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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * AFSCME Local 2858, Alliance for Community Services…
* Illinois State Rifle Association…
* The Nation | Democratic Donors Packed the House for an “Actual Billionaire”: Pritzker, to his credit, began his remarks by subtly disavowing the banner under which CAP had called him forth. “I did not see that the title of my talk was a better way forward,” he said. “I think about that and I think the only way out is through.” His comments were gratifyingly plainspoken, in contrast to both the event’s confusing forward-speak, and the party’s broader propensity, in these days of untrammeled reaction, to be terrified by its own shadow. Pritzker spoke of how “Elon Musk and his fellow DOGE bags” are “ intentionally dismantling” the bulwarks of government and “giving themselves the authority to rebuild it in their own interests.” He spoke candidly of the leering cruelty of the Trump White House’s deportation raids and the DOGE assault on governance. “People’s lives are a game to them,” Pritzker said of “the memelords and minions of the White House.” * Tribune | Bill aimed at bolstering county public defender system moves forward in Springfield: It’s the first time the bill, dubbed by advocates as the Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation bill, or FAIR Act, has moved forward since a version was introduced last year by Democratic Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park. But lawmakers in favor of the bill, which is primarily geared toward rural counties, acknowledged it still needs some changes before advancing through the legislative process. * Tribune | After testimony from Anjanette Young, state lawmakers move bill aimed at tightening rules on search warrants: Six years after Chicago police officers wrongfully searched the home of social worker Anjanette Young, she told state lawmakers about the trauma she experienced in testimony on legislation that would essentially bar no-knock search warrants in the state. “I pray that none of you never have that experience because my story now includes experiencing PTSD, depression and fear of the very people who were sworn to protect and serve,” Young told Illinois lawmakers on Tuesday. “My story now includes the sheer panic when a police officer pulls me over for a routine stop. These are not normal interactions that any resident should have, however, these are real life events that happened to me since 2019.” * WAND | Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois celebrates Social Work Month, calls for more social workers: LCFS said the demand for social workers continues to rise. Lori Lynch, an adoption worker with LCFS, has been with the organization for over two decades. She says more social workers are needed to meet the growing needs of families in Illinois. “We are always looking to hire in all of our different programs—foster care, counselors. There is a great need.” * Block Club | Rohingya Refugees’ Dreams Of Family Reunification Shattered With Trump’s Resettlement Freeze: Trump’s administration’s refugee suspension and aid cuts have prompted Jabbar to think about his immigration journey. He fled military persecution in the violence-stricken region of Rakhine in 1996. He spent years without legal status in Malaysia, enduring constant fear of arrest. “Without documents, life was a constant struggle,” he said. “You could be detained at any moment.” After 16 years of uncertainty, he resettled in Chicago in 2012. He worked in a restaurant while learning English, but his dreams of earning a degree were put on hold. “I’m the only son in my family. I had to work to support my mother and sister,” he said * Block Club | CTA Promises Better, Faster Blue Line Service At Night For Spring Schedule: But the larger improvements are planned for the Blue Line to Forest Park. That line will schedule 30 extra trips on weekdays, 17 more trips Saturdays and two new trips Sundays. That should shrink wait times for Blue Line Forest Park trains from 15 minutes to seven and a half minutes for service 6:30 p.m.-midnight weekdays and 9 p.m.-midnight Saturdays, according to the CTA. * Tribune | Would you let a robot draw your blood? Northwestern among health systems trying new device: “With this device they never see the needle and and they never see or experience or feel the blood tubes being changed,” Gerberich said. “That really helps with those types of patients that are ordinarily squeamish.” The Aletta has a 95% success rate when it comes to drawing usable blood on the first attempt, and the machine can be especially useful for patients who might otherwise be difficult to successfully stick, according to the company. * Crain’s | Cigna, Blue Cross Illinois parent close $3.3 billion Medicare deal: Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois parent Health Care Service Corp. has closed its $3.3 billion purchase of Cigna’s Medicare operations, the companies announced Wednesday. The deal, which includes Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D and Medicare supplement assets along with the CareAllies consulting unit, quadruples Chicago-based Health Care Service Corp.’s Medicare Advantage membership to about 800,000 and closes the book on Cigna’s Medicare plan business. * Tribune | Ex-Augusta National employee who stole Arnold Palmer’s green jacket to be sentenced in Chicago: A former warehouse worker at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia found golf legend Arnold Palmer’s 1958 Masters green jacket in a box of items errantly marked for destruction and sold it to a Florida memorabilia collector for $50,000, defense lawyers say. Years later, that same jacket was tracked by the FBI to a stately home in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, where the latest owner was looking to sell. The price by then was almost $4 million, court records show. The new details were revealed as the former employee, Richard Brendan Globensky, is set to be sentenced Wednesday in Chicago for a 13-year scheme to illegally fence more than $5 million worth of Masters Tournament memorabilia. * WTTW | Weather Whiplash With Rain, Thunderstorms, Snow and Dusty Skies on Wednesday and Thursday: On Wednesday and Thursday, the forecast for Chicago includes a chance of almost anything and everything: rain, thunderstorms, wind and even snow. According to the National Weather Service, the threat of thunderstorms runs from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with the greatest chance of tornadoes being south of I-88. * Press Release | Governor JB Pritzker Endorses Mayor Daniel Biss for Re-election : “I’m proud to endorse Daniel Biss for re-election as Mayor of Evanston. Daniel is a friend, a colleague, and has been a partner to me in fighting for working families. He has a long track record of standing up for Evanstonians and a real record of results for the community,” said Governor Pritzker. “These are trying times and we need leaders at every level of government to stand up and fight back against the constant threats from Donald Trump. Daniel has done just that, all while passing policies that have moved Evanston forward. Daniel and I have worked together on issues big and small facing Evanston. I’m thrilled to support him for re-election and continue that work, ” said Governor JB Pritzker * Naperville Sun | ‘Tesla Takedown DuPage’ protest draws hundreds to Lisle: ‘We’re in a full-on constitutional crisis’: Carrying homemade signs that read “Send Elon to Mars on a Starship rocket” and “This Musk stop,” people lined the sidewalk in front and on either side of the 3200 Ogden Ave. business as they shouted chants like “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Elon Musk has got to go” and “Love, not hate, makes America great.” Several area organizations teamed up to stage the “Tesla Takedown DuPage” event, including the Democratic Party of DuPage County, Democratic Women of DuPage County, Indivisible Illinois, Indivisible Batavia Aurora Area, Indivisible DuPage, Indivisible Naperville and Indivisible West Suburban Chicago. * Daily Herald | ‘Stay away’: Judge orders accused Tesla vandal to keep off company’s property: During a hearing at the county courthouse in Rolling Meadows, Judge Ellen Mandeltort also warned Erin L. White that she will be jailed if she violates those and other conditions of her release. White is charged with criminal damage to property, a Class 4 felony, and misdemeanor criminal trespass to property stemming from an estimated $9,000 in damage done last week to the Tesla facility on the 900 block of Dundee Road in Buffalo Grove. * Daily Herald | ‘I can’t wait’: Des Plaines City Council approves incentives, development deal for new downtown restaurant: Aldermen on Monday unanimously agreed to lend the two limited liability companies behind the project — Miner Street Station and D-4 of Des Plaines — $3.6 million to help pay for construction. Up to $1.2 million of the loan will be forgiven when the final occupancy certificate for the restaurant is issued, documents indicate. Ownership partners include the operator of Park Ridge’s Harp and Fiddle restaurant. Although “Harp & Fiddle” appear on an architectural rendering for the proposed building, the name and theme of the proposed eatery haven’t been revealed. * WAND | Restart of instruction at Neoga schools postponed to March 26 following tornado: Superintendent Kevin Haarman posted, “After a thorough evaluation by architects and engineers of both the Jr/Sr High School and Elementary School buildings, we have determined that additional measures are necessary to ensure a safe teaching and learning environment for our students and staff.” * WSIL | St. John’s to Rebuild After Devastating EF-2 Tornado: A terrifying night unfolded for residents of St. John’s, Illinois, as a powerful EF-2 tornado ripped through the area, leaving behind a trail of destruction. In just minutes, homes were leveled, businesses were torn apart, and lives were upended. But as residents begin picking up the pieces, one thing remains clear, community strength is at the foundation of recovery. The storm tore through with winds over 130 miles per hour, reducing structures to rubble and tossing debris across neighborhoods. At one local business, most of the roof was ripped away, leaving remnants scattered in nearby trees. A trampoline dangled over a utility line, and in one field, the entire contents of a home were strewn as far as the eye could see. * Pantagraph | Home Sweet Home Ministries proposes 56-bed ’shelter village’ for homeless: During a special session on Monday, the City Council heard a presentation from Home Sweet Home Ministries about the proposed community concept, which has already been used in more than 100 cities nationwide. Matt Burgess, CEO of Home Sweet Home Ministries, said the cabins would be about 80 to 100 square feet and would be just big enough for a bed, desk, dresser space for clothing and other amenities. They would have electricity and also be climate controlled over the summer and winter. * WIFR | Bleed for Weed blood drive coming to Freeport: After successfully giving blood, donors will receive a voucher for an eighth flower or an edible product of the dispensary’s choice. Donors can redeem the voucher at Lyfe Dispensary in Rockford. In addition to the voucher, free t-shirts will be handed out while supplies last. * WCIA | Illini seniors looking to make noise in return to NCAA Tournament: First time, we was like kids in a candy store,” senior guard Genesis Bryant said. “We were just happy to be there, just to experience that scene, but I think now we have some maturity under our belt and for seniors, this our last year… so we don’t have a next year in college basketball… so I think just bringing that desire and that passion and also just the intensity of knowing like, we’ve been here before.” * WSIL | John A. Logan College students work with Habitat for Humanity to build a local home: Arthur Zaitz, a board member with Jackson Union Habitat for Humanity, mentioned that they typically build about one home each year. This year, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home will include laundry facilities and a new kitchen. The home will be offered to a selected family for close to Habitat for Humanity’s costs after building and financing. * Start Cities Dive | Up to $51B in transportation grant awards at risk, advocacy group says: The memo cites presidential executive orders and a previous order and memorandum by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that orders agency administrators to identify and eliminate rules, regulations and funding agreements that include or reference climate change, racial equity or environmental justice among other criteria. On March 10, Duffy announced in a press release the rescission of two Biden-era memoranda. These included policies aimed at improving road safety, making streets and transportation infrastructure accessible to those with disabilities, and fostering renewable energy and electric vehicle charging stations. The latest DOT policy memo targets bicycle infrastructure as well. * NYT | Kennedy’s Alarming Prescription for Bird Flu on Poultry Farms: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official, has an unorthodox idea for tackling the bird flu bedeviling U.S. poultry farms. Let the virus rip. Instead of culling birds when the infection is discovered, farmers “should consider maybe the possibility of letting it run through the flock so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it,” Mr. Kennedy said recently on Fox News.
