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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy says she’s been flooded with generic pro-Waymo emails…
* Tribune | Appeals court upholds corruption conviction of ex-Speaker Michael Madigan, calls evidence ‘overwhelming’: The opinion, written by Judge Michael Scudder and joined by Judges Frank Easterbrook and Nancy Maldonado, concluded by saying: “Madigan insists that this was run-of-the-mill politics. But a jury of twelve Illinois residents saw the evidence differently. So do we.” The quick decision, which comes just 16 days after the court heard arguments in the case, means Madigan will have to serve out his 7½-year prison sentence barring a successful petition to the U.S. Supreme Court or a pardon or commutation from the White House. * Illinois Times | Proposed bill would stop eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines in Illinois: Campbell reached out to her own representative, Republican state senator Steve McClure, to get him on the case, too. He agreed to co-sponsor SB2842. “Landowner rights and public safety should override monetary profit,” McClure said. “I’m going to always err on the side of landowner rights and public safety.” McClure said there’s a chance that the bill will be rolled into an omnibus package before the state legislative session ends on May 31, 2026. If that doesn’t happen, McClure said, the bill could get taken up again in the fall. The bill is a bipartisan effort with 23 cosponsors and endorsements from across industries. “We’ve got the Sierra Club, Illinois Environmental Council, Farm Bureau, and the Soybean [Association]. How many bills do you know that have that combination?” Campbell said. * Crain’s | Illinois gets $82.5M settlement from Epipen manufacturer: Illinois will receive a $82.5 million settlement from EpiPen maker Mylan, resolving concerns about the company’s alleged anticompetitive conduct related to its epinephrine injection product. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a press release that Mylan’s actions resulted in the state paying too much for EpiPens purchased through its Medicaid and employee health benefits programs. * WTTW | CPD Officers Responded Faster to 911 Calls on South, West Sides After ShotSpotter Was Removed: UChicago Analysis: But response times dropped faster in police beats where the gunshot detection system had been operational, according to the analysis, which examined CPD response times to 911 calls given the highest priority that did not involve reports of gunshots, according to the analysis. CPD data did not always distinguish between ShotSpotter-initiated alerts to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications and those reported to 911 making it impossible to compare gunshot response times, Vargas said. * Sun-Times | Under fire over tainted ‘Broadview 6’ case, Chicago’s top federal prosecutor outlines ‘sweeping’ reforms: Boutros’ office said in a press release Wednesday that the new process “will be more transparent, effective, and impactful while greatly reducing the likelihood of mistakes and errors.” It also said “many” of the reforms “are being implemented for the first time anywhere in the country.” Still, the most specific reform identified by Boutros was “extensive, deep-dive training from national experts outside the office.” That’s perhaps because of the secrecy that traditionally surrounds the grand jury process. * Chicago Reader | Hyde Park Academy students sound alarm on removal of Peace Room from high school: The Peace Room was created as part of a school safety plan in 2021, following a vote by the school’s safety committee to remove one student resource officer and redirect funds to holistic and restorative justice practices. Offerings inside the Peace Room included restorative justice circles and conflict-resolution exercises. The removal of the Peace Room and other student resources comes as Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the Peacebook Executive Order on April 27, which established a year-round Youth Peacekeeping Program. The executive order allocates up to $900,000 to facilitate programming and hire 50 part-time youth peacekeepers to connect residents with helpful resources and train them in conflict resolution, de-escalation, and other violence-intervention tactics. The Mayor’s Office declined to comment on the closure inside Hyde Park Academy. * Axios | Midwest cannabis industry converges on Chicago for major summit: “The forum is a part of an ongoing conversation about cannabis, commerce, culture and Chicago,” co-founder Brad Spirrison tells Axios. “As cannabis goes global, what unique role does Chicago and the Midwest play in its ascent?” Midwest cannabis companies have struggled to match the scale, branding power and investment flowing into markets like California. * Crain’s | University of Chicago spinout bets $55M on city as Midwest biotech hub: VectorBuilder, the gene delivery company born out of a University of Chicago lab, is betting $55 million on Chicago — expanding its headquarters by building a new biomanufacturing and R&D center on the South Side and positioning itself as an anchor for what it hopes will become the Midwest’s next biotech hub. The company produces gene delivery solutions to biotech and pharma companies and has spent recent years building out a global network of manufacturing facilities. Reinvesting in the South Side of the city brings its focus back to where it all began and capitalizes on Chicago’s biotech potential, said Chief Operating Officer Kristofer Mussar. * Block Club | Chicago Air Quality Expected To Be ‘Unhealthy’ Through Thursday Morning: While the general public likely won’t be impacted, sensitive groups, such as people with respiratory issues like asthma, may experience irritation, meteorologist Zachary Yack told Block Club. The alert lasts through 6 a.m. Thursday and covers nearly all of northeast Illinois, including Chicago and northwest Indiana. * Daily Herald | Prosecutors: Waukegan alderperson cast dead mother’s primary ballot: Sylvia Sims Bolton is charged with one count of mutilation of election material, a Class 4 felony, alleging she knowingly falsified election material, the Lake County state’s attorney’s office announced Wednesday. She also faces a misdemeanor charge of disregarding election code, authorities said. Bolton, 67, serves as an elected alderperson for Waukegan’s First Ward, which encompasses the southeast side of the city. An investigation did not uncover any facts linking the allegations to her city duties, and she is not charged with official misconduct, county prosecutors said. * Daily Herald | McHenry County Board chairman breaks ties to approve 2 solar farms: The McHenry County Board has narrowly approved a pair of solar farms after County Board Chair Mike Buehler cast the tiebreaking vote. Buehler only votes in the case of a tie. But a recent county board decision was not his first time having to cast the deciding vote on a solar farm when the board was evenly split. He did so for a solar farm near Union when it was up for a vote in August 2025. * Daily Southtown | Potential Lockport data center development draws heavy public opposition: Mayor Steven Streit presented the rise of data centers and the AI industry as inevitable, and said that the city had a chance to benefit by meeting the new industry on its terms and imposing restrictions rather than refusing it completely. “How can we leverage this to make it work?” Streit said. “You can demand full mitigation. We can demand that they use effluent from our wastewater treatment and not our potable water. We can demand that they make reusable, adaptable buildings if the industry dries up and moves on. We can make a lot of demands that we can’t normally make, because it’s our property.” […] However, many in the audience seemed entirely opposed to any data center development, regardless of what restrictions were imposed. * Daily Herald | District 116 staff pay to be restored earlier than anticipated after year of financial adjustments: Committed but deferred pay for members of the Education Association of Round Lake will begin being restored in the 2026-2027 school year, according to the district. Union members this coming school year will receive a contracted 5.5% pay increase as originally scheduled. Last summer, the 923-member union overwhelming voted to take 2.5% rather than the 5.5% increase due this past school year to help resolve the budget issue. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council OKs expansion of affordable senior housing development: The first phase of the housing development opened last year with 70 units, spread across 25 duplexes and 20 single-family residences. Now, a second phase of the development with an additional 54 units is set to be built. Bernie Weiler, an attorney for the Aurora Housing Authority, told the Aurora City Council on Tuesday that the first phase of the development has been “enormously successful,” with 3,000 resident applications received for just those first 70 units. * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan’s first official No Mow May gets off to slow start: ‘This is part of the learning curve’: While the city of Waukegan does not officially encourage or discourage residents from cutting their lawns in May, Building Commissioner Steve Lenzi said anyone in the city who displays a sign indicating they are taking part will not be cited for letting their grass grow taller than eight inches. Lenzi, who oversees code enforcement for the city, has inspectors assigned to each of the nine wards to look for building code violations. If they see grass taller than six inches, they can write a citation like a parking ticket. If there is a sign in the yard, no citation is issued. * Daily Herald | Befriend a senior in Kane and DuPage with Little Brothers—Friends of the Elderly: “We have opportunities for many older adults in this area to be paired with a volunteer,” said Raquel Lightbourne-Coley, Expansion Program Planner. “We have more older adults who have reached out to become part of our program. These are people who are aging alone and are really in need of companionship, but we can’t accept them in our program without more volunteers.” * Illinois Times | LifeStar Ambulance fights suspension: Campbell said Springfield Memorial unfairly “targeted” LifeStar but wouldn’t provide details. He said the company has hired a private investigator and received several responses to its recent post on Facebook offering a $10,000 reward “for information leading to evidence regarding the unjust suspension and removal efforts” by Springfield Memorial. * Capitol City Now | Alderman: Whose side are the police on when it comes to prostitution?: It’s harder than you think to evict a prostitute from your motel. That’s one takeaway from a Springfield city council discussion Tuesday. Ald. Roy Williams complained to police chief Joe Behl that when motels call police for help in evicting non-paying escorts, the police instead counsel the escorts on what to say in the situation, rather than helping the innkeepers. […] Williams said he fears motels will no longer participate in the city’s homeless program as a result. * WCIA | City of Champaign highlights housing needs in Homeless Prevention Blueprint: “It’s not affordable. Rents have not come down,” said Champaign Health Care Consumer’s Executive Director Claudia Lennhoff. National research says from 2001 to 2023, the median rent has gone up by 23%, while the median income has gone up by just five. “There isn’t housing for everybody who needs it, especially on the lower ends of the income,” Lennhoff said. * Daily Egyptian | Litter, forever chemicals and algae blooms are changing southern Illinois watersheds: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources conducted sampling at Tab-Simco in Carbondale, a drainage area located on top of an old coal mine, to see the effects on the water quality. In 2007, a bioreactor was built at Tab-Simco to reduce sulfate levels in the water because the pH levels were very low. The bioreactor was successful to a point, until it began to oxidize. The rust contaminated the water, turning it an orange color and making it unsafe for human consumption. * WCIA | Mural honoring Tuskegee Airman going up in Rantoul: Helping Our Youth Change Everyday — also known as HOYCE — is a non-profit focusing on giving children and teens life skills. Now, they’re helping lead the Tuskegee Airmen mural project. The painting will be the first installment depicting the World War II pilots who got their start at the Chanute Air Force base. They’re hoping to get it done in time for the Fourth of July — coinciding with America’s 250th birthday.
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Trump calls Pritzker, others ’scum’ for trying to ban prediction markets
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * National Politico…
Chris Christie is a gaming industry advisor. * Pritzker…
* Pew…
Your thoughts on this topic?
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No Cuts. Increase Funding. Save Lives.
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] These hospitals are lifelines for Black and Brown communities, providing critical care, supporting local jobs, and stabilizing entire neighborhoods. After years of chronic underinvestment, many are already operating on the edge. Even small cuts could lead to closures, fewer services, and dangerous gaps in care. The message is urgent and clear: Illinois cannot balance its budget on the backs of vulnerable communities. Protecting these hospitals means more than preventing cuts, it means increasing investment so they can meet the growing needs of the people they serve. Fully fund and strengthen safety-net hospitals. Lives depend on it. Paid for by Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals
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Faux outrage all around (Updated)
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Yesterday…
* JB Pritzker campaign today…
* Democratic Party of Illinois…
Meh. If they attended, they’d probably heckle the guy. …Adding… Don Tracy…
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HB 2371 SA 2 Is A Needed Fix – Support Your Constituents By Passing The 340B Bill
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The 340B program has made a difference to patients struggling to make ends meet. Take Correy Bell, who was able to afford an inhaler for her chronic asthma and bronchitis because of the federal program. There were “no confusing hoops, no shame, no judgment, just real savings when I needed it the most,” said Bell, a long-time patient at Family Christian Health Center in Harvey. The federal government created the 340B Drug Pricing Program to help hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serving many low-income patients expand access to care and provide more comprehensive healthcare services. In addition to passing on prescription discounts to patients, hospitals and FQHCs are investing in patients in a variety of ways, including:
• Expanding critical healthcare services in underserved communities • Providing free transportation to medical appointments • Adding mobile clinics and new freestanding clinics 340B was designed to fix an unintended consequence of the Medicaid Drug Discount Program—revealed when drugmakers dropped the required voluntary discounts included with their best market price. Fast forward to the early 2020s, when drugmakers—in a parallel move—began restricting pharmacy contracts with 340B hospitals and FQHCs.
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. CBS Chicago…
* Press release…
* Bond Buyer…
* Rep. Bob Morgan this morning…
* NPR Illinois…
* WAND…
* WAND…
* Sen. Steve Stadelman…
* Sen. Mattie Hunter…
For more press releases on legislation and other matters, click here.
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Illinois Positioned To Become A National Leader On AI Safety
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] California and New York have already moved forward with frontier AI safety and transparency laws. Illinois legislators are building on these “blue-state” models by establishing some of the strongest protections in the country to safeguard residents from the risks posed by the most powerful AI systems. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the need for clear standards around safety, transparency, incident reporting, and accountability becomes increasingly important. While a comprehensive federal framework for frontier AI oversight would be preferable, states have a critical role to play. Illinois, alongside California and New York, is helping shape an emerging national model for responsible AI governance. When major states align on policy, companies often adopt those standards nationwide. Illinois lawmakers are helping position our state to benefit from the enormous potential of artificial intelligence, including job creation, healthcare breakthroughs, and technological innovation. In addition, these proposals help ensure AI systems are developed responsibly with transparency, accountability, and meaningful oversight. We appreciate the Senate’s partnership in passing legislation on these issues and look forward to the House supporting these vital measures. Paid for by Build American AI
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Today’s quotable
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * If you’re Darren Bailey, why even say this?… 
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Who Really Benefits From Swipe-Fee Restrictions?
