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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller We’ve raised $4,000 so far today. Thank you! But that’s not enough. Lutheran Social Services of Illinois needs a lot more to make sure every foster child in its care receives a Christmas gift this year. All the money goes directly to gifts, and the average gift costs about $25. So this is the moment to step up. If you can give, please click here and help us close that big gap. Every dollar truly counts. Thanks!!! * AP…
Governor JB Pritzker was asked about the threat to withhold SNAP benefits at an unrelated news conference today…
* Volts | How Illinois passed its third big clean-energy bill in a decade: David Roberts, Kady McFadden and John Delurey talk about the state’s decision to empower its utility commission to directly procure clean energy. We discuss why capacity markets are too slow for the current environment and their strategy of aggressively framing renewables and storage not just as green, but as the only “fast and cheap” way to protect ratepayers from price spikes. * Sen. Robert Peters | Our IVF experience heightened awareness of threats to access: Somehow, the Republicans didn’t anticipate the tidal wave of national outrage that their attacks on IVF would create. The dream of starting or expanding a family isn’t a partisan issue, and access to IVF is extremely popular across both parties. In 2023, nearly 96,000 babies were born from IVF, up from the year before, accounting for almost 3% of all births in the U.S. Yet Republicans continue blocking a bill sponsored by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., that would protect IVF nationwide. * Chicago Reader | Righting systemic wrongs of Illinois prisons: Even though Illinois abolished the death penalty in 2011, we allow for “death by incarceration.” Most incarcerated people over 20 in Illinois have no opportunity to earn parole or early release, since the state abolished discretionary parole in 1978. In 1998, the state passed the so-called “truth-in-sentencing” laws, which have restricted most people from earning time off their sentences. This means those with life sentences without parole or de facto life sentences will likely never see life outside of prison again. * Tribune | SEIU looks to beef up CPS ranks amid dispute with teachers union: The Service Employees International Union is looking to beef up its ranks within Chicago Public Schools, a development with significant implications for the workers it is looking to organize — and for city politics. SEIU Local 73 filed a petition to add about 1,600 school-based CPS workers to its ranks with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board on Nov. 10. But the union’s one-time ally, the Chicago Teachers Union, contends that some of those workers rightfully belong to CTU. The dispute is the latest development in a feud between the two progressive labor unions that has its roots in a turf war over other jobs within the school district. * Legal Newsline | CTU can’t sue group for campaigning in union elections: At issue is the federal Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, a 1959 law that bars a union or an employer from spending money promoting candidates for union office. CTU and member Moselean Parker accused a rival group, Educators 4 Excellence, of violating that law by recruiting and promoting candidates during a May 2022 CTU election cycle. After U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang dismissed the complaint, CTU took the issue to the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Michael Brennan wrote the panel’s opinion, filed Nov. 19; Judges Joshua Kolar and Nancy Maldonado concurred, with Maldonado writing a brief special concurrence. * WBEZ | Trump administration sued for South Shore raid footage that fed propaganda videos: Democracy Forward, a Washington D.C.-based legal organization that has challenged the Trump administration, state and local governments and right-wing movements over the past decade, filed a public records request for all original footage from the raid in the South Shore neighborhood. That request has gone unfulfilled, the group said, so it filed a seven-page federal complaint in the U.S. District court in D.C. late last month. The suit seeks to compel the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to search for and release any available footage. * Block Club | Little Village Chamber Leader Thanked Border Patrol As Agents Arrested Neighbors, Video Shows: The staffer, Olman Chaheine, was the chamber’s director of outreach and community development, tasked with connecting and supporting Little Village businesses and the Latino-majority community. Little Village — a famed enclave for Mexican Americans and Latino immigrants — has been hit hard in recent months as federal agents targeted the area during Operation Midway Blitz, taking employees as they worked inside local restaurants and snatching people off the streets. Businesses have struggled as workers and would-be customers stayed home out of fear. … In an emailed statement Tuesday night, the Little Village Chamber of Commerce leaders said they strongly condemn the statements made “by a former staff member.” * Block Club | South Side’s 1st Youth Crisis Center Opens At Renovated Englewood Community Service Facility: The $3 million overhaul includes a new mental wellness clinic, a family resource hub and a “Golden Years Program” for seniors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The mental wellness clinic hosts the first Youth Crisis Stabilization Center on the South Side, McKinley Community Services CEO Jamal Malone said. The Sophia Cafe, an addition to the Englewood center named in honor of the nonprofit’s founder, will provide healthy food options to the community while employing people with disabilities when it opens to the public in the spring, Malone said. Food served at the cafe will be sourced from the nonprofit’s outdoor urban farm on 18th Street and Wabash Avenue, Malone said. * Sun-Times | Chicago torture victim imprisoned 33 years for double murder now in line for $15 million settlement: Smith was released from prison in 2020 after spending 33 years behind bars, and has since been granted a certificate of innocence. The settlement amount being weighed by the Council pales in comparison to the $66 million that he sought in his lawsuit filed in 2021 in federal court in Chicago. Smith was 39 when he was arrested in September 1987 for the murder of his wife’s mother and her grandmother. According to his lawsuit, officers placed Smith “in a small windowless interrogation room and handcuffed him to a ring on a wall” before they “beat him in the chest, threatened and choked him.” * Sun-Times | Illinois Medical District getting its first park in 80 years: The park would occupy a triangle of land bounded by Ogden Avenue, Polk Street and Damen Avenue. The project’s officials and architects said the park would act as a place of activity and rest, despite its busy locale. And it will be the site of the previously announced permanent memorial to COVID-19 victims and workers — one of the nation’s first. * Tribune | Bruce Dold, former Chicago Tribune editor and ‘consummate newspaperman,’ dies at 70: Bruce Dold, who rose from suburban reporter to editor and publisher during his prodigious four-decade career at the Chicago Tribune, had only a handful of bylines after his name took its place on the masthead. But the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist left an indelible mark on the newspaper and the city, tackling the issues of the day, promoting civil discourse and influencing public policy. From clearheaded editorials that found common ground to the groundbreaking endorsement of Chicago’s own Barack Obama for president, Dold led the Tribune into the new millennium with a reverence for the newspaper’s storied history, and an open mind for the future. * Daily Southtown | Federation of Labor backs Pat Hynes over Fritz Kaegi for Cook County assessor: The umbrella organization for Chicago unions is backing Pat Hynes for Cook County assessor against incumbent Fritz Kaegi in the March Democratic primary and taking sides in various contested county board races. The Chicago Federation of Labor announced its endorsement of Hynes and other Cook County candidates in a Wednesday morning release, saying the Lyons Township Assessor and a former employee of the assessor’s office “knows how to get the job done.” * Progressive Railroading | New panel to study passenger rail along Wisconsin-Illinois lakeshore: The meeting will focus on establishing the commission’s organizational structure and beginning the early coordination necessary to explore the feasibility of future passenger-rail service in southeastern Wisconsin, connecting the downtowns of Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee to Chicago and communities along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, according to a press release issued by Racine city officials. * Daily Southtown | ‘Extremely dangerous for the citizens’: Harvey Fire Department staffing down to 40% after new layoffs: Before the city announced a financial emergency and began mass layoffs, the Fire Department had 37 staff, said Keith Freeman, secretary of Harvey Firemen’s Association Local 471. Now, they’re down to just 15, and have gone from three active fire stations to just one. “This is very potentially going to cost injury or the lives of the citizens,” Freeman said. “The manpower that we have in the city, we agreed upon because it’s the required manpower to do the best we can for the citizens, to keep the citizens safe. That’s our top priority.” * Daily Herald | Wheeling special census postponed due to government shutdown: The historic federal government shutdown that cost millions of Americans paychecks and financial aid before ending in mid-November had another casualty — Wheeling’s long-planned special census. The census was supposed to begin in October. It was commissioned by the village board to prove Wheeling has grown since the 2020 federal census put the town at 39,137 people. * Daily Herald | Des Plaines, Buffalo Grove set restrictions for e-bikes and e-scooters: In Des Plaines, e-bikes, e-scooters and similar vehicles that are capable of exceeding 28 mph are forbidden on public streets, public sidewalks and in public parking lots. Riding through a city parking lot to reach a destination is OK, however, officials clarified before Monday’s unanimous vote. Among other rules, anyone under 16 years old is prohibited from operating less-powerful e-bikes or similar vehicles on public streets or public sidewalks and in public parking lots. Motorized vehicles that are considered toys for young children and can’t go more than 10 mph may only be operated on sidewalks, within crosswalks or on private property. * Daily Herald | Neighbors helping neighbors: Des Plaines area volunteers cook, deliver 700 Thanksgiving dinners: The Des Plaines Community Foundation, Sysco Chicago and Sunrise Grill all worked together to provide and deliver Thanksgiving Day dinners. As a result, more than 700 recipients, including homebound seniors and people with disabilities, had a very happy Thanksgiving. “This is our 15th year making the meals and delivering the turkey dinners, and 700 is the highest number of meals to date,” said Dina Argus, executive director of the DPCF. “It’s a group effort. Turkey dinners were delivered to those in wheelchairs, on oxygen and the blind — all those who have difficulty leaving their homes. * Shaw Local | Joliet renews prison lease amid questions from residents: The City Council approved a lease extension on the Joliet Correctional Center property on Tuesday but not without facing questions from the public. City officials said they are willing to work with the Forest Preserve District of Will County, which is interested in buying 135 acres of open land on the site. * Crain’s | Lakefront homes lose millions in value from Winnetka bluff protections, lawsuit claims: Of the four examples, the steepest drop in value, 64%, is for Barbara Irwin’s blufftop home on Taylorsport Lane. The pre-ordinance value was $7.54 million, but under the ordinance it dropped to $2.69 million, according to Cohn Reznick’s analysis. It’s because the ordinance renders about 17,700 square feet of her 44,600-square-foot lot unbuildable. * WAND | EMS workers accused of killing Earl Moore Jr. will be tried separately: Attorneys for Cadigan and Finley said there are too many differences between the actions of the two EMS workers, and a jury would have a hard time convicting one defendant for the other’s actions. The judge ultimately agreed to separate the cases. The state now has to decide which case to bring to trial first. The first trial will start in May, and the judge wants the second to follow soon after. * WICS | Illinois State Police highlight Scott’s Law after snowplow crash on US Highway 36: Monday afternoon on U.S. Highway 36, near the Moultrie and Piatt County line, a driver hit an IDOT snowplow from behind. The driver of the car was rushed to a local hospital with injuries. […] ISP says the crash is being investigated as a Scott’s Law violation. * Sun-Times | Fenwick shocks East St. Louis to win the 6A state title: Tuesday in the Class 6A state championship game, Fenwick junior Jake Thies put his name into Fenwick history right next to the former Notre Dame great. Thies’ two big plays, a 74-yard TD run in the third quarter and an interception in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, were the key moments in the Friars’ 38-28 win against heavily favored East St. Louis at ISU’s Hancock Stadium. * NYT | Private Employers Cut Jobs in November, the Latest Sign of a Slowdown: Private employment fell by 32,000 jobs last month, the payroll processing company ADP said on Wednesday. It was the third decline in four months and, taken at face value, would be a clear sign that the labor market, after months of cooling, had entered a new, more worrying phase. * NPR | The use and misuse of the word ‘ideology’: Today, “ideology has essentially become a form of name-calling,” said Jason Blakely, a political scientist at Pepperdine University and author of Lost in Ideology. He argues conservatives often deploy the term to describe what they view as faddish beliefs that threaten traditional moral orders, while liberals use it to criticize inherited hierarchies they see as limiting human flourishing.
