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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Subscribers know more. The Tribune…
* We told subscribers yesterday about Dan Egler’s passing. From his obituary…
* Crain’s | Johnson warns of mid-year layoffs in wake of budget brawl: The mayor blamed his City Council opponents, who in December took the extraordinary step of passing their own $16.6 billion budget after his 2026 plan — built around reviving a corporate head tax and trimming an advance pension payment — failed to win enough support. Johnson neither signed nor vetoed the final package, an implicit concession after weeks of unsuccessfully trying to halt a rebellion by a rival bloc of aldermen. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Report: Sexual misconduct was widespread on campus where former dean sentenced to 22 years worked: The watchdog report, which was pending at the time, has since found employees groomed students for sexual relationships in person and via social media, and sometimes pursued them as soon as they graduated. One teacher, who also ran a legal aid clinic on the shared campus, presented himself as a protector of girls and women — only to make overtures to numerous former students months after they graduated and have sex with at least four of them, the watchdog found. * Block Club | ‘Missing Middle’ Housing Program Breaks Ground On 1st Project In North Lawndale: The first portion of the program will build seven two-flats on Douglas Boulevard as well as in the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Trumbull and Homan avenues. The two-flats are the first of a planned 115 market-rate housing units being built. The Missing Middle initiative looks to revitalize and repopulate neighborhoods by building new, for-sale housing attainable to families looking to own in areas where such housing stock has been hollowed out. The initiative sells city-owned lots in the program to developers for $1, with the city subsidizing up to $150,000 per unit to develop for-sale housing. * Sun-Times | Chicago History Museum’s top leader out after nearly five years: The head of the Chicago History Museum is departing his post after nearly five years, the museum announced Wednesday. Donald E. Lassere served as the museum’s president and CEO since April 2021. In a statement, the museum said the board will conduct a nationwide search for Lassere’s replacement. In the meantime, Michael Anderson, who is currently the museum’s vice president of external engagement and development, will serve as interim president and CEO. * Sun-Times | Grant Park Music Festival announces 2026 lineup, featuring Ben Folds and ample American music: The annual classical series features the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus and will bring 10 weeks of free music to venues such as Millennium Park from June 10-Aug. 15. The second season under Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero will feature a heavy dose of music from American composers, as the country marks its 250th birthday and programming around the semiquincentennial is expected to be widespread. * The Daily Northwestern | Border Patrol covertly filmed Dec. 17 protesters with Meta smart glasses, Daily analysis finds: A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol’s parent agency, told The Daily in an emailed statement that CBP “does not have an arrangement with Meta.” They added that personal recording devices are “not authorized,” though individual Border Patrol officers “may wear personally purchased sunglasses.” The spokesperson did not cite a specific policy, but a 2023 directive on body cameras issued by the Department of Homeland Security, parent agency of CBP, prohibits the use of personal cameras to record “official law enforcement activities.” * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan a finalist for solar panel plant, 500 jobs: ‘This will reverse our environmental legacy’: A factory employing 500 people making 2 million solar panels a year, adjacent to a 125-acre solar field and a 40-acre solar pond generating clean power, may be coming to Waukegan on land once a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site where the Johns Manville plant once sat. Waukegan and a location in Kansas are the two finalists competing to become the home of Netherlands-based Solarge’s first facility in the U.S., where lightweight solar panels will be made and solar energy generated. * NBC Chicago | Residents push back on plans for Amazon retail facility in Orland Park: Many residents overwhelmingly said they did not want the development because of conservation and transportation issues it would bring to the area. One resident said adding the facility would “bottleneck” traffic in the area, and another stressed how Orland Park could be left with costly challenges if it needs to repurpose and reforest the area in the future. * Evanston Now | County tax mess cost D65 more than $1 million: Cook County’s bungled property tax distribution system has cost Evanston/Skokie School District 65 “approximately $1.14 million in real, avoidable taxpayer impact,” the district’s spokesperson has told Evanston Now. The county’s delayed payment of property taxes owed to school systems forced D65 to borrow money “to meet payment obligations to employees and vendors/service partners,” according to district spokesperson Hannah Dillow. * Crain’s | Lincolnwood mall pitched as redevelopment candidate gets new owner: The sale comes after years of challenges for the aging mall, which had been marketed for sale as a redevelopment candidate. Kirsten Bowersox, president at Xroads, said the firm’s affiliate Prairie Ridge Development intends to remake the property, though there’s not a concrete plan yet. “The village is developing their vision along with ours, and we’re confident it’ll all make sense at some point and whatever it becomes, it’ll be useful to the community,” Bowersox said. * Tribune | Cook County clerk’s office teams up with Chicago Bears to launch inaugural student election judge program: Through the initiative, dubbed “Defenders of DA’mocracy,” students across the county will see the inner workings of the election system firsthand by becoming official election judges for their own peers ahead of this spring’s primary. Preparations for the inaugural venture started this week, with some 150 students from two dozen high schools across suburban Cook County learning the ins and outs of running a polling place at a series of training sessions. Students are training to ultimately run early voting sites at their schools for the March 17 election and, if they want, to officiate future elections, too. * Shaw Local | Gotion updates Manteno village on safety issues: Wheeler outlined what Gotion has completed since the issues were brought up and after a Dec. 8 special board meeting. The issues were the establishment of a fire brigade on site, having an emergency action plan in place, sprinkler holding tank inspection report, and a bi-directional amplifier (BDA) system for emergency responder radio communications. Wheeler said a fire brigade is in