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Supporters of Illinois’ swipe-fee proposal claim it will lower costs for consumers. But there’s no requirement that retailers pass along any savings - and history suggests they won’t. Instead, the law would strip away funding that supports key consumer benefits like fraud protection, card rewards, and low-cost banking access. Those costs don’t disappear - they shift back to consumers in the form of fewer benefits and higher fees. The biggest beneficiaries are likely to be large retailers, not Illinois households. Evidence from similar efforts shows savings tend to increase retailer margins rather than reduce prices at the register. The bill could also introduce unnecessary complexity into the payments system, creating inefficiencies, reducing security, and making transactions less seamless. Consumers ultimately bear those costs through inconvenience, risk, and reduced choice. At its core, this policy isn’t about affordability, it’s about reallocating resources. And that reallocation puts consumers at a disadvantage while boosting large retailers’ bottom lines. For more information, visit https://www.icul.com/advocacy/ifpa/. Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: How the Illinois Senate’s housing proposals compare to Gov. JB Pritzker’s BUILD plan. Capitol News Illinois…
- All the bills in the Senate package passed out of the Senate Executive Committee Tuesday evening, though many faced tough questioning from lawmakers in both parties and acknowledgements from bill sponsors that amendments would likely be forthcoming. - The IML is opposed to the two Senate BUILD bills as well as Feigenholtz’s faith-based housing bill. It supports Stadelman’s bill cracking down on broker’s fees and is neutral on the remaining four bills. - The Illinois REALTORS — Pritzker’s top ally on the BUILD initiative — is opposed to the Senate package. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA  * At noon, Gov. JB Pritzker will attend Sen. Durbin’s Farewell Address. Click here to watch. * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * WBEZ | 51 candidates are running for Chicago’s first fully elected school board: Of the incumbent board members, only Sean Harden, the current president who was appointed by Mayor Johnson, is not running. Two current board members — Jessica Biggs and Jennifer Custer — are giving up district seats to run for president. A total of five candidates are running for board president, a powerful position that holds sway over what the board debates and votes on. Four of them — Biggs, Custer, former board member Sendhil Revuluri and attorney Victor Henderson — submitted petitions on the first day and will face off in a lottery to get the top spot on the ballot. * WGLT | Bloomington approves 6-month moratorium on data centers: The moratorium specifically applies to any facility designed with a capacity of greater than 5 megawatts. The Town of Normal approved a moratorium without such a stipulation earlier in May. At least two public hearings on the topic must take place during the moratorium that was passed without much discussion or debate — and by unanimous vote. “The idea behind this moratorium is so we can set up those regulations so we can do things like the city of Aurora has done, like the McLean County has done, and that I ask that we start those, those discussions and those set up immediately,” said council member Abby Scott. * Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President Mark Denzler | Not to take anything away from the governor, but Illinois could do even more: While Illinois has taken great strides to change our trajectory, there’s still a lot of work to do. Economic data shows that Illinois continues to lag the nation and our neighboring Midwest states in several key areas including job creation, gross domestic product growth and population. We also continue to face significant headwinds in the form of higher taxes, costly regulations and growing public pension obligations. We can meet these challenges with smart policy changes designed to keep Illinois moving forward. * Capitol News Illinois | Former Republican strategist Collin Corbett files to run for governor as independent: “You’re going to start to see a lot of positive developments on our fundraising,” he said. “It’s not going to be too long before we pass the Republican candidate on fundraising. We’ll never pass the Democratic candidate, but we’re going to certainly have the funds to be able to compete.” His campaign has reported raising $40,000 since May 1, according to State Board of Elections records. Bailey has raised $121,500 since April 1 in addition to $81,000 he had on hand at the end of March. Tracy, Corbett’s former client, is among Bailey’s recent donors. * Capitol City Now | State is Number One in kinship placements: Even the people holding the news conference Tuesday had to admit: it’s rare to mention the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is a national leader in something good. However, in the year since Gov. JB Pritzker signed the KIND (Kinship in Demand) Act into law, DCFS has put the state atop all others. “The federal Administration for Children and Families has identified Illinois as the Number One state for placement with relatives and kinship caregivers thanks in part to this historic legislation,” said DCFS director Heidi Mueller. * Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson’s strategy to combat hate crimes angers Jewish leaders: Johnson’s plan calls for creating a “Jewish Engagement Council to serve as a direct bridge for dialogue” between residents, community leaders and the mayor’s office, and an “Interconnected Chicago Council” to address “fragmentation between communities.” […] Silverstein called the mayor’s strategy “a watered-down version” of what the city’s Commission on Human Relations recommended and “a far weaker proposal” than needed to confront the magnitude of the problem. * Tribune | Chicago Media Report: CBS News Radio anchor signs off, record ratings for CHSN and WGN-TV anchor finds new gig: It also silenced, at least for now, radio veteran Jennifer Keiper, who for the past 5½ years has anchored the network’s afternoon and evening newscasts from her Chicago studio. She signed off Friday as the penultimate voice of CBS News Radio, which ceased broadcasting at midnight. “I’m sad about it,” Keiper said. “It’s rich history that’s gone, and another newsroom that’s not filled.” * Sun-Times | Chicago’s giardiniera headed to Pope Leo with Mayor Johnson: The gift to the pope comes ahead of J.P. Graziano’s 89th anniversary. The company opened on June 7, 1937, at its original and current location at 901 W. Randolph St. The wholesaler imported products from Italy and Sicily and also distributed domestic products. In 2007, Graziano opened a sub shop inside the store and its sandwiches became wildly popular. Sandwiches have become J.P. Graziano’s best-selling item, followed “hands down” by giardiniera, Graziano said. * Financial Times | America’s most exciting jazz scene is in Chicago: People say jazz was born in New Orleans, grew up in Chicago, and reached full bloom in New York. I’d counter that both coasts — Los Angeles is now solidly in that mix — still look to Chicago for marching orders. Many of the audacious, often genre-fluid artists defining those scenes cut their teeth in Chicago, from trumpeter Marquis Hill to guitarist Jeff Parker. This is probably America’s most unselfconscious major city, a place where you can relish the poise of period swing or the total improvisation of free jazz. Grind hard, talk less, keep an open mind and we’ll probably have a place for you. * Daily Southtown | Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant seeks accountability in traffic stops after arrest, Calumet Park police says he was uncooperative: But Calumet Park attorneys defend the arrest, saying Bryant made an illegal turn and refused to give officers his license and proof of insurance after the officers asked at least 10 times, according to Burt Odelson, an attorney for Calumet Park. Bryant said he wanted to know why he was pulled over before handing over his driver’s license and registration. “I have no problem following the law if you can first tell me and educate me,” he said. “It’s so disheartening because now my image is out there, my image is the one being questioned about being a law-abiding citizen.” * Tribune | Hawthorne Race Course alleges Illinois official steered funds to rival track amid bankruptcy battle: About three months after filing for bankruptcy, representatives for Hawthorne Race Course are alleging they are losing out on state funding because a top official in Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration — with the influence of his brother, a lobbyist — has been steering money to a rival racetrack, according to court papers filed last week. On Tuesday, lobbyist John Costello, the brother of Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello, called the allegations “defamatory” in a prepared statement. * Tribune | Faith leaders, doctors press for West Suburban reopening, as hospital’s fate remains undecided: “We need to have a serious call to action,” said Bishop Dwight Gunn of Heritage International Christian Church in Austin, noting that his two children were born there. “Not so long ago this hospital stood as a place of hope for many.” It can again be the type of hospital that provides quality heatlhcare to the Austin community, he said. “In order for that to happen, there needs to be a sense of urgency about reopening this hospital,” Gunn said. He said it’s crucial that, if the hospital is reopened, the community becomes involved in leadership and oversight. * Daily Southtown | Flossmoor library sinking floor fix in limbo as library and village disagree on responsibility: Because the library leases the building from the village, the library board decided May 12 to ask the village to pay for repairs, Bergeron said in her email. Two estimates the village received place the cost for repairs at about $50,000, she said. The relationship between the village and the library is managed by an intergovernmental agreement. Bergeron said in her email the agreement states that the library is responsible for all repairs, rehabilitation and maintenance of the building and its components, including fixtures and personal property. She said