* Yesterday, during an unrelated news conference, Gov. JB Pritzker said executive action may be an option to regulate hemp…

Pritzker: I’m deeply concerned, I think some of you know, about intoxicating hemp in this state. And we are going to have to do something, either legislatively or from the executive branch, to stop the sale of intoxicating hemp at without any regulation whatsoever in this state. It literally is making our children sick, and it is a shame on legislators and on this state that we are not already doing something about it. We need help from the legislature to make it happen, or if not, we may need to impose executive authority to try to shut those sales of intoxicating hemp down.

Crain’s…

A bill that passed the Illinois Senate last year would have allowed intoxicating hemp, also known as delta-8, to be sold only by licensed dispensaries, as well as requiring testing and labeling.

Some opponents viewed it as a giveaway to the cannabis industry. The hemp industry is hardly monolithic and includes shops selling CBD products and retailers who sell products with THC levels rivaling recreational marijuana, as well as THC beverage makers. Some favor regulation but others do not. The battle over how or whether to regulate the industry resulted in an intense lobbying campaign in the Capitol. […]

Exactly what Pritzker could do by executive order is unclear. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the Department of Agriculture regulate the sale and production of marijuana, but cannabis industry regulations were created by statute. […]

“We very much want regulation: 21 and over, labeling, testing — all the things the governor is interested in,” [Craig Katz, a board member of the trade group Illinois Healthy Alternatives Association,] said. “It’s a question of reaching the right method of achieving that goal. (The previous bill) would have killed the hemp businesses in the state.”

When asked what specific executive authority the governor has to regulate hemp, Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill told me yesterday: “The Governor has a wide range of executive authority to protect public health and consumer interests.” He did not elaborate.

* Illinois Answers Project…

For decades, county treasurers in Illinois have collected unpaid property tax bills by selling the debt to private investors. If homeowners behind on their taxes fail to repay the debt plus interest, those investors can get the deed to their homes. In those cases, the homeowners lose the entire value of their residences, even though they often owe only a fraction of that amount.

In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that such actions are unconstitutional. A Minnesota homeowner argued that Hennepin County violated her Fifth Amendment rights by taking her home and pocketing more than the $15,000 she owed in back taxes. Following the ruling, states rushed to reform their laws to avoid legal fallout.

All except Illinois, where serious efforts continue to flounder in the statehouse as competing special interests clash over the best route to reform. […]

Last fall, a federal judge allowed to move forward a lawsuit by suburban homeowners against officials in eight Illinois counties, citing a loss of millions of dollars in home equity in tax sale seizures.

This spring, many of those same officials sued the state of Illinois which, they say, left them vulnerable to litigation because they haven’t reformed the law. […]

“This is a crisis, and something needs to be done,” said Rep. Will Guzzardi, who sponsored a reform bill. “We weren’t able to come to consensus by the end of session on what that something should be.”

At the last minute, legislators did manage to pass a bill delaying the county’s fall tax sale until next March. In a statement, [Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas] said she advocated for the delay to give lawmakers more time to craft a solution. But attorneys argue that the delay won’t stop the lawsuits already in motion.

* Daily Herald…

Developers of a $500 million data center looking to build in Batavia have promised an efficient cooling system to cut down on water usage, which the city has capped at 1,000 gallons per day. […]

As part of a contract the city council approved on Sept. 2, the data center will be limited to 1,000 gallons of water per day on average. […]

Mayor Jeff Shielke said the proposal still has a long way to go before final approval. He was not concerned with water usage but said many questions remain unanswered. […]

“The negotiations for the data center have missed, and continue to miss, many opportunities,” said Batavia resident Susan Russo, who is not against the proposal.

But the city failed to define its source of electricity, educate the public and engage energy experts in the process, she said.

*** Statewide ***

* WMBD | IDNR opens bids for farm leases to aid conservation efforts: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is accepting sealed bids this fall for about 20 agricultural lease contracts for crop years 2026-2030. […] The total number of acres up for leasing is unclear; the lease sites are on different schedules. The 20 or so locations up for lease renewal are in the pool of 125 lease sites located throughout more than half of the state’s 102 counties. A check of the website shows the chief use of the acres up for lease includes grain, hay, sunflowers, pasture, and cover crops.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Politico | RFK Jr.’s vaccine crackdown sparks a rebellion among blue-state governors: JB Pritzker is exploring ways to stockpile Covid shots in Illinois. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order protecting vaccine access in New York. Maura Healey is requiring insurers in Massachusetts cover the costs of injections recommended by her health department, regardless of federal guidelines As Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health department curtails access to the Covid-19 vaccine and mulls restricting the availability of others, Democratic governors are forming a bulwark against him as they take on an issue that has strong public support ahead of the pivotal 2026 midterms.