place with experienced firefighters and a fire marshal. It’s waiting on final village approval. * Illinois Times | Public hearing on proposed project in Logan County draws questions, concerns: Electrical demand for the two data centers would be similar, as would the amount of farm ground to be purchased if the companies receive zoning approval from county boards in Logan and Sangamon counties, respectively. But CyrusOne has said it would spend about $500 million to construct the Sangamon County data center, while Hut 8 says in documents submitted to Logan County and in public presentations that its data center would cost $4 billion to $5 billion to establish. * WICS | Hut 8’s $4-$5 billion data center proposal in Logan County faces public scrutiny: Rachel, a Latham resident, raised concerns about noise, specifically the low-frequency hum that could affect residents’ well-being. “It is a noise that is felt, not heard,” she said. Hut 8 has committed to conducting a noise study as part of their planning process. […] Hut 8’s facility is designed to be a closed-loop system, primarily using air for cooling and recirculating water every four to five years. The company has not yet decided whether to use gas or diesel backup generators. * WAND | DACC board member censured for policy violations: According to a resolution of the board’s January 5 meeting, Trustee Dylan Haun shared information that was talked about during a closed session without permission, violating board policy. In the resolution, the board said the violation “undermines the board’s ability to engage in candid discussion and exposes the college to potential legal and reputational risk.”The resolution also said Haun met with the college’s Safety and Security Officer and Chief of Campus Security to “discuss matters relating to the college” without the board president’s permission. * Illinois Times | New manufacturer for Springfield: An international crane manufacturing firm is opening a plant in Springfield that will likely employ more than 100 people on the city’s west side. In addition to the blue-collar jobs assembling cranes, the firm will employ a host of professional positions as it plans to make Springfield its first manufacturing site in the U.S., Dominic Jolicoeur, REEL USA Corp’s vice president for North American operations, said. * WAND | Cyberattack under investigation by Coles County school district: In a press release sent to WAND News, Oakland Community School District 5 said hackers gained access to their systems and demanded payment to restore them. The district said they did not pay the criminals, working with cybersecurity experts and using backup systems to recover their systems before the end of the holiday break. * Muddy River News | Quincy task force eyeing zoning changes to ease housing crunch: “It isn’t just ‘we’re going to do this’,” task force co-chair Paul Havermale said. “That’s not how we’re going to operate. We’re going to try to educate, make sure everyone understands the recommendations we’re going to make.” When it comes to a comprehensive land-use zoning plan, Havermale acknowledges it costs money. Estimates are around $250,000. The last time the City of Quincy had one was when he was still on the council, sometime before 2010, meaning the data is outdated. * WGLT | Carle Health names new president of Bloomington-Normal service area: Carle Health has named Dr. Robert Cavagnol as its new president of the Bloomington-Normal service area. Cavagnol will assume the position on Feb. 2, replacing Colleen Kannaday after 15 years in that role. The healthcare provider said Cavagnol brings executive leadership experience and clinical experience needing to operate its health system. * WAND | Springfield City Council approves alcohol sales at Scheels Sports Complex: Springfield residents can soon buy alcohol during tournaments and events at the Scheels Sports Complex. Springfield City Council approved a new class of liquor licenses for the sports park Tuesday night, called Class P. Vendors will be able to sell beer, wine and liquor during designated hours. * Democracy Docket | Missouri officials reject one-third of signatures in anti-gerrymander referendum dispute: People Not Politicians submitted their status update to the court Monday, reporting that the Secretary of State’s office has deemed invalid 16,695 of the 49,763 pages of signatures. Numerous other legal challenges related to the Missouri gerrymander remain ongoing. Missouri voters are asking a court to block the state from using the new map until after the referendum vote takes place. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday on the plaintiffs’ motion to expedite the trial. * The Minnesota Star Tribune | ICE agent shoots, kills woman in Minneapolis: Gov. Tim Walz put out a call for calm. Frey said the woman killed was 37 years old. “To the family, I’m so deeply sorry,” Frey said. He also disputed Homeland Security’s version of what happened. […] Bystanders who observed the shooting from their own properties on Portland Avenue rejected Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s characterization of the incident, insisting the motorist was not attempting to ram anyone as she fled. “They’re whitewashing it; that’s absolutely not what happened,” said local resident Aiden Perzana, a data engineer for the state of Minnesota. “Somebody was trying to pull her out of her car. She was just trying to get away. There’s no way she was aiming for anybody. It’s just absurd.” * WaPo | The soaring price of youth sports: $50 to try out, $3,000 to play: A market report from business consultants Red Chalk Group in April said youth sports has become “a magnet for investment activity” as firms look “to capitalize on this growing demand.” Outside the hearing, Farrey said many of the problems with youth sports existed before private equity, “but it’s gotten a lot worse since then.” … Later this year, a youth sports megaplex is set to open in Springfield, Illinois, boasting the world’s largest air-supported dome, with room for more than 12 volleyball courts, six basketball courts and two softball fields.
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Investing In Illinois
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Unsurprisingly, the feds appear to be getting way ahead of themselves
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. This is one of three copy and paste letters from Robert Kennedy’s Department of Health and Human Services…
The other two letters (here and here), were about the child care program and the Social Services Block Grant. The governor said yesterday that the impact on Illinois would be about $1 billion. * First problem. Here’s the federal law referenced above…
Except, the “specific conditions” law lays out the preconditions for imposing harsh penalties…
But Secretary Kennedy isn’t presenting any actual evidence or analysis, just vibes. * The federal government is demanding a ton of information about all three programs in just three weeks. Here’s the social services block grant list…
Emphasis added to show how much of a cut-and-paste job this thing really is.
