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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker…
* A quick overview of independent expenditures…
* Juliana Stratton updates her redboxing page…
* Press release | RE: Press Conference to Endorse 7th Congressional District Candidate LaShawn Ford: This Thursday, March 12, at 11:00AM in front of a home at 3447 W. 12th Place in Chicago, Pat Quinn, who served as Illinois Governor from 2009 to 2015, will endorse Rep. LaShawn Ford who is running for Congress in the 7th Congressional District primary on March 17. Rep. Ford is the sponsor of the Millionaire Amendment for Illinois Property Tax Relief (HJR 26) which would give Illinois voters at the November election a binding referendum opportunity to enact a 3% income tax surcharge only on millionaires in order to fund $4.5 billion dollars in property tax relief for Illinois’ beleaguered families and businesses. It would be the largest property tax relief measure in state history. * A new 9th CD poll…
* 9th CD candidate Kat Abughazaleh drops a new ad…
* WAND | Gov. Pritzker launches down payment assistance program for first-time home buyers: “Home ownership is a cornerstone of the American dream and a vital engine for building generational wealth - but high entry costs have locked too many working families out of the market,” said Governor Pritzker. “That is why I have proposed $50 million in BUILD Illinois funds in my FY27 budget specifically for down payment assistance. By pairing those resources with the launch of Access Home, we are tearing down the financial barriers to home ownership and enduring our residents can put down roots in the communities they love.” * Tribune | Illinois Republicans press Democrats for answers on Rep. Harry Benton’s removal from caucus: Welch’s office has repeatedly declined to comment on the situation, and calls to Benton have gone to a voicemail that does not allow for messages to be left. While Benton is running unopposed for his House seat in next week’s Democratic primary, both Gabby Shanahan, Benton’s presumptive GOP opponent in November, and the House Republican Organization, which represents Shanahan’s election efforts, called for answers on Tuesday as to why Benton was under scrutiny. The GOP organization also criticized House Democratic leadership for not being transparent with voters about why it took the actions against Benton, who is in his second term. * Press release | Gov. Pritzker, Governors Across Country Urge Congress to End Trump’s Illegal Tariffs on Working Families: In a joint letter to Congressional leadership, the Governors warned that sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration over the past year have caused significant economic harm to working families and businesses — raising costs and creating uncertainty for farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses. The Governors urged Congress to reject any effort to codify the tariffs invalidated by the Supreme Court and instead enact meaningful guardrails that restore Congressional oversight. * Tribune | A Skokie woman said ICE detained her for nearly 48 hours after landing at O’Hare. But is it true?: A spokesperson for SAP– a multinational German software company – said that Naqvi had never been employed there, nor had any of its employees been detained at O’Hare. Neither Naqvi, her sister nor Morrison have provided the identities of the coworkers to Tribune reporters seeking to verify the story. Meanwhile, statements from the sheriff’s offices in Cook County and Dodge County, Wisconsin said there was no indication of her being detained at local facilities. * CBS Chicago | Mayor Brandon Johnson postpones bid for polling place protection ordinance named after Rev. Jesse Jackson: Johnson had scheduled a special City Council meeting for Wednesday afternoon to vote on a resolution honoring the life of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime champion of voting rights who died last month at the age of 84, and to pass the so-called “Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance.” But on Tuesday night, the mayor’s office sent City Council members a memo postponing the special meeting indefinitely and without explanation. * Crain’s | Jenner & Block hires ex-prosecutor from Burke and Madigan corruption cases: Sarah Streicker, a former assistant U.S. attorney who stepped down as chief of public corruption and organized crime in December, is the latest in a string of ex-government prosecutors who have joined the Chicago-based firm, where she will focus on the firm’s investigations, compliance, and defense practice. Jenner has landed three high-profile assistant U.S. attorneys in the past year amidst a shake-up in the Justice Department since the start of President Trump’s second term. Streicker was one of five section chiefs who left the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago during 2025. * Crain’s | United-American fight for O’Hare dominance lands in FAA’s lap: As the Federal Aviation Administration looks put the brakes on a big increase in summer flights at O’Hare International Airport, it’s also being put in the awkward position to referee the city’s new use-it-or-lose it policy for gates used to park aircraft. The airport’s two big carriers, American and United, in December and January each said they would add more than 100 daily flights to their schedules, helping push the total flights at O’Hare this summer to more than 3,000, or 15% higher than a year ago. * Sun-Times | City on the hook for $27M settlement from another police chase gone bad: On Friday, the City Council’s Finance Committee will be asked to authorize the settlement with the family of Stacy Vaughn-Harrell. The 47-year-old woman and her then 21-year-old daughter were driving home in June 2017 when they were hit by a car that was fleeing police through a residential area in Englewood. Vaughn-Harrell died in the crash. * Tribune | ‘I was there… trying to unbury myself’: Tornadoes strike Illinois and Indiana, killing 2: Wehrle, 60, said he and his wife moved into their Kankakee home about 30 years ago. The same tri-level home that Tuesday’s tornadoes demolished while he was inside. “Where do you start cleaning up? Where do you start making calls? What’s the process?” Wehrle told the Tribune. “You got insurance. What do you do now? And how do I get my trailer out of a tree?” * Block Club | Chicago’s ‘Tomato Man’ Selling Thousands Of Plants This Year — Including 30 New Varieties: Each year, Zeni scours the earth for the world’s tastiest and most interesting tomatoes — grown ethically and cleanly — to showcase on his website and at events around the Chicago area, making donations of money, time and plants along the way. In 2025, Zeni sold about 13,000 plants and donated 1,600 to 32 nonprofits, churches and community gardens, he said. This year, he aims to sell 16,000 with a goal of donating 1,800-2,000 plants. * Nadig Newspaper | Five storefronts at Six Corners to be demolished: Five longtime vacant storefronts at 4047-55 N. Milwaukee Ave. are set to be demolished in the Six Corners commercial district on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The site, which consists of two separate buildings, was once home to Bernard’s Men’s Wear. In more recent years the buildings’ facades were painted over for murals, including one encouraging the use of masks during the pandemic and another promoting the Windy City Hot Dog Fest. * Sun-Times | Five breweries in six weeks: Chicago’s craft beer closures have brewers on guard: Alarmist Brewing & Taproom in Sauganash permanently closed on Feb. 1, and not long after, Berwyn’s Flapjack Brewery and Forest Park’s Casa Humilde turned off their taps. Two more are shutting down: Whiner Beer Company in Back of the Yards will close March 29 and Illuminated Brew Works in Norwood Park will close June 28. * WLS | Developer drops application