The key note: “The jury cannot come to a unanimous verdict on all three counts. No one is willing to surrender their honest beliefs.”
(The other note was a clarification from the juror with a work conflict Friday.)
Judge Wood notes that, depending on how you read this, it could mean they have a verdict on one or two counts, but not all three. Or it could mean they can’t reach any verdict.
AUSA Prashant Kolluri suggests the judge ask the jurors what they mean by their note. Defense attorney Victor Henderson asks for a five-minute recess to speak with Jones.
Judge Wood says, “I’ll allow five minutes.” But she’s still talking through logistics.
Judge Wood points out that “the jury, to this point, has not been informed that a partial verdict is an option.”
The judge goes on to explain that jurors should be told a partial verdict would be a final verdict as to the count in question.
She notes that some jurors might be uncomfortable with that — and could decline a partial verdict.
Court’s in recess for what’s supposed to be five minutes.
Judge Wood to the jury: “In a moment I will ask you to go back to the jury room and provide some clarification as to whether the jury has reached unanimous agreement as to any of the three counts.”
[Prosecutor] Kolluri tells the judge prosecutors want the jury to keep deliberating.
Kolluri also says prosecutors “attempted to confer” with defense.
Doesn’t sound like it went well.
Kolluri asks the judge to send a note asking if any juror thinks “further deliberations would be …”
Judge Wood interrupts: “No. I’m not going to do that.”
Judge Wood says that, if jurors are going to be polled, it should be individually.
Henderson agrees that the jurors should be polled one-by-one in court. Seems likely to happen at sidebar, with the white noise machine on so we can’t hear them.
Hannah Meisel: Judge: I think my position is I ask each juror comes in individually and ask two Qs
1) do you think progress has been made since yesterday?
2) do you believe more deliberations would be fruitful?
After govt worries about public nature, judge says it could be done at sidebar.
Judge Wood: “Only two of the jurors indicated that they felt any progress had been made since yesterday.”
Judge Wood: “One further defined ‘progress’ as ‘we talked more about it, went back and forth,’ but that juror also could not say that any person actually changed their mind about anything.”
Court’s in recess while the lawyers talk about it.
Defense attorney Joshua Adams explained to the judge, for the record, that “the lack of unanimity in the jury room is evidence that the government has not met their burden beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Hannah Meisel: Judge Wood, though, cites some case law and points out that Adams’ reason is not a factor.
Discussing the factors required for a mistrial, Judge Wood estimates that the jury has been deliberating for around 24 to 26 hours.
She says they likely heard 30-34 hours of testimony.
Kolluri argues, and he says they learned while speaking to the jurors that there are “multiple jurors on each side that are entrenched.”
Hannah Meisel: Prosecutors are now laying out their arguments for the judge to declare a mistrial. “Nothing more the court can do” and risks exhaustion of jury. Defense rests on their previous objection [meaning they’re not going to explain their position further].
Judge Wood says it “appears” jurors hadn’t taken a formal vote on Count 2 [interstate commerce] when they sent their note Wednesday.
Judge Wood: “I do think the factors here weigh in favor of a mistrial.”
The federal bribery trial of Illinois Sen. Emil Jones III ended in a mistrial Thursday after jurors told the judge they were “unable to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the three counts.”
The jurors delivered their news in a note that followed nearly 23 hours of deliberations over four days. They had warned U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood on Wednesday that they’d potentially deadlocked on two of the three charges, which have loomed over the South Side Democrat since 2022.
Their disagreement appeared to have worsened after another day of deliberations Thursday.
* From Rich: The April 8 Capitol Fax post about 314 Action Fund’s US Senate poll is retracted until we receive a response from the organization. Despite repeated attempts to contact them (email, phone, tweets), they have so far refused to respond to my very simple question about what pollster conducted the survey. That alleged poll claimed the group’s favored US Senate candidate Lauren Underwood was leading the race and that “77 percent of primary voters identify her by name.” I should’ve been more diligent at the time. Sorry.
Robert Crimo III will spend the rest of his life in prison for opening fire on spectators at the 2022 Highland Park Independence Day Parade.
Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti imposed the expected sentence Thursday after listening to statements from 19 survivors and loved ones of people killed in the mass shooting. He was sentenced to seven consecutive natural life sentences without the possibility of parole − one for each of the seven people he murdered — plus an additional 50 years for the four dozen spectators he injured.
“The court finds that the defendant is irretrievably depraved, permanently incorrigible, irreparably corrupt and beyond any rehabilitation,” Rossetti said.
* Rep. Bob Morgan…
“This sentencing marks a solemn but important moment for the Highland Park community. While no punishment can erase the pain or bring back the lives stolen from us, today’s outcome offers a measure of closure for families, survivors, and a city forever altered by senseless violence,” Rep. Morgan said. “I am deeply grateful to Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and his team for their tireless work securing this sentence. In addition, I extend my continued thanks to the first responders, mental health professionals, and community leaders who have stood by our neighbors over the past three years.”
Rep. Morgan, who was present with his family during the shooting, honored the lives of Katherine Goldstein, Irina McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy, Stephen Straus, Jacquelyn Sundheim, Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, and Eduardo Uvaldo. He reiterated that while today’s sentence brings justice and much-needed closure for Highland Park, the fight to end gun violence must extend beyond this moment.
“Although today’s sentencing provides relief and closure to our community, we must stress that our work is never finished,” Morgan said. “We must continue to ensure that every community across Illinois receives the care, healing, and justice they deserve. No family should have to carry the weight of this kind of loss alone—or in the absence of action.”
Rep. Morgan witnessed firsthand the devastating effects gun violence can have on a community. Highland Park, Illinois, is part of the 58th State Representative District, and he was present at the July 4, 2022, mass shooting with his wife and children, during which 83 rounds were fired in less than 60 seconds, killing seven and injuring 48.
