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Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Clifton Chenier tribute album…

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* AP…

Illinois has one of the nation’s worst problems with child sex abuse at juvenile detention centers, attorneys representing more than 900 survivors who have filed lawsuits said Wednesday.

Dozens of complaints, including several filed this week in Chicago, allege decades of systemic abuse of children by the employees of detention facilities. Similar lawsuits have popped up in states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, but Illinois stands out for the volume of cases that began piling up last year and the lackluster response from state leaders, according to attorneys.

“The scale and the magnitude and the severity of these cases are some of the worst we’ve seen all over the United States,” Jerome Block, an attorney who has filed lawsuits nationwide, said at a news conference.

The latest Illinois complaints, filed Tuesday, represent 107 people who experienced abuse as children at 10 centers statewide. Some have since closed. The lawsuits allege abuse from the mid-1990s to 2018, including rape, forced masturbation and beatings by chaplains, counselors, officers and kitchen supervisors.

* Rep. Margaret Croke secured the Cook County Democratic Party’s endorsement for comptroller after a motion to make the race an open primary failed. We’re told New Trier Democratic Committeeperson Dean Maragos flipped his vote…


* Sun-Times national political reporter Tina Sfondeles…

…Adding… Press release…

Please see statement from State Rep. and candidate for Illinois Comptroller, Margaret Croke, on earning today’s endorsement from the Cook County Democratic Party:

“I’m so very grateful to the Cook County Democratic Party for their endorsement and support as I seek to represent the people of our great state as its Comptroller. This is a critical moment in time and now more than ever Illinois needs a Comptroller who will lead with honesty, protect our most vulnerable populations, and bring fiscal responsibility to state government, which is exactly what I’ve advocated for throughout my time in the General Assembly. I’m ready to bring that same principled leadership to this office, serving as a watchdog for taxpayer dollars and ensuring transparency and accountability for every Illinois family.”

* The US Senate approved cuts to NPR, PBS yesterday. Illinois Times reporter Dilpreet Raju…


*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | UChicago Medicine suspends gender-affirming care for minors: “UChicago Medicine has reached the difficult decision that in response to continued federal actions, it will discontinue all gender-affirming pediatric care effective immediately,” the Hyde Park-based medical center announced. “We understand that this news will have a significant impact on our patients.” UChicago pointed to recent actions by the Trump administration to cut back Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements as a key factor in the decision. “We reached this conclusion in light of emerging federal actions which would place at risk our ability to care for all Medicare or Medicaid patients. These patients make up the majority of those we serve,” the statement read. “As the largest Medicaid provider in Illinois, this step is necessary to ensure UChicago Medicine can continue serving our broader community and delivering on our mission. Our focus right now is working with affected patients to discuss options going forward.”

* Sun-Times | Trump to reverse environmental racism, housing discrimination cases in Chicago: ProPublica reported Friday that the two Chicago cases are among seven that the Trump administration is dismissing. There is no official word from HUD and the agency has not responded to multiple requests from the Sun-Times for comment. One high-profile case involved the General Iron scrap metal operation that was being relocated from white, affluent Lincoln Park to a low-income community of color on the Southeast Side.

* WTTW | Chicago’s Top Lawyer on Ethics Reform, the Cost of Police Misconduct Lawsuits: Mary Richardson-Lowry, corporation counsel for the city of Chicago and leader of the city’s Law Department, told WTTW News’ “Chicago Tonight” on Thursday that her office didn’t obstruct any probes. “It just wasn’t factual,” Richardson-Lowry said. “That was a mischaracterization, but I view it as an attempt to lift the issue to further evolutions in ethics reform. This structure gets us to a place where we don’t erode our obligations as lawyers, nor do we have an adverse impact on the Office of Inspector General — who’s also my client — and their ability to do their job.”

* Sun-Times | Damen Silos demolition underway as historic structures make way for new development: Just five days in, the smaller buildings surrounding the massive structures near South Damen Avenue along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal are already torn down and destruction of the silos has begun, according to city officials and owner Michael Tadin Jr. The biggest portion of the demo project includes two sets of 80-foot concrete silos and a tower that’s about 110 feet tall. The demolition will take months.

* Tribune | Renovated Red Line stations on North Side to reopen Sunday: The four stations — Argyle, Bryn Mawr, Lawrence and Berwyn — were renovated as part of a $2.1 billion Red and Purple line modernization project paid for by a combination of grants, federal money, transit tax increment financing dollars and CTA funds. The CTA has operated temporary stations at Argyle and Bryn Mawr during the construction period, but the Lawrence and Berwyn stations have been shuttered for more than four years.

* WBEZ | Car, bike, public transit: What’s the best way to get around town?: In this episode, the Curious City team puts the different modes of transportation to the test in a good old-fashioned transit race. From the Garfield Park Conservatory to Navy Pier, who will win? Car, bike or public transportation?

* Sun-Times | Work-zone speed-enforcement cameras still not being used on the Kennedy Expressway: But the “photo enforcement” signs still carry that empty threat in spots on the Kennedy, the Edens Expressway, Illinois tollways and some state roads in the suburbs. The Illinois Department of Transportation — the agency overseen by Gov. JB Pritzker that’s responsible for the state’s highway system — says it’s required to place the warning signs in work zones if there’s a possibility cameras will be used to snare speeders in reduced-speed construction zones. IDOT says there’s so much traffic congestion in Chicago and close-in suburbs that speeders generally aren’t as much of a problem in work zones there as they are farther away from the city, so that’s where the camera-enforcement efforts are focused.

* Block Club | Chicago’s All-Girls Baseball Team, Full Of Barrier-Breaking High School Stars, Heads To Nationals: The Humboldt Park Gators, Chicago’s only all-girls baseball team, captured the hearts of locals on their way to winning a national youth championship on their first try in 2021. Now, the Gators have spun off into a new team — with many more girls playing baseball, too. Perfect Catch Chicago will take four teams to Sparks, Nevada, next week for the 2025 Baseball For All Nationals, the country’s annual all-girls baseball tournament.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Audio recording by District 203 school board member prompts police investigation: A Naperville Unit District 203 school board member is the target of a complaint after she claimed to have recorded a citizen’s finance committee meeting. Naperville police are investigating a claim that Melissa Kelley Black violated eavesdropping laws by recording a meeting of the advisory panel without approval. A police spokesman declined further comment. No criminal charges had been filed as of Wednesday.

* Daily Southtown | Will County approves solar farms in Crete, Lockport townships; deny two in Troy: The village of Homer Glen objected to the Lockport Township proposal; Crete Township voiced concerns over the solar farm proposed in its community and 10 agencies, including Shorewood, the Troy Fire Protection District and various school districts, objected to the solar projects for Troy Township. Concerns included the solar farms not being a right fit for the site, potential depreciation of nearby home values and concerns regarding soil and groundwater contamination.

* Evanston Now | Report: Housing, funding cuts among top city issues nationwide: A report released Thursday by the National League of Cities found that housing, economic growth and the impact of federal funding cuts are top of mind for municipalities across the country, mirroring concerns raised by leaders in Evanston. The NLC’s annual State of the Cities report found that 70% of mayors surveyed reported “challenges associated with the lack of housing supply in 2025,” with another 57% calling the availability of housing in their communities “poor” or “very poor.” Housing supply is top of mind in Evanston, too, as noted in Mayor Daniel Biss’ State of the City address on May 14, a speech in which he touched on zoning restraints that limit increases to housing supply.

* Tribune | Chicago-area nursing homes fined for ‘severe’ violations that led to patient deaths, Illinois health department says: One of the heftiest fines, at $50,000, was given to Cicero’s City View Multicare Center. IDPH found that the facility didn’t properly supervise a cognitively impaired resident’s eating, saying the 60-year-old man choked and died as a result. The resident was admitted to the facility in August 2023 with terminal illness under hospice services, the report stated. The man had diagnoses of dementia, diabetes and bipolar schizophrenia, and required supervision when eating. His name isn’t included in the report. Staff told emergency responders on Oct. 12, 2024, that the man — who was on a pureed diet — grabbed a turkey sandwich and began choking. Nurses said the resident clutched his throat and looked like he was “trying really hard to cough,” the report said. When the nurse opened his mouth it was full of saliva. Although staff and paramedics attempted the Heimlich maneuver, the man died that night around 7:48 p.m. at the hospital of “hypoxic cardiopulmonary arrest,” the report said.

* Daily Herald | Eviction suit added to dispute between Kane County horse rescue and landlords: The dispute between a horse rescue group and its landlords has taken another turn, with the landlords trying to evict the nonprofit organization from the rural Kane County farm it calls home. However, a Kane County judge has slowed the eviction process by ordering that it be merged with a lawsuit that Casey’s Safe Haven filed in March against the owners of the Maple Park property. The owners of the farm filed the eviction suit on June 3. According to court paperwork, the property owners gave a 30-day notice of termination on April 11. The eviction case was due to have its first court date on Tuesday, July 15, before Kane County Judge Elizabeth Flood.

* Daily Herald | ‘This is a blessing’: Suburban charity helps retired police dogs get health care: Hogyn, now 11 years old, has continued to live with his partner in his retirement, as do most police dogs. However, his police department no longer picks up the tab on the German shepherd’s health care and other needs. That’s all on Baron. And for older dogs that spent years chasing bad guys, searching rugged terrain for missing people and sniffing out drugs, explosives and other dangerous items, the aging process can be more difficult — and costly — than for the average family pet.

* Daily Southtown | Homewood ceremony pays tribute to nearly forgotten veteran who died in 1995 heat wave: Emilio Aguirre, a World War II combat veteran, died in his apartment in Chicago 30 years ago, not from illness, nor injury. Aguirre died just two weeks before his 82nd birthday from heat as temperatures reached up to what felt like 125 degrees during the 1995 Chicago heat wave. For nearly three decades, the Army veteran’s death stood lonely, unrecognized and forgotten. Despite being a Bronze Star recipient, there was no formal military funeral, no proper headstone or marker. That changed last month with a headstone placed at Aguirre’s final resting spot at Homewood Memorial Gardens, where he had been buried with 41 other heat wave victims and other unclaimed or unknown city residents. And on Thursday, 30 years to the day after his death, Aguirre received full military funeral honors.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Bloomington mayor says reassessing sales tax sharing with McLean County hinges on what’s in it for the city: Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said this week’s decision by the county board executive committee against approving a hiatus on sales tax sharing drives home the seriousness of the matter, as talks continue about the intergovernmental agreement to fund mental health and other services. “Those are … at the table, I don’t know if they convey it enough to elected county board members to understand the delicacy of this,” Brady said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.

* WICS | Sangamon County Jail operations disrupted by infrastructure mishaps: The first incident occurred on Monday, July 14, 2025, when contractors from the City of Springfield, working on the rail project and new transportation hub, accidentally struck a water pipe in the alleyway behind the jail. This resulted in a disruption of the water supply to both the jail and the Sheriff’s Office. In response, bottled water was provided to inmates, and normal operations resumed by 8:00 a.m. the following day. The second incident took place around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 16, when the same contractors hit an underground power line in the same alleyway. This caused a power outage affecting the jail, Sheriff’s Office, and parts of the Courthouse. Backup generators ensured essential systems remained operational, and full power was restored by 2:30 a.m. Thursday, with normal operations resuming at 8:00 a.m.

* Muddy River News | Honoring its roots, Adams County Fair gears up for its 83rd year: Highlights of this year’s fair include a concert with country music icons Sara Evans and Mark Wills on the evening of Saturday, July 26, sponsored by Gem City Ford Lincoln and SIU Center for Family Medicine in Quincy. Other musical acts include “Silver Bullets,” “Stealin’ Copper,” “Mugshot Bandits,” and Fuedin’ Hillbillys. These acts will take over the Buss Ag Services stage inside the Beer Garden throughout the fair.

