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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* From Rep. Stephanie Kifowit…
* WAND | Illinois launches America 250 website, events celebrating state history: The new America 250 webpage is meant to serve as a digital gateway to Illinois history, showcasing the state’s contributions to the nation’s political, economic, agricultural and cultural development. It will feature historic photographs, documents and other treasures from the collections of the Illinois State Archives and the Illinois State Library, while also giving access to a complete schedule of America 250 events and activities happening throughout the Capitol Complex. * Tribune | Task force pitches long-term Chicago budget fillers, but many need state buy-in: The group also said the city should seek a rule change in Springfield to make sure there’s a fiscal impact note whenever lawmakers change the city’s pension benefits, contributions or funding. The city claimed that recent state-mandated pension changes were done without enough consultation or a full accounting of the cost, let alone any help paying for them. Among the most feasible tweaks: making sure leaders meet twice a year to discuss significant pension policy decisions. * WTTW | Chicago Budget Task Force Recommends Long-Term Structural Reforms to Address City’s Fiscal Challenges: The Chicago Financial Future Task Force — a group of nearly two dozen business, labor, public policy and community leaders — published its final report Thursday that included 58 policy recommendations, such as instituting a downtown congestion fee, restructuring electricity tax rates and instituting property tax increases based on the national consumer price index. “This challenge was not created overnight,” Chicago Urban League President and task force co-chair Karen Freeman-Wilson told reporters this week. “So there has to be — for there to be sustainability — a gradual fix. And it’s not just revenue, it’s not just cutting expenses, it’s not just looking at some of the long-term structural liabilities. It’s all of those things.” * Crain’s | Chicago’s political megadonors crack the nation’s top 50: Several other donors with Chicago ties also made the Post’s top 50. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker ranked 37th after contributing $12 million to Democratic causes. Citadel founder Ken Griffin — whose financial empire was headquartered here until his high-profile departure to Miami — ranked 39th with $10.5 million in Republican donations. J. Christopher and M. Jude Reyes, the billionaire brothers who co-chair Rosemont-based Reyes Holdings, ranked 41st after giving $10.1 million. * Sun-Times | New study finds the creative sector is Chicago’s third-largest industry: The report states that only healthcare and professional, scientific and technical services make up larger workforces in Chicago. It also found that Chicago’s creative economy generates $50 billion in economic output, measured by the sales of goods and services, like concert ticket sales or broadcasting services. * Daily Herald | Weeks after tornado, Bartlett cleaning up again from damaging storms: Bartlett Fire Protection District Chief William Gabrenya said fire crews began receiving service calls at about 6:30 p.m. and handled 38 “storm-related incidents” over the course of the night. […] National Weather Service storm survey teams are starting their investigations in Huntley and working their way southeast into the Carpentersville and Bartlett areas, officials at the agency said. * Daily Herald | ‘A legacy for all of us’: St. Charles eyes redevelopment of former police station site: City council members gave direction to staff this week during a workshop meeting to draft a statement of interest signaling support for working with the park district and the property’s redevelopment. A statement of interest agreement could be reviewed by aldermen in July, Deputy City Administrator Derek Conley said. Mayor Clint Hull expects to put together a group of city council and park district representatives to begin work on the project. * Naperville Sun | Naperville lags far behind other towns in protecting historic buildings, study finds: But when it comes to preserving its historic buildings, the city lags behind peer communities and should dedicate more resources to preserving its structures, according to a report issued by Naperville Preservation Inc. The nonprofit, which spent about a year putting together the analysis, created its own preservation plan after being told repeatedly that the city does not have enough staff to focus on the subject. Members have been told by city staff that historic preservation appears to be a low priority for the Naperville City Council. * STLPR | East St. Louis schools could lose food pantry, programs while grant is in limbo: Emma Giamberdino, deputy director of policy, communications and external Affairs for ACT Now Illinois, said her organization has already seen some schools lay off staff and cut back programs when the funding was first disrupted in December. “I unfortunately don’t have a timeline,” Giamberdino said. “A lot of that infrastructure had already been degraded. I think the worst part about this is that students, families and certainly the practitioners and school staff are really the ones that are suffering.” * WCIA | Funding uncertainty threatens Urbana Farm to School program: “We alternated for several years in securing grants for the farm school program as we were building it up and getting the components in place,” Barkley said. These grants, Sola Gratia’s executive director said, are ones that they and the public health district have consistently found. That is until one from the USDA fell through this year. “And what we need right now is for the school district to be taking some ownership and investment into the program,” Barkely said. * Illinois Times | Man fights city hall: He lives in an 18-square-foot home on a corner lot at 17th and Carpenter streets. He built the “pod” himself, he says, from watching how-to videos on YouTube, and it features solar panels, battery-powered generators, a foundation of heavyweight tires, air conditioning, insulation, a six-foot bed, a microwave and an internet connection from a cheap satellite service. He wants to market the mass production of such do-it-yourself, off-the-grid tiny homes not only for his potential profit, but more because of a “calling from God” to better help the homeless get off the streets, just like he did. He thinks he can design a car that would run for at least 100 miles on “a gallon of water and electricity.” Meanwhile, the city of Springfield is “unjustly harassing me,” he says, because none of the structures on the lot he owns are up to code regarding zoning and other public works requirements. * AP | Supreme Court allows Trump administration to end legal protections for Haitians, Syrians: The decision overturns lower court orders and allows the Department of Homeland Security to swiftly end temporary protected status, a program that protects a total of 1.3 million people from 17 countries. The Trump administration argued judges that can’t second-guess immigrations officials’ decisions about the protections, which were intended to be temporary. * AP | Supreme Court ruling blocks thousands of lawsuits against maker of Roundup weedkiller: The high court, in a 7-2 ruling, found that Roundup cannot face failure-to-warn lawsuits in state courts because federal regulations have found a cancer link unlikely and do not require a warning label. Though focused on Roundup, the ruling could affect similar health claims against other pesticide products. “This decision is good for American farmers who help feed the world,“ Bayer CEO Bill Anderson said. ”It provides the regulatory clarity necessary for innovators like us to develop the agricultural tools that guarantee an affordable food supply.” * NYT | Apple Raises Prices on Macs and iPads Amid the A.I. Boom: Apple increased prices on some laptop and tablet models $200 or more. A base model of the MacBook Pro, for example, now costs $1,999, up from $1,699. Apple’s entry-level laptop, the MacBook Neo, now costs $699, $100 higher than when it was unveiled in March.
