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Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Friday to make a series of changes to the Prisoner Review Board after it released a man who would go on to commit murder, leading to intense scrutiny in Springfield.

Pritzker signed Senate Bill 19, which contains changes designed to include victims’ participation in Prisoner Review Board decisions and ensure more board members have relevant law enforcement or judicial experience.

The law gives victims the right to file impact statements ahead of hearings, provides them with additional notice when their offender is granted early release, and allows them to seek an order of protection against an offender who is incarcerated.

It also creates the Office of the Director of Victim and Witness Services within the PRB, which would ensure the board complies with victims’ rights. The measure also mandates the board provide victims with contact information for the State Victim Assistance Hotline. […]

In May 2024, the Senate unanimously passed a bill that would have made a series of reforms to the board, including requiring that certain meetings be livestreamed and board members receive additional training. The bill appeared ready to pass the House with 76 members signing on as cosponsors. But the bill was never called for a vote in the final hours of session after Pritzker had concerns about the feasibility of the livestreaming requirements and lack of funding for the board.

Instead, lawmakers moved forward with the legislation signed by Pritzker on Friday, which Republicans opposed saying it doesn’t go far enough to meaningfully reform the board.

* Marijuana Moment…

The governor of Wisconsin says that, if Democrats take control of the legislature now that new “fair” district maps have been set, the state can “finally” legalize marijuana so that residents don’t have to go to neighboring Illinois to patronize its adult-use market.

During a speech at the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s 2025 convention on Sunday, Gov. Tony Evers (D) said “Republicans better start getting used to Democrats being in power in the state,” as the new redistricting map he approved last year could deliver the party a “Democratic trifecta,” with control of the Assembly, Senate and governor’s office.

That would free up lawmakers to overcome roadblocks in the currently conservative legislature that have prevented the advancement of several key issues, including health care expansion, parental leave and, “yes, we could finally legalize marijuana so we can stop sending our revenue down to my good friend, [Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D)] down in Illinois,” he said.

“He’s got enough,” Evers joked. […]

A legislative analysis requested by lawmakers estimated that Wisconsin residents spent more than $121 million on cannabis in Illinois alone in 2022, contributing $36 million in tax revenue to the neighboring state.

*** Statewide ***

* Bloomberg Law | Justices Skip Illinois Workers’ Covid-19 Vaccine Mandate Case: Illinois government employees who unsuccessfully challenged the state’s Covid-19 vaccine mandates on religious grounds failed to convince the US Supreme Court to take a look at their dispute Monday. The petitioners, who work for state agencies, urged the justices to weigh in on whether an amendment to Illinois law on employees’ rights to refuse medical treatments that conflict with their religious beliefs stripped out those protections when it came to Covid-19 vaccines and testing, which they said ran afoul of the US Constitution.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | State Sen. Emil Jones III to face retrial on bribery charges in 2026 — when he’ll also be up for reelection: U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood on Friday set a trial date of Jan. 12, which will be nine months after his first trial ended in a mistrial when a jury deadlocked on all counts. If he chooses to run, Jones will have to submit signatures to get on the ballot by late November, a little over a month before his trial. The case, which is expected to last three or four weeks, would be long over before the Democratic primary in March, and a conviction would almost certainly force him from the ballot.

* Fox Illinois | Decatur racino promises $27M boost, 300 jobs; awaits legislative approval: While the bill gained momentum in the Spring, it never came up for a vote. Senator Turner says there was concerns, in part, from local business that 900 gaming position at the site could take revenue away from them, as people would be at the track instead. She expects the bill to be discuss in the Fall, and changes could be made to help it pass.

* WGLT | Students can soon earn automatic admission to state’s universities, hoping to keep more in Illinois: The Direct Admission Program [DAP] will require public universities to offer admission to any student who meets their established GPA standard, according to the bill synopsis. Additionally, qualifying community college students who have completed 30 credit hours and are eligible to transfer to a public university will be able to do so. The program begins with the 2027-28 academic year.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Embattled Kenwood shelter housing migrants and homeless Chicagoans to close in coming months: A Kenwood shelter housing both migrants and Chicagoans experiencing homelessness will close in the coming months following a divide amongst neighbors, according to an email update from state Sen. Robert Peters. […] Peters said he was notified of the closure by city and Illinois Department of Human Services officials at 3:15 p.m. Friday. Those currently housed at the shelter will move to new facilities over the next three to six months, he said.

* NBC Chicago | Flags at half-staff in Illinois ahead of funeral for CPD officer Krystal Rivera: According to a memo from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, all flags in Illinois were ordered to fly at half-staff beginning at sunrise Monday. Flags are set to remain at half-staff until sunset on Wednesday, the memo said. According to the Chicago Police Department, visitation for Officer Rivera will be held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at Montclair-Lucania Funeral Home, located at 6901 W. Belmont Ave. The funeral will be held Wednesday at Living Word Christian Center, located at 7600 Roosevelt Rd. in Forest Park.

* Crain’s | Duckworth warns Chicago could see LA-style troop deployment next: Duckworth warns, however, it’s not protests over ICE raids that people should be focused on. “What he’s doing in L.A. isn’t about the protests in L.A.,” she told the audience during Crain’s Power Lunch today at the Hilton Chicago. “There are two points for what he did in L.A., with calling up the National Guard and sending in the Marines: One was to distract from the really bad press he was getting on Medicaid.”

* Block Club | NW Side Alderpeople Want Out Of Anti-Gentrification Zone, Saying It’s ‘Punishing’ Longtime Homeowners: Alds. Felix Cardona, Jr. (31st) and Gilbert Villegas (36th) introduced an amendment last week to exclude their wards from the Northwest Side Preservation Ordinance, which passed overwhelmingly in September after years of community action and went into effect in October. The legislation seeks to better protect two-, three- and four-flat apartments and help longtime residents in Avondale, Hermosa, Logan Square, Humboldt Park and West Town stay in their homes by increasing demolition fees for developers and making it easier to build two-flats instead of single-family homes.

* Block Club | Lake Michigan Has Fallen Nearly 4 Feet Since 2020, Changing The Shape Of Chicago’s Lakefront: Lake Michigan’s water levels have been steadily decreasing the past five years since a record high in 2020, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lake is down about 3.5 feet between May 2020 and this May, data shows. [..] In Edgewater, a new path between two popular beaches has exposed a protected natural area to beachgoers. And in South Shore, neighbors whose buildings were threatened by elevated lake levels are now seeing a reprieve.

* CBS Chicago | Former Illinois senator Carol Moseley Braun releases memoir “Trailblazer: Perseverance in Life and Politics”: Moseley Braun hit the political spotlight and broke the glass ceiling in 1992, when the Chicago native was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first Black woman ever to accomplish that. She also once ran for mayor of Chicago, though she lost to Rahm Emanuel. She would go on to make history again when she was appointed as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. Her pioneering and sometimes controversial political careers is documented in her new memoir “Trailblazer: Perseverance in Life and Politics.” The book is out Tuesday.

* Sun-Times | Dubious videos of ‘Underground Chicago’ have gone viral. Here’s the real story: Veteran city spelunkers say none appear to show the most extensive underground network in the city: the nearly 60 miles of freight tunnels 40 feet below. After supporting the city’s coal needs and transportation of goods for more than 50 years, those fell into disuse and have sat largely deserted for nearly 70 years and are now under tight surveillance by the city.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Jewel-Osco pharmacy division argues National Labor Relations Act unconstitutional: Osco, which was acquired by Jewel in 1961, entered the fray after local labor board officials issued a complaint against it last month alleging it had refused to bargain in good faith with the union representing its pharmacists, Teamsters Local 727. […] The local represents about 500 pharmacy workers in stores throughout Cook, DuPage, Lake and McHenry counties, Brown said. The pharmacists are working under a collective bargaining agreement that expires in 2028, she said.

* Sun-Times | Delays hit Metra Union Pacific-North trains: Trains on Metra’s Union Pacific-North line were running with delays Monday morning due to emergency track repairs in Evanston and a broken down inbound train near Fort Sheridan.

* Daily Herald | ‘It was horrific’: Elgin immigrants advocates say ramped-up deportation push brings fear, unease: “We’re interacting with everyday people that have lived here for decades, that have gone about their day every day — going to work, like the man on Monday did. Now they’re being targeted primarily because of their appearance or their racial ethnicity and background. “It just seems that they’re picking people at random. (In recent) major interactions we’ve had, everyone was driving their work vehicle. I don’t know if that was just a racial statement … that someone in a construction truck or van will most likely be undocumented,” Cordová-Clough said.

* Daily Herald | Carpentersville officials work to find fix for exposed water, sewer lines following dam removal: Two water and two sewer lines were installed roughly 60 years ago at the bottom of the Fox River north of the Carpentersville dam. However, all four lines became exposed this spring after water levels along the Fox River decreased dramatically. The depth of the river dropped, in part, because of a project that removed the Carpentersville dam. Other factors include drought conditions and the temporary closure of the Stratton Lock and Dam in McHenry for the boating season. “A year ago, it would have been underwater in the river,” Carpentersville Village Manager Brad Stewart said. “But now, where the exposure was identified is the new shoreline.”

* Tribune | Oak Park and River Forest High School hires former Homewood-Flossmoor, Naperville administrator: Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 has hired an administrator experienced in curriculum to be its new assistant superintendent for student learning to replace Laurie Fiorenza who resigned, effective June 30, without explanation in April. Fiorenza’s replacement will be Jen Hester, who has worked for the last five years as the director of student curriculum, instruction and professional development at Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233, a one-school district like OPRF.

* Daily Herald | ‘I just want to be whole’: Arlington Heights residents struggle to get homes repaired months after garbage truck blast: Video that showed the blast in front of her home on the corner of Euclid and Derbyshire avenues went viral online and made international news. But she’s upset fewer people are paying attention now. More than six months later, Battin’s three-bedroom ranch remains damaged — windows boarded up, the corner frame broken, and walls and ceilings cracked throughout — while she struggles to get more than $100,000 worth of repairs covered by insurance.

* Daily Herald | Well-known Addison shopkeeper (and one-time presidential candidate) mulls retirement after robbery: Ed Gombos has a story about everything. Which is fitting since his 7,000-square-foot Addison USACO silk-screening shop — tucked into a nondescript business park along South Addison Road — has just about everything in it. There are the track suits once worn by U.S. Olympians, letters from various silver screen icons, including Charlton Heston and Robert Redford, a collection of T-shirts too numerous to count, books, photos, memorabilia from his ill-fated presidential run in 1996, as well as a wooden door that he is trying to sell for $100,000 because he believes it is adorned with the image of Jesus Christ.

* Naperville Sun | Anderson’s Bookshop celebrates 150 years of independent bookselling in Naperville: ‘We will always find that book for you’: This year marks the 150th anniversary of Anderson’s Bookshop. From a small drugstore founded before the turn of the 20th century to a beloved bookseller sought after by some of today’s biggest authors, Anderson’s has stood the test of page-turning time. And all the while, the business has remained family-owned and most importantly, owners say, community-driven. “That’s what we do,” said Becky Anderson, fifth-generation owner of Anderson’s Bookshop. “We will always greet you. We will always find that book for you.”

* Daily Herald | ‘It’s fun to bird with others’: Why DuPage Birding Club is going strong at 40 years: It was late 1984 when a dozen birders gathered in a College of DuPage classroom to discuss the idea of starting a club. At a second meeting, also at COD, the name DuPage Birding Club was chosen and club bylaws were adopted. The date was Jan. 14, 1985. Within two years the club boasted 109 members. Membership today surpasses 350. Club records list 23 founding members, and nearly half are still active. I contacted several of them and other longtime members to collect their thoughts about the club on its 40th anniversary. How, I asked, does DBC survive and continue to grow? And what makes it special?

