Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2025

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

National Weather Service weather balloon releases — tracking temperature, pressure and wind speed — have been temporarily suspended in Omaha, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota, because of staff shortages and reduced at six other sites in the Midwest and Great Plains, according to agency memos.

That loss has created “a gaping hole” in our balloon data in Illinois, according to Victor Gensini, an associate professor in the department of Earth, atmosphere and environment at Northern Illinois University.

Gensini was among the climate and weather scientists who told the Tribune they’re concerned about the effects on Illinois of recent National Weather Service staff cuts.

“Is public safety at risk? Yes, it is,” said former National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini, referring to the staff cuts. “(Can) I tell you exactly when the system is going to break? No, but the risks are definitely increasing.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Journal Courier | Illinois task force uncovers nearly 400 Underground Railroad sites: Gerald McWorter, vice president of the New Philadelphia Association board, said the task force looked at several areas. “The first aspect is the actual telling of the history — the experience of people escaping from slavery — the freedom seekers,” McWorter said. Now, the task force is pushing legislation that would establish a commission to help provide resources, funding and support for all sites and academics connected to the Underground Railroad in the state.

* Tribune | Thomas Hardy, Tribune political columnist who went to work for Gov. Edgar, U. of I., dies at 72: Thomas Hardy was a writer and editor for the Tribune, including 10 years as the paper’s top political reporter and a Sunday columnist, before leaving journalism to work as a press secretary for then-Gov. Jim Edgar and then spending 18 years overseeing public affairs for the University of Illinois System. “He was the epitome of what you would hope a political writer would be,” said Edgar, who hired Hardy from the Tribune in 1997. “He wasn’t cynical but he was not fooled by anyone.”

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | ‘We’re not seen’: Illinois’ incarcerated Muslim community observes Ramadan: Richblood, 33, has been incarcerated since he was 16 and in different facilities throughout the state, starting in juvenile detention. He has been at Danville Correctional for about nine years. He became Muslim at 19 while in the prison system, he said. Richblood said he appreciated his first Ramadan because he “likes challenges” but said the facility he was in at the time wasn’t particularly accommodating. “My perception was that being afforded accommodations to fast while incarcerated would be met with a little resistance,” Richblood said. “Then I came here, and the chaplain has got our back. It’s been a different experience than what I had all those years ago,” he said of his experience at Danville.

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | In face of allegation, Capital Township trustee candidate says he’s done ‘nothing wrong’: Leadership of the Sangamon County Democratic Party is standing behind a Capital Township trustee candidate who has been the subject of recent sexual misconduct allegation by a Springfield woman on social media. At least one group within the party, the Sangamon County Young Democrats, withdrew support for Evan Brown, who is seeking his first public office position in the April 1 consolidated election.

* Advantage News | Macoupin County Board Chair target of protest: The chairman of the Macoupin County Board has apparently stirred up some controversy as a result of social media postings. Larry Schmidt is identified in a post from a St. Louis television station reporting on a bar dropping Anheuser-Busch products after the company dropped its sponsorship of the St. Louis Pride Parade. In a comment on that post, Schmidt equated homosexuality to a disability, a statement that he later retracted. Chelsa Pruden is partnering with the Macoupin County Action Alliance and is helping organize a demonstration at the next county board meeting on April 8. She tells The Big Z the comments were hurtful.

* PJ Star | Dunlap school board candidate addresses issue from his past: The professional history of Dunlap school board candidate Mick Hall includes a three-year suspension of his license to practice law in 2012. […] According to the Illinois State Bar Association, Hall was suspended because of: Misappropriation of over $35,000 in funds he had agreed to hold for a relative in a trust. Conversion of $2,500 from The Hall Law Group in 2001. He was a senior partner at the Hall group. Conversion of $57,500 from client trust accounts between 2005 and 2006.

* WAND | New technology at Carle Foundation Hospital saves over $40,000 in food waste: Carle Foundation Hospital is fighting back on food waste, and has implemented a new technology that should help keep those food waste numbers to a minimum. It’s called Leanpath. At first glance, it’s just a scale and tablet. But in actuality, the scale is programmed to see what the food is, and determine the dollar amount of food that’s being wasted.

* PJ Star | Five vying for three spots on Dunlap School Board. Meet the candidates: Ahead of the April 1 consolidated election, perhaps the biggest subplot has been a campaign by a group of parents to remove Abby Humbles as school board president. […] Humbles believes the campaign to remove her as school board president is something that comes with serving in the public sector. “Sometimes, we have to endure some negative comment,” she said. “We’d like to please everyone, but to me, the results of the Dunlap School District are astoundingly positive. That doesn’t mean that we don’t take into consideration comments from parents. We always feel we could do better.”

* WAND | Former WAND Anchor to star in documentary “The Farmer’s Daughter”: Tara Barrett, a former morning news anchor at WAND News, left her TV career in 2011 to take over the family farm. A documentary titled “The Farmer’s Daughter,” airing this weekend on WAND, explores her transition. Tara discusses the challenges she faced, particularly the business aspects of farming, which were new to her despite her prior experience with farm operations.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune Opinion | Police district councilors: Enforcement of parking violations shouldn’t fall on CPD: We often think of 911 as a number to call for violent crimes or emergencies that need an immediate response. But the Chicago Police Department receives about 100,000 911 calls each year for something far less urgent: parking violations. As some of Chicago’s first elected police district councilors, it’s our job to understand our neighbors’ policing and public safety priorities. Our constituents want CPD addressing serious crime and spending more time in the community — not tied up with minor enforcement issues.

* Block Club | NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Will Close Downtown Streets Starting In June: The race is set for July 5-6, though the city will need 25 days for setting up and then tearing down the course, according to a Monday news release. Traffic and street closures related to the building will total 18 days, with pre-race closures and parking restrictions starting in late June.

