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Protect 340B: A Vital Lifeline For Patients And Healthcare Providers – Pass HB 2371 SA 2
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Nearly half of U.S. states—both red and blue—have passed laws protecting the 340B program in response to drugmakers restricting access to discounted drugs to hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) serving low-income communities. The courts have overwhelmingly ruled that state laws can prevent pharmaceutical manufacturers from limiting the use of 340B contract pharmacies. The Illinois Senate unanimously passed 340B legislation last spring. Now it’s up to the Illinois House to vote for House Bill 2371 SA 2, modeled after legislation passed in more than 20 other states. These laws reverse 340B restrictions that are harming patients and the nonprofit, safety net provider organizations caring for them. These providers utilize drug-cost savings to pass on drug discounts to patients and invest in new services, clinics, and hiring of healthcare providers. HB 2371 SA 2 does NOT require a state appropriation or taxpayer funding. It asks House members to restore this critical lifeline as Illinois hospitals stand to lose up to $57 billion in federal Medicaid funding over 10 years—and patients lose Medicaid coverage. Get the 304B bill across the finish line this legislative session: Vote YES on HB 2371 SA 2. Learn more.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois legislators gear up for final budget talks: Sen. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, is proposing a plan that would eliminate several economic development tax credit programs, such as programs that incentivize construction jobs, to free up $700 million in revenue annually, according to proponents. Many of the targeted programs, however, have support from the governor and members of both parties. “Isn’t it time that we take a stand showing exactly what our values are here in Illinois, instead of allowing the state’s wealthiest corporations to double dip, racking in both federal and state tax breaks?” Collins said at a news conference on Wednesday. * Press release | Unemployment Rate Ticks Up Across All Metro Areas in March: Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs decreased in 8 metropolitan areas, increased in 3 and was unchanged in 1, leading to consecutive months with year-over-year growth in Champaign (14 consecutive months) and Lake (4 consecutive months). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in all 12 metro areas for the year ending March 2026, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). * Tribune | Another lawsuit involving Chicago detective Reynaldo Guevara settling on brink of trial: The trial over all of this had been set to begin Monday before U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger. Instead, after more than eight years of intense litigation, attorneys for both sides appeared in Seeger’s otherwise empty courtroom to announce they had reached an agreement in principle to settle the case. The amount of the settlement — which was negotiated in a series of sessions before a magistrate judge — was not disclosed in court because it is pending the approval of the City Council. * Tribune | In grim financial turn, Chicago Sinfonietta will pause concerts and lay off staff: The move is one of the most drastic yet undertaken by an area organization to counteract the flurry of challenges facing the performing arts after the COVID-19 pandemic, including depressed audience attendance, rising costs and a shifting philanthropic landscape. Simon Woods, president and CEO of the League of American Orchestras, told the Tribune the Sinfonietta’s move is rare in the orchestra world, but not unprecedented. The San Antonio Philharmonic canceled the majority of its remaining season in February, citing fiscal and legal challenges. * Daily Southtown | Republican Will County Board members discuss solar plans ahead of Earthrise vote: Will County committees will meet twice this month to continue discussing Earthrise Energy’s proposed Pride of the Prairie solar farm before the County Board votes May 21 on the project that would span about 6,100 acres in Manhattan, Green Garden and Wilton townships. The Planning and Zoning Commission will continue its public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Renaissance Center, 214 N. Ottawa St., Joliet, as part of a court order after residents filed a lawsuit saying they weren’t allowed to cross examine Earthrise Energy last month. A judge agreed, which postponed an official decision on the sprawling solar plant. * Tribune | Judge tells ‘Broadview Six’ defendants ‘Congratulations’ and dismisses conspiracy count: A federal judge on Thursday dismissed the felony conspiracy count against the remaining defendants in the “Broadview Six” case, further winnowing a politically charged prosecution that is now down to misdemeanor counts of impeding an immigration agent. “Congratulations, you all are no longer charged with felonies,” U.S. District Judge April Perry told the four defendants in granting a motion from prosecutors to dismiss the lone conspiracy charge in the indictment. * Shaw Local | Here’s what to know about Plainfield’s e-bikes ordinance: E-scooters: users must be 18 and older, Class 1 & 2 e-Bikes: users must be 14 and older, Class 3 E-Bikes: users must be 16 and older * Daily Southtown | Orland District 230 appoints Arabic language supporter Moe Hammad to board: The Orland Park High School District 230 board voted Wednesday to appoint Moe Hammad, a supporter of the Arabic language curriculum, to the board seat vacated by Mohammad Jaber in March. Hammad will serve the remainder of Jaber’s term, which runs through April 2027. Hammad, an Orland Park resident since 2019, is a member of the District 230 Building and Finance Advisory Committee, according to a district news release. He has a graduate degree in education and a decade of entrepreneurial experience as owner of one dozen companies, according to the district. * Daily Herald | A ‘terrific’ amenity: Last piece of West Branch DuPage River Trail includes bridge over Roosevelt Road: Building the final, 0.7-mile segment will put a bow on the West Branch DuPage River Trail. That last piece will provide the missing link between the Blackwell and West DuPage Woods forest preserves. “It’s just taken diligence and persistence and hard work from the staff and previous boards to finally get this project completed,” Forest Preserve Commissioner Rick Gieser said Tuesday. * IPM | Striking ISU staff return to work after ratifying new 5-year contract: AFSCME Local 1110, the union representing more than 300 building services, grounds, dining services and other ISU employees, said more than 95% of them approved the five-year contract. The new contract gives workers an immediate lump sum payment of $1,500 and an immediate 3.5% wage increase, plus annual raises of 3% every July 1 through 2029 until the contract expires on June 30, 2030. The union had sought retroactive pay increases to July 1 last year and annual raises equal to university administrators. * WCIA | Parkland College expands automotive apprenticeship programs with new program: The new program strengthens the college’s longstanding automotive training partnerships. Building on a decades-long relationship supporting Sam Leman Ford in Bloomington, the company is partnering with Parkland College to develop talent pipelines for its newest locations in Champaign-Urbana. “This partnership highlights how employers and educators can work together to solve workforce challenges,” said Parkland Director of Apprenticeships Aimee Densmore. “Sam Leman Automotive Group is making a strategic investment in developing its future technicians, and Parkland is proud to support that effort through high-quality training and real-world experience.” * WCIA | Combe Laboratories expanding operations in Rantoul: The company is investing $30 million dollars, along with a $5 million state grant, to shift its California operations to Champaign County. The move is expected to bring 20 new jobs to the area and help them hang onto the existing 100 they already have. “All around us, we’ve seen examples of companies pick up and move either out of the area or out of the state,” said village administrator Scott Eisenhauer. “For us to be able to not only keep what we already have, but to expand that and grow that, I think is a huge win for Rantoul, a big win for Champaign County, and certainly a giant ‘W’ for the State of Illinois.” * WCIA | EIU president outlines search for new AD: EIU AD Tom Michael is returning to his alma mater, the University of Illinois, after leading Panthers’ sports for 12 years. EIU President Jay Gatrell spoke with WCIA on Tuesday, and was complimentary of Michael’s impact in Charleston. Now, Eastern Illinois begins searching for Michael’s replacement. “It begins by networking,” Gatrell said of the early process of the school’s AD hiring. “It’s a national search.” He says a search committee has been formed and will begin meeting the week of May 11. * WCIA | Circle K offering 40 cents off per gallon in Illinois for Fuel Day: Thursday, May 7 is Circle K’s Fuel Day, and they are offering nearly half a dollar off per gallon for their rewards members. From 4-7 p.m., Circle K customers. are able to redeem 40 cents off each gallon of fuel directly at the pump. Inner Circle members have easy access to this deal, as it opened at 12:01 a.m. for them on Thursday. * NPR | Campaign staffers tell NPR they make ‘thousands’ betting on their own candidates: “Myself and others started placing bets before that poll came out,” the staffer, who was working on a statewide campaign in the South, told NPR on the condition of anonymity over fear for their future employment. “And then, sure enough as soon as that poll came out, the stock went up and everybody made money.” This is one of the first publicly reported instances of a campaign staffer betting and winning thousands on their own candidate on prediction markets — emerging financial exchanges where billions are bet each week on future events like sports, culture and even elections. * Crain’s | Rivian eyes more EV variants as affordable R2 rollout begins: Rivian is signaling its push into more affordable electric vehicles may extend well beyond the upcoming R2 SUV — a key development for the EV maker as it tries to broaden its appeal beyond luxury buyers. Reuters reports Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is developing additional variants based on the new R2 platform, though he stopped short of revealing specifics. Asked whether Rivian was planning a pickup version of the R2, Scaringe told Reuters: “There are other variants of R2, which we haven’t shown.”
