* ICYMI: Help make the holidays brighter for foster kids in Illinois…

We’re shutting down for winter break on Friday, but there’s still time to help LSSI bring joy to children in foster care. While we won’t be here to nudge you, your support can make a world of difference.

These kids have faced so much chaos in their lives. A simple gift can bring them comfort and remind them they’re cared for.

Let’s spread some love and light this holiday season. Click here to donate if you are able.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois’ first drive-thru DMV kiosk opens in Lombard: The state’s first drive-thru DMV kiosk opened this week at the Lombard driver services facility at 837 Westmore-Meters Road, offering 24/7 access to renew registrations and licenses, and to obtain license plate stickers. “This creates a better environment for folks who visit our office, and just adds a new level of convenience for people to fit things into their busy schedules,” Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said ahead of Friday’s grand opening.

* Tribune | ICC approves amended ComEd grid improvement plan with $600 million rate hike: The decision comes a year after the ICC rejected another grid plan from ComEd — which would have been more costly for consumers — for reasons that included a failure to show the cost-effectiveness of proposed system investments and not fully complying with the clean-energy goals set by Illinois’ ambitious Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. At the time, the utility’s plan projected a fivefold jump in solar power systems, increased demands from electric vehicles and the need for infrastructure upgrades to address severe weather caused by climate change.

* Capitol New Illinois | Worried about grid reliability, state officials seek to boost renewables, energy storage: Several experts – including those involved in crafting the state’s energy reform, current and former regulators, and those in the renewable energy industry – are warning that prices will spike this summer and rolling blackouts could become necessary in the coming years. That is, unless the state takes action to make sure enough electricity is available – in the right place and at the right times of day.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Bloomberg | Pritzker Scores $820 Million Green Fuel Investment for Illinois: Avina Clean Hydrogen Inc. will build an $820 million sustainable aviation fuel facility in southern Illinois, in the latest investment as Governor J.B. Pritzker moves to position his state as a center for new technologies and clean energy. The investment announced Thursday will generate at least 150 new jobs, but the company is still working to finalize the location for the facility, a spokesperson for Pritzker said. Avina will get about $38.2 million in incentives from the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles incentive program.

* WAND | New Illinois law will establish emerging adult program for young prisoners: The law requires the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice to establish an emerging adults program for 18 to 21-year-olds in prisons. These people can be transported to the juvenile justice center in Harrisburg to participate in therapy sessions, case management, vocational training and higher education opportunities.

* Center Square | Taxpayers to buy $19.9 million in electric school buses for Illinois: On Thursday, Pritzker’s office announced the Illinois State Board of Education awarded a $19.9 million grant from the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program funded by federal tax dollars as part of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C is set to get 32 school buses and charging infrastructure. Joliet Township High School District 204 and Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 will each get 10 school buses and charging infrastructure. Six other districts will also get at least one bus and charging infrastructure.

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | Integrity in Death Care Act: New Illinois funeral home regulations take effect Jan. 1: Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Integrity in Death Care Act to require an identification system for human remains to ensure funeral homes never mishandle human remains again. Under the law, anyone intentionally violating preparation room procedures and rules could face a Class 4 felony. People engaging in funeral directing or embalming without a license would be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Money, missteps behind the monthslong CPS saga: The costs of even a modest CTU contract, plus a pension payment for non-teacher CPS employees that Martinez has refused to take on from City Hall, are still expected to cause a mid-year budget deficit. A record tax increment financing surplus is helping fill some of that gap. But without an additional solution, an estimated $140 million hole will remain, and budget cuts could come in the second half of the school year.

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson adviser told CPS board he wanted CEO Pedro Martinez out by late September: In a Sept. 12 email sent to Jianan Shi and Elizabeth Todd-Breland, the board’s president and vice president at the time, Deputy Mayor for Labor Relations Bridget Early wrote, “Here’s what lies ahead for the Board for the remainder of this term: CEO out by 9/26 … Land contract, current leadership is not on track to getting this done before a strike.” Early’s email laid out a series of “talking points” she said included “board expectations from the mayor.” As her last bullet point under the section for board member talking points, Early wrote: “Exit option — ‘I have told the Mayor that I am committed to landing these items before the end of the term. It is okay if this is a lot to take on. If this feels like too much, we can work on an exit plan.’”