* Chicago Eater | Feast Upon a Unique Cambodian Tasting Menu: One of America’s only Cambodian tasting menus is served in Chicago thanks to Khmai Fine Dining in Rogers Park. Chef and owner Mona Sang launched the endeavor in January with the intent of rotating menus monthly to focus on a particular Cambodian province. Diners can experience a unique seven-course meal with non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverage pairings. March’s menu focuses on Kampot, a province known for its peppercorns, durian, and crab dishes. For many diners, Khmai’s gateway to Cambodian food is the egg roll, something they’re eaten at Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. Egg rolls aren’t on Khmai’s tasting menu. Sang is determined to set Cambodian food apart from other Asian cuisines.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Waukegan area residents sharing $48.1 million settlement for EtO emissions from an industrial plant: A group of Waukegan area people impacted by the emission of ethylene oxide (EtO), a known carcinogen, from an industrial plant in Waukegan will be sharing in a $48.15 million settlement with Isomedix Operations, Inc., a one-time owner of the Waukegan facility. Isomedix, a subsidiary of STERIS, plc, a Dublin, Ireland-based company, settled its portion of a multiparty lawsuit with numerous plaintiffs (the ETO plaintiffs) for $48.15 million, according to a March 3 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

* Daily Herald | Seven Northwest suburbs to receive backup water supply during upcoming leak repair: Seven Northwest suburbs will rely on backup water supplies for about five days but should experience no disruption of service as repairs are made to a leak in water main. Residents of Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, and Streamwood will switch over to the backup supplies beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday. A repair to a leak in a 90-inch water main delivering water to the seven Northwest suburbs is needed, officials at the Northwest Suburban Municipal Joint Action Water Agency said.

*** National ***

* Forbes | RFK Jr. Expected To Lay Off Entire Office Of Infectious Disease And HIV/AIDS Policy: It’s apparently part of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s whole HHS downsizing and restructuring plan, which has been posted as a fact sheet. That fact sheet indicates that the number of HHS employees will be slashed from around 82,000 to 62,000. This will include cutting around 3,500 jobs at the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 1,200 at the National Institutes of Health.

8 Comments

Madigan sets stage for appeal

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

Lawyers for convicted former House Speaker Michael Madigan are arguing for a new trial in his corruption case, saying prosecutors failed to prove the then-powerful Democrat knew about a scheme by ComEd to pay off his associates and alleging a series of mistakes by the trial judge.

The 73-page motion filed Friday alleged those errors tainted the jury with highly prejudicial evidence, and asked U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to reverse the jury’s verdict on certain guilty counts and grant a new trial on others.

Such post-trial motions are routine and rarely granted, however the filing provides a blueprint for a likely appeal to the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals down the line.

The motion covers a litany of issues that arose during Madigan’s marathon, four-month trial, which ended in February with a split-verdict that saw the former speaker convicted of a wide-ranging bribery conspiracy but acquitted on other counts. The jury also deadlocked on some key charges, including the overarching racketeering conspiracy count.

* The Dennis Gannon part (consultants were making out “like bandits”) was interesting…

2. The Court Erred Admitting Government Exhibit 156.

Allowing the government to cross examine Madigan with, and introduce into evidence, Government Exhibit 156 was error. The court should have stood by its pretrial ruling that the discussion of a separate hire (Gannon) had nothing to do with Madigan and its introduction created unfair prejudice due to confusion. Further, the timing of the reversal prejudiced the defendant and, in particular, his right to testify in his own defense. Madigan chose to exercise his Fifth Amendment right and testify after the court excluded admission of that recording. After his direct examination, the court reversed course and allowed its admission. This denied the defendant the opportunity to front the evidence, an opportunity that the government enjoyed with its witnesses. Instead, the government was allowed to question Madigan and, even though all of the evidence was clear that Madigan had nothing to do with Gannon, the prosecutor nonetheless suggested otherwise during both the examination and during closing arguments. There can be no doubt that admission of this recording was prejudicial – one juror commented post-trial that it was the “most significant” piece of evidence and believed it related to the sub-contractors actually recommended by Madigan, the very confusion that correctly prompted the court to exclude the recording before trial.

Exhibit 156 was a recording between Madigan and McClain. During the call, McClain described that labor consultant Dennis Gannon was asked to drive around a contract to get it signed. When Madigan asked how Gannon got involved (because he did not even know Gannon was employed by ComEd), McClain explained that “we [ComEd]” gave him a contract for $150,000. In response, Madigan stated that some consultants, like Gannon, were making out like “bandits.” As noted, Madigan had no involvement in the hiring of Gannon, and three different witnesses confirmed this fact. Tom O’Neill knew Gannon and recommended that he be hired. Fidel Marquez was supposed to supervise Gannon. And, the government interviewed Gannon himself. All three confirmed that his hiring by ComEd had nothing to do with Madigan. Knowing this, the government kept scrambling, offering conflicting explanations as to why the recording should be allowed. (Tr. p. 8889-91 (Gannon was a Madigan hire); (Tr. p. 8895-96 (Madigan and McClain mistakenly thought they helped Gannon); Tr. p. 8889-90 (“these guys” referred to Madigan recommendations).

And when the government tried to avoid acknowledging that it had no evidence to suggest that Madigan was involved, the court pressed prosecutors as “officer[s] of the court” to answer the question. In the end, the discussion about Gannon had nothing to do with Madigan. There was no reason to admit the recording. It did not relate to the charges, and it presented a danger of confusion. The admission of the exhibit allowed the prosecution to improperly impeach Madigan’s testimony, call him a liar, and describe his testimony as a façade, all while knowing that its own investigation demonstrated that Madigan had nothing to do with Gannon’s hiring. Its admission was error.

Lots more in there.

