s wearing that pretty yellow dress that she likes to wear to church,” Tammy Patrick, the chief programs officer at the National Association of Election Officials and a former elections officer in Maricopa County, Arizona, told me. “It’s terrorism here in America.”
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It’s far more complicated than this
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WBEZ on why extending the Invest in Kids tax credit program failed…
The teachers unions did indeed lobby hard against the extension. But as we’ve discussed before, the big money people funding the extension push absolutely refused to even consider a compromise. * Proponents could’ve divided the opposition by agreeing to phasing out the program over time. Kids with scholarships would keep them until they graduated, for example. It’s a pretty easy argument to make and one that loads of Democrats were open to. The benefit for proponents would be keeping the tax credit alive. The idea in situations like this is to find a way to live to fight another day. Instead, both sides took an all-or-nothing stance and the side with the most votes won.
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Illinois temporarily suspends betting on certain aspects of NFL games
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* Meanwhile, from Casino Reports…
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Question of the day
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Tribune management is obviously lacking in the training department. Email exchange… 
The initial mistake is probably understandable. Following up with something like, “Ope, my bad,” would be fine. But then to go on and ask a person via a state email account for help reaching a campaign account after being told such correspondence is prohibited is probably not a great idea. Again, this is obviously a training issue. But it’s not uncommon, even among people who should know better. I regularly hear gripes from government spokespeople about reporters asking them campaign questions. Heck, I’ve done it occasionally because I just wasn’t thinking. But I backed off when realizing my mistake. Not everyone does that. Anyway… * The Question: If you were the state legislator in question, how would you respond to that follow-up email? It’s Friday, so snark is not discouraged.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Ellen and Julie, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Roundup: Jury hears first wiretaps in Madigan corruption trial
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* More…
* WBEZ | Dozens of secret recordings at Madigan trial show close ties with McClain, undercutting key defense point: In court Thursday, Lang told Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu that, “I understood at that time that [McClain] was a messenger for the speaker.” He also told the prosecutor that “it was very clear to me, from this call, that my career had ended. Because the speaker was in control of my ability to move up the ranks and get the leadership that I wanted to have.” * WGN | Secret recordings expose Madigan and McClain’s close ties in corruption trial: Taking the stand Thursday, FBI agent Ryan McDonald vouched for the blizzard of phone conversations and emails. Aside from official business, many recordings heard in court between Madigan and McClain were brief and to the point. The two were heard making dinner plans or travel arrangements, which prosecutors say demonstrates the closeness of their relationship while meting out punishment in the Illinois House. * ABC Chicago | State Rep. Bob Rita begins testimony: State Rep. Bob Rita began his testimony Thursday. He testified for about 10 minutes before court was dismissed about 5 p.m. […] Rita’s testimony will resume Monday.
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Pritzker responds to Local 150 claim about data center power usage growth
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * From yesterday…
40 percent more electricity? The governor has said he’s been monitoring data center power usage, so I asked his office for a response. * From Gov. JB Pritzker…
Thoughts?
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Kenneally goes down swinging
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * WTVO…
* The news story was essentially just a rewrite of a press release without question from lame duck McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally. Fox32 Chicago did the same thing, but they at least acknowledged it…
* The press release…
* I asked the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice for a response…
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Open thread
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois community colleges see largest enrollment jump in 15 years. KHQA…
∙ The report recorded an overall increase of 7.4%, the largest fall-to-fall enrollment growth in the last 15 years, outpacing last year’s fall enrollment increase of 5.7%. ∙ Statewide enrollment data shows 37 of 45 community colleges experienced an increase in headcount enrollment from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024. * Illinois Times | Exhibit honors Illinois sculptor Richard Hunt: The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum will open “Freedom in Form: Richard Hunt” on Oct. 25, an exhibition dedicated to world-famous Chicago-based sculptor Richard Hunt, who died Dec. 18, 2023. This will be the first major show of Hunt’s work since his death. Hunt is known for his large abstract metal works utilizing welding and steel casting, often manifesting the Black experience through his work. * Pantagraph | Illinois, Normal leaders discuss the future of rail, transportation: “I am fascinated by what I see happening here especially with Amtrak,” said U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg. “This is the first time I’ve seen a city hall above the train station.” Krishnamoorthi met with Normal Mayor Chris Koos at City Hall in uptown Normal for a roundtable in which they primarily discussed the current state of transportation and future developments locally, regionally and nationally.