* Insurance Business Mag | Legislative action on Illinois homeowners’ insurance may backfire, Triple-I warns: “While calls for rate regulation may appear politically appealing, it is critically important to appreciate that recent increasing insurance rates are a reflection of the risk, rather than the cause,” said Sean Kevelighan, CEO of Triple-I. He added that premium increases are driven by genuine and rising costs, including natural disasters, inflationary pressures, and misuse of the legal system. He also noted that Illinois residents pay less than the national average for insurance, which points to a relatively stable market with strong competition.

* Press Release | Attorney General Raoul Files Brief To Defend Workers From Unjust Discrimination By Employers: ttorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 attorneys general, today filed an amicus brief in support of Ellenor Zinski, a former employee of Liberty University. The brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Zinski v. Liberty University, urges the court to affirm Zinski’s right to sue her former employer for sex-based discrimination after Liberty fired her upon learning of her identity as a transgender woman.

* Illinois Times | New law increases mental health access for college students: As part of efforts to increase mental health care across the state, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law last month requiring public colleges and universities to have a certain number of mental health professionals available to students. University of Illinois Springfield, one of the state’s smaller public universities, is in line with the new mandated ratio of one counselor for every 1,250 students enrolled. Bethany Bilyeu, a counselor and executive director of student support services at UIS, said the university is uniquely positioned to offer counseling services without session limits or a waitlist.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson seeks $90 million in settlement of suits tied to corrupt cop: The first-of-its-kind deal, first uncovered by the Tribune in federal court records, would settle all outstanding wrongful conviction cases involving Sgt. Ronald Watts, according to Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry. The top Johnson attorney said the massive payout is “the responsible thing to do,” arguing it could save the city as much as $400 million compared to the cost of settling the cases individually or taking them to court. “We spent a lot of years kicking cans down the road,” Richardson-Lowry said. “We cannot carry that burden further. We have to solve for these cases… We have to close that chapter.”

* WTTW | Will Chicago Cops Be Allowed to Turn Off Body-Worn Cameras While Being Questioned After Shootings? Judge to Decide: A federal judge is set to decide whether Chicago police officers can turn off their body-worn cameras while being questioned by their supervisor immediately after they shoot a member of the public, court records show. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office urged U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer to order CPD officers to keep their cameras on “in the immediate aftermath of an officer-involved shooting or death” over the objections of CPD leaders and city lawyers.

* Block Club | Downtown Streets Could Close During Mexican Independence Day Celebrations, City Warns: For years, car caravans of revelers have flooded Downtown during Mexican Independence Day weekend, causing traffic snarls and congested streets. Last year, the city temporarily closed off the Central Business District to most traffic to stem the flow of caravans and limit public partying. The city’s emergency management department is ready to do the same thing this weekend and into next week, if necessary, according to a Thursday news release. Mexican Independence Day is Tuesday.

* Sun-Times | Officials demand answers from Noem, Hegseth on Naval Station Great Lakes’ use for immigration arrests: The letter said the Defense Department’s reliance on “verbal agreements” for base support was “easily susceptible to mission creep, difficult to communicate widely to all parties involved and not transparent or accountable to the taxpayers and their elected representatives.” It requests confirmation that no more base resources will be diverted to the operation, that it won’t house “DHS-managed lethal munitions” or anyone detained by the agencies, that troops stationed there will not be asked to assist in immigration enforcement and that federal officials will wear “clear labels” identifying themselves while in Illinois.

* The Bond Buyer | Chicago GO bonds cheapen: Chicago’s general obligation bonds have cheapened in recent weeks despite a broader municipal market rally as the city’s junk-rated school district comes to market and investors watch to see how leaders manage a substantial budget deficit, rising pension costs and chronic negative headlines from the Trump administration.

* Block Club | SW Side In ‘Trouble’ If Warehouse Park Doesn’t Replace Ford City Mall, Ald. Says As Some Neighbors Oppose Plan: Ald. Curtis, whose ward includes Ford City Mall, called the development a “good project” that will fulfill the community’s need for economic development and provide up to 1,000 jobs. Namdar Realty Group, a private real estate firm based in New York, purchased Ford City Mall in 2019 and have become “slumlords,” Curtis said. […] Despite its years-long decline, Curtis hasn’t contacted any other companies to repurpose Ford City Mall because it’s such a large development, he said. Bridge Industrial is the only company that has approached him to purchase and redevelop it, Curtis said.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WJOL | Hollywood Casino Joliet Has Generated 11.2 Million Dollars In Its First Weeks Of Operation: According to the Chicago Tribune, Hollywood Casino rose to fifth among the state’s 17 in adjusted gross receipts and had more than 101,000 visitors. Rivers Casino captured the top spot by generating nearly $42 million. Other strong August performers included Wind Creek at $17.1 million, Grand Victoria Casino at $12.6 million, Bally’s Chicago at $11.3 million, Hollywood Casino Joliet at $11.2 million, Harrah’s Joliet at $11 million, and Full House Resorts Illinois at $11 million.

