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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* WIFR | Fee added to paint purchases with start of new paint recycling program in Illinois: Those buying paint in Illinois will now pay a little more as part of a state program. The program, provided by nonprofit organization PaintCare, is designed to help households and businesses recycle leftover paint. It went into effect December 1, 2025. […] Under the law, paint manufacturers are required to develop and implement a cost-effective paint stewardship program that reduces the generation of leftover paint, promotes paint reuse and recycling and manages paint waste in an environmentally friendly way. * NBC Chicago | Illinois temporarily suspends road tests at DMV’s due to wintry weather: The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office has temporarily suspended road tests at DMV facilities due to dangerous road conditions. According to the SOS’ office, that suspension was announced on Tuesday morning, citing “unsafe road conditions” after several days of wintry weather that have hammered the state. […] There was no immediate word on when those services would resume. Motorists are urged to check the state’s website for the latest information on test conditions at their local DMV. * Illinois Answers Project | Illinois’ Low-Cost Library Program Takes on the Justice Gap: The need is serious. Researchers report that in Illinois there are just four legal aid lawyers for every 10,000 low-income residents who need one. And most civil litigants without attorneys struggle to access basic court resources. […] Last fall, it partnered with the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Illinois Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission (ATJ) to launch the library initiative that puts a $1,000 computer setup in 18 libraries across the state and provides legal training for staff. * Bloomberg | Illinois among states pressing ‘buy now, pay later’ firms for loan details: “Consumers may not realize that buy-now-pay-later loans don’t have the same protections as other loan products,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a press release. “Individuals who are facing financial hardship or who are new to using loans are especially vulnerable to getting trapped in a cycle of debt, particularly if taking out many buy now, pay later loans. I join my fellow attorneys general in asking that these lenders provide information, so we can determine whether they are complying with consumer protection laws.” * Sun-Times | Krishnamoorthi’s ‘American Dream’ economic plan includes homeowner tax credit, free lunch for kids: Krishnamoorthi’s “Restore the American Dream” plan includes policies for all stages of life — from children to those in retirement. The fundraising leader in the heated race to replace outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin in August unveiled a “Trump accountability plan” for his Senate campaign that includes pushing to restrict ICE agents from wearing masks and introducing constitutional amendments to block self-pardons and a potential presidential term. * 9th CD candidate Daniel Biss has been endorsed by Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* WTTW | Mayor Johnson Rejects Rival Budget Proposal, Saying It Is $700M Short: “Look, they’re going to have to find 34 alders who can compel working people that they’re gonna balance the budget off of their backs,” Johnson said, vowing to “protect the working people of Chicago” and calling the rival budget proposal “$700 million short.” It would take 34 alderpeople to override a mayoral veto. * Illinois Answers Project | Budget Woes: Mayor, Council Clash Over Programs That Feds Once Paid for That Johnson Wants to Keep — on The City’s Tab: An Illinois Answers Project review of published data, memos and records requests found that Johnson’s budget proposes to shift 62 full-time employees previously backed by ARPA — mostly mental health outreach workers — onto the city’s ledger at a cost of $7 million. The mayor also wants to carry over $26 million in grants for programming related to youth employment, homelessness services, domestic violence programs and support for victims of violent crimes, according to city budget officials. About $10 million of that sum would be shifted to the Corporate Fund, the city’s core operating budget, with about another $13 million diverted to a new Community Safety Fund and the rest moved into a fund backed by cannabis taxes. * Crain’s | Citywide ban on intoxicating hemp up for a vote over Johnson’s objection: The City Council’s License Committee is expected to vote on a measure that would extend current local bans at the neighborhood level to the entire city despite the Johnson administration asking aldermen to pump the brakes. The full City Council would need to approve the measure. As drafted, the ban would begin 10 days after the ordinance is approved. Lead sponsor, Ald. Marty Quinn, 13th, told Crain’s “I’m confident in my roll call.” * ABC Chicago | Chicago residents worry over Cook County property tax increases as payment due soon: Some West Side residents and pastors held a press conference Monday morning, pleading for help, as the Cook County property taxes are due in two weeks. They fear the higher bills could lead to vacant buildings and homelessness. “The people who can least afford to pay are given the highest bills; it means get out of town. We don’t want you in this city,” said the Rev. Marshall Hatch, with New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church. * Tribune | Actor and director Robert Townsend raises funds for West Side nonprofits with pop-up film fest: Townsend is in Chicago this week to host a pop-up film festival Dec. 6-7 — one that will showcase films significant to him and subsequently raise funds for the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP and The Answer, Inc., the Forest Park-based organization that supports people of color with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families. Townsend is childhood friends with Karl Brinson, Westside Branch NAACP president, and Debra Vines, CEO and founder of The Answer, Inc. * Crain’s | Chicago Reader names new editor-in-chief: The Chicago Reader has a new leader: Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sarah Conway, who was just brought on as editor-in-chief for the weekly newspaper, the outlet announced today. Conway, who grew up in Joliet, joins the Reader from City Bureau, where she held roles ranging from managing editor to senior reporter for eight years. She also co-founded and led Borderless Magazine as editorial director for three years while also reporting for City Bureau. It was during her time at City Bureau that she landed the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting, for a series on how Chicago police investigate missing persons cases. * Sun-Times | Chicago overtakes NYC for worst vehicle congestion in the US, survey says: Chicago placed second worst in the world behind only Istanbul. The report said traffic on average is worsening across the globe. “As