Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

Bruce Springsteen is set to release over 80 new songs this summer with his newly announced “Tracks II: The Lost Albums” collection.

Planned for release on June 27, the seven full-length albums will include songs by The Boss that have never been heard. The songs span Springsteen’s decades-long career and were written between 1983 and 2018.

Springsteen said that he finished everything he had in his “vault” during the pandemic – the final product of which became these upcoming seven albums – according to a trailer released Thursday.

“’The Lost Albums’ were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released,” Springsteen said in a statement on Thursday. “I’ve played this music to myself and often close friends for years now. I’m glad you’ll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them.”

On Thursday, Springsteen gave the first taste of the “Lost Albums” by releasing his first single “Rain In The River,” which comes from one of the new lost albums titled “Perfect World.”

* Song…

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Scott’s Law, also known as the Move Over Law, requires that all vehicles move over, if possible, or slow down when passing a stopped or disabled emergency vehicle with its flashing lights on. It was passed in 2001. Since 2019, state police have been involved in 140 crashes caused by drivers violating the Move Over Law.

In 2024, there were more crashes than in the past five years — 27 in all — including a fatal collision that killed Trooper Clay Carns, an 11-year veteran and father of two. Carns died Dec. 23, 2024, after he was struck while clearing debris from the highway after a crash on Interstate 55 near Channahon. […]

The Move Over Law protections were further expanded this year. Beginning on Jan. 1, drivers must change lanes, reduce speed, or stop when approaching or passing any emergency vehicle, including police, sheriff, ambulances and maintenance vehicles, with the flashing lights activated. Drivers are also required to yield the right-of-way to any authorized vehicle or pedestrian actually engaged in work on a highway or a construction zone.

ISP is also employing technology to reduce Scott’s Law crashes. Late last year, the agency announced a partnership with HAAS Alert — a company that provides safety alerts to drivers, notifying them of ISP activity in the road ahead and urging them to slow down and move over. HAAS provides real-time GPS-based traffic information in Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, RAM and Volkswagen vehicles.

* Chicago Reader…

Since his release in 2007, Quinn has had to register with a police database. The most recent iteration is called the Illinois Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth database. It requires Illinois residents like Quinn who’ve been convicted of violent crimes, including those involving gun violence, to regularly check in with police or risk reincarceration. Depending on the crime, some people have to register for ten years following their release or—like in Quinn’s case—the rest of their lives.

Illinois is one of at least five states that publicly posts the names, photos, and addresses of people who are convicted of violent crimes. In Illinois, the list includes first-degree murder or other violent crimes, mostly when they’re committed against people under age 18. In a statement to the Trace, the Illinois State Police (ISP) said that the registry enhances their work by providing a list of past offenders to investigate in incidents with no obvious suspects. Quinn, however, is working with advocates from the Chicago Torture Justice Center on a campaign that seeks to abolish what they call the “murder registry,” arguing that it creates additional barriers in the already challenging reentry process and ultimately fuels crime rather than deters it. […]

“It’s perpetual punishment for people who have completed their time, and are trying to find work, trying to find housing, and who are worried about their own safety,” said Naji Ublies, a case manager at the Chicago Torture Justice Center. Ublies is helping lead the campaign to end the list. In recent months, he’s held more informational sessions for participants and worked to garner political support from lawmakers in Springfield. “Where’s the harm reduction? If you’re trying to bring people back into society, you have to reduce the harm that they’re going to be faced with.”

Former police commander Patty Casey, who oversaw the registry within the Chicago Police Department before retiring in 2021, agreed that the current system isn’t working as well as it could. Casey suggested that police add more registration sites to speed up processing times and raise public awareness about the registries. Currently, the Chicago Police Department doesn’t notify community members when someone on the registry moves into their neighborhood, which Casey says can undermine its public safety benefits. She also recommended that the Illinois Department of Corrections adopt a case-by-case approach for determining who should be on the registry and for how long.

* IPM Newsroom…

The maker of Ram trucks and Jeeps announced Thursday that it will temporarily lay off 900 workers at five U.S. facilities. The decision by Stellantis comes after President Donald Trump’s tariffs were announced this week.

According to a company spokesperson, the layoffs will not affect the Belvidere assembly plant. It’s scheduled to re-open in 2027 to build a mid-size pickup truck.

However, as a result of pausing production at several of Stellantis’ Canadian and Mexican plants, there will be temporary layoffs at the Warren Stamping and Sterling Stamping plants (Michigan) as well as the Indiana Transmission Plant, Kokomo Transmission Plant and Kokomo Casting Plant (Indiana).

*** Statehouse News ***

Former Illinois Senator Greg Zito passed away this week. The family has asked for donations in his name to Children’s research towards Type 1 diabetes.

*** Statewide ***

* WGN | Illinois public health director on administration plan to cancel over $400M in pandemic-era grants: Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, joins Lisa Dent to discuss the funding that Illinois public health is expecting to lose from President Trump’s freezing COVID-19-related funds for state and local public health departments.

* Press release | Illinois Chamber provides statement on Reciprocal Tariffs: The Illinois Chamber remains focused on working with our trade partners, legislators and elected leaders to guide our state’s economic growth, with a laser-like focus on policies that are pro-growth, pro-business, and pro-Illinois. We believe that it is essential to focus on your core business and drive growth within it. The same is true for our state and our country. As the situation has developed with tariffs, we acknowledge that unfair trading practices and trade barriers exist, and we would prefer to see the focus placed on negotiating free trade agreements. This approach drives growth. With the many concerns about the potential recessionary impact and economic effects on businesses of all sizes, our position remains unchanged: Tariffs, especially reciprocal tariffs, are not the answer.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Minal Desai projected to win Skokie clerk race: Skokie voters appeared to decide on Election Day, Tuesday, April 1, that the village’s current appointed clerk, a former Skokie Park District commissioner and polyglot, will continue to serve the village for the next four years. Minal Desai, who was appointed clerk by Mayor George Van Dusen last April, declared victory in the three-way race for Skokie clerk. Desai won a little over 48% of the vote, James Johnson won 31% of the vote and Naema Abraham won 20% of the vote, in unofficial results reported by the Cook County Clerk’s office.

* Daily Southtown | Jim Dodge, incoming Orland Park mayor lays out short-term priorities, mending relations with police: Dodge said morale among police officers is low and recruiting officers has been a problem. “I want to sit down with the folks in the department and work to address their concerns,” he said. Chapter 159 of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police, in its January endorsement of Dodge, said the village’s administration “imperils the independent, effective, and professional law enforcement service Orland Park’s citizens have earned and deserve.”

* Block Club | Prescribed Burns Were Banned 3 Decades Ago. Now, Cook County Is A Leader In Urban Burning: Twelve different crews were conducting prescribed burns at various locations across Cook County that Tuesday. The Forest Preserves of Cook County burns an average of 7,738 acres every year, making it one of the largest urban prescribed burn programs in the country. The practice has even grown in recent years — 30 years after the entire program was nearly snuffed out.

* Daily Herald | Service, workforce cuts possible after voters spurn Kane’s $51 million sales tax request: The sales tax hike — which would have added 75 cents to a $100 purchase of nonfood and other items — was to bring in more than $51 million in revenue to support public safety programs, officials said. Instead, voters flatly rejected the ballot measure, with 52,437 against it and 17,421 for it, according to the unofficial results.

* Sun-Times | Addison man’s colonoscopy bill topped $10,000 because some insurance isn’t bound by Affordable Care Act rules: Six months later, Winard was still working on starting his business, so he signed up for another short-term policy, this one with a different insurer, for about $500 a month. […] Winard’s bill totaled $10,723.19, including $1,436 for the anesthesia and $1,039 for the recovery room. After an insurance discount, his plan paid $817.47. Winard was left owing $7,226.71.

* Daily Southtown | Blue Island voters back limiting gaming cafes, split on making Western a two-way street: The referendum to limit gaming cafes received 76% support, according to unofficial results. The referendum to ask the state to convert Western Avenue to a two-way street was nearly split, with 49.3% in favor and 50.6% against, unofficial results show. Out of more than 12,300 registered voters in the city, only 906 cast ballots this election, according to the Cook County clerk’s office. Mayor Fred Bilotto, elected in 2021, and his Party for Blue Island slate ran uncontested.

* WGN | Coach Chris Collins is staying at Northwestern: ‘I’m excited to get to work and see what we can do’: Chris Collins, head basketball coach at Northwestern, joins John Williams and Dave Eanet to talk about reaching an agreement to remain the head coach through 2030. Coach says he is excited to build something special in Evanston and keep pushing the program forward.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson landed a teachers union deal. Was it worth it?: One City Council opponent, downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins, had a succinct answer when asked what the negotiations cost Johnson and the CTU: “Their reputations.” Asked to justify the chaos that got him here, Johnson rattled off contract highlights such as smaller class sizes and higher veteran teacher pay. “I mean, I could keep going. I’m saying all of it is worth it when we are investing in our public accommodations,” the mayor said. “I believe that if the members of this union decide to codify the agreement, it’s going to be an incredible win for the people of Chicago.”

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to Trump threat to revoke CPS funding over DEI: ‘We’re gonna sue’: “We’re gonna sue,” Johnson told reporters at an unrelated public housing event. “We’re not going to be intimidated by these threats. It’s just that simple. So whatever it is that this tyrant is trying to do to this city, we’re going to fight back.” On Thursday, the Education Department issued a notice demanding states and school districts sign a certification against DEI policies or else risk Title I funding. Chicago Public Schools receives $1.3 billion in federal funding. Over $400 million are grants under Title I, which targets students who fall below achievement standards.

* Tribune | For this year’s Record Store Day, our definitive guide to Chicago record stores: You can tell a lot about a city by its record stores. Like independent bookshops and craft breweries, they function as safe spaces to connect with the community, get a pulse on cultural happenings and gather with friends. The best shops have a distinct flavor and relaxed feel. They invite you to discover the familiar and unknown, and get lost for hours in music. Steered by fanatics who possess specific expertise, the most rewarding brick-and-mortar stores give you the unexpected thrill that occurs when you chance upon a record you’ve sought for years. No online experience comes close.

* Daily Southtown | New museum in Pullman to recognize role of Black women in labor movement: Now a new effort is afoot to recognize an oft overlooked element of that effort. Randolph’s success at organizing a union that would represent thousands of workers all over the United States rested squarely upon the efforts of women such as Rosina Corrothers Tucker. Tucker was the wife of a Pullman porter and became an early advocate for the union that pushed for better pay, better working conditions and a grievance process. She also became a labor organizer for other labor groups and a crusader for civil rights.

* Windy City Times | Lisa Isadora Cruz reflects on decades of giving back to Chicago’s trans community: Born and raised in the projects in Puerto Rico, Cruz came to the U.S. after years of struggling under anti-trans laws and public sentiments. Now in her late 60s, she’s had a lifetime of serving the LGBTQ+ community through roles connecting people with physical and financial resources and being a model for having a full life with HIV, which she has been living with since the ‘80s.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Dan Brady says Bloomington faces a pending financial storm as he assumes mayor role: Dan Brady says the city faces several big challenges as he prepares to take the mayor’s office next month: public safety, water problems and what he calls a pending storm — the city’s financial crunch. After the city kept its property tax levy flat for the second consecutive year, Brady said the city will need to explore department reorganization and other steps to cut costs. “What can we do with early outs, early retirement programs? What can we do about holding off capital purchases for the city, equipment, etc.? What’s a want and what’s truly a need and then [what are] the priorities?” Brady said in an interview on WGLT during Morning Edition.