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Stop Rx Drug Deserts. Say No To HB 1443!
Thursday, May 7, 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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Question of the day
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Deputy Governor Andy Manar and CMS Director Raven A. DeVaughn writing in the Illinois Times…
I have lived on and off in Springfield since 1985. I cannot remember a worse period for downtown. * Meanwhile, from the SJ-R…
* The Question: Your Springfield downtown improvement ideas? I’m not interested in reading a bunch of criticism. Tell us what you think can be done to improve the area. Thanks and make sure to flesh out your answers a bit.
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Credit & Debit Cards May Not Work For Tips, Starting July 1
Thursday, May 7, 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. 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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It’s just a bill
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* WAND…
* Sen. Elgie Sims…
* WAND…
* Press release…
* More… * Journal Courier | Aging-services advocates ask for more money to deliver meals to seniors: State agencies that provide free meals for seniors were in Springfield on Wednesday to ask for an increase in funding beyond what’s proposed for fiscal year 2027. Agency directors warned that without at least $10 million in additional funding, the number of meals being delivered to seniors statewide could drop. * WAND | IL House committee approves bill prohibiting private schools from banning religious hairstyles: Rabbis asked state lawmakers to file a bill to protect Orthodox Jewish students with beards. “Some Orthodox men are prohibited by Jewish law from shaving entirely, while others maintain a beard as religious custom,” said Rabbi Shlomo Soroka from Agudath Israel of Illinois. “Additionally, a Jewish student or educator may appear at school during certain periods unshaven, not because of a lack of hygiene, but rather because the Jewish calendar demands it at that time.” * Press release | Sen. Murphy advances bill to keep airport sounds insulation program updated: Murphy’s Senate Bill 4041 would require O’Hare and Midway airports to conduct studies every five years on eligibility for residential sound insulation programs. The studies would use modern modeling techniques to collect data, aiming to ensure every household exposed to excessive noise from the airports is eligible for sound insulation assistance. * Press release | Sen. Joyce advances bill to protect crematory operating standards: House Bill 4695 would expand the Comptroller’s powers to investigate a licensed crematory, their records or any other aspects of crematory operation as the Comptroller deems appropriate. It would permit the Comptroller to perform an unannounced inspection of the premises. As part of its investigations, if the Comptroller finds any violation or wrongdoing under the grounds for dismissal that constitute an imminent danger to the public, the Comptroller could suspend the crematory’s license. The bill also implements additional penalties for violations.
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the perfect time to visit Anandi Fashions in Buffalo Grove. The vibrant Indian boutique offers authentic, hand-selected clothing and jewelry. Owner Kalpana Boyina manages the boutique alongside her husband, Santosh. Known as a local favorite and a destination shop, it draws customers seeking colorful, comfortable designs rooted in India’s rich textile traditions. Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small. We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like Kalpana and Santosh in Buffalo Grove who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, other leaders press lawmakers for more funding. Capitol News Illinois…
- Governor Pritzker proposed reducing the share that municipalities get from income tax collections from 6.47% to 6.28%. While a decrease in percentage, the governor’s office says it would keep total funding for LGDF flat at $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2027 due to rising income tax collections. - Johnson said Pritzker’s proposal means Chicago would receive $12.7 million less from LGDF in FY27 than if the rate remained the same. * Related stories… * 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. * Sun-Times | Illinois attorney general pushes for rate cut as Peoples Gas seeks $202 million hike: It will be up to the Illinois Commerce Commission to rule later this year on the gas company’s request for a $202 million rate hike, which would bump gas bills by an average of $130 per year. But the Illinois attorney general’s office suggested a $4.1 million decrease instead, listing at least $97.2 million in “unsupported and unexplained” cost increases for the company’s pipe retirement program, among other “unsubstantiated” charges. * Sun-Times | Broadview protesters sue feds over DNA collection after arrests, saying it violates rights: All four plaintiffs were arrested while protesting; two were charged but their cases were dismissed. They allege the cheek swabs used to collect their DNA violated their Fourth Amendment rights and created a chilling effect on free speech, according to the suit. * Tribune | Poll finds Illinois residents think funding for a new Bears stadium should be limited: Another 13% said Illinois should offer more than Indiana to keep the team, while 22% said the Bears should be forced to stay in Soldier Field for the rest of their contract, which runs through 2033. The survey of 1,000 Illinois residents released Tuesday was conducted in March by the University of Illinois Springfield Center for State Policy and Leadership, and first published by NPR Illinois. Respondents were representative of Illinois’ population based on characteristics such as gender, race, political affiliation and urban and rural residency. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois lawmakers question progress under Evidence-Based Funding for public education: The budget lawmakers pass this year will be the 10th written under that formula. But as the anniversary approaches, state records show that despite an additional $3 billion in state funding for public schools during that time, most of the state’s 851 districts remain underfunded, including dozens that receive less than 70% of what the formula says they need to operate effectively. “That underfunding is not theoretical. It has real consequences across the state,” Crystal Mallory, a lobbyist for the Illinois Federation of Teachers, told a Senate committee Tuesday. “We are beginning to see staffing shortages and increased attrition. program cuts and loss of student supports, districts developing deficit-reduction plans due to uncertainty.” * Press release | Nearly 500 Asian American Community Leaders Rally to Protect Our Futures at the State Capitol: On May 6, nearly 500 Asian American community leaders from 19 organizations commemorated the start of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) Coalition’s 13th annual Asian American Action Day and rally at the Illinois State Capitol. The rally featured community testimonies calling on lawmakers to protect our futures by making the wealthy pay their fair share to invest in our communities, ensuring that immigrants don’t live in fear, and making Illinois welcoming for all. Zainab Zahid, the Wadee AlFayoumi Fellow with the Muslim Civic Coalition, celebrated the passing of the Faith by Plate Act last year and urged Illinois lawmakers to follow through on the promise of the law by passing funding for implementation. “Funding is not only practical; it demonstrates Illinois’ commitment to equity,” said Zahid. “When students cannot eat school meals, they often go hungry, rely on less nutritious alternatives, or feel excluded from their peers. A school cafeteria should be a place of