7 Comments

Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

A last-minute provision called the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA) was snuck into the budget process last May and will create chaos for small businesses and consumers across Illinois if it takes effect on July 1, 2025.

The IFPA gives corporate mega-stores like Walmart and Home Depot — who pushed for this backroom deal — millions more in profits, while small business owners get new expenses and accounting headaches. What’s more, consumers could be forced to pay for parts of their transactions in cash if this law moves forward.

A recent court ruling in the litigation challenging the law suggests IFPA is likely pre-empted by federal law for national banks and will only apply to credit unions and local Illinois banks, putting local banks at a disadvantage against their national competitors.

Illinois lawmakers should repeal the IFPA and focus on protecting small businesses and consumers across the state — not lining the pockets of corporate mega-stores.

Stop the countdown to chaos by supporting a repeal of this misguided and flawed policy. Learn more at https://guardyourcard.com/illinois/

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Question of the day

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois earlier this month…

Though municipal and school board races in Illinois are nonpartisan, voters may see many of the same political themes that were hallmarks of races during the 2024 presidential election cycle. The Democratic Party of Illinois is applying many of the same tactics it uses in partisan elections to this year’s local races.

“We as the Democratic Party of Illinois should be defending Democratic values in every single election in nonpartisan and partisan elections alike, because all of these local offices have jurisdiction over super critical controls and we think our party has the best platform for governance,” Democratic Party of Illinois Executive Director Ben Hardin said.

The 2025 local elections are the second time that Illinois Democrats are getting involved in nonpartisan races. After recruiting more than 1,000 prospective candidates last year, the state party is supporting 270 candidates for a variety of local offices in all areas of the state.

The party trained the candidates and attached them to “coaches” experienced in running Democratic campaigns. Candidates will also be supported by a six-figure advertising campaign by DPI in the coming weeks.

* WGLT today…

Normal mayoral candidate Kathleen Lorenz faced criticism Sunday from one of her two opponents after accepting a $28,000 campaign contribution from the McLean County Republicans that she said was really a pass-through contribution from a specific donor.

Lorenz told WGLT late Saturday that she coordinated with the donor to route the money through the McLean County Republicans, which was at the donor’s request. Lorenz said the “ridiculous amount of money” was critical to paying for three weeks of advertising during the homestretch of the campaign. She said that advertising gave her a better chance to win against a favored incumbent.

Lorenz would not identify the donor, but she confirmed that the $28,000 she received from the McLean County Republicans last week came from him. The election is Tuesday.

Typically, an individual is capped at $7,300 in contributions to a candidate campaign committee like Lorenz’s, based on state contribution limits. However, individuals can give larger sums to political party committees like the McLean County Republicans, and there is no limit to how much political party committees can give to candidate campaign committees.

* More from WGLT…

[I]n a Facebook post Saturday, [incumbent Chris Koos’] campaign said, “the McLean County GOP is trying to buy this race.”

“So it’s worth saying again: Mayor is a nonpartisan position. And our community deserves a leader like Mayor Koos who puts people over politics,” Koos’ campaign wrote. […]

Koos, meanwhile, picked up endorsements from U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, and former Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger in the last few days.

Bloomington and Normal mayoral and council elections are technically nonpartisan, although both McLean County Republicans and Democrats have endorsed candidates anyway. Again, Lorenz disputed that what the local GOP has done constitutes an endorsement.

* Daily Herald…

The McHenry County Democratic Party is promoting candidates in more than 90 local races this cycle. Democratic township organizations in the Wheeling, Elk Grove and Mundelein areas are among those pushing their preferred candidates, too.

In Naperville, Democratic U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Bill Foster are actively campaigning for city council candidates Benny White, Mary Gibson, Ian Holzhauer and Ashfaq Syed and park district hopefuls Rhonda Ansier, Leslie Ruffing, Alison Thompson and Aishwarya Balakrihna. […]

DuPage County Republican Party Chair Kevin Coyne responded on social media by endorsing Naperville City Council candidates Derek McDaniel, Jennifer Taylor and Meghna Bansal.

Coyne’s activity this cycle doesn’t end there. Although not strictly a partisan organization, the Safe Suburbs USA political action committee he founded and leads has endorsed dozens of suburban candidates.

* The Question: Should local elections remain “non-partisan”? Make sure to explain you answer.

33 Comments

Unclear on the concept

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Um, Tom, if you’re gonna lead the anti-RINO opposition (he even has a theme song), at least take the time to learn that the Chicago Teachers Union is a local within the Illinois Federation of Teachers, not the Illinois Education Association…

Unreal.

23 Comments

It’s just a bill

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Chalkbeat Chicago…

While helping families get services for their child with disabilities, Alexandra Kuske says she has seen school districts slip in language requiring parents to waive their children’s rights to bring claims under state and federal laws.

Recently, one district proposed that a parent waive all claims related to her 12-year-old’s education for the next 10 years in return for a six-month placement at a therapeutic day school, said Kuske, a state attorney at Equip for Equality, a federally mandated protection and advocacy organization for Illinois.

Now, special education advocates from organizations including Equip for Equality, Access Living, and Legal Council for Health Justice are pushing state lawmakers to pass House Bill 2337, which would require school districts to limit waivers to students involved in the mediation process. Under the bill, waivers would have to be “limited in scope and duration and narrowly tailored” to the student’s case. […]

A spokesperson for the Illinois State Board of Education said the state offers mediation to parents and school districts that voluntarily agree to participate. The state board has received 413 mediation requests for the 2025 fiscal year, but not all requests result in a mediation hearing, the spokesperson said. Among the mediations that occur, 71% reach an agreement. However, the state board does not track waivers placed in agreements.

