Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

In late 2018, [longtime University of Illinois at Chicago employee Sharon Feldman], who was at the time associate director for global health policy research at the school’s Institute for Health Research and Policy, saw something: documents she believed showed a colleague planned to misappropriate grant funds and university resources.

Feldman worried the proposal would violate university policies that prohibited conflicts of interest and the misuse of university resources, she would later allege in court filings. […]

The Ethics Act’s whistleblower provision says state employees shall not be retaliated against for reporting behavior they reasonably believe to violate “a law, rule, or regulation.”

But in her ruling dismissing Feldman’s case this August, Judge Cecilia Horan agreed with the university’s arguments that internal university policies did not constitute “rules” that would have afforded Feldman whistleblower status.

At a court hearing on Aug. 29, Horan granted the university’s motion to dismiss Feldman’s complaint. Horan did not issue a written decision but said in verbal remarks she did not consider university statutes to be “rules” as defined by the Ethics Act.

Just outrageous. The legislature really needs to fix this. Tragically, Ms. Feldman died last month of an illness.

* Sun-Times…

While deaths among pregnant women are rare, they have increased across Illinois — and the majority of them were possibly preventable, according to a new state report.

Black women continue to be disproportionately affected, and more pregnant people who die are losing their lives months after giving birth as they fall through the cracks of a complicated health system. […]

The third Illinois Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report since 2018 from the state public health department provides a deeper look into what happened to 263 people who died while pregnant or within a year of giving birth from 2018 to 2020.

From the report…

• An average of 88 women died while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy, with the highest number 110 deaths, occurring in 2020. There were 83 deaths in 2018 and 70 in 2019.
• 43% of women who died while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy died from a cause related to pregnancy.
• The leading cause of pregnancy-related death was substance use disorder, which comprised 32% of pregnancy-related deaths. The other most common causes of pregnancy-related death were cardiac and coronary conditions, pre-existing chronic medical conditions, sepsis, mental health conditions, and embolism.
• Black women were twice as likely to die from any pregnancy-related condition and three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions as white women.
• More than half of pregnancy-related deaths occurred more than 60 days postpartum.
• The MMRCs determined 91% of pregnancy-related deaths were potentially preventable due to clinical, system, social, community, or patient factors.

* Post-Dispatch…

An Illinois county’s quest to secede and join Missouri won’t be happening any time soon, according to a new legal opinion.

In response to a question raised by an official in Jersey County, located across the Mississippi River from Missouri, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the county does not have “the authority to secede from the State of Illinois and join another state.”

Writing in an Oct. 17 opinion, Raoul said the state constitution does not provide a statutory procedure for the secession of counties from the state.

And, he added, there are federal issues that stand in the way too.

Full opinion is here.

* Press release…

Businesses understand that access to paid time off is crucial for workers and their families, which is why we reached an agreement earlier this year to provide 5 days of paid time off, for any reason, to every worker across the state beginning January 1 – an agreement that was praised by labor leaders. We made repeated efforts to negotiate in good faith to reach a paid leave policy at the City level that is fair and balanced for both workers and businesses, even offering double the State requirement, but labor groups refused to compromise meaningfully, with aldermen now set to vote on a policy that will devastate the very businesses they have been trying to attract to their communities.

The current proposal will force employers to pay three ways for every day of paid leave. As written, employers will need to provide five days of paid sick leave and five days of paid time off for every employee, pay employees for up to seven days of unused paid time off, and pay enhanced wages for anyone who covers the employee’s shift due to the City’s restrictive scheduling ordinance. On top of this, businesses, especially small businesses without robust human resources departments, will be exposed to the threat of private rights of action. The payout exemption for small businesses contained in the proposal does not extend to this dangerous private right of action language contained in the ordinance.

Once again, proponents failed to recognize the compounding effect these policies have on businesses that are already struggling to make ends meet due to an alarming number of anti-business proposals by the City, continued supply chain and labor challenges, persistent crime, and skyrocketing property taxes. […]

- Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
- Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce
- Hospitality Business Association of Chicago
- Illinois Health and Hospitals Association
- Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
- Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
- Illinois Restaurant Association
- Illinois Retail Merchants Association
- Little Village Chamber of Commerce
- Pilsen Chamber of Commerce
- Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago

Press release…

The Chicago City Council Workforce Development Committee overwhelmingly passed the Chicago Paid Time Off Ordinance today in a vote of 13 in favor to 2 opposed. The Ordinance provides 10 total days of time off – five days of sick time and five days of paid time off – for all Chicago workers. The ordinance is expected to come to a vote before the full City Council as soon as next week.

Access to paid time off is critical to workers and their families who are struggling to make ends meet in a challenging economy. It gives workers time to spend with their families and care for their health. Paid time off also affords workers the ability to stay home when they are sick―preventing their colleagues from getting sick and missing work. Access to paid time off also improves worker retention, which reduces employer turnover costs.

“I am proud that Chicago is once again leading the nation in the struggle for workers’ rights, and strengthening the economic vitality of our city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “My administration pledged to bring everyone to the table to hear concerns from large employers, small businesses, and worker advocates. We worked collaboratively to find a compromise, and we ended up with the most progressive Paid Leave policy in the country that will help businesses retain workers and help workers live full lives with dignity.”

* DeVore loses again…

Last hearing tomorrow in Federal Court against Tom DeVore who is requesting the judge to allow him to depose me after the deadline. Oh he’s also requesting all of my client books for the last 7 years. Fun times.

— Riley Craig (@ricraig1222) October 31, 2023

Tom DeVore lost in federal court AGAIN this morning LOL. His stupid motion he incorrectly filed on me got DENIED

— Riley Craig (@ricraig1222) November 2, 2023

* One of Danny Davis’ Democratic primary opponents is not getting a great reception…

Hey @knutson08. First, get a cell phone plan not paid for by mom.

Second, stop calling us for campaign services. It's really not that hard to figure out we're not available. pic.twitter.com/87ZODFU5PL

— Thomas C. Bowen (@thomascbowen) November 1, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

WGN | Gov. Pritzker expands utility assistance for low-income homes:

* Center Square | Illinois finishes $18 million project to avoid regional flooding in Lake Forest: “Thanks to a more than $18 million investment made possible by Rebuild Illinois, we have entirely relocated and reconstructed the existing pump station, built two new detention ponds to handle any excess flow from the pump station, in addition to making multiple safety improvements that alleviate flooding and guarantee access to this major roadway,” Pritzker said.

* Press Release | Pritzker administration opens next round of Electric Vehicle Rebate Program for Illinois residents: Rebates will be issued to eligible applicants subject to availability of funds. The General Assembly has appropriated up to $12 million to Illinois EPA for the EV Rebate program for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. Actual funding amounts will be determined by the amount of money available in the Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund.

* Center Square | Illinois manufacturing official says sector in for drastic changes soon: During a University of Illinois Extension webinar, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center President David Boulay said Illinois should be a leader in all phases of manufacturing.“Illinois is just a manufacturing powerhouse regardless of what measure you want to look at,” Boulay said. “We’re pretty much a top 5 state whether it’s output, whether it’s jobs or the number of establishments.”

* Press Release | Mayor of Riverdale, Ill. Indicted on Perjury and Obstruction Charges: According to the indictment, Tri-State Disposal Inc., a waste management company in Riverdale, filed a civil lawsuit against Riverdale and Jackson in 2018, alleging that Jackson retaliated against Tri-State by refusing to renew its garbage collection contract with the city. The owners of Tri-State had spoken out publicly against the city’s issuance of a zoning permit that allowed a recycling and waste transfer business to operate in Riverdale. The recycling business was owned by an individual aligned with Jackson who had allegedly assisted the mayor in replacing Tri-State with a different garbage collection company.

* Tribune | Lake County organizations getting aid to help with surge of migrants; ‘They deserve to be treated with respect and dignity’: Lake County recently disbursed just over $1 million in grant funds to Mano a Mano, HACES and the North Shore Legal Aid Clinic, to help those organizations’ efforts assisting migrants as they arrive in places like Waukegan, Round Lake and elsewhere around the county.

* Tribune | Key city panel votes to mandate 10 days of paid leave over opposition from major business groups: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s major paid leave package for Chicago workers moved to the cusp of approval Thursday after his City Council allies made some concessions that still didn’t allay the concerns of business owners who say the changes will be too costly.

* ABC Chicago | CTA bus tracker ‘ghosts’ are frequent issue for riders, agency says it’s caused by staffing shortage: If you have ever waited for a bus that was supposed to arrive but then never showed, you’ve likely experienced a “ghost bus.” The I-Team found that in the last year and eight months, the CTA had almost 360,000 canceled runs.