Six months after the Highland Park shooting, Rep. Morgan was the chief sponsor of the Protect Illinois Communities (“PIC”) Act, one of the strongest gun safety laws in the nation. The PIC Act bans the sale of assault weapons—frequently used in mass shootings—as well as large-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds for long guns or more than 15 rounds for handguns.
A federal jury began its fourth day of deliberations Thursday after signaling a potential impasse on two of the charges in the corruption trial of state Sen. Emil Jones III.
Late in the day on Wednesday, the jury sent a note to U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood signaling that they were unable to agree on counts of bribery and lying to the FBI. After consulting with lawyers in the case, Wood told the panel Thursday that a deadlock would be premature at this point in their talks, and to continue deliberating.
The jury also indicated that they would take Friday off from deliberations due to scheduling conflicts, if they do not conclude their work by then.
The panel is faced with determining whether the South Side Democrat is guilty of bribery, use of an interstate facility to solicit bribery and lying to federal agents regarding his dealings with a red-light camera company executive over the summer of 2019.
* Illinois Department of Central Management Services…
The unemployment rate decreased in eleven metro areas and increased in one over-the-year for the year ending March 2025, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). Over- the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in six metropolitan areas and decreased in six.
“Illinois continues to demonstrate the strength and resilience of its labor market across metro areas statewide,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “We remain focused on expanding opportunities that drive progress for workers, businesses, and the state as a whole.”
The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+1.9%, +2,300), the Elgin Metropolitan Division (+1.3%, +3,700), the Lake County Metropolitan Division (+0.6%, +2,000), and the Rockford MSA (+0.6%, +900). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago- Naperville-Schaumburg Metropolitan Division were up
+10,000 (+0.3%). The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Bloomington MSA (-2.5%, -2,400), the Decatur MSA (-2.5%, -1,200), and the Illinois section of the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island IA-IL MSA (-1.8%, -1,600). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Private Education and Health Services (eleven areas); Government (eight areas); and Mining and Construction (seven areas).
The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate decreases were the Lake County Metropolitan Division (-1.6 points to 4.6%), the Rockford MSA (-1.5 points to 5.0%), and the Elgin Metropolitan Division (-1.4 points to 4.4%). The Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metropolitan Division reported the only increase (+0.7 point to 5.5%).
*** Statewide ***
* WBEZ | The Trump administration is pressuring Illinois universities to end a diversity fellowship: Illinois universities are quietly withdrawing from a fellowship aimed at diversifying the state’s college teaching force under pressure from the Trump administration. The U.S. Department of Justice has threatened to sue campuses that take part in the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois, or DFI, fellowship. The program is state funded and was created by Illinois lawmakers in an effort to make the state’s college teaching force look more like the Illinois student body.
*** Chicago ***
* Tribune | Aldermen spurning Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new budget working group: ‘It points to a larger problem’: Northwest Side Ald. Ruth Cruz, 30th, told the Tribune on Wednesday she declined the invitation because she believes the best way for her to shape the city’s budget is from outside the mayor’s group. “While I appreciate the consideration, I’m concerned that this group may be more about appearances than a genuine desire for input,” said the freshman alderman, who has often voted with Johnson but recently put more distance between herself and the mayor. “We have seen it for quite some time. Input has been provided and the administration decides to continue with their original plan.”
* Brandon Johnson | We need to bring Chicagoans together to continue investing in people: As we look ahead to this year’s budget, our city faces two distinct challenges. We have a structural imbalance due to decades of neglecting our pension obligations while relying heavily on short-term fixes. At the same time, we face a presidential administration that has threatened to cut the services that Chicagoans rely upon, potentially putting an even greater strain on our municipal budget. In response to the chaos we are seeing at the federal level, we must come together as Chicagoans, roll up our sleeves, and get to work protecting our city services while taking steps to address the structural budget imbalance that has burdened Chicago taxpayers for far too long.
* Chalkbeat | Chicago’s partially-elected school board plans changes to charter school oversight: Now, the relatively new school board is proposing changes to how it handles charter oversight. A resolution on Thursday’s meeting agenda would impose new requirements on operators and is already being opposed by the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, a special interest group that lobbies on behalf of charter schools. The proposed resolution would, among other new stipulations, require operators to give the district 18 months notice of closing a school and assume financial responsibility related to the closure. It also calls on the district to lobby state lawmakers to change state law to stop charters from closing during their renewal term.
* Illinois Answers | Quiet Use of Bonuses for City Council Aides on the Rise: A review by Illinois Answers Project of publicly available payroll data for 259 ward and committee staffers found that 65 council staffers received increases in their salaries between October and December 2024, representing more than $260,000 in taxpayer funds for bonuses. At least 20 staffers saw temporary bumps of at least $5,000 in one-time payouts. The practice has expanded in recent years. In 2022, 16 aldermanic staffers got temporary pay hikes at the end of the year, records show. In 2023, 33 did.
* WTTW | Federal Judge Blocks Trump from Yanking Funding from 16 Sanctuary Cities, Counties in Ruling That Could Bolster Chicago’s Efforts: The injunction issued by U.S. District Judge William Orrick does not apply to Chicago or Cook County but is likely to bolster efforts by city officials to prevent President Donald Trump from blowing a $3 billion hole in Chicago’s budget. San Francisco officials filed the lawsuit on behalf of nine California cities and counties, including Oakland and San Diego, as well as Seattle, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Santa Fe that argued the administration was unlawfully trying to force local officials to aide federal immigration arrests conducting deportation efforts.
* Tribune | Chicago Housing Authority board member reprimanded for ‘sexually graphic conversation,’ report says: The report did not name the board member, nor did it get into the details of the incident. The “allegations of misconduct,” the report said, were received in January 2023, including that the commissioner “may have communicated inappropriately with multiple employees in public forums.” Per OIG policy, the complaint was referred to outside counsel.
