* NBC Chicago…

There’s a new push to regulate the cannabis and hemp industries in Illinois with mere days left in the spring legislative session, and small businesses are very concerned. […]

Rachel Berry, the founder and CEO of the Illinois Hemp Growers Association, noted that it’s similar to legislation introduced during previous sessions but said it’s frustrating to see it pop up in the final week of the session.

“We would see effectively 95% of the hemp products on the shelves be taken off shelves,” Berry said. […]

In a joint statement, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation told NBC Chicago, they are, “currently opposed to the language in the bill as drafted, but are actively engaging with the General Assembly to reach a workable compromise that provides a viable regulatory framework while protecting Illinois’ position as a nationwide leader in social equity cannabis policy.”

Guzzardi said he’s listening to feedback from businesses and stakeholders, and he’s working on an amended version of the bill. He said the bill makes a host of other changes focused on making the industry more equitable. It would carve out a transition pathway for businesses currently selling intoxicating hemp products to move into the licensed cannabis market. Up to 150 new infuser licenses would be issued in two rounds, with the first reserved exclusively for social equity applicants, according to Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford.

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*** Statehouse News ***

* WIFR | Dixon man accused of intimidating, stalking former state representative: Investigators say that Delander made threats and acted in a way that caused concern for the safety of Tom Demmer and his family. Demmer was a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 90th district. “This case is not about limiting anyone’s right to speak, disagree, or peacefully protest,” said Dixon Police Chief Ryan Bivins in a news release. “It is about public safety. People have the right to express their views, but threats and conduct that create fear for personal safety will be investigated and addressed appropriately.”

* Tribune | Cook County tax buyer industry would be phased out in ‘equity theft’ reform bill: Under a bill that cleared a key committee on Wednesday evening, annual tax sales — the government’s way of dealing with delinquent property tax payments — are in line for a major shakeup statewide, though in Cook County’s most of all. The bill is heading to the full House and Senate for final approval. In the coming years, Cook County is poised to do away with its tax sale altogether, despite pushback from tax buyers. If ultimately passed and signed by the governor, Cook would move to a new system where the county alone would acquire liens on overdue property taxes, charging taxpayers .75% a month, or 9% a year in interest. If the taxes go unpaid after three years, the county would auction off the property deed to the highest bidder and the original homeowner can petition to get the post-debt profits.

* Capitol News Illinois | Lawmakers approve bill to regulate e-bikes, scooters: Senate Bill 3336 would establish regulations on “micromobility” transportation such as e-bikes and e-scooters that include age requirements, speed limits and rules on where they can be operated. It was approved by the House 80-30 on Wednesday and awaits a concurrence vote in the Senate, where it passed unanimously in April. “Our roadways look very different than they did five years ago,” House sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, said during debate on Wednesday. “There’s a lot of new technology out there and as we’re seeing, there’s a lot of electronic bicycles, scooters, skateboards, unicycles and e-models in all of our communities. Also including in our bike lanes and sidewalks who are sharing the road with passenger vehicles.”

* Center Square | Top Illinois diversity commissioner did not disclose side pay : Nina Harris, the commission’s chairperson, did not disclose she was paid more than $7,500 in 2024 by the Springfield Urban League in her disclosure that she submitted in February 2025. It is a crime to knowingly file “a false or incomplete statement,” which the commissioners acknowledge when they sign the disclosures. It is punishable by up to a year of imprisonment or a $2,500 fine. But in March this year, Harris filed an amendment to the earlier report that indicated she has not stopped working as a human resources contractor for the nonprofit since she left her chief executive job there in 2021.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | One Central and Michael Reese megadevelopment owners in talks to link projects: The talks are unfolding as Michael Reese developers face a June 15 deadline to present the city with a revamped infrastructure plan or risk having their current agreement terminated and the project sent back to the drawing board. Dunn’s potential involvement in the Reese site also comes as state lawmakers consider sweeping megaproject legislation that includes new incentives that were created with both the One Central and Michael Reese sites in mind, according to the bill’s sponsors.

* WTTW | City to Pay $190K to 3 People Who Accused CPD Officers of Misconduct During 2020 Unrest at Brickyard Mall: Three Chicagoans who said a dozen Chicago police officers beat them during the unrest that swept the city after the police murder of George Floyd in 2020 will get $190,000 to end their lawsuit against the city, records show. In all, Chicago taxpayers have spent approximately $13 million to defend and resolve lawsuits alleging Chicago police officers committed a wide range of misconduct during the push for racial justice and police reform after Floyd’s murder, according to a WTTW News analysis.

* Sun-Times | Why Chicago’s Michelin-starred Atelier in Lincoln Square suddenly shut down: The restaurant with connections to award-winning chefs Christian Hunter and Iliana Regan had just relocated in October to a larger space at 4544 N. Western Ave. and added a bar menu with small plates for customers seeking a more casual dining experience. But it struggled to sustain its operations. “We weren’t able to get enough people through the door,” owner Tim Lacey said. “The reservations just weren’t coming in.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Injustice Watch | ICE deported them. Cook County prosecutors still want them arrested for missing court: Under the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act, when a defendant misses a court date, judges are encouraged to issue a summons instead of a warrant. For traffic offenses, judges can also continue the case for 30 days to give the defendant another chance to appear. In those cases, the clerk’s office sends a notice to the defendant warning that another absence could result in a warrant. This does not include cases where a person is unable to appear for no fault of their own. This was Cuchiparte’s second missed hearing, but he had been arrested by immigration officers before ever having the chance to appear in court. […] Cabonargi returned minutes later with a solemn look on his face. He was no longer hesitant. “The court will be issuing a warrant,” he said. “I understand it’s a policy of the state’s attorney’s office to seek a warrant in these situations.”

