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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Semafor | How a profane anti-Trump ad helped Stratton break through: “The wording was our way of capturing voter sentiment. Our opponent had been on air for eight and a half months before we were about to go up for the first time. How are you going to break through quickly? There is this large, empty lane for where the energy is in the Democratic Party.” * Press release | Former IEA President Reginald “Reg” Weaver, trailblazer for collective bargaining rights in Illinois, passes away at 86: Reginald “Reg” Weaver died Tuesday at age 86. Weaver was a lifelong educator and organizer who served as president of the Illinois Education Association from 1981 to 1987 and led the battle to ensure collective bargaining rights for Illinois educators. Weaver, who also spent 30 years as a teacher in the Harvey school system, was the first Black person to be elected president of the IEA. After his tenure at IEA, he went on to become the president of the National Education Association, from 2002 to 2008, and later went on to serve in the leadership of Education International, an organization representing 29 million teachers and education workers in 169 countries. * Tribune | Frankfort man charged with threatening Gov. JB Pritzker pleads to misdemeanor charge: A 71-year-old Frankfort man pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor phone harassment charges stemming from an Illinois State Police investigation of numerous voicemail threats to Gov. JB Pritzker’s office March 3. Timothy Shemitis was sentenced to 24 months of court supervision, fees and fines totaling to $525 and an anger management program, meaning a conviction will not be entered if he completes the supervision successfully, according to Will County court records. * WSIL | Illinois Flags to Fly at Half-Staff Honoring Fallen Chicago Firefighter: In a proclamation issued by Gov. JB Pritzker, the state will lower flags from sunrise Wednesday, March 25, through sunset Friday, March 27, 2026, to remember Firefighter/EMT Michael Altman of the Chicago Fire Department. Altman, 32, died on Tuesday, March 17, while serving his community. According to the proclamation, he had been with the department for nearly two years and was recognized as a dedicated and passionate public servant. * Sun-Times | Human Relations Commissioner Andrade resigns after concerns antisemitism report draft was ‘whitewashed’: Human Relations Commission member Dan Goldwin said the report triggered by a 58% rise in reported anti-Jewish hate crimes from 2023 to 2024 was completed and focused solely on the surge in incidents of antisemitism in Chicago — and what to do about it. But when the report was forwarded to the mayor’s office in November, a consultant was hired to alter the report and turn it into a broader document on all hate incidents, Goldwin said. “The mayor’s office sent back an edit of it that completely whitewashed it… They had just crossed off anything that had to do with anti-Jewish hate crime and just made it an all-lives matter” report, said Goldwin, who also serves as chief public affairs officer for the Jewish United Fund. * Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson vetoes plan to freeze subminimum wage for tipped workers: Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday used his third veto to bury an ordinance that would have frozen the hourly pay of Chicago’s tipped workers at 76% of the minimum wage, and he’s likely to make it stick unless there’s a compromise to give struggling restaurants a short break. […] Illinois Restaurant Association President Sam Toia is targeting nine alderpersons who voted against the freeze despite having heavy concentrations of restaurants in their wards, in hopes of convincing at least four of them to change their votes and override the mayor’s veto. * Block Club | An AI School, With No Teachers, To Open in Chicago This Fall: Alpha Schools will open this fall at 350 E. South Water St. The school will serve 100 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with plans to expand in the future, Price said in an interview. With tuition of $55,000 a year, it will be one of the most expensive private schools in Chicago. * Sun-Times | Cook County state’s attorney’s office training new prosecutor task force to focus on CTA crimes: A new internal transit crime task force will train more than 30 prosecutors and provide guidance on seeking court orders to restrict defendants from accessing parts of the CTA, according to State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s office. The prosecutors will receive enhanced training on CTA video evidence, serve as liaisons with Chicago police and CTA on transit-related cases, and track data on transit crimes. * Crain’s | Chicago Fire buys land for new stadium at the 78 for $69 million: An affiliate of the team paid $69.3 million to buy a parcel of land at 1331 S. Wells St. from developer Related Midwest, according to Illinois property records. The planned 22,000-seat venue will anchor the 78, Related’s 62-acre mega-development in the South Loop. The Fire and Related formally broke ground on the stadium earlier this month, after winning City Council approval for the project in September. The sale of the land to the team was part of the arrangement between the Fire and Related, and the developer will continue to own and develop ancillary uses and buildings around it. * WGN | Route 66 is getting a new starting point in Chicago: On Wednesday, city officials will formally designate Navy Pier as the new symbolic starting point of historic Route 66. Often called the “Mother Road,” Route 66 was one of the first major highways in the United States. Established on Nov. 11, 1926, the highway runs from Chicago to Santa Monica, California, crossing eight states in between.