community, not separation.” * WICS | Latino Unity Day sees calls for help, support amid ICE operations: Magdalena Rivera, CEO and president of the Illinois Migrant Council, says, “In our community, in the Latino community, we firmly believe that it takes a village. So, the village comes out in the time we need, and this is the time we need.” There are also legislative pushes being made at the Illinois statehouse to protect members of their community. * WICS | Black farmers advocate for better food systems in Illinois: Wednesday is the fourth annual Black Farmers and Growers Lobby Day…where cultivators and advocates alike from across the state will make their voices heard on the importance of farming in the state. […] NewsChannel 20’s Emily Jordan spoke to Yves Doumen, the founder of Motherland Community Project, a program that works with neighborhoods and communities in Springfield’s east side to transform vacant land into urban farms…making healthy, fresh food accessible. * WLPO | Mautino Officially Retires As Illinois Auditor General: Staying true to his word that one, ten-year term was enough, Frank Mautino of Spring Valley is officially no longer Illinois’ auditor general. The longtime Democratic politician handed the keys to his office over to new Auditor General Christopher Meister last week. Mautino thanked his Springfield staff by saying online “I have to say that I learned more from them than they learned from me and that’s what made this last decade a tremendous success”. * Sun-Times | Rapid-responders in Chicago shift tactics as ICE enforcement continues at a lower profile: Organizers and other rapid-responders who try to warn people about immigration enforcement activity say they remain on high alert and are shifting tactics. “This is going to be the new normal at least for the next couple years, and we just have to be always ready and always prepared,” said Mimi Guiracocha, a lead organizer with Pilsen Unidos por Ñuestro Orgullo, known by the acronym PUÑO, a rapid-response coalition based in the Lower West Side community. * WBEZ | Botched raid victim Anjanette Young slated for Chicago police oversight role: In her remarks, Young appeared to appeal to more conservative committee members who might feel her reform work makes her an enemy of the police. “Over the past seven years, part of my healing journey has included collaborating with and learning from top officers within CPD,” Young said. “That work has reinforced my belief that accountability and collaboration are not opposite forces… My lived experience does not compromise my ability to be fair.” * Crain’s | Now we know what Uber paid to buy Chicago’s SpotHero: Uber Technologies says it paid $600 million for parking-app company SpotHero. The deal was announced in February and closed last month. It’s among the largest recent acquisitions of a Chicago-based tech startup, alongside Logik.io, which was acquired by ServiceNow last summer for nearly $500 million, and data provider Tegus, which was acquired for $930 million in 2024. * Sun-Times | New Zoning chair Villegas begins chipping away at backlog of stalled projects: The message was delivered even before Wednesday’s marathon session, the first of two Zoning Committee meetings this month to clear the decks of stalled projects that included the office-to-residential conversion project at 30 N. LaSalle. After a nearly four-hour session, Villegas thanked colleagues for approving an overall total of 2,000 units. * Sun-Times | Longtime aide to Rep. Danny Davis charged with Covid-19 unemployment fraud: A longtime deputy district director for Congressman Danny Davis has been hit with federal charges for allegedly obtaining more than $31,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the pandemic — while still working for the congressman. Gerard C. Moorer, 42, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced on Wednesday. * ABC Chicago | Visitation to be held Thursday for fallen Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew: Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew was shot at Swedish Hospital. Officer Bartholomew is being remembered as being kind hearted and dedicated to his job and family. Visitation is at St. Andrews Greek Orthodox Church, located at 5649 N. Sheridan Road in Chicago, and will begin at 2 p.m. * Sun-Times | CTU threatens to sue CPS over unpaid stipends for dozens of athletic directors: On Monday an attorney representing the union sent the district a letter saying “to avoid a lawsuit” CPS should distribute the $7,525 stipends to athletic directors at 41 high schools who haven’t been paid for their work during the fall athletic season. The union’s lawyer gave the district a deadline of Thursday. * WBEZ | What did America sound like in 1776? A local ensemble goes sleuthing for the answer: For the first time in its history, the Newberry Consort is premiering a new work. Composer and bass-baritone Jonathan Woody’s “When Shall America” leans on an arsenal of 17th- and 18th-century musical styles to accompany the words of three prominent, if undersung, Americans: Phillis Wheatley, a Black female poet; Lemuel Haynes, the first Black American to be ordained as a minister; and Samson Occom, the first Native American to write an English-language memoir. * Nadig Newspapers | 5th Annual Windy City Hot Dog Fest starts May 29 at Six Corners on Chicago’s NW Side: The title “Best Frankfurter” will once again be awarded at the annual “Windy City Hot Dog Fest” the weekend of May 29-31 in the 4000 block of North Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago’s Six Corners business district. Fest-goers will be able to vote via text for the best hot dog while at the event. Nine hot dog vendors are scheduled for the festival. * Block Club | Baby Eaglets Are First Born In Chicago In More Than A Century, Officials Say: The chicks are believed to be the only eaglets born in the city in more than a century, if not longer, local birder groups and Chicago Park District Officials said. While there have been documented nests in the city in the past two decades, local birders say there is no documentation that any eggs successfully hatched. “This has never happened before, or at least not in a very long time,” said Edward Warden, the president of the Chicago Ornithological Society, who visited the nest over the weekend. “It’s a crazy coincidence that both are happening at the same time.” * Lake County News-Sun | Grayslake data center project continues despite resistance: ‘They’re being lied to … or they’re all lying to us’: In a statement, Jess Ortiz, a member of the newly created Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition, expressed a view hinted at by some comments shared Tuesday. “I think the Grayslake Village Board doesn’t know what they approved,” she said. “Either they’re being lied to by T5, or they’re all lying to us. I hope they listen to the community and remember who they’re supposed to serve.” * Cook County Record | Foxx: Prosecutors’ ‘silence’ on murder exonerations doesn’t mean ‘innocent’: Attorneys for one of two Mexican men who claim they were illegally coerced into confessing to helping murder a Chicago couple to help a woman kidnap their children are asking a court to keep jurors from seeing sworn testimony from former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx which could be used to show the men’s claims of “innocence” may not hold up. In that deposition, Foxx appeared to admit she and her office allowed the men and potentially others convicted of “heinous” crimes to secure court orders declaring their “innocence” and tee up lawsuits against the city of Chicago for potential jackpot paydays, even though she and her team of prosecutors may have still believed they were guilty. * Daily Herald | Teens arrested, but Arlington Heights school resource officer’s gun still missing: However, the whereabouts of the officer’s gun remain unknown and recovering it remains “our highest priority,” police