* WGLT | As a strike looms, ISU’s lab school workers await decision on their own union recognition: Educators in ISU’s K-12 lab schools [Metcalf and University High] are trying to get recognition for their first union, called the Lab School Education Association [LSEA]. They petitioned for that recognition last summer and recently won a favorable decision from an administrative law judge with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. A full board decision is expected soon, after which the new union could begin negotiating its first contract with ISU.

*** National ***

* Car Scoops | How Much Of Your Car Is Really Made In The USA?: Take the Lincoln Nautilus, for example. Only 5% of this car is made in the US, with 87% coming from China. On the other hand, the Kia EV6 is 80% American-made, while the Honda Ridgeline and Acura MDX are 70 percent American-made.

* The Guardian | RFK Jr says 20% of Doge’s health agency job cuts were mistakes: Around a fifth of the 10,000 jobs cut from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were done in error and will need to be corrected, the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has admitted. Mass layoffs from the health department began this week amid a push by Donald Trump’s administration to shrink the size of the federal government workforce. Union representatives were told around 10,000 people were to lose their jobs ahead of further reductions that could see the department’s 82,000-strong workforce slashed by nearly a quarter.

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Ironworkers: The Backbone of Our Energy Storage and Green Transition Economy

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Ironworkers are at the forefront of Illinois’ green energy transition, ensuring a sustainable future while securing strong, union-backed wages. Thanks to the historic investment in renewable energy by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly, thousands of Illinois ironworkers are finding employment in green energy projects, including energy storage.

From day one, ironworkers have been erecting wind turbines and battery plants. By advancing hydrogen and other energy storage solutions, they play a crucial role in making the ambitious goals of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) a reality. Their expertise ensures that Illinois not only meets but leads in clean energy innovation.

By including all of union labor in renewable energy projects, we strengthen our workforce, our economy, and our environment. The future is green—powered by the hands of skilled ironworkers.

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Feds move to dismiss charges against their prized mole Solis

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the US Attorney’s office…

The United States of America, by MORRIS PASQUAL, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, respectfully moves this Court to dismiss the information as to defendant Daniel Solis. In support of this motion, the government states as follows:

1. On April 8, 2022, an information was filed in this case, charging defendant Daniel Solis with corruptly soliciting, accepting, and agreeing to accept campaign contributions intending to be influenced and rewarded in connection with City of Chicago transactions, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666(a)(1)(B). R. 1.

2. On April 12, 2022, the government filed a deferred prosecution agreement as to Solis. R. 7. The deferred prosecution agreement provided that, at the time of Solis’s arraignment on the information, the parties agreed to request that the District Court defer proceedings on the charge in the information pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 3161(h)(2) for a period of 36 months from the filing of the information – “the deferred prosecution period. ” R. 7 at 1. The end of the deferred prosecution period, given the April 8, 2022 filing date of the information, is April 8, 2025.

3. On April 21, 2022, the Court excluded time through April 8, 2025. R. 14. The parties have filed joint status reports pursuant to the Court’s orders on July 19, 2022 (R. 17), March 23, 2023 (R. 19), March 13, 2024 (R. 22), and September 24, 2024 (R. 24).

4. Solis most recently testified in the government’s case in chief in the trial of United States v. Michael J. Madigan and Michael F. McClain, No. 22 CR 115 (Blakey, J.).

5. The deferred prosecution agreement provides, “If Mr. Solis has fulfilled all of the terms and conditions of this agreement at the conclusion of the deferred prosecution period, the USAO [United States Attorney’s Office] will move the District Court to dismiss the Information as to Mr. Solis.” R. 7 at 2. Solis will have reached the end of the deferred prosecution period on April 8, 2025, and Solis has fulfilled all of the terms and conditions of the deferred prosecution agreement.

6. The deferred prosecution period is separate from Solis’s obligation to cooperate with the USAO, which extends beyond the deferred prosecution period and which continues until such time as the USAO provides written notice that “all investigations and prosecutions arising from or requiring Mr. Solis’s cooperation are final and that his cooperation is complete.” R. 7 at 3. No such written notification has been provided by the government to Solis and Solis’s obligation to cooperate remains ongoing.

7. The government moves this Court to dismiss the information as to Solis. The parties are available for a status hearing on April 8, 2025, and April 14, 15, and 16, 2025, if the Court prefers that the government formally move before the Court for the dismissal of the information. Counsel for Solis does not object to the dismissal of the information or to the scheduling of a status hearing in order for the government to make the formal motion before the Court.

* Sun-Times…

The request, part of a deal Solis struck with the feds in 2018, brings his case to a remarkable but long-expected conclusion. An FBI special agent once needed 100 pages to detail the allegations against Solis in a court affidavit. Now, Solis appears to be square with the federal government. Barring a surprise twist, he’ll walk away with his freedom, criminal record and pension intact. […]

Either way, the move is the result of an “extraordinary, if not unprecedented,” deal for a once high-ranking elected official, said former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins. But Solis also wore a wire and helped the feds convict ex-Ald. Edward M. Burke and former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, two record-breaking politicians who appeared untouchable to generations of Chicagoans.

Collins, now a partner at the King & Spalding law firm, said “that’s the other hand of it.”

“I think it’s, in part, a statement of the value [prosecutors] put on the people he was cooperating against,” he said.

9 Comments

It’s just a bill

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Block Club Chicago…

A proposed bill could pave the way for artificial intelligence-driven traffic cameras on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, aiming to prevent reckless driving in high-crash areas.

But first, state officials want to study how advanced AI-driven traffic cameras could impact driver behavior and safety on one of Chicago’s busiest roadways.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Illinois Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, would commission a study to evaluate whether AI-powered traffic cameras improve safety in high-crash areas. If the study finds a positive impact, the bill would allow for the installation of these cameras. […]

If that happens, drivers could be ticketed for going 6 mph or more over the speed limit, with fines starting at $50 and going up to $100 for higher speeds. The AI-enabled cameras could also monitor for other reckless driving offenses, including tailgating and lane-weaving, according to Feigenholtz’s office.

* Sen. Mark Walker…

Through a new bill, State Senator Mark Walker aims to crack down on more than $163 million lost to cryptocurrency fraud in Illinois in 2023.

“The rise of digital assets has opened the door for financial opportunity, but also for bankruptcy, fraud and deceptive practices,” said Walker (D-Arlington Heights). “We must set standards for those who have evolved in the crypto business to ensure they are credible, honest actors.”

Senate Bill 1797, also known as the Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act, would allow the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to manage guidelines that crypto companies must follow. Through Walker’s bill, IDFPR would be able to adopt rules to protect consumer assets and investments.

Under Senate Bill 1797, cryptocurrency companies would be required to register, provide disclosures and demonstrate the fitness to satisfy payouts. The bill would also require companies to notify their consumers of any charges or transfers of their digital assets, and to build programs to reduce consumer fraud.

Senate Bill 1797 passed the Senate Executive Committee on Thursday

* WAND…

State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) filed two bills as a promise for the Massey family. Her promise comes closer to being fulfilled, as those bills passed the Senate Executive committee Thursday.

Senate Bill 1953 which would require more comprehensive reviews of prospective officers to ensure physical and mental fitness, as well as expanding sheriff’s merit boards, passed unanimously out of committee. […]

Senate Bill 1954 would give County’s the option to recall an elected official outside the County board or Treasurer. Each County, if their board approves it, would have the option to add the recall law to their County in the 2026 election as a referendum. If it doesn’t receive approval or isn’t voted in by the people, the law wouldn’t be added. […]

That bill saw more of a heated discussion. State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said this plan, while in good faith, could give too much power to certain groups.

* Sen. Celina Villanueva…

In response to predatory towing practices that take advantage of Illinois drivers, State Senator Celina Villanueva advanced legislation to strengthen enforcement against bad actors and ensure safer roads for drivers.

“For too long, predatory towing operators have taken advantage of unsuspecting drivers, leaving them with outrageous fees, missing belongings, and no recourse,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “This legislation is about restoring fairness and accountability to the system, ensuring that no one falls victim to these deceptive practices.”

Currently, the Illinois Commerce Commission issues fines to violators, but many of the worst offenders ignore penalties and continue operating under new business names. Senate Bill 2040 would strengthen enforcement by allowing the ICC to impound unregistered tow trucks, authorizing the Secretary of State to suspend license plates for unpaid fines, and requiring tow operators to register business and storage locations to prevent vehicles from being held at unlisted lots. The bill also would ban fraudulent towers from obtaining new licenses for three years and prohibit operators from placing liens on essential personal property left in a towed vehicle. […]

Senate Bill 2040 passed the Senate and heads to the House for further consideration.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Illinois Senate Democrats voiced their support Thursday for a bill that would create a program to streamline high school students’ college application processes, reducing fees and making higher education more affordable.

An initiative of Gov. JB Pritzker, the direct admission program is described as a “one-stop shop” for students that would bypass all college application fees.

Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, spoke at a news conference in the Statehouse, calling the bill “a critical step we’re taking to make higher education more accessible to students across Illinois.”

Senate Bill 2448 would allow all high school juniors and seniors and community college students to enroll in the program. The bill would allow the Illinois Board of Higher Education to send students a single notification containing all of their admission offers. And students would be able to accept an offer and enroll at the Illinois university they choose through the direct admission program.

* WAND…

A State Senate Democrat plan would add a database showing all scholarships available in higher education.

It would show all the scholarships on one website. Students starting in the seventh grade would be taught to create an account and how to access the website. Students 18 or older would also be allowed to access the site.

State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) said the idea for this bill came to her from one of her summer high school interns working in her Decatur office. […]

The bill passed out of the Senate on a 49-5 vote. It now heads to the House floor where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.

* WGLT…

Eighty-one Illinois teen drivers and passengers died in car crashes in 2023, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Tragedies like these instantly change the lives of families and friends. For one mother — it led her to push for change.

Chasity Dorathy, of Tampico in northwestern Illinois, lost her 16-year-old son DJ in a car crash accident last March. He was a passenger in a car with three other teens when one of the teens crossed a stop sign and collided with a semi-truck. The driver survived, but DJ and two other teens died soon after. […]

A petition on Change.org led her to talk to her local lawmakers and push a bill to prevent future tragedies. The bill aims to restrict drivers under 18 from driving anyone under 20 unless they are siblings or the driver’s child. If caught, a driver could face a six-month license suspension.

The current law is a driver on a graduated license can have only one passenger under 20. If violated, a driver could face a two-month suspension.

* Sen. Julie Morrison…

When drivers neglect to move over for emergency personnel and roadside incidents, they put lives at risk. Recognizing the need for improved safety measures, State Senator Julie Morrison advanced an initiative to enhance protections for those working on and assisting along our highways.

“Police officers directing traffic, highway maintenance workers clearing debris and kind bystanders who stop to lend a hand all deserve to know they are safe at the scene,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This legislation is about better protecting those who put themselves at risk to help others.”

Morrison’s bill comes in response to an accident in which a local resident working for the Illinois Tollway was struck by a vehicle while assisting someone in an emergency situation. Under current law, a driver is required to change lanes, reduce speed and proceed with caution when approaching a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights. However, individuals who are not stationary — such as those assisting stalled drivers or traveling slowly in a vehicle to place traffic cones — are not covered under existing legal protections.