* Crain’s | South Loop developer lands $83 million construction loan for long-planned Riverline project: The loan is notable in a downtown market where high interest rates, rising construction costs and difficulty attracting institutional investors have stalled many large projects, though a New York developer broke that dry spell last May with a $151 million construction loan for its high-rise project at 370 N. Morgan St. The total costs of CMK’s apartment project at 1010 S. Wells St., or whether the firm has received additional equity to back the development, wasn’t immediately clear. CMK didn’t respond to requests for comment. * ABC Chicago | Chicago weather: Drastic drop in temperatures Thursday; strong storms to bring hail, damaging winds: There could be a shower or thunderstorm overnight, but most areas will stay dry with temperatures dropping into the 50s. On Thursday, the forecast shows the storms will likely arrive to the Chicago area between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. Some storms could be severe with large hail and wind as the main concerns. * Sun-Times | The last man at the shoeshine stand: Forty-dollar shoes. Thousand-dollar shoes. And everything in between. Steve Fullerton has cared for them all, the snap of his buffing rags echoing beneath the vaulted marble ceiling of the Cook County Building for the past 20 years. You can tell a lot about a person by how they treat their shoes, says the 57-year-old West Sider. “If you don’t care for your shoes, what other parts of your life aren’t you taking care of?” Fullerton says. “You only live once. God gave you two feet. Be good to them. They take you all over. They walk for you. They help you dance.” * Sun-Times | West Suburban Medical Center closing temporarily as it runs out of cash to pay employees: The hospital’s owner blamed the electronic medical record system for failing to bill for the hospital’s work. The closure comes months after West Suburban’s sister hospital, Weiss Memorial, shuttered in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. * Shaw Local | Will County prosecutors release termination letter on staffer after Illinois Attorney General weighs in: The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office released a termination letter regarding one of its employees after they were found to have violated a state transparency law. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s Office issued a rare binding opinion on Feb. 10 that found State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s Office violated the Freedom of Information Act by improperly withholding the termination letter for Amy Burgett-Masse, 44, of Elwood. Burgett-Masse was a legal secretary for Glasgow’s office who was fired May 23, 2025. She faces charges of official misconduct and aggravated computer tampering. Her daughter, Ryane Burgett-Masse, 20, is also charged with aggravated computer tampering. * Evanston Roundtable | District 65 discusses report projecting $598 million in facilities spending over next 49 years: Board members posed questions to firm co-founder and project executive Patrick Callahan, and Marisa Urbina, the project manager, asking how they should interpret the report’s findings. “This is a tool. This is not a death knell,” Callahan explained. “… This is a set of variables that allows you to make decisions as you look at how students are educated and where they’re educated.” * CBS Chciago | Berwyn homeowners concerned about more flooding with severe storm risk this week: Repeated basement flooding and property damage is leading homeowners in Berwyn to fear every time it rains, with another severe weather threat on the way. Trucks pumping out sewers and catch basins are a necessary sight in the City of Berwyn. Resident Dave Levy said his basement continues to be ravaged by floods on and off over the past five years. He said that he and other homeowners were frightened to learn that there would be more rain in the forecast this week. * Illinois Times | New police chief for Leland Grove: The six members of the City Council unanimously voted to terminate the previous police chief, Dan Ryan, retroactively effective Feb. 24. Ryan, whose license was suspended on March 23, is awaiting trial for DUI. He has also been charged with violating open container laws and improper lane usage along with failure to use a turn signal. Mayor Mary Jo Bangert told Illinois Times after the meeting that she could not comment on the decision to terminate Ryan, due to his pending court case. * WCIA | Is it safe to track your period? U of I law expert collaborating with Cancer Center to establish ‘privacy safe guards’ for users: “From your period, from menopause management, it could be sexual health information, location data, etc. Here, it really depends on where you are living in the US. Unfortunately, so far, fewer than 20 states have comprehensive privacy laws,” Gerke explained. Illinois doesn’t have one yet. However, six bills were recently introduced and are now in committee. Gerke feels there is “some hope” if these are greenlit moving forward. * WAND | No injuries after small fire in Springfield IDFPR building: The Springfield Fire Department responded to a fire in the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation building Wednesday morning. The department told WAND News that firefighters responded to the building around 9:30 a.m. According to the department, there was a small fire in a storage closet on the 7th floor of the building. The fire is out and nobody was hurt. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. * AP | EPA approves sale of higher ethanol fuel to try to lower gas prices: The sale of E15 is typically discontinued in the summer because it can contribute to harmful air pollution. “President Trump is unleashing American Energy Dominance, and today’s action will directly lower prices at the pump and gives a clear demand signal to our domestic biofuels producers,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement. The summer waiver for E15 has become commonplace in recent years, and both Republicans and Democrats have called for it to become year-round and permanent to lower prices at the pump. In some states it’s already allowed. * Axios | Mysterious trading patterns follow Trump into war: On Monday, $580 million in oil futures flooded the market in a sudden spike — with no public news to explain it — roughly 16 minutes before Trump announced a pause in strikes on Iranian power plants. On the Friday before the war began, an unusual surge of more than 150 Polymarket accounts placed hundreds of bets predicting a U.S. strike on Iran by the next day, according to a New York Times analysis. On Jan. 2, a trader turned roughly $32,000 into more than $400,000 by betting on the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro before it was announced the next morning.
