Cook County Democrats last week declined to pick official favorites in the crowded primary fields ahead of next year’s congressional primaries, but the party’s chair is backing a protégé in the race to replace U.S. Rep Robin Kelly in the district that stretches from the South Side to central Illinois.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Monday announced her support for state Sen. Robert Peters, a South Side progressive, in the March Democratic primary to replace Kelly, who is forgoing a reelection bid for the 2nd Congressional District seat to run for the U.S. Senate.
Peters worked as an activist on economic and criminal justice issues with both Preckwinkle and another of her protégés, former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. Preckwinkle also backed Peters for an appointment to the Illinois Senate in 2019 to replace Kwame Raoul after Raoul’s was elected the state’s attorney general.
Preckwinkle’s endorsement comes as the potential entry of former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. into the race could dramatically alter the landscape in the 2nd Congressional District primary.
* Bridget Degnen, the current 12th District commissioner, announced she won’t seek a third term. Catherine Sharp has since launched her campaign for the Cook County Board seat…
Cat Sharp announced her candidacy for the 12th District on the Cook County Board on Monday, following incumbent Commissioner Bridget Degnen’s announcement that she does not plan to run again for the seat.
Sharp has worked as chief of staff to Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) since 2023. She previously served as Director of Outreach on Degnen’s County Board staff.
During her tenure as Chief of Staff, she has overseen tens of millions of dollars of investments for infrastructure, park, school, public safety, and small business improvement projects in the 40th Ward.
Handling business and neighborhood development for the 40th Ward, Sharp has helped new businesses open and expand by identifying grants and assisting small businesses navigate through City red tape. As the public safety liaison of the 40th Ward, Sharp works with local police to share accurate and timely public safety updates with neighbors and has assisted in the investigations of violent crime by connecting witnesses and evidence to detectives.
At Degnen’s office, Sharp worked with hundreds of constituents across the district to assist them in filing their own property tax appeals and applying for exemptions, saving or getting back thousands of dollars for some residents. […]
“I’m proud to support Cat Sharp, who has been an incredibly hard working and principled leader of our local government offices here in this community,” said Degnen. “Over eight years, I’ve worked hard to build an office that stays focused on what matters the most–serving our residents and leading with compassion and conscientiousness. I trust Cat to pick up that torch and carry it forward.” […]
“As chief of staff for our office, Cat has been an exemplary leader–compassionate, strategic, and committed to improving services and results for our constituents,” said Ald. Vasquez. “There is no one more equipped to step into this role, and I’m thrilled to support her.”
* The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ breakdown of ACA-related Medicaid in Illinois…
* From the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation’s 2024 impact report…
The Foundation awards twenty $5,000 scholarships annually, to students across Illinois. Recipients are honored at our annual gala and participate in a weekend Leadership Development Training Program.
■ +400 scholarships have been awarded
■ +$1 Million in scholarship funds
■ +500 applications received per year
The Alumni Association currently includes 367 members, with 26 alumni serving on the Alumni Association Board. Alumni help support efforts across three subcommittees:
■ Leadership Development
■ Networking and Outreach
■ Communications
■ Scholarship Review
Automotive seating manufacturer Adient is setting up shop next to the Rivian plant in Normal as the electric-vehicle maker gears up to make a new, smaller SUV.
Dublin-based Adient will invest more than $8 million and create at least 75 new jobs, the state of Illinois says. The company will receive an estimated $4 million in credits for payroll taxes under a state incentive program aimed at EV manufacturers and suppliers.
Adient has more than 70,000 employees worldwide and operates more than 200 manufacturing facilities, including 30 in the United States. It serves virtually all the world’s automakers, including Detroit’s Big Three — Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen — and posted $14.7 billion in sales last year.
Rivian has been the biggest success so far in the state’s move to become an EV manufacturing hub. The company employs more than 8,000 people at its manufacturing plant in Normal. In addition to its electric truck, SUV and a commercial delivery van, Rivian is preparing to manufacture a smaller, less expensive SUV.
Tom Durkin, a nationally known trial attorney, has died, the ABC7 I-Tean has learned. He was 78.
He was a known for specializing in the defense of complex federal criminal matters with a special emphasis on the defense of prosecutions involving national security, domestic terrorism, and civil rights related matters.
Durkin, a Chicago native, represented the likes of Mohammed Hamzah Khan, Adel Daoud, Robert Sorich, and Matt Hale. […]
Durkin passed after a short illness, the I-Team learned.
*** Statehouse News ***
* Tribune | Chicago activists urge Pritzker to pass law to make polluters pay for climate change damages: Young climate activists from Chicago called on Gov. JB Pritzker to enact legislation that would make the fossil fuel industry — instead of taxpayers — responsible for funding green, resilient infrastructure and disaster response in the face of climate change, following similar bills recently passed in Vermont and New York. “Illinois can and must do the same,” said Oscar Sanchez, co-executive director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force, at a Sunday rally.
*** Chicago ***
* Block Club | Agents Break Montclare Mom’s Window, Detain 2 In Little Village In Separate Immigration Arrests: Two men were taken after federal agents stopped their car Thursday morning in Little Village, according to volunteers with the Pilsen Rapid Response Network and a social media post. Later that afternoon, federal agents detained Catalina Mota Martinez outside her Montclare home, relatives said. The incident was also captured in a Facebook Live video. Relatives said Martinez, who immigrated to the United States from Mexico around 30 years ago, was taken after agents broke her car window and removed her from the car. “She’s been here more than half of her life, this is her home, so for them to try and take her and send her somewhere she’s unfamiliar with, it’s unfair,” said Martinez’s daughter, who has asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. “They treated her like she was dangerous.”
* WGN | ‘Purpose Over Pain’ pushes for progress as thousands of Chicago cold cases remain unsolved: The group Purpose Over Pain organized a panel discussion and resource fair for families involved in cold cases. It was held Saturday morning at Saint Sabina Church. “Our goal is to try to figure out how can we get justice for our children? How can we walk with the detectives to get our cases solved because we feel like if we aren’t out there, nobody seems to care,” Pam Bosley, Executive Director of Purpose Over Pain, said.
* Crain’s | Justice Department appeals Jenner & Block’s win in fight with Trump: Deputy Associate Attorney General Richard Lawson, who argued for the Trump administration in favor of the executive order, notified the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of the appeal today. The appeal has yet to appear on the appellate court’s docket. “The district court correctly declared that Jenner’s clients have a right to independent counsel and that the firm’s right to represent clients vigorously and without compromise is sacred,” Jenner & Block said in a statement to Crain’s. “We look forward to confirming this on appeal. We will continue doing what we do best: fearlessly representing our clients under all circumstances.”
* Block Club | Alderpeople Vs. Chicago Cops In 16-Inch Softball: ‘This Is The Best We’ve Gotten Along All Year’: The game disintegrated by the seventh inning, when a variety of local political celebrities took the field, including recent mayoral also-ran Paul Vallas, county Treasurer Maria Pappas and county Clerk Anna Valencia. Tabares got the final at-bat, crushing an infield home run as the police conveniently overthrew fielders at every base. After Tabares crossed the plate, the score had somehow shifted to favor the aldermen, 16-15 — an act of legislative trickery all-too-common in Chicago’s City Hall that had found its way to the grounds of Kerry Wood Field.
* Chicago Reader | Lowering the curtain: The Harris Theater is among many organizations and artists nationwide to get late-night emails from the NEA notifying them that their funds had been terminated or withdrawn. And because the NEA pays its grants by reimbursement, this didn’t just throw a wrench in the theater’s planning—it created a deficit by stripping funds that had already been spent.
* Chicago Mag | The Pope Slept Here: Before becoming the Vatican’s VIP, Leo XIV was better known around these parts as Bob Prevost. Here’s a tour of his local haunts.
* Chicago Eater | A Chicago Pastry Chef Opens Up on Limb Difference and New Motherhood: Fat Peach Bakery replaced Bridgeport Bakery, a neighborhood staple for 50 years, which briefly reopened under new ownership and became Bridgeport Bakery 2.0 before closing in 2021. Both were best known for cookies and for paczkis, with long lines forming on Fat Tuesdays. Fat Peach Bakery chose a different approach, focusing on sourdough-based, fancy, flaky pastries with unexpected fillings, and a surprise approach to their ever-changing weekly menu. Castillo and Breuer were inspired by Mexican café culture and a desire to create a workplace that nurtured their employees as well as the neighborhood.