the agreement does not include structural or foundational damage. However, the Village Board voted against paying for the repairs at its most recent meeting, sending the issue back to the library board, Brumke said. * WICS | Christian County residents voice opposition to data centers: Sam Lacey, a resident of the county, addressed the board during public comment, “I am asking that you do your due diligence, and you search your conscience, and you remember these faces in the crowd when you do inevitably come up on a vote on this. Because there will be a point of no return and that will be shortly after your vote.” County Board Chairman Bryan Sharp reminded everyone of the resolution already in place, one that temporarily restricts data center construction. * WAND | Christian Co. residents voice concerns over proposed Eagle Rock Partners data center: Dozens of Christian County residents filled a county board meeting to discuss the proposed Eagle Rock Partners data center. Some residents urged county officials to do more research, while others called on officials to reject data centers altogether. “The one asset that large industries want from small communities is ignorance. I am proud to see so many members of our community here tonight to prove them wrong,” one county resident said. * WAND | Pritzker, local leaders dedicate new all-abilities activity hub in Champaign: Governor JB Pritzker and local leaders celebrated the dedication of the new all-abilities activity hub in Champaign on Tuesday. The project was funded through a $600,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, designed to be an inclusive, special recreation area that will serve people of all abilities. * WCIA | DACC to consider termination of Adult Education staff members, Provost resignation: Previously, WCIA reported that the Adult Education program at the Danville Area Community College is under investigation after the college allegedly discovered false test scores and grant performance reports. Last October, DACC suspected a “coordinated system of misappropriation of Adult Education funds and falsification of test scores and grant performance reports in the DACC Adult Education Department” from 2022 to 2025. The college conducted a six-month investigation and then later notified the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). * WAND | City of Sullivan remains under water shortage: “Local aquifers recharge very slowly, and although conditions may appear improved on the surface, groundwater levels take much longer to recover. Continued conservation efforts are still necessary to help protect the long-term stability of our water resources,” city officials said in a statement posted to Facebook. Residents are asked to continue following City ordinances regarding non-essential water use, limiting unnecessary outdoor watering and other non-essential usage to help ensure adequate water availability for essential residential, commercial, and emergency needs. * WAND | City of Champaign considers new blueprint to manage homeless population: Champaign’s point-in-time survey shows the city saw a 159% increase in homelessness from 2022-25. […] The homelessness prevention blueprint team is recommending hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional funds to prevent people from losing their homes. * WGLT | Illinois Wesleyan ready to ‘play offense’ in approaching enrollment cliff: “Right now, we’re on target to hit the range that we need to provide the correct budget for the university to thrive,” said Zenger. As the situation continues to develop, he said the current growth at Illinois Wesleyan will position it nicely to avoid the worst effects of the trend. “Our goal at Wesleyan is to continue to play offense,” said Zenger, citing the Petrick Idea Center, the Fisher Quantum Center and center for the humanities as recent examples of expansion that makes IWU competitive in a tightening market for higher ed students. * Semafor | California influencer disclosures offer a glimpse at how secret money distorts American politics: The California gubernatorial race has become the latest testing ground for modern digital campaigning, which in the last ten years has morphed from individual politicians doing stunts to go viral on Facebook to a system of paid outreach to creators in exchange for their support and promotion. And Steyer’s campaign is one of the purest instances of this blurry new world of astroturfed support: His team has offered creators everything from $10 a post to nearly half a million for communications consulting in the hopes that they’ll spread the word about him, or at least take his opponents down a peg. * WaPo | These Black lawmakers could lose their seats. They don’t plan to go quietly: To the longtime members of the Congressional Black Caucus now at risk of losing their seats, the latest court decision and new maps in Southern states feel like a regression to pre-civil rights philosophy grounded in racism. “The Roberts court seems to be hell-bent on restoring Jim Crow,” said Rep. James E. Clyburn, South Carolina’s only Democratic Congress member, who could lose his seat under a newly proposed map Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Missouri) now also faces a more difficult path under a new map. “We could never have imagined that in 2026, that there would be an attempt to erase all of the years of progress we’ve made since the time they did the Voting Rights Act.” * NPR | Trump DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases, including violent assaults on cops: Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week. On social media, the Justice Department defended the move, saying, “We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ’s website of partisan propaganda.” * The Hill | These states are seeing their worst tick activity in nearly 10 years: Data: In these 10 states — Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio — 137 out of every 100,000 emergency department visits in April were related to tick bites. That’s just shy of the one-month incident rate record the region saw last May, of 153 per 100,000, and well above the 56 per 100,000 it sees on average in April.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Hot Tuna… Well death don’t give you time to get ready in this land This is an Illinois open thread.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Fox 23 Now…
* Shaw Local | State Sen. Patrick Joyce launches annual book club for students on break: “It can be easy for young students to drift away from reading when the school year ends,” Joyce said. “Reading over the summer helps students stay in a routine that can last for the rest of their lives.” The Summer Book Club requires students to read eight books of their choice during summer break, record the book names on a form, and return the form to Joyce’s district office by Friday, Aug. 21. Participants who complete the reading will receive a certificate and an invite to a pizza party, according to a news release. * WBEZ | On Vatican trip, Mayor Johnson will laud Pope Leo for his pushback against Trump’s ‘godforsaken’ policies: The delegation headed to Rome includes business leaders, Johnson’s deputy mayor for economic development, his sustainability officer, advisor Jason Lee, top council ally Jason Ervin (28th), as well as non-Catholic faith leaders to represent Chicago’s religious diversity. That includes Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann of Mishkan Chicago in Ravenswood, who said she will give the pope a White Sox kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering that represents “the respect for the divine.” * Tribune | Chicago Teachers Union members vote down proposed dues increase: It’s unclear how the vote will affect the union’s financial picture. Dues account for nearly 90% of CTU’s revenue, which is expected to exceed $40 million this fiscal year. Without the change, the union is facing a $4.2 million deficit, according to the April documents. A union spokesperson declined to comment on the shortfall. Meanwhile, fundraising is heating up in the race for Chicago’s first fully elected school board. CTU was the top spender in the 2024 election, which largely pitted the union against pro-school choice groups. The union has yet to endorse or make contributions to candidates this election cycle. * Sun-Times | ‘I don’t feel like I’m a major-leaguer’: Rikuu Nishida humble despite successful debut with White Sox: The 25-year-old native of Osaka, Japan, had a lot to be happy about. The Sox had just promoted him from Triple-A Charlotte to make his major-league debut at Rate Field, batting ninth and playing right field in the same lineup with countryman Munetaka Murakami. Nishida, who understands and speaks English but still had an interpreter at his side, giggled his way through a pregame interview session with reporters in the dugout. “I’m really, really happy, excited, but really nervous at the same time,” Nishida said through the interpreter. “I still can’t believe it’s true right now, so [there are] a lot of butterflies inside me. * Block Club | Chicago Toasts To Schlitz As Bars Serve Up Their Last Kegs Of The Truly Midwestern Beer: Neighbors have flocked to at least two of those former tied houses — Schubas Tavern in Lakeview and Friends of Friends in West Town — to get one last draft of Schlitz before the kegs run dry. Friends of Friends, 2001 W. Grand Ave., even held a “Schlitz funeral” Monday, where patrons could snag 86-cent Schlitz drafts during happy hour. “We’re selling the Schlitz for 86 cents because 86 means ‘We’re out of it, it’s done,’ in restaurant lingo,” Friends of Friends co-owner Abe Vucekovich said. “So we wanted a way for Chicagoans to say goodbye to such an important beer, and when better to do that than on Memorial Day?” * WBEZ | Chicago’s Lyric Opera receives $20 million gift from Illinois-based Negaunee Foundation: Half of the gift to Lyric will be used to support the company’s education program, which will be renamed for Negaunee. Lyric says it will expand its in-school and family programming and work more closely with Merit School of Music. The funds will also support a recently announced collaboration with the Music Institute of Chicago. Mangum said in a statement that engaging with young people is key to developing future opera audiences. * Tribune | ‘Broadview Six’ case in rare waters as defense says US attorney