|
Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rodney Crowell and friends… Well baby says she’d really love a party
Comments Off |
|
Welch appoints members to special investigating committee (Updated)
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Speaker Welch…
…Adding… House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
|
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Former state legislators Dave Sullivan and Mike Zalewski got together for the latest episode of Zalewski’s podcast. Click here to listen. It’s a good one. * Press release | NFIB: John Deere Settlement Paves the Way for Right to Repair for Small Businesses: The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released a statement highlighting the need to expand right to repair efforts following the recent antitrust lawsuit settlement between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and John Deere. “This settlement is a huge win for farmers, independent repair shops, and all small businesses who rely on John Deere products in some aspect of their business,” said Mary Alex Hamby, NFIB Principal of Federal Government Relations. “Now, we have the chance to build on this incredible momentum and bring the same access to independent auto and electronic repair shops. Lawmakers have the clear opportunity to compel manufacturers to share the critical data and tools that small business repair shops need to level the playing field, lower costs, compete, and serve their customers.” * Crain’s | Johnson moves to reclaim control of rogue CHA board: Mayor Brandon Johnson is trying to reassert his influence over the Chicago Housing Authority, nominating three new board members to replace a mayoral challenger and two others who voted to install a new leader of the agency over the mayor’s objection. Johnson is directly introducing three nominees to the Housing Committee for a July 14 vote in an attempt to fill the 10-member board with allies, but it’s unclear who the mayor wants to lead the $1.4 billion agency. * Sun-Times | ICE arrests have increased in Chicago, but tactics less publicized than last fall, legal groups say: Last week, at least 20 people were arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Chicago, and another 17 people have been arrested so far this week, according to reports from rapid response groups who document the arrests. Those numbers seem to be an increase from recent months, said Marcela Rodriguez, co-chair of the Illinois Latino Agenda and a member of the nonprofit group Enlace Chicago. * Sun-Times | Court monitor dings city for lacking a single compliant accessible crosswalk signal for impaired pedestrians: Besides failing the technical requirements, the monitor found that many devices were not functioning properly or required maintenance. The city has work to do on that end, Weisberg said. But the city has made substantial progress at identifying and constructing accessible signals at crosswalks across the city. * Tribune | Black Chicagoans displaced for the Dan Ryan Expressway are the focus of ‘Remember’: It’s those truths that Hunter wants to find and gather in her project, part of “The Ways We Remember: Celebrating 20 Years of the Black Metropolis Research Consortium” and featured in the BMRC Gallery. (Founded as a collective, the Black Metropolis Research Consortium is an archive of Black Chicago life.) Hunter is seeking to talk with people, their relatives, and neighbors who remember the Dan Ryan displacement. To aid in this, Hunter has been holding “memory tea” sessions for the past two years with Chicagoans in their late 70s and early 80s who remember the Dan Ryan being built, to hear and share their stories. * Block Club | Pitchfork Sues Co-Founder, Saying He Misappropriated $564K After Fest Shuttered: A lawsuit filed this week on behalf of Pitchfork Festivals LLC in federal court in Chicago accuses co-founder Mike Reed of keeping $564,680 that he falsely claimed were expenses he had already incurred to prepare for the 2025 fest before it was cancelled. Instead of returning the money, Reed allegedly secretly transferred the money from the company that was under contract with Pitchfork to another entity that he controlled. * Block Club | Shedd Aquarium Rescuing 10 Beluga Whales From Shuttered Canadian Park: The aquarium is preparing to rescue and rehome up to 10 beluga whales from Marineland of Canada, a shuttered zoo and amusement park in Ontario, according to the Shedd. It’s unknown when the whales will arrive at the aquarium, but rescues are slated to begin in the “next few weeks,” according to the Shedd. The Shedd is one of several facilities expected to take part in the rescue of 30 stranded beluga whales. Other participating facilities include aquariums in Georgia, San Diego, San Antonio and Spain. * Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan stepping up efforts to replace lead water pipes: ‘Every resident … deserves equal access to clean, safe drinking water’: After three years of asking residents to voluntarily use a camera and technology to show the city whether the water service line in their home is lead, galvanized or copper, David Motley, the city’s public relations director, said identifying the pipe type is now a resident’s obligation. Though the method of determining the pipe’s material remains taking a picture of the pipe in the home and sending it to the city electronically, Motley said a lack of technological know-how or equipment is no longer a barrier. An active education campaign is also underway. * WGN | School supt. charged after WGN Investigates finds bills for porn and more: Prosecutors say Toulios, who was the superintendent of Argo Community High School District 217, used the district-issued credit card to make more than $10,000 in unauthorized purchases, including more than $4,000 spent on adult-content websites. The investigation also revealed more than $4,000 spent on golf equipment and more than $5,000 in Visa gift cards, some of which were allegedly used to pay for adult websites and personal purchases, according to prosecutors. * WSIL | Last WWII-era Quonset Hut at SIU Being Demolished: The World War II-era structure is the last of what was once hundreds of Quonset huts on campus. Historic photos provided by SIU’s Special Collections Research Center show the large, aircraft hangar-like building that served the university for decades. Heavy equipment moved in this week to tear down the longtime landmark after years of limited use. University officials said the project is a significant undertaking, but completing the demolition during the summer helps improve safety while fewer students, faculty and staff are on campus. * WCIA | Champaign-Urbana caddie academy lets high schoolers to learn on and off the course: If you find your way out to Atkins Golf Club in Urbana this summer, you’ll find some new faces ready to help you play better while changing their lives. Eight high school students are hitting the links as caddies for most of the summer, raking in the dough, while also working toward the Evans Scholarship, which gives select students full tuition and housing for their undergraduate degrees. * SJ-R | ‘Big Boy’ train to stop in Springfield: The world’s largest operating steam locomotive will soon make a stop in the capital city. Union Pacific’s “Big Boy” No. 4014 is journeying west from the east coast in collaboration with Norfolk Southern Railway, as the railroads celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. * Tribune | Why is beef so expensive? And can consumers expect lower prices anytime soon? ‘It’s got to get worse before it gets better.’: Average prices are up nearly 13% in the last year, with a pound of ground beef now costing $6.75 nationwide, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the Midwest, prices are even steeper, kissing $7 per pound. The cost of ground beef has already surpassed all-time highs twice this year, and cattle ranchers and beef market experts alike doubt it’ll be the last. The historically high prices seen this year are the result of a combination of economic and environmental factors — from inflation and a labor shortage to drought and disease. All contribute to one bottom line: less beef. * 404 Media | We Are Living in a ‘ChatGPT Flyer Pandemic’: Jonathon Yule, executive creative director for design at the creative studio Concrete in Toronto told 404 Media that these types of posters continue a long tradition of terrible graphic design that we see in the world, but with “none of the charm” that may accidentally come from a business owner making something low quality. “Terrible posters are nothing new,” Yule said. “The only difference today is generative AI makes it easier than ever to get the veneer of “polish” with none of the charm that these types of posters might have had when the designer was faced with constraints (usually time, resources or experience). These types of posters would have typically been done by designers either working at a small agency or print shop and these mid-level design jobs are disappearing. Stepping back to think about where this style (and its acceptance in the world) might have come from I’m going to have to pin the blame on YouTube and AB-tested-whatever-gets-more-clicks approach to thumbnail design with the exaggerated facial expressions and shoddy yet eye catching typography.”
|
|
Another garbage ‘report’
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * This SJ-R story caught my eye…
According to that story, Illinois ranked 47th in the nation in freedom of the press. * So, I went to the State of the Nation Project’s website, and it indeed does have Illinois ranked 47th in the nation…
* So I went to that source, the US Press Freedom Tracker. That data claims just two incidents in Illinois this year. But both of those incidents are actually the same incident…  That assault was horrific…
* But a whole lot of other states had more reported incidents than Illinois: California and New Jersey each had 67 incidents. Minesota had 24. DC had 15. Oregon had 8. Virginia had 5. New York had 4. Maryland had 3. And somehow we’re 47th?
