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“I don’t have any statistics that suggest that we’re handling this any worse than any other states,” IDES acting director Kristin Richards told The State Journal-Register. “What I can tell you is that we’ve paid out over $19 billion in benefits, and that’s no small thing.
From the Chicago Tribune: In a statement from the caucus Friday, state Reps. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez and Fred Crespo said that because of the state’s troubled finances, the need for recovery from COVID-19 and a desire for increased representation in the approaching redrawing of legislative districts, “the majority of Latinx members determined that Speaker Madigan is in the best position to move these priorities forward in the coming term.”
Louis Agassiz was a Swiss American biologist who also promoted eugenics, the belief that some characteristics and races are inferior to others and should be bred out of humanity. “If we were OK to leave that name on the building, how am I as a Black parent or my child as a Black child supposed to really feel that my race or my worth would not come into play in a detrimental fashion?” one mother said.
City officials said they responded to 21 calls for violations of COVID-19 regulations. But, overall, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection reported a high level of compliance and a “relatively quiet night” of enforcement as Chicago rang in 2021.
The social media backlash has been brutal, with some who identify themselves as Chicago teachers saying the Puerto Rican pool pics from a union leader undermine legitimate concerns about the safety of returning to the classroom.
Comment: This is from RT, Russia’s state-sponsored news agency. Even they are ridiculing this CTU official. See our Wirepoints’ own story on this here.
“I can’t both deal with a raise in pay and a decline in sales. We are already balancing pandemic-related issues. This makes it much much worse.”
Additionally, 350 homicide cases were cleared last year, the most since 2005.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot backed the law, calling it a needed tool to protect workers in Chicago, many of whom earn the city’s minimum wage and fear losing their jobs if they cannot take on additional shifts at their managers’ request. However, the law was blasted by business groups as an expensive mandate that would hurt businesses struggling to stay afloat.
Wirepoints cited: “Over the last decade, Illinois has lost 243,102 in population, about the size of Peoria and Naperville combined. Only West Virginia (-3.7%) has lost a larger share of its population than Illinois (-2%). Other states in the Midwest including Indiana (4.1%), Iowa (3.7%), Kentucky (3%), Missouri (2.6%), Wisconsin (2.5%) and Michigan (0.9%) have added population since 2010, according to research outfit Wirepoints, so Democrats in Illinois can’t blame cold weather.”
“It’s the seventh year in a row the state (Illinois) has seen such a decline, and the Census Bureau estimates that more than a quarter-million people have left the state in the past decade — about triple the losses of other states…(But) Populations aren’t decreasing across the board. The midwest, mountain region and south appear to be drawing new residents in droves.”
Tribune Publishing’s largest shareholder, Alden Global Capital, offered to take full control of the owner of the Chicago Tribune in a deal that values the company at $520.6 million. Alden, known for its hostile takeover bids of publishing companies, has a stake of 32% stake in Tribune.
Officers responded to the hotel about 10:35 p.m. in the 500 block of South Michigan Avenue and found at least one room that was filled over capacity, according to a police spokeswoman.
But after 10 months without a penny, no way to open for many more, a question lingers. Will it be enough? “To be determined, I think,” one owner said. “But I will tell you it’s enough, for now, to get us open again.”
The veterans’ homes, other long-term care facilities and health care workers were all prioritized in the first round of Illinois’ vaccination plan, according to the IDPH.
“For Illinois, the year seemed to begin on a hopeful note. The state was running a budget surplus for the first time in many years. By February, unemployment had fallen to an all-time low. But things were about to change amid a backdrop of pandemic and government corruption scandals that rocked the foundation of power of the nation’s longest-serving state legislative leader.”
Because of COVID-19, the Illinois Legislature could take up the ability to legislate remotely in the new year, but some have concerns it could limit accountability and taxpayer participation.
Sarah Chambers, who was also part of that “solidarity delegation” with other CTU members that went last year to communist Venezuela.
As recently as Thursday, Sarah Chambers tweeted to rally special education teachers not to return to work Monday because it’s unsafe. Just a few hours earlier, she posted a picture on Instagram that appears to show her pool side in Puerto Rico and talking about going to Old San Juan for seafood.
“2020 has been an extremely difficult year for all of us, but through it all, we never gave up on each other. Here’s to a new year of fighting for the values we believe in and striving towards a more inclusive Chicago for all,” the mayor tweeted alongside her video message.
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