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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retailers throughout Illinois remain focused on serving their neighborhoods. Luckeyia Murry, owner of Luckeyia’s Balloons & Distribution in the city of Homewood, says running a small business is a lot of hard work. She wants policymakers to understand it is small businesses who build community and keep people connected. Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Luckeyia are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times federal courts reporter Jon Seidel…
Click here for the full opinion.  Illinois families are already stretched thin and a delivery tax would push them even further. For Illinois residents, delivery services are essential, not optional. Working parents, seniors, and those with limited mobility rely on them for groceries, meals, and everyday needs. Now, a proposed delivery tax threatens to raise costs on the families who can least afford it. Learn more about the impact of a delivery tax and why we MUST stop it. * Capitol News Illinois | Dabrowski sets fundraising bar at $1.5M in GOP primary for governor: According to quarterly fundraising and spending reports that campaigns filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections on Wednesday, Dabrowski raised $1.5 million since forming his campaign on Aug. 20. A sizeable portion of that, $250,100, came from Dabrowski himself. Dabrowski, of Wilmette, is a former researcher for Wirepoints, a conservative media website dedicated to researching and proposing public policy solutions in Illinois. * IPM Newsroom | New Illinois law looks to put guardrails on AI in mental health as researchers push for innovation: Morgan said he thinks the increased use of artificial intelligence is inevitable. He said the goal of the new law is not to ban companies from using AI to help treat mental health, but to establish a set of standards guiding how the technology can be used. “This need for mental health care is just so high that it’s unrealistic to think that our existing network of actual people, of licensed professionals, are going to be enough to satisfy the need,” he said. “That’s why we have to have guardrails.” * WTTW | Mayor Brandon Johnson Calls for $617M in New Taxes to Close Budget Gap, Avoid Layoffs: Instead, it would close the city’s massive shortfall in part by imposing a $21 per employee tax on large companies to generate $100 million to fund violence prevention and youth employment programs. Johnson also proposed a first-of-its-kind tax on social media companies to generate $31 million to fuel the city’s public mental health clinics and crisis response programs, according to the proposal. * Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson’s $16.6B budget would revive corporate head tax, tax social media companies: “It’s not a job killer. It’s a job creator. The top priority that businesses have expressed over and over again is to ensure that our city is safe,” Johnson told reporters during a budget briefing this week. “We’re talking about 3% of companies who will be asked to put more skin in the game; 97% of businesses won’t be impacted by this.” * The Triibe | Mayor Brandon Johnson reveals budget to ‘Protect Chicago’ from Trump cuts: Recommendations include $200 million in cost cuts that will result in savings, along with no “new property taxes or regressive fees,” according to materials provided by the city’s Office of Budget Management (OBM). Johnson’s FY 2026 budget equates to $16.6 billion, a 3.2% decrease from last year’s budget due to losses of pandemic-era grants and pension costs, according to materials sent by the OBM. * Tribune | CPS gets $522 million boost from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget proposal: The draft budget, unveiled Thursday, calls for the city to draw $1 billion from its Tax Increment Financing districts, or TIFs. More than half of that money is slated for CPS, covering the $379 million the district already anticipated and a controversial $175 million municipal pension payment. The move marks a rare victory for CPS, allowing school officials to maintain their August spending plan — which relied heavily on TIF money — and spare classrooms from deeper cuts. * Sun-Times | Chicago police supervisor hopes $1M settlement over traffic stop quota sends ‘clear message’ to bosses: He insisted that his crusade against Barz and the police department “was never about the money.” He said he plans to use the settlement to make charitable contributions, including to the scholarship fund honoring Officer Ella French, a member of the Community Safety Team who was fatally shot during a traffic stop. * Crain’s | Weiss Memorial, West Suburban owe $69 million in taxes: report: The owner of shuttered Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown and financially troubled West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park owes more than $69 million in state taxes and penalties, the Chicago Tribune reports. Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services records obtained by the Tribune showed Manoj Prasad, CEO of Resilience Health, was sent letters from the department about both hospitals. An HFS spokeswoman told the Tribune the taxes and penalties are up to $27.7 million owed by Weiss and $41.6 million owed by West Suburban. * WBEZ | ICE activity is stressing Chicago’s building managers, who warn rents could rise: Other property managers and owners said workers are not showing up to job sites — frightened by ICE — and it’s causing delays on building repairs and maintenance. Some residents are not able to pay rent on time as they are holed up at home, too afraid to go to work with federal agents popping up throughout the city. This adds to the already rising business costs for building owners and managers, some of whom say they are eating the increased expenses connected to ICE raids. But if the enforcement activity continues into the busy spring moving season, property managers and owners like Warren said they may have to increase rents to recoup some of their costs. * Tribune | Immigration agent who shot Chicago woman drove ‘rammed’ vehicle to Maine, attorneys reveal: [Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Parente] said he was particularly worried about the Border Patrol agent’s vehicle, since where and how it sustained any damage would be pivotal evidence in the case. Parente said after he demanded to inspect the vehicle, he was notified the agent was allowed to “drive it back to Maine, which I believe is 1100 miles away.” “I assumed this car was being kept as evidence,” Parente said, adding the agent should be instructed immediately to not get the vehicle repaired or washed. “I shouldn’t have to find that out…how they let this happen is beyond me.” * Crain’s | Former generals warn against troop deployment in Chicago: “It is imperative that as citizens we stand up to the overreach of the federal government today in Illinois, in California and elsewhere,” retired Maj. Gen. Bill Enyart, former adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard, said today during a press conference after meeting with Gov. JB Pritzker. “Our National Guard members joined and serve to defend our nation to respond to national disasters. They are not policemen, they are not political pawns.” * Block Club Chicago | Criterion Collection’s Famed Movie Closet Coming To Chicago: The Criterion Mobile Closet will be parked at NEWCITY Lincoln Park, 1457 N. Halsted St., Friday through Sunday. This is the Closet’s first visit to Chicago. “We love curation,” said Vivian Teng, managing director of the Chicago International Film Festival. “Just like how we consider ourselves curators of international independent film, Criterion shares that same philosophy. We both serve cinephiles and film lovers.” * Tribune | Video of teen arrested in Hoffman Estates prompts call for federal investigation: Agents from ICE went into the police station Friday afternoon to file a report alleging an assault, the chief said, but left, saying they would come back later after protesters gathered at the police station as word of their presence in the suburb spread. […] Hoffman Estates police confirmed that the video posted online was of the arrests. The intersection is the same area where the Hoffman Estates squad car was and the squad car in the video bears markings that match those of Hoffman Estates police. * Daily Herald | Ex-Campton Hills police chief Steven Millar charged with money laundering, gun crime: Steven Millar is charged with official misconduct, forgery, money laundering, misapplying governmental funds, wire fraud, theft, and delivering guns before a 72-hour waiting period is over. Illinois State Police arrested him, Douglas Kucik and two former officers — Scott Coryell and Daniel Hatt — Thursday morning. The other three were charged with official misconduct, theft, money laundering and delivering guns before a 72-hour waiting period. * Crain’s | Walgreens lays off 80 corporate employees: Newly private Walgreens Boots Alliance has fired 80 employees this week from its corporate offices in Chicago and Deerfield, according to an internal memo obtained by