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* ABC Chicago | IL State Rep. feared for his life during violent mob attack by Israeli settlers in West Bank: “The gunshots got closer and closer to my house. I didn’t know whether we were going to be killed,” said Rashid. “My daughter, 7 years old, was clinging to me, saying, ‘Dad, what do we do if we get shot?’”
* Chicago Daily Law Bulletin | Joy Cunningham launches bid to keep Illinois Supreme Court seat: Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham announced Thursday evening she is running to retain the seat she currently holds on the high court. Cunningham, 71, was appointed to the seat when former Chief Justice Anne M. Burke retired Nov. 30. She has been serving as a Supreme Court justice for the 1st District since Dec. 1 in a term expiring Dec. 2, 2024, after the November 2024 election. First District Appellate Court Justice Jesse G. Reyes announced his candidacy for the seat on May 31.
* WAND | Sen. Mike Simmons, Illinois LGBTQ+ advocates denounce hateful attacks: “There’s not a day that goes by where somebody doesn’t go on my social media and tell everybody in my district to keep their children away from me because I’m a pervert, because I’m a groomer,” Simmons said. “I don’t care about how I feel. It’s my family and my community that I’m always concerned about.”
* JG-TC | Rep. Chris Miller to seek reelection to Illinois House: “I refuse to give in to the destructive policies coming from the Democrats in Illinois,” Miller said in a statement. “It is my honor to represent the commonsense people of Central Illinois and be their voice in Springfield. Our fight has just begun.”
* Sun-Times | Madigan’s ex-chief of staff wants judge to block feds from playing roughly 100 recordings at perjury trial: They also revealed in court filings Friday the FBI tried to convince the Madigan aide, Tim Mapes, to work as a “confidential witness” during a meeting in Springfield in February 2019. Mapes “politely declined,” according to his attorneys.
* Center for Illinois Politics | Kwame Raoul’s Clash with the Cardinal Shines a Spotlight on a Low-Key State Official: Cardinal Cupich said he was blindsided by the report, a statement Raoul denied. “We’ve been in communication with the church, all the dioceses in Illinois. The church disclosed 80 new names of abusers in just a couple of months after the announcement of our investigation. Then talking to survivors, there were more names that emerged that they had not disclosed,” said Raoul. […] “So we waited, chose another date. Ironically, the Cardinal takes off for Rome on the day we release the report. And days later, he gives an interview on the steps of the Vatican where he says he’s surprised to hear 125 names that were not disclosed.”
* WBEZ | Pension board votes to take away the retirement benefits of former state Rep. Luis Arroyo: The state General Assembly Retirement System board voted to strip Arroyo of his more than $4,500-a-month state pension, citing state law that allows retirement benefits of ex-lawmakers to be taken away if they commit felonies arising from their time in office.
* State Week | Pritzker takes heat over immigrant health care limits: Lawmakers gave Gov. JB Pritzker authority to manage costs in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program. His administration has filed emergency rules that limit enrollment. The action comes on the heels of skyrocketing cost estimates for the program, which serves individuals between 42-64 years old, who would be eligible for Medicaid benefits based on income levels but not their citizenship status.
* Tyler Michals | By limiting where laws can be challenged, Illinois state government is guilty of a power grab: It must be frustrating to Illinois Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both houses of the state legislature, that a single judge can thwart their legislative ambitions. Indeed, these pesky judges seem to be just about the only thing that can stop their legislative steamroller. Under unified control, the Illinois legislature passed more than 500 bills in the month of May alone.
* NBC Chicago | End of grocery tax suspension, changes to school holidays among measures taking effect at start of July: In addition to seven public acts approved by Illinois lawmakers and signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, changes to the minimum wage in both Chicago and suburban Cook County take effect on July 1.
* Tribune | Sleeping on the floor of a Chicago police station for weeks, some migrants say it’s still their best option: The Tribune spent a night at the 5th District station to observe what it is like for migrants to fall asleep on hard tile floors, with bright lights shining in their faces, residents spilling into the station at any hour of the night and police sirens occasionally blaring.
* WBEZ | CPS says it fixed all hazardous lead paint identified this year. Records and school staff tell a different story.: “We asked many times,” said Kelly Harmon, a special education teacher at McClellan, whose room had flaking paint chips. “Our administration kept emailing [the school district], and they kept hearing back that it wasn’t a problem.”
* Tribune | The assessment on Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s home went down while his neighbors’ soared. What happened?: Through his office, Kaegi declined to be interviewed. Instead, he released a statement saying, “My home’s most recent assessment reflects the highest price per square foot compared to similar homes in my neighborhood.”
* Tribune | Slots, table games and stained glass: Bally’s Chicago moving quickly to turn landmark Medinah Temple into a gambling mecca: Granted preliminary approval last week by the Illinois Gaming Board — a precursor to final licensing — Bally’s Chicago began installing more than 750 slot machines and 50 gaming tables almost immediately. It expects to have all the equipment in place and the roughly 1,000 gaming positions laid out by the end of the week.
* Sun-Times | One of Chicago’s most popular lakefront venues is closed, with no reopening date: “Temporarily closed this summer for renovations,” read the signs on the main entrance and Castaways’ social media accounts. “We’re excited to welcome everyone back aboard soon!” The building tenant, Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants, has applied to the Chicago Department of Buildings for a permit to do about $150,000 worth of renovations. But that was in February, and the permit application is still pending.
* Sun-Times | Thousands cheer on 52nd annual pride parade: Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. J.B. Pritzker were in the parade. Members of the Chicago Teachers Union rode on motorbikes, leading to a “teachers” chant from the crowd.