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RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path. Retailers like the Mikol family enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
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A couple of programming notes
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller 1) As I write this, Feedwind is down. The site supplies our RSS feeds on the right-hand side of the page. I’ve reached out to ask when they expect to be up and running again. Thanks for your patience. 2) I’ve seen a big uptick in the number of anonymous comments lately. Y’all need to take two seconds to come up with a screen name, or you’ll be deleted no matter how insightful your comment may be (although, anons are usually the opposite of that). Stop wasting our time. Thanks.
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Number of state workers busted by OEIG for alleged Paycheck Protection Program abuse/fraud rises to above 100
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Executive Ethics Commission today released a new batch of investigative reports issued by the state’s Executive Inspectors General. Click here. All but two of the 39 reports had to do with the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which was designed to help small businesses weather the international pandemic storm by lending them money to pay for payroll and operating costs. Many were eligible for loan forgiveness. 403 state employees have been dinged for violations since the OEIG began investigating the misuse of the program. According to a search of the Ethics Commission’s website, 402 investigations into the PPP program have been reported so far. …Adding… The commission says the actual number is 107, not 402. * Excerpts from one such report…
This third party claim is a common refrain in the reports. * Conclusion…
Pickering is not listed on the current state employee database. * Some of these folks are being prosecuted. From a few days ago…
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Homeschoolers descend on Springfield by the thousands to protest regulatory bill (Updated x2)
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Homeschooling advocates were already at the Statehouse at 6:30 this morning…
ABATE and others are also in town today, so that crowd wasn’t completely homeschoolers. * Some folks have pointed to problems in public schools with teachers being regularly busted for child sexual abuse as a reason why the state should get its own house in order before sticking its nose into homeschooling. But the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), had this response…
The bill passed committee with one Democrat, Rep. Fred Crespo, voting “Present” and all Republicans voting against it. It now goes to the floor, but has an uncertain future. …Adding… House Republicans…
…Adding… ILGOP…
* Related…
* AFP-IL Launches Campaign Opposing Regulations on Homeschooling: Americans for Prosperity-Illinois (AFP-Illinois) is launching a statewide video campaign urging Illinoisans to contact their lawmakers and demand they reject HB2827, the Homeschool Act. * Illinois parents, lawmakers sound alarm over proposed homeschooling bill: ‘Direct assault on families’: Some left-leaning politicians have also voiced concerns about HB2827. Illinois state representative La Shawn Ford, a Democrat, told local outlet The Center Square that he’s “not for it.” “From the constituents that I’ve gotten calls from, I’m understanding why they don’t like it,” Ford is quoted as saying. “The loss of their autonomy, that’s a major concern that they lose the autonomy over their children, which is why they choose homeschooling. They want to have control over their children’s education, including the curriculum, how they teach and the philosophy.”
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Civic Federation, CMAP, IEPI and CTBA all call for expanding sales tax to some services to raise $2 billion
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Civic Federation, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability have released a report calling for the expansion of the sales tax to some services…
* From the press release…
* Exemptions and other items of concern…
* Where they’d like to see the new money go…
Before commenting, please click here and search the full report with any questions you may have. Anyway, what are your thoughts on this? …Adding… TFI…
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The Eco-Justice Collaborative, Prairie Rivers Network…
* Ben Szalinski at Capitol News Illinois…
* Sen. Karina Villa…
* Holly Rosencranz from the Illinois Clinicians for Climate Action…
* Sen. Steve Stadelman…
* Sen. Robert Peters…
* WAND…
* Sen. Karina Villa…
* More… * WTTW | How the Proposed Ban on Cellphones in Illinois Classrooms Would Work: Illinois students have yet to recover from pandemic-era learning losses, according to a study from the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative released in August that showed less than a quarter of school districts are “back to pre-pandemic levels in English language arts.” The figure is lower for math, with 15% of high schools scoring on SAT math as well as before the pandemic and 22% in grades 3-8. One change Gov. J.B. Pritzker said could improve student achievement: banning an “impediment to learning in the classroom: cellphones.” * WAND | Chronic health prescriptions only require prior authorization once under new IL proposal: Prior authorization is when doctors need to know if the patients health insurance will or will not cover the cost of a prescribed drug. Currently chronically ill patients need prior authorization each time they refill their medicine. This bill would change that, only needing prior authorization once. State Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago) said the current system puts an “unnecessary burden on the patient.” * WAND | Illinois legislation could create prison ADA compliance task force: The proposed task force would study the number of people in Illinois prisons who have sight, hearing and mobility issues in order to create the best accommodations for them. Task force members would be required to look into the number of committed people not having their ADA needs met and areas the Department of Corrections is currently unable to make accommodations. * WAND | Bill could ensure Illinois prisoners receive physical mail, collect data on mail restriction: A bill in Springfield could require IDOC to collect data on why they restrict access to mail and how often it happens. The plan would also limit the department’s use of access to mail, in-person visits and virtual calls as disciplinary punishments. Sponsors and advocates said denying connection with family and friends can lead to worse outcomes. * Tribune | State legislators look to establish rules for artificial intelligence in elections, education and health care: The Democratic-controlled legislature, in the early stages of a two-year term, is considering bills to address how AI affects residents in areas including education, health care, insurance, elections, picking up on work from the previous General Assembly. Last year, Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation that made it a civil rights violation for employers to use AI if it subjects employees to discrimination, as well as a measure prohibiting the use of AI to create child pornography, which made it a felony to be caught with artificially created images. In 2023, he signed a bill to make anyone civilly liable if they alter images of someone else in a sexually explicit manner. * WAND | Chronic health prescriptions only require prior authorization once under new IL proposal: This bill would change that, only needing prior authorization once. State Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago) said the current system puts an “unnecessary burden on the patient.” The plan received some oral bipartisan support, with State Rep. William Hauter (R-Morton) saying he “hates prior authorization.” Republicans voted against the bill since the language of the bill may change. * TEXT:
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Misguided Insurance Regulation Proposals Could Increase Premiums For The Majority Of Illinoisans
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Several bills proposed this legislative session seek to ban certain factors that insurance companies use to set fair and accurate insurance pricing for customers. The bills would ban the use of credit-based insurance scores, zip codes, age, and gender in insurance pricing. An op-ed published recently in the Chicago Tribune explains why such bans could cause insurance rates to rise for the majority of consumers. Case in point: When the use of credit was banned in Washington in 2021, more than 60 percent of Washington drivers saw an increase in their insurance premiums. Should similar legislation pass in Illinois, the majority of Illinoisians with better-than-average credit could see premium increases. With stubbornly high inflation and high property taxes, now is not the time to pass bills that could end up hiking insurance premiums for most Illinoisans. Click here to learn more.
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Caption contest!
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The “Sullivan Caucus” is the Statehouse’s St. Patrick’s Day party, and it was last night at the Gin Mill…  No Sullivan’s are currently serving in the General Assembly, by the way. Times change.