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
House Republicans initiate special investigating committee of Rep. Ammons (Updated x2)
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
* Three signatures automatically trigger the special investigating committee. From House Rule 91…
And from there, the case can be sent to a Select Committee on Discipline. A resolution to expel Ammons would need an “affirmative vote of 79 members elected.” [Isabel Miller contributed to this post.] …Adding… Illinois Freedom Caucus…
…Adding… News-Gazette…
|
|
Survey: Rural residents most worried about data centers
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* From the survey narrative…
* Percent of respondents very worried about the potential impacts of AI/data center development, including “New data centers will impact electricity costs,” “Overuse of water,” and “Agricultural land will be used for data centers”…
* Back to Investigate Midwest…
* More…
* Shaw Local | Questions arise over data centers’ water use, Illinois considers mandating water-efficient cooling systems : The currently stalled state legislation, known as the POWER Act, does not mandate closed-loop cooling, but does require developers to use any type of cooling system [for data centers] that is at least as efficient as closed-loop cooling. An advocate of the POWER Act, state Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, said her residents have “consistently raised concerns about rising water rates and the increasing cost of living.” […] “There are ways to cool these centers without water, so the language needs to be flexible enough for those solutions, as well,” Ventura said. * TCD | Illinois officials face data center moratorium push as sixth grader says, ‘We need our water’: The Mahomet Aquifer, the region’s main water source, was at the center of the East Central Illinois dispute over large-scale data centers. MPR News reported that more than 100 people attended the meeting with signs reading “Protect Our Water” and “Approve the Moratorium,” reflecting fears about what new development could mean for the aquifer. Among those who addressed the county board was sixth grader Samuel Tomory, who argued that protecting the aquifer mattered more than expanding artificial intelligence. * WAND | Macon County residents speak on potential data center ordinance: A member of the board told WAND News in early June that a data center moratorium would be considered in the future. Communities are asking for transparency throughout the process and want the board to consider all the potential drawbacks of a data center. “Do you want to be remembered as someone who helped trillion dollar companies replace the American workforce, or as someone who had the courage to stand against the behemoths who care more about money than our families and neighbors?” one resident posed. * WAND | Aurora residents say data center noise is disrupting daily life despite mitigation efforts: “At its worst, it’s like a helicopter. At its best, it’s a low hum, a noise that will never stop,” Evans said. Neighbors compare the sound to having a train behind their homes every night. They say the noise is often worse overnight. After years of complaints, CyrusOne has taken steps to reduce the noise. But residents say the sound remains disruptive. “Instead of being a helicopter on a roof, it might be a helicopter coming from about 50 feet away,” Evans said. David Szala agrees. After measuring the sound levels, he said the data center has reached 80 decibels, which is about as loud as a running blender.
|
|
RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Serious Lip Balm, founded by Khara Koffel and Megan Luckey, creates all-natural, handmade lip and skin products designed to help you feel your best. What started as a simple homemade gift in Jacksonville, Illinois, has grown into a thriving brand carried by more than 500 retailers across North America. 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 Khara and Megan in Jacksonville are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Federal appeals court upholds Illinois assault weapons ban, overturning lower court ruling. Tribune…
- The majority opinion from St. Eve and Judge Frank Easterbook, a nominee of Republican President Ronald Reagan, sends the case back to US District Court in southern Illinois with instructions to rule in favor of the state of Illinois. - The longevity of that victory remains in question, however, after the U.S. Supreme Court indicated last week that it would take up legal challenges to similar laws in Cook County and the state of Connecticut. * Related stories… * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * WTTW | One Big Beautiful Bill Requires States to Front SNAP Costs. Illinois Could Pay Tens of Millions Annually: But local organizations combating food insecurity worry that the cost shifting could reduce SNAP benefits for Americans who need them. According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, more than 12 million monthly SNAP payments are made to more than 1.9 million people in Illinois. Nolan Downey is the senior policy director at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. He said states are staring down the barrel of losing SNAP entirely if they cannot front extra costs. * Capitol News Illinois | Republicans call for more transparency, accountability after ‘disgraceful week’ for House Democrats: Two Illinois House Democrats were publicly accused in the last week of inappropriate or criminal behavior. Former Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, resigned on July 3 after House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, said an internal ethics report revealed inappropriate behavior. Then on Wednesday, Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, was indicted on 10 federal corruption charges for allegedly misusing campaign and state funds. “This has been another disgraceful week for the Illinois government, driven by conduct by members on the Democratic side of the aisle and the failure of leadership to demand real accountability,” House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said at a news conference on Thursday. * WAND | Pritzker signs LIHEAP expansion, utility charge transparency bills into law: House Bill 4456 will increase the income eligibility for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Democrats said the LIHEAP change can help more households qualify for the help they need. “It’s critically important to protect low income and middle income households from unsustainable utility costs,” said Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan). * Sen. Cristina Castro on Nirav Shah launching a US Senate campaign in Maine…
* WAND | House GOP call for special investigating committee following Ammons indictment: House GOP leaders said Ammons is facing serious allegations involving taxpayer dollars and public trust. A special investigating committee would hold hearings to discuss unethical behavior shown by the Democrat. However, her own party leaders would have to agree to launch the investigation. “This pattern of alleged criminal behavior makes it clear that the Ammons family has repeatedly defrauded taxpayers for their own benefit,” said Rep. CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville). “This unethical and possibly criminal behavior seems to be a family affair. They must do the right thing for once and resign from public office.” * Capitol News Illinois | Speaker Welch’s approach to ethics cases involving his members: Welch, speaking with reporters after reciting the Declaration of Independence in Springfield on Wednesday, repeated a version of what he and Senate President Don Harmon have said on several occasions: the courts are the best venue to adjudicate criminal wrongdoing by legislators. “You guys have known me even before I was speaker, I’m a big believer in due process,” Welch said. “Just as my statement said earlier today, she’s presumed innocent until proven guilty. She has every right to due process, but these are some very serious allegations. Let’s not be mistaken by that.” * Fox Chicago | Former Gov. Pat Quinn pushing ‘Millionaire Amendment’ to lower Illinois property taxes: The measure did not advance during the spring legislative session. Ford said drafting issues prevented the bill from reaching the House floor but believes lawmakers can fix those issues and bring it back. “We know we have the votes in Springfield when we get it right,” Ford said. * CBS Chicago | State leaders urge caution for parents considering buying e-bikes for their kids, as bill awaits Pritzker’s signature: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias issued a public service announcement on YouTube Thursday as part of his office’s Ride Safe, Ride Smart, Ride Ready campaign. He emphasized that e-bikes often are not really bicycles, but “essentially electric motorcycles being marketed to kids” that can hit 40 to 50 miles per hour. “These aren’t bike speeds, they’re highway speeds,” Giannoulias said. “When crashes happen at those speeds, the consequences can be devastating.” * Crain’s | Johnson reveals why City Hall abandoned its $3.2B bid for parking meters: In a memo sent to the City Council’s Finance Committee ahead of a potential July 13 vote on transferring the parking meter concession to Stonepeak Partners, the administration says financing the purchase would have required backing the bonds with revenue beyond the parking meters themselves, potentially putting other city revenues at risk. […] A second official, likewise given anonymity to speak about the deak, said the original 2008 agreement did not give Chicago any advantages in the event of a sale, denying Johnson any leverage against private buyers. * Crain’s | It’s not