* Tribune…

Because she thinks it could help students like her to complete their education without being so stretched financially and otherwise, [Monica Mendoza] is advocating for a proposal from Gov. JB Pritzker that would allow some community colleges to offer four-year degrees. It would allow students like her to earn a bachelor’s degree from their community college, rather than having to transfer. […]

But the pitch is facing stiff headwinds in Springfield, where earlier this month it failed to be called for a committee vote ahead of a procedural deadline amid opposition from existing four-year institutions, some of which are facing enrollment and financial issues. […]

Four-year universities argue the bill could diminish progress the state has made on educational access and achievement, according to a statement to reporters from a coalition of Illinois universities including leadership from Chicago State University, Illinois State University and several “directional” Illinois schools such as Northern Illinois University. […]

The governor’s proposal includes some guardrails against siphoning off students from their local universities, according to its proponents. It says community college boards must be able to demonstrate the programs wouldn’t “unnecessarily duplicate” already-available four-year offerings in the same district, though few specifics are outlined in the bill’s text. […]

Negotiations on the bill continue. State Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl, the bill’s House sponsor, said that the discussions include “setting up a framework for how these programs are going to run throughout the state,” including keeping the door open for regional differences in how issues like commute times are calculated, for example.

* Something to keep in mind…

7 weeks after bill intro deadline; 1 week after committee passage deadline; 5 session days until 3rd Reading deadline. Nice media pop, tho https://t.co/YvjdTMCDu8

— Capitol Fax (@capitolfax) March 30, 2025

* Sen. Rachel Ventura…

On Thursday, the Senate Executive Subcommittee on Procurement held a subject matter hearing on a bill led by State Senator Rachel Ventura that would make Illinois the first state to ensure state purchases do not contribute to deforestation, forest degradation or human rights violations. […]

Senate Bill 2157 would position Illinois as a national leader in responsible sourcing, aligning with global efforts to protect forests, climate and biodiversity. The proposed bill would ensure state-funded purchases of key commodities — such as rubber, paper and specific wood products — come exclusively from sustainable sources, curbing the state’s contribution to global deforestation.

The Deforestation-Free Illinois Act would ban state purchases of tropical hardwood or related products, positioning Illinois as a global climate leader with stronger procurement standards. Ventura’s bill would help safeguard biodiversity by preserving ecosystems and protecting at-risk species. […]

The bill supports Illinois and U.S. businesses by prioritizing low-deforestation products — recognizing that U.S. soy and cattle have significantly lower deforestation risks than imports. It also includes a preference for Illinois-sourced products, keeping taxpayer dollars in state. […]

Additionally, the bill upholds Indigenous rights by requiring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent for developments affecting their land and resources. […]

Senate Bill 2157 has been assigned to the Senate Executive committee.

* WCIA…

Surgeons and surgery room staff came to the Capitol Thursday to push for a bill that could change requirements for surgical technologists. […]

Surgeons and certified surgical technologists filed a bill with Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) called the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. This bill will require all new surgical technologists to complete an accredited education program and obtain a national certification after completing their certification first. […]

Several hospitals and associations oppose the bill. The Illinois Health and Hospital Association Senior Vice-President of Government Relations, Dave Gross, said by making certification and education a requirement, this will cause delays in care because it could limit the number of qualified surgical technologists available. […]

The bill to make certification a requirement has gained momentum in the House on both sides of the aisle. If signed into law, the bill would take effect in 2027.

* Chicago faith leaders in the Tribune…

Second Chance Month is a national opportunity, but it matters right here at home. In Illinois, an estimated 2.2 million people carry the burden of a past arrest or conviction record. It takes hard work to turn one’s life around — especially when finding meaningful employment is harder than falling back into crime. Yet, so many persevere. […]

In the coming days, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth will introduce Clean Slate legislation in Springfield. This year, Illinois can pass this needed legislation that carefully balances fairness and public safety. The bill includes safeguards to ensure eligibility requirements are met; automated systems are also more efficient and equitable, reducing human error and bias in the expungement process.

Now is the time for action. To begin with, we urge lawmakers to prioritize Clean Slate legislation. To follow, we urge everyone to advocate for this important bill with your state representative. Then our elected officials will need to listen to their constituents, many of whom live with these barriers every day. We need to hear their stories, recognize their resilience and change the law. Passing this legislation is not just the right thing to do — it’s what justice demands.

Illinois cannot afford to wait. Let us seize this moment to transform lives, strengthen communities and pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future. The time for Clean Slate is now.

* WTVO…

Illinois lawmakers have proposed a bill that would change the tax code to reflect other prescription drug taxes.

The bill would amend the Retailers’ Occupation Tax Act to recognize cannabis as prescription and nonprescription medicine and drugs as long as a buyer purchases it from a dispensary and has a medical cannabis card.

The proposal would also amend the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act to stop certain cannabis infused products being used for medicinal purposes from being taxed twice. […]

The bill was proposed by Illinois Rep. Sonya Harper (D) on January 10th. The potential law was referred to the House Rules Committee on January 28th.

* Daily Herald…

If not tempted outdoors yet, you can remain “wheely active” by boning up on recently introduced state biking bills, contacting elected officials, and offering input on transportation plans/studies — all of which may impact your future riding experience.

The Ride Illinois Bicycle Bill Tracker lists over a dozen biking-related bills ranging from simply including trikes in the definition of bicycles to the broader status of cyclists on Illinois roadways. […]

State Sen. Mike Simmons (D-7th) of Chicago introduced SB2285 which amends the Illinois Vehicle code redefining “bicycle” as including two or more wheels. A companion bill HB3225 with the same wording by State Rep. Lilian Jiménez (D-4th Chicago), was cosponsored in the House by Batavia State Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-49th).

Naperville State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (D-41st) introduced HB1875 which provides specific instances in which bicyclists approaching a stop sign may proceed without coming to a complete stop if no cross-traffic exists. Neighboring State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray (D-81st) also of Naperville is co-sponsor.

Hirschauer has also taken on the broader issue of a bicyclist’s roadway status with a bill that affects the immunity liability of governmental units. She is sponsoring HB2454, a bill in response to two bicycle crashes due to poorly maintained infrastructure — a 1992 incident in Wayne Township near Bartlett in her district and on Chicago’s northwest side in 2019.

The biking-related House bills above missed the deadline to get out of committee, however, SB2285 received an April 4 extension.

* The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board…

Despite support from both sides of the aisle, licensing reform legislation went nowhere. Licensing reform always faces stiff opposition from special interest groups that benefit from keeping out competition. But if we want to get people back to work, it’s a necessary part of the solution.

To understand how burdensome rules keep people on the sidelines, consider what aspiring barbers have to navigate before they can become licensed: 1,500 hours in an approved barbering school, which can cost as much as college tuition. By comparison, New York requires just 500 hours — a third as much — yet suffers no apparent decline in public safety or service quality.

A Democrat-sponsored bill could have made it easier for Illinoisans to become licensed stylists. State Rep. Michael Crawford, D-Chicago, is behind legislation that would enable aspiring barbers to become licensed through apprenticeships, offering an alternative to traditional schooling by recognizing hands-on training under licensed professionals.

Meanwhile, a downstate Republican wanted to make it easier for newcomers to our state to find work. State Rep. Paul Jacobs, R-Marion, is the lead sponsor of the Recognition of Licenses Act, which would establish provisions for the recognition of out-of-state professional licenses in Illinois. Illinois does recognize some out-of-state professional licenses, such as teaching licenses, but not all. And it’s not part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, which establishes mutual recognition of nursing licenses among the 41 member states. Another bill, sponsored by state Rep. Yolonda Morris, D-Chicago, would’ve added Illinois to the NLC — a long-overdue and crucial step in addressing the nursing shortage that’s plagued hospitals since COVID-19 hit. […]

We wish Springfield would’ve acted on this initiative and hope these bills are revived soon.

21 Comments

RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments.

Retailers like Meli enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

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If a transit solution was easy, it would be done by now

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

The Civic Federation, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability recently released a report calling for the expansion of the sales tax to several services, claiming such a move could raise $2 billion for the state.

The state imposes an additional sales tax in the Regional Transit Authority’s jurisdiction. Last week’s study found that expanding those specific RTA sales taxes to services could generate an additional $315 million per year.

There’s been a little talk behind the scenes of slightly lowering the 6.25 percent state sales tax if services were also taxed, except possibly in the RTA zone, when a quarter of a percent might also go to transit.

Whatever happens, something important is being overlooked in the coverage so far.

As far back as September, Gov. JB Pritzker has said that local governments within the RTA’s coverage area would also have to step up on funding. “Of course, Springfield is going to be a very important part of that. We’re not the only funder or the only available partner in that, but certainly we’re trying to put together a plan that will make sense for the future,” Pritzker said on Sept. 4.

On February 4, Pritzker said, “When we look at the question of mass transit, we’ve got to consider everything that contributes to that, state government, county government, city government, as well as the fare box and all those things together are going to help solve the problem.”

Two weeks later, Pritzker again mentioned transit fares: “There will be adjustments to the fare box, probably,” Pritzker said. And on total costs, he said, “who’s covering how much of that is a negotiation that will take place.”

The CTA, for example, hasn’t increased fares since 2018, and that was the first increase in nine years. Adjusting for inflation, fares should be about $3 for an L train ride, instead of the $2.50 they are today.

On March 21st, Pritzker urged negotiators to “come to a conclusion” on transit reforms “soon,” and then, he said, “everybody’s got to step up on the funding.”

Pretty much everyone at the Statehouse has said that funding won’t happen without reform. But the transit leaders are still demanding lots more money without interference with their governance.

“It’s something that I think we all understand is necessary soon,” the governor repeated, emphasizing the word “soon.”

But the difficulty in finding a solution to the many problems at the transit agencies was highlighted in a committee hearing last week.

My associate Isabel Miller told subscribers last week that Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) produced documentation showing that Chicago-area mass transit system overtime payments totaled almost $800 million in a four-year period.

“From 2020 to 2024, Metra, CTA and PACE paid over $778 million in overtime to employees,” Transportation: Regulation, Roads and Bridges Committee Chair Moylan told committee members, according to a story written by Isabel.

But House Assistant Majority Leader Marcus Evans, the sponsor of the labor-backed transit reform bill, pushed back against his fellow Democrat. “We need to move on from the overtime,” according to Isabel’s reporting.

“That’s just a reflection of mismanagement. So quoting large overtime numbers, I think, is disingenuous,” Leader Evans (D-Chicago) said.

Rep. Moylan (D-Des Plaines) agreed that managers and supervisors must be held to account for the massive overtime expenditures, Isabel reported.

“We have to hire more people—whatever we have to do to alleviate this,” Moylan said. “It’s a big concern, and it’s going to be a big problem, a logistics nightmare for myself and others.”

After the hearing, Isabel reported, Rep. Moylan distributed a document to committee members outlining the highest overtime earners.

According to the document, a CTA Ironworker General Foreperson who earned $320,000 in 2024 worked 1,666.5 overtime hours. Without overtime, his base salary would’ve been $113,000. A Metra Mechanical Relief Foreman logged 2,005 overtime hours, earning $138,600 in overtime pay. A PACE Master Mechanic worked more than 620 overtime hours, adding $73,467 to his 2024 salary.

After the committee hearing, Isabel asked Leader Evans to elaborate. “We need more truth in the story of overtime,” he told her.

“Most workers in transit don’t accrue overtime. People call off a lot in transit in [inclement] weather, so some workers have to stay,” Evans said. “It’s not these evil workers that are greedy.”

