Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Reader comments closed for the weekend

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The kid playing guitar on Rodney Crowell’s right is a 19-year-old Steve Earle. And the guy driving the bus is David Allan Coe…

Now baby taught me a different way of thinkin’
Like how to spend my evenings here at home

  Comments Off      


Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Nick Reiner on the passing of former Deputy House Republican Leader Brent Hassert…

Since I came to Will County in 1985, I have made friends with people of both political parties. And, believe it or not, when we got together, we didn’t always talk politics. We talked, and do talk, about life.

Brent Hassert did come in to my life because of politics. I began covering the Will County Board for the Herald News in 1987, the same year I met Tammy, and shortly after, Brent would call me on Mondays after the paper’s popular Pulse political column ran the day before.

“Hey,” he would say. “This is Brent Hassert. I saw you at County Board. How do I get in that Pulse column?”

I told him he’d need to do something funny and/or stupid. And for as long as the Herald News ran that column, he achieved one or the other fairly regularly. And he made it into more than a few county-related stories for doing some good stuff.

As I got to know him as a County Board member, legislator, party leader and lobbyist, I also saw him as a rare elected official, one who didn’t care who got the credit, so long as the people, in his district or not, got what they needed.

There is a good chance the Interstate 355 extension into Will County would not have happened, or happened a lot later, if he did not take that helicopter ride with former Gov. George Ryan to show him it was needed. From then on, it was firmly on the state’s radar.

* FYI…


*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Lt. Governor Stratton and ILAFA to host Workforce Summit for a thriving Agri-Food industry: “Illinois is leading the way in the agri-food industry by nurturing a diverse and skilled workforce,” said Lt. Governor Stratton. “This summit is a critical investment in our future, ensuring that Illinois remains at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. As I often say, ‘Ag connects us all,’ and we’re building a brighter future for generations to come.”

*** Statewide ***

* Crain’s | Illinois computer science programs are enrolling far more women: The biggest gains were made by women, who accounted for 21.5% of computer science majors in four-year programs in the 2022-23 academic year, up from 11.7% a decade earlier, according to a study by the University of Illinois Discovery Partners Institute. The percentage of Asian students nearly doubled to 26.5% from 14.3%, and Latino students grew to 16.9% of computer science majors from 9.5%. Black students declined slightly to 7.5% from 8.2%.

*** Chicago ***

* Bloomberg | Chicago aims to ride muni bond refinancing wave sparked by Fed rate cuts: The reopened window is a win for governments who have had limited refinancing opportunities since the Fed started raising interest rates in 2022. And such sales can save cities, states and towns major cash. Chicago, for example, estimates it can reclaim about $70 million of debt-service costs through a proposed $1.5 billion refunding sale to help close its budget deficit.

* Sun-Times | Homeless tent camp stirs neighbors’ vitriol on Northwest Side: As much as neighbors complain, Johnson is so far not budging. His administration says there’s no money left for Gompers after spending $70 million in federal dollars for homelessness since 2020. There will be no accelerated move from the Northwest Side park this year, the city said in a statement. City officials and nonprofit groups will continue to monitor the situation, the statement added. On Monday, Sendy Soto, Johnson’s top official in charge of addressing homelessness, will attend a community meeting next to the park to face a crowd of neighbors fuming about the homeless camp. They complain about drinking and drug use, open fires and erratic behavior.

* WTTW | As City Prepares to Close 3 Shelters, Advocates See Shifts in Migrants’ Needs: With a decreased migrant population and the unmaterialized surge of new arrivals this summer, the city expects in 2024 to spend less than $141 million to care for the migrants, who are in the country legally after requesting asylum and receiving permission to remain in the U.S. while their cases are resolved. The city is currently facing a projected $982 million budget gap in 2025.

* Block Club | After CPS Slashes Funding, Chicago Debates Asks For Help Keeping Beloved Program Alive: The district has a $1.3 million, four-year contract with the nonprofit, agreeing to cover up to $390,000 in expenses for fiscal year 2025, documents show. That includes costs such as equipment, paying debate judges, recruiting and training volunteers, tournament prep and running the summer camp, according to the contract. […] But CPS officials told nonprofit leaders in July they’d only get $208,000 to cover this year’s expenses, Bolden said. Officials cited a part of the contract saying CPS can terminate an agreement “in the event no funds or insufficient funds are appropriated and budgeted … by the board,” Bolden said.

* Tribune | A 685-acre tiff: Council, community divided on future of Pilsen taxing district: Progressives such as Johnson and Sigcho-Lopez have traditionally railed against tax increment financing districts, which freeze for decades the property tax revenues distributed to schools, parks and other government bodies and instead earmark those funds for projects within the boundaries. While TIF proponents say those projects spur economic development, opponents often decry the spending as a handout for private developers, or unnecessary in areas that are already thriving.

* Sun-Times | Bike theft victims are frustrated, saying the problem is getting worse and isn’t being fixed: Pusateri immediately headed to the nearest police station to file a report. Later, after scouring social media, he found the bike listed for sale on Facebook at a fraction of the purchase price. Someone even contacted him promising to return the bike for a fee after Pusateri listed it stolen online. He brought the Facebook listing — which had the suspected thief’s name and location — to the Chicago Police Department. “I knew exactly who this guy was, and the police were like, ‘We can’t help you at all. We’re too busy,’” Pusateri said. “I did everything I possibly could, even giving the police a solved case, and they still didn’t want to do anything about it.”

* Crain’s | Investors buy hotel next to Rivers Casino for $20 million: The property benefits from its proximity to O’Hare and being next to Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, one of the state’s largest gambling facilities. Neither of the Patels responded to requests for comment on the Courtyard purchase. But the investors are planning a $5 million renovation of the 35-year-old property set to begin in December, according to The Real Deal Chicago, which first reported the sale.

* WBEZ | Chicago’s beach season is over … or is it? Lake Michigan temps are breaking records.: Lake Michigan is heating up. The lake’s surface temperature has surpassed the running average dating back to 1995 nearly every day this year, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. And it’s not just one Great Lake. All five are warming. The massive bodies of water, which provide drinking water to more than 30 million people, are among the fastest-warming lakes worldwide, according to the federal government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment.

* Tribune | What was the final Chicago White Sox home game like? An odd wake, full of melancholy, contradiction — and elation.: In the closing minutes of the last home game for the 2024 Chicago White Sox, one could feel the Earth’s rotation grind to a halt. It was as if Guaranteed Rate Field itself let out an exhausted, terminating sigh of relief. Even the fireworks that marked the end felt rushed, brief and eager to be done with. The hurt was past. The horror — at least here on 35th Street (there were still three games left to play in Detroit) — was over. A lone gull looped high above right field, averted its eyes and flew off. The sky was cloudless and the flat metal top of a vendor’s grill, already scrubbed and cold, chimed with the clumsy clang of dropped tongs. Individual sounds leaped out.

* Block Club | 33 Million Birds Migrated Over Illinois In 1 Day This Week. How McCormick Place Is Trying To Keep Them Safe: Chicago Bird Collision Monitors collects about 100 injured or dead birds daily during the peak migration season in September and early October, Prince said. About 75 percent of the birds the group finds are dead, Prince said. Injured birds are taken to the DuPage Wildlife Center, where they’re treated and released into the wild to continue their migration. The group has already noticed fewer bird casualties around the McCormick Place this migration season, Prince said. The new film is an “exciting development” and serves as an example that it’s worth constructing buildings with bird-friendly designs, she said.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Grayslake mayor says he won’t seek a fifth term and supports veteran village trustee as successor: Grayslake Mayor Rhett Taylor announced Friday he will not seek a fifth term and will be retiring from local government. “I have enjoyed every day of my time in the office,” he said. “I will be forever grateful to Grayslake for granting me this unique and wonderful opportunity.” Taylor was a village trustee for six years before being elected mayor in 2009. He said he has served with 13 different village trustees in that role, including Elizabeth Davies, who he endorsed as his successor.

