Today, Governor JB Pritzker directed agencies to report on potential impacts of President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional federal funding cuts for Illinois’ most vulnerable communities and people. While the State will continue fighting these illegal actions, there are several areas of urgent concern the State will continue monitoring:
Access Issues for Federal Funding Portals
Despite official information from the federal government stating that programs that provide assistance directly to individuals will not be impacted, state agencies and partner organizations reported issues accessing payment systems throughout the day on January 28. Federal officials have not responded to requests for more clarity or on the status of payments and the systems, further adding to the uncertainty. Illinois officials experienced issues with the following systems:
• Payment Management System (PMS) portal operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Throughout the day on January 28, 2025 Illinois officials and partners were unable to access the portal for at least part of the day for following programs:
o Medicaid and ACA expansion populations
o Home-delivered and congregate meal sites for seniors,
o Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (disaster recovery and mitigation programs)
o Child care and Head Start programs
o Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)
o Vaccinations and disease surveillance
• Electronic Line of Credit Control System (eLOCCS) portal operated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
o Rental assistance programs for people who are homelessness and/or have disabilities.
Resources for Illinois Families and Children
• Medicaid:
o Provides health care to 3.3 million low-income Illinoisans including children.
• Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG):
o Supports child care for low-income families for 140,000 children in over 80,000 households.
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP):
o Assists 300,000+ low-income households annually with energy bills.
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF):
o Provides cash assistance and work support for 75,000 low-income residents.
• Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and Rapid ReHousing:
o Provides housing support for approximately 2,600 families and 9,000 Illinoisans.
• Child Welfare Programs:
o Support for foster care services, adoption services, guardianship and reimbursement for residential placements, impacting 20,000 children in care statewide.
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP):
o Provides meals to children enrolled at participating daycare centers, as well as older individuals with disabilities at adult day centers, providing 1,000,000+ meals to Illinoisans per year.
Support for Older Illinoisians
• Administration for Community Living (ACL) programs, including:
o Nutrition programs - 13 million meals served in 2024
o Supportive Services (e.g., transportation, in-home care)
o Family Caregiver Support Programs – 16,000+ caregivers in Illinois
• Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP):
o Provides support to older Illinoisans with enrolling in healthcare. SHIP provided counseling to 103,000 beneficiaries in FY24.
• Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers (MIPPA):
o Helps low-income Medicare beneficiaries enroll in cost saving benefits, which supports 74,000 Illinoisans.
Critical Public Health Services for Illinoisans:
• Maternal and Child Health Services (Title V):
o Provides funding to improve the health of mothers and children through initiatives like prenatal care and infant screenings.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Programs:
o Funds mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services, including opioid response initiatives.
• Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs):
o Funds health care for underserved populations, including preventive and primary care services.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants support programs for:
o Immunizations
o Disease surveillance (e.g., HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis)
o Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)
• Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program:
o Provides essential medical care and services for individuals with HIV/AIDS.
• Preventive Health and Health Services (PHHS) Block Grant:
o Funds state-level public health initiatives, including chronic disease prevention and health promotion.
Support for Illinoisians with Disabilities
• Section 811 Housing:
o Provides housing support and services for persons with disabilities.
• The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD):
o State agency that advocates for policy changes to promote choice, independence, productivity, and inclusion for people with developmental disabilities in Illinois.
• Employment Supports for Disabled Workers:
o Funding includes pre-employment transition services, supported employment programs, job training activities, and vocational rehabilitation programs.
• Respite Support for Families:
o Funding for emergency respite support for individuals with disabilities benefiting more than 1,100 families.
Economic Development for Illinois Communities
• Community Development Block Grant (CDBG):
o Provides grants to communities to expand housing and other economic development efforts.
• Community Services Block Grant (CSBG):
o Provides funding to combat poverty through local programs like job training and housing assistance.
• State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI):
o Provides funding to help small businesses access low-interest loans, venture capital and other financing.
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title 1 Funding:
o Funds programs and resources to provide job search, education, and training activities to help jobseekers and our workforce.
Infrastructure:
• Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD):
o Access to significant federal funds for broadband expansion.
• Federal formula funding for transportation infrastructure:
o Includes highway, transit, and aeronautics programs and projects
• Federal discretionary grants funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, including:
o National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program
o Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program
o Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant
o Airport Improvement Grants
o Port Infrastructure Grants
o Grants to Amtrak to improve passenger rail
o Rail Safety Grants
Agriculture
• Meat and Poultry Inspections:
o Provides risk oversight the entire meat and poultry supply chain. IDOA receives reimbursement from the federal government for up to half of its inspection activities.
Disaster Mitigation:
• Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Programs: Five state disaster programs are federally funded and would be unable to proceed:
o Public assistance (PA) and individual assistance (IA)
o Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
o Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
o Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA)
o Pre-disaster Mitigation (PDM)
Within minutes of the White House freezing billions in federal grants and loans, a federal judge temporarily blocked the funding pause from taking effect — issuing a "brief administrative stay" — until Monday at 5PM.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans that could total trillions of dollars.
U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the action Tuesday afternoon, minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.
The White House had planned to start the pause as they begin an across-the-board ideological review of federal spending.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The governor just said the state was able to access the Medicaid system as of about an hour ago (around 3 o’clock).
*** UPDATE 3 *** Pritzker went off on the president today…
The United States Constitution clearly states that Congress has the power of the purse and sets laws to obligate federal funding for all 50 states. What Donald Trump tried to do in the last 24 hours is illegal.
Let’s be clear, this is a demonstration of cruelty against people who depend on us, working families who rely on federal assistance to pay their rent, people who need help paying their utility bills, parents who need critical programs like Head Start for quality, affordable child care, and 3.5 million Illinoisans who get their health insurance through Medicaid. Despite what the White House press secretary said at the podium earlier, I believe it is my duty to report to you the truth of what actually happened today in Illinois.
Donald Trump’s administration is lying to you. The White House’s attempt to walk back what they did today does not match what we saw on the ground.
They assured us that Medicaid would not be affected. That was a lie. Our state agencies were unable to access the Medicaid system until an hour ago, preventing payments for services. And this has been reported from states across the nation.
When we reached out to federal agencies, they informed us that they have been directed not to discuss any guidance with states. They have canceled previously scheduled meetings for this week.
The White House assured us that Head Start would not be affected. That was a lie. Providers across the state experienced outages and some were unable to make their payroll. They assured us that they were doing nothing to take away individual assistance from the most vulnerable people in our state, but they refused to say that they would restore LIHEAP, the low income housing, Energy Assistance Program, payments to support the unemployment system and meals on wheels. These are programs that hundreds of 1000s of illinoisians depend on, children, seniors, veterans, working parents.
