* A relative drop in the bucket compared to need, but at least it’s something…

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will receive nearly $140 million in grant funding to help get lead and other contaminants out of the state’s drinking water.

The federal tax dollars will help Illinois remove and replace lead water pipes. Illinois leads the nation in the number of lead service pipes. The funds will also help remove and prevent contaminants, including forever chemicals known as PFAS in the state’s drinking water.

* AP…

Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York’s attorney general, found that the former president and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing. […]

The showcase Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago is cited as an example of how Trump allegedly undervalued property if it would save him money and overvalued property if it helped him get bigger loans. When he needed collateral, he and his team placed a high value on the property. When he wanted a tax break, he called the property worthless, according to James’ lawsuit.

The lawsuit said the downtown Chicago property, owned officially by 401 North Wabash Venture LLC, was appraised at $133 million in recent years by Deutsche Bank, which lent Trump money for the project, but he gave a different story — saying it was worthless — when reporting his taxes.

* Meanwhile…

Members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus along with Manteno residents will have a press conference Monday to outline their concerns with a company with ties to the communist government of China building a lithium battery plant in the community.

The Chinese company Gotion High-Tech Co. wants to construct a $2 billion battery plant in Manteno. Gotion High-Tech Co. has been promised $7.5 billion in federal tax credits over five years, and an additional $536 million in subsidies from the state despite the company’s strong ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

The Illinois Freedom Caucus is comprised of State Representatives Chris Miller (R-Hindsboro), chairman; Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City), vice-chairman; Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich); Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville); Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur); Jed Davis (R-Newark) and David Friess (R-Red Bud). The members of the Illinois Freedom Caucus are members of the Illinois General Assembly who are advocating for limited government, lower taxes and accountability and integrity in government.

Who: Legislators with the Illinois Freedom Caucus and Manteno Residents

What: Press Conference with Manteno residents pushing back against the construction of a Chinese Communist Party Company, Gotion, Lithium Battery Factory

When: Monday, Oct. 2nd at 5pm

Where: Hasset Center, located at 211 N. Main St. in Manteno, IL

The press and media are invited to attend.

* Former ILGOP Chair to serve on Personal PAC board…

Personal PAC, one of the strongest abortion rights organizations in Illinois, announced the addition of three new board members: Pat Brady, Art Mitchell and Claire Pinkert on Thursday.

“This board is ready to go to bat to make sure Illinois remains an oasis for reproductive rights in the Midwest,” said Sarah Garza Resnick, President and CEO of Personal PAC. “We are excited to introduce Pat Brady as a new board member alongside Claire Pinkert and Art Mitchell, three incredible additions to our board.”

Personal PAC is a non-partisan organization that welcomes support from 100% pro-choice Democrats and Republicans.

The new board members include:

Pat Brady
Pat Brady is the founder of Next Generation Strategies, a bi-partisan Government and Public Affairs firm. He is a former member of the Republican National Committee and former Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. He is an attorney who previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney. He has joined the Personal PAC Board because of his belief that the right of women to control their own health care decisions is one of the most important freedoms we as a society should strive to protect.

* Speaking of organizational leadership, check out the buried news in this IML job posting. Brad Cole is apparently leaving in a few years or so..

The Illinois Municipal League, Springfield, IL (IML) is seeking a dynamic, resourceful, and collaborative leader to fill the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). […]

It should also be understood that the current CEO is expected to retire in no less than three (3) years and no more than five (5) years. At that time, it is the expectation of the Board of Directors that the COO will ascend into the CEO position.

* Isabel’s roundup…

* NBC Chicago | Illinois Sec. of State responds to complaints over DMV appointment system: “We’re trying to accommodate as many people as possible,” Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias told NBC Chicago. “That’s why we opened up these walk-in facilities. That’s why we’ve added a phone number to those who don’t want to go online. So we’re trying to make this as easy as possible.” Giannoulias also offered some advice to people looking for appointments: check again. “We’ve seen evidence of people going on the next day and finding one day-of, day before, the day they wanted,” he said.

* WGLT | McLean County’s top election official says county has never seen fraud, aims to keep : Kathy Michael joined officials from 25 counties in a series of news conferences Tuesday in Tazewell, McLean and LaSalle counties. Speaking to members of the public and media at the Government Center, Michael said disinformation and outright falsehoods about the electoral process have been on the rise since 2016.

* Sun-Times | Chicago Park District pays nearly $2 million settlement to former lifeguards alleging misconduct, hazing: In the biggest of the settlements, the park district agreed in May to pay $977,250 to a woman whose lawyer had asked for $2.5 million to avoid going to court, records show. According to a letter from attorney Bridget Duignan to the park district, her client was a victim of Mauricio Ramirez, the Humboldt Park lifeguard manager who pleaded guilty after being charged with sexually abusing two underage female employees he had supervised.