Rep. Moylan told Isabel he’s not going to call a mass transit bill until there is some solution for overtime costs.

“Soon” is a relevant term.

Discuss.

27 Comments

Open thread

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

5 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Chicago’s Jenner & Block wins Round One. CNN…

Two federal judges in separate rulings late Friday froze parts of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting the law firms Jenner & Block and WilmerHale, both firms linked to the Robert Mueller investigation Trump has sought to punish. […]

The temporary restraining order in the Jenner & Block case, announced by Judge John Bates at the end of a hastily scheduled Friday hearing, pauses parts of the order instructing agencies to terminate contracts with the firm and its clients, as well as the order’s directives seeking to limit the firm’s access to federal officials and buildings.

Bates said those directives, as well as another he paused aiming to crack down on former Jenner employees being hired for government jobs, were likely unconstitutional because they retaliated against protected speech and were a form of view point discrimination. Language in Trump order’s expressing his desire to sanction the firm for pro bono work for causes the president disagrees with was “disturbing” and “troubling,” Bates said.

* Related stories…

∙ Reuters: Judges block Trump orders targeting two law firms as Skadden cuts deal
∙ NYT: As Firms Sue to Stop Trump’s Executive Orders, a Split Emerges in Big Law
∙ ABC: Judges temporarily block Trump orders targeting Jenner and Block, WilmerHale law firms

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | With Chicago’s mass transit system on the fiscal precipice, what solutions are on the table?: Lawmakers remain laser-focused on reforming the agencies as they discuss two bills to either merge the agencies or empower the RTA. But legislators have all but refused to talk about immediate funding solutions. “There will be no funding without reform,” state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, has repeatedly said when asked about potential funding solutions. He reiterated the point in a call with the Sun-Times this week.

* Sun-Times | Illinois elections board says Trump executive order won’t impact April 1 elections: Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Matt Dietrich said the agency was aware of the order but that it would have no bearing on the April 1 elections. He said the agency was waiting on changes to state or federal law — which executive orders cannot make — to update guidance for local election officials.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Center Square | Illinois GOP chair calls Governor’s trade mission ‘irresponsible’: Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jaime di Paulo is part of the delegation. He said his goal is to bring business to Illinois. “Being the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, I think we have a lot to offer so they can come and do business in Illinois,” di Paulo told The Center Square. According to di Paulo, the big delegation is split into sectors. “We’re meeting with agriculture folks, with automotive people, technology folks, and then we have a bunch of workshops,” di Paulo. “Hopefully each one of us can get our job done and bring some wealth to Illinois.”

* LGBTQ Nation | Governor stands with trans kids & won’t take ‘soul-sucking path’ of sacrificing their rights: At a recent Human Rights Campaign dinner in Los Angeles, Pritzker reaffirmed his commitment to supporting queer folks and resisting Trump. “The Trump administration and his Republican lackeys in Congress are looking to reverse every single victory this community has won over the last 50 years,” Pritzker said. “And right now it’s drag queens reading books and transgender people serving in the military. Tomorrow, it’s your marriage license and your job they want to take.”

*** Statewide ***

* Greg Hinz: Yes, Illinois’ economy is lagging. So what do we do about it?: After talking to other economists and civic leaders, business chiefs and government officials, there is some reason to think the picture, while not good, isn’t quite as bad as Moody’s depicted. But it’s still not rosy. There’s much to debate on this critical issue of public policy as Gov. JB Pritzker prepares to announce whether he’ll seek a third term as Illinois’ chief executive. […] Much of the problem appears to stem from metro Chicago, home to loads of well-paying financial and high-end service jobs that have not yet recovered from COVID, Moody’s indicates. That’s consistent with other research from the Brookings Institution. Chicago ranks 48th of the nation’s 54th largest metros on economic performance measured between 2013 and 2023, with the lag concentrated in the post-COVID period.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Denise Crosby | Aurora mayoral election goes negative unlike any other, say those on both sides: From police calls involving harassment complaints or yard signs to attack ads filling up residents’ mailboxes and social media feeds, the election between incumbent Mayor Richard Irvin and Ald. John Laesch has gotten so nasty that multiple city leaders expressed fear it was dividing the city in ways that could be felt for years to come. Count Linda Cole among those who were “very concerned” about what this election says about the future of Aurora. “It makes me sad that both sides are displaying such poor behavior,” said the former longtime Fox Valley Park District board member whose name is on the FVPD Cole Center.

* Daily Herald | ‘Unnecessary angst’: Partisan politics creeping into local races: The McHenry County Democratic Party is promoting candidates in more than 90 local races this cycle. Democratic township organizations in the Wheeling, Elk Grove and Mundelein areas are among those pushing their preferred candidates, too. In Naperville, Democratic U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood and Bill Foster are actively campaigning for city council candidates Benny White, Mary Gibson, Ian Holzhauer and Ashfaq Syed and park district hopefuls Rhonda Ansier, Leslie Ruffing, Alison Thompson and Aishwarya Balakrihna.

* Daily Southtown | Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau and former Trustee Jim Dodge discuss public works, taxes and morale: Keith Pekau, seeking a third term as Orland Park’s mayor, touts accomplishments under his watch including improving village streets and parks. He is challenged in the April 1 election by Jim Dodge, a former longtime village trustee who has assembled a slate of candidates for trustee seats and village clerk. Dodge said voters are concerned about issues in the Police Department, which he says suffers from low morale. He said the overall tax burden on residents also needs to be addressed.

