Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Most state agencies were required to submit spending cut plans to Gov. JB Pritzker by Oct. 23, but the governor’s office has declined to release details about those plans.

A spokesperson for Pritzker said the governor’s budget office is still reviewing the proposed cuts.

“Gov. Pritzker is taking proactive steps to protect Illinois’ fiscal stability,” spokesperson Andres Correa said in a statement. “These reviews are part of ensuring the state remains on solid financial footing and can continue delivering the core services Illinoisans depend on.” […]

But this lack of transparency is not sitting well with Republicans, who said Pritzker needs to be open about the cuts agencies have proposed.

“I was very much looking forward to seeing where Gov. Pritzker’s agencies identified inefficiencies and excessive spending and hoped that maybe this executive order would create a slightly more efficient government,” Rep. Amy Elik, R-Godfrey, the House Republicans’ budget leader, said at a news conference Thursday.

* Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino’s responds to federal judge’s plan to grant bond to about 615 people arrested in violation of a consent decree…

Bovino: "Whether they were criminals or individuals that were taking jobs from Americans — you name it, that's what they were doing. And I'll tell you what's gonna happen. We're gonna go even harder on the streets. If he releases those 650, we're gonna apprehend 1,650 on the… pic.twitter.com/6qFE16hU6L

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 13, 2025

*** Statehouse News ***

* Evanston Now | Ruttenberg scores nurses union backing: The Illinois Nurses Association announced this week it’s endorsing Rachel Ruttenberg of Evanston in her state senate race. The endorsement was part of a slate announced Tuesday, which included Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in her race for the U.S. Senate, State Sen. Rob Peters in his race for the 2nd District U.S. House seat and Karina Villa, who’s running for state comptroller. Ruttenberg was the only candidate INA backed in a state senate race, according to Tuesday’s announcement. She’s running for a seat currently held by Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview). Fine is leaving her seat to run for Congress in the 9th District.

* Press Release | Manley Appointed to Legislative Audit Commission, Tapping CPA Experience: As a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) working in the accounting field for nearly three decades, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, will serve on the state’s Legislative Audit Commission (LAC), a select group of legislators to lead public hearings on major audits of state agencies to review performance, correct outstanding issues and ensure public dollars are being spent appropriately for Illinois residents.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson offers concessions to salvage his $16.6B budget, but City Council support still in doubt: The $18 million revenue loss from that change would be made up by raising the personal property lease tax on cloud computing and software higher than Johnson initially proposed. Instead of 14%, the tax on cloud computing would be raised to 15%, which would generate an estimated $416 million. That would make the tax 66% higher than what it was a year ago when Johnson raised the tax from 9% to 14%. With that increase, the tax yielded $333 million. Towing fees would also be raised by 66% — from $150 to $250 for vehicles under 8,000 lbs., a category that includes passenger vehicles and SUVs. The towing fee for heavy-duty vehicles would rise from $250 to $350, under the revised fee schedule expected to raise $7 million a year.

* Tribune | Judge rules mandatory detention of Chicago day care teacher by ICE is illegal: A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the U.S. government’s mandatory detention of Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, the day care teacher arrested at a Chicago preschool, is illegal and she must be given a bond hearing. According to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Jeremy Daniel, Santillana will be given a bond hearing in front of an immigration judge, who could order her released while her civil deportation case proceeds. Her hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

* NPR | Some labor unions remain committed to recruiting women despite policy rollbacks: Women make up less than 5% of the construction trades - professions such as carpenter, electrician and plumber. President Trump wants to grow the industry, but there are fears women could be further sidelined. Some labor unions say they will not let that happen.

* WTTW | Toxic Dump Set for Transformation Into Chicago’s Next Lakefront Destination, Introducing Park #608: On Wednesday, with the sun shining on a brisk fall day, the Chicago Park District unveiled signage for the future home of Park #608. The name is a placeholder for 43 acres adjacent to Calumet Park that have, since 1984, been home to a disposal facility used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hold polluted sediment dredged from the Calumet River and Cal-Sag Channel. “What was once a dumping ground will be a destination,” said Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, CEO and general superintendent of the Chicago Park District.

* Block Club | 3 Friends Visit Every CTA ‘L’ Stop In 9 Hours In Effort To Set Guinness World Record: “We think Chicago is one of the best places in the whole world, and we want more people to come here and understand how easy it is to get around,” he said. “It’s about showing people that you can go to Little India on the North Side, Little Village on the Southwest Side and anywhere in between on the CTA.”