* Bloomberg | Biden offers $334 million to states and cities for crime crackdown: States and cities will receive $216 million for hiring new officers, $73 million for preventing violence in schools and $43 million to fund community policing, crisis-intervention programs and de-escalation strategies, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told reporters.

* Block Club | After Student Comes To Class In Blackface, Parents Say Lakeview School Needs ‘Serious Intervention’: Two parents at Inter-American Magnet School, which has 15 Black students and no Black teachers, say school leaders have not done enough to educate students about the racist incident.

* Daily Herald | Prominent suburban attorney, businessman and Democrat Herb Franks dies: Herb Franks, who founded two banks, a prominent law firm and a Jewish congregation all while becoming an influential Democrat in the Republican stronghold McHenry County, has died. Franks, 89, died Tuesday at his vacation home in Florida, two months after being diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor. The illness was discovered when he had a seizure at the offices of Franks Gerkin Ponitz & Greeley, the law firm he founded in Marengo.

* ABC Chicago | Chicagoan students of color prepare for impact of end to affirmative action as they apply to college: “It’s not really a leg up. It’s really leveling the playing field and allowing students who don’t have access to other opportunities to be able to have some amount of access to that,” iMentor Program Manager Lauren Hurley said of affirmative action.

* Crain’s | 14-story Fulton Market hotel proposed: New York-based developer Cogswell Realty and Elmhurst-based investor Erol Stapleton are proposing the 14-story project at 1016-1020 W. Lake St. in the trendy neighborhood, according to a zoning application being introduced today to the City Council. The hotel would be developed on a parking lot at the northeast corner of Lake and Carpenter streets, which a Stapleton-led venture bought earlier this year for nearly $6.6 million, public records show.

* Sun-Times | Therapy for a high-stakes trial: Meet the dogs who call the Burke trial courtroom home: Birdie and Junebug are Bernese Mountain Dogs who have been fixtures at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse for years. It’s not uncommon to see them trailing Judge Virginia Kendall through the hallways or up onto her courtroom bench.

* Daily Herald | ‘We’re all shocked’: Billionaire donates $9 million to nonprofit with clinics in Palatine, Aurora: Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness, which has facilities in Palatine, Carpentersville, Aurora, Chicago and elsewhere in the state, was awarded the money by MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving program via the Chicago Community Trust, a foundation that, among other things, funnels contributions from donors to recipients.

* WCIA | Not sure what do with pumpkin leftovers? Arthur farmer walks through repurposing ideas: “We’re here in Arthur and we have a lot of Amish neighbors and farmers for cows, pigs, sheep and goats,” he said. “All four of those farmers have reached out to me saying would we be able to pass along some of our extra pumpkins for their farms for their animals and we’re happy to do that.”

* Daily Herald | Got candy? Here’s how you can get rid of those mounds of Halloween treats: Texas-based Soldiers’ Angels has a Treats for Troops program explicitly for leftover Halloween candy. Soldiers’ Angels offers a searchable map of drop-off sites on its website, soldiersangels.org. From Addison to Woodstock, Naperville to Wauconda, 13 locations — dental offices, businesses, park districts — are collecting candy now.

17 Comments

Mayor Johnson promises base camps ‘before winter’

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Mayor Johnson’s Deputy Mayor for Immigrant, Migrant and Refugee Rights said earlier this week that base camps would “ideally” be built “in the next month.” But the mayor’s “before winter” comment could mean they’d be set up as late as December 20th…

Frigid temperatures and heavy snow arrived this week while migrants huddled in makeshift tents outside police stations. Johnson insisted Wednesday, however, that he was still on track to meet his deadline.

“It snowed, but winter is not here yet. And so my goal is still to make sure that we have base camps before winter,” Johnson told reporters after the meeting. “There’s a difference between being in a hurry and being in a rush. If you’re in a rush, you can knock stuff over, you can miss stuff. But we do have to hurry up because the clock is ticking. It is. So I’m moving as fast as I can.”

Ugh.

Stop talking, mayor. Start doing. Show us. Stop telling us.

* To be fair, the mayor did tell reporters this in Washington, DC today, but he exaggerated a bit…

Since I’ve been mayor, I’ve been mayor for five months, I’ve set up a new shelter every week.

Seven shelters existed when he took office. The city says there are now 24 shelters. He was inaugurated 24 weeks ago, so he has set up 17 shelters since then. That’s about one shelter every ten days or so.

* Speaking of which, this is an excellent question…

Has the city mentioned these county and state spaces at all since October 5th? Has anyone asked the city about them?

Where they rejected? Are they still being explored? It's been a month and men, women, and children are sleeping out in the cold. https://t.co/URd5VLgRKR

— The People’s Fabric (@peoplesfabric) November 1, 2023

* Back to DC…

Mayor Brandon Johnson visited the White House Thursday morning to sound the alarm on Chicago’s migrant crisis, in his first in-person meeting with President Joe Biden centered on the burgeoning asylum-seeker issue.

Johnson’s spokesman Ronnie Reese confirmed the mayor sat down with Biden and his chief of staff Jeff Zients, White House senior adviser Tom Perez and other officials with the Department of Homeland Security to discuss Chicago’s need for additional federal relief.

Though the mayor has met with Biden before, this was the first session specifically addressing the more than 20,000 migrants who have come to the city in the past 14 months.

Biden did not promise anything in response to Johnson’s ask for at least $5 billion in additional aid for migrants, but “these were very productive and positive conversations,” Reese said. The president is attempting to push a supplemental $1.4 billion package for migrant shelters and services through Congress, but Illinois leaders have said much more is direly needed.

* Sen. Peters has a warning from Germany…

Chicago is not alone on the world stage with migrants.

Hamburg is running out of housing. They’re demanding more federal support.

The right wing party is exploiting this crisis to get into power.

The global south is escaping to the global north.

We can’t turn our backs here.

— Robert Peters (@RobertJPeters) November 2, 2023

* From Isabel…

* NBC Chicago | Interview: Mayor Johnson discusses White House meeting on migrant crisis: Mayor Brandon Johnson traveled to Washington, D.C. to push for more federal assistance for migrants arriving in the city.

* Block Club | Migrants Sleep Outside In Frigid Temps As City Council Squabbles About What To Do Next: Volunteers say they’re struggling with no clear guidance from the city, and migrants say they’re living a “nightmare.” When asked about the status of his winterized tent camp plan, Mayor Brandon Johnson said, “Winter is not here yet.”

* Sun-Times | Vote on second migrant tent camp delayed: The Chicago City Council put off a vote on accepting donated land at 115th and Halsted that would be the site of a migrant tent camp. Also delayed was a vote on whether to put a binding referendum on the March ballot to raise the real estate transfer tax to fund programs to reduce homelessness.

* CBS Chicago | Mayor Brandon Johnson mum on potential migrant shelter at shuttered downtown Chicago museum: Mayor Brandon Johnson didn’t give a direct answer when asked a yes or no question about the city’s efforts to explore the former Chicago Museum of Broadcast Communications to possibly house asylum seekers. Earlier this week, Ald. Brendan Reilly released a statement saying the mayor was considering a migrant shelter at the Marina City complex, where that museum used to be, on State Street just north of the Chicago River.

* ABC Chicago | West Town migrant shelter opening pushed back as unions protest construction work: A handful of union carpenters along with their picket line rat mascot stood in protest along Western Avenue Wednesday. They’re contesting who is carrying out the quick-turn construction at the industrial space that will house 200 asylum seekers, including families and young children.

* NBC Chicago | Suburban retiree opens home to 7 migrants: ‘It was an easy decision’: With her kids gone and plenty of space in her Oak Park bungalow, she decided to open her home to asylum seekers from Venezuela. Since August, five adults and two kids have been living with Elaine. Most of them were previously living at the 15th District police station in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

* Tribune | Migrants in cities across the US may need medical care. It’s not that easy to find: Tens of thousands of migrants who’ve come to the United States are navigating a patchwork system to find treatment for new or chronic health concerns. Doctors across the country say it’s rare that migrants receive medical screenings or anything beyond care for medical emergencies when they arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border, and there’s no overarching national system to track the care, either. Migrants’ options dwindle or expand after that – depending on where they end up – with some cities guiding new arrivals into robust public health systems and others relying on emergency departments or volunteer doctors to treat otherwise preventable health issues.

* AP | Volunteer medical students are trying to fill the health care gap for migrants in Chicago: Mostly students in training, they go to police stations where migrants are first housed, prescribing antibiotics, distributing prenatal vitamins and assessing for serious health issues. These student doctors, nurses and physician assistants are the front line of health care for asylum-seekers in the nation’s third-largest city, filling a gap in Chicago’s haphazard response.

