* ICYMI: Federal prosecutors seek nearly 6 years in prison for Madigan confidant Michael McClain. Sun-Times…

- The feds say a man who once had an “unbreakable” bond with former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan should be sentenced to nearly six years in prison, partly for serving as Madigan’s “agent, messenger” and “henchman” in a lengthy conspiracy involving ComEd.
- But, Lawyers for the 77-year-old McClain asked for probation. They cited the possibility that he could “die alone in prison” and said it would be “unjust” if he were held responsible for “the entire history … of political corruption in Illinois.”
- They also said the “most important consideration” for U.S. District Judge Manish Shah could be the adequacy of medical treatment McClain might receive behind bars. They cited the possibility that he could “die alone in prison, separated from his family and loved ones.”

* Related stories…

∙ Tribune: ‘McClain’s plan was illegal to its core’: Feds want nearly 6 years in prison for ‘stunning’ bribery scheme by former Madigan confidant
∙ WTTW: Feds Seek Nearly 6 Years in Prison For Madigan’s ‘Henchman’ Mike McClain

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois tried to regulate homeschooling. But the backlash was huge.: Even though the Homeschool Act did not pass through the legislature this year, Costa Howard said she remains committed to getting it passed into law. She said the bill is still being negotiated and supporters continue to work with those who oppose the bill to address their concerns. “We will continue to work with the senators on it and keep making changes to it, and keep working on listening to what the opposition is and addressing their concerns and protecting kids,” said Costa Howard in an interview with Chalkbeat. “But our stated goal of protecting children and making sure they receive an education, we are not going to waver from those goals.”

* Crain’s | Big names in Chicago dining rally for Birrieria Zaragoza after fire: Some of Chicago’s biggest chefs and restaurants are rallying to support Mexican restaurant Birrieria Zaragoza as it recovers from a June 23 fire that forced its original location to temporarily close. On July 14, chef John Manion of El Che Steakhouse & Brasero will be donating all proceeds from a pop-up event taking place at Spilt Milk bar in Logan Square to support Birrieria Zaragoza. For $25, guests will enjoy a steak sandwich created by Manion and chef Jonathan Zaragoza of Birrieria Zaragoza.

*** Statewide ***

* Sun-Times | 180 more Illinois ZIP codes at high risk for pediatric lead poisoning, state health officials say: The Illinois Department of Public Health added 180 ZIP codes across 47 counties, roughly 13% of the state, to the list on July 1. Every Chicago ZIP code appears on the list. Some of the newly added ZIP codes are in Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. According to state law, children living in the listed ZIP codes are required to be tested at 12 and 24 months old. Children under 6 or those with other health factors are required to be screened by health professionals by questionnaire.

* Center Square | Illinois public media could lose millions in federal tax funds: More than $5 million in federal taxpayer funds could be withheld from public media across Illinois if a measure clears the U.S. Senate. […]
The measure if passed by the Senate would rescind $1.1 billion from CPB, including $700 million for public media across the country. Durbin warned rescinding the funds will impact local communities. “This local broadcasting is especially crucial. Rural public broadcasting stations are often the only source of local news, the only source of emergency alerts in the region,” Durbin said.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WHBF | What House Bill 3140 could mean for retired Illinois K-9 care: They’re now retired from serving their communities, and now Some Illinois law enforcement officers are waiting for Gov. JB Pritzker to sign a measure to help pay some of the vet bills for retired K-9s.

*
Center Square | Panel kicks off hemp regulation tour with first discussion in Chicago: Part of the debate is what age to restrict hemp sales. Craig Katz said whether it’s 18 or 21 depends on who you ask. “It’s an issue that no one should object to. Everyone should want to protect children. And that’s one of our primary goals, is to protect children,” Katz said. “The problem is, I think, to some extent, it’s become a political football. And, you get different sides of the aisle that want to make a statement in one way, shape or form.”

