Illinois
Crowded race for Illinois’ 7th Congressional District
CHICAGO (CBS) — Tuesday is Election Day in Illinois. One of the big races to watch is Illinois’ 7th Congressional District. Congressman Danny Davis, who holds the seat, is being challenged by several candidates saying the South and West sides need a fresh face and a fresh start to bring fresh dollars and ideas to struggling neighborhoods.
CBS 2 started by asking Davis about Americans’ abysmal approval ratings of Congress today.
“I think it’s a tough time to be a public official,” he said.
Davis has been one for 45 years. If he wins re-election, he will have secured 30 years in the House of Representatives.
His 7th Congressional District is almost in the shape of a seven, with Westchester to the west, the Loop to the east, and Englewood to the south.
And from all directions, he has challengers. Chief among them is activist Kina Collins, who came within six points of unseating Davis in the last election.
She said she does not believe the race is about age.
“This is about the inaction in the district,” she said.
City of Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is another challenger.
“We are not feeling the resources on the West and South sides of Chicago,” she said. “That’s what I want to change.”
They say change is overdue as the South and West sides suffer.
Davis believes his record is a winning one, and his seniority is an asset.
“I am a very effective leader and politician,” he said. “It has nothing to do with how fast I can run.”
“Ask the residents on the South and West sides of Chicago what have we received from that seniority,” Conyears-Ervin said.
“Issues like public safety, for example,” said Collins. Illinois 7 holds 26% of all gun violence in the State of Illinois. Not only am I a survivor and a public policy expert in that field, I was tapped by the Biden/Harris administration to serve on their transition team and advise their senior policy members on common sense gun safety law.”
“The people know me. They trust me,” said Davis. “They know that I have led well. They know that I’ve never experienced a scandal.”
Conyears-Ervin can’t make that claim. Last year, the city’s board of ethics voted that she violated ethics rules regarding her fiduciary duty and unauthorized use of city property. It stems from a $100,000 settlement the city came to with two former employees of Conyears-Ervin in the treasurer’s office, claiming she made employees plan her daughter’s birthday party and run errands.
“The complaints from four years ago, not only do they misrepresent the office of the city treasurer, they certainly misrepresent me,” she said.
When we pressed her recently on whether she would challenge the findings, she would not answer after repeated efforts.
Conyears-Ervin: As I mentioned to you, if you need some more information, we will provide it because I’ve answered this.
Chris Tye: Well, but you’re the candidate. You’re sitting right in front of me. Can’t you give me that answer?
Conyears-Ervin: I’ve already answered it.
“I’m stunned that she’s in this race,” said Collins. “She should step down as our city treasurer.
“Your interests should be that of the public, not of the self,” said Davis.
The treasurer’s campaign later said she is challenging the findings. She said the investigation does not change who she is and what she would bring to the job.
“Change cannot wait,” she said. “So I truly believe that it’s the timing, the urgency, that we cannot wait for change. Washington is not working. And it certainly is not working for working families.”
Collins has never held elected office but said that should not mean she does not have sufficient background and experience.
“I will push back on that,” she said. “I have written statewide policy reaching across the aisle in the Illinois General Assembly when I co-authored Illinois Council on Women and Girls Act, which talked about protecting reproductive healthcare, closing the pay wage equity gap.”
“I don’t think many are listening to those I call the great pretenders,” Davis said, referring to Collins and Conyears-Ervin. “Those who pretend that they have done things that you can’t find any record of them having done them.”
With just days left, the candidates shared their final messages to voters.
“As the only working mother and financial expert in this race, I’ve lived here my entire life,” said Conyears-Ervin. “I know what our young people are experiencing, and I relate to them. This is why I say change cannot wait.”
“Public safety is the No. 1 issue, whether we’re talking about Westchester, Illinois, or West Englewood, which all lie within our district. People want the ability to walk their communities.”
“I operate with my mind,” said Davis. “And that’s what I think it takes to help shape the world: people with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.”
Two other candidates are running on the Democratic side–Nikhil Bhatia, a teacher and principal, and Kouri Marshall, who worked for Gov. JB Pritzker. Republican Chad Koppie is running unopposed.
