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

posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 7:46 am

Comments

Adding to the QOTD from yesterday, I just looked at the SOS site for Bradley IL and they actually have a pile of appointments available for today but nothing any further out. Does each location get to dictate when the appointments are made available? I clicked on a few other locations and found that some had appointments for today in addition to about 2 weeks from now. Some others had nothing for today and only appointments a week or two in advance. It all seems very inconsistent and must make it hard to plan ahead very far if you have to take time off of work to go in.

Comment by Aaron B Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 8:45 am
More Invest in Kids act supporters in Joliet are already claiming it will be the direct cause of closing schools in Joliet.

“So what will happen in our community? The effects will not only be felt by the current scholarship recipients. Some schools will close[…]”

This is 100% going to be the message going forward, despite planned closings of catholic schools in Joliet already being known about for years.

I especially liked the disclaimer at the end of the story.

https://patch.com/illinois/joliet/play-game-speaker-welch-0

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 10:01 am
If you have a little time, here’s a presentation by Jason Benetti to DHS rehab staff, most of which deals with his thoughts about living life as a person with a disability. Very thoughtful stuff. Also some bits showing off his sense of humor.

The section on not getting respect from an employer is intriguing given recent developments, but the whole thing is worth a listen.

https://multimedia.illinois.gov/dhs/DHS-DRS-Director-Regional-Meeting-Jason-Benetti-091223.html

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 10:04 am
= Michael W. Hansen . . . is a donor in the Invest in Kids Act. =

And there is nothing that prevents him from continuing to donate to scholarships.

Comment by JoanP Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 10:50 am
@FriendlyBobAdams, thanks for posting that. Jason’s Awkward Moments is a fav of mine & especially of a friend with a condition. https://www.yourcpf.org/awkward-moments-jason-benetti/

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 10:54 am
@ TheInvisibleMan

Agreed.

=== “So what will happen in our community?” ===

Let’s stop playing victim here. The same would have happened 5 years ago if you had done nothing and have done nothing.

A reasonable question to ask at the organizational level is what has your board of directors done in the past five years to secure your schools from bankrupcy? Boards have a fiduciary responsibility to secure the longevity of their organizations.

If the only adjustment your board has made is to lobby for accept tax revenues from the State of Illinois’ general fund on a widely known, limited 5-year term, your board of directors has failed you, not the state legislature.

You need to make additional adjustments now that you should have been making previously, with or without the gift of state revenues.

This is not about the generally middle income families who have benefited from the generosity of the state. It is about fiscal management. Try harder.

Comment by H-W Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 10:54 am
“The same would have happened 5 years ago”

It did happen. St. Dominic Catholic School in the diocese was closed at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Also in 2022 Sacred Heart Catholic School and St. Pius X Parish School were merged into a single school. St. Irene School was closed in 2021.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Nov 16, 23 @ 12:07 pm