Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

President Donald Trump today called Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker “incompetent” and floated the idea of federal intervention over law enforcement for the city of Chicago of the type he was announcing for Washington, D.C.

“Other cities are hopefully watching this,” Trump said in the White House press briefing room as he announced that the District of Columbia National Guard would be deployed and federal officials would take control of D.C.’s municipal police force because local officials had “lost control of public order and safety in the city.”

Asked whether other U.S. cities might expect similar action, Trump specifically cited New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.

“We’re just going to see what happens with it all,” Trump said. “They’re all watching, just like everyone’s watching here, they’re all watching, and maybe they’ll self-clean up.”

* Governor Pritzker was asked about the President’s during an unrelated news conference…

Reporter: You may have seen or heard that President Trump said that he would consider sending the National Guard into Chicago, describing Chicago as a disaster. This is obviously in context, the way he wants to do in Washington, DC. He then insulted you and Mayor Johnson. He also talked about you being a possible presidential contender. For example, he commented on how you lost weight, ‘a telltale sign that you’re considering running for president’. Number one, can you do anything to prevent what President Trump is saying about bringing the National Guard to Chicago? And number two, what’s your reaction everything else that President said today?

Pritzker: …There is a law on the books, confirmed by the Constitution, called posse comitatus. And it means that the federal government does not have a right to send soldiers into American cities for the purpose of, well, for any purpose really, but specifically to fight crime, let’s say. And that is what he’s suggesting that he will do violate that law. It’s not surprising to me that he suggests violating the law. He’s done it many times and been convicted of it 34 times. And so I would just say he has absolutely no right and no legal ability to send troops in to the city of Chicago, and so I reject that notion.

As to everything else that he had to say this morning. I guess I should say thank you for the compliment.

* President Trump also criticized the SAFE-T Act. The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice responded…

We are disappointed but unsurprised to see President Trump once again calling to repeal the Pretrial Fairness Act and bring money bail back to Illinois.

Whether it’s gutting the social safety net, ending funding for violence prevention programs, or calling to repeal effective reforms to our criminal legal system, the President has consistently shown that he is deeply unserious about keeping our communities safe.

What Donald Trump really means when he argues to bring back money bail is that he wants a system that punishes poor people and People of Color based on the size of their bank accounts and the color of their skin while rewarding wealthy and white people. That’s not any surprise-it’s what he stands for in everything he does. We have no doubt that Governor Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly will ignore his latest temper tantrum.

Contrary to Trump’s statements, “dangerous people” are not “flooding the streets,” and crime has not increased since Illinois ended money bond. Violent crime has actually significantly decreased since Illinois implemented the Pretrial Fairness Act. Thanks to Governor Pritzker and our state legislators, Illinois is now safer because money is no longer the primary factor determining who returns to the community and who is jailed while awaiting trial. People who are not deemed to be a risk to public safety no longer have to scrape for cash to purchase their freedom while awaiting trial. That means that more people are able to keep their jobs, housing, and social connections while awaiting trial, which makes us all safer. Since families no longer have to choose between paying rent or paying a ransom to free a loved one who is presumed innocent, millions of dollars are staying in our most marginalized communities.

* House Speaker Chris Welch announced endorsements in his race against Senate President Don Harmon for the 7th District State Central Committee. Press release…

Support continues to grow for Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and his run for the 7th District State Central Committee. Today, the Speaker announced endorsements from Chicago LGBQT Hall of Famer and Former Personal PAC President Terry Cosgrove, State Representative Kelly Cassidy, 42nd Ward Alderman and Cook County Committeeman Brendan Reilly, State Representative Marcus Evans, State Representative Debbie Meyers Martin, and State Representative Kim DuBuclet.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Which Republicans are seeking statewide office in 2026? So far, hardly any: Thus far, just two lesser-known Republicans have expressed interest in challenging Pritzker in 2026. A similar group of lesser-known candidates is considering a U.S. Senate run, but there has been no news about anyone running for comptroller, treasurer or secretary of state. It’s still early in the election cycle — the petition gathering period began last week and runs through October — and Salvi said she expects there will be a Republican candidate in November for each statewide office.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | ‘The small engine that can’: Chicago Survivors group faces funding strain as it works in the aftermath of violence: This year, Illinois lawmakers gave the organization $1 million in the recently passed budget in a year when expiring federal funds and a projected budget shortfall led to reductions for many other groups as well. About $500,000 in American Rescue Plan funding, given out through the city, is also set to expire Dec. 31. Hill said there were promising options for the future, if the organization can make it through the next year. Cook County officials late last month announced $25 million in grant funding for gun violence prevention, of which $5 million is earmarked for survivors of gun violence victims. For now, the group is being forced to lay off staffers a handful at a time. As of Friday, they’d eliminated jobs for three crisis responders, three family support workers and an advocate who worked out of the Leighton Criminal Court Building. Hill said they expect to cut three more jobs later in August.

* Crain’s | Government job cuts take a bite out of Chicago’s economy: The federal government is the largest employer in the Chicago area, although at nearly 48,000 it’s a modest slice of a 5 million-strong area workforce. At the start of the year, the federal workforce nationwide was 3 million and 82,000 in Illinois. […] Of the federal workforce, 18.6% are Black, while Black people account for 13.7% of the U.S. population. And Black workers are an even bigger presence — 20% or more — at a number of departments including the Postal Service, Education Department, Department of Housing & Urban Development, Treasury Department and Department of Veterans Affairs — all of which have been hit with job cuts since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

* Block Club | As CHA’s Plan For Transformation Turns 25, Advocates Worry It Could Take 40 More Years To Complete: Hertz’s group is urging leaders at the CHA, the city and the state to prioritize redeveloping vacant CHA land and buildings within 10 years. They could do that through incentives such as reducing property taxes on developments that include public housing units or offering rental subsidies to developers who partner with the CHA. The CHA and the city could also purchase existing buildings that can be “entirely or partially converted to public housing,” the report suggests.

* Block Club | Will Trump Tower’s Riverfront Retail Space Ever Get A Tenant?: The Trump Organization has tapped Newmark real estate brokers in Chicago, New York City and London to search for retail tenants with the funds to build out the space and the stomach to operate underneath a 20-foot-tall “Trump” sign in a city the president has bemoaned as a “total disaster.” The double-decker retail space at the base of Trump Tower, 401 N. Wabash Ave., has sat empty for 16 years — except for a hairdresser near the hotel lobby and a tour boat company docked near the building’s plaza. The 70,000-square-foot space holds the record for the longest-running Downtown retail vacancy over 5,000 square feet.

