* Capitol News Illinois…

Over 1.7 million Illinois adults will be eligible to have their nonviolent criminal records automatically sealed after Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed the long-debated ‘Clean Slate’ Act.

House Bill 1836 will require law enforcement agencies and circuit clerks to begin systematically sealing eligible criminal records by 2029. Existing law already allows people to apply for qualifying records to be sealed for certain crimes. The new law doesn’t add to the list of eligible offences, but rather streamlines and automates the process, removing legwork for those with records.

Of the 2.2 million Illinois adults with a past arrest or conviction, advocates estimate that 1.74 million, or 79%, could have their records partially or fully sealed because of the legislation.

Convictions for more serious offenses like sexual violence against minors, DUIs, reckless driving, cruelty to animals and serious violent crimes, including any that qualify for sex offender registration remain ineligible for sealing.

* Crain’s…

An Cincinnati-based law firm has filed as a lobbyist for the Chicago Bears, amid a ramp-up in conversations about moving the team to northwest Indiana.

An application for Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP was completed Wednesday with the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission, indicating the firm will represent CBFC Development LLC, an affiliate company of the NFL franchise. […]

Disclosure of the registration comes as Indiana lawmakers on Thursday took their first public steps to create legislation to potentially lure the Bears to Lake County.

*** Catching up with the Congressionals ***

* Rep. La Shawn Ford is running in the 7th Congressional District…

Sounds like a smoke alarm chirps at around the 20-second mark.

* Evanston Now | Top congressional contenders face off: Biss, who leads most polls and recently earned coveted endorsements from Schakowsky, the AFL-CIO and the Progressive Caucus PAC, seeming to garner the most direct attacks Thursday. He was singled out at least twice by Andrew, a former FBI agent, hostage negotiator and gun violence survivor from Wilmette. But it wasn’t until the end of the forum, which Dumke requested remain on-topic without any attacks at each other, that Andrew seemed to look directly at Biss while answering a question about what he’d do differently than Schakowsky in Congress.

* Daily Herald | Upcoming debates set for 8th Congressional District primaries: Two of the four candidates in the Republican primary for the 8th District will meet in a debate at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Fairfield Inn and Suites, 700 National Parkway in Schaumburg. Jennifer Davis of Huntley and Mark Rice of Arlington Heights will participate in the Schaumburg Township Republican Organization event moderated by radio talk show host Amy Jacobson. Fellow candidates Kevin Ake of Elk Grove Village and Herbert Hebein of Chicago weren’t invited by STRO because they have no campaign fundraising registered with the Federal Election Commission.

* Daily Herald | Democrat drops out of 5th Congressional race: Chicagoan Jonny Antonio Bishop formally withdrew from the contest Monday. His name won’t appear on ballots in the 5th District, which includes parts of Cook and Lake counties. Bishop revealed he’d ended his bid Thursday night to friends and followers on Facebook.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Kamala Harris tells Chicago audience to ‘bear down’ and resist Trump agenda: “To the leaders here, I saw, let us continue to be clear-eyed. They may want us to be afraid, to be divided, to be silent. But we don’t give them that satisfaction. We will continue to fight with determination, with resilience and, I dare with, with joy. So, in the spirit of Chicago, it is time to bear down.” This year’s MLK breakfast’s theme was “defending democracy, protecting our rights.” Other speakers included Mayor Brandon Johnson and state House Speaker Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch. The breakfast honored author and peace activist Jacqueline L. Jackson and the Rev. David Black with its Champion of Freedom award.

* Sun-Times | Chicago Teachers Union leaders question timing of second federal inquiry into finances: The letter did not specify what prompted the audit, but it listed several possible reasons that can prompt a review, including not filing on time, document discrepancies or complaints from union members. The letter also said some unions are randomly selected. The Labor Department conducts several hundreds of these audits every year. But CTU officials said the timing is suspicious. The letter arrived one day before the CTU was due to submit five years of audits and other financial documents to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in response to a demand from the committee to examine the union’s audits. Committee members said they wanted to determine if “reforms” were needed to the federal law that requires unions to submit financial information to the Labor Department.

