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Aided by a newly drawn map of district boundaries, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s Democrats say they racked up wins in as many as 77, and possibly 78, of the House’s 118 seats. That would best the modern high-water mark of 74 seats set in 2018 by Democrats led at the time by now-indicted ex-Speaker Michael Madigan.
Sigcho-Lopez visited a shelter in Harvey, where he said 108 people and at least 60 minors, including a 4-month-old, need immediate mental health care, immunizations, schooling and food security, among other critical needs. He said some children were missing basic necessities such as jackets to be able to go outside.
David Greising: “At present in the national context, Illinois’ reputation can be boiled down to three items: crime, corruption and fiscal distress. How Pritzker responds to those over the next few months will be key to the presidential ambitions he seems to have.”
As of last week, pedestrian traffic along State Street is within 25% of 2019 levels, according to the Chicago Loop Alliance. However, because safety concerns continue, the Chicago Police Department said they are increasing foot patrols.
According to a police source, a rope noose was found in the stairwell of the construction site, and police were informed of the incident at approximately 10 a.m.
“Hit the reset button. Understand how we got here. And please do more to understand that this big state, this is a Democrat state, but it’s a state that’s dying for competition, a state that’s dying for an alternative voice that is reasonable, an alternative voice that is moderate from the status quo that the Democrats have,” Jim Durkin said. “Until we realize that this is a game of addition and not subtraction we are going to continue to be on a downward spiral.”
Carter was asked if he supports having the CTA bring back its own police force, which was disbanded more than 40 years ago under former Mayor Jane Byrne. He responded, “I don’t feel that that’s a viable, efficient solution to the problems that we’re dealing with. It would take me years to build a police department at CTA.”
While Republican lawmakers and the Illinois law enforcement are nearly unanimously opposed to the cashless bail provision set to go into effect Jan. 1 as part of the SAFE T Act, there are different opinions among Democrats on what needs to change. The measure faces a consolidated lawsuit from dozens of state’s attorneys and sheriffs across the state.
Voter turnout reached the second-highest level for a gubernatorial general election since 1998. Research shows more competitive elections increase voter participation, with contested races drawing 7% more voters to the polls.
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates issued a statement that reads, in part, “In this election cycle, we fought against the reactionary right and pushed for what voters care about – from women’s rights and treatment not trauma to the Workers Rights Amendment. Today, our state will continue to be led by a Governor that believes we need more funding for education – not less – with strong majorities in the House and Senate. The Illinois Supreme Court is secure. And, we have two new progressive congresspeople that we call friends.”
Total comp time payments rose 11.7% between 2018 and 2020, according to city payroll records. On average, an officer receiving these payments collects about $15,000. As Chicago police face canceled days off amid growing concerns over crime, some cops view these payments as both an incentive for their service and compensation for the years not spent with their families.
When sheriff’s officers responded to his home upon receiving an alert from his monitoring band, they were met by his brother. He handed over Baylock’s severed ankle strap and told the officers that Baylock wanted him to give it to them, Assistant State’s Attorney Danny Hanichak said.
“My children went to a phenomenal school in Chicago … but their indoctrination in woke ideology was crushing,” Griffin said in a conversation hosted by The Economic Club of Miami. “They came home very confused about whether or not the United States was a good country.”
In Jackson Park, hundreds of trees were cut down to make way for the Obama Presidential Center, and still hundreds more could be lost as part of roadwork tied to the center, one activist said. Should plans for a proposed Tiger Woods-designed golf course ever move forward in South Shore, thousands of trees would be on the chopping block.
Democrats were able to win the suburban seats — and likely up to six others in the state — in part because state Democratic leaders drew the congressional map after the 2020 census to protect Democratic candidates, said Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield. The mapmakers’ primary goal was to “protect the suburbs,” he said.
“Chicago is plagued by violent crime and a leftist political class cares more about supporting violent offenders than supporting law enforcement. With street crime rising and public education a complete and utter failure, the fate of Chicago is in the balance.”
The wealthy and connected owners of Green Rose at GRI Holdings, Inc., include restaurateur Phil Stefani, former Chicago police detective commander Thomas Wheeler Jr., and former CTA executive John Trotta. Consultants on the project included Jay Steward, former head of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which controls marijuana licensing for the state.
Loan funds used for a range of key expenses, such as rent, payroll, utility bills and other costs won’t have to be repaid, said Emily Bolton, spokeswoman for the commerce department.
The trip is meant to highlight the Biden Administration’s commitment to strengthening the economy and building pathways to good-paying jobs through Registered Apprenticeships and career-connected learning, Biden’s office said.
The 2023 Chicago mayoral election scheduled for Feb. 28 is looming in the distance, with at least 10 declared candidates — including incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot — and several others still weighing bids. García represents Illinois’ 4th District and on Tuesday was just reelected to his third term.
Solutions journalism is a centerpiece of the new news website, called Illinois Answers Project. It joins the deep-dive investigative reporting that this year earned a Pulitzer Prize. A separate, policy-focused website — called BGA Policy — will present analysis and advocacy for more open, equitable and accountable government to better serve the people of Illinois.
“The big picture, of course, is: nothing really changed that much,” said Chris Mooney, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Chicago. “We’ve gotten so polarized that you don’t have the random Democrat being elected in a Republican state and vice versa. Everybody’s got their teams and they’re running with them.”
Ahead of Election Day, candidates campaigning on reproductive, voting and criminal justice rights racked in large sums from political action committees, state political parties and even personal bank accounts.
The voting results for Amendment 1, dubbed the “Workers’ Rights” Amendment, are still up in the air as of this morning. Whether it passes or not is too close to call.
Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans is the key architect of the county’s infamous “bail reform.” On Tuesday, Cook County voter retained him by a 70% to 30% vote.
Jim Dey: “While the results could have been worse, they represent a litany of failure. Here’s one stunning statistic. Wirepoints pointed out that “a record of 87% of Illinois students graduate” from high school, but “only three in 10 students taking the SAT can read at grade level.”
“I’m hopeful that we are part of a national movement that will encourage the federal government, in my lifetime, to do a guaranteed income … nationally not just here in Illinois,” Preckwinkle said.
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