|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Injustice Watch | The whistleblowers vs. the shadow prosecutors: To resolve the issue, Towne began asking the court to bring in the Illinois Special Prosecution Unit to try SAFE Team cases in his stead. LaSalle County judges granted his requests. But that only deepened Towne’s conflicts, Ajster later alleged in court. Towne in 2012 had become chairman of the Board of Governors that oversaw ILSAAP, the state agency that housed the Special Prosecution Unit. He was effectively in charge of the special prosecutors who were called in to replace him in the name of independence. * WCIA | Carol, Aaron Ammons’ trial rescheduled for December; proceedings moved away from Election Day: In a separate motion, Carol asked that her own court dates be continued to the same dates as her husband’s. In a response filed in court, U.S. Attorney Gregory Gilmore did not object to the motions, citing, among other things, the “identified unique scheduling conflict.” * Block Club | Johnson Drops Relocation Payments For Tenants From Renters Bill As Rival Proposal Gains Steam: Under the original version, the only qualifying reasons for a landlord to end a lease included nonpayment of rent, serious lease violations, a tenant’s refusal to renew under certain conditions, owner occupancy, major repairs, demolition or the sale of the unit. In cases where tenants were displaced through no fault of their own — including owner occupancy, major repairs, demolition or the sale of the unit — landlords would also have been required to provide relocation assistance. * Big news for Biggs…
Click here for the full endorsement list. * Crain’s | United Center owners tweak plans for park, music hall at $7B 1901 Project: Updated renderings of the $7 billion megaproject now underway outside the venue show a slightly relocated 6,000-seat music hall southwest of the United Center with a new, smaller park on the hall’s western edge. A larger park was previously planned and approved by the City Council atop a new parking garage being built along the west side of the arena, which will now have only parking on its top level. Plans for an additional new park on the campus are still being finalized to avoid a reduction in overall park space, according to a person familiar with the project. * WTTW | Chicago Drivers Caught on Camera Blocking Bus, Bicycle Lanes Hit With $4.5M in Fines: Data: While most of the drivers who got a ticket in the mail did not commit another infraction, commercial vehicles were among the most consistent scofflaws, said Sean Wiedel, deputy commissioner for the Chicago Department of Transportation. In all, the city has banked approximately $2.6 million in revenue from the tickets, records show. * Fox Chicago | Chicago cop suspended after telling person, ‘we stopped you because you are ugly as f***’: COPA: COPA found the comment was disrespectful and unprofessional and had no law enforcement purpose. The agency said Furlan’s conduct violated Chicago Police Department rules and policies requiring officers to interact with people in a courteous, respectful and professional manner. […] COPA recommended that Furlan receive a one- to 10-day suspension and retraining on professionalism, investigatory stops, protective pat-downs and reporting requirements. CPD agreed to a five-day suspension for Furlan and a three-day suspension for another officer who was involved. * Crain’s | Zillow loses battle to keep access to Chicago-area home listings: US District Judge John Tharp Jr. in Chicago dissolved a previous order that required Midwest Real Estate Data, the multiple listings service for the Chicago area, to temporarily maintain Zillow’s access to listings. Tharp ordered Zillow to engage in arbitration over its listings contract with MRED. * Daily Herald | Revamped Metra board picks familiar face to lead group: Incoming board directors unanimously picked Romayne Brown of Dolton as chair. She previously served in that position from 2020 to 2024 during the pandemic. Kane County Director Joe McMahon, whose term as chair ended Sept. 1 under provisions of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act, nominated Brown and praised her “proven track record.” “It’s challenging, but I have a great team behind me,” said Brown. “We’re looking at times that will be great for the region and for Metra.” * Daily Herald | Six Des Plaines police officers on paid leave as investigation into fatal shooting continues: Babidi’s father later told the Daily Herald his son had bipolar disorder and was experiencing a mental health episode. He said his son had been hospitalized repeatedly because of his mental illness. The first officer who arrived encountered Babidi in the front yard with the hedge trimmer, police have said. Babidi held the tool “in a threatening manner” while approaching the officer and refused commands to drop it, police have said. Police have declined to say if the trimmer was running as Babidi approached. * Patch | Second Public Hearing Planned In Bolingbrook To Discuss Water Rate Increase: Illinois American Water is asking for a rate increase of $142.4 million. […] More than 800 people attended the July 14 hearing and close to 200 were turned away due to capacity. “This is about so much more than a water bill. It is about people—our families, our seniors, our businesses and the health and well-being of our community,” Mayor Alexander-Basta said in a news release. “At our first hearing, residents shared heartbreaking stories about having to cut back on basic water use because they simply cannot afford the cost. No one should have to choose between paying their water bill or for much needed medications.” * Daily Southtown | Teachers, Blue Island community members show support for laid off custodians as District 130 school conditions worsen: “Though there was supposed to be a plan, the reality is there really wasn’t a plan, because the district never had the staffing to be able to properly clean and care for 12 buildings,” said Blue Island Educational Association President Sherri Roozee-Sera at Tuesday’s board meeting. “Principals have had to step up and basically be custodians, along with doing their regular work.” * Daily Herald | Barrington sees scaled-down multifamily proposal for Golden Triangle: UrbanStreet told Barrington trustees at Monday’s committee of the whole meeting they are taking the lead on a project brought to the village in February and March by the Barrington Development Group. The development group’s Michael Fleck has brought UrbanStreet on board to reimagine the project, which originally called for 223 units, including a 207-unit multifamily residential building and 16 row homes. * Daily Herald | Kee forfeiture damages moved to federal court as Secret Service seeks dismissal: Following a Will County judge’s ruling last month that a pair of New Lenox business owners were entitled to potential damages from the Will County state’s attorney’s office and the U.S. Secret Service, the Secret Service is seeking to be removed from the case in federal court. Will County Judge Jennifer Lynch ruled Aug. 12 that Jeff Regnier and Greta Keranen, who own Kee Construction and Kee Firearms and Training in New Lenox, were entitled to potential damages after assets seized from them in the course of a criminal investigation were sold. * WCIA | Lake Land College enrollment reaches 7-year high: More people are getting back into the classrooms, according to Lake Land College. The Mattoon community college said they are seeing the highest enrollment numbers in the last seven years. They said they’ve had the biggest fall semester enrollment, with a 4% increase from last year. * WCBU | East Peoria takes first step toward adding more Flock Safety cameras: The five-member city council on Tuesday voted unanimously in approving the first reading of a new five-year agreement with Flock, despite several community members speaking out against the technology during the two-hour meeting. “If I thought for one second what we’re doing here is a violation of anyone’s constitutional rights, I wouldn’t support it,” said Mayor John Kahl. * WICS | Video: Wyndham auction deadline extended * The States | Fed raises interest rates for first time in 3 years, battling persistent inflation: The central bank’s Federal Open Market Committee voted 12-0 to increase its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, reaching the new range from 3.75% to 4% and making the cost of borrowing more expensive for Americans. The committee released an upbeat statement touting economic growth at “a solid pace.” * WSJ | Americans Have Spent $100 Billion More on Fuel During the Iran War: U.S. consumers have collectively spent about $107 billion more on gasoline and diesel during the Iran conflict and disruptions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict than they would have had there been no war, according to estimates by the Climate Solutions Lab at Brown University. That averages to more than $500 million a day since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and a recent surge in crude assures that the price tag will only grow in the weeks ahead.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
