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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Have a great weekend… Or the wife of a close friend, wife of a close friend
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Pritzker responds to Tribune story, wants LIG report released
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. From Gov. Pritzker’s spokesperson…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Will County Democratic Party…
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* Center Square | Secretary of State dismisses calls for clarity on migrant’s license status: “These are boldface lies. This individual was never issued an Illinois driver’s license, period. Using a family’s tragedy to manufacture a false political narrative is deceitful, reprehensible, and does nothing to improve public safety,” Giannoulias said. He went on to say Illinoisans can respect immigrant communities while the state also holds bad actors to account. * Marijuana Herald | Illinois Cannabis Sales Reach $763 Million in First Half of 2026 as Prices Fall to Record Low: Illinois’ legal cannabis market generated approximately $131 million in combined medical and adult-use sales in June, bringing total sales for the first half of 2026 to roughly $763 million, according to new data released today by the Illinois Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer. The state recorded $118 million in adult-use cannabis sales and $13 million in medical marijuana sales during June. Added to the $632 million in combined sales reported from January through May, the figures bring the six-month total to approximately $763 million. Despite a sharp decline in retail prices, June’s total was nearly identical to the $133 million in combined sales recorded during June 2025, indicating that increased purchasing volume has largely offset lower prices. * The Illinois State Bar Association | John S. Rendleman III (1958-2026): Having an unshakeable belief that government can be a force for good, John pursued public service. He ran as the Democratic Party’s nominee for Illinois State Representative in 1996. Not deterred from public service by a narrow loss, John pursued local politics, serving on the Jackson County Board for 18 years, and led the board as chairman from 2012-2018. * Illinois Answers Project | Chicago police failed to place troubled cop under strict supervision before he fatally shot partner: Carlos Baker was referred to a program that puts officers under intense oversight. Failing could mean “severe” discipline or firing. But Baker wasn’t enrolled before he shot Officer Krystal Rivera because a supervisor didn’t respond to an email. * Tribune | Chicago alderman critical of parking meter bidder’s ICE ties has own financial link to ICE: Conway has a multimillion-dollar stake in GrizzlyRock Capital LLC, a private investment firm run by a friend that has $7.5 million invested in Amentum Holdings, a massive government contractor that now runs Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, according to a Tribune analysis. It’s similar to the financial tie the moderate alderman has already criticized — and a connection that highlights the far-reaching economic web at many of the largest financial institutions in the world that undergirds Trump’s deportation efforts. * Crain’s | Amazon nears deal for vertical warehouse next to Goose Island: Amazon is closing in on a deal to buy a high-profile warehouse between Goose Island and the Kennedy Expressway, a move that would bolster its local network of distribution centers with a big new hub close to downtown. The Seattle-based e-commerce giant is in advanced talks to purchase a vacant, multistory industrial building at 1237 W. Division St., according to people familiar with the negotiations. The 571,423-square-foot vertical warehouse facility has sat empty since its 2024 completion by Chicago-based developer Logistics Property, which hired brokers to sell it last fall. * Tribune | Wildfire smoke could leave northern Illinois by Friday afternoon as pollutant levels drop: Though conditions are slowly improving, the Chicago Park District announced Friday morning that Chicago beaches and pools will remain closed for a second day in a row, and that all day camps will be held indoors. The park district also said Osaka Garden, and both the Garfield Park Conservatory and Lincoln Park Conservatory will remain closed for the day. * Tribune | Opponents readying to fight proposed South Elgin data center: A data center proposed for 20 acres in South Elgin is to be reviewed by the village’s Planning and Zoning Commission next month, with opponents already gearing up for a fight. As of Friday morning, an online petition has been signed by more than 5,400 people who don’t support the Whiterose Partners proposal to annex the northwest corner of Kenyon Road and Route 25 into the village for the construction of a 200,000-square-foot data center facility. Kenyon Brothers Co., a Dallas-based developer that owns the property, submitted a conceptual plan for review at the commission’s Wednesday night meeting. However, the presentation was postponed due to concerns that there would not be enough parking to accommodate attendees of the meeting and a concert in the area at the same time. * Crain’s | More lawyers join Resilience legal scrum, delaying settlement and West Suburban reopening: Two new attorneys looking to enter the legal fight over Resilience Healthcare have dragged out a resolution on the operations and possible reopening of its shuttered West Suburban and Weiss Memorial hospitals. Cook County Judge Patrick Stanton had expressed hope that an undisclosed settlement agreement could have been ruled upon today, but that possibility was dashed with motions that will delay proceedings until at least July 28. * Crain’s | Evanston fines Northwestern University over long-vacant houses: The city of Evanston issued fines and citations to Northwestern University for eight houses that have long stood vacant, and in some cases are visibly in disrepair. An Evanston building inspection official filed 26 citations, eight of them carrying fines of $250 each, after inspecting the homes the week of July 6. The houses, on transitional blocks from campus to a residential neighborhood, have for years frustrated property owners who feel Northwestern should be a better caretaker, Crain’s reported in May. * Muddy River News | Supporters back Adams Co. Democratic Party Chair Kate Daniels at her first court appearance following altercation with GOP organizer: At the request of the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office, the judge also ordered Daniels not to have any contact with GOP organizer Roni Quinn. Daniels is accused of touching Quinn during a confrontation outside The Ambiance event center over questions about where protestors were allowed to stand. As originally reported by Muddy River News, an Adams County Sheriff’s deputy gave Daniels a notice that night to appear in court for disorderly conduct. * WSIL | Herrin House of Hope receives a $20,000 state grant: Herrin House of Hope has been awarded a $20,000 Charitable