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When it comes to natural disasters, we’re basically on our own
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois chart…  But…
* From that analysis… 
From the story…
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about this topic yesterday…
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CBS poll: Large majorities say data centers ‘mostly bad’ for environment, water and energy resources and utility costs
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * New national poll…
* More from CBS News…
* From the toplines…  * Methodology…
Discuss.
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Illinois’ SNAP error rate increased in 2025 (Updated x2)
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Remember Rich’s column from last summer about Illinois’ SNAP payment error rate?…
* Numbers released yesterday show Illinois’ SNAP payment error rate hit 14.67 percent in FY2025. WTVO…
* The AP…
* US Department of Agriculture…
* House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
Thoughts? …Adding…. Gov. Pritzker today…
…Adding…. The governor did not have the new error rate number, but stood by his claim that the rate was below FY24.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Unified transit police force is ‘easiest’ option but could be costly, Sheriff Dart says. Sun-Times…
- About 50 deputies have been patrolling CTA trains each day, Dart said. They initially started on Red Line trains on the South Side, but have since expanded to riding all other train lines. Dart said they’ve already learned lessons about deployment and enforcement that will be shared in their task force report. - The NITA law calls for unarmed, trained “transit ambassadors” to begin assisting passengers next year. Dart says they will be a welcome and necessary addition to the system to offload some of the work being placed on officers who are being tied up responding to mental health emergencies. * Related stories… * At 1:30, Gov. JB Pritzker will host a bill signing press conference for a package of consumer protection measures that lower costs for working families. Click here to watch. At 6:15 pm, the governor will deliver the opening remarks at Common Defense’s National Convention and Leadership Summit. * Daily Herald | Independent governor hopeful Corbett’s place on ballot affirmed after Bailey campaign pulls objection: Bailey’s team “did whatever they could to keep us off the ballot, but they couldn’t stop our commonsense movement of everyday Illinoisans,” said Corbett, a longtime Republican operative. In response to the objection, Corbett’s petitions were scrutinized last week by Illinois State Board of Elections staff who found that he had 27,323 confirmed signatures, more than the required 25,000, officials said. * NYT | Utah Senate President Loses Primary After Data Center Backlash: The president of the Utah State Senate, who championed a huge data center beside the Great Salt Lake, was defeated in his Republican primary on Tuesday night, one of the most high-profile signs of the voter backlash to data center projects. The vote to oust the Senate president, J. Stuart Adams, was a stunner. Mr. Adams was one of the longest-serving and most powerful politicians in Utah, a solidly Republican state, and had won earlier re-elections with little opposition. * Press release | New JB For Governor Ad Features Governor Pritzker’s Success in Bringing New Industries to Illinois: The 30-second ad features Richard Demirjian, President of TCCI Manufacturing, explaining how Gov. Pritzker’s investments allowed the company to expand in Decatur, growing economic opportunity for downstate Illinois. The ad will air on Illinois broadcast and cable television markets downstate, as well as on digital platforms. * Capitol News Illinois | New Illinois driving test age requirements start July 1: The 2025 law, titled the Road Safety and Fairness Act, also creates a process for immediate family members to report cognitive or physical health declines to the state for review. The minimum age for a driving test will be raised from 79 to 87, although drivers 79 and older will still be required to take a vision test, and if they have a driving violation, a written test. * WIFR | New Illinois law expands cyberbullying definition to include AI-generated images: As of July 1, schools across Illinois will face new responsibilities involving student safety and technology. State Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) refers to a report saying students across the country are using artificial intelligence programs to create harmful images of classmates. “There are growing reports nationwide of students using AI programs to create explicit or harmful images of classmates, and that raises concerns about safety and accountability,” Stadelman said. * Daily Southtown | Blue Island Mayor Fred Bilotto opposes data center development: Bilotto said a data center would not maximize jobs, economic impact and long-term community benefits, standards he said best serve the community. “I have an obligation to treat every property owner fairly,” he said. “That said, being fair does not require us to be without a vision for Blue Island’s future.” The mayor’s opposition comes after property owners Builders Capital sent a letter to the city offering to demolish hospital buildings and exchange the hospital property for the city-owned Libby property, where they said they want to build a data center, Bilotto said. * Illinois Times | Future data center tax breaks on hold: “Data centers are coming. They’re being proposed, they’re being negotiated, and they are being approved,” he said. “Too many communities are being forced to respond one city at a time, one village at a time, one zoning meeting at a time. That is not a strategy, that is a setup. While regular people are still trying