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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Sep 23, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Fidel Marquez’ sentencing date has been set. Jon Seidel…
* Press Release | Hastings files legislation to combat ‘cost shifting’ practices in insurance rate setting: “Cost shifting is fundamentally unfair,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “Illinois families should not be footing the bill for losses in other states. This bill makes sure premiums reflect the real risks here in Illinois, not the costs of events thousands of miles away.” Cost shifting is the practice of passing the costs of out-of-state catastrophes, such as hurricanes, wildfires or floods, onto Illinois policyholders. Hastings’ measure is designed to address this practice by ensuring residents are not forced to subsidize disasters outside the state’s borders. In addition to banning cost shifting, Senate Bill 2692 would set standards to ensure rates are not excessive or unfairly discriminatory. The measure would require that rates reflect actual risk and costs for Illinois consumers. Rates are considered unfairly discriminatory when price differences between policyholders cannot be reasonably explained by differences in risk or expenses. * Tribune | Protesters gather in Loop Monday to demand Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs divest state investments from Israel bonds: In response, Frerichs, who was first elected in 2014, said in a statement, “As a responsible steward of taxpayer money, it is our job to get the best investment returns for taxpayers. Israel Bonds have been stable investments that have generated among the highest returns in the state portfolio. Israel has never defaulted on Israel Bonds’ payments in more than 70 years. The rates are locked in, so any ratings downgrades do not impact Illinois’ rate of return. It is very important to have strong investments for our state when the Trump administration is disrupting the economy and unlawfully holding back money for Illinois.” * WCSJ | Governor Pritzker Visits Morris to Talk About New Runway at Airport: Governor J.B. Pritzker, Morris officials and others were at an event this morning commemorating the construction of a new runway at the Morris Airport. […] Morris Mayor Chris Brown said the city received a grant over $10 million for the project a few years ago and bids were approved at a meeting in June. * PV Magazine | Why are Illinois public schools missing the solar boom?: Just 2% of public schools in Illinois have solar, according to the Illinois Power Agency, which includes Illinois Shines projects that don’t participate in the public schools category but are located on public school-owned land. At the time of publication, Illinois public schools had 14 energized projects and 39 solar projects in the works. Over the program’s lifetime, Illinois Shines’ public school category has supported 91 schools with onsite solar. * Sun-Times | Yolanda Talley stepping down after just months as CPD’s second-in-command: Talley took over the job in March after Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling left the post vacant for the first 17 months of his tenure. But this summer, Snelling significantly scaled back Talley’s role and assumed control of the department’s patrol, detective and counterterrorism bureaus. The department never shared why those responsibilities were shifted from Talley to Snelling, though he’s taken a more hands-on approach to the job than many of his predecessors. * Crain’s | Compromise clears path for citywide ‘granny flats’ expansion: Ald. Bennett Lawson, 44th, and Ald. Marty Quinn, 13th, announced they reached a compromise this morning ending a year-long stalemate that threatened to block any legislation expanding the city’s accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, pilot program to the entire city. Talks were upended this month after Quinn moved to add a union-supported requirement that contractors hire through a certified apprentice program. That provision will remain in the compromise ordinance for new construction. * WTTW | Repeated Police Misconduct by 272 Officers Has Cost Chicago Taxpayers $295M Since 2019: Analysis: Chicago taxpayers paid $295 million between 2019 and 2024 to resolve lawsuits naming officers whose alleged misconduct led more than once to payouts, according to an analysis of city data by WTTW News. In all, 272 officers were named in at least two lawsuits that were settled by Chicago officials or resulted in a jury verdict paid by taxpayers, according to the analysis. * Block Club | Advocates Push City Council To Help Chicago’s Struggling Animal Shelter: ‘We Should Do Better’: Chicago Animal Care and Control, or CACC, is the only municipal shelter in the city, which means it takes in any animal that comes through its doors. Without the proper resources, the shelter must sometimes euthanize animals due to overcrowding and lack of resources to adequately care for them. In July, Chicago Animal Care and Control took in 1,842 cats and dogs, or about 59 animals per day, the agency’s public information officer Armando Tejeda told Block Club. That’s a significant increase from 34 per day from 2013-2017, and an increase from 56 per day in May. * WTTW | Chicagoans’ Right to Compost Could Get a Boost From City Council: In the two years since Chicago launched a composting pilot program, some 7,500 households have signed up to participate. At least twice as many households subscribe to private compost services, and the Chicago City Council could make it easier for people to keep organic waste out of landfill. “Getting into organic collection is where we need to go,” Chris Sauve, deputy commissioner with the Department of Streets and Sanitation, said during Monday’s meeting of City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy. * ABC Chicago | Griffin MSI union members vote to authorize strike: Workers are demanding, what they call, fair wage increases, improvements on vacation and sick time, holiday pay, and paid parental leave. They say more than 90% of workers voted in favor of authorizing a strike if deemed necessary. In response, the museum said in a statement: “We are committed to engaging in dialogue with AFSCME and continue