Let’s just be clear about what happened over the last 24 hours. At 7:42pm last night, we saw a memo from the White House saying that they were pausing federal funding across the board. This morning, along with all 50 states across the country, we discovered that our ability to access critical federal funding had been cut off, and now the administration would like us to believe that these were just coincidental website outages.
Donald Trump and his administration have not earned the benefit of the doubt. They are either lying to us or they are critically incompetent. This is what happens when you staff the federal government full of project 2025 contributors that don’t have any experience governing and don’t think that the laws apply to them. The consequences of their actions are not hypothetical. They are not numbers on a spreadsheet. These are real people, ordinary Americans struggle, struggling to afford groceries, rent, and health care.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… More from Pritzker…
I was very happy to hear as I entered this room today that an administrative stay has been granted. Let me assure you, the state of Illinois will fight this unlawful order with everything we have. We’re working with the Attorney General, who has moved forward with other states to continue pursuing legal action to protect the people of Illinois. Last November, on the day after the election, I made a promise to the people of Illinois when it comes to threats to our freedom, health or security. If you come for my people, you come through me.
…Adding… More Pritzker…
You think it’s an accident that the memo came out last night and then this morning, our state agencies, like Medicaid could not access those systems? It’s not an accident. The intention here is to disrupt. The intention here is to make cuts, and it will affect people all across our state.
…Adding… Pritzker…
When our agencies reached out to the federal agencies, we literally were informed that they are not to speak with us.
-30-
*** UPDATE 4 *** The attorney general’s lawsuit is here.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* Background is here if you need it. Some of what I’m using in this post is in the other post, but I’m trying to refocus and make this more readable.
The federal government is now saying the Medicaid portal will be back up soonish. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see…
Update from the White House on the Medicaid portal shutdown - spokesperson says payments are still being processed and should be back up and running: https://t.co/CGEBLt9xpl
A notice at the top of the federal Medicaid Payment Management System website on Tuesday read: “Due to Executive Orders regarding potentially unallowable grant payments, PMS is taking additional measures to process payments. Reviews of applicable programs and payments will result in delays and/or rejections of payments.”
So, we don’t really know what’s going on.
* But, as I noted on the earlier post, even if the system goes back into operation, we still don’t know the fate of trillions of federal funding dollars that are being held up. From the Sun-Times…
Trump’s administration announced the pause in federal grants, loans and other financial assistance as they embarked on a sweeping review of spending — a measure aimed at “ending ‘wokeness’ and the weaponization of government,” according to a memo from Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The funding freeze could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Grants that have been awarded but not spent are also halted, according to the Associated Press. […]
In the federal memo, Vaeth wrote: “The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve.”
Vaeth said each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all federal financial assistance programs.
“In the interim, to the extent permissible under applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders.”
The full memo is here, and the spreadsheet with impacted programs is here.
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined several other AGs around the country to file a lawsuit against the budgetary action. From his remarks today…
This unconstitutional pause in funding will have a devastating impact on the public safety, prosperity and quality of life of all.
Democrats and Republicans alike will be negatively impacted by this pause in funding.
It impacts our ability to go after offenders who prey on a our children, because this impacts our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Our task force has enabled us to capture a record number of child predators. That is compromised.
It impacts… funding that allows our law enforcement partners to fight crime and impacts those who rely on Medicaid for life-saving health care.
It impacts our capacity to provide for veterans who served our country. Head Start and child care programs. The support for critical research at our universities. And support for farmers who grow our food. And of course, critical investment in infrastructure needed for our roads and bridges and keeping our working families working.
In the fiscal year ending in 2024, Illinois agencies received nearly $30 billion in direct federal aid, according to a report from the state Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. More than $19 billion in federal funding went to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services in Medicaid-related payments, according to CGFA.
Billions went to grants in other parts of state government, including some $2.3 billion to the Department of Transportation, $401 million to the agency tasked with economic opportunity and $314 million to the Environmental Protection Agency, the same report said.
Challengers to Trump’s actions to withhold funding would likely cite the Impoundment Control Act, a law passed in 1974 to regulate the president’s control over the budget. This followed efforts by then-President Richard Nixon to withhold spending on programs he did not support, like Trump has indicated his intention to do.
Under that law, the president can temporarily withhold funds — but must notify Congress first, and the decision cannot be based on policy grounds. The president can also ask Congress to rescind spending decisions, which can also be grounds for a pause in spending.
The spreadsheet includes specific questions for over 2,600 specific accounts within agencies across the government, large and small — every Cabinet department and independent agencies ranging from the Federal Communications Commission to the Institute of Museum and Library Services to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
The questions, intended to ensure that federal programs are in compliance with Trump’s executive orders and policy goals, include the following:
• “Does this program provide Federal funding to non-governmental organizations supporting or providing services, either directly or indirectly, to removable or illegal aliens?”
• “Is this program a foreign assistance program, or provide funding or support activities overseas?”
• “Does this program provide funding that is implicated by the revocation and rescission of the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan?”
• “Does this program include activities that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources (including through funding under the Inflation Reducing (sp) Act of 2022; and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act)?”
• “Does this program provide funding that is implicated by the directive to end discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities, under whatever name they appear, or other directives in the same EO, including those related to ‘environmental justice’ programs or ‘equity-related’ grants?”
• “Does this program promote gender ideology?”
• “Does this program promote or support in any way abortion or other related activities identified in the Hyde Amendment?”
• “If not covered in the preceding columns, does this program support any activities that must not be supported based on executive orders issued on or after January 20, 2025 (including executive orders released following the dissemination of this spreadsheet)?”
The Trump folks say the Impoundment Control Act is unconstitutional. We’ll see.
The scramble began late Monday, after the White House budget office circulated a list of spending programs under scrutiny that seemed to implicate virtually every function of the federal government. The funds it identified for review included a vast array of initiatives that help the poor, potentially arresting funds that provide rental vouchers, nutrition benefits and college aid to low-income Americans.
The administration also pointed to federal programs that inspect meat, poultry and eggs for potential foodborne illnesses, and payments to farmers whose crops are ravaged by natural disasters. And they included a sizable roster of initiatives to protect public health, seemingly aiming to freeze money meant to fight the spread of AIDS, research cancer causes and detection, and prepare for bioterrorism attacks. […]
The Trump administration also said it had set up a process for agencies to work with the White House on evaluating their funding, and already had approved “many programs to continue” operating normally. Otherwise, OMB said some spending could come back online in as quickly as a day, as the White House looked to deflect criticism that it had taken radical action.
* Governor JB Pritzker updated his public schedule…
Daily Public Schedule: Tuesday, January 28, 2025
What: Governor Pritzker to hold press availability to discuss Donald Trump’s unlawful actions to cut essential programs for Illinois working families.
