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Top Illinois Stories
Mugged by reality? Dems pivot on law and order as soft-on-crime liberals assaulted, burglarized – Just The News
Democrats in both Illinois and Pennsylvania — especially Chicago and Philadelphia — are facing backlash for their approach to law and order amid spikes in crime. In Illinois, Republicans have been hammering Democrats for being soft on crime in recent weeks. However, Democrats in the state have backed off their 2020 efforts to defund the police amid rampant crime, with Chicago leaders slightly increasing the city's police budget.
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Collective bargaining amendment brings national labor fight to Illinois ballot – Chicago Tribune/MSN
The amendment would make the state uniquely anti-business, said Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Many nearby states that could be competing for business have right-to-work laws, he said. “It’s a terrible message to send to the rest of the nation...“But if this is in the constitution for 10 years, there’s an open invitation for labor lawyers to take the language and push it to the absolute limits." Leave a Reply
More Highlighted Illinois Stories
A 1.3K mile C02 pipeline coming through western Illinois – Peoria Journal Star
Named the Heartland Greenway, the project would bury a pipeline about a mile beneath the ground to transport carbon dioxide (CO2) from at least 20 different ethanol processor plants across five midwestern states. While the builder affirms it would pay landowners well and offset the emissions of 15 million metric tons of CO2 every year, critics are concerned the pipeline could permanently damage farmland and threaten the safety of residents in its path.
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Dems should rethink parts of the SAFE-T Act—before voters do it for them – Crain’s*
All sides of the emotional debate on this pending law raise valid points here and there. But the high-octane rhetoric overshadows some very real flaws in this gigantic legislation.
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When is a newspaper not a newspaper? – Crain’s*
When it doesn't contain journalism. And that's the line the Daily Herald's parent company just blurred—much to its leaders' apparent regret.
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Editorial: The corruption contagion in Illinois continues unabated – Champaign News-Gazette
"Serving in public office is a money-making enterprise that opens up all kinds of legal and illegal means of self-enrichment, whether it’s the sleazy practice of acting as lobbyists while holding office or taking bribes to pass legislation that will enrich others. The people of Illinois are simultaneously tired of and resigned to it."
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Column: Spin machine in high gear over bond-abolition bill – Champaign News-Gazette*
Jim Dey: "(Gov. JB Pritzker) said 'we’re trying to address the problem of a single mother who shoplifted diapers for her baby' and then was 'kept' in jail for six months because she couldn’t pay her bond. 'That’s what SAFE-T is about,' he said. Actually, that’s what the governor wants voters to think the SAFE-T Act is about. But it’s not. Abolishing the bond system could have potentially deadly consequences few defenders of the law want to discuss — at least not before the election."
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Devore: SAFE-T Act Violates Bill of Rights and Separation of Powers – Southland Journal
Candidate for Attorney General Tom Devore said this issue of whether or not offenses are bailable or not bailable is an issue for the judiciary – not the legislature and not the executive branch.
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Commentary: No toilets in JB’s glass house – Southwest Regional Publishing
"Governor JB Pritzker, the Daddy Warbucks of political hypocrisy, attacked several legislators this past week, demanding that they resign from office. One is State Senator Emil Jones III, a Pritzker critic, who is facing federal bribery charges. The charges against Jones are similar to charges filed against several other legislators, but Pritzker has not urged them to resign. But should an elected official who manipulated his real estate information to significantly reduce his property taxes also resign from office?"
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Commentary: Improving the workplace for low-wage workers is a matter of justice – Chicago Sun-Times*
"Workers with the lowest income continue to experience no benefits or unaffordable benefits, few health and safety protections, and job and income insecurity. These people got the rest of us through the pandemic while going without these crucial protections, facing a high risk of contracting COVID-19 and struggling to meet the needs of their families. These workers provide essential services, yet the system fails to treat them as essential."
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Former teachers warn ‘woke’ politics taking over American classrooms, pushing teachers to resign – WMTV (Madison)
Two former teachers ultimately pushed out of their jobs for blowing the whistle about political indoctrination in American school systems spoke to The National Desk about their experiences and what this all means for future generations. Tony Kinnett, a former science director in the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) system, and Frank McCormick, who spent 12 years teaching before he was pushed out of the Waukegan Public Schools system located outside of Chicago, both went on to establish organizations -- Chalkboard Review and Chalkboard Heresy -- which push back against the politicization of our nation's school systems.
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Rich Miller: Newspaper loses respect in Proft mailing quarrel – Bloomington Pantagraph
"The big loser in all this is the Daily Herald, which lost an incalculable amount of respect for its integrity that it may never regain because of its active participation in a tsunami of viral disinformation during dangerous times. Pritzker prevailed and was able to keep the focus off other important campaign issues. And Proft got attention for himself and his radio show and a platform to say things like calling Pritzker a “bedwetting, spoiled brat."
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Will Chicago voters back a candidate for Ill. governor who bashes the city? – The Washington Post
Bailey’s persistent anti-Chicago rhetoric presents a political quandary for the candidate: His criticism of the city and its Democratic leadership is cheered by his hard-right supporters, but he also needs the support of voters in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs to win in November.
