Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

A sales tax on services could be a good source of revenue, according to a “policy spotlight” put out by the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

Study co-author David Merriman, a professor of public policy at the university’s Chicago campus, looks at the sales tax numbers in other states.

“Illinois has a more narrow sales tax base than other states,” Merriman said. “Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin all have a broader sales tax base than Illinois, and the amount of revenue that they would raise if we just taxed the services that those other states tax would range from about $200 million to $1 billion – quite substantial revenues.”

Gov. JB Pritzker has said he is not in favor of taxing, for example, haircuts and dry cleaning. Previous attempts to implement such sales taxes in Illinois have fizzled.

* From the report…

Our analysis of FY2024 fiscal data from the IOC shows the state of Illinois in a relatively strong fiscal condition compared to the past two decades although still in a potentially precarious position given the uncertainty in the economy and potential federal changes. Our numbers show that Illinois ran a small “all funds” surplus in FY2024. However, since 1998 spending continues to grow slightly faster than revenues. Furthermore, Federal Medicaid revenue has become Illinois’ 2nd largest revenue source but could be at significant risk with a new presidential administration. Sales tax revenues are growing much more slowly than total revenues or spending.

While the FY2024 state fiscal condition was relatively good local governments face very significant challenges and may need state assistance. The state will be hard pressed to support local governments if, as seems possible, changes in federal policies make it more difficult for the state to maintain current levels of services. One potential policy that could aid local governments without requiring additional state support would e to broaden the sales tax base.

We summarize available evidence about the implications of such a policy change for tax revenues of the state and its local governments: bringing more services into the sales tax base has the potential to increase sales tax revenues in the short run and to better align the state’s tax base with the overall economy in the future.

* Injustice Watch…

With only four Cook County Circuit Court seats open for countywide election in the March 2026 primary, Cook County Democratic Party committee people met last week to evaluate 29 judicial candidates seeking their endorsements at the IBEW union hall in Bronzeville.

Party chair and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said she couldn’t recall an election cycle with fewer countywide judicial vacancies. […]

Many of the candidates who appeared Thursday have sought the party’s endorsement before — including perennial judicial hopefuls Deidre Baumann and Steve Demitro as well as Chicago city attorney Steve McKenzie, public defender Kevin Ochalla, private practitioner Ashonta Rice, and Cook County labor relations attorney Torrick Ward. With the event running well behind schedule, party bosses did not pepper the round robin of candidates with the usual questions about their commitments not to run against slated candidates and their willingness to contribute $45,000 to the party campaign pot.

The dearth of countywide judicial vacancies this year presents a financial challenge to the party’s campaign activities in an election cycle that will include the governor’s race and what might be a heated race for U.S. Senate. While judicial races are the least expensive to run, the multitude of candidates is key to the party’s war chest; last cycle, the 16 slated judicial candidates contributed more than half a million dollars to the party.

The Democrats “will have to be very strategic about what we do to support the people on our slate,” Preckwinkle said.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | The Flashy Fugitives: Ex-Loretto Leader And Pal Accused Of Stealing Millions Are Living Large In Dubai: Block Club reviewed public records, videos and photos that paint a picture of their new lives: Suhail has opened a luxury plastic surgery clinic in a posh neighborhood in Dubai and has attended events with politicians and influencers, donning designer watches and jeweled rings. Ahmed is making increasingly overt appeals to President Donald Trump in what appears to be a bid for clemency. In the United States, they left behind tens of millions of dollars, pricey properties, expensive cars — and unpaid bills.

* Crain’s | Sterling Bay looks to sell development site next to Lincoln Yards: After trying for years to jump-start the development and secure a new financial partner after two primary backers sought to sell their stakes in the project, Sterling Bay handed over the northern part of the site to its lender, Little Rock, Ark.,-based Bank OZK, in March. The developer still controls the southern portion of the proposed megaproject site in partnership with J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

* Sun-Times | Federal gun ban upheld in George Floyd rioting-related case involving noncitizen in Chicago: Federal officials didn’t violate the constitution when they enforced a gun ban against an immigrant without legal status from Mexico, the U.S. appeals court in Chicago decided earlier this month. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman had dismissed an indictment against Heriberto Carbajal-Flores last year when she found the law he was charged with violated the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms. But the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Coleman’s ruling on July 16 and sent the case back to her for reconsideration.

* Sun-Times | The final act of Chicago’s Damen Silos, star of movies, hip-hop videos and architectural photography: When the amateur architectural photographer Deborah Mercer learned that the Damen Silos would soon be demolished, she decided to go capture them while she still could. “Went to pay my respects to the Damen Silos, soon to be demolished due to the owner’s lack of imagination,” Mercer wrote on BlueSky, a social media platform where she frequently posts her photos of historic Chicago buildings. For some in the city’s cultural community, the demolition of the historic grain silos represents a visual gut-punch. The structures — icons of urban decay as they sat empty for nearly five decades — have been a popular backdrop for filmmakers, musicians and skyline photographers and served as a canvas for many graffiti artists who ignored the “No Trespassing” signs. The silos even appeared in the 2014 movie Transformers: Age of Extinction.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News-Sun | Residents air fears, frustrations at congressman’s town hall; ‘Abuses we’re seeing … are significant and appalling’: Most calls to the office of U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, concern what he terms the “big bad bill,” otherwise known as the “big beautiful bill” signed by President Donald Trump on July 4. But questions at Schneider’s most recent town hall, like those from Andi Kenney of Deerfield and Dr. Sarah Kelly, also focused on healthcare or fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. Kelly said she was concerned about cuts to funding for low-income medical students creating exorbitant student debt, and Kenney wanted to know how to curb the alleged abuses of ICE personnel and the treatment of the people they arrest.

* NBC Chicago | ‘Huge disservice’: Busy Orland Park DMV location to close, Illinois Secretary of State says: A statement from Giannoulias’ office late Monday slammed the Orland Township Trustees’ decision, calling it a “huge disservice to residents,” and said it was made without providing proper notice to or consulting with Secretary of State staff or board members. […] Shortly after Giannoulias’ statement, Orland Township Trustee Ken Duffy posted a contentious response, saying the location was “not” one of Illinois’ busiest DMVs and that the board’s “issues with the DMV” were previously communicated to Giannoualias’ office. “Sorry that your staff did not provide you with that information,” Duffy’s post said. … Coleman twice refused to dismiss the case against Carbajal-Flores but ended up throwing it out because of the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in a gun-rights case called New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. … Andrew Willinger, a Duke University law professor, said Carbajal-Flores’ case is “a pretty good illustration of how with Bruen you quickly do just get into the historical weeds.”

* Crain’s | Kaegi snub spotlights property tax headaches — and a looming political battle: In a move that could have big implications for local property taxpayers, the county’s Democratic Party last week formally endorsed Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes in an effort to unseat Kaegi in the 2026 primary election. The slating by the party’s 80 committee members frames two-term incumbent Kaegi as an outsider trying to retain his seat next year. Whether the backing ultimately makes a difference to Cook County voters remains to be seen. But the party’s decision to back a challenger sends a loud message about taxpayers’ frustration with the way property taxes have been calculated over the last several years.

* WBEZ | How Chicago-area malls are adapting for a new era: A “reader’s choice” report from USA Today says two Chicagoland malls — Oakbrook Center and The Fashion Outlets of Chicago — are among the best in the nation. Reset looks at what makes these and other Chicago-area shopping centers great and discusses how local malls are changing to draw visitors at a time when malls nationwide have been in decline.

* Daily Southtown | Health care provider Aunt Martha’s commits to continue serving patients who lose Medicaid: Raul Garza, president and CEO of Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness, which has 22 health centers including five in the south suburbs, doesn’t know exactly how many of the more than 50,000 patients Aunt Martha’s serves will lose Medicaid coverage due to President Trump’s massive spending and tax cut law. But at Aunt Martha’s, where 65% to 70% of patients are on Medicaid, the federally qualified health center has no plans to drop patients who lose Medicaid coverage.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Clerical error caused appearance of missing money at Paris school: State’s Attorney: In June, WCIA reported that an Edgar County school district thought they lost more than $700,000 over six years. The Paris School District said they received less money from the county then they’d requested from 2018 until 2024. Now, after an investigation, the Edgar County State’s Attorney said there was never any missing money to begin with. He said the false alarm was all due to a clerical error.

* WGLT | Looming cuts to SNAP threaten food insecurity resources in McLean County: Eligibility requirements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] — wrapped into the GOP megabill signed into law on July 4 — means about 360,000 Illinoisans could lose food assistance benefits, according to a statewide analysis. More than 20,000 McLean County residents receive SNAP. SNAP recipients must now work or volunteer 80 hours per month unless they have dependents age 14 or younger, are medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment or are pregnant. The law expands work requirements to all non-disabled adults, including those age 55-64, who were previously exempt.

* BND | Metro-east funeral home owner, village trustee indicted on income tax fraud: A member of the St. Jacob board of trustees, who is also the owner and director of Richeson Funeral Home in Troy, has been indicted on charges of income tax fraud. Guideon Richeson, 68, was indicted on July 17 on 11 counts related to the alleged fraud and failure to keep books, according to Madison County court documents. Richeson declined to comment on the charges. Court records state Richeson failed to submit tax return paperwork since the 2020 tax year. He also failed to provide books and records from 2017 to 2020.

* WGLT | Heartland Community College board elects alum to fill trustee vacancy: The Board of Trustees at Heartland Community College has named an HCC alumnus to fill a recent vacancy. Senesta “Angell” Howard of Bloomington was voted as a trustee at Tuesday night’s board meeting. She will be officially seated on Aug. 19. Howard’s seat previously belonged to Cecelia Long, whose term was set to expire in 2029. Long had been on the board since 2021 and was reelected for a six-year term in 2023. She resigned in June with plans to pursue personal and professional opportunities outside the district.

*** National ***

* NYT | Trump Told Park Workers to Report Displays That ‘Disparage’ Americans. Here’s What They Flagged.: At Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina, the Trump administration is set to review, and possibly remove or alter, signs about how climate change is causing sea levels to rise. At Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, the administration will soon decide whether to take down exhibits on the brutality of slavery. And at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in Florida, Trump officials are scrutinizing language about the imprisonment of Native Americans inside the Spanish stone fortress.

21 Comments

Pritzker on Texas remap, Stratton not being slated, whether state should opt in to new federal tax credit for private schools (Updated)

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gov. Pritzker was asked today whether Illinois should redraw its congressional districts now that Texas is planning to redraw its own districts to reduce the number of Democratic congresscritters…

We have to see what they decide to do about Texas. But I think that the President of the United States encouraging Texas, Texas being willing to do this, should be an indicator to the rest of us that that if they’re going to cheat, that that’s not a proper way to act.

We’re all going to have to band together to try to address that, at least to try to stop them, by letting them know that if we were doing what they were doing, that in fact, we would counterbalance, indeed take control of the Congress.

I think we ought to play by the rules. Everybody. And I think we ought to have an election in 2026, we’ll see who comes out ahead in the Congress. But I think cheating the way the President wants to is improper. We all ought to stand up against it. People ought to be outraged.

Please pardon all transcription errors.

…Adding… Leader McCombie…

In response to Governor JB Pritzker’s comments today regarding potential mid-decade redistricting, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:

“It’s rich that the Governor now claims to support playing by the rules—after he enthusiastically signed into law the most gerrymandered maps in the nation. When it was convenient, he promised to reject partisan maps in favor of fair representation. Illinois Republicans remain committed to fairness and transparency.”

* He was also asked about the Cook County Democratic Party deciding not to slate anyone for US Senate, even though the lt. governor is one of the candidates…

Look, it’s rare. They have three, you know, reasonably well known candidates who are running for a big office like United States Senate, I think the Cook County Democratic Party rightly recognized that there are these are all significant players, all three of them. So I mean, personally, I understand why they ended up where they are. I know that Juliana Stratton was the leader among the three of them. But when you don’t get the endorsement, you don’t get the endorsement. So, but from my perspective, she has support from all across the state and all across Cook County. So I feel confident on her behalf that she’ll do well in the primary.