Where: 555 W. Monroe – 3rd Floor Press Room, Chicago.
When: 4:00 pm
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
*** Madigan Trial ***
* Tribune | Evidence in corruption case really just ‘lobbying and politics,’ attorney for Madigan confidant argues: Michael McClain, a longtime confidant of ex-speaker Michael Madigan, was a smart and diligent lobbyist who never agreed to or knew about any bribery scheme, his attorney told jurors Tuesday in closing arguments in Madigan and McClain’s landmark public corruption trial. “What the evidence of this trial did show is lobbying and politics. Lobbying and politics,” McClain attorney Patrick Cotter said in his closing remarks, adding: “Lobbying and politics is not a crime.”
* Fox Chicago | Illinois GOP bill would require law enforcement to coordinate with ICE: Sponsored by State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia), Senate Bill 1313 supports “targeted operations” to deport undocumented immigrants accused or convicted of felonies and calls on Illinois to take on an “active role” in helping ICE. […] The bill’s sponsor condemned Pritzker’s support of the Illinois Trust Act, which bars local law enforcement from helping ICE unless required by law or a criminal warrant.
*** Statewide ***
* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools launches long-awaited site to show how schools are doing: The new school accountability dashboards replace the district’s controversial number ratings for schools, which CPS put on hold and then scrapped during the pandemic. Those ratings had drawn the ire of educators and some community members, who said they unfairly stigmatized campuses that serve students with high needs. The old level ratings had also factored into high-stakes decisions about school closures and staff overhauls.
* WCIA | CUB challenges Ameren Illinois’ proposed $134 million gas rate hike: The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said that Ameren has already earned $111 million in gas rate hikes since 2021. And, the new proposal would increase “key delivery charges by more than 20 percent,” according to CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz. CUB said that the proposed hike would increase the customer charge by about 24%, to $25.16 per month, and the per therm (unit of heat energy) distribution charge by about 28% to 56.207 cents per therm.
*** Chicago ***
* WBEZ | Chicago’s immigration sweeps have restaurant and food industry employers feeling anxious: Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said Monday that its members are “very anxious” about possible arrests of Chicago-area workers by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But as of Monday morning, there had been no reports of restaurant employees being arrested; nor had Toia heard anything about workers failing to show up for work because of fears of an ICE raid.
* Sun-Times | Dr. Phil had no business taking part in ICE immigration raids in Chicago, Durbin says: “Dr. Phil has as much business being on these raids as he does performing surgery,” Durbin said. McGraw is a psychologist. Federal agents allowed McGraw enormous access during the Sunday operations, tagging along with President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, in Chicago to oversee the operation. The deal was mutually beneficial — Homan got favorable coverage as McGraw used his live coverage to build an audience on his MeritTV digital television network.
* WTTW | UChicago Terrorism Expert Says Jan. 6 Pardons ‘Normalized Major Political Violence’: “This has also legitimated and normalized major political violence,” said Robert Pape, political science professor at the University of Chicago, terrorism expert and the founding director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, or CPOST. “Nearly 200 of those granted clemency are militia group members who, by their very membership in violent groups, pose a danger, and many of those who were sentenced to long prison terms, not just because of their role in Jan. 6, but because they pose an ongoing threat to police, the government and to our country and many of the others.”
* NBC Chicago | NBC 5 colleague missing from Lakeview neighborhood: Chicago police are searching for Kevin Spencer, a 34-year-old man from the city’s Lakeview neighborhood. Spencer, who works in NBC Chicago’s IT department, was last heard from Friday Jan. 24, according to police. Spencer did not report to work this week, which concerned friends and family members say is uncharacteristic.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Southtown | Wildfire at forest preserve near Tinley Park under investigation, officials say: Fifteen fire departments, coordinated by the Tinley Park Fire Department, responded to the blaze at 6 p.m., according to Carl Vogel, director of communications for the Cook County Forest Preserve District. Although the fire was outside Tinley Park’s jurisdiction, it was elevated to a second alarm brush box, prompting assistance from fire trucks across the area, according to a news release from the Tinley Park Public Safety Department on Facebook.
* Daily Herald | Suburban police navigating conflicting state, federal directives on immigration crackdown: Asked how police will navigate conflicting directives, Addison Police Chief Roy Selvik said he anticipates legal questions related to federal law versus state law to continue. “Our current policy mirrors the TRUST Act and state law, and our agency will continue to operate under the guidance and recommendations set by the Illinois attorney general’s office,” he said.
* Crain’s | Bizarre death fuels concerns at struggling Waukegan hospital: The Lake County Coroner’s Office is blasting safety and quality conditions at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan following the death of a patient who had gone missing and was later found hypothermic on the facility’s roof. Chelsea Adolphus, a 28-year-old woman and Waukegan resident, was admitted to Vista Medical on Jan. 22 but was found the next day on the hospital’s roof wearing only a hospital gown at about 8:45 a.m. — almost seven hours after leaving her room, according to the coroner’s office.
* Daily Herald | Archdiocese rejects reprieve for St. Thomas of Villanova school in Palatine: “As a school’s enrollment decreases, it becomes increasingly challenging to rebuild, as families often seek assurances of long-term stability when choosing a school for their children,” he wrote. Fundraising efforts, he added, can add instability that further drives down enrollment.
*** Downstate ***
* SJ-R | Springfield nonprofit continues helping women recovering from substance abuse: The nonprofit was founded by Executive Director Rev. Margaret Ann Jessup providing transitional employment, mentoring, recovery tools and a safe community for women recovering from substance abuse. In 2021, the nonprofit opened a housing program, which saves girls in the home 70% of their income. “When I got out of seminary, I wanted to start something to benefit this community to help women other people couldn’t or wouldn’t help,” Jessup said. “When you’re in recovery and you have any criminal past or have problems with the courts, probation, all of those require you to meet with people at certain times, do outpatient rehab, do drops at different times … there’s a lot of barriers to success.”
* WCIA | The Fray to perform at the Devon’s Amphitheater in Decatur: On Tuesday, Decatur announced that The Fray will perform at the Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater on May 24, 2025. Tickets will go on sale Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased here. Prices range from $35 for lawn tickets, to $69 for standing pit or reserved tickets.
*** National ***
* NYT | Caroline Kennedy Urges Senators to Reject Her Cousin’s Nomination: She urged lawmakers, who will be questioning Mr. Kennedy at his confirmation hearings Wednesday and Thursday, to reject his nomination. She cited his lack of experience, misinformed views on vaccines and personal attributes. In the letter, she described how he led other family members “down the path of drug addiction. “His basement, his garage, and his dorm room were the centers of the action where drugs were available, and he enjoyed showing off how he put baby chickens and mice in the blender to feed his hawks,” Ms. Kennedy wrote. “It was often a perverse scene of despair and violence.”
