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* ICYMI: Legislative staff unionization bill faces uncertain future in Senate. Hannah Meisel…
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker, never shy about criticizing Republicans, calls for ‘common ground’ at national conference: On Wednesday, at a national political conference of progressives in Washington, the second-term governor with potential presidential aspirations presented a new political style — conciliator. “I’m just saying leadership in this time means putting in check sometimes your emotions about the attacks that are coming and instead trying to find common ground to work with one another because we have to bring the temperature down in this country and talk to one another, whatever party we belong to or whatever ideology we may have, because we have so much to accomplish,” Pritzker told an audience at the progressive Center for American Progress annual ideas conference.
* Sun-Times | Chicago-area retiree opens home to migrants — ‘new family members’ — stuck at police stations: A retiree with terminal cancer, Elaine Pierce made a cocoon in her home, surrounding herself with her daughter, books and movies. It was a solitude she needed, yet she gave it up recently for something more important — to help families in crisis, opening her Oak Park bungalow to migrant families without a home. “I only wish I could do more,” Pierce told the Sun-Times.
* Tribune | Suburban school district reconsiders postponing Hampshire’s spring musical about gay teens after student and parent outcry: The theater student was eager for the reveal of this year’s selection of “The Prom,” a comedic musical about a school that tries to cancel a dance to prevent a gay student from attending. The 18-year-old said this year’s production meant more than usual because it was a chance for theater kids, some part of the LGBTQ+ community, to feel represented in their craft. But then district administrators stepped in. They shut down the announcement, telling students in a meeting last Friday that they wouldn’t allow the music department to put on the show this year due to safety concerns, he said.
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* WAND | Senate approves bill providing faith based food options in public schools, correctional facilities: Senate Bill 457 could require all Illinois public schools, state correctional facilities and the University of Illinois hospital in Chicago to offer the faith based food options if requested. If signed by the governor, ISBE would be tasked with entering into statewide master contracts from vendors across the state.
* WTTW | Lawmakers Push for Compensation for Chicago’s Elected School Board: Sponsoring state Sen. Robert Martwick, a Democrat who represents parts of the city’s Northwest Side, said if Chicago wants a diverse school board, it needs to remove barriers — like a lack of pay — that would prevent some residents from running for board seats.
* SJ-R | Chicago homicide suspect in custody after Illinois State Police trooper shot overnight: The shooting was a personal matter to Rep. Bradley Fritts, R-Dixon, as the trooper is engaged to one of his legislative aides. The freshman lawmaker addressed the Illinois House Wednesday, arguing that law enforcement needs support.
* Block Club | Englewood Activist Jumps Into Illinois House Race To Represent South Side District: This will be Williams’ first time running for statewide public office. He was elected to the Englewood (7th) District Police Department council earlier this year.
* WMCL | Legislators share concerns bout bill impacting workers with disabilities: Rep. Theresa Mah (D-Chicago) believes that the state should empower people with disabilities to maximize their employment and self-sufficiency. Mah believes it is wrong that some disabled workers are being paid much less than the state’s minimum wage and it is past time to eliminate the sub-minimum wage. However, other lawmakers, such as State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) and State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton) believe a lot of these workers will be without jobs if the bill passes.
* Center Square | Who covers EV charger costs for homes main focus of Illinois mandate: On Wednesday, legislators discussed a trailer bill in Senate Bill 384, which changes the language of the original measure by changing multi-unit residential buildings to multi-family residential buildings with parking spaces constructed after the act’s effective date. Feigenholtz defended the measure during Senate debates, saying this would not increase costs for property owners.
* Commercial-News | IGB to act on permanent casino license: Five months after Golden Nugget Danville Casino received a temporary operating permit to open, Danville Development LLC will be going before the Illinois Gaming Board on Thursday for the casino’s permanent license.
* Sun-Times | Chicago Public Schools officials project $391 million deficit next year when COVID-19 relief funds run out: District leaders and Board of Education officials have warned of a financial cliff approaching next school year. Federal COVID-19 relief funds had papered over a structural deficit that officials estimate will reach $691 million. Only $300 million in federal funding is left to offset that,
* Tribune | Euthanizations up 25% in Chicago animal shelter; city director points to post-pandemic return to work, inflation: “The shelter is really, really sad right now,” one CACC volunteer said during public comment at the hearing. “Those are living animals. They needed a chance. They deserve a chance. And we really need leadership that is really passionate about the animals.”
* Post-Tribune | Renovated $38.4M welcome center on I-65 gives visitors a view of the region, from monarch butterflies to steel industry: Officials including Gov. Eric Holcomb gathered Tuesday at the site on southbound Interstate 65 just before the Indiana 10 interchange in Demotte to dedicate the newly renovated $38.4 million welcome center. All except for about $4 million of the project was federally funded, Holcomb said.
* VCF | Resolution Passed by Illinois House Honoring Memory of State Rep Bill Black: The Illinois House of Representatives Wednesday adopted House Resolution 409 which mourns the passing of former Illinois State Representative and Assistant Minority Leader Bill Black of Danville. State Representative Mike Marron (R-Fithian) sponsored the resolution and spoke about his mentor on the House floor before its adoption.
* Sun-Times | Highland Park massacre suspect keeps phone privileges despite rant that FBI staged attack: The Highland Park massacre suspect sent a video message from Lake County Jail claiming the attack was staged by federal agents, raising questions about his access to communications as he awaits trial on charges of killing seven people and wounding dozens more. The woman who recorded the Sept. 21 call was found to have violated jail rules and was banned from making further video calls with inmates. But Robert E. Crimo III hasn’t been disciplined and is allowed to make calls from a tablet in his cell, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.
