* ICYMI: The Trump administration is making an unprecedented reach for data held by states. NPR…

[E]arlier this month, federal health officials shared data about millions of Medicaid recipients from a handful of states with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement. […]

The data pertains to Medicaid recipients in California, Illinois, Washington and Washington, D.C., according to the AP report. Those jurisdictions allow some noncitizens who do not qualify for federal Medicaid to enroll in a version of the program that is funded by the state. (All states receive federal funding to use for emergency care, which can treat low-income patients regardless of their immigration status.) […]

“CMS has long promised the public that it is committed to protecting the integrity and privacy of its data, including not sharing it for immigration enforcement purposes,” Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services spokesperson Melissa Kula wrote in an email, adding that the state agency is “deeply concerned.” […]

Public information officers from California, Illinois and Washington told NPR they still have not been notified by CMS about the data transfer and therefore could not confirm what data DHS holds. States routinely must share detailed data about Medicaid enrollees with CMS, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and immigration status, under the expectation that it will remain confidential and secure.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Daily Herald | Metra, Pace and CTA now have a day pass to ride all three systems: The new fare will be offered for six months as a pilot program and could be made permanent in 2026, depending on funding, officials said. Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority are facing a massive budget shortfall of $771 million next year. […] The day pass will cost $2.50 more than the usual Metra day pass.

* Decatur Now | Amid soaring temps and increased prices, Citizens Utility Board calling on utilities to work with customers: Ameren has estimated the increase will cost customers an average of 18 to 22 percent, or about $38 to $46 more per month over the summer. The spike is connected to an increase in the price for reserve power, also called “capacity.” CUB argues that capacity costs have skyrocketed largely because of policy problems with the power grid operator for central and southern Illinois, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, which runs an auction that determines the capacity price.

* Tribune | Top candidates for the US House in Illinois’ 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th districts for the 2026 election: The domino effect that began in late April with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement that he wasn’t seeking a sixth term has caused two members of Congress — U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg — to declare their interest in Durbin’s seat. That means their spots in Congress are opening up. In addition, much of the north and northwest suburbs will see their first new members of Congress in nearly three decades as U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is retiring at the end of her term.

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | Illinois must build 227,000 units in 5 years to keep up with housing demand, report finds: The joint study published Tuesday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that although the rental and for-sale housing markets in Chicago and Illinois as a whole remain more affordable than many coastal cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, and some other states, Illinois still faces a severe housing shortage that is escalating affordability challenges.

* BND | IDOT using ‘safer, faster and cheaper’ full closures for roadwork projects: In recent years, the Illinois Department of Transportation has been using full closures of major roadways in the metro-east during construction because it offers three distinct advantages. “We have found that full closures are safer, faster and cheaper,” said Joel Cumby, IDOT’s District 8 project implementation engineer based in Collinsville. “Now, we will look at it, but we will only use a full closure if we do have good parallel routes, good alternate routes — a good detour.”

* Sarah Moskowitz | Frustrated — even ‘heartbroken’ — Nicor customers wonder when enough is enough: Nicor Gas usually delivers the heat, but at a recent Illinois Commerce Commission public forum in Joliet the utility was the one on the hot seat — over escalating bills. One Nicor customer walked to the microphone and directly addressed the utility bigwigs who were on stage to champion their proposal for the largest gas hike in Illinois history. The consumer said she was “heartbroken” over high gas bills that were burdening families. “We’re still suffering,” she said, calling on Nicor to lower bills so they are “truly affordable for all of us.” Given Nicor’s track record, it’s doubtful Illinois’ biggest gas utility got the message. Nicor has slapped its over 2 million customers with four rate hikes since 2017–raising delivery rates by 114%, or $747 million, and helping its parent, Southern Co., laugh all the way to the bank with $25.2 billion in profits

*** Statehouse News ***

* Daily Herald | After narrow loss in 2024, Maria Peterson making second bid for state House: Months after falling less than 50 votes short of a seat in the state legislature, Maria Peterson announced Monday she will again run for the 52nd District House post. […] “Since the last election, I have committed countless hours to electing Democrats locally, and worked with Barrington Giving Day, the Rotary Club, and others to help families who are drowning in property taxes, paying more for child care than their mortgage, and skipping doctor visits due to costs,” Peterson said in Monday’s announcement. “I am ready to take this and years of fighting for our community to Springfield.”

* Decatur Now | State Rep Sue Scherer announces intention to run for re-election: June 23, 2025 – State Representative Sue Scherer has announced her intent to run for re-election in the 2026 election. […] Scherer notes her work to increase educational funding, DCFS reform and for bringing billions of dollars in infrastructural advances to the 96th district.

* Financial Advisor | State Budget Wounds Intensify From Trump, DOGE Policy Shifts: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a $55 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year that is smaller than his proposal in February. Pritzker has said no state can backfill the billions of dollars the US government provides for services such as Medicaid. “This year, that task was made harder by the turbulent national economic conditions and unstable federal funds flow caused by the chaos and ineptitude of the Trump administration,” Pritzker said. “The Trump slump is effecting the entire nation.”