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Commission wants state to pony up $55 million to fund pay raises for countywide officials (Updated)
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The County Officials Compensation Task Force (COCTF) has released a compensation recomendation report as mandated by state law…
Um, maybe that’s because lawyers don’t wanna run for state’s attorney at such a low pay when they can make lots more in the private sector? I’ve not heard of a shortage of county clerk candidates, but maybe that’s just me. The average annual salary of state’s attorneys, according to the report, is $192,469. That’s about double the average salaries for auditors, county clerks and reporters. And it’s about two and a half times the average salaries for circuit clerks, supervisors of assessment, treasurers, and consolidated clerk/recorders. The state’s attorneys make almost four times as much money as coroners. A gender pay disparity exists within several countywide offices: “it was calculated that male officials in Illinois are paid on average 11% more than female officials.” * And so here’s the proposed solution…
They’re also recommending an immediate $3 million inflation-adjusted stipend, with cost of living increases going forward. Thoughts? …Adding… From Sen. Seth Lewis…
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Looks like yet another five-month session in two weeks
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not to mention that the two chamber leaders no longer coordinate their respective schedules, which is a real pain for a lot of us. The Senate is in next week, but the House doesn’t return until the following week, when the Senate is off. In February, the Senate is in for three weeks, but the House is in for just two. The Senate comes back at the beginning of March for two weeks, then leaves for a week before returning. The House doesn’t convene in March until March 18, the day after primary day, and stays for two weeks. The two chambers are in session together that month for just one week. In the past, the legislature would take off for two weeks for the Passover/Easter holidays. The Senate is doing that, but the House is in for the second week of Passover. That kills a needed spring break for those folks who have to be there whenever either chamber meets. And then comes May. Both chambers are in for four straight weeks. * It ticks me off to no end that Senate President Harmon and House Speaker Welch can’t get on the same page for something as simple as this. /rant
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Federal government withholding $1 billion from Illinois meant for child care, family assistance. Tribune…
- “Rather than making life easier and more affordable for our families, Donald Trump is stripping away child care from Illinois families who are just trying to go to work,” Pritzker said in a news release. - The frozen money comes from three areas: the Child Care and Development Fund, Social Services Block Grant funds, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. In Illinois, about 100,000 low-income, working families receive subsidized child care through the Child Care Assistance Program which is partly funded by Child Care and Development Block Grant, according to the governor’s office. * Related stories… * Tribune | Republican candidate for Illinois governor Ted Dabrowski fills news conference with contradictions: Dabrowski attempted to tie a rapid rise in spending for human service programs in Illinois under Pritzker to allegations of fraud that have surfaced in Minnesota, linked to the state’s large Somali immigrant community. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president, dropped his bid for a third term as governor on Monday amid the tumult. But, Dabrowski said, “I want to say here is I’m not making an accusation today of fraud in Illinois. I’m not doing that.” Later, he added, “I’m not making any accusations of fraud. I am saying that these kind of growth rates parallel the kind of stuff that could happen in Minnesota.” * Crain’s | Welch says Bears stadium bid collides with Springfield’s affordability agenda: The Bears aren’t the only ones who are at risk from Democrats’ renewed focus on affordability. Welch, like Gov. JB Pritzker, signaled an interest in insurance reform. “Everything’s going to come down around affordability issues. Folks are concerned about their homeowners insurance, their car insurance,” he said. * Crain’s | ComEd demands guarantees from data centers — and wins: Brad Klein, managing attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, said the transmission agreements “are a step in the right direction but still leave ComEd customers on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars of data-center transmission costs.” The nonprofit advocacy group recommends that big users also be required to pay their own cost for the high-voltage lines required to deliver power directly to their facilities. * Tribune | Darren Bailey promises a DOGE for Illinois: Bailey, a former legislator from southern Illinois who is again seeking the Republican nomination, sent out a weekend fundraising e-mail, saying one of his first actions as governor would be to “launch DOGE for Illinois.” DOGE is the Department of Government Efficiency run by Elon Musk that promised to save the federal government $1 trillion but, by its own admission, achieved far less. Its job cuts, many of them in Republican districts, sparked a backlash and proved to be one of the more controversial steps of Donald Trump’s second term so far. * Politico | Giannoulias cash surge fuels City Hall buzz: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias raised more than $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025 for his reelection campaign — no small feat, especially during the holiday fundraising doldrums. […] Giannoulias hasn’t decided whether he’ll take on Mayor Brandon Johnson, though the possibility remains one of the biggest unanswered questions in Chicago political circles. * Crain’s | After a bruising budget battle, Johnson’s CFO Jaworski leaves City Hall: The decision was made near the end of the year, but Jaworski wanted to stay on through the conclusion of the budget process, she told Crain’s. “I’m leaving because I have a great opportunity at Navy Pier,” she said. “I did delay in order to get through the budget and allow an appropriate time for the mayor’s office to be able to transition my position.” * Sun-Times | After problem-free ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,’ Mayor Johnson says he opposes revised curfew measure: “New Year’s Eve was a testament that we did not need an additional tool in order to ensure that our young people were where they need to be, and that our parents and adults who are part of these young peoples’ lives — that they are also held accountable for their whereabouts,” said Johnson, who vetoed the snap curfew ordinance that Hopkins muscled through the City Council after a violent teen takeover last year. Hopkins made the opposite argument about Chicago’s festive riverfront celebration “The mayor used my ordinance on New Year’s Eve… He declared a time-and-site curfew. He announced it and he publicized it. And he told parents, `Don’t send your unaccompanied minors to this event because curfew will be enforced’ and it worked,” Hopkins said. * Sun-Times | CPS Board is investigating two leaks of internal board information: The Chicago Board of Education has launched two investigations into how internal information got into the hands of the media. It is looking at whether a member is responsible for revealing the names of superintendent finalists to the media and how a reporter recently got an internal update that included information about plans to hold a special meeting to raise property taxes. The board president is so incensed by the recent leak that he is threatening to ask the guilty party to resign. * Sun-Times | Former CPS principal and network chief defrauded district of nearly $89K, watchdog finds: One such case involves former CPS principal and network chief Brian Metcalf. From 2012 to 2017, Metcalf worked with former CPS vendor Kimberly Maddox to generate fake invoices for goods and services that were never provided, splitting the proceeds after receiving payment from the district. Metcalf and Maddox admitted to the conspiracy as part of a plea agreement in a federal case against them involving a similar scheme to defraud a nonprofit organization and a charter school network in Indiana after Metcalf left CPS in 2018. * Tribune | Northwestern Memorial Hospital workers demand better staffing, ahead of expansion vote: The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board is slated on Jan. 13 to consider the hospital’s application to add 42 intensive care unit beds and a two-story connector between two pavilions, among