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Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Isabel and I are taking a few days off next week, so we’ll see you Thursday…

Come on home
No you don’t have to
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Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Digital Realty Trust is buying the shuttered Hawthorne Race Course property, setting up a likely heated showdown between the nation’s largest data center operator and local officials determined to prevent the historic horse track from being transformed into a facility for computer servers.

The Austin, Texas-based company is behind the venture set to complete a court-approved $90 million purchase early next month of the 108-acre property at 3501 S. Laramie Ave. in the towns of Cicero and Stickney, according to sources familiar with the matter. The pending sale is part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding for Hawthorne, whose ownership turned to the court system earlier this year to reorganize and try to revive its struggling business. […]

Stickney Mayor Mitch Milenkovic declared his unequivocal opposition yesterday, issuing a statement that decried data centers “without proper regulations and restrictions” as a strain on residents’ utility bills and a noise nuisance.

“If a data center project for Hawthorne Race Course lands before the board of trustees, I will vote no,” Milenkovic said in the statement, noting the village of Stickney board approved a moratorium earlier this month on any zoning relief, licensing, development and permit approval for data centers within the municipality.

* Evanston Roundtable…

On data centers, [Sen. Ram Villivalam] said they’re an issue for “every district in the state,” and highlighted that he and [Rep. Robyn Gabel] co-sponsored the “POWER Act” bill, aimed to regulate their development and power usage, as the energy-intensive sites have been blamed for rising electricity costs for Illinois residents. The bill failed to pass in the spring session, but Gabel said that initial version was “filed as a starting point” to start deliberations towards a final version, which she expects to return before the end of the term.

“We have a group working, the House, the Senate and the governor’s office, on a bill that we are hoping to have ready by November,” Gabel said, referring to the legislature’s brief veto session held at the end of each year. “That is our goal. If we can’t get enough support for November, we will do it next early next year.”

* Governor JB Pritzker signed a bunch of bills into law today. Click here for the full list.

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* Jimmy Reimer’s band is playing the state fair tonight…

*** Statewide ***

* Fox News | Harvard, NYU among 30 universities hit with Pentagon foreign-tie audit deadline: According to a U.S. official, the schools subjected to the audit are: Georgetown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Diego, University of Texas at Austin, Emory University, Harvard University, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Cincinnati, University of Minnesota, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Bryant University, Cornell University, Drake University, Duke University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah (Oklahoma), Portland State University, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Stony Brook University, University of Delaware and University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Cook County Record | Judge: Feds can challenge IL laws teeing up lawsuits vs ICE agents: On Aug. 19, U.S. District Judge David Dugan denied the state of Illinois’ motion to dismiss the challenge brought by the federal Justice Department, under President Donald Trump, against the Illinois laws seeking to limit immigration enforcement actions in the state. In the decision, Dugan specifically rejected assertions from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul that the laws don’t actually pose a “credible threat” to federal authority or to federal agents themselves, even though the laws empower both state officers and trial lawyers to enforce the laws through lawsuits and other actions.

* Press release | AG Raoul blocks Trump administration’s unlawful demand of CDL drivers’ personal information: U.S. District Court judge granted a temporary restraining order that blocks the Trump administration from demanding the production of a database of state-owned records containing the sensitive personal information of 17 million drivers and from terminating more than $10 million in federal funding to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) if it refuses to produce the database.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Chicago’s Democratic Socialists Back 2 City Council Challengers, While Declining to Endorse 2 Incumbents: Chicago DSA backed four current members of the Chicago City Council, who are running for new four-year terms: Alds. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward), Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd Ward), Anthony Quezada (35th Ward) and Angela Clay (46th Ward). Quezada was appointed to replace former Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who stepped down to become the superintendent of the Chicago Park District, and is seeking his first full term on the City Council. However, the group narrowly declined to endorse Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st Ward) because he would not tell the group he considers himself an anti-Zionist, sources told WTTW News.

* Sun-Times | After their dad was deported, family works to keep his Humboldt Park sandwich shop and legacy alive: Asif Amin Cheema was deported to his native Pakistan in January after 30 years in the United States, where he raised his five kids. In the months since, the Amins have tried to keep his Best Sub #2 sandwich shop afloat while adjusting to a busier — and harder — life.

