|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Feb 5, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Building owner OK’d Trump administration’s raid of Chicago apartment complex, court records show. Sun-Times…
- Federal officials claimed the area surrounding the building in South Shore was a hub for Venezuelan gangs, but new arrests reports show it was targeted in the jarring raid because “illegal aliens were unlawfully occupying apartments.” - All remaining building residents were forced out in December after the complex was foreclosed on, along with two other South Side buildings owned by Flood. Sponsored by the Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals: Our Healthcare Backbone At Risk. Safety-net hospitals are the backbone of Chicago’s Black and Brown communities. They provide emergency and lifesaving care for families who rely on them. They also support thousands of good, local healthcare jobs, serving as economic anchors in neighborhoods that have faced decades of disinvestment. With federal support being reduced, safetynet hospitals need more resources – not less – to avoid further strain that could irreversibly damage local health systems and weaken the essential services our communities rely on. Now, these hospitals are under threat. This is not reform. It is a sell-off of community healthcare, driven by outsiders – not by the needs of patients, workers, or neighborhoods. Save safety-net hospitals. Protect our care, our jobs, and our communities. * The pro-Stratton Illinois Future PAC placed $7.1 million in new ad reservations yesterday…
* STLPR | Greater St. Louis Inc. took public officials on trips to tour huge data centers with Ameren in tow: One such trip took place in December, when officials from Greater St. Louis Inc. and Ameren traveled to a Google data center in Nebraska with city and county officials from communities in Missouri and Illinois, according to newly obtained documents. […] Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser, along with Cathy Hamilton, the county’s economic development director; Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson; Troy City Administrator Jay Keeven; Jefferson County County Executive Dennis Gannon, and Festus City Council member Jim Trinnin attended the trip. Three Ameren employees from Missouri and Illinois were also on the trip. * Daily Herald | ‘All of us want them to stay’: GOP governor candidates opine on Bears’ threats to go to Hoosier state: “If I was governor, that property would be half-built by now,” said Heidner, who called the 326-acre site a “city inside of a city in Arlington Heights.” […] “I oppose giving any public money … directly to the Bears,” [Dabrowski] said. “Of course, for the infrastructure, this public infrastructure that would benefit all communities, I’m for that. But I’m not looking for deals that force our taxpayers to subsidize a big company like the Bears.” * Tribune | Illinois voter guide to the 2026 primary election on March 17: Primary elections for federal, state and local races will all be on the ballot with voters deciding who will advance to the general election for the following offices. To see who is already representing you, click here and enter your home address. * Crain’s | Chicago banks see loan demand return as tariff and labor woes ease: Chicago banks posted strong profit growth in the fourth quarter as loan demand returned, and expectations are high for the year ahead even as uncertainty on interest rates looms. “Banks exceeded expectations in all the right areas,” said Terry McEvoy, banking industry analyst with financial services firm Stephens. “That momentum is a result of expanding net interest margins . . . returning loan demand, managing expenses and maybe even more importantly credit quality trends.” * Block Club | Aida Flores Again Running For 25th Ward Aldermanic Seat: Aida Flores, born and raised in Pilsen, said in a Sunday news release she is again vying for the 25th Ward seat. Her announcement comes just days after incumbent Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez launched his bid for Congress — though he hasn’t yet said if he’ll also run for reelection as alderman. The 25th Ward covers Pilsen, University Village and a portion of Little Village. The 25th Ward election is Feb. 23, 2027. * Block Club | South Side Irish Parade Names 2026 Grand Marshal And Honoree: Bill Letz, chair of the 2026 South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade, said the Tunnel to Towers Foundation has been “honoring those who have given their lives or been seriously injured in the line of duty for decades.” “We are pleased to name Tunnel to Towers Foundation as grand marshal, honoring the significant financial impact the foundation makes by helping the injured and their families across the country, in the Chicago area, and right here in our own community,” Letz said in a press release. * Chicago Reader | Chicago housing workers call the city’s encampment closures ‘unconscionable’: The closure of the Chicago Avenue encampment “literally made no sense whatsoever,” said Ali Simmons, senior case and street outreach worker at the Law Project at Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness. In an interview, Simmons pointed to the closure as an example of what he sees as the futility and waste of encampment evictions more broadly. “If one person on a block is making a ruckus, [authorities] don’t come in and force the whole block to move,” he said. “So, why is it any different for somebody experiencing