Senate Bill 1922 is intended to expand current law — also known as Scott’s Law — to include individuals involved at a scene of an emergency. The legislation clarifies that drivers must yield the right-of-way to emergency workers, pedestrians and authorized emergency vehicles — whether stationary or in motion — if they are actively engaged in work at the scene. […]

Senate Bill 1922 passed the Senate on Thursday.

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Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

What if Illinois could expand its energy grid, attract AI and emerging tech companies to the state, and provide over 60,000 new jobs with no impact on communities or the environment?

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Built along existing rail corridors, this underground transmission project will deliver 2,100 MW of low-cost reliable power making the electric grid more resilient in the face of extreme weather while unlocking billions in economic investments for Illinois.

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• Accelerates Illinois’ Clean Energy & Jobs Act goals
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• $9.8 billion in health benefits by reducing emissions

With SOO Green all ratepayers will enjoy a more reliable grid, protection from rising energy costs, and a stronger economy for Illinois.

Learn more at www.soogreen.com.

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In which I almost agree with Tom DeVore (Updated)

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* It kinda makes me choke to say it, but DeVore is right about this…

You wanna win as a Republican in the suburbs? You gotta do what you gotta do. Plain and simple.

* And yet, when it comes to prominent Republican women accepting campaign contributions from the IEA - which has backed Republicans for decades here - he calls them RINOs…

There’s a word for this sort of double standard.

…Adding… Aaron Del Mar interrupted a massive whine-fest about the ILGOP to speak some hard truths about Republican candidates today…

Well, here’s the thing too, Colin, and I get to your party thing, and I’m on the State Central Committee, and I see a lot of dysfunction and infighting, more time spent on that than fighting to get our people through.

But also, I think you need to go back more granular than that, and talk about personal accountability from each of the candidates. Right? Each of the candidates have to be able to put their own money in. You can’t depend on any party to be able to do that, especially not the Republican Party. So you have to put your own money into it. You have to go to your friends, your family and fundraise.

You have to knock on the doors yourself. You have to split up your team and do it. You have to have the fundamentals of getting the right campaign, using your money wisely.

That is a bigger issue, because if we can do that individually, that will lift all of our ships.

And a lot of these candidates that I’m watching, I wasn’t even looking at some of the races on the numbers. I’m like, dude, they’re not doing anything. They’re gonna lose. Like nobody knows who they are. They didn’t even get lawn signs, or they didn’t want to fundraise. They didn’t want to do any of the pieces that it takes.

So we need to start getting candidates that will take personal accountability for their campaigns instead of trying to lean on a party that’s not going to do it for them.

Winners do the work.

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Healing Communities: More Than Healthcare Providers, Hospitals Are Economic Engines

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois hospitals are driving local economies across the state through a combined $117.7 billion in economic activity every year. Such significant contributions to the state and local economies come from providing good-paying jobs and spending on supplies, services, and capital.

While hospitals are best known for their lifesaving care—and always being there when you need them—their role stretches farther. They’re also working hard to address community health needs, provide accessible care and train future clinicians.

As economic anchors in their community, Illinois hospitals create 445,000 direct and indirect jobs, and they support working families through over $50 billion in direct and indirect salaries annually. What’s more:

Illinois hospitals spend nearly $62 billion to have at the ready the medical equipment and supplies needed to care for patients in any circumstance. In addition, the hospital community spends over $5.5 billion on capital projects yearly that benefit patients and employ local businesses. Learn more about how Illinois hospitals are healing communities.

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Open thread

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois joins 18 other states suing to block President Trump’s election order, saying it violates the Constitution. WHO…

* Related stories…

∙ AP: States sue to block Trump’s election order, saying it violates the Constitution
∙ WaPo: Democratic attorneys general sue to block Trump’s voting restrictions
∙ Click here to read the lawsuit.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* ABC | Concerned for service members, governor seeks security assurances from Joint Chiefs: Pritzker said he was reaching out as he’s “lost faith” in the ability of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, one of the key members of the Signal incident, to “maintain the integrity of our national defense operations.” […] “Currently, over 1,700 Illinois National Guard members are deployed on federal active-duty service by directive of the President, so I cannot stand by silent as their lives are put at risk,” he added

* Tribune | In a big-money era, University of Illinois shrugs off rules on athletes’ NIL deals: But not one of those endorsements — which are allowed now that student-athletes can profit from their personal brands — was reported to the university, as state law requires. In fact, the entire Illini team reported just $9,100 in name, image and likeness deals during the 2023-24 season, according to records obtained by the Tribune and ProPublica. By comparison, the average earnings reported for a male basketball player in the Big Ten and the three other biggest college conferences were more than $145,000 during that school year, according to data that institutions voluntarily provided to the NCAA.

*** Statewide ***

* WBEZ | Families turn to Illinois Attorney General to help bring back surgeries for transgender youth: Dozens of families and medical students are calling for Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul to prompt two major hospitals in Chicago to resume transgender surgeries for young people. About two months ago, Lurie Children’s Hospital and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, which are near downtown Chicago, stopped providing gender care surgeries for people younger than 19 after an executive order from Republican President Donald Trump threatened to cut federal funding, among other potential actions.

* Press Release | AFP-Illinois Ad Campaign and Grassroots Push to Extend Trump Tax Cuts: oday, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is launching a seven-figure ad and grassroots campaign highlighting what will be a Tax Day nightmare next year for working families across Illinois if Congress fails to renew the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). This critical legislation has provided essential tax relief to families and small businesses nationwide and is overwhelmingly supported by hardworking Americans.

*** Downstate ***

* KWQC | Man evades deputies during firearm removal search: A man has eluded Jo Daviess County deputies who were attempting to remove guns from the house after a restraining order search warrant was issued. Deputies then investigated the domestic-related order to remove firearms from the residence of 53-year-old Enrique O. Silva of Galena. […] A deputy attempted to make contact, but Silva ran. Silva is thought to have entered the home, but the deputy did not, because it is assumed firearms were in the home.

* WCIA | ‘It shaped me’; Black leaders in Urbana talk resilience, motivation to push the city forward: DeShawn Williams is the new Mayor of Urbana — the first Black man to be elected to the role. He ran unopposed in Champaign County’s general election and now joins a growing list of influential African American leaders throughout the city, including Fire Chief Demond Dade and Police Chief Larry Boone. It’s the first time in Urbana’s history all three positions are held by Black men.

* BND | St. Clair County cities get $30M in grant for recovery from 2022 flooding: Five cities in St. Clair County will get a share of a $30 million in federal grants to help in disaster recovery efforts from flooding in July 2022, U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield) announced Thursday. This aid is separate from the $89.5 million St. Clair County received in January for disaster recovery from flooding in July 2024.

* BND | East St. Louis schools could lose $19 million in federal funds clawback: The East St. Louis school district stands to lose more than $19 million as the U.S. Department of Education claws back unspent federal pandemic-relief funding. The district is counting on that funding to finish major heating, ventilation and air conditioning projects to improve indoor air quality — a critical component of reducing the risk of airborne illnesses like COVID-19 — in all 10 of its schools, said Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, the district’s executive director of communications.

* WAND | NWS confirms 5 tornadoes touched down during Wednesday’s storms: The tornadoes ranged from EF-0 to EF-2, with the strongest winds reaching speeds up to 135 mph. NWS reported an EF-0 touched down just west of Cissna Park, three EF-1 tornadoes, one in Lincoln, one southeast of Loda, another in Montrose, Effingham Co., and an EF-2 reported near Vandalia Lake in Fayette Co.

* WCIA | Central IL counties cleaning up after multiple tornadoes touch down: Some people in Central Illinois had a lot to clean up on Thursday after Wednesdays severe weather. At least five tornadoes touched down, including in Cumberland County. A few people in the area saw damage on their properties and both trees and power lines came down. It’s the second time in the past few weeks that a town in the county was hit by a tornado.

* WAND | Chatham voters pass tax levy for necessary repairs to public library: The Chatham Area Public Library will have access to more funding thanks to a recently-passed tax levy. In the consolidated election, voters passed a referendum with 55% of the vote for a tax levy to benefit the public library. Library Director Amy Byers said the library staff are grateful that the community supported their efforts to repair the facility.

* WCIA | Tango music festival returns to Champaign-Urbana: The CU Tango Music Festival will take place April 3-6 throughout Champaign-Urbana. Program organizers said new this year, they’ll have performances and a collaboration with 40 North 88 West’s Boneyard Arts Festival and Krannert Uncorked at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

* PJ Star | Bob Dylan’s biggest fan might be from Peoria. He’s about to reach an amazing milestone: As Jaeger anticipates his 200th Dylan concert, he reflects on the joy of shared experiences with fellow fans and the enduring power of music to connect people. Walk into any local record shop, and you’re bound to find a few Bob Dylan records. But in the basement of Matthew Jaeger’s East Peoria home lies a collection to rival them all: hundreds of albums packed into shelves, spanning from his favorite artist’s earliest years to the most recent work — albums you could find anywhere and Dylan’s most coveted rarities.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Progressive Caucus leaders turn up the volume on their beef with Johnson: Disappointed with the response to their concern that Mayor Brandon Johnson was seeking to oust them from his City Council leadership team, three leaders of the Progressive Caucus are amplifying their criticism of the Fifth Floor. Progressive Caucus co-chairs Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, and Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, and caucus secretary Ald. Matt Marin, 47th, sent a letter to Johnson yesterday seeking assurance that he was not planning to strip them of the committees they chair after word got back to them that some in the mayor’s office had allegedly discussed the plan.

* Crain’s | Biggest Chicago law firms silent in face of Trump attacks: The biggest law firms in Chicago will not talk about how they would respond if confronted with an executive order from President Donald Trump targeting their operations. Crain’s reached out to 19 of the 20 firms on its list of the largest law firms in the area to seek comment on the recent string of executive orders, and none were willing to discuss the issue. The executive orders targeting the firms have splintered the legal community, with some fighting and others coming to terms with the administration.

* Sun-Times | ‘Where is the Glock?’ Gun turned over to Chicago police wound up in the hands of a teenager, records show: The lost weapon’s journey mirrored an earlier event in which a gun turned in by a Cook County judge disappeared from another buyback in Chicago — only to resurface at a fatal police shooting in Cicero, as the Better Government Association and Chicago Sun-Times reported in 2017. After that report, the city launched an investigation that lasted more than five years. But investigators decided it would be “difficult and unwise” to question everyone involved in the buyback. So they didn’t interview anyone.

* Crain’s | Foxtrot’s rebirth has the backing of a Pritzker: William Pritzker, first cousin once removed of Gov. JB Pritzker, confirmed to Crain’s he is a “significant investor” in Foxtrot. He was coy about his specific share, saying simply, “Your imagination can fill in what that number is, but it’s not like we’re 48%,” emphasizing he is not the majority stakeholder. Paperwork filed with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission lists him as an owner, which indicates his stake is north of 5%, though it’s unclear by how much.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Naperville Sun | Partisan politics in Naperville’s nonpartisan election raises questions over how future races will be run: Although they were running for a nonpartisan position, White, Holzhauer, Syed and Gibson deciding to join forces and securing Underwood and Foster’s endorsements sent a clear message about where they stood, they said. “A lot of this comes down to where your values align,” White said, “and with our congressional representatives, there was synergy as far as alignment on values there.”

