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Source: Darren Bailey has decided to announce for governor
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * A source close to 2022 Republican gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey just called to say that Bailey will indeed run for governor again in the coming 2026 election. The source said that Bailey’s running mate will be Aaron del Mar. A more formal unveiling will take place next week, I was told.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
Ed Yohnka, communications director for the ACLU of Illinois…
Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill…
* Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton…
* Tribune | Black McDonald’s operators detail history of alleged racial discrimination in lawsuit: Bonner was the owner-operator of six McDonald’s stores in Illinois and the St. Louis region. But he left the chain after enduring numerous alleged racist actions from McDonald’s that he says impeded his opportunity for entrepreneurial growth and generational wealth. “Those Golden Arches … you have the belief that at some point this is going to go the way you were promised it would go,” he said. “The day you get the keys, it becomes an us and them mentality, corporate versus the people who run the store.” * WSIL | West Nile spreads in Illinois with 42 human cases and in 66 counties: The Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed the presence of the West Nile virus in 42 human cases across 66 counties this year in Illinois. Pulaski County recently reported a confirmed case of the virus on September 5. […] In 2024, there were 69 human cases of West Nile virus, with the virus found in 72 counties. * WAND | Illinois law will improve access to hypodermic needles, syringes January 1: The law will require pharmacies to sell sterile syringes and needles to patients with prescriptions if they are in stock. Sponsors said pharmacists will be able to use their professional judgement to sell the equipment to any customer for proper administration of medications. This plan was filed after a constituent was unable to receive the equipment from their pharmacist. “This legislation is necessary for those who are looking to access syringes or needles and are not able to access them through venues they would normally go to that are not pharmacies,” said Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago). “We did something similar a couple years ago when we passed legislation to make PrEP and PEP access available through pharmacies under a standing order.” * Center Square | GOP AG candidate: IL’s triplex of Democrat statewide offices ‘fails the people’: Joe Cervantez said after serving in the Marines, he decided to stay in southern Illinois and became a lawyer. Eventually, he was elected Jackson County state’s attorney in 2020. Running for attorney general made sense, he said. “I really can see now in retrospect the evolution of my career starting off as an assistant state’s attorney and seeing things that definitely could be improved,” Cervantez told The Center Square. * Crain’s | Burnett appointment delayed further as feds say CHA must seek waivers: The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development has told CHA leadership Burnett requires at least two waivers to lead the $1.3 billion agency that has been without a full-time CEO for nearly a year, according to a letter obtained by Crain’s, a process that could take months with an uncertain outcome. “Our office requests that the CHA take no action on the appointment of former Ald. Burnett until the CHA submits” the two waiver requests and until HUD has “formally approved them,” William O. Dawson III, HUD’s regional director, said in the letter dated Sept. 5. * Tribune | British woman caught at O’Hare with $6.2M in cocaine sentenced to 6 years after allegedly seeking deportation: Whether on purpose or by accident, Hall was taken by federal agents to a facility in Indiana and ticketed for an airline flight before prosecutors realized what happened. They were notified when the Cook County sheriff’s office received back her electronic monitoring band, according to court records. * WTTW | Cost to Settle, Defend Lawsuits Accusing CPD Officers of Misconduct During 2020 Unrest Tops $10.8M: Analysis: Chicago taxpayers paid $6.3 million to settle 54 lawsuits identified by WTTW News that were filed by Chicagoans who said they were the victims of misconduct by CPD officers during the protests and unrest, according to records from the Chicago Department of Law. An additional $4.5 million went to pay private lawyers to defend the conduct of CPD officers from late May until mid-August 2020, one of the most tumultuous periods in Chicago history, according to records obtained by WTTW News through a Freedom of Information Act request. * Block Club | Bob Newhart Gets A Block Named After Him In Edgewater: About 200 neighbors, friends and Newhart’s family gathered Friday to celebrate the honorary sign’s unveiling outside the Thorndale Beach North Condominium, 5901 N. Sheridan Road, known best from the opening sequence of “The Bob Newhart Show.” In it, Newhart’s character takes a long and convoluted commute, during which he crosses multiple Downtown bridges in opposite directions before heading to Evanston. He then gets off the “L” before apparently walking more than 6 miles to Edgewater. * Block Club | Meet The Bike-Riding ‘Pint Peddler’ Bringing Homebrews To The People: Avid cyclists and local Instagrammers may already know Miller by her distinctive ride: a blue bicycle — more like a large tricycle — carrying a huge, black metal box on its back wheels. The box houses two taps with four kegs, a boom box blasting Miller’s favorite tunes and an orange neon sign that reads “Drinkers with a cycling problem.” Another colorful sign proclaims, “PINTS TO THE PEOPLE.” Miller, 29, often passes out free pints at Critical Mass and other Chicago festivities as a way to share her love of homebrewing and make the events a little more unique. * Fox Chicago | Chicago suburb alerts residents to possible ICE activity as Trump admin ramps up enforcement: The City of Evanston is warning residents that federal immigration agents may be present in the community in the coming days, following signals from the Trump administration about ramped-up enforcement in the Chicago area. Late this weekend, city officials said they were informed about the likelihood of ICE activity in Evanston. The city encouraged residents to report sightings of federal agents to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hotline at 855-435-7693 or icirr.org. * Lake County News-Sun | A Lake County veteran asked people on social media to join her protesting outside Naval Station Great Lakes. Roughy 600 people showed up.: Hundreds of people stood with signs at the corner of Illinois Route 137 and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive expressing their opposition to the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement plans. Both the Indivisible Northeast Lake County and Party for Socialism and Liberation learned about the event and got people there. After more than an hour of demonstrating along Highway 137, the group heard impromptu speeches from a variety of people. After listening, Alvarez said, they crossed the highway, walked to Sheridan Road outside the main gate of the base. * Naperville Sun | Naperville 7 Brew ends special ‘Jackpot’ deals to curb traffic issues: “We get the finger. We get yelled at. We get profanities because we’re just trying to get in and out,” said Collins, who works at the Naperville Acupuncture Center. “That’s very stressful to come to work and say, ‘Oh, am I going to be able to get in today or not, or leave today or not?’” Since opening in October 2024, the drive-thru-only franchise off Ogden Avenue has drawn customers from all over the Chicago area. Nearly half of all customers who visit the Naperville location travel anywhere between 10 to 30 miles for the coffee, according to Laura Karet, whose 7 Brew franchise territories are in the Chicago and Nashville markets. * Shaw Local | Oglesby man to be extradited to Minnesota for threats: Caden J. Sluder, 22, was picked up Friday on a warrant and taken to La Salle County Jail, where he’ll remain pending transfer to Minnesota. Monday, he appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court and told the judge he won’t fight efforts to remand him to Ramsey County, Minnesota. What did he allegedly do? According to a Minnesota TV station, he made social media posts threatening Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. “Authorities say Sluder was posting with the username lfoke85949 and had responded to two posts that Lt. Gov. Flanagan made about the (Annunciation School) shooting,” according to a report from KMSP. “Flanagan’s posts mourned the loss of life in the shooting and thanked first responders dealing with the tragedy.” * WGIL | 8 apply for Galesburg’s Ward 1 City Council vacancy. Here’s what is next: Schwartzman expressed satisfaction with the applicant pool, telling WGIL, “I was actually [satisfied] with the number, diversity and the quality.” He noted this is the largest and most diverse group he’s encountered in his three appointments, saying, “This is definitely the largest and most diverse contingent to apply.” The mayor said the field includes two men and six women, four candidates of color, and an age range he estimates from late 20s to mid-70s. He pointed out that the candidates bring a variety of professional backgrounds, including academic roles, food industry experience, and other local employment. * WMBD | Peoria City Council to vote on $11M amphitheater proposal: At their meeting Tuesday, council members will vote whether to accept a “letter of intent” by the