13 Comments

It’s just a bill

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* HB4211 from Rep. Bob Rita…

Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Provides for the licensure of consolidated transport centers. Specifies requirements for consolidated transport centers, including operating documents, security plans, facility requirements, plant monitoring, prohibitions on ownership, and prohibitions on offering things of value to certain persons and licensees. Provides that cannabis business entities shall adhere to the traceability and consumer protection guidelines established by the Department of Agriculture when utilizing the cannabis plant monitoring system or cannabis transport GPS tracking system. Provides that entities awarded a transporting license may defer paying the associated license fee for a period of no more than 3 years. Provides that from January 1, 2024 through January 1, 2026, the Department shall not issue any transporting licenses other than those issued before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that all products received and shipped to and from a consolidated transport center shall be tracked within the cannabis plant monitoring system. Provides that a craft grower or infuser may enter into a contract with a transporting organization to transport cannabis to a consolidated transport center or a different transporting organization at the consolidated transport center. Provides that no person, cannabis business establishment, or entity other than a licensed transportation organization shall transport cannabis or cannabis-infused products on behalf of a cannabis business establishment to or from a consolidated transport center, unless otherwise authorized by rule. Makes other changes. Authorizes emergency rulemaking. Makes a conforming change in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.

* Rep. Bob Morgan…

Amends the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act. Provides that the physical examination required by the Act may (instead of may not) be performed by remote means, including telemedicine. Effective immediately.

* Rep. Curtis Tarver introduced HB4212…

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Provides that “alcoholic liquor” includes alcohol-infused products. Defines “alcohol-infused products” and “co-branded alcoholic beverage”. Provides that, except for persons issued a license under the Act, no person shall manufacture, distribute, or sell alcohol-infused products. Provides that no retail establishment with a retail sales floor that exceeds 2,500 square feet shall display alcohol-infused products immediately adjacent to similar products that are not alcohol-infused products or immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled waters, candies, or snack foods portraying cartoons or youth-oriented images. Provides that no retail establishment with a retail sales floor area that exceeds 2,500 square feet shall display co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled waters, candies, or snack foods portraying cartoons or youth-oriented images or immediately adjacent to products that are not alcohol-infused products. Provides that any retail establishment with a retail sales floor that is equal to or less than 2,500 square feet shall either not display alcohol-infused products or co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to specified products or equip the display with specified signage. Prohibits retail licensees from keeping, exposing for sale, or displaying alcohol-infused products immediately adjacent to products marketed toward children.

* Rep. Kam Buckner introduced HB4213…

Creates the Local Accessory Dwelling Unit Act. Defines terms. Provides that a unit of local government may not prohibit the building or usage of accessory dwelling units in the unit of local government. Provides that a unit of local government may provide reasonable regulations relating to the size and location of accessory dwelling units similar to other accessory structures unless a regulation would have the effect of prohibiting accessory dwelling units. Limits home rule powers.

Click Here for some background on Accessory Dwelling Units.

* Another bill from Rep. Buckner…

Creates the Low-Carbon Distribution and Delivery Act. Designates residentially zoned areas in counties with a population of 3,000,000 or more as low-carbon delivery zones. Requires a last-mile delivery to a low-carbon delivery zone to be made using a low-carbon delivery method. Requires the Department of Transportation to establish a Low-Carbon Fleet Rebate Program. Provides that the Program shall offer a qualifying purchaser a grant up to 50% toward the purchase of an electric-assist cargo bicycle. Provides that the Program shall offer increased grant incentives of an additional 25% of the purchase amount for the purchase of an electric-assist cargo bicycle that will deliver goods within a low-carbon delivery area that is also designated as an equity investment eligible community. Limits a grant provided under the Program to a maximum award of 75% of the purchase price per electric-assist cargo bicycle. Provides that multiple bicycles may be included in each grant under Program. Allows the Department to limit the amount or number of grants awarded to each qualifying purchaser. Requires a fleet owner to be domiciled in the State. Requires an electric-assist cargo bicycle that acquired using grants from the Program to operate exclusively within the State. Limits the concurrent exercise of home-rule powers. Defines terms.

* Rep. Lance Yednock introduced HB4209 yesterday…

Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources may lease land on property of which the Department has jurisdiction for the purpose of creating, operating, or maintaining a commercial solar energy system or a clean energy project. Provides that the lease shall be for a period not longer than 25 years. Provides that, if practical, the Department shall require that any land or property over which the Department has jurisdiction and that is used for the purpose of creating, operating, or maintaining a commercial solar energy system shall have implemented on it and maintained management practices that would qualify the land or property as a beneficial habitat under the Pollinator-Friendly Solar Site Act. Amends the Department of Natural Resources (Conservation) Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Defines “clean energy”. Provides that the Department may provide for at least one electric vehicle charging station, as defined in the Electric Vehicle Act, at any State park or other real property that is owned by the Department where electrical service will reasonably permit. Provides that the Department is authorized to charge user fees for the use of an electric vehicle charging station. Amends the State Parks Act to make conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Exempts certain expenditures by the Department of Natural Resources from the Code.

Comments Off

Musical interlude: ‘Now and Then’

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Billboard…

The release of a new Beatles record, a band that officially split in 1970, is rare as hen’s teeth, and a legitimate cause for celebration.

That time has almost come, with “Now And Then” set to drop Thursday (Nov. 2) at 10am ET, followed 24-hours later by the release of an official music video, directed by Lord of the Rings mastermind Peter Jackson, marking the Oscar-winner’s first foray into the short format.

Described as the “last Beatles song,” “Now And Then” began life as a demo written and sung by John Lennon, was later developed and worked on by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, and now finally finished by Paul and Ringo, the surviving members of The Beatles, more than 40 years after the group began work on it.

No Beatles project is complete without a deep-dive, multi-channel exploration, which is what the band provides with a new 12-minute documentary, a companion piece to the song and video.

* I watched the short film last night and was impressed…

* Rolling Stone…

The Beatles have released their new single, the long-awaited “Now and Then.” It’s an emotionally powerful song written by John Lennon as a home demo in the 1970s. But it’s also a true Beatles collaboration, with Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr playing and singing together. Nothing like “Now and Then” has ever happened before. It’s a totally unique music story: John Lennon leaves a song unfinished, but years later, his friends come together to complete it for him, simply out of love and musical brotherhood. It’s the final masterpiece that the Beatles—and their fans—deserve.

This song is a dream that Paul McCartney spent years bringing into the world, a John demo he was determined to preserve even when nobody else could tell what he heard in it. He produced “Now and Then” with Giles Martin, with John’s original 1977 piano and vocal, George’s guitar from the 1995 Anthology sessions, and Ringo singing and drumming in 2022.

“Now and Then” could have been cheap or cloying or overblown, but instead, it’s a pained, intimate adult confession. You can hear why Paul never forgot this song over the years, and why he couldn’t let it go. You can also hear why he knew this needed to be a Beatles song, and how right he was to pursue his mad quest to the end. In other words, it’s a real Beatles song, adding one more classic to the world’s greatest musical love story.

The original demo is here.

* The song…

9 Comments

Clean Air, Big Savings Central To Fleet Electrification Policy

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

North Illinois has some of the worst air quality in the country, in large part due to heavy freight traffic. Converting just 3 in 10 heavy-duty trucks in Illinois from gas to electric would save $5.8 BILLION in health care costs and over 600 lives.

Incentivizing fleet owners to go electric improves air quality, especially in heavy transit corridors. States like Nevada have incentivized the transition of school bus fleets from gas to electric, and Illinois can do the same to prevent children from breathing dirty air on their ride to school.

Illinois children deserve clean air now and a healthy future. Fortunately, there are bills in front of the Illinois State House and Senate right now that can help transition whole fleets of large trucks to electric – saving lives and saving money. Our legislators must support. More here.

Comments Off

News media finally catching on to the other problems with the elected Chicago school board law

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* We talked yesterday about the newly proposed elected Chicago school board district maps. Here’s more from Chalkbeat Chicago…

Under state law, Chicagoans will elect 10 school board members from 10 districts in November 2024. The mayor will appoint 10 members from those same districts, and will also appoint a school board president. A 21-member hybrid board will be sworn in January 2025.

Then in November 2026, the 10 appointed members and school board president will be up for election, while the 10 elected in 2024 will continue serving their four-year terms. Going forward, all members will serve four-year terms and elections will be staggered, with half of the seats up for election every two years.

However, the law does not spell out how the map will move from 10 to 20 districts. Lawmakers continue to draw a map with 20 districts and have not made clear how they plan to divide the city into 10 districts for the 2024 election.

Sen. Robert Martwick, a Democrat representing the North West side of Chicago and west suburbs, said that figuring out how to create 10 districts for the 2024 elections and 20 districts for the 2026 elections has been difficult for legislators.

