* ICYMI: Toll hike, rideshare fees, other new taxes threatening mass transit overhaul. Sun-Times…

- State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, offered up a list of revenue options that he said reflected the “shared sacrifice” needed to maintain and improve mass transit service at the agencies collectively facing a $770 million shortfall next year.
- Labor leaders and suburban officials slammed many of the revenue proposals.
- State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, derided it as a bailout for Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Keep an eye out for a transit roundup this morning.

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What’s at Stake with 340B: Hospitals and FQHCs Want to Provide More Services, Big Pharma Wants to Benefit Shareholders

Why do hospitals and FQHCs want to protect the 340B drug discount program? Because it helps them care for patients. The 1992 program, created by Congress, has allowed hospitals and FQHCs serving many uninsured and low-income patients to “stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.”

Pharmaceutical manufacturers agreed with expanding 340B to include more hospitals in 2010, but in 2020 began imposing restrictions on 340B providers to protect their bottom line and hundreds of billions in annual revenue. Big Pharma has a significant financial interest in preventing legislation—SB 2385 and HB 3350—that would ensure the 340B program fully benefits patients and providers.

Big Pharma is looking out for their shareholders. Illinois hospitals and FQHCs are looking out for their patients.

Big Pharma claims patients aren’t benefiting from 340B. Here’s the truth:

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The Illinois Patient Access to 340B Pharmacy Protection Act (SB 2385/HB 3350) is modeled after legislation passed in 14 states. It reinforces 340B through the State’s authority to regulate the distribution of drugs and protect access to healthcare.

Vote YES on SB 2385/HB 3350 to restore 340B and help the most vulnerable communities. Get the TRUTH about 340B and learn why it matters to patients.

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

* Governor Pritzker has no scheduled events today.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | At Illinois public universities, campus cops pull over Black drivers at higher rates: Black drivers were more likely than white drivers to get traffic tickets, while white drivers were more likely than Black drivers to drive away with warnings. Nearly 1 in every 3 Black drivers got a ticket rather than a spoken or written warning, compared to almost 1 in every 5 white drivers, according to an analysis of the most recent five years of data available.

* IPM News | Uncertain future for Chinese students cause concern at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Many scholars at the University of Illinois are anxious after hearing the US State Department will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students. International students who need to renew their expired F-1 or J-1 entry visa may not be able to return to the U.S. if unable to schedule a renewal appointment… according to an email sent by the International Student and Scholar Services.

* Sun-Times | Special section with fake book list plagued with additional errors, Sun-Times review finds: A recent syndicated special section in the Chicago Sun-Times included an article about cooking “delicious meals that don’t require turning on the oven.” The article’s author quoted acclaimed chef Alice Waters on oven-free cooking “as the ideal way to showcase peak-season ingredients,” citing her interview with Food & Wine magazine. Waters was indeed interviewed by Food & Wine in 2023, as cited in the section titled “Heat Index: Your Guide to the Best of Summer” — but she didn’t say anything in that interview like what the special section quoted her as having said. Waters’ executive assistant said the chef didn’t provide that quote and wasn’t interviewed for the section.

*** Statewide ***

* The Chicago Reporter | Tactical teams in Illinois prisons are reportedly using abusive practices a decade after “Orange Crush” case: Kool-Aid, syrup and peanut butter dumped on clothing and bedding. Wires ripped from electronic razors. Threats and instructions shouted by baton-wielding officers whose identities are concealed by masks and face-coverings. Descriptions of the April 28 tactical team shakedown in East Moline Correctional Facility in northwestern Illinois more closely resemble a fraternity initiation rite than a methodical search for contraband like drugs and weapons.

* Crain’s | Two local toy companies land at center of legal fight over Trump tariffs: Two Vernon Hills-based educational toy companies are now at the center of the legal battle over President Donald Trump’s tariffs after winning a preliminary injunction today that blocks the tariff policy as it applies to them. It was the second court in two days to block Trump’s tariffs. The U.S. Court of International Trade issued a more sweeping decision yesterday blocking most of the tariffs, though a federal appeals court today delayed the effect of that ruling.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol City Now | IL lawmakers tussle over Trump’s Medicaid plan: Republicans saw irony in the resolution. “‘President Donald Trump brazenly lied to the American people, stating he would not cut Medicaid while actually lobbying behind closed doors to pass the bill,’” said State Rep Patrick Windhorst (D-Metropolis), reading from the resolution. “Behind closed doors? Where’s this budget being negotiated right now? Behind closed doors!”

* Sun-Times | Illinois lawmakers eye remedy for soaring electric bills:  The measure in Springfield would give Constellation an option to build a plant if a private data center operator is willing to foot the bill, according to Cunningham. He said no electric customer would be expected to fund the multibillion dollar project.  In a statement to the Sun-Times, Constellation said that it has no current plans to add new nuclear plants in Illinois. 