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Gov. JB Pritzker rebukes state’s attorney who said SAFE-T Act will be ‘greatest jailbreak’ in history – Lake & McHenry County Scanner
Madison County State's Attorney Haine said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office has made false statements about state’s attorneys being able to request defendants held without bond once the new legislation is in place. Haine said prosecutors will only be able to ask a judge to hold a limited group of defendants without bond. Pritzker sent a letter to Haine on Friday in response and said Haine is defending a “criminal justice status quo” where accused murderers, domestic batterers, rapists, and other dangerous criminals “can buy their way out of jail pending trial if they have enough money.”
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Execs: Illinois among four states that might adopt internet gambling – A.P.
So far, such gambling is legal in only six states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware and Connecticut. But panelists at the conference predicted three or four additional states could soon adopt internet gambling, including Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and New York.
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Illinois gets new trade deal with Taiwan – WICS (Springfield)
Illinois will sell $2 billion worth of soybeans and $600 million worth of corn to the island nation. Taiwan continues to rank as Illinois' second leading corn trading partner and third leading partner in purchases of soybeans.
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Commentary: Amendment 1 is a property tax hike in disguise – Chicago Sun-Times*
Mailee Smith is director of labor policy and staff attorney at the Illinois Policy Institute: "If Amendment 1 does not pass, government workers would still keep their right to collectively bargain. Contrary to messaging from its supporters, workers would lose no rights and no workers would lose their jobs. But its passage would mean Illinoisans’ pocketbooks could take another hit during a time of record inflation, when it is already difficult to make ends meet."
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Illinois makes sales pitch for its paper ahead of $700 million deal – The Bond Buyer
llinois basked in a brighter fiscal picture as it met with the buy side this week than it did at its last event in 2019 when its ratings sat on the verge of junk, but investors still fret over how the state would weather a potential recession and its prospects for further progress.
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Republicans critical of Pritzker’s pre-election push to purge embattled Democrats – Center Square
Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie said the governor’s comments are nothing more than an attempt to “paper over his poor record on public corruption as he seeks reelection...The truth of the matter is, he has sat silently by as Democratic legislators failed to even discuss, let alone allow a vote on many anti-corruption measures that have been filed in the General Assembly this legislative session."
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Column: Retired state legislators’ money grab rejected by Supreme Court – Champaign News-Gazette*
Jim Dey: "It’s not often the good guys in the fetid and festering sewer that is Illinois government win a round. But (Comptroller Susana) Mendoza claimed a solid victory Thursday when the Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ruled that two former legislators who had joined their colleagues to publicly renounce scheduled pay raises weren’t entitled to collect the money years later."
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Illinois grapples with implementing 100% clean energy law – Energy Wire
Transitioning to a carbon-free electric grid by 2045 is no small task. And no state should better understand that setting energy goals and achieving them aren’t the same. In 2007, Illinois adopted a law to get 25 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2025. As of last year, it was at 10 percent. Building a carbon-free grid comes with an array of dizzying technical and policy challenges and unanswered questions.
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Police: Inmates got out of Illinois jail with pandemic loans – A.P.
More than two dozen people have been charged in Illinois with fraudulently obtaining pandemic relief money, with authorities alleging that some of them were behind bars when they used their relief money to post bond and free themselves from jail.
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Joe Rogan on Illinois’ SAFE-T Act – Twitter
Comment: It's not as simple as he describes, but he's at least directionally correct that it's a bad law.
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State Sen. Emil Jones III pleads not guilty in bribery case – Capitol News IL
The charges, which were made public Tuesday, allege that in exchange for a payment of $5,000 and a job for an unnamed associate from a company that operates red light cameras outside the city of Chicago, Jones agreed to focus the study only on red light cameras in Chicago. Jones was also charged with facilitating the scheme by using a Google email account and with lying to federal investigators.
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NFIB: ‘Main Street across Illinois is covered with help wanted signs’ – Center Square
"The state of Illinois is experiencing what all employers, across Illinois, are facing: a lack of qualified candidates," Illinois State Director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses Chris Davis said. Data from WalletHub puts Illinois as eighth among the states for unfilled job openings the past 12 months.
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IDOC officials criticized over audit findings, future of Pontiac prison – WGEM (Quincy)
Republican and Democratic lawmakers from Central Illinois have renewed their calls for answers about roughly 170 inmates being transferred out of the Pontiac Correctional Center in February with little to no notice for facility staff. Prison officials noted that the correctional center was short-staffed by 43%.
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Devore Statement on Pritzker’s Call for Jones’ and Hasting’s Resignations – Southland Journal
It reads, in part, "Pritzker’s trying to distance himself from the corruption that has plagued his office – including the still unresolved Thornley case (in which the Governor himself is directly implicated)...Additionally, there have been nine public corruption indictments during his tenure in office. And all were indicted by federal prosecutors, not the Illinois Attorney General’s office."
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DCFS pledges to do better as lawmakers remain mostly silent – WGLT (NPR at ISU)
When DCFS Director Marc Smith faced Illinois lawmakers in August, he assured them the state’s child welfare agency was “one of the best child welfare systems in the country.” Republican lawmaker Chapin Rose disagreed, calling Smith’s assessment “delusional.” So far this year, Smith has been found in contempt of court 12 times by a Cook County judge for failing to properly place youth in state care.
