|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* NBC Chicago | Thousands of Illinois residents will receive $400 in benefits in the coming days: According to IDHS, the FRESH Program “…gives a one-time [$400] cash payment to people whose SNAP benefits were reduced or stopped because they did not meet the federal SNAP work requirement.” Previously, Illinois SNAP recipients were exempt from work requirements due to the state’s high unemployment rate, Perry explained. Come August 1, an estimated 100,000 eligible Illinois residents who recently lost food assistance benefits due to new federal regulations should see a one-time $400 deposit on their LINK cards. * Windy City Times | ‘Celebrate what makes you different’: Why Chicagoan Mario Treto Jr. chose a life in public service: Treto was first appointed to his role in 2021 by Gov. JB Pritzker. He is perhaps best known as the first openly gay Latino cabinet member in the Illinois state government. He told Windy City Times that his background as a child of Mexican immigrants inspired him to work in politics. While growing up, it fell on him to translate doctor’s appointments and building permits to his parents, who came from, as he described, “modest means” in Mexico. He was raised in the predominantly Latino Little Village neighborhood. * Tribune | City will seek to dismiss federal complaint in shooting death of 13-year-old Adam Toledo: The city of Chicago plans to seek dismissal of a new federal complaint filed by the family of Adam Toledo, the 13-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer in 2021, according to documents filed Thursday, even as the family is pushing for a January trial date. A report, filed in federal court in Chicago, offers the first look at the status of the federal civil case in the March 29, 2021 police shooting that roiled the city, after a state court case was abruptly dropped just before jury selection was about to set off a high-profile trial. * Crain’s | Realtors’ membership could slip after Compass boosts rival trade group: There’s a new challenge for the influential Chicago-based National Association of Realtors, which has worked to retain members on the heels of a few troubled years and a struggling nationwide real estate market. The challenge comes from the giant real estate brokerage Compass, which is putting its considerable weight behind a smaller startup trade association. * ABC Chicago | Lollapalooza gates open on day 1 in Grant Park: During the festival weekend, Lollapalooza will stream live across both Disney+ and Hulu for the first time. Livestreamed content is available across all four days of the festival weekend. * Daily Herald | Des Plaines District 62 lost $3.2M in fraud scheme, officials say: The stolen money had been intended for a vendor but did not go to the expected recipient, District 62 officials and Des Plaines police said in a joint news release. District 62 employees committed no criminal acts, according to the release. “Based on our investigation, this is an external criminal matter,” Police Chief David Anderson said in the release. No arrests have been made, nor have charges been filed, police said. Des Plaines police and the FBI are investigating. * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan alderwoman appears in court on voter-fraud charges: Waukegan Ald. Sylvia Sims Bolton, 1st Ward, learned little about the charges the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office has filed against her for voting fraud at her initial court appearance Thursday, except that she must return to Lake County Court. Charged with felony mutilation of election material and the misdemeanor of disregarding the election code for casting a vote in the March 17 primary for her deceased mother, Bolton surrendered to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office after a warrant was issued. * Shaw Local | State Sen. Hastings calls for disaster declaration for Will County communities damaged by storms: Democratic state Sen. Michael E. Hastings from Frankfort called on Gov. JB Pritzker and the state of Illinois to declare communities affected by Monday’s storms a disaster area. The storms hit eastern Will County and other south suburbs on Monday, causing widespread damage, extended power outages, fallen trees and significant cleanup efforts. * WMTV | Dodge County sheriff expands lawsuit over Illinois woman’s ICE detention claims: Four months after filing a federal defamation lawsuit over claims an Illinois woman was secretly detained at the Dodge County Jail, Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt has expanded the case, adding another defendant and alleging a civil conspiracy. The amended complaint, filed Monday in U.S. District Court, adds Sarah Afzal, the sister of Sundas ‘Sunny’ Naqvi, as a defendant and accuses Afzal, Naqvi and Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison of conspiring to spread false claims that Naqvi was secretly detained by immigration authorities and held at the Dodge County Jail. * WGLT | First look shows recidivism holding steady in McLean County: A first glimpse at the new data set, which ISU sociologist Frank Beck is still being worked on, now considers 23 years of records, and showed 67% of criminal and misdemeanor convictions have not been convicted again. According to the Stevenson Center’s data, that’s 15,629 people navigating the criminal justice system with a single offense resulting in judgment. * WSIL | SIU Establishes Center Preserving Local Black History: “We found out that everybody has all these projects that they’re doing and nobody knows what each other is doing,” Hamilton-Brehm said. “So that this is going to be an important role of the center to connect everybody.” The center’s collection includes historic newspapers documenting life in Cairo, emancipation records and the autobiography of Reverend Henry Armstead. Armstead wrote about being born into slavery, gaining his freedom and helping build churches across Southern Illinois. One of many stories the center wants to continue archiving. * WAND | Boys and Girls Club of Decatur has critical need for $750,000 this year: The organization has a critical need of $750,000 this year and cannot provide quality after-school care without it. oys and Girls Club Board Chair Niki Fenderson said so many families depend on its services. “We try to bring in a lot of different activities to help our students experience so much more than they would get to regularly,” Fenderson said. * Capitol City Now | Pinball has arrived downtown: Developer Chris Nickell has put some machines in the former Cafe Moxo on Adams Street and is calling the place Vault 66. He ended up teaming up with the Dumb Records guys, Brian Galecki and Jeff Black,” said Michelle Ownbey, executive editor of the Springfield Business Journal. “Of course, they’ve got an arcade there in the back of Dumb Records, and so they decided to team up on this endeavor, and Dumb Records is now staffing what is essentially a second location. For ten bucks you get a wristband, and that gets you all-access play at both locations Chris is up to something like fourteen pinball machines, and I understand he is also bringing in some arcade games. This Saturday is going to be the grand opening.” * Axios | Musk plans massive push for GOP in midterms: America PAC will focus on door-knocking, digital advertising and direct mail aimed at turning out the conservative base, including voters who typically are less inclined to cast ballots in a non-presidential election year, sources with knowledge of the plans tell Axios. Musk’s representatives declined to specify exactly how much he’d spend. But given what he donated in 2024, the number is expected to be high. * Mediaite | ABC Accuses Trump FCC of ‘Attempted Censorship’ In Fiery New Court Filing: “The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country: accommodate the Administration’s view of what news coverage should look like or pay the price,” the network wrote in the filing. ABC currently faces the potential loss of several broadcasting licenses. […] “The FCC has spent the last 18 months searching for some pretext for revoking the Stations’ licenses,” it also reads. “The Commission has found none, because the Stations easily meet the standard for license renewal—which under the law means that the Commission cannot revoke their licenses or order a hearing on their renewal applications.” Despite that, the FCC has pursued ABC “on multiple fronts.” * CNBC | U.S. economy slowed to 1.5% growth rate in Q2; June core inflation at 3.3%: Gross domestic product, a broad measure of goods and services, increased just 1.5% for the April-through June period, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis numbers adjusted for seasonality and inflation. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a growth rate of 1.8%, following the 2.1% increase in the first quarter.
|
|
Pritzker calls Bailey a racist, in Spanish
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * JB trying out his Spanish to blast his opponent for being a racist…
English translation…
* Pritzker’s bilingual attempts haven’t always gone so well…
* Anyway, Bailey responded to Pritzker’s latest…
|
|
It’s now signed into law
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker…
* Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz…
* Sen. Dave Koehler…
* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…
* Sen. Kimberly Lightford…
* Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel…
|
|
SDG says Welch support for more CPS money ‘monumental’
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. And subscribers know more. CTU President Stacy Davis Gates testified to the Chicago School Board meeting today about its budget vote…
That ’some reporter’ was me. And Harmon’s statement was not nearly as emphatic as Welch’s. The Speaker said he was taking the lead in sending more state money to Chicago Public Schools during veto session. Harmon said this…
* Now, let’s flash back to when CTU was vigorously defending the previously embattled House Speaker. From December of 2019…
Background on that story is here. A familiar playbook is being used right now. But that old battle plan didn’t end well.
|
|
Anybody wanna buy a wreck?
