Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Gov. JB Pritzker says unethical public officials should self select themselves out of office if they choose to break the law.

When a reporter asked Pritzker about ethics reform during an event in Elmwood Park on Tuesday, the governor said no one should be serving in public office if they are not following the rules and acting in an ethical fashion.

“In fact, they ought to self select themselves out if they’re going to choose to break the rules or break the law,” Pritzker said. […]

When asked why ethics reform didn’t rise to the same priority level as Chicago Bears stadium legislation or the POWER Act to regulate data centers, Pritzker said ethics reform ideas have been floating around for some time.

“Not enough hearings have been done on them, but I’d love to take them up. I think it’s more likely that we would take them up in the general session beginning next year,” Pritzker said.

* Tribune…

Take two? Mayor Brandon Johnson will again propose Chicago hit big corporations with an employee head tax — with an exemption in less wealthy parts of the city — when he unveils his budget proposal Wednesday, sources said.

Johnson is also proposing the city borrow an eye-catching $480 million to pay for police-related lawsuit settlements and raise personal property lease transaction taxes from 15% to 20%, a move that would hit large businesses hardest and raise an estimated $234 million. […]

Johnson’s head tax would levy a monthly $25 charge for every staffer at companies with more than 125 full-time employees. But unlike his 2026 plan that aldermen rejected, it would include a key carve-out: Companies in officially-designated socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, including large swaths of the city’s South, Southwest and West sides, would receive a rebate on the tax. […]

Furthermore, he wants to bump taxes on liquor purchased for off-site consumption to raise $13.8 million and create a new $.15 tax on packages to bring in $9 million.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Subscribers know more. The Daily Egyptian | Doody, Markel offer competing visions for 118th District: Doody described the aviation and agriculture programs as significant assets for southern Illinois. He expressed the importance of lowering the cost of living in the area to retain more students after graduation. He said high property taxes force young adults to leave the area. “If we don’t get a handle on our property taxes, that impacts everything,” Doody said. “When a young person graduates SIU and buys a home, they get sticker shock.”

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois Democrats eye suburbs in push to expand supermajorities: The districts are among the few places in Cook County still represented by Republicans. Two-thirds of residents in the broader Senate district make above six figures. But since the 2021 remap, races for the two seats have been close. In major statewide elections, Democrats have won decisively in recent years. Gov. JB Pritzker and Vice President Kamala Harris both won the district by about 10 points in 2024 and 2022, respectively. But those same voters have split their ticket, allowing McLaughlin to win reelection twice.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Johnson brings back the head tax — with a new twist: The revised proposal, which Johnson will unveil in his 2027 budget address Wednesday, would charge companies with more than 125 employees $25 per worker each month. It’s a second attempt to impose a tax that City Council rejected last year, helping fuel a rebellion against the mayor’s spending plan.

* Ald. Desmon Yancy | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s problem isn’t the City Council. It’s the coalition he lost.: Start with his own Finance Committee chair, Ald. Pat Dowell, who endorsed Johnson when he was an underdog and got the most powerful assignment a mayor hands out. Add the chair of the Black Caucus, Ald. Stephanie Coleman. Add the aldermen he hand-picked to run council committees in 2023, jobs a new mayor gives only to people he plans to govern with. Then add members of the Progressive Caucus, including me. I ran as a progressive and came to City Hall to help a progressive mayor deliver. I don’t need lessons on adjusting to a progressive agenda. These weren’t his opponents in 2023. They were his foundation. With them, he never had to beg for 26 votes. Now count who has walked out the door: his own finance chair, the chair of the Black Caucus, committee chairs he appointed and progressives who once treated his victory as their own.

* Block Club | On Chatham Business Tour, Mayor Talks Recent Burglary Sprees: ‘More Work To Be Done’: On the tour, Johnson gave Abrams and his shop a City Council resolution honoring his “40 years of service” and for helping “make Chicago a better city.” Joined by Ald. William Hall (6th) Johnson stopped next door to have his shoes shined by the boss himself at Boss Shine Shoe Shop, 349 E. 75th St. The mayor also found himself talking about something that’s fresh on the minds of many 75th Street shop owners: a rash of burglaries and break-ins targeting small neighborhood businesses.

