| | | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Presented by Uber Driver Stories | Good Friday morning, Illinois. Wishing those who celebrate Easter a joyous one this weekend.
|  | TOP TALKER | | Mayor Lori Lightfoot will mark the two-year anniversary of her election today with an email to supporters. No political fanfare otherwise. There's too much serious work to address dealing with the pandemic and persistent crime issues. Still, that hasn't stopped supporters from padding her campaign fund. Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz and his various companies gave $20,000 this week, and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf gave $17,000 through three different companies. The donations follow a public letter of support for Lightfoot from Wirtz, Reinsdorf and other top executives. The donation list isn't monolithic. Among Black executives on the list: civic leader Lester McKeever, BarTech Group President Dwayne Barlow, NextLevel Health CEO Cheryl Whitaker, physician Judith Cothran, realtor Kingsley Ehimwenman, former World Business Chicago CEO Andrea Zopp and Deryl McKissack, the project manager for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. Other big donors: Chicago banker Norm Bobins, business consultant and former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Fay Hartog-Levin, restaurateur Rich Melman, financier Robert Melman and White Sox Senior VP Howard Pizer, all gave $5,000. And Ulta Beauty CEO Mary Dillon and Lollapalooza co-founder Marc Geiger are also on the donor list.
| | THE BUZZ | | The shocking death of a 13-year-old boy by a Chicago Police bullet has set off alarm bells. The mayor and other community leaders are calling for the release of a video that may give answers as to how it could happen. As the Sun-Times explains, police have described the shooting as an "armed confrontation." But that doesn't explain much. Images from the body-worn camera may offer more answers. So far, however, Civilian Office of Police Accountability isn't indicating if or when they will release the video. COPA is required to release body camera videos of police shootings within 60 days of the incident, but policy prohibits them from sharing video if the victim is younger than 18. Without a court order, the video would not be released, COPA said in a statement said. Lightfoot, the mom of a 13-year-old daughter, issued a statement saying she "can only imagine the incredible pain this boy's parents are experiencing at this moment. My heart goes out to them." The boy's mother, meanwhile, wants answers. "He was a little kid," she said of the 7th-grader from the Little Village neighborhood, reports the Tribune. The officer has been placed on administrative duty, a point that was headlined by USA Today. Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for Playbook? Get in touch: skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S LORI | | No official public events.
| | WHERE'S J.B. | | No official public events.
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events.
| | THE LATEST NUMBERS | | The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 25 additional deaths and 3,526 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus. That's a total of 21,326 fatalities and 1,248,111 cases in Illinois. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from March 25-31 is 4.0 percent. Chicago's positivity rate is at 4.7 percent.
| | A message from Uber Driver Stories: Meet Fallon. Delivering with Uber Eats helps her pay for college while allowing her the flexibility to fit her schedule around studies. Fallon chooses Uber because, unlike most other gigs, she can control her hours and spend more time focusing on her future. Watch her story in her own words below. | | |
| | CORONAVIRUS UPDATES | | — FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES: How Covid testing at New Trier High School ran afoul of regulators : The prestigious school that serves some of Chicago's most affluent suburbs "rolled out a $1.3 million testing campaign, part of an ambitious plan to keep classrooms open for the school year regardless of rising infection rates in the community. … But the school chose a lab that had not been certified to run a testing program of its kind, led by a scientist who was not qualified under federal guidelines to run a diagnostic lab. The saliva test the lab used was neither vetted nor authorized by the Food and Drug Administration...Now the Illinois Department of Public Health has opened an investigation into the lab." — Black ministers to air Easter video message urging faithful to get vaccinated: "Black religious leaders hope the message will reach as many as 1 million people," by the Sun-Times' Mitch Dudek. — Where Chicago plans to use Johnson & Johnson vax doses : "We've got big plans for that Johnson & Johnson," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday, via NBC/5. — Chicago launching CTA vaccination bus: "The bus vaccinated 98 residents Wednesday during its first stop at Atlas Senior Center on the South Side," via the Sun-Times.