“The original idea was that we would draw ten districts and then after the election we would split them into 20 districts,” Martwick said. “Another variation on that would be to draw 20 districts and combine them for the purposes of the first election. The idea there was that everyone in the city of Chicago would get to pass a vote on this new elected school board.” […]

Corrina Demma, an organizer with Educators for Excellence Chicago that supports the map Leonard’s group proposed, raised concerns that lawmakers could propose residents in only 10 of the 20 districts would vote in 2024, meaning “only half of Chicago will have the privilege to vote … while the other half will lack a voice.”

More from Ms. Demma in the Tribune…

“At the end of the day, my question is still who gets to decide which 10 get to vote and which 10 don’t?” Demma said. “When we talk about equity and access, we want to hold that process for everyone. To discount half the city right out of the gate, we’re already being inequitable.”

Ms. Demma is right. As I told subscribers months ago, it’s highly doubtful that state legislators can legally deny half of the city’s voters the right to vote for a school board member while granting that right to vote to the other half.

* But the law isn’t written that way…

(b-5) On January 15, 2025, the terms of all members of the Chicago Board of Education appointed under subsection (b) are abolished when the new board, consisting of 21 members, is appointed by the Mayor and elected by the electors of the school district as provided under subsections (b-10) and (b-15) and takes office.

(b-10) By December 16, 2024 for a term of office beginning on January 15, 2025, the Mayor shall appoint 10 Chicago Board of Education members, with the advice and consent of the City Council, to serve terms of 2 years. All appointed members shall serve until a successor is appointed or elected and qualified. … The terms of the 10 appointed members under this subsection shall end on January 14, 2027. […]

(b-15) Beginning with the 2024 general election, 10 members of the Chicago Board of Education shall be elected to serve a term of 4 years in office beginning on January 15, 2025. Beginning with the 2026 general election, 10 members of the Chicago Board of Education shall be elected to serve a term of 4 years in office beginning on January 15, 2027. … From January 15, 2025 to January 14, 2027, each district shall be represented by one elected member and one appointed member. After January 15, 2027, each district shall be represented by one elected member.

You can probably see the problem here. The statute clearly mandates twenty districts (plus one citywide), but then goes on to require that each district shall be represented by both an elected member and an appointed member. If there are twenty districts, then that would imply forty members, which isn’t allowed, so the wording doesn’t make sense.

* They could change the statute and start with ten districts with one appointed and one elected and then split those up into twenty districts with everyone elected two years later, but that could also create problems. If, for example, a White person wins a relatively evenly divided combined district and lives in the Latino half, that person could have a leg up to win the Latino half during the following election.

Not to mention that they haven’t yet even figured out how the twenty districts would be initially nested into ten districts. You’d think that would be the first proposal. Instead, legislators only proposed creating 20 districts. How are people going to start circulating petitions for that?

Again, it’s a real mess and it breaks my brain every time I think about it, but so far, we’ve heard no solutions to any of this. Just a 20-district map.

My own suggestion would be to entirely scrap the phase-in and just elect all twenty next year.

14 Comments

Oak Park actually wants to help asylum-seekers, so give it the money Joliet refused

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* First, some background…

Suburban and downstate communities must address how to handle arriving immigrants amid a backlash that saw Joliet Township decline a state grant for migrants after angry residents said they opposed spending tax dollars on foreigners.

The state had announced earlier that the township would receive $8.6 million exclusively for asylum-seekers. The state also awarded $30 million for migrants in Chicago, $1 million to Elgin, $1 million to Lake County, $250,000 to Urbana downstate, and $150,000 to Oak Park.

Following a meeting this month attended by hundreds of residents, Joliet Township decided to withdraw its application for the grant.

* Unlike Joliet, Oak Park officials were upset at their low grant level…

To support services for migrants as they cross into town, Oak Park applied for a $7.5 million grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus for housing, food and health care – among other critical needs – and had identified community partners to assist in these efforts.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus accepted applications for grant awards for municipalities serving asylum seekers. But on Sept. 29, the village was notified it was warded only $150,000, a fraction of its initial request. […]

Village President Vicki Scaman called the awarded money “extremely disappointing” both in terms of the amount and the designated purpose. Her top priority, she said, is continuing to advocate for more funding from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.

“We do already have a plan,” she said. “We don’t need a consultant. And the organizations that are currently aiding, they need the help now.”

* You may also remember this Oak Park story from late last month…

A west suburban church is calling on others to help after spending thousands of dollars in recent weeks to help migrants.

The Parish of St. Catherine-St. Lucy and St. Giles in Oak Park said they’ve opened up their doors for migrants to shower, dress and eat, and the bills have skyrocketed. […]

These shower days mean water bills, which used to be in the hundreds, have skyrocketed to close to $10,000. […]

The church is asking the village of Oak Park for assistance.

The village is trying to figure out how to free up grant money to do that.

* ABC 7…

“The problem does not start and end in Chicago. It extends elsewhere. We share that responsibility,” said community activist Betty Alzamora. “We have to step up to our collective responsibility as a good neighbor. Our area, starting with Oak Park and the neighboring municipalities, we are fortunate and blessed with lots for resources. Our borders are porous.” […[

In front of Oak Park Village Hall, some of the suburb’s residents are almost begging to help migrants.

“Oak Park has space. We should be welcoming to all these new folks that are coming,” said resident Derek Eder.

* Yesterday…

As air temperatures fell across Chicagoland this week and snow fell Tuesday, Oak Park officials announced that the village has helped over 100 migrants housed in camping-style tents outside a nearby Chicago police station to secure indoor shelter.

“The Village of Oak Park, under the authority of Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson, activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Wed., Nov. 1, putting in place established protocols in response to the evolving crisis involving asylum-seeking migrants and families in the community,’ village officials stated in a news released issued Wednesday afternoon.

The move comes amid increased urging from some residents for Oak Park village leaders to do more for migrants housed in tents at the 15th District Chicago Police Department station on Madison Street, right at the village’s border with the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and less than a mile from Oak Park Village Hall.

This seems like a no-brainer to me: The Illinois Department of Human Services and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus should give Oak Park what it originally requested.

31 Comments

Open thread

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* This week is just flying by. What’s going on?…

20 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Lawmakers release their third draft map for the Chicago elected school board. Chalkbeat…

* Related stories…

∙ WBEZ: Latest Chicago elected school board voting map emerges
∙ WTTW: State Lawmakers Release Latest Chicago Elected School Board Map
∙ Tribune: State lawmakers propose new Chicago school board map days ahead of return to Springfield

* Isabel’s top picks…

* Capitol News Illinois | Scholarship tax credit program among issues still on the table with 3 legislative days remaining: At an unrelated event Wednesday, the governor’s tone toward the program was ambivalent when asked about it, saying it’s up to the General Assembly, and that “support for public education is really where my focus is.” “I’ve always said, you know, that we’re not trying to prevent people from going to private school, but I also believe in public education and want to make sure that we’re funding public education, to the extent that that is possible,” Pritzker said.

* St Louis Post Dispatch | Darren Bailey, Mike Bost compete in southern Illinois ‘Trump primary’: Both Bailey and Bost have spent the better part of the campaign attempting to one-up each other on who has the deeper connection with the former president. They are each hoping that Trump will bestow upon them his coveted endorsement. It makes sense given that Trump carried the Southern Illinois-based district that includes parts of the Metro East with 70% of the vote in 2020.

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker’s abortion rights group spends $1.5 million in Ohio, Virginia and Nevada to fight ‘extremism at every level’:

* WAND | Senate Republicans argue Pritzker should focus on Illinois problems instead of national politics: “Right now, here in Illinois, our constituents are hurting,” said Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet). “The ship of state is sinking.”Rose told reporters Wednesday that he is fed up with the lack of transparency about issues within the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Department of Employment Security and Department of Children and Family Services. He plans to file a resolution calling for an audit to investigate how an IEMA office assistant was paid $60,000 dollars per month.

* Pioneer Press | Oak Park opens police station, undisclosed shelter to dozens of migrant families housed outdoors in tents as temperatures drop: As temperatures fell across Chicagoland this week and snow fell Tuesday, Oak Park officials announced that the village has helped over 100 migrants housed in camping-style tents outside a nearby Chicago police station to secure indoor shelter.

* Block Club | River North Migrant Shelter Still Being Considered Despite Mayor’s Denials, Alderman Says: After alerting residents Monday about a potential “migrant hotel” in River North, which the Mayor’s Office denied, Ald. Brendan Reilly says it’s still happening — just a few doors down. Reilly blasted Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration in a Monday email to neighbors saying plans were underway to convert a River North hotel into a shelter for more than 1,000 migrants.

