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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Daily Herald | U.S. Rep. Krishnamoorthi running for Durbin’s Senate seat: In a telephone interview Tuesday night, Krishnamoorthi said the time is right to run for Senate because of Durbin’s pending departure. But he said he’s also hoping to shift chambers now because Trump administration policies targeting legal immigration, public housing and aid, and public schools are creating “economic chaos” and causing people to lose their grip on the American Dream. * The Electrification Coalition’s Liam Condon | Proposed bill would limit where customers could buy EVs: When I want to purchase something, I go to the company’s website or brick-and-mortar store and buy it. That’s how commerce works. But Senate Bill 1939, which is expected to go before Illinois legislators Wednesday, would make it illegal to buy many electric vehicles in this manner. Gov. JB Pritzker and many state lawmakers have been effective leaders in the push to modernize transportation. They have brought thousands of well-paying jobs to Illinois, from manufacturing electric trucks in Normal and batteries in Manteno to producing copper for EV batteries and installing and maintaining the state’s rapidly expanding network of 4,400 public charging ports. If they want to guarantee Illinoisans are in the driver’s seat building our electric future, they must vote down the proposed bill. * Daily Herald | Bill to nix senior road tests for 86 and younger, allow reporting of unsafe drivers clears Senate committee: The redo comes after myriad seniors protested against Illinois being the only state with road tests for older drivers, which they characterized as onerous age discrimination. “We need to ensure that processes, such as renewing a license, continue to be accessible to all, especially for those who pose the least amount of risk to other drivers,” said Senate Transportation Committee Chair Ram Villivalam, a Chicago Democrat. * WAND | IL bill to require school coaches to receive CPR, first aid and AED training passes Senate committee unanimously: A bill to require training for coaches on how to give CPR, first aid and use AED’s passed the Illinois Senate education committee unanimously Tuesday. It’s an expansion on a bipartisan law last year that required schools to have a cardiac emergency response plan. State Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan) said in committee this expansion will protect students and teachers. * President & CEO of Safer Foundation Victor Dickson | Expanding housing access to recently incarcerated Illinoisans is a worthwhile investment: Home for Good, sponsored by state Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, and state Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, would be a vital public investment in making that belief real. It expands existing housing programs that have already shown that with housing support and access, people are less likely to return to prison. It would allocate $103 million for rental assistance for people with criminal records who will contribute up to 30% of their income; grant money to acquire, build and rehabilitate affordable transitional and permanent housing; wraparound support services for those seeking housing; and create the Home for Good Institute, a training center for organizations that want to provide this kind of housing. * WAND | IL Senate committee unanimously approves bill banning firefighting protective gear containing PFAS: The plan requires companies selling protective equipment containing PFAS to provide written notice of why the chemicals are added to the gear by the end of this year. Illinois could then ban people from selling any PPE containing forever chemicals to fire departments starting January 1, 2027. * WCIA | Illinois bill to include horse riding therapy in coverage passes House Insurance Committee: The state insurance program may soon start covering horseback riding as part of therapy. A bill that passed in the House Insurance Committee would expand insurance coverage for hippotherapy when prescribed by a licensed occupational or speech therapist. Hippotherapy, also known as therapeutic horseback riding, is done by a licensed therapist with assistance from a professional horse handler to support a person to have better physical movement and cognitive processing. It is often used for people with physical disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, arthritis and in some cases Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). * Tribune | Ex-CPS principal found dead on day of sentencing in fraud case, lawyer says: At those proceedings, Abedelal’s attorney, Jonathan Bedi, told the judge he was informed last night that his client had passed away. No further details of the circumstances of her death were discussed in court. Ellis told Bedi to extend the court’s condolences to Abedelal’s family. Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri said that once the death certificate is verified the case will be dropped. * Block Club | Uber Refunding Riders Hit With City Congestion Fee — But Won’t Say How Much It Owes: The refunds appeared on Uber receipts and directly hit bank accounts for cards used to pay for rides outside the surcharge time window. In some cases, Uber sent messages to riders with the header “Just a quick update.” “You took a ride for which you were incorrectly charged a Chicago Congestion Surcharge due to technical issues on our end,” the Uber message reads. “We have corrected the error and refunded the incorrectly charged amount to the original payment method of this trip.” * Crain’s | DePaul chief to Congress: ‘We’ve made mistakes’ on antisemitism, campus protests: DePaul University President Robert Manuel told the U.S. House education committee today he was “deeply sorry” for mistakes in handling an anti-Israel encampment on the school’s Lincoln Park campus last spring and for an antisemitic attack on two DePaul students last fall. “We’ve made mistakes along the way” in responding to campus actions after the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, Manuel said. “As DePaul’s leader, I want to acknowledge that openly. To our students, our parents, our faculty, our staff, our alumni, and our friends, I am deeply sorry. I know there are areas where we must and will do better.” * WBEZ | ‘Pure chaos’: Why most Chicagoans used to move at the same time on Moving Day: People from every walk of life participated in Moving Day, including immigrants, longtime residents and those of all economic backgrounds. Picture this: The Chicago Tribune described Moving Day 1865 as “[t]he same grand old crash and confusion.” “Every wagon in the city was pressed into the service,” the writer said, describing packed wagons careening through the streets, torn-up carpets and furniture thrown into heaps, “[c]rying children, storming fathers, bewildered mothers.” * Block Club | Devil Dawgs Coming To Andersonville, Taking Over Former Reza’s Restaurant: Andersonville neighbors can expect the same Devil Dawgs menu as other locations, including its classic Chicago hot dog, jumbo spicy sausage and Italian beef sandwich. The location hopes to offer an outdoor patio as well, the spokesperson said. […] The business now has four locations in Chicago, including at 937 W. Belmont Ave. in Lakeview, 1431 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park, 804 N. Rush St. in the Gold Cost and 767 S. State St. in the South Loop. There’s also a location in Evanston at 921 Church St. * Sun-Times | Michael Miner, longtime media columnist for Chicago Reader, dies at 81: Mr. Miner pondered such topics as hypocritical columnists, biases, bad grammar and questionable editorial takes. Former Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich remembered in a Facebook post how reporters used to rush to pick up a copy of the Reader on publication day. “What did Miner have to say about that hot Sun-Times or Tribune story? Was he going to lacerate some terrible reporter? Or editor? Or praise some great reporter? Or editor?” Schmich wrote. * Crain’s | Cleveland-Cliffs to idle Riverdale plant, lay off 281 workers: The idles “are a necessary response to insufficient demand and pricing for the products the affected facilities produce, including rail, specialty plate, and high-carbon sheet; all of which fall outside of Cliffs’ core business focus,” a Cliffs spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The company said the closures are not related to the imposition of tariffs by President Donald Trump, a policy strongly supported by Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves. Cliffs said the idles will start around June 30 and about 950 employees will be out of work during the shutdowns. A WARN report filed recently with the state of Illinois shows 281 workers at the Riverdale facility will be laid off at the start of the closure. * ABC Chicago | Plainfield man asks Will County judge to reconsider sentence in 6-year-old stabbing, hate crime case: A Will County judge heard his case Wednesday morning. There’s no word on the judge’s decision yet. A jury convicted him in February on charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder and hate crimes. * Daily Southtown | Homewood Arts Council bringing rock veterans together for birthday tribute to The Who’s Pete Townshend: One way the 501(c)(3) volunteer-run community organization does this is by presenting events such as Who’s Birthday – A Tribute to Pete Townshend for ages 21 and older on May 10 at Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve’s Senior Hall. “I’m friends with Chris Casteneda, who put this together. He knows me through a couple mutual friends and has seen me play,” said Phil Angotti, one of the event’s performers. “Besides writing original music I play a lot of ’60s things. I’m a huge fan. He knew that so he asked me to part of this show.” * Daily Herald | Lawyers outline plan for class action suit against Prestige Feed Products: Lawyers representing neighbors complaining about odors from a Mount Prospect animal feed producer in a class-action lawsuit met Tuesday at a Des Plaines church with clients and interested parties. During the meeting at Unity Des Plaines church, Reed Solt and Laura Sheets of the Detroit-based firm Liddle Sheets P.C., explained next steps as the suit against Prestige Feed Products LLC and Cereal Byproducts Co. heads to a May 14 court date before Cook County Judge Clare Sheets said the primary objective of the lawsuit is to secure monetary damages for affected residents and require operators to address the odor issues. * BND | Over 80K in metro-east have elevated ‘forever chemicals’ in their city’s water: More than 80,000 people in Madison County recently learned their city’s water exceeded new state and federal limits on contamination from PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” the last time it was tested. Collinsville had some of the highest levels in the state: four and a half times the limit for one type of chemical. * WGLT | Former members of Foundation Church in Normal say they faced spiritual abuse: Many said the church, which catered largely to college students, young professionals and youth, has increasingly focused on a patriarchal hierarchy that can be degrading to women, and some said their mental health concerns were directly ignored when raised with church leadership. […] “Most examples of spiritual abuse refer to a church elder or faith leader inflicting abuse on congregation members, often by creating a toxic culture within the church or group by shaming or controlling members using the power of their position,” the writes the National Domestic Violence Hotline. * BND | Former bishop of Belleville Diocese part of papal conclave to elect a new pope: Gregory, a native of Chicago, served as the seventh bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Belleville from 1993 to 2004. During his tenure locally, he was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as the crisis of sex abuse by Catholic clergy was escalating. In 2002, he pushed the conference to pass the Dallas Charter, which instituted a zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse of minors. * WSIL | See Moments Captured on the Veterans Honor Flight 14: As veterans made their way to Washington D.C. as part of the Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois Flight 14, members of the organization wanted to make sure they documented their trip. As veterans first walked into the Veteran’s Airport in Marion, they were treated with lots of volunteers and crews welcoming them with open arms.
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It’s Illinois bacon day!