for proposed data center in Lisle, officials say: The metal fabrication firm is infamous in the area for closing down after facing massive lawsuits in the early 2000s for contaminating local drinking water. On Wednesday, village officials said the developer withdrew their application at 711 Ogden Avenue. “Village officials and staff continue to explore additional opportunities for future redevelopment of the site,” a village spokesperson said. * Daily Southtown | Frankfort forum urges residents to study data center plans, raises environmental concerns: Several advocates also said they worry data center projects could be proposed in the south suburbs, particularly in lower-income, less populated areas, where plans may move forward with little public awareness. “I feel like areas that are less populated are going to be heavily targeted because they’re going to be seen to be easy land grabs, and there’s not going to be a lot of people to protest them because they’re a little town, a little suburb,” Laura Nurczyk, of Joliet, treasurer of the Sierra Club Tall Plains Group. * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights board split on video gambling: Arlington Heights village board members are at a stalemate over whether to legalize video gambling in town. A 4-4-1 informal vote — with Trustee Greg Zyck serving as a swing vote — came late Monday at the end of a lengthy committee meeting with public testimony both pro and con. Restaurateurs for months have lobbied village officials for the right to install the video machines, which they say would provide an extra revenue stream to stay afloat in a tough business climate. But residents and some other business owners in the downtown contend it would be a bad image for the village. * Daily Herald | DuPage sheriff’s hopeful cleared of wrongdoing by department: DuPage County Undersheriff Eddie Moore has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an investigation into whether he struck someone with his car last month and left the scene without contacting police. […] “After a full review by the Oak Brook Police Department and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, and discussion with the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, no additional action was deemed necessary,” Moore wrote. “The investigation has concluded, and I have returned to my duties as Undersheriff of DuPage County,” he added. * (Click here for a little more background) WICA | Moweaqua looking to replace police chief, officers after mass resignation: But right now, it’s something Moweaqua is lacking. All four of the village’s police officers, including the chief, left the force in the last month. “I understand the situation can make many of you feel uneasy and concerned about safety in our community,” Locke said at Tuesday’s meeting. “In the meantime, we are working closely with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office to help provide coverage and ensure that our community continues to receive law enforcement support.” * WGLT | Bloomington Public Library will adopt strategic plan after increasing attendance: Jeanne Hamilton, director of BPL, said the library is ready to start its next chapter. “The board and the staff are really looking forward to what things we want to focus on — what priorities we want to have over the next few years,” she said. The first step was conducting a community survey that garnered 1,865 responses. The responses will inform somewhere between a 3-to-5-year plan for the library. Hamilton said the plan will be finished this summer. * BND | Lawsuit alleging excessive force by ESL police detective dismissed – for now: A man who filed a federal lawsuit in 2023 alleging excessive force by an East St. Louis police detective asked a judge to dismiss the case to give the parties — including the city and its police chief — time to reach a settlement, and the judge granted his request. The plaintiff, Dorian Hendricks, could refile the complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois if settlement talks fail, according to his attorney, Steven Fluhr. * BND | Cahokia Heights School Board Meeting Canceled After Threat: The Cahokia Federation of Teachers Local 1272 took to social media to condemn violence after its leadership was told Monday evening’s school board meeting was canceled due to an unspecified threat. According to the statement Cahokia Federation of Teachers Local 1272 posted on Facebook, the superintendent’s secretary notified union President Wendy Lochmann roughly an hour before the meeting’s start time that it was canceled “due to a reported threat of violence.” * Food and Wine | The University of Illinois Just Released a Popcorn So Good It Doesn’t Need Butter: After eight years of development, Riggs Beer Company in Urbana, Illinois, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have released Illini SuperPop, a naturally savory popcorn with subtle nutty notes and a crisp crunch. The project started in 2018 as an experiment. Dr. Anthony Studer, a crop scientist and professor at the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences (ACES), launched a popcorn breeding program with a simple goal: to develop blue and orange popcorn in the university’s colors. * AP | Young kids missed the pandemic’s school disruptions. Their reading scores are still behind: First and second graders continue to perform worse than their pre-pandemic counterparts on math and reading tests, according to a report published Tuesday by the education assessment and research group NWEA. But while math scores have inched up every year, reading scores remain stagnant, the report shows. The data suggests the slump in academic performance is not rooted only in instructional disruption. Broader societal shifts might be at play. * WGLT | Rivian-owned robotics company secures more startup funding: A startup robotics company owned by electric vehicle maker Rivian and founded by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has secured $500 million in startup capital. Mind Robotics announced an investment Wednesday by Accel and Andreessen Horowitz, often referred to as a16z. Mind Robotics plans to build AI powered industrial robots. “Existing industrial robotics can perform repeatable, dimensionally stable tasks, but a large share of factory value-add work requires human-like dexterity, adaptation and physical reasoning that classical robotics cannot address. Mind Robotics is building the AI foundation—models, hardware and deployment infrastructure—to close that gap,” said the company in a news release announcing the financing.
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Kankakee area slammed by tornadoes and giant hail, but no reported Illinois deaths
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Associated Press…
* From the city of Kankakee’s Facebook page last night……
* Whoa…
* Some of these videos have language that’s probably not safe for work…
* Wow…
* From the National Weather Service…
* More from Isabel…
* WGN | NWS: 4 tornadoes believed to have touched down in Illinois & Indiana overnight: According to the NWS, a supercell that moved from Pontiac, Illinois, to Wheatfield, Indiana, produced four suspected tornadoes on Tuesday night. Residents in Kankakee County are also picking up the pieces on Wednesday morning after a suspected tornado tore through the county on Tuesday night.
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Partisanship aside, these are all good questions about Harry Benton
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The House Republican Organization calls out three targeted, female House Democrats on the Harry Benton case…
Lots and lots of rumors out there. But we’re not even getting so much as a “We cannot discuss personnel matters” response, if that’s indeed the issue. It’s just “No comment” from the House Speaker and radio silence from Benton. Discuss.
