Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Son Volt covers Ronnie Wood…

you look so fine and true, baby
no one mystifies me like you do

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Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

The Illinois Department of Human Services is seeking millions of extra dollars from state taxpayers due to federal policy changes.

Illinois DHS Secretary Dulce Quintero told the Illinois House Appropriations - Health and Human Services Committee on Thursday that federal changes require additional state investments to address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. […]

State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, questioned Quintero when she said the department would need $40 million to hire 450 new caseworkers.

Illinois DHS Assistant Secretary of Programs John Schomberg said the caseworkers could save the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

“By investing in these caseworkers we are preserving services and access and keeping people on SNAP and Medicaid,” Schomberg said.

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Sponsored by Phrma

Illinois is paying the price for 340B medicine markups.

Through the federal 340B program, nonprofit hospitals can buy medicines for pennies, then charge huge markups – even on life-saving medicines. Those markups have become big business for large hospital systems, driving higher costs for Illinois patients, employers and taxpayers.

And the problem is getting worse. The program’s lack of oversight has allowed 340B to become a revenue stream for hospitals, PBMs, private equity firms and big chain pharmacies — with no requirement that the money be used to help patients afford medicines. It’s time for Washington to hold hospitals accountable and fix 340B. Read more.

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* Crain’s…

Gov. JB Pritzker says Illinois lawmakers need to move quickly on a property tax incentive package tied to the Chicago Bears’ future — but the plan that cleared the House will require significant changes. […]

Pritzker noted the amusement tax provision as one of several sticking points for the Bears, although it’s not clear it would apply to the team’s project.

Rep. Kam Buckner, a legislative leader who sponsored the House bill, said the language was not meant to impact the Bears project in Arlington Heights but to allow municipalities without home-rule authority to impose an amusement tax of up to 9% in the same way Chicago and Arlington Heights are already able to.

The language was added to benefit the Destination Illinois megaproject in the Metro East area outside St. Louis. It was first included in a Senate bill creating a supercharged tier of the Sales Tax & Revenue Bond program aimed at Chicago and the stalled One Central project. That bill was incorporated into the amendment Buckner filed this week ahead of approval in the House.

*** Statewide ***

* Chicago Reader | How fire is reviving Illinois’s vanishing prairie: Part of that is due to the efforts of the stewards and local community members, as well as to a wider understanding of what happens when a fire-dependent ecosystem does not receive it. McCabe says that, as much as people were trying to stop the Forest Preserves from doing their work, in turn costing taxpayers more and making preserve workers’ jobs harder, the stewards were actively pushing against those neighbors by calling their alderpeople, showing up to community meetings, and regularly printing a magazine to inform the public.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Illinois launches online resources for households on federal food assistance: “We were working very closely with (IDHS), because it was DHS who was setting what those parameters, those guidelines, like what a program had to be, in order to meet the standards,” Bruce said. “What we have online with Job Ready IL is something that’s carefully crafted with DHS’s guidance.” The groups also agreed it should be a public-private partnership to remain sustainable. The state was concerned its workforce system wouldn’t have the capacity to serve the number of people who would now need a work program, Bruce said.

*** Chicago ***

* CBS Chicago | Hearing will decide if special prosecutor investigates possible crimes during Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz: “What we’ve seen in Cook County is that the elected state’s attorney has abdicated her duty to the people of Cook County be refusing to investigate those crimes, by refusing to bring prosecutions in the face of incredibly well documented crimes,” said Steve Art, an attorney with Loevy & Loevy, who are representing the coalition in court.

* Chicago Reader | Chicago mayor visits Illinois prison, meeting with Northwestern Prison Education Program students: The mayor spoke of two of his brothers, who had struggled with addiction and spent time in prison. “This is personal for me,” he said. “I’m here to learn and ensure that my responsibility as a leader of the city in Chicago, that you all know that you will always be front and center in all of the decisions that I make.” Student Patrick Comi asked the mayor the best advice he received from Reverend Jesse Jackson. The mayor responded that the reverend always told him that he “was someone, and to never give up, and to always keep moving forward.” Knowing the struggles the reverend had gone through, Johnson said, that advice stayed with him.

* Crain’s | Ford City Mall shutdown gets reprieve despite deterioration and sinkholes: The dilapidated Ford City Mall on the Southwest Side can stay open for at least another three weeks after a Cook County judge gave its owner and tenants more time to prepare for a possible shutdown over the property’s hazardous conditions. Judge Leonard Murray yesterday signed off on an agreement between the city of Chicago and the owner of the shopping center at 7601 S. Cicero Ave. to delay a hearing on the city’s emergency motion to vacate the property. The approval came after a successful test last week of the mall’s faulty fire suppression system, which Murray had deemed an “urgent” safety issue and warned of a potential order to shutter the building.

* Block Club | Can This Wellness Center Help West Siders Live Longer? Sankofa Village Aims To Do Just That: “This center was built for the residents and is designed to meet their needs while serving as a space where people can connect, grow and thrive,” said Drea Slaughter, Garfield Park Rite To Wellness executive director. “The resources offered here are just the beginning, and we look forward to continuing this work and building on our mission to strengthen opportunity and improve quality of life across West Garfield Park.”

* Tribune | CTA service resumes after train derailment near Rogers Park station: hicago Transit Authority service was up and running Friday morning after a Yellow Line train derailed on the city’s Far North Side during the evening rush hour Thursday, according to the city agency. Rail service had been temporarily suspended Thursday evening along the entire Yellow and Purple lines, as well as along the Red Line between the Howard and Thorndale stations, the CTA said. Both the CTA and the Chicago Fire Department said there were no reported injuries. Normal service resumed shortly before 11:30 p.m. Thursday, the CTA said.

* Sun-Times | JCPenney to exit Ford City as city pressures mall’s owner: JCPenney said it will close the store in a month or two. In an email, the retailer’s media relations department said, “Despite our best efforts to remain at Ford City Mall, we have been required by the city of Chicago to close this location along with all other remaining tenants at the property, and will be exiting the property in the next 30-60 days. We are actively exploring opportunities for a new store location in the surrounding Chicago area and look forward to sharing updates as plans develop.”

* WBEZ | Chicago area bookstores are set to host their biggest celebration yet for Independent Bookstore Day: All 84 participating stores offer their own specialties and curate selections that reflect the interests of their neighborhoods, said Ryvre Hardrick, organizer of the crawl and owner of Goblin Market in Lake View. The number of participating shops nearly doubled from last year, a shift Hardrick said reflects owners’ desire to keep building connections with their neighbors as well as growing interest in “analog hobbies.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Shaw Local | Plainfield passes resolution opposing state taking away local zoning control: Worried that a proposed statewide initiative could take power away from municipalities, the Plainfield Village Board has passed a resolution urging state leaders to not take zoning authority away from municipalities.

* ABC Chicago | Wauconda High School career advisor charged with grooming, solicitation of two students: police: Authorities took Faulkner into custody during a traffic stop for driving on a revoked license on Thursday, just before police and Lake County K9 Enzo executed a search warrant at a home in connection with the case. There, police said, they found evidence that Faulkner groomed and solicited two Wauconda High School students. Faulkner, who provides college and career services at the high school, has been charged with two counts of Solicitation of Child Sexual Abuse Material, two counts of Grooming, and two counts of Indecent Solicitation of a Child.

* Fox Chicago | Chicago Stars FC return home to Evanston with themed match days: The Chicago Stars FC preview their upcoming home stretch in Evanston, highlighting affordable fan experiences, special game themes, and a roster featuring World Cup and Olympic champions.

* Daily Herald | News seniors can use: High school journalists publish newspaper for retirement residents: The students recently sent out their fourth issue of Windmill Weekly, a 12- to 16-page tabloid size printed newspaper with larger type size for easier reading. It’s the business project they chose through the national program led at Batavia by Dennis Piron, the popular and successful football coach at the school.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Champaign County passes year-long moratorium on data center: Champaign County has been looking at implementing a temporary moratorium on data centers since February. After making its way through several county committees, the county board had the final say Thursday night. People were outside the Bennett Administrative Center an hour before the meeting started. It was a packed house with people standing, kneeling and even sitting on windowsills. All this to make sure they were in the room to see whether or not the county board would press the pause button on data center construction.

* WCIA | Springfield EMS worker pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 2022 patient death: One of two Springfield EMS workers accused of murder in the death of a patient in 2022 has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Peter Cadigan pleaded guilty to the charge Friday morning in the killing of Earl Moore in December 2022. In police body camera footage, Cadigan could be seen strapping Moore face-down on a stretcher while Moore was experiencing a hallucinatory episode. He later died from asphyxiation.

* WJBD | Salem Police Chief Todd Boles No Longer Employed By City: Salem Police Chief Todd Boles is no longer employed by the city. Boles was placed on paid administrative leave on April 8th for what the city called an ongoing investigation. In today’s news release, the city says that due to the nature of the situation, no further details will be released at this time. At the time of the original release, the city said that paid administrative leave was required for any allegation of a potential internal policy violation.

*** National ***

* AP | US soldier charged with using classified intel to win $400K on Maduro raid is being released on bail: Federal prosecutors say Van Dyke used his access to classified information about the operation to capture Maduro in January to win money on the prediction market site Polymarket. Van Dyke, who is stationed at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina, was charged Thursday with the unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction.

