* ICYMI: Illinois Senate passes plan for ‘hybrid’ elected Chicago school board backed by CTU. Tribune…

- The bill would create a hybrid elected school board in Chicago this fall, with half of the members voted in by residents and the rest appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
- The bill includes a district map that lawmakers from both chambers have previously agreed on. It would create seven majority-Black districts, six majority-Latino districts, five majority-white districts and two in which no group has a majority.
- The Senate passed SB15 in a 37-20 vote. It now goes back to the House, which approved a similar plan last fall.

* Related stories…

∙ Sun-Times: Senate backs Mayor Johnson, CTU-backed plan to elect 10 city school board members in November
∙ WGN: Illinois Senate pass bill to elect half of Chicago School Board in November
∙ Chalkbeat: Illinois Senate approves plan for how Chicago would elect 10 of 21 school board members in 2024

* Isabel’s top picks…

* Capitol News Illinois | Judges, ex-lawmakers, lobbyists wrote to support convicted ex-Madigan aide: And on Tuesday, Kness published 181 pages of letters, including nearly a dozen written by public officials both retired and still serving, along with many lobbyists and political heavyweights still active in Springfield. Among them was former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Kilbride, who noted he’d gotten to know Mapes over 20 years on the court, and that Mapes’ son Devin had been a judicial intern in his office. He also administered the oath for new attorneys when Devin was admitted to the bar.

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson says no plans yet to again extend migrant removal deadline: “We’re doing everything in our power to demonstrate compassion. Now, as far as whether or not we will extend deadlines, we haven’t gotten to that point,” Johnson said at a Tuesday news conference. […] The policy could lead to the removal of as many as 5,673 migrant residents, Brandie Knazze, head of the city’s Department of Family and Support Services, said when the March 16 date was announced. Over 2,000 more people could be forced out by the end of April under the policy, she added.

* 21st Show | Senator Peters speaks on Black Caucus’ goals, migrant assistance, and Safe-T Act progress: Alongside financial and educational reforms, the Caucus is actively working on the Safe-T Act, a comprehensive package aimed at overhauling the justice system and enhancing law enforcement accountability. These initiatives reflect a broader commitment to tackling systemic inequalities and ensuring that the needs and interests of the Black community in Illinois are addressed and met with tangible actions and policies.

* Here’s the rest…

* Tribune | On eve of CPS contract negotiations, teachers union President Stacy Davis Gates invites civic leaders’ engagement: “We’re not gonna fight for the schools Chicago Public Schools students deserve. We’re gonna give it to them,” she said. Pending union delegates’ approval in a vote on a draft contract proposal to be sent to CPS Wednesday, Davis Gates hinted at likely union demands: A librarian and restorative justice coordinator in every school. “Less onerous” teacher evaluations. Adjustments to health care in the interest of reproductive justice. Expanded community schools and special education programs.

* WCIA | Bipartisan Illinois leaders call to put constitutional ethics initiative amendment on November ballot: WCIA reached out to House Democrats for comment but no one was available. We also reached out to House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch’s office for comment but have not heard back.

* WMBD | Gov. Pritzker announces federal funding to address food insecurity in Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker announced the $28.8 million at the Midwest Food Bank in Morton on Tuesday, declaring the funding a big step forward for providing nutrition to those in need. “Nearly 3.3 million Illinoisans live in a food desert, leaving families with few options when it comes to putting food on the table”, he said.

* WJBC | Illinois pharmacists rally outside of state capitol: Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, and other advocates rallied outside the Capitol Tuesday to call for regulation to weaken the influence of the pharmacy benefit managers, or PBM’s. More government regulation? “I usually don’t go for that as the primary response,” said Garth Reynolds, executive director of the Illinois Pharmacists Association, “but this is an area where there is so much unruly abuse. We need to bring in some structure to reel everything back in to a normal business relationship.”