* SIU | SIU Carbondale police welcome public input in law enforcement accreditation: An IACLEA assessment team will arrive on Aug. 10 to examine all aspects of the department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, said Benjamin Newman, director of DPS and chief of police. Verification by the team that DPS meets IACLEA’s state-of-the-art standards is part of gaining a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence, Newman said. To achieve four-year accreditation, DPS must comply with 227 standards, Newman said. This is the first time DPS is seeking accreditation with IACLEA; the department is already accredited with the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.

* WCIA | Paxton increasing video game machine fees by 900%: One Central Illinois city has worked hard to give their downtown a facelift. The same city has also increased fees for gaming machines by 900%. While these two things may not seem related — city officials said one eventually led to the other. Paxton revamped its downtown and plans on continuing the work. They realized gaming machines would be a part of it, but didn’t want them lining all of downtown. So, they created a plan to regulate it.

* KFVS | Concert to benefit Carbondale homeless shelter: Kevin Lucas will host the concert with guest Grant Maloy Smith. It’ll be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Blue Sky Vineyard in Makanda. Organizers say there is no cover charge. All music costs and tips will go to the Good Samaritan House homeless shelter in Carbondale.

* World Atlas | Why This Illinois Town Deserves More Attention: Only 30 minutes from St. Louis, on the historic National Road, Lebanon, Illinois, presents one of the Midwest’s most vibrant small-town tourism experiences—without the crowds, gimmickry, and over-commercialization that can detract from more famous locales. Lebanon is a rare gem with its rich history, preserved architecture, lively arts scene, and strong connection to its natural and community heritage. This is a town where yesterday and today converge on brick-paved streets, and there is never a shortage of something worth exploring.

*** National ***

* CNBC | Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee’ — what to know: The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However travelers may also be able to get the fees reimbursed, according to the provision. Details about the new requirement are scant, which has resulted in “significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation,” a spokesperson from the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC Travel.

* AP | Britain is lowering the voting age to 16. It’s getting a mixed reaction: There has been a mixed reaction in Britain to the government’s announcement that it will lower the voting age from 18 to 16 before the next national election. The Labour Party administration says it’s part of a package of changes to strengthen British democracy and help restore trust in politics. The opposition says it’s a power-grab by the left.

* NBC | FEMA records show Kerr County didn’t alert all cellphones as flooding began: The FEMA message archive shows that as the water began rising in Kerr County on July 4, the National Weather Service sent an IPAWS flood warning to cellphones as early as 1:14 a.m. However, weather service forecasters cannot issue instructions on whether to evacuate or wait for rescue; those messages are up to county or city officials. The FEMA archive showed that Kerr County did not send any wireless alerts through IPAWS on July 4, when the flooding began.

  6 Comments      


Adams County sheriff refuses to follow Illinois law on immigration arrests: ‘I have no intentions of turning away ICE agents’

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Illinois Attorney General…

In Illinois, local law enforcement generally cannot assist in the enforcement of federal civil immigration law. The Illinois TRUST Act states that a “law enforcement agency or official may not participate, support, or assist in any capacity with an immigration agent’s enforcement operations.” It further specifies that local law enforcement:

    • May not transfer any person into an immigration agent’s custody;
    • May not give any immigration agent access, including by telephone, to any individual who is in the law enforcement agency’s custody;
    • May not permit immigration agents’ use of agency facilities or equipment, including the use of electronic databases not available to the public, for any investigative or immigration enforcement purpose; and
    • May not otherwise render collateral assistance to federal immigration agents, including by coordinating an arrest in a courthouse or other public facility, transporting any individuals, establishing a security or traffic perimeter, or providing other on-site support.

Local law enforcement may provide these types of assistance only in two narrow circumstances: when they are presented with a federal criminal warrant; or when they are otherwise required by a specific federal law.

No federal laws and no federal judicial precedents require local police agencies to assist with civil ICE warrants, which can be drafted by the arresting ICE officers on the spot without any oversight.

* With that in mind, here’s Cassie Schoene at KHQA TV…

The [Quincy Police Department] says that, under state law, they would not help a federal agency with a civil immigration matter.

“If they were simply wanting to go somewhere to try serve an administrative detainer or take someone under custody purely on administrative action, then we would not participate in that,” said [Quincy Chief of Police Adam Yates].

But the [Adams County] sheriff’s office has already worked with ICE, handed over illegal immigrants, and said they will continue to do so. […]

“I have no intentions of turning away ICE agents or any of them, homeland security agents, any of them that encounter illegal aliens in our community. I know that we’ve had few, and we’ve put a few in jail, and they’ve since been transported out of here by ICE,” said [Adams County Sheriff Tony Grootens]. […]

Illinois may be a sanctuary state, but according to Grootens, Adams County is not.

“It doesn’t really mean anything for Adams County, cause we’re going to continue to house illegal immigrants as they are picked up because they are still in violation of federal law…Being a sanctuary state, they’re going to seek refuge, protection from the state, but not here,” said Grootens.

* Coverage roundup from Isabel…

    * Journal Courier | Illinois attorney general says ICE needs to identify itself during arrests: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and 20 other attorneys general are asking federal legislators to advance legislation requiring all federal immigration agents not to hide their identities. In a letter to Congress, the 21 attorneys general ask for “legislation that would generally prohibit federal immigration agents from wearing masks that conceal their identity and require them to show their identification and agency-identifying insignia.”

    * Daily Herald | Rep. Underwood demands answers over ‘reckless’ ICE activity in Joliet: In the letter [to Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Kristi Noem, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security], Underwood said multiple witnesses reported on July 9 that “an unmarked black, extended-cab truck taking part in ICE enforcement actions” had rammed into the rear of a civilian vehicle and trapped it near the intersection of Cass and Arch streets in Joliet. […] “Witnesses then report seeing one man being removed from the vehicle that was rammed and detained. We have since been informed that the individual was told he would be ‘removed on the 22nd,’” according to the letter.

    * AP | Trump Administration Fires 17 Immigration Court Judges Across 10 States, Including Illinois, Union Says: The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which represents immigration court judges as well as other professionals, said in a news release that 15 judges were fired “without cause” on Friday and another two on Monday. The union said they were working in courts in 10 different states across the country — California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia. “It’s outrageous and against the public interest that at the same time Congress has authorized 800 immigration judges, we are firing large numbers of immigration judges without cause,” said the union’s President Matt Biggs. “This is nonsensical. The answer is to stop firing and start hiring.”

    * WTTW | How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Could Impact the Illinois Farming Industry: “They are angry, they are scared, they are feeling that their business is being attacked,” said Maggie Rivera, CEO and president of the Illinois Migrant Council. Nationally, construction and agriculture workforces had the highest shares of undocumented workers as of 2022, according to the American Immigration Council. Nearly 14% of people employed in the construction industry are undocumented, compared to 15.1% in the agriculture sector and 7.6% in the hospitality sector.

    * Tribune | ‘We’re tired of this’: Cicero residents demand action from town president after Latina aunt stopped by federal agents: Vanessa Mendoza, an early childhood educator in Cicero, was gathering materials for her classroom in late June when she paused to look at Facebook. What she saw shocked her. Posted on the social media site was a video of her aunt, Rocío, being pulled over by unidentified agents driving black vehicles who questioned her citizenship — despite her legal status to be in the United States. The agents did not specify why they pulled Rocío over or which agency they were affiliated with, Mendoza, 32, who grew up in Cicero, said at a news conference outside the town hall Thursday morning. After Rocío showed identification, she was not arrested or detained, her niece added. “It was either a legal stop or maybe, I don’t want to say, they were targeting her for being Latina,” she said.

  16 Comments      


AG Raoul joins lawsuit to block HHS changes to ACA health insurance marketplaces

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* First, some context from Capitol News Illinois, reported earlier this month…

The U.S. House gave final passage Thursday to a budget bill that will cut federal Medicaid spending by an estimated $1 trillion over 10 years.

The cuts would translate to about $48 billion in Illinois over that period, or about 20% of what the state would otherwise receive, according to an analysis by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization. […]

According to KFF, most of the reductions in Medicaid spending would result from just a few policy changes contained in the bill

Those include imposing a work requirement on adults enrolled in Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.” That law expanded eligibility for Medicaid to working-age adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. About 772,000 people in Illinois are enrolled under that program.

The bill also calls for requiring people enrolled through the ACA expansion to verify their continued eligibility for Medicaid twice a year instead of annually. That is expected to filter out enrollees whose incomes rise above the eligibility limit as well as those who simply fail to complete the verification process.

Many of the cuts aren’t slated to take effect until 2027 or 2028.

* Courthouse News…

A multistate coalition sued the Trump administration Thursday challenging a proposal by the Department of Health and Human Services they warn would make it more difficult to receive health care though Affordable Care Act marketplaces and throw 1.8 million people off their health insurance.

The 21 state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, asked a federal judge to block the rule before it takes effect on Aug. 25.

The administration claims that the new rule, “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability,” will address waste, fraud and abuse in the Patient Protection and ACA eligibility and enrollment systems as well as rising “improper enrollment and health care costs.”

“This isn’t a serious attempt to protect consumers,” Bonta said at a press conference Thursday. “It’s yet another political move to punish vulnerable communities by removing access to vital care and gutting the Affordable Care Act.”

* Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

In the lawsuit, Raoul and the attorneys general argue the rule is unlawful and would cause significant harm to local governments and residents because it imposes burdensome and costly paperwork requirements, limits the opportunities to sign up for health coverage, increases cost-sharing limits, and forces exchanges and consumers to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to prove eligibility for coverage and subsidies. The coalition is also seeking preliminary relief to prevent the challenged portions of the final rule from taking effect in the plaintiff states before the August 25 effective date. […]

Congress enacted the ACA in 2010 to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and to decrease the cost of health care. Fifteen years later, the act continues to meet its goals, with annual enrollment on the ACA marketplace doubling over the past five years. In 2025, over 24 million people, including millions of people in the plaintiff states, signed up for health insurance coverage on the ACA exchanges and received subsidies to make such coverage affordable.

Raoul and the coalition explain that with less than four months until the start of open enrollment for plan year 2026, the Trump administration’s final rule would abruptly reverse that trend, creating a series of new barriers to enrollment. The administration’s own estimates show the rule will deprive up to 1.8 million people of insurance coverage, and cause millions more to pay increased insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles. The rule will also significantly drive up the health care costs incurred by plaintiff states, resulting in increased state expenditures on Medicaid and other services provided to newly-uninsured residents, as well as uncompensated emergency care.

The final rule will cause an estimated 14,000 Illinoisians to lose health insurance access and will cause Illinois health insurance premiums to rise. The increase in uninsured residents will have a detrimental impact on Illinois and its residents, including reducing the revenue and operations of hospitals, particularly the state’s safety net and critical access hospitals that treat patients in rural communities and underserved areas of cities. […]

Raoul and the attorneys general argue in the lawsuit that the HHS and CMS rule is unlawful and would cause significant harm to local governments and residents because it imposes burdensome and costly paperwork requirements, limits the opportunities to sign up for health coverage, increases cost-sharing limits, and forces exchanges and consumers to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to prove eligibility for coverage and subsidies.

  3 Comments      


Chicago’s barbecue creativity isn’t tightly bound by rules or traditions

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Camila Trimberger-Ruiz at the Sun-Times asks a good question: What’s Chicago barbecue, exactly?…

Other states have distinct flavor palettes, side pairings and even types of wood over which they cook the meat. On the national scene, however, Chicago has yet to carve out a distinct identity.