* Daily Herald | Hanover Park man sentenced for selling ghost guns, gun converter: Jeffrey Levander, 43, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for the unlawful sale or delivery of an unserialized firearm, six years for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, six years for the unlawful use of a weapon, three years for the unlawful sale of a firearm, and three years for unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a news release from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. His sentences will run concurrently.

* Daily Herald | Kane County offers $755,000 Food and Farm Resiliency Grant Program to support local growers: The Kane County Food and Farm Resiliency Grant Program is now open for applications, offering $755,000 in financial assistance to local food-growing businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible organizations operating in Kane County can apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to help cover essential operating expenses incurred between March 3, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2025.

* Sun-Times | Days after his conviction on corruption charges, Ford Heights mayor says he’s stepping down: “He’s gone,” village attorney Michael Stuttley said Thursday about Mayor Charles Griffin, who was convicted by a Cook County judge earlier this week of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the tiny, cash-strapped south suburb. “I saw his letter of resignation.” Referring to Griffin’s fellow village board members, Stuttley said the resignation will be formalized “once they accept” it in coming days.

* WCIA | Danville officials say construction won’t prevent access to the ballot box: Construction began this week on the northbound road of Vermilion Street up to Harrison, temporarily closing the intersection. This closure is just outside the early voting location at Joseph G. Cannon Building. Officials with the City of Danville said not to worry about the construction, as it won’t impede anybody from casting their vote at the Election Commission.

* Daily Herald | ‘Safest it’s ever been’: Recent high school football deaths not causing alarm: Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the National Federation of State High School Associations, said the organization has counted 12 deaths so far this season. Their data comes from the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, which uses reports from NFHS-member schools as well as private schools outside its membership. […] “We started to pay attention, and through coaching education we modified rules, we shifted how we practice and how we play, and obviously elevated our medical response, resources and awareness,” Niehoff said.

*** Downstate ***

* My Journal Courier | Completion of Illinois River navigation projects kicks off barge tour of region: The three projects were part of the corps’ Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program. Objectives of the program include enhancing geomorphic diversity and reducing erosion; creating and/or improving fish habitat as well as native fish habitat; and increasing side channel diversity.

* SJ-R | Hurricane Helene: Workers from Springfield head to Georgia for assistance: Crews from the City Water Light and Power division of the City of Springfield are heading to assist people with the effects of Hurricane Helene in Georgia. Two crews and a supervisor left Thursday afternoon to assist in Douglas, Georgia. The crews were initially headed to assist the City of Marietta but were reassigned. They were originally tasked to assist with power restoration from Hurricane Helene making landfall, according to CWLP.

*** National ***

* AP | Parents will have to set aside some earnings for child influencers under new California laws: The California laws protecting child social media influencers follow the first-in-the-nation legislation in Illinois that took effect this July. The California measures apply to all children under 18, while the Illinois law covers those under 16. The California measures, which received overwhelming bipartisan support, require parents and guardians who monetize their children’s online presence to establish a trust for the starlets. Parents will have to keep records of how many minutes the children appear in their online content and how much money they earn from those posts, among other things.

  5 Comments      


Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Friday, Sep 27, 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 David, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

  Comments Off      


Indictment alleges NYC mayor gamed campaign reform to scam $10 million out of taxpayers

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Here’s an official explainer of New York City’s public financing program for local political campaigns…

The voluntary public financing program matches small-dollar contributions from individuals who reside in New York City, helping to amplify the voices of New Yorkers in city elections. A $10 contribution from a NYC resident to a participating candidate in the 2021 election could be worth as much as $90 to their campaign.

Who is Eligible?

Any candidate running for municipal office (mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough president, and city council) may join the program. The program does not cover county district attorney offices or state or federal offices.

To receive public funds, candidates must:

    1. Meet a two-part fundraising threshold:

      o Collect a minimum number of contributions (of $10 or more) from the area they seek to represent. (For instance: candidates for City Council must have 75 contributors from their district; candidates for borough president must have 100 contributors from their borough.)
      o Raise a minimum amount of qualifying contributions from NYC residents (only the matchable portion of the contributions counts towards this threshold).

    2. Certify agreement to and demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the Act and Board Rules.
    3. Be on the ballot, and have an opponent on the ballot.
    4. Submit a personal financial disclosure filing with the Conflicts of Interest Board

* Press release from the US Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York on the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams…

ADAMS sought and accepted illegal campaign contributions in the form of “nominee” or “straw” contributions, meaning that the true contributors conveyed their money through nominal donors, who falsely certified they were contributing their own money. By smuggling their contributions to ADAMS through U.S.-based straw donors, ADAMS’s overseas contributors defeated federal laws that serve to prevent foreign influence on U.S. elections. Wealthy individuals evaded laws designed to limit their power over elected officials by restricting the amount any one person can donate to a candidate. And businesses circumvented New York City’s ban on corporate contributions by funneling their donations through multiple employees, frustrating a law which seeks to reduce corporate power in politics. ADAMS increased his fundraising by accepting these concealed, illegal donations—at the cost of giving his secret patrons the undue influence over him that the law tries to prevent.

ADAMS compounded his gains from the straw contributions by using them to defraud New York City and steal public funds. New York City has a matching funds program that matches small-dollar contributions from individual City residents with up to eight times their amount in public funds, to give New Yorkers a greater voice in elections. ADAMS’s campaigns applied for matching funds based on known straw donations, fraudulently obtaining as much as $2,000 in public funds for each illegal contribution. ADAMS and those working at his direction falsely certified compliance with applicable campaign finance regulations despite ADAMS’s repeated acceptance of straw donations, relying on the concealed nature of these illegal contributions to falsely portray his campaigns as law-abiding. As a result of those false certifications, ADAMS’s 2021 mayoral campaign received more than $10,000,000 in public funds.

The full indictment is here.

As Illinois has discovered time and time again, reforms won’t stop a determined criminal.

  9 Comments      


The Importance Of Energy Storage

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Recent polling shows 72% of Illinoisans support incentives for energy storage, and a majority of Illinoisans would be likely to for a candidate that supports building more energy storage in the state.

But it’s not just popular. It’s urgent — Building more storage today is the best way to save Illinois families and businesses from rapidly rising energy costs. By guaranteeing a backup of affordable energy at times when heat waves, storms, or cold snaps threaten
the grid, storage is the key to affordable, reliable energy independence.

Save families money and make energy more reliable. With energy costs set to rise, we need energy storage now. Learn more about energy storage and outstanding bills about it here.

  Comments Off      


Big staff changes announced for Pritzker’s communications team

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker announced the following staff transitions on his communications team.

Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin will depart the governor’s office after six years of service to the state of Illinois. The two have led communications for the administration through major legislative and economic development wins as well as through challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Matt Hill and Emily Bolton will join the administration as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Director of Agency Communications respectively. The two bring deep experience to the roles across federal and state government and national politics.

“Jordan Abudayyeh and Jason Rubin have been essential advisors since day one of this administration,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “For nearly six years in state government, they have met every moment with an approach that is the hallmark of their work: thoughtful, deliberate, and above all, fighting to ensure the people of Illinois were at the center of every message in and out of my office. Through challenges expected and unexpected—legislative debates and global pandemics—it has been a privilege to watch these two remarkable people grow into the best communications team in the nation. While they leave big shoes to fill, I have no doubt that Matt Hill and Emily Bolton will rise to the occasion, bringing their deep communications experience across politics and government, to this work. I am thrilled to welcome them to the team and look forward to all that we will accomplish together.”

