CapFax: Sen. Sims chased by alleged gunman

Elgie Sims

So sorry to hear this happened to State Sen. Elgie Sims as he performed his duties in Springfield. This seems like an odd road rage incident. If this guy had a revoked F.O.I.D card and certainly would show his anger in such a way he shouldn't have been released after posting bail. 

Sen. Sims chased by alleged gunman https://t.co/TzwKSXaSjt

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) March 19, 2021

Also noted from the State Journal-Register article that Rich Miller linked to:

CapFax: Unity facade cracks as Lightford lashes out

To be honest I hate to see stories about this. Sometimes I wish politics can just run like a machine, unfortunately we're dealing with people. People have their own agendas.

So the story via Capitol Fax about state Sen. Kimberly Lightford's attempts to become the presiding officer of the Illinois State Senate being derailed by the efforts of former Senate president Emil Jones. It's about her failure just about a decade ago to support another Black state senate to become Senate president.

Unity facade cracks as Lightford lashes out https://t.co/LVZmY9MmSX

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) January 20, 2020

I think for now enough about what's going on at the state capitol in Springfield.

We have a new IL Senate President

IL State Senate Chambers - Randy von Liski

There is an update to who will become the next Senate President. I learned last week that it's between state Sen. Kimberly Lightford & Sen. Don Harmon. Sen. Elgie Sims was another person who threw his name in the hat for the presiding officer and essentially Democrat leader (Dems are in the majority) of the state senate, however, he withdrew and backed Lightford (who's also the Senate Dems Majority Leader).

Sunday it was reported that Don Harmon who represents Oak Park amongst other cities in his 39th District will succeed the outgoing John Cullerton as Senate President.

I've linked to CapFax often over the years and among other sources it's a great resource to follow state politics. Rich Miller provided a post for live coverage and then showed a post about reaction to Harmon's ascension.

Capitol Fax: Senate President preview

IL State Senate Chamber - Raymond Cunningham

Sharing this on the blog since earlier this week it was in the news that state Sen. Elgie Sims (D-17) had been running for Senate President only to withdraw and endorse his colleague state Sen. Kimberly Lightford for that role. Lightfoot is vying for the spot to be vacated by current President Sen. John Cullterton with state Sen. Don Harmon.

The vote is expected to take place on Sunday according to the preview from CapFax. What you see here seems like high stakes. Typical politics I suppose....

Senate President preview https://t.co/qPH6dOzBml

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) January 17, 2020

Sen. Elgie Sims withdraws from race for state Senate President

State Capitol Springfield, IL via kurtsj00

Last year, Senate President John Cullerton stated his intention to retire before the end of his term from his seat and leadership position. The means the Illinois Senate has to elect a new Senate President. I'm sure there was speculation once Cullerton made his announcement last year, but I never had any idea that 17th District state Senator Elgie Sims threw his hat in the ring.

On Monday via CapFax, he will withdraw from contention and intends to endorse state Senator Kimberly Lightford. The only other person who's seeking the Senate President seat is state Sen. Don Harmon.

Sims drops out, backs Lightford https://t.co/ZYsuX5dNci

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) January 13, 2020

Just bear in mind over a decade ago that his predecessor Emil Jones had also retired before the end of his term and not long before the elevation of former state Senator Barack Obama who later became President of the United States. Cullerton was elected Senate President just in time to preside over the impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Tribune: Mayor Rahm Emanuel floats port district land as Chicago casino location #Serving17

Even though Rahm Emanuel will only remain mayor until May 2019, he seems to be coming up with some proposals. He's still trying to use what's left of his political heft to come up with some ideas for the city:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday floated a port district site on the Far Southeast Side as the possible location for a Chicago casino, if state lawmakers finally grant the city the long-sought gambling palace.

In a meeting with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Emanuel noted his “love-hate” relationship with the idea of a casino but said if the city finally builds one it should be away from the Loop and McCormick Place. Instead, he said it should bring economic development to an area of the city that needs it, before floating an Illinois International Port District site near Pullman as “an example.”