Barry Sorkin of Smoque BBQ (you really, really gotta try it) had a great answer…

“I think barbecue chefs in Chicago don’t feel bound by any of the rules or traditions that other regions might feel bound by, and so, I think there’s a lot more creativity here. There’s license to take the craft of smoking meat and do whatever you want, whatever feels right. And I think that’s what makes Chicago barbecue special.”

I couldn’t agree more. Chicago barbecue is whatever individual pit-masters and their customers believe tastes the best without regard to historic regional snobbery. Chicago’s snobbery centers on excellent-tasting barbecue, no matter how it’s done.

* Everyone needs a hobby and barbecue is one of mine. I regularly use three types of grills: Hasty Bake charcoal/wood, Recteq pellet smoker, and Yak hibachi. I also have a generic Weber gas grill and some smaller picnicking grills/camp stoves that I’ve picked up along the way, including a little gas grill for the ol’ pontoon.

The freedom to try completely new ideas is really what I love about barbecuing in this part of the world. Lately, for instance, I’ve been using rosemary from my herb garden (another hobby) in several of my recipes. I’ve also come up with a pork barbecue sauce that I love so much I may try to market it (but, so far, that feels too much like work and I do enough of that already).

My BBQ guru, by the way, is Meathead Goldwyn, the Chicago-area founder of AmazingRibs.com. Give that site a look. You’ll find top-notch ideas on all sorts of barbecue styles and lots of insight into the science of cooking outdoors. Before you can successfully break the rules, you gotta know what the rules are.

Anyway, I’d absolutely hate to be constrained by regional taste demands. Our way is superior.

* Your thoughts?

  36 Comments      


12 trans Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers have submitted voluntary separation papers

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a recent San Diego Union-Tribune story entitled, “Stay or go? For some transgender San Diego sailors and Marines, Trump’s ban leaves one option: ‘Come and find me’”…

The policy was enacted by executive order in January, then temporarily blocked by a federal court in March. But in May the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the ban to take effect while legal challenges proceed.

The Trump administration told transgender troops that they could voluntarily leave the service with an honorable discharge and additional separation pay, or wait to be forced to leave, with unclear repercussions.

“Expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service,” its order read.

It’s unclear how many transgender people are actively serving. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates there are about 4,240 people with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria — around 0.2% of the 2 million service members. […]

Active duty troops had until June 6 to voluntarily separate, and National Guard and reserve members had until last Monday

* So I reached out to the Illinois National Guard with some questions about the just-passed deadline for the Trump administration’s voluntary separation order to transgender national guard members. The answers were provided by LTC Brad Leighton, the Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Director…

Have any trans Illinois National Guard members voluntarily separated before the deadline?

    Twelve Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers have submitted voluntary separation packets and will be processed for discharge. None of our Illinois Air National Guard Airmen submitted voluntary separation packets.

Is the ILNG required to forcefully eject trans guard members, or is that a federal role?

    The Illinois National Guard is the federally recognized State military force. Under both State and Federal law, all members of the Illinois National Guard must also be members of the Army or Air National Guard of the United States, the primary reserve components of the U.S Army and the U.S. Air Force. As a result, the Illinois National Guard is required to comply with federal law and U.S. military regulations pertaining to who is and who is not eligible to serve in the U.S. military.

Have any ILNG guidance or directives been issued on this topic?

    The ILNG did not publish state specific guidance.

Any comment on the national orders?

    The Illinois National Guard is required to implement this federal directive. The Illinois National Guard will do so with the utmost professionalism and will treat our Soldiers and Airmen with dignity and respect.

  10 Comments      


Open thread

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Guy Clark…

And I wouldn’t trade a tree for the way I feel
about you in the morning’, anyhow I love you

What’s happening in your part of Illinois?

  11 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois maintains LGBTQ+ youth support on 988 hotline amid federal cuts. WTVO…

    - The Illinois Department of Human Services announced Thursday it will continue to provide support for LGBTQ+ youth on the 988 Suicide & Crisis hotline, after the federal government cut funding for the program last month.
    - Illinois said each month, more than 1,600 calls and 600 chats or texts are fielded by the hotline agents.
    - Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that LGBTQ+ youth have a higher risk of suicide, with 26% of students who identify as transgender attempting suicide in the past year, compared to 5% male and 11% female students.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has released his re-election launch video…

* WCIA | Corn genetics lab faces relocation, pending 2026 federal budget: University of Illinois’s National Soybean Germplasm Collection is the largest soybean seed bank in North America. The Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center houses more than 100,000 genetic corn mutants. The federal budget item would relocate the soybean collection to Columbia, Missouri and the corn stock center to Ames, Iowa — locations an Illinois professor said might be unfit to take care of them.

* Maurice Scholten | The RTA has more money to work with than it realizes. State lawmakers need to know this.: A vast coalition of public transportation advocates, including the Regional Transportation Authority, has referenced since 2022 projections showing an original budget deficit of $730 million that is now calculated to be $771 million as emergency federal funding recedes and operating costs reportedly rise. The coalition hopes state lawmakers return to Springfield and approve a package of new revenues and governance reforms to head off service cuts at the CTA, Metra and Pace.

*** Statewide ***

* WCIA | 23 Central Illinois nursing homes, care facilities fined by IDPH: The IDPH recently released its quarterly report for violations across the state. A total of 243 reports were made between January and March, with some reports listing multiple violations and some facilities having multiple reports against them. The laws that were violated are the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act and Titles XVII and XIX of the Federal Social Security Act.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker seeks more regulatory authority over homeowners insurance business: Although Pritzker was not specific about what kind of increased regulatory authority he wants lawmakers to consider, some consumer advocates have called for giving the state Department of Insurance broad authority to review, modify or even reject proposed rate hikes. Under current state law, companies are required to file their rates with the Department of Insurance, and the agency can review consumer complaints to determine whether the rates being charged are consistent with those filings. The department also has the authority to conduct examinations to determine whether a company is paying out claims in a timely manner. It can also conduct examinations into a company’s financial condition and solvency.

* WAND | Plan expanding state grant program for agriculture education teachers awaits final action: School districts can currently apply for a state grant covering 50% of the personal service cost for agriculture teachers. This plan clarifies that teachers should receive 100% of that compensation for working 60 additional days or 400 hours outside their regular teaching duties.

* WAND | Illinois could guarantee universal mental health screenings for youth, teens under bill on Pritzker’s desk: Illinois could soon become one of the first states to provide universal mental health screenings for young children and teens. A bill on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk could require public schools to offer age appropriate, confidential mental health screenings to identify mental health concerns and link students to support. Students in grades three through 12 would participate in the screenings once per school year.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | City Inspector General Deborah Witzburg won’t seek second term: Witzburg was appointed inspector general in 2022, beginning a four-year term after serving as the city’s deputy inspector general for public safety. “I can be confident that, at the end of my term in April, I will leave OIG better and stronger than I found it,” Witzburg said in a statement. “…We will have a great deal to do and to say between now and April, and then I will happily pass a more effective, more independent OIG along to its next steward.”

* WBEZ | Mayor Brandon Johnson talks affordable housing, funding CPS, transportation with Reset callers: Constituents and listeners from around the Chicago area called in to ask about Johnson’s accomplishments and policy proposals, several of which focused on transit. One caller from West Elsdon on the city’s Southwest Side asked why Chicago has so few bike lanes outside the North Side. “They’re coming” to the West and South sides, said Johnson, himself an avid cyclist. Another caller in Rogers Park lamented the post-pandemic experience of riding the Red Line, pointing out that many schoolchildren use the CTA as “school buses” amid passengers who smoke and sometimes relieve themselves on train cars and station platforms.

* Sun-Times | Ex-Gitmo detainee will be allowed to testify about alleged torture by former Chicago detective: Circuit Court Judge Adrienne E. Davis ruled at a brief hearing Thursday she would let Mohamedou Ould Slahi testify about his “enhanced interrogation” at the U.S. detention camp at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, starting in 2003. The abuse was allegedly overseen by Richard Zuley, at the time a U.S. Naval reservist on leave from his CPD detective job. Years earlier, Zuley allegedly tortured a confession out of Anthony Garrett that led to his conviction for 7-year-old Dantrell Davis’ 1992 fatal shooting in the Cabrini-Green public housing complex.

* Sun-Times | City Council members pushing to legalize video gambling — at Chicago airports or even citywide: City Council members are revving up the fight to legalize video gambling in Chicago — even after Mayor Brandon Johnson’s financial team argued that the meager jackpot is not worth pursuing. Two ordinances were introduced at Wednesday’s Council meeting, the last before the August recess. One would authorize installation of hundreds of video gambling machines beyond security checkpoints at O’Hare and Midway Airports. The other would lift the longstanding ban on video gambling citywide in an attempt to offer an economic lifeline of sorts to neighborhoods bars and restaurants fighting for survival.

* Tribune | Chicago arts organizations press on despite ‘gut punch’ federal cuts: Organizers opted to shorten the 35th anniversary programming so they could weather changes without losing the heart of the festival, they say. But their choice is becoming a familiar one these days, as federal downsizing places pressure on arts organizations across the Chicago area to make do without funding. On May 2, the White House released President Donald Trump’s budget proposal, which called for billions of dollars of sweeping cuts, including the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the largest funder of arts and arts education in the country.

* Sun-Times | City Hall wouldn’t pay $14 million for cop overtime. Now, it might have to pay at least $195 million: Already facing massive yearly budget deficits, the city of Chicago could face a bill in the hundreds of millions of dollars for police overtime in a long-running case on behalf of 8,500 current and former Chicago Police Department employees. It’s been nearly 10 years since the case was filed and almost five years since a federal judge ruled in favor of the officers, who argued that the city “willfully violated” labor laws by miscalculating overtime pay they were due over a span of years.

* Block Club | Chicago’s Late-Night Talk Show Isn’t That Late — And It’s Very Local: Since 2018, Swinson has hosted “The Not That Late Show” at local venues. The show is a spectacle “for Chicago, by Chicago,” inspired by local and national news, online happenings and more, he said. The in-person show’s segments focus on a range of topics: from serious issues like Chicago’s public transit budget shortfall to comedic bits like “the random Chicagoans that you’ll encounter during your perfect Chicago summer that will make your life a little bit more of a hassle,” Swinson said.

* Block Club | Smoque BBQ Vs. Weber Grill: Acclaimed BBQ Joint Says Grill Giant Is Infringing On Its Trademarked Name: At the start of this year, suburban Palatine-based Weber-Stephen Products LLC announced it would release the Weber Smoque smoker, a $699-$899 pellet smoker. The issue: Smoque BBQ — an ultra-popular barbecue spot at 3800 N. Pulaski Road — has had the name “Smoque” trademarked for over a decade. When Barry Sorkin, Smoque BBQ co-owner and chef, saw the news, he “immediately thought, ‘They can’t do that,’” he said. Sorkin said he is worried the similar names will create confusion, causing customers to think the pellet smoker is associated with the neighborhood barbecue joint. He’s also concerned the new product will dilute Smoque BBQ’s branding and name recognition, which the restaurant has carefully crafted over the past 19 years, he said.