* ABC Chicago | Chicago’s Manny’s Deli shares noodle kugel recipe on Cooking up a Storm: BC7 Chicago meteorologist Tracy Butler was Cooking up a Storm Thursday with an iconic Jewish deli that has called Chicago home for decades. Manny’s, located at 1141 S. Jefferson St. in the South Loop, is a frequent stop for politicians and celebrities. And it’s also been giving back, dishing up 1,800 free meals during the government shutdown.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Protest hours at Broadview ICE facility too restrictive, lawyer suing village says: A Chicago attorney who filed for a preliminary injunction as part of a federal lawsuit against the village of Broadview over its recent restrictions on protests near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility appeared Thursday to discuss the ongoing matter. “My hope and expectation is that a federal judge will sustain the rights to ordinary working people to exercise their first amendment rights other than the restricted hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” Robert Held, a Chicago Council of Lawyers board member and activist, said during a short media briefing Thursday outside the facility at 1930 Beach St.

* Daily Herald | Why Elgin could increase its general property tax levy for the first time in more than a decade: The 13.2% levy increase will help close a $4.2 million gap in the city’s roughly $407.6 million budget, City Manager Rick Kozal said Wednesday during a special committee of the whole meeting to discuss the 2026 budget and a three-year plan. “It is with great debate and deliberation that this recommendation for this modest increase was coming,” Kozal said. “But we thought that the property tax increase, rather than going to other revenue sources, was the most efficient and economical way to recover what is needed, that $4 million, to maintain the level of city operations.”

* Evanston Now | Body camera contract gets mixed reaction: Ald. Matt Rodgers (8th) argued in favor of the proposal, pushing back on some panel members’ suggestion the city try and purchase services ‘À la carte’ from various providers to try and bring the price tag down. “I think it’s very important that it be a whole ecosystem,” Rodgers said, something Ald. Tom Suffredin (6th) agreed with. “This isn’t a place to cheap out,” Suffredin said, raising concerns about potential liability for the city by trying to find a cheaper deal.

* Aurora Beacon-News | First home unveiled in Aurora’s new ‘smart neighborhood’: The show home highlights various features that houses in the neighborhood will have, from solar panels on the roof to electric car chargers in the garage. The innovation going into these homes is expected to make them more resilient against inclement weather plus lead to lower utility costs, making them more affordable. One example of the houses’ innovative features is the method used to create the walls of the structure: foam blocks connected by plastic webs that fit together sort of like LEGO bricks.

*** Downstate ***

* Fox News | Duckworth staffer accused of posing as lawyer in attempt to free illegal immigrant from ICE custody: According to a letter sent Wednesday to Duckworth, D-Ill., U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons said the staffer told federal agents he was the attorney of Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval — a 40-year-old illegal immigrant previously deported four times to Mexico and who had a DUI conviction. […] While at the facility, York successfully met with Ayuzo and got him to sign a G-28 form, the letter said. It allows an attorney to represent a client on immigration matters, empowering them to receive official correspondence, communicate with government agencies on their behalf and more.

* WCIA | City of Decatur implements water rationing measures as lake level drops: On Oct. 8 it was reported that Lake Decatur was 2.4 feet below its normal water level. A month later, Ryan Huffer, the City of Decatur’s Communications Coordinator, said the lake is now more than three feet below normal, and the water level continues to decline due to evaporation and a lack of consistent rainfall. While rain did fall on Oct. 18 and 19, it wasn’t enough to reverse the lake’s decline.

* WJBD | Marion County Board chair wants to begin work on multi-million-dollar digital radio system for emergency responders: The Marion County Board will be asked to add $1 million to next year’s budget from the Public Safety Tax to begin work on converting the county to a new digital radio system. Board Chair and Centralia Police Lieutenant Steve Whritenour says the old analog system has outlived its time. “Marion County unfortunately is still on an old analog system,” Whritenour said. “Improving communications throughout the entire county would benefit every fire department, every law enforcement agency and ambulance service, to have that lifeline between the dispatch and all those agencies. It’s a vital link.”

* WICS | Springfield voters may decide on landlord registry in March 2026 ballot: Springfield voters could soon have a say on a proposed landlord registry ordinance, potentially appearing on the March 2026 ballot. After years of discussion, city leaders are considering allowing constituents to weigh in on the matter. Roy Williams Jr., co-sponsor of the ordinance, emphasized the need for public input. “All we’re asking for tonight is for the permission to put it on the ballot,” Williams said. “It’s been well over time to do something different in Springfield, Illinois.”

