*Sun-Times…

A new report, “Pain in the Nation: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths,” details the drastic decrease in opioid overdose deaths from 2023 to 2024, the most recent available data. Those deaths decreased by 36% in Illinois. Deaths tied to highly potent synthetic opioids, which include fentanyl, decreased even more — 38% — across the state. Separately, Cook County and Chicago reported a major drop in opioid-related deaths, plummeting 37% from 2023 to 2024, according to new data from the Cook County Department of Public Health. […]

Illinois also saw suicides drop by 9%, the report found. But alcohol-induced deaths increased slightly by about 3% during the time period. Overall, Illinois saw an 18% decrease in the number of deaths tied to alcohol, drug and suicide.

Nationally, that combined rate fell by 16%. It’s the first time there has been a significant decrease across the combined three metrics since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started to collect this data in the late 1990s, said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, the president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that published the Pain in the Nation report. […]

Earlier this year, substance use and mental health programs faced funding whiplash after the Trump administration issued letters indicating it was cutting $2 billion for these types of programs. But the administration reversed course within 24 hours. And community groups in Illinois are still waiting for the distribution of funds from multi-state settlements with pharmaceutical companies.

* Capitol News Illinois…

In 2025, family farm bankruptcies surged 46% nationwide — reaching 315 filings and marking the third consecutive year of increases. The Midwest recorded 121 filings in 2025 — up 70% from the prior year.

The trend has only accelerated. In April alone this year, 62 Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies were filed nationwide – a 130% jump from the prior year and the highest monthly total since February 2020. The USDA projects total farm debt will rise 5.2% to a record $624.7 billion in 2026, with 330 bankruptcy cases filed. […]

Farmers had entered the 2025 season with a smaller safety net after the projected price for the crop insurance guarantees fell by 8.7% that year. The drop meant less protection heading into the spring planting. But because yields were high, most farms still generated revenue above their guaranteed floor. Although farmers grew plenty, they sold every bushel for less than it cost to produce. […]

Real estate debt – tied to the land farmers rent or own – is expected to reach $404.3 billion in 2026, a reflection of the high cost of farmland that has squeezed so many operators.

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | Illinois 250: What the state has uniquely contributed to the nation — and the world: “A hundred years hence, (people) may search the files of the Tribune of the century previous to ascertain how the then half-million population of Chicago celebrated the first Centennial of the nation’s existence for the purpose of instituting a kind of Plutarchian comparison between the days that were and the days that are. … and they will do just as Chicago did yesterday.” That’s why the Tribune is taking a look back at what the Chicago area and the state of Illinois have uniquely contributed to the nation — and the world — from scientific inventions and pioneering businesses to food, culture, sports and transportation modernizations.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Crain’s | Planned Parenthood of Illinois calls on fundraising veteran to return as chair: Planned Parenthood of Illinois is bringing back Carolyn Moon, a fundraising-oriented veteran of its board of directors, to serve as chair. The Illinois abortion and reproductive services provider has become a destination for out-of-state patients seeking care that’s banned or limited in their own state, growing PPIL’s uncompensated care tab and heightening the need for more fundraising.

* Politico | Reunited and it feel so good, in Texas: Gov. JB Pritzker got a hero’s welcome Friday during his keynote at the Texas Democratic Convention’s Blue Wave luncheon here, drawing two standing ovations and repeated bursts of applause from delegates nearly a year after he opened Illinois’ doors to Texas House Democrats who fled their state in an effort to protest Republican redistricting plans. Pritzker used the speech to reflect on his nearly eight years as governor, tracing his evolution from being a self-described “Governor Sunshine” to a Democrat increasingly focused on confronting President Donald Trump and what he described as the country’s deeper political and economic problems.

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker signs bills on environmental standards, in-state tuition: House Bill 5070 bars the Illinois Pollution Control Board from adopting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules and regulations that are less stringent than existing state standards. The board is generally required to adopt federal environmental regulations through an expedited rulemaking process when federal standards change. But the new law would prevent that in some cases amid a significant rollback of federal environmental protections initiated by President Donald Trump’s administration.