foundation to build the 5,000-seat facility on Peoria’s riverfront. Approving the proposal would mean the council would accept the money given by the foundation and what their vision of the outdoor venue would be. This proposal, was rerouted to the city after the Washington City Council decided earlier this year that the foundation’s proposal it wasn’t for their city. * WCIA | Decatur’s Faries Parkway to close nightly for construction, beginning Monday: The City of Decatur announced that bridge work will cause overnight closures of Faries Parkway at Brush College Road — but, the road will remain open during the daytime. The jughandle road will also remain open. Faries Parkway will close from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night. The road is expected to close each night until 5 a.m. on Sept. 19. * Capitol City Now | Springfield students win ‘Governor’s Hometown Award’ for special service project: Lincoln Magnet School‘s Beta Club, with help from the city, recently won the Governor’s Hometown Award for a project called “Fishing Tales and Bytes of Wisdom.” It was a project that started simple enough. “When we all started, we just liked to fish together,” said Ian Presnell, student. “We wanted to find a way to connect the older and younger generations. We just started by going to nursing homes and talking to the older generations about our catches our catches while fishing, and they’d talk about theirs. Then, eventually, it expanded into something bigger, where we’d go and talk about how to stop digital scams, and teach them something from us, the younger generation, who’s more acquainted with the tech.” * 404 Media | ICE Spends Millions on Clearview AI Facial Recognition to Find People ‘Assaulting’ Officers: The records are unusual in that they indicate ICE is buying the technology to identify people who might clash with the agency’s officers as they continue the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts. Authorities have repeatedly claimed members of the public have assaulted or otherwise attacked ICE or other immigration enforcement officers, only later for charges to be dropped or lowered when it emerged authorities misrepresented what happened or brutally assaulted protesters themselves. In other cases, prosecutions are ongoing. * NYT | The Supreme Court lifts court-imposed restrictions on Los Angeles immigration stops: The Supreme Court on Monday lifted a federal judge’s order prohibiting government agents from making indiscriminate immigration-related stops in the Los Angeles area that challengers called “blatant racial profiling.” The court’s brief order was unsigned and gave no reasons. It is not the last word in the case, which is pending before a federal appeals court and may again reach the justices. * AP | Wisconsin legislative feud erupts in public with lawmaker accused of threatening fellow legislators: Wisconsin Democrats are accusing one of their own of threatening to kill three of her colleagues, an allegation that the lawmaker has told local media stems from “poorly worded hyperbole.” Democratic leaders said in a statement Saturday that state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez made a comment about shooting three caucus members with whom she’d had disagreements. The statement followed one Thursday announcing that Ortiz-Velez was leaving the Democratic caucus.
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Tribune editorial board uses memory of crime victim to make a faulty both-sides argument
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for the background. WCIA in May…
Shafer’s family members released this statement after Noem’s speech…
The Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, Springfield Police Department and the U.S. Marshal’s Service jointly announced late last month that Calixto was apprehended in Mexico. * Today, the Tribune Editorial Board used Emma Shafer’s memory to take a weird swipe at the governor…
* Here is the governor during a press conference last week…
* Pritzker met with members from community violence intervention organizations last week. Press release…
* August 29…
* August 28…
* August 27… Pritzker: I want to point out the state of Illinois is 19th best among the 50 states in terms of violent crime. In other words, we’re in the best half of all the states in terms of violent crime. We’ve been working very hard to make that happen, and the city of Chicago isn’t even in the top 25 major cities with high crime rates, because we’ve worked to bring it down, we got more work to do. Every death is a tragedy. Every crime that’s committed is a tragedy, and we need to protect our families and help the victims of violent crime, but Donald Trump has defunded the programs that would help us most to make sure that we’re interrupting violence and also providing the kind of coordination between federal law enforcement and state law enforcement the resources that are necessary for doing that. That’s a real shame, and it’s Donald Trump that is defunding the police. It is not the state of Illinois. It’s not the city of Chicago. It’s Donald Trump doing that. * August 23…
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Today’s quotable
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rockford’s WTVO…
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Two takes on Wheaton
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Daily Herald…
* Illinois Republican State Central Committeeperson Jeanne Ives, who lives in Wheaton…
Ms. Ives is widely rumored to be on the short-list of potential running mates for Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski.
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Two more Republican-filed Enrolled Bill Doctrine lawsuits fail
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Findings of a recent economic study are 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 Alejandro Urzagaste in Wilmette enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: States move to protect vaccines in the face of attempts to remove mandates. AP…
- The [Illinois] state health department said it plans to issue specific guidance by the end of September that will help health care providers and residents make informed decisions about vaccinations. The health director said the department will consult with medical experts. - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said roughly 4 million deaths are prevented annually worldwide by childhood vaccinations. * Related stories… * Daily Herald | ‘A very large gap for us to fill’: Pantries struggle to meet surging demand amid federal cuts to food banks: As its member pantries face persistently high demand, the Northern Illinois Food Bank is raising funds through an emergency initiative to help offset federal cuts. The Geneva-based food bank has seen a 30% decrease in federal support — in the form of food and funding — translating to a $3 million to $4 million gap. In the fiscal year that ended in June, the food bank received 4.4 million meals through federal programs that have either been discontinued or cut by the USDA. * Daily Herald | Antioch mayor mulling GOP run for governor: Antioch Mayor Scott Gartner announced Sunday he is considering running for Illinois governor as a Republican in 2026, adding that he expects a final decision by the end of the month. “If I can gather 10,000 signatures and raise $500,000 by then, I’m all in,” Gartner wrote in a Facebook post addressed “To my Antioch family.” “I’m not a millionaire or billionaire — but maybe that’s exactly what we need: someone who understands the struggles of everyday people and isn’t beholden to special interests,” he added. * WAND | Illinois will ban fraudulent restaurant reservations Jan. 1: The bipartisan plan will ban third-party reservation companies from listing, advertising, promoting, or selling reservations without written agreements with restaurants. Any person who violates the ban could face a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for each violation. Customers will also have the ability to sue companies for listing fraudulent reservations online. * Sun-Times | State Sen. Napoleon Harris reimburses his campaign fund more than $23k over questionable expenses: State Sen. Napoleon Harris recently cut his main campaign fund a check for $23,459.30, reimbursing the political account for what appeared to be a series of personal expenses that stretched, if not breached, the bounds of what’s allowable under election law. […] That total cited by Odelson in the email amounted to just over $20,000, and he declined to explain the difference between that amount and what ended up being reimbursed on or about Aug. 27. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new speed cameras see big early revenue as aldermen tout safety impact: Drivers ticketed for speeding there on June 1 — the first day the camera went online — have so far paid the city more than $60,000, in increments of $35 and $100. It’s a drop in the municipal bucket for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s citywide camera expansion meant to help him balance this year’s budget. But if early returns are any indication, speeding tickets from the new cameras are quickly hurtling toward the $11.4 million benchmark Johnson counted on for 2025. As the first batch of new cameras went live in June, the city issued more tickets than it has in any other month in nearly three years, a Tribune analysis showed. * WBEZ | CPS says no to virtual learning as ICE immigration enforcement ramps up: “In-person instruction continues to provide the strongest foundation for learning,” school district officials said in a statement. However, they added that they are monitoring the situation and will reassess if necessary. * Tribune | Chicago deploys salt trucks as safety precaution at protest and Taste of Chicago: President Donald Trump has signaled that he may authorize the use of military assets, specifically the National Guard, as part of a stepped-up operation by federal agencies under the Department of Homeland Security, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, anticipated to begin as soon as this weekend. But as of Sunday afternoon, there was no evidence of widespread ICE activity. The spokesperson said the trucks were present at an anti-Trump protest that drew thousands downtown and the three-day food festival in Grant Park. * Sun-Times | No, Chicago salt trucks are not being used to interfere with ICE: The department “deployed salt trucks to support public safety efforts related to a planned protest and the Taste of Chicago. This is a routine practice,” a spokesperson said. Videos of the salt trucks lining Grant Park popped up on social media over the weekend. Several claimed that Mayor Brandon Johnson deployed the trucks to form a roadblock and interfere with ICE operations. The posts also erroneously say the trucks were slowly moving on I-294, I-94 and the Edens Expressway and occupying all lanes into the city. * Hyper Allergic | A Chicago Artist-Run Gallery’s Last Hurrah Before Forced Closure: The property housed 30 apartments full of tenants, many on social security, plenty of whom had lived there for over a decade. Downstairs were three beloved, creative, intergenerational community spaces: Archie’s Café, Edge Art, and Roman Susan. A protest was held by residents, neighbors, supporters, and elected officials, including Illinois state senator Mike Simmons and 49th Ward alderwoman Maria Hadden. Roman Susan, with the longest lease, advocated for its neighbors to be able to stay at least until they themselves were forced to clear out. The university cannot even develop the site anytime soon, due to future renovations of the adjacent Red Line El station. * Sun-Times | As Sundays on State returns, businesses say street festivals are a welcome boost: “The goals of Sundays on State is to accelerate the Loop economy, but also unite the community and provide opportunities to businesses that may not typically have this chance,” Gibson said. More than 90% of street activations will be operated by underrepresented businesses, including 74% women-owned ventures, 31% minority-owned companies and 11% that are LGBTQ+-owned. * WBEZ | Yoko Ono, Theaster Gates, Bob Faust and more dominate Chicago’s busy must-see art calendar for fall: Myriad facets of this cultural dynamo will be open for exploration in “Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind,” a touring exhibition on view Oct. 18–Feb. 22, 2026, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave. The MCA is the show’s only U.S. venue. This large-scale retrospective — organized by the Tate Modern in London, where it drew record crowds — features more than 200 objects, including a cross-section of Ono’s installations and physical artworks. And while “Music of the Mind” is sure to dominate the Chicago art world’s attention this fall, there are plenty of other notable exhibitions worth visiting. Here are 10 others. * Tribune | As other NFL teams build new stadiums, the Bears will soon release plans for a new dome in Arlington Heights: Bears President Kevin Warren and other officials are meeting regularly to refine their plan with Arlington Heights village officials. Sometime in September, October or November, the team will make a public presentation and answer questions about the 326-acre site, according to Arlington Heights Mayor Jim Tinaglia. Then the village planning, design and housing commissions will review the proposal before it goes to a Village Board vote. The whole process could take a few months. * Tribune | Records show the VA failed to treat a Plainfield father’s common infection. Now he’s paying the price.: And now they’re left to wonder: How could something like this have happened? How could personnel they trusted at the VA miss something so obvious? The weeks that changed everything are detailed in their lawsuit, and supported by medical records and documentation they shared with the Tribune. It all began on July 21, 2023, when Walker was admitted to Hines after suffering from fatigue, a cough and a swollen leg. Records show a blood test detected the presence of Streptococcus mutans, a common bacterial infection, and the next day the lab reported the discovery to Walker’s doctor. The diagnosis, though, never made it to Walker or his wife. * Tribune | Study finds Kaegi has improved fairness in Cook County property assessments: Berry, director of the U. of C.’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, acknowledged taxpayers might be skeptical of the findings. “How can Kaegi be making assessments more fair, when my tax bill is going up?” Berry said in an interview with the Tribune. Homeowners were unlikely to feel the difference because property tax levies set by local governments each year have continued to rise, he noted. The city of Chicago’s levy has gone up by 19% since 2018. The Chicago Public Schools levy has gone up by 24%. Even so, “the important thing is the assessments don’t determine whether tax bills are going up or down on average, just how it’s spread amongst properties,” Berry said. * Daily Herald | Geneva group’s plan to host Jan. 6 organizer draws pickets, protests: The conservative Three Headed Eagle Alliance’s Sept. 23 gathering at Eagle Brook Country Club was scheduled to feature Rhodes, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection with Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and sentenced to 18 years in prison, as its guest speaker. However, the Three Headed Eagle’s website now states the venue for Rhodes’ appearance has been changed and will be announced closer to the date. Rhodes was released from prison in January after President Donald Trump commuted his sentence, amid a flurry of pardons and clemencies granted to those convicted in the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora looks to recreate downtown organization: The former organization, known as Aurora Downtown, used to manage funds generated by a special tax applied to property within the downtown area, or more specifically within Special Service Area Number One. Using those funds, the organization worked to support property owners and businesses, plus develop new businesses, within downtown through things like marketing, improvements, events and more. Last year, that organization’s board voted to combine with three others — the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, Invest Aurora and the Quad County African American Chamber of Commerce — to become the Aurora Regional Economic Alliance. The idea was to bring these separate economic organizations under one umbrella to combine their efforts and cut out repeat functions. * Naperville Sun | Naperville to extend food and textile recycling programs following success: “These programs are really a response to what our residents are asking for,” said Ben Mjolsness, Naperville’s sustainability manager. “We’ve heard, ‘What can I do with clothing? What can I do with sheets? What can I do with towels? I don’t want to throw them away and have them be buried forever.’” With the textile program, residents stay in their vehicle while staff unload items, per the city’s website. Since launching in late spring, it’s seen an average of 12 to 15 cars a day drop off unwanted items, “resulting in more than 26,800 pounds of material diverted from landfills,” according to the memo submitted to the city manager’s office. * Daily Herald | Billions for a Route 120 bypass in Lake County? Some residents warn it’s a pricey ‘pie in the sky’: “It’s over $2 billion and no one is going to finance it,” said Bill Morris, a former Grayslake mayor and state senator, who warns the “pie in the sky” bypass could take years to build. The Illinois Department of Transportation Route 120 Planning and Environmental Linkages study extends from Almond Road near Grayslake to Route 60 in Volo. That stretch of 120 includes busy rail crossings that tie up traffic and configurations that shift between two and four lanes, causing bottlenecks. * News-Gazette | New Champaign County Board District 10 rep resigns over residency error: Democrat Jason Votava, who filled the spot vacated by Chris Stohr, said he was preparing materials for the November 2026 ballot when he “discovered a slight difference in the maps” and realized that he actually lives in District 9. “I want the people of District 10 to have the representation they deserve, and my only recourse was to resign,” he told The News-Gazette. “I am currently collecting signatures to represent District 9 and hope to return to the board next year.” * WGLT | Police departments in McLean County say camera data not shared with immigration officers: Officer Brad Park with the Normal Police Department said the department does not share its data with any agency outside of Illinois. “We only share that information with agencies that are approved by the chief, and currently we are only sharing those with about 39 approved agencies within the state of Illinois,” he said, adding Normal police regularly audit officers’ use of the cameras to ensure the images are only being used in criminal investigations * WCIA | Urbana Business: Mayor talks weekend ‘Philo Road Ahead’ event, potential plans for former ‘Dart’ factory: After several businesses have closed their doors along Urbana’s Philo Road, Mayor DeShawn Williams is taking the next steps to turn the southeast side of the city around. He believes one step to fixing the problem and moving things forward starts this Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Sunnycrest parking lot. The city is hosting ‘Philo Road Ahead‘ from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. as