* Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Some Head Start childcare programs in Illinois impacted by funding freeze despite promises otherwise. WGN…

Even after the Trump Administration’s recent federal funding freeze was rescinded, dozens of Head Start programs across the country, including some in Illinois, are reporting ongoing issues drawing down approved grant funds. […]

The White House said Head Start programs would not be affected by a freeze, which at least two federal judges have issued temporary restraining orders on, but agencies claim they are still dealing with major issues that are putting the services they offer at risk.

Two River Head Start Agency’s executive director, Kelly Neidel, said whether the system to access payroll and payments from the federal government – including grant funding already approved – depends on the day. They have been able to draw down some funding but have also run into continuous issues, she said.

“One day the system is turned on, the next day it’s not,” said Neidel. “People have this misconception when you’re federally funded, when you get your grant, you just get this whole pool of money and that is not the case.”

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Behind-the-scenes staff acrimony mirrors public tension between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker: On Jan. 6, Anne Caprara sent a curt email informing the chiefs of staff to the mayor and Cook County Board president that she was opting out of their “scenario planning” meetings organized shortly after Trump’s November win. “I won’t be participating in these meetings going forward,” Caprara wrote in the exchange obtained by the Tribune via an open records request, adding that she intended to later “catch up separately” with County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s chief of staff.

* Illinois Answers | Champaign County Jail Begins Tracking and Reporting Use of Restraint Chairs to the State for the First Time: An Illinois Answers Project investigation into the use of restraint chairs in county jails raised questions about how Champaign County documents, tracks and reports use of the devices. Now, the facility has updated its record-keeping practices and is submitting required reports to a state oversight unit for the first time. […] When first asked by Illinois Answers in 2023, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Department could not say how often jail staff restrain people in chairs. The jail—which relies heavily on handwritten and paper records—didn’t have any way to easily search for or track restraint chair use. It also hadn’t been reporting restraint chair incidents to the state for years, despite state requirements.

*** Statehouse News ***

* State Sen. Craig Wilcox | Fiscal storm is brewing in Springfield. We must protect funds for local governments: When Pritzker presents his annual Budget Address in February, I will be listening closely for his pledge to leave the LGDF untouched. These revenues are a lifeline for municipalities, particularly as local leaders grapple with their own strained budgets. Rather than taking more and more of these funds that are earmarked for local use, lawmakers must tighten the belt and focus on real, sustainable solutions to the state’s budget crisis.

* Tribune | Illinois Senate chamber back in business under colorful skylight as part of ongoing Capitol renovations: The $350,000 skylight project is a small but striking part of a larger, ongoing $350 million renovation of the Illinois State Capitol and its surrounding property that has been underway since 2021 and is slated to wrap up by the end of this year. The work has focused on the building’s north wing, which includes the third-floor Senate chamber. The chamber was shuttered for about three years because of the makeover, forcing the state’s 59 senators to temporarily convene in the Michael J. Howlett Building south of the statehouse. The newly renovated Senate space made its public debut on Jan. 8 when senators were sworn in by Gov. JB Pritzker during the first day of the General Assembly’s new session.

* WBBM | Faction of the Illinois Republican Party feels the party needs to be bolder: Downstate Representative Blane Wilhour said Republicans need to be bolder and forge new coalitions, especially in the Chicago area. “Identifying those voters that were not really trying very hard to get right now. President Trump upped his numbers in the city of Chicago substantially. That’s a good place to start,” Wilhour said.

*** Madigan Trial ***

* Center Square | Judge Chang considers Madigan jury question with Blakey ‘unavoidably’ absent: Chang said the second question involved “things of value” as described on pages 78 and 96 of Blakey’s instructions to the jury. Chang said jurors wanted to know if a bona fide salary is considered under the law to be “something of value” and if it is considered to be “a valuable thing.” […] The note sent Friday was the first from the jury that involved legal instruction. One prior note involved a question about a transcript and the others involved scheduling or supplies.

* CBS Chicago | Jury in Michael Madigan trial raises question, but still no verdict: CBS News Chicago legal analyst Irv Miller said the question the jury asked about their instructions goes to the heart of the prosecution’s case. “They needed substantial qualifications as to what constitutes having these no-show guys working, and getting paid, and determine whether or not that was done with intent – the magic word intent – to influence a public official to do some type of official action, which could be considered bribery,” Miller said.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | The United Center hasn’t been served by a Pink Line station since it opened. Could redevelopment plans change that?: Building a new station won’t be without challenges. It would likely take years, and wasn’t included among plans to privately finance the first phase of the development, which includes construction of a new music hall, hotel and green space in the area. Ald. Walter Burnett, whose 27th Ward includes the neighborhood, raised the possibility of exploring whether there is tax increment financing available for the station.