* Crain’s | Civic Federation gives thumbs-up to Johnson’s first budget, with two warnings: At the same time, the group urged Johnson to develop long-term plans to fund the city’s pensions as the Illinois General Assembly considers legislation that could raise pension costs. The federation also recommended the city craft a contingency plan if it doesn’t receive additional funding from the state or federal government to assist with care for new arrivals.

* WREX | Illinois Supreme Court doubles compensation for court-appointed attorneys: From the change, these attorneys will now receive $150 per hour – from its previous minimum of $75 per hour. Likewise, the hourly rate for time “reasonably expended out court” rises from a minimum of $50 to $150 per hour.

* Sun-Times | Noise cameras would help ticket downtown drivers with loud mufflers under proposed city ordinance: Backers of the pilot hope to address the negative health effects associated with loud noises — high blood pressure, depression and even heart attacks. Critics of the proposal say the cameras will target people who can’t afford car repairs and motorcyclists — and are really a cash grab by politicians.

* Sun-Times | Daughter of disgraced ex-Ald. Danny Solis resigns from Chicago Park District post: The daughter of disgraced former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis has resigned from a high-ranking post at the Chicago Park District, weeks after WBEZ revealed an internal investigation that accused her of violating the agency’s sexual harassment policy. Despite her father’s dramatic political downfall, Maya Solis had continued in her $126,072-a-year post as one of three region directors for the park district.

* WICS | Illinois State Trooper’s car struck in 18th Scott’s Law-related accident this year: The trooper was handling a previous weather-related traffic crash when a 2003 Toyota Matrix, traveling southbound, failed to move over, striking the right side of the ISP squad car. The Trooper was outside of the squad car at the time of the crash and was uninjured.

* Tribune | Illinois smartphone users sue Motorola Mobility to force arbitration over alleged selfie privacy violations: The arbitration action alleges Motorola violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act by “surreptitiously” collecting personal data from users’ selfie photos without permission. Motorola sells Moto, Razr and Edge devices with “high-powered cameras” that use facial recognition and artificial intelligence to identify and store the selfie image, according to the complaint.

* Tribune | An FBI mole at the 2016 Democratic National Convention: The origin story of the Ald. Edward Burke corruption probe: Among the Chicago heavyweights in attendance that week was Ald. Daniel Solis, a staunch Clinton supporter who told the Tribune the excitement of potentially having the first woman in U.S. history ever to be nominated for president was “a historical moment in the life of this country and in my life.” As it turned out, Clinton’s nomination wasn’t the only history going down in the City of Brotherly Love. Behind the scenes, one of the most significant public corruption cases in Chicago history was about to be born.

* Block Club | City Council Blocks Plan To Regulate Little Free Libraries — For Now: The proposed legislation also stipulated only “organizations, not-for-profit entities and licensed businesses” would be eligible to receive the necessary permit to build a bookcase on city land. Libraries on private property, like a front yard, would not be impacted.

20 Comments

Live coverage

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here or here to follow breaking news.

Comments Off

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Sfondeles: Pritzker’s new nonprofit has already contributed $1.5 million to pro-choice candidates/groups

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tina Sfondeles has the scoop…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s newly created nonprofit to combat anti-abortion efforts has already contributed $1.5 million to the movement, including a share in the next big abortion rights battleground state: Virginia.

Think Big America’s contribution of $25,000 each to four state Senate Democratic candidates in Virginia, and an additional $150,000 to the state Democratic party, comes ahead of a pivotal Nov. 7 election that may reshape abortion restrictions in the state. […]

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. […]

In Ohio, Think Big America contributed $250,000 to Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, a ballot committee made up of a coalition of reproductive rights advocates. Ohioans on Nov. 7 will be voting whether to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution.

That Ohio spending is on top of the $1.5 million he dropped in Ohio earlier this year. Plus he sent his campaign manager to the state.

5 Comments

Afternoon roundup

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crain’s Chicago on the UAW deal with Stellantis and reopening and expanding the Belvidere plant…

The company’s decision to reopen the plant is the result of a two-year effort by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and local officials, which ultimately enlisted the state’s congressional delegation and the White House to come up with a package of incentives to keep the Belvidere operation alive.

Pritzker and his staff served as a conduit between the company and the White House as they worked on ways to keep the plant going, including a federal grant program that was part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which focused on climate change and ways to move away from fossil fuels.

“This is exactly what the Biden administration created this grant for: converting existing (internal combustion engine) facilities to EV capability,” the governor said. […]

Pritzker says he was getting text messages from Stellantis and White House staffers as negotiations went into overdrive and talks went into the wee hours Thursday morning.

* Crain’s Detroit on Michigan’s big spending…

When it comes to landing electric vehicle-related projects, Michigan is known to be the highest bidder.

That’s because the state that put the world on wheels risked being squeezed out of the electric vehicle investment boom in North America. At least that’s how Michigan — and other states — have justified mammoth incentives packages for automakers reshaping their manufacturing footprints. […]

“Michigan is a great competitor. They have a deep pocketbook and a large auto workforce,” said Dan Seals, CEO of Intersect Illinois, the state’s public-private business attraction arm. “There is absolutely a bidding war component to this. The state does engage in that competition, but not to the extent Michigan does. I don’t know anybody that goes as far as Michigan does in that regard.”

Yet, Illinois took a page from the Michigan playbook when it created a $400 million “deal-closing fund” targeted at EV projects. A $125 million check will be cut from that fund for Chinese battery maker Gotion Inc. to build a pack assembly plant 50 miles south of Chicago, the company announced Sept. 8.

Illinois offered an incentive package totaling $536 million for the plant, expected to create 2,600 jobs. For Gotion’s cathodes/anodes plant near Big Rapids, which is expected to employ 2,350 and supply the newly announced Illinois factory, Michigan approved a package worth $715 million — including a $125 million cash grant. Michigan paid $304,255 per job, factoring in all the incentives, whereas Illinois paid $206,153.

* Let’s go back to the UAW contract victory. UAW President Shawn Fain was in Chicago a few weeks ago to speak at a rally…

Fain and the other speakers also focused on the importance of the Chicago Teachers Union — where Johnson was once an organizer — and how they have fueled the labor movement nationally.

“The CTU revived the strike and sparked a movement that spread across this country. By reforming their union and taking on the boss, the CTU inspired educators across the country to mount the biggest strike ever for decades,” Fain said. “And that’s exactly the kind of action and leadership we need. We need to inspire the working class of this country.”

The gains from the wider strike were impressive…

Details of the deal with Ford are emerging, and it includes a big increase in company contributions to 401(k) retirement plans. Workers also won the right to strike over plant closures, a victory that gives employees significant leverage. Two electric battery plants under construction also have a clear path to join the UAW.

Then there’s what happens if Ford closes a factory: The company will provide two years of “transition assistance” to laid-off workers. Anyone at the company at least three months will qualify — a major expansion. Those laid off will get health care plus about 95 percent of after-tax pay in the first year and about 50 percent of their wages in the second year. That’s a substantial cushion to help workers, and it would come mainly from the company.

* The Southern…

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announced on Tuesday that the Du Quoin State Fair had more than 166,000 people attending this year’s annual event showcasing Illinois agriculture. The IDOA says that the fair continues to be an economic engine for the Southern Illinois economy.

Overall attendance for the 11-day fair this year was down a little more than 4,300 people in comparison to the 2022 attendance, but attendance topped the 2022 daily numbers on three days this year: Monday, Aug. 28; Thursday, Aug. 31; and Saturday, Sept. 2.

* Illinois Supreme Court…

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today amendments to Supreme Court Rule 299 regarding compensation for attorneys appointed to represent indigent parties.

Amended Rule 299 doubles compensation for an attorney appointed by a court in this state to represent an indigent party to $150 per hour (from its previous minimum of $75 per hour) and $150 per hour for time reasonably expended out of court (from its previous minimum of $50 per hour). […]

Amended Rule 299 also raises the maximum compensation amount for representation of an indigent defendant to $10,000, from its previous maximum of $5,000. […]

The amended rules are effective January 1, 2024. The Illinois Supreme Court Rules can be found here.

* AP…

The mayors of Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and New York are pressing to meet with President Joe Biden about getting federal help in managing the surge of migrants they say are arriving in their cities with little to no coordination, support or resources from his administration.

The Democratic leaders say in a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday that while they appreciate Biden’s efforts so far, much more needs to be done to ease the burden on their cities. […]

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, who is leading the coalition, said nearly every conversation he has had with arriving migrants is the same: Can he help them find a job, they ask.

“The crisis is we have folks here who desperately want to work. And we have employers here who desperately want to hire them. And we have a federal government that’s standing in the way of employers who want to hire employees who want to work,” Johnston said.

