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Pritzker: DHS wants 100 “military troops” sent to Illinois
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker at a press conference today…
The full speech is here. The guard has confirmed a request, but says no orders have yet been issued. …Adding… I asked the governor’s spokesperson if the “military troops” were Illinois National Guard, another state’s guard or the US Military…
Stay tuned. * ICE, Pritzker said, “is running around the loop, harassing people for not being white.” After reciting a litany of “authoritarian” events during the past days, Pritzker said…
Please pardon all transcription errors. * Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
Sun-Times federal courts reporter Jon Seidel…
Paging ISRA! * The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
* Governing | Illinois Considers Unusual Approach to Gun Regulations: An Illinois bill proposes a novel approach to gun regulation and gun violence prevention. The Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act, if passed, would subject firearm manufacturers to a variable licensing fee: The more often their guns are found to have been used in injury-causing incidents, the higher their fee. The money would go toward compensating gun violence victims or to cover other costs associated with gun violence. * Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Daniel Elliot | It’s time to turn down the temperature and treat each other with dignity : Our offices can’t pass laws to fix the country’s divisions. But we can set an example: Lead with respect, work together where we can and remember that behind every vote, every opinion and every bumper sticker is a person who wants to be heard. It’s the spirit of our country that must remain intact. So, the next time you’re tempted to fire off that angry Facebook comment, stop and think. Let’s all try to turn down the temperature, listen more and treat each other with decency. That’s how we make our communities stronger and our country better. Civility isn’t weakness — it’s the first step toward a stronger America. * Tribune | Downtown aldermen rip ‘public relations stunt’ day after Border Patrol agents patrolled busy Chicago streets: Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, called the parading federal agents, who walked along Michigan Avenue and in front of Millennium Park, a “bizarre image to see on a beautiful image,” and said the move “only served to scare people and intimidate people.” On Monday morning, there appeared to be no sign of the agents’ reappearance. Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Reilly said his constituents were “deeply disturbed” by the moves, which stem from the Trump administration’s increased efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. U.S. Border Patrol agents have recently joined federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers as part of a surge in which often masked agents have detained people across the city and suburbs. An ICE officer on Sept. 12 fatally shot an undocumented father, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, after a traffic stop in Franklin Park. * Sun-Times | Deportation fears are new stressor for many Chicago youth: Now, our 2025 Youth Survey continues that work but asks new questions to get to the heart of what it means to grow up in Chicago right now. This summer, we heard from hundreds of youth citywide between the ages of 10 and 24. While mental health remains a top concern, this year’s results reveal new and urgent trends, including the impact of deportation fears, the drivers of chronic absenteeism and the lack of safe, welcoming spaces for youth. These are not just numbers, these are the lived experiences of our city’s young people. * Block Club | What Will Downtown Look Like In 2045? Plan Calls For Better Transit, Riverwalk Extension And More: Last week, the city released its vision with a draft Central Area Plan, a blueprint for economic development and growth Downtown. Last updated in 2003, the plan charts a 20-year course to add tens of thousands of housing units, create jobs, convert vacant offices, cut carbon emissions and expand green space while boosting transit and Downtown culture. * Crain’s | UChicago sells market data unit to Morningstar in $375M deal: The University of Chicago is selling off Center for Research in Security Prices, CRSP, in a $375 million transaction with Chicago-based research and investment firm Morningstar. The university in a news release said proceeds from the transaction will provide support for university research and education. It will also continue to have access to CRSP’s data for university researchers. * Block Club | Pilsen Neighbors Urge City To Reject Fisk Power Station Demolition Permits: The city has yet to approve the permits, officials said Wednesday at a community meeting held at Dvorak Park and virtually. More than a dozen neighbors raised concerns about the city’s and contractor’s plans, calling on the city to implement better measures to protect neighbors in a neighborhood that’s already disproportionately affected by pollution and environmental racism. * Sun-Times | Lake Street bridge to close for repairs, won’t reopen till 2028: The Lake Street Bridge will close Oct. 6 for a years-long rehabilitation project. It’s the latest city bridge to be shut down for major construction work. The 109-year-old bridge will be under construction until January 2028, according to the the Chicago Department of Transportation. The bridge, which stretches over the south branch of the Chicago River, will fully close for cars and pedestrians. CTA service on the Green and Pink lines will continue while the bridge is closed except for two shutdowns planned for fall 2026 and spring 2027, according to the transportation department. * Crain’s | Political consultant Lisa Schneider Fabes dies at 60: Schneider Fabes served as transition manager for Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration after her election in 2019. At the time of her death, Schneider Fabes was managing Phil Andrew’s campaign in the crowded race to succeed Jan Schakowsky in the 9th Congressional District. “Anyone doing anything hard and impactful needed Lisa on the team,” Andrew said in a written statement. “Her energy, skill, sharp wit and tongue always brought humanity to good works. Our lives and community are better for Lisa. She was a gift.” * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora considering voluntary staffing cuts to help balance budget: The “2025 Voluntary Reduction In Force Incentive Plan” currently being considered would offer eligible employees two months of pay and benefits if they agree to leave their job at