Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. At an unrelated news conference, Governor Pritzker was asked about the Illinois AFL-CIO’s decision to withdraw from the decades-old “agreed bill process” for workers’ comp and unemployment insurance…

Pritzker: This is an old methodology that’s been around for a long time. It has worked in many circumstances. I understand the frustration of the leaders of the labor movement about the fact that Republicans across the country have been unwilling to actually cut deals that make sense with labor, and therefore they want action on their behalf. So I understand the perspective. I have to say, we’ve seen the process work reasonably well in the state of Illinois before, but, you know, it’s their prerogative to choose not to be part of that process.

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) today urged the Illinois Supreme Court to reject Amazon’s request to limit the Illinois Minimum Wage Law in a lawsuit filed against the company by its Illinois warehouse workers. Raoul and IDOL filed an amicus brief in Johnson v. Amazon.com Services LLC in support of the workers, who say Amazon failed to pay them for time they spent undergoing mandatory public-health screenings at the warehouses before their work shifts.

“Illinois law goes further than federal law when it comes to protecting the rights of our workers,” Raoul said. “In Illinois, when a worker is required to spend their valuable time at a workplace for pre-shift tasks, they’re entitled to be paid for that time. I will continue advocating for Illinois workers and ensuring our wage-and-hour standards are respected and enforced.” […]

The warehouse workers sued Amazon under both the Illinois Minimum Wage Law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. A federal trial judge dismissed the workers’ federal claims based on an exception in the Fair Labor Standards Act for “preliminary” and “postliminary” job activities. The judge also dismissed their state-law claims, reasoning that the Illinois Minimum Wage law implicitly incorporates the same exception. The plaintiffs appealed the ruling on their state-law claims. However, instead of ruling for either party, the federal appellate panel asked the Illinois Supreme Court to clarify whether Illinois law incorporates the exception, explaining that the case raised an “unsettled question of state law” with “profound significance to workers and employers in Illinois.”

In their brief in the Illinois Supreme Court, Raoul and IDOL argue that Illinois has never enacted an exception like the one that exists at the federal level. Although Illinois courts sometimes look to federal law for guidance when interpreting state minimum-wage law, the brief explains, doing so here would be inappropriate because that would add a sweeping exception into a law that Illinois passed to protect workers, and no provision of state law mirrors the relevant federal provision. Raoul and IDOL emphasize that the Fair Labor Standards Act permits the state to enact wage-and-hour standards that exceed federal standards, which Illinois has consistently done.

* Tribune…

Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell Jr. and a coalition of legal groups and social service organizations are petitioning Chief Judge Timothy Evans to enter a general order prohibiting warrantless immigration arrests in or around courthouses.

Court facilities have historically been spared when it comes to immigration enforcement in order to create conditions in which defendants and witnesses are likely to show up for appearances. But sightings of federal immigration agents have increasingly been reported in and around area courthouses. […]

“We are asking Chief Judge Evans to do the right thing and to please protect that right by signing the general order,” said Alexa Van Brunt, director of the Illinois office at the MacArthur Justice Center. […]

On multiple occasions, immigration agents have been spotted around the domestic violence courthouse, raising particular concern about a chilling impact on people seeking orders of protection.

* Tribune…

Education in Illinois shows promising areas of growth — including improved kindergarten readiness and increased graduation rates — but remains hampered by stagnant reading and math literacy, as well as rising higher education costs, according to a new report.

Other problems plague the state as well, including chronic absenteeism and student mental health issues, which continue to be pervasive post-pandemic, according to the biennial analysis by Advance Illinois, a bipartisan education and advocacy organization. The report, released Wednesday, offers an in-depth look at the state’s education infrastructure and how public school students are faring.

Obstacles to schooling begin even before a child’s education journey, and persist after high school, due to increasing costs, according to the report.

“The bad news is there are very serious gaps, and those gaps by income, by race, by learning style, by language, have emerged even before students get to kindergarten,” said Robin Steans, president of Advance Illinois. The good news, Steans said, is that classroom rigor, persistence and graduation rates continue to increase. “Those are all moving in the right direction,” she said.

Overall, Illinois outpaces the nation in academic growth, Steans said, but there is still work to be done to ensure that all students reach their full potential, Steans wrote in the report.

* Citizens Utility Board…

After an expensive summer, Commonwealth Edison’s new supply price has dropped slightly but is still about 47 percent higher than last year, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) said Wednesday.

Even though ComEd’s price is elevated, the watchdog urged consumers to review the “Supply” section of their bills to confirm they are not overpaying with an expensive alternative supplier offer, including offers negotiated by local governments.

ComEd’s new non-summer power price (from October 2025 through May 2026):

● 9.689 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) (Appears as 0.09689 on bills.)
● The price above includes the supply price plus a transmission charge.

While ComEd’s price is down slightly from what it was this past summer (about 10.03 cents per kWh), it’s still up about 47 percent from what it was last October. Overall, ComEd has estimated the price increase will cost customers an average of 10-15 percent, or $10.60, more per month—but the impact can be much higher for individual customers, depending on factors such as weather.

*** Statewide ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois now ranks 18th in nation for state education spending per student, report says: Illinois is no longer one of the worst states in America when it comes to funding K-12 schools, an improvement that may have helped it weather some of the COVID pandemic’s disruption to student learning, according to a new report released Wednesday. In its annual “The State We’re In” report, the independent advocacy organization Advance Illinois said Illinois moved from 47th in 2008 for state spending per student to 18th. “This is unprecedented,” said Advance Illinois President Robin Steans. “It’s stunning. It was badly, badly necessary.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Stratton aims to bring Pritzker administration policies to national stage: One of Stratton’s top economic priorities is raising the federal minimum wage to $15. Pritzker signed a bill about one month into his first term in 2019 to raise Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 over six years, checking off one of his top campaign promises. The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009. Stratton also called for expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and moderate-income workers. She did not specify what changes she would support.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Chicago Public Schools Should Sue Feds Over Magnet School Money, CTU President Says: Trump administration officials said $5.8 million will not be awarded to Chicago in the coming year under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program and $17.5 million would not be awarded for the remaining years of the district’s grants. The move created an $8 million hole in the current school year’s CPS budget, district officials said.

* Block Club | Bronzeville Homeless Shelter Residents ‘Traumatized’ After Feds Chase, Arrest 4 People: Agents arrived Wednesday morning at the shelter run by the charitable arm of Bright Star Church and “started chasing people outside,” said Caryl R. West, executive director of Bright Star’s community development program. “People were afraid, and they didn’t know who they were being chased by, because the agents didn’t identify themselves,” West said. “So they ran into the field, and were chased there.”

* Crain’s | Chicago hotels set summer record, but profits prove elusive: Choose Chicago today announced there were nearly 3.6 million nightly stays at downtown inns from the beginning of June through the end of August, breaking the all-time high for that three-month stretch set in 2019. Hotels in the central business district posted a record-high of $949 million in revenue during those three months of this year, up by 0.8% from the same period in 2024. Nationwide, that number dipped by 0.5% over that span, according to Choose.

* WGN | Spirit Airlines announces furloughs of flight attendants in Chicago, other cities: A similar WARN notice has also been posted in Illinois, warning that more than 60 Spirit employees at O’Hare International Airport will be impacted come December. More than 330 at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be furloughed, according to a Georgia WARN notice.

* Daily Herald | ‘Many live paycheck to paycheck’: Shutdown will impact local workers, airports and services, stakeholders say: The fallout could disrupt travel at O’Hare and Midway international airports, impact the federal courthouse in Chicago and suspend U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pollution monitoring locally, among other problems. […] Many staffers at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5, which serves Illinois and five neighboring states, will be furloughed until the dispute is resolved, said American Federation of Government Employees official Nicole Cantello.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Injustice Watch | Cook County’s New Prosecutor Has Weakened An Already Broken System For Freeing The Innocent: Claims of police abuse are all too common in the Cook County courts. But Wells and Mason have an uncommon piece of evidence from an unusual source: a 77-page report commissioned by prosecutors themselves, citing more than a dozen cases where witnesses or defendants allege that one of those detectives, Brian Forberg, or his partners did the same thing to them. Snowballing claims of coercion by specific Chicago detectives have historically signaled wrongful convictions waiting to be revealed. Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, however, has shown no sign she plans to act on the bracing report ordered up by her predecessor, Kim Foxx. Instead, Burke — 10 months into her first term — has continued to handle cases involving Forberg one by one in court, rather than systematically investigating their glaring similarities.

* ABC Chicago | Neurodivergent man released from custody pending trial after Broadview protest arrest: A judge Wednesday read a letter of support from the mayor of Oak Park and from a student at Oak Park and River Forest High School, where Paul Ivery works in the cafeteria. The judge later decided to release Ivery from custody, pending trial.

* Daily Herald | ‘Mini-forests’ are rare in the US. The Algonquin Garden Club is planting one in Kane County: The future mini-forest land has been vacant since invasive buckthorn trees were cut down about six years ago, Weinhammer said. Now the land will be transformed into a home for only native plants, creating a vital habitat for local pollinators and wildlife. “Everything we are going to plant will provide either a berry or a flower for native birds and pollinators,” she said. “It’s almost like a food forest” for birds and mammals.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Bloomington elections chief explains how ’safeguards’ caught a rare case of alleged voter fraud: Bloomington Election Commission [BEC] Executive Director Luke Stremlau said state election officials send them a list of people who may have voted in another state. That triggers a BEC inquiry. “In this case, it was brought to me in that manner. It’s something that was flagged in both Bloomington and out-of-state [Wisconsin] as well,” Stremlau said. Of the 37,786 votes cast in Bloomington in the November election, the 55-year-old woman now facing felony charges was the only problematic ballot, Stremlau said. She’s accused of voting twice in the November election – once by mail-in ballot in Wisconsin and then again in person in Bloomington. Stremlau said it’s actually the first case of alleged voter fraud in the three years he’s led the BEC.