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Community college baccalaureate bill finally starts moving
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Some context from a column I wrote last year…
A retooled bill was sent to the House Executive Committee this year and it passed on a unanimous roll call this morning. Isabel wrote about the bill for subscribers earlier today. * From Illinois Community College Board Executive Director Brian Durham…
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It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Economic Security Illinois Action…
* Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl’s HB5236 passed through committee yesterday…
* ACT Now Illinois…
* Rep. Murri Briel…
* The American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois…
* Sen. Linda Holmes…
* More…
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I need a favor
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * A very long time ago, I took a hard look at my miserable life and realized that I had to somehow, finally find a way forward. I knew I could write, so I came up with a two-part plan. Part One was writing freelance stories for the Illinois Times in Springfield, where I had contributed a few pieces before. Part Two? Well, I was hoping for the best. Thankfully, it all somehow worked out in the end, but not before I wound up sleeping in a friend’s abandoned basement coal bin while living on $50 a week from the paper. My work has appeared in the IT off and on since 1986, with a string of stories in 1989-90 and then mostly “on” since 1999 via my weekly column and reports from Kosovo and Iraq. Springfield’s alt-weekly newspaper is close to my heart…
Many, many thanks to Bud Farrar (publisher) and Bill Furry (my long-ago editor). Without them, I wouldn’t be writing this today for you. * Please do me and the entire state a favor and click here to contribute. Thanks!
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Credit Unions: A Model Built For People, Not Profit
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] When you visit a credit union, you will see firsthand what makes our model fundamentally different from traditional banks. As Audrey Holocker, Branch Manager at Financial Plus Credit Union in Mendota, IL, often explains to new members, “I don’t know if you know the difference between a credit union and a bank…” — but that difference has a real impact. Banks operate with paid boards and profit-driven goals. Credit unions do not. “Credit unions are nonprofit. We’re here to serve you,” Audrey explains. When someone joins, they’re not just opening an account — “you become an owner of the credit union, and this is part of you.” That ownership structure means every dollar earned is reinvested into member value: lower loan rates, higher returns on savings, and fewer fees. As Audrey states, “What we make, we put back into the credit union to save you money.” This model supports financial stability, expands access to fair credit, and strengthens local economies. It’s why so many credit union employees like Audrey feel deeply connected to this mission. “I’m part of the movement… and I’m very proud to be a credit union member and employee.” Learn more at https://betterforillinois.org/ Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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Thread! (Updated)
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. The Tribune editorial board allowed a person who would not answer a Tribune reporter’s legitimate questions an opportunity to write his own op-ed, and that’s not sitting well with said Tribune reporter…
* More from the thread…
Discuss. …Adding… Jake’s claim that the crypto-backed Fairshake spent just $3.3 million is rightly challenged by a commenter…
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340B Hospitals Support Transparency Requirements – Pass HB 2371 SA 2 To Support Patients
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Legislation to protect 340B, House Bill 2371 SA 2, contains NEW transparency requirements that Illinois hospitals agree with. Reporting and audits—from patient data to charity care—are normal activities in hospitals. Ensuring 340B program integrity is no exception. Illinois hospitals consider the federal 340B program a critical resource that helps provide lifesaving medications and critical healthcare services to low-income and uninsured patients. Hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) invest savings from 340B discounted drugs into health services benefiting underserved communities. Many patients in Illinois need 340B to survive. The hospitals need it too, as they expect to lose up to $57 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regularly audits 340B providers to verify program eligibility, internal controls and compliance. HRSA audits apply to drug manufacturers as well. They include determining “that the manufacturer provided 340B drugs at or below the 340B ceiling price to participating covered entities.” Yet drugmakers have been arbitrarily limiting hospitals and FQHCs to just one contract pharmacy. HB 2371 SA 2 strengthens transparency and accountability while protecting the care communities rely on, proving that Illinois hospitals support oversight and stand firmly behind supporting their patients so they can live healthier lives. Stand with patients, hospitals and FQHCs—Pass HB 2371 at NO cost to taxpayers and with NO needed budget appropriation. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Estate tax reform ‘something that I could support,’ Pritzker says. Capitol News Illinois…
- “And so if we can put together a package that makes sense… then I do think it’s something that I could support as long as it includes the kind of tax break that I think is appropriate to preserving small farms and small businesses,” he said. - State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, the House sponsor, told us she’s “not quite sure the future of it,” considering the state’s tight revenue picture. She also said talk of a larger estate tax reform in the Senate could complicate things. * At 11:30, Gov. Pritzker will be in Bloomington for a roundtable discussion on advancing his Building Up Illinois Developments initiative. Click here to watch. * BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Sun-Times | Judge orders federal government to unfreeze CTA funding for Red Line extension: U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin granted the CTA’s temporary restraining order against the Department of Transportation, which had frozen the funds since last October while the federal government said it was reviewing CTA contracting practices for race- and sex-based discrimination. The CTA sued the Department of Transportation last week, arguing the funding freeze would soon halt the long-planned Red Line extension to 130th Street, as well as the almost-completed Red-Purple Line Modernization program. The CTA had secured a legal obligation for $2 