* Capitol News Illinois…

Gia Biagi made her name building parks. Now, she’s leading the department that oversees more than 145,000 miles of roads, 7,000 miles of railways, 1,000 miles of waterways and 26,000 bridges.

Biagi indicated she wants to increase the speed – and day-to-day impacts – of the thousands of projects [the Illinois Department of Transportation] will approve.

“It’s our job, not only to get that money spent, to get shovels in the ground, get hands on those shovels, get people into jobs, get the work done and get it done as fast as possible,” Biagi said. “One of my goals is to really think as creatively as possible about how we can deliver faster and more. That does mean more disruption, but it’s maybe a good kind of disruption.”

Part of that approach, she said, is to find projects that will improve local communities, both by reducing the “friction” of travel and by creating jobs.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Lobbyist sues environmental advocacy group alleging pregnancy discrimination: “These false allegations, filed by a disgruntled former employee, are without merit,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Our organization, and our leaders, prioritize providing a professional and respectful environment that supports our employees in their advocacy for clean water, air and energy policies across Illinois.” The lawsuit alleges the IEC’s executive director, Jennifer Walling, made comments that showed her “antipathy toward pregnancy” both before and after Koerner announced she was pregnant.

* From the comptroller…

pic.twitter.com/9u8PVFA6e7

— Illinois Comptroller (@ILComptroller) February 14, 2025

*** Statewide ***

* STLPR | Carnegie Foundation gives top research nod to 11 universities in Missouri and Illinois: The R1 status demonstrates that a university is doing research at an impactful level and is good at training students and developing workforces while also developing technologies and generally innovation, Borrok said. Getting that kind of recognition can snowball, leading to more accolades and more money for research, while being helpful for recruiting students, especially international students, said Mushtaq Gunja, executive director of the Carnegie College Classification Systems.

* Sun-Times | Joann closing 26 stores in Illinois amid Chapter 11 bankruptcy: Struggling fabric and crafts seller Joann plans to close about 500 of its stores across the U.S. — or more than half of its current nationwide footprint — as well as 26 stores in Illinois. The move, announced Wednesday, arrives amid a tumultuous time for Joann. Last month, the Hudson, Ohio-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time within a year, with the company pointing to issues like sluggish consumer demand and inventory shortages.

* Press Release | IDNR and ICF award 26 youth habitat enhancement projects through the Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Grant Program: “The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program provides students and educators with opportunities to create native habitat in their schoolyards and increase the use of native plants in Illinois landscapes while benefitting wildlife species,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “By participating in these projects, students learn that their efforts can make a positive difference in the world, and they gain experience in problem-based learning by planning, developing, and maintaining the habitat.” The Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation is the major sponsor of this program. Nearly $394,000 in Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant funding has been distributed since the program’s inception.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | Remnant of 143-year-old Chicago Stock Exchange is bound for Texas: The New York Stock Exchange owns what’s left of the equities marketplace. The NYSE has announced it will move it to Dallas and reincorporate it as the NYSE Texas. The NYSE bought the Chicago exchange in 2018 and rebranded it to NYSE Chicago. For years, it has been a fully electronic trading center, without the need for a raucous floor that used to define such daily dealing.

* Crain’s | Lurie keeps pause on gender-affirming surgeries despite halt on Trump order: A small number of patients are being affected by the surgery pause, Lurie said, and the children’s hospital is still accepting new patients to its broader gender-affirming care program. The pause is catching the ire of at least one local group. Indivisible Chicago Alliance, a progressive advocacy organization, is planning to protest Lurie’s decision tomorrow at Seneca Park outside of Lurie’s Streeterville facility. The group calls Lurie’s surgery hold a “harmful elimination of life-saving, trans-affirming care.”

* WBEZ | Thousands of counterfeit Forever postage stamps are seized in Chicago: Return to sender! (But make sure you do it legally.) This reminder comes after Customs and Border Protection agents in Chicago seized nearly 162,000 counterfeit U.S. Forever stamps this past week, shipped from China. The stamps were spread over eight different shipments, and had they been real, would have been worth over $118,000, according to CBP.

* Block Club | Want To Train Your Dog To Hunt Rats? This Ravenswood Workshop Teaches The Art Of Ratting: Urban Pooch, 5400 N. Damen Ave. — which regularly offers grooming, doggie daycare and pet supplies to neighborhood dog owners — is hosting its inaugural ratting workshop on March 16. The two-hour, $75 class will focus on developing a dog’s scent and communication skills by having the pup hunt for rats. At this writing the 9 a.m. class is sold out, but the noon and 3 p.m. classes still have spots available.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Yikes…

An absolute catastrophe of a water main break has flooded a nearly one-mile stretch of roads in Skokie this morning. See thread below for a comprehensive list of affected streets pic.twitter.com/JTTFkgtEjm

— Derek Peters (@Derek_A_Peters) February 14, 2025

* NBC Chicago | Old Orchard Mall closed due to water main break impacting multiple Chicago suburbs: The mall posted on social media Friday afternoon that “due to a loss of water pressure caused by the water main break earlier this morning, and out of an abundance of caution for our retailers, restaurants, and customers; Westfield Old Orchard will be closed for the remainder of today.”

* Tribune | Water main break causes Skokie and Evanston boil orders, flooding and students to be sent home: “I don’t want to want to even check (for damages),” Elvir Dizdarevic, a Skokie handyman and resident of the 9200 block of Ewing Avenue, said inside his flooded and frozen-over garage. Dizdarevic said at its height, flooding was knee high. He said he was concerned for his neighbors who hadn’t opened their garage doors. Freezing temperatures are expected to continue, forming ice, Dizdarevic said, and could make it difficult for his neighbors to open their garages.

* Tribune | Skokie will likely revamp its ‘Welcoming City’ ordinance: Trustee Khem Khoeun asked Mayor George Van Dusen if the village needed to update its welcoming village ordinance given recent immigration enforcement raids and the anxiety that some people in Skokie’s immigrant community are dealing with. “I know that for a segment of our community, they don’t feel safe right now. They are scared,” Khouen said.

* Daily Herald | Celebrity chef considering long vacant Fritzl’s restaurant in Lake Zurich for next venture: Celebrity chef and restaurateur Fabio Viviani and partner Romeo Kapudija are exploring plans for a new restaurant in the former Fritzl’s European Restaurant & Pub, which closed in 2021 after 36 years. […] Fabio operates 40 restaurant concepts nationally including Giostra by Fabio Viviani, which opened last fall at the Arboretum of South Barrington.

*** Downstate ***

* Sun-Times | Sonya Massey’s father discusses $10 million settlement: ‘She would have been 37 years old today’: “He should have never been hired,” Wilburn said, referring to Sangamon County, the Sheriff’s Office and the five other police departments in central Illinois where Grayson had worked. None flagged his misconduct. […] It’s the largest legal settlement in the Sangamon County history, representing roughly 17% of the county’s yearly operating budget of $60 million.

* WSIL | Carbondale based business awarded more than $70,000 in Innovation Voucher Grants: It’s part of a $2.3 million innovation voucher grants awarded which were announced by Governor JB Pritzker on Friday. This grant funding will support research and development projects with universities. A total of 35 awards were announced through the program. One of those was for Thermaquatica in Carbondale through SIU. They were awarded $74,975.