* WGLT | ISU leaders ask campus to bear with them on federal shutdown issues: Provost Ani Yazedjian and Vice President for Finance and Planning Glen Nelson said in an email to the campus community the institution remains committed to continuing business as usual. “We will cover expenses for federally funded operations for the next 30 days while we continue to monitor developments closely. As the situation evolves, we will reassess and make any necessary adjustments to ensure continuity and responsible stewardship of resources,” said the message.

* WCIA | Savoy Local 149 workers pushing for more women in trades: Women only make up about 5% of skilled trades workers in the United States, but two women out of Savoy Local 149 are trying to change that. They want to see more women in the field and feel that seeing thousands of likeminded people at a conference two hours north inspires confidence that number will increa “When you’re in the trades, you can do stuff like construction or you can go into education, leadership roles, financial roles,” said Local 149 member Laura Abbott. “There’s so many things you can do that aren’t just working with tools.” se in their shop.

* WGIL | 2026 Galesburg draft budget $76.3M: Tax rate drops, pensions and infrastructure take center stage: The city relies heavily on taxes, which make up 52% of all revenues, split into state-collected, locally collected, and property taxes, according to the presentation’s tax revenue breakdown. The property tax rate is set to decrease—the lowest since 2008—potentially saving homeowners money, though rising property values might offset some benefits. Of the property taxes, School District 205 receives nearly 50%, the largest share, to fund local schools, followed by Knox County at 13.34% and the City at 10.99%. Starting January 2026, the state’s 1% local sales tax on groceries will be eliminated, a move affecting 591 Illinois municipalities that have adopted local ordinances to replace it. Galesburg elected not to adopt a local grocery tax, which will save each individual $20.60 per year and each household $47.95 per year, but reduce city revenue by about $600,000 annually.

*** National ***

* NYT | Jane Goodall, Eminent Primatologist Who Chronicled the Lives of Chimps, Dies at 91: On the scientific merits alone, Dr. Goodall’s discoveries about how wild chimpanzees raised their young, established leadership, socialized and communicated broke new ground and attracted immense attention and respect among researchers. Stephen Jay Gould, the evolutionary biologist and science historian, said her work with chimpanzees “represents one of the Western world’s great scientific achievements.”

* AP | Supreme Court lets Lisa Cook remain as a Federal Reserve governor for now: In a brief unsigned order, the high court said it would hear arguments in January over Republican President Donald Trump’s effort to force Cook off the Fed board. The court will consider whether to block a lower-court ruling in Cook’s favor while her challenge to her firing by Trump continues.

6 Comments

Caption contest!

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rich and I are currently outside cooking up the biggest pot of chili you’ve ever seen, when an uninvited eight-legged arachnid decided to RSVP…

Caption?

24 Comments

Pritzker announces $50.6 billion multi-year infrastructure program

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Governor JB Pritzker…

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined state and local leaders, labor and transportation stakeholders today to announce the largest multi-year [2026-2031] program to build and repair infrastructure in state history: $50.6 billion over six years, continuing an unprecedented investment in safety, mobility and quality of life made possible by the Governor’s Rebuild Illinois capital program. The new program, spread across all modes of transportation and touching every Illinois county, also includes $400 million to support 223 local projects. These projects, ranging from street and transit upgrades to bike and pedestrian improvements, are based on priorities submitted by counties, cities, townships, transit districts and other local agencies. […]

Continuing an approach started under Governor Pritzker, IDOT’s new multi-year program is both comprehensive and multimodal, with investments in roads and bridges, aviation, transit, freight and passenger rail, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Projects are across state and local jurisdictions and in all 102 counties. The $50.6 billion eclipses the previous record of $41.4 billion set last year. […]

The Fiscal Year 2026-31 Proposed Highway and Multimodal Improvement Program will invest $32.5 billion in state and local roads and bridges, with $5.5 billion identified for the current fiscal year. A total of $18.1 billion is programmed for other modes, which includes $13.8 billion for transit, $2.9 billion for freight and passenger rail, $1.2 billion for aviation, and $200 million for ports and waterways.

On the highways side, the program will build or improve 7,107 lane miles of roads and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck on the state system, with $6.8 billion identified for 1,654 lane miles and more than 1.3 million square feet of bridge deck overseen by local governments. […]

New to this year’s multi-year program is $400 million made available through special legislative appropriation and signed by Governor Pritzker to help further address local transportation needs, with consideration given to disadvantaged or economically distressed communities. Of the 223 awards, 177 are for roads, 34 for bike and pedestrian improvements, 10 for transit, two for ports. All projects required a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise goal to uplift small, local minority- and women-owned firms.

* Lots of money will be heading toward rail and transit projects. From the breakdown of statewide multimodal projects…

RAIL:

• $25.2 million for the 10th Street corridor consolidation of passenger and freight rail in Springfield.
• $19.9 million for improving traffic flow with four major projects in the CREATE program within the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project.
• $183 million to improve a 1.9-mile segment of the Union Pacific Railroad, north of Rockwell Avenue in Chicago. Part of the CREATE program.
• $388.8 million for re-establishing passenger rail service between Chicago and the Quad Cities with a new intermediate stop in Geneseo.
• $270 million to re-establish passenger rail service between Rockford and Chicago.
• $98 million for safety and reliability improvements on Amtrak’s Saluki service between Chicago and Carbondale.

TRANSIT:

• $3.9 million to relocate a bus transfer facility for the city of Quincy.
• $10.8 million for Metra Ties & Ballast MET replacement of cross ties, switch ties and ballast on the Milwaukee District, Metra Electric, Rock Island District and SouthWest Service lines.
• $3.2 million for up to five projects in the Metra Bridge Rehabilitation Program.
• $175 million for the Chicago Transit Authority Training and Control Center Operations.
• $7.6 million for the Chicago Transit Authority Elevated Track Systemwide Project.
• $3.8 million for the Pace Pulse 95th Street Construction, including stations, vertical markers and other elements of the 12.4-mile corridor.
• $7.4 million for the Pace Pulse Halsted Street Construction, including stations, vertical markers and other elements of the 9-mile corridor.
• $8 million for microtransit/paratransit operations and workforce development facility at the Bloomington-Normal MTD (Connect Transit).
• $3 million for a new administration and maintenance facility in Effingham County.
• $127 million of the Metrolink Extension from Shiloh-Scott station to Mid America Airport.
• $4.2 million for the purchase of six 40-foot expansion buses in the city of DeKalb.
• $6 million for the purchase of six replacement zero-emission buses in the Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District.
• $11.6 million for City of Decatur Public Transit’s new turnkey Microtransit operations.

* In case you’re wondering about those Rock Island County buses…

Bloomberg | Why US Cities Pay Too Much for Transit Buses:

“Paying Less for Public Transit Buses,”

14 Comments

Daily Herald ends reader comments

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Daily Herald…

Today, the Daily Herald is joining a growing list of media outlets that no longer allow website commenting on stories.

Why are we stopping now?

The comment section was intended to be a tool to spur dialogue among our readers. Sometimes it succeeded in doing that.

Over time, however, it has become increasingly negative, with comments crossing the line into hate speech, bullying and name-calling. Too much time was being devoted to moderating the comments so that readers with thoughtful and relevant commentary could still have their views heard. For those well-meaning readers, there are other ways to weigh in on content and issues of the day.

* Many years ago, I was so fed up with comments that I turned them off. The blowback was severe because even people who rarely or never commented loved reading the comments here. So, I switched platforms to allow me to automatically screen out the worst of the worst.

The worst “bad” words are banned (see George Carlin’s infamous list if you dare and aren’t at work), others are automatically held for review, including a certain punctuation mark. Some of the more aggressive commenters are automatically held in purgatory until we release them or decide to delete them. The system usually works. Often, it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Sometimes, I admit, it’s overkill. But we do try to adjust as we go along.

* The reason the blowback was so harsh was that comments are such a vital part of this site. I always say that this website truly lives and breathes. We have the news feeds on the right side of the page which constantly refresh; then there are our posts throughout the day; the press release posts; and the comments. Leave for 20 minutes and come back and the site has changed. It’s truly quite unique and even beautiful.

I take heat for deleting some comments. I take heat for letting some comments through. It’s a balancing act and it isn’t perfect. But what I will never do is allow this place to turn into a cesspool, which is what happened with the Daily Herald and many, many news sites before. A whole lot of folks spend a bunch of money to post ads on this site (just look around, we’re like a NASCAR racecar right now - an ad on every square inch), so there has to be some sort of decorum or those people won’t spend that money. Hey, I’m a capitalist. What can I say? I don’t have a government pension but I do want to retire someday and hand this over to Isabel. I make zero apologies for that.

* I’m firmly committed to keeping comments alive for as long as I still have breath in my body. But this ain’t a public park. It’s a private establishment. I’ve said for many years that this place is like my tavern. Management (me) reserves the right to refuse service for any reason. If you don’t like it, you’re free to go somewhere else. Goodbye and good riddance. I just don’t care.

* Anyway, I (mostly) love you all and I appreciate what you (mostly) add to this site. It’s incredibly valuable and I (mostly) cherish all of you. We’re (mostly) like family here and that gives me (mostly) great joy. So, (most of you) keep up the great work [banned punctuation]

60 Comments

Competition Works: Lower Bills. Reliable Power. Say NO To Right Of First Refusal

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois families are sweating through heat and higher electricity bills this summer. Across the Midwest, some relief from energy inflation is in the forecast. Thanks to competitive bidding, dramatically lower costs have resulted compared to no-bid Right of First Refusal (ROFR) proposals.