billion in federal Red Line extension funds shortly before former President Joe Biden left office. * Daily Herald | ‘People are being evicted’: TSA union says shutdown is pushing workers to economic brink: O’Hare International Airport screening times have been relatively normal so far. “You’ve got to remember, O’Hare is a huge airport so there’s tons of employees and tons of checkpoints,” said Christine Vitel, a TSA officer and AFGE executive for Local 777. Also, “officers are coming in because of the fear getting put on us about disciplinary actions,” for absenteeism, she noted. * WAND | Pritzker says Bears megaproject bill is in hands of state legislature: “It is a pretty good deal that’s been put on the table that I think seems to have support broadly by the Bears ownership,” Pritzker said. “So, it really now is in the hands of the House of Representatives and then the Senate to get something done in a timely fashion.” * WAND | Farmers, students celebrate Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day: Over 650 FFA members gathered under the Capitol dome to meet with lawmakers and advocate for state investments. Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello said support for the industry continues to grow across the state. However, Costello said everyone must advocate for the year-round sale of E15 and expanding international markets for Illinois soybeans. * WTTW | Johnson Defends Proposal to Give Area Around United Center $55M Tax Break: “This is a project that is going to create thousands of jobs and opportunities for the people across the city, but particularly for development on the West Side,” Johnson said at a City Hall news conference. “This is a clear indication that the city of Chicago remains open for business, but we’re just not for sale.” With the support of 27th Ward Ald. Walter “Red” Burnett, Johnson asked the City Council to make the project eligible for $54.7 million in property tax incentives under Cook County’s Class 7b special assessment. Commercial properties in Cook County are typically taxed based on officials’ calculation of 25% of their value, records show. * WGN | WGN Investigates: ICE’s ‘security theater’ at airports: The armed federal agents lack an airport identification badge required of all other airport personnel, including law enforcement. The photo ID’s are meant, in part, to ensure imposters can’t defeat security measures by simply wearing a police uniform and walking with a gun through a checkpoint. The ICE agents seen at O’Hare don’t wear uniforms beyond a badge on their belt and bulletproof vest with a Velcro patch, signifying their agency. * Sun-Times | Finalist for CPS CEO courted controversy in past jobs, but defenders praise his bold vision: The other is Sito Narcisse, a former leader of Louisiana’s second-largest school district who has been linked to controversies in his previous roles, leading some to question how he made it to be a finalist to lead the third-largest school district in the country with many red flags. His work at times has been polarizing. In Baton Rouge, families sued him and the district over a controversial event he promoted. Early in his career in Boston, Narcisse was criticized for making sweeping changes at the school he led with little or no community input, a concern that would follow him. * WBEZ | CHA Commissioner Debra Parker accused of defrauding the public housing agency: Parker, who has participated in the government’s Housing Choice Voucher housing subsidy program since 2007, currently receives a subsidy to rent a four-bedroom home on the South Side, according to the records. But the decision indicates that Parker and her son — both who are supposed to be living at the South Side home — have actually been living with the commissioner’s fiancé, Charles Bell, in a luxury high-rise in River North. Parker was being picked up from Bell’s residence, and her board materials were being sent there, the hearing officer wrote. * Fox Chicago | Chicago mayor pushes back on claims from fired officials as City Hall shakeup continues: “I can’t speak to why someone makes a claim,” Johnson said. “As I’ve said repeatedly, the women and men who serve the city on the frontline deserve the ultimate respect, which is why I appreciate the work Superintendent [Larry] Snelling as well as [Fire Commissioner Annette] Nance-Holt have done to begin to restore relationships within community around our first responders. There’s no secret there has been some strain in the community, and it’s clear indication we’re moving in the right direction.” * Tribune | Chicago’s human rights commissioner resigns as Mayor Brandon Johnson defends public safety leaders’ firings: Human Relations Commissioner Nancy Andrade will resign effective Wednesday from her role overseeing enforcement of the city’s human rights and fair housing laws, Johnson spokesperson Erin Connelly confirmed Tuesday. Connelly did not offer a reason for the resignation. But Andrade said in a statement that she resigned to uphold the Chicago Commission on Human Relations’ efforts to give hope to those who have experienced hate and justice to people who experienced “the humiliation and trauma of discrimination.” She also said the CCHR is the “civil rights agency for ALL of Chicago. It is my sincere hope that the CCHR and its Board continue to focus on addressing the impact of antisemitism as well as all other forms of discrimination in our city.” * Sun-Times | Johnson says he wasn’t aware Gatewood filed IG complaint against top mayoral aides before firing him: Last week, he was summoned into a meeting with Johnson’s chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas and senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee, and told the Johnson administration was “moving in a different direction.” Gatewood said Tuesday he filed a formal complaint with the inspector general’s office in October that is under investigation. He refused to discuss the nature of those allegations, but sources said the complaint accuses Lee and Pacione-Zayas of improper interference in City Hall’s contracting process. The sources also said Johnson was made aware of those contract interference concerns. * Press release | Gov. Pritzker and Mars Snacking Announce 600 New Jobs, Expansion of Global Headquarters in Chicago: Mars Snacking will open a new North America regional office hub in Chicago’s Fulton Market district, with capacity for more than 1,000 Associates. The Accelerator division will also establish a new global office hub in downtown Chicago, taking over the former Kellanova global and North America headquarters. Together, these moves reinforce Mars Snacking’s long-standing commitment to the Chicago region, where the company supports more than 4,000 Mars Snacking jobs, produces more than 20 iconic brands and anchors the company’s Global Innovation Center – a groundbreaking R&D hub. * WTTW | System Designed to Flag Officers With Multiple Complaints Won’t Be Ready Until 2027, Officials Say: Chicago police brass did not update Mayor Brandon Johnson and three City Council committee chairs about their progress in crafting the system until Feb. 18, two days after WTTW News reported they had failed to comply with a provision in the ordinance that implemented the city’s 2026 budget that requires monthly updates on the long-delayed efforts to craft and implement that system, according to records obtained by WTTW News through a Freedom of Information Act request. * CBS Chicago…