* Pritzker was also asked if the state would opt into a new federal tax credit for private school students…

We’ve got to look at [that]. Remember, Donald Trump is trying to take away funding from public schools, right? He has shut down funding to the states for public schools, and we’ve had to sue to try to get back. So this idea that he’s for education, and that’s why he pushed having this provision in the bill is just false narrative. So we’re going to have to look at whether or not we can implement a program that will be good for all students and all families that have students in school, and not just a program that’s about private schools, sometimes religious schools, and sometimes schools that would reject having an LGBTQ member as a teacher, whether we should be supporting a program that just does that, when, in fact, the federal administration is taking away money from people who can’t afford to go to a… private school, who would like to go to a public school that’s a quality school, but they’re having their funding taken away. That doesn’t seem fair to me.

20 Comments

Ozzy Osbourne

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rolling Stone…

Ozzy Osbourne, the singular metal legend whose Black Sabbath virtually invented heavy metal and in later years became a reality TV pioneer, died on Tuesday at the age of 76.

Osbourne’s family confirmed his death in a statement. “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” they said. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

An exact cause of death was not given, though Osbourne has battled an array of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson’s disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night tumble in 2019.

The singer had an electrifying and unpredictable onstage presence and a dry sense of humor that endeared him to hordes of adoring fans. His excitable energy helped transform the anthems he sang — “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “Crazy Train” — from radio hits into sports-stadium staples. As a member of Black Sabbath, he helped draft the blueprints for heavy metal, but in conversation, he was always humble about his contributions to music. He knew his limitations and was open about his addictions, but he always attempted to better himself. He was an underdog everyone would want to rally behind.

As Black Sabbath’s doomsayer-in-chief, Osbourne could summon a true sense of terror in his keening cries in a way that heightened the band’s muscular dirges. When he bellowed, “What is this that stands before me, figure in black which points at me?” in the song “Black Sabbath,” it was a performance worthy of a horror flick. He sang “Iron Man,” about a scorned golem seeking revenge, with believable wrath. And when he screeched, “Dreams turn to nightmares, Heaven turns to Hell,” in “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” it was with a demonic fury not even Milton could have summoned. He made sense of his bandmates’ heavy swagger and brought their supernatural racket back down to earth in a way that has resonated with millions for decades.

He hosted a massive concert just a few weeks ago. It’s great that he got his well-deserved tribute while he was still alive.

* My brother Devin and I went to see Ozzy during the 2017 eclipse. Some video I took…

* One of my favorite Black Sabbath songs. Turn it up…

* Another classic…

17 Comments

A thorny question in corn country

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

As the deadline approaches for Congress to renew the U.S. Farm Bill, agricultural experts and farmers are calling on legislators to prioritize protecting topsoil in the Midwest and throughout the country, especially as the federal government is withdrawing from conservation initiatives.

Topsoil is eroding, on average, at a rate of three-quarters of an inch per year in the Midwest, a rate double what the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers sustainable, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Earth’s Future. The study also concluded more than 57 billion metric tons of topsoil have eroded in the Midwest over the last 160 years. […]

“For decades, we have rightly focused on protecting our most vulnerable soils,” said Garrett Hawkins, president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, in a statement. “However, IL Corn encourages decision makers to think differently, to consider how programs can better protect our most productive soils.” […]

“If we fail to deliver effective programs, technical assistance, and meaningful funding to our farmers, soil health and soil erosion will continue to be a challenge.” [Hawkins said]

“What they’ve found over the last five years of data is that the most profitable fields in Illinois are doing no tillage with soybeans and one pass or less with corn,” [Emily Hansen, a commercial agricultural educator with University of Illinois Extension] said.

This is probably going to be an unpopular question in corn country, but why do we have to pay cash money to business owners (farmers) in order to save their own land when doing that on their own is actually more profitable?

* I reached out to the Illinois Corn Growers Association, but did not hear back. I also reached out to the Illinois Environmental Council. Its response…

You raise a fair question, and we agree that it might be time to take a hard look at federal farm incentives and regulations, because if we’re at all serious about soil and water conservation, we need to be honest about the lack of progress we’re making in our current approach. In lieu of strong federal soil and water conservation regulations, which we would support, it may be time to move beyond incentivizing what should be the bare minimum, like no-till, and shift our resources toward incentivizing a food system built on regenerative, climate-smart practices that benefit all taxpayers.

With Congress and our state legislature failing to fund sustainable agriculture at the levels they should, investment dollars should be maximized to support helping farmers implement practices like cover crops, which might require a higher startup investment, but that pay dividends for all of us in the long run.

Thoughts?

41 Comments

When PURPOSE Guides Progress Across Illinois And Around The World

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Hexaware, a leading global IT services company with deep local roots, exists to empower organizations from Springfield to Singapore with innovative technology and unwavering partnership. Our Purpose Statement Video reveals how we align our mission with your goals—driving digital transformation, fostering inclusive growth, and delivering measurable outcomes for every community we serve.

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A quick fact check

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* There’s so much wrong with this Homeland Security press release. He wasn’t released “onto the streets of Chicago,” for one. Much more importantly, Megan Bos’ mom and the Lake County Coroner have both said she wasn’t decapitated, and the coroner said there were no signs of trauma or struggle. The local cops are now investigating threats against the county judge who released the guy, but, prior to the Pretrial Fairness Act, accused people were routinely released on cash bail for the same offense. There’s more, but behold…

ICE Arrests Criminal Illegal Alien Who Concealed and Abused Body of a Missing Woman After Sanctuary City Judge Freed Illegal Alien onto Streets of Chicago

On July 19, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Chicago arrested Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, a 52-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico, who was charged in April with concealing the body of a missing woman in a storage container on his yard for two months, abusing her corpse, and obstruction of justice.

Waukegan Police Department officers discovered the body of 37-year-old victim Megan Bos in a container in Mendoza’s yard in April after she had been reported missing on March 9, 2025.

Her body was found decapitated and in a bleach storage container by officers. Mendoza was charged in April. However, Lake County Judge Randie Bruno released him from custody at the conclusion of his court appearance, where he was immediately allowed to freely roam the Chicago streets.

This criminal illegal alien is currently being held at Lake County Jail in Waukegan, Illinois.

“Everyday ICE is arresting sickos like criminal illegal alien, Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, and stopping them from terrorizing Americans. This depraved alien was charged with concealing the body of a missing woman in a storage container for months and abusing her corpse,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “It is absolutely repulsive that a judge freed this monster and allowed him to walk free on Illinois’s streets after allegedly committing such a heinous crime. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, Megan Bos and her family will have justice.”

* And, despite the claims of the Illinois Freedom Caucus, the suspect hasn’t been accused of killing Megan Bos because, as noted above, there is no evidence of trauma…

After a judge released a dangerous illegal immigrant accused of brutally killing and concealing the body of a woman, ICE was able to arrest him and make another community safer.

* I asked the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice for a response because I have yet to see any local news media outlets try to inform their own coverage. Excerpt…

Our heart goes out to Megan Bos’s family. Losing a child is unimaginable, and we cannot begin to comprehend the pain her family must be experiencing.

Unfortunately, as has been the norm for those who opposed the Pretrial Fairness Act, State Representatives Patrick Sheehan and Tom Weber have used this tragedy to attack the state law that ended the use of money bond. Because of the Pretrial Fairness Act, the size of a person’s bank account is no longer the main factor determining who is released pretrial.

The legislators have falsely blamed the law for the pretrial release of Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, who is accused of hiding Ms. Bos’s body after she died from a drug overdose in his home. He is not charged with her murder or harming her in any way or even providing her with drugs. As the Representatives know, before passage of the Pretrial Fairness Act, Mr. Mendoza-Gonzales also could not have been detained for the charged offenses. At most, he would have been ordered to pay a sum of money to secure pretrial release—as people routinely did in even much more serious cases. Blaming Mr. Mendoza-Gonzales’s release on the end of money bond is simply an opportunistic political stunt.

Based on the facts available to the public, Mr. Mendoza-Gonzales has complied with all of the conditions of his pretrial release. In fact, his case was scheduled to go to trial this November—that is, until his arrest on July 19th by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Disturbingly, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is now sharing gory fabricated details as part of its attempts to villainize immigrants through false accusations. A statement from DHS falsely claimed that Ms. Bos had been decapitated, an accusation both her mother and the Lake County Coroner have publicly dismissed.

More here and here.

* Also…

The Lake County state’s attorney’s office said a criminal trial and sentencing is more appropriate than deportation hearings because Mendoza-Gonzalez could face consecutive prison sentences on conviction but could be “free in days” if deported.

18 Comments

SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

For more information, click here.

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It’s just a resolution: Chicago leaders call on Springfield to ban masks, require identification for ICE agents (Updated)

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The Hill…

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acting Director Todd Lyons said agents can continue to use masks in the field, even as the agency has increasingly come under fire for moves that limit identification of its personnel. […]

“I’ve said it publicly before, I’m not a proponent of the masks. However, if that’s a tool that the men and women of ICE to keep themselves and their family safe, then I will allow it,” he said. […]

Masked, plainclothes officers have also been conducting arrests at immigration courthouses. ICE attorneys will move to dismiss a case, a practice that most migrants interpret as the agency dropping efforts to deport them but opens the agency to then arrest them and place them in expedited removal proceedings that largely receive no court review.

Lyons disputed that agents are not identifiable, saying they should be wearing clothing with some kind of ICE insignia.

* NBC Chicago…

During a controversial ICE action in Chicago earlier this year, federal agents wearing facemasks could be seen in the South Loop taking undocumented people into custody. Many of the agents wore civilian clothing, with no name tags or badges.

* Block Club Chicago today…

Alds. Michael Rodriguez (22nd) and Andre Vazquez (40th) on Wednesday introduced a resolution to the City Council that calls on state legislators to pass laws banning federal agents who are conducting arrests from wearing masks.

Lawmakers should also pass legislation that would require federal agents to wear appropriate uniforms and identify themselves, according to the proposed resolution, which was co-sponsored by Mayor Brandon Johnson and 18 alderpeople. […]

With the resolution, which is not legally binding, city leaders join a growing number of state, local and national officials pushing for legislation banning mask-wearing among federal agents and requiring immigration agents to identify themselves.

The proposed resolution was referred to the city’s rules committee, where legislation is often sent to die.

* The Gothamist…

New York lawmakers are pushing for a bill that would ban law enforcement officers — including federal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — from wearing masks. […]

That’s a major constitutional question raised by the bill, according to Jessica Bulman-Pozen, a constitutional law professor at Columbia Law School. She said that if the measure advanced, it was likely to face a legal challenge.

She also said there’s a “strong case” that the state should be able to enact the bill, if it becomes law, since it affects all law enforcement officers and doesn’t single out federal officers.

[State Assemblymember Tony Simone, the bill’s sponsor] said he’s been in touch with constitutional lawyers who say the bill is legally sound.

…Adding… Rep. Patrick Sheehan…

State Representative Patrick Sheehan has introduced House Resolution 428 to affirm his support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to call attention to the growing threats faced by ICE officers.

“Many ICE officers and their families are being harassed and assaulted which is horrific and unacceptable,” Rep. Sheehan said. “They wear masks, sunglasses, and hats in the field to avoid being targeted at home by dangerous individuals. As a police officer, I know this is a common practice used by tactical and undercover officers during dangerous encounters. These officers and their families deserve to be protected from malicious intent.”

HR0428 outlines the crucial role ICE plays in upholding national security and federal immigration law, noting its collaboration with law enforcement agencies across Illinois. The resolution raises serious concerns about provisions in the Illinois TRUST Act, which prevent local authorities from assisting ICE in their duties, potentially undermining enforcement efforts and exposing officers to increased danger.

ICE officers have faced a sharp rise in assaults during enforcement operations, a reported 830% increase, alongside a troubling trend of personal information being published online with malicious intent. HR0428 recognizes the need to protect ICE officers from doxxing and harassment both on and off duty.

“I filed this resolution to make it clear that protecting public safety includes protecting those who enforce the law,” said Rep. Sheehan. “Our federal officers deserve respect for their service.”

Thoughts?

* More…

Press Release | Attorney General Raoul Joins Coalition Urging Congress To Pass Legislation To Curb Unscrupulous ICE Tactics:

* The Tribune | ‘We’re tired of this’: Cicero residents demand action from town president after Latina aunt stopped by federal agents: Vanessa Mendoza, an early childhood educator in Cicero, was gathering materials for her classroom in late June when she paused to look at Facebook. What she saw shocked her. Posted on the social media site was a video of her aunt, Rocío, being pulled over by unidentified agents driving black vehicles who questioned her citizenship — despite her legal status to be in the United States. The agents did not specify why they pulled Rocío over or which agency they were affiliated with, Mendoza, 32, who grew up in Cicero, said at a news conference outside the town hall Thursday morning. After Rocío showed identification, she was not arrested or detained, her niece added.