* Tribune | Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson buys $5.2M Loop condo: In the Loop, Wilson’s condo had not been on the market and sold privately, so specific details about it are not publicly available. However, Cook County’s assessor values the condo at $4.615 million. A separate parking space included in the $5.2 million purchase price is assessed at $47,400. “I’ve been leasing it for the last three, four, five years and that was a waste of money,” Wilson told Elite Street. “It’s an investment, you know. If I wasn’t running for mayor, you wouldn’t be calling me.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | ‘They want to work’: Suburbanites with disabilities find opportunity at Carol Stream expo: Hundreds of suburbanites took in the exhibits at the event organized by state Sen. Seth Lewis of Bartlett. It was the second expo Lewis sponsored after supporting the Dignity of Pay Act, which the Illinois General Assembly passed in November 2024. The first in 2025 was such a success it prompted the Bartlett Republican to stage another.

* Evanston Now | Judge lets Albany Care accept patients, for now: A Cook County Circuit Court judge granted Albany Care’s request for an injunction to let it accept new patients while the Illinois Department of Public Health attempts to shut it down. Associate Judge Myron F. Mackoff said “IDPH does not have the statutory authority to enter an indefinite” restriction of the license the mental health rehabilitation center on Maple Avenue in Evanston.

* Daily Herald | Amid rise in antisemitism, he’s bridging gap between first responders, Jewish communities: “Now, most congregations have security at least every week for Shabbat, if not security posted at the doors whenever the synagogue is open, if not having security on site at all times,” Glickman told us this week. […] Glickman last week spoke to law enforcement leaders from across the region at the Midwest Security & Police Conference/Expo in Tinley Park, and this week addressed a smaller group of first responders at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy in Glenview.

* NBC Chicago | Tornado sirens ‘accidentally’ activated in multiple Chicago suburbs—again: Reports of sirens going off in DuPage County began hitting social media just before 10 a.m. Some police departments and villages acknowledged the sirens went off despite no severe weather. “The severe weather warning sent at approximately 9:55 a.m. today through DU-COMM was issued in error and was a false alarm,” the Village of Oak Brook said in a Facebook post at 10:05 a.m. The village went on to say that residents should remain “weather-aware,” as the entire Chicago are is under a “slight” risk of severe weather Friday afternoon and evening, which ranks as level two.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | ‘At least’ $17 million in damage at OSF St. Joseph after microburst, flooding: Derrick Frazier, who has held the position since June, said 11 spots on the roof were damaged. That let water into the Bloomington hospital, and patients had to be moved to another area. Frazier commended the quick action of hospital staff. “It was as if we didn’t have a roof, how everybody was getting wet,” he said. “They were moving the patients from one side of the hospital to the other to get them into safety. So I commend the team for all of the hard work that they did.”

* WCBU | Chillicothe notifies residents of elevated contaminants in water supply: Several residents brought their concerns about the contamination and the manner of the notification to the attention of Public Works Superintendent Shawn Sutherland at this week’s department committee meeting. Sutherland indicated there’s nothing in the notice that says the drinking water is unsafe, and that use of a filtration system is recommended. Multiple attempts by WCBU to contact Sutherland for additional comments were unsuccessful.

* WCIA | U of I colleges establish new partnership on campus horse farm: Two colleges at the University of Illinois are partnering to streamline operations at the university’s horse farm while ensuring both have access to the herd for teaching and learning. The Colleges of ACES and Veterinary Medicine announced that they’ve formalized a new memorandum of understanding concerning the horse farm. Their two herds will be consolidated at the St. Mary’s Road farm, while the College of Veterinary Medicine will assume day-to-day management of all horses and related facilities.

* Heartland News | Carbondale partners with SIU to close Illinois Avenue for Homecoming Block Party: The third annual SIU Homecoming Music Street Festival will return to downtown Carbondale on Friday, Oct. 16, featuring a street closure, local vendors, and a lineup of nationally touring musical acts. Alternative rock band Spin Doctors, known for their 1990s multi-platinum hits “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” will headline the festival’s main stage. The Grammy-nominated blues and Southern rock group North Mississippi Allstars will perform as the opening act.

*** National ***

* Wisconsin Public Radio | Report: Care at Wisconsin hospitals more expensive than in Illinois: Wisconsin hospitals charge nearly 26 percent more for inpatient services than similar health systems in Illinois. That’s the finding of a new report from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy. The study uses pricing data reported by commercial health insurance companies and hospitals, which is required under a federal hospital price transparency rule that went into effect in 2021.