* Sun-Times | Smoked alligator burger? That’s just one of the options at this year’s Roscoe Village Burger Fest.: So there are burgers tantalizing with tandoori spices; one made of smoked alligator; another a blend of bison, elk, wild boar and venison. There’s one from Cheesie’s Pub and Grub (with five locations including Wrigleyville and Lake View) that celebrates the unique cravings of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll: The creation is called the “Smash Elvis” and consists of a 5-ounce patty, deep-fried peanut butter and jelly, and banana ketchup, all on a brioche bun. There are 13 vendors in all this year.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Cook County Democrats mostly sticking with incumbents on primary slate — but Assessor Fritz Kaegi is in limbo: Former Chicago Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) was a late entry Thursday in the field of candidates seeking the Cook County Democratic Party’s endorsement for commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago in next year’s primary election. It’d be a new title for the longtime Far South Side City Council member, but familiar territory, he said. “I know a lot about crap. I was an alderman for 20 years,” Brookins joked to party leaders.

* Tribune | Cook County Democrats hold off endorsement decision for county assessor, don’t back Board of Review incumbent: But during a closed-door executive session of party higher-ups Thursday at the IBEW Local 134 meeting hall in Bronzeville, Black members of a party committee united to oppose a recommendation that the full county party organization endorse Kaegi when it convenes Friday. Caucus members were split on which of Kaegi’s two primary challengers to support. Several other committee members voted “present” on a Kaegi endorsement recommendation, bringing him short of the threshold needed to win the endorsement of the countywide slating committee. Instead, the full party will vote on that endorsement Friday.

* Shaw Local | Rep. Underwood demands answers over alleged ‘reckless’ ICE activity in Joliet: In the letter, Underwood said multiple witnesses reported on July 9 that an “an unmarked black extended cab truck taking part in ICE enforcement actions” had rammed into the rear of a civilian vehicle and trapped it near the intersection of Cass Street and Arch Street in Joliet. “This location is adjacent to a youth center, a high school, and a minor league baseball stadium, and is considered a high-traffic public area,” Underwood’s letter said.

* Daily Herald | Elk Grove Village officials decry proposed closure of hospital’s maternity ward: The hospital at 800 Biesterfield Road plans to discontinue its 28-bed inpatient obstetrics department and consolidate those services — including all baby deliveries — at its sister hospital, Saint Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. Johnson argued that inpatient pregnancy care is especially needed now in Elk Grove amid an increase in younger families moving to the village, and he questioned if Saint Alexius would be able to handle the influx. “We want Alexian Brothers back to what we’ve all known and loved for 60 years,” Johnson said at a village board meeting this week. “The sad part is, they are changing. Unfortunately, it’s not quite the hospital we all remembered for a lot of years.”

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Answers Project | A New Wastewater Plant in Carterville Could Stop Sewage Overflows — Why Hasn’t Construction Started Yet?: Last year, Carterville was approved for a $31 million federal loan administered through the Illinois EPA for the project. Yet city council did not sign the loan agreement, one of the requirements for dispersal of the funds, until March of this year — more than five years after the project was proposed. The loan amount has since increased to $44 million, according to minutes from the May meeting of the Carterville water and sewer board. The city’s contracted engineer, Rodney Potts, reached out to state representatives and senators to ask for additional funding assistance, but they did not have anything to provide.

* WCIA | Toxic algae levels going down in Mattoon, community resources continue popping up: While the city shared encouraging news that the toxic algae bloom levels in the water had gone down since the reissued “do not drink” order, more testing will have to be done before the order is lifted. Eliana Brown is a water quality and storm water specialist with Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. She said from the initial “do not drink” order to the second, the warm weather and sunshine could have played a vital role in the algae’s ability to flourish.

* WCIA | Illini Solar Car team wins national competition: rivers and engineers from the University of Illinois’ Illini Solar Car team came in first place at an event during this year’s Formula Sun Grand Prix in Bowling Green, Kentucky. They took home gold in the single occupant vehicle class by driving the most laps of all the nation’s collegiate teams. The team drove 223 laps — or 703 miles — continuously.

* WSIL | Renovations at SIU have started for a new lounge created by the students: Alex Baughman is the Chief of Staff for the Undergrad Student Government. He spoke with News 3 about the new changes. “We have some places on campus to hang out, but nothing that’s designed by students and for students, and this is what this space is going to be,” Baughman said.

* Telegraph | New owners continue legacy of Metro East’s only LGBTQ+ bar: Church, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, is one of the new owners of Bubby & Sissy’s bar, located at 602 Belle St. in Alton. The new owners took possession at the beginning of April of Alton’s renowned LGBTQ+ bar. It’s special for Church to own the bar that supported him and the local LGBTQ+ community for decades. He is using his ownership to continue the bar’s legacy, which he and the other owners, like Mike Klasner, agree is “important now, more than ever.”

*** National ***

* Price Points | The 340B program has gone off the rails: What started as a way to subsidize safety-net hospitals and help low-income patients has morphed into a critical way for hospitals to generate income. The program lets hospitals buy drugs at a discount, give them to patients, and then get reimbursed at a much higher price, pocketing the difference. In theory, those profits are supposed to be passed on to patients – used to provide uncompensated care, offer community benefits, expand care access, and/or subsidize otherwise unprofitable lines of business. However, the program doesn’t require hospitals to report their 340B-derived spending, or even how much they make from the sales.

* All the Young Punks | Jeff Tweedy announces album, releases four songs: The Wilco frontman released four songs off the new album, including the opening and closing tracks, One Tiny Flower and Enough. The other songs, now streaming, are Out in the Dark and Stray Cats in Spain. I’ve given them multiple spins and they’re all solid.

* Chalkbeat | Religious opt-outs could complicate new Bible-infused state curriculum in Texas: Sikh parents and community members fear that Bluebonnet will leave children feeling even more isolated than they do now, said Upneet Kaur, the senior education manager at the Sikh Coalition, which is working with Sikh parents in Texas who are concerned about Bluebonnet. “Sikhs already have a very large amount of bullying that they face in classrooms due to a lack of understanding that students and educators may have of their identity,” Kaur said.

* WaPo | House passes $9 billion in spending cuts after fight over Epstein files: The House had to claw back the funds for foreign aid and public broadcasting by Friday under the law that Republicans are using to undo spending that Congress previously approved, known as rescissions. The vote was 216-213, with two Republicans — Michael R. Turner (Ohio) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania) — opposing it. Approval of the cuts is likely to launch future clashes between Congress and the executive branch — Trump officials have suggested they intend to use further cuts to reshape the size of the federal government. Passage of the rescissions bill also represents the second major legislative victory for Trump after his tax-and-immigration package passed earlier this month.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, Jul 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, Jul 18, 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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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

With Republican senators approving President Donald Trump’s plan to rescind $9.4 billion in federal aid and public broadcasting funds, public radio and television stations in Illinois are closer to a worst-case funding scenario that local media leaders are calling a “critical gut punch.”

The package, which allows the Senate to strip previously approved spending with a simple majority, must still return to the House. And there’s a time crunch: Congress has to get it to Trump’s desk by Friday or the administration will be forced to release the funds. In total, the package rescinds $1.1 billion in funding for PBS, NPR and their member stations through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It was intended to help fund the stations for the next two years.

At WTVP in central Illinois, more than 390,000 households in 17 counties tune into local programming like “A Shot of AG,” a talk show hosted by Rob Sharkey, a farmer from Bradford. Jenn Gordon, president and CEO of WTVP, calls it “a Johnny Carson talk show” that humanizes the agricultural community in central Illinois.

If the Republican-controlled Congress cuts the CPB funding, Gordon said the station would likely take a financial hit in October, when it typically receives federal grant dollars. About 30% of the station’s budget is reliant on those funds.

* A small update on Mike McClain’s request for probation…


* The Illinois Department of Employment Security…

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today nonfarm payrolls totals reached a record high in June, increasing over-the-month up +9,400 to 6,175,200. June’s record payroll job total surpassed the previous high set in March, marking another milestone in Illinois’ record-setting year for total payroll employment. The May monthly change in payrolls was revised slightly from the preliminary report, from +100 to -200.

The industry sectors with over-the-month jobs increases included Government (+10,600) and Private Education and Health Services (+6,200). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll jobs decreases included: Leisure and Hospitality (-3,500), Manufacturing (-1,300), and Professional and Business Services (-1,100).

Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +35,000 jobs. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Private Education and Health Services (+22,900), Government (+21,700), and Leisure and Hospitality (+3,900). The industry groups with jobs decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-8,100), Manufacturing (-6,500), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-3,800). In June, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.6 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.1 percent in the nation.

The unemployment rate fell -0.2 percentage point to 4.6 percent in June, the first monthly decrease since February of this year and the lowest unemployment rate since August 2023, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised May unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.8 percent. The June payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th. […]

The number of unemployed workers was 307,300, down -3.5% from the prior month, and down -9.5 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force decreased (-0.2%) over-the-month and was down -0.3% over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.

*** Statewide ***

* WICS | Illinois offers cash rewards for capturing invasive black carp: Through the “Keep, Cool, Call” program, individuals can earn $100 for each black carp they capture, with a maximum reward of $1,000 per month. Participants are encouraged to catch black carp using legal methods such as hook and line or bowfishing. To qualify for the reward, individuals must take clear photos of the fish’s head, mouth, and total length, note the location and water conditions, humanely kill the fish, and freeze it. Possession of live invasive carp is illegal.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Illinois could soon ease requirements for emergency vehicle drivers living outside the state: A bipartisan bill on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk could help address the shortage of emergency vehicle drivers across the state. Sponsors said people who live in neighboring states but work as public safety employees should be able to operate emergency vehicles in Illinois if they have the required driver’s license in their home state. The proposal states that nonresidents must complete the fire service vehicle operator program with the State Fire Marshal to be eligible.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Number of Unhoused Chicagoans Dropped 60% But Remains at All-Time High, Survey Found: The number of Chicagoans living in city shelters or on city streets dropped 60% between January 2024 and January 2025, according to the annual survey used by federal officials to track homelessness, but remains at an all-time high for longtime residents, city officials announced Thursday. More than 7,450 people in Chicago lacked a permanent place to sleep, according to the annual “point-in-time” count, which sends volunteers out to count the number of unsheltered people on the city’s streets on a single night and is used by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials to determine federal funding levels. The 2025 count took place on Jan. 23.

* Tribune | Lawyers for Chicago Housing Authority used ChatGPT to cite nonexistent court case: In the latest headache for CHA, law firm Goldberg Segalla used artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, in a post-trial motion and neglected to check its work, court records show. A jury decided in January, after a roughly seven-week trial, that CHA must pay more than $24 million to two residents who sued on behalf of their children, finding the agency responsible for the children’s injuries, including past and future damages. The firm apologized for the error in a June 18 court filing, calling it a “serious lapse in professionalism.”

* Sun-Times | Retiring Walter Burnett says his ’son of the 27th Ward’ has earned the right to take his City Council seat: Retiring City Council dean Walter Burnett said Thursday his 29-year-old namesake is not only his son but a “son of the 27th Ward” who has earned the right to replace him. Some community leaders have argued that the city’s fastest-growing ward deserves better than a continuation of the old-school, all-in-the-family parade of Chicago politicians who have bequeathed their seats to their children.

* Sun-Times | Jury sees final moments of Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso’s life: What followed was captured on Vasquez Lasso’s body cam. In the video, he jumps out of his car and begins to chase after the man, while screaming out, “Stop! Stop! Stop!” Seconds later, the man turns and points a gun at Vasquez Lasso, standing feet away. Shots ring out, and the officer falls backward. His body camera shows just the sky above.

* The Triibe | New lawsuit against The Duplex restaurant in Logan Square alleges wage theft: The Duplex, a popular restaurant in Logan Square, is being sued by former employees who allege various workplace violations, including failure to pay out tips, failure to pay minimum wage or overtime pay and neglecting to provide and retain records of time worked. Those employees are also seeking class action status against the restaurant group. The lawsuit was filed July 1 in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division as a collective action against For the People Hospitality Group LLC, the minority-owned parent company behind both The Duplex and Wicker Park’s The Revolver. LeQoinne Rice, who is the co-owner of For the People Hospitality, was named in the court filing along with his hospitality group manager, Christopher Scardina.