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Nursing Home Residents Have Waited 14 Years For Safe Staffing—Lawmakers Must Hold the Line
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement and has been updated at the advertiser’s request.] Advocates for senior care and nursing home frontline workers have been fighting for over 14 years to hold the nursing home industry in Illinois accountable for safe staffing levels. Lawmakers established legal requirements for safe staffing levels, only to have nursing homes routinely ignore them. Then these legal limits were bolstered with enforcement measures—but the worst actors in the industry continue to staff at dangerously low levels. In fact, Illinois is worst in the country with the largest gap between care hours needed and care hours actually provided. Dead last among states. And now after 14 years of time and again receiving warnings and incentives and second, third and tenth chances to staff at the legally required levels, the industry began accruing fines in January that are actually substantial enough to take the profit motive out of short staffing. The industry’s response? HB 2292—designed to once again water down the existing fines and enforcement measures so they can continue to shortchange vulnerable seniors. This is despite the over $3 billion that Illinois pays to nursing homes annually for resident care—including hundreds of millions of dollars specifically earmarked to bolster direct care staffing levels. It’s time for lawmakers hold firm and let the nursing home industry know that in Illinois, care comes first—not nursing home profits. Oppose HB 2292—because safe, dignified, accountable nursing home care can’t wait.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Isabel met her paternal grandfather’s best friend in the world last night. Kankakee Township Supervisor Larry Enz attended the 1st Grade with my dad way back in 1949 and they’ve been tight ever since…  I worked for Larry building houses back in the 1980s for about a year. He was the best boss I ever had, but that experience forced me to realize that I’d better get my life together and find myself a career I was actually good at. I went back to school and then a couple of years later started writing about state government for another company. Three years after that, I started this company. So you could say Mr. Enz is a big reason you’re reading these words today. In all the time I knew Larry I never once heard him talk about politics. Then, about 20 years ago, he reluctantly agreed to run for the Kankakee County Board. He’s never looked back. Mr. Enz is in town lobbying against some bills. He corralled every legislator who visited our Saputo’s table last night. Dude definitely still has game. Click here and here to see what he’s up to. But go easy on him. Old family friends get a pass, and you’re likely not an old family friend. * Anyway, what’s going on in your part of the world?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Gov. Pritzker is launching a statewide “Standing Up for Illinois” Tour…
* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Tribune | The state must pass hemp restrictions while Mayor Brandon Johnson’s local efforts flounder, a City Council majority says: A majority of the Chicago City Council wants Illinois legislators to pass rules on the sale of hemp products, calling into doubt Mayor Brandon Johnson’s efforts to regulate it at the city level. The letter, signed by 28 aldermen and sent to Illinois General Assembly members Monday, expressed “deep concern” over the ongoing lack of laws governing the often-intoxicating products. The high number of signees, including six members of the aldermanic Progressive Caucus that often sides with the progressive mayor, raises questions about whether Johnson has the support to get aldermen to adopt his own guidelines. * Eye On Illinois | IDFPR seems to finally be moving in the right direction: From 2019 through 2022, applications for licensure in one of the 130-plus regulated career fields increased 15% to about 104,000 – many of which came in on paper because the agency was struggling to use its 1990s computer technology. One person speaking at a September 2023 hearing said he’d only seen things worsen over almost 25 years. […] These and countless other stories stand in stark contrast to Wednesday when the only news coming out of a House Health Care Licensing Committee was positive: the new Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment is functioning properly. The first of six rollout phases is completed, and although just a handful of professions are live, lawmakers and IDFPR officials act like everything is on track for all license types to be incorporated by the end of summer, according to Capitol News Illinois. * AXIOS | Removing homeless encampments could be violation of human rights: The Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness sent a letter last week to municipalities, emphasizing that all individuals — including those seeking shelter — must have non-discriminatory access to public spaces under the state’s Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act. * Semafor | Schumer was ‘wrong,’ Illinois governor says, but stop the Democratic ‘warfare’: Chuck Schumer’s government funding decision was “wrong” — but now is not the time for civil war. That’s according to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who gave fellow Democrats clear advice on Tuesday as the Senate minority leader kept trying to quell progressive fury over his vote to advance the Trump-backed funding bill. Pritzker told Semafor that he disagrees with Schumer’s decision, but he wants his party to stop “splintering” over it. * SJ-R | People rally at Illinois capitol to end subminimum wages for tipped workers: Proponents, including tipped workers and One Fair Wage, argue the bill would provide wage stability and reduce poverty, particularly for women and people of color. Opponents, such as the Illinois Restaurant Association, express concerns about potential job losses, price increases, and harm to small businesses. The bill follows Chicago’s recent adoption of a $15.80 minimum wage for tipped workers, phasing in over five years. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Conservative groups file complaint against Illinois and Chicago over policies protecting LGBTQ students: In their complaint, filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies and the Liberty Justice Center allege that the state board and CPS are violating Title IX by “forcing students to share bathrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations with members of the opposite sex, based solely on self-declared ‘gender identity,’” according to a press release. The complaint names the Illinois State Board of Education’s guidance from 2020 and Chicago Public Schools’ interim guidance from 2024 and alleges that both documents misinterpret Title IX by arguing that the clause protects against discrimination and harassment on the basis of gender identity. * WCIA | Illinois Attorney General warns against March Madness betting scams: March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month — and also happens to be the month when the NCAA Tournament for men and women’s college basketball is held. Raoul is encouraging fans who are filling out brackets and thinking about placing money on their favorite teams to be aware of the risks of unlicensed operators. […] Raoul said that certain betting apps and websites are allowed in Illinois. But operators must be licensed with the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) and remain in compliance with state regulators. You can find the list of licensed sport betting organizations in Illinois here. * JG-TC | IHSA makes sweeping changes to classification process to benefit smaller schools: After private school dominance in both football and basketball, the IHSA has made changes to its classification process at its March meeting in Champaign, according to an IHSA release. The changes are aimed at helping competitive balance for smaller public schools by adjusting its classification method and assessing enrollments annually beginning next school year. “Competitive equity and classifications are a topical issue here in Illinois and for state associations around the country,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said in a release. “No state has a perfect system, so it is important that we remain fluid as a Board and staff to be able to review and adapt our policies as new trends emerge and issues evolve.” * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson defends asking city contractors to take pay reductions: After pushing Chicago contractors to voluntarily reduce their prices, Mayor Brandon Johnson defended the request Tuesday as “standard procedure.” Johnson’s remarks came after Chief Procurement Officer Sharla Roberts sent emails to prime contractors doing business with the city last Wednesday asking for “a price reduction of minimally 3% off all invoices sent to the city for the next twelve months off any contracts you currently hold.” * Chalkbeat Chicago | Consultant lays out limited funding options for Chicago’s school board ahead of consequential vote: The five-page memo from consulting firm Baker Tilly outlines three options: cuts, including staff furloughs, debt refinancing, and more city money from special taxing districts. All of these potential solutions have already been floated by either Chicago Public Schools or Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration. Baker Tilly’s analysis also revealed another challenge facing CPS: The school district must find $200 million in savings before June 30, when the current fiscal year ends. That’s because the district is expecting less tax revenue and spent more than planned on special education, transportation, and its buildings, according to the memo. * ABC Chicago | Mayor Johnson again appeals CPS to make $175M pension payment ahead of budget vote: CPS is in the middle of a five-year plan to assume full responsibility for its employees pensions. During this time, the city is helping the cash-strapped district make those payments. On Thursday, the Board will vote on an amended budget that calls for paying for teacher and principal contracts, but not making the pension payment, because it doesn’t have the money to do both. * CBS Chicago | Fireworks erupt at meeting on planned quantum computing campus at old South Chicago steel mill site: Other concerns brought up were jobs, housing costs, and displacement. Contractors say they plan to build some apartments. “180 units isn’t going to solve all the issues around housing. It’s not going to address potential displacement,” Anderson said, “but it is a big start.” * Sun-Times | Chicago Sun-Times to lose 20% of staff after buyout offer: Thirty employees of the Chicago Sun-Times — around 1 in 5 on its payroll — have agreed to resign under buyout terms the paper’s nonprofit ownership offered in hopes of stanching persistent financial deficits. The departures consist mostly of writers and editors — many with decades of experience. The cuts are the most drastic the oft-imperiled Sun-Times has faced in several years and will bring about recognizable changes to its content, although top leaders said the buyouts ensure there will be no layoffs in the near future. * Block Club | Chicago’s ‘Tomato Man’ Is Back — With 15,000 Plants For Sale: Air. Water. Tomatoes. For Bob Zeni, a suburban LaGrange Park man who has dedicated the past 11 years to cultivating and selling hundreds of varieties of tomato plants, these are the basic elements of life. is known for growing and selling thousands of tomato starters every spring, allowing Chicago gardeners to get a leg up on the growing season while trying out unique varieties of the plants. * WBEZ | Federal complaints lodged against Chicago, Deerfield for accommodating trans students: Trans advocates are pushing back against a north suburban mom who says her 13-year-old daughter was forced to change in front of a transgender classmate. The controversy at a middle school in the North Shore community of Deerfield comes at the same time as a federal complaint has been lodged against Chicago Public Schools and the state board of education for allegedly “forcing students” to share bathrooms and locker rooms with transgender classmates. * CBS Chicago | Chicago area man wins nearly $400,000 on sports bet, only to have it all canceled by BetMGM: Military veteran Mark Aiello took a gamble on civilian life when he started a family and moved back to the Chicago suburbs. […] Aiello placed four $500 bets on rebounds and assists by certain players. Six aspects, or “legs,” of the game needed to go his way to win. […] That was because it was his lucky day. His winning bets banked $389,000 — enough for his daughter’s future college education. Aiello’s bets had been canceled just minutes before tipoff as if he had never gambled at all — no wager, no winnings. * CBS Chicago | Harvey, Illinois mayor pays to have burned-out house torn down so displaced neighbor can go home: A senior from the south Chicago suburb of Harvey, Illinois is getting an unexpected financial boost to help her with home repairs after a fire. Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark decided to foot the bill to demolish a neighboring house so the work could get started. Alma West has been displaced from her block in Harvey since January. “It’s been extremely difficult these last few months,” Ms. West said. * Daily Herald | Buffalo Grove hires Philadelphia firm to design The Clove park: The Buffalo Grove Village Board Monday voted to hire Wallace Roberts & Todd LLC for approximately $108,000. Community Development Director Nicole Woods said the firm will engage in a four-month process to gather community and stakeholder input before arriving at a final concept plan and public reveal. “The time is right. Momentum has been rising. There is a lot of development happening,” said Woods, alluding to the opening of The 250 Residences and the addition of new businesses. * Shaw Local | Sterling approves purchase of new $2M firetruck with aerial ladder: The Sterling City Council approved the purchase of a new $2 million firetruck Monday. The decision to waive the bid process and accept a proposal from Jefferson Fire and Safety for the purchase of a customized Rosenbauer King Cobra firetruck with a 101-foot articulating aerial ladder came after a series of reports on the state of the Sterling Fire Department’s apparatus and vehicles. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford to buy $2M worth of police vehicles: The purchase from Rock River Ford of Rockford will cost about $2 million. Officials said the local dealership’s bid was a better deal and cost nearly $200,000 less than what the city would have been charged via a state joint purchasing cooperative. They will replace police vehicles that will either be shifted to a reserve status or sold at auction. * WCIA | Some infections may not be as resistant to antibiotics, U of I study finds: New research with a “microfluidic device” indicates that some infections may not be as resistant to antibiotics as was previously thought. The device works to mimic the fluid flow in the body better than bacteria cultures. The U of I team, led by Joe Sanfilippo, biochemistry professor, tested the antibiotic agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (which is considered one of the most resistant bacteria). They introduced the drug at varying rates of fluid flow and found that bacteria thrived with low fluid flow, but was killed off at higher flow rates. * WCIA | Decatur product makes top 16 of ‘Makers Madness’ contest: The TCCI Electric Compressor made by TCCI Manufacturing in Decatur has reached the top 16 of the sixth annual “Makers Madness.” Over 250,000 votes have been cast to narrow the field down to this point in the bracket-style tournament hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. More than 250 products across Illinois were nominated for this year’s title. After two weeks of voting, the field has been slimmed down to 16 products. * The Telegraph | State of St. Louis? Missouri lawmaker suggests city, two counties as 51st state: Missouri state Rep. Michael Burton, a Democrat, suggests that St. Louis and two adjacent counties — St. Louis County and St. Charles County — break away from the Show-Me State, form its own borders and become America’s newest state; something that hasn’t been done since 1959 when Hawaii was added to the union. […] Putting a few things in perspective the city of St. Louis is 66 square miles in total area, St. Louis County is 523.366 and St. Charles is 593. That’s about 1,183 square miles; making the proposed state the second smallest by total area after Rhode Island. * Harvest Public Media | Changes could be coming to the U.S. Postal Service and rural residents will be most affected: The U.S. Postal Service’s future remains a huge question mark, with rural service hanging in the balance. President Donald Trump has talked of privatizing the service, potentially bringing it under the Department of Commerce. Proponents cite the agency’s $87 billion in financial losses over the past 14 years, along with its performance issues. A task force that studied privatization during the president’s first term warned rural postal service would suffer. * NYT | TEXT: From his perch on his new podcast, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California made the case for not only hearing out some of the most hard-line figures on the American right, but also welcoming them onto his show — a choice that prompted pushback from his latest guest, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, the 2024 Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Hours later, Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois took a different approach in a speech at the Center for American Progress, an influential liberal think tank. The Trump administration, he implied, had plunged the country into a “villainous cruelty” that must be fiercely opposed by a unified Democratic front.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Mar 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Mar 19, 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
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
You can watch the full livestream here. * WTTW | What Are Pharmacy Benefit Managers? Illinois Lawmakers Target Industry They Say Drives Up Prescription Costs: The industry can secure discounts, and the national association for PBMs describes their efforts as working to achieve savings and access to prescriptions. But critics, including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who took specific aim at PBMs last month during his state of the state address, describe the industry as focused on self-enrichment and in need of regulation. He said “one of the great ironies of our modern age” is the concurrent breakthroughs that have developed life-saving medicines that end up being so expensive that they’re out of reach. * Naperville Sun | No more discounted golf, free Centennial Beach access, other perks for former Naperville Park Board members: Eliminated benefits include a 20% discount on golf rounds with tee times at Springbrook and Naperbrook courses, free golf for walk-on rounds, free range balls, free admission to Centennial Beach, and discounts on both golf and beach merchandise. Benefits — other than the merchandise discounts — applied to both former commissioners and eligible family members, including spouses or civil union partners and dependent children up to age 21. The change was floated by board President Mary Gibson at the Feb. 27 meeting and voted on Thursday. Gibson, board Vice President Leslie Ruffing and commissioners Rich Janor and Alison Thompson supported the amendment. Commissioners John Risvold and Chris Jacks cast the dissenting votes. Commissioner Rhonda Ansier was absent. * Daily Herald | Des Plaines clerk’s powers cut by city council: In a move that was all but inevitable following a preliminary vote two weeks ago, the Des Plaines City Council on Monday stripped City Clerk Jessica Mastalski of authority over her office’s workers. Mastalski and any future clerks still will work with employees but are forbidden from exercising “administrative direction and control” over them, according to the new rules. Workers will instead be exclusively supervised by the city manager or a designee. * Tribune | Elmhurst alderman races focus on water rates, economic development: Second Ward Ald. Jacob Hill said in his work for a local university he has many opportunities to engage with students and, as a veteran himself, with veterans. But his work as an alderman allows him to be of service to the broader community, he said, and to model public service for young people. […] Regarding the police station, all the aldermanic candidates said they favor replacement. But Hill alone suggested the project could be delayed. “I understand the need…” he said. “But maybe not now. We could hold off for a few years.” * Tribune | Divisions clear in heated Oak Park and River Forest School Board race: There are clear philosophical and ideological distinctions in the heated Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 School Board race. On one side there is the slate of Nate Mellman and Josh Gertz. They are challenging what some view as the OPRF establishment and are questioning some core beliefs that have been dominant at the school in recent years. Mellman and Gertz are being vehemently opposed by a four candidate coalition that is supportive of the status quo and the school’s current direction. * Sun-Times | Suburban officer donned blackface but was promoted, claims former cop allegedly fired in retaliation: A former Orland Park police officer filed a lawsuit against the village and police department leaders alleging he was fired in retaliation for complaining about being denied a promotion because he’s Hispanic. William Sanchez, who served in the department for nearly 20 years before being fired in March of 2024, claims department leadership “displayed troubling attitudes toward race” that made him feel discriminated against. According to the suit, one white officer was promoted twice by the village, despite being photographed wearing blackface and “making racially charged remarks toward an African American arrestee.” Another white officer had been hired despite a background check that revealed he had made comments about lynching a Black suspect. * Naperville Sun | Construction underway on Eagle Street Gateway improvements along the Naperville Riverwalk: Work on the gateway construction began earlier this month, according to Bill Novack, director of Naperville’s Transportation, Engineering and Development department. It’s being done by Naperville-based Baumgartner Construction Inc. Over the next six years, the city wants to tackle more than a dozen improvements in advance of ringing in the Riverwalk’s 50th birthday. Work is laid out in the 2031 Riverwalk Master Plan, which was endorsed in fall 2020 to guide future development. * Sun-Times | Yes, that’s Miss Huang on campus: Sarah Bock juggles ‘Severance’ role, classes at Northwestern: Inside the sterile walls of Lumon Industries, Sarah Bock is “Miss Huang,” an ambitious, humorless child employee vying for power. Outside, she is a friendly college freshman at Northwestern University, performing in school theater productions, taking midterms and making dinner plans in the city with friends. * Sun-Times | SBA’s Illinois office staying in Chicago as regional office exits the ’sanctuary city’: The Small Business Administration’s plan to move the regional office, which shares a space with its district operations, won’t affect services but sends a harmful “anti-immigrant” message, said a former SBA regional head. * Tribune | CTU president says CPS refusal to compromise on teachers contract will lead to ‘disruption and chaos’: Stacy Davis Gates, CTU president, sent a letter to two top Chicago Public Schools officials saying the district had refused the union’s final compromises, “precipitating more disruption and chaos for all district stakeholders.” The union president doesn’t threaten a strike, but the possibility of one hangs over the letter. Both sides say they are at an impasse. The teachers union is allowed to call for a strike following a 30-day “cooling-off” period after a third-party fact-finding report is released. * Tribune | New first deputy superintendent has cited need for common ground on police misconduct reviews: More than a year into his tenure as head of the Chicago Police Department, Superintendent Larry Snelling on Monday announced the promotion of Yolanda Talley to the department’s second-in-command. Talley, a 30-year department veteran and most recently chief of the bureau of internal affairs, will be the first Black woman to serve as first deputy superintendent, overseeing much of the department’s day-to-day operations and reporting directly to Snelling. * Block Club | Chicago Church Won’t Plant Trees This Spring As Climate Funds Remain Frozen: Rev. Brian Sauder had good news in January for 58 faith-based organizations across the Midwest: His Chicago environmental nonprofit, Faith in Place, would be giving each of them a grant to fund tree planting in low-income communities and create urban forestry jobs to maintain them. Those additional trees would help mitigate the effects of climate change and air pollution. But the good news didn’t last long. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed his “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, which abruptly froze the distribution of funds from the Biden administration’s sweeping climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. The move has left critical initiatives in limbo, including urban and community forestry programs like Sauder’s Faith in Place. * Crain’s | NASCAR loses another founding partner of its Chicago Street Race: ABB, an electrical engineering corporation, signed onto the race as a flagship sponsor in June 2024. The company’s logo appeared on marketing materials for the race as recently as Feb. 5 but has since been stripped from the race’s website and list of official partners. The company noted that it still has some pop-up events planned for the 2025 Chicago race despite no longer being a founding partner. * Sun-Times | Lollapalooza 2025 lineup includes Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, The Creator, Doechii, Olivia Rodrigo and more: Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, The Creator, Doechii and TWICE are among the artists set for Lollapalooza 2025, it was revealed Tuesday morning.. […] The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra will be performing at this year’s event, following its partnership with the festival via “teaser” videos on social media celebrating the music of some of the lineup artists. In addition, Kidzapalooza returns featuring free admission (with a ticketed adult) for children eight and under. * BND | Madison County Jail denied man medicine to prevent a fatal blood clot, family alleges: Zareef M. Fawaz, 49, of St. Louis, died May 31, 2024 while in custody. Fawaz repeatedly told his sister LaToya Simmons, of St. Louis, that Madison County Jail officers wouldn’t give him his blood thinners, which were prescribed to take daily, in phone calls before he died, she said during the news conference in front of the courthouse. * WCIA | Decatur approves changes to massage parlors, lift assists, home rehabs: WCIA previously reported that Decatur was looking to explore new requirements and regulations for massage parlors. But, the council’s vote on the ordinance was pushed back to March 17 to receive more input from local massage therapists. After receiving feedback, the city amended the ordinance slightly. City licenses will be good for two years, alternating with the renewal of state licenses. The license application is $50 and licenses will expire on April 30 of each odd year. Decatur also eliminated the requirement that locations needed a bath and a locker room, which helps establishments operated by solo massage therapists. * WAND | Brad Paisley coming to perform at the Illinois State Fair: Brad Paisley is coming to perform at the Illinois State Fair Thursday, Aug. 14. This will be the first time Paisley has performed at the fair since 2017. Brad Paisley has three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards, including an Entertainer of the Year honor and recognition as the most successful CMA Award co-host in history. * WCBU | WTVP’s insurance company sues to recover claim paid out for alleged fraud: In 2023, Lesley Matuszak, a community figure and former leader of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Peoria, resigned from her position at WTVP. She died a day after her resignation. Later, Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood ruled Matuszak died by suicide. A police report obtained by WCBU in 2024 shows the Peoria Police Department had evidence to support charging Matuszak with forgery and embezzlement prior to her death. All other names in the report were redacted. * WIRED | FTC Removes Posts Critical of Amazon, Microsoft, and AI Companies: On the FTC’s website, the page hosting all of the agency’s business-related blogs and guidance no longer includes any information published during former president Joe Biden’s administration, current and former FTC employees, who spoke under anonymity for fear of retaliation, tell WIRED. These blogs contained advice from the FTC on how big tech companies could avoid violating consumer protection laws. One now deleted blog, titled “Hey, Alexa! What are you doing with my data?” explains how, according to two FTC complaints, Amazon and its Ring security camera products allegedly leveraged sensitive consumer data to train the ecommerce giant’s algorithms. (Amazon disagreed with the FTC’s claims. * Bloomberg | RFK Jr.’s next targets are companies making baby formula: It’s unclear exactly which companies will be represented. Firms that sell infant formula include North Chicago-based Abbott Laboratories, which makes Similac, Enfamil maker Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, and relative newcomer Bubs Australia Ltd. HHS didn’t respond to a request for comment. Kennedy plans to discuss nutritional standards and shoring up the supply chain, one of the people said. Kennedy posted on social media in May 2024 that he was concerned about toxic metals in formula. He said during his presidential campaign that if he were to be elected, the Food and Drug Administration, a part of HHS that he now oversees, would scrutinize formula ingredients. * NPR | ‘Segregated facilities’ are no longer explicitly banned in federal contracts: After a recent change by the Trump administration, the federal government no longer explicitly prohibits contractors from having segregated restaurants, waiting rooms and drinking fountains. The segregation clause is one of several identified in a public memo issued by the General Services Administration last month, affecting all civil federal agencies. The memo explains that it is making changes prompted by President Trump’s executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion, which repealed an executive order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 regarding federal contractors and nondiscrimination. The memo also addresses Trump’s executive order on gender identity.