* WTTW | Chicago to Test New Gunshot Detection System in 6 South, West Side Districts: Johnson: The system, which representatives of the mayor did not detail in response to questions from WTTW News, will operate in the Wentworth (2nd), Calumet (5th), Englewood (7th), Deering (9th), Ogden (10th) and Harrison (11th) police districts, according to a letter from Chief Procurement Officer Sharla Roberts to the City Council’s Committee on Contracting and Oversight Equity.

* Sun-Times | 200 live cockroaches, ‘black slime’ found at Lake View hospital cafeteria during inspection: Patients at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center won’t be eating food prepared in the on-site cafeteria for awhile after it failed a health inspection that found more than 200 live cockroaches in multiple food preparation areas. The inspection, on Friday, found cockroaches near the grill, fryer, steamer and storage areas of the cafeteria at the medical center at 836 W. Wellington Ave. in Lake View, according to Chicago Department of Public Health records.

* Tribune | Origin of CEO’s ‘will’ at center of family’s ownership squabble over Harold’s Chicken brand: More than 10 months after the CEO of Harold’s Chicken Shack died, the effort to settle her estate and determine ownership of the legendary local restaurant brand has, for now, honed in on a notary public from the western suburbs called to testify about the authenticity of the executive’s purported last will and testament. No dollar figure has been assigned yet, but attorneys for Kristen Pierce-Sherrod’s widower said in recent court filings that the estate could be worth more than $4 million.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Naperville Sun | Conroy seeks second term as DuPage chair against challenger Grasso: Conroy, of Lombard, became the first woman and Democrat to lead the county board in decades. Her victory also came as Democrats won majority control of the county board. “I’m running again because of the amazing work we’ve achieved in four years, and there’s more work to be done,” Conroy said. “I love DuPage County, and it’s a privilege to get to represent this community.”

* Daily Southtown | Lincoln-Way East on probation with Illinois High School Association after alleged racist taunting: During the probation, the IHSA will not deny the school any privileges through the nonprofit that organizes high school sports across the state. But the IHSA said more serious consequences will follow future policy violations, according to the organization’s news release.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County Forest Preserve District adds 33 acres to Bliss Woods preserve in Sugar Grove Township: The addition sits along Bliss Road, adjacent to the eastern section of the preserve, the Kane County Forest Preserve District said in a news release. It features intact forest-floor wildflowers and massive oaks, officials said. First established in 1928, Bliss Woods is Kane County’s second-oldest forest preserve, according to the district. Visitors to the preserve can see the last remnant of the Kaneville Esker, a winding ridge of gravel and rocks created by a river of water flowing underneath a melting glacier around 13,000 years ago, according to the forest preserve district. Most of the esker is gone after years of gravel mining.

* Daily Herald | Suburban schools named 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon winners: Suburban schools were among the 16 public and eight private institutions Illinois is honoring for exemplary academic achievement through a state initiative that models the now-defunct federal Blue Ribbon program canceled by the Trump administration. Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education on Tuesday recognized the 24 schools as 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools during a ceremony at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park.

*** Downstate ***

* Crain’s | U of I’s biggest donor is giving another $100M — and thinking even bigger: Larry Gies is doubling down on his alma mater, donating another $100 million to the business school that bears his name at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The Chicago private equity executive gave $150 million to the College of Business in 2017, followed by a $100 million gift to the U of I’s athletic department in 2025. His $350 million in combined giving makes him the largest individual donor in the school’s history.

* Illinois Times | Candidates file for Springfield City Council seats: Ward 7 Ald. Brad Carlson, who usually presents a closely shaven face during city council meetings, looked as though he may have skipped this part of his morning routine to be the first in line. Carlson said he arrived at the city building at 4:30 a.m. “People were eager to sign my petition, so I just wanted to show them that, ‘Hey, thanks for signing, thanks for the trust you’ve given me to run again,’ and so I kind of want to return the favor and be the first in line,” he said.

* Illinois Times | City Council to weigh ShotSpotter renewal: The ordinance for a three-year renewal totaling $1.1 million is slated to be reintroduced after being taken off the agenda at a September council meeting. Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher told Illinois Times her administration was seeking more data on the effectiveness of the technology before bringing it up for a vote. Data has since been obtained and confirms that the location of the detectors correlates with where a majority of shots fired occur, she said. The language of the ordinance itself is unchanged from when it was initially introduced.

