* Here you go!…

* Tribune | State struggles to implement 2019 law that allows ‘X’ gender on IDs for nonbinary residents: The delay was not unexpected — the Illinois secretary of state’s office said at the time the measure took effect that it would need until 2024 to accommodate the additional gender marker on IDs. But while the office now says it’s “ready to launch,” other entities affected by the change have expressed the need for more time, putting in question when it will actually occur.

* Capitol News Illinois | IDOT unveils 6-year, $41 billion plan for infrastructure projects: The latest version of the plan, which IDOT updates annually, is the largest multiyear plan in state history. It’s driven by the state’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure program. The initial six-year Rebuild Illinois plan included $33.2 billion for transportation, funded largely by annualized increases to the state’s motor fuel tax and increases to driving-related licensing fees that took effect in 2020.

* Rockford Register Star | More than $430 million coming to Rockford area to fix roads: IDOT’s District 2 includes Winnebago, Boone, Stephenson, Ogle, Lee, Carroll, Jo Daviess, Whiteside, Henry and Rock Island counties. A total of $1.7 billion will spent in District 2 over the next six years, according to state officials.

* Tribune | Illinois may lift historic ban on building nuclear power plants as state continues transition from coal and gas: The sensitive political dynamic is playing out as Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign the bill into law. But even if he does, players on all sides agree Pritzker’s backing alone won’t lead to an immediate atomic energy boom in the state.

* State Week | A year after the shooting that spurred Illinois’ assault weapons ban: We look back at Illinois’ response, an assault weapons ban, which is still still winding its way through the courts. We also examine what Illinois done to ensure abortion access in the state and what lawmakers are considering going forward.

* Center Square | ‘Have to be some teeth,’ audit chair says of repeated findings at Illinois state agencies: State Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, co-chairs the Legislative Audit Commission. He said the audits help legislators hold state agencies accountable. “Are these things that require statutory changes to make sure that these findings are not repeated. Often times they’ll attribute the findings to lack of oversight,” Crespo told The Center Square. “Well, then we need to ask them, if it’s lack of oversight, what are you doing about that?”

* Journal Courier | Petition demonstrates support for private school scholarships in Illinois: State Rep. Randy Frese, R-Paloma started the petition drive to show Democrat leadership in the General Assembly there is grassroots support for the state-backed scholarship program for children who attend non-public schools and technical academies.

* WCBU | Proposed regulations to Delta 8 sales could negatively impact Illinois hemp growers: State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, the chief sponsor of the legislation, said the regulations are necessary to prevent children from using Delta 8 products, adding the state also is losing millions in potential tax revenue.

* Jim Dey | Former lawmaker won’t toss hat into 2024 ring: Former Bloomington area state Rep. Dan Brady has had all he can stands, and he can’t stands no more — at least for now. The veteran pol didn’t put it exactly that way when he announced Friday that he won’t run for either the U.S. House of Representatives (17th District) or the Illinois House of Representatives (88th District). But in making his announcement “after much consideration,” Brady said today’s take-no-prisoners politics is not for him.

* Tribune | As Cook County courts fail to address delays that erode justice, a neighboring system shows reform is possible: In just two short years, Kane County has reduced by half the backlog of people languishing in jail for more than a year. Only one defendant has been detained for more than three years without trial. Meanwhile, in Cook, delays have only worsened, as the Tribune recently reported in the investigation “Stalled Justice.” Some cases are now taking a decade or more to resolve.

* AP | Cities have long planned for extreme heat, but is it enough in a warming world?: Initially slow to react, Chicago has since developed emergency heat response plans that include a massive push to alert the public and then connect the most vulnerable to the help they may need. Other cities like Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix now have “chief heat officers” to coordinate planning and response for dangerous heat. Around the world, cities and countries have adopted similar measures.

* Daily Northwestern | Former NU football player details hazing allegations after coach suspension: A former Northwestern University football player told The Daily some of the hazing conduct investigated by the university involved coerced sexual acts. A second player confirmed these details. The player also told The Daily that head coach Pat Fitzgerald may have known that hazing took place.

