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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WTTW…
Illinois is paying the price for 340B medicine markups. Through the federal 340B program, nonprofit hospitals can buy medicines for pennies, then charge huge markups – even on life-saving medicines. Those markups have become big business for large hospital systems, driving higher costs for Illinois patients, employers and taxpayers. And the problem is getting worse. The program’s lack of oversight has allowed 340B to become a revenue stream for hospitals, PBMs, private equity firms and big chain pharmacies — with no requirement that the money be used to help patients afford medicines. It’s time for Washington to hold hospitals accountable and fix 340B. Read more. * WBEZ… CPS officials say this year’s projected deficit might shrink as the school year closes. But CPS is also $118 million over budget on staff, which it attributes to increased spending on workers who serve students with disabilities. […] CPS officials also continue to want the state to pick up more of the district’s teacher pension costs, as it does for other districts statewide. “Achieving pension parity and reaching 100% funding adequacy are not just fiscal goals — they are essential requirements for long-term equity and stability,” CPS said. “Without these structural corrections from the state, the district will continue to face tight margins that do not reflect the true cost of educating the district’s 315,000 students.” King and board members have gone to Springfield seeking more money, but so far none of the bills that would funnel more funding toward education have passed the Illinois General Assembly. * Crain’s | Chicago home prices rising at 5 times the speed of the nation’s: March was the second month when Chicago quintupled the nation’s price growth. It was also a time when the median price of homes sold in the city hit a new all-time high. This news may discourage aspiring homebuyers who see affordability galloping away from them, but as a measure of the vitality of the local housing market and its ability to fatten existing owners’ equity, it’s quite good. * Crain’s | Paris Schutz exits local Fox affiliate to join NBC 5: The station said Paris Schutz, a longtime reporter and anchor at WTTW and more recently Fox 32 Chicago, will join its newsroom May 4 as a general assignment reporter with a focus on investigative and political coverage. Schutz, a two-time Emmy winner, spent 15 years at WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight,” where he rose from intern to co-anchor and chief correspondent, breaking stories on state and local politics. He joined Fox 32 in 2024 as a political anchor and host of “The Chicago Report.” * Block Club | A Day In The ‘Life’ Of A Food Delivery Robot: Lots Of Waiting And A Few Collisions: Most orders were delivered to addresses within a few blocks, although one was taken to a house more than a mile west — a trip that took a little over 20 minutes. In between there was plenty of down time, including an almost two-hour stretch where the robot sat dormant on Barry Street near a bagel shop, as well as a 45-minute sojourn outside an IDOF falafel restaurant on Belmont Avenue. The robot also had a few minor collisions with curbs and building walls, although it did not cause any apparent damage. * Tribune | Never-before-heard tapes by late Jazz Showcase founder hit shelves — just in time for his 100th birthday: Around 10,000 more, in fact. Unbeknownst to most, Segal, who died in 2020, had fastidiously captured years of Jazz Showcase performances from the venue’s soundboard, with musicians’ consent. Three trips to Chicago, countless crates and about a year-and-a-half of nonstop listening later, Feldman has curated four double- and triple-LP sets gleaned from live Showcase performances in the 1970s. The records document long-past performances by saxophonist Joe Henderson and his quartet; pianist Ahmad Jamal with bassist John Heard and drummer Frank Gant; multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef with pianist Kenny Barron, drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath and bassist Bob Cunningham; and pianist Mal Waldron with saxophonist Sonny Stitt, bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Wilbur Campbell. * Tribune | Former West Suburban Medical Center staff detail poor conditions leading up to its closure: The climate control at West Suburban didn’t work at times and some rooms registered temperatures of up to 100º during the summer and rooms were chilly during the winter, said Sylvia Williams, the former nurse director at West Suburban. This lasted from August to December 2025, she said, only in January did the heating partially work. The Illinois Department of Public Health visited West Suburban last summer while the air conditioning was not working, Williams said. Her 34 bed medical-surgical unit was reduced to about 17 patients because of the HVAC system not working, she said. The other patients were spread throughout the hospital, she said. * Daily Southtown | Oak Lawn Trustee Timothy Desmond resigns to develop housing with village: “I want to make sure that the public is aware that the reason for the resignation is a very good one,” Village Manager Thomas Phelan said at Tuesday morning’s meeting. Desmond was not present, having submitted his letter of resignation April 20. Phelan said the village became interested in acquiring empty lots or properties with foreclosed or abandoned homes, to tear them down and build new ones, but struggled to find a building company willing to agree to its terms. Desmond’s company, Leeside Builders, has been the second largest home builder in Oak Lawn for the past 20 years, Phelan said. Desmond said the company has constructed about 20 houses within the village. * Daily Southtown | Harvey City Council approves feasibility study for community solar project: Marquis Matilla of Evolved Living, who presented the proposal to the council’s Legislative Committee, emphasized it would not cost the residents or city of Harvey anything. […] The council approved a feasibility study, which Matilla estimated would take between 60 and 90 days, to determine whether the land was suitable for the project. * 25 News Now | Peoria Mexican restaurant cancels outdoor Cinco de Mayo festivities after ‘disgusting and racist’ insults: “Last year, we were the unexpected host of a dangerous parking lot party after we were forced to close early due to capacity issues and continued fights despite our very best efforts to provide adequate security and crowd control for the event. The DISGUSTING and racist insults we were subject to as we tried to clean up the parking lot after closing are inexcusable. We were forced to pull our staff into the building for safety and had to wait for the crowd to disperse.” * WCIA | WEIU ends broadcasting on-air after decades: Last July, PBS funding was cut nationally, and 80% of WEIU TV’s money was lost. That left station leaders scrambling. “I love WEIU so much, and it really has been a home to me for at this point,” said EIU student Olivia Bennett. The home she’s talking about is the WEIU newsroom at Eastern Illinois university. * WAND | USDA invests in water infrastructure for 7 counties in rural Illinois: The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Illinois State Director Jesus Ortega announced EJ Water Cooperative, Inc. got $5,537,000 for construction of a reservoir west of Holland, Illinois. The reservoir is one of the water upgrades the cooperative is making to provide access to reliable water for more than 16,000 rural residents across seven counties in rural Illinois. * WSIL | SIU researchers develop microbe that could help reduce plastic waste: The microbe — known as Erwinia strain LJJL01 — was identified during earlier research into breaking down plant-based waste. Scientists later engineered it to process both natural and synthetic materials. In lab testing, the microbe has been used to convert waste products — including plastics, agricultural byproducts, and even coffee and tea waste — into materials that could be used for biodegradable plastics, fuel alternatives, and pharmaceutical compounds. * ProPublica | The Trump Administration Aims to Penalize Disabled Adults Who Live With Their Families: The administration is working on a rule change that would deduct the value of a disabled adult’s bedroom from their SSI allotment, even if the family members they live with are poor enough to qualify for food stamps. This would mean slashing the benefits of some of the most low-income SSI recipients by up to a third — about $330 a month in Burton’s case — or ending their support altogether. * Pew | State Tax Revenue Volatility Remains High as Long-Term Trends Moderate: The gap between recent and long-term tax revenue volatility has continued to widen. Revenue fluctuations were greater in every state from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal 2024 than they were over the 15 years ending in fiscal 2024, underscoring how the COVID-19 pandemic-driven economic shock affected virtually all tax systems. The states with the largest increases in short-term volatility compared with long-term trends tended to be those that rely most on historically volatile tax sources, but even states with traditionally stable revenue structures faced greater-than-usual swings. * LA Times | California to share data on immigrant drivers nationally: California is preparing to share with an outside organization detailed information about driver’s license holders, including immigrants who do not have legal authorization to live in the United States. That breaks a promise the state made a decade ago when it began issuing licenses to unauthorized immigrants, advocates say, and it means more than 1 million people may face higher risk of deportation. But if state officials don’t turn over the data, the Department of Homeland Security may refuse to accept California licenses and IDs at airports, the advocates believe, following a briefing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month. State authorities confirmed they plan to share the data to comply with the Real ID Act of 2005, which set requirements for accepting state identification at federal facilities such as airports.