Jordan Abudayyeh leaves the governor’s office after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Strategic Media, overseeing the governor’s communications team. Abudayyeh previously served as Governor Pritzker’s Press Secretary for his first term. Abudayyeh also served the same role on the governor’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign. Before entering politics, Abudayyeh was an award-winning political reporter for Springfield’s ABC affiliate WICS-TV, an anchor and producer for Naperville’s NCTV17, and an associate producer for Milwaukee’s WISN-TV. She received a degree in broadcast journalism and sociology from Marquette University.

Jason Rubin leaves the governor’s office after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Agency Strategy, overseeing the governor’s communications team. Rubin previously served as Governor Pritzker’s Deputy Communications Director, a role he held since the governor’s inauguration. Prior to that, Rubin served as Deputy Communications Director on the governor’s 2018 campaign and held communications roles with New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development and Rep. Patrick Murphy’s 2016 U.S. Senate campaign in Florida. Rubin began his career in politics as the Director of Scheduling for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. He is a graduate of Vassar College with a degree in political science.

In their place, the Governor’s Office welcomes Matt Hill and Emily Bolton who will oversee communications for the governor’s office.

Matt Hill joins the governor’s office after serving as the Senior Director of Communications for the 2024 Democratic National Convention Committee in Chicago, serving as the top spokesperson and overseeing the event’s messaging and media strategy. Hill spent the last five years as a senior communications aide for President Joe Biden. In the 2020 presidential cycle, he was a national spokesperson for Biden’s primary campaign, the Biden-Harris general election campaign, and the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Hill then joined the Biden-Harris Administration as a Senior Associate Communications Director in the White House, managing communications around key accomplishments on climate, infrastructure, and more. He then served as the inaugural Communications Director for the CHIPS for America program at the Department of Commerce, focusing on bringing semiconductor manufacturing, jobs, and innovation back to the United States. Previously, Hill held communications roles at Georgetown University and the Democratic firm Global Strategy Group. Hill is from Buffalo Grove and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with degrees in political science and communication.

Emily Bolton joins the governor’s office with more than a decade of experience in government and political communications. Most recently, Bolton led communications at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) where she positioned Illinois as a global economic powerhouse and amplified the historic economic development wins achieved under the Pritzker Administration. Prior to joining DCEO, Bolton served in various roles at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), including Director of Media Relations and Strategic Communications during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that, Bolton held communications positions at the Democratic Party of Virginia during the 2016 election cycle, Office of the Virginia Attorney General, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and PR firm Burson-Marsteller. Bolton is a graduate of the University of Georgia and a proud native Illinoisan. ​

  12 Comments      


Question of the day

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Capitol News Illinois launched its election guide yesterday…

Early voting began Thursday in Illinois, and Capitol News Illinois has launched an interactive Election Guide to help Illinoisans navigate the voting process.

Illinois gives voters 40 days prior to Election Day to cast their ballot – in most jurisdictions. Beginning Thursday, most Illinoisans can vote at their local election authority’s office – in most cases, that’s the county clerk, but for about a quarter of the state’s population it’s a city or county election commission. […]

While early voting began this week for most of the state, the same can’t be said for Chicago and the rest of Cook County. Early voting begins Oct. 3 in the city, while voting in suburban Cook County begins on Oct. 9.

On Oct. 21, early voting expands so that voters in many counties can vote at locations other than the election authority’s office. Early voting generally runs through Nov. 4.

* The Question: Do you plan to vote early (in-person or by mail)? Explain your answer please.

  64 Comments      


Open thread

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on?…

  11 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Chicago Board of Education unanimously votes to halt school closures until 2027. Tribune…

During his remarks Thursday evening, [CPS CEO Pedro Martinez’] addressed the “misinformation campaign” he claimed was waged against him regarding school closures, reiterating that the district has no plans to close schools. He also discussed his role in authoring a resolution extending a moratorium on school closures until January 2027. However, Martinez did not address speculation that he would soon be ousted.

“There is simply no truth to this,” Martinez said at the meeting. “To put this issue to rest once and for all, I’m asking the Board to adopt the resolution today, clearly stating that CPS will not close or consolidate any schools before the fully elected school board is in place on January 2027.”

CTU Vice President Jackson Potter stepped to the podium at Thursday’s board meeting, calling on Martinez to amend his resolution on school closures, claiming that it currently doesn’t fully protect schools as it doesn’t ban co-locations, in which schools share facilities without any changes to school programming.

“We’re debating school closures, staff reductions, rather than implementing a plan for transformation or suing the banks for their graft and deceit,” Potter said. “We’re going through stages of grief. We’ve been traumatized by closing lists that have been mistakenly given to us in the past, and then they pretend to be theoretical and become a harsh reality. We’re reminded the same procedures for co-locations do not apply as they do with closures and consolidations because neither the law or the resolution you aim to pass tonight would prohibit this form of school action. Therefore we’ve amended your resolution,” he said.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WGLT | McLean County clerk predicts 80% turnout as early voting begins: McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael manages elections in the county except for Bloomington, where it’s handled by the city’s election commission. […] More than three of four registered voters [76%] in McLean County cast ballots in the 2020 presidential election. Michael predicted voter turnout could reach 80% in McLean County this year with the rise of early voting and mail-in voting. “We’ve had the [biggest] response of the vote-by-mail applications coming back — hundreds,” said Michael, who encouraged voters to cast their ballots before Election Day to avoid a wait.

* Capitol News Illinois | Capitol News Illinois launches Election Guide as early voting begins in Illinois: Capitol News Illinois’ interactive guide aims to help navigate the process of voting, from how to register and what to do if you feel your rights have been violated. While early voting began this week for most of the state, the same can’t be said for Chicago and the rest of Cook County. Early voting begins Oct. 3 in the city, while voting in suburban Cook County begins on Oct. 9.

* Daily Herald | What’s happened to crime rates, court-skipping since cash bail went away?: In fact, the report finds — with some important caveats — that both crime and court-skipping have declined in the past year. “This isn’t any kind of definitive word on the law and its impact,” noted Professor David Olson, who co-directs the center that is in the first stages of a four-year study of the PFA’s impact. “These (findings) certainly could change and evolve.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* NPR | Law aims to protect tenants with complaints from landlord retaliation: The bill was proposed by state Rep. Will Guzzardi, a Chicago Democrat. “Far too often tenants face retaliation for … trying to exercise their basic rights, trying to make sure that the unit that they live in is habitable and safe,’ he said, “And when they complain about conditions or raise questions with their landlord, instead of getting those conditions fixed or getting good answers from their landlord, they get an eviction notice on their door.’’

* Crain’s | Millionaire’s tax could raise $4.5 billion for property tax relief: report: A new state estimate shows a so-called millionaire’s tax up for an advisory referendum on the November ballot could generate at least $4.5 billion for property tax relief. WBEZ Chicago and Chicago Sun-Times reported the figure today after obtaining it through an open records request. The ballot measure, which is non-binding, asks voters: “Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?”

* Tribune | State agency lacks data to back $6 million in unemployment claims, audit finds: The state agency charged with distributing unemployment benefits continued to fall short in administering claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving auditors unable to determine if more than $6 million wound up in the proper hands, according to a report released Thursday. The report from Auditor General Frank Mautino’s office marked the latest criticism of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, which has come under scrutiny over the last few years for how it administered the distribution of unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Burnett says to count him out of ShotSpotter veto override: Zoning Committee Chair Walter Burnett said the City Council gains nothing by further “antagonizing” the mayor. So while he voted to keep ShotSpotter, if the Council tries to override a threatened Johnson veto, he won’t back that effort.