* Axios | Which companies are rolling back DEI and which are standing firm: Mentions of DEI and “diversity equity and inclusion” in earnings calls have dropped roughly 82% since Q2 of 2021. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) dropped the word “equity” from its strategy, while corporate communicators have started to lean more heavily on terms like “belonging” and “diversity of thoughts and perspectives.”
* Rep. McLaughlin won his House race in November by just 47 votes. Sen. McConchie won his last race by just 385 votes. But McLaughlin now wants to replace McConchie…
Martin McLaughlin, a proven Republican leader and experienced public servant, has formally announced his interest in filling the 26th District Senate seat following Senator Dan McConchie’s upcoming resignation.
McLaughlin has extensive experience advocating for common sense policies and fiscal stewardship in the region for over a decade. His record of winning elections in challenging districts and his dedication to conservative principles make him the strongest candidate to retain the seat and ensure future Republican success.
“Many of you know my record of service, not only at the local level, but across the state,” McLaughlin said. “As a three-time elected State Representative and twice-elected Village President of Barrington Hills, I’ve consistently demonstrated my ability to win against well- funded opponents and deliver results for my constituents.”
McLaughlin highlighted his recent initiatives to engage low-propensity voters in Lake and McHenry Counties, which have already proven beneficial to Republican candidates. He emphasized his unique ability to energize voters and secure victories in a competitive district. “In my last election, I faced a $3.8 million opposition effort and still won decisively— outperforming President Trump by over 5% in the 52nd District, while spending only $170,000. This demonstrates my ability to stick to the real issues that matter to my constituents and allows me to effectively represent a purple district,” McLaughlin stated.
McLaughlin also addressed concerns about insider politics and nepotism, referencing Senator McConchie’s recommendation of the party chairwoman’s son for the seat. “Republicans have rightly criticized Democrats for engaging in such practices. The 26th District deserves a candidate with a proven record, not one selected through insider politics. Republicans believe in merit-based selection. If the committee chooses to go down this path, I will actively campaign for the seat in the 2026 primary - and I will win”.
Looking ahead, McLaughlin is confident in his ability to lead Republican efforts in the next election cycle, where 16 Republican Senate seats will be up for grabs. “I’m prepared to raise the resources necessary and ensure that our party succeeds, both in the 26th District and across the state,” he said.
“The party chairwoman’s son” he’s referring to is ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi’s son Joe, who is a law partner with his father, Al Salvi.
…Adding… Sen. McConchie sent me his endorsement of Joe Salvi several hours ago, but it wound up in my spam folder…
Without reservation, I fully endorse Joe Salvi to be appointed to replace me as State Senator for the 26th District of Illinois.
I have competed in three general elections in this district. Even as the district has moved to the left, even when I have been outspent by the Democrats, I have always found a way to win. And not only have I won, I have regularly outperformed virtually every other Republican candidate on the ballot.
In short, I know exactly what it takes to win in this district. And Joe has it.
To win, it takes a commitment to our commonsense values while being accessible, relatable and reasonable. My reasons for endorsing Joe are simple.
Joe:
• Is loyal to our shared conservative values and to the Republican party.
• Developed the necessary campaign experience on Peter Roskam’s winning 2016 Congressional
campaign and honed the skills necessary to win.
• Has committed to raise the funds needed to bring the fight to the Democrats.
• Already has a team of volunteers ready to assist with parades, events and, most importantly, door
to door canvasing – an activity that Rep. Syed and Maria Peterson has proven translates into real,
bankable votes.
• Has an incredibly strong work ethic paired with an outgoing, friendly personality that is welcoming
and attractive.
• Possesses strong character and integrity. Joe will be the same person in Springfield that he is at
home. We can trust Joe.
I have personally known Joe for 10 years. In that time, he has always been positive, upbeat and optimistic – qualities too often lacking in our party today. He is married with young children presenting an image that voters love because it demonstrates that he understands them—that what they need from government are same things they will get from Joe–safety, security, and a government that otherwise stays out of their way.
Importantly, Joe has been a dedicated foot soldier to the party doing the hard work necessary to earn people’s votes. He has experience connecting with voters at events and out in public. Joe has the exact skill set necessary to keep this seat in Republican hands next fall.
In 2015, when I was first considered by Dan Duffy to serve as his replacement, people told me it was not my time, that it was ‘not my turn’. They said that I hadn’t been elected to another office yet. I didn’t let that deter me. In my first race, I was challenged by mayors Marty McLaughlin and Casey Urlacher. They tried to take me out. But I knew the district better than them. I knew what it took to win the hearts and minds of our neighbors. I won that race and every race since.
In considering who to support as my replacement, I looked for similar qualities. I wanted someone who was a trustworthy Republican and who had the personality and skill set needed to win.
Joe is that person. I hope you will join me in ensuring this district is in the best possible hands for the 2026 election cycle.
Thank you for your service to our party and your consideration in this important matter. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 312-933-2477.
Faithfully yours,
Senator Dan McConchie
26th District of Illinois
Illinois has been shut out of Medicaid, just hours after President Donald Trump’s administration announced a pause in federal grants, loans and other financial assistance as they begin a review of spending.
The funding freeze could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Grants that have been awarded but not spend are also halted, according to the Associated Press.
Though the funding freeze was supposed to take effect at 4 p.m. Central Time Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office staid that the state of Illinois was shut out of Medicaid as of Tuesday morning. The government-funded health insurance program covered about 3.9 million people in Illinois in 2023, including low-income adults, children, pregnant women and people with disabilities.
“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in the memo. “This memorandum requires Federal agencies to identify and review all Federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the President’s policies and requirements.”
Vaeth wrote that each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all federal financial assistance programs.
* From the governor’s office…
Since last night, Governor Pritzker has been speaking with the Illinois’ federal delegation, local elected officials, non-governmental organizations, non-profits, and other Governors. The Governor has directed his senior team to assess the detrimental impacts of this unlawful action on the state’s budget and services. State agencies have reported to the Governor’s Office issues with accessing federal funding sites and disbursement systems, including Medicaid systems.
Governor Pritzker’s Statement from last night:
The US Constitution does not grant the President this unilateral authority. In Illinois, we will stand against unlawful actions that would harm millions of working families, children, and seniors.
BACKGROUND ON MEDICAID SYSTEM
The federal Medicaid PMS site refers to the Payment Management System (PMS), which is used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to manage federal funding disbursements for Medicaid and other programs. The PMS serves as a centralized system to track and facilitate the distribution of grant funds to states and other grantees.