had ‘personal contact’ with grand jury: Over the weekend, MacArthur said, the office requested a litigation hold on “all records, emails, text messages, voice messages, documents and notes” related to the Broadview Six prosecution, including decisions about the disclosure and redaction of grand jury transcripts. That evidence could be crucial to potential future hearings over alleged prosecutorial misconduct, including vindictive prosecution. Also Tuesday, MacArthur said prosecutors were not objecting to the public release of most of the grand jury transcripts in the case, with limited redactions to remove personal identification of any grand jurors and one limited section where a juror expressed personal opinions about the case. * Sun-Times | Grand jurors in tainted ‘Broadview 6′ case had contact with Chicago’s top federal prosecutor, defense says: Tuesday’s disclosure about Boutros’ potential contact with the grand jury came from Straw attorney Christopher Parente. He shared no additional details during the public portion of Tuesday’s hearing, though. A spokesman for Boutros’ office did not immediately comment. Boutros told Perry on Thursday he wasn’t aware of the alleged grand jury misconduct until late April. He later announced a review of grand jury presentations in other cases that could have been tainted similarly to the “Broadview Six” case. * Sun-Times | Attorney accusing ICE agent of suburban Chicago attack now pushing for felony charges: Robert Held, 68, told reporters he followed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Adam Saracco from the ICE facility in suburban Broadview on Dec. 27, then filmed as Saracco stopped for gas in Brookfield. Held said Saracco eventually started walking toward him and pushed him to the ground. Saracco appeared in court in Maywood earlier Tuesday for a status hearing in the misdemeanor battery case stemming from the incident. Held later told reporters that he now wants the Cook County state’s attorney’s office to upgrade the charge to a felony. * Greg Hinz | As mayoral field forms, Mendoza targets Johnson on TIFs: In a likely preview of a mayoral campaign soon to come, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is ripping Mayor Brandon Johnson’s use of a financial device that has been a hallmark of his fiscal management of the city. Mendoza’s target is Johnson’s increasing dependence on “surplus funds” in the city’s tax-increment financing accounts to balance the city’s budget. The practice began in a small way under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and expanded some during the tenure of successor Lori Lightfoot, but has exploded under Johnson, with the city sweeping a record $1.01 billion from the TIF pot as part of the 2026 city budget. * Aurora Beacon-News | St. Charles City Council OKs $7.6 million bid for lead service line replacement work: In the wake of recently-approved utility rate hikes meant to pay for such improvements, the St. Charles City Council has given the green light for a $7.6 million lead service line replacement project in the city. The replacement of lead service lines is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and must be completed within 10 years under a rule approved by former President Joe Biden’s administration meant to reduce lead in drinking water, a deadline that President Donald Trump’s administration recently indicated it is backing, according to the Associated Press. […] St. Charles’ lead service line replacements are expected to cost about $8.4 million annually, and must begin in 2026, officials have said. The city’s water utility has a little over 3,000 projected lead service lines connected to the community water supply distribution system, according to documents from the city. * Lake County News-Sun | Buffalo Grove ranked best place to live in Illinois: ‘Now everybody else in the country knows’: Buffalo Grove has been named the best place to live in Illinois, according to a U.S. News & World Report 2026-2027 ranking that also designated the village as the 15th best in the country. […] Village President Eric Smith said he “couldn’t be more excited” about the ranking, recalling a conversation he had with a journalist when he first became mayor. “What are your goals?” Smith recalled the reporter asking. “When people think of Buffalo Grove, I want them to want to come here. I want this to be the best place.” * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Farmers Market set to open for its 115th season: “We’ll have between 50 and 60 vendors each week,” Freitag said. “Some will come once a month, and others every other week. About a quarter will be rotating, while the rest will be there weekly.” Old favorites like Strawberries BBQ, Michigan’s Lopez Farms, Dick’s Mini-Donuts and Soulshine Farm will be back along with “at least 15 new vendors,” Freitag said. “Some of our new ones include some farms we’ve added based on surveys we’ve offered to patrons,” she said. “There’s been a request for more fresh local produce and we have a couple of farms including Microcosm Farm from Shabbona who have produce and sauerkrauts and kimchi which we’ve never had before.” * Muddy River News | No official word on suspended PE teachers, but QPS looking to fill positions in June: It’s been one year since Muddy River News reported that two Denman Elementary School physical education teachers who admitted to giving birthday spankings and taping students’ mouths shut were investigated by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Since then, the two teachers have been on paid administrative leave, the Quincy School District parted ways with Superintendent Todd Pettit and have had two interim superintendents. A new superintendent, Larry Gray, takes over July 1. The Quincy School Board had no updates last week on the status of the two teachers, Kim Kirby and Jen Oitker. They remain are under investigation by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for their conduct. * WCIA | Forsyth officials share renovation plans for veterans memorial: Planned improvements include military branch monuments, enhanced walkways and gathering spaces, restored flagpoles, relocated engraved pavers, landscaping improvements, seating areas and more. “This project is about honoring service, preserving history, and creating a place where families, veterans, and visitors can gather in remembrance and gratitude,” Village Administrator Jill Applebee said in a news release. “We are excited to provide opportunities for individuals, families, organizations, and businesses to be part of this lasting tribute.” * WGLT | Midwest Punk Fest returns with a new home at Meltdown Creative Works: Plue said now was an ideal time to resuscitate Midwest Punk Fest, in large part, because he’s got a space of his own. “We moved the show every two years, just because of venue issues,” he said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. “Either had to get bigger, or it just didn’t work out at a certain venue, or the venue was closed. We now have our own venue and can kind of control a little bit more of how it’s done.” * WCIA | Phoebe Bridgers announces surprise show in Champaign: Recently, Bridgers has been popping up in cities throughout the country for small, intimate concerts. Her shows are announced through posters shortly before tickets go on sale — on the day of the concert. Monday, posters showed that Bridgers would perform at The Orpheum in Champaign. * States Newsroom | Congressional Black Caucus calls for corporate leaders to speak out for voting rights: The CBC’s attempt to mobilize the business community comes as Black representation in Congress potentially faces its most severe threat since the end of Reconstruction following the Civil War. But some business leaders have taken a friendlier tone with President Donald Trump, who backs the gerrymandering. A U.S. Supreme Court decision in April, in a case called Louisiana v. Callais, sharply weakened the federal Voting Rights Act, which had blocked states from breaking apart majority-minority districts. It limited the use of race in redistricting, prompting several Southern states to advance new maps targeting these districts, which are mostly held by Black Democrats. * AP | South Carolina Senate rejects Trump’s call to redraw congressional map for midterm elections: As early in-person voting began Tuesday in South Carolina’s primaries, the state Senate rejected a Republican plan to cancel those congressional votes and instead schedule a new primary under revised districts designed to help the GOP oust a longtime Democrat. Some senators said it was simply too late to make a change. “South Carolina citizens are going to the polls today. And neither my conscience or common sense is going to let me stop an election that is already underway,” Republican state Sen. Richard Cash said. * Business Insider | Uber’s COO says it’s getting harder to justify the money spent on AI tokenmaxxing: He said that the trade-off costs from AI are harder to justify because he can’t draw a direct link. Earlier this month, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in an earnings call that Uber was slowing hiring to counter its investments in AI. Macdonald added that AI can seem free if you’re “just a user sitting there coming up with interesting use cases” without paying for it. But ultimately, the company foots the bill. […] Duolingo, for instance, walked back its decision to include AI usage in performance reviews after employees asked whether they had to use AI for the sake of using it.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller Currently, judicial records in Illinois are not subject to the state’s Freedom of Information Act. Given the courts’ wide-reaching jurisdiction in Illinois, the exemption substantially restricts the public’s ability to understand a wide range of issues. * From the synopsis…
The bill is still in the Assignments Committee. No witness slips have been filed. * The Question: Should the Illinois court system be subject to FOIA, with the restrictions noted above? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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Pritzker says ’some sort of pause’ in automatic gas tax hike could be coming
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker was asked today about his thoughts on the gas tax during this spring’s huge price spike…
Please pardon any transcription errors.