* Tribune | Chicago Board of Education unanimously votes to halt school closures until 2027: In a unanimous vote, the seven-member Chicago Board of Education voted Thursday to prohibit school closings until 2027. The vote concluded – at least for now – an increasingly fractious month in which the district faced accusations of clandestinely plotting to close schools and the fate of Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez’s job was in constant question.

* WBEZ | CPS enrollment increases a bit for second year in a row; also a bump in English language learners: After Chicago Public Schools enrollment increased for the first time in more than a decade last year, the total number of students has gone up once again to 324,311, officials said Thursday. That’s a less than 1% increase compared to last year’s official count of 321,539 — and a drop from later in the school year, when newly enrolling migrant students brought numbers up by the spring.

* WGN | Hire360 opens new training hub to boost diversity in Chicago’s construction and trades: Apprentice Edgar Vallejo spoke with WGN News about his experience. “It allowed me to get into the carpenters’ union. They gave me all that information, and honestly, right now, it’s been the best decision that I could have ever made,” Vallejo said.

* CBS Chicago | U.S. EEOC lawsuit accuses Chicago’s Admiral Theatre of sexual, racial discrimination: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accused the Admiral of creating a hostile environment toward the entertainers. The lawsuit claimed the Admiral subjected female dancers to hostile and dangerous conditions. Among the allegations were that the dancers were exposed to harassing and sometimes violent behavior from patrons at the club—including grabbing, groping, slapping, and even sexual assault.

* CBS Chicago | Hurricane Helene’s effects will be felt in Chicago as early as Friday, according to forecasts: The storm is racing inland at an unusually fast forward speed, so even as its access to warm water which serves as hurricane fuel is cut off after landfall, the storm will not have much time to weaken on its journey through the southeastern U.S. Hurricane warnings were placed into effect 200 miles inland – nearly to Atlanta, Georgia, where 70 mph wind gusts will be possible Thursday night. As the storm is absorbed into a larger area of low pressure sitting to its west, a tight pressure gradient will lead to strong winds as far north as Illinois and Indiana.

* Tribune | Chicago White Sox defy the odds — and their fans — with a stunning sweep to delay a date with infamy: Did all the negative attention inspire the Sox? “I don’t know if it motivated us,” right fielder Dominic Fletcher told me afterward. “But it definitely feels good when it feels like the whole world is rooting against you, and you go out there and get a few wins.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* CBS Chicago | After judge’s order restricting Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who’s running Dolton, Illinois?: “I’ve been covering government in Northern Illinois for more than 40 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said David Greising, president and chief executive officer of the Better Government Association. “This has been a slow-moving train wreck for months.” “The trustees, when they can get a quorum, are the ones running Dolton,” Greising said.

* CBS Chicago | Sauk Village, Illinois clerk speaks after fight with mayor during village board meeting: During the Tuesday night meeting, the clerk grabbed the mayor’s gavel after she made several requests for the mayor to stop pointing it at her. Out of frustration, she yanked it out of his hand and threats were made. “I personally extend my apology, because it’s not typical of me,” Campbell-Pruitt said. Campbell-Pruitt said she was defending herself in the exchange. She admitted she physically touched Burgess and grabbed the gavel from him.

* NBC Chicago | ‘Report, not repost’: Suburban police, school district leaders send message to parents amid rise in threats: The letter, issued by the Chief of Police in both cities, the DuPage County and Will County State’s Attorney and the superintendents of Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204, encouraged starting an open dialogue with children on the severity of the threats. “Parents, please discuss the topic of school threats with your child in an age-appropriate way and pledge as a family to both report threats to the proper authorities and refrain from sharing threats and rumors with others,” the statement said in part.

* Daily Herald | ‘Steadfast leadership’: Wheaton city manager reflects on career: Distilling Mike Dzugan’s career into a few top accomplishments isn’t an easy thing to do. Dzugan has spent more than three decades in Wheaton government, first as the assistant city manager and then as city manager. Over the years, he oversaw some major construction. More recently, the city wrapped up a $35 million downtown streetscape project that also replaced infrastructure, reconfigured parking and created new gathering spaces, including the French market pavilion.

* Tribune | The American Toby Jug Museum in Evanston is closing. What does one do with 8,500 Toby jugs?: A Toby jug is one of those old-timey ceramic mugs shaped to look like a person — traditionally, a caricature of a British drunkard, ruddy complexion, tricorn hat, long coat, on a stool, cradling a mug of lager. Across the 250 year or so history of the Toby jug, there have been jugs with the likenesses of Winston Churchill and Barack Obama, Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, Gandhi, Hitler and Spuds MacKenzie. A Toby, to be specific, shows a full figure likeness, and a “character mug” shows only the bust of a figure. But Mullins bought both, and anything else (pitchers, thimbles) remotely related.

* Daily Herald | ‘We all are Americans’: Early voters share hopes and fears for the presidential election: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek said early voting turnout Thursday broke a record, with 1,533 people counted across five sites compared to 660 in 2020. About one-third of suburbanites interviewed in the course of an hour cited economic issues including tariffs and inflation as crucial.

* Lake County News Sun | Early voting begins in Lake County; ‘I tell everyone to vote as soon as they can’: Bill Weber of Lake Villa, the brother of state Rep. Tom Weber, R-Lake Villa, said he always votes early on the first day because it frees him to help his brother’s campaign the rest of the time until Election Day. “I tell everyone to vote as soon as they can,” he said. “You never know if you might be sick, or be busy at work on Election Day. And, vote at the courthouse. You don’t have to worry about fraud there. If you vote at the courthouse, you know your vote will be counted.

* Shaw Local | Attorney lays some blame on Trump for Lockport couple’s role in Jan. 6 riot: In a sentencing memorandum on Wednesday, Daniel Hesler, attorney for Kelly Lynn Fontaine, 54, said the “simplest explanation” for why Fontaine and her husband Bryan Dula, 53, went to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021 was “because Donald Trump invited them.” […] On June 10, Fontaine and Dula pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge of disorderly or disruptive conduct on the grounds or in the buildings of the U.S. Capitol. The Lockport couple also pleaded guilty to another misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol building.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | ISU imposing 2% budget cut in every division for current year: In a “Dear Colleagues” email to the campus, provost Ani Yazedjian said every division will cut its budget by 2% for the current budget year that began in July. That is in addition to a pay freeze announced last week in president Aondover Tarhule’s annual State of the University address. At that time, Tarhule confirmed the three-year structural deficit could rise to $32 million, or about 6% of the general fund budget, at the end of that period.

* WGLT | Bloomington-Normal unemployment drops below 5%: According to data released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security [IDES], a bulk of the new jobs are in Leisure and Hospitality. That sector added 600 jobs, while Private Education and Health Services [+200], Mining and Construction [+200], Manufacturing [+100], and Retail Trade [+100] also saw job growth. Professional and Business Services [-300] and Financial Activities [-200] lost jobs.

* WCBU | Bradley University enrollment dips below 5,000 for first time in over 30 years: Bradley University’s total enrollment has dipped below 5,000 students for the 2024-25 academic year. Total enrollment is about 4,800 students, a university spokesperson told WCBU on Wednesday. That’s down from 5,217 total students in 2023-24. It’s the lowest overall enrollment Bradley has posted since at least 1990.