* Truthout | Taking on the Rich Is Possible. Our Illinois Coalition Won a Tax on Tech Giants: On June 1, the Illinois legislature passed a tax on the digital advertising revenue of tech companies like Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet (parent company of Google). Big Tech resisted the measure and will likely challenge it in court. Nevertheless, several analyses show the tax may generate $800 million annually, a number that could increase with time as revenues from digital advertising are expected to grow. The number would represent a major increase in Illinois state’s budget, but still only a sliver of the mega-corporations’ runaway profits.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Lori Lightfoot is now on Bally’s side in casino battle: In a statement, Bally’s confirmed that it has retained the law firm RKF Global PLLC, where Lightfoot is listed as one of its principal attorneys. Lightfoot took the post after being defeated in her 2023 re-election race. Bally’s and the city have been sparring over the City Council’s decision to allow video poker and other electronic gambling devices at bars and restaurants just as the company is building its $1.7 billion casino complex at Chicago Avenue and Halsted, the former site of the Tribune printing plant.

* ABC Chicago | Mayor Brandon Johnson proposes rental housing ordinance: The ordinance would also establish a rental registry, so renters know who owns their building as well as establishing a requirement that landlords provide valid reasons for eviction or non-renewal and creating a Bureau of Rental Housing Services to handle rental complaint processing, investigation and enforcement coordination.

* Crain’s | Chicago’s quantum bet starts taking shape on the lakefront: In a few weeks, technicians from Linde North America will begin assembling specialized cryogenic equipment needed to provide super-cold temperatures required for the quantum computer, says Harley Johnson, CEO of the IQMP. The cryo facility will be among the nation’s largest, similar to one built at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia.

* Crain’s | Pieces of long-lost Louis Sullivan building revealed on Chicago’s south lakefront: After hiding in plain sight on the south lakefront for seven decades, carved stone fragments of a significant 19th century building by architect Louis Sullivan have burst into public view in recent days, thanks to photos taken by the architecture sleuth who documented them. Largely forgotten for decades, the scraps still show the botanical and geometrical patterns that Sullivan specified for the Walker Warehouse, built in 1889 across the street from where the Willis Tower stands now and demolished in 1953.

* Fox 32 | Taste of Chicago prompts road closures downtown: The first round of closures began at 6 a.m. Monday when curb lanes along both sides of Columbus Drive between Monroe Street and Balbo Drive will be restricted to traffic. Beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, Columbus Drive between Monroe Street and Balbo Drive will fully close to traffic. Ida B. Wells Drive will also close between Columbus Drive and the semicircle near Buckingham Fountain.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News-Sun | Forum focuses on the good and bad about license plate readers: ‘One of the ways we can make sure we are not left behind’: The legal community was represented by Jacob Goldwater, a criminal defense attorney with Stone & Associates in Waukegan. McIntyre said he wanted all sides of the technology represented. He said he has concerns with ALPR use, particularly those made by Flock Safety. Goldwater said license plate reading technology first surfaced about six years ago. While local police departments may work independently, Flock is a subscription service where a wide range of people can obtain access to the information, he said.

* Tribune | Starting Monday: ‘Air you can wear’ as dangerous heat settles over Illinois: Cook County residents will experience at least three days of dangerously hot conditions this week, officials have warned, as a heat dome builds over the Midwest and eastern U.S. and as Illinois is hit with its first heat wave of the summer. While chances for thunderstorms later in the week could cool off the area in time for the July 4th holiday, any reduced storm coverage could prolong the hot stretch. Locals can expect hot, humid weather — like “air you can wear” — starting Monday, said Brett Borchardt, senior meteorologist with the Chicago office of the National Weather Service.

* Press release | Cook County Issues New Funding Opportunities to Improve Mental Health in Suburban Cook County: Cook County Department of Public Health has issued an open call for funding opportunities to help improve mental health in suburban Cook County. The funding opportunities reflect the department’s commitment to building healthier communities in suburban Cook County. The open calls are for restorative practices in schools and power building.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Oswego trustees review goals for the village including commuter rail service, downtown development: Oswego trustees recently got the first in a series of reviews centering on the village’s new 2026-2030 strategic plan, which covers goals for topics like bringing commuter rail service to Oswego, downtown development and Wolfs Crossing improvements. Oswego Village Board members earlier this year adopted the new strategic plan to guide the community’s efforts over the next four years. Oswego Assistant Administrator Madeleine Upham recently presented an overview of the document to the board.