* Crain’s | Before tariffs hit, this Lincoln Square toy store made a big bet. It may save their season.: Shopkeeper Scott Friedland tapped into a line of credit to buy $700,000 in toys and games, and hired two extra employees to help manage the torrent of packages. The stock accumulated quickly in the toy shop’s basement. Friedland and his manager used their own garages and basements to store the excess. Friedland’s goal was to buy as much inventory at pre-tariff prices as possible, attracting customers with lower prices and in-demand stock. So far, the gamble has paid off. Timeless Toy’s sales are up about 18.4% year over year.

* Crain’s | RFK Jr. wants artificial dyes out — but Chicago candy makers aren’t biting: The candy industry, in particular, doesn’t seem to want to go along for the ride. It’s the biggest food user of the synthetic dyes, and the directive challenges Chicago-area confectioners, including Mars Wrigley, Ferrara and Tootsie Roll. The candy industry seems to be saying things are just fine as they are. “Consumers know that confectionery products are treats and that they contain sugar, food colors and other FDA-approved ingredients,” says Christopher Gindlesperger, a spokesman for the National Confectioners Association in Washington, D.C. “Chocolate and candy are safe to enjoy as they have been for generations.”

* The Athletic | What I’m hearing about NASCAR’s 2026 schedule: Mexico City, Chicago and more: Would NASCAR like to race in downtown Chicago next year? Yes, provided the league can strike the right deal. Are both the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago amenable to NASCAR coming back for a fourth consecutive year? Yes, provided they can strike the right deal. These caveats have left the future of the Chicago Street Course up in the air.

* Sun-Times | Kim Deal on making music with Steve Albini and warming up crowds for Olivia Rodrigo: There’s no way to start a conversation about Chicago with Kim Deal without the name Steve Albini. The late, great producer and audio engineer behind Chicago’s Electrical Audio recording studio was basically on Deal’s speed dial for almost 40 years, as she came up the ranks in iconic acts like Pixies and The Breeders. From his legendary Studio A, he zeroed in on the raw power and vociferous noise characteristic of Deal’s many seminal projects — albums like Pixies’ “Surfer Rosa,” The Breeders’ “Pod” and her 2024 solo debut “Nobody Loves You More.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | First 2025 human case of West Nile virus reported in Lake County: A county resident in their 70s became ill in early July, according to the Lake County Health Department, although the sex, location or condition of the person was not provided. Last year, six human cases were reported in Lake County. The first batch of mosquitoes testing positive for the virus in Lake County were sampled June 24 at a Southlake Mosquito Abatement District trap in Highland Park.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Mayor John Laesch to hear from community through town hall tour: The Community Listening and Action Town Hall Tour, officially announced late Monday, will be held four Saturdays in a row beginning on July 26. The workshops will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at locations across the city designed to cover each of the 10 wards, according to a city news release. “We want to give the community an opportunity to provide feedback on the state of Aurora,” Laesch said in the news release. “This listening tour will help my staff and I to better understand what our residents want to see from us and the City over the next four years.”

* Daily Herald | Making progress: Spring Hill Mall demolition ahead of schedule and sparking developers’ interest: The village, which envisions a mix of residential, retail and entertainment on the mall property, plans to seek proposals for redevelopment after demolition work is complete, Village President Chris Nelson said. “We’re still unwinding the spaghetti,” Cavallaro said. “Once we get everything clear, we’ll start.”

* Daily Herald | Prospect Heights approves land swap enabling hangars to replace hotel at Chicago Executive Airport: “The resubdivision cleans up old property lines from the days before it was Chicago Executive Airport,” Prospect Heights Building & Development Director Dan Peterson said. “It’s the first step necessary for Sky Harbour to move forward with the rest of their planning.” While nothing changes operationally for the Aviation Plaza building, the swap prevents it from being cut off from about a dozen parking spaces in the northeast corner of its lot, Peterson added.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Quad County Urban League celebrates 50 years of creating as ‘family’ and ‘game-changer’: Her photo may have been prominently displayed, along with Aurora matriarch Marie Wilkinson’s, when the Quad County Urban League celebrated its 50th anniversary at Monday’s open house, but Theodia Gillespie was determined to keep the focus of this event on others. With about 40 years working for the League – and over three decades as its president and CEO — Gillespie certainly has been at the forefront of the success of this group, which since July 14, 1975, has been advancing civil rights and empowerment through community partnerships for African-Americans and other underserved populations in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties.

* Lawndale News | Forest Preserves of Cook County Expands Conservation Corps: More than 40 youth and young adults have summer jobs this year through the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Conservation Corps programs thanks to a program expansion made possible by funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Recognized for collaborative and successful Conservation Corps programs, the Forest Preserves is the sole recipient of the newly created IDNR Youth and Young Adult Conservation Corps (YYACC) grant. Since 2005, these three Conservation Corps programs have engaged more than 3,500 people. With the $344,000 YYACC grant, this year’s offerings have been able to add crews, equipment and more. Conservation Corps programs are managed in partnership with Friends of the Forest Preserves, the Student Conservation Association and Audubon Great Lakes.

* Daily Herald | Nostalgic for bar cars? Metra may introduce ‘café cars’: Through surveys and in conversations with riders, “’we’ve heard a lot of comments about ‘when are the bar cars coming back?’” Executive Director Jim Derwinski said at a Wednesday board meeting. The new models would offer refreshments but that might not include alcohol, officials said.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Where to get water as Mattoon ‘do not drink’ order continues:: The Salvation Army Mattoon and Walmart in Mattoon are teaming up to give out free drinking water. The water distribution will take place at the Walmart at 101 Dettro Drive in the northwest corner of the parking lot, and people attending are asked to use the McDonald’s entrance and follow the signs to Lawn & Garden. At Walmart, they’re handing out cases of bottled water, gallon jugs of water and nursery water. Donations are also being accepted for The Salvation Army. The water distribution is taking place until 7 p.m. on Thursday and will also take place from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, or while supplies last.

* BND | Massage parlor prostitution ring in southern Illinois exposed, owners charged: Federal investigators allege that five massage parlors in southern Illinois and Indiana were operating as a front for prostitution. The parlor’s owners, Jianhong Hu Allbright, 57, of Shoals, Indiana, and Yalong Cao, 25, of Schaumburg, Illinois, were indicted Wednesday on conspiracy and money laundering through prostitution charges for operating five illicit massage parlors throughout southern Illinois and Indiana. The charges were filed in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

* BND | Poachers get heavy fine for spotlight hunting deer in southern Illinois: Five Mississippi men have been fined thousands and sentenced to years of probation after they used illegal hunting methods to poach deer in five southern Illinois counties, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday. Lee Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, organized deer hunts in which he and four others used motor vehicles and spotlights to locate deer, mark their location, then would go back to shoot them with a rifle, according to court records.

* WCIA | Illinois leaders gather to honor Scott Bennett, continue his legacy at admin center dedication: Among those in attendance included familiar faces like State Senator Paul Faraci, Representative Brandon Schweizer and Vermilion Advantage President Mike Marron. The ceremony officially named the Champaign County building after him on the day he would have turned 48 years old. Stacy Bennett said the purpose of the dedication is to honor Scott’s life and legacy to a community he loved very much.

* Illinois Times | An intermission for change: Temporary closure brings much-needed refresh to UIS Performing Arts Center: The Public Affairs Center building at UIS is undergoing a major plumbing replacement project that will temporarily close the UIS Studio Theatre and Sangamon Auditorium. While this may be disappointing news for the patrons who look forward to our events, it also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Because, let’s face it, after more than 40 years, Sangamon Auditorium is ready for its “second act.”

*** National ***

* Barron’s | US Firms Passing Some Cost Hikes To Consumers: Fed Survey: Many US firms passed along “at least a portion of cost increases” to consumers in recent weeks, as businesses faced higher prices linked to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday. Businesses also expect costs to remain elevated, “increasing the likelihood that consumer prices will start to rise more rapidly by late summer,” according to the central bank’s “Beige Book” survey of economic conditions.

* Crain’s | Rivian picks Atlanta for East Coast HQ as $6B Georgia plant nears: Rivian is establishing its East Coast headquarters in Atlanta later this year to support operations at its second electric vehicle plant, set to begin construction in 2026, the company said. “The office will open in late 2025, followed by further expansion in 2026 as construction accelerates at the company’s new manufacturing site in Social Circle, just outside the city,” Rivian said July 17.

* NYT | Justice Dept. Asks for 1-Day Sentence for Ex-Officer Convicted in Breonna Taylor Raid: The chief of the Justice Department’s civil rights unit has asked a federal judge to sentence a Louisville police officer convicted in the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor to one day in jail, a stunning reversal of the unit’s longstanding efforts to address racial disparities in policing. Last year, a federal jury in Kentucky convicted Brett Hankison, the officer, of one count of violating Ms. Taylor’s civil rights by using excessive force in discharging several shots through Ms. Taylor’s window during a drug raid that went awry.

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Meanwhile… In Opposite Land

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Wyoming…

On the first of this month, Wyoming residents began facing some of the nation’s harshest rules when registering to vote, and additional barriers may still be coming.

Wyoming became the second state to require that all would-be voters provide physical documentation of their citizenship to vote in any election, as conservatives step up their nationwide push for policies to bar noncitizens from voter rolls, despite a lack of evidence this is a meaningful problem. […]

The reform, House Bill 156, was adopted into law by the GOP-led legislature in March. But it is the brainchild of Secretary of State Chuck Gray, a Republican who became Wyoming’s chief election official in 2022 after campaigning on accusations that the nation’s elections are “rigged” and amplifying Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential race was stolen from him due to large numbers of noncitizens voting illegally. […]

Critics of the law stress that women will be disproportionately affected by these restrictions; they may have changed their name due to marriage since they were issued these documents. Some voters in New Hampshire in March experienced difficulties voting due to a mismatch between their married name and their birth certificate, and legal experts in relation to the SAVE Act, a federal bill that passed the U.S. House in March that would impose proof-of-citizenship laws nationwide.

* Arkansas…

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that Arkansas can enforce its ban on critical race theory in classrooms, ruling the First Amendment doesn’t give students the right to compel the state to offer its instruction in public schools.

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction issued against the ban, one of several changes adopted under an education overhaul that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed in 2023. […]

“Just as ordinary citizens cannot require the government to express a certain viewpoint or maintain a prior message, students cannot oblige the government to maintain a particular curriculum or offer certain materials in that curriculum based on the Free Speech Clause,” the judges ruled. […]

The judges said they weren’t minimizing the students’ concerns “whether in this case or in the abstract — about a government that decides to exercise its discretion over the public school curriculum by prioritizing ideological interests over educational ones.”

“But the Constitution does not give courts the power to block government action based on mere policy disagreements,” the court said.

* The Atlantic…

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spent a lot of his time as health secretary on the road. Late last month, he spoke at an event in Baton Rouge and lamented how Americans have gotten sicker and sicker over the years. “When my uncle was president, I was a 10-year-old boy—we had the healthiest children in the world,” he said, flanked by supporters in green MAHA Louisiana hats. The day before, Kennedy gave a near-identical speech in Oklahoma City, this time surrounded by people holding signs that read OK ❤️ RFK Jr. and Make Oklahoma Healthy Again.

