* Press release…

Today Governor JB Pritzker signed into law HB3144, the local government tax omnibus bill that eliminates the state tax on grocery items. The 1% state tax is repealed across all of Illinois, although local governments have the option of imposing the tax on a local basis by ordinance.

“Even with inflation cooling off every dollar counts, so I’m proud we’re doing what we can to make trips to the grocery store a little easier,” said Governor Pritzker. “It’s one more important part of lifting the burden on Illinois families. Establishing a child tax credit, eliminating medical debt, lowering the cost of healthcare, making college more affordable, bringing quality childcare closer to home so moms and dads can go to work — these are not esoteric policy proposals but actually do lift burdens everyday Illinoisans face.”

Governor Pritzker has made tax relief for working families a major priority for his administration. In 2022, the highest inflationary year since the 1980’s, the Governor worked with the General Assembly to suspend the state grocery tax for the fiscal year. The Governor also supported property tax rebates and direct payments for Illinois filers.

The local business omnibus bill also legislates several other municipal tax code rules and regulations, including prepaid wireless surcharges and a Hotel Operators’ Occupation Tax. The 1% tax applies to grocery items intended to be consumed off-premises. Illinois was previously one of only 11 other states to tax groceries. The tax cut will take effect January 1st, 2026.

* WTTW reporter Heather Cherone…

*** Statewide ***

* WTHI | New data shows change in how Illinois funds its schools is reaching under-resourced districts: The Illinois State Board of Education released new data on Monday showing the impact of a change in funding for the state’s “highest-need” schools. […] According to the ISBE, the number of districts with funding below 70 percent adequacy has hit its lowest point since switching funding formulas. In FY 2018, there were 430 districts below 70 percent adequacy; in FY 2025, it’s now 49 districts.

* Center Square | Narcan vending machines popping up throughout Illinois in effort to combat overdoses: Chestnut Health Systems have been installing the vending machines in several areas, including in Metro East. Officials said in Madison and St. Clair counties alone, there were 96 overdoses last year with 70% involving opioids. The project is funded with tax dollars from the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery.

*** Chicago ***

* Chalkbeat | Chicago touts after-school program growth but cuts funding: After pouring federal COVID relief dollars into a once barebones budget for such programs, Chicago Public Schools is now cutting funding for academic, arts, sports and mentoring before- and after-school programs, labeled as Out of School Time. This summer, the district touted a 2024-25 budget that “doubles down” on a COVID-era spending boost for extracurricular programs, which officials said has sped up students’ recovery. But in fact, funding for these programs is down by roughly a third, to about $31 million.

* WTTW | CPD Has Yet to Launch Study on How Officers Are Deployed, Missing Deadline Set by Chicago City Council: Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward), who authored the ordinance passed by the City Council on Feb. 21 that gave CPD officials 90 days to hire an outside organization to study how officers are deployed, where they are assigned to work and whether that makes sense, said he was frustrated the work had not yet begun. […] A spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department said Wednesday the contract to conduct the study has yet to be finalized. A CPD spokesperson told WTTW News June 4 that an agreement had been reached in May to set the scope of the study and efforts were underway to “finalize the contract.”

* Sun-Times | Long-awaited Damen Green Line station opens: A new Green Line station opened Monday at Damen Avenue on the Near West Side, offering a rail connection to the United Center in time for the Democratic National Convention that kicks off in two weeks. Mayor Brandon Johnson helped cut the ribbon on what officials celebrated as a “visually compelling” station that closes a 1.5-mile gap on the Green Line, the only L line that serves both the South and West sides.

* Block Club | Historical State Street Skyscrapers To Be Preserved After Feds Opt Against Demolition: Three historical State Street buildings previously set for demolition will likely now be preserved, according to a report by the federal agency that owns the buildings. The U.S. General Services Administration had previously sought to demolish the Century and Consumers buildings, 202-220 S. State St., in an effort to boost security at the adjacent Dirksen Federal Building on Dearborn Street.

* Sun-Times | Are tornadoes surging in Chicago area? Not quite, but reporting of them is, experts say: Illinois surpassed 100 tornadoes in a year two other times this century, in 2003 and 2006. The state has averaged about 40 tornadoes a year since record keeping began in 1950. Some may want to blame climate change, but the recent rise has largely been rooted in better technology to track and categorize storms, says Walker Ashley, a meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University.

* Block Club | Metropolis Coffee’s Second Cafe Takes Flight At O’Hare: The cafe opened in O’Hare’s newly expanded Terminal 5 this spring, and Metropolis is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the location Aug. 13. […] Metropolis operated a temporary cafe with a stripped-down menu at O’Hare for over a year. The permanent cafe, located by gate M30, has a full menu offering a range of coffees, pastries, samosas, sandwiches, salads, smoothies, juices, beers and wines, Farhana Rahim said.

