* Subscribers were told about this earlier. Daily Herald…

For the second time in a month, Barrington Hills Trustee Darby Hills on Friday was named the new state senator for the 26th District.

Republican Party leaders representing various parts of the district chose Hills to succeed Republican Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods, who resigned Feb. 2. […]

Plaintiff Brittany Colatorti also alleged Hills was ineligible to be appointed because she lacked qualifying GOP activity.

Lake County Republican Party Chair Keith Brin, who led the legislative committee that met Friday, subsequently appointed Hills to an open Republican precinct committee post in an effort to boost her GOP bona fides.

* I wrote a piece about this hearing for subscribers yesterday. Capitol News Illinois…

Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace, along with the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees some aspects of the Chicago area’s transit systems, collectively face a $771 million funding shortfall in 2026 as federal pandemic dollars run out. That includes inflation, according to the RTA, which previously said the shortfall would be $730 million. […]

The transit agencies were peppered with questions from lawmakers during a House hearing this week about their shortfalls in planning, organization and execution of services. Lawmakers have said for months the agencies will not receive new state funding without major reforms to their operations happening first.

In a particularly tense exchange, Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, ripped into RTA Chair Kirk Dillard.

“I think that we need to blow up the RTA, totally blow it up, get rid of everyone, because again, systemic incompetence for the last 50 years,” Mayfield said. “I don’t want to keep anyone other than the janitors and the basic clerical staff. Anybody in a leadership position needs to be removed.” […]

Current state law limits the power of the RTA to regional planning, setting standards for the service, developing performance measures, allocating funding, financial oversight, and capital planning. The three agencies that actually provide public transportation are left to determine levels of service, schedules and fares.

“What the RTA’s role is at best is the bully pulpit and trying to coordinate, convene and have conversations if there is no compelling mechanism — financial, statutorily or out of penalties — whereby the RTA can control that outcome,” [RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden] said.

*** Statewide ***

* Shaw Local | Illinois AG warns of ticket scams as festival, outdoor concert season nears: As tickets for spring and summer concert tours, festivals and sporting events begin to go on sale, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul cautioned about ticket scams. Buying tickets from a third-party vendor or private party increases the risk of fraud and Raoul warned residents to avoid paying for tickets with anything other than a credit card.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Discontinued violence-prevention program for struggling teens revived with $25 million: A Chicago non-profit received $25 million in funding Thursday to lead a previously discontinued violence-prevention program after the school board voted unanimously for its restatement. The program, called Back to Our Future, was designed to be a trailblazing initiative to prevent gun violence and reengage youth ages 14 through 21 who were disconnected from Chicago public schools. Armed with an $18 million grant, the joint effort between the city of Chicago, the state, the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab and three local non-profits aimed to reach 1,000 youth in 15 neighborhoods on the South and West sides who had stopped going to school 18 months prior or longer and re-enroll them in school.

* Sun-Times | Feds want hearing after expert finds ex-Ald. Carrie Austin unfit for trial on bribery charges: Indicted former Chicago Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) has been found not medically fit for trial by an expert appointed by the federal judge presiding over Austin’s nearly four-year-old criminal case. Defense attorneys say that should be enough to call off her trial, set for Nov. 3. But prosecutors say they still want an evidentiary hearing to gather “additional facts” from the expert “about her analysis and conclusion” so U.S. District Judge John Kness can make a more informed decision.

* WBEZ | Former Chicago Mayors Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot are helping Brandon Johnson prepare for DC testimony: Lightfoot, who is meeting with Johnson on Saturday, echoed that sentiment in a statement to WBEZ. “When Chicago leaders are given a national platform, it’s important to combat the cynical and false narratives about our city,” she said. “Anything I can do to help push back against the Trump Republicans and right wing media to tell the true story of this great city, I will do. I look forward to talking with Mayor Johnson.”

* Sun-Times | Fenwick High School is keeping secrets about teacher’s alleged sex abuse of female students: The suit accused the school of conducting a “sham” investigation seemingly designed to clear Dineen, and failing to notify authorities about the accusations — even though that was required under state law — or girls’ parents. Fenwick also didn’t document anything in Dineen’s personnel records — essentially white-washing matters so he would be able to get another teaching job, the suit says.