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Unsolicited advice about unsolicited texts
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Don’t send blast text messages claiming people have opted in to receiving said blast text messages when, in fact, they have not opted in. Three people have sent me screenshots of this same message since yesterday afternoon… 
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * HB4154 from Reps. Natalie Manley and Ryan Spain…
Indiana is also looking at ditching the exam. The Statehouse File…
* Sen. Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) filed SB 3977 last month…
The bill has been assigned to the Senate AI and Social Media Subcommittee. Friday is the deadline for substantive Senate bills to be advance out of committee. * WBEZ…
* WAND…
* Rep. Kam Buckner…
* More…
* WAND | IL Senate committee approves bill requiring insurance coverage for seizure detection devices: The Illinois Senate Insurance Committee approved legislation Tuesday night to require private insurance companies cover seizure detection devices. There are currently multiple devices approved by the Food & Drug Administration to alert people of oncoming or ongoing seizures. Sponsors said these tools could cost between $250 to $2,000. This proposal would require group insurance companies to provide coverage for medically-necessary devices with a maximum cost-sharing amount of $50 per year. The measure also bans insurers from requiring prior authorization to obtain the devices. * WAND | IL bill could require dealerships provide vehicle history reports for used cars: State lawmakers could pass a plan this spring to require car dealers to provide vehicle history reports to anyone buying used cars. The bill states licensed Illinois vehicle dealers must provide customers with a same-day VIN-specific history report for all used or pre-owned vehicles. That report would need to include information about title issues, odometer accuracy, recalls and accident history. […] Opponents also noted that license revocation could cause significant interruption of business for car dealerships, potentially leading to closure. * Press release | Porfirio continues support for veteran suicide prevention through extending advisory council: Senate Bill 3926 would continue the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Advisory Council through 2027 and place the council under the Illinois Department of Public Health. The council, established in 2023, advises the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services on guidelines and infrastructure to support innovative therapies for veteran suicide prevention.
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What Is A Faith Based Credit Union?
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Faith based credit unions are member owned, not for profit financial cooperatives formed to serve people connected to a particular church, denomination, or faith aligned organization. In Illinois, these credit unions operate just like any other federally or state regulated credit union—they offer safe, affordable, and insured financial services—but they are rooted in the needs and values of their faith communities. Because they are deeply connected to local congregations, faith based credit unions often serve neighborhoods and populations that traditional financial institutions overlook. They provide fair loans, accessible checking and savings options, and personalized financial guidance grounded in community trust. Israel Methcomm FCU’s board member, Neesha Stringfellow discusses how they collaborate with 35 other faith-based credit unions to assist their community members
• Learn how to build and rebuild credit • Become entrepreneurs Learn more about the collaboration in Illinois’ communities through credit unions at https://betterforillinois.org/
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Maybe don’t do this
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Paul Kendrick is running for the Illinois House in a crowded Democratic primary to replace Rep. Margaret Croke (D-Chicago). He’s endorsed by Croke. One of his people sent me this email yesterday…
The column was from 14 years ago. As subscribers know, Kendrick has sent mailers attacking Lakhani over other Republican-style statements made while in college. * My response…
* From the CTU…
* Kendrick not only explicitly supports President Trump’s school voucher program, he’s also said during the campaign that he would like to see public employees moved to a “401(k)-equivalent program.” * I sent the Kendrick campaign the CTU response and asked for a statement…
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Restrictions To 340B Make Life Harder For Low-Income Residents – Pass HB 2371 SA 2
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A March 1 rally for passage of 340B legislation spotlighted three key reasons why House Bill 2371 SA 2 must pass this session:
2. HB 2371 SA 2 does NOT require state or taxpayer funding. 340B drugmakers must provide discounted outpatient drugs to hospitals and health centers caring for high numbers of low-income patients. 3. With federal Medicaid cuts looming, up to 500,000 Illinoisans could lose health coverage. Illinois hospitals face closure or service line cuts, as one-third operate on negative margins every year. “Across Illinois, families rely on a network of hospitals and community health centers that are there in their hardest moments. Together they form the safety net that catches patients before a health crisis becomes a life crisis,” State Sen. Mattie Hunter said at the rally. “I voted in favor of this bill because it protects access to care… Access to affordable care and medications is now more important than ever for working families, seniors and children. At a time when our state faces very tough financial pressures, this is a solution that strengthens care for patients without costing the state a single dollar,” Sen. Hunter said. The Senate passed the 340B bill unanimously. Now it’s time for the House to vote YES on HB 2371 SA 2! Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: State high court weighs whether a nonviolent felony bars gun ownership. Sun-Times…
- The seven supreme court justices spent considerably more time questioning Benson’s case, citing concerns about how the 2nd Amendment applies to “law-abiding citizens,” and whether he could be considered a “non-violent” felon given the violent convictions associated with the new case. - Benson’s attorney concluded by saying “The 2nd Amendment protects a core constitutional right: the right to bear arms. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA: 340B hospitals charge big medicine markups. Illinois pays the price. 340B medicine markups are big business for hospitals. Under the federal 340B program, nonprofit hospitals can buy medicines for pennies, then charge huge markups – even on life-saving medicines. Big hospital systems pocket the program profits – passing the bill to Illinois patients, employers and taxpayers who are hit with higher medicine costs. The program’s lack of oversight has led to 340B becoming a profit engine for hospitals, PBMs, private equity firms and big chain pharmacies. It’s time for Congress to hold hospitals accountable and fix 340B. Read more. * IPM News | Large hail and tornadoes cause major damage in Illinois on Tuesday: Several tornadoes formed across northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, but the exact number won’t be available until officials conduct damage surveys, said Andrew Lyons, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center. * Daily Herald | Getting a head start: Illinois students 5th in nation for scoring high on AP exams: In 2025, 31.4% of Illinois public high school graduates earned a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam, ranking the state fifth in the nation, according to Illinois State Board of Education. On a 5-point scale, 3 is the minimum score to qualify for college credit. Over the past decade, the percentage of Illinois students scoring a 3 or higher on an AP test has