* Indiana Capital Chronicle | Planned Parenthood can refer Indiana abortion patients out-of-state, federal appeals court rules: A three-judge panel of the U.S. Appeals Court for the Seventh District found Tuesday that providing factual information on abortions, as well as referrals for the procedure, is speech protected by the First Amendment — and that the state’s arguments aren’t strong enough to overcome that. “Young people should not have to navigate a complicated and deeply personal health care decision without clear, honest information,” said Rebecca Gibron, the CEO and president of Planned Parenthood’s Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana and Kentucky chapter.

* WTTW | Class Action Lawsuit Targets Indiana Power Authority Amid Ongoing Outages From Damaging Storms: Thousands of Northwest Indiana residents affected by this month’s damaging downpours and ongoing power outages have joined a class action lawsuit targeting the state’s largest power utility, claiming it neglected “foreseeable and preventable” issues prior to the storms. The lawsuit, filed by attorney Kenneth J. Allen’s law group, seeks to hold Northern Indiana Public Service Co., known as NIPSCO, to account for what he called “unnecessary outages … that could and should have been prevented.”

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HDems holding out on statewide coordinated campaign

Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Politico…

The Illinois Democratic Coordinated Campaign has the support of Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign, the Democratic Senate Caucus, members of Congress and the Democratic Party of Illinois. Missing on the ticket are the House Democrats.

The state party says “it’s waiting” for the House and a few members of Congress to get on board, according to spokesperson Gwen Pepin.

In the works: House Democrats say they’re “continuing to work through the details” with party officials, according to TaQuoya McConnico, executive director of Democrats for the Illinois House. “The investment being requested of DIH is considerably larger than most (all) coordinated table members, and we are already heavily invested in our incumbent races as well as recruited candidates,” she said in a statement to Playbook, adding, “We have a responsibility to ensure any investment of resources aligns with our polling, the realities on the ground, and our House priorities. We remain committed to electing Democrats up and down the ballot; our continuous contributions to DPI, Cook County Dems, and IDCCA reflect that commitment and shared goal.”

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Pritzker announces Northern Illinois Transit Authority board appointments

Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker appointed Bashir Qaasim, Nedra Sims Fears, Nirali Shah, Rosa Ortiz, and Vanessa Uribe to serve on the newly established Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Board. The Governor also reappointed Neema Jha to serve on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board. All appointments are subject to approval by the Illinois State Senate.

“The newly created NITA Board is charged with delivering transformative reform and investments for our public transit system that serves more than 1.3 million daily riders,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “My board members will play a critical role in modernizing Illinois’ transit systems so we can continue to strengthen operations, make necessary upgrades, and better connect communities across our state. I am proud to appoint highly qualified, dedicated Illinoisans who will help advance this important work.” […]

The Governor’s appointees to the NITA and other transit boards are as follows:

Bashir Qaasim (NITA, Metra) is Vice President at The Whole Group where he advises large organizations through transformation, with a focus on integrating fragmented technology systems. He previously held senior roles at Aforza and Accenture advising on technology, customer success, and organizational strategy. Qaasim earned a bachelor’s degree from the Computing and Digital Media school at DePaul University and serves on the NAMI Chicago Board of Directors. Qaasim will also serve on the Metra Board.

Nedra Sims Fears (NITA, CTA) is the Executive Director of The Greater Chatham Initiative, where she leads efforts to promote neighborhood investment and economic growth on Chicago’s South Side. She previously worked in mortgage banking and community development finance with Fannie Mae, the City of Chicago, and the Community Investment Corporation. Fears holds an MBA from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture from Cornell University. She was also a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and previously served on the Metropolitan Planning Council Board. Fears will also serve on the CTA Board.

Nirali Shah (NITA) is Senior Director of Procurement and Culture, Impact, and Opportunity at the Obama Foundation, where she oversaw procurement for several aspects of the construction of the Obama Presidential Center. She previously served as Director of Procurement at McDermott Will & Schulte and held procurement, contract administration, and compliance positions at the CTA. Shah earned her law degree from Marquette University Law School and bachelor’s degree in psychology and speech communications from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Rosa Ortiz (NITA, Pace) is an urban planner and the principal and founder of 3e. Studio. She previously served as Managing Deputy Commissioner for the City of Chicago Department of Housing and held leadership positions with Enterprise Community Partners, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and the Hispanic Housing Development Corporation. Ortiz holds a master’s degree in urban planning and policy and a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Illinois Chicago. She has served on the CTA Board since 2021. In this appointment, she will serve on the Pace Board as well as the NITA Board.