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Peoria chapter of business mentorship group looks to relaunch Bloomington effort, amid possible federal cutbacks: Corbett, a retired technology business analyst, said SCORE Peoria gets less than $3,000 a year from the national organization that’s funded by about $17 million through the federal Small Business Administration. “You’ve got a national organization to run. You buy national advertising, you have a computer system that supports all of us that is funded by the national organization. The chapters, being largely volunteer, have relatively small budgets,” said Corbett, noting the proposed reconciliation bill currently before the U.S. Congress would wipe out the entire $17 million as of Oct. 1.

* BND | Army Corps completes $40M upgrade to Madison County levee: A nearly $40 million Metro East project that officials believe will enhance flooding prevention along the Mississippi River has been completed, officials said Friday. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Wood River Drainage and Levee District said their federal-local partnership will address known deficiencies in the levee system by building 80 new relief wells, a drainage system and an access road.

* KHQA | Taco Bell fender bender: Adams Co. Chairman cited for ‘leaving the scene’ in Quincy: Bret Scott Austin—the Adams County Board Chairman and District 1 board rep—was given a citation by the Quincy Police Department on June 19 for “leaving the scene” after hitting another car almost 24 hours earlier in the downtown Taco Bell parking lot. […] In the report, Austin stated that he was unaware he hit the vehicle and didn’t realize he had lost his truck’s running board until the next morning. […] Austin’s court date is set for August 5 at 9 a.m. He told KHQA Friday evening that he plans to plead guilty.

* WCIA | Central Illinois cooling centers open this season: Scott Anderson, Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator, sent out a release with locations that residents can go to keep cool during the summer heat. Anderson said the centers offer air-conditioned relief during extreme heat or when a heat advisory has been issued.

* WTVO | ‘You guys showed up,’ Rockford hosts inaugural Ironman 70.3 race: First place finisher Cody Williams was born in Madison, WI but recently moved to Sycamore, IL. Williams crossed the line with a time of four hours and 10 minutes. Williams said the energy throughout the race was electric. “It was really cool; it was really special,” Williams said. “The energy, all the volunteers, you guys showed up, you showed out and it was special. There were so many people cheering every lap. I know it’s getting hotter out there, but man did all the volunteers, and everybody just make the day easier, even though it was not that easy.”

*** National ***

* CNN | Former leader of anti-vaccine group founded by RFK Jr. to present at first meeting of new CDC vaccine advisers: Redwood’s scheduled presentation to the CDC vaccine advisory committee is unusual. Typically, presenters are members of the ACIP working groups who have spent months gathering and discussing evidence on a given topic. The vote on thimerosal was added days ago, and it’s not clear what the discussion and vote on thimerosal in flu vaccines will entail.

* AP | The number of abortions kept rising in 2024 because of telehealth prescriptions, report finds: The latest survey, released Monday, tallied about 1.1 million abortions nationally last year, or about 95,000 a month. That is up from about 88,000 monthly in 2023 and 80,000 a month between April and December of 2022. WeCount began after Roe was overturned, and the 2022 numbers don’t include January through March, when abortions are traditionally at their highest. The number is still well below the historic peak in the U.S. of nearly 1.6 million a year in the late 1990s.

* Texas Tribune | Gov. Greg Abbott vetoes THC ban, calls for regulation instead: The late-night action just minutes before the veto deadline keeps the Texas hemp industry alive for now, while spiking a top priority of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. [..] In a statement explaining his veto, Abbott argued that SB 3 would not have survived “valid constitutional challenges,” and that the bill’s total ban “puts federal and state law on a collision course,” noting that the 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized hemp products.

* NBC | Republican attempt to rein in federal judges is stripped from Trump’s big bill: Trump and his allies have harshly criticized judges who have ruled against the administration. Although nationwide injunctions have only become commonplace in recent years, Trump is not the only president to have been frustrated by them, with the Biden and Obama administrations both suffering similar fates on various fronts. The language added to the bill would have required anyone seeking an injunction to pay a fee that would be equal to “the costs and damages sustained by the federal government” if it were to ultimately win the case. On major national policies, that amount could be in the billions of dollars and would deter people from filing lawsuits, legal experts said.

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That time the Pope wrote a thank you note to Gov. Quinn

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Mawa Iqbal at WBEZ…

Before Robert F. Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, he was apparently keeping a close eye on at least one major Illinois issue.

Documents obtained by WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times through a public records request show that in 2011 the Chicago-born pope sent his gratitude to then-Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn for abolishing the death penalty in Illinois.

The note was submitted through an online form on the Illinois governor’s website the same day Quinn signed the act into law on March 9, 2011.

“Dear Governor Quinn, THANK YOU for your courageous decision in signing into law the elimination of the death penalty,” the note reads. “I know it was a difficult decision, but I applaud your vision and your understanding of the very complex matter. You have my full support! Sincerely, Robert F. Prevost.”

Quinn, who was not aware of the note’s existence before being contacted for this story, was immediately surprised that the person who would eventually become the pope had written to him more than a decade earlier.

“Can you text me a copy of the letter?” Quinn said when first told of the letter. “I think I’ll frame it.”

* I did notice that the future Pope Leo declined to be added to the governor’s newsletter list…

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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments.

Retailers like Eva in Galesburg enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

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Congressional news roundup

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Evanston Now…

An early poll of likely Democratic voters in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District shows a three-way race emerging among Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, progressive journalist Kat Abughazaleh and State Sen. Laura Fine.

The internal poll was conducted by MDW Communications between June 12 and 15 for Abughazaleh’s campaign and was released Monday, first shared with Evanston Now.

MDW Communications is a Florida-based “full-service marketing agency specializing in digital and direct mail.” They don’t have a pollster on staff, and they do not advertise polling services on their website.

Color me skeptical. Also, this is from May…

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is showcasing a new internal poll that went into the field following his arrest outside an immigration detention facility that puts him within four percentage points of the leading candidate in the race for Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair). […]

The poll was conducted on May 11-13 by MDW Communications, a Democratic firm, with a sample size of 1,100 and a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.

Um, Baraka lost to Sherrill by 13 points a few weeks later.

Oops.

* So, with all that in mind…

“The poll was conducted via text message by MDW Communications from June 12-15, with a margin of error of +/- 3% and sample size of 899 likely Democratic voters. Numbers are rounded.”

I’ve never heard anyone speculate that Sen. Ram Villivalam is running for Congress. Also, who is Jim Andrew?

* Back to the story…

In a statement, Abughazaleh’s campaign manager, Sam Weinberg, said the poll “shows we have a real path to victory,” noting that “it won’t be easy … We know we’re the underdogs in this race.”

George Lundgren, Daniel Biss’ campaign manager, said, “while it’s nice to see confirmation that Daniel is the front runner in this race, there is a long way to go before voters have their final say.”

* The Evanston Round Table has a good wrap-up of a recent candidate forum in that district. Click here to check it out.

* In other news, 8th Congressional District Democratic candidate Dan Tully released a pretty good announcement video. Have a look…

* Last week…

The Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee (CBCPAC) today endorsed Robin Kelly for U.S. Senate. The CBCPAC supports candidates for Congress that will promote progress for Black Americans.

“We’re excited to continue to grow our representation in the Senate with one of our own,” CBCPAC Chairman Rep. Gregory Meeks said. “Robin Kelly has delivered for the people of Illinois and she will soar in the Senate. She is a fierce advocate on gun violence prevention, maternal health and health care as a basic right. Robin Kelly is a trusted, proven and dedicated leader, and we are proud to endorse her for the U.S. Senate.”

“It is an honor to be a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and I thank the CBCPAC for this meaningful endorsement,” Kelly said. “I have lived my values as a congresswoman from Illinois’s 2nd District and I am committed to continue serving the people of Illinois with compassion and integrity in the U.S. Senate.”

Today’s endorsement of Robin Kelly for the U.S. Senate adds to other endorsements from members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

* More…

* Evanston Roundtable | City government 101: What happens if Biss goes to Washington: City code actually names two different temporary mayors who can take the incumbent’s place in different situations: the mayor pro tempore (meaning “for the time being” and “pro tem” for short) and the acting mayor. Both are selected from the nine members of Evanston’s City Council, and both are charged “to perform the duties and possess all the rights and powers of the Mayor” until they’re no longer needed.

* Dan Tully | I trust my fellow service members will abide by the Constitution: It is infuriating that we are even in this situation. Trump doesn’t care about members of the military, referring to fallen soldiers as “suckers” and “losers” for not escaping their obligations as he did during the Vietnam War. He denigrates the records of patriots such as the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, degrading his war hero status. He has saddled them with an incompetent secretary of defense in Pete Hegseth. Most dangerously, Trump intentionally disregards centuries of the military’s most essential tradition of nonpartisanship, eroding American faith in our most trusted institution.

* MSNBC | IL Congressman: Masked ICE agent called police to ‘evict us as trespassers’ when attempting to enter Chicago facility: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi joins The Weeknight to discuss the fight against Trump’s erosion of democratic norms – and what happened when he attempted an oversight visit at an ICE Facility in Chicago’s South Loop.

* Daily Southtown | In backdrop of shuttered MetroSouth hospital in Blue Island, south suburban officials warn Medicaid cuts could undermine health care: Rita and other local officials, including U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, visited the Blue Island Health Center Friday to highlight how Medicaid cuts put not only uninsured people, but entire communities and hospital systems at risk. Rita touted the Illinois General Assembly boosting funding by $40 million for federally qualified health care centers, but said “that will not be able to impact what is going to take place” the Senate passes the bill and Trump signs it into law. […] Kelly, who is vying to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, said “people will die” from lack of health care access provided through Medicaid. “It is never a good time for a hospital to close,” Kelly said. “But right now, our country is in the middle of a maternal mortality crisis, and Medicaid covers half of births nationwide.”

* Politico | IL-09: Howard Rosenblum, a civil rights attorney, announced this morning that he’s running as a Democrat for Congress for the seat now held by retiring U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. “I know how important equality under the law and full opportunity through civil rights is. My legal experience fighting back is exactly what we need in Washington right now,” said Rosenblum, who served on the U.S. Access Board during the Obama administration and was appointed to the Illinois Human Rights Commission by Gov. JB Pritzker.

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Then again, maybe not

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Earlier this month, we told you about a bill that passed both chambers to forbid artificial intelligence “therapy.”

Well…

The Senate’s rules referee late Saturday allowed Republicans to include in their megabill a 10-year moratorium on enforcing state and local artificial intelligence laws — a surprising result for the provision that’s split the GOP.

Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) rewrote a House-passed AI moratorium to try to comply with the chamber’s budgetary rules. His version made upholding the moratorium a condition for receiving billions in federal broadband expansion funds. Both parties made their arguments before the parliamentarian Thursday. […]

Though the parliamentarian delivered a victory for Republicans, a number of conservative senators including Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), have vocally opposed the provision.

Hawley has vowed to work with Democrats on an amendment to remove the language once the megabill hits the floor.

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Why Are Tax-Exempt Hospitals Getting Rich?

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Across Illinois, big hospital systems and PBMs are abusing the 340B drug discount program – making massive profits while patients drown in medical bills. One whistleblower called it “laundering money.”

Here’s how the scam works: big hospitals buy discounted 340B drugs, bill patients full price, then split the difference with for-profit pharmacies and PBMs.

340B was meant to help Illinois communities in need. But there are no rules requiring hospitals and PBMs to pass savings on to patients. No transparency. No oversight. Just higher costs for working families, small businesses, and taxpayers.

Meanwhile, tax-exempt hospitals cash in – and PBMs get a cut too.

