Pritzker, Dem governors concerned about president’s campaign
Gov. JB Pritzker traveled to the White House to meet with President Joe Biden and his fellow Democratic governors on Wednesday amid rising worry within the party about the president’s ability to continue running for a second term.
Pritzker – whose name had been floated by the pundit class as a possible 2024 candidate for the White House before the president announced his reelection campaign – has repeatedly pledged his loyalty to Biden. The only public criticism Pritzker has leveled against Biden has been in asking for more help with migrants arriving in Illinois.
But in a CNN interview on Tuesday evening, the governor expressed mild worry about Biden’s campaign, while still unequivocally saying he would continue supporting the president’s candidacy “unless he makes some other decision.” Wednesday’s meeting comes on the heels of Biden’s performance during the first of two scheduled
debates with former President Donald Trump last week, which raised concerns about the president’s mental acuity.
Pritzker on CNN offered a critique not directly of Biden’s debate performance, but of what he’s done – or failed to do – since.
“We haven’t heard a lot from him since the debate, and that’s why the polls look as they do,” Pritzker said. “I think that when you come off a bad debate, you need to remind people why you’re the right guy to elect.”
But he immediately followed that with the hope that Biden would further engage the public “over the next couple of weeks.”
“At least, I expect him to, or he’ll make a different decision,” the governor said of Biden’s candidacy. “And I think that’s again, this is a healthy conversation for us all to be having,”
Wednesday’s meeting is an outgrowth of a call earlier this week arranged by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association. Pritzker was clear that none
Gov. JB Pritzker is pictured in a file photo in his Illinois State Capitol office. The governor traveled to the White House on Monday to meet with the president and many of the nation’s other Democratic governors.
(Capitol News Illinois file photo by Jerry Nowicki)
High school students to start new exams in spring 2025
B Y P ete R H a NC o C k Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – When Illinois high school students sit down to take their annual state assessments next year, they will take a different exam than in recent years.
The Illinois State Board of Education recently announced that starting next spring, it will use the ACT exam rather than the SAT.
Both are standardized tests that measure students’ proficiency in core subjects such as English language arts and math. Both are also commonly used for college admissions – although many colleges and universities have stopped requiring them – as well as scholarship applications.
Illinois, however, also uses them as part of the battery of tests schools administer each year to meet federal mandates under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Results of those tests are reported each year on the Illinois Report Card and are used to hold schools and districts accountable for meeting basic academic standards.
Illinois started using the SAT with Essay as the state assessment for 11th grade students in spring 2017. Two years later, it began using the PSAT 8/9 exam for 9th grade students and the PSAT 10 for high school sophomores.
At the time, according to ISBE, incorporating a college entrance exam into the state’s annual assessment program was considered a bonus because it gave nearly all graduating high school students a reportable score, paid for by the state, which they could then use for college and scholarship applications.
In recent years, though, many colleges and universities stopped requiring either the SAT or ACT as part of their application and admission processes.
In 2021, Illinois lawmakers passed the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act requiring all public universities and community
colleges to adopt a “test-optional” policy for admissions, meaning students could voluntarily choose whether to include them in their application package. But ISBE continued using the tests as part of its federally mandated statewide assessments.
The upcoming switch to the ACT exam came about through ISBE’s routine procurement process. The agency’s contract with the College Board, the nonprofit corporation that operates the SAT, was set to expire on June 30, prompting the agency to open a new bidding process.
The state board agreed to open the bidding process and solicit sealed proposals from testing companies at its regular monthly meeting in September 2023. The decision to award a six-year, $53 million contract to ACT was finalized in May.
According to an FAQ document that ISBE has circulated, one of the advantages of switching exams is the ACT includes a science component, whereas the SAT only covered the core subjects of reading, writing and math. That means 11th grade students will no longer have to take a separate Illinois Science Assessment, thereby reducing overall testing time.
The change also means that students who still want to take the SAT or the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test will have to do so on their own, in addition to the statewide ACT accountability exam.
Local schools and districts will have the option of choosing whether to administer those tests during the school day, but the state will not pay for students to take those tests.
FRoM PaGe 1
of the governors on that call said they wanted Biden to step aside. Instead, he said, they wanted reassurance about the president’s campaign strategy.
“I think there are questions that got raised by that debate, and hopefully that’s just a oneoff situation that the President can rectify by letting everybody know, once again, all the great things that he’s done for working families across America,” Pritzker said.
The governor repeatedly expressed faith that as Nov. 5 nears, Biden and his surrogates would effectively make the case that the president is a clear “contrast” from former President Donald Trump, whom he called a “despotic narcissist.”
“He’s a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist and he’s a congenital liar,” Pritzker said, repeating a well-rehearsed description he’s been wielding in both local and national appearances since Trump’s May 30 conviction by a New York jury in a case centering on his hush money payments to a porn star.
The governor avoided directly answering a question about a new CNN poll showing most voters believe the Democratic party has a better chance of beating Trump with someone other than Biden.
“Well, the Democratic Party has a great bench, and I think you and I both know there are some hyper-capable people whose names have been mentioned as potential for the future,” he said. “But right now, we’re focused on
the 2024 race and the fact that Joe Biden is going to be the nominee, unless otherwise stated.”