* Southside Weekly | Captivating, Nourishing, Sacred: What Promontory Point Means to South Siders: The beloved limestone rocks that serve as stair-step revetment to Lake Michigan are a signature part of what makes the space special. They have also been the subject of intense debate and controversy over the past two decades, since the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) first proposed that the limestone be replaced with concrete in order to buttress the shoreline against rising lake levels. Those proposals faced pushback from community members, who have organized to preserve the park’s limestone and mobilize park goers toward civic engagement, in part through the advocacy of the Promontory Point Conservancy.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | Homeland Security takes Bolingbrook man into ICE custody after he appears in Kane County court on DUI: He had just pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated DUI, a Class 4 felony. It was part of a plea agreement that included 24 months of probation and other charges not being prosecuted, according to court records. He’d been stopped by Montgomery police about 1:39 a.m. Aug. 3, 2024, and charged with drunken driving on a suspended or revoked license. […] Hours after Manriquez-Valdivia’s arrest, Elgin attorney Caroline Hernandez emailed Chief Judge Robert Villa asking that Villa’s office reinstate the option for remote court appearances over Zoom, “particularly those involving people of Latino descent who are now being actively targeted by ICE outside the Kane County courthouse.”
* Daily Herald | Man charged with hiding Antioch woman’s death detained by ICE: Jose Luis Mendoza-Gonzalez, 52, is charged with concealing the death of 37-year-old Megan Bos. He was granted pretrial release in April, two days after his arrest. Though he’s now in ICE custody, Lake County prosecutors want Mendoza-Gonzalez tried locally, warning that deportation could allow him to go free. “We believe that a criminal trial and sentencing is more appropriate than deportation proceedings,” the Lake County state’s attorney’s office said in a statement Sunday.
* Daily Southtown | Blue Island mobile home residents, management to meet as city pushes shut down: Some residents started receiving 5-day eviction notices and immediate possession orders July 12, and resident Joe Cervantes said the property management’s attorney said only 10 residential units out of more than 66 are up to date on rent payment and qualify for housing assistance, which residents protest. Cervantes said he hopes to prove more residents have paid rent before the meeting. He said many residents told him they have proof they are up to date on rent or, if they haven’t paid, it’s because they don’t trust management.
* Naperville Sun | Naperville council OKs new residential developments, one with proposed rents of up to $5,000: The Naperville City Council has signed off on two new residential developments — one with rents ranging from $3,900 to $5,000 — that will add a total of 154 new homes to the city when construction is complete. A final plat for M/I Homes’ Northwoods of Naperville, which proposes converting the former 12-acre DeVry University site at 1151 E. Warrenville Road off Interstate 88 into 64 single-family townhomes, was approved by the council Tuesday as were the land annexation and variances needed for The Residences at Naper & Plank. The latter will bring 34 townhouses and 56 rowhouses, all leased luxury units with monthly rents of up to $5,000, to an 8.2-acre site at Naper Bouelvard and Plank Road.
* Sun-Times | Cook County air quality ‘unhealthy,’ heat watch issued: An elevated concentration of microscopic particles in the air makes it “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “AirNow” interactive map. People should reduce their exposure to outdoor air if they have heart or lung disease, are older adults, children or teens, according to the EPA.
* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to vote on doubling hotel room tax: Aurora is considering doubling its hotel room tax rate, which has not risen since it was first adopted in 1987. The city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax rate is currently set at 3%, but many nearby communities have higher rates that are similar to what is being proposed, according to Chief Financial Officer Chris Minick. He estimates that the proposed 6% rate would bring in an additional $1.1 million for the city each year, especially after the opening of the new $360 million Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort.
* Talia Winiarsky | Why Kat Abughazaleh isn’t the next Zohran Mamdani: Though Abughazaleh has tried to immerse herself in the community through events like beach cleanups and collecting mutual aid, it will still be a challenging task. She moved to Illinois just months before announcing her candidacy, a decision which she attributed to her partner’s job. She didn’t live in the district at the time, but in Streeterville -– she said she’d move here this summer. Just because you meet many people who live in a district in a short amount of time doesn’t mean that you have the intricate knowledge required to lead them. That takes years.
* Shaw Local | Elgin arts studio gets $200K state grant to transform downtown building: An Elgin lawmaker helped secure a state grant for an Elgin-based art studio that plans to refurbish a long-vacant downtown building and turn it into a flourishing gallery and entertainment venue. State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, recently announced $200,000 was awarded to sustain and enhance local arts programs in the northwest suburbs.
*** Downstate ***
* Center Square | NIU takes verbal lashing from audit commission over timekeeping findings: The Legislative Audit Commission heard audit reviews for three public universities throughout the state. For Northern Illinois University, there were 15 findings officials said were not material and they are working on repeated findings. President Lisa Freeman said they hope to change a state law requiring tracking work hours in 15 minute increments. “Where appropriate, NIU and sister public universities seek legislative changes as the corrective action to audit findings,” Freeman said.
* IPM News | With water from out of town, the Mattoon Bagelfest is underway: Organizers trucked in water from out of town to avoid tapping into the city’s reservoir. Since the 1980s, the Lender’s Bagels factory in Mattoon has been providing food for what organizers call “The World’s Biggest Bagel Breakfast.” Brian Heaton brought his daughter with him to the festival. They went on carnival rides at Bagelfest, an annual ritual for the two of them.
* WSIL | Murphysboro Farmers Market cancels for the rest of summer: The Murphysboro Farmers Market took place every Saturday from May to September, offering locally grown produce, food, and handmade crafts. On social media, organizers say some vendors are no longer able to participate, including farmer Homer Jenkins, who is retiring. They also added that this summer’s weather has made crop production increasingly difficult. […] The city is also looking for new managers for the farmers market. If interested contact Sandra Ripley at a city office.
*** National ***
* Wisconsin Public Radio | Drought means ‘drier than normal.’ How will climatologists define drought if the new normal is dry?: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is working on a study to answer that question. The query was originally brought to the independent nonprofit research organization by the National Integrated Drought Information System, a group within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. […] “It’s really a question of, is this drought, or what we call aridification, which is the entire climate getting drier?” Leasor said. In that case, the drier baseline would mean a drier bar for what qualifies as a drought.
* 404 Media | Spotify Publishes AI-Generated Songs From Dead Artists Without Permission: According to his official Spotify page, Blaze Foley, a country music singer-songwriter who was murdered in 1989, released a new song called “Together” last week. The song, which features a male country singer, piano, and an electric guitar, vaguely sounds like a new, slow country song. The Spotify page for the song also features an image of an AI-generated image of a man who looks nothing like Foley singing into a microphone. […] “It’s harmful to Blaze’s standing that this happened,” he said. “It’s kind of surprising that Spotify doesn’t have a security fix for this type of action, and I think the responsibility is all on Spotify. They could fix this problem. One of their talented software engineers could stop this fraudulent practice in its tracks, if they had the will to do so. And I think they should take that responsibility and do something quickly.”
* CNN | US Marines mobilized to Los Angeles are being sent home, Pentagon says: A senior Pentagon official said during a congressional hearing last month that the mobilization of the Marines and National Guardsmen was estimated to cost $134 million. “The current estimated cost is $134 million, which is largely just [temporary duty] cost, travel, housing, food, etc.,” Bryn MacDonnell, a special assistant to the Secretary of Defense and official performing the duties of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
* AP | Less selection, higher prices: How tariffs are shaping the holiday shopping season: The consequences for consumers? Stores may not have the specific gift items customers want come November and December. Some retail suppliers and buyers scaled back their holiday lines rather than risking a hefty tax bill or expensive imports going unsold. Businesses still are setting prices but say shoppers can expect many things to cost more, though by how much depends partly on whether Trump’s latest round of “reciprocal” tariffs kicks in next month.
* WaPo | A new era of floods has arrived. America isn’t prepared: From last year’s disaster in Asheville to this month’s catastrophic floods in Central Texas, the world has entered a new era of rainfall supercharged by climate change, rendering existing response plans inadequate. A Washington Post analysis of atmospheric data found a record amount of moisture flowing in the skies over the past year and a half, largely due to rising global temperatures. With so much warm, moist air available as fuel, storms are increasingly able to move water vapor from the oceans to locations hundreds of miles from the coast, triggering flooding for which most inland communities are ill-prepared.
