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Appellate court upholds Madigan’s conviction (Updated)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for the opinion. I’m still reading through it…
…Adding… From the conclusion…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
States should avoid repeating the IRA’s price‑setting mistakes In case you missed it: Early evidence from the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is offering one of the clearest warnings yet about the real-world consequences of government price-setting on prescription drugs. As states debate new proposals to regulate drug prices, such as prescription drug affordability boards or referencing federal or foreign pricing, data from the IRA shows government price-setting is failing to deliver on its promises to patients while creating new risks to innovation, access, and affordability. As we break down in a new PhRMA blog post, the evidence raises serious questions about whether these policies are helping patients, or whether they’re narrowly focused on list prices while ignoring the real drivers of patient costs, like insurance design, PBM practices, and hospital markups. Despite the promises made to patients, roughly 60% of Medicare Part D beneficiaries in coinsurance plans are projected to pay more for six of the medicines Medicare set prices for in 2026, while funding for early-stage small molecule research has dropped nearly 70% and new clinical trials for these medicines are down roughly 25%. Bottom line: The IRA’s early track record underscores why states should learn from Washington’s missteps, not repeat them, and instead pursue more effective tools like sharing PBM-negotiated savings with patients at the pharmacy counter to deliver real affordability without jeopardizing access, competition, or innovation. Read the full blog here: States should avoid repeating the IRA’s price-setting mistakes * CNN | ‘This country needs to bring peace to its politics’: Gov. Pritzker condemns rise in political violence after WHCD shooting : Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker joins Manu Raju on combating political violence in America after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Look, it’s the job of all of us in leadership to push back on this idea that political violence is acceptable. It is not acceptable,” he says. * Center Square | AG candidate seeks to reform SAFE-T Act: Republican Illinois Attorney General candidate Bob Fioretti announced the creation of a new Illinois Public Safety & Accountability Commission, led by retired Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel. One issue Fioretti sees with current law is how it handles electronic monitored release of inmates, which has been widely expanded since the 2023 law eliminating cash bail statewide. He said the system is not working properly, and it was designed to allow low-level offenders to remain at home, instead of using taxpayer funds to keep them incarcerated full time. * WAND | IDNR awards 108 biodiversity field trip grants to IL state parks, historic sites, museums: The grant program allows Illinois teachers to apply for funds to take students on a field trip to study Illinois’ natural resources. Learning activities must directly relate to the school’s curriculum. Funding covers expenses like transportation and substitute teachers. IDNR awarded more than $101,000 for 108 field trip grants. 34 different Illinois counties got grants this year. * Daily Herald | Five things to know about NITA — Illinois’ new transit agency: “It’s definitely an exciting time as we begin the work of re-imagining our regional transit system,” DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy said. “I’m more than pleased to be part of this process.” So far, county chairs have met with the former chief of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, who shared lessons learned from a similar transformation, Conroy said. “I’m now working with staff to move through our process as we consider appointments to the newly constituted service boards and NITA,” she said. * WTTW | Johnson Taps Former Federal Prosecutor Brought in to Clean Up After ComEd Scandal as Chicago’s Inspector General: Glockner was one of the three finalists picked by a five-member search committee charged with selecting the city’s sixth inspector general. “The Office of the Inspector General plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of city government for the benefit of all Chicago residents,” Glockner said, adding that he was “grateful” to be nominated to serve as the city’s watchdog. Glockner worked for Exelon, ComEd’s parent company, from March 2020 until December 2025, and oversaw the firm’s efforts to comply with a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors that resulted from the scandal that sent former House Speaker Michael Madigan to prison after being convicted of 10 charges of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud. Madigan is appealing his conviction * Sun-Times | Man admits opening fire near border agents during Operation Midway Blitz: There were no reports of anyone hit by gunfire in the Nov. 8 incident. Still, federal prosecutors in Chicago now have their second guilty plea for a nonimmigration crime tied to Operation Midway Blitz. The feds charged 32 known defendants with such crimes. Twenty of them have been cleared, and four others are on track to have their cases dismissed. * Tribune | Man allegedly hid gun under a blanket before weekend hospital shooting of two police officers: That order to detain Talley extended to other warrants out for Talley. One was for an alleged a lapse in his pretrial electronic monitoring at the time of the alleged crime, Cook County court records show. Judge John F. Lyke had issued a warrant for Talley’s arrest March 11 while he was on pretrial release for a previous armed robbery case, according to court records. That warrant was still active as of Sunday evening. * Crain’s | Water Tower Place owner launching $170 million makeover of Mag Mile mall: It’s a major capital investment on North Michigan Avenue as the retail corridor regains momentum after years of challenges with vacancy, and one that comes about four years after the mall changed hands via a deed in lieu of foreclosure. “It’s an expression of confidence, and the market has come to us,” said Stone Real Estate founder and principal David Stone, who is leading the property’s retail leasing efforts. * Axios | Fox 32 political reporter Paris Schutz is leaving: His departure comes as local newsrooms continue to shift. NBC Chicago hired sports anchor Lou Cannelis from Fox 32 earlier this year and WGN-TV laid off several personalities, including Dean Richards, in February. It’s unclear what Schutz’s next career move will be. Sources say he’s expected to remain in broadcast television. * PJ Star | German manufacturer to close Illinois plant and move production overseas: A German manufacturing company is closing an Illinois facility and will lay off 172 workers this fall. Gerresheimer Glass Inc. is slated to close its facility in Chicago Heights this year, with the layoffs happening on Sept. 30, according to a notice sent to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on April 13. […] A Gerresheimer spokesperson said the closure of the Chicago Heights facility is aimed at reducing costs and improving performance as part of its global transformation program. The company intends to transfer business from the Chicago Heights plant to three glass plants in Italy and India, according to a news release. * Chicago Reader | On a Saturday in April, families of the missing came to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office with binders, DNA swabs, and 30 years of questions: About ten families attended the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office’s sixth Missing Persons Day event last Saturday, April 18, where a mix of medical examiner personnel, law enforcement, and the family and friends of missing people shared DNA swabs, medical records, and other information in an effort to identify missing and unidentified people. Representatives from the medical examiner’s office, the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Bureau of Detectives, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office attended. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, also had representatives available to help families submit their loved ones’ information to the database. * Daily Southtown | Cook County collects online feedback on Oak Forest Hospital site: The 150-acre, county-owned property at 159th Street and Cicero Avenue, close to Oak Forest’s Metra stop, is in the midst of a multiyear demolition project planned to take until 2028. In addition to adjoining Oak Forest, the property is also close to Midlothian, Markham, Tinley Park and Country Club Hills. The survey is targeted at nearby residents, business owners and people who commute through the area. * Naperville Sun | Naperville Park Board ready to OK $9.58 million contract for Frontier activity center: Plans are moving forward on the Frontier Sports Complex activity center, with a $9.58 million construction management contract expected to be approved by the Naperville Park Board at its next meeting. Wight & Co. has been recommended by staff to oversee construction of the $119.75 million building that will house an eight-lane lap pool, a warm-water therapy pool, an activity pool with water slide, play features and lap lanes, gymnasiums, exercise space, and a walking and jogging track. Funding for the south side project was approved by voters in a March election referendum. * Center Square | Deferred maintenance blamed in I-64 bridge hole: According to Paul Wappel, a public information officer with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the agency first became aware of the issue April 17. “Concrete has been poured so the temporary steel plate is no longer there,” Wappel said in an email. “We hope to have this section open midweek, weather permitting.” Wappel added that the bridge’s main structural components were not considered deficient. * BND | 20 St. Clair County sirens failed to sound before March tornado; review underway: St. Clair County EMA Director Herb Simmons said 20 sirens in the southern part of the county did not sound when that area was under a tornado warning, which started at 5:19 p.m. on March 15. It was about half an hour before a tornado touched down in New Athens at 5:47 p.m. […] Manually activating the individual sirens in the affected areas also did not work. So St. Clair County EMA leaders decided to sound all 122 sirens across the county, which finally activated the malfunctioning ones. * Illinois Times | EMT takes plea deal: “Families feel they have to accept something rather than risk getting nothing”: Peter J. Cadigan, 53, a former emergency medical technician with LifeStar Ambulance, pleaded guilty April 24 to involuntary manslaughter in Sangamon County court, just weeks before his scheduled trial. He had originally been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Moore’s Dec. 18, 2022 death. Cadigan now faces a sentence ranging from probation to five years in prison, with sentencing set for June 23 before Judge Robin Schmidt. Moore died after being transported face down on a gurney — a position medical experts say can restrict breathing. A forensic pathologist ruled the cause of death as compression and positional asphyxia. * WREX | Family Peace Center in Rockford receives $700K grant: According to the press release, the grant will fund enhanced co-location of key partners at the center. The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office will place a full-time victim services provider at the facility to work directly with survivors involved in criminal cases, providing case updates, court date information, and legal guidance. The Winnebago County Probation Department will add a part-time probation officer to strengthen coordination for individuals involved in the justice system. * WAND | Urbana going on a ‘road diet’ on North Lincoln Avenue: Urbana will be testing a new “road diet” on North Lincoln Avenue. The goal is to make the corridor safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The city has restriped a stretch between King Park and I-74, reducing traffic to one lane each way and added a center turn lane. * Crain’s | United CEO lays out the case for the American deal that never was: “I was hoping to pitch that story to American, but they declined to engage and instead responded by publicly closing the door. And without a willing partner, something this big simply can’t get done. . . .While our pursuit of talks with American have ended, our mission to build the greatest airline in the history of aviation at United is well underway.” * Bloomberg | Lumen CEO Says AI Bots Are Taking Over the Internet: Over half of the planet’s internet traffic is now made up of AI bots, according to Kate Johnson, chief executive officer of enterprise network giant Lumen Technologies Inc., forcing executives across sectors to rethink how their companies handle everything from customer-service requests to hidden network threats. On Monday, Johnson penned an open letter to fellow company heads, warning that they must prepare for the seismic shift in AI-driven traffic patterns at volumes and speeds that are harder to predict. * NYT | Thanks to GLP-1s, Obesity Experts Are Trying to Understand ‘Food Noise’: Researchers studying and developing drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound analyzed doses, side effects, weight loss and improvements in conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea. Incessant thoughts about food and internal dialogues about what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat, how to resist eating — these were not on the research agenda. But if the obesity-drug researchers weren’t talking about food noise, people taking GLP-1s had a lot to say about it. For as long as they could remember, users of the drugs said, they had been plagued by food noise. But they thought it was just a normal part of life. They thought everyone had it.
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Bailey makes some valid points about ISU, Pritzker (Updated)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Darren Bailey spoke for striking workers at Illinois State University last week…
Please pardon any transcription errors. * DPI responds…
* The fact remains, however, that one of our top public universities is apparently hiring scabs to undercut striking workers who haven’t received a wage increase in two years. And the governor has not yet stepped up. Higher education received a one percent budget increase last year and the governor wants to give them another one percent this year. So, the state is part of the problem. I’ve asked the governor’s office for a response. I’ll let you know if they provide one. …Adding… From the governor’s office…
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Do better
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * 2025 numbers from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association…
The ARTBA’s numbers are based on data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory. * As you surely know, Illinois passed a massive capital projects bill in 2019, including a doubling of the Motor Fuel Tax to catch it up with inflation since the last tax increase. Part of that money is supposed to be used to fix bridges. But the state’s infrastructure was in such poor shape and the repairing pace has lagged so badly that the state has been losing ground, even as it builds new bridges. * In 2018, Illinois had 2,273 structurally deficient bridges, or 8.5 percent of its 26,809 bridges. So, Illinois has 118 more bridges than it did in 2018, but 9.5 percent are now structurally deficient, up from 8.6 percent of fewer bridges in 2018. Bottom line: That’s almost a 13 percent increase in the number of structurally deficient bridges since the year before the capital plan was enacted.
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SB 1486 Raises Premiums And Reduces Consumer Choice
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois is home to one of the most competitive insurance markets in the nation. Hundreds of insurers fight for consumers, leaving families better protected than those in other states. SB 1486, described by the Daily Herald as “controversial legislation,” could eliminate that system and, in its place, leave Illinois with the most extreme regulatory framework in the nation. This legislation could:
• Cause insurers to scale back coverage • Result in companies leaving the marketplace entirely These policies have been tried in other states, leading to skyrocketing costs for consumers and limited options for coverage. Don’t bring California style overregulation to Illinois. Click here to learn more.
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Poll: Mayor Johnson’s favorability rating emerges from absolute dumpster fire territory
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I saw some people online trying to turn this Suffolk/Tribune poll result into some sort of horse race. It isn’t. What it does show is that Mayor Johnson has been clawing his way out of his deep hole (the president is no doubt helping with that) as far as favorability is concerned. Whether that means he or anyone else listed below has a chance in the actual election is a whole other thing…
Also in Johnson’s favor, 14 percent have no opinion of him. That’s better than the alternative. * Methodology…
Remember, these are residents, not registered or even likely voters. And a poll of just 500 people divvied over all 50 wards may have some problems. Also, nine percent never heard of Johnson? This is what I was talking about regarding how the poll was conducted. * These three results will blow the haters’ minds…
How affordable is your life in Chicago today?