the city. That’s according to Chief of Staff Shannon Cameron, who gave a short presentation about the potential plan at a specially-called Aurora City Council meeting on Thursday. The plan was only discussed at that meeting, and the Aurora City Council did not formally vote. Cameron said the plan is expected to formally come before the Aurora City Council for approval on Oct. 14, which is the next regularly-scheduled meeting. * ABC Chicago | Cook County launching relief fund for homeowners who saw high property tax increases: Eligibility requirements include: A property tax bill increase of at least 50% in any year since the 2021 tax year An income at or below 100% of the Area Median Income for the applicant’s household size. For example, a four-person household making $119,900 or less would be eligible. The home must be the primary residence of the applicant. * ABC Chicago | New temporary Illinois DMV to open in Orland Park Monday: In July Orland Township trustees voted to close the Secretary of State’s office at Village Hall. At that time the Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias promised to find a new location. Monday, local officials opened the new temporary SOS office in Orland Park. […] “Our new Orland Park DMV is bigger and will offer more services to accommodate more southland residents,” Giannoulias said. “It is conveniently located just five miles drive south on LaGrange Road from the old facility and right off of the I-80 Expressway,” * Aurora Beacon-News | Oswego board OKs repayment agreement with District 308 over water billing issue: New water meters were installed across the village starting in 2019 including at Oswego High School and Oswego East High School, village officials said. After the installation of the new 6-inch meters, the two schools were only billed for one-tenth of the actual water used, Oswego Finance Director Andrea Lamberg said in a report to trustees. […] Village staff members reached out to the district to review the billing history and discuss a repayment agreement, Oswego officials said. Both sides agreed to a repayment arrangement to run from Sept. 15, 2025, to July 15, 2034, Lamberg said. * Daily Southtown | 56-year grassroots effort at Park Forest’s Thorn Creek needs volunteers as members retire: But the Halloween and Garlic events stopped as the organizers behind them left or retired, and Chamberlain, 84, said she is worried about getting a new generation of people to lead the preservation association, known as Friends of Thorn Creek Woods, which celebrates its 56th anniversary this year. “It’s a good feeling to know that there are so many good people that volunteer, but the only problem is now they’re all getting old,” Chamberlain said. “That’s why we need people to step up and volunteer and we need some new officers because most of our board is elderly.” * Daily Herald | Double diploma: Students will be able to get Harper College degree while in high school: Harper College and the three districts — Northwest Suburban High School District 214, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 and Barrington Area Unit District 220 — are launching the College Now dual degree program, which will have motivated high schoolers taking college-level coursework on the Palatine community college’s campus starting in the fall of 2026. […] Starting this week, the three high school districts will host information sessions for students and families to learn more, with initial applications from interested sophomores due Oct. 15. Should they meet the program’s qualifications for grades and attendance, they’ll be notified of acceptance within the week. * Daily Herald | ‘A sense of comfort and peace’: How some suburban care facilities are using doll therapy for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients: As it progresses, dementia takes away who a patient is but leaves behind elements of who the person was, said D’Agostino, a geriatric psychiatrist with Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates. “A lot of things that mattered to them still matter to them on some level,” he said. For many, that includes caring for a child. Replicating that experience with a doll can help calm a patient, particularly when confusion, anxiety or restlessness escalate. * WSIL | Building Bold Futures: Cairo Students Explore Careers at Construction Industry Expo: The event gave students a firsthand look at the wide range of careers in construction, engineering, and skilled trades. From hands-on demonstrations to conversations with industry leaders, the expo offered real-world experiences designed to spark curiosity and guide future career paths. Students tested equipment, explored multiple job tracks, and gained valuable insights into industries that are in demand and shape the infrastructure of Southern Illinois and beyond. * STLPR | Illinois historic home could become a visitor center thanks to preservation grant: An effort by Calhoun County, Illinois, to preserve a historic home to tell more of its history has gotten a boost from a statewide nonprofit. The county’s Historic Preservation Commission was one of six groups that recently received $5,000 from Landmarks Illinois’ Preservation Heritage Fund. The commission will use the money to study the possibility of creating a visitor center at Perrin’s Ledge in Kampsville, about 70 miles northwest of St. Louis. * National League of Cities | Local Official Checklist: Navigating a Federal Government Shutdown: In other words, federal discretionary grants that are administered to local governments from shut down federal agencies will be unavailable for reimbursement to local governments, and the application process for new grants will be paused until the shutdown ends. Federal agency staff will generally be unavailable to answer questions or offer technical assistance throughout the duration of a federal government shutdown. Federal contractors and employees across the country will likely stop receiving paychecks through the duration of the shutdown and local employees funded by federal grants may also be required to stop work. * AP | Trump’s Transportation Department Pulls Trail and Bike Grants Deemed ‘Hostile’ to Cars: The department recently sent letters to local governments in at least six states — Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico — informing them it was withdrawing money awarded under the $1.1 trillion infrastructure law former President Joe Biden signed in 2021. The reversals are among the clearest signals yet of the drastic shift from the Biden administration’s emphasis on alternative transportation, such as transit and biking, to the Trump administration’s focus on preserving and expanding lanes for cars and trucks.
