* Tribune…

Less than 10 months after reporting to federal prison, Edward Burke was released to begin spending the rest of his sentence in the Chicago area Tuesday, according to federal officials. […]

“Edward M. Burke transferred on July 8, 2025, from the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Thomson to community confinement overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) Chicago Residential Reentry Management (RRM) office,” the statement read. “Community confinement means the individual is in either home confinement or a Residential Reentry Center (RRC, or halfway house). Mr. Burke’s projected release date from custody is February 20, 2026.

It was not clear whether Burke would be there long before being placed on home confinement, sources said. […]

Most federal inmates are required to serve 85% of their sentences, which originally would have seen Burke released in May 2026 at age 82.

* Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s campaign sent this email out earlier today.…

Following an impressive fundraising quarter fueled by grassroots supporters, Juliana Stratton pledged she will not accept corporate PAC money in her campaign for United States Senate, setting her apart from the rest of the field in the Democratic primary. Last week, Juliana announced raising more than $1 million — 93 percent of those contributions were less than $250. Read more about Juliana’s focus in the below report from The Pantagraph.

The Pantagraph: Stratton says no to corporate PAC money in Senate race
[Brenden Moore, 7/8/2025]

“Stratton’s campaign on Monday confirmed that it will not accept contributions from corporate political action committees, calling the stance ‘a clear difference between her and the other Democrats in the primary.’

* But if you keep reading Moore’s piece, there are some caveats…

While viewed by some as a principled stand at a time when corporations, labor unions and wealthy individuals can exert outsized influence on American elections, there are many ways around the pledge.

For one, people associated with certain interest groups can simply donate to campaigns in their personal capacity. PACs can also spend money supporting or opposing candidates on their own. And labor unions, one of the major players in election spending, are not included under the “corporate” umbrella.

And then there’s the presence of Super PACs, which may raise unlimited amounts from corporations, unions, associations and individuals to advocate for or against a specific candidate while not coordinating directly with their campaign.

Last month, Illinois Blue PAC was formed to support Stratton’s candidacy. Stratton herself launched Level Up PAC earlier this year, which could also be used as a vehicle to support her Senate bid if she cuts direct ties with it.

* Meanwhile, yet another candidate is jumping into the race for the 9th Congressional District…

Today, Phil Andrew announced his candidacy in the Democratic primary election for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois’ 9th District. Phil is running to bring a new perspective and proven leadership to Washington during this chaotic time.

“If we keep electing the same types of people, we will keep getting the same results,” Andrew said.

Phil brings to this campaign a unique profile when it comes to understanding the needs of our Northern Illinois community. Phil is a survivor of gun violence, thrust into the national spotlight after he was shot in one of the first school shootings in the U.S. The shooter, fleeing the scene, entered Phil’s childhood home where she held him and his parents hostage. Phil was able to negotiate with her to let his parents go, but in attempting to disarm the shooter, Phil was shot in the chest.

Phil recovered, and was inspired to become a gun violence prevention advocate, helping pass the Brady bill, establishing background checks on gun purchases.

Phil went on to earn a law degree, become an FBI hostage negotiator and later founded PAX Group, a crisis management advisory firm. Phil understands how to bring the temperature down and take action during critical moments.

Phil’s campaign released a video, in which Phil tells the story of his real life experience, how being a competitive swimmer saved his life, and how he’ll use that and other experiences throughout his life to guide his work in Congress.

* Andrew’s launch video…

* ABC Chicago…

The University of Illinois Chicago has released an internal investigation report into faulty lab testing that has potentially jeopardized more than 1,000 cannabis DUI cases in the Chicago metro area.

Many DUI cases were charged based on results from UIC’s Analytical Forensic Testing Laboratory, which ceased human testing in February 2024. […]

UIC hired Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP to look into and create an independent report into concerns and claims made about testing inaccuracies when measuring THC.

Criminal defense attorney Don Ramsell, who represents clients charged with cannabis DUI, told the I-Team the report is just a corporate whitewash. […]

The report concludes UIC’s Analytical Forensic Testing Laboratory methods should have “been modified” to distinguish between two related forms of THC. However, it goes on to say, “Nevertheless, the reliability of those test results may be confirmed on a case-by-case basis…” something Ramsell does not believe is true.