The land, just off the 111th Street exit on the Bishop Ford Freeway, currently is home to the Harborside International golf course with some harbor operations and terminals nearby on Lake Calumet. The port district that owns the land is a joint city-state entity.

“If you go down to the port authority where the golf course is, there’s enough land there for both a hotel and a casino,” Emanuel said. “That would be a big boon economically to the Southeast Side of the city.”

Emanuel made the remarks on the same day he gave a speech to aldermen on his recommendations to address the city’s pension funding shortfalls moving forward. The mayor’s plan included revenue from a proposed Chicago casino as part of the answer.

Personally I'm with this, who says a proposed casino has to be in or near downtown Chicago. Put one in a neighborhood that's struggling. In this case Pullman, and then again hopefully there are other proposals.

However, to be honest it seems like forever that there's been discussions of a Chicago casino that seems to have a tendency to fall through. So perhaps deciding on a site or finally building one will still take years. Wait and see I suppose.

h/t to state Sen. Elgie Sims FB page hence why I used the #Serving17 hashtag.

 

Southside Chicagoans deserve economic development solutions

You might have seen this in state Sen. Elgie Sims' latest e-mail blast referring to the future closure of Target stores in Chatham & Morgan Park.

I’m disheartened by the news that the Target Corporation has decided to close two stores in February 2019 on the city’s South Side, including one located in my neighborhood, Chatham. Not only is the store a source of income for more than 100 people, but many of my constituents rely on it for everyday essentials, including food and medication. This closure will make it harder for families who are already struggling, forcing them to find a way to travel farther to get the items they need.

It seems that the people of Chicago’s South Side, in predominantly African American neighborhoods, are always the first to be left out in the cold by big box stores. Members of the communities surrounding these stores supported them for 10 years, and now Target has decided to close their doors, giving explanations that do not seem to match with reality.

Recently, I joined with elected officials from the state, city and federal governments to speak about this ill-advised decision, which happens to involve closing the stores AFTER the lucrative holiday season, and I intend to find solutions to this problem. The people of the 17th District and all of the communities it includes deserve better.

Yes we do! Now how do our communities avoid being left out in the cold?

And also bear in mind Sims' constituent office is also near the Target at 87th & Cottage Grove.

CAN-TV "Political Forum" with state Sen. Elgie Sims

[VIDEO] This is another item I had been slow to advertise lately. I got an email about state senator Elgie Sims' appearance on CAN-TV's Political Forum. From the description:

Illinois State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. (17th District) discusses the state budget, police-community relations, his recent legislative efforts and more. This program was recorded on September 12, 2018 at Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV).

Duration of this program is about 27 minutes.The program itself aired live on this past Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

Want to join the Illinois State Police?

In an e-mail blast from state senator Elgie Sims we see some information with regards to recruitment for the state police.

IL State Police

• The Illinois State Police Merit Board is currently processing applications for Cadet Class 129, tentatively scheduled for April, 2019. In order to be considered for Cadet Class 129, the Merit Board must receive a completed application and required documentation by August 15, 2018.
  
  Applicants may apply online here. 

Also the Chicago Police have again begun recruiting for more police officers starting on August 1 through October 1, 2018. Follow on fb, ig, and twitter @bethechangeCPD or visit www.chicagopolice.org. Also call 312.744.4976 or 311 if you have any questions.

17th District Resource Fair

The flyer below you might have seen in an e-mail blast however more details are contained on state senator Elgie Sims' official webpage. On the agenda according to a flyer you'd see on his webpage are resources that includes youth employment & summer programming, senior & veteran services, wellness checks, property ownership, job readiness and more.

When:

• Thursday June 7, 2018
  6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Where:

• South Central Community Services
  1021 East 83rd Street

Call Elgie Sims' office in Chicago @ 773.933.7715 or his Springfield office @ 217.782.3201. Flyer for this event is below

You are NOT getting the people you are voting for as state representative and senator!

Sen. Trotter's name is on the ballot even though he has resigned from the office

For those who live in the 34th district (for state represenative) and 17th district for state senate: Did you know that the people you might be voting for  state represneative and state senator will NOT be the people who will take office for the term you are electing them for?

