Life in the Chicagoland area has changed drastically over the past few years. Inflation has
ruined Portillo’s Italian Beef Sandwiches, ketchupless hotdogs, and mom-and-pop restaurants.
Maya Sanchez, a senior at Elmhurst University and Chicagoland native, is just one of many struggling with inflation. Growing up in the area, Sanchez has very fond memories of going to Simon’s Restaurant and Baker Hill with her family. But local prices for groceries and restaurants have increased by 20.2% over the past four years.
New college graduates, the working class, and small business owners are the backbone of Chicago and
of America, yet they are the ones bearing the brunt of inflation. These underdogs are fighting to make their way in the world. Inflation is starting to ramp up because of exponential increases in government spending. Our national debt has increased by trillions in the past four years and our underdogs in Illinois, hard-working everyday Americans, are the ones hurt the most.
Sanchez has worked hard to get where she is now, and she is ready to go out into the world. But unfortunately, it is not that simple. Sanchez has expressed her concerns about life after school, saying, “It shouldn’t be so difficult to be able to afford basic living necessities and getting entry-level jobs … we are stuck barely making it by to pay our bills.”
Sanchez’s commute to Elmhurst has gone up 35.7% since January 2021. Tuition and student loans are one thing, but she also worries about the rising cost of rent, utilities, and other expenses which may very well double after she graduates and goes to live on her own.
Since January 2021, a Chicago family of four now pays 19.3% more on groceries and 20.9% more on rent. Many of these families own local businesses. Families work and run these businesses that give us amazing local goods, yet how does the government support them? By tripling the money supply, causing inflation and racking up our national debt.
The Heritage Foundation has created a Personal Inflation Calculator so the everyday American can see just how high prices have gotten.
The young workers of Chicago have seen inflation of 20.7% in just four years. A $436 grocery bill from 2021 is now $520. Average housing expenses used to be about $1,650, now, it’s crept over $2,000. Sanchez says that she is “starting to understand the stress and struggle of college graduates and young families. We can’t find jobs, afford groceries, or even get housing.”
Unfortunately, that is not the only thing she has to worry about. There has been a $266 increase in monthly car expenses, with car insurance
increasing by 54.9% and gasoline prices increasing by 57.7%.
The cost of living has increased an abhorrent amount in only a few short years. Inflation is on the rise. Everyday essentials are suddenly breaking the bank and Americans are reeling.
“It’s a never-ending cycle. Americans are
struggling to live, and it’s time for a change,” Sanchez says. Don’t let people like Sanchez suffer because of the government’s overspending.
While we all claim to love the underdog and support the little guy, the way our country is going, it seems the little guy may just fall through the cracks. Inflation is hurting our everyday lives, so it is up to the everyday American to make it known.
Chicago Bears coordinators spoke with reporters before practice Thursday at Halas Hall as the team prepares for Sunday’s road game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Here are three things we learned from those sessions.
1. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said ‘there’s always valid criticism when things don’t work out’ — but repeatedly noted he was confident in the third-and-goal handoff to Doug Kramer.
Waldron’s call to hand the ball off to Kramer, an offensive lineman, on third-and-goal at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Washington Commanders
has been a major storyline this week. Kramer, who had never had an NFL carry, didn’t control the handoff from quarterback Caleb Williams, and the Commanders recovered the fumble.
“Every play call that doesn’t work out, you go back and look at it and see, ‘Was it the best call in that situation?’ ” Waldron said. “And I think I’ll always look inwardly first, and every play call that doesn’t work out, obviously you’re going to have a sense of what could I have done better as a play-caller? What situations could I have put those guys in? But also, going back to the play, I have all the confidence in the world in all our players.”
Waldron stopped short of saying he shouldn’t have made such a risky call when the Bears were in position to take the lead with 6 minutes, 21 seconds to play. And when he was asked whether he would make the call again, he said yes.
“In that moment? Yeah, I was confident,” he said. “I had trust in it.”
“You look at the risk-reward,” Waldron said when asked about such plays. “(Against the Colts), I know I could have done a better job of getting us prepared in that moment, having a better play call in that instance. I try to learn from it.
“I felt moving forward here, hey, we have different plays that are not all vanilla and when’s the right time to use those? I felt confident. I always feel confident in our guys’ ability to execute those. And then, I’ve got to reflect and look at, hey, when the next scenario comes up, what can we all do better to execute in that situation?”