said. The charges follow an investigation launched Monday when a school resource officer at Forest View Educational Center in Arlington Heights reported his service weapon missing, officials said. The officer reported that he had removed the firearm from his holster before using the bathroom, authorities said. * Evanston Now | Alders lean toward leaving West Evanston TIF alone: The decision, which now moves to consideration by the full City Council along with recommendations on four other TIF districts, came after months of back-and-forth discussions about how to handle Evanston’s TIF districts, stemming from a referral from Ald. Parielle Davis (7th) to explore closing the districts early. The conversations have led to recommendations to close at least two TIF districts early, (Dempster/Dodge TIF and Chicago/Main TIF), while alders are looking to leave Howard/Ridge TIF in place until its natural expiration in 2028. The newer Five-Fifths TIF will also stay in place for now, but could be revisited in the coming years. * Daily Herald | Schaumburg officials visit new village hall as construction enters final six months: Though many who toured the still skeletal interior had personal input on the design, seeing it at full scale and in three dimensions enhanced their vision of its future use. Mayor Tom Dailly stood in the lobby and appreciated the natural light that will continue to pour in from above and the view of the Friendship Stone delivered 20 years ago by the Sister City of Schaumburg, Germany, that now sits atop a central staircase. * Daily Herald | ‘A game changer’: Mount Prospect receives $850,000 federal grant for fire station rehab: The money, approved as Community Project Funding through Krishnamoorthi’s office, covers approximately half the $1.7 million the village spent renovating the station at 1415 E. Algonquin Road. The station was formerly the headquarters of the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District. Mayor Paul Hoefert credited the station with transforming public safety on the village’s south side. The newly renovated station serves the area formerly covered by the rural fire district. * Illinois Times | Landowner leans on school districts: Darrel Thoma, chief financial officer of Dowson Family Farms, sent a follow-up email April 3 to Becca Lamon, superintendent of Ball-Chatham School District, to bolster support of the CyrusOne project. The emails, which were obtained by Illinois Times through a Freedom of Information Act request, show how the Divernon-based company pitched CyrusOne’s project to education officials. Thoma made it clear that CyrusOne would, if necessary, turn its attention and cash infusions to other school districts. Thoma told the Ball-Chatham superintendent that CyrusOne had committed to assisting local trade schools and committed to giving $2 million each to the Chatham and Auburn school districts over the next five years. * WGLT | Bloomington residents speak out against data centers at public forum: Mayor Dan Brady and City Manager Jeff Jurgens led the sessions. Current members of the council, Micheal Mosley of Ward 2 and Michael Straza of Ward 5, and Deputy City Managers Billy Tyus and Sue McLaughlin, were in the audience. “The forum is about listening to you, ladies and gentlemen, and that is what I’ve tried to do in my entire political and government career is to be transparent, and that’s what we’re trying to do here today,” Brady said. * WGLT | Bloomington’s data center hot topic is ho-hum in Normal: Mayor Chris Koos said during a Sound Ideas interview, as in the City of Bloomington, the amount of land needed for a large-scale data center makes it unlikely any site inside town limits would be suitable. “It lends itself more to a rural setting,” said Koos. He said the issues the town would be concerned about are the ones everyone looks at: the amount of electricity needed, the effect on the cost of power for existing ratepayers, the amount of water use, and quality of life issues. * WAND | City of Danville unveils 20-year comprehensive development plan: Over 300 residents shared their thoughts through surveys to help create the draft, ensuring that community members feel they have a say in what happens in Danville. “It just fits within the city’s vision in terms of you decide what’s possible, and so here the city is laying out a comprehensive plan to really drive the growth and development. And so it’s really important for people to not only see that but give additional feedback to city leadership,” said Place Foundry Managing Principal David Sidney. * WCIA | Former PBL teacher pleads guilty to grooming, indecent solicitation of a child: The former Paxton-Buckley-Loda teacher accused of crimes against children pleaded guilty during his latest appearance in court. Paul Meuser, 72 of Buckey, was in court on Wednesday for a planned preliminary hearing in the case against him. Facing two counts of attempted criminal sexual assault and one count each of grooming and indecent solicitation of a child, Meuser was expected to make a plea in the case against him. * WAND | Central Illinois CEO 2026 Trade Show highlights student entrepreneurs: The CEO program features 15 high school juniors from Farmer City, Blue Ridge, Clinton, Maora-Forsyth and Warrensburg-Latham showcasing the businesses they have created. In the program, students develop their businesses from the ground up over the school year and receive hands-on experience with leadership, finance management, marketing and customer service. * WAND | Students help shape school menus in Mahomet-Seymour: The district has partnered with Quest Food Management Services to launch the “Little Bulldog Taste Testers” program, where first- and second-grade students sample potential menu items and provide feedback before foods are added to school cafeterias. […] “My favorite part is that it’s like all options that, like, this is our opinion,” Eli said. “If I say it smiley face and everyone else does, the whole school has it.” * Talking Points | States Rush to Gerrymander Away Black Electoral Power Following Supreme Court Decision: In states across the old Confederacy and beyond, Republican lawmakers are scrambling to carve up districts once drawn to give Black voters a chance to choose their representatives in government. While districts at the local, state and federal level are all at risk, the most urgent objective, for these lawmakers, is helping Republicans hold Congress in the 2026 midterms. * CNN | Newly released documents reveal more than $300,000 in taxpayer-funded sexual harassment settlements involving lawmakers: From January 1, 1996, through December 12, 2018, the office approved 349 awards or settlements “to resolve complaints against legislative branch offices,” its general counsel said in a letter sent to House Oversight Chair James Comer obtained by CNN. Eighty of those cases were settled by a House or Senate office for a host of different reasons. From that subset, seven cases led to payments to address allegations of sexual harassment. The payments referenced in the letter used taxpayer money from a Treasury account that no longer exists as an option for lawmakers. * ProPublica | Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth: In almost every case, the babies’ deaths could have been prevented with a long-standard vitamin K shot. But across the country, families — first in smatterings, now in droves — are declining the single, inexpensive injection given at birth to newborns to help their blood clot. Many of them are doing so out of a well-meaning but ill-informed abundance of caution. In the hopes of safeguarding their newborns from what they see as unnecessary medical intervention, they have shunned fundamental and scientifically sound pharmaceutical intervention. The trend is also fueled by a contradictory pairing: families’ fierce desire to protect their babies and a cascade of false information infused into their social media algorithms.