*** National ***

* Bond Buyer | SEC muni enforcement down sharply in 2025: Municipal securities enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission have totaled just three so far this year, putting 2025 on track to record a noteworthy decline from the enforcement level pace it has maintained going back to at least 2019.

* Bloomberg | VW, Rivian eye selling EV technology to other carmakers: Volkswagen AG and Rivian Automotive Inc. have ambitions of selling the electric vehicle technology they’re developing together to other carmakers in the future. Their joint venture, known as RV Tech, said it has made solid progress on delivering the EV electrical and software platform that Volkswagen needs to compete with Tesla Inc. and Chinese rivals. The JV is focused on delivering models for Rivian and VW but is keeping communication open with third parties about the scalability of its platforms.

* AP | Lifelong drugs for autoimmune diseases don’t work well. Now scientists are trying something new: Researchers are altering dysfunctional immune systems, not just suppressing them, in a variety of ways that aim to be more potent and more precise than current therapies. They’re highly experimental and, because of potential side effects, so far largely restricted to patients who’ve exhausted today’s treatments. But people entering early-stage studies are grasping for hope.

Comment

Pritzker on federal shutdown, Trump, midterm elections

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* More from Gov. Pritzker’s press conference today…

Q: Does this current political climate suggest that these kinds of government shutdowns are going to become more regular? And if everything’s funded through January, SNAP through September, but what concerns do you have that conditions in this country are going to make this kind of thing much more common?

Pritzker: When Donald Trump doesn’t want to give people health care and is willing to take away people’s food in order to force people to take less health care or pay higher premiums, that’s going to cause Democrats and Republicans, apparently, not to be able to get along and not to be able to get the things that average Americans want.

What I am so upset about is that Donald Trump was fine with people not being able to travel, people not being able to get their food. He was fine, he is fine with taking away health care from people.

And, yeah, if you want to see division in the country, stop feeding people, stop giving them health care. And so it’s Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans that have done this to this country. I’m hopeful that there will be reasonable minds that will come together and that we will be able to move past January and the end of January, which is now when the CR goes to, and not have to have any more shutdowns. But this is on Donald Trump. Remember, MAGA Republicans control the House, the Senate, the presidency and the Supreme Court. So who’s in charge? It’s the Republicans. When things aren’t going well in this country. It’s the people in charge that you ought to look to, and it’s Donald Trump that’s leading them.

Q: What do you think this is going to do for the 2026 election? Are the voters going to remember this shutdown?

Pritzker: Well, I think you saw, I mean, a wave election about nine days ago, where Democrats swept across the country. Look at what happened. Nobody’s paying attention to Georgia, where there were two candidates, Democratic candidates running for the highest offices that were on the ballot there, and they won by 20 points in a state that most people would say is mostly a red state. So when Democrats are winning by 20 points in a red state, and when Democrats who were supposed to win by three or six points in New Jersey and Virginia, which are purple states, winning by 13 and 15 points. I think you can see that people are very upset with the leadership of the MAGA Republicans of the federal government

Thoughts?

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Pritzker on hemp ban, BSL, Johnson head tax, and homeowners insurance bill

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* As part of the spending deal to end the federal government shutdown, Congress approved provision banning THC products. Governor Pritzker was asked about the hemp ban during an unrelated news conference…

Pritzker: What I wanted was for intoxicating hemp to be regulated the same way that cannabis is in the state, and I haven’t looked at the details of the bill that was passed, because it’s not a complete ban. There’s regulation around it. It makes it harder for the worst parts of intoxicating hemp to be just sold to anybody. So we’re going to have to look at how we might regulate it now that we see that the federal government is limiting it. But the goal here is to keep our children safe. That really is my number one goal about regulating intoxicating hemp. And when it’s available everywhere, and it’s got names like Skittlz with a Z on the end, and it looks the same as Skittles the candy. It’s just not right. I have been disappointed that the industry here has been unwilling to accept proper regulation. So now we’ll end up at the table talking about how best to move forward.

Reporter: Will you ask the General Assembly to look at regulating it?

Pritzker: Again, I have to sort of sort through what the federal bill actually allows us to do, because Supremacy Clause, we’ve learned a lot about that in the last few months. But we want to make sure that whatever it is that’s allowed in the state of Illinois, again, is just safe for children and, obviously, safe for anybody that uses it.

* Click here for some background. On Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s head tax…

Reporter: Reporter: You spoke on Veterans Day with Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez about Mayor Johnson’s proposed head tax. How would you characterize your conversation with him, and did he swing you at all on your opposition to the head tax?