* Evanston Roundtable | Officials grapple with whether library should get a cut of tax fund: The issue came up in a discussion during the city’s Finance & Budget Committee meeting Tuesday on a proposal to establish an escrow fund to deposit funds from the tax — which climbed to close to $6 million in annual revenues at one point — dedicating that money to meet the city’s stiff public pension contributions.

* Shaw Local | Joliet District 86 Superintendent Rouse to step down in 2027: “The Board is grateful to Dr. Rouse for the direction and initiatives that she has provided for the district to date, including increasing student achievement, providing leadership for the construction of two new junior high schools, and fostering a climate of inclusion,” the district said in a statement released Thursday. The board also expressed appreciation for the advanced notice, so the process of finding a successor for the 2027-2028 school year can begin.

* Daily Southtown | Tinley Park officials recognize the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks: About 30 Tinley Park firefighters and officials stood next to a steel beam from the World Trade Center towers Thursday for a Patriot Day Ceremony recognizing the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. […] The steel beam, which Tinley officials and residents gathered around, was recovered from the twin towers and brought to Tinley Park in 2011. It rests outside Station 46, and the annual observance is usually held near the beam.

*** Downstate ***

* NPR Illinois | UIS enrollment drops due to fewer international students: Total enrollment at UIS after the first 10 days of classes is 4,364, down from 4,628 last fall. Officials point to fewer international students which was the bulk of the drop. UIS enrolled 638 international graduate students this fall, compared to 875 in 2024. Undergraduate international enrollment also fell slightly, with 77 students enrolled this year, down from 82.

* BND | SWIC spending $62M on capital projects, but withholds key details: The plans include construction of a multiuse building for the SWIC Police Academy, which is housed at the former Main Street campus of Belleville West High School and Lindenwood University. Tebbe said the project also includes a special needs school and vocational school at the Red Bud campus, and meeting records show the project will also include systemwide renovations to existing buildings and other unspecified capital improvements. […] Board documents and Tebbe’s statement provided a broad overview of the project, but omitted key details such as construction timelines and specific funding allocations. Key aspects — including how the $62 million figure was determined and the bond repayment timeline — remain unclear.

* WCIA | Champaign’s Black Dog eyes Saturday to reopen: “Truthfully, the most important thing is just being open each and every day for the staff,” Mike Cochran said. “The biggest thing for us is making sure that all our people are able to work and make money. You know, the game days are nice. They are a little bit more for everybody, but you know, our every day is enough.”

*** National ***

* AP | Supreme Court to quickly consider if President Donald Trump has power to impose sweeping tariffs: The court agreed to take up an appeal from the Trump administration after lower courts found most of his tariffs illegal. The small businesses and states that challenged them also agreed to the accelerated timetable. They say Trump’s import taxes on goods from almost every country in the world have nearly driven their businesses to bankruptcy. “Congress, not the President alone, has the power to impose tariffs,” attorney Jeffrey Schwab with the Liberty Justice Center said.

* NYT | Yes, Your Morning Coffee Has Gotten More Expensive: Coffee prices rose 20.9 percent from the same time last year, the largest jump since the 1990s, according to the Consumer Price Index, released on Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In August alone, the price of coffee rose 3.6 percent.

* Harvest Public Media | When will beef prices drop? We asked a rancher, a butcher and an economist: From his corner booth at the Barton Creek Farmers Market, Jim Richardson sells beef, pork, chicken, eggs, milk and cheese. His beef products include stew meat, steak and ground beef. And lately they’ve become pricier. “I went up roughly a dollar a pound,” Richardson said. “My processor went up that much or more. So without kind of keeping up, it erodes your profitability.” Richardson Farms isn’t the only purveyor that’s had to raise beef prices recently, either. The average retail price of beef, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is now $9.69 per pound – the highest ever.

* New Republic | Trump’s Own Tweet Backfires on Him as Judge Delivers Harsh Loss on Fed: Yet buried in the ruling is an amusing tidbit worth highlighting: Judge Jia Cobb cited one of Trump’s own tweets to buttress the case that he’d acted unlawfully. The judge wrote that the timing of Trump’s initial tweet calling for Cook to resign suggested she’d been denied due process. Which opens a window into a bigger story: The lower courts are doing important work in creating concrete fact sets around Trump’s illegal actions that illustrate the deep rot of bad faith eating away at their core—thus exposing an essential element of his ongoing lawlessness.

* CNBC | Consumer prices rose at annual rate of 2.9% in August, as weekly jobless claims jump: For the vital core reading that excludes food and energy, the August gain was 0.3%, putting the 12-month figure at 3.1%, both as forecast. Fed officials consider core to be a better gauge of long-run trends. The central bank’s inflation target is 2%.