* ICYMI: Oversight panel objects to new Illinois prison mail policy. Capitol News Illinois…

- A legislative oversight panel formally objected Tuesday to a new administrative rule that temporarily allows the Illinois Department of Corrections to withhold mail from incarcerated people and instead deliver electronically scanned copies of correspondence they receive from the outside.
- That objection does not block the rule from remaining in effect through January. But it sent a clear message to the department that it will need to make significant changes — and listen to feedback from incarcerated people’s families, attorneys and other interested stakeholders — if it wants to make the rule permanent.
-“I think what you’re hearing from this committee on a bicameral and bipartisan basis is that there is a belief you are doing this wrong,” state Sen. Bill Cunningham, D-Chicago, chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, told IDOC staff during a committee meeting in Chicago.

* Related stories…

• Center Square: Illinois prison mail scanning rule faces lawmaker scrutiny
• WTTW: Key Panel of Illinois Lawmakers Objects to Department of Corrections’ Move to Scan Mail in Prisons

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Subscribers know more. WaPo | Illinois state senator confronts ICE agents: Illinois State Senator Karina Villa (D) walked through a Chicago suburb on Sept. 15, warning neighbors of the presence of what appeared to be ICE agents.

* Tribune | Officials and local leaders encourage people in US without legal permission to stay home amid federal activity: “This is an engineered crisis,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said at a news conference at Daley Plaza Tuesday evening, “a spectacle designed for headlines, not for the safety of our neighborhoods. … (This administration is) targeting hardworking people who have been our neighbors for decades. People who run local businesses, sell flowers at the corner, and have shown up every day to build a better life here.” Early Tuesday — just over a week since the Department of Homeland Security’s “Operation Midway Blitz” began — Gregory Bovino, an official with U.S. Customs and Border Protection who led immigration operations in Los Angeles this summer, posted on social media announcing that his agency had “arrived” in the Chicago area.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WGLT | Illinois House speaker says lawmakers are more aware of their surroundings: While the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has escalated fears of political violence, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has been on high alert since June 14, when Democratic former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in their home. Since then, he said his caucus has been briefed regularly by the Illinois State Police and other groups about potential threats. Speaking with reporters at the Bloomington Public Library ahead of a community town hall with State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, Welch said legislators have become very mindful of their surroundings.

* WMBD | Downstate will get ‘something’ from Chicago transit bill according to Illinois House Speaker: The Windy City’s transport system is facing a fiscal cliff. It needs additional funding, or thousands of jobs could be lost, and service lines could be cut. While the Speaker of the House Chris Welch said it will benefit Downstate, he can’t give any details on what changes it will make to statewide transit.

* WMGL | Joe DeBose announces campaign for Illinois House District 118: “I’ve had enough of the budgets in Springfield growing larger and larger while the family budgets in Southern Illinois grow smaller by the day. My commitment is simple: to stand firm, speak the truth, and work hard every day to protect our freedoms, lower taxes, and deliver results for Southern Illinois,” said DeBose. “I’ve helped conservatives win tough fights and pass common-sense policies across the country. I know how to work with others to deliver results, but let me be clear: I will never back down when it comes to fighting for you, the families, taxpayers, jobs, local businesses, and communities of Southern Illinois.”

* Adam Braun is running in the Democratic primary for Rep. Hoan Huynh’s seat as Huynh makes his bid for Congress. Press release…

Today, Illinois Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Cunningham announced his endorsement of Adam Braun’s campaign for the Illinois House of Representatives, 13th District, citing his experience ensuring access to affordable healthcare, standing up to the Trump Administration, helping law enforcement take illegally trafficked firearms off the street, and combating the opioid crisis.

“Adam Braun was a leader as Executive Deputy Attorney General and I know he will continue to be a leader in the Illinois House of Representatives,” said President Pro Tempore Cunningham. “I was proud to work with Adam on legislation that will make our streets safer by holding the firearm industry accountable. I saw firsthand how he worked as Executive Deputy Attorney General to ensure access to affordable healthcare and tackle the opioid epidemic head-on. At a time when Donald Trump is threatening our most basic freedoms, Adam has proven he won’t back down. He’s the leader the 13th District needs in Springfield.”

