* Subscribers were the first to know this morning. Capitol News Illinois…

Gov. JB Pritzker is backing one of his longtime Statehouse allies, Rep. Margaret Croke, to be Illinois’ next comptroller.

Croke has represented an Illinois House district on Chicago’s North Side since 2021, but her relationship with Pritzker dates back to 2017 when she helped lead Pritzker’s first campaign for governor. In a statement Monday, Pritzker said Croke “has always been committed to responsible fiscal management.”

“Whether it’s advocating for job creation, reproductive rights, or the expansion of childcare, Margaret knows how to get things done,” Pritzker said. “At a time when the Trump administration is playing politics with federal funding, we need a Comptroller who will not shy away from a fight and will lead with transparency and efficiency.” […]

Croke received Pritzker’s financial support in past campaigns for state representative, and Pritzker’s endorsement could open the door to more financial help from the billionaire governor ahead of the March 17 primary.

React from one of Croke’s Democratic opponents Rep. Stephanie Kifowit…

The answer: Former Gov. Bruce Rauner, who appointed Leslie Munger after the death of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Mother Jones | What Being a Billionaire Scion Taught JB Pritzker About Standing Up to One: “You’re suggesting that if you have money, that somehow that makes you evil, you know, that—I mean, that’s the suggestion behind your question,” he said, with a sort of incredulous laugh. “That somehow having resources or being successful in business necessarily means that you have no values, or that you would work against the majority or against individual rights. And I think that’s just false. I don’t think it’s about how much money you have—I think it’s about what your personal values are, it’s about how you were raised, it’s about what you believe in and fight for, and what you’ve demonstrated during your life that you’ll fight for.”

* Press release | Gov. Pritzker Highlights Expansion of STAR Bond Program: Governor Pritzker expanded STAR bond eligibility to municipalities statewide through SB1911, which was signed in December 2025. This legislation empowers municipalities in every region of the state, providing them with additional financing options to meaningfully invest in capital projects that will attract visitors and spur additional revenues in local economies. Municipalities who are accepted into the program and approved for projects are permitted to issue STAR bonds to finance large-scale projects.

* Journal Courier | Gubernatorial candidate Bailey to visit Jacksonville: The former state legislator will be in town from 9 to 10 a.m. Feb. 18 at Rudi’s Grill, 1913 W. Morton Ave. Bailey’s visit will wrap up two hours before Gov. JB Pritzker, who’s trying to win a third term as governor, gives his yearly budget address in Springfield.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Under Trump, HUD hardens the policies behind a program meant to shelter the city’s homeless population: Under the Trump administration, the Department of Housing & Urban Development wants people down on their luck to be housed only transitionally, treated and returned to the workforce, presumably able to feed and shelter themselves. In November, HUD issued a policy change with a cap on funds for permanent housing that stipulates Continuum of Care programs can’t spend more than 30% of their total funding on this type of long-term shelter. Implementation of this dramatic reversal in care for the homeless population has been put on hold by a court order. But the administration has signaled where it’s heading. And like the wrenching cuts to the food assistance program SNAP and to Medicaid, it will take a toll on the most vulnerable people in the Chicago area.

* Sun-Times | City Hall faces another $29.1 million in settlements tied to corrupt Chicago police Det. Reynaldo Guevara: n the Watts settlement, 176 cases were settled for an average of $511,363 apiece. The latest wave of Guevara cases carry an average settlement price tag of nearly $7.3 million. Guevara, 81, is accused in lawsuits of framing people for murder. Forty-three people, including three women, have been exonerated after they were sent to prison on murder convictions in cases handled by Guevara in the 1980s and 1990s. Most of them lived in Humboldt Park.

* Block Club | Temporary Homeless Shelter At Uptown’s American Islamic College To Close This Summer: The closure is part of a planned shelter decompression, where the city rightsizes the number of its shelter beds to meet current demand, said Linsey Maughan, a spokesperson for the Department of Family and Support Services. There are currently 424 people at the shelter, which is below the maximum capacity, Maughan said. The shelter hasn’t been at full capacity for more than a year, she said.

* Sun-Times | Cardinal Blase Cupich calls for White House to apologize for racist video depicting Obamas as primates: Cardinal Blase Cupich is calling on the White House to apologize after President Donald Trump shared a racist social media post that depicted former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as primates. “Portraying human beings as animals — less than human — is not new,” Cupich said in the statement. “Our shock is real. So is our outrage. Nothing less than an unequivocal apology — to the nation and to the persons demeaned — is acceptable.”