* ABC Chicago | Former state Senator Terry Link to be sentenced Wednesday in tax evasion case: Link could be sentenced to a year in federal prison, but prosecutors are asking for probation instead. That’s because Link cooperated in a sting operation against State Representative Luis Arroyo, who was convicted of bribery.

* WMOK | The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Announces Additions to Legislative Affairs Team: The Illinois Chamber of Commerce announces two key additions to their legislative affairs team. Effective immediately, Keith Wheeler, has been appointed to the role of Executive Director of Government Affairs and Technology Council. Jordan Ryan is appointed as the Director of Legislative Affairs.

* Sun-Times | City Colleges brings back South Side nursing school: The University of Chicago clinical lab will consolidate existing labs at their medical campus and shift 350 jobs — plus an additional 200 — to the Washington Park neighborhood. The first floor of the facility will be rentable retail space, which officials said will help support restaurants and businesses, as well as the transit hub.

* Crain’s | The ‘Vader’ of Illinois election law could take down ‘Bring Chicago Home’: Michael Kasper, the attorney representing the Building Owners & Managers Association of Chicago and other real estate interests in the fight against Johnson’s so-called “Bring Chicago Home” ballot measure, is well-aware of his own reputation as one of Illinois’ most effective, and perhaps notorious, election lawyers.

* Tribune | Jury finds man guilty in slaying of CPD Officer Ella French: The verdict was read to a hushed courtroom with a heavy presence of deputies lining the aisles. Judge Ursula Walowski warned observers to remain calm and silent. Afterward, family members of French, Yanez and Blas hugged and cried. Yanez and Blas were both present for the verdict.

* Sun-Times | Gene Schroeder, oldest living Chicago Bear, says team needs new stadium, is ‘only going to get better’: He played six seasons with the Bears, and has spent the last six decades as a devoted fan. Now, having just turned 95 on Sunday, he’s believed to be the oldest living former player for the franchise. […] Schroeder laments the loss of that family dynamic in the game today. “That’s gone like dinosaurs,” he said. But he believes current general manager Ryan Poles has done an “absolutely outstanding job.”

* Crain’s | Chicago Bears promote senior exec for stadium development: Karen B. Murphy, the team’s senior vice president of business strategy and CFO, has been promoted to the newly created position of executive vice president of stadium development and COO, the team announced on March 5. She has been with the organization for 25 years after starting as a controller in 1999.

* Tribune | 26 of the best corned beef sandwiches in Chicago and the suburbs, including a stunning option from John’s Food & Wine: The corned beef is stunning at John’s Food & Wine in Chicago, where it is the chefs’ modern statement on not only the sandwich, but how to pay their cooks $36 an hour. Co-chefs and co-owners Adam McFarland and Tom Rogers opened their debut restaurant last October in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. They seem determined to hide how special it is. From the name, with all due respect to their fathers both named John, to describing their menu as seasonal new American.

* SJ-R | Millions could be invested in two Springfield neighborhoods: What to know: Through the new program, the Springfield Project and Springfield Urban League Inc. could receive up to $3 million to promote economic development in the neighborhoods. The funding, allocated to 10 cultural districts throughout the state, will be made available in 2025 when the five final districts are announced according to the governor’s office.

* Crain’s | Details of Rivian’s next-generation R2 model leak prior to unveiling: The R2 is a critical model for Rivian because it’s on a new platform designed for more affordable vehicles that will be built at a future Georgia factory in 2026, allowing the EV startup to compete in the under-$50,000 market, the company has said. According to purported source-code data from Rivian’s website posted on X, the R2 will start at $47,500 before shipping, have a range of up to 330 miles and be very similar in size to the Tesla Model Y compact crossover.

* SJ-R | Real or fake? Illinois students learning the dangers of social media ahead of election: According to the Pew Research Center, 44% of U.S. adults ages 18-29 routinely rely on Tik Tok for news — by far the highest consumption of any age demographic. More Americans overall have come to the video-sharing platform for news, increasing by more than 20% between 2020 and 2023.