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* ICYMI: Hundreds attended funeral of Palestinian boy, landlord detained on murder and hate crime charges. Tribune…
- Landlord, Joseph Czubam made his first court appearance Monday, where he was denied pre-trial release.
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Tribune | Lawyers for ex-Ald. Edward Burke confirm they will call alderman turned government mole Daniel Solis as a defense witness: The announcement by Burke’s high-powered defense team comes a month after prosecutors left Solis off their witness list, saying they planned to introduce dozens of undercover audio and video recording Solis made in the bombshell investigation through other witnesses.
* NYT | Longer Commutes, Shorter Lives: The Costs of Not Investing in America: The speed at which people can get from one place to another is one of the most basic measures of a society’s sophistication. It affects economic productivity and human happiness; academic research has found that commuting makes people more unhappy than almost any other daily activity. Yet in one area of U.S. travel after another, progress has largely stopped over the past half-century.
* Crain’s | City reups contract with Jones Lang LaSalle to scout sites for migrant housing: In August 2018, the city inked a contract worth $2.3 million with JLL for site reviews, appraisals and brokerage services. That contract expired this year on Aug. 5, but was extended to 2025, spokesman Michael Grimm said in an email to Crain’s. The city’s contracting website does not list an extension and Grimm did not share further information on the cost of the contract.
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* Tribune | Ald. Jim Gardiner hit with $20,000 fine for ethics violations: The Chicago Board of Ethics on Monday fined Northwest Side Ald. Jim Gardiner $20,000 after he was accused of retaliating against a constituent and vocal critic by directing city staff to issue bogus citations against the resident for overgrown weeds and rodents in September 2019.
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson announces citywide composting initiative amid promises to reopen long-shuttered Department of Environment: The city of Minneapolis reported that it diverted over 35% of its municipal waste from landfills in 2022. Just over 19% of the diverted waste was recycled and over 16% of it was composted. These numbers offer a promising outlook for Chicago’s new initiative.
* Tribune | As evictions tick back up in Cook County, new proposal aims to help renters who land in court: If the City Council passes the right to counsel ordinance, Chicago would join cities including Baltimore and New York, which have in recent years approved such legislation. Introduced Sept. 14, the proposal has been referred to the housing and real estate committee, where it is expected to be discussed in the coming months.
* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson cancels trip to Mexico border for look at migrant crisis, will send aides instead: Beatriz Ponce de Leon, deputy mayor of immigrant, migrant and refugee rights, will lead a small delegation to four Texas cities that are the primary points of departure for migrants traveling to Chicago by bus and air: El Paso, San Antonio, McAllen and Brownsville.
* Block Club | University Of Chicago Radio Station Works To Bounce Back After Funding Cut: Two-thirds of WHPK’s funding was slashed in the spring. Station leaders secured more money directly from the dean, but are having to pivot to stay afloat, continue community events and fundraise.
* WCIA | Don’t veer for deer, IDOT and IDNR remind motorists: “While your natural instinct is to steer quickly out of the way when you see a deer, remember to not veer suddenly because you could lose control of your vehicle and swerve into another lane or off the road,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said. “Always prepare for the unexpected. A deer might stop in the middle of the road or double back. They also frequently travel in groups so when you see one there likely are others nearby.”
* AP | Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford calls on autoworkers to end strike, says company’s future is at stake: In a rare speech coming during contract talks in the company’s hometown of Dearborn, Michigan, Ford said high labor costs could limit spending on developing new vehicles and investing in factories.
* AP | GOP’s Jim Jordan is shoring up support and peeling off detractors ahead of a House speaker vote: Tuesday’s scheduled floor vote could turn into a showdown as remaining holdouts refuse to back Jordan. After a private late-night meeting at the Capitol turned into a venting session of angry Republicans, he acknowledged: “We’ve got a few more people to talk to, listen to.”
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 7:50 am
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Illinois Congressional Republicans supporting a man who asked for a preemptive pardon for his role in the insurrection… to be Speaker.
Where’s what’s so gobsmacking insane, yes, insane…
You have Bost and Bailey falling over themselves now to support this man who as, according to his ask for a pardon, instrumental in January 6th, and he wants to be second in line for the presidency… and these two are pandering to folks who are more than fine to tearing down our Republic.
It’s two sides, not two parties… history will not keep those enabling a want to bring down our democracy in good stead… if we can keep our Republic.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 8:31 am
RE: WCIA story on deer in the road
True story. My sons’ driver’s ed. teacher and basketball coach was taking the boys somewhere when a deer appeared in the road. With my boys looking on, he said “this is how you set a pick” and hit the deer intentionally. He later told them rather than trying to avoid the deer, it was better to hit the deer so as to avoid a worse accident.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 8:48 am
Hopefully the Peoria PBS station (WTVP) can make a similar comeback as WHPK did. Recently WTVP has been plagued with charges of fiscal mismanagement and has had to lay off 9 employees and cut its budget by 30%.
https://www.pjstar.com/story/news/local/2023/10/10/questionable-unauthorized-or-improper-spending-discovered-at-wtvp-peoria-il/71135865007/
Comment by Stuck in Celliniland Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 8:53 am
OW, I seem to always be in agreement with you, though my word of choice is flabbergasted.