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Kinda looks like magic money
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * As you probably know, a group of Chicago alderpersons proposed a competing budget idea to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s fiscal plan yesterday. Click here for the synopsis. The proposal makes $441.4 million in adjustments including eliminating the mayor’s $100 million corporate “head tax,” restoring $139.9 million in advance pension payments and funding $166 million in firefighter back pay without borrowing. The council proposal includes $441.4 million in revenue sources. The greatest single amount, $150 million - about a third of the entire proposal - is an undefined “Improved Debt Collections” line. * It’s not at all clear how the city is supposed to do that. It has had real trouble for decades collecting debt, much of which is deemed uncollectible. The idea was mentioned briefly and mostly down deep in some news stories. Tribune…
WTTW…
Discuss.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Another supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Pritzker says he has no regrets about wearing bullet-proof vest on Jimmy Kimmel show to mock Trump’s statements on Chicago crime
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I’ve always said that politicians should leave the comedy to comedians. This advice comes from watching decades of “jokes” backfire badly on some of them. I’ve also made it clear that I really don’t like this whole idea of responding to criticism of Chicago crime by going downtown and posting pretty pictures and videos. Yes, it’s a gorgeous city. A great city. But Chicago has problems that can’t be whitewashed with how spectacular downtown is. You may disagree, but that’s just what I believe. * Anyway, the two warnings came together last month during the Thanksgiving break…
Ted is being overly dramatic, of course, but that’s the job of a candidate. So don’t get too hung up on him. He’s being used here mainly to illustrate the context. * From today’s presser…
Thoughts?
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Catching up with the federal candidates (Updated)
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * NBC…
According to the State Board of Elections, Marías and Sigcho-Lopez would need 10,816 valid signatures to run as Independents. They could collect up to 17,304 signatures. *** UPDATE *** Very important list…
* Politico…
* US Senate Candidate Juliana Stratton…
GOP US Senate candidate Don Tracy’s response…
* More…
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Question of the day: 2025 Golden Horseshoe Awards
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 2025 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Republican Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager is a tie. Tara Horn…
And Tracy Weiters…
* The 2025 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Senate Democratic Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager goes to Trisha Ray…
Honorable mention goes to Emily Ozier. Congratulations! * OK, let’s move on to today’s categories…
Best House Democratic Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager Remember to explain your nominations or they won’t count. This is about intensity, not numbers. Also, do your very best to nominate in both categories. Breeann Steinacher and Caitlin Anderson won last year and are not eligible this year. * After you’ve made your nominations, please click here and help us buy Christmas presents for more than 2,500 foster kids in the care of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. They count on us every year, and we just cannot let them down. Thanks!
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: After ominous signs from 7th Circuit, attorneys abruptly move to dismiss lawsuit restricting use of force by immigration agents. Tribune…
- In the request, lawyers representing a consortium of media outlets and other plaintiffs noted that the immigration enforcement surge “has ended” in Chicago — at least for now — and that “counsel has not received a single report of unconstitutional behavior that necessitated this case” since Nov. 8. - In a statement Tuesday, the board for the Chicago Headline Club, the lead plaintiff in the case, claimed victory, saying that Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino and his team of agents left town soon after Ellis’ injunction was entered. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA
* Governor JB Pritzker will be at Navy Pier at 10:30 am to “highlight Illinois’ plans to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary.” Click here to watch. * Capitol News Illinois | Appeals court weighs release of immigration detainees to electronic monitoring: The judge ruled in response to immigration and civil rights lawyers’ allegations that Trump’s Department of Homeland Security has repeatedly violated a 2022 federal consent decree restricting the use of warrantless arrests for undocumented immigrants. But the Trump administration appealed, and on Tuesday argued to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that the judge overstepped his authority by modifying the consent decree. At least one of the three judges on the panel — Trump appointee Thomas Kirsch II — seemed to agree. He criticized Cummings’ November order to release detainees along with his Oct. 7 order extending the consent decree until February. Cummings was appointed by President Joe Biden. * NBC | Illinois officials warn rental car companies that it is illegal for immigration agents to swap license plates: The office’s review of more than 600 public complaints alleging the practice has so far led to one license plate revocation, according to another letter obtained via the FOIA. That revocation was of a license plate belonging to a 2026 Chevy Tahoe that had been rented by immigration agents, according to a statement from the Illinois secretary of state. The rental company targeted in the Nov. 10 letter, EAN Holdings LLC., which is the parent company of Enterprise Rent-A-Car and other brands, can request a hearing to challenge the decision. A company representative did not respond to a request for comment. * Tribune | Ray LaHood, former GOP congressman and Obama’s transportation secretary, named head of Edgar Fellows program: He was named distinguished director of the program by the nonprofit board Wednesday and will take on a larger role in outreach and civic engagement as well as in supporting the financial sustainability of the organization’s initiatives. “Edgar Fellows is Jim’s living legacy to the State of Illinois,” former Illinois first lady Brenda Edgar said in a statement. “The entire Edgar family is pleased that longtime friend and respected Illinoisian Ray LaHood will be joining the organization in this important role. * CNI | Pritzker signs bill allowing Illinois to issue state-specific vaccine guidelines: IDPH will now be able to form guidelines using a combination of the CDC’s guidance, recommendations from the World Health Organization and other medical and scientific disease prevention experts — and require that immunizations recommended by the state be covered by state-regulated insurance plans. House bill sponsor Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, emphasized the timeliness of the issue, referencing breaking news from Tuesday morning that indicated the CDC vaccine advisory committee planned to discuss child immunization schedules and the efficacy of Hepatitis B vaccines when it meets on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5. * WTVO | Illinois extends financial aid to undocumented students starting January 1st, 2026: Beginning January 1st, 2026, undocumented students living in Illinois will become eligible for state and local financial aid under a new law signed by Gov. JB Pritzker in August. House Bill 460 extends eligibility for grants, scholarships, stipends, and other state funded student aid to all Illinois residents regardless of immigration status. Bill sponsor Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) said, “If you live in Illinois and are pursuing higher education, you should have access to the same opportunities as your peers.” * Tribune | First, ICE raided their Chicago apartment building. Now, they’re