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Good morning!
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller But nothing really matters much, it’s doom alone that counts * This is an Illinois open thread.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, May 7, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, May 7, 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
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Lots of people at the capitol today…
* Tribune | Fewer Illinois hospitals earn F and D grades for safety, following court decision over ratings: This year, only one Illinois hospital, Roseland Community Hospital on the city’s South Side, earned an F. Three Illinois hospitals earned D’s. The only Chicago-area hospital to earn a D was Mount Sinai Hospital on the city’s West Side. By contrast, 31 Illinois hospitals earned A grades, down slightly from 35 in the fall, the last time the grades were released. As a state, Illinois ranked 21st in the nation for hospital safety, compared with 17th in the fall. * WTTW | Brookfield Zoo, Union Reach Tentative Agreement to End 2-Day Strike: Striking workers at Brookfield Zoo Chicago have reached a tentative agreement with management, ending a two-day walkout, zoo officials and representatives from Teamsters Local 727 announced Wednesday morning. Grounds, custodial and facilities employees had been on the picket line since Monday after the union and management failed to come to terms on a new contract. Animal care staff had remained on the job but had been expected to join their fellow union members in the walkout Wednesday before the strike was halted. * Chicago Reader | The last days of Legion Park, before the city swept it: According to DFSS’s own numbers, none of the 20 people who called Legion Park home had keys to an apartment in hand when the police and dump trucks arrived that morning. Zero people had accepted offers to temporary city shelters, for various reasons. None of that seemed to matter. The signs had gone up; the offers had been made. From a distance, it looks like this story ends where it started: unhoused Chicagoans still homeless, still living in city parks. * Sun-Times | Chicago Park District installs automated parking gates at 10 beaches: But paying at the lots isn’t new. The park district says the recent changes “simply modernize how payment is managed and enforced.” The park district also said the new gates will help with park security. […] Under the system, visitors will be allowed a 15-minute grace period free of charge that can be used for pickup, drop-off or unloading supplies. After that, a parking fee will be applied. Parking rates have not increased as a result of the upgrades, according to the park district. * Sun-Times | Giant slide at new Griffin Museum of Science and Industry exhibit set to be a scene stealer: “It’s huge, huge, huge — what is there to say? I mean, it’s incredible,” said Patricia Ward, the museum’s head scientist. “We’ve been testing it, and it really is kind of thrilling.” The slide is part of ‘Powering the Future,’ a new permanent exhibit opening May 8 at the South Side museum. The exhibit is included in the price of general admission. * Tribune | Chicago White Sox pitchers — including rookie Noah Schultz — are ‘getting some momentum going’: Schultz tossed six scoreless innings on Friday, helping the Sox to an 8-2 victory. Burke followed that up with six scoreless innings of his own while striking out eight in a 4-0 win on Saturday. “Schultz has been doing a great job since he’s been out there,” Burke said. “Our game is a little bit different, but watching how he goes about his business and attack this team, it’s nice to see from a stuff perspective how the hitters are handling it and his ability to adapt.” * Daily Southtown | Tinley Park tightens control on business licenses as moratorium ends: Trustee Ken Shaw said the ordinance aligns the business license approval process and classifications with the liquor and gaming license process, meaning specific types of businesses would be capped at their existing numbers and any additions would require a formal business licensing process. The number of businesses can go up, but only if the village approves it. It won’t happen automatically, Shaw said. * Aurora Beacon-News | St. Charles Ald. Bob Gehm resigns, city seeks candidates to fill vacant seat on council: St. Charles Ald. Bob Gehm, Ward 3, is stepping down from the City Council, the city of St. Charles said on Tuesday. His resignation was effective May 1. Gehm had served on the City Council since 2023, according to a news release from the city. After first being appointed, he was then elected to the seat in 2025. He’s also served on the Liquor Control Commission since 2013, per the city. St. Charles is divided into five wards, each with two City Council members. Gehm’s term as one of the two Ward 3 members of the City Council was set to expire in 2027. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora looks for help naming baby falcons that hatched outside City Hall: The public can submit nominations through May 11 by going to yourvoice.aurora.il.us/babyfalcons. The top 10 submissions will be voted on by the public, and then the top four will be given to the baby falcons, according to a city news release. Residents can view the falcon family through a 24-hour live stream set up by the city’s Information Technology Department and Video Production Division, city officials said in the news release. The “Falcon Cam” can be found at: aurora.il.us/FalconCam * Sun-Times | Carvana to create 100 jobs at Hoffman Estates facility: The company is currently hiring for about 80 roles in vehicle inspection, reconditioning and fulfillment with no degree required, as well as salaried leadership positions, according to a news release on Wednesday. Carvana plans to add jobs as it expands existing operations at its Adesa Chicago site in Hoffman Estates. It bought Adesa, a national wholesale vehicle auction company, in 2022 for $2.2 billion. * BND | New Athens school delayed notifying police about gun, chief’s report says: A first-grader’s alleged decision to bring an unloaded gun to a New Athens school wasn’t reported to police until shortly after 5 p.m. — about seven hours after it was found, a police report says. […] The first grade teacher said around 10:30 a.m. that a student told her a classmate had a gun in his backpack. […] Aside from better communication, Voelkel and other concerned parents asked the board for better safety policies. Some pushed for gun safety education. “‘It was unloaded’ is not a safety plan, you guys — that is luck,” Voelkel told the board. * WCIA | City looking to fill seat after Urbana council member resigned: In a news release sent out Wednesday morning, the city announced that it is accepting applications for the Ward 5 council seat. Former alderwoman Chaundra Bishop resigned in April. […] Bishop took to social media to explain her decision to the community. She said she is submitting her resignation with “deep sadness” due to ongoing health issues that require her full attention. * Press release | Gov. Pritzker Announces $5 Million Investment in Combe’s Rantoul Expansion: Today, Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the Village of Rantoul, and Combe Incorporated announced new investments in Rantoul. Combe will invest $30 million to expand and retain its manufacturing operations in East Central Illinois, which is supported by a $5 million grant from the State of Illinois. “Combe’s expansion is a great example of how the State of Illinois works with companies and communities to create jobs and opportunities for our people,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “With more than a half-century of calling Illinois home, Combe’s long-term commitment speaks to why Illinois continues to bolster its reputation as a manufacturing powerhouse.”
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Happy birthday!