* WQRF | Rockford school named Illinois 2026 governor’s Blue Ribbon School for excellence: Brookview Elementary, at 1750 Madron Road, part of Rockford Public Schools, was one of eight public schools recognized in the “Achievement Gap Closing” category. The designation honors schools that have demonstrated significant progress in narrowing academic achievement gaps among student groups.

*** National ***

* AP | Can larger batteries safely power residential buildings? A project in New York aims to show how: The 3.75 megawatt-hour lithium-ion battery system, which can power the Peace Bridge Place affordable housing complex for several days, is among the largest battery systems in a U.S. residential building, manufacturer Viridi and developer Good Carbon Co. said Tuesday. “We want our electric power to be resilient, affordable and available. Distributed battery storage accomplishes all three,” Viridi CEO Jon M. Williams said. “The only thing that has been holding up installations at scale is safety; a lot of the products on the market over the last 10 years have burned things down.”

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Pritzker expects just “a few specific items” in veto session, says ethics reform more likely next year

Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked today whether ethics reform would be a priority during veto session during an unrelated press conference…

Reporter: Looking ahead to veto session, I’m curious whether ethics reform will be a legislative priority for you on the level of the POWER Act…

Pritzker: I think you know that there only are really six days of a session that’s usually called veto session. So it’s about taking up vetoes, and when you don’t have vetoes or not many, you take up anything else you can in a very short period of time. It also requires a supermajority vote to get anything done. So I like to set expectations low, because generally speaking, we don’t get a lot done in a veto session just because it’s so, so short.

So that’s kind of my broader answer to your question, but the narrower answer is on ethics legislation. Nearly every year that I’ve been in office, we’ve taken advancements in our ethics laws. I’ve proposed many of those changes, and I’m always looking for new things to do. But the things that we want to focus on are the things that aren’t already illegal, let’s say, and where we think we can narrow the possibility of anybody breaching their duty as a public servant. So, again, those ideas have been floating around for some time. Not enough hearings have been done on them, but I’d love to take them up. I think it’s more likely that we would take it up in the general session beginning next year.

Reporter: I think your staff has at least floated some specific ideas as far as adding members of the public to the ethics commission, requiring certain reports to be published. Are those specific things you’re interested in?

Pritzker: We’re trying to listen to the legislators also because we’ve got the vast majority, in fact, nearly all of the legislators are people who are following all the ethics rules and who wanted to have their colleagues do better, and so so it’s really a conversation with the legislature, and I would say we’ll see whether we’re able to produce something in the coming full session starting in January. […]

Reporter: And then focusing back on legislature, when was the last time you talked to Speaker Welch, and if you sat down with him or the Senate President?

Pritzker: Well, I just talked to the Senate President here for the most recent time, but frequently, and the the Speaker of the House [I talk] to him when we have finished product or at least something that’s nearly finished that we think we ought to bring up in the veto session, but there’s the last time I sat with the speaker was when we had a meeting with the the the Bears and the NFL. That was last time I actually was in person with him in a meeting. I think I ran into him at an event not too long ago, but we see each other frequently and certainly have interactions. But as I mentioned to Olivia, there’s such a short period of time in the veto session. It’s unlikely we’ll have a whole slate of legislation. It’ll just be a few specific items that get brought up.

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Campaign stuff: Bailey running mate says he wanted to choke Pritzker over affordability comments

Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Republican lieutenant governor candidate Aaron Del Mar on the Ray Stevens Show…

Take a couple deep breaths before commenting on this one.

* Transcript…

Del Mar: And then JB Pritzker goes on yesterday, I wanted to choke him through the television when he was talking with Darren. He says ‘we’ve raised the minimum raised, we’ve raised the minimum wage.’ Right you’ve raised the minimum wage but then you’ve raised every other fee: property tax, the sales tax, income tax. Everything else. You’re paying people half-off double list price.

Stevens: Now you have to be careful. Because I know based on what we get from feedback on our show. They listen closely to us. And now there’s going to be a campaign commercial going: “Aaron Del Mar wants to choke JB Pritzker.”

[Laughter]

Del Mar: Well look, when Darren Bailey becomes governor of Illinois. When we set a whole new record here in Illinois, voter turnout for conservatives and Republicans and Darren gets sworn in. Will we work across the aisle, 100 percent. We will reach across the aisle and shake their hand. But when they don’t want to cooperate, we will reach across the aisle and grab them by the throat.