* Sun-Times | CTA not liable in death of woman who tried to retrieve cellphone from tracks in 2019, appeals court rules: A Cook County circuit court ruled the CTA was not liable for her death, and the state appellate court upheld that ruling in a decision released Friday. The court also found that the CTA wasn’t liable for the actions of Dowd and AGB, who were not part of the appeal. In the complaint, Cole alleged that Hamilton was negligent while driving the train, and he should have seen Smith on the tracks and stopped the train before striking her. The suit also alleged that CTA was responsible for not properly hiring and training its conductors.

* WBEZ | Immigration advocates rally in Little Village in response to Trump administration sweeps: The Trump administration has carried out a blitz of operations in the Chicago area in the last two weeks in attempts to fulfill the president’s campaign promises to arrest and deport immigrants who are living in the country without legal status. Trump has claimed federal agents are targeting dangerous criminals, but attorneys working with detainees, and a review of known cases, show many of those arrested did not have criminal records. Chicago officials say there have been more than 100 arrests in the city since Trump took office.

* Sun-Times | Soldier from Chicago gets 9 years in prison for trafficking guns that fueled South Side gang war: Brandon Z. Miller, 25, presided over a crew that bought more than 100 guns, some used in a murderous South Side street war, federal prosecutors say. He also was sentenced in military court to 30 months in prison for a sexual assault and was accused of plotting to steal COVID-19 pandemic relief money.

* Crain’s | Judge blocks effort to nix Bally’s IPO offering for women and minorities: The judge’s denial of a request to block the IPO came in the Glennon case. (The Texas investors did not seek such emergency relief.) Valderrama said the key question on whether to grant a temporary restraining order was whether Bally’s was a “state actor,” meaning it was acting with government authority under the arrangement. “The court disagrees with Glennon’s contention that, through the agreement, the City compelled Bally’s to ’discriminate to fulfill the government’s discriminatory policy goals,’” the judge said.

* ABC Chicago | Equality Illinois’ Chicago gala honors activist who led charge to legalize same-sex marriage in 2015: At Saturday’s gala, the group honored the person who led the charge 10 years ago to legalize same-sex marriage in the U.S., Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in a U.S. Supreme Court case. While it’s considered a triumph, LGBTQ+ advocates said their fight is not over. “For us, it’s a reminder that we have a solid foundation of victories upon which to build,” Equality Illinois CEO Brian C. Johnson said. “It is good for queer folks that these rights remain stable.”

* Tribune | Chicago’s Chinatown marks Year of the Snake with Lunar New Year parade: Lunar New Year is considered the most important holiday in Chinese culture, although other countries such as Korea, Vietnam and Malaysia observe the holiday. The Chinese tradition is accompanied by a 12-year cycle with each year represented by an animal. 2025 marks the Year of the Snake, and according to Chinese tradition, those who are born under the snake are supposed to have a resilient and courageous personality. The Chinatown festival dates back to Chicago’s first Chinese immigrants, who settled first in the Loop and then moved farther south to the area around Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue. Parade participants and organizers said the Lunar New Year Parade is important because it teaches people about Chinese traditions.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Shaw Local | Geneva alderpersons question $55K pricetag for lobbyist, bid to drop fails: The Geneva City Council prepared to approve its nearly $143 million budget following a public hearing Monday when Fifth Ward Alderperson Robert Swanson suggested they save $55,000 by stripping out the cost of the Springfield lobbyist. […] Mayor Kevin Burns said the lobbyist has been working with the city “for some time now.” “He has been, I believe, successful with respect to not only securing funds but re-securing funds representing our voice in Springfield on issues ranging from energy, transportation, housing LGDF (Local Government Distributive Fund)– you name it,” Burns said.

* Daily Herald | Democrats far outspent GOP rivals in suburban U.S. House races — none more than Raja Krishnamoorthi: Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg spent nearly $5 million from his main campaign account to win reelection to a fifth term, more than any other House candidate in the region. That sum was nearly 28 times what his Republican opponent, Mark Rice, spent. All but one of the eight Democratic incumbents spent at least $1 million to retain their seats. No Republican challenger came close to that threshold.

* Shaw Local | ‘Delayed far too long’: Volo Bog natural area among state sites targeted for improvements: After decades on the wish list, long-sought improvements at the Volo Bog State Natural Area in Ingleside have been funded and are expected to proceed. Replacing the existing boardwalk and floating trail has been designated by the Illinois Capital Development Board as part of a $60 million effort to address key deferred maintenance projects at five Illinois Department of Natural Resources facilities and parks.