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What Is A Credit Union?
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] 
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Another twist in the Threemil case
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
From the Jones filing…
The Jones filing on the handwritten notes is here. * From 2022…
Jones never amended the bill that is identified in the above story. * Tribune last month…
The “event” has never been fully described as far as I can tell, and how Sen. Jones was supposed to have allegedly personally profited from that has also never been revealed, nor whether the money was even paid. Jones’ intern was eventually paid $1,800 for six weeks of no work, according to prosecutors.
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Intoxicating Hemp: No safety? No thanks!
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A federal loophole has led to a booming gray market across Illinois for intoxicating hemp products, which use synthetics to alter the composition of hemp to get consumers high. This is happening outside the structure of the state’s legal cannabis industry. This means intoxicating hemp faces NO quality testing, NO age restrictions, NO packaging requirements, NO potency rules, and NO taxes to fund programs in communities impacted by the War on Drugs. Most intoxicating hemp products aren’t even produced in Illinois. By contrast, Illinois cannabis businesses face extensive rules and regulations to operate, with products tracked from seed to sale. When consumers purchase legal cannabis grown and processed in Illinois, they know their products are safe. Hemp and cannabis come from the same plant. Both products can get users high. Why the different rules? Illinois already has a system in place to regulate hemp – it’s called the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. It’s time for Illinois to close the intoxicating hemp loophole.
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Despite court rulings, ‘free speech zones’ persist
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Chicago Tribune in 2020…
* The Sun-Times today…
Discuss.
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DCFS hit for failing to file child death/injury reports (Updated)
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller …Adding… From DCFS…
* Peter Nickeas at the Illinois Answers Project…
* From Illinois’ Abuse and Neglected Child Reporting Act…
* Back to Illinois Answers…
Go read the rest.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * SEIU Healthcare Illinois…
* WGLT…
* Sen. Steve Stadelman…
* The Illinois Primary Health Care Association…
* WAND…
* Prairie Rivers Network, Eco-Justice Collaborative…
* WLDS…
* WAND…
HB2627 passed out of committee on a partisan 5-3 vote.
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Open thread
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A last-minute provision called the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA) was snuck into the budget process last May and will create chaos for small businesses and consumers across Illinois if it takes effect on July 1, 2025. The IFPA gives corporate mega-stores like Walmart and Home Depot — who pushed for this backroom deal — millions more in profits, while small business owners get new expenses and accounting headaches. What’s more, consumers could be forced to pay for parts of their transactions in cash if this law moves forward. A recent court ruling in the litigation challenging the law suggests IFPA is likely pre-empted by federal law for national banks and will only apply to credit unions and local Illinois banks, putting local banks at a disadvantage against their national competitors. Illinois lawmakers should repeal the IFPA and focus on protecting small businesses and consumers across the state — not lining the pockets of corporate mega-stores. Stop the countdown to chaos by supporting a repeal of this misguided and flawed policy. Learn more at https://guardyourcard.com/illinois/ 
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: State moves to revoke license of Chicago Heights crematory accused of improperly storing bodies. Sun-Times…
- Heights Crematory has been closed since the state’s investigation began Feb. 19, when investigators told the facility’s owners that it couldn’t accept any new cases until existing ones are completed. But operators allegedly continued to take in additional remains. - In the ensuing investigation, officials have also found many of the remains lacked one or more of the documents necessary for cremation, such as a signed death certificate, a signed cremation authorization from next of kin or a cremation permit. * Related stories…
∙ NBC Chicago: Suburban crematory accused of improperly storing 100 bodies in trailer under investigation * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Capitol News Illinois | Prisoner Review Board sued for negligence a year after released prisoner killed Chicago boy: Jayden Perkins, an accomplished young dancer, was stabbed to death last March while his mother, Laterria Smith, sustained “multiple life-threatening stab wounds to her neck, back, and chest while desperately trying to protect her children,” according to one of the lawsuits she filed last week. Smith was pregnant at the time, while her then-5-year-old son witnessed the stabbing. Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the attack last week, Smith filed a pair of complaints — one against the PRB in the Illinois Court of Claims and another in Cook County Circuit Court. The latter lawsuit names not only the PRB, but also its former chair and another member who resigned after the murder, plus an executive director appointed in the aftermath. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois’ community colleges see nearly 9% spike in spring enrollment: In a report released Tuesday, the ICCB said 40 of the state’s 45 community colleges reported enrollment growth this spring. There was significant growth in several enrollment categories, including a nearly 20% increase in students enrolled in dual credit programs, which allow high school students to earn college credits. But there was an even greater increase, 23.4%, in students seeking general associate’s degree programs. * Harvey World Herald | As state cracks down on delinquent audits, Mayor Chris Clark addresses financial reporting concerns: According to state records, Harvey has not completed its state-mandated audits for its three recent fiscal years. Last fall, the city submitted a remediation plan to the state, which rejected it. Now, Harvey’s undergoing forced audits. According to state law, the city has to pay for it. * Center Square | Gambling insider says Illinois’ internet gambling legislation likely doomed: The Illinois Gaming Machine Operators Association is opposed to the idea, and Christopher Altruda, a writer and contributor to CasinoReports.com, said he is not surprised the Illinois Gaming Board is not on board as well. “Taking on an expanded vertical like this as you’re still settling the expansion of what you had for brick-and-mortar casinos and online sports betting, it’s a very tall ask of this state agency,” said Altruda. * Tribune | Cook County’s Democratic incumbents plant flags for 2026 re-election bids: Preckwinkle, who turned 78 Monday, announced her re-election bid to once again lead the board in an interview with Politico. Dart is hosting a re-election campaign kickoff and fundraiser next week. Kaegi sunk $500,000 into his campaign coffers earlier this month — filing a “self-funding” notice for next year’s primary — a reminder to any potential challengers of his deep pockets. Pappas didn’t release a re-election announcement but simply told the Tribune, “I’m in.” * Sun-Times | Suburban Chicago family pleads for ICE to release father, local business owner: “All that I ask is for my husband’s release,” Orozco said in Spanish. “Is it a crime to work? Because he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t have vices, he doesn’t do drugs. All he does is go to work. Is that what it means to be a criminal — to wake up early and go to work and look after your family?” Her husband was one of 22 people — including a U.S. citizen — detained in the Chicago area in recent weeks by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since President Donald Trump started his second term. Attorneys from the National Immigrant Justice Center and ACLU of Illinois say the arrests are in violation of a 2022 federal court settlement that required ICE to adopt a nationwide policy on the arrests of people without warrants. * AP | ICE violated rights of a US citizen and 21 others during arrests, Chicago activists allege: The arrests allegedly violate a 2022 agreement between Chicago groups and the federal government detailing how U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers can make “ collateral arrests,” where agents detain others besides those being targeted. The agreement, following a lawsuit over 2018 immigration sweeps, covers Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin, which are under the ICE office in Chicago. “Every time you hear from this administration about how they’re rounding up gang members, terrorists, the worst of the worst, you need to take a dose of reality,” said Mark Fleming, an attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Center, said at a news conference. “You need to dig deeper to understand who exactly they are arresting.” * Harvey World Herald | County commissioner paid over $30,000 as consultant at Harvey library where husband serves as board president: Still, Kisha McCaskill, appointed to the county board’s 5th district seat representing the south suburbs and several neighborhoods on Chicago’s South Side in January, performs and receives payments for work for the library district, which has included providing recommendations for full-time hires, liaising for accounts payable, and reviewing proposals for security-related contracts. She’s requested to be paid $30,450 for administrative work and reimbursed $5,164.57 for expenses she incurred between November 2023 and February 2025, according to invoices and bills lists reviewed by the HWH. * Daily Herald | Don’t look over your shoulder, but are more Pace express buses coming on I-290?: After success establishing express buses that defy traffic by switching to shoulder lanes on Interstate 55 and the Jane Addams Tollway, Pace is considering a three-peat along a route that would include parts of I-290 and I-88. The suburban agency recently launched a I-290/I-88 Express Bus Study and survey. Planners will review the feasibility of putting buses on the corridors connecting the CTA Forest Park Blue Line station with destinations such as Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook and the Woodfield Mall area in Schaumburg. * Daily Herald | ‘End of an era’: Oak Brook Polo Club to close after more than 100 years: “After years of proudly hosting world-class polo matches and fostering a vibrant community of polo enthusiasts, the Oak Brook Polo Club announces that it will be closing its doors under its current leadership,” the statement reads. “This decision marks the end of an era for one of the most storied polo clubs in the United States.” * WGLT | Five years later, the losses from COVID-19 still loom large for some in McLean County: Heidi Lovell and Sandy Colbs, both of McLean County, lost their mothers at the height of the pandemic. The death of a parent changes a person forever in normal circumstances. The death of a parent during a viral pandemic — who could be prepared for that? “Unless you know somebody that specifically died of COVID … you just kind of forget that people were dying, people were in the hospital, sick, people were having a hard time with other problems too,” Lovell said in an interview. “I don’t need people to be like, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry your mom died during COVID,’ but like, life still happened, is what I’m saying.” * BND | Metro-east high school’s backpack policy causes stir. Are students safer or inconvenienced?: On a recent Wednesday, senior Shaylee Messersmith grabbed a bucket, loaded it with her belongings and set off for Dupo High School. One student hauled their supplies in a traffic cone, another in a shopping cart. Messersmith and her friends donned these unorthodox accessories in protest of the school’s backpack policy, which Messersmith said became stricter this week with little warning. Roughly a dozen more teenagers also participated in this student-led “anything but a backpack” demonstration, Messersmith said, and were told to put their makeshift backpacks in their cars or