*** Chicago ***

* ABC Chicago | Mother of murdered Chicago boy Jayden Perkins calls out Governor JB Pritzker in open letter: Smith has written an open letter asking Governor Pritzker to stop praising reforms in Perkins’ name. She said state lawyers are trying to dismiss her civil lawsuit against the state. ABC7 reached out to the governor’s office and is awaiting a response.

* Crain’s | As Burnett exits the City Council, Johnson loses a bridge-builder: Confirming a July 3 report in Crain’s, the mayor told reporters this week he is “seriously considering” appointing Burnett to lead the Chicago Housing Authority. Burnett told Crain’s he was having a final meeting with the CHA board this afternoon, where “I’ll have to lobby board members myself.” But even if he doesn’t land at the CHA, Burnett has made it clear he’s stepping away from the council to pursue other options. Leaving the City Council at the end of July clears the way for Johnson to appoint Burnett’s son Walter R. Burnett III and have him in his father’s seat in time for the city’s annual budget season, when “aye” votes will be at a premium.

* Sun-Times | Thousands of Chicagoans are living in O’Hare — the community, not the airport: “People often think that we’re on the Norridge side of the city,” says Anthony Rubino, co-owner of Sicilian Bakery, one of few businesses in the area. “Most people think about it as the Rosemont area,” says Olga Prohny, a staffer at St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Catholic Church down the street. “I hate to say this, but they do.” Even a 20-year employee of the nearby Everett McKinley Dirksen Elementary School was mistaken about its location until five years ago. “You’re going to laugh at this,” says Principal Timothy Griffin. “I thought we were in Dunning!”

* Block Club | 6 Far NW Side Groups Get $70,000 Donation To Help Fund Garden, Mural And Park Projects: The donation came from the estate of the late Donna King, an Evanston native who was married to the late retail developer Terry King. Donna King died last year after a long struggle with ovarian cancer, said Anthony Licata, the estate’s executor. Licata approached Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th) about distributing funding to local community groups earlier this year. Nugent said she worked with Licata to select six groups that she felt represented the ward and aligned with Donna King’s interests and values.

* Daily Herald | $66 million ‘Tropical Forests’ opens at Brookfield Zoo Chicago with close gorilla encounters: “This $66 million project, the largest and most ambitious in Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s history, has officially and quite literally come to life over the last few weeks as our animals have moved in,” said Dr. Michael Adkesson, president and CEO. “It’s a monumental achievement.” An outdoor trail snakes around four areas designed for not one but two gorilla troops, orangutans and smaller primate species. Above them, beyond a thin netting, is nothing but blue sky, and below, a shaggy carpet of real grass.

* Crain’s | Jennifer Pritzker’s Tawani completes real estate selloff in Rogers Park: Billionaire Jennifer Pritzker’s investment firm has exited Rogers Park, where it formerly had a sizable footprint with hundreds of apartments, a theater, a 250-car parking garage and a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The latest piece in Tawani Enterprises’ sell-off is a set of six apartment buildings that Silver Property Group announced last week it had purchased from Tawani for $45 million. The buildings, a mix of rehabbed historical structures and new construction done by Tawani, contain a combined 263 rental units, according to Silver Property Principal Ron Abrams.

* Sun-Times | Former Cubs manager Lee Elia, known for all-time great rant, dies at 87: The tirade reportedly was witnessed by only a handful of reporters — the Sun-Times’ Joel Bierig, the Tribune’s Robert Markus, the Daily Herald’s Don Friske and WLS-AM’s Les Grobstein, who recorded the rant and preserved it for decades. Shortly after blowing off all that steam, Elia mused to reporters: “I guess I lost it.”

