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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Sep 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Crain’s | Tornadoes are on the rise in Illinois. What does that mean for insurance rates?: As Allstate’s profits soared, Illinois lawmakers passed bills in the latest legislative session empowering regulators to reject home and auto insurance rate hikes deemed excessive. Insurance companies objected, claiming the new rules hamper their ability to lower prices for customers. With the state’s new regulatory framework not scheduled to take effect until next summer, it remains to be seen how much Illinois will seek to tamp down the rise in premiums. But severe weather is likely to remain a key point of discussion. * It’s just a bill: In Game | Illinois Rep Wants To Repeal State’s New Prediction Market Tax Structure: Nearly three months after Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed a budget bill that brings prediction markets and their sports event contracts under state regulation, state Rep. Travis Weaver is aiming to repeal the provisions. Weaver, a Republican, filed HB 5811, which would eliminate the definition of an exchange wager and a provision that taxes such bets. The bill was filed Sept. 2. * Crain’s | World Business Chicago defends Johnson videos but leaves key questions unanswered: “Our mission at World Business Chicago is to promote economic development in our city and region. As you know, the mayor chairs our board and is the leading spokesperson for our city. To that end, it is logical that he would be featured in our public communications along with others who have played a central role in Chicago’s economic growth,” Phil Clement, CEO of the public-private business marketing group, wrote in response to an inquiry by state Rep. Curtis Tarver. […] Tarver replied to Clement in a follow-up letter yesterday that “your response leaves most of the questions in my August 25, 2026, letter unanswered. Your response focuses on that narrow funding issue without addressing the broader inquiry: who directed this work, whom it was intended to reach, what it cost, how it was funded and how WBC distinguishes economic development communications from political promotion.” * Block Club | Lawyer Who Went Viral Opposing Midway Blitz Named Mayor Johnson’s Chief Spokesperson: That invitation has become something of a calling card for Rachel Cohen, the attorney-turned-activist who has built a large online following documenting protests, challenging immigration enforcement, speaking out against the Trump administration and urging others to get involved. Now, Cohen is taking that voice inside City Hall to craft Mayor Brandon Johnson’s messaging to his constituents. Johnson has tapped Cohen to replace Erin Connelly as communications director for the Mayor’s Office, putting a digitally savvy, well-known voice in charge of shaping the administration’s message. * WBEZ | Chicago Fire Department commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks: Dignitaries including Sen. Dick Durbin, Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Reps. Jonathan Jackson, Delia Ramirez and Mike Quigley stood by but did not speak to the crowd. Instead, a CFD chaplain offered a prayer for the departed as Chicago Fire boats floated off the pier and a CFD helicopter soared over the crowd. Bagpipers played “Amazing Grace” followed by an Illinois State Police trooper playing “Taps.” The ceremony was a short and solemn reminder of another beautiful September day. * Sun-Times | A reporter followed Chicago first responders to New York after 9/11. He saw devastation — and heroism: When crews found the remains of fallen first responders on “The Pile,” the Chicago cops and firefighters trudged back to their camp, where the Chicago flag hung next to the Stars and Stripes on a wrought-iron fence. I can still see the tears cutting clean lines through the grime on the Chicago first responders’ faces. They left the New Yorkers to bring home their own. Twenty-five years later, that is what stays with me most: the courage, the camaraderie and the selflessness. * Tribune | Carol Stream police say ICE agents appeared during traffic stop: In its news release, Carol Stream police said they had no advance notice that ICE was going to take enforcement action against the two people in the car, a 24-year-old man and a 30-year old woman who was driving. “Rather, ICE agents approached Carol Stream officers while the department’s independent traffic enforcement action was already underway,” the release said. * Tribune | Judge rips ‘callous’ greed of contractor who left cancer-causing asbestos at hospital demo site: Carl Fioravanti, 58, of Highland, Indiana, pleaded guilty in June to wire fraud and tax fraud as part of the scheme, admitting he collected more than $1.8 million from the general contractor for the job even though he knew the Lake Behavioral Hospital site had not been fully remediated, then falsified records and lied to state and federal regulators to try to cover it up. * Aurora Beacon-News | New exhibition of Illinois art at Aurora museum focuses on struggle, empathy: “All of our exhibitions are based on what artists and curators we network with and the partnerships we have. This one stems from a long-term partnership we’ve had with the Illinois State Museum,” Zachary Bishop, registrar and museum manager, said. “We’ve worked with them for many years including in 2020 and we’ve borrowed pieces from them. This exhibit is unique for us as it’s not one we curated in-house – it’s a traveling exhibit that premiered at the Illinois State Museum at two locations and this is now the third.” * WMBD | State police investigate former Creve Coeur police chief: “The Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 4 can confirm that they do have an active investigation into this matter. No further information will be released at this time as this is an active and ongoing investigation,” said a state police spokesman. That statement came in response to a WMBD inquiry regarding an investigation into former chief Justin Egan, who resigned from the department, along with Deputy Chief Dan Nelson and officer Dustin Ward on Aug. 21. No reason has been publicly given for their resignations. * Fox 2Now | Superintendent calls reported relative’s job ‘justified,’ but won’t explain what they do: The lights were on at his office, but Cahokia Heights Superintendent Curtis McCall Jr. refused to come out on our seventh personal visit to his office. When we tried his cell phone, a message said his voice mailbox was full. The teacher’s union alleges the superintendent hired his relative, Kshon McCall, for a new position called Director of Grounds and Landscape, which records indicate answers to Superintendent McCall. The job pays between $96,726 and $110,725. […] During our visit to the maintenance office, people didn’t know what he did or told us they weren’t allowed to say. We then returned to the front of the main office, which wasn’t answering us, but did send flyers to citizens calling out teachers. * WCBU | Tazewell County takes first step toward declaring a data center moratorium: The county board’s land use committee on Wednesday passed along a recommendation for a nine-month moratorium to the Zoning Board of Appeals [ZBA]. The ZBA will hold a public hearing next month on the subject. If the ZBA approves the moratorium idea, it will return to the committee for more discussion and then proceed to the full county board for a final vote. The moratorium might include language that allows the board to end it early, or extend it. * Illinois Times | Sangamon County Board approves first phase of $16.2 million in total renovations: “Once we have all the authorizations, I would hope that we start making some actual moves by Oct. 1,” Truax said. The second phase will entail construction for the interior and a building addition to house the Veterans Affairs Commission, which is currently located in the Sangamon County South Building on Ninth Street and Capitol Avenue. * Chattanooga Times | TVA expects historic permit to build small modular reactor within weeks: The Tennessee Valley Authority is poised to receive the nation’s first construction permit for a certain class of small modular nuclear reactors by the end of September. * Search Engine Watch | USA Today cuts staff as ‘more content’ is no longer enough: The memo said platforms are increasingly keeping users inside their own products rather than sending them to publishers. The cuts also affected local newspapers owned by USA Today Co., formerly Gannett. The company has not disclosed how many positions were eliminated. […] A new executive editor job listing says the operation will have between 23 and 30 people and use AI-assisted tools for SEO drafts, content tagging, briefings and social copy. The changes follow a sharp audience decline. USA Today Co. reported 158 million monthly visitors in the second quarter, down from 180 million in the previous quarter. Digital advertising revenue fell 9.2% to $79.8 million.
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