just property and sales taxes that you’re paying in Chicago: Chicago’s 2026 budget closed a historic $1.2 billion deficit by relying on fee and tax increases on ride-share trips, liquor sales and plastic shopping bags, and introducing measures like licensing augmented reality programs and placing ads on city infrastructure. Fines, forfeitures and penalties make up the third-largest nontax revenue source for the city. Watchdog group the Civic Federation repeatedly has warned that the budget isn’t structurally balanced and relies too much on one-time fixes or debt instead of operating revenues. * ABC Chicago | University of Chicago Law to ban phones, laptops in classroom for first-year students in new AI plan: The school made the announcement Thursday as part of a broader plan to respond to the rise of artificial intelligence, beginning in the upcoming fall semester. “We will be piloting a coordinated approach to classroom and examination policies for the core 1L curriculum during the 2026-2027 academic year. Across all 1L sections, we will prohibit the use of electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and phones in the classroom,” a segment of the new plan reads in part. “There will be some limited exceptions to this policy.” * NBC Chicago | ICE activity ramps up in Chicago area again, with masked agents seen taking people away in cuffs: “We learned that last week about 21 people were taken,” Marcella Rodriguez, executive director of local organization Enlace Chicago said at a press conference Thursday on the city’s northwest side. “And this week alone, up to today, 17 people across our communities have been taken. We know that they are targeting areas around schools, even though summer programs are taking place.” * Tribune | Aldermen reject Mayor Brandon Johnson’s move to ask voters if millionaires should be taxed: Only one of Johnson’s three proposals for November won committee approval. Johnson’s referendum would ask Chicagoans whether the city should use “all lawful means” to address the economic harm caused by President Donald Trump’s “Operation Midway Blitz” deportation campaign. Aldermen also blocked consideration of Johnson’s other ballot request, to ask voters whether the city should establish a property tax relief fund — while arguing the mayor had overstepped. * NBC Chicago | Chicago, Cook County task force seeks to improve court system for domestic violence survivors: The Chicago-Cook County Violence Against Women Task Force presented a report with its findings to the Chicago Public Safety Committee on Thursday. Elected officials and advocates pointed to a troubling trend: As violent crimes were going down in Chicago last year, domestic violence cases were rising, including a 56 percent increase in fatal shootings. […] Miller also said victims can have different experiences at different courthouses, so the task force wants to streamline the process when victims go to courthouses to file protective orders. Brown recounted her experience: filling out a 30-page document just to file that order, then waiting to see if an advocate was available to assist her. * Tribune | Domestic violence task force calls for Cook County courts to open up records: “The system that women go into is unlike any other government system. There’s absolutely no one in charge, there’s no coordination, and you get bounced back and forth between different court divisions,” across the city, county and state, Chicago77 executive director Katie Dunne said. “And there’s policies and laws right now that impede data sharing between those agencies that limit any coordination. So truly, that lack of understanding of the system has created just a culture of confusion” for victims and public employees alike. * Lake County News-Sun | Officials bemoan upkeep of Waukegan-owned cemeteries: ‘The dead should have more respect than they’re getting’: Oakwood Cemetery is more than 150 years old and serves as the final resting place for historic figures of Waukegan, Civil War veterans and a “Potter’s field” of Spanish Flu-epidemic victims. The 50-acre Sheridan Road site is owned by the municipality, along with Union Cemetery, dating back to 1845 .Neither has a dedicated budget for maintenance. A series of annual landscaping contracts with conflicting schedules has raised questions about the perpetual care covenant in recent years. The city’s Public Works Department carries responsibility for upkeep at the two cemeteries in its budget, with no line item other than for contractual services. * WAND | Effingham County announces company withdraws solar project application: ffingham County announced Thursday that Mason Plains, LLC (Nexamp) has withdrawn its application for a large solar project in the county. According to the county, the proposed project site was located in rural Mason, and the application was originally filed in April. A public hearing on a solar panel special use application set for Wednesday has been canceled. Additionally, the application will no longer be considered by the Effingham County Board. County residents had previously voiced concerns about the project, which would have spanned 16 acres on prime farmland. * WGLT | 15 people detained during ICE raids in Bloomington-Normal: Mellor said they were captured at various locations throughout the community, most of them at their place of employment. She said they all came from separate families, except one case involved a pair of brothers. About half of those detained Mellor described as “long-term residents of the community,” while the rest had recently arrived. She said most had been granted humanitarian parole, a Biden administration program created in 2023 which the Trump administration later revoked. Others had applied for asylum, while a few had pending family petitions. * WGLT | 14 new counts added to case against 2nd Chiddix teacher, cheer coach: New charges have been filed against Andrew “Drew” Miller, a Chiddix Junior High teacher and longtime cheerleading coach accused of soliciting sexual images and video from minors and, in at least one instance, attempting to meet in person. McLean County Assistant State’s Attorney Aaron Fredrick previously noted the state’s intention to bring additional charges against 41-year-old Miller, from Normal, who has been detained since his arrest in June on 42 felony counts. * The Daily Egyptian | More southern Illinois counties become news deserts as local newspapers close: A restructuring of Arlington Heights-based Paddock Publications taking place in early June has led to the shutdown of at least 13 of the 20 local newspapers owned by their subsidiaries, the majority of which served communities in southern and central Illinois, including the Marion Republican and the Harrisburg Register. * Fox 2 Now | East St. Louis cameras curbing illegal trash dumping: Watson is pleased to hear that the City of East St. Louis recently installed 14 surveillance cameras in trouble spots to deter illegal trash dumping. The cameras are monitored 24 hours a day and funded through a federal grant. […] Powell said cameras have been operating for several months and have already resulted in more than 30 tickets issued. Fines can range from $500 to $5,000, according to Powell. She said the program’s focus is not on issuing fines, but rather deterring illegal trash dumping. * WCIA | Sweet corn is back in season and one Central Illinois business is selling out fast: Sweet corn season has arrived in Central Illinois, and Thursday was the first day of sales for one local business. The Lingley Brothers in Rantoul saw lines wrapped around one of their four locations Thursday, and workers said they were selling out of their stock quickly. Lingley Brothers have locations in Tilton, Hoopeston, Danville and Attica, Indiana. They have been growing sweet corn since the 90s. Crop sellers said they are expecting this to be one of the largest harvests this year. * Forbes | Trump Fires Commissioners Of Bipartisan Federal Election Body: The three remaining members of a bipartisan federal committee that helps states and local officials administer elections were fired by the White House on Thursday, a move that could impact the midterms just weeks after after the Supreme Court upended a 90-year-old precedent and allowed the president to remove independent federal agency officials. […] The White House confirmed the firings and told NBC News that the ousted individuals will be “replaced,” without specifying a timeline as new appointments will need Senate approval. * The Guardian | Satellite mirror plans could disrupt sleep and ecosystems worldwide, scientists say: Proposals to deploy reflective mirrors and up to 1m more satellites in low Earth orbit could have far-reaching consequences for human health and ecosystems, leading sleep and circadian rhythm researchers have said. Presidents of four international scientific societies representing about 2,500 researchers from more than 30 countries are among those who have raised concerns in letters to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). * The Drive | How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me: Eventually, after a tense hour, I did. The Plymouth Police Department had been tracking me for days using Flock license plate cameras, waiting for the right moment to strike, because they thought I’d stolen the Range Rover. And the reason I was ID’d as a dangerous car thief was a simple data error made 2,000 miles away in California, creating an edge case within an edge case that Flock’s AI camera network was unable to handle. […] The New Jersey plates that were allegedly stolen from the LA dealer were 34 03 DTM, not 34 10 DTM. But when the police report was created and the plate was entered into Flock’s system, it was just recorded as 34 DTM.
|
|
Good morning!