* Shaw Local | Ex-prosecutor sues Kane County, state’s attorney; claims firing was whistleblower retaliation: A former Kane County prosecutor is suing State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser and the county, alleging he was fired after exposing what the suit claimed was a common and longstanding practice of “backdating” criminal complaint filings. The whistleblower complaint, filed March 16 by former Kane County prosecutor Eric Walliser, asserts that he was trained by more senior prosecutors “to leave petitions or motions on the clerk’s desk … and the deputy clerk would process and file-stamp the document on the following business day using the prior business day’s date.” * ABC Chicago | 2 charged with vandalizing Arlington Heights Republican office, defacing Charlie Kirk’s image: Officers took Arlington Heights residents 72-year-old Brock McNerney and 69-year-old Moisette McNerney into custody on Monday. […] Arlington Heights police said the vandalism took place at about 11 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25 with a suspected marker at the Republicans of Wheeling Township Office. Surveillance video from the late evening hours of Jan. 25 shows a couple, a man in glasses and a woman, both dressed in black, drawing explicit words and what ABC7 Chicago has been told were several Nazi symbols over the face of Charlie Kirk on the windows in Arlington Heights. * Landmark | Hernandez takes narrow win in race for Cook County board: Riverside resident Miranda Hernandez has apparently won a tightly contested three-way Democratic primary race for a seat on the Cook County board. Since no Republican or Libertarian has filed to run in the 16th District the 34-year-old Hernandez appears set to join the county board after the November general election. The 16th District includes Riverside and Brookfield and runs from Cicero to Franklin Park and includes a very small slice of the city of Chicago. * Daily Herald | DuPage County approves $4.8 million to help food pantries, ‘Farm to Pantry’ program: DuPage County Board members have approved $4.8 million in funding to continue a fresh produce program for food pantries, to boost a farm-to-pantry pipeline of vegetables and to help the largest of them expand a food distribution hub. The county will provide $2.5 million to support the Loaves & Fishes “Hub 2.0” project. The county will also provide $2 million to the Northern Illinois Food Bank over the next two fiscal years for the purchase and delivery of produce and other commodities to its member pantries. In addition, the board approved the Conservation Foundation’s request for $322,000 over two years for the growth of a “Farm to Pantry” initiative. * Daily Herald | Family of early Schaumburg mayor applauds use of his name for updated municipal campus: The family of Schaumburg’s influential second mayor, Bob Atcher, have expressed their appreciation for the village board’s Tuesday decision to rename the 60-acre municipal campus after him. The unanimous vote of the trustees comes about a year after the demolition of the 52-year-old village hall he had once used, which was renamed the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center around the time of his 1993 death. * PJ Star | Pekin reviewing real estate contract after scrapping data center: During Monday’s meeting, the council approved a resolution instructing city attorney James Vasselli to review the contract and present a memorandum on the city’s obligations, rights and contingencies by April 8. Vasselli noted that closing on the property sale was contingent on the developer obtaining zoning and site plan approvals, as well as a redevelopment agreement. “No one can site a data center at the property as currently zoned,” he said. “It is not permitted under county law, state law or local law.” * The Southern | Carbondale council discusses homeless meeting aftermath: During public comment, Beth Libby asked whether the city has a plan to address homelessness and whether there was interest in developing a forum to find solutions She suggested getting in touch with representatives from other cities in Illinois to determine what they have found to be effective in addressing the issue “It seems to me that that might be something we could take a look at,” Libby said. “To invite the mayors of some of these communities to see if we could have a joint meeting with the public, the council and our city manager, to see if some of these solutions could be useful in our community.” * IPM News | All top Champaign Unit 4 administrators asked to reapply for their jobs: Even interim superintendent Dan Casillas, who Board President Tony Bruno thanked for “righting the ship” between administrations, will return to the classroom unless he succeeds in winning a spot on the new cabinet. In an interview with the News-Gazette, Ponce said that he wants to create a smaller, more focused cabinet. “Dr. Ponce is the superintendent we have chosen to be here, and we are supporting his experience and his knowledge,” said Board Member Grace Kang. “He brings a wealth of that to the district. We’re supporting his vision, and this is part of his vision.” * WMBD | Free food truck licenses for Downtown Peoria approved by council: Mayor Rita Ali said she received messages from Caterpillar and the U.S. Postal Service to support bringing food trucks back to downtown. “They want these food trucks and I think whatever we can do to incentivize them to return to downtown is going to be good,” she said. 4th District Councilman Andre Allen said when he started working downtown in 2022, he would buy hot dogs from a hot dog cart. The business owner needed to sell 54 hot dogs to make a profit, reported Allen. * WCIA | Fighting-Illini-themed Hilton Hotel in Champaign one step closer to reality: Originally expected to be completed in 2027, “The Graduate” hotel will now be required to be completed by March of 2028. It is set to be built at the intersection of Neil and Hill Streets in downtown Champaign. “We did bump those completion dates to a more realistic timeframe,” said T.J. Blakeman, economic development coordinator. “It’ll continue to add to the vibrancy and the activity that we see in our downtown.” * WMBD | WIRL going off the air at the end of the month: On March 31 at noon, WIRL 1290 AM will no longer be broadcasting a radio frequency, nearly 78 years after it first went on the air. Mike Wild, vice president and general manager of Midwest Communications, the company that oversees the station, said the station just doesn’t have a sustainable