homelessness? [The city] collectively blamed everybody and displaced the whole encampment.” * Crain’s | Willis Tower tenant nears big expansion: Trading firm IMC is close to adding about 100,000 square feet of new workspace in Willis Tower, a deal that would give the Dutch company one of the largest trading-firm footprints in Chicago as the downtown office market struggles with rampant vacancy. The Amsterdam-based company is in advanced discussions to drastically expand its footprint in the 110-story tower at 233 S. Wacker Drive, according to people familiar with the matter. IMC would lease more than 250,000 square feet in the skyscraper if the deal is completed, making United Airlines the only larger tenant at the property. * The Real Deal | Not in this town: More Chicago suburbs crack down on short-term rentals: Skokie officials passed an ordinance Monday setting up a pilot program to ban new investor-owned short-term rentals in the village. And the Evanston City Council is considering passing tighter regulations to cap the number of short-term rentals in the city. The changes add to a growing list of local governments aiming to clamp down on the number of vacation rentals offered through apps like Airbnb and Vrbo. Neighbors have complained that dedicated vacation rentals create noise, disruptions and drive up costs in an already strained housing market. * Aurora Beacon-News | Indian Prairie school board OKs almost $26 million in renovations at Neuqua Valley High School: In 2024, voters approved a proposal from the district to sell up to $420 million in bonds to pay for facility improvements. The bonds are to be paid for using a continuation of an existing 37-cent property tax per $100 of equalized assessed value that would otherwise have expired at the end of 2026, meaning the tax rate for residents in terms of their contribution to capital projects will effectively remain flat as a result of the referendum question’s passage. * Daily Southtown | Flossmoor approves production studio development plan on village-owned land: The Village Board approved an agreement last month with the production company Only Believe Entertainment to develop abandoned village-owned land into a studio and production space. Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson said the project will benefit the town by drawing in production crews and revenue for every new project. “Each one of these films has their own crew, contractors and whatnot, and artists and actors, so it’ll bring in a fresh new crew to the village whenever there’s a production happening,” Nelson said. * WGLT | Community leaders are apprehensive about prospects for insurance regulation: Patrick Hoban, head of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council [EDC], last week expressed some alarm about the prospect of such regulation and its potential impact on employment and the economic base. “Some of this needs to settle down because what that will do to our community is unheard of. It’s not to scare everybody, but they at least are talking. But the concept that one industry makes up a third of our economy is terrifying. A quarter of all jobs rely on insurance,” said Hoban at an EDC presentation on the housing market. * WGEM | Quincy Public School Board reconsiders superintendent salary after candidate feedback, reopens search: Despite the challenges, Arns reaffirmed the board’s commitment to filling the position. “It’s a required position in the district, it’s something we have to have, and it’s the one job of the board to hire the superintendent. So we’re committed to doing that, finding that right person.” Because the original salary range ($200,000) was insufficient to attract qualified candidates, the Board is working with their search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea, and Associates (HYA), to reopen the position for two weeks. * TEXT:WIFR | Dept. of Education Secretary Linda McMahon to visit Illinois school for History Rocks! tour: The History Rocks! tour is organized by the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with Turning Point USA and other organizations as part of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition. […] The event, planned for 2:30 p.m. Feb. 5, was arranged by the student organization “Club America,” the high school’s chapter of Turning Point USA. The calendar event hosted on the school’s website says Genoa-Kingston High School was selected as a host for the History Rocks! tour which will feature “national-level speakers.” No further details about the identities of the speakers have been officially announced. * WGLT | Normal could dust off an old idea for a community sports complex: Mayor Chris Koos said one idea that has come up periodically over the last couple of decades is back again. “Surprisingly there’s a lot of chatter that I’ve heard, not just second hand from the focus groups but from studies and focus groups that the Chamber has done, is a sports complex,” Koos said in an interview with WGLT. Past sports complex initiatives have failed because of finances, and/or a lack of a public-private partnership. The last such initiative was in 2019-2020. It’s unclear given the interest rate climate and rising construction costs whether this time could be different. * WCIA | Effingham neighbors pack city council meeting, share concerns about halfway home: At the city council meeting on Tuesday, neighbors said their small street isn’t the right location for a transitional house that focuses on helping people recover from