THE ILLINOIZE: Monday Free for All
September 27, 2021
Good morning and welcome to a new week.
I posted a story last Friday that Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) seems to be the Republican most likely to take the U.S. Senate seat of Tammy Duckworth next year, at least in they eyes of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).
Of course, Donald Trump supporters were quick to pounce in our Facebook comments and in my inbox.
“RINO,” “Democrat,” “America hater,” are all the things that I’ve seen people compare Kinzinger to. There were others that questioned Kinzinger’s manhood, not to mention that he flew KC-135 missions on active duty and RC-26 spy planes in the Air National Guard. Sure makes the complaints of keyboard tough guys a little less impactful.
But for those that call Kinzinger a liberal, RINO, socialist, et cetera, they seem to forget his reliably conservative voting record. From our February story on his potential primary opponent questioning his credentials:
Outside of his criticism of Trump, Kinzinger has a reliably conservative voting record. Before he opposed Trump in 2020, Kinzinger had a 92% rating from the National Rifle Association in 2018. He received 100% ratings from the National and state Right to Life committees, American Farm Bureau Federation, and National Federation for Independent Business. He was rated 94% by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 77% by Americans for Prosperity.
So this is clearly about Trump and absolutely not about conservatism. And whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or political agnostic reading this, please know Donald Trump is not the final arbiter on conservatism. Trump supporters, in general, have shown they’re more interested in the personality than the principles of traditional conservatives.
My inbox explodes in 3..2…1…
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Geneva, St. Charles school workers denied temporary restraining order in COVID-19 vaccine, testing case (Daily Herald)
A Kane County judge has denied a request for a temporary restraining order in a case filed by four employees from St. Charles Unit District 303 and Geneva Unit District 304 who are challenging COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements.
District 303 teachers Nicole Cournaya and Jeffrey Otterby; a District 303 administrative assistant, Christine White; and a District 304 bus driver instructor, Terry Todd, are seeking an injunction. They want a judge to prevent their employers from enforcing an order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker banning school workers from buildings if they are unvaccinated against COVID-19 and refuse to be tested weekly.
Cournaya, Otterby, White and Todd filed their complaint against the districts on Sept. 17. They added Pritzker as a defendant on Thursday.
But during a hearing on Friday, Judge Robert Villa said the four plaintiffs failed to meet several of the legal requirements to get a temporary restraining order.
Villa said they failed to show they would suffer irreparable harm if they took COVID-19 tests. They also failed to show there was no adequate remedy if they did suffer damages, the judge said.
In addition, he said they failed to prove the order violated a "protected right."
Related: Mask debates are roiling communities across Illinois. But in Genoa, neighbors say people are kind and considerate, ‘most of the time.’ (Chicago Tribune)
Park Ridge parents sue over quarantine demand (Daily Herald)
Shortages delaying in-school COVID testing (Southern Illinoisan)
On the crime front, a glimmer of hope—and a flicker of mayoral politics (Crain’s Chicago Business)
I suspect you’d have two reactions if I told you data suggests Chicago's violence problem might well be turned around for what it would cost to send 20,000 young people to four-year college: Show me the data. And, where can I send a check?
That’s exactly the situation violence-prevention advocates now are in. Stir a little Chicago-style political intrigue into the mix—is former U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan tiptoeing toward a race for mayor?—and you have the elements of a telling tale about our city’s future.
The backdrop, of course, is that Chicago’s long-violent past has exploded of late. We can argue about why and who’s to blame, but unless the city—not just its government, but the entirety of its institutions and people—can get a handle on things, Chicago’s ability to attract people and investment will vanish. In some ways, it already may have.
One obvious solution is to identify what is believed to be a fairly small number of people, perhaps 20,000 or a bit more, responsible for much of the gang and gun violence and surround them with help, from jobs and counseling to education and anger-management training.
Partnering with neighborhood groups, the CRED strategy is showing real, early signs of working. For example, the U of C Crime Lab reports that one of those partners, READI Chicago, in a randomized controlled trial, cut the number of arrests for shooting and homicide among participants by 79% compared with a peer group.