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul has endorsed Sen. Sara Feigenholtz for reelection…

“Sen. Feigenholtz is a longtime champion for reproductive freedom and public safety in Illinois. She led the fight to protect abortion here at home when Trump threatened to take that right away, and expanded access to reproductive care, regardless of income. She pushed for common sense gun laws and supported law-enforcement to make our neighborhoods safer. I’m proud to stand with her and support her re-election for state senate.”

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Hyde Park Labs marks another push to make Chicago a tech hub: Hyde Park Labs aims to be a hub for deep tech innovation and quantum computing in Chicago. It will host IBM’s next-generation quantum computer before it eventually moves to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. The quantum computing campus will be at the former U.S. Steel South Works site. “Hyde Park Labs and the UChicago Science Incubator are a milestone for innovation on Chicago’s South Side,” said John Flavin, CEO of Portal Innovations. “Portal’s mission has always been to bridge the gap between academia and private industry. The partnership with the University of Chicago will allow us to help grow innovative life sciences, quantum and deep-tech startups locally.”

* Sun-Times | South Side activists, residents call on elected officials to stop development of quantum computing campus: Residents, gathered across from New Sullivan Elementary School, said elected officials haven’t done enough to inform neighbors about the development. They also expressed concerns over a lack of transparency, potential displacement and environmental concerns at the site. Southside Together wants officials to rehabilitate the fallow land and invest in resources the community wants and needs.

* Block Club | Chicago Budget Task Force Recommends Tax Hikes, Higher Fees To Close $1 Billion Gap: Mayor Brandon Johnson should consider raising garbage and rideshare fees, hiking the liquor tax, extending a hiring freeze and tying property tax increases to inflation to help close a more than $1 billion budget gap in 2026, according to a coalition of civic and business leaders. Those ideas are just a few of almost 90 recommendations included in a report issued Tuesday by the Chicago Financial Future Task Force, a group convened by Johnson’s administration to help fix Chicago’s budget woes next year and beyond.

* Crain’s | American squares off in court against city and United over O’Hare gates: American Airlines is asking Cook County Circuit Court Judge Thaddeus Wilson to stop a process that would give United five more gates while taking four from the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier, beginning Oct. 1. The airport is reallocating gates for the first time based on a use-it-or-lose-it provision in a new lease agreement signed in 2018. The carriers and the airport claim millions of dollars are at stake, in costs associated with moving airlines and passengers to new gates and tickets that already have been sold to customers.

* Tribune | ‘You don’t get a break’: Chicago Public Schools lunchroom workers demand higher wages, fair contract: More than 1,800 lunchroom attendants, cooks and porters staff the district — and about half regularly struggle to cover basic expenses like housing and food, according to their union, UNITE HERE Local 1. “CPS lunchroom workers put their heart and soul into cooking and caring for Chicago’s children,” said Karen Kent, president of UNITE HERE Local 1, which represents hospitality workers across the city. “We know Chicago loves their lunchroom workers, but these workers can’t serve from an empty cup.”

* WBEZ | Chicago anchorman Bill Kurtis on his new book ‘Whirlwind’ and journalism’s crisis moment: As a broadcast journalist, he covered some of the 20th century’s most gruesome murder cases, from Charles Manson to Richard Speck, and broke landmark reporting on the use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. More recently, he has lent his signature deep voice to both Will Ferrell’s “Anchorman” and NPR’s weekly quiz show “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* CBS Chicago | U.S. citizen tased and detained during ICE operation in Des Plaines, Illinois: Family members said that the man was released from the hospital after he said he was tased in the face while being taken into federal custody. The only problem—he was born in Chicago. Although his father is undocumented, they all ended up in ICE custody.

* ABC Chicago | 2 apparent US citizens swept up in Elgin ICE raid documented on Noem’s social media: They arrived like a military operation. Agents could be seen in camouflage uniforms with military helicopters circling above at about 5:30 a.m. They broke the front door down and entered the home. Members of Elgin’s rapid response teams want to keep their identities anonymous.

* Daily Herald | Palatine neighborhood dealing with rat infestation: While several sightings have occurred in residents’ yards, to his knowledge no one has officially reported rats inside their homes, Lamerand said. The cause remains undetermined, though theories include construction work on Route 53 or the demolition of Arlington Park. The village has responded by working with residents to eliminate food and water sources that attract rodents.