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
* WICS…
* Rep. Cassidy celebrated on the House floor by wearing a bacon hat…  Hilarious.
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From the legal front: AG Raoul helps win preliminary injunction to restore federal education grants
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for the preliminary injunction. From yesterday…
* Meanwhile…
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Repeal IFPA Now
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.]  IFPA Will Harm our Members and our Communities. “This new law passed in Illinois would be really difficult to explain to our members”. Stop Chaos for Our Hard-Working Postal Workers! Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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Emma Shafer’s memory used by Secretary Noem to buttress argument on Illinois laws (Updated)
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * WICS TV last July…
Remember that US Marshals thing because it’s gonna come up later in the post. * Emma Shafer was a beloved local activist…
* After a large crowd showed up near the governor’s mansion to protest Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference, her handlers moved the event to near the home of Emma Shafer’s parents. Noem abruptly ended the press conference when protesters drew near, as you can see if you click here and skip to near the end of the video. Emma Shafer’s mom was actually at the anti-Noem protest and was visibly in tears, Isabel told me. * From Secretary Noem’s remarks…
Remember, the US Marshal’s office and other agencies have been working with the Springfield police on this case since the very beginning. And let’s be clear, Calixto was a very bad guy. But it’s highly doubtful that the Emma Shafer who so many people knew during her life would’ve approved of Noem’s using her for rhetorical gain. The appearance of Shafer’s mom at the protest solidifies that belief. Also, despite what Noem said, police think Calixto may have fled the country. * Let’s go back to the planned event outside the governor’s mansion, a month after the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion was ransacked by an intruder. It turns out, the City of Springfield denied a permit to the Illinois Environmental Council to hold an event in that same space earlier this year. From a March 20 City of Springfield email to the IEC…
I’ve asked a city spokesperson why a permit (if any) was issued to Noem, and if a permit was issued for the event near the Shafer home. I have not yet heard back. I’ll let you know when I know. …Adding… The response from the city spokesperson…
* Related…
* Click here to donate to the Emma Shafer Peace and Justice Fund
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Protect Access To 340B: Drug Discount Savings Means More Services For Low-Income Communities
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Pharmaceutical manufacturers, many of them based in foreign countries, are making it hard for hospitals like Franciscan Health Olympia Fields to turn savings on drug costs into services for patients. The hospital joined the federal 340B drug discount program “to help serve the uninsured and under-insured community residents in Olympia Fields and Chicago Heights.” The poverty rates in both Chicago suburbs are higher than the 11.6% state average—12.7% in Olympia Fields and 24.7% in Chicago Heights. The hospital has put those savings toward services, including its:
• Medication to Bedside program that ensures medication access prior to discharge; and • Pharmacist-managed Anticoagulation Clinics and Pharmacotherapy Clinics that improve medication outcomes and reduce hospital readmissions. “The 340B program serves as a vital lifeline for safety-net providers to support critical health services in low-income or isolated rural communities, which are typically operated at a loss,” Franciscan Health said. Since 2020, drugmakers have arbitrarily limited access to lifesaving medications acquired through the 340B program, making it harder for more than 100 participating hospitals in Illinois to invest in healthcare—and patients. For one safety net hospital alone, these restrictions have resulted in a $16 million hit. Support Senate Bill 2385 and House Bill 3350 to prohibit drugmakers from interfering with hospital pharmacy contracts. Learn more.
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Coverage roundup: Krishnamoorthi launches bid for Durbin seat
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were briefed earlier. Capitol News Illinois…
* Rep. Krishnamoorthi’s launch video…
* Tribune…
* Sun-Times…
* Politico…
* ABC…
* More…
* Axios | Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi launches bid for U.S. Senate: Krishnamoorthi’s announcement video starts off by focusing on his opposition to the Trump administration, saying he spent his “life standing up to bullies.” The 51-year-old, 5-term congressman cited abortion, gun control and opposition to DOGE and tariffs as key issues of his campaign. He also leaned heavily into his ties to former President Obama — who he worked for as a campaign operative — who he said “showed that Illinois will give you a shot even when you have a funny name.” * ABC Chicago | Illinois Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi running for US Senate: The congressman now joins Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and Representative Robin Kelly in the race for Durbin’s Senate seat. Other possible contenders to enter the race include Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and on the Republican side, Representative Darin LaHood.
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12 Million: The Number Of Care Hours Illinois Seniors Need And Aren’t Receiving
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller Seniors need access to home care services so they can age with dignity at home. But Illinois seniors aren’t getting the care they need. There are over 20,000 seniors in Illinois who need home care services but are not receiving care. What’s more, in 2024, 12 million hours meant for senior home care went unserviced. That means the home care crisis shortchanged Illinois seniors 12 million hours of care that they need. And it’s getting worse. This number has been growing every year – destabilizing the Community Care Program. And it’s because poverty wages are destabilizing the care workforce. Care workers are leaving the industry because they can’t afford to stay – leaving seniors without care. “People like me are struggling to access home care services that allow us to continue living independently in our homes because of a workforce shortage that is being driven by low wages,” said Diana Inman, a Decatur senior who receives home care services through the Community Care Program. “My regular [worker] was taken away from me, and it took them a whole week to finally find somebody to come in. That was rough.” Seniors can’t wait any longer to get the essential home care they need. Support HB 1330/SB 120 to increase the wage floor for home care workers serving seniors in the Community Care Program from $18/hr to $20/hr in 2026. Care can’t wait!
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Roundup: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to visit Springfield (Updated x9)
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. Media advisory from the Department of Homeland Security about Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit to Springfield today…
It’s scheduled to begin at 10 this morning. Watch it live here… * Organizers are preparing to protest…
* Governor Pritzker’s office had a snark-filed response to Noem’s visit…
The governor’s last jab references Noem’s book, which includes a story about killing a Cricket, a 14 month old dog, she “hated.” * US Rep. Lauren Underwood also got some swings in yesterday when Noem testified before a House panel. From Rep. Lauren Underwood…
Click here to watch the hearing. * Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias wasn’t too happy yesterday when Secretary Noem announced that people without REAL ID can still board airplanes. He’s holding his own press conference right after hers…
* Meanwhile… From Pritzker spokesperson Alex Gough…
…Adding… Veronica Castro, deputy director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights…
…Adding… The scene in front of the mansion…
…Adding… Press release…
…Adding… Emma Shafer’s mom was actually at the protest against Noem’s visit…
…Adding… The executive mansion was decorated ahead of Noem’s visit…
* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias gave a short speech and took no questions…
…Adding… Press release…
* Press release…
* Press release…
* Press release…
…Adding… Press release…
…Adding… Governor’s office fact check…
We are posting related state legislator press releases on our live press release coverage post. …Adding… Latino Policy Forum…
* More…
* CBS | Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s office slams, mocks Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ahead of visit: Earlier Tuesday, Pritzker confirmed he would testify before Congress next month about Illinois’ sanctuary laws. The hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on June 12 comes after Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), the panel’s chairman, last month called on Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and New York Mayor Kathy Hochul to come before the committee. * Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker to testify before Congress on Illinois’ ‘sanctuary’ immigration policies: Last month, Comer sent a letter inviting the governors to appear before the committee May 15 to discuss their states’ “sanctuary policies.” The request came about a month after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, along with the mayors of New York, Boston and Denver, testified before the same committee about similar policies in their cities. Johnson touted Chicago’s downward trend in crime in his opening statement. He went on to argue throughout the six-hour session that the city’s long-standing policy blocking local police from assisting in federal immigration enforcement in fact makes communities safer. * NBC Chicago | Noem visit to Springfield draws sarcastic response from Pritzker’s office: Rep. Mary Miller went a step further on Tuesday, calling on Illinois sheriffs to “defy…state sanctuary laws,” and to cooperate with ICE to deport individuals in the country without legal status. “I call on every local sheriff in Illinois to defy these dangerous directives, cooperate with ICE, and support President Trump’s deportation efforts,” she said in an interview with Fox News. “We must act now before one more innocent American life is lost or harmed.” Thoughts?
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Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] What if Illinois could expand its energy grid, attract AI and emerging tech companies to the state, and provide over 60,000 new jobs with no impact on communities or the environment? SOO Green makes it possible. Built along existing rail corridors, this underground transmission project will deliver 2,100 MW of low-cost reliable power making the electric grid more resilient in the face of extreme weather while unlocking billions in economic investments for Illinois. The SOO Green Advantage:
• 60,000+ new jobs • Lower energy costs for families and businesses • $26 billion in economic benefits statewide • $9.8 billion in health benefits by reducing emissions With SOO Green all ratepayers will enjoy a more reliable grid, protection from rising energy costs, and a stronger economy for Illinois. Learn more at www.soogreen.com.
