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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul is keeping busy…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in seeking a court order to force the Trump administration to unfreeze essential funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Despite multiple court orders, including a preliminary injunction issued on March 6 blocking the Trump administration from unlawfully freezing federal funds, the administration continues to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to states from FEMA.

This funding freeze threatens lifesaving emergency preparedness and recovery programs addressing terrorist attacks, mass shootings, wildfires, floods, cybersecurity threats and more. Raoul and the coalition filed a motion to enforce the March 6 preliminary injunction, seeking a court order requiring the administration to immediately stop the freezing of FEMA funds.

“Funding through FEMA is critical in Illinois and states around the country because it supports state efforts to help communities recover following natural disasters, but states rely on FEMA funds for so much more. States also count on FEMA grants to protect public spaces, such as houses of worship, hospitals and other nonprofits from cybersecurity threats, mass shootings and acts of terrorism,” Raoul said. “I will continue to stand with my fellow attorneys general to stop the funding freeze that would cause harm and uncertainty across the nation.”

The administration’s funding freeze policy, issued through an array of actions, including a Jan. 27 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), illegally withheld trillions of dollars in federal funds for states and other entities like nonprofit organizations and community health centers. In the days after the policy was first issued, states could not access Medicaid dollars. Most recently, withheld FEMA funds have jeopardized public safety, disaster response and emergency preparedness throughout the country. As Raoul and the attorneys general assert in the motion to enforce, further freezing of FEMA funds would end disaster relief efforts and support for more than 4,000 survivors of the 2023 Maui wildfires.

* Ope. Naperville Sun…

Last week, Naperville City Council candidate Nag Jaiswal took to Facebook to proudly announce the endorsements he said he received from U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, of Schaumburg, and Danny Davis, of Chicago. […]

Except, neither Davis nor Krishnamoorthi has endorsed Jaiswal.

“The answer, of course, is no,” Davis said in a call when asked if he authorized an endorsement for Jaiswal. “I have great, great respect for the people of Naperville. … But I don’t know enough about the local politics of Naperville to be making any kind of endorsement for the city council. Further, no one has ever asked me for an endorsement.”

Krishnamoorthi has not issued a formal endorsement in the Naperville City Council race, a source confirmed to the Naperville Sun.

Jaiswal, who spoke briefly by phone Monday, did not answer direct questions about his claims of endorsements from Krishnamoorthi and Davis. After a four-minute conversation, he hung up.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Reformers push Mayor Brandon Johnson to adopt Law Department changes: Inspector General Deborah Witzburg first proposed the changes last month in an effort to bolster her office’s investigative independence. The mayor-controlled Law Department has long hindered investigations that “may result in embarrassment or political consequences to City leaders,” she told aldermen. A Johnson ally quickly stalled the reform package when it was introduced at the City Council. The mayor’s corporation counsel, Mary Richardson-Lowry, also blasted it as a “fundamental misunderstanding of the law.” But a legal opinion the Better Government Association announced Tuesday determined Richardson-Lowry is wrong to argue such changes would be prohibited by state and city law.

* Block Club | Unions Representing Chicago Teachers, Firefighters Rally Together For New Contracts: The CTU and Chicago Fire Department Union Local 2 joined together for a rally Monday on the Near West Side near Fire Department Engine 103 and Whitney Young High School, highlighting the urgency of new contracts and the similarities between the two groups seeking them. “Public safety, teachers — we all work hand in hand,” said Pat Cleary, Fire Union Local 2 president.

* Sun-Times | What’s at stake with city, suburban schools’ accommodations for trans students under probe: “Illinois law is the controlling law for these schools, and there is no federal law that speaks to this issue,” said Ed Yohnka, policy director for ACLU Illinois. “If they try to punish an Illinois school for following Illinois law, you’ll see challenges pretty quickly.”

* Crain’s | Trump shrinks list of federal buildings for sale — but one Chicago property remains: The federal government has narrowed its strategy for reducing its real estate footprint, naming eight properties it wants to sell in the near future, including one in Chicago that’s been on the market since 2023. The latest list of federal real estate assets posted by the General Services Administration is much shorter than the 443-property portfolio the organization said it was potentially selling in early March, as part of the Trump administration’s broad push to shrink the size of the federal government. The original list was taken down less than a day later.

* Tribune | ‘They’ve got everlasting money, bro’: Chicago archdiocese alleges conspiracy to file false sex abuse claims against defrocked priest: A West Side man was talking to his imprisoned cousin in 2013 when he allegedly floated the idea of adding him to a string of bogus sexual abuse allegations filed against defrocked Chicago Catholic priest Daniel McCormack, court records show. […] That conversation recorded on a prison line 12 years ago was included in an unusual new lawsuit filed by the Archdiocese of Chicago on Monday alleging a group of mostly West Side residents, including a convicted murderer and others associated with violent street gangs, conspired for years to bring false allegations of sexual abuse by McCormack — often ranked among the most notorious child sexual abusers ever employed by the church — in order to win millions of dollars in legal settlements.

* Block Club | ‘Are We Waiting For Someone To Die?’: NW Siders Beg City To Address Dangerous Intersection: Cardona requested a traffic study be conducted at the intersection last year. The Chicago Department of Transportation found that an additional stop sign would not make sense because the traffic volume on Karlov is far lower than the volume on Belmont. CDOT spokesperson Erica Schroeder said federal guidelines do not recommend creating a four-way stop at intersections where traffic volume varies greatly. Schroeder also said CDOT determined that adding a stop sign on Belmont could cause traffic backups that extend into the Pulaski intersection.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Village of Tilton creates own grocery tax after statewide repeal: It passed last Thursday at the village board meeting. Tilton joins Danville as communities in Vermilion County to pass a replacement tax. The current state tax on groceries sits at about 1%, meaning every $100 of groceries results in one dollar given to the municipality. Mayor of Tilton William Wear said the tax will continue to fund critical services in town.

* PJ Star | From explosives to safety, how the demolition of the old McClugage Bridge span will work: Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson Paul Wappel told the Journal Star that using explosives to demolish portions of the bridge has been in the works for at least a year. In the early planning stages of demolition in 2018, Wappel said that IDOT and contractors had discussions about explosions, saying that the dismantling of a truss bridge would require the need to shore up other parts of the bridge during that period of time.

* BND | Belleville 118 board considering $12M in upgrades at 11 schools. Here’s what’s included: From improved security to new playgrounds, Belleville’s largest elementary and middle school district has an expansive summer bucket list. Members of the District 118 School Board will decide at next month’s meeting if they want to issue and sell up to $12 million in working cash fund bonds to finance the project. If they choose to do so, the district could receive the money by May and work could commence at the start of summer’s break, Superintendent Ryan Boike said. If all goes according to plan, the projects will be wrapped up in time for the new school year.

* BND | O’Fallon had abandoned property on its hands. Habitat for Humanity found use for it: City Attorney Todd Fleming determined by law that the city could sell it to the nonprofit organization for $1,000. The city has previously sold lots to the group before. In 2017, they sold one on Elm Street. In 2021, they sold three properties on Booster Road at 112, 126 and 132.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Wheeling School District 21 places three administrators on leave: In response to Daily Herald questions, District 21 officials Monday evening identified the three employees as Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Micheal DeBartolo, Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Kim Cline and Student Services Coordinator Melissa Maricona. A district spokeswoman wouldn’t discuss details of the administrative leave that took effect Friday afternoon, including whether the employees are being paid and how long they will be out of the office.

* Daily Herald | Naperville could make it tougher for banks to open in first-floor spaces downtown: The council at that time directed city staff to draft an ordinance that would prohibit banks from locating on the first floor in the downtown core unless they were granted a zoning variance. “Staff is supportive of the proposed amendment as written, finding that it further promotes the retail and commercial tenancy intended for the first floor of downtown businesses,” Kopinski said.

* Daily Southtown | 10 candidates for Orland School District 135 Board discuss test scores, taxes: Browner said candidates Ray Morandi, Chad Capps, Vince Oluwaleke and Kelly Chmielewski were handpicked by Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau, following contention between the district and the Orland Park Village Board over tax increment financing districts and other issues. Other newcomers running are Deborah L. Scumaci, Aisha Zayyad, Jennifer Durkin-Fekete and Daniel Finlayson. “I feel like this election especially, we’re seeing a lot of people who are potentially running for the wrong reasons and just really don’t understand what they’re getting into or the role of a school board member,” Browner said Monday.

* Tribune | La Grange schools referendum addresses infrastructure projects: La Grange School District 102 is asking voters to approve $82 million in general obligation bonds in the April 1 consolidated general election in an effort to fund upgrades to aging facilities and infrastructure in the district. “I believe that this is a generational investment,” District 102 Superintendent Chris Covino said, adding that the district has developed “an incredibly comprehensive plan …every building, every classroom.” “We’re going to take care of the most pressing structural issues right off the bat, with roofs and plumbing and tuck pointing. I will predict that we will not have an additional infusion of taxpayer investment for at least the life of this bond,” he said.

*** National ***

* Inside Higher Ed | Education Department Reeling After Layoffs: Inside Higher Ed spoke to more than a dozen former and current department staffers over the past week about the RIF and what followed. All of them describe a chaotic process that was “disorganized and unstrategic,” as one source put it, and say the cuts have led to technical mishaps, gaps in oversight and a large-scale loss of institutional knowledge. Most asked to remain anonymous to speak freely about their experience. Multiple former and current staff say the department is struggling to fulfill its statutorily mandated responsibilities, from administering federal student aid to enforcing antidiscrimination laws.

* WaPo | Law firms refuse to represent Trump opponents in the wake of his attacks: President Donald Trump’s crackdown on lawyers is having a chilling effect on his opponents’ ability to defend themselves or challenge his actions in court, according to people who say they are struggling to find legal representation as a result of his challenges. Biden-era officials said they’re having trouble finding lawyers willing to defend them. The volunteers and small nonprofits forming the ground troops of the legal resistance to Trump administration actions say that the well-resourced law firms that once would have backed them are now steering clear.