Here’s the proof:

$87 Million Saved

Fairport to Denny Transmission Line (MISO – Missouri)

• Competitive bidding cut MISO’s initial estimate from $161 million to just $74 million – saving Missouri Customers millions!

$6 Million Saved

Reid EHV to IN/KY Border Transmission Project (MISO)

$14 Million Saved

Matheson–Redbud Transmission Line (SPP – Oklahoma)

In many cases, incumbent utilities won these bids, proving that when they compete with other qualified builders, consumers win. It saves money and drives better results.

Competition Works.

Legislators should choose competition and protect Illinois families.

Comments Off

Today’s MLB quotable

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Tribune’s Paul Sullivan…

The ballpark was relatively quiet with the Cubs offense on mute. Wrigley was in dire need of some mood enhancement when Seiya Suzuki homered off Nick Pivetta to lead off the fifth.

“Electric,” Kelly said. “Hearing the crack of the bat, seeing the ball go, I was like, ‘I wanna do that.’ It was pretty cool to see that energy. You feel it as a player, and it was a good day to wear a Cubs uniform.”

Then Kelly did that. He smoked another home run to left, giving the Cubs the lead and turning Wrigley into a fully krausened mosh pit.

I agree with Bill Savage. That’s some fine writing.

And, yes, my Cubs hate is indeed waning as my Sox ownership hate is rising. I even went to a game last week…

At an undisclosed location drinking an appropriate beer pic.twitter.com/6NgLinML9S

— Capitol Fax (@capitolfax) September 27, 2025

* This is a good insight about our two worlds…

17 Comments

Protect the 340B Program to Enhance Healthcare Services in Low-Income Communities

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Drugmaker requirements are making it hard for hospitals like Franciscan Health Olympia Fields to turn savings on drug costs into healthcare services for patients. The hospital joined the federal 340B program “to help serve the uninsured and under-insured community residents in Olympia Fields and Chicago Heights.” The poverty rates in both Chicago suburbs are higher than the 11.6% state average—nearly 13% in Olympia Fields and almost 25% in Chicago Heights.

The hospital has put 340B savings toward healthcare services, including its:

Outpatient Infusion Center

Medication to Bedside program

Pharmacist-managed Anticoagulation Clinics and Pharmacotherapy Clinics

“The 340B program serves as a vital lifeline for safety-net providers to support critical health services in low-income or isolated rural communities, which are typically operated at a loss,” Franciscan Health said.

Since 2020, drugmakers have blocked access to lifesaving medications acquired through the 340B program, making it harder for Illinois’ 100 participating hospitals to invest in healthcare services—and patients.

Support House Bill 2371 SA 2 to prohibit drugmakers from interfering with hospital pharmacy contracts. Low-income communities deserve access to more comprehensive healthcare services, as the 340B program intended. Learn more.

Comments Off

The ‘taken out of context’ card is played for the kabillionth time, but, as usual, receipts are delivered

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* It’s been my experience that whenever politicians, government officials, etc. claim their comments were “taken out of context” by a news media outlet, they’re often just plain wrong. Click here, here, here, here, here, here and here for just a few examples. More here.

Sometimes they’re right, but it’s often just a ploy.

* Three days ago…

Gregory Bovino, commander at large of the border force, contrasted the people being arrested with a white WBEZ reporter, saying agents consider a person’s appearance before taking them into custody.

“You know, there’s many different factors that go into something like that,” Bovino said. “It would be agent experience, intelligence that indicates there’s illegal aliens in a particular place or location.

“Then, obviously, the particular characteristics of an individual, how they look. How do they look compared to, say, you?” he said to the reporter, a tall, middle-aged man of Anglo descent.

* NewsNation…

Bovino told NewsNation early Monday that comments made to the newspaper were taken out of context and was “grossly inaccurate.”

* Um, no…

Mitchell: My partner — Ashlee [Rezin], the [Sun-Times] photographer — she said that you, the guy who was arrested before, seemed to be because he ran. Is that what happened?

Bovino: No, there’s various indicators, we call them articulable facts, and he exhibited articulable facts that made us take a look and then we took a look and our suspicions were proven true. It does appear right now he’s an illegal alien.

Mitchell: How can you tell by appearance?

Bovino: You know, there’s many different factors that go into something like that. It would be agent experience, intelligence that indicates there’s illegal alienage in a particular place or location. Then obviously the particular characteristics of an individual, how they look. How do they look compared to, say, you?

Mitchell is a white guy.

There’s more, of course.

Also, click here for the audio file.

16 Comments

It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Waymo is ready to bring safe, reliable, autonomous rides to Illinois – but we need your help!

Waymo is designed to follow all traffic laws and obey speed limits, and the data shows Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in five times fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans (as of 6/2025, see waymo.com/safety). Let’s bring safer rides to Illinois.

Waymo’s autonomous vehicles can improve access to transportation for Illinois residents with travel-limiting disabilities like vision impairment, to reach medical care, groceries, and social activities. Waymo’s all-electric autonomous vehicles also provide a more sustainable way for people to get around, preventing 315+ tons of carbon emissions with every 250K trips provided through our ride-hailing service.

Ready to ride? Help bring Waymo to Illinois.

Comments Off

Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: House speaker unsure if there’s enough support for Bears stadium tax break. Daily Herald…

- Gov. JB Pritzker, who has said he prefers the Bears remain within city limits, has expressed support for the megaproject concept, but earlier this month declared it a “prerequisite” for the Bears to first pay off the $534 million owed for the 2003 Soldier Field renovations.

- On Tuesday night, Welch told the Daily Herald he and House Democrats are “open to listening” to such proposals. “If the megaprojects bill is going to pass, you still need to convince 26 Chicago legislators that it’s good for Chicago as well,” Welch said. “And so is that something that can convince Chicago legislators that it’s a good thing? I don’t know. I think that there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done.”

* Related stories…

• Daily Herald: Arlington Heights could collect $15 million a year from Bears stadium, but costs still unknown
• ABC Chicago: Bears release new Arlington Heights stadium renderings, report on projected cost and economic impact
• Crain’s: Arlington Heights weighs Bears’ stadium economic impact pitch

***************** Advertisement *****************

Sponsored by Ameren Illinois

The summer of 2025 has been a tough one for residents and businesses in the Ameren Illinois service territory. Supply constraints, extreme hot and humid conditions, and increased energy usage have led to a significant spike in electricity prices and higher-than-normal monthly bills for residential, commercial and industrial energy users. We appreciate and thank legislators, regulators and stakeholders who are working hard to address the energy challenge in Illinois. Energy policy is complex, and we’re encouraged that there are some creative ideas being proposed and a willingness to work together to find answers.

While Ameren Illinois cannot control the price or availability of energy, we can ensure that the system that delivers energy to homes and businesses — electric poles, wires, and technology; and natural gas distribution pipelines and storage fields — is equipped to operate at peak performance to withstand severe weather events, facilitate business expansions that grow local communities, and enable the transition to renewable generation.

We have an opportunity to build an energy system that is smarter, cleaner, reliable, resilient, and affordable for Illinois families and businesses. As discussions on short- and long-term legislative solutions occur this fall, we will continue to advocate for our 1.2 million customers.

If you know of someone who is struggling to pay their energy bill, please encourage them to visit www.AmerenIllinois.com/PathToSavings for information on available financial assistance and energy saving programs.

*************************************************

* Governor Pritzker will be at the Laborers Training Center at 11 am. At 1 pm, the governor will attend a panel addressing recent medical misinformation from the Trump administration. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* 25News Now | ‘End of the day, we need a deal,’ say Illinois Soybean Association leaders on China: Chinese soybean processors in attendance Tuesday said they’re unable to buy now because of circumstances outside their control, like relations between the two countries and tariffs. “He said he’s been importing high quality grains from the States for a long time, and he would be happy if the relations between the two countries alleviates and gets better, so that he can continue buying high-quality grains from the States,” said a translator summarizing comments from Xiaobo Li, who attended to represent processors from China. An Egyptian buyer said his company used to buy most of its beans at low prices from Brazil, but now the United States has low prices, too.

* CNI | State, private developers break ground on quantum research park: California-based PsiQuantum will occupy the first facilities built on the site. The 9-year-old startup plans to build the first utility-scale quantum computer in the country. The development, which is being handled by Related Midwest, will also include a new 53-bed hospital run by Advocate Health, a major hospital system in Chicagoland. The plan also includes over 100 acres of new or upgraded parks.

*** Statehouse News ***

* MSNBC | ‘We don’t want you here’: Pritzker rips Trump’s Chicago troop plan: “Remember that we don’t want you here. Go somewhere where they might invite you. But here in Chicago, here in the state of Illinois, we don’t want you,” says Gov. JB Pritzker on Trump’s plan to send troops to Chicago.

* Crain’s | Pritzker calls for 25th Amendment after Trump ‘training grounds’ remark: Gov. JB Pritzker suggested the 25th Amendment be invoked after President Donald Trump told military leaders they should use cities as “training grounds” and said deploying troops in major cities is necessary due to “a war from within.” Pritzker called the idea “inane” and said of Trump, “I’m concerned for his health. It appears not only has dementia set in, he’s copying the tactics of Vladimir Putin.”