* Sun-Times | A year later, first tower at former Chicago Spire site takes shape: The project is being developed in two phases. Phase one is the 72-story tower at the waterfront, sitting on the site’s northern end. The phase will also includes a plaza with retail space, public art and three levels of underground parking. The first tower will have 635 units, including 127 affordable apartments. Units will range from studios to three-bedroom penthouses with views of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River and the city’s skyline. The first units are expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2027. Pre-leasing is expected to start next fall, according to Related.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Aurora Beacon-News | West Aurora School District eyes tax credit for solar project: The school board recently authorized the district’s administration to execute documents and invest $250,000 as a “downpayment” to lock-in the availability of tax credits for a proposed solar panel canopy project at the facility. The Federal Investment Tax Credit for solar projects has a “safe harbor” provision that permits school districts to secure tax credits by showing “continuous progress” toward the completion of a project. The proposal is to install a canopy with solar panels at the school district’s transportation facility in North Aurora, officials said.

* Aurora Beacon-News | CyrusOne warns residents near Aurora data center of upcoming generator use: During similar repairs in April, the use of backup generators for multiple days straight caused consistently loud noise in the surrounding area, which some residents told The Beacon-News was “unlivable” and “horrible.” CyrusOne has since put in place a temporary sound wall blocking the site’s generators, with a permanent sound wall currently under construction. The latest round of repairs, set to take place on Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., was announced Friday on an official webpage set up by CyrusOne to communicate with residents about the ongoing sound issues surrounding the facility, which is located at the corner of Eola and Diehl roads on Aurora’s far East Side near Interstate 88.

* Daily Herald | ‘Development friendly and ready’: Bartlett to pay $3 million for Lake Street site: The village expects to pay about $3 million for the land at 651 W. Lake St., which sits just east of Route 59 and within the town’s Lake Street Tax Increment Financing District. Once the land is in the village’s hands, officials would seek public input on what should be built there and solicit proposals from developers. Village President Dan Gunsteen said the development could serve as a catalyst for bringing other projects to that part of town.

*** Downstate ***

* WCBU | Peoria County considering $2.65M loan to help Liberty Steel & Wire bring headquarters to region: Sorrel said the company also is seeking tax credits through the state’s Economic Development for a Growing Economy [EDGE] program. However, requirements of this funding include maintaining the company headquarters in Illinois. Sorrel said other requirements include employing a minimum of 700 full-time equivalent workers and making a minimum capital investment of $40 million. “So that they can comply with those new EDGE tax credit requirements from the state, they’re proposing to relocate their corporate headquarters from the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area to the Peoria area,” said Sorrel, adding that Liberty is the region’s second-largest manufacturing employer behind Caterpillar. “But they don’t have anywhere near the number of employees,” he said. “Realistically, I don’t have the exact numbers, but we’re probably talking less than 20 individuals relocating.”

* Muddy River News | DCFS back in Quincy to interview Denman students, investigation into spankings/tapings reopening: A parent of two Denman Elementary students said she received a call from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Wednesday morning who said an investigator would be arriving at her home that afternoon to interview her, her husband and her children. They told her the purpose of the visit was that the state’s department in charge of child protective services was reopening its investigation into the multiple incidents of two Denman Elementary physical education teachers giving birthday spankings and taping their mouths shut for punishment when talking.

* WAND | Danville City Council approves security camera system for city’s parks: Danville City Council approved the purchase of a security camera system for its parks Tuesday night. The estimated cost for the system is $200,000. The decision comes after the death of 18-year-old Aniyah Davis at Winter Park in June. The cameras will be installed at all 10 of Danville’s parks, including the Douglas Discovery Garden.

* WGLT | Normal’s public works director explains temporary traffic fixes coming to ISU campus: Eight locations will see temporary measures implemented starting Sept. 3. These measures could help to calm traffic, improve crossing safety and limit accidents across the 1,180 acres that make up the ISU campus. “We hope to have another big chunk of information come out for the campus community the last week in August before Labor Day,” said Ryan Otto, the town’s engineering and public works chief. “And so we’ll have details on exactly what’s going to happen at each intersection as well as the exact timing.”

* WAND | Up close with nature: Macon County Conservation District hosts annual Hummingbird Festival: The Macon County Conservation District is hosting its annual Hummingbird Festival on Thursday, August 21, from 3-6 pm at Rock Springs Conservation Area. Attendees can learn about hummingbirds, watch as they are caught, banded, and released, and have the opportunity to help with releases and enter a prize drawing.

*** National ***

* WIRED | Ford’s Answer to China: A Completely New Way of Making Cars: Ford calls its new way of making EVs the “Ford Universal EV Production System,” and will spend $2 billion to set it up at the company’s Louisville assembly plant. Ford says the new method will be 40 percent faster than the existing process there, and have a comparable reduction in workstations. Parts needed to make Ford’s new EVs will be cut by 20 percent. “It has 30 percent less fasteners,” says Farley, referring to the bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, clips, and clamps used to put vehicles together securely. The wiring harness in a coming midsize truck will be nearly a mile (1.3 km) shorter and 10 kilograms lighter. The savings go on.

* Politico | Teamsters pour money into GOP, shifting away from Dems: The group hasn’t forsaken Democrats — it still gives them more, including $15,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in April. A DCCC spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. But the GOP donations signify a marked shift in the pivotal labor union’s strategy since 2024, when Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien delivered a historic address at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and his outfit began more seriously supporting Republicans.

* Bond Buyer | State tax trouble could have muni implications, analysts say: Out of date taxing plans could be holding back state economies, and the methods of addressing tax codes could be important to those in and accessing the municipal bond market, analysts said.

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Consumers Are Getting Slammed With Higher Electric Rates – Don’t Add Fuel To The Fire With ROFR

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois consumers are feeling the heat, both from triple-digit temperatures and soaring electricity bills. Ameren customers are seeing 18–22% rate hikes. ComEd has customers paying as much as triple-digit increases.

And it’s going to get worse. In July, the PJM Capacity Auction hit another record high - a 22% increase on top of the record highs everyone just started paying. This will already lead to further rate increases next year!

As frustration heats up, lawmakers must choose: support competition that drives prices down or fan the flames of electricity inflation with “Right of First Refusal” (ROFR) legislation.

ROFR kills competition and boosts prices by giving incumbent utilities exclusive rights to build transmission lines. It’s so anti-competitive that both presidents - Biden and Trump - opposed it in 2020 and 2023.

As the ICC has said, “The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) believes that competition among transmission developers spurs innovative results and helps control costs.”

ROFR would send electricity prices even higher. Springfield should focus on long-term strategies to lower electricity bills, not raise them. As ROFR may resurface this fall, legislators should reject it and stand up for cost-cutting competition that benefits consumers.

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More like this, please (Updated)

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Speaking from personal family experience, these sorts of informational events could be invaluable to a lot of people…

Hernandez to Host Informational Event to Educate Families about Power of Attorney

Aurora, IL - On Saturday, August 30, the office of State Representative Barabara Hernandez will host an informational event to educate families about Power of Attorney and the process for designating a legal Power of Attorney. Licensed attorneys will be on hand to explain the Power of Attorney process, including how it can be used to designate legal guardians for minors or property. They will also be available to answer questions.

“Every family should be prepared in the event a family member is incapacitated or unable to make decisions for themselves,” said Representative Hernandez. “I’m proud to host this event so that people in our community understand what Power of Attorney is and why it’s an important issue for families to address. I’m thankful for the attorneys who will be on hand to share their expertise with all who attend.”