* Lake County News-Sun | Antioch Wizards Weekend brings some magic to downtown: ‘It’s fun to be a wizard for a day’: The annual event, sponsored by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce, attracted an estimated 950 people to the various magic classes, scavenger hunts, and oddities tucked away in the town’s shops. Families with wizards and wizards-in-training had a chance to mingle with professors of the magical arts based on themes in the Harry Potter books. Their first order of business was to go to the First United Methodist Church, which doubled as “The Great Hall” containing Diagon Alley and the Ministry of Information booth, to select a wand.

* Daily Herald | Discovery of mold complicates Mount Prospect school renovation: The Mount Prospect Elementary School District 57 board will hold an emergency meeting Monday, when they’ll be asked to spend up to $163,370 to remedy the situation. School officials said timing is critical, since the work can be finished before staff and students return for the first day of classes Aug. 18. The mold was discovered while workers were preparing ceilings for sprinkler installation, Superintendent Mary Gorr said. The discovery was not surprising, considering the building dates back to 1961, she noted.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Central Illinois braces for wave of prolonged excessive heat: The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a heat advisory that goes into effect at 1 p.m. Sunday and includes the Bloomington-Normal and Peoria areas. The forecast shows maximum heat index values approaching or exceeding 100 degrees from Sunday through Friday, with afternoon temperatures in the upper 90s or higher each day. Overnight heat index figures will only drop into the mid-70s, giving little relief from the hot days.

* WMBD | Illinois River near Peoria sees silver carp die-off: Silver carp are one of four species collectively known as “Asian Carp.” They are invasive species found in Illinois waterways, and normally spawn during periods of rising river levels and increasing water temperatures. Both of these factors are now in place in Central Illinois. That said, biologists with the DNR believe the die-off is naturally occurring, caused by spawning stress and water chemistry changes from recent rain.

* WMBD | Key vote set on referendum to double sales tax for Peoria County schools: The current rate is a half-cent, but the board is seeking a full penny. Agenda documents cite a desire to “take some of the burden off our property owners because everyone who shops in Peoria County will be helping to pay for our buildings and other services.” The half-cent sales tax was approved in 2016. Currently, the tax raises around $5.3 million annually, with the increase expected to take that amount to around $10.6 million.

* WGLT | Why mattress trash is this Bloomington nonprofit’s treasure: When Kern officially founded the Bloomington nonprofit Kernovate in 2025, he hoped to solve three problems at once: diverting mattresses from landfills, giving beds to those in need and providing work opportunities. […] While beds vary in design, each one typically has springs and foam inside. The metal springs can be removed, bundled and sold. So can the foam, but Kern said it is sold by the truckload, so they need a lot of equipment and space.

* WSIL | Bald Knob Cross of Peace to Host America’s 250th Independence Celebration: Organizers are inviting the public to gather at Bald Knob Cross on Saturday, July 4, for an evening of patriotism, fellowship and scenic views. The celebration will begin at 7 p.m. and is open to everyone free of charge. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, family and friends, along with their patriotic spirit. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch the sunset from one of Southern Illinois’ highest points, enjoy food and fellowship, and take in fireworks displays visible across the region from the mountain’s unique vantage point.

*** National ***

* NYT | The Changing Face of Stage 4 Cancer: No Cure, but Years to Live: Kate has Stage 4 breast cancer. Or, more specifically, Kate is currently living with and dying from Stage 4 breast cancer. That’s the truest way to put it, she says: It’s been almost four years since her diagnosis, so the disease almost resembles a chronic illness — except the specter of death hovers much nearer. She hopes to make it five years. Five years would be long enough for her and her husband to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary with a cruise down the Danube. Long enough to celebrate her niece’s 8th birthday

* WIRED | Truckloads of Tesla Batteries Keep Getting Stolen Before They Even Leave the Factory: Hatley tells WIRED the incidents documented in the sheriff’s records reflect only a portion of the problem. Investigators are tracking a total of 17 alleged cargo thefts this year involving Tesla and other businesses in Storey County, though Hatley declined to say how many involved the carmaker specifically. One alleged operation that targeted Tesla also struck battery recycler Redwood Materials. These figures may be an undercount, Hatley adds, because companies are sometimes reluctant to disclose that their products have been stolen.

* AP | Supreme Court says Fed’s Cook can keep her job for now, but it upholds other Trump firings: With the six conservative justices in the majority, the nine-member court jettisoned its unanimous decision in Humphrey’s Executor that had limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members — in part to try to ensure decision-making free of political influence. “We hold that such protection from removal is contrary to the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.