* Subscribers were given a rundown on this race this morning. ICYMI: Sen. Laura Fine launches campaign for Schakowsky’s seat. Press release…

Today, State Senator Laura Fine announced her candidacy for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, pledging to bring her years of experience fighting for Illinois families to the halls of Washington.

A lifelong resident of Glenview and a longtime champion for healthcare access and consumer protection, Fine’s path to public service began with a deeply personal fight. In 2010, her husband Michael was involved in a catastrophic car accident that nearly took his life. When their insurance company denied coverage, Laura studied and earned her insurance license to understand and battle a system stacked against patients – and won. That experience ignited her mission to reform the system not just for her family, but for others across the state.

“We are at a historical moment, where our rights are under attack by a President who is selling out working families to line the pockets of his wealthy cronies. I’ve spent my career fighting that fight, passing historic legislation that puts people over special interests,” Fine said. “I want to build on Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s legacy, serving as a steadfast progressive representative for Illinois’ 9th.”

In the Illinois State Senate and previously in the House, Fine built a reputation as one of the state’s most effective lawmakers. She has led the fight to strengthen mental health parity, crack down on insurance company abuses, ban toxic environmental pollutants, and establish reproductive health care as a fundamental right under Illinois law. Her efforts moved Illinois from leading the nation in wrongfully cancelled policies to having some of the strongest consumer protection laws in the country.

* Related stories…

∙ Kat Abughazaleh Is Not Running A Normal Campaign. That’s the Point.
∙ Crain’s: How Raja Krishnamoorthi became the money leader in the Senate sweepstakes
∙ NBC Chicago: Rep. Robin Kelly announces run for Senate, making her 2nd candidate to enter race

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* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Daily Herald | Giannoulias urges Illinoisans not to panic about REAL ID deadline: Meanwhile, thousands are thronging to DMVs mistakenly thinking the state will stop processing them Wednesday. “That is not the case,” Giannoulias said at a virtual briefing Monday. “Even after May 7, you will still be able to get a REAL ID.” “So, to those of you who are waiting in lines for a very long time, please, please, please know that we will be issuing REAL IDs for the foreseeable future, probably forever.”

* WQAD | Illinois initiative saving students thousands on grad school prep costs: The “Prepare for Illinois’ Future” program covers costs for major graduate entrance exams like the LSAT, MCAT and GRE, along with interview preparation and certification fees. It’s already saving students thousands, but its future is uncertain as state lawmakers continue budget talks. WIU said the program has saved its students more than $75,000. “This program helps truly tear down some barriers for students,” Justin Schuch, vice president of student success at WIU, said.

* Sun-Times | Dubbing herself an ‘underdog,’ Rep. Robin Kelly launches Senate bid to replace Durbin: Kelly said she’s spoken to Preckwinkle about her bid, and she will be seeking the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party at the party’s slating in July. Kelly has focused on health care, immigration and gun control in the House. She’s a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and serves on the Health, Communications and Technology, and Innovation, Data, and Commerce subcommittees. She’s also a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction for the Democratic Caucus. She’s also a co-chair for the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois, other states sue Trump administration for blocking wind energy development: In Illinois, wind power is the state’s largest source of renewable energy. The 17 states and Washington, D.C., say Trump is jeopardizing a power source critical to economic vitality, energy mix, public health and climate goals.

* SJ-R | Illinois’ head of tourism was quietly fired 3 months ago. Here’s why: The report listed multiple concerns, saying the greatest is that DCEO has been paying “significant amounts” of state funds to TimeZoneOne for years without supporting documentation or reconciliation of TimeZoneOne’s expenses. This is both before and after Thomas began working for DCEO. Reconciliation reporting is the process of verifying and matching financial transactions to ensure accuracy.

* NBC Chicago | How Gov. Pritzker is building a national image ahead of potential run in 2028: His national press coverage has been steady increasing this year, but his spot on Kimmel’s show came just days after he was the headliner at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100-Club Dinner. In his second visit to the Granite State — traditionally, the first state in the presidential primary race — Pritzker had the coveted spot typically reserved for those seeking to run for president.