Do you generally feel safe in your neighborhood?
People generally like their city. * Two more…
It would’ve been helpful to see if the pollster specifically used that highly loaded “defunding” word. * On to the Tribune’s other polling story…
Little surprise there. * More unsurprising results, and more reasons why the mayor has probably bounced back a tad…
How strongly do you approve or disapprove of the federal government’s immigration efforts in the Chicago region, known as Operation Midway Blitz, last fall?
How strongly do you agree or disagree that the federal government needs to return to the Chicago region in 2026 to resume its immigration enforcement efforts?
Discuss. [Many thanks to Isabel for her formatting work.]
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Credit & Debit Cards May Not Work For Tips, Starting July 1
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The IFPA—the Credit Card Chaos law—could hurt Illinois’ tipped workers. Servers, stylists, rideshare drivers and other gig workers who rely on tips could see their income drop if customers can’t tip on cards and are limited to the cash they carry. Before chaos hits on July 1, lawmakers should reverse course and repeal the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act. Learn more at: guardyourcard.com/Illinois
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Lots of work still to do on megaprojects bill
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] At Paws-n-Claws Boarding & Grooming, owners Jerri and Lyndon Swigart provide trusted, compassionate care with comfortable boarding and expert grooming for your pets. Since 2006, Jerri has combined her lifelong love of animals with a commitment to treating every dog and cat like family. Paws-n-Claws in Macomb can be your pet’s home away from home. Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Jerri and Lyndon in Macomb are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Ruling on whether to appoint a special prosecutor to probe Midway Blitz agents expected in coming weeks. Sun-Times…
- But if she were to side with O’Neill Burke, it would seem to vindicate the top prosecutor, who has been under pressure for much of this year to hold the Midway Blitz agents accountable. Coalition attorneys say she has “abdicated her responsibility” by refusing to lead any such investigation. - Judge Reddick told attorneys that she hopes to rule during a hearing May 11. * Related stories… Sponsored by The Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals No Cuts. No Closures. Fund Safety-Net Hospitals. For decades, Illinois has underfunded safety-net hospitals, the lifelines for Black and Brown communities. Now, the “Safety-Net Moonshot” and the Medicaid-defunding legislation it has spawned, threatens deeper cuts to these critical health providers. Any reduction inspired by the “Moonshot” would be a killshot to the care our most vulnerable residents rely on. Weakening safety-net hospitals won’t improve care. It will slash essential services, eliminate jobs, and push entire communities into healthcare deserts and economic instability. The state cannot balance its budget on the backs of Black and Brown community hospitals. These institutions are not line items to cut, they are the foundation of care for families who have nowhere else to turn. Disinvestment will deepen inequities and worsen outcomes. When safety-net hospitals are funded, communities are healthier, workforces are stronger, and economies are more resilient. Illinois must fully fund safety-net hospitals. For the communities they serve, it is life or death. * At 9 am, Governor Pritzker will participate in a tele-townhall with AARP Illinois where he will deliver remarks and discuss his BUILD housing initiative. Click here to listen. * Tribune | Chicago Bears stadium legislation passed the Illinois House, but may face concerns in the Senate: In the face of criticism, state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat who helped lead House negotiations over the bill, countered that many lawmakers were satisfied with the changes that were made to the legislation. But he allowed that it may need tweaks. “I got some marching orders from my caucus to put together an amendment that looked more like what was important to us,” Buckner said before the legislation was passed. “… I think our job right now is to try to move this forward, and if there are more conversations that need to be had, of course, we’ll have those.” * Illinois Answers Project | Prison or treatment? Thousands participate in mental health courts. Half graduate — and millions are left out: In recent months, the Illinois Answers Project and MindSite News reached out to every court in Illinois for data, collected public records from grant-funded courts and interviewed officials and participants to give a complete picture of the state’s mental health courts. What emerges is a promising model with limited funds supporting small oases in an otherwise barren desert. Woodworth successfully completed her program and says it transformed her life. But that’s rare. Most applicants are rejected because of prior offenses, refusal to undergo an evaluation or other disqualifying factors. Of those who are accepted, just half graduate. Some are unable to participate or voluntarily withdraw. A small number have died. Others, like Sean Buchanan, were cut from programs for refusing medication or committing new crimes. * WBEZ | Illinois state agencies at odds over endangered species protections: Last summer, the state’s top wildlife regulators faced resistance from the Illinois Department of Transportation when trying to protect the darter. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recommended that IDOT crews mapping out construction at a site in Union County should first survey the area and find out if the shiner was present. If so, IDNR would ask them to apply for a permit to minimize impacts to the paper clip-sized fish before proceeding. IDOT declined. The department’s reason, among others, was simple: “Fish swim away.” * Quantum Zeitgeist | IQMP Funds Five Quantum Algorithm Projects With New Awards: Another award supports Professor Patrick Draper at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, working with IBM and EPRI, to explore how quantum algorithms can address the growing complexity of modern power grids. The team intends to assess whether and how existing quantum algorithms can deliver practical advantage on real-world energy grid problems, a critical step toward integrating renewables and ensuring grid reliability. These initiatives are not solely academic exercises; each represents a collaboration across academia, quantum companies, and industry end users, according to program materials. Brad Henderson, CEO of P33, said, “Grand Challenges brings together the full quantum ecosystem to accelerate the development of real-world applications.” * Shaw Local | State parks upgrading campsite reservation system to better serve the public: Reservations for campsites and shelters at Illinois state parks and historic sites will transition to an updated platform beginning May 1. The new system offers park users a more user-friendly system for making reservations and securing permits, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said. Users will continue to use exploremoreil.com – the customer service platform of the IDNR – to make campsite and shelter reservations, but will notice an improved interface, the department said in a news release. * Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker’s affordable housing plan gets Senate hearing as municipalities remain opposed: Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, inquired about protections against market pressures that may arise from the construction of additional units in neighborhoods. Aquino said he and his wife recently sold their home and moved into a multigenerational home due to affordability concerns. Similarly, Sen. Donald DeWitte, R-St. Charles, raised concerns about changing land values that could negatively affect current homeowners. Ortega indicated that the land value component will be addressed by the $250 million capital investment but stated that market protections had not been included in the introduced legislation. * Rocky Mountain Collegian | Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks at Democratic fundraising event held at CSU: “What I’m most disappointed about (in) the building of the Democratic Party and where we