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Turning Promise Into Progress For Illinois Students
Thursday, Aug 20, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Thank you, Governor Pritzker and members of the General Assembly for taking an important step forward for Illinois students with a $26 million investment in free, healthy school meals, a $17 million increase and the largest expansion in over a decade. Your leadership is turning policy into meaningful action, helping schools provide nutritious meals that support students’ health, learning, and success every day. At a time when families and educators are facing growing challenges, this investment demonstrates a strong commitment to the well-being of Illinois children. This significant progress begins to fulfill the promise established in 2023 to expand access to healthy school meals and shows what is possible when leaders prioritize the health and success of students. While this investment marks an important milestone, more work remains to fully fund school meals and ensure every child has reliable access to the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and thrive. We look forward to building on this momentum together to make that vision is a reality for every Illinois student. Learn more at: https://www.healthyschoolmealsil.com/
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Aug 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois regulators propose allowing licensed cannabis producers to grow outdoors. Tribune…
- Outdoor cultivation is common in other states that have legalized cannabis, from California to Michigan. Researchers say it could save up to 76% of the energy used on indoor cultivation, helping the state towards its goal of reducing net carbon emissions. It could also lower prices for consumers. - The growing area must be fully enclosed by a continuous chain-link fence at least 8 feet high and topped with razor wire or other security wire; and screened or covered so that it’s out of public view from nearby streets or roads. Sponsored by Chronic Care Policy Alliance It’s a fact: obesity is a chronic disease. Access to FDA-approved obesity treatments shouldn’t depend on a patient’s financial situation. A recent study of Illinois voters found:
- 81% believe access to obesity treatment is especially important for communities facing higher rates of chronic disease. - 78% agree that when programs like Medicaid cover obesity medicines, they help improve lives and lead to better health outcomes down the road. Expanding access to obesity medicines through Medicaid can help eligible patients receive the care they need to manage a chronic disease and prevent long-term complications. Learn why Illinois policymakers should provide Medicaid coverage for obesity medicines and help ensure every eligible patient has access to treatment. * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Illinois Times | Unamended consequences: The 2050 planners explain that only about 10% of Springfield’s population and housing units are found within a mile of the downtown core. Most of Springfield’s peer small rural capital cities, such as Des Moines or Madison, in contrast, sustain larger shares of their populations downtown “and are growing those concentrations at a faster annual rate” than Springfield. The 2050 plan does not explain that one of the reasons there are not more people living in downtown Springfield is that the state incited (and the city permitted) the destruction of hundreds of dwellings around the Statehouse beginning in the 1970s, when that neighborhood was mostly residential. * WGLT | Wind farm development could resume in Central Illinois: A federal judge has ordered the Pentagon to lift its freeze on reviewing onshore wind project permits and to end delays that have brought U.S. wind power development to a standstill, including projects in Central Illinois. Johnston said that could make a difference, though the moratorium has not so far been terribly disruptive. “These are projects that have been in the works for a long time, and I’m hoping that that moratorium really serves as just a blip and that the organizations that were looking to come to McLean County, that it did not disrupt their plans at all,” said Johnston. * KWQC | Pritzker in talks with Tyson on repurposing Joslin facility after sudden closure: Pritzker attributed the cost of beef across the country as the reason for the plant’s closure. “It’s a tragedy that was caused by the very high cost of beef across the country. You saw that they unfortunately closed not just that facility, but one in Utah,” Pritzker said. “They’re selling off one in Washington. This is really terrible for the people who live in Joslin. We’re doing everything that we can to lift them up.” * WCIA | IL Attorney General releases audit into U of I’s Discovery Partners Institute: The Illinois Auditor General has released the results of an audit into the University of Illinois’ Discovery Partners Institute, after Senator Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) initiated the audit last year. In 2024, the institute announced it was shifting away from its plan to build a tech hub on the south side of Chicago. Rose said the move prompted him to ask questions about the money being spent on the plan. Now, the audit’s results show each payment toward the development of DPI’s development, known as “The 78” was accurate and accounted for. It shows nearly $50 million was spent on architectural plans, construction and salaries before the project was scrapped. * WGN | Health advocates protest Chicago HIV and AIDS care funding cuts: The AIDS Health Care Foundation staged a protest the morning of Aug. 19, outside the Chicago Board of Health’s meeting in the Loop. Earlier in the year, the