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| | CHICAGO | | — City sees another spike in shootings, with most killings in first 3 months of year since 2017 : "The city recorded 131 slayings during the first three months of 2021, the most since 2017 when at least 140 people were killed in the first quarter of that year, Chicago police statistics show. The 131 killings so far in 2021 is a jump of about 34 percent over the same period last year, when there were 98, according to the statistics," by the Tribune's Jeremy Gorner. — Obama Foundation vows to make public its progress on minority hiring, contracting goals : "Valerie Jarrett, who has been the 'interim' foundation president, told the Sun-Times she is dropping her interim status. 'I'll be the president for the foreseeable future,'" by Lynn Sweet. — Inside the last men's hotel in Chicago : "For those who live there, Chicago's Ewing Annex Hotel is a refuge, an artifact, and a last chance. The man who's been holding it together for more than 20 years is about to retire," by The New Republic's Katie Prout. — Chicago children's mental health survey : "Among younger children, ages 2 to 11, 23 percent were acting out more during the pandemic with behaviors such as tantrums; 19 percent were showing more clinginess, 11 percent had more nightmares, 8 percent had more headaches and 8 percent had more stomach pains. The findings didn't come as a surprise to Dr. Matthew Davis, director of Lurie's Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, which conducted the survey," by the Tribune's Nara Schoenberg. — With fans back inside Wrigley Field, Chicago felt normal again for a few brief hours: "The temperatures hovered just above freezing on opening day. Fans booed the mayor. And the Wrigleyville bars provided comfort to the faithful after a Cubs loss. For a few brief hours Thursday afternoon, Chicago felt normal again," according to a six-byline report from the Tribune. — Photos from opening day, via the Sun-Times/ — This is normal, too: Street-sweeping resumes, reminds the Tribune's Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas — Amazon employees in Chicago demand accommodations for 'brutal' shift: Amazon says it's closing its 150,000-square-foot distribution center in McKinley Park on the South Side because it's one of its older facilities. But "some employees say that's not the whole story, describing the workplace as 'filthy' and complaining of safety issues," according to WTTW's Nick Blumberg. — Supermarket executive Bob Mariano is back, with a new downsized fresh market for Chicago, by the Tribune's Robert Channick — Do you want to see your attorney on reality TV? Some Chicago lawyers don't mind being judged, reports the Tribune's TV writer Tracy Swartz
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| | FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE | | — Pritzker commutes life sentence of man who claims Burge cops tortured him into confessing : "Gerald Reed was convicted of a 1990 double murder. His attorneys urged the governor to free him from prison because he faced serious health risks from the spread of Covid-19 behind bars. Now that he's being freed, he plans to try again to have his conviction vacated," by the Sun-Times' Frank Main. — From the Tribune: Sheila Bedi told the Tribune she had been fighting for clemency for about a year, arguing Reed was a "model prisoner" who had chronic health conditions that make him vulnerable to Covid-19," by Megan Crepeau. — After Mercy Hospital outcry, Illinois law may soon put hospital closures on hold for the rest of the pandemic: An expansive bill awaiting the governor's signature "addresses health care disparities affecting Latino and Black Illinois residents and would allow the state Health Facilities and Services Review Board to put off approval of applications to close hospitals," reports the Tribune's Lisa Schencker.
| | CAMPAIGN MODE | | Some candidates in Tuesday's suburban municipal election are no strangers to controversy : "One candidate has been the subject of a federal investigation. Another stands charged in a red-light camera case. Another was charged with taking part in a gambling ring. All are among the mayors and village presidents running for reelection in Chicago's suburbs in Tuesday's general municipal election," writes Tribune's Robert McCoppin.
| | | | THE LATEST FROM INSIDE THE WEST WING : A lot happened in the first two months of the Biden presidency. From a growing crisis at the border to increased mass shootings across the country while navigating the pandemic and ongoing economic challenges. Add Transition Playbook to your daily reads to find out what actions are on the table and the internal state of play inside the West Wing and across the administration. Track the people, policies and emerging power centers of the Biden administration. Don't miss out. Subscribe today. | | | | |
| | THE JUICE | | — KINZINGER raises $1.1M for his anti-Trump PAC in first quarter and an equal amount for his reelection fund : "Kinzinger has not formally announced his reelection plans. But he said the $1.1 million he raised in his congressional campaign fund was nearly three times what he raised for the same time period in 2019 and more than three times what he raised in the first quarter of 2017," reports the Tribune's Rick Pearson. — Chicago Teachers Union PAC has donated $59,900 to House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch's campaign fund.
| | THE STATEWIDES | | Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum cuts ties with foundation : "After months of disagreements and negotiations, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation are ending their relationship with each other. The foundation serves as the fundraising arm of the library and museum, which means it will no longer handle fundraising duties or purchasing items for the museum's collection. Each organization placed blame on the other," by the State Journal-Register's Ben Szalinski.
| | LEGISLATIVE UPDATE | | — Bill would protect workers across several industries from civil lawsuits related to Covid: "SPRINGFIELD: Minority Leader Sen. Dan McConchie, of Hawthorn Woods, said Senate Bill 2140 would provide civil liability protection to people working for businesses, manufacturers, schools, institutions of higher education, units of local government and religious institutions," by Capitol News' Sarah Mansur. — New bill would cap tax on cigar sales in Illinois : "This bill corrects something in the taxation system that really hurts some of our local merchants," Rep. Jonathan Carroll told the Center Square's Kevin Bessler. "People have more of an incentive to order cigars from out of state than buying them in Illinois." — Lawmakers hope to create a state tax credit for affordable housing : "Delia Ramirez (D-Chicago) pushed for this plan before the stay-at-home order went into place last year. However, Ramirez says it's needed even more now as Illinois slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic," by WGEM's Mike Miletich.
| | POT-POURRI | | Chewing gum billionaire William 'Beau' Wrigley returns to Chicago as a cannabis entrepreneur: "Parallel, an Atlanta-based marijuana company Wrigley launched in 2019, announced Thursday it has purchased six Windy City Cannabis dispensaries, entering the fast-growing Illinois recreational weed market in a big way," by the Tribune's Robert Channick.
| | A message from Uber Driver Stories: As a woman of color, Fallon's number one priority is to better herself through her education. And that means finishing her bachelor's degree in business.