Crain’s. The layoffs come a little more than a month into private equity firm Sycamore Partners’ $10 billion acquisition of the retail pharmacy giant. * Daily Herald | Elgin asks residents to weigh in on potential plastic shopping bag ban: The city’s Sustainability Commission brought the issue to the city council in April. The council, in turn, directed city staff to draft an ordinance that mirrors an Illinois Senate bill introduced by Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin. If passed, SB 1872 would prohibit retailers from offering single-use bags to consumers starting in 2029. Under the draft ordinance, the ban and fees would apply to retail establishments larger than 5,000 square feet. Restaurants, small nonchain retailers and pop-up shops would be exempt. There are also exceptions for bags for frozen foods, flowers, bakery goods, and several other items. * WCIA | Illinois soybean farmers react to short and long-term tariff effects: Severs says they’re focusing on making diesel and grease for farm equipment out of soybeans as another way to help make up the loss. But, ideally, he would want to see China’s market open back up with a new deal. * WCIA | 1.8 million pounds of soybeans spilled after Martinton grain bin collapse: First responders said it happened around 1 p.m. at a Donovan Farmers’ Cooperative facility in the small village of Martinon. The 90-foot-tall grain bin, which officials said was built in 1972, structurally failed and collapsed, spilling over 30,000 bushels of soybeans — or 1.8 million pounds — that were stored inside. No one was hurt, but the village was without power until Thursday morning. * WSIL | Illinois JusticeCorps aids court users in southern Illinois courthouses: Illinois JusticeCorps has placed volunteer Brock Freeman at courthouses throughout the First Circuit. Freeman provides non-legal support, including help with court procedures, e-filing, and self-help resources. Freeman’s role is to assist court users in navigating the courthouse. He does not provide legal advice but offers clear and respectful assistance to make the court experience more user-friendly. * Harvest Public Media | Corn, but shorter: Why Midwest farmers are experimenting with smaller varieties: Moore is a third-generation farmer who grows corn and soybeans on about 1800 acres in central Illinois, south of Decatur. He’s also the self-described guinea pig among farmers in his area and is now in his second year growing the short-stature corn, called the Preceon Smart Corn System. The new variety doesn’t look too different from the road. It’s only about three to four feet shorter than the rows of corn you see as you drive through states like Illinois — corn that is largely used to feed livestock and make ethanol fuel. * ProPublica | Immigration Agents Have Held More Than 170 Americans Against Their Will, ProPublica Finds: “If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States,” Kavanaugh wrote, “they promptly let the individual go.” But that is far from the reality many citizens have experienced. Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. They’ve had their necks kneeled on. They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them. One of those women had already had the door of her home blown off while Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watched. * Investigate Midwest | The shutdown is poised to deepen hunger in America — just as the Trump administration stopped tracking it: In the midst of it all, America’s ability to track the real-world impacts of the shutdown on hunger is disappearing. Shortly before the shutdown, the Department of Agriculture moved to scrap the Household Food Security Report, the nation’s primary tool for tracking food insecurity, and in doing so, stripped away the very infrastructure needed to remedy rising hunger in America. * AFP Fact Check | White House’s Chicago ‘chaos’ video uses footage from other cities: But many of the video’s sensational scenes purporting to depict the “mess” in Chicago are outdated and were filmed outside of the city. The Daily Beast first reported that some of the shots were from April in Florida, a Republican-leaning state home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate (archived here). An AFP investigation, based on reverse image searches and a review of the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service’s (DVIDS) video archive, has revealed that the White House’s video lifted numerous additional shots from footage of immigration-enforcement operations in California, Arizona, Texas, South Carolina and Nebraska. Some of the videos date to 2024 and 2023, when former president Joe Biden was in office. * The American Prospect | The AI Ouroboros: There’s just one problem with this master plan: OpenAI doesn’t have the money to pay for it. For example, OpenAI is committing to pay Oracle $60 billion in capex investment annually for five years. For reference, Meta, one of the most valuable and profitable companies in the world, which brought in $164.5 billion in revenue in 2024 and ended the year with a free cash flow of $52.10 billion, plans to spend $72 billion in 2025 building data centers. OpenAI, on the other hand, is on pace to bring in $12.7 billion this year, expects to lose $9 billion, predicts its losses will swell to $47 billion by 2028, and doesn’t expect to break even until 2029. How can OpenAI plan to spend five times what it brought in?
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Pritzker pressed on gambling winnings (Updated)
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * From earlier…
* From the governor’s press conference today…
Thoughts? …Adding… Darren Bailey…
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Business groups put Chicago mayor’s budget proposal on blast, while CTU strongly supports (Updated)
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
Click here to read the mayor’s budget outline, which includes some cost reductions and program expansions. * IRMA…
* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…
* Illinois Chamber…
* Civic Federation…
* CTU…
Discuss. …Adding… Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association…
* Chicagoland Chamber…
* Chicago Federation of Labor…
* Institute for Public Good…
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Judge orders ICE field director to court to explain alleged violations of her order: ‘I’m not blind’
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Jon Seidel at the Sun-Times…
* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner…
* More from Seidel…
* Tribune…
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What Illinois Can Learn From Texas On Battery Energy Storage
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] As Illinois confronts skyrocketing electric bills, legislators are on the hunt for solutions that provide relief as quickly as possible. Battery energy storage is our best and most cost-effective solution. But last session— without evidence —opponents attempted to claim that battery energy storage wouldn’t work. Try telling that to Texas, where the rapid deployment of battery storage has already prevented blackouts and saved consumers billions. Called “Ground Zero for the US Battery Boom” by Bloomberg, Texas added enough storage in 2023 to power 3 million homes and drop grid emergency risk during peak hours from 16% to less than 1%. The result? Storage saved consumers an estimated $750 million in 2024. Texas has proven that storage is the quickest, cheapest, most reliable way to get consumers relief from skyrocketing, demand-induced price spikes. Storage is a nimble way to address growing populations, power-hungry data centers, and meet other electrification-related power needs. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year. Illinois lawmakers should follow Texas’s lead and pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Act this fall to deploy 6GW of energy storage by 2035. Click here for more information.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sen. Cristina Castro…
* Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts…
* Subscribers know much more. Daily Herald…
* NBC Chicago…
* Illinois Public Interest Research Group director Abraham Scarr…
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Credit Unions Spread Kindness
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Each year, Illinois credit unions designate special initiatives to support the people and communities they serve. This year’s CU Kind Day showcased the incredible power of credit unions coming together to make a difference across Illinois and beyond. This one-day initiative continues to grow - spreading kindness, inspiring collaboration, and creating lasting community impact.  Our Springfield team spread kindness by supporting The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois! We donated $500 and stocked up on after-school snacks to fuel the 1,000+ kids who participate in their programs, helping them grow into healthy, responsible citizens. Learn more about CU Kind Day: https://creditunions.com/features/theres-nothing-random-about-these-acts-of-kindness/ Paid for by the Illinois Credit Union League.
