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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The annual Dave Caucus party is tonight at Boone’s at 7:30 pm, with the Boat Drink Caucus performing live at 8…

We’ll see you there.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Patty García gets Congressional Progressive Caucus endorsement in race to replace US Rep. Jesús ‘Chuy’ García: The political arm of the Congressional Progressive Caucus is following U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García’s lead in backing the Southwest Side Democrat’s former chief of staff to succeed him in the House next year. The caucus’s political action committee on Tuesday endorsed Democratic nominee Patty García as its candidate in what’s expected to be a crowded field on the Nov. 3 ballot to represent Illinois’ 4th Congressional District. Patty García, who isn’t related to the congressman, could face as many as five opponents in the November general election, including three fellow Democrats planning to run as independents.

* Tribune | Chicago-born Patti Smith is the winner of this year’s Harold Washington Literary Award: The latest honor was announced Tuesday morning by the Near South Planning Board. On Sept. 10, Smith will be in Chicago to receive the Harold Washington Literary Award. It will be presented at a dinner at the Union League Club of Chicago, signaling the launch of the following weekend’s 41st annual Printers Row Lit Fest. This award is named for the city’s first African American mayor and has been presented since 1989, two years after Washington’s death in office. It is intended to recognize “diverse and stimulating authors who address issues of contemporary life and whose literary achievements include a significant body of work that has touched the public mind and imagination.”

* Tribune | The Heavy Rotation is a listening club, a place to slow down and focus on the music: “We felt like we were really losing that aspect of what we used to have, that easy, ‘Oh, OK, I really like this song’ energy,” Frahm said. “It’s easy to share that over text, but it doesn’t really feel the same. So we were basically trying to carve out that time again.” Thus, The Heavy Rotation was born. Ewing described their initial attempts as a sort of book club meeting amongst friends at someone’s house, but due to busy schedules and a text chain that never quite went anywhere, the idea was tabled. It was Frahm who insisted on reigniting the event in the summer of last year.

* Sun-Times | What’s a macabre Chicago museum doing reissuing John Wayne Gacy’s death row confessional?: Manon’s holdings include a lengthy, unpublished death row manuscript Gacy wrote going back to his earliest memories. Manon estimates his collection at 30,000 items, which includes the killer’s brain in a jar in the Chicago suburbs. “I am definitely sort of the foremost authority on Gacy,” said Manon from his Savannah, Ga. museum-gallery. “Literally I own everything and I know everything.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | 20,000 trucks a day: Suburban warehouse boom raises safety fears: The Times used satellite imagery, government documents and interviews with residents, law enforcement officers and traffic safety experts to identify some of the largest clusters of warehouses in the Chicago metropolitan area. Then, using state data from January 2014 through December 2024, reporters counted the number of crashes involving trucks that occurred on the surrounding roads. Truck accidents on those roads increased by 8% from 2021 to 2024 compared with truck accidents from 2016 to 2019, the four-year period before the COVID pandemic. This is all while crashes involving other types of vehicles on these roads dropped sharply, and truck crashes across the state remained largely flat.

* Sun-Times | Put safety over surveillance, Cook County Jail inmate advocates urge: A coalition of community and advocacy groups is urging the Cook County Board of Commissioners to reject a proposed $1.12 million contract for the use of AI-powered surveillance technology at the county jail, arguing that officials should first address the number of deaths at the facility. In a letter to commissioners, the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice and 80 community, faith and policy organizations framed the conditions at the Cook County Jail as a “human rights crisis.” They urged the officials to delay a vote on a three-year contract with BriefCam until a review of the jail is completed.

* Daily Southtown | Cook County program provides free at-home maternal care to south suburban mothers: The program launched in January, said Michele Spikes-Cain, associate director of nursing at the Cook County Department of Public Health. “If mother is uncomfortable meeting in the home, we can meet at the doctor’s office, library,” Spikes-Cain said. “We just want to meet them where they are so we can provide the resources, education and just wrap-around support they need during the critical part of pregnancy.”

* Daily Southtown | Calumet City seeks state help for eminent domain of River Oaks mall after court delay: The city plans to refile its claim within the court system, but in the meantime is asking the General Assembly to grant the quick-take of the property for economic development. Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., D-Chicago, has sponsored the measure. Quick-take action would give the city control of the mall while the court determines how much Namdar should be compensated.

* Daily Herald | Lake County authorities investigate officer-involved shooting in Mundelein: When officers arrived, the woman was seated on the back patio. Officers were speaking with the caller when the woman stood up and approached the rear sliding doors, armed with two knives. Police said the woman began yelling and “aggressively opened” the sliding doors to enter the home. An officer inside the home then shot the woman.

* Pioneer Press | Northbrook appoints Tamara Reese as new Village Board trustee: Trustee Tamara Reese, a six-year Northbrook resident and the outgoing president of the District 28 Music Parents Club, was appointed to the Board and approved by fellow trustees last month. “I am very excited about this opportunity,” Reese said. “We moved quite a bit for my husband’s job before deciding to settle here. I have gotten to know the community in many diverse ways.”

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | First Central Illinois gas stations selling at $5 per gallon, GasBuddy reports: GasBuddy released on Monday the results of its weekly survey of gas stations in Champaign-Urbana, the State of Illinois and the nation as a whole. While not included in the survey, GasBuddy’s current fuel price reports show at least three gas stations in Central Illinois are selling at higher than $5 per gallon — two in Springfield and one in Decatur.

* WAND | Blowing Dust Advisory issued for parts of Central Illinois: Blowing dust is a concern with the strong wind gusts. There is a Blowing Dust Advisory in place until 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. If you find yourself in a low-visibility situation, make sure to pull over and turn off the car engine. Sit in place until the dust clears.

* WTVO | Proposed solar farm in Rockford faces opposition from Curran’s Orchard: The five-megawatt facility faces opposition from the orchard owner, Pat Curran, who has expressed concerns about its potential impact. The Winnebago County Zoning Board of Appeals will consider the project during a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Curran, who has been operating Curran’s Apple Orchard for four decades, states that the solar farm would be just steps away from his orchard trees. He has been fighting the potential development for more than a year.

* WAND | Springfield Police Department rolls out new officer wellness initiative: Chief Joe Behl shared a new wellness initiative he put in place since taking over the department. This will include updating the department’s gym, launching a “Yoga for First Responders” program, bringing in culinary experts for healthy cooking classes and offering chiropractic care to officers.

* WAND | The Avett Brothers to perform at the Illinois State Fair: The Avett Brothers are known for songs like, “The Carpenter,” “Magpie,” and “The Dandelion.” “The Avett Brothers bring an energy and authenticity that will make this a can’t-miss night at the Illinois State Fair,” said Illinois State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark.

* NPR Illinois | WQNA nearing return to Springfield’s airwaves with eclectic volunteer mix: Ken Pacha, vice president of Springfield Community Broadcasters, joined Community Voices to share how the all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit is working to relaunch the low-power FM station. Originally based at the Capital Area Career Center, WQNA spent nearly four decades offering an eclectic, personality-driven mix of music and community conversation. By the time it went dark in 2019, it had evolved into a fully community-staffed station known for its “checkerboard” format — hip-hop followed by blues, metal after classic deep cuts — with each show reflecting the passion of its host.

*** National ***

* CNBC | Consumer prices rose 3.8% annually in April, the highest since May 2023: Energy prices, which jumped 3.8%, accounted for more than 40% of the headline gain, while food prices also climbed 0.5%. For energy, that put the 12-month gain at 17.9%, while food was up 3.2%. The gasoline index increased 28.4% annually. Food at home prices increased 0.7%, the biggest monthly gain since August 2022.

* AP | Trump FDA chief is leaving after angering pharma CEOs, vaping lobbyists and anti-abortion groups: Makary’s handpicked deputy, Dr. Vinay Prasad, was pushed out of the agency twice in less than a year for running afoul of specialty drugmakers and groups for patients with rare diseases. Makary appeared poised to weather the controversy, despite an ongoing pressure campaign calling on Trump to fire him. Recent weeks brought fresh criticisms from other interest groups that the White House considers key to Republican chances in November elections.

* Inside Higher Ed | Instructure Pays Ransom to Canvas Hackers : Although the monetary value of the deal is unknown, Instructure says the cybercriminals have returned the hacked personal data and offered assurance “that no Instructure customers will be extorted as a result of this incident.”

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Stop Rx Drug Deserts. Say No To HB 1443!

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

HB 1443 would create a state-appointed Prescription Drug Affordability Board with the authority to review and set upper payment limits on selected prescription drugs. While well-intentioned, this misguided legislation risks harming patients’ community pharmacies without addressing the real drivers of health care costs.

Allowing government appointees to intervene in decisions between patients and their physicians raises serious concerns. Moreover, despite being enacted in multiple states, these boards have failed to deliver meaningful savings. Two states have set upper payment limits, yet in the seven years since the first board was established, there is no evidence of a single dollar saved for patients.

In Illinois, community pharmacies are essential to the communities they serve, providing access to critical medicines and treatments. If upper payment limits are set below pharmacies’ acquisition costs, pharmacists could be forced to dispense drugs at a loss or stop carrying certain drugs altogether. This puts patient access at risk, especially those who depend on nearby, trusted community-based pharmacies.

Illinois’ health care system is already incredibly fragile. HB 1443 advances policy with no record of lowering costs for patients or supporting the sustainability of community pharmacies. Don’t force community pharmacies to choose between financial loss and patient access. We urge you to oppose HB 1443.

Paid for by PharmaScript and the Greater Chicagoland Black Chamber of Commerce

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Caption contest!

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Somebody forgot to bring a gavel to today’s meeting of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. So, they improvised with a hammer…

In case you can’t watch videos where you are at…

  29 Comments      


Seems like a decent idea

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* IDOT…

In an effort to address a nationwide shortage of people entering the profession and attract young talent, the Illinois Department of Transportation today announced a hiring initiative that will pay $15,000 of eligible student loan debt annually for up to 50 new civil engineers who graduated from Illinois schools. Payments will be capped at a total of $60,000 and begin once the engineer has worked at IDOT at least four years. ​

“Engineers at IDOT make a positive impact on the public every day,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “This program will reduce the financial burden for new engineers coming out of college and open the door to a meaningful career.”

The Higher Education Student Loan Repayment Assistance for Engineers Pilot Program will provide student loan repayment assistance in the form of an annual bonus after taxes of $15,000 a year for no more than four years. The program will be available for titles and areas with the greatest staffing needs.

To be eligible, the engineer must be hired by the department on or after July 1, 2024, and work at IDOT for four continuous years. Upcoming positions qualifying for the program will be identified in job postings.