* Crain’s | Crown family member Jim Crown dies in accident: James Crown, part of one of Chicago’s wealthiest families, died yesterday in an accident at a motorsports park in Woody Creek, Colo., according to The Colorado Sun. He reportedly turned 70 yesterday. Crown collided with an impact barrier as he was trying to make a turn, the report said, citing the Pitkin County Coroner’s Office.
*** UPDATE *** More…
* WBEZ | Video gambling company agrees to pay $1 million fine to state of Illinois: The settlement comes more than two years after Illinois Gaming Board officials filed their case against Accel Entertainment — which is based in the western suburbs and has become the biggest player in the booming video gambling industry.
* WVIK | GOP Leader McCombie Grades the Illinois Legislative Session: Tony McCombie, House Republican Leader, reflects on the recently completed session including the budget, schools, economy, two ‘Only-in-Illinois’ stories, her grade for the legislative process and much more.
* Sun-Times | Illinois must hold pawnbrokers accountable for high interest loans to military: Woodstock Institute has been fighting to end all predatory lending in Illinois for decades, and we uncovered two pawnshops charging 243.3% APR to an active-duty service member in the week leading up to Veterans Day 2022. Woodstock’s investigation showed that Illinois pawnbrokers are failing to inquire about the borrower’s military status and overcharging active-duty service members with triple-digit interest rates.
* QC Times | East Moline state representative reflects on spring session: The statehouse was already a familiar space for Gregg Johnson from advocacy work when he returned to Springfield in January. Back in the day, Johnson said, he would spend days under the dome advocating for health care, higher minimum wage or issues related to the organization he represented at the time. This time around, he was walking into the statehouse as the Democratic Representative for the 72nd House District.
* ABC | Three Democratic governors are raising their profiles, which could chart paths to White House: Experts: All three Democrats have been floated as possible 2024 presidential candidates amid voters’ concern over the fitness of Biden, 80, to serve another four-year term. But all have enthusiastically endorsed Biden and publicly said they have no plans to run themselves. Last week, Pritzker told “ABC News Live Prime” anchor Linsey Davis that he was “flattered to have been considered among people who might run for president” but that “President Biden has done a terrific job.”
* Journal Star | Illinois has extended its cocktails to-go law. Here’s what to know: The alcohol itself must be in a sealed container and placed in a space inaccessible to the passenger area while being transported, such as the trunk. For delivery, third-party groups are not permitted.
* Illinois Farmer Today | Farmer sees solution to dust storms: southern Illinois farmer, teacher and conservationist, Richard “Dick” Lyons was so moved by the dust storm that caused fatalities on an Illinois highway in May that he wrote this letter to the General Assembly.
* River Bender | New Illinois Movement Chair Discusses Progress, Future Plans: “Our movement is about following the process provided in the U.S. Constitution to pursue the formation of a new state separate from the State of Illinois,” Merrit said. She clarified that they’re not trying to remove Chicago from the state - rather, they aim to remove the rest of Illinois and form it into a new state, New Illinois.
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 7:51 am
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===“It is my honor to represent the commonsense people of Central Illinois and be their voice in Springfield. Our fight has just begun.”===
It should be noted, however, that Chris Miller had a 3%er sticker on his truck that his common sense seemingly forgot what that means… and Miller’s commonsensical wife, who is a member of Congress felt the commonsense of the leader of the National Socialists of the 1930s and 1940s… of Germany…
… it should be noted exactly who and what Miller (no relation to Rich or Isabel) is, and what he and his wife think needs representating.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 8:04 am
That is some transparency by Fritz Kaegi.
Comment by No Contest Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 8:40 am
Re: Cardinal Cupich’s comments and the report released by AG Raoul…”Beware of hypocrites wearing capes and cassocks.”
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 9:40 am
that story about juveniles and life if crime happened when they were under 21 contains delicious irony. JBJenkins working against change ,many other pieces on this, though now she looks for victim notice. elsewhere she says because she’s carrying out her mother’s wish to keep in the then juvenile killer of her sister. But she had no trouble advocating for Renaldo Hudson….19, stabbed and burned a man to death…to get off death row and out of prison. and he admits his guilt. the victim in that case was an elderly man who had no family here, from Sweden I believe. where was victim advocacy for Folke Peterson? Ironic.
Comment by Amalia Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 9:42 am
I think my support of parole offering for people who committed serious crimes in their youth is going to depend on the crime committed. There is a family in my hometown where 5 members were killed by an eighteen year old man.
That man has come up for parole 14 times since then. Everytime the family has to gather names on petitions and hurt all over again as they try to keep him behind bars.
This proposed law would not hurt this family as it already has to go through this routinely, but how many other families will it make go through that pain?
And how fair is it to either the convict or the friends/family of the deceased that it all seems to depend on how active the latter are? I’m sure there are other considerations like does the prisoner comply with prison rules, admitted his guilt, etc. but it really seems that victim advocates are the key.
Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 9:46 am
“Cardinal Cupich said he was blindsided by the report”
How about you guys never complain again for the rest of your lives. I wouldn’t let a Catholic priest speak to my kid so maybe worry about whether all the child rape has been flushed out before you worry about the government not holding your hand through the revelation of your organization’s astounding criminal behavior.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 9:47 am
“Merrit emphazised that this is not a partisan issue.”
Riiiiiiiight.
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 12:27 pm
==“Merrit emphazised that this is not a partisan issue.”
Riiiiiiiight.==
And, based upon recent election trends, I don’t see any of the collar counties wanting to separate from Cook - except, maybe, Will, depending on which day of the week you ask them.
Comment by Proud Sucker Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 2:24 pm
As a supporter of most Dem policies, I think this is a horrible law that favors democracy to the few and frustrates it for most. How could this possibly be a constitutional law?! And what, you now have to travel 200 miles to make that argument in court. Shame. Heaps and heaps of shame.
Comment by Keep it Real Monday, Jun 26, 23 @ 3:59 pm