* Crain’s | American Airlines takes some of the hassle out of boarding at O’Hare: The carrier is deploying software at O’Hare International Airport that’s designed to keep passengers from jumping the line during boarding. The software sounds an audible alert to gate agents as passengers scan their boarding passes if they are trying to board before their group is called.

* Tribune | Two reputed Mexican cartel figures brought to Chicago in historic prisoner transfer: Norberto Valencia González, a financial guru affiliated with the once-powerful and notoriously violent Beltrán-Leyva cartel, was extradited to Chicago and made an initial court appearance Thursday on an indictment alleging he conspired to traffic kilogram quantities of cocaine and launder drug proceeds, according to court records. The trafficking activity took place between 2013 and 2017 in Chicago and nearby areas, including Arlington Heights, Morris and Plainfield, the seven-page indictment states.

* Tribune | Can a Chicago White Sox investor actually buy the team — or is it just a pipe dream for angst-ridden fans?: The light at the end of the long, dark tunnel suddenly seemed real. A savior would arise from these streets and start handing out nine-figure contracts like candy, changing the culture of the Sox organization and ending their seasonal pain. This sudden burst of optimism stemmed from a report in The Athletic that an anonymous investor and limited partner of the Sox was attempting to buy shares from other limited partners. That mystery investor, author Jon Greenberg wrote, was none other than Justin Ishbia, who co-owns the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury with his brother, Mat, and recently had pulled out of a plan to buy the Minnesota Twins.

* South Side Weekly | Traveling Exhibit at Chicago Public Libraries Honors History of Black Steelworkers: “When I moved to the Southeast Side, I became interested in the region’s steel history and began doing personal research,” said Bianca Milligan Garcia, Harold Washington’s library associate for exhibits. “I wanted to make an exhibit about my community and our contributions to Chicago’s labor history but couldn’t find a narrow enough topic to make into an exhibit. I saw an opportunity when ASALH announced its 2025 theme.” After pitching the idea to the Exhibits Team and the African American Heritage Committee (of which she is a member), Milligan Garcia began the time-consuming process of finding information about the Black labor experience in Chicago’s steel industry by digging through archives at the Chicago Public Library’s repositories and exploring articles by scholars across various disciplines.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* AP | Jury finds Illinois landlord guilty of murder, hate crime in 2023 attack on Palestinian American boy: Joseph Czuba, 73, was charged in the fatal stabbing of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14, 2023 in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago. Authorities alleged the family — who were renting rooms in Czubas house — was targeted because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas that erupted on Oct. 7, 2023. Jurors deliberated less than 90 minutes over the crime that renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination in the Chicago area’s large and established Palestinian community.

* WGN | FBI drops new subpoena on Dolton: WGN Investigates has obtained a copy of the subpoena which is dated February 25… Election Day. A source says FBI agents hand-delivered the subpoena to Dolton Village Hall late Thursday. The subpoena seeks records related to the development of a restaurant and entertainment venue on land once reportedly owned by Henyard’s boyfriend. “They wanted to take our land,” Tiffany Kamara told WGN Investigates in a story broadcast one day before the subpoena was served.

* ABC Chicago | Northwestern among 10 schools to be visited by federal antisemitism task force: DOJ: The U.S. Department of justice announced the visit in a news release Friday. “The President, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, and the entire Administration are committed to ensuring that no one should feel unsafe or unwelcome on campus because of their religion,” Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Leo Terrell said in a statement. “The Task Force’s mandate is to bring the full force of the federal government to bear in our effort to eradicate Anti-Semitism, particularly in schools. These visits are just one of many steps this Administration is taking to deliver on that commitment.”

* Shaw Local | Abraham Lincoln visits Morris to teach students the value of honesty: 16th US President Abraham Lincoln (R-Illinois) visited Morris on Thursday and Friday, first stopping in for a haircut with Dick Sohan Thursday before stopping in at Morris Elementary for a talk with third grade students. For Lincoln, it was a retreading of old ground: He last visited Morris in 1858, stopping for a haircut at about the same location as the Sanitary Barber Shop at 121 W. Washington St. and sleeping at an inn that was somewhere close to Corleone’s at 110 Liberty St.

*** Downstate ***

* WSIL | Senator Fowler provides updates on Cairo Port District project: “Planning for the Alexander-Cairo Port District has been ongoing for nearly a decade,” Senator Fowler said. “Local, state and federal officials have been working to secure funding and advance the next stages of the project, which are expected to generate economic development, as well as possibly establish the Port District as a National hub for river commerce.”