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Open thread
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * A little wake-up music… She got Elgin movement from her head down to her toes What’s going on in your world?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi joins increasingly crowded race to succeed Dick Durbin in Senate. Tribune…
- Krishnamoorthi’s expected announcement follows ones made by Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson that they would enter the March 17 Democratic primary. - Far from a household name to statewide voters, ”Just call me Raja” has long been Krishnamoorthi’s political campaign theme and he is maintaining it for the Senate run. I’ll have a full coverage roundup for Krishnamoorthi’s announcement later this morning. * Related stories…
∙ Daily Herald: ‘I’m ready to stand up and fight back’: State Sen. Laura Fine launches bid for Schakowsky’s U.S. House seat ∙ NOTUS: The Already Crowded Illinois Senate Race Gets Another Contender 
* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker to testify before Congress on Illinois’ ‘sanctuary’ immigration policies: Pritzker’s office confirmed Tuesday that the governor would “voluntarily appear” before the U.S. House Oversight Committee on June 12 after its chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, announced in a news release that Pritzker would testify alongside New York’s Kathy Hochul and Minnesota’s Tim Walz. * Sun-Times | Nicor’s ‘exorbitant’ $309 million rate hike request should be cut in half, watchdogs say: That’s why state regulators should cut the increase roughly in half, experts from the Citizens Utility Board, Illinois Public Interest Research Group and Environmental Defense Fund argued Wednesday. “This company is rolling in profits and they just keep coming to the table asking for more,” CUB spokesman Jim Chilsen said. “This rate hike request is filled with fat and excess, and customers are fed up.” * Sun-Times | New study suggests insuring immigrants in Illinois gives hospitals a financial lift: That effort has had a domino effect. In a new study, researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of California in Los Angeles found what’s known as bad debt, or debt hospitals fail to recoup, declined on average 15% across Illinois from 2021-23 — and potentially as much as 25% at hospitals in counties with the highest enrollment in the state’s immigrant health plans. For the average hospital, a 15% drop in bad debt is around $1.5 million. * Sun-Times | In response to RFK Jr., Pritzker to sign first in nation executive order protecting autism data: Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday plans to sign an executive order to restrict the mass collection and sharing of autism-related data for Illinois residents, in response to the country’s top health secretary’s rhetoric around the cause of autism. The executive order comes after Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, recently said he would undertake a “massive testing and research effort” to determine the cause of autism, including an investigation into whether any environmental factors are causing the development disorder. * Capitol News Illinois | New study suggests changes to Illinois’ community college-university pipeline: The report by the Partnership for College Completion says that while 79% of community college students start with the intention of transferring to a university, only 35% of them do. The success rate is even lower for low-income students and students of color, the report states. Only 28% of low-income students transfer, compared to 44% of higher-income students. And while Black and Latino students make up 44% of community college enrollment in Illinois, they make up just 31% of those who transfer to public universities. * Capitol City Now | Illinois House and Senate meet for 7th annual softball game: State Senator, Steve McClure, said honor was on the line this year as, according to him, the officiating last year was questionable, so he was hoping for a fair shot this year. Unfortunately, his Field of Dreams was not to be. Final in the game – House 9, Senate NOTHING. * Center Square | Illinois’ meat industry discusses successes, challenges in face of tariffs: During an Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee hearing Tuesday afternoon, Jennifer Tyree with the Illinois Pork Producers Association laid out the strengths in her industry. To the question of prospective tariffs, Tyree said they are a big concern they’re monitoring closely, but Illinois’ pork industry is focused on maintaining their market share. “Closer to 30% of our product is exported,” Tyree said. “At this point we are holding our own. We are just trying very hard to continue to keep that market share because I think what is our biggest concern is if we lose market share, it’s very hard to get it back.” * Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson faces pushback from top ally on eve of pivotal affordable housing vote: Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell said the plan would simply benefit affluent communities and do little to uplift marginalized communities where “affordable rent is the same as market rent.” * Background is here if you need it…
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson defends deal on Columbus statues: Asked about the long celebrated, but now more closely scrutinized Italian explorer’s legacy, Johnson Tuesday talked about the trans-Atlantic slave trade and decimation of Indigenous American people that followed Columbus’ arrival. Still, Columbus left a legacy many are proud of, he added. “Art and culture in particular is something that I don’t believe we should erase,” Johnson said. “And we do have to make sure that our presentation is depicting not just truth, but the best part of our existence, which is our collective humanity.” * Crain’s | Trump goes off on ‘woke’ Obama Center construction: President Donald Trump went on a tangent to lambast the state of construction for the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park today during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. “I mean look, President Obama — and if he wanted help, I’d give him help because I build on time and on budget — he’s building his presidential library in Chicago. It’s a disaster,” Mr. Trump said. “And he said something to the effect, ‘I only want DEI, I only want woke.’ He wants woke people to build it. Well, he got woke people and they have massive cost overruns, the job is stopped. I don’t know, it’s a disaster.” * President of the Chicago Federation of Labor Bob Reiter’s response…
* Crain’s | Inside the long-simmering United vs. American grudge match that’s reignited at O’Hare: The dispute between United and American airlines that spilled into federal court last week has roots in a contentious lease agreement signed in 2018 but reflects a deeper rivalry between the two carriers over one of the nation’s biggest and busiest markets for air travel. It’s a history marked by both cooperation and gamesmanship, at times reminiscent of the Hatfields and McCoys—the result of an unusual scenario in which two major airlines have hubs at the same airport. * Sun-Times | Trump Tower plaza barricades pulled back after months of complaints: Trump Tower building security notified the city Tuesday afternoon that all levels of the plaza and riverwalk were reopened Tuesday morning. A Sun-Times photographer found fences that were moved, now sitting alongside a pathway. The planning department’s investigation found “that the property was not in compliance” with the planned development, which states: “All of the open-to-air components of the River Park/Plaza Improvements … shall be open to the public twenty-four (24) hours a day.” * Daily Southtown | Tinley Park-Park District budget plan seeks to identify how much more state funding needed for land cleanup: The state earmarked $15 million the Park District could use for cleanup of environmental issues including asbestos and mold, as well as demolishing dozens of buildings, both large and small, on the property. District officials said experts working on the remediation are calculating what additional funds will be sought from the state. The $15 million set aside in state money was based on estimates of the cost of the cleanup made more than a decade ago. * Sun-Times | ‘U-pick’ flower farm fighting Chicago suburb to reopen, as 20,000 tulips wait to be picked: But in May 2024, the village sent a cease-and-desist letter to owner Chris Yamamoto, forcing him to close shop. The village contends the farm violates its zoning codes for businesses on residential property. Yamamoto believes the farm aligns with the village’s values, so for almost a year now, he’s been fighting to reverse the decision. It’s not about the money. He bought all those tulip bulbs direct from Holland out of a passion for flower farming. * Daily Herald | After 36 years and more than 1,200 meetings, Palatine village clerk retires: “I enjoyed writing minutes that were succinct, that were clear, concise and accurate,” the former Northwestern University English major said. “Don’t waste anybody’s time reading through mumbo jumbo.” The job, however, goes way beyond taking the minutes. As village clerk, Duer was responsible for overseeing elections, including establishing early voting sites, recommending election judges and ensuring proper signage and nonpartisan administration of polling places. * Illinois Times | Major solar development opens in Sangamon County: The farm generates 800 megawatts, which is enough power to supply more than 100,000 homes. Previously, the land was used to grow corn and soybeans. [..] Creating alternative uses for farmland gives more options for landowners but places pressure on tenant farmers, said Bill Bodine, director of business and regulatory affairs for the Illinois Farm Bureau. “For some farmers, it’s a challenge, because they need access to land in order to continue their business, to make a profit, to support their families. Sometimes there can be concerns with conversion of farmland simply because it’s a competing use.” * PJ Star | Tension, transparency and hope: Why a new mayor could mean ‘a new day’ for Washington: In addition to her swearing in as the city’s first female mayor, four new city council members were sworn in, and three other officials were reelected. […] Stevens moved quickly to carry out city business, starting with designating McIntyre and Moss as signatories. City policy requires two authorized signatures on checks and withdrawals, and while those are typically handled by the mayor and city treasurer, additional signatories are needed in case the treasurer would be absent, Finance Director Joanie Baxter explained. * WCIA | Champaign Co. workers rallying for better contracts: “We want to be able to buy groceries, keep a roof over our head. We don’t want to have to work two and three jobs at a time to make ends meet,” Cecelia Phillips, the AFSCME local 900 president, said. Phillips works in the Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s Office and organized a rally Tuesday afternoon in hopes it’ll change the minds of local government officials. * BND | About 300 East St. Louis students may lose after-school programs: East St. Louis School District 189 typically uses federal 21st Century Community Learning Center Grants, which supports programming in high-poverty areas, to fund its after-school programming. Those grants have been running out, and District 189 has been struggling to find alternative funding sources, said Sydney Stigge-Kaufman, the district’s executive director of communications. * WGLT | Big sewer construction project will disrupt homeless encampment in Normal: Mayor Chris Koos said the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District [BNWRD] will begin a large construction project in the area next month. Koos said it’s a good question where the unhoused people at the encampment will go. “We are looking very hard in cooperation with Home Sweet Home Ministries to see if there is any property in Normal and we frankly can’t find anything,” Koos said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. He said the municipality might consider buying something for a shelter village like one proposed in downtown Bloomington. * Reuters | EV makers Rivian, Lucid flag increasing costs as tariffs bite: Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told Reuters the cost per vehicle was expected to rise by “a couple of thousand dollars” due to tariffs. “Customers are hesitant to make large-dollar purchases, and they’re more price sensitive than they historically have been,” he said, adding Rivian was working on adjusting its supply chain to mitigate tariff costs.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some Statehouse news
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* ABC Chicago…
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker will travel to DC, next month to testify before a Republican-led panel on sanctuary cities…