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Catching up with the congressionals
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Just ahead of the end of the quarterly reporting period comes a poll from the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association…
Looks like the LG group is trying to make the case that Robin Kelly should drop out. I don’t blame them for that, but I also don’t yet see any evidence of that ever happening. * Politico…
* From an email sent by Hoan Huynh’s congressional campaign team to a prospective donor and then forwarded to me…  Um, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act was signed into law in September of 2021. Huynh didn’t take office until January of 2023. * More from Isabel…
* Shaw Local | La Salle Dems forum tackles healthcare, economy, campaign Reform: Krishnamoorthi opened the event by describing growing up in an immigrant family and the struggles his family faced, but overcame the challenges by receiving government assistance. “Every night at the dinner table [my father] would remind us of the following,” he said. “He would say think of the greatness of this country….and whatever the two of you do, my brother and me, just make sure it’s there for the next families who need it.” * Advantage News | Raley drops out of congressional race: A former St. Louis radio personality and one-time congressional candidate is dropping out of the race for Illinois’ 15th District seat. In a social media post over the weekend, Randy Raley said a recent health scare has brought him to the decision to bow out. Specifically, Raley stated he had recently suffered a heart attack, and the prognosis is that it will happen again. He says the cardiologist discovered a problem with one of the blood vessels in his heart. It is too small to stent, and it has blockage. There is at least one other Democrat that has announced a run for that same office: Edwardsville’s Jennifer Todd. Illinois 15th District seat is currently held by Republican Mary Miller. * Evanston Roundtable | Biss picks new names for Finance and Budget, after incumbent asks ‘too late’ for second term: The city’s Finance and Budget Committee is set to have new resident members for the first time since its creation, albeit with opposition from at least four councilmembers to one of Mayor Daniel Biss’ selections, Candance Chow. Biss picked Chow, a recent council candidate, over incumbent Leslie McMillan, who says she intended to apply for a second term but apparently did so too late. […] The appointees gave similar responses: McGuire said her donation had “zero to do” with her selection, and Chow said she “absolutely” doesn’t think there’s a link. “Yes, I support Daniel Biss for Congress … I also want to continue to support and serve Evanston,” Chow said. “And certainly, there’s no linkage between one and the other.”
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What the state AG could do about recalcitrant sheriffs if he was so inclined (Updated)
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background on Adams County Sheriff Anthony Grootens is here, here, here and here if you need it. Capitol News Illinois and the Medill Illinois News Bureau…
The sheriff’s question isn’t really answered in the story. * From Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s most recent local law enforcement guidance…
* From state statute…
And we’re still waiting on action. …Adding… Isabel asked AG Raoul why he has yet to take action. His response…
He later said, “We are in touch with Sheriff Grootens and we’re going to be having a conversation, and that’s all I’m going to give you.”