a way to bring the community together and ‘reimagine’ what this part of Urbana could look like. * WIFR | DeKalb Co. deputy circuit clerk accused of theft of government funds, fraud: In the spring of 2021, investigators say Walker got two PPP loans totaling $41,250, claiming she was the sole owner of a remodeling company. A police report filed in court claims Walker filed false tax returns in order to get the loans. Detectives report that during an interview, Walker admitted the home remodeling company did not exist. * WGEM | Number of school resource officers in Adams County continues to grow: In the last two years, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office has added three School Resource Offices (SRO). Before, they had only one. Adams County Sheriff Anthony Grootens said every school district in Adams County has an SRO, but they don’t plan on stopping there. Eventually, he said he wants to hire an SRO for each school. Until then, he said the number they have has already made it easier for them to keep schools and students safe. * Press Release | Sen. Tracy to bring Mobile DMV service to Carrollton: tate Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) has partnered with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office to host a Mobile DMV event in Carrollton. “Making government services more accessible is a priority of mine, and I’m proud to help bring the Secretary of State’s office directly to Carrollton,” said Senator Tracy in a press release. “Events like this save people time and travel while ensuring they can take care of important needs right here at home.” * WaPo | Military-related work absences at a 19-year high amid deployments: Between January and August, workers reported 90,000 instances of people missing at least a week of work because of military deployments, jury duty or other civil service, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is more than double the number of similar absences in the same eight-month period last year, and the highest level since 2006, when President George W. Bush deployed the National Guard to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Southwest U.S. border in large numbers. * CNN | A property tax revolt is spreading — with help from key conservatives: For decades, property taxes have underwritten the basic functions of local government — schools, parks, roads, police and fire departments, trash collection. But as home values have surged, tax bills have ballooned in tandem, fueling what David Schleicher, a Yale professor of local government, described as a “property tax revolt” shaking cities and states alike. “This is a really big trend that is below the radar because it doesn’t involve President Trump,” Schleicher said. “But it doesn’t need fireworks to announce itself. It’s already changing our relationship with government and how schools work and property markets.” * The Atlantic | Just How Bad Would an AI Bubble Be?: The dot-com crash was bad, but it did not trigger a crisis. An AI-bubble crash could be different. AI-related investments have already surpassed the level that telecom hit at the peak of the dot-com boom as a share of the economy. In the first half of this year, business spending on AI added more to GDP growth than all consumer spending combined. Many experts believe that a major reason the U.S. economy has been able to weather tariffs and mass deportations without a recession is because all of this AI spending is acting, in the words of one economist, as a “massive private sector stimulus program.” An AI crash could lead broadly to less spending, fewer jobs, and slower growth, potentially dragging the economy into a recession. The economist Noah Smith argues that it could even lead to a financial crisis if the unregulated “private credit” loans funding much of the industry’s expansion all go bust at once. * Bloomberg | S&P Warns of Reinsurer Protections as Catastrophe Risks Escalate: As natural catastrophes become more frequent and destructive, a key backstop intended to help cover losses has gotten harder to access. The reinsurance industry, which exists to help primary insurers cope with losses when disaster hits, has taken significant steps to shield itself against the financial fallout of storms, floods and other severe weather events, according to S&P Global Ratings. * SCOTUS Blog | Group of small businesses calls on Supreme Court to decide tariffs case : A group of small businesses challenging the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump in a series of executive orders urged the Supreme Court to provide a definitive ruling on the legality of those tariffs. In a five-page brief filed on Friday afternoon, the challengers encouraged the justices to act quickly, telling them that the tariffs are “inflicting profound harms on” their companies, which are “suffering severe economic hardships as a result of the price increases and supply chain interruptions caused by the tariffs.” “[T]hese impacts,” the challengers stressed, “are ‘not survivable.’”
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Good morning!
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * For Kyle , Caryn, Blake and the entire Hillman family and all their many, many friends… Come on home More here. Big hugs to everyone. What’s up by you?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Sep 8, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Sep 8, 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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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The String Cheese Incident with Molly Tuttle…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…
* Sun-Times…
* Tribune | Security fencing at Chicago’s federal courthouse an early sign of Trump immigration push: The fencing, which surrounds the high-rise courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn St. and is buttressed by concrete barriers, offers added protection should protests break out across the street at Federal Plaza, officials said. The block has been the site of numerous rallies challenging Trump administration initiatives, particularly immigration. Anyone seeking to enter the courthouse Friday morning was being directed to a single entrance through the fence on the northeast corner of Dearborn and Monroe streets. Once past it, however, there was no additional visible security inside the building. * Sun-Times | Volunteers on ICE patrol in Pilsen, looking for agents: Cepeda and the other patrollers are among the many residents and advocates hoping to prevent or stop federal officials from making arrests by warning families of ICE sightings. Cepeda says they scout alleyways, parking lots and the main streets around the schools while parents are dropping off or waiting for their kids. The idea is to sound the alarm if they spot ICE or other federal agents before they can start making arrests. Their main focus now is around Pilsen schools, but Cepeda says they also want to help protect churches, community organizations and businesses, like restaurants and car washes. * WTTW | CPS Rebuffs Remote Learning Calls, Says School Remains ‘Best and Safest’ Place for Students Amid ICE and National Guard Fears: “Our students are finalizing their third week of the school year, and our focus remains on teaching and learning,” a CPS spokesperson said in a statement. “Schools are consistently following established procedures to welcome students, provide in-person instruction, and keep families informed of any updates. We remain committed to making sure every CPS school is a safe and supportive place for students each day.” * Tribune | With Chicago under a microscope, anti-violence group responds to mass shootings in Bronzeville: “I can tell you we’re going to continue to do our job,” said Bamani Obadele, community engagement director for Acclivus, Inc., a community organization that provides violence intervention programs to help people in Chicago’s most vulnerable neighborhoods. “We’re not taking any days off.” City violence data reviewed by the Tribune found that, after last weekend, 10 mass shootings have occurred in Bronzeville since the start of 2019. Cook County court records indicate charges have not been filed in any. * Crain’s | Free health care clinic moves to shield patients from ICE ahead of surge: CEO Stephanie Wilding said today Community Health’s strategy to ensure patients get access to health care, and stay safe doing it, includes encouraging telehealth visits, using its partnership with Uber Health to transport patients to its flagship clinic, coordinating access to medications and “having someone at the door of our facility to ensure only patients, their companions and those with appointments” are the only ones let in. * Sun-Times | Chicago’s invisible property owners: Like many tenants, Carter knew the name of his property management company. But he didn’t know the names of the people who hired them: the investors ultimately accountable for the caved-in bathroom ceiling, the recurring heat shut-offs and litany of other building code violations he had endured in the past two years. […] In some cases, the anonymity that LLCs provide makes it next to impossible to find out what other buildings a landlord owns, impeding the city’s ability to go after neglectful property owners in a systematic way. * Crain’s | Re/Max stakes claim in North Shore turf war: The acquisition of one real estate mega-brokerage by another created an opportunity for a third brokerage to dive into the lucrative North Shore market. Compass, the national powerhouse that acquired Chicago market leader @properties Christie’s International Real Estate in December, is selling offices that were made redundant in five North Shore towns. Janice Corley, who owns five Re/Max