Click here for the full interview.

* JB for Governor…

Governor JB Pritzker to Get Out the Vote in Cook and Kane Counties
WHAT: Governor JB Pritzker will speak at a canvass kickoff event with State Representative Suzanne Ness and Michele Clark, candidate for Illinois State Senate in Kane County.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 20, 2026. 4:00 PM CT.

WHERE: Michele Clark’s Campaign HQ, 611 East Main Street, Suite 224, East Dundee, IL 60118

WHAT: Governor JB Pritzker will deliver remarks and encourage voters to head to the polls with State Representative Nabeela Syed; Jenny Levin and Maria Peterson, candidates for Illinois House of Representatives; and Carina Santa Maria, candidate for Illinois State Senate.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 20, 2026. 6:00 PM CT.

WHERE: Hot Pockets Sports Bar, 365 West Northwest Highway, Palatine, IL 60067.

* Lake County Democrats…

A Deer Park resident has filed a complaint with the Deer Park Ethics Commission alleging that Village officials and employees used the Village’s official Facebook page to sell tickets to a partisan Republican campaign event.

On October 12, the Village of Deer Park’s Facebook page published a post inviting residents to a “November Ballot Candidate Forum Luncheon” hosted by the Cuba Township Republicans at Biltmore Country Club in North Barrington, held Saturday, October 17. The post featured a graphic headed “PURCHASE TICKETS,” linked to an Eventbrite ticket page, and encouraged residents to attend before early voting began on October 19. The post did not reference any event hosted by another party or by a nonpartisan organization.

State ethics law, adopted in the Village’s ethics ordinance, prohibits public officials and employees from using public resources to solicit ticket purchases for political events, and an intentional violation is a Class A misdemeanor.

The complaint asks the Ethics Commission to preserve all records related to the post, identify the officials and employees responsible, refer the matter for prosecution, and recommend appropriate discipline.

Republican State Senator Darby Hills, who represents the 26th Senate District, attended the luncheon. On September 20, Hills withdrew from the September 26 League of Women Voters candidate forum with her Democratic opponent Nabeela Syed, citing a scheduling conflict. That forum was the only scheduled debate between the two candidates.

Nancy Shepherdson, who filed the complaint, said, “Village government belongs to every resident of Deer Park, regardless of party. When the Village uses its official page to sell tickets to a Republican campaign event, it puts the weight of local government behind one party and makes every taxpayer foot the bill. State law prohibits exactly this conduct, and the Village needs to be held accountable.”

Lake County Democratic Party Chair Daniel Didech said, “Darby Hills couldn’t find time to face voters at a nonpartisan League of Women Voters forum, but she made time on Saturday for a Republican luncheon that was illegally promoted with taxpayer resources. Senator Hills has a track record of dodging forums where she would have to answer tough questions. Instead of attending partisan events promoted in violation of state ethics law, she should agree to debate her opponent in front of voters before Election Day.”

* The Facebook post…

* Sun-Times…

The long-simmering feud between Mayor Brandon Johnson and half of the coalition of progressive unions that helped put him in office boiled over Tuesday, triggering a pivotal endorsement for Illlinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias in the race for mayor.

Service Employees International Union Locals 1 and 73 threw their formidable support behind Giannoulias, the presumed frontrunner with a campaign war chest of $19.2 million. SEIU affiliates together contributed over $4.5 million to Johnson’s 2023 mayoral campaign. The union also provided scores of campaign workers and materials.

Those resources will now presumably be available to Giannoulias — and more importantly, denied to Johnson, who has just $379,471 in cash on hand.

SEIU’s decision to divorce itself from Johnson comes as no surprise, and has been building since early 2025. […]

“I understand relationships. I asked him to stand down,” Local 73 President Dian Palmer told the Sun-Times. “We had all kinds of evidence that these workers belonged to us. I told him, `You don’t have to do anything. These are your friends. Just let us go through the grievance process.’ He told me that he would call me back and he never called me back.”

“That was hurtful. I felt like we were fighting for our labor life because this unit is one of the larger units that we have and it would change our life tremendously if we were to lose these members.”