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Grain tour brings global buyers to Illinois farms as China snubs US soybeans
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Reuters last week…
* Fortune…
According to the Illinois Soybean Association, “60 percent of the soybeans grown in Illinois find their way to international markets.” In 2023, Illinois exported $4.5 billion worth of soybeans. * WQAD yesterday…
* More… * Pontiac Daily Leader | Illinois grain tour brings global buyers to Midwest farms: The Illinois Department of Agriculture is preparing to host its second Illinois grain tour of 2025. The event will welcome international buyers from six countries including China, Vietnam, Egypt, Jordan, Singapore and the island of Mauritius, according to a community announcement. The four-day tour, scheduled for Sept. 29 through Oct. 2, aims to foster relationships that could boost export sales of Illinois agricultural products. Last month, buyers from Latin American countries participated in a similar tour. This year, the groups were split due to the program’s success and the high number of interested participants. * Politico | China weaponizes ag imports to target Trump and US farmers: It’s a strategy that appears to be working. Powerful agriculture lobbying groups, traditionally Trump allies, have flooded the White House with complaints that the tariffs are responsible for China’s snub of the U.S. soybean crop. A person close to the administration said it was “ruffled” and “completely caught off guard,” by the outcry from soybean farmers warning of the potential for financial ruin. That prompted a rush to brief senior officials as well as the president in recent weeks. “There was an information gap. But that was a learning opportunity,” said the person, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. * AP | Trump’s trade battle with China puts US soybean farmers in peril: China’s retaliatory tariffs also hit U.S. growers of sorghum, corn and cotton, and even geoduck divers have been affected. But soybeans stand out because of the crop’s outsized importance to U.S. agricultural exports. Soybeans are the top U.S. food export, accounting for about 14% of all farm goods sent overseas. And China has been by far the largest foreign buyer. Last year, the U.S. exported nearly $24.5 billion worth of soybeans, and China accounted for more than $12.5 billion. That compared with $2.45 billion by the European Union, the second-largest buyer. This year, China hasn’t bought beans since May. * NYT | China Bought $12.6 Billion in U.S. Soybeans Last Year. Now, It’s $0: The sale of soybeans in the spring and summer is always slow, as China and other countries turn to Brazil, which harvests in February and March. Typically, more than half of American soybean exports are sold between October and December. If Chinese buyers continue to stay away, American soybean farmers will be in a rough place. Continued slow sales of soybeans, and an expected bumper corn crop in a number of states, are raising worries that there will not be enough storage space for grains this fall. There are fears that grain elevators, which buy and store large quantities of crops before selling them, will simply stop accepting soybeans, as they lack confidence they’ll be able to export them.
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Unclear on the concept
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Wirepoints…
Um, this goes well beyond replacing high-cost soft pension debt with lower-cost hard bonding debt. It’s not a Blagojevich-style POB (which was a scam because they drew down the savings all at once). Not mentioned anywhere in the piece is that this bonding will fund another round of pension buy-outs. As we discussed last month, the buy-out program has knocked off a chunk of the state’s unfunded liability ($2.5 billion) by convincing people to give up their annual compounded automatic annual retirement increase in exchange for a lump-sum payment at retirement. It’s basically the only avenue anyone has found so far to devise a constitutional voluntary system to reduce state pension costs. * The governor’s office confirmed last week that this borrowed money is, indeed, the pension buy-out funding…
* The “father” of the state’s pension buy-out plan, former Republican Rep. Mark Batinick, told me this last year…
Maybe a phone call could’ve cleared it up before they wrote that. /s
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign update
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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BIPA may snag energy omnibus
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) told one of his local TV stations yesterday that he didn’t think the energy bill would pass this fall. We’ll see.
