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* ICYMI: Yesterday was the deadline to submit petitions for the March primary. Tribune…
* Related stories…
* Isabel’s top picks…
* Tribune | Over vocal opposition, Manteno board clears way for $2 billion Chinese-owned EV battery plant: “We’re upset. We’re mad. We feel that they’re being very un-American. They’re all about themselves,” Rolniak said of the Village Board. “It should be about we the people. And it wasn’t about we the people. It was about their agenda.”
* Tribune | State drafted, but never sent to Texas, flyer aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to Chicago: As Illinois and Chicago officials this fall were planning how to ease the strain on the city’s overburdened migrant shelter system, members of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration crafted a Spanish-language flyer aimed at discouraging asylum-seekers at the southern border from coming north by painting a bleaker picture of the weather and support available here.
* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…
* Sun-Times | Why Burger King did not hire Ed Burke’s law firm, despite alleged pressure from the powerful politician: Jurors heard from Wachaa as prosecutors returned to evidence revolving around the Burger King near 41st and Pulaski. Burke is accused of trying to shake business for his private law firm out of Dhanani’s company as it sought to remodel the restaurant. The jury also wound up hearing from a longtime employee of Burke’s firm, who explained how a process meant to shield Burke from conflicts of interest apparently failed to do so in 2018.
* LSR | New Illinois Sports Betting High Helps Record-Breaking September In US: The recently released state report from the Illinois Gaming Board shows bettors staked $1.078 billion in September, the most in Illinois sports betting history. September marked the sixth time monthly handle eclipsed the $1 billion mark and bested the previous high-water mark set in January 2023 at $1.070 billion.
* WMBD | Governor JB Pritzker comes to Peoria to celebrate the Bob Michel Bridge completion: Once completed, the updated bridge will feature a 14-foot wide multi-use path with a concrete barrier separating the pedestrian path from the roadway, new traffic signals, fresh pavement, and a new deck.
* IPM | Illinois has created a Rural Education Advisory Council. Teachers don’t have to be on it: Joe Brewer, a teacher at Cuba High School in western Illinois, is worried that teachers’ concerns won’t be represented on the new council. By law, the council must include five superintendents, one principal, and one student. There is no legal requirement for the council to include teachers.
* WICS | Illinois State Rep. John Egofske announce resignation: Illinois State Representative John Egofske has announced he is stepping down as State Representative of the 82nd District effective December 8. Egofske announced last month that he would not seek election to the House, after having been appointed in February to the longtime seat held by former House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.
* Capitol News Illinois | What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban: At the end of November, with four weeks before the deadline, nearly 4,900 individuals had filed disclosures with ISP. Owners of now-banned firearms, accessories and ammunition face criminal penalties if they fail to file that disclosure paperwork.
* Sun-Times | CPD urged to relax restrictions on vehicle chases: Anthony Driver, president of the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability, joined the chairman of the City Council’s Police Committee in sounding the alarm about restrictions so severe, they have contributed heavily to an alarming citywide surge in robberies.
* Sun-Times | ‘The 4-years-fallacy’: CPS students struggle to graduate college in under 6 years, UChicago study says: Just 30% of CPS graduates from the class of 2014 who immediately went on to so-called “four-year” universities graduated in four years. The six-year graduation rate was over 20 percentage points higher at 51%.
* BGA | BGA Notifies Johnson Administration of Possible Open Meetings Act Violations: In recent weeks, members of the public–including representatives of the Better Government Association–have been denied access to the second floor of the city council chambers and directed by security to observe council proceedings from the third-floor gallery instead. These denials mark a change of policy, negatively affect access to meetings of this public body, and are an inequitable and likely illegal departure from past practice.
* Crain’s | Progressive ally of Johnson stands by scathing comments against him: Ald. Jeanette Taylor, 20th, who’s known Johnson for decades and was elected by the same movement of unions and political organizations, responded “absolutely not” on Monday when asked if she regrets any of the comments or airing them in public.
* WBEZ | Chicago Public Media CEO Matt Moog stepping down: The departure of Matt Moog, Chicago Public Media’s chief executive officer, came as unions representing WBEZ and the Sun-Times disclosed to their membership “hostile work environment” allegations against what leaders in one of the labor groups characterized as a “Chicago Public Media executive.”
* NBC | Small Illinois town comes together to save supermarket: After the owner of the only grocery store in Sheffield, Illinois decided to retire, the town got creative to keep the vital community resource open. NBC News’ Maggie Vespa shares how they raised the funds to save the store and their access to fresh foods.
