Isabel’s afternoon roundup

 

* The Nation published a piece about the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act today. Take a look at this snippet…

Variations in the process will remain, however. Some prosecutors seek detention in every eligible case, while others target only the ones they think they’ll win. In Lake County, just north of Chicago, State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart’s office has sought detention in 100 percent of cases that involve charges of armed violence, criminal sexual assault, armed robbery, home invasion, and child pornography, among others. That doesn’t mean judges always grant his requests. But Rinehart pointed out that under a cash-based system, 70 percent of the people charged with child pornography, for example, posted bail and were released, but now all are being detained. The new law is “going incredibly well,” he said, because “we’re holding more dangerous people.”

 

* Capitol News Illinois…

A legislative committee and the Illinois Department of Agriculture agreed recently to delay finalizing new regulations governing hemp production amid an outcry of protests from small, independent producers. 

Those proposed rules have been in development for at least two years. But the most recent draft, submitted in September, contained significant changes from earlier versions that caught many in the industry by surprise. That included provisions allowing unannounced inspections and testing of hemp crops, restrictions on who could obtain a license to produce the crop, and the possibility of criminal sanctions for violations of certain rules.

Norma Fuentes, a lobbyist for the Illinois Hemp Business Association, which represents small, independent and minority-owned hemp businesses, said the rules threatened to put many of them out of business.  […]

Fuentes also pointed to new provisions authorizing IDOA to conduct random, unannounced inspections and testing of hemp facilities, whereas earlier versions of the rule required the agency to give at least five days’ notice.  

“It opens the gate for overpolicing and criminalization of some of this industry, which is what we believe starts and fuels a second War on Drugs,” she said.

Legislation to regulate delta-8 and other hemp products stalled in the House during spring session. 

*** Statehouse News ***

* WTVO | Illinois legislators demand Pritzker comply with Trump policies: Members of Illinois’ Legislative Freedom Caucus have issued a demand to Gov. JB Pritzker, that he comply with federal mandates implemented by the incoming Trump administration.  Since Trump’s election victory, Pritzker has taken a combative stance against the President-elect’s policies, repeatedly issuing statements vowing to protect “vulnerable communities…who have been made to feel unsafe and unwelcome by the Trump campaign and its allies.”

 *** Madigan Trial ***

* Tribune | ‘They say these outrageous things you can’t say any more’: FBI mole Solis continues testimony in Madigan trial: “So how does the Speaker deal with all this?” Solis asked, noting that the loose-lipped politicians they were discussing – like then-Democratic state legislators Luis Arroyo and Martin Sandoval and fundraiser Victor Reyes – were Madigan supporters.  “Well, he has surrogates,” McClain said. “A guy like me, he sends to go talk to Luis.”  “Smart,” Solis responded. “He’s gotta be one of the smartest, not just individuals, but elected officials, I‘ve met.”

*** Statewide ***

* FOX Chicago | Illinois high school football: IHSA State Championship schedule, matchups, dates and times:  When Thanksgiving arrives, so does the chance to win it all.  The IHSA state football championship games are set from Class 1A through 8A, culminating weeks of playoff showdowns and more drama.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | As Last Humboldt Park Encampment Residents Move To Shelters, Local Leaders Pledge Park Restoration: Starting in early December, the remaining 30 or so families and individuals still at the encampment will move into shelters around the city, fully clearing the area before the winter holidays, said Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th).  “By the first week of December, everyone will either have moved into their apartments or moved to the shelter bed from the Humboldt Park encampment,” Fuentes said. “The Chicago Park District will then begin the remediation of the landscaping.”

* Block Club | Rogers Park’s Super 8 Motel Migrant Shelter Closes: The Super 8 Motel shelter at 7300 N. Sheridan Road closed Sunday, according to the city. It opened in July 2023, initially housing 250 people with an emphasis on housing migrant families with children.  About 200 people were moved to other city shelters when the Super 8 Motel was decommissioned, Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) said. It’s unclear which locations shelter residents were moved to. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request to comment.

* WGN | IDOT targeted Oct. 31 to complete Phase 2 of Kennedy Expressway project. Is it behind schedule?: The Illinois Department of Transportation is taking a scientific rather than a crystal clear approach to defining when the current phase of the Kennedy Expressway construction project will finish and drivers will finally be able to use the refurbished reversible lanes.  “Late fall” is the verbiage an IDOT spokesperson has been using for months, and when pressed for the definition of “fall,” reporters are reminded the winter solstice doesn’t actually occur until December 21st. 

* Sun-Times | Chicago nonprofit sees record-breaking $15M donation from MacKenzie Scott: The nonprofit Community Investment Corp. has received another record-breaking donation to help fuel its affordable housing efforts, courtesy of author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.  CIC, which describes itself as “the region’s leading lender for affordable rental housing,” announced Monday a $15 million gift from Scott. It’s the second time Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has given CIC its largest individual gift to date — she previously gave it $8 million in 2020.

* Block Club | Chicago Street Named For Music Legend Steve Albini: ‘He Would Have Been Quite Impressed’: Albini, known for producing some of rock’s most iconic records and starting bands like Big Black and Shellac, died of a heart attack in May. He was 61.  Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), who proposed the 2600-2700 block of West Belmont Avenue be named after Albini over the summer, spoke at the unveiling Monday.