leave them in the office. * WGLT | After inaction on housing, Normal mayoral candidates outline a shift in strategy: Instead of waiting for the market to organically redevelop its downtown district, Normal leaders poured in millions of dollars of public money to create Uptown Normal. Instead of waiting for a company to buy and demolish the former Mitsubishi plant, the town dangled incentives in front of Rivian to get them to come here and revitalize it. Yet with the housing shortage, the Normal Town Council has done little to address it, essentially waiting for a daunting list of macroeconomic forces to ease. Rents and home prices have spiked. * Tribune | Stricter truck pollution rule would prevent 500 deaths a year in Chicago region, study shows: The Northwestern study, accepted for publication in the journal Frontiers of Earth Science, looked at the health impact of California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule, which is currently under consideration by the Illinois Pollution Control Board. The Clean Trucks rule would require that manufacturers of medium and heavy-duty trucks slowly ramp up the number of zero-emissions vehicles sold to 40% to 75% (depending on the category) in 2035. * Crain’s | WBEZ being investigated by federal regulators over on-air sponsorships: Public broadcasting stations are prohibited from running commercials. Instead, they air what are considered corporate underwriting spots, which are supposed to be non-promotional announcements acknowledging financial support. WBEZ, an NPR affiliate, received a letter from the federal agency asking for its underwriting announcements and is cooperating with the request, the station confirmed today. * CBS Chicago | Possible federal cuts to bike lane expansion could have big impact in Chicago: The federal money for bike lanes already under construction is allocated, but U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is ready to put a stop to any future dollars and keep bike lanes in cities, including Chicago, from expanding. […] CBS News Chicago reached out to the Chicago Department of Transportation to see how many future projects would be impacted. The department had not returned the request for comment late Thursday. * Sun-Times | CTA announces schedule changes ahead of anticipated spring ridership rush: Starting April 20, the Blue Line O’Hare Branch will have two extra trips added each weekday, six extra trips added on Saturdays and five extra trips on Sundays, while the Blue Line Forest Park Branch will see even more: 30 additional trips each weekday, 17 additional trips on Saturdays and two additional trips on Sundays. Red and Yellow Line trains are having their early morning schedules shifted to better align with each other, the agency said, as the first northbound Yellow Line train will depart Howard at 4:40 a.m., with southbound service from Dempster-Skokie starting at 4:55 a.m. * Crain’s | Blackstone facing $346 million foreclosure at River North office building: A venture controlled by the private-equity giant has been in default on its $310 million mortgage backed by the office portion of the building at 350 N. Orleans St. since it matured in 2023, according to a foreclosure lawsuit filed late last month in Cook County Circuit Court. In a long-delayed action, a trustee representing bondholders in the loan filed the complaint in a bid to take control of the 1.3 million-square-foot property. * Tribune | Decades before Irish were Chicago political royalty, they lived in a ramshackle slum called Kilgubbin: In the 1850s and 1860s, Kilgubbin was often mentioned in the pages of the Tribune and other Chicago newspapers. The name became symbolic of slums where poor Irish immigrants lived in ramshackle shanties, squatting on property they didn’t own. In an era when the Irish faced widespread prejudice, “Kilgubbin” was used as an insult. Of course, Kilgubbin wasn’t the only place where Irish people lived in Chicago during the city’s early decades. In the 1830s, Irish laborers dug the Illinois & Michigan Canal, settling in a spot once called Hardscrabble, which became the South Side’s Bridgeport neighborhood. And when the Great Famine devastated Ireland in the 1840s, Chicago was a destination for thousands of Irish people fleeing starvation. By 1850, 1 out of every 5 Chicagoans was an Irish immigrant. * WGN | Why was everyone carrying milk jugs around Chicago during St. Patrick’s Day Weekend?: After scouring the internet (which included a few trips down the Reddit rabbit hole), those drinks people were carrying were most likely “Borgs” or Blackout Rage Gallons. […] The drinks are usually made in a plastic jug and generally contain water, vodka, flavored drink mix (such as Kool-Aid or MiO) and sometimes electrolyte mix like Pedialyte. * Bloomberg | Darker Than a Dark Pool? Welcome to Wall Street’s ‘Private Rooms’: A decade after being engulfed by a controversy that culminated in multiple enforcement actions and a regulator clampdown, these off-exchange trading platforms are touting a way to buy and sell stocks that’s even more opaque. They’re offering what are dubbed private rooms, gated venues that take the core benefit of a dark pool — the ability to hide big equity deals so they won’t impact prices — and add exclusivity, specifying exactly who can partake in any trade. * WaPo | Amid ‘DEI’ purge, Pentagon removes webpage on Iwo Jima flag-raiser: Multiple articles about the Navajo code talkers, who were critical to America’s victory at Iwo Jima and the wider Pacific theater of the Second World War, were also removed, along with a profile of a Tonawanda Seneca officer who drafted the terms of the Confederacy’s surrender at Appomattox toward the end of the Civil War.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Mar 18, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Mar 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
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller …Adding… Press release…
* Shaw Local…
* Capitol News Illinois | In remarks to teachers union, Pritzker lashes out at Trump’s education cuts: In a campaign-style speech before a friendly audience of about 1,200 representatives of the Illinois Education Association, the state’s largest labor union, Pritzker lashed out at the president and his supporters, whom he called “bootlickers” and “DOGE-bags,” a reference to the Trump’s unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois lawmakers weigh new proposal to set guardrails around AI: State lawmakers have proposed two bills in the House and Senate that would create an advisory committee to create and distribute guidance on using artificial intelligence. Both bills — HB2503 and SB1556 — would require school districts to include how students, teachers, and districts are using artificial intelligence to the Illinois State Board of Education in their annual report on the use and policies of education technology. * Shaw Local | Talk-Line with Steve Marco talks state government with Rep. Brad Fritts: 74th District State Representative Brad Fritts discusses the time table of general assembly work underway plus comments concerning Governor JB Pritzker’s budget address and work in various committees. * Press Release | More than $99,600 awarded for student field trips to state parks, natural areas: More than 7,000 students will visit Illinois state parks, natural areas, museums and other natural resources sites this year to learn about nature and conservation thanks to grant funding through the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today announced more than $99,600 funding was awarded for 113 student field trip grants. Grant recipients represent 32 counties in the state. * Pantagraph | Normally routine U.S. Rep. Miller staff event in Coles County draws concerned crowd: The mobile office hours offered by Congressional staff are typically routine events where a handful of constituents seek help with Social Security, veterans benefits or other federal issues. […] However, the mobile session that the staff of Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of Hindsboro, who represents the 15th District, held at the Coles County Council on Aging’s LifeSpan Center on Tuesday was anything but routine. More than 50 community members turned out to share their concerns about ongoing cuts to federal programs and workforces, rollbacks on diversity initiatives, tariffs on imported products, and other issues. * IPM News | Dozens protest Trump policies and congresswoman in Mahomet; Other Reps. quiet on town hall planning: Dozens rallied in front the Mahomet office of Illinois’ 15th Congressional District Representative Mary Miller (R-IL) on Saturday. They protested her recent votes in Congress, a lack of public town hall for constituents, and her support of conservative federal policies. Marti Brandt, organizer and founder of March for Democracy, said that an event beginning with three people swelled into an event with over 400 people interested on Facebook. * WICS | Neoga school superintendent outlines potential plans for reopening post-storm damage: Superintendent Kevin Haarman announced that all district schools will remain closed this week: “All district schools will be closed from March 17 through March 21. This closure will allow time for a thorough damage assessment, continued mitigation efforts, and the development of a long-term instructional plan.” Superintendent Haarman emphasized that plans could change, but as of now, the elementary school is expected to reopen in the same building next Monday. * WSIL | Church bells to ring in Murphysboro exactly 100 years after Tri-State Tornado hits community: An event on the final day of the week-long commemoration for the 100th anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado will take place on Tuesday, March 18, in Murphysboro. There will be a Pubic Commemoration at Longfellow Park, at 401 North 20th Street in Murphysboro, at 1:30 p.m. to remember the victims of the Tri-State Tornado. Local officials will read off proclamations and resolutions and unveil a historical marker. * WCBU | Federal judge James Shadid named next president of Bradley University: Shadid is set to assume the new role April 1. He replaces former President Steven Standifird. Standifird left Bradley in May 2024, announcing his resignation after a tumultuous year at the Peoria institution that included budget cuts and on-campus student protests. Shadid is currently a United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois. He was appointed to the position by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2011. * WGLT | Normal’s mayoral candidates offer diverging paths on where taxes and fees go next: Incumbent Chris Koos and town council member Chemberly Harris have similar voting records – generally willing to raise taxes and fees, or keep them flat, to sustain public services. The third candidate, council member Kathleen Lorenz, has repeatedly voted against tax and fee increases and thinks the corresponding budget impact can be absorbed without too much disruption. Lorenz, for example, voted against the creation of a 1% town grocery sales tax to make up for the elimination of the state’s grocery tax on Jan. 1, 2026. That would’ve cost the town around $2.3 million in revenue (about 2.4% of the budget), while saving shoppers $1 on a $100 cart of groceries. Lorenz was outvoted, and the council approved the town grocery tax with support from Koos and Harris. * WCIA | Illinois women’s basketball returns to the dance as eight-seed: After missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid in the 2023-24 season, Illinois women’s basketball is returning to the dance as an eight-seed. The Illini are in Regional 3. They will open play in Austin, Texas against nine-seed Creighton on Saturday, March 22. This is the third-straight year under head coach Shauna Green that the Illini have accepted an invite to play in some sort of postseason tournament. * News-Gazette | Special concert announcement: ‘Back Where It All Began’: Six members of the chart-topping, Champaign-born band founded 58 years ago will reunite for one special gig — in the city where it all started. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday for “Back Where It All Began,” a concert retrospective honoring the legacy of REO Speedwagon, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at State Farm Center. The show will feature special guests and former band members Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Bruce Hall, Terry Luttrell, Mike Murphy and Steve Scorfina, plus an in memoriam to early members Gary Richrath and Gregg Philbin. * WCBU | Summer Camp Music Festival’s move to Peoria Riverfront delayed to 2026: In a Facebook post in December 2024, organizers announced a new direction for the festival on the Peoria Riverfront. The new festival would be three days of musical performances over Memorial Day weekend; camping would no longer be an option. In a new post on Thursday, organizers announced the cancellation of this new iteration of the festival. In its place, Summer Camp will present a series of shows throughout the summer at the Peoria Riverfront. * Chicago Reader | Are Chicago police using CrimeTracer?: In August, the city paid SoundThinking $727,361 for CrimeTracer, according to a receipt released to the Reader by the Office of Public Safety Administration (OPSA). The receipt doesn’t mention CrimeTracer by name, but it was provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for payment records related to the software, and the OPSA confirmed the payment was for CrimeTracer. […] CrimeTracer is used by more than 2,500 law enforcement agencies and boasts access to the “largest network of agency data in America”—essentially Google for police. The software allows subscribers to search for a person’s license plate number, name, or even general description among more than 1.3 billion records contained in CrimeTracer’s “Information Network,” culled from license plate readers, 911 calls, booking photos, arrest warrants and reports, ShotSpotter alerts, gun ballistic reports, wedding certificates, vehicle registrations, and more. Analytics and visualization tools draw maps that link related people, events, properties, and vehicles. * WGN | New mobile vehicle emissions testing could come to you: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on Friday announced updates to the state’s Vehicle Emissions Testing Program, including the reopening of the Forest Preserve Drive location in Chicago. In a new release Friday, Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings said that in addition to the Chicago testing station resuming operations, self-serve kiosks and mobile testing units will become available beginning Monday, March. 17. * WTTW | Judge Orders Chicago to Speed Up Efforts to Make Crosswalks Accessible to Blind Pedestrians; Just 85 of 2,713 Intersections Upgraded: The order comes after a 2023 ruling in federal court that Chicago’s long-running failure to protect blind pedestrians violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, following on the heels of a similar ruling in New York City. Judge Elaine Bucklo’s opinion chided the city for years of scattershot, unfulfilled promises to install accessible pedestrian signals, known as APS. Those use audio cues to help people with visual disabilities know when it’s safe to cross. * Streetsblog Chicago | At CTA board meeting, talk of funding doomsday scenario, bus lane enforcement contract, new concessions / newsletter / podcast: While the CTA’s own board didn’t discuss any details during this week’s monthly meeting, Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen made it clear that, in the absence of additional funding, the slashing of train and bus schedules would be dire. But she emphasized that the cuts would not disproportionally impact the South and West sides, which have historically borne the brunt of such cuts. And she promised the CTA will do its best to avoid such as doomsday situation. During the same meeting, Leerhsen announced that the CTA is launching a new monthly newsletter and a new employee podcast. The also board approved a new contract for bus-mounted cameras that will help enforce laws against drivers standing and parking in bus and bike lanes. * WTTW | Ancient Visitors to the Modern Wing: Art Institute Welcomes First Visit of Rare Roman Sculptures Collection: Now that medley of marble has taken its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and settled into the Art Institute of Chicago where, starting this weekend, the ancient works will hold court in the Modern Wing. “We wanted to bring the past to the present,” co-curator Lisa Ayla Çakmak told WTTW News. “Placing these works in the Modern Wing can bridge the seeming disconnect between past and present and reinforce one of the key themes of the show: that the ancient Romans lived in a visually saturated world that resonates with us today.” * Daily Southtown | Despite the cold and snow, South Side Irish Parade organizers estimate 77,000 turn out: The parade featured more than 100 entries and floats, including one with, fittingly, Santa Claus. Irish dancers were bundled and many of the younger dancers were too cold to dance. Even Bozo the Clown needed to keep his orange hair and makeup dry by using an umbrella. […] The grand marshal this year was the Big Shoulders Fund, and the community honoree was the Brother Rice Mount Sion Program, a special education inclusion program. * Daily Herald | Early voting now open in all suburban counties: Early voting is now open in all counties ahead of the April 1 election. Election officials in Kane and Lake counties had made polling sites available at limited locations earlier this month, while all other counties waited until Monday to begin offering it. * Daily Herald | Bears stadium or not, Rolling Meadows considers shrinking nearby Kirchoff Road: Currently two lanes of traffic in each direction with a turn lane in the center, Kirchoff would be altered by removing an eastbound lane and a westbound lane, and replacing them with on-street parking spaces. Protected bike lanes would be nearest to the curbs. That would take place west of Meadow Drive, near the Jewel-anchored shopping center and city hall. * Shaw Local | Will County fortifying entrances of all local high schools: The county approved $70,000 for the first phase of a project that will reinforce the glass in the windows and doors of school entrances, making them bullet proof and resistant to extreme weather conditions, including tornados and hail, according to Will County Regional Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff. The funding was sourced from the county’s cannabis tax revenue. * Daily Southtown | Homewood resident creates Ava’s Pathways to help women facing struggles: It was that concern for struggling people that led her to start Ava’s Pathways in 2024, a nonprofit that offers coaching and events to empower women at any stage of their lives. Co-founder and Vice President Alice Pryor and the board focus on individuals affected by injustice, domestic abuse, divorce and other challenges. But it’s all done through a compassionate acceptance of people no matter their backgrounds, mistakes or emotional makeup. “I want to be able to help people understand it’s OK to not be OK,” said Shaheed-Jackson, executive director/president. * Tribune | Evanston offers public campaign funds. But mayor hopefuls Daniel Biss and Jeff Boarini aren’t getting them: The program is meant to “empower grassroots supporters by amplifying small donations and reducing candidates’ reliance on large donors or special interest groups,” according to the city’s website. City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza said in a phone call to Pioneer Press that candidates who have accepted donations over $150 cannot use the program. Mendoza said both Biss and Boarini were notified of the program and how it functions. Both have accepted larger donations. * WIRED | Everything You Say to Your Echo Will Soon Be Sent to Amazon, and You Can’t Opt Out: In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of every command spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud. * NBC | Democratic Party hits new polling low, while its voters want to fight Trump harder: Voters did have different views of how congressional Democrats and Republicans have been navigating Trump, with 53% saying Republicans have been too supportive, while 50% say Democrats have been too critical. * WIRED | DOGE’s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread: Before he was abruptly fired last month, Derek Copeland worked as a trainer at the US Department of Agriculture’s National Dog Detection Training Center, preparing beagles and Labrador retrievers to sniff out plants and animals that are invasive or vectors for zoonotic diseases, like swine fever. Copeland estimates the NDDTC lost about a fifth of its trainers and a number of other support staff when 6,000 employees were let go at the USDA in February as part of a government-wide purge orchestrated by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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Appellate court rules Chicago lawsuit against Indiana gun store can proceed in Illinois
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Associated Press in 2023…
* On Friday, an Illinois Appellate Court ruled that the lawsuit can continue. Tribune…
* From the opinion…
* National gun violence prevention group Everytown Law…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Pritzker’s back and forth on immigrant healthcare costs (Updated x2)
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Tribune has a story about the governor’s proposal to do away with state health coverage for non-citizens aged 42-64…
* From a March 3rd Pritzker op-ed…
* Even if spending money reduces state costs down the road, the short-term state costs have been unexpectedly huge…
Your thoughts? …Adding… Thanks to a commenter for this link to a 2022 press release…
…Adding… Another reader sent this…
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Urban Planner Steven Vance in Chicago Cityscape…
* Rep. Jackie Haas…
* The Tribune Editorial Board…
* Rep. Sue Scherer…
* WAND…
* WTVO…
SB2254 has not yet been assigned to a committee. * WCIA…
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RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path. Retailers like the Mikol family enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Moylan: ‘Vast amounts of mismanagement’ at CTA
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Isabel got the byline…
* Meanwhile, from the Tribune…
* It just ain’t what it used to be…
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Open thread
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Pass HB 2507 Because Nursing Home Care Can’t Wait
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] This past week marked the 5-year anniversary of the state’s COVID lockdown—and as SEIU Healthcare Executive VP Erica Bland put it in her Sun-Times op-ed on Thursday, “Far too many front-line (nursing home) workers, including members of our union, and the residents they cared for lost their lives to COVID.” A significant percentage of Illinois nursing homes went into the pandemic short staffed, and—five years on—staffing levels have yet to improve. Despite the fact that nursing homes know how many direct care hours are required to meet resident needs, our research based on available state reports reveals that nearly one in five nursing homes is staffed below the legal minimum on most days. This is despite the historic legislation that care advocates and our members fought to secure with groundbreaking safe staffing enforcement measures AND $240 million per year in additional funds for hiring more staff. Left unaddressed, this care crisis is only going to get worse—the number of adults over 65 in Illinois is set to nearly double by 2060. That’s why it’s crucial we pass HB 2507 which mandates that 90% of state funding received by nursing homes for care actually goes into direct care. Addressing dangerously low staffing levels can’t wait. And for the many seniors currently going without needed services—Care Can’t Wait. Support HB 2507.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois Attorney General settles its lawsuit against a company that published personal information of hundreds of thousands of Illinois voters. WBEZ…