* WIRED | At Least 750 US Hospitals Faced Disruptions During Last Year’s CrowdStrike Outage, Study Finds: Now a new study by a team of medical cybersecurity researchers has taken the first steps toward quantifying the cost of CrowdStrike’s disaster not in dollars, but in potential harm to hospitals and their patients across the US. It reveals evidence that hundreds of those hospitals’ services were disrupted during the outage, and raises concerns about potentially grave effects to patients’ health and well-being. Researchers from UC San Diego today marked the one-year anniversary of CrowdStrike’s catastrophe by releasing a paper in JAMA Network Open, a publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association Network, that attempts for the first time to create a rough estimate of the number of hospitals whose networks were affected by that IT meltdown on July 19, 2024, as well as which services on those networks appeared to have been disrupted.
Six years ago, Anne Pramaggiore was still a rising star in Chicago’s male-dominated C-suite corporate world, the newly minted chief executive of Exelon, a major Fortune 100 energy company that delivered power to millions of customers in the Chicago area and beyond.
But her career went into free fall when it was revealed in 2019 that she and others at Exelon’s subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison, were under investigation in an elaborate scheme to bribe then-House Speaker Michael Madigan and win his help with the utility giant’s ambitious legislative agenda in Springfield.
On Monday, after years of delay, Pramaggiore’s long legal saga is finally coming full circle as a judge is set to sentence her for her conviction in one of the biggest political corruption scandals in state history.
Prosecutors are asking for a stiff prison term of almost 6 years and a $1.75 million fine, writing in a recent filing that despite all her success,, money and professional status, “she made the choice to participate in a years-long conspiracy that corrupted the legislative process in Springfield” and subverted her own company’s internal controls. […]
Her attorneys, meanwhile, argued for probation, writing in a court filing of their own that the conduct for which she was convicted was “a true aberration” in an otherwise exemplary life, not only in her professional path but also in her dedication to her family and charitable works. They also submitted nearly a hundred letters from friends and supporters attesting to her good character.
* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner is in the courtroom…
Like he did in Hooker's case, Shah finds that if Pramaggiore had disclosed the payments to the Madigan subcontractors, then ComEd's internal controls "would have stopped the payments." "The scheme would have been exposed and the money stopped," he says.
Shah: "Ms. Pramaggiore had — and has — an impressive capacity to be present, to listen, to be aware, and to execute. Absent-mindedness, or head-in-the-clouds thinking about big-picture issues without sweating the details is not her approach."
#BREAKING Former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore has been sentenced to two years in prison for her role in a conspiracy aimed at swaying former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to benefit ComEd.
U.S. District Judge Manish Shah delivered the sentence in a Chicago courtroom on Monday. He said Pramaggiore was “all in” on a “creative arrangement” to bribe Madigan and cover it up.
“This was corruption expressed through the falsification of books and records,” Shah said from the bench.
Pramaggiore declined to address the judge before he sentenced her.
Pramaggiore, who turns 67 in two weeks, showed little outward reaction as U.S. District Judge Manish Shah announced his sentence, which also included a $750,000 fine. […]
“Pramaggiore could have remained silent, but instead chose to try to obstruct the jury’s process,” the prosecution filing stated. “Pramaggiore’s lies demonstrate a lack of integrity and
candor, and her interest in prioritizing her own self-interest over the truth.”
Her attorneys, meanwhile, argued for probation, writing in a court filing of their own that the conduct for which she was convicted was “a true aberration” in an otherwise exemplary life, not only in her professional path but also in her dedication to her family and charitable works. They also submitted nearly a hundred letters from friends and supporters attesting to her good character. […]
Pramaggiore is the second of the ComEd Four to be sentenced. Shah handed a 1 1/2-year prison term to Hooker last week. A hearing for McClain, a retired ComEd lobbyist who doubled as Madigan’s right-hand man, will be sentenced Thursday, while the fourth defendant, Doherty, is scheduled to be sentenced in August.
Reporters just received this statement from a spox for Pramaggiore. (Background on tossed bribery counts: https://t.co/UXhxpQP5We) Appealing was always the plan, but she and her co-defendants had to wait more than two years for sentencing after conviction. Now they may appeal. pic.twitter.com/tKKxrgC20k
* First, some background from a WGN article published in May…
“We have people simply trespassing on people’s property who don’t belong there, squatting and taking residence up on their own,” said State Rep. Jawaharial Williams (D-Chicago).
His bill changes state law to differentiate squatters from tenants and forego the months-long eviction process. It passed unanimously in the Illinois House and received only a single “no” vote in the state senate. The bill, SB1563, needs Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature to become law.
Real estate attorneys say criminals have been known to break into unoccupied homes and then pose as landlords offering prospective tenants a fake lease. They then take advantage of state law meant to protect true tenants from wrongful evictions.
“Criminals know they can do this. There’s really no criminal repercussion and you have live rent free in a home for 12-to-18 months if you’re lucky,” attorney Aaron Stanton told WGN Investigates in 2023.
The ABC7 Chicago I-Team is hearing from yet another homeowner who says squatters have moved into his property and refuse to leave.
An Illinois state representative lives right next-door, and has been watching the whole situation unfold.
The state lawmaker, Marcus Evans, is calling on the governor to take action. […]
“It’s happening all over the state. So, we’re shining a light to show the governor again, that his action is necessary, immediately,” said [Rep La Shawn Ford], who represents the 8th District.
“I’m going to be calling the governor and the office today and ask him to immediately sign this,” Evans said.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is expected to sign Senate Bill 1563, or the Squatter Bill, into law. […]
A spokesperson for the governor said he will sign the bill, but did not share a timeline for when.
It goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
[From Rich: All that hooplah and the bill doesn’t even take effect until January? Maybe they could just pass one with an immediate effective date during veto session?]
…Adding… A Pritzker spokesperson said when asked that, despite what they told news media outlets, neither Reps. Evans nor Ford followed through and contacted the governor and/or his staff to ask that he sign the bill immediately.
…Adding… Governor JB Pritzker…
Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed SB1563 into law, clarifying that civil eviction procedures do not restrict law enforcement from enforcing trespassing laws, providing critical clarity for property owners and law enforcement agencies handling unauthorized occupancies across the state.
“This outdated eviction law has treated squatters the same as tenants, leaving property owners in limbo and tying the hands of law enforcement,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I want to thank the bill sponsors, Sen. Lakesia Collins and Rep. Jawaharial Williams, for their leadership in spearheading this important legislation. This bill delivers long-overdue clarity, closes dangerous legal loopholes, and ensures that trespassers can no longer manipulate the system to delay removal from properties they never had any right to occupy in the first place.”
“Squatters are a problem, and no one should have to get an eviction notice to remove them from their home. Law enforcement need to be able to do their job and return homes to their rightful owners,” said State Senator Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago). “We are responding to constituents who have had trouble with squatters who could not be removed without an eviction. This will simplify the process and bring back much-needed security to residents.”
Currently, Illinois law does not distinguish between overstaying tenants and squatters if the squatter claims to be a tenant or owner. A person occupying a property with no legal right to do so cannot be evicted by law enforcement until the court eviction process has concluded, leaving squatters with the right to remain on the property during the often-lengthy court system processes.
In addition to clarifying law enforcement ability to enforce trespassing laws, the bill establishes a clear distinction between lawful tenants and unlawful squatters, ensuring that property owners are no longer forced to navigate a lengthy court process to remove unauthorized occupants. It also provides law enforcement with clear guidance that, when a property owner can demonstrate valid ownership and trespassing is evident, officers have the authority to remove trespassers.
The bill will be effective January 1, 2026.
* More…
* WCIA | No more loopholes for squatters: Bill allowing police to treat them as trespassers heads to governor’s desk: The House passed the criminal eviction bill Wednesday with bipartisan support. This is an update to the current eviction rules. If signed into law, anyone living in a house, apartment, or on land without permission from the owner will be treated as a trespasser. This would give police the right to forcefully remove them from the property without a drawn-out court process.
* ABC Chicago | ‘Squatter Bill’ passes in Illinois House, heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk: “We’ve heard of instances of people providing false documents and fake rental agreements in order to remain on the property,” 10th District State Representative Jawaharial Williams. “Will this bill address that situation? Yes. It will also make it an offense when people present false documentation or fake their identity to the police officers or the owners of the property.”