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Illinois Republicans say Pritzker, Johnson ’should be in jail’
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * From the Illinois Republican Party…
* Response from the Democratic Party of Illinois…
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Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2 To Protect The 340B Program And Invest In Low-Income Chicago Communities
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Sinai Chicago serves an area including 1.5 million people on Chicago’s West and Southwest sides, where poverty rates range from 30%-50%. As the state’s largest private safety net provider, Sinai considers the federal 340B program a “safety net in and of itself.” With 340B savings, the health system has provided patients with free or deeply discounted medications, and it has invested in specialty clinics and medication management services. Yet, drugmaker restrictions on hospitals have reduced Sinai Chicago’s ability to expand access to care and offer new healthcare services—counter to the 340B program’s intent. The program requires drugmakers participating in Medicaid to discount outpatient medications to healthcare providers caring for uninsured and low-income patients. One glaring drugmaker restriction is limiting where patients can get discounted drugs. In some instances, hospitals are only allowed to contract with one pharmacy for an entire community. “Such a policy does not ensure access to essential drugs for a patient population like the one Sinai serves,” the health system said. “The threat and fear of 340B program reductions can prevent planned extensions of care and new programs in clinical areas greatly needed in our community that would not otherwise have access to care.” Support House Bill 2371 SA 2 to stop drugmakers from restricting the 340B program and patient access to care. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing (Updated)
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: ‘Dramatic, quick, and devastating’: Prairie Research Institute losing millions in funding. WCIA…
- Interim Director of the Illinois State Geological Survey at the Prairie Research Institute, Steven Brown, said that they are losing $30 million in grant money that funded many of their projects. - “We were alerted on October 2nd, the letter that we received stated that the termination of the contract happened that day. So, there was no lead time, no lead time whatsover. So, as of October 2nd, the funding is just cancelled and stopped. This means we have a workforce that needs to be paid, we have all the other items related to the projects that we can no longer work on because the money was just stopped,” Brown shared.
* Governor Pritzker will hold a press conference with former U.S. Major Generals, Admirals, and veterans to discuss the militarization of American cities. Click here to watch at 11 am. * Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker won $1.4 million via gambling, 2024 tax returns show: The latest windfall was boosted by $1,425,000 in gambling winnings, their federal filing shows, in addition to $4.2 million in capital gains, nearly $3.9 million in ordinary dividends and more than $800,000 in taxable interest. Pritzker doesn’t take a salary as governor. …Adding… NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern…
* Capitol City Now | SNAP changes leave a bitter taste: Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository and co-chair of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, said the federal government, which has been paying virtually 100 percent of the costs, will eventually offload up to $800 million per year to Illinois. Maehr said such requirements add unnecessary hoops to jump through and do not promote work or economic stability. * Abortion, Every Day | Illinois Woman Denied Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy: The 28-year-old—who had to go to multiple healthcare centers and hospitals before getting the care she needed—tells me that she was sure she was going to die. “I was 100% convinced,” she says. That’s in no small part because Harmonie lost her right fallopian tube in another ectopic pregnancy a few years ago. So when she was diagnosed again last week, she knew how dangerous the situation was—and how important it was to get quick treatment. […] Here’s what Harmonie didn’t know: this particular OBGYN was affiliated with Ascension—a multi-billion dollar Catholic health system that’s been at the center of similar firestorms. A federal investigation actually found that an Ascension hospital in Texas violated EMTALA when they refused another woman care for her ectopic pregnancy in 2023. * NCSL | His Advice After Beating Cancer? ‘Maximize the Moments’: “I’ve always had an enthusiasm and positivity,” Evans says. “But when you have cancer, and you’re near death, and you make it through, you just value time more. It has changed me tremendously because I don’t want to miss an opportunity. I just try to maximize the moments.” He adds, “I’m going to live life until life is no more. You’ve got to keep moving through life’s challenges.” * AP | Illinois Joins Other States in Forming a Public Health Alliance in Rebuke of Trump Administration: They’re framing it as a way to share data, messages about threats, emergency preparedness and public health policy — and as a rebuke to President Donald Trump’s administration, which they say isn’t doing its job in public health. “At a time when the federal government is telling the states, ‘you’re on your own,’ governors are banding together,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement. * Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker tax summaries show more than $10M in 2024 income — not including trusts: The 2024 summary prepared by Deloitte Tax LLP shows Pritzker and his wife, MK, made $10.7 million, including $4.2 million from capital gains. Pritzker received a $4.8 million standard deduction, meaning he paid taxes on $5.9 million in income. The trust benefiting the Pritzkers paid $4.5 million in state taxes and $30.2 million in federal taxes last year, according to his campaign. The first family also reported $3.3 million in charitable donations. […] Mitchell made $595,830 last year and claimed a $65,841 deduction. * WMBD | Illinois lawmakers clash on how to condemn political violence: Democrats and Republicans went back and forth, criticizing the other party in its failure to reduce political violence. […] Two lawmakers on the House floor said they have received death threats over being a lawmaker. Democrat state Rep. Harry Benton said he’s been physically assaulted and had his cars taillights smashed in. State Rep. Nicole La Ha has recently received threats to her life for being a lawmaker. The Republican from Lemont said the House should do more to reduce political tensions. * WAND | Insurance group calls for ‘fairness’ in response to IL SOS town halls: Illinois Insurance Association Executive Director Kevin Martin told WAND News that no one from the Secretary of State’s office has “engaged experts” from the insurance industry. “Political theater is not the best approach for public policy development and risks doing a disservice to the millions of Illinoisans who rely on a stable, competitive insurance marketplace,” Martin said in a statement to WAND. * WTTW | Same Name, New Legacy: Ald. Walter ‘Red’ Burnett on His New Role and Development in the West Loop: The 29-year-old Walter “Red” Burnett was confirmed Sept. 25, officially making him the youngest member of the City Council. Burnett says he is charting a new path for the 27th Ward, overseeing several development projects and addressing affordability for longtime residents. * Sun-Times | What to know about PIT, the driving maneuver feds used in Southeast Side car chase: The maneuver, known as a precision immobilization technique, or PIT, is a driving tactic used by some law enforcement agencies to end a vehicle pursuit. However, some law enforcement professionals, legal experts and advocates say the move is ineffective and dangerous. Many police departments across the country, including the Chicago Police Department, bar or limit their officers from using the maneuver. * Tribune | CPS tells JROTC students to only wear military-issued uniforms inside: The district is immediately revising its dress code policy to require students to travel to and from school in civilian clothes, wrote Tyese Sims, executive director of CPS’ JROTC department, in a Friday letter to families. “Unfortunately, when they are in uniform, there is no way for the general public to distinguish these CPS students from members of the military, including the National Guard,” Sims said. * Sun-Times | Driven by arts and culture, pedestrian traffic in Downtown Chicago exceeds pre-pandemic levels, report finds: New data from the Chicago Loop Alliance show that Downtown pedestrian traffic now exceeds pre-pandemic levels from 2019, with more visitors drawn by arts and culture and dining. The new numbers validate efforts to make the Loop a social destination and combat high retail and office vacancy rates that have plagued the area since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to CLA President and CEO Michael Edwards. But even as the Loop evolves into a more complete urban district, there are concerns that threats from President Donald Trump to send the National Guard to Chicago — currently delayed due to a federal appeals court ruling — could impact progress. * Chicago Reader | Chicago’s creatures of the night: Fidino studies how animals change their behavior according to their environment, especially when their environment contains humans. In Chicago, he and his colleagues at the zoo monitor one hundred or so motion-triggered trail cameras, or camera traps, that they’ve scattered in a 25-mile radius from the city’s center: in city parks, outside forest preserves, on golf courses, along the 606 trail, and in cemeteries. “We’ve got cameras next to the Bean!” he told me. Four times a year, for the last 15 years, those cameras are turned on for a month. * Sun-Times | ‘Chicago Rat Hole’ was not made by a rat, say rodent researchers: The “Chicago Rat Hole” captured hearts in Chicago and on social media last year. Researchers analyzed the anatomical dimensions of the famous imprint and found the creature responsible was not a rat, but most likely a squirrel. * Press release…