* WaPo | ICE chief stands by mask use in immigration raids, despite criticism: On Sunday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) voiced her objections to the practice in a television interview, saying: “These masked men pull up in unmarked cars and jump out of the cars with rifles and detain people. So, for the average citizen, it looks like it’s a violent kidnapping.” Protests in Los Angeles over the immigration raids prompted the unprecedented deployment of thousands of National Guard troops and Marines to the city in June.

* Axios | ICE arrests of noncriminals spike in Illinois: In January, ICE arrested 160 people in Illinois, of whom 31% had no criminal charge, an Axios analysis found. By June, 61% of the 333 people ICE arrested in the state had no criminal charge.

29 Comments

Open thread

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

8 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois joins suit to block Trump administration from barring undocumented immigrants from public benefits. Sun-Times…

The suit,

filed a lawsuit

* Related stories…

∙ K-12 Dive: 20 states sue over immigration restrictions for Head Start, other programs
∙ Chalkbeat: Head Start advocates pursue legal challenge to new Trump policy barring undocumented children
∙ WTTW: Advocates Denounce Plan to Ban Undocumented Children From Head Start: ‘Where is the Compassion?’

* Governor Pritzker will speak 1 pm today from Chicago’s Union Station, celebrating 100 years of service. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Federal housing credit expansion could increase affordable rental units in Illinois: report: The latest domestic policy plan signed by President Donald Trump on July 4 will increase available funding by 12% for a key tax credit used by developers to offset a portion of construction costs. It also lowers the threshold of private investment needed to take advantage of another tax credit. It’s a lesser publicized inclusion in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that cleared Congress with only Republican support, a bill more widely publicized for its cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and individual income taxes.

* Tribune | Economic opportunities tied to climate goals, Gov. JB Pritzker says at Aspen conference: Though Pritzker recently announced that he will seek a third term as governor, many have speculated that he will throw his hat in the ring for the 2028 presidential election. Pritzker did not comment on a potential 2028 candidacy but when asked if he thought he’d make a good president, he said he thinks “the bar has been set pretty low.” “(Democrats) still believe that the most important role that we have in government is to stand up for working families, for the most vulnerable, for the middle class,” he said. “Do Democrats get it right all the time? No, and I think that it is as much a failure of messaging as anything else. I’m not suggesting that Democrats haven’t gotten policies wrong. But let’s not walk away from civil rights because we lost an election.”

* Crain’s | Chicago’s $1 billion quantum computer to start operating in 2028: The startup behind Chicago’s more than $1 billion quantum computing deal said operations are expected to start in three years, a win for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who backed the investment and is widely seen as a potential presidential candidate. PsiQuantum Corp. will start construction at the state’s new quantum and microelectronics park in the South Side of Chicago later this year, Chief Executive Officer Jeremy O’Brien said in an interview at Bloomberg’s Chicago office. The supercomputer — one of two utility-scale, fault-tolerant machines the company is building globally — is expected to be online in 2028, he said.

*** Statewide ***

* WTWO | Illinois governor announces applications for Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program: The Illinois governor and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced that applications are open for the fifth round of the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The program provides training opportunities, expands the talent pipeline, and boosts diversity in the construction industry and other building trades. Grantees for the program are selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity process.

* CBS Chicago | Corn sweat from crops exacerbates humidity during Illinois heat waves: CBS News Chicago Meteorologist Kylee Miller explained the effects of transpiration are showing up in this week’s forecasts. “Dew points could be about 5 to 10 degrees actually higher, adding with that corn sweat, compared to what Mother Nature is giving us,” Miller said. Other crops, like alfalfa and sugarcane, have higher evapotranspiration averages than corn. The evapotranspiration average for alfalfa is 6 to 8 mm/day for alfalfa and 5 to 7 mm/day for sugarcane, compared with 3.5 to 5mm/day for corn.

*** Statehouse News ***

* ABC Chicago | Gov. Pritzker signs ‘Squatter Bill’ into law, making it easier for police to remove trespassers: The law differentiates squatters from tenants, making it easier for property owners to regain control of their home. “This outdated eviction law has treated squatters the same as tenants, leaving property owners in limbo and tying the hands of law enforcement,” Pritzker said. The law also establishes a clear distinction between lawful tenants and unlawful squatters, ensuring that property owners are no longer forced to navigate a long court process to remove unauthorized occupants.

* WCIA | Republican legislators call on IL governor to participate in federal school choice program: State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) said it’s the best way to ensure low-income students get the best education they can. He’s sponsoring a resolution calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker to participate. “The money needs to follow the student, not the system, not the bureaucracy,” Halbrook said. “And this is a great opportunity to give students that are in schools that are failing, gives them an opportunity to excel.”

* WEEK 25 | Pritzker chooses Peoria’s Allen for economic development panel: Peoria’s 4th District City Council member Andre Allen is Gov. JB Pritzker’s choice to serve on the Tri-County River Valley Development Authority, which issues tax-free bonds to finance economic development projects. The authority serves Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. In a release, the governor’s office said Allen is a “collaborative and results-driven leader with extensive experience in government administration, civic engagement, and higher education.”

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Gambling machines in Chicago bars, airports? Aldermen weigh revenue potential: Johnson’s top finance leaders shared with aldermen a study analyzing how legalizing the machines would affect city finances Monday during a Revenue Subcommittee meeting. Under the state’s current tax structure, the payout would be underwhelming, Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski said. “We don’t expect it to make a big impact,” she said. “Maybe we make $10 million one year and lose $5 million another.” The study by gambling consulting firm Christiansen Capitol Advisors LLC determined legalization would likely neither make nor cost the city money. While the machines would generate tax revenue, legalizing them would take business away from slot machines at Bally’s Casino.

* Tribune | Police Department brass accused Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget office of ‘systemically’ delaying paychecks: Police Department Deputy Director Ryan Fitzsimons emailed multiple officials in Johnson’s budget office June 2 to alert them of the department’s overdue A-forms, paperwork required to process paychecks for new hires and promotions. After following up the next day to confirm that police recruits were not getting their first paychecks, he sent an additional message June 10 saying Johnson’s budget office was purposely sitting on the forms. […] A joint statement last week from the mayor’s office, the Office of Budget Management and Chicago police acknowledged that about 60 police academy recruits saw late paychecks, along with six Chicago Fire Department employees. The response cast the snafu as an “administrative” error that has since been rectified.

* WTTW | City Council Panel Skeptical of Study Showing Legal Video Gambling Won’t Ring Up Jackpot: But several alderpeople questioned the validity of the Christiansen analysis, with Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) saying the potential job losses seemed “made up.” Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward) questioned why the Christiansen analysis did not include Rivers Casino in his analysis, noting that its revenues have increased even after Des Plaines legalized video gambling. Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) called the presentation of the Christiansen study “disingenuous” and called its analysis “flawed.”

* WBEZ | A family came to Chicago seeking asylum. He was deported. Now she wants to leave: Maria enrolled in President Donald Trump’s new, voluntary self-deportation program. Trump is promising travel assistance and a stipend of $1,000. Maria says that, stipend or not, she just wants to go back to Venezuela. “What I want is to leave,” Maria says in Spanish while her 2- and 6-year olds played in the family’s nearly empty apartment. Her 9-year-old lay on the floor watching a show on a small phone. “I’ve lost everything here,” the mothers says, looking around. Maria’s husband, Marcos, was recently deported to Venezuela. He says he spent nearly three months in 10 different detention centers after being arrested in Chicago as part of a wave of detentions under Trump. At their request, WBEZ is not using their real names because they fear retaliation.

* Sun-Times | Thomas Durkin dies at 78; Chicago lawyer ensured the rights of ‘the most demonized among us’: The trial lawyer was best known for taking on high-profile federal cases often related to accusations of terrorism and violations of civil rights, though he didn’t seek them out, his son Matt Durkin said. “They found him.” “He really believed in the principle that everyone, no matter how derided you are, you are owed your constitutional right to defense,” Matt Durkin said. “He would never say no. … It didn’t matter who it was, a white-collar defendant, a public official, or someone accused of doing a heinous crime, he was going to be your fiercest advocate.”

* Sun-Times | Suddenly potent White Sox offense overpowers Rays for season-best four-game wining streak: ‘Offensive juggernaut’’ was not a phrase often uttered in the same sentence as ‘‘White Sox’’ before the All-Star break — at least not without a tongue planted firmly in cheek. But that’s the only way to describe MLB’s hottest offense coming out of the break, which has powered the Sox to a season-high four-game winning streak. A day after the Sox completed a weekend sweep of the Pirates that saw them rack up 27 runs, they overpowered the Rays 8-3 in their latest dominant effort.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Cook County Bureau of Asset Management chief Elizabeth Granato has entered the race for the 12th District County Board seat. Press release…

Today, Elizabeth Granato announced her candidacy for the 12th District seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Granato, a lifelong resident of Chicago and proud graduate of Chicago Public Schools, has served the people of Cook County for the past decade and a half at multiple levels of government. Raised by a single mom whose union job provided stability and security for her family, Liz is a second-generation Latina and first in her family to graduate from college. The granddaughter of an immigrant small business owner who started as a seamstress when she came to Chicago and a union carpenter, Liz represents the promise of the American dream. She’s been involved in her community from an early age, determined to make it a better place.

“Cook County is on the front lines of the battle against the Trump MAGA Republican effort to take away healthcare from those who need it most, raise the cost of living, and let the wealthiest corporations and billionaires dump their tax obligations on the middle class. I’m running to stop the MAGA Republican agenda and make sure nobody is left behind in Cook County,” said Elizabeth Granato.

Granato announced the endorsement of the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers ADC 1 Illinois and Ironworkers District Council of Chicago & Vicinity.

Granato, married to state Sen. Ram Villivalam, faces competition from Cat Sharp, who has the support of outgoing Commissioner Bridget Degnen.

* ABC Chicago | Cook County SA O’Neill Burke to attend hearing on domestic violence: Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke has been on a mission to restructure her office for tougher prosecution in cases of domestic violence, something she has referred to as a “house of fire.” Tuesday will be the first hearing that specifically targets domestic violence since 2023 and Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke is expected to announce how she’s restructuring the prosecutor’s office to increase lock ups and help fight domestic violence crimes.

* Daily Herald | Authorities investigating threats against Lake County judge: But the ICE action Saturday quickly garnered social media attention. “The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is aware of threatening social media posts and harassing correspondence directed at the judge who presided over the initial court hearing of Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez,” Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Chris Covelli said Monday. “We have launched an investigation into the matter,” he added. “Making threats, especially against a sitting judge, crosses the line from protected speech to potential criminal conduct, and we take such behavior very seriously.”

* Shaw Local | McHenry County aims to increase security for judges by removing personal info: ‘Days we’re living in’: Removing the personal information of 18 judges from the internet, including the dark web, is the aim of a contract newly approved by the McHenry County Board. McHenry County Circuit Court Administrator Dan Wallis said IronWall by Incogni system, which also will scrub his and his deputy administrators’ personal information, is “unfortunately” necessary.

* Daily Southtown | More problems at troubled Park Forest apartments that village claims are unsafe: More problems have surfaced at a troubled Park Forest apartment complex, where air-conditioning woes earlier this summer left many residents sweltering during a heat wave. Separately, in a court filing earlier this month, the village said that Autumn Ridge, with nearly 400 apartment units in Will County, is unsafe and a public nuisance. The filing calls on a Will County judge to appoint a receiver who will collect rents and make necessary repairs, which Park Forest complains cover virtually every aspect of the buildings, including plumbing, roofs, windows and electrical systems.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to vote on doubling hotel room tax: The city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is currently set at 3%, but many nearby communities have higher rates that are similar to what is being proposed, according to Chief Financial Officer Chris Minick. He estimates that the proposed 6% rate would bring in an additional $1.1 million for the city each year, especially after the opening of the new $360 million Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Proposed data center project in Yorkville advances to City Council for discussion: The development site is just over 1,000 acres — a total of 20 parcels — in the northwest corner of Yorkville on the border with Sugar Grove, generally located northwest of Route 47 and Galena Road, south of Baseline Road and east of Ashe Road, according to the agenda item from the July 9 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. There would be a total of 14 data center buildings, along with two electrical substations, a utility switchyard and stormwater detention basins, according to plans.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora likely to stay in Fox River dam removal study: The state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers previously recommended the removal of nine dams along the Fox River, including the two in downtown Aurora, for environmental reasons. But following concerns and questions from many of the communities that would be impacted, including Aurora, the Corps said last year that it would be taking another look at those recommendations to more broadly study the effects of dam removal. Mayor John Laesch is set to send a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers letting the agency know Aurora wants to stay part of the study. The letter does not commit the city to either remove or keep the dams.