* Tribune | Will County judge dismisses GOP lawsuit; veto of attempt to stop 143rd widening to stand: A Will County judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed last year by 10 Will County Board Republicans against County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant over a road widening project in Homer Glen, ending the litigation. The 10 County Board members sued Bertino-Tarrant after she initially signed a resolution that stopped an expansion of 143rd Street to five lanes as planned. Bertino-Tarrant later said she realized her mistake and vetoed the resolution, prompting the lawsuit filed April 18, 2024.

* Patch | ‘A New Day’ And Dodge: Orland Park’s Pick For Mayor Basks In Win:
Reflecting on the race and looking forward to next steps, Dodge on Wednesday said he’d known what he was getting himself into running against Pekau—but maybe, not quite the extent of it. “A lot of the things that were said were literally distortions and outright lies,” Dodge said Wednesday. “When you run for a position like this, against a person like Keith Pekau, you know you are going to be attacked. You assume it will be distorted and unfair, but you don’t know the exact nature of what will be said.”

* Tribune | After contentious Aurora election, time will heal – and answer lots of questions: We can all concur it was a brutal, negative mayoral campaign in Aurora – and we’re glad it’s over. Of course, not everyone agrees on who should have won. But a victor has been declared and it’s time now that we all stop, inhale deeply, and then focus on repairing the damage that can come when emotions and negative ads – and yes, lots of outside money – complicate the issues most important to a community.

* Daily Herald | ‘What’s not to like about a healthy lake?’: Pilot monitoring program launched in Lake County: The initiative by Lake County Lake Lovers involves providing state-of-the-art monitoring equipment and expertise to gather data on lake health twice a month through October. Key water quality indicators such as the concentration of phosphorous, dissolved oxygen, algae growth and others will be measured and compared over time on each lake in a collaboration between trained citizen scientists and more than two dozen lake volunteers.

*** National ***

* NYT | Kennedy Guts Teams That Share Health Information With the Public: Some of those employees were press officers, but many worked behind the scenes — on social media, newsletters, information campaigns and personal outreach — to translate complicated scientific studies into accessible guidance and to ensure that the recommendations and cutting-edge research produced in the department’s dozens of offices reached the people who needed them.

* AP | Federal judge says she will temporarily block billions in health funding cuts to states: A federal judge will temporarily block President Donald Trump’s administration from cutting billions in federal dollars that support COVID-19 initiatives and public health projects throughout the country. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, appointed by Trump in 2019 but first nominated by former President Barack Obama, in Rhode Island said Thursday that she plans to grant the court order sought by 23 states and the District of Columbia. “They make a case, a strong case, for the fact that they will succeed on the merits, so I’m going to grant the temporary restraining order,” said McElroy, who plans to issue a written ruling later.

* The Guardian | Oregon abandoned its radical drug law. Then came the mass arrests: In September, Oregon lawmakers enacted legislation turning low-level drug possession into a more serious crime punishable by up to 180 days in jail. The resulting crackdown has led to thousands of arrests statewide in recent months. People targeted in cities such as Medford, and overworked public defenders tasked with representing them, say the drug enforcement has been chaotic and at times brutal.

* AP | Demand for the viral ‘torpedo’ bats has sent a Pennsylvania factory into overdrive: Victus isn’t the only company producing the bulgy bats, but they were among the first to list them for sale online after the Yankees made them the talk of the sports world. The torpedo bat took the league by storm in only 24 hours, and days later, the calls and orders, and test drives — from big leaguers to rec leaguers — are humming inside the company’s base, in a northwest suburb of Philadelphia. “The amount of steam that it’s caught, this quickly, that’s certainly surprising,” Smith said. “If the Yankees hitting nine home runs in a game doesn’t happen, this doesn’t happen.”

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, Apr 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign stuff

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul in response to federal LIHEAP and SSBG employee firings…

“States including Illinois rely on federal funds to provide vital services to some of our most vulnerable populations, including children, people who have disabilities, older individuals and low-income residents. I am extremely alarmed by reports that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has abruptly fired employees working on Social Services Block Grants (SSBG) and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). States are entitled to SSBG funds, which support programs that protect children from abuse and exploitation and allow adults with disabilities to live within their communities, instead of institutional settings. States utilize LIHEAP funds to help prevent low-income residents from being forced to choose between paying for heat and other household necessities like groceries.

“We now know that what the Trump administration calls ‘reducing government waste’ in reality means eliminating programs and services that allow our residents to live independently, safely and with dignity. Firing the federal workers who administer and allocate SSBG and LIHEAP funds is this administration’s latest demonstration of its contempt for federal civil servants and cruel disregard for vulnerable Americans. My office has thus far filed nine lawsuits to protect Illinoisans from unlawful overreach. We will evaluate options for responding to cuts in social service funding.”

* Illinois Times…

Imagine being owed $1 million and going years without collecting.

Emails are sent, with no response. Phone calls aren’t returned. Knocking on the door doesn’t do any good because no one seems to ever be in the office. As a last resort, a note demanding payment is slipped under the deadbeat’s door.

But still, no check has arrived.

That’s the predicament the Springfield Airport Authority finds itself in with the state of Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Transportation administers Federal Aviation Administration money. In September 2019, the SAA received a Federal Airport Improvement Grant for multiple projects, including improving the airport’s main runway and making other improvements such as drainage and wildlife control.

One of the projects was awarded in September 2022 in the amount of $1,050,306, and the work was completed by December of that year. The FAA made funding available in February 2023 to pay invoices, but IDOT never dispersed the funds.

* Click here for some background. CoinDesk…

Illinois will soon drop its staking lawsuit against Coinbase, joining three other U.S. states that have recently backed down from litigation against the exchange.

A spokesperson for Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias told CoinDesk on Thursday that the office “intends to drop the Coinbase lawsuit.” The spokesperson did not reply when asked when the case may be dropped.

Illinois was one of 10 U.S. states that brought charges against Coinbase in 2023 for allegedly violating state securities laws through its staking program. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also charged Coinbase with violating federal securities laws for its staking product, but dropped that suit in February. Since the SEC’s retreat, state securities regulators in Kentucky, Vermont and South Carolina have also abandoned their own cases against the exchange.

* Illinois Department of Central Management Services…

Over-the-year, the unemployment rate decreased in eleven metro areas and increased in one for the year ending February 2025, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in seven metropolitan areas and decreased in five.

“Today’s data report continues to underscore the strength of Illinois’ labor market with unemployment dropping and increases in jobs across most metro areas over the year,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Illinois remains laser-focused on encouraging business development and expanding economic opportunities throughout the state.”

The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Elgin Metropolitan Division (+2.3%, +6,600), the Rockford MSA (+1.2%, +1,700), the Kankakee MSA (+0.9%, +400) and the Peoria MSA (+0.9%, +1,600). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville- Schaumburg Metropolitan Division were up +18,600 (+0.5%). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (-2.2%, -2,100), the Decatur MSA (-1.7%, -800), the Champaign-Urbana MSA (-1.5%,-1,800), and the Illinois section of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.5%, -1,300). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (eleven areas); Government (ten areas); Retail Trade (nine areas); and Mining and Construction, Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities, and Financial Activities (seven areas each).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Rockford MSA (-1.2 points to 5.6%), the Elgin Metro Division (-1.1 points to 5.0%), the Lake County Metro Division (-1.1 points to 5.3%), and the Kankakee MSA (-1.0 point to 5.9%). The Chicago Metro Division reported the only increase (+0.1 point to 5.3%).

*** Statehouse News ***

* Illinois Times | Springfield diocese files lawsuit to allow religious groups to determine hiring criteria: A new Illinois law prohibits discrimination against individuals based on their position on abortion, but Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield is challenging its constitutionality. “States can’t force religious groups to violate their faith by affirming and accepting employees who violate their religious beliefs,” said Paprocki, who has made a name for himself as one of the nation’s most conservative Catholic leaders.

* Center Square | DOJ asks judge to deny IL’s motion to dismiss migrant sanctuary lawsuit: The U.S. Department of Justice is urging a federal district court judge to deny a motion to dismiss its challenge to Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies. Arguing Illinois’ migrant sanctuary policies “allow criminal illegal aliens to move freely throughout the United States, inflicting harm on victims that would have been averted had the alien been detained,” the DOJ moved Tuesday to deny the motion to dismiss from Chicago, Cook County and the state of Illinois.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Lauren Rapisand readies to take over as Park Ridge 6th Ward leader, wants to ‘give back to the community’: Park Ridge Alderperson Richard “Rick” Biagi had decided not to seek reelection to be 6th Ward leader, creating a contest to replace him where, according to unofficial vote totals from the election Tuesday, Lauren Rapisand appears to have prevailed. “Having held elected office in Park Ridge for the past 16 years, I believe it is my time to step aside and make way for new faces and new voices,” Biagi told Pioneer Press via email ahead of the April 1 Consolidated Election.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Election results in Sugar Grove show continued concern over Crown development: Unofficial results from Tuesday night appear to show the ousting of current village president Jennifer Konen and an incumbent village trustee, and the passage of a non-binding referendum question asking the village to reverse its decision on the controversial Crown development project. The advisory referendum asking the village to reverse its decision to allow the project appears to have passed with 57.74% of votes as of Tuesday night, according to unofficial election results from the Kane County Clerk’s Office.

* Daily Herald | Grafton Township Board turns blue as voters also deliver change to Huntley District 158 school board: For the first time in recent memory, the Grafton Township board in McHenry County is slated to be run by Democrats. Voters in the township also appear to have helped boost Huntley Unit School District 158 candidates who were backed by the teachers union and a grass-roots group seeking a new direction for that board. In the District 158 school board race, incumbents Paul Troy and Sean Cratty appear headed for another four-year term. Challengers Melissa Maiorino and Rich Bobby also appear poised to win seats, though results remain unofficial.

* Daily Herald | Vetter’s $163 million expansion plan faces big vote in Des Plaines: A German pharmaceutical company’s $163 million plan to expand its Des Plaines facility could get a key go-ahead from the city council Monday. Vetter intends to construct a roughly 158,000-square-foot manufacturing and office building on its nearly 18-acre campus at 10 W. Algonquin Road. Three existing Vetter buildings on the property will remain.

* Daily Herald | Lakemoor trustees to vote on controversial solar farm on golf course land Tuesday: The Pistakee Country Club could soon be converted to a solar farm in Lakemoor, but neighbors living nearby have issues with it. Many neighbors spoke against the proposal in a packed zoning board hearing last month. Among their concerns is the potential impact of the solar farm on the nearby Chain O’ Lakes and property values, and how much noise it would generate.

* Crain’s | Feds explore building data centers at Argonne, Fermi labs: The Energy Department said it’s exploring using thousands of acres of federal land nationwide that are positioned to quickly develop data-centers, in part because the government can fast-track permitting for nuclear reactors and other power plants to run the facilities. “The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement. “The Department of Energy is taking important steps to leverage our domestic resources to power the AI revolution, while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable and secure energy to the American people.”

* ELgin Courier-News | EPA starts work removing radium-tainted soil, debris from former Silbert Watch Co. in Elgin: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week started removing radium-contaminated soil from the former Silbert Watch Co. site and adjacent property at the northeast corner of Dundee and Stewart avenues on Elgin’s northeast side. The EPA is paying for the cleanup, which is expected to cost about $500,000 and to be finished by early summer, EPA spokesman David Shark said.