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Blagojevich rips into Pritzker for urging state senator to resign his seat – FOX32 (Chicago)
"Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence? Gov. Pritzker should get off his high horse and practice what he preaches," former Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in a statement. "Maybe Gov. Pritzker should resign too. After all, what do you call the $10 million he gave to indicted House Speaker Mike Madigan in order to get Madigan to pass his legislation? Or what about Gov. Pritzker's scam to use toilets as a way to avoid paying the more than $300,000 in property taxes he owed?"
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New Report: Illinois Property Taxes Among Highest in Nation – Civic Federation
Local governments in Illinois rely on the property tax to fund everything from debt to pensions to day-to-day expenses. In tax year 2020 total property tax extensions for all taxing districts in Illinois were $33.8 billion, the majority of which—$20.8 billion or 61.5%—was for school districts.
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The billionaire Duke trustee behind the remaking of gender- The Carolina Journal
"One cause that seems to be especially important to the Pritzkers is influencing the rapid transition of society away from a binary understanding of human reproductive sex to an understanding based on self-perception of one’s place along a spectrum, or perhaps not on that spectrum at all." Leave a Reply
Lawmakers propose a bill to go after fentanyl dealers to counteract decriminalization measure – Center Square
State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi says the SAFE-T Act will actually do more harm than good in getting people into drug treatment programs because in January, those offenders will be released from jail before they can enter a program.
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Expect post-election changes to SAFE-T Act, some say – Center Square
“It’s a lot around implementation, there’s just no real clarity around that and all parties on both sides are able to agree to that point,” lobbyist Art Turner told the Springfield City Council. “I believe that that will be one of the top priorities for the veto session in November or scheduled early December. Then, we’re going to have to work really fast to bring our local clerks and courts and counties up to speed on the adjustments that I anticipate to be made behind it.”
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Illinois awarded $6.8M grant from U.S. Department of Labor – WAND (Decatur)
The grant will be used to help IDES better understand and address equity gaps within the state’s unemployment insurance system.
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Supreme Court of IL sides with Comptroller Mendoza: rules former legislators who voted to reject raises have no right to claw them back now – WAND (Decatur)
Former state senators Mike Noland and James Clayborne waited too long until after they voted to reject raises or left legislative office to file their suit, the court held.
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U of I Trustees approve $7.65 billion budget – WCIA (Champaign)
The budget for all three universities in the system is $7.65 billion, a 6.5% increase from last year’s $7.18 billion budget. This is the second consecutive year of increased financial support for the university system.
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State’s Attorneys Representing 3 Illinois Counties File Lawsuits Against SAFE-T Act – WTTW (Chicago)
It’s 764 pages and according to a lawsuit brought by McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally the law creates, changes or touches, 40 different state statutes. Each of the complaints have variations but are similar in scope.
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Pritzker Calls on Jones, Hastings to Resign from State Senate – WTTW (Chicago)
State Sen. Emil Jones III has been charged with bribery and lying to federal agents. State Sen. Michael Hastings has been accused of abusing his wife and mistreating state employees. Gov. JB Pritzker said, "In the best interests of their constituents, these men must resign from their offices. Resigning only their leadership roles falls short of what the public should expect.” Leave a Reply
Editorial: Charges against state Sen. Emil Jones III show cheap price of corruption in Illinois – Chicago Sun-Times*
"Five thousand dollars. That may seem like a lot of money — to a junior high school student who baby-sits or mows neighborhood lawns for extra cash. For an Illinois legislator, $5,000 should be no big deal...No wonder most Americans don’t trust politicians. Less than half the adults in the United States — 44% — say they have a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in people who hold or are running for public office, according to a 2021 Gallup poll."
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Prosecutors challenge SAFE-T Act eliminating cash bail as thousands sign petition – Daily Herald*
More than 10,000 people have signed an online petition, started by state Sen. Don DeWitte, demanding the repeal of the SAFE-T Act and urging legislators to "write criminal justice reforms that do not jeopardize public safety." Said DeWitte, "People have legitimate concerns, and we need to pump the brakes on implementation so the long list of unintended consequences tied to the act can be addressed."
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker deflects on corruption as state Sen. Emil Jones III resigns leadership and committee posts after federal bribery charges – Chicago Tribune*
Pritzker pointed to ethics overhauls he’s signed into law after previous scandals as evidence that Democrats are taking the issue seriously, though good-government groups have criticized those efforts as half-measures. A measure he signed last year prompted the resignation of the legislature’s top watchdog, who said it rendered her office a “paper tiger.”
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Top Chicago Area Stories
In Chicago, the city’s largest children’s hospital offers ‘kink’ and ‘trans-friendly’ sex toys for minors – FOX News
The largest children’s hospital in Chicago has created partnerships with local school districts to promote radical gender theory, "kink," "BDSM," and "trans-friendly" sex toys for children. I have obtained insider documents that reveal this troubling collaboration between gender activists at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and school administrators throughout the Chicago area." Comment: The column is a reprint from City Journal that we posted earlier but the video interview is new.