Details

What: Power of Attorney 101 - An Informational Event

When: Saturday, August 30, 2025
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: West Aurora Library Branch
233 S. Constitution Dr.
Aurora, IL 60506

Who: Representative Barabara Hernandez
Rocio Becerril, Immigration Attorney
Emanuel Llamas, Real Estate Attorney

…Adding… From the Illinois Department on Aging…

Preparing advance directives is an important step for adults to take so someone you trust will be able to make decisions and act consistent with your personal preferences in the event of an emergency when you are not able to do so.

Information about various Advance Directives that may be of interest to adults is posted on the following State agency websites:

Department of Public Health
https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/health-care-regulation/nursing-homes/advance-directives.html

Department on Aging
https://ilaging.illinois.gov/aboutus/legal-adv-directives.html

Guardianship and Advocacy Commission
https://gac.illinois.gov/forms.html

These forms can also be filled out online at https://www.illinoislegalaid.org.

3 Comments

Former McCook Mayor, County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski sentenced to four years in prison

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The Tribune in 2020…

Former Cook County commissioner and McCook Mayor Jeffrey Tobolski pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to conspiring with a local police official to extort a restaurant owner who needed permission to host events serving alcohol.

During the hearing before U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, prosecutors announced that Tobolski is cooperating with the investigation and his assistance is ongoing. Tobolski is in line for a significant break on his sentence if he cooperates fully, prosecutors said.

Tobolski admitted in a plea agreement that he collected $29,700 in cash from the extortion scheme, which involved an unidentified restaurant on McCook-owned property. […]

Tobolski also admitted in the plea that he extorted or collected bribes with at least four other people by abusing his official position as mayor or county commissioner. The amount of bribes he collected totaled at least $250,000, though the plea does not spell out how many victims were involved. […]

Tobolski, who resigned from the County Board and from his post as McCook village president in March, has been under a cloud since federal agents raided his offices in McCook nearly a year ago as part of a sweeping public corruption probe that has led to a slew of charges against Democratic lawmakers and power players. At Tobolski’s home, agents seized more than $51,000 in cash stored in a safe, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation.

* Fast forward to the present. Jason Meisner at the Tribune…

On Monday, five years after pleading guilty and agreeing to cooperate in the investigation, Tobolski is finally set to be sentenced at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, a place he’s never publicly appeared due to pandemic-era restrictions in place at the time he was charged.

Prosecutors have asked U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall for a 5 1/2-year prison sentence, writing in a recent court filing that Tobolski “went on an aggressive and persistent cash grab to enrich himself” at his constituents’ expense, regularly demanding cash payments and other benefits from people seeking to do business in McCook and elsewhere in the Chicago area. […]

Tobolski’s lawyers, meanwhile, are asking for leniency, pointing to his extensive cooperation in the case, which led to the successful prosecution of others. They also told the judge in a recent filing that the shame of media coverage coupled with the loss of his livelihood have already amounted to severe punishment.

* More from Sun-Times federal court reporter Jon Seidel…

Though Tobolski’s crimes might have once put him in line for a prison term of 11 to 14 years, his cooperation is expected to earn him a break at sentencing. Ardam noted in her court filing that Tobolski testified “unprotected” before a grand jury and secretly recorded conversations for the feds.

Tobolski took over as mayor of McCook in 2007 after the death of his father. He admitted in 2020 that he not only shook down a restaurant owner there, but that he’d engaged in other extortion and bribery schemes involving his two offices, agreeing to accept more than $250,000 “as part of criminal activity that involved more than five participants.”

A series of federal corruption investigations were just coming into public view when Tobolski pleaded guilty. Also charged that year were former McCook Police Chief Mario DePasquale, former state Sen. Martin Sandoval and Tobolski’s onetime chief of staff, Patrick Doherty.

Sandoval died later in 2020. But Doherty pleaded guilty in 2022, admitting to multiple corruption schemes that variously involved Tobolski, Sandoval and others. U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman sentenced Doherty in 2023 to more than five years in prison.

* Jon Seidel reporting from the courtroom…

Ardam mentions the 51-month sentence given to Patrick Doherty, noting that it involved less money and that he wasn't an elected official.

Judge Kendall interrupts to note that Doherty's crimes were committed "over a shorter period of time," as well.

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) August 11, 2025

* Tobolski addressed the court before his sentencing…

Tobolski: "In September 2019, the FBI conducted raids on both my home and the office of the mayor of the Village of McCook. The lies and the deceit had come to an end."

He says he was initially "in a state of shock and denial" — as well as "damage control."

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) August 11, 2025

Tobolski says a member of the grand jury asked him whether his victims shared some level of responsibility for what happened.

Tobolski says he replied that he "was solely responsible."

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) August 11, 2025

* Judge Virginia Kendall…

Kendall: "The power of this position was the thing that went to your head to start acting the way that you did."
She also says she had to look up McCook and was surprised to see it only has 300 residents
"This small community should never have been terrorized by one human being."

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) August 11, 2025

* Tobolski’s sentence…

JUST IN: Jeff Tobolski, former mayor of suburban McCook who double-dipped as a Cook County commissioner, sentenced to 4 years in prison for shaking down people doing business in his town.
Tobolski was charged five years ago as part of a sweeping corruption probe in the suburbs pic.twitter.com/VkStlQPjZy

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) August 11, 2025

Tobolski is due in prison November 3.

8 Comments

Unclear on the concept

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rep. Hoan Huynh, speaking Friday at a rally outside the now-closed Weiss Memorial Hospital…

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hoan Huynh (Hahn Win) (@hoandhuynh)

Transcript…

And here’s the thing, as we’re seeing right now with the Big, Ugly Bill that passed on July 4, so that’s gonna cut a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts across this country. That’s gonna affect 10 million people who will lose Medicare coverage. This hospital is just the beginning of that wreckage that is going to happen across this country, and we’re not going to take it. We’re not going to take-this community is not going to take it.

Um, Medicare and Medicaid are not interchangeable. Yes, older adults on Medicare might feel a ripple effect from Medicaid cuts, but tossing around “trillion dollars in Medicare cuts” is a surefire way to send grandma into a panic for no reason.

Anyway, if you need a quick refresher on the difference, Kiplinger has a good one.

27 Comments

Rate Raley’s campaign slogan

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Riverbender…

Randy Raley is a Democrat challenging Mary Miller to represent the 15th District of Illinois.

Raley recently stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with C.J. Nasello to share his goals for his campaign and his plans for the district if elected. He emphasized that he wants to represent the entire district. […]

Raley believes Democrats have become too concerned with “political correctness,” and the party has lost people in rural America. He stressed that his goal is to represent the entire district.

“It’s not my district. It’s not Mary Miller’s district. It’s the people’s district. It belongs to the people,” he said. “I may have to cast a vote in Washington that I don’t like. But if this is what the people in the district want, then it’s my job to represent them in that way.”

Raley noted that the Democratic primary is St. Patrick’s Day 2026, so he encourages constituents to “get drunk and vote.

