Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

Three weeks after former House Speaker Michael Madigan reported to federal prison, his lawyers have filed a long-awaited appeal to overturn his corruption conviction, arguing the prosecution flaunted recent Supreme Court rulings reining in the use of the bribery and fraud statutes and instead stretched the laws “past their breaking points.”

The 71-page filing with the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals said allegations surrounding two of the central prongs in the case — the ComEd bribery scheme and Madigan’s offer to help then-Ald. Daniel Solis get a state board position — “improperly criminalizes the rough-and-tumble business of state politics in direct contradiction of recent Supreme Court rulings.”

Madigan’s lawyers also accused the U.S. attorney’s office of “throwing years’ worth of legislative action and political relationships at the jury in the hopes of making something stick.” […]

The filing also alleged U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey erred in several key rulings at trial, including allowing prosecutors to proceed with a “stream of benefits” theory that did not require proof of a quid pro quo or that Madigan had agreed to be influenced “on a specific question or matter.”

Click here to read the full appeal.

* Sun-Times…

The Regional Transportation Authority on Tuesday said it is no longer requiring the CTA, Metra and Pace to implement a 10% fare increases next year, following the passage last week of a historic transit funding package in the General Assembly.

The RTA, which must approve each of the agencies’ budgets this month, had insisted they each include the fare hike — even if state lawmakers approved a $1.5 billion spending package. […]

The transit bill prohibits fare hikes for the first year after the expected-to-be law goes into effect on June 1.

That caveat meant the RTA’s planned Feb. 1 fare increases could still go live. And it created some confusion about whether the hikes would be implemented until RTA’s statement Tuesday.

For now, the RTA is walking back on their request for a fare hike, following criticism from lawmakers instrumental to the bill’s passage.

*** Statewide ***

* BND | ‘Powderpuff’ pooch crowned the cutest dog in Illinois. Meet our contest winner: An 11-pound Chinese crested dog named Tommy has won the Belleville News Democrat’s cutest dog contest, with 1,131 votes in the final round. […] “He is totally living his best life. He is loved and pampered, and just has that personality where I don’t think he’s ever woken up and had a bad day. He’s happy immediately,” Shannon said.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Feds say Border Patrol vehicle tied to Brighton Park shooting wasn’t repaired prior to inspection:
Prosecutors say a Border Patrol mechanic in Maine attempted to “wipe off” some scuff marks but did no actual repairs on an immigration agent’s SUV after the agent shot a woman in Brighton Park last month. A court filing by the U.S. attorney’s office late Monday provided a more detailed timeline of what happened to the agent’s Chevrolet Tahoe after the Oct. 4 shooting that left Marimar Martinez wounded. Martinez’s attorney, meanwhile, filed a response Tuesday blasting the government’s “Karate Kid wax on, wax off narrative” about the vehicle as self-serving and arguing that a hearing should be held on the matter.

* Sun-Times | Plaintiffs’ lawyers: Bovino views protesters as ‘violent rioters,’ tells officers to ‘go hard’ against them: U.S. Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino admitted to tossing gas before being hit by a rock in Little Village and separately instructed officers to arrest protesters “who make hyperbolic comments in the heat of political demonstrations,” court records show. Bovino also allegedly refused to admit that he’d ever seen protesters who were not violent rioters, giving his agents cause to “go hard” against them.

* Sun-Times | City Hall gift room highlights Mayor Johnson’s ‘hostility to oversight,’ inspector general says: In an advisory released Tuesday, Witzburg accused Johnson of failing to live up to his commitment to transparency. “My fear is that what we are seeing here is less about the cuff links and the Size 14 men’s shoes and it’s more about hostility to oversight. There is a reflexive hostility to oversight,” Witzburg told the Sun-Times.

* Tribune | Art Institute announces $50 million conservation center, with the public welcome to watch the work: Indeed, the Grainger Center will offer hitherto-unprecedented public engagement with the Art Institute’s conservation work. Glass doors will allow visitors to observe some conservation work from an anteroom gallery, which will feature rotating exhibitions tied to the department’s work. Some of that research came to the fore during the Art Institute’s 2023 Dalí exhibition, when conservators discovered that a Dali in their collection had been part of a set backdrop.

