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* Tribune | Jeep plant idling Tuesday will cost 1,200 jobs. Some residents fear it may turn Belvidere from an auto town into a ghost town: For nearly six decades, the massive auto plant has been the economic engine of the small river city near Rockford, churning out everything from the Plymouth Fury and the Chrysler New Yorker to the Dodge Dart. But after several years of downsizing and dwindling demand for its current product, the Jeep Cherokee, Stellantis is idling the plant “indefinitely,” laying off the last 1,200 workers and perhaps closing it for good.
* Sun-Times | DCFS blocking undocumented survivors of child abuse from applying for visas allowing them to stay in U.S.: The Illinois child-welfare agency for years has refused to issue “U visa” certifications to survivors of child abuse despite a law mandating that it must decide whether they qualify within 90 business days after they apply.
* Tribune | A battle simmers in Illinois over plans to pipe in and store millions of tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide underground: But as the fight over Navigator CO2’s pipeline illustrates, battle lines are being drawn, with opponents questioning carbon capture’s very reason for being — its real-world effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gases.
* Daily Herald | Longtime Bears lobbyist who secured Soldier Field financing now trying to do same at Arlington: Roger Bickel, a partner at Chicago-based Freeborn & Peters, is behind the Bears’ latest lobbying effort in Springfield as the NFL franchise seeks legislative approval for a massive property tax break at the 326-acre Arlington Park site it just purchased.
* Kane County Chronicle | In dueling letters, Democratic lawmakers, Kane sheriff trade accusations on police input for gun ban: In a letter “to the people of Kane County,” state Sens. Cristina Castro and Karina Villa joined state Reps. Anna Moeller, Martha Hirschauer and Barbara Hernandez in saying Hain was wrong when he said no law enforcement officers were involved in crafting the law.
* Center for Illinois Politics | Illinois’ Assault Weapons ban: From temporary restraining orders to multiple cases – we break it down: If you look at the text of the bill itself, you’ll notice it’s titled Insurance Code-Public Adjusters. Hmm? This is a prime example of the sausage-making process that often goes on in Springfield, when motivated legislators adopt a beat-the-clock mentality to get around the constitutional requirement of proposed legislation needing a certain number of readings. With just days to go in the January lame-duck session, Democratic Senators removed the components of a bill that had already passed the House, plugged in new language, passed the amended bill, and then sent it back to the House for what’s called concurrence, or final sign off.
* Crain’s Editorial | The table stakes in the EV poker game just got higher : Incentives are worth it if they build a base of decent jobs and renewed vitality to struggling communities — as opposed to, say, helping a professional football team build a new suburban playground — but the cost-benefit analysis is always the tough part. And any incentives deal must also hold the recipient responsible to meet the economic goals of the project and allow for transparency and accountability. But one thing is certain: In the state-by-state EV development poker game, the table stakes are getting higher.
* WBEZ | Chicago is expanding the types of 911 calls that get a mental health response: A pilot program under Mayor Lori Lightfoot aims to curb the police role. The program, Crisis Assistance Response and Engagement, is setting up mobile teams that include paramedics, mental-health clinicians and, in some cases, cops trained in crisis response. The teams aim to de-escalate crises and connect people to the care they need. Since the program’s September 2021 launch, CARE responses have not included any arrests or uses of force.
* Sun-Times | After pollution rules revised, two asphalt makers in lead for city work: Under revised rules, no single bidder can win contracts for more than two areas of the city so that asphalt production isn’t overwhelmingly affecting one neighborhood.
* Daily Herald | Former Arlington Park marketing chief appointed to racing board: Alyssa Ali Murphy, currently director of marketing for @properties, was chosen by Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a spot on the regulatory panel that provides oversight of the horse racing industry and the two remaining racetracks in the state: Hawthorne and Fairmount.
* Reuters | Union Pacific CEO to step down as hedge fund presses for change: The hedge fund said it had a “long-held view that current management is not capable of driving strong operating performance” and saw “a heightened risk of permanent damage to the franchise if left unaddressed.”
* News Week | Full List of Republicans Backing Matt Gaetz’s Resolution to End Ukraine Aid: Florida Representative Matt Gaetz is introducing a House resolution to end U.S. military and financial aid to Ukraine co-sponsored by 10 other House Republicans. … Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 7:37 am
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RE: News Week Article:
It sucks to see my federal representative, Mary Miller, boot licking for the likes of Gaetz, Boebert, Biggs, Gosar and Greene.
Dismissing the killing of innocent women, men and children, only empowers and emboldens our adversaries. Allowing our adversaries to pick off our allies one-by-one is exceptionally shortsighted. Then again, consider the cabal. Not a lick of sense between them.
Comment by H-W Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 8:48 am
Is refusal to approve U visas just another case of DCFS disfunction or are they just not equipped to do it? And if it’s either of those who can fix it?
Seems like a job for Pritzker.
Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 10:22 am
@cermak_rd -
According to the article, DCFS hasn’t even gotten around to setting up a review process. The law was passed four years ago. Sounds like dysfunction to me.
Comment by JoanP Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 10:53 am
Why doesn’t it surprise me that Mary Miller is so ignorant of the consequences of cutting off Ukraine aid that she would sign on to some piece of trash resolution like that.
Comment by Demoralized Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 11:10 am
===According to the article, DCFS hasn’t even gotten around to setting up a review process===
Except, read further.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 11:39 am
==Roger Bickel, a partner at Chicago-based Freeborn & Peters, is behind the Bears’ latest lobbying effort in Springfield as the NFL franchise seeks legislative approval for a massive property tax break at the 326-acre Arlington Park site it just purchased.==
Just what the (hopefully won’t be built) top of the new Bears stadium needs. Another spaceship.
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Monday, Feb 27, 23 @ 12:21 pm
Guess what- CEO of Stellantis is on CNBC right now announcing 3 new EV Plants in INDIANA
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Feb 28, 23 @ 6:26 am