* Shaw Local | McHenry County Board to consider raising property tax levy to pre-referendum level: Under the state lookback law, a taxing body is permitted to reset its property tax levy to the highest level in the past three years. In the county’s case, doing that would bump the levy up to the $73.8 million it approved in 2023. The levy was lowered to about $65 million last year after voters approved switching the Mental Health Board funding mechanism to a sales tax. * Tribune | Hollywood Casino Joliet posts higher revenue at new land-based facility in September: The new Joliet casino, which opened in August, generated more than $11.2 million in adjusted gross receipts last month, ranking fourth in revenue among the state’s 17 casinos, according to Illinois Gaming Board data. That’s up 48% year-over-year, when Hollywood Casino Joliet was an aging vessel docked on the Des Plaines River. Admissions to Hollywood Casino Joliet topped 96,000 for September, ranking fifth in the state and up nearly 75% over last year, according to Gaming Board data. * Daily Herald | Metra reviewing cause of glitch that delayed thousands: About 80 trains and thousands of passengers on the Metra Electric Milwaukee District, Rock Island, Southwest Service and Union Pacific lines were delayed. The glitch started around 5 p.m. and involved the Positive Train Control (PTC) system, technology designed to stop a train if a crash is imminent. “What happened was a telecom network time-source failure,” Metra spokesperson Meg Thomas-Reile explained Wednesday. “Basically, the times weren’t syncing in the system, and when it did that … some of the devices went back to 2006. * Daily Herald | Barrington borrowing $6.8 million to replace iron filtration plant: The village board this week agreed to issue general obligation bonds to be paid off over a 20-year period. It will pay off the bonds by charging water users a fixed monthly fee. Deputy Village Manager Marie Hansen said the village is still deciding out how much users will pay. That will be determined when the village passes next year’s budget. * Crain’s | Maplewood Brewery expands to Glen Ellyn, defying industry headwinds: Maplewood plans to take over the home of Two Hound Red, a brewpub that closed Oct. 12. Co-founder and CEO Adam Cieslak said he expects the new location, which will be Maplewood’s second, to open by early spring. “For some time, we had been looking at just growth and expansion opportunities,” said Cieslak, who grew up in the western suburbs along with co-founders Paul Megalis and Ari Megalis. “We’ve looked at a lot of different buildings, a lot of different areas. . . .We went and saw (this one) and really, really liked the spot, and thought it’d be a nice growth opportunity out into the suburbs.” * WCIA | Officials share more information about Martinton grain bin collapse: Terry Winger, General Manager of the Donovan Farmers Cooperative location in Martinton, said employees noticed one of the cement silos showing “signs of distress.” Employees evacuated the site and contacted first responders. Several hours later, the silo collapsed. * BND | Metro-east IDOT supervisor back at work, despite scathing report on bad behavior: Yet the yard supervisor, Joe Hamm, a non-management union member whose formal title is “lead worker,” returned to the job last fall after being on administrative leave for 10 months with full pay during the investigations, according to employees. “It was a paid vacation,” said Highway Maintainer Mike Turner, 32, of Godfrey, one of seven employees who complained about Hamm’s behavior in 2023, prompting the investigations. Investigators interviewed more than 25 other employees, past and present, before concluding that “sufficient evidence” existed to back up most of the allegations and that Hamm’s superiors had failed to intervene or take corrective action. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford area judge suffers ‘threats and harassment’ after releasing homicide suspect: Winnebago County Chief Judge John Lowry is blaming a Facebook post by Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara for a spate of “threats and harassment.” They come after McNamara posted comments critical of Associate Judge Heidi E. Ruckman-Agustsson’s decision to grant pretrial release to a suspect charged with first-degree murder. The release came over the objections of the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s office which has filed a motion asking the courts to reconsider. * IPM News | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign unlikely to join federal higher education compact: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leaders said Monday the school would likely decline to join the kind of compact the Trump administration has proposed for higher education institutions. Illinois’ flagship university was not one of the nine universities invited to join the compact. During a student and faculty senate meeting, Provost John Coleman recognized a similar request could come from the White House in the future. * WGLT | Bloomington mayor says sales tax vote is consistent with earlier decisions: Last month, the council created the local tax to begin when a similar state tax expires at the end of the year. It was supposed to help narrow a structural budget deficit and be used for infrastructure. Brady broke a tie vote Monday night that now dedicates all the $3 million in estimated annual grocery tax money to infrastructure. “We tangibly show the electorate, the taxpayers, what are we going to do with the money. It’s not just going back to the city general fund,” said Brady. * SJ-R | With the Sean Grayson trial on the brink, a timeline of the Sonya Massey shooting: With the trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, accused of murdering Sonya Massey, set to begin in Peoria on Oct. 20, The State Journal-Register has compiled a timeline of events, beginning with the fatal shooting on July 6, 2024. * WCIA | Central Illinois National Guard units under federal command in Chicago: WCIA confirmed with U.S. Northern Command, which is in command of National Guard troops in Chicago, that the troops will be mobilized for 60 days and will be under the command and control of the Commander of U.S. Northern Command for that time. This means the troops are under federal command, not state command. While the Northern Command was unable to break down the specific number of troops from each Central Illinois armory, staff could confirm troops from the armories in the region were among those in Chicago. * WCIA | SNAP benefit cuts impacting food banks in Central Illinois: Volunteers with the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen in Champaign said with more SNAP benefit cuts on the horizon… the soup kitchen will be serving more people and handing out more meals. The president, Bob Goss, said they went from serving around 600 meals a day to nearly 1,000 in just the past six months. He said they serve a five-course-meal every day at noon… and then send their guests home with a sack lunch. * WBEZ | Students for profit? University of Illinois campuses pay company per online student: The University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield are paying a for-profit company for each student it recruits to online programs — a practice that would be illegal if done by the universities’ admissions offices and one that’s been banned by another state, a WBEZ investigation has found. Critics, including U.S. senators and consumer protection advocates, say this kind of arrangement incentivizes the company, Risepoint, to recruit as many students as possible, whether the online programs are a good fit or will help the students get better jobs or make more money. * NYT | Trump Considers Overhaul of Refugee System That Would Favor White People: The proposals also advise Mr. Trump to prioritize Europeans who have been “targeted for peaceful expression of views online such as opposition to mass migration or support for ‘populist’ political parties.” That appeared to be a reference to the European far-right political party Alternative for Germany, whose leaders have trivialized the Holocaust, revived Nazi slogans and denigrated foreigners. Vice President JD Vance has criticized Germany for trying to suppress the views of the group, which is known as the AfD. * The Atlantic | The Lincoln Way: How he used America’s past to rescue its future: Cautions aside, Lincoln’s claim that the Declaration carried across generations set him squarely against those who sought to narrow its promise. In its Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court declared that Black Americans “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect” and sought to anchor that exclusion in the very history of the founding. To Lincoln, that teaching did not merely misread the past—it rewrote it, extinguishing the Revolution’s promise in the present. He claimed that whoever “teaches that the negro has no share, humble though it may be, in the Declaration of Independence” was “muzzling the cannon that thunders” the Revolution’s “annual joyous return.” * SCOTUS blog | Court appears ready to curtail major provision of the Voting Rights Act: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared ready to strike down a 2024 congressional map that a group of voters has challenged as the product of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering – that is, according to them, it sorts voters based on race in violation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. During nearly two-and-a-half hours of oral arguments, the court’s conservative justices signaled that they are likely to undermine a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, even if they may not ultimately strike it down altogether.