* Crain’s | American Airlines CEO faces union no-confidence vote amid O’Hare battle with United: The board of directors of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants issued a unanimous vote of no confidence in Isom on Monday, according to a letter sent to the union representing 28,000 flight attendants. The move marks the first time the union has ever taken such action against an American Airlines head. “The time for excuses is over. Flight Attendants, Union Siblings, and supporters will soon gather to demand accountability, improved operational support, and leadership change at American Airlines — starting at the top,” the union’s board wrote in the letter.

* Tribune | Pitcher Erick Fedde returns to the Chicago White Sox on a 1-year deal: Fedde joined the Sox in 2024 after a season pitching in the Korea Baseball Organization. He went 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts for the Sox before being dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals in late July that year as part of a three-team trade that also included the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fedde had a 3.72 ERA in 10 starts for the Cardinals in 2024. He had a rocky 2025, going 4-13 with a 5.49 ERA in 32 outings (24 starts) for the Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Despite efforts to correct, Midlothian Mayor Village President Gary L’ Heureux received tax exemption on 2 houses in 2024: Gary L’ Heureux said he was made aware of double exemptions he took during the 2022 and 2023 tax years in October 2024, after being contacted by the Daily Southtown. He said he took immediate action by contacting the Cook County assessor’s office, and a certificate of completion shows he submitted documentation to a county erroneous exemption specialist in December 2025. But county property records continue to reflect that L’Heureux saved nearly $3,000 on his taxes for each of his homes across the 2022 and 2023 tax years. Records show he received exemptions on both homes in 2024 as well, reducing their equalized assessed values, but do not say how much he saved on his taxes for that year.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Black History Month breakfast in Aurora puts emphasis on education: The first Saturday of Black History Month was celebrated in Aurora over the weekend at the Prisco Community Center as the Quad County Urban League hosted its annual Black History Month Pancake Breakfast. The two-hour event, a scholarship fundraiser, was touted “as being more than a meal,” according to Theodia Gillespie, president and CEO of the Quad County Urban League. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate Black history, uplift our students and invest in their future,” Gillespie noted in a press release.

*** Downstate ***

* WSIL | Rend Lake College Reports Double-Digit Enrollment Growth for Spring 2026: According to the college, overall headcount enrollment increased by 12.42%, rising from 1,932 students in Spring 2025 to 2,172 students this spring. Full-time equivalency (FTE), a measure of total credit hour enrollment, also showed strong gains, climbing 10.28% from 1,227 to 1,353.17 FTE. “These enrollment numbers are extremely encouraging,” said Rend Lake College President Lori Ragland. “Continued education beyond high school is critical to increasing future earnings and strengthening our communities. The same educational path is not right for everyone, but pursuing some level of education or training after high school is essential for long-term success.”

* WGLT | Education unions rally in Uptown Normal for increased state funding: The “People Over Profits” rally featured members of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Education Association [IEA], the Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans, ISU Labor Coalition and the United Faculty of ISU. Ashley Farmer is the president of United Faculty of ISU, UPI Local 4100. She said budgets in higher education are moral documents. “Budgets show where priorities are, and not just what, but who is valued,” she said. “Workers in Illinois have been undervalued for far too long. Funding for education, healthcare and social services should be a top priority.”

*** National ***

* CBS | Less than 14% of those arrested by ICE in Trump’s 1st year back in office had violent criminal records, document shows: For example, while Mr. Trump and his aides often talk about immigration officials targeting murderers, rapists and gangsters, the internal data indicate that less than 2% of those arrested by ICE over the past year had homicide or sexual assault charges or convictions. Another 2% of those taken into ICE custody were accused of being gang members. Nearly 40% of all of those arrested by ICE in Mr. Trump’s first year back in office did not have any criminal record at all, and were only accused of civil immigration offenses, such as living in the U.S. illegally or overstaying their permission to be in the country, the DHS document shows. Those alleged violations of U.S. immigration law are typically adjudicated by Justice Department immigration judges in civil — not criminal — proceedings.

* WSJ | Immigration Raids in South Texas Are Starting to Hit the Economy: The result? Homes are months behind schedule, and contractors face an uphill battle to recruit more workers to finish them. “They hear Monte Cielo and say ‘No, no. You can pay me whatever you want, but I’m not going to go work there,’” Alejandro Garcia, one of several builders with homes under way in the development, said of the challenges in trying to hire workers. The situation is becoming familiar across the Rio Grande Valley, where trade groups are raising alarms about aggressive immigration enforcement wreaking economic havoc. Construction delays threaten higher prices for buyers and lower margins for builders. Some builders said they just hope to break even on delayed projects. Materials suppliers are laying off employees. One local concrete company filed for bankruptcy protection, citing a drop-off in sales because of immigration raids as the reason.