* Journal-Topics | Candidates In 17th, 57th House Districts Square Off At League Forum: Four candidates running in two Illinois State House races — incumbent state representatives Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17th) and Tracy Katz Muhl (D-57th), and their challengers Jim Geldermann (R) and Daniel Behr ® — squared off in a recent League of Women Voters candidate forum in Wilmette.[…] “As a citizen, I consent to be governed by delegating limited powers to the government,” Geldermann began his opening statements with. “I was asked to run not because I had a burning desire, but I believe as a citizen I have a duty to stand up and to serve when asked.” He said he was running against the “big crime lobby,” the “let’s keep our kids stupid lobby,” the “DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) lobby,” and the “death lobby.” * WBEZ | How does seemingly popular legislation die at the Illinois capitol? Many ways — here’s one of them.: Illinois lawmakers introduce thousands of bills every year – and sometimes one of them seems really popular. People flood the capitol in support chanting and carrying signs, lawmakers are hashing it out with each other and meeting with constituents. It’s getting a lot of media coverage. But even if the momentum seems there, sometimes the bill just dies – for any number of reasons. * Crain’s | Doc groups target alleged center of insurers’ price-fixing ‘cartel’ in lawsuit: The American Medical Association and the Illinois State Medical Society say MultiPlan, a data analytics agency for health plans, is at the center of a price-fixing “cartel” with commercial health insurers. In a lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the Chicago-based associations say New York-based MultiPlan has undercut fair payment for out-of-network health care services and eliminated market competition. * WGEM | Gov. Pritzker celebrates expansion of ‘Reach Out and Read’ children’s literacy program: “Our program strengthens the relationships between children and their caregivers and lays the foundation for early learning,” said Reach Out and Read Illinois Medical Director Dr. Mariana Glusman. Participating pediatricians give their patients a book following their checkups starting at six months old until they’re five. Doctors give Illinois families more than 180,000 books annually according to Reach Out and Read Illinois. * 25 News Now | Illinois residents can voice their opinion on ranked choice voting: Voters will be able to weigh in on ranked choice voting (RCV) with an advisory question on this fall’s ballot, which means the result will not be binding, A 20-member state task force is studying the issue by reviewing different voting systems and processes to see if RCV should be implemented in Illinois. * Sun-Times | Chicago Police Department exodus: New cops are leaving in droves, Sun-Times investigation finds: One of every six Chicago cops hired since 2016 is no longer on the payroll. About 950 of the more than 5,750 people hired in that period have left. Their average time with the department? Not even three years. Many moved to suburban police departments. * ABC Chicago | Pending lawsuit over police overtime pay could worsen Chicago budget debt crisis: Chicago’s budget crisis may be worse than many had thought. A still-pending lawsuit over police overtime pay could put the city on the hook for $200 million. It’s a liability Chicago City Council members recently learned about as the city heads into budget season. * Sun-Times | New CPS board president picked by mayor praises Johnson, makes clear he backs mayor’s plans: Three weeks after the entire Chicago Board of Education resigned, the board’s new president on Thursday lauded Mayor Brandon Johnson in a politically tumultuous time and indicated he’s willing to take the school district in the direction Johnson has ordered. “This is a moment in time that we can not afford to squander,” the Rev. Mitchell Ikenna Johnson said at his first meeting as board president. “My opinion is the mayor has a clear vision for public education here in Chicago: a fully funded school district that gives every Chicagoan a world-class public school in their neighborhoods. A transformation of our public education is a critical piece for [Mayor] Johnson’s vision for transforming Chicago. * Crain’s | True Value weighs laying off almost half its workforce as company seeks sale: As True Value tries to win approval to sell “substantially all” of its business operations to Indiana-based home improvement competitor Do It Best, the Chicago-based retailer says it could lay off a considerable portion of its workforce if the deal doesn’t come together. * Sun-Times | Settlement reached in case involving former CPS teacher’s alleged abuse of 3 young boys: The families of three boys allegedly sexually abused by a former Chicago Public Schools teacher have settled their lawsuit against the school board for $2 million, lawyers announced Thursday. The families contended in federal court that CPS did not notify families sufficiently of sexual abuse allegations against Andrew Castro, a former gym teacher at Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary School on the Northwest Side, that led to his removal in 2021. While the notification said a teacher had been removed, it did not name Castro. * Southside Weekly | Chicago Fashion Week Threads Together Community and Culture: The inaugural Chicago Fashion Week (CFW) made a citywide impact with more than fifty events across both the North and South Sides and extending into nearby suburbs. Anchored by three pillars—history, ingenuity and commerce—CFW was designed with a clear purpose: a fashion experience created by and for the people of Chicago. * Daily Herald | Democratic candidate for Cook circuit court clerk promises