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* Tribune | AFSCME ratifies 4-year contract with state that includes 18% pay raise and extended parental leave: The four-year contract between the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 and Pritzker’s administration is expected to cost taxpayers about $625 million, an increase of about $200 million from the previous contract, according to Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough.
* WREX | Governor Pritzker signs legislation to strengthen Illinois’ Hydrogen economy: “Here in the Land of Lincoln, we refuse to deny the looming threats of the climate crisis—and we are taking tangible action to create a more sustainable, environmentally-conscious future for the next generation of Illinoisans,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This tax credit for users of clean hydrogen won’t just bolster our clean energy economy—it further sets us on a path towards reaching our ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2050.”
* Tribune | Native American students, educators have high hopes for bill mandating their history be taught in Illinois schools: House Bill 1633, spearheaded by state Rep. Maurice West of Rockford and supported by several others, aims to make it a requirement for Illinois schools to teach a unit of Native American history. Pritzker is expected to sign the bill by mid-August.
* LA Times Editorial Board | L.A.’s bail reform is an improvement, but falls short of what Illinois has done: There’s an arguably contradictory provision in the California Constitution that makes public and victim safety the primary considerations in bail decisions. But it also doesn’t specify money. So perhaps California can still adopt legislation with a line like the one in the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act: “The requirement of posting money bail is abolished.”
* ABC Chicago | Former appellate court justice Eileen O’Neill Burke launching Cook County state’s attorney bid: Clayton Harris III, a professor of public policy at the University of Chicago, has already announced he’s running. Richard Boykin said he’ll launch his candidacy soon. Others considering running include Jim Durkin, Joe Ferguson and Bob Fioretti.
* WBEZ | Cook County’s estimated budget gap doubles to about $170 million: In June, county leaders said they expected to start the 2024 budget year with an $86 million gap — one of the smallest financial holes in the last decade. But now that gap is expected to swell to about $170 million, county chief financial officer Tanya Anthony revealed during a budget hearing on Tuesday.
* Sun-Times | Mayor Brandon Johnson tours West Side flood damage as FEMA begins assessment: Over the next week, seven teams from FEMA and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency will knock on doors and assess the damage in the areas hit hardest, Peterson said. The teams will also survey flood damage in suburban Cicero, Berwyn and Stickney.
* Crain’s | Rosemont office complex landlord hit with $115 million foreclosure lawsuit: A venture of Canadian real estate firm Adventus Realty Trust failed to make its mortgage payment last month on the loan tied to the Riverway office complex at 6111-6133 N. River Road, according to a complaint filed last week in Cook County Circuit Court. Investment management company Wilmington Trust filed the suit on behalf of bondholders in the loan, which was packaged with other loans and sold off to commercial mortgage-backed securities investors.
* Sun-Times | Margarito Flores, Chicago cocaine kingpin who helped bring down El Chapo, will teach cops how to catch drug traffickers: Now free along with his brother after completing their 14-year prison terms, Margarito Flores will be teaching law enforcement authorities in the Chicago area how to catch narcotics traffickers. He’s scheduled to speak Sept. 25 at a one-day seminar titled “From Kingpin to Educator” at the Kane County sheriff’s office headquarters in St. Charles.
* Tribune | Judge rejects Evanston’s request to limit discussion of Northwestern football stadium plan: U.S. District Judge Nancy Maldonado denied a motion to change a 19-year-old court order to restrict discussion of the project. She said the language in the order was “crystal clear.”
* WCBU | New Illinois Association of School Administrators president prioritizes school safety: “We can talk for hours about school safety, and quite honestly, that is and should be the number one priority of every administrator and every educator across Illinois, the nation and the world,” Alvey said. “If kids don’t feel safe, then they’re not going to learn. And obviously we want kids to learn and that’s our top priority as well.”
* Tribune | New regional airline coming to O’Hare to serve three small Midwest cities: As part of a federal government program to ensure smaller markets continue to receive scheduled air service, Contour Airlines will begin offering flights between O’Hare and Marion, Illinois, Kirksville, Missouri, and Owensboro, Kentucky. The flights are set to begin Aug. 1.