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition and some campaign stuff
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Jul 10, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Appeals court upholds Illinois assault weapons ban (Updated x4)
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals just upheld the state ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines…
…Adding… Rep. Bob Morgan…
…Adding… Gov. Pritzker…
…Adding… Senate President Harmon…
…Adding… AG Raoul…
|
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Senate Minority Leader John Curran…
* NOTUS…
* GOP Gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey calls Flock cameras a mass surveillance network…
* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker signs legislation for energy bill transparency, utility discount program: The first of the two bills, House Bill 4456, expands a discount program for low-income electric and natural gas customers established under the state’s landmark energy legislation passed in 2021, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, or CEJA. Under CEJA, the Illinois Commerce Commission, the regulatory body that oversees the state’s public utilities, was instructed to assess whether low-income discount programs would be appropriate for residential electric and natural gas customers. * WGN | ‘Failure is the only option’: Alders say Mayor Johnson isn’t doing his job with city budget: “Our goal was to build something stronger, more stable, and more honest for the long-term. But corporate-aligned members of the City Council chose a different direction when they adopted their so-called alternative budget. Throughout that process, we raised concerns about the assumptions in that plan,” Johnson said on Tuesday. The coalition of alders argues that Johnson is the reason the budget is not balanced. They accuse him of failing to implement their revenue proposals. “He accepted that budget,” Ald. Scott Waguespack told WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley on Wednesday. * Tribune | Chicago Tribune seeks ‘serious sanctions’ against OpenAI as deception alleged in copyright lawsuit: Chicago Tribune, The New York Daily News, The New York Times and other media outlets are asking for “serious sanctions” against OpenAI, saying the company destroyed evidence and intentionally hid its ability to locate stolen news stories in training data and responses to ChatGPT users, according to a new motion filed Thursday. The motion, filed in Manhattan Federal Court as part of an ongoing copyright infringement suit, said Open AI expert John Vincent “Vinnie” Monaco “finally revealed” in an April deposition that the company had engaged in a campaign of deception throughout the lawsuit, including by severely misrepresenting technological capabilities and destroying millions of chat histories. * Sun-Times | Judge finds Chicago’s embattled U.S. attorney violated secrecy order in Tren de Aragua case: U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura McNally admonished U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros after ordering him to a highly unusual hearing Thursday. McNally didn’t impose any sanctions, but said Boutros’ decision to detail the case during a press conference alongside top Justice Department officials amounted to a “clear violation of the sealing order.” * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago’s Black Student Success Director Eugene Robinson Jr. talks about the initiative’s first year: Eugene Robinson Jr., Chicago Public Schools’ first director of Black student success, has faced a tricky balancing act over the past year. Community advocates called for decisive, visible progress on the district’s Black Student Success Plan, the five-year initiative they had championed for years and helped enshrine in state law. Meanwhile, the Trump administration argued the plan discriminates against non-Black students and withheld federal funding over it — a standoff that’s now playing out in the courts. * Crain’s | AI firms’ office demand seen spreading to Chicago: While those places remain key markets for the artificial intelligence industry, office demand is expected to spread to other parts of the country, VTS said. Seattle, Chicago and Washington are cities that are already showing signs of AI growth. “We will 100% see spillover,” said Ryan Masiello, chief strategy officer of VTS. AI tenants have helped drive a recovery in the US office market, easing the pain for landlords who’d been saddled with large vacancies after the pandemic cratered demand for space. San Francisco was especially hard-hit. * Tribune | Chicken coup? Family flap over control of famous Harold’s Chicken Shack brand lands in court: Six months after the death of Harold’s Chicken Shack CEO Kristen Pierce-Sherrod, the question remains: Who owns the iconic Chicago restaurant brand? Pierce-Sherrod’s five adult children claim it’s their birthright, pointing to a mysterious, still-contested “will” that, they say, makes clear their mother’s final wishes. “This is our brand, our everything — our mom worked for many, many years to make sure that her father’s legacy thrives,” Pierce-Sherrod’s daughter Kasee Gill recently told the Tribune. * Block Club | Warehouse Planned For Avondale’s Western Avenue Approved Despite Neighbor Pushback: Although neighbors and the 35th Ward office continue to press for traffic-safety improvements at the nearby intersection of Western Avenue and George Street, the development was permitted to move forward because the site is already zoned for industrial use and did not require a zoning change or City Council approval. City records show the Department of Planning and Development released a zoning hold on June 25, after approving the project’s zoning and landscape reviews. The release cleared a remaining administrative step before the Department of Buildings issued the permit July 1. * Sun-Times | UChicago Press workers vote to unionize: University of Chicago Press Workers Guild members have voted overwhelmingly to unionize, making it the latest in a wave of Chicago cultural institutions to organize. UCP Workers Guild announced Wednesday that 89% of participating voters favored union representation. The guild has 134 members, making it the largest unit in the Chicago News Guild. * Daily Southtown | Will County panel rejects hydro-excavation plan by single vote; County Board to vote next week: Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said another piece of property along 159th Street would be better suited for the truck company’s use because it was away from homes and closer to the village’s future wastewater treatment plant, a more industrial use. Badger’s attorney Cass Wennlund said the asking price for the property the mayor suggested was too high and the land wasn’t suitable for the company’s purposes. * Lake County News-Sun | Deerfield solar array promises big savings: ‘A major accomplishment’: Construction for the array first broke ground in October. A village news release celebrated the 574.6-kilowatt, ground-mounted array as a “monumental step” in the village’s sustainability goals, which will also provide long-term tax savings. According to Mayor Daniel Shapiro, about 70% of the roughly $2 million project, built by Veregy, was covered by state, federal and utility incentives, leaving Deerfield to cover about $640,000. * Pioneer Press | Winnetka advances plans to ban short-term rentals for less than 60 days: Month-to-month extensions of rentals would still be allowed, however, so long as it satisfies the minimum 60-day rental period requirement. Community Development Director Scott Mangum told Pioneer Press short-term rentals have always been prohibited in the village by virtue of their lack of inclusion in Winnetka’s zoning code. “The code’s sort of silent on it, so it’s not allowed because it’s silent, but with that we don’t have any definitions for how long the short-term rental [can be],” Mangum said. * PJ Star | Amid scrutiny in Illinois, Powerton discusses remedies for groundwater contaminants: Midwest Generation LLC held public presentations to discuss concerns about unsafe groundwater at the Powerton Generating Station. “Safety is paramount, and it’s the first thing we concentrate on every day at Powerton,” plant manager Todd Mundorf said Tuesday during a presentation at the Avanti’s Dome in Pekin. “We have a very good safety culture that we improve each and every day.” Joyce Blumenshine, conservation co-chair with the Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, said past groundwater monitoring at Powerton has shown unsafe levels of heavy metals from unlined coal ash ponds at the site that threaten nearby drinking water and waterways. And there are still concerns about toxins from coal plants going into the air and water. * WSIL | Cairo bridge shutdown turns 20-minute trips into 90-minute detours: he U.S. 51 Bridge crossing the Ohio River between Illinois and Kentucky is closed, forcing drivers into lengthy detours. The U.S. 51 bridge closure has turned a normally busy intersection into an unusually quiet spot, except for the occasional vehicle arriving only to turn around. Truck drivers have been caught off guard by the unexpected closures. Larry Kirby, a truck driver from Missouri, said the closure has transformed his routine 30-minute commute into an hour-and-a-half journey just to start his workday. Kirby’s first stop to pickup inventory from a business is located on the other side of the bridge in Wickliffe, Kentucky, before he heads to his destination in South Carolina. * Downballot | The Downballot releases presidential results for every new House district, sponsored by Grassroots Analytics: In all, 10 states—which include the three largest—cover 181 districts, though 36 were left unaltered. The 145 districts that did change amount to exactly one-third of the seats in the entire U.S. House of Representatives. […] In all, Republicans have targeted 16 seats by making them redder, while Democrats have done the same for just five seats, and the court ruling in Utah adds a sixth. The presidential results for these districts, along with their predecessors, are shown below, demonstrating just how much each of these districts has changed politically.
|
|
Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
Comments Off |
|
State school funding is not keeping up, but CPS is still paying the price for its pandemic mistakes
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * It looks like the state’s progress has stalled out on its equity based funding level goals. From Capitol News Illinois…  The chart shows the state hit a high of 327 schools at 90 percent adequacy in 2024, and then dropped to 313 in 2026. That’s not a huge drop, but it’s most definitely not an increase. One reason is that the state’s annual $300 million payments have not kept up with inflation. $300 million in July of 2017, when the program started would be $410.7 million today. It would be more interesting to see how, exactly, we went from 226 schools at 90 percent adequacy in 2022 to 327 in 2024. CNI…
Illinois was supposed to reach 90 percent adequacy by Fiscal Year 2027, which is the current fiscal year. The problem is the annual “ramp” of $300 million was not enough to accomplish that and nobody really pushed to change it. * Moving along to property taxes…
The tax rate dropped by 10 percent. Something, but not much. Again, inflation contributed to this not only with the state EBF money, but also the annual $50 million designated for property tax relief, which has been paused at least a couple of time. $50 million in July of 2017 would be $68.5 million today. * OK, let’s switch up a bit. This is from a recent Chicago Public Schools report…
According to the report, the district “has more than $9 billion of existing long-term debt that requires $900-plus million in annual debt service payments.” Instead of using the COVID money to pay down its debt, which the state did for itself, CPS put that money into increasing its permanent spending base. And this is from my newspaper column published almost exactly two years ago…
Discuss.