* WSIL | ISP urges safety following four motorcycle-related deaths in the last week: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that while motorcycles make up only about 3% of registered vehicles, they contribute to 12% of roadway deaths. Illinois Department of Transportation data shows that so far for 2025, Illinois has seen 44 motorcycle-related deaths.

* Don Harmon | I disagree with the Illinois State Board of Elections that my campaign violated fundraising limits: At the heart of this matter is confusion surrounding a fundamental element of our campaign finance laws. We wanted fairness, so we wrote these provisions so that neither House nor Senate candidates have an advantage over the other. Because House candidates always run for two-year terms and Senate candidates more often run for four-year terms, we took pains to ensure the campaign limits didn’t confer advantages to one over the other. The election board’s interpretation runs completely counter to that fundamental ingredient.

* WAND | Plan creating guidance for AI technology in Illinois schools awaits Pritzker’s approval: State lawmakers started the spring session knowing there was an urgent need for regulation as schools navigate the growing role of AI in education. “We found more than 90% of teachers find that AI is something they believe will make a great difference for students in the future,” said Teach Plus Illinois Policy Director Bill Curtin. “But, less than half of them were getting training from their districts or schools on how to use it safely or well.”

* NCSL | State School Bus Stop-Arm Camera Laws: A growing number of states are attempting to catch and punish motorists who pass stopped school buses by allowing cameras to be placed on the outside of the bus to record such illegal passing. At least 26 states have school bus stop-arm camera laws.

* WAND | Alpa-gal awareness bill awaits Pritzker’s signature amid rise in tick bites: The Illinois TICK Act would specifically address alpha-gal syndrome, which is a potentially life threatening allergic reaction triggered by a tick bite. Anyone bitten by a Lone Star tick will have an allergy to red meat due to the infection. Some people don’t know they have the disease until they go into anaphylactic shock while eating red meat. Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Woodhull) filed this bill because his mother suffers from the disease.

* Crain’s | Johnson confirms he’s ’seriously considering’ naming Burnett to run CHA: At an unrelated press conference, Johnson today confirmed Burnett “is someone that I am seriously considering, along with two other potential candidates.” “Walter Burnett has just been an incredible asset to the people of Chicago,” he said. “His lived experience around public housing is the type of experience that is rare. You very rarely find someone who has that type of compassion and understanding around the value of building more affordable housing, particularly low-income housing.”

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson open to future Chicago NASCAR race, suggests date change: Mayor Brandon Johnson is open to NASCAR returning to Chicago, but hinted Tuesday the city may need a better deal before stock car drivers again race through its streets. NASCAR has 90 days to request a contract extension with the Chicago Park District. If the racing authority wants to win city leaders over, it could need to change race dates, the mayor said Tuesday. “The Fourth of July is already, quite frankly, it is a heavier burden for our law enforcement because of so much activity,” Johnson said at a City Hall news conference. “It’s something that will be part of the larger discussion if, in fact, NASCAR returns, what is the optimal time.”

* Crain’s | Blue Cross parent renames Medicare offerings following Cigna deal: The Chicago-based parent of Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois, which purchased Cigna’s Medicare business for $3.3 billion in March, is set to start offering insurance products later this year pending regulatory approval, according to a Tuesday news release. Nonprofit HCSC could only sell Blue Cross and Blue Shield policies, including Medicare Advantage plans, in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas before the Cigna deal. It now has access to the Medicare Advantage market in 25 additional states and Washington, D.C., the national Part D market and the Medigap market in 48 states and Washington, D.C.

* Crain’s | American Airlines goes back to court to stop gate shuffle at O’Hare: “The gate redetermination has now entered a critical phase and, absent this court’s intervention, will occur on Oct. 1, 2025 — 90 days away,” American said in a complaint filed July 3 in U.S. District Court in Chicago. “At that point, it will likely become impossible to undo the damage as this litigation unfolds over time.” American and Chicago-based United are the two largest carriers at O’Hare. Under the city’s reallocation plan, United will have about 42% of the space at O’Hare to board and unload passengers, compared with 30% for American. Currently, United has about 40% and American has about 32%.

