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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

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Illinois

* Here it is…

The Trace | Illinois Legislators Want to Expand Prison Alternatives for Gun Possession:

* Tribune | DCFS day care manager charged with stealing millions meant for child care, blowing it at casino: The investigation showed some of the locations that Pridgeon had claimed were providing day care for foster children were either vacant buildings or other businesses. In other instances, Pridgeon overcharged DCFS for child care from legitimate providers who were supposed to be paid at a lower rate, the complaint alleged.

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson opens first City Council meeting with a joke that he’s ‘live from Naperville,’ a dig at Fox News, then gets down to business: But the meeting quickly turned serious as the public comment period began ahead of an expected vote on designating $51 million in city budget surpluses to fund migrant services as the arrival of asylum seekers in Chicago continues unabated.

* Sun-Times | Johnson wins first test of City Council muscle: Presiding over his first City Council meeting, Johnson easily won passage of the compromise he forged, shrinking the number of committees from 28 to 20 and replacing Finance Committee Chairman Scott Waguespack (32nd) with Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), whose decision to abandon Mayor Lori Lightfoot and endorse Johnson was a turning point in Johnson’s winning campaign.

* WTTW | Chicago City Council Votes 41-9 to Ratify Johnson’s Picks for Leadership Team: The Chicago City Council handed Mayor Brandon Johnson his first victory Wednesday, voting 41-9 to ratify his plan to create 20 committees and elevate his closest allies into positions of power.

* Sun-Times | Here’s some steps Mayor Brandon Johnson can take to fix public transit: And private security, with its high cost and a lack of oversight, and more police won’t solve the the root causes of violence or make for healthy, comfortable rider conditions. Both also create their own risk of violence. Instead, better reliability and reduced wait times encourage ridership, which can improve a collective sense of safety. And the Johnson administration could create a transit ambassador or social worker program to support those in need, while also enhancing the rider experience.

* Sun-Times | Migrant funding hits roadblock in City Council: The delay will require the Council to return to session sooner than late June, as originally planned. Chicago is literally out of money, space and time to solve the migrant crisis and the influx of over 8,000 migrants. refugees and asylum-seekers.

* NPR | Illinois Republican leader shares her concerns about the state budget: With the most recent legislative map redistricting, her constituency now includes part of DeKalb County, including the City of DeKalb. “Welcome to creative drawing,” said Rezin about her 38th District senate seat. “And just so you know, both parties are guilty of it.”

* Center Square | Bill heading to Pritzker’s desk requires ISBE to create new literacy plan: With Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford as the lead sponsor, Senate Bill 2243 passed by a 56-0 vote, paving the way for the bill to now advance to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker.

* Center Square | Bill would prevent highway crews from doing contract work in other Illinois counties: Senate Bill 895 would amend the Illinois Highway Code and provide that a county cannot construct, improve or repair a road or transportation-related project that is outside the county’s borders.

* Tribune | Man steals backhoe for 10-mile drive to Illinois airport to catch flight: Security camera footage shows a Carbondale man arriving at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois atop a backhoe and leaving it in the airport parking lot Thursday, the Williamson County Sheriffs Office said.

* Sun-Times | Move over, Sue. Make room for Spinosaurus, the world’s largest predatory dinosaur: The museum plans to unveil a cast of a Spinosaurus on June 3 in Stanley Field Hall. It is 46 feet long — 4 feet longer than Sue — with a crocodilelike snout and a paddlelike tail.

posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:18 pm

Comments

It truly can’t be said enough, thank you Isabel for your “Morning” and “Afternoon” roundups, especially during session and it’s crazy waning days and hours.

Comments may seem “light” but I for one read them and I’m grateful for them too

OW

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:39 pm
I concur with OW

Comment by CentralILCentrist Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:51 pm
I can’t understand the push for gun control, while simultaneously pushing for lighter sentences for illegal gun possession through the first time gun offender program. To make matters worse, there is no way to even tell if the program is successful or being abused, because there is no data on the first time gun offender program, because “the program isn’t required to collect data.”

Comment by Adam Laroach's son Drake Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:53 pm
Ditto.

Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 2:53 pm
–Mayor Brandon Johnson opens first City Council meeting with a joke that he’s ‘live from Naperville’ –

This guy is going to do just fine.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:05 pm
DoubleDitto…

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:17 pm
All this time…and I coulda just took the backhoe.

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:19 pm
Thank you, Isabel. I try not to miss your roundups.

Comment by yinn Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:23 pm
I’m guessing the guy who stole the backhoe missed his flight anyway.

Comment by JoanP Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 3:36 pm
If you had to pick a state agency to steal $1.6 million from, DCFS would be at the top of the list.

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 5:49 pm
Literacy plan will not change much. Schools here are already doing what the bill entails. They are using the high IAR/Parcc bar again too for saying levels are too low. There is room for improvement and these things are good things but it is not a magical fix all the education reporters and ed lobbying groups claim it is.

Comment by DTownResident Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 6:15 pm
@Adam

===I can’t understand the push for gun control, while simultaneously pushing for lighter sentences for illegal gun possession through the first time gun offender program ===

Life is not simply an either or proposition. I doubt most gun control people want to imprison people for long terms for first time offenses. For heinous crimes? Certainly. But for illegal possession? Probably not.

Imagine if the Supreme Court upholds the new law, and police next year catch speeders or domestic disturbance people also possessing unregistered assault weapons. I doubt most gun control people will seek prison enhancement charges in all cases. Rather, judicial discretion should be available. Diversion (and confiscation should should be on the table for those who reuse to register their weapons this year just to make a political point.

Alternatively, I personally would prefer fewer guns on the streets, fewer weapons in general designed to efficiently kill multiple humans at a time, and prison sentences that are geared toward rehabilitation and quicker restitution. Locking people up for decades has never reduced crime. It has simply enhanced the fiscal burdens upon the citizenry. Long sentences also do not allow many prisoners to become better citizens.

I see no contradiction between stronger gun regulations, and restorative justice. More humane (and shorter) prison sentences, rehabilitation of offenders, and restitution for harms caused do not have to contradict gun control measures.

Comment by H-W Wednesday, May 24, 23 @ 7:33 pm
I appreciate your thoughtful response. I agree that judicial discretion should be available and under the law, even without this program, it is. That is because this program is not available for “non-probationalble” weapons offenses.

Comment by Adam Laroach's son Drake Thursday, May 25, 23 @ 12:18 pm