* The Pantagraph | Former Gov. Jim Edgar, nicknamed ‘The Reader,’ gets fitting tribute in Springfield: “I think it’s one of the most beautiful buildings of government in the state of Illinois,” Edgar said during the ceremony. “Make use of this beautiful building.” A Charleston native and Eastern Illinois University graduate, Edgar served two terms as a Republican representative in the Illinois House before becoming secretary of state in 1981. Among his achievements in that office was overseeing construction of the Illinois State Library building that was dedicated in June 1990.

* Center Square | Illinois lawmakers move ‘no content’ budget legislation: The Illinois Senate advanced a shell bill late Thursday evening without disclosing what the budget will include. State Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said his chamber received a House bill with an appropriations title on Thursday. “We are reciprocating today by sending an appropriations title back to the House, and we’ll negotiate with the House on passage of a final budget,” Harmon said.

* Governor Pritzker’s chief of staff weighed in on the Tribune’s story about the Bears yesterday.…

Back on here briefly to respond to this bc it’s absurd. No one in the Gov’s office or in state government is an expert in NFL finances. The governor has been clear that he’s not going to support state funding for a new stadium unless the state got something substantial in return. https://t.co/GeoNDCPPdc

— Anne Caprara (@anacaprana) May 29, 2025

* Crain’s | Chances of Bears victory in Springfield dwindling by the hour: The team’s army of lobbyists have been seeking to advance so-called megaproject legislation during the last week of the General Assembly’s spring session that would allow the Bears to negotiate a lucrative property tax break at their planned Arlington Heights stadium development while potentially enabling a sales tax break on construction materials used to build such a project. The stakes are high, but the odds of victory are low. The chances of any bill passing by May 31 are made worse if the team insists on assurances that public infrastructure dollars would follow the megaproject bill.

*** Chicago ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Board of Education renews 21 charter schools after months of delay: Historically, the school board votes to renew charters in January. But this year, the vote was pushed back several times, leaving families and staff with uncertainty as the end of the school year approached. The board also approved a resolution, first proposed last month, that seeks to impose new requirements and oversight on charter school operators. The resolution was approved with 15 members voting in favor, none against, and five abstaining. There was a brief but unsuccessful attempt by six members to remove a section that says state lawmakers should make changes to the law governing the privately run public schools, including barring operators from closing schools during the term of their agreement with the local school district.

* NBC Chicago | Community, elected leaders on South Side call on Pritzker to offer clemency for Larry Hoover: The former kingpin is now waiting to be transferred back to Illinois to continue to serve up to 200 years for the 1973 murder of William Young. “My response is very sensitive to any victim of any act of crime, but I have to go back to 50 years of penal system, which was designed for rehabilitation and at one point do we give a second chance,” asked Alderman Stephanie Coleman of Chicago’s 16th Ward.

* Tribune | Here’s when tickets go on sale for the celebration of Pope Leo XIV at Rate Field: Chicagoans can buy tickets to a celebration of Pope Leo XIV’s election beginning Friday, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced. The celebration, set for June 14 at the White Sox’s Rate Field in Bridgeport, is open to all comers. Leo himself, a native of the Chicago area and the first American to lead the world’s Catholics in the church’s history, will not be at the event but will address “the young people of the world” in a video message, according to the archdiocese’s invitation.

* Tribune | Chonkosauraus, famed massive snapping turtle, rises again from Chicago River: The famed snapping turtle, dubbed “Chonkosaurus” by internet commentators when pictures of her basking on a Chicago River pylon first went viral in summer 2023, reappeared earlier this week. The celebrity turtle and at least two companions spent the winter in brumation, a period of low activity akin to hibernation.

* Block Club | Hazy Skies Likely Friday As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Moves Into Chicago: Smoke is expected to reach the city by early Friday afternoon, with peak concentrations forecasted Friday evening, according to AirNow, which monitors air quality nationally. The smoke will likely shift east overnight, though lower levels of smoke may linger through Saturday and Sunday. Wildfires have spread rapidly this week in the Canadian province of Manitoba, the CBC reports. A state of emergency has been declared and more than 17,000 people have been forced to evacuate the area due to the fires.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Woman attacked at Carpentersville McDonald’s ‘fought really hard’ for hate crime charge: Grass said the weeks since the attack have been difficult but felt relieved that those responsible were caught and charged. “I fought really hard for that hate crime charge,” said Grass. “I don’t know what the outcome is going to be, but I want them to face consequences for what they did.” Grass was punched, kicked and knocked unconscious during the attack, she said. She suffered serious injuries to her face, including a broken nose.

* Daily Southtown | Field grows for successors to Robin Kelly, 5 either running or exploring options: The field of potential successors to Robin Kelly as 2nd Congressional District representative is growing, with five people either announcing their candidacy or exploring a possible run. This week, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller said she’s formed an exploratory committee comprised of south suburban mayors to study her options. Yumeka Brown, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and Matteson village clerk, said Tuesday she is a candidate after initially forming a group to explore a run. She is also president of the Rich Township Democrats.