The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois and the Regional Transportation Authority agree that a change to Illinois’ sales tax law will net the RTA an additional $150 million this year and another $225 million next year. That money will drastically reduce the impact of the looming $770 million “fiscal cliff,” which begins in January.
The extra revenue was a result of the state expanding its sales tax to include more online purchases.
In an internal RTA document, the transit agency mulls spending $44 million of that additional money this year on Americans with Disabilities Act paratransit operations and appears to leave the door open to even more spending expansions.
Several months ago, the RTA claimed that its paratransit costs contributed $239 million to the looming $770 million deficity because the state only kicked in $10 million to the federally required program that provides heavily subsidized rides to people with disabilities who cannot use fixed-line transit. The RTA has been receiving a huge amount of federal dollars since the pandemic, but that money runs out at the end of this year.
The RTA believes spending the $44 million is justified because paratransit is supposed to receive a set portion of sales tax revenues.
“In 2025, the paratransit expenses are over-budget and it is the fiduciary responsibility of the RTA and the Service Boards to address that gap with available funding this year,” said RTA spokesperson Rob Nash.
However, the internal document also seemed to leave the door open a bit to using that new money for other purposes.
“A subsequent vote by the Board would be needed to direct those funds to ADA paratransit funding or other budget amendments via an appropriations ordinance.”
Asked about further spending, Nash said the sales tax expansion “is contributing to positive budget variance or operating reserves at each operating agency after covering their monthly operating expenses.”
Either way, some key legislators involved in the mass transit reform talks don’t want the RTA to spend that unexpected $150 million now, preferring the agency wait until final legislation is approved and when the money can be used to alleviate deficit costs.
“We need everyone at the table offering and working on solutions to avoid the fiscal cliff that threatens transit services people rely on, and increasing spending right now does not advance that goal,” said Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, one of two House Democratic transit negotiators.
“Just like Springfield has a duty to fix the bigger problem, the RTA has an obligation to treat this moment with discipline. It’s crisis cash, not extra spending money,” said the other House Democratic negotiator, Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago.
One of the biggest obstacles to solving this transit problem is coming up with the money. The new sales tax revenue will help, but there’s still a long way to go.
And some major players are stepping up to complicate matters.
The Illinois Realtors Association has dumped an unprecedented $300,000 into a special campaign committee that is running an online “consumer awareness campaign” slamming some Democratic legislators ahead of the fall veto session.
The online ads are targeting five state senators and 21 House members, a spokesperson for the statewide group said. The Senate passed-bill was declared “dead on arrival” in the House by Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, but House members are bearing the brunt of the attacks, likely because the bill is now in their chamber.
An ad whacking Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, is particularly harsh. Ellman voted for the Senate’s mass transit reform/funding bill at the end of the spring session. That bill included a suburban real estate transfer tax which was expected to raise millions to fund mass transit programs.
The online spot features a Photoshopped image of Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ellman standing in a commuter train as hundred-dollar bills float in the air around them.
“Sen. Ellman voted to raise your property transfer taxes to bail out Brandon Johnson’s failing CTA,” the ad tells readers. “Tell her to stop this crazy plan.”
The click-through link leads to this message: “In the final hours of voting in Springfield, Illinois Senators passed a 600% Property Transfer Tax on families, targeting ONLY the suburbs. The intended recipient of these new taxes? Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Chicago Transit Authority.”
“The proposed real estate transfer tax increase ignores the glaring reality of the state’s housing economy,” said Illinois Realtors CEO Jeff Baker via news release. “This would add thousands of dollars of closing costs to every residential and commercial transaction in the Chicagoland area, slowing our real estate economy even more.”
…Adding… Crain’s says the Realtors have upped the buy…
Illinois Realtors spent about a million dollars opposing the Chicago transfer tax increase. It’s now spending “a little more than $500,000″ opposing the potential statewide increase, he said. […]
“Our transportation networks keep the suburban economy humming, and our housing values will crater if train and bus services are cut or disappear altogether,” Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, told Crain’s in an emailed statement.
“We need to have serious, thoughtful conversations about the future of transportation in DuPage and Will counties, and throughout our region,” Ellman’s statement said. “It’s disappointing that this organization chose to go on the offensive instead of joining us at the table.”
* And, by the way, here’s the visual in the ad, which subscribers saw last week…
Illinois has one of the nation’s worst problems with child sex abuse at juvenile detention centers, attorneys representing more than 900 survivors who have filed lawsuits said Wednesday.
Dozens of complaints, including several filed this week in Chicago, allege decades of systemic abuse of children by the employees of detention facilities. Similar lawsuits have popped up in states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, but Illinois stands out for the volume of cases that began piling up last year and the lackluster response from state leaders, according to attorneys.
“The scale and the magnitude and the severity of these cases are some of the worst we’ve seen all over the United States,” Jerome Block, an attorney who has filed lawsuits nationwide, said at a news conference.
The latest Illinois complaints, filed Tuesday, represent 107 people who experienced abuse as children at 10 centers statewide. Some have since closed. The lawsuits allege abuse from the mid-1990s to 2018, including rape, forced masturbation and beatings by chaplains, counselors, officers and kitchen supervisors.
* Rep. Margaret Croke secured the Cook County Democratic Party’s endorsement for comptroller after a motion to make the race an open primary failed. We’re told New Trier Democratic Committeeperson Dean Maragos flipped his vote…
Croke is close to Gov. JB Pritzker. She worked on his 2018 campaign and was deputy chief of staff at @IllinoisDCEO before her election to the Illinois House. She’s also on the board of Pritzker’s abortion rights advocacy group @Think_Big_USA. #twillhttps://t.co/sIwTh7Hvxx
* Sun-Times national political reporter Tina Sfondeles…
Cook County Dem Party decides not to slate anyone in the Senate race to replace Dick Durbin. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton spoke before the party; Rep. Robin Kelly had a surrogate after missing a flight amid late night House votes.
Please see statement from State Rep. and candidate for Illinois Comptroller, Margaret Croke, on earning today’s endorsement from the Cook County Democratic Party:
“I’m so very grateful to the Cook County Democratic Party for their endorsement and support as I seek to represent the people of our great state as its Comptroller. This is a critical moment in time and now more than ever Illinois needs a Comptroller who will lead with honesty, protect our most vulnerable populations, and bring fiscal responsibility to state government, which is exactly what I’ve advocated for throughout my time in the General Assembly. I’m ready to bring that same principled leadership to this office, serving as a watchdog for taxpayer dollars and ensuring transparency and accountability for every Illinois family.”
* The US Senate approved cuts to NPR, PBS yesterday. Illinois Times reporter Dilpreet Raju…
Here are the public news stations in Illinois that will experience the biggest hits from federal funding being cut, pulled from data compiled by Alex Curley of semipublic (https://t.co/1tjeLhELGJ) pic.twitter.com/9Amscjjp78
* Crain’s | UChicago Medicine suspends gender-affirming care for minors: “UChicago Medicine has reached the difficult decision that in response to continued federal actions, it will discontinue all gender-affirming pediatric care effective immediately,” the Hyde Park-based medical center announced. “We understand that this news will have a significant impact on our patients.” UChicago pointed to recent actions by the Trump administration to cut back Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements as a key factor in the decision. “We reached this conclusion in light of emerging federal actions which would place at risk our ability to care for all Medicare or Medicaid patients. These patients make up the majority of those we serve,” the statement read. “As the largest Medicaid provider in Illinois, this step is necessary to ensure UChicago Medicine can continue serving our broader community and delivering on our mission. Our focus right now is working with affected patients to discuss options going forward.”
* Sun-Times | Trump to reverse environmental racism, housing discrimination cases in Chicago: ProPublica reported Friday that the two Chicago cases are among seven that the Trump administration is dismissing. There is no official word from HUD and the agency has not responded to multiple requests from the Sun-Times for comment. One high-profile case involved the General Iron scrap metal operation that was being relocated from white, affluent Lincoln Park to a low-income community of color on the Southeast Side.
* WTTW | Chicago’s Top Lawyer on Ethics Reform, the Cost of Police Misconduct Lawsuits: Mary Richardson-Lowry, corporation counsel for the city of Chicago and leader of the city’s Law Department, told WTTW News’ “Chicago Tonight” on Thursday that her office didn’t obstruct any probes. “It just wasn’t factual,” Richardson-Lowry said. “That was a mischaracterization, but I view it as an attempt to lift the issue to further evolutions in ethics reform. This structure gets us to a place where we don’t erode our obligations as lawyers, nor do we have an adverse impact on the Office of Inspector General — who’s also my client — and their ability to do their job.”