* Sun-Times | If Northwestern really does put its students first, then Pat Fitzgerald has to go: Northwestern should have used that as a guide when punishing Pat Fitzgerald for a hazing scandal that occurred on his watch as head football coach. Instead, the school suspended him for two weeks in July, which is like suspending a bear during hibernation. That slap on the wrist Friday led to waves of criticism crashing upon Northwestern. A day later, drenched university president Michael Schill announced that he would reconsider Fitzgerald’s discipline.

* Block Club | Chicago Police Officer Accused Of Impregnating Migrant Teen Living In West Side Station: Reports: Other officers are accused of “improper sexual relations” with immigrants who had been sleeping in police stations, sources told the Sun-Times. By Friday afternoon, most of the migrants had been moved out of the station.

* WGEM | No confidence vote against Mayor Troup on Monday’s council agenda: A no confidence vote. That’s what the mayor of Quincy is up against Monday night at the city council meeting. […] He said during the July 3 city council meeting, police union president Robert Megee brought up problems with health insurance and changes to residency requirements. He told aldermen, “unions represented here tonight, have separately taken votes of confidence in Mayor Mike Troup, we agree that we all have no confidence in the mayor or his abilities.”

* ABC Chicago | Campton Hills police chief on leave amid financial investigation: The police chief for the village of Campton Hills in Kane County has been placed on paid administrative leave, village officials said in a statement Friday. Chief Steve Millar is on leave due to an ongoing Illinois State Police investigation. The village said it’s “financial in nature,” and is related to Millar’s role as police chief. Village officials learned of the investigation in May.

* Tribune | These tour guides are fighting segregation in Chicago: The Mahogany Bus Tour is an initiative created by TikTok star, community historian and cultural worker Thomas to encourage natives, transplants and tourists to move beyond their screens, off their blocks and into Chicago’s diverse communities. Thomas, a South Side native, shines a light on the rich history of Chicago’s neighborhoods that is often skipped over by the tourism industry.

* Sun-Times | Honoring the last of ‘The Greatest Generation’: Henry W. Clark, a World War II veteran from Harvey, plans to be on board a July 12 Honor Flight Chicago bound for Washington, D.C. So does the Rev. George Kane, a retired Catholic priest, who was a chaplain during the Vietnam War.

* Sun-Times | Better breathing now, but more bad air days likely for Chicago due to climate change: Canadian wildfires ”are going to burn all summer and into the fall. We might be under the gun again,” one expert says. But an Argonne National Laboratory scientist sounds a hopeful note on climate change: “We can do something about it. It is a result of our actions.”

* SJ-R | Red Cross will close emergency shelter operation at BOS Center: The announcement comes with just a handful of people remaining without power, according to a City Water, Light and Power outage map. […] “I want to thank the American Red Cross and all of their volunteers for coming to our community’s aid with such compassion and high level of service,” said Mayor Misty Buscher, in a news release. “Their team has been an invaluable partner in this phase of our city’s recovery and has helped us demonstrate how challenges can be overcome and how strong and united Springfield can be when faced with adversity.”

* Sun-Times | Activists push for landmark status at Burr Oak Cemetery, where there are ‘improvements to be made’: More than a decade after scandal hit the historic cemetery, local advocates say there’s still much left to be desired, with wooden markers broken and rain causing Emmett Till’s grave to constantly be submerged.

* SJ-R | Public will get to weigh in on proposed ‘road diet’ for MLK Jr. Drive: Under the plan, one lane of traffic in each direction would be eliminated. A bi-directional turn lane would be inserted in the middle and bike lanes would be added to the outside.

* NBC Chicago | Northern Lights could be visible in Illinois, Indiana this week: The peak of that spectacle could arrive on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. Forecasters say that “aurora activity will be high,” and that displays could be visible overhead from Minneapolis to Milwaukee in the Midwest, and low on the horizon between Lincoln and Indianapolis.

* Sun-Times | Winnetka taking a closer look at billionaire’s planned land swap near beach popular with dog owners: “Who knew, when we raised hell about the loss of the dog beach, it would morph into questions about the entire beach improvement project,” Whitchurch said. “One issue after another snowballing.”

* Sun-Times | In search of fireflies, the star of summer: Firefly populations “got off to an absolutely terrible start this year,” says Doug Taron, longtime curator of biology at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park.