The result of legislation proposed by Senate Majority Caucus Whip Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), the program is one of several moves by IDOT to help address a downward trend in engineering graduates and make the agency more competitive in the job market. Last fall, the department teamed with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to start an Intern to Hire program designed to attract and retain top civil engineering talent by helping college interns transition to full-time employment at the agency upon graduation. […]

According to the most recent data from the American Council of Engineering Companies, about 184,000 engineers retire or leave the field a year while 166,000 new engineers enter the workforce, creating an annual shortfall of close to 20,000. Likewise, engineering graduates peaked at roughly 214,000 in 2019 but declined by more than 10,000 since then. ​

Thoughts?

  23 Comments      


Coverage roundup: Southern states move quickly on redistricting after Supreme Court ruling (Updated)

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Starting off with some background from SCOTUS blog…

The Supreme Court [last month], in the case of Louisiana v. Callais, struck down a Louisiana congressional map that a group of voters who describe themselves as “non-African American” had challenged as the product of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. By a vote of 6-3, the justices left in place a ruling by a federal court that barred the state from using the map, which had created a second majority-Black district, in future elections. Although Wednesday’s ruling did not strike down a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act, as Louisiana and the challengers had asked the court to do, Justice Elena Kagan suggested in her dissent (which was joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson) that the majority opinion by Justice Samuel Alito had rendered the provision “all but a dead letter.”

The decision was the latest, and presumably final, chapter in a long-running dispute arising from Louisiana’s efforts to adopt a new congressional map in the wake of the 2020 census. The first map that the state adopted, in 2022, had one majority-Black district out of the six allotted to the state. A group of Black voters – who comprise roughly one-third of the state’s population – went to federal court, where they alleged that the map violated Section 2 of the VRA, which prohibits discrimination in voting. […]

“In sum,” Alito concluded, “because the Voting Rights Act did not require Louisiana to create an additional majority-minority district, no compelling interest justified the State’s use of race in creating SB8. That map is an unconstitutional gerrymander, and its use would violate the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.” […]

But the requirements that the court imposes on Wednesday, Kagan contended, “will effectively insulate any practice, including any districting scheme, said by a State to have any race-neutral justification. That justification can sound in traditional districting criteria, or else can sound in politics and partisanship. As to the latter, the State need do nothing more than announce a partisan gerrymander,” she said. “Assuming the State has left behind no smoking-gun evidence of a race-based motive (an almost fanciful prospect), Section 2 will play no role.”

* NPR earlier this month…

Tennessee Republicans on Thursday passed a new congressional map that would crack Shelby County — home to majority-Black Memphis — into three different districts, in an effort to eliminate the state’s lone remaining Democratic-held seat. […]

The state is the first to pass a new congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court last week weakened the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial discrimination in redistricting. […]

Tennessee GOP lawmakers defended the new map, saying their goal is partisan, to send an all-Republican delegation to Washington, D.C. […]

President Trump has urged Tennessee and other GOP-led states to redraw their maps before this fall’s midterm elections, as part of his mid-decade redistricting push. Earlier Thursday, Tennessee Gov. Lee signed a bill that repealed a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting.

* The Associated Press yesterday…

The US Supreme Court on Monday set the stage for Alabama to eliminate one of two largely Black congressional districts before this year’s midterm elections, creating an opening for Republicans to gain an additional U.S. House seat in a partisan battle for control of the closely divided chamber.

The decision follows a Supreme Court ruling in April that struck down a majority-Black U.S. House district in Louisiana as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, significantly weakening a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act.

Alabama officials had pointed to the Louisiana case as reason for the Supreme Court to end a judicial order to use a court-imposed House map until after the 2030 census. The high court on Monday overturned that order and directed a lower court to reconsider the case in light of the Louisiana decision. That could free the state to instead use a map approved in 2023 by the Republican-led legislature that includes only one district where Black residents comprise a majority.

Anticipating a court reversal, Alabama officials recently enacted a law allowing it to void the results of a May 19 primary for some congressional districts and instead hold a new primary under the revised district boundaries. Alabama had asked for an expedited decision ahead of the primary.

* Moving on to Missouri and South Carolina…

Missouri’s top court is hearing an important legal challenge [today] to one of President Donald Trump’s earliest redistricting successes while lawmakers in Louisiana and South Carolina weigh whether to become the most recent Republican states to redraw U.S. House districts ahead of the midterm elections.

Rather than waning, a national redistricting battle that began 10 months ago has intensified as the November elections draw nearer — inflamed by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act and provided grounds for states to try to eliminate voting districts with large minority populations.

Missouri was the second Republican state after Texas to heed Trump’s call last year to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP win additional seats in the midterms. At issue before the Missouri Supreme Court is whether the new districts violate a state constitutional requirement to be compact, and whether they can remain in place for this year’s elections despite an initiative petition seeking to force a public referendum.

In South Carolina, the issue facing Republican lawmakers is whether redrawing the state’s lone Democratic-held seat could open the door to a clean sweep for Republicans or backfire with additional losses by making more districts competitive for Democrats. State senators have yet to decide whether to allow consideration of a redistricting plan put forth in the House after the legislature’s regular work ends Thursday.

* The Tampa Bay Times…

After a mid-cycle redistricting push to solidify Republican rule, Black voters in Tampa Bay find themselves splintered into five sprawling districts. The new map dilutes Black voting power, which leans Democratic, and threatens the region’s lone blue seat. […]

The 14th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold held by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, saw dramatic change.

Under the old map, the district covered the eastern half of St. Petersburg and much of Tampa. Its population was 17.7% Black. Now, its boundaries cut out East Tampa, parts of Ybor City and all of Pinellas County, including southern St. Petersburg.

The district lost more than 47,000 Black residents, whose share of the population fell to 11.5%, according to 2020 Census population data that states are required to use when redistricting.

District 13, a Pinellas County district that Republican U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna carried by nearly 10 points in her most recent election, lost more than 6,000 Black residents. The redistricting makes it even redder.

* A reporter asked President Donald Trump today for his thoughts on redistricting and concerns about Black members of Congress being drawn “off the map”…


* More…

    * Stateline | Supreme Court voting rights ruling set to reshape local power from statehouses to school boards: “While everyone has been focusing on what this means for the power in Congress, there’s a whole other sector of power that it changes,” said Davante Lewis, an elected member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission and one of the litigants in a case that pushed Louisiana to create the congressional maps that were eventually struck down in the Callais ruling. “This is a decision on who gets to serve on a school board, who gets to serve on a city council, who gets representation in the judiciary,” Lewis said.

    * NPR | Southern Republicans redistrict after Supreme Court rules, Dems lose big in Virginia: The Supreme Court of Virginia Friday nullified the results of a special election on April 21, where 1.6 million Virginians approved redistricting that Democrats hoped would win them four more House seats. In a 4-3 ruling, the court said the legislature followed the wrong process for putting the question, an amendment to the state constitution, on the ballot. Meanwhile, Southern Republicans rushed to redraw their states’ congressional voting maps after an April 29 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which weakened voting rights protections for minority communities.

    * AP | Republicans have gained an edge in a US House redistricting battle. What states are taking action?: So far, Republicans believe they could win up to 14 additional seats from new districts in Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could gain up to six seats from new districts in California and Utah. But those tallies presume past voting patterns hold in November. Historically, the president’s party tends to lose seats in the midterms. Democrats need to gain just a few seats in November to wrest control of the House from Republicans, which would give them greater power to oppose Trump.

    * The Hill | These are the Southern red states moving to redistrict after Supreme Court ruling: Tennessee lawmakers successfully shepherded through a new congressional map this past week that carves up the state’s only majority-Black district and threatens the lone Democrat in the nine-member House delegation. The new map splits Rep. Steve Cohen’s (D) Memphis-based 9th Congressional District into three congressional districts, while further dividing the city of Nashville into five districts.

    * Bloomberg | Democrats Still Hold House Edge Despite Redistricting Setbacks: Democrats currently have a six-point advantage in a generic congressional ballot test, according to Nate Silver’s “Silver Bulletin” newsletter. Data journalist G. Elliott Morris said Sunday that Democrats need to win the nationwide House vote by four percentage points to win control of the chamber. “Republicans have gained a new structural advantage through redistricting,” the nonpartisan Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter wrote Monday. “We continue to rate Democrats as favored to win control of the House, but they are no longer overwhelming favorites.”

    * The Hill | With few options left in redistricting, Democrats ramp up affordability message: The House Democratic Caucus will huddle as a group Thursday in the Capitol to chart its next steps on each front. And party leaders insist the Virginia ruling, while a setback, is no permanent barrier to achieving their goals. “We remain undeterred,” Jeffries wrote Monday in a letter to fellow Democrats. “Our effort to forcefully push back against the Republican redistricting scheme will not slow down. We are just getting started.”

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Credit Unions Prepare Ahead Of Elder Abuse Awareness Month

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month. Each year, it serves as an important reminder that financial exploitation is one of the fastest-growing threats facing older adults. For credit unions, this issue is deeply connected to the members and communities we serve every day.

Credit unions are on the front line of defense against financial fraud. With over 180,000 suspicious cases involving older adults reported by financial institutions recently—totaling more than $6 billion in activity—the need for actionable resources has never been greater.

To support the mission of service, the American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL) Elder Exploitation Prevention Toolkit is now available. This resource is designed specifically for credit unions to help their team recognize red flags, start difficult conversations, and respond with care.

What’s Inside the Toolkit?

    • Staff Guides & Checklists: Streamline internal processes and empower front-line staff to identify suspicious activity.
    • Conversation Starters: Practical tools to help teams talk about elder fraud with confidence and sensitivity.
    • Posters & Handouts: Ready-to-use materials for branches to keep protection top-of-mind for members.
    • Social & Digital Content: Pre-made assets to help spread awareness across digital channels.

The toolkit can be accessed at https://aacul.com/elder.

In addition to the toolkit, the Illinois Credit Union Act was amended last year to authorize credit union employees to contact trusted advisors or family members on members’ accounts when financial exploitation is suspected. The trusted advisor provision has been in effect since January 1, 2026.

Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.

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It’s just a bill

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. Press release…

As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, the laws surrounding the safety and privacy of consumers must as well. Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus released an eight-bill package Monday that would put forth protections against harmful AI outcomes as it relates to mental health help, identity security, price gouging safeguards and much more.