Bill Ford’s statement doesn’t really hit me. Telling me I can either have my cars built by better paid workers or have more models that have the tiniest of new iterations year-over-year, I think I’m going to lean towards the workers. This is especially true, in my understanding, of what UAW workers did for the company during the great recession. Also, the line about the auto industry being a force for good is about as hollow of a statement as I can imagine.
Comment by Blitz Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 9:01 am
==where he was denied pre-trial release.==
But Jim Glasgow told us this was impossible.
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 9:25 am
“academic research has found that commuting makes people more unhappy than almost any other daily activity.”
Now get back into the office 5 days a week, plebs.
It’s been decades since I’ve had to make a commute to a physical location, and I’ve forgotten what it was like. Every once and awhile I’ll get a reminder when I’m on a road where I used to spend every morning and evening sitting in traffic, and shudder a little bit on all the wasted time. That life seems like a different universe now. I would imagine many more more people are having this same experience and realization now.
“in one area of U.S. travel after another, progress has largely stopped over the past half-century.”
The pandemic then provided enough of a jolt for a critical mass of people to stop accepting a broken transportation system, and realize remote work is a viable option.
Yet still there are the middle management types trying to hold onto a system which no longer exists.
It’s a fascinating dynamic to watch.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 9:40 am
- Blitz -
Can both be true, “thanks” and “sorry”?
:)
In this instance with the Illinois angle of Jordan I find myself heartbroken that a political party and it’s members see Jordan as the candidate, and in a congressional race in Illinois it’s a “thing” that one thinks supporting Jordan helps with primary voters.
To the post (great stuff, per usual, Isabel),
Johnson hopefully gave strict orders for that delegation not to comment, speak, or allude that these folks down there speak for the city or the mayor, but are on a fact finding observation, no need to editorialize the visit… or be seen as aiding the Texas governor’s want to exploit human beings for political posturing.
In fact, stay away from cameras entirely “for the privacy and well-being of the migrants”, no need for cameras, but do the work vigorously.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 9:42 am
==The pandemic then provided enough of a jolt for a critical mass of people to stop accepting a broken transportation system, and realize remote work is a viable option.==
Is this true? Traffic seems as bad as it has ever been. Lots of cars with a single occupant. The transportation system still seems pretty broken.
Comment by supplied_demand Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 9:53 am
Something else that isn’t true
Jim Jordan never asked for a pardon
I know it’s hard for you when Republicans are involved but stick with the facts
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/23/jan-6-panel-to-hone-in-on-trumps-efforts-to-meddle-at-doj-00041708
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:04 am
===Jim Jordan never asked for a pardon===
Let me rephrase…
Jordan asked about pardons and if they would be available to members of Congress for the insurrection.
The criminal genius of this is Jordan making known his inquiry but not asking “unless they are being given out”
Of course Jordan coulda cleared all that up but Jordan’s refusal to testify in front of the J6 committee, where he could, as is his right, plead the 5th, that look wouldn’t have been good, and now Jordan is poised to be nominated to lead the House and burning it all down from the inside.
Oh. “Cite?”
Sure…
===(Cassidy) Hutchinson said Biggs, Gohmert and Perry also asked for pardons, but did not reveal more details.
And she said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a fierce defender of Trump, “talked about congressional pardons, but he never asked me for one,” noting that he was largely inquiring about whether or not the White House was going to grant the lawmaker pardons.===
Unless you wanna go after Hutchinson too.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/3535131-at-least-four-house-gop-lawmakers-asked-for-pardons-after-jan-6/amp/
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:13 am
==He later told them rather than trying to avoid the deer, it was better to hit the deer so as to avoid a worse accident.==
That’s all well and good…until the deer flies up onto the car and through the windshield. Which can be a 50/50 shot, depending on the size of the deer. Not much of a worse scenario on a rural road than that for those in the front seats.
Comment by fs Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:14 am
=== Is this true? Traffic seems as bad as it has ever been. Lots of cars with a single occupant. The transportation system still seems pretty broken. ===
I agree with this statement. I live 27 miles from my office downtown, but I usually take Metra. When I do have to drive, however, traffic is so horrible. It takes me anywhere from an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours to drive to my office. That is unacceptable.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:31 am
@ FS
True. We have hit six deer in the past 18 years living in West Central IL. So far, we have not had any fly up on the hood. Each time the cost is $3,000 - $3,500 for replacing the bumper, hood, and side panels (along with various supporting parts). Slowing down has prevented airbags going off, and damage to the radiator and AC.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:31 am
To bring it back to Illinois-centric,
The illinois Republicans in the US House have a clear choice to make when they vote for (or against) Jordan, and the real fact that Bailey and Bost are publicly in social media making cases to the cult base and supporting Jordan now (Bost hadn’t now is? Ok) the ILGOP is siding in a way that voters outside that cultish base could find confusing, let alone “Coach Hastert Redux” where the native Illinoian is erased from party history, let alone the national consciousness.