* Chicago Mag | The Video That Shook Chicago: Laquan McDonald’s death may well have become just another statistic if not for a yearlong battle by journalists, activists, and lawyers to unveil this video evidence of the brutal shooting. The consequences of their often intertwined efforts were wide-ranging. For the first time in nearly 35 years, a Chicago police officer was charged with first-degree murder for an on-duty killing. A U.S. Justice Department investigation uncovered a pattern of excessive force by Chicago police, leading to widespread reform measures. A police superintendent was fired. A state’s attorney lost her reelection bid. A mayor declined to run for office again.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Hearing over allegedly inhumane conditions at ‘black site’ Broadview facility underway: During an hourslong hearing on Tuesday at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, attorneys for Moreno Gonzalez and his fellow plaintiff, Felipe Agustin Zamacona, said the Broadview center operates like a “black site” where people are little access to attorneys and are coerced to sign away their rights. Former detainees testified about tiny meals, not enough water, cells crowded with more than 150 people and a lack of privacy, hygiene products and working showers. “The government is trying so doggedly to deport people at such a fast rate … access to counsel is more important than ever,” said Alexa Van Brunt, the plaintiffs’ lead attorney. “Once someone signs away their rights, its done.”

* WTTW | Broadview ICE Facility Lacks Beds, Showers, Adequate Food as Detainees Detail ‘Inhumane’ Conditions to Federal Judge: Attorneys also claim that ICE’s online detainee locator does not work properly and often does not provide updates on a person’s location for days, meaning their families do not know where they are. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jana Brady claimed that if the restraining order were to be approved as written, it would effectively halt the government’s ability to execute immigration laws in the state of Illinois.

* Fox Chicago | Paperwork error puts Chicago-area veteran’s home at risk: In the summer of 2023, he bought a modest home in suburban Glenwood from another disabled veteran. But just months after moving in, that $10,000 tax bill arrived. The county later corrected the mistake, issuing a certificate of error that reduced his tax bill to zero. Yet the problem keeps resurfacing

* Daily Southtown | Five candidates file for Will County sheriff; primaries likely in four county board districts: Eight out of the 11 districts for the Will County board are up for election. Each district has two representatives, and control of the board, which has been evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, is at stake. Four of those districts will have primaries in March.

* CBS Chicago | Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois, to close at end of 2025-2026 school year: The board of trustees has voted to close the 66-year-old religious college in Palos Heights, Illinois, a news release announced Tuesday. Trinity will hold its final commencement ceremony on May 8, 2026. Trinity said it has tried its hardest to adjust its growth model and eliminate its deficit, but was hampered by post-COVID losses, persistent operating deficits, a decline in enrollment, increased competition for students, and shifting giving priorities by donors. After reviewing many options, the board voted on Monday to close the college.

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | Urbana mayor says immigration enforcement underway: Mayor Williams confirmed in a statement that federal agents have been active in Urbana and nearby communities over the past several weeks. He did not disclose which other communities have seen federal operations. […] “Any immigration enforcement activity happening here has been conducted solely by federal authorities,” Williams said. “The Urbana Police Department has not participated in, coordinated with, or provided assistance for any of these actions.”

* WGLT | 17 file for McLean County Board; many state legislative incumbents are unopposed: There are 10 contested county board races on the ballot, one in each district. There will be no primaries for any county races next March, according to records posted online by the McLean County Clerk’s office. Democrats hold a 12-8 majority on the board. Six of the 10 seats on the ballot next year are currently held by Democrats. Only two of those races have a Republican candidate.

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford Public Schools hopes free breakfast and lunch will help families manage SNAP loss: District officials said they intend to keep it that way despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding SNAP — the federal government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “Our core breakfast and lunch services will be completely uninterrupted,” said Ehren Jarrett, superintendent of Rockford Public Schools. “We know our children will get two really solid meals. And that is universally available, so even if a family previously felt like they had enough food security with their other benefits that they didn’t always need to do the breakfast or lunch, that’s available to all of our students.”

* WGLT | Normal narrowly greenlights underpass construction with tax increases: Each motion related to the project, including the $32 million construction cost, was approved with a tiebreaking vote from Mayor Chris Koos. Council members Kathleen Lorenz, Andy Byars and Scott Preston voted “no” each time, while members Kevin McCarthy, Karyn Smith and Rory Roberge voted “yes.” Aside from the cost of the project rising by $12 million over a previous estimate, several council members expressed concern about the limited amount of time the public was given between a work session last week and Monday’s vote.