Key Details About the PMS Site:
• Purpose: The site allows state Medicaid agencies (like the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services) to request, track, and manage federal Medicaid funds and grants.
• Managed By: The system is operated by the Division of Payment Management (DPM) under HHS.
• Access: States and grantees access PMS via the official portal to request federal fund drawdowns, view disbursement reports, and reconcile payments.
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to freeze federal aid:
“Freezing federal funding that has already been allocated by Congress is unconstitutional. Above all else, it’s inhumane. Every American relies on federal funding—from public safety, disaster relief, medical research funding, and small business loans to Head Start and child care programs, veterans care, nutrition assistance, food inspections, and so much more. Denying critical funding for our families will not make America great.”
No later than February 10, 2025, agencies shall submit to OMB detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause: (i) issuance of new awards; (ii) disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards; and (iii) other relevant agency actions that may be implicated by the executive orders, to the extent permissible by law, until OMB has reviewed and provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information submitted.
OMB may grant exceptions allowing Federal agencies to issue new awards or take other actions on a case-by-case basis. To the extent required by law, Federal agencies may continue taking certain administrative actions, such as closeout of Federal awards (2 CFR 200.344), or recording obligations expressly required by law.
Additionally, agencies must, for each Federal financial assistance program: (i) assign responsibility and oversight to a senior political appointee to ensure Federal financial assistance conforms to Administration priorities; (ii) review currently pending Federal financial assistance announcements to ensure Administration priorities are addressed, and, subject to program statutory authority, modify unpublished Federal financial assistance announcements, withdraw any announcements already published, and, to the extent permissible by law, cancel awards already awarded that are in conflict with Administration priorities, and; (iii) ensure adequate oversight of Federal financial assistance programs and initiate investigations when warranted to identify underperforming recipients, and address identified issues up to and including cancellation of awards.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a press conference Tuesday morning that he’s spoken with New York State Attorney General Letitia James about a legal challenge to the spending freeze.
“I spoke to my attorney general this morning. She’s head of the state attorneys general association,” Schumer said. “They’re going to court right away on this horror.”
Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution gives Congress the so-called “power of the purse” by granting it the authority to approve federal spending.
Congress has passed several laws regarding that constitutional authority, including the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which says that the president cannot simply refuse to spend money Congress has appropriated.
Trump’s pick for OMB Director, Russ Vought, has repeatedly called that law unconstitutional and said he believes the president does have the authority to simply ignore sections of spending law that have been passed by Congress and signed into law.
The spreadsheet includes specific questions for over 2,600 specific accounts within agencies across the government, large and small — every Cabinet department and independent agencies ranging from the Federal Communications Commission to the Institute of Museum and Library Services to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
The questions, intended to ensure that federal programs are in compliance with Trump’s executive orders and policy goals, include the following:
• “Does this program provide Federal funding to non-governmental organizations supporting or providing services, either directly or indirectly, to removable or illegal aliens?”
• “Is this program a foreign assistance program, or provide funding or support activities overseas?”
• “Does this program provide funding that is implicated by the revocation and rescission of the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan?”
• “Does this program include activities that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources (including through funding under the Inflation Reducing (sp) Act of 2022; and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act)?”
• “Does this program provide funding that is implicated by the directive to end discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities, under whatever name they appear, or other directives in the same EO, including those related to ‘environmental justice’ programs or ‘equity-related’ grants?”
• “Does this program promote gender ideology?”
• “Does this program promote or support in any way abortion or other related activities identified in the Hyde Amendment?”
• “If not covered in the preceding columns, does this program support any activities that must not be supported based on executive orders issued on or after January 20, 2025 (including executive orders released following the dissemination of this spreadsheet)?”
*** UPDATE 5 *** Illinois is among the states that will sue, according to the NYT.
*** UPDATE 6 *** Comptroller Mendoza…
I am prepared to stand with Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Treasurer Michael Frerichs in fighting this egregious action by President Trump. The freezing of vital federal funds will immediately impact millions of students, parents, medical and health care recipients, women and children, and our schools in Illinois.
We are talking about medical care, law enforcement, veterans care, student loans, TANF, WIC, childcare assistance, school breakfast and lunch programs, Head Start programs, and more - federal programs that were authorized by the U.S. Congress.
My office is doing everything it can to process federal funds prior to the deadline. Because my office prioritizes Medicaid payments, we are current on those bills. In fact, on Thursday we processed all $518 million in Medicaid bills on-hand and received our federal match yesterday before the administration shut down our access to the Medicaid system.
However, I am very concerned about how long this “freeze” may last. It is reckless for President Trump to take this action with essentially no guidance or explanation about exactly which federal funds are included, leaving states to pick up the pieces and figure out how to best protect and provide services to their residents.
Our most vulnerable residents in all 102 counties, along with our healthcare, human services and social service providers, should not be punished by this action dictated by the Trump Administration.
The situation is reminiscent of the Rauner years, when the former Illinois Governor held the budget hostage for his social agenda that led to a budget freeze for more than two years and many providers, vendors, businesses and organizations suffered greatly as a result.
These actions create widespread disruption and chaos rather than stability and predictability, putting American lives at risk.
Likewise, no executive officer, even the President, should undermine the authority of the U.S. Congress in appropriating funds for federal programs.
The people across America that these federally funded programs serve, represent all walks of life – urban, rural, Democrat, Republican and everyone in-between. Disease and disability do not choose to affect one political party over another.
Freezing federal funds critical to providing medical and health care and every other critical category targeted poses a serious threat to all impacted Americans and no one should welcome this misguided action. If President Trump will not reverse his reckless and unconstitutional executive order, I hope and pray the courts will quickly do it for him.
*** UPDATE 7 *** And yet, the state is locked out of accessing some of these systems, including Medicaid…
On Tuesday, education policy experts said they did not believe that the federal government’s main funding stream for K-12 schools, known as Title I, would be immediately impacted by the funding freeze. Federal money, which accounts for about 10 percent of all public education dollars, is paid to states – generally in July and October – which then distribute funds to districts and schools. The promised funding for the current school year has already been received.
*** UPDATE 10 *** Speaker Welch…
What’s been coming out of Washington is sad and concerning on many levels. Blocking legally mandated funding for state and local governments is just another example of the Trump Administration abusing its power to sew chaos, disrupt progress, marginalize communities, and hurt the people he was elected to help.
*** UPDATE 11 *** From AG Raoul’s remarks announcing a lawsuit to stop this pause…
This unconstitutional pause in funding will have a devastating impact on the public safety, prosperity and quality of life of all.
Democrats and Republicans alike will be negatively impacted by this pause in funding.
It impacts our ability to go after offenders who prey on a our children, because this impacts our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Our task force has enabled us to capture a record number of child predators. That is compromised.