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * My grandmother, Rich’s mother, has a birthday today…  The last year has been incredibly hard on Grandma. Stage 4 cancer has taken a tremendous toll on her physically, but even now, she still worries more about everyone else than herself. * Lately when I visit, I’ve found myself spending some time in Grandma’s craft room looking through old pieces of artwork left behind by my siblings, cousins and myself over the years, revisiting those memories and thinking about all the time we spent crafting together when I was younger. Every little drawing, unfinished project and pile of supplies brings me back to another moment in time…  * My grandma has always been the person our family could lean on. She raised five boys and managed to do it with patience, intelligence, and love. These days, what still makes her happiest is being around her children and grandchildren. Happy birthday, Grandma! We all love you so much, and we’re grateful for every memory, every lesson and every moment we’ve had with you. Here’s to more birthdays to come…  [From Rich: There were times last fall when we didn’t know if my mom would make it to her birthday. But she is the toughest person I know. She has set her mind on continuing with life. She even passed her driving test a few days ago. I’ve always looked up to my mom, but I’ve been just blown away by her determination, grit and humor the past year or so. Happy birthday, Mom! We all love you.]
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This is… not huge
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Darren Bailey’s 2022 interview with NBC 5 Chicago…
* WTTW in 2022…
* CBS 2 in 2022…
* Politico today…
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sen. Rachel Ventura…
* Illinois Society of Genetics Professionals president-elect Rachel Campagna…
* Rep. Rick Ryan…
* WAND…
* Press release…
* More… * Press release | Villa leading measure to strengthen school-based mental health services: House Bill 4397 would align Illinois law with National Association of School Psychologists practice standards by updating credentialing requirements and clearly defining the scope of services that school psychologists are authorized to provide. The measure would ensure schools can fully utilize these professionals to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based support. According to JAMA Pediatrics, more than one in seven youth ages six to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals ages 10 to 14, underscoring the urgent need for accessible, school-based care. * Press release | Koehler advances legislation to strengthen mental health reviews for nursing home residents: House Bill 4509 would require the Illinois Department of Human Services or a designee to visit any individual admitted to a nursing home with a diagnosis of serious mental illness within 60 days of admission. It would also require a resident review within 72 hours when a resident with serious mental illness experiences a significant change in their physical or mental health. […] House Bill 4509 has passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday. * Center Square | Illinois AI regulations have mild industry support, could draw federal ire: Anthropic, the company behind the chatbot ‘Claude,’ is in favor of the regulation, according to James Hartmann, regional state and local government affairs lead for the company. “When it comes to AI transparency, we believe that AI companies at the very forefront – companies like Anthropic – should work with the state governments like Illinois on three reasonable things,” Hartmann said. * WAND | IL House committee passes bill requiring insurance coverage for seizure detection devices: “This bill is going to be reviewed by the Illinois Medicare working group, so my ask would be to hold this bill on second,” said Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highland Park). “But it is incredibly important and a relatively small cost step forward to save people’s lives.” The Illinois Life and Health Insurance Council opposes the plan, as they argue it is difficult to see how private insurance can cover the cost if the state cannot absorb the price in its own health plan. Senate Bill 2762 passed out of the House Insurance Committee on a partisan 10-5 vote Tuesday. * WAND | IL lawmakers could help lower health insurance premiums for hospital employees: Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) hopes to cap the out-of-pocket insurance cost for healthcare workers to 10% of the premium cost. Resident physicians told the House Insurance Committee Tuesday that this change could ensure they have more resources to take care of themselves while working in Illinois. […] House Bill 4957 is currently locked in the House Rules Committee. The measure was only discussed during a subject matter hearing Tuesday.
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It’s Time To Bring Safer Rides To Illinois
Wednesday, May 6, 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. 
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ISU workers ratify contract
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. AFSCME Council 31 press release…
Glad that’s over. There was no good reason for this, particularly hiring striker replacements. More details here.
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The Credit Union Difference Starts With Our People
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The credit union difference begins with the people who show up every day to serve members. At a credit union, it’s more than just a job. Employees believe in the work they do, and that commitment is something members immediately feel. As Becky from Financial Plus Credit Union explains, “Our biggest asset is our people. It’s not just a job that they’re coming to do.” Because credit union employees are invested, members can sense compassion, authenticity, and care behind every interaction. Whether someone is receiving their first loan, facing a financial challenge, or planning for the future, credit union staff serve as trusted partners. That genuine energy matters. Members can feel when recommendations are made with their best interests in mind and when guidance comes from a place of understanding. Credit unions create space for meaningful conversations, not rushed transactions. Listening is essential to that experience. Members come with many needs, and credit union teams are trained to lead with empathy, acknowledge concerns, and problem‑solve efficiently while maintaining a human connection. Learn more at https://betterforillinois.org/ Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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State’s attorney says she will ‘play a supportive role’ in ISP investigation of Silverio Villegas González’s killing by ICE officer
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune last night…
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Strengthen Healthcare In Illinois: Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2 To Protect 340B
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Financial pressures have forced hospitals to reduce services just so they can continue providing needed healthcare. Price surges across the board—from prescription drugs to supplies and services—have made operating a hospital difficult. Over the past seven years, 68 Illinois hospitals had to cut services, resulting in 1,117 fewer hospital beds for obstetrics, long-term care, mental illness and intensive care units. Hospitals provide lifesaving care around the clock regardless of their patients’ ability to pay. Local, accessible healthcare is essential, yet hospitals face mounting challenges including increased costs and inadequate reimbursement. H.R. 1—with nearly $1 trillion in federal Medicaid funding cuts—will deepen the pain for many hospitals, especially those serving low-income and uninsured communities. “It’s the largest cut that’s ever been made to healthcare,” Southern Illinois Healthcare President and CEO John Antes said of H.R. 1 in Crain’s. “And it is largely directed at a lot of the most vulnerable folks.” SIH Harrisburg Medical Center is among nine rural Illinois hospitals at risk of closure due to losses and a high Medicaid payer mix. Passing House Bill 2371 SA 2 will help offset H.R. 1 cuts by restoring 340B drug discounts required by federal law after years of drugmaker restrictions. 340B helps nonprofit, safety net hospitals care for communities. Vote YES this spring session. Learn more.
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Terry Bruce
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I apologize for coming so late to this story…
* Former state Sen. Don Wooten was the founder of the “Crazy Eight” and he wrote a great column explaining how it all went down…
You really should read the whole thing. Wooten is a treasure. * This state Senate pension funding debate transcript from 1983 zoomed past me on my Facebook timeline last night, which reminded me that I hadn’t posted about Terry Bruce’s passage. Many thanks to John Amdor for this long-ago warning about shorting the pension funds…
Terry was right, and 43 years later we’re still digging ourselves out of that hole.
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Stop Rx Drug Deserts. Say No To HB 1443!