* Tribune | Olmsted Society offers free Vintage Base Ball exhibition in Riverside: Visitors at this free event will watch baseball players in reproductions of historical uniforms play baseball the way the sport was played in the 1860s. The annual event began in 2019, the sesquicentennial of the year landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux, who had previously collaborated on the plan for New York City’s Central Park, created the general plan for Riverside.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Normal approves funding pause and audit of mental health sales tax fund: McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said if all three governing bodies approve, the next step would be to have discussions on what such an audit would survey. “We believe the time is right for all three parties to come together,” said Pam Reece, city manager. “We’ve had good conversations, the county attorney and the county administrator’s office drafted the language, worked with us on language that we believe the Normal Town Council and ultimately Bloomington and the county [board] can support.”

* WJBD | Salem City Council to be asked to move forward on water, sewer, and TIF projects: Three TIF agreements will come before the council. Cindy Quinn and Quinn Realty are requesting $20,000 in TIF assistance to help renovate the ‘Old Library’ at 402 South Broadway into her new offices. Work will include repairs to the brickwork, a new roof and exterior and interior painting. Paul and Lynn Riehm of Riehm Renovations is requesting half of the remaining $ 70,000 in reimbursable expenses be paid now to allow for the renovation of their second building in the 300 block of West Main to be completed more quickly. Brice McGee of the ‘Odd Fellows’ building at 115 East Main is seeking $750 or 50-percent reimbursement for the outside painting of the building.

* BND | Professional “kings” rocked, rolled and remembered at metro-east Elvis Festival: The convention consisted of three days of scheduled performances from each Elvis, along with heaps of merchandise paying homage to both the original Elvis and those who honor his legacy through imitation. Fans as near as a mile down the street and as far away as Norway came to see the show. “It took us more than 12 hours to drive here,” said Paula Harrison of Richmond, Wisconsin “I saw Elvis in the 60s and it was so incredible that I knew I just had to come.”

* WSIL | Touch of Nature’s new trailhead opens with $500K support: The trailhead pavilion was made possible by a $500,000 donation from SIU Credit Union. Mike Lantrip, CEO of SIU Credit Union, expressed the credit union’s commitment, saying, “We wanted to do something for SIU and the region. We think it’s going to help put Southern Illinois on the map even more.” Touch of Nature has welcomed more than 50,000 visitors this year and serves as an introduction to SIU through various programs and events. A new Wildlife Habitat Education Center is also in development, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for August.

* WCIA | ‘Football is for everyone;’ Watseka Warriors hosting camp for disabled children: It’s called the “Tackling Disabilities Football Camp,” and it will take place on Saturday, July 26. Each camper will be paired one-on-one with one of the Warriors football players to serve as their buddy through the camp and through the stations. Those stations will include football activities such as passing, catching, kicking, tackling, running and even touchdown celebrations.

*** National ***

* WIRED | EPA Employees Still in the Dark as Agency Dismantles Scientific Research Office: On a call with ORD administrators and staff held Monday afternoon, audio of which was obtained by WIRED, leadership—including ORD acting administrator Maureen Gwinn—was unable to answer basic questions from employees, including a timeline for when the agency planned to permanently end ORD, how many employees would be transferred to other offices, and how many would lose their jobs. Employees at ORD who spoke with WIRED say that Friday’s public-facing email was the first concrete news they had heard about their organization’s future. One worker told WIRED that employees often learned more from news outlets, including WIRED, “than we do from our management.”

* Politico | ICE will ‘flood the zone’ in NYC: The Department of Homeland Security will “flood the zone” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New York City after the City Council blocked federal law enforcement agencies from opening an office in the city jails, President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan said Monday morning.

3 Comments

Selected press releases (Live updates)

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

Cook County Democrats last week declined to pick official favorites in the crowded primary fields ahead of next year’s congressional primaries, but the party’s chair is backing a protégé in the race to replace U.S. Rep Robin Kelly in the district that stretches from the South Side to central Illinois.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Monday announced her support for state Sen. Robert Peters, a South Side progressive, in the March Democratic primary to replace Kelly, who is forgoing a reelection bid for the 2nd Congressional District seat to run for the U.S. Senate.

Peters worked as an activist on economic and criminal justice issues with both Preckwinkle and another of her protégés, former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. Preckwinkle also backed Peters for an appointment to the Illinois Senate in 2019 to replace Kwame Raoul after Raoul’s was elected the state’s attorney general.

Preckwinkle’s endorsement comes as the potential entry of former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. into the race could dramatically alter the landscape in the 2nd Congressional District primary.

* Bridget Degnen, the current 12th District commissioner, announced she won’t seek a third term. Catherine Sharp has since launched her campaign for the Cook County Board seat…

Cat Sharp announced her candidacy for the 12th District on the Cook County Board on Monday, following incumbent Commissioner Bridget Degnen’s announcement that she does not plan to run again for the seat.

Sharp has worked as chief of staff to Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) since 2023. She previously served as Director of Outreach on Degnen’s County Board staff.

During her tenure as Chief of Staff, she has overseen tens of millions of dollars of investments for infrastructure, park, school, public safety, and small business improvement projects in the 40th Ward.

Handling business and neighborhood development for the 40th Ward, Sharp has helped new businesses open and expand by identifying grants and assisting small businesses navigate through City red tape. As the public safety liaison of the 40th Ward, Sharp works with local police to share accurate and timely public safety updates with neighbors and has assisted in the investigations of violent crime by connecting witnesses and evidence to detectives.

At Degnen’s office, Sharp worked with hundreds of constituents across the district to assist them in filing their own property tax appeals and applying for exemptions, saving or getting back thousands of dollars for some residents. […]

“I’m proud to support Cat Sharp, who has been an incredibly hard working and principled leader of our local government offices here in this community,” said Degnen. “Over eight years, I’ve worked hard to build an office that stays focused on what matters the most–serving our residents and leading with compassion and conscientiousness. I trust Cat to pick up that torch and carry it forward.” […]

“As chief of staff for our office, Cat has been an exemplary leader–compassionate, strategic, and committed to improving services and results for our constituents,” said Ald. Vasquez. “There is no one more equipped to step into this role, and I’m thrilled to support her.”

* The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ breakdown of ACA-related Medicaid in Illinois…

Click here for the full presentation.

* From the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation’s 2024 impact report…

The Foundation awards twenty $5,000 scholarships annually, to students across Illinois. Recipients are honored at our annual gala and participate in a weekend Leadership Development Training Program.

■ +400 scholarships have been awarded
■ +$1 Million in scholarship funds
■ +500 applications received per year

The Alumni Association currently includes 367 members, with 26 alumni serving on the Alumni Association Board. Alumni help support efforts across three subcommittees:
■ Leadership Development
■ Networking and Outreach
■ Communications
■ Scholarship Review

* Crain’s…

Automotive seating manufacturer Adient is setting up shop next to the Rivian plant in Normal as the electric-vehicle maker gears up to make a new, smaller SUV.

Dublin-based Adient will invest more than $8 million and create at least 75 new jobs, the state of Illinois says. The company will receive an estimated $4 million in credits for payroll taxes under a state incentive program aimed at EV manufacturers and suppliers.

Adient has more than 70,000 employees worldwide and operates more than 200 manufacturing facilities, including 30 in the United States. It serves virtually all the world’s automakers, including Detroit’s Big Three — Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen — and posted $14.7 billion in sales last year.

Rivian has been the biggest success so far in the state’s move to become an EV manufacturing hub. The company employs more than 8,000 people at its manufacturing plant in Normal. In addition to its electric truck, SUV and a commercial delivery van, Rivian is preparing to manufacture a smaller, less expensive SUV.

…Adding… ABC Chicago…

Tom Durkin, a nationally known trial attorney, has died, the ABC7 I-Tean has learned. He was 78.

He was a known for specializing in the defense of complex federal criminal matters with a special emphasis on the defense of prosecutions involving national security, domestic terrorism, and civil rights related matters.

Durkin, a Chicago native, represented the likes of Mohammed Hamzah Khan, Adel Daoud, Robert Sorich, and Matt Hale. […]

Durkin passed after a short illness, the I-Team learned.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Chicago activists urge Pritzker to pass law to make polluters pay for climate change damages: Young climate activists from Chicago called on Gov. JB Pritzker to enact legislation that would make the fossil fuel industry — instead of taxpayers — responsible for funding green, resilient infrastructure and disaster response in the face of climate change, following similar bills recently passed in Vermont and New York. “Illinois can and must do the same,” said Oscar Sanchez, co-executive director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force, at a Sunday rally.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club | Agents Break Montclare Mom’s Window, Detain 2 In Little Village In Separate Immigration Arrests: Two men were taken after federal agents stopped their car Thursday morning in Little Village, according to volunteers with the Pilsen Rapid Response Network and a social media post. Later that afternoon, federal agents detained Catalina Mota Martinez outside her Montclare home, relatives said. The incident was also captured in a Facebook Live video. Relatives said Martinez, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico around 30 years ago, was taken after agents broke her car window and removed her from the car. “She’s been here more than half of her life, this is her home, so for them to try and take her and send her somewhere she’s unfamiliar with, it’s unfair,” said Martinez’s daughter, who has asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. “They treated her like she was dangerous.”

* WGN | ‘Purpose Over Pain’ pushes for progress as thousands of Chicago cold cases remain unsolved: The group Purpose Over Pain organized a panel discussion and resource fair for families involved in cold cases. It was held Saturday morning at Saint Sabina Church. “Our goal is to try to figure out how can we get justice for our children? How can we walk with the detectives to get our cases solved because we feel like if we aren’t out there, nobody seems to care,” Pam Bosley, Executive Director of Purpose Over Pain, said.

* Crain’s | Justice Department appeals Jenner & Block’s win in fight with Trump: Deputy Associate Attorney General Richard Lawson, who argued for the Trump administration in favor of the executive order, notified the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of the appeal today. The appeal has yet to appear on the appellate court’s docket. “The district court correctly declared that Jenner’s clients have a right to independent counsel and that the firm’s right to represent clients vigorously and without compromise is sacred,” Jenner & Block said in a statement to Crain’s. “We look forward to confirming this on appeal. We will continue doing what we do best: fearlessly representing our clients under all circumstances.”

* Block Club | Alderpeople Vs. Chicago Cops In 16-Inch Softball: ‘This Is The Best We’ve Gotten Along All Year’: The game disintegrated by the seventh inning, when a variety of local political celebrities took the field, including recent mayoral also-ran Paul Vallas, county Treasurer Maria Pappas and county Clerk Anna Valencia. Tabares got the final at-bat, crushing an infield home run as the police conveniently overthrew fielders at every base. After Tabares crossed the plate, the score had somehow shifted to favor the aldermen, 16-15 — an act of legislative trickery all-too-common in Chicago’s City Hall that had found its way to the grounds of Kerry Wood Field.

* Chicago Reader | Lowering the curtain: The Harris Theater is among many organizations and artists nationwide to get late-night emails from the NEA notifying them that their funds had been terminated or withdrawn. And because the NEA pays its grants by reimbursement, this didn’t just throw a wrench in the theater’s planning—it created a deficit by stripping funds that had already been spent.

* Chicago Mag | The Pope Slept Here: Before becoming the Vatican’s VIP, Leo XIV was better known around these parts as Bob Prevost. Here’s a tour of his local haunts.