* The Triibe | City sues property owners over slum conditions at South Shore building formerly managed by CKO Real Estate: Nearly two weeks after a private meeting between city officials, the property owner and residents about the unlivable conditions of the building at 6952-58 S. Paxton Ave. in South Shore, the city has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the courtyard building formerly managed by CKO Real Estate. The City of Chicago filed the complaint with the Illinois Municipal Department of the Circuit Court of Cook County on April 22, alleging that the owners of the apartment complex on Paxton Avenue failed to comply with multiple municipal codes for the city. The defendants are listed as GRV Jackson Park LLC, the owner; Merchants Bank of Indiana, the mortgage company; and unknown owners and non-record claimants.
* Crain’s | New parks chief says he’s working to keep the Bears in the city: New Chicago Park District Superintendent Carlos Ramirez-Rosa told reporters today he’s begun a relationship with Bears President Kevin Warren and echoed Mayor Brandon Johnson’s optimism the team will remain in Chicago. “The partnership that we’ve had with the Chicago Bears for decades through Soldier Field has benefited the entire city of Chicago and has benefited the Chicago Park District, and so we look forward to continuing that partnership,” he said.
* Block Club | Trilogy Nonprofit Expands To NW Side For Neighbors Seeking Therapy, Recovery Services: Trilogy Mental Wellbeing opened last month at 6200 N. Hiawatha Ave. in Sauganash. Trilogy, a Chicago-based nonprofit, offers therapy, recovery services, employment assistance, residential programs and more. Trilogy, which has been around for more than 50 years, primarily works with clients who are on Medicaid. The nonprofit has operated a location in Rogers Park for more than four decades, but it has been working to expand its reach in recent years.
* NYT | It’s OK, Chicago, Your Air Was Actually Fine on Wednesday: Readings from several popular weather apps had people across Chicago spending much of Wednesday wondering whether their air was safe to breathe — until the dangerously unhealthy levels were revealed to be a glitch.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Tribune | New Homer Glen Board OKs subdivision, park improvements: The Village Board also swore in Trustee Rose Reynders and new Trustees Michael LePore and Nicholas Muller after the April 1 election results were certified this week. The new board also advanced several recreation projects, including new lighting and an architectural design for a veterans memorial at Heritage Park. The board gave its support for the town house development proposed by Marth Construction after tabling a vote on it earlier this month. The developer plans to build the Villas of Hidden Valley consisting of 25 ranch duplex buildings for a total of 50 homes on about 21 acres of land near Hidden Valley Trail and 159th Street. The land was previously zoned for a potential commercial use.
* Fox Chicago | Lake County Jail transitions to digital mail system to prevent smuggling: Starting May 27, all personal inmate mail—including letters, photos, and drawings—must be sent to a centralized facility, where it will be scanned and delivered electronically to inmates through their tablets. The jail is partnering with TextBehind to implement the new system.
* Daily Herald | Why Lake County forest preserves wants to take lead on Route 53 corridor property and planning: More than 1,000 acres that comprise the corridor is owned by the Illinois Department of Transportation but the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has taken the lead in determining the future of the properties. The move to assume responsibilities was sparked by Jessica Vealitzek, a forest commissioner from Hawthorn Woods. Since being elected board president by her peers in December she has made securing long-term protection for the corridor a priority.
*** Downstate ***
* WIFR | Harlem Township of Winnebago County Supervisor Gary Jury dies: Harlem Township offices confirm that Supervisor Gary Jury, 82, died around 9 p.m. April 23. Jury has served as a board member of the Winnebago County Board for 14 years and chaired on the Forest Preserve, Operations and Administration, Finance, Economic Development and Public Works committees.
* WJBD | Marion County Board appoints Taxpayer Association member to open board seat: The Marion County Board has unanimously appointed one of the leaders of the Marion County Taxpayers Association to an open seat on the board. Josh Dunahee will fill the District Three seat vacated by Tyson McHenry who resigned last month due to a work scheduling problem. Dunahee grew up in Salem and returned three and a half years ago to manage the XPO freight facility in Salem.
* WCIA | Another Danville school bus involved in crash; no one hurt: Another Danville School District 118 school bus was involved in a crash Thursday morning. The Danville Police Department said a white SUV hit the school bus in the rear around 7:40 a.m. where it was stopped near the intersection of Fairchild and Jackson streets. No one was injured in the crash, and both vehicles drove away from the scene.
*** National ***
* CNBC | March home sales drop to their slowest pace since 2009: Higher mortgage rates and concern over the broader economy are making for a weak start to the all-important spring housing market. Sales of previously owned homes in March fell 5.9% from February to 4.02 million units on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, according to the National Association of Realtors. That’s the slowest March sales pace since 2009.
* Please take a few seconds out of your day and watch…
Steve 'Mongo' McMichael. 🙏🏽
Four years ago today, Steve shared these words with me—words that will stay with me for the rest of my life. They’re words we can all live by. #RIPMongo | #Bearspic.twitter.com/VzlrXnhWwv
The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in a case centered on whether a state law passed in 2023 violates the due process rights of Illinoisans outside Sangamon and Cook counties.
A 2023 law restricts certain types of lawsuits – namely challenges to a law’s constitutionality – to courts in those two counties. The law came in response to challenges to the state’s COVID-19 response, a state law ending cash bail and the state’s ban on assault weapons, among others.
These lawsuits – often filed in jurisdictions with sympathetic judges – became a way for some conservatives to make a name for themselves at the state level. Former governor candidate and state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, and former attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore both backed high-profile lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of state laws. […]
The case before the Illinois Supreme Court was brought by Piasa Armory, an East Alton gun store. It challenged the constitutionality of an unrelated firearms regulation, the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act, which was also signed into law in 2023. That law subjects firearms groups to civil penalties for violating consumer protection laws.
Piasa Armory almost immediately filed a lawsuit challenging that law in Madison County, about a 30-minute drive from the gun store. The state then tried to move the case to Sangamon County – about 90 minutes from East Alton – citing the then-new law.