* Sun-times Federal Courts reporter Jon Seidel…

Good morning. Former City Club of Chicago President Jay Doherty is now in prison for his role in the ComEd conspiracy aimed at ex-IL House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Background: https://t.co/iZLwoURsYJ pic.twitter.com/43hZ2WZB9Z

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) October 1, 2025

* WSPY | During visit to Yorkville, Bailey and Del Mar talk taxes, power shifts as they begin campaign for governor’s race: The second time around, Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is counting on people to know they need to get off the fence and show up at the polls. The southern Illinois farmer carried 100 of the state’s 102 counties in [the 2022 primary] but got just 42 percent of the vote overall [in the general], his popularity offset by J.B. Pritzker’s mainly in heavily Democratic and densely populated Cook County. Bailey says the state’s in deeper distress now and taxes are a big reason.

* Fox Illinois | Illinois reparations commission to hold public hearing at University of Illinois: The Illinois African Descent-Citizens Reparations Commission is set to hold a public hearing at the University of Illinois campus this Saturday. […] Commissioner Jeffrey Trask emphasized the importance of public feedback, stating, “We also are doing these hearings to get input about that as well. We want to make sure that as our harms report comes out, that people have opportunities to talk about those harms and opportunities to also add to the recommendations, and they have any kind of comments or suggestions they have to recommendations to redress those harms too.”

*** Chicago ***

* ABC Chicago | More Chicago protests against immigration enforcement surge expected Wednesday: Legal advocates are petitioning the Chief Judge to prohibit ICE from arresting people without a warrant near Cook County courthouses. The Coalition Against the Trump Administration organizing an emergency protest, following dozens of armed federal agents spotted downtown, detaining multiple people.

* Tribune | Chase of cyclist by ICE agents in downtown Chicago described as surreal by witness: As Gilmore waited to cross the street, a cyclist approached, taunted the agents and — after a brief exchange — jetted off west along Wacker Drive as agents chased after him, Gilmore, 25, recalled in a recent interview with the Tribune. Those moments, captured on video garnered widespread attention online, felt surreal, Gilmore said. “It just felt like we were in an actual movie,” he said.

* WTTW | Partnership Aims to Better Address Food Insecurity Among City Colleges Students: This fall, free take-home meals at Malcolm X College, Kennedy-King College and Olive-Harvey College will be available for students and their family members, with plans to expand to all seven city community colleges, leaders said. Students will also be able to receive free snacks at various locations across campuses starting this fall.

* Press release | Chicago Fire FC Hits the Road with Official Illinois License Plates for Fans: All aboard, fans! Chicago Fire FC is teaming up with the Illinois Secretary of State to bring official Chicago Fire FC license plates to the roads of Illinois – and they’re covering the $25 application fee for the first 2,000 Illinois drivers who sign up. This initiative comes as the Fire – currently sitting 9th in the Eastern Conference with 48 points – continue their push in the MLS playoff race and as excitement builds across the city. Whether they’re cheering from Soldier Field, watching from sports bars, supporting from their couches, or now even driving down the highway, Chicago Fire wants its fans to show their support.

* ABC Chicago | CTA celebrating 78th anniversary with vintage train cars from 1920s in Loop: People can enjoy a ride between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday only. Unfortunately you still have to pay the standard fare of $2.50, not the five cents that it cost in the 1920s. The train will be making all regular Loop stops.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* WTTW | Broadview Officials Say ICE Waging ‘Disinformation Campaign’ Amid Protests as Local Officers ‘Shell Shocked’: The mayor of suburban Broadview said her constituents are “begging for relief” from federal immigration agents who have placed residents and first responders in danger by their use of tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets against protesters. Mayor Katrina Thompson on Tuesday accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials of waging a “disinformation campaign” amid their continued use of chemical and less-lethal munitions directed at crowds outside the agency’s Broadview processing center.

* WGN | Broadview police conducting 3 criminal investigations into ICE activity at facility: “We are experiencing an immediate public safety crisis,” Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills said. “Our own Broadview police are routinely being exposed to tear gas, forcing them out for an amount of time so they can decontaminate, get their breath, clear their eyes, which takes them out of service.” “Our personnel responded to emergency calls during protests, providing first aid and transports to the hospital. My men and women have been exposed to chemical agents and attacks while performing their duties,” said Broadview acting fire chief Matt Martin.

* Daily Herald | Glen Ellyn Historical Society searching for new leader: Jeffrey Anderson announced in a Historical Society newsletter that he’s stepping down from the role but still plans on continuing to be a member and volunteer for “years to come.” His successor will be charged with being the public face of the nonprofit, volunteer-based organization and the Stacy’s Tavern Museum, a restored 1840s-era inn near the modern-day Five Corners intersection of St. Charles and Geneva roads and Main Street.

*** Downstate ***

* CBS | Once left behind, an Illinois town finds hope in a new school and grocery store: When steel and manufacturing jobs dried up over the last several decades in Venice, Illinois, the town lost two-thirds of the population, followed by its only grocery store and only school. But now, Venice hopes to make a comeback that’s already underway — thanks, in part, to the vision of Ed Hightower, a retired school superintendent who has deep roots in the area. “I don’t care what color you are, what belief you have. You want to reside in a safe area where you can go to school, you go get your groceries,” Hightower said.

* WCIA | ‘It’s a huge, huge deal’; Farmers, firefighters come together amidst field fire risk in Central Illinois: Marty Wilson is taking his empty tanks and filling them with water to have in the fields in case of a fire. Because it’s so hot, dry, and windy, it’s a recipe for concern for farmers all over. They’re even thinking static electricity on combines could be starting fires. […] “We ought to have some water tanks full of water in case we need it in the future for anybody,” Wilson shared.

* BND | Opponent of solar farm at Belleville cemetery sues city, developers: The complaint asks Associate Judge Stacy Campbell to declare that the city would be violating state law if they moved forward with an agreement to allow Belleville Solar to lease 19 acres of cemetery land and operate a solar farm for 35 years. Berger has long argued that cemetery owners are prohibited from using cemetery land and roads for industrial purposes, even if they’re cities with home-rule status, and that this invalidates Belleville’s lease.

* WGLT | Unit 5 superintendent gives update on enrollment, transportation needs and cell phones: Unit 5 superintendent Kristen Weikle provided updates about the Normal-based school district, including on enrollment, transportation, cell phone policy and the teacher shortage during an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. Cropper GIS Consulting, which completed a capacity study in April 2024, will again provide data for Unit 5 to analyze student populations and decide whether action should be taken to address needs at schools with high enrollment.

* WAND | CWLP receives $1.1 million grant to improve electric grid: Springfield City Council unanimously passed a plan Tuesday night to accept a $1.1 million grant to improve the City Water Light and Power energy grid infrastructure. The grant is funded by federal dollars passed through the Illinois Finance Authority. The grant will cover the majority of the $1.67 million project, which citizens will not have to pay for.

* 25News Now | Caterpillar’s former CEO sells almost $8 million in company stock, although he owns a lot more: A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shows Umpleby, now the executive chair of Caterpillar’s board of directors, sold 17,166 shares of common stock on Monday, Sept. 22. At a stock price of $462.65 per share, Umpleby earned $7.94 million. He still owns 465,339 Caterpillar shares, according to the SEC filing. Caterpillar’s stock price remains at lofty levels even though the company acknowledged in late August that it was taking a bigger hit from tariffs than earlier estimates.

* WAND | IL State Superintendent praises Taylorville HS culture, ’sense of purpose’: Students at Taylorville High School welcomed State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders Tuesday to showcase the programs and innovations shaping their learning experience. [….] “Tommy TV” is the school’s student-led broadcast network where athletic games are broadcast live. In addition to the broadcast, principal Matt Hutchison says half of the student body is in the FFA Program. Known as the Future Farmers’ Program, the program teaches students about agriculture.

* WAND | An inside look at the Springfield Clinic Dome at Scheels Sports Park: “We have basketball and volleyball, we have batting cages that also do golf simulation,” said General Manager of Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, Brandon Doherty. “And the turf field, really we could do whatever we want, which is two full-size softball fields, we could do a full-size soccer field or a football field … we do plan on doing at least two to three events on a weekend or even during the week in the dome at one time.”

* 25News Now | Longtime Peoria journalist, WMBD-TV Vice President, General Manager dies: Shaun Newell, WMBD’s vice president and general manager, and a longtime Peoria journalist, has died. While his cause of death has not been released, WMBD Creative Services Director James Kerr confirmed that Newell passed away peacefully. A Central Illinois native, Newell spent most of his broadcast career in Central Illinois, having worked for several media agencies, including WEEK-TV, WMBD Radio, and, eventually, WMBD-TV.

*** National ***

* AP | What happens now that a government shutdown is underway: Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s mega-bill passed this summer and extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. Republicans called the Democratic proposal a nonstarter that would cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion.

* WaPo | Napheesa Collier blasts WNBA commissioner: ‘I will not stand quietly by’: Behind a pleasant smile and a measured voice, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier delivered a scathing takedown of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Tuesday. Through a prepared statement in which she brought receipts and named names, Collier used a standard end-of-season media session to light into the league on a variety of issues.

* 404 Media | ICE to Buy Tool that Tracks Locations of Hundreds of Millions of Phones Every Day: The documents explicitly show that ICE is choosing this product over others offered by the contractor’s competitors because it gives ICE essentially an “all-in-one” tool for searching both masses of location data and information taken from social media. The documents also show that ICE is planning to once again use location data remotely harvested from peoples’ smartphones after previously saying it had stopped the practice.

22 Comments

Good morning!

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WGLT last week…

Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist A.J. Croce waited decades to play his famous father’s songs, developing a setlist from Jim Croce’s catalog for his Croce Plays Croce tour at 50 years old.

Croce Plays Croce tours to Bloomington this weekend, for one performance only on Sunday, Sept. 28.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. I’m spending my birthday in Bloomington.”