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * In my opinion, this hotel was needlessly run into the ground and then was mysteriously rendered inoperable and uninhabitable. So, I’ll volunteer to buy it if they promise to first tear it down and give me $20 million. Press release…
What’s your bid?
|
|
Today’s quotable (Updated)
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Assistant House Majority Leader Marcus Evans was asked about the controversy surrounding Speaker Chris Welch…
…Adding… I don’t think some commenters are really quite getting this. His message seemed pretty clear to me: There are plenty of people who want your job so sometimes it sucks to be you, but you gotta expect to take the scrutiny. Maybe some of y’all could use some more coffee or something.
|
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Speaker Welch pledges to CTU he’ll push for more CPS funding amid scrutiny over handling of harassment claims. Tribune…
- It’s the latest opportunity the Hillside Democrat has had to court progressive-minded interests as he navigates uncertain support among his own members, many of them progressives, as leader of the 78-member House Democratic Caucus. - It’s unclear where the state would find the money after Gov. JB Pritzker last month signed a nearly $56 billion budget that relied on a series of new taxes and other tweaks to come into balance, while also reviving some temporary election-year tax breaks Democrats last used when Pritzker sought a second term four years ago. * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Press release | Governor Pritzker Launches FRESH Program to Support up to 175,000 Illinoisans the Trump Administration Kicked Off SNAP: Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced that Illinoisans who lost their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive a one-time $400 benefit per eligible household member through the new Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) program. This $70 million program was enacted as part of the Governor’s FY27 budget, which was focused on making life more affordable for Illinois families especially after the Trump Administration slashed food assistance for Illinoisans. Approximately 100,000 Illinoisans will receive a one-time benefit beginning August 1, and IDHS will provide funding each month to additional individuals who lose coverage until funding is exhausted. * Tribune | Illinois lawmakers seek families hurt by courthouse immigration arrests as more states weigh right-to-sue laws: Illinois elected officials in the Latino Caucus and allied advocates are seeking to connect families of people arrested at courthouses with civil rights attorneys for potential legal action, Democratic state Rep. Lilian Jimenez of Chicago said Wednesday. The call for affected families came months after Illinois passed a law largely banning civil immigration enforcement against people involved in courthouse proceedings. It also coincided with an announcement that lawmakers in several other states are pursuing similar legislation that would make it easier for people to sue immigration enforcement agents, following Illinois’ lead. * WGLT | State’s Attorney is using FOIA to seek Unit 5’s communications with WGLT about Chiddix teachers: The state’s attorney sent a Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] request to Unit 5 asking for all emails, letters, text messages, FOIA requests and FOIA responses between Unit 5 and WGLT since January pertaining to Brandon Knapp and Andrew Miller. The two men are awaiting trial for alleged misconduct with children. Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Unit 5 said the school district had not anticipated the request. “We do not know the purpose of their FOIA request and do not wish to speculate,” the district said. * Illinois Times | New solar field could soon be owned by parent company of CyrusOne data center: linois Times asked AES if the company will prioritize powering operations or companies owned by parent Global Infrastructure Partners should AES stockholders approve the deal. Ella Walker, development manager for AES, did not directly answer the question in a response sent to IT. “This transaction will deliver compelling near-term value to stockholders and better position AES to drive sustained growth across its business units, allowing the company to deliver reliable energy solutions for customers and create long-term value for other stakeholders, including its workforce and local communities,” Walker wrote. * Center Square | Data centers warn of national security threat if centers don’t develop: “How about if we say ‘we’re not going to incentivize you, we’re going to tell you that you’ve got to bring energy with you,’” Pritzker said last week. “If you’re going to come and you’ve got to have closed loop systems that make sure that you’re not contaminating our water or taking too much of our water and costing people in your utility bills, water and electricity.” Data Centers Coalition Executive Vice President Dan Diorio told The Center Square that’s what developers are doing. He worries such a move will backfire. “That exemption provides a valuable incentive to ensure that communities are served by the most up to date equipment and the most energy efficient equipment,” Diorio told The States by The Center Square. “I worry that this is going to ultimately have and be a long term detriment, to fostering economic development, in the state of Illinois and elsewhere.” * WAND | Decatur residents raise concerns at data center town hall: These are some of the questions organizers hoped to answer during the “Let’s Talk Data Centers” town hall Wednesday night. Hundreds of residents attended the meeting, hoping to get clarity about how large-scale data centers could affect the community. One main concern is the environmental impact. “We were in a big drought in 2025, so water stress is coming,” said Andrew Rehn of Prairie Rivers Network. * WAND | Meeting to vote on Hut 8 rezoning, annexation in Latham for data center canceled: A meeting that was going to be held Monday where The Village of Latham Board of Trustees would have voted on the Hut 8 rezoning and annexation plan has been canceled. Data center developer Hut 8 filed an application with the Village of Latham to rezone farmland for a data center project. Hut 8 has not withdrawn its application for annexation. So, it is possible that the hearing will be rescheduled. * Grist | It’s official: Data centers are slowing America’s shift away from coal: A report released last week from the Energy Information Administration found that carbon emissions from the U.S. power sector rose by 4 percent last year — larger than the increase in the economy overall, where emissions only ticked up 2 percent. The agency attributes this rise to a 13 percent increase in coal power generation, partially driven by the proliferation of large-scale data centers. * WGN | Illinois vote-by-mail applications open August 5: Illinois voters will soon be able to apply for vote-by-mail ballots ahead of the November election, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Officials said applications for vote-by-mail open August 5. Voters who want to receive a ballot by mail must submit an application to their election authority either in person or online. The deadline to request a ballot is October 29. * WBEZ | Democratic state lawmakers push to hold ICE accountable nationwide: A group of Democratic state lawmakers from around the nation were in Chicago Wednesday to push for more legislation that would give the public the ability to sue U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents over fatal shootings and arrests made without warrants. “I never imagined that I would spend the majority of my first two years in my term drafting laws and helping support laws that protect people from our own federal government,” said state Sen. Graciela Guzman, D-Chicago, who led a news conference organized by an advocacy group known as State Innovation Exchange. * Tribune | NASCAR seeking larger grant from state to bring Chicago Street Race back in 2027: The problem, first reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, is that NASCAR was seeking $15 million from the state for next year’s event — up from the $5 million grant it received for the last Chicago Street Race in 2025, according to a source familiar with negotiations. NASCAR did not specifically address the reported $10 million funding gap Wednesday, but issued a statement touting the economic impact of the Chicago Street Race while confirming a deal is not done to bring it back in 2027. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois state elections board tells DOJ it follows federal law on voting integrity: “The Board and Illinois election authorities take very seriously their responsibility to maintain up-to-date and accurate voter registration records while ensuring that no eligible voters are disenfranchised by being mistakenly removed from the rolls,” Marni Malowitz, the state board’s general counsel, said in a letter Monday to the U.S. Department of Justice. “Illinois’s comprehensive list maintenance framework, consistent with the (National Voter Registration Act), ensures free and fair elections.” * Crain’s | Michael Madigan asks U.S. Supreme Court to review bribery conviction: Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review his conviction, saying the case gives the court a much-needed opportunity to resolve differing interpretations of federal bribery law. In a petition for review dated July 27, attorneys asked the court to overturn an April 27 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upholding his conviction on an array of corruption charges. * CBS Chicago | Bill to crack down on fraudulent tow truck operators goes to Gov. Pritzker’s desk: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ bill to crack down on rogue tow truck companies and strengthen oversight has been sent to the desk of Gov. JB Pritzker. The Illinois General Assembly approved HB 4843 unanimously. The bill expands the authority of the Secretary of State’s office to suspend or revoke certificates and special registration plates issued to tow truck and wrecker operators who obtain their registrations fraudulently, use tow truck license plates illegally, or otherwise violate vehicle registration laws. * WTTW | ‘I Hope to See Mayor Johnson Come Off the Sideline’ in Mayoral Race: CTU President Stacy Davis Gates: “I hope to see Mayor Johnson come off the sideline,” said Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union in an interview with WTTW News on Tuesday. “And I hope to see the people who support him get out here and pass a petition. If he’s not going to pass one, I’ll pass one for him.” The incumbent mayor kept reporters guessing when asked Tuesday about his reelection plans during an unrelated news conference. * Sun-Times | Latino high schools hit especially hard by teacher cuts in CPS budget heading for vote: High schools like Kelly are being hit hard by budget cuts that district officials acknowledge will affect the student experience. When laying out the budget earlier this month, the district said it was cutting nearly 1,000 core instructional positions, which include English and math teachers, as well as art teachers. But Chicago Public Schools only publicly released information on how exactly budget cuts are impacting individual schools on Monday — just days before Thursday’s budget vote and weeks later than it typically shares this information. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools budget conflict revolves around revenue assumptions, timing: Many board members don’t like the cuts in the current spending plan. Some say they’re a painful necessity to balance the budget. Others say the district should keep pushing for more state money, press the county over a tax-revenue issue, and pass a budget that assumes those dollars will come through. Why does CPS have to pass a budget this week to make September payroll? Two reasons: the late distribution of property taxes and the need to borrow money. * Sun-Times | Mayor makes a last appointment to Chicago school board, choosing leader on school integration plan: Connie Anderson will fill a vacancy on Chicago’s school board representing the city’s Far South Side, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office announced Wednesday. That means Anderson will get to serve for a few months in the seat she’s seeking in November, when Chicagoans will vote for all 21 members of the school board for the first time. She’s still facing a challenge to her candidacy, which will likely be decided by mid-August. There is one other candidate in that race and one expected write-in. * Sun-Times | City Council urged to postpone police superintendent search until after mayoral election: A key member of a Chicago police oversight body urged the City Council Wednesday to postpone the search for a permanent replacement for retired Police Supt. Larry Snelling until after the mayoral election. As president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, Anthony Driver led the nationwide search that culminated in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s selection of Snelling. Driver stepped down as president to mount what turned out to be a losing race for Congress, but he is still a commission member involved in the search for Snelling’s replacement. * Cook County Record | Chicago PD can’t curb class action over race-based traffic stops: In an opinion filed July 27, U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland granted class certification to five named plaintiffs who allege Fourteenth Amendment and Illinois Civil Rights Act violations. Rowland traced a four-decade history of lawsuits alleging Chicago Police discriminated in their stops of pedestrians. And she noted several successful legal challenges, including the 1999 U.S. Supreme Court opinion, Chicago v. Morales, that neutralized a Chicago “gang loitering” ordinance as unconstitutionally vague. * WTTW | Chicago Can’t Keep Trying to Poison Its Way Out of Rat Problem: Watchdog Report: By relying almost exclusively on complaints logged with 311 to determine where abatement is needed, Chicago’s Bureau of Rat Control — under the Department of Streets and Sanitation — is playing defense rather than offense, the report concluded. “This audit shows the need for a unified strategy, coordinated across city departments, to cut rats off from the resources that let them thrive and multiply,” said David Glockner, Inspector General for the city of Chicago. “Without a change in tactics, it will be nearly impossible to make lasting progress.” * Tribune | The story behind the White Sox pope hat: Initially, it was planned as a special ticket giveaway limited to 1,500 people attending. “It was a way for us to test the waters and, within 24 hours of the announcement, we tripled that number in ticket sales,” said Mike Downey, the White Sox senior director of marketing and fan promotions. “We were getting so much positive sentiment that we expanded it to an all-fan giveaway. Everyone who comes to the ballpark will get a pope hat.” * Daily Herald | ‘So caring’: Community rallies to help Wheaton pantry that lost three tons of food after storm: “The folks who live around PRC in Wheaton and Westmont are so caring and generous. As soon as we announced we had to discard food and asked for help, we immediately started hearing from people,” she said. Closed Tuesday for cleanup, the PRC — which also operates a clothing closet and offers educational programs including computer training, literacy and job coaching — reopened Wednesday. * Tribune | Forest Park cemetery workers arrested during Operation Midway Blitz seek damages: Daniel Greer and Darren Eichler, who were detained while at work at Concordia Cemetery, are not suing the government but instead seeking compensation — $1 million each — under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows citizens to pursue compensation for wrongdoing by federal employees. […] According to the claim, the federal agents who were shouting from the other side of the river then crossed a footbridge into the cemetery. Greer and Eichler, along with their supervisor and co-worker, retreated into a locked area by the cemetery’s water intake building and told the agents they disapproved of their actions. Their supervisor began videotaping the agents, who allegedly cut the padlock on the gate, tackled both Greer and Eichler, sprayed them with chemical munitions and restrained them. * Daily Herald | Not what it once was, but still plenty of ag to show off and celebrate at Lake County Fair: “Lake County in general isn’t as much an agricultural county as some of the others, but we still do have plenty of agriculture in this county we want to show off and celebrate,” she later added. In fact, the Lake County Fair Association’s mission “shall be the preservation of the past, promotion of the future, and education on the future of agriculture, horticulture, mechanical arts, rural and domestic economy of the Lake County community.” * Tribune | Former gubernatorial candidate Rick Heidner buys $5.2M Barrington mansion from Motorola Solutions CEO: With about 8% of the vote in the Republican primary, Heidner lost to winner Darren Bailey, who snared 53% of the vote and now is facing off in the general election for governor in a rematch against incumbent Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker. Longtime real estate developers and managers, Heidner and his wife, Alisa, in 2012 founded Gold Rush Gaming, which now operates in more than 700 locations around Illinois. The Heidners also own the Ricky Rockets fuel center gas station chain and a wholesale fuel supplier. * WCIA | Sean Grayson hearing to decide whether he is released early from prison, citing terminal cancer: Speaking with WCIA on Wednesday, Hall explained that during Grayson’s hearing, neither he nor his lawyers will not be present. A three-person panel will consider the case; deliberations will be made in private, but the vote will be made in public. If the board grants Grayson release from prison, he will be on supervised release for five years. * WTVO | Rockford Alderwoman Gabrielle Torina seeks appointment as interim mayor following McNamara resignation:Rockford 5th Ward Alderwoman Gabrielle Torina announced Wednesday that she intends to seek appointment as the city’s next interim mayor following Mayor Tom McNamara’s planned resignation at the end of August. Torina becomes the first member of the Rockford City Council to publicly declare her interest in serving as interim mayor, a position that the council will fill after McNamara leaves office on August 31. The council is expected to select one of its members to serve as acting mayor beginning September 1 while the city prepares for a special mayoral election in 2027. * WCIA | Springfield Diocese sued over sexual abuse allegations involving former Taylorville priest: A lawsuit filed in Sangamon County last week alleges the Catholic Archdiocese of Springfield enabled and concealed the sexual abuse of an altar boy by a former priest in Taylorville in the 1990s. The lawsuit was filed by Gould Grieco & Hensley PLLC on July 22, 2026. It alleges that Father John O’Connell — who served at St. Mary’s Catholic School and Parish in Taylorville — sexually abused a young boy between 1991 and 1994. O’Connell died in 2002 at the age of 68. * WCIA | Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office employee let go after online video: They said the off-duty employee made “insensitive and derogatory” remarks and are “completely inconsistent with the values, professionalism, and standards expected of every member of this agency.” The man in the video, which is widespread on social media, says that “I don’t want any minorities here, that’s how it is.” * STLPR | Miles Davis’ metro-east home collects stories to celebrate 100 years of influence: House of Miles East St. Louis launched its storytelling initiative earlier this year. Museum curators want to memorialize the artist by collecting memorabilia owned by people who had known Davis or have memories of his childhood home, now the site of the museum. The project started after curators heard from visitors of their experiences with Davis, said Lauren Parks, president and founder of the museum. * WGLT | McLean County Penguin Project launches theater program for adult performers with disabilities: The chapter’s existing theater program, which modifies full-scale musicals for the stage, serves performers ages 10 to 24. Director Jackie Gunderson said the upper age limit was set deliberately: many services for disabled people end at 22, often the same year other supports, therapies and social routines fall away all at once. Setting the traditional program’s cutoff at 24 gave participants a two-year buffer before joining the alumni program, allowing the actors to acclimate to the adult-style program. * IPM Newsrooom | Weatherman-turned-congressman Eric Sorensen wants to guide weather preparedness from D.C.: Sorensen said he’d like to see the federal government take a more proactive role in more accurately forecasting the weather and warning the public when precautions are necessary. He said the federal government is usually associated with weather disasters after the fact, such as the floods in Texas in July of last year when more than 100 people were killed. […] Sorensen found a Republican colleague, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska — another former broadcaster — to help form the Weather Enterprise Caucus. It’s a group of lawmakers who will assess weather forecasting and research, and examine the weather’s impact on the economy, national security and our general safety. * Chalkbeat | As more teen boys turn to sports betting, financial literacy teachers rush to show gambling’s real odds: Data obtained by Chalkbeat from GoGuardian, an education software company that provides institutions tools to block and restrict certain webpages, shows that the rate of sites blocked in its gambling, betting and fantasy sports category has increased nearly 30% since the company started tracking in 2022, from a low of 13.48 blocks per 1,000 students to 17.4 this year. The company blocks roughly 140,000 attempts to access such sites on average every month — although that’s still a tiny fraction of the 86 million monthly attempts to access blocked content.
|
|
Good morning!