* WaPo | Long waits, waves of calls, website crashes: Social Security is breaking down: The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk.

  3 Comments      


Online ‘influencer’ challenging Rep. Jan Schakowsky

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* HuffPost…

A journalist-turned-commentator who became known for her social media takedowns of the far right is officially running for Congress, hoping to bring newer and younger representation to a floundering Democratic Party accused of not fighting hard enough for their constituents.

Kat Abughazaleh announced on Monday that she is running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, which has been held by the same Democratic lawmaker since before she was born. And while she doesn’t currently live in the district — and has only lived in the state for less than a year — the recently laid-off 26-year-old maintains that voters need the kind of representation that intimately knows the country’s struggling economic and social realities, and is willing to fight for new solutions.

“We deserve Representatives who face the same challenges we do (or at least have some time in the last decade),” Abughazaleh said on her campaign website. “They don’t deal with out-of-pocket prescription costs or nightmarish rent hikes or existential fear about their lives in 50 years. You and I do.” […]

Abughazaleh worked at watchdog group Media Matters until last year, when Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against the organization led to a dozen layoffs, including her. As part of the lawsuit, the political researcher was also deposed in Chicago for what she said were tweets critical of the billionaire Trump ally.

* Yahoo News…

“I’m a renter. I don’t have health insurance,” she adds. “My net worth is pretty much just the laptop I bought with my entire severance when I got laid off… and my adorable cat Heater.”

Rich has heard that she currently lives in the upscale Streeterville neighborhood.

* Rolling Stone…

Abughazaleh may be young, but she is a wildly successful, incisive communicator who is stepping up at a time when it is clear that the party is in desperate need of new messengers. And she is popular on the social media platforms where sitting Democrats’ posts are continually flopping, ridiculed for their tone deafness. […]

The day after the 2024 presidential election, Abughazaleh thought she would wake up with an irrepressible urge to flee the country. Instead, she says, it was the opposite: “I woke up and thought, ‘You’re gonna have to drag me out by my dead body’ … I just got really angry, and I thought about running at that moment, but I was like, ‘No, I’m sure Democrats will do something,’ and then they haven’t — and it’s just been not only disappointing, but scary to watch.”

Schakowsky, currently representing the district, “has had a pretty great track record on her voting,” Abughazaleh admits. But she is also 80 years old, and hasn’t had a competitive primary in decades. “She’s been a good congresswoman, but I want to be better.”

(Schakowsky, for her part, embraced the news. ”What makes our community, and our country, so great is that we welcome all voices and ideas,” she said in an email to Rolling Stone. “I have always encouraged more participation in the democratic process, and I’m glad to see new faces getting involved as we stand up against the Trump Administration. Right now, that’s what I’m focused on: fighting back against this extreme MAGA regime.”)

* Politico…

Should Schakowsky not seek reelection, a number of notable Illinois Democrats would likely be interested in the seat, including state Sen. Laura Fine and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who both represent constituents in the district.

* On to fundraising…

Abughazaleh tweeted that she won’t take “corporate cash” but also won’t “waste your money on old, ineffective tactics” like spam texts or cable ads.

In her last campaign finance report, Schakowsky reported nearly a million dollars in cash on hand.

* She certainly knows how to get mainstream media attention…

Thoughts?

  59 Comments      


Question of the day

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background…

Signal is an open-source, encrypted messaging service for instant messaging, voice calls, and video calls. The instant messaging function includes sending text, voice notes, images, videos, and other files. Communication may be one-to-one between users or may involve group messaging. […]

Signal has a feature for scheduling messages. In addition, timers may be attached to messages to automatically delete the messages from both the sender’s and the receivers’ devices. The time period for keeping the message may be between five seconds and one week, and begins for each recipient once they have read their copy of the message.[

* Washington Post…

Two months into the Trump administration, there’s a sweeping shift underway in Washington as federal workers — and some high-level administration officials — migrate their correspondence to Signal in a zeal for secrecy. On Monday, the Atlantic magazine’s top editor said he was accidentally added to a Signal group in which U.S. officials planned a recent military attack in Yemen.

Until now, Signal was mostly known among Silicon Valley geeks and global dissidents for leaving few digital traces. It was lightly used among federal bureaucrats until they embraced it after Trump’s return to office as a tactic to shield communications, according to interviews with more than two dozen government workers — most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation — and people they have consulted for advice.

These new government users have corresponded with a jolt in the popularity of Signal, which is operated by a nonprofit. The app has been downloaded more than 2.7 million times in the United States so far this year, a 36 percent increase from the same period in 2024, according to estimates from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

The changes mark a cultural transformation for federal government officials, employees and the public they serve: Adopting Signal and other surveillance-dodging tactics of spies and billionaires comes at the potential loss of a real-time history of the Trump administration.

Lauren Harper, who leads efforts for a more transparent federal government at the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said Americans will never have a full accounting of the policies made in their interests when officials and workers communicate in private channels that are closed off to U.S. citizens.

When you have “secrecy on each side,” Harper said, “the public has no way to understand what is happening inside the government.” […]

It wasn’t the first time that Signal correspondence has become a flash point for the Trump administration. Chats over Signal and other unorthodox communications by members of Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service so alarmed a federal judge that he recently ordered DOGE to hand over documents, memos and correspondence to a group that had sued for access under public transparency laws.

* The Question: Should Illinois ban state and local government workers and officials from using apps like Signal to discuss official business? Explain.

  28 Comments      


RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path.

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

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This really needs major improvement

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Non-farm Illinois employment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics…

    December, 2019: 6128.7K
    December, 2024: 6161.0K

    = +32.3K

Yes, national trends play a big role in this, but other states have done far better than Illinois the past six years.

* Within those BLS numbers are government jobs…

    December, 2019: 823.5K
    December, 2024: 847.0K

    = +23.5K

That’s a pretty high percentage of total new jobs.

  14 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Crain’s…

Two bills that could help spur construction of denser, easier to afford housing across Illinois moved forward in Springfield last week.

On March 20, the housing committee of the Illinois House approved both HB 1813, which would prevent Illinois municipalities from banning construction of accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs or granny flats, and HB 1814, which would discourage construction of individual houses on large lots. The passage moves them toward a vote by the full House later in this year’s legislative session. […]

“This is the start of addressing the significant housing shortage we have in Illinois,” said state Rep. Bob Rita, whose 18th District includes West Roseland in the city and Blue Island in the suburbs. Rita was a sponsor of both bills. “The goal is to strengthen the supply of housing for working families, make more pathways for middle-class housing to get built.” […]

If passed, “neither of these bills is going to dramatically increase density overnight in any one area” of the state, said Jeff Baker, CEO of Illinois Realtors. The statewide professional association backed both bills as part of its slate of legislation aimed at easing the housing affordability crunch.

* Rep. Dagmara Avelar…

Committed to strengthening healthcare protections and patient safety for residents statewide, Assistant Majority Leader Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, passed influential measures out of the Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee to be considered on the House floor later this Spring.

“We live in an uncertain political climate where we on the state-level really need to be putting our best foot forward, thinking ahead, and anticipating any federal changes that will impact our most vulnerable residents and upend everyday Illinoisans,” Avelar said. “These bills fill crucial gaps to strengthen protections and expand freedoms for our residents; I’m prepared to fight for them on the House floor.”

In effort to expand state protections for reproductive healthcare, Avelar’s House Bill 3637 passed out of the Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee and would strengthen Illinois’ Shield Law by reinforcing the Illinois Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to safeguard access to medication abortion. The measure “future-proofs” Illinois law and preempts federal overreach, ensuring residents have access to medically necessary and life-saving reproductive health medications.

Additionally, Avelar passed House Bill 3593 out of the committee, extending protections under the Fair Patient Billing Act to patients who receive services from third-party vendors, reinforcing explicitly that if a hospital outsources a service, patients aren’t met with excessive charges and costs that would otherwise be covered under the Act.

* KFVS…

A plan that would allow community colleges in Illinois to offer four-year degrees hits a major roadblock in Springfield. […]

John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet says a proposed bill from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office that would allow community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees is a win-win for students and the southern Illinois economy.

“This is a big resource for keeping students here and keeping people here in the region,” Overstreet said. […]

Critics of the bill say it could take away enrollment from traditional universities. Overstreet said that isn’t the case.

“We’re talking about students who didn’t even think they could go to college in the first place. Now they can get their associate’s and now a bachelor’s here in their fields,” he said. “And that uptick and well feeling of knowing, ‘I can do this,’ is gonna lead them to going over to SIU and taking MBA and master-level courses and help drive up their enrollment as well.”

* The Trace…

Four years ago, Kam Buckner, a Democratic state representative in Illinois, introduced a bill that would give the families of homicide victims a chance for closure by letting them petition police departments to reopen unresolved cases. The measure stalled, but each session, Buckner reintroduced it, regularly updating the bill. When Buckner renewed his effort last year, he added a companion bill that would set clear reporting requirements for Illinois law enforcement agencies.

Collectively, the measures address longstanding problems cited by policymakers and gun violence survivors alike: that police don’t solve enough homicides, and that in many municipalities, it’s hard to know exactly how many cases are cleared. […]

The Homicide Victims’ Families’ Rights Act proposed by Buckner would create a pathway for families to petition law enforcement agencies to review unsolved cases that are more than three years old. If the agency approved a full reinvestigation, a new detective would be assigned. It also defines the role of family liaison officers and mandates how many of them each law enforcement agency should employ.

The Homicide Data Transparency Act would establish a statewide standard for law enforcement agencies to track and publish [quarterly] reports on homicides, with a template for communicating exactly how many cases have been closed.

