* Capitol City Now…

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is one of a number of state financial officers still sounding the alarm about Medicaid funding cuts just approved as part of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

Frerichs — in a conference call with reporters Thursday — says at least nine rural hospitals could end up closing in Illinois, and there’s something else about that.

“Nine rural hospitals — in Dixon, Danville, Olney, Harrisburg, Hoopeston, Benton, Hardin County, Metropolis, and Robinson — are in danger of closing,” said Frerichs. “These hospitals are in Republican areas. Republicans are hurting Republicans.”

Frerichs says hospitals that stay open may have to cut staff or services, and all of it threatens to hurt the state’s economy. He says people will have to drive further to get medical care, causing them to avoid preventative treatments. Pregnant mothers, he says, will have to drive farther to give birth.

* Illinois Department of Employment Security…

The unemployment rate decreased in all twelve metro areas for the year ending June 2025, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). The St. Louis metro area unemployment rate reached a record low at 3.5% for June. Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in five metropolitan areas, leading to consecutive months with year-over-year growth: Champaign (5 consecutive months); Chicago (12 consecutive months); Springfield (20 consecutive months). […]

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+1.1%, +1,300), the Chicago Metro Division (+0.7%, +28,400), and the Rockford MSA (+0.5%, +700). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island MSA, IL Section (-1.5%, -1,300), the Bloomington MSA (-1.3%, -1,200), and the Kankakee MSA (-0.9%, -400). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (eleven areas); Government (nine areas), Mining and Construction (eight areas), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (seven areas).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Kankakee MSA (-1.4 points to 4.4%), the Lake County Metropolitan Division (-1.3 points to 3.6%), and the St. Louis MSA, IL Section (-1.3 points to 3.5%). The Chicago Metro Division reported a decrease of -1.2 points to 5.0%.

*** Statewide ***

* Illinois Times | Illinois keeps 988 services for LGBT+ youth: In a statement emailed to Illinois Times, nonprofit Phoenix Center Springfield, which supports people of varied identities and backgrounds, celebrated the decision to continue specialized services for 988 in Illinois. “We know that LGBTQ+ youth are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors due to factors such as discrimination, stigma and lack of support. This makes the 988 hotline crucial to those youth and their well-being. It is truly a matter of life or death,” the statement reads.

* Capitol News Illinois | Media literacy education lacks consistency across Illinois: About one-third of respondents to a survey conducted by the University of Illinois Springfield indicated they spend more than one class period but no more than one week covering the topic, while about 29 percent spend more than three weeks’ worth of class periods. Sixteen percent of schools surveyed discuss media literacy during a single class period over the course of a full school year. Illinois became the first state in the nation to require public high schools to teach media literacy, which can include lessons on accessing information, analyzing and evaluating media messages, reflecting on how media affects the consumption of information and triggers emotions, and how to engage in thoughtful conversations with people using facts and reason. The state-mandated lessons began with the 2022-2023 school year.

* Illinois Environmental Council Executive Director Jennifer Walling | Protect families from lead contamination: Yet, outside of Cook County and Springfield, many Illinois residents, especially those in disadvantaged communities, remain at risk due to the large presence of lead pipes in need of replacement. Illinois needs clear, statewide leadership to prioritize proactive tools like filter distribution. One promising pathway is the use of the federally approved 1115 Medicaid waiver, which allows states to implement cost-effective and targeted interventions not traditionally covered by Medicaid. This includes environmental health measures like certified water filter distribution, tailored to address local risks and health disparities.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Dispatch-Argus | Illinois bill would bar police, ICE agents from wearing masks: The bill, filed by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, would also require officers not engaged in an undercover assignment to display their name or badge number and the agency in which they work for on their uniform. Similar legislation has been introduced by Democrats in California, Massachusetts and New York. Democratic members of Congress have also introduced legislation that would ban ICE agents from wearing masks. The push comes after reports that ICE agents, most visibly in Los Angeles but also in other parts of the country, have worn plain clothes, donned masks and operated out of unmarked vehicles during immigration raids.

* WAND | Illinois could soon empower certified nurse midwives, address maternal healthcare deserts: The proposal could allow midwives to provide home birth services if they have a written collaborative agreement with local doctors or other healthcare providers. Advanced practice registered nurses certified as midwives would also have the ability to provide out of hospital births if they have been granted clinical privileges from a birth center. “In a healthcare provider shortage area or maternal care desert, a certified midwife can collaborate with a full practice authority,” said Rep. Yolanda Morris (D-Chicago).