* Block Club | NASCAR Chicago Street Race Tickets On Sale This Week, New Options Added For 2024: Next summer’s races run July 6-7, and they will be done with a shortened course, according to a NASCAR news release. Children younger than 12 can get in free July 6, and general admission tickets will be $45 July 7. Otherwise, single-day tickets start at $150, two-day tickets start at $269, GA+ tickets are $398 and two-day reserved tickets start at $465, according to NASCAR.
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 7:42 am
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The Manteno/Gotion people are really sad. Their brains are so poisoned by partisanship and my-teaming, I don’t think there’s any way to get them back. And there are millions of people like them across our country.
Comment by The Truth Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 9:48 am
It’s quite an achievement the way that the rabid right persuaded people in Manteno to rally against local economic development. Most towns would be delighted to have hundreds of jobs arrive. But somehow this became an ideological thing for them.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 9:56 am
By law, five superintendents, one principal, and one student.
Is that the total committee or are there other at large members too? (Sorry if I missed it in the article, but I did not see the total size.). If that’s the whole committee, then not only are teachers underrepresented, but really everyone that’s not in agreement with superintendents is underrepresented.
Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 9:57 am
Looks like WBEZ and their partner have cooked up IL’s 2nd NPR scandal of the year. WTVP-TV led the way with “missing money, layoffs and closure of Peoria magazine.” Now this. Oh my.
Comment by Annon'in Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:02 am
* Capitol News Illinois | What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban:
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Amy Coney Barrett has agreed to docket the emergency order filed by Robert Bevis of Law Weapons out of Naperville. The state must file a brief today.
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_8f57d86a-9087-11ee-a69f-3fb7acd7584d.html
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:13 am
RE: Sun-Times Story on the four-year/six-year graduation rates for CPS students
I wonder how much of this is the result of living at home / commuting to campus. Young students who do not have the experience of immersion into campus life tend to be disconnected from classmates and faculty. In a major urban area, these numbers surely are proportionately larger than you would find among students who move to a college community, and those who move into residential housing.
As a professor I am reluctant to conclude CPS students as a category are less capable of success. They are not. College is not all “rocket science.” It does require flexibility and a willingness to participate more in one’s education. And part of that is participating in the life of knowledge creation that occurs in every classroom. Higher ed. simply requires more reading and reflection and participation that high school. I have had too many successful urban students over the past 35 years to conclude high schooling is the cause of failure (or success).
But the educational attainment measure discussed here sure does give one pause.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:14 am
== Capitol News Illinois | What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban ==
Pretty even handed article. Did find one item of interest. I thought owners of the now banned ‘high capacity’ magazines did have to register that said magazines were owned before the ban.
And I agree there is some confusion on exactly which firearms are banned. The explicitly named ones are easy. But when you start talking about shotguns and the 5 shell limit, is that 5 standard length shells or 5 shortie shells? And does that restriction apply to shotguns that have been plugged down to 3 shells for legal hunting, where the plug is easily removable? Part of the language on magazines does not allow removable plugging, but it’s unclear if that applies to the tube type magazine on older antique shotguns.
Oh well, still have about 25 days to register whatever needs to be registered … if the law is still in effect by then.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:34 am
“It’s quite an achievement the way that the rabid right persuaded people in Manteno to rally against local economic development. Most towns would be delighted to have hundreds of jobs arrive. But somehow this became an ideological thing for them.”
I’m in the ED industry and can unequivocally say that finding viable business attraction deals is really hard. Finding big deals like that Gotion thing is a once-in-a-decade type of success. To then have a bunch of local NIMBY/BANANA people show up and almost derail something of that magnitude would be a real kick in the shins.
Comment by sulla Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:49 am
Probably showing my age, the community folks in Manteno remind me of the community people, religious leaders, independent Democrats and others that that sought to protect their community from the Crosstown Expressway in Chicago.
On one side stood Springfield special interests and their lobbyists, the Mayor of Chicago and local politicians. On the other side of the issue were local folks who wanted to preserve the. character of their neighborhood.
Of course this Manteno vote was a setback, but the local group has raised funds to hire a lawyer, done at least one parade, been on some local and national TV, packed local government meetings, have a pretty successful petition drive up, and raised issues about the harm they perceive will happen to their community by this project. They appear to be hardworking, focused and armed with good arguments.