* WAND…

A Supreme Court decision in 2024 gave local municipalities the power to criminalize homelessness. A State Democrat lawmaker wants to limit that power.

The plan would stop any town or city from criminalizing “life sustaining activities.” This would include eating, sleep and setting up shelter on the streets.

However, State Rep. Kevin Olickal (D-Chicago) said it wouldn’t give people experiencing homelessness a free pass on the law.

“If any person is engaging in violent behavior, bothering people, blocking access to a public space or breaking any other law, local governments and law enforcement have long standing trespassing ordinances and the entire existing criminal code to deal with these issues,” Olickal said. […]

The proposal passed out of the House housing committee on a partisan 10-6 vote. It now heads to the House floor where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.

* Rep. Nicolle Grasse…

Working to improve public health and alleviate bureaucratic burdens, state Rep. Nicolle Grasse, D-Arlington Heights, passed a series of measures out of House committees last week addressing several challenges in healthcare. […]

Notably, Grasse passed House Bill 2493 out of its committee requiring county clerks to create a remote marriage application process, allowing those in hospice or impaired by disability to go through the marriage application process with their partner in a remote setting.

Aiming to expand coverage and improve healthcare efficiencies, Grasse’s House Bill 3699 requires insurance to start covering any medically necessary prescribed vitamins. Additionally Grasse garnered the votes to pass House Bill 2371, streamlining reimbursement and removing out of pocket costs for dental patients. And, Grasse’s House Bill 3849 authorizes hospice or home health service employees to deliver a patient’s prescription order or controlled substance — ensuring essential medications are delivered faster.

To increase accountability in healthcare, Grasse’s House Bill 1712 further protects patients’ end of life medical preferences, requiring the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to establish clear oversight and uniform training to ensure adherence to POLST forms — documents that guide emergency and long-term care for patients.

Plus, Grasse’s House Bill 2397 responds to the rising number of deaths of incarcerated elderly by requiring IDOC to publicly report on Hospice and Palliative Care, giving the legislature insight into the true state of hospice care in correctional facilities. Similarly, House Bill 2877 would require the Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board to inform the legislature on the state of care for those experiencing a serious or life-limiting illness, in order to provide actionable recommendations for state hospice and palliative standards.

  12 Comments      


The Credit Union Difference: People Over Profits

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

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Open thread

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

  2 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Potawatomi to reclaim tribal land in DeKalb County. Capitol News Illinois…

    - More than 175 years after their reservation in Illinois was illegally sold at auction, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is now in line to get their land back.
    - Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Friday authorizing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to hand over to the tribe the ownership title to Shabbona Lake State Park, a 1,500-acre tract in southern DeKalb County that largely overlaps the tribe’s original reservation.
    - Although ownership of the land will revert back to the tribe, visitors to the park should not notice any difference.
    - Prairie Band Potawatomi officials have said publicly they have no plans to develop the property for a casino or any other commercial use.

* Related stories…

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Conflict between SEIU and CTU escalates with allegations of ‘bullying’: The leader of a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union on Monday issued a fiery internal message to members accusing Chicago Teachers Union leadership of “bullying and dishonesty,” the latest escalation of a conflict between two influential labor organizations that were once close allies. SEIU Local 73 President Dian Palmer disputed assertions CTU President Stacy Davis Gates made in social media posts over the weekend, delivering her strongest comments yet on the monthslong dispute between the two unions over jobs at Chicago Public Schools.

* Subscribers know more. Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker cites legal, technical issues in veto of warehouse worker protection bill: Gov. JB Pritzker vetoed a bill aimed at providing protections for workers at large warehouses, saying it was passed “hastily” and “without engagement with relevant state agencies or my office and presents both legal and operational issues that undermine its effect.” The bill was passed in early January by the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly in response to reports that warehouse workers are too often pushed beyond their physical limits. In December, Amazon reached a $145,000 settlement with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration over accusations that conditions at an Illinois warehouse left workers exposed to elevated risks of injury.

* Cook County Record | Appeals court: Hospitals can’t sue Illinois to force faster Medicaid claims pay: The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned an earlier ruling from some of its members, now finding Saint Anthony Hospital can’t sue Illinois to force the state government to increase and expedite payment for Medicaid claims. Saint Anthony Hospital has said it intends to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review and overturn the ruling. The new 9-3 ruling came from a so-called en banc panel of the court, including 12 of the court’s judges.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WAND | Pritzker signs proposal clarifying dash camera requirements for Illinois State Police: The legislation clarifies that if a victim or witness of a crime asks a state trooper to turn off their body camera, the officer must tell them that their vehicle’s dash camera will still record video. This law also notes that recordings on dash cameras can be retained in the same manner and time periods as Illinois State Police keep body camera footage.

* Tribune | DCFS attorney fired after working second job with bank on state time, watchdog says: An Illinois Department of Children and Family Services attorney collected a state paycheck while also working at a local bank, at times doing both jobs during regular business hours, in violation of state rules, according to a report from the Office of Executive Inspector General. Deborah Riley was working as a senior regional counsel in Urbana at the time of the investigation, a position that included representing the child protection agency in hearings and evaluating child welfare cases, according to the OEIG report. At the same time, she was on the board of directors at a small bank and training the bank’s new president, the report said.

*** Statewide ***

* Citizens Utility Board | Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition research shows a “painful history” of aggressive gas hikes: And it could get much worse if utilities across the state are allowed to spend at the pace they want. An analysis released by Groundwork Data and the Building Decarbonization Coalition in May 2024 found that if policymakers allow the status quo to continue, delivery charges–what the utilities charge consumer to deliver gas to their homes–could grow by four to five times by 2050. (See page 72 of the report. Also, here’s a summary of the report.)

* WCIA | Illinois Red Cross asks for donations, provides safety tips as ‘Giving Day’ approaches: The Red Cross has helped nearly 30 people in Central Illinois after six different fires damaged or destroyed their homes last week. After fires broke out in Champaign, Paxton, Danville, Paris, Peoria and Kilbourne, the Red Cross provided emergency assistance. This included food, toiletries, and health and mental health services.

* WAND | Local healthcare provider says vaccinations critical to stop measles spread: According to the CDC, there have been 378 confirmed cases of measles in the United States. This is in comparison to 285 in all of 2024. Of the 17 states with cases currently, two border Illinois: Indiana and Kentucky. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at OSF Healthcare, Dana Deshon, said measles spreads easily because of symptoms take a while to show. “You’re contagious four days before that rash and up to four days after,” said Deshon. “We can have 8 to 10 days of people walking around and not even knowing that they have measles, and then they’re just spreading it all around to those people that are that are at risk. ”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* The Hill | Progressive influencer launches bid to unseat House Democrat: Progressive influencer Kat Abughazaleh announced Monday she’s launching a bid to unseat Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) in the northern Chicago suburbs. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are dismantling our country piece by piece, and so many Democrats seem content to just sit back and let ‘em,” Abughazaleh said in a video announcing her candidacy on the social platform X.

* Cook County Board | Jewish lawyer can sue Cook Co. Public Defender for making her take down pic featuring Israeli flag, gun: A Jewish lawyer who works for the Cook County Public Defender’s office will be allowed to continue her lawsuit against the county office for allegedly violating her First Amendment speech rights for disciplining her for putting up a photo in the office of herself from her time serving in the Israeli Defense Forces, in which she is shown holding a gun in front of the Israeli flag, to express her support for Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in that nation.

* NBC Chicago | Aurora mayoral candidates clash over new casino, Irvin’s alignment with Trump: The $58 million in financial incentives to relocate Hollywood Casino from its location downtown Aurora to a site near the city’s popular outlet mall is one of the top issues Irvin is defending. […] Laesch disagreed with the decision and has been critical of it. “I’m certainly in favor of investing in small local business people who want to give it a go, but the multimillion dollar deals to bring big developers in and outside private capital is not necessary,” Laesch said.

* CBS Chicago | Why did the mayor of Lynwood, Illinois take home triple the pay budgeted for her office?: In 2021, then-Village Trustee Curry ran for village president, or mayor. Well before the election, an ordinance drastically reduced the salary of the next, and then-to-be-determined, mayor of Lynwood. A salary of $85,000 a year dropped to one of $20,000.

* Daily Herald | Sleepy Hollow to elect new village president for first time in 24 years: For the first time in 24 years, Sleepy Hollow residents will elect a new village president. First-term village trustees Courtney Boe and Jennifer McGuire are seeking to lead the bedroom community of just over 3,100 residents. Village President Stephan Pickett, who has served six terms, is not seeking re-election.

* Daily Herald | 42 years after Elgin woman’s disappearance, police make startling discovery in Fox River: Forty-two years after a 23-year-old Elgin woman vanished without a trace, Elgin police and a dive team searched the Fox River on Monday for clues they hoped to find in the frigid, murky water. They made a stunning find: the 1980 Toyota Celica Karen Schepers owned.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Federal workers on edge as Trump plans to shrink government and cut services proceed: In the Chicago area, as of this week nearly 200,000 square feet of leased federal office space had been canceled, including space that houses the Midwest regional headquarters for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on West Jackson Boulevard. A federal lease on a building in northwestern suburban Hoffman Estates that stores documents and artifacts from the administration of former President Barack Obama — essentially serving as Obama’s Presidential Library — was also canceled.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson has days to find $175M as he lacks votes for CPS pension payment to city: Over the weekend, seven of 20 voting board members signed a letter telling Harden that their votes will remain against the pension payment if he calls a special meeting this week to reintroduce the issue. A budget amendment needs two-thirds support, 14 votes, to pass. “We cannot in good conscience make payments toward things for which we have no sustainable means of raising revenue,” the board members wrote in a letter first reported by Chalkbeat Chicago. Still, the mayor’s office said Monday that it would keep working with the board to find a solution and it “continues to expect CPS” to make the pension payment. Johnson has not presented a plan B.

