* ICYMI: ‘Broadview Six’ damage spreads with review of 20 years of one prosecutor’s cases. Sun-Times…

- U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros announced plans Monday to review nearly 20 years of grand jury proceedings involving veteran prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg, who was at the center of the tainted “Broadview Six” case.
- Ten defendants in three cases handled by Mecklenburg have now seen their federal charges permanently dropped as a result of the grand jury controversy in Boutros’ office.
- Boutros said his office will be conducting “an individualized review and assessment of all available grand jury minutes” of Mecklenburg’s Chicago tenure since 2007, estimating that the review will encompass “more than 100 grand jury cases.”

* Related stories…

• Tribune: US Attorney Andrew Boutros drops arson case amid new grand jury gaffes by ‘Broadview Six’ prosecutor
• WTTW: Chicago US Attorney’s Office Reviewing Past Grand Jury Proceedings After Another Case Tied to ‘Broadview Six’ Prosecutor Falls Apart
• ABC Chicago: Chicago US Attorney drops 3rd case citing ’serious irregularities’ focusing on prosecutor’s conduct

* At 11 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver remarks at the Amrize Ribbon Cutting ceremony. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* CBS Chicago | Illinois Accountability Commission chair says fresh wave of ICE arrests has begun, with new tactics in play: Ruben Castillo, former chief judge of the federal court for Northern Illinois, told CBS News Chicago he is watching for signs of a tactical shift under new Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin — months after a spring surge that many expected never materialized following last year’s Operation Midway Blitz sweep. “We are going to take a different approach that can be more effective and less public-facing,” Mullin said in remarks obtained by CBS News.

* Rep. Curtis Tarver | Southeast Side, or Hammond, should beat Arlington Heights for Bears: I am asking the Bears to give South Works and the South Lakefront a full, serious feasibility review. Envision a Museum Campus South plus Quantum. This is a vision we can build upon rather than displace. We can connect world-class museums, sports, science, health care, education, lakefront access, jobs, small businesses and neighborhood revival. That would be a citywide development strategy, not old Chicago with new renderings.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Aurora Beacon-News | State Sen. Linda Holmes, an Aurora Democrat, to retire at the end of current term after 20 years: “Living with Multiple Sclerosis for the past 37 years has shaped my perspective and strengthened my commitment to public service,” she said in a statement on her website. “While I have been fortunate to manage this disease for many years with few symptoms, it is now time for me to slow down and focus on my health.” Holmes was first elected to represent the 42nd District in 2006, defeating then-Will County Board member Terri Ann Wintermute in the race for a seat that had long been held by Republican Sen. Ed Petka. Before that, Holmes served on the Kane County Board.

* Sun-Times | Bears stadium fail wasn’t Pritzker’s only fumble — his affordable housing plan also went nowhere: According to Democratic lawmakers, the major sticking point was a provision creating a statewide zoning standard for “middle housing.” “I recognized from my own local government background that the one size fits all approach doesn’t always work as we all think it will,” said Senate Majority Leader Cristina Castro, D-Elgin.

* WAND | Bill increasing fine for drivers ignoring school bus safety arms awaits Pritzker’s signature: This plan would create a uniform $300 fine for the first offense and $1,000 for a second or subsequent violation. “It’s not a mandate,” said Sen. Mike Porfirio (D-Burbank). “Instead, it empowers local law enforcement with options and greater local control so they can choose what’s best for their community to curb dangerous driving behavior.”

*** Data Center News ***

* Crain’s | Pritzker wants legislators to take up data centers in the fall: Opponents have questioned whether Pritzker has the authority to administratively suspend or slow the applications for the incentives under a program that dates back to 2019. “We’re going to address the issue, I hope, in the veto session,” Pritzker said at a press conference today. “We have authority to decide what process we’re going to use in order to go through those tax credits.

* WTTW | Data Center Policy Debate in Illinois Spans Environmental, Economic Goals: “The data center industry has been around for decades,” said Brad Tietz, state policy director of the Data Center Coalition. “We’re going to use twice the amount of data in the next five years that we used in the past 10 years… and it’s not just entertainment. It’s hospital records, bank records, government, schools, public safety, remote work, telehealth, the list goes on.” In 2018, data centers accounted for 1.9% of all electricity consumption in the U.S. according to a 2024 report from Lawrence Berkeley National Labs. By 2023, that jumped to 4.4% of all electricity in the country. And the trend is not slowing down, with estimates for 2028 ranging from 6.7-12%.

* NBC Chicago | Mayor of suburban Robbins keeps an open mind to data center: “I know there is a lot of negative stories out there but my job as mayor is to be innovative,” Bryant said. “Water, electricity, noise, pollution and environmental all are concerns of mine too, but we are in the discovery phase. If we cannot solve those issues, it will never enter Robbins. We are in talks with the owner to explore.” The owner of the property told NBC 5 at least five brokers have approached him about data centers at the site. His asking price is $25 to $30 million, with a credit for demolition.