to work toward an agreeable and comprehensive resolution that supports our employees, our visitors and the sustained future of our historic Chicago institution.” * Sports Illustrated | Jack’s Take: With 6 Games Left, Does Avoiding 100 Losses Really Matter For White Sox?: The White Sox are certainly more aware that they’re on the verge of a third straight 100-loss season, as they take a 58-98 record to New York for three games against the Yankees before wrapping up the season with three road games against the Washington Nationals. * CBS Chicago | Wife of ISP trooper Brian Frank, injured in Scott’s Law crash, outraged after same driver arrested for DUI: The wife of state trooper Brian Frank, who was left severely injured in a Scott’s Law-related crash, is outraged after learning the man who caused those injuries with his car is in trouble for his driving yet again. Angel Casillas was booked at the Riverdale Police Department last month for a DUI—the same man who pleaded guilty, apologized, and appeared to show remorse for crashing into ISP Trooper Brian Frank’s squad car in 2021. Along I-57 near exit 127 in Riverdale, Illinois, state police pulled over Casillas in late August. * Naperville Sun | Police make gun-related arrest No. 16 near Naperville Topgolf: Officers performing a patrol in the Naperville Topgolf parking lot at 3211 Odyssey Court observed cannabis in open view inside an unoccupied vehicle, according to Naperville police Cmdr. Rick Krakow. When Smith and his passengers returned to the vehicle, officers followed him out of the lot and pulled the car over for moving violations, he said. * Daily Herald | Barrington village board approves Claremont development, overrules plan commission: At Monday’s board meeting, village trustees acknowledged the importance of the commission and reiterated their trust in its decisions. Ultimately, though, they came to the opposite conclusion. “I place great deference (to the commission), but when I feel the decision rendered is not correct, as a member of the village board, we have the final say on either approving or rejecting those recommendations,” village trustee Jason Lohmeyer said. * Daily Herald | District 204 eyes solar projects, makes progress on referendum work: It’s been nearly a year since voters in Indian Prairie District 204 overwhelmingly approved a $420 million borrowing plan for building improvements, and various schools have seen progress on significant projects. Over the summer, the district made entrances more secure and made other safety enhancements at 11 of its elementary schools. The Aurora-based district replaced flooring in six schools. As part of an energy efficiency program, the district also has started the process of upgrading lighting to LED. * WSIL | Marion residents can aid police with new initiative: Residents and business owners can now voluntarily register their surveillance cameras with the department. By registering, participants provide their contact information, enabling police to request video evidence if a crime occurs nearby. * WICS | Sangamon County sheriff speaks out after drone-assisted arrest: The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department nabbed the duo using their new drones. The technology isn’t new but it’s new to the sheriff’s office. They started using the three new drones this month. Crouch told me a licensed drone pilot was on duty that night and was able to jump into action. “Knowing the area, knowing there have been past burglaries there, he was able to access that equipment,” Crouch said. “So, although he was not necessarily the first responding unit, he grabbed that equipment and headed that direction.” * NPR Illinois | UIS ranked as the top public regional university in Illinois: This is the seventh year UIS has gained that designation in the 2026 Best Colleges rankings. UIS also was 10th among public regional universities in the Midwest. “We are honored to once again receive this recognition as the top public regional university in Illinois,” said UIS Chancellor Janet L. Gooch. “UIS is a place where students are empowered to succeed, graduate workforce-ready and turn potential into possibility.” * WCIA | Monticello bans sale of kratom, Delta THC and other synthetic drugs: “Rather than being reactive, we’d like to be proactive,” said Piatt County Board member Michael Beem. Beem said he worked with Kirkman, the mayor, police department and attorneys to work out. “It’s illegal in Alton and Jerseyville and several other places here in Illinois. And we just sort of looked at what best fit our community,” Beem said. * AP | Powell signals Federal Reserve to move slowly on interest rate cuts: In remarks in Providence, Rhode Island, Powell noted that there are risks to both of the Fed’s goals of seeking maximum employment and stable prices. But with the unemployment rate rising, he noted, the Fed agreed to cut its key rate last week. Yet he did not signal any further cuts on the horizon. If the Fed were to cut rates “too aggressively,” Powell said, “we could leave the inflation job unfinished and need to reverse course later” and raise rates. But if the Fed keeps its rate too high for too long, “the labor market could soften unnecessarily,” he added. * AP | Robot umpires approved for the 2026 MLB season as part of challenge system: Major League Baseball’s 11-man competition committee on Tuesday approved use of the Automated Ball/Strike System in the major leagues in 2026. Human plate umpires will still call balls and strikes, but teams can challenge two calls per game and get additional appeals in extra innings. Challenges must be made by a pitcher, catcher or batter — signaled by tapping their helmet or cap — and a team retains its challenge if successful. Reviews will be shown as digital graphics on outfield videoboards. * CNN | America has a new top-selling beer - Michelob Ultra: The Anheuser-Busch beer has overtaken Bud Light and maintained its lead over rival Modelo Especial in US retail sales by volume for the year-to-date ending on September 14, according to data from Circana seen by CNN. In a press release Monday, Anheuser-Busch attributed the momentum partly to the successful launch of Michelob Ultra Zero, a non-alcoholic version of the beer.
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