to figure out what is happening, the lawyers have already met, the developers are already called, the lobby is already moved and the paperwork is already in motion. That is why we need the POWER Act; we need statewide standards.” * WQAD | Video: Lee County, Illinois, residents expected to protest potential data centers: Rock Falls Alderman Marshall Doane will submit his petition against data center development at the County Board of Supervisors meeting on Thursday. * WGN | Proposed data center in Hoffman Estates sparks resident outrage: At a commission meeting held on June 3, residents said they were not given information about the scope of the project, so they filed a freedom of information request and said what they found was alarming. “We feel like we’ve been totally ignored. The public hearings we’ve had are like political theater. It’s just a formality. They’ve already made up their mind,” Barrington Hills resident Amanda Pollard said. “They had all these plans up to 18 months ago even prior to the sale of the property. We found a letter from the village manager who basically guaranteed we can re-zone.” * WSJ | The Data-Center Boom Is Sparking a Third Wave of Inflation: The data centers used for AI require sophisticated computing equipment, cooling systems to keep that equipment from overheating, electric and fiber-optic cables and backup generators to prevent power disruptions. Based on announced and planned developments, Van Nieuwerburgh estimates that spending on the AI build-out through 2032 could come to about $8 trillion—nearly five times the market value of the entire New York City property market. With so much demand, prices are rising for many of the things that go into the AI build-out. And because those things are used for more than just AI, those price increases are spilling over into the broader economy. * E&E News | Tech heavyweight Oracle challenges Wisconsin data center rules: The company lodged a lawsuit on Friday in Ozaukee County Circuit Court challenging the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s April order establishing terms and conditions for data centers to receive electric service. Oracle, a partner in the $15 billion Stargate data center in Port Washington, Wisconsin, said the PSC requirement would force the company to post a letter of credit for electric service that would cost more than $100 million annually in fees. The company said the requirement is unreasonable and would chill further data center investment in Wisconsin. * Crain’s | Seven in 10 Chicago voters say they’re not inclined to re-elect Johnson: According to the survey conducted for One Future Illinois, a business-backed group that has been critical of the mayor, 71% of poll respondents said they are not inclined to vote to re-elect Johnson for a second term in the February 2027 city election. The survey of 801 likely Chicago voters also found that 66% disapprove of Johnson’s job performance at City Hall, with 46% strongly disapproving. A third, 34%, gave a thumbs-up to Johnson’s performance. […] A person familiar with the findings said of the 71%, 51% said they definitely would not vote to give Johnson a second term, and 20% “probably” would not do so. Among Black voters, 51% said they definitely or probably would not back Johnson for re-election. [From Isabel: Click here for the cross tabs on that question.] * Sun-Times | CHA Operating Chair Matthew Brewer joins the race for mayor: If Johnson were truly the “collaborator-in-chief” he claims to be, Brewer said, the mayor would not have “all of the fractured relationships and power struggles” that have made him unable to “find common ground” at every level of government. “My approach to leadership is bringing everyone together around similarity, rather than trying to alienate people along lines of difference,” Brewer, 46, told the Chicago Sun-Times. * Brewer’s intro video…
* Crain’s | After CHA showdown with Johnson, Matthew Brewer enters mayor’s race: It’s unclear what lane Brewer will try to carve out for himself in a jam-packed mayoral field that includes politicians with decades of experience and voting records. Thus far, Brewer is the only announced Black candidate and could draw backing from those hoping to eat into Johnson’s base of support among progressives and with Black voters. He has met with business groups seeking support, but it’s not clear if they will break from Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who’s expected to jump in the race this summer. * Crain’s | Bally’s escalates fight over video gambling, threatening legal action: Bally’s is threatening to sue Chicago and reopen key parts of its casino agreement with the city if aldermen refuse to reverse course on video gambling. The company says allowing video gambling terminals in bars and restaurants could force a renegotiation of hiring and diversity commitments and jeopardize at least $4 million in annual payments Bally’s makes to the city. * Tribune | Video gambling hearing ends after tensions flare between Mayor Brandon Johnson allies, opponents: His subsequent exchange with [Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Ivan Capifali] over what he described as the city’s lax enforcement with illegal sweepstakes machines ultimately blew the meeting up. “This is a circus, OK? That’s all this is, is a circus, and we’re doing all of ourselves a disservice by even talking about this right now,” Beale said. “And Ivan, I’m sorry, man. You make excuses left and right. Your integrity is zero. You have none. … Ivan, commissioner, I believe that you need to resign because you are doing a disservice to the city of Chicago.” Beale then immediately moved to adjourn the meeting, and a majority of the aldermen in attendance backed his motion, ending the proceeding. * Sun-Times | Neglected Frank Lloyd Wright house on the West Side sold for $125,000: Austin Coming Together Executive Director Darnell Shields said the organization and the community want to make the home a place where visitors can learn about the house, as well as the neighborhood’s architecture, culture and history. “And while they’re here, [visitors can] support our businesses and restaurants along Madison,” Shields said, adding that Wright’s open plan design of the home’s first floor would make the space conducive for hosting events and gatherings. * Aurora Beacon-News | Contracts approved for two multimillion-dollar sewer and water main projects in Aurora: One of the contracts — which is being awarded to Performance Construction & Engineering, LLC, for a little over $4.6 million — is for sewer separation, sanitary sewer extension and water main work in the city’s 4th Ward. This work is essentially the second phase of a sewer separation project on Broadway done last year, Aurora Assistant Director of Public Works Kurt Muth explained at a City Council Infrastructure and Technology Committee meeting earlier this month. * Tribune | Hollywood Casino Aurora launches new $360 million land-based facility: Hollywood Casino Joliet ranks fifth among the state’s 17 casinos with $60.9 million in adjusted gross receipts through May, up 67% year-over-year, according to the latest report from the Illinois Gaming Board. Meanwhile, Hollywood Casino Aurora ranks ninth with $41.8 million in revenue, down slightly year-over-year, according to Gaming Board data. * Daily Herald | Community mourns passing of Lake County Vice Chair Mary Ross-Cunningham: Longtime Lake County Board Vice Chair Mary Ross-Cunningham, a tireless voice for constituents and others who needed assistance, has died. Her son, Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham, shared the passing of the family’s “beloved matriarch” on social media Tuesday afternoon. “Vice Chair Cunningham was the bedrock of our family, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and guiding light,” he wrote. * BND | Nearly half of St. Clair County taxing districts levied higher taxes in 2025: Across taxing districts in St. Clair County, total EAV rose an average of 5.5% in 2025. That means many districts could keep their tax rates steady while still collecting more tax dollars. The district with the largest dollar increase in its 2025 levy request was Southwestern Illinois College, which requested nearly $4.4 million more than the previous year. But the district also saw a $393 million increase in its EAV, enabling it to keep its tax rate steady. * WGLT | Prosecutors allege a decade-long ‘pattern of behavior’ as judge jails second Chiddix teacher before trial: McLean County Judge Amy McFarland said Wednesday there was “no doubt” the state had met its burden of proof that Andrew “Drew” Miller, 40, of Normal poses a threat to society and should be detained. Miller has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Wednesday’s pretrial detention hearing was Miller’s second appearance in McFarland’s courtroom after his attorney, Josh Rinker, requested a continuance to prepare arguments for why his client should be released with conditions while navigating the criminal legal process. * STLPR | O’Fallon, Illinois, library wants voters to approve $17.5M bonds for a new building: The median home value in O’Fallon is $275,000, and that household pays roughly $130 in property taxes to the library annually. The sale of bonds would increase that annual tax to roughly $250, Johnson said. “I view it as an investment — as an investment in our community,” he said. “Just like we all want good schools, good parks, safe streets (and) nice roads, this is an investment in our infrastructure that can literally be a community asset for generations to come.” * WCIA | Vermilion Co. school district hopes to improve athletic facilities with $9M bond: $8 million of that money would go toward new softball and baseball fields, a combined football and soccer field and a facility for locker rooms, concessions and restrooms. Superintendent Andrew Jordan said this upgrade has been a long time coming. “We are looking to use that money to improve our current facilities,” Jordan said. “We don’t have a softball field, we don’t have a baseball field, and we don’t have a competitive track that we can use.” * USA Today | Supreme Court live updates: Major rulings possible on citizenship, Trump priorities: The court is expected to hand down some − but not all − of its remaining decisions on Thursday, June 25. Some of President Donald Trump’s top priorities are at stake in many of the remaining cases. If his arguments win, the court could restrict birthright citizenship, refuse asylum claims and remove protections against deportation for Syrians and Haitians. Two election-law cases could change how mail-in ballots are counted and how parties spend money on candidates. And the court could resolve whether states can ban transgender athletes from competing on female sports teams. * AP | Dozens of states could face new costs because of high error rates in SNAP food aid: States with high error rates will have to make choices that could impact their residents. To fund SNAP benefits, do they spend less on public schools, law enforcement or mental health care? To save money, do they squeeze people off SNAP by making it harder to stay in the program? Or do they drop out entirely from the federal food aid program that’s been around for decades? “There are billions of dollars that are at stake that states will have to find the money to be able to pay if they want to continue to operate a SNAP program,” said Chloe Green, assistant director for policy at the American Public Human Services Association.
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Good morning!
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jun 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Block..
