* ICYMI: DCFS audit finds some improvement but persistent problems under 2020 law sparked by Decatur toddler’s death. Tribune…

- Among other issues, the report focused on a sample of so-called home safety checklists, which the agency is required to complete before a judge determines a child who has been placed in foster or substitute care can return to the custody of a parent or guardian. In that sample of 50 cases, DCFS was unable to provide 329 of the 399 required checklists, amounting to an 82% deficiency rate.
- In an emailed statement DCFS spokesperson Lindsay Record noted that the time frame covered in the audit ended nearly two years ago and said the agency “has continued to make progress since that period.”
- The latest audit also found children in the agency’s care are not receiving sufficient health screenings, such as checkups or dental exams, as required.

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

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WGN | Northwestern University study links extreme heat to spike in Chicago ER visits: New research from Northwestern University finds extreme heat is linked to a spike in a wide range of emergency room visits. The study focused on Chicago, analyzing more than 900,000 adult emergency room and urgent care visits on days when the temperature reached 92.6 degrees or higher—between 2011 and 2023. It happened 100 times during that stretch.

* Sun-Times | Back-to-back bond rating upgrades for Illinois boost Pritzker’s reelection bid: S&P Global Ratings cites “good fiscal management” during Gov. JB Pritzker’s watch, marking the 12th bond rating upgrade in his two terms. The development forced GOP rival Darren Bailey to recalibrate his attacks on Pritzker, acknowledging the upgrade as “good news.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Investigate Midwest | Illinois, Midwest saw large reduction in conservation staff in 2025, study shows : Data published in June by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition shows Illinois had 77 fewer Natural Resources Conservation Service staff in January 2026 compared to January 2025’s staffing levels. The NSAC is a group of grassroots organizations that advocate for sustainable agriculture, food systems, natural resources and rural communities.

*** Data Center News ***

* Daily Herald | Data center moratorium set to advance in Lake County: A proposed temporary moratorium on data centers in unincorporated Lake County has reached the final step with the boost of an enthusiastic recommendation from a county board committee. The eight-month breather — which could reach a year when coupled with another administrative action — appears likely to be enacted when the full Lake County Board votes Tuesday, Sept. 8.

* WCIA | 1-year data center moratorium unanimously approved by Mattoon City Council: During a meeting Tuesday night, the board voted 5-0 in favor of approving a resolution to enact a recurring annual moratorium, specifically on large-scale data center developments over 21,780 square-feet. This ordinance does not allow data centers of this size and larger to be built directly adjacent to each other, as this would just be treated as one project. A number of community members spoke during public comment with concerns regarding the topic of data centers at the meeting.

* AP | EPA proposal could leave the public in the dark on data center plans: A plan by the Environmental Protection Agency could make it harder for the public to learn about and comment on proposed AI data centers that have sparked backlash in communities across the United States and transformed the midterm election landscape. The EPA proposal would eliminate a federal requirement that states notify the public and seek comment before issuing air pollution permits for data centers and other industrial facilities. States could still offer opportunities for public comment, but the EPA would no longer mandate them as a condition for states to grant permits.

*** Chicago ***

* ABC Chicago | South Side residents push back on proposed Amtrak maintenance facility, railroad shares new details: During a community meeting in Chinatown, residents pressed city leaders and environmental advocates for answers about the proposal. Ald. Nicole Lee criticized what she described as a lack of community engagement. “We are not against modernization, but this is unacceptable. This is not how you engage a community,” Lee said.

* Tribune | Chicago White Sox don’t cash in during 8th-inning opportunities in a 2-0 loss to the Houston Astros: “Just opportunities that we had and weren’t able to cash any of those runs in,” Venable said. The first-place Sox (73-66) remain three games ahead of the second-place Cleveland Guardians (70-69) in the American League Central. The Guardians also lost Wednesday, falling 11-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays.

* Tribune | Chicago History Museum has one of the most valuable collections of presidential items outside DC:
Unfortunately, Gunther’s collection is, as Mahoney politely puts it, “a mixed bag.” Many treasures he amassed were fakes, creating headaches for subsequent generations of museum researchers. “You can’t take the affidavits for granted. You have to really research them and dig deeper,” Mahoney says. Which she did. Mahoney returned to the Chicago History Museum to curate “Threads of a Nation,” this time as a freelancer. She did the same for 2024’s “Designing for Change,” an exhibition on protest art of the 1960s and ’70s. Before that, the Museum of Science and Industry came knocking for freelance research help. So did the Obama Presidential Center.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | PADS of Elgin sets new course after federal funding loss, asks for continued community support: When Thompson took over as executive director in early 2025, the nonprofit received about 70% of its funding from the federal government. Now it receives no federal money. In response, the organization has trimmed its budget from $1.7 million in 2025 to $1.2 million for 2027 while serving more people than before.