are, is we should have been doing a 50-state strategy from day one,” Pritzker said. “Instead, what we did was focus on battleground states. … In the off years, we need to be creating scaffolding and infrastructure, because when the on years — when the presidential years come — that’s how you win. If you’re not doing anything until months before the general election in 2028 or ’24 or ’20, there’s no way to win states.” * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois launches online resources for households on federal food assistance: Ahead of an estimated 150,000 Illinois households losing access to federal food assistance on May 1, Illinois launched two websites aimed at providing work, training and volunteer hours to those households. Job Ready IL collects training programs and employment opportunities, while Serve Illinois shares volunteer opportunities. Doanld Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, also known as H.R. 1, made changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that increased the able-bodied adults without dependents population and ended a long-term work requirement waiver that Illinois had, putting some recipients at risk of losing their benefits. * Tribune | Illinois sets new rules barring state workers from prediction market bets and AI use without oversight: The Illinois Gaming Board has sent cease-and-desist letters to prediction market platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, since the beginning of last year, arguing the businesses were engaged in illegal gambling. Earlier this month, the federal government filed a lawsuit against Illinois, asserting that the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not the state gaming board, has regulatory authority over those platforms. “Illinois has been sort of on the forefront of striking back against these prediction markets,” said Karl Lockhart, an assistant professor of law at DePaul University who writes about financial and securities markets regulation. * ABC Chicago | Illinois Accountability Commission to reveal results of investigation into operation ‘Midway Blitz’: There will be two public hearings this week that are expected to reveal results of ongoing investigations surrounding actions of federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz. The commission is expected to show footage and listen to witness testimony from incidents that took place during the operation. The commission is tasked with documenting the impact of Operation Midway Blitz and then making recommendations for accountability and reform. * Tribune | More Chicagoans view Mayor Brandon Johnson unfavorably than favorably ahead of 2027 mayoral race, Suffolk-Tribune poll says: The Suffolk University/Chicago Tribune poll of 500 adult residents, conducted April 11-15, found 44% viewed the mayor unfavorably, while just 34% viewed him favorably. The remainder were undecided or said they had never heard of him. The poll, conducted by David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University’s Political Research Center, carries an overall margin of error of 4.4 percentage points. * Sun-Times | New details emerge in Swedish Hospital shooting of Chicago police officer John Bartholomew: Bartholomew, 38, was shot alongside another officer at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, 5140 N. California Ave., by a robbery suspect who had been arrested earlier that morning, police have said. No update was provided Sunday on the second officer, who has not been named. He was “fighting for his life” in critical condition, police Superintendent Larry Snelling said Saturday at a news conference outside Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where both officers were taken after the shooting. * Tribune | CTA breaks ground on Red Line Extension. The project ‘corrects’ history, acting CTA head says: For months, with early site preparation work underway on the Far South Side, the transit agency was unable to access federal reimbursements to pay for that work. A federal judge last month ordered the feds to temporarily unfreeze those dollars, a win officials celebrated on Friday. “Today we are providing Chicago with an opportunity to demonstrate what it means to fight back against the Trump administration,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. * Sun-Times |: Residential projects across Chicago are being postponed because construction companies are struggling to find reliable labor, prompting some contractors with projects west of Interstate 355 to operate with leaner crews and driving up day rates and overtime pay to attract workers. * NYT | The Chief of Chicago’s Science Museum Is Doing Some Experiments: Chevy Humphrey, the chief executive, is trying to answer that question in a broad and urgent way. In May, the museum will open a new permanent exhibit exploring “how energy shapes our daily lives,” just as the war in Iran is prompting big questions about our relationship with oil, gas and other sources of power. That is a traditional initiative for a science museum. Just a few paces away, another exhibit is set to open on something less expected: Anne Frank. Dr. Humphrey sees it as an opportunity for the museum’s youngest patrons to grapple with larger, frightening forces around them, as Frank did in her “Dear Kitty” journal during the Holocaust. * South Side Weekly | Heavy Crownz Is Planting The Seeds for a Future Englewood: “I always describe Englewood as the trenches, but not in the sense where it’s negative all the time. The trenches was [also] a safe space that soldiers found refuge in during war,” he said. “So for me, it was a safe space that also has some rough parts. But it was a loving, beautiful place for me.” The album balances these sorts of opposites. It’s a stage for collaborators and an introspective memoir, a breakup album and a party album, an ode to farming and a beacon of hope all rolled into one. But throughout, it embodies the “resilience, confidence, ingenuity and imagination” that Heavy credits Englewood with instilling in him. * Tribune | Months after late property tax bills, thousands are still waiting with no resolution in sight: Property tax bills arrived months late for hundreds of thousands of Cook County homeowners last year, causing headaches and confusion for property owners and the local governments they fund. Five months later, thousands are still waiting for bills and tens of thousands are waiting for refunds, the latest development in the technology upgrade debacle that has roiled the county’s tax system for more than four years with no clear end in sight. * Daily Herald | ‘This project is delivering’: Suburban leaders credit flood-prevention efforts for keeping towns dry during recent deluges: Village Manager Jon Sfondilis credited $9 million worth of village-funded stormwater system improvements over the last decade — as well as some regional projects that benefit Wheeling — for averting disaster. One of the most recent efforts focused on the flood-prone South Dunhurst subdivision, where a nearly 3-acre detention pond was constructed and underground sewers leading to that basin were installed in the last couple years. * Daily Herald | ‘He would choose to do it again’: Vigil held for Buffalo Grove High School security guard who died shielding students from crash: Friends, family and students gathered at Buffalo Grove High School Saturday to pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of high school security guard Orlando Rivas. Rivas, who died Friday, was fatally injured during dismissal Tuesday afternoon while trying to shield students he was helping cross the street during a crash. A vehicle trying to exit the parking lot onto Dundee Road struck a pole. That pole hit Rivas, who died after he was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. * WGLT | ISU says its external custodial contractors are not strikebreakers: ISU spokesperson Chris Coplan said the university was officially served with the lawsuit Friday. He said the lawsuit seeks to “restrict the university’s ability to utilize external companies performing custodial and grounds work on campus.” He said the university’s use of these companies is legal. “These external companies are not strikebreakers — they are well-established, local businesses that perform custodial and grounds work in and around our local community every day,” Coplan said. “We plan to vigorously defend our position in this meritless lawsuit.” * WGLT | AFSCME presents nearly 7,000 petition signatures to ISU president, hoping to end strike: AFSCME was assisted by state Rep. Sharon Chung and state Sen. Dave Koehler, both Democrats representing parts of Bloomington-Normal. Chung and Koehler presented the signatures to ISU President Aondover Tarhule on Friday in a private meeting which lasted just over 15 minutes. While multiple union members were present on the fourth floor of Hovey Hall outside Tarhule’s office, he only agreed to meet with the present elected officials. * WSIL | Poshard Foundation awarding $106,500 to support abused, neglected children: Foundation leaders announced $106,500 in grants will be distributed during a press conference scheduled for April 30 at 1 p.m. at John A. Logan College. A total of 28 agencies across Southern Illinois are set to receive funding. The grants are intended to support services for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment, including counseling, medical care, and other support programs. * IPM News | Champaign County Sheriff says ICE will NOT be in town: Rumors have been swirling that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be in town. Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman said the rumors are not true. “It is completely a rumor that ICE will be in town and not based on reliable information. I have verified this weekend with our federal partners that there are no scheduled ICE operations occurring in our area,” Heuerman said. “There are some non-ICE federal agents supposed to be in Central Illinois this week working with some local jurisdictions on criminal warrant apprehension.” * WGLT | Statewide data shows McLean County detains defendants awaiting trial at higher rates: That’s work typically done by Frank Beck, who was also present for Thursday’s quarterly meeting. Beck said his team at ISU’s Stevenson Center will study recidivism in the county for the first time in a decade. Previous data collection showed McLean County’s reoffending rate at around 30%. “It’s time to update it, or to do it for the first time with respect to the specialty courts,” he said. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford data center TIF details and more available at new website: A new website has been launched to provide information about a proposed Tax Increment Financing district and data center south of Rockford Airport. The website was created in collaboration with several local organizations that recently hosted a Data Center Information Night, according to a community announcement. It aims to be a reliable resource amid widespread information and misinformation. * WGLT | Innovate Springfield director leaving for a new job: Following a national search, Ben Hage has been named director of The Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University, effective June 1. Currently Director of Innovate Springfield at the University of Illinois Springfield, Hage has more than a decade of experience spanning both startup development and entrepreneurship education.
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Good morning!
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Illinois is paying the price for 340B medicine markups. Through the federal 340B program, nonprofit hospitals can buy medicines for pennies, then charge huge markups – even on life-saving medicines. Those markups have become big business for large hospital systems, driving higher costs for Illinois patients, employers and taxpayers. And the problem is getting worse. The program’s lack of oversight has allowed 340B to become a revenue stream for hospitals, PBMs, private equity firms and big chain pharmacies — with no requirement that the money be used to help patients afford medicines. It’s time for Washington to hold hospitals accountable and fix 340B. Read more. * Crain’s…
* Chicago Reader | How fire is reviving Illinois’s vanishing prairie: Part of that is due to the efforts of the stewards and local community members, as well as to a wider understanding of what happens when a fire-dependent ecosystem does not receive it. McCabe says that, as much as people were trying to stop the Forest Preserves from doing their work, in turn costing taxpayers more and making preserve workers’ jobs harder, the stewards were actively pushing against those neighbors by calling their alderpeople, showing up to community meetings, and regularly printing a magazine to inform the public. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois launches online resources for households on federal food assistance: “We were working very closely with (IDHS), because it was DHS who was setting what those parameters, those guidelines, like what a program had to be, in order to meet the standards,” Bruce said. “What we have online with Job Ready IL is something that’s carefully crafted with DHS’s guidance.” The groups also agreed it should be a public-private partnership to remain sustainable. The state was concerned its workforce system wouldn’t have the capacity to serve the number of people who would now need a work program, Bruce said. * CBS Chicago | Hearing will decide if special prosecutor investigates possible crimes during Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz: “What we’ve seen in Cook County is that the elected state’s attorney has abdicated her duty to the people of Cook County be refusing to investigate those crimes, by refusing to bring prosecutions in the face of incredibly well documented crimes,” said Steve Art, an attorney with Loevy & Loevy, who are representing the coalition in court. * Chicago Reader | Chicago mayor visits Illinois prison, meeting with Northwestern Prison Education Program students: The mayor spoke of two of his brothers, who had struggled with addiction and spent time in prison. “This is personal for me,” he said. “I’m here to learn and ensure that my responsibility as a leader of the city in Chicago, that you all know that you will always be front and center in all of the decisions that I make.” Student Patrick Comi asked the mayor the best advice he received from Reverend Jesse Jackson. The mayor responded that the reverend always told him that he “was someone, and to never give up, and to always keep moving forward.” Knowing the struggles the reverend had gone through, Johnson said, that advice stayed with him. * Crain’s | Ford City Mall shutdown gets reprieve despite deterioration and sinkholes: The dilapidated Ford City Mall on the Southwest Side can stay open for at least another three weeks after a Cook County judge gave its owner and tenants more time to prepare for a possible shutdown over the property’s hazardous conditions. Judge Leonard Murray yesterday signed off on an agreement between the city of Chicago and the owner of the shopping center at 7601 S. Cicero Ave. to delay a hearing on the city’s emergency motion to vacate the property. The approval came after a successful test last week of the mall’s faulty fire suppression system, which Murray had deemed an “urgent” safety issue and warned of a potential order to shutter the building. * Block Club | Can This Wellness Center Help West Siders Live Longer? Sankofa Village Aims To Do Just That: “This center was built for the residents and is designed to meet their needs while serving as a space where people can connect, grow and thrive,” said Drea Slaughter, Garfield Park Rite To Wellness executive director. “The resources offered here are just the beginning, and we look forward to continuing this work and building on our mission to strengthen opportunity and improve quality of life across West Garfield Park.” * Tribune | CTA service resumes after train derailment near Rogers Park station: hicago Transit Authority service was up and running Friday morning after a Yellow Line train derailed on the city’s Far North Side during the evening rush hour Thursday, according to the city agency. Rail service had been temporarily suspended Thursday evening along the entire Yellow and Purple lines, as well as along the Red Line between the Howard and Thorndale stations, the CTA said. Both the CTA and the Chicago Fire Department said there were no reported injuries. Normal service resumed shortly before 11:30 p.m. Thursday, the CTA said. * Sun-Times | JCPenney to exit Ford City as city pressures mall’s owner: JCPenney said it will close the store in a month or two. In an email, the retailer’s media relations department said, “Despite our best efforts to remain at Ford City Mall, we have been required by the city of Chicago to