It impacts… funding that allows our law enforcement partners to fight crime and impacts those who rely on Medicaid for life-saving health care.
It impacts our capacity to provide for veterans who served our country. Head Start and child care programs. The support for critical research at our universities. And support for farmers who grow our food. And of course, critical investment in infrastructure needed for our roads and bridges and keeping our working families working.
On January 20th, our nation had a peaceful transfer of power. But let’s be clear, January 20th was an inauguration, not a coronation. Congress is given the power to appropriate the funding. The executive branch cannot unilaterally disregard those appropriations passed by a separate and equal house of government.
We will collectively fight this unconstitutional mandate.
Please pardon any transcription errors.
*** UPDATE 12 *** Ugh…
In a press conference with five other Democratic attorneys general, New York AG Letitia James says at least 20 states have reported being locked out of their Medicaid reimbursement systems. That includes New York and Illinois. pic.twitter.com/LEAdqTXmdh
Update from the White House on the Medicaid portal shutdown - spokesperson says payments are still being processed and should be back up and running: https://t.co/CGEBLt9xpl
Senator Chapin Rose introduced Senate Bill 0211, a measure to expand financial disclosure requirements for public officials on Jan. 22, 2025.
The proposed legislation seeks to broaden the scope of information that must be included in the statement of economic interests filed by public officials. The key addition to the disclosure requirements is as follows:
Public officials would be required to disclose the names of their spouse, siblings, children, or parents who are employees, contractors, or office holders in the same unit of local government as the filer.
This new provision would apply to all individuals required to file a statement of economic interests under the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. The bill aims to shed light on potential conflicts of interest and familial connections within local government structures.
Other notable aspects of the proposed amendment include:
- Maintaining existing disclosure requirements for assets, income sources, debts, and gifts.
- Continuing to require disclosure of relationships with registered lobbyists.
- Preserving the requirement to report family members employed by public utilities in Illinois.
Amends the Illinois Municipal Code and the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that an individual who is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law is authorized to apply for the position of firefighter, subject to all requirements and limitations, other than citizenship, to which other applicants are subject. Effective January 1, 2026.
84th District State Representative Stephanie Kifowit says she has remained busy during the break between the end of the lame duck session and the start of the spring session, mostly working on re-filing legislation that didn’t pass in the last General Assembly. Legislators had until Friday to submit re-filed legislation for review.
Kifowit spoke about some of the bills she is re-filing, including a bill that would assist reservists and National Guard members serving in elected positions in participating in meetings remotely when they are called into service.
“This could cause them to miss a meeting or a board meeting, whatever position that they are in. So I filed it last year, didn’t get called in the house, filing it again this year. It would amend the Open Meetings Act to allow reservists and National Guardmen to be able to participate remotely and vote remotely if they are serving their country on duty. So I think that’s the right thing to do. It allows the folks that elected them to be properly represented, and it allows that individual to do their job as an elected official.”
Amends the Housing Authorities Act. Requires a Housing Authority that administers a housing voucher program to reimburse a rental property owner for any damage to its rental unit that is caused by a tenant who participates in the housing voucher program. Provides that reimbursement shall be for property damage not covered under a policy of property insurance that is beyond normal wear and tear and that is the result of the tenant’s negligence and abuse. Provides that any reimbursement amount paid to a rental property owner shall be repayable by the tenant to the Housing Authority. Permits the Housing Authority to offer and enter into an affordable repayment plan with the tenant. Provides that nothing in the amendatory Act shall be construed to permit a Housing Authority to deny a tenant housing assistance or terminate a tenant’s housing voucher based on the tenant having payment obligations under a repayment plan or on a tenant’s demonstrated inability to make payments under such a repayment plan.
State Representative Charlie Meier of Okawville has announced he’s collecting petition signatures for residents who oppose a recent legislative proposal that seeks to legalize prostitution in Illinois.
Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill to decriminalize the exchange of money for sex among consenting adults. Those who support the bill say it will allow sex workers to operate safely with legal protections. The bill does not remove criminal penalties for sex traffickers or those who abuse sex workers.
Meier fears the threat to women and young girls will skyrocket if penalties for prostitution are eliminated. He also forsees an increase of sexual assault and human trafficking stemming from the proposal.
Meier has started a petition on his website for residents to express their opposition to legalized prostitution. He hopes to be able to present the 109th District’s opposition to this “dangerous legislation” to the legislators who support this movement, so they can “see that their agenda has no business in Southern Illinois.”
A “malignant tumor.” A “stage actor.” A “walking crime wave.” That’s how powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s legal team refers to disgraced former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis who sought to “trick” the speaker into discussing illicit arrangements.
Madigan’s defense attorney Dan Collins told jurors Monday that Solis, the longtime 25th Ward alderperson turned government mole, carried out carefully orchestrated productions directed by federal investigators.
“As you evaluate the circumstances,” Collins said, “you’ve got to understand that these are staged circumstances.”
Collins’ remarks came on the fourth day of closing arguments in Madigan’s landmark corruption trial at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago.
Collins called on jurors to clear Madigan and again distanced him from McClain. The defense attorney derided McClain as “Mr. Important” and argued that he embellished and exaggerated his influence with Madigan — once writing that he was “at the bridge with my musket” for Madigan’s family.
“Who talks that way?” Collins asked.
But Collins saved his most ferocious rhetoric for Solis, who represented the 25th Ward for more than two decades and rose to become head of the City Council’s Zoning Committee. FBI agents confronted him in June 2016 with evidence of his own wrongdoing, and he agreed to wear a wire against powerful politicians such as Madigan and ex-Ald. Edward M. Burke.
If Solis holds up his end of a deal he struck with prosecutors, Solis is expected to avoid a criminal conviction — and will never face an actual trial. Collins argued Monday that Solis’ “free pass” means jurors can’t trust him.
But Collins said there were two sides to Solis, and that the one Madigan was reacting to was a lie.
“Between the deal (Solis) struck, his effort to hide things from the government, and then his tax crimes that we discovered in our investigation, you know everything you need to know about Danny Solis and why you can’t trust him, Collins said. “He is not just a walking microphone.”
Solis played on Madigan’s devotion to his family when he framed his request for a state board seat as a way to support his wife and kids, Collins said. Solis in fact had no real desire to be appointed to a state board — he asked Madigan for a recommendation only at the direction of his government handlers.
“If somebody comes and asks for help, Mike, if possible, will help that person,” Collins said, reiterating a frequent phrase from his closings. “(Solis) asked Mike Madigan if he would help. And Mike said ‘yes.’ This is not a scheme, this is not a bribe, this is Mike Madigan saying ‘yes’ when he’s asked for help — and the kicker for Solis is to use family.”