modernization, transparency; Opponent silent: Failure to modernize and lack of transparency are the biggest challenges facing the Cook County circuit court clerk’s office, according to Mariyana Spyropoulos, Democratic candidate for clerk of the Cook County circuit court. She faces Republican candidate Lupe Aguirre on Nov. 5. The Daily Herald attempted to contact Aguirre, a former Chicago police officer and attorney, through the Cook County Republican Party, but was unable to do so. Aguirre does not appear to have a campaign website. * Naperville Sun | Naperville’s tentative 2025 budget calls for 9 new hires, including 4 for the police department:ity staff presented a $641.88 million budget for next year, 3.3% more than the city’s amended 2024 budget. It includes a $166.43 million general fund, which is 6.4% — a little more than $10 million — higher than what had been allocated this year. The tentative budget also includes a hefty $179.38 million capital improvement fund program, which council members reviewed at a workshop meeting last month. * Crain’s | Property rights lawsuit over counties’ tax sales gets go-ahead from judge: A lawsuit that aims to halt suburban counties’ longstanding practice of seizing properties over unpaid property taxes — claiming it’s a violation of property rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution — can move forward, a judge ruled last week. At stake in the case is potentially millions of dollars in home equity that homeowners lose when Illinois counties including DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will seize their properties through the labyrinthine tax sale mechanism. For decades, property owners have been compelled by state legislation to forfeit the entire value of their property so the county can recoup a relatively small amount, the tax debt. * Action | Accel Unveils Plans for Racino at FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing Track: Accel Entertainment unveiled plans for its racino at the horse track formerly known Fairmount Park during the Illinois Gaming Board meeting on Thursday, targeting an opening of its temporary casino before the Kentucky Derby next May. Accel reached an agreement to purchase Fairmount Holdings, which owns the FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing track in Collinsville, for $35 million in July. Accel plans to invest an additional $90 million in converting the venue into a single-site horse racing track as part of an eventual racino. It made its presentation to the IGB prior to the stage agency voting to transfer the organizational and master sports wagering licenses from Fairmount Holdings to Accel, with the sports wagering license also renewed through October 2028. * Tribune | Cook County Board approves new health system CEO: After a monthslong search, Cook County Health found its new leader right back at home, with the current interim CEO getting elevated Thursday to the permanent job. The Cook County Board affirmed a search committee’s pick, appointing Dr. Erik Mikaitis to oversee management of Stroger and Provident hospitals, a network of more than a dozen clinics, and the county’s Medicaid managed care program, CountyCare. He inherits a proposed $5.2 billion budget for 2025 and a workforce of roughly 7,600. Though the system has faced significant financial hurdles in recent years — including high costs for providing free care — 2025 is the first year in recent history the county’s health fund does not have a projected deficit. * Pantagraph | Illinois Democrats rally student voters at ISU: As a mother of two daughters, state Rep. Sharon Chung said she was proud to convey the message “bans off our bodies” in voice and through the message of the T-shirt she wore. “It terrifies me. … they’re growing up in a world today where they have fewer rights than I did when I was their age,” Chung said, referring to her children. * Rockford Register Star | Winnebago County is on a mission to replace Mental Health Board with new faces. Here’s why: County Board Member Tim Nabors, D-14, said even as a Nov. 5 referendum for renewal of a 0.5% mental health sales tax approaches, some on the County Board are working to assert greater influence by installing new board members. “The ones that are on there aren’t being given the opportunity to be reappointed,” Nabors said. “They just want them to be replaced because they don’t like not having control of the Mental Health Board.” * Shaw Local | As ‘skills gap’ grows, teens learn about potential careers – and try out big machines – at Johnsburg High: SkillsUSA Illinois’ ‘career experience’ gave students from across northern Illinois a chance to explore future job pathways that don’t involve four-year college degrees * News Chanel 20 | Businesses Continue to Struggle after Adams St Fire: Daisy Jane’s said being an older established business meant they were able to bounce back faster. But newer businesses like The Wakery have had to reduce their hours just to survive. “In the business world you see ups and downs all the time. So the key thing is that I chose not to just close my doors and not call it quitsI know that we make income through our events I know we make income through rentals and I can pay my bills through that, so we’re going to focus on that until we get our feet steady again,” Elizabeth Wake, owner and founder of The Wakery, said. * WICS | Jacksonville Education Association speaks out on violence against teachers: Issues about the treatment of teachers at Jacksonville district schools have been making headlines over the past few weeks. While there has been some friction over the district’s statements and claims from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the teacher’s union is also speaking out now. Members of the Jacksonville Education Association said