* ICYMI: For the next two days, Democrats and Republicans will take to the state fairgrounds for their annual political days. Capitol News Illinois…

Governor’s Day begins today, with Democrats rallying at the Bank of Springfield Center in downtown Springfield prior to the afternoon fair festivities. The annual Democratic County Chairs Association brunch is one of the state’s largest gatherings of Democratic officials each year.

Republican Day will be Thursday, preceded by a breakfast meeting of the Republican State Central Committee at the Inn at 835 in Springfield. It’ll be one of the first gatherings overseen by the party’s new chair, Kathy Salvi.

Sign up for the CNI newsletter here.

* He’s back!…

Wonderful to hang with my pal, the one and only Dick Bigger, Jr. in Springfield, Illinois! We'll be at the @ILStateFair tomorrow. Stop by and say hi! pic.twitter.com/qnGYyV75dT

— Susana A. Mendoza ☮️ (@susanamendoza10) August 14, 2024

At 11 am the governor will attend a naturalization ceremony at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. At 5 pm, the governor will be at the Coliseum for the Sale of Champions. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WTTW | Prosecutors Ask Court to Reject Effort to Sever Upcoming Racketeering Trials of Michael Madigan, Michael McClain: Federal prosecutors argued ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime confidant and current co-defendant Michael McClain should not be tried separately later this year, as it would give each man the ability to “blame a missing person.”

* Crain’s | Illinois doubles down on tech industries in 5-year plan for business growth: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity this week published a five-year plan outlining how it hopes to attract and retain businesses in the state. At the plan’s center is a strategy to invest in six industries that will receive “prioritized support,” capital investment and job training. They are life science, quantum computing, clean energy production, advanced manufacturing, next generation agriculture and transportation.

* Crain’s | FanDuel won’t match DraftKings’ Illinois surcharge: Flutter Entertainment Plc, operator of the FanDuel online sportsbook, reported second-quarter sales and profit that beat analysts’ expectations, and its CEO doesn’t expect to match one of its archrivals in adding fees in high-tax states like Illinois. The company, which recently moved its stock listing to the New York Stock Exchange from London, generated revenue of $3.61 billion in the quarter, exceeding estimates of $3.37 billion. Adjusted earnings rose to $2.61 a share, exceeding expectations.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Pritzker signs bill requiring climate change education in Illinois public schools: The law calls for instruction on identifying environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on people and communities. It also requires education on solutions to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change. […] The Illinois State Board of Education could prepare multi-disciplinary instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for teachers that may be used to meet the requirements. Although, that provision of the law is subject to appropriations.

* WPSD | Local schools prepare for new Illinois drug education requirements: It’s now the law in Illinois that all schools must teach students about the dangers of fentanyl. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed House Bill 4219 on Friday. Along with teaching about fentanyl, it also requires that students in grades nine through 12 be assessed on their drug education.

* WAND | Law allows liquor inside Treasurer’s downtown Springfield office for receptions: A new state law has allowed Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs to have liquor delivered, sold, and dispensed at his office in the former Marine Bank Building across from the Old State Capitol. Lawmakers told WAND News that the building is an optimal space for hosting receptions due to the large first floor atrium and historic significance as Abraham Lincoln’s bank.

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker signs executive order for strategic plan on aging Illinoisans: With the U.S. Census Bureau estimating that approximately one quarter of Illinois’ population expected to be 60 or older by 2030, the chief planning officer will oversee the creation of a 10-year strategic plan “with the goal of strengthening Illinois as an aging-friendly state,” according to the executive order. Pritzker’s office did not indicate who might fill that role, but after the position is filled, the clock will start ticking toward a December 2025 deadline to deliver a comprehensive plan to the governor and the General Assembly that could eventually be turned into policy.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Chicago attorney gets 25-year sentence in Bridgeport bank embezzlement: Robert Kowalski, 62, was convicted by a jury last year on all counts of embezzlement, bankruptcy fraud and income tax fraud after a 3 ½-week trial before U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall, where Kowalski took the unusual and typically ill-advised step of representing himself. The long-running case featured years of bizarre pretrial hearings that saw Kowalski locked up for violating his bond and filing dozens of motions alleging investigators were hiding evidence and colluding with the judge to railroad him.