On a separate CNN program Tuesday, Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, of Chicago, was more willing to express concern about both Biden’s appeal to voters and a potential drag for other Democrats fighting to keep control of the Senate and regain control of the House.
“We have to be honest with ourselves that it wasn’t just a horrible night,” Quigley said. “It’s his decision. I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much it impacts not just his race, but all the other races coming in November.”
‘PRitzkeR’
LEGAL NOTICE
TO: Charles D. Edwards, Charles F. Edwards, Charles Edwards, Unknown Heirs and Legatees of Charles D. Edwards, Unknown Heirs and Legatees of Sybil Edwards; Will County Clerk, Beaconridge Improvment Association RA: KarlaV. Rodas, Ian Edwards, David Edwards, Jacqueline Thorpe; Occupant, 461 Salem Square, Bolingbrook, IL; Parties in occupancy and possession; any unknown owners and occupants. TAX DEED NO. 2024TX000164. FILED: May 31, 2024. TAKE NOTICE. County of Will. Date Premises Sold 1/10/2022. Certificate No. 20-00924. Sold for General Taxes of (year) 2020. Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality) and special assessment number N/A Warrant No. N/A Inst. No. N/A. THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES. Property located at. 461 Salem Square, Bolingbrook, Illinois. Legal Description or Property Index No. 12-02-14-103-0430000. This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on November 1, 2024. The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales. Check with the county clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming. This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before November 1, 2024. This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this county in the Will County Courthouse, 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432, on 11/21/2024 at 9:00 AM in room 905. YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY. Redemption can be made at any time on or before November 1, 2024 by applying to the County Clerk of Will County, Illinois at the Office of the County Clerk in Joliet, Illinois. For further information contact the County Clerk. ADDRESS: 302 N Chicago St, Joliet, IL 60432. TELEPHONE: (815) 740-4615. Scribe Funding LLC, Purchaser or Assignee. Dated: July 1, 2024.
Published July 4, 2024, July 11, 2024 & July 18, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
TO: Mussarat Khokhar, Nasir Khokhar, Mussarat Khohar, Dawn Gallo; Will County Clerk, Mashal Alia Khokhar, Amber Khokhar, Shelby Smith, Derrick Smith, Amber Khokhar; Occupant, 533 Thomas Road, Bolingbrook, IL; Parties in occupancy and possession; any unknown owners and occupants. TAX DEED NO. 2024TX000160. FILED: May 31, 2024. TAKE NOTICE. County of Will. Date Premises Sold 1/10/2022. Certificate No. 20-00829. Sold for General Taxes of (year) 2020. Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality) and special assessment number N/A Warrant No. N/A Inst. No. N/A. THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES. Property located at. 533 Thomas Road, Bolingbrook, Illinois. Legal Description or Property Index No. 12-02-02-303-034-0000. This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on 11/4/2024. The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales. Check with the county clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming. This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before 11/4/2024. This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this county in the Will County Courthouse, 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60432, on 11/21/2024 at 9:00 AM in room 905. YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY. Redemption can be made at any time on or before 11/4/2024 by applying to the County Clerk of Will County, Illinois at the Office of the County Clerk in Joliet, Illinois. For further information contact the County Clerk. ADDRESS: 302 N Chicago St, Joliet, IL 60432. TELEPHONE: (815) 740-4615. Oakwood Real Estate LLC, Purchaser or Assignee. Dated: July 1, 2024.
Published July 4, 2024, July 11, 2024 & July 18, 2024
TAX DEED NO. 2024TX000176 FILED June 21, 2024
TAKE NOTICE TO: LAUREN STALEY FERRY, WILL COUNTY CLERK; CASIMIRO HERNANDEZ; CLASSIC INVESTMENTS, LLC; GABRIEL MARTINEZ; BEACONRIDGE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION; OCCUPANT; MARTINA RIVERA; UNKNOWN OWNERS OR PARTIES INTERESTED; AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS.
This is NOTICE of the filing of the Petition for Tax Deed on the following described property:
PARCEL 1: LOT 2 AREA 2 UNIT 4 IN BEACONRIDGE SUBDIVISION UNIT NO. 2, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 14, TOWNSHIP 37 NORTH, RANGE 10 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED AS DOCUMENT NO. R67-5586 AS RESUBDIVIDED BY DOCUMENT NO. R67-10295 AND AS RESUBDIVIDED BY DOCUMENT NO. R684764.
PARCEL 2:
EASEMENT APPURTENANT TO THE ABOVE DESCRIBED REAL ESTATE AS DEFINED IN DECLARATION DATED AUGUST 24, 1967, AND RECORDED AUGUST 25, 1967 AS DOCUMENT NO. R67-12143 AND DECLARATION OF INCLUSION DATED NOVEMBER 24, 1967 AND RECORDED NOVEMBER 27, 1967 AS DOCUMENT NO. R67-18478, WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Parcel Index Number 12-02-14-101-010-0000
On October 31, 2024 at 9:00 a.m., Courtroom 905 the Petitioner intends to make application for an order on the petition that a Tax Deed be issued. The real estate was sold on January 10, 2022 for general taxes of the year 2020. The period of redemption will expire October 25, 2024.
Heather Ottenfeld, Attorney for Petitioner (847) 721-4996 Cert. # 20-00917 8147-944043
Published 7/4/2024 , 7/11/2024, 7/18/2024