other things. The board must vote in favor of the hospital’s application before the project can move forward. The project is partly intended to alleviate backups in the hospital’s emergency department due to a lack of intensive care unit beds, according to the hospital’s application for the project. Those backups have led to “excessive” emergency department wait times and many patients leaving without being seen, according to the hospital’s application. * Block Club | Did Chicago Police Help ICE? City Says No, But Watchdogs Hosting Public Hearing: The hearing is being held after police district councils submitted more than 2,000 signatures from community members last month that called for an investigation into how police and federal agents have interacted. A day before petitions were submitted, Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino, in a social media post, thanked Chicago police for “their assistance” during an operation in December. * Block Club | Black-Owned Brewery, Little Village Visitor Center Among 58 Projects Getting $33 Million From City: The mayor and the city’s Department of Planning and Development selected 58 projects to receive Community Development Grants, announcing in a news release that the recipients were selected from a pool of nearly 400 applicants. The awards, ranging from $51,000-$5 million, will support costs such as construction, rehabilitation and planning for projects sparking investment on commercial corridors, Johnson said. The awards are funded through the mayor’s $1.25 billion Housing And Economic Development Bond, tax-increment financing and the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund. * Tribune | Chicago Bears preparing for intense atmosphere in playoff opener — on the field and in the stands: Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson hasn’t heard from a lot of old colleagues about making the playoffs as a first-year head coach, nor has he given himself a second to pat himself on the back for the achievement. It’s a short week before the Bears face the Green Bay Packers on Saturday for the third time in six weeks — and in a wild-card playoff game, no less. “Just really focused at the task at hand,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday at Halas Hall. “We’ll worry about the reflection, we’ll have plenty of time to do that when the season’s over. We’re not ready for that, you know? * Sun-Times | The future of Walgreens, an iconic Chicago drugstore, looks grim: First and foremost, according to Walgreens’ June 6 proxy statement, Sycamore financed its $18.8 billion leveraged buyout of Walgreens with 70.9% debt — a truly staggering amount, much higher than the average debt level of 41% used by private equity firms to acquire companies last year. The leveraged buyout model is a key driver of instability at private equity-owned companies: By saddling companies with substantial debt, resources that could otherwise be invested in innovation, workforce development or adapting to market changes are channeled toward servicing this debt, leaving companies vulnerable to financial distress and bankruptcy. … Since Staples was acquired by Sycamore in 2017, Sycamore has shuttered roughly one-third of its stores and laid off scores of workers. Meanwhile, Sycamore loaded Staples with debt and extracted a $1 billion dividend from the struggling retailer in addition to transferring Staples’ $150 million headquarters to itself. Mike Motz, the CEO who oversaw hundreds of store closures and tens of thousands of layoffs at Staples, has now been chosen to head up Walgreens. * Tribune | Barnes & Noble to open four Chicago-area bookstores, part of a national expansion: The bookseller will open a store this summer in the former Old Navy outlet at 150 N. State St. Another Barnes & Noble store will open in early 2026 in Hyde Park at 1524 E. 55th St. The company also plans to relocate its store within Skokie’s Westfield Old Orchard Mall to a new two-level space, and build out by late spring a new Barnes & Noble inside the former Borders Books in Oak Park. * Crain’s | Chicago’s mansion market had a blowout year in 2025: In the year that just ended, sales of high-end homes surged to a new record in the Chicago area, climbing past the old benchmark by almost 15%. As of Dec. 31, Crain’s running count of home sales at $4 million and up was at 156 for the year, head and shoulders above the previous record, the 136 homes sold in that uppermost price range in 2022. * Daily Herald | Railroads say freight merger application falls short; UP says rivals are grandstanding: Four of the nation’s largest railroads hope to throw a wrench in plans by rivals Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to merge into one huge freight carrier. Officials with BNSF, CPKC, CSX and CN railroads recently filed objections with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board charging that the merger application was incomplete and flawed. * Daily Southtown | Will County judge criticizes state delays, blocks tax return evidence in final Kee forfeiture case: Will County Judge Brian Barrett told Assistant State’s Attorney Dant Foulk Wednesday to sit down, calling Foulk’s attempt to appeal a ruling, which threatened to halt a case first filed against two New Lenox business owners in 2023, “a wrench thrown into the cogs of justice.” Barrett said the state cannot file an appeal every time they get a ruling that they do not want, calling the state’s continued delays “devious,” “ridiculous,” “absurd” and an abuse of the law. The exchange was a part of the final forfeiture case filed in 2023 against Greta Keranen and Jeffrey Regnier, owners of Kee Firearms and Kee Construction in New Lenox. * Daily Herald | Mount Prospect spent $700,000 on legal fight with malodorous animal feed producer: According to the information released this week by the village, it amounted to $707,919.97. The breakdown is $539,848.83 for in-house legal services and $168,071.14 for outside services. […] From the village’s perspective, the cost could have been higher — Mount Prospect and Des Plaines settled with Prestige in June. The settlement included Prestige’s commitment to shutter by the end of the year. Legal costs were projected to exceed $400,000, with the potential for appeals, Village Manager Michael Cassady said. * Crain’s | Chicago Stars FC plans 10-acre training center, HQ in Bannockburn: Chicago’s professional women’s soccer franchise is poised to build its first team-owned training facility in Bannockburn, a $30-million-plus project that would plant permanent roots for the club in the northern suburb and signal its growth ambitions as more money flows into women’s pro sports nationwide. The Chicago Stars FC today announced it is under contract to buy a 10-acre property at 1000 Lakeside Drive along Interstate 94 in Bannockburn, which the National Women’s Soccer League club plans to redevelop into a team performance center and the new hub of its operations. Pending completion of the deal and final zoning approvals from the village of Bannockburn, the Stars aim to break ground on the new facility in the spring and relocate next year from the team’s longtime practice home and office headquarters at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. * Daily Herald | Alexian Brothers labor and delivery unit shuts down: After months of debate over its closure, and a ruling by a state agency in favor of Ascension’s closing it down, the Alexian Brothers Medical Center’s labor and delivery unit in Elk Grove Village served its last patient Tuesday. Ascension confirmed it is no longer scheduling deliveries at Alexian Brothers Women & Infant Services. Operations have been consolidated at Ascension Saint Alexius Women and Children’s Hospital in Hoffman Estates. * Aurora Beacon-News | CTU President Stacy Davis Gates to be keynote speaker at Aurora event honoring legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.: “Davis Gates is a dynamic speaker who brings courage and clarity,” Aurora Deputy Chief of Staff Nicholas Richard-Thompson said in the news release. “Her fearless leadership and commitment to the ‘common good’ approach to organizing make her the ideal voice to help us reflect on King’s legacy of labor advocacy and our current struggle for structural justice.” In addition to Davis Gates’ keynote speech and performances by local choruses and artists, the event will also feature the presentation of the Donna J. Williams MLK Service Awards and the MLK Youth Liberation Awards, officials said. * WGLT | First non-congregate shelter village in McLean County to open in coming weeks: The McLean County Chamber of Commerce officiated the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Home Sweet Homes Ministries’ 48-unit facility on Oakland Avenue. However, residents are unable to move in until city officials issue a certificate of occupancy permit, said CEO