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May 1, 2018 | ||
Morning Spin | ||
Topspin Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin says the federal government will pay up for its share for changes at the state-run veterans home in Quincy that has been plagued by deadly water problems. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration could release a plan for the future of the home as early as Tuesday. The governor's point person on Quincy has said he'd have it ready by then. Meanwhile, Durbin's presence in Quincy on Monday and last week's announced resignation of the governor's Veterans' Affairs director has kept attention on the Legionnaires' outbreak that started in 2015 and left 13 residents dead. "I look forward to seeing a finalized plan of action by tomorrow to mitigate this crisis and doing my part to ensure federal funding is available to help pay for any plan," Durbin said in a statement after Monday's Quincy visit. "Our veterans, their families, and the excellent staff here deserve nothing less." What to do about the persistent legionella bacteria at the home has been a tough question for Rauner, who stayed at the facility for a week and has faced political attacks over his administration's handling of the outbreak. After the initial outbreak in 2015 that sickened more than 50 people, Rauner's administration spent more than $6 million to update the home's water treatment system. But Centers for Disease Control officials have said the disease may be present in the water pipes and might never be eradicated. Outside engineers have suggested the state consider replacing the entire plumbing network at the home, which was founded in 1886 and is the state's largest and oldest veterans home. What's on tap *Mayor Rahm Emanuel's public schedule wasn't available. *Gov. Rauner will tour a business in Springfield and speak when the Law Enforcement United Bicycle Ride arrives at the Capitol. *The Illinois Senate starts its session for the week. *Alds. Patrick O'Connor, Roderick Sawyer and Gilbert Villegas will be part of a City Club of Chicago panel discussion titled "Diversity & Fairness in the City of Chicago Contract Awards." *A collection of labor unions and other groups will have a May Day event in the afternoon at the Thompson Center. From the notebook *Ludacris and Flo Rida to play the State Fair: The last Saturday of the Illinois State Fair in August will feature Ludacris and Flo Rida as the headliners. They join Boy George, Foreigner, Joan Jett, 311 and others as grandstand acts for the annual summer celebration of agriculture and food on sticks. In southern Illinois, the Du Quoin State Fair announced that "boy bands" will "invade" the event via the POP2K Tour, featuring O-Town, Aaron Carter, Ryan Cabrera and Tyler Hilton. Rockford's own Cheap Trick will help open that fair at the end of August. What we're writing *Vallas: Chicago "in big trouble" under Emanuel's "politically expedient" City Hall approach. *Cook County property owners with past-due tax bills could face steeper payments after Friday. *Massive gang database kept by Chicago police under fire as inaccurate, outdated. *Emanuel's planned Pilsen, Little Village bike and pedestrian trail delayed. What we're reading *Charges dropped in 1991 murder investigated by controversial ex-Chicago detective. *Shedd vet headed to Africa to rescue thousands of rare tortoises found in a poacher's home. *Bill Gates believed to have bought Hyde Park mansion. We hear it has great windows. Follow the money *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here. Beyond Chicago *Mueller questions for Trump revealed. *Trump says he'd meet Kim in the DMZ. *Stormy Daniels files defamation lawsuit against Trump. *Israel says Iran lied about nuclear program. |
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