* Jewish Insider | Schakowsky retirement sets up Illinois Democratic primary battle over Mideast policy: In an interview with Jewish Insider on Monday, Fine touted her pro-Israel platform and described herself as a staunch defender of the Jewish state who has long been outspoken against rising antisemitism fueled by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terror attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza. * Tribune | Stressed athletes and coaches wait as deadline nears to solve NCAA’s ‘changing’ roster limits issue: The $2.8 billion settlement, if approved, would benefit thousands of former and current college athletes. It would provide back pay to former athletes for missed name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities. And it would allow current and future athletes — especially elite ones and those who participate in the money-making sports of football and men’s basketball — to benefit from revenue sharing from their universities. But U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken’s approval of the House settlement has been held up by one issue: roster limits. * Sun-Times | ‘State of Black Chicago’ report lays out path to building wealth amid stark racial gaps: “The State of Black Chicago 2025: A Laddered Path to Wealth Building” focuses heavily on a key data point from a report by The New School’s Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy. The 2024 findings show that the typical Black family in the Chicago metropolitan area reports a median net worth of $0, compared with $210,000 for a white family. * WTTW | Chicago-Area Organizations Working on Everything From Youth Mentorship to Homelessness Lose Positions Following AmeriCorps Cuts: “The damage is done, the damage is critical and what they’re gonna find out is that the damages are gonna have more of a cost than their perceived savings,” said A Safe Haven Foundation President Mark Mulroe, whose organization was impacted by AmeriCorps cuts. Five AmeriCorps VISTA members at A Safe Haven Foundation, which provides services to individuals experiencing homelessness in the Chicago area, were told Monday that there was no longer funding for their positions after the nonprofit was informed of grant terminations, according to Mulroe. * Sun-Times | New book illuminates Wrigley Building. Iconic structure? Yes. Superb? Not so much.: What we get far less of are the critics who lined up over the years to give the Wrigley Building the backhand. Lewis Mumford referred to its “safe mediocrity.” The Wrigley Building is “just what the name implies,” sniffed Frank Lloyd Wright — admittedly not famous for kindness toward other architects — noting it “illustrates the principle that an ugly building by day, if illuminated, will be ugly by night as well.” […] Sharoff brushes away such criticism (and Samuelson dismisses the enduring skybridge mystery in a few chicken-crossing-the-road sentences: It was built in 1931 to get to the other side). * Chicago Mag | The Sketchy Future of Court Artists: Currently, there are two main sketch artists who freelance for the television news stations and newspapers in town: Lou Chukman and Cheryl “Cookie” Cook. That’s down from the days when every station and newspaper in town had their own courtroom sketch artist on staff. Now a new face, Cliff Questel, has gotten on board what may be a sinking ship. , 62, is a graphic artist by day, but recently has been seen at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse — referred to by its location, “26th and Cal,” by most in the news business — as well as other courthouses in the Chicago area. * Tribune | Nancy Faust on her Chicago White Sox return after a 15-year absence: ‘I never expected a resurgence like this’: Faust spent 41 seasons — more than 3,000 games — on the South Side, missing only a handful of games due to the birth of her son. She is widely recognized for incorporating popular music into ballpark repertoire and for choosing songs that relate to each player based on their name, number or even their home state. Ever chant “Na-Na Hey-Hey Goodbye” when the opposing team pulls their pitcher? That’s because Faust played it first. […] The White Sox announced Monday that Faust, 78, will return to The Rate — which was known as U.S. Cellular Field the last time she played there almost 15 years ago — with her organ for six home games on select Sundays. Her appearances start on Sunday with Mother’s Day and end on Aug. 10, which happens to be her and husband Joe’s 45th wedding anniversary. * Block Club | Andersonville’s Midsommarfest Returns In June With Headliners The O’My’s, Sixteen Candles: The free, family-friendly festival is 5-10 p.m. June 13, noon-10 p.m. June 14 and noon-9 p.m. June 15 on Clark Street between Foster Avenue and Gregory Street. It’s expected to host as many as 80,000 people throughout the weekend. This year will be the 59th edition of Midsommarfest, one of Chicago’s oldest and most beloved street festivals, according to the event organizer, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce. * Aurora Beacon-News | Attrition program, cost-cutting measures debated as Kane County Board grapples with impending budget shortfall: The county is on pace to dip below the required 90-day reserves in 2027 if revenue and spending remains level, county officials have said. One solution was an additional revenue stream, most notably a proposed 0.75% sales tax touted by some as a viable solution to the budget gap. But, in April, voters overwhelmingly shot down the measure. * Patch | Newly Sworn-In City Council Member Announces Bid For DuPage Board: In an announcement celebrating being sworn in for his second term on the Naperville City Council, council member Ian Holzhauer announced plans to run for a seat on the DuPage County Board. […] “ The number one duty of candidates and elected officials is to be candid with voters. Many have asked about my future intentions. Rather than be cagey, I will be straightforward: I will be running for DuPage County Board in District 5 in the midterm election.” * Daily Southtown | Jim Dodge sworn in as Orland Park mayor, says it’s ‘a new day’ for the village: Sworn in Monday as Orland Park’s mayor, Jim Dodge said it’s “a new day” in the village and pledged he and other new elected officials are “going to do everything to make sure we listen” to residents. Dodge won election in April 1, defeating Keith Pekau, who was seeking a third term. Sworn in with Dodge were Village Clerk Mary Ryan Norwell and trustees John Lawler, Dina M. Lawrence and Joanna M. Liotine Leafblad. * Daily Herald | The ‘perfect fit’: Former Buffalo Grove deputy hired as Lisle’s police chief: It didn’t take long for new Lisle Mayor Mary Jo Mullen to name a new police chief — one of her first official moves since being sworn into office. Village trustees have confirmed Mullen’s appointment of Michael Rodriguez to the long-vacant post. His hiring comes months after Kevin Licko stepped down as Lisle’s police chief. “We interviewed Mike back in December. I would say all of us really felt that he was the empathetic, mentoring, coaching style of leader that our force really needs right now,” Mullen said Tuesday. * WGLT | Normal extends deadline for short-term rentals, gets pushback on Illinois Art Station hirings: The moratorium, applying to properties such as Airbnb or VRBO offerings, was to give Normal time to consider and evaluate regulatory alternatives. The council approved a change for it to last until July 1, rather than June 1. That gives extra time for Normal to better assess the situation should any land-use bills become law by the end of the Illinois spring legislative session on May 31. * WGLT | NPR stations like WGLT wade through uncertainty following executive order: WGLT Assistant Executive Director and Development Director Melissa Libert says it’s unrealistic for added community support to entirely make up for a loss of federal funding. That would be about $175,000 annually if all federal funding was removed. “It would be significant,” Libert said. “What we are worried about is that the attacks just keep coming.” * KHQA | New funding allows Girl Scouts to expand mental health outreach in rural western Illinois: The funding will support programming aimed at 350 girls across Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike counties. The initiative brings mental health education directly to youth in underserved communities by offering age-appropriate programming focused on self-care, confidence, communication and resiliency. * WCIA | Douglass Branch Library shows off new makerspace: Manager Thea Green said they received a $50,000 grant from Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to give the community a new space to be in. “Just to bring the community together, to let their creative mind go and make something and take something home that they would enjoy to have in,” Green said. * WCIA | Shozo Sato, founder of U of I’s Japan House, dies at 91: The organization announced on Tuesday that Shozo Sato passed away at the age of 91. Sato founded Japan House in 1975, about a decade after first coming to Central Illinois from Japan. He arrived in 1964 as a visiting artist-in-residence for the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and the College of Fine and Applied Arts. “He recognized the need for cultural arts education to build cultural bridges and committed the rest of his life to teaching in the United States,” Japan House wrote. “His tenacity and vision for teaching Japanese arts and culture started the original Japan House at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.” * NBC | Supreme Court allows Trump to implement transgender military ban: The justices granted an emergency request from the Trump administration to lift a nationwide injunction blocking the policy while litigation continues. The court’s brief order noted that the three liberal justices dissented. The decision is a loss for the seven individual transgender service members, led by lead plaintiff Emily Shilling, a Navy commander, who had sued to block it.
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Noem says people without REAL ID can still board airplanes (Updated)
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Alexi ain’t too happy…
* AP…
* Guardian…
…Adding… Secretary Noem will be in Springfield tomorrow…
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Misguided Insurance Regulation Proposals Could Increase Premiums For The Majority Of Illinoisans
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Several bills proposed this legislative session seek to ban certain factors that insurance companies use to set fair and accurate insurance pricing for customers. The bills would ban the use of credit-based insurance scores, zip codes, age, and gender in insurance pricing. An op-ed published recently in the Chicago Tribune explains why such bans could cause insurance rates to rise for the majority of consumers. Case in point: When the use of credit was banned in Washington in 2021, more than 60 percent of Washington drivers saw an increase in their insurance premiums. Should similar legislation pass in Illinois, the majority of Illinoisans with better-than-average credit could see premium increases. With stubbornly high inflation and high property taxes, now is not the time to pass bills that could end up hiking insurance premiums for most Illinoisans. Click here to learn more.
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Coverage roundup: Rep. Robin Kelly launches US Senate bid
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were told about Rep. Kelly’s announcement this morning. The Hill…
* Rep. Kelly’s launch video…
* Tribune…
* NBC Chicago…
* Sun-Times…
* Politico…
* More… * Roll Call | Rep. Robin Kelly is running for Senate in Illinois: In 2002, Kelly won election to the state House and served two terms before becoming the chief of staff to Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Both she and her boss had a rough year in 2010. Giannoulias lost a U.S. Senate race to Republican Mark S. Kirk, and Kelly lost her bid to replace her former boss. * ABC Chicago | Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly running for US Senate: “Well I think the Obama card is always a good one to play in Illinois and she does have a deep relationship with the former president,” ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington said. […] “Well it hasn’t swayed her, she’s got just a million or two in her campaign fund,” Washington said. “It think it’s very far out to just figure out who has the best fundraising ability. Each candidate is going to have their own strengths and weaknesses.” * Fox 32 | U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly launches Senate bid to succeed Dick Durbin: Kelly led a House sit-in over gun violence legislation and co-sponsored bills protecting domestic violence survivors. As a state lawmaker, she partnered with then-state Sen. Barack Obama and current Senate President Don Harmon to pass legislation targeting illegal gun sales.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Rep. Kam Buckner…
* WAND…
* G-PAC…
Something to keep in mind: HB3285 and SB1901 are both appropriation bills. * Sen. Mike Simmons…
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Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller [The following is a paid advertisement.] What if Illinois could expand its energy grid, attract AI and emerging tech companies to the state, and provide over 60,000 new jobs with no impact on communities or the environment? SOO Green makes it possible. Built along existing rail corridors, this underground transmission project will deliver 2,100 MW of low-cost reliable power making the electric grid more resilient in the face of extreme weather while unlocking billions in economic investments for Illinois. The SOO Green Advantage:
• 60,000+ new jobs • Lower energy costs for families and businesses • $26 billion in economic benefits statewide • $9.8 billion in health benefits by reducing emissions With SOO Green all ratepayers will enjoy a more reliable grid, protection from rising energy costs, and a stronger economy for Illinois. Learn more at www.soogreen.com.
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From the legal front: AG Raoul requests preliminary injunction to block Trump EO on voting restrictions
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for the motion for a preliminary injunction and click here for the original lawsuit. Press release…
* This ought to be a no-brainer. No single executive should be able to unilaterally impose voting restrictions on states. But check this out from the ILGOP…
Pass a bill, sign it into law. * Sun-Times…
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RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path. Retailers like the Erich enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Open thread
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were given a rundown on this race this morning. ICYMI: Sen. Laura Fine launches campaign for Schakowsky’s seat. Press release…
* Related stories…
∙ Crain’s: How Raja Krishnamoorthi became the money leader in the Senate sweepstakes ∙ NBC Chicago: Rep. Robin Kelly announces run for Senate, making her 2nd candidate to enter race Sponsored by the Illinois Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Daily Herald | Giannoulias urges Illinoisans not to panic about REAL ID deadline: Meanwhile, thousands are thronging to DMVs mistakenly thinking the state will stop processing them Wednesday. “That is not the case,” Giannoulias said at a virtual briefing Monday. “Even after May 7, you will still be able to get a REAL ID.” “So, to those of you who are waiting in lines for a very long time, please, please, please know that we will be issuing REAL IDs for the foreseeable future, probably forever.” * WQAD | Illinois initiative saving students thousands on grad school prep costs: The “Prepare for Illinois’ Future” program covers costs for major graduate entrance exams like the LSAT, MCAT and GRE, along with interview preparation and certification fees. It’s already saving students thousands, but its future is uncertain as state lawmakers continue budget talks. WIU said the program has saved its students more than $75,000. “This program helps truly tear down some barriers for students,” Justin Schuch, vice president of student success at WIU, said. * Sun-Times | Dubbing herself an ‘underdog,’ Rep. Robin Kelly launches Senate bid to replace Durbin: Kelly said she’s spoken to Preckwinkle about her bid, and she will be seeking the endorsement of the Cook County Democratic Party at the party’s slating in July. Kelly has focused on health care, immigration and gun control in the House. She’s a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and serves on the Health, Communications and Technology, and Innovation, Data, and Commerce subcommittees. She’s also a member of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which sets the policy direction for the Democratic Caucus. She’s also a co-chair for the Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. * Sun-Times | Illinois, other states sue Trump administration for blocking wind energy development: In Illinois, wind power is the state’s largest source of renewable energy. The 17 states and Washington, D.C., say Trump is jeopardizing a power source critical to economic vitality, energy mix, public health and climate goals. * SJ-R | Illinois’ head of tourism was quietly fired 3 months ago. Here’s why: The report listed multiple concerns, saying the greatest is that DCEO has been paying “significant amounts” of state funds to TimeZoneOne for years without supporting documentation or reconciliation of TimeZoneOne’s expenses. This is both before and after Thomas began working for DCEO. Reconciliation reporting is the process of verifying and matching financial transactions to ensure accuracy. * NBC Chicago | How Gov. Pritzker is building a national image ahead of potential run in 2028: His national press coverage has been steady increasing this year, but his spot on Kimmel’s show came just days after he was the headliner at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s McIntyre-Shaheen 100-Club Dinner. In his second visit to the Granite State — traditionally, the first state in the presidential primary race — Pritzker had the coveted spot typically reserved for those seeking to run for president. * WSPD | IDPH: Six measles cases confirmed in state, includes four in Southern Illinois: According to IDPH, there have been four confirmed measles cases in Southern Illinois and two unrelated adult cases in Cook County, for a total of six in the state this year. The people infected did not require hospitalization. No children have contracted measles in the state so far this year. Social links between the three Southern Illinois cases are known, IDPH said. One person may have visited locations in Missouri, including the St. Louis Aquarium, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. * WGLT | At first public forum, most express support for proposed shelter village south of downtown Bloomington: In his opening remarks Friday, Home Sweet Home Ministries CEO Matt Burgess said dozens of cities and towns across the country have successfully implemented shelter villages like this one. “Not only do people move indoors and stay indoors, but rates of engagement in services increase, calls for emergency services decrease and neighborhood crime rates typically decline,” Burgess said. There is reason to believe that The Bridge will have the same kind of impact on the Bloomington-Normal community, according to Burgess. * WAND | Tourism pumps millions into regional economy: In Decatur, Teri Hammel Executive Director of the Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau said in 2023, tourism revenue total $226.8 million in Macon County. Revenue comes through local food & beverage taxes, hotel taxes and gas taxes. Hammel goes on to say tourism supports 1,533 jobs in Macon County. * NPR Illinois | Springfield’s Mayor nominates next fire : Mayor Misty Buscher is recommending the promotion of Assistant Fire Chief Nicholas Zummo to Springfield Fire Chief and Assistant Police Chief Joseph Behl to Police Chief. These promotions are pending City Council approval. Alongside these recommendations, Mayor Buscher will also promote Captain Julie Plunk to Assistant Fire Chief and Commander Ryan Leach to Assistant Police Chief. * Crain’s | United Airlines fires back at American and vows a big hiring increase in Chicago: After American Airlines filed a lawsuit Friday against the city of Chicago over the proposed re-allocation of gates at the airport, United Airlines President Brett Hart told employees today “we plan to take steps to protect our interests and utilize these new gates to benefit our customers.” United filed a motion to intervene in American’s lawsuit against the city in U.S. District Court in Chicago. * WBEZ | The Second City performers threaten strike over pay: The Actors Equity Association announced the possibility of a strike. Negotiations between Actors Equity and leadership at The Second City have been ongoing since February. The performers and stage managers are seeking higher pay. The current contract expired April 13. […] Elrod said the negotiations have been cordial, but the two sides are still “very far apart” when it comes to wages. “Second City workers are very much dedicated to strike for a living wage, and that is something that the lead negotiator can pull if the next meeting doesn’t go well,” he said. * WTTW | Illinois’ Rare Plants Have a Fighting Chance of Survival Thanks to This Volunteer Monitoring Program: When it comes to endangered species, animals receive the lion’s share of attention versus plants. They get more protections, too. “Plants have gotten the short end of the stick,” said Gretel Kiefer, a plant ecologist at Chicago Botanic Garden, with nearly 30% of U.S. species at risk of extinction. It’s her job to help change that, at least in Illinois. * Tribune | As aquifer dries up, some Will County towns say they aren’t worried about running out of water: As Joliet races to meet state requirements to be eligible to tap into Lake Michigan water before the region’s groundwater is depleted, a handful of neighboring towns are holding off on making plans to identify alternative sources. About 35 miles southwest of Chicago, Joliet is at the epicenter of a regional water crisis where many suburbs will run out of water supplied by the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer by 2030, according to estimations in a 2018 report by the Illinois State Water Survey. * Daily Herald | New Arlington Heights mayor sworn in, meets with Bears president on first day: Just out of architecture school at Iowa State and working at his first job at the Arlington Heights architecture firm Hundrieser/Gutowsky, Tinaglia recalled when he was a weekend bartender the night the Bears won the Super Bowl in 1986. “That was a fun place to be,” he told the audience Monday night. “I told (Warren), ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful to do that again together sometime soon?’ Maybe there’s a road path to make that happen. I’m crossing my fingers that that’s true.” * Daily Southtown | Jason House sworn in to replace Tiffany Henyard as Dolton’s mayor: “Unity,” the new mayor said, was top of mind at the Royal Estates Assisted Living Ballroom, where as many as 500 people gathered to celebrate new beginnings for the village of just over 20,000 residents. “That’s what’s really going to grow this moment to its culmination. And that’s what it’s going to take for us to work together,” House said. * Crain’s | Golf Mill shopping center put up for sale amid plans for $440 million overhaul: Golf Mill Shopping Center, on the cusp of a major overhaul aimed at transforming the aging suburban mall into a mixed-used development, has been put up for sale by the developer. The Sterling Organization has hired JLL brokers to market the property, comprising nearly 80 acres in north suburban Niles, CoStar News reports. The move comes less than a year after village officials approved the 1.1 million-square-foot site for a $440 million redevelopment.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker appoints brother-in-law to U. of I. board: Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday appointed Bryan Traubert, a philanthropist and former eye doctor who is married to Penny Pritzker, the governor’s sister, to the University of Illinois board of trustees. State employees are not allowed to appoint relatives — including in-laws — to state positions, according to the nepotism section of the Illinois state employee code of personal conduct. But the governor’s office in a statement said the code “does not legally apply to a separate entity like the University of Illinois.” * PJ Star | ‘Not a simple equation’: Illinois ID laws are a challenge, homeless advocates say: “The longer people stay on the outlying parts of society, the harder it is to come back in,” [Pathway Ministries staff member Derek Gordon] said. “Everything that had you tracing you into the system as who you are is starting to expire or you’ve lost it, so you keep moving further and further and it gets harder and harder to get the things you need to get back into the system and get the care that you need.” * Crain’s | Hotel group warns of travel hit as Trump policies chill tourism: National travel and tourism analysts are lowering projections amid the uncertainty. Tourism Economics is now forecasting a 9.45% decline in international arrivals this year after previously projecting 8.8% growth, while the National Travel & Tourism Office cites an 11.6% year-over-year drop in international visitors through March. * CBS Chicago | Cinco de Mayo Parade is canceled, but other celebrations are happening in Chicago: According to organizers, the Little Village parade was canceled due to deportation concerns. While the primary concern is safety, the move will cost businesses and the community money. Organizers say canceling this year’s parade will cost the Chamber of Commerce about $1.5 million. * WTTW | CTA Bus and Train Operator Overtime Dropped in 2024 as Agency Increased Staffing Levels: Data obtained by WTTW News shows the overall number of bus and train operators who worked for the CTA last year neared its pre-pandemic peak of employees. According