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After third try, Isabel finally gets an answer from Prizker on ISU hiring strike breakers
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here and here if you need it. From Gov. JB Pritzker’s press conference today…
Notice he didn’t answer the question. * But then the governor quickly moved on to his Republican opponent before Isabel asked him a second time about the strike breakers…
Again, he didn’t answer the question. * So, later on, Isabel asked him a third time…
Discuss.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The Senate has a habit of using commemorative bills which passed the House as vehicles for the Budget Implementation Act. For instance, in 2023, a House bill declaring the soybean as the official state bean was gutted and replaced. Last year, a House-approved Diwali Day bill was substituted with BIMP language in the Senate. So, I thought I’d have a little fun today. * The Question: Which of these two bills do you support using as this year’s BIMP?…
HB4669: Provides that the Italian beef sandwich is designated as the official State sandwich of the State of Illinois. And provides that the horseshoe sandwich is designated as the official State open-faced sandwich of the State of Illinois. * Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. Snark, of course, is heavily encouraged.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WBEZ…
* Sen. Sue Rezin and Sen. Erica Harriss…
* Press release…
None of the bills mentioned in the above press release have received a committee vote.
* Daily Herald…
* More…
* WAND | BUILD plan: IL lawmakers could pass housing development bills before session ends: “Senate Bill 4064 puts people over parking lots,” said Sen. Javier Cervantes (D-Chicago). “It puts homes over empty spaces and fundamentally lets the market decide how many parking spots are needed and where.” A massive portion of the plan could allow homeowners to boost their income and help others by adding accessory dwelling units to their property. This could include granny flats, above garage apartments and basement units. * Press release | Jones Passes Bill Strengthening Auto Theft Protections for Drivers: Jones’ House Bill 3755 tightens the rules auto insurers must follow when they deny a theft claim based on suspicion of fraud. Jones’ bill stipulates that a lack of broken glass or other signs of forced entry, an unopened door, or the presence of a key fob cannot be used as evidence of fraud or grounds for claim denial. The bill will ensure that more drivers are fairly compensated when their vehicle is stolen. * Press release | Mason Passes Big Wins for Property Tax Relief and Reform, Economic Growth, Voting Rights: House Bill 910, backed by Mason, delivers property tax relief to more communities by allowing local governments to negotiate Payments in Lieu of Taxation (PILOT) agreements for economic developments exceeding $100 million. In exchange for an agreed-upon assessment freeze, large developers would pay into the Illinois Property Tax Relief Fund, in which 60-percent of payments aid local homeowners, with the remaining 40-percent earmarked for homeowners statewide. Data centers are ineligible for these incentives. Mason also backed House Bill 799, which fixes a broken element in the property tax system by aligning the state with the U.S. Supreme Court Tyler v. Hennepin County ruling, barring “home equity theft,” and ensuring no Illinois resident loses the equity in their home due to old taxes. This measure guarantees that any excess profits generated from a home sale for delinquent taxes—beyond the original tax debt—will rightfully be returned to the previous, indebted owner.
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It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Waymo is ready to bring safe, reliable, autonomous rides to Illinois – but we need your help! Waymo is already mapping Chicago’s unique streets and traffic patterns to lay the groundwork for operations. Never tired or distracted, Waymo provides hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous rides every week across ten major U.S. cities, from Los Angeles to Atlanta — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. The data shows Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in thirteen times fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans (as of 3/20/26, see waymo.com/safety). Let’s bring safer rides to Illinois. 
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - News update
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Credit Unions: Advancing Financial Literacy Through Responsible Credit
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] April is National Financial Literacy Month, highlighting the importance of understanding financial options and making informed decisions. Access to fair, transparent credit is a key component of financial education. Credit unions advance financial literacy by taking a relationship‑based approach to lending by looking beyond credit scores to understand a member’s full story. Financial Plus Credit Union’s Trent Threadgill shares, “My favorite part of that application process is when I push the monitor out of the way, and I just have a conversation with the person face to face… You’re not looking at the person as a score. You’re looking at them as a person.” This approach helps members learn their options, understand the impact of their choices, and take meaningful steps toward financial stability. A person wearing glasses and a red sweater AI-generated content may be incorrect. Learn more at www.betterforillinois.org Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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A ‘callous capitalization on someone else’s suffering’
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Without a doubt, the local news media in Illinois has misrepresented the SAFE-T Act more than any other state law since I’ve been doing this. And I’ve been doing this for 36 years. This NBC 5 story is just the latest case in point. It’s disrespectful not only to the facts and the viewers, but, in my opinion, to the killed and wounded police officers…
Not a single person with actual knowledge of what is in the SAFE-T Act was quoted in that story. You’d think reporters would have learned by now that some rando alderman isn’t an expert on state law. * Thankfully, WGN TV’s Ben Bradley debunked part of the misinformation that’s being spread…
The statute tells us what crimes are eligible for detention. Here are just a few of them…
The accused was also charged in the past with armed robbery (three times), aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnaping. Those are all detainable offenses. * Even CWBChicago gets it…
Electronic monitoring is not part of the SAFE-T Act. That’s a local thing. * Partial excerpt from an Illinois Network For Pretrial Justice statement…
* With that in mind…
Also, that 2025 carjacking arrest happened during Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s tenure.