close this location along with all other remaining tenants at the property, and will be exiting the property in the next 30-60 days. We are actively exploring opportunities for a new store location in the surrounding Chicago area and look forward to sharing updates as plans develop.” * WBEZ | Chicago area bookstores are set to host their biggest celebration yet for Independent Bookstore Day: All 84 participating stores offer their own specialties and curate selections that reflect the interests of their neighborhoods, said Ryvre Hardrick, organizer of the crawl and owner of Goblin Market in Lake View. The number of participating shops nearly doubled from last year, a shift Hardrick said reflects owners’ desire to keep building connections with their neighbors as well as growing interest in “analog hobbies.” * Shaw Local | Plainfield passes resolution opposing state taking away local zoning control: Worried that a proposed statewide initiative could take power away from municipalities, the Plainfield Village Board has passed a resolution urging state leaders to not take zoning authority away from municipalities. * ABC Chicago | Wauconda High School career advisor charged with grooming, solicitation of two students: police: Authorities took Faulkner into custody during a traffic stop for driving on a revoked license on Thursday, just before police and Lake County K9 Enzo executed a search warrant at a home in connection with the case. There, police said, they found evidence that Faulkner groomed and solicited two Wauconda High School students. Faulkner, who provides college and career services at the high school, has been charged with two counts of Solicitation of Child Sexual Abuse Material, two counts of Grooming, and two counts of Indecent Solicitation of a Child. * Fox Chicago | Chicago Stars FC return home to Evanston with themed match days: The Chicago Stars FC preview their upcoming home stretch in Evanston, highlighting affordable fan experiences, special game themes, and a roster featuring World Cup and Olympic champions. * Daily Herald | News seniors can use: High school journalists publish newspaper for retirement residents: The students recently sent out their fourth issue of Windmill Weekly, a 12- to 16-page tabloid size printed newspaper with larger type size for easier reading. It’s the business project they chose through the national program led at Batavia by Dennis Piron, the popular and successful football coach at the school. * WCIA | Champaign County passes year-long moratorium on data center: Champaign County has been looking at implementing a temporary moratorium on data centers since February. After making its way through several county committees, the county board had the final say Thursday night. People were outside the Bennett Administrative Center an hour before the meeting started. It was a packed house with people standing, kneeling and even sitting on windowsills. All this to make sure they were in the room to see whether or not the county board would press the pause button on data center construction. * WCIA | Springfield EMS worker pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 2022 patient death: One of two Springfield EMS workers accused of murder in the death of a patient in 2022 has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Peter Cadigan pleaded guilty to the charge Friday morning in the killing of Earl Moore in December 2022. In police body camera footage, Cadigan could be seen strapping Moore face-down on a stretcher while Moore was experiencing a hallucinatory episode. He later died from asphyxiation. * WJBD | Salem Police Chief Todd Boles No Longer Employed By City: Salem Police Chief Todd Boles is no longer employed by the city. Boles was placed on paid administrative leave on April 8th for what the city called an ongoing investigation. In today’s news release, the city says that due to the nature of the situation, no further details will be released at this time. At the time of the original release, the city said that paid administrative leave was required for any allegation of a potential internal policy violation. * AP | US soldier charged with using classified intel to win $400K on Maduro raid is being released on bail: Federal prosecutors say Van Dyke used his access to classified information about the operation to capture Maduro in January to win money on the prediction market site Polymarket. Van Dyke, who is stationed at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina, was charged Thursday with the unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. * NBC | Justice Department drops investigation into Federal Reserve and Jerome Powell: The Justice Department on Friday dropped a criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, regarding a renovation project at the central bank’s Washington headquarters. “This morning the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve has been asked to scrutinize the building costs overruns – in the billions of dollars – that have been borne by taxpayers,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in a post on X.
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Built For Illinois. Built With Transparency.
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Public safety technology only works when communities trust it. That’s why Flock Safety built privacy and transparency into every layer of our system from the beginning of the design cycle — not as an afterthought. In Illinois, that means:
• Only local law enforcement decides who can access data. Flock never shares without explicit permission. • Compliant with Illinois law. Sharing data with out of state agencies is regulated. • Automatic deletion. All LPR data is permanently deleted in accordance with an agency’s retention schedule. • No backdoors. Private customers cannot access law enforcement data. • No facial recognition. • Flock Safety is trusted by hundreds of Illinois law enforcement agencies — from Crystal Lake to Champaign — because we believe safety and privacy have to coexist. Not someday. Now.
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Pritzker: We have to make sure the megaproject bill works for the Bears
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker was asked a ton of questions about the megaproject/Bears bill at an unrelated news conference this morning…
Please pardon any transcription errors.
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SB 1486 Raises Premiums And Reduces Consumer Choice
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois is home to one of the most competitive insurance markets in the nation. Hundreds of insurers fight for consumers, leaving families better protected than those in other states. SB 1486, described by the Daily Herald as “controversial legislation,” could eliminate that system and, in its place, leave Illinois with the most extreme regulatory framework in the nation. This legislation could:
• Cause insurers to scale back coverage • Result in companies leaving the marketplace entirely These policies have been tried in other states, leading to skyrocketing costs for consumers and limited options for coverage. Don’t bring California style overregulation to Illinois. Click here to learn more.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - News update
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Drug Costs Are Rising: 340B Legislation Helps Lower Costs, Strengthen Communities
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Nearly 40% of Illinois residents get their health coverage through Medicaid (25%) and Medicare (18%). Yet, government providers do not cover the full cost of care. Hospitals on average lose 10-15% treating Medicare patients and 30-35% treating Medicaid patients. Despite this, Illinois hospitals continue to provide lifesaving care around the clock. Congress created the 340B drug discount program over 30 years ago to address financial shortfalls, including inadequate reimbursement from government payers. Last spring, the Senate unanimously passed House Bill 2371 SA 2 to protect 340B. HB 2371 does not ask drugmakers to do anything new, but to do their part in lowering drug costs for hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that serve many low-income patients. Stand with hospitals, FQHCs and their patients: Pass HB 2371 SA 2. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Arlington Heights residents cautiously optimistic as Bears stadium bill passes Illinois House. WGN…