* Block Club | New Bike Lanes? More Street Lights? 25th Ward Neighbors Can Rank Choices With New Survey: Neighbors who want to weigh in on infrastructure improvements to the 25th Ward — including potential upgrades to alleys, sidewalks, lighting, streets or bike lanes — can take part in a survey that runs through April 1. The city allocates about $1.5 million in “menu money” annually to each of the 50 wards. Typically, alderpeople have discretion on how that money is spent, but some City Council members let neighbors decide or influence how that money is used — a process known as participatory budgeting.

*** Downstate ***

* WQAD | Former Carroll County deputy charged in death of Jackson Kradle: A former Carroll County sheriff’s deputy has been charged with homicide in the death of 18-year-old Jackson Kradle. It comes nearly eight months after Kradle’s body was found on a rural highway near Mount Carroll. The Illinois State Police (ISP) announced Monday that 44-year-old Matthew Herpstreith of Savanna has been charged with five counts stemming from the incident, including reckless homicide and multiple obstruction-related charges.

* WGLT | Bloomington mayoral challengers push leadership as a reason for change: The City of Bloomington has seen a number of big projects come to completion or start during Mboka Mwilambwe’s four years as mayor. Still, Mwilambwe’s opponents say the city has lacked strong leadership in key areas during his tenure. Mwilambwe, who served on the city council for a decade before being elected mayor in 2021, faces challenges from former state Rep. Dan Brady and first-term city council member Cody Hendricks.

* 25News Now | Bloomington water troubles spilling into family-owned restaurant: The City of Bloomington continues to experience taste and odor issues with its water quality, which is affecting one local business and its customers. Water is vital for the 35-year-old family-owned restaurant, Garden of Paradise. The family chain is facing customer complaints about the odor and taste of the water. Garden of Paradise Manager Baha Ramahi has worked at the restaurant for 20 years and has not seen anything like this.

* WGLT | Illinois State University faculty file intent to strike notice: Faculty at Illinois State University on Monday said they have filed a notice of Intent to Strike with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board. The move starts a 10-day clock that would enable the United Faculty of ISU to strike as early as April 4 if there’s no agreement on a contract. The union announced Friday that its members voted “overwhelmingly” to support a strike authorization.

* WQAD | Federal funding uncertainty impacting Quad Cities nonprofits, new survey finds: Nearly half of Quad City area nonprofits “already experience or anticipate experiencing significant financial impacts due to federal funding changes,” according to a new survey conducted by Wastyn & Associates, a Davenport nonprofit consulting company. The survey, conducted in March, asked 52 nonprofit employees how the current federal grant reductions and uncertain policies are impacting the operations of their organizations. The survey found these factors are placing immense financial and mental pressures on local nonprofits across all sectors.

* WAND | Springfield School Board faces public pushback on possible Project SCOPE closure: The Springfield School Board heard from the public about the plan to cut a before and after school program called Project SCOPE. The district is working on a three-year cost-cutting plan. Parents found out late last week that the paid service for parents of kindergarten through fifth graders will end. Many believe this decision will hurt the community and its children.

* WCIA | Coles Co. Memorial Airport will be adding a new hangar soon: Airport manager Andrew Fearn said Rural King staff members fly in about two to three times a week. Right now, the company has been flying to Decatur because the current hangar near Mattoon doesn’t fit their new jet. But, Fearn said they’ve been doing business with them for several years and getting them back in their city is important. “That’s more business for us. With their promotion of Emerald Acres, we’ve seen an increase in traffic and we’ll see more with their aircraft coming in. They continually have people that sell them products come in and out all the time. It’s great to have them based here,” Fearn said.

* Rockford Register Star | ‘People over politics’: Contest for Rockford’s 8th Ward pits incumbent against consultant: Ald. Karen Hoffman will face a challenge in the April 1 election from political consultant Jason Leviskas who is running as an independent candidate to represent Rockford’s Eighth Ward. Hoffman, 78, a Democrat, who said she lives within walking distance of her childhood home, is running for a third term. […] “I am running to put people over politics in the Eighth Ward and help usher in a higher standard for what people expect out of their alderman,” Leviskas said. “I want to address the high taxes, declining safety in our neighborhoods and the shortage of new investments.”

* WREX | Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office dispatches 40 grass fire calls in the last month: Sheriff Steve Stovall says Stephenson County dispatched 40 grass fire calls in the last month and a half. “40 additional fires in Stephenson County is too many. 30 days that’s more than a call a day that we’re getting, some of those are multiples in a day. So you’ve got guys getting equipment cleaned up and they’re getting back out on the next call because a fire has gotten out of hand in another part of the county,” said Stovall.

* WAND | Old State Capitol State Historic Site renovation ‘95% complete,’ Illinois Capital Development Board says: “This incredible transformation is a big win for both Illinois tourism and the capital city economy,” the board said in a Facebook post. “The blend of historical preservation, modern technology, and safety and accessibility improvements will enhance the visitor experience and ensure the preservation of the Old State Capitol for years to come!”

* WMBD | Tazewell County Animal Control low on supplies, seeks donations: The Tazewell County Animal Control is asking the public for additional supplies ahead of an expected increase in animals coming to its shelter in the spring. With the increase in the number of mouths to feed, they have an increased need for food and litter, a Facebook post from the Tazewell County Animal Control stated.

*** National ***

* Axios | Social Security rushing service cuts at White House request, sources say: hese changes will strain the already struggling Social Security system and could even deprive some people of benefits entirely, according to current and former employees and advocates for retirees. Some of the most vulnerable Americans — including people who are hospitalized, kids in foster homes and those living in remote areas — will face more hurdles applying for disability benefits, according to one advocate who spoke with Axios and was at the meeting.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Tuesday, Mar 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Capitol News Illinois…

Buildings on Illinois’ college campuses were falling apart when lawmakers approved $2.9 billion for higher education construction as part of the 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The funding brought hope for long-overdue upgrades, but the slow rollout has left colleges in limbo.

Five years later, half of the 16 promised projects are still tied up in planning. […]

A series of setbacks have stalled progress, including staffing issues at the Capital Development Board, the state’s construction management agency, rising post-pandemic construction costs and local disputes over how to stretch funding that no longer covers what university officials originally planned.

Construction costs shot up nearly 40% by 2023 compared with pre-pandemic levels, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.

“We lost about $30 million in buying power,” said Mark Luer, dean of the College of Pharmacy at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. “We just couldn’t get everything we wanted in the original concept.” […]

Lately, state officials have sought to provide some relief. The Illinois Board of Higher Education’s 2025 budget included $575 million to help schools affected by rising costs see their projects to fruition. For 2026, the board is urging lawmakers to carry over any unspent funds and speed up project approvals to ensure those under Rebuild Illinois are completed within the six-year timeframe, according to IBHE spokesperson Jose Garcia.

* A quick “ComEd Four” update…

* The governor was in Los Angeles yesterday…

* Belleville News-Democrat…

Southern Illinois Health Care Foundation leaders worry they would have to cut services or close clinics and medical centers in the metro-east if Congress slashes billions of dollars from Medicaid, officials said at a news conference Thursday.

SIHF provided care to more than 103,000 people in 2024, including over 60,000 people who receive Medicaid. Touchette Regional, the hospital in SIHF’s system, relies on Medicaid more than any other local hospital. It accounts for 78% of its revenue, according to the most recent data from 2023. […]

Such cuts could have a $5 million to $10 million impact on SIHF’s budget, said President and CEO Larry McCulley.

“How do you cut that? Well, the only thing you can do is close locations, eliminate service lines like dental, obstetrics, end partnerships that raise and lift up future providers. We’re looking at having to close partnerships like our two family medical residencies in Alton and possibly in O’Fallon,” McCulley said during the news conference.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WCIA | Pritzker signs bill protecting nursing home residents from retaliation into law: If a nursing home does retaliate against a resident, they can file a civil lawsuit against them to get damages. “We cannot overlook seniors and residents in care,” Sen. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago), the law’s Senate sponsor, said. “By enhancing protections, we are giving them the opportunity to fight back against retaliation and equipping them with stronger knowledge about their rights.”

* WAND | Illinois proposal could expand mental health education for teens: Health teachers could be tasked with teaching students about the signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges such as depression, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and anxiety among others. Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-Grayslake) told the House Education Policy Committee Thursday that the curriculum could also include promotion of mental health wellness, including social and cultural correctness, problem solving skills, self-esteem, and a positive school and home environment where pupils feel comfortable.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Police, Metra stations become focus of Elmhurst mayor race: Mulliner, who was on the City Council for 24 years before losing a bid for re-election in the 7th Ward two years ago, is focusing his campaign on reducing costs for taxpayers and putting off major projects. “I think it’s time right now to fix the things we have,” he told Pioneer. “Let’s try to get these taxes down.” was especially concerned with city water bills. “The water bills are killing people,” he said.

* WTTW | Report Card Slams Budget Mismanagement, Safety Concerns at Fermilab as New Contractor Takes Over: The recent assessment identified several key performance deficiencies by the previous management contractor that was replaced in January at the particle physics and accelerator laboratory in suburban Batavia. The 2024 fiscal year evaluation awarded poor marks for program management, contractor leadership, environment/safety/health, business systems and facilities maintenance, according to documents obtained from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through a public-records request.

* Daily Southtown | Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau and former Trustee Jim Dodge discuss public works, taxes and morale: Keith Pekau, seeking a third term as Orland Park’s mayor, touts accomplishments under his watch including improving village streets and parks. He is challenged in the April 1 election by Jim Dodge, a former longtime village trustee who has assembled a slate of candidates for trustee seats and village clerk. Dodge said voters are concerned about issues in the Police Department, which he says suffers from low morale. He said the overall tax burden on residents also needs to be addressed.