But a Madison County judge rejected the state’s attempt to move the case, saying that the law violated the due process rights of residents of other counties by “depriving” them of their ability to mount their best possible case.
The judge had applied his decision to the entire state, but the government argued that the Supreme Court should “rule narrowly” and apply it only to the plaintiff.
The question before us is the constitutionality of section 2-101.5 as it applies to plaintiff. […]
We initially examine the State’s contention that the circuit court effectively found section 2-101.5 facially unconstitutional by ruling that the statute violated the due process rights of all individuals who reside or were injured outside of Cook and Sangamon County. The State contends that the ruling invalidates the statute in every case where it would otherwise be enforced. We note that a party raising a facial challenge must show that the statute is unconstitutional under any possible set of facts, whereas a party raising an as-applied challenge must establish that the statute is unconstitutional as it applies to the party’s particular facts and circumstances. A successful facial challenge voids the statute, but in a successful as-applied claim, the party may enjoin the statute’s enforcement against only himself.
Here, plaintiff framed its claim in terms of its individual circumstances, but the circuit court broadened its ruling to encompass everyone residing or injured outside of the two named counties. The fact that the circuit court’s ruling encompassed more than just plaintiff was not a de facto declaration that the statute was facially unconstitutional. In fact, plaintiff and the circuit court expressly acknowledged that the statute would be constitutional in certain applications, which would defeat a facial challenge. By definition, an as-applied constitutional claim depends on the particular facts and circumstances of the party asserting the claim, so an examination of plaintiff’s particular situation remains paramount. […]
In the instant case, the circuit court largely considered the “convenience” of Madison County and the “inconvenience” of Sangamon County as a forum for plaintiff in determining that the first two Mathews factors weighed heavily in plaintiff’s favor. The relative convenience of each forum is central in considering a motion filed pursuant to the equitable doctrine of forum non conveniens. However, a forum non conveniens motion “seeks to move the action from one forum with proper venue to another, more convenient forum with proper venue.” The doctrine of forum non conveniens may therefore be applied only when there is more than one proper venue. It is not the correct test here, where the question is whether a statute limiting venue for certain types of constitutional actions against the State violates a plaintiff’s due process rights. We further note that section 2-101.5(b) explicitly states that “[t]he doctrine of forum non conveniens does not apply to actions subject to this Section.” […]
Plaintiff’s underlying case is a facial constitutional challenge of section 2BBBB of the Act. It will therefore most likely be resolved without a trial and thus without the need for witnesses to travel to any courthouse, as well as without much, if any, documentary evidence. As for the additional driving time for counsel, even in a forum non conveniens analysis, counsel’s location is given little weight. Moreover, counsel has the option to appear remotely for hearings, and witnesses may appear remotely under certain circumstances as well. […]
We conclude that the State has some interest in consolidating actions in certain counties, especially in light of recent statewide litigation asserting duplicative constitutional claims. … Still, the State’s interest is not extremely strong given that the Attorney General’s office was previously able to manage the litigation under general venue principles. As we observed in Williams, the Attorney General has satellite offices throughout Illinois and routinely litigates in every county in the state.
Balancing all of the Mathews factors ultimately yields the conclusion that section 2-101.5 is not unconstitutional as applied specifically to plaintiff because requiring plaintiff to litigate in Sangamon County does not deprive it of the opportunity to be heard at a meaningful time and in a meaningful manner. The inconvenience asserted by plaintiff is insufficient for a due process claim, especially considering that Sangamon County is only one hour further, that this case will almost certainly be resolved without trial, and that remote appearances are possible. We recognize that the Attorney General could also appear remotely, but the government’s interest extends beyond the convenience of appearing in - 12 - particular courtrooms, as it seeks to more efficiently handle the type of constitutional case that plaintiff has filed here. Further, the parties are not starting off on an equal footing in the balancing test because the legislature has the power to determine venue (Mapes, 363 Ill. at 230) and we generally do not “interfere with the legislature’s province in determining where venue is proper” […]
(T)hough litigating in Sangamon County may be less convenient for plaintiff than litigating in Madison County, it clearly does not rise to the level of an unconstitutional deprivation of due process.
This was a 6-1 decision, with Justice Overstreet dissenting. Overstreet essentially argued for a much more broad decision, instead of this narrow path.
All Ed Cetwinski could think was, “God, I’m out of prison. I can live my life a little bit.” He had just been released from Taylorville Correctional Center after five years behind bars. But even though he’s free from his prison cell, he’s still not free.
Most criminal convictions in Illinois include a period of mandatory supervised release (MSR). It’s like parole, but it’s served as part of a prison sentence rather than in lieu of it. People on MSR must adhere to a litany of conditions, like curfews enforced by electronic monitors. For most people, it lasts from one to three years, but for Cetwinski, it’s not clear how long his MSR term will last.
People convicted of certain sex offenses, like Cetwinski, are required to be on MSR for anywhere from three years to the rest of their lives. But there’s an issue: a permanent address is a requirement for supervised release, and Illinois’s housing banishment laws make it nearly impossible to find housing. […]
The Chicago 400, a grassroots organization of people subject to public conviction registries in Illinois and their allies, is pushing legislation to shrink the size of the housing banishment zone and prevent people from being forced to move if a day care opens nearby. The proposal has yet to be heard in committee, the first step in the legislative session that ends in late May; multiple people involved in negotiations, who are not authorized to speak publicly, say conversations are ongoing.
Protesters flooded the rotunda of the Illinois Statehouse earlier this month, urging legislators to increase wages for caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The ‘They Deserve More’ coalition — representing advocacy organizations, families and over 90 agencies providing community care — is asking that these direct support personnel, or DSPs, receive at least 150% of Illinois’ minimum wage.
