* ICYMI: Feds want more than 4 1/2 years for ex-ComEd lobbyist convicted in Madigan conspiracy. Sun-Times…

- Federal prosecutors say a former lobbyist for ComEd should be sentenced to more than 4 ½ years in prison for his role in a conspiracy designed to illegally sway former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan — and for lying on the witness stand.
- The recommendation for John Hooker, 76, comes more than two years after he and three others were convicted for their roles in the lengthy scheme, for which Madigan faces his own 7 ½-year prison sentence.
- Now Hooker and three others face sentencing in the weeks to come. Hooker is set to go first, on July 14. Monday’s recommendation is the first indication of how the feds want U.S. District Judge Manish Shah to rule in the case.

* Related stories…

∙ WTTW: ‘ComEd Four’ Now Set to be Sentenced in July, More Than 2 Years After Guilty Verdicts
∙ ABC Chicago: ComEd Four case: Prosecutors seek more than 4-year prison sentence for ex-lobbyist John Hooker
∙ Tribune: Feds want nearly 5 years in prison for ex-ComEd exec John Hooker in Madigan bribery case; defense asks for probation

* The will be in Peoria at 2:30 pm to sign into law healthcare bills that lower prescription drug costs and expand healthcare access. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Advocates look at next steps after Illinois law requiring halal, kosher options at state-run facilities left out of budget: But hurdles remain as the legislation requires state funding before lawmakers can enact a 12-month implementation period. “We’re just waiting for the appropriation to be made to really implement the program,” said state Rep. Kevin John Olickal, the primary sponsor for the bill in the Illinois House. “This is what we have to work on over the summer.” Olickal, a Chicago Democrat, said he and others who supported the bill understood it was a hard ask to make in an already difficult budget year. But because the bill exists in statute, it’s just a matter of pushing its priority through to the legislature, he added.

* Crain’s | Stratton raises $1M in U.S. Senate bid: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton says she’s raised just over $1 million in her campaign for the U.S. Senate. The campaign didn’t release an exact amount or details on donors, which should be available in filings later this month. The race to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in 2026 is already crowded. Stratton faces off against fellow Democrats U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a prodigious fundraiser who has amassed a war chest of more than $19 million, and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who had about $2 million on hand at the end of the first quarter, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

*** Statewide ***

* WNIJ | Illinois State Climatologist wonders how cuts to weather services could play into climate change.: Today, WNIJ Host Jason Cregier and Illinois State Climatologist Dr. Trent Ford discuss what federal funding cuts to weather services could mean for dealing with climate change. Ford says it’s a question worth posing and adds “there’s been a lot of back and forth and what federal policies are proposing.” The challenge he says is figuring out where the federal government is going on the matter. Proposed cuts have included zeroing out a lot of the climate research the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does.

* Tribune | In July 1: Tax hikes for gas, Zyn and betting. Out: Hotel mini shampoos: While Gov. JB Pritzker earlier this year ruled out across-the-board sales tax increases or another attempt to tax higher earners to cope with a tough financial year, several more tightly focused revenue hikes were included in the $55 billion budget passed by legislators in May and set to take effect July 1. As part of an annual increase tied to inflation, Illinois’ gas tax will increase by about 1 cent to just more than 48 cents per gallon. The tax on diesel fuel will also go up about 1 cent to just under 56 cents per gallon.

* Chicago Mag | Making Some “Illinoise”: Sufjan Stevens’s 2005 concept album about Illinois is indie folk, sure, but so much more: wonky time signatures, epic orchestral suites, vivid lyricism describing oft-forgotten figures in our state’s history, and iconically hokey cover art inviting listeners to “come on feel the Illinoise.” It’s a critical darling and fun for the whole family, especially if your family includes an Illinois history teacher. And if you’ve never driven down DuSable Lake Shore Drive at night blasting the anthemic earworm “Chicago,” I implore you to drop everything and do so now. I’ll wait.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Aurora Beacon-News | Eddie Perez announces run for Illinois State Senate 42nd District seat: Edgardo “Eddie” Perez, a U.S. Air Force veteran who currently works at the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, announced Monday that in the 2026 general election he will be running as a Republican for Illinois State Senate in the 42nd District. State Senate District 42 covers a large chuck of Aurora as well as parts of other towns along the Fox River from St. Charles to Yorkville. Currently serving as the state senator for the district is Linda Holmes, a Democrat who has held the seat since she was first elected in 2006.

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois to roll out direct admissions program for most state universities: Illinois students won’t need to fill out applications for most state universities to be admitted — if they have high enough grades. With his signature, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday approved a bill creating the direct admissions program. Along with it, he approved bills that implement new state standards for programs offering college credits to high school students, and new requirements for financial aid application assistance.

* WGN | New laws aim to make higher education easier for Illinois students: “Today, we’re making it cheaper and easier to go to college,” Pritzker said. “Preventing headaches for parents and students and tearing down the hurdles for people to reach their full potential.” Peggy Heinrich, President of Elgin Community College, praised the second of four bills passed, which applies new standards to dual credit programs for high school students.

* KSDK | New law invites Illinois counties to join Indiana, but chances are ‘almost nonexistent,’ expert says: A new law takes effect in Indiana on Tuesday that invites counties in Illinois to join the Hoosier State. The counties include Madison, Calhoun and Clinton. While it’s an interesting discussion, many experts said the likelihood of this happening is slim to none. Christopher Duncan, Saint Louis University political science professor, said it would be pretty difficult because even though the Indiana governor signed the bill into law, it would still require approval from both state legislatures and Congress.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Chicago ended 2024 with a $161M deficit: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s already gaping budget hole will be even tougher to fill heading into next year as City Hall officials on Monday closed the book on the 2024 fiscal year, showing the city’s general fund was $161 million underwater. Major sources of revenues in the city’s general fund came in far lower than anticipated, most notably a $175 million pension payment that City Hall wanted Chicago Public Schools to pay back but didn’t, and a $165 million drop in personal property replacement taxes from the state. In all, general fund revenues in the $16.77 billion budget were $378 million lower than the city expected.

* Sun-Times | City Hall wrapped up 2024 with a zero balance in its operating checkbook: Chicago closed the books on 2024 with an unassigned balance of zero for the first time in recent memory, in part because the Chicago Public Schools failed to reimburse the city for a $175 million pension payment for non-teaching school employees. At the end of 2023, the unassigned balance not yet dedicated for a specific purpose was $226.6 million, even after Johnson followed his predecessor Lori Lightfoot’s lead by devoting $306.6 million to a “pension advance” that exceeded Chicago’s statutory requirement.

* Crain’s | Audit reveals Chicago blew through a key budget reserve in 2024: To cover that loss, the city’s so-called unassigned fund balance, which has been dipped into to cover emergency costs and help close budget gaps over the years, was completely wiped out and finished 2024 without a dollar in the account, city officials told reporters today. Johnson’s financial team sought to downplay the consequences of the move in a briefing with reporters ahead of the audit’s release.

* If you need it click here for background. Jeremy Gorner…

UPDATE: On Monday, after our story on Johnson’s lobbying team was published online, one of the lobbyists we highlighted in the story filed paperwork with the Illinois secretary of state’s office to register the city of Chicago as one of his clients. https://t.co/M52FiEqhON

— Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) June 30, 2025

* Tribune | Chicago Housing Authority gives another big payout to terminated executive: Another recently departed Chicago Housing Authority executive has received a hefty payout from the agency, marking the 10th exited senior leader to obtain a settlement in the last five years and topping off the agency’s payout expenditures at more than $868,000. Ann McKenzie, CHA’s former chief development officer, was terminated from her role Feb. 14, the agency disclosed in June through public records, and received roughly four and a half months of severance pay, according to her separation agreement. The Tribune first reported her departure in February. CHA did not provide an explanation for her termination, nor do public records show any history of disciplinary action.

* Block Club | ‘Loose Cannon’ Lifeguard Who Shot 2 Teens At Pool Previously Shot Dogs In Lakeview, Sources Say: Michaels told Block Club she was talking to two neighbors after taking out the trash when a man approached with a “weird” demeanor. Michaels said the dogs never approached the man and she doesn’t believe they were acting aggressive. “He was being really weird, so they just barked,” Michaels said of the shooter. “I was like ‘come on guys, let’s go inside,’ and he turns and he grabs his gun and starts shooting.”

* WTTW | What’s the Story Behind Chicago’s Piping Plovers?: There used to be a few thousand of them, spread across the entire Great Lakes, but then people took away a lot of the beaches where they lived — building houses, hotels, marinas and resorts. By 1986, there were only about a dozen piping plover pairs left in the Great Lakes, all of them nesting in Michigan. The future looked so bleak for our feathered friends that they were officially added to the Endangered Species list.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Northwestern University president to appear again before Congress in August: Northwestern University President Michael Schill is slated to appear for a second time before a congressional committee over alleged antisemitism on campus. Schill will participate in an interview with the House Committee on Education & Workforce on Aug. 5, according to a Northwestern spokesperson. Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., first sent a letter to Schill to testify in April, accusing Northwestern of failing to fulfill its commitment to protect Jewish students.

* State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke: Cook County has new tools in the fight for reproductive freedom: The Cook County state’s attorney’s office is responding to this threat head-on by creating the Choice Protection Unit (CPU). The CPU brings together seasoned attorneys, investigators and victim/witness specialists from every division of our office. In addition to their current caseloads, these public servants have volunteered to participate in trainings, collaborate with experts, and stay abreast of current legal issues and legislative initiatives so that when these crimes are committed in Cook County, we will be prepared to successfully prosecute them with the full force of our office. The CPU will also monitor and analyze the evolving legal landscape so that we can respond swiftly and effectively as new threats and tactics emerge.

* Daily Southtown | Blue Island distributes water sampling kits in effort to eliminate lead lines: Blue Island resident Sarah Haskell said she avoids letting her 1-year-old son drink tap water, as she is worried about contamination of lead in water lines. Instead, she keeps a Brita water filter on hand in her refrigerator. When Blue Island expanded its water sampling procedures mid-June, distributing lead and copper test kits to 60 randomly selected households as part of a project aiming to replace all water lead lines, Haskell said she was relieved.

* Daily Herald | Kelvin Roston Jr. pays tribute to soul great Donny Hathaway at Northlight Theatre: Kelvin Roston Jr. channels singer/songwriter, Chicago native and soul legend Donny Hathaway (“A Song for You,” “This Christmas”) in “Twisted Melodies,” a solo show that Roston created. It unfolds over one day in 1979, the year Hathaway — who was also known for his collaborations with Roberta Flack (“Where is the Love?” “The Closer I Get to You”) — died. Ron OJ Parson directs Northlight Theatre’s production. Note: This production includes themes some audiences may find challenging.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Westville library awarded grant to improve technology, internet accessibility: The Westville Public Library District was awarded a tech grant from the Illinois Secretary of State. It’s getting around $30,000 to help improve the library experience. State officials said the grant’s purpose is to buy things like new software and technology and increasing internet accessibility. The library’s director said he’s not sure what they’ll be spending their money on but the goal is to get the community involved.

* WCIA | ‘Sometimes we would cry’: Danville says goodbye to Bresee Tower: Now that the tower is gone, many are wondering: what’s next? Several people in Danville voiced their opinions, but Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. said to be patient — because he’s hoping for something special. Breese Tower has been topping the city’s skyline for more than 100 years. Nearly two months ago construction crews started demolishing the building, which Williams said was a long time coming.

* WGLT | As energy prices rise, Ecology Action Center brings back a residential group buy solar program: EAC Energy Coordinator Michael Bay said they did partner with the state in recent years for the Illinois Shines program, but they were not able to partner with any other organization during that time. “But our partnership with Illinois Shines ended, I believe, at the end of last year, which gave us the opportunities to partner with MREA again and restart the program,” Bay said. “And we want to do it with them because it’s been a successful program … so we wanted to get started again.”

* BND | Madison County explosion leaves family of five injured and without a home: Samantha Romero, who lives directly across the street from the home and said she was awakened by the explosion, said her aunt and uncle had complained to Ameren Illinois about the smell of gas in the house. “This could have been prevented,” Romero said. “They had trouble smelling gas in the house. They kept complaining to the gas company. They came out and kept saying everything was OK.”

*** National ***

* NBC | Supreme Court turns away online censorship claim by RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine group against Meta: The justices left in place lower court rulings that tossed out the lawsuit, which claimed that Facebook, starting in 2019, colluded with the federal government to restrict access to its content. The issue came to a head during the Covid-19 pandemic, with Facebook removing the group’s page in 2022. […] Lower courts, including the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, ruled in favor of Meta, saying there was no evidence of coordination with the government, meaning it was not a “state actor” bound by the First Amendment.

* The Hill | Focus turns to Murkowski as vote-a-rama stretches to 21 hours: In recent hours, the focus has turned to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), whose vote one senator described as a “coin flip.” Late Monday, a group of conservatives huddled with Thune as it became clear an amendment they were pushing to further reduce Medicaid spending did not have the votes to pass.

* Politico | Lisa Murkowski slams the brakes on the GOP megabill: The Alaska senator has been the subject of an intense whip effort by GOP leaders over the past couple of hours as they try to offer her reassurances on Medicaid and food assistance. Thune, Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso talked to Murkowski on the floor for roughly an hour overnight. Thune and Murkowski huddled briefly in his office, and they were mum on details when they emerged shortly before 4 a.m.