* Sun-Times | Damen Silos demolition underway as historic structures make way for new development: Just five days in, the smaller buildings surrounding the massive structures near South Damen Avenue along the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal are already torn down and destruction of the silos has begun, according to city officials and owner Michael Tadin Jr. The biggest portion of the demo project includes two sets of 80-foot concrete silos and a tower that’s about 110 feet tall. The demolition will take months.
* Tribune | Renovated Red Line stations on North Side to reopen Sunday: The four stations — Argyle, Bryn Mawr, Lawrence and Berwyn — were renovated as part of a $2.1 billion Red and Purple line modernization project paid for by a combination of grants, federal money, transit tax increment financing dollars and CTA funds. The CTA has operated temporary stations at Argyle and Bryn Mawr during the construction period, but the Lawrence and Berwyn stations have been shuttered for more than four years.
* WBEZ | Car, bike, public transit: What’s the best way to get around town?: In this episode, the Curious City team puts the different modes of transportation to the test in a good old-fashioned transit race. From the Garfield Park Conservatory to Navy Pier, who will win? Car, bike or public transportation?
* Sun-Times | Work-zone speed-enforcement cameras still not being used on the Kennedy Expressway: But the “photo enforcement” signs still carry that empty threat in spots on the Kennedy, the Edens Expressway, Illinois tollways and some state roads in the suburbs. The Illinois Department of Transportation — the agency overseen by Gov. JB Pritzker that’s responsible for the state’s highway system — says it’s required to place the warning signs in work zones if there’s a possibility cameras will be used to snare speeders in reduced-speed construction zones. IDOT says there’s so much traffic congestion in Chicago and close-in suburbs that speeders generally aren’t as much of a problem in work zones there as they are farther away from the city, so that’s where the camera-enforcement efforts are focused.
* Block Club | Chicago’s All-Girls Baseball Team, Full Of Barrier-Breaking High School Stars, Heads To Nationals: The Humboldt Park Gators, Chicago’s only all-girls baseball team, captured the hearts of locals on their way to winning a national youth championship on their first try in 2021. Now, the Gators have spun off into a new team — with many more girls playing baseball, too. Perfect Catch Chicago will take four teams to Sparks, Nevada, next week for the 2025 Baseball For All Nationals, the country’s annual all-girls baseball tournament.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | Audio recording by District 203 school board member prompts police investigation: A Naperville Unit District 203 school board member is the target of a complaint after she claimed to have recorded a citizen’s finance committee meeting. Naperville police are investigating a claim that Melissa Kelley Black violated eavesdropping laws by recording a meeting of the advisory panel without approval. A police spokesman declined further comment. No criminal charges had been filed as of Wednesday.
* Daily Southtown | Will County approves solar farms in Crete, Lockport townships; deny two in Troy: The village of Homer Glen objected to the Lockport Township proposal; Crete Township voiced concerns over the solar farm proposed in its community and 10 agencies, including Shorewood, the Troy Fire Protection District and various school districts, objected to the solar projects for Troy Township. Concerns included the solar farms not being a right fit for the site, potential depreciation of nearby home values and concerns regarding soil and groundwater contamination.
* Evanston Now | Report: Housing, funding cuts among top city issues nationwide: A report released Thursday by the National League of Cities found that housing, economic growth and the impact of federal funding cuts are top of mind for municipalities across the country, mirroring concerns raised by leaders in Evanston. The NLC’s annual State of the Cities report found that 70% of mayors surveyed reported “challenges associated with the lack of housing supply in 2025,” with another 57% calling the availability of housing in their communities “poor” or “very poor.” Housing supply is top of mind in Evanston, too, as noted in Mayor Daniel Biss’ State of the City address on May 14, a speech in which he touched on zoning restraints that limit increases to housing supply.
* Tribune | Chicago-area nursing homes fined for ‘severe’ violations that led to patient deaths, Illinois health department says: One of the heftiest fines, at $50,000, was given to Cicero’s City View Multicare Center. IDPH found that the facility didn’t properly supervise a cognitively impaired resident’s eating, saying the 60-year-old man choked and died as a result. The resident was admitted to the facility in August 2023 with terminal illness under hospice services, the report stated. The man had diagnoses of dementia, diabetes and bipolar schizophrenia, and required supervision when eating. His name isn’t included in the report. Staff told emergency responders on Oct. 12, 2024, that the man — who was on a pureed diet — grabbed a turkey sandwich and began choking. Nurses said the resident clutched his throat and looked like he was “trying really hard to cough,” the report said. When the nurse opened his mouth it was full of saliva. Although staff and paramedics attempted the Heimlich maneuver, the man died that night around 7:48 p.m. at the hospital of “hypoxic cardiopulmonary arrest,” the report said.
* Daily Herald | Eviction suit added to dispute between Kane County horse rescue and landlords: The dispute between a horse rescue group and its landlords has taken another turn, with the landlords trying to evict the nonprofit organization from the rural Kane County farm it calls home. However, a Kane County judge has slowed the eviction process by ordering that it be merged with a lawsuit that Casey’s Safe Haven filed in March against the owners of the Maple Park property. The owners of the farm filed the eviction suit on June 3. According to court paperwork, the property owners gave a 30-day notice of termination on April 11. The eviction case was due to have its first court date on Tuesday, July 15, before Kane County Judge Elizabeth Flood.
* Daily Herald | ‘This is a blessing’: Suburban charity helps retired police dogs get health care: Hogyn, now 11 years old, has continued to live with his partner in his retirement, as do most police dogs. However, his police department no longer picks up the tab on the German shepherd’s health care and other needs. That’s all on Baron. And for older dogs that spent years chasing bad guys, searching rugged terrain for missing people and sniffing out drugs, explosives and other dangerous items, the aging process can be more difficult — and costly — than for the average family pet.
* Daily Southtown | Homewood ceremony pays tribute to nearly forgotten veteran who died in 1995 heat wave: Emilio Aguirre, a World War II combat veteran, died in his apartment in Chicago 30 years ago, not from illness, nor injury. Aguirre died just two weeks before his 82nd birthday from heat as temperatures reached up to what felt like 125 degrees during the 1995 Chicago heat wave. For nearly three decades, the Army veteran’s death stood lonely, unrecognized and forgotten. Despite being a Bronze Star recipient, there was no formal military funeral, no proper headstone or marker. That changed last month with a headstone placed at Aguirre’s final resting spot at Homewood Memorial Gardens, where he had been buried with 41 other heat wave victims and other unclaimed or unknown city residents. And on Thursday, 30 years to the day after his death, Aguirre received full military funeral honors.
*** Downstate ***
* WGLT | Bloomington mayor says reassessing sales tax sharing with McLean County hinges on what’s in it for the city: Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady said this week’s decision by the county board executive committee against approving a hiatus on sales tax sharing drives home the seriousness of the matter, as talks continue about the intergovernmental agreement to fund mental health and other services. “Those are … at the table, I don’t know if they convey it enough to elected county board members to understand the delicacy of this,” Brady said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.
* WICS | Sangamon County Jail operations disrupted by infrastructure mishaps: The first incident occurred on Monday, July 14, 2025, when contractors from the City of Springfield, working on the rail project and new transportation hub, accidentally struck a water pipe in the alleyway behind the jail. This resulted in a disruption of the water supply to both the jail and the Sheriff’s Office. In response, bottled water was provided to inmates, and normal operations resumed by 8:00 a.m. the following day. The second incident took place around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 16, when the same contractors hit an underground power line in the same alleyway. This caused a power outage affecting the jail, Sheriff’s Office, and parts of the Courthouse. Backup generators ensured essential systems remained operational, and full power was restored by 2:30 a.m. Thursday, with normal operations resuming at 8:00 a.m.
* Muddy River News | Honoring its roots, Adams County Fair gears up for its 83rd year: Highlights of this year’s fair include a concert with country music icons Sara Evans and Mark Wills on the evening of Saturday, July 26, sponsored by Gem City Ford Lincoln and SIU Center for Family Medicine in Quincy. Other musical acts include “Silver Bullets,” “Stealin’ Copper,” “Mugshot Bandits,” and Fuedin’ Hillbillys. These acts will take over the Buss Ag Services stage inside the Beer Garden throughout the fair.