The coalition is also seeking to avoid a cut to state-funded DSP service hours that would result from a provision in Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposed budget for the Illinois Department of Human Services. […]
Demonstrators called for support for two bills moving through the Illinois General Assembly, House Bill 2788 and Senate Bill 1690, which propose raising the base wage for DSPs. Both bills failed to clear the legislature ahead of recent deadlines, but matters pertaining to state funding are generally included in the end-of-session budget package.
Edwina Hernandez, a DSP Recruiter at Cornerstone Services in Joliet, says her agency has trouble providing services to disabled residents due to employee retention challenges. DSPs are the individuals who provide daily personal care such as assisting individuals with eating, grooming and dressing.
“We do have a lot of workers out there who have a heart to serve and a heart to help the community. It’s just the pay,” Hernandez said at the demonstration.
* House Republicans…
On Wednesday, three Illinois House Republicans, who also work as family farmers, held a Capitol news conference to highlight legislation they are sponsoring to support Illinois’ agriculture industry. Specifically, State Representatives Dan Swanson (R-Alpha), Jason R. Bunting (R-Emington), and Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville) have sponsored legislation they say will help save family farms in Illinois.
State Rep. Dan Swanson is a 6th-generation family farmer near Alpha, Illinois. His family raises various crops and livestock. Swanson says Illinois must do more to preserve agriculture for the future. Swanson has sponsored HB 1501, legislation that creates an income tax credit for the owner of an agricultural asset who sells or rents that asset to a beginning farmer.
“There are young people in Illinois right now who want to get started in farming, but don’t always have the opportunity,” Swanson said. “We need to get that next generation up and running in agriculture. Unfortunately, my bill wasn’t called before the required deadline. We need to get serious about preserving the future of agriculture in Illinois.”
State Rep. Jason R. Bunting operates a family farm in Emington in rural Livingston County. Rep. Bunting noted the very real and dangerous conditions that farmers encounter in several aspects of their work. Rep. Bunting is sponsoring House Resolution 29, which would designate the week of September 15-21, 2025, as Farm Safety Week. Bunting also noted two other bills that would emulate Scott’s Law, which requires drivers to move over and slow down for stopped emergency vehicles. Bunting’s HB 3204 and HB 3205 would make Scott’s Law provisions applicable to farm implements.
“My bill would require drivers to make room for farm equipment on the roads so they can safely pass the equipment,” Bunting said. “This legislation would make the road safer for farmers, and for every other Illinoisan who drives the rural roads of this state, so that we can all make it home safely to our families.”
State Rep. Wayne Rosenthal is the former Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and a 4th-generation family farmer. Rosenthal argued for the Illinois estate tax exemption to be raised to help save family farms from double taxation.
“I know first-hand what this unfair estate tax means to my family and to every other family farm in Illinois,” Rosenthal said. “This isn’t just a tax, it’s a threat to our way of life. Too often, I have heard from families, friends, and neighbors who have been hit hard by this unfair tax. Illinois estate taxes are levied on farm owners when they pass on. Unlike monetary assets that can be moved, land cannot, so our family farms are penalized. Illinois has not adjusted the estate tax on farmland in more than a decade. Inflation has risen, and we haven’t made the necessary changes to our estate tax. We still have time to fix this problem this Session, we need to get to work so we can save Illinois family farms.”
The Illinois House Education Policy Committee approved a bill Wednesday to stop police from giving tickets and citations to students for breaking school rules. […]
Lawmakers and advocates filed this plan after ProPublica found 11,800 tickets were handed to students from 2019 to 2022.
“The goal of the bill is to basically say that if it is minor enough to be a municipal violation like vaping or minor fights, keep it in the school,” said Aimee Galvin from Stand for Children Illinois. “School is a unique environment for offering discipline, unlike a business. If something happens at Walgreens, they don’t have an after school detention or say ‘you can’t come to the dance.’” [….]
The legislation passed out of committee on a 9-3 vote and now moves to the House floor for further consideration. Senate Bill 1519 passed out of the Senate on a 37-17 vote earlier this month.
The Illinois House Ethics & Elections Committee met Tuesday evening to discuss the Safeguard Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. […]
The ethics & elections committee also discussed several election-related bills currently under consideration in the Statehouse.
State Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, said she proposed HB 1445 to make polling places accessible for young voters.
“It makes me excited that we have a potential opportunity to make it easier for young voters to have a say in their political process and feel like they are deciding their future and they are deciding the people that elect them,” Syed said. […]
State Rep. Adbelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, proposed House Bill 2998, which provides that all local election authorities shall post requirements and qualifications for running for local offices and petition filing deadlines on the website of the local election authority.
An Illinois bill that would ban that would ban schools from using Native American names, mascots and logos has passed the Illinois House and is now under review in the Senate. […]
For decades, Collinsville High School has used a “Kahok” mascot name. The name represents a fictional Native American tribe, and many school leaders view it as a symbol of local identity and heritage.
Dr. Mark Skertich, superintendent for the Collinsville School District, issued a public statement on April 10 outlining the district’s stance. The statement reads, in part:
“Our Collinsville High School Kahok mascot is a treasured part of our local community. Our district is home to the Cahokia Mounds World Heritage and State Historic Site, which is located where a large, influential Native American city once stood. Artifacts indicate it was the center of Mississippian culture in its day.
In 2020, our district received a formal written endorsement from the Western Cherokee Nation of Arkansas and Missouri to continue using our Kahok mascot. Their support is based on their belief that the people of the Western Cherokee could be descended from the Cahokia mound builders.”
He tools around town in a pickup truck with the license plate “Rabbi R.” He has bought several downtown buildings and is transforming them into retail, entertainment and living spaces. He’s going to bring actual World War II tanks to town and have them fire off a few rounds. He’ll even officiate at a wedding from time to time.
Just who is this man who has in a very short time left an indelible mark on the Jacksonville community?