Pritzker: Well, yelling isn’t a conversation, and that’s how he came at it. But I was the one who stopped to talk to him, because, look, he’s an alderman — dialogue is always a good thing. I know he disagrees with me. He thinks there ought to be a head tax. I think that taxing businesses on the number of jobs that they’re creating is a bad way to go. Do I think that we ought to have a more graduated income tax system, or one in which wealthy businesses, wealthy people are paying a higher percentage than average working people? Yes, I do. I think that’s been pretty clear. So I’m not sure exactly what he was yelling about, except that we have a disagreement about that head tax. I don’t think that’s a good idea, because telling people that, well, the fewer people you hire, the less you’re going to pay, is not a good message for businesses or for workers, for that matter. So I was happy to have a conversation. I don’t think he did it in the right way. He could have called me. He’s not ever called me. I know he said he’s reached out to members of my administration, but I’m pretty easy to find and pretty easy to get on the phone with and talk. That’s not what he wants. He just wants headlines, because I think he wants to run for Congress — although I don’t see how that’s available, except, of course, as a write-in. We’ll see how that goes.

The governor is wrong that Sigcho-Lopez would need to run a write-in campaign. He can run as an independent, but he’ll need more than 11,000 valid signatures.

* On the Homeowners’ insurance reform bill that failed in House with 56 votes…

Reporter: Can I ask you about homeowner’s insurance. There was a bill that failed on the House floor, can I get your reaction to that? What do you think is the pass moving forward?

Pritzker: Look, we’re one of the very few states that doesn’t have any limits on what a an insurance company can charge and how they can increase the homeowner’s insurance premiums. So I believe that we need to move forward looking at that bill that didn’t quite get through the House, and see how it might be adjusted, so that our Department of Insurance can review the premiums that are increases that State Farm and Allstate and other homeowners insurance companies are charging. But increases like 27 percent in a single year ought to be reviewed by a state regulator, and that’s all we’re asking.

Reporter: What kind of adjustments?

Pritzker: Again, what we want is for the insurance companies simply to show us why it’s appropriate for them to raise rates by 27 percent. They didn’t do that. They haven’t done that. All they did was say, ‘Well, we had losses, so we’re increasing by 27 percent.’ We don’t know if the homeowners are being gouged. And that’s what it feels like with 27 percent increases. By the way, that’s the average increase. There’s some that are getting 40 and 50 percent increases and some lower, but 27 percent on average is ludicrous in a single year. And so again, we just want them to justify what they’re doing to homeowners across the state. I think 27 percent sounds outrageous.

13 Comments

Catching up with the federal candidates

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Politico…

A fellow Democrat moved to sanction Illinois Rep. Chuy García Wednesday for a gambit in which he retired and functionally guaranteed that his chief of staff would be the only Democrat on the ballot to succeed him.

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington went to the House floor as lawmakers prepared to debate legislation reopening the government to introduce a resolution accusing García of “undermining the process of a free and fair election” and calling on the House to disapprove of his behavior.

Gluesenkamp Perez read her resolution aloud in its entirety, which calls García’s maneuver “beneath the dignity of his office and incompatible with the spirit of the Constitution.”

From US Rep. Garcia’s spokesperson…

“Congressman García made a deeply personal decision based on his health, his wife’s worsening condition and his responsibility to the grandchildren he is raising after the death of his daughter. He followed every rule and every filing requirement laid out by the State of Illinois.

“At a moment like this, he hopes his colleagues, especially those who speak about family values, can show the same compassion and respect that any family would want during a health crisis. Congressman García remains committed to finishing his term with dignity and continuing his lifelong fight for working families.”

The Sun-Times’ coverage of Patty Garcia’s campaign launch yesterday…

Acknowledging a “whirlwind of emotions” after her surprise candidacy for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District seat, Patty Garcia swatted down criticism Wednesday that retiring U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia had cleared her path to the Democratic nomination with a maneuver from the old-school playbook of Chicago politics. […]

“It’s an open process. Any person who’s interested in running for office can apply, can circulate their petitions and submit an application. We followed the rules. We collected signatures, and we submitted an application,” she said during her first campaign appearance at a grocery store in her hometown of Cicero. “People can apply at any point. We didn’t stop anybody from applying.” […]

But for anyone who would’ve considered running if they had known Chuy Garcia wouldn’t — like Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), who’s exploring an independent bid — that’s on them, Patty Garcia said. […]

“For those that are saying like, ‘Oh, this was planned,’ — it wasn’t. Those that know me know that I plan and I organize ahead and I’ve got everything set up. Some people here didn’t know we were doing this till yesterday, because that’s how we’ve been planning,” she said.