- “Arlington Heights is ready for shovels in the ground. I think we’ve had a lot of talk over the last few years. This puts us really close on the precipice of getting some work done around here,” Ernie Rose with Touchdown Arlington said. “It’s clear what Indiana did, put up some momentum behind the plan to bring the Bears to Arlington Heights. Without that, I don’t know that we’re here today…it’s unfortunate it took that long, but got us in the right place.” - Meanwhile, the Bears are set to meet with the NFL next week for an update on stadium plans. * Related stories… * Happy Friday! Quick programming note: We’ll be shutting the blog down earlier than usual today. Sponsored by The Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals No Cuts. No Closures. Fund Safety-Net Hospitals. For decades, Illinois has underfunded safety-net hospitals, the lifelines for Black and Brown communities. Now, the “Safety-Net Moonshot” and the Medicaid-defunding legislation it has spawned, threatens deeper cuts to these critical health providers. Any reduction inspired by the “Moonshot” would be a killshot to the care our most vulnerable residents rely on. Weakening safety-net hospitals won’t improve care. It will slash essential services, eliminate jobs, and push entire communities into healthcare deserts and economic instability. The state cannot balance its budget on the backs of Black and Brown community hospitals. These institutions are not line items to cut, they are the foundation of care for families who have nowhere else to turn. Disinvestment will deepen inequities and worsen outcomes. When safety-net hospitals are funded, communities are healthier, workforces are stronger, and economies are more resilient. Illinois must fully fund safety-net hospitals. For the communities they serve, it is life or death. * At 9 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver remarks at Northwestern’s Inaugural Quantum Innovation Symposium. Click here to watch. * WGLT | ISU’s president requests more state funding as hundreds of employees remain on strike: Tarhule was responding to a comment from state Rep. Sharon Chung, a Democrat from Bloomington, who expressed support for the striking employees. “I would like you to try to see what you can do to end the strike in good faith,” Chung said, while wearing a button that said “Fair Contract Now.” Tarhule said the university is facing an increasing deficit and maintenance backlogs because of the lack of funding and if the university does not get more money this year, it might have to increase tuition. * Tribune | ‘Millionaire tax’ amendment won’t be on November ballot as Illinois Democrats can’t come to agreement: * Sun-Times | Obamacare premiums in Illinois rose sharply but not as much as expected: Premiums haven’t skyrocketed since federal tax subsidies expired in December. But experts say it’s still early. And providers worry increased health care costs also could drive up insurance rates. * Sun-Times | Illinois House punts millionaires’ tax to 2028, advances voting rights amendment: “What we heard from listening to a lot of people over the last few days is that more work needs to be done,” said Welch, who emphasized a need to bring more business-focused representatives on board with the measure. Because the Illinois Constitution enshrines a flat tax system into law, the millionaires’ tax would have needed approval from voters. The deadline for the Legislature to put amendments on the 2026 November midterm ballot is May 3, and while the Senate is back in session next week, the House won’t reconvene until May 4. * Daily Herald | Intentionally causing someone emotional distress by phone or electronic harassment? Proposed law takes aim at that: Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and former Naperville police detective Rich Wistocki, president of BeSure Consulting, teamed up to add “causing significant emotional distress” as a crime in Illinois Senate Bill 2741. State Sen. Linda Holmes, a Democrat from Aurora, agreed to sponsor the bill. The bill would also eliminate the requirement that harassing content must be of a sexual nature. * Center Square | Autism care providers, parents urge change in ownership mandate: Dr. Rebecca Thompson, president of the Illinois Providers for Applied Behavior Analysis Access and Quality, said an amendment to Senate Bill 712 forces every ABA provider in Illinois to restructure so only licensed behavior analysts hold ownership. “This forces out non-licensed owners, including parents, business partners and multidisciplinary collaborators who have helped build and sustain access to autism care across the state,” Thompson said. * Tribune | Outgoing watchdog notes Chicago’s ‘deficit of legitimacy,’ Mayor Brandon Johnson considers successor: Chicago, she told the Tribune during an interview as part of a media tour before she leaves office, “operates at a deficit of legitimacy.” The leader of this famously corrupt city’s most visible watchdog agency has long described her work as “paying down” that gap in trust. In four years at the helm of the Office of Inspector General, she has certainly presented an invoice. Her departure gives Johnson a new challenge: Tasked with selecting her successor, the mayor must convince aldermen the person he nominates to follow Witzburg will be a strong independent investigator who will hold him and his administration to account. * Crain’s | Second City is serious about using improv to train police leaders: The law enforcement folks are part of the latest cohort working their way through the Policing Leadership Academy, a program for police officers who are transitioning into senior management roles. The academy, or PLA, is based out of the University of Chicago Crime Lab and born out of what Crime Lab Executive Director Roseanna Ander calls the “scandalous” insight that police officers generally aren’t well prepared to become executives. * Sun-Times | ‘This was built for you.’ West Garfield Park celebrates nearly $50 million wellness center: Like many in the crowd, Pitts was there to celebrate the opening of Sankofa — and heal. At 60,000 square feet, around the size of a football field, Sankofa beams along Madison Street, a once-bustling corridor devastated by white flight and the 1968 riots that has not seen big investment in decades. At the new center, residents can see a doctor or a dentist, play in the indoor gym, stroll on a walking track, or get help finding a job. It was years in the making and created with community input to improve health disparities in West Garfield Park. In 2023, residents in this mostly Black neighborhood were expected to live until 67 years old — the lowest life expectancy in Chicago — compared to 87 in the Loop, where the majority of residents are white. * WBEZ | Lunchroom workers block Downtown street in protest as contract talks with CPS stall: But Penson, who has worked for Chicago Public Schools for 21 years and makes an annual salary of about $34,000, said she feels deeply disrespected by the school district’s leadership. She and her colleagues, who are represented by the union Unite Here Local 1, have been negotiating a contract for more than 11 months. To “sound the alarm” on what they see as unfair and unequal wages, about 250 workers and their supporters held a protest Thursday afternoon at which two dozen of them — including Penson — sat down on Madison Street outside the school district’s downtown headquarters as an act of civil disobedience. Chicago police officers quickly detained the workers and escorted them away to cheers from their fellow union members, who later chanted “we will be back.” The union said they were quickly released and ticketed for pedestrian traffic violations. * Sun-Times | No injuries in Yellow Line derailment: No one was injured after a Yellow Line train derailed Thursday, cutting off service to the Yellow and Purple Lines while diminishing the far north portions of Red Line service, according to the CTA. The trains derailed near the Howard station shortly before 5:40 p.m., suspending two lines as well as the Red Line between Howard and Thorndale, a CTA representative said in a statement. No injuries were reported. * Tribune | Rickea Jackson is embracing a clean slate with the Chicago Sky: ‘They get who I am’: “I wanted to be somewhere where I’m prioritized from the beginning,” Jackson told the Tribune. “It’s no secret that I basically had a different coach almost every year of my career, so I know how to adjust. But I