* WCIA | VA employees ‘scared to death’ over federal cuts, dismissals: The federal government is continuing its effort to cut government spending, with some coming through workers with Veteran Affairs. Since the beginning of the month, there have been almost 3,000 VA employees dismissed across the country, some of whom were let go at the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville. The VA Illiana in Danville confirmed a small number of probationary employees were dismissed this month. It put some employees who are within their first couple of years out of work.

* WCIA | Concerns over homeless prevention programs rise as cuts loom: Heartland Housed helps the homeless in the Springfield area, and they rely on Federal funds for a third of it’s funding, but that money isn’t just dropped in the organizations accounts. Josh Sabo says they have to work to get as much money as they can, and HUD staff is often very helpful with that.

* 25News | Lawyer proposes locally-owned cannabis dispensary in Pekin: A local lawyer specializing in cannabis industry law, Thomas Howard, proposed the business to the Pekin City Council on Monday. He said it would be the first and only locally-owned dispensary in the area. The business would potentially revitalize 359 Court St., the vacant, 12,000-square-foot historic Pekin Performing Arts Center. Howard said through the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, the store would also be a licensed social equity dispensary in what the act defines as a “disproportionately impacted” area.

* WAND | Upgrades to the I-55 bridges over the Sangamon River: The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday that a $29.5 million project to expand the Interstate 55 bridges over the Sangamon River north of Springfield is starting this week. […] “Improving these bridges is a major investment in the Springfield region and a big first step to modernizing a vital corridor for freight and travel for Illinois and the entire country,” said Lora Rensing, IDOT’s chief engineer and director of highways project implementation. “While we are busy working on I-55, we’re asking drivers to be patient, slow down and pay extra attention approaching and driving through the work zone.”

* Herald & Review | Decatur Public Library to celebrate 150 years of service to community: Activities are scheduled throughout the year, including a performance by folk artists Hungrytown on Saturday, March 1, a visit by PBS personality and social media library enthusiast Mychal Threets on March 22, and a 2-mile Color Run on April 12 that will have participants running/walking past previous library locations.

* WSIL | Upcoming event will commemorate 100th anniversary of Tri-State Tornado: The Tri-State Tornado stuck parts of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, and southwest Indiana, on March 18, 1925. In our area, impacted communities include Gorham, Murphysboro, De Soto, Hurst-Bush, Zeigler, West Frankfort, Eighteen, Parrish, Crossville. Murphysboro was one of the hardest hit, with nearly 300 people killed, and thousands of buildings destroyed.

* WICS | Gabby Barrett to headline Du Quoin State Fair: Gabby Barrett will take the stage at the Du Quoin State Fair Grandstand to close out the 2025 Fair on Monday, September 1. Barrett’s debut single “I Hope” ruled the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for a record-breaking 27 weeks, making her the youngest artist with a #1 debut on country radio in over two decades.

*** National ***

* Democracy Docket | Democrats Sue Trump Over Attempt to Control Independent Election Agency: The Democratic Party is suing President Donald Trump over an executive order that could make it easier for him to tilt elections in the GOP’s favor. The lawsuit, filed Friday by Elias Law Group on behalf of the three national Democratic committees, challenges an expansive executive order Trump issued earlier this month that would give him unprecedented power over key regulatory agencies that were designed to operate without direct White House control.

* WaPo | Trump officials start dismantling civil rights offices, as part of DOGE’s secret plan: Leaders at the Labor Department are planning to cut by 90 percent the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which for decades has worked to ensure government contractors took affirmative action to end discrimination at their firms, documents obtained by The Washington Post show. The Federal Trade Commission, meanwhile, has halved its internal equal employment opportunity office to three employees from six, and similar moves have taken place at NASA, where most information about how to file complaints has been removed from its websites.

* CNN | Skype is shutting down after two decades: Skype will “no longer be available” to use starting in May, the company confirmed on X, telling users that their log-in information can be used on Microsoft Teams’ free tier in the “coming days.” Skype’s shutdown comes 14 years after Microsoft bought the service for $8.5 billion in cash, marking the company’s largest ever acquisition at the time. Microsoft integrated the service into its other products, such as Office and its ill-fated mobile operating service Windows Phone.