OPINION

Mike Madigan does get to select his successor
Mike Madigan does get to select his successor The decision on who should succeed #MichaelJMadigan in the #22ndDistrict belongs to the voters, not to the news media media … Click to Read
Trump’s acquittal exposes the hypocrisy of the Far Left
Trump’s acquittal exposes the hypocrisy of the Far Left The lack of evidence, not cowardly Republicans, brought down the Democrat insurrection of impeachment conviction against Donald Trump. There … Click to Read
Seniors are pushed aside in Illinois COVID-19 vaccination program
Seniors are pushed aside in Illinois COVID-19 vaccination program Illinois isn’t even halfway through giving COVID-19 vaccinations to seniors and Gov. J.B. Pritzker is already talking about expanding … Click to Read
Trump trial driven more by politics than truth
Trump trial driven more by politics than truth There is absolutely no basis for a conviction of President Trump. Being an unpopular, misogynist and a self-centered egotist is … Click to Read
Who is Adam Kinzinger trying to kid?
Who is Adam Kinzinger trying to kid? After years of supporting former President Donald Trump trying to advance his own career, Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois’ 16th District … Click to Read
Slight slowdown in COVID-19 cases in Orland Park
Slight slowdown in COVID-19 cases in Orland Park Coronavirus COVID-19 continues its threatening levels in Orland Park, which has become the symbol of the anti-face mask movement because … Click to Read

News Wire

Hastings announces for Secretary of State
Hastings announces for Secretary of State State Senator Michael E. Hastings announces bid for Secretary of State. Hastings wins major endorsement from the Carpenters union, which represents 30,000 Illinois working families Illinois State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) announced Wednesday his intention to run for Secretary of State, pledging to serve working class families across the State of Illinois. A decorated U.S. Army combat veteran and champion of Illinois working families, Mike believes the Secretary of State’s office can be a catalyst for getting Illinois back on track while continuing to provide first-class services to Illinois drivers, business owners, and others. Hastings’ announcement coincided with an endorsement from the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, who represent more than 30,000 working Illinois families. And with more than $500,000 already raised for his campaign, Hastings will have the resources needed to tell his story about fighting for working and middle-class families. “Senator Hastings has always been a staunch advocate for the labor movement and a strong proponent of policies that lift the middle class,” said Gary Perinar, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters. “Mike’s decision to run for Secretary of State is a boon to working families and a win for voters who expect candidates to be honest, level-headed and hard-working. His background, experience, legislative record, and work ethic give me the utmost confidence that he is the right person for this job.” Hastings, who is backed by a base of diverse grassroots support reflective of the state, said he is humbled by the support he has been receiving for his candidacy. “It has been an honor to dedicate my life to public service, representing working class families of Illinois,” Hastings said. “In the State Senate, I have put the working people of Illinois first, helping to create apprenticeship programs, implementing automatic voter registration to make it easier for everyone to vote, and fighting to get us out of this pandemic, both from a health care standpoint and an economic one.” “We recently opened the Tinley Park Convention Center as a mass vaccination site,” Hastings continued. “I could not have been prouder to see the Illinois National Guard, my sisters and brothers in uniform, helping our neighbors get vaccinated against this virus.” Hastings praised Jesse White as a leader who has forever left his mark through his integrity and exemplary service to our country and state. Secretary White has improved the Secretary of State’s office, leaving an undeniable legacy of success and a foundation to build upon. Hastings wants to continue Secretary White’s progress to further modernize and streamline the Secretary of State’s office by: expanding online services, including license renewals for drivers and businesses in good standing; promoting economic development and entrepreneurship through a robust array of business services, including lower fees for starting a business; strengthening protections for Illinois voters and consumers by focusing on information security and preventing identity theft; expand organ donation awareness and prioritize greater investment in technology improvements for our libraries. Hastings stated that leadership is essential when leading one of the state’s largest constitutional offices. “This is the most routine interface people have with state government, and it is essential they receive top-tier services.” Mike grew up in a middle-class family in the southwest suburbs. He earned All-State honors as a football player and went on to play at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He will also draw from his experience as an officer in Iraq, where he was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in a combat zone. Hastings routinely conducted operations across a dangerous stretch of road known during the war as the “Highway of Death.” Hastings stated that keeping Illinois’s highways safe would be personal for him. In addition to ten years of service in the U.S. Army, Mike has served in the Illinois Senate since 2013. He lives in Frankfort with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Mikey (5) and Maddie (1). Today, I announced my candidacy to be the next Secretary of State. For the past 22 years, the State of Illinois has been blessed to have Jesse White as our Secretary of State. His legacy will forever be one of integrity and exemplary service to our country and state. Secretary White has improved the office and provided a successful foundation that, together, we can build upon. With Jesse’s retirement, I believe experience and energetic leadership can continue to modernize and improve the office for decades to come. My leadership experience — whether it’s in the military, corporate America or in the Illinois General Assembly — is proven leadership … and my commitment to your family and you is that I will always work relentlessly for working-class families across Illinois. Throughout the course of this campaign, I will be discussing my ideas for process improvements and programs that will modernize and streamline the Secretary of State’s office, including: Expanding online services, including license renewals for drivers and businesses in good standing; Promoting economic development and entrepreneurship through a robust array of business services, including lower fees for starting a business; Strengthening protections for Illinois voters and consumers, by focusing on information security and preventing identity theft; Expanding organ donation awareness and education; and Prioritize greater investment in technology improvements for our libraries. I will make it my priority to travel across the State of Illinois to better understand what matters most to you, and how I can make your experience with government better. Please reach out to our campaign as your input and feedback are invaluable to me. I look forward to seeing you soon! Stay safe and healthy.
Orland Township partners with Jewel-Osco to provide vaccines for Seniors
Orland Township partners with Jewel-Osco to provide vaccines for Seniors ‘Together We Vaxed’: Orland Township, in Partnership with Jewel-Osco. Township arranges COVID-19 Vaccine for Nearly 500 Local Seniors Seniors Arriving Monday and Tuesday at Victor J. Andrew High School to Receive First Dose of Vaccine; Second Dose Scheduled for March 22 and 23 Nearly 500 local seniors are receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Monday and Tuesday, March 1 and 2, at Victor J. Andrew High School, thanks to the joint effort of Orland Township and Jewel-Osco. Orland Township over the last week managed the registration process for all the seniors, relieving them of the burden of navigating a system that for some can be overwhelming. Jewel-Osco is administering the vaccine to the residents as they arrive at the Tinley Park high school. “The health and safety of seniors residing in Orland Township is paramount and we are glad to have the chance to help them reach the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly and as safely as possible,” Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady said. “We also are grateful for the efforts of Jewel-Osco, which quickly made available enough of the vaccine to cover nearly 500 people.” Supervisor O’Grady, who visited the site on Monday, added: “Together we vaxed.” Indeed, participating seniors were pleased with the experience. “It was so quick and very professional,” said Holly Tocci of Orland Park. “Everything was set up with social distancing and ran very efficiently.” Audrey Heitman of Tinley Park said: “It all went smoothly. My friends and I are all very grateful to Supervisor O’Grady and Orland Township for making sure we could all get vaccinated.” The seniors vaccinated Monday, all 65 or older and residents of Orland Township, will receive the second dose of the vaccine on Monday, March 22 and Tuesday, March 23. Orland Township also is working diligently to arrange other partnerships to boost its vaccine supply. Township residents 65 and older who have not already scheduled an appointment to receive the vaccine from a different provider are encouraged to click on the following link and complete the form: https://orlandtownship.org/covid-19-seniors-registration-form/ All eligible residents completing the form will be prioritized based on the order in which their requests are received and will be contacted if and when additional doses become available. Orland Township also has partnered with Parkview Christian Church to assist senior residents with registering for the COVID-19 vaccine through Cook County’s portal and is offering COVID-19 vaccine updates as developments warrant. For additional details, please visit orlandtownship.org.
Building on Efforts to Protect Illinois Families, Gov. Pritzker Delivers Third Balanced Budget Proposal
Building on Efforts to Protect Illinois Families, Gov. Pritzker Delivers Third Balanced Budget Proposal Proposed Budget Does Not Increase Income Taxes, Closes Nearly $1 Billion in Corporate Tax Loopholes; Invests in Human Services to Strengthen Safety Net During Pandemic Crisis With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to hurt families across Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker proposed his third balanced budget, closing nearly $1 billion in corporate tax loopholes and holding overall state spending flat, while strengthening the social safety net. The proposed budget does not increase income taxes for hardworking Illinois families. The administration proposes significant government efficiencies, as well as strategically maximizing federal dollars and bending the cost curve of government through flat spending. The proposed budget: • ends $1 billion in giveaways to corporations; • strengthens safety net services for all Illinois residents in need; • protects education funding as the federal government directs billions to schools; • continues investments in economic development, infrastructure and the environment; • and creates a more equitable Illinois through criminal justice reforms. The Governor and the administration will continue to advance long-term structural budget improvements that continue the stronger fiscal trajectory Illinois was on before the pandemic while focusing on economic recovery for the hardest hit. Click here to review the Budget in Brief and the complete FY22 Budget Book. GOVERNOR PRITZKER’S STATE OF THE STATE AND BUDGET ADDRESS Good afternoon to the esteemed lawmakers who are joining us remotely, and to all the people of Illinois, who have endured so much this past year. Joining me today are two people essential to my work as governor: the incomparable lieutenant governor, Juliana Stratton, and my remarkable wife, First Lady MK Pritzker. As you’ve probably noticed, this State of the State speech looks a lot different than it has in the past. Standing inside a crowded room to deliver a formal address is not possible right now – nor would it be appropriate. But the people of Illinois need to hear from their Governor about where we are and where we’re headed – regardless of how unprecedented the times. Nearly no one alive today has lived through anything that could have prepared them for the past year. To gain perspective on these last 12 months, I looked for an anchoring moment in our history – a moment that can remind us of what we can endure and survive together. So today I’m coming to you from the Illinois State fairgrounds in Springfield. You see, over one hundred years ago, in October of 1918, a 100-bed emergency make-shift hospital was constructed here to care for Illinoisans afflicted with what became known as the Spanish Flu – because there was no more room at the hospitals. Doctors and nurses at St. John’s Springfield hospital, and those here at the fairgrounds alike were desperate. It seemed that as quickly as patients came in, they were dying even faster. And everything was made all the more dire because so many healthcare professionals were overseas on the fighting fields of World War One even as this microscopic enemy raged on the home front. One of the young nurses was a native of Loami, Illinois – a woman by the name of Hallie Staley Kinter. Many years later, when she was in her 80’s, Hallie recounted to oral historians at the University of Illinois how she and another nurse had worked together and about their pandemic experience. Hallie said, “In 1918 we had the flu epidemic. Which was a very difficult time. The doctors hardly knew what it was when it first came. And you’d have to have the windows open and the rooms were so awfully cold at night and, well, it was hard. Of course the other nurse, she went down with the flu, and then I followed shortly after. I made it through, but she died. And I always felt bad about that – she didn’t make it, but I did.” Last September, I hosted Memorial Services for those who’ve lost loved ones and friends in this current COVID pandemic. It was attended in person by a few of the family members of Illinoisans who had died of Covid so far and tens of thousands tuned in to attend remotely. I knew that the pandemic was far from over. But I also knew that people had not had a chance to collectively grieve. Indeed, so many Illinoisans who have lost family and friends to this terrible disease were not even able to have the full funeral services they might normally have had to celebrate the lives and mourn the loss of their loved ones. So on a beautiful early September night, in the Cathedral at the University of Chicago, Lieutenant Governor Stratton and I bore witness to the grief of several Illinois families – who came to speak to the memories of those who were loved and lost – and to represent our collective sorrow. One of the last individuals to give testimony that night was Lawrence LeBlanc, whose wife of 23 years, Joyce Pacubas-LeBlanc was an ICU nurse at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago. Much like Hallie Kinter a hundred years earlier, Joyce rushed in where others feared to tread. Her husband said, “When the pandemic started, I asked her to please stay home. But she said no. That was her calling, that’s why she joined the nursing profession.” Joyce, a nurse for more than 30 years, passed away from COVID-19 on April 23rd, 2020. About 23,500 Illinoisans died from the Spanish Flu. As of today, we have lost more than 20,000 Illinoisans to COVID-19. The man who preceded me in this job by a century, Governor Lowden, issued a proclamation in October of 1918 telling residents, “It is advisable to prevent all unnecessary social gatherings for the present.” The Illinois Director of Public Health at the time, Dr. St. Clair Drake, warned citizens that “every community in Illinois will be affected by […]
Fire hydrants had to be dug out by firefighters while fighting apartment blaze
Fire hydrants had to be dug out by firefighters while fighting apartment blaze Firefighters in the Town of Cicero had to dig out fire hydrants to access water while fighting a fire that destroyed two apartments in a two-story, 12-unit apartment building on Wednesday morning. Fire Chief Dominck Buscemi said that fortunately there were no injuries in the fire that took under one hour to extinguish at 26th St and 56th Ct, but he said valuable time was taken to clear the hydrant. Buscemi urged residents in the Town of Cicero to clear snow from the fire hydrants near their homes in the event that an emergency situation arises. He said that between fires and emergency calls, firefighters are shoveling snow from around hydrants but noted there are more than 1,200 in the Town and that even when snow is removed one day, a storm the next can cover them up again. “Our firefighters are out there everyday digging out the fire hydrants in the Town of Cicero to ensure they are easily visible in the event of an emergency,” Buscemi said. “But there are more than 1,200 fire hydrants in Cicero and even when we clear them, a snowfall the next day or day after. Like we have seen almost everyday for the past two weeks, covers them up again.” Buscemi stressed that residents should monitor their hydrants and take a few minutes to clear the snow and ensure they stay visible. “The residents at this apartment building this morning never expected a fire,” Buscemi said of the fire that was reported at 7:50 am. “We were lucky that no one was injured and the fire was limited to only two of the units.” Buscemi said that more than 40 people lived in the 12 unit building and that two of the units were deem uninhabitable as a result of the fire. One apartment was completed gutted by fire while the second was seriously damaged by smoke. The majority of the residents were allowed to return to their apartments, but the Town of Cicero is working to find temporary shelter for two families in the two units that were damaged.

STATEWIDE NEWS

Hastings announces for Secretary of State
Hastings announces for Secretary of State State Senator Michael E. Hastings announces bid for Secretary of State. Hastings wins major endorsement from the Carpenters union, which represents 30,000 Illinois working families Illinois State Senator Michael E. …
22nd District officials will name new successor to Madigan
22nd District officials will name new successor to Madigan By Ray Hanania After the surprise decision by Edward Kodatt to withdraw from the appointment to succeed Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan as the representative …

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IDPH Announces Region 5 Moves into Tier 1 Mitigation – Limited Indoor Dining

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced Region 5, southern Illinois (Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White, Williamson), has met the metrics to move out of Tier 2 mitigations and into Tier 1 mitigations, which will allow limited indoor dining.

“I am excited to see southern Illinois move into Tier 1 mitigations and I encourage them to continue to practice personal protective actions so they can get back to Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.

“This should serve as motivation for other regions. However, I do want to caution that moving back through tiers does not mean abandoning your mask or attending large events and gatherings. We must continue to watch our distance and wear our masks and get vaccinated when it we become eligible.”

Tier 1 Chart from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Courtesy of the IDPH

Tier 1 requires a region to meet the following metrics:

1) A test positivity rate below 8% for three consecutive days, as measured by the 7-day rolling average; AND
2) Greater than or equal to 20% available staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds for three consecutive days, on a 3-day rolling average; AND
3) No sustained increase in the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 for seven out of 10 days, on a 7-day average.

Beginning January 16, 2021, staffed ICU and medical/surgical hospital beds will be based on a 7-day rolling average to help stabilize the numbers and reduce the variations associated with natural hospital admission trends.

Regional COVID-19 metrics can be found on the IDPH website at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics.

For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A critic of mainstream news media bias, Hanania advocates for peace & justice for Israel & Palestine, & the empowerment of Arabs in America.

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Hanania's columns are archived on his personal website at RayHanania.com. Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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IDPH Announces Region 5 Moves into Tier 1 Mitigation – Limited Indoor Dining

IDPH Announces Region 5 Moves into Tier 1 Mitigation – Limited Indoor Dining

The Political Pundit