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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Dec 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Indiana lawmakers in state House to convene session with redistricting top of mind. AP…
- Republicans who control the House chamber have said there’s no doubt that redistricting will pass that chamber. But the fate of any proposal to emerge remains uncertain in the Senate. - Senate leadership recently backed off from previous intent not to meet at all, agreeing to convene next Monday. But it’s still unclear if enough senators will back a new map. As you’ll recall, Gov. JB Pritzker said he would push for a congressional remap here if Indiana redrew its congressional boundaries. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA
* Sun-Times | Illinois sues USDA to block changes to SNAP eligibility of immigrants: Illinois is among a group of Democratic states suing the Trump administration, seeking to block a change to the federal food stamps program that the states say unlawfully prevented some legal immigrants from accessing the aid. Kwame Raoul, Illinois’ top lawyer, and attorneys general from 20 other states and Washington, D.C., filed the lawsuit Wednesday in an Oregon federal court against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, asking the court to block the change’s implementation. * NYT | Times Analysis Finds Errors in Trump’s Supreme Court Filing That Calls for National Guard in Chicago: The Trump administration made erroneous claims to the Supreme Court, mischaracterizing the responsiveness of local police and the actions of protesters in a filing asking the justices to sign off on the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops to Chicago, a New York Times investigation found. The emergency request, filed by the solicitor general, D. John Sauer, which draws heavily from court declarations made by two Homeland Security officials, misstates what happened in the aftermath of a car crash and shooting on Oct. 4 in Chicago that involved Border Patrol agents. * NPR | Northwestern settles with Trump administration in $75M deal to regain federal funding: Earlier this month, Cornell reached a deal requiring the university to pay $60 million to unfreeze $250 million withheld by the Trump administration over alleged civil rights violations. The private Ivy League university said the settlement did not come “at the cost of compromising our values or independence.” Per the agreement, Northwestern will pay out the $75 million over time through 2028 and “shall maintain clear policies and procedures relating to demonstrations, protests, displays, and other expressive activities, as well as implement mandatory antisemitism training for all students, faculty, and staff,” according to the DOJ. * The Nation | Illinois Has Put an End to the Injustice of Cash Bail: Now that the law is in place, “it’s going dramatically better than any of us had expected it would be,” McLoughlin said. In Cook County, most people who are arrested are going free before trial. Because of the law’s provision for low-level offenses, many aren’t even required to go to court; 44 percent of people who were charged by police were given a citation and sent home. Across all arrests that resulted in court appearances, the prosecutor declined to ask for jail time in 82 percent of cases. Nearly all those charged with misdemeanors have been allowed to go home to await trial. All of this has translated to a 14 percent decline in the jail population in Cook County. * Capitol News Illinois | Trump cuts could shrink Illinois economy by $10B: report: Recent cuts by President Donald Trump’s administration could reduce the size of Illinois’ economy by nearly $10 billion each year, according to a new report released Monday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. […] “The depth of economic reductions and jobs losses caused by federal actions cannot be mitigated by expenditure reductions at the state and local levels,” researchers Frank Manzo and Robert Bruno wrote in the report. “Policymakers will need to examine new revenue sources to counter the damage done to public schools, Illinois families, and the state’s robust economy.” * Sun-Times | Bodycam video shows feds’ aggressive tactics in vivid detail: ‘Deploy f—ing gas’: A federal judge has released footage from nearly four dozen body cameras showing immigration agents’ ‘unprecedented’ use of force during their months-long deportation blitz in the Chicago area. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis, handed down a historic order restricting agents use of force in “Operation Midway Blitz,” claiming the tactics she’d seen so far “shocks the conscience.” * WaPo | With ICE in the area, FEMA workers were pulled from storm damage work: The decision to halt the disaster assessment teams’ work on Nov. 6 came amid an ongoing immigration crackdown in the city, leaving the coordinating state and agency officials worried that FEMA’s efforts could put residents as well as the groups of surveyors at risk. The shift meant about 10 groups of federal, state, county and local workers had to stop work surveying hundreds of homes that sustained heavy water damage in parts of the city hit hard by recent storms — assessments that help the federal agency document disaster impacts, and can help make a case for why an area may need help paying for recovery. * WTTW | Former Inspector General Joe Ferguson Fined $5K for Revealing Botched Little Village Smokestack Implosion Could Have Been Prevented: The Chicago Board of Ethics voted 4-1 to fine former Inspector General Joe Ferguson $5,000 for violating the city’s ethics ordinance by divulging a confidential report that found city officials could have prevented a plume of dust from enveloping Little Village in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when