organization filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Department of Public Health after it ended grant programs that funded care for HIV and AIDS patients. These cuts have hit the city’s South and West sides the hardest. “These are real people that we’re talking about. These are real systems that have been critically adjusted. There are folks who have fallen out of care, and the question remains, ‘Does the city really care about these communities?’” * Sun-Times | No clear leader in race for Chicago School Board president, poll finds: A third of likely voters in November’s elections have no idea which of the five candidates for Chicago School Board president they’d vote for, or if they’d vote at all, according to a poll released Thursday that provides one of the first looks at the state of the historic contest. The survey of 600 likely voters, which was commissioned by candidate Sendhil Revuluri’s campaign and conducted last week, found that even after hearing brief biographies about each candidate pulled from campaign materials, 34% of likely voters remained undecided or said they’d skip voting in the race. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Board of Education 101: Know the basics of the soon-to-be elected board guiding Chicago Public Schools: A desire for better representation on Chicago’s school board — rather than unceasing mayoral control — played a large part in adding more members. To determine how those members would represent different parts of Chicago, state lawmakers passed separate legislation in March 2024 dividing the city into electoral districts. * Crain’s | Chicago apartment sales jump 91% as rent growth draws investor confidence: Investors traded nearly $2.5 billion worth of Chicago-area apartment buildings in the first half of 2026, a 91% increase from the first six months of 2025, according to data from real estate services firm Newmark, which tracks deals of more than $15 million or 50 units. * Sun-Times | Jesse White Tumbling Team eliminated from ‘America’s Got Talent’: The Jesse White Tumbling Team’s journey on Season 21 of “America’s Got Talent” ended on Wednesday night as the Chicago troupe did not advance to the semifinal rounds of the hit reality/competition series. The outcome was revealed during the show’s first results round telecast. The team’s disappointment was palpable as their hopeful smiles dissolved into heartbreak as the news was announced. * ABC Chicago | Itasca police officer accused of misusing Flock technology, no longer employed by department: Village officials said during an internal audit of the Itasca Police Department, officials discovered that a law enforcement officer allegedly used the department’s technology systems “for a purpose that was not authorized.” “Upon learning of these actions, the Village immediately placed the involved officer on administrative leave while it conducted an internal investigation,” the village said. “The officer is no longer employed by the Itasca Police Department, and per department policy, the matter was turned over to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office for review.” * Daily Herald | Anti-Flock signs removed as Rolling Meadows debates license plate cameras: City leaders say the signs were on public property and rights-of-way — particularly, the parkway grass areas between sidewalks and street curbs — where municipal code prohibits political campaign signs, real estate signs and contractor signs, among others. Organizers of the no-camera campaign admit many placards were placed near the street and on public property — indeed, 15 had arrows pointing up to identify individual cameras — but accused city hall of selective enforcement. * ABC Chicago | Ex-Cook County commissioner accuses Treasurer Maria Pappas of intimidation in complaint over texts: The dispute began after Pappas sent Boykin a series of text messages over the weekend in response to a letter Boykin wrote earlier this month on behalf of mayoral candidate Willie Wilson. The letter criticized Pappas and several other public officials for seeking re-election to their current offices while also pursuing a mayoral campaign. While Pappas has not formally launched a mayoral campaign, she has indicated she plans to run. * Daily Herald | Bartlett has no marijuana dispensaries. It could soon have two at the same intersection: Bartlett trustees are expected to vote Sept. 1 on whether to allow the village’s first pot dispensary at the northeast corner of Route 59 and Army Trail Road. Just two days later, the village’s planning and zoning commission is scheduled to review a proposal for another dispensary at the southeast corner of Route 59 and Army Trail. If built, the dispensaries would be less than 1,500 feet apart. Typically, the state doesn’t issue licenses to recreational marijuana businesses that close to each other, according to Kurt Asprooth, Bartlett’s village attorney. The state usually licenses the dispensary that successfully applies first, he said. * WGLT | McLean County, city and town have more work to resolve shared sales tax dispute: A clean audit of the McLean County Mental Health and Public Safety Fund won’t wipe away all the disagreements over how the county spends sales tax money shared by Bloomington and Normal. McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said the audit adequately captured what has been happening in the fund and that it shows expenditures happened appropriately. Johnston said as long as the contract continues between the City of Bloomington, Town of Normal and the county, the auditor believes the fund will remain able to meet contractual obligations for criminal justice records handling technology and mental health programs. * Tribune |: A major ethanol refinery on the Illinois River near