* ICYMI: Pritzker formally calls on sheriff to resign following Sonya Massey shooting. SJ-R…

- Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton are formally calling for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign, expressing frustration with how the sheriff has responded following the Sonya Massey fatal shooting.
- The sheriff once again stated his intent to stay on the force.
- Three Sangamon County Board members, all Democrats, asked Campbell, a Republican, to resign last week.

* Sangamon County Democratic Chair Bill Houlihan…

“As a vital first step towards reforming the tragically broken culture within the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department, the Sangamon County Democratic Party calls on Sheriff Jack Campbell and his senior leadership team to resign effective immediately. For decades the unspoken practice of “legacy hires” and “go along to get along” have permeated throughout the County Building. Jack Campbell’s resignation would only be a bandaid on the deep cut the Sheriff’s Department has inflicted upon our community. Only with entirely new leadership can the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department begin the essential work of restoring the public’s trust and serving all members of our community.”

* Brenden Moore…

* Related stories…

∙ WCIA: ‘He has failed’: Pritzker, Stratton call for Sangamon Co. Sheriff Campbell to resign
∙ Sun-Times: Pritzker calls for sheriff’s resignation over Sonya Massey shooting
∙ ABC Chicago: Sheriff to continue in position despite Pritzker’s calls for resignation after Sonya Massey’s murder

The governor has three events on his public schedule today:

10 am: Pritzker celebrates the opening of 2023 Illinois State Fair with ribbon cutting and then proceed to opening of tents
11:15 am: The governor will open Illinois State Fair Conservation World
11:45 am: The Governor will attend and give remarks at County Fair Luncheon.

Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Let’s pause to consider just how bizarre Jerry Reinsdorf’s White Sox are: What a peculiar franchise Jerry Reinsdorf’s Sox are. Built on resentment, weaned on stubbornness, fermented by inanity, the organization seems to enjoy thumbing its nose at fans. That the Sox don’t care what the fan base thinks is apparent in almost everything they do.

* Oil Price | Exxon restarts Illinois refinery: Exxon has begun to restart some units at its refinery in Joliet, Illinois, after a three-week outage. The 251,800-bpd facility was shut down in the middle of July following a power outage caused by a storm. The refinery produces about 9 million gallons daily of gasoline and diesel.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs measures expanding reproductive health care protections: The latest laws add onto existing abortion rights in Illinois in three ways: protecting abortion patients from housing, workplace and other types of discrimination; shielding out-of-state patients from investigations launched beyond Illinois’ borders; and protecting patients who need emergency abortion care in the event that federal protection weakens.

* Daily Herald | Senate transit forum Friday in DuPage lets riders share vision for trains, buses: Friday’s meeting is the third in a series of Transportation Committee forums across the region this summer. The topic is “the state of transit and how it supports community quality of life.” The meeting comes with a $730 million transit funding shortfall anticipated in 2026 when COVID-19 federal funding runs out. Ridership tanked during the pandemic and has not fully recovered.

* NCSL | NCSL Welcomes New Executive Officers Elected at Annual Legislative Summit: Other newly elected officers: Illinois Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr. (D), president-elect: Elected to the House in 2012, Evans serves as assistant majority leader and chairman of the Labor and Commerce Committee under House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. He has been actively involved with NCSL since 2016, serving on the Executive Committee, the Task Force on State and Local Taxation, the Task Force on Energy Supply and numerous others.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | What to eat, see and do while attending the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago: When in Chicago, eating well is practically required. Start with this list of classic summertime treats — ice creams galore, a negroni slushy — perfect for cooling off in August. If you try only one thing, we recommend the signature stack from Original Rainbow Cone (locations in Streeterville and in Wicker Park, a 10 minute drive from the United Center). For late night bites after a long day of talking shop, check out Lilac Tiger or Quartino. Early risers should get one of the best breakfast sandwiches in town from Spinning J or Kasama.

* Sun-Times | Cook County to open Bronzeville health center near old Michael Reese Hospital site: “This is a particularly poignant moment — we’re located here on 31st Street in the shadows of the old Michael Reese Hospital campus to announce a new investment in the health of residents on the South Side of Chicago,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said at a news conference Wednesday. Cook County Health and the Cook County Bureau of Asset Management will invest $10 million in the new 26,000-square-foot facility, Preckwinkle said. Once completed, the center will have 44 exam rooms and a gym for therapy services.