to an analysis of operator data since 2015, the largest group of employees in each year worked an average of 30 to 40 hours per week. But that group is still significantly smaller than 2015, when 51.6% of operators fell into that category. Only 36% of operators did last year. Overall, about 17% of operators worked an average of 40 or more hours a week in 2024, down from 19.3% in 2023. * Crain’s | $900 million Bronzeville tower and AI lab project nears key land deal: GVG unveiled plans for Metropolis Pointe earlier this year. The proposal includes a 50-story tower with more than 600 residential units that would include a mix of workforce, market-rate and luxury condominium housing, as well as an “AI Preparedness Institute,” an education and workforce training center focused on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The development, which has an estimated total cost of $900 million, would also include retail space and wellness-focused community amenities, according to an announcement from GVG. * Crain’s | Johnson tapping PR guru and political insider to chair Choose Chicago board: The mayor is tapping Guy Chipparoni, CEO of Res Publica, to lead the board of the city’s tourism organization, according to people familiar with the appointment. Johnson is also appointing Sterling Bay executive Keiana Barrett, who was also recently named CEO of the Business Leadership Council. The change-up on the board comes after a drawn-out process to find a new chief executive for the agency. Kristen Reynolds, former CEO at Discover Long Island, was eventually installed to run the agency. * Crain’s | Mayor names former city insider to steer O’Hare through expansion, airline tensions: Mayor Brandon Johnson has picked Mike McMurray, a veteran infrastructure and transportation executive with City Hall experience, to lead the Chicago Department of Aviation. McMurray is president for transportation and engineering at Wight and a former deputy commissioner for real estate at the Department of Aviation under former Mayor Richard M. Daley. The 62-year-old replaces Jamie Rhee, a popular aviation commissioner who retired last month after a three-decade career in city government. * Tribune | Teen curfew vote delayed, alderman praises Mayor Brandon Johnson’s listening efforts: The City Council’s Public Safety Committee had been expected to vote on the measure at its afternoon meeting, but Ald. Brian Hopkins said early in the day it would not go forward. Too many aldermen planned to attend Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s afternoon announcement, where she said she would not seek re-election, he said. But Hopkins touted listening sessions that he attended with teens and another where Mayor Brandon Johnson listened to Streeterville residents as the downtown alderman promised to push the measure forward before late May. * Borderless | ‘We Feel Like We Hit A Brick Wall’: Migrant Soup Kitchen Faces Eviction: Eviction court records show that a Windy City Process Serving agent successfully gave the 30-day notice to “Jeremy Hammond” (sic) on June 27, 2024. Additional documents submitted to the court by Mui’s attorney show a “Co-working Space Agreement” between Jason Hammond of Midwest Books to Prisoners and Thomas Gaulke of First Lutheran Church of the Trinity for the nonprofit organization to use the former church space. However, Gaulke denied signing the agreement in a conversation with a church representative, according to a notarized certification from the representative in court filings. Gaulke did not respond to Borderless’ requests for comment, and Hammond declined to go on record for this story. * WTTW | Top Cop Agrees That CPD Officers Who Stopped, Shot Dexter Reed Should Be Suspended for Violating Rights of 2 Other Drivers: Snelling made his disciplinary decisions in both probes on March 5, records show. It is unclear whether the officers have served those suspensions, since they can appeal Snelling’s determination. In all, Snelling and COPA agreed that five officers collectively committed 47 violations of departmental rules designed to protect the rights of Chicagoans during two traffic stops and should be suspended for a total of 91 days, records show. * Tribune | Appeals system raised property tax bills for Cook County homeowners, report says: Homeowners’ bills grew by a total of about 7% over that span as a result of the shift, according to the latest report from the Cook County treasurer’s office, the first to calculate how much shifting burdens have cost on property tax bills. Those increases fell more on lower-income Black and Latino taxpayers, the report found. The report does not draw conclusions about whether those appeals were correct, but does show “that the county’s assessment appeal system works far more to the advantage of business property owners than homeowners, and at the same time favors wealthier white homeowners over lower-income minority homeowners.” * Tribune | Democrats pick new Cook County Board member for NW Side seat: Rounding out a series of promotions for 35th Ward progressives, Democrats from Chicago’s Northwest Side appointed Jessica Vásquez to fill a vacancy on the Cook County Board for the next 18 months. The shuffle started when Mayor Brandon Johnson elevated Carlos Ramirez-Rosa from the Chicago City Council to become CEO of the Chicago Park District. Johnson then tapped Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada to replace Ramirez-Rosa on the City Council last month. Vásquez will replace Quezada representing the 8th District on the county board. Ramirez-Rosa’s former chief of staff at City Hall, Vásquez was a frontrunner for the county post from the moment Ramirez-Rosa kicked off the musical chairs by taking the Park District job. * Daily Southtown | Landmarks: Chicago Tomato Man shares love of ‘real’ produce thousands of plants at a time: Bob Zeni had a plant problem. A few years after deciding to spend late winters learning how to start his own tomato seedlings, the sprouts had taken over his home in La Grange Park. It was, as he called it, a turning point. “That was about four years ago, when I had 2,000 plants started,” he recalled. “When they were really small they weren’t a problem. But when I had to up-plant them into 4-inch pots, we had them in every room in the house, next to every window I could find. * The Daily Egyptian | Conservative watchdog group recruits SIU students to investigate ‘liberal bias’ on campus: Campus Reform, a conservative national media organization focusing on higher education, sent recruitment emails to several SIU students. Their attempts to contact students have been sporadic, with some students receiving recruitment messages as early as February. According to the recruitment email that a recipient provided to the Daily Egyptian, they are looking for students who have experienced or heard about “liberal bias” on college campuses. * BND | Union says ‘pure corporate greed’ forcing some metro-east jobs to Mexico: The layoffs include 98 members of the International Association of Sheet Metal Air Rail Transportation Workers, or SMART, Union, according to a letter Hubbell Inc. sent to state officials on April 24. Richard Harris, a regional official with the union, said in a statement Friday that Hubbell notified the union last summer that the company was considering moving operations to Juarez. Harris said the change is being made “due to pure corporate greed.” * WSIL | Marion to light up for mental health awareness at Tower Square event Marion to light up for mental health awareness at Tower Square event: The 2nd Annual Lighting of Tower Square in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month event will be held on May 7, at 6:30 p.m. on Tower Square Plaza. Community leaders will also be in attendance to spread awareness and hope. * WGN | Original Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth announced as headline performer for state fair in downstate Illinois this summer: Original Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth returned to the concert stage for the first time in five years Saturday night. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is now scheduled to be on stage this summer downstate. The Du Quoin State Fair announced Monday morning that Roth will headline the fair at the Grandstand stage on Saturday, Aug. 23. Du Quoin, a town of just over 5,500, is located in Perry County in southern Illinois, due north of Carbondale up U.S. Highway 51. * WIRED | Rejoice! Carmakers Are Embracing Physical Buttons Again: A smattering of automakers are slowly admitting that some smart screens are dumb. Last month, Volkswagen design chief Andreas Mindt said that next-gen models from the German automaker would get physical buttons for volume, seat heating, fan controls, and hazard lights. This shift will apply “in every car that we make from now on,” Mindt told British car magazine Autocar. * NYT | A.I. Is Getting More Powerful, but Its Hallucinations Are Getting Worse: These systems use mathematical probabilities to guess the best response, not a strict set of rules defined by human engineers. So they make a certain number of mistakes. “Despite our best efforts, they will always hallucinate,” said Amr Awadallah, the chief executive of Vectara, a start-up that builds A.I. tools for businesses, and a former Google executive. “That will never go away.”
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Schakowsky finally makes it official (Updated x6)
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
* Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton…
* Rep. Dan Didech…
…Adding… Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss…
Biss is considered a likely candidate. …Adding… Sen. Laura Fine is also considered to be a likely candidate…
…Adding… Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz also takes her name out of contention…
…Adding… Chuy García…
* Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez…
…Adding… Rep. Hoan Huynh is also seen as a likely contender…
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PPP Poll: US Sen. Dem primary ‘wide open’
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Keep in mind that the Democratic Lt. Governors Association is supporting LG Stratton…
* Remember, PPP surveyed likely Democratic primary voters…
The positive pushes were kinda weak for the Stratton rivals, but whatevs. Mentioning Pritzker and Duckworth obviously helped her. And she’ll likely have the financial resources to compete with the well-funded Krishnamoorthi. No crosstabs were dstributed by PPP, but there were five demographic questions at the end of the poll. This is the first legit public poll released in this race. A group supporting Underwood announced a poll some weeks ago, but it has never disclosed the name of the pollster nor provided the actual questions and answers, so I’ve disregarded it. Many thanks to Isabel for formatting the results to make it easier to view here.
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More from the legal front: AG Raoul, others file lawsuits over wind energy development freeze, dismantling of HHS
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for the lawsuit. Press release…
* Click here for the lawsuit. Press release…
Discuss.
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Pass it on: REAL IDs will still be issued after May 7 (Updated)
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias just called. Apparently, people are standing in line for hours because for some reason they believe that they won’t be able to obtain a REAL ID after Wednesday. So, he asked me to pass this along. Happy to oblige…
Have you heard about this myth? …Adding… He’s gonna do a presser…
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Make-work at the editorial board
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Chicago Tribune editorial board concocts a scenario that nobody is even considering, then warns against doing it…
All the stuff going on, and they’re spending time and resources concern-trolling about a fabricated “issue” without even checking with the governor’s press office (I know that because I checked with the press office). Meanwhile, how many good reporters have left that paper?