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker calls Texas GOP’s remap effort ‘cheating,’ doesn’t rule out Illinois response: The process, however, would have to go through Illinois’ legislature. “That’s not something we’re pursuing,” a spokesperson for Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Inspector General Launches New Dashboard to Track CPD Overtime Spending Amid Budget Crisis: The new database launched after WTTW News reported CPD spent $273.8 million on overtime last year, 6.5% less than in 2023 and but still more than two and a half times the $100 million earmarked for police overtime by the Chicago City Council as part of the city’s 2024 budget, according to data published by the city’s Office of Budget and Management.

* Crain’s | Chicago-area warehouse space is almost full. Are developers getting back to building?: The question hovering over the market now is when the new supply spigot will turn back on with any noticeable force. As of the end of June, Colliers tracked just 9.3 million square feet of industrial development projects in the Chicago area under construction, down 32% from the same time in 2024 and the lowest level of active warehouse construction in seven years. Senner said he expects more capital to start flowing into Chicago-area industrial projects over the next few quarters, especially after the market has shown sustained low vacancy.

* Block Club | Winnemac Park Neighbors Blindsided After Acre Of Natural Prairie Mowed Down: “Scientifically, there’s no objection to the fact that they did this mow. However, to mow down roughly one acre, all at the same time, during the middle of summer with no warning to the community is, understandably, very upsetting,” Williamson said. The landscaper arrived at the park a little before 8 a.m. Wednesday and was greeted by a group of neighbors who demanded to know why he was using a commercial lawnmower to cut back a large section of the park’s prairie habitat and tried to stop him, neighbor Ben Sanda and park council member Tessa Groll told Block Club.

* Daily Herald | CHSN, WCIU agree to simulcast seven White Sox games, starting with Cubs series this weekend: Chicago Sports Network and Weigel Broadcasting Co.’s WCIU, The U, have announced a new partnership to simulcast seven White Sox games this season, beginning with this weekend’s Crosstown Series against the Cubs. With five of the seven simulcast games airing on Friday nights, this agreement gives CHSN a platform to showcase the final Friday Night All Access broadcasts of the season.

* Sun-Times | A Chicago orchestra invited the public to perform — and 250 people brought instruments: “I honestly feel that this is one of the most important things the Chicago Philharmonic does,” said Scott Speck, the ensemble’s artistic director and principal conductor. “We want to be an orchestra that speaks to the people of Chicago in every community, in all the communities. And if you don’t come to us, we’ll come to you.” The Philharmonic started Side By Side 10 years ago through the Chicago Parks District’s free annual “Night Out in the Parks” program. The program grew out of the group’s high school outreach.

* Block Club | Edgewater’s Jazz In The Yard Series Turns Senn High School’s Lawn Into Concert Grounds: The series is a bright spot to come out of the pandemic, which left a void for musicians and fans alike. While looking to find a safe way to play in summer 2020, Knight partnered with bass player Justin Peterson, who lived in the same Glenwood Avenue building as Knight. The duo held pandemic-friendly practices in the building’s backyard. They eventually invited Evanston-based drummer Jeff Stitely to join in. The sound was a lure for music-hungry neighbors, and the group quickly developed an audience.

* Block Club | Sister Pat Murphy, Longtime Immigrant Rights Champion And South Side Icon, Dies At 96: Born in suburban Skokie, Murphy joined the religious order of the Sisters of Mercy in 1947, meeting Sister JoAnn Persch. The two became known as a “rabble-rousing” pair who spent decades fighting for immigrant rights in Chicago and across the country. Murphy protested into her later years at immigration detention centers and beyond, even getting arrested at the United States Capitol rotunda when she was 90. Combining faith-based activism and political resistance, Murphy used the five critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy — immigration, Earth, nonviolence, racism and women — to motivate her mission.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Harvey layoffs to hit 10% of city workforce, ongoing financial ‘crisis’ cited: Mayor Christopher Clark said in a news release announcing the layoffs, effective Aug. 23, will cause some disruption of city services but that public safety functions, including police and fire protection, will continue. Clark said Harvey faces $149 million debt, and $12.2 million in unpaid commercial property taxes in just one year. He said some commercial property owners have piled up decades of unpaid taxes.

* Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan accepting offers for much-needed apartment building; ‘There is a severe housing shortage in Lake County’: Mayor Sam Cummingham said the proposed project could have a similar impact on the city’s downtown, and community in general, as the Genesee Theatre, which was renovated and reopened in 2004 after sitting vacant for 15 years. “Waukegan is due for this,” he said. “This is the spirit of progress synonymous with our Genesee Theatre. It is part of rebuilding Waukegan. It is what we envisioned when we updated our comprehensive plan in 2020.”