Singer-songwriter and master guitar player Jim Croce died Sept. 20, 1973, in a plane crash. He was 30, the crash happening just before his son’s second birthday. The elder Croce’s career had just taken off, with hits like Time in a Bottle, Operator and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown among some of the most popular of the decade.

* Let’s go deeper into the catalogue…

Well I could not help it but to fall in love
With this heavy-duty woman I been speakin’ of
Things looked kind of bad
Until the day she skated into my life

5 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

Selected press releases (Live updates)

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Comments Off

Live coverage

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

Comments Off

Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

Broadview’s mayor and police chief on Tuesday called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to stop using chemical agents on protesters and appealed for the agency to respond to several requests, including information about three criminal investigations the suburb has initiated that involve ICE agents.

“We are experiencing an immediate health safety crisis,” Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills said at a news conference. “The deployment of teargas, pepper spray, mace and rubber bullets by ICE near the processing center in the Village of Broadview is creating a dangerous situation for the community and all first responders.” […]

Mills also said he sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Field Director Russell Hott via email and certified mail on Monday regarding three criminal investigations. He said Broadview police are investigating two hit and run accidents that are vehicle versus pedestrian incidents and one criminal damage to property incident involving a news reporter — believed to be an incident involving someone shooting a pepper ball at a CBS 2 reporter Assal Razi on Saturday while inside her car.

Mills confirmed he received a response from Hott, who indicated that he would cooperate. He added that Hott also asked for cooperation from Broadview police regarding a few ICE vehicles that were damaged. However, Mills said he was only aware of one incident and said his police department already made a report about it.

* The Illinois Republican Party is fundraising off Chicago ICE raids…

Illinois Republicans are fundraising and selling merch off of ICE raids in Chicago, including this trucker hat that says, "Chicago ICE Word To Your Mother." The email starts with "ICE ICE Baby!"https://t.co/5msDg9nM78

— Tina Sfondeles (@TinaSfon) September 30, 2025

* Tribune…

Jay Doherty, the former City Club of Chicago leader and Commonwealth Edison consultant, reported to federal prison Tuesday to begin serving a one-year sentence handed down in the bribery scandal involving ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Doherty, 72, checked in at the federal correctional institution in Terre Haute, Indiana, a medium-security, male-only facility, according to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson. He must serve 85 percent of his sentence, though because of his age he could be released to a halfway house or home confinement sooner.

Doherty is the first person directly linked to the Madigan case to wind up behind bars, as other defendants, including Madigan himself, have asked to remain free on bond pending appeal. […]

Madigan, 83, has been ordered to report to prison on Oct. 13, though his attorneys have asked the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to allow him to remain free on bond while his appeal is pending.

*** Statewide ***

* Sun-Times | What a federal government shutdown would mean for Chicago and Illinois: Federal employees numbered more than 153,000 in Illinois last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. Federal workers have already experienced massive upheaval due to cuts from President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year. Now, they could face potential firings if the government shuts down on Wednesday. That number includes federal law enforcement and more than 22,000 active duty military members. Under a shutdown, all active duty service members and some law enforcement officers would remain at work but receive no pay until funds are appropriated.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | New lawsuits against Trump’s immigration actions continue to take shape: Illinois cannot yet file suit against the federal government for an apparent plan to send federal troops to Chicago, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said, but if boots hit the ground, President Donald Trump “should expect a legal challenge here.” It would be the latest in a bevy of lawsuits that the state has filed against the Trump administration in relation to immigration. That includes two lawsuits — one of which Raoul filed Monday — against the administration’s plan to withhold funding from states that don’t cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois education budget process for 2026-27 school year begins: The Illinois State Board of Education is holding the first of three budget hearings on Tuesday to find out what educators, school leaders, advocates, parents, and students think the state board should ask lawmakers to fund for fiscal year 2027, which will cover the 2026-27 school year. The hearing will take place in Springfield at 4 p.m. and two additional hearings will be held virtually on Oct. 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m and Oct. 21 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Written testimony can also be submitted online. Illinois has increased spending on education by $2.8 billion since 2017 when lawmakers overhauled the formula it uses to distribute money to school districts.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | In Chicago, the housing market stays hot while the nation cools: In Chicago, it’s not only the weather that has stayed hot but the home prices, which all year have been rising faster here than in nearly every other big U.S. city as well as nationwide. The most recent data confirms the trend, with Chicago home prices growing energetically in recent months while much of the nation slows. Welcome to this month’s analysis of the latest data on the housing market.

* Block Club | Legendary Sun-Times Columnist Mary Mitchell Is First Black Woman Honored On Billy Goat Wall: The Sun-Times columnist was the first Black legal secretary to work for Seyfarth Shaw, LLP; later, when she made the jump to journalism, the award-winning scribe was one of the few Black journalists on the masthead. Her ascendance to the paper’s op-ed section placed her in even more rarified air. In a two-paper town, Mitchell was the only Black woman with a daily column, reaching thousands of readers across the city. For decades, she used her platform to hold power to account while imploring all to be better neighbors.

* Tribune | Harrison Ford will accept a conservation award at the Field Museum: The Field is partnering with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation, an environmental nonprofit based in North Carolina, to present the award as part of a day of programs for what the foundation calls Half-Earth Day. (Earth Day is April 22.) Ford, who was born in Chicago, has become known as an environmental and conservation activist, who “has championed biodiversity protection and raised global awareness of the importance of conservation for over 30 years,” according to an announcement of the event on Tuesday.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Unraveled | Ex-Waukegan cop guilty of official misconduct, cleared on aggravated battery charge: The courtroom was strangely silent after Lake County Judge George Strickland handed down his verdict against ex-Waukegan cop Dante Salinas. People milled about, whispered quietly, and looked unsure even if it was truly over. Moments earlier, Strickland had made a split ruling: he found Salinas guilty on one count of official misconduct, not guilty on one other count of official misconduct, and not guilty on the big ticket charge of aggravated battery. For both Salinas’ supporters and the Waukegan community members hoping he would face sterner justice, it was a less than ideal result.

* Crain’s | Arlington Heights weighs Bears’ stadium economic impact pitch: Though officials in the northwest suburb say they’re still weighing the potential costs — including as much as $855 million in new publicly funded infrastructure. The financial projections were key takeaways from a pair of economic impact reports published today by the Village of Arlington Heights on the NFL team’s plan for a $5 billion stadium and mixed-use campus on the former Arlington International Racecourse site.

* Patch | Village Votes To Ban Electric Bikes, Scooters In Portions Of Libertyville: This means that no one will be able to use or operate low-speed electric bicycles or scooters, as defined by the Illinois Vehicle Code, in any village parks or in the downtown area, according to a post on the Libertyville Police Department Facebook page. Village employees performing official duties and electric personal assistive mobility devices that are used for accessibility will be allowed, according to village officials.

* CBS Chicago | Lurie Children’s Hospital cuts ribbon for new outpatient facility in Schamburg, Illinois: The Lurie facility at 1895 Arbor Glen Blvd. in Schaumburg will begin seeing patients this week. It consolidates former sites in Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, and Huntley into one state-of-the-art facility, Lurie said. The Schaumburg facility’s outpatient center will offer numerous specialties such as cardiology, hematology/oncology, epilepsy treatment, and pulmonology. It will also offer an ambulatory infusion center for IV treatments.

*** Downstate ***

* WMBD | Peoria could get its direct train line to Chicago under an Illinois bill: “If we don’t do anything, then not only does the Chicago system fall apart, which doesn’t really affect us, but it does affect us in terms of our own local transit system because they would face about a $200 million shortfall,” said state Sen. Dave Koehler, whose district includes Peoria. In the proposal, Downstate transit agencies will receive $220 million more in funding. It would also reduce the amount of funding local cities and towns need to give for state transit projects. That means cities south of Interstate 80 would have to match up to 20% of state funding in transit projects if the new bill passes. Currently, that match is 35% for Downstate cities and towns.

* WMBD | Bloomington Mayor Brady joins Illinois Municipal League board: Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady has been elected to the Illinois Municipal League Board of Directors. On Saturday, Sept. 20, new leading officers were elected at the Annual Business Meeting as part of the 112th IML Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, said Katherine Murphy, a city spokeswoman. In addition to the officers, 34 Vice Presidents were elected to serve a one-year term, including Mayor Brady.

* WSIL | Southern Illinois’ Rend Lake Resort getting fresh look for tourists: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is partnering in the project. The renovation includes construction repairs to both exterior and interior elements of the resort’s facilities. This includes 11 duplex cabins, the Schooner and Flagship Boatels, conference center banquet areas, restaurant and bar, gift shop, and multiple recreational amenities.

*** National ***

* Crain’s | Chicago Fed’s Goolsbee says new tariffs are renewing business uncertainty: “Now, it seems like we’re going into a new wave of tariff announcements,” Goolsbee said Tuesday at an agricultural conference hosted by his bank. “When I’m out talking to people, it feels like they’re just wary, they’re uncertain and we might be going back into that, everybody-just-put-your-pencils-down kind of a moment, where you just wait until you figure out where it’s going to be,” he added.

* NPR | EV sales surge in the U.S. ahead of Sept. 30 tax credit deadline: “The past couple of weeks — even in the past several days — EV sales just exploded,” says Matt Jones, the senior director of industry relations at the auto marketplace TrueCar. “It’s been bonkers.” Surveys have shown that many Americans were not even aware the EV tax credits existed. But some dealers and carmakers have been trying to raise awareness with ads focusing on the new deadline. For example, if you were shopping for a new Tesla this week, you would have seen a countdown clock on the website ticking away second by second to the last moment on Tuesday that you could place an order and still get the tax credit — if you met all the requirements.