Kennedy traveled to both states to celebrate their efforts to take up his MAHA agenda. In Oklahoma, RFK Jr. joined the signing of a pair of orders that will begin the process of pulling fluoride from the state’s water supply and blocking the purchase of soda using food stamps. In Louisiana, the health secretary was there when the state enacted a bill that forces food companies to put warnings on their products if they contain certain artificial food dyes, preservatives, or dozens of other additives. These were just two stops on a nationwide tour that has also taken RFK Jr. to several other states—including Arizona, Utah, and West Virginia—that are pushing forward with his ideas, especially on food. In some cases, Kennedy has cheered from afar: “Texas is leading the way,” he posted on X last month, after the Lone Star State passed its own MAHA-style bill similar to Louisiana’s.

Though RFK Jr. has the power to enact monumental change, much of MAHA’s actual successes at reforming the American diet haven’t come from Washington. While states pass law after law cracking down on food, Kennedy’s own biggest action to date has been relatively modest: a campaign pressuring food companies to voluntarily remove synthetic food dyes from their products. The states are out-MAHAing the MAHA king, much to his pleasure.

To some degree, RFK Jr. was always going to need help from the states. Although he has repeatedly called for a ban on purchasing soda using food stamps, the health secretary can’t make it happen without action from states such as Oklahoma. State legislators started introducing various MAHA bills right as Kennedy was being confirmed to his position. In March, Kennedy visited West Virginia when it became one of the first states to pass such a bill into law, banning seven artificial dyes from being served in schools. The laws in Louisiana and Texas are far more sweeping, among the most stringent food policies that have been passed by states in recent memory. In Texas, a range of products that include common food additives will have to specify on the package that they are “not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.” Louisiana has a similar warning-label rule, and mandates that any restaurant serving food cooked in seed oils has to display a disclaimer in the store.

* Utah…

When Utah lawmakers took away the ability of communities to fluoridate their drinking water this year, they legalized an alternative: to let Utah pharmacists sell fluoride supplements without a prescription.

Now the federal Food and Drug Administration is considering whether to ban those supplements for children — because, according to an FDA news release from May, those products could alter the beneficial microorganisms in the human gut.

However, Dr. James Bekker, a pediatric dentist from Utah, argues that the FDA’s current conclusions are based on faulty studies. What’s more, appropriate doses of ingestible fluoride are not just safe, but can provide kids with benefits they wouldn’t get through topical fluoride alone. […]

Besides taking the choice out of the hands of Utah parents, Bekker said such a ban would likely lead to other consequences: More cavities, higher overall healthcare costs and more children receiving oral care under general anesthetic in a hospital setting.

* Texas…

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is pushing Texas Republicans to redraw the state’s congressional maps to create more House seats favorable to his party, part of a broader effort to help the GOP retain control of the chamber in next year’s midterm elections.

The president’s directive signals part of the strategy Trump is likely to take to avoid a repeat of his first term, when Democrats flipped the House just two years into his presidency. It comes shortly before the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature is scheduled to begin a special session next week during which it will consider new congressional maps to further marginalize Democrats in the state. […]

Some Texas Republicans have been hesitant about redrawing the maps because there’s only so many new seats a party can grab before its incumbents are put at risk. Republicans gain new seats by relocating Democratic voters out of competitive areas and into other GOP-leaning ones, which may then turn competitive with the influx.

“There comes the point where you slice the baloney too thin and it backfires,” said Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Maybe Illinois could join in?…





* Idaho…

Idaho residents should be prepared to pay up if they’re caught with marijuana, even a small amount, after a new law mandated a minimum fine for anyone in possession of the substance. The law took effect July 1 and compels judges to implement the $300 fine on anyone with less than 3 ounces of marijuana in their possession.

While having more than 3 ounces of pot is a felony, the smaller amount falls under a more general part of Idaho drug law that classifies possession of a Schedule I drug as a misdemeanor. Judges previously had the discretion to instate any fine up to $1,000 for misdemeanor marijuana possession. They could also essentially waive the fine, aside from court costs.

That is no longer an option. […]

[Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa] said that like raising the price of a traffic ticket, the purpose of the bill is to deter recreational marijuana use, which is legal for recreational use in all but two of Idaho’s six border states — Utah, where medicinal use is legal, and Wyoming, where the drug is illegal.

* Texas…

Texas lawmakers will convene next week for a special session to consider legislation addressing the deadly floods that devastated parts of the state earlier this month — and a bill regarding which restrooms transgender Texans can use.

When Gov. Greg Abbott initially called for a special session in June, it was to tackle six bills he had vetoed during the regular session, among them a contentious measure that would have banned hemp products containing THC. But after flash floods overwhelmed parts of central Texas on July 4 — resulting in at least 120 deaths with many more still missing — the intended focus shifted to flood relief.

However, when the governor’s 18-point agenda was released last week, it included far more than flood-related measures. In addition to considering bills that would restrict hemp products, Abbott has also asked lawmakers to consider legislation “further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion” and legislation “protecting women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces.”

On Monday, the first day lawmakers were able to file bills for the special session, none of the 82 measures filed mentioned the deadly July 4 floods, according to KXAN-TV, NBC’s Austin affiliate.

  17 Comments      


Sen. DeWitte bows out of reelection

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Senator Donald DeWitte Announces He Will Not Seek Re-Election

West Dundee, Illinois— Illinois State Senator Donald P. DeWitte (R-St. Charles), a respected voice in the Illinois Legislature and a dedicated public servant for over three decades, announced today that he will not seek re-election at the conclusion of his current Senate term. Known for his steady leadership, pragmatic policymaking, and unwavering commitment to his constituents, DeWitte’s decision marks the end of a notable chapter in local and state politics.

“This has not been an easy decision,” DeWitte said. “Serving the people of the 33rd Senate District and previously as the Mayor of St. Charles have been among the greatest honors of my life. But after careful thought, heartfelt conversations with my wife, and deep reflection on what’s best for both my constituents and my own future, I have decided not to seek another term.”

DeWitte currently serves as the Minority Spokesperson for the influential Senate Revenue and Senate Transportation Committees, and also serves on the Senate Appropriations, Education, Environment & Conservation, Labor, and State Government Committees. Additionally, he serves the Senate Republican Caucus on the bipartisan and bicameral Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) and the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability (COGFA), which both require collaborative governance and consensus-building across party lines.

Upon his retirement from the Senate, DeWitte’s public service will have spanned nearly 35 years. He was first elected Alderman in the City of St. Charles in 1993, serving until 2005 before being elected Mayor, a position he held until 2013. He was then appointed to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) as Kane County’s representative until 2018, when he was appointed to the Illinois Senate. He was elected to full Senate terms in 2019 and 2023. DeWitte is also an Edgar Fellow, Class of 2019, as part of a statewide leadership development initiative that emphasizes bipartisan cooperation and ethical governance.

While serving in the Illinois Senate, DeWitte has been instrumental in advancing key legislation in areas such as transportation and infrastructure development, education reform, public safety, and working to create a stronger business environment. He has earned a reputation for working across the aisle and putting people over politics, fostering bipartisan solutions in an increasingly polarized climate.

DeWitte emphasized that his decision is not a retirement from public life, but rather a redirection of his energy. “I still believe deeply in public service, and I intend to remain active in our community and in our great state, working to support causes that strengthen our state and uplift those who need a voice.”

At this time, DeWitte says he intends to complete his current term, which expires in January of 2027.

“My priority remains serving the people who placed their trust in me. Over the next 18 months, I will continue to push forward the work we’ve started and will do my best to ensure a smooth transition to the next seat-holder.”

The petition circulation process for the 2026 election cycle begins in August of this year.

DeWitte is one of a handful of Republicans who works to be as bipartisan as he can, considering the times. He won the Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Republican in 2021…

(A) classy guy who represents the “just get it done and don’t embarrass us” attitude most of his constituents (of all political stripes) hold. His work with Sen. Villivalam on the Transportation Committee is a model for bipartisan collaboration.

* The precincts that currently make up Sen. DeWitte’s district have collectively leaned Democratic starting in 2020. Not a single statewide Republican has carried it since then, albeit in the low-to-mid single digits.

In other words, he may have had a tough race next year and the SDems are probably favored to pick up the open seat, depending on candidates, etc.

Republican Rep. Dan Ugaste and Democratic Rep. Suzanne Ness are his two House members.

  7 Comments      


SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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Pritzker says $241.8 million federal funding for Illinois schools being withheld

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Governor JB Pritzker led an effort with governors from 16 states calling upon Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to release approximately $6.8 billion that the Trump Administration is withholding from schools and students across America, including in Illinois. Governors from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin all signed onto the letter, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of the withholding.

In a new letter, the governors detailed the impact of these missed payments across the nation’s education system and urged the Department to follow the law and fulfill their basic obligation to distribute funding appropriated by Congress.

“The Trump administration is not only openly flouting the law, they are abandoning their responsibility to our students,” said Governor JB Pritzker.“This unprecedented and irresponsible withholding of lawful, bipartisan funding will force cuts to critical programs and hold back the next generation from reaching their full potential.”

Based on fiscal year 2025 grant awards, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) estimates the Trump Administration is currently withholding $241.8 million from Illinois schools, community colleges and adult education providers and students. Impacted programs include:

    • $75.6 million for Supporting Effective Instruction to support 784 local educational agencies and the mentoring of approximately 250 novice superintendents, in addition to providing more than 142,000 professional learning subscriptions for educators through the Ed Leaders Network.

    • $30.4 million for English Language Acquisition to provide direct support to 293,070 English learners in 274 districts and 56,842 eligible immigrant students in 137 districts, in addition to supporting professional development, targeted technical assistance, and program monitoring efforts for an estimated 630 districts serving approximately 335,000 English learners.

    • $56.6 million for Student Support and Academic Enrichment to increase capacity, provide access to well-rounded education, improve school conditions, and enhance technology and digital literacy in 571 local educational agencies.

    • $54.3 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers to support 118 grants for afterschool programming in public and private entities serving approximately 375 program sites.

    • $1.9 million for Migrant Education to serve approximately 1,200 eligible students who are or whose parents are migratory workers.

    • $20 million for Adult Education Basic Grants to support a continuum of education programming and services including basic literary and skills instruction, digital literacy, college and career readiness, integrated education and training, and employability skill development.

    • $3 million for Adult Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education to support English learners with skills needed for employment in high-demand industries.

Delaying the release of these funds will have significant immediate and long-term consequences for learners at all levels in every corner of the state. School leaders will be forced to make impossible budgeting decisions without these promised and legally entitled federal funds, including postponing hiring or eliminating instructional positions. Students may also lose access to summer and afterschool programs, tutoring, and language support.

Governor Pritzker has made expanding educational opportunity a priority throughout his tenure. His administration has increased funding for Illinois schools every year in office, with a total increase of more than $2.5 billion. In higher education, funding for MAP grants and scholarships has increased by more than 75% and annual funding for public universities and community colleges has grown by more than $250 million.

Discuss.

  6 Comments      


No deal, no special session: Buckner says transit talks not there yet

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Last month, House transit negotiator Rep. Kam Buckner told Crain’s he’d be open to a transit special session—if a deal can be reached.

A key legislative leader says he’s open to the idea of a special session in Springfield to work out a fix on mass transit.

“I’d be open to it,” said Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, one of the legislative leaders in the Illinois House of Representatives. “We’ve got to first come to an agreement. . . .There is nothing right now that we can pass in summer session because we haven’t worked out those hanging chads.” […]

“This is a special situation where a special session may be warranted,” Buckner said during a City Club of Chicago luncheon today. “But I want to remind folks we still have some work to do. If we called a special session next week, nothing would happen because we’re not ready.”

Rich told subscribers late last month that key negotiators, including the Speaker and Senate President, don’t see the point in returning to Springfield without a transit deal.