Vanessa Uribe (NITA) is Associate Vice President for People and Operations at The Chicago Community Trust. She previously served as Chief Deputy in the Illinois Secretary of State’s Executive Office and as Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Equity and Empowerment at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). Uribe also held economic development and policy roles with Cook County and UnidosUS. She earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois Chicago and is a graduate of the University of Chicago’s Civic Leadership Academy.

Neema Jha (CTA) is a Director at Charles River Associates (CRA), where she leads the firm’s practice advising large organizations on technology infrastructure modernization. She previously served as a Senior Practice Leader at AWS Professional Services and as Director of Technology, Strategy, and Management at Tribune Media Company. She has served on the CTA Board since 2022.

* The Tribune…

The governor, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have now appointed five members each to the new NITA board. Preckwinkle and Johnson’s appointees were approved by the County Board and Chicago City Council respectively. The other five NITA board members are collar county appointees. […]

Pritzker’s choice of CTA board appointees, Fears and Jha, means new members on the agency’s board will outnumber reappointed members by one. Johnson, not without some pushback, appointed two repeat members to the board — Lester Barclay, an attorney and the board’s current chair, and Michael Eaddy, a pastor — along with Oswaldo Alvarez, who is new to the CTA board but currently serves on the board of the RTA. Both of Preckwinkle’s CTA appointees, Tom Kotarac and Ann Kalayil, are new to the CTA board, although Kotarac currently serves on the RTA board.

The new CTA board members will have some authority to approve a permanent president for the CTA, which has been led for a year and a half by an acting president, Nora Leerhsen.

* Related…

* Press release | Mayor Brandon Johnson Announces Chicago’s Appointments to the NITA and Transit Agency Board of Directors: Oswaldo Alvarez currently serves on the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Board of Directors. A public policy and nonprofit leader with extensive experience in workforce development and statewide civic initiatives, Alvarez is Executive Director of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation, where he led statewide policy strategy and coalition-building efforts. He also served as Illinois’ Statewide Census Director for the 2020 Census, managing a $47 million operation and coordinating more than 400 community organizations. A Chicago native and fluent Spanish speaker, Alvarez earned his master’s in social policy from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s in economics and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

* Press release | Lake County Appoints Gary Gordon to NITA Board of Directors: Gary Gordon has been appointed to represent Lake County on the Board of Directors for the newly created Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), a role that will help shape how residents across the region get to work, school and other essential services. […] Gary Gordon is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of the Shedd Aquarium and currently serves as Lake County’s representative on Metra’s Board of Directors.

* Forest Park Review | Hoskins appointed to new transit board: Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins has been appointed to a new board that will oversee upcoming transit reform in the Chicago area. […] For years, Hoskins has advocated for more resources at the end of the CTA Blue Line and Green Line in Forest Park and been in touch with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office about the village’s challenges near those locations. This year, Hoskins applied for the NITA board and interviewed with Preckwinkle and her team, where he discussed how Forest Park is impacted by local transit, his career as an attorney and his background in social services and mental health.

* Daily Herald | Who’s in and who’s out at NITA as new transit force takes shape: The 20 NITA directors, 17 of whom will have dual appointments to either the CTA, Metra or Pace boards, are expected to vote on a chair at their first meeting in September. Director salaries range from $15,000 to $25,000, depending on whether they serve on one or two boards.

Thoughts?

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Republican Day coverage roundup

Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Darren Bailey’s running-mate Aaron Del Mar speaking at yesterday’s Republican Day event…

You know, I had a young man come up to me and say, Mr. Del Mar, ‘I’m excited to be able to vote for you, but I can’t because I’m only 15 years old. I got three more years.’ And I said, ‘Go ahead and vote. Nobody’s checking IDs anyways. You can vote a couple times. We’re here in Illinois. We don’t believe in election integrity.’

* Some background from a JB Pritzker campaign website targeting Darren Bailey…

Darren Bailey founded a school that teaches a curriculum that says evolution isn’t real and that slave owners were kind to their slaves.