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * RIP Glen Hansard… And of all the money that e’er I spent This is an Illinois open thread.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jul 30, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Speaker Welch tells CTU he will ‘lead’ the effort for more CPS funding in veto session (Updated x2)
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Shoring up allies…
* Transcript…
…Adding… The governor’s office did not directly respond, but pointed instead to an answer he gave yesterday on EBF…
…Adding… Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesperson…
|
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel…
Click here for the petition. Click here for the story. * Maze Jackson has responded to our post. Click here. * Capitol News Illinois | Reports: IDOT, Tollway capital programs boost economic development: A study from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute found that the Rebuild Illinois capital construction has resulted in a boost in economic activity that equals $1.79 for every dollar invested. A twin study examining the Illinois Tollway’s nearly-complete Move Illinois capital program estimates the return at just over $2 for every dollar invested. * WBEZ | New Illinois law lets courts wade into pet disputes involving unmarried couples: Divorcing couples were already able to fight for custody of a shared pet in Illinois. State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, who sponsored the legislation, said people reached out to her after losing custody of their pet because they weren’t married to the other owner. “Either they were in an abusive relationship, and the partner used their pet as leverage to stay in the relationship, or there were military people that had an emotional support animal, and unfortunately, had to leave them behind because their partner wanted to keep it,” she said. “There was no path for them to fight for the animal.” * Press release | Giannoulias Initiative Strengthens Oversight of Tow Truck Industry and Fights Fraud: House Bill 4843, which the Illinois General Assembly approved unanimously, expands the Secretary of State’s authority to suspend or revoke certificates and special registration plates issued to tow truck and wrecker operators who fraudulently obtain registrations, illegally use tow truck plates or violate vehicle registration laws. “For too long, rogue tow-truck operators have exploited loopholes in the system, deceived consumers and undercut the honest businesses that play by the rules,” Giannoulias said. “This legislation gives us stronger enforcement tools to identify bad actors, revoke their registrations and remove them from Illinois roads.” * Tribune | Trade union jabs Mayor Brandon Johnson as mayoral petitions circulate: LiUNA Local 1001 business manager Bob Chianelli accused the Johnson-appointed leaders of the departments of Transportation, William Cheaks, and Aviation, Michael McMurray, of violating the laborers’ contracts and treating them “like indentured servants.” “Most of the members of Local 1001 are middle class working men and women with families who go to work every day and just want what’s coming to them,” Chianelli said. “They don’t need to be insulted, degraded and abused by these two rogue Commissioners who think they are Kings and not public servants.” * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson signs executive order aimed at bad gun sellers: Johnson’s order calls for stricter standards and disclosure requirements for the firearm and ammunition wholesalers the city buys from to arm the Chicago Police Department. The mayor told reporters the new rules will allow the city to steer money away from stores that regularly sell guns used in crimes. “If a vendor fails to take seriously its responsibility to prevent the unlawful diversion of firearms, it should not expect to profit from Chicago taxpayer dollars,” he said. * WTTW | Agency Charged With Probing Chicago Police Department Misconduct Created ‘Vacuum of Accountability’ By Clearing Backlog: Watchdog: But the initiative also “allowed misconduct to go unaddressed,” according to the analysis. “By administratively closing hundreds of cases COPA may have alleviated its own burden, but it also created a vacuum of accountability within the police oversight system it is mandated to uphold,” the analysis concluded, warning the agency against implementing similar efforts in the future. * Block Club | As Beverly Speed Cameras Continue To Rack Up Tickets, One Camera Could Be On The Move: In its first year in operation, the Western Avenue camera had 11 days where it recorded over 1,000 speeding violations. It holds 73 of the 200 all-time largest single-day totals for violations enforced by a single camera, according to data from the Chicago data portal. * Sun-Times | Indicted ex-Loretto Hospital executive no longer fighting extradition to the U.S., attorney says: The former chief financial officer of Loretto Hospital who left the United States before federal grand jurors handed up two fraud indictments against him will no longer contest extradition from Serbia, where he has been held in custody since November, his lawyer told a judge Wednesday. That means Anosh Ahmed might soon return to Chicago to face criminal charges. But the news also comes as federal prosecutors here have grappled with a scandal that’s rippled through the city’s courthouse and led to the dismissal of charges against two of Ahmed’s co-defendants. * WGN | Feds: Chicago investors scammed in $100M alleged fraud by ‘Joker’ movie producer: His film credits include producer titles in blockbuster movies including “Joker,” “House of Gucci” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife;” but now Jason Cloth has another title — alleged fraudster whose victims include people from the Chicago area. A Chicago grand jury indicted Cloth on seven counts of wire fraud. The Canadian film producer and financier is accused of defrauding clients of Chicago-area investment firm out of at least $100M. * Sun-Times | Rep. Delia Ramirez takes medical leave during August recess to recover from surgical procedure: “That’s why I am sharing that I will be taking a several-week-long planned leave over the August recess to recover from a time-sensitive and medically required surgical procedure,” Ramirez said in a written statement. She did not disclose further details of the medical treatment. The U.S. House has been in recess since July 23 and plans to return to session on Aug. 31. Ramirez, 43, said her medical procedure will coincide with the recess, and while her offices remain closed until Aug. 3 for the recess break, they will reopen on Aug. 4. * Chicago Reader | An oasis inside the Cook County jail?: While the building wouldn’t have real oases or groves, the team promised to bring those healing, soothing properties indoors. But DLR wasn’t enlisted to design a hospital, a behavioral health center, or any other site you might typically consider restorative. Rather, the studio had been hired by Cook County officials to design a $7.1 million “enhanced visitation center” at the notoriously dangerous—and sometimes deadly—county jail. It is expected to include small and large meeting rooms, an open atrium that could be converted into a community event space, a spot for wraparound social services, a kids’ play area, and an outdoor patio. Site preparation is already underway, and the county is planning to break ground later this fall. * Pioneer Press | Police respond to bomb threat at Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital, investigation underway: Evanston police are investigating a reported suspicious item with exposed wires found outside of Endeavor Health Evanston Hospital Tuesday evening, according to a police department news release. Police told Pioneer Press the owner of the bag in which the item was discovered has since been identified but there is no believed “active threat to the hospital or the public.” * Journal Courier | Waverly reviews water contract over data center concerns: The city approved hiring outside counsel through Brown, Hay & Stephens to represent the city of Waverly in discussions with Apple Creek Water Cooperative, which is expected to supply water to the CyrusOne data center. “Right now we are exploring our contract with Apple Creek and the language in it,” Samaras said. “This is related to the data center.” The data center will be constructed in Talkington Township, just a few miles from Waverly in Sangamon County. * Illinois Times | Future uncertain for Logan County data center: Village President Theodore Allen said he would vote for the Miami-based company’s proposal to have the Logan County village of 350 people annex property set aside for the data center, then classify the agricultural land in a business zone for that purpose. But Allen told Illinois Times on July 23 that he informally polled village trustees and determined the plan would fail if called for a vote. When informed about board members’ leanings by phone, Hut 8 officials agreed to withdraw their application and focus on winning zoning approval at the county level, Allen said. * Illinois Times | 183rd Wing to lose jet engine repair mission at Capital Airport: The U.S. Air Force is eliminating the long-standing jet engine repair mission at the Illinois Air National Guard’s 183rd Wing at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, a move that will affect 192 positions as the military shifts away from maintaining older aircraft. The Air National Guard Readiness Center informed the Illinois National Guard earlier this year that the 183rd Wing must divest its Centralized Repair Facility mission, which maintains and repairs engines for F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft and U-2 surveillance planes. The divestiture is expected to be completed by April 1, 2027. * Farm Progress | Costello looks to future of Illinois State Fairgrounds: One of the biggest changes? The old 4-H dormitory building that sat vacant for two decades and was condemned over 10 years ago was finally demolished earlier in the summer. Costello credited Gov. JB Pritzker with making that happen, following his tour of the fairgrounds after the 2025 state fair. “I told him, ‘This is an eyesore, and it’s unsafe. If we could take it down, the footprint is huge, and there’s a way to make that space into something that enhances the fairgrounds, produces revenue for the state and is good for everyone,’” Costello said. * Farm Week | Early indications show Illinois State Fair weather avoiding ‘extremes’: “The latest outlooks show equal chances of above- and below-average temperatures, and a better chance of a little bit of drier weather,” said Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford during a Tuesday guest spot on the RFD Radio Network. “Right now, there’s no indication of particularly or unusually hot weather or unusually or extremely severe or wet weather.” * WCIA | Harness racing on last legs in Central IL as fans try to bring the sport back to past glory: “The Sulkey Sisters are trying to do, like, fun, family friendly activities and draw people back into the stands,” Henderson said. “You know, giveaways and driver meet-and-greets.” Harness racing has been a staple at the Champaign County Fairgrounds for decades, but it’s not bringing the crowds it used to. * Investor’s Business Daily | AI Data Center Turbines, Backlogged For Years, Are Suffering Early Deaths: The problem begins with fluctuating computational loads that gulp down energy for artificial intelligence operations, such as training machine learning models. Changes in normal grid demand tend to be gradual. […] But they are designed to run steadily for days, weeks or months at a time. And, by its nature, AI training demand comes in short-term surges. This cycling on and off appears to be sharply reducing the life of the turbines, leading to downtime and costly repairs or, worse yet, the need for new equipment as the backlog for new turbine deliveries runs to the end of the decade.