increased 8.4 percentage points. In total, 59,773 public high school students sat for an AP exam in 2025, according to the state. * Sun-Times | Chicago arts organizations seek funding increase at state hearing: On Tuesday, Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet (D-Chicago), convened a hearing in Chicago on the outlook for llinois’ cultural sector. As arts leaders advocated for more funding, officials asked for diversity, equity and inclusion reports and more widespread free admission at museums. * WMBD | Holly Kim touts tech skills in bid for Illinois comptroller: Kim spent time in the tech industry. That experience, she said, would give her the tools to beef up cybersecurity in the comptroller’s office. “Right now, check scams are the number one financial scam that’s happening and this office still sends out millions of checks,” she said. Kim, like her primary opponents, said it’s necessary to continue modernizing the office. * Austin Weekly | Four vie in state’s 8th District to replace Rep. La Shawn Ford : Harrell is a pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Austin. He also leads Proviso Baptist Church in Maywood and serves on boards of Loretto Hospital and Hire 360 Workforce Development. Harrell was the first candidate to jump into the race, filing the paperwork on July 10. His campaign website stated that, if elected, his priorities will be to advocate for what his constituents want and make sure they “receive the maximum services they are entitled to receive from the State of Illinois.” * Sun-Times | CTA’s new security plan includes sheriff’s deputies on trains, high-barrier gates and farecard inspections: The CTA will test high-barrier entry gates to prevent fare evasion. Such gates, which don’t comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, will be installed at rail stations that typically are staffed but still have high rates of fare evasion, the CTA said. The agency will also begin “farecard inspection missions” this year. The goal, according to the CTA, is to “uncover the use of free, reduced, or other entitlement fare media by someone other than the authorized holder and revoke the entitlement …” * Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson defends push for ‘democracy zones’ at polling places as a lasting legacy of Jesse Jackson: Johnson’s proposed ordinance would establish what he calls “democracy zones” extending 100 feet beyond the perimeter that already prohibits electioneering around polling places. Federal immigration agents would be barred from entering those zones. It is patterned after the so-called “ICE-free zones” that Johnson created last fall prohibiting Chicago public schools, libraries, parks and city buildings from being used as staging grounds for raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. His proposal also would make it illegal to “intentionally publish personally identifiable information when done to cause harm or facilitate violence or stalking.” * Block Club | Half Acre, Maplewood Breweries Merging Amid A ‘Rapidly Changing’ Beverage Market: Half Acre Owner Gabriel Magliaro and Maplewood Co-Owner Adam Cieslak told Block Club Tuesday that they expected the merger to yield a stronger market position for bulk orders of ingredients and trucking costs, among other advantages. “We come at this from a position of health and stability and market power. Our trends look pretty good relative to most,” Magliaro told Block Club. “This is harnessing the existing momentum for both of our breweries moving forward. We’re pumped.” * Crain’s | A hidden Chicago industrial giant is testing the IPO market: Billionaire Larry Gies quietly built Madison Industries into a privately held industrial giant. Now he’s going to let everyone else in on a piece of the action. Madison Air, a spinout of his Chicago-based buyout firm, has filed to go public. The company makes commercial and residential filtration and air-handling products, doing more than $3 billion in annual sales, employing about 8,650 people across 37 manufacturing facilities. * Crain’s | Musicians claim Google stole songs, identities for AI song generator in lawsuit: A group of various independent musicians, including some from the Chicago area, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Google, alleging the tech giant stole their music, lyrics and voiceprints to bolster its own song-generating artificial intelligence programs. The lawsuit seeking class-action status, filed last week in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois, has the potential to cost Google a hefty sum if it goes to trial, given that the complaint contends there are “thousands of independent artists nationwide” that have been affected by Google’s musical theft. * Landmark | Family ties, bruising politics in race for county board: Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar began his career in elected office in 2002 by defeating Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez in a race for a seat in the Illinois General Assembly. In that race Aguilar was a Republican. Now a Democrat Aguilar, 65, will have to fend off a strong challenge from Lisa Hernandez’s daughter, Miranda Hernandez, to keep his seat on the Cook County board. * Tribune | Cook County Board president race hinges on whether voters want steady hand or new course: But Reilly has used Preckwinkle’s lengthy history against her. He’s hammered her management of a decade-long property tax upgrade that resulted in late bills last year, sideswiped her early political support of Mayor Brandon Johnson and former State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, and rehashed her moves to raise sales and pop taxes years ago. He dismisses the Trump flak as a deflection from those criticisms. Preckwinkle argues she successfully steered the county’s finances into the black without new taxes or fees in recent years, championed equitable criminal justice reforms while seeing drops in crime and that she is the tougher fighter against Trump’s attacks on blue jurisdictions. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora ends child savings account program first launched with fanfare: It was the first city-sponsored child savings program in Illinois, following other cities from across the country like San Francisco, New York City, Boston and Los Angeles, officials previously said. The state of Illinois has a similar program called Bright Start, but unlike others, children are not automatically enrolled. Less than a year after the program launched, Aurora Mayor John Laesch has confirmed to The Beacon-News that it is no longer running, citing budget constraints and issues with the program itself. It was not included in the 2026 budget, he said, and the city recently ended its contract with the nonprofit that managed the program. * WGLT | McLean County Board members interrogate Clerk Kathy Michael over extra spending: McLean County Board members grilled County Clerk Kathy Michael for more than 40 minutes Monday afternoon concerning more than $400,000 in budget overages in her office that Michael has asked the county to pay. […] Michael said the overage on her office’s overtime and part-time pay line came because of staff shortages caused by an unusual number of resignations. “You said the other day, it was amazing that we could even get someone hired for a particular position. You described walking around the office asking, does anybody want to be tax administrator? Obviously, this is not an ideal situation. I’m curious about the retention in the county clerk’s office. I feel like a picture has been painted that it’s increasingly difficult to keep staff and to hire new staff,” said board member Corey Beirne. * WCIA | Champaign school board approves settlement for former assistant principal: According to the agreement, the Champaign School District will pay three checks to Ramey totaling $99,970. The district said that money is for alleged lost wages, damages, compensation and her attorney’s fees. The district also said they strongly dispute and deny all claims made by Ramey. * WCIA | Vermilion Co. Farm Bureau will host