Matt Burgess. […] Burgess hopes the permit will be issued in the next few weeks after a fence is installed around the property and an electrical reinspection. * WCIA | Pre-apprentice program for at-risk people needs Champaign’s help: A program aiming to place people in trades is now going to the City of Champaign for some help. East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council started a pre-apprentice program more than a year ago. People get hands-on training, certifications, and exposure to different kinds of trades. They also get paid $13 an hour as a stipend. The goal is to help place members of the program with full-time apprenticeships. Now, they’re wanting to create a separate program only for at-risk individuals. * Herald-Whig | QPS projections better, but staffing shortage prompts concern: What sounds promising, QPS Chief of Business Operations Ryan Whicker said, potentially could be even more troubling for the school district. With 60 open positions for teachers and support staff, “when you factor in salaries and benefits for the folks we’re missing, we’re right back where we were,” Whicker said. “It looks better than it has, but we’ve had more openings this year than we’ve ever had. It’s a blessing from the finance side but a curse on the other side of harming the educational environment.” * Herald-Whig | Quincy man receives 30 months probation, GPS monitoring over threats: Benjamin J. Inman, 28, of Quincy entered a guilty plea to one count of threatening a public official. The charge, a Class 3 felony, carries a maximum possible penalty of five years in prison. As part of the negotiated plea, Inman will serve 30 months on probation. He was also sentenced to 364 days in the county jail, with credit for 14 days served since he was arrested on Dec. 23 and the other 350 days stayed pending successful resolution of probation. * WCIA | Danville Mass Transit steps into void left by CRIS RMTD closure: Danville’s Mayor, Rickey Williams, said the city’s transit system had to step up and fill the void on short notice. But right now, they can’t help everyone who has been left out by the sudden closure. “We’re actually providing that for all of those Vermilion County patients now,” he said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the authorization yet to work outside of the county, but we are currently providing rides for all of those who need dialysis service that were previously provided transportation through CRIS.” * NYT | Warner Bros. Board Rebuffs Paramount’s Latest Buyout Offer: Warner Bros. Discovery announced a deal in December to sell much of its business to Netflix for $83 billion, shocking much of the entertainment industry. Warner said Netflix’s offer, for its TV and movie studios, was a better deal than Paramount’s proposal to acquire the full company. Paramount has since made a hostile bid, taking its case to shareholders. It has also proposed a deal for which Larry Ellison, a co-founder of Oracle, has personally guaranteed $40 billion in equity. * WaPo | X users tell Grok to undress women and girls in photos. It’s saying yes.: Ashley St. Clair, a conservative influencer, had just put her baby down for the night Sunday when she got a text from a friend that turned her weekend into a nightmare: People on X were using the app’s chatbot, Grok, to generate sexual images of her, including one based on a photo of St. Clair at 14 years old.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tell us what’s on your mind…
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SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign news
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for COGFA’s latest revenue report. Click here and scroll down to Page 8 for a comprehensive explanation of “true-up” reallocations. Click here to watch Speaker Welch’s City Club address. Click here for Joe DeBose’s announcement that he’s dropping out of the 118th House District race. * In other news, from Sen. Sara Feigenholtz’s campaign…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Jan 7, 2026 - 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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Pritzker lashes out at Trump over child care, other social services funding freeze
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Pritzker press release…
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Report: Schakowsky to endorse Biss in CD9 (Updated x2)
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Kat Abughazaleh, you will recall, announced she would run against Schakowsky as Schakowsky was preparing to announce her retirement. Hard feelings may remain, but the Illinois AFL-CIO’s Biss endorsement may have been the tipping point. It gave people someone they know to rally around. …Adding… Not a happy camper…
…Adding… Sen. Mike Simmons…
…Adding… Politico…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * CBS Chicago…
* Crain’s…
* WMBD | Illinois trains therapy canine teams for law enforcement: What is being considered the first-of-its-kind law enforcement therapy canine certification framework is designed to make law enforcement personnel and their trained therapy canines ready for use in crisis calls, peer support, and community engagement functions. […] The first law enforcement therapy canine teams to finish the program and get certified are in schools in Chatham, Harvey, Summit, and Chicago. Teams from Colorado also participated in the first certification group after tragic events in that state. * Press release | AG Raoul: Appeals Court affirms permanent injunction to halt defunding medical, public health research: Attorney General Kwame Raoul applauded the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit for affirming a lower court ruling permanently preventing the Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from cutting funding that supports cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country. The ruling protects “indirect cost” reimbursements at research institutions throughout the country. These reimbursements cover necessary expenses to facilitate biomedical research, including lab, faculty, safety protocol, data processing and utility costs. * Press release | Illinois Unemployment Rate Stable, Payrolls Nearly Unchanged in November: The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in November, unchanged from September, and down -0.5 percentage point from the same month, one year ago, based on data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The revised September unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.4 percent. There are no October unemployment rates for Illinois or the nation as labor force data for the month of October could not be collected from households during the federal government shutdown. Total nonfarm payrolls were nearly unchanged over-the-month in November, down -9,700 (-0.2%) to 6,145,600. The September monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from -2,200 to -3,400. There was no October Illinois payroll jobs, unemployment rate news release due to the federal government shutdown. The November payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th. * Block Club | Your Uber Will Cost More In These Zones Starting Now — And Other New Fees You Should Know About: Rideshare users in a single-user ride starting or ending between 6 a.m.-10 p.m. everyday in the newly established zones will be charged the additional $1.50 fee. Shared rides will see an added 60-cent fee, also for trips between 6 a.m.-10 p.m. but on weekdays only. Rides to and from McCormick Place are exempt from the expansion, but an existing $5 surcharge to take an Uber or Lyft there — as well as to O’Hare and Midway airports and Navy Pier — is still in effect, according to a city website. * Sun-Times | South and West side clergy seek relief from ’sinful’ property tax spikes: Last year, the median homeowner tax bill in McCray’s neighborhood increased nearly $2,000, or 133%; neighboring North Lawndale and Englewood saw 92% and 88% increases respectively. […] Residential property tax bills are rising fastest in predominantly Black neighborhoods on the South and West sides because the county’s tax burden is being shifted away from the economic center of the city, according to a Cook County treasurer’s office report last month and a Chicago Sun-Times analysis of five years of tax bills. Other neighborhoods, such as Pilsen, have seen similar increases and the ensuing struggles that have led to similar calls for action in recent years. * Evanston Roundtable | No decision on District 65 board vacancy — yet: The clock is ticking for Cook County regional superintendent April Jordan to appoint someone to fill the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 school board vacancy. The deadline for the District 65 board to appoint someone themselves passed on Jan. 3. In an email to the RoundTable