* Tribune | Former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka buys Streeterville condo for $575,000: Former Super Bowl-winning Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka and his wife, Diana, on Nov. 12 paid $575,000 for a two-bedroom, 2,143-square-foot condominium on the 30th floor of a Streeterville high-rise.  With the purchase, the Ditkas now are once again owners in the same building where they had owned a two-bedroom, 1,904-square-foot condo on the 39th floor from 2000 until late 2023.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* The Triibe | Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx is leaving on her own terms: The 52-year-old state’s attorney is a few days out from closing the door to her office for the last time, and she’s doing so on her own terms. Foxx decided not to run for office a third time after eight years of service. In that time, she brought a sea of criminal justice reform to a county notorious for carceral violence against Black and brown people, such as the Chicago police “black site” and the widely-publicized torture cases helmed by former Chicago police commander Jon Burge.

* WBEZ | Residents of Chicago’s south suburbs deal with crushing tax increases:  Property tax bills rose nearly 20% this year for the median homeowner in south suburban Cook County — the highest increase in three decades, according to the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. Black residents in the south suburbs have been impacted the most. Of the 15 suburbs with the largest tax hikes, 13 are home to mostly Black people. In those suburbs, residents saw their property taxes go up 30% or more.

* WGN | Thornton Township board meeting canceled due to lack of quorum: Only one trustee showed up Monday night so there was not a quorum to hold a township board meeting, similar to last week.  Earlier on Monday, supervisor Tiffany Henyard called on all trustees to participate in Monday’s scheduled meeting to address agenda items, including approval of township bills, renewal of township insurance that expires on Dec. 1 and to vote on a promised property tax refund to residents.

* Daily Herald | Cook Co. Treasurer welcomes visitors to celebration of ‘Christmas Trees from Around the World’: For the 21st year, Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas is celebrating ethnic holiday traditions of nearly 100 different nationalities at the “Christmas Trees from Around the World” display at her office.  The annual celebration of cultural diversity showcases handcrafted ornaments and decorations. “Christmas Trees from Around the World” is a display of 3-foot trees decorated by members of various ethnic and religious communities. Pappas invites the public to celebrate Christmas with music and festivities from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at the Treasurer’s Office, 118 N. Clark St., Room 112, Chicago.

* Daily Southtown | Volunteers contribute ‘major support’ in Will County Forest Preserves: All told, the district has about 200 advanced, long-term volunteers and 900 others, which includes corporate groups who volunteer at least once a year.  District volunteers participate in a variety of programs, such as night hikes, litter cleanup, fall-themed events, trail sentinels and animal care at nature centers. Even costumed district mascot Willy Woodchuck, who walks around with kids and poses for photo opps, is a volunteer.  

* WGN | Joliet ‘Grinch’ allegedly stole $45K worth of reindeer decorations from baseball stadium: Prior to his arrest, the baseball team took to social media by saying a “Grinch” used two different trucks for the heist.  The reindeers were stolen ahead of the Glow Holiday Festival at the ballpark.  Sessoms is accused of scrapping the reindeer, which are made of aluminum.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | New safety plan in the works after Danville Superintendent says she received threats: For now, Geddis will continue remote work and said she has no intention of leaving the district before the end of her contract.  WCIA reached out to the FBI for more details. The public affairs officer said per the Department of Justice Policy, they can not comment at this time.

* Tri States Public Radio | Tastes of home — African immigrants become restaurateurs in western Illinois: Weeks after Taste of Africa opened in Monmouth, another African restaurant opened in Galesburg.  Malewa Café is inside the Galesburg Selfie Museum, 144 N. Broad St. It’s currently open for pickup and DoorDash delivery, but will offer dine-in soon.  The café is the latest venture by Gogo Kupa, owner of the Galesburg Selfie Museum and executive director of the Lipanda Foundation, which helps Congolese immigrants with things like learning English and navigating the housing market.

* WCIA | Mahomet to vote on pickleball court agreement Tuesday night:  The Mahomet Board of Trustees will discuss approving an engineering and design services agreement for a 13-acre “Pickleball Project” Tuesday night.  The proposed park would be at the intersection of Elm and Dunbar Streets. Previously, the Mahomet-Seymour School District owned the space, but the village acquired it in 2021.

* BND | Belle-Clair Speedway has date with the wrecking ball. County plans other demolitions: The St. Clair County Board approved two contracts for those demolitions and more throughout the county with Hank’s Excavating and Landscaping Inc. at its meeting Monday night. Hank’s Excavating and Landscaping Inc. submitted the lowest of four bids the county received for the work.  The racetrack demolition is expected to be the most expensive at $85,000. It will be paid for with federal COVID-related relief funds from the American Rescue Plan. 

*** National ***

* ProPublica | A Third Woman Died Under Texas’ Abortion Ban. Doctors Are Avoiding D&Cs and Reaching for Riskier Miscarriage Treatments: The 35-year-old’s death was preventable, according to more than a dozen doctors who reviewed a detailed summary of her case for ProPublica. Some said it raises serious questions about how abortion bans are pressuring doctors to diverge from the standard of care and reach for less-effective options that could expose their patients to more risks. Doctors and patients described similar decisions they’ve witnessed across the state.

* NYT | Blue States Worry That Blocking Trump Will Be Tougher This Time: Around the country, states led by Democrats have expressed alarm about many of the new measures that Mr. Trump and his allies have described and have made broad preparations of their own. Lawyers have been scouring through the conservative policy plan known as Project 2025, and they have been strategizing how to challenge any such plans in an altered judicial landscape. Private advocacy groups have hundreds of lawyers ready to go to court. Governors in Democratic-led states have been preparing to coordinate. This week, Democratic attorneys general were gathering for a meeting in Pennsylvania.

* WaPo | Bird flu detected in raw milk sold at California store: The H5N1 virus was found in a sample of unpasteurized milk at a store, prompting a recall of one batch. Health agencies have warned against the growing dietary fad.