* NBC | Justice Department drops investigation into Federal Reserve and Jerome Powell: The Justice Department on Friday dropped a criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell, regarding a renovation project at the central bank’s Washington headquarters. “This morning the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve has been asked to scrutinize the building costs overruns – in the billions of dollars – that have been borne by taxpayers,” U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in a post on X.

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Built For Illinois. Built With Transparency.

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Public safety technology only works when communities trust it. That’s why Flock Safety built privacy and transparency into every layer of our system from the beginning of the design cycle — not as an afterthought. In Illinois, that means:

See how we’re building trust in Illinois.

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Pritzker: We have to make sure the megaproject bill works for the Bears

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked a ton of questions about the megaproject/Bears bill at an unrelated news conference this morning…

Reporter: Sen. Cunningham told my colleague [NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern] that the Senate is not in a hurry to pass this bill next week. Are you pushing the Senate to pass the megaprojects bill?

Pritzker: I will say, I think he said that before the vote in the House. But having said that, either way, I can tell you that there is a need for speed here, we need to move somewhat expeditiously. I realize the Senate has some work to do, and there will be amendments, no doubt about it. But, I have to say Senator Cunningham has been a great partner. I think we’ll have a good bill at the end of the process in the Senate and something that will work for the Bears.

[Cross talk]

Reporter: What amendments do [the Bears] want and how much infrastructure- what is the dollar amount, are they looking for the state to pay for?

Pritzker: Well, that’s all being worked out, as you know, now. I mean, I think we’ve been, I think everybody’s understood what the principles are for the Bears and so again, just trying to hone it down. As you know, that bill went from, I don’t know, 30 pages, to 300 and some pages in the House. And it’s not about the pages, but it’s just the amount of things that were kind of tacked on to it. Much of it, by the way, makes a lot of sense. Some of it, I think, for the Bears anyway, didn’t make sense and so well. Again, I don’t want to— I think they’re working that through with the Senate. I don’t want to get involved here in front of all of you. I think there’s just aspects of it that I would, I’ll just, I guess I’ll give you one example. They had said at the outset that an amusement tax is something that really won’t work and that they really don’t want to see happen on top of all the other taxes that are imposed here. So when a 9, I think it’s a 9% amusement tax has been put on by the House. Obviously, that’s something that they didn’t expect, don’t believe that is a good thing for Bears fans or for the Bears Stadium. So we’ll see what can happen in the Senate about that, but that’s one of the things that I know. From the outset, they were hoping not to see in a bill like this.

Reporter: Can you talk about issues you may have with the bill itself?

Pritzker: Well, I mean, again, I think everybody understands that the principle here was to put a bill together that would work for the Chicago Bears. We’re obviously trying to keep the Chicago Bears in the state of Illinois. I also want to remind you that this bill wasn’t about the Chicago Bears alone. This bill is really about economic development, broadly for the state, it’s a megaprojects bill because we have a bunch of megaprojects that we can attract to Illinois if we have the right structure for folks to deal with property taxes. Which, by the way, they do anyway. Just so you know, when companies come to Illinois, they go negotiate with local governments about their property taxes, and if they can’t get a good deal, they go to another state. And so we’re just trying to create a process for that to happen. FYI, out of the 50 states, only 13 states don’t have a PILOT/megaprojects bill. We’re one of those 13 states, so we need to pass something, because it’s good for economic development, and frankly, that was the reason why I introduced the bill way back before the bears were really part of that bill. And now it makes sense. They’re a business in Illinois that wants to expand, and they deserve a hearing, just like any other large project would tax relief part of the bill.

Reporter: Can you talk about the tax relief part of the bill?

Pritzker: I mean, listen, we all want property tax relief. There’s no doubt about that. I think that we want to make sure is that if there’s property tax relief, that it’s meaningful, that it doesn’t penalize the Bears in their desire to stay in the state of Illinois, but that also benefits the particularly the surrounding communities, but also perhaps the larger community of people who own property in the state

Reporter: You talked about speed, but will it be the expense of details which could end up haunting taxpayers down the road?

Pritzker: Yeah, but I want to remind you, Sarah, that this, it’s not like this is a new issue, right? This has been around, people have been talking about this, I think for more than a year. Certainly, I know the Bears have been talking to the legislators for two years I think. So, I don’t think we’re not talking about speed here, or it shouldn’t be a discussion about speed. I think now you’ve got a bill that’s probably has too many items associated with it, or at least some of them that need amending. And there’s an understanding there was already, when it went into the House, that the Bears need to have certain things in the bill and certain things not and so those are going to be guiding the amendments that go through the Senate I believe.

Reporter: There were some Democrats voting against this, and their concern is all this is being done for the Bears or other developers that come in and want some property tax relief at the expense of taxpayers who need things like health care and education and all that. So how do you make sure that everybody’s benefiting?

Pritzker: Well, that’s not true. This is not penalizing health care, for example, in the state at all. And what is true is what we want is more jobs. What we want is economic growth, and we need to be competitive, truthfully. And that’s true of companies across the country. They’re looking where they’re going to move to, and so I’ve worked very hard for the last seven years in office to make Illinois more inviting for businesses, and it’s worked. We’ve attracted a whole lot of folks, but we need to continue to hone our message and deal with the problem that people perceive about property taxes. I believe that’s also true for homeowners in the state of Illinois. That’s why I have been advancing funding and making sure that we’re increasing funding for local public schools. Because guess what? Your property tax bill is mostly driven by the high property taxes for local schools. If the state would get in the game. Remember, we were the worst in the country at funding schools. When I took office, we were 24% of education funding was coming from the state. Average state, 46% comes from the state, so we’ve gotten it almost to 40% now. We’re making a lot of progress. We need local schools to recognize that they’re getting more money from the state and to alleviate the upward pressure on property taxes, and then at the same time, we need to make sure that we’re attracting businesses to the state of Illinois, my opponent, who is running for governor this year, on the Republican side, Darren Bailey, says, well, he doesn’t think that we should do anything to attract the Bears here, and that he does not believe that economic this bill that would promote economic development is a good thing for the state. He’s wrong. We need to do more to make this an attractive state for businesses and not fewer things.

Reporter: What is that infrastructure number for what the Bears want at this point, infrastructure assistance from the state?

Pritzker: It’s the same number that it’s been for since the beginning. I think that the total amount was something like $800 million of infrastructure investment. But remember that much of that is also already in the multi-year plan, or focused on the communities around where the Bears stadium would go in Arlington Heights. So these are projects that would happen anyway. We’re all calling them, ‘Bears infrastructure.’ But the reality is, much of the money, or a good portion of it, is something that already would have happened for the state of Illinois. So I don’t want to overload this thing and make it sound like the Bears, are the ones demanding all this. These are things that the village of Arlington Heights and and other towns and cities around there need in order to advance their cause. For local residents, as well as business.

Reporter: We’re hearing that the NFL is going to put pressure on the Bears next week, are you feeling that same pressure, given that there is another state in the midst, still in play.

Pritzker: Yeah, we’re always competing with other states for businesses, and this is just another example of that. […] The NFL has a meeting next week. It’s not going to completely flip the script, and all of a sudden, on that date you’re going to see Indiana is being chosen if Illinois doesn’t have a bill, having said that, if there is not true progress that gets made, if it isn’t obvious to people that the Senate is moving in the right direction, I think that will make it challenging. But we’re all working together. I think the Bears want to be in Illinois. I think that’s really what their choice would be. If we can put a bill forward that makes sense. They know what that is. I have said before that I created the scaffolding for that. I know that there are legislators who’ve wanted to build on to that scaffolding more than what was originally there, and that’s okay. We just have to make sure that it works for the Bears as it does for the citizens, the residents of the state of Illinois. One last point I want to make from the very beginning and all along here, my number one consideration has been what’s best for the taxpayers of Illinois. You heard me say that on day one, when the bears said they wanted to move, and you’ve heard me say that all along and that’s been my focus. What is the best thing for advancing the interests of the taxpayers, and not only of the Bears or of large businesses. And so that is what we put together in that scaffolding, in that deal that went to the legislature. We want to make sure that whatever comes out of the legislature fills that goal.

Please pardon any transcription errors.

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SB 1486 Raises Premiums And Reduces Consumer Choice

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Illinois is home to one of the most competitive insurance markets in the nation. Hundreds of insurers fight for consumers, leaving families better protected than those in other states.

SB 1486, described by the Daily Herald as “controversial legislation,” could eliminate that system and, in its place, leave Illinois with the most extreme regulatory framework in the nation.

This legislation could:

These policies have been tried in other states, leading to skyrocketing costs for consumers and limited options for coverage. Don’t bring California style overregulation to Illinois.

Protect consumer choice and affordability. Vote NO on SB 1486.

Click here to learn more.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - News update

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Drug Costs Are Rising: 340B Legislation Helps Lower Costs, Strengthen Communities

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Nearly 40% of Illinois residents get their health coverage through Medicaid (25%) and Medicare (18%). Yet, government providers do not cover the full cost of care. Hospitals on average lose 10-15% treating Medicare patients and 30-35% treating Medicaid patients. Despite this, Illinois hospitals continue to provide lifesaving care around the clock.