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When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Findings of a recent economic study are clear: the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product. Retailers like Diana Hamann in Evanston enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
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ICE coverage roundup
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * As we told you over the weekend, the Illinois State Police has reached out to offer assistance to Broadview with its criminal investigation of this incident. CBS 2…
* The governor will undoubtedly be asked about the offer of ISP help for Broadview’s investigation this afternoon…
* I imagine this topic will come up as well. Sun-Times…
These would be known as “Kavanaugh Stops.” A possible example of one such recent Chicago attempt is parodied here. * Click here for the filing. Sun-Times…
* More… * ABC Chicago | Broadview police chief says he was verbally attacked by ICE agent; mayor criticizes ICE in letter: Broadview Police Chief Thomas Mills told the ABC7 I-Team he was verbally attacked by an ICE agent during a protest outside of the facility earlier this month. “I’ve been doing this job a long time now, but I was shocked,” Mills said. “I was shocked. I’ve never been spoken to by a fellow law enforcement officer in such a way.” […] Mills then detailed that as he was walking across a skirmish on September 12, he endured multiple expletives by an ICE agent, calling him a coward, accusing him of neglecting his duties during protests that got physical. * Sun-Times | Broadview officials say ICE agents warned that mayor’s comments would bring consequences: Broadview officials said Saturday that their police department was warned by federal agents there would be “a s— show” in the west suburb in response to Mayor Katrina Thompson’s comments that ICE is “making war on my community.” Their comments came as, for a second day in a row, federal agents launched tear gas and other chemical irritants near protesters gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview. * Sun-Times | ICE arrests tamale vendor in Back of the Yards, online fundraiser launched to assist vendors: Ozuna and a group of residents decided to sell tamales from Murillo’s stand the following morning with café de olla courtesy of Back of the Yards Coffee. The effort, led by the nonprofit Increase the Peace, resulted in the sale of more than 300 tamales, with the proceeds going to supporting Murillo and her family. “It’s been a very scary and tough time for us right now,” said Maria Orozco of the Street Vendors Association, whose parents sell food in Oak Lawn. “It’s been over 20 days since the majority of our vendors haven’t gone out to sell because of the political climate … a lot of them are just hiding out, making sure they’re not coming out of the house, having family members taking them food, groceries and stuff like that.” * WGN | ICE detains Chicago tamale vendor on Southwest Side, community rallies in support: Murillo came to the United States from Mexico 20 years ago. She has three daughters, the youngest is 12-years-old and has special needs. Murillo also owns a small restaurant on the city’s Far South Side with 20 employees. * Sun-Times | Broadview police probe federal agent who shot pepper rounds at CBS reporter’s vehicle: The National Lawyers Guild Chicago confirmed five of the 11 people detained Saturday night were still in federal custody. The group called agents’ attacks on the news media and protesters alike “alarming and violent.” “The violence was an indiscriminate, unprovoked, and illegal use of force,” said Amanda Yarusso, a volunteer attorney with the National Lawyers Guild Chicago. “These unlawful actions by federal agents demonstrate this administration’s complete disregard of constitutional standards.” * Tribune | In show of force, dozens of armed federal immigration agents patrol downtown Chicago: Roughly 20 bystanders and passersby started following the officers, chanting “ICE, go home!” The agents stopped at the intersection with Oak Street. Several got in vans that drove away. For another 15 minutes, the crowd of protesters around them grew bigger, yelling “shame.” * Block Club | Armed Federal Agents Patrol Downtown To Chants Of ‘Shame’: It is unclear how many arrests were made during the operation. Multiple construction workers were reportedly arrested at a Downtown construction site and a food cart was left vacant near the Art Institute of Chicago, officials said at Sunday’s press conference. * WaPo | Videos of fatal ICE shooting in Chicago raise questions about DHS account: DHS said an officer was “seriously injured” by an undocumented immigrant who hit and dragged him with his car. Video indicates the officer suffered minor injuries he dismissed as “nothing major.” * Reuters | A Mexican town mourns father slain by ICE in Chicago: Silverio Villegas Gonzalez left Irimbo, in Mexico’s Michoacan state, for the United States 18 years ago. He returned on Thursday in a coffin after he was shot dead by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on September 12. […] Both Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have called for further investigations into the ICE agents’ tactics. * NYT | Trump Fired a U.S. Attorney Who Insisted on Following a Court Order: The top federal prosecutor in Sacramento was fired hours after she reminded a Border Patrol chief to abide by court-ordered restrictions on immigration raids. * Capitol News Illinois | Illinois law prohibits sheriffs from assisting ICE with civil immigration enforcement. Some wish they could: The Medill Illinois News Bureau and Capitol News Illinois sought to survey Illinois sheriffs about how they perceive their roles in immigration enforcement. Of the 102 Illinois sheriffs, 28 responded to reporters or answered survey questions electronically. Medill Bureau reporters reached out to unresponsive sheriffs at least three times over several months by phone, mail, email