* SIU | SIU Carbondale police welcome public input in law enforcement accreditation: An IACLEA assessment team will arrive on Aug. 10 to examine all aspects of the department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, said Benjamin Newman, director of DPS and chief of police. Verification by the team that DPS meets IACLEA’s state-of-the-art standards is part of gaining a highly prized recognition of campus public safety professional excellence, Newman said. To achieve four-year accreditation, DPS must comply with 227 standards, Newman said. This is the first time DPS is seeking accreditation with IACLEA; the department is already accredited with the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.
* WCIA | Paxton increasing video game machine fees by 900%: One Central Illinois city has worked hard to give their downtown a facelift. The same city has also increased fees for gaming machines by 900%. While these two things may not seem related — city officials said one eventually led to the other. Paxton revamped its downtown and plans on continuing the work. They realized gaming machines would be a part of it, but didn’t want them lining all of downtown. So, they created a plan to regulate it.
* KFVS | Concert to benefit Carbondale homeless shelter: Kevin Lucas will host the concert with guest Grant Maloy Smith. It’ll be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Blue Sky Vineyard in Makanda. Organizers say there is no cover charge. All music costs and tips will go to the Good Samaritan House homeless shelter in Carbondale.
* World Atlas | Why This Illinois Town Deserves More Attention: Only 30 minutes from St. Louis, on the historic National Road, Lebanon, Illinois, presents one of the Midwest’s most vibrant small-town tourism experiences—without the crowds, gimmickry, and over-commercialization that can detract from more famous locales. Lebanon is a rare gem with its rich history, preserved architecture, lively arts scene, and strong connection to its natural and community heritage. This is a town where yesterday and today converge on brick-paved streets, and there is never a shortage of something worth exploring.
*** National ***
* CNBC | Travelers to the U.S. must pay a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee’ — what to know: The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However travelers may also be able to get the fees reimbursed, according to the provision. Details about the new requirement are scant, which has resulted in “significant challenges and unanswered questions regarding implementation,” a spokesperson from the U.S. Travel Association told CNBC Travel.
* AP | Britain is lowering the voting age to 16. It’s getting a mixed reaction: There has been a mixed reaction in Britain to the government’s announcement that it will lower the voting age from 18 to 16 before the next national election. The Labour Party administration says it’s part of a package of changes to strengthen British democracy and help restore trust in politics. The opposition says it’s a power-grab by the left.
* NBC | FEMA records show Kerr County didn’t alert all cellphones as flooding began: The FEMA message archive shows that as the water began rising in Kerr County on July 4, the National Weather Service sent an IPAWS flood warning to cellphones as early as 1:14 a.m. However, weather service forecasters cannot issue instructions on whether to evacuate or wait for rescue; those messages are up to county or city officials. The FEMA archive showed that Kerr County did not send any wireless alerts through IPAWS on July 4, when the flooding began.
When I was a kid, my dad lost his income. Hard work, public housing and food stamps moved us into the middle class. That’s why in congress we built up job training and took down price gougers. But now Trump’s destroying opportunities like my family had. So every time Trump hurts working people, I fight back.
Because I’m an underdog too. I’m Raja Krishnamoorthi. Yes, the just call me Raja guy.
Congressman Krishnamoorthi just announced endorsements from Cook County Democratic Party leaders including Chicago Alds. Pat Dowell (3rd), David Moore (17th) and Chris Taliaferro (29th) and some suburban committeemen, including Frank Avino of Norwood Park and Larry Dominick of Cicero, among others.
Lt. Gov. Stratton, meanwhile, has lined up support from House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and state Reps. Kelly Cassidy and Tracy Katz Muhl — all with seats at the slating table.
And Congresswoman Kelly has staked her claim, announcing support from Chicago Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), committeemen Bob Rita of Calumet Township and Vernard Alsberry of Bremen Township.
…Adding… Looks like Krishnamoorthi quietly took Dominick’s name out of a Facebook post after including his endorsement…
This might be related to Cicero paying a $675,000 settlement in a sexual harassment case involving Dominick — or Dominick calling for the death penalty. His name also came up during Sen. Emil Jones III’s bribery trial, when Omar Maani testified he paid $23,000 to attorney Michael Del Galdo to show his “appreciation” for the Cicero Town President.
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton may have the endorsement of the state’s wealthiest politician, billionaire Gov. JB Pritzker, but she finds herself at the bottom of the major Democratic U.S. Senate contenders when it comes to how much available cash she has to campaign with as the candidates approach nine months before the primary.
Stratton’s two congressional rivals, U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg and Robin Kelly of Matteson, benefited from their existing federal campaign accounts and ended June with multimillions of dollars available in their bank accounts, campaign finance reports filed this week with the Federal Election Commission showed.
Stratton, Pritzker’s two-time running mate, on April 24 became the first candidate to announce she wanted to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. Campaign reports covering the April-through-June second quarter of the year showed Stratton raised nearly $1.1 million, spent $417,286, and began July 1 with $666,416 in cash available. But a closer review of her fundraising shows that about $185,000 of that amount must be used for the Nov. 3 general election and is unavailable for her use in the March 17 primary. […]
Krishnamoorthi began April with nearly $19.5 million in his campaign account and raised more than $3.1 million from April through June. That left him with $21.1 million in cash available at the start of July. About $1.1 million of that total is reserved for general election spending.
[Robin Kelly] says money isn’t going to decide the race.
“They have a lot of money, but you know what, I’m just using every opportunity to tell my story and I don’t feel like I need the most money in the race to win the race because I feel like I have an excellent story to tell,” Kelly said.
Between her two campaign committees for her U.S. House seat and a new committee for her Senate bid, Kelly raised $565,775 from April 1 through June 30 and has $2 million in her campaign accounts.
Her donors include a lengthy list of corporate political action committees, many local officials in her 2nd Congressional District, and some notable names in Illinois government. They include former state Sen. Jacqueline Collins, Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt and Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon. Gordon also contributed to Stratton’s campaign.
[US Rep. Robin Kelly] said most people want a roof over their head, a job, health care, good education for their children.
“And they want to feel safe no matter where you live,” Kelly said. “I think most people want that.”
Kelly said what sets her apart from other announced Democratic candidates for the job is her ability to navigate Congress, where she’s been since 2013.
“So I’m the one that has passed federal legislation to affect urban, suburban and rural areas,” she said.
* Moving on to the 2nd Congressional District. Tribune…
Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. this week filed paperwork to create an exploratory committee for a possible run in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, the seat he held for almost 17 years before resigning amid a corruption probe.
Jackson said in a statement that “it is my intention to secure a place on the ballot” by circulating nominating petitions in the 2nd Congressional District. […]
Leading the way in fundraising so far is state Sen. Robert Peters, a South Side native who’s held a seat previously occupied by Attorney General Kwame Raoul and President Barack Obama since 2019. In the three months ending June 30, Peters raised more than $415,000, and he entered July with nearly $375,000 in his campaign account, Federal Election Commission records show.
The largest contribution to Peters, whose endorsements include U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is $10,000 from the Progressive Turnout Project, a Chicago-based political action committee. He’s also received several contributions from current and former Illinois Senate colleagues. […]
The quarterly reports for others in the race show Adal Regis, who worked in Kelly’s district office on grants, raised nearly $22,000 and had almost $15,000 on hand as of July 1; while management consultant Eric France raised more than $13,000 and had more than $1,800 on hand. Yumeka Brown, the three-term village clerk of Matteson and a commissioner on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board, had $500 in the bank at the end of June.
As he campaigns for a seventh term, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park is dramatically outraising and outspending the political neophyte challenging him in the 2026 Democratic primary, new federal records show.
Schneider reported collecting $512,985 in campaign contributions between April 1 and June 30. On the other side of the ledger, his campaign committee spent $301,429 during those three months.
Challenger Morgan Coghill, a business owner from Mundelein, started fundraising in May and reported collecting $10,366 through June — and that figure included $5,600 in loans to the campaign from the candidate. Coghill’s campaign reportedly spent $3,022 during the quarter.