|
|
It’s now signed into law
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WAND…
* Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel…
* Rep. Martin McLaughlin…
* WJOL…
* The Alzheimer’s Association…
* More…
* Press release | Turner law strengthens school policies for service animals: Students who need service animals in order to equally access public schools are protected under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Senate Bill 2761 will set the tone for school environments that value diversity and inclusion by adding training on the proper handling of service animals in the school setting to the ADA training teachers, administrators and school support personnel already receive. Turner’s law came in response to an incident involving a Rochester High School student who utilizes a medical alert dog to manage her Type 1 diabetes – alerting the student when her blood sugar drops too low and helping her stay alive. In November, the student reported harassment from other students at a school board meeting, claiming her peers would step on her Labrador’s legs – hurting his hips – pull his tail, throw food at him and bark at him in the hallways. In a video posted by the student on social media, she spoke about the issues and said the school district has not taken action to protect her service animal.
|
|
Giannoulias planning ’special announcement’ rally in Bronzeville this Sunday
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
|
|
Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
Comments Off |
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update (Updated)
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Comments Off |
|
RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A Bloomington staple for generations, AB Hatchery & Garden Center is your one-stop shop for gardening, pet care, and animal supplies. Owner Bill Inks combines his expertise in horticulture and retail with exceptional customer service to help every customer find exactly what they need. Whether you’re shopping for native Illinois plants, specialty pet food, or backyard chickens, you’ll find what you need at AB Hatchery. 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 Bill in Bloomington 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/.
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: As Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch navigates a new crisis, an older scandal remains unresolved. Sun-Times…
- But five years later — as new questions emerge about whether Welch slow-walked sexual harassment accusations brought against now-former state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield — there is no indication any such investigation ever occurred. - Welch’s government spokesman said it was news to him if there was ever talk in 2021 about an investigation into this “very old story,” but he said he would check into it. He never got back to a reporter. * At 3 pm, Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver remarks at the 2026 UnidosUS Annual Conference in Austin, Texas. Click here to watch. * Rep. Fred Crespo | Did Illinois’ Speaker of the House normalize sexual harassment?: We cannot accept that. Everyone must work toward zero tolerance, and we can start by investigating the issues the Tribune reported. The speaker’s failure to protect sexual harassment victims certainly requires transparency and answers. At best, his failure to adequately respond to sexual harassment complaints is the consequence of poor management and irresponsibility. At worst, the speaker doesn’t take sexual harassment seriously and his office normalizes such behavior. […] As a member of the Leadership Council for Women In Need Growing Stronger (WINGS), which has provided pathways to independence for victims of domestic violence since 1985, I have zero tolerance for sexual harassment. But the speaker doesn’t. And that’s a problem. I don’t believe that I am the only Democrat who is tired of politics getting in the way of protecting victims. I urge my colleagues in the House to call for the speaker’s resignation, renew its call for zero tolerance, and perhaps even push for the state’s first-ever female speaker of the house. * Illinois Times | Data center development linked to power plant construction: Ken Loeber, a founder of North Carolina-based Eagle Rock Partners, told the Christian County Board on June 16 that Eagle Rock worked out a power purchase agreement with the future power plant’s owner and developer, New Jersey-based Kindle Energy LLC. Such an agreement would allow Eagle Rock’s proposed Meridian Technology Park data center southwest of Taylorville to get all of the 1,000 to 1,100 megawatts it needs from the long-delayed Lincoln Land Energy Center. A power purchase agreement could be less expensive for Eagle Rock than buying power from the regional electrical grid. Loeber told Christian County officials that the agreement with Kindle would be important for Eagle Rock’s plans to proceed. * Rep. Angie Guerrero-Guellar | ComEd’s $15 billion grid plan fuels questionable spending: The most troubling finding is not just how much ComEd wants to spend, but how it is trying to classify the spending. CUB identified $96 million in capital spending, plus $18 million more in operating costs, that ComEd labeled “mandatory” even though it’s clearly discretionary. That distinction matters under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, known as CEJA. CUB found that “ComEd hid these expenses in the mandatory category to skirt the CEJA mandate of having to prove that the benefits of discretionary spending outweigh the costs.” * Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker says he has now seen the January Illinois State Police shooting video, but defers to local decision: “First of all, I received a full briefing about the video and about the circumstances back in January,” Pritzker said upon questioning from CNI insider Brenden Moore at an unrelated event Tuesday in Elgin. “So that’s six months, really when it happened, we were made aware. Did not watch the video back then.” He said he watched the video in the past week — though he didn’t directly comment on it. Instead, he pointed to the St. Clair County state’s attorney, the locally elected official who declined to charge the trooper, Gary Blake Novack. * Center Square | IL FOID litigants given deadline to provide joint status report: Plaintiffs suing over the ID requirement to own and possess not just guns but ammunition say it violates their Second and 14th Amendment rights. Attorney Jacob Huebert of the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed the lawsuit in May, saying it’s been around since 1967. […] Illinois State Police and Cook County asked for a delay in their response, which was initially due in June. A judge granted that extension. The eventual response was provided earlier this month. Defendants denied the law violates civil liberties, among the 75 other allegations made through the complaint. * Center Square | US Senate race: Tracy rips Stratton for liberal policies, not committing to debate: Juliana for Illinois campaign spokesperson Allison Janowski said Stratton “has previously stated that she welcomes the opportunity to debate Tracy.” Stratton was not available for an interview with The Center Square for this story, but Janowski said they would look for “future opportunities.” * 21st Show | Secretary overseeing state department of early childhood discusses Illinois’ childcare challenges: The new department’s secretary, Teresa Ramos has served in leadership roles at education nonprofits Illinois Action for Children and Advance Illinois. Before becoming Secretary for the Department of Early Childhood, she was first assistant deputy governor for education under Pritzker. Ramos discusses the role of the new department and how it’s navigating ongoing shortages in staffing and availability for childcare across the state. * Crain’s | Chicago’s acting CFO exits ahead of Johnson’s next budget showdown: The exit comes a little more than a month before the city will release an updated budget forecast that will likely tweak the projected $89 million 2026 deficit and provide a projected 2027 shortfall that the mayor and City Council must close with a budget plan by the end of the year. Despite the interim title, the Johnson administration leaned on Mahr to provide public testimony against a state bill that would have hastened the Chicago Bears exit to Arlington Heights and during committee hearings to spar with a frustrated City Council coalition over the 2026 budget they approved over the mayor’s objection. * Tribune | ‘This is exhausting’: Chicago school board race objections leave 5 seats uncontested: District 10A candidate Tameka Walton was removed from the ballot at Tuesday’s meeting. However, she will still challenge incumbent Che “Rhymefest” Smith as a write-in candidate endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union. To date, objection challenges have kicked six