just wanted to be somewhere that, from the jump, they got it right. From the jump, I felt prioritized. They know my game. They get who I am.” […] Jackson brought some familiarity to her new home — she’s a Detroit native and her mother, Caryn, grew up in Chicago — but she hadn’t visited the city outside of games in more than a decade, when she drove down to watch her godsister Betnijah Laney debut with the Sky in 2015. * Tribune | UIC researchers use mural art to raise awareness of invasive plant species: In spring 2024, the lab received a $300,000 Biota Award from the Walder Foundation, a Skokie family foundation that funds Chicagoland area environmental research and other initiatives. Nunez-Mir said the grant was used mostly to develop a database of over 1,000 invasive plant species. Researchers evaluated and recorded the same 28 characteristics for each species based on preexisting data from universities and government agencies, Nunez-Mir said. * Crain’s | Executive in $15M Loretto Hospital embezzlement case pleads not guilty, released on bond: Former medical supplier Sameer Suhail, facing federal fraud indictments in an alleged $15 million scheme tied to Loretto Hospital, pleaded not guilty to several felony charges yesterday and was ordered released on a $5 million bond and home confinement, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Suhail had fled the U.S. to Dubai after being indicted in 2024 alongside former Loretto CEO George Miller, former CFO Anosh Ahmed and former executive Heather Bergdahl. * Daily Southtown | University Park residents can seek claims as part of Aqua Illinois $12.5 million water contamination settlement: Those affected by water contamination issues in University Park between August 2018 and May 2019 will soon be entitled to compensation, after a federal judge on Wednesday approved a $12.5 million settlement agreement negotiated between the village and Aqua Illinois. Current and former residents and business owners will soon be given the opportunity to submit claims to determine the amount they are owed from Aqua Illinois, which owns and operates the village’s existing water infrastructure. Tom Zimmerman, whose office represented the class action lawsuit’s hundreds of plaintiffs, said the inconvenience of water pollution alone could result in $3,000 for those who submit a claim. * NBC Chicago | How Illinois affordable housing bills could change suburban neighborhoods: “We were developed intentionally over the last 114 years to keep open space. And giving up the idea of giving up our zoning rights and how we do things, it could be detrimental in many ways to Palos Park,” Milovich-Walters said. Housing advocates voiced their support during a committee hearing Thursday. “Everyone is struggling with a lack of affordable quality supply for people to buy homes, whether it’s a single family home or a condominium,” said Bob Palmer from Housing Action Illinois. * Elgin Courier-News | Elgin returns to manual siren system after residents complain about recent storm alerts: The Office of Emergency Management will return to manually triggering the warning sirens after they went off four times during one recent storm despite there being no tornadoes in the area. They were activated automatically by National Weather Service warnings for severe conditions in the area, Fire Chief Robb Cagann told the Elgin City Council Wednesday night. Elgin’s warning system was upgraded in 2024 to include the automatic activation when a NWS warning for a tornado, thunderstorm or other severe weather situation is released, said Cagann, who oversees the city’s Office of Emergency Management. It does not get activated during severe weather watches. * Crain’s | Claire’s moving HQ to distressed Rosemont office building: Yet the deal also stands out as an example of a company moving to a building recently seized by a lender. New York-based Rialto Capital took control of the 249,433-square-foot Rosemont property in September to resolve a $29 million loan default by the building’s previous owner, Canadian real estate firm Adventus Realty Trust. While some lenders reinvest in seized properties to lure new tenants and boost revenue, companies typically avoid such distressed buildings over concerns about who their landlord will be in the future. * WGLT | Bloomington city manager says expanded police oversight power is not possible for the PSCRB: Bloomington City Manager Jeff Jurgens spoke to the city’s Public Safety and Community Relations Board [PSCRB] during its monthly meeting Wednesday. […] “At first, there was discussion about, well, could a citizen review board actually investigate and be the one to review citizen complaints, and to follow up on discipline and things like that,” he said. “And the answer to that was no.” Jurgens said state law and collective bargaining agreements prevent the PSCRB from any direct oversight or disciplinary power. * BND | Metro-east post office closed with no home delivery. It’s not the first time: The small community of Brooklyn’s post office recently closed its doors with no warning and no timeline for reopening. With no home delivery service in the village of 650 people, residents are forced to travel to an East St. Louis post office to pick up their mail, according to Village Mayor Trenton Atkins. * WCIA | Mahomet-Seymour schools looking to set rules on AI usage with guidebook: The district said security systems would be put in place to flag AI-generated content and anything that could indicate bullying or deep-fake creations. Teachers will provide guidelines for when students can use AI, while the guidebook lays out what the punishment would be if kids break the rules. “The big focus, or a big section of the guidebook, is on the teacher usage and the student usage. And there’s some different examples for acceptable use and unacceptable use throughout the guidebook,” said Assistant Superintendent Meghan Bagby. “One of the main reasons why is, we still want the focus to be on student learning and human learning, and teachers to be the facilitator of that learning.” * WCIA | Months-long Central Illinois drought recovers in weeks: Thursday’s drought monitor shows no counties across Central Illinois are experiencing drought conditions for the first time since last July. The drought peaked in early March, leaving farmers like Dennis Riggs of 1874 Maple Lawn Farm anxious about soil conditions leading into planting season. “It has been dry and we’ve been worried about it, because you do have to have moisture in the ground to sprout the seeds,” Riggs said. “We select hybrids of corn and beans that can handle the drought better, we were looking at that.” * AP | Meta slashes 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, as Microsoft offers buyouts: Meta is laying off about 8,000 workers, or about 10% of its workforce, the company said Thursday as it continues to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and highly paid AI-expert hires. The company said it was making the cuts for the sake of efficiency and to allow new investments in parts of its business, as first reported by Bloomberg, which also said the company will leave about 6,000 jobs unfilled. Also Thursday, Microsoft said it was offering voluntary buyouts to thousands of its U.S. employees. * Bloomberg: Amazon.com Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. have struck a multibillion-dollar deal for the social-media giant to rent hundreds of thousands of Amazon’s general-purpose chips for its AI efforts. The multiyear deal gives Meta access to the Graviton line of processors, Nafea Bshara, an Amazon vice president and co-founder of the company’s Annapurna Labs chips unit, said in an interview. * NYT | Youth Suicides Declined After Creation of National Hotline: Over the two and a half years following the 2022 rollout of the 988 national suicide prevention hotline, the rate of suicides among young people in the United States dropped 11 percent below projections, decreasing most sharply in states with a higher volume of answered 988 calls, a new study has found. The findings, published today as a research letter in JAMA, compared suicide deaths from July 2022 to December 2024 with sophisticated mathematical projections that were based on historical trends. This yielded good news, with 4,372 fewer suicides of adolescents and young adults, ages 15 to 34, than had been projected.
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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