He also supported local officials banning books in schools.

The school Bailey founded uses a curriculum that teaches dinosaurs and humans walked the earth at the same time.

An excerpt from BJU’s life and science book published in 2007 said, “The biblical account of creation says that God made the land and animals on the sixth day, the same day that he made Adam and Eve. Therefore, dinosaurs and men must have lived together.”

* We told you yesterday that the Pritzker campaign sent some inflatable dinosaurs to crash Republican Day at the State Fair…

Oh boy. Democrats sent these folks to crash Republican Day at the State Fair. pic.twitter.com/8tI2Cxmfpa

— Tahman Bradley (@tahmanbradley) August 20, 2026

* The Chicago Tribune…

Bailey defended curricula used at the Full Armor Christian Academy, which he founded, that teaches children that dinosaurs and humans walked the earth at the same time. According to scientists, it wasn’t until more than 65 million years after the dinosaurs’ extinction that the earliest humans walked the earth. Bailey was asked about evolution in response to a campaign stunt in which Pritzker’s campaign had inflatable dinosaurs holding “dinosaurs against Darren Bailey” signs.

Appearing on WGN-TV’s “The Point,” Bailey was asked by the show’s host, Tahman Bradley, if he believed humans and dinosaurs coexisted. He never directly answered.

“Were you there?” Bailey responded.

“I wasn’t there,” Bradley said.

“I wasn’t either. I don’t know,” Bailey said.

The GOP gubernatorial candidate also said, “I think every day we’re learning wonderful things about history and the past.”

* Bailey was given another chance to answer during a press gaggle…

Reporter: Could you comment on what they’re saying on their website, that you believe that dinosaurs and man walked the earth at the same time?

Bailey: Ask Fred Flintstone. It’s a shame that he’s doing this when Illinois is suffering. It’s absolute nonsense.

Reporter: So do you believe it though?

Bailey: It’s absolute nonsense. So Illinois is suffering with high expenses, with our safety. Our schools are failing and he’s focused on everything else besides that because he’s focused on running for president. Illinois, I hope wakes up and understands that and realizes we need something different.

* And then he was asked again…

Reporter: Darren there are voters who opinions will be swayed on whether people believe dinosaurs lived at the same time as humans. Do you believe it or not.

Bailey: I don’t belive anyone’s going to be swayed by that. I said it once. I’ll say it again, go ask Fred Flintstone and let him explain it because he needs to be focused and spending money on getting the message out on how he is going to make Illinois more affordable, safer and fix our schools and he’s refusing to do that.

And here I thought that Bailey was gonna drop the personal insults.

* Full WGN interview…

* WGN…

“We’re not perfect, but the other side is crazy,” said Don Tracy, candidate for U.S. Senate in Illinois. “If elected, I’ll represent you — not special interests.”

* CNI…

Over the past decade, the party has cycled through four different chairmen, each tasked with building back a fundraising apparatus and desperately trying to encourage supporters skeptical of vote-by-mail to bank their votes. They’ve also had to mend intraparty feuds.

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Bob Grogan, who defeated incumbent Kathy Salvi for the statewide party post earlier this year, joked to reporters that he “probably has the second-hardest job in the world” after Trump. […]

But Grogan said he sees an opening to win over new voters due to Democratic policies he cast as extreme. Or, to put it another way: “It’s common sense versus communism,” he said.

“We won the Cold War, but we lost the war in the universities, where communism was kept in a petri dish just to be regrown here in some of the youth,” Grogan said.

* Center Square…

Bailey responded to questions of his campaign’s donor-vetting process after reports that his campaign took contributions from a sex offender both in 2026 and 2022, according to campaign filings and offender records.

Bailey’s running mate, Aaron Del Mar, brushed off any connection between the campaign and donor.

“Right now anybody can go to Bailey for Illinois and donate to our campaign, it’s an automated system. So we don’t check every single person that comes through, as much as J.B. Pritzker is going through and trying to check at every donor that we have,” Del Mar said.

Bailey noted the funds would be donated to charity, and would not be used by his campaign.

He also vehemently denied claims from Pritzker’s campaign that he ever met with the donor and attended a church the man reportedly pastors.

“I’ve never met the man, that’s the lie that J.B. Pritzker put out. I did not go there and I do not recall ever meeting him. And I have researched, the man’s not even a pastor, so absolutely not. I don’t know the person,” Bailey said.