* QC Times | Moline to rehabilitate bridge to Rock Island Arsenal: According to a city press release, the project will replace the current bridge deck and parapets with modern updates. Beams, beam bearings and seats will all be rehabilitated, and new street lighting will also be installed. The project will ensure that large vehicles, such as emergency vehicles, can access the military installation, assisting critical readiness at the Arsenal.

* Herald-Whig | ‘This is a trend … that needs to stop’: QPS, QPS address school threats: QUINCY — Quincy Public Schools and the Quincy Police Department offer some simple advice for community members tied to the recent threats to area schools. If you see something, say something to local law enforcement and school officials — not to a social media account. “While the online chatter and anxiety regarding these threats continues to escalate, we need your help to end the hold these threats are having on our students, staff and families,” QPS Superintendent Todd Pettit said. “Resharing hearsay, rumors or false information on the internet has created panic that makes it difficult for law enforcement and school officials to investigate these threats.”

* WCIA | Champaign County records first human case of West Nile Virus: The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District said human cases would be probable after it upgraded the county’s West Nile alert status at the start of the month. Now, a Champaign resident in their 60s has tested positive, health officials said. Champaign County is the third county in Central Illinois to record at least one human case, after Christian and Coles Counties recorded one each. There are a total of 43 cases statewide and at least one death.

*** National ***

* Sun-Times | Kudos to Illinois lawmakers for proposed bill to hop away from kangaroo slaughter: Kudos to U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., for introducing legislation to ban the sale of kangaroo parts in the United States and stem the killing of 1.5 million of the iconic marsupials per annum. Demand for soccer cleats made from kangaroo skins is driving an unprecedented commercial slaughter of native wildlife. Last year, Nike, Puma and New Balance announced policies to stop sourcing kangaroo skins, but the world’s largest athletic shoe sellers, Adidas, is still driving the massacre of the iconic marsupials.

  15 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign updates

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


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

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Live coverage

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

  Comments Off      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, Sep 27, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

  Comments Off      


Uber’s Local Partnership = Stress-Free Travel For Paratransit Riders

Thursday, Sep 26, 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.

  Comments Off      


Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* IDPH…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) released a new report on infant mortality that shows the statewide rate decreased to 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021, the most recent full year of data, compared to 6.5 per 1,000 in 2018. However, the report released during Infant Mortality Awareness Month also documents the historic racial disparities that have persisted nationally in the area of infant health. Governor JB Pritzker has made it a priority to address these disparities and included more than $23 million in the current state budget to improve birth outcomes.

The Illinois infant mortality rate of 5.6 is slightly above the national rate of 5.4. The state has signed on to the national Healthy People 2030 framework established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which sets a goal for all states to reach a rate of 5.0 or lower by the year 2030.

* Small victories?…


*** Statehouse News ***

* She Runs Illinois 2024 | Morgan Phillips, candidate for IL House of Representatives, District 105: She Votes Illinois is pleased to feature Morgan Phillips running for IL House of Representatives, District 105. Follow our series, She Runs Illinois 2024!, leading up to election day as we showcase and uplift the voices of Illinois women running for public office in the upcoming election, November 5, 2024.

* She Runs Illinois 2024 | Barbara Hernandez, candidate for IL House of Representatives, District 50: What challenges do you see in addressing child marriage in Illinois, and what legislative measures do you believe are most effective in ensuring the protection of minors? “I have carried the bill many times, however, the main obstacle has been the ACLU. I believe that children should not be able to marry at 16 even with a parent’s note. I feel like students can wait until they are 18 to determine if they do want to get married or not, without any religious or cultural pressure,” Rep. Hernandez said.

* NPR Illinois | Law aims to protect tenants with complaints from landlord retaliation: Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law recently prohibiting landlords statewide from taking retaliatory action against tenant complaints. The bill was proposed by state Rep. Will Guzzardi, a Chicago Democrat. “Far too often tenants face retaliation for … trying to exercise their basic rights, trying to make sure that the unit that they live in is habitable and safe,’ he said, “And when they complain about conditions or raise questions with their landlord, instead of getting those conditions fixed or getting good answers from their landlord, they get an eviction notice on their door.’’

*** Statewide ***

* WBEZ | Lawsuit claims years of discrimination against disabled young people in Illinois prisons: The lawsuit was filed by Equip for Equality, a nonprofit advocating for the civil rights of individuals with disabilities, and Latham & Watkins. It covers those who were 22 or younger when they were first incarcerated and who had a plan outlining special education services from their previous school. The complaint states that the correctional agencies have failed to identify eligible students; notify eligible students of their right to these educational services; or provide any special education services and high school credit-bearing courses.

* Press Release | IDOT’s Cycle Rider Safety Training Program classes returning statewide: In partnership with Southern Illinois University, IDOT is offering its popular Cycle Rider Safety Training Program to any Illinois resident 16 and older with a valid driver’s license. These classes also come with extra credit: Successful graduates can waive the written and riding portions of the Illinois motorcycle license exam that’s administered by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.

* WMBD | Illinois county clerks invite public to watch voting process: Starting Thursday, Sept. 26, anyone that has questions about the voting process can visit any clerk office and learn everything about the voting process. Since the 2016 election, more questions have been raised concerning voting security. The clerks say in the press release, that visiting the offices has always been an option, but they are making it clear this year so voters feel confident.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | City Removing Police And Fire Departments From Mental Health Emergency Response Program: The CARE, or Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement, provides teams of mental health professionals plus specially trained police and paramedics to respond to mental health related 911 calls. The program was launched in two neighborhood clusters during the 2021 budget process with an initial $3.5 million investment and has steadily expanded since then. The CARE program will now operate solely under the Chicago Department of Public Health and will not include police officers or fire department personnel, according to a Wednesday announcement.

* Crain’s | UChicago gets anonymous $100M donation to support free speech: The university said the donation will support “UChicago’s leadership on the principles and practice of free expression” and the advancement of a new initiative called the University of Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, which was launched by President Paul Alivisatos in 2023 to buttress open discourse on campus. […] The large donation to support free expression comes after a fraught and turbulent year on college campuses, which saw large student demonstrations and tent encampments protesting the Israeli invasion and ongoing war in Gaza.

* WTTW | Wrongfully Convicted Man Speaks Out on Record $50M Verdict: ‘I Won’t Get That Time Back’: Detectives from the Chicago Police Department deprived Brown of food and sleep and questioned him for 34 hours before he was charged. They denied him access to a phone call and legal counsel while keeping him socially isolated. “I was very, very wronged over three days, and that took a toll on my mental (health),” Brown said. “Fighting with the detectives, with the mind games they were playing, was probably one of the worst experiences of my life.”

* Block Club | How A Taqueria Connected To A Lincoln Park Gas Station Became Illinois’ Top Taco Spot: The taqueria, which just celebrated its three-year anniversary, is tucked away in a small strip mall that shares a parking lot with a Mobil gas station. El Tragón serves fresh, made-to-order street tacos and other items inspired by small taquerias in Jalisco, Mexico, where owner Gerardo Madrigal grew up. The menu is small, consisting of tacos, quesadillas, chilaquiles and some of the best quesabirrias in the city.

* Capitol News Illinois | Sun-Times seeks dismissal of defamation suit centered on Trump Tower reporting: The court, which heard oral arguments in the case last week, is not being asked to rule as to whether the Sun-Times engaged in defamation. It is rather asked if the lawsuit should be dismissed under a state law designed to protect against litigation that “chills and diminishes citizen participation in government” before the case can proceed in circuit court.