* WGEN | From backyard get-together to Chicago heavyweight, house music festival Chosen Few continues to deliver: It’s now one of the most anticipated events of “Summertime Chi,” but it started as a small outdoor get-together with a little music, for family and friends. Terry Hunter and Mike Dunn are two of the “Chosen Few DJs,” known around the world for bringing innovative, feel-good music to millions of house fans. Coined in 1977 by DJ and producer Wayne Williams, “The Chosen Few Disco Corporation” originally included friends and South Side DJs Jessie Saunders, Alan King and brothers Tony and Andre Hatchett. In fact, it was a Hatchett family Fourth of July picnic behind the Museum of Science and Industry, where the festival first took shape.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Police chief ‘not going anywhere,’ despite vote of no-confidence: “He has removed any semblance of morale,” the letter states. The officers allege Block refers to them and village residents as “(expletive) morons” and “(expletive) idiots.” They say he inappropriately laughed at the scene of a suicide involving an officer’s wife and ordered cheap body-worn cameras that haven’t met expectations.

* Daily Herald | Arlington Heights officials mull rules after complaints of loitering downtown: “I want to make sure that not only do we not just move the problem from one bench, from one place to another, but that we don’t take steps that can be perceived as criminalizing homelessness,” Manganaro said. “We can deal with lawlessness. We can craft rules that will allow people to be secure in their homes and safe in their businesses. And I believe we can do that without criminalizing being unhoused.”

* Daily Herald | Controversial Schaumburg Township Highway Department website to be revealed July 30: Though Schaumburg Township Highway Commissioner Tim Buelow disagrees with the way his predecessor gave the contract for a new interactive website to a political ally before leaving office, he intends to let the public judge the final product. “They should have a chance to see it,” Buelow said, adding “there was no public debate about how the money was spent.” That reveal is scheduled to take place during a meet-and-greet with the new commissioner from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, at the township hall, 1 Illinois Blvd. in Hoffman Estates.

* Tribune | Homer Glen official says attorney general seeks answers on Illinois American Water billing: Neitzke-Troike said Wednesday a letter the attorney general’s office sent to Illinois American Water, a private company that services about 6,000 Homer Glen homes, states the office looks forward to working with the utility company to resolve some of the issues. The attorney general’s office reviewed numerous complaints from Homer Glen residents who reported “unexplainably high water bills, meter errors and inadequate customer service from Illinois American Water Company,” states the letter Neitzke-Troike read during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting.

* Daily Southtown | Country Club Hills Superintendent Duane Meighan suspended after parents raise spending concerns: Williams, a critic of the board, said she got into a heated argument with two children of board member Jaqueline Doss, which led to police intervention. Doss was board president until Sharon Mack was elected to the role May 8, following a reorganization after the April election. “I have just been a target at this point because I’m advocating for the children,” Williams, who has children at Southwood Middle and Meadview Intermediate, said Thursday.

* Daily Herald | ‘We can’t fill the gap’: Food pantries say they can’t overcome federal cuts: State and local governments may have to pick up the costs of feeding the hungry to make up for federal cuts, U.S. Rep. Sean Casten said Thursday during a roundtable discussion in Geneva. Casten joined fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster at the event hosted by the Northern Illinois Food Bank, to discuss the impact of nearly $200 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in the recently passed budget bill.

*** Downstate ***

* The Southern | Southern Illinois kids face dental care gaps: For many families across Southern Illinois, keeping up with their children’s dental care can feel out of reach, even with insurance. That’s one reason Dr. Travis Cripps and his team at Little Egypt Pediatric Dentistry in Carbondale started Free Kids Dental Day. […] The annual event, now in its third year, is held near the practice’s anniversary and provides free dental exams and X-rays to children ages 12 and under.

* WGLT | Public commenters pan process and product of a draft McLean County land use plan: The McLean County Regional Planning Commission developed the preliminary land use plan after involving staff from the county, City of Bloomington, and Town of Normal. It’s out for public review before refinement and submission to those municipal government bodies. Early reviews are mixed — on content and process. County Land Use and Transportation Committee Chair Lea Cline told regional planning commission staff the order of work was perhaps not the best.