brokerages in Chicago and the suburbs, is doubling that number by buying the Compass offices in Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest and Glenview, she announced Sept. 3. * Block Club | Harvest Moon Walk Aims To Shine A Light On Avondale’s Forgotten Riverfront History: “As a city of industry, before there were rails, it was water. That was the transportation network and a vital link between the nation, connecting the Great Lakes Basin all the way to the Gulf of Mexico in New Orleans,” Pogorzelski said. “It played such a pivotal role — but what made it so attractive to industry kept residents away.” The free walk will begin 7 p.m. Sunday at Burning Bush Brewery, 4014 N. Rockwell St., and organizers ask that those interested RSVP on Facebook for a headcount. The walk should last 70-90 minutes, but participants can leave whenever they want, organizers said. * NBC Chicago | Nearly 100 cars found in Chicago River amid search for missing couple: A crew of divers from downstate Illinois were searching for a missing couple from the 1970s when they uncovered something else beneath the water’s surface. The search efforts, which had been ongoing for at least a week, saw divers come across nearly 100 cars in the river. […] As of Thursday afternoon, the group said it had discovered 97 vehicles, though it anticipates topping 100 shortly. Crews had been in the water searching for Edward and Stefanie Andrews, a married couple who went missing on May 15, 1970. The couple disappeared after leaving a dinner party and crews were searching the water to see if their vehicle may have gone into the River that night. “We’ve searched extensively downtown, as well as other teams throughout the years. Unfortunately, they’ve never been found,” Bussick said. “But we wanted to expand our search in the event that he was confused that night.” * Daily Herald | ‘You are not alone’: Suburban communities try to reassure residents ahead of threatened immigration raids: Mundelein, North Chicago and Lake County officials have issued online statements emphasizing their law enforcement officers won’t participate in federal immigration activities. The statements also stress that anyone living in the U.S. has legal rights regardless of citizenship status, and they provided links to groups that can provide information or assistance regarding immigration issues. Aurora officials on Friday emphasized their commitment to the city’s immigrant population ahead of a Mexican historical and cultural celebration scheduled for this weekend. * Daily Herald | Trump’s National Guard threats upend Mexican parade plans in Waukegan, Chicago: One Mexican Independence Day parade in the Chicago area is postponed. Another doubled its volunteer staff to ensure celebrators’ safety. A third parade’s organizers are watching closely, poised to pivot if the political climate worsens. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he plans to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, casting a shadow over the region’s upcoming Mexican Independence Day festivities. The Sept. 16 holiday is usually a time of joy in the Chicago area, where more than 20% of the city’s population is Mexican. Now, community leaders are trying to balance residents’ safety and their cultural celebration. * Daily Herald | Fox River Grove adds sales tax, plans to lower other fees and taxes: Fox River Grove will add a 1% sales tax starting next year, with officials planning to reduce other taxes and fees for residents to offset the new tax. Board trustees agreed in a 5-1 vote Tuesday to enact a 1% non-home-rule sales tax, with Trustee David Joseph being the sole no vote. At the same meeting, trustees also unanimously approved substantial cuts to a telecommunications tax imposed on residents and businesses. * Daily Southtown | Lansing District 171 teachers’ union to pay custodian $110,000 in racial discrimination lawsuit settlement: The Sunnybrook Educational Association agreed to pay District 171 custodian Eugene Johnson $110,000 after Johnson alleged the union discriminated against him when it contested his promotion to head custodian in November 2018. […] District 171 Superintendent Erika Millhouse-Pettis said, as of Friday, the union had not made the district aware of the consent decree reached with the EEOC. She confirmed Johnson was not promoted since the union grieved his promotion to head janitor in 2018. * Evanston Roundtable | Evanston on track to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals: The task force and city staff members agreed in July to put together a presentation that would focus on goals Evanston was supposed to meet in 2025 and earlier, as well as some goals that don’t have a firm timeline. As the RoundTable previously reported, the city has a mixed record of meeting CARP goals. It did not fully meet most of them for 2025, though it saw more progress on some than others, according to a presentation at the June 12 Environmental Board meeting. * ProPublica | The Floods Kept Coming. He Needed to Grow a Crop That Would Thrive in Water — or to Quit: Corn, soy and wheat were the crops Gerard, now 55, was growing in the early 1990s when he took over his family farm near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. By then, the floods were already coming more often. Gerard’s grandfather remembered them in 1943 and 1973, but as Gerard began farming, they came every two years — in ’93, ’95 and ’97. […] “I could grow something that would grow in water,” he said. Or quit. But for many farmers, making the transition to a new crop is nearly impossible, as ProPublica and Capitol News Illinois reported this week. Although rice is a commodity crop and Gerard receives insurance subsidies and commodity supports, corn and soybeans dominate U.S. agriculture, especially in the Midwest, and that’s what federal subsidies are set up to support. * Manufacturing Dive | Boeing begins hiring to replace striking workers at Missouri, Illinois plants: Boeing has begun the hiring process to replace workers on strike at its fighter jet and weapon systems plants in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri, and Mascoutah, Illinois. It’s been a month since more than 3,200 Boeing workers, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837, went on strike at the planemaker’s defense facilities after they voted to reject the company’s second contract offer. Boeing’s “last, best and final offer” withdrew alternative workweek schedules, added a reward for good attendance at $0.50 per hour, and a $5,000 bonus, contingent upon the contract being ratified by the end of the day of Aug. 3. Since the union voted to reject the offer, Boeing said it withdrew the $5,000 ratification bonus. * WJBD | Centralia Sentinel, Salem Times-Commoner, 13 Other Papers to be sold to Kentucky based group: The family that owns the Centralia Sentinel, Salem Times Commoner, Carlyle Union Banner, Washington County News in Nashville, and the Greenville Advocate has sold the newspapers and 11 others to the Paxton Media Group based in Paducah, Kentucky. The Hoskins family, who owned Better Newspapers, Inc., is selling the newspapers according to a news release from John Cribb of Cribb and Associates, who represented the Hoskins family in the transaction. The terms were not disclosed. * WCIA | Champaign’s culinary scene getting a new flavor: Bezza Ayalew, the owner of the new restaurant, said that his original plan was to open before the pandemic, but is he grateful that it’s coming now instead. Ayalew is from Ethiopia, but has lived in Champaign for almost twenty years. The closest authentic Ethiopian restaurant is in Chicago or Indianapolis. * Muddy River News | Old Adams County Courthouse brought back to life in miniature form: Todorov said it was his brother who inspired him to get into doing scale models. Todorov is especially interested in buildings that are of historic significance. While there are still many historic structures standing, he says he was drawn to the buildings that are no longer here. So based on old photos, he began to create. His first choice was the third Adams County Courthouse. It was built in 1876 but was damaged by a tornado in 1945 and then demolished four years later. * AP | Gregory Bovino, head of Los Angeles campaign, shows how immigration agents rack up arrests: While Trump’s aggressive deportation plans accelerate, Bovino carefully hones his image, both his own and the one projected to the country that shows well-armed officers moving swiftly into place to make arrests. […] Undeterred by court orders over racial profiling, Bovino also revels in breaking norms. Agents have smashed car windows, blown open a door to a house and patrolled the fabled MacArthur Park on horseback. Bovino often appears in tactical gear, as he did outside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s news conference on congressional redistricting on Aug. 14. * CBS | Appeals court rules Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” detention site can stay open: But on Thursday, the panel of appellate court judges froze that ruling. The court concluded that state and federal officials are likely to succeed in showing that the site isn’t subject to the National Environmental Policy Act, because it is a state-operated facility and Florida has not yet received any federal reimbursement for the cost of running the site. * AP | US hiring stalls with employers reluctant to expand in an economy grown increasingly erratic: The Labor Department reported Friday that U.S. employers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — added just 22,000 jobs last month, down from 79,000 in July and well below the 80,000 that economists had expected. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3% last month, also worse than expected and the highest since 2021.