being forced to vacate it: The Circuit Court of Cook County granted an order on Nov. 24 from Wells Fargo Bank to have residents at 7500 S. Shore Drive to vacate by Dec. 5 for those with valid leases and all other occupants were instructed to leave by Dec. 12 of this year. The South Shore Tenants Union, supported by the Metropolitan Tenants Organization and Southside Together, said they were blindsided by the court order, which was granted without tenant input and leaves members “scrambling to find housing in bitterly cold weather.” “This is my community and I should not be forced out especially at a time like this when it’s literally freezing outside,” said Travaris Ivy. * Sun-Times | Mayor Brandon Johnson makes emotional plea for embattled corporate head tax proposal: Johnson began his weekly City Hall news conference with defiance, but ended it emotionally as he talked about his father, now fighting Alzheimer’s, who taught him the work ethic and drive to protect everyday people, something that has guided the mayor through this second straight budget stalemate. “There are lines of Chicagoans, right now, of people who do not have food. … And if you’ve never gone hungry, you wouldn’t know why I have that urgency — if you’ve never opened up your refrigerator and there’s nothing in it. Poverty sucks,” the mayor said. * Block Club | Mayor Johnson Doubles Down On Corporate Head Tax As Majority Of Alders Pitch Alternative Budget Plan: “Corporations are making a killing right now, and we have alders that are more interested in defending these big corporations than families like mine who went without food and electricity and could not afford rent and mortgage,” Johnson said. “The vast majority of the people in this city are struggling every single day just to make the ends meet. And we have alders that are playing games with those families.” * Crain’s | Breakaway aldermen offer counter-budget that kills head tax: The plan, presented in a letter to be sent to Johnson and provided to Crain’s, accounts for hundreds of millions in changes to Johnson’s $16.6 billion plan and includes new or increased taxes on rideshare trips, garbage collection, liquor sales — with an exemption for bars and restaurants — and an additional $90 million in potential savings the mayor has previously said would not be feasible in 2026. * WBEZ | As cold weather settles over Chicago, advocates call out Trump’s new homelessness policies: Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced plans to shift $3.9 billion in long-term housing to transitional housing requiring work and addiction treatment. More than 7,500 Illinoisans could be at risk of losing housing. * Crain’s | Illinois EPA signs off on revamp of old South Works site to quantum campus: The site had previously received a letter from the IEPA requiring no further remediation at the vacant former U.S. Steel South Works, but the developers voluntarily enrolled in the state’s site-remediation program. […] The IEPA’s approval clears the way for construction to begin at the quantum park, which takes up 128 acres of the site south of 87th Street. Work on a facility for PsiQuantum, which plans to build one of the world’s first commercial-scale quantum computers on the site, will begin this month, along with remediation work. Clayco is building PsiQuantum’s facility. * Higher Ed Dive | University of Chicago nearly halves its budget deficit to $160M: The University of Chicago cut its fiscal 2025 budget deficit by about 44% to $160 million after years of belt-tightening measures amid financial headwinds, it announced last week. The private nonprofit’s operating loss fell by over half to $86.4 million, per its latest financials. * Daily Herald | O’Hare ‘conundrum’ could upend when Global Terminal, new concourses are built: The challenging logistics are why Chicago might revise a hard-won 2024 deal with United and American airlines that prioritized building a Global Terminal and a new satellite “Concourse D.” A second, satellite “Concourse E,” would come last. Instead, the city might construct both satellite concourses first and put the Global Terminal, which replaces Terminal 2, on temporary hold. “O’Hare planners face a conundrum,” DePaul Professor Joseph Schwieterman and analyst Samantha Rouzan wrote in “O’Hare’s Traffic Trajectory,” a study released Wednesday. * Sun-Times | DuSable Black History Museum, CEO misused public funds, whistleblower alleges: The lawsuit is the latest in an ongoing whistleblower campaign by Kim Dulaney, a retired Chicago State University professor who joined the South Side museum in 2021 as director of education and programs. She later became the vice president of the same department. Dulaney alleges in her suit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, that she was retaliated against after “questioning DuSable’s irregular fiscal practices.” Dulaney claims in the suit that she was excluded from meetings, harassed and ultimately terminated in October. The lawsuit brings the claims forward under the Illinois Whistleblower Act. * Block Club | Should Christkindlmarket Move? Mayor Floats Idea, But Vendors And Organizers Not So Sure: Johnson did not share details about where the popular market could go. “We want to make sure that we have a safe mechanism in which people can enjoy Downtown, and so that may include looking at a much larger space,” he said. “And that’s a good thing for our economy.” * Sun-Times | Cook County’s top prosecutor touts increase in pretrial detention, urges electronic monitoring reform: Since taking office, judges have granted detention in 80% of violent crime cases, 85% of aggravated domestic battery and 76% of machine gun cases, all higher than under the previous state’s attorney, Kim Foxx, according to the state’s attorney’s office. “We are not asking for detention on every case,” Burke said. “We are asking for detention when someone presents a danger to the community, and we will continue to do that on each and every case when someone is a danger.” * Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi released his first video ad of his reelection campaign…
* Daily Herald | Hanover Park police officer detained by ICE returns to active duty: Department leaders previously stated that Bojovic’s hire in January was made in full compliance with federal and state law. Officials said Bojovic presented the village with a valid Work Authorization Card issued by the federal government’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Additionally, both FBI and Illinois State Police background checks revealed no criminal history, officials said. Bojovic returned to active duty Monday, and village will provide him back pay for the time he was on administrative leave. * Tribune | Lake Bluff trustees closer to a vote on policies on possible federal agents’ immigration actions in the village: At their Nov. 24 meeting, trustees unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance outlining village procedures in light of Operation Midway Blitz, a controversial federal immigration crackdown in which officers have detained numerous people, including some in nearby communities. * Daily Herald | DuPagePads receives historic $5 million grant from Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez Bezos: The 40-year-old organization plans to use the $5 million over the next five years to expand outreach, create a year-round family overflow shelter and accelerate rapid rehousing for families, officials said in a grant announcement. The funds will also sustain educational and transportation supports for children experiencing homelessness. * Illinois Times | Grayson’s attorneys ask for new trial: Former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson’s lawyers say he deserves a new trial for the 2024 murder of Sonya Massey because the presiding judge erred when allowing the jury to hear Grayson’s disparaging remarks about Massey after the fatal shooting. “As a result, the events following the shooting had no relevance to the issues in the case,” attorneys Daniel Fultz and Mark Wykoff wrote in their Nov. 26 motion for a new trial. “The only purpose served by the introduction of that evidence was to improperly inflame the passions of the jury – which was substantially prejudicial to the defendant.” * WGLT | Connect Transit awarded $5 million grant