* Sun-Times | A look back at Derrick Rose’s legendary high school career: Rose had the physical gifts of a superhero. He was blazing fast with the ball, possessed unreal body control, and was the best leaper anyone had seen. Rose lost a few inches on his vertical when he put on muscle and weight in college and the NBA, which is common. But those that saw him in high school will never forget the dunks: they began beautiful and soaring, but ended with swift violence at the rim.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Appointments of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard blocked by Cook County judge: In a ruling Wednesday, Judge Thaddeus Wilson said Henyard didn’t abide by proper procedure when she named Ronnie Burge Sr. as police chief, Michael Smith as village administrator and Angela Lockett as village attorney. Four trustees who are at odds with Henyard contended the appointments were illegal because the Village Board did not vote on them, and the judge agreed. In barring Henyard from making the appointments, Wilson also said the three appointees are ineligible to hold the posts.

* Tribune | Toxic chemicals at Homewood nature preserve prompt calls for EPA intervention: Napoleon Haney, Homewood’s village manager, said village officials reached out to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency a few weeks ago and met with agency representatives last week to gather information and determine next steps. “We want it resolved; we want our community beautiful,” he said. “We just want to make sure that the right agencies are involved to assist us in resolving any and everything that’s out of compliance. We’re confident that the IEPA will provide some wonderful guidance.”

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Township honors history of boxcar camp, Austin-Western neighborhood: The Aurora Township board approved the honors to “recognize the contributions of generations of working-class immigrants who helped to make Aurora … a major railroad town and major manufacturing center,” according to a resolution passed by the board in the spring. The Austin-Western neighborhood close to the boxcar camp was home to many generations of immigrant working class families who came from many nations.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | Sonya Massey’s cousin named a new co-chair of Massey Commission in leadership shake-up: After only one listening session, the Massey Commission has new leadership. One of the newest co-chairs is Shadia Massey, a cousin of Sonya Massey, the namesake of the commission, who was fatally shot by a now former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy in her home in an unincorporated part of Woodside Township on July 6.

* WCIA | Master key that can open 90% of Urbana mailboxes stolen from mail carrier: [Nikeya Holmes, a customer service supervisor with the Urbana Post Office,] said she isn’t sure what will happen if the key is not found, but that the Chicago-area has seen similar crimes in the past. She said that the Urbana Post Office will communicate with other offices who have experienced this issue before to figure out what to do if the key remains stolen.

* WSIL | Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Raises $115,000: Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois held their annual United We Lead Gala, raising more than $115,000 for the organization. The gala took place in Edwardsville on September 6th. This year’s theme was “Envision Greatness.” Girl Scout officials say the event brings together a wide range of people who share a common goal – to empower today’s girls to become tomorrow’s leaders.

* WSIL | Time to enjoy the fall foliage display at Bald Knob Cross of Peace: Bald Knob Cross of Peace organizers say as nature is setting the scene they look forward to their annual Fall Colors at the Cross celebration around one of the world’s largest crosses on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, 2024. Attendees are advised to bring lawn chairs so they can enjoy lunch and help them welcome Nashville recording artist, Marty DeRoche at 1pm on Saturday.

*** White Sox ***

* Fox 32 | Chicago White Sox announce a multiyear deal for analyst Steve Stone: The Sox announced Thursday they’ve inked baseball analyst Steve Stone to a multiyear deal. Stone also announced the deal on the air during the Sox’s series finale against the Angels of Anaheim. Stone’s analysis will move over to the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) and work with White Sox play-by-play announcer John Schriffen.

* WaPo | How to cover the worst MLB team ever without going (too) insane: “You have to kind of try to figure out a specific moment of a game — when did this one turn?” said LaMond Pope, who covers the team for the Chicago Tribune. “That’s how you go into the clubhouse versus, ‘Talk to me about your general feelings about all this.’” For the most part, reporters said, the players have been both understanding of their circumstances and generally approachable. “A month into the year, it’s, ‘Why do you suck?’ And the answer has always been: ‘Well, we don’t want to suck. We’re trying hard not to suck.’ And they’ve answered it over and over and over again,” said Bruce Levine, a veteran baseball reporter in town.

* ESPN | Inside the 2024 White Sox’s road to MLB’s all-time worst recordXT: MORE THAN 17,000 fans — and 375 dogs, attending the season’s final Dog Day promotion — descended upon Guaranteed Rate Field on Tuesday, there to see the Chicago White Sox set the modern-day mark for losses in a single season. One fan even printed out a hard ticket for the game. “It’s history,” he said. “I want to have a piece of it.”

* NYT | How Does a Baseball Team Lose 120 Games? Every Way You Can Think Of: In the fourth inning of a ridiculous baseball game — ridiculous even by the standards of the 2024 Chicago White Sox — I wandered out into the stands to meet Beefloaf. Beefloaf sits in Section 108. I’d noticed him earlier, from across the stadium, because a White Sox home run (a rare thing) had gone sailing past the right field foul pole and landed near his seat. Even in the maelstrom of high fives, Beefloaf stood out: big guy, round shoulders, wearing a tank-top jersey with the number “108” and, in capital letters, “BEEFLOAF.” (Beefloaf is not Beefloaf’s legal name; his 5-year-old daughter chose the nickname, and it stuck.)

* Tribune | With Chicago White Sox fans rooting against them, the players have to do it for themselves: A playoff-type atmosphere was in store for the Sox, though they were as far away from the postseason as humanly possible. And with Sox fans rooting for a loss the last two days, the players responded with back-to-back wins, including Wednesday’s 4-3, 10-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels on Andrew Benintendi’s walk-off single. “It’s huge,” Benintendi said. “I think if we swept the final series of the year, it would be, not funny, but it’d give us all a chuckle.”

*** National ***

* AP | A Pennsylvania bakery known for its election cookie poll is swamped with orders: The bakery sells 4-inch (10-centimeter) round sugar cookies, one with blue and white sprinkles and a Harris 2024 label on it and the other with red and white sprinkles and a Trump 2024 label on it. The sale of each Harris 2024 cookie counts as a vote in the poll for Democrat Kamala Harris and likewise for Republican Donald Trump. The cookie poll started in 2008 and accurately predicted the winner the first three times, but not in 2020, when Trump lost the election for the White House to Democrat Joe Biden.

  7 Comments      


Unclear on the concept

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crain’s…

A public discussion about whether taxpayers should chip in close to $1 billion to help the Chicago Bears or Chicago White Sox build new stadiums in the city has prompted a question among the local commercial real estate community: Where would you want that money invested instead?

That was the exercise put before about 300 Chicago-area real estate pros over the summer by the Urban Land Institute and the Real Estate Center at DePaul University as part of its annual Chicago real estate midyear sentiment report.

A field of developers, investors, brokers, financial partners, real estate attorneys and other industry stakeholders were asked to choose from a list of where they’d want to see such resources dedicated if they were not earmarked to subsidize either recent proposal from the pro sports teams for new venues.

The top answer, selected by 42% of respondents: More funding for police.

Maybe that would be an interesting question if the city was offering to put up a billion dollars. Instead, the teams want the state to pony up that and much more. The city wants the state to expend billions on Soldier Field.

And even if it was valid, why would you put $1 billion in one-time cash into ongoing operations?

* The rest of the survey…

I guess it’s fine as some sort of exercise to tease out that group’s spending priorities. But, other than that, it’s basically worthless.

  9 Comments      


Food for thought

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Progressive Chicago alderperson…


Hard to argue with any of that.

  17 Comments      


AG Raoul: Watch out for AI election misinformation

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* AG Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released a 2024 Voter Misinformation Guide to help Illinois voters identify and report election misinformation generated by artificial intelligence (AI), which is increasingly being used to create fake but realistic content about the November election and its candidates.