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Stratton Building locked down after ’suspicious device’ seen in parking lot
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * An alert was sent at 11 this morning….
* The Secretary of State’s office…
* The lockdown was lifted around noon…
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Stop Rx Drug Deserts. Say No To HB 1443!
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] HB 1443 would create a state-appointed Prescription Drug Affordability Board with the authority to review and set upper payment limits on selected prescription drugs. While well-intentioned, this misguided legislation risks harming patients’ community pharmacies without addressing the real drivers of health care costs. Allowing government appointees to intervene in decisions between patients and their physicians raises serious concerns. Moreover, despite being enacted in multiple states, these boards have failed to deliver meaningful savings. Instead, New Hampshire repealed their board late last year and Virginia’s governor recently vetoed PDAB bills, citing high costs and a lack of meaningful savings in other states. In Illinois, community pharmacies are essential to the communities they serve, providing access to critical medicines and treatments. If upper payment limits are set below pharmacies’ acquisition costs, pharmacists could be forced to dispense drugs at a loss or stop carrying certain drugs altogether. This puts patient access at risk, especially those who depend on nearby, trusted community-based pharmacies. Illinois’ health care system is already incredibly fragile. HB 1443 advances policy with no record of lowering costs for patients or supporting the sustainability of community pharmacies. Don’t force community pharmacies to choose between financial loss and patient access. We urge you to oppose HB 1443. Paid for by PharmaScript and the Greater Chicagoland Black Chamber of Commerce
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Catching up with the congressionals
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Lindsay Church, a veteran who runs a nonprofit serving minority veterans, has dropped out of the race…
* Church has endorsed fellow Independent Mayra Macìas. Press release…
* Press release…
* More…
* Press release | Patty García Endorsed by Rep. Ro Khanna: “I’m proud to endorse Patty for IL-04 because she has stood with immigrant families facing detention and deportation, fought to keep housing affordable, and helped deliver resources to communities that have been overlooked for far too long,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. Rep. Khanna is a leading progressive voice on removing dark money from politics, holding Big Tech accountable, and reducing costs like housing and healthcare for working Americans. He has also worked across ideological lines with lawmakers like Thomas Massie on issues including congressional war powers and government transparency, including efforts to push for the release of records related to Jeffrey Epstein.
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It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Waymo is ready to bring safe, reliable, autonomous rides to Illinois – but we need your help! Waymo is already mapping Chicago’s unique streets and traffic patterns to lay the groundwork for operations. Never tired or distracted, Waymo provides hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous rides every week across ten major U.S. cities, from Los Angeles to Atlanta — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. The data shows Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in thirteen times fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans (as of 3/20/26, see waymo.com/safety). Let’s bring safer rides to Illinois. 
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It’s just a bill (Updated)
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Press release…
…Adding… Chief Executive Officer of Illinois REALTORS Jeff Baker…
* Crain’s…
* CBS Chicago…
* Rep. Nicole Grasse…
* WAND…
* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…
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Illinois Positioned To Become A National Leader On AI Safety
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] California and New York have already moved forward with frontier AI safety and transparency laws. Illinois legislators are building on these “blue-state” models by establishing some of the strongest protections in the country to safeguard residents from the risks posed by the most powerful AI systems. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, the need for clear standards around safety, transparency, incident reporting, and accountability becomes increasingly important. While a comprehensive federal framework for frontier AI oversight would be preferable, states have a critical role to play. Illinois, alongside California and New York, is helping shape an emerging national model for responsible AI governance. When major states align on policy, companies often adopt those standards nationwide. Illinois residents deserve confidence that advanced AI technologies are being developed responsibly. Illinois legislators are helping ensure the companies developing these systems operate with transparency, accountability, and meaningful oversight. We appreciate the Senate’s partnership on these issues during the final weeks of session. Paid for by Build American AI
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Pritzker doesn’t think progressive revenue ideas have a chance, but his cuts are provoking a backlash
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
And as subscribers were told this morning, this push is coming from more than just the usual progressive suspects.