* Press release…
* IPM Newsroom has two stories worth reading on school discipline. One examines Springfield’s Lanphier High School, which suspends Black students at one of the highest rates in Illinois…
The other looks at Chicago’s Kenwood Academy, where suspensions are rare…
* Injustice Watch | Immigrants in Illinois are finding success challenging their detention in federal court: Before 2025, such habeas cases were rarely filed by people held in immigration detention. During the four years under the Biden administration, only 10 immigrants filed habeas cases in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, which covers Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. But in the first 15 months of President Donald Trump’s second term, 274 immigration habeas cases were filed in the Northern District of Illinois. The vast majority were filed after the launch of Operation Midway Blitz, the federal immigration enforcement campaign that began in September and led to the detention of nearly 3,800 immigrants across the Chicagoland area. * Click here for Citizen Action/Illinois’ 2026 State Legislative Scorecard. * WGLT | Illinois looks to fast track schools to install rooftop solar panels: Illinois lawmakers want to make it quicker for schools to connect solar energy to the grid. One Central Illinois grade school has been waiting two years to connect rooftop solar panels. The bill requires energy companies to give priority to schools and companies have 30 days to give an evaluation on a project. They will also have to disclose upgrade costs to the grid and construction timelines to the school. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk to be signed. * Shaw Local | Joliet-area legislators blast Bears on stadium deal, one calls team ‘a liar’: State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, labeled the Bears “a liar” in her comments during a panel discussion in Joliet hosted by the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce. “Having to call their bluff, that is not good negotiation,” Ventura said. “If you come to the table in Springfield and you are a liar, it doesn’t bode well for you.” * Crain’s | Mike Quigley to make mayoral bid official with Saturday kickoff: U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley is making his long-anticipated run for Chicago mayor official this weekend, with a campaign kickoff event scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the historic Uptown Theatre. […] Quigley, who has represented the 5th Congressional District since 2009, previously served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners. He’s entering an already crowded field of candidates seeking to unseat Johnson or succeed him should the mayor decide not to seek a second term. * Block Club | Why Is Mayor Johnson Keeping Secrets About The Parking Meter Deal?: Johnson and his aides have refused to disclose records showing what analysis or calculations they made while putting their bid together out of the public eye. Even members of the City Council have been left in the dark. Still, the council is now under pressure to approve a new meter sale, to different private investors, that alderpeople and the public know almost nothing about. * Tribune | Chicago Media Report: Rising TV pundit Adam Mockler, ABC 7 enlists viewers in FCC battle and CNBC to hit Cboe: During an April 30 appearance on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip,” Mockler so rattled Scott Jennings during a discussion about the war in Iran that the network’s seemingly unflappable resident conservative commentator blew up and unleashed on-air profanity at his young foil. The incident went viral, boosting Mockler’s social media following and his progressive pundit street cred, helping the 23-year-old to launch his own weekly debate series on YouTube. * Tribune | Michelin retired its Green Stars to the dismay of sustainable chefs in Chicago: Last month, Michelin quietly announced that it was phasing out the Green Star distinction and chefs would no longer be able to advertise that they have it. Besides Daisies, Feld is the only other restaurant in Chicago to be given a Green Star. “Is it a let-down? Of course,” Frillman said. Chefs like Frillman have widely expressed disappointment in Michelin’s decision, saying that the abrupt removal of the designation undoes years of high-caliber sustainability recognition. * Lake County News-Sun | D128 appoints new member as grooming allegations prompt shakeup: ‘There’s a culture problem within 128’: Former board President Jim Baston retired suddenly earlier this year, despite winning a four-year term in 2023. Although no official reason was given for why Batson left with just months of the school year left, his departure came shortly after controversy rocked the district. A lawsuit filed in March accused Parker Rohde, a teacher at Libertyville High School, of grooming an unidentified 15-year-old girl with Down syndrome, starting during the fall 2024 semester. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council OKs Mayor John Laesch’s slate of new board members for Paramount, other venues: The appointments are said to represent Laesch’s vision for the future of the Aurora Civic Center Authority — namely, that it will offer more diverse programming and be more financially stable. The organization owns the Paramount Theatre, the Copley Theatre, Paramount School of the Arts and North Island Center, and manages the city-owned RiverEdge Park and Stolp Island Theatre. * Daily Herald | ‘I want to feel the freedom’: Elgin honors 30 new American citizens: The event is coordinated by a group of community volunteers representing Centro de Información, the city of Elgin, Chinese Mutual Aid Association, Elgin Community College, Elgin Area Historical Society, Gail Borden Public Library, The Literacy Connection and YWCA of Elgin. The Elgin Master Chorale performed patriotic selections during the ceremony. Afterward, the League of Women Voters hosted a voter registration table, and the Kane County Clerk’s office demonstrated how to use the county’s voting machines. * WGLT | Bloomington-Normal’s homeless count drops. Advocates worry federal policy changes could erase gains: The Bridge has largely been at capacity ever since. It made a big dent in the community’s homeless population. One week later, volunteers canvassed McLean County to track the homeless population. It’s called the Point-In-Time [PIT] count, an annual, national effort to see who is unhoused and try to connect them with services. The count is one of several factors that determines federal funding for homeless services. On Jan. 29, a night when temperatures fell below zero, volunteers found three people outside in Bloomington-Normal. The year before, on a night not quite as cold, they found close to 40. * Muddy River News | Plan Commission votes to deny special use permit for proposed solar farm at 36th and Payson Road: Brink, the city’s director of operations, cited an ordinance that the city council passed in 2024 that recommended solar facilities only be constructed in the 1 ½-mile buffer outside the city limits if that area is zoned industrial. “This was not one of those,” Brink said. The parcel of land proposed for this solar facility is located just outside Ward 5 and zoned RU1 (rural and agricultural). * WTVO | Rockford committee deadlocks on spending taxpayer dollars on mobile grocery store: The committee considered an agreement with Angelic Organics Learning Center, operating as Farmers Rising, in partnership with City Center Market, to launch the program. The plan called for up to $822,000 in casino tax funds to support startup costs and three years of operations. After discussion, the committee voted 2–2 on the funding agreement, meaning the motion failed to advance due to the tie. * WSIL | Shawnee National Forest Urges Visitors to Help Stop the Spread of Invasive Zebra Mussels: Even small amounts of leftover water can carry zebra mussel larvae, allowing them to spread to previously unaffected waters forest service officials stated. “Do your part—clean, drain, and dry,” the agency advises, encouraging visitors to help safeguard the region’s “big backyard” for future generations. * 404 Media | The Tokenpocalypse Is Here: Companies Are Scrambling To Stop Spending So Much on AI: “What we’re seeing right now is just rapid escalation in AI token spend,” he says “As companies start to scale AI, moving from like simple chatbots into use cases that feature agentic workflows and automation and then enterprise-wide deployment of some of these tools like Copilot, Claude Code, and Codex, we’re hitting this inflection point where AI is becoming material to the cost structure; spend is becoming very unpredictable; and leadership, especially at the CFO, COO, and CIO level, are still asking the question of whether they’re getting value from what we’re spending on in the context of AI.” * Cal Matters | Uber passed an insurance law in California. It did not disclose key info, a lawmaker says: As the ride-hailing giant pushed to lower the required insurance coverage it must carry for uninsured and underinsured motorists, Uber told lawmakers that passing Senate Bill 371 would be good for consumers because insurance costs were rising. It passed, reducing Uber’s liability for uninsured and underinsured motorists from $1 million to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. But a May report from Consumer Watchdog found that the company mostly self-insures, meaning it was paying its own subsidiary insurer and amassing a stockpile of tax-free reserves. * Guardian | ‘Extremely overwhelmed’: apartment renters face rising tide of fees: Long lists of fees are common at buildings operated by Greystar, a private equity-backed conglomerate that owns or manages more than 1m apartments across the US. According to tenants, housing attorneys, public officials and court claims, this tangle of extra charges fattens the company’s bottom line, increases renters’ risks of eviction and undermines fair competition in the apartment market by muddying the real price they pay for shelter.