* Daily Herald | Search for woman in cold case leads Elgin police to Fox River: Elgin police will search the Fox River Monday as part of a cold-case investigation into a woman missing since 1983. Officials announced in a release Sunday they will resume the search for Karen Schepers, a 23-year-old Elgin woman who vanished after attending a party with coworkers at a Carpentersville bar.

* Daily Herald | Judge turns away Prestige’s civil claims against Mount Prospect officials: Last week, attorneys for the animal feed producer tried to add civil rights claims against three village officials. The move could have delayed the start of the trial. But Cook County Judge Thomas More Donnelly rejected the request. In addition, Donnelly turned down Prestige’s bid to remove the City of Des Plaines from the case.

* Daily Herald | Mount Prospect mayoral candidates differ on challenger’s leadership of the chamber of commerce: Chokshi said as chamber board president, she led the organization out of the financial doldrums of the 2010s and put it on sound financial footing. Her opponent, incumbent Mayor Paul Hoefert holds a different view. He cited the chamber’s lawsuit against the chamber co-op that took over the organization’s management and the chamber’s handling of the downtown block party.

*** Downstate ***

* BND | Belleville mayoral race shows split between powerful Democrats in metro-east: The non-partisan Belleville mayoral race has shaped up to be a contentious battle between two well-known and accomplished women backed by two powerful Democrats in the metro-east. St. Clair County Board Chairman Mark Kern (D-Belleville) is supporting incumbent Mayor Patty Gregory. He served as the city’s mayor from 1997 to 2004, when he became board chairman. Illinois State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) is supporting Gregory’s challenger, City Clerk Jenny Gain Meyer. He has served as a state legislator off and on for nearly 35 years. His district, the 113th, includes Belleville.

* Herald & Review | State tournament draws 1,000 archers, over 2,500 others to Emerald Acres in Mattoon: Students ages elementary-high school from throughout the state, from the Chicago area to Southern Illinois, competed in the tournament. Yoder said the fieldhouse’s cafe recorded approximately 2,000 purchases that day as it and the adjacent arcade provided additional activities for those in attendance.

* Daily Journal | ‘Monster’ actor leaves Momence with 2 adopted kittens: Hollywood actor Charlie Hunnam is not a monster at all. In fact, it appears he is quite the opposite. Following an extended stay in Momence while filming scenes for the Netflix true-crime series, “Monster,” it turns out much of his free time was spent in the Cat Oasis shelter in downtown Momence.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | Letter carriers rally against privatization amid sweeping job cuts at Postal Service: Dozens of letter carriers gathered in Federal Plaza on Sunday afternoon to protest the Trump administration’s threats to the U.S. Postal Service. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy agreed to cut 10,000 jobs from the postal service’s 640,000-person workforce.

* Tribune | Chicago Bears add former Big Ten CFO Laura Anderson to front office: The Chicago Bears hired Laura Anderson to be their senior vice president of administration and chief financial officer, the team announced Monday. Anderson comes to the Bears after seven years at the Big Ten Conference, where she most recently was the chief financial officer and treasurer. Notably, Anderson worked with Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren when he was the Big Ten commissioner from 2020-23. “Laura is a tremendous addition to the Chicago Bears family,” Warren said in a statement. “During our time together at the Big Ten Conference, Laura served as a talented and creative driving force on our executive team, advancing our operations with financial excellence and a passion for collective growth.”

* Block Club | 10 Years After Hunger Strikers Saved Dyett High School, Boys Basketball Team Wins State Title: The hunger strikers are now the team’s biggest fans. Jeannette Taylor, now the area’s alderperson, organized the rally. Irene Robinson, who was hospitalized while participating in the strike, brought water to team practices during the season. Jitu Brown, a longtime activist and now a Chicago School Board member, watched all of the team’s state championship run, played at University of Illinois’ State Farm Center in Champaign.

*** National ***

* AP | 12 dozen lawmakers accused in 8 years. Women in the statehouse weigh #MeToo’s impact: Since 2017, The Associated Press has cataloged at least 147 state lawmakers across 44 states who have been accused of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct. Over a third resigned or were expelled from office and roughly another third faced repercussions, such as losing party or committee leadership positions. A dozen top state executive officials, including governors and attorneys general, also faced sexual misconduct allegations during that time, and most resigned.

* WBEZ | Bird flu is killing Indiana’s sandhill cranes: Fish Lake isn’t the only place sandhill cranes have been dying: Some 30 of Indiana’s 92 counties have reported sandhill crane deaths, including Lake and Porter counties, those closest to Chicago. The Department of Natural Resources estimates that more than 2,700 sandhills have died across the state, and officials believe that is likely an undercount.

* WaPo | Delete your DNA from 23andMe right now: The company said there will be “no changes” to the way it protects consumer data while in bankruptcy court. But unless you take action, there is a risk your genetic information could end up in someone else’s hands — and used in ways you had never considered. It took me just a minute to delete my data on the 23andMe website. […] There’s also a risk that your data could get sold or transferred to a new company, which might want to use it for new purposes. The privacy statement of 23andMe seems to treat your data as a company asset that’s on the table like anything else. It reads: “If we are involved in a bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your Personal Information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction.”

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Question of the day

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a Sun-Times piece entitled “No more editorials at the Sun-Times, but letters, op-eds and columns will continue”…

For more than 75 years, the Sun-Times Editorial Board has been an important voice in Chicago, advocating for the well-being of our city, holding the powerful to account and helping readers understand and navigate the complexities of the news.

We are grateful to Lorraine Forte for serving as editorial board editor since 2018. Forte, along with longtime board member Tom Frisbie and editor/writer Marlen Garcia, have strengthened Chicago with their collective positions on some of our most pressing issues. All recently accepted voluntary buyouts.

As a nonprofit media company, this is an important opportunity for the people of Chicago to become more the voice of Chicago. Beginning today, the Sun-Times will no longer offer editorials. We will, however, continue to publish Letters to the Editor, which we receive in abundance every week and run in print and online. We will also continue to publish op-eds and guest columns from community members, leaders and scholars.

In addition, we are committed to providing our own journalists, including Rummana Hussain, Neil Steinberg, Lee Bey and Alden Loury, space to write from their personal experiences, points of view and subject matter expertise. Natalie Moore’s monthly column will continue as well. […]

This change does not mean we are retreating from public dialogue or silencing debate. Rather, we’re acknowledging that the voices we need to uplift in Chicago are the voices of the people.

* The Question: Do you agree with this decision? Please explain your answer in comments. Thanks.

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Pritzker challenges LaHood to defend Medicaid to his constituents

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* March 6…

An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that was sent to lawmakers this week showed that budget goals outlined in a House GOP plan could not be reached without reducing spending on Medicaid, clashing with commitments from Republicans not to cut the popular entitlement program.

The CBO’s letter is here.

* US Rep. Darin LaHood was interviewed by WCBU Radio last week…

Q: What’s your position on the potential cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, things of that nature?

LaHood: Well, no one has talked about cutting Social Security. The President said just the opposite, that he’s not going to cut Social Security or Medicare. So that’s a political issue that people are trying to use, but I’m not supportive of that.

* The governor held a “Save Medicaid” event in Peoria last week. From a question during his resulting press conference…

Q: This morning, Congressman LaHood said on the radio that any talk about destruction of Medicare or Medicaid was just a political ploy and that none of these programs would be cut. So, what would you say to the congressman if he was here?

Pritzker: Well, if he were here, I would love to hear him say that to everybody here, constituents of his, but apparently he’s unwilling to say it to your face. He’ll maybe say it to a camera here or there, and then when his colleagues vote to take funding away from Medicaid, what will he say then. What will he say then? I think he’ll say, ‘Well, this was the will of the Congress and the majority,’ right? But listen, great, stand up for Medicaid. But have you heard him stand up for Medicaid? No.

So I suspect that he is not giving you the whole truth, and that, in fact, what he’s saying is, ‘Well, we’re going to preserve Medicaid, but we’re going to take away,’ because this is what they’ve talked about, take away the Obamacare, Affordable Care Act piece of Medicaid, which is about coverage for about 800,000 people in the state of Illinois, and it takes away about $8 billion of funding for that program. And he will say, ‘I preserved Medicaid. See, the other part of Medicaid is just fine.’

But what about the 800,000 people? And by the way, many of those are senior citizens who are in nursing homes. Where are they going to go? Where are they going to go? And and people who, you know, single people who desperately need coverage. I bet Jesse may be one of them. I’m saying people who are sick, who are single, who are covered by this program, will lose health care coverage. So what is he going to do to make sure that they continue to get health care coverage? And again, his unwillingness to show up here kind of tells the story.

LaHood was asked about Medicaid, but didn’t actually mention Medicaid in his response, but Pritzker didn’t know that.

* Related…

    * Capitol News Illinois | Durbin, Pritzker put pressure on Republicans to oppose cuts to key programs: Illinois covers about half of Medicaid costs for about 3.4 million people, or 1 in 4 residents, under the traditional program. Medicaid eligibility was expanded in 2010 by the Affordable Care Act to include more adults at higher income levels. Approximately 770,000 people in Illinois are covered under the expansion and the federal government pays 90% of the cost for that group. If Congress severely reduced that program, the state wouldn’t be able to make up the billions of dollars the federal government sends Illinois each year to cover the program, Gov. JB Pritzker said at a news conference Friday in Peoria. “I believe that blood will be on their hands,” Pritzker said of Trump and Republicans. “People will lose their lives as a result of what they’re trying to do right now.”

    * Sun-Times | Health coverage for Chicago area immigrants jeopardized in Gov. Pritzker’s budget proposal: Raymundo Ruiz, 53, of Melrose Park, worries his medical condition could worsen if he loses his health insurance through HBIA. He was diagnosed with Parkison’s disease about four years ago after a doctor noticed his hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “It would be fatal for me because with just one hour that I miss my medications, my hands start to shake and I get very tense,” Ruiz said in Spanish. “I can’t do anything. It would affect me a lot.”