* Chicago Eater | A Chicago Pastry Chef Opens Up on Limb Difference and New Motherhood: Fat Peach Bakery replaced Bridgeport Bakery, a neighborhood staple for 50 years, which briefly reopened under new ownership and became Bridgeport Bakery 2.0 before closing in 2021. Both were best known for cookies and for paczkis, with long lines forming on Fat Tuesdays. Fat Peach Bakery chose a different approach, focusing on sourdough-based, fancy, flaky pastries with unexpected fillings, and a surprise approach to their ever-changing weekly menu. Castillo and Breuer were inspired by Mexican café culture and a desire to create a workplace that nurtured their employees as well as the neighborhood.

* Southside Weekly | Captivating, Nourishing, Sacred: What Promontory Point Means to South Siders: The beloved limestone rocks that serve as stair-step revetment to Lake Michigan are a signature part of what makes the space special. They have also been the subject of intense debate and controversy over the past two decades, since the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) first proposed that the limestone be replaced with concrete in order to buttress the shoreline against rising lake levels. Those proposals faced pushback from community members, who have organized to preserve the park’s limestone and mobilize park goers toward civic engagement, in part through the advocacy of the Promontory Point Conservancy.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Homeland Security takes Bolingbrook man into ICE custody after he appears in Kane County court on DUI: He had just pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated DUI, a Class 4 felony. It was part of a plea agreement that included 24 months of probation and other charges not being prosecuted, according to court records. He’d been stopped by Montgomery police about 1:39 a.m. Aug. 3, 2024, and charged with drunken driving on a suspended or revoked license. […] Hours after Manriquez-Valdivia’s arrest, Elgin attorney Caroline Hernandez emailed Chief Judge Robert Villa asking that Villa’s office reinstate the option for remote court appearances over Zoom, “particularly those involving people of Latino descent who are now being actively targeted by ICE outside the Kane County courthouse.”

* Daily Herald | Man charged with hiding Antioch woman’s death detained by ICE: Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, 52, is charged with concealing the death of 37-year-old Megan Bos. He was granted pretrial release in April, two days after his arrest. Though he’s now in ICE custody, Lake County prosecutors want Mendoza-Gonzalez tried locally, warning that deportation could allow him to go free. “We believe that a criminal trial and sentencing is more appropriate than deportation proceedings,” the Lake County state’s attorney’s office said in a statement Sunday.

* Daily Southtown | Blue Island mobile home residents, management to meet as city pushes shut down: Some residents started receiving 5-day eviction notices and immediate possession orders July 12, and resident Joe Cervantes said the property management’s attorney said only 10 residential units out of more than 66 are up to date on rent payment and qualify for housing assistance, which residents protest. Cervantes said he hopes to prove more residents have paid rent before the meeting. He said many residents told him they have proof they are up to date on rent or, if they haven’t paid, it’s because they don’t trust management.

* Naperville Sun | Naperville council OKs new residential developments, one with proposed rents of up to $5,000: The Naperville City Council has signed off on two new residential developments — one with rents ranging from $3,900 to $5,000 — that will add a total of 154 new homes to the city when construction is complete. A final plat for M/I Homes’ Northwoods of Naperville, which proposes converting the former 12-acre DeVry University site at 1151 E. Warrenville Road off Interstate 88 into 64 single-family townhomes, was approved by the council Tuesday as were the land annexation and variances needed for The Residences at Naper & Plank. The latter will bring 34 townhouses and 56 rowhouses, all leased luxury units with monthly rents of up to $5,000, to an 8.2-acre site at Naper Bouelvard and Plank Road.

* Sun-Times | Cook County air quality ‘unhealthy,’ heat watch issued: An elevated concentration of microscopic particles in the air makes it “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “AirNow” interactive map. People should reduce their exposure to outdoor air if they have heart or lung disease, are older adults, children or teens, according to the EPA.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to vote on doubling hotel room tax: Aurora is considering doubling its hotel room tax rate, which has not risen since it was first adopted in 1987. The city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is currently set at 3%, but many nearby communities have higher rates that are similar to what is being proposed, according to Chief Financial Officer Chris Minick. He estimates that the proposed 6% rate would bring in an additional $1.1 million for the city each year, especially after the opening of the new $360 million Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort.

* Talia Winiarsky | Why Kat Abughazaleh isn’t the next Zohran Mamdani: Though Abughazaleh has tried to immerse herself in the community through events like beach cleanups and collecting mutual aid, it will still be a challenging task. She moved to Illinois just months before announcing her candidacy, a decision which she attributed to her partner’s job. She didn’t live in the district at the time, but in Streeterville -– she said she’d move here this summer. Just because you meet many people who live in a district in a short amount of time doesn’t mean that you have the intricate knowledge required to lead them. That takes years.

* Shaw Local | Elgin arts studio gets $200K state grant to transform downtown building: An Elgin lawmaker helped secure a state grant for an Elgin-based art studio that plans to refurbish a long-vacant downtown building and turn it into a flourishing gallery and entertainment venue. State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, recently announced $200,000 was awarded to sustain and enhance local arts programs in the northwest suburbs.

*** Downstate ***

* Center Square | NIU takes verbal lashing from audit commission over timekeeping findings: The Legislative Audit Commission heard audit reviews for three public universities throughout the state. For Northern Illinois University, there were 15 findings officials said were not material and they are working on repeated findings. President Lisa Freeman said they hope to change a state law requiring tracking work hours in 15 minute increments. “Where appropriate, NIU and sister public universities seek legislative changes as the corrective action to audit findings,” Freeman said.

* IPM News | With water from out of town, the Mattoon Bagelfest is underway: Organizers trucked in water from out of town to avoid tapping into the city’s reservoir. Since the 1980s, the Lender’s Bagels factory in Mattoon has been providing food for what organizers call “The World’s Biggest Bagel Breakfast.” Brian Heaton brought his daughter with him to the festival. They went on carnival rides at Bagelfest, an annual ritual for the two of them.

* WSIL | Rep. Mike Bost set to address the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” in telephone town hall: In a social media statement, Rep. Bost says, “Hope to hear from you soon as we cover my latest work for you in Congress and what the One Big, Beautiful Bill means for Southern Illinois.” You must register to participate. You can do so by going to Rep. Bost’s website.

* WSIL | Murphysboro Farmers Market cancels for the rest of summer: The Murphysboro Farmers Market took place every Saturday from May to September, offering locally grown produce, food, and handmade crafts. On social media, organizers say some vendors are no longer able to participate, including farmer Homer Jenkins, who is retiring. They also added that this summer’s weather has made crop production increasingly difficult. […] The city is also looking for new managers for the farmers market. If interested contact Sandra Ripley at a city office.

*** National ***

* Wisconsin Public Radio | Drought means ‘drier than normal.’ How will climatologists define drought if the new normal is dry?: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is working on a study to answer that question. The query was originally brought to the independent nonprofit research organization by the National Integrated Drought Information System, a group within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. […] “It’s really a question of, is this drought, or what we call aridification, which is the entire climate getting drier?” Leasor said. In that case, the drier baseline would mean a drier bar for what qualifies as a drought.

* 404 Media | Spotify Publishes AI-Generated Songs From Dead Artists Without Permission: According to his official Spotify page, Blaze Foley, a country music singer-songwriter who was murdered in 1989, released a new song called “Together” last week. The song, which features a male country singer, piano, and an electric guitar, vaguely sounds like a new, slow country song. The Spotify page for the song also features an image of an AI-generated image of a man who looks nothing like Foley singing into a microphone. […] “It’s harmful to Blaze’s standing that this happened,” he said. “It’s kind of surprising that Spotify doesn’t have a security fix for this type of action, and I think the responsibility is all on Spotify. They could fix this problem. One of their talented software engineers could stop this fraudulent practice in its tracks, if they had the will to do so. And I think they should take that responsibility and do something quickly.”

* CNN | US Marines mobilized to Los Angeles are being sent home, Pentagon says: A senior Pentagon official said during a congressional hearing last month that the mobilization of the Marines and National Guardsmen was estimated to cost $134 million. “The current estimated cost is $134 million, which is largely just [temporary duty] cost, travel, housing, food, etc.,” Bryn MacDonnell, a special assistant to the Secretary of Defense and official performing the duties of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

* AP | Less selection, higher prices: How tariffs are shaping the holiday shopping season: The consequences for consumers? Stores may not have the specific gift items customers want come November and December. Some retail suppliers and buyers scaled back their holiday lines rather than risking a hefty tax bill or expensive imports going unsold. Businesses still are setting prices but say shoppers can expect many things to cost more, though by how much depends partly on whether Trump’s latest round of “reciprocal” tariffs kicks in next month.

* WaPo | A new era of floods has arrived. America isn’t prepared: From last year’s disaster in Asheville to this month’s catastrophic floods in Central Texas, the world has entered a new era of rainfall supercharged by climate change, rendering existing response plans inadequate. A Washington Post analysis of atmospheric data found a record amount of moisture flowing in the skies over the past year and a half, largely due to rising global temperatures. With so much warm, moist air available as fuel, storms are increasingly able to move water vapor from the oceans to locations hundreds of miles from the coast, triggering flooding for which most inland communities are ill-prepared.

* WIRED | At Least 750 US Hospitals Faced Disruptions During Last Year’s CrowdStrike Outage, Study Finds: Now a new study by a team of medical cybersecurity researchers has taken the first steps toward quantifying the cost of CrowdStrike’s disaster not in dollars, but in potential harm to hospitals and their patients across the US. It reveals evidence that hundreds of those hospitals’ services were disrupted during the outage, and raises concerns about potentially grave effects to patients’ health and well-being. Researchers from UC San Diego today marked the one-year anniversary of CrowdStrike’s catastrophe by releasing a paper in JAMA Network Open, a publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association Network, that attempts for the first time to create a rough estimate of the number of hospitals whose networks were affected by that IT meltdown on July 19, 2024, as well as which services on those networks appeared to have been disrupted.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore sentenced to 2 years, $750,000 fine in corruption case (Updated x2)

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

Six years ago, Anne Pramaggiore was still a rising star in Chicago’s male-dominated C-suite corporate world, the newly minted chief executive of Exelon, a major Fortune 100 energy company that delivered power to millions of customers in the Chicago area and beyond.

But her career went into free fall when it was revealed in 2019 that she and others at Exelon’s subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison, were under investigation in an elaborate scheme to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan and win his help with the utility giant’s ambitious legislative agenda in Springfield.

On Monday, after years of delay, Pramaggiore’s long legal saga is finally coming full circle as a judge is set to sentence her for her conviction in one of the biggest political corruption scandals in state history.

Prosecutors are asking for a stiff prison term of almost 6 years and a $1.75 million fine, writing in a recent filing that despite all her success,, money and professional status, “she made the choice to participate in a years-long conspiracy that corrupted the legislative process in Springfield” and subverted her own company’s internal controls. […]

Her attorneys, meanwhile, argued for probation, writing in a court filing of their own that the conduct for which she was convicted was “a true aberration” in an otherwise exemplary life, not only in her professional path but also in her dedication to her family and charitable works. They also submitted nearly a hundred letters from friends and supporters attesting to her good character.

* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner is in the courtroom…

Like he did in Hooker's case, Shah finds that if Pramaggiore had disclosed the payments to the Madigan subcontractors, then ComEd's internal controls "would have stopped the payments."
"The scheme would have been exposed and the money stopped," he says.

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) July 21, 2025

* Click here for some background. Sun-Times Courthouse Reporter Jon Seidel…

Shah: "Ms. Pramaggiore had — and has — an impressive capacity to be present, to listen, to be aware, and to execute. Absent-mindedness, or head-in-the-clouds thinking about big-picture issues without sweating the details is not her approach."

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 21, 2025

* Judge Shah said the sentencing guideline range for Pramaggiore is 108 to 135 months, though it is only advisory…

The judge says the payments to Madigan's allies "were bribes. This was corruption expressed through the falsification of books and records."

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 21, 2025

* Judge Shah also leveled a $750,000 fine…

#BREAKING Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore has been sentenced to two years in prison for her role in a conspiracy aimed at swaying former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to benefit ComEd.

(Pic by @Ashlee_Rezin) https://t.co/nBuSS1CR5f pic.twitter.com/G7qCKQNUwu

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) July 21, 2025

She’s due in prison Dec. 1.

…Adding… Sun-Times…

U.S. District Judge Manish Shah delivered the sentence in a Chicago courtroom on Monday. He said Pramaggiore was “all in” on a “creative arrangement” to bribe Madigan and cover it up.

“This was corruption expressed through the falsification of books and records,” Shah said from the bench.