* Not exactly packed…

We're covering the Republicans' Day at the fair today, which is starting with a candidate forum kicked off by GOP Governor candidate @DarrenBaileyIL. "We are stronger together and we must put these small, petty differences aside and that will make us stronger," he says of the… pic.twitter.com/D2AYEF5kU6

— Shia Kapos (@ShiaKapos) August 20, 2026

An amazing Republican Day with hundreds of Illinois Patriots at the State Fair ?? pic.twitter.com/iGM6LrsGLv

— IL Republican Party (@ILGOP) August 20, 2026

* More from CNI…

Republicans have been in the superminority in the House since 2018, but they’ve since held ground, preserving 40 of 118 seats. It’s been worse on the Senate side, where the party has been in the superminority since 2012 and currently holds 19 of 59 seats. […]

That same northwest suburban area is also the site of a tough Senate race between incumbent Sen. Darby Hills, R-Barrington Hills, and Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Inverness.

Curran also has other seats his caucus currently holds that he is trying to defend, but said he’s also hoping Frank Lesko will oust Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, Brad Beekman will defeat Sen. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, and Daniel Rhyne will send Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, packing.

McCombie declined to say how many seats she’s aiming to pick up, but said the 112th District represented by Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, 76th District represented by Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-La Salle, and 97th District represented by Rep. Jessica Dixon Heitman, D-Plainfield, are among her targets. Stuart is facing Jimmy Ford and Briel is up against Liz Bishop for a second time.

* WAND…

While many candidates for office were at the fair talking with supporters, Rep. Mary Miller was not at the event.

Come to think of it, I didn’t see any incumbent congresscritters at the event yesterday.

[Isabel Miller contributed to this post.]

48 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Complaint deemed unfounded against state lawmaker surfaces in downstate legislative race. Sun-Times…

* Related stories…

• WLPO: Briel Fires Back at Bishop Video, Says Claims Have Been Proven False
• CNI: Amid Democratic scandals, Illinois Republicans hoping to flip legislative seats

*************** Advertisement ***************

Sponsored by Chronic Care Policy Alliance

It’s a fact: obesity is a chronic disease.

Access to FDA-approved obesity treatments shouldn’t depend on a patient’s financial situation.

A recent study of Illinois voters found:

Expanding access to obesity medicines through Medicaid can help eligible patients receive the care they need to manage a chronic disease and prevent long-term complications.

Learn why Illinois policymakers should provide Medicaid coverage for obesity medicines and help ensure every eligible patient has access to treatment.

*********************************************

* Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Nearly six years after indictment, plug not being pulled on ‘ComEd Four’ case just yet: Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur proposed that both sides come back in two months, which would give Pramaggiore’s new legal team time to review the extraordinarily large volume of evidence in the case, which includes millions of documents, wiretaps, undercover videos and emails. […] “I want you to be thinking about February 2027 (for a trial),” Shah said. “It’s obviously a case of some vintage. It has been tried before, so in theory, people could get prepared and be ready for it.”

* Tribune | RTA approves funding estimates in final meeting before being replaced by Northern Illinois Transit Authority: Current RTA board members’ terms expire Sept. 1, although a handful of current board members have been appointed to the NITA board that will replace it. Thursday was the RTA’s final regularly scheduled board meeting. Members of an RTA transition committee are scheduled to meet again next week.

*** Statehouse News ***

* IDES | Record High Payroll Jobs, Unemployment Rate Down in July: The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in July, down -0.2 percentage point from June, and up +0.6 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised June unemployment rate was 5.1 percent. Total nonfarm payrolls saw a fifth consecutive over-the-month increase in July, up +11,700 (+0.2%) to 6,176,400, a record high. The June monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +1,500 to +1,800. The July payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

* Statewide | Changing juvenile detention: Recent state inspections show numerous county-level juvenile detention centers fail to meet state standards. There have also been claims of abuse and lack of oversight. Studies have also shown locking up juveniles can have long-term consequences. Two new state laws seek to change the system. Peter Medlin speaks with Elizabeth Clarke, founder of the juvenile detention watchdog Juvenile Justice Initiative about the impact the laws could make.