To enhance commonsense guardrails on large AI companies – and in turn build public trust – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) is leading Senate Bill 315. The measure would require large developers – such as ChatGPT and Claude – to provide an independent, third party annual report explaining what mechanisms they have in place to mitigate catastrophic risks, provide transparency reports and report critical safety incidents. Further, it would require the companies to report a critical safety incident within 72 hours of learning about it, or 24 hours if the incident poses an imminent risk of death or serious physical harm. […]

Throughout the country, there have been instances of teenagers and young adults turning to AI during a mental health crisis. In some cases, the person confided in the AI chatbot about their suicidal thoughts – and a real person was never alerted. Under Senate Bill 316, led by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville), AI companies would be required to implement methods for detecting user expression of suicidal ideation or self-harm, work to prevent such harm, and provide a notification to the user that refers them to a crisis service provider, such at the 9-8-8 suicide hotline. […]

When people turn to companies for questions or assistance, often they’re forced to talk with a chatbot rather than a real human – but with technological advancements, it’s not always clear who you’re chatting with. To increase transparency and accountability, State Senator Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet) is leading Senate Bill 317. Under the measure, if a person is talking with an AI chat interface as it relates to trade or commerce, the consumer must be notified it is an automated system at the start of the conversation. […]

Every time someone interacts with a website or mobile application, it holds onto the data – often leading to consumers receiving unwanted targeted ads. Under State Senator Laura Murphy’s (D-Des Plaines) Senate Bill 340, consumers would have the option to opt out of having their data used for such ads or sold to third parties. Further, it would protect people from being subjected to algorithmic profiling that could influence major life decisions like loan approvals, job screenings or insurance rates. Senate Bill 340 would prohibit the sale of a consumer’s most sensitive data, without requiring a consumer to opt of the sale. […]

AI-driven rental pricing platforms are known to facilitate rent price-fixing, causing artificial, double-digit rent increases in an era when people are already struggling to afford their day-to-day life. Under Senate Bill 343 from State Senator Graciela Guzmán (D-Chicago), landlords would not be able to coordinate pricing indirectly through a shared third-party service or software, such as an algorithm that sets prices across multiple competing landlords. […]

AI is also becoming more prevalent in education in all forms. However, students and their families shouldn’t have to worry if their identity or data is being taken advantage of or discriminating against them – especially at school. Senate Bill 415, led by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), would only allow school districts to use biometric data for legitimate instructional purposes.

Further, the scores students receive should be fair and accurate – determined by a real person, not a computer. State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is ensuring that is the case in schools across the state through Senate Bill 416. The measure would prohibit teachers from using artificial intelligence to assign grades on students’ work.

* Crain’s…

Cook County is liable for what could amount to tens of millions of dollars for violating homeowners’ constitutional rights with its tax sales, a federal judge ruled today, nearly three years after the U.S. Supreme Court declared the tax sale system unlawful in Illinois and about a dozen other states. […]

In February, [Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas] secured legislation in Springfield that allowed her to push Cook County’s delinquent tax sales back a second time, to December. Delaying the sale avoids adding further properties to the pile of liabilities that have stacked up in Cook County during past tax sales.

At the time, Pappas’s policy director, Justin Kirvan, issued a statement saying the delay should allow time for “stakeholders and legislators to enact comprehensive property tax foreclosure reform that ensures all taxpayers in Illinois are treated equitably.”

Pappas has been a leader in trying to get Springfield to pass legislation bringing Illinois into compliance with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling, but the effort failed in 2025 and has not yet achieved the goal in the legislature’s spring session.

* Canary Media…

Lawmakers backing an Illinois bill that would clear the way for balcony solar have ended their push to pass the measure this year. With three weeks still to go in the legislative session, they hit a stalemate as opponents, including the state’s powerful electrical workers union, raised concerns about safety.

Advocates and lawmakers who had championed the bill were unhappy with an amendment filed on April 24 that would have prohibited the small plug-in solar panels until national standards are updated to include them.

Supporters say that other states have passed balcony solar laws without that provision. They contend that plugging in a small solar panel is no more dangerous than plugging in a washing machine or hair dryer.

“The whole point of the bill is to make these things safe,” said Kady McFadden, an Illinois lobbyist who focuses on clean energy and was leading legislative strategy for Senate Bill 3104. ​“It’s finding the right pieces to make sure consumers are safe, and also balancing that with being able to deploy these things.”

Given the amendment and concerns from stakeholders including the union, the lawmakers sponsoring the bill decided against further action, according to McFadden. […]

“Illinois is unique — we like to do things our own way in the legislative process,” said McFadden. ​“It takes more than a year to pass a bill.”

* House Republican Leader Tony McCombie filed HB5767 last week. Synopsis…

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires the Secretary of State to provide the option to renew a 2-year registration sticker both online and in-person. Effective immediately.

* Illinois Times…

The only revenue Springfield city government might forfeit to help pay for the proposed BOS Center expansion and new hotel next door would be the city’s share of hotel taxes on room rates at the site and part of the expected increase in city sales taxes.

Those were guarantees that Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter made in recent interviews with Illinois Times about the effects of pending state legislation in which Van Meter has been intimately involved. And he said the Springfield City Council would have to vote to agree with those diversions of revenue before the changes could take place.

Van Meter’s assurances referred to the Springfield project tucked inside a “megaprojects” bill – a bill also containing plans for a new Chicago Bears stadium – that passed the Illinois House on April 22 and may be considered by the Senate before the General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment later this month. […]

Van Meter, a Springfield Republican, acknowledged that some sections of House Bill 910 may be misleading when it comes to the impact on the capital city. Those sections, he said, likely will be clarified before the legislation is passed by both chambers and sent to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.

* Center Square…

House Bill 34 would ban the ability to carry a firearm at any building, property or parking area of polling locations, creating a 24th restriction on open carry laws in the state.

While state peace officers would be exempt, any other person discovered to be carrying a firearm at a polling place would be found guilty of a misdemeanor.

State Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highwood, told lawmakers during a joint hearing last week between the House Gun Violence Prevention and the Ethics and Elections Committees that his bill seeks to address safety of poll workers and voters during a rise in political intimidation, threats and violence. […]

Ed Sullivan, on behalf of the Illinois State Rifle Association, said the bill seeks to address a non-existent threat, citing crime data he said shows people with a concealed carry license are less likely to commit crimes when compared to the rest of the population.

“So it says ‘any building, real property, or parking area.’ So any building – think about the areas that are not governmental buildings. Think about your communities where you might have a condo association that has a community center within that condo building, and they’re having a polling place,” Sullivan said. “On that day of polling, I’m not allowed to have a firearm in that building.” […]

The joint committees hearing the bill did not vote on the bill, which has sat in the legislature since late 2024.

HB34 has not received a House committee vote and has been referred to Rules.

* More…

    * WRMJ | Local State Rep. Swanson’s SoyFoam Fire Department Bill Passes Committee: Local State Representative Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) has passed a resolution out of the Police and Fire Committee last week directed at a couple of entities. One is the State Fire Marshal to help fire officials dispose of carcinogenic foam that’s still on the shelves of fire departments around the state, and the second encourages the State Fire Marshal and local departments to begin looking at investing in SoyFoam.

  9 Comments      


340B: ‘A Lifeline For Patients And Communities’ – Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

As healthcare leaders, staff and their patients advocate for House Bill 2371 SA 2—the Patient Access to Pharmacy Protection Act—some who are against restoring the federal 340B program in Illinois have mischaracterized “both the purpose of the 340B Drug Pricing Program and the realities facing Illinois hospitals,” said IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi in a recent Crain’s op-ed.

Illinois hospitals face unprecedented financial headwinds, including higher costs and inadequate reimbursement. At the same time, drug prices continue to rise while pharmaceutical manufacturers reduce access to drug discounts required by federal law.

“Pharmaceutical manufacturers — many located overseas, earning tens of billions of dollars in annual profits — are actively working to restrict hospital access to 340B discounts. Limiting these resources does not lower drug prices; it reduces the ability of providers to deliver care to those who need it most,” Wilhelmi wrote.

Illinois hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers are united in supporting HB 2371 SA 2, which does not require state money. The bill would protect 340B so safety net providers can continue supporting patients and communities. “Weakening this program would not help patients — it would reduce access to care and strain an already fragile healthcare system,” Wilhelmi said.

Cutting funding for hospitals operating on thin to negative margins will have devasting effects on patients. VOTE YES on HB 2371 SA 2. Learn more.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Pritzker pitches housing plan on podcast as real estate alliance deepens. The Real Deal…

    - The full show won’t be out until later this week. In clips posted so far, Gov. Pritzker focused on the zoning overhaul, along with a down-payment assistance program his office started in March. He also dismissed concerns from local governments about sharp density increases as “misinformation.”
    - The podcast appearance came together through Illinois Realtors, Chicago real estate broker Matt Laricy said. Pritzker also filmed an interview with Tommy Choi, who leads the Weinberg Choi Residential team at Keller Williams OneChicago, his office said.
    - Laricy described the governor’s broader courtship of Illinois Realtors as straightforward politics. The trade group has significant muscle in Springfield, and aligning with it on a signature legislative agenda benefits both sides, Laricy said.

* Related stories…

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* Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Cook County liable for property tax sale violations, judge rules: A federal judge ruled Monday that Cook County is liable to pay back potentially millions of dollars to people who lost their homes in the county’s annual property tax sales, three years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the system unconstitutional. Since 2020, nearly 2,500 homeowners not only lost their properties but also the surplus equity in those homes after their delinquent property taxes were sold.

* WGN | Mayor threatens $250K in state funding after WGN Investigates report: At 9:46 p.m. that same night, an email from Mayor Jones’ Calumet City account was sent to seven people, including the park district’s executive director. It read: “After Clerk Figgs nasty interview about me tonight on WGN, I am withdrawing my support for the $250,000 for the Park District.” […] Initially, his spokesman suggested the email may be fake.

*** Statewide ***

* Capitol News Illinois | ‘More than just a road’: Illinois communities celebrate Route 66’s centennial: “Route 66 is more than just a road, you know?” said Joan Sestak, member of the Federal Route 66 Centennial Commission and director of community and government relations at the University of Illinois Springfield. “It’s a shared American story about mobility, opportunity and connection. The centennial celebration gives us a chance to reflect on that and reflect on what still unites us about those shared values.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Press release | Governor Pritzker Announces $2.5 Million in Grant Funding Available for Economic Empowerment Centers Across Illinois: The EEC Grant Program was developed to help create an inclusive business ecosystem within communities that have historically faced systemic barriers to entry and growth through dynamic partnerships, targeted outreach, and tailored programs and initiatives. DCEO has previously awarded $2.5 million in grant funding to 10 recipients through the EEC Grant Program who have helped launch 100 businesses, created over 160 jobs, and advised over 2,000 entrepreneurs.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Tax break for United Center’s 1901 Project advances amid union pushback: While negotiations are ongoing, there appears to be consensus the union would represent workers at the concert hall, hotel and in catering jobs, but the union is pushing for the right to collectively bargain for workers at restaurants outside the music venue. Union members packed a City Hall committee room today to oppose the project, criticizing the city for granting a tax break to the owners of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago Blackhawks while West Side residents face soaring property tax bills.

* Sun-Times | City Council panel backs tax incentives for United Center entertainment district: The tax abatement — which would be applied over 12 years — would be the first infusion of public funding for the privately-owned stadium and came as “a surprise to some of us,” said Ald. Nicole Lee (11th), since it wasn’t part of the initial announcement of the project. The tax relief would come in the form of a 7(b) incentive for the first phase, which allows the property to be assessed at a lower percentage than it would be otherwise.