* Daily Herald | The hottest mayor’s races to watch in DuPage, Kane counties: West Chicago Mayor Ruben Pineda faces his toughest reelection bid in years with two challengers trying to deny him a fourth term. The future of the city’s downtown has been one hot topic in the race, with Pineda and his opponents, Daniel Bovey and Joseph Sheehan, offering sharply different visions. “There is an alternative to what we’ve been doing for the last 25 years, and that’s to build small, to invest in small developers, to invest in small businesses,” Bovey said at a League of Women Voters forum. “Let’s play to our strength.”

* Daily Herald | Mayoral offices at stake in North, Northwest suburbs: Three-term Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes’ decision not to seek another term has led to a crowded field seeking to replace him — all say they want a seat at the table in talks with the Chicago Bears over redevelopment of the sprawling Arlington Park property. Running are Jim Tinaglia, a 12-year village trustee; Tom Schwingbeck, a six-year trustee; and Jon Ridler, executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce for the past 20 years. Hayes endorsed Tinaglia.

* Lake & McHenry County Scanner | ‘A major win’: State orders power plant to remove toxic coal ash ponds along Waukegan lakefront: The Illinois Pollution Control Board issued an order last week denying an adjusted standard petition by Midwest Generation, a subsidiary of NRG Energy. Midwest Generation owns power-generating stations in Illinois, including one at 401 East Greenwood Avenue in Waukegan along Lake Michigan. […] The moment marks a win for local and state officials, along with residents and not-for-profit organizations, who have been involved in a nearly four-year administrative process and a decade of advocacy on the issue.

* Lake County News-Sun | Mundelein residential development a ‘capstone’ on Plaza Circle, Mayor says: During Monday’s Village Board meeting, the board approved an amendment to the redevelopment to address a 45% increase in the project’s budget, rising from $61 million to $89 million. Trustee Jenny Ross attributed the increases to inflation. Village documents indicate three main areas of cost increases; hard costs, such as for materials and landscaping, soft costs, such as fees and insurance rates, and financing costs, with interest rates higher than in 2022, when the project was initially proposed.

* Daily Herald | ‘You can’t roll the dice all the time’: First responders preparing for more freight trains: The Itasca Fire Protection District is building a second station. Bensenville is rethinking how it dispatches police cars and ambulances. Wood Dale firefighters are learning new train detection software. It’s been two years since U.S. Surface Transportation Board members approved Canadian Pacific’s acquisition of the Kansas City Southern, creating a railway that spans North America. As freight traffic inches up in the suburbs, first responders are focused on troubleshooting the inevitable increase in blocked crossings to prevent delays in getting to 911 calls.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Chicago Teachers Union ready to take CPS contract offer to full bargaining team: Negotiations between CPS and the teachers union resulted in a contract proposal the union is ready to present to its full bargaining team. The CTU’s “big bargaining team” will meet Monday at 1 p.m. to consider the contract. The movement is a step forward in talks on a new four-year deal that has appeared imminent all week. If the CTU’s bargaining team approves the deal, the tentative agreement would still need to be approved by the full union and the Chicago Board of Education.

* Crain’s | Trump names interim top prosecutor for Chicago:
The Trump administration has named former federal prosecutor Andrew Boutros the interim U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, according to media reports. The posting fills a U.S. attorney seat in Chicago that has been without a permanent replacement since former U.S. Attorney John Lausch stepped down in March 2023. April Perry, a former federal prosecutor, was nominated by former President Joe Biden to succeed Lausch as the first woman to hold the office. Perry was confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2023, but her final confirmation was held up by then-U.S. Sen. JD Vance.

* Tribune | Nearly 1,000 people pour into Federal Plaza to show support for transgender people amid attacks: At Sunday’s protest, attendees displayed a range of emotions, from anger due to the Trump administration’s attacks, to joy because of the sheer number of people who showed up to publicly support transgender people. “We are a resilient people. Don’t you dare tell them we don’t belong,” Precious Brady-Davis, a commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the first Black transgender woman to be an elected official in Cook County, said to the crowd. “We belong in every (sector) of society, from the boardroom to the bathroom. Quit playing with us. Our lives matter and we deserve to be treated with respect and decency.”

* Block Club | Chicago VA Nurses Protest Proposed Workforce Reductions That Could Cut 80,000 Jobs:
About 50 protestors — mostly made up of nurses and union members — marched in a line across from the medical center at 820 S. Damen Ave., while holding up signs calling on nurses and federal employees to come together in times of adversity. “This has been like working in a trauma zone on a daily basis,” said Aimee Potter, a VA social worker and organizer. “We’re waiting for the pin to drop, waiting for another Musk email or demand. Our phones are constantly ringing every day. People are so stressed that it’s hard for them to even do their jobs at this point.”

* Crain’s | Sterling Bay surrendering part of Lincoln Yards to lender: In a letter sent today to the developer’s investors and reviewed by Crain’s, Sterling Bay CEO Andy Gloor said the company has reached a deal with Bank OZK to transfer the northern portion of the proposed 53-acre development to the Little Rock, Ark.-based lender. Sterling Bay is expected to hand over the property through a so-called deed in lieu of foreclosure, sources familiar with the matter said, a transaction that allows landlords and lenders to resolve distressed loans without going through a lengthy court process.

* Tribune | Contentious overhaul of electronic-monitoring program in Cook County arriving after brewing for years: After months of planning and discussion, the Cook County sheriff’s office starting Tuesday will no longer accept new electronic monitoring participants, marking the beginning of a shift in one way pretrial justice is handled in Cook County. The county will now run all electronic monitoring through the court system, merging parallel programs that have previously operated separately under the authority of Sheriff Tom Dart and Chief Judge Tim Evans. Often used as something of a middle ground between being released or jailed pretrial, both programs use GPS technology to oversee defendants that judges determine need additional supervision, even though they aren’t ordered to remain in jail.