* WCIA | 1950s U of I residence halls to be demolished, replaced: University Housing Associate Director of Communications and Marketing Chris Axtman-Barker said the U of I does not have a set timeline on when demolition will take place. But, he added that the new residence hall, currently referred to as “Residence Hall #4,” is expected to have between 600 to 800 beds with a 300 seat dining hall.

*** National ***

* NYT | How Gun Blasts From Indoor Shooting May Cause Brain Injuries: Evidence has emerged from the U.S. military that firing some military weapons can damage brain cells, and repeated exposure may cause permanent injuries. But there is next to no public information about the strength of the blast waves delivered by civilian firearms, or the potential hazard. So The New York Times did its own testing, and gathered its own data. Reporters measured the blasts of several popular civilian guns at an indoor range, using the same sensors that the military uses. The data showed that some large-caliber civilian rifles delivered a blast wave that exceeds what the military says is safe for the brain, and firing smaller-caliber guns repeatedly could quickly add up to potentially harmful exposure. The data also showed that indoor shooting ranges designed to make shooting safe inadvertently make blast exposure worse — doubling and sometimes tripling the amplitude of the blast.

* AP | Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine sales tumble after government guidance on the shots narrows: The fall COVID-19 vaccine season is starting slowly for Pfizer, with U.S. sales of its Comirnaty shots sinking 25% after federal regulators narrowed recommendations on who should get them. […] Dr. Amesh Adalja said vaccine rates have been “suboptimal” in recent years even for people considered a high risk for catching a bad case of COVID-19. “That’s only going to fall off more this season,” the senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said recently.

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Bovino: ‘We’re going to be in Chicago a good while’

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* As you know, Border Patrol agents have been accused of baselessly throwing tear gas and using force on residents and reporters during protests in Chicago and the suburbs during Trump’s immigration push. The Associated Press interviewed Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino today…

Bovino points the finger at Pritzker, activists and news outlets. He called Pritzker “wildly misinformed” while repeatedly mispronouncing his name during the interview, even after being called out, and took jabs at the governor’s appearance.

In response, Pritzker’s office said Tuesday that the federal government has diverted valuable public safety resources to Bovino’s “publicity stunts aimed at boosting his ego.”

Bovino wouldn’t say when the Chicago operation would wind down or say what city might be the next target, urging the element of surprise.

“We’re going to be in Chicago a good while,” he said. “But you just never know.”

Lots more in that story, so go read the whole thing.

* Last month, Bovino deployed tear gas in Little Village. He claims he only used it after being hit in the head with a rock. The Tribune’s Jason Meisner is in the courtroom today…

Art says the other problem is there is ample evidence the government witnesses have lied, including Bovino.
He says they are going to present evidence that Bovino "made up a story about getting hit in the head with a rock to justify an unconstitutional use of force."

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) November 4, 2025

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Chuy Garcia talks about why he dropped out of his reelection bid (Updated)

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Rich interviewed Congressman Chuy Garcia this morning about his decision to not run for reelection…

Rich: When did you decide that you weren’t going to run again?

Garcia: Last week was one hell of a week for me. I filed on Monday, as you know, looking forward to another term, to win back the majority. I think we’ve got a shot. I know what it’s like to be in the majority, you can get stuff done. During the Biden years, we were able to do that. I got to Congress in the last two years of Trump’s first presidency and, of course, experienced the 35-day shutdown. I was sworn in during the shutdown. So a great point of reference, and I was looking for at least one more term to be able to do that, but life handed me quite a card, or a hand, I’m not much of a gambler, so I don’t know the terms.

On Monday, same day that Manny was out filing my petitions, I went to my cardiologist, and he told me that I’ve been a bad boy. While I take my medicine most of the time, I don’t go to physical therapy, I don’t exercise, and he said, ‘Why bother coming to see me if you’re going to f— around?’ He said, ‘I also recommend that as you clean up your act, you consider doing something else than being a member of Congress. Thank you for your great service,’ because he’s a pretty progressive Indian American fellow, but wanted me to cut the stuff out.

On Tuesday, as I was by the door saying goodbye to my lovely wife, she grabbed me and said, ‘I don’t want you to run for another term. And I told her, ‘Honey, I filed yesterday.’ She goes, ‘I know.’ I said, ‘We talked about this.’ She said, ‘I know.’ And then, you know, it got emotional.

Especially because my wife has been living with [multiple sclerosis] for 15 years. It’s a progressive, degenerative disease, and it starts to steal parts of you. It’s a debilitating disease. It affects everything in a person, and it’s been challenging. And two weeks ago, she had her six-month infusion, which usually gives her a great boost of energy and, you know, newfound abilities. It seems it didn’t have any effect. So we’re very concerned about that, because it’s probably a sign of her condition progressing, and that was real tough. And that’s when I flew to Washington, and I spent a couple of sleepless nights trying to figure out what to do.

And then on Friday, to cap off the week, we finalized, she and I, the adoption of an eight-year-old grandchild that lives with us, that we care for. So he’s now legally our son. He’s one of four.

You may recall that he became part of our family in an instant when my daughter died two and a half years ago and left four children, and they had all of a sudden ours, and you know, we’ve done our best. The kids are doing great. My son, by the way, in Minneapolis, adopted the nine-year-old—she’s 10 now, 10 years old. So both of them got adopted. I’ve got one grandchild who lives next door—our neighbors, guardian angels, are going to adopt him—and then the eldest, who’s in Indiana with an aunt. So, you know, we look out after them. And those were just really big factors in me deciding that I could not, in good conscience, do it again, and decided in Washington one of those nights that the only recourse we had was to look at an option. And that’s when I thought that we could try to get my chief, Patty Garcia, on the ballot.

My decision was based on love for my family, for my community, and for, you know, not just someone who talks about family values and fights for families, but being about it. My wife has been with me every step of the way. She was a precinct captain. At one time she went against all of the HDO big shots and kicked their asses. They would come to her precinct to try to intimidate and try to pull off stuff, and she set them straight. And at the end of the day, she showed them the tape, and they always got their ass handed to them.

So my wife, who, by the way, Saturday will have been married to me and tolerated me for 48 years, we’ve known each other for over 50 years, since we were kids. So this is very moving, and she’s been the rock, and I got to be there for her. I got to be there for my own health. And now I really get it, why I got to stay healthy. And then, of course, our grandchildren, because we’re all they got, and we’ve had to step up. My daughter was also adopted, the one that left us before. So it’s a very powerful force in our lives.

Rep. Garcia said petitions were printed on Friday night and circulated Saturday. His organization gathered 2,500 signatures over the weekend, he said. He said he was surprised the petition circulation didn’t spark any rumors.

* Rich asked about the criticism the announcement is receiving…

Rich: You obviously made the decision not to announce this early enough for other people to possibly go out there and pass petitions as well. Do you regret not doing that?

Garcia: I wish that the things that happened could have happened earlier, but this is my faith. This is how things unfolded, and I had to respond.

Rich: I will say there are some people out there who say you cheated them out of a choice.

Garcia: I respect their views. I can see why they would do that, but I think I followed the rules. I followed the filing calendar and of course, took time to reflect on making this choice, because it came as a shock to all of our supporters, it’s still shocking many of our allies. By weeks and my entire family, my two boys and my daughter in laws and some of my grandkids were begging me to come home, and I’m responding to that.

I also felt that somebody was going to file, because I’ve always been opposed. We didn’t know, for example, that the independent candidate, Hershey, had circulated. And, you know, we think we had pretty good intelligence, and I didn’t expect a Republican to run as well. So I was assuming that somebody would run, as they had in the past.

…Adding… Chicago Ald. Michael Rodriguez …

For more than 40 years, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García has dedicated his life to public service and the advancement of our communities. He’s shown us that true leadership means showing up, listening, and standing with our people.

As one of the few Latino voices in rooms where we were often absent, Chuy paved the way for others, including myself, to lead with purpose and carry forward progressive values.

His decision not to run for re-election was deeply personal and undoubtedly difficult. While some may feel disappointed or even frustrated by this news, we should remember that leadership also means knowing when to make space for new voices and new energy. After decades of tireless service, Chuy has more than earned the right to make this choice on his own terms.

Let us honor his legacy, one rooted in courage, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to community. His work has inspired generations of Latino and progressive leaders, and his impact will continue to shape our movement for years to come.