information session on hemp growing: They said high fertilizer and equipment costs, along with tariffs, are making corn and soybean more expensive to grow. Since hemp products beyond a certain THC percentage will become illegal in November, the bureau said showing farmers how to grow for industrial uses — like grain and fiber — will be beneficial. * WLDS | Legendary local journalist Buford Green passes: Green passed away March 9 at The Grove Health and Rehab, bringing to a close a journalism career that spanned more than five decades in West Central Illinois. […] Green would graduate from Illinois College in Jacksonville in 1964, where he continued his baseball career through college. Also in college, Green began working for the Jacksonville Journal-Courier. Shortly after graduation, he became the paper’s sports editor— a role he would hold for 20 years, the longest tenure of any sports editor in the paper’s history. * WIRED | DHS Ousts CBP Privacy Officers Who Questioned ‘Illegal’ Orders: Labeling the document a “draft” would ostensibly bolster the agency’s ability to bury such revelations using an exception in FOIA that protects “advisory opinions” and “recommendations.” Sources say the privacy officials removed from their posts saw the tactic as legally incoherent, arguing that a completed compliance form could not be simultaneously signed and considered a draft. “This policy change is illegal,” says Ginger Quintero-McCall, an attorney at the public interest law firm Free Information Group, and former supervisory information law attorney at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a DHS component. “There is nothing in the FOIA statute—or any other statute—that allows the agency to categorically withhold Privacy Threshold Analyses.” * Bloomberg | War In Iran Is Creating a Fertilizer Crisis Like Never Before: We all know that the war with Iran has sent oil prices spiking. But it’s also pushing up the cost of all sorts of chemicals, including fertilizers like urea, ammonia and other nitrogen products that are essential for food production. This is all happening at the worst possible time — just before the spring planting season, when fertilizer is most needed.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign news
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Mar 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Mar 11, 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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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for some background if you need it. The Illinois GOP is trying to use the already-debunked Epstein claims to raise money…
* WGN…
* Illinois Manufactures’ Association…
* Crain’s | As Bears eye Arlington Heights, a Soldier Field-area megaproject resurfaces: First proposed by Dunn’s Landmark Development in 2019 as a $20 billion, mixed-use project built over 34 acres of existing Metra tracks west of Soldier Field, the plan fell apart because of its reliance on a $6.5 billion state subsidy for a new transit hub meant to better connect the South Side to the Loop. Dunn later “reduced the cost and complexity of the project,” according to a state feasibility study, lowering the subsidy ask to $2.75 billion, but was still rebuffed by Gov. JB Pritzker. While approval is far from certain, the legislation would authorize Chicago to create a special taxing district that would capture incremental gains in state and local sales taxes, the city’s hotel tax and a new amusement tax surcharge to back up the $1.6 billion in bonds for infrastructure projects helping large developments. * Tribune | Another Operation Midway Blitz defendant gets a deferred prosecution deal: Oscar Jesus Rosales Vergara was charged with a misdemeanor count of assaulting a federal agent in the course of official duties. Prosecutors on Tuesday agreed to drop the case after six months if Vergara stays out of trouble. […] When the occupants refused to get out of the vehicle, one of the agents broke out the rear passenger window and tried to pull out the driver, prompting Vergara to reach through the window and make contact with the deputy, according to the agreement * Crain’s | Motorola rival ordered to pay $50M fine for stealing trade secrets: A Chinese company that pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal technology from Motorola Solutions has been ordered to pay a $50 million fine and serve five years probation. Hytera Communications pleaded guilty last year in connection with a scheme to recruit Motorola engineers to steal the Chicago-based company’s technology for emergency radios. The criminal conviction follows a civil suit in 2020 in which Motorola received a $765 million judgment against Hytera for trade secret theft and copyright infringement, which was reduced to $471 million on appeal. * NBC Chicago | ‘Tennis ball-size:’ Severe weather threat in Chicago area includes large, damaging hail: According to the National Weather Service, the hail associated with Tuesday’s severe weather chances ranks as a level three of five, with hail up to two inches in diameter. “Think golf, or even tennis ball-size hail in some areas,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said. “And even some tornadoes.” * WGN | Tiffany Henyard ordered to pay $10K as she eyes Georgia elected office: Ousted Dolton mayor Tiffany Henyard has apparently not lost her appetite for elected office despite a long list of grievances, bills and legal judgements left in her wake. The democrat has qualified as a republican candidate for a seat on the Fulton County, Georgia, board of commissioners. It comes as WGN Investigates has learned Henyard’s troubled time in Chicago’s south suburbs now also includes a new $10,000 judgement from a case filed by her former landlord. * Daily Herald | Geneva tallies voter interest in $59.4M public safety referendum question: Officials determined the city needed a new police facility because the existing one was not designed for police operations. They’ve also said the space is inadequate for modern policing needs. […] Residents can hear directly from city officials before the primary election. First Ward alderpersons Anaïs Bowring and William Malecki are hosting an information session from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, March 15, at Five & Hoek Coffee, 416 W. State St. * Daily Southtown | Harvey residents push for more financial transparency under acting mayor: rewenski was elected unanimously last month by the City Council to fill the seat of the late Mayor Christopher Clark, who died Jan. 31. Prior to his death, Clark was criticized by residents regarding financial transparency, with some demanding he step down. Many of those complaints were renewed Monday. “Look at your city, and look at the halfway jobs that are being done, and then think to yourself, OK, did we earn the paycheck for this?” asked resident Michael Cronin. “I don’t think so. I think a lot of us deserve better than what we get.” * WCIA | Champaign Co. taking big steps toward ending homelessness for good: In a four year time span, Champaign County had a more than 130% increase of people experiencing homelessness from 2021 to 2025. […] Homebase has worked with Heartland Housing in Springfield and saw a 50% decrease in unsheltered homeless people from 2024 to 2025. “We are a community that, since the pandemic, we have been scrambling to find a way to house folks, given the increase in housing precarity and housing prices. This plan is really to help us all pull together around a single vision for what we’re going to do to end homelessness. We’re a very collaborative community, we’re a very capable community and I think we’re just missing that plan,” Danielle Chynoweth, the CSPH chair, said. * BND | Threat of violence cancels Cahokia school board meeting amid tense union talks: According to the statement Cahokia Federation of Teachers Local 1272 posted on Facebook, the superintendent’s secretary notified union President Wendy Lochmann roughly an hour before the meeting’s start time that it was canceled “due to a reported threat of violence.” The