Latest news with #Evanston
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Outrage over Democrat state's sneaky attempt to quietly pass assisted suicide bill
A controversial amendment allowing assisted suicide is making its way through the Illinois state legislature as representatives snuck the measure into a bill on sanitary food preparation. Illinois House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, a Democrat representing Evanston, added an amendment containing the language from a stalled physician-assisted suicide bill to a food preparation sanitation bill, SB 1950, which the state Senate has already approved. Lawmakers in the House and Senate filed versions of the full assisted suicide bills in January but there has been zero movement on the legislation in either chamber. But adding the language to SB 1950 means that the Illinois Senate will only need to concur with the amendment should it pass through the House. The amendment added to SB 1950 - dubbed 'End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients' - allows for patients to be prescribed and even self-administer medications to kill themselves if they are diagnosed with an illness that gives them less than six months to live. The Democratic Party's absurd tactic of adding such a massive piece of legislation to an amendment within a food safety bill sparked fury. One social media user writing on X stated: 'Assisted Suicide amendment added to a food safety bill in Illinois Legislature by Robyn Gabel (Democrat of course). Illinois has the worst politicians. They sneak this stuff in without debate!' 'The Illinois house passed the assisted suicide bill disguised as 'Sanitary Food Preparation'. It's going great, you guys,' another tweeted. 'Sneaky. Sneaky. The IL Democrats are at it again in. They had opposition to physician assisted suicide and decided to hide the legislation in a 'Sanitary Food Preparation' bill,' a third wrote. 'You can't easily find the Assisted Suicide bill, but it's there. They don't like transparency.' Republican lawmakers in the state also expressed concern, with Representative Bill Hauter, speaking in opposition during the legislative session. 'I have to object to the process that we are tackling today,' Hauter, who is also a physician, said. 'When you have a process of fundamentally changing the practice of medicine, and we're putting it inside a shell bill.' 'I'm definitely not speaking for the whole house of medicine, but I do think I can confidently speak for a significant majority of the house of medicine in that this topic really violates and is incompatible with our oath,' Hauter added. Physicians typically take an oath at the end of their training, committing to practicing the highest standards of care, including the 'utmost respect for human life.' The American Medical Association has acknowledged the complexities of physician-assisted suicide, writing on their website, 'Supporters and opponents share a fundamental commitment to values of care, compassion, respect, and dignity; they diverge in drawing different moral conclusions from those underlying values in equally good faith.' Other Republicans opposed the bill based on religious beliefs, with Representative Adam Niemerg saying it doesn't, 'uphold the dignity of every human life.' 'This does not respect the Gospel. This does not respect the teachings of Jesus Christ or uphold the values of God.' However, proponents of the bill argued that terminally ill patients should have the right to end their life on their own terms. Gabel, who introduced the bill, said during the committee meeting, 'Medical aid in dying is a trusted and time-tested medical practice that is part of the full spectrum of end of life care options.' Representative Nicolle Grasse, a hospice chaplain, also supported the bill, arguing on the committee floor, 'I've seen hospice ease pain and suffering and offer dignity and quality of life as people are dying, but I've also seen the rare moments when even the best care cannot relieve suffering and pain, when patients ask us with clarity and peace for the ability to choose how their life ends.' Representative Maurice West, a Christian minister, agreed, 'Life is sacred. Death is sacred, too.' 'The sanctity of life includes the sanctity of death. This bill allows, if one chooses by themselves, for someone with a terminal diagnosis to have a dignified death.' Deb Robertson, a terminally ill woman, joined the meeting via Zoom to speak in support of the bill from her perspective. 'I want to enjoy the time I have left with my family and friends,' she said. 'I don't want to worry about how my death will happen. It's really the only bit of control left for me.' The amendment cited testimonies from Robertson, along with other terminally ill patients who want the freedom to choose aid-in-dying care. Disability rights advocates, however, have also cited concerns with the procedure, with Access Living policy analyst Sebastian Nalls telling WTTW that it will exacerbate health care inequities. End-of-life doula Tiffany Johnson told the outlet that the option gives terminally ill patients the ability to choose what works best for them. The bill passed with 63 votes in favor, all Democrats, and 42 opposed, with five Democrats joining 37 Republicans. Illinois state senators are now tasked with voting for the measure before it is sent to Governor JB Pritzker to sign it into law.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How Collin Murray-Boyles & Ace Bailey Could Be In For A Draft Fight