* Daily Herald | After some dissent, Villa Park makes police chief its new manager: Villa Park’s police chief is now the village’s manager, but not every trustee agreed with the move. The village board voted at a special meeting Wednesday to make Michael Rivas the new manager, replacing Matthew Harline. Harline had served as the village manager since June 2022. His contract expired May 12, the day new Village President Kevin Patrick was sworn in. The board voted to not renew Harline’s contract.

* Shaw Local | Batavia reconsiders restricting Kratom, synthetic hemp sales in the city: Originally proposed as an all-out ban, the city is now considering less invasive regulations aimed at keeping the products out of the hands of children without hindering local retailers. […] The original amendment was negatively received by Council members who tabled the item at their Jan. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting after concerns were raised during the committee’s discussion as well as over an hour of public comments from residents and local retailers.

* CBS Chicago | Reach Rescue resale shop in Chicago suburbs helps fund medical needs of dogs and cats: At Reach Rescue’s resale shop in northwest suburban Mundelein, your next bargain could help save a pet’s life. The shop sells upscale items at bargain prices; including furniture, antiques, and even rare collectibles.”All of the funds that come into the resale shop by the purchases are what fund the medical for our dogs, the upkeep of our dogs, and everything that you see in here has been donated to us by amazing people,” said Reach Rescue vice president and director Amanda Dziekanski.

* Daily Herald | Buffalo Grove, other suburbs gear up for annual Pride festivities: Buffalo Grove’s seventh annual family-friendly Pride Parade kicks off Sunday ushering in a season of Pride Month festivities across the suburbs. The Buffalo Grove parade at 11 a.m., with the theme “Pride is Natural,” will feature a special tribute to the late Tommy DeLorenzo, the beloved balloon magician whose creations have been a staple of the celebration. Organized by The Pinta Pride Project, the parade will feature more than 100 entries, making it the largest to date. It steps off near Buffalo Grove Road and Lasalle Lane and ends at the Buffalo Grove Fitness Center on Deerfield Parkway.

*** Downstate ***

* WIFR | Illinois US Senate hopeful campaigns against ‘devastating’ tariffs in Rockford: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8) guides a blade along a plank of wood inside Milescraft’s warehouse. The Democrat wears a neon yellow vest with clear, protective goggles. The scene is the latest from the Congressman’s “Trump Tariff Tour.” As a candidate to replace the retiring Senator Dick Durbin, Krishnamoorthi highlights what he calls the “devastating” impact of President Donald Trump’s economic agenda.

* WGLT | Heartland Community College president is critical of proposed federal education aid cuts: The head of Heartland Community College says federal proposals to reduce the amount of and eligibility for Pell Grants and other changes to higher education are “out of touch” with the world and students of today. Republican backed legislation would reduce the program by about 30%. HCC president Keith Cornille said school officials are still sorting through unclear proposals, but the consequences would be pronounced, affecting 1,600 currently enrolled Heartland students. Requiring heavier course loads to be grant eligible also could hurt their ability to earn a degree. Other education leaders in Bloomington Normal have also spoken out on the proposals.

* WGLT | Advocates for older adults hold day of action in Normal to protect threatened programs: Jewel Johnson is another regular at ARC. She was concerned her meals could one day be go away. “The meals would be cut, which would impact my income,” Johnson said. “We’re all on fixed income, and congregate meals help me budget my grocery bill and and it’s economical.”

* WCIA | Champaign Superintendent out and tempers flare at the latest school board meeting: Thursday was the third special meeting for the new Champaign school board — and perhaps the most consequential. Once again, it started with fiery public comment, with many in the crowd showing support at the podium for Sheila Boozer keeping her job as superintendent. […] After about an hour of public comment, the board got to new business — approving an amended employment agreement with Boozer, which will see her depart from the district.

*** National ***

* WaPo | Earth is likely to cross a key climate threshold in two years: Seven years ago, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that the world wouldn’t warm 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels until 2040. Then two years ago, the group predicted the world would pass that threshold between 2030 and 2035. Now, new data from the World Meteorological Organization released Wednesday indicates that Earth will cross this point in just two years.

* CBS | Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, a link to a bygone era, dies at 96: Harrison Ruffin Tyler died on Sunday evening, May 25, his family said in a statement to CBS News. His grandfather, who was born in 1790, left the Oval Office more than 179 years ago, after serving from 1841 to 1845, well before the Civil War. President Tyler’s immediate descendants lived into the modern age because of two generations of late second marriages to much younger wives.

* CNN | Appeals court pauses ruling that blocked Trump’s tariffs: The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s ruling restores Trump’s ability to levy tariffs using the emergency powers he declared earlier this year. The appeals court also ordered that both sides provide written arguments on the question of the blocking of Trump’s tariffs, to be filed by early next month.

* AP | White House acknowledges problems in RFK Jr.’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report: Asked about the report’s problems, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the report will be updated. […] Kennedy has repeatedly said he would bring “radical transparency” and “gold-standard” science to the public health agencies. But the secretary refused to release details about who authored the 72-page report, which calls for increased scrutiny of the childhood vaccine schedule and describes the nation’s children as overmedicated and undernourished.