* NBC Chicago | Chicago wines and dines DNC officials in push to host convention: They’ll also be taking in the sights on an architectural boat tour on the Chicago River, and they’ll also attend an event at the Obama Presidential Center, visiting with city luminaries, business leaders and more, according to officials. […] It’s unknown when Democrats will make their decision on a host site for the convention, but Republicans have already chosen their host city for 2028, with their convention heading to Houston, Texas.

* Tribune | Chicago’s Legion Park encampment was cleared out. Residents and activists question the city’s next steps: Park District policy says the agency takes a “housing-first” approach to encampments, and it says it doesn’t engage in sweeps, which it defines as a closure in which residents may not be connected with resources. However, the policy doesn’t explicitly specify if an encampment closure will always include a housing event. The Park District hasn’t yet returned a request for comment to the Tribune.

* ABC Chicago | CPD officer shot, critically injured at Swedish Hospital making progress; family ‘remaining hopeful’: Chicago Police Officer Nelson Crespo’s family says he is still in the ICU, but the good news is that he is able to breathe on his own for several hours at a time, according to his doctors. […] “He’s still in the ICU and he is able to breathe on his own now for eight hours at a time. The doctor wants him to exercise his diaphragm, and he is improving each day,” she said.

* Crain’s | Englewood renewal effort takes whole-block approach to reversing housing inequity: Tonika Johnson is taking a whole-block approach to reversing Chicago’s long-held inequities in housing, concentrating her resources on buying vacant lots, repairing people’s homes and bringing murals and sculpture all to single block in Englewood. “Because of the devaluation of everything around here, you have to invest in all of the block if you want to stabilize it,” Johnson said on a recent walk along the 6500 block of South Aberdeen Street. “It has to be all of it, not part of it.”

* WBEZ | Man’s bid for a retrial in boy’s murder hinges on ex-Chicago cop’s alleged ties to Gitmo torture: The attorney, Jennifer Blagg, argued that retired Detective Richard Zuley, 79, coordinated her client’s torture. She tied the case to alleged Zuley-led coercion in a string of cases from 1987 to 2003, including four murder convictions that were later thrown out. “He’s never in the room when the worst stuff happens, but he doesn’t have to be [because the officers] are all working together,” Blagg said.

* Block Club | Baby Eagles’ Nest Gets Extra Protection As Park District Blocks Far South Side Trail: News of the two eaglets broke last week, with many Chicagoans celebrating the rare occurrence. Now, the Park District has restricted trails at Park 597, 2690 E. 126th Place, near where the nest containing two eaglets resides, according to the Park District. “To minimize disturbance and for the protection of the nesting area, we have temporarily closed access to the woodland path for the foreseeable future,” spokesperson Irene Tostado said in a statement.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Kane County state’s attorney: Aurora police acted appropriately during anti-ICE school protest: Aurora police officers acted within the scope of their authority and didn’t use excessive force during a February student walkout protesting federal immigration tactics, the Kane County state’s attorney announced Monday. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said in a news release that her office launched an investigation following allegations that Aurora police used excessive force during the Feb. 9 protest, which involved hundreds of Aurora students leaving school and walking toward the downtown area and City Hall. The walkout resulted in the arrest of three students.

* Harvey World Herald | Out of ‘shared concern for the community,’ Southland influencers expand political awareness: In 2022, Henyard was appointed Thornton Township Supervisor, following the death of longtime head Frank Zuccarelli; Henyard held dual roles as Dolton’s mayor and the township’s supervisor. By then, Allen’s optimism had dwindled. Allen’s content was originally personal, “but when Tiffany Henyard came into power, I felt a responsibility to document what was happening in real time,” she said.

* Daily Herald | ‘Most pressing needs’: After public scrutiny, District 214 cuts potential referendum ask in half: Northwest Suburban High School District 214 has cut its possible referendum ask in half — from more than $900 million at one point, to as much as $450 million now — as officials continue to gauge public appetite for a tax hike to fund building updates. “The district has carefully considered the community’s feedback and adjusted its approach to reflect the community’s wishes,” according to a facilities planning presentation on the district’s website. “Moving forward, this process will focus only on the highest-priority projects, based on community feedback and district evaluations.”

* Pioneer Press | Lake Forest City Council transitions to new era as two aldermen depart, new members sworn in: At the May 4 City Council meeting, Alderman Edward “Ted” Notz, 2nd, and Alderwoman Eileen Looby Weber, 4th, said their goodbyes after serving the city’s customary terms in office for council members. Later in the meeting, Rosemary Kehr and Lloyd Culbertson were sworn in to succeed them.

* Daily Herald | $7 million grant to help ease gridlock at major Mount Prospect intersection: Reaching that goal was helped out last week when U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat, handed out a symbolic $7 million check at Randhurst Village representing Community Project Funding dedicated to the project. The total project cost is about $19.6 million including engineering, right-of-way acquisition and construction, officials said. The estimated cost of construction alone is about $13.8 million.

*** Downstate ***

* NPR Illinois | Sangamon County announces nominees for new mental health board: The application and review process was extensive. The county received 103 applications from residents interested in serving on the board. Applicants were asked to submit resumes, letters of interest and supporting materials for consideration. Members of the review committee spent countless hours reviewing applications, evaluating professional experience and identifying candidates with the background needed to help guide the county’s mental health funding priorities.

* WMBD | Pekin data center project scrapped as company ends agreement: Western Hospitality Partners, which was looking to build a data center in Pekin, will not move forward with its project. That’s according to City Attorney James Vasselli, who said at Monday’s Pekin City Council meeting that WHP terminated its agreement with the city and is no longer planning to build a data center in the 321 acres north of Lutticken Lake.

* WMBD | Bloomington airport project close to take-off thanks to federal dollars: U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood on Monday delivered a $1.5 million grant for an airport plan that could bring more jobs to the Twin Cities. The federal funding will help build a cargo road to separate truck traffic from airport traffic. The goal is to build a truck exit of sorts off Airport Road to the FedEx warehouse. FedEx is the largest employer housed at Central Illinois Regional Airport right now.

* WCIA | EIU tests emergency alert system after armed person hoax caused ‘panic’ in the fall: “That’s why we worked this spring to to figure out a better solution for the campus. So, [the IT staff] has been working to make sure — and actually, it’s been ready for a little bit, but we wanted to wait until the students were gone to do this test — to make sure that the one button solution for our campus audio, the text messages, and the emails were all ready to go for this afternoon,” Bierman said.

* WGEM | Major improvements to Water Treatment Plant approved by Quincy City Council: Several improvement projects, including a nearly $1 million valve replacement at the Water Treatment Plant, were given the green light by the Quincy City Council. “This is actually a replacement of the intake valve. It’s water that comes in from the river,” explained Quincy Public Works Director Jeffrey Conte. The water valve being replaced is around a hundred years old according to Conte, which makes it necessary to completely replace it instead of repairing it.

* WSIL | Trigg Tower closing for repairs in Shawnee National Forest: Repairs are expected to take approximately one month, no more than 90 days. The work includes replacing the fencing around the top of the observation platform, replacing deck boards and stair treads, stabilizing the lower stairway, sandblasting and repainting the tower, and other general maintenance work as needed.

*** National ***

* Sun-Times | Justice Department can no longer pressure Facebook, Apple to remove ICE-sighting apps, judge rules: The preliminary injunction ruling, issued last week by U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso, stems from a lawsuit filed in February by Kassandra “Kae” Rosado against former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Rosado alleges that both federal agencies coerced Facebook into removing her “ICE Sighting-Chicagoland” group, which aimed to keep residents informed about where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen in the Chicago area.

* WSJ | An FCC Commissioner Tells Disney the Agency Is on a Campaign to Censor It: ABC has been a victim of a “sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control” by the Trump administration, Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez told Josh D’Amaro, chief executive of Disney, the network’s parent company. The FCC under Republican Chairman Brendan Carr has been weaponized to pressure “a free and independent press and all media into submission,” Gomez wrote in a letter sent to D’Amaro on Monday and viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

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Good morning!

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Cowboy Junkies…

Heavenly wine and roses
Seem to whisper to me when you smile

This is an Illinois open thread.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

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

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Chicago Reader…

The explosion of proposed data centers across Illinois has sparked a fierce, bipartisan backlash and even legislation to curb the long-lasting effects on people’s air quality, water quality, and energy bills. In town halls from Pekin to Joliet to Chicago’s southeast side, people have packed rooms and spent hours discussing the impact of potential developments on their communities. As residents grapple with project proposals, it’s never been more important to understand the impact of data centers. […]

“What makes the data center problem unique is the fact that these facilities are being built in a specific location, or specific locations, and they are being built en masse,” said Yury Dvorkin, an engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University. “[If] you put a lot of electricity demand in a very constrained location, what happens is that it’s harder for the grid to deliver power in that specific location.”

In many cases, hyperscale data centers will actually require more power than currently exists on the grid. Meeting that demand “requires building new generators, building new transmission lines—and we cannot build that fast,” Dvorkin said. “Naturally, when you have an imbalance between the demand and supply, that leads to a price spike. That is something that we’ve been observing for a while now.” […]

Another thing to consider, said Moskowitz, is that “ComEd customers aren’t just paying for the electricity that we’re using. We are also paying for the electricity that we could be using.”

*** Statewide ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Unemployment rising throughout Illinois: Unemployment continues to rise faster than the national average in Illinois and was up 0.5 points in March over the last year. The rate has increased in all metro areas and only three areas have recorded new job growth compared to March 2025. The state overall has also lost nonfarm jobs since then.

* Capitol News Illinois | As Illinoisans lose federal food assistance, independent grocers face debt, store closure: Many independent grocery stores struggle to make substantial profits, with high overhead costs and inconsistent consumer habits. And when consumers’ spending power is limited, like when they lose SNAP benefits, local businesses feel the effects of their limited spending. During the federal shutdown last fall, when some SNAP recipients didn’t receive their November benefits, Norrenberns said he knew some business owners who saw the effects of that. “They did what they had to to get by,” Norrenberns said. “I think there’s a lot of people that are struggling with like, credit card debt, you know. It’s like, hey, we can’t wait. What else do we do?”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sun-Times | Battle continues over Illinois law to limit credit card fees: A battle over credit card transaction fees continues after a federal appeals court on Friday sent the case about a new Illinois law seeking to limit so-called swipe fees back to District Court. When customers use credit cards, businesses typically pay credit card companies an interchange fee on each transaction, including sales tax and workers’ tips, that ranges from about 2% to 4%.