Raoul explained the AI-generated content can include misleading videos, images or audio that can impersonate people or candidates, which cause confusion or even dissuade people from voting.

“The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights we have as Americans, and voters deserve to have accurate information about the important choices they make on their ballots,” Raoul said. “As the general election draws nearer, I’m reminding Illinoisans to be vigilant about election misinformation and election-related financial fraud. Don’t let scammers steal your vote, your identity or your hard-earned dollars. Use reliable sources to educate yourself on your ballot choices and make your plan to vote.”

AI-generated election misinformation is deployed through social media platforms, robocalls, text messages and chatbots that can quickly spread false information. For instance, fake, AI-generated audio of political candidates has been used in attempts to deter voters around the country from going to the polls in previous elections. AI-generated pictures falsely depicting celebrities endorsing or condemning a particular political candidate or cause are also shared widely across social media.

* Daily Herald…

You can only register to vote in-person, by mail and online at official websites — not over the phone or by text, officials said. Voters can learn more at the Illinois State Board of Elections.

AI election misinformation spirals through robocalls, texts, social media and chatbots, Raoul said. Deceptions can range from donation scams to lies about candidates to false endorsement from celebrities.

This January, thousands of New Hampshire residents received robocalls urging them not to vote in the state’s primary. Instead they should save their votes for the Nov. 5 general election, advised a voice artificially manipulated to sound like President Joe Biden.

New Hampshire authorities filed charges in the case but it’s a cautionary tale.

* Early voting starts today in most of the state, Tribune…

Election Day is still 40 days away, but election season kicks off Thursday throughout much of Illinois.

That’s when in-person early voting begins in many parts of the state, including the collar counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will. Thursday also marks the first day for local election authorities in the state to mail ballots to registered voters.

Early voting, however, does not start yet in Chicago or suburban Cook County. Chicago voters have to wait until Oct. 3 to cast early ballots in person, and suburban Cook County residents will be able to vote early in person beginning Oct. 9. […]

Two years ago, nearly 40% of Illinois ballots were cast ahead of the November general election, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

That included about 879,000 early votes at polling locations and 737,000 mail ballots, according to election board data.

* WBEZ has some background on the income tax advisory question that’s on the ballot…

A 3% tax on individual income over $1 million would flood Illinois’ coffers with at least $4.5 billion in new revenues annually, a new state estimate shows weeks ahead of an advisory referendum on earmarking that money for property tax relief.

The estimate, obtained by WBEZ through a state open-records request, marks the first time Gov. JB Pritzker’s Revenue Department has weighed in on the effects of imposing that new proposed tax on the state’s wealthiest citizens to ease what is a leading financial issue daunting the middle class.

Voters are being asked this question now because lawmakers in May voted to bring it forward as part of a broader election package that Pritzker signed.

The exact wording of the ballot question reads: “Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?”

And while the results on the referendum won’t be binding, the outcome could arm policymakers in the General Assembly with new ammunition to seek a constitutional amendment in 2026 — the year Pritzker himself may be on the ballot — to impose the millionaires tax for property tax relief.

  12 Comments      


Quantum computer company EeroQ sets up shop in Chicago

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Press release…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and EeroQ Corporation leadership to announce new investments in the company’s quantum headquarters in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community. EeroQ’s $1.1 million investment in capital expenditures, bolstered by an Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) for Startups agreement and Illinois Innovation Venture Fund (INVENT) investments, will enable the company to develop the team and tools needed to build a quantum computer and revolutionize various fields. […]

Founded in 2017, EeroQ is building a commercial-scale quantum computer using electrons floating on top of liquid helium and leveraging today’s existing chip fabrication technology. This innovative strategy allows EeroQ to scale rapidly and with resource efficiency. […]

As part of the State’s comprehensive incentive package, EeroQ received an EDGE for Startups tax credit, and has committed to making a $1.1 million investment, creating five new full-time jobs and retaining eight full-time jobs. A link to the full agreement can be found here.

* WTTW…

EeroQ CEO Nick Farina said after conducting a national search, the company chose Chicago as its headquarters.

It was the right decision, Farina said.

“There is a very, very bright future for quantum in Chicago,” Farina said. […]

Thursday’s announcement at EeroQ’s office was another notch in the state’s belt as Gov. J.B. Pritzker seeks to make Illinois the nation’s “quantum capital.”

Illinois is spending half a billion dollars to build the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on the South Side of Chicago with California startup PsiQuantum as the anchor tenant. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) also chose to partner with Illinois on a quantum prototype testing project that will be based at the park.

“I couldn’t be happier for them (EeroQ),” said Preeti Chalsani, a physicist who in June was hired by Intersect Illinois to serve as chief quantum officer. “It means a lot to me to have them be doing this work here in Illinois.”

* WTVO…

EeroQ is a startup company that uses liquid helium and traditional chip-making technologies to create processors, or qubits, for quantum computers. The 8-year-old startup that raised $13.5 million decided to move to Chicago in 2022, according to Chicago Business. […]

EeroQ’s CEO said the company is building the next generation of quantum computer chips. He said, once developed, it will help lead to breakthrough advances in areas such as medicine, finance, energy efficiency and aerospace.

  9 Comments      


Open thread

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

  12 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker calls CPS budget deficit ‘challenging,’ advises against borrowing. WTTW…

As CPS CEO Pedro Martinez fights to hold onto the job Mayor Brandon Johnson wants him removed from, the Chicago Teachers Union, City Council members, a coalition of Latino activists, prominent members of the business community and recent CPS executives are on the battlelines.

But Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pointedly staying out of the fray, calling the city and district’s budget issues “challenging.”

“You know, that’s a personnel matter for the (Chicago) Board of Education, and a decision that I guess the mayor is making, so, not something that I intend for the state to interfere with,” Pritzker said Wednesday in response to reporters’ questions. […]

Johnson reportedly called for the district to borrow $300 million to cover the pension and extra spending.

Martinez has rejected doing so, and the board doesn’t have a loan on its Thursday agenda.

* Related stories…

At 1:30 pm Governor Pritzker will celebrate the opening of HIRE360 Training and Business Development Center. Click here to watch.

* Press Release…

Testimony before the Illinois House Revenue Committee on the importance of the Illinois Property Tax Relief Amendment

This Thursday, September 26, at a legislative hearing between 2:00pm – 3:30pm, in Room C-600 at the Bilandic State Office Building, 160 N. LaSalle, Chicago, IL, former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will testify on the importance of the Illinois Property Tax Relief Amendment before the Illinois House Revenue Committee chaired by Rep. Kelly Burke.

The Amendment was placed on the November 5 ballot as an advisory referendum by Resolution of the Illinois General Assembly and reads as follows:

“Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?”

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WGN | Dolton trustees: Judge blocks Tiffany Henyard appointments: The bitter battle for control of south suburban Dolton took another turn Wednesday evening when trustees opposed to Mayor Tiffany Henyard said they were granted a key ruling limiting Henyard’s power. Trustees asked a Cook County judge for a temporary restraining order blocking Henyard’s recent appointments of a new police chief, village manager and village attorney. They argued Henyard can’t unilaterally make appointments without their consent.