for planned Bloomington transfer center: Officials have said the project has been targeted for a late 2026 opening. Transit officials were unavailable for comment Tuesday. “This funding is a welcome addition to the resources we are investing in our new Downtown Bloomington Transit Center, which is a major step forward,” Connect Transit Board Chair Julie Hile said in a statement. “We are eager to deliver on its modernized infrastructure, expanded access, and improved efficiency and safety as a member of the downtown business community. We are grateful for the federal support that makes this possible.” * WCIA | U of I researchers get $1M FDA grant to study foodborne illness: In a news release, the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences announced that a U of I research team will use the grant money they received to monitor meat products for resistant bacteria. “These pathogens can cause disease, and they can transfer their antimicrobial resistance properties to other pathogens. We risk being surrounded by ‘superbugs’ which are difficult to kill by using traditional, anti-microbial drugs,” said principal investigator Pratik Banerjee, associate professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. * NYT | 5 Years After His Death, John Prine Gets a Cinematic Send-Off: For someone so close to his family, friends and community, John Prine’s funeral was an uncharacteristically distant affair. The memorial service for the singer-songwriter, who died from complications of Covid-19 in April 2020 at 73, had been made strange by the pandemic. “We had to beg for the opportunity for the immediate family to even gather at the funeral home here in Nashville,” recalled his wife, Fiona Whelan Prine. “We were literally sitting eight feet apart. There was no hugging. There was no commiserating.”
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller Carve the turkey, turn the ball game on * Good news: We raised almost $10,000 yesterday to buy Christmas presents for foster kids, putting our total at $21,675. Bad news: Lutheran Social Services of Illinois has 2,500 foster children in its care. At $25 per gift, that means the need this year is $62,500. Bottom line: We have a long way to go, campers. Please click here and make a foster kid happy at Christmas. Thanks!!! * This is an open thread.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some additional news
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Dec 3, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* WIFR | Fee added to paint purchases with start of new paint recycling program in Illinois: Those buying paint in Illinois will now pay a little more as part of a state program. The program, provided by nonprofit organization PaintCare, is designed to help households and businesses recycle leftover paint. It went into effect December 1, 2025. […] Under the law, paint manufacturers are required to develop and implement a cost-effective paint stewardship program that reduces the generation of leftover paint, promotes paint reuse and recycling and manages paint waste in an environmentally friendly way. * NBC Chicago | Illinois temporarily suspends road tests at DMV’s due to wintry weather: The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office has temporarily suspended road tests at DMV facilities due to dangerous road conditions. According to the SOS’ office, that suspension was announced on Tuesday morning, citing “unsafe road conditions” after several days of wintry weather that have hammered the state. […] There was no immediate word on when those services would resume. Motorists are urged to check the state’s website for the latest information on test conditions at their local DMV. * Illinois Answers Project | Illinois’ Low-Cost Library Program Takes on the Justice Gap: The need is serious. Researchers report that in Illinois there are just four legal aid lawyers for every 10,000 low-income residents who need one. And most civil litigants without attorneys struggle to access basic court resources. […] Last fall, it partnered with the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Illinois Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission (ATJ) to launch the library initiative that puts a $1,000 computer setup in 18 libraries across the state and provides legal training for staff. * Bloomberg | Illinois among states pressing ‘buy now, pay later’ firms for loan details: “Consumers may not realize that buy-now-pay-later loans don’t have the same protections as other loan products,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a press release. “Individuals who are facing financial hardship or who are new to using loans are especially vulnerable to getting trapped in a cycle of debt, particularly if taking out many buy now, pay later loans. I join my fellow attorneys general in asking that these lenders provide information, so we can determine whether they are complying with consumer protection laws.” * Sun-Times | Krishnamoorthi’s ‘American Dream’ economic plan includes homeowner tax credit, free lunch for kids: Krishnamoorthi’s “Restore the American Dream” plan includes policies for all stages of life — from children to those in retirement. The fundraising leader in the heated race to replace outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin in August unveiled a “Trump accountability plan” for his Senate campaign that includes pushing to restrict ICE agents from wearing masks and introducing constitutional amendments to block self-pardons and a potential presidential term. * 9th CD candidate Daniel Biss has been endorsed by Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* WTTW | Mayor Johnson Rejects Rival Budget Proposal, Saying It Is $700M Short: “Look, they’re going to have to find 34 alders who can compel working people that they’re gonna balance the budget off of their backs,” Johnson said, vowing to “protect the working people of Chicago” and calling the rival budget proposal “$700 million short.” It would take 34 alderpeople to override a mayoral veto. * Illinois Answers Project | Budget Woes: Mayor, Council Clash Over Programs That Feds Once Paid for That Johnson Wants to Keep — on The City’s Tab: An Illinois Answers Project review of published data, memos and records requests found that Johnson’s budget proposes to shift 62 full-time employees previously backed by ARPA — mostly mental health outreach workers — onto the city’s ledger at a cost of $7 million. The mayor also wants to carry over $26 million in grants for programming related to youth employment, homelessness services, domestic violence programs and support for victims of violent crimes, according to city budget officials. About $10 million of that sum would be shifted to the Corporate Fund, the city’s core operating budget, with about another $13 million diverted to a new Community Safety Fund and the rest moved into a fund backed by cannabis taxes. * Crain’s | Citywide ban on intoxicating hemp up for a vote over Johnson’s objection: The City Council’s License Committee is expected to vote on a measure that would extend current local bans at the neighborhood level to the entire city despite the Johnson administration asking aldermen to pump the brakes. The full City Council would need to approve the measure. As drafted, the ban would begin 10 days after the ordinance is approved. Lead sponsor, Ald. Marty Quinn, 13th, told Crain’s “I’m confident in my roll call.” * ABC Chicago | Chicago residents worry over Cook County property tax increases as payment due soon: Some West Side residents and pastors held a press conference Monday morning, pleading for help, as the Cook County property taxes are due in two weeks. They fear the higher bills could lead to vacant buildings and homelessness. “The people who can least afford to pay are given the highest bills; it means get out of town. We don’t want you in this city,” said the Rev. Marshall Hatch, with New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church. * Tribune | Actor and director Robert Townsend raises funds for West Side nonprofits with pop-up film fest: Townsend is in Chicago this week to host a pop-up film festival Dec. 6-7 — one that will showcase films significant to him and subsequently raise funds for the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP and The Answer, Inc., the Forest Park-based organization that supports people of color with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families. Townsend is childhood friends with Karl Brinson, Westside Branch NAACP president, and Debra Vines, CEO and founder of The Answer, Inc. * Crain’s | Chicago Reader names new editor-in-chief: The Chicago Reader has a new leader: Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Sarah Conway, who was just brought on as editor-in-chief for the weekly newspaper, the outlet announced today. Conway, who grew up in Joliet, joins the Reader from City Bureau, where she held roles ranging from managing editor to senior reporter for eight years. She also co-founded and led Borderless Magazine as editorial director for three years while also reporting for City Bureau. It was during her time at City Bureau that she landed the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting, for a series on how Chicago police investigate missing persons cases. * Sun-Times | Chicago overtakes NYC for worst vehicle congestion in the US, survey says: Chicago placed second worst in the world behind only Istanbul. The report said traffic on average is worsening across the globe. “As the demand for vehicular travel continues to grow faster than the supply of roadway[s], traffic congestion and delay[s] tend to grow,” the authors wrote in the report. Chicago drivers saw a 10% increase in 2025 in the average time wasted this year in peak traffic, according to the report. * Tribune | Northwestern deal with Trump administration divides students, faculty: Jackie Stevens, president of Northwestern’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, noted that a large cohort of faculty feels “ongoing disappointment” about the agreement. She characterized it as both an acquiescence to Trump and a betrayal to academic freedom. “It’s extortion,” Stevens said. “I don’t even think it’s about the $75 million, I think it’s just about the show of power, right?” * Evanston Now | Biss slams NU deal with feds: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss said he was “disgusted” by terms in Northwestern University’s agreement with the federal government that includes a $75 million payout to close investigations and return funding. In his first statement since the agreement was announced Friday evening, Biss wrote that the Trump administration had “essentially blackmailed Northwestern University … into bending to its will,” by freezing nearly $800 million in federal funding. * Daily Herald | How to enforce ICE ban? Arlington Heights ordinance suggests going to court: “If they violate this, there’ll be documentation and consideration of legal action, but at the same time we just have to acknowledge the reality of this, and we don’t want to lull people into a false sense of security,” Recklaus said. Trustee Wendy Dunnington, who proposed the rules last month, said the board’s unanimous vote shows residents that village officials care about the issue. “We know that people are scared and that immigrants are an important part of our community and that we really value them in Arlington Heights,” she said. * Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County begins to adjust its roadwork plans: One of those moves was an almost $7 million cut in funding for transportation in favor of public safety spending, by way of reallocating some of the Regional Transportation Authority sales tax funds the county receives. It was shortly after followed by a hike in the county’s motor fuel tax to replace that lost revenue. * Daily Herald | Batavia pub gets OK for video gambling, despite being next to two churches: The Batavia City Council approved a conditional-use permit Monday night after a lengthy debate about whether the business is too close to Bethany Lutheran Church and First Congregational Church of Batavia. The council voted 8-6 to approve the measure, with aldermen Tony Malay, Alice Lohman, Dustin Pieper, Leah Leman, Kevin Malone and Abby Beck voting “no.” * Crain’s | Long-delayed Loeber farm housing plan may get Schaumburg’s financial assist: With about $4.8 million in tax increment financing money going to building a bridge over Salt Creek and connecting to distant utility lines, “you make it financially feasible to have the lower density that the neighbors and the community have been asking for,” Joe Nitti said. His Elmhurst-based homebuilding firm, Nitti Group, is seeking village officials’ approval to develop 122 residential units on the 33-acre parcel off Meacham Road near Algonquin Road. * WSIL | Jackson County officials update CodeRED alert system after cybersecurity attack: The agency shared a statement by Crisis24 Customer Support that on December 1, they successfully integrated data into the CodeRED by Crisis24 platform. This data, sourced from backup information of the legacy OnSolve CodeRED system, includes community notification enrollment, E911 data, and customer utility data. This backup reflects data available as of March 31, 2025. * WJBD | City of Centralia approves next year’s budget: The Centralia City Council approved the city’s FY26 budget at the regular council meeting on Monday night. The budget shows an overall surplus of roughly $455,000. A public hearing was held before the meeting to present the budget. No members of the public gave any questions or comments on the budget at the hearing. The council also approved the annual property tax levy, keeping it the same as the previous year’s levy. Centralia city manager Galen Mahle said that due to increased revenue from the half-cent sales tax increase going into effect on January 1, the city did not need to increase the levy for a balanced budget this year. * WCIA | Springfield Fire Dept. canceling monthly tornado siren due to weather: In a Facebook post Tuesday morning, Springfield Fire said that due to the extremely cold temperatures, they would be canceling this month’s scheduled tornado siren test. They said cold weather can damage testing equipment and that ensuring reliability during an actual emergency is their top priority. The department said the regular tornado test will resume next month, weather permitting. They urged residents to make sure they are signed up for emergency alerts and have multiple ways to receive severe weather notifications. * NPR Illinois | Country artist Ella Langley to play the Illinois State Fair grandstand: The Illinois State Fair has announced country music performer Ella Langley will take the Grandstand Stage as part of the 2026 Illinois State Fair lineup on Friday, August 21, 2026. Langley, one of country music’s most dynamic and fastest-rising new voices, has rapidly become a force in the genre. Her debut album, hungover, earned widespread critical acclaim from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Billboard and more, while her 3x Platinum-certified breakout single “you look like you love me” featuring Riley Green topped Country radio, hit the Billboard Hot 100 (Top 30), and also made CMA history—sweeping every category it has ever been nominated for and becoming the first song in CMA history to win all four honors: Single of the Year (2025), Song of the Year (2025), Music Video of the Year (2025), and Musical Event of the Year (2024)—making it the first track in CMA history to claim all four honors. * 404 Media | Flock Uses Overseas Gig Workers to Build its Surveillance AI: Companies that use AI or machine learning regularly turn to overseas workers to train their algorithms, often because the labor is cheaper than hiring domestically. But the nature of Flock’s business—creating a surveillance system that constantly monitors U.S. residents’ movements—means that footage might be more sensitive than other AI training jobs. * AP | Trump administration says it will withhold SNAP from Democrat-led states if they don’t provide data: President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday that it will move to withhold SNAP food aid from recipients in most Democratic-controlled states starting next week unless they provide information about those receiving the assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday that the action is in the works because those states are refusing to provide data the department requested such as the names and immigration status of the aid recipients.