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Illinois Must Keep Our Kids Safe Online

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The digital realm, designed to connect and empower, has become dangerous for our children. 80% of children in 25 countries report feeling in danger of sexual abuse or exploitation online. (United Nations). Bark processed 7.9 billion online activities in 2024 and found that 63% of tweens and 77% of teens encountered potentially harmful sexual content. We stand at a crossroads: either we shield our youth from the digital predators and harmful content that prey on their innocence, or we surrender them to a future where their very tools become their tormentors. Current age verification methods, reliant on app or website-level checks, are woefully inadequate. They are easily bypassed, leaving children exposed to predators and harmful content. This vulnerability necessitates a paradigm shift. Device-based age verification, as proposed in Illinois’ HB3304(Gong-Gershowitz)/SB2047 (Preston) offers a robust solution. This measure mandates age verification at the device level, effectively restricting access to inappropriate content while preserving user privacy. The time to act is now.

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What happened in Neoga?

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Some commenters complained on here last week that the governor hasn’t visited Neoga after its tornado earlier this month. So, I reached out to IEMA to see what the state has been doing…

On March 14, 2025, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) responded in support of the severe weather/tornado in Neoga (Cumberland County).

At 0300, the IEMA-OHS Regional Coordinator contacted the Cumberland County EMA Coordinator to assess life safety concerns and address urgent needs after reports of damage in Neoga. None were identified. A follow up phone call at 0700 offering up more assistance from the IEMA-OHS Regional Coordinator to the Cumberland County EMA Coordinator.

IEMA-OHS Region 7 coordinated mutual aid efforts with trailers from Cumberland County Fire Departments to secure valuable items in the damaged Neoga school buildings.

At daybreak, Cumberland County EMA conducted windshield surveys, confirming damage was limited to the school and four residential properties. After discussions with the IEMA-OHS Regional Coordinator and IEMA-OHS Regional Recovery Liaison, the Cumberland County EMA Coordinator opted against a formal damage assessment.

The IEMA-OHS Recovery Chief contacted the Cumberland County EMA to discuss alternative options beyond IEMA-OHS programs.

The City of Neoga did not declare a citywide disaster.

Cumberland County did not declare a countywide disaster.

Ongoing, IEMA-OHS Operations and Recovery Divisions offered ongoing support for any unmet storm-related needs in Cumberland County.

At this time, there are no outstanding needs or assistance requests reported.

Discuss.

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It’s just a bill

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sen. Sue Rezin, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association President Mark Denzler and President of Operating Engineers Local 150 James Sweeney…

The United States has long been a leader in nuclear energy, with 94 reactors generating 102 gigawatts across 28 states. Illinois plays a pivotal role, home to six nuclear facilities producing nearly half the state’s electricity. Nuclear power has ensured reliable, carbon-free energy, keeping costs manageable while supporting thousands of high-paying jobs. However, outdated policies are preventing Illinois from embracing the next generation of nuclear technology.

Senate Bill 1527 will remove unnecessary restrictions and allow Illinois to advance new nuclear projects. As other states and nations invest in nuclear power, Illinois cannot afford to be left behind. […]

Illinois still has an outdated law barring the construction of new nuclear reactors over 300 megawatts until the federal government approves a permanent disposal solution for high-level nuclear waste. While responsible waste management is essential, this restriction is outdated. Federal regulations already ensure safe storage, and modern technology has improved waste handling. Meanwhile, states like Georgia, Tennessee, and Wyoming are advancing nuclear projects while Illinois remains stuck in the past.

It is time to lift this restriction and enable large-scale nuclear projects. This builds on the successful effort to end the moratorium on small modular reactors (SMRs), which are a promising step forward for our energy future but cannot meet Illinois’ full energy demands alone. We need every tool available to maintain grid reliability and economic stability.

SB1527’s committee deadline was extended to April 4.

* WISH…

The idea of having parts of Illinois join Indiana has hit a roadblock.

The sponsor of Illinois House Bill 1500, the counterpart to Indiana’s boundary adjustment commission bill, says the measure has died because it did not meet Friday’s deadline for bills to pass out of committee.

Indiana House Bill 1008 sets up a commission to investigate the possibility of changing Indiana’s boundary with Illinois. It passed the House in February. House Speaker Todd Huston, of Fishers, says he’s continuing to pursue the measure.

In order for the commission to be set up, Illinois would have had to pass its own companion legislation. Illinois HB 1500, sponsored by state Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, would have been that companion legislation.

* WAND…

State lawmakers are one step closer to removing toxic heavy metals from baby food.

Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview) wants to ban people from selling, distributing or offering baby food in Illinois that contains arsenic, cadmium, lead, or mercury. Her bill could require baby food manufacturers to test their products for each toxic heavy metal on a monthly basis.

Companies would also have to tell consumers the name and level of each metal present in the baby food and link to the FDA’s website with information about health risks for children. Manufacturers would be required to include a QR code for people to scan and find information about their heavy metal testing as well. […]

Senate Bill 73 passed unanimously out of the Senate Public Health Committee Wednesday. Senators could vote on the legislation when they return to Springfield next month.

* Sen. Cristina Castro…

Over 20 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes and Chicago-area waterways annually, the majority being single-use plastics with an average use of just a few short minutes. Once in the water, plastic breaks down into smaller pieces known as microplastics — toxic particles that make their way into drinking water, harm animal life and contribute to environmental degradation.

To tackle excessive plastic pollution and safeguard Illinois’ natural resources, State Senator Cristina Castro is working with consumers, businesses and environmental experts to pass legislation to cut down on single-use plastic bags. […]

The Public Interest Research Group estimates Illinois could save approximately 3.7 billion single-use plastic bags from being used each year by restricting the sale of these items. This would mean fewer microplastics entering local rivers and streams, less plastic litter in streets, parks and highways, and fewer toxic chemicals being ingested by Illinois families. […]

Castro’s proposal seeks to prevent large and mid-size retailers from offering single-use plastic checkout bags to customers, but would allow them to offer recycled paper bags as an alternative. Municipalities in Illinois with current plastic bag taxes would not be able to continue charging working families for plastic bags but rather would also have to eliminate their use. Recognizing the potential impact on small businesses, it would exclude restaurants, gas stations under 5,000 square feet in size, and small independent retailers with fewer than 12 locations within Illinois.

Senate Bill 1872 passed the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee Thursday.

* G-PAC…

The Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC) of Illinois, the state’s leading gun violence prevention organization, today called on Illinois leaders to pass Safe At Home legislation to strengthen safe gun storage laws following this week’s tragic accidental shooting in the South Shore neighborhood that claimed the life of an 8-year-old boy and injured his 5-year-old brother.

Since the Thursday shooting, police have reportedly confirmed the horrific shooting stemmed from the two boys accessing a loaded weapon left unattended in their home.

The proposed Safe At Home legislation in the General Assembly this spring would enhance what it means to safely store weapons and also strengthen reporting requirements for lost and stolen guns. Working together, these safety measures will protect more families from deadly tragedies in their homes and communities.

“The alarming reality is that one in three children lives in a home with a gun, and with this level of gun ownership in our society, too many tragedies unfold when guns get into the hands of children and other vulnerable people,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of G-PAC. “This shooting joins a long list of incidents where unsecured firearms have caused unintentional shootings, suicide, mass shootings, and crime in our communities. We can and must do more to strengthen Illinois law to keep our communities safe and save lives.”

Safe At Home was introduced earlier this session as Senate Bill 8 and House Bill 3688 and is sponsored by Sens. Laura Ellman and Ram Villivalam and Reps. Maura Hirschauer and Kevin Olickal. […]

Provisions of Safe At Home include:

    - Outlines improved safe storage requirements in homes where a minor, at-risk person, or someone prohibited from using firearms could gain access to them.
    - Changes definition of “minor” to a person under 18 years of age (military and national guard excluded).
    - Adds civil penalties associated with the failure to safely secure firearms; at first violation, courts may impose community service or restitution.
    - Strengthens requirement for reporting a lost or stolen firearm from 72 to 48 hours after the owner first discovers the loss or theft.
    - Requires education for gun owners of the obligation to report a lost or stolen firearm at the time of firearm purchase and FOID/CCL application and renewal process.
    - Requires ISP to create a portal for law enforcement to report individuals who have failed to report the loss or theft of a firearm.
    - Imposes penalty of revocation of FOID card on second violation for failure to report lost and stolen firearms.

* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…

Amid a nationwide rise in pedestrian fatalities, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz is continuing her efforts to streamline and expedite key transportation safety solutions in Chicago.

“When a pedestrian fatality is studied, improved collaboration between government entities leads to solutions,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “Pedestrian safety must be prioritized at every street and every intersection.”

In January 2023, IDOT entered into a Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the Chicago Department of Transportation in an effort to strengthen collaboration and streamline the review process for safety improvements on local streets and state routes. The MOU was in part sparked by a request from Feigenholtz that the departments conduct a traffic study after a pedestrian was killed in the 6th Senate District.

Senate Bill 1559 aims to formalize portions of the MOU by requiring that completed safety studies be on the agenda when IDOT and CDOT meet to discuss traffic and pedestrian fatalities. […]

Senate Bill 1559 passed the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

* Illinois Blockchain Association Executive Director Nelson Rosario in Crain’s…

In the Web3 and blockchain space, Illinois’ leadership is undisputed, with more than 320 startups operating in this space, earning $1.5 billion in venture-capital investment since this technology emerged. One-third of the top public companies headquartered in Illinois already have (or are actively making) significant investments in Web3 and blockchain technology. And the state has already secured more than $7 million in grants to advance digital assets research in our top academic institutions.