* Rockford News First | Loves Park bakery owner inspires change in state law: Malone said the harassment started again, called the sheriff’s department and learned the person accused of stalking her had not received the final paperwork. “I was so angry that I thought that this was in place for my protection, and it wasn’t,” she said. “Until that person is actually served that paperwork, you’re not protected at all.” Malone then called State Senator Steve Stadelman’s office and explained what happened.

*** Chicago ***

* NBC Chicago | Bally’s says its Chicago casino will open on time despite financial issues: Still, Bally’s Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel Kim Barker says all things are go for an on-time casino opening. “Bally’s continues to be in a strong position to deliver the integrated casino and resort,” Barker said. “That is without question, we do have the funding and we will complete it on time.”

* Crain’s | Chicago home prices make biggest jump in over 5 years: The median price of homes sold in Chicago was up 13.3% in July from a year ago, according to data released this morning by Illinois Realtors. That’s a higher year-over-year jump than prices have made in any month since January 2021, when they were up 15.9% from a year earlier.

* Sun-Times | With PPP fraud case looming, son of Chicago’s ex-top cop avoids suspension over chaotic arrest: The recommendation to suspend Terry Hillard’s son for as long as a month was wiped out after then-police Supt. Larry Snelling intervened in the case. The younger Hillard faces potential dismissal for allegedly getting more than $18,000 in fraudulent PPP loans.

* Sun-Times | Lobbyist John Kelly, a mayoral candidate, vows to use relationships he’s built to save a ‘city in decline’: Kelly is not saying precisely how he would pay for all of that when Chicago is facing a $90 million mid-year shortfall, a $1 billion gap in next year’s budget and a $36 billion pension crisis that has police and fire pension funds dangerously close to bankruptcy. He would only talk in the broadest of strokes about reducing police overtime, cutting the mayor’s 154-member bodyguard detail and approaching private businesses, maybe even some of his own lobbying clients, for help.

* Crain’s | O’Hare overhaul shifts gears to speed up new global terminal: The city of Chicago is going back to its original construction plan at O’Hare, building two satellite concourses ahead of the new global terminal that is the centerpiece of the massive facilities overhaul underway at the airport. The Department of Aviation says the move will save money and time. It also will provide some operational flexibility during a major construction project.

* WTTW | Chicago Won’t Host 2028 Democratic National Convention: Chicago and Atlanta were eliminated in the first round of cuts made by officials with the Democratic National Committee, leaving Boston, Philadelphia and Denver to battle it out to host the gathering planned for Aug. 7-10, 2028, officials said. All five cities put forward “incredibly strong bids” to put on an “inspiring celebration of our party’s future nominee,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement that did not explain why Chicago and Atlanta fell short.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Will County renews Flock camera agreements despite some dissent: The board approved the proposals by a 14-8 vote, with four Democrats and four Republicans casting no votes. “They can follow you from the second you walk out your door,” said board member Steve Balich, a Homer Glen Republican, who voted against the proposal. “Our liberties are more important than these surveillance (cameras).” Board member Katie Deane-Schlottman, a Joliet Republican, said residents don’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy in public. Cameras are on highways, private property and people’s doorbells, she said.

* Daily Herald } https://www.dailyherald.com/20260820/news/bartlett-community-debates-use-of-flock-cameras-as-village-considers-extending-contract/: Bartlett, which has been using Flock cameras for four years, is mulling whether to extend its pact with the company for at least another year. A vote on the extension could happen as soon as Sept. 1. But on Tuesday, a group of 10 residents spoke out against the use of the license plate readers. “Bartlett doesn’t feel any safer today than it did in 2024, than it did in 2022,” resident Keith Humphrey told the village board. “I don’t feel like you trust me because you constantly watch me.”

* Naperville Sun | Why the Naperville council is taking its time on kratom ban decision: Councilman Benny White acknowledged the relief some speakers said they found from natural leaf kratom but said he still supported a complete retail ban. “Quite frankly, our top responsibility as councilmen and women up here is public safety,” he said. “We talk about fire and police all the time but when it comes to public health … this falls right in line with that for me.” For other council members, the distinction speakers drew between synthetic and non-synthetic kratom products merited more information before making a final decision.

* Daily herald | No truth to conflict allegations made against D203 board members, Cush says: Cush addressed the allegations at Monday’s board meeting, saying the district has no contracts with the Alive Center and the board members have not benefited from their involvement with both organizations. “I am making this statement for transparency to our community and to address the detrimental impact that this board member’s recent conduct and allegations have had,” Cush said.

