* ICYMI: National Association of Realtors president resigns, blames blackmail threat. Sun-Times…

- Kasper “recently received a threat to disclose a past personal, non-financial matter unless she compromised her position at NAR.”
- She reported the threat to law enforcement, but “felt that, in the circumstances, it was best for the organization that she step down.
- President-elect Kevin Sears will step into the role of NAR president, effective immediately.

* Related stories…

∙ NYT: New President of Realtors Group Abruptly Resigns
∙ Tribune: National Association of Realtors president resigns in response to unspecified ‘threat’

* Isabel’s top picks…

* Tribune | State’s attorney candidate rips opponent for prosecuting 11-year-old in murder case: Since the A.M. prosecution became an issue in the race last month, O’Neill Burke has said the boy’s confession was “compelling evidence” and that she would “never prosecute any case if I doubted the evidence or there were ‘red flags.’ That was true then, and it is true now.” […] A cadre of Black elected officials, including Preckwinkle; former U.S. Senators Carol Moseley Braun and Roland Burris; Rep. Robin Kelly; Cook County Commissioners Monica Gordon, Bill Lowry and Stanley Moore; as well as several state representatives and aldermen signed on to an open letter urging voters to back Harris in the March primary.

* WCBU | Peoria-area policymakers will ask state legislators to streamline creation of new ‘mega sites’: Gotion made headlines when the Chinese company closed a deal with the state last September promising a new $2 billion electric vehicle battery gigafactory and 2,600 jobs to Kankakee County. That’s just the type of headline leaders in Peoria and Peoria County want to see here, too. Peoria County administrator Scott Sorrel said there’s plenty of interest from businesses, as the regular inquries made to the Greater Peoria Economic Council might attest. He said the challenge comes from logistical hindrances in creating the so-called “mega sites” that major manufacturers often need

* WGLT | ISU study: Lawmakers’ gender matters on gun laws: The study looked at 30 years of gun laws in all 50 states. Retired Illinois State University professor Rajeev Goel said as the percentage of women lawmakers has increased since the 1980s, so did gun laws. Societal changes prompted a lot of firearm legislation. But the presence of women had an effect on gun law passage that’s higher than the amount of growth in the number of women lawmakers, according to the study.

* Here’s the rest of your morning roundup…

* Tribune | Harvey leadership still investigating viral videos showing residents boarded up inside homes: Clark and Biddings confirmed the city is beginning an investigation into the events and the state’s attorney and attorney general may conduct investigations of their own. While Bennett said Harvey police were on the scene when his uncle was boarded inside his home, police officers were not boarding up the homes.

* Shaw Local | State Rep. Matt Hanson pleads guilty to DUI: Hanson is to be on court supervision for 12 months, until Dec. 19, 2024, perform 100 hours of community service at any nonprofit organization, pay a fine of $3,555, be evaluated, attend counseling and receive treatment, according to court records. Also as terms of his supervision, Hanson is not to drive without a valid license, not to have any other traffic or similar criminal violations and he is to attend a victim impact panel.

* Evanston Round Table | Inside the state Legislature with Rep. Gabel and Sen. Fine: Robyn Gabel: One of the most important things we’ve done in the Legislature the past few years is balance the budget. I really do want people to understand that we were left after the [former Gov. Bruce] Rauner years terribly in debt and with an almost nonfunctional budget. It was a true crisis. Since that time, we have been able to pay down our debts. We’ve also been able to establish a rainy day fund.

* Crain’s | Bally’s Chicago sees continued growth, but not enough to meet city budget projections: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2024 budget plan anticipates $35 million in local tax revenue from Bally’s temporary casino in the former Medinah Temple, which would mean nearly $3 million per month. The Chicago casino brought in only $864,646 in local tax revenue last month, totaling $3.1 million since its opening in September, according to the Illinois Gaming Board. The casino has averaged $776,582 in local tax revenue the past four months, on pace to generate only $9.3 million for the city by the end of 2024.

* Fox | Another Chicago suburb approves restricting unscheduled buses amid migrant surge: New Lenox has joined the growing list of Chicago suburbs in cracking down on migrant buses. Last month, Mayor Tim Baldermann signed an executive order prohibiting unscheduled buses in the southwest suburb. The village board voted on the ordinance Monday night and passed the resolution unanimously

* Bond Buyer | Illinois to issue new Build Illinois bonds next week: The state of Illinois is preparing to issue $600 million in new Build Illinois junior sales tax revenue bonds — 2024 Series A, B and C — in a competitive auction next week.

* WGLT | Bloomington’s John Kim is the first downstate lawyer to serve as Illinois Supreme Court’s chief civility czar: Kim succeeds Martin Sinclair, who chaired the commission for four years. Filling Kim’s now vacant vice-chair position is Justice Sharon Johnson from the Illinois First District Appellate Court. Commissioners are charged with providing mentorship and training for early-career lawyers, judges and courts, and promoting civility and professionalism throughout the legal profession.

* Crain’s | Mag Mile property owners want to tax themselves — but want more control of the revenue: Legislation set to be introduced in Springfield would allow for the creation of Business Improvement Districts, or BIDs, across Illinois. The districts are similar to an existing economic development tool available to the city but could raise millions more in revenue and provide more control over how the money is spent to those who pay the local assessments added to their annual property tax bill.

* CBS Chicago | Environmental group warns about impact of road salt on waterways: The company also supplies several villages with what are known as organics. Chicago Salt Company owner Leon Benish blends a molasses-based solution inside tanks at the company headquarters, and the solution is then typically sprayed on roads before a big snowfall.

* Tribune | Cannabis companies drop controversial plan for weed shop at site of former Rainforest Cafe: State regulators had rejected a previous proposal by Progressive Treatment Solutions LLC, or PTS Corp., to move its Consume dispensary from Norwood Park to the old Rainforest Cafe at Clark and Ohio streets. The site is within 1,500 feet of three existing dispensaries, in violation of state law.

* Crain’s | Art Institute remains lone holdout in push to return disputed Holocaust-era artworks: Today, a New York judge granted an application to officially turn over two of the remaining three Schiele drawings under investigation to the heirs of Fritz Grünbaum, who was killed in a concentration camp in 1941. […] The last remaining piece, entitled “Russian War Prisoner,” is still in place at the Art Institute of Chicago following a warrant issued by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in September. The issue over its provenance will now be fought in court — with oral arguments expected to begin in April, according to a spokesperson for the Manhattan DA’s office — the Art Institute confirmed.

* Bloomberg | Boeing issues Max 9 inspection memo in first step to ungrounding jets: Boeing shares fell 7% as of 12:16 p.m. in New York after an earlier decline of as much as 9.3%. Supplier Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. lost 7.9% after sliding as much as 16%.

* Sun-Times | Chicago announces dates for 2024 summer festivals, Air and Water Show moved for Democratic convention: The Air and Water Show is running Aug. 10-11, one week earlier than usual this year, due to the Democratic National Convention Aug. 19-22 at the United Center. This year’s lineup also includes a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the opening of Millennium Park via a four-day festival July 18-21 in the lakefront park, which will feature new public art, dance performances, family fun and concerts. (Headliners to be announced.)