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Federal Medicaid Cuts Will Hurt Patients And Hospitals: HB 2371 SA 2 Can Prevent More Harm
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Many Illinoisians already struggling to make ends meet will face even more pain through H.R. 1’s massive reductions to Medicaid funding, strict work requirements and mandated cost-sharing. The federal law represents the largest reduction in Medicaid spending—$1 trillion over 10 years—in the program’s 60-year history. It’s estimated as many as 300,000 Illinoisans will lose healthcare coverage and Illinois will lose over $50 billion in federal Medicaid funding, reversing over a decade in coverage gains for patients in Illinois and across the country. Our state’s most vulnerable residents cannot afford to lose access to needed healthcare services and affordable prescription drugs. Faced with rising expenses, hospitals are struggling too. Over half of Illinois’ hospitals have operated on slim to negative margins over the past decade. The restrictions pharmaceutical companies have imposed on hospitals participating in the federal 340B drug discount program are adding onto the financial challenges of these hospitals—the very hospitals that serve low-income and uninsured patients. Over 100 Illinois hospitals rely on 340B to reduce drug costs for patients and to help expand healthcare services. Support low-income patients and the hospitals caring for them. Vote YES on House Bill 2371 SA 2 to protect 340B and prevent further harm to Illinois healthcare. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: 7th Circuit upholds ex-Speaker Madigan’s conviction of bribery, other corruption. Capitol News Illinois…
- “Madigan insists that this was run-of-the-mill politics,” Judge Michael Scudder, an appointee of President Donald Trump wrote for the panel. “But a jury of twelve Illinois residents saw the evidence differently. So do we.” - The quick decision, which comes just 16 days after the court heard arguments in the case, means Madigan will have to serve out his 7½-year prison sentence barring a successful petition to the U.S. Supreme Court or a pardon or commutation from the White House. * Related stories… Sponsored by The Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals No Cuts. No Closures. Fund Safety-Net Hospitals. For decades, Illinois has underfunded safety-net hospitals, the lifelines for Black and Brown communities. Now, the “Safety-Net Moonshot” and the Medicaid-defunding legislation it has spawned, threatens deeper cuts to these critical health providers. Any reduction inspired by the “Moonshot” would be a killshot to the care our most vulnerable residents rely on. Weakening safety-net hospitals won’t improve care. It will slash essential services, eliminate jobs, and push entire communities into healthcare deserts and economic instability. The state cannot balance its budget on the backs of Black and Brown community hospitals. These institutions are not line items to cut, they are the foundation of care for families who have nowhere else to turn. Disinvestment will deepen inequities and worsen outcomes. When safety-net hospitals are funded, communities are healthier, workforces are stronger, and economies are more resilient. Illinois must fully fund safety-net hospitals. For the communities they serve, it is life or death. * At 1 pm, Governor Pritzker will deliver remarks at the SCHEELS Sports Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Click here to watch. * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Sun-Times | Pritzker’s accountability panel unveils ‘reckoning’ of feds’ actions during Operation Midway Blitz: The commission — which doesn’t have subpoena or prosecutorial power — has spent months gathering testimony and reviewing body camera footage, bystander videos, law enforcement records, news reports and court filings, said the commission’s vice chair, Patricia Brown Holmes. “We built a record of evidence that you, the public, can now judge for yourselves,” said Holmes, who called the commission’s work a “reckoning.” * WGLT | Illinois State University sticking to final offer in AFSCME strike negotiations: “We really want to have a settlement and get people back to work for the benefit of our students, our faculty and those workers themselves, and so we’re hopeful that parties can get back to the table,” said ISU vice president of finance and planning Glen Nelson in an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. Nelson acknowledged there has been no movement between the university and striking workers since the last bargaining session on April 15. In the meeting nearly two weeks ago, the university had not altered its final deal. * Capitol News Illinois | ‘It’s not for her’: DHS dedicated Midway Blitz in her name. Her mother says she would have hated it: “Katie would have hated it, and she would have hated having her name continuing to be used by politicians, publicly and on social media,” Lorence told commissioners. “The Trump administration preyed on her name and used it in a vile way.” Abraham’s father, Joe Abraham, has been supportive of President Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign, appearing beside the president as he promoted his domestic agenda in the White House last June. * WGLT | Illinois Supreme Court expands temporary licenses to ease legal deserts: The change to Supreme Court Rule 711 allows graduates to retain conditional licenses if they don’t pass the bar on the first try. A temporary 711 license can be issued to law students who have completed at least half the required credits and law grads signed up for the bar exam, enabling them to practice under the supervision of a licensed attorney working in a legal aid organization, clinic or government office. * Tribune | Aldermen press Johnson administration over new budget consulting contract, revenue projections: City revenues are “tracking very closely to budget” so far this year, Budget Director Annette Guzmán told aldermen. But the news of an as-expected performance did little to win over aldermen still doubtful that the administration will fully implement the policies they passed to balance the city’s budget. And aldermen took particular issue Monday with the revelation that Guzmán’s Office of Budget and Management had entered last month into a two-year, $6.7 million contract with consulting firm Ernst & Young. “I think that there are a lot of unanswered questions,” Ald. Samantha Nugent, 39th, said after the meeting. * Tribune | ‘May 1 is happening.’ What to know about the CPS and teachers union May Day debate: May 1 is a national day of action, a day for workers to mobilize and gather to advocate for workers’ rights. In the past, rallies and events have been held across Chicago to commemorate the day. This year, a “no work, no school and no shopping” action is being encouraged as a protest to the administration of President Donald Trump while advocating for immigrant and labor rights. Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union have sparred in recent weeks over whether the district will cancel classes on May 1 to participate in the “no work, no school and no shopping” action. Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU organizer, also weighed in, saying “May 1 is happening.” After CEO Macquline King rejected an initial request from the teachers union, an agreement was later reached that allows staff and students to attend rallies. * Tribune | Here’s how officials want to spend new transit funding this year: The largest single expenditure in the budget amendment is $20 million for Chicago Police Department staffing on the CTA. An additional $10 million is going to canine security guard staffing, for which the CTA contracts privately. Metra, which has its own police department, is getting more police as well, to the tune of $3.8 million. * CBS Chicago | CTA derailment and disruptions raise infrastructure funding concerns: “There are these significant infrastructure-related issues that come back to not only affect these types of incidents, but also day-to-day travel,” said P.S. Sriraj, director of the Urban Transportation Center at the University of Illinois Chicago. Sriraj said those infrastructure issues need to be addressed. “When you have an asset category that has not been maintained for a number of years, it is going to start falling into disrepair,” he said. * Sun-Times | White Sox rally past Angels with 7-run 7th, highlighted by Murakami Munetaka’s MLB-leading 12th homer: An announced crowd of 10,193 — and 821 dogs on Dog Day — whittled down to perhaps several hundred after the game, scheduled for 6:40 p.m., was delayed by an inbound storm. But those who stuck around were treated to the Sox’ highest-scoring inning since July 30, when they also scored seven against the Phillies. Trailing 5-1, the Sox sent 10 batters to the plate, two of whom homered back-to-back — Munetaka Murakami, whose towering three-run homer to right field put the Sox up 7-5, and Miguel Vargas. It was the second time this season the Sox hit consecutive homers. * Block Club | Holiday Club Is Closing May 17 After 25 Years In Uptown: The impending closure prompted dozens of people dressed in black to gather on the corner of Irving Park and Sheridan roads on April 18, where they set up a memorial of sorts with a framed picture of Holiday Club, candles, flowers and beer cans. * Nature | Academics demand apology for scientist investigated for China ties but never charged: After the investigation was closed, Northwestern allegedly “cut her salary for lack of funding of her research during the NIH investigation, raised new requirements she had to meet to restore her funded status, gave her only a limited chance to meet them, and refused to assign back to her a prior grant that had been taken away from her but was still active”. The university informed Wu in May 2024 that it would close her laboratory for good that summer, making it impossible for Wu to apply for future funding. The lawsuit goes on to allege that Northwestern “sent its University Police and City of Chicago Police to evict Dr. Wu from her office by force and placed her in handcuffs”, then took her, “against her will”, to be admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Norman and Ida Stone Institute of Psychiatry in Chicago, less than two months before she ended her life. * Oak Park Journal | Oak Park police union votes no confidence in police chief: In an interview last week with Wednesday Journal, Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman acknowledged having received the results of a no confidence vote along with a patrol officer membership survey. “It’s not for the village board to be discussing personnel beyond the leadership of our village manager,” she said. “But to speak for myself, service, community safety, those basic services that you depend on from government, always remains of top concern and attention. That’s our job fundamentally as a municipal government, to make sure that we’re serving our community and keeping all residents equally safe and respected. So that in and of itself, just means we support our staff in having a healthy working environment.” * Evanston Now | Guaranteed income plan expanded: The Evanston City Council voted Monday night to extend the city’s guaranteed income program to offer $500 per month to 102 families over the next six months to spend down the remaining cash in the program. The program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act through COVID-era federal recovery funds, which must be spent by the end of this year. * Patch | Workers’ Memorial Day Observed Across Illinois with Ceremonies Honoring Fallen Workers: In Springfield, the Illinois AFL-CIO, alongside the Springfield & Central Illinois Trades & Labor Council, will host a morning ceremony at its headquarters to honor fallen workers. Families will gather as flowers are placed in remembrance, and three names will be formally added: Decatur electrician Samuel Ward, Hillsboro coal miner Jessie Edward Smith, and Springfield golf course superintendent Daniel Crumrine. * WCIA | Coroner IDs Springfield man killed by State Police squad car: A pedestrian has died after an Illinois State Police trooper struck him while driving in Springfield overnight. Around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, an ISP trooper was driving south in the middle lane on South 6th Street, approaching a green light at the intersection with Linton Street, ISP said in a news release. A pedestrian — identified as a 45-year-old Springfield man — was reportedly bent down in the roadway when the trooper hit him. * WGLT | School psychologists ‘drowning’ as school sales tax hasn’t yet filled a District 87 mental health gap: Schools have received funding distributed by the Regional Office of Education since midway through the fall semester, three months after the tax went into effect across the county in July. Annual revenue for District 87, the Bloomington-based school district, was projected to be in the $6 million range when the district began educating the public on the details of the sales tax before it was voted on in April 2025. “It’s actually right on par with what we were hoping at the high end,” said superintendent David Mouser in an interview for WGLT’s Sound Ideas. * WQAD | Rock Island alderman’s family business withdraws bid for city catering contract amid conflict concerns: A family business connected to Rock Island Alderman Bill Healy withdrew its bid for a city catering contract just hours before the scheduled city council vote on Monday, April 27 after public questions were raised about possible conflicts of interest. The contract would have provided food service at the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center, commonly known as RIFAC, including meals tied to the city-run preschool program. […] “My parents own the business. I do not,” Healy said. “I have 0% ownership. My wife has 0% ownership.” * WICS | Springfield Police Department’s armored vehicle to be replaced: The specialized police vehicle will cost over $400,000, and the request came soon after the city budget had been approved. SPD says they tried to get grant funding for the project but were unsuccessful. Jarod Maddox, commander of criminal investigations, says grants are run by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) handles the applications and disbursement. The Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) would receive the money and make the purchase. Maddox tells me this was how they got their current Lenco BearCat, which is over 20 years ago. * WGLT | Bloomington council approves $60,000 drone show for July 4 weekend: The City of Bloomington also approved a contract with Gateway Pyrotechnic Solutions for fireworks displays. The $125,000 contract covers Miller Park 4th of July Celebrations from 2026-28. The 2026 display reflects a $5,000 higher price tag than the following two years to extend the show in both time and shell count because of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. * WCIA | Damage reported in Central Illinois following severe weather: In a post on Facebook, DeLand-Weldon CUSD #57 said the school will be closed on Tuesday due to storm damage. Superintendent Michael Tresnak said the elementary school lost one third of its roof. In Mahomet, a downed power line closed US-150 at County Road 200E (Turkey Farm Road), according to the Illinois State Police. * Mother Jones | We Are Bombarding America’s Forests With Roundup: This is because, unbeknownst to most people, logging companies and the US Forest Service have been spraying massive amounts of herbicide in clear-cut and fire-ravaged forests of California—and throughout the nation. And not just any herbicide, but glyphosate, a potent and problematic weed killer best known by the brand name Roundup.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Apr 28, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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Appellate court upholds Madigan’s conviction (Updated)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Click here for the opinion. I’m still reading through it…
…Adding… From the conclusion…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
States should avoid repeating the IRA’s price‑setting mistakes In case you missed it: Early evidence from the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is offering one of the clearest warnings yet about the real-world consequences of government price-setting on prescription drugs. As states debate new proposals to regulate drug prices, such as prescription drug affordability boards or referencing federal or foreign pricing, data from the IRA shows government price-setting is failing to deliver on its promises to patients while creating new risks to innovation, access, and affordability. As we break down in a new PhRMA blog post, the evidence raises serious questions about whether these policies are helping patients, or whether they’re narrowly focused on list prices while ignoring the real drivers of patient costs, like insurance design, PBM practices, and hospital markups. Despite the promises made to patients, roughly 60% of Medicare Part D beneficiaries in coinsurance plans are projected to pay more for six of the medicines Medicare set prices for in 2026, while funding for early-stage small molecule research has dropped nearly 70% and new clinical trials for these medicines are down roughly 25%. Bottom line: The IRA’s early track record underscores why states should learn from Washington’s missteps, not repeat them, and instead pursue more effective tools like sharing PBM-negotiated savings with patients at the pharmacy counter to deliver real affordability without jeopardizing access, competition, or innovation. Read the full blog here: States should avoid repeating the IRA’s price-setting mistakes * CNN | ‘This country needs to bring peace to its politics’: Gov. Pritzker condemns rise in political violence after WHCD shooting : Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker joins Manu Raju on combating political violence in America after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Look, it’s the job of all of us in leadership to push back on this idea that political violence is acceptable. It is not acceptable,” he says. * Center Square | AG candidate seeks to reform SAFE-T Act: Republican Illinois Attorney General candidate Bob Fioretti announced the creation of a new Illinois Public Safety & Accountability Commission, led by retired Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel. One issue Fioretti sees with current law is how it handles electronic monitored release of inmates, which has been widely expanded since the 2023 law eliminating cash bail statewide. He said the system is not working properly, and it was designed to allow low-level offenders to remain at home, instead of using taxpayer funds to keep them incarcerated full time. * WAND | IDNR awards 108 biodiversity field trip grants to IL state parks, historic sites, museums: The grant program allows Illinois teachers to apply for funds to take students on a field trip to study Illinois’ natural resources. Learning activities must directly relate to the school’s curriculum. Funding covers expenses like transportation and substitute teachers. IDNR awarded more than $101,000 for 108 field trip grants. 34 different Illinois counties got grants this year. * Daily Herald | Five things to know about NITA — Illinois’ new transit agency: “It’s definitely an exciting time as we begin the work of re-imagining our regional transit system,” DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy said. “I’m more than pleased to be part of this process.” So far, county chairs have met with the former chief of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, who shared lessons learned from a similar transformation, Conroy said. “I’m now working with staff to move through our process as we consider appointments to the newly constituted service boards and NITA,” she said. * WTTW | Johnson Taps Former Federal Prosecutor Brought in to Clean Up After ComEd Scandal as Chicago’s Inspector General: Glockner was one of the three finalists picked by a five-member search committee charged with selecting the city’s sixth inspector general. “The Office of the Inspector General plays a vital role in ensuring the integrity and efficiency of city government for the benefit of all Chicago residents,” Glockner said, adding that he was “grateful” to be nominated to serve as the city’s watchdog. Glockner worked for Exelon, ComEd’s parent company, from March 2020 until December 2025, and oversaw the firm’s efforts to comply with a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors that resulted from the scandal that sent former House Speaker Michael Madigan to prison after being convicted of 10 charges of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud. Madigan is appealing his conviction * Sun-Times | Man admits opening fire near border agents during Operation Midway Blitz: There were no reports of anyone hit by gunfire in the Nov. 8 incident. Still, federal prosecutors in Chicago now have their second guilty plea for a nonimmigration crime tied to Operation Midway Blitz. The feds charged 32 known defendants with such crimes. Twenty of them have been cleared, and four others are on track to have their cases dismissed. * Tribune | Man allegedly hid gun under a blanket before weekend hospital shooting of two police officers: That order to detain Talley extended to other warrants out for Talley. One was for an alleged a lapse in his pretrial electronic monitoring at the time of the alleged crime, Cook County court records show. Judge John F. Lyke had issued a warrant for Talley’s arrest March 11 while he was on pretrial release for a previous armed robbery case, according to court records. That warrant was still active as of Sunday evening. * Crain’s | Water Tower Place owner launching $170 million makeover of Mag Mile mall: It’s a major capital investment on North Michigan Avenue as the retail corridor regains momentum after years of challenges with vacancy, and one that comes about four years after the mall changed hands via a deed in lieu of foreclosure. “It’s an expression of confidence, and the market has come to us,” said Stone Real Estate founder and principal David Stone, who is leading the property’s retail leasing efforts. * Axios | Fox 32 political reporter Paris Schutz is leaving: His departure comes as local newsrooms continue to shift. NBC Chicago hired sports anchor Lou Cannelis from Fox 32 earlier this year and WGN-TV laid off several personalities, including Dean Richards, in February. It’s unclear what Schutz’s next career move will be. Sources say he’s expected to remain in broadcast television. * PJ Star | German manufacturer to close Illinois plant and move production overseas: A German manufacturing company is closing an Illinois facility and will lay off 172 workers this fall. Gerresheimer Glass Inc. is slated to close its facility in Chicago Heights this year, with the layoffs happening on Sept. 30, according to a notice sent to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on April 13. […] A Gerresheimer spokesperson said the closure of the Chicago Heights facility is aimed at reducing costs and improving performance as part of its global transformation program. The company intends to transfer business from the Chicago Heights plant to three glass plants in Italy and India, according to a news release. * Chicago Reader | On a Saturday in April, families of the missing came to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office with binders, DNA swabs, and 30 years of questions: About ten families attended the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office’s sixth Missing Persons Day event last Saturday, April 18, where a mix of medical examiner personnel, law enforcement, and the family and friends of missing people shared DNA swabs, medical records, and other information in an effort to identify missing and unidentified people. Representatives from the medical examiner’s office, the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Bureau of Detectives, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office attended. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs, also had representatives available to help families submit their loved ones’ information to the database. * Daily Southtown | Cook County collects online feedback on Oak Forest Hospital site: The 150-acre, county-owned property at 159th Street and Cicero Avenue, close to Oak Forest’s Metra stop, is in the midst of a multiyear demolition project planned to take until 2028. In addition to adjoining Oak Forest, the property is also close to Midlothian, Markham, Tinley Park and Country Club Hills. The survey is targeted at nearby residents, business owners and people who commute through the area. * Naperville Sun | Naperville Park Board ready to OK $9.58 million contract for Frontier activity center: Plans are moving forward on the Frontier Sports Complex activity center, with a $9.58 million construction management contract expected to be approved by the Naperville Park Board at its next meeting. Wight & Co. has been recommended by staff to oversee construction of the $119.75 million building that will house an eight-lane lap pool, a warm-water therapy pool, an activity pool with water slide, play features and lap lanes, gymnasiums, exercise space, and a walking and jogging track. Funding for the south side project was approved by voters in a March election referendum. * Center Square | Deferred maintenance blamed in I-64 bridge hole: According to Paul Wappel, a public information officer with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the agency first became aware of the issue April 17. “Concrete has been poured so the temporary steel plate is no longer there,” Wappel said in an email. “We hope to have this section open midweek, weather permitting.” Wappel added that the bridge’s main structural components were not considered deficient. * BND | 20 St. Clair County sirens failed to sound before March tornado; review underway: St. Clair County EMA Director Herb Simmons said 20 sirens in the southern part of the county did not sound when that area was under a tornado warning, which started at 5:19 p.m. on March 15. It was about half an hour before a tornado touched down in New Athens at 5:47 p.m. […] Manually activating the individual sirens in the affected areas also did not work. So St. Clair County EMA leaders decided to sound all 122 sirens across the county, which finally activated the malfunctioning ones. * Illinois Times | EMT takes plea deal: “Families feel they have to accept something rather than risk getting nothing”: Peter J. Cadigan, 53, a former emergency medical technician with LifeStar Ambulance, pleaded guilty April 24 to involuntary manslaughter in Sangamon County court, just weeks before his scheduled trial. He had originally been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Moore’s Dec. 18, 2022 death. Cadigan now faces a sentence ranging from probation to five years in prison, with sentencing set for June 23 before Judge Robin Schmidt. Moore died after being transported face down on a gurney — a position medical experts say can restrict breathing. A forensic pathologist ruled the cause of death as compression and positional asphyxia. * WREX | Family Peace Center in Rockford receives $700K grant: According to the press release, the grant will fund enhanced co-location of key partners at the center. The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office will place a full-time victim services provider at the facility to work directly with survivors involved in criminal cases, providing case updates, court date information, and legal guidance. The Winnebago County Probation Department will add a part-time probation officer to strengthen coordination for individuals involved in the justice system. * WAND | Urbana going on a ‘road diet’ on North Lincoln Avenue: Urbana will be testing a new “road diet” on North Lincoln Avenue. The goal is to make the corridor safer for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The city has restriped a stretch between King Park and I-74, reducing traffic to one lane each way and added a center turn lane. * Crain’s | United CEO lays out the case for the American deal that never was: “I was hoping to pitch that story to American, but they declined to engage and instead responded by publicly closing the door. And without a willing partner, something this big simply can’t get done. . . .While our pursuit of talks with American have ended, our mission to build the greatest airline in the history of aviation at United is well underway.” * Bloomberg | Lumen CEO Says AI Bots Are Taking Over the Internet: Over half of the planet’s internet traffic is now made up of AI bots, according to Kate Johnson, chief executive officer of enterprise network giant Lumen Technologies Inc., forcing executives across sectors to rethink how their companies handle everything from customer-service requests to hidden network threats. On Monday, Johnson penned an open letter to fellow company heads, warning that they must prepare for the seismic shift in AI-driven traffic patterns at volumes and speeds that are harder to predict. * NYT | Thanks to GLP-1s, Obesity Experts Are Trying to Understand ‘Food Noise’: Researchers studying and developing drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound analyzed doses, side effects, weight loss and improvements in conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea. Incessant thoughts about food and internal dialogues about what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat, how to resist eating — these were not on the research agenda. But if the obesity-drug researchers weren’t talking about food noise, people taking GLP-1s had a lot to say about it. For as long as they could remember, users of the drugs said, they had been plagued by food noise. But they thought it was just a normal part of life. They thought everyone had it.
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Bailey makes some valid points about ISU, Pritzker (Updated)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Darren Bailey spoke for striking workers at Illinois State University last week…
Please pardon any transcription errors. * DPI responds…
* The fact remains, however, that one of our top public universities is apparently hiring scabs to undercut striking workers who haven’t received a wage increase in two years. And the governor has not yet stepped up. Higher education received a one percent budget increase last year and the governor wants to give them another one percent this year. So, the state is part of the problem. I’ve asked the governor’s office for a response. I’ll let you know if they provide one. …Adding… From the governor’s office…
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Do better
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * 2025 numbers from the American Road & Transportation Builders Association…
The ARTBA’s numbers are based on data from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) National Bridge Inventory. * As you surely know, Illinois passed a massive capital projects bill in 2019, including a doubling of the Motor Fuel Tax to catch it up with inflation since the last tax increase. Part of that money is supposed to be used to fix bridges. But the state’s infrastructure was in such poor shape and the repairing pace has lagged so badly that the state has been losing ground, even as it builds new bridges. * In 2018, Illinois had 2,273 structurally deficient bridges, or 8.5 percent of its 26,809 bridges. So, Illinois has 118 more bridges than it did in 2018, but 9.5 percent are now structurally deficient, up from 8.6 percent of fewer bridges in 2018. Bottom line: That’s almost a 13 percent increase in the number of structurally deficient bridges since the year before the capital plan was enacted.
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SB 1486 Raises Premiums And Reduces Consumer Choice
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois is home to one of the most competitive insurance markets in the nation. Hundreds of insurers fight for consumers, leaving families better protected than those in other states. SB 1486, described by the Daily Herald as “controversial legislation,” could eliminate that system and, in its place, leave Illinois with the most extreme regulatory framework in the nation. This legislation could:
• Cause insurers to scale back coverage • Result in companies leaving the marketplace entirely These policies have been tried in other states, leading to skyrocketing costs for consumers and limited options for coverage. Don’t bring California style overregulation to Illinois. Click here to learn more.
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Poll: Mayor Johnson’s favorability rating emerges from absolute dumpster fire territory
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I saw some people online trying to turn this Suffolk/Tribune poll result into some sort of horse race. It isn’t. What it does show is that Mayor Johnson has been clawing his way out of his deep hole (the president is no doubt helping with that) as far as favorability is concerned. Whether that means he or anyone else listed below has a chance in the actual election is a whole other thing…
Also in Johnson’s favor, 14 percent have no opinion of him. That’s better than the alternative. * Methodology…
Remember, these are residents, not registered or even likely voters. And a poll of just 500 people divvied over all 50 wards may have some problems. Also, nine percent never heard of Johnson? This is what I was talking about regarding how the poll was conducted. * These three results will blow the haters’ minds…
How affordable is your life in Chicago today?
Do you generally feel safe in your neighborhood?
People generally like their city. * Two more…
It would’ve been helpful to see if the pollster specifically used that highly loaded “defunding” word. * On to the Tribune’s other polling story…
Little surprise there. * More unsurprising results, and more reasons why the mayor has probably bounced back a tad…
How strongly do you approve or disapprove of the federal government’s immigration efforts in the Chicago region, known as Operation Midway Blitz, last fall?
How strongly do you agree or disagree that the federal government needs to return to the Chicago region in 2026 to resume its immigration enforcement efforts?
Discuss. [Many thanks to Isabel for her formatting work.]
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Credit & Debit Cards May Not Work For Tips, Starting July 1
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The IFPA—the Credit Card Chaos law—could hurt Illinois’ tipped workers. Servers, stylists, rideshare drivers and other gig workers who rely on tips could see their income drop if customers can’t tip on cards and are limited to the cash they carry. Before chaos hits on July 1, lawmakers should reverse course and repeal the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act. Learn more at: guardyourcard.com/Illinois
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Lots of work still to do on megaprojects bill
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] At Paws-n-Claws Boarding & Grooming, owners Jerri and Lyndon Swigart provide trusted, compassionate care with comfortable boarding and expert grooming for your pets. Since 2006, Jerri has combined her lifelong love of animals with a commitment to treating every dog and cat like family. Paws-n-Claws in Macomb can be your pet’s home away from home. 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 Jerri and Lyndon in Macomb 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
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Ruling on whether to appoint a special prosecutor to probe Midway Blitz agents expected in coming weeks. Sun-Times…
- But if she were to side with O’Neill Burke, it would seem to vindicate the top prosecutor, who has been under pressure for much of this year to hold the Midway Blitz agents accountable. Coalition attorneys say she has “abdicated her responsibility” by refusing to lead any such investigation. - Judge Reddick told attorneys that she hopes to rule during a hearing May 11. * Related stories… Sponsored by The Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals No Cuts. No Closures. Fund Safety-Net Hospitals. For decades, Illinois has underfunded safety-net hospitals, the lifelines for Black and Brown communities. Now, the “Safety-Net Moonshot” and the Medicaid-defunding legislation it has spawned, threatens deeper cuts to these critical health providers. Any reduction inspired by the “Moonshot” would be a killshot to the care our most vulnerable residents rely on. Weakening safety-net hospitals won’t improve care. It will slash essential services, eliminate jobs, and push entire communities into healthcare deserts and economic instability. The state cannot balance its budget on the backs of Black and Brown community hospitals. These institutions are not line items to cut, they are the foundation of care for families who have nowhere else to turn. Disinvestment will deepen inequities and worsen outcomes. When safety-net hospitals are funded, communities are healthier, workforces are stronger, and economies are more resilient. Illinois must fully fund safety-net hospitals. For the communities they serve, it is life or death. * At 9 am, Governor Pritzker will participate in a tele-townhall with AARP Illinois where he will deliver remarks and discuss his BUILD housing initiative. Click here to listen. * Tribune | Chicago Bears stadium legislation passed the Illinois House, but may face concerns in the Senate: In the face of criticism, state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat who helped lead House negotiations over the bill, countered that many lawmakers were satisfied with the changes that were made to the legislation. But he allowed that it may need tweaks. “I got some marching orders from my caucus to put together an amendment that looked more like what was important to us,” Buckner said before the legislation was passed. “… I think our job right now is to try to move this forward, and if there are more conversations that need to be had, of course, we’ll have those.” * Illinois Answers Project | Prison or treatment? Thousands participate in mental health courts. Half graduate — and millions are left out: In recent months, the Illinois Answers Project and MindSite News reached out to every court in Illinois for data, collected public records from grant-funded courts and interviewed officials and participants to give a complete picture of the state’s mental health courts. What emerges is a promising model with limited funds supporting small oases in an otherwise barren desert. Woodworth successfully completed her program and says it transformed her life. But that’s rare. Most applicants are rejected because of prior offenses, refusal to undergo an evaluation or other disqualifying factors. Of those who are accepted, just half graduate. Some are unable to participate or voluntarily withdraw. A small number have died. Others, like Sean Buchanan, were cut from programs for refusing medication or committing new crimes. * WBEZ | Illinois state agencies at odds over endangered species protections: Last summer, the state’s top wildlife regulators faced resistance from the Illinois Department of Transportation when trying to protect the darter. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recommended that IDOT crews mapping out construction at a site in Union County should first survey the area and find out if the shiner was present. If so, IDNR would ask them to apply for a permit to minimize impacts to the paper clip-sized fish before proceeding. IDOT declined. The department’s reason, among others, was simple: “Fish swim away.” * Quantum Zeitgeist | IQMP Funds Five Quantum Algorithm Projects With New Awards: Another award supports Professor Patrick Draper at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, working with IBM and EPRI, to explore how quantum algorithms can address the growing complexity of modern power grids. The team intends to assess whether and how existing quantum algorithms can deliver practical advantage on real-world energy grid problems, a critical step toward integrating renewables and ensuring grid reliability. These initiatives are not solely academic exercises; each represents a collaboration across academia, quantum companies, and industry end users, according to program materials. Brad Henderson, CEO of P33, said, “Grand Challenges brings together the full quantum ecosystem to accelerate the development of real-world applications.” * Shaw Local | State parks upgrading campsite reservation system to better serve the public: Reservations for campsites and shelters at Illinois state parks and historic sites will transition to an updated platform beginning May 1. The new system offers park users a more user-friendly system for making reservations and securing permits, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said. Users will continue to use exploremoreil.com – the customer service platform of the IDNR – to make campsite and shelter reservations, but will notice an improved interface, the department said in a news release. * Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker’s affordable housing plan gets Senate hearing as municipalities remain opposed: Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, inquired about protections against market pressures that may arise from the construction of additional units in neighborhoods. Aquino said he and his wife recently sold their home and moved into a multigenerational home due to affordability concerns. Similarly, Sen. Donald DeWitte, R-St. Charles, raised concerns about changing land values that could negatively affect current homeowners. Ortega indicated that the land value component will be addressed by the $250 million capital investment but stated that market protections had not been included in the introduced legislation. * Rocky Mountain Collegian | Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks at Democratic fundraising event held at CSU: “What I’m most disappointed about (in) the building of the Democratic Party and where we are, is we should have been doing a 50-state strategy from day one,” Pritzker said. “Instead, what we did was focus on battleground states. … In the off years, we need to be creating scaffolding and infrastructure, because when the on years — when the presidential years come — that’s how you win. If you’re not doing anything until months before the general election in 2028 or ’24 or ’20, there’s no way to win states.” * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois launches online resources for households on federal food assistance: Ahead of an estimated 150,000 Illinois households losing access to federal food assistance on May 1, Illinois launched two websites aimed at providing work, training and volunteer hours to those households. Job Ready IL collects training programs and employment opportunities, while Serve Illinois shares volunteer opportunities. Doanld Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, also known as H.R. 1, made changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that increased the able-bodied adults without dependents population and ended a long-term work requirement waiver that Illinois had, putting some recipients at risk of losing their benefits. * Tribune | Illinois sets new rules barring state workers from prediction market bets and AI use without oversight: The Illinois Gaming Board has sent cease-and-desist letters to prediction market platforms, including Kalshi and Polymarket, since the beginning of last year, arguing the businesses were engaged in illegal gambling. Earlier this month, the federal government filed a lawsuit against Illinois, asserting that the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission, not the state gaming board, has regulatory authority over those platforms. “Illinois has been sort of on the forefront of striking back against these prediction markets,” said Karl Lockhart, an assistant professor of law at DePaul University who writes about financial and securities markets regulation. * ABC Chicago | Illinois Accountability Commission to reveal results of investigation into operation ‘Midway Blitz’: There will be two public hearings this week that are expected to reveal results of ongoing investigations surrounding actions of federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz. The commission is expected to show footage and listen to witness testimony from incidents that took place during the operation. The commission is tasked with documenting the impact of Operation Midway Blitz and then making recommendations for accountability and reform. * Tribune | More Chicagoans view Mayor Brandon Johnson unfavorably than favorably ahead of 2027 mayoral race, Suffolk-Tribune poll says: The Suffolk University/Chicago Tribune poll of 500 adult residents, conducted April 11-15, found 44% viewed the mayor unfavorably, while just 34% viewed him favorably. The remainder were undecided or said they had never heard of him. The poll, conducted by David Paleologos, director of Suffolk University’s Political Research Center, carries an overall margin of error of 4.4 percentage points. * Sun-Times | New details emerge in Swedish Hospital shooting of Chicago police officer John Bartholomew: Bartholomew, 38, was shot alongside another officer at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, 5140 N. California Ave., by a robbery suspect who had been arrested earlier that morning, police have said. No update was provided Sunday on the second officer, who has not been named. He was “fighting for his life” in critical condition, police Superintendent Larry Snelling said Saturday at a news conference outside Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where both officers were taken after the shooting. * Tribune | CTA breaks ground on Red Line Extension. The project ‘corrects’ history, acting CTA head says: For months, with early site preparation work underway on the Far South Side, the transit agency was unable to access federal reimbursements to pay for that work. A federal judge last month ordered the feds to temporarily unfreeze those dollars, a win officials celebrated on Friday. “Today we are providing Chicago with an opportunity to demonstrate what it means to fight back against the Trump administration,” said Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. * Sun-Times |: Residential projects across Chicago are being postponed because construction companies are struggling to find reliable labor, prompting some contractors with projects west of Interstate 355 to operate with leaner crews and driving up day rates and overtime pay to attract workers. * NYT | The Chief of Chicago’s Science Museum Is Doing Some Experiments: Chevy Humphrey, the chief executive, is trying to answer that question in a broad and urgent way. In May, the museum will open a new permanent exhibit exploring “how energy shapes our daily lives,” just as the war in Iran is prompting big questions about our relationship with oil, gas and other sources of power. That is a traditional initiative for a science museum. Just a few paces away, another exhibit is set to open on something less expected: Anne Frank. Dr. Humphrey sees it as an opportunity for the museum’s youngest patrons to grapple with larger, frightening forces around them, as Frank did in her “Dear Kitty” journal during the Holocaust. * South Side Weekly | Heavy Crownz Is Planting The Seeds for a Future Englewood: “I always describe Englewood as the trenches, but not in the sense where it’s negative all the time. The trenches was [also] a safe space that soldiers found refuge in during war,” he said. “So for me, it was a safe space that also has some rough parts. But it was a loving, beautiful place for me.” The album balances these sorts of opposites. It’s a stage for collaborators and an introspective memoir, a breakup album and a party album, an ode to farming and a beacon of hope all rolled into one. But throughout, it embodies the “resilience, confidence, ingenuity and imagination” that Heavy credits Englewood with instilling in him. * Tribune | Months after late property tax bills, thousands are still waiting with no resolution in sight: Property tax bills arrived months late for hundreds of thousands of Cook County homeowners last year, causing headaches and confusion for property owners and the local governments they fund. Five months later, thousands are still waiting for bills and tens of thousands are waiting for refunds, the latest development in the technology upgrade debacle that has roiled the county’s tax system for more than four years with no clear end in sight. * Daily Herald | ‘This project is delivering’: Suburban leaders credit flood-prevention efforts for keeping towns dry during recent deluges: Village Manager Jon Sfondilis credited $9 million worth of village-funded stormwater system improvements over the last decade — as well as some regional projects that benefit Wheeling — for averting disaster. One of the most recent efforts focused on the flood-prone South Dunhurst subdivision, where a nearly 3-acre detention pond was constructed and underground sewers leading to that basin were installed in the last couple years. * Daily Herald | ‘He would choose to do it again’: Vigil held for Buffalo Grove High School security guard who died shielding students from crash: Friends, family and students gathered at Buffalo Grove High School Saturday to pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of high school security guard Orlando Rivas. Rivas, who died Friday, was fatally injured during dismissal Tuesday afternoon while trying to shield students he was helping cross the street during a crash. A vehicle trying to exit the parking lot onto Dundee Road struck a pole. That pole hit Rivas, who died after he was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. * WGLT | ISU says its external custodial contractors are not strikebreakers: ISU spokesperson Chris Coplan said the university was officially served with the lawsuit Friday. He said the lawsuit seeks to “restrict the university’s ability to utilize external companies performing custodial and grounds work on campus.” He said the university’s use of these companies is legal. “These external companies are not strikebreakers — they are well-established, local businesses that perform custodial and grounds work in and around our local community every day,” Coplan said. “We plan to vigorously defend our position in this meritless lawsuit.” * WGLT | AFSCME presents nearly 7,000 petition signatures to ISU president, hoping to end strike: AFSCME was assisted by state Rep. Sharon Chung and state Sen. Dave Koehler, both Democrats representing parts of Bloomington-Normal. Chung and Koehler presented the signatures to ISU President Aondover Tarhule on Friday in a private meeting which lasted just over 15 minutes. While multiple union members were present on the fourth floor of Hovey Hall outside Tarhule’s office, he only agreed to meet with the present elected officials. * WSIL | Poshard Foundation awarding $106,500 to support abused, neglected children: Foundation leaders announced $106,500 in grants will be distributed during a press conference scheduled for April 30 at 1 p.m. at John A. Logan College. A total of 28 agencies across Southern Illinois are set to receive funding. The grants are intended to support services for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment, including counseling, medical care, and other support programs. * IPM News | Champaign County Sheriff says ICE will NOT be in town: Rumors have been swirling that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be in town. Champaign County Sheriff Dustin Heuerman said the rumors are not true. “It is completely a rumor that ICE will be in town and not based on reliable information. I have verified this weekend with our federal partners that there are no scheduled ICE operations occurring in our area,” Heuerman said. “There are some non-ICE federal agents supposed to be in Central Illinois this week working with some local jurisdictions on criminal warrant apprehension.” * WGLT | Statewide data shows McLean County detains defendants awaiting trial at higher rates: That’s work typically done by Frank Beck, who was also present for Thursday’s quarterly meeting. Beck said his team at ISU’s Stevenson Center will study recidivism in the county for the first time in a decade. Previous data collection showed McLean County’s reoffending rate at around 30%. “It’s time to update it, or to do it for the first time with respect to the specialty courts,” he said. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford data center TIF details and more available at new website: A new website has been launched to provide information about a proposed Tax Increment Financing district and data center south of Rockford Airport. The website was created in collaboration with several local organizations that recently hosted a Data Center Information Night, according to a community announcement. It aims to be a reliable resource amid widespread information and misinformation. * WGLT | Innovate Springfield director leaving for a new job: Following a national search, Ben Hage has been named director of The Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University, effective June 1. Currently Director of Innovate Springfield at the University of Illinois Springfield, Hage has more than a decade of experience spanning both startup development and entrepreneurship education.
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Good morning!
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Apr 27, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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