* The Triibe | ‘Santa looks like me’: How Santa Larry brings representation to Chicago for Christmas: “When [Black] children come to the museum, they’re not expecting to see me, but when they do, they freak out,” Santa Larry told The TRiiBE. “They say, ‘Oh my God, Santa Claus, you look like me,’ and I say, ‘Yes, I do.’” Since 2019, Santa Larry has been spreading holiday cheer across Chicago. As an additional treat, some of Santa Larry’s youngest visitors have said they would go the extra mile to prepare milk and a full meal to ensure he’s got enough energy to deliver maximum presents.

* Tribune | How Chicago’s zoo animals stay warm during cold, snowy winters: A chilly Chicago winter doesn’t necessarily mean the African lions at the Lincoln Park Zoo have to go inside. In fact, as temperatures dip — even as cold as 10 degrees or in the snow — the pride may huddle up on heated rocks in their exhibit to spend more time relaxing outdoors. “They also have access to indoor holding areas in the winter, so if they want to go into a space that’s completely enclosed and warmer, they can go in there whenever they like,” said Dave Bernier, the zoo’s general curator. “We give them the choice, and luckily, they choose the exhibit spaces a lot more than they choose the holding spaces.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Dozens of elected officials demand Cook County chief judge make immediate changes in domestic violence court: Almost 30 Chicago-area elected officials — from alderpersons to district councilors — signed a letter Thursday demanding Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans move quickly to permanently reassign Judge Thomas Nowinski and begin a review of all pretrial services procedures at the Domestic Violence Courthouse. “Through these actions, you can help to restore trust among survivors in the court system, and most importantly, you can ensure that you are truly doing all you can to protect lives and prevent more tragedy,” the letter states.

* Sun-Times | Far-right provocateur Nick Fuentes says a ‘would-be assassin’ came to kill him at his suburban home: Fuentes’ account aligns with a statement released by Berwyn police, which said a man wanted in a triple homicide downstate was killed in a shootout with officers near Fuentes’ home.

* Patch | Booze, Cigars Purchased On Elmhurst D205 Credit Card, Records Show: The official was the district’s facilities director, Todd Schmidt, who resigned earlier this month after being arrested on unrelated felony charges in Rockford. From 2020 to 2022, Patch counted $47,615 in personal expenses on Schmidt’s district-issued credit card, also known as a P-card.

* Daily Herald | Will County Board appoints Lockport construction company owner to vacancy; forest preserve board organizes: The Will County Board voted unanimously Thursday to appoint Lockport Republican David Oxley as a 5th District board member to fill the position vacated when member Annette Parker was elected county clerk in November. Oxley is a lifelong Lockport resident, who has served on the city’s Plan Commission for 32 years, including the last eight years as chair. He is the owner of Oxley Construction, a concrete and carpentry company. He is married with three children and six grandchildren.

* Daily Herald | Barrington plans to spend big to transform village infrastructure: More than $13.2 million is budgeted for capital improvements. That’s nearly $5 million more than the village expects to spend on capital improvements this year, and a significant amount for a village that has a $50 million annual operating budget. One big-ticket item is an upgrade to the village’s wastewater treatment facility located at 302 N. Raymond Ave., behind the public works garage. The plant treats an average of 2.5 million gallons of wastewater per day and more than 900 million gallons per year.

* Tribune | La Grange Area League of Women Voters celebrate century of participation: Exactly one century ago, the La Grange Chapter of League of Women Voters was founded, in 1924, by Francis Kidston, and grew over the last 100 years to include 120 members from 12 different suburbs, including La Grange Park, Brookfield, Countryside, Lyons, McCook, and Riverside. Now called the La Grange Area LWV, the organization celebrated its centennial Dec. 9, starting with a proclamation from La Grange Village President Mark Kuchler.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | City of Champaign plan working to reduce gun violence: The Community Gun Violence Reduction Blueprint works to prevent gun violence, support the community and use data to inform decisions. It’s something that’s been in the works since 2016 when city officials said Champaign saw an increase in gun violence. The plan passed through the city council two years ago. The more than $3 million budget aims to prevent gun violence before it starts. It maps out the root causes of gun violence and the areas of the city that have been most affected.

* WCIA | Mahomet community remembers the Masons following triple homicide: As the Mahomet community comes together…they’re also left wondering with just as many questions following the triple homicide that took place Wednesday night. WCIA is working to find answers and bring some clarity to the situation. At this time, Illinois state police is handling the investigation.