|
|
News coverage roundup: Rep. Ammons indicted on fraud and obstruction charges
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and here for yesterday’s coverage. Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* More…
* Center Square | Illinois lawmaker, husband indicted over alleged kickback scheme: The indictment also reads that both the Carol and Aaron Ammons made false claims of not knowing there was a conflict of interest with one organization using a state grant to pay her daughter. The pair also allegedly advised a potential witness to communicate with them through code words about ongoing FBI investigations into their conduct. Arron Ammons was alleged to have engaged in conduct toward another person to mislead them and hinder their communication with law enforcement by knowingly directing the potential witness to “muddy the waters” when speaking to the FBI, according to the indictment. * WCIA | Carol, Aaron Ammons indicted for wire fraud, obstruction of justice: The counts against Carol allege that she used donations and contributions to her political support committee, Friends of Carol Ammons, for personal use. They also allege Carol used state grants to fund organizations her daughter Titianna was involved in and to pay her a salary, which is an “impermissible conflict of interest” under Illinois law. * WAND | State Rep. Carol Ammons, Aaron Ammons indicted on federal fraud, obstruction charges: “People are going to do what people are going to do, but if there’s enough holes they’re going to continue to do things like this,” said House GOP Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna). “I can tell you as the leader of the House Republicans, if this [were] my caucus, this would be handled immediately.”
|
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois ‘reviewing’ DOJ’s threat to prosecute state election officials over noncitizen voting. Capitol News Illinois…
- The letter, dated Tuesday, July 7, was addressed to ISBE Executive Director Bernadette Matthews. It was similar to letters reportedly sent to top election officials in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. - In addition to Tuesday’s letter threatening prosecution, DOJ is also suing Illinois and dozens of other states for access to the state’s complete, unredacted voter registration list, including sensitive information such as voters’ dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers. The federal government has not been successful in any of those lawsuits thus far. * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Illinois Times | Housing advocates celebrate legislative wins: Bob Palmer, policy director for the statewide housing coalition Housing Action Illinois, said some of the major victories came on the funding front. For one, the General Assembly rejected the governor’s proposed cut of $10 million to the HOME Illinois Program, which aims to prevent and end homelessness in the state. Lawmakers were facing a tight fiscal year, meaning any new funding would be an uphill battle. Even so, David Zoltan, a Chicago-based housing activist, said not increasing funding amid rising inflation is “effectively a cut” for a crucial HOME Illinois program. * Capitol News Illinois | As Illinois enters 10th year under Evidence-Based Funding model, equity remains an elusive goal: But as Illinois enters the 10th year of financing schools under the Evidence-Based Funding model — a formula adopted in 2017 that was supposed to improve both the adequacy and equity of the state’s school finance system — wide disparities still exist in the property tax system that funds more than half the cost of K-12 education. An analysis of school finance data by Capitol News Illinois covering the nine-year period from 2017 to 2025 shows homeowners in the lowest-wealth districts pay tax rates that are double those in the wealthiest districts. The findings are largely consistent with those of other researchers who follow school finance issues nationally. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Johnson-aligned Chicago school board members continue push for more funding from Springfield: Schools had to approve their proposed budgets in early June, but the district has yet to release full details around what might be cut. The Chicago Teachers Union joined Mayor Brandon Johnson-aligned board members at Wednesday’s press conference outside the Board of Education headquarters where they called for state lawmakers to again consider raising education funding through progressive tax policies that target wealthy individuals or corporations. Khari Humphries, the city’s deputy mayor of education and youth, also joined elected board member Jitu Brown and appointed members Michilia Blaise, Karen Zaccor, Norma Rios-Sierra, Emma Lozano, Angel Velez, Cydney Wallace, and Debby Pope. * Crain’s | Illinois ACA health insurance prices set to rise by double digits again in 2027: In Illinois, insurers are seeking rate hikes between 9.2% and nearly 15%. Less than 10% of Americans get their health coverage from the ACA marketplace, or state-run marketplaces like Get Covered Illinois, but the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker points out that factors driving premiums like growth in hospital or pharmaceutical costs are similar across all private plans. * Center Square’s Sean Reed…
* Sun-Times | Cash App parent company agrees to $45 million settlement with Illinois, 44 other states: Illinois will get $1.1 million of a $45 million, 45-state settlement with money transfer app Cash App’s parent company, which was accused of misleading customers about the app’s security. Block Inc. will face $55 million in civil penalties and also have to pay customers nationwide somewhere from $75 million to $120 million as part of the settlement, which includes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. * WGLT | Illinois’ U.S. Senate Republican nominee Don Tracy aims to slow cost-of-living increases: Tracy said the election centers around affordability, and sees that as an advantage for the Republican Party in Illinois. “Democrats … and Republican politicos seem to agree this is a cost-of-living election,” Tracy said in the interview with Capitol News Illinois. “[I] believe that to be a winning message for Republicans, because everything Democrats do increases the cost of living.” “I’m not sure there’s a tax that they didn’t want to increase and that increases the cost of living for all working families,” Tracy said, referring to Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration. * Illinois Times | Data center details: Questions remain about effects on nearby animals, soil temperature: Sangamon County’s average residential electricity bill has increased by more than 52% in the past five years when comparing seasonal data, according to a database constructed by Heatmap News and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That’s nearly 15% more than Cook County, and almost 10% more than the state, experienced over the same time frame. Despite utility costs soaring over the past five years, grid operators keep approving more data centers. Utility providers, such as Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative, claim the projects will lower rates for others even in light of the larger amount of power needed to run them. * Shaw Local | Dixon man accused of threatening Lee County official over data center listing pleads guilty to petty offense: A Dixon man charged with felonies accusing him of threatening a Lee County official pleaded guilty to a petty offense on Wednesday and agreed to complete a court-ordered program to get the four felony charges dismissed. […] The charges accused him of threatening Lee County Industrial Development Association Executive Director Tom Demmer. Those charges were amended on Wednesday to also include one count of obstruction of justice, a Class 4 felony, and one count of barratry, a petty offense, court records show. Under Illinois law, barratry is when a person “wickedly and willfully excites and stirs up actions or quarrels…to promote strife and contention.” * Texas Tribune | Planned Texas data centers could emit more greenhouse gases than many countries: Including Stargate’s Abilene campus, at least 15 gas plants tied to data centers are planned for Texas, according to Cleanview. Available permits reviewed by Floodlight show that nine of them combined could emit more than 130 million tons of greenhouse gases every year. That’s the equivalent annual emissions of 35 coal-fired power plants, according to an Environmental Protection Agency calculator. While actual emissions are usually lower than estimates, the impact on the climate could still be enormous: If completed, these nine plants have the potential to emit more annual greenhouse gases than most countries do — even if emissions end up being half of what’s permitted. * Sun-Times | CTA crime has dropped for last 6 consecutive months amid security surge, agency boss says: The Red Line has seen a 47% decline in all crime, and a 76% drop in violent crime through June compared to last year, Leerhsen said. “The perception of safety on CTA is affected by every single incident we have,” Leerhsen said. “But given the importance of our system to the vitality and strength of our city, it is incredibly important to me that we still stop and note this progress, which is real and is continuing to sustain itself.” * Block Club Chicago | Chicago Police Torture Survivors Break Ground On Monument: ‘More Work To Do’: The memorial — a blend of public art, education, reflection and movement-building guaranteed within a 2015 reparations package — broke ground Wednesday at 5520 S. King Drive in Washington Park, with plans for its completion by early next year. “This memorial is about more than remembering the past,” said Gregory Banks, a member of the Chicago Torture Justice Memorials Foundation and a survivor of beatings, suffocation and racial epithets inflicted on him by officers who extracted his confession in 1983. * Tribune | Chicago FBI boss forced into early retirement, skips lunch with US Attorney Boutros: Shortly after Douglas DePodesta became head of the FBI’s storied Chicago bureau, he told the Tribune he would love to call it a career in his adopted hometown when he hit the mandatory retirement age in a few years. “I think I have a lot left in my tank,” DePodesta said in May 2025. Instead, DePodesta’s impressive FBI career came to an abrupt end this week. He was forced to retire early due to a falling out with bosses in the Justice Department, apparently over issues with his fealty to the Trump administration’s political agenda, or lack thereof. * Crain’s | Judge enforces distance rule for cannabis shops in blow to planned South Loop store: Attorneys for Blounts & Moore argued the location 470 feet away from the existing dispensary violates a provision of the state’s Cannabis Regulation & Tax Act that says a new dispensary can’t be within 1,500 feet of a pre-existing one. The ruling for Blounts & Moore appears to be the first time a court has interpreted the setback rule, casting doubt on future efforts to open cannabis shops in the Loop. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox blanked for the 4th time this season in a 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox: Despite the loss, the Sox (47-44) remain alone in first place in the American League Central standings. They are one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians (47-46), who lost 6-5 to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. The Twins (46-47) are two games back. * Daily Southtown | Bolingbrook, Homer Glen mayors urge residents to fight Illinois American Water rate hike: “Water is not a luxury,” Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta said Wednesday. “It is not a vacation. It is not a new television or a shopping trip that can be postponed. Water, electricity and natural gas are essential services that every family needs to live with dignity, safety and health.” Alexander-Basta, along with state legislators, said Bolingbrook residents pay an average of $220 a month for their water bills. Senior citizens on fixed incomes and households already cash-strapped by rising costs in food, insurance and housing, cannot afford more rate hikes, she said. * Tribune | Prime Healthcare seeks to permanently close inpatient pediatric unit at St. Joseph hospital in Joliet: St. Joseph, which was bought by Prime last year, said in April 2025 that it was temporarily suspending pediatric inpatient care. At the time, the move drew criticism from nurses union the Illinois Nurses Association, which represents nurses at the hospital. Now, the hospital has filed an application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to shutter the 13-bed unit for good upon board approval or by the end of the year. The board will vote on the request at a future meeting. * Daily Herald | Plan for massive industrial park approved in Vernon Hills: Including an existing warehouse, the 70-acre Vernon hills Industrial Park could total about 1.2 million square feet in five buildings, following approvals Tuesday by the village board. Property owner JCA Hayes LLC has been pursuing the project at 100-230 S. Milwaukee Ave., in the Continental Executive Parke, since late 2024. The approved plan for the site once scouted by Amazon calls for three speculative buildings, use of an existing warehouse and a huge build-to-suit facility for hand2mind, a sister company of tariff-busting Learning Resources * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora residents still struggling with storm damage: Residents across Aurora, and particularly in the 4th and 6th Wards, experienced basement flooding, tree damage and power outages Friday and Saturday morning, with varying degrees of damage, said Ald. Jonathan Nunez, 4th Ward. Nunez said some basements flooded twice, including his own, and residents struggled to keep the water out. “It’s disheartening when you spend several hours, you know, trying to save whatever you may have,” he said. “A lot of us had to throw away a ton of different items that you just can’t recover.” * Capitol City Now | Springfield Mayor supports Flock contract extension: The company has been accused in the past of violating state law regarding data, which led to other cities ending their contracts with Flock. “It’s our job at the city to police our cameras and our contract with Flock, so that’s what we will do and have been doing,” said Buscher. “I can’t speak on what was going on in other communities. But, for the City of Springfield, we will make sure our data is secure.” * Capitol News Illinois | IDOC worker pleads guilty to padding the payroll of her correctional officer husband: An Illinois Department of Corrections payroll worker admitted in federal court Wednesday that she falsified her correctional officer husband’s overtime and holiday pay, defrauding the state of nearly $125,000. […] According to a stipulation of facts she signed, Tudor doctored her husband’s payroll records for about two and a half years, from July 1, 2022, through Dec. 30, 2024, while he worked as a correctional officer at the Murphysboro Life Skills Re-Entry Center, a satellite facility of the Pinckneyville Correctional Center. Under the plea agreement, the parties calculated an advisory federal sentencing guideline range of 10 to 16 months in prison and a fine of $5,500 to $55,000, but the judge is not bound by that recommendation. * The Daily Egyptian | SIU board expected to give Lane $65K bonus Thursday: The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees is set to determine Thursday if Carbondale Chancellor Austin Lane will receive his annual bonus — an additional $65,000 on top of his annual base salary of $378,000. Whether he gets the bonus depends on a series of goals, which for this past academic year included keeping the hiring chill in place and increasing online enrollment. Many of Lane’s goals are focused on improving the university’s enrollment and graduation rate and controlling school spending. A document obtained by the Daily Egyptian through a Freedom of Information Act request outlines 10 goals for the 2025-2026 academic year. * Post-Tribune | Indiana Gov. Mike Braun says Hammond stadium for Chicago Bears is ‘in the red zone’: “I’m excited by the Bears. I think we’re almost there, but we’re not there yet,” [Northwest Indiana, Family Express President and CEO Gus Olympidis] said. “It is always a little risky to overplay something before it happens because if it doesn’t happen, you have some explaining to do,” he said. * Wired | Self-Driving Cars Are Interfering With First Responders. Feds Aren’t Happy:Morrison wrote that NHTSA has documented a “clear pattern” of interference over the last few months, including incidents in which the vehicles drove into active emergency scenes, blocked ambulances and firefighters, and didn’t respond in situations involving flashing lights, fire, and traffic cones.
|
|
Good morning!
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jul 9, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were told this morning. Associated Press…
* WGLT | Planned Parenthood of Illinois appoints McLean County’s Carolyn Moon as new board chair: A McLean County-based new leader at Planned Parenthood of Illinois [PPI] is relentlessly focused on providing affordable care to anyone who needs it, all across Illinois. Carolyn Moon, who lives just outside Bloomington-Normal and took the board chair position this month, is the first person from outside the Chicago area to serve in the role. She said she brings a different perspective on rural healthcare. “I really am an advocate for access for everyone in the state, corner to corner, today, tomorrow, and for future generations,” Moon said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. * Capitol News Illinois | State Rep. Carol Ammons indicted for scheme to receive kickbacks, misusing campaign funds: State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, an 11-year veteran of the Illinois House, has been charged with orchestrating an alleged scheme to receive cash kickbacks from illegal payments from her own campaign account and from local nonprofits for which she helped secure state grant funding. The indictment, brought by a federal grand jury late Tuesday, outline an alleged conspiracy involving both Ammons’ husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, and her daughter, who last month was indicted on separate federal charges alleging she fraudulently collected expanded COVID-era unemployment benefits. * WCIA | Carol, Aaron Ammons indicted for wire fraud, obstruction of justice: The counts against Carol allege that she used donations and contributions to her political support committee, Friends of Carol Ammons, for personal use. They also allege Carol used state grants to fund organizations her daughter Titianna was involved in and to pay her a salary, which is an “impermissible conflict of interest” under Illinois law. […] “From at least on or about May 21, 2024, and continuing through at least June 15, 2025, [Carol and Aaron] knowingly conspired with each other and others, both known and unknown the grand jury, to engage in misleading conduct toward another person,” the indictment with the intent to hinder and prevent the communication to a federal law enforcement officer of information relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal offense, namely wire fraud,” the indictment says. * Press release | Illinois Surpasses 1,000 Certified Peer Professionals, Marking Major Milestone in Behavioral Health Workforce Growth: The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced today that Illinois has surpassed 1,000 certified peer professionals, with 1,010 individuals now credentialed as Certified Recovery Support Specialists (CRSS) and/or Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS). The milestone reflects the State’s continued investment in peer recovery support services and behavioral health workforce development and represents a 335% increase in the certified peer workforce since 2022. “Growing our behavioral health workforce has been one of the most impactful investments we’ve made in strengthening our system,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This milestone reflects real, statewide momentum—and we’re committed to continuing to grow this workforce so more Illinoisans can access the hope, support, and connection they need.” * WAND | Bill providing resources for youth repeat gun offenders awaits Pritzker’s signature: The plan could require probation agencies to conduct an assessment of the minor’s needs and identify restorative justice programs for high risk youth, cognitive behavioral therapy, family engagement and mentoring options. “Without this help and without the services that are provided through this legislation, the direction of their life is not going to be a positive one,” said Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights). “We believe that we can help some kids with this version.” * Press release | Governor Pritzker Announces Funding for NSF Quantum X-Labs Teams: In addition to the $3 million X-Labs Fast Fund, Chicago’s leading quantum innovation organizations have put together a package to attract teams applying to X-Labs. The Chicago Quantum Exchange, P33, Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and mHUB will add $250,000 in funding, immediate access to elite lab space and advanced prototyping facilities, and access to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park’s (IQMP) technical infrastructure, including cryogenic, test and measurement equipment, and experimental research facilities. With access to Chicago’s state-of-the-art quantum campus and innovation ecosystem, facilities, assets and resources, X-Labs teams will be able to reduce infrastructure costs and maximize the impact of their NSF funding. * CBS Chicago | Black and gold bumblebee officially designated Illinois State Bee: Last year, students in Ms. Barbara Bell’s eighth-grade science class led the push for the state bee designation, after they completed a research project on bee species native to Illinois, according to the governor’s office. The students created presentations for distribution around Illinois, launched a statewide vote, and testified before lawmakers. Because of their efforts, HB 4438 was approved to designate the state bee. * Press release | Former Gov. Quinn & Rep. LaShawn Ford to Introduce & File an Ordinance Calling for a Citywide “Millionaire Tax” Voter Referendum: This Thursday, July 9, at 11:30AM inside the City Clerk’s Office on the first floor of City Hall, former Governor and Chicago resident Pat Quinn will join with Rep. LaShawn Ford to introduce and file an ordinance calling for a citywide referendum this November 3 urging passage of the Illinois Millionaire Amendment for Property Tax Relief and Education. The Referendum asks voters: “Shall Illinois adopt the Millionaire Amendment for Property Tax Relief and Education which would enact a 3% income tax surcharge only on millionaires and use 50% of this new revenue to provide property tax relief for residential and commercial tax payers and 50% to improve state funding for public education?” *Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago cut funding for assistant principals in small schools. Most chose to keep them anyway: More than 130 small schools were poised to lose funding for their assistant principals next school year. Most, including McCutcheon, used discretionary dollars to keep them or convinced CPS to make an exception, leaving about 40 campuses without that position, Chalkbeat has learned. The move comes as district officials are trying to close a $732.5 million deficit to balance a more than $10 billion budget. * WBEZ | Mayor Brandon Johnson taps new public health commissioner: “I’ve spent my career committed to centering a public health approach that addresses the social and economic conditions that shape people’s health and wellbeing,” Walker said in a statement Wednesday announcing his appointment. “As someone who grew up in Chicago, it’s an honor to serve as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health and support the Mayor’s vision for a healthier Chicago.” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Walker, but City Council members must approve his new role. He would replace Dr. Olusimbo Ige, who resigned in May after about two and half years on the job. * Tribune | Chicago Public Library Foundation gets a new president and CEO: The foundation’s board of directors has appointed Eva Giglio as its new president and CEO. Joining the organization Aug. 12, Giglio will leave the executive director role at the CME Group Foundation to take up a mantle left behind after former leader Brenda Langstraat Bui died in February. Giglio said she knew Langstraat Bui and that stepping into the position she held for more than seven years is a bittersweet moment. * WGN | O’Hare taxi times soar to highest in nation. Here’s why: “I think the worst ones are when I’m coming back from Minneapolis and the flight is 40 minutes and the taxi time is longer than the actual flight was, which happens!” said frequent flyer Pan Fanshaw. A WGN Investigates analysis of FAA data found the amount of time it’s taking planes to move around the airfield is higher than at any other airport in the nation. Back in 2018, the average time from gate to runway was 22-and-a-half minutes. This year, it’s climbed to more than 28 minutes. Taxi times after landing have also increased, from 13.6 minutes to now, more than 18 minutes on average. * Daily Southtown | Tinley Park storm clean up: ‘Please be patient’: Tinley Park public works employees are still working to clean up damage from the weekend’s heavy storms, Public Works Director John Urbanski told the Village Board Tuesday night. “We had over 200 emails Monday morning that we were welcomed with, and approximately 150 voicemails,” Urbanski said. “I’ve got all of my staff all hands on deck trying to go through and chip up and bring all of the brush away from the parkways, but I just ask everybody that’s waiting to just please be patient.” * Daily Herald | Future of Trickster Cultural Center uncertain as Schaumburg ponders village history museum: Schaumburg officials are sticking with plans to study the feasibility of a local history museum that could displace a Native American cultural center at a village-owned building it’s leased for more than two decades. Officials from the Trickster Cultural Center said they haven’t identified any options for relocation because the village hasn’t provided a time frame or determined if they’ll even have to leave. “We asked if there was a building they could offer Trickster and they said no,” said Gina Roxas, Trickster’s executive director. “We love Schaumburg. This is where our roots are.” * The Daily Egyptian | ‘No one’s selling anyone’s water’: Fear, speculation follow southern Illinois water district consolidation proposal: * Press release | IDNR and City of Springfield announce plans for new downtown park and outdoor venue space: Conceptual designs for the park include landscaping featuring all native Illinois plants. The focal point is a natural limestone amphitheater with seating for 1,500 to 1,800 people, enabling it to continue hosting the popular Levitt AMP Springfield Music Series. Additional features include open lawn seating, shaded gathering areas, ADA accessible walking paths and a natural play space for children. The park layout will be aligned with the Governor’s Mansion to enhance the visual connection between the adjacent blocks and will incorporate design elements inspired by the residence’s historic oval lawn. Interpretive signage will share the history of the park site, including information about the former YWCA building. Plans also call for a dedicated “Community Row” space for vendor tents, mobile restrooms and a food truck plaza along the closed Jackson Street area to support concerts and other events. * IPM Newsroom | New Champaign Unit 4 superintendent brings back some former cabinet members into other leadership roles: Ward and most members of the previous superintendent’s cabinet have all retired or been demoted, with the option to return to teaching. The new superintendent, Geovanny Ponce, appointed three from that group into leadership roles this week. Ward will become interim principal of Central High School. “I have a dream that every student will have a path and a plan,” she said. “And I know that Dr. Ponce and the team here has that same dream.” * WCIA | Decatur City Council approves memorandum with sanitary district to cut down pollutants in waterways: City Council member David Horn said the Sanitation District of Decatur is the largest single point source of phosphorus into waterways in the state. Now, he said the city will be working with the district to get that number down from 20 milligrams per liter flowing into streams and rivers like the Sangamon.“The I-EPA is requiring that by 2029, the sanitary District of Decatur reduced that to 1 mg per liter. This is a big victory from an environmental perspective,” Horn said. * Harvest Public Media | Trump reduced tariffs on farm machinery. But prices could still increase.: Tariffs on equipment made from steel, aluminum and copper decreased from 25 percent to 15 percent on June 8 after President Trump signed a proclamation. Yet, experts say the decrease isn’t enough to relieve manufacturers or farmers in a struggling market. “We appreciate the [a]dministration’s move to lower tariffs on agricultural equipment, but the real-world savings are limited,” said Richard Gupton, the senior vice president of public policy and council for the Agricultural Retailers Association.