Illinois
PPP Loan Scandal Busts Joliet Woman Working For Illinois Department Of Corrections: AG Kwame Raoul Reveals
JOLIET, IL —Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a press release on Monday is alleging a Will County woman fraudulently received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for more than $20,000 while employed by the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The Attorney General’s office charged Jamilah Franklin, 48, of Joliet, with one count of loan fraud of more than $10,000, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison; and three counts of forgery, Class 3 felonies punishable by up to five years in prison. Sentences are ultimately determined by the court. Franklin’s first court appearance is June 18.
“Federal assistance programs served as a lifeline for small businesses and unemployed Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is unacceptable that government employees would abuse that vital support,” Raoul said. “I will continue to collaborate with other agencies to hold public workers accountable for abusing these programs.”
Attorney General Raoul’s office alleges Franklin was employed by the DOC as a lieutenant when she fraudulently applied for a PPP loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration by falsely claiming she owned a business. According to Raoul’s office, Franklin received $20,516 in 2021 as a result.
The Attorney General’s office is prosecuting this case based on a referral by the Office of Executive Inspector General and following an investigation by the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation.
“The Illinois State Police pursues any state employee committing criminal behavior and will continue to work with Attorney General Raoul’s office to hold employees accountable and ensure justice,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
Raoul’s office has prosecuted dozens of individuals for PPP loan fraud and referred other investigations to the appropriate state’s attorneys for further evaluation.
Deputy Chief Jonas Harger is prosecuting the case for Raoul’s Public Integrity Bureau.
Illinois
Thousands of birds could migrate over the Chicago area this week, and here’s how to protect them
Thousands upon thousands of birds are expected to cross over Illinois as part of their spring migrations in coming days.
Thursday night saw the highest migration totals of the season so far, but researchers at Cornell believe that Sunday and Monday nights could see even more avian traffic in the skies over the Chicago area, with hundreds of thousands of birds expected to traverse the area.
According to estimates from Birdcast, Sunday night and into Monday morning there could be “medium” activity for migrating birds, with thousands of birds per kilometer flying over the area.
Even more birds are expected to take flight Monday night and into Tuesday morning thanks to favorable weather conditions, with a “high” number of birds expected to take to the skies over the Chicago area.
According to estimates, up to 383 million birds could be in flight over the central United States during the peak of the migration overnight.
On Thursday night the Chicago area experienced its busiest night of the spring migration season so far, with more than 367,000 birds having been estimated to have passed over Cook County alone.
In all, more than 23,000,000 birds are believed to have crossed the state of Illinois so far during the spring migration.
Among the primary birds expected to be flying through the area are American Redstarts, Magnolia Warblers, Baltimore Orioles and Indigo Buntings, according to researchers at the CornellLab.
As millions of birds continue visiting the Chicago area, here are some steps that residents can take to keep them safe.
When do birds typically migrate?
Peak migration for birds over the state of Illinois occurs in mid-to-late May, with hundreds of different species heading north for the summer breeding season.
Those migration flights for songbirds and other species typically take place in the overnight hours. According to experts, birds typically take flight 30-to-45 minutes after sunset, with the greatest number of birds in flight typically seen approximately two-to-three hours later.
When should residents turn lights off?
One of the best ways to help protect birds is to turn off lights during peak migration times.
According to Birdcast, the best time to turn off or dim exterior lights and interior lights is between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., when most birds are active.
Bright lights can disorient and attract birds, making them vulnerable to collisions and to predators on the ground, according to the website.
Hundreds of millions of birds are killed each year in collisions with buildings, and residents and businesses are being asked to do their part to keep the creatures safe.
In addition to turning off unneeded exterior lights, residents and businesses are also asked to dim or turn off lights in lobbies, and to draw blinds to help keep light from escaping through windows.
Finally, exterior lights should be aimed downward and be well-shielded so that birds aren’t attracted to them.
Are there other steps?
Another key step in protecting birds is to bring pet cats inside during overnight hours.
According to the American Bird Conservancy, cats kill an estimated 2.4 billion birds in the United States every year, and during migration season those impacts can be even more devastating, as exhausted birds typically seek refuge in plants and trees to rest on their journeys, making them vulnerable to attack.
Since cats like to hunt at night, active migrating birds can be a target, leading to experts asking residents to keep animals inside when possible.
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