* ICYMI: Springfield-area deputy indicted; faces three murder charges in killing of Sonya Massey. SJ-R…

- A Sangamon County grand jury on Wednesday returned a five-count indictment against a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy in the July 6 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in her home following a 911 call reporting a possible intruder.
- Sean Grayson faces three counts of first-degree murder, along with two other charges.
-Grayson is in custody and will make a first court appearance at 2 p.m. on Thursday when he will be arraigned.
- A review of the Illinois State Police investigation, including body camera footage, “did not support a finding” that Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser stated.

* Related stories…

∙ ABC Chicago: Illinois deputy charged with murder after fatal shooting of Springfield woman who called 911
∙ NYT: Sheriff’s Deputy Faces Charges in Death of Illinois Woman
∙ WCIA: Deputy indicted for murder of Sonya Massey, fired by Sangamon Co. Sheriff

* Governor Pritzker released a statement last night…

“Sonya Massey was concerned for her safety and called law enforcement to her home for protection. Like all Illinoisans, she deserved that protection. Instead, innocent and unarmed, she was gunned down by an officer of the law.

My heart breaks for Sonya’s children, for her family and friends and for all who knew and loved her, and I am enraged that another innocent black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer. I’m grateful to the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office for bringing the appropriate charges in this case.

May Sonya Massey’s memory be a blessing, and may it fuel our work to build a system of justice in this country that truly protects all of its citizens.”

The governor will be at Richland Community College at 11:30 am to sign legislation enacting state-level regulations on carbon capture and sequestration projects. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Crain’s | Argonne’s giant X-ray microscope gets an $815M upgrade: The Advanced Photon Source, like the lab’s supercomputers, is one of the things that makes Argonne unique. It’s now the brightest of the world’s three giant X-ray microscopes. (The other two are in France and Japan.) Argonne’s X-ray beams are now 500 times brighter than before.

* WGN | 4-year-old Illinois boy competes in National Mullet Competition: Bohdi Fischer and his mullet, “The Swayze Special,” will compete in the 1-4 age group while strutting the “business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back” hairstyle. The National Mullet Competition will also collect donations that benefit Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors. The charity is dedicated to providing veterans wounded in combat with accessible, mortgage-free and injury-specific homes.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WTVO | Winnebago principal’s personal experience inspires Illinois school’s cardiac safety law: “Anybody who enters our school, whether it be an employee, a child, or just a visitor, is safe. If a cardiac emergency occurs,” said Heather Baker, principal of Dorothy Simon Elementary School, at 309 S Benton Street. Several years ago, Baker suffered a cardiac arrest at her prior school. “My life was saved by my coworkers who did CPR,” she recalled. “So because of their training, they recognized that I was having a cardiac arrest, which is the most important step. They called 911 and they worked as a team to jump in and start CPR right away. But had they not had that training and talked about a plan previously, I wouldn’t be here today.”

* Dispatch-Argus | Illinois lawmaker recap: Rep. Gregg Johnson pleased to see local tax incentive program: Johnson said some of the successes from session include the state making its full required pension payment. On a local level, he was happy that the Illinois Quad-Cities were added to the River Edge Redevelopment Zone program, which offers tax breaks and incentives meant to spur the redevelopment of environmentally-challenged riverfront properties. “Another big focus of mine has been trying to use the Mississippi River as a place to draw people in, and I think the River’s Edge tax credit is going to do quite a bit to bring businesses in as well.”

*** RNC ***

* Tribune | At RNC, Illinois GOP starts looking to 2026 election: .S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was taunting an old Capitol Hill nemesis on the crowded floor of the Republican National Convention when an Illinois Republican Party official with a low profile outside of state GOP circles stepped in. “Shut up, don’t be an a–hole,” Illinois Republican National Committeeman Richard Porter said to Gaetz, who was interrupting an interview being given by the man he helped oust as House speaker, former California U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy. […] That’s not likely to happen, but Porter may have designs on public office in Illinois. During this week’s convention, Porter has been among a handful of names floated by some Illinois top Republicans as possible GOP candidates for governor in 2026 as the state party looks to reinvent itself with new leadership after years of losing ground to Democrats.

* Capitol News Illinois | On party infighting, Illinois’ new GOP chair says ‘start calling those people out’: But amid promises to “make Illinois red again,” the ILGOP’s chair-elect Kathy Salvi invoked the analogy of parenting the beleaguered party in a Wednesday speech to GOP delegates in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention. “Remember, I’m the mother of six children,” Salvi said, reiterating a well-worn line from her unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate in 2022. “Seven now – the Illinois Republican Party.”