following anymore. * WCIA | U of I assisting in IL Soybean Association challenge: The challenge has several state universities making proposals for new products made from soybean oil and soy protein. Helping with the process is the University of Illinois’ Associate Chancellor Kim Kidwell. * Reuters | Meta ordered to pay $375 million in New Mexico trial over child exploitation, user safety claims: In a second phase of the trial in May, Torrez said his office will ask the court to order Meta to make changes to its platforms to protect children and to impose additional financial penalties. […] The jury’s decision capped a six-week trial in Santa Fe. Torrez had accused the company of allowing predators unfettered access to underage users and connecting them with victims, often leading to real-world abuse and human trafficking. * NYT | Gregory Bovino reflects on final days with Border Patrol: ‘I wish I’d caught even more illegal aliens’: Over the past year, Bovino was caught on camera denigrating protesters and encouraging force. At one point, he told agents in Los Angeles to “arrest as many people that touch you as you want.” By the end of his national tour, one official said, Bovino was deliberately seeking out confrontations to get content for social media. Bovino said he had a master plan that was in motion before his exile back to El Centro. It would have neutralized protesters, he said, and made it possible to deport 100 million people. * Road Track | Your Tire Pressure Monitors Are Vulnerable to Easy Tracking, Study Finds: “Most vehicle tracking today uses cameras that need clear visibility and line-of-sight to a car. TPMS tracking is different: tire sensors automatically send radio signals that pass through walls and vehicles, allowing small hidden wireless receivers to capture them without being seen. Because each sensor broadcasts a fixed unique ID, the same car can be recognized repeatedly without reading a license plate,” the study reads. * AP | OpenAI pulls the plug on Sora, the viral AI video app that sparked deepfake concerns: OpenAI was forced to crack down on AI creations of public figures — among them, Michael Jackson, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mister Rogers — doing outlandish things, but only after an outcry from family estates and an actors’ union. Disney, which made a deal with OpenAI last year to bring its characters to Sora, said in a statement Tuesday that it respects “OpenAI’s decision to exit the video generation business and to shift its priorities elsewhere.”
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Mar 25, 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
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were told about this last week. Capitol News Illinois…
* Sun-Times…
* Capitol News Illinois | Insurance bill combining homeowners and auto regulation passes House, awaits Senate action: Those two proposals, which started as separate pieces of legislation, were combined into a single bill that passed the House March 19. The combined bill now awaits Senate approval before being sent to Gov. JB Pritzker. Pritzker initially called for rate review authority over homeowners insurance last summer after Bloomington-based State Farm Insurance announced it was raising rates in Illinois an average 27.2%, citing losses it had incurred from weather-related disasters in the state. * Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledges ‘real failures’ in immigration system after Loyola student killing: “This has been a terrible tragedy, and I know that the Gorman family has suffered mightily…There have been real failures. Those failures, of course, extend beyond the borders of Illinois. That’s — they’re national failures, a failure to have comprehensive immigration reform, a failure of the president to follow his own edict to go after the worst of the worst,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event, referencing that the Trump administration stepped up immigration enforcement efforts last year in Chicago and other cities where he vowed to seek deportations of noncitizens with criminal records who are in the country illegally. […] On Monday, Pritzker said he has reached out to “local officials” who have talked to Gorman’s parents “to express my condolences, my wife’s condolences as well” but said it’s not the right moment to speak with them as they grieve. * WTTW | CPD Officer Accused of Repeatedly Violating Rights of Black Chicagoans Suspended Again: Officer Richard Rodriguez Jr., who was a member of the Near North (18th) Police District tactical team until he was stripped of his police powers last month, was suspended for at least 30 days after improperly searching a Black man just after 10 p.m. Sept. 25, 2023, by ripping the man’s pants and exposing his underwear, according to documents published Friday by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. In all, Rodriguez has been suspended for at least 68 days in connection with seven incidents of misconduct, records show. * Tribune | NBC Chicago downsizes in its namesake tower with new $70 million TV newsroom: “We have condensed our space, but it also feels like we’re in a bigger space,” Kevin Cross, 57, president and general manager of NBCUniversal Local Chicago, said during a recent tour of the new digs. “I think that’s a pretty cool thing to happen.” From a giant wall-to-wall video screen tracking weather, trending stories and reporter assignments to an illuminated ring orbiting an endless ticker above the center of the futuristic newsroom, NASA’s Mission Control doesn’t have much on the new NBC Chicago facilities. The downsized offices for NBC’s 200-plus employees also include studios with the latest in robotic cameramen, a game room, a lounge and panoramic views of Michigan Avenue and the Chicago River. * Amtrak shifts Empire Builder onboard staffing to Chicago :KING5 | The Empire Builder rail service spans more than 2,200 miles, making it one of Amtrak’s iconic long-distance routes. King Street Station in Seattle serves as one of its anchors, a hub that hums with the steady rhythm of departing trains and boarding passengers. For crew members, the station has long been the center of their professional lives. In a statement, Olivia Irvin, a senior public relations manager for Amtrak, said the company is “streamlining onboard staffing on the Empire Builder to Chicago,” describing the consolidation as a measure designed to boost efficiency and strengthen long-distance service. Amtrak did not provide details on how many Seattle-based employees would be affected by the transition, nor did the company respond to requests about the timeline for the changes. * Forbes | University Of Chicago Board Chair Gives The Institution $50 Million: David M. Rubenstein, Chair of the University of Chicago’s Board of Trustees, has given the institution $50 million, according to a university news release. The gift will be used to renovate and modernize Ida Noyes Hall, a well-known campus building constructed and opened in 