school board’s finance committee meeting was scheduled to start at 6 p.m., with the regular board meeting to follow. At approximately 5:30 p.m., the district’s website showed the meetings were canceled, but did not state why. Superintendent Curtis McCall Jr. did not respond to the Belleville News-Democrat’s inquiries. * WAND | Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies to answer calls in Moweaqua: Every officer for the Moweaqua Police Department has resigned, leaving empty squad cars and an unstaffed office. […] WAND News reached out to the mayor of Moweaqua to determine what comes next for the future of the department and if they plan to hire more officers. The mayor did not respond. “If they staff their police department, it will assist us with not having to respond to as many calls there, and they would be able to provide assistance to my deputies at times, too,” McReynolds said. “But in the meantime, we will continue to respond to any of the calls for emergency services that are needed. * WREX | Local restaurants receive $427,000 as last part of COVID relief grant: Local restaurants are getting funding from the final round of a grant from GoRockford. On Tuesday, the organization announced it was distributing $427,631.17 in state funding to local restaurants as part of its Restaurant Relief Grant Program, but that this would be the fifth and final round of funds. The program was said to have been created to help businesses recover from higher unemployment insurance taxes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. * WAND | District 186 weighs $10 million in budget cuts, approves school calendar: The proposal includes staff displacements and position eliminations, but the goal is to keep the cuts as far from the classroom as possible. “The district’s proposed plan first was to look at trying to get $11 million. And I can tell you, we can’t get there. We’ve tried. It’s very, very hard to cut the things that we know really provide services for students,” Gill said. * WICS | District 186 votes to start school after Illinois State Fair: Board President Erica Austin also voted against starting school during the state fair, stating it would cause students to miss out on fundraising opportunities during the fair. “Some students do fundraisers not because they want to, it’s because they have to,” she said. “They have to buy school supplies, they have to buy their school clothes. They have to support their families. I don’t think it’s fair to those students.” * WQAD | Moline man close to running his 50th marathon in all 50 states: What started on a whim has become something that will put Fleener in an exclusive club. According to the Fifty States Marathon Club, approximately 2,400 people have completed the challenge. “It felt difficult but attainable. Just because it was hard doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it,” Fleener said. “It’s probably one of my greatest accomplishments.”. * NYT | The Scale of Billionaires’ Campaign Donations is Overwhelming U.S. Politics: The top-spending candidate usually wins the election, the Times analysis of campaign spending showed. But the big political investments by billionaires don’t always pan out, and they have at times found themselves in a spending race with other billionaires. That was the case for Mr. Griffin, who spent $50 million to back a Republican candidate, Richard Irvin, for governor in Illinois in 2022. But Mr. Irvin did not make it out of the primary, defeated by another Republican candidate, Darren Bailey. Mr. Bailey was backed by Richard Uihlein, the billionaire founder of the shipping supplies company Uline, who gave $12 million to Mr. Bailey and another $42 million to a PAC aligned with him. But Mr. Bailey also went on to falter against the Democratic candidate, JB Pritzker — himself a billionaire who spent $152 million of his own money on the race. * NYT | Voting Machine Company Calls Federal Case Vindictive Prosecution: The voting technology company Smartmatic asked a federal judge on Tuesday to dismiss the federal criminal charges against it because they were part of President Trump’s “campaign of retribution against his perceived enemies.” The request is the latest in an intensifying battle over election security heading into the midterm elections, as the Trump administration ramps up its investigations into baseless claims that the 2020 contest was stolen. * AP | FDA finds little evidence that a drug touted by Trump can help people with autism: The agency said it approved leucovorin for children and adults with a genetic condition that limits delivery of folate, a form of vitamin B, to the brain. FDA officials estimate the ultrarare condition impacts fewer than 1 in a million people in the U.S. It’s a major step back from comments made at a White House news conference in September, when Trump and FDA commissioner Marty Makary announced the drug was under review to benefit patients with autism, some of whom have a form of the vitamin brain deficiency.
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Catching up with the federal candidates
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association, backing Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton for U.S. Senate, released a new poll from Public Policy Polling…
Click here for PPP’s poll from last week. * The JB Pritzker-backed Illinois Future PAC, supporting Stratton, ranks sixth nationally in 2026 ad spending. Raja Krishnamoorthi is close behind, but he is also benefiting from millions in outside spending…
* The Justice Democrats PAC is spending $100,000 to back 8th CD candidate Junaid Ahmed…
* Chicago Progressive Partnership, reportedly tied to AIPAC, is airing an attack ad against Kat Abughazaleh in the 9th CD…
Evanston Now’s Matthew Eadie links the ad to the Elect Chicago Woman PAC…
* Meanwhile, Abughazaleh walked back her pledge to not take money from Republican donors…
Kat’s campaign made the pledge to not take money from Republican donors twice in this past week…
* Biss unveils closing ad…
* More… * Fox Chicago | Chicago wealth summit costs taxpayers more than $220K, records show: Conyears-Ervin defends the cost, writing in a statement: “The annual expense pales in comparison to the $1.5 billion in investment earnings our office has delivered on behalf of Chicago taxpayers… I strongly believe in the safety and security that comes with financial empowerment, and these seminars are what I can do as an elected leader to build good financial habits in my community.” * The Daily Northwestern | Democratic congressional candidates draw hundreds at ETHS forum: “I did not plan to run for Congress, and I would not be running for Congress in any other moment, but I saw a void in how Democrats don’t know how to handle the far right,” she said. “I’m the only candidate in this entire race that felt enough of a sense of urgency to not wait in line or ask for permission to run in the first place.” Simmons sharply rebuked that characterization, arguing he “did not ask for permission” to become a state senator or launch his congressional campaign. * Block Club | 19 Candidates Vying For Jan Schakowsky’s Coveted North Side Congressional Seat: More than a dozen Democrats and four Republicans have thrown their hat in the ring to succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District. The 9th District covers parts of the Far North Side, including West Ridge, Rogers Park and Edgewater, and the district stretches northwest to include cities in Lake and McHenry counties. * National Nurses United | National Nurses United endorses Junaid Ahmed for Illinois’ 8th District: “Junaid Ahmed is a progressive leader who has organized in his community for years,” said Mary Turner, RN and NNU President. “Junaid stepped up during the pandemic to make sure his community had the protections and care they needed, and now he is stepping up to run for Congress to fix our broken political system. He is committed to fighting for Medicare for All and bold climate action, and he will work to build a government and an economy that serves working people, not the billionaire class.”