they expect a certain level of respect and safety from students and parents. * BND | Belleville high school teachers will wear panic buttons to help head off emergencies: In an effort to boost school safety, Belleville Township High School District 201 employees will soon be able to click a button on a wearable badge to request help or initiate a rapid response during an emergency. The buttons are part of the Centegix Safety Platform, which is “an alert and response system designed to reduce response times … when there is a security issue,” Superintendent Brian Mentzer said. * AP | Georgia officials say they thwarted an attempt to crash a state election website: The attack was limited to that part of the state’s website, which voters use to request an absentee ballot. Users may have experienced a brief slowdown, but the site never crashed and no data was compromised, said Gabriel Sterling, a top official at the agency. He said it was not clear where the attack originated. There has been no public indication that similar systems in any other state were subject to the same kind of attack.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Oct 25, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Sun-Times…
* Tribune | ‘This is no longer me talking’: Jurors hear first wiretap audio in Madigan corruption trial: “This is no longer me talking,” said Michael McClain, Madigan’s confidant and now co-defendant, in the wiretapped November 2018 phone conversation with then-Skokie Rep. Lou Lang. “I’m an agent, somebody that cares really deeply about you, who thinks that you really ought to move on,” McClain said in the call. On the stand Thursday, Lang said he knew McClain was saying he was simply a messenger for Madigan, who was no longer interested in giving Lang a more powerful position within the House. * Sun-Times | ‘You really ought to move on’ — Former lawmaker testifies about call telling him Madigan wanted him out: The call between Lang and McClain occurred after someone threatened to come forward with an allegation against Lang late in 2018. Springfield had just endured months of #MeToo scandals. McClain asked Madigan on Nov. 3, 2018, “When do you want me to call Lang and just lower the boom on him?” “Sooner rather than later,” Madigan told him.
* Tribune | Big money floods Illinois campaigns with few rules and little enforcement: The flood of money pouring into the state’s pliable political system has created a raucous campaign environment where the last two races for Illinois governor have become the most and third-most expensive governor’s races in the nation, and, in 2022, allowed the incumbent governor to spend as much as he wanted to help pick the Republican rival he correctly thought would be easiest to defeat. It has permitted legislative leaders in Springfield to consolidate their power and protect incumbents by weaponizing political donation rules meant to ensure fair play and directing the flow of cash to preferred candidates. * WTTW | ‘A Moment in Time That We Cannot Afford to Squander’: New Chicago Board of Education Members Sworn in at First Meeting: Martinez, who was also present at Thursday’s meeting, has seen questions swirl about his continued employment with the school district. […] Thursday’s agenda did not include any items specifically relating to Martinez or his employment, but it did include language that during the board’s closed session it would discuss “the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees.” That language, however, is typical for board agendas. * Block Club | Lakeview Parents Beg CPS For More Janitors As Teachers Clean Filthy Elementary School: Like most elementary schools in the city, Nettelhorst is usually staffed by three full-time custodians, said Chicago Public Schools spokesperson Evan Moore. Industry standards for custodial staffing in CPS schools are based on square footage and task frequency, Moore said. But before summer break, Nettelhorst’s third custodian was laid off. When teachers arrived to school Aug. 26, they quickly realized that cleaning the entire building was a job too big for just two-full time custodians. * CBS Chicago | Argonne National Laboratory team to study causes of flooding in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood: The Greater Chatham Initiative is a community group now working directly with a team of scientists and researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has launched a project to focus on flooding. They are homing in on Chatham as the Chicago neighborhood hardest hit. […] “Chatham tends to flood first and tends to flood worst,” said Scott Collis of Argonne National Laboratory. “We are going to bring state-of-the-art research radar to the region.” * Block Club | Father Of Slain Teen Caleb Westbrooks Writes Children’s Book To Honor Him — And Process Immense Grief: Westbrooks was at the airport trying to get an earlier flight home when he finally learned his son had been killed. The next few hours were full of shock and panic as he flew back to Chicago. “My brain is like, if you get hysterical or something, they’re gonna land this plane somewhere, and you won’t be able to get to Chicago,” he said. “So it was like, just keep it together. Just keep it together at all costs. Just keep it together.” * Crain’s | Company that shut Chicago steel-conduit plant sues Mexico: The owner of a Chicago-based steel company has sued the Mexican government over claims that companies there are flooding the U.S. market with cheap product. Zekelman Industries filed the suit Oct. 21 in federal court in Washington, D.C., for breach of contract in violating the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal that replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement in 2020. * Block Club | The Pilsen Food Pantry Is Fundraising