Thank you, Chuy, for your decades of leadership and for showing us what true public service looks like.

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Learning from the past

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* One of the very few positive things to emerge from the Rauner impasse was that Illinoisans were given an intense, prolonged lesson on the importance of state budgets. So, a Republican governor who defeated an incumbent Democrat by 4 points in 2014, lost to a Democratic opponent by almost 16 points four years later…

.@NBCNews talked to a Trump voter whose daughter gets SNAP benefits. She said said she's furious about how little he's fixing the economy and regrets her vote — said the ballroom renovations are "selfish"https://t.co/Ey7kiEMIm6 by @Mdixon55 @jonallendc @HenryJGomez pic.twitter.com/Q6UMqAPZWw

— Amanda Terkel (@aterkel) November 3, 2025

Obviously, the Trump midterm factor played a big role in 2018, but Massachusetts’ moderate to liberal Republican governor Charlie Baker won his state by almost 34 points that very same year.

* The lessons began early here. Remember this from early April of 2015 at the start of the impasse?…

State funding cuts are threatening services for people living with autism, as families who receive help through a program called the Autism Project say they will be devastated by its elimination.

The Autism Project says Gov. Bruce Rauner confirmed the decision to cut funding for the remainder of the 2015 fiscal year Thursday - on World Autism Day.

Advocates say for every dollar Illinois spends on its best-in-the-nation autism assistance programs, $7 are either earned or saved. So they say cutting well-honed programs that are doing right by their clients is at best misguided - if not plain cruel.

Illinoisans received a tiny taste back then of what the state can expect to be forced to swallow for this four-year presidential term.

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It’s almost a law

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday said he was still deciding whether he’d sign legislation that would permit doctors to help terminally ill people end their lives, after the bill narrowly passed the General Assembly last week.

“It was something that I didn’t expect and didn’t know it was going to be voted on, so we’re examining it even now,” Pritzker said. […]

Pritzker, who is running for a third term next year and is widely considered a potential 2028 contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Monday said he’s still taking input on the controversial bill and has already “heard a lot” from advocates backing the legislation. Speaking to reporters at an unrelated event at the Philip J. Rock Center and School in Glen Ellyn for deaf-blind children, Pritzker signaled an openness to the advocates’ arguments but was noncommittal about signing the legislation into law.

“I know how terrible it is that someone who’s in the last six months of their life could be experiencing terrible pain and anguish, and I know people who have gone through that,” Pritzker said Monday, echoing the rhetoric of some lawmakers who have advocated for the bill. “I know people whose family members have gone through that, and so, I mean, it hits me deeply and makes me wonder about how we can alleviate the pain that they’re going through.”

Fox Chicago…

Deb Robertson says she’s elated that Illinois is one step closer to becoming the 11th state in the country to legalize medical aid in dying, also known as ‘the right to die act.’

“It’s been a long road, but we’ve made progress and I’m hopeful Governor Pritzker will sign this bill as soon as possible,” Robertson said.

Robertson has been fighting a rare and deadly form of cancer, called neuroendocrine carcinoma, for three years. She says the disease has begun to progress more rapidly. […]

“I’m fighting to live, so there’s no need for me to use this option today,” Robertson said. “But my body is declining and I might need it in the future.”

* Daily Herald…

A 45-cent toll hike included in a bill passed by the General Assembly last week to avert a public transit budget crisis isn’t set in stone, Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday.

Asked about the increase, Pritzker said the legislation states “that if the tollway board decides something different or … the attorneys, the bond lawyers tell them that this isn’t something the legislature can opine about — the legislature would urge the toll authority to move forward with a hike in the tolls.”

The toll spike was part of the deal making that resulted in a bailout package for Metra, Pace and the CTA approved Friday during legislature’s veto session. It would raise about $1 billion for tollway road construction.

“The toll authority has been looking at expansion, and renovation and modernization,” Pritzker said at a ribbon-cutting in Glen Ellyn. “And so there was always going to be some capital program that would be brought to the tollway. All that the legislature did was sort of codify that, indeed, that’s what will happen.

“And again, it’s to pay for upgrades. This is all about infrastructure and capital — it doesn’t have anything to do directly with operating dollars necessary for our transit system.”