* Naperville Sun | Developer behind rejected Naperville data center exploring former BP site: According to an internal city memo obtained by the Naperville Sun, Karis is considering the purchase of the 168-acre INEOS property, formerly the BP campus, on which to build a data center and an advanced manufacturing hub at 150 W. Warrenville Road. If plans were to move forward, the proposed data center would be the same size as the one previously proposed for the Nokia property at 1960 Lucent Lane off the I-88 corridor, the memo said. In addition to data centers, Karis is known for building cold storage facilities, industrial buildings and advanced manufacturing facilities.

* Capitol City Now | Data center-related repeal; public still skeptical of Springfield council: People who have been showing up at city council meetings these days say Springfield is not doing enough to protect itself from data centers, and the city council’s repeal of a CWLP rate classification for such projects is not doing much to quell speculation that a data center is indeed poised to come into the city. In fact, some commenters wonder if city leaders are actually okay with hosting a data center.

* Rockford Register Star | Committee backs Rockford tax district that could include data center: Residents who filled the audience and brought signs opposing a data center, worry a data center could drive up electricity costs, consume too much water and potentially harm the environment. They also cited concerns with industrial development near residential, agricultural and forest preserve areas. “With the comments received during the public hearing, the ordinances approving the South Rockford TIF District state that TIF Funds, public subsidies and tax increment revenue available through South Rockford TIF District is prohibited to be used to incentivize data centers,” according to a memorandum to Rockford City Council.

* WGLT | Consultant from Normal wants to diversify the data center discussion in McLean County: Meece said he would like to see a data center locate in the area — but not unless the public approves of such a project. “I would do my best to protect our residents and the people working here, but the one thing I will not do is go against what the general consensus is of the people in McLean County,” he said. “I don’t want to be a part of that; I don’t want to be a part of putting something in our town that people don’t want.”

* Politico | A new tax in Data Center Alley: Virginia lawmakers today voted to tax data centers for the electricity they use, capped at $600 million per year. Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger is expected to approve the eleventh-hour agreement — which breaks a monthslong budget stalemate and allows the state’s Democratic trifecta to avoid what would have been Virginia’s first government shutdown.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | ‘Should I have done this?’: Dozens of candidates fight to stay on Chicago’s school board ballot: In this November’s race, nine board members appointed by Johnson, a close ally of the Chicago Teachers Union, are running to keep their seats, and all are facing objections, along with two members elected with CTU backing. During the 2024 school board elections, 27 of 47 prospective candidates faced objections, many of them from CTU, and more than a dozen were ultimately knocked off the ballot. But in a reversal from the last election cycle, the Urban Center, a pro-school-choice lobbying group, is behind at least 14 of the objections.

* WTTW | Chicago’s Sidewalks Aren’t Accessible for People With Mobility Challenges, Lawsuit Argues. The City Wants the Case Dismissed: Last fall, the firm that successfully took on Chicago’s inaccessible crosswalks brought another lawsuit against the city — this time, arguing that it has long failed to properly build and maintain sidewalks, curb ramps and other key pedestrian infrastructure that people with mobility disabilities must navigate, as well as to provide accessible alternate routes when construction blocks rights of way. It’s not the first time Chicago has faced claims like this. In 2005, the city was hit with a federal class action over its failure to build curb ramps. Chicago settled the case in 2007 by pledging to spend $50 million — the largest-ever settlement in an ADA suit at the time.

* ABC Chicago | Chicago homeowners dispute massive water bills, seek answers from city: The ABC7 I-Team is hearing from more Chicago residents who say they are being overcharged on city water bills, including one homeowner facing a bill of more than $235,000 at a vacant property that she says does not have running water. Back of the Yards resident Diane Carli said the bill has caused significant stress and has left her concerned about potential consequences, including wage garnishment or a property lien if it is not paid.

* Sun-Times | Sam Antonacci delivers walk-off winner as Sox open series vs. Guardians with thrilling win: Replays, for those reviewing them in the umpires’ TV replay booth, did not provide sufficient evidence that the call on the field was wrong. That’s how close it was. “Sometimes,” said a man in the elevator who looked like Jerry Reinsdorf, the Sox owner who officially doesn’t speak to the media, “you just have to be lucky.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Vanishing act: Schaumburg neighborhood meets its demise: A 55-year-old neighborhood along Schaumburg’s southwest border is vanishing from the landscape this week as crews tear down longstanding homes to make way for an industrial development. All 19 houses lining Long Avenue are expected to be down by the end of next week, said Laura Stark, construction manager for Chicago-based Logistics Property Company LLC. The firm purchased the homes with plans to replace them with two industrial buildings totaling 436,500 square feet this summer, said Ben Fish, vice president of its Midwest region.

* Daily Herald | As investigation into Mundelein woman’s fatal shooting continues, mayor and critics have their say: Using words like “murder,” “coward” and “shame,” supporters of the family of a Mundelein woman who was fatally shot by police last month during an apparent mental health crisis expressed their anger during Monday’s village board meeting. The people who talked about the late Mary Alice Love’s life and death for about 90 minutes included relatives and friends who knew the 37-year-old woman well — and strangers deeply troubled by how she died.