* NBC Chicago | ‘Credit Card Chaos?’ Why ads are targeting an Illinois bill aimed at swipe fees: protecting merchants from having to pay interchange fees on sales taxes and gratuities, but the law as written would require merchants to transmit detailed tax and gratuity data during payment authorization, and would also require merchants to retroactively recover interchange fees. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association and other lobbying groups have contested those arguments, saying they’re based on scare tactics and that software upgrades, similar to those implemented when debit and credit cards were required by law to utilize chip technology, would be all that’s needed to make the law workable.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | City Lawyers Fought — And Won — Lawsuit Filed by Man Shot Twice by Police. Taxpayers Still Paid $1.37M: Lawyers for the city of Chicago convinced a federal jury in December that a police officer did not violate the civil rights of the unarmed man she shot twice during rush hour inside one of the busiest CTA Red Line train stations in February 2020. But that victory, which came after a court fight that stretched for nearly six years, still cost Chicago taxpayers $1.37 million, according to records obtained by WTTW News through a Freedom of Information Act request.

* Tribune | Little Italy priest removed by archdiocese for alleged ‘inappropriate conversations’: The Archdiocese of Chicago removed a Little Italy priest accused of “improper and inappropriate conversations and communications” with children and adult women, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, wrote in a Saturday letter. The priest, Rev. Jose Molina, had been serving as the temporary minister at St. Francis of Assisi Parish since August 2025. “We appreciate the courage it takes to step forward and encourage others who believe they have experienced abuse or inappropriate behavior by a member of the clergy, religious or lay employee of the Archdiocese to report it to the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth,” Cupich wrote.

* Block Club | Jim’s Original Leaving Maxwell Street Area After 87 Years, Moving To Pilsen Due To UIC Development: The move will end a nearly 90-year run for the restaurant in the Maxwell Street area. Opened in 1939, the street food staple called the corner of Halsted and Maxwell streets home for over 60 years, anchoring a Maxwell Street neighborhood that was a hub for immigrants and home to a famous outdoor market.

* Sun-Times | Folk singer-songwriter John Prine to be feted with star-studded Chicago tribute: Hosted by actor/musician John C. Reilly, the October concert will bring together a who’s who of Americana music, including Steve Earle, Amos Lee, Josh Ritter, Margo Price and Joy Oladokun. Several acts with Chicago ties will perform including Ratboys, Shemekia Copeland, Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra and Jon Langford.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Chicago Reader | The Cook County sheriff is quietly lobbying the county board to expand surveillance both inside the jail and out on the streets: Neither of the proposed contracts—for BriefCam, an AI surveillance software developed in Israel, or the controversial license plate reader company Flock Safety—was subject to the county’s standard public notice and competitive bidding requirements. Though the terms of the agreements have not yet been publicly released, the full county board could vote on the measures as soon as Thursday. The sheriff’s office claims BriefCam’s AI-powered surveillance camera system will allow officers to identify and respond more quickly to potential drug use in the Cook County jail “by alerting staff based on activity the software identifies from live video streams in real time.” Dart’s office has denied multiple interview requests and declined to provide copies of the proposed agreements or respond to a detailed list of questions.

* Crain’s | Fight over $35 million delays bid to reopen West Suburban Hospital: A court fight over millions of dollars transferred out of West Suburban Medical Center and Weiss Memorial hospital accounts is delaying efforts to reopen the shuttered Oak Park hospital. At a Cook County receivership hearing today, attorneys for the landlord of the two hospitals and their operator, Resilience Healthcare, agreed to exchange records tied to a bank account that allegedly received more than $35 million in operating funds from the hospitals over the past several years.

* Sun-Times | Cook County judge puts off ruling on whether to install special prosecutor to probe Operation Midway Blitz: Prosecutors denied setting any limits for themselves. But Cook County Circuit Judge Erica Reddick posed the question while considering whether to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate those federal agents — offering possible insight into her thinking. Reddick did not rule Monday on whether to appoint a special prosecutor, despite previously setting that goal for herself. The judge said she now expects to rule on May 21.

* Crain’s | Former Walgreens office site in Deerfield sold for suburban revamp: A local real estate firm paid $13.1 million for a demolished former Walgreens office complex in Deerfield, which it plans to redevelop with a mixed-use project bringing retail, restaurants and other uses to the north suburb. A venture of Buffalo Grove-based Shorewood Development Group bought the vacant 37.5-acre site at 1411-1435 Lake Cook Road last month, according to Illinois property records. The deal came several months after the seller, real estate investment trust Orion Properties, razed a 575,000-square-foot office property on the site that previously housed workspace for Walgreens near its Deerfield headquarters.

* Daily Herald | Harper College marks construction milestone with beam-signing for new Business and Social Sciences Building: “Spaces like the moot courtroom, the Early Childhood Lab School and flexible classrooms will give students hands-on opportunities that prepare them for careers and for transfer. These experiences matter because they help our students see themselves in their future professions.” Funded by the voter-approved 2018 referendum, the $78 million project is part of Harper’s broader campus master plan to modernize facilities and expand opportunities for students and the community.

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Times | “A lot of things are getting confused”: Van Meter addresses city, county roles in legislation meant to spur downtown development : “A lot of things are getting confused,” Van Meter said. “I think the city misunderstands the city’s role in this project. The city is only being asked to do the things that it would do with any developer who came to town.” Van Meter, a Springfield Republican, acknowledged that some sections of House Bill 910 may be misleading when it comes to the impact on the capital city. Those sections, he said, likely will be clarified before the legislation is passed by both chambers and sent to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature.

* STLPR | $62M Metro East studio could be filming TV shows by summer 2027: Named Hollywood River Studios for the town where it’s located, the Metro East complex is already under construction and will consist of up to six studios, totaling 140,000 square feet when complete. Developer Chris Breakwell said the St. Louis region has missed out on filmmaking with television shows like HBO’s “DTF St. Louis” and Netflix’s “Ozark” both being filmed in and around Atlanta. “I want to get that stuff filmed in Missouri and Illinois and help change the image of the city,” Breakwell said.

* Capitol City Now | Goodbye, downtown Springfield parking meters: According to a news release, the City of Springfield says it will soon begin removing parking meters from the area, and will provide updates during the removal process. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that the city discontinued requiring the feeding of the meters. “Downtown Springfield, like many downtown areas across the nation, continues to evolve, and the City hopes these improvements encourage more people to come downtown to shop, dine, conduct business, and enjoy the many cultural and entertainment opportunities available throughout the area,” said a news release.

* BND | This metro-east city is one of the ‘safest college towns’ in US, analysis finds: The March 17 analysis “50 Safest College Towns in America for 2026”, from academic rankings company Research.com, named Edwardsville No. 14. The city is home to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Research.com reported Edwardsville has a population of 26,698, with an overall crime rate of 6.07, a violent crime rate of 0.3 and a property crime rate of 5.77 per 1,000 residents.

*** National ***

* AP | Trump says he’ll move to suspend federal gasoline tax. He can’t do it on his own: The president cannot suspend the federal tax on his own. Congress would have to approve the move. Lawmakers from both parties have pushed for a gas-tax suspension, saying it would provide much-needed relief for families and businesses that rely on their cars and trucks to get to work and school and run everyday errands.

* Miami Herald | Over 100 people get norovirus on cruise ship that left from Fort Lauderdale: The VSP is conducting a field response “for an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation to assist the ship in controlling the outbreak,” according to the CDC. This is not the first time passengers aboard the Caribbean Princess have fallen ill to norovirus. In 2020, over 300 passengers got sick, resulting in the 14-day voyage ending early.

* Bloomberg | United Airlines sponsorship puts Duffy’s TV side gig under scrutiny: Democrats and good-government groups criticized the trip given the sponsorships by companies that have business before Duffy’s agency. Duffy posted on X Saturday, writing that “career ethics and budget officials at the Department of Transportation reviewed and approved” his participation and travel. Duffy added that neither he nor his family received a salary or production royalties from the show and a department spokesperson said the secretary also conducted additional visits touring air traffic control facilities and assessing port infrastructure during travel for the show.

* AP | A real WKRP radio comes to Cincinnati, decades after the sitcom about a fictional station: WKRP isn’t dead — as of Monday, it’s living on the air in Cincinnati. The call letters from the fictional radio station featured in a CBS sitcom were adopted by a trio of real “adult hits” stations in time for Monday’s morning drive, and co-owner Jeff Ziesmann described listeners as “stoked.”

  11 Comments      


Mother robin update

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Baby robins have hatched on my front porch. My mailman now won’t deliver to my address because every time he opens my mailbox the mother robin goes ballistic on him. The cycle of life…

  6 Comments      


Indiana Bears tax hike opponent clobbers pro-Bears incumbent in primary

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I won’t pretend to understand what’s going on in Northwest Indiana, but this seems newsworthy to me. From the Gary Post Tribune…

Porter County District 4 Councilman Andy Vasquez was behind Porter County Plan Commission member Craig Kenworthy in Tuesday night’s primary, per preliminary election results.

Kenworthy led Vasquez, the council president, 62% to 37% to represent the Republican Party in the bid for Vasquez’s District 4 county council seat come November.

Vasquez, who is at the end of his first term on the council after being selected by caucus to replace Mike Jessen, previously said that he was primaried by the Porter County Republicans for not towing the party line. […]

The sixth-generation Morgan Township resident [Kenworthy] has said he would not support a 1% food and beverage tax to bring the Bears to Hammond.

“I don’t feel it will be of any economic benefit,” he said. “We have budgetary holes to fill in this county that should take precedence over us helping a billionaire fund a Bears stadium that’s not in our county. I do support the stadium. I just don’t support Porter County paying for it.”

* Vasquez favors the tax hike…

Porter County Council President Andy Vasquez said the Porter County Council hasn’t discussed the food and beverage ordinance yet, and it won’t before the end of this year because new board members will be elected in the November election.

Vasquez, who lost his reelection bid in Tuesday’s primary, said he would support an ordinance for a food and beverage tax because it could help the county amid its projected financial losses as the state begins to implement property tax cuts.

Again, I’m not sure exactly what this means, but I do know that almost nobody is talking about that election result. So, here you go.

And a hat tip to a commenter for sending me down this rabbit hole. /s

  18 Comments      


Today’s number: 1.3 cents

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Illinois Policy Institute headline…

How much is the new Illinois gas tax hike?

And then the narration never says what the hike actually is, although an included graph has an answer if you do the math yourself: 1.3 cents.

Discuss.

  22 Comments      


IFT unveils megaproject ‘calculator’

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* IFT last week…

Today the Illinois Federation of Teachers released a “Mega Project, Mega Loss” Calculator.

At a time when the state owes its students $6 billion from Pre-K to PhD and the Governor’s withholding of promised but not delivered funds under the evidence-based formula is pushing districts into unnecessary deficits that harm school children’s educational experience, the Illinois Federation of Teachers is urging legislators to choose development models that do not reduce revenue for schools and public services.

Visitors can use the interactive online tool to select a mega project and their location and calculate how much money a town and its schools would receive based on current rates and how much they are set to lose if the statewide tax code rewrite dubbed “mega projects” were to go into effect.

Intended for any Illinois resident, school board member, superintendent, parent, or educator, the site provides examples such as an Amazon warehouse, car battery plant, new corporate headquarters, or the McCaskey’s stadium for the Bears.