Congress created the 340B drug discount program over 30 years ago to address financial shortfalls, including inadequate reimbursement from government payers. Last spring, the Senate unanimously passed House Bill 2371 SA 2 to protect 340B. HB 2371 does not ask drugmakers to do anything new, but to do their part in lowering drug costs for hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that serve many low-income patients.

Stand with hospitals, FQHCs and their patients: Pass HB 2371 SA 2. Learn more.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Arlington Heights residents cautiously optimistic as Bears stadium bill passes Illinois House. WGN…

* Related stories…

• WGN: House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch on future of megaproject bill, millionaire’s tax
• ChicagoLIVE: Bears stadium bill clears House as Kam Buckner details next steps
• Crain’s: Bears score House win on stadium — but Springfield rewrite raises new risks

* Happy Friday! Quick programming note: We’ll be shutting the blog down earlier than usual today.

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

Sponsored by The Association of Safety-Net Community Hospitals

No Cuts. No Closures. Fund Safety-Net Hospitals.

For decades, Illinois has underfunded safety-net hospitals, the lifelines for Black and Brown communities. Now, the “Safety-Net Moonshot” and the Medicaid-defunding legislation it has spawned, threatens deeper cuts to these critical health providers. Any reduction inspired by the “Moonshot” would be a killshot to the care our most vulnerable residents rely on.

Weakening safety-net hospitals won’t improve care. It will slash essential services, eliminate jobs, and push entire communities into healthcare deserts and economic instability.

The state cannot balance its budget on the backs of Black and Brown community hospitals. These institutions are not line items to cut, they are the foundation of care for families who have nowhere else to turn. Disinvestment will deepen inequities and worsen outcomes.

When safety-net hospitals are funded, communities are healthier, workforces are stronger, and economies are more resilient.

Illinois must fully fund safety-net hospitals. For the communities they serve, it is life or death.

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* At 9 am, Gov. JB Pritzker will deliver remarks at Northwestern’s Inaugural Quantum Innovation Symposium. Click here to watch.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WGLT | ISU’s president requests more state funding as hundreds of employees remain on strike: Tarhule was responding to a comment from state Rep. Sharon Chung, a Democrat from Bloomington, who expressed support for the striking employees. “I would like you to try to see what you can do to end the strike in good faith,” Chung said, while wearing a button that said “Fair Contract Now.” Tarhule said the university is facing an increasing deficit and maintenance backlogs because of the lack of funding and if the university does not get more money this year, it might have to increase tuition.

* Tribune | ‘Millionaire tax’ amendment won’t be on November ballot as Illinois Democrats can’t come to agreement:
State Rep. Will Davis, a Democrat from Homewood and a sponsor of that funding formula, said it would have been difficult for him to support the millionaire’s tax proposal. “Those of us that kind of understand EBF a little bit have raised that concern about whether or not it ultimately walks back EBF,” he said.

* Sun-Times | Obamacare premiums in Illinois rose sharply but not as much as expected: Premiums haven’t skyrocketed since federal tax subsidies expired in December. But experts say it’s still early. And providers worry increased health care costs also could drive up insurance rates.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Sun-Times | Illinois House punts millionaires’ tax to 2028, advances voting rights amendment: “What we heard from listening to a lot of people over the last few days is that more work needs to be done,” said Welch, who emphasized a need to bring more business-focused representatives on board with the measure. Because the Illinois Constitution enshrines a flat tax system into law, the millionaires’ tax would have needed approval from voters. The deadline for the Legislature to put amendments on the 2026 November midterm ballot is May 3, and while the Senate is back in session next week, the House won’t reconvene until May 4.

* Daily Herald | Intentionally causing someone emotional distress by phone or electronic harassment? Proposed law takes aim at that: Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and former Naperville police detective Rich Wistocki, president of BeSure Consulting, teamed up to add “causing significant emotional distress” as a crime in Illinois Senate Bill 2741. State Sen. Linda Holmes, a Democrat from Aurora, agreed to sponsor the bill. The bill would also eliminate the requirement that harassing content must be of a sexual nature.

* Center Square | Autism care providers, parents urge change in ownership mandate: Dr. Rebecca Thompson, president of the Illinois Providers for Applied Behavior Analysis Access and Quality, said an amendment to Senate Bill 712 forces every ABA provider in Illinois to restructure so only licensed behavior analysts hold ownership. “This forces out non-licensed owners, including parents, business partners and multidisciplinary collaborators who have helped build and sustain access to autism care across the state,” Thompson said.

*** Chicago ***

* Tribune | Outgoing watchdog notes Chicago’s ‘deficit of legitimacy,’ Mayor Brandon Johnson considers successor: Chicago, she told the Tribune during an interview as part of a media tour before she leaves office, “operates at a deficit of legitimacy.” The leader of this famously corrupt city’s most visible watchdog agency has long described her work as “paying down” that gap in trust. In four years at the helm of the Office of Inspector General, she has certainly presented an invoice. Her departure gives Johnson a new challenge: Tasked with selecting her successor, the mayor must convince aldermen the person he nominates to follow Witzburg will be a strong independent investigator who will hold him and his administration to account.

* Crain’s | Second City is serious about using improv to train police leaders: The law enforcement folks are part of the latest cohort working their way through the Policing Leadership Academy, a program for police officers who are transitioning into senior management roles. The academy, or PLA, is based out of the University of Chicago Crime Lab and born out of what Crime Lab Executive Director Roseanna Ander calls the “scandalous” insight that police officers generally aren’t well prepared to become executives.

* Sun-Times | ‘This was built for you.’ West Garfield Park celebrates nearly $50 million wellness center: Like many in the crowd, Pitts was there to celebrate the opening of Sankofa — and heal. At 60,000 square feet, around the size of a football field, Sankofa beams along Madison Street, a once-bustling corridor devastated by white flight and the 1968 riots that has not seen big investment in decades. At the new center, residents can see a doctor or a dentist, play in the indoor gym, stroll on a walking track, or get help finding a job. It was years in the making and created with community input to improve health disparities in West Garfield Park. In 2023, residents in this mostly Black neighborhood were expected to live until 67 years old — the lowest life expectancy in Chicago — compared to 87 in the Loop, where the majority of residents are white.

* WBEZ | Lunchroom workers block Downtown street in protest as contract talks with CPS stall: But Penson, who has worked for Chicago Public Schools for 21 years and makes an annual salary of about $34,000, said she feels deeply disrespected by the school district’s leadership. She and her colleagues, who are represented by the union Unite Here Local 1, have been negotiating a contract for more than 11 months. To “sound the alarm” on what they see as unfair and unequal wages, about 250 workers and their supporters held a protest Thursday afternoon at which two dozen of them — including Penson — sat down on Madison Street outside the school district’s downtown headquarters as an act of civil disobedience. Chicago police officers quickly detained the workers and escorted them away to cheers from their fellow union members, who later chanted “we will be back.” The union said they were quickly released and ticketed for pedestrian traffic violations.

* Sun-Times | No injuries in Yellow Line derailment: No one was injured after a Yellow Line train derailed Thursday, cutting off service to the Yellow and Purple Lines while diminishing the far north portions of Red Line service, according to the CTA. The trains derailed near the Howard station shortly before 5:40 p.m., suspending two lines as well as the Red Line between Howard and Thorndale, a CTA representative said in a statement. No injuries were reported.

* Tribune | Rickea Jackson is embracing a clean slate with the Chicago Sky: ‘They get who I am’: “I wanted to be somewhere where I’m prioritized from the beginning,” Jackson told the Tribune. “It’s no secret that I basically had a different coach almost every year of my career, so I know how to adjust. But I just wanted to be somewhere that, from the jump, they got it right. From the jump, I felt prioritized. They know my game. They get who I am.” […] Jackson brought some familiarity to her new home — she’s a Detroit native and her mother, Caryn, grew up in Chicago — but she hadn’t visited the city outside of games in more than a decade, when she drove down to watch her godsister Betnijah Laney debut with the Sky in 2015.

* Tribune | UIC researchers use mural art to raise awareness of invasive plant species: In spring 2024, the lab received a $300,000 Biota Award from the Walder Foundation, a Skokie family foundation that funds Chicagoland area environmental research and other initiatives. Nunez-Mir said the grant was used mostly to develop a database of over 1,000 invasive plant species. Researchers evaluated and recorded the same 28 characteristics for each species based on preexisting data from universities and government agencies, Nunez-Mir said.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Crain’s | Executive in $15M Loretto Hospital embezzlement case pleads not guilty, released on bond: Former medical supplier Sameer Suhail, facing federal fraud indictments in an alleged $15 million scheme tied to Loretto Hospital, pleaded not guilty to several felony charges yesterday and was ordered released on a $5 million bond and home confinement, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Suhail had fled the U.S. to Dubai after being indicted in 2024 alongside former Loretto CEO George Miller, former CFO Anosh Ahmed and former executive Heather Bergdahl.

* Daily Southtown | University Park residents can seek claims as part of Aqua Illinois $12.5 million water contamination settlement: Those affected by water contamination issues in University Park between August 2018 and May 2019 will soon be entitled to compensation, after a federal judge on Wednesday approved a $12.5 million settlement agreement negotiated between the village and Aqua Illinois. Current and former residents and business owners will soon be given the opportunity to submit claims to determine the amount they are owed from Aqua Illinois, which owns and operates the village’s existing water infrastructure. Tom Zimmerman, whose office represented the class action lawsuit’s hundreds of plaintiffs, said the inconvenience of water pollution alone could result in $3,000 for those who submit a claim.

