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Crain's Chicago Business: Biz groups, towns clash with Pritzker over COVID aid
In a press conference and later interview, Illinois Municipal League Executive Director Brad Cole, joined by groups representing retailers and manufacturers, charged that proposed rules the Pritzker administration is pushing would prevent local communities from using grants as they want.
WBEZ: Gov. Pritzker names new head of unemployment department months after complaints pile up
Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Thursday named a new director of the agency that manages unemployment claims after the department encountered serious problems dealing with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security also started a new approach to helping legions of unemployed workers who have been frustrated by problems with the state’s system for processing their benefits claims.
Capitol News Illinois: Another 39K file jobless claims in Illinois
The state of Illinois saw slight decreases in the number of people filing first-time unemployment claims as well as the number of people receiving continuing benefits during the week that ended July 4.
But those gains were more than offset by increases in the number of people applying for and receiving benefits under another program designed for people who don’t qualify for traditional unemployment benefits.
The Center Square: Illinois’ youth employment rate among worst in country
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports just over 39,000 new unemployment claims were filed during the week of June 29 in Illinois, a 327 percent increase over the same time last year.
As more people file for benefits, problems persist with the Illinois Department of Employment Security, which oversees unemployment benefits. There are stories of people experiencing difficulties filing initial claims and re-certifying for benefits. Kayleen Carlson, the executive director of the political action group Illinois Rising Action, said she wants to hear from management.
Crain's Chicago Business: Lightfoot puts price tag on Chicago's COVID-canceled events
Dozens of major conventions have pulled out of planned events at McCormick Place, and music festivals like Lollapalooza and Pitchfork have been canceled this summer. The Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority, the agency that runs McCormick Place, estimated the economic impact in lost hotel stays, restaurants, taxi tabs and related spending for the now-canceled International Manufacturing Technology show was $247 million. An economic impact report prepared for Lollapalooza last year said it created 2,494 jobs in 2019 alone with a similar $247 million impact.
Chicago Sun-Times: City task force releases roadmap to economic recovery from coronavirus pandemic
Mayor Lori Lightfoot vowed Thursday to lead a “second Chicago renaissance” — by following a roadmap to recovery from the economic devastation created by the coronavirus pandemic and the stay-at-home shutdown it triggered.
Lightfoot said the pandemic and the systemic vulnerabilities that forced Black and Hispanic Chicagoans to bear the brunt of it provide a “once in a generation opportunity” to create a “new economic model based on dynamic, inclusive growth.”
WTTW: Kim Foxx’s office creates online process to report police misconduct allegations
Cook County’s top prosecutor is giving residents a more direct resource to report allegations of police misconduct to her office through a new online process.
The Police Criminal Misconduct Complaint form, launched Tuesday by State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office, will allow residents to submit claims of criminal misconduct against law enforcement officers and upload photo and video evidence of any alleged incident.
Belleville News-Democrat: Here’s how to easily see all coronavirus case stats for St. Clair County since March
The Belleville News-Democrat has compiled in one place all the information that St. Clair County health officials have released since the coronavirus was first detected in the community back in March.
The novel virus causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease. By June, it had killed over 100 St. Clair County residents.