26 Comments

It’s just a bill

Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rep. Jay Hoffman filed HB5826 yesterday…

Creates the Data Center Energy Accountability Act. Provides that, beginning in compliance year 2028, each covered data center shall account for its annual electricity demand on an hourly basis by reporting the volume of generation that was consumed in each year, month, day, and hour.

Requires each covered data center to also self-generate, or procure, and then retire eligible environmental attribute certificates equal to 100% of the covered data center’s annual State electricity consumption.

Provides that eligible environmental attribute certificates that are retired in order to comply with the Act must have been produced by electric generation facilities and batteries that have a commercial operation date that is no more than 7 years older than the compliance year for which the environmental attribute certificates are retired. […]

Provides that, if a covered data center is unable to meet the requirements of the Act for a given compliance year, a covered data center shall make an alternative investment payment for each megawatt-hour shortfall in the applicable year. Creates the Electron Accelerator Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, to be administered by the Agency. Sets forth requirements for the Fund.

Provides that, if deemed appropriate by the Agency, the Agency shall file a utility disconnection proceeding with the Commission if a covered data center does not responsibly comply with the Act. Sets forth rulemaking abilities for the Agency. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

* Environmental groups are organizing a Nov. 18 lobby day to urge lawmakers to pass the POWER Act…

Illinois’ environmental movement will gather at the State Capitol to meet with legislators and push for support of the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513)–nation-leading legislation that protects Illinois from data center harms. These energy- and water-intensive facilities are already increasing home utility bills, polluting our air, threatening our water supply, and straining Illinois’ climate goals–and many more are coming. Let’s take action together to ensure Illinois establishes nation-leading guardrails that protect our water, energy, ratepayers, and frontline communities!

- What: Veto Session POWER Act Lobby Day
- When: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
- Where: Illinois State Capitol Building, 401 S. 2nd St. Springfield, IL 62756

* House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie recently filed legislation to declare April 27 of each year as Ulysses S. Grant Day. As the 18th President of the United States, Grant settled in Galena, part of Leader Tony McCombie’s legislative district, and from 1860 led the Union to victory in the Civil War.

In filing the bill to create the commemorative day named after Ulysses S. Grant, McCombie hopes to instill the important connection the former President has to Illinois and the contributions he made to the state and greater nation.

“Our state has great history that should be commemorated and this bill will make sure that the contributions President Ulysses S. Grant made will be known throughout our state,” said McCombie.

With the legislative year winding down, McCombie plans to re-file the legislation in the upcoming, new 105th General Assembly next year.

* Rep. Anthony DeLuca…

In the wake of severe summer weather that damaged communities throughout the region, state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, has introduced legislation to help reimburse impacted municipalities for expenses incurred while providing emergency disaster relief and restoration services.

DeLuca’s measure comes as the federal government refuses to provide assistance to Illinois, while offering support to Indiana for damage from the same storms.

“When dealing with the cleanup after storms, flooding and other disasters, it’s important to expedite efforts to get things back to normal as soon as possible,” DeLuca said. “Many local communities have shouldered the burden of these initial emergency expenses. This can leave a significant dent in their finances now and moving forward, and I believe the state has a responsibility to assist impacted areas.”

Subject to appropriation, DeLuca’s House Bill 5819 would direct the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Office of Homeland Security to award grants to local governments in counties impacted by summer storms referenced in the governor’s Aug. 18 emergency declaration. These grants would reimburse money spent on relief including reconstruction activities, repairs to essential services, bedding and temporary shelter, transportation, food and clothing, medical supplies, and personnel.

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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois

Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments.

Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Raoul in Cherry Valley are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: President Trump is gutting the Endangered Species Act, putting dozens of Illinois species at risk. Sun-Times…

* At 9:30 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will announce the 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon Award winners and celebrate academic excellence in Illinois schools. Click here to watch.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Race for Chicago mayor revs up with candidates lugging stacks of nominating petitions to elections board: Businessman Willie Wilson said he’s going to challenge “everyone.” “We’re gonna look at everybody. We won’t discriminate,” Wilson said with a smile as he turned in an estimated 35,000 signatures for his fourth self-funded run at the mayor’s office.