* NBC Chicago | How Illinois affordable housing bills could change suburban neighborhoods: “We were developed intentionally over the last 114 years to keep open space. And giving up the idea of giving up our zoning rights and how we do things, it could be detrimental in many ways to Palos Park,” Milovich-Walters said. Housing advocates voiced their support during a committee hearing Thursday. “Everyone is struggling with a lack of affordable quality supply for people to buy homes, whether it’s a single family home or a condominium,” said Bob Palmer from Housing Action Illinois.

* Elgin Courier-News | Elgin returns to manual siren system after residents complain about recent storm alerts: The Office of Emergency Management will return to manually triggering the warning sirens after they went off four times during one recent storm despite there being no tornadoes in the area. They were activated automatically by National Weather Service warnings for severe conditions in the area, Fire Chief Robb Cagann told the Elgin City Council Wednesday night. Elgin’s warning system was upgraded in 2024 to include the automatic activation when a NWS warning for a tornado, thunderstorm or other severe weather situation is released, said Cagann, who oversees the city’s Office of Emergency Management. It does not get activated during severe weather watches.

* Crain’s | Claire’s moving HQ to distressed Rosemont office building: Yet the deal also stands out as an example of a company moving to a building recently seized by a lender. New York-based Rialto Capital took control of the 249,433-square-foot Rosemont property in September to resolve a $29 million loan default by the building’s previous owner, Canadian real estate firm Adventus Realty Trust. While some lenders reinvest in seized properties to lure new tenants and boost revenue, companies typically avoid such distressed buildings over concerns about who their landlord will be in the future.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Bloomington city manager says expanded police oversight power is not possible for the PSCRB: Bloomington City Manager Jeff Jurgens spoke to the city’s Public Safety and Community Relations Board [PSCRB] during its monthly meeting Wednesday. […] “At first, there was discussion about, well, could a citizen review board actually investigate and be the one to review citizen complaints, and to follow up on discipline and things like that,” he said. “And the answer to that was no.” Jurgens said state law and collective bargaining agreements prevent the PSCRB from any direct oversight or disciplinary power.

* BND | Metro-east post office closed with no home delivery. It’s not the first time: The small community of Brooklyn’s post office recently closed its doors with no warning and no timeline for reopening. With no home delivery service in the village of 650 people, residents are forced to travel to an East St. Louis post office to pick up their mail, according to Village Mayor Trenton Atkins.

* WCIA | Mahomet-Seymour schools looking to set rules on AI usage with guidebook: The district said security systems would be put in place to flag AI-generated content and anything that could indicate bullying or deep-fake creations. Teachers will provide guidelines for when students can use AI, while the guidebook lays out what the punishment would be if kids break the rules. “The big focus, or a big section of the guidebook, is on the teacher usage and the student usage. And there’s some different examples for acceptable use and unacceptable use throughout the guidebook,” said Assistant Superintendent Meghan Bagby. “One of the main reasons why is, we still want the focus to be on student learning and human learning, and teachers to be the facilitator of that learning.”

* WCIA | Months-long Central Illinois drought recovers in weeks: Thursday’s drought monitor shows no counties across Central Illinois are experiencing drought conditions for the first time since last July. The drought peaked in early March, leaving farmers like Dennis Riggs of 1874 Maple Lawn Farm anxious about soil conditions leading into planting season. “It has been dry and we’ve been worried about it, because you do have to have moisture in the ground to sprout the seeds,” Riggs said. “We select hybrids of corn and beans that can handle the drought better, we were looking at that.”

*** National ***

* AP | Meta slashes 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, as Microsoft offers buyouts: Meta is laying off about 8,000 workers, or about 10% of its workforce, the company said Thursday as it continues to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and highly paid AI-expert hires. The company said it was making the cuts for the sake of efficiency and to allow new investments in parts of its business, as first reported by Bloomberg, which also said the company will leave about 6,000 jobs unfilled. Also Thursday, Microsoft said it was offering voluntary buyouts to thousands of its U.S. employees.

* Bloomberg: Amazon.com Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. have struck a multibillion-dollar deal for the social-media giant to rent hundreds of thousands of Amazon’s general-purpose chips for its AI efforts. The multiyear deal gives Meta access to the Graviton line of processors, Nafea Bshara, an Amazon vice president and co-founder of the company’s Annapurna Labs chips unit, said in an interview.

* NYT | Youth Suicides Declined After Creation of National Hotline: Over the two and a half years following the 2022 rollout of the 988 national suicide prevention hotline, the rate of suicides among young people in the United States dropped 11 percent below projections, decreasing most sharply in states with a higher volume of answered 988 calls, a new study has found. The findings, published today as a research letter in JAMA, compared suicide deaths from July 2022 to December 2024 with sophisticated mathematical projections that were based on historical trends. This yielded good news, with 4,372 fewer suicides of adolescents and young adults, ages 15 to 34, than had been projected.

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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Live coverage

Friday, Apr 24, 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

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. Capitol News Illinois…

A “millionaire tax” proposal floated in the Illinois House failed to gain enough traction in Springfield this week, making it increasingly unlikely that voters will be asked to approve the measure in November.

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, confirmed to reporters on Wednesday night that the constitutional amendment proposed by Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, was not going to be called for a vote this week. The House is not scheduled to be in after Thursday before the May 3 deadline to put constitutional amendments on the November ballot.

“Everyone knows it needs a lot more work,” Welch said. “There were a lot of questions that people had and they deserve to have those answers to those questions.” […]

It could be a few years before lawmakers revisit the concept. The next deadline for approving constitutional amendments is early May 2028, six months ahead of the presidential election.

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Sponsored by Phrma

Illinois is paying the price for 340B medicine markups.

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

* Illinois Department of Employment Security…

Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs decreased in 8 metropolitan areas and increased in 4, leading to consecutive months with year-over-year growth in Champaign (13 consecutive months). Over-the-year, the unemployment rate increased in all 12 metro areas for the year ending February 2026, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES).

“February’s numbers show job growth in a few parts of Illinois, but rising unemployment across metro areas underscores the uncertainty coming from the federal government,” said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. “Washington’s shifting policies are making it harder for states to maintain momentum. Illinois will continue focusing on growth, supporting employers, and investing in our workforce.”

The metro areas which posted the largest over-the-year percentage decreases in total nonfarm jobs were the Springfield MSA (-2.4%, -2,600), the Rockford MSA (-1.7%, -2,500), and the Bloomington MSA (-1.4%, -1,300). The metro areas which had the largest over-the-year percentage increases in total nonfarm jobs were the Peoria MSA (+1.0%, +1,600), the Champaign-Urbana MSA (+0.9%, +1,100), and the Lake County Metro Division (+0.4%, +1,300). Nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division were down -6,500 (-0.2%). Industries that saw job growth in the majority of the twelve metro areas included: Mining and Construction (ten areas), followed by Private Education and Health Services and Government (nine areas each).

The metro areas with the largest unemployment rate increases were the Kankakee MSA (+1.1 point to 7.0%) followed by a tie between the Decatur MSA (+1.0 point to 6.8%), the Rockford MSA (+1.0 point to 6.7%), and Springfield MSA (+1.0 point to 5.4%). The Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg Metro Division unemployment rate grew by +0.3 point to 5.4%. The unemployment rate increased over-the-year in 100 counties and decreased in 2.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Welch defends silence over ousted caucus member, citing need to ‘respect victims’: Welch did not specify what he meant by “due process,” but multiple sources have told Capitol News Illinois that a report detailing allegations against Benton was filed with the legislative inspector general’s office. The office, which investigates claims of misconduct by legislators and legislative staff, has declined to comment. It’s also worth noting that LIG reports are only made public if allegations are sustained.

* Capitol News Illinois | Lawmakers eye water use transparency requirements for data centers: “We talk a lot about energy, and people express concerns about, ‘Are we utilizing energy? Are we going to have enough resources there?’ We have a plan,” said Democratic Rep. Ann Williams of Chicago, who chaired the committee on Wednesday. “I think that same process needs to happen with water and how much of it already exists versus what we need to put in place with the influx of users.”

* Tribune | Illinois bill would stop publishers from charging libraries more than public for e-books and audiobooks: “More and more taxpayer-funded library budgets are being eaten up by this licensing at unreasonably high prices,” Harris said. “The hold list gets longer and longer for the constituents who are trying to, you know, use these materials and many libraries are now spending almost 50% of their collection budgets on e-books and audiobooks.”

* Investigate Midwest | Illinois Farm Bureau sees ‘moral obligation’ to protect livestock from extreme weather. It opposes temperature standards for workers: As climate change makes the weather hotter and more volatile, worker advocates have pushed to pass temperature standards into law this year. The legally binding standards in House Bill 3762, such as paid water breaks, are necessary to protect workers’ health and safety — and prevent death — in a rapidly heating world, advocates argue. The bill, introduced by Chicago Democrat Rep. Edgar Gonzalez, is currently being debated in committee.