Monday, board president Pat Anderson wrote that the decision has been officially passed on to Jordan. At the Dec. 15 board meeting, Anderson revealed that the board was deadlocked on both the appointment of the new member and the number of additional closures. Anderson said that the board would not be able to meet the 60 day deadline to appoint someone to fill the vacancy. * Daily Southtown | Harvey Park Board member alleges political motivation behind domestic violence arrest: Brown-Oneal said she suspected her arrest was an act of political retaliation. She is one of two board members suing others at the Harvey Park District for allegedly preventing her from carrying out her duties. “The timing and selective nature of these charges combined with the immediate media notification raise serious questions about whether this is law enforcement or political retaliation,” Brown-Oneal said. * Daily Herald | Antioch man found guilty of ‘rolling coal’ at anti-Trump rally in McHenry: Nicholas Thompson, 18, was found guilty of disorderly conduct, a petty offense. He was sentenced to pay $300 in fines and fees by Judge Jeffrey Hirsch after a bench trial Monday. According to a complaint against Thompson, he disturbed a lawful assembly by “rolling coal,” which emitted “a large cloud of black smoke in front of a protest” down Route 31 on July 26 “disturbing and frightening protesters.” * Daily Herald | Developers proposing shops at former Pheasant Run ask for $3.3M in incentives from St. Charles: A developer is eyeing the construction of 12 to 15 buildings — including shops, restaurants and a possible hotel — at the site of the demolished Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. To ensure the deal, the developers are seeking $3.3 million in incentives from the city. SC Landman LLC submitted a concept plan to create what it’s calling The Shops at Pheasant Run on nearly 34 acres at the southeast corner of East Main Street and Kautz Road. * Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County Forest Preserve District moving forward with plans for nature center in Aurora: In November, a contract was approved by the Forest Preserve Commission for design services, and the Forest Preserve District is currently in the process of applying for a state grant to cover some of the costs of the project. The idea for an “urban ecology field station” in Aurora was one of the projects set to benefit from a proposed tax hike the Kane County Forest Preserve District put to voters in 2024, which was ultimately approved. The property tax increase has been estimated as amounting to around $10 per $100,000 of home value, and was projected to bring in around $6.9 million to the district in the first year. * WCIA | Menard Co. Sheriff’s Office investigating damaged Flock camera, burglary: The Menard County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after one of their Flock cameras was cut down over the weekend. A burglary and theft were also reported nearby, and the Sheriff’s Office is investigating that too. […] The Sheriff’s Office added that a second Flock camera, located on Route 29 in neighboring Mason County, was also vandalized in this manner. * WGLT | Normal council accepts community investment plan, hears more on fire station placement: The various projects, including public infrastructure, water, sewer and parks, total $188 million of planned capital spending. The plan combines spending for the current fiscal year of 2026 and the town’s proposed five-year budget from fiscal years 2027 to 2031. The council will vote to formally accept the plan in March. * WJBD | Marion County Supervisor of Assessments keeps his job; Board Chair says change will still happen: The Marion County Board on an 8-7 vote has agreed to keep Mark Miller as Supervisor of Assessments. While the vote appears close, two-thirds of the board members had to agree to get rid of Miller. The decision upset most of the crowd estimated at 150 that filled the large third floor courtroom and the rotunda of the courthouse where several spoke about the poor job they thought Miller was doing. Several business owners said unequal assessments were keeping new developments out of Marion County while others were choosing to expand elsewhere. * WICS | CRIS Rural Mass Transit to cease operations in three counties by Jan. 2026: CRIS Rural Mass Transit announced it will cease operations in Vermilion, Ford, and Iroquois counties effective Jan. 2, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. The decision follows a funding freeze by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), which has made it impossible for the service to continue. “It is with extreme sorrow we announce the dissolution of CRIS Rural Mass Transit,” the organization stated. Alternative transportation services are listed on their website, to assist affected riders. Those who have prepaid for rides will receive reimbursements. “We are very sorry for this inconvenience and wish our riders well,” the statement concluded.
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Speaker Welch on funding a new Bears stadium: ‘Insensitive to what real people are going through right now’
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * House Speaker Chris Welch was at the City Club today and was asked about prospects for the state helping the Bears build a new stadium and entertainment complex…
My own opinion is if the state of Indiana - which just “balanced” its budget by “cutting public health and higher education funding” and using one-time revenue sources for ongoing spending - wants to feed the McCaskey family ego, let ‘em. Outsource the billionaire vanity burden to the Hoosier rubes. * Also, Pearson made a good point…
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Reports: Illinois one of five states where Trump is freezing $10 billion in funding for child care, TANF and Social Services Block Grants
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Subscribers were told about this earlier today…
* From the New York Post story…
So far, no states have said they’re received the letter, including Illinois as of about 12:30 this afternoon. * From IDHS…
* Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski held a press conference today to discuss human services funding. From his opening remarks…
* And then he said he’s not saying, he’s just saying…
* But even if there is no fraud, Dabrowski said spending on child care and services for people with severe disabilities is far too high…
As subscribers were already reminded, Dabrowski lamented the lack of spending on social services ten years ago in an Illinois Policy Institute op-ed during the Rauner administration. * More…
Click here for more on the magical forensic audits. * However, I don’t think this is at all unreasonable…
Wouldn’t hurt. The legislature can ask the Illinois Auditor General to perform an audit. Governors can’t order those on their own, but Pritzker could encourage it. * Dabrowski also seemed to contradict himself…
But then Dabrowski said that bond ratings don’t matter to ordinary people…
If I get this right, he’s saying using one-time money to pay down bills is somehow bad because it takes away from ongoing state spending to help “Joe Blow,” but also, spending state and federal money on families and some of the most vulnerable people in Illinois has skyrocketed during that same period of time. In that above-mentioned 2016 op-ed, he said social spending should be higher, but pension payments were too high. He wasn’t wrong, but pension payments have since stabilized as a percentage of the budget. And now the state can fund other things.
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BGA reports it has secured ‘concrete commitments’ from legislative leaders for searchable archived video
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * From Bryan Zarou at the Better Government Association…
If you read the letters, Welch’s commitment seems much stronger than Harmon’s, but it’s a start. * The BGA’s original letter spells out the problem…
Just put it on YouTube and call it a day. Also, too, the GA should fix its clunky “new and improved” website.
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Congressional TV ads begin to sprout (Updated)
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Tribune…
Bean’s spot… * In the 9th congressional district, Sen. Laura Fine announces her fourth quarter fundraising haul and a broadcast spot. Press release…
Fine’s campaign said they’ve spent $340k for week one for broadcast, cable and digital ads. * Evanston Now’s Matthew Eadie…
…Adding… Evanston Mayor and 9th CD candidate Daniel Biss also has a page up with red-boxing material. Click here to take a look. * Politico…
The video… Transcript…
* Raja Krishnamoorthi launched two new TV ads today “Tables”… And “Leading The Fight”…
Raja is still the only Senate candidate up on broadcast.