At first, Fallon tried to go down the traditional route of working part-time. But she says it didn't offer the flexible schedule that she needed.
"I like the flexibility of driving with Uber," she says. "I can drive when I want to."
With Uber, Fallon can choose when, where, and how long she wants to drive. If she has an exam that needs her attention, she doesn't have to worry about asking her boss or requesting time off—she can take the time she needs on her terms.
To see more stories like Fallon's, click here.
*Driver earnings may vary depending on location, demand, hours, drivers, and other variables. | | |
| | DAY IN COURT | | — Suspect's suicide prompts Chicago police to finally close grisly 1989 murder case: "Jadwiga Krol, 35, was strangled in 1989, and her burning body was found in the unlocked trunk of her car. The police always suspected her ex-husband," by Sun-Times' Frank Main — Staffing agency, 3 companies settle sex discrimination claims: "The Illinois Attorney General's Office alleged workers were systematically excluded from being considered for certain positions on the basis of their sex," by the Sun-Times' Zinya Salfiti. — Federal judge sides against family of Chicago police officer who died in fellow officer's home: "U.S. District Judge Martha Pacold focused primarily on the question of whether the officer, Ruby Falcon, committed suicide. The judge wrote that there was not enough evidence to find otherwise," by the Sun-Times' Jon Seidel. — Illinois National Guard Sergeant arrested for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, via WMBD
| | PLAYBOOK READS | | — ESSAY: John Boehner on panic rooms, birth certificates and the birth of GOP paranoia. A central theme is Barack Obama . "In January 2011, as the new Republican House majority was settling in and I was getting adjusted to the Speakership, I was asked about the birth certificate business by Brian Williams of NBC News. My answer was simple: 'The state of Hawaii has said that President Obama was born there. That's good enough for me.' It was a simple statement of fact. But you would have thought I'd called Ronald Reagan a communist. I got all kinds of shit for it—emails, letters, phone calls. It went on for a couple weeks. I knew we would hear from some of the crazies, but I was surprised at just how many there really were."
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — Paper plates and school buses: What you might have missed in Biden's infrastructure plan, by POLITICO's Sam Mintz — How Georgia's voting law could backfire, by POLITICO's Renuka Rayasam in The Nightly newsletter — Derek Chauvin trial: police chief to testify against former officer—a 'remarkable' prosecutorial move, via The Guardian — Interior Department chief of staff being removed from post after indoor party fiasco, by POLITICO's Daniel Lippman — Pelosi hopes to offer SALT relief in infrastructure package, by POLITICO's Bernie Becker
| | TRANSITIONS | | Sarah Hartwick has been named VP of Education for the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. Along with working with elected officials, the IMA's education efforts include a new partnership with Celebrating High School Innovators. Hartwick had been executive director of ED-RED, a suburban public school advocacy organization, by Now Decatur's Drew Hadden.
| | EVENTS | | — Today at 10 a.m.: The state House Redistricting Committee meets to discuss the upcoming drawing of legislative and congressional maps. Here's a full list of additional meetings. April 8: Madeleine Doubek, executive director of Change Illinois, will discuss "Gerrymandering and Redistricting." Sponsored by League of Women Voters of Wheaton and the Robert McCormick House at Cantigny Park.
| | TRIVIA | | THURSDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Howard Marks, president of the Illinois State Society of Washington, and Bridget Hatch, Media Relations and Marketing coordinator for Metropolitan Family Services, for correctly answering that the Effie Afton was the steamboat involved in a landmark case and helped vault then-attorney Abraham Lincoln to the White House. TODAY's QUESTION: Where was the second Loop shaped track once operated by the CTA? Email to skapos@politico.com.
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | Today: Rise Strategy Group's VP of Media Relations Jessica Ortiz, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce adviser Leslie Dimas, educator and politico Hilario Dominguez and attorney Vicki Hood. Saturday: former Forest Park Mayor Anthony Calderone, comms and public policy leader David Kohn and Windy City Playhouse Artistic Director and co-founder Amy Rubenstein. Sunday: former Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran and Illinois Policy Institute President Matt Paprocki. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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