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An attorney appointed to represent the interests of some residents from the Warren G. Murray Developmental Center says in a sworn statement that the private homes they’re being sent to are unsafe and woefully understaffed.

The attorney, Stewart Freeman, says in his affidavit that he fears someone might even die in one of the privately-run homes.

Freeman says one of his clients who has been moved to a private facility suffered a seizure because the home ran out of medicine, and another was fed a store-bought nutrition drink for days because the home ran out of the doctor-prescribed nutrition that the resident is supposed to receive via feeding tube.

But the head of the state office that is responsible for safeguarding Illinoisans with developmental disabilities says in his own sworn statement that he, too, has visited the privately-run homes, and found former Murray residents who are living happily in well-run facilities.

* AP…

A year after Illinois was sued and reached a settlement over inadequate conditions in its juvenile detention centers, two separate reports are detailing a number of conditions that the authors say must change.

The first report is by a panel of experts, submitted in U.S. Northern District Court Monday as part of the settlement. It details an eight-month investigation of the state’s six juvenile detention centers in Kewanee, St. Charles, Warrenville, Joliet, Harrisburg and Pere Marquette. The juvenile justice and adolescent psychiatric experts describe incarcerated teens mowing lawns during the school day, being improperly medicated and routinely subjected to more solitary confinement than necessary.

The second report, by watchdog group the John Howard Association, was obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its scheduled release Thursday morning.

The group examined conditions at Kewanee, a specialized mental health facility that’s seen an influx of maximum security inmates following the closure of another facility by Gov. Pat Quinn. The Joliet Youth Center closed in February as part of Quinn’s decision to shutter several Illinois prisons and other facilities as a way to save money. The report says Kewanee is a facility with “extremely limited resources” to deal with its population of juvenile sex offenders and youths with acute mental illness.

* Tribune…

The staff of the agency charged with overseeing land use and transportation planning for northeastern Illinois is recommending against the construction of a new toll road connecting interstates in Illinois and Indiana.

The proposal for the Illiana Corridor is “broadly incompatible with the overall goals and recommendations” of the region’s long-range master plan, the staff at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning said in a report issued this morning.

Building the Illiana would “expose the State of Illinois to extensive financial risk” due to the proposed toll road’s estimated cost and potential financing structure, the report found.

The Illiana, a project strongly pushed by Gov. Pat Quinn, would be a 47-mile toll road cutting across southern Will County and linking Interstates 55, 57 and 65 in Indiana.

The full report is here.

Greg Hinz has more…

CMAP estimates that in addition to the $950 million IDOT estimates the road will need from the state or a private investor, there is an additional “funding gap” of $440 million to $1.1 billion.

The Illiana will be “unable to repay its initial debt, pay for annual operations and maintenance, finance required periodic capital maintenance expenditures and meet private-sector return on investment requirements without a public subsidy,” the report says. […]

Officials in Will County strongly back the roadway. So do proponents of a proposed third metropolitan airport at Peotone, which the Illiana would pass to the south. But foes — including the Metropolitan Planning Council and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle — suggest that CMAP’s integrity and ability to send resources where they’re most needed is on the line if it begins caving in to demands from powerful politicians.

Though Mr. Quinn has argued that the roadway would serve transportation needs, it also would serve political needs as he enters an election year. It could potentially help him attract votes in Will County, campaign contributions from contractors and shore up support for the Peotone airport that he’s also pushing as a way to attract support from African-American voters.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 12:50 pm

Comments

If the homes are running out of needed stuff, isn’t there a computer inventory system which could help with that. As a matter of fact, it seems to me that there could be video monitoring of homes if there are concerns about how the residents are being cared for. Don’t some children’s day care centers have video monitoring now, so parents can be reassured.

I know, I know, it’s expensive. But it’s the future. Why not hurry it up a bit. And a privacy argument seems a bit weak these days, with Youtube, and with the fed govt seemingly able to monitor just about everything. Without a lot of protest from the general public,I might add.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 1:09 pm
As someone who travels I-80/94, the amount of trucks on that stretch is alarming. This road is intended to create an alternate route; it may not have a high volume, but it would allow trucks to bypass Chicago….which is why CMAP opposes it.

Comment by Darienite Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 1:23 pm
@Cassandra:

You really need to get off of this computer kick of yours. Computers aren’t the saviors of the world, contrary to your beliefs.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 1:26 pm
The evidence continues to pile up, for those who are paying attention, that the State can’t afford to meet its basic obligations with its current tax structure. Republicans and editors who claim the state can pay its bills by cutting taxes are in denial.

Comment by reformer Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 1:29 pm
“This is Illinois” Actually this is unacceptable and people who aren’t insiders and bff with the powers that have been at the wheel for decades are really tired of this. A lot of us are tired of the media looking at this and saying oh it’s just the Illinois way and we have a recession and it’s been happening for forever and it will work itself out and it’s no ones fault.

Heads do not need to roll. Springfield and cook county need to be politically leveled.

Comment by Shore Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 1:35 pm
@Darienite

Excellent comment. Further, let’s not forget the Frank Borman Expressway, I-80 in Indiana, has had its final lane expansion, and cannot add any more. If the Illiana takes only a portion of the east bound I-80 truck traffic headed from Indianapolis, it will improve safety on I-80, which is something (safety) the anti-construction crowd dismiss / minimize.

Comment by Anyone Remember? Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 2:06 pm
Will County has grown into a big political player. They want their piece of the pie.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 2:17 pm
Ah, come on, Chicago just got $500 million dumped in its lap to fix the Circle. Spread the wealth around.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 2:41 pm
Demoralized

Your opinion.

But sending folks back to live in institutions dating back to the 19th century isn’t happening.
Nor is building large, ultra-expensive new ones. So use technology to facilitate the transition and make things as great as possible for the residents.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 2:51 pm
Look at how much is being spent per juvenile at the various detention centers.

Comment by Budget nerd Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 3:03 pm
Darienite,
Absolutely correct 80/94 is dangerously overcrowded with trucks. Connecting 65,57,55 farther south is a needed alternative. You have to believe an illiana expressway would also be good for the south suburbs, Will county and the Kankakee and Joliet areas. The state could really use some good growth in those areas.

Comment by Fed up Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 3:07 pm
Am all for anything to reduce congestion around 55/80.

Too bad they didn’t do this years ago so there was already a detour around the Arsenal Rd. intersection mess right now.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, Sep 27, 13 @ 4:31 pm