* Block Club | River Otters Were Once Nearly Extinct In Illinois — But Now They Roam Chicago Waterways: The Forest Preserve District of Cook County and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have done extensive habitat restoration projects and reintroductions to help otters and other animals. […] These efforts have proven highly successful: River otters were removed from the state endangered species list in 2004. By 2009, Illinois had over 11,000 otters, and today they are found in every county in the state, according to the Outdoor Illinois Journal.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Islamic school proposed for shuttered Elgin Academy: Elgin Academy, the private school which closed in June after 185 years, is being sold to an organization that intends to establish an Islamic school for preschool through 12th grade students, according to an Elgin Academy official and a YouTube video produced by organizers behind the proposed Burhan Academy. Paul Druzinsky, the interim head of the nonsectarian Elgin Academy, confirmed the asking price of the 350 Park St. property is $3.7 million and the sale is set to close later this month.

* Daily Herald | Hunger Resource Network board member shares food insecurity challenges: “Eleven years ago, I went through a divorce while living in Highland Park,” [Amy Levin Schneider] said. “I will bet you are having a hard time believing that someone like me, with a good education, has experienced food insecurity, right? But the truth is, I have. Hunger has many faces.” Suddenly, Amy found herself a single mother trying to support two children. She and her ex-husband worked in the same business, but when the marriage ended, it was no longer an option for her to work there.

* Naperville Sun | New North Central College president says his job is to bring stability as the Naperville school deals with priorities ahead: Abiódún Gòkè-Pariolá, who last month was tapped as the 12th president of North Central College, says a need for stability, prudency and leadership during a period of flux for the Naperville institution is the impetus behind his appointment. […] With Gòkè-Pariolá named president, his previous role as provost and vice president for academic affairs will be filled for the interim by Kristin Geraty, who had previously held the role of North Central’s associate provost and dean of engaged learning, the college announced Wednesday. Geraty is the first woman to serve as the college’s chief academic officer.

* Patch | $14.7 Million Referendum Heads To Ballot In Glencoe Park District: The Glencoe Park District board last month voted unanimously to ask residents to authorize a 25-year, $14.7 million bond sale. Executive Director Lisa Sheppard said the board is looking to maintain the quality of its assets and enhance property values through the preservation of the village’s beach, parks and athletic facilities while limiting the burden on taxpayers.

*** Downstate ***

* The Telegraph | Groundbreaking transgender candidate runs for Granite City mayor: Colton Baumgartner is running for mayor of Granite City. Baumgartner is believed to be the first openly transgender person to run for mayor in Madison County. If elected, she would be the first openly transgender mayor in Illinois, according to Equality Illinois. “I believe it is in my benefit to help the city, because I’ve lived in many states, and I truly feel like I am an American and I chose Granite City to be my forever home,” she said.

* KHQA | WIU community to hold press conference ahead of expected layoff vote: Faculty members, staff, and students will gather on Monday with community members for a press conference in advance of the expected board vote to lay off an undetermined number of Western Illinois University (WIU) employees. Officials say reducing the faculty and staff who instruct and support students will not only diminish the opportunities available to students but will also have dire consequences on the WIU community in Macomb and Moline.

* PJ Star | Infamous killer who was part of Chicago’s ‘Ripper Crew’ is now living in Peoria: Thomas Kokoraleis, 64, informed the Peoria Police Department in May that he would be living in Peoria at the Peoria Pathway Ministries, formerly Peoria Rescue Ministries, at 601 Adams Street in Downtown Peoria. Kokoraleis is not on parole, which means he is not subject to 24-hour monitoring by an ankle monitor, but Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria told the Journal Star he is required to check in with the police department quarterly. […] “I can tell you that when he came here, I did speak with the previous agency that he came from and they never, in the time he was there, had any issues with him,” Echevarria said.

* SJ-R | Petition claims school’s diversity officer was placed on leave after off-campus fight: More than 900 people want the University of Illinois Springfield to reinstate its now-former Director of Diversity and Inclusion. According to a document obtained by The State-Journal Register, the university placed Justin Rose on paid administrative leave May 6 because of a potential violation of the school’s code of conduct and has since been informed that his $78,392 annual contract set to expire Aug. 15 would not be renewed. The move came 10 days after a fight at an off-campus party where Rose was present.

* SJ-R | Springfield area softball team repeats as Senior League World Series champions: Chatham Glenwood’s Taryn Griffith dished out a pair of RBI hits in the first two innings and the Tri-County Senior League softball team captured its second straight Senior League World Series title 11-0 over Irmo, South Carolina on Sunday. Griffith scored Pawnee’s Ava Rodriguez with an RBI-single in the first inning before expanding the lead 6-0 in the second with a 2-RBI double to left field.

*** National ***

* NYT | Justice Thomas Failed to Reveal More Private Flights, Senator Says: Senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to the wealthy conservative donor Harlan Crow’s lawyer after records showed undisclosed flights between Hawaii and New Zealand with the Supreme Court justice in 2010.

* AP | Prosecutors plan to charge former Kansas police chief over his conduct following newspaper raid: The raid sparked a national debate about press freedoms focused on Marion, a town of about of about 1,900 people set among rolling prairie hills about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. Cody resigned as chief in early October, weeks after officers were forced to return materials seized in the raid. Meyer’s 98-year-old mother Joan Meyer, who co-owned the paper and lived with him, died the day after the raid from a heart attack. Meyer attributed her death to the stress of the raid.