* Pioneer Press | Lake Bluff, Lake Forest officials preparing for new state laws for e-bikes, scooters, etc.: Lake Forest Police Chief John Burke said he supports the measure. “It’s much clearer to follow the way they classified everything,” he said. Burke said he is working with the city’s communications team on a social media campaign to inform residents about the upcoming state regulations. In October 2023, the Lake Forest City Council approved an ordinance requiring riders of electronic mobility devices to walk them through the central business district. Violators can face penalties, including fines.

* Aurora Beacon-News | New Hollywood Casino Aurora ready to open to the public Wednesday: Work on the property has been finishing up in the past few weeks. But, after years of work, the finish line appears near for those involved in bringing the casino to its new home in Aurora. The new casino— a $360 million project that’s been under construction since 2023 — is replacing the longtime riverboat Hollywood Casino in downtown Aurora, which turned off its lights on June 10 after operating there since the 1990s.

* Daily Herald | Bloomingdale Yard construction ushers in transformation of Stratford Square to ‘The Grove’: Search Stratford Square on YouTube, and you’ll see videos of what was a “dead mall” or the “most depressing mall in America,” each with tens of thousands of views. Bloomingdale leaders intervened, acquiring the old department stores and finally the core of the mall itself. Looking to make a fresh start, the village had the entire mall demolished, save for the last anchor retailer, Kohl’s. […] Now, there are signs, not of a “dying mall,” but of new life: Vertical construction has begun on the massive property, one of the first major steps toward the larger redevelopment of the area into “The Grove at Bloomingdale.” The owner of the Naperville Yard is bringing a similar, roughly 100,000-square-foot indoor sports and family recreation hub to the former mall site.

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | ADM to invest $103 million in improvements to Decatur facilities: According to the Office of the Governor, ADM’s investment will create 50 new full-time jobs and keep over 1,000 present full-time jobs. “We’ll be investing to replace 40,000 control systems across the corn plant, the East Plant and the West Plant with state-of-the-art technology. When we think about protecting what matters and supporting safety, quality and efficiency, this is a hugely important project for us,” said ADM President for North America Christopher Cuddy.

* WAND | Meridian Elementary won’t open in August due to heavy storm damage: Extreme winds seriously damaged the building and ripped off part of the roof, while rain then left water damage in several classrooms. “Every single major system in the building has been affected by water. From the ground, you couldn’t really see the extent of the wind damage that had occurred, but when you got inside and saw how much water actually was inside the building. Almost the entire rubber membrane that keeps water out had been blown off,” said Meridian School District Superintendent Shane Gordon.

* WCIA | Pritzker joins opening of new soybean processing plant in Gilman: The new plant is home to the single largest extraction process in the country, processing up to 300,000 bushels a day and providing a stable market for more than 7,000 local family farms. The facility will also create 40 new full-time jobs. […] In addition to the soybean crushing plant, the company also has a 50-acre solar array with the capacity to generate enough energy to provide power directly to the plant or to feed to the grid.

* WCIA | Attorneys for EMS worker accused of murder to file new motions; partner to be sentenced for involuntary manslaughter: The case against the two Springfield EMS workers accused of playing a part in the death of Earl Moore Jr. continues as they appear in court this week — with one of them set to be sentenced. Peggy Finley was in court on Monday for a planned trial call hearing, which is a hearing to assess whether the parties are ready to proceed to trial. The hearing didn’t last long; Finely’s attorneys said they are not ready and that they intend to file new motions in the case after Tuesday.

* WCIA | New Asian American Heritage Trail showcasing cultural sites in Champaign-Urbana: The Asian American Heritage Trail in Champaign and Urbana will highlight places that showcase Asian influence in the twin cities. Signs will be in place soon to guide people along the trail, which will include the Refugee Center, the Hindu Temple and the Far East and Ginza grocery stores. Archivist Sarah Bennett with the Urbana Free Library worked on the project. She said it is important for people to know more about the Asian culture that is right in their backyard.

*** National ***

* AP | Senate passes a bipartisan housing bill aimed at increasing supply and lowering prices: The bill, which passed 85-5 and now heads to the House, has been the focus of intense negotiations in recent weeks as lawmakers in both parties try to address housing costs in an election year. The final version of the legislation bans corporate investors from buying single-family homes but doesn’t include a Senate provision that would have required investors to sell newly constructed homes within seven years.

* MediaIte | Trump Says He’s ‘Preparing Lawsuits Against ABC for False Reporting’: On Monday night, the president went on Truth Social and wrote that a lawsuit is headed ABC’s way. He accused ABC News of not reporting that his two predecessors spent $100 million to renovate the pool, a figure which he appears to have made up, as President Joe Biden oversaw no major work on it. Meanwhile, the Obama administration spent $35 million on the pool.

* NYT | Major Supreme Court Decisions Testing Trump’s Policies Remain: Before the justices take their annual summer break, they will resolve a series of high-profile cases testing the administration’s policies to expand presidential power and reshape the federal bureaucracy. Significant decisions still to come will determine whether Mr. Trump can end the longstanding guarantee of birthright citizenship for the U.S.-born babies of undocumented immigrants and fire Lisa D. Cook, a leader at the influential and independent Federal Reserve.