crews demolished the former Crawford Power Plant. Ferguson is now the head of the Civic Federation, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group, and has been fiercely critical of Johnson’s financial stewardship of the city. Ferguson paid the fine, which was levied on Nov. 10, according to records published Friday morning by the board. * Block Club | Christkindlmarket’s New Capacity Limit Poses ‘Existential Threat’ To Popular Holiday Market: Organizers: The city recently implemented a capacity of 1,553 visitors at a time at Christkindlmarket, the German-themed Christmas market that has been a beloved Downtown holiday tradition for nearly 30 years, market organizers announced Friday. The capacity restriction, which was implemented after the festival opened Nov. 20, is less than half of the limit during the pandemic, when visitors were capped at 3,494 at a time in 2021. * ABC Chicago | Chicago begins towing cars with winter overnight parking ban in effect: The ban is enforced on 107 miles of main streets in the city, from 3 to 7 a.m. It applies even when there’s no snow on the ground. Violators will be towed and ticketed, with a $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket and a storage fee of $25 a day. * Tribune | Saturday snow breaks record in Chicago, National Weather Service says: The last time O’Hare saw so much snow on a single day in November was 74 years ago, Nov. 6, 1951, when 8 inches fell, according to the weather service. Snowfall reached 8.7 inches at O’Hare by noon Sunday. Amid the record-breaking snowfall, O’Hare saw at least 1,322 flight cancellations and Midway Airport had 250 cancellations, according to FlightAware. * CBS | “How did you get this through security?” Pope Leo asks CBS News’ Chris Livesay of White Sox baseball bat gift: Many on board continued the long-standing tradition of presenting gifts to the pontiff as a courtesy, but Livesay had a particularly personal gift for the Chicago native: a Louisville Slugger baseball bat that once belonged to Hall of Fame second baseman Nellie Fox — a Chicago White Sox legend whose career coincided with Leo’s childhood. * Sun-Times | ‘His word means nothing’: Dismissed case reveals dishonesty of Border Patrol commander, protester says: In a criminal complaint, Bovino accused Sheridan of pushing him. An agent under Bovino’s command accused Sheridan of taking a swing at Bovino. The federal charges accused Sheridan of “forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding and interfering with a federal officer.” Most of those charges held up until, four weeks later, a friend happened to spot Sheridan getting pushed down in footage from an Oct. 31 news report. “The video demonstrates that, not only did I have no kind of altercation with Bovino, I wasn’t even in front of him,” Sheridan said. * Naperville Sun | Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission votes in favor of proposed data center: The Naperville Planning and Zoning Commission voted 8-1 in favor of a controversial data center proposal Wednesday evening, marking the fourth and final commission meeting on the topic. “This has been long, it’s been unlike any case we’ve ever worked through,” Commissioner Whitney Robbins said. Developer Karis Critical is proposing one 211,000 square-foot, 36-megawatt data center to be built on the 40 acres of land at the former Alcatel-Lucent site at 1960 Lucent Lane, located off the Interstate 88 (I-88) corridor. The request is scaled back from the initial proposal, which called for two data center buildings that would total 72 megawatts. * Daily Southtown | Will County holds the line on taxes, but now faces budget shortfall: The board voted 12-10 to approve no increase in the levy, but will capture any new construction, which expands the total tax base and adds to the overall assessed value of property. The levy to hold the line on taxes passed with 11 Republicans and Democrat Destinee Ortiz, of Romeoville, supporting it. The budget that was approved was based on a 1.75% levy increase. “As of right now we have an unbalanced budget,” Speaker Joe VanDuyne said. “It’s illegal.” * Tribune | McHenry County takes on an old client in court: ICE: McHenry County has filed suit against ICE, trying to get the federal government to pay for potential liability for allegedly making immigrant detainees do forced labor. The court battle pits conservative McHenry County, which once fought in court for the ability to hold accused immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission in its jail, against the agency that once paid it millions of dollars every year to do so. Both county and federal officials have denied liability. * Forest Park Review | House Speaker Welch joins town hall on D209’s Sports Complex at Proviso West: “Yes, $40 million is in this state budget for Proviso West High School to build a sports complex and I make no apologies about it,” said Chris Welch, speaker of the Illinois House. Welch is widely credited, and sometimes criticized, for getting the Proviso funding into a tight state budget. Welch was back in the cafeteria of his alma mater on Thursday, Nov 20. to speak with D209 administrators, community members and stakeholders about the $40 million grant designated for the construction of a new sports complex at the high school. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora expands number of gambling machines allowed in local businesses: City code previously allowed licensed establishments to have up to five “video gaming” terminals, but now that number has been increased to six. The change, approved by the Aurora City Council on Tuesday, also raised the total number of allowed terminals within city limits by 40 for a total of 240. The increased cap on video gambling terminals is expected to bring in new revenue both for the local businesses they are installed in and for the city through taxes and licensing fees. * Daily Herald | Geneva council considering referendums for new police station, home rule: If approved, the referendum for a new police station would be on the March 17, 2026, primary ballot. The home rule question would appear on the April 6, 2027, ballot. Home rule status is automatic when a municipality’s population exceeds 25,000. Geneva’s population is 21,393, according to the 2020 census, requiring voter approval for home rule status. * Naperville Sun | YMCA urges Naperville Park District to halt referendum plans: The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago and Naperville’s Fry Family YMCA are urging the Naperville Park District to not pursue a referendum for the March 2026 ballot, citing possible duplication of services and affordability concerns for residents. As part of its efforts, the YMCA sent a letter asking the park district to pause its referendum plans. The YMCA has also created a website to help communicate its stance with others, which includes a section where residents can send a letter opposing the referendum. * Injustice Watch | Timothy Evans Expects to Endure: In September, his tenure came to a surprising conclusion when he lost his eighth reelection bid to Circuit Judge Charles Beach — a relative newcomer to the bench with no background in politics. As the county’s vast and complex court bureaucracy prepares for its first change in leadership in decades, questions about Beach and his plans abound. His election would have many believe the courts no longer need a career politician at their helm. But Evans’ story suggests otherwise. Evans’ political acumen allowed him to endure as chief judge for 24 years and to enact significant progressive change in the inherently conservative courts, often for the benefit of the most vulnerable people to come through the system. His actions often seemed to come under duress, and his inaction was often criticized. But he achieved longevity in this role by keeping enough judges happy, absorbing public pressure, and weathering scandals unperturbed. His deliberative and self-assured leadership style was also well suited to the peculiar nature of the circuit court, an institution whose opaqueness is baked into law, whose principal actors are themselves elected officials, and whose bureaucracy is an entrenched extension of Chicago’s old political machine. * BND | Ameren Illinois gas customers to see average $3.65 increase on bills in January: Ameren Illinois residential customers will see an average $3.65 increase on their natural gas bills in January after the Illinois Commerce Commission last week slashed proposed rate hikes for two of the state’s largest utilities. Ameren, which serves approximately 816,000 customers in central and southern Illinois, initially held off on estimating the impact to customers until it could conduct an in-depth review of the ICC’s order, Brad Kloeppel, Ameren senior director of gas operations and technical services, said after the ruling. * WGLT | Bloomington City Council OKs anticipated $3M increase in property tax levy: The Bloomington City Council on Monday voted 7-2 in favor of the staff’s recommended tax levy estimate that is based on McLean County’s projected equalized assessed value of $2.7 billion. The pending tax levy reflects a rate of 0.98%. “We realize that property taxes are certainly a burden. We do not want to put all of the stress on the taxpayers,” City Manager Jeff Jurgens said near the end of his lengthy presentation during the 70-minute regular council meeting. “We work really hard to be inventive and to try and be more lean and as efficient as a government as we can be.” * WJBD | Marion County Board Approves Budget with 2.9-Percent Levy Increase: The Marion County Board has voted to approve a $13,452,049 budget with a 2.9-percent property tax levy increase and a new 1-percent state mandate levy to fund a county veterans commission. The decision came at a special meeting on Friday to get the budget passed before the county’s new fiscal year begins on Monday, December 1st. The initial vote did not pass by the required two-thirds majority, but Brock Waggoner changed his initial no vote to yes to allow for passage by a nine-to-three margin. * NYT | ‘The New Price of Eggs.’ The Political Shocks of Data Centers and Electric Bills: As loyal Republicans, Reece Payton said that he and his family of cattle ranchers in Hogansville, Ga., had one thing on their minds when they cast their ballots in November for the state’s utility board — “to make a statement.” They were already irked by their escalating electric bills, not to mention an extra $50 a month levied by their local utility to cover a new nuclear power plant more than 200 miles away. But after they heard a data center might be built next to their Logos Ranch, about 60 miles southwest of Atlanta, they had enough of Republicans who seemed far too receptive to the interests of the booming artificial intelligence industry. “That’s the first time I ever voted Democrat,” Mr. Payton, 58, said. * AP | What a federal ban on THC-infused drinks and snacks could mean for the hemp industry: But the ban doesn’t take effect for a year. That has given the industry hope that there is still time to pass regulations that will improve the hemp THC industry — such as by banning synthetically derived THC, requiring age restrictions on sales, and prohibiting marketing to children — rather than eradicate it. “We are very hopeful that cooler heads will prevail,” said Jonathan Miller, general counsel of the industry group U.S. Hemp Roundtable. “If they really thought there was a health emergency, there would be no year-long period.” The federal ban would jeopardize more than 300,000 jobs while costing states $1.5 billion in lost tax money, the group says.
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