* WGLT | Central Illinois lawmakers split on changing legislative map requirements in Illinois: Democratic state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, representing Peoria, said this amendment would protect minority voting rights and ensure Voting Rights Act protections are able to continue in Illinois. “The Supreme Court is poised to gut the Voting Rights Act,” she said. “We have to understand what we are dealing with. It literally is the last meaningful protection against racial discrimination in voting. The gains [Illinois has] made are because of the Voting Rights Act.”

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Executive in $15M Loretto Hospital embezzlement case pleads not guilty, released on bond: Prosecutors said at least $15 million was embezzled from the West Side safety-net hospital through bogus invoices and shell vendor companies. In July 2024, Suhail was charged with 14 counts of various crimes. Bergdahl and Miller are set to appear in federal court next week. They are expected to plead guilty, the Chicago Tribune reported yesterday. Bergdahl, who served as Loretto’s chief transformation officer between February 2020 and March 2022 was charged in 2024 with 36 federal counts. Miller was indicted in October 2025 in the federal investigation.

* Block Club | Plan To Bring Nearly 500 Homes To Mars Candy Factory Site Slammed By Galewood Neighbors: Tension between Galewood residents and developers boiled over at a meeting about the future of the former home of the Mars Wrigley factory — so much so that officials warned the 20-acre site could remain vacant for an extended period of time. Galewood residents sounded off Tuesday against the suggestion that a redevelopment of the factory site, 2019 N. Oak Park Ave., could include 500 units of housing. The factory operated for 95 years before closing in 2024, the same year Mars selected developer McCaffery Interests to repurpose the site.

* Axios | Chicago jazz radio legends to reunite for International Jazz Day panel: Several radio veterans, including Richard Steele, Barry Winograd and Neil Tesser, will gather for a panel at the Cultural Center as part of Chicago’s International Jazz Day programming. “There used to be so much jazz on the radio in Chicago,” Sirius XM Real Jazz host Mark Ruffin tells Axios. Ruffin, who previously worked at several Chicago jazz stations, put the panel together.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Homer Glen officials unite against ‘one-size-fits-all’ state affordable housing proposal: As Homer Glen celebrates its 25th anniversary, village leaders find themselves advocating again for local control, the same issue they sought to address with incorporation. Residents in 2001 approved a referendum to form the village out of an unincorporated area of Will County in a desire for decisions to be made locally, rather than by county officials.

* Daily Herald | Underwood proposes $1.2M in funding for Metra expansion between DeKalb, Elburn: If Underwood’s federal funding request is approved, the money could be used to help DeKalb prepare development plans and fund additional analyses needed to pursue a Union Pacific West Line extension between DeKalb and Elburn, according to a release from Underwood’s office.

* Pioneer Press | Skokie approves new village flag, depicting ‘Skokie Spirit’ Potawatomi flame: Seeking to highlight a stronger sense of unity and shared community identity, Skokie is set to adopt a new official flag, a long-term effort in an area where students come from families that speak at least 70 different languages at home, according to Niles Township High School District 219.

*** Downstate ***

* Illinois Times | Logan County to consider data center regulations: The meeting could set up a final vote by the Logan County Board on the new zoning rules later in May. A 60-day moratorium that the County Board approved on the acceptance of zoning applications for data centers ends this week. Michael DeRoss, a Lincoln resident who sits on the 12-member, all-Republican County Board, told Illinois Times that the moratorium was designed to help board members become better informed and thoroughly review any proposals in the future. “We could use some more time. This is new,” DeRoss said. “There are people on both sides of the issue. This is not a done deal. We need to do a cost-benefit analysis.”

* WCIA | Vermilion Co. approves grant, contracts for animal shelter, county building improvements: Those buildings are the animal shelter, the Joseph G. Cannon Building and the Rita B. Garman Vermilion County Courthouse. The County Board approved acceptance of a grant that would go toward improving the animal shelter. The board also approved contracts for masonry restoration at both the courthouse and Cannon building, along with roof replacement and refurbishment of the latter’s elevator system. The $2.5 million grant comes from the Julius Hegeler II Foundation, and it will be used to either build a new animal shelter facility or renovate and expand the current one. The grant will be paid over the next three years in installments of $800,000 or $850,000.

* Illinois Times | State’s Attorney’s Office joins new effort to to keep kids in school as a means of reducing crime: A new joint initiative between the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Regional Office of Education is taking a tougher, more coordinated approach to chronic truancy. It combines social services with a stark warning: get children back in school or face legal consequences. The effort, spearheaded by Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser and Regional Superintendent Shannon Fehrholz, was on display April 10 during a meeting inside a courtroom at the Sangamon County Building. Parents and guardians of chronically absent elementary school students were summoned not for prosecution — yet — but for what officials described as a final opportunity to change course.

* WCIA | Monticello rewarding business owners for taking care of their facade: “We’re just glad that the Monticello Historic Preservation committee has taken a look at different businesses and buildings here in our community to recognize the ones that have had a good impact on the community,” Owens said. The committee works to preserve businesses in the area. They are doing it with the building improvement grant program, which matches grants to Monticello businesses up to $10,000.

*** National ***

* AP | Trump reclassifies state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug in a historic shift: The order signed by Todd Blanche does not legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use under federal law. But it does change the way it’s regulated, shifting licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I — reserved for drugs without medical use and with high potential for abuse — to the less strictly regulated Schedule III. It also gives licensed medical marijuana operators a major tax break and eases some barriers to researching cannabis.

* The Independent | All the airlines cancelling flights and adding extra charges amid jet fuel crisis: United’s CEO announced the airline may need to raise fares by as much as 20 percent, while Lufthansa’s airline group announced the cancellation of 20,000 flights in bids to protect their airlines from the soaring cost of oil. Costs have rocketed from approximately $85 to $90 per barrel to an alarming $150 to $200 per barrel in recent weeks.

* AP | School buses should all have alcohol tests to avoid drunken driving, NTSB recommends: But the National Transportation Safety Board then discovered something even more troubling: School bus drivers driving impaired was not an isolated problem. That’s why the NTSB on Thursday recommended for the first time that all new school buses be equipped with alcohol detection systems that can disable the bus if they detect the driver might be impaired.

* NY Mag | Washington Enters Its TMZ Era: TMZ’s lack of familiarity with Washington’s weird ways is both a drawback and a strength. Its D.C. reporters do not seem to have experience covering Washington. And they are now crowdsourcing their way through the learning curve, asking for help finding bathrooms and restaurants and interview subjects. They’ve also printed out the pictures of House members to study their faces. But as the political paparazzi photos show, they can unearth stories that more jaded reporters have passed over as business as usual. The recent scandal over Eric Swalwell’s much-rumored creepiness and previously unreported sexual misconduct underscored that there is plenty of room for different newsgathering sensibilities.

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It’s just a bill

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* WAND…

Illinois lawmakers are advancing a proposal to phase out certain foods like pre-packaged snacks and heavily processed lunch options. This would apply to food served in cafeterias, not what parents pack for their child’s lunch.

“I think we have a responsibility to give our children a better start, especially when they don’t yet have the power to choose differently because they’re children,” said Rep. Sonya Harper.

Harper said the goal is not to add stress to schools, but to regulate what food manufacturers are sending through lunch lines.

“A lot of people bring up cost — ‘how much will it cost schools to get different foods?’ But I would ask, ‘what is the cost to our public health?’” Harper said.

Rep. Harper’s HB5507 did not receive a floor vote by last Friday, which was the Third Reading deadline. The bill has been re-referred to the House Rules Committee and its deadline has not yet been extended.

* Sen. Sara Feigenholtz…

We’re barreling into the month of May, the month when the General Assembly works around the clock to finalize the state budget and pass remaining legislation. The buzz in Springfield surrounds affordability, specifically affordable housing, and I am carrying two housing bills that help address the housing crisis.

SB 4061 is a bill in Governor Pritzker’s BUILD initiative, which updates building codes to allow new developments to have one staircase instead of the currently mandated two staircases. Single-stairway buildings are affordable to construct, offer floorplan flexibility, and increase the number of 2-3 bedroom homes. Learn more about SB 4061 here.

The other bill is SB 3187, which would allow multi-family housing to be built on the property of faith-based organizations. Places of worship across the state have unused property that can be developed into housing - this bill would let the state partner with these organizations to make supportive communities of new housing. […]

We asked for a hearing on these bills, and we got one. On Thursday, April 23rd at 1:30 p.m., the Senate Executive Committee is having a virtual hearing to discuss the Governor’s housing bills - including both SB 4061 and SB 3187. You can watch the hearing at this link. Select “Senate Virtual Room 1.”

* WCIA…

A bill aimed at making sure manufacturers don’t dump PFAS or “forever chemicals” in wastewater passed nearly unanimously in the Illinois Senate.

Jen Walling, the CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council, said PFAS — short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — can be found in clothing, food packaging and cookware. She said they’ve been linked to multiple types of cancer. They’re coined “forever chemicals” because once they enter the human body, they can take years to break down due to the presence of fluorinated carbon atoms.

Senate Bill 3917 proposes that all wastewater treatment facilities will have to periodically sample biosolids, the water coming in and water going out of their plants for PFAS. Industrial plants will also test the water leaving their facilities if passed. […]

“This is an incredibly important bill to keep PFAS out of the water and biosolids which can be used to land applied to agricultural fields. They can accumulate over time. Farmers in Maine have had fields destroyed by PFAS, so this is something that can ensure those levels are meeting standards,” said Walling.