In the case of the McCaskey’s stadium, if it were to move to Arlington Heights, for example, the local school district would receive $5,424,468,420 less over the course of 40 years because of the mega project bill. Downstate, school districts where rail projects, car factories, and warehouses would likely qualify would see similar losses.

The calculator is here.

* I asked the governor’s office for a response…

The IFT is asking people to believe that a vacant property is somehow a better long-term deal for schools districts than a major redevelopment project bringing new jobs, new investment, and new revenue that would otherwise not be there for school districts. That’s a pretty tough sell — especially while throwing around massive numbers without showing their work. More importantly, Governor Pritzker has been one of the strongest champions for public education in Illinois, delivering record investments in schools year after year. Every dollar appropriated for Evidence-Based Funding has gone directly to Illinois schools, with annual EBF funding increasing by over $2 billion under this administration. The Governor will continue fighting to strengthen public education while also supporting the kind of economic development policies that create jobs, grow communities, and expand opportunity across Illinois.

Additional Background:

    • Since Governor Pritzker took office, with the FY27 proposed level, annual EBF funding will have increased by $2.4 billion (a 35% increase) to $9.2 billion
    • IFT’s calculator appears to assume developments would move forward at full scale and fully taxed for decades regardless of whether long-term financing certainty exists to make projects economically viable.
    • The more realistic comparison is not “full taxes forever” versus PILOT Mega bill— it is whether projects move forward at all vs. sites remaining vacant, deteriorating, or underutilized for years.
    • PILOT is a tool already utilized by 35 states today.
    • Illinois’ EBF formula already includes mechanisms specifically designed to account for fluctuations in local property values, including three-year EAV averaging, tax cap adjustments, and additional safeguards designed to smooth impacts over time.
    • The Bears currently pay $0 in property taxes today under the current set up at Soldier Field

That third point is the best one, IMHO.

  17 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

The Senate is also expected to take up legislation that would give the state more authority to reject excessive homeowner and auto insurance rate hikes. The bill passed the House 66-40 in March. The push follows State Farm’s announcement last year that it was raising homeowners’ insurance premiums by more than 27%, citing rising repair costs and extreme weather, a move Pritzker publicly opposed.

The insurance industry has pushed back, arguing the bill would ultimately make coverage less affordable by impeding accurate pricing.

“Instead of targeting insurers with legislation that misses the root causes, states should work with the industry to lower risks for homeowners,” the Insurance Information Institute said in a policy brief.

State Sen. Michael Hastings, a Democrat from Frankfort and the main Senate sponsor, expressed confidence in the homeowners’ insurance language but said the auto insurance provisions, which were added in the House without Senate input, need more work.

“I spent two years studying, researching homeowners’ insurance policies. I am confident that the language we sent over for homeowners’ (insurance) was the right answer,” he said. “On the auto insurance side, it’s something that was just thrown on us and given to us.”

* WAND…

[A] bill could require an online portal detailing utility charges to consumers separate from delivery and supply charges. The website should include the laws that allow them to charge customers and break down what fees are paid to the state or kept by the utility company.

Sponsors are currently working on amended language with the Illinois Commerce Commission.

“Rather than them posting it all the time, we would ask them to post it semi-annually,” said Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro). “They would also be allowed to include links that could take you to other sites to find information that has already been gathered.”

House Bill 5524 passed unanimously out of the Senate Energy & Public Utilities Committee Thursday and now heads to the Senate floor. The measure previously passed unanimously out of the House.

* Capitol News Illinois…

In March, Aurora enacted ordinances that would require data center developers to conduct and submit studies dealing with noise, water consumption and energy needs. The ordinances also require future data centers to meet standards for noise, vibrations, water use and energy use. They will also need to get power from renewable energy sources.

“We also realized that while Aurora did our best to address these concerns locally, we need to be acting regionally as a state,” Laesch said, encouraging state lawmakers to pass regulations like those found in the POWER Act, a major bill currently being debated in the General Assembly.

The bill would require data centers to pay for their own energy and the infrastructure to generate it, mandate transparency from data centers about their water use and obtain permits from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for how data centers handle wastewater and meet efficiency standards. It would also require community benefits agreements that promote transparent engagement with the public.

Despite three hearings in the House and one in the Senate, it’s unclear whether the bill will pass this spring or if there’s more work to be done.

* Sen. Rachel Ventura…

At 10:30am today, May 11, State Senator Rachel Ventura and local advocates will host a press conference to call for local and state action on unchecked data center development. After the Joliet City Council approved what will be Illinois’ largest AI data center in late March, local advocates are calling for state lawmakers to pass the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513) to ensure this project doesn’t move forward without critical guardrails.

WHEN: Monday, May 11, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. CT

WHAT: press conference to call for local and state action to protect communities like Joliet from data center harms

WHERE: Joliet City Hall, 150 W Jefferson Street Joliet, IL 60432 and live-streamed via facebook.com/ILCleanJobs/live_videos.

SPEAKERS:
Emcee: Lucy Contreras, GreenLatinos
State Sen. Rachel Ventura
Griselda Chavez, Warehouse Workers for Justice
Noah Martinez, Joliet Residents for Responsible Growth

* Sen. Omar Aquino…

State Senator Omar Aquino is advancing legislation to address ‘junk’ fees as a part of a broader effort to ease the financial burden on Illinois families amid the national affordability crisis.

“Junk fees are a deceptive practice that quietly drain thousands of dollars from Illinois families each year,” said Aquino (D-Chicago). “Requiring businesses to disclose the full price of a good or service upfront isn’t unreasonable – it is a basic standard for transparency and honesty that consumers in Illinois deserve.”

House Bill 228 would make it unlawful for any business to advertise, display or offer a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or surcharges before taxes.

According to a Consumer Reports analysis, junk fees cost an average family of four close to $3,200 each year.

“At a time when families are struggling to afford basic necessities, especially with federal funding cuts threatening vital programs like SNAP and Medicaid, Illinois must act to protect consumers and promote fair business practices,” said Aquino. “Families are paying more at the pump and the price of everyday goods continues to go up. We must focus on affordability measures that allow families to make confident financial decisions, and this bill puts money back into the pockets of working families, where it belongs.”

House Bill 228 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

* Sen. Don DeWitte…

In response to growing opposition from municipal leaders across Illinois to the BUILD plan currently being pushed by Governor Pritzker and legislative Democrats, State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) has filed comprehensive alternative legislation that preserves local control over zoning and housing development decisions while also focusing on housing affordability, infrastructure investment, and property tax relief.

The new proposal, filed on May 7 as Senate Bill 4200, is known as the Reducing Expenses and Advancing Local Housing (REAL Housing) Act. It was developed in cooperation with the Illinois Municipal League (IML), which represents close to 1,300 cities, villages, and towns throughout Illinois.

DeWitte said concerns over the stripping of local control found in the BUILD plan have become the most common issue raised by mayors, village presidents, and municipal managers throughout his district and across the state. […]

Key components of the legislation include:

    - Preserving local authority by explicitly stating that nothing in the legislation requires municipalities or counties to approve developments, change zoning ordinances, reduce parking requirements, or adopt specific housing policies.
    - Establishing a voluntary Middle Housing Incentive Program that allows municipalities and counties to opt in if they choose to support housing options such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and accessory dwelling units.
    - Providing incentives, not mandates, for communities that pursue locally tailored housing strategies, including access to infrastructure grants, technical assistance, planning support, and priority consideration for state funding programs.
    - Creating a state sales tax exemption on building materials used in qualifying residential developments to help reduce construction costs and encourage more affordable housing.
    - Supporting property tax relief by allowing local governments to receive additional Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) revenue above a certain threshold if those dollars are used to provide property tax relief to residents.
    - Offering grants and assistance for comprehensive planning, zoning modernization, housing studies, infrastructure planning, and redevelopment of blighted properties.
    - Expanding workforce development initiatives tied to housing construction through partnerships with community colleges, trade schools, and apprenticeship programs to address skilled labor shortages.
    - Extending the Veterans Property Tax Relief Reimbursement Pilot Program and dedicating additional funding to help reimburse local governments for state-mandated veterans’ property tax exemptions.

* More…

    * Press release | Sen. Holmes measure sets statutory guidance for courts resolving pet custody in democratic partnerships: House Bill 4540 would update existing law centered solely on pet possession in divorce cases with no explicit language dealing with pets belonging to unmarried partners. The measure would let courts issue temporary custody and visitation orders for companion animals, prioritizing their caregiving history and well-being during disputes. This bill would modernize state law to reflect the emotional bonds people develop with companion animals and would apply to anyone involved in a pet custody dispute in Illinois. This includes divorcing couples, separated partners and others with contested claims to companion animals. […] House Bill 4540 passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday. Now it moves to the full Senate for further consideration.

    * WAND | IL Senate passes bill accelerating lead service line replacement, sends plan to House: This plan ensures utility companies and contractors can access service lines located on private property at no cost to the property owner. It also expands who can authorize and perform the replacement. “We worked with environmental groups, trade groups, and municipalities to streamline lead service line replacement given the dangers of lead, but also the deadlines that have been put in place to replace the hundreds of thousands of lead service lines in our state,” said Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). Senate Bill 4025 passed unanimously out of the Senate Thursday. The measure now heads to the House for further consideration.

    * WCSJ | Jed Davis opposes Illinois mega-projects bill: 75th District State Representative Jed Davis says he does not support the Illinois mega-projects bill that could help keep the Chicago Bears in the state. Davis says the bill would place long-term freezes on property taxes for such projects, leaving taxpayers to take the brunt as property values increase. “That’s a horrific piece of legislation,” Davis said. “That has a lot more to do than just with the Chicago Bears. It is a mega projects bill for anything in the state that would be classified as a mega project, and it provides property tax relief to that project. It literally locks in their property taxes for a forty year period on the undeveloped condition.”

    * WAND | IL Senate passes bill requiring transparency from third party hotel booking sites: The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday to require transparency for third party hotel booking websites to protect customers. Sponsors said many people use these sites thinking they are booking a room directly with the hotel, but they often find extra fees, errors or other issues after they pay. “What this legislation does is provide transparency and addresses the problem by making sure these third party booking services clearly disclose that they have a lack of affiliation with the hotel before a consumer reserves a room,” said Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford).

  4 Comments      


Credit & Debit Cards May Not Work For Tips, Starting July 1

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

The IFPA—the Credit Card Chaos law—could hurt Illinois’ tipped workers. Servers, stylists, rideshare drivers and other gig workers who rely on tips could see their income drop if customers can’t tip on cards and are limited to the cash they carry.
Why should tipped workers pay the price for Springfield’s bad policy?

Before chaos hits on July 1, lawmakers should reverse course and repeal the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act.

Learn more at: guardyourcard.com/Illinois

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Jeanne Ives claims she’s ‘injured’ by the Illinois Voting Rights Act

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Jeanne Ives…

I have filed a federal lawsuit against Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Elections, and its executive director for violating the United States Constitution through Illinois’ race-based legislative mapping process.

Represented by attorneys from the Public Interest Legal Foundation, I am challenging the explicit use of race as a primary factor in drawing legislative district boundaries in Illinois.

I wish there was a good sigh emoji out there because I’d use it multiple times a day.

* From the Illinois Voting Rights Act…

In any redistricting plan pursuant to Article IV, Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution, Legislative Districts and Representative Districts shall be drawn, subject to subsection (d) of this Section, to create crossover districts, coalition districts, or influence districts. The requirements imposed by this Article are in addition and subordinate to any requirements or obligations imposed by the United States Constitution, any federal law regarding redistricting Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, including but not limited to the federal Voting Rights Act, and the Illinois Constitution.

* And what are crossover, coalition and influence districts? Back to the statute…

The phrase “crossover district” means a district where a racial minority or language minority constitutes less than a majority of the voting-age population but where this minority, at least potentially, is large enough to elect the candidate of its choice with help from voters who are members of the majority and who cross over to support the minority’s preferred candidate. The phrase “coalition district” means a district where more than one group of racial minorities or language minorities may form a coalition to elect the candidate of the coalition’s choice. The phrase “influence district” means a district where a racial minority or language minority can influence the outcome of an election even if its preferred candidate cannot be elected.

* The aforementioned subsection (d)…

Nothing in this Act shall be construed, applied, or implemented in a way that imposes any requirement or obligation that conflicts with the United States Constitution, any federal law regarding redistricting Legislative Districts or Representative Districts, including but not limited to the federal Voting Rights Act, or the Illinois Constitution.

* From her lawsuit…

Plaintiff Jeanne Ives is an Illinois resident and voter who is injured by the Illinois Voting Rights Act’s requirement of drawing district boundaries with racial goals and with racial purposes. Plaintiff will continue to suffer this injury while the Illinois Voting Rights Act continues to be in force. This injury can only be redressed by this Court declaring the Illinois Voting Rights Act unconstitutional and enjoining its use. Plaintiff seeks a declaratory judgment, injunctive relief, expert fees, and attorneys’ fees, including litigation expenses and costs, pursuant to 52 U.S.C § 10310(e) and 42 U.S.C. § 1988. […]

STANDING […]

Plaintiff has been placed in racially engineered districts.

By voting age population, her former 42nd House District is 5 percent Black, 10 percent Asian and 8 percent Hispanic. Her state Senate district is about the same, with a bit more Asian Americans. Her congressional district (6) is also 75 percent White. She resides in Wheaton, which is about 77 percent White.

C’mon. They couldn’t find a better plaintiff?

* However…


  47 Comments      


It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Waymo is ready to bring safe, reliable, autonomous rides to Illinois – but we need your help! Waymo is already mapping Chicago’s unique streets and traffic patterns to lay the groundwork for operations.

Never tired or distracted, Waymo provides hundreds of thousands of fully autonomous rides every week across ten major U.S. cities, from Los Angeles to Atlanta — from multi-lane expressways to dense city streets, including the demands of winter weather. The data shows Waymo’s autonomous vehicles are involved in thirteen times fewer injury-causing collisions compared to humans (as of 3/20/26, see waymo.com/safety). Let’s bring safer rides to Illinois.

Ready to ride? Help bring Waymo to Illinois.

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Fix it in the Senate

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* We’ve discussed some of this before here. My weekly syndicated newspaper column…

Before the House passed the megaprojects bill last month, we were told that the drafters didn’t want to just do some symbolic or “token” property tax relief. After the chamber passed the bill, we were told the property tax component will provide meaningful statewide relief for homeowners.

Well, the governor’s office ran the numbers on the statewide tax relief aspect of the bill and shared the results with Senate Democrats, which I obtained.

It ain’t good.

The tax relief component is built into the payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, part of the legislation. Megaprojects developers would negotiate with local governments what “special payments” they’ll pay on top of property taxes based on frozen assessments.

The House proposal would take half that “special payment” money from local governments and divert it to property tax relief, with 60% of the annual special payments going to local residential taxpayers in the megaprojects area. The other 40% would go to statewide property tax rebates for homeowners in their primary residences.

Illinois has 3.1 million “homestead owners,” according to the governor’s office analysis. A $20 million special payment for a “Large-Sized/Industrial Development” would result in a statewide pot of $4 million (40% of $10 million, which is half of $20 million) split 3.1 million ways, for a total of about $1.29 per homeowner.

A “mid-sized” $3 million special payment would net Illinois homeowners a whopping 24 cents.

And a “small” $1 million special payment would get you… wait for it… 6 cents.

In other words, that’s not even worth the mailing costs to send the checks. And even if the program is wildly successful beyond anyone’s imagination and produces a billion dollars in special payments, that’s about 60 bucks per homestead.

According to the governor’s office analysis, “Requiring a company to negotiate and pay for property tax relief would also be an added complication to negotiating a PILOT agreement. PILOT is a tool utilized by 35 states today, so this could risk the loss of projects and the revenue they would generate.”

Again, kudos to the House for passing a Bears/megaprojects bill. It wasn’t easy by any means. As with the Senate’s mass transit bill last year, it was one of those “whatever it takes” tasks. And it was a good time for House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to start conditioning his members to vote for some tough bills as the session progresses. On all that, Welch succeeded.

But there have been consequences. As I told you last week, Senate progressives are up in arms about how the House took the time to pass a Bears stadium bill, but didn’t pass a constitutional amendment (or anything else) to tax the wealthy.

And this property tax relief analysis from the governor’s office won’t help matters with the progressives or pretty much anyone else. Turning this ship around will not be easy without the political cover of property tax “relief.”

The House’s brief burst of frenetic activity last month has also created another rift with the Senate.

The Senate, you will recall, refused to take up the House’s proposed constitutional amendment adding to the remap requirements, “to ensure that no citizen is denied an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of his or her choice on account of race,” and “to create, where practical, racial coalition or influence Districts.”

The Senate’s refusal to move the proposal has led to some new problems.

Welch’s chief of staff Clayton Harris, III, wrote on his Facebook account: “I’m proud the House stepped up to strengthen voting rights through a constitutional amendment. That mattered. It showed who we are and who we aspire to be.” And then Harris added: “But seeing that effort stall… I’m not disappointed. I’m hurt.”

Harris went on to say, “As a Howard Law grad, as someone who teaches policing and race at the University of Chicago, and as a Black man fully engaged in this state’s political landscape, voting rights aren’t abstract to me. They’re about history, access, power and who gets a voice.”

That could’ve been an allusion to Senate President Don Harmon’s statement about why his chamber decided not to proceed: “I would ask for patience and time for our state’s top legal experts to work through this. The last thing we want is to act in haste and risk unintended consequences down the road. Too much is at stake for too many.”

A spokesperson for Harmon declined comment about Harris’ statement.

  22 Comments      


When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Step into calm at Colibrí the Hummingbird Oases, where owners Miriam and Carlos Ybarra have created a peaceful escape from the noise of everyday life.

Through guided and silent meditation, they help children and adults alike reduce stress, improve focus, and reconnect with themselves. Whether you’re starting your day or resetting in the middle of it, Colibrí in Joliet offers a welcoming space to pause, breathe, and find balance.

Findings of a recent economic study are clear: the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product.

Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Miriam and Carlos in Joliet 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/.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois lawmakers face budget deadline, Bears stadium fight and insurance battle with 3 weeks left. Tribune…

    - Lawmakers have been hashing out whether to grant the state more power to block insurance rate hikes, write new rules for driverless cars, lower electric bills inflated by the rise of data centers and clear a path for the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium in Arlington Heights before Indiana lures the franchise across the state line.
    - Right now, Illinois’ budget picture is steadier than many feared. A report last week from the legislature’s bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) showed state revenues were stable. April deposits into the general fund totaled just over $7.3 billion, the second-highest month on record and a 2% gain over April 2025.
    - A coalition of progressive Democrats used a Capitol news conference last week to renew calls for higher taxes on the wealthy, including closing offshore corporate tax loopholes, severing the state from certain federal tax breaks for corporations under Trump’s new law and imposing a billionaire wealth tax.

***************** Advertisement *****************


Sponsored by PhRMA



*************************************************

* Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Tribune | Chicago health department leaves millions of federal COVID dollars on the table: But two of CDPH’s biggest ELC grants still had a combined $94 million left at the time, according to an internal August spending report released in a public records request. The federal government’s grant tracker says about $81.4 million in ELC funds for the city remains unspent as of this month. […] The staffer then alleged that since 2024, Ige has “singled out staff with disabilities” and stalled approval of their reasonable accommodation requests. Ige said, “This is where unions cannot protect you,” during a 2024 all-hands meeting in which she insinuated her staffers were abusing telework, according to records.

* Crain’s | DNC scouting party tours Chicago this week to weigh 2028, 2032 convention picks: A statement sent out by the Chicago 2028 Host Committee says both officials will be participating in the site visit. Among highlights will be a visit to the proposed United Center convention locale, and meetings with financial backers and other local stakeholders, the statement says. Also on the list are a visit to the observation deck at 875 N. Michigan Ave., an architectural boat tour, and a large reception and pre-opening tour of the Obama Presidential Center.

* CBS Chicago | How is Karina’s Law working to remove guns from accused domestic abusers one year later?: No one tracks the number of domestic violence survivors requesting guns be removed, but the Circuit Court Clerk’s records showed only 85 gun seizure warrants were granted. In the year since Karina’s Law was passed, there were 148 gun seizure warrants tied to that legislation. […] But that data also shows nearly half of the warrants issued in the past year – 70 of them – were thrown out. Sources said one problem is that survivors have to fill out their own warrants, which is not always a simple process. In total, 58 guns were taken away through Karina’s Law in Cook County last year.

*** Statewide ***

* IDPH | Illinois Rises to Top Tier in National Emergency Preparedness Rankings: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced Illinois has been named a “high-performance” state for emergency preparedness, the highest ranking a state can receive, in a newly released report by Trust for America’s Health. The annual report evaluates states on their ability to respond to various public health emergencies using ten key indicators including incident management, patient safety, and health security surveillance, among other measures. This year, Illinois received a top tier ranking after being ranked in the middle performance category in 2025. The advancement reflects improvements driven by ongoing investments in emergency preparedness infrastructure, workforce preparation, and response systems. The state previously achieved high-performance rankings in 2020 and 2022.

* Capitol News Illinois | How Illinois county clerks are combating election misinformation: But letting the public witness and experience how an election is operated and what the procedural policy is goes a long way in increasing trust and confidence, Gray said. “I think the chief responsibility of the election authority is to be that advocate of exposing how we operate, and that goes a great distance in giving people real, firm confidence,” Gray said. “I spend a lot of time analyzing that (disinformation) and refuting what’s being said that’s disturbing people.”