* Daily Southtown | Mother McAuley student leaders join colleagues from around the world to help ‘change the narrative’ on immigration: About 50 young women from schools from 10 schools as close as Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood to those as far away as Belize, Honduras and Jamaica recently came together to provide a carnival-like experience for immigrant families served by Catherine’s Caring Cause in Chicago. The four-day Conference of Mercy Student Leaders, hosted at Saint Xavier University in Chicago this year, offered students in the Mercy education system an opportunity to further develop their leadership skills along with a good dose of empathy.

* WBEZ | Some drag queens saw fewer gigs, shows amid muted corporate participation during Pride Month: In past years, “I would start getting emails and messages in April … and by the time May comes, I’d have a full schedule for June,” Jones told the Sun-Times. Jones was not the only drag queen to report getting fewer job offers as companies and brands opted to hold quieter Pride Month celebrations here and nationally. A survey by Gravity Research found that that 39% of Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies planned to reduce Pride-related engagement in 2025. More than 60% of those surveyed cited the Trump administration’s policies toward LGBTQ+ issues as “the top reason for rethinking Pride strategies.”

* Chicago Reader | Greg Obis, new owner of Chicago Mastering Service: At Chicago Mastering, we do stuff at a pretty high level. In Chicago at least, there’s probably us and Carl Saff that are doing this. This room is totally nuts—it’s like listening to music underneath a microscope. And we have all the latest tools in order to get music to where it needs to be. But frankly, not everybody has a budget for that, and it’s going to continue to be a challenge in the future to convince people that doing it at this level is worthwhile.

* Sun-Times | Angel Reese joins chorus of WNBA players frustrated with officiating:
The Sky shot only eight free throws despite outscoring the Lynx in the paint. Later in the night, Reese reposted a photo of a Lynx player grabbing her waist during a rebound with the caption “diabolical.”

* Sun-Times | White Sox to honor late closer Bobby Jenks with ‘45’ patches on uniforms for rest of season: “When he came out, you knew everything was going to be OK,” Sox fan Pat Reisinger of La Grange said outside Rate Field, imitating former Sox manager Ozzie Guillen’s signature “wide” gesture that would summon the hefty Jenks from the left-field bullpen. “I get chills thinking about those moments.” The Sox will honor the big man, who was at the center of a slew of the biggest moments in franchise history, by adding “45” patches to players’ uniforms for the rest of the season, team officials said.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville-area students bringing their new product to national pitch competition: A team of Naperville-area teen entrepreneurs who created a business designed to make travel smoother will compete this coming week as one of five national finalists in the INCubatoredu National Pitch competition in Chicago. It was no easy task getting there. It took nearly a year of brainstorming and development, business plan writing and website creation before Naperville North High School students Bremen Dinh and Noah Wrodarczyk and Metea Valley High School student Alex Liu were ready to face off in the local competitions that would take them to the national stage.

* Shaw Local | Lockport raises newly designed city flag at Heritage Village: The City of Lockport held an official flag raising for its newly designed City Flag, a project spearheaded by a local Boy Scout. Zachary Dylkiewicz, 14, proposed the creation of a city flag to the Lockport City Council in May 2024, and its creation was the basis of his Eagle Scout project.

* Daily Herald | Why Lake Zurich’s July 4 fireworks fizzled: Assistant Village Manager Michael Duebner said the fireworks were canceled Friday morning around 9:30 a.m. after rain made it unsafe to load fireworks onto launch barges. The downpour also deprived the village of the time needed to get the show underway, which usually takes about 12 hours. Lake Zurich residents were expecting fireworks Friday night at Paulus Park, but were notified on the village’s Facebook page about the cancellation just before 10 a.m.

* Daily Herald | Hanover Township seeking donation of school supplies, backpacks for annual distribution: Most needed items include backpacks, notebooks, loose leaf paper, pencils, markers, crayons, scissors, flash drives, pens, and glue sticks. Donations of supplies or retail gift cards to buy supplies are appreciated. Last year, 2,552 backpacks filled with school supplies were given to township youth.