* Yesterday, Buckner signaled that a transit agreement still hasn’t been reached, telling Evanston Now a special session isn’t on the horizon…

One of the main legislators trying to keep Illinois mass transit from going over a fiscal cliff told an Evanston audience on Wednesday night that lawmakers have a “complete commitment” to resolving the transportation funding crisis.

Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) said that there is a sense of urgency in Springfield that “we must get this done,” but a special legislative session, at least for now, is not on the horizon. […]

However, Buckner said there’s no need for a special session as long as there is still no package ready for a vote.

Still, Bucker said he does expect an agreement to prevent mass transit from “careening” over the fiscal cliff. […]

Buckner did not say what type of revenue enhancements might end up in a transit bill. A food delivery fee which was part of a Senate plan during the last session was criticized by some as a “pizza tax.”

Thoughts?

  15 Comments      


When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

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Findings of a recent economic study were clear — the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product.

Retailers like Chris in DeKalb enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

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Catching up with the federal candidates (Updated x2)

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Raja Krishnamoorthi is out with another statewide TV ad…


* Transcript…

When I was a kid, my dad lost his income. Hard work, public housing and food stamps moved us into the middle class. That’s why in congress we built up job training and took down price gougers. But now Trump’s destroying opportunities like my family had. So every time Trump hurts working people, I fight back.

Because I’m an underdog too. I’m Raja Krishnamoorthi. Yes, the just call me Raja guy.

* Playbook…

Congressman Krishnamoorthi just announced endorsements from Cook County Democratic Party leaders including Chicago Alds. Pat Dowell (3rd), David Moore (17th) and Chris Taliaferro (29th) and some suburban committeemen, including Frank Avino of Norwood Park and Larry Dominick of Cicero, among others.

Lt. Gov. Stratton, meanwhile, has lined up support from House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and state Reps. Kelly Cassidy and Tracy Katz Muhl — all with seats at the slating table.

And Congresswoman Kelly has staked her claim, announcing support from Chicago Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), committeemen Bob Rita of Calumet Township and Vernard Alsberry of Bremen Township.

…Adding… Looks like Krishnamoorthi quietly took Dominick’s name out of a Facebook post after including his endorsement…


This might be related to Cicero paying a $675,000 settlement in a sexual harassment case involving Dominick — or Dominick calling for the death penalty. His name also came up during Sen. Emil Jones III’s bribery trial, when Omar Maani testified he paid $23,000 to attorney Michael Del Galdo to show his “appreciation” for the Cicero Town President.

* Tribune…

Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton may have the endorsement of the state’s wealthiest politician, billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker, but she finds herself at the bottom of the major Democratic U.S. Senate contenders when it comes to how much available cash she has to campaign with as the candidates approach nine months before the primary.

Stratton’s two congressional rivals, U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and Robin Kelly of Matteson, benefited from their existing federal campaign accounts and ended June with multimillions of dollars available in their bank accounts, campaign finance reports filed this week with the Federal Election Commission showed.

Stratton, Pritzker’s two-time running mate, on April 24 became the first candidate to announce she wanted to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Campaign reports covering the April-through-June second quarter of the year showed Stratton raised nearly $1.1 million, spent $417,286, and began July 1 with $666,416 in cash available. But a closer review of her fundraising shows that about $185,000 of that amount must be used for the Nov. 3 general election and is unavailable for her use in the March 17 primary. […]

Krishnamoorthi began April with nearly $19.5 million in his campaign account and raised more than $3.1 million from April through June. That left him with $21.1 million in cash available at the start of July. About $1.1 million of that total is reserved for general election spending.

* Capitol News Illinois…

[Robin Kelly] says money isn’t going to decide the race.

“They have a lot of money, but you know what, I’m just using every opportunity to tell my story and I don’t feel like I need the most money in the race to win the race because I feel like I have an excellent story to tell,” Kelly said.

Between her two campaign committees for her U.S. House seat and a new committee for her Senate bid, Kelly raised $565,775 from April 1 through June 30 and has $2 million in her campaign accounts.

Her donors include a lengthy list of corporate political action committees, many local officials in her 2nd Congressional District, and some notable names in Illinois government. They include former state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt and Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon. Gordon also contributed to Stratton’s campaign.

* Center Square…

[US Rep. Robin Kelly] said most people want a roof over their head, a job, health care, good education for their children.

“And they want to feel safe no matter where you live,” Kelly said. “I think most people want that.”

Kelly said what sets her apart from other announced Democratic candidates for the job is her ability to navigate Congress, where she’s been since 2013.

“So I’m the one that has passed federal legislation to affect urban, suburban and rural areas,” she said.

* Moving on to the 2nd Congressional District. Tribune…

Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. this week filed paperwork to create an exploratory committee for a possible run in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, the seat he held for almost 17 years before resigning amid a corruption probe.

Jackson said in a statement that “it is my intention to secure a place on the ballot” by circulating nominating petitions in the 2nd Congressional District. […]

Leading the way in fundraising so far is state Sen. Robert Peters, a South Side native who’s held a seat previously occupied by Attorney General Kwame Raoul and President Barack Obama since 2019. In the three months ending June 30, Peters raised more than $415,000, and he entered July with nearly $375,000 in his campaign account, Federal Election Commission records show.

The largest contribution to Peters, whose endorsements include U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is $10,000 from the Progressive Turnout Project, a Chicago-based political action committee. He’s also received several contributions from current and former Illinois Senate colleagues. […]

The quarterly reports for others in the race show Adal Regis, who worked in Kelly’s district office on grants, raised nearly $22,000 and had almost $15,000 on hand as of July 1; while management consultant Eric France raised more than $13,000 and had more than $1,800 on hand. Yumeka Brown, the three-term village clerk of Matteson and a commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board, had $500 in the bank at the end of June.

* Daily Herald…

As he campaigns for a seventh term, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park is dramatically outraising and outspending the political neophyte challenging him in the 2026 Democratic primary, new federal records show.

Schneider reported collecting $512,985 in campaign contributions between April 1 and June 30. On the other side of the ledger, his campaign committee spent $301,429 during those three months.

Challenger Morgan Coghill, a business owner from Mundelein, started fundraising in May and reported collecting $10,366 through June — and that figure included $5,600 in loans to the campaign from the candidate. Coghill’s campaign reportedly spent $3,022 during the quarter.

…Adding… More from Capitol News Illinois…

TV advertising has already begun in Illinois’ 2026 Democrat primary for U.S. Senate, and new fundraising numbers released Tuesday show the race is shaping up to be expensive. […]

Six Republicans have filed as candidates with the Federal Elections Commission but did not raise substantial amounts of money. They include Casey Chlebek, a former IT professional who is active in Polish-American civic groups; Douglas Bennett, who ran unsuccessfully in the 10th Congressional District in 2018; Air Force veteran John Goodman; Pamela Denise Long, an occupational therapist and former political commentator for Newsweek; former Illinois International Port District board member Cary Capparelli, and Westchester resident Panagioti Bartzis.

On the Democrat side, four other candidates have filed with the FEC: Kevin Ryan, a Marine veteran and diplomat; Christopher Swann, a program manager for Feeding America; Carmi resident Stan Leavell, and Awisi Bustos, CEO of the Illinois Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs.

Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Juliana Stratton, Christopher Swann, Kevin Ryan and Jump Shepherd are on the Cook County Democratic Party’s Friday slating schedule for Durbin’s Senate seat.

* More…

    * Evanston Now | Boarini drains, Biss pads mayor race accounts: Biss, who announced in May he’s running for Congress in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, raised over $700,000 in the first months of his campaign to succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston, federal records show. But back at home, in the three months since the April 1 municipal election that he won by a 24% margin, Biss raised another $41,376, leaving his campaign account in Evanston stacked with over $178,000 as of June 30.

  14 Comments      


Hexaware: Your Globally Local IT Services Partner

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

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Open thread

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Johnny Cash & Johnny Rodriguez cover a 1948 Woody Guthrie composition…

Some of us are illegal, and others not wanted,
Our work contract’s out and we have to move on;
Six hundred miles to the Mexican border,
They chase us like rustlers, like outlaws, like thieves.

Tell us what’s going on by you.

  5 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing (Updated)

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: More than 900 people now say they were abused at Illinois youth prisons. Sun-Times…

    - A new batch of complaints filed Tuesday include 107 new cases of alleged sexual abuse at Illinois Youth Centers and the Cook County juvenile jail.
    - Attorney Jerome Block said his clients deserve compensation, though there is “no amount of money that can fully make these survivors whole.”
    - In a statement, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice said it is aware of the recently filed lawsuits and cannot comment on active litigation.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* LSR | BetMGM, Hard Rock Bet Set IL Sports Betting Minimums: Starting Wednesday, BetMGM requires all Illinois sports betting customers to stake at least $2.50 on all wager types, including straight bets, parlays, Same Game Parlays, round robins, and bonus bets. BetMGM notified customers of the change earlier this week. Hard Rock Bet implemented a similar policy, requiring a $2 bet minimum that similarly applies to all bet types.

* Sun-Times | Governor JB Pritzker pens letter urging President Trump’s education secretary to unfreeze $6.8B in grants: Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday joined 13 Democratic governors in demanding that Education Secretary Linda McMahon release $6.8 billion in education grants that are being withheld by the Trump administration. The letter to McMahon comes just days after 24 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration over the funding freeze in education grants for K-12 schools and adult education. States were notified that the grants were being withheld on June 30 — and more than 100 House Democrats also wrote a letter to McMahon last week, pressing for her to “follow the law” and release the funds ahead of the new school year.

* Press Release | AG Raoul sues Trump Administration for unlawfully ending disaster mitigation program: Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its attempt to illegally shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters before they strike. For the past 30 years, the BRIC program has provided communities across the nation with resources to fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters. By focusing on preparation, the program has protected property, saved money that would have otherwise been spent on post-disaster costs, reduced injuries and saved lives.

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | IDFPR launches 24 additional license types to new licensing system: The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has announced that 24 additional professions can now obtain licensure through the Department’s newly launched online licensing system, known as CORE (Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment).
This announcement signifies the successful conclusion of Phase 2.3 of CORE, with the final segment of Phase 2 expected to wrap up this summer.

* Press Release | Democratic County Chairs’ announce Party Builder honorees: Today, the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association (IDCCA) announced the remaining members of the Class of 2025 Party Builder Award honorees to be honored at the 2025 Annual County Chairs’ Brunch on Wednesday, August 13th at the BOS Center in Springfield. The Party Builder Award was established eight years ago to thank those who have shown exceptional dedication to strengthening the Democratic Party. The newest Party Builder Award honorees are Terry Redman, Chair of the DeWitt County Democratic Party, the Vice President of the IDCCA, and the State Central Committeeman for the 15th Congressional District, and the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL) Training Academy, an organization that prepares and trains Democratic, pro-choice women to run for elected office, seek public appointments, and govern at all levels in Illinois.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois leaders blast State Farm as it hikes home insurance rates: The Illinois Department of Insurance has the power to sue insurance companies over rate hikes once they’re in effect. But state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park, said that process could take a couple of years. He introduced a bill this year that would require insurance companies to get prior approval from the state insurance department for any rate increases of 5% or more, with a 30-day public comment period following a proposed rate increase of more than 10%. Hastings’ bill would have also capped rate hikes at 15% per year, unless the insurer could provide evidence of increased claims due to natural disasters. The proposal went nowhere.

* Civic leaders | Gov. JB Pritzker should veto bitter pension sweetener for Chicago: But now, the bill on its way to Pritzker’s desk would undo much of that work, making the city less affordable, putting its credit rating at risk and shifting the cost to future generations. Illinois politicians have been doing this to the city for decades, and we are hopeful that our governor will end this fiscally irresponsible practice. At a minimum, we should have an honest assessment of the short- and long-term costs and consequences.