addiction. Meanwhile, others in attendance said the tenants aren’t bothering anyone and this is just another example of “not in my backyard.” “I didn’t wake up one day and (say), oh, (I’d like to) use drugs today,” said Merl Moulton, who showed up to the meeting to tell his story and alleviate fears over the new house. “We just got to stop that kind of mentality with that — (just put) people in prison (who) suffer from an addiction problem.” * WCIA | Macon Co. Beltway project on pause : The project was planned to be a 22-mile loop around the City of Decatur. Now, work is temporarily stopped as officials figure out what roads they should pay for and work on first. The original plan was for the roadway to be created in stages, starting with Busch College Road. But now, the city is looking at a different area to re-start construction. * WIRED | Measles Is Causing Brain Swelling in Children in South Carolina: ncephalitis is a rare but severe complication of measles that can lead to convulsions and cause deafness or intellectual disability in children. It usually occurs within 30 days of an initial measles infection and can happen if the brain becomes infected with the virus or if an immune reaction to the virus causes inflammation in the brain. Among children who get measles encephalitis, 10 to 15 percent die. It’s not known how many children in South Carolina have developed this serious complication. Under state law, measles cases must be reported to the South Carolina Department of Public Health, but measles hospitalizations and complications do not need to be disclosed. * Swarthmore | Understanding the Political Disconnect: To find out why lower-income people vote at significantly lower rates than other Americans, a group of Swarthmore researchers conducted in-depth interviews with a diverse group of 144 Pennsylvanians who do not vote regularly. Respondents described a deep sense of disconnection from politics, saying they don’t believe elected officials are sincerely interested in helping them or their families.
|
- Skokie Man - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 8:23 am:
It appears that candidates in the Ninth District were following the comments section here last night…
“At Wednesday’s forum, Biss routinely attacked Fine for her purported connection to AIPAC. While decrying Israel’s actions in Gaza, Biss said it should be ‘troubling’ to voters that Fine supports a ‘blank check of military aid for Israel’ and has allegedly received donations from AIPAC supporters.
“’That is deeply problematic,’ Biss said. ‘That is a right-wing policy that is bad for Palestinians, Jews, Israelis, America and the world.’
“At that, Abughazaleh applauded. Abughazaleh took a more veiled strike at Fine in her remarks, suggesting that voters should be ‘looking at who supports unconditional military aid to Israel and who is backed by AIPAC.’
“In her rebuttal, Fine focused on her record and experience as a legislator in Springfield, but did not address claims about her donors.”
link: https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/02/05/top-stories/democratic-congressional-candidates-spar-over-campaign-donations-at-csna-forum/
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 8:27 am:
- researchers conducted in-depth interviews with a diverse group of 144 Pennsylvanians who do not vote regularly. Respondents described a deep sense of disconnection from politics, saying they don’t believe elected officials are sincerely interested in helping them or their families. -
FDR knew how to motivate these folks. It sure isn’t by chasing Wall St. and Silicone Valley funders.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 8:48 am:
Krishnamoorthi has a lot of money he can throw at ads and I am apparently the exact person that his campaign wants to advertise to on a lot of platforms. I am now starting to wonder the effectiveness of doing an online ad buy that is going to pay money to specifically show the exact same person the exact same ad repeatedly.
=== Genoa-Kingston High School was selected as a host for the History Rocks! tour which will feature “national-level speakers.”===
Ignoring the programing and organizers of this event, it sounds like they have picked a venue that isn’t appropriate for the scope of the event they are planning. If it is appropriate for the scope of the event they are planning then it sounds like they’re making a bigger deal about this tour than they should be.
I also hope the folks planning the event have created a program that is intended for high school age children. I understand that the administration may have a difficult time acknowledging that people in high school are children, but political considerations aside there are a lot of red flags already blowing for this event.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 9:15 am:
===It appears that candidates in the Ninth District were following the comments section here last night===
As nice as that would be, I don’t think that’s the case. Some of what’s been discussed regarding AIPAC is stuff that has been discussed quietly over the years. The reason why candidates who are leading in the polls in congressional primaries are discussing it is because the Overton window has moved and no one has pushed that Overton window harder than Netanyahu himself. Like everytime the Overton window shifts significantly, some folks don’t get the memo. Hence, you get the US Senate Minority Leader’s recent remarks boasting about how one if his priorities is aid to Israel and the outcry it provoked.