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Treasurer Frerichs won’t run for Durbin’s seat: “I don’t need to be in Washington to make an impact”
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Treasurer Michael Frerichs…
Thoughts? * Meanwhile… Crain’s…
* The full finance committee..
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Healing Communities: Pinckneyville Community Hospital
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] When money is tight, healthcare can become an afterthought, especially when people feel well. Yet part of maintaining good health is preventing chronic conditions such as high cholesterol and diabetes, as well as other health issues, before they take a toll. Pinckneyville Community Hospital makes it easy and affordable for individuals to monitor their overall health through bloodwork. Four times a year, the hospital offers discounted lab screenings as part of its ongoing commitment to preventive health and wellness. The screenings—held at the hospital in February, May, August and November—are for critical insights into liver and kidney function, cholesterol levels, average blood sugar, and more. “These low-cost labs are an excellent opportunity for individuals to take charge of their health, detect potential issues early and make informed decisions with their healthcare providers,” said hospitals leaders, adding that the screenings “are a great resource for those who may not have regular access to healthcare or simply want to keep a closer eye on their wellness.” Leaders, clinicians and staff at Pinckneyville Community Hospital know that individual and community health depend on hospitals addressing community needs and providing accessible care. Learn more about how Illinois hospitals are healing communities.
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It’s just a bill
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Sen. Mary Edly-Allen…
* Farm Week…
* Sen. Mike Simmons…
* Sen. Michael Hastings…
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Care Can’t Wait: Illinois Seniors Demand Legislature Invest In Home Care, Raise Worker Wages
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A growing number of seniors, families and workers are demanding the legislature address the crisis of seniors not being able to access the lifesaving care they need because home care workers aren’t paid enough to stay in the field. In response, lawmakers are increasingly showing support for investing in home care and care workers’ wages so that seniors can access quality care and age with dignity in their homes. “Many times, my home care agency fails to send replacement workers if my caregiver isn’t available, which means my daughter and granddaughter have to drop what they’re doing to step in and help…We must raise pay for our home care workers so families like mine aren’t put through these disruptions in care,” said Diana Inman, a Decatur senior who receives home care services through the Community Care Program. “I love my job, but low wages have made it difficult to remain in this industry…Families like mine are being pushed to the breaking point by the ongoing cost of living crisis,” said Jenny Smith, a Champaign home care worker. Public support for investing in home care is growing every day. Over 70 Illinois lawmakers support HB 1330/SB 120, which would increase the wage floor for home care workers serving seniors in the Community Care Program from $18/hr to $20/hr in 2026. Support HB 1330/SB 120 because Illinois seniors deserve quality care. Care can’t wait!
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Some reasonable requests as the governor eyes 2028
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Discuss.
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Don’t Greenwash Discrimination: Demand Inclusive Labor Standards In Energy Storage Legislation
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] As Illinois charts its path toward a clean energy future, lawmakers must remember the promises made under CEJA—the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. CEJA was never just about clean energy; it was about equitable clean energy. That means creating good-paying union jobs for all workers, especially those from historically excluded Black and Brown communities. Yet today, a new energy storage bill threatens to undo that vision. Without strong, inclusive Project Labor Agreement (PLA) language, this legislation risks handing energy jobs to a narrow slice of the construction industry—jobs that will go disproportionately to white, politically connected workers, while locking out the very communities CEJA aimed to uplift. We can’t let Illinois’ clean energy transition be built on the backs of exclusion. Labor unity means every union has a seat at the table—not just the favored few. Ironworkers, roofers, painters, bricklayers, glaziers, boilermakers, cement masons, carpenters, millwrights and many other crafts helped build this state and deserve a shot at building its future. Lawmakers: don’t sell out working families. Reject any energy storage legislation that doesn’t include inclusive PLA language. Because when we say “green jobs,” we should mean jobs that are union, local, and equitable. This isn’t just about jobs—it’s about justice, too.
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Open thread
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Boss released a new video overnight… I saw my face in the waters at the riverside What can you tell us about the goings-on in your part of the world?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: $27 million fallout? Cost of tollway bid misstep piles up. Daily Herald…
- Tollway staff missed applying a 4% in-state bidder preference, which made Walsh Construction’s $327 million bid lower than Judlau’s $323.9 million offer under state law. - The agency settled a lawsuit with Judlau Construction in 2024, paying about $10 million in damages after abruptly canceling its contract to reconfigure the southbound side of the I-88/I-290 interchange. - Then in April, the board approved a $16.5 million change order for replacement contractor, Walsh Construction Co., to expedite the delayed project.
Illinois business leaders overwhelmingly agree: Early childhood services are a fundamental economic priority, to be preserved and strengthened. Our FY26 state budget should reflect that, investing further in affordable, high-quality child care for working parents. We desperately need to improve early childhood teachers’ compensation and shore-up Early Intervention therapies for young children with developmental challenges, whose families face lengthy service delays. At the federal level, it’s crucial that we protect Head Start’s vital, comprehensive services for kids from birth to age 5, and for their families — an important piece of our early learning system. In a recent poll of 400 Illinois employers and managers, two-thirds of respondents reported that child care insufficiencies have hurt their employees and business productivity. Four out of five noted their struggles to recruit skilled workers. And to tackle these challenges, 91.5% of business leaders said they support “greater public investments in high-quality child care and early childhood education” for their proven power to stabilize today’s workforce as well as help prepare a better-skilled workforce for tomorrow. There’s a reason 93% of surveyed business leaders believe our state’s multiyear approach to improve birth-to-5 services — based on the recommendations of a bipartisan commission — will “positively impact the workforce in Illinois.” Let’s stick with that plan; it’s good for business. * Crain’s | Pritzker shuts door on state funding for revised One Central megaproject: “With billions of dollars requested for the project, it’s critical that the state ensures any large-scale proposal is a good deal for Illinois’ taxpayers prior to moving forward. In this case, the independent study made clear that the risks far outweigh the benefits under the current proposal,” Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said in a statement. “We are grateful to the many community leaders, officials, and organizations who participated in the study.” * Crain’s | Laura Ricketts to co-chair Stratton’s finance committee: Laura Ricketts and her wife, Brooke Skinner Ricketts, are among the co-chairs of Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s finance committee in her campaign for U.S. Senate. Also co-chairing the committee are Kimi Ellen and Lee “Rosy” Rosenberg. Vice chairs include Gloria Castillo, Les Coney, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, Tamar Newberger, Andy Schapiro, Brian Rice and Smita Shah. * Sun-Times | Funeral services for former Gov. George Ryan to be held this week in Kankakee: Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Schreffler Funeral Home in Kankakee, according to Ryan’s obituary. A memorial will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church on Thursday at noon. * Sun-Times | Pot business owners seek relief from strict and costly regulations on legal cannabis industry: There is currently no legislation in the works to address these demands, but Ford told the Sun-Times he intends to draft a bill that includes those issues. “We are actively working to find common ground to pass legislation that supports cannabis social equity businesses, current non-social equity businesses, and conditional license holders in the cannabis industry,” Ford said. * Capitol News Illinois | Former Gov. George Ryan dead at 91; remembered for corruption conviction, halting death penalty: In his 2020 interview with CNI, Ryan said the majority of his staff tried to dissuade him from making moves on the death penalty, which wouldn’t be officially abolished in Illinois until 2011. But Ryan said the uncertainty of decisions made under the death penalty system bothered him, especially in the wake of the exoneration of death row inmate Anthony Porter in February 1999, when Ryan was a month into his term as governor. Porter was freed after journalism students at Northwestern University uncovered evidence of his innocence. * Cook County Record | IL FOID gun owner licensing law constitutional, appeals court says; Dissent: Ruling ’stands 2A on its head’: Even though the state law effectively bars people from owning guns without first obtaining permission from the state to do so, a divided state appeals court has ruled Illinois’ gun owner licensing law doesn’t violate the right to keep and bear arms protected by the Second Amendment. A dissenting justice on the court, however, said the ruling essentially “stands the Second Amendment on its head,” by requiring people to first prove they are allowed to own a gun before the state allows them to exercise a supposed fundamental constitutional right. On April 29, a three-justice panel of the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court in Springfield ruled 2-1 to reject a challenge to Illinois’ unique Firearms Owner Identification (FOID) law. * Tribune | With the state’s grocery tax set to end, many municipalities are adopting their own, even as food prices climb: Chicago officials have yet to decide whether to impose their own tax. The state grocery tax generates an estimated $60 million to $80 million for the city, said Ald. Pat Dowell, chair of the Committee on Finance. “It’s a not insignificant amount of money,” she said. Whether the city will impose its own grocery tax will be decided in upcoming budget hearings across the city. * Sun-Times | Here’s how Trump’s order to cut federal funding to NPR and PBS could impact Illinois: [M]any downstate outlets rely more heavily on federal money. Among them, based on her data, are WQPT TV in Moline and WEIU TV in Charleston, with federal shares of 50% or more. These stations also divvy up about $1.6 million from the state, an amount the council would like to see raised. But it’s a tough request for what analysts say is a cash-strapped budget year with other interest groups that have hands out. * Daily Herald | 416 miles in 10 days: Wheeling man runs length of Illinois, from Cairo to Wisconsin border: Bandolik ran Illinois’ entire length from south to north — 416.44 miles from Cairo, Illinois, to Beloit, Wisconsin, over 10 days from March 29 to April 7. Why? Because Bandolik, 28, hadn’t heard of anyone else doing it. “I wanted to be the first one to claim my home state