* But of course…

Not at all surprised to see the "but what about our homeless" anti-migrant crowd also vote against funding a program to help the homeless. pic.twitter.com/p29KNee6X1

— The People’s Fabric (@peoplesfabric) November 1, 2023

* And, finally, I once again agree with Kennedy…

The 2023 White Sox set an almost impossibly high standard, but I don't think we're giving the Bears enough credit for the effort they've made to reach that standard. It's truly impressive and I salute them.

— Scott Kennedy (@ScottTKennedy) November 1, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

* Sierra Club | Majority of Illinoisans Regularly Breathe Unsafe Air, According to New Report: Roughly 9 million Illinois residents, comprising 71% of the state’s entire population, live in areas that regularly experience air that the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined is unsafe to breathe, according to a report released by the Sierra Club. The report indicates that light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles massively contribute to the state’s ozone pollution.

* Block Club | McCormick Place Lakeside Center Will Close Blinds Every Night To Protect Migrating Birds: Instead of turning the lights off when the building is occupied, leaders at Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority plan to consistently close the blinds and are considering other bird-safety adjustments, according to a news release. […] To further protect birds, leaders are considering installing bird-safe film and barriers on the outside of the glass as well as adding additional decals inside windows, more shades and drapery inside and motorized controls for existing shades, according to the news release.

* Journal and Topics | State Rep. Gong-Gershowitz Attends Biden Executive Order Signing On Artificial Intelligence: State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-17th) of Glenview sat in the front row of a signing ceremony for President Joe Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) Monday (Oct. 30) in the White House, before coming back to chair hearings on improving AI protections in Illinois. President Biden’s executive order “establishes new standards for AI safety and security, protects Americans’ privacy, advances equity and civil rights, stands up for consumers and workers, promotes innovation and competition, advances American leadership around the world, and more,” a White House fact sheet released on the order says.

* WICS | Resident who helped ISP trooper who was shot speaks out: A local resident says he ran outside to offer lifesaving help after hearing gunshots outside of his bedroom window to the Illinois State Police Trooper who was shot. Travis Rebbe ran outside his home on the 1600 block of Toronto Road and helped the injured trooper until EMS and police arrived. He said once he heard the gunshots, he knew he needed to help.

* WSIL | Construction officially underway on new Mississippi River bridge at Chester: This is a project made possible with the help of Governor JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program. According to MoDOT, “the current Chester Bridge has two 11-foot lanes and carries 7,000 vehicles per day. It connects the cities of Chester, Illinois and Perryville, Missouri across the Mississippi River via Route 51.

* Chalkbeat | Chicago charter schools face potential crossroads with new mayor, dozens of renewals: The high-stakes renewal process, which scrutinizes charter schools’ academic performance, financial practices, and operational compliance among other factors, comes at a pivotal time, as Chicago’s political landscape is shifting under a new mayor and looming school board elections. Charter communities wonder what it could all mean for their schools.

* Mark Ishaug | Make mental health a priority, and fulfill a promise from 60 years ago: While we have made a lot of progress in 60 years, it is important to focus on the parts of the Act that still need to be achieved and the gaps in mental health care that remain. The pandemic created an opportunity for a more public dialogue around mental health and wellness for everyone, with a focus on those who are often overlooked, particularly people dealing with long-term or disabling mental health conditions. During my time leading Thresholds, I have seen first-hand the importance of connecting with individuals in their own spaces and neighborhood settings, outside the traditional clinic experience.

* Sun-Times | President Joe Biden will visit Illinois Nov. 9 to tout White House agenda: President Joe Biden hits the Chicago area on Nov. 9 for a swing touting his White House agenda, with a likely fundraising event also on the schedule. The details of the visit, confirmed by the White House, are still in the works. Members of the Illinois congressional delegation have been notified by the White House the president will be making a visit Nov. 9 to the Chicago area, without adding any other information.

* NYT | Why pharmacy workers at CVS and Walgreens are protesting: Bled Tanoe, a pharmacist in Oklahoma City who used to work for Walgreens and now works for a hospital, said she was helping to spread the word about the walkouts because she was concerned that pharmacy chains had been telling workers for years to “work faster and work with less help.”

* Tribune | After retired Chicago-area priest loses life savings in scam common among seniors, friends and parishioners step up: Banzin said the ordeal started on Aug. 17 when he received an email from what he thought was PayPal, telling him there was a $699 charge on his account from eBay. Knowing this charge was “ridiculous,” Banzin contacted a PayPal support phone number he found online. Instead of the online payment company, he said he accidentally contacted a group of fraudsters.

* The Atlantic | Political Analysis Needs More Witchcraft: When trying to understand a political culture, you have to examine the society as it exists, irrational warts and all. And yet, most of us prefer to look at the world through a reverse fun-house mirror, in which the complex and sometimes-wacky beliefs of our fellow citizens are reflected back at us with the straight, clear-cut lines of reason and logic. We attribute voter behavior to policy proposals and economic data, rather than to the knock-on effects of widely held conspiracy theories or other nonrational beliefs.

* NYT | Five Minutes That Will Make You Love Thelonious Monk: Where other pianists played light chords with their left hand and quicker notes with the right, Monk played equally complicated notes with both hands, leading to complex arrangements that traversed the entire scale. But he never overplayed; his use of space between the notes elicited peace and tension equally.

* Chicago Mag | Dad’s Old Records: It’s easy to assume you know Jeff Tweedy. From his early days in Uncle Tupelo to 29 years at the helm of Wilco, the Grammy winner has crafted alt-country gems with heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics that offer his perspectives on love and life. But World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music, his third book, offers bet-you-didn’t-expect-that turns, including: When Tweedy tries out a new guitar, he plays “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive — “one of the most important” songs in his life.

* Tribune | Shedd Aquarium researchers report mass bleaching of coral reefs in warming Florida oceans: ‘Like a forest without trees’: Between 90% and 95% of corals they surveyed at 76 sites across the Keys and Dry Tortugas over the span of a week showed signs of extreme bleaching, said Shedd research biologist Ross Cunning. Some coral species, such as endangered branching corals like staghorn and elkhorn, were nearly all dead.

* Illinois Newsroom | Student filmmaker sheds light on influential Illinois politician in new documentary: “Uncle Joe Cannon” is a student-produced documentary that revisits the life of a prominent 19th-century Illinois politician. Joseph Cannon spent 46 years in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Illinois — including eight years as Speaker of the House. Even when he led the Republican Party for years, he made it a point to always remember his constituents.

* Block Club | Nonstop Christmas Music Starts Thursday On 93.9 LITE FM: This is the 23rd year the station has celebrated its holiday music tradition. Last year was the earliest LITE FM started playing round-the-clock Christmas music — on Nov. 1. The light rock station will start its holiday programming one day later this year than last year.

* Lake County News-Sun | Tweaks made to Lake County’s Toys for Tots program; ‘It’s the greatest feeling in the world’: Participants in this year’s U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program will have a true holiday shopping experience on a selected day in mid-December where they will browse at a pop-up shop to select gifts for their children.

13 Comments

Here’s How To Make The Tax Credit Scholarship Better

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

We’ve been listening carefully to the governor, legislative leaders, and many members of the legislature about how to make the Tax Credit Scholarship better – and we now have an amended program proposal that does exactly that. Thousands of vulnerable kids are counting on us to put them before politics.

In response to direct feedback, our bill offers substantive improvements along with good-faith compromises which justify extending the Tax Credit Scholarship Program:

2. Reduce the overall size of the program to $50MM (down from $75MM) and reduce the individual giving cap to $500,000 (down from $1MM).

3. Reduce the tax credit for donors to 55% (down from 75%).

4. Encourage more middle-income donors by crediting donations of up to $5,000 with a 100% tax credit.

Illinois, let’s do the right thing. It’s about the kids, not the politics. Save the scholarships.

Comments Off

Asylum-seekers coverage roundup

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’ve seen this argument before and it’s a prime example of why simple solutions are usually neither: 1) Most everyone is already asked if they’d like to go to another city; 2) Transporting human beings against their will would be violating numerous state and federal laws. But, I suppose, the cruelty is the entire point here…

We have alas reached the point where a public commenter at Chicago City Council says Mayor should sign an executive order to bus migrants out of Chicago and all I can wonder is “How much would City Hall be blowing on GardaWorld and Friendly to manage THAT?”

— Chicago Bars (@chicagobars) November 1, 2023

* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked about the asylum-seekers earlier today…

We are going to have people that have work authorizations going to work soon. But that only covers a certain percentage, a little over half of the folks who have come here will be eligible to work over time as they receive their work authorizations.

He also said this…

They’re here legally. I want to be clear with people who call them ‘illegals.’ They’re not, these are not. Nobody is illegal, by the way, but they’re not undocumented. They’re here legally. And it is an obligation, I think, in a humanitarian crisis for us to step up and make sure that people aren’t starving or that they have a place to stay, that they get the basic health care that they need.