2. Defensive coordinator Eric Washington said he has ‘complete confidence’ in cornerback Tyrique Stevenson.
Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) and Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) go up for the Hail Mary pass that Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (85) caught for a touchdown on the final play on Oct. 27, 2024, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Washington said this week has called for “a moment of reflection” and “a moment of growth” as the Bears defense looks back at what went wrong on Jayden Daniels’ winning 52-yard Hail Mary
. That includes Stevenson missing the first few seconds
of the play because he was interacting with the crowd — and then being in the wrong position when he was supposed to defend Noah Brown, who made the catch.
Washington said the Bears have looked at how they managed the entire operation and processed what was going on — as coach Matt Eberflus didn’t call a timeout even though Stevenson wasn’t clued into the play at first. Washington said he didn’t see Stevenson at the snap because he was looking at the line of scrimmage and then examining how the Commanders were setting up on offense.
“My expectation for every player on the field is to be in the right position and to do exactly what they’re supposed to be doing at that particular point,” Washington said.
Along with the reflection of the last drive, Washington noted the Bears also made sure to acknowledge with the players all that went right Sunday, as the defense held a high-scoring Commanders team to four field goals until the very end.
As for Stevenson, Washington declined to give his opinion on whether the Bears should discipline the second-year cornerback, saying he is focused on the Cardinals. Eberflus hasn’t revealed publicly whether Stevenson will face any consequences for his actions, such as not starting Sunday.
“I’m not as much interested in consequences as I am making sure we grow from every situation that we’re involved in,” Washington said.
Washington said Stevenson has been “locked in” this week despite all of the media attention his actions have received
, and the coordinator defended Stevenson when asked whether he has a problem with focus.
“I have complete confidence in Tyrique Stevenson,” he said. “I have complete confidence in his position coach, Jon Hoke. We need to continue to work, continue to grow. I know Tyrique and I know everybody on our defense beyond that particular moment. That’s the advantage I have that maybe others don’t.”
3. The Bears have some questions this week when it comes to the offensive line.
Bears guard Teven Jenkins walks off with an injury in the fourth quarter against the Commanders on Oct. 27, 2024. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
Left tackle Braxton Jones and left guard Teven Jenkins sat out practice Thursday while recovering from knee injuries that knocked them out of the Commanders game. Eberflus already said rookie offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie won’t return from a calf injury this week.
However, offensive tackle Larry Borom practiced in full as he works to come off injured reserve following an ankle injury, and guard/center Ryan Bates, who is also on IR, was limited.
The Bears have a few options in replacements if Jones and/or Jenkins are out, depending on who is ready. Matt Pryor has been at right guard but also can play tackle. Nate Davis and Kramer are potential guard replacements, though Davis has played primarily on the right side.
Waldron noted it is usually easier to make fewer moves on the line than to mix the whole thing up.
“There’s always a benefit if you can get away with it being a one-position move,” Waldron said. “So that way you have someone that can fill right in and you’re not taking two guys and putting them out of position.”
Safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) and nickel Kyler Gordon (hamstring) remained out of practice. Defensive end Montez Sweat (shin) was limited.
Director Shawn Levy’s ode to Marvel Comics’ Homo superior species moves from its more than $1 billion box office theatrical release to ultra-high definition home entertainment rooms in “Deadpool and Wolverine: Cinematic Universe Edition.”
The House Oversight and Reform Committee on Thursday demanded the FBI explain why it released crime data last year that seemed to back up President Biden’s claims that violent crime had dropped, only to “quietly” revise the numbers this year.
While a multimillion-dollar project at the halfway point in Robbins is aimed primarily at controlling flooding, Mayor Darren Bryant sees recreational opportunities as well, such as a boat launch and youth football field.
Bryant and other officials marked completion Thursday of the first phase of a project, called Robbins Heritage Park, that incorporates diverting floodwater from Midlothian Creek.
The full project is expected to wrap up in summer 2026 and, when done, will represent “a dawn of new opportunities” for Robbins in recreational and business development, said Kari Steele, president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
The $30 million project will remove about 140 acres from the flood plain, protect 92 structures and remove more than 1,300 parcels from the 100-year flood plain, according to the MWRD.
A diversion channel under construction will carry water overflowing the Midlothian Creek and direct it to the Calumet Sag Channel.