*** Downstate ***

* WMBD | Dan Brady wants smooth transition into office: The former state representative is eager to have discussions and implement measures to ensure public safety. Brady wants to continue working on existing projects like the downtown streetscape. Overall, this transition includes talking to department heads and seeing which staff members stay and which ones leave. “You know, there’s some city staff that are employees under different union contracts. Other city staff, that’s administrative staff,” said the former county coroner. “We want to keep, obviously, good experienced workers there to help make sure the transition is smooth and they have a history with the city. And we definitely want people there as employees that remember that customers first are the citizens of Bloomington.”

* Illinois Times | Juvenile Detention Center reopens: The Sangamon County Board in 2024 spent more than $362,000 on security upgrades for the county’s Juvenile Detention Center, including $132,500 for an X-ray body scanner similar to what is used in airports. The improvements are hoped to make the center, in the 2200 block of South Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, safer for staff and detainees in the wake of a fatal shooting outside the center’s entrance on Sept. 30, 2023.

* KFVS | First Housing Security Summit held in southern Illinois: Boots SI, a forum for nonprofit organizations throughout Southern Illinois working to provide for those in poverty and crisis hosted the event. The summit focused on insights and successes from other regional professionals to inspire starting similar initiatives in communities across southern Illinois.

* WCIA | Danville City Council votes to oppose correctional center firing range in resolution: In 1988, a judge issued a permanent injunction to end firing any weapons at the firing range on the Danville Correctional Center’s property. Now City Council says the warden is working with the Illinois Attorney General’s office on vacating the injunction, but the council viewed it as unsafe.

* WGLT | New Bloomington-Normal tourism chief gets settled as her agency ramps up for Route 66 Centennial: Bloomington native Melissa Chrisman says there are tons of things to do in the Twin Cities. Now, getting people to find the fun in Bloomington-Normal is her job. Chrisman is settling into her new role as the CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau [CVB], also known at Visit BN. She’s been on the job for about two months, choosing to move back home and leave a job in communications in Fort Worth, Texas.

*** Chicago ***

* South Side Weekly | Mayor Accused of Preventing Department Reps From Attending Hearing: Police district councilors’ efforts to explore alternatives to having police and 911 handle parking violation complaints hit a snag this week when a City Council hearing on the matter was abruptly canceled. Members of the 19th Police District Council (PDC) who have been pushing for the subject-matter hearing laid the blame squarely on the Fifth Floor of City Hall in an email to constituents. It said the meeting was canceled after the mayor prevented department heads from attending, a charge the Mayor’s Office denied.

* WTTW | Chicago Police Continued to Target Black, Latino Drivers with Traffic Stops in 2024, Advocacy Group Reports: Approximately 65% of the more than 293,000 traffic stops made by CPD officers and reported to state officials were prompted by improper or expired registration plates or stickers and headlight, taillight and license plate light offenses, according to a new report from Impact for Equity, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization that has helped lead the push to reform the Chicago Police Department.

* Tribune | Spiking natural gas prices to hit home for Peoples Gas customers: Peoples Gas is charging customers 52.79 cents per therm for gas in April, up about 30% from March and 104% year-over-year, according to the Citizens Utility Board, making it the second-highest gas price Peoples has charged during April in a decade. “Peoples Gas misled its customers,” CUB Executive Director Sarah Moskowitz said in a news release Wednesday. “It was absurd for the utility to claim that its rate hike wouldn’t lead to higher bills. The supply price spike took effect on April Fools’ Day, but this is no joke for so many Chicago families who are struggling to afford their heating bills. We hope it’s a warm spring.”

* Sun-Times | CTU president Stacy Davis Gates denies union power play caused rift with SEIU: The civil war between the Chicago Teachers Union and SEIU has fractured Mayor Brandon Johnson’s progressive union coalition continues — so much so that it endangers Johnson’s political future. It centers around Davis Gates’ failed attempt to have the CTU take over classroom assistant jobs held by SEIU Local 73.

* Sun-Times | Resisting mayoral pressure, Choose Chicago picks tourism vet Kristen Reynolds as CEO: Choose Chicago said Thursday it has named Kristen Reynolds to fill the key post, which has been the highest-paid public position in Chicago. Reynolds comes to Chicago after 27 years in tourism leadership, the last decade as CEO of New York’s Discover Long Island. She will take over an organization that, with public and private funding, is tasked with promoting Chicago against cities that have much larger budgets to market themselves. While Chicago has seen growth in business and leisure travel, it still hasn’t hit the record numbers it recorded just before the pandemic.

* Sun-Times | Venezuelan man arrested by ICE to be freed temporarily to donate kidney to brother: “This marks a victory for humanity and compassion,” said Erendira Rendón, Chief Programs Officer for The Resurrection Project, in a statement. “This decision recognizes that our fundamental human rights transcend immigration status and that our communities have the power to demand that our humanity be recognized. We are grateful to everyone who stood with the Gonzalez family and our broader immigrant community as we fought to correct this grave injustice.”

* Crain’s | Michael Reinsdorf blasts Comcast over Bulls, Sox, Blackhawks blackout: Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf called out Comcast today over its negotiations for a carriage deal with Chicago Sports Network, saying the cable provider has acted in “bad faith” toward the new network co-owned by the team. Reinsdorf, appearing with Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz at a Crain’s real estate event this morning, said CHSN believed it had a deal with Comcast in December, but the agreement fell through for an undisclosed reason.

* Block Club | Tom Skilling Gets Hero’s Welcome In Chicago — And Raises Alarm About National Weather Service Cuts: “I feel guilty every time I get on the darn plane to Hawaii,” legendary local weatherman Tom Skilling told a packed house of scientists, environmentalists and superfans who flocked to City Club on Wednesday to hear him speak for $95 a seat. Skilling — who has gone snorkeling in Hawaii and hiking in Alaska since retiring from WGN in February 2024 — received a hero’s welcome back home in Chicago, the city where he’s famous for his long spiels about the iconically crummy weather. This time, he took aim at President Donald Trump.

*** National ***

* WIRED | Trump and DOGE Defund Program That Boosted American Manufacturing for Decades: At the height of the US trade war with Japan in the 1980s, Congress established a nationwide network of organizations to advise small American manufacturers on how to survive and grow in what was then a particularly difficult environment. Decades later, there is now at least one Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center in all 50 states, and they continue to provide taxpayer-subsidized consulting to thousands of businesses, including makers of ovens, printers, tortillas, and dog food. […] The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which administers the program to help manufacturers, emailed lawmakers to say that it would not be paying out nearly $12.9 million that had been due overall this week to MEP centers in 10 states, according to Democratic staff of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology who spoke on on the condition of anonymity.

* NPR | U.S. stocks post deep losses on trade war fears over new tariffs: President Trump’s sweeping tariff announcement Wednesday triggered a sharp drop in U.S. stock markets, a flashing-red warning sign of the economic fallout that’s expected to result from the widening trade war. Around midday Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had tumbled over 1,200 points, or 3%. The broader S&P 500 index sank 4% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index dropped nearly 5%.

* Crain’s | Now comes the hard part: Sifting through the Trump tariff wreckage: Companies will spend weeks and months figuring out exactly what President Donald Trump’s lengthy executive order means to them. […] “Instead of talking about tariffs on a handful of countries, we’re talking about at least a universal 10% additional tariff,” says Kristin Bohl, a partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ customs and international trade practice. “It doesn’t matter where you source from, you’re hit 10% more than you were yesterday, with limited exceptions.”

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Repeal IFPA Now

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Casey Martin, CEO of Midwest Coalition of Labor CU
IFPA Will Harm our Members and our Communities
“My members are going to come to me to explain something I don’t understand.”
Stop the Chaos for Our Hard-Working Union Members

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It’s just a bill

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Senate Democrats…

As the nation grapples with an ongoing mental health crisis, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus are working diligently to engage greater accessibility to care. During a press conference Wednesday, they outlined their measures to enhance the mental health workforce and strengthen services.

To encourage more people of color to enter the mental health care profession, State Senator Javier Cervantes is championing a measure to require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to create a program to award scholarships to students pursuing a career as a mental health professional in Illinois. The scholarship – created under Senate Bill 1322 – would be open to all students, but give preference to applicants from various minority groups. […]

To further attract and retain mental health care workers, State Senator Laura Ellman has outlined a measure – Senate Bill 1225 – to add them to the list of professions eligible for the Child Care Assistance Program. The Child Care Assistance Program provides financial assistance to low-income families to help cover the cost of child care, enabling parents to work, attend training or go to school.

“It is hard to find mental health care when you need it, because there just aren’t enough professionals out there,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “By expanding access to child care assistance for families in the mental health, health care, and educational workforce, we can ensure parents no longer have to choose between their professions and family responsibilities while also retaining workers in workforces that are struggling to attract employees.”

Building trust and rapport with a mental health provider can often be daunting, leading State Senator Mike Simmons to spearhead Senate Bill 2287. The measure would prohibit private insurers, Medicaid, and state group health plans from charging an individual out-of-pocket costs greater than they would in network if they receive mental health services from a nonparticipating provider or health care facility. Expanding on that measure, Simmons’ Senate Bill 2353 would ensure there is no limit on the number of visits per week for outpatient mental health treatment.

“I’ve brought forth Senate Bill 2287 because effective and helpful mental health care requires consistency, and this bill makes sure patients can see a mental health provider that is the right fit for them regardless of insurance network with no danger of incurring fees or out of pocket costs,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Senate Bill 2353 will empower patients and providers – not insurance companies – with the autonomy to decide the frequency and timing of their own mental health treatment plans.”

Additionally, State Senator Robert Peters is leading a measure ensuring a more thorough and thoughtful rollout of critical services by extending the implementation deadline of the Community Emergency Services and Support Act – also known as CESSA – to July 1, 2027. In addition, Senate Bill 2500 would require new training for mobile mental health relief teams and an updated data collection structure, transforming how mental health emergencies are handled and offering a strong framework for individuals in crisis and the organizations that serve them.

Of the proposed mental health bills, only SB1322 (Third Reading) and SB2500 (Second Reading) have advanced out of committee.

* President and CEO of G-PAC of Illinois Kathleen Sances

[G]un violence is preventable, and we can do more to stop it this spring by passing the Safe At Home legislation in Springfield that will better prevent children, at-risk individuals and criminals from accessing deadly firearms and inflicting tragedy and violence.

This legislation was introduced as Senate Bill 8 and House Bill 3688 and is sponsored by state Sens. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, and Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, and state Reps. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, and Kevin Olickal, D-Skokie. It will enhance what it means to safely store weapons in Illinois and strengthen reporting requirements for gun owners when their weapons are lost and stolen.

Working together, these safety measures will promote more responsible gun ownership by improving safe gun storage practices and ensuring that lost and stolen guns are promptly reported to law enforcement authorities.

We need to do everything we can to secure weapons and keep our families safe in their homes. The statistics bear out the weaknesses in our current laws.

* Center Square…

It’s a mixed bag for an Illinois gun rights group for several bills expected to be discussed in a Senate committee Thursday.

The Illinois Senate Executive Committee aims to take up a measure in Senate Bill 8 that Illinois State Rifle Association’s Ed Sullivan said goes too far by requiring safe storage wherever they are, be it at home, at their place of business or even a vehicle.