12 Comments

It’s just a bill

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) filed HB4142 this week. Synopsis…

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a peace officer who reasonably believes that a person’s presence within 14 feet of the peace officer will interfere with the performance of the peace officer’s legal duties may warn the person not to approach or to remain within 14 feet of the peace officer. Provides that it is unlawful for a person, after receiving a warning not to approach from a peace officer who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly or intentionally violate the warning and approach or remain within 14 feet of the peace officer with the intent to: (1) interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere with the peace officer’s ability to perform the peace officer’s duty; (2) threaten the peace officer with physical harm; or (3) harass the peace officer by interfering with the peace officer performing the peace officer’s duty. Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines “harass”.

* I asked Rep. Keicher during a House Republican news conference earlier today if he consulted with law enforcement on his bill…

Keicher: I did reach out to law enforcement with the bill. I reached out to chiefs, I reached out to sheriffs of both parties. Reached out to our State’s Attorney’s office, reached out to the Sheriff’s Association, and [received] resoundingly positive feedback, and [they said] thank you for doing what you can to help protect our people that are being under attack, under siege, more and more.

* Later, during a short interview I asked Rep. Keicher why he chose 14 feet, when Florida has a 25-foot rule…

Keicher: Yeah, so if you look, there was a recent district court case from Indiana, and the Indiana statute had 25 feet. And if you think about it, 25 feet is almost too far. 14 feet is a little bit more of a reasonable distance. It’s really two body lengths away from any activity that’s happening. So kind of removes you from the danger zone, yet also close enough to monitor. So I was trying to kind of craft that in a delicate balance.

With Republicans in a super minority, this bill is dead on arrival. Rep John Cabello already tried a similar one this year and it went nowhere.

* Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press last month…

A federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down an Indiana law that makes it a crime to approach within 25 feet of a law enforcement officer after being told to stop, finding the law unconstitutionally vague.

In a 21-page opinion, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling last year blocking the state from enforcing the police “buffer zone” law because it fails to specify what kinds of behavior by a journalist or other member of the public might prompt an officer to issue an order to stay back.

But Indiana lawmakers have since passed a new version and the ACLU was neutral. The Indy Star…

House Bill 1122 included a slightly more specific caveat: the buffer zone should only be enforced if a law enforcement official “reasonably believes that the person’s presence within 25 feet of the officer will interfere with the performance of the officer’s duties.”

The Seventh Circuit’s ruling on the 2023 law didn’t affect the 2025 iteration. And the Indiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union – which, along with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, challenged the constitutionality of the first law in court – officially took “no position” on the 2025 law. But they warned the new version could still lead to serious issues.

“While the ACLU of Indiana continues to believe that 25 feet is too far to allow appropriate oversight by witnesses, we recognize that HB 1122 is a sincere effort to square the law’s original intent with constitutional requirements,” a post on the ACLU website reads. “… (But) we unfortunately expect it to be abused by a small number of officers around the state.”

* Rep. Keicher said he looked at the Indiana ruling when crafting his legislation…

Keicher: If you look at the language, we tried again in light of what was decided in Indiana, we tried to be very intentional about what those qualifications are that need to be met for the officer to trigger that. And I think that’s pretty well outlined in the bill.

* More from that interview…

Isabel: And then I know in Illinois statute it’s a misdemeanor to obstruct a police investigation, etc, is that something that officers have told you that they’re not able to enforce? I’m sort of confused on why this bill would be needed if it is obstruction, if officers feel like they’re obstructed, they can’t act on that?

Keicher: I don’t know that I have a good answer for that. Other than in the discussions, they really came out of the Indiana case. And when I saw that, and I had seen it before the appellate case was decided or the district case was decided, and in talking to law enforcement, it was in the midst of a lot of the crazy stuff that was going on with just people ganging up on police officers. And there were a couple incidents, I’m sure you’ve seen the video clips in Chicago where we had, you know, a lone officer who was being surrounded by a group, and it just inflamed, tension. So with specificity, obstruction is such a generic, this sets out specific parameters that allow them to have a distance specifically that says you gotta back up, you gotta stay out of this 14 foot zone, because here’s what I’m doing, and it sets out qualifications, as opposed to obstruction. That’s more of a generic umbrella.

* Meanwhile, during that same HGOP news conference, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie was asked what Gov. Pritzker should tell those who oppose ICE in Illinois…

Q: Instead of encouraging lawful protests and recording of public officials enforcing federal laws, what should the governor tell those who oppose ICE?

McCombie: I certainly don’t think they’re lawful protests when people are being arrested for federal charges so lawful is out the window. The governor should be telling people to cooperate, no different than when you get pulled over by a police officer for a traffic violation. Cooperate if you’re not a criminal, if you have nothing to hide, you’re not going to have any issues. He certainly shouldn’t be sending citizens into a problem area where they could be put at harm’s risk.

* Related…

* NPR | When police say ’stand back,’ these states say how far: Arizona passed the first such buffer zone law in 2022, and it specifically banned video-recording police from less than eight feet. The law was challenged and overturned, partially on First Amendment grounds. Since then, Indiana, Florida and Louisiana have all passed laws that set a distance, but don’t explicitly ban video.

* WUSF | Florida begins first prosecutions under controversial ‘Halo Law’: At least 11 people so far have been arrested on charges of violating the law, which bans people from being within 25 feet of a police officer, firefighter or paramedic at the scene of an incident, according to a statewide survey of the latest criminal violations by Fresh Take Florida. Those accused can face a misdemeanor charge if they stay after a verbal warning to get back. It outlaws behavior described as “conduct directed at a first responder which intentionally causes substantial emotional distress in that first responder and serves no legitimate purpose.”

8 Comments

President: Chicago, other cities will be ‘training grounds’ for military to combat ‘war from within’ (Updated x3)

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Hill…

President Trump told a gathering of military leaders Tuesday they should use American cities as “training grounds” and described a federal crackdown on crime in major cities as necessary due to “a war from within.”

Trump addressed dozens of top generals and admirals in Quantico, Va., where he said defending the homeland was the military’s “most important priority.” He signaled the leaders in the room could be tasked with aiding in federal interventions in Democratic-led cities such as Chicago and New York City.

“They’re very unsafe places, and we’re going to straighten them out one by one,” Trump said. “And this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That’s a war, too. It’s a war from within.”

“I told [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth], we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military — National Guard, but our military, because we’re going into Chicago very soon,” Trump added. “That’s a big city with an incompetent governor.”

*** UPDATE 1 *** Gov. Pritzker this afternoon…

Let me start by saying it appears that Donald Trump, not only has dementia set in, but he’s copying tactics of Vladimir Putin sending troops into cities, thinking that’s some sort of proving ground for war, or that indeed there’s some sort of internal war going on in the United States, is just frankly, inane and and I’m concerned for his health.

* When asked what he plans to about ICE enforcement and military intervention…

You’ve asked this question before, and I want to answer again. First of all, we’re a state that follows the law. We follow the law. There is nothing that we can do in terms of putting people our law enforcement in the way of federal law enforcement when they are carrying out wrong but accurate federal laws.

We need comprehensive immigration reform. That is what will matter. And what we can do when it comes to troops being sent in to Chicago and to the state of Illinois is immediately go to court. We’re prepared to do that. … But believe me when I tell you that the law is on our side when it comes to keeping troops out of the city and out of the state.

* Asked why he won’t cooperate with the federal government, Pritzker said…

We absolutely cooperate when we’ve got federal officials helping us, or when we can help them go after criminals. That’s not what they’re doing. What they’re doing is, you know, you’ve heard the term ’round up the usual suspects,’ like, ‘Let’s just get everybody who has brown skin, and just one by one, go through them until we find somebody who’s done something wrong.’ That is not the way we do law enforcement in this country.

* Broadview situation…

We’re in constant and consistent communication with Broadview police, with the Broadview Mayor, offering every bit of assistance. We are providing perimeter assistance through the state police, continual conversation with the governor’s office and the mayor’s office. They have requested certain kinds of equipment, some of which we can provide.

[Asked what sort of support he’s sending]

Things like gas masks, things that a normal police department, especially a small one like Broadview might not have. So they’re just asking for support in that way.

*** UPDATE 2 *** The president also said this today when speaking to US military leaders…

Trump to generals: "America is under invasion from within. We're under invasion from within. No different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in any ways because they don't wear uniforms. At least when they're wearing a uniform you can take them out." pic.twitter.com/LZw4W73LdQ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 30, 2025

[ *** End Of Updates *** ]

* AP…

[Trump] also complained about “insurrectionists” who are funded by “the radical left.”

* Meanwhile, the NY Times appears to have confirmed what the governor said yesterday…

One hundred National Guard troops will be deployed to Illinois at the request of the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. military officials said on Monday, a mobilization that would occur over the objections of Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois, a Democrat. […]

It was unclear when troops would be deployed in Illinois or where they would be sent.

* Darren Bailey agrees with the decision to send troops…

It is a shame that the federal government has to send the military into Chicago just to protect ICE officers. This is what failed leadership looks like.

If Governor JB Pritzker would cooperate with federal officials instead of making ICE the enemy, and if Mayor Brandon Johnson would put more officers on the street instead of leaving families defenseless, we wouldn’t be here today. Illinois families deserve better. They deserve leaders who stand with law-abiding citizens, not criminals. They deserve leaders who enforce our laws and keep our streets safe. If Pritzker and Johnson did their jobs, the military would never have to step in.

*** UPDATE 3 *** From the Pritzker campaign…

Darren Bailey is proving yet again that he’s running to be Donald Trump’s most loyal MAGA lapdog. The truth is, Illinoisans see right through Trump’s National Guard stunt. Our communities don’t want military troops on city streets. They want investments in law enforcement, community violence prevention efforts, and actual solutions that keep people safe – things that Donald Trump is cutting funding for in Washington.