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Trump administration investigating Medicaid spending on immigrants in Illinois, other Democratic states
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* From the March letter sent to California’s Department of Health Care Services…
* More from AP…
We’ve asked the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services for its letter, the deadline to turn over the data, and whether any data has been provided. We’ll update when we hear back. * Related…
* CPR News | House Republicans demand health care and Medicaid data from Colorado : In a letter sent Wednesday to Gov. Jared Polis and the state agency that administers Medicaid, House Republicans from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asked for detailed information about the “state and local programs that provide health coverage and other services for illegal aliens.” Specifically, they’re demanding lists and information, dating back to 2019, about costs associated with operations and medical procedures done on people unauthorized to be in the country. They asked for the number of individuals denied Medicaid due to unsatisfactory immigration status, a list of every procedure performed on unauthorized immigrants and “all documents and communications” related to Colorado’s charity care programs for immigrants.
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Today’s quotable
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Alice Yin at the Tribune…
* One more from Alice…
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Roundup: Chicago braces for ICE raids
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Washington Post reported yesterday the Pentagon has officially approved ICE and Customs and Border Protection to use Naval Station Great Lakes, just outside Chicago, as a base for large-scale immigration raids…
* A quick rundown ahead of this weekend…
• The Sun-Times reported agents are expected to leave the base by 5 am each day and will stay in hotels in nearby suburbs, including Waukegan. The operation is expected to last more than a month. • About 140 unmarked vehicles are already on site, and officials are seeking a no-fly zone to keep news helicopters and drones away, according to the Sun-Times. • El Grito Chicago, a Mexican Independence Day festival in Grant Park, was canceled yesterday due to concerns about increased immigration enforcement. • Organizers of the Pilsen Mexican Independence Day parade say it will go forward with extra precautions. • The ICE facility in Broadview will serve as the main processing site CBS Chicago reported yesterday, running seven days a week for roughly 45 consecutive days. Mayor Katrina Thompson told residents that “a large-scale enforcement campaign will soon be underway.” The building’s windows were boarded up Wednesday ahead of anticipated protests. • Advocates raised concerns last month about conditions at the Broadview facility, which traditionally was used to process detainees for less than a day. “People were going without beds, with cold food, no showers for three days on average, and that’s completely unacceptable,” Omar Flores, chair of the Immigrants’ Rights Working Committee, told WGN. * Related stories… * WBEZ | Flash-bang grenades and early morning raids: How Trump is planning to target Chicago: At least 30 agents already have arrived at Naval Station Great Lakes near North Chicago, where they’ve been practicing crowd control with shields and flash-bang grenades, the sources said. Similar training has been underway for several months. * Sun-Times | Chicago’s Latino leaders urge ‘don’t take the bait’ as city braces for uptick in federal agents: Latino Leadership Council members, former U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez, D-Chicago, and other officials at Daley Plaza Thursday repeatedly emphasized that residents “don’t take the bait” from Trump, suggesting his plan to send troops to Chicago is a ploy to agitate the community. They also called on residents to remain peaceful during protests that might arise from a National Guard deployment to the city. * Fox Chicago | Lake County defends immigrant families as agents arrive in Naval Station Great Lakes: Lake County and the City of North Chicago reassured residents that they would not take part in federal immigration enforcement after reports of “unprecedented” operations being coordinated out of Naval Station Great Lakes. In a joint statement released Thursday, officials said the activities are “entirely at the federal level,” adding that Illinois law prohibits state and local police from assisting in immigration enforcement. * Tribune | ICE agents detain 2 at county domestic violence courthouse this week. Advocates warn of chilling effect on victims: “It’s an affront to all the work this country has done over the last 40 years to ensure that victims of domestic violence and sexual assault have access to justice,” said Amanda Pyron, president and CEO of The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence. “There’s no other result to an action like this but a deterrent to victims seeking the safety and justice they deserve.” The Cook County public defender’s office confirmed to the Tribune that two of its clients were arrested by immigration agents — a 41-year-old woman on Wednesday and a 40-year-old man on Monday. Officials said they were still gathering information, but said the woman had no criminal background and was not a risk to the public. The woman who was arrested had been charged with two misdemeanor counts of domestic battery, but the charges were dropped on Wednesday, according to court records. * Crain’s | As Trump targets Chicago, businesses prep for raids and protests: “Once the agencies come in, you’re going to get protesters, and that will lead to street closures,” says Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association. Immigration raids present a challenge to restaurants on two fronts: Protests and street closures keep patrons away, and the threat of immigration enforcement can keep restaurant workers home. Restaurants still haven’t fully recovered on either front from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Some people will be timid about coming into work and restaurant operators are planning for that,” Toia said, anticipating absenteeism could run as high as 20%. “(Staffing) has gotten a little better, but restaurants are still running pretty tight.” * Sun-Times | CTU calls for remote learning option for families amid looming immigration raids: Union President Stacy Davis Gates said the district should have a plan to shift those students to online learning to minimize the impact of being outside of the classroom. But Gates wasn’t optimistic that the district would be able to achieve that. “CPS is not ready for that,” she said, though she noted CPS was in a better position to stand up remote learning than it was when the pandemic hit. * WIFR | With ICE raids planned for Chicago, city of Rockford alerts immigrants to know their rights: United States Senator, Dick Durbin agrees with McNamara’s statement, explaining there is a possibily it expands into Rockford. “There is a genuine concern in the Hispanic population that there’s a mass deportation underway,” Durbin explained. Sara Dady, an area immigration lawyer also spoke out. Adding it is important for individuals to know their rights. “Everyone needs to exercise their rights. It’s important to remain calm, know who you’re dealing with, and decline to answer any questions. No one has to be rude; be firm, people can be respectful, but be firm in their rights,” explained Dady. * ABC Chicago | Chicago area braces for expanded ICE operations, protests this weekend: People gathered outside Naval Station Great Lakes Thursday night to pray ahead of the expected enforcement. Pastor Julie Contreras with United Giving Hope Church says these operations will separate families while Illinois Republican Chair Kathy Salvi says the administration is following through on its campaign promises. * WTTW | Under Threat of ICE Strikes, El Grito Canceled and Communities Prepare for Mexican Independence Day Celebrations: Immigration and Customs Enforcement strike teams are likely to begin operations around Chicago in the coming days, and local officials expect agents to target large gatherings like Sunday’s parade in Little Village and Saturday’s 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade in Pilsen. While this weekend’s planned events are still scheduled to proceed, the two-day El Grito Chicago festival scheduled to take place in Grant Park Sept. 13-14 has been postponed due to the threat of raids. * NBC | How Chicago and Boston officials are readying for Trump’s promise of more immigration raids: Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey told NBC News in a statement Wednesday that “what we are seeing from Donald Trump across the country isn’t about public safety — it’s about political intimidation.” While there aren’t yet concrete indications of exactly when additional law enforcement could be expected in those cities, immigration enforcement has gone hand in hand with the Trump administration’s sending National Guard troops to Los Angeles and in the federal takeover of Washington, D.C. Trump said late Tuesday that he would be “going in” to Chicago and that he had a right to go into the city to “protect this country.” * CNN | Hundreds of undocumented immigrants apprehended in massive ICE raid at Hyundai plant in Georgia: About 450 people were apprehended as several law enforcement agencies descended on the Hyundai Metaplant site in Ellabell, about 25 miles west of Savannah, officials said, in the latest example of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration at workplaces across the country. The raid halted construction of a factory being built to produce batteries for electric vehicles, the Associated Press reported. The facility has been touted by Georgia’s governor as the largest economic development site in the state’s history, the AP added.