TV advertising has already begun in Illinois’ 2026 Democrat primary for U.S. Senate, and new fundraising numbers released Tuesday show the race is shaping up to be expensive. […]
Six Republicans have filed as candidates with the Federal Elections Commission but did not raise substantial amounts of money. They include Casey Chlebek, a former IT professional who is active in Polish-American civic groups; Douglas Bennett, who ran unsuccessfully in the 10th Congressional District in 2018; Air Force veteran John Goodman; Pamela Denise Long, an occupational therapist and former political commentator for Newsweek; former Illinois International Port District board member Cary Capparelli, and Westchester resident Panagioti Bartzis.
On the Democrat side, four other candidates have filed with the FEC: Kevin Ryan, a Marine veteran and diplomat; Christopher Swann, a program manager for Feeding America; Carmi resident Stan Leavell, and Awisi Bustos, CEO of the Illinois Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs.
Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Juliana Stratton, Christopher Swann, Kevin Ryan and Jump Shepherd are on the Cook County Democratic Party’s Friday slating schedule for Durbin’s Senate seat.
* More…
* Evanston Now | Boarini drains, Biss pads mayor race accounts: Biss, who announced in May he’s running for Congress in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, raised over $700,000 in the first months of his campaign to succeed Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston, federal records show. But back at home, in the three months since the April 1 municipal election that he won by a 24% margin, Biss raised another $41,376, leaving his campaign account in Evanston stacked with over $178,000 as of June 30.
* ICYMI: More than 900 people now say they were abused at Illinois youth prisons. Sun-Times…
- A new batch of complaints filed Tuesday include 107 new cases of alleged sexual abuse at Illinois Youth Centers and the Cook County juvenile jail.
- Attorney Jerome Block said his clients deserve compensation, though there is “no amount of money that can fully make these survivors whole.”
- In a statement, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice said it is aware of the recently filed lawsuits and cannot comment on active litigation.
* LSR | BetMGM, Hard Rock Bet Set IL Sports Betting Minimums: Starting Wednesday, BetMGM requires all Illinois sports betting customers to stake at least $2.50 on all wager types, including straight bets, parlays, Same Game Parlays, round robins, and bonus bets. BetMGM notified customers of the change earlier this week. Hard Rock Bet implemented a similar policy, requiring a $2 bet minimum that similarly applies to all bet types.
* Sun-Times | Governor JB Pritzker pens letter urging President Trump’s education secretary to unfreeze $6.8B in grants: Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday joined 13 Democratic governors in demanding that Education Secretary Linda McMahon release $6.8 billion in education grants that are being withheld by the Trump administration. The letter to McMahon comes just days after 24 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration over the funding freeze in education grants for K-12 schools and adult education. States were notified that the grants were being withheld on June 30 — and more than 100 House Democrats also wrote a letter to McMahon last week, pressing for her to “follow the law” and release the funds ahead of the new school year.
* Press Release | AG Raoul sues Trump Administration for unlawfully ending disaster mitigation program: Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its attempt to illegally shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters before they strike. For the past 30 years, the BRIC program has provided communities across the nation with resources to fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters. By focusing on preparation, the program has protected property, saved money that would have otherwise been spent on post-disaster costs, reduced injuries and saved lives.
*** Statewide ***
* WAND | IDFPR launches 24 additional license types to new licensing system: The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has announced that 24 additional professions can now obtain licensure through the Department’s newly launched online licensing system, known as CORE (Comprehensive Online Regulatory Environment).
This announcement signifies the successful conclusion of Phase 2.3 of CORE, with the final segment of Phase 2 expected to wrap up this summer.
* Press Release | Democratic County Chairs’ announce Party Builder honorees: Today, the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association (IDCCA) announced the remaining members of the Class of 2025 Party Builder Award honorees to be honored at the 2025 Annual County Chairs’ Brunch on Wednesday, August 13th at the BOS Center in Springfield. The Party Builder Award was established eight years ago to thank those who have shown exceptional dedication to strengthening the Democratic Party. The newest Party Builder Award honorees are Terry Redman, Chair of the DeWitt County Democratic Party, the Vice President of the IDCCA, and the State Central Committeeman for the 15th Congressional District, and the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership (IWIL) Training Academy, an organization that prepares and trains Democratic, pro-choice women to run for elected office, seek public appointments, and govern at all levels in Illinois.
*** Statehouse News ***
* Sun-Times | Illinois leaders blast State Farm as it hikes home insurance rates: The Illinois Department of Insurance has the power to sue insurance companies over rate hikes once they’re in effect. But state Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Tinley Park, said that process could take a couple of years. He introduced a bill this year that would require insurance companies to get prior approval from the state insurance department for any rate increases of 5% or more, with a 30-day public comment period following a proposed rate increase of more than 10%. Hastings’ bill would have also capped rate hikes at 15% per year, unless the insurer could provide evidence of increased claims due to natural disasters. The proposal went nowhere.
* Civic leaders | Gov. JB Pritzker should veto bitter pension sweetener for Chicago: But now, the bill on its way to Pritzker’s desk would undo much of that work, making the city less affordable, putting its credit rating at risk and shifting the cost to future generations. Illinois politicians have been doing this to the city for decades, and we are hopeful that our governor will end this fiscally irresponsible practice. At a minimum, we should have an honest assessment of the short- and long-term costs and consequences.
* CNI | Comptroller Mendoza won’t run for reelection, opening up statewide office: While she didn’t commit to a run, she said she is “leaving the door open.” Several U.S. House seats are up for grabs, along with Illinois’ first open U.S. Senate seat since 2010. But when asked whether she was interested in a position in Congress, Mendoza laughed. “No thank you,” she quickly said Thursday, before moving on to questions about a potential mayoral bid.
* Others eyeing Mendoza’s seat are Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim and Rep. Margaret Croke…
* Sun-Times | City Council adjourns for summer recess after approving ethics reform, but without authorizing ‘granny flats’: The City Council adjourned for the summer Wednesday after approving another round of ethics reforms and $35.2 million more in police abuse settlements, but punting on the thorny issue of whether to authorize “granny flats” citywide. Before heading off for the annual August recess, alderpersons also gave a royal send-off to retiring Zoning Committee Chair Walter Burnett (27th). If there was a vote for Mr. Congeniality, Burnett would win it hands-down. He is, by far, the Council’s most popular member.
* Crain’s | As Burnett exits City Council, Johnson’s in a bind to find a new Zoning chair: Johnson turned to Burnett last summer only after the post had been vacant for 10 months following Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th, stepping down after apologizing for briefly physically blocking a colleague from entering the City Council chamber during a heated meeting. The normally routine elevation of a mayoral ally to a leadership position vexed the mayor’s office as it couldn’t round up the votes for the mayor’s desired pick, despite Johnson personally making calls on behalf of combative progressive ally, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th.
* Tribune | ComEd’s $10M relief fund running out after 60,000 customers apply in first week: “Based on the high demand seen, we anticipate the fund will soon close, and ComEd will make an announcement once funds are fully exhausted,” ComEd spokesperson Lauren Huffman said Wednesday. Exelon, the utility’s Chicago-based parent company, is donating the relief money for the fund, which is being administered through Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and The Salvation Army. The application process began July 7 and the agencies are sorting through thousands of customer requests seeking a share of the $10 million, Huffman said.
* WBEZ | Mom sues CPS over alleged ‘extreme acts’ of racist bullying and sexual misconduct against daughter: The lawsuit is seeking monetary damages of at least $50,000 for the young girl, who expressed suicidal thoughts in the wake of the bullying. Sher’Ron Hinton, the girl’s mother, and her attorneys say they also want CPS to agree to systemic reforms, including the creation of an office to address bullying. A CPS spokesperson said officials do not comment on pending litigation, but noted that the district “is committed to the safety and well-being of our students.”
* Crain’s | Frederick Ford, who broke barriers as Union League Club’s first Black president, dies at 98: The beloved accountant was a pioneer among minority communities as the first Black member and first Black president of the prestigious Union League Club of Chicago, and a champion of its admittance of women. Originally from Missouri, Ford climbed up the ranks as an accountant in Chicago to become executive vice president and chief financial officer at Draper & Kramer, a real estate development and financial services firm, breaking the industry’s color barriers years before the civil rights movement took hold.