* Block Club Chicago…

State lawmakers passed bills Thursday aimed at increasing protections for immigrant communities and limiting how and where federal immigration agents operate. […]

The Court Access, Safety and Participation Act bans arrests made without a warrant at or on the way to state courthouses and allows for anyone who knowingly violates the act to be liable for civil damages for false imprisonment, including actual damages and statutory damages of $10,000.

The act bans arrests without a judicial warrant for anyone “who is going to, remaining at, or returning from the place of the court proceeding,” according to the bill text. […]

Another effort, the Health Care Sanctity and Privacy Law, seeks to ensure health care providers and staff can provide quality care without interference by law enforcement.

The bill asks hospitals to have procedures to respond should immigration agents come into their facilities and designate a point person who interacts with immigration officers. The bill also asks hospitals to have a designated space for law enforcement agents to remain and wait at a hospital, according to the bill text.

* The Tribune…

Lawmakers have passed a bill to strengthen Illinois’ ability to make its own vaccine guidelines — legislation that follows months of tumult over vaccines at the federal level.

The bill expands the authority of the Immunization Advisory Committee, which is a group of doctors and other experts and leaders that makes vaccine recommendations to the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. The bill also requires that insurance companies in Illinois cover vaccines recommended by the director of the state health department.

“This really is a reaction from the state of Illinois, given the politicization of public health policy at the federal level,” said chief bill sponsor Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highwood. “We’re building out an infrastructure so Illinois can provide access to vaccines in the event of federal inaction or obstruction.” […]

Morgan said bill also included “clean up language” related to legislation signed into law earlier this year regulating pharmacy benefit managers, which are companies that act as intermediaries among drugmakers, insurance corporations and pharmacies.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Rep. Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia won’t seek reelection, leaves seat for chief of staff in move panned as ‘coronation’. Sun-Times…

* Related stories…

• NBC Chicago: US Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García will not run for reelection: Report
• Politico: Chuy García is suddenly on retirement watch
• Tribune: US Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García not running for reelection, source says, as last candidates file for 2026 campaigns

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois sues over rule change in forgiving federal public service student loans: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined 21 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over changes to the way public servants have their student loans forgiven. The U.S. Education Department issued a new rule Friday threatening to deem employers, including state governments, as having “substantial illegal purpose,” and revoking them from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. According to the lawsuit, the Trump administration is going after its usual targets in organizations that “support for immigrants, gender affirming care, DEI initiatives, and political protest.” The loan forgiveness program would wipe out student loans for anyone working an eligible job in public service after they had made 120 monthly loan payments at said job, which would take 10 years.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson scores win in legal battle with Trump over frozen federal funds: In a ruling handed down Friday, a federal judge granted the city’s motion for a preliminary injunction challenging the decision by the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to terminate a program created to reimburse cities for costs tied to the care and feeding of migrants.

* WGLT | Bloomington Township considers emergency relief for those facing SNAP cuts: Township supervisor Deb Skillrud said the program would provide temporary help to hundreds of families,who would be able to get between $200 and $500 per month — depending on the number of family members — for as long as funding is available. “We have a reserve that could help in some capacity, certainly not as great as the federal government could, but we want to do what we can to help those residents of the City of Bloomington get a little relief,” Skillrud said in an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.

*** Statewide ***

* ABC Chicago | IL Speaker Welch talks immigration, transit bills on way to Gov. Pritzker: On the transportation bill that funds public transit, Welch said, “I think it is going to be transformative. I think what you are going to see is reliability is going to be improved safety is going to be improved and because of that, you are going to see so many more passengers are going to be coming back to riding our transit system. There’s going to be better coordination, better collaboration.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* NBC | SNAP contingency fund ‘isn’t enough,’ says Illinois Gov. Pritzker: NBC News Correspondent Maggie Vespa joins Meet the Press NOW fresh off her interview with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) where he reacts to the Trump administration’s decision to tap into contingency funds to partially pay for SNAP benefits after two court rulings order the administration to keep the program funded.

* Capitol News Illinois | Bill to regulate homeowners’ insurance rates fails on final day of veto session: The amendments passed through the Senate on Thursday afternoon on a vote of 41-15. But a subsequent vote in the House to concur with those amendments fell four votes short of the 60 needed for passage. Six House Democrats were recorded as voting “present.” […] Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, the chief sponsor of the insurance bill, said he plans to reintroduce the bill in the 2026 session. He attributed its defeat in the veto session to last-minute lobbying by the insurance industry.