and sometimes in person. Sheriffs surveyed come from geographically diverse regions of the state, although the state’s 21 northernmost counties, aside from Cook County, did not respond. Sheriffs’ views varied widely. Some said they had no opinion due to their county’s lack of immigration activity. Others said they favor repealing or revising state limits to allow more cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. * Playbook | Feds stage show of force in Chicago: “This is not making anybody safer — it’s a show of intimidation, instilling fear in our communities and hurting our businesses,” Pritzker said in a statement about the Department of Homeland Security officers who patrolled areas along Michigan Avenue. “We cannot normalize militarizing American cities and suburbs. Make sure you know your rights and stay alert.” […] Watch for Willie Wilson, the conservative Chicago businessman and former political candidate, to testify Tuesday before the full U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee regarding crime in Chicago “and why the National Guard is needed,” according to a statement from his team. * Sun-Times | Feds march into downtown Chicago; top border agent says people are arrested based on ‘how they look’: Gregory Bovino, commander at large of the border force, contrasted the people being arrested with a white WBEZ reporter, saying agents consider a person’s appearance before taking them into custody. “You know, there’s many different factors that go into something like that,” Bovino said. “It would be agent experience, intelligence that indicates there’s illegal aliens in a particular place or location. “Then, obviously, the particular characteristics of an individual, how they look. How do they look compared to, say, you?” he said to the reporter, a tall, middle-aged man of Anglo descent.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: As Illinois congressional delegation seeks answers, ICE cancels meeting. Capitol News Illinois…
- Illinois’ Democratic members of Congress had asked for a meeting with ICE Chicago Field Office Director Russell Hott. They were seeking to learn more about ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s immigration enforcement operations known as Operation Midway Blitz in the Chicago area. - Friday’s meeting was rescheduled to an unspecified day in October, the delegation said. We will have a full ICE roundup posted later this morning. Sponsored by Ameren Illinois
* Governor JB Pritzker will hold a press conference with community leaders responding to increased federal deployments in Illinois at 3 pm. Click here to watch. * AP | Regulators struggle to keep up with the fast-moving and complicated landscape of AI therapy apps: “The reality is millions of people are using these tools and they’re not going back,” said Karin Andrea Stephan, CEO and co-founder of the mental health chatbot app Earkick. […] Earkick’s Stephan said there is still a lot that is “very muddy” about Illinois’ law, for example, and the company has not limited access there. Stephan and her team initially held off calling their chatbot, which looks like a cartoon panda, a therapist. But when users began using the word in reviews, they embraced the terminology so the app would show up in searches. * Daily Herald | Experts, parents push back on misleading Tylenol-autism claims: Illinois parents, doctors and medical associations are among those speaking out against claims made by President Donald Trump that the pain reliever Tylenol is linked to autism. “As both a mom of a child with severe autism and a business owner serving autistic families, I don’t believe there’s enough science to say Tylenol or vaccines cause autism,” said Linda Lynn, founder of Crystal Lake-based Rockin’ the Spectrum. “Making statements without evidence only spreads fear. What families truly need are reliable research, resources and compassion — not misinformation.” * Daily Herald | Paratransit riders hit with major cuts to rideshare program starting this week: But with a multimillion dollar public transit shortfall looming in 2026, money is tight. Following a recommendation by the Regional Transportation Authority, rides on RAP and the related Tax Access Program (TAP) will shrink from an average of 240 a month to 30 a month and costs will rise from $2 a trip to $3.25 effective Wednesday. * Sun-Times | Senate candidate Robin Kelly releases ‘people over profits’ policy platform: Kelly’s plan, which she dubs the “People Over Profits Platform,” places a focus on “kitchen table issues.” It includes support for a minimum tax on individual taxpayers whose net worth for the taxable year exceeds $10 million and raising the minimum wage to at least $17 per hour by 2030. Kelly’s platform — with more than five months to go before the March 17 primary — focuses on fighting for affordability in healthcare, housing and childcare. * Daily Herald | ‘He will be missed beyond measure’: Al Llorens, statewide education union president, dead at 73: Earlier in his career, Llorens taught fourth-grade phonics and middle school reading in Champaign, and as a math and science teacher in Kankakee and Chicago. He is remembered for his kindness, passion for public education and unions, his ability to put students first, dedication to IEA members. “Whether in the classroom or leading the Illinois Education Association, Al cared deeply about empowering the next generation and worked tirelessly to invest in their future,” said Gov. JB Pritzker in a news release. “He molded the minds of countless students and leaves behind a more equitable, supportive, and enriching education system.” * Republican gubernatorial candidate Ted Dabrowski…