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Pritzker slams DeSantis over end of vaccine mandates
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I asked the governor’s office for a response. From Matt Hill…
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What Illinois Can Learn From Texas On Battery Energy Storage
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] As Illinois confronts skyrocketing electric bills, legislators are on the hunt for solutions that provide relief as quickly as possible. Battery energy storage is our best and most cost-effective solution. But last session— without evidence —opponents attempted to claim that battery energy storage wouldn’t work. Try telling that to Texas, where the rapid deployment of battery storage has already prevented blackouts and saved consumers billions. Called “Ground Zero for the US Battery Boom” by Bloomberg, Texas added enough storage in 2023 to power 3 million homes and drop grid emergency risk during peak hours from 16% to less than 1%. The result? Storage saved consumers an estimated $750 billion in 2024. Texas has proven that storage is the quickest, cheapest, most reliable way to get consumers relief from skyrocketing, demand-induced price spikes. Storage is a nimble way to address growing populations, power-hungry data centers, and meet other electrification-related power needs. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year. Illinois lawmakers should follow Texas’s lead and pass SB40 this fall to deploy 6GW of energy storage by 2035. Click here for more information.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Pritzker says he’ll head to court as soon as troops show up. Crain’s…
- Pritzker, like other governors, has asserted that President Donald Trump has no authority to dispatch National Guard members or federal troops. -In recent days, the White House has been cagey about whether it plans to deploy troops. * Related Stories… * WGLT | Rivian plans job cuts as it plans for R2 production in Normal: Rivian is cutting about 1.5% of its global workforce as the electric vehicle maker prepares its plant in Normal for production of its new lower-cost sport utility vehicle. The automaker had about 15,000 employees globally at the end of the year. It’s unclear how many of the job cuts could be in Normal. “We have made some recent changes to the commercial team as part of an ongoing effort to improve operational efficiency for R2,” according to a statement from a Rivian spokesperson. * Sun-Times | In Illinois, soybean is king and helps fuel everything from farmers to Chicago Park District trucks: About 80 park district vehicles are fueled by biodiesel blends made from refined soybean oil. That’s about 25% of its diesel fleet, which includes service and forestry trucks, tractors and mowers. The parks department uses various kinds of clean energy for its vehicles and equipment. It started using soybean-based biodiesel blended with regular diesel in 2011. The liquid fuel can supplement regular diesel often used in heavy vehicles. “It performs better than standard diesel, and the power is the same. It also benefits the health of our employees and park visitors,” Mike Dimitroff, manager of cultural and natural resources for Chicago Park District, said. * SJ-R | Free monthly STI testing now at all 13 Planned Parenthood Illinois centers: Walk-in patients will be offered a variety of STI tests and have a consultation with a provider. While at the health center, individuals can schedule a wellness visit, make an appointment for other services and get enrolled in Medicaid. Walk-in appointments will end 45 minutes before closing, are first-come, first-served and results are confidential, according to the announcement. * Daily Herald | New Illinois law requires police to act swiftly on missing persons cases: You’ve probably seen it play out on a TV crime drama: A distraught person enters a police station to report a loved one missing, only to be told by the desk officer that there’s nothing they can do about it for at least 24 hours. A new state law championed by a suburban legislator and Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart will keep that scenario the stuff of fiction here in Illinois. Senate Bill 24 — also known as the Missing Persons Identification Act — was signed into law late last month by Gov. JB Pritzker, paving the way for major changes in how police handle missing persons cases. * Education Week | How This State Is Protecting Undocumented Students’ Right to an Education: House Bill 3247—signed into law by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker on Aug. 15—is the state’s response to rising fear among local immigrant communities over the Trump administration’s push for increased immigration enforcement across the country, lawmakers and advocates said. The law is also a response to the efforts of policymakers in other states to overturn the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe, which granted a constitutional right to a free, public education to all students regardless of immigration status. Since President Donald Trump’s re-election, policymakers in at least six states have taken actions to challenge Plyler, with at least one of these still in process, and the rest paused or defeated, according to an Education Week analysis. * WAND | Illinois law could ensure families with NICU babies receive info on early intervention services: The Illinois Department of Human Services’ early intervention program helps children with disabilities or developmental delays up to age three learn and grow. However, many families are unaware they are eligible for these services. This law states hospitals must sign a written letter referring babies to early intervention programs if the child is sent to their neonatal intensive care unit. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago’s Air Force Academy High School to change name, switch to Army JROTC: The school opened in 2009 and was the only wall-to-wall public Air Force Academy high school in the country. It’s been lauded by Mayor Brandon Johnson and is one of six military schools in CPS where participation in JROTC is mandatory. Currently, there are roughly 130 students enrolled, down from more than 300 a decade ago. The deactivation of the Air Force Academy High School JROTC program means there are no longer Air Force JROTC programs in CPS. A program inside Phillips High School was closed for low enrollment in 2022. There are 815 active Air Force JROTC programs at other schools across the country. * Sun-Times | ‘The powder keg is growing.’ Former Chicagoans in D.C. call guard deployment ‘unprecedented and scary’: “In Chicago, it feels like the powder keg is there. In D.C., I think the powder keg is growing. I’ve had friends who have been in Ubers or have been in situations where people around them have been stolen and arrested and taken to who knows where, and you can feel there’s tension building,” said Albano, 30. “But it does not quite feel as intense of a tension as how the activists and organizers in Chicago are planning to protect immigrant communities and their families and loved ones.” * ABC Chicago | UIC student sues university police, claiming arrest was unlawful, led to visa revocation: In police body-worn camera video, you can hear one UIC officer say, “Mr. Presta, just to let you know you are being charged with theft under, it’s a class A misdemeanor, under meaning under $500 in value.” “The allegation is he was working out and, at some time during his workout, he stole someone’s little gym bag,” attorney Gregory Kulis told the I-Team. He represents Presta in a new lawsuit against four UIC police officers filed Thursday. Kulis says video evidence shows Presta did not take the bag in question. * Sun-Times | White Sox’ 2025 loss cause: If 100 is inevitable, at least try to stay under 106: Unless the 50-88 Sox scratch out seven more victories, they’ll be tied to last year’s 121-loss team forever — with the two most “L”-acious seasons in franchise history coming back-to-back. * Sun-Times | Angel Reese officially suspended after eighth technical foul: Angel Reese will miss the Sky’s game Friday against the Fever. She received her eighth technical foul in the first half Wednesday against the Sun, which triggered a one-game suspension. Coach Tyler Marsh said the Sky appealed the call, but the WNBA issued a statement Thursday confirming the suspension. The Sky have appealed other calls this year without success. Reese was assessed a technical for a “flail” in the second quarter against Sun forward Aaliyah Edwards. There was no whistle on the court, but officials upgraded the play after review. Marsh argued at the time and said he was frustrated by the explanation. * Naperville Sun | Naperville commission seeks more info before voting on Karis Critical data centers plan: “This is the only zoning district where data centers are permitted,” said Russ Whitaker, an attorney representing Karis. While the development is planned for an appropriately zoned