Now is the time to build on that leadership, and we can only do that through purpose-built blockchain regulation that clarifies rules of the road, enhances protections for consumers and incentivizes innovation and job creation in Illinois.

Unfortunately, a new proposal in the General Assembly would have a chilling effect on Illinois’ blockchain leadership, both now and in the future. Senate Bill 1797, the Digital Assets & Consumer Protection Act, attempts to establish a state regulatory framework for all entities innovating in digital assets, from established corporations to bourgeoning startups and entrepreneurs. Though well intentioned, the bill sweeps far too broadly and contains a number of structural flaws that would drive innovation out of our state.

Among other things, the act would establish a state-level licensing regime for anyone operating in blockchain and digital assets. Modeled off New York State’s BitLicense, the legislation would impose a burdensome, costly registration process for all players — startups, entrepreneurs, institutions and individuals — innovating in blockchain. The license, which could cost as much as $100,000 and take hundreds of hours to attain, would halt blockchain innovation in its tracks. Perhaps most disturbing, it would serve as a gatekeeper, limiting participation in blockchain innovation to well-funded, legacy corporations that have the time and bandwidth to navigate licensure.

SB1797, sponsored by Sen. Mark Walker, received April 4 deadline extension to advance out of committee.

* Daily Herald…

Lake Forest Democratic state Sen. Julie Morrison’s bill requiring seat belts in new school buses passed the Senate Transportation Committee Tuesday.

The legislation now heads to the Senate for a full vote. The National Transportation Safety Board has said while school buses are among the safest vehicles on the road, seat belts are critical for preventing injuries and deaths in crashes.

  20 Comments      


AG Raoul has had a busy 2025 - and it’s only March

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the attorney general’s office last week…

Hi, Rich.

Saw your post yesterday about the work Attorney General Raoul’s office has been doing over the last several weeks to fight unlawful federal policies. If you need more information, the below is a fairly full list of actions we have announced since Jan. 20. Let me know if you have questions about any of the cases/actions.

LITIGATION:

STATEMENTS:

OTHER:

  3 Comments      


Misguided Insurance Regulation Proposals Could Increase Premiums For The Majority Of Illinoisans

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Several bills proposed this legislative session seek to ban certain factors that insurance companies use to set fair and accurate insurance pricing for customers. The bills would ban the use of credit-based insurance scores, zip codes, age, and gender in insurance pricing.

An op-ed published recently in the Chicago Tribune explains why such bans could cause insurance rates to rise for the majority of consumers.

Case in point: When the use of credit was banned in Washington in 2021, more than 60 percent of Washington drivers saw an increase in their insurance premiums. Should similar legislation pass in Illinois, the majority of Illinoisians with better-than-average credit could see premium increases.

With stubbornly high inflation and high property taxes, now is not the time to pass bills that could end up hiking insurance premiums for most Illinoisans.

Click here to learn more.

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Pritzker stiffed on two big issues

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Two major proposals backed by Gov. JB Pritzker did not advance out of legislative committees before last week’s passage deadline.

Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton confirmed that she won’t be advancing her legislation supported by the governor that would dissolve townships with populations below 5,000 (SB2217), and eventually abolish townships with populations below 50,000 and lower the petition threshold to 5% from 10% to put a township abolition on the ballot.

“We’re still having conversations,” the Western Springs Democrat said. Pritzker did not highlight the proposals during his State of the State address, but they were included in his budget book. Township officials throughout the state have bombarded legislators with their negative opinions of the legislation.

But Pritzker took a much bigger hit last week.

The governor has trumpeted his plan to allow community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees during his State of the State address, on numerous national TV programs, big-time podcasts and a tour of the state.

Well, that proposal (HB3717) was not called for a vote in the House Higher Education Committee last week after fierce opposition from four-year universities, as one top Pritzker administration official and some Pritzker allies hovered outside the hearing room for hours.

The chair of that committee, Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, did her best to downplay the significance of the committee’s refusal to take up the bill, saying, “I think that there’s a way that we can make sure that this is very narrowly tailored to meet what’s not being met with the four-year institutions.”

Stuart, a member of House Democratic leadership, also said the legislation as written could “collapse” the student base of minority serving institutions like Chicago State and Northeastern Illinois University.

It’s routine during committee passage deadline week to advance bills to the floor that need more work, with the promise to not move the bills until all issues are worked out. That committee courtesy is routinely given to even the lowliest of legislators.

The indignity of denying that routine courtesy was heaped upon unpopular, ineffectual governors in previous years. But Pritzker is a popular billionaire governor with perceived national ambitions. Yes, he’s trying to accomplish a very difficult task of passing bills that have failed in years past, but not getting his legislation to the floor during crunch week is quite the rebuke.

So, what the heck is going on? On a basic level, several sitting legislators previously served in township government. Many others are strong political allies of township officials. And others believe that townships deliver services at lower costs than counties. The townships have successfully fended off efforts to get rid of them for decades, so they have a tried and true oppositional playbook.

As far as the community colleges are concerned, the universities years ago successfully fended off an attempt by then-Sen. Andy Manar to allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees in nursing. Manar is now Pritzker’s deputy governor.

The Higher Education Committee is filled with members who have universities in their districts, which is mainly why they serve on that committee. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is in Chairperson Stuart’s district, after all.

But these Pritzker defeats seem like much more than that, and they come just a couple of months after House Speaker Chris Welch refused to advance a Pritzker-supported bill to regulate the wide-open intoxicating hemp industry.

The governor’s office downplayed the significance of the setbacks, saying there was still plenty of time to pass something before adjournment. But they clearly made a strong late push to get the community college bill to the House floor. They insisted they had enough votes to pass the bill, but those alleged proponents didn’t lift a finger to pressure the committee chair to advance the legislation.

The hearing finally ended shortly after what I’m told was a tense meeting between the governor’s chief of staff and the House speaker’s chief of staff, during which the speaker’s chief urged the governor’s chief to convince her boss to lay out his priorities to Welch, which, of course, the governor already did during his State of the State and budget address. Welch’s chief was told that this move was not helpful, to say the least.

What the universities did was pure gangsta. They clearly out-muscled the governor. Pritzker may not like it, but the universities showed that the negotiations would be on their terms, at least in the House, unless the governor can convince them to back down.

  31 Comments      


Open thread

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Isabel took a photo of me as we walked to dinner the other night…

What’s up by you?

  24 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker vetos Amazon warehouse worker quota law. Bloomberg…

    - Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) vetoed a bill Friday that would have limited the ability of Amazon.com Inc. and other large warehouse operators to impose fast-paced work-speed or productivity quotas on employees.
    - “The bill is vetoed because it presents legal and operation issues. The definition of who is covered by the law is unclear, there is no procedure to ensure due process in the enforcement of the provisions, and while the bill calls for civil penalties and damages, it does not set out a clear, comprehensive scheme for these penalties or damages.”
    - The Illinois bill’s supporters attributed Amazon’s track record of warehouse worker injuries to the high-speed expectations it sets for employees. Amazon, however, says its injury rates have declined since 2019 and describes its performance metrics as flexible, multi-factor targets, not strict quotas.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Crain’s | Johnson hires former Ald. John Arena as Springfield liaison: Former Northwest Side Ald. John Arena will join the administration March 24 with little runway to deliver on Johnson’s priorities with the General Assembly’s spring session already well underway. […] He would not “get in the weeds” of Johnson’s near-term legislative priorities, but said they’re focused on new revenue streams and a greater share of existing revenue sharing agreements. “We’re really going to have to see what’s in the world of the possible,” he said. “Chicago is a player in producing revenue, and it also needs revenue back from the state.”

* Daily Herald Editorial Board | Harsh realities of transit: Agencies again offer grim picture of impending crisis — but little else: The crisis facing the transit agencies is real. And the “harsh realities” — to quote RTA Executive Director Leanne Redden on Wednesday — it may impose are ominous indeed. Effective, safe, comfortable, efficient public transportation is a major attribute to the quality of life in Chicago and the suburbs. But a billion and a half bucks is a harsh reality, too. Metra Executive Director Jim Derwinski said Wednesday that “it’s all going to depend on what the legislature does … in the next 75 days.” But maybe not all. So far, the transit agencies have been eminently capable of showing what will happen if they don’t get a huge financial shot in the arm from the state. As Moylan suggested, it would be more encouraging — and it’s long past time — to hear from them what they’re going to contribute to the solution.

*** Statehouse News ***

* AP | Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker tries to chart a path for national Democrats to counter Trump: Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel empire, may seem like an unlikely champion for working-class people affected by the Trump administration. But he’s taken aim at President Donald Trump’s potential tax cuts, while backing universal health care and a higher federal minimum wage. The governor used a statewide tour this past week to present a path forward for national Democrats struggling to unify around a strategy to counter the Republican president, highlighting the effects of Trump’s early actions in Illinois. The three-day swing included meeting with farmers in a central Illinois barn to discuss agriculture and with older adults in suburban Chicago who are concerned about Social Security cuts.

* FYI…

* Tribune | Amid Donald Trump 2.0, Gov. JB Pritzker ponders running for third term and his national ambitions: Running for another term as governor also would provide Pritzker a dual track toward a presumptive look at a White House bid. And a victory in the sixth-largest state would continue to provide him a credible, high-profile platform from which to assail the actions of the Trump administration nationally in the run-up to the 2028 presidential election.

* Sun-Times | Health coverage for Chicago area immigrants jeopardized in Gov. Pritzker’s budget proposal: Once held up by Democrats statewide as a beacon of progressive governance protecting some of Illinois’ most vulnerable residents, the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program has been put on the chopping block by the governor due to ballooning costs in the face of a massive overall budget shortfall. […] “These are people who are doing hard labor, working outside, who are working in cleaning or in construction industries, who were told that they were essential workers during COVID. And these are the people to whom we’re saying, ‘You can’t have health care now,’” said state Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago.