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Chaos Coming July 1: Illinois’ Radical Credit Card Law Could Upend Everyday Purchases
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Starting July 1, Illinois families could face chaos when paying for everyday purchases like groceries, gas, or a dinner out because of a new state law that changes how credit cards work. At the checkout line, shoppers may suddenly be told they cannot use their credit cards to pay for sales taxes or tips, forcing them to split payments or pay those portions in cash. It is a radical change that only benefits corporate mega-stores, while small businesses, local banks, and consumers are left to deal with the fallout. Experts who understand the global payments system have been sounding the alarm for months:
• A federal judge weighing a preemption-related matter noted the policy is “indisputably disruptive,” “costly” and calls out “business-ending consequences” for local banks and credit unions. • Crain’s Chicago Business said, “Springfield’s Swipe Fee Gamble Deserves an Appeal.” Before chaos hits on July 1, lawmakers should reverse course and repeal the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act. Learn more at: guardyourcard.com/Illinois
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Benton opponent demands answers
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gabby Shanahan is the 97th House District Republican candidate…
We are now in a world where the House Speaker can strip someone of all their committee assignments and banish them from caucus meetings without any sort of public or even private explanation. Also, Benton should come clean.
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Senate race roundup: Former Krishnamoorthi staffers on fundraising pressure, Kelly launches new TV ad, final televised debate
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
[From Rich: People have been writing comments here about this issue for months.] * Robin Kelly is out with a new broadcast TV ad… [From Rich: Kelly has been giving me 1992 “Year of the woman” Carol Moseley Braun vibes of late. CMB defeated incumbent US Sen. Alan Dixon and rich white guy Al Hofeld in the primary by staying above the fray. These are vastly different dynamics (Dixon had voted to confirm Clarence Thomas to the US Supreme Court) and I’m not trying to suggest that Robin Kelly might surge up the middle because I simply don’t know. But I did want to go on record that I’m definitely feeling that same vibe.] * WTTW…
[From Rich: Lots of House Democrats are planning to do what Krishnamoorthi would not initially rule out. Looks like he finally determined he’s hanging out with the wrong people while running in a statewide primary.] * More… * Tribune | Raja Krishnamoorthi, Juliana Stratton and Robin Kelly stick to script in Senate race’s final TV debate: The discussion of ICE gave way to a volley of well-worn attacks between Stratton and Krishnamoorthi over financial backers with ties to immigration enforcement. The lieutenant governor criticized the congressman over $29,300 that his $30.5 million campaign fund received from an executive of Palantir, an ICE contractor. He fired back that over $135,000 in contributions since 2019 from private prison contractor CoreCivic, which operates immigration detention facilities, went to the political action committee of the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association, which is backing Stratton. * Evanston Now | Stratton stumps in Evanston: Evanston elected officials hosted a campaign meet and greet Saturday afternoon for Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, 10 days out from a high-stakes Democratic primary for U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Joined by Rep. Jan Schakowsky and House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, both of Evanston, Stratton delivered her pitch to a crowd of about two dozen packed into Free Flow Kitchen on Simpson St. * KFVS | Krishnamoorthi stops in Cairo on GOTV tour ahead of Illinois Senate primary: Krishnamoorthi said his Cairo visit was part of a broader effort to reach the entire state, adding that regions such as southern Illinois need more attention. “As you know, the needs here are great, and so we need to devote more attention, resources, time and energy to addressing the concerns of southern Illinois, and you know the lack of economic development,” he said.
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340B Rally: Hospitals And FQHCs Are Fighting For Patients – Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are standing up for their patients and against the disinformation about 340B that Big Pharma is spreading. At a March 1 rally in Chicago for House Bill 2371 SA 2—the Patient Access to Pharmacy Protection Act—patients, physicians, and hospital and FQHC leaders shared the true impact of 340B. “It’s about our patients,” Dr. Lisa Green, CEO and co-founder of Family Christian Health Center, said at the rally of about 500 people, noting the importance of a system of care, from primary care at FQHCs to specialty care at hospitals. “UChicago Medicine is part of this broader ecosystem. We are here serving some of our most vulnerable communities in our city and across the state,” said Catina Latham, Senior Vice President for Community Health Transformation and Chief Equity Officer with UChicago Medicine. The University of Chicago Medical Center is one of Illinois’ largest providers of Medicaid-insured care. 340B savings have funded initiatives there and at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital, including expanded emergency and trauma services, and new clinic sites and community health workers. “HB 2371 SA 2 does not expand 340B, it protects it,” Latham said. “We are committed to closing the health gaps on the South Side and in the Southland, but we cannot do it alone, and we cannot do it without 340B.” Stand with patients, hospitals and FQHCs: Vote YES on HB 2371 SA 2! Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois primary voters should send mail-in ballots by 5 p.m. Tuesday. STLPR…
- The warning comes after changes to mail processing guidelines by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that took effect in December, which impact when mail is postmarked. Under the updated guidance, ballots may be postmarked when they are processed at a postal facility rather than when they are placed in the mail. - Adams County Party Chair Katie Daniels, who represents the county, which includes Quincy, said this is especially important for voters in rural areas, where mail delivery can be even slower. Sponsored by PhRMA: 340B hospitals charge big medicine markups. Illinois pays the price. 340B medicine markups are big business for hospitals. Under the federal 340B program, nonprofit hospitals can buy medicines for pennies, then charge huge markups – even on life-saving medicines. Big hospital systems pocket the program profits – passing the bill to Illinois patients, employers and taxpayers who are hit with higher medicine costs. The program’s lack of oversight has led to 340B becoming a profit engine for hospitals, PBMs, private equity firms and big chain pharmacies. It’s time for Congress to hold hospitals accountable and fix 340B. Read more. * Sun-Times | Another large-scale deportation blitz hasn’t materialized in Chicago, despite warning of a spring surge: When U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino left town last fall, Chicago’s reprieve came with a warning: The tear gas, chaos and fear associated with Operation Midway Blitz could return to the city’s streets fourfold in March. Now March is here. And President Donald Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, instead. * Capitol News Illinois | Biotechnology company to invest $1.5 billion in Illinois plasma-processing plan: CSL Behring, a subsidiary of CSL, said it will invest $1.5 billion into the site expansion by 2031, adding 300 new high-skilled jobs to its existing 1,200 full-time employees, as well as around 800 construction and related local jobs needed to support the expansion. The company produces plasma therapies used in treating rare diseases and immunodeficiencies. * Center Square | Bailey camp ‘cautiously optimistic’ in final Illinois primary week: “You know, I’m cautiously optimistic,” Del Mar told The Center Square. “Our polling shows us with a very strong lead. Our message has shown a very strong lead. Nowhere in Illinois history have you had a team like Darren and I, where you have somebody that is the intersection of Clay County in Cook County, rural Illinois, in the city of Chicago, combining together for one team, for one goal.And that’s to take our state back.” * Press Release | Dabrowski releases ad with his closing pitch to ILGOP voters: Today Ted Dabrowski, conservative reform candidate for governor, released his final ad of the primary campaign. The ad reminds GOP voters that in order to defeat J.B. Pritzker, Republicans must nominate a candidate who is both a conservative reformer and can appeal to suburban voters. Dabrowski is the only candidate who fits that bill. Bruce Rauner lost to Pritzker by 15 points in 2018 and yet still widely outperformed Darren Bailey’s 2022 vote totals – Rauner received 18 percent more votes than Bailey in DuPage, 20 percent more votes in Suburban Cook, and 24 percent more votes in Lake.