1916, into a gathering place for students, visitors and the university community. In recognition of the donation, the new hub will be named the David M. Rubenstein Commons. * Fox Chicago | Frank Thomas sues White Sox, retailers over jersey sales: Thomas filed the lawsuit March 19 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging violations of the Illinois Right of Publicity Act. The complaint claimed companies including Nike, Fanatics and the White Sox sold “City Connect 2.0″ jerseys featuring Thomas’ name and his No. 35 beginning in April 2025 without his consent or compensation. According to the filing, the jerseys were marketed and sold with team branding while using Thomas’ identity for commercial gain. * Daily Southtown | Recently resigned Harvey Clerk Rosa Arambula appointed as alderperson: Former Harvey City Clerk Rosa Arambula was appointed 1st Ward alderperson Monday, filling the role left vacant by acting Mayor Shirley Drewenski. “I cannot think of one other better person, and I’m honored to call Rosa Arambula 1st Ward alderman,” Drewenski said. Arambula resigned from her position as clerk at the beginning of the year without public comment or explanation, something 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman drew attention to ahead of the appointment. * Daily Southtown | Will County committee OKs 2,400-acre solar farm in Crete unincorporated area: While members of the public were largely against the project when it was presented to the Crete Village Board March 9, feedback was more mixed at last week’s more than four-hour long meeting in Joliet. Earthrise Energy, based in Arlington, Virginia, received preliminary approval for a special use permit that allows it to construct a solar farm that will span about 1,900 acres of unincorporated Will County. Crete already annexed about 200 acres along the village’s boundaries and plans to annex 620 more acres. * Daily Herald | DuPage Forest Preserve executive director leaving for city manager job in Florida: Friling announced Tuesday that she is leaving the top administrative post to become the city manager of Sarasota, Florida. Friling was hired as the conservation agency’s executive director in 2021. She will remain with the district through May to help with the leadership transition. “Serving the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has been an incredible honor,” Friling said in a statement. “I have truly enjoyed my time here and am grateful to work alongside such a dedicated and talented board and staff. The District is a very special place with an important mission, and I am confident its work will continue to thrive.” * Daily Herald | Barrington-Area Robotics Team advances to world championship: With the win, Stealth Robotics has qualified for the FIRST Championship, an international robotics competition taking place in Houston this April. The event brings together thousands of students from around the world to compete and showcase their engineering and programming skills. In addition to success in competition, the team has made a significant impact in the community. This season, Stealth Robotics helped launch two new FIRST robotics teams, an all-girls FIRST Tech Challenge team and a new FIRST LEGO League team, expanding opportunities for more students to explore robotics and engineering. * WICS | Sangamon County opens domestic violence court to speed up cases, support victims: The court officially opened in May of last year. Since its inception, the court has seen about 150 felony cases and 350 misdemeanors. According to the Sangamon County state’s attorney, John Milhiser, out of the 150 felony cases, 65 have been resolved. “That’s one of the main goals of the domestic violence court,” Milhiser said. “To get these done faster, so we can help the victim and also help the offender. Get them treatment if they have substance abuse issues or whatever else is going on in their life, get them the help they need.” * WGLT | Bloomington Police unveils plans for $550K federal grant updating real-time crime data center: U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, helped secure the $556,900 grant as part of a $19 million investment in community projects and infrastructure across his Central Illinois district that includes parts of Bloomington-Normal. LaHood toured the facility Monday morning and met with law enforcement and community leaders for a ceremonial check signing at the Bloomington Police Department [BPD]. * 25News Now | ‘Close, but likely not enough’: Peoria school board hopeful congratulates apparent winner: Doug Shannon posted a statement on his campaign’s Facebook page that his bid for a seat on the Peoria Public Schools’ Board of Education was “close, but likely not enough.” Monday, the Peoria County Election Commission said opponent Sarah Howard had a lead of 86 votes over Shannon in District 3, with an updated count of mail-in ballots expected on Tuesday. On election night, Howard’s lead was just 44 votes. Howard currently has 3,117 votes to Shannon’s 3,031. * WSIL | Crews continue prescribed burns at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge: Fire management teams have been conducting prescribed burns in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge throughout the month of March. These controlled fires restore ecosystems, support wildlife, reduce wildfire risk and manage vegetation. Crews were seen on Monday south of Highway 13 in Williamson County, burning sections between S. Greenbriar Road and S. Division Street. * 25News Now | French Canyon access at Starved Rock closed for improvement project: Closures include the trailhead access to the top of French Canyon, the trails from the Starved Rock Lodge parking lot, and the trail leading to French Canyon from behind the visitor center. That includes parts of Brown Bluff and Campanula Trails. IDNR added that other existing closures include Tonti Canyon and Tonti Bridge, the trail from LaSalle Canyon to Tonti Canyon, and the staircase from the west entrance to the boat ramp area. * Bloomberg | JPMorgan sees ‘national security risk’ in old grid networks: All of that adds up to “major tailwinds for grid investments,” Sarah Kapnick, author of the report and JPMorgan’s global head of climate advisory, said in an interview. It’s “a massive investment opportunity,” she said. On the one hand there’s artificial intelligence, electrification and the re-industrialization of developed nations, which on their own account for “massive growth in electricity demand,” Kapnick said. * The Hill | Delta suspends special congressional services amid shutdown: Among the services being suspended are airport escorts and so-called “red coat” services. The Capital Desk, a reservations line, will remain open. The decision, first reported by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, comes days after the Senate unanimously approved a proposal to end the preferential treatment lawmakers receive at airports, including allowing them to skip the line at security checkpoints.