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Some of the ‘19′ respond to Madigan’s sentencing

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

I reached out last week to several members of the “19” — the Democratic House members who refused to vote to reelect House Speaker Michael Madigan in 2021, thereby forcing him into retirement.

I asked for their reaction to Madigan’s 90-month federal prison sentence handed down a few days earlier. Because it was a holiday (Father’s Day), I didn’t expect to hear much back.

But in talking with several members who didn’t want to be quoted, and some who were, their minds were clearly more focused on the still-unfolding events following the shootings of some Minnesota legislators than on their role years ago in ousting Madigan.

The alleged assassin of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse, who also allegedly attempted to assassinate state Sen. John Hoffman and his spouse, reportedly created a “hit list” of numerous Minnesota Democratic state legislators as well as abortion rights advocates.

If you had any interaction with a state legislator since the shootings, you know this horrific crime has struck many of them at their very core.

More legislators than you may realize have received credible threats of violence, or have been stalked. Most refuse to talk about it for the record, but those shootings showed what could’ve happened to them and what may still happen in the future.

And the fact that family members were also targeted in Minnesota only makes things worse.

“I’ve found myself thinking less about Michael Madigan and more about another former speaker, Melissa Hortman, who I had the privilege of meeting through our work as Uniform Law Commissioners,” said “19” member Rep. Dan Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, in response to my question about Madigan. “We should all aspire to serve and to be remembered like Speaker Hortman: ethically, impactfully, and with a steady commitment to doing the right thing for as many people as possible.”

Rep. Didech went on to say, “As legislators, our good reputations are like a cup filled drop by drop, and can be emptied in a single moment. We owe it to our families, our constituents, and our state to one day leave office with our cups still full.”

Some “19” members managed to stick solely to the question at hand:

• State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, was a persistent thorn in Madigan’s side: “After so many years and so much turmoil, I am glad to see this chapter finally reach a conclusion, although I can’t celebrate anyone going into a prison system that doesn’t truly make people better. Speaker Madigan’s corruption caused real harm to the well-being of our communities, and I won’t forget his impact on my own life anytime soon, but we are moving on as a state. Both chambers have new leaders, and they’re charting their own courses forward. I’m looking forward to the progress we can make together now that this painful period has reached its conclusion.”

• Former state Rep. Deb Conroy, who is now the DuPage County Board chair and who had to deal with threats of violence when she was a legislator about a bill she sponsored: “Nineteen legislators took a stand individually and stood together for what they felt was the right thing to do for the future of our party and the state of Illinois. It was often a difficult road. Members turned against members and caucuses chose sides. My hope is we can turn the page and move forward united in our democratic values.”

• State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego: “I had no idea back then what the outcome would be. In the end, due process was afforded to former Speaker Madigan, the jury made its ruling and the judge rendered the sentence. It is an unfortunate end to his legacy and legislative tenure, and a difficult situation for his wife, Shirley, and his family. However, as elected officials, we need to continue to strive to repair the damage to the public trust and strive to ensure we are held to the highest ethical standard.”

• State Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin: “The sentencing of former House Speaker Michael J. Madigan underscores a fundamental American principle: no one is above the law. I was one of the 19 House Democrats who chose not to support Speaker Madigan’s re-election in 2021. That decision was rooted in my belief that elected officials must be held to the highest ethical standards, and that real reform starts with leadership. As a state legislator, I remain steadfast in my commitment to transparency, accountability and integrity. The people of Illinois deserve a government at all levels that works for them — not for entrenched power or political gain.”

Discuss.

24 Comments

Open thread

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* A cardinal checks out the song about birds at the 1:35 mark of Jesse Welles’ delightful tune…

Hopin’ and prayin’ for some good flyin’ weather

Keep the discussion strictly Illinois-centric, please. You can take yourself to a million places to talk about other stuff. Thanks.

13 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Federal cuts gut grants, threatening the work of Illinois researchers. Crain’s…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Clean energy job training offers hope to hundreds: ‘It’s changed my life’: Eleven of 16 major training hubs statewide are now up and running, training hundreds of people. “This moment is massive,” said Juliana Pino, interim co-executive director at the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. “It’s really significant because before the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, communities had to fight very hard to even have (access to job training) be respected and understood.”

* WAND | New Illinois budget features massive investments for workforce development, SkillsUSA opportunities: The spending plan includes a $1.3 million increase for career and technical education programs to expand access to underserved students using an updated equity-based formula. It also features $2 million for SkillsUSA, a nonprofit educational organization getting students pre-apprenticeships and community college training. “When we start to think about workforce development and the return on investment that brings to our individual communities, there are some incredible opportunities that our students are going to have as a result of our budget,” said Eric Hill, Executive Director of SkillsUSA Illinois.

*** Statewide ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois could lose $18M in legal aid funding if Trump’s budget passes — hurting Legal Aid Chicago, others: The White House is proposing to eliminate Legal Services Corporation, the country’s largest funder of civil legal aid. If passed, thousands of Illinoisans would no longer receive free legal help through the state’s three legal aid groups.

* Illinois Farmer Today | Knee-high by July? How corn, soybeans are faring around Illinois: “Overall plants are healthy and progressing through the growth stages and a wet June would go a long way to help the corn specifically catch up in height and overall growth,” Brand said. Meagan Diss, an Extension commercial ag specialist based in west-central Illinois, said recent rain systems have helped to replenish soil moisture.

* Tribune | Taxes on vapes, Zyn and most tobacco products go up July 1: Illinois set the tax on vaping products at 15% of the wholesale price about six years ago. The first increase since then kicks in July 1, with the rate going up to 45%. Most tobacco products other than cigarettes, including cigars and chewing tobacco, will also be taxed at 45% of the wholesale price, up from a 36% levy that’s been in place for more than a decade.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Governing | Chicago’s Transit Systems Face a Fiscal Cliff: Sen. Villivalam recently spoke with Governing about the proposal to increase transit revenue and overhaul governance of the system before the budget gap results in layoffs and service cuts. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

* AGRI News | Daily Herald opinion: The legislative shell game: GOP lawsuit draws attention to a practice that threatens faith in government: Lawmakers approved a third round of $2 million funding in support of the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act. With funding provided through the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 19 local food projects received funds last year that strengthened the local food system and increased access to agricultural products grown and raised in the Prairie State.

* Tribune | Despite moves by Indiana lawmakers, Illinois’ borders are unlikely to change: While the measure creating the commission sailed through the Republican-dominated Indiana statehouse on its way to the GOP governor’s desk, a companion proposal from one of Illinois’ most conservative state lawmakers went nowhere in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly before it adjourned its spring session.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transportation department head exits: The leader of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transportation department is leaving his post after more than 20 years with the agency. Tom Carney marks yet another City Hall stalwart dropping from the mayor’s administration. In a statement, Johnson said Carney will be “transitioning out of his role to focus on his family.”

* Tribune | ICE took her mother. Now, a 6-year-old is left without a guardian or legal path back to reunite in Honduras.: Still, wearing a pink dress and ballerina flats, Gabriela, 6, smiled and twirled around holding a bouquet on her way home. An older neighbor who sometimes cares for her walked by her side. Just a week earlier, on June 4, her mother, Wendy Sarai Pineda, 39, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside an office in downtown Chicago during what was supposed to be a routine check-in, while Gabriela was at school. The little girl doesn’t understand why her mother vanished and had hoped her mother would be at her graduation, said Camerino Gomez, Pineda’s fiance.

* Tribune | Lincoln Yards site is poised for new chapter, but debate over what went wrong with the stalled project continues: The war of words over what went wrong with developer Sterling Bay’s grand vision for its Lincoln Yards development on the North Side continues, even while the city waits to see what will happen with the sprawling site. Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently fired back at Sterling Bay, saying company leadership blamed their project’s failure to launch on her one-term administration. Axios reporter Justin Kaufmann interviewed Lightfoot in May at the Hideout, a music club adjacent to the 53-acre site, and asked her about Sterling Bay’s failure to build the controversial Lincoln Yards project. She ripped company CEO Andy Gloor for having “repeatedly lied about me in public,” blaming her administration for the development’s lack of progress.

* WGN | ‘Larger than life’: Chicagoans remember local musician, actor hit and killed on DuSable Lake Shore Drive: According to the Chicago Police Department, it’s believed Siddall was crossing the northbound lanes of DLSD around 3:30 a.m. when they were hit by a car. CPD released these photos of the white 2019 Honda Accord they’re looking for in connection with the hit and run. Siddall was a singer and a leader in Chicago’s Gay Men’s Chorus, where they served as President of the Membership Council.

* CBS Chicago | Rescue crews pull multiple people from Lake Michigan as crowds pack beaches amid heat wave: “We don’t have a boat that’s operable in any type of wave action,” said Winthrop Harbor Fire Chief Rocco Campanella. Officials said large rocks were put in the lake by the state to break waves and help with erosion in 2023. The mounds attract swimmers, but are extremely hazardous. On Tuesday, a 20-year-old man drowned at Illinois Beach State Park. “The breakwalls, we think, are creating a rip current effect out there for people,” Campanella said.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Skokie budget restores 1% grocery tax, hikes water rates but freezes property tax: The move took place as the Skokie Village Board approved the upcoming fiscal year’s budget, which also contains a 15% water rate hike, but maintains the village’s freeze on the property tax rate for the 36th year in a row. Essentially, residents will not see their grocery tax go up; it will, in effect, remain the same, though if Skokie and the other suburbs had not restored it, grocery shoppers would have paid less tax at the checkout counter.

* Shaw Local | Ex-dairy owner Jim Oberweis to fundraise in Kane County Sunday for Florida Congressional run: Former Illinois State Sen. Jim Oberweis is returning to Kane County for a fundraiser to support his run for Congress in Florida’s 19th District. Oberweis, formerly of Sugar Grove, is running in the 2026 Republican primary seat on Florida’s southern Gulf Coast being vacated by Byron Donalds in the 2026 primary election.

* Shaw Local | ‘Industrial condos’ proposed in Crystal Lake: Developers are looking to create six industrial “condos” in Crystal Lake to house manufacturing businesses – space that local planning commissioners see as a potential incubator for new local businesses. Architect Tony Sarillo and property owner Steve Theofanous propose six “light industrial condominium buildings” on three vacant lots.

* Daily Southtown | Pride Fest in Irwin Park: ‘Homewood has my back’: U.S. Robin Kelly, the 2nd District representative who announced in May she is running for the U.S. Senate, spoke about not giving up the fight. “Despite what looks like an ugly climate and despite what is an ugly climate, those of us out here and beyond are saying they are not taking this,” she said. “Do me a favor. Do not get weary. That’s what they want you to do.

* Tribune | Pet hotel dubbed Ritz-Carlton for dogs to open in Deerfield: K9 Resorts, a national pet hotel chain which bills itself as the Ritz-Carlton for dogs, is opening its first Illinois location Monday in Deerfield. The facility features individual suites with high-definition TVs tuned 24/7 to DogTV and Animal Planet, premium shampoos in its bathing salons, antimicrobial play areas, an air purification system and of course, room service.

*** Downstate ***

* Farm Progress | ‘Every decision I make this year is the wrong one’: “There’s algae on the field and it’s as green as it can be. Earthworms are lying on top of the soil, dead. Snail shells are everywhere. “The ground is dead. It’s anaerobic. It’s growing algae and mold.” That’s how Kelly Robertson describes one southern Illinois field, but it could be anywhere across southern Illinois, where rainfall has topped 20 inches in April, May and June.

* Journal Courier | Brown sees rise in calls to domestic violence hotline amid statewide increase: Brown County tied with Piatt County in 2024 for the highest percentage increase in contacts to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline, according to a report from The Network. The report found the counties had two contacts with the hotline last year — up from none in 2023. Brown and Piatt counties were tied for first in largest increase in contacts to the hotline. Logan County came in second with 16 contacts — an 81% increase from 2023 — while Livingston County came third with 30 contacts, or a 77% increase.

* WGLT | Sale of site for proposed shelter village in Bloomington is approved: The Bridge would consist of 50 tiny sleeping cabins on a fully enclosed campus, with a total occupancy of 60 adults, according to materials previously provided to the McLean County Board. It would have on-site laundry, toilets and bathing facilities. The approximately 75,000-square-foot site was sold to Home Sweet Home Ministries [HSHM] for $250,000.

* WGLT | Bloomington removes annual licensing fee from proposed massage business regulations: City staff removed the proposed yearly $250 fee from the ordinance the city council tabled on June 9 after massage parlor owners complained they were being unfairly targeted and weren’t consulted. City staff proposed the regulations as a way to prevent sex trafficking, amid claims that some of the businesses were engaging in illegal sexual activity.

* WCIA | U of I hosting STEM academic boot camp for student veterans: This specific program requires each participant to complete 75 academic hours, which would simulate a typical “finals week” in college. The purpose of this is to prepare student veterans for the demands of academic life as they transition from military careers to higher education.

* WAND | Golf carts soon to take to the streets in Mattoon: Regulations in the ordinance require golf carts to drive in the same direction as traffic. It will also be illegal to drive on sidewalks, bike paths and multi-use paths. Drivers must have a valid driver’s license and be at least 18 years old. Children who need to use a car seat or a booster seat are not permitted to ride in a golf cart.

* Illinois Times | Great Race coming to Springfield: For the first time, Springfield will be an overnight stop for drivers in the Hemmings Motor News Great Race, an event that began in 1983 and this year starts in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 21 and finishes in Irmo, South Carolina, on June 29. The pit stop in Springfield will be on Monday, June 23, when drivers will display their 1974-and-older vintage automobiles to anyone who wants to see them. They’ll also mingle to discuss what it’s like to race more than 2,000 miles in cars that, in some cases, date to when William Howard Taft was president (1909-13).

* SJ-R | New summer beer coming to Illinois State Fair thanks to local nonprofit and microbrewery: The new beer is a light summer lager meant to be washed down, thrice. “I have an old rule: people should be able to drink three, the first one should be gone before they know it because it tastes so good,” Reisch said. “Like really good food, you just have to literally push yourself away from the table as a solution to not overeating.”

* Illinois Times | Springfield’s Reisch Beer makes a comeback: For more than 50 years, Reisch Beer lived on in the memories and stories of many Springfield families. But it was about more than just the beer. The Reisch family was a generous community supporter. They helped found the Citizens Street Railway Company, Illini Country Club, the Springfield Art Association and the Sangamo Club. They also were major contributors to the Springfield YMCA/YWCA, St. John’s Hospital and Blessed Sacrament Church and School. And they donated land to help establish Washington Park. According to George, his family’s philosophy was “Give till it hurts.”

* WCIA | Cat back home in Central Illinois after three years, thousand-mile travel: Doug and Michele Carder of VALOR Rescue said their cat, Ivy, was stolen from PetSmart in Champaign back in 2022. […] After years of what-ifs and worries… the Carders got a message that Ivy was in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “I looked at it and I’m like ‘No, this is a scam, I just know it’s a scam,’” Michele said. “I plugged in the microchip number they had listed on the email and it was her.”

*** National ***

* Forbes | Tesla Misses Robotaxi Launch Date, Goes With Safety Drivers: Tesla’s much-anticipated June 22 “no one in the vehicle” “unsupervised” Robotaxi launch in Austin is not ready. Instead, Tesla is operating a limited service with Tesla employees on board the vehicle to maintain safety. Tesla will use an approach that was used in 2019 by Russian robotaxi company Yandex, putting the “safety driver” in the passenger’s seat rather than the driver’s seat. (Yandex’s robotaxi was divested from Russian and now is called AVRide.)

* MSN | Rahm Emanuel confronts ‘awkward’ prospect of facing a home-state rival in the 2028 presidential race: “Look, JB and I are friends,” Emanuel said in an interview. The two recently had dinner, he noted. They text. When Emanuel came into town in his capacity as U.S. ambassador to Japan, they made a point of getting breakfast. “We’re going to continue to be friends, but if we’re running for the same position, it will be awkward.”

* AP | How Senate Republicans want to change the tax breaks in Trump’s big bill: Republicans in the two chambers don’t agree on the size of a deduction for state and local taxes. And they are at odds on such things as allowing people to use their health savings accounts to help pay for their gym membership, or whether electric vehicle and hybrid owners should have to pay an annual fee. The House passed its version shortly before Memorial Day. Now the Senate is looking to pass its version. While the two bills are similar on the major tax provisions, how they work out their differences in the coming weeks will determine how quickly they can get a final product over the finish line. President Donald Trump is pushing to have the legislation on his desk by July 4th.

* Press Release | “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Has More Provisions That Violate the Byrd Rule, According to Senate Parliamentarian: “There is no better way to define this Big Beautiful Betrayal of a bill than families lose, and billionaires win. Democrats are on the side of families and workers and are scrutinizing this bill piece by piece to ensure Republicans can’t use the reconciliation process to force their anti-worker policies on the American people,” said Ranking Member Jeff Merkley. “The Byrd Rule is enshrined in law for a reason, and Democrats are making sure it is enforced.”

* NYT | Compass Sues to Stop ‘Zillow Ban’: Compass, the real estate brokerage that sells more houses than any of its competitors in the United States, has sued Zillow, the country’s largest real estate site — in a legal showdown that accuses Zillow of gatekeeping home listings and of breaking federal antitrust laws. In its suit that was filed in New York federal court on Monday morning, Compass claims that Zillow is engaged in an anticompetitive conspiracy to maintain a monopoly over digital home listings.

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, Jun 23, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, Jun 23, 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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Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Lettuce…

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The trial is expected to last four weeks…

Jones retrial date set for Jan. 12.
A bit inconvenient for those of us who also are watching the retrial of former AT&T IL President Paul La Schiazza (whose Sept 2024 trial re: alleged bribes to Madigan also ended in a hung jury), scheduled for Jan 6 (https://t.co/zZNnkbBg1o) 🙃 https://t.co/sVD5dRxjP2

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) June 20, 2025

* Crain’s…

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling affirming Tennessee legislation that restricts gender-affirming care for minors is likely to have ripple effects in states with strong protections of transgender health like Illinois, which will be asked to take on more out-of-state patients.

United States v. Skrmetti concerned Tennessee restrictions on access to hormones, hormone blockers and gender-affirming surgical procedures for people under the age of 18. The high court ruled in a 6-3 vote that the Tennessee law does not violate the 14th Amendment’s equal protection guarantee, preserving such bans in two dozen states around the nation. […]

An increase in out-of-state traffic for transgender health care could come at a bad time for Planned Parenthood of Illinois. […]

In January the provider said it would close four Illinois health centers, in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, Ottawa, Decatur and Bloomington, and was downsizing its administrative staff.

* Planned Parenthood of Illinois…

Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) announced Lisa (Garza-Weichman) Harries as the new Board Chair, who will start her term on July 1. Harries has served on the board of Planned Parenthood since 2022, most recently as Vice Chair and Chair of the Strategy Committee. She also serves as the Assistant Vice President of Health Equity and Policy at the Illinois Health & Hospital Association, where she champions policy solutions and advocacy strategies to advance optimal health for all across Illinois.

* US Rep. Robin Kelly receives CBCPAC endorsement…

The Congressional Black Caucus Political Action Committee (CBCPAC) today endorsed Robin Kelly for U.S. Senate. The CBCPAC supports candidates for Congress that will promote progress for Black Americans.

“We’re excited to continue to grow our representation in the Senate with one of our own,” CBCPAC Chairman Rep. Gregory Meeks said. “Robin Kelly has delivered for the people of Illinois and she will soar in the Senate. She is a fierce advocate on gun violence prevention, maternal health and health care as a basic right. Robin Kelly is a trusted, proven and dedicated leader, and we are proud to endorse her for the U.S. Senate.”

* IDES…

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today nonfarm payrolls were nearly unchanged over-the-month, up +100 (0.0%) to 6,166,100 in May. Additionally, the April monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +4,100 to -2,400.

The unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in May, while the revised April unemployment rate was 4.8 percent, unchanged from the preliminary April unemployment rate. The May payroll jobs estimate and unemployment rate reflect activity for the week including the 12th.

The industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job increases included: Professional and Business Services (+1,900), Financial Activities (+1,600), and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,100). The industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job decreases included: Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-2,800), Government (-2,400), and Private Education and Health Services (-200).

Compared to a year ago, total nonfarm payroll jobs increased by +21,200 jobs. The industry groups with the largest jobs increases included: Private Education and Health Services (+16,100), Leisure and Hospitality (+7,800), and Government (+7,000). The industry groups with jobs decreases included: Professional and Business Services (-8,600), Manufacturing (-5,300), and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (-5,000). In May, total nonfarm payrolls were up +0.3 percent over-the-year in Illinois and up +1.1 percent in the nation. […]

The number of unemployed workers was 318,600, down -1.0% from the prior month, and down -5.9 percent over the same month one year ago. The labor force decreased (-0.2%) over-the-month and was almost unchanged (0.0%) over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and seeking employment. An individual who exhausts or is ineligible for benefits is still reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.

*** Statewide ***

* Statewide | New insight into Mary Lincoln’s “madness”: Newly discovered correspondence between Mrs. Lincoln and her friends and family – letters long assumed to have been lost or destroyed – shed new light on the nature of her illness as well as the nature of her relationships with the few friends and family she had left by that time. The Dark Days of Abraham Lincoln’s Widow, As Revealed by Her Own Letters,” was compiled by historian Jason Emerson and was recently released by Southern Illinois University Press.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Amid federal funding uncertainty, Illinois lawmakers add ‘safety valve’ to state budget: “The magnitude and volume of problems that Trump and his administration are creating is something that no state has ever dealt with before. So it will have limited use,” Andy Manar, the deputy governor on budget issues, said of the $100 million fund. “But it will serve a very strategic role.” The state has also expanded the state treasurer’s authority to lend up to $2 billion to the comptroller to pay bills, building on emergency lending powers used during the budget impasse of former Gov. Bruce Rauner, as well as expanded payroll protections for state workers funded by federal grants.

* Illinois hemp growers mixed over spring legislative session : Rachel Berry tells Brownfield, “A mixed bag.” She says, “We didn’t see a lot of movement with regulation, or any surprises come up like we did last session, but we really pushed this season for some commonsense regulation, and you know, we just couldn’t get.” Last fall a proposal in the Illinois General Assembly would’ve banned the sale of many hemp products outside of licensed cannabis dispensaries, but Berry says she was grateful those efforts didn’t resurface.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Chicago cop linked to federal extortion case is now under investigation by Chicago police: According to prosecutors, the officer told the FBI he left guns at a home of Fakroune in the Chicago area. The officer said Fakroune failed to return the guns, which prosecutors said were later seized on Dec. 18 in an FBI raid of a home where Fakroune was staying in Manhattan. They said the officer reported the guns stolen, but some information in his report was false.

* Crain’s | Supreme Court refuses to expedite Chicago-area toymakers’ challenge to Trump’s tariffs: The companies want the court to take the unusual step of considering the case without waiting for a federal appeals court to rule. The administration says the Supreme Court should let the normal appellate process play out. The clash is putting Trump’s tariffs before the justices for the first time. A federal district judge agreed with educational-toy makers Learning Resources Inc. and hand2mind Inc. that Trump lacked authority under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to issue the import taxes.

* Triibe | ‘Roll N Peace’ combats perception that Black people don’t ride bikes, especially in Englewood: “I remember when I initially had this idea, and I was just kind of sharing it with people, and everybody was trying to deter me from doing it,” Perkins said. “They were saying that Black people don’t ride bikes, and nobody will ride bikes through Englewood at night, on a Friday night, and how dangerous it could be and all of that.”

* Sun-Times | Misericordia’s Sister Rosemary Connelly has died at 94: ‘She saw our kids as people, not as disabilities’: By 1954, the Home for Infants housed about 50 children with developmental challenges like Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. In 1969, the task of keeping them alive until the state could take over fell to Sister Rosemary Connelly, a 38-year-old nun from the Sisters of Mercy who knew little of Misericordia but immediately realized she had found her calling. “I felt God’s presence on my very first day at Misericordia,” she said. “I could tell that all the children were loved.”

* Tribune | Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf to be deposed in Rate Field shooting lawsuit: Reinsdorf — who’s in the midst of a deal to sell the team he’s owned for more than 40 years — must give sworn testimony by July 31. An attorney for the White Sox, Robert Shannon, told Judge Sarah Brunson on Friday that the questions for Reinsdorf will likely center around comments he made to the media in the days after the shooting, as well as the team’s decision to not call off the rest of the game after the shooting occurred.

* Block Club | Sammy Sosa Returns To Wrigley Field For 1st Time Since 2004 Cubs Exit: For years, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts had said he wanted an apology from Sosa for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs. Sosa has always denied those allegations, but the relationship between the two showed signs of harmony when Sosa offered a semi-apology this winter. “There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,’’ Sosa said in a statement in December. “I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.’’ Sosa will return Friday to Wrigley Field and is set to be inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame this summer, according to The Score’s Bruce Levine.

* Crain’s | Bears, Sox radio flagship moving to Chicago Board of Trade Building: Good Karma Brands confirmed it has signed a lease in the historic 44-story office tower at 141 W. Jackson Blvd. The Milwaukee-based owner of radio station WMVP-AM/1000 is slated to relocate its Chicago office and studio early next year to about 15,000 feet in the Loop landmark from its longtime home at 190 N. State St.

* Sun-Times | ‘Dangerously hot and humid’ weekend expected in Chicago area, with heat index jumping to 105: Temperatures are expected to reach the mid 90s on Saturday and continue climbing throughout the weekend and into Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures in the city won’t drop below 75 degrees overnight, and some areas could see them stay as high as 80.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Charles Stelle | Waukegan loses another firm to Wisconsin: While Gov. JB Pritzker was trying to answer inane questions from congressional Republicans last week, officials in Wisconsin were finalizing a deal to bring a top-notch Waukegan manufacturer to the Badger State. The impending move of Yaskawa America was but one in a series of recent bad jobs news for Illinois. […] In Libertyville, 133 employees at two Bristol Myers Squibb sites in Innovation Park, off Route 45, south of Winchester Road, will be out of work beginning July 1. The pharmaceutical firm announced the layoffs early last month. Cardinal Logistics Management Corp., a North Carolina-based transportation and warehousing company, has gotten rid of 43 employees in Naperville

* Tribune | PADS Lake County set to renovate former Waukegan motel into a fixed-site shelter for the homeless: With a $2 million grant in hand from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), PADS Executive Director Allen Swilley said the organization is primed to begin renovation on a shuttered motel to make it a permanent shelter. Swilley said when complete, a family will have the privacy of a motel room converted into a small efficiency apartment with common areas nearby for children’s enrichment and developing skills to move into their own home in a reasonable amount of time.

* Daily Herald | Tobacco shop passes first test under new Mount Prospect policy; trustees concerned about Delta-8, Kratom: The board approved the permit with youth-protection conditions including elimination of window signage except for the name, hours and age restrictions. The shop is banned from selling cartoon-themed apparel and smoking accessories targeting youth, with apparel limited to nontobacco and vape-branded items. “No stylized T-shirts or anything with cartoons would be permitted,” said Community Development Director Jason Shallcross.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Juneteenth: How classroom lessons sparked a community-wide celebration: apped by the county to work on a new Underground Railroad unit, I came to the project with an educator’s mindset and a heart for justice. What unfolded over the next several months, however, was more than a lesson plan for local students. It was a journey of reconnection, reckoning, and restoration. And it all began with a question: What would it mean for students to see themselves not just as learners of history, but as part of it? That question anchored our team of educators’ work as we developed a unit exploring the Underground Railroad through the lens of Caroline Quarlls. Quarlls’ journey from slavery to freedom began in St. Louis; she passed through Crete on her way to Canada. Bolstered by a county grant, my colleagues and I designed the middle and high school curriculum with a deep commitment to place-based education and social-emotional learning.

*** Downstate ***

* BND | Metro-east leaders say state is forcing them to implement local grocery taxes: Belleville City Council and Swansea Village Board approved ordinances on Monday night to implement their own 1% local grocery taxes to replace the state tax. Many other metro-east municipalities have taken the same action or plan to do so in the near future. Belleville Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer said the city would lose about $1 million in annual revenue without a grocery tax, forcing officials to find replacement funds or cut city services. “This isn’t a new tax,” she said. “If you’re going shopping right now, you’re paying this tax. It’s just going to continue.”

* Daily Southtown | In backdrop of shuttered MetroSouth hospital in Blue Island, south suburban officials warn Medicaid cuts could undermine health care: Blue Island’s former MetroSouth hospital served as a warning Friday of what could happen if President Donald Trump’s big bill aimed at slashing federal spending and extending tax cuts becomes law, elected officials and health care workers said Friday. “We went through a hospital closure right down the street, and we know what that did to this community, but not just this community, the South Side of Chicago and the south suburbs,” state Rep. Bob Rita said at a news conference on the impact of Medicaid cuts.

* WGLT | After Minnesota killings, elected officials in B-N say violent rhetoric here comes at a cost: Since the Minnesota killings, County Board member Corey Beirne said he’s been wondering how safe he should feel and what’s the line between cowardly internet attacks and a real physical threat. One recent example: Earlier this year Beirne posted to Facebook about immigration enforcement in McLean County schools. Beirne is a Unit 5 teacher. “That exploded. That blew up,” he said. “There were several individuals who threatened to – I’m vision-impaired, I only have one functioning eye – take my other eye. To hang me. To ‘take Beirne to the bay.’ There were a number of death threats by a number of individuals. One particular individual posted no less than 213 times on my campaign [Facebook] page. He was reaching out to school administrators, the parents of my students, with various accusations and threats.”

* WMBD | Duckworth warns Medicaid cuts will impact 60,000 people in Peoria County: The Senate budget bill would kick 60,000 people in Peoria County off Medicaid, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said at a Thursday press conference with local health care advocates and Medicaid recipients about the consequences of Medicaid cuts. The Senate’s version of the budget bill, released Monday, includes even deeper cuts to Medicaid than the House bill. It imposes stiffer work requirements, while the House version provided some exemptions.

* WCIA | Danville Farmers Market increasing accessibility with personal shopper program: The Danville Farmers Market is taking extra steps to make sure everybody can have access to fresh products. This weekend they’re introducing the Personal Shopper Program. It lets people who can’t easily walk through the market themselves order up to five items per visit.

* WGLT | Bloomington to celebrate Juneteenth, including honoring three ‘community icons’: The Bloomington-Normal community will mark Juneteenth on Saturday during an event at Miller Park, featuring live music and dance, activities for kids, and a ceremony commemorating three community servants. The Juneteenth event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Miller Park. It’s hosted by the City of Bloomington and the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project. This free event will feature live performances, food trucks, a children’s area, soul line dancing, the introduction of Bloomington-Normal’s first Miss Juneteenth, and free admission to the Miller Park Zoo and mini-golf course.

*** National ***

* WaPo | As Trump shuts out migrants, Spain opens its doors and fuels economic growth: In this nation of 48 million with long colonial links to the New World, an influx of predominantly Latin American immigrants is helping fuel one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe. The Spanish economic transformation is unfolding as the center-left government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has streamlined immigration rules while offering legal status to roughly 700,000 irregular migrants since 2021.

* WaPo | Parsing ICE’s mixed-up, hard-to-believe assault claims: We should begin by noting that the 413 percent figure — mentioned in a DHS social media post about Lander on Tuesday — has been deployed by DHS since early May. In a post from mid-April, the figure was 300 percent, suggesting that some recalculation had been undertaken. If that’s the case, though, either the number of assaults since early May has been steady or DHS hasn’t bothered to update the figure even as their officers have been deployed much more broadly in an effort to increase immigrant arrests. That ICE uses a percentage is telling. A 413 percent increase could mean that the number of assaults went from 200 in 2024 to 1,026 in 2025 — or that it went from eight to 41. I hasten to say that, of course, assaulting anyone, including law enforcement officers, is unacceptable. But there’s a big difference between an increase of 826 assaults and an increase of 33 — especially if some of those “assaults” are of the Lander variety.

* Sun-Times | Court cases offer a look inside ‘one of the most violent biker gangs in the country’: The Sin City Deciples had thousands of members across the country, some connected to political figures and cops, prosecutors say — including a Gary police chaplain who admitted killing the son of a former Gary police chief.

* Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette’s statement after been shot in their home…

A statement from my dear friend, Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette, following the horrifying attempt on their lives this past weekend:

Let us hold them in our thoughts as they begin to process the trauma of this senseless act. Their courage, resilience, and commitment to… pic.twitter.com/mnS35B0974

— Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) June 20, 2025

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The Kwame beat

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Click here for the preliminary injunction. Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 attorneys general, secured a preliminary injunction in an ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration for attempting to illegally coerce their states into sweeping immigration enforcement by threatening to withhold billions in infrastructure funding.

“States rely on billions of dollars appropriated by Congress to keep our residents safe as they travel our roads, railways and the skies,” Raoul said. “This critical funding has nothing to do with immigration, and the administration’s attempt to hold it hostage unless states agree to do the federal government’s job of civil immigration enforcement is unconstitutional and outrageous. I am pleased with the court’s order and am committed to using all tools at our disposal to fight the Trump administration’s ongoing attempts to play politics with Americans’ lives.”

The injunction, issued by Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, prevents the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from imposing sweeping conditions that would require the states and state agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts or lose out on billions of federal dollars that states use to protect public safety and transportation infrastructure.

In their lawsuit against the DOT, Raoul and the coalition point out that imposing an immigration-enforcement condition on all federal transportation funds, which Congress appropriated to support critical infrastructure projects, is beyond the agency’s legal authority. The coalition states rely upon DOT money to fund highway development and airport safety projects, to prevent injuries and fatalities from traffic accidents, and to protect against train collisions. Last year, Illinois was awarded more than $2 billion in DOT grant money, which is used to maintain the National Highway System, state and local roads and bridges, bike paths, transit facilities, public ports, and airports. Raoul and the attorneys general contend that withholding the federal funding will damage public infrastructure across the country and will undermine public trust and cooperation in criminal investigations.

Attorney General Raoul is leading the lawsuit along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. They were joined in filing it by attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

* Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced today he and 21 attorneys general submitted four joint comment letters opposing the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) proposal to roll back regulations implementing civil rights laws that protect Americans from discrimination.

In the letters, Raoul and the coalition explain these regulations are critical to protecting against sex discrimination, disability discrimination, race and national-origin discrimination, among other forms of discrimination. The letters explain the unlawful rollbacks would strip away Americans’ rights to equal access, protection from discrimination and federal accountability – undermining decades of civil rights progress.

“These laws have long served as the bedrock of equity, ensuring all Americans have access to education, health care, housing and other federally funded programs,” Raoul said. “I will continue to stand with fellow attorneys general to push back on any attempt by the Trump administration to erode our residents’ civil rights, weaken the law and strip away decades of protections and government accountability.”

Last month, the DOE proposed rollbacks that would eliminate its regulatory standards that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex and disability in federally funded programs including DOE facilities’ compliance with federal accessibility standards, which are all enforced through Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, the DOE failed to demonstrate this rulemaking is evidence-based and is not arbitrary, capricious or contrary to constitutional rights, which is required under the Administrative Procedure Act.

In the comment letters, Raoul and the coalition explain that if the regulations are not implemented, recipients of federal funding would lose key tools for investigating and stopping discrimination in federally funded programs and activities. Additionally, without federal construction requirements for DOE facilities, it will be difficult for individuals with disabilities to access schools, labs and energy facilities.

Joining Raoul in submitting the letters are attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

* Click here for the guidance. Press release…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 13 attorneys general, issued guidance affirming the necessity and legality of environmental justice initiatives. The guidance reinforces that despite the Trump administration’s recent efforts to brand these critical activities as illegal, public and private entities can still lawfully engage in environmental justice work to ensure a healthy environment for all people to live, play, work, learn and worship.

“Efforts to advance environmental justice remain legal and essential to ensuring all communities have the opportunity to thrive,” Raoul said. “My office is committed to addressing environmental justice issues throughout Illinois, and I proudly join with my fellow attorneys general to support and defend this important work throughout the country.”

In their guidance, Raoul and the attorneys general acknowledge that evidence-based studies and lived experience demonstrate that communities of color, indigenous people and tribal nations, low-income, rural and unincorporated communities, people with disabilities, and non-English speaking communities routinely face disproportionate environmental and health burdens.

Examples of the significant barriers to their well-being faced by residents of these communities include lead poisoning and pollution-related asthma in children, the disproportionate presence of waste dumping and contaminated sites, excessive car and truck traffic, and greater exposure to the negative outcomes of extreme temperatures, flooding and wildfires. These challenges are exacerbated by climate change, which is causing environmental dangers that lead to greater instability, economic hardship and shortened life spans.

Environmental justice initiatives aim to overcome these disparities, developing solutions to persistent harms, and advancing public health, safety, well-being and prosperity across all communities.

The Trump administration has issued executive orders and memoranda attempting to undermine environmental justice, a longstanding federal policy. Under the Trump administration, the Environmental Protection Agency has terminated environmental and climate justice programs and grants, and the Department of Justice has rescinded prior memoranda that prioritized enforcing environmental laws in cases affecting overburdened communities.

The Trump administration has also called for legal challenges to state environmental justice and climate laws.

The coalition’s guidance is directed to state, tribal and local governments, nonprofit and charitable entities, businesses and neighborhood-based groups that are currently engaging in efforts to restore and protect the environment and public health. Raoul and the attorneys general clarify that the president cannot change or dismantle laws passed by Congress, nor can executive orders or agency memoranda change the protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution and other federal and state laws. The guidance notes that civil rights, environmental laws and the Constitution all support public and private efforts to advance environmental justice.

Attorney General Raoul is joined in issuing the guidance by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maryland, New York, , Rhode Island and Vermont.

* From last week…

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued a statement on a decision by the District Court for the District of Massachusetts granting a preliminary injunction blocking unlawful provisions in President Donald Trump’s unprecedented elections executive order. Attorney General Raoul co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the order in May.

“Nothing is more fundamental to the perseverance of our democracy than the right to vote. Today’s decision by the court acknowledges that Congress and individual states – not the president – has the authority to oversee the elections process.

“While serving in the state senate, I led the effort to pass the Illinois Voting Rights Act as well as a constitutional amendment enshrining the right to vote in our Constitution. These actions have ensured Illinois has some of the strongest election laws in the country, guaranteeing access to the ballot box, encouraging participation and guarding against fraud. Since that time, the General Assembly has used its discretion to expand on our work, enacting laws that maximize voter access and participation – not limit it. The president’s illegal executive order would do just the opposite and would lead to the disenfranchisement of legitimate voters.

“I am proud to join other attorneys general to protect voters’ rights, and I will continue to work to ensure that eligible voters are not met with obstacles when they attempt to exercise their constitutional right to vote.”

A copy of the court’s order is available here.

* Also from last week, click here for the guidance. Press release…

As people in Chicago, Los Angeles and cities around the nation peacefully protest unlawful policies and orders issued by the Trump administration, Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released guidance to help them do so safely. Raoul’s “Know Your Rights Advisory: Safely Participating in Peaceful Protests in Illinois” is available on the Attorney General’s website to help Illinois residents understand their rights and responsibilities while participating in protected First Amendment protests. Attorney General Raoul also issued a guidance summary to ensure local law enforcement officials understand key provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act, which generally prohibits state and local law enforcement from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement.

“It is impossible to ignore the widespread injustice taking place around the nation at the direction of the Trump administration, and it is incumbent upon all of us to speak out and protest these egregious abuses of power. However, protesters have a responsibility to follow the law and express their views peacefully,” Raoul said. “Acts of violence, destruction of property and obstruction of law enforcement are unacceptable, and local law enforcement is responsible for addressing such acts. Local law enforcement officers in Illinois have already shown that they are fully capable of protecting protesters, the public and free speech. I encourage people to review the ‘Know Your Rights Advisory’ on my office’s website before participating in a demonstration. This moment demands that we all use our voices in protest, but it is up to protesters and local law enforcement officers together to maintain public safety at such demonstrations.”

The right to free speech and peaceable assembly protected by the First Amendment includes the right to participate in protests, marches and demonstrations. However, protesters are responsible for expressing their views peacefully and obeying orders issued by local law enforcement. Physical violence, destruction of property, criminal trespass onto private property or other criminal activities are not protected by the First Amendment. Local law enforcement officers may take appropriate crowd management and traffic control measures if needed.

Attorney General Raoul is also reminding demonstrators that it is a federal crime to assault, intimidate or interfere with an officer or employee of the U.S. government while performing official duties, or to obstruct or impede a federal civil immigration enforcement operation.

Illinois’ TRUST Act generally prohibits local law enforcement from participating in civil immigration enforcement. Although the law does not prevent local law enforcement officers from taking action to maintain peace and ensure public safety in their jurisdictions, officers must respect the constitutional and civil rights of all individuals at all times. Local law enforcement officers may not stop, arrest or detain anyone based solely on citizenship or immigration status.

The Attorney General’s “Know Your Rights Advisory: Safely Participating in Peaceful Protests in Illinois” and “Guidance Summary: Key Provisions of the Illinois TRUST Act” contain more information and are available to all on the Attorney General’s website.

Attorney General Raoul urges anyone who believes their rights or someone else’s rights are being violated to remain calm, document all relevant information and do not use force or otherwise resist arrest. Individuals who need to report alleged civil rights violations or alleged violations of the TRUST Act by law enforcement should contact the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau by calling 1-877-581-3692 or by emailing civilrights@ilag.gov.

2 Comments

Why Are Tax-Exempt Hospitals Getting Rich?

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Here’s how the scam works: big hospitals buy discounted 340B drugs, bill patients full price, then split the difference with for-profit pharmacies and PBMs.

Meanwhile, tax-exempt hospitals cash in – and PBMs get a cut too.

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Who will be Pritzker’s LG?

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Politico…

Even if Pritzker announces he’ll go for a third term — and all indications are that he will — we hear he wouldn’t name a running mate right away.

But that hasn’t stopped the buzz about who might step up to the post that Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has held since taking office with Pritzker in 2018. Now that she’s running for U.S. Senate in 2026, she wouldn’t be able to be on the governor’s ticket, too. So, Pritzker would have to name a new running mate.

Names that have popped up: Deputy Gov. Andy Manar, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, former Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell and Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia.

They all bring something to the table: Manar is the budget maestro in the governor’s office. And the central Illinois native is someone Pritzker trusts to carry out his vision for the state should he leave for D.C. Gordon-Booth was a House budgeteer. Mitchell is a former state lawmaker who served during Pritzker’s first term, overseeing public safety, energy and infrastructure issues. And Valencia is a City Hall veteran who, like Stratton, is a good retail politician.

Not naming a running mate the day he announces (assuming he does announce) means he’ll get another press pop when he does make the announcement down the road. Smart.

* Picking Manar would mean two White males at the top of the ticket. Probably not a good look for someone with national ambitions. He (Manar) also didn’t seem enthused about the idea.

Gordon-Booth has strong ties to Pritzker’s top people and a compelling story to tell.

Mitchell was a Pritzker fave, works for the University of Chicago and joined the Illinois National Guard last year, but he had super-sharp elbows and would need to do some fence-mending (if he hasn’t started already).

* Valencia has gotten herself into more trouble with the CityKey program. Click here for part of the oppo from her last statewide campaign. It ain’t pretty. Neither is the new issue…

After U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement subpoenaed the city of Chicago for the personal information in a program used by immigrants, city officials said they have not turned anything over to the feds.

ICE subpoenaed the city for records of applicants in the CityKey ID program, which is a Chicago city clerk’s office program used by immigrants and includes personal information, a mayor’s office spokesperson said Friday.

And…

Asked whether the clerk’s office intends to clarify its messaging to online applicants about if their records are safe, [Valencia spokesperson Diana Martinez] said, “We actually don’t guarantee that.”

“That’s been our message throughout, especially once we launched the online platform,” Martinez said. “We always want to encourage people to go in person if they have any concerns around their identity, whether it’s undocumented people, whether it’s domestic violence survivors or any other population.”

The online disclaimers don’t mention those specific groups, however, or the potential risks of their data being stored. The CityKey FAQ section only warns, “Yes, the information submitted to the online platform is retained according to the City’s retention schedule.”

And…

“Listen, I’ve always been honest and transparent and led with integrity,” Valencia said. “I know there’s a lot of fear out there, so I want to be very clear that we’re going to fight giving over any data to the federal government. … No data was given over to ICE, period, zero, for the CityKey.”

But that’s the exact scenario that Forest Gregg, a data privacy advocate, warned the city against when it sought community and expert input on how to safely implement CityKey before its debut.

“I was shocked,” Gregg said. “This seemed to me to be the utmost carelessness. This is the kind of information that you really don’t want to depend upon only legal protections to protect. … I really feel it’s a betrayal of the people who the clerk asked to trust them.”

It’s difficult to argue with the “utmost carelessness” remark.

* But the governor backed her for secretary of state in the 2022 Democratic primary and they still seemed to be close as of last month, before the latest story broke…

I've got my @ChicagoCityKey on me, do you?

Proud to be one of the nearly 150,000 Chicagoans alongside @ChiCityClerk with one during the seventh anniversary of this incredible program that's eliminated barriers and increased access to all Chicago has to offer. pic.twitter.com/AwreiRlfv3

— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 19, 2025

* Anyway, your thoughts on all this?

40 Comments

When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Findings of a recent economic study were clear — the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product.

Retailers like Sara Jane in Skokie enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

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Question of the day

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Chicago Mag…

[Mike Madigan] spent 50 years in the House, 36 of them as speaker, which gave him plenty of time to amass the power necessary to perform the grifts that landed him in the clink, such as arranging for no-show jobs for his friends at ComEd in exchange for passing legislation that allowed the utility to jack up rates. No bill passed the House without Madigan’s imprimatur. As head of the Illinois Democratic Party, statewide officials came begging for his endorsement. […]

But suppose Madigan hadn’t been allowed to spend most of his life in the state House. Suppose he’d been limited to 12 years in office. He would have been forced to retire in 1983, the same year he became speaker. Madigan would have gone back to his lucrative law practice, and today be a forgotten figure in state politics.

“I seriously doubt” Madigan would be going to jail if he’d been term-limited, says Representative Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva. Ugaste favors term limits of “no shorter than 12 years” for state legislators. “We can take that away from Speaker Madigan’s years and the fact that he ended up convicted in federal prison.” […]

So why haven’t term limits happened? Well, the voters have tried, but they’ve been thwarted by the Illinois Supreme Court. In 1994, a group calling itself Eight Is Enough collected enough signatures for a ballot measure limiting legislators to eight years in office. The Illinois Bar Association argued that the state constitution only allows amendments that concern the structure and procedure of the legislature. Term limits would have concerned the qualifications and eligibility for office, which must be resolved by legislators themselves. The court bought it. In 2014, candidate for governor Bruce Rauner bankrolled another term limits initiative, but that too was struck down by the courts.

* National Conference of State Legislators…

In one of his first moves as the new speaker, Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D) led a successful push to amend the House rules to create term limits for the positions of speaker and minority leader. The Illinois Senate made a corresponding rule change to place term limits on the president and minority leader. As a result, legislators may only hold these leadership positions for a maximum of five two-year terms.

But this is just a rule, and the legislature could revise it.

* The Question: Do you think it’s enough to have term limits just for legislative leaders, or should all lawmakers be term-limited? Or are you against term limits altogether?

38 Comments

Caption contest!

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

Speaker of the Illinois House Emanuel “Chris” Welch is bringing back his annual Juneteenth Celebration. The free event will be a day of family fun, featuring a range of performances, guest appearances, and local vendors selling food, art, and other items.

“The importance of celebrating Juneteenth is as important as it’s ever been,” said Speaker Welch, “As extremists in Washington and across our nation work to erase Black History, we must not only push back in the statehouse, we must also continue to come together with love, joy and understanding, which is exactly what this annual celebration is all about.”

The event boasts over 60 local vendors and a host of community sponsors, including: PepsiCo, Iron Workers Local 63, IBEW 9, Meridian Health, Rainbow Cone, ABDI, and the Fraternal Order of Police.

Featured performers include the Jesse White Tumblers, Simone Green, 1 Soul 1 Tribe, Muntu Dance Theatre, and the Proviso West High School Marching Band. Featured guests include Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Treasurer Mike Frerichs, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, Sheriff Tom Dart, and many more. There will also be free haircuts by James Blakes the Barber.

Juneteenth celebrates and honors African Americans’ journey to freedom in America. June 19, 1865, was the day word reached the enslaved in Galveston, Texas, that their emancipation had been made formal, though it had been so since January 1, 1863. That news changed the world for the better.

The free Juneteenth Celebration will take place on Thursday, June 19th, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Memorial Park District [639 N. Wolf Road in Hillside] behind Adventure Bay Pool. Adventure Bay Poll will be closed during the time of the event. For questions, email democraticpartyofproviso@gmail.com.

* Facebook…

* Zoom in on the photo of Speaker Welch and Chicago FOP Lodge 7 President John Catanzara…

Have at it.

14 Comments

Open thread

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Los Texmaniacs played at Fitzgerald’s last night and I really wanted to go, but then completely spaced it out. This will have to do…

There are moments when you look like the devil

Conjunto is among the best fusion music, in my opinion. It’s definitely the most fun. I mean, if you didn’t smile and nod your head while watching that, then the problem is within.

* Anyway, what up by you?

9 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Jun 20, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Mayor Brandon Johnson didn’t conduct formal national search for CTA head despite claiming otherwise, records show. Tribune…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Illinois Times | The college crisis: Regional universities struggle to attract students amid funding challenges, changing demographics: In 2010, a combined 112,200 students attended those schools. But today, that number has dropped to 71,600 – a 36% decrease. During the same period, enrollment at University of Illinois’ flagship campuses soared from 71,700 to 90,100 – a 26% increase.

* Daily Herald | Two budgets for Metra? One business as usual, the other a doomsday scenario: The state Senate passed legislation in May with reforms and funding, including new taxes and fees, but House members balked and negotiations continue. The Regional Transportation Authority has asked the agencies to prepare two budgets — one for a normal year and a second doomsday fiscal plan with 40% reductions in trains and buses. Transit planners estimate 40% cuts would mean a Metra line with 90 daily trains could shrink to 54.

* Sun-Times | Chicago Heights crematory shuts down permanently after accusations of mishandling bodies: Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who regulates crematories, announced Thursday she had permanently revoked Heights Crematory’s license through a consent order. “The practical effect of this order is that Heights and its owners will never operate a crematorium in the state of Illinois again,” Mendoza said in a statement. The Illinois Funeral Directors Association received a tip in February with photos showing bodies in a trailer on the site of Heights Crematory, 230 E. 11th St., prompting a state investigation.

*** Statewide ***

* ABC Chicago | After SCOTUS decision, advocates expect more seeking gender-affirming care to come to Illinois: “This is not just an attack on trans youth or LGBT-identifying folks; this is an attack on bodily autonomy,” said Manuel Hernandez, executive director of the Association of Latinos Motivating Action. It’s one of the most significant LGBTQ rulings to come down from the Supreme Court. It’s a ruling that means states are allowed to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors. It’s care, Hernandez says, that is life-saving.

* WGLT | Dust storms in Central Illinois increase as farmers continue to explore conservation practices: Trent Ford is the Illinois state climatologist with the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dust storms might seem more abundant recently than they were in years past, though Illinois has an up and down history of these events. “It has been a bit more frequent of an issue in the last few years relative to the previous maybe 10 years,” Ford said. Over a longer period, though, it is hard to tell. Ford said Illinois has spotty data on dust storms. Temperature records are far more robust over the last eight decades. He said there is enough data to suggest the state may face a period of more frequent storms.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Daily Herald | Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd: Erin Chan Ding, who retained her seat on the Barrington Area Unit District 220 school board in April, announced Wednesday she is running for the seat currently held by Republican Martin McLaughlin. Recently, Jesse Rojo, who fell short in his bid for Barrington village trustee in April, declared he is running.

* WGLT | Despite lack of power, rookie Central Illinois lawmakers carve out their own paths: Republican state Rep. Regan Deering, who represents parts of Bloomington, went to Springfield with the aspiration to affect change, but after five months Deering realized she has less influence than she expected. “I wish I knew how little power I would have,” Deering said. “I came in very optimistic, trying to be an authentic citizen legislator, knowing that I ran because I was frustrated that, apparently a small group of elites was kind of running the show, and it is the reality.”

* WPSD | Southern Illinois mayors, lawmakers discuss challenges facing communities: Windhorst took a strong stance against kratom at the meeting. Kratom is a herbal supplement commonly sold as an energy booster or for pain relief. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, kratom can produce an opioid and stimulant-like effect. Windhorst said it’s a problem not only in Southern Illinois, but across the state. He mentioned that legislative efforts at the state level are underway to address the growing issue.

* Center Square | LaHood weighs gubernatorial run as Pritzker faces scrutiny after hearing: “I love my job. I’m doing the work that I was elected to do. I’m going to continue to do that,” said LaHood. “That doesn’t mean I don’t look for other opportunities, but I’m going to listen to my voters and people throughout the state of Illinois and make a decision accordingly.”

* Press Release | llinois Chamber President Lou Sandoval to Receive Cuauhtémoc Leadership Award from the National Latino Education Institute: The Cuauhtémoc Leadership Award is the highest honor bestowed by NLEI, recognizing individuals whose leadership exemplifies vision, integrity, and a strong commitment to promoting economic opportunity while empowering the Latino community. Notable past recipients include Gery Chico, Partner at Chico and Nunes PC; Martin Cabrera, Founder and CEO of Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC; Guy A Medaglia, former CEO of St Anthony Hospital; and the Honorable JB Pritzker, Governor of the State of Illinois. “As the first Hispanic President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Lou has quickly established himself as a powerful advocate for inclusive economic growth and opportunity,” said Elba Aranda Suh, Executive Director of NLEI. “His leadership across sectors — whether in finance, small business, or civic engagement — sets a profound example for emerging Latino leaders across the nation.”

* WAND | IL GOP lawmakers claim Democratic leaders violated state constitution to pass civil procedure bill: Democrats used the common gut and replace tactic in order for an unrelated bill to change Illinois from a specific jurisdiction to a general jurisdiction state. This plan quickly moved to the Senate floor and passed on a partisan vote in the early morning hours of June 1. “That is a clear violation of what the constitution calls for,” said Senate Republican Leader John Curran (R-Hoffman Estates). “We are seizing upon that the courts have been more acutely aware recently of the abuse of this process.”

* WREX | Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton shares her concerns surrounding national healthcare: Stratton shared her concerns surrounding President Donald Trump’s healthcare cuts in recent months. Having spoken with constituents, she believes what is happening on a national level is stripping people of their healthcare and knows from personal experience the dangers that can come with not having proper healthcare. “I’ve seen other examples where healthcare has been stripped away. In fact, it’s why I ran for office in the first place. Back in 2015 caring for my mom who had Alzheimer’s, and I was her primary caregiver and at that time, our governor, Bruce Rauner, and my state representative were joining forces to strip away healthcare for seniors, the same kind of healthcare that my mom needed,” Stratton said.

* Rep. Maurice West…

Happy Juneteenth everyone! Please enjoy this original rendition of the Black National Anthem! 🎷 #Juneteenth #LiftEveryVoice pic.twitter.com/MeHQGgabVm

— Rep. Maurice West (@StateRepWEST) June 19, 2025

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Alderman pledges to fight Mayor Brandon Johnson’s vowed curfew veto, won’t ‘twist arms’: Johnson quickly pledged to cast a rare mayoral veto, the city’s first since 2006. The planned move means Hopkins must garner votes from 34 aldermen to overrule the mayor, a high bar that would require him to flip as many as seven council members. Still, Hopkins said Thursday morning he will move ahead in July with a City Council vote on Johnson’s anticipated veto. He plans to keep making the case for his ordinance but added that he will not be heavy-handed.

* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson faces city grocery tax pushback as state levy expires: Johnson’s administration has argued the 1% city grocery tax is necessary as a state grocery tax that sent revenue to municipalities ends. But Ald. Brendan Reilly accused Johnson of sneaking the ordinance’s introduction during a meeting to avoid legislative pushback, in what he characterized as a violation of the Open Meetings Act. “They intentionally are leaving the public in the dark,” Reilly told reporters later. “It is obvious the mayor is not proud of this ordinance because he tried to sneak it in without anyone understanding what it would actually do.”

* Sun-Times | Weiss Hospital braces for 2 more weeks without AC; inpatient unit evacuated: Temperatures inside rose to 90 degrees as most of the 45 patients at Weiss were moved to the hospital’s sister facility, West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.

* Strong Towns | Chicago Banned Its Traditional Affordable Housing—Let’s Fix That: The median Chicago 2-to-4-flat is over a century old, built around 1917. Chicago introduced its first zoning code in 1923 and went through three major overhauls in 1944, 1957, and 2004. Every iteration introduced increasingly restrictive rules for unit counts, setbacks, minimum parking requirements, height limits, and floor area ratios. Between each iteration, large parts of the city were downzoned to prevent anything other than single-family homes from being built.

* Tribune | During COVID-19, many people who were homeless lived in Chicago-area hotels. Here’s what was learned.: While those experiencing homelessness did suffer COVID’s aggressive spread initially, a silver lining has emerged out of the deadly pandemic. Hotels, abandoned by business travelers and tourists, were used to house people who would otherwise be sleeping in congregate shelters or on pads arranged on the floor of a church basement. Social service agencies, doctors and those who stayed in the hotels are now calling it a game-changing model for how to stabilize people experiencing homelessness and get them into permanent housing and off the street for good.