Peoria has been ordered to fund efforts to restore its wetlands and floodplain after an eight-year legal fight over alleged water discharges up to 40 degrees hotter than permitted, threatening aquatic life. “Rivers can’t speak in court, so we speak for them,” said Robert Hirschfeld, director of water policy at Prairie Rivers Network. * WPSD | Southern Illinois winery permanently closing, cites property tax burden: After nearly two decades as a Southern Illinois hospitality destination, Walker’s Bluff is closing its Winery and Legends permanently on Wednesday, with the owners saying rising property taxes made it impossible to continue operating. [….] Walker’s Bluff CEO Brad Elders told board members the property tax bill had reached about $194,000, approximately $14,200 more than the previous year. He described what the financial strain meant for longtime employees. * WAND | New Unit 4 superintendent addresses registration delays amid residency checks: Champaign School District Unit 4 said hundreds of students have not started school because their parents or guardians cannot prove they live in the district, and it has requested three residency documents. Board member Betsy Holder said in a Facebook post Tuesday that an estimated 750 students are being removed from Unit 4 schools because they do not live within the boundary lines. * WAND | Decatur begins first comprehensive plan update since 2009: Lacie Elzy, director of economic and community development for the City of Decatur, said it is a long-range plan and a roadmap for how the community wants to reinvest in itself and develop over the next 10 to 20 years. “It also gives us, by giving us a policy and a roadmap to follow,” Elzy said. “So, you know, in future years when we are looking at grant funds that are available, when we are looking at budgets and we’re looking at projects coming down the pipeline, we can go back to this document and really be intentional with those investments.” * Capitol City Now | 1,500-pound steer is star of Sale of Champions at Illinois State Fair: Eighteen-month-old Badger (pictured) weighs about 1,500 pounds and is, says Gensini, “the best boy ever.” Soon enough, he’ll be the best steaks and hamburgers distributed at Illinois food banks. While the other animals and commodities at the annual event are auctioned off, the custom the last few years has been for Gov. Pritzker and the First Lady to donate $105,000.
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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Wednesday, Aug 19, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Music brings people together, and Mike’s Music has been a cornerstone of Southern Illinois’ music community for decades. Mike Ricci has spent more than 30 years sharing his expertise at his store in Carbondale. Whether you’re picking up your very first guitar, upgrading your gear, scheduling lessons, or looking for expert instrument repairs, Mike and his team are dedicated to helping musicians of every age and skill level. Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Mike in Carbondale are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Aug 19, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Pritzker signs disaster proclamation to aid recovery after months of ‘relentless and unprecedented’ storms. Sun-Times…
- The declaration would free up more state funds and resources for those recovering from weeks of severe weather. It also expedites the contract and procurement process for local governments to help speed recovery efforts. - The state’s Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will all assist the listed 15 counties in recovering from the three months of storms, as part of the order. Sponsored by Chronic Care Policy Alliance It’s a fact: obesity is a chronic disease. Access to FDA-approved obesity treatments shouldn’t depend on a patient’s financial situation. A recent study of Illinois voters found:
- 81% believe access to obesity treatment is especially important for communities facing higher rates of chronic disease. - 78% agree that when programs like Medicaid cover obesity medicines, they help improve lives and lead to better health outcomes down the road. Expanding access to obesity medicines through Medicaid can help eligible patients receive the care they need to manage a chronic disease and prevent long-term complications. Learn why Illinois policymakers should provide Medicaid coverage for obesity medicines and help ensure every eligible patient has access to treatment. * At 9 am, Governor JB Pritzker will speak at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association Brunch. At 11 am, he will attend a naturalization oath ceremony at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. At 11:30 am, the governor will host Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. * CBS Chicago | Pentagon orders “research security audit” at University of Illinois, 29 other schools: On Monday, the Department of Defense announced the audit, and said it is “designed to protect American taxpayer-funded research investments from unauthorized technology transfer, intellectual property theft and adversarial exploitation. “The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has received a letter from the Department of War,” their spokesperson, Pat Wade shared with CBS News Chicago in a statement. […] The Pentagon didn’t name the schools being audited, but a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters told the Associated Press they include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. * WAND | Pritzker signs bill closing gaps in protection for domestic violence survivors: “We want to make sure that those survivors have the security that is intended and was granted to them by the court,” said Jennifer Welch from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Delays in service can leave the victim unprotected and make it more difficult for law enforcement and the legal system to respond to abuse, harm and harassment.” * Cook County Record | Madigan’s convicted ex-top deputy can’t get his IL state pension back: A Cook County judge has ruled that Tim Mapes, the convicted chief of staff for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, cannot get his six-figure state pension back. Mapes, who for decades served as the right hand for Madigan and also served a stint as the Illinois Democratic Party’s executive director, filed a lawsuit in August 2025 in Cook County Circuit Court alleging the State Employees Retirement System and its board wrongly stripped him of his pension after he was convicted of perjury for allegedly attempting to obstruct federal criminal proceedings against his former boss. * WGN | Campaign season kicks off at the Illinois State Fair: Major players in campaign and government will descend on Springfield this week to rally support ahead of the November general election. Democrats will gather Wednesday morning for their annual brunch with the Illinois County Chairs’ Association. Sen. Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts will headline the events. Party leaders are also expected to honor Sen. Dick Durbin, who is retiring in January after a political career that spans four decades. * WSPY | State representative could be making return to local politics: The Kendall County Democrats say that Kifowit is gathering petition signatures to run for the Oswego Village Board among other returning candidates in 2027. Kifowit is not seeking reelection to the Illinois Statehouse. She had failed to win the Democratic nomination in a run for Illinois Comptroller earlier this year. * 25News Now | Independent candidate for governor seeks to break 2 party grip on Illinois politics: Corbett is the third independent candidate for Illinois governor to make the ballot in 86 years. Regardless of the November election’s outcome, he said his campaign is focused on building a long-term independent majority. * Tribune | Excessive odors and landfill fires are next round in Southeast Side’s battle against pollution: On Aug. 5, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the city of Chicago sued A-F Acquisition LLC, which operates under the name Pullman Innovations. The lawsuit alleged that the company allowed excessive odors, caused illegal air pollution, constructed a boiler without a permit that could cause or contribute to air pollution, and violated certain conditions of the operating permit at its Chicago facility, according to a news release. Two days later, the attorney general issued another news release announcing a lawsuit against three companies alleging they endangered the environment and public safety by allowing fires to break out at the Harbor View waste facility, a closed landfill site about 4 miles from Pullman Innovations. * WTTW | Ethics Board Investigating Mayoral Hopeful John Kelly for Filming Campaign Videos in Chicago Fire Stations: Kelly defended the videos in an appearance on “Chicago Tonight” Monday, hours after his campaign posted a video to his social media accounts taken at a fire station in Gage Park. That video showed him riding on a Chicago Fire Department truck’s aerial platform, which is used to rescue fire victims from high rises and during other emergencies or to extinguish flames from above. “That wasn’t a campaign video, this is part of my tour of the city of Chicago,” Kelly said, reiterating his pledge to visit all 96 fire stations in Chicago. “We’re there as a private citizen, asking them questions. We don’t distribute any kind of campaign literature. We don’t ask them for signatures. What we’re doing is talking to the Chicago firemen, because elected officials are not talking to them. I’m prepared to take those kind of political hits.” * Tribune | Mob-connected, Chicago businessman indicted on tax charges alleging hidden interest in sweepstakes gaming: A mob-connected Chicago businessman has been indicted on tax evasion charges alleging he had a hidden interest in a sweepstakes gaming company run by the now-imprisoned son-in-law of Joe Berrios, the former Cook County assessor. Robert “Bobby” Dominic, 71, a longtime associate of the Outfit’s Grand Avenue crew known for his connections to Richard’s Bar on the Near West Side, was charged in a five-count indictment made public Tuesday in U.S. District Court with tax evasion and failure to file tax returns. * Press release | Statement on CPS Canceling plans to rollout of Google Gemini: Illinois Families for Public Schools is pleased that Chicago Public Schools has pulled their plan to roll out Google Gemini for all high school students districtwide for the start of the new school year. We appreciate this rapid reversal. We began sharing information about this rollout just over two weeks ago and made an action tool available on August 13th for parents to write to the district about it. * Blooomberg | Longtime Chicago auto tech firm CCC draws takeover interest: Copart Inc. is in talks to acquire CCC Intelligent Solutions Holdings Inc., the car-insurance software provider that has been weighing selling itself, according to people familiar with the matter. Dallas-based Copart, which specializes in used and salvaged car sales and has a market value of roughly $30 billion, has been vying with several private equity firms including GTCR and Veritas Capital about acquiring Chicago-based CCC, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. * AP | Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to Chicago and 500 other US cities: Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems. * Tribune | Jesse White Tumblers take the stage in ‘America’s Got Talent’ live quarterfinals: Tuesday’s episode marked one of four quarterfinal shows that will determine which acts will advance to the semifinals next month. Unlike the auditions, which are prerecorded and at the will of the judges alone, advancing out of the quarterfinals rests with voting viewers. From here on out, public votes will decide who stays and who goes. Well, for the most part. In each quarterfinal episode, judges will select one act they want to send straight through to the finale, while three more acts will advance to the semifinals based on an audience vote. Results will be announced Wednesday night. * Daily Herald | Some drivers skeptical of need for hefty toll hikes as decision looms: If approved, I-PASS passenger vehicle tolls would be raised from on average 7 cents per mile to 11 cents, or 57% more, and truckers would see a 30% jump in 2027. In addition, inflation-related hikes tied to the Consumer Price Index would be levied every two years beginning in 2029. * Evanston Roundtable | Former Councilmember Jane Grover announces mayoral campaign: Former Seventh Ward Councilmember Jane Grover announced Friday that she will run for mayor in next year’s crowded special election to succeed departing Mayor Daniel Biss, staking out a return to municipal office after leaving over a decade ago to work for a regional planning agency. Grover, 63, sent an email announcement Friday that pitches her as bringing “the broad perspective and deep experience” needed to address the city’s problems, and specifically calls out stabilizing city finances, making services more responsive and capitalizing on “opportunities to move Evanston forward” as key focuses. * Daily Herald | From sweet to sour: Ownership dispute over shuttered Sugar Factory in Rosemont: Killerman sued the Rizzos for misappropriation of funds and breach of fiduciary duty; the Rizzos sued him for the same. The Sugar Factory franchisor sued everyone for not paying fees to continue to use the restaurant name and branding. Those matters are now before an arbitrator in Florida. * Daily Herald | Mental health board question in Elk Grove Township on the ballot in November: The Elk Grove Township Board voted at the 11th hour on Monday to place a referendum question about establishing a township mental health board on the November ballot. If voters approve, Elk Grove Township would join other townships, including Wheeling and Palatine, in establishing a board serving the needs of residents with mental health disorders, developmental disabilities, or substance use disorders. * WICS | Paxton Faces Flood Damage, Drainage Concerns: Mayor Bill Ingold said city crews are going door to door documenting damage at homes and businesses. That information will be combined to determine the financial impact of the flooding and help make a case for assistance. “We feel like having a bigger number, dollar number, is going to be more impactful … and then we’re going to be able to take it to the state, to the county level and into the state to see if we can get some aid for those people,” said Ingold. * WGLT | Assistant Bloomington Police chief on leave pending lawsuit alleging false arrest, First Amendment violations: A video shared with WGLT by Chicago-based attorney Jared Kosoglad, who is representing Chubb and Higgins, appears to show Williams leaning into a vehicle displaying his badge. The person holding the camera asks Williams multiple times to identify himself and state his badge number. The video then shows Williams walking away. He’s wearing a plaid shirt, khaki shorts and flip flops. Williams approached the vehicle, the suit said, startling Chubb and Higgins when his police badge hit the car. Chubb, the driver, and Higgins, who was in the passenger seat, began filming Williams and verbally criticized him, the suit said, but neither person “threatened Williams, touched him, obstructed him, damaged property of engaged in violence.” * WAND | Champaign Unit 4 voters to consider $192 million school referendum: A nearly $200 million price tag is what the Champaign Unit 4 School Board will ask voters to consider in November. “We are 120-plus students over capacity right now in the three middle schools we have. Jefferson and Franklin each have four trailers outside the schools, and they have been there for 25 years,” said School Board President Tony Bruno. * ABC | Fake polling from mysterious company highlights danger of unvetted election surveys: On Kalshi, the price of a “yes” contract on Bass winning the Los Angeles mayoral election rose two cents, from about 63 cents to about 65 cents, within fifteen minutes of Median’s post. On Polymarket, roughly twenty separate accounts traded thousands of contracts in Bass’s favor six minutes after the tweet. In the days leading up to Bass’s post about Median, trading on the LA mayoral election had been thin, with a typical trade over that week being under ten dollars. While the price movements were small, the concentration of trading on both platforms shortly after the release of Median’s fake poll was not. * NC Newsline | Four prominent NC lobbyists indicted over bourbon-tasting junket: According to the indictments, Ferrell and Heath “unlawfully and willfully” directed their respective principals, North Carolina Spirits Association and beverage giant Diageo, to provide money to a group called Greater Carolina to “directly and indirectly” pay for lawmakers’ travel expenses, hotels accommodations and meals. Miskew and Wilkinson are accused of directing their respective principals, Churchill Downs and the Sazerac Company of Louisville, KY, to pay for events directly benefiting the legislators and other lobbyists and staff on the junket.
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