* Tribune Cook County forest preserve maintenance workers reach deal with district to end strike: The deal will not deliver the workers better wage scales, which the union identified as one of its main issues prompting the strike. […] The framework of the Forest Preserve Management’s last offer before the strike announcement is largely in place, both sides said late Wednesday: the union will receive a total of 8% raises over two years, a $2,500 one-time payment for full-time workers and $1,250 for seasonal staff, and paid lunch and breaks.

* Shaw Local | Northern Illinois law enforcement leaders debate changes to existing Flock data retention: Flock Safety is recommending that police agencies retain license-plate reader data for seven days instead of the previous 30-day default. But northern Illinois law enforcement agencies are taking different approaches, with some adopting the shorter window and others keeping data for the full 30 days.

* Crain’s | Skokie shopping center sells for $122M in biggest retail deal in a decade: The sale appears to mark the highest amount paid for a Chicago-area retail property since 2016, when the Sullivan Center in the Loop traded for $147 million and comes as investors are stepping off the sidelines when it comes to large retail deals after interest rate hikes slowed transaction volume. It’s not clear what Village Crossing last traded for. The property used to be separate shopping centers with different ownership groups until it was consolidated as one under Nuveen’s ownership.

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Times | SIU Medicine program brings primary care to those experiencing homelessness: The program, which is being funded by a five-year federal grant totaling $2.5 million, began in June. A medical team travels to outdoor living areas and other places frequented by the unhoused. Rather than waiting until a medical problem becomes serious enough for an emergency room visit, the goal is to treat patients where they are and connect them with ongoing care.

* Heartland News | Crews remain on scene after massive fire destroys, damages mult. businesses in downtown Du Quoin, Ill: According to city leaders, the fire continued to rekindle throughout the night. The public is urged to avoid the Main Street area as crews continue to battle the fire. […] According to Du Quoin Mayor Josh Downs, along with the lumber company building, BJs Garden Inn, Croessmann Wholesale Co. and an auto parts store were destroyed by the fire.

* WSIU | Fire in Du Quoin destroys multiple businesses: Du Quoin officials say Croessman Wholesale, B.J’s Garden Restaurant and Home Lumber are a total loss after a blaze started early Wednesday afternoon at the lumber yard. Locals are praising how the Du Quoin community came together during the height of the fire. For instance, Fairview Rehabilitation and Healthcare joined others in donating water, Gatorade, and coolers full of ice to help keep the firefighters hydrated and as cool as possible while they battled the fire in the tremendous heat.

* CNI | SIUE lecturer charged $100K in personal items to university credit card, feds say: A former adjunct instructor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is facing federal charges for allegedly using his university-issued credit card to pay for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses, including rent, athletic fees, marijuana and high-end kitchen knives. […] Prosecutors allege Clark defrauded the university of more than $100,000 between Nov. 11, 2022, and March 16, 2025, by using his university credit card for various personal expenses and then falsifying credit card invoices and affidavits he submitted to SIUE to make it look like the purchases were for legitimate purposes like the laboratory he managed and other expenses needed for teaching.

* WCIA | Champaign Co. district says ‘canned beverages of any kind’ not allowed in school: “Because of the high levels of caffeine found in many energy drinks and the potential impact on student health, focus, and overall well-being, sodas and energy drinks are not permitted during the school day,” the school district explained. “Some energy drinks contain 200-300 mg of caffeine in a single can, which is significantly more than many students and families may realize.”

*** National ***

* AP | Judge blocks President Trump’s new bid to curb birthright citizenship, citing Supreme Court precedent: “The Supreme Court has spoken: Children in the certified class are ‘citizens at birth,’” Boardman, appointed by President Joe Biden, wrote in Wednesday’s ruling. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under current law for anyone who is born on U.S. soil, with a few exceptions. The law stretches back to 1868, when the 14th Amendment was ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War.