* Tribune | State fines, reprimands Champaign abortion doctor accused of leaving half a fetus inside Indiana patient: Dr. Keith Reisinger-Kindle of Equity Clinic must pay a $5,000 fine and complete 20 hours of continuing medical education for “failing to evaluate a patient before a procedure which resulted in hospitalization due to complications,” according to the May 16 disciplinary action by the state regulatory agency. Reisinger-Kindle did not immediately return Tribune requests for comment on the reprimand and fine by the state. He also has not responded to previous requests for comment on the lawsuit, which is still pending. An attorney representing the physician declined to comment.

* Pantagraph | McLean County prosecutor appointed to judgeship, filling Logan County vacancy: A McLean County prosecutor will be the newest associate circuit judge in the 11th Judicial Circuit. Emily Young has been appointed to fill the vacancy left by retiring Associate Judge William Workman, Chief Judge Casey Costigan announced Tuesday. “We are pleased to welcome Ms. Young to the bench,” Costigan said in a news release. “She is a highly capable attorney with a strong commitment to fairness and the judicial temperament our courts require.”

* WCIA | Fourth lawsuit filed against PBL teacher, coach accused of sexual misconduct, school district: A fourth Jane Doe is filing a lawsuit against suspended Paxton-Buckley-Loda teacher and coach Robert Pacey, who was accused of sexual misconduct, as well as other district employees. Last month, WCIA reported that three separate Jane Does said Pacey inappropriately touched them, hit one of them, and made one of them change in front of him. This newest lawsuit also named Junior High principal Josh Didier and two former superintendents — Travis Duley and Cliff McClure. The suit alleged that they didn’t do enough with the at least 22 reports made by parents, students and teachers combined.

* WSIL | Free food boxes available for Carbondale residents this summer: Residents can pick up food boxes by driving through the West parking lot of City Hall during the event. For those unable to leave their homes, delivery is available within Carbondale city limits for residents with mobility challenges. Requests for food box delivery must be submitted by 12 p.m. on Friday, July 11. Deliveries will only be made to addresses within Carbondale.

* WICS | Illinois State Fair set to kick off August 7: Rebecca Clark, the manager of the Illinois State Fair, expressed excitement about the upcoming event. “You turn the calendar and July 4th is over and everybody starts thinking about the Illinois State Fair, which is great because we’re just 4 weeks away from the start of this annual event,” said Clark. She added, “Things are really starting to take shape, our grounds are getting under way and are getting improved upon, and we’re really getting ready.”

* WCIA | ‘The deadliest natural disaster globally’: U of I professor says flash flood emergency response should be reevaluated: Some critics are blaming the National Weather Service forecast, saying it didn’t predict the amount of rain the region saw. “But that’s not really relevant because when you know that you have so much rainfall falling in a specific area, you’re going to get the flash flood,” said Barros. She pointed out another difficulty in trying to predict flash flooding specifically. […] Going forward, Barros said, improving the alert systems may be the answer. She added that while weather prediction models aren’t perfect, they provide solid precipitation numbers up to two days in advance.

* WaPo | A Marco Rubio impostor is using AI voice to call high-level officials: An impostor pretending to be Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress by sending them voice and text messages that mimic Rubio’s voice and writing style using artificial intelligence-powered software, according to a senior U.S. official and a State Department cable obtained by The Washington Post.

* AP | Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, shot 9 times by a man posing as an officer, leaves the hospital: “John has been moved to a rehab facility, but still has a long road to recovery ahead,” the family said in a statement Monday night. The family released a photo showing a smiling Hoffman giving a thumbs-up while standing with a suitcase on rollers, ready to leave the hospital.

* NPR | The health of U.S. kids has declined significantly since 2007, a new study finds: “They just seem to be sicker. And it turns out they are,” says Forrest, a professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In a new study in the journal JAMA, Forrest and his colleagues report that the health of America’s children has significantly worsened across several key indicators since 2007. They found that a U.S. child was 15% to 20% more likely to have a chronic condition in 2023 than a child in 2011. In particular, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, sleep apnea and obesity all increased, as did rates of autism, behavioral problems, developmental delays and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.