“We’re halfway there and we’ve gotten an awful lot done,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said, as a light wind-driven rain pelted spectators.
The project, he said, will go a long way toward “mitigating long-term flooding and drainage issues,” with the hope that new businesses and housing projects “can be planned for the long-term future of the community.”
Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant speaks Oct. 31, 2024, at an event marking the halfway point of completing a $30 million flood control project in his suburb. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Thursday’s celebration was completion of the first phase, which includes part of the diversion channel as well as a walkway leading to the Cal Sag. Earth excavated was pushed into a tiered mound, now covered with grass, and rock was pulled from a few feet below the surface to create ornamental features along the diversion channel and stabilize the banks, according to the district.
The land, at one point, was the site of apartments owned by the county’s housing authority, which were demolished several years ago.
Bryant said an artificial turf football field is planned near the east side of the bank and will be used by Robbins youth sports teams.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker talks Oct. 31, 2024, at an event marking the halfway point of completing a flood control project in Robbins. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Along with the diversion channel, the $30 million project includes excavating a detention pond, which will be bordered by 137th Street, Kedzie Avenue and Claire Boulevard. The pond will be able to hold 9 million gallons of water.
Bryant said Robbins relied greatly on outside sources of funding, and said there “is a realistic worry” about maintaining it once it is done. The mayor said the village would more than likely turn to those same partners down the road to help pay for ongoing maintenance.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in 2023 the county received $84 million in federal funding for flood control projects, with attention being paid to work in the south suburbs, including $2.3 million for the Robbins project.
A stormwater diversion channel in Robbins empties into the Calumet Sag Channel Oct. 31, 2024. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
She said officials are “confident this project will alleviate much of the risk” of flooding in the village.
James Jennings, interim director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, said the investment in Robbins comes after the community has “long been unnoticed by a variety of agencies” for assistance.
Louisiana healthcare workers and advocates filed a lawsuit
Thursday challenging a recently passed state law re-classifying two drugs used in medication abortions — mifepristone and misoprostol — as controlled and dangerous substances.
The lawsuit was filed in Louisiana’s 19th Judicial District Court and is seeking an injunction to stop the state from enforcing Act 246, which lists the medications as Schedule IV
controlled and dangerous substances.
That classification is typically used for drugs that have a low risk of leading to physical dependence or a low risk for potential for abuse like Xanax, Valium, and Ambien.
Louisiana became the first state to pass a law classifying the two medications as controlled substances in May
and it went into effect on Oct. 1.
Mifepristone and misoprostol are commonly used in medication abortions but are also used to treat conditions related to pregnancy like treating miscarriages or postpartum hemorrhaging as well as Cushing’s Syndrome and gastric ulcers.
For some post-partum hemorrhage patients with pre-existing conditions, misoprostol is the only available treatment, the lawsuit reads, adding that the condition is as “dangerous as a gunshot wound.”
“Patients experiencing postpartum hemorrhage lose as much blood, and as quickly, as patients suffering from a gunshot wound,” the lawsuit reads.
Plaintiffs said in the lawsuit the law has little if any impact on abortion access since abortion is almost entirely banned in the state.
Louisiana was one of 13 states to begin enforcing a trigger abortion ban, prohibiting abortions at all stages of pregnancy with few exceptions, after the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Instead, plaintiffs argue, the law subjects health care providers and their patients to a “highly regulated legal scheme” that delays access to potentially lifesaving medication.
Physicians in Louisiana need a special license to prescribe controlled substances and state officials track prescribers and the patients receiving the drugs along with the pharmacies that distribute them.
Both drugs are still available in hospitals to treat incomplete miscarriages and postpartum hemorrhaging but must be securely stored in a locked “cabinet, compartment or other system,” according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
The Louisiana Department of Health has yet to respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Under the current law, a prescription from a licensed provider is needed to access both mifepristone and misoprostol. Anyone found in possession of the drugs without a prescription can be fined up to $5,000 or sentenced to up to five years in prison.
The lawsuit also challenges the way in which Louisiana passed Act 246 with plaintiffs claiming lawmakers did not follow the state’s constitutional process for passing bills.
“Access to safe, timely, and effective care is essential to reducing maternal mortality, especially for Black women who face higher rates of life-threatening complications,”one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, the Birthmark Doula Collective, said in a statement.