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Good morning!
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. We’re experimenting this week with a new app which feeds Bluesky posts. Still tweaking it…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WGLT…
 Illinois families are already stretched thin and a delivery tax would push them even further. For Illinois residents, delivery services are essential, not optional. Working parents, seniors, and those with limited mobility rely on them for groceries, meals, and everyday needs. Now, a proposed delivery tax threatens to raise costs on the families who can least afford it. Learn more about the impact of a delivery tax and why we MUST stop it. * Stelantis announced plans to reopen the Belvidere plant yesterday. Bloomberg today…
* WAND…
* WAND | IDNR grants send 740+ Illinois students to historic sites: More than 740 students across Illinois will have the chance to explore the state’s rich history this school year, thanks to over $6,740 in grants awarded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The funding comes from the IDNR’s State Historic Sites Field Trip Grant Program, which helps schools cover the cost of transportation for educational field trips to state historic sites. According to the IDNR, this year’s awards — distributed through 14 grants across 12 counties — mark the largest amount of funding given by the program since it began in the 2020-2021 school year. * Tribune | Laura Washington: Former US Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. explains how he hopes to win voters back: “So, of the petitions that we will file, 80% of them will have been gathered in front of the Markham courthouse, the single busiest building in the 2nd Congressional District,” he said. Thousands of people flow through the courthouse every week, Jackson Jr. said, and they are “walking past our circulators, signing our petitions. So, I’m not running away from the criminal justice system. I’m not running away from what I’ve been through or the story that men and women in this district are experiencing every single day.” * In the 9th CD…
* Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson rejects IG recommendation he fire top advisor: Johnson declined to fire the advisor, senior Jason Lee, and denied that he failed to cooperate with the investigation. The back and forth was revealed in a summary report released Wednesday by the city’s top watchdog. Lee is not named by the inspector general’s office, which is generally prohibited from identifying officials by name, but he called the Tribune to defend his handling of the case. Witzburg’s report stems from fall 2023 encounters between Lee and Ald. Bill Conway. At the time, Johnson was pushing an increased real estate transfer tax on properties over $1 million to help fund citywide homeless services and an end to the tipped wage for restaurant workers. Conway was looking to have an encampment near Union and Ogilvie stations removed, which he said was a trouble spot for drugs and violent crime in the ward. * Block Club | 15-Year-Old U.S. Citizen Taken By Feds For 5 Hours After East Side Protest, Attorney Says: In the commotion the 15-year-old boy, a Black and Hispanic U.S. citizen, was slammed to the ground, kneed in the back and zip-tied by Border Patrol agents, attorneys from the Romanucci and Blandin law firm said in a statement. The boy was taken to a federal facility and handcuffed inside a car in a garage for five hours, according to the attorneys. He was never booked, read his rights or allowed to contact his mother, who had “no idea where her son was or whether he [was] safe,” according to the attorneys. * Crain’s | Bally’s faces lender wrath on debt plan involving Chicago casino: A group of lenders have banded together in a cooperation pact to block Bally’s latest attempt on Tuesday to amend some of its roughly $1.9 billion term loan, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Bally’s had failed to secure their support by last week’s deadline, with investors concerned about the value of their collateral and future paydowns, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private situation. * Tribune | Two Chicago cops, firefighter and ex-city employee charged with lying about income to get housing subsidies: Charged in four separate indictments were: Fredrick White, 37, and Sherry Chester, 44, both veterans of the Chicago police department; Kaneasha Twyman, 37, a veteran firefighter and paramedic; and Tyrone Coleman, 61, a retired hoisting engineer with the Department of Water Management. Each defendant was charged with defrauding a government program and wire fraud. Coleman pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Tuesday before U.S. District Judge John Kness, court records show. His lawyer, Chris Hotaling, declined to comment. * WTTW | ‘Back Off’: Pritzker Blames ICE Strike Teams for Creating ‘Mayhem’ Across Chicago: “ICE is causing this mayhem,” Pritzker told reporters after an unrelated event. “They’re the ones who are tossing tear gas when people are peacefully protesting. ICE is the one who’s going into neighborhoods where they, frankly, are causing fear among people who live in those neighborhoods, work in those neighborhoods, so they need to back off.” * Tribune | Feds target ride-share drivers at O’Hare: ‘They didn’t focus on anybody who didn’t look Mexican’: Last Friday, Border Patrol officers arrested 18 people at O’Hare, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed. Labor groups said immigration officers targeted the ride-share drivers’ parking lot. Stacy McCloud, who works at a food truck in the lot, told the Tribune she saw it all. Immigration agents came to the parking lot twice Friday, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, McCloud said Monday. They surrounded the lot and blocked off its entrance, she said. * Block Club | Hundreds Pack ‘Whistlemania’ Events To Fight ICE In Chicago: ‘We Have To Stand Up For One Another’: Participants put together the kits that included a whistle, a Know Your Rights printout, a zine with instructions on how and when to use the whistle and rights cards that can be handed to an immigration officer if someone is detained. Ultimately, people helped pack more than 17,000 whistle kits that can help protect neighbors, said Alonso Zaragoza, one of the organizers and leader of Belmont Cragin United. * Block Club | Block Club Chicago Launches WhatsApp Channel Focused On Chicago Immigration News: Block Club’s team knows how confusing and fast immigration news is hitting Chicago as Operation Midway Blitz continues. So, in the hopes of simplifying the news for our readers, we’ve launched a WhatsApp channel to share Block Club’s daily recaps of ICE news and other breaking immigration news directly to your phone. * Tribune | Chicago man indicted for allegedly soliciting killing of Gregory Bovino, but without contention of gang involvement: The initial criminal complaint filed earlier this month alleged Martinez was a high-ranking member of the Latin Kings street gang and was marshaling gang resources to go after Bovino, who was not specifically identified as the target. While the indictment does not mention any gang affiliation, prosecutors could still revive those allegations later in superseding charges or if the case were to get to trial. * Lake County News-Sun | Lake County votes to bar federal agents from government-owned property: ‘We are in a time of fascism’: Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart, District 13, said State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart tracked down the executive order and drafted a similar resolution. According to a State’s Attorney’s Office representative, officials have identified 28 locations that would be impacted by the decision, although additional research might lead to the discovery of more locations. The move comes as Lake County finds itself caught up in a broader immigration enforcement fight in the Chicago area. Last week, a Waukegan incident caught on video drew notable media attention when Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham attempted to intervene in the arrest of native-born American citizen Dariana Fajardo. * ABC Chicago | Evanston-Skokie District 65 presents proposed school closure scenarios to address budget deficit: The school board talked about school closure scenarios to address a combination of money problems and declining enrollment. On Tuesday afternoon, people started to gather at Dawes Elementary in Evanston to protest some of these proposed plans. “You were wrong, and your misjudgment has harmed real people,” one parent at the meeting said. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora looks to expand allowed number of gambling machines: Aurora is looking at expanding the number of gambling terminals establishments are allowed to have, which officials say could bring in over $200,000 a year in new revenue for the city. Currently, city code allows licensed establishments to have up to five “video gaming” terminals. The new proposal would increase that number to six and increase the total number of allowed terminals within city limits by 40 for a total of 240. * Daily Southtown | Will County state’s attorney employee faces felony charges: Amy Burgett-Masse, an employee of the state’s attorney’s office, was also charged with two counts of official misconduct, both felonies, for knowingly using her position “with the intent to obstruct, impede, or prevent the investigation, apprehension, or prosecution of (a) criminal offense or person,” the charges state. The computer tampering incidents allegedly took place between Sept. 20, 2024 to May 6, according to court documents. * Daily Herald | E-bike and e-scooter regulations coming to Mundelein: Mundelein is joining the growing list of suburbs taking on the battery-powered bikes, scooters and other motorized wheeled machines that have become omnipresent in recent months — and the safety issues that has created. Responding to a resident’s grievance during Monday’s village board meeting, Mayor Robin Meier said the issue “is under discussion” at village hall. * Press Release | Gov. Pritzker Unveils Zero-Emission Locomotives Manufactured in Minooka: Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) joined Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT) and Motive Power Resources, Inc. (MPR) to celebrate the commissioning of their latest zero-emission, battery electric locomotive. Bolstered by a Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) agreement, Motive Power Resources, Inc. has been expanding their facilities to increase production of IRT-designed battery electric locomotives and battery configurations to retrofit diesel locomotives for use in the United States and Canada. * WQAD | Legality concerns over Rock Island’s social services licensing ordinance: Advocacy groups are claiming the City of Rock Island’s ordinance on social services licensing violates the Illinois Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act On Monday, Rock Island City Council passed an ordinance regulating what social services must do to receive licensing. The new ordinance will affect any new services, while existing services such as Project NOW and Christian Care have 90 days to apply for the license. * WMBD | CASA expands to Fulton County, boosting foster child advocacy: This will allow more children in the foster care system to have advocates make sure their voices are heard in court, CASA Executive Director Kelly Price said. CASA is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains Court Appointed Special Advocates for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. * WCIA | Former EIU staff, union president speak out on job cuts: “I have devoted 20 years to public broadcasting, you know, WEIU TV. This has been my dream job. I have loved PBS so much that this is what I wanted to do for a living. I started out at the bottom of the barrel, I was a master control operator, and then I just got promoted, and I wanted to be the program director because I want to pick the shows that people watch, the shows that I love, and now I can’t do that,” White said. He is one of the 17 staff members being laid off. * Fox Chicago | Forgotten 1800s cemetery finds new life thanks to local volunteers: After nearly a century of neglect, the Naramor Cemetery in LaSalle County, about 90 miles southwest of Chicago, is re-emerging from the weeds, thanks to some dedicated volunteers and an amateur historian. FOX 32’s Dane Placko reports the old cemetery is providing a treasure trove of new information. “You’re looking at a cemetery that was completely forgotten and destroyed,” said John Kettman, caretaker of the cemetery. * BND | Judge rules Cahokia school district broke labor law at start of last year : “By their words and actions, viewed objectively from the standpoint of a reasonable employee, (Superintendent Curtis) McCall (Jr.) and (Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Tanya) Mitchell conveyed to the District’s gathered employees (that) the Union was ineffectual and it was futile to trust it could make gains on their behalf,” Brosnan wrote. “And, accordingly, those words and actions had the effect of coercing, restraining or interfering with those employees’ exercise of protected rights.” * BND | SWIC to spend millions on capital improvements and other metro-east college news: SWIC is moving ahead with $62 million in capital projects. These aim to improve and expand its campuses, yet significant details remain undisclosed. Plans involve constructing a multi-use building for the police academy. SIUE announced a balanced budget after a previous deficit. Chancellor James Minor shared enrollment growth and program cuts that contributed to this financial achievement. * Hollywood Reporter | YouTube Just Ate TV. It’s Only Getting Started: When asked a few minutes later whether that means YouTube is in a strong position to carry exclusive NFL games going forward, Goodell was unequivocal. “Absolutely,” he said. But as big a deal as YouTube becoming a league broadcast partner would be (on top of its existing $2 billion deal for NFL Sunday Ticket), the platform’s scale and cultural relevance were also on display in Santa Clara. Even with the 49ers on the field, a large group of kids on a rope line near the stands were screaming for one of the creators that had joined Mohan, sports influencer Jesse “Jesser” Riedel, as parents jockeyed to get them closer for a photo or autograph. * AP | Supreme Court seems inclined to limit race-based electoral districts under the Voting Rights Act: During 2 1/2 hours of arguments, the court’s six conservative justices seemed inclined to effectively strike down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race. Such an outcome would mark a fundamental change in the 1965 voting rights law, the centerpiece legislation of the Civil Rights Movement, that succeeded in opening the ballot box to Black Americans and reducing persistent discrimination in voting. * Bloomberg | China’s Soy Imports Hit September Record, Despite Avoiding US: China’s soybean imports hit a record high for the month of September, even as the country avoids US supplies amid a resurgence in trade tensions between the agriculture powerhouses. The world’s top buyer brought in 12.9 million tons of soybeans in September, the highest ever recorded for that month, customs data showed. Chinese crushers have been bolstering supplies of the oilseed with shipments mainly from Brazil, and in the meantime, shunning US cargoes as high tariffs and political risks make the trade unviable.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - An update to yesterday’s edition
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and a bit more
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Critical 340B Program Needs Federal Reforms
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A federal program created in 1992 to support safety-net clinics with the care they provided to uninsured patients is being abused by for-profit pharmacies and large hospital systems. The 340B program has become a cash cow with profits flowing away from the very patients and communities the program was meant to help. Reform at the federal level is critical to ensure that the 340B program works as it was intended by providing necessary funds to safety-net clinics that serve some of the neediest patient populations in Illinois and across the country. Multiple investigations have found that the program has created perverse incentives for hospitals to prescribe more and higher-cost medicines, as well as buy up smaller independent clinics and practices to benefit from their prescriptions as well. Meanwhile for-profit pharmacies are making millions of dollars off hospitals, with no requirements to provide low-cost medicines to patients. Sisters Working It Out supports reforms that increase transparency and improve oversight to help return 340B to its original purpose of helping low-income patients and the safety-net clinics they rely on. Congress must act to reform this critical federal program.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Waymo is ready to bring safe, reliable, autonomous rides to Illinois – but we need your help! Waymo is designed to follow all traffic laws and obey speed limits, and the data shows Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in five times fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans (as of 6/2025, see waymo.com/safety). Let’s bring safer rides to Illinois.  Waymo’s autonomous vehicles can improve access to transportation for Illinois residents with travel-limiting disabilities like vision impairment, to reach medical care, groceries, and social activities. Waymo’s all-electric autonomous vehicles also provide a more sustainable way for people to get around, preventing 315+ tons of carbon emissions with every 250K trips provided through our ride-hailing service.