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It’s Giving Tuesday, so here’s my pitch
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * As I’ve told you before, I simply cannot imagine what the life of a foster child must be like. They’re abruptly pulled from often-times dangerous environments and handed over to an entirely new family. Yeah, their home life was rough, but it was the only life they’d ever known. Trauma added onto trauma through no fault of their own. But, hopefully, they end up with loving foster parents and maybe one day they can even go back home. * In the meantime, all of these children deserve something to smile about. That’s where we come in. By helping purchase Christmas presents for more than 2,500 foster kids in the care of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, we can help create those smiles, even if just for a day. As I write this, people have contributed nearly $17,000 to buy Christmas toys. But we can do better. Much better. So, please, look into your hearts and click this link to help create some smiles for kids who deserve to smile a whole lot more. * You don’t have to give a lot of money if you can’t afford it. I would never ask you to do that. All I’m asking is that you click here and give what you can to help buy some Christmas presents for children whose lives have been completely upended. Thanks.
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Pritzker says he understands the pressure on Northwestern, but ‘I just feel like every day democracy is slipping away whenever any of us capitulate in any significant fashion’
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I saw lots of stories during the break about Northwestern University agreeing to pay the federal government $75 million to get out of some legal hot water, but I haven’t seen many reports that actually detail what’s in the agreement. Click here for some insight into that, and click here for the actual agreement. Gov. Pritzker is not just one of the state’s most outspoken Trump critics, he’s also a Northwestern law grad who, along with his spouse, donated $100 million to what is now the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Isabel and I were both curious what he thought about the agreement, so she brought it up at today’s press conference…
* Isabel also asked Pritzker if he’d met with Northwestern’s president. He said he did. She asked some follow-ups to her follow-up…
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Question of the day: 2025 Golden Horseshoe Awards
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 2025 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Place to Gather for Dinner During Session Weeks goes to Vele…
I hadn’t been there since they moved from downtown, but some friends of mine and I went during veto session and I was impressed. * The 2025 Golden Horseshoe Award for Best Place to Gather for Drinks, Etc. During Session Weeks goes to Saputo’s…
Never a dull moment. * On to today’s categories…
Best Senate Democratic Legislative Assistant/District Office Manager As always, please try to nominate in both categories. Yes, I know it’s not easy, but do your best. Also, please explain your nominations or they won’t count. Last year’s winners were Dana Hooven and Thera Bond, so they’re not eligible this year. * After you submit your nominations, please click here and donate to our annual fundraiser to buy Christmas toys for foster kids. We raised more than $12,000 yesterday, but a whole lot of LSSI foster kids depend on us every year, so please spread some holiday joy. Thanks!
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Rate Brendan Reilly’s TV ad
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Spotted last night on Channel 7 news…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like the Hagers, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Darren Bailey reflects on tragedy, his decision to continue gubernatorial run. NBC Chicago…
- Bailey said he plans to zero in on issues that he says will “focus on that 80% that we all agree on,” affordability, public safety and schools. - Bailey is also rethinking his criticism that “Chicago is a hellhole.” That was a frequent campaign message in 2022. Bailey concedes he had doubled down on the criticism, but he’s decided to change his message. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA
* At 10:30 am Gov. Pritzker will sign a bill “bolstering vaccine access.” Click here to watch. * Tribune | Nearly 1,900 immigrants were detained during the first half of Operation Midway Blitz. Most had no criminal record: Of the 1,895 people detained by ICE, 1,271 lacked any criminal record. Another 343 people arrested had a pending criminal charge, while 281 had a criminal conviction. Of those with a criminal conviction, the vast majority of offenses were misdemeanors, traffic citations or non-violent felonies. Only 28 arrestees —1.5% — had been convicted of a violent felony or sex crime. * Sun-Times | What Northwestern accepted from the Trump administration to get back $790M in research funds: Professors interviewed by the Sun-Times disagreed that the university remains autonomous. They decried the agreement as a violation of academic freedom and free speech. “I’m disappointed that we have capitulated,” says Laura Beth Nielsen, a sociology professor. “I’m gobsmacked at the idea that anyone can say with a straight face that this isn’t an invasion into our academic freedom.” * WAND | Clean Slate Act: Bill automatically sealing nonviolent felony records awaits Pritzker’s signature: The proposal could allow felony convictions currently eligible for expungement to be automatically sealed by a circuit court judge or the Illinois State Police. State lawmakers passed legislation in 2017 to allow certain offenders with nonviolent felony convictions to apply for expungement. However, each of the state’s 102 counties have addressed the record sealing process differently. * Crain’s | With O’Hare traffic rising, city asks airlines to rethink terminal construction plans: The city of Chicago is talking with the major airlines at O’Hare International Airport about going back to the initial plan for construction of new terminals. The city originally proposed building two new satellite concourses adjacent to Terminal 1 before demolishing Terminal 2 and replacing it with a new global terminal. But the airport’s two largest carriers, United and American airlines, balked at the cost and sequence of construction. During months of tense negotiations, they pushed the city to delay building the second satellite until after the global terminal. * Tribune | More CPS students are graduating high school, but finishing college is a challenge: The overall college completion rate for CPS alumni is 48% — below the national average of 64%, according to an annual study from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research and the To&Through Project. “Getting students into college is a great first step, but starting college and not completing is not a good outcome, for the most part,” said Alex Usher, director