* Elgin Courier-News | East Dundee OKs spending $508,000 to remove lead water lines: East Dundee plans to spend more than a half million dollars this year removing lead service lines that bring water into village homes and businesses. The $508,000 earmarked for the first year of the Lead Service Line Replacement project will pay for the removal of pipes leading to 36 of the 300 properties known to have lead service lines, said Phil Cotter, director of public works.

* Crain’s | NASCAR wants to revive the Chicagoland Speedway: “While we currently do not have a timeline or specific series, we do hope to bring NASCAR racing back to Chicagoland Speedway at some point in the future,” the spokesperson said. The Chicagoland Speedway, which NASCAR owns, is located in Joliet, about 50 miles southwest of Chicago’s downtown.

*** Downstate ***

* NPR Illinois | Sean Grayson moved to the Sangamon County jail: “The transfer was made to accommodate ongoing medical procedures and follow-up appointments that, due to operational needs of the Sheriff’s Office, require him to be housed in Springfield,” said Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch. “This decision was made after consultation between correctional and medical staff to ensure access to required services while maintaining secure custody.” Crouch added Grayson will be housed in a secure unit. “Appropriate safety precautions are in place to manage his custody and ensure the secure operation of the facility,” she said.

* Illinois Times | Last call is earlier than ever: Police say they are receiving fewer calls to break up fights and keep the peace at bars in Springfield and elsewhere in Sangamon County since last year’s elimination of liquor licenses that allowed patrons to be served until 3 a.m. But bar owners say they have suffered economically, and they believe the decisions of the Springfield City Council and Sangamon County Board were unjustified. “It definitely has had a big impact,” said Barry Friedman, owner of The Alamo, 115 N. Fifth St., in Springfield, where bars now can stay open only as late as 2 a.m.

* BND | Granite City schools see big changes: restructuring, class hours and admin shuffle: Starting in fall 2025, the district’s elementary schools, at minimum, will serve grades kindergarten through six, with two schools serving pre-K students as well. This comes with shifting boundaries and, at some schools, new administration. The reconfiguration is part of the district’s ongoing effort to create more educational consistency between its schools, Manager of District Communications and Transportation Chris Mitchell said.

* WSIL | Mine Rescue Teams Suit Up for Life-Saving Competition in Southern Illinois: This week, miners from across the tri-state region gathered in Marion, Illinois, not for work, but for something that could one day save lives. Ten elite teams from Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky put their skills to the test during the annual Mine Rescue Competition, hosted by the Illinois Mine Rescue Association. The event simulates underground emergencies to assess rescue team response in high-pressure, high-stakes conditions. “They’ve gotta be benched to make sure there’s no leaks, no defects in it— and it’s gonna protect their life when they’re working in a low environment,” said Shawn Batty, President of the Illinois Mine Rescue Association. “But unfortunately, there are times they get called out.”

* Illinois Times | Baseball stadium may get new owner: Robin Roberts Stadium, the century-old baseball stadium on the city’s north end, has been a political hot potato for the last several years but appears to be on the cusp of new ownership. The ownership of the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes contends the facility has been poorly maintained and has become an embarrassment to the community. The Springfield Park District board counters that it spends hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to maintain and improve the facility. For months, lawyers have been meeting behind closed doors trying to hammer out an agreement to end the Park District’s ownership of the facility.

*** National ***

* AP | Trump administration canceled a $4.9B loan guarantee for a line to deliver green power: The Trump administration on Wednesday canceled a $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee for a new high-voltage transmission line for delivering solar and wind-generated electricity from the Midwest to the eastern U.S., but the company indicated that project would go forward anyway. The U.S. Department of Energy declared that it is “not critical for the federal government to have a role” in the first phase of Chicago-based Invenergy’s planned Grain Belt Express. The department also questioned whether the $11 billion project could meet the financial conditions required for a loan guarantee.

* Texas Tribune | Texas Republicans, including Gov. Abbott, were reluctant to redraw the state’s congressional maps. Then Trump got involved: Trump’s involvement underscores the immense power he holds over Texas Republicans and shows how far the president will go to protect his Washington trifecta that has handed him sweeping legislative wins, even if that means irritating those who are voting to approve his agenda in Congress. If Republicans lose control of the House in next year’s midterms, Trump’s agenda would be stalled and his remaining two lame-duck years in the White House would likely be replete with Democratic-led investigations.

* Fox Business | Hershey raising chocolate prices by double-digits as cocoa costs soar: report: Due to an “unprecedented” increase in the cost of cocoa, prices of the chocolate maker’s products will rise by a percentage roughly in the double-digits, a Hershey spokesperson said Tuesday, according to Reuters. The increase accounts for both a higher list price and changes to the weight and amount of candy in its products’ packaging, Bloomberg News reported.