* The Triibe | Anjanette Young’s new exhibit at the DuSable Museum showcases the trauma of Black women victimized by police: Chicagoan Anjanette Young is debuting a new art exhibit entitled “I Am Her” at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. The exhibit, which Young curated, is a collection of artwork representing not only her experience as the victim of a wrongful police raid in 2019 but also that of other Black women and girls who’ve also been traumatized by police. […] “This work is a part of my healing journey,” Young said Thursday ahead of the debut. “This is me fighting back, bringing awareness to what happened to me and to the corrupt systems that we have within the police department, not only in the city of Chicago, but across the state and across the country.”

* Ope…

Explain #whitesox baseball without explaining #whitesox baseball! https://t.co/sZq95cfCxW

— Tina L Willis 👊🏼🧨💥 (@willis3TNT) March 30, 2025

* AP | Fast-moving storm causes headache for White Sox grounds crew: The crew used a patchwork of smaller tarps to cover as much of the area as it could. When the rain stopped, the crew began to work on the infield with bags of drying material. “I’ve had some trying times in my career. Eight inches of snow before opening day, stuff like that,” head groundskeeper Roger Bossard said during an interview on Chicago Sports Network. “This one takes the cake. I don’t ever remember hail while I’m pulling the tarp, and I used close to 4 tons of drying compound.”

*** Downstate ***

* The Pantagraph | Election Day is Tuesday. Here’s what to look for on the ballot: Three candidates also have their hat in the ring for mayor of Normal: incumbent Chris Koos and council members Chemberly Harris and Kathleen Lorenz. The Normal Town Council race is uncontested, with newcomer Rory Roberge, a member of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, seeking Harris’ seat.

* WICS | Sanagamon County Sheriff’s staff completes ICAT training, director explains importance: I spoke to the Executive Director of the ICAT de-escalation training program, Chuck Wexler, and he told me the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department’s training was fully funded by former Macon County Sheriff, Howard Buffett. […] Recognizing the need for her staff to be highly skilled on dealing with crisis calls to prevent future tragedies, Wexler told me Crouch searched for answers. “Buffet heard about this, invited her to lunch and asked, how can we help you?” Wexler said. “She said ‘I need to figure out how I can train my entire department’.”

* The Daily Egyptian | SIU administration addresses international students after a student’s visa was revoked: The email, signed by Tina Sickinger, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at SIU, was sent at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, hours after the university confirmed earlier that day that one of its international students had their visa revoked. The reason for the visa revocation is still unknown, and as of the evening on Sunday, March 30, SIU has yet to provide any further information on the matter.

* WCIA | Macon Co. election judge prep honing in on double voters: Election judge training in Macon County is cracking down on double voters. It comes after 70-year-old Brenda Wilcott got a second ballot in the November primary. County Clerk Josh Tanner said annual training targets issues from previous elections. This time around, he’s hoping people know they will be caught if they try to test the system.

* AP | Young Abraham Lincoln’s tiny Illinois town is due for a makeover: The tiny central Illinois village, where Lincoln accidentally spent half-a-dozen years in the 1830s, perhaps did as much to prepare him to be the Union-saving 16th president as any other aspect of his humble yet remarkable life. Volunteers in period clothing provide historical demonstrations for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year at the site, now part of a state park over 200 miles (330 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. But long-neglected maintenance has taken a toll on the setting, which was re-created by a federal public works program in the 1930s during the Great Depression.

*** National ***

* MLB | Yankees’ new ‘Torpedo’ bats create a stir amid 15-homer weekend barrage: Major League Baseball confirmed Sunday that the bats do not violate Major League rules or bat supplier regulations. Rule 3.02 states that bats cannot be more than 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length. […] The Yankees made home run history during their season-opening homestand, tying an AL/NL record with 15 home runs in their first three games of a season and tying a club mark with 13 home runs in two games. They belted four in Sunday’s 12-3 win after clubbing nine on Saturday.

* AP | President Trump’s election order creates much confusion before the next federal election in 2026:
Election officials were already dealing with the loss of some cybersecurity assistance from the federal government and now face the potential for major changes that include a new voter registration requirement, decertification of certain voting systems and stricter ballot deadlines for many states. In Connecticut, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas is hopeful that ballot scanners the state just bought for $20 million will be acceptable under the executive order, but she worries about other states.

* SCOTUS Blog | States call on justices to leave restored teacher training funds in place: Eight states, led by California, on Friday urged the Supreme Court to leave in place an order by a federal judge in Massachusetts that requires the Department of Education to restore more than $65 million in grants, intended to address teacher shortages, that it ended in February because the funded programs included diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In a 40-page filing, the states told the justices that there was no reason for them to intervene. “Because the district court acted responsibly — entering a narrow and time-limited restraining order to preserve the status quo while moving rapidly to adjudicate” the state’s request for a preliminary injunction, the government cannot appeal the district court’s order, the states argue, and the government’s appeal will in any event be moot (that is, no longer a live controversy) by early April.

* AP | Transgender People Are About 1% of the US Population. Why Have They Become a Political Lightning Rod?: Zein Murib, an associate professor of political science and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Fordham University, said there has been a decades-old effort “to reinstate Christian nationalist principles as the law of the land” that increased its focus on transgender people after a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling recognizing same-sex marriage nationwide. It took a few years, but some of the positions gained traction. One factor: Proponents of the restrictions lean into broader questions of fairness and safety, which draw more public attention.

* ProPublica | The CDC Buried a Measles Forecast That Stressed the Need for Vaccinations: In an aborted plan to roll out the news, the agency would have emphasized the importance of vaccinating people against the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease that has spread to 19 states, the records show. A CDC spokesperson told ProPublica in a written statement that the agency decided against releasing the assessment “because it does not say anything that the public doesn’t already know.” She added that the CDC continues to recommend vaccines as “the best way to protect against measles.”

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Monday, Mar 31, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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