* Sun-Times | Chicago could fill food desert with three-store network of city-owned grocery stores, consultant says: The new 200-page report from HR&A concludes Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to open a city-owned grocery store is “necessary, feasible and implementable.” Necessary because volatility in the grocery market has led to a wave of consolidations and store closings concentrated in South and West Side neighborhoods.

* US Bets | Bally’s Chicago Casino Revenue Flat For July: The Illinois Gaming Board reported Bally’s temporary casino in downtown Chicago generated $10.4 million in adjusted gross revenue for July, practically unchanged from June as statewide numbers showed a slight month-over-month decline. The $135.8 million in operator winnings from the state’s 15 casinos was down 1.8% from June’s total of $138.3 million. Unadjusted revenue was up 1.9% from July 2023 but down 7.9% when excluding first-year venues, Bally’s Chicago and Walker’s Bluff.

* Block Club | Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio Recording Studio Looks To Future After Iconic Owner’s Death: “We want to honor Steve’s legacy and keep his vision alive,” said Taylor Hales, Electrical Audio studio manager. “Steve and Electrical cast a big shadow, and I know that this place means so much to so many people that have made records here. All of us just love working here at this studio that Steve made, and we want to continue on this journey.”

* Tribune | Chicago Bears training camp report: Coaches on Caleb Williams’ progress, a D’Andre Swift highlight and a kicker thinking about tackling: The Bears defense, which was missing five starters in practice, continues to look like it’s keeping the offense and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in check during practices. The Bears had a handful of completed passes and not many explosive plays in full-team periods. But offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said there are signs of progress from Williams that make the Bears think he’s moving closer to putting it all together.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | League of Women Voters — Not for women only! Wheaton chapter elects its first male president: Maury Goodman of Warrenville was elected as president of the Wheaton chapter, which serves Carol Stream, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton and Winfield, this summer. He will lead the chapter’s efforts to register and educate voters and encourage people to vote in the 2024 General Election and the 2025 Consolidated Election. Goodman is an emeritus scientist at Argonne National Lab and a retired U.S. Army Captain. He earned a Ph.D. in physics at the University of Illinois and a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His extensive public service resume includes five terms as an alderman in the City of Warrenville, 12 years volunteering as a troop leader with the Girl Scouts, and mentoring students from the Illinois Math and Science Academy.

* ABC Chicago | Lori Lightfoot to release findings from investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard: Lightfoot will speak at a public meeting Thursday night following Monday’s chaotic board meeting. […] This all started back in March, when three former employees filed a lawsuit against Mayor Henyard, alleging they were wrongfully fired for refusing to do political work for Henyard. Lightfoot was then hired by village trustees to independently investigate her administration’s spending, including a lavish village-funded trip to Las Vegas last year.

*** Downstate ***

* PJ Star | Former Peoria Township Supervisor Frank Abdnour is running for the office once again: After losing reelection, Abdnour became a source of controversy after it was discovered that he had collected federal and state unemployment benefits after losing office. This is not allowed. […] Abdnour maintained it was an “honest mistake” and he did not know that public officials did not qualify for unemployment benefits after losing office.

* WCIA | Arcola Broom Palace making progress: The mayor said the community is moving in the right direction for revitalizing the downtown area. Officials are hoping the Broom Palace will help bring in thousands of tourists each year. […] The outside of the Broom Palace is scheduled to be finished by the Arcola Broomcorn Festival on Sept. 6 – 8. The building is estimated to be done by the end of the year.

* WSIL | Cobden Lions Club finishes prep for Peach Festival:: The Lions Club sent pictures to News 3 of its team working on a new pavilion that will house its “Spin to Win” game at this year’s festival. The pavilion features a large covering in case of weather and highlights a hand-made peach sculpture crafted by local artist Jackson Forge (Jack Nawrot) or Cobden.

* WCIA | Burglar steals 35 guns, 10,000 rounds from Springfield storage unit: It happened on July 27 at Mansa Mini Storage, located at 2171 South 9th Street. Stolen firearms included AK-47s, handguns and shotguns. Detectives revisited the area on July 29 to continue the investigation, when they located a white man with shaggy brown hair. They said he looked to be in his late 20s or early 30s. Upon seeing the police, the man ran away.

*** National ***

* AP | 2024 Olympics: What to know about the closing ceremony in Paris: The women’s basketball gold medal game is the last event before the closing ceremony. It’s scheduled to tip off at 8:30 a.m. CST at Bercy Arena. The closing ceremony is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CST on Sunday at Stade de France just north of Paris. It’s expected to last until 4:15 p.m. CST.