* Aurora Beacon-News | Democratic primary in Illinois House District 84 features Ploger, Haider: The Democratic primary race for state representative in the 84th District in the March 17 primary election is between Jared Ploger and Saba Haider. The winner in the race will face Brian Scopa, who is running unopposed in the Republican primary, in the Nov. 3 general election. The incumbent, Stephanie Kifowit, is not running for re-election in the 84th District. She is a candidate in the Democratic primary for state comptroller. * Daily Herald | Customer service, streamlined operations, voter ID key issues for Republican secretary of state candidates: Republican secretary of state candidates Walter Adamczyk and Diane Harris, who are running in the March 17 primary to face Democratic incumbent Alexi Giannoulias in November, cite customer service and streamlining operations as their top priorities. “We need better, faster service,” said Adamczyk, who also advocated for express service for veterans and seniors during a recent Daily Herald editorial endorsement interview. * Tribune | Property tax collection rates drop in Chicago neighborhoods with big bill hikes: In the Riverdale community area on the Far South Side, homeowners’ bills went up by 65% and collections dropped by 11.1%, to 68.5%, the analysis found. In West Garfield Park, where bills more than doubled, residential collections were down 4.1%. Some south suburban communities with traditionally low collection rates saw major improvements as well, the report found. The biggest drops countywide were in areas where the median household income was below $50,000. Those includes Englewood and North Lawndale, where collections fell by just over 3%. * Sun-Times Chicago law firm leading push to appoint special prosecutor to target ICE, Border Patrol agents: A high-powered Chicago law firm that fought Operation Midway Blitz in federal court announced a plan Monday to push for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate and potentially charge the law enforcement officials who carried out the aggressive deportation campaign in the Chicago area. The firm, Loevy and Loevy, said 200 individuals and organizations are supporting a petition to install an outsider in the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, who has spent weeks saying her staff can only go so far to target the feds. * CBS Chicago | Lawsuit claims Chicago Public Schools failed to tell police, DCFS about sex abuse of girl by security guard: The former student’s attorneys say CPS administrators knew about the accusations, but never reported them to police or the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, which the law requires. In addition to the sex abuse allegations, the complaint says the abuser threatened to call immigration enforcement if the victim told anyone about their relationship. * Sun-Times | Chicago sets record high temp Monday, ’severe’ storms and 40s expected for Tuesday: Temperatures drop to the 40s on Tuesday with a “severe” storm likely rolling in during the late afternoon and into the evening. That storm will likely bring rain, hail and strong winds across the Chicago area. The southern part of the metro area could also see tornadoes, Ratzer said. * ABC Chicago | Yorkville City Council to take up data center projects Tuesday: People in Yorkville are expected to show up to the city council meeting Tuesday night as it discusses data center projects. There are several projects at various stages of approval, under consideration. Tuesday night, there are two proposals up for zoning matters. * WGN | Flooding woes continue for Flossmoor as federal funding remains on hold: The village paid $384,000 toward the $1.1 million project. Then the Trump administration halted its portion of the funding as part of a review of federally funded projects in blue states. “They’re holding back funds because they’re in disagreement with the way that the county is doing their business, and particularly the City of Chicago funding illegals,” Mitrose said. “I don’t know who’s right or who’s wrong. All I know is we’re caught in the middle and we deserve better.” * Daily Herald | Amazon considering large-format store in Oak Brook: The Oak Brook village board will hear a preliminary presentation about the plan at its meeting Tuesday night. It proposes razing seven office buildings in the 2900 block of Butterfield Road. The site is on the south side of Butterfield, east of Meyers Road. The Amazon building would be about 225,000 square feet. The front of the store would sell groceries and general merchandise; the back would be used to fulfill individual online retail orders for pickup or local delivery. * Tribune | Aurora working to set liquor rules for new Hollywood Casino resort: The proposed Farnsworth Bilter Entertainment District, which is planned to only include the under-construction casino and resort site, would have its own special liquor licenses that bars, restaurants and other locations within the casino could apply for. These licenses would be different than others given by the city, for instance, by allowing patrons to take their drinks with them if they stroll to another part of the resort. * WCIA | Sangamon Co. voters will decide if 708 Mental Health board is established: “We need critical mass when it comes to voting, new initiatives are coming into play. A lot of these things have gone on over the years because we have not voted,” said Sontae Massey, Sonya Massey’s cousin. 708 boards have been around for decades. They take taxpayer dollars and direct it to mental health services. That could help fund things like a crisis co-responder program, where social workers go out on calls with police to help those in a crisis. * WGLT | Bloomington OKs plan to develop Carle Health medical campus on east side: The Bloomington City Council on Monday approved the agreement with Carle and Deneen Brothers Farms that paves the way for the regional medical campus on 35 acres within the Empire Business Park, behind Carle’s current facility on the southeast corner of Trinity Lane and Cornelius Drive. “This is really a wonderful, strong bookend for the Empire Street commercial corridor, to really be able to finish out what was envisioned even 20 years ago,” said Kelly Pfeifer, the city’s director of development services. * WCIA | Electricians union demonstrates in Champaign after local workers left off project: The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Unit 601 demonstrated across from a construction project on the University of Illinois campus on Monday. The company, Power Construction, is using out-of-state electricians from Nashville, according to Brian Anderson, local 601’s business manager. He said these workers cost about $25-per-hour less than unionized workers in Champaign.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Mar 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Mar 10, 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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