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. WAND…
House Speaker Chris Welch…
* The Illinois Gaming Board recently adopted a rule banning credit card use for sports betting. Rep. Curtis Tarver filed HB4149 yesterday…
* Sen. Laura Fine filed SB2684…
* Rep. Bob Rita…
HB1812 was introduced early this year and did not move during spring session. * SB2675 from Sen. Willie Preston…
* The Tribune…
* SB2700 from Sen. Christopher Belt…
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Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2 To Protect The 340B Program And Invest In Low-Income Chicago Communities
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Sinai Chicago serves an area including 1.5 million people on Chicago’s West and Southwest sides, where poverty rates range from 30%-50%. As the state’s largest private safety net provider, Sinai considers the federal 340B program a “safety net in and of itself.” With 340B savings, the health system has provided patients with free or deeply discounted medications, and it has invested in specialty clinics and medication management services. Yet, drugmaker restrictions on hospitals have reduced Sinai Chicago’s ability to expand access to care and offer new healthcare services—counter to the 340B program’s intent. The program requires drugmakers participating in Medicaid to discount outpatient medications to healthcare providers caring for uninsured and low-income patients. One glaring drugmaker restriction is limiting where patients can get discounted drugs. In some instances, hospitals are only allowed to contract with one pharmacy for an entire community. “Such a policy does not ensure access to essential drugs for a patient population like the one Sinai serves,” the health system said. “The threat and fear of 340B program reductions can prevent planned extensions of care and new programs in clinical areas greatly needed in our community that would not otherwise have access to care.” Support House Bill 2371 SA 2 to stop drugmakers from restricting the 340B program and patient access to care. Learn more.
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Over half of Illinois municipalities have implemented a local grocery tax
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Illinois Municipal League…
Thoughts?
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When Times Are Tough, Credit Unions Step Up
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois credit unions know life doesn’t pause when paychecks do. That’s why we’re here for our members — especially during moments of uncertainty like the federal government shutdown. Cooperative Choice Network Credit Union has specially designed a Relief Loan Program designed to help bridge the gap and bring peace of mind when their members impacted by the government shutdown need it most. Highlights of the program include: • 60-day Loan at 0% APR — Borrow up to your most recent net pay with no interest for 60 days. This program embodies the credit union difference of “people helping people.” Because at credit unions, you’re more than a member — you’re family. We show up for you when it matters most. Learn more at https://www.ccncu.com/borrow/loan-specials
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Stellantis announces it will make Jeep SUVs again in Belvidere. Crain’s…
- The factory will build Cherokees and Compass sport-utility vehicles rather than electric trucks, starting in 2027. - The total investment is much smaller than the $5 billion originally expected—in large part because a new battery plant likely won’t be needed. But the number of jobs is more than twice as many as the 1,400 that existed when the plant stopped making Jeep Cherokees in early 2023. * Related stories… Sponsored by Ameren Illinois
* Governor JB Pritzker will be in Minooka at 10:35 to give remarks at the unveiling of the latest zero-emission, battery-electric locomotive from Innovative Rail Technologies. Click here to watch. * Crain’s | State Farm faces lawsuit from Illinois amid scrutiny over rate increases: Illinois filed a lawsuit against State Farm today claiming the insurer refused to comply with a regulatory examination into its homeowners business. The suit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of Illinois Director of Insurance Ann Gillespie, alleges State Farm did not provide the state examiners data related to premiums, types of policy coverage and insurance limits and claims against homeowners policies. * Sun-Times | Top Cook County judge bars civil arrests at courthouses, citing chilling effect: The order takes effect Wednesday and bars the civil arrest of any “party, witness, or potential witness” while going to, remaining at or returning from court proceedings inside the courthouse or the larger property — such as parking lots, sidewalks or entryways — though judicial warrants can still be carried out. * Tribune | State Board of Elections will decide next week on appeal of Senate President Harmon’s appeal of nearly $10 million fine: The board at its Tuesday meeting will consider the recommendation of Northbrook attorney Barbara Goodman, who heard arguments from Harmon’s attorney on Aug. 20 and found last week that Harmon’s campaign committee “failed to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the assessment was in error or that no actual violation of (the law) occurred.” At issue is an Illinois election law, which Harmon co-sponsored, aimed at curbing the influence of big money in political campaigns and one key provision that ostensibly was written to ensure lesser-funded candidates weren’t hurt by the campaign contribution limits. The provision sought to offset challenges from deep-pocketed rivals who self-fund their campaigns or have help from wealthy independent expenditure groups by lifting contribution limits for all candidates in a contest. * Capitol News Illinois | Ex-AT&T Illinois head could see bribery charges dismissed under agreement with feds: * Illinois Review | PillowGate: McCombie and Norine Hammond Face Growing Backlash Over Taxpayer Spending and Political Favoritism: Even if no law was technically broken, the situation undermines public confidence in the Republican Party’s credibility on issues of ethics and fiscal discipline. Conservative watchdogs, including the Illinois Freedom Caucus, are demanding a full audit of McCombie’s office expenditures and an investigation by the House Ethics Commission. * WMBD | Illinois lawmakers criticize state’s Department of Corrections new mail scanning system: “We received some answers to questions from our September meeting on Friday last week,” said state Rep. Ryan Spain, a Peoria Republican. “We have to accelerate and improve the collaborative process between the Department of Corrections and this committee.” Another sore point for lawmakers have been the tablets themselves. Even though the tablets were specifically designed to scan mail for inmates, lawmakers said they’ve heard the scanning apps are not working. * Center Square | Lawmakers, advocates discuss battery storage, consumer costs in energy bill: State Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, expressed concerns about the cost of battery storage. “I know that any other line item put on a utility bill, a light bill, could just crush working-class people in these high inflationary times,” Preston told The Center Square last Friday. Preston said he’s a “hard no” on an energy omnibus. * WAND | Back in action: Illinois House Speaker, Minority Leader break down veto session priorities: While McCombie is not optimistic about work getting done this week, Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch told WAND News it is time to address actions threatening public safety. […] Democrats hope to limit ICE agents from detaining people in courthouses, expand the definition of law enforcement prohibited from cooperating with immigration enforcement, and potentially ban law enforcement from wearing masks or neck gaiters on the job. Yet, Republicans strongly oppose those ideas. * CBS Chicago | Illinois lawmakers could take up transit funding, immigration in fall veto session: GrubHub has warned customers their order might soon include an extra tax of $1.50. Experts in the restaurant industry said the added cost could hurt small businesses that have grown increasingly reliant on delivery services. “Seventy-six percent of restaurants now you know, basically offer a delivery service. And upwards to 20% of their business is through deliveries as well,” said Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association. * Newsmax | Sen. Mullin to Newsmax: Pritzker Broke Law Threatening ICE: “When Pritzker comes out and threatens federal agents from doing their job, saying that you may be prosecuted during the next administration, that is a direct threat to a federal agent and trying to inhibit him from doing his job; that in itself is a crime,” Mullin told “Rob Schmitt Tonight.” * US Senator Tammy Duckworth…