of data and research at the To&Through Project. “There’s definitely work to be done ahead.” * WBEZ | Roseland Hospital opens delayed sickle-cell clinic on Chicago’s South Side: Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder affecting red blood cells and causing pain and organ damage. It disproportionately affects African Americans patients. Many South Side families lack timely access to care, often relying on emergency departments during a sickle-cell pain crisis. Roseland Community Hospital primarily serves African Americans patients. * Tribune | Chicago officials ease capacity limit for Christkindlmarket; organizers say cap remains unsustainable: The city on Monday agreed to increase the event’s space restriction by nearly 1,000, bringing the amended capacity limit up to 2,500 people, according to Mark Tomkins, the president and CEO of the German American Chamber of Commerce, which runs Christkindlmarket. In a statement to the Tribune, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office said the city was working with organizers to “increase capacity in a safe and organized manner” in response to concerns raised. * WBEZ | Illinois prison artist wowed that her artwork reached Pope Leo XIV: Diaz submitted a drawing of herself as a young girl, dancing in a garden with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a butterfly resting on the other. Half of the drawing is in black and white, depicting a barbed wire fence and a prison tower. The other half is in color, showing sunshine and flowering bushes wrapping around a white picket fence. Diaz called her piece “Praising My Way to Wholeness.” * ABC Chicago | Evanston-Skokie District 65 board deadlocks again on which schools to shutter to close funding gap: There is no consensus again as District 65 school board members arrived at a tie vote Monday night on whether to close one or two additional schools at the end of this school year. That means Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies is likely the only one that will shutter next spring. Like last month, board members deadlocked when voting on competing plans to close either just Kingsley Elementary School, or to close both Kingsley and Lincolnwood elementary schools. * Daily Herald | Could goats be forest preserve district’s secret weapon against invasive plants?: Grazing isn’t an uncommon practice but would be new to the forest preserve district. It’s considered a research project to understand longer term costs and effectiveness. “We think this could be a way to provide additional management to degraded areas containing buckthorn,” and help achieve a 100-year plan objective, he said. The agreement would last four years, which matches terms of farm leases, but could be canceled or expanded depending on results. * Daily Herald | ‘I think we’ve got a hit’: Metra riders love café car idea — what’s the next step?: Surveys of riders showed 98% said they would recommend the café car to friends and family, and 94% would pay for drinks and snacks. Nearly 60% of participants said they would visit the café car one to two times a week, and 26% intended to make purchases every week. The prototype car received an average 4.6 rating out of 5 for look and design, and a 4.5 score for space and comfort. * STLPR | Carlyle names ‘temporary’ police chief amid FBI investigation: “The investigation being conducted by the FBI centers around one individual,” Smith said in a statement. “That individual has been placed on paid leave for now. “I want to make clear that the Carlyle Police Department is not, and I repeat, not under investigation,” she said. “Services provided by the police department will not be interrupted, and under new leadership the police will continue to serve the citizens of Carlyle.” * WCIA | Child advocate program expands into Ford County: The organizers behind the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program announced that they are expanding their services into Ford County starting after the new year. CASA is a nationwide organization that promotes and protects the best interests of children who have * WGLT | Normal council approves raise for Reece; hears pleas to keep College Ave. firehouse open: The Normal Town Council on Monday approved a year’s contract extension and a raise of nearly 5% for City Manager Pam Reece. The action adds $11,000 to her current salary of $226,000, effective April 1, 2025. It also increases the contribution to her retirement savings account — from $2,750 per year to $3,000 per year. The contract extends Reece’s employment by one year; it now runs through March 31, 2028. * STLPR | Alton company launches $25M fiber project to bring high-speed internet citywide: AltonWorks, which already opened a coworking space and has a number of housing efforts underway, is behind the opening of FiberNet. The service will reach 94% of the city’s residents and provide speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, the same connectivity used by Fortune 500 companies, AltonWorks said. “Today marks Alton’s entrance into the next century,” John Simmons, CEO of AltonWorks, said in a statement. “We’re not just installing cables. We’re dismantling digital barriers, unlocking innovation, and ensuring that every child, every entrepreneur, and every resident has access to the same world-class opportunities as anyone, anywhere. This network will serve Alton for the next 100 years, evolving with technology we can’t even imagine today.” * Floridian Press | DeSantis Will Call for Special Legislative Session on Congressional Redistricting: “Yeah, yeah, so we’re going to redistrict. The issue is that there is a Supreme Court decision that we are waiting on - the argument in October about Section 2 of the VRA [Voting Rights Act] that impacts Florida’s maps, so we’re going to do it next Spring,” Gov. DeSantis said. “I am going to talk to Sen. Albritton about when it makes sense to do it, but that will be done. I think we are going to be required to do it because of this court decision.” * NOTUS | The Plan to Address Expiring ACA Subsidies Is That There Is No Plan: “My assumption is that by next week, when we have to have that vote, that we might not be far enough along on the bipartisan discussions,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday. He added: “I think that the conversations are still active on a solution. Whether that originates with the White House or folks working up here remains to be seen.”
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Good morning!
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Beach Boys will kick off our holiday season… She’s candy apple red with a ski for a wheel * If you weren’t at the blog yesterday, make sure to click here and donate to our annual Christmas toy fundraiser for foster kids. We raised $12K yesterday, but we have a long way to go. Thanks! * What’s up?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some additional news
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Dec 2, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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