D C Questions? Call 1-800-Tribune Saturday, January 12, 2019 Breaking news at chicagotribune.com Pritzker personally to bump aides’ pay Gov.-elect will use own money for raises By Mike Riopell Chicago Tribune Billionaire Democratic Gov.- elect J.B. Pritzker, who pumped more than $171 million of his own wealth into his campaign to defeat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in November, now will use his own money to bolster his top government aides’ salaries, his transition team reported Friday. Pritzker’s incoming chief of staff Anne Caprara will be paid a salary of $298,000 — $148,000 in state money and $150,000 more from East Jackson Street LLC, an organization Pritzker set up to “enable the governor-elect to per- sonally compensate some staff in addition to their government sala- ry,” a spokeswoman said in a statement. Rauner’s chief, by comparison, made $180,000 in 2018, according CHRIS SWEDA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE to state records. Michael Montagano selects noodles to buy with his Illinois Link card at SZ Food Mart in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood on Friday. The Pritzker camp announced the unusual arrangement days before he is inaugurated on Mon- day. On top of the new LLC, lawmakers this week approved legislation that would allow the incoming governor to pay new Retailers bracing for agency heads 15 percent more. Supporters contend Illinois trails other big states in the salaries it offers for big jobs. The heads of the state Department of Corrections and Department of food stamp confusion Transportation, for example, make about $150,000 per year. Pritzker’s transition team February benefits coming early, but officials warn they’ll have to last pointed to former New York City mayor and fellow billionaire By Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz “When SNAP recipients get their SHUTDOWN: Trump dials Michael Bloomberg supplement- Chicago Tribune down emergency call. ing his staff’s pay with his own benefits, they tend to spend them right Nation & World, Page 6 money. The transition team says The 1.8 million people in Pritzker’s move means some Illinois who receive federal away. We have to be prepared for there aides will have lower taxpayer- food assistance will get their schedule as usual. funded salaries than Rauner’s, February benefits early despite to be a bit of a rush.” More than 260,000 retailers and they’ll have to report the the government shutdown. But — Tanya Triche, vice president and general counsel across the country participate supplemental income on ethics the distribution of benefits of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association in SNAP, including more than forms. ahead of schedule has 9,200 stores in Illinois that last “This process will take place in prompted concern that people year redeemed $2.9 billion in a transparent manner with re- might not budget properly if efits during the first 10 days of this is early, not extra,” said SNAP benefits, according to quirements that information be they are unaware of the change. February. James Dimas, secretary of the the Center on Budget and reported publicly,” Pritzker The workaround that allows State officials scrambling to Illinois Department of Human Policy Priorities. spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh for the continued funding of get the word out held a news Services, which administers “When SNAP recipients get said in a statement. the Supplemental Nutrition conference Friday emphasiz- SNAP in the state. their benefits, they tend to According to a transition docu- Assistance Program, or SNAP, ing that the benefits that land in Retailers that accept SNAP spend them right away,” said ment, deputy governors such as for another month requires people’s SNAP accounts on or are also bracing for the rush on Tanya Triche, vice president former state Comptroller Dan that February benefits be dis- before Jan. 20 will have to last groceries that could occur and general counsel of the Hynes will make a salary of tributed to recipients by Jan. through February. when every SNAP recipient Illinois Retail Merchants Asso- $278,000 — $139,000 from the 20. Normally, Illinois SNAP “It will be really important receives benefits at the same recipients would get those ben- that people understand that time, rather than on a rolling Turn to Food stamps, Page 5 Turn to Pritzker, Page 4 Judge allows inspection CHICAGO SPORTS Jobless man accused of R. Kelly recording studio in killings, abduction No ‘hostages’ found in Circuit Court for access to the Wisconsin girl’s plea building at 219 N. Justine St. — his Trump Tower condo which was depicted in the to woman walking documentary as Kelly’s home dog: ‘Please help me!’ By Jason Meisner base — to see if Kelly had and Megan Crepeau illegally converted it into a By Jeff Baenen and Chicago Tribune recording studio and added a Gretchen Ehlke kitchen and other living quar- Associated Press Embattled Chicago R&B ters without obtaining permits superstar R. Kelly was ordered for the work. BARRON, Wis. — A 21-year- Closs Patterson Friday to allow building inspec- During a brief hearing Friday old man shot a Wisconsin tors to check out his Near West morning, R. Kelly’s lawyer, couple to death at their home in state, with many people fearing Side recording studio Melvin Sims, said he a scheme to kidnap their the worst the longer she was amid reports that did not object to the teenage daughter, then held the missing. people were living in inspection but disputed girl captive for three months “My legs started to shake. It the industrial ware- the city’s characteriza- before she managed to escape in was awesome. The stress, the house space in viola- tion of the situation as an isolated north woods town, relief — it was awesome,” tion of city codes. an emergency, saying JEFF HAYNES/AP 2017 authorities said Friday. Fitzgerald said, describing the Meanwhile, a few there was no indication Jayme Closs, 13, was skinny, moment he learned Jayme had blocks away from the the building was in dis- disheveled and wearing shoes been found. Daley Center, Chi- repair or a danger to the ‘D’ void filled: too big for her when she ap- Jayme told one of the neigh- cago police paid a visit community. proached a stranger and bors in Gordon who took her in to Kelly’s Trump Kelly Buildings Depart- Bears tap Pagano pleaded for help Thursday in that she had walked away from Tower condo Friday ment inspector David to be coordinator the small town of Gordon, a cabin where she had been held on a tip that women were being Trejo testified, however, that where Jake Thomas Patterson captive. held hostage there but left after when he and his team went to The Bears needed just two days lives. “She said that this person’s finding no evidence of wrong- the property Wednesday they to find their replacement after Patterson was apparently name was Jake Patterson (and) doing, a police spokesman con- saw windows that had been defensive coordinator Vic Fan- looking for her when he was ‘he killed my parents and took firmed. “sealed up” and evidence that gio left to coach the Broncos. arrested and jailed on kidnap- me,’ ” said another one of the The developments were the the building “was not being Coach Matt Nagy announced ping and homicide charges, Bar- neighbors, Kristin Kasinskas. latest in the intensifying fallout used as a warehouse” as in- Friday night he hired former ron County Sheriff Chris “She did not talk about why or over the hit documentary series tended. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, Fitzgerald said. how. She said she did not know “Surviving R. Kelly,” which al- Judge Patrice Ball-Reed said above, to step into the team’s top The news that Jayme was him.” leged decades of sexual abuse by she didn’t think it was an defensive role. Pagano, 58, has 16 safe set off joy and relief 60 Fitzgerald said investigators the singer. emergency but granted the years of NFL coaching experi- miles away in her hometown of are trying to figure out what The city asked in an emer- ence, most recent as the Colts Barron, population 3,300, end- gency motion in Cook County Turn to Kelly, Page 4 coach from 2012 to ’17. ing a search that gripped the Turn to Abduction, Page 2 Chicago Weather Center: Complete Tom Skilling’s forecast High 33 Low 26 $2.50 city and suburbs, $3.00 elsewhere forecast on back of Chicago Sports 171st year No. 12 © Chicago Tribune 2 Chicago Tribune | Section 1 | Saturday, January 12, 2019 Tow operator pleads guilty, to cooperate against Ind. mayor By Craig Lyons plea is unremarkable given ized fundraisers, put up Post-Tribune Mr. Cortina’s age,” the state- signs, distributed literature ment said. “Mr. Snyder and and even drove Snyder to of the Tribune emailed to you daily. Here’s an easy way A Portage, Ind., tow op- his defense team look for- events. to activate your account: erator in undercover re- ward to exonerating Mr. Benson said Cortina cordings said he was “not Snyder during the trial that would go to dinner with gonna go sing.” begins next Monday.” Snyder and members of his On Friday, the tow op- In the plea agreement administration after City KYLE TELECHAN/ erator changed his tune. filed Thursday night, Council meetings. POST-TRIBUNE 2018 John Cortina, 79, of Kus- Cortina said, “At all times, I When Cortina first John Cortina pleaded guilty tom Auto Body in Portage, knew this $12,000 payment started asking Snyder about Friday in federal court. pleaded guilty to charges to Snyder was a bribe given getting on the tow list with a that he allegedly paid bribes specifically in exchange for new partner, Benson said, paign committee.