It is very hard to overcome local folks that are organized against or in favor of something. In Michigan the same company that hopes to build in Monteno was opposed by local folks and in a recall election the community voted to recall everyone on their Board of Supervisors.
Coming from the “been there-done that” political arena, I am thinking that the local folks are going to eventually shut this project down and preserve their community situation in a way they are comfortable in.
Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:50 am
=but really everyone that’s not in agreement with superintendents is underrepresented.=
First, by your logic you could have a thousand people on the committee and anyone that disagrees with the committee would be “underrepresented”.
It is primarily a superintendent driven committee because we were the ones advocating for rural representation and drove this effort. We represent the ENTIRE school district not just one faction. The notion that we cannot do this effectively in this setting really fails to understand the idea behind it. The gentleperson from Cuba clearly does not get it.
Rural schools have been subject to many new requirements that simply are hoop jumping for us. Our representation at the state level has been out of touch and totally ineffective as well as openly antagonizing state leadership and that has effectively left us without a voice at he ISBE and the ILGA. I was surprised when this legislation was passed, but hopefully someone listens to our thoughts a little now.
Teachers have the IEA and IFT that represent their interests in Illinois and they do so quite effectively.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 10:58 am
=“It should be about we the people. And it wasn’t about we the people. It was about their agenda.”=
Some of the dumbest words ever spoken.
And stop using “we the people”, it is being miss used and you don’t speak for me. You don’t want jobs for your community just say it without all of the rest of the noise. And if you don’t want anything to do with China economically, well put up or shut up, but (spoiler alert) you are going to have to start making just about everything yourself. Including medicine.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 11:01 am
==Amy Coney Barrett has agreed to docket the emergency order==
Not a surprise from that partisan hack.
Comment by Big Dipper Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 11:04 am
===I wonder how much of this is the result of living at home / commuting to campus.===
Finishing college in 4 years was very much due to the privilege of having 4 years of my life to devote to *nothing but college*, and the parental support to make that happen, and to help me paper over any financial problems. Commuter students, students with full-time jobs, students without a financial backstop in case of trouble — that’s a lot harder. And it makes good sense that public colleges should offer part-time programs that take longer to finish, so that college is available to more students.
Comment by Suburban Mom Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 11:21 am
Thankfully the Manteno board approved the Gotion EV battery plant and didn’t listen to the super-minority opponents. The Illinois doomsayers are in a bind with this one, oppose the plant and the “bad for business” talking point gets invalidated. Support it and anger the MAGA’s, who they need.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 12:06 pm
CPS students struggle to graduate in four to six years—-Not surprised at this statistic. Spent some time working at one of the Cit Colleges and learned that they offer Developmental Education and pre-credit course work.
Even though students are high school graduates, many lack the skills and foundational knowledge to successfully pass college-level work.
Some students read and compute at grammar school level and never transition into college level work to earn college credit.
If CPS resorts to promoting students to increase graduation rates, this policy helps no one…particularly the students.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 1:15 pm
Excuse typo City Colleges
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 1:16 pm
Back to the future:
I have a feeling if Trump said something positive about it or if Pritzker wasn’t for it that community group would suddenly rise as one and talk about how fantastic it is.
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 1:43 pm
@btowntruth
You are probably right on some of the opponents
Comment by Back to the Future Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 2:24 pm
@ Suburban Mom
You are absolutely correct. It is harder for working people and parents. I too was privileged. The Stafford Loan and Pell Grant were created when I came of age, and provided fully for tuition, room, board and books (about $2,500 in 1980). Today, even adding the Illinois-based MAP Grant doesn’t cover the full cost, and a lot of our students focus half their energy on working, and the rest of learning.
We need to find a way to reduce the cost of 4-year higher education to enable most students to devote themselves to full-time education. That will require greater state funding of higher education through institutional appropriations instead of using MAP Grants to offset costs for “consumers.”
Some states like North Carolina and California assume a moral obligation to provide education for their citizens, and do a better job and funding their universities. Illinois seems more a “pay-as-you-go” higher ed system as opposed to an entitlement of citizenship.
And as to parents, we need to be much more accommodating. Sometimes it feels as if the traditional “ivory tower” system is stuck in the dark ages and intentionally ignoring young parents. A colleague and I fought very hard on the faculty senate just to get the administration to establish lactation rooms. Even then, there are only a couple available today.
Comment by H-W Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 2:24 pm
Grandson Of Man:
Nailed it.
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Tuesday, Dec 5, 23 @ 3:22 pm