Everyone’s polling in Democratic primaries likely reflect the shift of the Overton window, even AIPAC’s internal polls must and that’s why folks who are dependent on the spending aren’t being upfront about how they got AIPAC’s support and what they intend to do to keep it. AIPAC is also isn’t funding ads about their issue either. Perhaps the most telling moment for AIPAC in this campaign was when they tried to create the impression that Biss actively sought their support as a way to lessen the impact of their support for Fine.
A strong attack at AIPAC’s support and characterizing AIPAC’s support the way that Biss has done is a necessity for Biss’ campaign. I don’t think anyone in his team needed our help to figure that out.
- Jerry - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 9:20 am:
So Republicans DO believe in Gubbamint Handouts for the Bears and no Tax Certainty for Illinois Taxpayers.
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 9:32 am:
Small nitpick that carried over from the original article re: Decatur
*Brush* College Rd, not Busch
- Excitable Boy - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 9:33 am:
- It appears that candidates in the Ninth District were following the comments section here last night… -
Criticism of the atrocities in Gaza and AIPAC’s unwavering support of those atrocities did not start yesterday.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 9:55 am:
A new large study came out saying cannabis could improve cognitive function in the middle aged and older people, and increase brain volume. Expand the mind and the brain will follow.
https://www.cnbctv18.com/access/research/cannabis-use-in-middle-age-linked-to-larger-brain-volume-better-cognition-study-19843556.htm/amp
- Blitz - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 9:57 am:
Not sure if I could just copy and paste the link and don’t want to take a chance at screwing anything up by doing so, but I was fascinated by the Rock Roils NU piece in the Sun Times this morning regarding a student managed rock used for art and the way Northwestern University has, to be kind, interestingly chosen when and when not to take action on removing messaging students have put on it.
- Harrison - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 10:09 am:
Republicans and many others agree with the leaders of California and Minnesota and many other leaders of cities and their surrounding suburbs with newer stadiums, that the benefits of providing infrastructure and reasonable property tax certainty for multi billion dollar sports developments outweighs the negatives.
Before an appeal, the property tax on the vacant Arlington Heights property was 8.9 million a year.
That is a $900,000 more than the next highest tax bill for an NFL stadium -SOFI in LA, a domed stadium that hosts two NFL teams- the Chargers and the Rams.
SOFI will host the 8 World Cup games in 2026 and the Super Bowl in 2027.
Los Angeles area leaders faced the reality that World Class cities have world class sports venues.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 10:18 am:
Grandson- Amen. I’m way past middle age but could use some mind expansion.
On a related note- In my town they’ve opened a dispensary next to the Dunkin Donuts. Who’d a thunk it??
- Loyal Virus - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 11:15 am:
Kid Rock, Ted Nugent, and Lee Greenwood are going to be busy this semester.
- Eastside - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 11:26 am:
The Indiana Senate passed a Bears stadium bill last week on a vote of 46-2. They are far beyond the Senate Committee phase. May want to update your info. Guess the rift between the Gov and Senate over there is not as great as you would think.
https://news.wttw.com/2026/02/04/indiana-lawmakers-continue-pushing-bears-stadium-let-s-get-it-moving
- JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 12:11 pm:
= reasonable property tax certainty for multi billion dollar sports developments outweighs the negatives.=
Why is one property tax rate ok for the average Joe and not reasonable for billionaires?
Also, so now you are advocating for California’s taxes? Spare me.
- BE - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 12:50 pm:
“To find out why lower-income people vote at significantly lower rates than other Americans, a group of Swarthmore researchers conducted in-depth interviews with a diverse group of 144 Pennsylvanians who do not vote regularly.” - my thoughts would be also that low income people don’t have the time to go and vote, depending on their local voting restrictions, the voting hours and what their jobs are.
—
The History Rocks thing is rather weird and off-putting. The Secretary getting rid of the Dept of Education is trying to promote history while working with Turning Point USA, who if you repeat the speeches of their most well-known member, they will try to get you fired for it. I didn’t even know that high schools would have such a connection/group, thought they were just college/university-based. “GKEA requested the start time of the event be delayed to allow those who do not wish to attend to safely leave the building.” That’s not ominous…
- Harrison - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 1:14 pm:
Spare you what- Reality?