* WAND…

A plan moving to the Illinois House could help improve the state’s recent digital driver’s license law.

It also bans law enforcement from physically taking someone’s phone to verify their mobile ID.

“Most of this language is based on an agreement between the Secretary of State’s office and JCAR related to the rulemaking they adopted to implement the original law,” said Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago). “I’m aware of no opposition.”

Senate Bill 3449 passed out of the Senate on a 46-11 vote Thursday. The proposal has been assigned to the House Rules Committee and Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) will be the chief sponsor in that chamber.

* Shaw Local…

State Sen. Li Arellano Jr., R-Dixon, advanced Senate Bill 1573 out of the Senate, legislation that would lower the fee to become certified as an electronic notary in Illinois and thus encourage more notaries to operate within the state.

“We should be making it easier, not harder, to do business in Illinois, and this legislation does exactly that,” Arellano said in a news release. “It cuts fees, reduces barriers and supports businesses that rely on electronically notarized documents to operate.”

Under current law, individuals who become a notary must pay an additional $25 fee to become an electronic notary public in Illinois. Arellano worked with the Illinois Secretary of State to create Senate Bill 1573, which would waive that extra fee for two years. This reduces upfront costs and makes it easier for more Illinoisans to become certified, while giving the Secretary of State’s office time to work on a permanent fix, according to the release. […]

Senate Bill 1573 has passed the Senate and now heads to the House, where it will be sponsored by state Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria. The idea was born from a discussion with the Peoria business community about challenges they were facing in interstate competitiveness.

* WAND…

The Illinois House passed a plan last week to improve the indoor air quality for schools.

This plan states school districts should ensure all active classrooms are equipped with air quality monitors. Advocates expect the state to spend roughly $10 million to buy monitors for classrooms statewide.

House Bill 4739 would also require the Illinois State Board of Education to work with the Illinois Department of Public Health to create a document explaining the values of good indoor air quality for districts. […]

This proposal passed out of the House on a 65-32 vote Friday. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

* WAND…

State lawmakers hope to send a bill to the governor’s desk next month to help schools best respond to emergencies.

The House passed a plan last week to require public and private schools to have silent panic alarms linked to law enforcement.

Sponsors said the Illinois State Police will work with the State Board of Education and Emergency Management Agency to develop rules for the mobile panic alert system. […]

House Bill 5107 passed unanimously out of the House Thursday. The proposal arrived in the Senate Tuesday and could be assigned to a committee next week.

* Politico…

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is pushing a constitutional amendment that would ensure minority representation is considered in redistricting, as the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a case that could reshape federal protections.

The Illinois House passed the measure on partisan lines and with the 71 votes required for a constitutional amendment, and it now heads to the Senate.

The proposal, House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 28, would embed key principles of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into the Illinois Constitution, ensuring those standards remain in place regardless of how the high court rules in a closely watched redistricting dispute.

At issue nationally is Louisiana v. Callais, a case centered on whether Louisiana must draw one or two majority-Black congressional districts under the federal law. While the litigation has been ongoing for several years, courtwatchers anticipate a ruling imminently that could result in redrawn lines, particularly in the South, that could change the balance of power in the House. […]

If approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, the measure would go before voters in November, giving Illinoisans the final say on whether to add Voting Rights Act-style protections to the state constitution.

Governors do not sign constitutional amendment joint resolutions.

13 Comments

Team Bailey wobbles on SAFE-T Act repeal

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Politico profiled GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey’s running mate…

Aaron Del Mar is already a familiar figure in GOP circles, but he is now introducing himself to a broader audience of Illinois voters as Darren Bailey’s running mate for lieutenant governor. His selection comes as Republicans hope to unite the party’s suburban voters with its downstate coalition. […]

They’re focused on three things as they face Gov. JB Pritzker and his running mate, Christian Mitchell. “Our focus is simple: affordability, public safety and education,” Del Mar said, noting, “Affordability isn’t just a buzzword. It’s about fixing what’s driving costs for families.” They are not looking to reverse the SAFE-T Act, which eliminated cash bail, but they want it to do a better job of “holding criminals accountable.” And on education, Del Mar said funding should be more equally dispersed. “Every child in Illinois gets a real shot, no matter their zip code.”

Um, what? Darren Bailey has been one of the loudest voices calling to repeal the SAFE-T Act.

* Bailey in January.…

If he were to become the next governor, Bailey said he would repeal the SAFE-T Act.

* Bailey in February…

“The SAFE-T Act must be repealed, period,” Bailey said. “We got to restore safety to this state. That doesn’t mean we can’t turn around and listen to some of the concerns that originated this terrible bill, but in this form it is unacceptable.”

* Bailey in March…

Sheridan Gorman is not a statistic. She was a student, a daughter, and a human being.

She is dead because JB Pritzker let sanctuary status, the TRUST Act, and the SAFE-T Act turn Illinois into a revolving door for violent criminals.

REPEAL ALL THREE. pic.twitter.com/rAuAF7hTBk

— Darren Bailey (@DarrenBaileyIL) March 31, 2026

Sure, Aaron.

17 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition (Updated)

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Welch won’t say if Benton should resign

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. You really gotta hand it to Isabel. Check out this exchange with House Speaker Chris Welch during his victory press conference last night…

Isabel: Speaker, should Harry Benton resign?

Welch: We’re not going to have that topic of conversation today. We’re going to talk about what happened here today.

Isabel: I mean, he was here today.

[Cross talk.]

Jerry Nowicki: Isn’t it time to address it?

Jeremy Gorner: He’s an elected official. We just want to know what’s going on.

Reporter: He’s got an election coming up.

Rich: Should he resign?

Isabel: Should he resign?

Welch: At the proper time.

Isabel: When is that?

Welch: At the proper time that information will come out.

Reporter: Is that after May 31?

Welch: So there is a process in place. You’ve heard me say this before. People are entitled to due process. There is a process in place that guarantees every one of us due process, and we’re going to allow that process to play out. And I think part of that is not coming out and speaking to the press about something and folks are entitled to due process. But also want to underscore something very important, and we shared this with the caucus, we also have to talk about victims and what they’re entitled to. Coming out and talking to reporters about a process that’s ongoing is not the proper thing to do, and so we’re going to respect due process. We’re going to respect victims. We’re going to respect people’s rights. It’s not to disrespect all of you. I respect what all of you do to the nth degree. As a former member of the media, thank you for what you do. But we have let this process play out.

[Crosstalk]

Reporter: Two members of Congress just resigned.

[Crosstalk. Welch walks back into his office suite.]

* Tribune…

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch reluctantly broke his silence Wednesday on his decision to strip a Democratic lawmaker of key caucus duties two months ago, acknowledging for the first time that the rights of “victims” were involved, while declining to discuss specifics.

Welch’s comments came while he spoke with reporters outside his state Capitol office following a lengthy House session. Welch made it clear he hoped to focus on the day’s legislative victories, including the House’s passage of a bill aiding the Chicago Bears’ proposed move to Arlington Heights. When asked whether state Rep. Harry Benton of Plainfield should resign, Welch initially tried to sidestep the question.

16 Comments

Caption contest!

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rep. Jaime Andrade (D-Chicago) chatted with Treasurer Michael Frerichs (D-Gigantes) yesterday at the Statehouse…

40 Comments

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

Thursday, Apr 23, 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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Today’s quotable

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* After session ended last night, House Speaker Chris Welch defended his demand that all bills must have at least 60 Democratic votes before it can be put on the Big Board…

What began as a challenge to the House and our 60-Democrat rule, ended in proof that the process works. It’s worked ever since I’ve been speaker. It has led to big victory, after big victory after big victory. And the process delivers bipartisan results when it’s done right. And all you got to do is look at that last vote [Bears/Megaprojects bill]. Tonight, we delivered jobs, economic opportunity for every single area in this state.

The megaprojects bill received nine Republican votes.

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Hospitals And Patients Are Struggling: Charity And Unreimbursed Care Are Up

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Hospital charity care continues to rise along with unreimbursed care from patients unable to pay. Midwestern hospitals have been hit particularly hard, squeezed financially as they work hard to provide around-the-clock, high-quality care all communities deserve.

Recent data from Kaufman Hall show charity and unreimbursed care jumped 72% between January 2023 and January 2026 at hospitals in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. In contrast, the nationwide increase was 40% and just 19% in southern states.

These increases come despite the uninsured rate falling with implementation of the Affordable Care Act and remaining steady since. As providing healthcare has become increasingly costly for hospitals, paying for healthcare has become increasingly difficult for many patients. Rising costs, unreimbursed care and reduced funding in H.R. 1 have fueled the perfect storm threatening the very survival of many hospitals across Illinois. Others will be forced to make difficult decisions, including eliminating services and cutting jobs.

Restoring the federal 340B program in Illinois is an important step forward in supporting hospitals that care for patients 24/7 and regardless of their ability to pay. House passage of House Bill 2371 SA 2 will help struggling hospitals that serve many low-income and uninsured patients. Vote YES on HB 2371 SA 2. Learn more.