[Headline changed. Oops.]

15 Comments

Tariffs Impact Everyone

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The increased costs associated with tariffs impact all of us, affecting millions of people. Retailers like Luckeyia Murry, owner of Luckeyia’s Balloons & Distribution in Homewood, are faced with challenging business decisions because of escalating tariffs. Luckeyia has seen rising prices for balloons, helium tanks, and nearly every other item needed for her business. Despite these obstacles, she, like many small retailer owners, remains committed to her community and her business. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association has found that while retailers are trying to hold-off on price increases, it’s impossible to absorb the extra expenses for numerous business owners who function on very small margins – which forces consumers to pay more.

Retailers like Luckeyia Murry enrich our economy and strengthen our communities, even during the uncertainty of increased tariff expenses. IRMA is showcasing some of the many retailers who continue to make Illinois work.

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Pritzker makes news on MTP

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From NBC Universal…

GOV. JB PRITZKER (D-Ill.) joined moderator Kristen Welker for an interview on [Sunday] morning’s Meet the Press. See below for text highlights and a full transcript.

MUST CREDIT: NBC’s ‘Meet the Press with Kristen Welker’

VIDEO: Gov. JB Pritzker says redrawn Texas map ‘violates the Constitution’: Full interview

DIGITAL STORY: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blasts Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Trump over GOP redistricting efforts […]

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

KRISTEN WELKER: Joining me now is the Democratic Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker. Governor Pritzker, welcome back to Meet the Press.

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Great to see you, Kristen.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, it is great to have you here after a very big week. Your state is housing some of the Democrats who fled Texas to block redistricting there. Senator John Cornyn says the FBI granted his request to help track them down, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott says they are preparing to arrest those Democrats. What would you do if law enforcement officials tried to arrest Texas lawmakers in your state, Governor?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Well, first of all, Texas law does not apply in the state of Illinois, and there’s no federal law that would allow the FBI to arrest anybody that’s here visiting our state. So, it’s a lot of grandstanding. That’s what this is all about, and so, John Cornyn, who’s trying to run for reelection, apparently losing to an even more extreme MAGA Republican, Ken Paxton, trying to get some headlines for himself. And Greg Abbott, of course, has been a disaster for the country, as he sent people across the country on his quest to change the immigration discussion. And, of course, we had 50,000 migrants that were sent to the state of Illinois because of him. So, what I can tell you is that the Texas Democrats that are here are welcome. We’re providing them a safe haven, a place for them to visit and stay, breaking quorum, because they’re heroes that are standing up not just for their own constituents and for the people of Texas and their rights but also for the rights of people all across the country. Because what Greg Abbott is doing and what Donald Trump is attempting to do is to cheat mid-decade here. This is — they’re attempting to change the map. They know that they’re going to lose in 2026 the Congress, and so they’re trying to steal seats. And so that is what these Texas Democrats are trying to stand up against —

KRISTEN WELKER: Well —

GOV. JB PRITZKER: And then, don’t forget, the map that they put together is, it violates the Voting Rights Act, and it violates the Constitution. And so, thank God for these Texas House Democrats.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, let’s talk about the issue at hand here. Texas Republicans being urged by President Trump, as you just said, are pushing this mid-decade redistricting plan. Their goal is to add as many as five GOP seats. In response, Democrats like yourself are thinking of drawing your own map to boost seats in blue states. Take a listen to what Texas Governor Greg Abbott told my colleague, Ryan Chandler, about that. Take a look.

[BEGIN TAPE]

RYAN CHANDLER: What’s your message to governors like Newsom, Hochul, Pritzker, who have said they will retaliate if Texas does this?

GOV. GREG ABBOTT: They have no capability. They’ve already gerrymandered their states in ways in which they don’t have hardly any Republican members of Congress. Look at the map of Illinois. It’s drawn in such a way they can’t even squeeze out another Republican. It’s a joke.

[END TAPE]

KRISTEN WELKER: What’s your response to Governor Abbott?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Well, Governor Abbott is the joke. He’s the one who is attempting mid-decade here, at a time when frankly all of us are concerned about the future of democracy, he’s literally helping whittle it away and licking the boots of his leader, Donald Trump. Here in Illinois, we followed the law. We provided a map and passed a map that follows the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution and the laws of the state of Illinois. He’s attempting to thwart federal law and take away five seats that are in the hands of Black, Brown, minority Congress people and the people that they represent. He’s taking those votes away. He’s violating the Constitution. And all of us need to stand up and speak out and make sure that it’s understood across the country that what they’re trying to do in Texas is illegal.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, Governor, it might be illegal. It’s not unprecedented though, or it might be rare, I should say. But Texas actually tried to redraw districts mid-decade before in 2003, and the U.S. Supreme Court actually upheld the map in that case, with the exception of one district. So the argument that Abbott is making is it’s not illegal, though they are doing it certainly in an off-year. But I do want to look at the map of Illinois. Let’s take a look at this. Despite President Trump winning 44% of the statewide vote in 2024, Republicans hold only three of Illinois’ 17 districts. These districts seem to be designed to maximize Democratic advantage. What do you say to those who argue that it’s hypocritical for you to criticize Texas for partisanship, when your state also drew maps to boost your party’s standing?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Well, remember that what Texas is trying to do is, again, violate the Voting Rights Act. We didn’t. We held public hearings, legislative hearings. People attended them. They spoke out. There was a map that was put out. There were actually changes made to the map. And a map was passed, and it was done at the end of the census, the decennial census. So that’s how it’s done in this country. You talked about how rare it is to do what he’s doing. Yes, it is. What’s even rarer is to do it at the behest of the president of the United States, who’s clearly attempting to and says that he deserves to have five more seats. He’s wrong, and he’s attempting to change the game because, again, he passed this big ugly bill that’s hyper-unpopular in Texas, among people in Texas and across the country. And he knows he’s going to lose the Congress in 2026. That’s why he’s going to his allies and hoping that they can save him. And we’ve all got to stand up against this. This is — it’s cheating. Donald Trump is a cheater. He cheats on his wives. He cheats at golf. And now he’s trying to cheat the American people out of their votes.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, look. Sticking on your state’s map, every major group that grades the fairness of congressional maps gives your state an “F.” Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, even says your map, and I’m going to quote, “represents a nearly perfect model for everything that can go wrong with redistricting.” And I guess the question is, you talk about preserving democracy. How do you preserve democracy if you’re using the same tactics that you’ve criticized Texas Republicans for?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: But as I say, what they’re talking about is a distraction. The reality is that the violation of people’s voting rights is what Texas is attempting to do. That’s what’s wrong with their efforts right now. And the fact that the president of the United States knows it and nevertheless, is asking them to do it. That is what’s wrong with what we’re seeing right now. Democracy is at stake, and these Texas Democrats are standing up to what the GOP is attempting to do, which is to steal seats because they know what they’ve done is wrong. They know that they’ve made an enormous mistake.