Pramaggiore declined to address the judge before he sentenced her.

…Adding… Tribune…

Pramaggiore, who turns 67 in two weeks, showed little outward reaction as U.S. District Judge Manish Shah announced his sentence, which also included a $750,000 fine. […]

“Pramaggiore could have remained silent, but instead chose to try to obstruct the jury’s process,” the prosecution filing stated. “Pramaggiore’s lies demonstrate a lack of integrity and
candor, and her interest in prioritizing her own self-interest over the truth.”

Her attorneys, meanwhile, argued for probation, writing in a court filing of their own that the conduct for which she was convicted was “a true aberration” in an otherwise exemplary life, not only in her professional path but also in her dedication to her family and charitable works. They also submitted nearly a hundred letters from friends and supporters attesting to her good character. […]

Pramaggiore is the second of the ComEd Four to be sentenced. Shah handed a 1 1/2-year prison term to Hooker last week. A hearing for McClain, a retired ComEd lobbyist who doubled as Madigan’s right-hand man, will be sentenced Thursday, while the fourth defendant, Doherty, is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

…Adding… Capitol News Illinois’ Hannah Meisel…

Reporters just received this statement from a spox for Pramaggiore. (Background on tossed bribery counts: https://t.co/UXhxpQP5We)
Appealing was always the plan, but she and her co-defendants had to wait more than two years for sentencing after conviction. Now they may appeal. pic.twitter.com/tKKxrgC20k

— Hannah Meisel (@hannahmeisel) July 21, 2025

11 Comments

RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path.

Retailers like John and Ian in Macomb enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

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Today’s must-read

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The great Dan Mihalopoulos has a story which will make you want to pull your hair out and scream…

Already facing massive yearly budget deficits, the city of Chicago could face a bill in the hundreds of millions of dollars for police overtime in a long-running case on behalf of 8,500 current and former Chicago Police Department employees.

It’s been nearly 10 years since the case was filed and almost five years since a federal judge ruled in favor of the officers, who argued that the city “willfully violated” labor laws by miscalculating overtime pay they were due over a span of years.

But the two sides are still fighting over how much the city will have to pay.

An expert hired by the officers says the city owes the cops somewhere between $310 million and $450 million, court records show. City Hall’s hired expert says it’s much less — no more than about $195 million.

Even that is far more than the $14 million the city could have settled the case for at the start, Paul Geiger, a former police union attorney who represented the police officers who sued, said after a court hearing Thursday.

Geiger said the figure keeps growing because of interest that’s compounding as the case goes on.

Go read the rest. Unreal.

17 Comments

Slating notes

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Subscribers know more. Rep. Margaret Croke (D-Chicago) was slated for comptroller by the Cook County Democrats on Friday…

In a private session and on a very narrow vote, the subcommittee that recommends statewide endorsements backed Croke. Back in the public session, Harmon fought to try and reject the recommendation.

“We have a slate that does not have any representation from the Latino Caucus, no representation from the Asian Caucus, no one from outside the city of Chicago. I think this is the problem,” [Senate President Don Harmon] said.

This sparked another closed-door debate after which Croke emerged with the ultimate endorsement, something that “disappointed” Harmon.

“I worry that the party was more divided than evidenced by the final outcome,” he said. “But it’ll be up to the voters.”

* More from the Sun-Times…

Committeepeople met behind closed doors in executive session for several hours to hash out their slate. And following Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s announcement that she won’t seek a fourth term, the party opted to endorse State Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, over her competitors, Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago.

The party initially endorsed Croke, then reversed the decision amid a discussion over diversity and geography, then again gave her a stamp of approval. Illinois Senate President Don Harmon had pushed for an open primary in the race.

* Croke press release…

Please see statement from State Rep. and candidate for Illinois Comptroller, Margaret Croke, on earning today’s endorsement from the Cook County Democratic Party:

“I’m so very grateful to the Cook County Democratic Party for their endorsement and support as I seek to represent the people of our great state as its Comptroller. This is a critical moment in time and now more than ever Illinois needs a Comptroller who will lead with honesty, protect our most vulnerable populations, and bring fiscal responsibility to state government, which is exactly what I’ve advocated for throughout my time in the General Assembly. I’m ready to bring that same principled leadership to this office, serving as a watchdog for taxpayer dollars and ensuring transparency and accountability for every Illinois family.”

* Chicago Tribune on US Rep. Danny Davis and state Rep. La Shawn Ford…

Davis, who will have represented the 7th Congressional District for three decades at the end of his current term, appeared at the slating meeting even though the party wasn’t endorsing any congressional candidates. Davis told reporters he would announce whether he’ll run for reelection “in about a week or so.” […]

With state Rep. La Shawn Ford standing steps away, Davis made clear he wouldn’t make his exit without endorsing a successor. Ford registered with the Federal Election Commission to run for Davis’ seat, but has said he would only run if Davis retires.

* Gov. Pritzker hasn’t appeared in public in several days. His running mate explained why…

Gov. JB Pritzker was also absent, with his new running mate, Christian Mitchell, citing a “family event.”

* Mitchell got some public blowback at that meeting…

But when the floor was opened to questions, Mitchell started taking heat.

Mitchell, who oversaw Pritzker’s cannabis legalization efforts early in the governor’s first term, once tweeted that he was “stunned at the level of ignorance” at a Chicago City Council meeting, something that multiple alderpeople in attendance on Friday took exception to.

“I don’t recall using that term, but if I did, I apologize,” Mitchell said when questioned by Chicago Ald. David Moore.

Mitchell also faced heat from Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez, who pressed him on the administration’s relationship to the Latino community. Several Chicago alderpeople also interrogated Mitchell over the administration’s plans on Chicagoland transit, Chicago Public Schools and the closure of manufacturing plants on Chicago’s South Side.

I mean, he wasn’t wrong about the city council’s level of ignorance on the cannabis issue. It was truly appalling. But amends must be made, I suppose. And RayLo’s gonna Raylo and the Chicago news media can always be counted upon to eat up whatever he says.

* SoS Alexi Giannoulias dodged the big question…

Giannoulias wouldn’t commit to finishing another full four-year term, despite getting the party’s endorsement.

“I don’t like making campaign promises - ‘I promise to do that’ nor would I hold anyone else to a promise. I love the work that I’m doing. I care deeply about helping people and that’ll never change,” Giannoulias said.

Um, OK. Can someone translate that for me?

* Back to the Tribune…

Ultimately, slatemakers decided not to even pursue a roll call in the Senate race, which would have required support from 50% plus one vote in a weighted tally of the 50 ward and 30 township committee members necessary to gain the county endorsement.

Pritzker, the two-term governor who got the party’s nod Friday for reelection, has endorsed his lieutenant governor for the Senate seat. But the billionaire state chief executive, who has leveraged his wealth to build up state and local party organizations and secure political loyalty, saw that support stop short of extending to Stratton.

One major issue for Stratton is her fundraising as she reported only $666,416 in cash available at the end of June, while prolific fundraiser Krishnamoorthi had $21 million in cash available, slatemakers told the Tribune. Stratton has pledged not to take money from corporate political action committees. South suburban committee members, meanwhile, showed parochial loyalty to Kelly.

* From a Stratton press release…

Juliana Stratton was endorsed by 14 Cook County Democratic Party Statewide Slating Committeepersons – a diverse coalition of leaders representing high-turnout wards and townships across the county, the latest sign of the growing momentum behind her campaign.

14 out of 80.

* Down-ballot…

And committee members also chose to endorse Lyons Township Assessor Patrick Hynes over incumbent Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. […]

The endorsement of Hynes over Kaegi came after three challengers on Thursday pointed to issues uncovered by media outlets including the Sun-Times, which found in May that his office has mistakenly handed out more than $930,000 in property tax breaks to homeowners and businesses during his tenure. Hynes said the incumbent was behind “wild swings in property assessments.”

Kaegi on Friday said in a statement that he’s “confident that the voters will continue to support the critical work we’ve done to make Cook County a national model for transparency and fairness.” He also said he respected the process and the party’s consideration.

* The list…

Congratulations to all of our endorsed Party candidates for the March 2026 primary! pic.twitter.com/xB3K5vyHEf

— Cook County Dems (@cookcodems) July 18, 2025

Liz Nicholson worked for Paul Vallas, but her incumbent opponent is a mess.

27 Comments

It’s almost a law (in January) (Updated x2)

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* First, some background from a WGN article published in May…

“We have people simply trespassing on people’s property who don’t belong there, squatting and taking residence up on their own,” said State Rep. Jawaharial Williams (D-Chicago).

His bill changes state law to differentiate squatters from tenants and forego the months-long eviction process. It passed unanimously in the Illinois House and received only a single “no” vote in the state senate. The bill, SB1563, needs Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature to become law.

Real estate attorneys say criminals have been known to break into unoccupied homes and then pose as landlords offering prospective tenants a fake lease. They then take advantage of state law meant to protect true tenants from wrongful evictions.

“Criminals know they can do this. There’s really no criminal repercussion and you have live rent free in a home for 12-to-18 months if you’re lucky,” attorney Aaron Stanton told WGN Investigates in 2023.

* ABC Chicago last week…

The ABC7 Chicago I-Team is hearing from yet another homeowner who says squatters have moved into his property and refuse to leave.

An Illinois state representative lives right next-door, and has been watching the whole situation unfold.

The state lawmaker, Marcus Evans, is calling on the governor to take action. […]

“It’s happening all over the state. So, we’re shining a light to show the governor again, that his action is necessary, immediately,” said [Rep La Shawn Ford], who represents the 8th District.

“I’m going to be calling the governor and the office today and ask him to immediately sign this,” Evans said.

* CBS Chicago…

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign Senate Bill 1563, or the Squatter Bill, into law. […]

A spokesperson for the governor said he will sign the bill, but did not share a timeline for when.

It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

[From Rich: All that hooplah and the bill doesn’t even take effect until January? Maybe they could just pass one with an immediate effective date during veto session?]

…Adding… A Pritzker spokesperson said when asked that, despite what they told news media outlets, neither Reps. Evans nor Ford followed through and contacted the governor and/or his staff to ask that he sign the bill immediately.

…Adding… Governor JB Pritzker…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB1563 into law, clarifying that civil eviction procedures do not restrict law enforcement from enforcing trespassing laws, providing critical clarity for property owners and law enforcement agencies handling unauthorized occupancies across the state.

“This outdated eviction law has treated squatters the same as tenants, leaving property owners in limbo and tying the hands of law enforcement,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I want to thank the bill sponsors, Sen. Lakesia Collins and Rep. Jawaharial Williams, for their leadership in spearheading this important legislation. This bill delivers long-overdue clarity, closes dangerous legal loopholes, and ensures that trespassers can no longer manipulate the system to delay removal from properties they never had any right to occupy in the first place.”

“Squatters are a problem, and no one should have to get an eviction notice to remove them from their home. Law enforcement need to be able to do their job and return homes to their rightful owners,” said State Senator Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago). “We are responding to constituents who have had trouble with squatters who could not be removed without an eviction. This will simplify the process and bring back much-needed security to residents.”

Currently, Illinois law does not distinguish between overstaying tenants and squatters if the squatter claims to be a tenant or owner. A person occupying a property with no legal right to do so cannot be evicted by law enforcement until the court eviction process has concluded, leaving squatters with the right to remain on the property during the often-lengthy court system processes.

In addition to clarifying law enforcement ability to enforce trespassing laws, the bill establishes a clear distinction between lawful tenants and unlawful squatters, ensuring that property owners are no longer forced to navigate a lengthy court process to remove unauthorized occupants. It also provides law enforcement with clear guidance that, when a property owner can demonstrate valid ownership and trespassing is evident, officers have the authority to remove trespassers.

The bill will be effective January 1, 2026.

* More…

* WCIA | No more loopholes for squatters: Bill allowing police to treat them as trespassers heads to governor’s desk: The House passed the criminal eviction bill Wednesday with bipartisan support. This is an update to the current eviction rules. If signed into law, anyone living in a house, apartment, or on land without permission from the owner will be treated as a trespasser. This would give police the right to forcefully remove them from the property without a drawn-out court process.

* ABC Chicago | ‘Squatter Bill’ passes in Illinois House, heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk: “We’ve heard of instances of people providing false documents and fake rental agreements in order to remain on the property,” 10th District State Representative Jawaharial Williams. “Will this bill address that situation? Yes. It will also make it an offense when people present false documentation or fake their identity to the police officers or the owners of the property.”