* Block Club | Artis Restaurant And Lounge Closes For Good After River North Mass Shooting: Owners Brandi Artis and Brittany Artis announced the closure Tuesday afternoon in a social media post. Their decision follows Ald. Brendan Reilly’s (42nd) call for the restaurant to be permanently shut down in the wake of the shooting. “Our curated space of love and acceptance was threatened by a senseless act of hate … We will continue to grow through the pain and find ways to heal, together,” the owners wrote in their statement.
* AP | Puppies rescued from flood-stricken Texas arrive at Chicago shelter: Nine puppies from parts of Texas submerged by catastrophic flooding that killed at least 132 people arrived Wednesday at the no-kill shelter PAWS Chicago, joining dozens of puppies that had already arrived. The critters landed by plane at Waukesha Airport in Wisconsin then made a three-hour journey by van to Chicago.
* WGN | Ryne Sandberg shares health update amid cancer battle: Beloved Chicago Cub and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg took to social media Wednesday to share an update on his health. Sandberg, 65, announced in December his prostate cancer has relapsed and spread. He shared the following update with fans on Instagram Wednesday.
* Tribune | Chicago Sky players voice solidarity as WNBA and union brace for a potential work stoppage in November: “There’s so much at stake right now,” Sky forward Michaela Onyenwere said. “We need to put pressure on the league. If that means sitting out, we’re ready for it. It’s empowering in the way that we have a voice to make a change in our league.” The current CBA is set to expire Oct. 31. If the league and players don’t reach an agreement by then, a work stoppage could begin.
*** Cook County and Suburbs ***
* Daily Herald | Naperville may increase local sales tax to offset grocery tax repeal: Naperville officials are leaning toward a home rule sales tax increase to help offset the loss of revenue from the elimination of a statewide grocery sales tax. City council members on Tuesday voted 5-4 on a first reading of an ordinance for a 0.25% increase to the home rule sales tax with a two-year sunset clause. A final vote on the matter is expected in August.
* Shaw Local | Woodstock sales tax hike wins City Council approval: After a public hearing on the tax increase – which is allowed without voter approval because of the city’s home-rule status – the Woodstock City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the additional sales tax, as well as an upcoming bond sale to pay for part of the $9.3 million renovation. The change will bring the total sales tax rate that shoppers in Woodstock will pay to 8.5% when the increase in the local tax goes into effect Jan. 1.
* Shaw Local | Will County agrees to $85,000 settlement in lawsuit claiming violation of sanctuary laws: Will County reached an $85,000 settlement in a federal lawsuit claiming that county law enforcement violated sanctuary laws with the detention of an immigrant who was the key witness of a reckless homicide. The 2023 lawsuit filed by Norberto Salvador Navarro was dismissed in March in response to the settlement.
* Daily Southtown | Orland Park hits snag in replacing lead water lines; homeowners say no: Officials are trying to find a work-around that doesn’t involve going to court to force the homeowners to go along. For now it isn’t a big deal. Although the village has to report its progress in eliminating the lines, it could face fines come 2027 if it doesn’t reach the goal, according to Public Works Director Joel Van Essen. Trustees recently discussed options, including trying to convince the four recalcitrant property owners to share in the cost of replacing the lines. The village said it is expecting the per-home cost to replace the lines at $10,000 to $15,000, but is saying the total cost could be as much as $80,000 for the four homes.
* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council to consider reorganization of various city divisions: Laesch told The Beacon-News in an interview earlier this month that the changes were made based on “common sense,” efficiency of operations and his own priorities as mayor. In Aurora City Council committee meetings, he has said the changes were made after talking with city staff. Likely the largest of the proposed changes is that the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs will no longer exist. The three divisions previously under that department will be spread out across the city: equity and engagement will each be made into their own sub-department under the control of the Mayor’s Office, while special events will be taken over by the communications department.
*** Downstate ***
* WCIA | ‘Lack of trust’; Mattoon community powering through second ‘do not drink’ order: Community members said while they know the city is working to combat this issue, they could also work on communication. Genna McCaslin said she and others who live slightly outside the city have gotten some emergency alerts to their phones, but not consistently.
* WCIA | Dozens still living in condemned apartment complex in Champaign: The 29 buildings at the Champaign Park apartments were all condemned in June, after years of neglect from an out-of-town landlord. “We think there’s 100 people here,” Danielle Chynoweth, supervisor of Cunningham Township, said. “Just standing here I’ve seen over a dozen people in the few minutes I’ve stood here.”
* Telegraph | SRO crowd complains about water at Bethalto Village Board meeting: Many brought bottles of brown water taken from their taps, while others brought articles of clothing damaged or ruined by the water. Others brought photographs and told stories about their added expenses for bottled water or filters, concerns about potential effects of drinking the discolored water or other health issues. While some talked about moving out of the village, others demanded that they be reimbursed for extra expenses, and suggested the village provide bottled water for them to drink.
* WTVO | Belvidere votes against 1% grocery tax. How much could you save?: The Belvidere City Council unanimously voted to drop the 1% grocery tax in 2026. Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law eliminating the grocery tax in Illinois, leaving it up to local municipalities to choose to continue it after January 1st, 2026. “The city of Belvidere is going to do just fine without it,” said Mayor Clint Morris. “And, you know, I think it’s the right thing to do.”
* WAND | Lucky Horseshoes, Springfield Park District still at odds over stadium dispute: The Springfield Lucky Horseshoes and the Springfield Park District continue to battle over what to do with Robin Roberts Stadium, the home of the ‘Shoes. The stadium is controlled by the Park District, but the team wants it to be transferred to a non-profit organization called “Friends of Robin Roberts Stadium,” which is controlled by the team, citing a lack of upgrades and repairs.
* WTVO | Oregon school district releases strict discipline guidelines for cellphone ban policy: The Oregon School District announced this week that it would be partnering with the company Yondr for lockable pouches for students to stow their cellphones during classes. “Beginning August 13th, we will launch the Yondr Phone-Free Schools Program – a proven, bell-to-bell approach that supports student focus, well-being, and connection by removing mobile phone distractions during the school day,” Principal Jen Speakes said in a letter to parents.
* WQAD | Carl Sandburg College building new agriculture incubator thanks to $1.8M grant: The State of Illinois has awarded $7 million to four colleges around the state to enhance tech incubator programs. Locally, Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg received $1.8 million in funding and will use the money to renovate a new agriculture incubator for students. The Sandburg Annex building, located in downtown Galesburg, was once used to host Sandberg’s dental hygiene program. In the next year, the space will be a beacon of mentoring and business development for anyone interested in agriculture.
* WTVO | Rockford gets a pro soccer franchise in MLIS: A couple local men want to take soccer in Rockford to another level, the professional level. Starting this coming winter, Rockford will have a men’s pro team in Major League Indoor Soccer. Fernando Rodriguez, a life-long Rockford resident and Raul Sanchez, a native of Cuba who played soccer for East High School have been a part of the Rockford soccer scene for many years as players, instructors and running youth teams. Recently, they were awarded an expansion franchise in Major League Indoor Soccer (MLIS). It’s called the Rockford Thunder.
*** National ***
* AP | Senate passes $9 billion in spending cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid requested by Trump: The legislation, which now moves to the House, would have a tiny impact on the nation’s rising debt but could have major ramifications for the targeted spending, from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to U.S. food aid programs abroad. It also could complicate efforts to pass additional spending bills this year, as Democrats and even some Republicans have argued they are ceding congressional spending powers to Trump with little idea of how the White House Office of Management and Budget would apply the cuts.
* BBC | The atomic bomb marker inside your body: One of the earliest uses of the bomb spike was to assist crime investigators seeking to identify the age of unidentified human remains. Forensic scientists have found that they can measure bomb carbon-14 in teeth, bones, hair or even the lens of the eye to help them estimate how old a person was, or when they died, according to Eden Centaine Johnstone-Belford of Monash University and Soren Blau of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine in Australia. In a 2019 review, Centaine Johnstone-Belford and Blau cite multiple examples where the bomb spike has informed police enquiries. For example, in 2010 investigators used it to confirm a body found in a northern Italian lake had been dumped there by the killer the previous year.
* The Atlantic | The States Are Going Full RFK Jr.: Though RFK Jr. has the power to enact monumental change, much of MAHA’s actual successes at reforming the American diet haven’t come from Washington. While states pass law after law cracking down on food, Kennedy’s own biggest action to date has been relatively modest: a campaign pressuring food companies to voluntarily remove synthetic food dyes from their products. The states are out-MAHAing the MAHA king, much to his pleasure.