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What Does City Council Turnover Mean for Chicago? – WTTW (Chicago)
“The instability is a real concern for some people who think that you don’t want to go too far in the other direction and throw out the alderman with the bathwater," the Chicago Tribune's Greg Pratt said. “There are some conservative institutions like foundations, like big businesses, that are like, ‘Oh, all these crazy kids are coming in.’ [But] they also understand that today’s young reformers, they’re tomorrow’s old guard. So I think that there’s cautious optimism, but there’s also a cautious pessimism.”
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Opinion: Migrant Flights Obscure the Real DeSantis Divide – Wall Street Journal
The governor has noted a historic shift that no political outrage will change.
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More Highlighted Chicago Area Stories
Oak Brook Village President asks Gov. J.B. Pritzker to order corruption-linked red-light cameras removed – Pioneer Press*
Said Oak Brook Village Board member Michael Manzo, “Gov. Pritzker is no stranger to the use of executive orders for any goal that he deems fit. This is the one case where an executive order is fitting, since the General Assembly can not be trusted to act.”
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Chicago commuters are saving the most time in the work-from-home era – Crain’s*
Chicago saw the largest drop in reported commute times among the three Midwestern cities observed, with a 3.2-minute decrease in travel time. The data also showed that in 2021 Chicago had an at-home workforce of 27.1%, compared with 2019's 6.2%. Nationwide, the work-from-home population increased from 6% to 18%. The increase in remote work resulted in an estimated 26 hours per year saved on average for nonremote workers in Chicago.
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5 dead, 30 wounded in weekend shootings across Chicago – CBS2 (Chicago)
At least two of the victims are under the age of 18.
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Oak Lawn mayor becomes latest suburban official to denounce SAFE-T Act – FOX32 (Chicago)
The mayors of Oak Lawn, Orland Park and Tinley Park have taken similar positions. Said Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz, "This act and the legislators who passed it … have completely abandoned the people of Illinois and the police officers who serve them in favor of thieves and murderers."
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Chicago police joining national wave of encrypting radio communication, raising transparency concerns – Chicago Tribune/MSN
The city has said the move was made in response to harmful “rogue radio” calls that put officers in danger, a reference to outside users interjecting comments and chatter over police traffic, but some experts say taking away the long-used tool from reporters reduces transparency. The move will also provide protection against the personal identification of victims, suspects, witnesses and juveniles, which are often broadcast over the radio following a crime or incident.
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Budgeting error lands DuPage County school district in financial distress: ‘We are performing education triage’ – Chicago Tribune/MSN
Some opponents of the district’s referendum proposal say the solution is not raising local property taxes, but consolidating District 66 into one of the neighboring districts in DuPage County. “When you look at the state of Illinois, we are probably the worst in the nation when it comes to too many school districts, and too few schools in each district,” said Eric Gustafson, alderman of Ward 6 in Darien.
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Chicago realtors say the local housing market is still strong despite the uptick in interest rates – Chicago Tribune/MSN
In August, the number of homes sold in the Chicago metro area was down 21.6% from a year earlier, according to data from Illinois Realtors. The median home sale price in the metro area stood at $311,000 last month, up 3.7% from a year earlier.
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Southland Reactivation Act: Local leaders push to create jobs, help businesses in south suburbs – FOX32 (Chicago)
The act creates a special designation for under-utilized properties in south suburban communities. Properties that meet the qualifying criteria will be assessed at 50% of their last known equalized asset value, and for the first year of being certified as a Southland Reactivation Property, their total tax liability bill cannot exceed $100,000.
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Column: Southland officials seek Gov. Pritzker’s support to move forward with South Suburban Airport – Daily Southtown*
South suburban officials are touting new legislation in a bid to get Gov. J.B. Pritzker to support the proposed South Suburban Airport. If approved, a bill introduced Thursday would require the state to issue a request for quotations, or RFQ, to gauge interest from private investors seeking to develop the so-called third airport proposed for land near Peotone and Monee. The state has spent about $100 million since 2002 to acquire more than 4,500 acres for the airport.
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Immigrants Will Soon Be Transported To Des Plaines, Governor Tells City – Journal and Topics
Mayor Andrew Goczkowski explained that the call from the governor’s office was designed to give him some advance notice. State officials did not say where the immigrants will be housed although he believes that they will be taken to a hotel near O’Hare Airport. Goczkowski said he was not told how many will be moved to Des Plaines and when.
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Climate crisis activists share fears, hopes in downtown march – Chicago Sun-Times*
Climate activists danced in animal costumes during a protest in the Loop on Friday. A group of about 200 climate activists from the Chicago area and Madison, Wisc., among other places, marched through Chicago’s financial district. Leave a Reply
New Cook County flag raised at Daley Plaza ceremony – ABC7 (Chicago)
The "I Will" flag represents Cook County's lands, culture, history and inclusivity. There is the 'Y' created by the Chicago River at Wolf Point; Its green outline symbolizes riverbanks, nature and the county's forest preserves. Six red stars on the flag symbolize the founding of Cook County, Cook County Health, the Department of Public Health, the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, and the importance of townships and local government. And the color of the stars represents the color of social change. Leave a Reply
Gov. JB Pritzker plans to join candidate interview after originally withdrawing over political mailers – Shaw Local News Network
Dan Proft in response criticized Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday for withdrawing and compared him with a king that aims to “make all media subservient to his government.”