“Restricting access to this essential medication not only endangers lives but also deepens the health disparities that disproportionately affect Black mothers and birthing people in our state.”
Vice President Kamala Harris
and the 16th-century British monarch Henry VIII share at least one trait in common: The belief that the government can force an individual to act against his conscience and in violation of his faith
.
Henry VIII demonstrated this in his treatment of St. Thomas More.
More, a brilliant lawyer, experienced a meteoric rise in Henry VIII’s England.
“More formally entered royal service in 1518 when he was sworn as a royal councillor and thereafter he rapidly rose in Henry VIII’s esteem and was the king’s principal secretary from 1519,” says an essay by Neil Johnston posted on the website of the British National Archives.
“Mixing legal, diplomatic and secretarial work, More’s career continued to blossom and he was promoted to the highest legal position in England when appointed to the lord chancellorship in October 1529, becoming one of the few laymen to hold this office,” says this essay.
More resigned his office, however, after the pope declined to annul Henry VIII’s marriage to Queen Katherine and the king nullified the marriage anyway. Then, Henry VIII made himself head of the church.
“In November 1534, Parliament reconvened and passed the Act of Supremacy that declared Henry and his lawful heirs as the head of the Church in England,” says the essay on the British National Archives website.
More stood silent on this act.
“Silence, in this instance, was seen as overtly denying the king his title of supreme head of the Church of England. And that was treasonous,” says the essay on the British National Archives website. “More was brought to trial on 1 July 1535 and the outcome was never seriously in doubt.”
Five days later, he was beheaded at the Tower of London.
A statement published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops notes: “In the moments just before his execution, More is said to have stated, ‘I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first.’”
Now, move forward five centuries.
On Oct. 22, 2024, Harris did an interview with Hallie Jackson of NBC News. Jackson asked Harris: “If you win, Congress may be controlled by Republicans. So, what specific concessions would you be willing to make in order to get something done on abortion access
as soon as possible?”
When Harris did not cite a specific concession she would make on this issue, Jackson followed up: “So [it] is a question of pragmatism then: What concessions would be on the table? Religious exemptions, for example, is that something that you would consider with a Republican-controlled Congress?”
Apparently not.
“I don’t think we should be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body,” Harris responded.
What would Harris force someone to do—without allowing a religious exemption—when it comes to the right to life? She answered that question in the 2014 Supreme Court case of Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby.
The issue then was whether the federal government could force a family-owned business to act against the moral and religious beliefs of its owners by requiring them to cover abortifacients in their health insurance plan.
“Respondents are a family and their closely held businesses [Hobby Lobby and Mardel], which they operate according to their religious beliefs,” said a brief the family’s lawyers submitted to the Supreme Court
in this case. “A regulation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires Respondents to provide insurance coverage for all FDA-approved ‘contraceptive methods [and] sterilization procedures.’”
“Respondents’ sincere religious beliefs prohibit them from covering four out of twenty FDA-approved contraceptives in their self-funded health plan,” said the brief.
“The Greens [who own the businesses] believe that human beings deserve protection from the moment of conception, and that providing insurance coverage for items that risk killing an embryo makes them complicit in the practice of abortion,” said the brief. “Hobby Lobby’s health plan therefore excludes drugs that can terminate a pregnancy, such as RU-486.”
“If Respondents do not cover these contraceptive methods, however, they face severe fines,” said the brief.
Which side did then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris take in this case? She led a group that included 10 other states’ attorneys general in submitting their own brief to the Supreme Court.
It essentially argued that individuals may not practice their religion in the way they run their businesses. “Allowing a commercial corporation to escape the costs of neutral regulation based on the religious beliefs of its owners would harm market competition by providing unfair competitive advantages to businesses asserting religious objections to a rule,” said her brief.
“The Tenth Circuit’s determination that for-profit corporations may exercise religion could ‘profoundly affect the relationship between the government and potentially millions of business entities in our society in ways we can only begin to anticipate,’” said her brief.
Just as Henry VIII would have compelled St. Thomas More to act against his conscience in recognizing the king’s supremacy over the church, Attorney General Harris would have compelled family business owners to act against their consciences
by purchasing insurance plans that cover abortifacients.
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Former President Donald Trump wants $10 billion from CBS, accusing the network in a lawsuit of trying to tip the presidential election to Democrat Kamala Harris.