candidates off the ballot. Candidates running in Districts 9A and 10A on the South Side, Districts 8A and 8B on the Southwest Side and District 4B on the North Side have been removed from the ballot since June, leaving the races technically uncontested. * Sun-Times | Lake View man sues feds for raiding his home, arresting construction worker during Midway Blitz: Using the camera’s microphone, Feler told the agents they were trespassing and demanded they get off his property, according to the lawsuit. A tenant, who was home at the time, also demanded a warrant but was ignored. One worker was arrested by federal agents, and dozens of Feler’s neighbors were tear-gassed while protesting. Feler returned home to find several “puddles of blood” and tens of thousands of dollars in damage to his property, according to the lawsuit. * WGN | Lobbyist John Kelly launches campaign for Chicago Mayor on The Point: In anticipation of the campaign, Kelly says he has de-registered as a lobbyist but retains ownership of his firm. He plans to have someone else control the company while he runs for office. “When you’re working on behalf of those clients, you know how to make government work,” Kelly said during an interview on The Point. * Crain’s | West Suburban, Weiss owners punt again on settlement as community groups push for state action: This afternoon, Cook County Chancery Division Judge Patrick Stanton heard from lawyers from Ramco, the real estate company owned by Rathnaker Patlola, and Resilience, in which Patlola has a minority 40% stake. Ramco attorney Scott Kaplan requested permission to make a motion that Stanton enforce the existing settlement agreement. “The problem is everyone should be trying to reopen these hospitals,” Kaplan said about getting the settlement enforced. * CBS Chicago | Man accused of stealing automated license plate reading cameras in Lisle, Illinois, speaks out: Anthony Pareigis and his two friends, Jacob Steichmann and Thomas Yano, are charged with vandalizing and stealing five Flock automated license plate reader cameras on Sunday. “We probably wouldn’t tolerate a policeman on every corner photographing every single one of us as we drove on by,” Pareigis said. Flock cameras photograph license plates and vehicle characteristics, creating searchable records that police say help solve crimes, recover stolen vehicles and locate missing people. The company says the cameras do not use facial recognition. * Sun-Times | Libertyville man gets 6 months in prison for threatening federal judges with photos of bullets: So while Lebuhn insisted he’d made a one-time mistake, Ellis said she had “to think about the people that are sitting in front of their computer who are angry and frustrated and feel like they don’t have a voice, and they feel like the world is going in a direction they don’t agree with.” Then she gave Lebuhn six months in prison, reminding the 66-year-old Libertyville man that “if we allow folks to just do what they want and threaten people in order to get the outcome that they want, that will ruin democracy faster really than anything we can do.” * Daily Herald | ‘We can’t be bystanders’: Rolling Meadows mayor announces reelection bid amid Bears stadium saga: Touting her regional approach to the prospective Chicago Bears redevelopment just over the backyard fence, Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica has announced plans to seek reelection next spring. And in a town once beset by council wars, Sanoica also can tout the endorsements of all seven city council members. So far, no one has lined up to run against the 35-year-old, first-term mayor. Candidates can begin circulating petitions in late August for the April 6, 2027, election. * Daily Herald | ‘DuPage was hit hard’: Tornado confirmed in Glen Ellyn, straight-line winds strike Carol Stream, Downers Grove: Monday’s weather saw a slew of warnings and watches take effect throughout the suburbs. By Monday evening, nearly 320,000 customers were without power, according to ComEd. Around 170,000 ComEd customers remained without power Tuesday. As of 2:15 p.m., there were still 29,870 customers without power in DuPage County. Power outages led to closures and cancellations. The College of DuPage canceled classes in some buildings on its Glen Ellyn campus, due to a lack of electricity. * Crain’s | Northwestern lands $20M for first publicly accessible AI-powered protein lab in U.S.: Northwestern University will establish the first publicly assessable “cloud laboratory” for protein engineering in the nation, with a $20 million, four-year award from the National Science Foundation, the school announced. The Northwestern lab will be one of 20 National Science Foundation-funded programmable cloud laboratory — or PCL — test beds that will make up a network of remotely accessible, AI-enabled labs to let researchers share expensive, sophisticated equipment and conduct experiments from their own locations around the country. * WCIA | From the Farm: Federal budget cuts hit U of I research: The White House’s Office of Management and Budget has admitted to cancelling congressionally approved research grants to institutions such as the University of Illinois. The loss of funding is something that Senior Vice Chancellor Susan Martinis said is very serious. Agricultural research in Illinois could be set back if research fund cancellations continue. * Muddy River News | Anti-public camping ordinance goes before next week’s Quincy City Council meeting: The city is using a model generated by the Illinois Municipal League (IML) following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which allows local governments to regulate or ban camping on public property. Dozens of Illinois municipalities have since adopted local camping restrictions, sparking ongoing debate and state legislative pushback. The model ordinance suggests the city provide a posted notice of campsite removal at least 24 hours in advance. The exact language of Quincy’s version is expected to be released several hours before next Monday’s meeting. Agendas are usually finalized by 2 or 3 p.m. * WGLT | After forum, Bloomington-Normal unions endorse Democrats across the board for November elections: Appearing at the forum were all Democrats running for county board positions as well as three Republicans, plus Republican countywide candidates Kathy Michael (incumbent county clerk), Rebecca McNeil (incumbent treasurer, unopposed), and Jon Albee (sheriff, unopposed). Democratic clerk challenger Joshua Crockett also attended. All 10 Democratic candidates for county board, as well as Crockett, were subsequently endorsed by the union delegates. * WGLT | How siloed investigations and mistrust left Unit 5 in the lurch in Chiddix cases: Despite Andrew Miller and Brandon Knapp being removed from their classrooms at Chiddix Junior High, many asked why the two men were kept on the taxpayer-funded payroll as the criminal investigations unfolded — and why Unit 5 didn’t do more to protect its students. The reality is Unit 5 was caught flat-footed, in part because police and prosecutors kept the school district in the dark. A WGLT investigation showed Unit 5 repeatedly tried to gain information about Knapp’s case — and was repeatedly rebuffed, limiting the district’s ability to act swiftly. * The Journalist’s Resource | Rethinking the campus mental health “crisis”: 3 things journalists should know: The most striking evidence of these intergenerational connections comes from a cohort of students from the Class of 1975 at Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges. When we returned to this cohort and re-interviewed them fifty years after graduation, they assumed their experiences were profoundly different from those of their children and grandchildren. But, when they listened to their past interviews, they discovered instead how much they had in common with later generations. * MPR News | Elon Musk’s company sues Minnesota over new law to bar manipulated images to fake nudity: Companies that violate the law could face a $500,000 penalty for each unlawful use. There are exceptions within law for cases that require technical or artistic skill. […] Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, posted on X that he was prepared to defend the law. “Using AI to generate nude images of people against their will is appalling. There are plenty of worthy debates to have about AI. This is not one of them. AI nudification robs the target of their dignity and could cause them immense harm on many levels,” Ellison wrote. “I’ll see X in court.”
|
|
Good morning!
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I played bass guitar in a few bands way back in the day and Stanley Clarke was one of my idols, even though I could never play even close to his caliber. He was up in the stars, I was barely crawling on terra firma. Anyway, Ray Gomez played a killer lead guitar on Clarke’s break-through album “School Days” and Ray passed away this week. RIP… This is an Illinois open thread.