* Tribune | Chicago schools watchdog said allegations against school board candidate could not be corroborated: The Chicago Public Schools watchdog did not substantiate misconduct allegations against a school board president candidate because they could not be corroborated and, even if proved true, did “not necessarily prove he acted for a sexual purpose,” according to a copy of the office’s report obtained by the Tribune.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Center Square | Taxes, state spending issues in key Chicagoland statehouse races: In the Chicagoland area are two races connected by one candidate, Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine. Syed, the incumbent in the 51st House District, is challenging Sen. Darby Hills, R-Lake Zurich, in the 26th Senate District. Syed told The Center Square she wants to see sweeping tax reforms for the state. “We have to seriously re-evaluate the way that we fund education in our state and do what we can to lessen the cost on school districts, whether it’s cutting expensive mandates, whether it is funding education a lot more through the state budget and I think that requires a re-evaluation of our entire tax system,” Syed said.

* WTTW | WTTW News U.S. Senate Forum: Chicago Tonight anchor Brandis Friedman moderates this live candidate forum from WTTW studios ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. Contenders discussing the issues vital to Illinois voters will be Democrat Juliana Stratton and Republican Don Tracy. This forum will take place before a studio audience.

* Tribune | Judge rejects subpoena in sweeping immigration enforcement lawsuit — for now: A federal judge on Monday quashed a subpoena filed by the state Attorney General and city of Chicago in an ongoing lawsuit over the Trump administration’s immigration-enforcement tactics, saying it would be better to wait and see what’s left of the case after her upcoming ruling on a motion to dismiss. The lawsuit filed earlier this year by both Illinois and Chicago alleges immigration agents acted more like an occupying military force than law enforcement during Operation Midway Blitz, terrorizing neighborhoods with “roving patrols,” illegally switching out license plates, randomly stopping people to question them about their citizenship, and making warrantless arrests.

* CNI | Study finds Illinois’ Displaced Energy Workers Bill of Rights falls short: The report, released by the university’s Climate Jobs Institute, found that non-union workers at the mine about 20 miles southeast of Springfield did not receive the same level of assistance as unionized employees preparing for the closures of two coal-fired power plants in central and southwestern Illinois planned for 2027-28.

*** Chicago ***

* WGN | Mayor Johnson’s pick for city’s top lawyer stalled by Chicago alders: At last week’s City Council meeting, a vote on Hatcher’s appointment was removed from the agenda. Some alders told WGN they were concerned about Hatcher’s lack of management and government experience. Hatcher joined WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley on The Point to talk about her vision for the role, and respond to critics who think she’s not qualified.

* University of Illinois Chicago | Drugs, Crimes, & Consequences: Employment Barriers/Solutions: This report, Drugs, Crimes, & Consequences, examines how criminal justice involvement continues to function as a major barrier to employment, particularly in historically disinvested communities like North Lawndale in Chicago, and highlights the transformative role of social enterprises in advancing fair chance hiring. Drawing on over two decades of data and community-based research, the study analyzes trends in employment, recidivism, and economic conditions, while evaluating the impact of the North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) and its integrated reentry model. The findings reveal that cycles of incarceration impose staggering economic and social costs. Between 2005 and 2024, recidivism among North Lawndale residents cost Illinois taxpayers over $1 billion, with annual incarceration costs averaging $45,000 per person. At the same time, individuals returning from prison face compounding structural barriers, including limited access to employment, housing instability, and unmet behavioral health needs, that increase the likelihood of reoffending.

* Block Club | Deadly Weekend For Migrating Birds Prompts Calls For New Chicago Building Ordinance: Chicago has seen similar mass bird collisions with glass buildings before. In October 2023, nearly 1,000 birds died after striking the glass windows of McCormick Place’s Lakeside Center in a single night. Bird-friendly window treatments were installed and collisions at McCormick Place have since dropped by 95 percent, according to the release. Advocates say measures like those installed at McCormick Place could help prevent future collisions, and recent incidents have renewed their push for the City Council to pass a bird-friendly building ordinance.

* Sun-Times | Safety repairs cause temporary closure of Midway Airport runway: Runway 22L is closed to arrivals and departures effective immediately while repairs are made for recent damages caused by aircraft activity, the Chicago Department of Aviation announced. “Safety is the top priority at Chicago’s airports, and we are working to complete these repairs safely and promptly,” said CDA Commissioner Michael McMurray. “We’re coordinating closely with our partners at the FAA and the airlines to reduce disruptions for travelers and return the airfield to normal operating conditions as quickly and safely as possible.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Prison admissions for shoplifters rising in Cook County amid Burke policy change, ‘outdated’ state law: Though retail theft makes up a small percentage of people being admitted to prisons, the rise in such cases has raised alarm in some quarters, with some questioning whether it’s a good use of resources when the root causes of such offenses are often driven by social factors like poverty, mental illness and addiction. In a statement, a spokesperson for Burke said the office “follows the law and charges felony retail theft when the cost of the stolen goods exceeds $300, as determined by Illinois statute.”