* US Senate candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi has released his sixth TV ad of the cycle. Press Release…

Today, Raja for Illinois released its sixth television ad of the cycle, “No One.”

In the new spot, 16th Ward Alderman and Chair of the Aldermanic Black Caucus Stephanie Coleman outlines why she proudly endorsed Raja for U.S. Senate, citing his proven record of delivering for communities and taking on the powerful to protect everyday Illinoisans.

“Plenty of politicians talk a good game. Raja delivers for the community I represent, and every community. Raja never stops fighting for people left behind. I’ve seen him take on some of the most powerful people to hold them accountable, to lower our costs, to protect our rights,” said Alderman Stephanie Coleman. “We’ve never needed someone like Raja in the Senate more. No one fights harder – No one.”

Watch “No One” HERE

* Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin is one of 13 Democrats running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Danny Davis in the 7th CD,. Crain’s…

Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin today proposed the city stop investing in U.S. Treasuries to protest President Donald Trump’s increased immigration enforcement and deployment of troops, drawing criticism from some colleagues who called the plan “reckless.”

During a City Council budget committee hearing, Conyears-Ervin said her office, which oversees an investment portfolio of more than $9 billion, will propose to immediately prohibit direct purchases of US Treasury marketable securities.

She also plans to seek the council’s approval to shift the portfolio, which includes cash, bonds, commercial paper and money market funds, away from holdings that derive benefits from the $30 trillion Treasuries market, according to a statement.

It’s uncertain the treasurer’s proposal will get sufficient backing from the city council. Alderman Raymond Lopez called it “reckless” while Alderman Bill Conway, a former banker, questioned the wisdom of divesting US government securities when their returns top the roughly 3.6% return the city’s portfolio made last year.

* Evanston Now…

The name of Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss will appear first on the Democratic ballot next March in the 9th District U.S. House primary.

Biss won Wednesday’s ballot order lottery involving a dozen candidates.

The dozen Democratic candidates who were waiting in line when the filing period opened at 8 a.m. Oct. 27 and filed the needed 1,173 signatures were entered into the lottery streamed live from the state Board of Election’s office in Springfield.

The full order of how candidates will appear on voters’ ballots for both the Democratic and Republican primaries is as follows:

DEMOCRATIC primary ballot

- Daniel Biss
- Justin Ford
- Mike Simmons
- Bushra Amiwala
- Patricia A. Brown
- Jeff Cohen
- Bruce Leon
- Laura Fine
- Phil Andrew
- Nick Pyati
- Kat Abughazaleh
- Sam Polan
- Bethany Johnson
- Howard Rosenblum
- Natalie Angelo
- Hoan Huynh
- Mark Arnold Fredrickson

REPUBLICAN primary ballot

- John Elleson
- Paul Friedman
- Rocio Cleveland
- Mark Dongbo Su

* More from Politico…

— In IL-08: A Democratic candidate forum tonight is being sponsored by Citizen Action/Illinois. Details to attend here, or watch the livestream here.

— In IL:08: Mark Rice, a Republican running in the 8th Congressional District has signed on to the U.S. Term Limits pledge that if elected, he’d run to serve three terms in Congress. Democratic candidates Junaid Ahmed and Sanjyot Dunung have also signed the pledge.

— In IL-07: Reed Showalter, who’s running for the open 7th District congressional seat, is teaming up with former USDA Public Affairs Director Alan Shannon on Nov. 18 for a virtual conversation about the nation’s food system. Details here

— In IL-08: Yasmeen Bankole has been endorsed by the Elk Grove Village International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2340 and the Hoffman Estates IAFF Local 2061.

23 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: ‘We will win’: Six Broadview protesters plead not guilty to conspiracy, decry attack on First Amendment. Sun-Times…

* Related stories…

• WTTW: Kat Abughazaleh, Other Democratic Candidates Plead Not Guilty to Charges Stemming From Confrontation at Broadview ICE Facility
• Tribune: Attorneys plan logistics for tour of ICE facility in Broadview; temporary restraining order to be extended
• Block Club: Protesters Keep Getting Arrested At Broadview By State Police Despite Promise To Protect Free Speech

* Gov. Pritzker will attend the ribbon cutting for the newly renovated International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 2 training facility at 10 am. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Hemp product ban, tacked onto law to reopen government, stuns Illinois businesses: ‘Unnecessary and cruel’: ”In the absence of action in Springfield, Governor Pritzker supports policies to protect people, including children, from being misinformed or harmed by these products,” a spokesperson said. West Side state Rep. La Shawn Ford — who has pushed for less stringent regulations including age limits, testing standards and packaging requirements for hemp products — said the ban starts “a whole new war on drugs.” “You can’t ban it. It’s still here. It’s just being driven underground,” he said.

* E&E News | Grain Belt Express faces Illinois high court review: Lawyers for the developers of the Grain Belt Express power line and Illinois utility regulators said a state appellate court erred last month when it overturned approval of a permit for the $7 billion project, throwing its future into limbo. They made their case during oral arguments before the Illinois Supreme Court, the latest plot twist in a decadelong effort to build the 780-mile Grain Belt Express line to deliver renewable energy from windy, sunny southwest Kansas to the nation’s largest electricity market, PJM Interconnection.

* Tribune | Illinois sees record EV sales as Trump administration ends federal tax credits, but state goals still far off: The third quarter of this year saw EV sales grow to 8.4% of overall vehicle sales in Illinois, a record, according to data from Experian Automotive published in Illinois Auto Outlook, a local publication of Foltz’s group. That was up a percentage point from the same period last year and from 7.1% the previous quarter, the data showed.

*** Statewide ***

* Tribune | Illinois climbs in national hospital safety ranking, but four hospitals get F grades: Illinois now ranks 17th in the country — up from 23rd a year ago and 30th before that — for its percentage of hospitals earning A grades for safety, according to Leapfrog, which releases hospital safety grades twice a year. Illinois moved up in the rankings because its percentage of A-graded hospitals increased slightly, while other states have seen their percentages drop, said Alexandra Campione, program manager of the safety grade for the Leapfrog Group.

* NPR Illinois | Looming court decision on conversion therapy could impact Illinois law: Mike Ziri is Director of Public Policy for Equality Illinois, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. He said the laws protect patients. “Impacted communities know that this law exists and that they have recourse under the law to file a complaint if a therapist unethically engages in conversion therapy practices, coerces someone into conversion therapy practices,” he said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Governing | How Illinois Made a ‘Transformational’ Investment in Transit: Supporters of the legislation hope it makes the transit network easier to use, with more intuitive wayfinding for riders, simpler fare policies, a stronger sense of safety and cleanliness and more frequent service. The ultimate goal is to increase ridership and make transit a viable alternative to driving for more people. “What’s super exciting about this is that it is taking the fiscal cliff and turning it on its head,” says Yonah Freemark, a researcher at the Urban Institute. “It’s saying, not only do we need to solve the funding crisis, but we need to make transit better.”

* WMBD | Pekin Republican said Downstate bailed out Chicago transit: State Rep. Travis Weaver is still sore that some of Central Illinois’ tax dollars were used to fix Chicago’s transit problems. The Pekin Republican had blunt words when it came to helping Chicago and Cook County dig out of their $200 million budget hole. “You and I don’t pay our gas tax to bail out Chicago Transit,” he said. “You and I pay our gas tax so that we can have good roads here in Peoria. So, I was really, really disappointed to see how that came together.”

* The Read Deal | A look at newest GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Heidner’s real estate business: Heidner and his wife, Alisa Heidner, run commercial real estate firm Heidner Properties, along with their four children. The company owns and manages 280 commercial properties across the U.S., making him the most experienced real estate professional in the GOP primary. Over the past three years, the company has led the turnaround of a struggling suburban Chicago shopping mall, the Arboretum of South Barrington.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Head tax talks in flux as Johnson scrambles for budget votes: Johnson has held meetings with individual aldermen to gauge their support for the potential changes, but it’s far from certain the amendments will gain the 26 votes required for budget approval. Meanwhile, members of the Progressive Caucus say the mayor’s actual plan doesn’t line up with how he’s framed it.

* Illinois Answers Project | Feds Deployed Tear Gas on the Far South Side Even After Cops Told Them They Had No Gas Masks, Sources Say: Just after police officers arrived to take over and secure the area, the federal agents deployed tear gas, smoke and other riot-control chemicals against residents and officers, including Chicago Police Department Deputy Chief Dan O’Connor, who had asked the feds not to use the gas, the sources said. In addition to O’Connor, the South Chicago police district’s second-in-command, shift commander and much of the district’s tactical team were sickened by the gas, according to police sources.