* Sun-Times | ‘Broadview Six’ might try to tap Trump’s $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization fund’ after feds’ conduct tanked case: It’s highly unlikely the six protesters, including progressive Democratic former congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, are the intended targets of what critics are calling a “slush fund” for Trump’s allies. Still, their application could serve as a test of the fund’s purportedly nonpartisan nature.

* 404 Media | Cities Are Covering Flock Cameras With Trash Bags: Dayton is not the first city to cover its Flock cameras with trash bags because they can’t figure out how to immediately terminate the use of the cameras. Late last year, the city of Evanston, Illinois also covered its cameras with trash bags while it was waiting for the company to remove them from the city. Cities around the country have been reconsidering their relationship with the surveillance company after reporting from 404 Media and local news outlets that showed data from the cameras was making its way to Immigration and Customs Enforcement through Flock’s national camera network.

* Daily Southtown | Lockport swiftly suspends data center discussions following community outcry: Lockport Mayor Steven Streit emphasized Tuesday the opportunity the city had to impose stringent restrictions on any potential data center, because the parcel of land up for development is owned by the city. “You can demand full mitigation,” Streit said. “We can demand that they use effluent from our wastewater treatment and not our potable water. We can demand that they make reusable, adaptable buildings if the industry dries up and moves on. We can make a lot of demands that we can’t normally make, because it’s our property.”

* Pioneer Press | Northwestern announces $875 million Ryan Field in Evanston will host high school and community games:Just two weeks after Northwestern plans to play the Penn State Nittany Lions in the stadium’s nationally televised debut on Oct. 2, university leaders said at a press conference May 26 at the Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston that Ryan Field will also host the annual Evanston Township High School versus New Trier High School football game on Oct. 16. The longtime North Shore rivalry game will kick off a number of additional “rent free” high school and local community group matches set to be housed at the newly-built football stadium, officials said.

* Tribune | Clouds of smoke reported after explosion at Stickney plant: Columns of smoke were seen after an explosion and fire Wednesday evening at the Koppers plant in southwest suburban Stickney, officials reported. Shortly after 6 p.m., the Stickney Fire Department responded to a call of an explosion and a fire at Koppers Inc. Stickney Plant located at 3900 Laramie Ave., fire officials said. […] Fire officials said there was no danger posed to nearby residents because the fire was contained inside the storage tank, and the wind was carrying the smoke from northeast to southwest away from residential areas. As a precaution, residents including Morton College were told to shelter in place, officials said.

*** Downstate ***

* WCBU | Tazewell County Board freezes clerk’s salary for 4 years: The Tazewell County Board voted Wednesday to freeze County Clerk John Ackerman’s salary at $101,069 for the next four years, rejecting a 3% annual raise in a meeting that became a prolonged public airing of grievances. Board members accused Ackerman of a years-long pattern of defying county rules, bypassing budget constraints through independent fee funds, and creating problems that ripple through every other department in county government.

* Telegraph | Alton weighs taking over management of federal development funds: The City of Alton is weighing the risks and benefits of taking over the administration of its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other federal program funds, which are currently managed by Madison County Community Development. Committee members heard from MCCD Manager Kyle Smith and Director Stacey Pace during a presentation on Tuesday requested by Alderman Michael Velloff. Smith, who recently joined the organization, said MCCD’s role includes administering CDBG funding and ensuring federal compliance through annual action plans, performance reports, and application oversight.

* WSPY | Kendall County board member says state law limits local control over solar projects: Wormley says the county created a community benefits structure to gain some extra compensation from solar projects. That money can be used by the county on top of the property’s normal taxes. He notes that the county has not yet received any money from any solar projects. Some have been approved, but none have been built yet. Wormley also notes there are differences in the types of solar projects. Two approved at a property on Griswold Springs Road are community solar projects and can only generate five megawatts of power. They typically take up 30 to 40 acres. That is in contrast to larger solar farms, which can cover thousands of acres and sell power to the electric grid.

* IPM News | Champaign City Council weighs in on proposed homelessness prevention plan: The plan presented at the city council meeting was one of the 2025-2027 council’s top priorities aiming to reach a homelessness rate of “functional zero.” Functional zero is attained when homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring as defined at the meeting. The blueprint rests on four overarching goals, including preventing homelessness before it occurs, strengthening crisis response and emergency services, expanding access to safe, affordable and permanent housing and to collaborate with partners on shared solutions.

*** National ***

* Reuters | Trump administration sues four states for denying ICE undercover license plates: The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday said it had filed lawsuits against Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon and Washington after states led by Democratic governors refused to rescind their policies. ICE is seeking access to such plates to carry out arrests as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown.