I wanted to introduce you to Morgan Coghill. He’s a small business owner from Mundelein who grew up poor, knows what third shift looks like, and represents the kind of everyday working-class experience voters have been asking for and establishment Democratic leadership keeps ignoring.
Now, he’s stepping up to challenge Rep. Brad Schneider in IL-10. His campaign officially launches next Wednesday, May 21, and it’s landing at a moment when debates over safe-seat primaries and party leadership are dominating headlines.
Morgan is not taking a dime from corporate PACs or special interests, and he’s demanding that the Democratic Party fight harder for the people it claims to represent.
Would you be interested in an embargoed interview with Morgan before his launch on the 21st? He’s available:
• Monday afternoon (May 19)
• All day Tuesday (May 20)
Interviews can be by phone or in person in Mundelein. He’s ready to talk about why he’s running, what the party needs to hear, and how he plans to shake up IL-10.
Let me know if you’d like to set up a time.
I’ll pass, thanks.
* Friday email…
Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison is wrapping up the first week of his historic campaign with strong support from a wide range of community leaders and advocates, and growing momentum across the district.
The Windy City Times said this about Kevin Morrison: “Kevin Morrison, the first openly gay person elected to the Cook County Board, has spent the past six years as commissioner focused on mental health, civil rights policy, and bipartisan collaboration. Now, with the country at what he calls a ‘crucial’ turning point, Morrison is launching a run for Congress in Illinois’ Eighth Congressional District.”
CBS reported on Kevin Morrison’s campaign launch, saying: “[Morrison] touted his record as a Cook County commissioner as having fought to expand voting rights and mental health care funding, and to fight discrimination.”
In the first week of his campaign, Kevin Morrison has already secured endorsements from across the district and state, including Congressman Eric Sorensen and State Representative Kelly Cassidy. The momentum shows that people want Kevin Morrison fighting for them in Congress.
The full list of almost 50 local leaders putting their name behind Kevin Morrison’s campaign includes:
• Adriane Johnson – State Senator
• Rob Martwick – State Senator
• Nicolle Grasse – State Representative
• Bill McLeod – Hoffman Estates Mayor
• Maria Vesey – Addison Township Clerk-Elect
• Phil Dukes – Trustee, Elk Grove Township
• Daniel Hebreard – President of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
• Paula McCombie – South Barrington Mayor
• Barrett Pederson – Mayor of Franklin Park and Committeeman
• Alex Arroyo – DuPage County Board Member
• Ted Mason – Elk Grove Township Committeeman
• Harish Kolasani – National India Hub Founder
• Ron Onesti – President, JCCIA
• Patrick Kinnane – Trustee, Hoffman Estates
• Bill Manganaro – Trustee, Arlington Heights
• Frank Avino – Village of Norridge Trustee and Norwood Park Township Committeeman
The full list of LGBTQ+ endorsements today are:
• Eric Sorensen – Member of Congress
• Kelly Cassidy – State Representative
• Maggie Trevor – Cook County Commissioner
• Marcelino Garcia – Cook County MWRD
• Alex Arroyo – Member, DuPage County Board
• Robert Lugiai – Trustee, Elk Grove Township
• Monika Stajniak – Trustee, Elk Grove Township
• Austin Mejdrich – Trustee, Wheeling Township
• Bennett Lawson – Alderman
• Lamont Robinson – Alderman
• Greg Harris – IL State House Majority Leader (retired)
• Maria Hadden – Alderwoman, Chicago
• Travis Haley – Round Lake Library Board Trustee
• Kristal Larson – Avon Democratic Township Democratic Chair
Kevin also welcomes the support of many of his colleagues on the Cook County Commission, and other leaders across Cook and the collar counties:
• Nicole Lee – Alderwoman, Chicago
• Bridget Gainer – Cook County Commissioner
• Frank Aguilar – Cook County Commissioner
• John Daley – Cook County Commissioner
• Josina Morita – Cook County Commissioner
• Scott Britton – Cook County Commissioner
• Stanley Moore – Cook County Commissioner
• Dr. Kisha McCaskill – Cook County Commissioner
• Michael Scott Jr. – Former Alderman and Cook County Commissioner
• Laddi Singh – Former Candidate, House District 54
• Chuck Bernardini – Former Commissioner and Alderman
• Doug House – ILDCAA Chair (retired)
• Holly Kim – Lake County Treasurer
• Steve Rosenblum – School Board President, District 211
• Anne Lopez – School Board Member, District 211
• Jane Russell – School Board Member, District 211
• Joe Sagerer – School Board Member, District 214
— SCOOP: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss raised $350,000 in the first 24 hours of announcing his bid to run for Congress in the seat now held by retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. “We’re building a movement to not only take on Donald Trump and MAGA extremists, but to deliver real change to lower costs, defend the environment, and protect our fundamental rights. This amazing early support makes it clear that people are ready to fight for a future that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected,” Biss said in a statement announcing the fundraising numbers.
Justin Ford is an environmental health and safety professional who also worked in disability care and helped organize graduate student unions.
“This campaign is about working families — the ones juggling two jobs, caring for kids or elders, and trying to build a future in a system that too often ignores them,” Ford said on his campaign website.
State Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago; Bushra Amiwala, a Skokie school district board member; and Chicagoan David Abrevaya are also exploring runs.
* Illinois Secretary of State and rumored candidate for Chicago mayor…
Beyoncé’s Chicago shows were explosive for our IL restaurants, hotels and hospitality industry. From a revenue (and cultural) standpoint, we need to bring more of these events/tours here. Also, a powerful reminder that we can’t allow the @ChicagoBears to leave the city.
* Here’s something you don’t see much, if ever: A state government touting an increase in staffing levels. But most states didn’t hollow out their workforces to the point where some agencies couldn’t perform their tasks. And I doubt it took many other states almost a year just to hire somebody. Press release…
Today, Illinois Central Management Services (CMS) announced that the State of Illinois has achieved historic outcomes in building up its workforce, increasing the total employee count from 50,544 in 2019 to 55,340 in 2025 – the highest number of state employees since 2008, which was 55,237 employees. These gains are driven by hiring at agencies that have historically faced challenges filling positions and that directly provide support to vulnerable Illinoisans. This includes a 44% increase in staffing at the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and a 15% increase in direct care worker roles at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
Formerly a manual, paper-driven process plagued by outdated grading systems, the State’s hiring has undergone a transformative modernization since 2019, resulting in a more efficient and streamlined process today.
“These milestones are a testament to the dedication and commitment of CMS, which has embraced efficiency, innovation and collaboration to improve past hiring challenges,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By modernizing our hiring practices and investing in technology, we’re not just improving efficiency, we’re building a government that is more inclusive, responsive, and equipped to serve the people of Illinois for generations to come. As we look ahead, CMS will build upon this progress as it continues to improve and streamline hiring for key roles that support Illinoisans every day.”
CMS launched an unprecedented improvement effort designed to update the hiring process. This includes upgrading technology to enable fully electronic applications, developing new proactive recruitment strategies to broaden the applicant pool, and eliminating redundant processes following the passage of SB 2228. These changes have resulted in:
• Record High Number of Employees Driven by Hiring Key Health and Human Services Positions: The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) have exceeded historical staffing levels. For example, DCFS staffing has increased 44% (2,686 to 3,886) from 2019 to 2025, and DCFS caseworker roles are staffed at an unprecedented 96%. At IDHS, Direct Care Worker roles have increased nearly 15% (4,167 to 4,789) from 2019 to 2025 and is considered fully staffed.
• Hiring Timeline Reduced by 58%: While improvements are still being made, the hiring timeline has gone from an average of 269 days in 2019 to 111 days in 2025 – a 58% reduction.
• Vacancy Rate Cut Nearly in Half: The vacancy rate for jobs at the State of Illinois decreased from 14% in 2019 to 8% in 2025.
• Application Surge: Applications increased 311% after the electronic system rollout in 2020. From 2022 to 2024 alone, applications rose 110% (193,294 to 407,526), and the candidate pool increased 81%. Job offers increased 49% over the same period.
“Our workforce should reflect the people we serve,” said CMS Director Raven A. DeVaughn. “Increased applications and placements show that our changes are working while still prioritizing equity and accessibility. Not only are we hiring faster, but we’re hiring the very best candidates from the most diverse pools.”
Increased outreach at job fairs, community events, and the launch of the Really Great Careers campaign have also helped to broaden the State’s applicant pool. More than 1,100 job seekers attended career fairs hosted by CMS this year at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), Malcom X College in Chicago, and Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC).
“It made perfect sense to implement modern processes and best practices to Illinois’ hiring processes through legislation I led in 2023,” said State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora). “Here’s the payoff already happening from making this leap forward: CMS has reduced the hiring timeline nearly 60 percent, cut the job vacancy rate nearly in half in critical agencies like DHS and DCFS, and tripled the number of job applications received through the new electronic system. The candidate pool grew and job offers increased. This is a win for both the State and its workers.”
“Governor Pritzker signed SB 2228 in 2023 taking a critical step toward transforming our state’s hiring processes, making government more transparent and accessible to all,” said State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-Chicago). “I was proud to have chief sponsored and led the negotiations with CMS leadership on this legislation. I applaud the department’s effective implementation which shows great progress toward improving our State’s workforce.”
For more information about job opportunities at the State of Illinois, visit https://work.illinois.gov/.
111 days to hire someone is still too long, but it’s a drastic improvement.
You wonder whether the federal government will have to do the same sort of thing in the future after drastically cutting some of its workforce this year, in many cases without much rhyme or reason.
…Adding… Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II was interviewed by RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer…
First of all, I want to tell you that five-and-a-half years ago when I came to the Department of Agriculture, we had 299 employees.
We’ve got 435 employees … hoping to hire a couple more.
There’s a couple of areas I would specifically point out. One of them is meat and poultry processing.
Five-and-a-half years ago we were at, I think, 72 or 73 inspectors. We’re at 105 now, which is the largest number ever that we’re aware of in the history of the Department of Agriculture.
Paying ransom for data is something that, for years, the FBI and CISA have advised companies and organizations NOT to do!
On top of this, Powerschool has still not been forthcoming with full details of the impact of the breach, but it was almost certainly the result of their inadequate security protocols; according to NBC News, “the hacker simply obtained a single employee’s password,” and PowerSchool admitted publicly that “the infiltrated PowerSource system did not have multi-factor authentication support.”
Even though companies have a duty to implement adequate security measures for education data under IL’s Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA), Powerschool will likely never be held accountable for violating SOPPA. Only our state attorney general can enforce SOPPA, and that’s never happened since the law was passed back in 2017.
Sadly, HB 2696, which would give families the right to sue companies that violate SOPPA, is still languishing in the Senate Assignments Committee, more than a month after it passed the House, 70-38.
* Click here for some background. Rep. Dan Ugaste…
State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) will soon be filing legislation aimed at halting self-benefiting advertising campaigns from Illinois entities, public or private, that receive government funding. This important legislation is in part a response to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) attempting to persuade the public to contact their legislators regarding bills that could provide it with additional state funding.
This ongoing ad campaign from RTA is known as ‘Save Transit Now.’ The agency claims that it is facing a fiscal cliff, and drastic service cuts could be on the horizon if more state funding is not secured. They are reportedly seeking an additional $1.5 billion in funding from the state.
“The agency claims it is broke, yet the organization is currently spending three-quarters of a million dollars on an all-encompassing ad campaign in northeast Illinois,” Rep. Ugaste stated. “This reckless spending is wasteful and out of touch. No entity that receives government funding should be allowed to advertise to the public, solicit the public, or conduct a marketing campaign in favor of or against any policy or legislation.”
* Rep. Maura Hirschauer…
A dedicated advocate for commonsense gun laws that prioritize public safety while adhering to constitutional rights, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, is spearheading a measure that aims to keep firearms out of reach of small children and at-risk minors.
“When we address a topic as contentious as guns and ownership rights, it is extremely important to hear concerns on both sides of the aisle. It’s possible to have smart gun reform that still protects 2A rights, and that’s exactly what we’re working toward, ” said Hirschauer. “We’ve had many positive and productive conversations. I look forward to getting this legislation through the finish line to truly prioritize public safety in our communities.”
Senate Bill 8, known as the Safe Gun Storage Act, aims to enhance gun storage safety and address stolen firearm requirements with the ultimate goal to prevent access to firearms by minors, at-risk individuals, and those prohibited from possessing them. The bill would require firearm owners to secure their weapons in a locked container, rendering them inaccessible and unusable to anyone except the owner or an authorized user.
“We’ve heard too many tragedies of firearms landing in the wrong hands. This is a smart way we can work toward a solution to keeping guns away from children and those who absolutely should not have access to a weapon,” said Hirschauer. “This legislation is a baby step in the realm of keeping our kids safe and away from nonsensical gun violence.”
Senate Bill 8 favorably passed out of the Senate Chamber and awaits House consideration.
Amid concerns about Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, lawmakers in Springfield supporting human rights for Palestinians have increasingly signed on to legislation opposing the decade-old anti-boycott law. But so far, these bills have stalled.
Illinois’ 2015 law prohibits state pension funds from investing in companies engaging in the Boycott, Divest, Sanction, or BDS, movement against Israel, making Illinois the first U.S. state to enact such legislation, with dozens of other states following suit. The measure, signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, was modeled after similar post-9/11 measures restricting Illinois’ pension funds from investment in companies that engage in business with the governments of Iran and Sudan.
When boycotting Israel became grounds for blacklisting, Illinois lawmakers established the Illinois Investment Policy Board, tasked with investigating companies’ investment choices. Opponents of the laws have warned they curtail free speech. Israel is the only country for which boycotting is penalized in Illinois by the board.
To repeal this policy, Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, introduced House Bill 2723, and Sen. Mike Porfirio, D-Bridgeview, introduced Senate Bill 2462 earlier this year. Since then, some 22 co-sponsors were added in the House and Senate, while two of those later had their names removed. […]
Rashid’s and Porfirio’s bills have stalled in committee despite the initial support from about one-fifth of the Democratic caucus, including the leaders of the Latino, Black and Progressive caucuses.
Thousands of bills, the vast majority of those proposed, get stuck in the Rules Committee every year for various reasons. In HB 2723’s case, the holdup can be attributed in part to the political costs of supporting the bill, advocates said.
Sen. Napoleon Harris, D-Harvey, was listed as a cosponsor on March 20, and Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, signed onto the bill on April 2, but both had their names removed on April 8. Neither senator responded to a request for comment on their reasoning.
As the clock ticks down toward the end of spring session, Democratic lawmakers hope to pass a plan to allow anyone dying of a terminal illness within six months to have the option of medically-assisted death. […]
Experts told the House Executive Committee Friday that medical aid in dying is approved in 10 states, and there have been no substantial cases of abuse or coercion since Oregon became the first state with the policy in 1997. […]
The House version of this plan has 15 Democratic co-sponsors, but the plan would need support from 60 Democrats before Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch allows for a floor vote. […]
Meanwhile, a Senate version of the legislation could come up for a floor vote as early as next week.
Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) filed the legislation after dealing with both her mother and father’s deaths. She told colleagues in February that they both suffered with extreme pain before they died.
Affordable housing is the foundation of a strong, sustainable economy, and the demand in Illinois is overwhelming. At this moment, there’s a shortage of over 290,000 affordable rental homes for our lowest-income residents. […]
Put simply, if we want Illinois to remain competitive in site selection and economic development, we need to build more homes. The Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit (HB 1147/SB 62) is a key part of the solution.
It’s a chain reaction: Build affordable housing. Companies invest. People get jobs. Communities thrive. That’s why business groups including the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Chamber Commerce, and the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association are calling on lawmakers to pass this commonsense legislation to build affordable homes desperately needed across our state. […]
One annual round of funding through the Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit would support the creation of 1,150 affordable homes or apartments, 7,000 jobs, and generate $653 million in economic benefits over 10 years.
* Illinois Public Interest Research Group Director Abraham Scarr…
Rooftop solar eventually pays for itself and, thanks to battery storage, can be used to power our homes year-round. And, as a nonpolluting energy source, it helps keep our air clean and our climate stable.
Yet in Illinois, we are tapping only a small amount — 2%, according to 2022 figures — of our potential solar energy generation, despite rapidly falling costs, improvements in technology, favorable tax incentives and growing demand. Increasing the number of homes with solar panels and battery backup systems is a critical component of Illinois’ clean energy transition. […]
Thankfully, Illinois lawmakers are now considering the Residential Automated Solar Permitting Act, sponsored by state Sen. Bill Cunningham and state Rep. Marcus Evans, which would implement instant permitting statewide. The projected benefits to consumers, jurisdictions and the clean energy transition would be tremendous.
According to a recent report from the Greenhouse Institute and the Brown University Climate Solutions Lab, instant permitting could lead to an additional 35,000 to 36,000 home solar roofs in Illinois by 2030 and as many as an additional 300,000 by 2040. Those 300,000 solar roofs could eventually save 30 million to 31 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of shutting down eight coal-fired power plants for a year. In addition, instant permitting could bring down the cost for a family to install solar by as much as $2,100 by 2030 and by more than $4,000 by 2040.
SB2385 and its companion bill in the House have yet to pass through committee.
State lawmakers are renewing calls for a bill to increase educational requirements for surgical technologists.
The legislation could require their degree to come from a nationally accredited program that includes a mock surgical treatment.
Sponsors told reporters in Springfield Thursday that Stroke Awareness Month is the perfect time to pass the bill, as it is critical that patients receive care from properly trained staff. […]
The measure passed out of the House on a 73-35 vote last month. State senators could vote on the proposal during the final two weeks of the spring session.
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
‘You showed up in my life at the perfect time’
On any given day, nearly 26,000 Illinois residents experience homelessness.
Last summer, “Trinity,” a 33-year-old mom from central Illinois, was one of them.
Trinity and her children had moved into an emergency shelter, which partners with a Medicaid health plan to host mobile clinic events at their facility.
When Trinity showed up at an event, the scope of her family’s medical needs became clear. The family had visited emergency rooms twice in the past week. All of her children were overdue for well-child exams. And Trinity was 16 weeks pregnant—without any prenatal
care.
Practitioners acted swiftly, checking up on the kids and performing prenatal assessments on Trinity. She was prescribed medication for extremely high blood pressure and monitored at three subsequent clinic events.
In November, Trinity delivered a healthy baby boy. And she brought him home to long-term housing she secured near the shelter—with assistance from her health plan.
“You showed up in my life at the perfect time,” Trinity says. “You have helped me so much, and I don’t feel alone.”
We are traveling the USA by road. We are documenting towns & cities across the USA, mostly visiting the downtowns and the neighborhoods surrounding those downtowns. We’re there to see the unique architecture, walkability, artwork, unique stores and restaurants. We will be visiting every state in the U.S.! Come along with us for the ride!!
Monday, May 19, 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 Jessica in Mahomet enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch took the extraordinary actions last week of permanently kicking Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, out of the House Democratic caucus, stripping him of his legislative staff, removing him from his Appropriations Committee chair position and booting him from the bicameral Legislative Audit Commission.
Welch also suspended a Democratic staffer who reportedly helped Crespo prepare an alternative budget plan, which is what got both people axed.
Crespo took me aside Tuesday night at a reception and told me he was preparing to unveil a budget proposal that he believed could help the state weather at least some of the fiscal pain that the Republican Congress and the Trump administration were about to inflict on Illinois and all other states.
The very next day, Welch lowered the boom. Hard.
Needless to say, replacing an Appropriations Committee chair with barely two weeks to go in the spring session and tough budget votes ahead is not exactly commonplace. I’ve never seen such a thing in 35 years of doing this.
A source within the House Democratic operation said Welch told Crespo he hadn’t been engaging this session with the House’s top budget negotiators, appropriations staff, other members and the House speaker himself.
But the final straw was Crespo’s budget proposal, which was far outside the “silo” of his Appropriations Committee’s purview, multiple sources said.
Crespo’s budget idea would have at least temporarily freed up about $4 billion in state spending in the upcoming fiscal year. The proposal would’ve withheld state funds from discretionary programs, created $1.6 billion in contingency reserves (which has been done in previous tight budget years), and allowed short-term borrowing from special state funds.
Crespo almost tanked the state’s crucial revenue bill last May by telling his fellow Democrats to “vote your conscience” during floor debate. Several moderate, House Democrats wound up voting against the bill, and it took hours to pass the measure.
Now, however, Crespo has even less to lose by going all-out against the budget plan since his powers have been stripped. The end-of-session budget vote was already going to be difficult, and now it could be even more fraught with peril if Crespo spends the remaining session days publicly and privately dumping on the budget plan.
But, maybe not, because no House Democrats rose to defend Crespo during a closed-door caucus meeting on Thursday, although some were grumbling privately.
Welch clearly took the caucus reaction (or lack thereof) as confirmation that he was right to move against Crespo: “I levied the decision that I levied, and I’m comfortable with it,” Welch told me after the Thursday caucus meeting. “I slept well last night. And from the reaction of my leadership team and members, they believe I made the right decision as well.”
Asked if Crespo has a path back to caucus membership, Welch told me: “No. We’re not going to tolerate that level of disrespect to our caucus. In my opinion, there’s no way back.”
When I asked Welch if ejecting Crespo from the caucus was a disproportionate response to what Crespo did, Welch gave two reasons for his decision.
First, Crespo’s use of his committee chair role to pursue an agenda which runs counter to shared caucus goals: “He’s free to speak his mind. He’s free to vote his conscience, just like other members have done,” he said, but added that no one would be allowed to use their official leadership roles “to pursue an agenda that is antithetical to our shared goals” of passing a budget.
Second, Welch said that last week’s “rogue” behavior by Crespo was not isolated: “It wasn’t because of a single instance. It’s because of cumulative instances.
“I can’t allow someone to go rogue and be an individual,” Welch said.
Whew.
Welch also described his final sit-down with Crespo: “At two or three different points, he realized that what he did was wrong because he tried to apologize a couple of times.”
Crespo, however, claimed Welch said he felt like the member had stabbed him in the back. Crespo said he apologized to Welch if he took his actions that way because it wasn’t his intent. Crespo said he did not apologize for what he actually did.
Welch said he wasn’t concerned about Crespo using the remaining session days to try and pull votes off the budget.
“I believe that we have better systems in place than we did last year, and so I don’t have the same level of concern this year as last year.”
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
20,000 seniors are going without home care because wages are too low to keep workers. Support HB 1330/SB 120 because Illinois seniors deserve quality care. Care can’t wait!
* ICYMI: AG: Tollway violated the Open Meetings Act with settlement vote. Daily Herald…
-Nine months ago, Illinois tollway directors ended a closed session and voted on about $68 million in spending, including a controversial $25 million lawsuit settlement over a botched contract. But they neglected to tell members of the public they could return to the boardroom and witness the proceedings.
-Now, the Illinois attorney general’s Public Access Bureau has concluded the tollway board violated several sections of the Open Meetings Act at that Aug. 29, 2024 session.
- The tollway previously contended that since the livestream meeting video was restarted after executive session and a recording was available after adjournment, the board had complied with the law.
$148 billion in annual economic value. Thousands of jobs, countless products, and cleaner-burning biofuels mean endless opportunities for our state. Renewable, versatile, and a powerhouse for local economies, homegrown corn and Illinois farmers are creating a sustainable future.
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*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***
* Tribune | Federal DEI crackdown threatens Illinois graduate student scholarship program: On March 31, the U.S. Department of Justice notified universities participating in the Diversifying Higher Education in Illinois scholarship and the Illinois Board of Higher Education, which disperses the scholarship funds, that the program “unconstitutionally discriminated on the basis of race in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment,” according to an April 11 Department of Justice news release. “After the Justice Department threatened to file suit, the state and six universities suspended the program,” the DOJ release said.
* Post-Tribune | Feds want to sentence Snyder on tax charge, cancel bribery trial: The second bribery conviction, over allegations surrounding a $13,000 payment involving around $1 million in contracts for garbage trucks, stood after two trials, only to get overturned last summer when the Supreme Court ruled that the payment was a gratuity, not a bribe, and criminalizing the payment put even routine campaign contributions at the risk of the federal government’s wrath. Overturning Snyder’s conviction had a ripple effect on countless other cases, most notably prominent cases in Illinois, including the trial of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan and the case of the “ComEd Four” who were convicted of a scheme to bribe him.
* Sun-Times | Chicago experiences first dust storm since the Dust Bowl 91 years ago: It was the first time the city had seen a dust storm since May 10, 1934, which was during the first wave of the Dust Bowl — a series of intense dust storms caused by a combination of drought and poor farming methods in the mid- to late-1930s — according to National Weather Service meteorologist Zachary Yack. The storm was carrying dust picked up from farms in central Illinois, and raced north toward the Chicago area, bringing 60- to 70-mph winds and reducing visibility to less than a quarter of a mile. Strong winds originating out of a cluster of severe thunderstorms moving across central Illinois caused the dust storm, the weather service said.
*** Statewide ***
* Capitol News Illinois | Native ancestors’ return to rest: A paperwork-laden process underway in Illinois: Raphael Wahwassuck, a council member and citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Illinois’ only federally recognized tribe, said that when he started as the tribe’s point of contact for NAGPRA, he was initially greeted by stacks of paperwork. “I had bankers boxes, probably four high, 10 rows deep, of notices that come in,” Wahwassuck said. “Since that time, we’ve cleaned up our internal processes to where now we’re asking for a lot of electronic notices. … I could probably check my phone right now and have maybe 50 (notices), and, it’s just – I don’t know that it will ever slow down.”
* Sun-Times | Crowded field of challengers growing as Dick Durbin exodus creates opportunities for Democrats: Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement last month set the stage for a game of political musical chairs, as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi quickly jumped into the race. That leaves their districts full of eager competitors. With U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood still deciding whether she’ll run for Durbin’s seat, the 14th District could also come into play. And U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s announcement earlier this month that she wouldn’t be seeking reelection opens her seat wide open.
* Crypto News | Coinbase sued in Illinois over biometric data practices tied to KYC checks: Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on May 13, the lawsuit alleges that Coinbase’s Know Your Customer checks involve scanning users’ facial geometry without proper notice or consent, a move the plaintiffs say directly breaches Illinois’ biometric privacy laws. According to the complaint, users were required to upload a government-issued ID and a selfie, which were then processed by third-party facial recognition software.
* Capitol News Illinois | After 150 years, Mary Lincoln’s ‘madness’ still haunts American psyche: On May 19, 1875, a Cook County jury handed down a verdict in a case concerning the health and welfare of Mary Lincoln, widow of the former president who had been assassinated a decade earlier. After listening to only a single day of testimony, the 12 men on the jury signed the standard verdict form stating simply that they “are satisfied that said Mary Lincoln is insane, and is a fit person to be sent to a State Hospital for the Insane …”
* WIFR | Illinois casinos must implement human trafficking training and reporting procedures: The new rule to combat human trafficking from the Illinois Gaming Board is effective immediately. Illinois casinos must develop and implement human trafficking training and reporting procedures and post awareness notices. “Human trafficking is one of the most underreported and under-identified crimes,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Because human trafficking can come in many forms and can happen almost anywhere, it is important to train people working in industries targeted by human traffickers to recognize the signs so they can report the crimes and help save lives.”
*** Statehouse News ***
* Advantage News | College insurance “mess” debated at Illinois Capitol: Illinois lawmakers are having discussions about pension obligations and payment backlogs which continue to plague the state’s College Insurance Program. Funding problems were discussed Wednesday during a joint meeting of the House Appropriations-Higher Education and Personnel and Pensions committees. Illinois’ College Insurance Program is dealing with a $50 million loan to go along with a $38 million deficit.
* Farm Week Now | Q&A with IDOA’s Jerry Costello on poultry ban, state budget: Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) Director Jerry Costello II is citing an uptick in highly pathogenic avian influenza as the reason the agency extended a ban on poultry exhibitions through next month. In this wide-ranging conversation with RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer, Costello discusses this year’s “wild” planting season, expectations from the state budget process and what prompted IDOA to extend the poultry exhibition ban in county fair season.
*** Chicago ***
* Crain’s | Johnson’s budget group begins work to plug $1 billion shortfall: Mayor Brandon Johnson launched the task force through an executive order demanding city departments continue looking for efficiencies in the city’s $17 billion budget. The group is expected to deliver preliminary recommendations in August ahead of the city’s annual budget process, with a final report coming in 2026. While the city has long known what’s on the table to cut spending or raise revenue, Johnson is hoping a coalition of labor, business and civic leaders can provide cover for the mayor and the City Council to find the collective political will necessary to implement the measures.
* ABC Chicago | Mayor Johnson outlines vision for future of administration at South Side church: “We can be the safest, most affordable, big city in America,” Johnson said. “My vision for the city moving forward, we’re gonna repopulate the West and South Sides of Chicago. We’re gonna educate our children. We’re gonna create opportunities for entrepreneurial growth. We’re gonna build the most affordable, safest, big city in America, and we’re gonna do it together.”
* Sun-Times | Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates and her team win reelection: With one challenger, Gates’ Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators, or CORE, won with 64% of the vote, according to the CTU. It’s better than CORE performed in the last election, when it had two opponents, but not a blowout as some had predicted. The CTU did not say how many members had voted.
* Tribune | Chicago housing nonprofit providing rental subsidies for very low-income renters facing a $10M budget shortfall: The trust fund is staring down an estimated $10 million shortfall for its $14.1 million 2025 budget as two of its funding streams have dried up. That number represents subsidies for about 600 units. The trust fund said it has sufficient reserves to fill the budget hole for this year. It has also begun a subsidy attrition plan for units that are or will become vacant as of Jan. 1 (the start of its new budget cycle) to reduce costs. About 16% of those subsidies will not be subject to attrition as they are part of a special program serving those with specific needs.
* The Triibe | What’s it like to raise teens in 2025?: They might find there isn’t much out there for them. Third spaces have disappeared or been cut off from teenagers, and the COVID-19 pandemic locked many at home for months. Not long ago malls in and around Chicago were the go-to spot for high schoolers with nothing to do, which eventually led to parental supervision rules at Water Tower Place and a youth escort policy at Ford City Mall. These restrictions essentially ban teens 17 or younger from being at these malls starting Friday evening and spanning the entire weekend, unless they’re accompanied by a parent or adult over 21.
* The Triibe | ‘There are no places for us to just be free’: “We always talking about the kids, but you don’t hire them. You tell them what you feel they should have and how they should think, and right there is where we go wrong,” Phillips said. “How you going to dissect or solve a problem without the people you deem the cause of it? So you have to have them in a room.” I spoke with eight Black teenagers from the South and West Sides to understand their experiences. They spoke about the challenges of meeting up with friends, the lack of neighborhood spaces to gather in majority-Black communities, and their thoughts on the city’s proposed revised youth curfew policy. Here are their stories, as told to TRiiBE systemic racism reporter Tonia Hill.
* Tribune | US Rep. Jonathan Jackson spending taxpayer dollars to rent district office space from longtime business partner: Jackson last spring moved the district office into the first floor of a high-rise in the Theodore Lawless Gardens apartment complex that is owned and managed by Higginbottom. A Chicago political powerbroker who has been an ally of Illinois governors and Chicago mayors for decades, Higginbottom is a close friend of the Jackson family, including the congressman’s father, civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
* Daily Herald | Rare dust storm that raced through Chicago area caused by strong winds from cluster of thunderstorms: However, this was the first time a dust storm warning was issued that included the Chicago metropolitan area, the agency reported. The last time a significant dust storm affected Chicago was during the Dust Bowl on May 10, 1934. […] A dust storm lasting about three hours developed near Bloomington caused by strong winds originating out of a cluster of severe thunderstorms moving across central Illinois.
* Sun-Times | Dozens of people were arrested protesting at the DNC. What happened to their cases?: Nine months after the Democratic National Convention swept over Chicago, the city’s law department continues to prosecute ordinance violations leveled at protesters arrested during demonstrations against the war in Gaza. But the city has little to show for the effort in the way of winning cases at trial or securing meaningful punishments in plea deals. The harshest punishment the city has secured so far was 10 hours of community service as part of a plea deal, according to the National Lawyers Guild, which is tracking DNC protest-related cases.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | Former Kane treasurer’s office employee switches party, announces plan to challenge ex-boss: Cain won the GOP nomination for the 66th Illinois House District in the 2022 primary, but lost to incumbent Democratic Rep. Suzanne Ness. She also lost a bid to serve on the Algonquin-based Community Unit District District 300 school board in 2023 Regarding her party switch, Cain said the GOP is ineffective. “You can’t win elections in 2025 with strategies from 1990,” she said.
* Daily Herald | More cops, new fire station needed to handle a Bears stadium in Arlington Heights?: Village officials have been contemplating the question ever since the NFL franchise announced its interest in relocating to the Northwest suburb. It led top brass in the fire and police departments in 2022 to shadow municipal counterparts in NFL stadium communities, including Inglewood, California, Foxborough, Massachusetts, Arlington, Texas, and Las Vegas. But Arlington Heights officials are starting to have more serious planning discussions now that the Bears appear more serious about developing the 326-acre property the team owns on the west side of town.
* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora schools recruit, fill positions and find alternatives as teacher and staff shortages persist statewide: Last year, the district began partnering with Aurora University to help individuals — including current employees of the district — earn college credit or teaching licenses to fill high-demand positions, said the district’s Associate Superintendent of Staff and Student Services David Ballard. The district is currently working on a similar partnership with Northern Illinois University. The district also provides stipends to bilingual teachers and staff who relocate to the Aurora school district, and it also has a teacher mentor program that it hopes will help attract candidates for open positions.
* Tribune | Economic development seen as key to legacy of former Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin: It was hope that drove Irvin, who grew up in low-income housing, was raised by a single mother and was the first in his family to graduate from both high school and college, to make a name for himself, he recently said in an interview with The Beacon-News. And it was that same hope that he later turned towards the city, Irvin said, to make his hometown into something, too. “I’ll be known for a lot of things, but I think what I did best, and what I was able to convey to our residents, was hope,” he said.
*** Downstate ***
* WGLT | Central Illinois humanities organizations ask for state funding after federal cuts: The Trump administration has started canceling National Endowment for the Arts [NEA] grants. Much of it was already committed to organizations when it was suddenly cut. The president’s proposed budget would eliminate both the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Lawmakers on the Illinois House’s Museum, Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Committee held a special hearing Thursday to address funding concerns facing the humanities and the arts. It drew organizations from across the state, including Bloomington.
* Tribune | Dolton Mayor Jason House won’t rule out public purchase of Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home: “I’m interested in a peaceful transfer,” House, who was sworn in as mayor May 5, told the Daily Southtown. He said he is excited for the property’s potential as an attraction and historical landmark, and is prioritizing ensuring it is “honored in the proper way.” House said it’s too early to say how much the village would be willing to pay for the 1,050-square-foot home on 141st Place or whether it should be converted into a museum or historical landmark. He said he plans to speak with the homeowner early next week to discuss the property.
* WGLT | Bloomington residents get letters ahead of 10-year lead service line replacement: The city has been sending out letters to thousands of residents whose water lines are — or could be — made of lead. The letter explains the health effects of lead exposure and steps you can take to reduce exposure. Bloomington Water Director Ed Andrews said the city also sent out the letters last year. Both mail drops sparked lots of questions. “When we start having conversations about lead, lead services, lead pipes, people have legitimate concerns,” Andrews said. “We have not found the perfect combination of media dialogue and upfront letter to help soften that.”
*** National ***
* The Guardian | Oklahoma high schools to teach 2020 election conspiracy theories as fact: The previous standard for studying the 2020 election merely said: “Examine issues related to the election of 2020 and its outcome.” The new version is more expansive: “Identify discrepancies in 2020 elections results by looking at graphs and other information, including the sudden halting of ballot-counting in select cities in key battleground states, the security risks of mail-in balloting, sudden batch dumps, an unforeseen record number of voters, and the unprecedented contradiction of ‘bellwether county’ trends.”
* AP | DHS asks for 20,000 National Guard troops for immigration roundups, Pentagon reviewing request: How the troops would be used may depend on whether they remain under state governors’ control. Under the Posse Comitatus Act, troops under federal orders cannot be used for domestic law enforcement, but units under state control can. The addition of 20,000 National Guard troops would provide a huge boost to immigration enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the DHS agency responsible for immigration enforcement in the interior of the country, has a total staff of about 20,000 people spread across three divisions.
* AP | Moody’s strips U.S. government of top credit rating, citing Washington’s failure to rein in debt: Moody’s lowered the rating from a gold-standard Aaa to Aa1 but said the United States “retains exceptional credit strengths such as the size, resilience and dynamism of its economy and the role of the U.S. dollar as global reserve currency.” Moody’s is the last of the three major rating agencies to lower the federal government’s credit. Standard & Poor’s downgraded federal debt in 2011 and Fitch Ratings followed in 2023.
* WaPo | Trump Justice Dept. considers removing key check on lawmaker prosecutions: Federal prosecutors across the country may soon be able to indict members of Congress without approval from lawyers in the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, according to three people familiar with a proposal attorneys in the section learned about last week. Under the proposal, investigators and prosecutors would also not be required to consult with the section’s attorneys during key steps of probes into public officials, altering a long-standing provision in the Justice Department’s manual that outlines how investigations of elected officials should be conducted.
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