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Daily Herald publisher says it will stop printing GOP mailer after Pritzker holds out of forum – WBBM (Chicago)
Pritzker’s campaign manager sent a letter to Herald publisher Doug Ray and said they were “disappointed” and “shocked” that the conservative political mailers, made to look like newspapers, were sent using the Herald’s postal permit through parent company Paddock Publications.
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Paul Vallas: Reversing Chicago’s Worsening Violent Crime Epidemic Requires Proactive Policing and Circumventing Kim Foxx – John Kass News
"Mayor Lightfoot and Police Superintendent Brown are trying desperately to create the perception that they are making progress on crime. They cite the latest data that shows murders and shootings down from last year. But the people don’t feel safe...Last June, Wirepoints reported Chicago Police Department (CPD) data showed no police cars available for half of the high-priority police dispatcher calls last year. That’s 406,829 calls including 14,955 calls for assaults and 17,828 batteries in progress."
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Should Aldermen Be Allowed To Have 2nd Jobs That Conflict With Their Office? A Proposal To Ban It Stalls – Block Club Chicago
Ald. Andre Vasquez introduced the measure Wednesday that would amend the city code to define being an alderperson as a full-time job and to prohibit them from being paid for work “related to real estate developments, legal representation or legal services.” Eleven other aldermen co-sponsored it.
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Mag Mile takes one step forward, two steps back – Crain’s*
The Mag Mile this year continues to lose more than it wins, with its retail vacancy rate rising to 28.8%, up from 26% last year and 15% in 2019, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Recent crime in the neighborhood has only added to the negative narrative, undermining the Mag Mile’s status as one of city’s most popular tourist destinations. The recent moves by Swarovski, Cartier and Timberland will push its vacancy rate even higher. Leave a Reply
Police shut down South Side, West Side businesses over violence, go easy on clout-heavy bars downtown – Chicago Sun-Times*
Since 2015, police department records show, at least 57 Chicago businesses —liquor stores and bars as well as gas stations, restaurants and other establishments —have been shut down as a result of shootings under the city’s summary closure ordinance, enacted that year. The ordinance gives the police department the little-known but immense power to immediately close businesses associated with violence. Most of those shuttered businesses have been in low-income neighborhoods on the South Side and the West Side.
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Lightfoot accused of scrapping CFD promotion list to punish controversial City Council member – Chicago Sun-Times*
“That’s an ‘F-you’ to me. `F-you. You’re one out. You waited 13 years for this. F-you. We’re tearing down the entire list.’ It highlights a pattern of being vindictive in trying to get back at people who have been known to disagree with her or not be on her side,” Ald. Jim Gardiner said.
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Cook County courts mask mandate to remain in place, potentially through winter – Cook County Record
In a memo, Chief Judge Timothy Evans does not indicate precisely when or if the masking order might be relaxed or lifted. However, Judge Evans said Rachel Rubin, the CCDPH’s senior medical officer, “indicates that relaxing the policy might be warranted following and (sic) anticipated surge in COVID infections over the winter.”
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Chicago school enrollment declines for 11th year – Illinois Policy
“If our mayors, including this one, can’t keep Black families from leaving by supporting and funding Black communities and educating Black children, then they have failed Black people,” Chicago Teachers Union President Stacey Davis Gates said.
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Cook County Board repeals wheel tax – Evanston Now
The county tax only raised about $3.6 million a year - or about 0.045% of the county’s $8 billion budget - and it only applied to residents of unincorporated Cook County.
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Pappas seeks to scrap broken tax scavenger sale – Chicago Crusader
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas's plan is to start unwinding the harm caused to minority communities, particularly on the South and West sides, caused by redlining and other forms of housing discrimination like scant mortgage lending and below-value mortgage appraisals. She wants to replace the Scavenger Sale with a county trustee program.
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Anti-violence group says permits pulled for softball league after Washington Park mass shooting – FOX32 (Chicago)
"The shooting had absolutely nothing to do with this baseball game," said Gwen Baxter, a trauma response specialist with Acclivus. "Nobody at the game, no players, no spectators, no cooks, the people that were providing food, nobody had anything to do with that unfortunate incident. This has been a good thing that’s going on, bringing people together, bringing communities together."
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A Land Deal Benefiting a Billionaire’s Soccer Team Is Muscled Through Despite Objections – ProPublica
Mayor Lori Lightfoot offered the CHA land to the Chicago Fire late last year, and the CHA board signed off on the plan this spring. It is one of a series of deals the CHA has made to sell, lease or give away its land for nonhousing uses, including Target stores, a private tennis facility and a school running track and turf field. The Fire are owned by Joe Mansueto, founder of the investment research firm Morningstar.
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Lightfoot to Biden administration on environmental racism claims: See you in court – Chicago Sun-Times*
"Amping up her fight with the Biden administration, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is trying to discredit a federal finding that the city has been violating the civil rights of its residents through policies that amount to environmental racism. Millions of dollars a year in federal funding that helps provide a lifeline for vulnerable Chicagoans — money that comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development — could dry up if Lightfoot doesn’t back down."
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Lightfoot proposes new, improved — and permanent — outdoor dining program – Chicago Sun-Times*
The new permit would allow restaurants and bars to “expand operations into the street” while also setting up tables in curb lanes “where the adjacent sidewalk is not wide enough to accommodate a sidewalk café.” Full street closures would continue to be allowed for groups of “three or more” businesses.
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Dem strongholds beg the White House for help with migrants – Politico
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot last week said that she met with officials at the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies and “made it very clear” that they need a plan to help. “We need federal support, resources, communication and collaboration,” she said. “And that has to come in short order.”
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Three years in, Invest South/West remains mostly a vision – Crain’s*
The mayor's signature economic development initiative has promised unprecedented public funds for blighted corridors. But without a project under construction after three years, it has yet to prove it's the cure for disinvestment.
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The number of students in Chicago Public Schools continues its decade-long slide – WBEZ (Chicago)
Chicago has lost nearly 83,000 public school students over the past decade, including about a 3% decline in each of the past seven years. Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates said the decline in enrollment, particularly through the exodus of Black families, comes down to city policies that don’t invest in housing, public transportation and safety in Black communities.
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After McDonald’s CEO says Chicago needs to ‘face facts’ about problemsMayor Lightfoot says he should ‘educate himself’ before speaking – Chicago Tribune*
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The mayor also referenced an open letter by Michael Fassnacht, her handpicked head of World Business Chicago, that she said “lays out in exactly detail all the good news, economic news, about what’s happening in our city, so I’m going to focus on those things and not the comments of CEO of McDonald’s.” Leave a Reply
Chicago’s new weapon against climate change: A requirement that new homes be ready for easy installation of electric appliances – Chicago Tribune*
The new 2022 Energy Transformation Code, passed Wednesday, also requires that some low-lying commercial buildings — many of them warehouses — be built with roofs capable of supporting solar panels.
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Operation Triple P targets 25 suspected of PPP fraud in Joliet -WGNTV (Chicago)
Police said during the investigation some of the suspects were already in custody for other felony offenses and used phones while in jail to complete their fraudulent PPP loan applications. Bank records also indicated that some of the suspects used the illegal loans to bond out of jail.
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Too late to hit brakes on NASCAR, but Reilly moves to curb future special events – Chicago Sun-Times*
Ald. Brendan Reilly said the ordinance would “restore the balance of power” between the executive and legislative branch. Among other things, the ordinance would require a City Council order for any athletic event or special event that allows the closure of a state route, an arterial street or more than four blocks of any other public way.
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City Council poised to protect right to abortion by declaring Chicago a ‘bodily autonomy sanctuary city’ – Chicago Sun-Times*
Modeled after the Welcoming Cities Ordinance that has made Chicago a “sanctuary city” for undocumented residents, the ordinance also calls for expanding Chicago’s 311 non-emergency line to provide information and resources to people seeking access to abortion and gender-affirming care.
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Orland Park implements new policy that will bypass SAFE-T Act – FOX32 (Chicago)
The initiative is an agreement with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that would make two Orland Park police officers part-time ATF agents, Mayor Keith Pekau said. This would allow the local officers to take applicable cases directly to the Assistant U.S. Attorney.
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Illinois Senator Durbin ‘fed up’ with migrant bussing – WTVO (Rockford)
"It is pathetic that these governors are taking advantage of these helpless people, making promises to them to get on the bus and life is just going to be fine,” Sen. Dick Durbin said. “And off they go to places far removed from where they’re supposed to be appearing under the requirement of the law.”
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Wirepoints Commentary and Research
‘Gender Affirmation’ Or Childhood Body Mutilation? Chicago Just Declared Itself A Sanctuary For It. – Wirepoints
Chicago may think it walled itself off from the issue, but the firestorm is only getting started. Leave a Reply
Chicago 2022 homicide rate 5 times higher than New York City’s, 2.5 times higher than Los Angeles’ – Wirepoints
Neither Pritzker or Lightfoot can escape the reality that they’ve lost control over the city’s crime. One statistic that particularly captures their failure is Chicago’s homicide rate compared to that in big-city peers New York and Los Angeles. Leave a Reply
Illinois’ COVID-19 data: Daily update for September 24, 2022 – Wirepoints
Daily COVID-19 data latest update for September 24, 2022.
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The governor’s continued Covid Emergency Declarations are about two things: money and power – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show
President Biden said the pandemic is essentially over, but Governor Pritzker issued his 34th Covid Disaster Proclamation. President of Wirepoints and the Steve Cochran Show talk about why Pritzker issued the proclamation, what the Federal Government is going to do about this, and if the Governor’s Office has too much power. Leave a Reply
Gov. Pritzker shows either hypocrisy or failure regarding illegal immigration, Covid policy, green energy, the SAFE-T Act and more – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer
Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the hypocrisy of Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot regarding the illegal immigrants from Texas, Pritzker's continued use of Covid emergency orders despite President Biden's declaration, Illinois' collapsing energy independence, the dangers of the SAFE-T Act and more. Leave a Reply
‘America’s most immigrant-friendly city’ or Martha’s Vineyard? Chicago looks to send migrants to Central Illinois. – Wirepoints Quickpoint
Bougie, liberal Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts is being widely ridiculed for promptly shipping out some 50 Venezuelan immigrants flown in from Florida. But that's nothing compared to Chicago, which has boasted of being America's "most immigrant-friendly city."
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More Wirepoints Original Stories
Obama’s ‘Godfather’ is also father of IL Senator Emil Jones III, who was indicted Tuesday – Wirepoints Quickpoint
Stay tuned, because national stories on their relationship will no doubt be coming. Leave a Reply
Pritzker signs Illinois’ 34th Covid Disaster Proclamation even as Biden proclaims ‘Covid is over’ – Wirepoints Quickpoint
Never mind that President Joe Biden declared “the pandemic is over” during a 60 Minutes interview Sunday night. In Illinois, it’s apparently still a “disaster” that warrants a declaration covering the entire state – all 102 counties. Gov. Pritzker issued his 34th Disaster Declaration on September 16, 2022, marking more than 900 days of Illinoisans living under emergency rules. Leave a Reply
It’s Crazy On Many Levels, But Cook County Has Launched Its ‘Free Money’ UBI Program – Wirepoints
Teach a man to fish and he will still just eat the fish given away for free. Leave a Reply
Pritzker and Lightfoot are on the wrong side of the immigration issue, yet they’ll play it up. They’ll use disaster proclamations, ask for more money and name call. – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show
Ted and Steve Cochran talked about the political situation surrounding the 500 undocumented immigrants bussed from Texas to Chicago. Both sides are playing politics with immigrants stuck in the middle. But the whole problem stems from the crisis at the southern border – which one side of the political aisle refuses to acknowledge. Leave a Reply
Everything you need to know about Illinois’ education system and the upcoming vote on Amendment 1 – Join Wirepoints for a Sept. 20th Town Hall in Arthur, Illinois
Come join Ted Dabrowski and state legislators Dan Caulkins, Brad Halbrook, Chris Miller, Adam Niemerg and Blaine Wilhour as they discuss who is responsible for the failures in Illinois education and how Amendment 1 would further erode parents' rights in this state. Leave a Reply
Tier 2 Illinois Pensioners Could Use Amendment 1 To Revolt For A Fair Deal – Wirepoints
Tier 2 Illinois pensioners now have sufficient numbers to stand up to Tier 1 about the inadequate and unfair deal they have compared to Tier 1 pensioners. Amendment 1, if passed, would give them just what they need. Leave a Reply
Chicago 2022 homicides will exceed 2019 baseline; McDonald’s CEO warns city’s future at stake – Wirepoints
Chicago will again exceed its 2019 baseline for homicides. Not only homicides but sharp hikes in motor vehicle theft, theft, carjacking, and other crimes are leading to trouble for the city as business leaders – including recently McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski – continue to question the city’s viability. Leave a Reply
— Connecting the dots between our economy, government and people —
If you care about property taxes, parents’ rights or union powers – and the future of Illinois – you should care about Amendment 1, a referendum on Illinois’ November 2022 ballot.
It’s the most important vote Illinoisans will take this election and perhaps the most important in decades.
Wirepoints Original Stories
‘Gender Affirmation’ Or Childhood Body Mutilation? Chicago Just Declared Itself A Sanctuary For It. – Wirepoints
Chicago may think it walled itself off from the issue, but the firestorm is only getting started. Leave a Reply
Chicago 2022 homicide rate 5 times higher than New York City’s, 2.5 times higher than Los Angeles’ – Wirepoints
Neither Pritzker or Lightfoot can escape the reality that they’ve lost control over the city’s crime. One statistic that particularly captures their failure is Chicago’s homicide rate compared to that in big-city peers New York and Los Angeles. Leave a Reply
Illinois’ COVID-19 data: Daily update for September 24, 2022 – Wirepoints
Daily COVID-19 data latest update for September 24, 2022.
Leave a Reply
The governor’s continued Covid Emergency Declarations are about two things: money and power – Wirepoints on The Steve Cochran Show
President Biden said the pandemic is essentially over, but Governor Pritzker issued his 34th Covid Disaster Proclamation. President of Wirepoints and the Steve Cochran Show talk about why Pritzker issued the proclamation, what the Federal Government is going to do about this, and if the Governor’s Office has too much power. Leave a Reply
Gov. Pritzker shows either hypocrisy or failure regarding illegal immigration, Covid policy, green energy, the SAFE-T Act and more – Wirepoints on AM 560 Chicago’s Morning Answer
Ted was on with Dan and Amy to talk about the hypocrisy of Gov. Pritzker and Mayor Lightfoot regarding the illegal immigrants from Texas, Pritzker's continued use of Covid emergency orders despite President Biden's declaration, Illinois' collapsing energy independence, the dangers of the SAFE-T Act and more. Leave a Reply
Top Illinois Stories
Mugged by reality? Dems pivot on law and order as soft-on-crime liberals assaulted, burglarized – Just The News
Democrats in both Illinois and Pennsylvania — especially Chicago and Philadelphia — are facing backlash for their approach to law and order amid spikes in crime. In Illinois, Republicans have been hammering Democrats for being soft on crime in recent weeks. However, Democrats in the state have backed off their 2020 efforts to defund the police amid rampant crime, with Chicago leaders slightly increasing the city's police budget.
