February 13, 2022 | Wirepoints

University of Chicago students demand school give $1 billion in reparations to South Side – FOX News

February 13, 2022 10 Comments

“We at UChicago Against Displacement, too, believe that the South Side is owed reparations. The University exists as a legacy of chattel slavery. Moreover, it has been an active participant in segregation, redlining, and supporting developments that work to isolate the University from its neighbors and put Southsiders at risk of displacement from their homes,” the group states.

Lawsuit: Chicago, Cook County vax passports do nothing vs omicron, ‘patently irrational,’ unconstitutional – Cook County Record

February 13, 2022 1 Comment

A group of unvaccinated residents of Chicago and Cook County have sued the city and county, asking a federal judge to put an end to the city’s and county’s vaccine passport orders. The plaintiffs argue federal courts shouldn’t wait for the city and county to take action. They assert the vaccine passports have violated their constitutional rights, as well as Chicago’s own municipal code.

Fremont School District 79 shifts to remote learning over mask protest – WGNTV (Chicago)

February 13, 2022 3 Comments

In a letter to parents, students and staff, district officials announced an adaptive pause would remain in effect until further notice in anticipation of protests that would “confront and/or interact directly with students.”

Chicago Parents on the Use of Masks in Schools – WTTW (Chicago)

February 13, 2022 No Comments

Andrea Corona, whose daughter attends a Catholic school, attributes concerns about children’s mental health to masking. “We really need to start focusing on the health of our forthcoming generation and not expect them to be responsible for our health,” she said.

Chicago-area schools face ‘warlike conditions,’ with protests and student walkouts over state’s mask mandate – Bloomington Pantagraph*

February 13, 2022 4 Comments

Al Llorens, vice president of the Illinois Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, said the turmoil facing school districts in recent weeks has found “educators who are afraid because they’re getting threatening emails, little kids are crying and high school kids are walking out….I don’t know what the answer is. It’s playing out in the courts and is the decision of the health department and the governor. But the students need to be our North Star.”

Local activists and residents issue demand for reparations from U. of C. – Hyde Park Herald

February 13, 2022 13 Comments

The reparations are in return for the U. of C.’s role in displacing and destabilizing Black communities surrounding it, said organizer David Zegeye. Specifically, activists pointed to the school’s decision to indirectly fund racially restrictive covenants during the 1930s and 1940s to prevent integration of the mid-South Side and its role in orchestrating the later urban renewal plan that saw thousands of Black people displaced from Hyde Park.

Bloomington-Normal’s role in ‘electric vehicle revolution’ attracts visit from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg – WGLT (NPR at ISU)

February 13, 2022 2 Comments

Buttigieg was joined at the Heartland training site by Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. Pointing to the Rivian R1T on display and sporting an “I heart trucks” button, Pritzker said, “That’s a good truck!” and said that he had one on order.

In wake of Jason Van Dyke case, Kim Foxx pledge to seek more special prosecutors has not come to pass – Chicago Tribune*

February 13, 2022 1 Comment

“There is an inherent conflict of interest because of the intimate relationship between the prosecutor’s office and the police, and to suggest that doesn’t exist is disingenuous,” Foxx said at a campaign forum in January 2016. But Cook County prosecutors in her administration have never sought the appointment of a special prosecutor in a police shooting case. And in at least two instances, Cook County prosecutors have said they opposed bringing in outside attorneys to reinvestigate police shootings, saying their office had already reviewed the cases and determined charges were not appropriate.

Illinois Senate committee passes trailer bill to Clean Energy Jobs Act – WGEM (Quincy)

February 13, 2022 No Comments

AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Pat Devaney said future amendments could “delete the prevailing wage section of the bill as it’s currently written.”

Sangamon County Jail is overcapacity – WICS (Springfield)

February 13, 2022 2 Comments

That’s the latest from Sheriff Jack Campbell as the Illinois Department of Corrections, IDOC, continues a pause on transfers from the county because of COVID-19.

Teacher unions help shape pandemic policies in Illinois – Center Square

February 13, 2022 2 Comments

Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the state’s top two Democratic legislative leaders have received more than a combined $1.5 million from the state’s top teachers’ unions. In contrast, the state’s top two Republican legislative leaders and former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner have received less than $5,000 combined. Democrats have controlled both chambers of the Illinois legislature since 2003.

Illinois among worst states in the country for potholes despite 2nd highest gas tax – Center Square

February 13, 2022 1 Comment

A couple Illinois cities made the top-50 list for the worst pothole problems. Champaign ranked 32nd and Chicago came in at number 41.

Officer exodus: CPD hiring not keeping up with departures – WGNTV (Chicago)

February 13, 2022 4 Comments

“What you have in effect, there is 264 people last year who said basically: ‘I don’t see a future with the Chicago police department. I don’t see a future in the City of Chicago. I’m going elsewhere,’” said retired chief of detectives Eugene Roy.

Standardized tests no longer required for Illinois public college admissions – Center Square

February 13, 2022 2 Comments

Quad-Cities lawmakers address workforce shortages during chamber forum – Quad City Times

February 13, 2022 No Comments

Illinois Reps. Mike Halpin and Tony McCombie were asked how they would address rising unemployment insurance costs. Halpin supports putting much of the state’s $1.7 billion surplus into the unemployment trust fund, “so that cost does not translate into increased cost for business or decrease in benefits for our unemployed workers.”

Meier on Pritzker’s budget: ‘The budget proposed today is full of smoke and mirrors’ – Metro East Sun

February 13, 2022 No Comments

Rep. Charlie Meier’s statement reads, in part, “While state revenue is declining, Pritzker’s spending is drastically increasing. Things only appear to look good right now because the state was bailed out with $8 billion from the federal government.”

Illinois lawmaker hopes to expunge more marijuana arrest records by dropping drug test requirement – WGEM (Quincy)

February 13, 2022 No Comments

“It’s not going the way this legislative body intended it to go,” said Mark Mitchell, an advocate with Teamwork Englewood. “It’s not happening in four months. It’s taking 18-19 months to get this done on the regular.”

How downstate judge’s mask ruling sowed confusion in schools across suburbs, state – Daily Herald*

February 13, 2022 2 Comments

A decision from the appellate court is expected in the coming week. “A temporary restraining order is intended to be short-lived,” said Don Craven, a Springfield attorney and president of the Illinois Press Association. “And the appellate court must hear the case; they don’t get discretion to reject it like the Supreme Court.”

Greising: Pritzker’s Budget Puts Illinois on Best Fiscal Footing in Years, but in a state like Illinois, that’s not saying much. – Better Government Association

February 13, 2022 No Comments

“Those improved credit ratings? Yes, we’re no longer dangling on the precipice of junk status, but Illinois remains the lowest-rated among the 50 states. That strengthened pension funding—with the shortfall down to $130 billion from $144 billion a year ago? That’s in large measure due to a strong 2021 stock market, and still worse than any state but New Jersey.”