Meet Rabbi Rob Thomas, 57, a native son of Jacksonville who has returned to his hometown with a mission as bold as the rumbling tanks he likes to drive in his spare time. That mission is to address two chief concerns among current community leaders – the need for more housing and entertainment opportunities. […]
Thomas, an ordained rabbi, is practicing what he preaches with the purchase and rehabilitation of four downtown Jacksonville buildings. The former Kresge Store building on the southeast corner of the square now houses Pizza Records, a retail and entertainment establishment, on the ground floor with two apartments being developed above. A similar plan with retail, restaurant or entertainment establishments below and residential units above is underway for the Andre & Andre Building, formerly the site of Sears; the former Osco Building known locally as the “green monster” and a red brick corner building at 201 E. Morgan St.
“This is the sort of thing that feeds on itself,” Thomas said. “You’ve got a critical mass of people living on the square; therefore, the square needs services for them of every type.”
* The governor was in Jacksonville earlier this week to award the city a $2 million downtown development grant. Pritzker has also included funding in his budget to tear down the abandoned Jacksonville Developmental Center. Rabbi Thomas attended the event and Rich talked to him about his downtown revitalization project…
Rich: How much longer do you think it’s going to be before this task is complete?
Rabbi Thomas: Oh, It’ll never be done. As it says in the Talmud ‘It is not for us to desist from the work, neither are we expected to complete it.’
Rich: Do you have a ballpark of how much you put in?
Thomas: I know an exact figure.
Rich: Can I ask you to tell me what that is?
Thomas: It’s a lot more than you think. […]
Rich: Do you really feel that Jacksonville is going to be back?
Thomas: Since COVID, you can work anywhere. Here’s the key bit of infrastructure you need, high capacity internet. So in the back of that Andre & Andre building (Thomas pointed across the square) is more fiber than you can get in downtown Chicago or downtown Manhattan. I dragged it all in there. And in the back of that building is Google, Netflix, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, I could keep going. I brought them all in.
Rich: So do they have servers over there?
Thomas: Yeah, I’ve got a network Point of Presence (PoP) […] And that connects all over the world to bring in that connectivity. So if you come here and you’ve got a tech or technical business. I need 1,000 lane highway but I need to be 10 feet long anywhere I want to go? Jacksonville. At a much lower cost of living, much more pleasant in many ways.
Rich: You can get a really nice house here.
Thomas: That’s exactly right. So you don’t have to go to Manhattan or Chicago. Come here, buy a lovely home. Maybe you want to fix up a home […] Maybe you want to move into a home. We’ve got options.
* You can kind of see the governor amidst the crowd (President of the Morgan County Democrats Judith Nelson said she sent out a blast email to members), but you can really see four colorful buildings owned by Thomas, who said the top floors will get turned into residential space…
Thomas is the chairman and CEO of Team Cymru, a cybersecurity company. According to the Illinois Times, “Thomas became a venture capitalist investing primarily in tech companies.”
* The event was held next to the Strawn Opera House, another one of Thomas’ projects. Journal Courier…
Jacksonville developers are aiming to resurrect an iconic 163-year-old opera house in downtown Jacksonville.
Rabbi Rob and Lauren Thomas took ownership Thursday of the property at 31 S. Central Park Plaza that housed Strawn Opera House. The couple says they plan on rebuilding the opera house to what it looked like when it opened in the mid-19th century. […]
Missouri author Mark Twain spoke at the building on Feb. 1, 1869, during which he delivered a speech on “The American Vandal Abroad.” Irish poet Oscar Wilde delivered a lecture at the hall on March 7, 1882, which the Journal-Courier — then the Jacksonville Journal — reported on the following day.
“Doubtless in his travels in this country Oscar Wilde has had the pleasure of lecturing to larger audiences than the one assembled at the Opera House last night,” the paper said. “But then again, it has been his lot on not a few occasions to face a larger proportion of empty seats that greeted him upon his appearance here.”
The opera house burned down on June 27, 1889. The building erected in its stead had its roof collapse more than a century later in May 1988, leading to its second floor being removed.
Rabbi Thomas told us yesterday that one addition to the opera house, not included in the original designs, will be a clock tower—“because every square should have a clock tower.”
* Thomas and his wife Lauren pose in front of the future opera house…
Thursday, Apr 24, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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Carlos Santana was rushed to the hospital ahead of his San Antonio show.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, a representative for Santana, 77, confirmed that the guitarist will postpone the show at the Majestic Theater scheduled for tonight, Tuesday, April 22.
Michael Vrionis, president of Universal Tone Management and a representative for Santana, said, “It is with profound disappointment that I have to inform you all that tonight’s show in San Antonio has been postponed. Mr. Santana was at the venue (Majestic Theatre) preparing for tonight’s show when he experienced an event that was determined to be dehydration. Out of an abundance of caution and the health of Mr. Santana, the decision to postpone the show was the most prudent course of action.”
He continued, “He is doing well and is looking forward to coming back to San Antonio soon as well as continuing his US Tour. Thank you all very much for your understanding. The show will be rescheduled soon.”
Thursday, Apr 24, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Findings of a recent economic study were clear — the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product.
Retailers like the Boyer family in Quincy enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
* ICYMI: Illinois Joins 11 Other States in Suing the Trump Administration Over ‘Tax Hikes’ Through Tariffs. CNN…
- The lawsuit seeks a court order to halt the tariffs under International Emergency Economic Powers Act, saying Trump does not have the authority he claims he does.
- “In the nearly five decades since IEEPA was enacted, no other President has imposed tariffs based on the existence of any national emergency, despite global anti-narcotics campaigns spearheaded by the United States and longstanding trade deficits,” the lawsuit argued.
- The coalition of states joins other groups that have sued the Trump administration on tariffs. A group of small U.S. businesses filed a lawsuit last week.
* The race is on: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton announced she will run for Durbin’s Senate seat this morning. Our coverage is here.
* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.