8 Comments

Key legislators warn transit chiefs on spending as Realtors trash legislative funding proposal (Updated)

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois and the Regional Transportation Authority agree that a change to Illinois’ sales tax law will net the RTA an additional $150 million this year and another $225 million next year. That money will drastically reduce the impact of the looming $770 million “fiscal cliff,” which begins in January.

The extra revenue was a result of the state expanding its sales tax to include more online purchases.

In an internal RTA document, the transit agency mulls spending $44 million of that additional money this year on Americans with Disabilities Act paratransit operations and appears to leave the door open to even more spending expansions.

Several months ago, the RTA claimed that its paratransit costs contributed $239 million to the looming $770 million deficity because the state only kicked in $10 million to the federally required program that provides heavily subsidized rides to people with disabilities who cannot use fixed-line transit. The RTA has been receiving a huge amount of federal dollars since the pandemic, but that money runs out at the end of this year.

The RTA believes spending the $44 million is justified because paratransit is supposed to receive a set portion of sales tax revenues.

“In 2025, the paratransit expenses are over-budget and it is the fiduciary responsibility of the RTA and the Service Boards to address that gap with available funding this year,” said RTA spokesperson Rob Nash.

However, the internal document also seemed to leave the door open a bit to using that new money for other purposes.

“A subsequent vote by the Board would be needed to direct those funds to ADA paratransit funding or other budget amendments via an appropriations ordinance.”

Asked about further spending, Nash said the sales tax expansion “is contributing to positive budget variance or operating reserves at each operating agency after covering their monthly operating expenses.”

Either way, some key legislators involved in the mass transit reform talks don’t want the RTA to spend that unexpected $150 million now, preferring the agency wait until final legislation is approved and when the money can be used to alleviate deficit costs.

“We need everyone at the table offering and working on solutions to avoid the fiscal cliff that threatens transit services people rely on, and increasing spending right now does not advance that goal,” said Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, one of two House Democratic transit negotiators.

“Just like Springfield has a duty to fix the bigger problem, the RTA has an obligation to treat this moment with discipline. It’s crisis cash, not extra spending money,” said the other House Democratic negotiator, Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.

One of the biggest obstacles to solving this transit problem is coming up with the money. The new sales tax revenue will help, but there’s still a long way to go.

And some major players are stepping up to complicate matters.

The Illinois Realtors Association has dumped an unprecedented $300,000 into a special campaign committee that is running an online “consumer awareness campaign” slamming some Democratic legislators ahead of the fall veto session.

The online ads are targeting five state senators and 21 House members, a spokesperson for the statewide group said. The Senate passed-bill was declared “dead on arrival” in the House by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, but House members are bearing the brunt of the attacks, likely because the bill is now in their chamber.

An ad whacking Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, is particularly harsh. Ellman voted for the Senate’s mass transit reform/funding bill at the end of the spring session. That bill included a suburban real estate transfer tax which was expected to raise millions to fund mass transit programs.

The online spot features a Photoshopped image of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ellman standing in a commuter train as hundred-dollar bills float in the air around them.

“Sen. Ellman voted to raise your property transfer taxes to bail out Brandon Johnson’s failing CTA,” the ad tells readers. “Tell her to stop this crazy plan.”

The click-through link leads to this message: “In the final hours of voting in Springfield, Illinois Senators passed a 600% Property Transfer Tax on families, targeting ONLY the suburbs. The intended recipient of these new taxes? Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Chicago Transit Authority.”

“The proposed real estate transfer tax increase ignores the glaring reality of the state’s housing economy,” said Illinois Realtors CEO Jeff Baker via news release. “This would add thousands of dollars of closing costs to every residential and commercial transaction in the Chicagoland area, slowing our real estate economy even more.”

…Adding… Crain’s says the Realtors have upped the buy…

Illinois Realtors spent about a million dollars opposing the Chicago transfer tax increase. It’s now spending “a little more than $500,000″ opposing the potential statewide increase, he said. […]

“Our transportation networks keep the suburban economy humming, and our housing values will crater if train and bus services are cut or disappear altogether,” Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, told Crain’s in an emailed statement.

“We need to have serious, thoughtful conversations about the future of transportation in DuPage and Will counties, and throughout our region,” Ellman’s statement said. “It’s disappointing that this organization chose to go on the offensive instead of joining us at the table.”

* And, by the way, here’s the visual in the ad, which subscribers saw last week…

14 Comments

Open thread

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The New Goat Ensemble…

You have got the right to be
Right to be free

The poet laureates of Forgottonia.

Think Goat.

* Your turn.

4 Comments

Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: After State Farm rate hike, legislators are pressured to provide relief. Here’s what could be on the table. Tribune…

Proposed legislation

* Related stories…

∙ Daily Herald: Pritzker seeks more regulatory authority over homeowners insurance business
∙ State Farm: Understanding the Issues in Illinois
∙ Insurance Journal: State Farm Implements 27% Rate Increase for Illinois Homeowners

* Governor JB Pritzker will participate in the “Aspen Ideas: Climate” conference at 6 pm, joining ABC News Live Anchor Linsey Davis in a fireside chat about his efforts to grow the clean energy economy in Illinois.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Capitol News Illinois | ‘The public deserves to know.’ State agency withholds details in girl’s death: Eighteen-year-old Mackenzi died on May 11, 2024, from a blood clot that hit her lungs, doctors said. Her neck, shoulders, legs and face were bruised, and her dehydrated body weighed just 90 pounds. But the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services has refused to release a timeline or reports detailing their actions in the case — despite a law that requires DCFS to make findings and recommendations available when a child dies or is seriously injured in its care.

* Crain’s | Chicago media leaders warn of tough road after aid rollback: Fourteen Illinois public media stations receive about $12 million in the form of community service grants from CPB, according to Heather Norman, general manager at Tri States Public Radio. Tri States is an outreach service of Western Illinois University and an NPR affiliate. “For some stations these funds are 10% of their budget, for others it is 50%,” Norman wrote in an email to Crain’s. CPB also helps pay for broadcast music license systems and certain distribution services. It is possible that some broadcast programs or stations could be cut, Norman said.

* Daily Herald | Companies warn Illinois will be ‘toxic tort’ capital if bill is signed, but lawyers call it ‘fundamental fairness’: The legislation would allow anyone harmed by exposure to a toxic substance anywhere in the U.S. to file a lawsuit in Illinois against the company that’s responsible, provided it’s registered with the state. “This scares away companies from wanting to come here or even establish a business office or sales office because our court system is far more generous in terms of jackpot justice,” Illinois Manufacturers’ Association CEO Mark Denzler said. Illinois Trial Lawyers Association President Timothy Cavanagh disagreed. “It’s a limited bill that applies in limited circumstances. And it’s based on fundamental fairness,” he said.

*** Statewide ***

* Harvest Public Media | Farmers in one Midwest state may lose conservation resources, allowing soil to ‘fly in the breeze’: Nearly every county in the U.S. has a Soil and Water Conservation District. The districts started after the Dust Bowl in the 1930s to slow down soil erosion and promote conservation. They’re often the face of conservation in communities, said Eliot Clay, the executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The districts connect farmers to programs, grants and funding. Many also lend farming equipment and offer educational opportunities for new farming methods. Illinois state budget cuts have only allotted about $40,000 per district – which is supposed to be able to cover salary, benefits and conservation programs, Clay said.

* Tribune | Snapshot of food insecurity in Illinois and the US: If SNAP recipients in those categories don’t find 80 hours of work per month, they will lose their benefits. Nearly 2 million Illinoisans were using SNAP benefits in 2024 — 15.7% of the state for the seventh-highest percentage in the nation, the Illinois Policy Institute reported. SNAP recipients are not the only ones in need of food assistance, though. Mike Havala, president and CEO of the Naperville-based nonprofit Loaves & Fishes Community Services, explained the “SNAP gap” at a roundtable event in Geneva earlier this month

* Tribune | In the wake of SNAP cuts, feeding hungry Illinoisans falls more than ever on food pantries: As nonprofits reliant on donations, food banks and pantries were already stretched thin before the bill passed. Volunteers said they see more American families fall into food insecurity every day. As long as shoppers fit a certain criteria, pantries typically don’t turn them away — but as demand grows, each family gets less to eat. Thousands of Illinoisans will be directly affected by Trump’s SNAP cuts, which means thousands more people relying on food pantries, which means less food for everyone. Unless thousands more donations appear.

* NBC Chicago | Illinois residents asked to report armadillo, black bear sightings: IDNR is reportedly evaluating whether armadillos are extending their range northward, with climate change potentially impacting the effective northern end of their habitat. According to officials, armadillos do not hibernate, and can only live in regions where the annual temperature remains above 28 degrees year-round. The animals aren’t the only ones IDNR is interested in receiving reports on, either. According to the state, residents who see large predators like gray wolves, cougars or black bears are also encouraged to report those sightings, with multiple such incidents occurring in recent years.

*** Statehouse News ***

* ABC Chicago | Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore to be sentenced Monday in corruption case: Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore was convicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy. Prosecutors also said she falsified company records in the scheme to bribe former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. They want her to serve a 70-month sentence and pay a fine of nearly $2 million.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Chicago-area children get deportation letters: Leave or ‘the federal government will find you’: McLaughlin added that Immigration and Customs Enforcement “does not ‘target’ children nor does it deport children.” The agency also does not separate families, she said in the statement. Instead, “ICE asks mothers if they want to be removed with their children or if the child should be placed with someone safe whom the parent designates.” But questions regarding why letters are being sent to unaccompanied minors, like Xally, and what the protocol is to deport them, as stated in the letter, were left unanswered.

* Tribune | ICE arrests increase across Chicago under Trump, many with no convictions, data shows: The figures peaked at 88 bookings on an early June day that, at the time, drew attention for clashes between Chicago community members and federal immigration agents. Of the 88 booked that day, the latest analysis found, three-fourths had no criminal record logged by ICE. The surge in detentions — including immigrants with no known criminal record — mirrors broader trends across the country. The second Trump administration has increasingly focused on boosting the number of people arrested who lack legal status to be in the country, even if the efforts ensnared more people who didn’t fit the traditional ICE focus on tracking down and deporting those who committed serious crimes.

* Sun-Times | Feds issue ‘information requests’ on University of Chicago international students, admissions practices: In the more than 200 pages of documents dated July 11, the university wrote that the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security had issued information requests regarding “admissions practices and international students.” “There may be prospective investigations or inquiries,” the documents said. “While the immediate financial impact on the University is not material at this time, these and other developments involving the federal government may, directly or indirectly, have a material adverse effect on the financial profile and operating performance of the University.”

* Sun-Times | In a charged political climate, Colombian Fest opens with a message for ICE: ‘Cease and desist’: Carlos Ramírez-Rosa, chief executive of the Chicago Park District, said the July 9 incident at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, when officers with the Department of Homeland Security parked 15 unmarked vehicles in the museum’s private lot, is a “travesty.” Puerto Rican museum staff previously told the Sun-Times that they overheard the self-identified DHS agents talking about upcoming festivals in the area, including the Gran Festival Colombiano, featuring Colombian culture, food and music.

* Sun-Times | We’re tracking grocery prices around Chicago since Trump took office. They’re up and likely to keep rising: The Sun-Times has been tracking prices for 35 grocery items since December. Our shopping cart’s total tab is up by $11. Experts say to expect more increases. We’ll keep tracking.

* Sun-Times | Chicago mayors and their inspector generals: a contentious relationship that almost always ends badly: Four mayors have had inspectors general: Richard M. Daley, Rahm Emanuel, Lori Lightfoot and Johnson. Four different styles. Same result. The political equivalent of a separation, or a messy divorce. “It’s tough when you have someone laying it all out there —the good, the bad and the ugly. And we’ve had plenty of bad and ugly to talk about in recent years and decades,” [Ald. Matt Martin] said. “That’s gonna be challenging, especially when any executive is gonna want to paint things in ways that look as rosy as possible. But it’s never been more important to have someone who is strong and principled and independent.”