* CNI | Comptroller Mendoza won’t run for reelection, opening up statewide office: While she didn’t commit to a run, she said she is “leaving the door open.” Several U.S. House seats are up for grabs, along with Illinois’ first open U.S. Senate seat since 2010. But when asked whether she was interested in a position in Congress, Mendoza laughed. “No thank you,” she quickly said Thursday, before moving on to questions about a potential mayoral bid.

* Others eyeing Mendoza’s seat are Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and Rep. Margaret Croke…


…Adding… Sen. Karina Villa is on tomorrow’s Cook County Democratic Party slating schedule for Comptroller.

* Yesterday, Mendoza left the door open to a Chicago mayoral bid…


*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | City Council adjourns for summer recess after approving ethics reform, but without authorizing ‘granny flats’: The City Council adjourned for the summer Wednesday after approving another round of ethics reforms and $35.2 million more in police abuse settlements, but punting on the thorny issue of whether to authorize “granny flats” citywide. Before heading off for the annual August recess, alderpersons also gave a royal send-off to retiring Zoning Committee Chair Walter Burnett (27th). If there was a vote for Mr. Congeniality, Burnett would win it hands-down. He is, by far, the Council’s most popular member.

* Crain’s | As Burnett exits City Council, Johnson’s in a bind to find a new Zoning chair: Johnson turned to Burnett last summer only after the post had been vacant for 10 months following Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, stepping down after apologizing for briefly physically blocking a colleague from entering the City Council chamber during a heated meeting. The normally routine elevation of a mayoral ally to a leadership position vexed the mayor’s office as it couldn’t round up the votes for the mayor’s desired pick, despite Johnson personally making calls on behalf of combative progressive ally, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th.

* Tribune | ComEd’s $10M relief fund running out after 60,000 customers apply in first week: “Based on the high demand seen, we anticipate the fund will soon close, and ComEd will make an announcement once funds are fully exhausted,” ComEd spokesperson Lauren Huffman said Wednesday. Exelon, the utility’s Chicago-based parent company, is donating the relief money for the fund, which is being administered through Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and The Salvation Army. The application process began July 7 and the agencies are sorting through thousands of customer requests seeking a share of the $10 million, Huffman said.

* WBEZ | Mom sues CPS over alleged ‘extreme acts’ of racist bullying and sexual misconduct against daughter: The lawsuit is seeking monetary damages of at least $50,000 for the young girl, who expressed suicidal thoughts in the wake of the bullying. Sher’Ron Hinton, the girl’s mother, and her attorneys say they also want CPS to agree to systemic reforms, including the creation of an office to address bullying. A CPS spokesperson said officials do not comment on pending litigation, but noted that the district “is committed to the safety and well-being of our students.”

* Crain’s | Frederick Ford, who broke barriers as Union League Club’s first Black president, dies at 98: The beloved accountant was a pioneer among minority communities as the first Black member and first Black president of the prestigious Union League Club of Chicago, and a champion of its admittance of women. Originally from Missouri, Ford climbed up the ranks as an accountant in Chicago to become executive vice president and chief financial officer at Draper & Kramer, a real estate development and financial services firm, breaking the industry’s color barriers years before the civil rights movement took hold.

* Block Club | Artis Restaurant And Lounge Closes For Good After River North Mass Shooting: Owners Brandi Artis and Brittany Artis announced the closure Tuesday afternoon in a social media post. Their decision follows Ald. Brendan Reilly’s (42nd) call for the restaurant to be permanently shut down in the wake of the shooting. “Our curated space of love and acceptance was threatened by a senseless act of hate … We will continue to grow through the pain and find ways to heal, together,” the owners wrote in their statement.

* AP | Puppies rescued from flood-stricken Texas arrive at Chicago shelter: Nine puppies from parts of Texas submerged by catastrophic flooding that killed at least 132 people arrived Wednesday at the no-kill shelter PAWS Chicago, joining dozens of puppies that had already arrived. The critters landed by plane at Waukesha Airport in Wisconsin then made a three-hour journey by van to Chicago.

* WGN | Ryne Sandberg shares health update amid cancer battle: Beloved Chicago Cub and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg took to social media Wednesday to share an update on his health. Sandberg, 65, announced in December his prostate cancer has relapsed and spread. He shared the following update with fans on Instagram Wednesday.

* Tribune | Chicago Sky players voice solidarity as WNBA and union brace for a potential work stoppage in November: “There’s so much at stake right now,” Sky forward Michaela Onyenwere said. “We need to put pressure on the league. If that means sitting out, we’re ready for it. It’s empowering in the way that we have a voice to make a change in our league.” The current CBA is set to expire Oct. 31. If the league and players don’t reach an agreement by then, a work stoppage could begin.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Naperville may increase local sales tax to offset grocery tax repeal: Naperville officials are leaning toward a home rule sales tax increase to help offset the loss of revenue from the elimination of a statewide grocery sales tax. City council members on Tuesday voted 5-4 on a first reading of an ordinance for a 0.25% increase to the home rule sales tax with a two-year sunset clause. A final vote on the matter is expected in August.

* Shaw Local | Woodstock sales tax hike wins City Council approval: After a public hearing on the tax increase – which is allowed without voter approval because of the city’s home-rule status – the Woodstock City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the additional sales tax, as well as an upcoming bond sale to pay for part of the $9.3 million renovation. The change will bring the total sales tax rate that shoppers in Woodstock will pay to 8.5% when the increase in the local tax goes into effect Jan. 1.

* Shaw Local | Will County agrees to $85,000 settlement in lawsuit claiming violation of sanctuary laws: Will County reached an $85,000 settlement in a federal lawsuit claiming that county law enforcement violated sanctuary laws with the detention of an immigrant who was the key witness of a reckless homicide. The 2023 lawsuit filed by Norberto Salvador Navarro was dismissed in March in response to the settlement.

* Daily Southtown | Orland Park hits snag in replacing lead water lines; homeowners say no: Officials are trying to find a work-around that doesn’t involve going to court to force the homeowners to go along. For now it isn’t a big deal. Although the village has to report its progress in eliminating the lines, it could face fines come 2027 if it doesn’t reach the goal, according to Public Works Director Joel Van Essen. Trustees recently discussed options, including trying to convince the four recalcitrant property owners to share in the cost of replacing the lines. The village said it is expecting the per-home cost to replace the lines at $10,000 to $15,000, but is saying the total cost could be as much as $80,000 for the four homes.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to consider reorganization of various city divisions: Laesch told The Beacon-News in an interview earlier this month that the changes were made based on “common sense,” efficiency of operations and his own priorities as mayor. In Aurora City Council committee meetings, he has said the changes were made after talking with city staff. Likely the largest of the proposed changes is that the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs will no longer exist. The three divisions previously under that department will be spread out across the city: equity and engagement will each be made into their own sub-department under the control of the Mayor’s Office, while special events will be taken over by the communications department.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | ‘Lack of trust’; Mattoon community powering through second ‘do not drink’ order: Community members said while they know the city is working to combat this issue, they could also work on communication. Genna McCaslin said she and others who live slightly outside the city have gotten some emergency alerts to their phones, but not consistently.

* WCIA | Dozens still living in condemned apartment complex in Champaign: The 29 buildings at the Champaign Park apartments were all condemned in June, after years of neglect from an out-of-town landlord. “We think there’s 100 people here,” Danielle Chynoweth, supervisor of Cunningham Township, said. “Just standing here I’ve seen over a dozen people in the few minutes I’ve stood here.”

* Telegraph | SRO crowd complains about water at Bethalto Village Board meeting: Many brought bottles of brown water taken from their taps, while others brought articles of clothing damaged or ruined by the water. Others brought photographs and told stories about their added expenses for bottled water or filters, concerns about potential effects of drinking the discolored water or other health issues. While some talked about moving out of the village, others demanded that they be reimbursed for extra expenses, and suggested the village provide bottled water for them to drink.

* WTVO | Belvidere votes against 1% grocery tax. How much could you save?: The Belvidere City Council unanimously voted to drop the 1% grocery tax in 2026. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law eliminating the grocery tax in Illinois, leaving it up to local municipalities to choose to continue it after January 1st, 2026. “The city of Belvidere is going to do just fine without it,” said Mayor Clint Morris. “And, you know, I think it’s the right thing to do.”

* WAND | Lucky Horseshoes, Springfield Park District still at odds over stadium dispute: The Springfield Lucky Horseshoes and the Springfield Park District continue to battle over what to do with Robin Roberts Stadium, the home of the ‘Shoes. The stadium is controlled by the Park District, but the team wants it to be transferred to a non-profit organization called “Friends of Robin Roberts Stadium,” which is controlled by the team, citing a lack of upgrades and repairs.

* WTVO | Oregon school district releases strict discipline guidelines for cellphone ban policy: The Oregon School District announced this week that it would be partnering with the company Yondr for lockable pouches for students to stow their cellphones during classes. “Beginning August 13th, we will launch the Yondr Phone-Free Schools Program – a proven, bell-to-bell approach that supports student focus, well-being, and connection by removing mobile phone distractions during the school day,” Principal Jen Speakes said in a letter to parents.

* WQAD | Carl Sandburg College building new agriculture incubator thanks to $1.8M grant: The State of Illinois has awarded $7 million to four colleges around the state to enhance tech incubator programs. Locally, Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg received $1.8 million in funding and will use the money to renovate a new agriculture incubator for students. The Sandburg Annex building, located in downtown Galesburg, was once used to host Sandberg’s dental hygiene program. In the next year, the space will be a beacon of mentoring and business development for anyone interested in agriculture.

* WTVO | Rockford gets a pro soccer franchise in MLIS: A couple local men want to take soccer in Rockford to another level, the professional level. Starting this coming winter, Rockford will have a men’s pro team in Major League Indoor Soccer. Fernando Rodriguez, a life-long Rockford resident and Raul Sanchez, a native of Cuba who played soccer for East High School have been a part of the Rockford soccer scene for many years as players, instructors and running youth teams. Recently, they were awarded an expansion franchise in Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS). It’s called the Rockford Thunder.

*** National ***

* AP | Senate passes $9 billion in spending cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid requested by Trump: The legislation, which now moves to the House, would have a tiny impact on the nation’s rising debt but could have major ramifications for the targeted spending, from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to U.S. food aid programs abroad. It also could complicate efforts to pass additional spending bills this year, as Democrats and even some Republicans have argued they are ceding congressional spending powers to Trump with little idea of how the White House Office of Management and Budget would apply the cuts.

* BBC | The atomic bomb marker inside your body: One of the earliest uses of the bomb spike was to assist crime investigators seeking to identify the age of unidentified human remains. Forensic scientists have found that they can measure bomb carbon-14 in teeth, bones, hair or even the lens of the eye to help them estimate how old a person was, or when they died, according to Eden Centaine Johnstone-Belford of Monash University and Soren Blau of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Australia. In a 2019 review, Centaine Johnstone-Belford and Blau cite multiple examples where the bomb spike has informed police enquiries. For example, in 2010 investigators used it to confirm a body found in a northern Italian lake had been dumped there by the killer the previous year.

* The Atlantic | The States Are Going Full RFK Jr.: Though RFK Jr. has the power to enact monumental change, much of MAHA’s actual successes at reforming the American diet haven’t come from Washington. While states pass law after law cracking down on food, Kennedy’s own biggest action to date has been relatively modest: a campaign pressuring food companies to voluntarily remove synthetic food dyes from their products. The states are out-MAHAing the MAHA king, much to his pleasure.

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