“This bill is so onerous as it relates to individual gun owners being charged, but also civilly charged,” Sullivan told The Center Square. “This is really about tripping up gun owners, and it’s really onerous … and, quite frankly, we believe unconstitutional.”

Supporters of the safe storage bill like One Aim Illinois say the measure is needed to keep firearms out of the hands of children or at-risk individuals.

* WAND…

A plan in Springfield could allow anyone charged with their first weapon-related offense to apply for a FOID card while they participate in a pretrial diversion program.

“Under current law, nonviolent offenders charged with their first offense may be diverted to a divergence program such as the First Time Weapons Offense Program,” said Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago). “Upon completion, the state’s attorney dismisses the charges. However, the individual cannot apply for a FOID card until after the charges are dismissed.”

House Bill 3496 would allow eligible first time offenders to apply for a FOID card much earlier. […]

The proposal passed unanimously out of the House Restorative Justice & Public Safety Committee. House Bill 3496 could be heard on second reading in the House when representatives return to Springfield next week.

* Sen. Christopher Belt…

State Senator Christopher Belt stood alongside his colleagues to highlight a measure that would simplify the college admissions process for high school seniors and community college transfer students at a press conference Thursday.

“High school seniors and community college transfer students already have enough on their plates,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “The last thing they need is a complicated college application process filled with extra fees, paperwork and delays.”

Senate Bill 2448 would grant automatic admission to qualified applicants at all public institutions of higher education and community colleges that participate in the direct admissions program. Under the legislation, students would no longer face the burden of repeated application processes or unnecessary application fees, ensuring a smoother transition into postsecondary education.

The legislation would allow the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Community College Board, Student Assistance Commission and State Board of Education to work with Illinois public universities to set the qualifications. Beginning in their senior year of high school, students would be able to register for the direct admissions program and receive automatic admissions offers — free of charge — from universities and community colleges. This means they won’t have to go through the repeated application process or pay application fees. Instead, they’ll be able to focus on what matters most: their education and future. […]

Senate Bill 2448 awaits further consideration in the Senate.

* WAND…

Early intervention services is a state program that helps babies reach developmental benchmarks, but a State Democrat lawmaker said a lot of eligible families have never heard of the program.

The Democrat’s bill would try to fix that. Under the plan, when a baby is born below 2.2 pounds, the hospital would be required to notify the family their baby is eligible for early intervention program.

For the hospitals, they would also have to sign a written letter referring the baby to EI if that child was sent to their neonatal intensive care department. […]

The EI program is already available for any Illinoisan whose baby qualifies for the service, where it lasts up until the toddler’s third birthday. The program helps teach the kid communication skills, walking, learning, developing routines, managing emotions and everyday skills such as getting dressed or eating by themselves.

* Sen. Sue Rezin and Sen. Terri Bryant…

WHAT: Senators Rezin, Turner, and Bryant will hold a press conference to discuss the future of nuclear energy in Illinois and the need for legislative action to expand and strengthen the state’s energy grid.

WHEN: Thursday, April 3rd at 11 a.m.

WHERE: Capitol Blueroom in Springfield (event will also be streamed on Blueroom Stream)

* WAND…

Illinois senators could vote on a bill in the coming days to require trauma-informed response training for law enforcement.

This plan could require the Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board to teach police officers how to identify conflicts of interest and options to address those conflicts when officers know a sexual assault victim or the abuser.

Sen. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) said law enforcement must use the utmost care when survivors come forward to report their abuse. Edly-Allen filed the legislation after hearing about a negative experience Anna Williams went through while filing her sexual assault report. […]

Senate Bill 1195 passed unanimously out of the Senate Criminal Law Committee. It now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.

* WAND…

A state House Democrat plan would allow working moms to get paid break time to breastfeed their babies.

This would work as an additional paid work lunch break, just this time it’s the baby having the meal. It would require employers to give their nursing mom workers reasonable time to breastfeed their little one at work while still receiving pay. […]

In committee, GOP lawmakers voted against the bill, who said there are already accommodations for breastfeeding at work, and this plan is playing favorites. […]

The proposal passed the Senate labor committee on a partisan 12-5 vote. Now the bill will head to the Senate floor, where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.

* Meanwhile… In Indiana. Tribune…

Indiana legislators are seemingly preparing to review the Indiana-Illinois border without its neighboring state.

Indiana House Bill 1008, which is aimed at redrawing the Indiana-Illinois border, was amended in the Senate Public Policy Committee Wednesday to allow one more Indiana representative to the commission and, with that, give the commission a quorum to meet.

House Bill 1008, authored by Speaker Todd Huston, would establish an Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission to research the possibility of adjusting the boundaries between the two states.

Under the amended bill, Indiana would have six commissioners and Illinois would have five commissioners. The amended bill also states that a quorum of the commission consists of at least six members.

21 Comments

Broken Promises: Despite Billions In Public Funds, Illinois Nursing Homes Still Rank Among the Worst

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The state and federal governments have poured billions of dollars of funding into the nursing home industry in Illinois to improve staffing and quality care for residents, but the industry has failed to deliver.

The industry receives nearly $7 billion in annual revenues, mostly from state Medicaid and Medicare. The 2022 Medicaid rate reform increased the Illinois nursing home industry’s revenue by at least $670 million per year. This came shortly after increases of $240 million annually starting in 2019 and an additional $60 million in 2020.

But the industry hasn’t used this taxpayer money to improve resident care. Illinois nursing homes have consistently rated among the worst in the country in staffing and quality of care–with residents receiving 25% fewer direct care hours than the minimum required to meet their daily needs.

Instead of fully staffing homes to meet residents’ needs, too many nursing homes operators continue to divert resources away from the bedside–without transparency or accountability.

State Rep. Anna Moeller recently called out the industry for this lack of accountability: “There’s this constant back and forth: the industry asks for a ton, we give them a ton. We ask for some accountability with all of those resources we’re giving to improve patient care, to improve resident care. There’s always this pushback on doing that.”

Care can’t wait – it’s time to hold the nursing home industry accountable and ensure taxpayer dollars fund improving care for our seniors.

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Roundup: DuPage Dems say they flipped 38 offices; Rock Island elects Black mayor after police shooting; Meyer/Hoffman over Gregory/Kern in Belleville

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here, here and here if you need it. Statement issued late yesterday afternoon by Democratic Party of DuPage County Chair Reid McCollum…

“Democratic values prevailed across Illinois [Tuesday] night, especially in DuPage County. When all the votes are counted, we will likely win 49 of 49 (100%) of the contested partisan township races – 38 of these are outright flips, and 20 against GOP incumbents. […]

The Democratic Party of Illinois invested in important “air support” with mail, digital and text messages.

As the DuPage Dems, we recruited volunteers to mail 80,000 get out the vote postcards, sent over 400,000 text messages and generated 75,000 digital impressions – our first ever significant investments in consolidated elections.

* The Tribune caught up last night with its own story about the suburban carnage…

The GOP also faltered in local Naperville races, where five candidates for the City Council and park board backed by DuPage GOP Chairman Kevin Coyne’s political action committee, Safe Suburbs USA, were headed toward defeat in unofficial returns. Instead, the council and park board candidates heading to victory were backed by Democratic U.S. Reps. Bill Foster and Lauren Underwood, both of Naperville.

Two mayors also backed by Coyne’s PAC, Aurora’s Irvin and Lisle Mayor Christopher Pecak, also were defeated.

Coyne said “it was obviously a very disappointing night” and that Republicans faced “a perfect storm” — trying to navigate campaigns in the era of Trump, Pritzker’s spending on Democratic infrastructure and the Democrats’ longtime advantage in delivering mail-in voting, which Trump has criticized and Republicans have been slow to adopt.

“We’re not going to give up. We’re going to continue to look at how we are doing things and work toward rebuilding,” Coyne said. “I think nights like Tuesday night are going to be every election cycle until we narrow that gap” on mail-in voting and get more Republicans registered to permanently receive mail-in ballots.

As subscribers were told earlier this week, that permanent vote by mail program is a built-in Democratic advantage because rank and file Republicans have been shooed away from mailing their ballots.

Also, Chair Coyne’s Safe Suburbs USA’s website was taken offline this week, as were its Facebook and XTwitter accounts.

A very strong point in the article was that these lower-level offices are hugely important if the Republican Party wants to try and rebuild. Unsaid in the piece is that also means Democrats are strengthening their positions down to the ground-level, which is hugely important for longterm stability.

Their biggest problem this year was finding enough candidates to run.

* Speaking of which…

In a truly historic election, a full slate of four Democratic trustee candidates won seats on the Elk Grove Township board Tuesday night (April 1) for the first time, going back to when townships were established in Cook County in the mid-1800s.

Republicans held those trustee seats going back to the time of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency.

This year, Democrats won handily. […]

The only candidate running for supervisor was Republican John Scaletta, a former Arlington Heights village trustee.

Also running for reelection and not facing any challenges were Republican Township Assessor Connie Carosielli and Clerk Suellen Satern.

* We have not paid enough attention to Rock Island…

In Tuesday’s election, Ashley Harris became just the second Black person elected mayor of Rock Island since 1849.

The victory was driven by a coalition of Black voters who rallied around Harris, saying their voices weren’t being heard at City Hall.

“To go up against something like that, you can’t buy love,” Harris said. “It takes grassroots and a strong ground game. And, humbly, that’s the campaign I ran.”

Black voters exiting the polls told TV6 Investigates that Jakarta Jackson was on their minds as they cast ballots.

Jackson, a Black man, was shot and killed by a white Rock Island police officer during a traffic stop on Jan. 5. The officer was cleared of wrongdoing.

That triggered a series of protests driven by a grassroots movement in Rock Island’s Black community.

* In the BND last month…

The non-partisan Belleville mayoral race has shaped up to be a contentious battle between two well-known and accomplished women backed by two powerful Democrats in the metro-east.

St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern (D-Belleville) is supporting incumbent Mayor Patty Gregory. He served as the city’s mayor from 1997 to 2004, when he became board chairman.

Illinois State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) is supporting Gregory’s challenger, City Clerk Jenny Gain Meyer. He has served as a state legislator off and on for nearly 35 years. His district, the 113th, includes Belleville.

And then…

Recently mailed postcards supporting Mayor Patty Gregory and attacking her challenger, City Clerk Jenny Gain Meyer, have Meyer’s supporters arguing that Gregory’s campaign has gone from civil debate and criticism to lies and personal mudslinging.

The postcards referred to Meyer as a “part-time city clerk,” implying that she misses work regularly. They also alleged that she’s affiliated with a political-machine-style Chicago “network.” […]

The committee is financially backed by County Board Chairman Mark Kern (D-Belleville) and his mother, Barbara Kern, Illinois State Board of Elections records show. Each contributed $2,500 to it on Feb. 12.

Kern’s candidate got stomped at the polls…

Belleville City Clerk Jenny Gain Meyer has defeated Mayor Patty Gregory, who became the city’s first female mayor four years ago by successfully challenging a longtime incumbent.

Belleville voters in Tuesday’s consolidated election cast 3,399 ballots (63%) for Meyer, 1,972 (36%) for Gregory and 17 (less than 1%) for write-in candidate Ryan Musick, according to unofficial results released by the office of St. Clair County Clerk Tom Holbrook.