KRISTEN WELKER: Let’s turn now to foreign policy, Governor, and the crisis in Gaza. As you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu says he’s now planning a ground invasion into Gaza City. Illinois has one of the largest populations of Palestinian-Americans in the U.S. More than half of the Democratic Senators last week, a record number, actually voted to block sales of some weapons to Israel. Do you think the U.S. should stop sending weapons to Israel, Governor?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Look, I think that the resolution that was put up in the United States Senate was an effort to send a message. And it’s the right kind of a message, which is that Israel needs to make sure that the food assistance that ought to go to innocent Palestinians should arrive there. And they should do everything in their power to prevent the starvation that I think we’ve all seen. So that’s the message that’s attempting to be sent by the United States Senate. I believe it’s very important for us not only to protect those who are innocent – on both sides of that border, making sure that Israelis and Palestinians are protected – but also to make sure that we’re seeing the return of the hostages, that Israel is allowed to stand up to terrorists like Hamas but not allowed to target or have ill effect as best they can on the innocent people of Gaza. So that I think is what’s going on right now. We’ve all got to stand up and make sure that the innocent are protected.

KRISTEN WELKER: All right. Well, I want to talk about the future now of your party. You’re one of the leaders of the Democratic Party, you are also a billionaire. Some in your party are openly questioning whether billionaires such as yourself should exist at all, Governor. Just listen to what Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s Democratic nominee for mayor told me recently. Take a look.

[BEGIN TAPE]

KRISTEN WELKER: Do you think that billionaires have a right to exist?

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: I don’t think that we should have billionaires, because frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality.

[END TAPE]

KRISTEN WELKER: Governor, is that the kind of message that Democrats should be embracing?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Look – how much money you have doesn’t determine what your values are. And I’m a Democrat because I believe that everyone deserves healthcare. I’m a Democrat because I believe we’ve got to fund education and have a free public education available to every kid in this country. I’m a Democrat because I believe that we’ve got to stand up for our democracy and against the MAGA Republicans who are literally trying to take away people’s rights all across this country. So it does not matter what your income level is. What matters is what your values are, and that’s what makes me a Democrat.

KRISTEN WELKER: Well, there is a big debate right now inside the Democratic Party about how exactly to counter Trump and counter Republicans. Here’s what you said at a fundraiser in New Hampshire a little bit earlier on this year. Take a listen.

[BEGIN TAPE]

GOV. JB PRITZKER: These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They have to understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have. We must castigate them on the soapbox and then punish them at the ballot box.

[END TAPE]

KRISTEN WELKER: Now, you’re running for a third term as governor in your state. How can you guarantee voters that you will govern everyone and not just Democrats?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: Because I’ve demonstrated that during my time in office already. You know, people forgot in years past – Republicans – we had more Republicans holding the governor’s office over the last 40 years than we had Democrats. And they forgot about southern Illinois and central Illinois and about areas of the state where there are more Republicans than Democrats. I did not. I have made sure that we’ve invested in education and infrastructure, that we’ve created jobs in those areas of the state. We need more people that are willing to reach across the aisle and do the right thing when they’re in office. Look, we have tough elections, Democrats and Republicans fighting one another. But after the election is over, when you’re actually governing, you’ve got to govern for all the people of your state. And that’s what I’ve done for the last six-and-a-half years and look forward to doing for another four.

KRISTEN WELKER: All right, Governor, very quickly before I let you go. Do you rule out a run for president in 2028?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: I’m focused on running for reelection as Governor of the State of Illinois, and everything that I do really is focused on lifting up the people of my state.

KRISTEN WELKER: But you don’t rule it out, Governor? Yes or no?

GOV. JB PRITZKER: I can’t rule anything out, but what I can rule in is that no matter what decisions I make, and I mean in particular about what I do here in the State of Illinois is about the people of Illinois. Indeed, any future decisions of mine will always be guided by that.

KRISTEN WELKER: All right. Governor JB Pritzker, thank you so much. We really appreciate it.

Discuss.

* More…

* Fox Chicago | Gov. JB Pritzker doesn’t rule out presidential run in 2028: ‘Can’t rule anything out’: Since at least late June, when he officially announced his reelection bid, Pritzker has avoided saying whether he’d serve a full four-year term if he won in 2026. The timing could be awkward since the primary season for 2028 is expected to begin in earnest right after the 2026 midterms.

* Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker, on ‘Meet the Press,’ says he won’t rule out 2028 presidential run: “I’m a Democrat because I believe that we’ve got to stand up for our democracy and against the MAGA Republicans who are literally trying to take away people’s rights all across this country. So it does not matter what your income level is. What matters is what your values are, and that’s what makes me a Democrat.” The Democratic governor took a different approach on Tuesday’s “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” instead making light of his wealth and trading barbs about Illinois’ congressional maps. Pritzker told Colbert he was “OK” with being a billionaire when Colbert offered that being a billionaire is “not a very popular thing to be right now.”

* Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker won’t rule out presidential bid in 2028, attacks Republican remap effort in Texas: Illinois Republicans have routinely seized on Pritzker’s presidential aspirations, accusing him of putting his political ambitions ahead of the more parochial concerns of the state’s voters. But more than a month after Pritzker announced his bid for a rare third term, the state GOP has so far failed to field a big-name challenger to the billionaire Democratic governor or any of the other statewide Democratic officeholders ahead of their marquee event of Republican Day at the Illinois State Fair this week.

* Crain’s | Pritzker won’t rule out a presidential run: First Pritzker has to get re-elected to a job that’s only going to get tougher. Even before the national economy started to show signs of strain, it was clear that the strong revenue growth Illinois has enjoyed in recent years was approaching a plateau. Not only has pandemic-era federal relief come to an end, but cuts to Medicaid and other programs are looming. Meanwhile, the state will have to come up with at least some funding for Chicago-area transit systems that were on shaky ground even before the pandemic upended commuting patterns and ridership. And Pritzker will have to come up with a long-term fix for the state pension system for workers hired after 2011, which is at risk of running afoul of federal retirement regulations.

* Rolling Stone | Pritzker: Trump Is ‘Cheating Americans Out of Their Votes’ With Gerrymandering Plans: Eric Holder, who served as attorney general under former President Barack Obama and now leads the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said even if Democrats do redistrict their states, it would be “responsive” and “temporary.” “When Barack Obama was president, when Joe Biden was president, did either of those presidents call a governor of a state or a state legislature and tell them to gerrymander to find five seats for them? No,” Holder said. “So we’re doing something now that is responsive to what is going on with this White House.”

33 Comments

The stakes are real, the tactics are symbolic

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

I’m assuming you’ve already seen coverage of the Democratic Texas state legislators who fled to Illinois to prevent a Republican-backed redrawing of congressional district lines in their home state. Their absence means their Legislature doesn’t have enough members to legally conduct business.

Like every Democratic governor, Gov. JB Pritzker needs his party to win back the U.S. House next year to prevent further fiscal damage to his state (among many, many other things). Hence his intense attention to Texas attempting to pick up five seats with an intercensal remap.

This is also a bit of a public relations payback by Pritzker after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent tens of thousands of asylum-seekers to Chicago awhile back.