before anyone else could claim it or document it,” said Bandolik, a Mount Prospect native and former Hersey High School football star. He documented the trip on TikTok, Instagram and through his YouTube channel. * Advantage | Ameren Illinois issues Mylar balloon warning: With graduation and birthday parties you will often see Mylar balloons. If the party is being held outside, Ameren Illinois asks you do everything you can to keep those balloons from floating away, as they can conduct electricity, resulting in surges that can cause power outages, start fires, and cause significant damage to the electric grid. * Sun-Times | Casino dumpsters ditched at Bally’s Chicago site as state officials blame Bally’s for allowing them: “Unlike active casinos where gambling operations are occurring, there are no agents stationed at the construction site,” a gaming board spokeswoman said, referring to the site of the Bally’s permanent casino being built in River West where the Chicago Tribune used to have a printing plant. “It is the casino’s responsibility to ensure vendors are disclosed to and approved by the IGB,” which is part of state government answerable to Gov. JB Pritzker. * Crain’s | As small business worries rise, Chicago offers a rare bright spot: A survey of small business owners by Chase showed optimism dropped to 65% in March from 79% in January. Chicago small business owners were more hopeful than average, with 80% reporting they were optimistic about the future of their business despite macroeconomic headwinds. * Crain’s | Art Institute president takes leave amid in-flight misconduct probe: Unnamed sources told WBBM that passenger was Rondeau, and the incident occurred after he drank alcohol and took prescription medication. A spokesperson for the Art Institute confirmed to WBBM that Rondeau has since returned to Chicago and that the museum is investigating the incident. * Tribune | Auburn Gresham campus that composts and creates energy aims to redefine waste management: At a once-vacant brownfield on the South Side of Chicago, a semitruck backed into an unassuming warehouse and unloaded a colorful batch of food scraps and spoiled products. The discards soon ended up in a massive tank that mimics a cow’s digestion — minus the release of gassy byproducts — where they were turned into compost and renewable energy. The anaerobic digester represents the culmination of a combined effort by the Auburn Gresham community, politicians and scientists to change Chicago’s approach to keeping food waste out of landfills, which are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the country. * WBEZ | A young family risked it all to save iconic music venue Fitzgeralds. Can they make it work?: A traffic jam led Duncan to Fitzgeralds, but soon after the couple signed the papers on March 15, 2020, it felt more like a 10-car pileup. The two were not independently wealthy, and Duncan was giving up a fat check and profit-sharing from his employer, the hospitality group 16 on Center. King worked on a Chicago public school salary. To come up with the $1.7 million purchase price, they did a cash-out refinancing on their home, sold a Ukrainian Village two-flat, secured loans totaling about $1 million from the Small Business Administration and coaxed eight investors — friends, family and colleagues — to throw in another half-million of equity. * Crain’s | Michael Miner, eloquent journalist and journalism critic, dies at 81: Michael Miner, a prolific and penetrating media critic for the Chicago Reader and before that, a shoe-leather reporter for the Sun-Times, died on May 1, according to a posted death notice. […] “He has the wit and skill of the fabled Mike Royko but is more cerebral,” author Steve Boriga wrote in the publication in 2011. “He does lack Royko’s switchblade: he’s willing to offend, but his hating instinct is underdeveloped.” * Sun-Times | Lori Healey, former McPier CEO and Daley chief of staff, dies at 65: Former Mayor Richard M. Daley called Lori Healey “a brilliant leader whose tireless spirit and deep commitment to public service set her apart.” She oversaw development of Wintrust Arena, the Marriott Marquis Chicago and most recently the Obama Presidential Center. * Sun-Times | ‘Broken system’ of property tax appeals put extra $2 billion on Cook County homeowners, treasurer says: Chicago had some of the worst disparities in the county, with businesses’ tax bills dropping nearly 20% while residential bills increased by more than 16% during the 2021 to 2023 reassessment cycle. * Sun-Times | U.S. Department of Education investigating Evanston-Skokie school district for racial discrimination: The complaint alleges the school district directs students and staff to participate in “privilege walks,” pressures educators to “acknowledge white skin privilege” and encourages students to be “activist[s] and … actively anti-racist.” * Tribune | Arlington Park’s rebirth: Finalizing the deal with the Bears in the coming months, or years, presents a challenge he believes he’s built to handle. He has run his Arlington Heights architecture firm for 34 years, steering it through the late-2000s financial crisis that decimated his staff and shut down several projects. Then came a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2016 and the quick removal of the tumor. “It just knocks you to your knees when you hear those words,” he said. He’s a survivor. These days, business is good and Tinaglia sometimes lets loose in his band Exit 147, named in honor of the family’s cottage in Wisconsin. He plays the guitar, with one of his sons on the drums and another as the vocalist. They play a lot of ’80s and ’90s hits. * BND | AmeriCorps workers in metro-east told to stay home after DOGE cuts to funding: “Our AmeriCorps Program has been ordered to stop all work until further notice by the Illinois Dept of Human Services and the (Illinois Serve Commission),” the email stated. “Do not report to your school until further notice. Your principals have been notified.” The 32-year-old program apparently is the latest casualty related to cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE. Gillham, 19, of Belleville, an AmeriCorps worker since February 2024, called the news “devastating.” Beyond tutoring, she also has helped with Mount Hope Cemetery clean-ups, Art on the Square crafts for kids, Cities in Harmony and other community projects. * WGLT | Rivian executive Julie Hoeniges named to ISU’s Board of Trustees: She leads development of trade policy, customs import compliance, export control operations, and ensures compliance with international trade regulations, according to the governor’s release. Hoeniges previously oversaw $50 billion in import and export activity at Caterpillar Inc. She is a licensed U.S. Customs Broker and longtime member of the American Association of Exporters and Importers, where she serves on the board of governors. She also served two terms on the Illinois District Export Council. * WAND | DeShawn Williams sworn in as new Urbana mayor: DeShawn Williams was officially sworn in as the mayor of Urbana on Saturday. He is the first black mayor in the city’s history. […] Williams beat out candidate Annie Adams during the elections in February. He started his career as a bank teller, and worked up to becoming the Chief Deputy Treasurer of Champaign County. * WGLT | Child care in McLean County can cost more than rent or mortgage payments: A look at federal and state data and an EDC survey suggested the average cost of child care in the Twin Cities is $1,600 a month. Economic Development Council President and CEO Patrick Hoban said that’s behind only suburban Chicago. Home providers charge around $800 monthly. “70% of the cost of child care is in the wages. So, you combine that with the requirements for education and licensing that they have to keep up and it has pushed the price above $2,000 a month in some instances,” said Hoban. * WCIA | Six Illinois women honored with 2025 Order of Lincoln: Champaign-born Bonnie Blair was the first American woman to win five gold medals at the Olympic Winter Games. Her first Olympic appearance was at the 1984 Sarajevo Games. Four years later in Calgary, Blair earned her first gold medal in the 500 meter speed skating event. In the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville Blair added two more gold medals, and in 1994, Blair stood atop the podium and received another two gold medals at the Olympic Games in Lillehammer. * PJ Star | Successes, tragedy, politics: Gary Manier reflects on 24 years as Washington mayor: Holding the record for longest-running mayor of Washington, Manier will officially retire from his role May 5, passing the torch to mayor-elect and former Ward 1 Alderperson Lilija Stevens. In more than two decades, Manier said, he missed only four meetings of the Washington City Council. When he was first elected, he traveled 100 days out of the year to do business with Caterpillar, where he worked even after becoming the city’s mayor in 2001. He retired from the manufacturing company in 2015 to focus on his mayoral duties. * WGLT | Illinois State’s cilantro will soon be grown on campus, inside new Vertical Farm: The farm, which officially launched Thursday, will operate out of a converted shipping container outside ISU’s Office of Sustainability on School Street. The 320-square-foot unit is equipped with a hydroponic system and LED lighting to grow the equivalent of 1-2 acres of traditional field production with a fraction of the water required to cultivate up to 4,600 plants. * The Atlantic | ‘The Worst Internet-Research Ethics Violation I Have Ever Seen’: [W]hen members of a popular subreddit learned that their community had been infiltrated by undercover researchers posting AI-written comments and passing them off as human thoughts, the Redditors were predictably incensed. They called the experiment “violating,” “shameful,” “infuriating,” and “very disturbing.” As the backlash intensified, the researchers went silent, refusing to reveal their identity or answer questions about their methodology. The university that employs them has announced that it’s investigating. Meanwhile, Reddit’s chief legal officer, Ben Lee, wrote that the company intends to “ensure that the researchers are held accountable for their misdeeds.” * The Guardian | World may be ‘post-herd immunity’ to measles, top US scientist says: The US is enduring the largest measles outbreak in a quarter-century. Centered in west Texas, the measles outbreak has killed two unvaccinated children and one adult and spread to neighboring states including New Mexico and Oklahoma. “We’re living in a post-herd-immunity world. I think the measles outbreak proves that,” said Dr Paul Offit, an expert on infectious disease and immunology and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. * WaPo | Justice Department lawyers face skeptical judges upset by ‘shoddy work’: In recent hearings and rulings, judges appointed by presidents of both parties have criticized the statements and behavior of administration officials, accusing them of defying court orders, submitting flimsy evidence, providing inadequate answers to questions and even acting like toddlers. The cases involve lawsuits challenging everything from President Donald Trump’s push to increase deportations to his efforts to punish law firms. Most are in the early stages of litigation. But the judicial pushback suggests a break from the goodwill courts have traditionally shown toward assertions by government lawyers. * WIRED | DOGE Put a College Student in Charge of Using AI to Rewrite Regulations: Sweet—who two sources have been told is the lead on the AI deregulation project for the entire administration—has produced an Excel spreadsheet with around a thousand rows containing areas of policy where the AI tool has flagged that HUD may have “overreached” and suggesting replacement language. Staffers from PIH are, specifically, asked to review the AI’s recommendations and justify their objections to those they don’t agree with. “It all sounds crazy—having AI recommend revisions to regulations,” one HUD source says. “But I appreciated how much they’re using real people to confirm and make changes.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and more
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, May 5, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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