And this…

I have had numerous conversations with the federal government, both the Department of Homeland Security and the White House, about at the border making sure that if there is an effort, and there has been by the governor or various mayors in Texas, to load people on the buses to Chicago that the federal government should at least intervene to communicate with those folks who are being told to get on a bus to Chicago and whatever else they’re being told that you know, we are doing everything we can for the folks who are here but we do not have enough shelter with winter coming. It may be advisable indeed they should convince them that they maybe shouldn’t come to the city of Chicago during the winter, and that there are other places in the country they can go and the federal government ought to be helping to, you know, manage the logistics so people go to places where they, you know, can survive through the winter in a way that clearly is more difficult if you come to a place like Chicago, and I would say the same about New York and the same about Denver as we hit snow and winter.

So far, though, the feds have refused to take over logistics. They’re simply not helping.

* Sure seems to be lots of “miscommunications” in the city these days…

Nearly 3,000 migrants were sleeping unhoused at police stations Tuesday, according to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, waiting for space at any of the city’s nearly 25 shelters to open up.

Of that number, advocates estimate more than 1,000 are sleeping outdoors because there isn’t room inside stations.

Linda Bello and José Urribarri, parents of a young girl and boy, said they were able to sleep inside the Near North station overnight, but the new problem is it’s so cold now that staying outside the rest of the day is becoming unbearable.

Migrants at the station, like several others, aren’t allowed inside during the day. Police officials directed any comments about that policy to the mayor’s office.

A spokesperson for the city said the issue of migrants not being allowed inside at the Grand Crossing and Calumet District police stations, where the problem had been reported on social media, was due to “miscommunication.”

At the Near North station, migrants were still convinced they weren’t allowed inside during the day.

* CBS 2…

On Tuesday, the City of Chicago said it was providing coats and warm clothing at one location, and 21 warming buses as police district stations to provide temporary warmth.

But volunteers say that is not enough.

“The buses aren’t working, because people are reluctant to get on them in the middle of the night, for fear that their belongings will be stolen from their tents,” Fischer-Holden said.

Migrants we spoke with off camera echoed those concerns. But as temperatures dropped Tuesday night, they said the warming buses may be their only option.

Something else to keep in mind as temperatures start to rise a bit…

Amid Chicago’s recent cold snap, the city has been sending warming buses to 16 police districts where migrant families are sleeping in tents on cold and wet concrete.

“Even at 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you can develop hypothermia with prolonged exposure or with wet clothing,” Beth Amodio, president and CEO of One Warm Coat, said. “And children are more likely to develop hypothermia because their bodies are not able yet to regulate their body temperatures like a healthy adult would be.”

* More from Isabel…

Oak Leaves | Oak Park trustees move to match $150K grant so village can aid migrants housed in tents at Chicago border:

* Tribune | Freezing temperatures, uncertainty and concern among migrants living outside Chicago police stations: ‘How are we going to survive winter here?’: Temperatures plummeted overnight to a low of 30 degrees at O’Hare International Airport, said the National Weather Service, and safety networks stepped in to react to emergencies brought on by the cold. Temperatures were expected to stay around 37 degrees with light snow flurries for 24 hours, weather officials said.

* Sun-Times | Unwelcome first snow for migrants at police stations: ‘It’s so cold it hurts’: Thousands of migrants, like Ortiz, are staying at Chicago Police district stations waiting for room in city shelters to open up. Many have found some respite in donations from passersby and city warming buses, but as the city gets its first snow of the season, all that isn’t enough to stave off the cold. “The cold was tremendous,” said Ortiz of the low temps the night before. “It doesn’t let you sleep.”

* ABC Chicago | Chicago migrants battle elements as winter nears; many at police stations spend days outside: “The police station wasn’t letting them inside during the day, we think that is changing but it’s not happening at every police station,” said volunteer Fran Zell.

* WGN | Migrants in Chicago face harsh winter conditions as city works to provide aid: The freezing temperatures and snowfall echo the growing concerns among migrant families sleeping on the frigid sidewalks of Chicago’s Police Districts. Migrant families, deeply concerned about the harsh conditions, say they do not know how much longer it will be before they get moved to shelters, causing worries about their children’s safety to grow.

* CBS Chicago | Chicago migrants’ lives are at risk in tents in cold weather, volunteer says: At the Austin (15th) District police station, 5701 W. Madison St., a group of migrants relied on goodwill to weather the cold. Volunteer Laurel Fischer-Holden, with the Chicago Police Station Response Team spends her days collecting donations – and then drops them off at the police station for the migrants. “What’s happening here is criminal,” said Fischer-Holden. “These are human beings, and they’re freezing. And we can fix it, but we’re not.”

* CBS Boston | Massachusetts emergency migrant shelters nearly full, families soon to be put on waitlist: Currently, the state spends about $45 million a month to house both homeless residents and migrants who are new to the state in existing shelters as well as various hotels and motels across the state. Massachusetts is the only state in the nation with a right to shelter law.

* NY Daily News | After tour, advocates beg NYC to ditch plan to house migrant kids at Floyd Bennett Field: On the heels of touring the city’s soon-to-open migrant shelter at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field, homeless advocates are pleading with Mayor Adams’ administration to reconsider housing children at the site, calling it a “patently dangerous” plan due to insufficient bathroom access, lack of privacy and other concerns.

* ABC | Denver Public Schools implementing new strategies to address increasing number of migrant families arriving: In October alone, Denver Public Schools welcomed 400 migrant students into the district, according to Adella Arredondo, the executive director of Family and Community Engagement for DPS. Between July and October 25, DPS welcomed 1,915 migrant students. The influx of students has meant a couple of things for the district. For starters, DPS leaders had to put a call out for more bilingual teachers.

31 Comments

Protected: Supplement to today’s edition

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Comments Off

Question of the day

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Center Square…

An advocacy group is urging lawmakers to make Illinois a medical-aid-in-dying state.

The Illinois End of Life Options Coalition recently gathered at the capitol in Springfield to inform lawmakers about the need for them to pass medical-aid-in-dying legislation.

The group said the procedure is called medical aid in dying and not assisted suicide, as it is commonly known.

Ten states have legalized medical aid in dying, with Oregon being the first in 1997. More are considering legislation this year.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1997 encouraged individual states to engage in an “earnest and profound debate about the morality, legality, and practicality of” medical aid in dying to relieve unbearable pain and suffering.

A member of the coalition, Suzie Flack, lost her son to cancer and would like to see a gentle dying option.

“I am hoping to carry on and tell his story and to reach people so they can understand that an option like this does provide a lot of comfort to terminally ill individuals,” Flack said.

Jon Schweppe, policy director with the American Principles Project, said states shouldn’t be giving their residents the option.

“That really puts folks in a precarious situation where they think the noble thing to do is to choose to die and I think that’s wrong and it’s wrong to put families in that circumstance of having that choice,” Schweppe said.

Schweppe adds that the medical field should be about preserving and protecting life and doing no harm, and “this is the opposite of that.”

The coalition points to an Impact Research poll that showed seven out of 10 Illinois likely voters want the Illinois General Assembly to pass medical-aid-in-dying legislation.

* From the coalition…

Medical aid in dying is optional.

Optional for patients and optional for doctors. No person is required to use it. No doctor is mandated to provide it. It is illegal to force someone to use it.

Medical aid in dying includes strict eligibility requirements.

A patient must be an adult, have six months or less to live, be able to make an informed health care decision and be able to take the medication themselves.

The legislation includes more than a dozen safeguards.

Two doctors must confirm that the patient has six months or less to live — due to terminal illness, not because of age or disability. Two doctors and two independent witnesses must confirm that no coercion exists.

* The Question: Do you support this medical aid in dying concept? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

online polls

84 Comments

Senate Dems release new Chicago elected school board map proposal

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here for the interactive map…

9am news drop: @ILSenDems have released new Chicago elected school board maps:
- 7 Black majority
- 6 Latino majority
- 5 White majority
No word on future hearings. A vote could come as soon as next week #twill pic.twitter.com/MmUdoHH041

— Ben Szalinski (@BenSzalinski) November 1, 2023

* Senate Democrats press release…

The Illinois Senate Democratic caucus released a new Chicago Elected School Board District map proposal, incorporating numerous suggestions made by the public and advocacy groups, including keeping more communities of interest whole.

The draft map is available for review at www.ilsenateredistricting.com, and reflects changes put forth by parents, education advocates and community groups gathered through online map making portals and during multiple public hearings. The public is encouraged to review the latest proposal and provide additional feedback via the website or through email at ChicagoERSBCommittee@senatedem.ilga.gov.

The map consists of 20 proposed districts, including seven majority Black districts, six majority Latino districts, five majority White districts and two coalition districts.