Wednesday, May 6, 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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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Springfield wish list: Digital ad tax and other levies — but not the Bears’ bill. Tribune…
- Johnson called on the Chicago delegation in Springfield to demand more, framing the fight as one of corporate interests versus progressive goals. - “I don’t know why any Chicago legislator would vote for anything that doesn’t benefit the people that they represent and vote for right now,” Johnson said. “At a time in which property values are increasing and affordability is becoming that much more of a challenge, to do anything in favor of entities with means without supporting families who have needs, I would find that short-sighted.” * Related stories… Sponsored by ReadyNation Illinois Strengthen Illinois’ economy by strengthening child care, early childhood priorities Even in a challenging fiscal environment — perhaps especially during such times — we must prioritize public investments that can put Illinois’ economy on its best footing. Child care and early childhood priorities are central to such hopes, as a new analysis indicates. Child care insufficiencies cost Illinois’ economy $6.2 billion a year according to this report, whose projections were based on a statewide survey of 400+ working parents of young children. About 80% of those costs reflect lost earnings and other impacts felt by parents; the remainder comes from employers’ own struggles with lower productivity and higher workforce turnover. The ripple effects extend throughout our economy: Working parents turning-down promotions — and curbing their own career trajectories — due to child care challenges. Households with diminishing earning power, spending less at supermarkets and retail stores. Young children going without the developmental services that help lay a skills foundation for success in classrooms and careers. Policymakers can improve on this picture by increasing FY27 investments in child care and related early childhood programs that parents seek for their children, but often can’t find — priorities that nine out of 10 employers and managers called an economic priority for greater public investment, in another Illinois poll. Improving early childhood investments: It’s good for kids, good for working families, good for business. * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will be at the capitol at 2:30 pm for a press conference. * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Sun-Times | Illinois State Police launches investigation into deadly ICE shooting of Silverio Villegas González: The ISP probe is the most high-profile independent inquiry that’s been announced in response to the monthslong immigration enforcement operation, during which federal agents also shot Marimar Martinez in Brighton Park and routinely used pummeling force and chemical irritants. […] On Tuesday, O’Neill Burke’s office said prosecutors were contacted by ISP and will play a “supportive role” in the investigation, following the office’s guidance for handling cases involving federal agents. * Capitol News Illinois | Buckner pushes back on Chicago mayor’s characterization of Bears bill: “This is not like what we’ve seen either in 1989 or 2001 or, frankly, the proposal that we saw two years ago that the mayor supported that asked for Springfield to give $2.5 billion to the Bears,” Buckner added. “This is not that. So I agree with him that we can’t give a blank check to billionaires. That’s exactly why we don’t do it.” * Tribune | Appeals court issues mixed opinion in consent decree case as more immigration arrestees released: The National Immigrant Justice Center, which represents the plaintiffs, said in a statement Tuesday that the ruling “essentially keeps us on the path we have been on since the appeals court allowed key parts of the district court’s ruling to stand last November.” * Chicago Defender | Illinois House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch named executive vice-chair of Cook County Democratic Party: Speaker Welch, who also serves as Committeeman for Proviso Township, has been a leading voice in advancing policies that promote equity, economic opportunity, and strong communities across Illinois. His appointment as Executive Vice-Chair (suburbs) reflects his longstanding commitment to Democratic values and his ability to unite leaders across Cook County. “I am honored to serve as Executive Vice-Chair of the Cook County Democratic Party,” said Speaker Welch. “Together, we will continue building a stronger, more inclusive party that fights for working families, protects our democratic institutions, and ensures that every voice is heard. I look forward to working alongside Chair Preckwinkle and our Democratic leaders to deliver real results for the people of Cook County.” * GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey claims he wouldn’t touch abortion protections in Illinois if elected…
* Tribune | Sweepstakes gambling machine ban approved by City Council committee: Though Beale, 9th, has previously called for the city to allow and regulate sweepstakes machines, prohibiting them outright could also benefit his move to more broadly legalize the video gambling industry in Chicago. He added Tuesday he believes the state, which does not recognize sweepstakes machines, would crack down on the city if it were to permit them. “We’re turning a blind eye on an industry that has taken advantage of the South and West Side under the guidelines that these are Black and brown businesses,” Beale said before the vote. “The city of Chicago hasn’t gotten one benefit from sweepstakes machines. Not one.” * Sun-Times | Little Village sees ‘really slow’ Cinco de Mayo after parade is canceled for second straight year: Small business owners said the parade has always been vital to their sales, but along 26th Street there was hardly any foot traffic early Tuesday afternoon, after fewer customers than usual were seen in the days leading up to the holiday. For Francisca Alfaro Rodriguez, owner of Fran Arte y Estilo de Mexico, the parade used to draw customers into her store looking for traditional Mexican clothing. Instead, she said she barely sold anything during the holiday weekend. * WTTW | Chicago Police Sergeant Charged in Federal Court With PPP Loan Fraud: A Chicago police sergeant is accused of obtaining more than $40,000 in COVID-19 relief loans for a fake bakery she claimed to own. Federal prosecutors in Chicago on Tuesday announced Brandi Wright, 44, now faces a charge of wire fraud after she allegedly engaged in Paycheck Protection Program fraud in 2021. Wright, whose online social media profile shows she has been with the CPD for two decades, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Her arraignment has not yet been scheduled. * Tribune | Pentagon watchdog to review cost and effectiveness of National Guard deployments to Chicago, other cities: In late January, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that deploying 375 Illinois National Guard troops cost $21 million to protect federal property and federal immigration enforcement personnel, a figure that didn’t include many other costs or the roughly 200 Texas National Guard members who were sent to Illinois for 41 days. The Illinois troops sat idle on a state-owned military base some 75 miles southwest of Chicago and never went on any missions, while a contingent of Texas troops was deployed into the Chicago suburbs for only one day. In early January, the Chicago Tribune estimated the overall cost of Operation Midway Blitz at $59 million, which included National Guard costs. * Crain’s | Medinah Temple owner mulls landmark’s post-casino future: The marketing effort for one of the city’s most distinctive buildings is a test of demand for a downtown still getting its post-pandemic bearings. Amid uneven foot traffic in the urban core, the property’s next tenant will signal what types of users are betting on its future and the state of area’s post-COVID rebound. “People who are looking to make a statement — this is an ideal building to do that,” Friedman CEO and Chairman Albert Friedman, whose namesake firm owns roughly 5 million square feet of buildings across eight city blocks in River North. “It’s not a box that most retail looks like. It’s completely different.” * Tribune | Chicago is a city made of its own brick: A new book says that was a stroke of luck: In his new non-fiction book “Fire and Clay: How Bricks Reveal the Hidden History of Chicago,” Will Quam writes that brick in Chicago is “such a ubiquitous material that it is quite easily forgotten or ignored, simple background noise to everything else.” And yet, ever