Not to mention that the media-friendly news conferences and public appearances raise Pritzker’s national profile ahead of a possible presidential bid.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has his own national ambitions and has floated an idea for a November referendum on redrawing his state’s districts. So, hosting self-exiled Texas Democrats allows Pritzker to say he’s doing something.

Texas state legislators are paid $600 a month. They all have “real” jobs. The Texas Dems also walked out in 2021 over a voting rights bill, but the stalemate ended five weeks later when three Democrats returned to the state and a quorum was restored.

This isn’t Texas’ first intercensal redistricting move. In 2001, a federal judge drew Texas’ congressional boundaries, but the Republican-controlled state Legislature redrew the map in 2003 (after another failed Democratic walkout), resulting in big GOP wins in 2004. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan refused to redraw Illinois’ maps in retaliation.

Illinois Democrats hold 82% of our 17 congressional seats. We live in a heavily gerrymandered state.

Texas Republicans hold 66% of that state’s 35 congressional seats. The remap could conceivably allow Texas Republicans to pick up five more seats, giving them 79% of the state’s districts — which would still be slightly below Illinois’ congressional gerrymander.

But it’s not quite that simple because Texas is being accused of conspiring to undermine the Voting Rights Act by breaking up existing minority-majority districts. The Illinois congressional map had no such issue.

Pritzker has said that redrawing Illinois’ congressional districts to elect another Democrat is a possibility. But Illinois’ petition circulation process began last week.

Unless it’s done really soon, redrawing congressional districts here might require either a separate primary for all U.S. representatives or moving the whole primary process back for everyone.

The best way to accomplish this goal is by diluting current Democratic districts with more Republicans to make room for another Democratic district. And that may make some Democratic incumbents nervous about elections beyond 2026.

“Nobody’s done any work on a map for Illinois,” Pritzker confessed to reporters late last week when asked.

Pritzker’s statement was confirmed by spokespersons for both House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon.

I just don’t see this remap happening here.

Meanwhile, Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, is listed as the sole Illinois attorney in a state lawsuit filed in her native Adams County on behalf of several Republican Texas legislators demanding that Illinois courts assist Texas in forcing the skedaddled Democrats to return to face the music.

Ironically, Tracy’s Senate Republican caucus briefly tried to shut down their chamber a few years ago when the Democrats wanted to redraw some judicial circuit boundaries.

Texas has issued civil warrants for the apprehension of the absconded lawmakers, so their lawsuit is based on pretty thin gruel, particularly since Illinois does not allow the cooperation of its police with federal civil warrants issued by immigration authorities. Outside civil warrants just don’t mean much here.

According to the lawsuit, Illinois has a “mandatory constitutional duty to respect and give full faith and credit to the public acts of the Texas House of Representatives, including the Quorum Order and the Quorum Warrants,” under the “full faith and credit” clause of the U.S. Constitution.

The plaintiffs want the Texas Democrats held in contempt and a post-haste hearing where the Southern state can “present evidence of Respondents’ willful attempts to circumvent Texas law.”

President Donald Trump won Adams County with 73% of the vote last year, so prepare yourself for a possible initial win by the Texans. I seriously doubt that the state’s overwhelmingly Democratic Supreme Court would ever go along with any sort of punishment or detention, however.

In other words, this whole thing is mostly symbolic, including (so far, let’s hope) the unfortunately predictable fake bomb threats at the suburban hotel where the Texas Democrats are staying.

23 Comments

Rep. Stephanie Kifowit announces bid for Comptroller

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers have known for weeks that Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) was signaling interest in a comptroller bid. This morning, she made it official. From her campaign website…

Stephanie Kifowit learned hard work and financial responsibility early. Growing up in a working-class family in the western suburbs, she held multiple jobs as a teen to cover her needs. After her mother’s divorce left the family struggling, she experienced firsthand the challenge of tough choices.

At 17, she joined the United States Marine Corps, serving from 1990 to 1994. Following an honorable discharge, she worked her way through college, earning a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s in Public Administration focused on organizational development and government finance.

Stephanie applied her education in the private sector, working at First National Bank of Chicago in private banking and later as a registered financial advisor with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. She guided families in making sound financial decisions and planning secure futures — experience that became a cornerstone of her public service career.

Stephanie does not just talk about accountability — she wins elections and delivers results. She won her first race for Alderman by just five votes in a competitive primary, then went on to win the general election. Since then, she has been elected to the Illinois House of Representatives multiple times over more than 12 years, proving she can build lasting coalitions while staying true to her principles.

Stephanie’s record speaks for itself: she has consistently pushed for balanced budgets, worked to cut unnecessary spending during lean years, and championed fiscal responsibility over partisan politics. She has never hesitated to raise concerns — whether with members of her own party or across the aisle — when transparency or fairness was at stake. When legislators were not getting paid during the budget crisis, Stephanie stood with them. When social services were being gutted, she spoke up. When backroom deals threatened openness, she called for accountability.

As a Veteran, Stephanie has been one of the General Assembly’s leading voices for those who served, passing crucial legislation to help veterans access benefits, prevent suicide, and get the support they have earned.

Now, as Illinois faces new fiscal challenges, Stephanie is ready to bring decades of budget expertise, integrity, and independence to the Comptroller’s office. She understands every dollar — over $100 billion — flowing through the office and will ensure it is managed responsibly and transparently.

Rep. Kifowit is the third Democrat to enter the comptroller race. Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim recently announced her bid and Rep. Margaret Croke (D-Chicago) has already launched her campaign and won the Cook County Democratic Party’s endorsement.

* Video…

Every Illinoisan deserves a seat at the table where decisions about our money are made.

For over a decade, I’ve led our state’s fiscal committees, protected taxpayer dollars, and helped guide Illinois out of crisis. Now, I’m running for Comptroller to make sure you have a seat… pic.twitter.com/seq5uLQqVN

— Stephanie Kifowit (@kifowitforcomp) August 11, 2025

Rating?

18 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Bears president tells lawmakers Arlington Heights stadium won’t happen without tax break bill. Daily Herald…

- Warren said the NFL club won’t be able to move forward with a domed stadium in Arlington Heights unless lawmakers approve its long-sought request for a long-term property tax break on the former Arlington Park racetrack property.

- The so-called megaproject legislation would allow the Bears to negotiate with local taxing authorities like school districts over the amount of taxes that should be paid on the site for up to 40 years.

* Something to keep in mind…

There is no way that most if not all Chicago legislators can vote for this. Rep. Buckner is not an outlier here. The rule of 60 in the House will make this an extremely tough bill to move https://t.co/sKfpJ8r80E

— Capitol Fax (@capitolfax) August 8, 2025

* Related stories…

∙ Shaw Local: Chicago Bears solely focused on building new stadium in Arlington Heights this year
∙ ABC Chicago: New Chicago Bears stadium in Arlington Heights is ‘the plan,’ Kevin Warren says
∙ NBC Chicago: Bears president and CEO gives update on new stadium plans and timing

* Governor Pritzker will be in Wheeling at 1 pm to encourage back-to-school vaccinations. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Madigan’s bid to remain free during appeal rejected by judge who handed him hefty sentence: Legal experts had predicted that Blakey would reject Madigan’s request. However, the former speaker can now turn to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. An attorney for Madigan could not immediately be reached after Blakey’s ruling Friday.