* Tribune | Hundreds gather in rural Illinois to remember lives of Darren Bailey’s son, family killed in helicopter crash: A former Illinois state senator and state representative from rural Clay County, near Louisville and Flora, Darren Bailey was the Republican nominee for governor in 2022 before losing by about 13 percentage points to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker. Bailey’s rural, evangelical Christian-rooted campaign and his allegiance to President Donald Trump clashed with Chicago and suburban voters, as Trump lost blue-leaning Illinois in three straight presidential elections. But Pritzker and his wife, MK, attended the Bailey family’s wake in Clay County on Sunday, according to both the Bailey and Pritzker campaigns. One of Bailey’s rivals for the GOP nominee for governor, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, attended the Monday services.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Chicago Restaurants Offering Free, Discounted Meals During SNAP Freeze: CheSa’s Bistro and Bar, 3235 W. Addison St., will provide free meals 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays. Kale My Name, 3300 W. Montrose Ave., is offering free full meals to anyone in need 3-5 p.m. daily. Lou Malnati’s is giving out $10 coupons through Nov. 16 to people who are food insecure through a joint program with the Lawndale Community Church, according to a news release.

* NBC Chicago | Former DCASE commissioner resigned after HR investigation, harassment allegations: Through a Freedom of Information Act request, NBC 5 Investigates uncovered allegations of sexual harassment, harassment based on age, race and ethnicity, and more. Clinée Hedspeth’s year and a half as the leader of Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, or DCASE, was marked by turmoil. Public records show during her tenure, 29 employees left the department, including seven deputy commissioners. In April, NBC Chicago reported on the letter from more than 100 local artists concerned about her leadership. Heavily redacted documents show in September, the Chicago Department of Human Resources, or DHR, found Hedspeth violated the city’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy. She resigned Oct. 6, less than two weeks later.

* Sun-Times | CTA logs 14,000 smoking complaints in 14 months: The Red Line, the busiest CTA line, leads the system in smoking complaints. There were nearly 5,500 complaints about smoking by email and chatbot over the same period, according to the data. In that same period, Blue Line riders filed nearly 3,500 smoking complaints while Green Line riders filed nearly 1,800 . Riders filed the most smoking complaints at the peak of afternoon commuting hours between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., according to an hourly analysis conducted by the Sun-Times.

* Crain’s | As Kanye West’s real estate empire crumbles, he’s behind on taxes for his childhood home: The amount owed to Cook County on the modest house on South Shore Drive is minute by comparison to the reported $78 million combined value of Ye’s lavish properties, several of which reportedly are lying in ruin. Even so, it suggests the South Shore property, which Ye bought to save from demolition, may be receiving as little attention as those. The Cook County Treasurer’s records show the property tax bill of about $1,514 that was due March 4 has not been paid. The second installment bill, which would have been a slightly higher amount and would have been due Aug. 1, has not been mailed because of a county-wide delay that Cook County officials blame on a difficult technology transition.

* WBEZ | Sanders BBQ has gone from Beverly destination to national stunner in just 17 months. Next stop: Hyde Park: Lines snaking down 99th Street have been a fixture for months at this counter-service barbecue joint, where unctuous oxtails exhale aromas of hardwood smoke and peppered, toothsome brisket gives at the mere sight of a fork. Wait times have no doubt climbed since September, when The New York Times named Sanders BBQ one of the 50 best restaurants in the country, alongside Mexican fine-dining restaurant Cariño.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Parks activist who defeated Lucas museum among latest Cook County candidates to file Monday: Juanita Irizarry, who headed the parks advocacy group from 2015 to 2023, was among the final candidates to submit nominating petitions at the Cook County Clerk’s office Monday for the March 17, 2026, primary election. Irizarry, of Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, is set to face incumbent Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas, of Chicago’s McKinley Park, in the Democratic primary for the board’s 1st District — an area that covers much of the Northwest suburbs. The three-member quasi-judicial panel reviews appeals brought by property owners who receive higher valuations set by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi.