Trust grant through the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office, making it one of just 10 nonprofit organizations across Illinois selected to receive funding this year. It was also the only recipient in Southern Illinois. Executive Director John Steve said the grant will allow the organization to continue serving families experiencing food insecurity while expanding its impact throughout the region. * WCIA | Pilot hospitalized with ‘serious injuries’ after St. Joseph helicopter crash: WCIA 3 spoke with neighbors who live less than half a mile away from where the crash happened. The neighbors were watching the pilot crop dusting before going inside their home. Then, their power went out and one man immediately drove out to the scene. He said the pilot was hanging onto the frame of the helicopter when he got there. But, with a live powerline, no one was able to safely rescue him until Ameren cut the line. * PJ Star | An anonymous donation of $200,000 moves Princeville closer to saving its pool: The fundraising effort to restore the Princeville Aquatic Center has received a big splash that moves the campaign to 74% of its financial goal. The project received an anonymous donation of $200,000 – the largest single donation since the fundraising began. * Forbes | Flock CEO Apologizes For Calling Activists ‘Terrorists’: For the last two years, Will Freeman has been advocating against Flock Safety, an $8.3 billion surveillance company that tracks vehicles with a network of over 80,000 cameras. His organization, DeFlock, crowdsourced a map that shows where the company’s cameras are located, and helps local grassroots movements organize against Flock deployments. In an interview with Forbes last year, Flock CEO Garrett Langley described DeFlock as a “terroristic organization.” But now, as Flock faces an increasingly vitriolic public backlash, Langley says he regrets that label. * AP | MLB restricts using dugout iPads for AI-assisted in-game strategy: The tablets have access to video and league-provided data, and also included a custom tab where teams could access other programs. MLB made the custom tabs inaccessible to teams starting Wednesday night, when the second half of the season started. “In many cases, the custom tab had expanded the use of the dugout iPads beyond their originally intended purpose to include recommendations regarding substitutions, pitch calling, and other in-game decisions traditionally made by players and coaches,” MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Morgan Sword wrote in a June 11 memo to general managers, assistant GMs and video coordinators. * Bloomberg | Lab Closures Threaten Cyclospora Research as Parasite Outbreak Sickens Thousands: Food-safety experts warned that plans to shutter a US Department of Agriculture research facility will hinder efforts to protect consumers from the foodborne cyclospora parasite — a risk that’s underscored by the outbreak that’s spreading across the country. The agency is in the process of closing the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center just north of Washington, DC, and relocating its programs to facilities across the country under a restructuring plan announced last year. The center has two laboratories that play a significant role in investigating cyclospora as well as coordinating research with other federal agencies. * AP | Wildfire smoke kills tens of thousands of people a year. Here’s how it attacks the body: It attacks the body immediately, spiking asthma cases with increased ambulance runs within hours, swamps emergency rooms in a day or so with people suffering from heart attacks and other cardiovascular and lung issues, as well as mental health issues, doctors and scientists told The Associated Press. Smoke also harms pregnant women, increasing the risk of premature births and low-weight babies who could have breathing problems the rest of their lives, doctors and studies say. And then there are long-term risks connecting prolonged smoke and other air pollution exposure to some cancers and dementia. * NBC | Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin threatens states over elections: Expanding on President Donald Trump’s election speech a night earlier, Mullin said that the Department of Homeland Security had preliminarily determined there were more than 250,000 noncitizens on voting lists in at least four states: California, New Jersey, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
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Bears still playing stadium footsie
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Herald…
[From Rich: Just saying, but they could’ve had property tax certainty at Soldier Field because they don’t pay any property taxes at Soldier Field.] * Related… * Northwest Indiana Times | Northwest Indiana unions vow to oppose politicians who don’t back Bears stadium food tax: Randy Palmateer, who serves as business manager and executive director of the Northwest Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, said the 31 different trade unions that he represents and their thousands of members will not back any elected officials who do not back the food and beverage tax that would cost an extra $1 on a $100 restaurant tab — or any other aspects of the Bears stadium financing plan. […] “I just want to be clear that we’re not supporting any of those Porter County political candidates if they don’t support the Bears stadium or the food and beverage tax,” he said. “It’s just ridiculous some of the pushback we’re getting over there. We have thousands of members in Porter County. Building the stadium would mean jobs for them.” * Tribune | Can Indiana pay for a Bears stadium? Analysts ask how it will pay its debt as some residents balk at new taxes: In February, Indiana lawmakers approved a plan to spend up to $1 billion to build an enclosed stadium in Hammond for the Chicago Bears. The team pledged to pay $2 billion toward building the stadium, and would then lease the site but collect all of the operating revenue. But whether the planned taxes in the legislation would be enough to pay off the construction cost is highly uncertain, some analysts say. Just as whether the Bears will move to Indiana depends on whether Illinois will make a better offer, the financing of the Hammond site depends on a lot of unknowns. Chief among them, Propheter said, is the ultimate cost of buying land, building and maintaining a stadium and the lost opportunity of what else could be done with the money if it didn’t go toward the stadium. * NBC Chicago | Indiana officials confident in Bears’ stadium bid as focus moves to new site: Soil samples have been taken from the area and are being analyzed, and officials are hopeful that environmental issues encountered at other locations in Hammond will be addressed by shifting the project closer to the state line, with that site just 19 miles from downtown Chicago. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, who signed the bill earlier this year aimed at luring the Bears to the state, is continuing to publicly express confidence in the chances of getting the deal finalized.