* Daily Southtown | Richton Park mayor makes pitch for Chicago Bears, touting expressway access and available land: With the Chicago Bears exploring suburban options beyond Arlington Heights as a site for a new stadium, Richton Park is making its pitch to the team. In a recent letter to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren, Richton Park Mayor Rick Reinbold touts large expanses of available land and the south suburb’s proximity to highways and the Metra Electric Line.
* Sun-Times | Rocky’s road: Wirtz remembered as fans’ friend in the stands, fierce fighter in the boardroom: Rocky Wirtz was the third-generation leader of his family’s businesses. Most Chicagoans knew Mr. Wirtz as the owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, and he enjoyed the role to the hilt, often chatting with fans in the stands instead of sequestering himself in a skybox.
* Crain’s | Ken Griffin’s $63 million Chicago condo selloff is not going well: The asking prices for the five condos, in three different high-rises all within a few blocks of one another, add up to nearly $63.18 million. So far, Griffin, head of the Citadel financial empire, has sold two, for a total of about $21.43 million.
* Fox Chicago | Beyoncé foundation donates $100K to Chicago small businesses: Beyoncé’s sold-out Soldier Field shows may be over, but she left a lasting impression in Chicago with several small businesses. Her Bey-Good Foundation gave $100,000 to several small, Black-owned businesses in the city.
* STLPR | It’s slim pickings for southern Illinois peaches this year — and you’ll pay more: “To have a loss as bad as we’ve had this year, it’s very rare,” said Austin Flamm, the farm manager of the family orchard. “This is the worst loss we’ve had in about 16 seasons.”
* AEN | God loves us as we are - Pope to young transgender person: ‘The Lord always accompanies us, always. Even if we are sinners, He draws near to help us,” said the pope after hearing the story of Giona, who spoke about the challenges of being a believer, while accepting the reality of having physical challenges and being transgender. “God loves us just as we are,” he added.
posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 7:31 am
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Struggling to empathize with Ken Griffin’s woes.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 7:39 am
I’m surprised to see the article about airlines adding routes to serve small, remote locations. Yesterday, CBS News had an extensive article about how airlines are shutting down services to smaller airports due to massive and enduring labor shortages.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 7:46 am
The passing of Rocky Wirtz really caught me by surprise. His rebuilding of the Hawks really sparked a decade of hockey resurgence and civic pride in Chicago that might not be seen for a long time.
Comment by Regular democrat Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 7:47 am
There are very few (and far between) reasons to ever “feel bad” for Ken Griffin, but there’s zero way I feel bad for Griffin’s “sell off” that might not be going all that well.
There’s a harsh line in “A Bronx Tale” that applies far more here than the harsh thought in the film.
“Mickey Mantle don’t care about you, so why should you care about him?”
You think Griffin cares about any of us, Illinois… nope.
So I read this as “huh, welcome to the party”, as he will never worry about bills, housing, any real life concerns…
Good luck there, Ken.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 8:07 am
I feel bad for the southern Illinois peach growers. Mother nature has not been kind this year, i was glad to get Eckert peaches at Schnuck’s in BloNo. They are a little smaller and are more expensive, but they sure taste like Summer.
Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 10:03 am
Griffin got $21 million for two condos. He has three more to sell.
That is not an actual problem.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 10:34 am
Nearly Normal,
I don’t think I’ve had a peach or apricot that actually tasted like the ones I picked or bought roadside as a kid. Maybe it’s because my tastebuds have gotten older, or maybe they pick them for stores in Chicago way too soon.
Comment by cermak_rd Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 10:56 am
Padre Francis - If God truly loves us all as we are, what’s with all the $:&@&)($@ rules?
Comment by Captain Obvious Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 11:35 am
@cermak_rd -
Try a farmers market instead of a store.
Comment by JoanP Wednesday, Jul 26, 23 @ 12:34 pm