the demand for vehicular travel continues to grow faster than the supply of roadway[s], traffic congestion and delay[s] tend to grow,” the authors wrote in the report. Chicago drivers saw a 10% increase in 2025 in the average time wasted this year in peak traffic, according to the report. * Tribune | Northwestern deal with Trump administration divides students, faculty: Jackie Stevens, president of Northwestern’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, noted that a large cohort of faculty feels “ongoing disappointment” about the agreement. She characterized it as both an acquiescence to Trump and a betrayal to academic freedom. “It’s extortion,” Stevens said. “I don’t even think it’s about the $75 million, I think it’s just about the show of power, right?” * Evanston Now | Biss slams NU deal with feds: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss said he was “disgusted” by terms in Northwestern University’s agreement with the federal government that includes a $75 million payout to close investigations and return funding. In his first statement since the agreement was announced Friday evening, Biss wrote that the Trump administration had “essentially blackmailed Northwestern University … into bending to its will,” by freezing nearly $800 million in federal funding. * Daily Herald | How to enforce ICE ban? Arlington Heights ordinance suggests going to court: “If they violate this, there’ll be documentation and consideration of legal action, but at the same time we just have to acknowledge the reality of this, and we don’t want to lull people into a false sense of security,” Recklaus said. Trustee Wendy Dunnington, who proposed the rules last month, said the board’s unanimous vote shows residents that village officials care about the issue. “We know that people are scared and that immigrants are an important part of our community and that we really value them in Arlington Heights,” she said. * Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County begins to adjust its roadwork plans: One of those moves was an almost $7 million cut in funding for transportation in favor of public safety spending, by way of reallocating some of the Regional Transportation Authority sales tax funds the county receives. It was shortly after followed by a hike in the county’s motor fuel tax to replace that lost revenue. * Daily Herald | Batavia pub gets OK for video gambling, despite being next to two churches: The Batavia City Council approved a conditional-use permit Monday night after a lengthy debate about whether the business is too close to Bethany Lutheran Church and First Congregational Church of Batavia. The council voted 8-6 to approve the measure, with aldermen Tony Malay, Alice Lohman, Dustin Pieper, Leah Leman, Kevin Malone and Abby Beck voting “no.” * Crain’s | Long-delayed Loeber farm housing plan may get Schaumburg’s financial assist: With about $4.8 million in tax increment financing money going to building a bridge over Salt Creek and connecting to distant utility lines, “you make it financially feasible to have the lower density that the neighbors and the community have been asking for,” Joe Nitti said. His Elmhurst-based homebuilding firm, Nitti Group, is seeking village officials’ approval to develop 122 residential units on the 33-acre parcel off Meacham Road near Algonquin Road. * WSIL | Jackson County officials update CodeRED alert system after cybersecurity attack: The agency shared a statement by Crisis24 Customer Support that on December 1, they successfully integrated data into the CodeRED by Crisis24 platform. This data, sourced from backup information of the legacy OnSolve CodeRED system, includes community notification enrollment, E911 data, and customer utility data. This backup reflects data available as of March 31, 2025. * WJBD | City of Centralia approves next year’s budget: The Centralia City Council approved the city’s FY26 budget at the regular council meeting on Monday night. The budget shows an overall surplus of roughly $455,000. A public hearing was held before the meeting to present the budget. No members of the public gave any questions or comments on the budget at the hearing. The council also approved the annual property tax levy, keeping it the same as the previous year’s levy. Centralia city manager Galen Mahle said that due to increased revenue from the half-cent sales tax increase going into effect on January 1, the city did not need to increase the levy for a balanced budget this year. * WCIA | Springfield Fire Dept. canceling monthly tornado siren due to weather: In a Facebook post Tuesday morning, Springfield Fire said that due to the extremely cold temperatures, they would be canceling this month’s scheduled tornado siren test. They said cold weather can damage testing equipment and that ensuring reliability during an actual emergency is their top priority. The department said the regular tornado test will resume next month, weather permitting. They urged residents to make sure they are signed up for emergency alerts and have multiple ways to receive severe weather notifications. * NPR Illinois | Country artist Ella Langley to play the Illinois State Fair grandstand: The Illinois State Fair has announced country music performer Ella Langley will take the Grandstand Stage as part of the 2026 Illinois State Fair lineup on Friday, August 21, 2026. Langley, one of country music’s most dynamic and fastest-rising new voices, has rapidly become a force in the genre. Her debut album, hungover, earned widespread critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Billboard and more, while her 3x Platinum-certified breakout single “you look like you love me” featuring Riley Green topped Country radio, hit the Billboard Hot 100 (Top 30), and also made CMA history—sweeping every category it has ever been nominated for and becoming the first song in CMA history to win all four honors: Single of the Year (2025), Song of the Year (2025), Music Video of the Year (2025), and Musical Event of the Year (2024)—making it the first track in CMA history to claim all four honors. * 404 Media | Flock Uses Overseas Gig Workers to Build its Surveillance AI: Companies that use AI or machine learning regularly turn to overseas workers to train their algorithms, often because the labor is cheaper than hiring domestically. But the nature of Flock’s business—creating a surveillance system that constantly monitors U.S. residents’ movements—means that footage might be more sensitive than other AI training jobs. * AP | Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP from Democrat-led states if they don’t provide data: President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday that it will move to withhold SNAP food aid from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless they provide information about those receiving the assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that the action is in the works because those states are refusing to provide data the department requested such as the names and immigration status of the aid recipients.
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