* ProPublica | “I Lost Everything”: Venezuelans Were Rounded Up in a Dramatic Midnight Raid but Never Charged With a Crime: Stephen Miller, the White House homeland security adviser and architect of the nationwide immigration crackdown, declared that the building was “filled with TdA terrorists,” that the raid had “saved God knows how many lives” and that it was “one of the most successful law enforcement operations that we’ve seen in this country. A ProPublica investigation, however, has found little evidence to support the government’s claims. ProPublica has discovered the names of 21 of the detained Venezuelan men and women and interviewed 12 of them. We also spoke with dozens of their relatives, friends and neighbors. And we reviewed U.S. public records databases and court websites, examined court documents and social media accounts, obtained audio and video recordings made that night, and attended immigration court hearings.

* WIRED | DHS Kept Chicago Police Records for Months in Violation of Domestic Espionage Rules: For seven months, the data—records that had been requested on roughly 900 Chicagoland residents—sat on a federal server in violation of a deletion order issued by an intelligence oversight body. A later inquiry found that nearly 800 files had been kept, which a subsequent report said breached rules designed to prevent domestic intelligence operations from targeting legal US residents. The records originated in a private exchange between DHS analysts and Chicago police, a test of how local intelligence might feed federal government watchlists. The idea was to see whether street-level data could surface undocumented gang members in airport queues and at border crossings. The experiment collapsed amid what government reports describe as a chain of mismanagement and oversight failures.

* WGN | $172M and counting: What taxpayers spent on misconduct claims tied to one Chicago detective: The Chicago City Council is expected to approve a $17 million settlement in another wrongful conviction case involving a notorious former Chicago Police detective. Jose Maysonet spent 27 years in prison for a double murder conviction that was later overturned, amid allegations of misconduct by Reynaldo Guevara. Maysonet claimed in legal filings that Guevara beat him during a lengthy interrogation, forcing him to falsely confess to the 1990 killings of two brothers on the Northwest Side.

* Block Club Chicago | St. Sabina Food Pantry Sees ‘Record-Breaking Numbers’ As SNAP Benefits Falter: “We have made record-breaking numbers in the last two weeks,” Norwood said. Less than a week ago, lines formed outside the pantry an hour before it opened at 9 a.m., Norwood said. Staff couldn’t shrink the line until 2 p.m. — an hour before closing. One day, they had to cut the line off and ask people to return in the morning.

* ABC Chicago | Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson hospitalized amid rare brain disorder diagnosis: Jackson is “under observation for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a neurodegenerative disorder he has managed for more than a decade,” a statement from Rainbow PUSH read. The civil rights activist was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. However, he was diagnosed with PSP in April 2025.

* The Times | Tales of Pope Leo, the Blues Brothers fan ‘on a mission from God’: Pope Leo XIV, 70, was a big fan of the anarchic 1980 Hollywood classic, a Vatican-produced documentary has revealed. He dressed up as one of the brothers while a seminarian, donning dark glasses and a fedora hat years before he switched to a mitre and papal robes. Leo from Chicago was released on Monday to mark six months since the pope’s election. It investigates the American pope’s younger years, interviewing his brothers, childhood friends and seminary colleagues.

* Chicago Eater | Alinea Has Lost a Michelin Star: “We were disappointed to learn of our @michelinguide demotion to two stars. For 20 years, Alinea has been devoted to pushing creativity, rigor, and the pursuit of perfection in our craft. That commitment remains as unwavering today as it was on day one, and will continue until the back door of 1723 locks for the last time,” the post reads.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* ABC Chicago | Judge to tour Broadview ICE facility amid ‘inhumane conditions’ allegations: The ICE facility in Broadview has been at the heart of “Operation Midway Blitz.” On Thursday, it will be in an even greater spotlight as U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura McNally will visit the facility. Attorneys who filed a class action lawsuit over alleged inhumane conditions will join Judge McNally.

* Daily Southtown | Dolton says former Mayor Tiffany Henyard should be responsible for attorneys fees in FOIA lawsuit: The village, during a court hearing Wednesday, called the amount sought by the Edgar County Watchdogs in attorney fees unreasonable. The nonprofit requested Cook County Judge Kate Moreland order the village pay $10,000 in civil penalties, $41,000 in attorney’s fees and $1,500 in other costs, which will be decided ahead of a hearing at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 26.