*** Downstate ***

* Pantagraph | In 2021, Illinois created the Mahomet Aquifer Council. It has never met: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Kim Biggs confirmed to Lee Enterprises that the council has never convened “due to lack of a quorum of members to meet.” Just 13 people have been appointed to the 25-member group, meaning that, in its current state, one member not being available would deny the council the necessary attendance to meet. […] Pritzker has made only 11 of his required appointments and the IEPA slot is vacant. In a statement to Lee Enterprises, Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said that “the administration is working to identify candidates for this council.”

* First Alert 4 | Tensions run high as Illinois Rep. Mike Bost hosts meeting on solar and constituents demand answers: When First Alert 4 entered the meeting room in New Athens, Illinois, folks were already screaming at Rep. Mike Bost, (R-Illinois), about a number of recent developments in farming and at the national level. had originally called the meeting to discuss his proposals for solar energy-focused bills that would affect solar panel installation on farmland, something he says needs oversight. […] Meeting attendees talked about everything from veteran’s issues to the Veteran’s Affairs layoffs in recent weeks; others talked about transgender rights; others demanded answers about why farming was being impacted by tariffs.

* WGLT | School sales tax referendum top of mind at NAACP candidate forum: District 87 Superintendent David Mouser and Unit 5 Superintendent Kristen Weikle spoke about what will happen if voters pass the referendum. The countywide sales tax, which a majority of Illinois counties have adopted, would add a 1% sales tax on goods such as retail products, gasoline, and online purchases. The revenue could be used for school facility improvements, as well as school safety and security, mental health support and other areas.

* Tribune | Efforts underway to restore crumbling site where Abraham Lincoln began his political rise: Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site has fallen into disrepair as the tab for deferred maintenance on properties managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has grown to an estimated $1 billion statewide, according to IDNR spokesperson Jayette Bolinski. In recent years, the roofs of two structures have caved in. The grist mill, where townspeople would grind wheat into flour, is closed, with boards across the entryway. There are holes in the wooden entrance ramp, and the mill’s drive shaft, which powered the structure, has been inoperable since a 2016 flood.

* PJ Star | Lawsuit sheds light on alleged co-conspirator in WTVP embezzlement scheme: The lawsuit says WTVP first discovered the embezzlement on or around Sept. 13, 2023. Matuszak resigned from her role as CEO on Sept. 27, 2023, and then died by suicide in her home the next day. WTVP’s board of directors alleged Matuszak and McLaughlin had engaged in “improper, unauthorized, or questionable” spending, the Journal Star reported in December 2023. The allegations led to investigations by local police and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Eleven WTVP board members would ultimately resign from their roles in January 2024.

* WCIA | Illini women win first NCAA Tournament game since 2000: Eight-seed Illinois defeated nine-seed Creighton 66-57 in the opening round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. The win marked Illinois’s first tournament win since the 2000 tournament, exiting in the first game in both 2003 and 2023. The Illini staved off a late run by Creighton to advance to the second round. Genesis Bryant led the team with 17 points, with Kendall Bostic breaking a program rebound record in the tournament with 17 boards.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Lawsuit is long over, but Des Plaines clerk still upset about city’s relationship with credit union: Nearly two years after Des Plaines City Clerk Jessica Mastalski settled her lawsuit against the city-connected credit union where she once worked and the city, she again is arguing issues at the core of the case — but this time in the court of public opinion. Mastalski spent two minutes during last week’s city council meeting talking about the breach-of-contract lawsuit and questioning the financial relationship between the city and the city hall-based Northwest Municipal Federal Credit Union.

* Tribune | Landing a data center is worth the environmental tradeoffs, Illinois towns say: The Minooka data center would take up to 340 acres, or slightly more than Chicago’s Grant Park. It would need 3 million gallons of water a day. That’s a third of all the drinkable water Minooka will be allowed to draw from a $1.54 billion pipeline it’s building with five other towns to access Lake Michigan water through Chicago. It would need a 700-megawatt supply of electricity, enough for half of Chicago’s households. For Ric Offerman, Minooka’s mayor, these are inescapable environmental tradeoffs to secure a multibillion-dollar investment from Equinix, Inc., a Redwood City, California-based company that operates 260 data centers in 33 countries.

* Fox Chicago | Bellwood mayor faces criticism over campaign billboard powered by village electricity: Bellwood Village Clerk Janel Moreland said she began receiving calls from angry taxpayers Wednesday about a giant mobile electronic billboard taking up two spaces in the Village Hall parking lot. The billboard urged residents to vote for her opponent, longtime Mayor Andre Harvey, and his slate of trustees. A long extension cord running from the truck through the parking lot was plugged into Village of Bellwood power.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | CTA paid for vehicles used to commute to and from work, recently released documents show: The CTA spent more than $26,000 in 2023 and 2024 on three vehicles used by top officials at the public transit agency. In at least some instances, the vehicles were used more for commuting to and from work than for business purposes. That was the case for an SUV used by former CTA President Dorval Carter, who reported about four times as many miles commuting as he did for business purposes during the months for which data was available, documents recently made public show.

* Excited to see what’s next for Amanda…

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Seven Chicago school board members say they oppose reimbursing city for disputed pension payment: The declaration from the seven members — in a letter obtained by Chalkbeat and sent to board President Sean Harden on Saturday — means the city does not have enough support from the Board of Education to get the $175 million it is seeking from Chicago Public Schools. Reimbursing the city would require a vote from the board to amend CPS’s budget, and such an amendment needs two-thirds approval — or 14 yes votes — from the 21-member board.

* NPR | What happens when a Chicago children’s hospital bows to pressure to stop gender-affirming care: In the flurry of executive orders issued by President Trump, there was one targeting hospitals that provide gender-affirming care for young people. In response, many of the hospitals have stopped or pulled back on certain treatments. That includes Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Kristen Schorsch, at member station WBEZ, has been tracking the ripple effects on patients and their families.

* Tribune | At state job fair, DOGE cuts hit home for federal workers: The USAID employee traveled to Chicago from Washington, D.C., for the job fair. Like almost all the employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development dismantled by billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, he is on paid administrative leave. “I don’t think there’s any way my job’s coming back,” the federal worker said in the bustling conference room at Malcolm X College in Chicago on Thursday.

* Sun-Times | Long COVID patients turn to Chicago rehabiltation hospital for help: Doctors are worried about how to provide care for Gingerich and other long COVID patients as many are experiencing life-altering symptoms. Experts at Chicago’s Shirley Ryan AbilityLab hope their comprehensive approach can provide solace to the invisible toll long COVID has on their patients. In 2021, the AbilityLab opened an outpatient COVID Rehabilitation Unit to care for patients with long COVID, most of whom never required inpatient care for the initial infection.

* Sun-Times | ‘Secret History of the Rape Kit’ reveals past, future: We remember feminism of the 1970s without also recalling exactly what women were being militant about: their voices being muffled, their power minimized, their issues ignored. Pagan Kennedy’s new book, “The Secret History of the Rape Kit: A True Crime Story,” is a disturbing journey back to the bad old days of Chicago a half century ago. And maybe, the way we’re going, a glimpse into our future, too.

* WTTW | Sewage Overflows Into the Chicago River Are Rare, But New Warning System Will Alert Paddlers and Other Users When to Steer Clear: The concern is that if an overflow occurs during a heavy storm at, say, 10 p.m., the next morning a kayaker could head out under sunny skies and be completely unaware that untreated wastewater has entered the river, said John Quail, director of policy and conservation for Friends of the Chicago River. A new notification system is being proposed at boat launch sites that would alert people to overflow events, warning them to avoid contact with the water. Development of this notification system is one of the requirements included in a permit issued to the city by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2024.

*** National ***

* CNN | How Gamergate foreshadowed the toxic hellscape that the internet has now become: Gamergate was one of the earliest indications that what happened online could have major implications offline — and that a few people who understood the mechanics of the internet could manipulate it to advance a nefarious agenda. Those who experienced the harassment firsthand warned that if not taken seriously, the behaviors underlying Gamergate would fester.

* WaPo | Growing weed takes more energy than mining bitcoin. Can it go green?: What he found — after interviewing grow-light sellers, reading trade journals and equipment manuals, poring over crop-yields analyses and case studies of growers’ energy use, and scouring law enforcement reports — is that together, legal and illegal cannabis growers use about 1 percent of all American energy. That’s more than cryptocurrency mining or all other crops combined, according to a paper Mills published in February, an update to his original 2012 study.

* Tribune | Elon Musk and Gov. JB Pritzker among billionaires spending in pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race: Musk, who has taken his metaphorical chain saw to the federal government and lashed out at judges who’ve blocked the president’s swift moves, is far from alone in funneling money from outside Wisconsin into an officially nonpartisan state Supreme Court election. Liberal financier George Soros has given $1 million to the Wisconsin Democratic Party ahead of the April voting, and billionaire Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker — who previously signed a state law banning out-of-state campaign contributions to Illinois judicial candidates — gave the Wisconsin Democrats $500,000 in January.

  7 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and one other thing

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

  Comment      


Live coverage

Monday, Mar 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

  Comment      


« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Selected react to budget reconciliation bill passage (Updated x2)
* Reader comments closed for Independence Day
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Some fiscal news
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
* RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
* Groups warn about plan that doesn't appear to be in the works
* SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth
* Campaign news: Big Raja money; Benton over-shares; Rashid's large cash pile; Jeffries to speak at IDCCA brunch
* Rep. Hoan Huynh jumps into packed race for Schakowsky’s seat (Updated)
* Roundup: Pritzker taps Christian Mitchell for LG
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition (Updated)
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Trump admin freezes $240 million in grants for Illinois K-12 schools
* Yesterday's stories

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