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Turning Promise Into Progress For Illinois Students
Friday, Jul 17, 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
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Republican Darren Bailey treads water in governor’s race as GOP candidates struggle to raise campaign cash. Sun-Times…
- From April through June, the Pritzker campaign spent nearly $6.9 million on airtime and other advertising, records show. The second-largest expenditure was nearly $858,000 on payroll for 49 campaign staffers, several of whom previously worked in the governor’s office under Pritzker. - Bailey reported spending more than $914,000, roughly two-thirds of the total his campaign raised during the quarter, on direct mail fundraising and related postage. The campaign spent just $39,000 on the salaries of five staffers, plus another $26,000 on “general campaign consulting,” mostly paid to campaign strategist Jose Durbin. * Related stories… * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Tribune | Judges frequently order pretrial detention even when risk score is low: report: During the period observed in the report, Cook County judges ordered detention in nearly 74% of cases before them in that court call, which included most felonies for which prosecutors sought detention, except for homicides and some sex offenses which are heard in a different call. Further, the report found, judges ordered detention in nearly 60% of cases in which a pretrial risk assessment tool deemed defendants low risk for flight or further offenses. * The Atlantic | Canada’s Forests Will Burn and Burn: Wood-boring pests that flourish in milder climates have swept north and east, through tens of millions of acres. Droughts and dwindling snowpack have stressed the trees. They are ready to burn. Many people simply don’t grasp the sheer magnitude of the boreal forest or what it would take to manage fires across its enormous area, Jed Kaplan, a professor in the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary, told me: “You can’t control these fires. You cannot put personnel, fire engines, over an area that is the size of the entire American South, or something like that. It’s just way too big of an area.” * Fox Chicago | Not Live: Gov. J.B. Pritzker : FOX Chicago’s Lauren Scafidi sits down with Governor JB Pritzker for a candid 43-minute conversation you won’t see on the nightly news. From his childhood bedroom posters and high school theater days to deep-dish debates, the future of the Chicago Bears, passing out shots of Malört and taking Wes Moore to Wiener Circle, meet the human side of “JB.” * Press release | Illinois’s 2026 Prevailing Wage Rates Published: Each year, IDOL determines prevailing wage rates by reviewing total compensation—including hourly base wages and annualized fringe benefits—commonly paid to workers performing similar work on public works projects within each locality. […] To view the 2026 prevailing wage rates by county and construction trade, visit the Illinois Department of Labor’s Prevailing Wage Act Rates webpage. * WAND | Giannoulias, advocates call on Pritzker to sign auto insurance reform plan: Senate Bill 714 could ban insurance companies from increasing auto premiums by more than 10% without notifying consumers 30 days before their renewal date. The Illinois Department of Insurance would also be responsible for ensuring rates are fairer. “For years, Illinois families have watched their auto insurance premiums climb higher and higher even when they had spotless driving records, never filed a claim and did everything right,” Giannoulias said Thursday. * Obit: Long-time lobbyist Thomas Michael Patrick Nolan has died: * Tribune | Layoffs on table due to budget shortfall, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson administration officials say: While acknowledging the final shortfall wouldn’t firm up until next month, Budget Director Annette Guzman told aldermen at a Budget Committee meeting that they would need to find fresh cuts or revenues in order to close it before the end of the year. […] “If we’re looking at a $90 million gap, that equates to about 2,000 city jobs on the corporate fund, to be exact,” Guzman said, affecting workers at Streets and Sanitation, the Department of Transportation, and especially, the Chicago Police Department. “There’s no way to do it without hitting CPD. They’re the highest wage earners in the city and they also, percentage wise, have one of the largest workforces.” * Bolts | Chicago Police Promised to ‘Fix’ Secret Traffic Stops. A Year Later, the Problem Has Only Gotten Worse: In the two years since Reed’s death, the number of traffic stops by Chicago police each month has dropped by tens of thousands, and the department has proposed a traffic stop policy that imposes some restrictions on searching drivers but still allows officers to make stops for minor issues such as registration violations in search of evidence of unrelated crimes. Amid these changes, however, Chicago police have continued to conduct hundreds of thousands of off-the-books traffic stops, failing to disclose them to a state oversight agency in violation of Illinois law, Bolts and Injustice Watch have found. * Sun-Times | City Council deadline to accept or reject parking meter deal extended until Sept. 30: Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell (3rd) told her colleagues late Wednesday she was informed that the revised July 24 deadline had been extended for nine weeks by Mark Rotatori, a partner at Jones Day, the law firm retained by the Law Department to advise the City Council on the offer from Stonepeak Partners. * Sun-Times | Chicago’s top mayoral aides pull back on promise to make second half of pension advance in full: Acting Chief Financial Officer Steve Mahr said the city is conducting an analysis to determine when and how much it can afford to pay of the $130 million that remains on the $260 million pension advance at the center of the budget battle. * Bloomberg | Bank of America Exits Chicago Plan to Sell Overdue Parking Debt: Bank of America is no longer working with Chicago on the sale of debt owed to the city from fines and fees, and officials have been unable to advance the deal so far this year, according to the mayor’s office. The third-largest US city has been trying to sell about $1 billion in outstanding debt such as overdue parking tickets. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration had selected Bank of America as the placement agent for the sale and began talks about the work last month. Chicago now is “actively evaluating alternative options,” according to a July 7 letter from Comptroller Michael Belsky to the city council. * Tribune | Illinois elections officer recommends Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez’s name not be on 4th District ballot: A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections block independent candidate Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez from the ballot in the 4th Congressional District contest to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García. The recommendation determined Sigcho-Lopez did not gather enough valid signatures to make the November ballot. The decision is not final, but undermines Sigcho-Lopez’s candidacy just days after another election judge made a similar recommendation for fellow independent candidate Mayra Macías. * Block Club Chicago | Will City Council Scale Back Mayor’s Proposed Protections For Renters?: Fair and Accountable Illinois Rental Ordinance sponsors — which include 16 of the 31 members of the coalition that blocked Johnson’s budget — argued Johnson’s proposal would increase the cost of owning and developing rental housing, expenses they said would ultimately be passed on to tenants through higher rents. Instead, the coalition believes the Fair and Accountable Illinois Rental Ordinance would preserve protections against abusive landlords while eliminating relocation fees and other requirements they believe could discourage building and hurt the city’s housing supply. * ABC Chicago | Chicago air quality remains at hazardous levels from Canadian wildfire smoke: The smoke and haze blanketing the Chicago area is causing low visibility and could create some delays here at O’Hare Airport. The unhealthy conditions are not only disrupting travel, but also interrupting many outdoor activities. The pollution forced several major events in the city to be rescheduled, including a Millennium Park summer music series performance and the Chicago Fire match at Soldier Field. * ABC Chicago | Mag Mile comeback: Magnificent Mile vacancy rates decline as new retailers fuel comeback: Vacancy rates on the Magnificent Mile have fallen from pandemic-era highs as new retailers, attractions and investments continue to fill storefronts along North Michigan Avenue, according to data analyzed by the I-Team and industry reports. Empty storefronts have been a persistent challenge for downtown Chicago in recent years, with politicians and real estate experts attributing the problem to the pandemic, oversized retail spaces in an increasingly online marketplace, high property taxes and, according to some, crime concerns. * WBEZ | Spending in Chicago school board election exceeds $1.6 million as limits lift in race for board president: With attorney Victor Henderson loaning $500,000 to his own campaign, the race to lead the city’s first fully elected school board has no donation limits. Super PACs gearing up to get involved in the board elections haven’t started spending big yet. * NBC Chicago | Trump admin defends ICE detention of 22-year-old woman: The Trump administration is responding to the case of a young woman detained in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility as her Chicago-based lawyer is fighting to secure her release. Maria Rosa Lopez was 17 years old when she fled El Salvador alone and came to the U.S. in 2021, eventually settling in Illinois. The federal government granted her Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, or SIJ status, a protection Congress created in 1990 for abused, abandoned and neglected children. * Tribune | New play about Chicago Mayor Harold Washington is coming to Lookingglass Theatre: Titled “Prince Hal,” a riff on a famous character in William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” the drama by J. Nicole Brooks will portray Washington as a reluctant candidate for greatness who is buoyed by finding supporters among everyday Chicagoans in a West Loop tavern, a plot that suggests parallels with the Shakespeare history play. Brooks, a Chicago-based actor, writer and director, previously wrote “Her Honor, Jane Byrne.” “Prince Hal,” slated for the late summer of 2027, is the second in a planned trilogy for Lookingglass about Chicago mayors. Washington, a Democrat, was the 51st mayor of Chicago from 1983 until his death in 1987. * Daily Herald | And now, there’s 15 — Preckwinkle explains NITA choices as new transit board coalesces: “I thought it was important to bring a variety of perspectives and experience to the board that would be useful in their deliberations and efforts to implement a single cohesive system instead of a siloed one we have now,” Preckwinkle told the Daily Herald. Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to announce his five choices for the 20-member board that will oversee Metra, Pace and the CTA. NITA will replace the Regional Transportation Authority starting Sept. 1 as a result of transit reform legislation passed in 2025. * Cook County Record | Judge: No civil right for girls-only bathrooms at schools:A federal judge has shut down a teenage girl’s bathroom access lawsuit against a a southwest suburban school district, saying the district didn’t violate female students’ civil rights by allowing biologically male transgender students to use the girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms and other sex-segregated facilities when the young woman was a student at Bolingbrook High School. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman delivered the ruling on July 13 in Chicago federal court, agreeing to the request from the Valley View Community Unit School District 365U to dismiss the lawsuit lodged by the student, identified only as F.F., and her father, James Ellard Fisher. * PJ Star | Major financial corporation announces more layoffs in Illinois : Capital One Financial has announced plans to lay off more workers in Illinois due to financial restructuring. The company reported its intention to lay off at least 276 more workers from its Riverwoods site, according to a supplemental Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification on June 2. The layoffs are expected to take place between Aug. 6 and Sept. 4, according to information submitted to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. * Tribune | Ex-Summit police chief gets three years in prison in shakedown scheme: Former Summit police Chief John Kosmowski has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for taking a bribe from a local bar owner in exchange for assisting with a liquor license transfer. Kosmowski, 58, was convicted by a jury last year of conspiracy, bribery and obstruction of justice. U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger handed down the 36-month sentence on Wednesday. He was ordered to report to prison on Oct. 15. * Daily Herald | ‘Unconscionable breach of trust’: District 70 fires teacher accused of possession of child sex abuse materials: tenured Libertyville Elementary District 70 teacher facing charges related to possession of child sexual abuse materials was fired Tuesday by the school board. Acting on the recommendation of Superintendent Rebecca Jenkins, the board voted unanimously to dismiss Marshall Sheffer, an 18-year veteran of the district who taught at Highland Middle School. Shaffer has 17 days to request a hearing through the Illinois State Board of Education. He is suspended without pay until that time passes or a hearing is held and concluded. * CBS Chicago | Renee Messelin, first Black woman soldier to serve overseas, honored at Lincoln Cemetery memorial: A powerful ceremony on Thursday honored World War I veteran Renee Messelin, the first Black woman soldier to serve overseas for the U.S. military. Some connections are instant. Others take a little more time. Carolyn Timbie traveled from New Hampshire to Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois for a connection two generations in the making. Messelin served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in World War I. She was one of more than 280 who women answered the call to serve by connecting calls for the U.S. Army in France. * Effingham Daily News | Help for tornado victims questioned as low-interest disaster loans become available: A preliminary assessment by the Effingham County Emergency Management Agency revealed 30 homes were a total loss and 29 were heavily damaged. […] Effingham County Board Chairman Joshua Douthit said he met recently with U.S. Rep. Mike Bost and county leaders to assess whether they meet the thresholds for assistance. The county is applying for a grant to get reimbursed for cleanup and repairs related to the tornado. However, Douthit pointed out that this support does not extend to citizens. * WGLT | Normal plans to partner with Bloomington on data center forum: Reece said their experience has been helpful with Bloomington giving Normal an opportunity to participate in the city’s public forum on Aug. 26 at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. “We want to work together with the City of Bloomington, and I appreciate their willingness to allow us to participate with their August community forum,” said Reece. “So, our planning and zoning staff has worked with the City of Bloomington to line up details for speakers and what that forum can look like.” * WGLT | McLean County loans Hudson $81,000 to cover property tax error: The error occurred when the McLean County Clerk’s office incorrectly taxed 612 nearby properties as if they were in located in the village. That spread the bill among more properties, meaning properties within the village didn’t pay enough. Hudson Mayor Mark Kotte thanked board members for the loan. “It basically made 50% of the property tax a loss to the village, and to the village of Hudson. That is quite a bit of money. We would have had to make some drastic changes if we didn’t get that money this year,” he said. * WCIA | $375K coming to Champaign, Vermilion Co. libraries: Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias previously announced that the money will be given out through three different grants. And according to State Senator Paul Faraci (D-Champaign), 13 public libraries and school districts across Champaign and Vermilion counties will get more than $375,000 from those grants. * WCIA | Champaign road currently closed due to pavement buckling: In a press release Thursday, the City of Champaign said Olympian Drive is being temporarily closed between Market Street and Apollo Drive. Public Works crews are currently installing traffic control devices to establish a detour via Apollo Drive, Mercury Drive and Market Street back to Olympian Drive. Pavement repairs are set to begin as soon as a contractor becomes available to complete the work, and the road is set to reopen once the repairs are finished. * AP | Trump uses primetime address to raise doubts about U.S. elections ahead of midterms: A twice-elected president complained about his one personal defeat, alleged a cover-up by officials in his own first administration and surfaced claims about countries attempting to harm his own prospects while staying silent on steps taken by other nations to boost him. Trump used the remarks to justify his push to pass a strict voter ID bill in Congress that has not advanced because it lacks enough support from Republicans. “America is back and doing really well, but we still have a major challenge that must be urgently addressed, because no country can be great without fair and honest elections,” he said. * The Boston Globe | Trump administration limits student visas to four years, changing longstanding policy: The new rule caps visa holders’ duration of stay at four years unless they receive an extension from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, amending a decades-old policy that said as long as the students made progress toward their degree or research purpose, there was no defined expiration date. The new rule, which also restricts the international students’ ability to transfer schools or change majors without approval in their first year, will go into effect in mid-September. * WRAL | Ghost gun company ordered to pay $100M in the death of a Kentucky teen in historic verdict: In a wrongful-death lawsuit, the family of Henry Willis said he was just 18 when he purchased the Glock G19 pistol “build kit” from Husky Armory’s website in 2023. He assembled the handgun in his garage — telling his father it was a transistor radio — and used it to end his life six days later. Everytown Law, which represented the family, said the $104.2 million payout was the largest ever reached against a gun seller, surpassing the $73 million settlement awarded to the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting by the rifle-maker Remington. * CNBC | These are America’s 10 worst states to live in for 2026: With just 779 licensed childcare facilities in a state with nearly 7 million people, Indiana finishes at the bottom for childcare availability on a per capita basis. And what is available is expensive, eating up 15% of the median income for a household with two working parents in the Hoosier State. In June, Indiana’s childcare agency unveiled a sweeping new policy proposal aimed at expanding access by, among other things, easing licensing requirements. Critics allege the proposal sacrifices quality.
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Report: Speaker Welch’s office knew of harassment claims against Rep. Benton years ago (Updated x2)
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Click here to read the rest. …Adding… House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
…Adding… The Illinois Legislative Staff Association…
Click here for some background on the ILSA.
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Good morning!
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * When I was in high school in Utah (yes, Utah), I had two friends who wanted to get into the music business specifically to produce songs like this. I completely lost track of those young women, but I really hope they fulfilled their dreams… Though the dawn may be coming soon
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Jul 17, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Herald…
* Press release | NRF Honors Rob Karr with 2026 J. Thomas Weyant Award: The National Retail Federation today presented the 2026 J. Thomas Weyant Award to Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA). Karr was recognized at NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit, where retailers, industry leaders and policymakers from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the retail industry’s premier advocacy event. “For more than three decades, Rob Karr has been a trusted friend, advocate and voice for retailers and their businesses, employees and the communities they serve,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “His work through the years has had a lasting impact on the retail industry in Illinois, and we are proud to recognize him for his remarkable career and all he has accomplished.” * WCIA | Carol, Aaron Ammons plead not guilty to federal charges of wire fraud, obstruction of justice: On Thursday at the Federal Courthouse in Urbana, it was a packed courtroom. It quickly reached its capacity — 49 people — so an overflow room was needed to accommodate everyone who showed up for Carol and Aaron’s first federal court appearances. […] When asked two different times if she will still be on the ballot in November, Carol said she looks forward to continuing to serve her constituents, but she did not mention the general election. * Crain’s | Kwame Raoul urges feds to reject Enova, OppFi bids for national bank charters: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul urged federal banking regulators to reject attempts by nontraditional financial lenders such as Enova International and OppFi to obtain bank charters that would allow them to offer high-interest loans across a national platform. “Some of these companies engage in high-risk practices that threaten both consumers and the stability of the financial system,” according to a letter Raoul, along with 19 other states’ attorneys general, sent today to the heads of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Federal Reserve. “Allowing such companies into the national banking system without guardrails empowers and incentivizes predatory lending and needlessly leaves consumers vulnerable to harm.” * Tribune | Air quality hits hazardous levels in Chicago from wildfire smoke and could worsen tonight: Particulate matter levels in the Chicago area by midafternoon had reached an index of 549, eclipsing a scale that tops out at 500, according to AirNow, a website that combines data from county, state and federal air quality agencies nationwide. Air quality was even worse in the North Shore suburbs, where Wilmette and Winnetka registered above 700. Levels between 200 and 300 are “very unhealthy,” and anything above 300 is “hazardous.” When the forecast is hazardous, everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels. * Sun-Times | City Council joins chorus demanding Boutros’ resignation as U.S. attorney: Only a handful of alderpersons opposed the resolution, which adds the Council to the chorus of those demanding Boutros’ resignation and urges the Justice Department to “ensure a full review of obligations and matters connected to Operation Midway Blitz, the Broadview prosecutions and related proceedings.” Northwest Side Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th) accused his colleagues of political hypocrisy and advised the Council to “stay in our lane.” * Crain’s | Congressional hearing on UIC med school veers from antisemitism to DEI, gender care: In his opening comments, Walberg went on to say the schools have integrated DEI into their admissions decisions and curricula, promoting courses that have nothing to do with medical science, but seek to turn medical students into “far left activists.” In opening testimony, Benedetti addressed the questions over antisemitism at the medical school, which has campuses in Chicago, Peoria and Rockford, saying the school has taken steps to better deal with religious and other bigotry. * Tribune | Toni Preckwinkle backs Red Line extension connections, wins approval for transit picks: “We have a challenge across the board with our service agencies because they are siloed and they have not been collaborating,” Preckwinkle said during a Wednesday news conference. She cited a failure to plan a Metra station for the site where the future CTA Red Line Extension will cross its tracks, and the fact the bus service that PACE extended to downtown Round Lake doesn’t take riders to the Metra station there. “Everybody’s just sort of planning for themselves and not having any coherent, holistic plan.” * Tribune | William Shatner will debut his new heavy metal band at Riot Fest: Metal, the final frontier. Joining the musical lineup at Riot Fest in September is the debut of William Shatner’s new heavy metal band The *Uckers. The band will be added to the bill on Sunday and will feature, along with Shatner, guitarists Marcus Nand (Mike Tramp, Candice Night) and Britt Lightning (Vixen, Cactus), bassist Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol) and Fred Aching (Kings of Thrash, Dead Groove, Fraxures) on drums. * Bond Buyer | Fitch Ratings upgrades Cook County: Fitch Ratings upgraded Cook County, Illinois, to AA-plus from AA on Monday, citing the county’s moderating long-term liability burden, restrained new money debt issuance and sustained resource base growth. The outlook is stable. * Tribune | Cook County watchdog finds Samantha Steele offered job to opponent: Cook County’s watchdog found this week that Board of Review commissioner Samantha Steele made “an offer of employment” to her opponent in the March primary election, concluding she misled the public and “made blatantly false statements.” […] The IG’s investigation included an interview with one of the intermediaries, their phone records and a voice message, statements Steele made to the media, and a review of her phone records. Steele did not reply or show up to an interview with the inspector — a violation of the county’s ethics code that requires participation in IG investigations. * Capitol News Illinois | Trump budget proposal could threaten airline service at downstate airports: Congress is evaluating the budget proposal, which calls for reducing funding for the Essential Air Service program at the U.S. Department of Transportation by $372 million. The program, which subsidizes flights to rural areas and small cities throughout the country, costs about $633.5 million annually as of May 1, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s annual report. Current funding includes $18.7 million for commercial flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Decatur, Quincy and Marion — airports that otherwise would not have commercial aviation without the EAS program. It’s early in the budgeting process, so implementation dates and the amount of cuts, if any are approved, are subject to change. * Capitol News Illinois | A woman’s death was the first fatal shooting by Illinois State Police this year. Were the trooper’s actions justified?: Tarrence’s shooting received little or no attention. No one took to the streets. The governor didn’t comment on her death. And the only investigation was launched by the same state agency that employed the trooper who fired the fatal shots — the Illinois State Police. Months after the completion of that investigation in February, there still is no definitive answer on whether the trooper so feared for his life or the lives of others at the liquor store that the only action he could take was to shoot. * WAND | Charleston Middle School relocates after tornado damage: “For some of our students, it may be a new look for them, but what they need to know is that we’re going to have the same culture,” said Robert Lynn, principal of Charleston Middle School. School will be held inside Eastern Illinois University’s Coleman Hall. CMS students will use the first two floors for classes. Lynn said the partnership shows how communities come together after a tragedy. * WGLT | One year post defunding: WGLT saw strong and steady revenue throughout the year. But we have a lot of work to do to make up for an annual loss of $175,000. And while we’re cautiously optimistic, we don’t yet know if last year was a complete outlier or if the defunding moment will turn into a movement and become our new normal. * ABC | White House teleprompter operator made more than $100K betting on Trump’s speeches: Gabriel Perez, a technical assistant to the president who has been operating Trump’s teleprompter since 2016, is in talks with federal regulators to settle allegations he used his inside knowledge of the president’s speeches to win more than $100,000, the sources said. According to the sources, Kalshi alerted its regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), to the suspicious activity on its “Mentions” market, where users can bet on whether specific words, phrases or topics are uttered during a public speech. * WSJ | Kalshi to Offer Contracts Predicting Flight Cancellations: The contracts will allow users to predict the percentages of flights canceled at an airport within a given timeframe. The prediction-markets platform disclosed the contracts in a Tuesday filing with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Kalshi said it plans to use the flight-tracking platform FlightAware to resolve the contracts, with data from the U.S. Department of Transportation as a backup.
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Repubs called out for voting against state budgets and celebrating in-district spending
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I figured there’d be more of these over three years, but it is kinda funny that two Illinois Freedom Caucus members (Miller and Niemerg) celebrating the distribution of government money. From the Democratic Party of Illinois…
[Many thanks to Isabel for formatting this post.]
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Turning Promise Into Progress For Illinois Students
Thursday, Jul 16, 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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And now for something completely different
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rosetta “Rosie” Brown is the Democratic candidate taking on Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) in the 111th House District race. That’s Ms. Brown on the left, and behind her is a casket with a person in it. I’m making no judgements here, but I’ve never seen video of a candidate standing in front of an open coffin… The family of the deceased didn’t seem to mind, so to each their own, I suppose…
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Rep. Ammons pleads not guilty to fraud, obstruction charges
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for some background if you need it. The News-Gazette…
* Center Square reporter Sean Reed…
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Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
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It’s almost a law
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Politico…
* WAND…
* National Federation of Independent Business…
* WAND…
* Press release…
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is calling on the governor to veto HB5511…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] All In One Laundry Center and Services is a Springfield-based, full-service laundry company led by President and CEO Pamela Frazier. Services include coin laundry, wash-and-fold, dry cleaning, alterations, commercial laundry services, and pickup and delivery. Under Pamela’s leadership, All In One Laundry has grown to be recognized for its exceptional service and commitment to the community in Central Illinois. Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Pamela in Springfield who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois State Board of Education issues AI guidance, written with help from AI. Capitol News Illinois…
- The 409-page document was developed with input from a blue-ribbon panel of experts in education, technology and public policy. But it also includes a note saying, “Initial drafts for this guidance used AI (ChatGPT primarily but, to a lesser extent, Claude and Gemini).” - The guidance itself, however, emphasizes that teaching and learning are shaped by human relationships and experiences, and that artificial intelligence is only a tool to inform teaching and learning, not a substitute for human interaction. * Related stories… * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Subscribers know more. Patch | Burr Ridge Mayor Wins Battle In Defamation Case Against Political Consultant: On Monday, though, the 3rd District Appellate Court ruled a genuine issue remains for a jury to determine whether Corbett defamed Grasso. According to the ruling, Mottl received bad poll results leading up to the 2019 election, so he was advised to undertake a negative campaign against Grasso. In a deposition, Corbett, now an independent candidate for governor, acknowledged relying on a research firm’s report on Grasso. The report asserted Grasso may have fraudulently benefited from property tax exemptions over two years, to the tune of $12,000. But Mottl’s campaign flyers said the mayor benefited by “more than $36,000.” * Sun-Times | With mayoral race looming, Mayor Johnson falls further behind Giannoulias in fundraising: Johnson already faced a huge fundraising disadvantage, having closed the first quarter of 2026 with $813,125 in campaign cash on hand — compared to $18.3 million for Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Giannoulias, a prolific fundraiser, has continued to widen that gap. In the three-month period ending June 30, he took in about $3.65 million and spent about $106,000, leaving him with about $21.85 million in cash on hand, according to the quarterly fundraising report filed Wednesday. That gives him a roughly $21 million lead over Johnson. * Capitol City Now | Executive Director of Springfield’s ALPLM to step down: The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) will be looking for a new executive director. Current Executive Director Christina Shutt announced Wednesday she’ll be stepping down at the end of her current 5 year term. She’ll stay in the role until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition. Shutt has served at the helm of the ALPLM since June 2021, making her the longest-serving director in the ALPLM’s history. * Illinois Times | Residents sue Sangamon County, CyrusOne: Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or less from the site recently approved for the CyrusOne data center filed a lawsuit against Sangamon County and the Sangamon County Board July 6 seeking to overturn the county’s approval of the project. Chloe Russell, a Plainfield lawyer, filed the case that claims the county’s approved resolution from April 7 is misdated as March 23, the prior month’s meeting, when the proposal was actually tabled after hours of public comment. It also claims allowing a data center on agricultural land without knowing all the impacts could be detrimental to nearby farms, residences and a nearly 20-year-old dog kennel business. The filing also cites an Illinois local zoning law that says any county board decision related to zoning is subject to fresh judicial review “as a legislative decision,” so long as any action taken to seek judicial review begins no later than 90 days after the decision – meaning July 6 was the last day petitioners could cite that law based on the April 7 action. * WGLT | Bloomington mayor checks in with peers on data centers: The city recently announced its planning commission will meet publicly at 5 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. There will be a panel of experts and others who have experience with data centers. Exactly who will be on the panel has not yet been announced. Brady would like to invite members of a former statewide data center task force that includes mayors of municipalities that have moved forward with building those projects. * Reuters | Americans are angry about data centers. Politicians are feeling the pressure: In this deeply polarized country, opposition to data centers is among the few issues that unite voters across ideological lines. Just a third of Americans approve of the pace of data-center construction, according to a June Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 14% of respondents would support a data center being built in their community. That tension is increasingly pronounced in Michigan, where at least 13 data centers are in various stages of planning — and communities in Saline and beyond are fighting back. * Columbus Dispatch | Amazon, Meta avoid millions in property taxes for Ohio data centers: Amazon Web Services avoided $5.4 million in property taxes for two Hilliard data centers in tax year 2024, the most recent figures available, according to the Franklin County auditor’s office. Neighboring Licking County reported $1.8 million in forgone taxes from Meta’s Prometheus campus last year. A Google data center in Lancaster cost $1.3 million The statehouse bureau sought to examine local tax agreements for data centers amid mounting opposition to these projects. That information is located in a patchwork of records across dozens of governments, making it difficult to understand the full picture. * Center Square | Benton pulls name from ballot after resignation: Former state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, who resigned from his seat in the Illinois House of Representatives at the start of this month following investigations into alleged misconduct while he was in office, has followed through on his promise to withdraw his name from November ballots. The Will and Kendall County Democrats shared an open call for residents of the 97th district to apply to replace Benton, both for the remainder of his term and separately on the Democrat line of the ballot. The application closed Monday, but a candidate could be appointed by the chairs anytime before August 21, the day ballots are finalized. * Politico: HAPPENING TODAY: Gov. JB Pritzker is set to sign a pair of bills aimed at helping law enforcement agencies fill vacancies and stiffening consequences for some of the most serious violations of Illinois’ Move Over Law. One measure, sponsored by state Sen. Bill Cunningham and state Rep. Mary Gill, loosens age restrictions for certain sheriff’s department hires in an effort to address staffing shortages. Beginning in 2027, individuals as young as 20 will be able to serve as county police officers if they have completed two years of approved law enforcement studies. The age at which correctional officers and full-time deputy sheriffs not employed as county police officers can be appointed would be lowered from 21 to 18 under the measure. * Tribune | Chicago Public Schools plans to lay off 760 teachers as officials look to close massive deficit: If more money doesn’t materialize from the city or the state, CPS will convert five paid professional development days into furlough days next winter. All are non-attendance days, which means they won’t affect students’ instructional time. * Tribune | Cook County will ‘explore’ making Chicago Public Schools eligible for late property tax loan: Cook County is considering whether to extend a financial lifeline to Chicago Public Schools by including the district in an interest-free loan program so the cash-strapped school system can avoid some costs because of late-landing property tax money. But the $300 million pot of loan funding Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced last month is not even enough to cover a month of payroll, CPS said in a statement Tuesday. The district estimates county Treasurer Maria Pappas also still owes it $250 million from the last round of late property tax bills. Pappas’ office estimates that figure is closer to $70 million or $80 million. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools releases $9.88 billion 2026-27 budget amid deepening financial strain: District leaders said hundreds of staff layoffs, a push for more revenue, and other cost-saving measures took a $450 million bite out of the $732.5 million deficit the district faced this summer. To help close the remaining gap, CPS is bumping up the amount it expects the city would contribute in special tax dollars for development, known as TIF, from $100 million to $200 million. Last year, CPS received more than $500 million in TIF dollars, a record amount, but district officials said they wanted to be more conservative in projecting this year’s influx. * Capitol News Illinois | Peoples Gas cuts $58 million from rate request: The adjustment, reflecting lower than expected costs for recent infrastructure investments as well as the deferral of other construction to later years, brings the revised request to $144 million. If approved by regulators this December, the amended request would add around $7-8 to monthly bills for typical residential customers, down from the $10-11 sought in the original request. It would take effect at the end of 2026 or start of 2027, depending on the timing of the decision. * Crain’s | ShotSpotter, festival venue advance for Chicago ballot as other questions stall: Chicagoans will be asked in November if they want the city to bring back gunshot detection technology and build a permanent outdoor festival space, but it’s unclear if questions about city finances and federal immigration enforcement will be on the ballot as the City Council took turns blocking non-binding ballot referendum questions today. The uncertainty came after aldermen took turns blocking votes on each factions non-binding referendum proposals, but another City Council meeting on July 24 was scheduled by opponents of Mayor Brandon Johnson, potentially settling the dispute next week. * Block Club | Chicago’s Air Quality Could Worsen As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Spreads Across The Midwest: The National Weather Service issued an air quality alert and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency declared an Air Pollution Action Day for Tuesday and Wednesday due to high levels of ozone. The agencies have advised sensitive Chicagoans — including anyone with lung disease like asthma, as well as children, teens and older adults — to limit their time outdoors. And another issue could soon arise: The Illinois EPA predicts that wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Ontario will reach Chicago early Thursday, leading to unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups Thursday and Friday. * ABC Chicago | 3 elevated CTA Loop stations to temporarily close for the next 2 weekends: During the weekends of July 18-20 and July 25-27, Washington/Wabash, Adams/Wabash, Clark/Lake (elevated portion), will be closed. The construction will begin Saturday at about 2 a.m. and regular operations should resume by 5 a.m. Monday, the CTA said. Only the Green, Brown and Orange Line trains will operate via the Wells and Van Buren side branches of the Loop Elevated. * WTTW | Horner Park Is Saving Its Ash Trees One Beer at a Time Thanks to Annual BrewFest: Horner Park’s eighth annual BrewFest, set for Friday night at the North Side park, features tastings from dozens of local craft brewers, with proceeds from ticket sales supporting the park advisory council’s efforts to maintain a healthy grove of ash trees. Even as the ash borer has felled hundreds of thousands of ash across Chicago, BrewFest has raised enough money for the council to continue treating the park’s ash trees with a life-saving injection. * Sun-Times | Judge gives ex-Summit police chief three years in bribery plot: ‘You sounded like a gangster’: When a federal judge sentenced former Summit police chief John Kosmowski on Wednesday to three years in prison for bribery, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, he quoted the former top suburban cop’s recorded words right back at him. A secret government cooperator caught Kosmowski in 2022 insisting “there is no truth,” and “it’s gonna be their version against ours. It always is.” […]“How on Earth has the message not gotten out in the Chicagoland area, to public officials, that they cannot take bribes?” Seeger said. “I don’t understand why public corruption has so deeply infested the body politic in this town. I don’t get it.” * Daily Herald | White Sox legend to host celebration of life for school security guard who died protecting students : The program will be emceed by ESPN’s David Kaplan and Chicago White Sox legend Ron Kittle, who share a personal connection with the Rivas family. Orlando’s father, Roy Rivas, served as a chef for the Chicago White Sox for 40 years, and Orlando also worked for the organization. The evening will include opening remarks from Kaplan and Kittle, community reflections honoring Rivas’ life and legacy, a raffle featuring White Sox memorabilia, game tickets and other donated prizes. Also, live music by Replay and a buffet. * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights could close downtown street for ice skating rink this winter: The 40-by-80-foot mechanically-chilled rink is being eyed for Eastman Street between Arlington Heights Road and Evergreen Avenue — just south of North School Park, site of the annual tree lighting and holiday decorations. “We thought that it had tremendous synergy with the tree-lighting ceremony,” said Village Manager Randy Recklaus. “That event already looks like a Norman Rockwell painting, and it could look even more like that.” It’s the same block where the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre staged performances within a 40-by-90-foot tent in 2021 during the pandemic. The village extended electricity from the nearby parking garage to the street level at that time, so that could be done again to power the chiller that creates the ice surface, officials said. * Illinois Times | Creating a recovery movement: Wooden It Be Lovely buys building to expand its mission of helping women re-enter society: Farley has been working for several weeks at Wooden It Be Lovely, a nonprofit in Springfield that gives women in transition from poverty and/or in recovery jobs of refurbishing donated wood furniture, sewing products and making candles to market. Farley plans to remain with the nonprofit as it moves its headquarters from Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church, 501 S. Douglas Ave., across a parking lot to the building formerly known as Temple Israel at 1140 W. Governor St. in Springfield. * WCIA | Urbana City Council may need to fill third vacancy after alderwoman announces departure: For the third time this year, the Urbana City Council may be searching to fill another vacancy. Grace Wilkin, the Ward 6 Council Member, announced that her time on the council will come to an end near the end of July. Wilkin did not share an exact reason for her departure Monday night, but she did say more updates will be shared at a later time. * WJBD | Marion County Sheriff wants to ban Kratom and 7-OH: Cripps will work with the State’s Attorney to put together a resolution to be brought back to the next law enforcement committee meeting in August. […] Salem has already approved a ban on the sales and Kinmundy will take up the issue at its next meeting. * WSIL | Touch of Nature plans for a new lake as Little Grassy stays drained: Touch of Nature in Jackson County is planning to build its own small lake after losing access to one of its most used resources. The outdoor education center is moving forward with the project while Little Grassy Lake remains drained for repairs. Brian Croft with Touch of Nature said the new lake will offer a variety of water activities for campers and visitors. “We’re gonna be able to put water slides and rope swings and all kinds of stuff. Like think of a swimming hole like that you would think of in Southern Illinois. And that’s kind of what we want to make here,” Croft said. * Northwest Indiana Times | Northwest Indiana unions vow to oppose politicians who don’t back Bears stadium food tax: Randy Palmateer, who serves as business manager and executive director of the Northwest Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, said the 31 different trade unions that he represents and their thousands of members will not back any elected officials who do not back the food and beverage tax that would cost an extra $1 on a $100 restaurant tab — or any other aspects of the Bears stadium financing plan. * 404 Media | Hack Reveals Suno AI Music Generator Scraped YouTube, Deezer, and Genius: The hacked data is a rare look at exactly how AI models and tools are built. Suno is one of the largest AI music generation tools on the internet, and has been the subject of several major lawsuits from the record industry, which accused the company of training on millions of copyrighted songs. As part of these legal proceedings, Suno previously admitted that it was trained on “essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open internet,” which included a total of “tens of millions of recordings.” Suno has been making the argument that it is allowed to train on copyrighted works as fair use in those cases, one of which has been settled. * NYT | Diesel Hits $5 a Gallon Again, Up 33% Since the Start of Iran War: The average national price on Thursday was $5.01, according to the AAA motor club, up 7 cents from the day before. Soaring prices of diesel can reverberate across the rest of the economy because of its many uses, including industrial machinery, commercial transport and electricity generation. U.S. diesel prices first surpassed $5 a gallon in March, the highest level since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. The prices retreated below $5 in June after Iran and the United States announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding that was meant to quell the fighting in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical thoroughfare for the world’s oil.
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Good morning!
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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