Bailey has made his choice: he stands with Donald Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda. JB Pritzker stands with Illinoisans.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Fox News…

Hundreds of federal agents carried out a “targeted immigration enforcement operation” early Tuesday in Chicago, Illinois, against suspected Tren de Aragua gang members.

The FBI confirmed the operation to FOX32 Chicago, noting that its agents assisted the U.S. Border Patrol in the city’s South Shore neighborhood. The operation — which involved almost 300 agents — targeted six people associated with the Venezuelan gang, according to Fox News senior correspondent Mike Tobin. […]

Footage captured overnight showed agents converging on an apartment building in the area. At one point, a helicopter dropped snipers down onto the building’s roof.

Video is here.

23 Comments

Candidates nudging donors ahead of yet another “key” fundraising deadline

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As the fundraising deadline nears, some candidates are going a bit over the top. This pitch stands out, however. It’s from CD2 Democratic candidate Donna Miller, with emphasis in the original…

Rich, Donna Miller needs your support.

Republicans are searching every corner of the country for opportunities to widen their majority in Congress. And since Trump is targeting Chicago with threats to unleash chaos on our streets, they have their sights set on Illinois-02.

Yeah, no. Kamala Harris won that district last year by 33 points.

Sheesh.

* Most of us are being inundated the past few days with text messages ahead of the today’s quarterly deadline. (I actually received another one as I typed that sentence.) But, do you remember the promise this candidate made about no spammy fundraising texts?. She apparently does not…

* Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid’s latest fundraising email has this subject line: “The deadline is hours away and AIPAC is watching”

I could go on, but what’s your “favorite” fundraising nudge?

* Meanwhile, speaking of money, here’s Illinois Review…

Former Wirepoints president and Illinois GOP gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski is making waves – not for his policies, but for his donors. His campaign is bankrolled by Democrat supporters and Brandon Johnson allies, sparking questions over whether his bid reflects Republican values or is being propped up by the very forces conservatives have long opposed in Illinois.

Yes, Dabrowski has the backing of major Republican donors like Richard Uihlein and Vince Kolber. But alongside them are contributors who routinely fund Democrats – a mix that is stirring unease among conservative grassroots Republicans.

On September 2, Dabrowski’s campaign reported a $250,000 donation from James Perry, a senior advisor with Madison Dearborn Partners in Chicago. State election filings show Perry is also a frequent supporter of Democrats, including Chicago Alderman Bill Conway, State Representative Margaret Croke, Dr. Rafael Yanez and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot – to whose campaign he contributed $50,000 in 2019.

Not mentioned is that Perry was a major contributor to Paul Vallas’ last mayoral race, giving $500K. He contributed $1K to Rep. Croke.

* Least surprising endorsement ever…

Yesterday, former State Representatives Jeanne Ives and Tom Morrison and former DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan endorsed Ted Dabrowski for Governor.

Illinois Review on that crew’s many, many losses…

But for many Republicans, the pattern is clear: Uihlein’s money, combined with Proft’s strategy and Ives’ political brand, has delivered not conservative victories, but Democratic dominance. From Obama in Washington to Pritzker in Springfield, Illinois conservatives have paid the price.

8 Comments

Protect The 340B Program To Enhance Healthcare Services In Low-Income Communities

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The hospital has put 340B savings toward healthcare services, including its:

Outpatient Infusion Center

Medication to Bedside program

Pharmacist-managed Anticoagulation Clinics and Pharmacotherapy Clinics

Comments Off

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - This just in… (Updated)

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

Comments Off

New super PAC backs Stratton, Raja raises $3 million in Q3

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Illinois Future PAC….

Illinois Future, a new political action committee, announced its formation to support Juliana Stratton in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Illinois Future will work to ensure voters have the opportunity to learn about Juliana Stratton’s record of delivering results for Illinois families and aim to boost turnout in key communities across the state. As Donald Trump terrorizes communities and raises the cost of living, Juliana Stratton is the best candidate in the race to stand up to Trump and protect working families in the U.S. Senate

The group aims to show how Juliana Stratton’s record of effective, values-driven leadership has and will continue to deliver for Illinoisans. For too long, politicians in Washington have been all talk and no action. Illinois Future will work tirelessly to send Juliana Stratton—a proven fighter—to the U.S. Senate to deliver for Illinois communities. This independent effort will meet voters where they are to share the facts and build a coalition to win. The group will be led by Quentin Fulks.

The PAC has already raised seven figures and will continue to fundraise for its independent efforts.

* US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi adds $3 million “and counting” to his Senate war chest. Press release…

Today, the Raja for Illinois campaign announced that it has raised $3 million and counting in the third quarter of 2025, marking a third consecutive quarter of raising more than $3 million. The campaign will end the quarter with over $17.5 million cash on hand.

News of another successful quarter comes as Raja leads by double digits in every single poll of the primary – including those commissioned by outside PACs supporting his opponent. Raja has communicated on televisions across Illinois since July, blanketing airwaves with “Bullies,” “Underdog,” and “29.” Throughout the summer, Raja crisscrossed Illinois on his listening tour, making stops in Moline, Petersburg, Bloomington, East Alton, Mount Vernon, Carbondale, Springfield, Rockford, and more. Last month, Raja released his Trump Accountability Plan, blanketing local news with his plan to rein in Donald Trump’s abuses of power.

Click here for a little more on that poll.

* Playbook…

Congresswoman Robin Kelly is staking out progressive territory with a new slate of policy proposals aimed at affordability — and at highlighting the ideological distance between herself and the rest of the field, according to her campaign. “I’ve been going around the state, hearing what people are dealing with and how much things cost,” she told your Playbook host. Her “People Over Profits” plan includes taxing billionaires, raising worker wages, capping child-care costs, expanding Medicare to all, and strengthening Social Security.

Thoughts?

* More…

WTVO | Don Tracy aims for balance in Illinois politics with open Senate seat run:

* Edwardsville Intelligencer | The Intelligencer interviews Senate candidate Don Tracy: U.S. Senate candidate Don Tracy visited The Edwardsville Intelligencer on Sept. 26 to talk about his campaign and how he will represent the state should he win election in November 2026. Tracy is the seventh candidate and second Republican to participate in the Intelligencer’s Senate interviews.

34 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Comments Off

Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker says DHS aims to deploy 100 military troops to guard ICE operations here. Crain’s…

* Related stories…

• CNI: Pritzker says feds seeking Chicago troop deployment. ‘What I have been warning of is now being realized’
• Block Club: Homeland Security Wants 100 Troops To Help Protect ICE Agents In Illinois, Pritzker Says
• AP: Illinois governor says troops could be deployed to Chicago as immigration agents patrol downtown

***************** Advertisement *****************

Sponsored by Ameren Illinois

The summer of 2025 has been a tough one for residents and businesses in the Ameren Illinois service territory. Supply constraints, extreme hot and humid conditions, and increased energy usage have led to a significant spike in electricity prices and higher-than-normal monthly bills for residential, commercial and industrial energy users. We appreciate and thank legislators, regulators and stakeholders who are working hard to address the energy challenge in Illinois. Energy policy is complex, and we’re encouraged that there are some creative ideas being proposed and a willingness to work together to find answers.

While Ameren Illinois cannot control the price or availability of energy, we can ensure that the system that delivers energy to homes and businesses — electric poles, wires, and technology; and natural gas distribution pipelines and storage fields — is equipped to operate at peak performance to withstand severe weather events, facilitate business expansions that grow local communities, and enable the transition to renewable generation.

We have an opportunity to build an energy system that is smarter, cleaner, reliable, resilient, and affordable for Illinois families and businesses. As discussions on short- and long-term legislative solutions occur this fall, we will continue to advocate for our 1.2 million customers.

If you know of someone who is struggling to pay their energy bill, please encourage them to visit www.AmerenIllinois.com/PathToSavings for information on available financial assistance and energy saving programs.

*************************************************

* At 1:05 pm, Gov. Pritzker will be at the launch of Food Security for Life. At 3 pm, he’ll be at the groundbreaking for PsiQuantum’s new facilities at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WTTW | Illinois Prisons Will Now Scan Physical Mail Sent to Incarcerated People: Beginning immediately, non-privileged mail will be opened and inspected for contraband, scanned in color, then be uploaded to an individual’s tablet, the department announced Monday. Nearly all incarcerated people now have tablets, according to the department. That does not include privileged material, such as legal mail. The department is also discontinuing the practice of visitors dropping off publications at facilities.

* Tribune | Mother, children detained by ICE at Millennium Park Sunday held at O’Hare with other families: ‘We never imagined’: Despite the couple’s repeated demands to see a warrant, agents loaded the entire family into a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle parked along Michigan Avenue without much resistance — a scene captured on cellphones as tourists and residents strolled past the arrest in one of the city’s most popular destinations. […] Chavez and her two children are now confined to a room at O’Hare International Airport, awaiting transfer to a detention facility in Texas before deportation to Guatemala, she said.

*** Statewide ***

* Raja Krishnamoorthi’s US Senate campaign…

Today, the Raja for Illinois campaign announced that it has raised $3 million and counting in the third quarter of 2025, marking a third consecutive quarter of raising more than $3 million. The campaign will end the quarter with over $17.5 million cash on hand.

* WCIA | Hunters Feeding Illinois could be entering final year amid funding cuts: Hunters Feeding Illinois is returning for its fourth season, but organizers said one of its major partners may need to end programming after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. University of Illinois Extension SNAP-Education is the originator of Hunters Feeding Illinois. In a news release, the U of I Extension said that while federal funding for the SNAP-Ed program officially ends on Sept. 30, scaled back programming will continue through fall 2025 or January 2026.