* Tribune | Riverdale Mayor Lawrence Jackson convicted of perjury, obstruction of justice: A federal jury on Wednesday found Riverdale Mayor Lawrence Jackson guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice, a verdict that may force the four-term mayor from office. The verdict came just hours after prosecutors and defense attorneys presented conflicting portrayals of Jackson’s conduct in a 2021 deposition. The charges stemmed from Jackson’s deposition in a civil lawsuit brought by Tri-State Disposal, a waste company that had trash disposal contracts in Riverdale for years.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora to host town halls on proposed 2026 city budget next two Saturdays: The city’s proposed budget for next year was made available last month, and since then Aurora aldermen have been reviewing the document during special meetings of the City Council’s Finance Committee. As proposed, the $569 million budget for 2026 is $163.6 million less than this year’s, mostly because of bonds the city took out this year for big construction projects, city officials have said.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Sangamon Co. Mental Health Commission urges formation of countywide mental health board: The commission also approved videos pushing for the creation of a Sangamon County 708 Mental Health Board in an effort to coordinate and expand mental health and substance use services across the county. If the county board agrees with this recommendation, the question of whether to establish and fund a mental health board will be placed before Sangamon County voters in March 2026.

* WCIA | Mahomet School Board member facing felony charge in I-57 crash that hurt State Trooper: Illinois State Police said around 1:50 p.m. on March 1, a trooper responded to a report of debris in the road on I-57 near Chebanse. The trooper was parked in the right lane with their emergency lights on. Later, the trooper returned to the car, and the squad car was hit by a Lincoln SUV that failed to move over. Both the trooper and the other driver, who was later identified as 66-year-old Harold (Max) McComb, were brought to the hospital with injuries. […] Now, however, McComb is facing a charge of passing an emergency vehicle and causing an injury, which is a Class 4 felony. He is also facing charges of reckless driving and failure to reduce speed — a Class A Misdemeanor and a Petty Offense, respectively.

* WGLT | Bloomington homeless shelter village delays opening due to electrical component: The Bridge was originally anticipated to be open in December. But HSHM CEO Matt Burgess said it will not likely open until January because there has been a delay in shipping a switchgear that is a crucial part of electrical grids. “We won’t be able to open without power running to the cabins,” Burgess said. “And that [switchgear] is not due to arrive until the very end of December.”

* WMBD | Panel discussion at Illinois Central College addresses education landscape in Illinois: The Student Center CEFCU Commons at Illinois Central College‘s Peoria campus was occupied by around 50 educators, administrators and local officials, all to discuss what Illinois schools are succeeding in, and what they need to improve. The discussion, hosted by Advance Illinois, is entitled “The State We’re In”, and is a state-wide initiative to be transparent about the educational landscape of the individual communities within Illinois.

* WSPY | Kendall County budget draws criticism from State’s Attorney’s Office: Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis says his office is having trouble keeping good prosecutors due to competition with other counties. Weis says the Kendall County Board’s recently approved budget lacks the pay increases for prosecutors needed to make the county competitive. “Even when they give us funding for new employees, if they don’t give us enough money, it’s really kind of a moot point. If I can’t fill the position with a prosecutor that is willing to take that money that we’re offering them when they could go work somewhere else, we’re not going to fill the spot. So it’s sort of a hollow gesture to say here’s the position, but we’re not going to give you enough money to actually fill it. It’s really not going to make a difference overall.”

*** National ***

* Politico | Fellow Democrat takes aim at Chuy García’s ‘undemocratic’ retirement gambit: A fellow Democrat moved to sanction Illinois Rep. Chuy García Wednesday for a gambit in which he retired and functionally guaranteed that his chief of staff would be the only Democrat on the ballot to succeed him. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington went to the House floor as lawmakers prepared to debate legislation reopening the government to introduce a resolution accusing García of “undermining the process of a free and fair election” and calling on the House to disapprove of his behavior.

* NYT | Trump Administration Expected to Drastically Cut Housing Grants: The Trump administration has developed plans for a wholesale shift in homelessness policy that would slash support for long-term housing programs, according to a confidential grant-making plan, and critics say it could quickly place as many as 170,000 formerly homeless people at risk of returning to the streets. Pivoting from housing aid, the administration’s approach would shift billions to short-term programs that impose work rules, help the police dismantle encampments, and require the homeless to accept treatment for mental health or addiction.

* Financial Times | How high are OpenAI’s compute costs? Possibly a lot higher than we thought: A Microsoft spokeswoman told us: “We won’t get into specifics, but I can say the numbers aren’t quite right.” Asked what exactly that meant, the spokeswoman said Microsoft would not comment and did not respond to our subsequent requests. An OpenAI spokesman did not respond to our emails other than to say we should ask Microsoft.

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Good morning!

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* I started off my day with some O’Donel Levy…

* How are you?

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Thursday, Nov 13, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…

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