Regarding former Madigan staffer Will Cousineau’s testimony, Collins said there were inconsistencies.
“He was scared to death up there,” Collins said of Cousineau. “He got himself an immunity deal.”
Collins said it was McClain who claimed he got the Reyes Kurson law firm a lot of business from ComEd over the years, even though firm partner Victor Reyes was a longtime Madigan ally.
“ComEd had a policy of supporting minority businesses,” Collins said.
“That cannot be a thing of value in exchange for official action.”
Collins further accused Solis of using dishonesty to implicate Madigan in the Chinatown land transfer episode. Solis, in 2017 and 2018, represented the area of Chinatown where the parking lot is located. Collins claims Madigan only got involved in the land transfer effort because Solis falsely told him that both the local community and the community’s Democratic state Representative Theresa Mah supported it. That effort sputtered in Springfield when it turned out neither claim was true.
As for potential developers Solis pitched to build on the site once Chicago took ownership of it, Collins denied Madigan wanted anything to do with them. He denied the former speaker even asked for an introduction. […]
The defense attorney concluded his presentation by reminding jurors to “see the man” of Mike Madigan, and warning them not to let their cynicism toward politicians fill in what he claimed were evidentiary gaps in the government’s case.
Though Madigan’s closings are now finished, jurors still need to hear closing arguments on behalf of Madigan’s codefendant Mike McClain, and the government’s rebuttal closings, before they begin deliberations.
Sorry to hear the news about Garth Hudson. He was a beautiful guy and the real driving force behind The Band. Just listen to the original recording of The Weight and you’ll see.
* Way back in the day, a bunch of us would gather every Sunday night at Bruce’s Tavern at 11th and South Grand for an open mic hosted by Springfield singer/songwriter Tom Irwin (more here). A handful of us, known as the Bruce’s Tavernacle Choir, would sing along with the featured performers. The Weight was one of our favorite songs…
* ICYMI: Congressional panel calls Johnson, other sanctuary city mayors to testify about ‘obstructionist policies’. Sun-Times…
- Mayor Brandon Johnson and the mayors of three other sanctuary cities have been called to testify before Congress as part of an investigation into how local policies are affecting enforcement of President Donald Trump’s promise of “mass deportations.”
- Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and New York City Mayor Eric Adams were also summoned to testify at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Feb. 11.
- The mayors were also asked to hand over all documents and communications related to their cities’ sanctuary status, including those between each city, non-governmental organizations and state officials.
* Reuters | US reports first outbreak of H5N9 bird flu in poultry: The United States has reported its first outbreak of H5N9 bird flu in poultry on a duck farm in California, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Monday. U.S. authorities also detected the more common H5N1 strain on the same farm in Merced County, California, they said in a report to Paris-based WOAH, adding that the almost 119,000 birds on the farm had been killed by Dec. 2.
* WaPo | White House Budget Office Orders Pause in All Federal Loans and Grants: The White House budget office has ordered a pause in grants, loans and other federal financial assistance, according to a memo sent to government agencies on Monday, potentially paralyzing a vast swath of programs and sowing confusion and alarm among the array of groups that depend on them. The directive threatened to upend funds that course throughout the American economy: Hundreds of billions of dollars in grants to state, local and tribal governments. Disaster relief aid. Education and transportation funding. Loans to small businesses.
*** Statehouse News ***
* FOX | Homan demands apology from Illinois governor over ‘lie’ that ICE targeted Chicago school: ‘Sowing fear’: “Pedro Martinez lied,” Homan said on “America Reports,” Monday. Martinez, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said on MSNBC Friday that ICE agents visited an elementary school on the Southwest Side earlier that morning. […] “Governor Pritzker, rather than calling ICE and asking, ‘Did this happen or did it not happen?’ he goes on social media and terrifies elementary schoolers. … He accuses me of terrifying the community. No, he terrified the community. He terrified the children,” Homan said.
* Labor Tribune | Illinois completes minimum wage increase, among other pro-worker law changes this year: Another bump in Illinois’ minimum wage took effect on Jan. 1, as part of a number of changes in state’s Labor laws this year. Illinois’ minimum wage increased to $15 an hour as of Jan. 1, the final step in a series of raises that began six years ago. Youth workers also will see an increase to $13 an hour, and tipped workers will be paid $9 an hour.
*** Statewide ***
* WCIA | Illinois celebrated for clean energy efforts: Sunday was International Clean Energy Day, and Illinois is being celebrated as the state that came out on top as the national leader. Almost 100,000 solar installations are scattered across the state. That creates enough electricity to power almost 550,000 homes.
* WAND | State organization works to address attorney shortage in rural areas: In an effort to tackle the growing shortage of attorneys in rural communities, the Illinois State Bar Association has launched an innovative initiative. The Rural Practice Fellowship Program is a program aimed to connect law students and young attorneys with career opportunities in underserved rural areas. The Illinois Bar Association said this is to ensure that legal services remain accessible to all Illinois residents.
*** Chicago ***
* Sun-Times | As Trump eyes mass deportations, historians see parallels to past campaigns to force out immigrants: Olga Martinez recalled her father’s experience as a Mexican immigrant living in Chicago in a 1982 video interview that later became part of the Southeast Chicago Archive and Storytelling Project. She said the family never knew who was behind the trucks or financially backing the effort. “My dad always questioned, ‘Why were we asked to go back to our country?’” Martinez says. “You know, he saw the Serbians, the Croatians, nobody was asked to go back except the Mexicans.”
* Tribune | Illinois EPA opposes proposed toxic waste dump expansion on Southeast Side lakefront: In a letter filed in federal court, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said the proposed expansion of a toxic waste dump on the Southeast Side would go against state law. It’s the latest development in a lengthy battle over the future of a 45-acre disposal site on the Lake Michigan shoreline. “This is a major win for our community, to have both the Illinois attorney general and the Illinois EPA say that the expansion of this toxic landfill will not be (approved),” said Amalia NietoGomez, executive director of social justice nonprofit Alliance of the Southeast.
* Crain’s | Illinois pitches Nvidia on South Side quantum campus: Representatives from the giant chip company were in town for dinner and a site visit to the planned Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park being built at the former U.S. Steel site on the Far South Side, according to several people familiar with the visit. Nvidia is the dominant maker of graphics-processing chips that are used to run artificial-intelligence software and supercomputers. The company’s name is synonymous with cutting-edge technology — and it was the most valuable publicly traded company in the world before a steep sell-off yesterday sparked by a Chinese company’s claim of being able to develop AI with fewer, cheaper chips.
