Duckworth, Durbin ask Biden to back biofuels – One Illinois

“Farmers have been irritated with the Trump administration for two and a half years for appearing to favor the oil industry over agriculture by granting refinery waivers allowing reduced ethanol production to major oil companies…Combined with President Trump’s trade war with China, which resulted in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. farm products, it led to reduced demand for corn and soybeans, resulting in reduced market prices that hurt farmers’ bottom lines.”

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Chicago’s Long-Hated Trump Tower Sign Could Come Down — If The President Is Impeached And Convicted – Block Club Chicago

Many praised the design of the building at 401 N. Wabash Ave. when construction was completed in 2009. But when the then-real estate mogul followed up in 2014 with plans to install a backlit, 20-foot-tall sign spelling out his last name on the river-facing side, people recoiled. Then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel called it “an architecturally tasteful building scarred by an architecturally tasteless sign.”

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Editorial: CPS and CTU have one job now that schools are open: Keeping kids and teachers safe – Chicago Sun-Times*

“The CTU, for its part, must resolve to be a real partner with CPS. So far, 71% of teachers and 76% of all school personnel, have returned to school buildings. The district’s threat to dock the pay of anyone who failed to return to work surely played a role in that, but we think the majority of teachers want to be back in a safe classroom. Pros want to be pros.”

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Chicago restaurant owners struggling from COVID-19 pandemic, make calls to restore partial indoor dining – ABC7 (Chicago)

One owner said the drop in business resulting in skeleton staff has made them vulnerable to crime; Jodi Agee said Jefferson Tap & Grille was robbed a week ago. “Kick us while we are down to have someone come in and violate what is already such a horrible situation, barely able to make ends meet right now, and then to be robbed, it’s disgusting.”

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Boss Madigan Teeters in Illinois – Wall Street Journal

The man most responsible for the dreadful condition of Illinois politics and the state’s finance has finally suffered a tentative defeat. On Monday Mike Madigan, the speaker of the Illinois House for all but two years since 1983, said he will suspend his attempt to seek the 60 votes he needs for another term as the boss.

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