* Daily Herald | DuPage County Board resolution would remove Henry Hyde’s name from courthouse: “While Henry Hyde was a very well respected Republican elected official, the Hyde Amendment is very offensive to women, particularly women in Illinois,” said Conroy, a Democrat from Elmhurst. “I think overwhelmingly women in Illinois believe that all women have the right to health care, regardless of their ability to have private insurance.” Conroy said she told a Daily Herald editorial board in 2022 that she would take this action if elected chair.

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | Closure of Illinois-led soybean lab due to USAID funding cut: According to a social media post from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Professor Peter Goldsmith, The Soybean Innovation Lab is set to close April 15th. According to the lab’s website, its goal is to give researchers, non-governmental organizations and the private sector information and technology needed to advance soybean development in Africa. The lab has more than 100 soybean experts from 24 countries.

* WCBU | Pekin City Council candidates speak out on the new 5% utility tax and other hot issues: The candidates answered questions about the residency requirement for some Pekin city employees; the 5% utility tax enacted by the council last year; the state and city pension crisis; Pekin’s ownership of the school bus department; how to create head-of-household jobs in Pekin; public voting on large city spending; conflict at the council table; and repairing Pekin’s roads. The question that drew the most passionate responses was the utility tax, which was passed in April by the council. “I’ve attended a lot of council meetings. That was the most disrespectful meeting I’ve attended,” Johnson said. “Passing the tax was anti-public. Home rule was abused that night. Why weren’t there spending cuts instead?”

* WAND | Sangamon County Board Democrats asking Massey Commission for independent investigation: In a letter to the Massey Commission, the Sangamon County Board Democrats are asking the group to renew efforts for an independent investigation into the hiring practices and policies of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department. This comes after the Department of Justice announced it closed its investigation in January.

* WCBU | Boyd CEO floats $100 million price tag, 2026 construction kickoff for new Central Illinois casino: Construction on a new $100 million Central Illinois casino project could begin next year. That’s according to Keith Smith, the CEO of Par-A-Dice Hotel and Casino parent company Boyd Gaming. “We anticipate replacing our 30-year-old riverboat casino with Par-A-Dice with a compelling new entertainment destination. While it is still early in the design process, we could begin construction as early as the first half of 2026 pending regulatory approvals,” Smith said in prepared remarks during an earnings call Thursday.

* WCIA | UI researchers develop new imaging tool aiming to lower re-operation rates after cancer surgery: Boppart and his team have worked with Carle Health for the last 20-25 years to develop the imaging system. It isn’t for commercial use yet, but he said they’re looking to expand and are starting to collaborate with the Mayo Clinic. He hopes surgeons can use it on patients within the next five years.

* WCIA | McKenzie leads Illini to sixth-straight win: The Illini won their sixth-straight game in a 74-51 road triumph over Wisconsin. Five players scored in the double-digits, with Adalia McKenzie scoring a team-high 18 points and Kendall Bostic logging her 50th career double-double.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | What Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show Said: The event framed itself in self-conscious terms. “This is the great American game,” Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, announced at the start. He probably wasn’t just referring to football. Lamar himself was about to run a familiar artistic gantlet: the struggle to keep one’s integrity intact while entertaining the masses. The stage was set up in a tic-tac-toe design, and Jackson popped up at various times to score the proceedings. Lamar rapped with intense focus, nailing every bit of elegantly herky-jerky choreography. But his face also conveyed anxiety, even fear. We knew that he knew he was being watched.

* Reuters | Trump pauses de minimis repeal as packages pile up at US customs: U.S. President Donald Trump paused his administration’s repeal of duty-free treatment of low-cost packages from China on Friday, giving the Commerce Department time to make the order workable, after the rapid change created disruptions for customs inspectors, postal and delivery services and online retailers. The eventual cancellation of de minimis means the more than 1 billion small-value e-commerce packages arriving annually in the United States with goods coming directly from China must switch to an entry process that requires additional information and duties, adding time and cost.

* AP | Trump official’s directive tying transportation grants to birth rates could hinder blue states: All administrations set their own rules for choosing which transportation projects to prioritize. But some of Duffy’s directives were received as highly unusual. “Distributing transportation funding based marriage and birth rates is bizarre and a little creepy,” said Kevin DeGood, senior director of infrastructure and housing policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress. “States and regions with aging populations tend, on average, to have lower birth rates … Are they somehow not deserving of transportation investment?”