* Daily Herald | Five contested Lake County Board primary races emerge from candidate filing week: Five contested primaries for Lake County Board are currently expected to appear on March 17 primary ballots — four for Democrats and one between Republicans. There also is a contested Democratic primary for Ward 3 of the North Shore Water Reclamation District between Beverly Sugar Young and Jose A. Guzman.

* Daily Herald | Palatine council hears proposal for welcoming ordinance, chief explains officer’s encounter with ICE: Resident Justin O’Rourke proposed an ordinance that would prevent village property and resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement. It would also prevent collecting, reporting and sharing information regarding immigration status with federal agencies unless required by law.

* Sun-Times | Broadview village board meeting cut short as anti-ICE protesters confront mayor: Broadview public works director Matthew Ames defended Thompson and Broadview police while calling some protesters “agitators.” Another speaker said protesters were “against America.” Some protesters heckled or made comments under their breath, and tensions rose in the room at times. After public comment ended, Thompson addressed some of the commenters’ concerns, saying the aid tent had become unruly and protesters had stocked it with furniture and propane tanks. While pictures of the tent were shown on a projector, protesters shouted that the tent held bottles of water and lawn chairs.

* Daily Herald | ‘Built with love’: New school building for blind, deaf students takes flight: From a sensory “egg chair,” to a tactile clue that lets blind students identify their classrooms, to separate floors for learning and living, the Philip J. Rock Center and School has arrived. State leaders, advocates and students celebrated the opening of a new facility in Glen Ellyn for children who are both deaf and blind or have a combination of visual and auditory impairments on Monday.

* Daily Southtown | Work on Amazon tax incentives fuel raises for Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa, staff: Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa’s salary is set to steadily increase over the next four years, along with the salaries of several Markham employees, at least partially due to their work on a tax increment financing district involving the town’s Amazon facility. Agpawa’s 2025 salary, is slated to reach $191,227 by Markham’s 2028 fiscal year, which begins in May 2027. The Markham city treasurer and city clerk’s salaries will increase from $45,000 in the 2025 fiscal year to $49,173 in 2028. These salaries started at $32,000 in 2021 and steadily increased over four years under a 2020 ordinance.

*** Downstate ***

* WICS | Trial for EMTs charged in Earl Moore Jr.’s death delayed to May 11: The trial for two emergency medical technicians charged in the death of Earl Moore Jr. has been rescheduled to May 11. Originally set to begin on Dec. 1, the trial’s postponement was announced without further details on the reasons for the delay.

* IPM News | Conservation land trust in Coles County to expand: In a news release, Grand Prairie Friends announced the purchase of Warbler Bend, which includes 110 acres along the Embarras River in Coles County. This purchase expands the conservation land trust’s existing Warbler Ridge Conservation Area, now totaling almost 1,400 acres. Warbler Bend is GPF’s second property north of Highway 130, joining Warbler Bluff, located on Harrison St. Road.

* WSIL | SIU’s Carbondale iron pour event offers hands-on art experience: The Southern Illinois University Sculpture Program is hosting its annual Fall Iron Pour Event on November 8, 2025, at the Art Foundry in Carbondale. The event will run from noon to 5 p.m., offering attendees a unique opportunity to witness the iron casting process. Visitors can watch as molten metal is poured into molds and transformed into artworks.

* BND | With downtown partnership, Belleville’s underground art venue gets new life: The DIY community space that once brought underground artists to a former Belleville convent was shuttered last year after city zoning officials accused proprietors of using the space as an unauthorized music venue. But as of Halloween this year, the retreat for independent artists has returned. The proprietors hope to partner with local businesses to bring underground and unique talent to Belleville.

*** National ***

* AP | Stability AI largely wins UK court battle against Getty Images over copyright and trademark: According to a judge’s ruling released Tuesday, Getty narrowly won its argument that Stability had infringed its trademark, but lost its claim for secondary infringement of copyright. Both sides claimed victory. “This is a significant win for intellectual property owners,” Getty Images said in a statement.

* LA Times | Airport delays worsen in Southern California, with growing fears of holiday travel meltdown: Airport interruptions have been largely sporadic. But this weekend was the worst for air traffic control staffing since the shutdown began last month. The Federal Aviation Administration reported Friday that a “surge in callouts” among air traffic controllers had left at least half of the 30 busiest airports across the country understaffed, leading to widespread delays.

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Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* RIP Donna…

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Tuesday, Nov 4, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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