* Sun-Times | Former CPS gym teacher sentenced to 17 years in prison for grooming, sexual assault of students: Andrew Castro, 38, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Friday on multiple charges, including predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under 13, aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child and exploitation of a child under 13. Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson sentenced Castro to 10 years for the assaults, seven years for each abuse case and one year for the exploitation charge. With some of the sentences to be served concurrently, the total prison term would be 17 years.
* Tribune | Olivia Clarke, who started group aimed at helping cancer patients with humor, dies: “Olivia’s passion was second to none. She poured her heart into everything she did — work, volunteerism, relationships, fun,” said Maria Black, chief marketing officer of law firm Kirkland & Ellis. “She had this spark of energy that never seemed to wane.” Clarke, 46, who lived on Chicago’s Near South Side, died of complications from breast cancer Jan. 15 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said her sister, Meagan Casey.
* Crain’s | Chicago winters reset the thermostat on what is normal: To be a Chicagoan is to know how to be cold. How to trudge through snow. How to grit your teeth and carry on as bone-chilling winds gust through the Loop. But these days, that defining regional characteristic is changing, because the climate is changing. What once was frigid is now merely chilly, and perhaps only occasionally so.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Southtown | Nate Fields back on ballot as Thornton Township supervisor candidate, judge rules: The board, made up of township Trustees Chris Gonzalez and Darlene Gray Everett as well as Clerk Loretta Wells, voted last month to remove Fields and two other supervisor candidates from the April 1 ballot. Michael Smith and Keith Price, who is food assistance program manager in Supervisor Tiffany Henyard’s township administration, brought five challenges against Fields, only one of which stuck.
* Daily Southtown | Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard worked to hide true condition of village finances, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says: Just months after her election in 2021, there was a “concerted and systematic effort” by Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard to hide the condition of village finances from trustees, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday. In her final report on her investigation into Henyard and village finances, Lightfoot told some 200 residents and others the concealment continued and that, by March 2022, trustees “were effectively cut off from receiving regular financial reports.”
* Lake County News-Sun | Lake County coroner calls for Waukegan hospital death investigation; says owners ‘must be held accountable’: Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said Monday she has asked state officials to investigate the death of a patient who died of hypothermia in her medical gown on the roof of Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan last week. Banek said she wants the Illinois Department of Public Health to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Chelsea Adolphus, 28, who died about two days after checking herself into the hospital. Banek also said she sent a letter to the hospital asking that all evidence associated with the incident be preserved.
* Daily Herald | Friends of Barrington teen killed by train honor memory, hold village’s feet to fire: Friends of 17-year-old Marin Lacson gathered at a gazebo Monday evening near the downtown Barrington railroad crossing where she was fatally struck by a Metra train on Jan. 25, 2024. Approximately 50 people holding signs and candles celebrated her short life and mourned the anniversary of her passing. But several in the gathering took action, walking to nearby village hall to urge the village board and officials to move quicker to get pedestrian gates installed at the Hough Street crossing.
* Evanston Now | District 65 cuts 73 positions: Needing to wipe out $13.2 million in red ink, the Evanston/Skokie District 65 Board of Education voted Monday night to eliminate 73 jobs, including central office (26), teaching (18), and non-classroom school-level positions (29). The reductions, which take effect July 1, will eliminate about 5% of the district’s jobs. […] District 65 has lost more than 20% of its enrollment since 2018, but while the number of students had been coming down, the number of employees went up, with much of the growth coming under previous superintendent Devon Horton.
*** Downstate ***
* WAND | After-school program providers, parents demand Pritzker admin release grant funding: A coalition of after-school program providers, families and students called on Gov. JB Pritzker to release $50 million to fund their programs Monday. Advocates said state lawmakers approved the funds for their grants, but the Pritzker administration never distributed the money. Over 27,000 Illinois students lost their after-school programming this school year, and more than 2,000 staff are out of jobs due to the lack of grant funding. Susan Stanton, the executive director of Act Now, said after-school programs are critical for youth and teens.
* Shaw Local | Sandwich votes to ban sweepstakes machines: The Sandwich City Council has voted to ban sweepstakes machines – which look like slot machines but are unregulated and untaxed – from operating in the city. “It provides fairness to those who have legal gaming in our community,” said Sandwich Mayor Todd Latham, who had proposed banning the machines after discovering they were operating in one Sandwich business. “I still don’t understand even looking at the sweepstakes machines what you could win on the deal. It’s very unclear. I think it’s just simply misleading and not something that benefits our community.”
* PJ Star | DEI, immigration, homelessness show differences between two of the mayoral candidates: Questions about the City of Peoria’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts sparked debate Monday night between Peoria mayoral candidates Rita Ali and John Kelly. They presented different opinions about the effectiveness of DEI programs and their future in Peoria. Kelly, an at-large city councilman challenging Ali for her mayoral seat, drew multiple negative reactions from the crowd at a mayoral candidate forum put on by the Peoria chapter of the NAACP on Monday night when he made clear his skepticism of the effectiveness of DEI programs in Peoria.
*** National ***
* Fox Chicago | Indiana man fatally shot by sheriff’s deputy identified as Jan. 6 defendant: During the traffic stop, a Jasper County sheriff’s deputy attempted to arrest the suspect, but the suspect resisted, officials said. “An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect,” the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Further investigation revealed the suspect was armed with a gun during the traffic stop.
* NOTUS | The Race for Dick Durbin’s Senate Seat Has Already Begun: Durbin is expected to make an announcement soon over whether he’ll run for reelection in 2026. Should he choose to retire, his seat would open up for the first time in nearly three decades. NOTUS asked all 17 members of the Illinois U.S. House delegation if they were interested in the Senate. Five members said yes, and observers expect several other federal and state figures to jump in — making for a far closer race than in 2017, when Sen. Tammy Duckworth was the obvious Democratic frontrunner to take on Republican incumbent Mark Kirk.
* The Atlantic | China’s DeepSeek Surprise: One week ago, a new and formidable challenger for OpenAI’s throne emerged. A Chinese AI start-up, DeepSeek, launched a model that appeared to match the most powerful version of ChatGPT but, at least according to its creator, was a fraction of the cost to build. The program, called DeepSeek-R1, has incited plenty of concern: Ultrapowerful Chinese AI models are exactly what many leaders of American AI companies feared when they, and more recently President Donald Trump, have sounded alarms about a technological race between the United States and the People’s Republic of China. This is a “wake up call for America,” Alexandr Wang, the CEO of Scale AI, commented on social media.
* NPR | Doctors opposing RFK Jr. rally in the lead-up to his confirmation: Noble laureates have written that Kennedy would put the nation’s health in jeopardy. The American Public Health Association, representing 25,000 professionals in that field, has come out against his nomination, based on his “consistent disregard for scientific evidence.” And recently thousands of physicians and others in health care have signed onto letters echoing these concerns.
* You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
