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Chicago Tribune: Illinois loses population for a 6th straight year — and lost more residents than any state this decade
Illinois’ population went down by an estimated 51,250 people in 2019, or 0.4%, marking the sixth consecutive year the state has lost residents, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Since the turn of the decade, Illinois has lost more residents than any other state, with a drop of about 159,700 people, or 1.2% of its population. Only three other states have shrunk since 2010: Connecticut, Vermont and West Virginia, with the latter losing the largest share of its residents, a 3.3% decline.
Chicago Tribune: Expect a shortage of marijuana once weed sales start this week. ‘It’s no different than the launch of anything new ... whether it’s a shoe, a phone or a new chicken sandwich.’
With less than 48 hours to go until marijuana shops open their doors to the public, operators are figuring out what to do if they run low on weed.
For months, dispensaries have been bracing for a shortage. Nearly every state that allows recreational marijuana has had stores run out or run low during the first days of sales.
Chicago Sun-Times: 1,300 additional CPD officers to be deployed on New Year’s Eve
With crowds expected to gather downtown for two planned fireworks displays, the Chicago Police Department plans to deploy about 1,300 additional officers across the city on New Years Eve.
The majority of the extra officers will be in uniform to increase visibility, Fred Waller, CPD’s chief of the bureau of patrol, said Monday at a news conference.
WBEZ: Prisoners in Illinois will no longer have to pay to see a doctor
Illinois prisoners will no longer have to pay a $5 copay to see a doctor behind bars starting in January. The change is the result of a law passed this year that advocates say will encourage prisoners to seek health care before problems get too serious, or expensive.
The $5 copay was a significant barrier to inmates seeking care said Jennifer Vollen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association, an Illinois prison watchdog group.
Chicago Tribune: Embattled Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin drops out of ward committeeman’s race
Embattled South Side Ald. Carrie Austin has withdrawn her petitions for reelection as 34th Ward committeeman, according to the Chicago Board of Elections.
Austin needed a minimum of 925 signatures on her petitions to appear on the ballot for the Democratic Party post but turned in 1,423. An objection was filed that suggested she had just 516 valid voter signatures, or 409 fewer than the minimum. Election observers note that such a large margin likely would have been difficult to overcome, and she has since withdrawn her candidacy.
Northwest Herald: Lake County Sheriff’s Office launches online method to share jail population data
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office this month launched a new initiative to share demographic information from the Lake County Jail with the community.
Through a partnership with Loyola University Chicago, the sheriff’s office will have the ability to create comprehensive, centralized views of jail data for review, as well as analysis, by the community. This data provides the ability to see information such as daily jail population, monthly jail population and demographical data such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, felony or misdemeanor charges, as well as if an inmate is being held because of pretrial requirements, a judge-ordered sentence, or being held through a contract for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Herald-News: Information session on medical marijuana set for Jan. 11 in Plainfield
Those wishing to learn more about medical marijuana in Illinois will have an opportunity to next month at the Plainfield Public Library District.
There will be an information session about the basic facts and science behind medical marijuana, and the law and application process for use in the state at the library on Saturday, January 11.