* Pantagraph | Under new leadership, Illinois GOP urged to ‘build bridges’ within party: “Listen, I love this party because sometimes we air our dirty laundry with one another and it gets into the press,” Salvi said. “But we need to say, ‘You know, let’s give that person the benefit of a new fresh day.’ And that’s how we will win elections here in Illinois.”

* 21st Show | Illinois Freedom Caucus leader discusses the Republican Party’s direction and unity: It’s day three of the Republican National Convention and today we’ll start with the Illinois Republican Party. There is a subgroup of Illinois Republicans who have generated plenty of energy and debate over the past few years — the Freedom Caucus in the Illinois House. It’s a group of seven conservative Republicans, led by our first guest today, state Representative Chris Miller who represents the 101st District.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Johnson withdraws plan to install progressive ally as zoning chair: Johnson’s attempts to win the necessary votes to install a new chair became more difficult because he made a commitment to the Latino Caucus to keep one of their members in the position, but several are not allies of Johnson; some are freshmen, who traditionally do not chair committees; and others jockeying for the position, including Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, and Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, were not favored by the mayor.

* Sun-Times | City clears homeless tent camp ahead of DNC as last residents are told to leave: The 30 or so people who’d pitched their homes in a shady, weedy strip abutting a Dan Ryan Expressway ramp had been offered space in one of the city’s most coveted shelters and warned that demolition day was coming. […] The given deadline was 9:30 a.m., with demolition at 10. Police officers searched tents with flashlights in their latex-gloved hands in case anyone was still sleeping — or hiding. One last tent occupant emerged and walked away, a bag on his back.

* Sun-Times | Chicago’s top watchdog pushed to add ex-Police Supt. David Brown to city’s do-not-hire list: Chicago’s independent watchdog pushed to bar former Police Supt. David Brown from being rehired by the city after he refused to cooperate with an investigation stemming from a drug bust involving a police chief’s car. Police officials ultimately rebuffed the request to add Brown to the do-not-hire list because it “seemed severe” and Brown had already resigned, according to a report issued this week by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg’s office.

* Tribune | Chicago-area exec charged in scheme to bribe Amtrak official with trips, steaks and jewelry in $100M Philadelphia train station renovation: Lee Maniatis, 56, of Palos Park, currently the chief operating officer of Dolton-based MARK 1 Restoration, was charged in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia in a criminal information made public Wednesday with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, court records show. An arraignment date has not been set. Maniatis’ Chicago-based attorney, Ted Poulos, told the Tribune Wednesday that Maniatis “has been cooperating in the government’s investigation since 2019 and will continue to do so.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | After more than 20 years, Lake Zurich’s lakefront promenade ready for a reboot and refresh: Brick pavers will be removed and replaced and irrigation installed for new native flowers, shrubs and trees. Creating softer curves on planting beds, installing new “street furniture” and customized emblems in the brickwork also are part of the project. Repainting streetlights, railings and structures was added to the bid package after $362,154 in budgeted village funds was redirected to the promenade project.

* NBC Chicago | Rihanna’s popular clothing brand opens 1st Illinois location at suburban mall: Savage X Fenty opens Friday at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park in the southwest suburbs, according to a press release. The label is known for its inclusive approach to lingerie and apparel, the release said, with sizing ranging from extra-small to 4XL. […] The new store comes as a slew of suburban malls see new stores, including new Vuori and Sandra outlet stores at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont.

*** Downstate ***

* BND | ‘This time it was so much worse.’ Belleville animal shelter floods again, rescues step up: Several metro-east rescues took in animals from St. Clair County Animal Services after its pet adoption center flooded Tuesday in a weather event that brought substantial damage to the area. […] “The animals are currently safe and buildings are cool. We will keep you updated if we need fosters for cats, kittens and dogs as the warms up,” BAHS said in a Facebook post, noting Ameren Illinois had visited the site. The humane society remains closed to the public.

* Tribune | Illinois-based John Deere ends support of ‘social or cultural awareness’ events, distances from inclusion efforts: In a statement posted Tuesday to social media platform X, John Deere also said it would audit all training materials “to ensure the absence of socially-motivated messages” in compliance with federal and local laws. It did not specify what those messages would include. Moline, Illinois-based John Deere added “the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy.” But it noted that it would still continue to “track and advance” the diversity of the company, without providing further details.

* NBC Chicago | I-55 in Will County reopens after days-long closure due to tornado that downed live power lines: I-55 in Will County reopened early Thursday in both directions, the Illinois State Police confirmed, days after severe weather with destructive winds and more than a dozen tornadoes left downed, live power lines across the busy Interstate. The dangerous conditions, which trapped drivers in their vehicles for hours led officials Monday evening to close I-55 between U.S. 6 and River Road in Channahon.