* Sun-Times | What federal shutdown would mean for Chicago and Illinois: While Medicare and Social Security checks will still be sent out, other programs will be impacted the longer a shutdown takes place, including those related to disability claims. And federal agencies will halt all work deemed nonessential. There are 42,637 federal employees in Illinois as of March 2023, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. That number includes federal law enforcement and 22,600 active duty military members. Under a shutdown, all active duty service members and some law enforcement officers would remain at work but receive no pay until funds are appropriated.

* Daily Herald | ‘I’m preparing for absolutely the worst’: How a government shutdown could impact Illinois: There’s also a personal and economic toll on more than 42,000 Illinoisans, mostly from Chicago and the suburbs, who are federal employees. If no agreement is reached by midnight Saturday, many would be furloughed or required to stay on the job without drawing a pay check in either case.

* Center Square | Illinois Department of Corrections audit shows lack of sex offender oversight: The compliance audit looks at IDOC for two years ending June 30, 2022. In total, there were 46 findings and 40 repeat findings. The findings include a failure to notify victims and local law enforcement after releasing sex offenders, including those who committed a predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, certain offenses of aggravated child pornography or manufacture or dissemination of child pornography.

* Daily Herald | Naperville to reliant on coal? Environmentalists tell council don’t renew with utility so quickly: Naperville gets nearly 80% of its electricity from coal. Led by The Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force, which hosted Monday’s discussions, some residents are trying to change that. The city is locked into an agreement with its power supplier until 2035, but with negotiations to extend that contract looming, advocates are urging the city council to consider other options.

* Block Club | Larry Snelling Confirmed As Next Chicago Police Superintendent: After over three decades with the Chicago Police, Snelling now graduates to its highest position after serving most recently as the department’s counterterrorism chief. Snelling was previously a commander of the Englewood (7th) District and a sergeant at the police academy, and has long been an expert voice on the department’s use-of-force policies at police trials.

* Pioneer Press | Oak Park police chief says carjacking, robberies likely tied to Chicago crime sprees: “These incidents appear to be related to a series of armed robberies that have recently occurred in Chicago. I assure everyone that the Oak Park Police Department, in partnership with the Chicago Police Department, is actively investigating these events as we remain wholly committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors at all times,” Johnson wrote in the statement.

* Block Club | DePaul University Requiring Everyone To Carry ID On Campus After Robberies Targeting Students: Starting Oct. 2, everyone will need to show IDs to enter any campus buildings at the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses, according to a statement from DePaul University President Robert Manuel. Students will have to carry their university ID with them at all times, and security officers can request to see their IDs at any time, officials said.

* Tribune | Another CTA Blue Line closure is coming, but the end of construction is in sight: The closures are part of a $268 million project to rebuild track and upgrade the power system, which is expected to remove about 3 miles of the slow zones that plague the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line. But trains will continue to crawl down the highway median for much of the rest of the route, as about 80% of the 17.8-mile branch had slow zones before construction began.

* Daily Herald | Willowbrook Corners residents seek answers three months after fatal mass shooting in June: People had gathered in the parking lot at Somerset Plaza near Honeysuckle Rose Lane and Route 83 around 6 p.m. June 17 for what was billed as a Juneteenth celebration. Miller and Meadows had been at the celebration a short time when shots rang out. […] “It’s been (more than) 90 days and we still don’t have answers,” Miller said.

* Sun-Times | West Chicago’s Latino residents say they don’t want trash from Naperville, Wheaton and other white communities: West Chicago is home to the county’s only garbage-transfer station — an in-between location before waste is hauled to a landfill. Earlier this year, city officials gave the green light to add a second facility that would be run by trash hauler LRS and bring 650 tons of solid waste a day and air pollution from hundreds of large garbage and semi-trailer trucks weekly to the city of 25,000. […] The Illinois Pollution Control Board has the final say in the matter, and a panel of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s appointees will be asked to decide whether the city of West Chicago met all the criteria to determine that the new garbage site will not harm the health of nearby residents. That final decision is expected early next year.

* Chalkbeat | Chicago Public Schools says it is mailing out transportation stipends this week – a month after school started: The stipends — offered to students with disabilities who have bus service in their Individualized Education Program and those in temporary living situations — will be mailed to schools via the postal service this week, officials said.

* WCIA | Decatur receives $750,000 federal grant for tree planting: The grant will go toward the 21st Century Decatur’s Urban Forests Project. City officials said Decatur has been designated a “Tree City USA” for 42 years and the grant reflects their commitment to increasing Decatur’s tree canopy.