* Block Club | St. Stanislaus Kostka Academy To Close In Wicker Park After More Than 150 Years: In his letter Thursday, Buś said the parish school, which serves students from pre-K to eighth grade, has been on “life support” for some time, citing plummeting enrollment and a loss of government scholarship funds. Despite fundraising efforts in recent years, St. Stanislaus is anticipating a deficit of almost $500,000 at the end of the school year, he wrote.

* Sun-Times | Religious group that some ex-members describe as a ‘cult’ sees its footprint grow in Chicago area: While the group identifies as Christian and publicly preaches love and volunteerism, court records and various ex-members portray it as a money-fueled operation that’s falsely predicted the end of the world, helped isolate members from nonbelieving friends and relatives, arranged marriages for congregants, and at times pressured pregnant members to get abortions. “I think they try to fulfill every stereotype of a cult,” says Adam Stillman, a resident of Utah who belonged to the group for a decade until 2024, when he and his wife quit after becoming disillusioned with the teachings and practices.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Diocese of Joliet sued in Will County over priest sex abuse allegations from 1990s: John Doe’s lawsuit claims the Rev. John F. Barrett, who died in 2014, had sexually abused him while he was attending St. Alexander Catholic School in Villa Park between 1991 and 1992. […] In 2002, Barrett was removed from ministry when the latter accuser claimed he was sexually abused by Barrett in 1968 at Notre Dame Catholic Church in Clarendon Hills, according to a 2002 article from the Chicago Tribune. In the article, diocesan chancellor Sister Judith Davies was quoted as saying an independent review was “unable to substantiate the allegation by gaining further information from the accuser or by finding any evidence to support his accusation.”

* Lake County News-Sun | Potential impact of AI a topic at Forecast Lake County event: ‘We don’t fully understand the concept yet’: Darlene Bembry, a real estate broker with Real People Realty active in Lake County, was at the event. Like Walstrum, she does not know how AI will impact the residential real estate business. She considers the human element vital. AI holds long-term promise, but it hasn’t yet translated into measurable productivity or wage growth,” Bembry said in an email. “In real estate, it will enhance data and efficiency over time, but it won’t replace the human relationships that drive the market.”

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | Mid-Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters to close after 50 years: Mid-Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters said the decision “reflects the realities” facing its organization, and was made following a “deep reflection” of its long-term outlook. The organization said in the letter that it will go through a “careful” conclusion of its programs and will be in “clear communication” with families and volunteers up until it closes.

* IPM News | Tuition is going up for incoming University of Illinois undergrads: The Trump administration upended the stability of research grants going to universities over the last year. The University of Illinois has felt the impacts but has not been as affected as some institutions. Board of Trustees Chairman Jesse Ruiz said state support helps keep costs relatively low. “We’re very fortunate that the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor’s Office has been very supportive of higher education and has increased higher education funding in our state,” he said.

* Illinois Times | City launches Minority Business Institute: The city of Springfield is launching the Springfield Minority Business Institute, a new multi-week educational initiative that will begin in February. The program is designed to support minority-owned businesses and nonprofit organizations through targeted instruction, access to resources and meaningful networking opportunities. Classes will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in February and March. The program will conclude with an April 1 graduation ceremony at University of Illinois Springfield.

*** National ***

* The Hill | Trump says there’s no reason ‘right now’ to use Insurrection Act in Minneapolis: “I don’t think there’s any reason right now to use it, but if I needed it, I’d use it,” Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for Palm Beach, Fla. Trump threatened to use the 1807 law on Thursday following a shooting involving a federal officer. […] This is not the first time Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act. Last October, the president told reporters he was “allowed” to use the measure if the courts denied his move to send the National Guard to U.S. cities.

* NYT | Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time: In July, Ms. Herrera donated another $1 million to MAGA Inc. She did not respond to a request for comment. Mr. Trump this week pardoned Mr. Herrera, Ms. Vázquez and Mark Rossini, a former F.B.I. agent who had worked as a consultant for Mr. Herrera. All three had pleaded guilty in August to misdemeanor campaign finance charges.