* PJ Star | Government shutdown could impact thousands of federal employees in Illinois: The federal government employs roughly 2.3 million civilians across the country. There are 45,213 federal civilian employees in Illinois – not including uniformed military personnel or federal contractors, according to the Congressional Research Service.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Center Square | Former state lawmakers endorse, donors support GOP candidate Dabrowski: Former state Reps. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, and Tom Morrison, R-Palatine, announced their endorsements of former Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski on Monday. Ives supported former state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, in 2022 but said there is a better option in 2026. “No one knows the issues better than Ted, and subsequently, nobody is better positioned to attract independent suburban voters on the merits of who can do better for Illinois families,” Ives said.

* Press Release | Attorney General Raoul Files Emergency Lawsuit To Protect Critical Homeland Security Funding From Politically Motivated Cuts: Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 12 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from unlawfully reallocating federal homeland security funding away from states based on their compliance with the administration’s political agenda. On Saturday, without any notice or explanation, and four days before the end of the federal fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) significantly cut funding to certain states that are unwilling to divert law enforcement resources away from core public safety services to assist in enforcing federal immigration law while reallocating those funds to other states. The move came days after Raoul secured a permanent injunction along with an opinion holding that the agencies violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act by conditioning all federal funds from FEMA and DHS on states’ agreement to assist the federal government in enforcing federal immigration law.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Federal Agents Arrest Southwest Side Organizers As They Filmed ICE Activity, Officials Say : At approximately 9:30 a.m. Sunday, members of the Southwest Side Rapid Response Team responded to a tip of federal agents in Back of the Yards. While they were in the area, three members were “followed, harassed, physically kettled in their vehicles and intimidated by federal officers aiming a firearm at them,” according to the group’s statement. Federal agents were “aggressive” and started to intimidate organizers when they noticed they were being filmed, Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) told Block Club. A few blocks down, agents in multiple vehicles surrounded organizers, detained them and moved them to an immigration processing center in Broadview, Ramirez said. They were later released, Ramirez said.

* Crain’s | South Works site sold as quantum campus beckons: Completing a long-running effort to sell the sprawling, vacant swath at 8080 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, a joint venture of the two Chicago firms partnered with New York-based Blue Owl Capital earlier this month to buy the land from Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel, Illinois property records show. Related and CRG won City Council approval last year to build the 128-acre Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park on the south end of the site, the centerpiece of a broader 59 million-square-foot megadevelopment dubbed Quantum Shore Chicago.

* Tribune | Chicago White Sox shake up their staff, including letting Ethan Katz (pitching) and Marcus Thames (hitting) go: Katz had been the team’s pitching coach since 2021. Thames, Bourgeois and Butera were in their respective roles with the club each of the last two seasons. “Decisions about the coaching staff are incredibly difficult because these are friends and teammates who have been through all the moments and trials alongside you,” said Venable, who just completed his first season as the team’s manager, in a statement. “I cannot thank each of them enough for the hard work and professionalism they brought to the ballpark daily.

* Sun-Times | Crooked Bridgeport bank worker gets home confinement after helping hide embezzlement scheme: Alicia Mandujano — one of 16 people people who had been indicted on criminal charges following the bank’s collapse in December 2017 — was sentenced Monday to two years supervised release, including 12 months of home detention. “Real people who were saving for retirements or a vacation are still working because they lost money, U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall told Mandujano.

* WGN | ‘All for the Love of Chicago’ campaign aims to boost city’s image: “Chicago, we’ve had a challenging national narrative for a while,” [Kristen Reynolds is the president and CEO of Choose Chicago,] said. “In the last couple of months, it really has escalated with narratives coming out about federal deployment, what’s happening here, ICE obviously, and it became amplified across not only the nation, but really the globe.” […] The “All for the Love of Chicago” social media campaign encourages people to make their own videos – in their own words – why they love the city.

* Sun-Times | Look out, Coco! The food delivery robots introduced in late 2024 now have competition: Beginning Sept. 30, the flamingo-pink food delivery robots you may have seen rolling along city sidewalks are set to get some competition. Los Angeles-based Serve Robotics plans to roll out “dozens” of its own robots, less than a year after Coco Robotics began a pilot program here in the 27th and 34th wards.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* ABC Chicago | Broadview leaders to address what they call ‘unprovoked’ use of chemical agents outside ICE facility: The briefing starts at 11 a.m. Officials expected at the briefing include Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson, Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills, Broadview Police Department, acting Broadview Fire Chief Matt Martin, Broadview Fire Department, Oak Park Mayor Vicki Scaman and Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins

* Sun-Times | Neighbors near Broadview ICE facility say they’re caught in the middle of clashes between protesters, feds: Employees of cabinetmaker Reveal Interiors complain that tear gas has seeped into its plant and employees have been hit by pepper balls. A fence erected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement across Beach Street has pushed protesters into its property, disrupting work.

* WBEZ | Standing up to ICE in suburban Chicago, the People’s Patrol puts its faith in resistance: Cavazos leads the People’s Patrol, one of many volunteer rapid-response networks countering a Trump administration deportation blitz in the Chicago area. The idea is to locate immigration enforcement activity, record it, document abuses and, right on the spot, voice community opposition. Cavazos’ network focuses on Chicago’s western suburbs. It’s housed at the Casa DuPage Workers Center, a small nonprofit devoted to immigrant rights. “We saw ICE go into a factory about a month and a half ago, looking for someone,” Cavazos tells me on the way to Bensenville. “They freaked out the whole factory and they took some people from there. It’s just really sad, the way the United States crucifies [its immigrant] workers, particularly in this case. They’re essential workers that are in these factories giving us food.”

* Daily Herald | Wheeling Township Mental Health board about to set $1.4 million budget: Wheeling Township’s community mental health board is expected to approve a $1.4 million tentative budget next week as it prepares for its first tax levy nearly three years after the board was created by referendum. Last week, the mental health board reached tentative agreement on the budget. It meets again Oct. 8. Although some of the funding would go toward administration and projects such as transportation, more than $1.1 million is earmarked for grants.

* Daily Herald | District 214 eyeing solar panels at Rolling Meadows, five other schools as incentives set to expire: The Arlington Heights-based district’s energy consultant has spent the last few months exploring the feasibility of putting solar arrays on the roofs of Rolling Meadows and five other schools, as well as the Forest View Educational Center headquarters. But the timeline to get a competitive RFP for solar vendors out on the street tightened with congressional approval of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July. Solar installations would need to begin by July 2026, or be done by the end of 2027, to capture federal incentives due to expire, officials said.

* Daily Herald | Why the Daily Herald is ending commenting on online stories:
The comment section was intended to be a tool to spur dialogue among our readers. Sometimes it succeeded in doing that. Over time, however, it has become increasingly negative, with comments crossing the line into hate speech, bullying and name-calling. Too much time was being devoted to moderating the comments so that readers with thoughtful and relevant commentary could still have their views heard. For those well-meaning readers, there are other ways to weigh in on content and issues of the day.

*** Downstate ***

* BND | Opponent of solar farm at Belleville cemetery sues city, developers: The leader of a group that opposes a plan to clear-cut 19 acres of woods to make way for a solar farm at Mount Hope Cemetery in Belleville has filed a civil lawsuit to try and stop it. Berger, 39, of Belleville, filed a 10-count complaint last week in St. Clair County Circuit Court. He named as defendants the city of Belleville, which owns the cemetery, and three solar companies. Berger declined to comment Monday on pending litigation beyond explaining why he filed the lawsuit.

* Muddy River News | Hope House wins Quincy City Council approval; Mayor Moore defends Alderman Reed’s appointment to library board: The home located at 1603 Center Avenue received a special use permit with one condition that the requirement for two stalls per dwelling unit be reduced to one per dwelling unit. The council did not fast-track the ordinance through a consent agenda, but instead required three separate readings of the ordinance to give the operators of the home a chance to talk personally with neighbors who had concerns about the impact the home might have on their neighborhood. Pastor Todd Hastings, who is the head of the Hope House Board, said there were strict codes of conduct for the young mothers to follow while they stayed at the location.

* WSIL | Sleep in Heavenly Peace expands in Herrin: Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a nonprofit focused on providing beds to children in need, has acquired Sterling Mattress Factory in Herrin, Illinois. This marks the first acquisition in the organization’s history, aiming to bolster its mission of ensuring no child sleeps on the floor. The acquisition will allow SHP to produce more than 10,000 mattresses annually, supporting up to 184 chapters within a 500-mile radius.

*** National ***

* WaPo | National Weather Service at ‘breaking point’ as storm approaches: Some National Weather Service staffers are working double shifts to keep forecasting offices open. Others are operating under a “buddy system,” in which adjacent offices help monitor severe weather in understaffed regions. Still others are jettisoning services deemed not absolutely necessary, such as making presentations to schoolchildren.

* NPR | As sports betting explodes, should states set more limits to stop gambling addiction?: At first, the state regulators tried various strategies to educate customers about the addictive nature of gambling, as well as the financial risks. “It was much more about making sure that there are brochures that are available that explained the odds of whatever game it was,” he says. Since then, Massachusetts has put in place additional regulations on a booming industry that now includes widespread sports betting. For example, there’s no betting on Massachusetts college teams, and no gambling by credit card. All gambling companies have to allow customers to set voluntary limits and sign up for a “voluntary self-exclusion list” that bans them from casinos or sports betting over various time intervals.

26 Comments

Open thread

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on?

3 Comments

Selected press releases (Live updates)

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Comments Off

Live coverage

Tuesday, Sep 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

Comments Off

« NEWER POSTS