To Help More Neighbors In Need: The Pilsen Food Pantry is looking to raise $100,000 by Oct. 31 as it hopes to continue its work of helping people who face food insecurity — and it’s close to hitting its goal. […] The Pilsen Food Pantry is open Monday-Friday, distributing fresh produce, frozen proteins, dairy, shelf-stable foods and household items to 120 clients daily. Clients can pick what they want, a model that reduces food waste, promotes healthy eating and cooking and is “more dignified” for struggling neighbors, Figueroa said. * News-Sun | Election to determine if Lake County continues its Democratic shift; ‘The Republican Party is hungry to talk to the voters’: When exactly Lake County started turning blue is up for debate. Lake County Republican Chair Keith Brin pointed to 2016. “There was a rapid shift in the electorate and within four to six years, Lake County had flipped from a super majority of Republicans on the County Board to a super minority,” he said. Brin said the cause was national politics, which “forced people to polarize.” Suburbs were no longer “mildly red or mildly blue,” and the national elections, “didn’t play well for Republicans in Lake County.” * Daily Herald | Lawsuit against Huntley High over E. coli outbreak dropped — for now: Just over a month after two families sued Huntley School District 158 following last year’s E. coli outbreak at Huntley High School that sickened 15 people, the lawsuit has been withdrawn, although the legal battle might not be over. McHenry County court records indicate that the plaintiffs asked for a “voluntary dismissal” of the case, which was granted Tuesday. * Daily Herald | ‘Answer to a prayer’: Community invited to honor Korean War MIA soldier as he’s laid to rest in Elgin: For 74 years, all Gloria Valle knew about her “Tio Beto” was from stories she heard from her family. Though the Elgin woman always kept his picture up in her home, she never met her uncle Eriverto Ortiz, a U.S. Army corporal who was declared missing-in-action in Korea in 1950. But after all this time, she’ll finally get to help him find his final rest. * Daily Herald | ‘Spaceship’-look midcentury Barrington home by noted local architect sells in warp speed: Inside, the single-story house is equally dramatic. Though about 2,700 square feet, it has only two bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms. Most of the space he said, is taken up by a “massive” great room filled with natural light where built-in couches and shelves stretch out across white carpet. Two wide steps lead to a conversation pit around the fireplace.
* SJ-R | Family of fallen Illinois State Police trooper releases statement: “Our world has been shattered, and we will never be the same,” the family said. “But we take comfort in knowing that he lived life to the fullest, he loved his family and friends deeply, and he died doing what he loved. “We could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support,” the family said. * WCIA | Past Iroquois Co. health admin due back in court December after pleading not guilty to falsifying timesheets: DeAnn Schippert, the former public health administrator, pleaded not guilty in court last week, according to Iroquois County court records. Schippert was arrested by Illinois State Police and charged with 33 counts of theft of government property, forgery, and official misconduct in March. The Attorney General’s Office said Schippert was paid more than $100,000 she should not have received for fraudulent time sheets claiming regular and overtime hours she did not work. * SJ-R | Who is Bill Pope? Meet the new owner of Gabatoni’s in Springfield: Pope said the only change planned is reopening Gabatoni’s dining room that has been closed since the pandemic in 2020. The business has operated solely as take out and delivery service since. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. * Vote Beat | No, Michigan does not have more voters than residents eligible to vote: The claim — that Michigan has more voters than people eligible to vote — has been debunked extensively by the state as well as independent experts. A federal court ruling this week weighed in on a similar GOP claim, finding flaws in the comparison of data points and no proof that the discrepancy amounts to a violation of law, just as previous courts have found. Musk and others cite the data points to argue that the discrepancy could enable fraudulent voting. The claim is based on a misunderstanding about the makeup of the state’s voter roll and what it means in relation to Census population data. * Casino Reports | Inside Pace-O-Matic’s Place In The Developing, Divisive ‘Skill Games’ Industry: Skill games are gaming devices that look and feel similar to traditional slot machines. However, whereas those casino games rely purely on chance, manufacturers like Pace-O-Matic say their games rely on the player’s skill. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global skill game industry was valued at nearly $31 billion in 2022 and it’s expected to swell to $85.34 billion by 2030. And, in the U.S., it’s all unregulated.
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Today’s quotable
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Maybe somebody should tell Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred that a large number of South Side legislators will be asked to vote on a subsidy for the Chicago White Sox. So, dissing their part of town is just dumb. As subscribers know, Ozzie Guillen also “went there” in the presence of a bunch of South Side lawmakers last month. As Sneed might say, dumb-dee-dumb-dumb…
* Transcript…
Asked about the comment, a South Side legislator told me today that “Its wild how [Jerry Reinsdorf] maybe found a way to pass the Bears in worst stadium lobbying of the decade.”
