* Waymo vehicles have landed in Chicago…

Welcome to Chicago, @Waymo pic.twitter.com/rodIi1aOTh

— Landon (@landon20s) February 24, 2026

* Crain’s…

A Japanese manufacturer of high-precision machine tools is expanding its business to Chicago, a win for Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

DMG MORI Federal Services Inc. is establishing a new advanced manufacturing and research facility in Chicago, expanding a business already headquartered in the suburb of Hoffman Estates, according to a statement from the Illinois Economic Development Corporation on Tuesday. The $41 million investment will create an additional 74 jobs.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois legislators introduce bills to regulate pricing based on personal data: House Bill 4248, co-sponsored by Reps. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, and Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, would require corporations to disclose the use of algorithmic pricing and give consumers the chance to opt out. House Bill 4544, sponsored by Rep. Eva Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, would only require disclosure. Algorithmic pricing is a “modern tool for an age-old tactic,” to raise prices, said Erion Malasi, director of policy and research for Economic Security Illinois.

* Crain’s | After weeks of tension, Pritzker now strikes upbeat tone on Bears tax talks: A committee hearing is scheduled Thursday in the Illinois House to discuss legislation that would allow so-called payment in lieu of taxes — known colloquially as a PILOT deal — that would enable the Bears to negotiate the amount of property taxes they would pay in Arlington Heights over a period of 30 years or more. A PILOT agreement is seen as crucial to the economics of the project in which the Bears would privately finance a stadium and a broader commercial, retail and residential development that could cost up to $5 billion.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Chicago’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office Named Lead Partner in New Trade Fraud Task Force: In a speech Monday, Cody Matthew Herche, who leads the task force, said Chicago’s prosecutor’s office would be working with DOJ attorneys as well as agents from the Department of Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency. That task force was created, according to Boutros’ office, to “aggressively pursue” enforcement actions against parties seeking to evade federal customs laws and smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the U.S.

* Legal Newsline | Class action over Chicago distracted driving tickets wins new chance: The panel further rejected the argument that city code itself deprived DOAH of the right to adjudicate the distracted driving citations, finding “no reasonable reading of the amended complaint” to support the position. It also said the importance of the city code wasn’t “a live issue” when Meyerson issued the summary judgment ruling and further agreed the amended complaint isn’t an issue of new facts supporting an original legal theory but trying to advance claims by changing which law the city allegedly violated.

* Crain’s | What’s behind the dramatic shakeup of WGN-TV’s newsroom: Other layoffs included sportscaster Chris Boden, general assignment reporter Judy Wang, reporter Bronagh Tumulty, and anchor Ray Cortopassi. Meteorologist Mike Janssen was also effectively let go when his contract was not renewed, according to local news reports. […] “There’s no question this is a cost-cutting move that does reflect the secular declines in local television news viewership, but the depth of these cuts has got to be related to the merger that’s pending with Tegna,” said Timothy Franklin, a former Chicago Tribune editor who is now chair of the local news department at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. “It presages a reorganization that could take place after these two companies combine.”

* Sun-Times | Andrew Bird will make his CSO debut this fall: Andrew Bird, the multi-instrumentalist indie artist from the northern suburbs, will make his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra this fall, the company announced Tuesday. The performances this fall will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Bird’s acclaimed album “The Mysterious Production of Eggs.” The pair of performances will take place Nov. 13-14 at Downtown’s Symphony Center. It will mark Bid’s first time performing the album in its entirety alongside a full orchestra.

* Block Club | City Should Better Promote Being World’s ‘Blues Capital,’ Buddy Guy And Other Advocates Say: Legendary Chicago blues artist Buddy Guy is calling on the city to build a monument worthy of its reputation as the “Blues Capitol of the World,” and the head of a local blues organization agrees the time has come. Buddy Guy’s brief speech before the City Council last week is already having an impact, with Axios reporting that Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) is working with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to have a proposal ready by Guy’s 90th birthday later this year. The award-winning artist was honored by the Council Wednesday.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* MIT Technology Review | Inside Chicago’s surveillance panopticon: The department’s drone autonomously launches from the roof of the building and responds to about 10 to 12 service calls per day, at speeds up to 45 miles per hour. It arrives at crime scenes before patrol officers in nine out of every 10 cases. Next door to Village Hall is the Oak Brook Police Department’s real-time crime center, a large room with two video walls that integrates livestreams from the first-responder drone, handheld drones, traffic cameras, license plate readers, and about a thousand private security cameras. When I visited, the two DFR operators demonstrated how the machine can fly itself or be directed to locations from a destination entered on Google Maps. They sent it off to a nearby forest preserve and then directed it to return to the rooftop base, where it docks automatically, changes batteries, and charges. After the demo, one of the drone operators logged the flight, as required by state law.

* Daily Herald | Ela Township residents question revised Lake Michigan pipeline route: Proposed refinements in the route to bring Lake Michigan water to Lake Zurich have raised concerns among residents on Eagle Drive in Ela Township. Rather than proceeding south on Diamond Lake Road as initially envisioned, the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency now suggests connecting the pipeline at Indian Creek Road via Eagle Drive to the west. Because Eagle Drive is a township road, going that route will require approval from the township board to use its right-of-way for construction.

* Tribune | Sarah Jessica Parker will be Northwestern’s commencement speaker: Actress Sarah Jessica Parker will deliver the graduation commencement speech in June for Northwestern’s Class of 2026, according to an announcement Tuesday from the university. Parker will also receive an honorary doctorate of arts degree at the ceremony, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. June 14 at the United Center in Chicago.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Champaign School Board accepts principal’s resignation after less than one year on the job: At this time it’s not known what’s behind Gardner’s decision to step down, and the Champaign Unit #4 School District has said in the past that they don’t comment on personnel issues. WCIA has put in a request for that information using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

* WGLT | Bloomington proposes major budget increase to $371M for 2027: Driven by expenses mandated by the federal and state governments, the City of Bloomington is proposing a $370.5 million overall budget for 2027. That represents an increase of 16.6% over what was originally approved for the previous fiscal year, and is up 6.8% over the revised spending plan for 2026. “We are really trying to put the focus of the budget to where the public is going to see it,” said City Manager Jeff Jurgens, who was joined by Finance Director Scott Rathbun in presenting a detailed preview of the budget proposal to the Bloomington City Council during Monday’s 80-minute meeting.

* WGLT | Immigrants in McLean County seeking legal pathway face ‘a different kind of fear’: Immigrants with asylum cases are increasingly missing their court hearings, leading to an increase in deportation orders. In McLean County, community members with ongoing immigrations cases said news headlines and social media posts are fueling fear and distrust in the legal immigration system. Some asylees living in McLean County fear the legal pathway for remaining in the country is a trap for detention and deportation.

* WICS | Springfield Fire Department fights fire at CWLP: The Springfield Fire Department has a fire contained that broke out at City Water, Light and Power’s (CWLP) Dallman Power station at 3100 Stevenson Drive this morning. The fire was isolated to decommissioned scrubber for retired Dallman Units 31 and 32 where a contractor was working this morning. There were no injuries among CWLP employees or the contractor. There was no impact on any equipment or facilities for Dallman Unit 4 by this fire.