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Pritzker on mail-in ballots threat: ‘We’ll see them in court’
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Today…
More…
* Isabel asked Gov. Pritzker about this today…
You’ll recall that AG Kwame Raoul’s budget was cut by $10 million this spring.
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Pritzker signs Reproductive Health Records Privacy Act (Updated x2)
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* More… * Daily Herald | Four years after Roe’s reversal, Illinois still a destination for women seeking abortion care: Thirteen states prohibit abortion and 10 have restrictions banning the procedure starting anywhere from six to 22 weeks into a pregnancy, according to KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization. Abortion is outright banned in Indiana and prohibited after six weeks of pregnancy in Iowa. About 155,000 individuals left their home states for abortion care in 2024, and 35,470 of them came to Illinois, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research institution. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois’ abortion landscape continues to evolve amid persistent growth in demand: The Chicago Abortion Fund, which provides financial, logistical and material assistance to abortion seekers, is the largest of its kind in the nation. Since June 2022, the fund has assisted more than 60,000 callers and distributed more than $25 million in direct support. In 2025, about 13,760 people, or 43% of the nearly 32,000 people who came to Illinois from out-of-state, were given direct support from the fund, an increase from the 28% of callers who received that level of support in 2024, according to data released by the group. * KFF Health News | Despite state bans, abortions have almost doubled. The reason? Pills via telehealth: But because medication abortion is now the most common form of abortion in the U.S., restricting mifepristone would have a wide impact even in states without abortion bans. “Stopping the FDA’s unlawful mail-order mifepristone scheme will surely decrease the number of chemical abortions across the country,” said Gabriella McIntyre, a lawyer for Alliance Defending Freedom, which partnered with Louisiana in its suit. * Pritzker campaign…
…Adding… Bailey…
“Made-up”? …Adding… From the governor’s press release…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] For over 30 years, Marc Maslauski has helped men look and feel their best at Jim Herron Ltd. in Springfield. Known for quality menswear and exceptional personal service, Marc takes pride in creating a shopping experience that keeps customers coming back. Whether you’re searching for a tailored suit, sport coat, or everyday style upgrade, Jim Herron Ltd. delivers timeless fashion with a personal touch. Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Marc in Springfield who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Chicago Bears still looking to piece together stadium legislation in Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker says. Tribune…
- Pritzker said his office has been a player in the ongoing Illinois negotiations with the NFL franchise, which has been considering elements of two bills that each passed one chamber of the Illinois General Assembly this spring. - The state still needs the Bears to put together specific provisions of a bill, Pritzker said. Once the team is able to put together a proposal, he said, “they need to begin conversations with members of the legislature that they weren’t able to win over before, and again, we’ve been advising and trying to help out wherever we could.” * Related stories… * At 11:30 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will sign legislation that protects reproductive freedom on the fourth anniversary of the Dobbs decision. Click here to watch. * Sun-Times | As ‘Broadview Six’ prosecutor faces reckoning, Boutros yet to escape cloud hanging over his office: U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros has launched a review of cases involving veteran prosecutor Sheri Mecklenburg, whose apparent misconduct has led to the collapse of the Broadview case and two others. But attorneys for the Broadview defendants have raised alarms about “what appears to be a determined effort to blame a single prosecutor.” * Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker to sign Illinois abortion legislation shielding patients’ medical records: On the fourth anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Roe v. Wade, Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday will sign the latest legislation bolstering Illinois’ status as a haven for abortion care in the Midwest. The measure passed by the General Assembly last month will shield patients’ abortion-related digital medical records from access by outside authorities who have sometimes used them to pursue criminal cases in states where the procedure has been outlawed. * Capitol City Now | Organization applauds extension of affordable housing-related tax credits: The Illinois Housing Council says the ten year extension of tax credits that were about to expire is important, given how housing in general, and affordable housing in particular, is in short supply. “We are, really, in a severe housing shortage,” said Allison Clements, Executive Director, on the WTAX Morning Newswatch. “The state faces a deficit of nearly 300,000 affordable rental homes for our lowest income residents. We really just haven’t been building enough housing. We know that between 2017 and 2023, our housing production rate fell 33 percent.” * Patch | Shelter CEO To Step Down Amid State Senate Run: helter Youth & Family Services CEO Carina H. Santa Maria will transition from her role in September as she pursues her candidacy for the Illinois State Senate, the organization’s Board of Directors announced. Santa Maria has led the Arlington Heights-based organization since 2018. She is also an Arlington Heights village trustee and previously announced her candidacy for the Illinois State Senate. Current State Sen. Mark Walker, a Democrat from Arlington Heights, has said he will not seek reelection at the end of his current term. * CBS Chicago | CPS holds first budget hearing; CTU wants Illinois lawmakers to convene to fund schools: Tuesday marked the first Chicago Public Schools