* CBS Chicago | Peter Mendez speaks about $2.5 million settlement after botched Chicago police raid: On Friday, Peter, now 17, spoke out for the first time about his family’s settlement with the city. “Kind of relieved; I can close this chapter of my life and move on,” he said. The Mendez family’s legal fight centered on the trauma they endured after officers, acting on a tip from an informant, burst into their home with guns drawn. But they were in the wrong place, because they failed to verify the informant’s information. Peter said he’s ready to move on from the fear and trauma he experienced the night a team of Chicago police officers wrongly raided his family’s home.

* Crain’s | NASCAR will not return to Chicago in 2026 but is keeping the door open for 2027: “Following a successful three years, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race will hit pause in 2026 to allow NASCAR to be responsive to residents’ and elected officials’ feedback,” the company said in a statement shared with Crain’s. “We will continue to work together toward a new potential date and develop a plan to further optimize operational efficiencies with the goal of the event’s return in 2027.”

* Sun-Times | Four renovated North Side Red Line stations reopen: The stations at Argyle, Bryn Mawr, Lawrence and Berwyn have been closed since 2021. They were updated during the first phase of the CTA’s $2.1 billion Red and Purple Line modernization project that started in 2019. The stations were made more accessible with new elevators and escalators. The station’s platforms were widened, and each location has new train trackers, benches, overhead canopies, turnstiles and fare machines, according to the CTA.

* Sun-Times | ‘Secret River Show’ concept hits high note with musical parade on the North Branch: “I want them to take away a sense of freedom, a sense of delight in music, and delight in the nature that is around us,” said Kinsinger, who performs in the band Lawrence Tome. “There is beautiful nature here in Chicago, and the river is part of that. And the more eyes we get on the river, the more that we can also pass legislation that then helps restore it to a more natural haven for the herons and the ducks and the turtles, and people can enjoy it.”

* WBEZ | Thanks to his daughters, psychedelic soul man Charles Stepney takes his place in music history: When Chicago’s famous soul music scene was at its pinnacle in the 1960s and ’70s, the biggest artists — from Earth, Wind & Fire to Minnie Riperton — shared one key thing: They worked closely with the legendary producer, composer and arranger Charles Stepney. Stepney wrote hit songs like Earth Wind & Fire’s “That’s the Way of the World” and “Reasons,” plus Riperton’s “Les Fleurs.” Despite his many contributions, Stepney was not well known in Chicago following his untimely 1976 death when he was 45. “As the kids say, he never got the flowers that he was supposed to get,” said his daughter, Charlene Stepney.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Whose downtown is it? Mayors wary transit board will control development near stations: There’s not much middle ground over a provision buried in House Bill 3438, which seeks to create a new Northern Illinois Transit Authority overseeing Metra, Pace and the CTA, and offset a $771 million shortfall in 2026. The provision states that NITA “shall have power to acquire by purchase (and) condemnation” any property within half a mile of a train or bus station for the purpose of transit-supportive development, such as housing or retail. A number of suburban leaders call the plan appalling.

* Tribune | Bridget Degnen joins exodus from Cook County Board: Once rumored to be thinking about running for board president if incumbent Toni Preckwinkle stepped down, Degnen instead said she would serve the remainder of her term through December 2026, and then consider her next career move. Commissioners Kevin Morrison and Donna Miller are also not running for reelection to the board. Morrison is running to fill U.S. Rep Raja Krishnamoorthi’s seat and Miller for U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly’s seat in Washington, as both members of Congress seek the open Senate seat being vacated by Dick Durbin.

* Daily Herald | Abughazaleh, Biss hold fundraising lead in crowded race to replace Schakowsky in Congress: Biss led the pack by collecting nearly $703,000 between early May and the end of June. But it was Abughazaleh, a novice candidate and relatively recent Illinois transplant, who finished the period with the most cash in the bank — nearly $667,000. Abughazaleh recorded her second-straight strong fundraising quarter by collecting more than $525,000 during the period.

* Daily Herald | St. Charles chooses state police leader as city’s next police chief: City Administrator Heather McGuire will formally recommend Daniel J. Likens to be the next police chief at the city council’s Sept. 2 meeting. Pending official appointment by Mayor Clint Hull and city council approval, Likens will assume the role Sept. 15.
“We conducted a thorough national search for our next police chief to find the candidate who embodies the priorities of the Police Department and the values of our community,” Hull said in a statement. “St. Charles has been fortunate to have a strong tradition of outstanding police leadership, and I’m confident Daniel Likens will carry on that legacy. St. Charles is in good hands.”

* Patch | Sexism Claims Against Addison Township Consultant: Addison Township in May hired a management consultant who faced sexism claims years ago when he worked for Bernie Sanders’ Democratic presidential campaign. Through a public records request, Patch obtained Addison Township’s contract with Veritas Strategies, headed by Bill Velazquez. The township includes the northern part of Elmhurst. […] In January 2019, the New York Times ran a front-page story about allegations of sexual harassment in Sanders’ 2016 campaign. The paper wrote about how a female campaign worker brought an allegation to Velazquez, a manager on Sanders’ Latino team, that a fellow worker ran his hand through her hair in a “sexual way” and continued to grab and touch her for the rest of the day.

* Daily Southtown | New report says Southland mosquito control district still ignores rules on pay: Misspending at a taxpayer-funded mosquito control district serving the south and southwest suburbs continues years after Cook County officials were urged to put a stop to it, a report of the Cook County inspector general says. The July 15 report says district trustees, whose jobs are supposed to be voluntary, are being paid, though the sums are relatively small. The Cook County Office of the Independent Inspector General report said some trustees whose terms expired continue to serve. The Cook County Board made one appointment of a new district trustee, the report states, and the appointment of a second will be heard by the County Board July 24.

* Aurora Beacon-News | After his arrest, Oswegoland Park District board puts director on leave: Betsinger, 50, of Montgomery was arrested Sunday evening after reportedly crashing into multiple vehicles and attempting to strike a pedestrian, according to past reporting. After being taken into custody by the Yorkville Police Department, he was taken to the Kendall County Jail and booked on charges of aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, driving under the influence of alcohol and attempted reckless homicide. Deputy Chief Garrett Carlyle of the Yorkville Police Department told The Beacon-News that Betsinger declined to provide a statement to the police department. Carlyle confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from the incident, and said the pedestrian told the department that they do not know Betsinger. The department’s investigation into the incident is closed, Carlyle told The Beacon-News on Friday.

* Daily Herald | Cost over coal? Naperville and St. Charles consider 20-year contract extension for energy needs: Both Naperville and St. Charles have meetings scheduled on July 28, with the Naperville City Council discussing the contract in a workshop session and St. Charles’ government operations committee discussing the issue. Naperville Councilman Josh McBroom has won support to have a vote on the contract placed on the Aug. 19 agenda. St. Charles Mayor Clint Hull also expects to have a vote on the pact in August. “We’re working really hard at it,” said Hull, who convened a special committee shortly after his election in April to review energy options.

* Daily Herald | Elk Grove Village mayor throws down in tag-team wrestling showcase match against pros: Before he became mayor, Elk Grove Village’s Craig Johnson was a regular presence on the wrestling mats at Elk Grove High School, where he later became head coach. […] I’ve been a wrestler since I was 5 years old. This wrestling is far different than anything I’ve ever seen in my life,” Johnson said. The colorful seven-term mayor teamed with Justin James — a Holmes Junior High School physical education teacher, wrestling coach and former professional wrestler — along with wrestlers Pauly and Joey in the Saturday smackdown against “Ruthless” Ramon, Xavier, Angel and Axel.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Bloomington mayor says reassessing sales tax sharing with McLean County hinges on what’s in it for the city: Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said this week’s decision by the county board executive committee against approving a hiatus on sales tax sharing drives home the seriousness of the matter, as talks continue about the intergovernmental agreement to fund mental health and other services. “Those are … at the table, I don’t know if they convey it enough to elected county board members to understand the delicacy of this,” Brady said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.

* WCIA | Mattoon businesses getting helping hand after ‘do not drink’ order is lifted again: The Mattoon Chamber of Commerce is helping non-chain businesses like these by giving them $1,500. The chamber said the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation out of Effingham gave money to help try and make up for losses. The nonprofit was able to give checks to 18 businesses in the city like Hunan Chinese restaurant, Luigi’s Italian and more.

* Shaw Local | City of DeKalb gives final OK to cannabis dispensary tasting rooms: City Manager Bill Nicklas said the city is supportive of cannabis dispensaries in establishing tasting rooms for edibles. “There was not, as you know, in our unified development ordinance a provision allowing for such a service or convenience,” Nicklas said. The amendments as unanimously approved apply to both dispensaries in town. However, city officials said owners for NuEra Cannabis have not indicated interest in establishing a tasting room at 818 W. Lincoln Highway, Suite No. 7.

* WCIA | 100% of EIU nursing students pass licensure exam for 2nd year in a row: The university said the achievement is rare — especially considering the national average pass rate for the exam is around 88.5%. […] Eastern Illinois University established the Gail and Richard Lumpkin School of Nursing in 2021 to address the nursing shortage in Central Illinois. Since then, university leaders said enrollment has grown, and the program has become more competitive.

* Metropolis Planet | ‘She definitely has what it takes’: Brown sworn in as Metropolis’ first female African American officer: From her demeanor to the way she handled herself to the way she treated others, Metropolis Police patrol officer John Suggs noticed something different about Nickayly Brown. And he knew she would be a perfect fit for the department. Following a lot of encouragement, Brown decided to take the plunge. She was officially sworn into the Metropolis Police Department during a ceremony held in the Metropolis City Hall council chambers on Tuesday, July 15.

*** National ***

* CNN | This is the summer of flooding across the US, and scientists know why: It’s no accident this is the summer of flooding, climate scientists say, with 100-year to 1,000-year deluges happening nearly simultaneously in multiple states on multiple days. […] “When we talk about e.g. ‘1000 year’ events, we’re talking about the likelihood of these events in the absence of human-caused warming (i.e. how often we would expect them from natural variability alone),” said climate scientist Michael Mann of the University of Pennsylvania. “These events are of course much more frequent *because* of human-caused warming,” he said in an email.

* The Guardian | ‘Profound alarm’: US veterans agency roiled by fight over anti-discrimination provisions: The US Department of Veterans Affairs has enthusiastically joined Donald Trump’s war on DEI – demanding that staffers report colleagues who engage in diversity initiatives, banning LGBTQ+ pride flags from VA hospitals and shuttering an office investigating why Black veterans are more likely to have their mental health disability claims rejected. Last week, the VA secretary, Doug Collins, tweeted that “VA is now squarely focused on Veterans – not out-of-touch, woke causes such as DEI and gender dysphoria treatments.”

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Sen. Villanueva: Swastikas, ‘ICE rules’ spray-painted on Little Village buildings, including her own

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Press release…

In response to hate crimes in the district, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“I am outraged and disgusted by the recent acts of hate and vandalism that have taken place in our community– including outside of my own district office, on a pro-Palestinian mural on the side of a small business and two other community organizations. The display of swastikas and the phrase ‘ICE rules’–symbols rooted in fear, white supremacy and intimidation–are deliberate attempts to spread fear, stroke division and intimidate people who are already vulnerable.

“What makes this especially disturbing is the complexity of what we’re witnessing: a swastika–long recognized as a symbol of violence and genocide against Jewish people– scrawled across spaces in a Mexican immigrant community, attacking our neighbors, our office and those who stand with Palestineians and global movements for justice. This act is layered in its hate– it’s antisemitic, anti-immigrant, anti-Arab, anti-Muslim and anti-Justice all at once.

“Let me be clear: there is no room for this kind of hate in our district or anywhere in Illinois. I stand in solidarity with all who have been harmed by this hateful act, who know too well the pain these symbols represent. I am working with law enforcement to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted and that those responsible are held accountable.

“In moments like this, we must not shrink—we must rise. We must respond with unity, with courage and with an unshakable commitment to justice. Hate may try to take root here—but it will not grow. Not in our district. Not on our watch.”

Pic…

* Tribune…

[Bibiana Mesa, one of the owners of La Frutería grocery store, and others] painted over the swastikas on their building Saturday, but the swastikas still showed through the paint. They decided the mural had to be painted over completely to remove all traces, and they planned to do so on Sunday. But when they came in Sunday morning, “ICE RULES” had been added to the front of the building, an apparent reference to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The full facade is now the same shade of pink as the rest of the building. Still, the Mesas are hoping that local artists will reach out to propose new mural ideas.

Pic…

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, Jul 21, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

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