State Senator Donne Trotter resigned on January 19, 2018. This was essentially just in time to meet the deadline for people who wanted to register as a write-in candidate.

He will NOT be in office again. 34th district State Representative. Elgie Sims was chosen by Democratic Committeemen (NOT the vote of the people) to replace Trotter. Sims was in turn replaced by the same committee (and NOT the average voter)  by Nick Smith as State Representative.

The Chicago Tribune wrote an editorial about this voter omission in January.

What do our readers feel about this? Are you bothered by it? Do you feel it is a form of voter suppression? Support it? Please let us know

Community meet & greet on Saturday

Sorry for the late notice on this as I just got wind of this on Friday night. Meet not only your new state Senator Elgie Sims, and state Rep. Nicholas Smith also county Commissioner Stanley Moore at their offices.

• 8658 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
  Suite 404
  Chicago, IL 60619
  1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
  Phone: 773.933.7715

Flyer is below.

DNA Info: Ryan Harris' Mom Still Waiting for Field House at Park Named for Slain Girl

Sabrina Harris by DNA Info/Josh McGhee

It seems at times that this blog often visits Ryan Harris Park located at 6781 S. Lowe Ave in Englewood. Ryan Harris was 11 years of age when she was murdered in 1998 not far from this park. Harris' mother is now sounding the alarm of an unmet need at the park named for her daughter:

When Sabrina Harris visits the Englewood park renamed after her 11-year-old daughter, who was brutally raped and murdered just a few blocks away, she sees 16 years of broken promises from the city and local politicians.

Ryan Harris Memorial Park, 6781 S. Lowe Ave., was renamed in 1999, almost a year after her daughter's death. Since then, aldermen and the Chicago Park District promised Harris a field house and a restroom facility that have never been built, even though close to $500,000 has been donated toward it.

"I’m wondering what’s the hold up now?" asked Harris at a news conference at the park Thursday morning.

"You all have the funding for the park and for the facilities you all said the park [needed] and it’s been 16 years and I still don’t see it. And I haven’t been contacted as far as when will the structure be allowed to be put up," she said.

According to Harris, Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th) donated $200,000 to the project and state Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) donated an additional $350,000. Sawyer could not be reached for comment.

Collins did make the donation for bathrooms to be built but has received pushback from the Chicago Park District about building the facilities, a spokeswoman for Collins said.

The Chicago Park District did not immediately return calls about the project.

Before the park was built, Sabrina Harris played around the open lot as a child, but now the park is an emotional journey for her. As she walked around it Thursday she broke down in uncontrollable tears several times. A viaduct, which serves as a backdrop for the park, shields the area where police found her daughter almost 16 years ago in July.

May this park receive the attention it needs and be truly a place for leisure and play with nothing but peace!

EVENT: Foreclosure prevention workshop

On October 29th from 6 PM to 7 PM, State Rep. Elgie Sims along with 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer, State Sen. Donne Trotter, and the IL Attorney General Office are sponsoring a foreclosure prevention workshop taking place at the branch of Urban Partnership Bank @ 7801 S. State St. To register or for more information call Rep. Sims' office at 773.783.8800 or via e-mail at repsims34 @ gmail.com.

State Senator Donne Trotter free from jail - but not criticism

from Prairie State Report

* Thanks to Facebook Friend Joe Lake for these links and updates on the 2nd Congressional District and their candidates. Joe has several Facebook groups, including Chicago's Chatham Connection and and ILCD 2nd District


Several news reports have noted that Donne Trotter is free on $25,000 bail. According to reports, such as the Tribune's Chicago Breaking News, Trotter still had the clothes on that he was arrested in.

DNAinfo also reported that a) the gun was not registered in Sen. Trotter's name, b) the FOID lists his Springfield office address, not his home in Chicago,  and c) that Allpoints declines to confirm or deny Trotter's employment.

However, despite being free form jail, Sen. Trotter is not free from criticism.

For example, The Prairie State Report, a conservative IL blog, claims that Donne Trotter does not  actually work for Allpoints Security, as Trotter claimed, and gives reasoning why that is so.

(to learn more about The Prairie State Report, from their website)