* WTTW | 4 Reconstructed CTA Red Line Stops in Uptown, Edgewater Set to Open Next Month: The stations, located at Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr, will open to the public beginning July 20. City officials said this will mark the largest simultaneous opening of stations since the Orange Line opened in 1993. The reconstructions were part of the city’s $2.1 billion Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One Project.

* Crain’s | In need of new customers, Chicago chefs put their chips in casinos: The upcoming Hollywood Casino food courts in Joliet and Aurora will have a new burger spot from celebrity chef Stephanie Izard, plus stands from Logan Square’s Pretty Cool Ice Cream and Wicker Park’s Antique Taco. Fabio Viviani, another celebrity chef based in the Chicago area, is running the food and beverage options at the recently opened Wind Creek Casino in East Hazel Crest.

* WTTW | How Did Meigs Field Become Northerly Island Park? : By cover of night in March 2003, the mayor’s demolition crew arrived at the airport and carved giant Xs into the runway, rendering it unusable. And all this was done without telling the City Council, the state or the Federal Aviation Administration. The surprise move left several planes stranded. Daley defended the stunt as a necessary post-9/11 security measure to prevent planes from flying near downtown Chicago. But critics and pundits say the mayor was merely dodging a prolonged and expensive legal battle with various groups fighting to keep the airport open.

* CBS Chicago | WBBM Newsradio political reporter Craig Dellimore looks back at his career before retiring this month: Dellimore’s voice is familiar to many who drive or take the train to work. He started at Newsradio in 1983, back when WBBM Newsradio was upstairs from Channel 2 at the old CBS Chicago broadcast center at 630 N. McClurg Ct. in Streeterville. Dellimore became political editor at WBBM Newsradio in 2001 — succeeding the legendary Bob Crawford, who had held the post since the station went all-news in 1968. As political editor, Dellimore covered numerous campaigns, controversies, and national political conventions, hosted the “At Issue” public affairs show.

* Crain’s | Sidetrack wants to open the country’s first gay bar at an airport: The 42-year-old Northalsted institution, which is among Chicago’s largest and most beloved bars championing the LGBTQ+ community, is one of scores of businesses vying for the coveted concession licenses currently available at O’Hare International Airport. If approved, Sidetrack’s Terminal 1 location would become a joint venture between the current bar owners, Art Johnston and José “Pepe” Peña, and Germán González, managing partner of Somos Hospitality, the group behind Chicago restaurants Tzuco and Ummo.

* Tribune | Is NASCAR moving its street race from Chicago to sunny San Diego next year?: The Athletic reported Wednesday that NASCAR and the Southern California city’s sports tourism commission are in negotiations to hold a race on the streets of San Diego in 2026. A NASCAR spokesperson declined to comment on the unconfirmed report, while the San Diego Sports Commission did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Chicago is set to host the third annual street race July 5-6 on a pop-up course in and around Grant Park, completing an inaugural three-year agreement with NASCAR. The deal, struck during former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, includes a two-year renewal option.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Fox Chicago | As tariff fight reaches Supreme Court, Vernon Hills toy company looks to India for relief: On Wednesday, Elana Ruffman, vice president of marketing and product development at hand2mind, was in India meeting with potential manufacturing partners amid ongoing efforts to diversify. “I’m in Mumbai and I’ll be here for the next week and a half visiting factories, a combination of existing factories and new ones,” Ruffman shared in an interview with FOX 32 soon after she touched down overseas. Her trip comes as the company looks to avoid inventory gaps and price hikes.

* WGN | Tiffany Henyard tell-all? It’ll cost you $99: Tiffany Henyard’s latest promise to “tell all” comes in the form of an autobiography she’s now peddling online. The cost: $99. The deposed south suburban politician took to Facebook to solicit pre-orders for the book that promises “the real story is coming.” A link directs those interested in purchasing the book to a do-it-yourself sales website as opposed to an actual publisher.

* Daily Herald | ‘Her ideas were trailblazing’: Former Des Plaines civic leader Rosemary Argus has died: Rosemary S. Argus, a former member of both the Mount Prospect Park District board and the Des Plaines City Council who also was a longtime community volunteer, died Wednesday. She was 88. Argus served on the parks board from 1974 to 2001, including as its president from 1987 to 1993. She represented the 8th Ward on the city council from 2001 to 2011.

* Daily Herald | A ‘peace language’: Festival within Make Music Wheaton to celebrate Middle Eastern culture: A Wheaton College grad, Bighash and her neighborhood near campus will re-create that atmosphere Saturday as hosts of a street festival that will showcase Middle Eastern culture through music, dance and incredible food. The live performances on Franklin Street will close out Make Music Wheaton — a jam-packed day of free concerts around town — with an expression of hospitality, a salve for those whose hearts and minds are thousands of miles away.

* Daily Herald | Barbecue battle: Chicago restaurant claims Palatine-based Weber infringed its trademark name: Q Smokeshack LLC, which operates Smoque BBQ at 3800 N. Pulaski Road, filed a Notice of Opposition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office against the grill manufacturer June 2, seeking to block Weber’s trademark application for “Weber Smoque” barbecue grills and wood pellet grills. Smoque BBQ has offered barbecue cuisine under the “Smoque” name since opening in 2006, according to its filing. It secured federal trademark protection for the Smoque mark in 2013.

*** Downstate ***

* WSJ | A Town That Pioneered the Juneteenth Holiday Is Now Calling Off the Party: Plano, Ill., made national news in 2021 when it designated Juneteenth a holiday before the state or federal government. But this year, Plano’s fifth annual celebration is canceled. Organizer Jamal Williams said he called off the event after local business sponsors in the 13,000-person town declined to commit, saying they feared losing customers. A downsized version is being planned at a church in the town next door.
* PJ Star | ‘Embarrassment’: Additional $200M needed to fix Peoria sewer overflow issue. Here’s why: Chief among those issues was a misevaluation at the beginning of the projects as to what kind of soil would be prevalent throughout project sites. Original testing found that areas below the bluffs in Peoria were likely to have sandy soil, which meant that water infiltration would be high. As the project got underway, engineers realized that there was more variance in the soil than they had originally assumed and the soil throughout the project area was not as permeable as expected, meaning water would have to be diverted to more permeable areas. This required quick changes to the engineering plan and a transition away from green infrastructure.

* News-Gazette | OSF faces review process before it can make changes in Urbana and Danville: Members of the public will have a chance to weigh in on OSF HealthCare’s plans to shift services away from its Urbana campus as the project goes through the state’s review process. According to city of Urbana attorney Matt Roeschley, OSF will need to file an application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, which will consider public comments as it evaluates the proposal.

* News-Gazette | Urbana council to vote on budget next week amid debates on grocery tax and police: The council reconvened Tuesday night after calling Monday’s session at four and a half hours. After further discussion, aldermen put the proposed budget on the agenda for next week’s meeting, along with an ordinance creating the tax. Final action on both items will be taken at that time. Alderman Grace Wilken was the sole “no” vote on the motions to send these items forward. She said that while she saw some of the advantages of the grocery tax, she feels that the revenue should go toward items “that are really serving our community.”

* BND | Nippon will not cut production at Granite City Works for at least 2 years: Nippon’s acknowledgment that it will maintain the status quo at the Metro East mill for at least the next two years provides the first public remarks either company has made about Granite City Works’ future since U.S. Steel and the Japanese company first announced their intentions in late 2023. Granite City Works employees had been left in limbo these past couple of years — waiting for a final decision about the Nippon partnership amid a separate local deal that could permanently end steelmaking in town.

* Telegraph | Illinois dominates St. Louis Regional Freightway’s $9 billion priority project list: “The numbers highlighted in this year’s report, which continue to grow year over year, underscore the tremendous commitment to improving freight infrastructure in the bi-state St. Louis region by securing funding and advancing major projects through the development pipeline,” said Mary Lamie, executive vice president of multimodal enterprises for Bi-State Development and head of Freightway.

* WCIA | Nearly 700 cows escape Milford farm during storm: The Knauth land and cattle family in Milford has been in business for half a century. Wednesday afternoon’s severe weather brought high winds, damaging their property and causing a cattle conundrum. More than 500 cows escaped from an Iroquois County farm after severe weather came through the area. “Coming here this morning, it makes you sick to your stomach,” said Kinsey Mabbitt. “Almost like you look, and there’s supposed to be buildings there that my dad’s worked so hard to build and provide, and they are just gone. Like, it’s all just gone.”

* BND | Confluence Crush: A look inside the metro-east’s only roller derby team: Joining the team is easy and open to all women, trans people and nonbinary people looking to be part of the sport. Each month the team hosts a “new skater night,” where prospective teammates can learn about the team, the sport’s history and its rules. Inclusion has long been a significant part of the sport, but now more than ever, teams put that into their founding principles. Confluence Crush takes that to new heights, sponsoring different charities involving social, environmental and animal welfare cases.

* SJ-R | Largest air-supported sports dome in the world is inflated in Springfield: The dome can hold more than two Scheels sports complexes inside of the 715-foot long sports dome. The dome will have inside two full sized softball fields, six full sized basketball courts and a section for a hitting area. The basketball courts will be convertible to 12 volleyball courts.

*** National ***

* The Atlantic | The Fear Coursing Through State Capitols: Allison Russo, the Ohio House minority leader, stood on a street in downtown Columbus on Saturday morning, reading text messages about the shootings aloud to a few of her colleagues who were standing nearby. Russo hadn’t known Hortman well, but the two shared a bond as midwesterners, Russo said, and both belonged to an informal group of Democrats in state leadership positions—women who regularly shared advice and stories with one another. When word of Hortman’s death came through, “we were all devastated,” Russo told me. “The brutality of it is just shocking.”

* NYT | The D.N.C. Is in Chaos and Desperate for Cash Under Ken Martin: Under its new leader, Ken Martin, the Democratic National Committee has been plagued by infighting and a drop in big donations, raising alarms from Democrats as they try to win back power.

* Reuters | Trump administration puts new limits on Congress visits to immigration centers: Senators and representatives in Congress have oversight of agencies in the executive branch of government and control their funding. Under federal law, DHS is forbidden from preventing members of Congress from entering any facility “used to detain or otherwise house aliens,” and lawmakers do not have to give DHS prior notice of a visit. DHS may require lawmakers’ staff to give 24 hours’ notice before those staffers can enter. The new guidelines say that law does not apply to ICE field offices, although immigrants are often detained at ICE field offices before a transfer to an ICE jail. ICE is now asking members of Congress to give at least 72 hours’ notice before a visit

* The Atlantic | The Entire Internet Is Reverting to Beta: Even without actively seeking out a chatbot, billions of people are now pushed to interact with AI when searching the web, checking their email, using social media, and online shopping. Ninety-two percent of Fortune 500 companies use OpenAI products, universities are providing free chatbot access to potentially millions of students, and U.S. national-intelligence agencies are deploying AI programs across their workflows.

* Sun-Times | Federal courts unreceptive to claims of wrong raids: The 11th Circuit is not the only federal court that has proven unreceptive to the argument that police should make sure they are in the right place before raiding someone’s home. Last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit dismissed a lawsuit stemming from a 2019 SWAT raid in Waxahachie, Texas, that terrified an innocent couple and wrecked their home after local cops mistook it for a suspected drug stash house a few doors away. The lead officer’s “efforts to identify the correct residence, though deficient, did not violate clearly established law,” the 5th Circuit ruled. Last month, a federal judge in New Mexico reached a similar conclusion in a case that shows such mistakes can be lethal.

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