* LSR | The Richest Men In Illinois And The Billion-Dollar Sports Betting Grudge: Bluhm’s portfolio features city-shaping commercial properties in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston, along with personal residences at a surf club in Miami and a mountain retreat in Aspen. He’s served on the board for the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum in New York, and his homes are adorned with pieces from his $300 million personal collection. He has a wife and three kids, an ownership stake in the Bulls and the White Sox, and he once hosted a birthday party for Barack Obama. He is a prolific philanthropist. Neil Bluhm doesn’t need anything. But what he seems to want more than everything is revenge against two of the country’s biggest sports betting and online casino companies. His grudge against FanDuel and DraftKings has lasted for at least a decade, driven millions of dollars in political donations, and found validation from another of Illinois’ wealthiest men.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | CPS needs to borrow to avoid cuts, CTU chief Stacy Davis Gates argues: Davis Gates said the mayor has only supported taking out a loan to manage the structural deficit in the short term without laying off school workers or cutting programs. She said the real long-term solution remains persuading the state Legislature and governor to provide adequate funding. According to the state’s own formula, CPS should be getting about $1.2 billion more each year.

* Sun-Times | Heat wave linked to rise in opioid overdoses in Chicago over the weekend, health experts say: Sixty opioid overdoses were reported Friday and Saturday — including more than 37 Saturday alone — triggering the city’s spike alert system, the Chicago Department of Public Health said. […] The heat wave may have also played a role in the spike in overdoses, according to Jenny Hau, medical director of behavioral health and interim deputy commissioner at CDPH. “We always see a seasonal increase in the number of overdoses in Chicago, as well as many other places in this country and around the world,” Hau said. “So certainly heat has a pretty close correlation in terms of the amount of overdose activities.”

* WGN | Woman arrested, charged in connection to anti-ICE protest where car drove through crowd: According to the Chicago Police Department, 30-year-old Dierdre Kemp was charged with one felony count each of aggressive reckless driving/bodily harm and aggravated fleeing/bodily injury, one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license, and one citation each of operating an uninsured motor vehicle and involuntary committed obedience to police officers. Kemp turned herself in at the 1st District Chicago police station on South State Street on Thursday, June 19, where she was then placed under arrested and later charged.

* Crain’s | Former Black McDonald’s franchise operators back upcoming boycott: The boycott is being organized by The People’s Union USA, a grassroots advocacy organization led by Illinois resident John Schwarz. It’s the same group that championed the massive “economic blackout” in February that impacted brands nationwide. In an Instagram post promoting the McDonald’s boycott, Schwarz accused the Chicago-based company of price gouging, exploiting tax loopholes, suppressing workers’ rights and practicing “performative DEI,” though he did not offer specific examples or evidence of those claims.

* WTTW | Comedy and Crime Fighting Join Forces in Chicago for Police Learning Leadership Skills: Officials at the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s Policing Leadership Academy brought members of The Second City, Chicago’s storied improv theater, to teach police leaders the more diverse skills found in improv exercises — like thinking on your feet, reserving judgment and fully listening. The academy, a workshop taught over five months, tackles some serious topics like to make data-driven decisions or how to help officers handle on-the-job trauma.

* Block Club | The Ultimate Guide To Chicago Ice Cream 2025: 100+ Spots For Scoops, Popsicles, Gelato, Italian Ice And More: Block Club rounded up more than 100 ice cream shops, cafes, bakeries, paleterias and other Chicago businesses ready to dish out loads of summer favorites this year. Menus and hours can vary from shop to shop, so consider calling ahead of your trip.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Residents of Park Forest apartments swelter as air conditioning goes unfixed; village promises fines: Residents of a large Park Forest apartment complex that has been without air conditioning for several days complained Monday the problem hasn’t been fixed, while the village promised to levy fines against the property owner. The village said Monday it is demanding staff at Autumn Ridge, 119 E. Sycamore, “work quickly to restore air conditioning for its residents” and said daily fines will be imposed.

* Daily Herald | ‘Basically reckless driving’: Schaumburg enacts regulations on use of e-bikes and scooters: The village board this month approved a measure setting a minimum rider age of 16 years old, requiring riders to wear helmets and use vehicle lights at night, and prohibiting their operation on sidewalks. “It’s basically reckless driving that’s going on right now,” Mayor Tom Dailly said. “I’m seeing it all the time myself.”

* Tribune | Wilmette adopts initial plan to boost affordable housing from 4.8% to required 10%: The plan, approved unanimously by the Wilmette Village Board on June 10, is the first piece in a more robust housing plan that will be developed by the village and the Wilmette Housing Commission over the next 12 to 18 months, Village Manager Michael Braiman said. “This is more of a bare bones plan that has to conform to certain requirements that the state lays out,” he said.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Campton Hills considers annexation for 900-unit residential project after years of local opposition to area’s development: Another development project is under consideration for a plot of land in what is currently rural La Fox, an unincorporated community in Kane County, which multiple developers have tried and failed to turn into a housing development since the early 2000s. But, this time, the proposed plan — which features a less dense housing plan and is set to allocate more than half of the area to open space — has the backing of the local open space organizations which have previously opposed the area’s development.