*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***
* Sun-Times | Stellantis still on track to reopen Belvidere plant, as automakers adjust for tariffs: “The launch timing for the plant has not changed,” Stellantis spokesperson Jodi Tinson said in a statement. “We’ll honor the timing indicated in the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement, so still expecting to launch in 2027.” The reopening of the idle Belvidere plant was announced in January, alongside plans to build a new Dodge Durango at its Detroit Assembly Complex. In addition to Dodge, Stellantis owns brands such as Chrysler, Jeep and Ram.
* Sun-Times | Jurors say they are stuck in bribery trial of Illinois Sen. Emil Jones III: “At this point, it doesn’t look like the jury can reach a unanimous agreement on Counts 1 and 3,” one of their notes read. “Is there any assistance that can be provided?” Prosecutors have leveled three criminal charges against Jones. Count 1 is the substantive bribery charge. Count 2 accuses the senator of using an email account to facilitate bribery. And Count 3 accuses him of lying to the FBI.
* Sen. Dick Durbin | Why I chose to retire: The challenges facing the Senate with this new administration are historic. They go to the heart of our democracy, and I am anxious to be part of that debate. I can assure you that I will continue to do everything in my power to fight for Illinois and the future of our nation every day of my remaining time in Senate service.
*** Statehouse News ***
* NBC | Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker takes steps to boycott El Salvador in protest of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s detention: In a release, Pritzker’s office said that it had directed various Illinois pension funds to review whether they are invested in any companies that are based in El Salvador and that it had ordered the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to evaluate whether any state procurement contracts have been granted to companies based in or controlled by El Salvador.
* Center Square | Calls grow for reforms to Illinois’ mass transit systems before awarding funding: With a massive funding shortfall on the horizon, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce is calling on state lawmakers to enact reforms for the state’s mass transit systems before considering funding. The chamber released a report that contains business principles for mass transit reform. Some of the recommendations include prioritizing public safety and making sure the business community has a seat at the table in future policy making.
*** Statewide ***
* Illinois Times | A loss for Illinois farmers and food banks: The decision to eliminate federal funding for programs that support farmers and food banks goes against the Trump administration’s commitment to “Make America Healthy Again” according to advocates for local producers and nonprofit hunger abatement organizations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in February cut two federal programs, the Local Food for Schools program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, that collectively received about $1 billion in funding nationwide. The LFPA buys fresh products from farmers at a fair market value, then distributes the food to communities through local food pantries. The USDA has since decided to let the remaining 2024 LFPA contract be spent but has canceled the LFPA contract for July 1 through June 30, 2026.
*** Downstate ***
* WGLT | McLean County health providers worry about Medicaid cuts: “I’m concerned. I’m alarmed. I’m scared by what I hear, by what this administration is trying to do,” said Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal and Greater Peoria. […] Chestnut Health Systems CEO Dave Sharar said federal money is 60% of Chestnut’s budget, and 70% of its clients are on Medicaid. He said that could threaten Chestnut’s integrated care model.
* Capitol News Illinois | State reports first measles case in southern Illinois: The measles diagnosis involving an adult in far southern Illinois was confirmed through laboratory testing, according to a press release sent out by IDPH. […] “This is not considered an outbreak at this time. IDPH will update the public should there be any notable developments,” the release stated.
* WSIL | Mt. Vernon Airport honors Everett Atkinson; WWII hero passes at 102: The Mt. Vernon Airport is mourning the loss of Evertt Atkinson, a cherished member of the community. Airport officials said Atkinson passed away on Easter Sunday at the age of 102, marking the end of an era for the airport and its community. Airport officials shared some details about his life. Atkinson was a distinguished World War II aviator who started with just a high school education and worked his way up to become an Aircraft Commander in the Boeing B-29 “Superfortress.”
* WJBD | Salem’s new Police Chief sworn in: After being sworn in, Boles addressed those gathered in the city council chambers. “My family is from here,” he said. “My parents were born and raised here. It’s an honor to be here. It’s kind of why I chose here, and we’re going to raise our son here. Thank you for the welcome, and everybody showing up. Everybody’s been great. I love the town and the small town vibe, and I’m happy to be here.”
*** Chicago ***
* ABC Chicago | ABC7 I-Team gets exclusive 1st look at massive Illinois solar farm powering Chicago: On a swath of land about three-and-a-half hours southwest of downtown Chicago, on what was once soybean fields, sits a farm of a different kind: 1.6 million solar panels sprouting up, now helping to power the city. Considered the largest solar park east of the Mississippi, Double Black Diamond’s nearly 4,000 acres straddles both Sangamon and Morgan counties in central Illinois.
* WTTW | Long-Stalled Push for Reparations in Chicago Moving Forward, Johnson Says: A task force formed by Mayor Brandon Johnson nearly a year ago to determine whether and how the city should pay reparations to Chicagoans who are the descendants of enslaved African Americans will start meeting this summer to craft a plan to tackle the thorny issue. The 40-member task force will be charged with developing “Chicago’s first comprehensive reparations study, a critical step forward in acknowledging, addressing and repairing generations of harm experienced by Black communities,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office.
* Block Club Chicago | West Side Legal Center’s New HQ Includes Apartments For Restorative Justice Program: The Lawndale Christian Legal Center’s Dr. Dennis Deer Community Justice Center opened Tuesday at 1449 S. Keeler Ave. The $22.5 million multi-use location will function as the central office for the free legal practice to meet with clients and provide referrals to social services. On average, the legal practice sees 300 clients annually. The Deer Center will also offer 20 free apartments to men ages 18 to 25 years old who are sentenced to probation in Cook County Circuit Court as an alternative to incarceration.