|
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jul 29, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Illinois NOW: ‘We should be able to trust that men in leadership, who claim to want to protect women, will actually do so’
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois National Organization for Women…
|
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Shaw Local…
* JB for Governor…
* Capitol City Now | Pritzker defends Choate layoffs: Gov. JB Pritzker Tuesday defended the layoffs of about 250 people who worked at the Choate Mental Health Center (pictured) in southern Illinois. “Remember, the reason there are staff reductions is because we have literally moved the developmentally disabled residents there to better facilities; so, at some point, you don’t need staff when there is nobody at that facility,” said Pritzker after a bill-signing ceremony in Elgin. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois recognizes gambling addiction, allowing new treatment options: The legislation, Senate Bill 2749, updates the state’s existing Substance Use Disorder Act to codify gambling addiction under the same framework as alcohol and drug use disorders, allowing the Illinois Department of Human Services’ behavioral health division to offer programs and support to compulsive gamblers and affected families. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, said recognizing the disorder under the law would make it easier for the state to provide resources for those struggling with gambling addiction. * Daily Herald | ‘I was unable to speak’: Autism advocates laud statewide Blue Envelope Program for traffic stops: The intent is to “make traffic stops safer, calmer and more predictable for drivers with autism spectrum disorder and the law enforcement officers who serve our communities,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who helped steer the legislation. The program will be managed by the secretary of state’s office and standardized blue envelopes will be available at DMVs and participating police departments starting in 2027. * Tribune | Chicago Public Schools ups tax increment financing dollars in budget by $85 million to avoid furloughs: The change raises the district’s anticipated TIF surplus to $285 million in its proposed 2026-27 budget, replacing savings that would have come from cutting five paid professional development days. TIF districts are special taxing zones aimed at spurring redevelopment by pooling increases in property tax revenue within a designated area. When City Hall declares a surplus, that pooled money is returned proportionally to the taxing districts, with roughly half going to CPS and a quarter going to the city. * WBEZ | CPS reverses course, says no staff furloughs ahead of budget vote: Board members technically have until Aug. 30 to sign off on a spending plan, but district officials say they need a balanced budget in place to secure a short-term loan. Without that loan, district officials say they won’t be able to make payroll in September. Supt. Macquline King said she decided to make the change after holding budget hearings and listening to other feedback. She also indicated that she wanted to improve the chances that the budget would be approved on Thursday. * Block Club | Advocates Urge City To Keep Funding For Free Legal Services For Immigrants: Chicago immigrants need legal aid, services and information to navigate their cases, help a loved one and prepare for a potential immigration arrest, immigration advocates said. To meet that need, the city’s Legal Protection Fund provides money to local groups that offer free legal aid and educate immigrant communities about their rights. As of March 31, it’s spent $4.48 million of the $4.5 million it’s allocated for the fund, city data shows. * Block Club | Construction Begins On Logan Square’s Megamall Plaza: The hope is the redesigned space, tentatively called the Logan Square Megamall Plaza, will complement nearby public amenities, including the updated traffic circle. “The vision for the plaza is to create a welcoming public space that supports local economic development and provides opportunities for community gathering and events,” Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th) wrote in his newsletter last week announcing the start of construction. * Naperville Sun | Naperville could replace grocery tax with higher sales tax: Last year, the council implemented a 1% local grocery tax to fill a $6.5 million budget deficit created when the General Assembly abolished the statewide grocery tax. The city’s new tax took effect Jan. 1. At the July 21 council meeting, staff reported that tax revenue has fallen short of expectations because early compliance was weaker than anticipated. * Daily Southtown | La Grange Park officials highlight a year of ‘difficult projects’ in State of the Village address: “The work that we’re getting ready to start on are very difficult projects and took years of planning and years of saving in order to bring them to reality,” village manager Julia Cedillo told a crowd of about 30 residents at the July 22 event at the La Grange Park Public Library, which was moderated by deputy village manager Maggie Jarr. “It’s very hard to pick any one of the items on the agenda. There are so many wonderful things that the staff and Village Board have been working on together during the last year and few years that we’re so proud of,” Cedillo said. * Pioneer Press | Clarendon Hills board nixes $3.2 million no-bid streetscape contract: Tech said Sunday that he was surprised by the outcome of the July 20 board vote denying a contract with Burke LLC. “I believed the proposal was consistent with the board’s objectives and the direction we have been moving to improve the overall safety and viability of our downtown area,” he said. “I plan to meet individually with the board members to determine which priorities we should focus on moving forward.” Tech said he believes the idea of a no-bid contract was a major stumbling block toward board approval. * NPR Illinois | Sangamon County board member seeking to put recall referendum on November ballot: Illinois allows governors to be recalled, but local recalls are handled on a per-municipality basis. The Chicago suburbs of Buffalo Grove, Wheeling and Arlington Heights all have established recall for their officials; Cahnman said that several other states also have set up this process. […] Cahnman tried to get similar petitions through county government after the shooting of Sonya Massey in 2024 by Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson. After the shooting, then-Sheriff Jack Campbell was discovered to have “ignored a million red flags” about hiring Grayson, Cahnman said. * WAND | Macon Co. Sheriff’s Office concludes oversight of Macon Co. Animal Control: For about 20 years, the Sheriff’s Office entered into what was intended to be a temporary agreement to help the County Board stabilize the agency. Instead, the temporary arrangement continued for two decades. As an independent county department, Animal Control will operate under the oversight of the County. * WAND | Downtown Springfield sees new businesses and plans: Twelve new businesses are expected to open in Downtown Springfield between winter 2025 and fall 2026, according to Jay Shanle, executive director of Downtown Springfield Incorporated. Shanle took over as executive director in April and has changed how business owners and community members see the area. “Downtown is a unique environment,” Shanle said. “It’s something that you can’t get anywhere else in Springfield. It’s a special place that the people want to be a part of.” * Capitol City Now | Murphy talks up Chamber: Mike Murphy says he is living the dream. “I know this may sound corny to some, but I just wake up every day wanting to make sure everyone has the opportunities that I did,” said the president and CEO of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. “Our members are tremendous. I know how hard it is. I say the most important thing our members do is put the key in the door and open up every day, because it not only gives the people of our community the opportunity for their services, but, more importantly, it gives all their employees the opportunity to have a job.” * NPR Illinois | Batter Up! Women’s Pro Baseball League to launch in Springfield this weekend: The Women’s Pro Baseball League is the fifth professional league for women’s baseball in U.S. history. Its first season will begin 71 years after the closure of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was immortalized in the 1992 movie “A League of Their Own.” League organizers previously said that Springfield was chosen for its inaugural season because of its proximity to cities like Chicago and St. Louis, as well as the fact it was the site of the first professional women’s baseball game in 1875. * AP | Minnesota’s first-in-the-nation law banning prediction markets is halted in federal court: U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez in Minnesota found that the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Kalshi and Polymarket were likely to succeed in their challenge to the law and that letting it take effect would cause “irreparable harm” to the operators. The law was scheduled to take effect Saturday. It would have made it a crime to create or operate prediction markets or help administer nearly any activity connected to one. The law will remain blocked while the lawsuit proceeds. * CNN | AI is making your life more expensive: Recent data shows that the gargantuan interest and investment in AI adoption (estimated to be around $750 billion for this year alone) have pushed a variety of prices higher, lifting overall inflation in the process. “The higher inflation means that households must spend just over $375 more to purchase the same goods and services as they did this time last year due to AI’s inflationary impact,” Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, wrote in an email to CNN. The good news: AI is still just a minor contributor (an estimated 0.2 percentage points) of overall inflation, and the impacts are currently limited to a handful of categories. * Axios | America’s blood supply “alarmingly” low, patient care at risk, Red Cross says: The Red Cross says it has “less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood,” which is the most commonly transfused blood type. Due to the shortage, the organization is limiting distribution of type O blood to hospitals. Blood donations fell to a four-year summer low in 2026, the Red Cross said on Monday.
|
|
Rate the new HRO ads
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * My own opinion is that if the alleged victim didn’t want this issue to go public then Heitman was right to respect those wishes. The HRO apparently disagrees…
* Anyway, rate ‘em…
|
|
Mayor West? (Updated)
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * WTVO…
* Rep. Maurice West just happens to live in Rockford…  Just sayin. * Isabel reached out to Rep. West, but we haven’t yet heard back. We’ll let you know if we hear anything from him. …Adding… That was fast…
|
|
Pritzker signs school cell phone restrictions bill
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * From the governor’s press release…
* More…
* QC Times | Quad-Cities schools mostly ready for Illinois phone ban: The East Moline School District has had phone ban rules since the 2022-23 school year. The policy, which hasn’t changed since then, requires students to place their phones away and on silent in their lockers. Superintendent Kristin Humphries said it has been positive, and students have done “a good job for the most part following these rules.” In the first years, there were some “bumps,” but students gradually adjusted. * WSPY | Morris High School Superintendent Shares Thoughts on State Passing Cell Phone Ban Law: The measure generally bans cell phone use throughout the school day in elementary and middle schools and restricts use during instructional time in high schools. Exceptions are allowed for medical, educational and emergency situations.
|
|
Question of the day
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The Question: Which of these five numbered proposals do you support the most? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. After you’ve made your initial favorite choice, you’re also encouraged to talk about any of the other proposals.
|
|
Two Speaker Welch allies appear to be girding for a major battle
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I lost count of the number of appalled Democratic legislators and lobbyists who sent me this Facebook post by House Speaker Chris Welch’s campaign executive director…  * The same goes for this Speaker Welch insider…  Discuss.