“This new map better reflects the diversity of Chicago’s unique neighborhoods, and we thank the many parents, educators and community members whose guidance helped shape these district boundaries,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford, Chair of the Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board. “Our communities deserve a school board that reflects their shared values, and a learning experience that will help our children thrive.”

School board districts must be consistent with the Illinois Voting Rights Act, which ensures districts are crafted in a way that preserves clusters of minority voters if they are of size or cohesion to exert collective electoral power.

Currently appointed by the mayor, the Chicago Board of Education is scheduled to become fully-elected over the course of a two-year hybrid period. Under existing law, ten members of the Chicago Board of Education will be elected by voters during the November 2024 election, and ten members and the board president will be appointed by the mayor. Elected members will serve four-year terms, while appointed members, including the appointed board president, will serve two-year terms. The board will become fully-elected after the November 2026 general election.

While questions have been raised about a number of these provisions, lawmakers are still studying these procedural election issues and the best ways to ensure the 2024 election provides equitable representation for all of Chicago’s communities. Additional public feedback and suggestions on these matters can be submitted via email at ChicagoERSBCommittee@senatedem.ilga.gov.

“We are dedicated to putting in place a community-led education system that better serves our families and students” said Sen. Robert Martwick, Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board and sponsor of the legislation creating an elected school board in Chicago. “That is achieved when we have local representation, promoting the best interests of the people they were elected to serve.”

“When our schools succeed, our city succeeds,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board. “Working together, we are ushering in a brighter future for our children and our communities.”

* Demographic breakdown…

…Adding…Chalkbeat…

The new map has seven majority Black districts, six where Latinos make up 50% or more of the population, and five where the population is 50% or more white. Two districts — one representing Rogers Park on the North Side and the other representing Portage Park and Old Irving Park on the North West side — are plurality white, with Latinos making up the second-largest population. […]

Sen. Robert Martwick, a Democrat representing the North West side of Chicago and west suburbs, said that figuring out how to create 10 districts for the 2024 elections and 20 districts for the 2026 elections has been difficult for legislators. […]

State Rep. Ann Williams, who represents parts of the city’s North Side and chairs a special task force of House Democrats working on drawing school board districts, said the transition from 10 districts to 20 is “still under discussion,” but the goal is to vote on a map during next week’s veto session.

“At some point we have to get a map so that people can start looking at the districts and prepare to run for office,” Williams said.

26 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Open thread

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

6 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Nov 1, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Asylum seekers face their first Chicago winter. Sun-Times…

* Related stories…

∙ Tribune: Freezing temperatures, uncertainty and concern among migrants living outside Chicago police stations: ‘How are we going to survive winter here?’
∙ NYT: In Chicago, a Neighborhood of Immigrants Is Conflicted About More Arrivals

* NBC Photographer George Mycyk yesterday…

The wind is strong and loud outside this police station at 51st and Wentworth on south side of Chicago as migrants try to stay warm inside their tents.
I did not see any warming buses. pic.twitter.com/D5tjUllHba

— George Mycyk NBC 🇺🇦 (@GeorgeMycykNBC) October 31, 2023

* Isabel’s top picks…

* NBC | J.B. Pritzker-backed group sends $250,000 to Virginia Democrats: Think Big America, a nonprofit group affiliated with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, is donating $250,000 to Virginia Democrats with a week to go before state legislative elections that could decide the future of abortion policy in the state. The group is sending $25,000 apiece to four Democrats running in battleground Senate districts: state Dels. Danica Roem and Schuyler Van Valkenburg, former prosecutor Russet Perry and entrepreneur Joel Griffin.

* Sun-Times | Pritzker’s science project: Aggressive bid for federal semiconductor center part of larger plan to make state hi-tech hub: With Chicago in the running for the $11 billion National Semiconductor Technology Center, a multi-university network of researchers and scientists are optimistic Illinois’ advances in engineering and manufacturing — especially quantum — will help them seal the deal. So is Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

* What’s your favorite made in Illinois product?…

It's here! The @IMA_Today released our brand new 2023 Made in Illinois poster today showcasing some of the amazing & innovative products made in the Land of Lincoln! Special thanks to @Nicor_Gas & @IMECillinois
which are tremendous partners who make manufacturers successful. pic.twitter.com/QbJfFY6VaA

— Mark Denzler (@IllinoisMfgAssc) October 30, 2023

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

* Center Square | Coalition lobbying for ‘assisted suicide’ law in Illinois getting pushback: A member of the coalition, Suzie Flack, lost her son to cancer and would like to see a gentle dying option. “I am hoping to carry on and tell his story and to reach people so they can understand that an option like this does provide a lot of comfort to terminally ill individuals,” Flack said.

* Forest Park Review | Former Obama campaign staffer running for Danny Davis’ seat: Kouri Marshall never held a political office before — but he’s still running on his record. That record including work for President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign and work for former Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin (1st) and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Marshall also touted his work in the nonprofit sector. He serves as a director of state and local public policy for the Chamber of Progress, a trade organization for technology companies.

* Madison-St. Clair Record | Everytown for Gun Safety and others file amicus briefs supporting gun liability law, claiming ‘bad actors in the gun industry … enable gun violence’: The National Shooting Sports Foundation petitioned for the injunction, seeking protection under the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. Raveendran of Chicago, who in March filed a brief backing the ban on what the state defines as assault weapons, filed the current brief.

* Sun-Times | Rahm or Ed? Expert quizzed on who had most clout in preview of possible Burke trial testimony: Elmhurst University political science professor Constance Mixon agreed during a sneak preview of her potential trial testimony that Burke’s role as the Council’s finance chairman put him in a “powerful and influential position.” She said he’s often been described as the Council “dean,” and she noted he has a “deep history” of the city’s legislative body.

* Tribune | Aldermen support March referendum on real estate transfer tax, sending ordinance to full City Council: In a 32-16 vote, the rules committee approved the revamped “Bring Chicago Home” measure, which offers a tiered tax rate on all property sales. Advocates say it would generate much-needed revenue for the city’s homeless population, but opponents in the real estate industry have warned that it would put a further damper on an already-fragile market for offices, retail and apartment buildings and drive up costs for tenants.

* Reuters | US Supreme Court won’t wade into Chicago parking meter fight: The justices rejected the drivers’ appeal of an April ruling from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld Chicago’s long term contract with Chicago Parking Meters LLC. The drivers have argued the contract and its restrictions on the city gave Chicago Parking Meters an unlawful monopoly in violation of U.S. antitrust law.

* Daily Herald | Rising pension costs to test Schaumburg’s ability to keep tax levy pledge: Since 2009, Schaumburg officials have kept a promise not to increase the property tax levy they established that year because of the economic recession. But they will soon face a dilemma when it comes to that pledge, due to rising police and firefighter pension costs that within a few years could consume the entire levy.

* WBEZ | The Calumet Water Reclamation Plant preps for the future as the climate continues to change: “I’ve been in the wastewater industry for 24 years now. And it seems like more and more events we’re having,” said Dan Mikso, one of the engineers at the plant. Despite more frequent floods, plant officials said they are ready for the challenge.

* CoStar | Jury Finds Brokers Conspired To Inflate Commissions, Awards Missouri Home Sellers Almost $1.8 Billion: The Chicago-based NAR has contended that the system provides an efficient marketplace accessible to all consumers. But the complaints, including the one for the lawsuit resolved in Kansas City, alleged that the practice is anticompetitive because it requires NAR-member agents to list all properties on regional multiple listing services, with broker commissions agreed to before a home is listed for sale.

* Pioneer Press | Sean Loughran sworn in as new Glencoe Public Safety Director: On Oct. 7, the Hamas terrorist group attacked Israel killing hundreds and taking many others hostage. By the end of that day, local organizers scheduled a large rally supporting Israel at Glencoe’s North Shore Congregation Israel, headlined by Governor J.B. Pritzker. The rally required large law enforcement presence and might have been a challenge for the head of any agency no matter how long they had been on the job. In the case of Glencoe Public Safety Director Sean Loughran, he had been in his new role for less than a week.

* Sun-Times | Pot shop company files suit to blunt planned dispensary at former Rainforest Cafe, limit proximity of minority-owned stores: The lawsuit filed Monday in Cook County by GRI Holdings alleges the proposed Consume Cannabis dispensary at 605 N. Clark St. violates state law by opening within 1,500 feet of its Green Rose Dispensary.

* Block Club | Aunt Martha’s Gets Unexpected $9 Million From MacKenzie Scott: Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness, a nonprofit that serves over 105,000 children and adults each year at 30 locations in Illinois, received a $9 million award through the Chicago Community Trust from Scott’s Yield Giving charity fund, the organization announced Tuesday.