Does the “average Joe” have the leverage to dangle multi billion dollar projects between two competing suitors?
The new stadium will eventually be built in the Chicagoland area, either in Arlington Heights or just across the Indiana border.
It was necessary to give the billionaire owners of the United Center (paying only 6.1 million) and Wrigley Field (paying somewhere around 3 million) exactly what the Bears and every other pro sports team gets, property tax certainty.
Do you think the stadium would actually be built in Arlington Heights if the tax bill was over 100 million a year?
- H-W - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 1:30 pm:
Re: TEXT WFIR article
This activity is going to be an interesting study in federal government and political party intrusion into the public schools. All here need to read the article.
It would appear, the U.S. Department of Education is collaborating with Turning Point USA to provide an after school activity for interested students.
Under the auspices of U.S. and Illinois history instruction, students will get to hear what the feds and Turning Point USA define as relevant history.
My guess is there will also be implicit and explicit politicking going on. If as advertised, this is an after school activity for which not student is obligated to attend, I have not concerns.
But the event is slated for 2:30 pm, which I believe is during the school day.
Also, if Turning Point USA can coordinate such a venture, does this set the standard for alternative presentations by alternative political advocacy groups?
- Harrison - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 1:32 pm:
NFL players pay income tax in every state they play in.
The potential loss in income tax revenue is another consideration.
- Proud Papa Bear - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 1:36 pm:
Public involvement in stadiums is a well-documented black hole for our funds. An economist once said you’re better off throwing money from a helicopter if you’re hoping to stimulate the economy.
I don’t care what shell game the Bears are playing with infrastructure, tax breaks, and whatnot. They have a perfectly good stadium and it’s not our responsibility to help them get a newer model.
I called my (Republican) representatives. Fortunately, we’re on the same side on this one.
Let Indiana pay for it.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 1:40 pm:
===The potential loss in income tax revenue is another consideration.===
lol.
You’re at the bottom of the barrel there.
Let’s give the Bears everything they want to pick up a few bucks from income tax receipts? C’mon.
- Jerry - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 1:44 pm:
Free stadiums from the government are economic losers. If the Bears don’t or can’t afford the taxes, oh well. It’s not the citizenry’s problem they never diversified their business.
Tax Certainty for the average Joe not for the Bears. The New York Jets/Giants play in New Jersey.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 2:18 pm:
=Does the “average Joe” have the leverage to dangle multi billion dollar projects between two competing suitors?=
The average joe has the “leverage” of the hundreds of millions or billions of tax dollars they want for their “business”.
=The new stadium will eventually be built in the Chicagoland area, either in Arlington Heights or just across the Indiana border.=
So?
=It was necessary to give the billionaire owners of the United Center (paying only 6.1 million) and Wrigley Field (paying somewhere around 3 million) exactly what the Bears and every other pro sports team gets, property tax certainty.=
And we have learned what a boondoggle that was/is. We used to do a lot of things that we now know are not good. Care to smoke a pack of Lucky filterless? Because we used to do it doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it. My 3 year-old grandson knows that.
=Do you think the stadium would actually be built in Arlington Heights if the tax bill was over 100 million a year?=
Again, I don’t care if they do or don’t. They aren’t special and don’t deserve a break that others don’t get, especially the majority of us that actually pay the bills.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 2:28 pm:
=But the event is slated for 2:30 pm, which I believe is during the school day.=
I think they are out by that time for an early release. They put out a statement on local media to that effect yesterday.
Still, a really dumb idea. We have a hard enough time in public education with every swinging nitwit wanting to politicize school we should not be doing our ourselves. And this is blatantly political. Allegedly a student group invited this clown show, but we have a Board policy against partisan event and they likely have the same policy we do (most illinois school subscribe to the IASB policy service). But now they have opened the door to who knows what. I hope they enjoy the disruption and mayhem.
- Dotnonymous x - Thursday, Feb 5, 26 @ 2:46 pm:
People tend to participate in systems they believe have their best interests in mind…poor people are not stupid, they’re poor by design and many are awakening to that systemic fact…no poor means no super rich…and which of our super rich overlords want to hear that?