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More magic beans
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Crain’s…
The CTU has long been fond of relying on magic beans to balance budgets because they didn’t have to concern themselves with the details of governing. Old habits are hard to break. * The 2020 Fair Tax constitutional amendment needed to be “approved by either three-fifths of those voting on the question or a majority of those voting in the election.” Instead, it got thumped 53-47. The “Yes” votes totaled just 45 percent of all those voting. Also, even if attitudes change, it would be another two years before another constitutional question could be placed on the ballot. …Adding… A commenter makes a very good point. If this survives all odds and somehow makes it onto the ballot, and it’s then positioned as a windfall for CPS, it’ll do even worse next time.
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McCombie slightly adjusts pickup prediction
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * July…
* From today’s Q and A with Leader McCombie…
Discuss.
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Energy Storage And Clean Energy!
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] In the next few years, Illinois can expect increases in demand for electricity not seen in decades. While the state is currently experiencing a clean energy boom, the growth is not enough—which puts families and businesses at risk for higher energy bills and unreliable service. Luckily, there is legislation that would expand the use of a technology that can capture and store clean, cheap electricity for use when demand peaks during the day -large- and small-scale battery energy storage. Energy storage will help avoid the cost spikes ratepayers may experience due to insufficient energy capacity. The need to accelerate the adoption of energy storage is urgent. Springfield is faced with a choice: support policy that will build out clean, cost-effective energy storage or allow families and businesses to have to rely on dirty, unreliable, and expensive natural gas plants. Meanwhile, Illinoisans agree: recent polling shows 72% of Illinois residents support incentives for energy storage. Paid for by Counterspark.
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Past time for a state fix
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Mr. Tourjman is right that people will just drive down the street to the next town to buy the very same products. And many of the dangers are likely over-stated. But maybe action like this will spur the General Assembly to properly regulate and tax the sale of these products…
* More…
And they should do something about sweepstakes machines while they’re at it. The legislative inaction on these grey market products is just odd. It’s never smelled right.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Addendum to today’s edition
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The Pace Rideshare Access Program subsidizes Uber trips, leaving riders with a co-pay of just $2. The impact: “This program has been a godsend for me. It offers flexibility, independence, freedom and the ability to maintain a beautiful life on so many levels,” says one rider. CTA: See how it works.
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Today’s must-read
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller * Most of the Tribune’s profile of Local 150’s leadership is known to people like yourselves. But not all of it, so definitely take some time and read the whole thing. John Lippert has provided us a sweeping and comprehensive look at one of the most powerful organizations in the state. From the end…
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Meanwhile… In Opposite Land
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * South Dakota…
* Texas…
* Alabama…
* Florida…
* Idaho…
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Madigan corruption trial coverage roundup
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here to follow along in real time. Tribune…
* Tribune…
* Sun-Times federal courts reporter Jon Seidel is in the courtroom this morning…
* More…
* WGN | ComEd exec testifies in Day 2 of Madigan corruption trial: Expected to take the stand Thursday is former State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) who resigned after accusations of sexual harassment emerged in 2018. The longtime representative from Illinois’ 16th District was allegedly pressured to resign by McLain even though Lang believed the accusations against him were false. * Center Square | Witness testimony continues in corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker: Former State Rep. Scott Drury, D-Highwood, returned to the stand for additional cross-examination Wednesday morning after beginning his testimony on Tuesday. Drury and Madigan defense attorney Todd Pugh had several combative exchanges over a variety of issues. U.S. government prosecutor Amarjeet Bhachu said the prosecution planned to call utility company executive Scott Vogt next, followed by former State Rep, Lou Lang, D-Skokie. Lang was on Madigan’s leadership team before stepping down in 2019 amid harassment allegations.