* Block Club | Couple’s Marriage Proposal Goes Viral, White Sox Avoid Record-Setting Loss At ‘Weirdest Game Ever’: The night was already surreal: The White Sox were on the brink of setting the record for most losses in a single season. But even with greater history looming, Taft decided to go through with the proposal anyway. “We enjoy going to games together … And I didn’t really consider that this was going to be the game [the record] could happen,” Taft said with a laugh. “I was hoping the Sox would win. But I didn’t care that much about watching the game. More focused on the proposal.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Daily Herald | ‘Not a real problem’ or ‘mission critical’? State senate hopefuls differ on climate change: “Climate change is a very convenient political ploy to advocate for all kinds of government control,” said Jon Luers, a software engineer from Chicago. “I believe that the climate has not changed much over the last any number of years that you can name. It does change gradually from year to year and decade to decade, but I believe that we are just fine, and no governmental intervention should be attempted to change that.” [Sen. Rob Martwick], who has held the Senate seat since 2019 after serving as a state representative for much of the same area since 2012, attributed climate change to “the realities of the human condition,” including population growth, the burning of fossil fuels, and excess use of disposable plastics.

*** Chicago ***

* South Side Weekly | El Barrio Art Show Celebrates Latinx Heritage: El Barrio Art Show welcomed artists and performers to showcase their work at Southside Sociál in Back of the Yards. Organized by Ruidosa Art Collective founders Stephanie ‘Soli’ Herrera and Garcia, the legacy event was transformed in its second year from a backyard show to an evening of art, vendors, tattooing, and music. It was followed by an official afterparty at Subterranean in collaboration with Mictlān Productions, which hosts underground dance parties and punk shows.

* FOX 32 | Not tonight, 121: White Sox win as Benintendi singles in 10th for 4-3 win over Angels: The Chicago White Sox avoided a record-breaking 121st loss for the second straight game, beating the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Wednesday night on Andrew Benintendi’s 10th-inning single. […] Benintendi delivered the go-ahead hit for the second time in as many games when he lined a one-out single to left-center against José Quijada (2-1), helping the White Sox (38-120) put off infamy for the second night in a row. Designated runner Miguel Vargas scored from second.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Past due: DuPage County clerk credit card bill goes unpaid: A past due credit card bill is now part of the ongoing controversy surrounding the DuPage County clerk’s office and unpaid bills. The $4,812 charge on the county’s only credit card stems from a retrofit to the county clerk’s election van. County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek submitted the bill for payment, but the county finance department noted there was no money in the clerk’s capital budget to pay the bill.

* Sun-Times | U.S. Senate passes resolution honoring Palestinian-American boy killed in alleged Plainfield hate crime: The Senate passed a resolution this week honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, the 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy from Plainfield murdered last October in what authorities called an anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian hate crime. The resolution states that “no one should be a target of hate because of their ethnicity or religion, whether such ethnicity or religion is expressed verbally or through how one dresses, such as through the wearing of a hijab, keffiyeh, turban, mitpahat, tichel, shpitzel, sheitel, kippah, or yarmulke,” and that the U.S. “has zero tolerance for hate crimes, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab discrimination.”

* FOX 32 | Suburb eliminates daily fees at Metra parking lots: According to City Administrator Tim Kristin, the decision comes in response to ongoing issues with vandalism and theft at the parking lot payboxes, which have required police intervention and repairs from public works staff. In total, Kristin said the estimated cost to replace 12 payboxes is $60,000.

* Sun-Times | Bozo fan Billy Corgan plans three-day celebration of beloved clown: One of Bozo’s biggest fans — Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan — is bringing the clown and a heaping serving of tube TV nostalgia to Madame ZuZu’s, the art and dining space he runs with his wife, Chloé Mendel, at 1876 First St. in Highland Park, in October. The three-day event — Oct. 18-20 — features a host of “Bozo’s Circus”-related activities, including vintage Bozo carnival games as well as an appearance by “Scream” actor David Arquette as the beloved clown.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Springfield removes homeless camp two weeks after withdrawing ordinance to fine ‘public camping’: “Outreach coordinators were immediately dispatched on-site to connect with all individuals, providing referrals, resources, and contact information,” city officials wrote in the statement. “Everyone was given the opportunity to collect their belongings. However, some unclaimed items were left behind.” The City called the Public Works Department to remove more belongings. Eyewitnesses reported construction vehicles were used to remove the belongings.

* SJ-R | New Springfield-area sheriff is intent on listening to Massey Commission: New Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch told The State Journal-Register in a one-on-one interview last week that she is intent on listening to the Massey Commission and suggestions it might offer regarding policing in the community going forward. “I think the most important thing is for me right now to hear what the Massey Commission has identified as what our community thinks is a big problem with law enforcement,” Crouch said. “I don’t think it’s going to be just the county. It’s law enforcement in general, though our focus with this issue is the county.

* WCIA | Danville Quaker Oats building scheduled to be demolished soon: Mayor Williams says what hurts him the most is seeing people without jobs. He says the city owns nearly 100 acres west of the building. Williams also said he’s been in talks with PepsiCo to see if they can get the property Quaker Oats sits on.

* SJ-R | Born a woman, fought as a man: Looking for Lincoln campaign to share Albert Cashier story: There are 260 such wayside exhibits in the state, and according Liz Vincent, Pontiac’s director of community enrichment, there’s talk of adding more — more specifically a storyboard for Albert Cashier, who has ties to both Belvidere and Saunemin, Illinois. […] After the war, Cashier returned to Illinois and continued to live as a man, working and voting in elections as well as receiving a pension as veteran. Cashier worked as a farmhand and a laborer in Belvidere and Saunemin, which is about 12 miles east of Pontiac.

* WCIA | Central Illinois 3D concrete printing goes viral: LX Construction is responsible for the first 3D concrete printed building in Illinois. The original building and many others have attracted the attention of millions on social media. “We started posting some really easy, simple videos, and before too long the first one hit a million,” CEO of LX Construction Nathan Lilly said. Their most viral video has over six million views. They show their thousands of followers cutting edge 3D concrete printing.

* Crain’s | Contract pharma manufacturer putting $146M into big expansion in Rockford: PCI Pharma Services plans to grow its largest manufacturing facility by more than 50%, pouring about $146 million into a 545,000-square-foot expansion into its Rockford facility. The Philadelphia-based contract pharma manufacturer said in an emailed statement it now has five facilities across more than a million square feet at its Rockford campus and employs more than 2,220 people. The facilities perform advanced drug delivery and drug-device combination assembly and packaging, the company said.

*** National ***

* NYT | Hurricane Helene Strengthens as It Heads Toward Florida Coast: The storm could intensify to a Category 4, if not higher, before making landfall late Thursday, and forecasters warned Helene’s anticipated large size could make its effects felt across an extensive area. Areas as distant as Atlanta and the Appalachians are at risk for heavy rains.

* AP | 10th death reported in Boar’s Head deli meat listeria outbreak: At least 59 people in 19 states have been sickened by the bacteria first detected in liverwurst made at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant. Illnesses were reported between late May and late August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. All of those who fell ill were hospitalized. The latest fatality was reported in New York, bringing the total deaths to two each in New York and South Carolina and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico.

  12 Comments      


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

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

  Comments Off      


Live coverage

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here or here to follow breaking news. It’s the best we can do unless or until Twitter gets its act together.

  Comments Off      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 - Posted by Isabel Miller

  Comments Off      


« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Selected react to budget reconciliation bill passage (Updated x2)
* Reader comments closed for Independence Day
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Some fiscal news
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
* RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
* Groups warn about plan that doesn't appear to be in the works
* SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth
* Campaign news: Big Raja money; Benton over-shares; Rashid's large cash pile; Jeffries to speak at IDCCA brunch
* Rep. Hoan Huynh jumps into packed race for Schakowsky’s seat (Updated)
* Roundup: Pritzker taps Christian Mitchell for LG
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition (Updated)
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Trump admin freezes $240 million in grants for Illinois K-12 schools
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller