February 22, 2018

At major Northwest Side bakery, labor issues pit blacks vs. Hispanics

A major bakery on the Northwest Side once known for making Little Debbie snack cakes was sold earlier this month after an immigration audit cost the company about a third of its workers.

About 800 employees of the main Cloverhill Bakery on the Northwest Side and the company’s bakeries in Cicero and Romeoville lost their jobs when the audit found many were hired after presenting fake or stolen IDs.

The owner of Little Debbie walked away, saying its orders no longer were getting filled on time by Cloverhill, and revenues fell for the bakery’s corporate owner, the Swiss food conglomerate Aryzta.

Finally, Aryzta had enough and sold the bakeries. Hostess Brands said it’s buying Cloverhill’s Chicago bakery from Aryzta.

Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/at-major-northwest-side-bakery-labor-issues-pit-blacks-vs-hispanics/

February 22, 2018

Gov debate: Democrats denounce, dismiss or dance around Mike Madigan mess

Billionaire entrepreneur J.B. Pritzker sidestepped questions Wednesday about whether Mike Madigan should step down as state House speaker and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party in light of the party leader’s handling of sexual harassment allegations within his own political organization.

Pritzker, who is backed by unions and heavy-hitting Democrats — many allied with the speaker — was asked twice during a Downstate gubernatorial debate whether he believed Madigan should withdraw from either role.

“He said he was going to answer the question but didn’t, because he hasn’t gotten permission yet from Madigan to answer that question,” state Sen. Daniel Biss, D-Evanston, quipped.

On his second try, Pritzker still avoided the question, saying an independent investigation prompted by Madigan “will determine who the perpetrators are and who is truly responsible.”

Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/gov-debate-dems-denounce-dismiss-or-dance-around-mike-madigan-mess/

February 21, 2018

Chicago-area high school students chanting 'save our kids' stage walkouts to demand action on gun

Chicago-area high school students chanting 'save our kids' stage walkouts to demand action on gun violence

Refusing to let last week’s fatal school shooting in Parkland, Fla., become a sad memory without action to prevent further school violence, students across the Chicago area and nationwide are staging walkouts, organizing letter-writing campaigns and scheduling meetings with politicians to demand action on gun control.

On Wednesday, high school students from Schaumburg to Oak Park walked out of school, joining a national movement of young people mobilizing in a passionate response to the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in which 17 people were killed. After survivors of the shooting harshly criticized politicians’ response to the tragedy, specifically their lack of commitment to alter gun laws, students from Chicago and its suburbs say they, too, are starting to demand change.

Hundreds of students poured out of Schaumburg High School on Wednesday demanding stricter gun control to prevent mass shootings of students.

Carrying signs reading “Kids over Guns” and chanting “Save our Kids,” the students marched out the front door and along the sidewalk, cheering when passing motorists honked their horns.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-high-school-students-gun-control-20180221-story.html

February 21, 2018

Madigan ally ousted after harassment complaint is arrested, accused of violating protective order in

Madigan ally ousted after harassment complaint is arrested, accused of violating protective order in another case


The political operative booted from his job with House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Democratic organization over inappropriate texting to a female campaign worker was arrested Thursday on a charge of violating a protective order because of texts and calls to another person, suburban police said.

Kevin Quinn, 41, allegedly made calls and sent text messages on Feb. 10 in violation of the protective order, two days before Madigan announced Quinn had been ousted from the organization. Quinn is the brother of Marty Quinn, the alderman in Chicago’s 13th Ward, where Madigan has ruled for decades.

The issue erupted Monday when Madigan issued a statement announcing he had cut Kevin Quinn loose from the speaker’s government and political operations.

Quinn was arrested at his home on Chicago’s Southwest Side around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Evergreen Park police said. He had pleaded guilty in January to disorderly conduct.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-quinn-harassment-arrest-20180215-story.html

February 21, 2018

Report of 4th recent Legionnaires' case at veterans home comes soon after Democrats call for more

Report of 4th recent Legionnaires' case at veterans home comes soon after Democrats call for more action

The Illinois Department of Public Health on Tuesday announced a fourth case of Legionnaires’ disease in recent weeks at the state-run veterans home in Quincy, a notice that came just hours after Senate Democrats held the latest in a series of hearings about the outbreaks.

The latest patient is in stable condition, according to the agency. At the hearing in Springfield, Democrats criticized Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration for not showing up to answer questions.

State Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, said it was “disheartening” that the directors overseeing the state’s public health and veterans affairs agencies did not attend, adding that he will reschedule a hearing for a time when the administration “would feel more comfortable answering questions.”

Republican lawmakers shot back that administration officials were not given enough time to prepare for the meeting, which was organized after the late Friday release of a report about water treatment options that suggested plumbing updates at the Quincy home could be less expensive than previous estimates.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-bruce-rauner-legionnaires-quincy-20180220-story.html

February 21, 2018

Democrat Chris Kennedy drops out of tonight's debate, citing back injury during morning workout

Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy will not participate in Wednesday night’s debate in Springfield after he injured his back while exercising Wednesday morning, his campaign said.

Dr. Joseph Alleva, chief of the division of physical medicine and rehabilitation at NorthShore University HealthSystem, said in a statement released by the campaign that in order for Kennedy to “fully recover, he cannot travel” to the forum.

“The travel would only cause the condition to worsen,” Alleva said. “With our treatment strategy, I am confident Chris will be able to resume a full campaign schedule in the next few days.”

Kennedy’s campaign said the candidate spoke to the forum’s organizers and “sent his regrets.” The campaign also said more than a dozen debate viewing parties had been organized.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-democratic-governor-debate-pritzker-biss-kennedy-20180221-story.html

February 21, 2018

WGN anchor told a Muslim blogger that she didn't 'sound like an American.' Her response went viral.

She’s a hashtag; she’s a meme. Chicago fashion blogger Hoda Katebi’s response to a WGN-TV news anchor who told her that she doesn’t “sound like an American” when she criticizes U.S. policy in the Middle East has been reported by media in Russia, England and Dubai. More than 10 million people have seen online clips of the contentious interview.

The controversy started in late January, when Katebi, 23, and author of the 2016 book “Tehran Streetstyle,” was interviewed by WGN Morning News anchors Larry Potash and Robin Baumgarten for a segment on Iranian fashion.

When Katebi, who wears a hijab, or Muslim headscarf, pushed back against the idea that Western dress in 1970s Iran connoted more freedom for women, the interview got political. Potash asked her whether Iran can be trusted when it comes to nuclear weapons, and Katebi responded with a critique of U.S. “imperialism” in the Middle East, citing “all of the violence that (the U.S.) hasn’t only created, but created the capacity for.”

“A lot of Americans might take offense to that,” Baumgarten responded. “You’re an American. You don’t sound like an American when you say things.”

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-muslim-blogger-viral-02212018-story.html

February 21, 2018

In escort case, former exec pleads guilty to $5.8 million in company credit charges

A onetime Buffalo Grove business executive pleaded guilty Wednesday to racking up $5.8 million in unauthorized charges on his company's expense account to fund a lavish lifestyle with his escort-turned-girlfriend.

Scott Kennedy, 43, entered his plea to one count of wire fraud in a brief hearing before U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo.

As part of his plea deal with prosecutors, Kennedy agreed to cooperate against his former girlfriend, Crystal Lundberg, who has pleaded not guilty to the six-count indictment against her.

Federal sentencing guidelines call for up to about 6½ years in prison for Kennedy, but prosecutors said in his 20-page plea agreement they will recommend just 3½ years behind bars if he continues to cooperate.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-credit-card-fraud-escort-20180221-story.html

February 21, 2018

New Pritzker TV ad disses Biss' labor record

* Press release…

Read more: https://capitolfax.com/2018/02/21/new-pritzker-tv-ad-disses-biss-labor-record/

February 21, 2018

UVM students call for resignations over white pride signs

BURLINGTON — More than 200 student protesters descended on the main administrative building at the University of Vermont Tuesday demanding reforms and the resignations of top officials.

The rally came after UVM, along with other Vermont campuses and universities nationwide deal with an ongoing rash of racially charged, anonymously posted signs.

At UVM, small signs with slogans like “innocent lives matter, not guilty ones,” and “white privelaged [sic] and proud of it” were taped last Thursday on a section of a display case in the student center that contains information about the Mosaic Center for Students of Color.

Officials with the UVM Bias Response Team sent a message to students and staff condemning the posters and announcing that they had been taken down due to violating UVM’s posting policy. Officials said they do not know who posted the messages.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2018/02/20/uvm-students-call-resignations-white-pride-signs/