* Illinois Times | When beer was banned at the Illinois State Fair: “People don’t want a state fair that smells like the back end of a tavern,” Stratton’s agriculture director, Stillman J. Stanard, said when the ban was proposed. Union representatives speaking on behalf of bartenders, hotel and restaurant workers and teamsters came out against the ban owing to the potential loss of revenue for their workers and for the state. Their protests, however, went nowhere. The beer ban was initially enforced by a police unit assigned to the fairgrounds to keep an eye out for what were called “beerleggers.”

*** Statewide ***

* WAND | Hundreds of Illinois Extension jobs lost after federal funding cuts: “With 360,000 Illinois residents now at risk of losing SNAP benefits under the new legislation, they’re not just losing the support they rely on to afford food, they’re also losing tools that helped them use that food wisely and stretch it further to feed their families,” said College of ACES Dean German Bollero. Illinois SNAP-Ed staff also helped launch IL-EATS, a statewide initiative that connects local food producers with hunger relief organizations. The college says that program will also end in the coming year.

* Sun-Times | Fabric portraits of people in Illinois prisons to form one big activism quilt: Clark’s nephew is locked up at Western Illinois Correctional Center in downstate Mount Sterling. He was incarcerated when he was 15 years old. He’s now 43. Her quilt square features a collection of meaningful words that Darnell provided for the project: “Faith,” “Endurance,” and “Family Love.” Plus, an additional word chosen by Clark. “I put ‘FREEDOM.’ Because that’s what I’m looking for, freedom,” she said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Herald-Review | Doris Turner pledges ‘all gas, no brakes’ in Illinois Senate reelection bid: Turner, 72, who’s served in the upper chamber since 2021, touted the “millions of dollars in infrastructure projects” that have taken place across the district during her tenure along with a lengthy legislative record. But she said there’s more to do. […] Senate Republicans, who only hold 19 of the chamber’s 59 seats, face a brutal map this cycle. Four suburban Chicago districts currently held by Republicans were carried by Harris in 2024. No Democrats represent Trump-won districts. This means that Turner’s seat is Republicans’ best, and perhaps only, shot of taking back a seat. But Turner said she isn’t sweating another tough race.

* Daily Herald | ‘What more could the governor do?’: Illinois lawmakers doubt state’s districts could be more gerrymandered: Democratic state Sen. Laura Murphy of Des Plaines expects Illinois’ congressional map will be redrawn in six years as scheduled — not before. “Our maps were redrawn four years ago and will be again after the next census,” she said.

* WCIA | New law requires Illinois libraries to supply overdose medication: House Bill 1910 was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on Aug. 1. It requires that all public libraries in the state have a supply of opioid antagonists in an accessible location. Opioid antagonists, like naloxone, are medications that can block or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

* Daily Herald | Illinois is joining a multi-state effort to crack down on intrusive and illegal robocalls: linois is joining a multi-state effort to crack down on “intrusive and illegal” robocalls nationwide. On Thursday, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced the launch of Operation Robocall Roundup, a multi-state effort by the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Weiss Hospital Owner Defends Actions Amid Closure, Criticism Of His Tenure: ‘We’ve Had To Fight And Figure It Out’: Without the ability to bill the federal health programs for services rendered, the hospital had no choice but to close, said Dr. Manoj Prasad, whose Resilience Healthcare owns Weiss. Prasad said he is working with legislators to reopen the hospital and save West Suburban Medical Center, which he also own. But some critics — including Uptown area elected officials — say Weiss’ closure is because of Prasad’s cost-cutting style of management, amid other criticisms.

* Sun-Times | Bud Billiken Parade marks the start of the back-to-school season: Griffin says she’s glad the parade has lived on for 96 years. “It speaks to the longevity of the African American family and the support systems that the communities provide for these families,” Griffin said. “As a resident of Bronzeville, it just really warms my heart to be here to watch this year after year.”

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools reaches historic tentative bargaining agreement with its principals: The historic contract, which the district and union tentatively reached Friday, needs to be approved by the union’s members and the school board. It includes a retroactive 4% cost-of-living increase for the 2024-25 school year and more due process protections for principals who face discipline, said Kia Banks, the president of the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association. It also includes cost-of-living and baseline pay increases for the coming school year, but the union is waiting to share information about them with its members before publicizing the amounts.

* Tribune | Chicago storefront sign restriction efforts a ‘quality of life’ issue for some, but others worry about overreach: So, in a move she describes as a “quality of life” issue, Harris, 8th, is spearheading a citywide effort to rein in businesses’ use of large signage on windows as part of an ordinance that would allow generally untapped, preexisting city rules restricting retail displays to be more easily enforced. The ordinance would also block businesses from using non-reflective window tints and LED lights bordering their windows.

* Tribune | How Chicago Sky aim to ‘take the power back’ against online abuse and harassment with new cybersecurity measures: The Sky front office could feel a change coming to the league even before the 2024 draft brought high-profile stars such as Clark and Reese and new levels of popularity. The team bolstered its security and contracted law enforcement to patrol practices. But that wasn’t enough to give Rawlinson confidence that the Sky could anticipate future incidents. “We’re vigilant,” she said. “But there have still been a few incidents that we’ve handled ourselves that have given us concern. Overall, there’s just a high level of vigilance around this team.”

* Sun-Times | South Side rodeo brings resources, support to veterans: ‘This is really needed’: The inaugural National Veteran Rodeo & Resource Fair was hosted by the nonprofit Leave No Veteran Behind and hoped to enroll 1,000 veterans in vital services while providing Chicagoans a taste of a sport rarely seen in these parts.

* Sun-Times | Chicago’s K-beauty shops feeling pinched as South Korea products hit with 15% tariffs: Owner Johnny Shin said after the baseline 10% tariffs on most countries, including South Korea, were enacted in April, vendor prices started going up. Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreen — a viral product and Over N Over bestseller — was available wholesale for $8 each. After April, Shin said its vendor is now charging them $11. But the retailer hasn’t increased its prices, and it doesn’t plan to. “There’s so much competition going on, so we try to keep it as low as we can,” Shin said.

* Sun-Times | Will Agora take a walk? Grant Park’s iron sculptures might have to relocate in 2026: That’s when the Chicago Park District’s 20-year installation and maintenance agreement expires. The agreement allows Agora to occupy its Hutchinson Field location. The expiration doesn’t make the artwork’s relocation a certainty, but one of the proposals in the park district’s new Grant Park Framework Plan includes refashioning Hutchinson Field into a “neighborhood-oriented amenity” — and it doesn’t mention Agora sticking around.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Ravinia unveils the first of its renovated venues ahead of grand reopening in 2026: The transformed pavilion won’t be unveiled until 2026, but a few performances are scheduled to take place this year in the theater at the newly renovated Audrey, which was completed this spring. Some of the new amenities include wider, cushioned seats, and the Audrey is the first venue on-site to have cupholders, according to Haydon.