*** Downstate ***

* WSPD | IDPH: Six measles cases confirmed in state, includes four in Southern Illinois: According to IDPH, there have been four confirmed measles cases in Southern Illinois and two unrelated adult cases in Cook County, for a total of six in the state this year. The people infected did not require hospitalization. No children have contracted measles in the state so far this year. Social links between the three Southern Illinois cases are known, IDPH said. One person may have visited locations in Missouri, including the St. Louis Aquarium, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

* WGLT | At first public forum, most express support for proposed shelter village south of downtown Bloomington: In his opening remarks Friday, Home Sweet Home Ministries CEO Matt Burgess said dozens of cities and towns across the country have successfully implemented shelter villages like this one. “Not only do people move indoors and stay indoors, but rates of engagement in services increase, calls for emergency services decrease and neighborhood crime rates typically decline,” Burgess said. There is reason to believe that The Bridge will have the same kind of impact on the Bloomington-Normal community, according to Burgess.

* WAND | Tourism pumps millions into regional economy: In Decatur, Teri Hammel Executive Director of the Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau said in 2023, tourism revenue total $226.8 million in Macon County. Revenue comes through local food & beverage taxes, hotel taxes and gas taxes. Hammel goes on to say tourism supports 1,533 jobs in Macon County.

* NPR Illinois | Springfield’s Mayor nominates next fire : Mayor Misty Buscher is recommending the promotion of Assistant Fire Chief Nicholas Zummo to Springfield Fire Chief and Assistant Police Chief Joseph Behl to Police Chief. These promotions are pending City Council approval. Alongside these recommendations, Mayor Buscher will also promote Captain Julie Plunk to Assistant Fire Chief and Commander Ryan Leach to Assistant Police Chief.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | United Airlines fires back at American and vows a big hiring increase in Chicago: After American Airlines filed a lawsuit Friday against the city of Chicago over the proposed re-allocation of gates at the airport, United Airlines President Brett Hart told employees today “we plan to take steps to protect our interests and utilize these new gates to benefit our customers.” United filed a motion to intervene in American’s lawsuit against the city in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

* WBEZ | The Second City performers threaten strike over pay: The Actors Equity Association announced the possibility of a strike. Negotiations between Actors Equity and leadership at The Second City have been ongoing since February. The performers and stage managers are seeking higher pay. The current contract expired April 13. […] Elrod said the negotiations have been cordial, but the two sides are still “very far apart” when it comes to wages. “Second City workers are very much dedicated to strike for a living wage, and that is something that the lead negotiator can pull if the next meeting doesn’t go well,” he said.

* WTTW | Illinois’ Rare Plants Have a Fighting Chance of Survival Thanks to This Volunteer Monitoring Program: When it comes to endangered species, animals receive the lion’s share of attention versus plants. They get more protections, too. “Plants have gotten the short end of the stick,” said Gretel Kiefer, a plant ecologist at Chicago Botanic Garden, with nearly 30% of U.S. species at risk of extinction. It’s her job to help change that, at least in Illinois.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | As aquifer dries up, some Will County towns say they aren’t worried about running out of water: As Joliet races to meet state requirements to be eligible to tap into Lake Michigan water before the region​’s groundwater​ is depleted, a handful of neighboring towns are holding off on making plans to identify alternative sources. About 35 miles southwest of Chicago, Joliet is at the epicenter of a regional water crisis where many suburbs will run out of water supplied by the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer by 2030, according to estimations in a 2018 report by the Illinois State Water Survey.

* Daily Herald | New Arlington Heights mayor sworn in, meets with Bears president on first day: Just out of architecture school at Iowa State and working at his first job at the Arlington Heights architecture firm Hundrieser/Gutowsky, Tinaglia recalled when he was a weekend bartender the night the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1986. “That was a fun place to be,” he told the audience Monday night. “I told (Warren), ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to do that again together sometime soon?’ Maybe there’s a road path to make that happen. I’m crossing my fingers that that’s true.”

* Daily Southtown | Jason House sworn in to replace Tiffany Henyard as Dolton’s mayor: “Unity,” the new mayor said, was top of mind at the Royal Estates Assisted Living Ballroom, where as many as 500 people gathered to celebrate new beginnings for the village of just over 20,000 residents. “That’s what’s really going to grow this moment to its culmination. And that’s what it’s going to take for us to work together,” House said.

* Crain’s | Golf Mill shopping center put up for sale amid plans for $440 million overhaul: Golf Mill Shopping Center, on the cusp of a major overhaul aimed at transforming the aging suburban mall into a mixed-used development, has been put up for sale by the developer. The Sterling Organization has hired JLL brokers to market the property, comprising nearly 80 acres in north suburban Niles, CoStar News reports. The move comes less than a year after village officials approved the 1.1 million-square-foot site for a $440 million redevelopment.