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Here we go again… (Updated)
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The last time we saw this sort of language, the governor was preparing to spend a fortune to help nominate Bailey in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary. From a new JB for Governor press release…
Thoughts? …Adding… The Democratic Party of Illinois…
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Just to be clear, these are our promises to you
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * It occurred to me over break that this website has become unique simply by sticking with longstanding common sense rules and practices. So, I updated our “About” page to highlight our uniqueness…
Discuss.
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The Pope vs. JB
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * My recent email to the governor’s office…
* Pritzker was asked again on Dec 15th if he discussed the medical aid in dying bill with the Pope…
All emphasis added. * The Pope a couple of weeks ago…
* Chicago Archdioses spokesperson Robert Gilligan confirmed to Isabel that Gov. Pritzker did indeed meet with Cardinal Blase Cupich. When asked about the apparent disagreement, Gilligan said…
* From the govenor’s spokesperson Matt Hill…
Discuss.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Feds’ decision to recommend fewer vaccines for kids will have ‘no bearing’ on Illinois vaccine guidance, top health official says, amid flu surge. Tribune…
-The CDC will continue to recommend routine childhood vaccinations for diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, human papillomavirus and chickenpox, while reserving some vaccines for high-risk children and leaving decisions on others, such as flu, rotavirus, COVID-19, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, to parents and doctors. - Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement Monday that the federal changes won’t affect Illinois’ childhood vaccine recommendations, which are based on “up-to-date scientific evidence.” * Related stories… * Daily Herald | State Sen. DeWitte announces prostate cancer diagnosis: He expects to be back in Springfield in mid-February, he said. His offices in West Dundee and St. Charles remain open in his absence. […] “The good news is that because of early detection, and the fact that the cancer never had a chance to spread, my prognosis is excellent,” DeWitte said in his announcement. “The surgical resolution puts me at 99% cured.” * Sun-Times | With an eye on ICE, Broadview village board approves restrictions on detention centers: The village of Broadview approved changes to its zoning laws, enacting further restrictions on prisons and detention centers following widespread protests at its Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility late last year. The Broadview zoning board backtracked Monday, recommending the village board approve the proposal after initially suggesting rejecting the proposal. The plan restricts prisons and detention centers within 1,000 feet of residential areas, school districts, day care centers, cemeteries, park districts, forest preserves, senior-living facilities and public housing. * Press Release | Attorney General Kwame Raoul Endorses State Rep. Margaret Croke for Illinois Comptroller: Today, State Representative Margaret Croke announced the endorsement of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul in her campaign for Illinois State Comptroller. The support from the statewide elected official marks a strong start to 2026 for Croke’s campaign and underscores growing momentum behind her bid to serve as Illinois’ chief fiscal watchdog. In a new video, Raoul highlights why Rep. Croke is the most qualified candidate in the race, touting her strong record of delivering results for Illinoisans. Watch here. * Capitol News Illinois | Despite mounting budget pressure, graduated income tax remains political longshot: Illinois currently has an earned income tax credit available for people earning up to about $67,000. The state also offers a child tax credit to those who qualify for the state EITC who have at least one dependent child. Such credits have been found to stand up to state constitutional muster. Martwick said that would be “an acceptable Plan B,” but thinks “we should always try for the best policy first.” “And I think that would be a constitutional amendment that provides a really good, well thought out, structured plan that allows everyone to contribute and have skin in the game, but in a way that allows everyone to thrive and isn’t overburdening one segment over another,” Martwick said. * KWQC | Illinois law protects workers who use work devices to record violence: The amendment to the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act makes sure employees can’t be disciplined or retaliated against for using company computers, tablets or phones to record or store evidence related to domestic and sexual violence or stalking, according to a media release. “No one should have to choose between their safety and their job when documenting violence against themselves or their family,” Jane Flanagan, director of the Illinois Department of Labor said in the release. * WAND | Illinois bans life insurance companies from discriminating against people with criminal records: Insurance companies are now banned from limiting or denying life insurance coverage based on a criminal record. Sponsors said families should not be put in debt because of a crime their loved one committed a lifetime ago. They also argue life insurance companies should provide coverage regardless of the crime someone committed. “I would argue and suggest that we remove the invisible handcuffs and the invisible prison cells, and allow people who are productive citizens to be able to have coverage to provide for their families,” said Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan). * 8th Congressional District candidate Melisa Bean has released her first campaign ad. Press release…
According to Bean’s campaign the spot will run on YouTube and streaming platforms including Apple TV+, Disney+ and Hulu as part of a sustained buy over the next 10 weeks. * Tribune | Aldermen’s historic Chicago budget now reality, but may not be finished product: The projections aldermen made for their policy changes are often bold, but not necessarily implausible, civic analysts told the Tribune. And while the winning counterproposal makes some key changes favorable to credit rating agencies, it also clings to entrenched practices that continue to make Chicago appear a risky investment, they said. “It’s fair to criticize this overall plan to say, ‘OK, yeah, in a perfect world, we would have actual budget analysis of these things,” said Justin Marlowe, director of the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago. * ABC Chicago | How Johnson’s fundraising stacks up against his potential mayoral election challengers’: Records show Johnson currently has more than $935,000 in his campaign coffer. But entrepreneur and political newcomer Joe Holberg, who announced in the fall he is running, reports raising more than $500,000 already. Congressman Mike Quigley, who also formed a mayoral committee last fall, has so far raised $177,000. But he has $1.2 million that could potentially be transferred from his congressional campaign account, should he decide to run. * Sun-Times | CHA’s top CEO candidate withdraws application: Candidate Jillian Baldwin decided to remain as the CEO of a housing authority in Bridgeport, Connecticut, after negotiations with Bridgeport city leaders, according to The Connecticut Post. Baldwin declined to comment Monday, when reached via phone by the Sun-Times. * Crain’s | Peoples Gas seeks another rate hike for Chicago heating bills: Chicago heating bills could climb again next year under a new rate hike proposal from Peoples Gas that would raise the average household’s natural gas bill by as much as $11 a month, according to published reports. The Chicago-based utility filed its request Monday with state regulators, setting the stage for a lengthy review process that will play out over