* Sun-Times | Steve McMichael, former Bears star and Hall of Famer, dies at 67: In a statement, Bears chairman George McCaskey said it was a “cruel irony that the Bears’ Ironman succumbed” to ALS. The man known as “Mongo” and “Ming the Merciless,” a player with crackling energy and a nonstop mouth who played a record 191 games for the Bears, was robbed of the ability to speak and move. It was almost as though he was being mummified, fellow Hall of Famer Dan Hampton said.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Sun-Times | Highland Park parade shooter’s sentencing to extend to second day: The daylong hearing also included testimony from over a dozen victims and their families about how their lives had been irreversibly changed since the attack on July 4, 2022, which left seven dead and 48 people wounded. “How do you rebuild a life when it’s been shattered?” Sheila Gutman, who was struck by a bullet in her foot in the attack, told the court.
* Daily Herald | ‘Heavy and heartbreaking’: Highland Park survivors testify as sentencing begins: In a statement read by his daughter, the widower of victim Jacquelyn “Jacki” Sundheim described the pain of his wife’s loss as “fresh, visceral and sometimes too much to bear.” Bruce Sundheim also berated the absent murderer for his “wanton cruelty” and wished him “a life filled with torment, pain and regret.”
* Daily Herald | Barrington breaks ground on long-awaited Route 14 underpass: Several Barrington area dignitaries attended the groundbreaking for the underpass, which will stretch from Valencia Avenue to Hough Street, running underneath the Canadian National Railway tracks. The underpass aims to alleviate traffic congestion and improve emergency response times by separating vehicle and rail traffic. Construction is expected to conclude by July 2027.
* Daily Herald | Smackdown at village hall: Elk Grove mayor wrestles with trash talk, agrees to tag team match: In a spectacle that had all the theatrics of professional wrestling, Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson accepted a challenge at a village board meeting this week to a summer slugfest. The battle royale involving the colorful seven-term mayor — a former high school wrestling coach — will be part of a series of matches in the ring at this summer’s Elk Grove Rotary Fest.
* Shaw Local | Downers Grove native still on road to COVID recovery: In the five years since the U.S. first reeled from COVID-19, leaving no one unscathed, the novel coronavirus has remained all too familiar to one Downers Grove native, former village commissioner Rich Kulovany. “Family became so much more important after all of this,” Kulovany said.
*** National ***
* WaPo | Trump orders changes to civil rights rules, college accreditation: Separately, Trump signed another order that also dealt with the enforcement of civil rights law as it relates to racial disparities in school discipline. The Biden administration had advised school districts that they may be in violation of civil rights law if they unfairly discipline students from different groups. The new executive order revokes the Biden-era discipline guidance.
* The Atlantic | Tesla’s Remarkably Bad Quarter Is Even Worse Than It Looks: Yesterday evening, Tesla reported first-quarter earnings for 2025, and they were abysmal: Profits dropped 71 percent from the same time last year. Musk sounded bitter on the call with investors that followed, blaming the company’s misfortune on protesters who have raged at Tesla dealerships around the world over his role running DOGE and his ardent support of far-right politicians. “The protests that you’ll see out there, they’re very organized. They’re paid for,” he said, without evidence.
Jody Dabrowski, CEO of Illinois Educators CU: IFPA Will Harm our Members and our Communities.
“My members would be so frustrated.”
Stop the Chaos for Our Hard-Working Educators!
* Yesterday, Sen. Dick Durbin said at least a dozen names have expressed interest in his seat. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton was the first out of the gate this morning to declare her candidacy…
Stratton currently oversees the administration’s Justice, Equity and Opportunity Initiative and chairs the board of the Restore, Reinvest and Renew Program, which reinvests a portion of cannabis tax revenue into communities experiencing high rates of shootings, unemployment, child poverty and incarceration.
Her campaign touted her work in the Ag Connects Us All Initiative, which helped to highlight the ways in which the agriculture industry could address inequities and food security. It’s also been a way for her to stay connected to the more rural areas of the state.
Last year, Stratton led a Black maternal health initiative that invested $15 million in closing the maternal mortality gap through expanding home visits, capital dollars for community-birth centers, a free diaper program and a child tax credit for low-income families.
Among the potential contenders, Stratton can boast that she’s a statewide official — meaning she’s traveled across the state and has had a visible presence at events with Pritzker for more than six years. She can also take credit for many progressive policies passed during Pritzker’s two terms, including expanded abortion care, an assault weapons ban and raising the minimum wage. That may also serve as easy fodder for a Republican opponent, who could challenge her on some of the administration’s most liberal policies.
…Adding… The Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association…
(DLGA) endorses Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton in her campaign to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate. With the endorsement, the DLGA is proud to commit seven figures in support of her campaign.
DLGA Chair and Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis released the following statement:
“The Democratic Lt. Governors Association is proud to commit to making an impactful investment to support Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton in her run as Illinois’ next U.S. Senator. Democratic lieutenant governors are the Democratic Party’s bench, and with these types of investments, we look forward to helping to elect the next generation of Governors and Senators across the country.”
…Adding… Governor Pritzker was asked about the announcement at an unrelated news conference this morning…
Reporter: Your colleague, Juliana Stratton, Lieutenant Governor, has announced her bid for US Senate to take over the Dick Durbin seat, what’s your reaction to that? And do you plan on endorsing her for Senator Durbin’s seat as his successor.
Pritzker: I apologize to my colleagues for the off topic question. […] In Illinois our senior Senator Dick Durbin announced his retirement yesterday. Our Lieutenant Governor in Illinois announced this morning that she’s going to be running for US Senate.
Well, I think you know, Jeremy, how I feel about her, and she is truly one of the most accomplished people that’s ever held the job of Lieutenant Governor. She’s done so much as a partner in governance of the state. As you know, I think very highly of her. She’s somebody who not only cares deeply, is passionate and compassionate, but again, highly accomplished.
That’s all I can say for now. And you know, I just, I feel strongly about her, and think very highly of her, and I think the voters will too.
…Adding… Earlier this month, Congressman Krishnamoorthi announced he had $19 million cash on hand…
* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