* Daily Herald | Democrats looking to widen majority on Lake County Board: Thirteen of 19 Lake County Board seats are on the ballot Nov. 3, and a change in membership is assured as one Democrat and three Republican incumbents aren’t seeking reelection. Whether that translates to a bump in the 14-5 Democrat majority is to be determined. Dems already picked up a seat as no Republican was slated in District 3. After 24 years on the board, incumbent Republican seatholder Ann Maine is not seeking reelection.

* Daily Herald | Retired deputy, ex-county board member face off for DuPage sheriff’s job: A self-described reformer and a retired deputy who wants to rebuild trust with the community are vying to replace James Mendrick as DuPage County sheriff. Mendrick, chose not to seek a third term as sheriff, instead opting for an ultimately unsuccessful bid for the GOP nomination for governor. Aiming to be his successor are Republican Sean Noonan of Elmhurst and Democrat Peter Coolidge of West Chicago.

* Cook County Record | Feds OK to join discrimination lawsuit vs Evanston racial reparations program: The Justice Department will be allowed to press ahead with its effort to add the weight of the federal government to a court fight challenging the city of Evanston’s race-based “reparations” program paying millions of dollars in taxpayer money to black current and former residents and their descendants. On Oct. 16, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness granted the Justice Department’s motion to intervene in the case. The Justice Department followed that approval with their complaint in intervention, formally asking the court to order an end to Evanston’s “racially discriminatory program.”

* Daily Herald | If referendum fails, District 214 would still ‘chip away’ at repairs, superintendent says: Northwest Suburban High School District 214 officials on Monday revealed their plan B if voters don’t authorize a tax increase for $295 million worth of school building renovations in two weeks. “If it doesn’t pass, teachers are not going to lose their jobs. We’re not going to cut athletics. We won’t be cutting activities,” Superintendent Scott Rowe said. “We’ll be living in a state where emergency repairs just happen more often. And we can live there. But what we’ll miss is the opportunity to really position the district strategically, and follow our strategic plan, and flip to being in a proactive state.”

*** Downstate ***

* BND | Belleville to spend $4.1 million to reduce lanes, add bike paths on West Main: “It’s an effort to curtail an endless supply of speeding concerns and to bring back a community feel,” said Jason Poole, director of public works and parks and recreation. Studies have shown West Main Street to be one of the region’s most injury-prone roadways, according to a project manager at Oates Associates, the contractor who drew up the plans.

* WGLT | New water treatment pilot program aims to lower ammonia levels in Normal water: The council accepted a proposal from Veolia Water Technologies for up to $90,000 in ammonia removal pilot testing equipment. Excess ammonia in drinking water requires additional flushing of the system. If the excess ammonia levels are reduced, it also would keep chlorine levels at a desired level and improve overall water quality, according to town staff. Five of the dozen wells in the town show excess ammonia levels. The five happen to be the ones that produce the most water, but levels can be reduced by blending water with output from wells that have lower levels. Even after blending, the raw water contains excess ammonia that cannot be removed by current processes alone.

* Muddy River News | Former QPD chief steps in after sudden absences at City of Quincy Transit: City officials knew that the head of the city’s transit department, Marty Stegeman, would be retiring in February, but now comes word that he needs knee surgery, which is scheduled for November 10. Further complicating matters is that the number two person in charge, Megan Meyer, gave the city her two-week notice. Her last day is Friday. While they had someone to temporarily fill in for Meyer, the absence of Stegeman had to be filled.

*** National ***

* WIRED | Election Offices in at Least 32 States Have Received Suspicious Letters: The vast majority of letters were intercepted by the United States Postal Service before they reached their intended targets, state officials tell WIRED, but in Arizona, Delaware, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Louisiana the letters were not intercepted, leading to election offices being evacuated when white powder was discovered.

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Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Matt Berry…

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois…

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Tuesday, Oct 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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