since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, brick has been a key driver in shaping the city’s look. “The new Chicago is being built mostly of itself,” is how the Tribune put it in the years immediately after the fire. “The skyline that rises above Michigan Avenue is simply a pleasingly modified form of clay like that deposited in the land a few hundred feet to the east.” * Block Club | Piping Plover Couple Reunite At Montrose Beach With The Return Of Sea Rocket: Sea Rocket, a female bird who was released into the wild at Montrose Beach in 2023, was spotted by bird watchers along the North Side lakefront Tuesday, according to volunteer group Chicago Piping Plovers. Sea Rocket is the first female bird seen at the beach this season. Males Pippin and Imani returned to Montrose Beach last month, Block Club previously reported. Her return to Montrose Beach may signal the rekindling of the romantic pairing between Imani and Sea Rocket. * Oak Park Journal | West Suburban legal battle continues as Prasad disputes $10 million claim: The legal fallout from the abrupt March closure of West Suburban Medical Center continues this week, with the first Cook County court hearing on the matter set for Friday. Dueling lawsuits between the co-owners of Resilience Healthcare progressed this week as Resilience Healthcare CEO Manoj Prasad’s attorneys filed a motion disputing Resilience co-owner and hospital landlord Rathnaker Reddy Patlola’s recent claim that Prasad is to blame for $10 million in missing state funding and even more in unpaid rent and fees associated with the embattled Oak Park hospital. A hearing on the matter is set for the morning of Friday, May 8 in Downtown Chicago’s chancery court, with another hearing in the case already set for June 15. * ABC Chicago | Cook County Public Health now offering home check-ins for new parents, their babies: These home visits are part of the Healthy Beginnings Maternal and Child Health Program from the Cook County Public Health Department. It started this year, in an effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality and promote healthier kids and families by supporting where moms where they feel most comfortable: at home. * Crain’s | Evanston gets first $369K mini-homes built to counter high housing costs: “I’m done with the responsibility of having a big house,” said Barbara Bird, a longtime Evanston resident. In April, Bird sold her 1,900-square-foot house as a step toward moving into a 600-square-footer in Urban Eco on Grant, a higher-density development that developer David Wallach began pitching three years ago. Living for the meantime in an accessory dwelling unit behind her daughter’s house, Bird said ADUs and Wallach’s cluster of small homes show “Evanston is on the right path with housing, trying to make more options for people like me to stay.” * Fox Chicago | Oak Forest Fire Department first in Illinois to use new heart monitoring technology: The Oak Forest Fire Department has become the first in the state to adopt new technology — the EXG wearable 12-lead system from C-Booth Innovations — which combines electrodes into a single device with one cord instead of 10. It is designed to reduce the margin of error while increasing efficiency and reliability in emergency responses. “All it takes is a difference in two centimeters and we can completely miss a heart attack, and time is tissue,” explained Lt. Matt Tinberg of the Oak Forest Fire Department. “It’s important for us to really be able to serve our citizens with the best technology.” * Naperville Sun | Proposed Naperville D203 budget deficit down to $4M; 59 jobs won’t be filled: School board members were given an overview of the plan Monday night by Chief Financial Officer Michael Frances, who told them the district would not be filling the equivalent of seven administrative positions, 43 certified educator positions and nine educational support personnel left open through retirements and resignations. Other reductions include a 15% reduction in individual school site budgets, 25% reduction in district department spending, cuts to professional learning, conferences, travel, catering, staff appreciation gifts and employee events, and elimination of duplicative software platforms, Frances said. * Daily Herald | Person of interest detained, but police officer’s gun lost at Arlington Heights school still missing: The subject — among a small group of individuals to whom police have narrowed their investigation — is cooperating with detectives, authorities said Tuesday evening. Classes will resume Wednesday at the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 alternative school, after school was canceled Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution” and so police could continue investigating, wrote Caiti Druger, the district’s director of specialized schools, in a letter to families. * WAND | Springfield mayor vetoes plan to create STAR bond district: Buscher said it overlaps with a proposed STAR bond district to expand the BOS Center and build a new hotel downtown. She added that the financing option needs to be used for this project. “The downtown does need something. It’s suffering, as the alderwoman pointed out, businesses keep closing. The city doesn’t have enough dollars in its coffers to bring downtown alive. This is a community project with the state, county, the SMIA board and the city. It is not creating any new taxing authority; the citizens of this community are not going to have a new tax for it,” Buscher said. * WGLT | Central Illinois food pantries prepare for higher need due to new SNAP requirements: Adelman said there was an increase in people coming to the pantry during the November government shutdown, but has since dropped back to pre-shutdown levels. She said it remains to be seen how the expanded work requirements will impact need. “For anyone else who is younger and able-bodied, they expect that people are going to put in, I think it’s 20 hours of [weekly] community service or work, and I don’t know how. We don’t know exactly what to expect,” Adelman said. * WSIL | Jackson County approves new ‘agrivoltaics’ solar project combining energy and agriculture: A key part of the project is its use of agrivoltaics, a method that combines solar energy production with agricultural practices on the same land. Instead of mowing around solar panels, sheep will graze the land to manage vegetation throughout the life of the project. “What the sheep will do is help us maintain the site and the vegetation underneath the panels for the life of the system… so instead of traditional mowing, we’re actually going to be having sheep on the site for our vegetation maintenance program,” she said. * WCIA | Reproductive justice groups in Champaign Co. now working together under one roof: “Our work at The Collective embodies the beauty and power of the Reproductive Justice Framework, where the fight for justice in all its forms is inherently interwoven. Together, we are finding new ways to strengthen the network of care and make reproductive justice available to all in our community,” UCRJ Director Julie Laut said in a news release. * WICS | After 71 years, Springfield club loses Illinois State Fair contract: Earning the contract all boils down to bidding the highest number. Illinois Director of Agriculture Jerry Costello told me the minimum bidding number is 15%. The state fair had three bidders this year, including ABC of Springfield and Nelson’s Catering. Costello said the contract was ultimately awarded to Nelson’s Catering. “ABC bid 15.0001%, and Nelson’s Catering bid 21%, so they outbid them by 40%,” Costello said. “Legally, under procurement code in the state of Illinois, we are required to go with the highest bidder.” * WCIA | Rantoul to reimburse residents after property tax error: The Village of Rantoul took to social media Tuesday, saying the property tax rate posted on residents’ bills is higher than it should be by about 70 cents. Village Administrator Scott Eisenhauer said the difference amounts to about a $315 difference for the owner of a $150,000 home.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * It’s Jewish American Heritage Month, and I’m going to highlight one of my long-ago music memories. I saw Jeffrey Ross Hyman and Tamás Erdélyi and their band in a small Munich hall in 1980 when I was in college. We were right at the stage’s edge. Life-changing stuff. From that same tour… I can’t control my fingers, I can’t control my brain That Paris audience seems sedate, which wasn’t the case in Munich. * Anyway, what’s going on by you?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, May 6, 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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