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What’s in the House’s megaprojects bill?

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Synopsis of Amendment 3 to HB910…

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Capital Area Tourism Authority Act. Creates the Capital Area Tourism Authority for the benefit of the general public and the promotion of business, industry, commerce, and tourism in the City of Springfield, Sangamon County, and the State of Illinois. Creates the Capital City Downtown Medical District Act. Creates the Capital City Downtown Medical District Commission. Sets forth the duties and purpose of the Commission. Amends the Property Tax Code. Creates the Megaproject Assessment Freeze and Payment Law within the Code. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may issue megaproject certificates in connection with projects that satisfy certain minimum investment requirements and other requirements. Provides that property that receives a megaproject certificate from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is eligible for an assessment freeze. Provides that sales of building materials that will be incorporated into a megaproject and that are purchased during the incentive period are eligible for the same building materials exemption available to High Impact Businesses under the Retailers’ Occupation Tax Act. Provides that, to be eligible for megaproject incentives, the company and the local municipality must enter into an incentive agreement. Provides that, in addition to other requirements, the incentive agreement must require the company to pay, or be responsible for the payment of, an annual special payment to the local municipality. Provides that no person who participates personally and substantially in the negotiation of a megaproject agreement on behalf of a local municipality or taxing district may, within a period of one year after the effective date of the agreement, knowingly accept employment or receive compensation or fees from a company that is a party to the agreement. Amends the Illinois State Auditing Act. Provides that the Auditor General shall conduct a compliance audit in accordance with specified provisions of the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act. Amends the State Finance Act, the Illinois Municipal Code, the Metro-East Park and Recreation District Act, and the Local Mass Transit District Act. Provides for the transfer of the local sales tax increment to the STAR Bonds Revenue Fund. Amends the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act. Creates a New Opportunities for Vacation and Adventure Urban District (NOVA urban district). Sets forth the requirements to be certified as a NOVA urban district. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit for rehabilitation costs for qualified historic properties in the Capital City Downtown Medical District. Creates a capital city jobs tax credit. Repeals the Mid-Illinois Medical District Act. Effective immediately.

* On to some stories. WGN…

The newest tweaks include provisions that outline how the megaprojects bill would give multi-billion-dollar mega developments a property tax freeze for up to 40 years, with an additional special payment needing to be negotiated with local government. Half of that special payment would then be set aside for homeowner property tax relief, with 60% of it going toward property tax rebates for residential homeowners in taxing districts where megaprojects are located, and the other 40% being sent to Illinois’s statewide property tax relief fund.

* Capitol News Illinois…

The core of the bill is a provision that allows the Bears or other “megaproject” developers to negotiate a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, with local taxing bodies.

Developments would qualify for megaproject status with an investment of at least $100 million. Projects at that level could lock in property tax payments for up to 25 years. A second tier, for investments of at least $500 million, would allow a 30-year agreement. A third tier, for investments of at least $1 billion — like the Bears’ proposal — would allow a 40-year agreement. Another five years could be added to projects in each tier if the megaproject site requires environmental remediation. […]

Megaprojects would also qualify for a sales tax exemption on building materials under the state’s existing High Impact Business Program. […]

In a major change from legislation that passed committee in February, 50% of the receipts from the PILOT would go towards property tax relief. Of that, 60% would go to property tax rebates for residential homeowners in taxing districts with a megaproject and 40% would be deposited into the state’s existing property tax relief fund. […]

The bill also calls for the megaproject tool to end after seven years, a sunset provision meant to allow lawmakers to reassess its effectiveness. […]

The bill would also expand the state’s Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR, bond program to make communities in Cook County with more than 70,000 people eligible for the program for projects. STAR bonds could also be used for entertainment developments, increasing the types of projects eligible for the program.

It would establish a New Opportunities for Vacation and Adventure Urban District that would be expected to generate significant tourism, including 2 million annual visitors, $450 million average annual sales following a capital investment of at least $1 billion. Local governments would have the power to create the new economic development districts.

The bill would also create the Capital Area Tourism Authority and Capital City Downtown Medical District to facilitate economic development in two areas of Springfield. STAR bonds could be used in the city if the Sangamon County Board approves a hotel tax that would supply the revenue.

* Tribune…

Buckner’s proposal also calls for freezes on property taxes on redeveloped rail yard land at its pre-development assessed value for 40 years, with special payments substituted in place of taxes on the new value. This provision is intended to make it easier for economic development to occur next to railroad tracks or yards, and House Democrats said it could potentially result in $40 billion in new tax revenues over the 40-year period and increase regional transit ridership by at least 10,000 average daily boardings.

Buckner has said such property needs further remediation for development projects, and he believes certain swaths of land in Chicago would qualify for this under the bill. These include an area of the city known as The 78, which sits south of Roosevelt Road and the downtown area; an area of the South Side at the site of the old Michael Reese Hospital (a site the Bears had reportedly previously considered for a new stadium); and an area just west of Soldier Field known as One Central, which would be a $20 billion mixed-use, transit-oriented development built on about 34 acres. […]

The legislation would also allow for infrastructure costs for a new stadium to be paid off with Sales Tax and Revenue, or STAR bonds, which support economic development related to tourism, entertainment or retail projects, but those bonds cannot be used directly for the costs of a stadium. The legislation would also increase the number of STAR bond projects allowed in central Illinois, potentially spurring economic development in Springfield.

* Sun-Times…

Buckner said language was added to exclude data centers from the legislation after lawmakers expressed concerns. […]

The proposal would also bar state and local elected officials from receiving discounted tickets to stadium events connected to a megaproject — and bars all state officials, local officials and their representatives from working for any megaproject certificate holder if they personally and substantially participated in negotiation of the megaproject agreement.

* Daily Herald…

Buckner removed previous legalese that megaproject sites would still be valued at their fair cash value for purposes of calculating a municipality’s general obligation bond limits and other taxing bodies’ limitations on tax extensions.

Fiscal conservatives applauded that deletion, but remained concerned about a potential tax shift, and varying tax rates for taxpayers inside and outside a megaproject area.

“The intent of this is very good. We do need to work on bringing more economic development to the state of Illinois,” said Republican Rep. Dan Ugaste of Geneva. “But this bill is not ready.”

* WICS…

Springfield’s east side may be getting a slice out of the millions of dollars in funding backing the potential expansion of the BOS center.

City council passed an ordinance Tuesday night for a study into a new project—History Across the Tracks—and the feasibility of acquiring state bond funding for Black historic sites in the city.

The Lincoln Colored Home has its place in Springfield and the nation’s history as one of the first ever orphanages for Black children. But today, the property sits fenced off and boarded up.

Bringing these historic sites back into working condition for tourism could bring in economic benefits for the neighborhoods they belong to—helping address what Ward Two Alderman Shawn Gregory said is unbalanced investment in the community. […]

City council approved 75,000 dollars of their general fund for a study to evaluate the feasibility of this project, by connecting it through the same funding sources planned for the BOS expansion.

There’s more, but we’ll get to it another time. The Senate will be making their own changes.

Discuss.

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Illinois Credit Unions: Building Smart Money Habits Early

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

During National Financial Literacy Month, we’re reminded that strong financial habits don’t start in adulthood; they begin early. For Illinois credit unions, youth financial education is a priority that continues to grow year after year.

The goal is simple: start conversations early and keep them going. Through programs designed for students from kindergarten through high school, credit unions help build age-appropriate financial understanding.

For younger students, financial literacy begins with everyday concepts.

“With those younger kids, it’s talking about the needs versus wants. They’ll understand it’s something that they need to do versus something that they want to do,” states Jessica Obiala, Senior Manager of Community Partnerships at Great Lakes Credit Union.

Those early lessons carry into real‑life moments at home, helping kids understand financial choices as they grow.

This Financial Literacy Month, we celebrate the power of early education. Informed conversations today help build confident, financially capable adults tomorrow.

Learn more at https://betterforillinois.org/

Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.

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Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois House approves megaprojects bill, but the Bears want changes. Capitol News Illinois…

* Related stories…

• Sun-Times: Bears exit from Chicago closer to reality as House passes bill helping Arlington Heights bid
• WGN: Bears stadium bill passed by Illinois House, advances to Senate
• Tribune: Illinois House approves latest proposal to help Chicago Bears build stadium in Arlington Heights
• Daily Herald: Illinois House finally approves megaproject bill, but Bears still seek infrastructure funds

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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 | Feds plan to use protest chants to prosecute Broadview ICE protesters — but balk at free speech defense: Federal prosecutors say the remaining members of the “Broadview Six” should be barred from making arguments about free speech rights when they go to trial next month — though the feds also plan to use protest chants caught on video as evidence against the group. Prosecutors also argued there should be no references to the October shooting of Marimar Martinez by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago, nor of the fatal shootings this year of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration authorities in Minnesota.