* WCBU | State grant means Tazewell County’s election technology is getting an upgrade: Clerk John Ackerman says a $361,250 grant from the Illinois State Board of Elections has enabled his office to purchase a new voter registration system and electronic poll books for every precinct in Tazewell County. “It’s a massive overhaul, upgrade of our election equipment, but it is needed,” said Ackerman. He explained that, as more and more voters elected to vote by mail in elections, it became more difficult to record and update voter status all on paper. For example, the county’s 2024 presidential elections included two non-malicious double votes, in incidents that could have been caught with through poll books.

* WCIA | Brick thrown at firefighter during 4th of July parade: Rantoul Fire Dept.: The firefighter went to the emergency room with a large bruise on his leg. That bruise turned into a muscle infection; an infection the man is still recovering from. Rantoul Fire Chief Chad Smith said it is unfortunate this had to take place at what was supposed to be a celebratory moment.

* Daily Journal | Kankakee OKs 1% grocery tax: Although shoppers won’t notice any difference in the checkout line, the Kankakee City Council OK’d a 1% local grocery tax. The 1% tax generates about $1.15 million per year of general fund money, Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis said. Although the tax now will be put in place by the city government rather than the state, the tax is far from new.

* WCIA | UPDATE: Mattoon tap water ‘not safe to use’ due to harmful algae bloom, could ‘result in illness’: Bottled water should be used for all drinking, including for baby formula, juice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice and food preparation until further notice. The health department also said to not try and treat this water yourself. This means that boiling, freezing, filtering, adding chlorine or other disinfectants, or letting water stand will not make the water safe. The water treatment personnel will be maximizing the treatment for containment.

* WGEM | Tommy John surgeries, growing concern for aspiring baseball players: Young arms throw harder to generate the needed speed, as college offers are at the top of these young athletes’ minds. But at what cost? “I was with my travel ball team at the time in December, and I was throwing a bullpen, and I felt a more serious pop. And that’s when I kind of knew,” said Collin Dieterle, junior at Brown County High School. “Honestly, it was more of a shock. Down through my whole arm. Completely numb, I felt a lot of tingling.”

* WGEM | Pork production facility catches fire in Nebo, Illinois: Spring Creek Fire Protection Chief Josh Martin said his crew responded to the fire at 13500 432nd Lane in Nebo at 2:45 a.m. Communications Manager Danielle Solis confirmed the fire at The Maschhoffs’ facility near County Highway 10. Solis said no workers were on site at the time of the fire and no injuries have been reported.

* WSIL | Thousands of meals distributed in Mt. Vernon through summer program: Thousands of meals were given away to those in need in Mt. Vernon on Wednesday, thanks to the efforts of the District 80 Food and Nutrition Services. This organization helps support the needs of nearly 1,600 students with daily food services through their USDA summer food program in Mt. Vernon. State Representative Dave Severin was also on hand on Wednesday to help with distributing the meals to the area students.

*** National ***

* La ist | Congress is killing clean energy tax credits. Here’s how to use them before they disappear: “This bill is going to take away a lot of assistance from consumers,” said Lowell Ungar, director of federal policy for the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. He noted that 2 million people used the home improvement tax credit in its first year alone. The good news is that the law does not affect the billions of dollars that the IRA already sent to state efficiency and electrification rebate programs and that much of that money will remain available beyond the federal sunsets. But, Ungar added, the tax credits can still save people thousands of dollars before they vanish.

* Tech Crunch | Grok 4 seems to consult Elon Musk to answer controversial questions: When TechCrunch asked Grok 4, “What’s your stance on immigration in the U.S.?” the AI chatbot claimed that it was “Searching for Elon Musk views on US immigration” in its chain of thought — the technical term for the scratchpad in which AI reasoning models, like Grok 4, work through questions. Grok 4 also claimed to search through X for Musk’s social media posts on the subject.

* WIRED | DHS Tells Police That Common Protest Activities Are ‘Violent Tactics’: DHS is urging law enforcement to treat even skateboarding and livestreaming as signs of violent intent during a protest, turning everyday behavior into a pretext for police action.