most of this year. * WTTW | Votes Set on Push to Expand CPD’s Curfew Power, Social Media Crack Down in Effort to Stop Teen Gatherings: A key City Council panel is set to vote on two proposals designed to stop large gatherings of teens by expanding the Chicago Police Department’s power to impose a curfew with at least 12 hours’ notice and to crack down on social media platforms used to promote the events. The proposals, set for a vote at the 10 a.m. Wednesday meeting of the Public Safety Committee, were prompted by the killing of 14-year-old Armani Floyd on Nov. 21 during a large gathering downtown after the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting. Eight others were injured in a separate shooting just blocks away. * Sun-Times | Woman who killed, dismembered landlord still owed nearly $3 million from CTA lawsuit: Kolalou was sentenced to 58 years in prison, which means she will be behind bars until at least 2076. […] The CTA argued on appeal that jurors should have been informed about her criminal case, as her imprisonment undermined her claims for future damages. But the appellate court disagreed. * Crain’s | Mike Tyson accuses ex-cannabis business partners of racketeering in $50M lawsuit: Heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has filed a $50 million racketeering lawsuit accusing former partners at a Chicago marijuana branding company of defrauding him through kickback schemes, unauthorized bonuses and lavish personal spending. Six days before Christmas, Tyson and others connected to his marijuana business venture — Tyson 2.0 — filed the suit in Illinois federal court, alleging 21 counts of securities fraud, extortion, money laundering, breach of contract and other misdeeds by former executives at a branding company that also acts as a primary purveyor of Tyson’s cannabis goods. * ABC Chicago | Barack Obama invites Chicagoans to apply for jobs at Presidential Center: The Obama Center in Jackson Park is set to open its doors later this year and its looking to hire more than 150 people for full-time jobs. Obama says employees will serve as the public face of the center and will play a crucial role for the visitor experience. “People come here we want them to feel what makes the South Side so special, the mix of warmth and grit, the sense of humor that can brighten any day,” Obama said. * Cat Sharp has dropped out of the race for Cook County Board. Matthew Eadie…
* Daily Herald | New Wheaton budget includes debt for fire, police station projects: The city plans to take out bonds to finance a large-scale renovation of the police department headquarters off Liberty Drive and the rebuilding of aging Fire Station No. 39 on the existing site along President Street. Preliminary estimates for both projects total roughly more than $21 million. The city anticipates a bond issue in fall 2026, Finance Director Robert Lehnhardt said during a December public hearing. Overall, total revenues across all funds are projected at $160.8 million. Total expenditures for 2026 are estimated at $153.1 million. * Aurora Beacon-News | East Aurora prepares for what’s next after immigration enforcement activity on school property in the fall: And, as this incident in Aurora — and others like it across the broader Chicago area — arose over the past few months, an unusual semester at East Aurora School District 131 has prompted the district to examine its procedures and adapt to unexpected circumstances, particularly as the question of what’s next for Chicago in the Trump administration’s federal immigration crackdown remains unclear. In East Aurora, an incident at an elementary school almost two weeks earlier on Saturday, Oct. 25, had prompted some concern within the district. Two protestors were detained outside Allen Elementary after being confronted by federal agents, prompting the district’s school board to pass a measure banning federal immigration enforcement actions from occurring on its property just a few days later. * Daily Herald | ‘Too many positives’: Despite residents’ concerns, Costco plan moving forward in Des Plaines: Several residents of Patton Drive, which is just west of the site, took to the lectern Monday night to object to the plan. All targeted the gas station, which would be nearest to their homes. One noted the second-story windows of his home now will overlook a gas station instead of Peterson Lake if the development moves forward. Others expressed fears that gasoline fumes and car exhaust would affect their health and the health of their children. The council members ultimately voted 6-1 in favor of amending zoning rules for the property, granting a permit for a planned development and granting zoning variations for the project that cover landscaping, fencing and other elements. * WCIA | Decatur will host community forum to hear concerns about carbon capture project: Rosenberger and other concerned residents plan on raising their issues at next week’s “Council Connections” event. Horn said safety likely won’t be the only topic being discussed. He added that residents deserve to know every detail about the project, from potential risks to what it might cost. “Does it need sewer infrastructure? If so, in what amounts and who is paying for it? Is it the residents of Decatur? Or is it the companies that want to do the energy production and sequestration?” Horn asked. * WSIL | Christmas trees wanted for Rend Lake fish habitats: Residents have the opportunity to give their Christmas trees a second life by donating them to Rend Lake. The initiative aims to enhance fish habitats and improve angling opportunities. Tree donations are accepted through January 11, 2026, at various drop-off locations. * WGLT | ISU football team’s title bid ends with wild OT loss: No. 2 Montana State scored on a wild fourth-down pass in overtime and converted the extra point kick as ISU absorbed a heartbreaking 35-34 defeat Monday at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville. ISU fought back again and again in the penalty-filled game, including a stiffer second-half defense, but the Bobcats’ earlier quick scores in response kept a comeback just out of reach. * The Guardian | Mother of one of Elon Musk’s sons ‘horrified’ at use of Grok to create fake sexualised images of her: The abuse started over the weekend, and she said that since it began she had been reporting it to X and Grok, to no avail. “The response time is getting longer as well,” she added. “When this first started, Grok was removing some of them.” The manipulated image of her as a 14-year-old had been up for 12 hours by Monday afternoon. It and several other images highlighted by St Clair were finally removed after the Guardian sought comment from X. * Barron’s | US Manufacturing Hit 2025 Bottom In December: Survey: The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing index fell to 47.9 from November’s 48.2 reading, the lowest of 2025 despite modest improvements in employment and some other categories. The reading for the production category fell from November’s level, while employment remained in contraction even as it saw a 0.9 percentage point improvement from November. Respondents also described customers’ inventories as “too low,” which is usually a positive sign for future production, said ISM survey chair Susan Spence. * AP | FAA picks 2 firms to replace 612 outdated radar systems that air traffic controllers rely on: The FAA has been spending most of its $3 billion equipment budget just maintaining the fragile old system that still relies on floppy discs in places. Some of the equipment is old and isn’t manufactured anymore, so the FAA sometimes has to search for spare parts on eBay. Technical failures twice knocked out the radar for air traffic controllers managing planes around Newark Liberty International Airport last spring, and those problems led to thousands of cancellations and delays at the major hub airport.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s on your mind?…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign news
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 - 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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