Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Sun-Times: Greatest slips? Madigan’s ‘bandits’ remark could join list of ‘golden’ oldies caught spilling from pols’ loose lips
Disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich had a “f——— golden” opportunity to fill a U.S. Senate seat.
Ex-City Treasurer Miriam Santos had potential political donors whom she argued should “belly up” with campaign contributions.
The Center Square: Report: 49 more children die in Illinois DCFS care last year than year before
A new report by an inspector general for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services shows 171 children died while in contact with the department last year, 40% more than the year before. Lawmakers are now demanding action.
The 248-page report released by the Illinois Inspector General shows that in 2022, 49 more children died while in the custody of DCFS than in 2021. That’s a total of 171 children who died while on the department’s radar or within 12 months after the department made contact with them. DCFS in Illinois receives $1.5 billion in taxpayer money annually.
Capitol News Illinois: Bill guaranteeing workers five days of paid leave will head to governor
A bill that would guarantee a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year for all Illinois workers passed both chambers of the General Assembly Tuesday and will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, who says he will sign it.
Under Senate Bill 208, workers begin to earn paid leave on their first day at a rate of one hour of leave for every 40 hours worked, up to 40 hours of paid leave for the year. They can begin using their leave after 90 days, although an employer may allow them to use it sooner.
Illinois Answers Project: Feds Probing Massive State Contract that Failed Foster Kids with Inadequate Health Care
In response to an Illinois Answers Project investigation, federal authorities are probing the massive Illinois contract that provides health care to 36,700 foster children.
Insurance powerhouse Centene Corp. often failed to deliver basic medical care from dental visits to immunizations, the nonprofit newsroom reported in November. Some foster parents waited months for critical medical appointments for the abused and neglected youth in their care.
Chicago Tribune: Mayor Lightfoot says campaign recruitment emails to CPS teachers ‘should not have happened’ after watchdog launches investigation
Controversy escalated Thursday surrounding recruitment emails sent by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s campaign seeking Chicago Public Schools students to work on her reelection campaign, with the schools’ top watchdog launching an investigation and the mayor publicly apologizing.
But even as Lightfoot worked to make amends for the scandal, new revelations raised more questions about the mayor’s campaign efforts to recruit students from educational institutions that she controls from City Hall.
Chicago Sun-Times: Illinois Gaming Board OKs gaming license for clout-heavy lawyer James J. Banks in an about-face
Nearly two years ago, the Illinois Gaming Board denied a coveted and potentially lucrative video gambling license sought by James J. Banks, a clout-heavy Chicago lawyer and banker who’d served on the Illinois Tollway board under five governors, saying his “associations” threatened to impugn the gaming industry.
But now the gaming board has reversed course, voting 3-0 in December to allow Banks’ Gaming Productions, LLC, to secure what’s called a terminal operator license. That means he can now distribute and draw income from video poker machines and similar devices in businesses such as bars and restaurants in Illinois communities where such gambling is legal. Video gambling machines, though allowed in many suburbs and downstate communities, are illegal in Chicago.
WTTW: In Addition to CPS Teachers, Lightfoot Campaign Also Asked City Colleges Instructors to Encourage Students to Help Her Win Reelection – for Credit
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s reelection campaign not only sent emails to Chicago Public Schools teachers asking them to encourage their students to volunteer to help Lightfoot win a second term as mayor – and earn class credit – but identical emails went to instructors at the City Colleges of Chicago.
In her first public remarks since WTTW News broke the story, Lightfoot said the emails should not have been sent, and blamed “a young staffer” for making a “mistake” that was “well intentioned.” No one else in her campaign’s leadership knew about it until it unleashed a firestorm of criticism from her opponents in next month’s election and demands for investigations, Lightfoot said.
Shaw Local News Network: How Illinois courts are hidden from FOIA
Transparency allows the people of Illinois to see into the inner workings of their government and hold their elected officials accountable. But there is still one area shrouded in darkness: the judicial branch of Illinois government.
To help shine light on Illinois’ judicial branch, BGA Policy is proud to lead the Court Transparency Coalition, which recommends the judicial branch be added to the state’s Freedom of Information Act. The Coalition, composed of BGA Policy, The Civic Federation, the Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts, Chicago Community Bond Fund, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Chicago Justice Project, Illinois Justice Project, the League of Women Voters of Illinois, Common Cause Illinois and Reform for Illinois has committed to advocating for change to FOIA by amending the FOIA law to include the judiciary.
Daily Herald: Mount Prospect utility tax hike targets data center complex
With construction of a $2.5 billion data center underway on the former United Airlines world headquarters property in Mount Prospect, the village is looking to take advantage of the financial windfall through a targeted hike in its electric utility tax.
Officials say the increase will be imposed only on users that consume 1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per month. No such users exist currently in the village. The average family uses 800 to 900 kilowatt-hours per month, while a small business consumes 5,000 to 15,000 monthly, officials said.