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 29: Ace Bailey #4 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights dunks the ball against ... More the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on January 29, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by) In the NBA draft, you'll always find teams with varying approaches to what type of player they're actively looking for. Some teams might lean a bit on positional need (although virtually no one opts for that if the talent discrepancy is vast), others will prioritize "NBA readiness" (i.e. age), and some will look at physical tools more than they focus on floor game, and vice versa. Given vast possibilities of how teams may rate a player, it should come as no surprise if teams differ greatly on Ace Bailey and Collin Murray-Boyles. Broadly speaking, Bailey out of Rutgers projects as an offensive-minded forward, with significant scoring upside, despite measuring out worse than expected at the combine. He averaged 17.6 points per game for the season, and was trusted to playing over 33 minutes per game, all while carrying a significant scoring responsibility. Bailey's inside/outside offensive touch, as well as his age (he won't turn 19 until August 13th), are certainly attractive factors. Who wouldn't want to pick a player who could become a type of version of Carmelo Anthony one day? Of course, he might also not turn into the next Carmelo. There's a world where Bailey becomes a backup wing scorer, who grabs the occasional rebound, and does little else. With Murray-Boyles, there's never the fear that he won't offer a team multiple elements. Let's get to the drawbacks first. Murray-Boyles is already 20, so he's more than a year older than Bailey, which does suggest there's less squeeze in the bottle of potential. He's also not much of a long-range shooter (26.5% on limited volume), and his offensive game flat-out doesn't come as easy to him as it does to Bailey. And... that's kind of it. In every other facet of the game, Murray-Boyles projects as superior - and far superior in quite a few categories. Defensively, he's a game-changer and a Day 1 NBA defender. His physical playing style also allows him to bully people to the rim, and forcing himself to the line, which has proven to be a solid counter for when the jumper isn't sticking. His playmaking is also far ahead of where Bailey's is, with the same being true of his overall touch inside the arc, particularly near the rim. Murray-Boyles' 16.8 points in 30.6 minutes compares well the raw scoring line of Bailey, but that should be taken with a grain of salt, given how easily Bailey can get to his shot, whereas Murray-Boyles has to work far more to get off quality looks. Every team considering Bailey over Murray-Boyles does so with the idea of Bailey exploding into one of the best offensive forwards in the NBA. Because he'd almost have to be to justify picking him over a player with so many more avenues to succeed. Will general managers have the guts to swing big for Bailey, or the safety net of Murray-Boyles prove more attractive? We'll learn a lot more in the weeks to come. Unless noted otherwise, all stats via PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
American Council of Learned Societies Names 2025 ACLS Leading Edge Fellows
Early-Career PhDs to Join Nonprofit Organizations in Communities Across the Country NEW YORK, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is pleased to name 16 new ACLS Leading Edge Fellows. The ACLS Leading Edge Fellowship Program supports outstanding recent PhDs in the humanities and social sciences as they work with organizations advancing justice and equity in communities across the United States. The program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation. In 2025, fellows will take up two-year positions designed to take advantage of the diverse skills of PhD humanists while contributing to the impactful work of host organizations, including The Afiya Center (Dallas, TX), Open Communities (Evanston, IL), and Sojourner House (Providence, RI). The 2025 Leading Edge Fellows earned PhDs from 14 universities and represent a wide array of humanistic disciplines, including American studies, art history, Black studies, communications, English, geography, philosophy, psychology, religion, and women's studies. "ACLS is excited to announce the 16 Leading Edge Fellows who will join our 2025 host organization partners to build capacity through work in narrative strategy, policy research, advocacy, and community outreach," said Desiree Barron-Callaci, ACLS Senior Program Officer for US Programs. "Our fellows will also have the opportunity to learn from colleagues with diverse forms of professional training, and work with communities in Florida, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and more. We are grateful to our partner organizations who collaborated with ACLS to design positions that creatively harness the power of humanistic training and participated in the program's multi-stage review process." Meet the 2025 Leading Edge Fellows and learn about their positions. Leading Edge Fellows receive a $72,000 stipend in the first year and $74,000 in the second for in-person positions, with fully remote fellows receiving a $70,000 stipend in the first year and $72,000 in the second. The award also comes with access to health insurance and an annual budget of up to $3,000 for professional development activities, as well as networking, mentorship, and career development resources provided by ACLS. The Mellon Foundation recently awarded ACLS a $3 million grant to continue the Leading Edge Fellowship Program. The grant will allow ACLS to place an eighth cohort of recent humanities and social sciences PhDs in two-year positions with nonprofit organizations across the country in 2026. Information about the upcoming competition, including eligibility guidelines, partner organizations, and applications will be available in January 2026. Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 81 scholarly organizations. As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and social sciences, ACLS upholds the core principle that knowledge is a public good. In supporting its member organizations, ACLS expands the forms, content, and flow of scholarly knowledge, reflecting our commitment to diversity of identity and experience. ACLS collaborates with institutions, associations, and individuals to strengthen the evolving infrastructure for scholarship. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Mellon believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom to be found there. Through its grants, Mellon seeks to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Media Contact Anna Polovick Waggy, American Council of Learned Societies, 6468307661, awaggy@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE American Council of Learned Societies Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Evanston mayor breaks tie to OK appointee to Land Use Commission
New City Council members made it close, but not impossible, for Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss to cast a tie-breaking vote to approve his appointee to the city's Land Use Commission. The commission is currently charged with giving final approval for Envision Evanston 2045, an initiative that would increase density that Biss has strongly supported. Councilmembers Tom Suffredin (6th), Clare Kelly (1st), Parielle Davis (7th) and Matt Rodgers (8th) voted 'no' to Lutheran Grace Church Lead Pastor Luke Harris joining the Land Use Commission. Councilmembers Shawn Iles (3rd), Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th), Bobby Burns (5th) and Juan Geracaris (9th) voted to approve the mayor's pick. In Evanston, the mayor is responsible for appointing members to the city's Boards, Commissions and Committees. Those appointees are then voted on by the City Council, and need a simple majority of votes to join a board. Before casting their votes, city councilmembers gave their opinion on their vote. 'I have never had the privilege of being able to be underqualified for a position. I've never gotten a position over someone else who had higher credentials, and so I'll say that this is a soft spot for me,' Davis said. 'Quite frankly, I find this appointment to some degree insulting,' she said, because of Harris' lack of experience compared to other applicants to the commission. Previously, Biss allowed former Commissioner George Halik's term to expire in order to create a vacancy on the Land Use Commission. Biss also attempted to appoint to the commission an affordable housing expert who specializes in low income housing tax credits, but the appointee was met with significant pushback following the discovery of her social media posts that critics said were ageist and biased in favor of making Evanston more dense. Iles, the Overnight Shelter Director for Interfaith Action of Evanston, was under fire by some public commenters and Kelly who speculated that because of his employment and Lutheran Grace Church's ties to Interfaith Action, he could not cast an impartial vote to approve Harris to the Land Use Commission. Iles checked with Corporation Counsel Alexandra Ruggie to ask whether his vote would meet the city's standard of a conflict of interest. Ruggie said Iles' vote would not be considered a conflict of interest under the city's ethics code. 'It's just not there,' Ruggie said. 'It's just too far removed.' Lutheran Grace Church is one of 40 churches that provide funding to Interfaith Action, but a large portion of funding comes from individual donors, Iles said. Iles commented, 'He (Harris) has direct experience with affordable housing. I find him to be a passionate, informed, thoughtful member of our community. I think he can serve us well both as a younger person and as a renter,' he said. Rodgers said prior to the meeting, he met with Harris over coffee to discuss his interest in being on the commission. 'I was impressed with his commitment to affordable housing in Evanston, and making sure it's some place that people can move to and live.' 'However, I do have a number of reservations about his overall qualifications for this position,' he continued. 'Outside of recommending for the comprehensive general plan and the zoning ordinance, affordable housing is a very small part of what Land Use does.' 'I mentioned to the mayor in my letter to him that if Mr. Harris was nominated to (the) Housing and Community Development (Committee), I would be 100% supportive of that. I think that's a great place for them to do the work they are interested in doing and accomplishing great things for Evanston,' Rodgers said. Burns commented on the city's form of council-manager government, which some on the council have described as a 'weak mayor' government because the mayor does not vote or make motions, and does not typically give their opinion on agenda items during a council meeting. 'The one area where the mayor does have some influence, and obviously what you're seeing here today still needs to be confirmed by this council, is appoint people to BCC's (Boards, Commissions and Committees),' Burns said. 'In my opinion, that is the way a mayor with a limited influence in this form of government can try to think about how to compose a BCC in a way that helps to deliver on the things that he told his constituents in the community were important to him, important to them, etc.,' he said. 'I don't think there's anything improper with that. That's just to me the way that it works when you have that ability as a mayor,' Burns said. 'As council, up here, we have to use our own lens whether or not we feel we agree with that composition.'
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Evanston beaches to open for season this weekend, but you need a pass
Evanston beaches will reopen for the season this Saturday, but passes are required upon entry. The City of Evanston provides beach passes to all residents with zip codes 60201 or 60202. A full list of each pass pickup location can be found here. IDs, lease agreements, mortgages, utility bills, and voter registration cards are among the accepted documents needed to get a pass. Non-Evanston residents can access the beach with a daily beach ticket available on the city's website. Non-resident daily beach tickets cost $12 and Skokie residents pay $10 for the pass. Evanston residents can purchase a discounted daily ticket for visiting guests for $5. Beaches will remain open through Labor Day on Monday, September 1.
