-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
“Number one, for the governor to say that he’s not going to give the schools a bail out is an unfortunate use of language, for sure. Number two, how is it that the kids in Chicago do not reap the benefit of the economy that their families helped to power that helps the entire region?” Stacy Davis Gates said.
The test program comes as the CTA has grappled with concerns about personal safety, both real and perceived, in recent years, and as the use of different types of technology to address public safety concerns has grown. But a separate gunshot detection technology used in Chicago, ShotSpotter, became a political flashpoint earlier this year.
Burglaries aren’t the neighborhood’s only problem. A bi-annual analysis of crime reports found that Uptown had more crimes reported during the first half of this year than any other year since at least 2014. Violent crime reports and burglaries are also at their highest levels since at least 2014.
Also in Fiscal Year 2024, which ended June 30, the Treasurer’s Office made a record $1.05 billion in gross investment earnings for cities, villages, school districts, counties and other units of government that take part in the highly rated Illinois Funds local government investment pool the State Treasurer’s Office operates.
Elise Foster, president of the National Association of Letter Carrier Branch 11 in Chicago, said, “We need some help out here. All the people who can figure it out need to figure it out because we can’t keep having our letter carriers attacked.”
Gregg Fishman, of Fishman Fabrics, says for 10 years he’s had several issues with the tent city encampment across the street, and has made numerous requests through multiple administrations to clean it up. “It’s a little bit of a funny thing that when it was a problem for me it wasn’t really a problem, but it was a problem for the DNC,” he said. “Regardless of the politics to get it done I’m ok with it.”
The Water Affordability Program will provide $11.5 million in assistance for past due bills and leak repairs for homeowners. The program was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, and was passed unanimously by the Cook County Board in May.
Plaintiffs suing ISP allege that a 2019 clear and present danger report should have been enough for ISP to deny Robert Crimo III’s FOID card application months later, but they didn’t.
“It’s like they almost set up the social equity thing to fail so the big guys could come in and swoop up all these licenses,” said Steve Olson, purchasing manager at a pair of dispensaries near Rockford. “I hate to feel like that but, if you look at it, it’s pretty black and white.”
By donating and composting the leftover food, the DNC limited the amount of landfill waste, thus reducing methane and gas production, according to data supplied by a DNC committee spokesperson. The convention committee reported 93,886 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions diverted from landfills, along with more than 5.3 million gallons of water saved.
The Urban Institute issued a series of recommendations for Chicago that includes offering subsidized low-interest loans or grants for developers; doing more outreach to developers of color before issuing requests for proposals for redeveloping city parcels; and easing regulations that can delay projects.
From the end of May 2023 to spring 2024, as CTA riders had to cope with frequent delays and filthy conditions, CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. spent nearly 100 days out of town at conferences, some overseas, his schedule shows. During that same period, Carter scheduled just nine field visits to CTA train stations and bus terminals.
The Illinois Flag Commission was created last year after Senate Bill 1818 was signed into law. The goal of the bill was to develop new state flag designs to determine if one of them should replace the current state flag. The current flag was adopted in 1969.
Mailee Smith, of the Illinois Policy Institute. “(B)y concentrating on CPS’ wrongdoings and pressuring the district to pour in even more money or reshuffle resources, CTU ignored the elephant in the room: Much of the system’s failures and the rigidity that stops it from fixing inequality among schools is there because CTU demanded it. CTU’s quest for money and power has crippled the district’s ability to address needs and fill holes.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson has banked on $35 million this year in city casino tax revenue, earmarked for underfunded police and firefighter pensions. The city’s cut so far this year adds up to only about $8.2 million, according to Illinois Gaming Board records.
In all, Illinois state and local political figures and funds have accepted more than $90,000 from Boeing since the federal government accused it of fraud in 2021, records show.
Jim Dey: “Another one of Gov. JB Pritzker’s ill-advised assaults on citizen rights — this one attacking voter choice in the November election — has been struck down by the courts. Last time, it was U.S. Judge Iain Johnson who lambasted Pritzker and the Legislature for passing a clearly unconstitutional law that infringed on the free-speech rights of anti-abortion protesters. This time, it was a Sangamon County circuit judge backed by the Illinois Supreme Court.”
“What the teachers did was get organized. Teachers are good at organization. Any group of people who can keep the attention of 30 eighth-graders all going through puberty at the same time can certainly get out the vote in a precinct. “
Unemployment rose across all 14 of Illinois’ metropolitan areas.
The Interchange Fee Prohibition Act is a flawed law that will harm both taxpayers and small businesses across Illinois.
Vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday accused presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and the current Democratic administration of “helping China destroy and replace our auto industry from the inside out” with subsidized electric vehicle battery plants being built by Gotion. Coverage is appearing in much of the media including the New York Times and Fox.
Ted joined Dan and Amy to talk about Illinois’ dismal education results, how the education system fools parents into thinking their children are doing well, why uninvolved parents and an uncaring, bloated education system are both to blame for students’ failures, and more.
She said of the upcoming elections for a hybrid school board, “This is one of the localest of the localest elections that we are blessed to have in a time period where red states are marginalizing the rights, voting rights, of people, Black people (and) Brown people who need the Chicago public schools to work for them now have an opportunity and some agency to make those selections. That’s a great thing.”
In one incident, also on the South Side, Chicago police officers had to respond to a “vicious dog chained to a tree” after numerous service calls to Animal Care and Control went unanswered for hours. The dog eventually broke free and attacked two children.
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