* Back to the suburbs. NBC 5 on the Aurora race…

In an effort to unseat Irvin, the Illinois Democratic Party– led by Gov. JB Pritzker — financially supported Laesch.

“Today, Aurora was beaten by divisive partisan politics,” Irvin said in his concession speech.

Laesch acknowleged an anti-Trump sentiment likely carried him over the finish line, but he also sees his vision as anti-Irvin and pro-ethics reform.

“I think (Irvin and I) both draw from from both political parties because there’s Republicans who are frustrated with some of the big spending, and they like the fact that I oppose some of his some of these sweetheart deals on the council, especially the casino. And there’s, of course, liberals, especially a lot of Black Democrats, who want Richard to stay in power and seek him as a leader in the community,” Laesch said.

Kind of an odd thing to say.

* More…

* Muddy River News | Landslide Linda: Moore downs Troup to become city’s first female mayor: Quincy has elected its first female mayor in the city’s history as former City Treasurer Linda Moore defeated incumbent Mike Troup in Tuesday’s election. … Moore ran on a pledge to have all of the potholes in the city fixed in the first 100 days and Troup said he planned to hold her to that. … Moore is the first mayoral candidate to win while not running on a Republican or Democratic ticket.

* Tribune | Incumbent Vicki Scaman claims victory in contentious Oak Park village president race: After what was an unusually contentious and at times personal battle, incumbent Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman appeared to win a convincing victory over challenger Ravi Parakkat, a member of the Village Board, according to preliminary results from Tuesday’s municipal elections. With results from all 32 precincts reporting, Scaman has received 6,083 votes to Parakkat’s 3,705 votes. This was a significantly bigger margin than Scaman achieved in her first race for village president four years earlier, when Scaman won 56.14% of the vote against progressive activist Cate Readling.

* WCIA TV | Tolono could have first African American Village President: Village Trustee Terrence Stuber could become the first African American Village President in Tolono. He said it’d be an honor to go down in history but that isn’t his goal. Stuber wants to be remembered for creating a welcoming community, building economic success and more.

* Shaw Local | Guerrero will be next Joliet Township supervisor: The results are not official, but [Cesar] Guerrero had almost 64% of the vote with all precincts counted at the end of election night. … Guerrero was the Democratic candidate in a township that overwhelmingly votes for Democrats. But he almost didn’t make it on the ballot because of legitimacy questions related to late payments on fines for past violations of state campaign laws. Had Guerrero not made it, Boisdorf would have had the supervisor spot on the ballot all to himself, providing a surprising opportunity for a Republican in Joliet Township.

* WGLT | Donor says campaign contribution flap in Normal is just ‘gossip’ and that he didn’t know Chris Koos was his cousin: Shepard played an unusual role in the race. Records show the businessman and his wife, Heather, made a $29,200 campaign contribution to the McLean County Republicans. A few weeks later, the Republicans gave $28,000 to Lorenz’s mayoral campaign – money that Lorenz said was from an unnamed donor who wanted to funnel it through a group like the GOP. A pass-through move like that circumvents campaign-finance laws which limit how much a single person can give and require everybody to disclose what they did.

* WQAD TV | Illinois April 1 election: East Moline votes down home rule referendum; Whiteside County passes public safety tax: East Moline residents voted against having ‘home rule’ status. Around two-thirds of votes cast were against the proposition.

* Evanston Now | Biss wins reelection with 62% of vote: The campaign, which began as a cordial disagreement of ideas and vision became marred by accusations of lies and personal attacks as it went on. … Biss faced harsh criticism from some about his possible future political ambitions, his negotiations and ultimate tiebreaking vote on Ryan Field’s rebuild and most recently his advocacy for Envision Evanston 2045 and a new zoning code, which could revamp housing opportunities across the city.

* Daily Herald | District 211 write-in votes appear to fall short, but won’t be counted for two weeks: A pair of late-announced write-in candidates in the previously uncontested Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board of education election appeared to fall short Tuesday. However, the Cook County Clerk’s office won’t even begin to count votes for write-in candidates until after the April 15 deadline for mail ballots to return, Director of Communications Frank Herrera said.

* News-Gazette | Election ‘25 | Patterson says township will look at other options for supporting Strides: Rantoul could soon have a new mayor, Champaign will have five new school board members and the City of Champaign Township needs to come up with a new funding model for its Strides Shelter that doesn’t involve raising property taxes. Those were among the headlines from Champaign County’s consolidated election, after the 18,531st and final vote was tallied around 11 p.m. Tuesday.

* News-Gazette | Hoopeston’s incumbent mayor out, Georgetown’s returning: The city of Hoopeston has elected a new mayor. Newcomer Tracy Carter defeated incumbent Jeff Wise on Tuesday night by a margin of 445-282, or 61.2 to 38.8 percent. … In other Vermilion County communities, the incumbent mayor of Georgetown prevailed in a much closer contest, while current Westville Village Board member Troy Strebin beat out challengers Darin Troglia and Nick Pierce for that village’s top job.

* Shaw Local | Three-way race for Sandwich mayor remains too close to call: Sandwich Mayor Todd Latham, who is seeking a second term, faced two opponents in Tuesday’s election – 4th Ward Alderman Rick Whitecotton, whose term expires in April, and aircraft mechanic Colton Otto. According to unofficial results from DeKalb and Kendall counties, Latham has 455 votes, Whitecotton has 453 votes and Otto has 391 votes.

* Shaw Local | Four newcomers elected to DeKalb school board: State Appellate Prosecutor Nicholas Atwood was the top vote-getter in a crowded race, nabbing 2,134 votes over almost a dozen challengers. Jose Jaques, a retired DeKalb police officer who also served as a District 428’s school resource officer and has worked as a substitute teacher, also earned a seat with 1,846 votes if unofficial results hold. And Kristin Bailey, a communications professional for an agriculture machinery manufacturer who holds bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in English, won the third seat with 1,740 votes.

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Illinois Manufacturers’ Association criticizes Trump’s tariffs: ‘Will be felt greatly throughout Illinois’ (Updated x2)

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

…Adding… Chicagoland Chamber…

The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released the following statement regarding global tariffs announced this week.

“The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is passionate about expanding economic growth, opportunity, and jobs for all our communities here in Illinois and across the nation. Imposing blanket tariffs only serves to increase costs for businesses of all sizes and industries, raise the price of everyday goods for families, and disrupt the supply chain and the ability for our companies to plan for the future. Rather than imposing broad tariffs, we encourage elected officials to focus on policies that promote growth, create common sense regulations, and strengthen our skilled and dynamic workforce. Chicagoland’s business community is proud to be among the leading trade partners around the globe and we stand ready to work with elected officials to find real solutions that build on our successes and continue to drive innovation, growth, and resiliency for decades to come,” said Jack Lavin, President and CEO of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

Nothing from the Illinois Chamber in my inbox.

…Adding… From IRMA…

The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) released the following statement regarding tariffs announced this week by the White House:

“Illinois retailers source goods from a wide variety of suppliers across the globe to provide consumers with the product variety and quality they desire at competitive prices. Higher tariffs will increase the cost of these products, including everyday items like clothing and food, which will ultimately be paid by shoppers in the form of higher prices and fewer choices,” said Rob Karr, President & CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “Consumers and retailers alike are already stretched thin following years of inflation. We encourage policymakers to focus on ways to provide relief to working families and businesses seeking to grow investments in our communities.”

* From the IMA…

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement regarding new global tariffs announced [yesterday]:

“Our state’s economic strength relies on manufacturing, which creates jobs, drives innovation and welcomes widespread investment. The new tariffs announced today will increase the cost of manufacturing products in America, threatening competitiveness and resulting in even higher prices for consumers. The impacts of these tariffs will be felt greatly throughout Illinois, which is the fourth largest exporter in the United States,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Rather than across-the-board tariffs, this tool should be used selectively to target countries that are cheating by dumping products, stealing intellectual property, or otherwise not following the rules. Businesses need stability and predictability. Manufacturers encourage the President and Congress to focus on comprehensive growth policies, including federal tax relief, regulatory and permitting reform, unleashing our nation’s energy advantage, and building a skilled workforce. We remain committed to working in partnership with our member companies and federal officials to hold bad actors accountable while also allowing for manufacturing to flourish in Illinois and across the United States.”

* Gov. Pritzker…

Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement on the tariffs announced by President Trump on Wednesday afternoon:

“Donald Trump may want to call this ‘Liberation Day,’ but there is nothing liberating for working families who are grappling with the high costs of food, housing, and utilities.

Tariffs are a tax. They are a tax on working families, a tax on groceries, and a tax on other everyday necessities. Instead of doing anything meaningful to lower prices for Americans, the Trump Tax on Working Families is an extreme escalation against our closest allies that will raise prices just to give Elon Musk and his wealthiest friends a tax break.”

* US Reps. Miller and LaHood…

America will no longer be taken advantage of!

This is how you put America First. 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/rBrPicvor2

— Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) April 2, 2025

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will bring tremendous opportunity to the US and allow us to showcase our country to millions around the world. An event of this size requires detailed coordination between federal, state, and local agencies to ensure success and safety.@POTUS' White…

— Darin LaHood (@RepLaHood) April 2, 2025

* From a writer for the Atlantic…

Just figured out where these fake tariff rates come from. They didn't actually calculate tariff rates + non-tariff barriers, as they say they did. Instead, for every country, they just took our trade deficit with that country and divided it by the country's exports to us.

So we… https://t.co/PBjF8xmcuv

— James Surowiecki (@JamesSurowiecki) April 2, 2025

That’s been confirmed.

* Reason magazine senior editor Jacob Sullum…

The White House claims tariffs “do not raise prices” yet somehow “create new incentives for U.S. consumers to buy U.S.-made products.” […]

Peter Navarro, Trump’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, estimates that “tariffs are going to raise about $600 billion a year, about $6 trillion over a 10-year period.” As Reason’s Eric Boehm notes, that would amount to “the biggest peacetime tax increase in American history.”

It is still not enough to eliminate the $2 trillion annual budget deficit, let alone make a dent in the national debt, especially since Navarro says the tariff revenue will be needed to cover the cost of extending the income tax cuts Congress approved in 2017.

* Related…

Mediaite | Whoops! Trump Slaps Tariffs on Uninhabited Islands:

* Tribune | In Mexico, Gov. JB Pritzker positions Illinois as a ‘stable and reliable trade partner’ amid Trump tariffs: Pritzker’s update on the trade mission comes the same day Trump announced a baseline tax of 10% on imports from every country and higher tariff rates on a number of nations running trade surpluses with the U.S., according to The Associated Press. The move, according to the news agency, could lead to trade wars and threatens to aggravate the global economy. The governor, an outspoken foe of Trump, reiterated his stance that tariffs are “really a tax on working families” and that they’re not good for the economy and may lead to a recession in the U.S.

43 Comments

Healing Communities: Illinois Hospitals Are Addressing Community Needs Statewide

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

In every corner of Illinois, across the state’s 58,000 square miles, Illinois hospitals are leading and funding initiatives to improve individual and community health. It’s one of the ways Illinois hospitals are healing communities—beyond their core role of delivering lifesaving care 24/7.

How are they building healthy communities? By addressing community needs. In total value, hospital community benefits topped $8 billion in services, donations and support to Illinois communities in 2024. Because of these investments, Illinois hospitals are helping individuals live healthier lives and communities thrive.