* AP | At least 16 dead in Maine mass killing and police hunt for the shooter as residents take shelter: A man shot and killed at least 16 people at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine, on Wednesday and then fled into the night, sparking a massive search by hundreds of officers while frightened residents stayed locked in their homes.
* NYT | U.A.W. and Ford Reach Tentative Contract Agreement: The union said the deal included a roughly 25 percent pay increase over four years, cost-of-living wage adjustments, major gains on pensions and job security, and the right to strike over plant closures. It called on striking Ford workers to go back to work while the tentative agreement awaits ratification.
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 7:40 am
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JB works to find common ground with anyone to the right of his extreme progressive agenda by refraining from calling them all racist, homophobe, xenophobe deplorables for a day or two
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 8:25 am
The staff union articles dont give much guidance as to what Harmon’s views on the subject are. Do we know anything?
Comment by low level Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 9:01 am
The $391 million projected structural deficit for CPS does not seem to include other obligations like collective bargaining raises. SEIU73 is still negotiating an open contract and CTU will be negotiating one soon.
It’s time to revisit the provisions in law that deal specifically with budget/finances for CPS, especially as an elected board comes online.
Comment by Chicago Voter Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 9:18 am
- LP -
I bet you also are excited that an insurrection apologist and election denier is now 2nd in line to the presidency… with Bost, LaHood and Miller (no relation to Rich) all electing someone as Speaker that put his name to the legal avenues to the election denying too.
So as you’re concerned about Pritzker, it will be interesting that your worry about an accepting Pritzker allows you to ignore all that this new Speaker embraces… in hate.
I just don’t remember you writing anything like Pritzker wrote about hate… without it being a “whatabout” to allow those you support to have that ugly speech be acceptable
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 9:24 am
Nice condemnation about whataboutism by turning a comment about Pritzker’s about face into something totally unrelated where you once again you attribute views I never expressed to me.
I am an establishment Republican who supports McCarthy
All Democrats and the 8 Republicans sought his ouster
There were two election deniers on the ballot for speaker why are you only condemning one of them?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 10:03 am
===There were two election deniers===
lol
It’s one thing to cast aspersions. It’s quite another thing to cast floor votes. And it’s quite another thing to develop and help implement the legal strategy for overturning a legitimate election in the US Congress.
Whataboutism indeed.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 10:08 am
—-The $391 million projected structural deficit for CPS does not seem to include other obligations like collective bargaining raises. SEIU73 is still negotiating an open contract and CTU will be negotiating one soon.—-
Chicago has a very real problem. This $391 doesn’t include the $600 million Brandon states is the city’s deficit. We’re talking a billion dollars that the city is short.
That won’t be settled with a housing tax on sales over $1 million or even an income tax on people making over a million/yr.
I know he said he won’t raise property taxes but where does he expect money to come from?
The DSA members keep talking about shared responsibility and structural change, so what exactly does that look like when you’re a billion dollars in the hole.
Comment by Frida's boss Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 10:10 am
===I am an establishment Republican who supports McCarthy===
McCarthy, along with Bost, LaHood, and Miller supported Johnson. Your beef then is with the whole Caucus.
===There were two election deniers===
It’s why you never called the insurrection what it was, it’s the “establishment” GOP too afraid to recognize t-shirts and the date of an insurrection matters, since the goal is to overturn an election.
It’s why you can’t fully condemn Mary Miller, but want to blame “Dems” for the GOP rejecting Kinzinger.
It’s why “establishment” ILGOP now listen to Jeanne Ives, you are either a patriot or traitor… and you wanna whatabout every bad action you can to lessen the bad…
To the Trib?
The real problem isn’t the reporting of Pritzker’s words or actions in what you gleefully want to excuse others, it’s that Pritzker’s actual ethical thought to words matter and the GOP you still warmly embrace want the disguised words to be accepted with whatabout framing.
It’s also why the paralysis in the Dems to the fear of “being called out” by using intraparty angst to the minority thought is far different than… as you say… 8 nihilists… derail an entire chamber of the US Congress.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 10:14 am
==extreme progressive agenda==
Worked both conservative talk radio buzzwords in, good boy.
Comment by Big Dipper Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 10:17 am
LP - Your Schlick might be a tad more credible if it had any semblance of being rooted in reality. Neither the GOP nor Governor Pritzker match the narrative you continually project. And recycling Fox, OAN, and Newsmax talking points, while claiming to be an establishment Republican, isn’t fooling anyone. It might play well on Facebook, but it ain’t working here. Do better.
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 10:44 am
==refraining from calling them all racist, homophobe, xenophobe deplorables ==
If the shoe fits @LP. If the shoe fits.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 12:48 pm
==where you once again you attribute views I never expressed==
The only views you ever express are the “whatabout” views. I can think of multiple times you have been asked specifically to address and issue or answer a question and you absolutely refuse to do so. You do what you always do and come back with nothing but dishonesty.
==All Democrats ==
It doesn’t surprise me that you would be one of those idiots who somehow tries to blame the Democrats for the McCarthy fiasco. That was on your party @LP and your party only. Period.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 12:50 pm
==All Democrats ==
None of them brought the ouster vote, Gaetz did. When asked, they want their Leader to be speaker. Not sure I see it the other way at all.
Comment by Proud Sucker Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 1:10 pm
“if Chicago wants a diverse school board, it needs to remove barriers — like a lack of pay — that would prevent some residents from running for board seats”
while you’re at it make sure they all work at least 1000 hours per year to get them IMRF pensions as well. Only in Chicago
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Oct 26, 23 @ 1:30 pm