THE ILLINOIZE: Monday Free for All
August 16, 2021
Happy Monday and welcome to the Free for All. Have you been to the State Fair yet? I’d be interested to know what kind of crowds you’re seeing and hearing from. Here’s an SJ-R list of things to do if you go out there. Governor’s Day is Wednesday, though it sounds like most of the action will be at the County Chairman’s brunch at the Crowne Plaza. The GOP is in the spotlight Thursday. Drop me a note at patrick@theillinoize.com
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Let’s get to the latest.
COMING TOMORROW
We’ll have an exclusive story on a potential new entrant in the race for Governor and some controversy on where one of the state’s GOP leaders lives.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
(note: we’re not responsible for paywalls and restrictions from other news outlets)
Census data shows population loss highest in rural, downstate counties (Census Bureau)
Alexander County (-36.4%)
2020 Total Population: 5,240
2010 Total Population: 8,238
Pope County (-15.8%)
2020 Total Population: 3,763
2010 Total Population: 4,470
Hardin County (-15.5%)
2020 Total Population: 3,649
2010 Total Population: 4,320
Coles County (-13%)
2020 Total Population: 46,863
2010 Total Population: 53,873
Kendall County (14.9%) was the only county that showed more than 3% growth over the past decade.
2020 Total Population: 131,869
2010 Total Population: 114,736
Related: Census data puts target on rural, Rust Belt House districts (AP)
Illinois Democrats look to eliminate one GOP House District (AP)
Underwood: "My district is a must-win seat — there is no room for failure." (Axios)
2020 census will fuel Black-Latino power struggle over Chicago ward map. ‘It’s absolutely going to get ugly.’ (Chicago Tribune)
The 2020 census numbers released last week figure to reinvigorate a long-standing power struggle at Chicago City Hall between Latino aldermen representing an ever-larger political base and Black aldermen seeking to maintain influence even as their constituency continues to significantly erode.
That battle will play out in the weeks to come as the City Council attempts to redraw the city’s 50 wards ahead of the February 2023 election with Latinos supplanting Blacks as Chicago’s second-largest racial and ethnic group.
“It’s absolutely going to get ugly. You’ve seen precipitous population loss in the African American community and you’ve seen some growth in the Latino community,” said Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd. “I think that both are going to come in with a head of steam, and they’re going to draw some pretty extreme maps.”
U.S. census data showed the city’s Black population fell by nearly 10% over the last decade, with a loss of nearly 85,000 residents. Black residents now make up nearly 29% of Chicago, down from more than 32% a decade ago.
At the same time, the Latino population grew by more than 40,000 and that group now represents nearly 30% of the city’s residents. White Chicagoans make up 31% of the population.
Related: Chicago population actually increased in the last decade (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Many of Springfield suburbs gain, outlying counties drop in population in 2020 Census (State Journal-Register)
Rockford continued to lose population during the past decade and ranks as the state’s fifth largest municipality behind Chicago, Aurora, Joliet and Naperville. (Rockford Register Star)
Dozens of Chicago bars and restaurants are only admitting vaccinated customers. Could the city mandate it as COVID-19 cases climb again? (Chicago Tribune)
Metropolitan Brewing turned away nine customers Monday who couldn’t show proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19. On Tuesday, it turned away three. Wednesday it was two more.
Refusing business isn’t ideal, Metropolitan co-founder Tracy Hurst said. But 18 months into a pandemic seeing its latest spike in the form of the delta variant, restricting the taproom only to people able to show proof of vaccination feels like both a smart health decision and a relief, she said.
“It comes down to this: It protects those of us inside the taproom,” Hurst said. “It started concerning ourselves, but all you need to do is be here on a Friday or Saturday and you can tell people feel good because they know everyone’s been screened. The feel in the taproom is much lighter than it has been.”
The vaccinated-only rule for Metropolitan’s taproom overlooking the North Branch of the Chicago River will be in place “as long as it takes,” Hurst said, whether that’s a few weeks or through winter if the delta variant continues to surge.
SOME TOP LINKS FROM LAST WEEK
Suburban Pediatrician Says Delta Variant Impacting Kids "More Than Ever"
Some Democrats Angry at Giannoulias Over 2014 Endorsement of Republican
Suburban Christian School Will Comply with Pritzker Mask Order After All
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