* Block Club | What Was Dennis Rodman Doing On The Northwest Side?: The Bulls legend was spotted on the Northwest Side a few times this summer, hosting a sneaker convention in Rosemont, volunteering with the local alderman and hitting up a local restaurant and a cigar shop.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Attorney for indicted Dolton police official questions move to put him on leave without pay: An attorney for indicted Dolton police official Lewis Lacey said Tuesday that village trustees lacked the authority to place Lacey on leave and that his client should be paid. “They’re operating in a way that in my opinion is not legal,” Gal Pissetzky said. “The mayor is the one who signs the checks.” Pissetzky said Lacey continued to work last week despite a vote by trustees Aug. 5 to put him on leave. He said he did not know if Lacey was still reporting for work.

* Tribune | Cartoon in Lake County township GOP group’s newsletter depicting domestic abuse denounced by Democrats: “This is both creepy and, yes …. weird,” Sheila Sebor, chair of the Vernon Township Democrats, wrote of the cartoon in a statement. “Weird and disturbing,” Lauren Beth Gash, chair of the Lake County Democrats, said. State Rep. Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove called the cartoon “offensive, outrageous, and downright weird.”

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Residents call for Sheriff’s Department reforms at Sangamon County Board meeting: Despite the sheriff’s retirement, many speakers demand for more reforms to the department. Some suggestions for actions from speakers to include cutting the sheriff’s department budget to fund mental health services and allowing an independent agency to investigate the sheriff’s hiring practices, and bringing more citizen oversight to their elected officials.

* WGEM | Illinois Comptroller promotes pet adoption at the Illinois State Fair: People who stopped by Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s booth Tuesday at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield got to see some special visitors. Wild Canine Rescue brought several of its dogs available for adoption to the fair. People visiting the Comptroller’s tent could play with the dogs and start the adoption process. It’s part of the Comptroller’s Critters program that promotes pet adoption throughout the state.

* Illinois Eagle | New program aims to protect, support LGBTQ+ seniors: A new program, OUTSafe, aims to support the elder LGBTQ community with a training program for public health professionals. The goal of OUTSafe is to educate those who work with seniors who are LGBTQ so they understand the issues and concerns facing them.

* WCIA | ‘I believe it was divine interviention:’ Springfield man rescues neighbor from burning home after possible gas explosion: Sisti jumped into action when he noticed John was in a wheelchair pulling him out through the window and rolling him into a ditch. “There were several other neighbors that came to assist,” Sisti said. “I’m very proud of my neighborhood for everyone the way they came to help this gentleman out.”

* WMBD | Woman sentenced for buying gun that killed Illinois cop: An Indianapolis woman was sentenced on Tuesday for her part in illegally purchasing a gun that was later used to kill a Champaign police officer. According to a Justice Department news release, 30-year-old Ashantae Corruthers was sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Corruthers admitted that she had purchased a gun with the intent to transfer it to Darion Lafayette, now deceased, who was unable to legally purchase a gun due to his status as a convicted felon.

*** National ***

* LA Times | Hackers may have stolen the Social Security numbers of every American. How to protect yourself: About four months after a notorious hacking group claimed to have stolen an extraordinary amount of sensitive personal information from a major data broker, a member of the group has reportedly released most of it for free on an online marketplace for stolen personal data. The breach, which includes Social Security numbers and other sensitive data, could power a raft of identity theft, fraud and other crimes, said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director for the U.S. Public Information Research Group.

* NBC | Former Kansas police chief formally charged over Marion newspaper raid: Gideon Cody, who resigned from the Marion Police Department less than two months after the raid, is accused of inducing a witness to withhold information in a felony case, according to a complaint filed Monday. The charge comes a year after the offices of the Marion County Record were searched in a raid that also targeted the homes of its publisher and a co-owner, Eric Meyer and City Council member Ruth Herbel.