* ABC Chicago | Agents tackle US citizen after East Side operation leads to crash, spills into Walgreens: That is where 19-year-old South Side native Warren King says he was shopping with friends and family before he was tackled and arrested. The takedown by immigration officers was recorded outside a Walgreens store as loved ones pled for his release. King’s relative can be heard saying in the video, “He’s a citizen! He’s a citizen!” * Sun-Times | In financial maneuver, Mayor Brandon Johnson finds millions for Chicago Public Schools: Johnson will unveil the city’s budget Thursday and, at that time, it will become clear how much he will pull out of the special taxing districts, called TIFs. But sources say it will provide CPS the $379 million it counted on in its budget, plus $8 million that the federal government recently stripped from CPS. It will also provide some of the $175 million the city needs from the school district to cover a controversial municipal pension payment. * Tribune | Former CPS board Vice President Sendhil Revuluri to run for top seat: If victorious in the November 2026 election, he aims to unite the board behind a common goal: making sure the children of Chicago are learning, Revuluri said in an interview with the Tribune ahead of his campaign announcement. “There is a massive consensus across Chicago, in every neighborhood, across different identities, different affiliations, that we want our students to learn as much as they can, because that’s how we give them opportunity in the future,” he said. “That’s how we give them choices about what they do next.” * Block Club | Hundreds Of Lots Owned By ‘City’s Worst Landowner’ Went Up For Sale. But Only A Fraction Have Sold: The city signed off on the plan, hoping the sale would bring in millions of dollars to its coffers, reduce blight and take properties out of the hands of what city attorneys have called Chicago’s “worst landowner” and put them back on the tax rolls. But the plan failed to reach its lofty goals because nobody wanted most of the properties, and those that sold went for a fraction of their estimated value. That leaves the city without the money it anticipated and homeowners still saddled with weed-strewn vacant lots with little prospect of a solution. * Daily Herald | ‘We’re not just figures in this tall tower — we’re real people’: O’Hare controllers worry about shutdown, no pay: “We’re regular American workers,” said Ellington of Round Lake, who was handing out information about the shutdown impact with co-workers Tuesday outside Terminal 2. “Most of us don’t have thousands and thousands of dollars just sitting around waiting for a government shutdown. “We’ve got mortgages to pay, we’ve got kids to take care of, we’ve got groceries, day care expenses. We’ve got everything,” added Ellington, a member of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. “Just like everybody else walking into the terminals right now. The only difference is we’re coming to work and aren’t getting paid.” * Block Club | Chance The Rapper Turned The Red Line Into The ‘Star Line’ For His Chicago Homecoming: As the train moved south to Chatham, stopping at 79th, Chance walked between train cars meeting, rapping, singing and dancing with fans as his new album played over the speakers. “Thank you to everybody that made today possible. Thank you to my team, to all the people at CTA and to everybody that got on the train with early this morning,” he told fans after the ride. “We had like a fake musical on one of the trains. … * Sun-Times | Federal immigration agents to continue to use Naval Station Great Lakes until at least December: Federal immigration agents’ use of Naval Station Great Lakes will continue through “at least December,” leaders at Naval Station Great Lakes have been informed, according to an email obtained by the Sun-Times. Naval Station Great Lakes referred questions to the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, both of which didn’t immediately respond to request for comment. * Sun-Times | ICE facility fence in Broadview has been removed, in compliance with federal judge’s order: Illinois State Police guarding the fence Tuesday night said they had no information about the fence, and one officer was overheard saying federal agents had given them no notice it would be removed. * Crain’s | Metra trains running again after technical issue halted all lines: The commuter rail service posted announcements on social media for nearly all of its lines attributing the problem to “positive train control issues,” which is the computer system responsible for coordinating all of Metra’s trains throughout the system. Metra now says trains are operating again with extensive delays. The system has also been posting cascading delays for other scheduled departures later tonight. * ABC Chicago | South Barrington woman still waiting on $9K refund 1 year after proving home was wrongly assessed: She has been waiting on more than $9,000 since ABC7’s first I-Team report on her square-footage error one year ago. “I feel that we are owed. It is only fair. We paid it when we shouldn’t have been paying it,” Schnell said. So, what’s the holdup? Cook County leaders now blame the county’s computer upgrade, which the treasurer says has jammed up more than $84 million in property tax refunds to more than 37,000 homeowners. But Schnell’s battle began years ago, when she noticed that homes like hers had lower county assessments and even larger homes had lower assessments. * Daily Herald | ‘Nothing to compare it to’: Immigration attorneys describe chaotic and complex system: “A lot of what we as practitioners are navigating is within the same sort of environment of chaos that you see on the outside,” said Trisha Chokshi, an immigration attorney based in Mount Prospect. As ICE pursues enforcement goals, due process is being ignored, she said. * WCIA | Paxton City Council formally requests Robert Pacey’s resignation: The Paxton City Council unanimously approved a resolution censuring Robert Pacey Tuesday night. While the council does not have the ability to remove Pacey from his position as Alderman, the censure formally recognizes that Pacey’s resignation would be in “the best interest of the City and its residents.” WCIA’s partners at the Ford County Chronicle attended Tuesday’s night’s meeting. According to the Chronicle, seven council members voted to censure Pacey. Alderman Pacey abstained from the vote. […] The City Council said that while the Title IX investigation and lawsuits were happening, Pacey only attended two City Council meetings since March 2025. And, at one of the meetings he attended, Pacey’s presence caused “disruption in the meeting.” The City Council added that residents and taxpayers deserve an Alderman who regularly attends meetings. * WGLT | Public gets answers, raise concerns about McLean County Strategic Land Use plan: Planning officials answered questions from residents Tuesday night on a range of topics, including road safety, the strain on infrastructure, and the impact of data centers, during an open house on the second draft of the McLean County Strategic Land Use plan. Among other things, the plan attempts to address “development pressures” from the expansion of large employers such as Rivian and Fererro. It also looks to address the housing shortage, and suggests McLean County should add more than 8,000 housing units to accommodate growth. * WCIA | National Guard deployment to Chicago includes U of I students, university confirms: “We are aware that some of our students in the National Guard have been contacted, but we don’t know how many,” Vance said. “Each student has to self-report if they are contacted.” Under the university’s deployment military drill policy, students who are called to active service must inform the Office of the Dean of Students and they will be encouraged to officially withdraw from the university while they are in service. If students have completed 75% of the courses they are enrolled in, they can request incomplete grades in some courses and depart from others. * WREX | Two northern Illinois elementary schools honored by House Minority Leader McCombie for excellence: Warren Elementary School was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School, which represents excellence in education. Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie congratulated Warren Elementary on their accomplishment. “Warren Elementary’s success is a reflection of its educators’ dedication, its students’ hard work, and its community’s unwavering support,” said Leader McCombie. “I couldn’t be prouder to see this Northwest Illinois school recognized among the top in our state.” * NYT | Trump Targets Democratic Districts By Halting Billions During Shutdown: Two weeks into the government shutdown, the Trump administration has frozen or canceled nearly $28 billion that had been reserved for more than 200 projects primarily located in Democratic-led cities, congressional districts and states, according to an analysis by The New York Times. * NYT | Trump Renews Threat to Cut ‘Democrat Programs’ During Shutdown: The president said his administration was “closing up Democrat programs that we disagree with, and they’re never going to open again.” He promised to release a list of programs by Friday.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My neighborhood goes bonkers for Halloween. Here’s Jesse Welles… may all yer malt balls be whoppers What’s going on?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Oct 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. We’re experimenting this week with a new app which feeds Bluesky posts. Still tweaking it…
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