|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Aug 19, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Pritzker signs disaster proclamation to aid recovery after months of ‘relentless and unprecedented’ storms. Sun-Times…
- The declaration would free up more state funds and resources for those recovering from weeks of severe weather. It also expedites the contract and procurement process for local governments to help speed recovery efforts. - The state’s Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will all assist the listed 15 counties in recovering from the three months of storms, as part of the order. Sponsored by Chronic Care Policy Alliance It’s a fact: obesity is a chronic disease. Access to FDA-approved obesity treatments shouldn’t depend on a patient’s financial situation. A recent study of Illinois voters found:
- 81% believe access to obesity treatment is especially important for communities facing higher rates of chronic disease. - 78% agree that when programs like Medicaid cover obesity medicines, they help improve lives and lead to better health outcomes down the road. Expanding access to obesity medicines through Medicaid can help eligible patients receive the care they need to manage a chronic disease and prevent long-term complications. Learn why Illinois policymakers should provide Medicaid coverage for obesity medicines and help ensure every eligible patient has access to treatment. * At 9 am, Governor JB Pritzker will speak at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association Brunch. At 11 am, he will attend a naturalization oath ceremony at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. At 11:30 am, the governor will host Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. * CBS Chicago | Pentagon orders “research security audit” at University of Illinois, 29 other schools: On Monday, the Department of Defense announced the audit, and said it is “designed to protect American taxpayer-funded research investments from unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft and adversarial exploitation. “The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has received a letter from the Department of War,” their spokesperson, Pat Wade shared with CBS News Chicago in a statement. […] The Pentagon didn’t name the schools being audited, but a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters told the Associated Press they include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. * WAND | Pritzker signs bill closing gaps in protection for domestic violence survivors: “We want to make sure that those survivors have the security that is intended and was granted to them by the court,” said Jennifer Welch from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Delays in service can leave the victim unprotected and make it more difficult for law enforcement and the legal system to respond to abuse, harm and harassment.” * Cook County Record | Madigan’s convicted ex-top deputy can’t get his IL state pension back: A Cook County judge has ruled that Tim Mapes, the convicted chief of staff for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, cannot get his six-figure state pension back. Mapes, who for decades served as the right hand for Madigan and also served a stint as the Illinois Democratic Party’s executive director, filed a lawsuit in August 2025 in Cook County Circuit Court alleging the State Employees Retirement System and its board wrongly stripped him of his pension after he was convicted of perjury for allegedly attempting to obstruct federal criminal proceedings against his former boss. * WGN | Campaign season kicks off at the Illinois State Fair: Major players in campaign and government will descend on Springfield this week to rally support ahead of the November general election. Democrats will gather Wednesday morning for their annual brunch with the Illinois County Chairs’ Association. Sen. Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts will headline the events. Party leaders are also expected to honor Sen. Dick Durbin, who is retiring in January after a political career that spans four decades. * WSPY | State representative could be making return to local politics: The Kendall County Democrats say that Kifowit is gathering petition signatures to run for the Oswego Village Board among other returning candidates in 2027. Kifowit is not seeking reelection to the Illinois Statehouse. She had failed to win the Democratic nomination in a run for Illinois Comptroller earlier this year. * 25News Now | Independent candidate for governor seeks to break 2 party grip on Illinois politics: Corbett is the third independent candidate for Illinois governor to make the ballot in 86 years. Regardless of the November election’s outcome, he said his campaign is focused on building a long-term independent majority. * Tribune | Excessive odors and landfill fires are next round in Southeast Side’s battle against pollution: On Aug. 5, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the city of Chicago sued A-F Acquisition LLC, which operates under the name Pullman Innovations. The lawsuit alleged that the company allowed excessive odors, caused illegal air pollution, constructed a boiler without a permit that could cause or contribute to air pollution, and violated certain conditions of the operating permit at its Chicago facility, according to a news release. Two days later, the attorney general issued another news release announcing a lawsuit against three companies alleging they endangered the environment and public safety by allowing fires to break out at the Harbor View waste facility, a closed landfill site about 4 miles from Pullman Innovations. * WTTW | Ethics Board Investigating Mayoral Hopeful John Kelly for Filming Campaign Videos in Chicago Fire Stations: Kelly defended the videos in an appearance on “Chicago Tonight” Monday, hours after his campaign posted a video to his social media accounts taken at a fire station in Gage Park. That video showed him riding on a Chicago Fire Department truck’s aerial platform, which is used to rescue fire victims from high rises and during other emergencies or to extinguish flames from above. “That wasn’t a campaign video, this is part of my tour of the city of Chicago,” Kelly said, reiterating his pledge to visit all 96 fire stations in Chicago. “We’re there as a private citizen, asking them questions. We don’t distribute any kind of campaign literature. We don’t ask them for signatures. What we’re doing is talking to the Chicago firemen, because elected officials are not talking to them. I’m prepared to take those kind of political hits.” * Tribune | Mob-connected, Chicago businessman indicted on tax charges alleging hidden interest in sweepstakes gaming: A mob-connected Chicago businessman has been indicted on tax evasion charges alleging he had a hidden interest in a sweepstakes gaming company run by the now-imprisoned son-in-law of Joe Berrios, the former Cook County assessor. Robert “Bobby” Dominic, 71, a longtime associate of the Outfit’s Grand Avenue crew known for his connections to Richard’s Bar on the Near West Side, was