* Illinois Times | Tourism is up, but downtown is hurting: Still, this year may be different. Data from Visit Springfield, the city’s official destination marketing organization, shows that visitor numbers are high as anticipated events such as the Route 66 Centennial and the opening of the Scheels Sports Park this year are expected to boost foot traffic. According to Visit Springfield director Scott Dahl, the city expects a record year in travel expenditures, forecasted to exceed $650 million. Business owners in downtown Springfield, however, say they aren’t seeing or feeling those numbers, citing their struggles to bounce back from the pandemic and a recent fire on Adams Street that left several buildings vacant, compounding a trend of tourists flocking to other parts of the city following the closure of downtown’s largest hotel.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | House approves redistricting amendment, fearing federal Voting Rights Act will be eliminated: The House voted 74-38 along party lines to pass an amendment that creates a priority list of rules state lawmakers would have to consider when drawing legislative maps that is aimed at ensuring minority representation in the legislature. The Senate has until May 3 to vote to put the measure on the ballot in November. Constitutional amendments do not need the governor’s signature. The amendment would establish a priority list stating what factors lawmakers should consider in the redistricting process. It states they should draw districts “to be substantially equal in population; 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; to create, where practical, racial coalition or influence Districts; to be contiguous; and to the extent practicable, to be compact.”

* Capitol City Now | The speaker’s victory lap: Listening to members of his caucus, Welch said, is what made the “mega projects” bill a resounding bipartisan success — and what made him decide not to call the proposed constitutional amendment for a three percent surcharge on incomes in excess of $1 million. Welch said based on what other lawmakers have told him, the bill still needs work — and thus is all but assured to miss a deadline to get onto the November ballot.

* WAND | IL students bring special projects, inventions to 2026 STEM Showcase: “The community was really fun, everyone [here] was really fun to interact with and hang out with. We made some pretty good relationships [here],” said participant Yandel Leyva. These programs have seen significant cuts over the past year. Advocates with Act Now want the Illinois General Assembly to invest $20 million in state funding for full-service community schools to protect these programs from any further disruption.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | CPD’s Increasing Use of Force Requires a ‘Full-Scale Review’: Illinois Attorney General: Chicago police officers used force against members of the public 3,044 times during 2025, an increase of approximately 6.4% as compared with 2024, according to CPD data provided to Pallmeyer. […] Assistant Attorney General Mike Tresnowski told Pallmeyer during an April 14 hearing that there are “concerning trends regarding the increases in use of force” by CPD officers that merit additional scrutiny.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | New Chicago Schools Chief’s Contract Makes It Easier For District And CEO To Part Ways: A new, partly elected board granted King the three-year contract after she served in an interim capacity since last summer. The new contract reviewed by Chalkbeat Chicago requires only a 60-day notice if King is terminated without cause — or possibly even less if she is offered a payout in addition to the severance of 20 weeks pay stipulated in both her and Martinez’s contracts. On the flipside, King must give 90 days notice if she chooses to resign, compared to 30 days under Martinez’s contract.

* Sun-Times | Lunchroom workers plan to block traffic as contract talks with CPS stall: Lunchroom workers, who are among the lowest-paid full-time workers in CPS, want to be paid $40,000 a year. But the cash-strapped district hasn’t agreed to that minimum and is asking a federal mediator to step in.

* WBEZ | How has the Black Chicago accent retained its Southern roots?: This answer goes back to the Great Migration, roughly between 1915 and 1970, during which a half-million Black people moved from Southern states to Chicago, creating a Black Chicago English you can still hear in the dialect of their children, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. How Black Chicagoans speak is a variation of African American English, which also has Southern roots.

* Fox Chicago | Edison Park businesses see Bears’ potential stadium in Arlington Heights as boost: In a statement to Fox Chicago, Metra’s communications director, Michael Gillis, said: “We have thought about the potential impact, and we would look to add service to the UP Northwest Line should the Bears end up in Arlington Heights. What that service would look like is not yet defined, but it would likely involve a combination of express and local trains to and from the area. We have not, however, done any station-by-station analysis so I could not tell you what potential impact there could be at Edison Park or any other station on the line.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | West Suburban Medical Center property owner files suit to take control of hospital: The suit was filed against Dr. Manoj Prasad, CEO and majority owner of Resilience Healthcare, the private company that owns West Suburban Medical Center and Weiss Memorial Hospital. The minority owner of Resilience and sole owner of Ramco is Rathnaker Reddy Patlola. Ramco owns the hospital property. In the lawsuit, Patlola accuses Prasad of “financial mismanagement and malfeasance.” The complaint also seeks financial damages for back-rent Prasad allegedly owes Patlola.

* Daily Herald | Mount Prospect enjoying high sales tax revenues, aiming for top bond rating: Finance Director Amit Thakkar told a joint meeting of the village board and the Finance Commission Tuesday, the village is one of the highest sales tax-generating municipalities in the state. The village recorded $4.42 billion in total sales for 2025, while the village collected $44.2 million in sales tax revenue from in 2025, a more than 17% jump over the prior year. The news was greeted enthusiastically by one village trustee, Colleen Saccotelli, who gave kudos to village staff and the business economy. “We’re the third largest economy in the state for sales tax. I would like T-shirts printed up so that we can wear them,” she said.

* Daily Southtown | United Way collects 65,000 pounds of food for 10 south and southwest suburban pantries: United Way’s April food day included donation collection, awards and a luncheon with keynote speaker Bobby Simmons, an Olympic and NBA basketball player from the south suburbs. More than 200 volunteers sorted donations to be delivered to the south suburban pantries, where advocates say there is critical need. Kimberlee Guenther, United Way Chicago’s chief strategy and development officer, said the nonprofit often sees the highest number of people calling for food assistance from the south and southwest suburbs.

* Daily Herald | Presidents Cup team presents giant check for Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton: A four-story apartment development in downtown Wheaton will give his fellow veterans just that — stability. At a kickoff celebration at the future site of the building, organizers of the Presidents Cup golf tournament on Tuesday announced a $150,000 donation in partnership with the George and Cindy Rusu Family Foundation to support the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Rivian celebrates as first R2s for customers come off the production line: Two years after announcing a new model would be built in Normal, the first Rivian R2s built for real customers rolled off the production line on Wednesday. The R2 is a smaller, more affordable SUV that the company hopes will break through with mainstream car buyers. The first R2s will start at $57,990, although cheaper $45,000 versions will be available by the end of 2027. R2’s launch is high stakes for Rivian, which has faced major headwinds on its journey to becoming McLean County’s second-largest employer, including COVID, supply-chain disruptions, trade disputes and now a Trump administration that is openly hostile to EVs. Rivian invested $1.5 billion on a major expansion in Normal to accommodate R2 production.

* WAND | New supportive housing apartments open in Springfield: Residents will have access to on-site supportive services provided by Fifth Street Renaissance and Helping Hands of Springfield. The help can be as practical as how to balance a budget for the first time. Residents will be referred by homelessness-focused organizations in Springfield. The Springfield Housing Authority is providing project-based vouchers to residents. Powell believes residents will be charged 30% of their income under the program.

* Sun-Times | Families file wrongful death lawsuit in downstate Chatham crash that killed 4 children, teen counselor: The lawsuit claims the camp was built in violation of safety codes prohibiting permanent youth camps from being located within 100 feet of a highway. It also claims the building did not have adequate means installed to prevent a vehicle from striking the building. The lawsuit also accuses Akers of negligence for failing to stop the vehicle before crashing into the building. Akers was not injured in the crash and no charges were filed.

* WGLT | Need rises sharply at Bloomington-Normal’s Community Health Care Clinic: The Community Health Care Clinic in Normal has seen a big increase in need over the last nine months. Director Holly Wayland-Hall said in a Sound Ideas interview that overarching demand for service has risen about 75% through the first three quarters of this fiscal year. “We’re pretty maxed out in terms of the number of patients that we are serving, and so we are looking now at the opportunity to grow that clinical team,” said Wayland-Hall. […] The current patient load is about 550 people, though that is fluid. The average number of active patients for the 2025 calendar year was 393. The clinic serves lower income uninsured people who do not qualify for Medicaid.

*** National ***

* WIRED | US Senate Candidate Caught Insider Trading on Kalshi Says He Did It on Purpose: Moran claims he was inspired to pull off the stunt after observing what he believed was market manipulation on Polymarket related to the New York mayoral race in 2025. The intended goal, he says, was to raise awareness about how prediction markets are “contributing to the further devolvement of our society.” Describing his decision, Moran framed it as a kind of avant-garde campaign tactic that tested the limits of the “all press is good press” credo. “I’ve been waiting for months for attention to come,” Moran says. “Because in politics, money buys attention, but I know how to get it organically. It only cost $100 to get you on the phone, right?”

* NYT | F.B.I. Said to Have Investigated Times Reporter After Article on Patel’s Girlfriend: Agents interviewed the girlfriend, queried databases for information on the reporter, Elizabeth Williamson, and recommended moving forward to determine whether Ms. Williamson broke federal stalking laws, the person said. Those actions prompted concerns among some Justice Department officials who saw the inquiry as retaliation for an article that Mr. Patel and his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, did not like, and who determined there was no legal basis to proceed with the investigation, according to the person briefed on the matter.

* Slate | Who Killed the Florida Orange?: In 2003, the mighty Florida orange industry produced 242 million boxes of fruit, with 90 pounds of oranges per box, most of which went on to become orange juice. Now, not even 25 years later, the United States Department of Agriculture was forecasting a pitiful 12 million boxes of oranges, the least in more than 100 years, the worst year since last. A decline of more than 95 percent

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Good morning!

Thursday, Apr 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Champaign’s very own REO Speedwagon…