* Tribune | New law has Illinois creating statewide office to support public defenders amid ongoing justice reforms: A new state law, recently signed by Gov. JB Pritzker, could eventually ease the workloads for county public defender’s offices, which represent people who can’t afford to hire private lawyers. The law, dubbed by supporters as the Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation Act, or FAIR Act, calls for the creation of a statewide public defender’s office to support underresourced, county-level public defenders. The new state office would provide access to more attorneys, forensic experts, paralegals and other office staff members to help address resource disparities between public defenders and county prosecutors. * Sen. Lakesia Collins | Why I sponsored an Illinois ‘squatter bill’: To be clear — this measure isn’t about punishing vulnerable groups, displacing legitimate tenants or undermining civil procedures. It is simply a way to give the authorities the power and tools to protect the rights of property owners. Property owners will be required to provide proof of ownership or legal authority before law enforcement can intervene to ensure that innocent parties are not caught in the middle of a wrongful dispute. * Tribune | Chicago budget fight a political minefield for Mayor Brandon Johnson: To close a $1.15 billion 2026 funding gap by the end of the year, the freshman chief executive will have to dance through a minefield. He faces a restive crew of aldermen who are deeply skeptical of the mayor’s political standing, labor groups whose continued support may hinge on Johnson sparing their city union jobs and grassroots activists trying to push him left to live up to his “tax the rich” pledges while the business community chafes against those hopes. * Sun-Times | City Council leader wants to raise maximum age for starting police officer to 55: Villegas said he introduced the ordinance at Thursday’s City Council meeting to “force a discussion” about creative ways to attract more candidates to a job that has lost its luster. “We’re finding it harder to fill this position. It forces the discussion to figure out how we are going to deal with the lack of interest from younger” applicants, he said. * Block Club | Bruce Sagan, Hyde Park’s Newspaperman And Renowned Arts Patron, Dies At 96: Bruce Sagan, a Hyde Parker who counted among his many achievements a presidential recognition, the relocation of a prestigious ballet company to Chicago and seven decades at the helm of his neighborhood newspaper, died Sunday following a brief battle with cancer. Sagan, 96, was a longtime newspaperman, arts patron and “renaissance man” instantly recognizable by his bowtie and cardigan, loved ones said. * Crain’s | These Starbucks stores in Chicago are on the chopping block: Starbucks did not publicly list which locations are closing. However, the company’s website appears to offer hints. The “store hours” pages for some specific locations now read as “closed” for the entire week starting Sept. 29. […] Separately, Starbucks workers have begun posting online about their stores receiving closure notices. The store addresses included in those posts are largely consistent with the stores Crain’s identified through the company’s website. * Aurora Beacon-News | Trips, bars and adult entertainment clubs: How officials say Aurora fiber network got $1 million in debt: OnLight Aurora is losing $27,000 each month, a large part of which is because of debt payments, Laesch said during a presentation to the Aurora City Council earlier this month. “Stunned is an understatement,” Aurora Ald. Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, said after the presentation. “What you are showing us is of serious concern for our financial security.” Laesch alleged during the meeting that the organization got to its current financial state in part because of three failed attempts to bring internet service through city fiber to residents’ homes, including one that ended up costing over $110,000 in legal fees. And the organization, which had two employees, had a payroll of around $200,000 each year, he said. * Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County considering allocating earned interest to close budget gap: At a meeting on Wednesday, Kane County Board Finance Committee Vice Chair Bill Lenert noted the possibility that interest earned through the county Treasurer’s Office may be able to balance the budget, and provided an update about the county’s budgeting process. Lenert said that he, the State’s Attorney’s Office and Treasurer’s Office think the county may be able to balance its budget using the earned interest rather than pulling money out of cash reserves, which the county has been doing since 2023. * Fox Chicago | Northwestern University students barred from enrolling after refusing antisemitism training: In an open letter to university administrators, more than 200 current students and graduate workers, alumni, staff, faculty, and parents, claimed that training videos on antisemitism and “anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian biases” would actually reinforce discriminatory bias. The university’s administration said the students received reminders of the required training for several months before their registration was withheld. * Crain’s | Metra to test cafe cars with free snacks on select lines: Metra will begin testing its new cafe car prototype on select routes next week. It plans to give free snacks and iced coffees to riders who offer feedback on the service. Workers gutted the second level of a car to create the prototype. For now, there is only one model, and Metra plans to move it between routes to reach as many riders as possible. * WGLT | Central Illinois Republicans rally for increased student privacy: All In cross references voter rolls with college directories, which HCC students may opt out of having made public. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act [FERPA] prevents only the sharing of educational data such as grades and disciplinary records. * WGLT | Austerity and persuasion key to Bloomington passing grocery tax: City Manager Jeff Jurgens said council sentiment evolved over time. Some of that involved staff conversations about the impact of not continuing the tax. “Coming with what unfortunately had to be a strong recommendation that the City of Bloomington needed to keep this tax. It was a tax that was already in place,” said Jurgens. “Our finance department projected it to be a very substantial number, $3 million to the city. And had we failed to keep it, it really would have put us in a position where we were not able to move forward on a number of projects, and likely would have faced some pretty severe cuts.” * Illinois Times | Citizens Club discusses Springfield’s dysfunctional downtown: Dozens of Springfield residents, including government officials and concerned business owners, attended the Citizens Club of Springfield’s Sept. 26 meeting about a decades-old issue – the state of downtown Springfield. The meeting was moved from its typical location upstairs at the Hoogland Center for the Arts to the main floor LRS Theatre to accommodate the larger-than-usual crowd. * Pantagraph | Gibson City solar project expected to connect to grid by 2026: The project will allow Archtop’s solar generation to use the infrastructure that connects the Gibson City Energy Center to the grid. Company officials said the project is intended to support Illinois’ clean energy transition. […] The Gibson City Energy Center’s interconnection switchyard will also be used by the Archtop Solar Project. Earthrise said that arrangement helped speed study and construction of the new array. The company said the additional power will help meet rising energy demand in Illinois. * BND | Fairview Heights man who said he rammed police car on purpose is charged: Officer Travis Montgomery had stopped a 2016 Nissan Rogue for an expired license plate sticker, which police said was five years past due, around 9 a.m. Wednesday. As Montgomery approached the passenger side of the Nissan, Jennings allegedly drove his gray 2018 Chevrolet Camaro into the rear of the squad car, with its emergency lights activated. “The driver, now identified as Jennings, quickly exited his vehicle and approached the officer, who had his body camera activated,” the Fairview Heights Police Department said in a news release. “The driver admitted he had consumed alcohol and weed gummies. He then volunteered he purposely drove into the police vehicle because he does not like police officers.” * WCIA | Teutopolis honors victims two years after chemical spill: The Teutopolis Fire District said the St. Francis Church bells will toll at 8:41 p.m. on Sept. 29 to honor the five victims who died in the anhydrous accident. Community members are invited to pay their respects at the church entrance or the courtyard west of the main entrance. * WSIL | New initiative aims to boost SIU alumni businesses in Southern Illinois: Southern Illinois offers a business-friendly environment with flexible zoning, incentives for new and expanding businesses, and state and local support. Carbondale resources include the Enterprise Zone, Downtown Façade Improvement Program, and Tax Increment Financing Program. * Shaw Local | Dolly Parton library lands in Kankakee County: The program will begin immediately and could cost about $200,000 annually to administer as partnerships grow over the coming years, said Mariah Vail, executive director of the local United Way. The program is being funded through United Way and the Community Foundation, as well as contributions from the Kankakee and Herscher school districts. The program costs nothing to families. Parents simply need to sign up to receive a children’s book monthly. * AP | Private equity sees profits in power utilities as electric bills rise and Big Tech seeks more energy: In recent weeks, private equity firm Blackstone has sought regulatory approval to buy out a pair of utilities, Albuquerque-based Public Service Company of New Mexico and Lewisville, Texas-based Texas New Mexico Power Co. Wisconsin earlier this year granted the buyout of the parent of Superior Water, Light and Power and the owner of Northern Indiana Public Service Co. last year sold a 19.9% stake in the utility to Blackstone. * Fortune | Larry Ellison predicts rise of the modern surveillance state where ‘citizens will be on their best behavior’: George Orwell’s 1984 warned of a future where Big Brother watches every move. Today, modern technology is making that vision a reality, and Oracle founder Larry Ellison—the world’s second-richest person—sees a growing opportunity for his company to help authorities analyze real-time data from millions of surveillance cameras. “Citizens will be on their best behavior, because we’re constantly recording and reporting everything that is going on,” Ellison said in an hour-long Q&A during Oracle’s Financial Analyst Meeting last week. * NYT | ‘I’m From Here!’: U.S. Citizens Are Ending Up in Trump’s Dragnet: U.S. citizens, many of them Latino men, have been stopped and in some cases taken into custody by law enforcement officers who are carrying out President Trump’s immigration crackdown and who suspect the men are living in the country illegally. While many of those detained have immediately declared their U.S. citizenship to officers, they have routinely been ignored, according to interviews with the men, their lawyers and court documents. In some cases they have been handcuffed, kept in holding cells and immigration facilities overnight, and in at least two cases held without access to a lawyer or even a phone call. * OPB | Hundreds protest at ICE building after Trump’s announcement of troop deployment to Portland: The memorandum deploying 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to Portland, as part of a larger deployment of troops to cities across the country, stated it was “to protect U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other U.S. Government personnel” carrying out the actions of the administration. ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the demonstration.
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Open thread
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Sep 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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