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340B Helps The Most Vulnerable Patients – Pass HB 2371 SA 2 For Your Constituents
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Thanks to 340B, last year nearly 1,000 uninsured patients at Sinai Chicago were able to access needed medications they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford. The health system serves Chicago’s west and southwest sides, where the rates of chronic disease are high and many patients receive charity care. “For safety net hospitals like ours, 340B is really about access,” said Mount Sinai Hospital President Sameer Shah, PharmD. “It helps keep clinics open, maintain pharmacy access and ensure patients stay on their medications.” At Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago—where 60% of the patients come from low-income families covered by Medicaid—infants with rare neuromuscular disorders can access gene therapies otherwise out of reach. Kristen Alianello, Lurie Children’s neuromuscular nurse coordinator, said: “The 340B program is so important, especially in our organization and with our patient population of spinal muscular atrophy,” 340B hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers across Illinois pass on drug discounts to patients and invest 340B savings into providing comprehensive healthcare services for low-income patients, including free health screenings, mobile clinics and new freestanding clinics, free transportation to medical appointments, expanded cancer care, diabetes self-management programs, and more. Stand with patients, hospitals and FQHCs: Pass House Bill 2371 SA 2 to protect 340B in Illinois. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Chicago Teachers Union members vote down effort to raise union dues to pay for political campaigns. ABC Chicago…
- Among the campaigns is likely one for the CTU-backed candidate for Chicago Board of Education president, CTU political director Hilario Dominguez. - In a letter to members Saturday, the Union said 60 percent of members voted against moving forward with he proposal. Sponsored by PhRMA * At 11 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver remarks at the Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation Dedication. Click here to watch. * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Sun-Times | Chicago U.S. attorney says he’s reviewing other cases that might have been tainted like the ‘Broadview Six’: Finally, Oak Park village trustee Brian Straw — among those charged in the “Broadview Six” case — asked U.S. District Judge April Perry for an order preserving any emails, text messages or other communications relating to the grand jury proceedings in that prosecution. Straw’s attorneys, Christopher Parente and Damon Cheronis, wrote in a court filing that they’d “lost complete faith and confidence in [Chicago’s] U.S. Attorney’s Office to do the right thing on its own.” Parente also called on Durbin and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth to investigate Boutros’ office. * CBS Chicago | Illinois data centers are using millions of gallons of residential water; experts say there are better alternatives: With the Chicago area situated next to the massive Lake Michigan, which contains over 1 quadrillion gallons of water, we can forget there isn’t an endless supply of water. And experts dealing with the impact of data centers used to train and power AI say we have to shift that thinking, because Chicago can’t keep up with the water needs we’re now seeing. “When it comes down to it, the water available for human uses from the lake are not limitless,” said Rachel Havrelock of The Freshwater Lab at University of Illinois Chicago. * Fox 2 Now | Illinois unemployment rate holds at 5.1% in April as jobless numbers rise: The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 5.1% in April, the same as in March, based on figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That compares to a national unemployment rate of 4.3% for the same period, underscoring a gap between Illinois and the broader U.S. labor market. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois grows millions of bushels of soybeans. Why aren’t we eating them?: But almost none of those millions of bushels end up as food on Illinois plates. According to the Illinois Soybean Association, 60% of soybeans grown in the state are exported; most of the remaining 40% are processed as animal feed, leaving the state reliant on imports for its soy food. “Ninety-five percent of food consumed in the state of Illinois is imported,” said Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, chair of the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee, speaking of Illinois food crops. “If there were any type of natural disaster, Illinois only has enough food that will last us for three days.” * NBC Chicago | Some tick bites can trigger a red meat allergy, cases reported in Illinois: The Illinois Department of Public Health recently highlighted AGS, also known as red meat allergy or tick bite meat allergy. The condition occurs after some tick bites, when the body becomes allergic to a molecule called alpha-gal - a sugar produced in the bodies of most mammals - but not in people. It can be transmitted through the saliva of some ticks. […] According to IDPH, AGS has been increasingly recognized across the country, and cases have been reported in Illinois, although a number hasn’t been provided. The condition is typically associated with the bite of lone star ticks, which are most often found in the South, East and Central parts of the country. * Crain’s | Pritzker leans into economic development. Here’s how it’s going: From the start of Pritzker’s tenure through last year, including the pandemic decline and recovery, the number of jobs in Illinois rose 0.9% to an average of 6.16 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among 10 neighboring and peer states, only Iowa had lower job growth at 0.4%. Kentucky led the way at 5.3%. Things improved during Pritzker’s second term, with jobs growing 2%. Although Illinois still has the second-lowest score, the gap narrowed. Last year, as growth decelerated nationwide, Illinois was firmly in the middle of the pack with 1.6% growth. * Sun-Times | Benefits of Bears’ megaproject bill ‘murky’ at best for Illinois taxpayers: Cook County treasurer analysis: Pappas’ report evaluates the bill that passed the Illinois House last month but will need major changes to have any hope of passing the Illinois Senate before the spring legislative session concludes. Lawmakers have until midnight Sunday to get a bill to the end zone. Researchers from the treasurer’s office looked broadly at the megaprojects concept that Gov. JB Pritzker has long championed outside the context of the Bears’ stadium saga. Dozens of other states have such laws in place that allow companies to negotiate discounted payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) instead of their full property tax bills to local taxing bodies, as long as they’re investing in massive developments. * Capitol News Illinois | Report shows how much Bears could pay in Arlington Heights property taxes: Under the proposal in Springfield, if the assessed value of the land is frozen, the team would be on the hook for a $4 million tax bill. If they negotiate a $10 million payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, the team would pay $14 million annually. That would equal a $39 million annual property tax break, or $1.5 billion over the 40-year lifespan of the megaproject. * NBC Chicago | Arlington Heights mayor: Bears stadium deal could be decided in the final hours: Sunday is the last day of the spring legislative session in Springfield, so they have under a week to pass the bill that could keep the Bears in Illinois. “I’m very optimistic. I believe that it’s going to happen. I think that our governor and legislators in Springfield are working really hard to make it happen,” said Mayor Jim Tinaglia. “I’d like to make sure we get it done. And so, if it takes till 11:59 p.m., that’s what it takes. I’m good with that.” * The White Sox Caucus will be meeting tonight at DH Brown’s…  * Sun-Times | Dr. Olusimbo Ige out as Chicago health chief: A source familiar with the matter confirmed Friday that Johnson had asked for Ige’s resignation, which is effective immediately. […] Ige is a public health expert — trained in medicine in Nigeria, where she grew up, and not licensed to practice in the U.S. Before taking the Chicago job, she worked for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Before that, she served as an assistant commissioner at New York City’s health department. * Crain’s | Chicago delays tipped wage phaseout after restaurant pushback: Chicago’s plan to phase out the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers will be delayed by two years under a compromise approved today by the City Council, handing restaurants a longer runway to adjust to higher labor costs and dealing a setback to one of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s signature labor victories. The agreement extends the city’s original five-year timeline for eliminating the tipped wage credit to seven years, while giving smaller restaurants employing fewer than 21 workers even more time to comply. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson to tout opposition to wars during Vatican trip, says Pope wants to keep Bears in Chicago: Johnson is heading to Rome this week with a delegation from World Business Chicago, or WBC, the first time in a decade that the pope has hosted a Chicago mayor. During his lunch at the popular South Side soul food restaurant on Sunday, Johnson said he will use his meeting, scheduled for Thursday, to discuss their shared condemnation of “endless illegal wars” as well as the mayor’s executive orders during President Donald Trump’s second term. * Tribune | Chicago bike lane construction sparks pushback, fuels political fights: And the small, relentless Southwest Side fight is over more than just that construction project. It’s the latest front in a citywide political divide over the future of transportation and safety. To the pro-bike lane faction, the concrete bump outs and bus-boarding islands added to the busy street mean safety for cyclists, kids heading to school and even drivers. “People don’t bike on Archer because it was so dangerous,” said Alfredo Valladares Jr., who founded the group Gage Park Cyclists. “Everybody needs to have a fair opportunity to be safe.” * Crain’s | Judge restores Chicago-area listings to Zillow — for now: Two days ago, Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) cut its data feed to Zillow because of a dispute over private and pre-market listings. Zillow prohibits listings going on its site if they’ve been shown in limited-exposure settings like private listings, but MRED and nationwide brokerage Compass have been advocating for keeping some listings private. Unable to bring Zillow around, MRED stopped putting new listings on Zillow and said Zillow couldn’t keep MRED existing listings on its site or Trulia, which Zillow owns. * Sun-Times | City program to rehab more than 30 properties on the South and West sides is back: More rehabbed homes will soon follow as part of Rebuild Chicago 2.0, an expansion of the city’s Rebuild program that targets abandoned homes to give them a second life. The program identifies homes that can be acquired, rehabbed and sold to create homeownership opportunities on the South and West sides, which have experienced disinvestment. The program is focused on Roseland and Englewood, and it will support the rehab of 33 homes. Another home is being rehabbed about four blocks away from the Yale Avenue property. * WGN | Calumet City lays off 46 workers due to ‘profound fiscal challenges’: According to [ Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones], Calumet City is struggling to meet the demands of high health insurance costs, late Cook County property tax revenues and an “unsustainable” backlog of city bills to vendors. This all ads up to a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall for the rest of the year. “Our revenues are flat and there was zero growth in revenue last year. Our plan is to decrease costs of city operations and look at options to generate revenue potential revenue enhancements,” the mayor said in the release. “We have a structural problem that we will solve. City government needed to be downsized with more services going online and cuts to agencies through consolidation. We will be steadfast in our quest to overcome this challenge and achieve our fiscal goals all while continuing to perform our government operations in a spirit of excellence.” * Sun-Times | Closing of Oak Park’s West Suburban Medical Center has triggered a legal battle among its owners: Lawyers for Prasad and Patlola have been arguing before Stanton about the financial details of Resilience Healthcare. Both sides have agreed to have recently retired Judge Patrick Sherlock review years of bank records for several accounts tied to Resilience Healthcare and the hospitals. Once Sherlock has turned over what he finds to Stanton, closing arguments are expected May 29. * Daily Herald | West suburbs could see five more freight trains a day if rail merger passes: Seven municipalities crossed by freight and UP West Metra trains have retained legal experts specializing in railway law for “the collective safeguarding of our communities’ interests,” Winfield Village Manager Evan Summers said. The coalition comprises Berkeley, Elmhurst, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Winfield and Geneva. “It doesn’t mean we’re fighting it; it just means we want to share costs and concerns and monitor (events) to make sure that concerns are addressed,” Elmhurst Mayor Scott Levin said. “It’s a good intergovernmental setup that keeps the costs fairly minimal for each of the participants.” * Aurora Beacon-News | Indian Prairie D204 predicting $4.9 million budget deficit for 2027, but a balanced budget in future years: The district’s Chief School Business Official Matt Shipley gave a presentation May 18 to the board, during which he shared that the district is looking at a one-time, nearly $5 million budget deficit next year that’s expected to balance out over the years to follow. At the meeting, Shipley emphasized the importance of the district having “a sustainable budget over a significant period of time,” meaning it is looking three to five years in the future and “not looking to play games or to try and balance one year of a budget over another.” * Aurora Beacon-News | One month before opening day, work is finishing up at new Hollywood Casino Aurora: The $360 million project — located along Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road, across the street from Chicago Premium Outlets mall and near the Interstate 88 interchange — has been under construction since 2023. The new casino, hotel and related restaurants are planned to open on June 24, replacing the longtime riverboat Hollywood Casino in downtown Aurora. * Capitol City Now | Despite one problem being solved, more issues persist for owner of Springfield downtown Wyndham: “The ownership group filed for bankruptcy,” said Michelle Ownbey, Springfield Business Journal Executive Editor, on the WTAX Morning Newswatch. “Tower Capital, which is one of the business entities Al Rajabi owns, reported business revenue of just over $6 million in 2024, and then only $1.6 million a year later after the Wyndham closed in March at the very beginning of 2025, and no business revenue so far for this year.” Ownbey reports Al Rajabi’s business efforts have worked before, but not in Springfield, apparently. “His specialty was sort of buying these distressed hotels, flipping hotels, and he had done that in some other communities,” said Ownbey. “Perhaps, for a variety of reasons, the one here did not pan out the way he had expected.” * WTVO | Aquin Catholic Academy in Freeport to close May 29 after enrollment decline: The decision follows months of review by a special task force and comes after years of declining enrollment and financial challenges at the school. Bishop David Malloy accepted the recommendation to close the school after receiving input from Freeport-area pastors, families, and community members. […] Aquin has faced shrinking enrollment for years, mirroring broader demographic shifts in the Freeport area. According to the Diocese, just 39 students were enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade during the 2025–2026 school year, with fewer than half identifying as Catholic. * BND | Historic Belleville farm being transformed into mental health treatment center: The nonprofit will take a giant step this summer, when it moves from an O’Fallon office building to a historic 7.65-acre farm, across from Belleville West High School. “We were born in Belleville, and we’re returning to Belleville,” said Kevin Smith’s wife, Emily, who serves as executive director. “So we’ve come full circle, and this will be our forever home.” This project is separate from a planned $30 million business and sports complex with flexible tenant spaces and an indoor soccer field that’s planned for 30 acres of farmland to the east. * Springfield Business Journal | New life for former Sangamo Club?: Local developer Corky Joyner of Joyner Construction has the 29,000-square-foot building at 227 E. Adams St. under contract with tentative plans to redevelop it into apartments. However, Joyner is awaiting bids for remediating hazardous materials in the building and wants to have a cost estimate for the remediation before closing on the property. He said he is hoping to be able to make a final decision within the coming weeks. While Joyner remains open to different options for the building, he said residential development is at the top of the list. “Everything is still on the table at this point, but our initial desire is to do residential there,” he said. He estimates the building could house between 20 and 40 residential units. * WGLT | Pesticide drift near Morton school prompts calls for prior notification from farmers: Vandenberg said parents later got an email telling them to have their kids take a shower because of the risk for pesticide drift. She added that is when she found an Illinois bill seeks to address her situation.Illinois lawmakers want to address this problem by requiring farmers to notify schools and parks 72 hours before applying pesticides to allow parents decide how to best keep their kid safe. * WCIA | Danville pharmacy increases delivery prices due to gas prices: Polyclinic said it’s the only pharmacy with a delivery service in Vermilion County, bringing medications to eight different communities. Sometimes, workers deliver to up to 50 patients a day. Now, their patients will pay a little extra for their prescriptions. […] The pharmacy recently took to social media to tell patients that the pharmacy is increasing delivery prices by $2 as a result of rising gas prices. * ProPublica | Trump’s Justice Department Dropped 23,000 Criminal Investigations in Shift to Immigration: The cases included an investigation into a Virginia nursing home with a recent record of patient abuse; probes of fraud involving several New Jersey labor unions, including one opened after a top official of a national union was accused of embezzlement; and an investigation into a cryptocurrency company suspected of cheating investors. In total, the DOJ quietly closed more than 23,000 criminal cases in the first six months of President Donald Trump’s administration, abandoning hundreds of investigations into terrorism, white-collar crime, drugs and other offenses as it shifted resources to pursue immigration cases, according to an analysis by ProPublica. * NBC | Fake ICE agents terrorize immigrants amid Trump’s crackdown: Although neither the federal government nor local authorities publish specific records of people impersonating immigration agents, an analysis by Noticias Telemundo, based on court records, police reports and news articles, suggests that the number of such crimes has increased over the past year. Our investigation documented at least 31 cases in 2025 alone — a sharp increase compared to an average of 5.3 incidents per year in the previous decade. Overall, we identified 84 instances of impostors posing as immigration agents between 2014 and 2025. * Religion News Service | Inside the unlikely Vatican-Anthropic relationship that’s reshaping the AI ethics debate: Ties between the Vatican and AI companies can be traced back to roughly 2016. According to a 2022 interview Green conducted with Bishop Paul Tighe, who serves as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, it was around a decade ago when the first series of conversations were held in Rome between church officials and tech leaders. Known as the “Minerva Dialogues,” the conversations included several powerful Silicon Valley figures, such as former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, while other tech executives, such as Sam Altman of OpenAI and Demis Hassabis, who directs Google’s DeepMind AI project, held private audiences with Francis.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Norah Jones… All I ask is please If you don’t like that, well, then I can’t help you. Nobody can. * What’s up this week?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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