area, it is also in close proximity to multiple residential areas, including the Naper Commons, Danada Woods and Indian Hill Woods subdivisions. Those residents opposed to the project say it will have a negative effect on their health and quality of life as well as the environment. An online petition urging the city to reject the development has been signed by about 1,900 people. * Daily Herald | Former Arlington Heights school nurse sentenced for misappropriating students’ medicine: Eitz worked at from Aug. 19, 2019 through May 8, 2024, at Westgate Elementary School school, where prosecutors say she was responsible for documenting, storing, handling and administering prescribed medication that “included controlled amphetamine substances” for several students. She was fired in May 2024 amid an investigation into the allegations. In April of this year, the parents of nine Westgate students sued Eitz, school leaders and Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 administrators alleging she intentionally gave children the wrong medication and school leaders had the ability to stop her but “actively chose not to.” * Daily Southtown | Orland Park passes Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution, continuation of grocery tax: The board also voted to join neighboring suburbs in creating a 1% municipal grocery tax to begin when a statewide tax expires on Jan. 1. Similar action was taken by neighboring communities including Tinley Park, Homewood and Homer Glen. Milani and Healy voted against the measure while Dodge, Lawrence, Lawler and Leafblad voted in favor. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora committee tables talk of lifting ban on backyard chickens: No official ordinance was drafted, but aldermen who sit on the City Council Rules, Administration and Procedures Committee have spent time at the past several meetings discussing the possibility of allowing backyard chickens within city limits and the logistics of how that may work. They’ve also heard from the city’s Animal Care and Control division about the idea, including its current response to backyard chickens. Currently, city code bans people from keeping dangerous animals, bees or farm animals within city limits, but special permission can be given to things like pony rides and petting zoos. * Daily Southtown | Blue Island’s random water sampling finds no hot spots for immediate pipe replacement: City Administrator Thomas Wogan said the results met the Environmental Protection Agency’s 90th percentile value, which means lead in the drinking water samples did not exceed 15 parts per billion, comparable to adding 15 drops of a substance to a 10,000-gallon swimming pool, in at least 90% of the homes sampled. Wogan also said no individual homes that were tested met the 90th percentile. He said in June the city would immediately notify any homes that had a high concentration of lead in their sampled drinking water. * Daily Herald | How runway safety system slowed plane, averted disaster in Wheeling: Installed a decade ago on the north end of Runway 1634, the Engineered Material Arresting System is a rectangular, graded bed of large, concrete blocks that rise slightly above ground level. The blocks can support a person’s weight but are designed to give way under greater pressure, slowing and eventually stopping an aircraft that overruns a runway. Miller compares the system to the emergency escape ramps often found in mountainous areas that help trucks with braking problems stop safely. * WCIA | Viper Mine coal plant in Central Illinois permanently closed; some caught off guard: On Thursday, Village President of Williamsville Mark Esker said that the coal plant was being torn down and officially closed on Sept. 4. At this time, there is not an estimated completion date on the demolition of the Viper Mine. The mine had been providing coal to the Springfield area over the course of the last 40 years. According to CWLP, the closure of the Viper Mine locations was first made public in November 2024 after the Springfield City Council approved a new coal supply contract with Foresight Coal Sales LLC to serve Dallman 4. However, Esker said he only found out about the closure a few months back when some of the workers laid off at the plants let him know they would be receiving severance. * WGLT | Dueling letters show rising tension between local leaders over shared sales tax: An Aug. 22 letter sent by Normal Mayor Chris Koos to County Board Chair Elizabeth Johnston contains phrases that accuse the county of “stockpiling” sales tax revenue rather than spending it on purposes approved under a decade old intergovernmental agreement (IGA). The letter, obtained by WGLT through a Freedom of Information Act request, called the $20 million fund balance “excessive.” And it objected to county leadership’s refusal to have its full board consider the town and city request to pause sales tax sharing during negotiations. * WGLT | Illinois State University approaches 22,000 students as enrollment sets new record: ISU has increased its student headcount by 448 students to 21,994 students this fall. “Given the climate and the environment that is becoming ever so competitive for college admissions, I am very happy with the group we are bringing in,” said Pat Walsh, the university’s director of recruitment and operations for admissions. * WCIA | Blue Mound water unsafe for kids under six months old: In a news release sent to WCIA, the village said on Sept. 4, samples that were collected the day before showed nitrate levels of 12 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The standard for nitrate is 10 mg/L. Nitrate in drinking water can pose a serious health concern for infants less than six months old. And, nitrate in drinking water can come from natural, industrial, or agricultural sources, like septic systems and run-off. Levels of nitrate in drinking water can change throughout the year. * WSIL | Bob Odenkirk returns to Carbondale for SIU event in September: The Odenkirks will participate in a public event at The Varsity Center on September 12 from 3-5 p.m. They will discuss their careers in the entertainment industry with H.D. Motyl, an associate professor at SIU’s School of Media Arts. Bob Odenkirk graduated from SIU in 1984 and has since built a successful career as a comedy writer. He is well-known for his roles in “Breaking Bad” and its spinoff “Better Call Saul,” as well as his recent work in the films “Nobody” and “Nobody 2.” * KPTV Oregon | U.S. Border Czar threatens to ‘flood’ Portland, other cities with ICE agents: PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan said Wednesday at a news conference that the Trump administration plans to “flood the zone” with ICE agents in sanctuary cities like Portland, Seattle, and Chicago. “We’ve got 10,000 more agents coming on, we’re going to flood the zone,” Homan said to reporters on the White House lawn. “You’re going to see a ramp up of operations in New York. You’re going to see a ramp up of operations continue in L.A. and, you know, Portland, Seattle. I mean, all these sanctuary cities refuse to work with ICE … we’re going to address that.” * NYT | The Doctors Are Real, but the Sales Pitches Are Frauds: Dr. Robert H. Lustig is an endocrinologist, a professor emeritus of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, and an author of best-selling books on obesity. He is absolutely not — despite what you might see and hear on Facebook — hawking “liquid pearls” with dubious claims about weight loss. “No injections, no surgery, just results,” he appears to say in one post. Instead, someone has used artificial intelligence to make a video that imitates him and his voice — all without his knowledge, let alone consent. * Forbes | AI Startup Flock Thinks It Can Eliminate All Crime In America: Langley offers a prediction: In less than 10 years, Flock’s cameras, airborne and fixed, will eradicate almost all crime in the U.S. (He acknowledges that programs to boost youth employment and cut recidivism will help.) It sounds like a pipe dream from another AI-can-solve- everything tech bro, but Langley, in the face of a wave of opposition from privacy advocates and Flock’s archrival, the $2.1 billion (2024 revenue) police tech giant Axon Enterprise, is a true believer. He’s convinced that America can and should be a place where everyone feels safe. And once it’s draped in a vast net of U.S.-made Flock surveillance tech, it will be.
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Good morning!
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I tweaked my mom’s meatloaf recipe just a little bit yesterday and then added fresh sweet corn to the gravy. Man, it was good… 
* Those are my own homegrown tomatoes, by the way… All winter without ‘em’s a culinary bummer Weekend plans?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Sep 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Sep 5, 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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