charged in a five-count indictment made public Tuesday in U.S. District Court with tax evasion and failure to file tax returns. * Press release | Statement on CPS Canceling plans to rollout of Google Gemini: Illinois Families for Public Schools is pleased that Chicago Public Schools has pulled their plan to roll out Google Gemini for all high school students districtwide for the start of the new school year. We appreciate this rapid reversal. We began sharing information about this rollout just over two weeks ago and made an action tool available on August 13th for parents to write to the district about it. * Blooomberg | Longtime Chicago auto tech firm CCC draws takeover interest: Copart Inc. is in talks to acquire CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc., the car-insurance software provider that has been weighing selling itself, according to people familiar with the matter. Dallas-based Copart, which specializes in used and salvaged car sales and has a market value of roughly $30 billion, has been vying with several private equity firms including GTCR and Veritas Capital about acquiring Chicago-based CCC, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. * AP | Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to Chicago and 500 other US cities: Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems. * Tribune | Jesse White Tumblers take the stage in ‘America’s Got Talent’ live quarterfinals: Tuesday’s episode marked one of four quarterfinal shows that will determine which acts will advance to the semifinals next month. Unlike the auditions, which are prerecorded and at the will of the judges alone, advancing out of the quarterfinals rests with voting viewers. From here on out, public votes will decide who stays and who goes. Well, for the most part. In each quarterfinal episode, judges will select one act they want to send straight through to the finale, while three more acts will advance to the semifinals based on an audience vote. Results will be announced Wednesday night. * Daily Herald | Some drivers skeptical of need for hefty toll hikes as decision looms: If approved, I-PASS passenger vehicle tolls would be raised from on average 7 cents per mile to 11 cents, or 57% more, and truckers would see a 30% jump in 2027. In addition, inflation-related hikes tied to the Consumer Price Index would be levied every two years beginning in 2029. * Evanston Roundtable | Former Councilmember Jane Grover announces mayoral campaign: Former Seventh Ward Councilmember Jane Grover announced Friday that she will run for mayor in next year’s crowded special election to succeed departing Mayor Daniel Biss, staking out a return to municipal office after leaving over a decade ago to work for a regional planning agency. Grover, 63, sent an email announcement Friday that pitches her as bringing “the broad perspective and deep experience” needed to address the city’s problems, and specifically calls out stabilizing city finances, making services more responsive and capitalizing on “opportunities to move Evanston forward” as key focuses. * Daily Herald | From sweet to sour: Ownership dispute over shuttered Sugar Factory in Rosemont: Killerman sued the Rizzos for misappropriation of funds and breach of fiduciary duty; the Rizzos sued him for the same. The Sugar Factory franchisor sued everyone for not paying fees to continue to use the restaurant name and branding. Those matters are now before an arbitrator in Florida. * Daily Herald | Mental health board question in Elk Grove Township on the ballot in November: The Elk Grove Township Board voted at the 11th hour on Monday to place a referendum question about establishing a township mental health board on the November ballot. If voters approve, Elk Grove Township would join other townships, including Wheeling and Palatine, in establishing a board serving the needs of residents with mental health disorders, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders. * WICS | Paxton Faces Flood Damage, Drainage Concerns: Mayor Bill Ingold said city crews are going door to door documenting damage at homes and businesses. That information will be combined to determine the financial impact of the flooding and help make a case for assistance. “We feel like having a bigger number, dollar number, is going to be more impactful … and then we’re going to be able to take it to the state, to the county level and into the state to see if we can get some aid for those people,” said Ingold. * WGLT | Assistant Bloomington Police chief on leave pending lawsuit alleging false arrest, First Amendment violations: A video shared with WGLT by Chicago-based attorney Jared Kosoglad, who is representing Chubb and Higgins, appears to show Williams leaning into a vehicle displaying his badge. The person holding the camera asks Williams multiple times to identify himself and state his badge number. The video then shows Williams walking away. He’s wearing a plaid shirt, khaki shorts and flip flops. Williams approached the vehicle, the suit said, startling Chubb and Higgins when his police badge hit the car. Chubb, the driver, and Higgins, who was in the passenger seat, began filming Williams and verbally criticized him, the suit said, but neither person “threatened Williams, touched him, obstructed him, damaged property of engaged in violence.” * WAND | Champaign Unit 4 voters to consider $192 million school referendum: A nearly $200 million price tag is what the Champaign Unit 4 School Board will ask voters to consider in November. “We are 120-plus students over capacity right now in the three middle schools we have. Jefferson and Franklin each have four trailers outside the schools, and they have been there for 25 years,” said School Board President Tony Bruno. * ABC | Fake polling from mysterious company highlights danger of unvetted election surveys: On Kalshi, the price of a “yes” contract on Bass winning the Los Angeles mayoral election rose two cents, from about 63 cents to about 65 cents, within fifteen minutes of Median’s post. On Polymarket, roughly twenty separate accounts traded thousands of contracts in Bass’s favor six minutes after the tweet. In the days leading up to Bass’s post about Median, trading on the LA mayoral election had been thin, with a typical trade over that week being under ten dollars. While the price movements were small, the concentration of trading on both platforms shortly after the release of Median’s fake poll was not. * NC Newsline | Four prominent NC lobbyists indicted over bourbon-tasting junket: According to the indictments, Ferrell and Heath “unlawfully and willfully” directed their respective principals, North Carolina Spirits Association and beverage giant Diageo, to provide money to a group called Greater Carolina to “directly and indirectly” pay for lawmakers’ travel expenses, hotels accommodations and meals. Miskew and Wilkinson are accused of directing their respective principals, Churchill Downs and the Sazerac Company of Louisville, KY, to pay for events directly benefiting the legislators and other lobbyists and staff on the junket.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
