-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
“Social interaction is necessary not only to help students collaborate in learning but also to keep us mentally stable,” said Cayden Torsberg, a student at Hinsdale Central High School. “Over the past eight months, I know more kids suffering from depression than I do COVID-19.”
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch said the committee’s job is “not a legal proceeding — it is a political proceeding.” GOP Rep. Deanne Mazzochi said the Democrats on the committee are “people who are loyalists to Madigan.”
“While the evidence is largely anecdotal at this point, the pandemic appears to have outlasted the PPP funds for a growing number of small businesses…That’s the case in federal bankruptcy court in Chicago, where a handful of Chicago-area companies filed for bankruptcy after receiving PPP loans of at least $150,000, according to publicly available SBA data and court filings.”
Restaurant owner Eddie Iljazi said he’s seen an 80 percent decline in business over the last two weeks at his diner-style restaurants in Elwood, Yorkville and Momence. “It feels like they’re picking on restaurants and bars specifically.”
The $16.6 million program will place, train and hire nearly 1,300 people for temporary jobs, he said, “Like contact tracers, like COVID-19 protocol workers, building sanitation workers, something relatively new, temperature screeners, and food preparation and distribution workers and so many more.”
Pritzker cited Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in justifying the 8-percent threshold as one needed to spur further state action in a given region. “You can either close the bars or close the schools,” Pritzker said, referring to Fauci’s previous comments about rate of increase.
“COVID has aggressively forced us to be still,” said actor and activist Sydney Charles. “To address the issues of systemic racism and white supremacy and inherent patriarchy within our theater institutions. We can no longer be distracted by the grind but rather determined to keep our art form alive and make it a true safe space for all humans.”
That’s down slightly from the 26,194 claims filed the week before, but more than triple the number of claims filed during the same timeframe last year, when 7,180 new claims were filed.
Meantime, in Region 4, the Metro East area, which last week saw the same new restrictions imposed as in Region 7, has only seen its COVID cases continue to climb.
When asked why it didn’t receive funding, spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh said the budget “was put together by budgeteer lawmakers and signed by the governor,” and asked if WBEZ reached out to lawmakers. She did not respond to subsequent requests for comment or answer why the governor signed a budget that did not reflect his priorities.
DePaul announced in mid-August nearly all fall classes would be held online the entire term. DePaul also is limiting how many students live in dorms, restricting residence halls to athletes, international transfer students and people in work-study programs.
“In Chicago, some realty indicators do show more downtown condos for sale than usual. But overall, the Chicago Association of Realtors says it does not see a significant rise in listings yet, maybe because many people here seem to be taking the situation in stride. And some are even embracing the change, like fewer commuters and tourists.”
Just for the sake of comparison, Illinois collected $26.3 million in liquor taxes in August, so recreational cannabis is fast approaching the same revenue level.
Watch live at noon, a graduated income tax discussion hosted by Illinois State Representative Joe Sosnowski.
“It was only a matter of time before the diversity warriors came for the public pensions… [T]he Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois (“Illinois Teachers”) are planning to take into account the nebulous standard of “diversity,” both for hiring money managers and in making investment decisions.
Unfortunately, pursuing a chimerical “diversity” will result in a bill to be picked up by the members and taxpayers—and appears to be in violation of legal fiduciary requirements.”
Chicago, the last big American city to require water pipes made of brain-damaging lead, is now the last one beginning to rip toxic pipes out of the ground. Under plans shared Wednesday with the
Part 2 of Wirepoints’ 4-part series in the Chicago Tribune.
Ted was on WJPF radio this week talking to Tom Miller about the total pension promises made to government workers for the state’s five pension funds.
“(A)bout half of Chicago households report losing jobs or wages since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. More than two-thirds (69%) of those with job or wage losses say they are having serious financial problems, including an impact on savings as well as on the household’s ability to pay bills, including mortgage or rent.”
Maricela Garcia of the Gads Hill Center said some immigrant families, especially those with undocumented members, are reluctant to provide personal information over the phone or sign up for a program they might incorrectly perceive as a form of public assistance. “Some families have responded they have to think about it. And some have said, ‘No, I don’t believe this is free. What’s the catch?’”
Nancie Zobrist, of the Highland Chamber of Commerce, takes particular exception to his argument. “My concern here is that the casinos are still allowed to be open, still have people inside, and only required to follow the 25% capacity rule — and they have liquor licenses. It would be logical to conclude that people in casinos also talk loud, don’t wear masks and drink alcohol, which can make people less risk conscious. Right?”
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