Related: Opinion: New Chicago tourism slogan: ‘Please excuse our violence. We certainly do!’ At least it would be honest. (Chicago Tribune)
Rockford police investigating three different shootings, one of which was fatal (Rockford Register Star)
Investigation of Joliet policing won’t focus on Eric Lurry’s death, but could be a ‘powerful thing’ to spark change (Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker Signs Latest Legislative Maps into Law (The Illinoize)
With little fanfare on a Friday afternoon, often called a “news dump,” Governor JB Pritzker signed the latest version of Democrat-drawn legislative maps into law.
Democrats, who control the entire redistricting process, pushed through new maps at the end of the May legislative session without full census data. After census data was released in August, it was found multiple districts were outside of minimum and maxim population limits, or deviation. Democrats rushed back to Springfield to pass adjusted maps at the end of August.
Democrats continue to insist the maps are fair and “reflect the diversity of the state,” even though a Mexican American group has filed suit citing a diminished influence under the new map. African American groups have also argued they would lose a majority black district under the new maps, as well.
“These legislative maps align with the landmark Voting Rights Act and will help ensure Illinois’ diversity is reflected in the halls of government,” said Pritzker in a statement Friday.
But Republicans, who have also filed suit in federal court over the constitutionality of the maps, criticized Pritzker’s decision.
"I am deeply disappointed that Governor Pritzker has turned his back on the many minority organizations that have asked him to protect their voting rights outlined in the constitution and Voting Rights Act by vetoing this gerrymandered map,” said Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “The governor has now twice chosen to actively betray the people he said he was elected to protect. This choice again proves he is more concerned with protecting the political elite than the people of Illinois.”
As a candidate, Pritzker had vowed to veto any map drawn by politicians, but reversed course at the end of May.
“The Governor now joins the multitude of Democratic legislators who lied to voters by campaigning for and promising “fair maps,” said a house Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs). “Once again, Governor Pritzker has proven that he governs only for the Democratic political insiders and not for the people of Illinois.”
Pardon any typos. I wrote this on my phone at a wedding rehearsal dinner Friday night.
Closing day and era at Arlington International Racecourse as season and possibly horse racing comes to end (Chicago Tribune)
After almost a century of thoroughbred racing, Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights closed its gates to the sport Saturday for the final time – and the future of the venue remains uncertain.
An estimated 10,000 fans attended the final day of racing, some for the first time, others for had been coming for decades, but all lamenting the end of a tradition. The closing was for the 2021 season and the end of the current era, since the racecourse is for sale.
“Today is a celebration rather than a day with a dark cloud,” said Tony Petrillo, president of Arlington International Racecourse. “Arlington has given so many people so many memories. Our motto is not to be sad it’s over but be glad it happened.”
“Today is the last racing day in Arlington Heights at Arlington Park and it’s a very sad day for me, personally, but also for our community and the whole northwest suburban region,” Hayes said. “It’s also a very special day. We get to celebrate almost 100 years of this great community partner. They’re going to be dearly missed.”
Hayes said bids on the property include the Chicago Bears football team. There is also interest from at least one other group, which is looking to save horse racing at the Arlington. Hayes said he is not sure how viable that is or whether Churchill Downs would be amendable to seeing horseracing continue. There is also a bid for a mixed-use development – similar to The Glen in Glenview – which the mayor described as “a very exciting dining and entertainment destination.”
“We’re looking for something very unique and exciting that’s befitting of the legacy of Arlington Park,” Hayes said.
Related: Opinion: Nothing short of new stadium along the lake will keep Bears in Chicago, consultant says (Chicago Sun-Times)
As I’ve mentioned a few times, I don’t think there will be a Bears stadium at Arlington Park. Virginia McCakey, the owner of the Bears, isn’t independently wealthy to the tune of a $1-2 billion dollar stadium. The Illinois Sports Facilities Agency owes millions on the 2002-2003 renovation of Soldier Field. The money just isn’t there.
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