budget hearing of the summer, as the district faces a $ $733 million shortfall. This comes as the Chicago Teachers Union is calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to call lawmakers back to Springfield. The union said a special session is needed to fund schools fully. * Sun-Times | Gov. Pritzker is leading Chicago fundraiser for Senate candidate and rising Democratic star James Talarico: Talarico, 37, spent about two weeks in the Chicago area last year during the walkout. On Wednesday, Pritzker will serve as a “special guest” at a Chicago fundraiser in support of Talarico. Federal Election Commission records show Pritzker contributed $3,500 to Talarico’s campaign in March. Former White House chief of staff Bill Daley is among several prominent Chicagoans listed as hosts of the fundraiser, according to the invite. Suggested contributions range from $500 to $5,000 for hosts. The top tier is $13,500. * Center Square | Bill filed to repeal ‘punitive’ digital asset tax: State Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, filed House Bill 5798 on Monday. “There’s a lot of constituents and other folks that have interests that think this is going to raise revenue and tax them around $60 million or more,” Cabello told The Center Square. * NBC Chicago | ‘Data center capital’ of the Midwest expands as Pritzker calls for regulations: Mayor Craig Johnson said all of the data centers are located in the town’s business and industrial parks, far away from residential neighborhoods. […] He said the data centers generated $26 million in revenue to the village last year alone. In some years, the windfall is so high that the town issues $200 gift cards to residents as tax rebates. * The Southern | Carbondale passes moratorium on data center development: The Carbondale city council adopted a resolution putting a one-year moratorium on data center development during its regular meeting on Tuesday. The resolution passed on a 4-1 vote, with Nancy Maxwell voting against it. Clare Killman was absent from the meeting. It comes in response to a community meeting in May at the Unitarian Church where several city staff and council members were present. The Southern provided coverage on that meeting, where the impacts of data center development were discussed. * Data Center Dynamics | Closed incinerator near Chicago eyed for potential data center development: Robbins Mayor Darren Bryant said he was open to the idea of a data center being developed at the site. “I know there are a lot of negative stories out there, but my job as mayor is to be innovative,” he told NBC. “Water, electricity, noise, pollution, and environmental all are concerns of mine too, but we are in the discovery phase. If we cannot solve those issues, it will never enter Robbins. We are in talks with the owner to explore.” * AP | 40 mayors worldwide endorse a pact to shape data center development: About half of participating mayors are from the U.S. That includes Seattle and the California cities of Palo Alto and Riverside. In the Southwest, Phoenix and Albuquerque, New Mexico, joined. On the East Coast, Beverly, Massachusetts, signed, as did Lincoln, Nebraska; Chicago and Cleveland in the Midwest and Miami in the South. […] The pact lists several standards for data center developments. Urban data centers should be built on abandoned or underutilized land in an area that minimizes negative impacts on noise, heat and air pollution. Developments should be fueled by renewable energy and battery storage, and data centers should reduce water use and emissions, as well as capture waste heat. * WIRED | Some Electricians Think Building Data Centers Is for Sellouts: Threads about how AI will affect the economy now pepper r/electricians, a subreddit with around half a million monthly visitors. Some users wonder whether the work will eventually prompt widespread job losses. Others aren’t sure if their labor makes them complicit in the damage done to local communities or whether it’s unethical to take on data center work. For some, the answer is a firm no. Ultimately, they argue, work is work. One electrician based in the Midwest says he no longer tells people what he does for a living. * WBEZ | Air pollution is often worse in the summer. Now, Chicago can monitor it neighborhood by neighborhood: The air monitors are part of a 5-year project that went live last fall. They’re designed to collect local air data that can show Chicagoans real-time pollution figures that can help officials develop guidance for permitting, urban planning, and air-quality control. The network is about to be put to the test as it faces its first Chicago summer — the season when air pollution tends to worsen, in part, due to climate change. * CBS Chicago | Payroll in jeopardy for healthcare workers at Roseland Community Hospital, union says: Roseland is a 134-bed safety-net hospital that has operated on the Far South Side for more than a century, but SEIU healthcare union leaders say about 200 healthcare workers could possibly not get paid. The union represents a good portion of the more than 500 staff members at the hospital, which includes support and professional services. It’s not clear what’s behind the potential payroll problem, but the SEIU vice president says, “I can confirm that on June 11, the union was informed that the payroll due our members on June 30th was in jeopardy.” * Sun-Times | Chicago’s first F1 Arcade to open in August: “About 1% of people get to actually experience an F1 race [in person] in their lifetime. So if we can bring that experience and what an F1 driver gets to experience in that seat and that adrenaline, … I think that’s that whole thing we want to recreate as much as possible,” he said. There will be 61 full-motion racing simulators with multiple game modes, allowing visitors to race individually or in teams. There will also be private event spaces. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox sit alone atop the AL Central standings after 2-1 win against the Cleveland Guardians: Chicago White Sox designated hitter Randal Grichuk doubled and scored on a single by shortstop Colson Montgomery in the second inning of Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas led off the sixth inning with a home run. Those were the only three hits in the game for the Sox. And it was just enough to defeat the Guardians 2-1 in front of 28,883 at Rate Field. * Sun-Times | State’s Attorney’s office says it will make it harder for ICE to access sensitive data: Don Black, chief of staff to Cook County States Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, said the office is working with Appriss on new contract language that would further restrict data sharing. “The goal is to close any ambiguity in the contract and make sure the data is used only for the purpose it was intended,” Black said. * Evanston Now | Biss says he will resign in October: Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss said Tuesday afternoon he plans to resign from office on Oct. 18 to allow for a special election next spring, where voters will have an opportunity to select the city’s next mayor. In his annual and final State of the City Address, Biss said the purpose of his resignation “is to be absolutely certain” a special election could occur in the spring. After his speech, he told reporters he intends to write a formal letter “soon” outlining his resignation plans. * Press release | Northwestern Tech Helps Power Apple Vision Pro Wheelchair-Control Feature: Apple recently unveiled a new Vision Pro accessibility feature that allows users to control powered wheelchairs using only their eyes. Northwestern University technology helps make it possible. The feature uses the Vision Pro headset’s advanced eye-tracking system to send driving commands to compatible wheelchairs. Software developed by Northwestern’s Project DRIVE acts as a bridge between the headset and wheelchair’s control system, translating eye movements into signals the wheelchair can understand. * Reuters | Constellation Energy to supply nuclear power to Walmart facility under 15-year deal: Retail bellwether Walmart, opens new tab has signed a long-term nuclear power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy (CEG.O), opens new tab, the companies said on Tuesday. Under the agreement, Constellation Energy will supply nuclear power from its Dresden Clean Energy Center in Illinois to Walmart’s previously announced “high-tech” perishable distribution center, currently in development in Belvidere, Illinois. * STLPR | Illinois EPA takes ‘toxic tour’ through these contaminated Metro East sites: Local residents and activists took three top officials from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on a “toxic tour” of the Metro East on Friday. The goal was to show them what life is like in the communities confronting sewage-contaminated floodwaters, as well as foul emissions from a hazardous waste incinerator. Among the attendees were Illinois EPA Director James Jennings, Deputy Director of Environmental Policy Amanda Raddatz and Environmental Justice Coordinator Chris Pressnall. * WSIL | Jefferson County Tornado Victims Begin Long Road to Recovery: Volunteers are helping the Thompson family clean up their property after a tornado destroyed their home. Where the house once stood is now a cleared lot. Kelley Thompson says she’s grateful for the support from her community. Youth camp kids from her church and vollunteers came out to help run machinery and pick up debris. “I can’t thank God enough for sending all these people,” Thompson said. * WGLT | Murals add color and hope for youths in juvenile detention: The McLean County Juvenile Detention Center [MCJDC] commissioned Champaign artist Leslie Kimble to paint the two murals in the common areas of the facility. The project was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Program Coordinator Brianna Nelson said the initiative started last October. […] Nelson said Kimble asked the youths to pick colors, images and words they’d like to see on the walls every day. * STLPR | East St. Louis connects youth with food through Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s new project: After six Olympic medals and over a decade of dominating track and field, Jackie Joyner-Kersee has spent her post-athletic career giving back to her hometown of East St. Louis. Her newest contribution is the Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition Innovation Center. The center will give East St. Louis youth opportunities to get hands-on experience with agriculture and prepare them for STEM careers. It features classrooms, labs and kitchens, and has summer and after-school programs to introduce kids to plant science. * WCIA | Springfield EMS worker sentenced to probation in 2022 patient death: WCIA previously reported that body camera footage shows 35-year-old Earl Moore Jr. was strapped face-down to a stretcher in the midst of a hallucinatory episode Moore was experiencing. The coroner ruled that the 35-year-old died of asphyxiation. Although Cadigan’s case saw its resolution Tuesday, the case involving the other EMS worker — Peggy Finley — remains ongoing. She appeared in court on Monday for a planned trial call hearing. The next court date in Finley’s case is scheduled for Aug. 24. * Bloomberg | Stephen Miller Said to Drive DOJ Memo Eroding Disability Rights: Miller, the president’s powerful deputy chief of staff, was frustrated that the department’s Civil Rights Division was still reaching settlements compelling states to transfer those experiencing mental illness out of institutions, added the individuals, who spoke anonymously out of fear of retaliation. They said Miller felt DOJ’s agreements—including one reached with South Carolina in December—would increase homelessness and didn’t adhere to President Donald Trump’s July executive order pressuring cities and states to move homeless people into treatment centers * WaPo | Nation’s second-largest school district passes strict new screen time rules for students: Los Angeles public schools will ban screens for its youngest learners and limit device usage for other students, marking one of the most aggressive attempts to restrict the amount of time children spend on devices at school The new rules, approved on Tuesday, will be phased in starting in August following backlash to the devices districts nationwide have spent billions on since the coronavirus pandemic. The Los Angeles school board had passed a resolution in April that required the district to limit students’ screen time.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jun 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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