* Capitol News Illinois | How do data centers benefit the places where they’re built? Local mayors give mixed reviews: Across three properties, 60.9% of Meta’s property taxes are paid to School District 428 in DeKalb, according to records. Barnes said that revenue allowed the district to build a new school, Mitchell Elementary, which opened in 2025. […] In March, Aurora enacted ordinances that would require data center developers to conduct and submit studies dealing with noise, water consumption and energy needs. The ordinances also require future data centers to meet standards for noise, vibrations, water use and energy use. They will also need to get power from renewable energy sources.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WGLT | Community schools worry about future funding, which might lead to service cuts: ACT Now, a statewide coalition promoting afterschool and youth development programs, is suing the federal government to pay the $18.5 million worth of grant money that was awarded to Illinois community school programs. […] Susan Stanton, executive director of ACT Now Illinois, said Illinois should fund these programs even with a tight budget this year because these programs will save Illinois money in the future.

* Post-Tribune | Lake and Porter officials in Indiana wait and see on taxes for potential Bears stadium: The state has asked Lake and Porter counties to adopt a 1% food and beverage tax and for Lake County to pass a 5% innkeepers tax. The counties have until June 30, 2027 to approve the taxes, according to the bill’s fiscal note. If both counties approve a 1% food and beverage tax, they could generate between $12 million to $18 million annually. The innkeeper’s tax could generate $5.4 million annually, according to the fiscal note. Lake County Council President Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, said the council has time to pass the food and beverage tax and the innkeepers tax.

* Stateline | As Trump looks to punish foes, Democratic states find ways to push back: Since Trump took office last year, Illinois alone has led or joined more than 60 lawsuits against the administration. Those suits run the gamut, challenging deployment of the National Guard, immigration enforcement and the withholding of disaster funding. Democratic attorneys general say they are winning in most of the cases that have reached court decisions.

*** Chicago ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools cut hundreds of custodian jobs last year. Staff say their schools are dirtier: Then, three months into this school year, complaints rolled in through a district survey of 168 principals and 423 custodians: Three-quarters of principals indicated they didn’t have enough custodians on staff to meet their cleaning needs, and at least 40% asked the district for more staff. Nearly two-thirds of custodians said their tasks were difficult to manage given the size of their buildings and the number of people on their team.

* Cook County Record | Deal avoids trial over accusations CPD coerced confession in double murder: The second of two men who claim Chicago detectives coerced them into confessing to the “heinous” murder of a Chicago couple to allegedly help a woman steal the couple’s baby has apparently reached a settlement with the city, just days after it was revealed Cook County’s controversial former chief prosecutor had allowed them to obtain a key court document that allowed them to sue the city and former officers, even though she still believed he and his once-convicted accomplice were guilty.

* WTTW | Jury Rejects Lawsuit Filed by Uber Driver, Passenger Injured in Chicago Police Pursuit: After a two-week trial, the jury determined that the injuries suffered by Bhuwan Rai, who was driving for Uber, and his passenger, Musherruddin Mohammed, were the fault of the driver who refused to stop for police. “This verdict reflects the jury’s clear conclusion that the crash resulted from the fleeing offender’s own actions, and not from the city’s lawful pursuit,” Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry said.

* WBEZ | About 60% of Chicago arts workers report earning less than $40,000 annually: Slightly more than half of the respondents identified as women and about 60% were white. […] But an arts career lacks stability, artists reported in the survey. The census found that 88% of arts workers strongly believed their work was valuable. However, fewer than half felt that they had a strong sense of job security. And while nearly all of the respondents (95%) said they were compensated for their work in the field, only 57% said they typically receive payment promptly. About 37% said they are only occasionally or never paid on time.

* Sun-Times | Obama Presidential Center helped by $123 million in public infrastructure improvements:And there’s still more work to be done. The final public infrastructure costs are likely to approach $200 million. The costs are not part of the presidential center’s privately-funded $850 million price tag. “The Chicago Department of Transportation has delivered a series of roadway and mobility improvements in and around Jackson Park in coordination with the Obama Presidential Center,” CDOT said in a statement to the Sun-Times.

* Tribune | Davis Martin, 2nd in majors in ERA, has emerged as the ‘rock’ of the Chicago White Sox pitching staff: Martin’s 1.62 ERA trails only New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler’s 1.35. “Davis is the longest-tenured White Sox and has seen some stuff — the good and the bad — and taken on a leadership role,” bench coach Walker McKinven said before Sunday’s game. “Another exceptional human being that guys look up to. “He’s a very confident player just because he’s been through it now. He knows exactly what he wants to do. He knows what it takes for him to be successful personally. And so watching him grow even further this season into a leadership role has been pretty cool.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Homewood-Flossmor Chronicle | Flossmoor board agrees to extend state, federal lobbying contracts: The board authorized a renewal of its agreement with Matthew O’Shea Consulting, which has assisted the village since 2019 in pursuing state funding opportunities and monitoring legislative activity. According to a village memo, the firm has helped secure multiple funding allocations, including $2 million for capital improvements, $1.1 million for downtown improvements and several additional grants tied to roadway, bridge and infrastructure projects.

* Evanston Now | Alders to consider rental price-fixing ban: Evanston’s City Council is set to consider a proposed ordinance Monday from Ald. Juan Geracaris (9th) that would ban the use of price-fixing software in the city’s rental housing market. The measure, also by Alds. Bobby Burns (5th), Shawn Iles (3rd) and Mayor Daniel Biss, would prohibit price coordination through the use of the price-setting software, which uses non-public information about competitor prices to recommend price adjustments based on that information.

* Crain’s | Skokie tech park buildings go up for sale as demand cools for life sciences space: Singerman capitalized relatively quickly with some leasing success, noting in 2024 that the two properties were a combined 96% occupied. But the buildings have lost some tenancy since then, including the relocation of biotech company Cour Pharmaceuticals to Evanston. The ISTP buildings and are 64% leased today, according to the JLL flyer. The offering does not list an asking price.

* Daily Southtown | Planned addiction recovery horse ranch in Crete offers short-term jobs for people leaving treatment:
O’Connor launched the First Furrow Fund in February, working with the Recovery Community Center of Joliet to provide part-time employment on the ranch. He is on the Recovery Community Center’s board and aims to help people leaving 28-day residential substance use disorder treatment facilities work toward financial independence. He said while the organization provides resources to help ease the transition from inpatient facility to recovery housing, rebuilding remains difficult for people recovering from substance use disorder.

* Fox Chicago | Stickney mayor, ex-police officer Jeff Walik dies, village says: “Long before he served as Mayor, Jeff served this village as a Stickney Police Officer. He wore the badge with pride, dedication, and a genuine love for the people he protected. Even after a career-ending injury, his commitment to Stickney never faded. He simply found another way to continue serving the town he cared so deeply about.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Tension from ISU’s AFSCME strike lingers, even after new contract ratified: But at the university’s quarterly board of trustees meeting Friday, union president Chuck Carver said that while they are happy about returning to work, they are still upset with university leadership. “All of this is not well, so we urge you, the members of the board of trustees, who have the ultimate responsibility for the guidance and direction of this institution, to take a hard look at the top leadership you have chosen and the decisions they made that took this university down a very problematic path,” he said.

* WCBU | LaHood opposes using public money for White House ballroom project: “We need a full listing of who’s giving money and how it’s going to [be spent],” he said. “We do that when we do presidential inaugurations, for instance, either a Democrat or Republican. That is funded privately and we know where every nickel and dollar comes from for our presidential inauguration. We should have that same process of full transparency for the ballroom.”

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford police pay large sums to officers facing criminal charges: With an authorized strength of 302, the Rockford Police Department has 276 officers on its active seniority list, a number that fluctuates with retirements, resignations, terminations and new hires. Of those, three are currently on administrative leave or restricted duty after being accused of a crime or DUI and two more recently resigned or were fired. Another 15 are on leave because of injury, military service or other approved reasons, according to information obtained by the Rockford Register Star through a Freedom of Information Act request.

* WREX | Former Winnebago County Sheriff’s Deputy charged with stalking, official misconduct: 33-year-old Tyler C. Bryan, of Cherry Valley, turned himself in to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office Friday morning, according to ISP. He faces two felony stalking charges and two felony charges of official misconduct. Bryan was a part-time Cherry Valley Police Officer and a full-time Winnebago County Sheriff’s Deputy. He has resigned from both offices. ISP began their investigation in March after Cherry Valley Police heard a complaint about Bryan. Investigators found that Bryan allegedly committed offenses over multiple years while both on and off-duty in his posts.

* WICS | Motion to reduce Sean Grayson’s sentence denied, appeal looms: Sean Grayson will not receive a reduced sentence for the murder of Sonya Massey. The Sangamon County court denying his motion to reconsider or reduce his sentence Friday afternoon. However, Grayson and his legal team have signaled they will appeal.

* Capitol City Now | Buscher launches re-election campaign: “I try very hard,” the mayor said in an interview after her formal announcement. “For political purposes, there are some aldermen who do not want to support me. I believe there was one (Ald. Roy Williams) protesting – tonight – my mayoral campaign because they want to play politics. In that horseshoe, we should not play politics; we should play policy. A sign two protestors held across Dirksen Parkway from Boondocks accused Buscher of censorship and militarizing the police department, the latter referring to the purchase of a military-style vehicle.

* BND | Forecasters eye ‘very strong’ El Niño: What it could mean for the metro-east area: The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center reports there’s a 61% chance of an El Niño pattern emerging between May and July, and if it does develop, it could range anywhere from very light to very strong, Melissa Delia, meteorologist with the NWS St. Louis office, told the News-Democrat in a May 8 interview. “When we talk about how strong it is or how weak it is, it’s really talking about how strong or how cool or warm our sea surface temperatures are,” Delia said.

*** National ***

* LA Times | Amazon halts high-speed e-bike sales in California following fatal crashes: Amazon has reportedly agreed to stop California sales of certain e-bikes that can go faster than state speed limits following a series of fatal collisions. The announcement, first reported by KCRA, comes on the heels of an April consumer alert by California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta that highlighted a rise in deaths related to crashes of electric bikes and motorcycles. “We are seeing a surge of safety incidents on our sidewalks, parks, and streets,” Bonta said in a statement. “To ride a motorcycle or moped, you need to have the appropriate driver’s license and comply with rules of the road.”

* WaPo | We’ve calculated your chances of winning money on Polymarket :On Polymarket, just 1,200 people took more than half the profits — $591 million, or more than $100,000 each. When you dabble in prediction markets, you’re competing against these sophisticated players who consistently win. Most of those 1,200 big winners didn’t place just a few smart bets. They appear to be pros making thousands of trades, mostly in the past year and a half, that were probably automated.

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Good morning!

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I had the privilege of spending the weekend with my mom and dad…

I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for givin’ me your eyes
For staying back and watchin’ me shine
And I didn’t know if you knew
So I’m taking this chance to say
That I had the best day with you today

How was your Mother’s Day weekend?

  3 Comments      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Monday, May 11, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…

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