- The agreement requires the company to destroy any restricted voter data it had that included birth dates and home addresses and to refrain from publishing any such data if it originated from voter roll information that originated from the Illinois State Board of Elections. - No fines were levied as a result of the agreement, which required the company to cover its own legal expenses, and LGIS did not admit any liability or unlawful conduct as a result of its actions. * Tribune | Immigrant families scramble as state health insurance for some noncitizens faces the axe in Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget plan: Getting insurance coverage from the state “felt like a relief,” Francisca said. “We could go to the doctor knowing that if they found something wrong, we would be able to follow up. We no longer had to choose between going to the doctor, paying for the visit, the medication, or paying for rent and food,” Francisca said. If the program goes away, the responsibility of paying her medical bills will fall back to her children, on top of paying for her other expenses. She has no savings and doesn’t qualify for Social Security disability benefits or Medicaid due to her immigration status. * ABC Chicago | IL AG Raoul says office not backing down from Trump lawsuits despite budget limits: “We not being frivolous, these are real harms that are coming to our respective states and the American peoples at large,” Raoul said. The state attorney has joined 20 other Democratic state attorneys general for several lawsuits, many surrounding the Elon Musk DOGE firings of federal workers. * WTTW | Don’t Click on Those Road Toll Texts. Officials Issue Warnings About the Smishing Scam: The texts impersonating state road toll collection agencies attempt to get phone users to reveal financial information, such as credit or debit cards or bank accounts. They’re so-called smishing scams — a form of phishing that relies on SMS texts to trick people into sending money or share sensitive information. * WAND | Illinois House Republican, Democrats spar over potential elimination of US Department of Education: Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) rarely speaks on the House floor, but the former teacher with 30 years of experience said she had to stand up for students and teachers in central Illinois. “Why is Donald Trump pushing ahead with a policy that will hurt the same people who trusted him,” Scherer asked. “I’ll tell you why — simply because his billionaire donors want another tax cut and they’ll mortgage our children’s future to pay for it.” * Capitol News Illinois | Feds pull grant funding from Illinois fair housing orgs that investigate discrimination: John Petruszak opened his email Feb. 27 to find a message he called “shocking”: the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development had rescinded two grants it had awarded to his advocacy organization, the South Suburban Housing Center. The grants, which represent 37% of the center’s budget, hadn’t been rescinded through any misstep by the organization. Rather, at the order of the Trump administration’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the grant was being terminated because it “no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities,” the letter read. * WCIA | Illinois recognized as 4th in country for solar energy capacity: The Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) said that Illinois is ranked fourth for its solar energy capacity in the country. In 2024, about 2.5 gigawatts of capacity were installed in the state, which is about half of all the previously installed solar energy equipment. * Alexi Giannoulias | Is the Real ID deadline real?: Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005. It was one of the many security initiatives developed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But it wasn’t until five years ago that many states began issuing them just before the pandemic put the brakes on the 2020 deadline. Slow compliance led to another delay, which kicked the latest deadline to May 7. So why should we believe them this go-around? Well, the federal government published a “final rule” in January, rejecting the option for another extension and requiring the federal regulation to finally take effect. * WAND | ‘This is pretty bad’ Neoga community picking up the pieces after devastating damage: Saturday morning, hundreds woke up to fallen trees and debris scattered throughout neighborhoods. The biggest shock in town, however, was at the Neoga schools. “This, this is pretty bad…” Jordan Snively said, as he worked on repairing parts of the school. Snively is a Neoga graduate himself. Today, he spent hours rebuilding his own school. Snively was one of many construction groups and volunteers on campus, helping to pick up the pieces after severe storm damage. * WCIA | Neoga church offers childcare, free meals for kids during school closure: Grace United Methodist Church said that they will offer Neoga STRONG for kids each day this week from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Kids in kindergarten to fifth grade are invited to come to Grace Church for breakfast, lunch, and a day of activities. The church said that this will allow families to ensure that their kids are entertained and fed, while parents go about their week as normal. * Sun-Times | To the NCAA Tournament, they go — shafted Big Ten champ Michigan, Milwaukee-bound Illinois and all the rest: BUT THEN THERE’S ILLINOIS, which should ship each member of the committee a frozen Papa Del’s deep-dish pie for treating the Illini and their fans to the absolute best-case scenario. Best-case, the Illini would be on the 6 line after getting destroyed by Maryland in the Big Ten quarterfinals. But to be both a 6 and in Milwaukee? God bless America. “We’re excited to be in Big Ten country, in Milwaukee,” coach Brad Underwood told reporters, smiling while he said it. “A place to play very close to us should be an exciting opportunity.” * Rolling Stone | ‘The Perfect Church’: Inside the Religious Sect That Took Over a Midwestern Town: One of Jesse Morris’ earliest memories is sitting on his father’s shoulders at the church on Webster Street, in Oregon, Illinois, waiting for his pastor to rise from the dead. On an early spring night in 1992, about 75 people were packed under the high vaulted ceiling of the church’s main hall, in abject shock and grief. At the front of the room, Rose Aluli lay in a half-open casket dressed in one of her signature gowns. To the congregation, Rose had been much more than a charismatic preacher. Over the past decade, she had grown their church from a small Bible study into a thriving yet controversial local institution. They call it “The Church of Jesus Christ Forever” or “the Perfect Church.” * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago City Council members pressure school board to pay up — or risk losing other financial support: Ald. Jason Ervin, who represents the West Side and is chair of the powerful committee on budget and government operations, said that while CPS has no legal obligation to reimburse the city, City Council also has no obligation to provide the school district with funding for school construction projects or waive water and sewer fees, as it currently does. Those and other entanglements between the city government and the school system were laid out in a 2023 report required under the state legislation that paved the way for Chicago’s transition away from mayoral control to a fully elected school board in 2027. * Tribune | CTA slow zones are growing, and that means longer commutes for ‘L’ riders: In February, slow zones covered some 30% of the rail system, up from 13% five years earlier. One of the most severely limited stretches of track is the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line once regularly taken by Hoskins, which the CTA has targeted for an overhaul. But speed restrictions can be found on every train line, also plaguing the Green Line, Brown Line and sections of the Red Line subway downtown. * Crain’s | Chicago wants city contractors to share in budget pain: The city’s chief procurement officer, Sharla Roberts, is giving city contractors five business days to lay out a plan to reduce invoices submitted to the city by 3%, according to a letter reviewed by Crain’s. The city says the 2025 budget was approved with an expectation of receiving $8.6 million in savings from the initiative. * Crain’s | Chan Zuckerberg, Portal, P33 add space at Fulton Labs: The research lab, led by Northwestern University researcher Shana Kelley, is focused on studying the effects of inflammation, the underlying cause of many diseases. The biohub, with a funding commitment of up to $250 million from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, put a spotlight on Chicago’s life-science industry. * Sun-Times | White Sox release Joey Gallo, who shifts focus to pitching: “Talking to Joey this morning, [we] just came to a mutual agreement that [releasing him] was the best thing,” said Sox manager Will Venable, who had Gallo penciled in to play against the Rangers. “Wish him luck as he starts a new chapter as a pitcher and appreciate his dedication and his effort to the White Sox while he was here.” * Sun-Times | Bo Jackson knows how to make White Sox’ clubhouse take notice: One of the greatest athletes of all time and the only one to be named an All-Star in two professional sports, Jackson, who played for the White Sox from 1991 to ’93, told players to keep it simple. “Just a motivational speech to go out there and have fun,” infielder Brooks Baldwin said. “Play like it’s old-school ball. Have fun and play hard.” * WTTW | In a Chicago Alley, a Local Winery Gets Creative with Michigan Grapes: Things are constantly bubbling at Middle Brow. It’s not just the effervescence of their sparkling wine, carbonation of their beer, or air bubbles in their bread and pizza dough – it’s also creative ferment. Pete Ternes and Bryan Grohnke began harnessing fermentation more than a decade ago, trying to brew beers unlike any others on the market. They sunk their hands into pizza and bread when they took over a building at 2840 W. Armitage in Logan Square with Ternes’ wife Polly Nevins some six years ago. That building became Bungalow by Middle Brow, a restaurant, cafe, bakery, and brewery. They started experimenting with wine around the same time, and are now building out another location and production facility in southwestern Michigan to handle their ever-growing slate of low-intervention natural wines. * Sun-Times | Cindy Pritzker, beloved family matriarch and philanthropist, dies at 101: Marian “Cindy” Friend Pritzker was the matriarch of one of Chicago’s most powerful families. She was the wife of the man behind the Hyatt Hotel dynasty, aunt of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and a philanthropist who championed the city’s public libraries and architecture. Mrs. Pritzker also liked to have a good time. She enjoyed the occasional glass of wine and cigarette. She held the family record for swearing. At age 80, she got her ears pierced for the first time. A decade later, she got her first tattoo. * Daily Herald | Bears stadium plans draw excitement, caution from Arlington Heights trustee candidates: From excitement to calls for a referendum — with a measure of caution in between — views vary among the Arlington Heights village board candidates on the possibility of the Bears building a stadium in town. Eight candidates are running, with only four trustee positions on the ballot in the April 1 election. Early voting is set to begin Monday. * WGN | West suburban native Matt Richtman becomes first American to win Los Angeles Marathon in over 30 years: Matt Richtman, who’s from Elburn and attended Kaneland High School in Maple Park, won the 2025 L.A. Marathon with a time of 2:07:56, which was an impressive three minutes faster than second-place Athanas Kioko of Kenya. Richtman’s victory means he is the first American to win the race since 1994. In that race 31 years ago, Paul Pilkington of Utah won with a time of 2:12:13. * CNN Poll | Democratic Party’s favorability drops to a record low: With many in the party saying publicly that their leaders should do more to stand up to President Donald Trump, Democrats and Democratic-aligned independents say, 57% to 42%, that Democrats should mainly work to stop the Republican agenda, rather than working with the GOP majority to get some Democratic ideas into legislation. * The Atlantic | The World’s Deadliest Infectious Disease Is About to Get Worse: Some people die of TB when their lungs collapse or fill with fluid. For others, scarring leaves so little healthy lung tissue that breathing becomes impossible. Or the infection spreads to the brain or the spinal column, or they suffer a sudden, uncontrollable hemorrhage. Lack of appetite and extreme abdominal pain can fuel weight loss so severe that it whittles away muscle and bone. This is why TB was widely known as “consumption” until the 20th century—it seemed to be a disease that consumed the very body, shrinking and shriveling it. On a trip to Sierra Leone in 2019, I met a boy named Henry Reider, whose mix of shyness and enthusiasm for connection reminded me of my own son. I thought he was perhaps 9 years old. His doctors later told me that he was in fact 17, his body stunted by a combination of malnutrition and tuberculosis.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Mar 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Mar 17, 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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