* Daily Herald | ‘Catalyst for good’: Presidents Cup, Medinah leaders announce six-figure donation for DuPage’s Crisis Recovery Center: With a year to go before Team USA tees off against a squad of international players, the event, staged by the PGA Tour, is already making a mark. “From the start, we wanted this Presidents Cup to be about more than world-class golf. We wanted it to be a catalyst for good, delivering a positive impact far beyond our gates,” said Mike Scimo, chair of the host committee and former club president.

* Daily Herald | Second measles case confirmed in suburban Cook County: A 4-year-old suburban Cook County child has tested positive for measles, the second confirmed infection in the county this year, health officials said Tuesday. The Cook County Department of Public Health believes the child was infected during international travel. Officials say they’re working to identify and notify people who may have been exposed. One identified point of exposure is O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 5, between 7:30 and 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11.

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | SPD officers display unity amid recent criticism of department: [Springfield Police Chief Joe Behl] said during the meeting that he has agreed to meet with community activist Tiara Standage after he issued a department-wide boycott of the Faith Coalition for the Common Good due to Standage’s involvement with the group.

* WCIA | NTSB releases final report on 2023 Teutopolis HAZMAT disaster: Finally, the NTSB noted that none of the first responders contacted the shipper of the anhydrous ammonia in Ohio. The shipper’s identity and emergency phone number were listed on papers in the cab of the crashed truck, but they were left there by the driver when he self-extricated and were not retrieved by first responders. Under federal regulations, the shipper was required to provide emergency response and incident mitigation information.

* WAND | District 186 faces ongoing budget issues; further cuts likely on the way: Springfield School District 186 is experiencing some challenges with the budget. On Monday night, board members voted on a budget, but the district is still facing a multi-million-dollar deficit, and district leaders are trying to find solutions for the next school year. “The cuts that we made last spring for this current budget, which was to the tune of about $3 million, were things that we could do without touching the classroom at this point in time,” said Superintendent Jennifer Gill.

* WCIA | 126 employees impacted in layoff as Rantoul distribution center transitions to 3rd party provider : Revelyst Inc., which designs, manufacturers and houses outdoor products, was a part of Vista Outdoors, before the company split into two. On Sept. 3, Revelyst issued a WARN Notice, regarding its decision to conduct a mass layoff at its Rantoul facility. According to data shared with Illinois workNet Centers, the layoff will impact 126 employees and is scheduled to begin Nov. 3, 2025.

* WAND | Decatur City Manager resigns after less than 2 years back in role: Decatur City Manager Tim Gleason is stepping down after less than two years back in the role. “I had planned on being here longer … figured it would at least be two years,” Gleason said. “Sometimes you just need to make a decision, put yourself first. It’s time for me to move on.”

* WCIA | U of I research team investigating wildfire smoke impacts on health: Molitor said his team set out to discover how common wildfire smoke was in different parts of the country — including in Illinois — and what impacts it has on people’s health. After taking data from satellites that measure smoke plumes and matching that to data on health outcomes, they learned that on days the smoke plumes roll in, there’s an uptick in visits to the emergency room and deaths.

* WJBD | Salem City Council approves agreement for four license plate readers for police department: The Salem City Council has approved the lease of four FLOCK license plate readers for the next two years. The move was opposed by Centralia resident Mike Musick, who worked with a company before retirement involved with Missouri Department of Transportation roadside cameras. “It’s too much,” Musick said. “The percentage of crimes solved versus the number of individuals whose mobility is tracked in detail in coming and going—I’m uncomfortable with it.”

*** National ***

* Forbes | Stephen Miller’s Quota Likely Drove Korean Arrests In Immigration Raid: Charles Kuck, an immigration attorney at Kuck Baxter in Atlanta, represents 11 individuals arrested in the raid and pieced together what happened at the facility. ICE did not bring Korean language interpreters—proof Koreans were not the intended target—but managed to determine that the South Koreans at the facility entered on B-1 visas or the Electronic System for Travel Authorization known as ESTA.

* Reuters | Trump files $15 billion defamation case against New York Times, Penguin Random House: The lawsuit filed on Monday in Florida federal court centers on a book about Trump by two New York Times reporters and three “false, malicious, defamatory, and disparaging” articles that he says were aimed at sabotaging his chances in the 2024 presidential election. In a statement on Tuesday, the Times said Trump’s lawsuit has no legitimate legal claims and is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting.