* Illinois Chamber of Commerce…

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce represents business impacted by the recent federal trade policies across virtually every industry sector. The actions taken earlier today to suspend some of the recently implemented tariffs will provide important relief for businesses and workers throughout our state. The business community needs and deserves certainty in order to drive further investment. The Illinois Chamber urges our elected leaders to focus on permanent resolutions, like trade agreements, that spur real economic growth and job opportunities that benefit businesses and families throughout Illinois.

…Adding… ILGOP…

Today, ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi released the following statement following the passage of Amendment 2 to HB2827, also known as the Homeschool Act, through the House Education Policy Committee.

“Illinois Democrats in Springfield proved today that they want to control our children and take away parent’s rights. These draconian policies are anti-family and will insert the government into parents’ day-to-day lives. Let’s be clear – this fight isn’t over and we will continue to do everything possible to protect our homeschool families.”

Despite strong opposition from parents, who filed over 38,000 witness slips against the amendment, and no Republican support, Democrats continue to work against Illinois families.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Illinois has been at the forefront of the data center boom, but state lawmakers are working to gauge and mitigate the impact these centers have on climate and energy consumption.

In the last two decades, data centers have multiplied due to increased demand for cloud computing, information storage and data processing. However, data centers now also serve AI and cryptocurrency mining, which puts new digital coins into circulation and enters transactions on the blockchain. […]

State Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Public Utilities, has filed legislation that aims to gather data on the industry to determine the impact on energy and water usage and prevent them from putting too much strain on Illinois’ power grids. […]

Under Stadelman’s Senate Bill 2181, companies that operate data centers in Illinois would need to report their annual water and energy consumption to the Illinois Power Agency beginning next spring under threat of $10,000 fines for non-compliance. The IPA would then synthesize the data into annual reports to answer the question of whether residential ratepayers in Illinois are, in effect, subsidizing data centers, along with the environmental impacts of the industry. […]

But SB 2181 has not yet received a hearing — or any co-sponsors — despite agreement from fellow state Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, that data centers’ resource usage could become a problem for Illinois.

* Illinois Department of Public Health…

With cases of measles being reported in more than 20 jurisdictions around the United States, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has unveiled a new data dashboard to help school officials and members of the public assess the potential severity of any outbreaks of measles, should one occur in Illinois. The new Measles Outbreak Simulator Dashboard makes it easy for the public to find out the measles vaccination rate in any school in Illinois, public or private, and to determine the risk of a child being exposed to measles if a case is introduced in their school.

Illinois has had no reported cases of measles since an outbreak in Chicago in early 2024 and there are currently no active measles outbreak investigations in Illinois. However, IDPH officials are closely monitoring an outbreak in Texas and New Mexico that has resulted in more than 530 confirmed cases, including three deaths, two of them children. […]

The dashboard provides predictions, projections and estimates for the size and spread of a measles outbreak in individual Illinois schools from Pre-K through 12th grade using 2023-2024 school vaccination and enrollment data and additional model parameters. The dashboard will be updated with the 2024-25 school year data as soon as that becomes available in the near future. [….]

According to the CDC, one dose of measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine is 93% effective against measles and two doses are 97% effective in protection from measles. However, for those who are not vaccinated, measles is more contagious than most other infections. Measles is easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. And measles can cause serious and long-term complications, including pneumonia and swelling of the brain.

IDPH stresses the importance of ensuring everyone in your family is up to date on their immunizations. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates in the United States have dropped, increasing the likelihood of more cases of vaccine-preventable diseases. Individuals can protect themselves and their communities by doing their part and ensuring their families are up to date on all recommended vaccines.

* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…

Chosen by voters from an initial field of more than 250 entries, the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump made by MTH pumps in Plano has been crowned the winner of the 2025 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois.

Hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and sponsored by Comcast Business, the bracket-style competition celebrates the incredible work of manufacturers across Illinois. Manufacturing is the largest contributor of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product, supporting nearly a third of all jobs in Illinois and contributing more than $580 billion to the state’s economy each year.

With nearly 411,000 votes cast throughout the eight-week competition, the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump was awarded the title of The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois, which was announced by Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday during a ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion. Manufactured by MTH Pumps in Plano, the Aerial Firefighting Helicopter Refill Pump was designed to reduce the refill time of helicopter-based water tanks from over a minute to as little as 30 seconds, increasing the number of water drops that aerial firefighters can place on a wildfire. This time advantage improves the chances of slowing or stopping fires from endangering lives, property and habitats. When wildfires in California left a trail of destruction, MTH Pumps helped by providing rapid and reliable water access for aerial firefighting teams.

* CBS Chicago | Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker seeks to reassure farmers, agriculture workers at Trump tariffs take effect: “Farmers and rural communities often bear the brunt of tariffs and tariff retaliation,” Pritzker said. “We have been working with our counterparts in Mexico as well as our partners in Canada and around the world to keep our ties from this state strong, and to ensure our farmers aren’t once again left as collateral damage in a self-inflicted trade war.”

* NBC Chicago | Who could replace Sen. Durbin if he retires? Lauren Underwood leads in new poll: Democrats who might be interested in succeeding Durbin have started organizing, hiring staffers and raising money. Organizing efforts were done almost entirely behind the scenes until Tuesday, when the campaign team for U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, a Democrat from Naperville, sent out a fundraising email proclaiming she is “gearing up and getting ready here on the campaign side” should Durbin retire. If that happens, Underwood would lead the Senate Democratic primary, according to a new poll commissioned by 314 Action Fund. In March, pollsters surveyed 773 likely 2026 Democratic primary voters in Illinois. They found that Underwood has the highest name recognition of the candidates in the field.

* SJ-R | ‘We’re here to see justice’: Sonya Massey’s cousin says family remains ‘united’: Teresa Haley said the change of the location for the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy charged with first-degree murder of Sonya Massey on July 6 won’t change the outcome. “(Sean Grayson) assassinated her and I think anybody in America will agree that he should be sentenced to life,” said Haley, a Massey family friend representing civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

* Rockford Register Star | Where to draw the line on nepotism? Winnebago County looks to loosen hiring restrictions: The new version would remove part of the ordinance that prohibited the county from hiring anyone who was related to or lived with a County Board member, the chairman, employees of human resources or employees of the county board office. […] County Board Member Keith McDonald, R-6, said nepotism restrictions are needed, but that the current version of the ordinance may have gone too far. He said he began to question the current ordinance when his son wanted to test to become a sheriff’s deputy.

* PJ Star | City of Peoria reaches settlement in Cleve Heidelberg police shooting case: The City of Peoria has reached a $625,000 settlement with the estate of Cleve Heidelberg, a man who served 47 years in prison in connection with a murder he said he didn’t commit. A settlement in the case, which the city said was being made to avoid further litigation, will see the Heidelberg estate paid $1.2 million, $625,000 of which will come from the City of Peoria.

* WGLT | Lead-based paint is a ‘niche’ yet prevalent environmental health concern — including in McLean County: “It’s the most prevalent issue that we see with lead,” said McAfee. “And I think really just the issue is that it’s such a forgotten thing.” Nearly every ZIP code in McLean County is considered high risk for lead exposure, which IDPH has previously said is due to lead paint. Last year, the McLean County Health Department said there were about 30 cases of lead poisoning in youth.

* WCIA | Champaign first responders hoping to utilize mental health professionals: In the last five years, Champaign Police have responded to more than 80,000 calls for service that could have benefitted from a mental health professional, the city’s fire chief said. Now, they’re working alongside the fire department pushing for a new way of handling calls that would employ those kinds of experts. They’re asking city council for their approval to move forward with their co-response model.

* Tribune | Dexter Reed deal, $32 million for downtown police chase crash set for vote: The lawsuit filed by Bryce and Amy Summary of St. Louis alleges a white Mercedes pulled over by police for a tinted license plate hit them as it fled on a May 2022 evening. The crash left Bryce, in town with his family for a work conference, with two amputated legs and towering medical bills. The couple’s costly injuries were a “direct and proximate result” of the city’s negligence, the lawsuit alleged. The $32 million deal, if advanced by the committee and approved by the council, will represent yet another huge expense for a city outspending the money it budgeted this year for legal settlements.

* Sun-Times | Chicago police investigating why cops were told to report ‘migrant arrests’ to the feds: The Chicago Police Department is investigating after officers were directed to alert federal law enforcement officials about “migrant arrests” involving people with tattoos or clothing associated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The directive was included in a daily briefing in October 2023 at the Near West District, where some new arrivals were living at the time. It highlighted the arrest of a man who had tattoos that “represent the Venezuelan prison gang known as Tren de Aragua,” according to a slide from the briefing. The man was pictured wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey, another purported sign of membership in the gang.

* Block Club | As Police Prepare For ‘Teen Takeover’ Downtown, Curfew Debate Resurfaces: The commander told about 30 community members at Tuesday’s meeting that the Police Department is working with Chicago Public Schools to send messages to parents making them aware of the takeovers. Additionally, the department is trying to hold organizers accountable for planning large-scale events without permits, Harris said. It’s not illegal for young people to gather Downtown, but as curfew approaches, the Police Department begins to enforce it more actively.

* WTTW | City Council Panel Advances Plan to Block Jan. 6 Rioters from City Jobs After Trump Pardons: With the endorsement of the City Council’s Workforce Development Committee, the measure, authored by Alds. Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward), Matt Martin (47th Ward), Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward) and Bill Conway (34th Ward) now heads to the full City Council for a final vote on April 16. “You should not be allowed to work for the government you tried to overthrow,” said Villegas, a former Marine, who added that he would not allow what happened on Jan. 6 to be “whitewashed.”

* WGN | Northwest Side hospital owes construction firms millions of dollars: For months, the bills have gone unpaid. Local construction firms helped build an on-site behavioral treatment center at Community First Medical Center in Chicago’s Belmont-Cragin neighborhood. But they claim they’re still waiting on their money, even though the center has received state funding. The allegations come as small hospitals nationwide struggle to stay afloat, amid the rising cost of care and issues with Medicaid reimbursements.

* Sun-Times | CTA to break ground on Red Line extension in early 2026 as prep work begins on Far South Side: CTA officials held the first of three community meetings Tuesday at Woodson Regional Library in Washington Heights to introduce the contractor to residents and give a rundown of the project that will extend the Red Line from the existing terminus at 95th/Dan Ryan to 130th Street. In August 2024, the CTA awarded a $2.9 billion contract to Walsh-VINCI Transit Community Partners to design and build the extension after a two-year bidding process.

* WBEZ | Sloppy restaurant reservation etiquette? In Chicago, that means no dinner for you.: The restaurant, which books reservations through Tock, gives customers several chances to cancel within the 48-hour window that gives them the best chance of rebooking those seats. An email reminder goes out two days in advance, then a text reminder 24 hours before, which is when the restaurant sees the most changeover, Irby said. (Opportunists would do well to call or check online for openings starting around that time, she added.) Irby keeps manual track of frequent no-shows and also flags serial cancelers on Tock.

* Daily Herald | Tempers flare between board members during St. Charles City Council meeting: A St. Charles City Council member used the closing minutes of a meeting this week to lob accusations against another alderperson and call for his resignation. Alderperson Paul Lencioni strongly criticized fellow council member David Pietryla near the end of the city council meeting on Monday. “I faced an opponent who David Pietryla, for his own personal reasons and for whatever quest of power, has recruited to run against me,” Lencioni said.

* Daily Herald | DuPage County has rolled out ‘Text-to-911.’ Here’s how to use the new service: In certain emergencies — a domestic violence or another life-threatening situation — someone might not be able to call 911 safely. In DuPage County, those individuals can now send emergency text messages directly to 911 dispatchers when calling is not possible, County Board Chair Deborah Conroy said. “The text-to-911 service will greatly assist the deaf community, as well as those who may be in domestic violence situations, are hiding, or simply can’t make a 911 telephone call,” she said.

* Tribune | Oak Lawn votes to continue 1% grocery tax, tear down village fuel station: Oak Lawn residents will not get a tax break on their grocery bills come year, despite the Illinois General Assembly repealing the state’s 1% tax. The Oak Lawn Village Board voted Tuesday to enact a 1% tax on grocery store purchases and sales to avoid losing $2.2 million annually. “We have a number of grocery stores, so it adds up,” Mayor Terry Vorderer said.

* CNBC | Dow surges 2,600 points for biggest rally in 5 years after Trump pauses some tariffs: Live updates: The S&P 500 skyrocketed 8.4%, on pace for its biggest one-day gain in five years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 2,571 points, or 7%, also its biggest gain since 2020. The Nasdaq Composite jumped 10.8%. “I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately,” Trump posted on his Truth Social. Trump, in the same post, said he was raising the tariff on China higher again to 125%.