*** Downstate ***

* Shaw Local | Village of Manteno lacks quorum; mayor asks police to arrest non-attending board members: The absent board members were CJ Boudreau, who messaged before the meeting that he had matters to attend to at work; Todd Crockett, Annette Zimbelman, who messaged beforehand that she wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t make it; and Joel Gesky, who messaged Village Administrator Chris LaRoque that he wouldn’t be able to make it. Also missing was Village Attorney Joe Cainkar, who had an event to attend at his children’s school. The village of Manteno is suing those same four trustees regarding a special meeting held in June, where they reappointed Cainkar as the village attorney. LaMore terminated Cainkar but the four missing trustees reinstated him in a June 25 special meeting that LaMore said was illegal under village code. That lawsuit got continued on Monday to 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21.

* Rockford News First | Flock cameras in Lee County cut down: The three cameras taken down were near Interstate 39 in eastern Lee County. According to the sheriff’s office, the poles were cut over the previous three weeks and will cost hundreds of dollars to repair and replace.

* WGLT | Rivian’s tax appeal remains a sticking point for Unit 5’s proposed $252M budget: Rivian, which makes electric vehicles in Normal, has challenged the assessed value of seven properties [including the main plant] impacting its 2025 taxes. Unit 5 says Rivian initially appealed to a county review board that kept things as-is, leading the company to file an appeal with the state’s Property Tax Appeal Board [PTAB]. The appeal remains pending in front of PTAB. “We’re closely monitoring to see what the impact will be because there’s the potential for it to have a significant impact to Unit 5,” Superintendent Kristen Weikle said at Wednesday’s Unit 5 school board meeting.

* WMBD | Heavy flooding leaves Central Illinois Farmers watching crops ahead of harvest: The flooding left standing water across parts of the farm and caused physical damage to some crops. Ackerman said water was running through areas of the farm on Wednesday night that were beginning to dry by Thursday. He called it an unusual amount of rain for August. While farmers can benefit from rainfall this time of year, particularly for soybeans, Ackerman said this was simply too much at once.

* WICS | Workers Escape Moments Before Mattoon Collapse: City Manager Kyle Gill said officials reviewed video and spoke with witnesses who indicated everyone was able to get out safely. No injuries were reported. “We believe of all the videos that we’ve looked at and talking to witnesses that everybody was out of the buildings. Nobody was injured. But we are going slow to get to the front of that building so we can get into the building and verify,” Gill said.

*** National ***

* Fox 32 | One monthly bill Americans can’t avoid is quietly surging thanks to emerging industry: Research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas finds that the rapid growth of AI data centers could make electricity more expensive for households in the coming years. And researchers estimate existing data centers that have popped up all over the country in recent years have already pushed average wholesale electricity prices 2% to 6% higher nationwide, with even larger surges in areas where these facilities are concentrated.

* Press release | AAPOR Responds to Fabricated Polling Data: An organization acknowledged Monday that it produced fake polls as part of a “short-term social experiment.” At least one news outlet, some online polling aggregators, and a political candidate shared the fabricated data masquerading as legitimate survey results. The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), the leading association of public opinion and survey research professionals, strongly condemns the fabrication of data in any polling or public opinion research. Intentionally misleading the public is a serious breach of ethics and undermines legitimate polling and public opinion work.

* AP | Nebraska’s largest school district asks police to stop using electric shock gloves on students: Omaha Superintendent Matthew Ray requested that police working in the schools, known as school resource officers, stop using the gloves. Omaha Police agreed. However, the suburban Bellevue police department that patrols two Omaha schools and the large Bellevue district said its officers will continue carrying the gloves. Three other large school districts in the metro area that have Omaha school resource officers assigned to their buildings have not taken action to stop police from using the devices.

* Inside Climate News | The Data Center Industry’s PR Blitz Is Backfiring: The ad extolled the purported economic benefits of data centers, including the claim that these enormous power-hungry facilities pay their own energy costs so “North Carolina families don’t have to.” “I knew it wasn’t true, and it concerned me that other people wouldn’t know the other side,” said Parrott, whose land could back up to a proposed data center. “I figured somebody in the data center industry had to be behind it.”

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Friday, Aug 21, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Fleet Foxes…

* This is an Illinois open thread…

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