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Open thread
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: CUB, Ameren Illinois spar over rate increase proposal. WCIA…
- But the Citizens Utility Board says the plan should be reduced by at least $100 million because of wasteful spending. CUB officials said the current plan includes $23.5 million for six projects and $800,000 for operations and maintenance costs. -When asked how much more money people could see on their bills every month, Ameren did not give a specific answer. * Related stories… ∙ WMBD: Board urges state commission to cut Ameren rate hike request∙ Advantage: CUB urges ICC to rethink Ameren request Governor Pritzker’s schedule…
In Rockford at 11:30 pm to announce the US Department of Energy grant award. In Machesney Park at 1 pm for the mobilization ceremony for the 725th Transportation Company * Tribune | Local 150 steps into Springfield power vacuum aiming to promote clean energy and protect jobs, efforts often at odds: Mandating electric vehicles too soon, according to Local 150 political guru Marc Poulos, would cripple revenue from the state’s motor fuel tax. That, in turn, would kill lots of road-building projects and jobs. These include a $6.4 billion plan, of which Local 150 is a principal proponent and beneficiary, to rebuild the Eisenhower Expressway west of downtown. * Daily Herald | Police explain how they solved 45-year-old North Aurora murder: Thanks to DNA testing, North Aurora police can close the case of the 1979 murder of Kathy Halle. But they know that while it might bring some comfort to Halle’s family to know who killed her, there will be no justice. That’s because the perpetrator, Bruce Lindahl, died just two years later while committing another murder. “This was a tough one for us,” Detective Ryan Peat said. “It (the ID) doesn’t save Kathy. It doesn’t bring any justice to Bruce.” * Center Square | Some argue for Illinois’ Electoral College votes to be proportioned: Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn doesn’t favor a proportional approach to the Electoral College. He said whoever gets the popular vote should win. “The electoral college is really something from the 18th Century and it doesn’t really work in the 21st Century in my opinion,” Quinn said recently at an unrelated news conference. * WAND | Election preview: Schweizer, Clem battle for Illinois 104th House seat: Schweizer argued Illinois should eliminate some of the less effective programs and reprioritize funding to alleviate taxes. Clem is in favor of cutting down on state government spending to help lower the burden on families. “But, we need to make an investment in education and our pensions,” Clem said. “Our property taxes are the biggest expense for a lot of homeowners.” * WSPY | Gabby Shanahan runs for Illinois House 97th District seat, prioritizes cost of living and taxes: Shanahan says the high cost of living is the main issue she would like to address if elected, and she believes the elimination of the grocery tax is a step in the right direction. She would also like to see the gas tax eliminated. * 25 News Now | Single strand of pneumonia is infecting Illinois kids at an earlier age: Mycoplasma Pneumoniae, a strand of pneumonia also known as walking pneumonia, is becoming more common in Illinois children in 2024. Typically, children eight or older become infected. However, Illinois Department of Public Health data show increased cases in children under the age of six, and the symptoms have reportedly been more severe. The department saw a positive case rate of walking pneumonia at 1% in April 2024. In October, it rose to 20%. * Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson’s communications director ousted amid latest mayoral office shake-up: It is unclear why Ronnie Reese is stepping down as communications director, but it comes amid a string of high-profile departures from the mayor’s top team, and after a rocky year and a half of communications strategy. Reese did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A source with direct knowledge of Reese’s departure who was not authorized to speak on the personnel matter publicly said the exit was “not voluntary.” […] Reese helped propel Johnson into the mayor’s office. He ran campaign communications after spending more than a decade as a deputy press secretary at the Chicago Teachers Union where Johnson was a paid organizer. * ABC Chicago | CTA Train operator had alcohol in their system when Yellow Line train crashed in 2023, report shows: The reports documented two separate blood alcohol tests conducted that show the operator was under the influence at the time of the late morning crash at levels above federal requirements. […] At the time of the crash, the 47-year-old train operator at the controls had worked in that position for only three months, according to findings from the NTSB’s investigation. […] “The medical facility’s results showed that at the time the train operator was tested, approximately one hour after the accident, his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was found to be .06,” the NTSB report states. * Sun-Times | Chicago police blasted for mishandling cases of missing Black women: ‘The days of silence are no more’: “I’ve come to understand that missing Black women cases, predominantly in Black districts, are handled without the same due diligence as white women in predominantly white areas,” Bridgette Rouse, whose sister went missing in 2017, told the City Council’s Public Safety Committee at a four-hour meeting Wednesday. * Tribune | Cook County commissioners advance settlements tied to disgraced Chicago Detective Reynaldo Guevara: In all, the National Registry of Exonerations at the University of Michigan tallied more than 40 individuals who were wrongly convicted based on Guevara, partner Ernest Halvorsen, or other detectives’ misconduct — including coerced false confessions or witness identifications — through threats or violence. That misconduct has been costly for city taxpayers already: cases that named Guevara cost $39.3 million in 2019, 2020 and 2021 alone, not including the cost to pay outside counsel to defend the city in court. * CBS Chicago | Chicago Teachers Union spends thousands on flyers attacking candidates for school board: A total of 31 candidates are vying for 10 spots in what is now a $3.2 million race for Chicago’s first elected school board. More than $38,000 has come in the last couple of days just for Chicago Teachers Union-backed candidates—earmarked specifically for phone calls, text messages, and radio ads. Thousands of dollars were spent specifically on a run of flyers alone. The flyers, which some are