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Collective bargaining amendment brings national labor fight to Illinois ballot – Chicago Tribune/MSN
The amendment would make the state uniquely anti-business, said Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Many nearby states that could be competing for business have right-to-work laws, he said. “It’s a terrible message to send to the rest of the nation...“But if this is in the constitution for 10 years, there’s an open invitation for labor lawyers to take the language and push it to the absolute limits." Leave a Reply
Other Illinois News
A 1.3K mile C02 pipeline coming through western Illinois – Peoria Journal Star
Named the Heartland Greenway, the project would bury a pipeline about a mile beneath the ground to transport carbon dioxide (CO2) from at least 20 different ethanol processor plants across five midwestern states. While the builder affirms it would pay landowners well and offset the emissions of 15 million metric tons of CO2 every year, critics are concerned the pipeline could permanently damage farmland and threaten the safety of residents in its path.
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Dems should rethink parts of the SAFE-T Act—before voters do it for them – Crain’s*
All sides of the emotional debate on this pending law raise valid points here and there. But the high-octane rhetoric overshadows some very real flaws in this gigantic legislation.
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When is a newspaper not a newspaper? – Crain’s*
When it doesn't contain journalism. And that's the line the Daily Herald's parent company just blurred—much to its leaders' apparent regret.
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Editorial: The corruption contagion in Illinois continues unabated – Champaign News-Gazette
"Serving in public office is a money-making enterprise that opens up all kinds of legal and illegal means of self-enrichment, whether it’s the sleazy practice of acting as lobbyists while holding office or taking bribes to pass legislation that will enrich others. The people of Illinois are simultaneously tired of and resigned to it."
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Column: Spin machine in high gear over bond-abolition bill – Champaign News-Gazette*
Jim Dey: "(Gov. JB Pritzker) said 'we’re trying to address the problem of a single mother who shoplifted diapers for her baby' and then was 'kept' in jail for six months because she couldn’t pay her bond. 'That’s what SAFE-T is about,' he said. Actually, that’s what the governor wants voters to think the SAFE-T Act is about. But it’s not. Abolishing the bond system could have potentially deadly consequences few defenders of the law want to discuss — at least not before the election."
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Top Chicago Stories
In Chicago, the city’s largest children’s hospital offers ‘kink’ and ‘trans-friendly’ sex toys for minors – FOX News
The largest children’s hospital in Chicago has created partnerships with local school districts to promote radical gender theory, "kink," "BDSM," and "trans-friendly" sex toys for children. I have obtained insider documents that reveal this troubling collaboration between gender activists at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and school administrators throughout the Chicago area." Comment: The column is a reprint from City Journal that we posted earlier but the video interview is new.
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What Does City Council Turnover Mean for Chicago? – WTTW (Chicago)
“The instability is a real concern for some people who think that you don’t want to go too far in the other direction and throw out the alderman with the bathwater," the Chicago Tribune's Greg Pratt said. “There are some conservative institutions like foundations, like big businesses, that are like, ‘Oh, all these crazy kids are coming in.’ [But] they also understand that today’s young reformers, they’re tomorrow’s old guard. So I think that there’s cautious optimism, but there’s also a cautious pessimism.”
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Opinion: Migrant Flights Obscure the Real DeSantis Divide – Wall Street Journal
The governor has noted a historic shift that no political outrage will change.
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Other Chicago News
Oak Brook Village President asks Gov. J.B. Pritzker to order corruption-linked red-light cameras removed – Pioneer Press*
Said Oak Brook Village Board member Michael Manzo, “Gov. Pritzker is no stranger to the use of executive orders for any goal that he deems fit. This is the one case where an executive order is fitting, since the General Assembly can not be trusted to act.”
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Chicago commuters are saving the most time in the work-from-home era – Crain’s*
Chicago saw the largest drop in reported commute times among the three Midwestern cities observed, with a 3.2-minute decrease in travel time. The data also showed that in 2021 Chicago had an at-home workforce of 27.1%, compared with 2019's 6.2%. Nationwide, the work-from-home population increased from 6% to 18%. The increase in remote work resulted in an estimated 26 hours per year saved on average for nonremote workers in Chicago.
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5 dead, 30 wounded in weekend shootings across Chicago – CBS2 (Chicago)
At least two of the victims are under the age of 18.
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Oak Lawn mayor becomes latest suburban official to denounce SAFE-T Act – FOX32 (Chicago)
The mayors of Oak Lawn, Orland Park and Tinley Park have taken similar positions. Said Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz, "This act and the legislators who passed it … have completely abandoned the people of Illinois and the police officers who serve them in favor of thieves and murderers."
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