If Jordan is the best the base can do, already rejecting David Duke without the baggage as not MAGA enough… what is the ILGOP saying about it’s congressional delegation or *to* it’s delegation as it seeks to broaden its appeal?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:32 am
==When I do have to drive, however, traffic is so horrible.==
I think we will see congestion pricing in the Loop before too long. Pay a toll to enter anywhere between Ohio on the north, 90/94 to the west, and 55 to the south. Or use bridges over the river for a smaller geographic area.
Comment by supplied_demand Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:35 am
I’m grateful I am a 100% remote worker now. Though everyone knows I am usually in the area so if something needs to be fetched or shipped I may be on the hook for that. Not a bad deal, in such cases, my commute is part of working time and this keeps such requests down as the cost of a sr engineer to do such tasks is higher than it’s often worth.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:41 am
=The pandemic then provided enough of a jolt for a critical mass of people to stop accepting a broken transportation system, and realize remote work is a viable option.
Yet still there are the middle management types trying to hold onto a system which no longer exists.=
Do you think the employer does not have the right to expect employees to show up for work? I am not trolling here, because I think there are people that believe that. And I disagree, I think they do. Depending on the business and the task, it may be best for the company to have employees show up in person. I think it is a decision businesses should make. Granted, it may make it harder for companies to find employees, they will need to weigh that in their decision making.
We are starting to see that in schools where people do not want to teach in person. Online/live stream is an inferior delivery system. There is so much art and nuance to education and so much taught that isn’t part of direct instruction.
We are losing our humanity and I think our politics show this. I don’t think it is a coincidence that this change went in to hyperdrive during COVID. And no, I don’t have a study to point to.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 10:48 am
=Yet still there are the middle management types trying to hold onto a system which no longer exists.=
In some instances yes. But there’s also a population of workers who believe they’re entitled to set the terms and conditions of their employment. And in a tight labor market they may be right. But things change. There’s an inevitable economic storm on the horizon and things will change again. They always do.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 11:08 am
“Do you think the employer does not have the right to expect employees to show up for work?”
Of course they have that right.
But the seal has been broken, so to speak.
There was a large chicago-based company I was doing contract work for 3 years ago. In August of 2020, yes that date is correct, they demanded all people including contractors who always worked remote to now be in the office every day of the week by September. They swung back with a harder line to in-person more than they were previously. About 35% of employees in that department left for elsewhere instead. They obviously didn’t expect that to happen. The CEO was let go shortly afterwards.
To this day I still see ads in the tribune jobs section for positions in this department. They can’t keep people now. Their competitors are eating their lunch and taking market share.
If lording over employees just to exert control is important for a business, they are certainly free to do that. But in the bigger picture talent is going to go where they get what is best for them. When the whole world is your stage of opportunity, the power is with the employee and not the highly-local and provincial employer. That will leave the less-talented to work for companies demanding physical presence. And maybe that’s good enough for that company. It’s not likely going to be sustainable though.
“Online/live stream is an inferior delivery system.”
The best class I ever took in my field, was taught by a guy in New Zealand. I never once met him in person. It’s been over 10 years since then, and I still look back on that being one of the best and most useful classes I’ve ever been in.
People need to adjust too. There is a lot of freedom is realizing the whole world is now your opportunity, without having to go everywhere in the world physically. Some people will always be stuck with an in person mindset. Not much different than how the older generation was stuck using hankerchiefs even after it generally started to go by the wayside after the 1960s flu outbreak. But the younger generations after that grew up without hankerchiefs and it became more normal in society to not have one, than to have one. It takes time. Change can be slow, glacially so sometimes, but the movement is still happening.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 11:23 am
@Pundent +1
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 11:29 am
Pundent,
All workers are entitled to set the terms and conditions of their employment. The only trick is one needs to find an employer that agrees, or start one’s own business.
In my company’s case, we find it much easier to find skilled engineers by being able to cast a much wider net. It also helps us to retain employees who need to move for family or other concerns. Right now I am the only one in my group who is local to Chicago (though I am
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 11:36 am
=The best class I ever took in my field, was taught by a guy in New Zealand. I never once met him in person.=
I’ve had similar experiences, as an adult. Unfortunately it didn’t work so well for my 6th grader. And it’s caused major challenges as he’s progressed through school.
The larger point being that I would be hesitant to make broad predictions on the future of work or learning based on the last few years. Will things continue to change? Of course they always do. But the old system isn’t necessarily broken, it’s merely evolving to meet the current reality. And both are subject to change.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 12:02 pm
==but stick with the facts==
You crack me up every time I see you post something like that @LP. I don’t think you’re very credible when it comes to criticizing others for this when you are the king of doing this very thing.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 12:14 pm
==I know it’s hard for you when Republicans are involved ==
And it’s nice to see you keep up your daily streak of playing the victim.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 12:15 pm
Jordan was “asking for a friend.”
Comment by Big Dipper Tuesday, Oct 17, 23 @ 12:23 pm