* CNN | NIH Froze Funding for Clinical Trials at Northwestern University. By Fall, They’ll Run Out of Funding: Brown became the first patient to enroll in the trial, which now has signed on more than 1,700 people and is designed to run for another four years. If it proves that some people can manage their AFib in an individualized way, it could revolutionize treatment for millions of Americans, reducing use of costly blood thinners that can come with unpleasant side effects. “This is huge,” Passman said. But he may never get the results. The trial is funded with $37 million from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and Northwestern hasn’t received any funding from the federal biomedical research agency since the end of March.

* Daily Southtown | Will County Board refuses to drop 143rd Street widening from transporation plan, but stalls passage: Recently, a bill authorizing the county to use quick-take powers to seize property along 143rd Street stalled in Springfield. Although the bill was not voted on by the time the legislature ended their spring session May 31, that does not stop the widening project. Will County began engineering studies in 2009 to widen 143rd Street from two to five lanes from State Street/Lemont Road to Bell Road. For more than a decade, county officials voiced their support for the project, and $6.2 million has already been spent. A $7 million federal grant earmarked for the project must be obligated by 2026.

*** Downstate ***

* WCBU | Bradley professor challenges incumbent Darin LaHood in U.S. House race: An adjunct economics professor at Bradley University in Peoria is joining the race for U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood’s seat because he says the financial policy just doesn’t “math up.” Before Joseph Albright taught accounting and other classes at Bradley, he was a campus police officer there for nine years. Before that he worked for almost a decade in health insurance. Albright says between his careers and his home life he has a personal stake in all the issues that form pillars of his campaign platform.

* WCIA | DeWitt County getting new transportation system: “Piattran” will be available for DeWitt community members beginning July 1. Residents will be able to use the door-to-door service for medical appointments, work, shopping, social visits, and more. Officials said it will offer safe, reliable, and accessible transportation throughout the county. […] Piattran will serve the entire county, and will be available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rides will cost between $1-$8, based on distance, and rider discounts (seniors and those with disabilities could qualify for a reduced cost). Piattran officials said rides must be scheduled by 2 p.m. the previous day.

* WGLT | Rally crowd opposes federal immigration crackdown after ICE arrest at McLean County courthouse: LUCIR [Latinos United for Change and Immigrant Rights], The Immigration Project, and Punks Against Trump organized the rally. It came two weeks after Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] took into custody a man who was at the McLean County courthouse for a criminal hearing. […] Alvarez said The Immigration Project wants to make sure everyone understands that national enforcement operations should be separated from local law enforcement and local court. “We’re in talks with the McLean County Board and we want to talk to Sheriff Lane and we want to talk to the court to make sure everyone is aware of and upholding state law under the Trust Act,” Alvarez said.

* BND | O’Fallon school building damaged by mine subsidence. Here’s how it will be fixed: Mine subsidence has caused cracks in floors and both exterior and interior walls, which have gradually worsened with over the years. In one 18 month span, the floor dropped 9 inches on the north end of the school, O’Fallon Central School District 104 Superintendent Gabrielle Rodriguez said. “It was sickening to go in every day and watch these cracks widen,” Rodriguez said. “We had actual walls separating.”

*** National ***

* WaPo | In West Virginia, Medicaid is a lifeline. GOP cuts could devastate the state.: At least five hospitals in West Virginia are at risk of immediate closure if the changes to Medicaid go into effect, said Rich Sutphin, president of the West Virginia Rural Health Association. (Hampshire Memorial is not among those five.) The state already struggles with access to maternity care, emergency medical transport and mental health, and has few hospitals that are able to perform complicated surgeries or treat high-risk patients. Sutphin said his group has been in “constant contact” with Capito, Justice and the state’s two House members, Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore, both Republicans who voted for Trump’s budget bill.

* AInvest | Texas Allows Unlimited Bitcoin Investment in State Fund: With the proposal signed into law, Texas became the third state in the US with an official Bitcoin reserve, joining New Hampshire and Arizona. The statute does not cap allocations, meaning lawmakers could appropriate the full balance of the Economic Stabilization Fund. The ESF closed fiscal 2024 with $21 billion in cash and investments, according to the Comptroller’s annual cash report and supplemental ESF fact sheet.

* NYT | Media Matters Sues F.T.C. Over Advertising Investigation: Media Matters said in its lawsuit that the Federal Trade Commission had employed “sweeping governmental powers to attempt to silence and harass an organization for daring to speak the truth.” The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claimed that the agency was trying to limit the organization’s free speech rights, and asked a judge to immediately halt the investigation.

* Iowa Capital Dispatch | Iowa’s revenue shortfall becomes political fodder for 2026 campaign: The Iowa state government will be dipping into reserve funds to meet spending obligations in the 2026 fiscal year under the budget passed by lawmakers in 2025 — a decision Republican leaders said was accounted for when they approved income tax cuts, but that Democrats said could leave the state in a risky position in the case of economic downturns. The merits of the state tax cuts and Republicans’ budget decisions have become partisan talking points in the early days of the 2026 campaign, as candidates begin to position themselves to run for governor and other offices.