|
|
Welch removes Ammons from committees, caucus pending federal case (Updated)
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Background is here if you need it. House Speaker Chris Welch…
…Adding… Gov. JB Pritzker’s office…
|
|
It’s the management
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * WBEZ…
|
|
Jesse’s still got it
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Jesse White Tumblers auditioned for ‘America’s Got Talent’…
|
|
Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
Comments Off |
|
Feds indict Rep. Ammons (Updated)
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) was indicted by a federal grand jury on wire fraud, false statement and obstruction charges. From the indictment…
* The indictment also cites text messages prosecutors allege referred to cash kickbacks…
* After eight wire fraud counts, the indictment alleges Rep. Ammons made a false statement to the FBI…
…Adding… House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
|
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Attorneys general, state officials sue over 2nd federal attempt to cut permanent housing funds. Sun-Times…
- Raoul and the coalition of state legal officials said the move, which they argue oversteps the Trump administration’s power and violates federal law, will once again risk housing for tens of thousands of people. In Illinois alone, $60 million in funding would be lost, according to the suit. - Similar arguments made by Raoul and others have led to federal court decisions reinstating $2 billion in federal disaster relief funding, $2 billion for transportation and millions in public health research money. * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Subscribers know more. Politico | When should an ethics report be public?: Questions are mounting about whether the ethics report that led former state Rep. Harry Benton to resign should be made public. […] About the report: The Legislative Inspector General has 30 days to submit its report to the Legislative Ethics Commission, which then has another 60 days to consider its findings and respond. The commission also has the authority to make available a public summary of the findings. It is required to make the findings public if it results in a suspension or termination, according to a person familiar with the state statute, who was granted anonymity due to a lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly. * Capitol News Illinois | Utility watchdog warns of rising water rates as regulators consider requests: Customers across Illinois could be facing higher water and sewage bills as the state’s largest private water utilities seek rate increases and permission to merge. Illinois American Water, the state’s largest private water utility, is seeking a $142 million rate increase, which would raise typical water costs for its 357,000 residential customers by around $14 per month. Typical wastewater customers would see an additional increase of around $28 per month. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson says aldermen’s provisions in budget $130 million short: “I want to say this clearly: There were other options,” Johnson said. “We did not need to cede to big money interests and fall back on the tired practice of balancing budgets on the backs of working people.” What’s less clear is how his administration will seek to fill that hole as the clock ticks toward the 2027 budget cycle — and an election that will see the mayor’s office and all 50 aldermanic seats on the ballot. The freshman mayor said he’s “working hard to avoid layoffs and cutting services” but made clear he will use his bully pulpit to blame aldermen should it come to that. * Block Club | Council-Backed Budget Could Lead To $130 Million Shortfall This Year, Mayor Says: Johnson, however, has remained a frequent critic of the budget that got passed. On Tuesday, his administration released a mid-year budget report with preliminary revenue numbers and forecasts showing that some of the alternative budget revenue ideas weren’t panning out — which could lead to an at least $130 million budget hole this year. In particular, the mayor said his team has attempted to find a buyer for the city’s vehicular debt, but “to date, no buyer has been identified,” making a sale impossible. Alderpeople had estimated a debt sale could bring in about $90 million for the city coffers. * Ald. Scott Waguespack | 29 Council members sought to get Chicago to live within its means: Yet when Mayor Brandon Johnson unveiled his fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, many members of the City Council were confronted with a troubling reality: They were being asked to approve a nearly $18 billion spending plan without significant efficiencies, without involvement in its development and without answers to basic fiscal questions. At the same time, Mayor Johnson pushed policies like the head tax on businesses to penalize employers for putting people to work and placing Chicago closer toward the end of a financial cliff. This approach lacked transparency while ignoring altogether the concept of trying to live within our means. * Sun-Times | One of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s most ardent City Council adversaries won’t seek reelection in 2027: Ald. Marty Quinn (13th), who learned the game of Chicago politics at the feet of now-convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), is calling it a career after 15 years in the City Council. Quinn, 51, told the Sun-Times that he has decided not to seek reelection in 2027. After 4,100 conversations in the last four years alone in the living rooms and at the front doors of his Southwest Side constituents, Quinn said he “left it all on the field” and no longer has the energy required to “manage from the front lines.” He said he cannot risk giving the demanding job less than it demands. * Sun-Times | Chicago Public Media launching community website — chicago.com — in the fall: The site will include Chicago-area information, civic and cultural resources, community-sourced knowledge and opportunities for audience participation, the nonprofit said Wednesday. It will also curate headlines from the Sun-Times, WBEZ and other news sources. For independent journalism to “truly service the public … we should have digital infrastructure that is also steered by public media companies,” Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell said. The news industry “has ceded a lot of distribution to places like Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, and I think that has done a disservice to centering civic discourse in a healthy way.” * Tribune | After putting the street race on hold, could NASCAR end up in Chicago and Joliet next summer?: While nothing is set, NASCAR is not only hoping to bring back the Chicago Street Race after a one-year hiatus, but perhaps add the long-dormant southwest suburban track to its regular schedule as well. “It could be both,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s chief operating officer and great-grandson of the family-owned racing organization’s founder. “It’s a market that’s strong enough that absolutely we could have two events there in the future.” * Tribune | Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami begins his injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte: Munetaka Murakami estimated he was at the 99% point of his recovery. “The last road is to play in the minors,” the Chicago White Sox first baseman said through an interpreter on Sunday evening in Cleveland. “That one percent at being at the minors and then being back on the (major-league) field.” That final hurdle got underway Tuesday when Murakami began a minor-league injury rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. * Daily Southtown | Dolton passes ordinance allowing payment of $33.5 million judgment over 10 years: “We’re still in negotiations and discussing that, but it looks like we’re going to come up with a positive plan so the taxpayers won’t be burdened,” village attorney Michael McGrath said at Monday’s Village Board meeting. Dolton and the families of John Kyles and Duane Dunlap agreed in court June 10 the village would pay the judgment and accruing interest in installments over 10 years, with the payments secured through a bond. The village is only allowed to pay the judgment over time by adopting an ordinance, which passed Monday, stating that “unreasonable hardship will result” unless the judgment is paid in installments, according to state law. * Daily Herald | State agency wants more information on how DuPage County Board approved raises: DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek filed a request for review of the board’s April 28 vote setting salaries for officials taking office after the November election. In a June 26 letter to the public access counselor, Kaczmarek raised questions about the legality of the vote, arguing the board did not provide enough notice to the public of the pending vote. She also argued the board violated the state’s Open Meetings Act when it approved a change, proposed on the board floor, that increased the originally suggested salary for the county board chairman from $154,390 in the upcoming fiscal year to $185,000. Under the amended salary, the chair’s pay will top $198,000 in the 2030 fiscal year. * Daily Southtown | ‘The stench is putrid’: Nearly full Thornton reservoir brings sewage stink, increased flood risk: As of 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, the water level had receded slightly from that high to 93% capacity, or 7.3 billion gallons, according to the district’s website. The highest the reservoir has ever been before was in 2019, when it hit 54.5% capacity. […] “It smells,” said Thornton Village Clerk Nikki Kitakis. “It’s pretty horrific.” Odors from the reservoir have been a long-standing issue for residents of Thornton, though Kitakis said the issue is particularly severe with the reservoir so full. * WCIA | Decatur Council votes for city to cover full cost of leaking lead service line replacements: At Monday’s meeting, the Decatur City Council voted to up its reimbursement program from 50% to 100% for businesses and homes trying to get rid of drinking water supply pipes at risk of lead contamination. More specifically, for residential and commercial properties with possible lead contamination. […] Back on Jan. 17, 2023, city council approved a policy to provide a 50% cost share to replace privately owned water services. However, the city was recently informed that the Illinois EPA received additional funding from the U.S. EPA for lead service removal. * WGLT | Bloomington Police say drones are an eye in the sky, not a surveillance state: Police Chief Jamal Simington compared the use of drones to other advances in technology that police use: DNA, fingerprinting, and radar guns for monitoring speed. “History tells us community members have struggled with advancements in law enforcement for many many years. This is nothing new,” Simington said. Sgt. Jared Bierbaum is the drone coordinator for Bloomington Police Department. He told the small audience of a few community members at a public forum Tuesday night that not every drone they see in the sky is from the department, but he can understand the unsettling feeling of seeing a drone hovering over one’s property. * BND | Belleville repeals ban on ‘tiny homes’ approved under former administration: Belleville City Council has repealed a ban on new homes smaller than 1,000 square feet that was passed two years ago. At the time, zoning staff under former mayor Patty Gregory were trying to guard against construction of “tiny homes,” arguing they could reduce property values in some neighborhoods. But the ban unnecessarily regulated development and created problems for people trying to get loans or insurance when buying, selling, modifying or rebuilding existing small homes, according to officials. * AP | Obamacare premiums surged this year. A new analysis shows it’s likely to happen again in 2027: Across the 77 insurers in the ACA program that have submitted rate filings that are publicly available, the median proposed premium increase for 2027 is 14%, according to Wednesday’s analysis from the healthcare research nonprofit KFF. The insurers cited mounting healthcare costs, federal regulatory changes and the recent expiration of pandemic-era enhanced subsidies as the biggest factors driving premiums higher. * WIRED | Meta Now Lets Anyone Use Your Instagram Photos in AI Images—Unless You Opt Out: The new model, called Muse Image, rolled out with deep integrations woven into the Instagram app. As part of this update, public Instagram profiles are now automatically opted into being fodder for generative AI remixes. All someone has to do is tag your account’s profile in a prompt—if it’s public—and they can use Meta AI to generate an image using your likeness.
|
|
Good morning!
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Every now and then you have to remember that, no matter what challenges you may face, life is most definitely grand… Sun came out the other day This is an Illinois open thread.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
| « NEWER POSTS | PREVIOUS POSTS » |