Here are a few of the countless hospital-led initiatives making a difference:

Saint Anthony Hospital

Lincoln Memorial Hospital

UW Health

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

The Regional Cancer Partnership

Hospitals are having a positive impact throughout the state. Learn more about how Illinois hospitals are healing communities.

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Open thread

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois…

14 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Apr 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Intellectual and developmental disability services brace for potential Medicaid cuts. Illinois Times…

- “We’re very concerned. We don’t see what the path is right now,” Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities CEO Josh Evans CEO said. “And so our mission is to continue to educate our members of Congress that this is not just a program that is ripe with payments, it’s serving people.”

- “I’m going to do whatever it is that I can do, but I can’t come up with $8 billion to keep a federal program going in my state,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in an interview with The Contrarian last week. “I can spend hundreds of millions of dollars to try to provide free healthcare for people who are most acute, but people are going to die because of what they’re doing.”

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WCIA | Crime Stoppers seeking tips on Wyndham vandalism; hotel expected to be closed for 90 days: Scott Dahl of Springfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau said at the city council meeting Tuesday evening they have been successful at working with groups for moving conventions up to 120 days out. Wyndham management expects the hotel to be closed for three months, Dahl said.

* Crain’s | Judge extends pause on firing federal probationary employees in Illinois: The new order from U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland stipulates that 20 federal agencies must continue their efforts to reinstate unlawfully terminated probationary employees in the states that filed suit while the court case proceeds, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office said in a press release. The injunction also requires those agencies to follow lawful procedures in conducting any future reductions in force, the release said.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Biden gave Illinois schools another year to spend $77 million in COVID relief. Trump wants the money back.: The move impacts 27 school districts, two Regional Offices of Education, and three grantees, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. The programs now at risk served students experiencing homelessness, students with disabilities, teachers who work with English learners, and after-school tutoring programs, the state board said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sun-Times | Pritzker tries to bolster Illinois ties with Mexico, even as country prepares for Trump tariffs: Pritzker said he’s calling for economic cooperation with Illinois, even amid ongoing tariff threats. But he said the tariffs are a “deep concern” for Mexican companies. “Tariffs are really a tax on working families. They’re not good for the economy, and these broad-based tariffs are very challenging and may lead to a recession in the United States,” Pritzker said. “The uncertainty that we’ve heard over and over again in the discussions with our Mexican counterparts is going to lead to them pulling back on making investments, and potentially pulling back on providing the supply items that our U.S. businesses need. So I would say there is a great deal of concern.”

* Streetsblog Chicago | When the levy breaks: Taxpert Maurice Scholten says updating IL sales tax could help fund transit, but not soon enough to avert fiscal cliff: The day “Modernizing Illinois’ Sales Tax” dropped, the federation released its own press release. “We appreciate the research teams for their recommendations and share their belief that funding education, mass transit, and public pension systems are vital to economic growth,” Scholten stated. “Expanding Illinois’ historically narrow sales tax base could be one part of a long-term solution, but it is important to remember new sales tax revenues would take a significant amount of time before they are available to address these critical services.” Talk about a reality check!

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | Illinois officers undergo training through interactive simulator: The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) recently acquired a new VirTra Simulator system. It consists of five screens, cameras, speakers, and an immersive environment where officers can practice a variety of interactions. Departments can choose a specific training topic, such as de-escalation, traffic stops, or active shooter scenarios for their officers to take part in. The operator watches the officer’s interactions and chooses what the subject of the simulation does based on their actions. If they are calm and direct, the subject will comply. If they are nervous or aggressive, the subject may escalate the situation.

* WCIS | Domestic violence data shows increase need in Illinois shelter beds: I dug into the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s last report to see how many Illinoisans were affected. In the 2024 fiscal year, the coalition had to turn away nearly 5,000 adults and 3,800 children seeking emergency shelter. This is a 22% increase from the prior year. In the 2024 fiscal year, nearly 8,000 Illinois children witnessed domestic violence.

*** Chicago ***

* Bloomberg | Chicago’s revenue surpasses estimate on cloud tax, home sales: Chicago’s revenue exceeded estimates by 7.2% in the first two months of this year thanks to taxes on cloud storage and home sales, collections that will help a city that’s struggling with annual deficits. The city collected $365.7 million in revenue during this period, according to a report on its website. That represents a turnaround from January, which showed revenue 4.2% below forecast.

* Crain’s | Talk of a leadership shake-up opens a rift between key progressives and Johnson: Alds. Andre Vasquez, 40th; Maria Hadden, 49th; and Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, are demanding assurances that Johnson is not considering stripping them of the City Council committees they chair. Despite the unlikelihood Johnson would actually follow through on the move that would require City Council approval, the three believe a conversation that included senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee and Kennedy Bartley, who oversees Johnson’s legislative agenda, took place in which they discussed purging the trio from Johnson’s leadership team.

* Bloomberg | Microsoft pulls back on data centers from Chicago to Jakarta: The software company has recently halted talks for, or delayed development of, sites in Indonesia, the UK, Australia, Illinois, North Dakota and Wisconsin, according to people familiar with the situation. […] It’s hard to know how much of the company’s data center pullback reflects expectations of diminished demand versus temporary construction challenges, such as shortages of power and building materials. Some investors have interpreted signs of retrenchment as an indication that projected purchases of AI services don’t justify Microsoft’s massive outlays on server farms.

* Sun-Times | Charges dropped against Chicago activist accused of violently shaking Rep. Mace’s hand: McIntyre said Wednesday he was “pleased but not surprised” the charges were dropped, adding that the case was meant “to criminalize anyone who advocates for the needs of our trans youth,” according to a statement. “This experience has been traumatic, but the outpouring of support from my community, colleagues and friends has meant everything,” he said.

* Crain’s | What to know about the lawyer leading Jenner’s battle with Trump: WilmerHale hired Kirkland & Ellis alum Paul Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general considered a — if not the — top appellate lawyer in the country, whom a legal industry blog aptly said needs no introduction. Perkins Coie selected Williams & Connolly, a premier inside-the-Beltway operator. Jenner & Block, meanwhile, looked, of all places, to San Diego in choosing . . . Michael Attanasio.

* Block Club | Neighbors Call For Kenwood Homeless Shelter To Close — And Demand More Transparency From City: “The city never engaged with our community prior to opening the temporary migrant shelter, nor committing to a permanent shelter,” meeting co-organizer Cathy Perry said. “We are giving the community a platform to express their concerns about the city shifting the landscape of our neighborhood and quality of life overnight. “We want to tell the city we are not OK with a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week, permanent shelter that is literally 30 feet from our residents.”

* Tribune | As Trump dismantles EPA, Great Lakes states with a history of pollution likely will suffer: Dirty air remains a chronic problem in the Chicago area. Shortly before President Joe Biden left office, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reclassified the region from “moderate” to “serious” violations of federal regulations limiting lung-damaging smog, also known as ground-level ozone. Better understanding about the dangers of particulate matter, commonly known as soot, prompted the Biden EPA to tighten federal standards, effectively requiring cleaner factories, power plants and vehicles.

* Tribune | As environmental justice ordinance nears City Council introduction, activists express hopes and frustrations: The ordinance would be the next step after the 2023 release of a cumulative impact assessment that analyzed how exposure to toxins, socioeconomic factors and health conditions vary throughout Chicago. That report was part of a voluntary compliance agreement negotiated with the federal government following a two-year federal investigation that found the city culpable of steering heavy industry away from white communities and into Black and Latino communities. The report is also a tool that will be used to inform future policies, officials have said.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Back to the ‘burbs? Bears say Arlington Heights again in the mix for stadium site: Chicago Bears brass Wednesday made another public shift in where their new stadium could go, confirming that the team’s land in Arlington Heights is back in the mix. “The focus now is both downtown (Chicago) and Arlington Heights,” Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren told reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Florida. “The pace will definitely pick up, and we’re fortunate to have optionality.”

* Daily Herald | Kane County Cougars introduce new ownership: The new and former owners of the Kane County Cougars invited press, stakeholders and season ticket holders to Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva on Wednesday to officially introduce the new ownership group REV Entertainment. About 40 people attended, notably Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Kane County Treasurer Chris Lauzen, and Cougars mascots Ozzie and Annie.

* Tribune | Voters reelect numerous suburban mayors, despite a few upsets of incumbents: While mayors in Aurora, Orland Park and Waukegan lost in unofficial vote counts, incumbents in Evanston, Elmhurst, Oak Park, Park Ridge, North Chicago and Tinley Park appeared to have held onto their seats. Just 17% of registered voters went to the polls in Cook County, a slight uptick from local elections in recent years, but well below the participation rate for presidential and statewide elections.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Emergency Management Agencies reporting storm damage in Illinois counties: The Cumberland County EMA said several different areas around Cumberland County are reporting damage. In Jewett, there have been reports of trees and powerlines down. The Cumberland County EMA said the area was hit with strong winds. In Greenup, a tree feel on top of a home. Luckily, the Cumberland County EMA said the owner was not home at the time, and was unharmed. There have been reports of trees and powerlines throughout the entire county as well, according to the Cumberland County EMA.

* WCIA | Tolono could have first African American Village President: Village Trustee Terrence Stuber could become the first African American Village President in Tolono. He said it’d be an honor to go down in history but that isn’t his goal. Stuber wants to be remembered for creating a welcoming community, building economic success and more. “I recognize the impact that that can have, especially on people who look like us,” Stuber said. “They can’t just see a dark-skinned man and say, ‘I want to be that.’ The skin color is not what matters. Do you have the heart to serve people?”

* WGLT | Developer tries again for Essex apartments and townhomes project near Shelbourne Drive in Normal: A plan to build over 250 apartment and townhome units near Shelbourne Drive and Beech Street in the heart of Normal has been revived, this time with changes that could make the development more palatable to neighbors. The Essex complex would be built on the northeast corner of Shelbourne and Beech, on what’s currently undeveloped infill land next to the Collie Ridge subdivision. There would be 19 three-story apartment buildings (228 units) and six four-unit townhomes (24 units) across 19.5 acres. There would be 504 parking spaces.

*** National ***

* NYT | E.P.A. Hunt for Shady Deals and ‘Gold Bars’ Comes Up Empty: Mr. Zeldin has said that the program, which Congress approved as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, was vulnerable to “waste, fraud, and abuse.” If that claim was substantiated, it would allow the E.P.A. to take back the $20 billion, which was awarded to eight nonprofit groups. The money was to be used to finance projects across the country such as solar panels on community centers and geothermal systems to heat and cool subsidized housing.

* Nieman Lab | How to leak to a journalist: I spoke with eight journalists about how to leak in a safe, smart way. Disclaimer you probably knew was coming: No method of leaking is 100% secure, and the tips here reduce risk but cannot eliminate it completely. “I know it’s appealing to be instrumental in helping a reporter break a story, and god knows reporters love breaking stories,” says Marisa Kabas, an independent reporter and writer of The Handbasket who’s been breaking one scoop after another about DOGE and the Trump administration. “But in almost all cases, your safety and physical and mental health should come first.”

* The Hill | HHS fires entire staff of program that helps low-income people afford heat and air conditioning: “Every single federal staff member that worked on LIHEAP was let go, so there are no federal staff members left to work on the program,” Germain told The Hill. He said that prior to both probationary cuts and the latest round of firings, there had been about 15 people working on LIHEAP.

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