* WGN | Texas Democrats find support at St. Sabina Church amid redistricting battle: “They are today’s freedom fighters. They are teaching, I believe, the country a civic lesson right now. Don’t say you love democracy and not fight for it,” Father Michael Pfleger, the longtime pastor of St. Sabina Church, said. […] “As soon as this is over, I’m going to call another one, then another one and another one. If they show back up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken into the capitol,” Abbott said.

* Daily Herald | Powering down: School districts adopt new procedures to limit cellphone distractions: In St. Charles Unit District 303, for example, a district-wide procedure will help clarify expectations. High School students will be asked to silence their smartphones and place them in phone caddies at the start of each class. Middle school students will be told to power down smartphones and other devices, such as smartwatches, and put them in their lockers for the day. Elementary school students will power down all devices and keep them in their backpacks.

* Crain’s | Torrent of bogus papers threatens to drown legit science, Northwestern researchers warn: According to a statistical analysis of scientific research, the bogus content being churned out by “paper mills” is doubling every year and a half, said Northwestern’s Luís A. N. Amaral, senior author of a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “This was so scary, that we wanted to understand how it could grow so fast,” he said in an interview. “There are all these systems in place to allow it and people have not been able to see how it works. We tried to connect the dots.”

* ABC Chicago | New Hollywood Casino in Joliet opening Monday, featuring restaurants from celebrity chefs: At nearly 200,000 square feet, it’s packed with games. The new casino boasts a thousand slot machines, 43 live gaming tables, an ESPN sportsbook, restaurants from top chefs including Stephanie Izard’s first-ever casino spot. Executive Chef Matt Cappellini showed off one of the specialties at the new ESPN BET Sportsbook restaurant. The objective is to draw customers to hang out for a while, place a few bets and have a good time. Food and beverage have become a big draw for casinos.

*** Downstate ***

* PJ Star | Peoria has spent more than $100K in its pursuit of a land-based casino: he city of Peoria has spent more than $100,000 on attorneys and consultants in its pursuit to lure a land-based casino to its side of the Illinois River. Invoices obtained by the Journal Star via the Freedom of Information Act show that Peoria has paid out approximately $106,903.08 in fees to the law firm Elias, Meginnes and Seghetti and the consulting firm Innovation Capital between December and July. Peoria hired a law firm and consulting firm in December after a unanimous vote by the Peoria City Council to do so signaled that the full council was firmly behind Mayor Rita Ali’s effort to bring the Par-A-Dice Casino’s replacement facility to Peoria.

* Shaw Local | Man featured in Netflix’s ‘I Am a Stalker’ pleads not guilty to stalking, harassment in new Ogle County case: John R. Anderson III, 42, was sentenced to six years in prison for aggravated stalking in DeKalb County in 2019. The Netflix series included an installment that focuses on that case, Anderson’s relationship with the woman who fled to Illinois to get away from him, and his pending release from prison. […] “We submit he poses a specific danger,” [Assistant Ogle County State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten] said. “The defendant has prior convictions in Ogle, Winnebago [and] DeKalb counties, and there is also a pending case in Arkansas. There are no set of conditions that can mitigate the risk to her. We don’t believe he can abide any conditions … based on his history.” [Ogle County Judge Anthony Peska] agreed and remanded Anderson to the Ogle County Jail.

* Tribune | In the Quad Cities, a proposed development near a bald eagle habitat divides a community: Soon, local developers could bring another test to the wetlands’ ability to withstand human activity. Rock Island is poised to sell a 10-acre plot at the edge of the Milan Bottoms to A Hana Illowa LLC, a development company owned by local construction moguls Matt Stern and Jeff Hughbanks. The pair are planning to build a gas station and marijuana dispensary on the site, dubbed Casino West. Supporters and opponents of the development alike share an admiration of the Milan Bottoms, and the unique ecosystem that it’s grown into over the years. At the same time, city officials say developing near the wetland could bring much-needed revenue. Rock Island’s poverty rate of about 21% is nearly double the overall poverty rate of the metro area, as reported by the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce in 2022. While neighboring cities in Iowa can expand into surrounding farmland, Rock Island is bordered by rivers and has struggled to find places to develop.

* WAND | Illinois State Fair honors veterans and keeps memories alive: Crystal Womack has been the gold star liaison for 9 years, and she said her main goal is keeping the soldiers’ memories alive. “It is truly my honor to work with these families,” Womack said. Womack said gold star has been around since World War II. When officers were deployed, the families placed a Blue Star flag on their door to let them know that their loved one was deployed at that time.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | How the Texas Standoff Will (Probably) End: Right now, the Texas Democrats’ quorum-break project appears to have two goals, one much more easily accomplished than the other. The first is to send a message; the gerrymandering attempt in Texas is a chance for Democrats nationwide to accuse Republicans of cheating, and to demonstrate a bit of the gumption their voters have been clamoring for. Because the party is effectively leaderless, now is a perfect moment for wannabe standard-bearers to soak up some of the limelight. Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker, for example, has made a lot of speeches and trolled Republicans; so has New York Governor Kathy Hochul. And tonight, California Governor Gavin Newsom will host Hinojosa and other Texas Democrats in Sacramento for a press conference.

* WIRED | What Does Palantir Actually Do?: Palantir has tried to correct the record itself in a series of blog posts with titles like “Palantir Is Not a Data Company” and “Palantir Is Still Not a Data Company.” In the latter, Palantir explains that “misconceptions can arise because our products are complicated,” but nonetheless, “it is absolutely possible” to accurately describe them to “people who are curious.” The problem, however, is that even ex-employees struggle to provide a clear description of the company. “It’s really hard to explain what Palantir works on or what it does,” says Linda Xia, who was an engineer at Palantir from 2022 to 2024. “Even as someone who worked there, it’s hard to figure out, how do you give a cohesive explanation?”

* SF Chronicle | Trump asks SCOTUS to allow profiling in California ICE raids: The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to allow officers to arrest suspected undocumented immigrants in Southern California because of how they look, what language they’re speaking and what kind of work they’re doing, factors that federal judges have found to be baseless and discriminatory.

* The Guardian | A ‘bias monitor’ for CBS News is a bad idea. Here’s why: The new job “seems designed to ensure little critical is aired about the current administration”, said Glenn Kessler, the longtime Washington Post journalist and editor of the Fact Checker, who is now writing a Substack newsletter. Kessler also noted that the Trump-appointed FCC chair, Brendan Carr, in commenting on the new position, compared it to the creation of an ombudsman decades ago when General Electric bought NBC. But that regulator was designed to ensure NBC’s editorial independence and to guard against interference from the new owner, a business conglomerate.

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Open thread

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Ray Wylie Hubbard…

My harmonica’s got a busted reed

RWH is playing at the Twisted Tree Music Hall in Jacksonville on September 14th.

* Tell us some news from your part of the state.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, Aug 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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