|
|
Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Anti-data center movement is on collision course with Labor Unions. Newsweek…
- In June, however, Pritzker directed his administration to “pause the processing of data center agreements while we continue working with the General Assembly and stakeholders on a comprehensive framework that protects affordability, safeguards our natural resources, and ensures responsible growth across Illinois,” he said in a statement. - Kristine Kavanagh, communications director for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which represents operating engineers in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, told Newsweek that the union supports building data centers, but that must come with responsibility. She said lawmakers have been “receptive” to their concerns about data centers. * At 10:30 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will sign SB 2427, banning cell phones in schools from bell-to-bell to create distraction-free classrooms. Click here to watch. * Sun-Times | Is Hawthorne Race Course being torn down for a data center? Cicero thinks so: One resolution before the trustees opposes a data center at the nearby Hawthorne property, though there has been no public acknowledgment that any such plan is in place. The resolution says town officials don’t want any projects built anywhere near Cicero, home to more than 80,000 people. A mystery buyer by the name of Allimac 2023 LLC agreed to pay $90 million for the property at 3501 S Laramie Ave. in Stickney, which borders Cicero. The owner has not publicly identified itself or said what it will do with the land. * Tribune | Illinois teachers union sues to force Cook County treasurer to issue property tax bills and make payments: While the suit adds pressure, it’s unclear whether it can or will move the needle to get bills out the door faster. Pappas has steadfastly insisted the delays are occurring upstream of her office, and there’s little she can do to move more quickly. Pappas’ office did not comment on the suit, but did say in a written statement that it anticipates sending CPS a chunk of money this week. The district has said it needs $85 million to avert implementing furlough days. * Capitol City Now | Brad Cole to retire from IL Municipal League: Cole said Monday he would depart his job in January, to be succeeded by Rockford mayor Tom McNamara. “I think he brings some good experience,” said Cole. “Our board was very interested in having a mayor like myself at the top of the organization to speak with that background and that experience, whether that’s to the General Assembly or the Congress or just to each other.” * ABC Chicago | Ethics report expected to scrutinize IL House Speaker Welch’s handling of harassment complaints: House Republican Leader Tony McCombie criticized Welch’s handling of the earlier allegations, saying, “Not only not speaking to him about it, not reprimanding him then, he didn’t remove him from the caucus then. Then he continues to spend one point four million dollars to get him re-elected. That’s a real problem.” Republicans have also launched a political ad highlighting Welch’s use of his professional Instagram account to like posts featuring women in swimsuits. Washington said the issue could resonate among Democratic women in the legislature. * 25News Now | Area lawmakers weigh in on speaker’s handling of allegations against disgraced representative: “What I have found- the information I have without having read the report - is that the victim did not want to come forward. The victim asked that information not be shared,” said [Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth], adding that she still has confidence in Welch’s leadership “at the moment.” * Center Square | Trump, member states aligned on reform of PJM amid capacity concerns: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker mentioned during an appearance at a climate conference last week that the part of the state’s power grid being on the PJM grid has negative impacts on residents. “I almost want to declare independence. Not from the United States, although there’s moments,” Pritzker said. “Independence from these regional transmission organizations because when we’re doing it right here and yet someone next door or five states away is doing it wrong and it’s affecting everybody.” * SJ-R | Illinois’ first appellate defender, death penalty foe dies in Springfield: Theodore “Ted” A. Gottfried, who served as the Illinois appellate defender for three and a half decades and was on the landmark commission that recommended death penalty reforms to then-Gov. George Ryan in 2002, died in Springfield July 23. * Sun-Times | Chicago’s mayoral campaign revs up as circulation of nominating petitions starts: Johnson’s political director Christian Perry said it simply means there are “groups that supported us last time that would like to see him run” and there is a “good deal of organic energy on the ground to see his leadership continue.” “They reached out to us, asked if it was OK, and we gave the OK that they could absolutely” circulate petitions on Johnson’s behalf. “But the mayor still hadn’t come to a decision,” Perry said. * Tribune | Fast-moving storms bring golf ball-sized hail, power outages across Chicago area: ‘Insane’: Monday’s weather saw a slew of warnings and watches take effect throughout the city, collar counties and northwest Indiana. Storms grounded flights, suspended public transportation and sent those outside seeking immediate shelter. By Monday evening, nearly 320,000 customers were without power, according to ComEd. * Sun-Times | Rep. Delia Ramirez visits Chicagoans at Kentucky ICE detention center and calls conditions ‘devastating’: The Illinois congresswoman joined two Democratic colleagues at the Campbell County Detention Center in Newport, Kentucky, where she checked on two constituents: Ricardo, a 39-year-old man who has been detained since September and Octavio, 53, who has been detained for two months. Ramirez said both are diabetic and have complained to her about inadequate food and medication. * WBEZ | George Clinton expands his Afrofuturist universe through paintings, now on display in Chicago: Though he is colorblind, he has created a variety of vibrant motherships using acrylic, spray paint and charcoal. The exhibit even includes a tiny replica of the iconic, $500,000 spaceship that he debuted on his P-Funk Earth Tour in 1976. Building upon the universe he created as the leader of Parliament-Funkadelic, his visual art underscores his contribution to Afrofuturism, a cultural movement that envisions a future of liberation for Black people. * Evanston Now | Biss submits resignation letter, affirming October departure: Mayor Daniel Biss submitted a formal, notarized letter of resignation to Evanston City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza on July 21, binding him to a departure from office as Evanston’s 22nd mayor just before midnight on Oct. 18, 2026. * Daily Herald | District 220 board members violated policies, investigation finds: Two Barrington Area Unit School District 220 board members violated board policies by posting images of students, district property and the district’s chess piece logo on campaign social media sites, an outside investigator determined. Board members Leah Collister-Lazzari and Barry Altshuler have since deactivated those campaign Facebook pages. * Crain’s | Oak Park mulls wiping out zoning that only allows houses: With the village board set to hear two consulting firms’ proposal at its meeting today, the near west suburb is in an early stage on the trail blazed in the past few years by Minneapolis and the states of Oregon, California and Washington. Opening single-family zones to multiunit buildings was also a key part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s housing initiative called BUILD, which failed in the spring legislative session. If the proposal from consulting firms Opticos Design and All Together goes through over the next several months, Oak Park would accomplish locally what Pritzker couldn’t do statewide. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora may add nine electric vehicle chargers to support its electric fleet: Just over 70% of the $292,000 total expense for the chargers would be covered by federal reimbursement grants, and city funds would pay the remaining $80,707. The reimbursement vouchers were awarded to the city in 2023 by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. * WCBU | Peoria Housing Authority taking initial steps toward demolishing ‘obsolete’ Harrison Homes: * WIFR | Data center moratorium request stalls in Rockford committee meeting: The push to temporarily pause new data center proposals surfaced during the Rockford Codes and Regulations committee meeting, as committee members continue debating what regulations should be in place before the city considers any future projects. “Tonight, where there was no second or conversation about this moratorium it kind of reflects a little bit of the consistency that we’ve seen with this item being proposed, where there was no conversation with colleagues over the last maybe month or two with the individual or alderman who proposed this,” 13th Ward Alderperson Tamir Bell said. * Crain’s | U of I launches search for next president at one of Illinois’ most important engines: The University of Illinois is launching its search to replace Tim Killeen as president of a system with three campuses, more than 100,000 students and a nearly $9 billion budget. Killeen has been in the job 11 years, among the longest tenures of a U of I president. He stabilized an institution that had been embroiled in a political scandal followed by a financial crisis. Then he grew it, with enrollment rising 29% and its budget increasing 59%. * WGEM | Quincy Regional Airport faces uncertainty as federal EAS funding cuts swirl: Quincy Regional Airport is currently in a nearly $6.5 million EAS contract with Contour Airlines, which operates flights to Chicago and Nashville. Airport Director Bill Lantz said the program supports two separate streams of federal money — EAS subsidies, which go directly to airlines, and entitlement funds, which are used for airport upkeep and infrastructure. A cut to EAS subsidies could trigger a reduction in entitlement money as well. * Effingham Daily News | Demolition derbies change over the years, but the goal remains the same for Becker: ‘I want to have a good show for the fans’: nce a driver, now behind the scenes, Jon Becker has always had demolition derbies in his blood. Becker drove in them from 1985 to 2001. Following an injury, he was forced to work with demolition derbies through a new lens. “I joined the fair board in 2008 and helped manage the demo,” Becker said. “I had also announced demos from 2001 to just recently, but only do the Effingham County Fair now.” * MPR News | Silos are disappearing from the farm landscape. One woman wants to track them down before they do: Silos probably fade into the background for most people who live in the Corn Belt. Though they often serve as landmarks, people’s connection to them has tended to be utilitarian. Occasionally, silos have been saved by being converted into housing or public space, but many others have been destroyed. But their legacy is rooted in Illinois. Historians believe the first one in the Midwest was built in Spring Grove, Illinois. Bill Kemp, historian with the McLean County Museum of History, said silos transformed agriculture in the Midwest.
|
|
Good morning!
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gonna be an interesting few weeks ahead. In the meantime, I just wanna make one thing abundantly clear… There ain’t no easy way out How’s it going by you?
|
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
| « NEWER POSTS | PREVIOUS POSTS » |