receiving in the mail right now, claim candidates in the race are aligned with former president Donald Trump and “out-of-state billionaires.” * Tribune | Chicago Teachers Union report aims for alignment between district, mayor and union: The Chicago Teachers Union released a new report in a virtual news conference Wednesday, combining the highly anticipated Chicago Public Schools “Together We Rise” five-year strategic plan and the union’s contract proposals. While CTU’s new report takes goals from CPS’ five-year strategic plan and provides more specific “implementation steps,” much of the news conference focused on the ongoing disputes between the district and the union over key financial decisions. * Daily Herald | How many lawyers does a county clerk need? DuPage board members question size of clerk’s legal team: Some DuPage County Board members are questioning the number of lawyers representing the county clerk in a legal case stemming from an ongoing dispute over how bills get paid. County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek has a team of three lawyers representing her in a lawsuit challenging her authority over how she runs her office. Because the state’s attorney’s office filed the lawsuit against Kaczmarek, the county’s chief judge appointed legal representation for the clerk. * Daily Southtown | Thornton Township meeting canceled as trustees, Tiffany Henyard dispute where to meet: While enough of the board had showed up to the Thornton Township Hall in South Holland to call the meeting to order, Trustee Chris Gonzalez refused to go to the upstairs meeting room, saying there was too little space for the number of attendees present. Meeting locations have frequently switched between two rooms of the building, with Henyard preferring the upstairs and Trustees Gonzalez and Carmen Carlisle saying they prefer the larger basement space. * Shaw Local | Shaw Media acquiring Daily Journal in Kankakee: The Small family had owned the Daily Journal before its sale to Shaw. Len Small founded the newspaper in 1903. The present owners, Len, Tom and Jennifer Small, issued a statement saying: “We congratulate the Shaw organization for their commitment. We will celebrate the progress of the new company.” * WCIA | Danville nursing home cited for multiple violations: The document said a resident received care for a wound he had on his right leg. Five days later a nurse found maggots in his dressing and wheelchair. The wound physician ordered it be washed with an antiseptic and the wrap be changed every two days. * BND | Breese contractor and Aldi executive sentenced in bid-rigging and kickback scheme: A former executive for Aldi and a building contractor from Breese have been sentenced in federal court in East St. Louis for rigging bids for the construction and remodeling of grocery stores throughout southern Illinois and Missouri. Louis R. Ross Sr., 64, a former Aldi executive from St. Louis, was sentenced on Oct. 16 to serve two years in prison, according to court records and a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Tuesday. Ross pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and four counts of wire fraud. * Daily-Journal | Unfinished business: New chairman of Kankakee County Board appointed: Kankakee County Board has a new chairman. That was revealed at Tuesday’s special board meeting that Andy Wheeler resigned late Friday in an email to Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe, which made the proceedings moot. A special meeting was called Friday afternoon to discuss Wheeler’s status as board chairman. * WCIA | Springfield’s ALPLM hosting naturalization ceremony: The United States District Court, Central District of Illinois will hold a naturalization ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on Oct. 24 at 2:30 p.m. During the ceremony, the 75 citizenship candidates will be presented to the Honorable Karen McNaught, a Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court, Central District of Illinois. The candidates come from 37 countries, including Bolivia, China, Italy, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. * PJ Star | ‘Perfect storm’: Major Peoria road project is one year ahead of schedule. Here’s how: Wisconsin Avenue reconstruction is a year ahead of schedule because no unexpected variables arose during work, contractors worked quickly and effectively with the road shut down, and there were no scheduling issues, according to Peoria Public Works spokesperson Nick McMillion. “It truly was a perfect storm that came together for this project to be completed a year ahead of schedule,” McMillion said. “On a construction project of this magnitude, it is rare that everything lines up perfectly and nothing unexpected occurs. Wisconsin Avenue is such a vital corridor for the city, and its residents in the East Bluff and we are really excited to show off the vast improvements of this important roadway.” * WCIA | UIUC researcher creates technology to detect cancers faster: Within a small black box, LED lights and sensors detect molecules, take a photo and connect with a doctor’s smartphone. Once those are counted, doctors can detect cancer faster and tell if it’s becoming more advanced. It could also help medical experts decide which medicines would be most effective for the patient. * AP | Grateful Dead named MusiCares Persons of the Year for philanthropy and music impact: MusiCares, an organization that helps music professionals who need financial, personal or medical assistance, will honor the Grateful Dead as its 2025 Persons of the Year. MusiCares announced Wednesday that it will recognize original members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir for their philanthropic efforts, their unique ability to foster community through concerts and for their impact on American music on their 60th anniversary. * The Guardian | US public schools burned up nearly $3.2bn fending off rightwing culture attacks – report: Researchers from UCLA, UT Austin, UC Riverside and American University surveyed 467 public school superintendents across 46 US states, asking them about the direct and indirect costs of dealing with these volatile campaigns. Those costs included everything from out-of-pocket payments to hire to lawyers or additional security, to the staff member hours devoted to responding to disinformation on social media, addressing parent concerns and replying to voluminous public records requests focused on the district’s teachings on racism, gender and sexuality.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller * You can click here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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