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There’s an argument to be made here, but the governor didn’t make it
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Isabel asked Gov. Pritzker today about how President Trump has canceled wind, solar and EV subsidies and has apparently agreed to pay a French company a billion taxpayer dollars not to build an off-shore wind farm and instead invest in fossil fuels. With energy prices rising during the war with Iran, Isabel wanted to know his reaction…
A much simpler response would’ve been: Spiking petroleum energy prices during yet another war in the most volatile part of the world clearly show why we need to diversify our own power supply, not narrow it. But, whatevs. He loves running up his word-counts. * Pritzker did talk about Iran later…
But he didn’t close the circle on energy diversification.
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Pritzker backs Sacks, disagrees on AIPAC
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Michael Sacks writing in the Tribune: “Why I support AIPAC and a big tent Democratic Party”…
* Gov. JB Pritzker was asked today whether a “big tent” Democratic Party includes AIPAC and candidates backed by AIPAC…
Please pardon any transcription errors. * Back to Sacks…
A bill to lift the state’s anti-BDS law has picked up several House co-sponsors, but is assigned to a subcommittee.
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Pritzker publicly punts Bears issue to legislature
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * From today’s press conference…
As subscribers know, Pritzker was much more nuanced about the responsibilities for passing bill during an interview with me last week. For broad public consumption, however, it’s “Legislators are now responsible.”
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The Chicks booked for Illinois State Fair
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Press release…
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Unclear on the concept
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
The state’s planning to spend $5 million? I wouldn’t be too sure about that since the bill in question was not even assigned to a Senate committee. One of the reasons why I started doing the “It’s just a bill” posts is precisely because of goofy stories like this. Not trying to say that the provision could be included in the final budget. Just saying there’s no evidence of that yet, so claiming that the state is planning to spend the money is ludicrous. It’s. Just. A. Bill. Stuck. In. Committee.
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HB 3799 Raises Premiums And Destabilizes A Stable Insurance Market
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois’ competitive system protects consumers and keeps carriers investing here—let’s not break what works. Independent research shows slow, uncertain rate reviews push insurers out and costs up. HB 3799 was already defeated in Veto Session—keep it that way. Vote NO. Protect affordability. Vote NO on HB 3799.
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It’s just a bill
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Press release…
* Illinois Environmental Council CEO Jen Walling…
* Press release…
* WCIA…
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Chaos Coming July 1: Illinois’ Radical Credit Card Law Could Upend Everyday Purchases
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Starting July 1, Illinois families could face chaos when paying for everyday purchases like groceries, gas, or a dinner out because of a new state law that changes how credit cards work. At the checkout line, shoppers may suddenly be told they cannot use their credit cards to pay for sales taxes or tips, forcing them to split payments or pay those portions in cash. It is a radical change that only benefits corporate mega-stores, while small businesses, local banks, and consumers are left to deal with the fallout. Experts who understand the global payments system have been sounding the alarm for months:
• A federal judge weighing a preemption-related matter noted the policy is “indisputably disruptive,” “costly” and calls out “business-ending consequences” for local banks and credit unions. • Crain’s Chicago Business said, “Springfield’s Swipe Fee Gamble Deserves an Appeal.” Before chaos hits on July 1, lawmakers should reverse course and repeal the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act. Learn more at: guardyourcard.com/Illinois
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Surprise! Federal government’s accusatory fishing expedition on foreign CDL-holders apparently comes up empty
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Last month on Fox News…
* Daily Herald…
* From the Secretary of State’s letter…
Emphasis was in the original. I added links to explain some terms.
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‘Why Risk It?’ 340B Bill Helps Patients And Providers, NO State Funding Needed – Pass HB 2371 SA 2
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Seven in 10 patients of Sinai Chicago are covered by Medicaid. Looming federal funding cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are expected to leave 10-15% of Illinois Medicaid patients without coverage. When people lose Medicaid, they often go without needed prescription drugs and healthcare. Passage of House Bill 2371 SA 2 is urgently needed, said Sameer Shah, PharmD, President of Mount Sinai Hospital, to restore the 340B program in Illinois after five years of unlawful restrictions imposed by drugmakers. “Our job and our mission is to take care of the communities we serve,” said Shah, noting those without insurance have few options. “They come to the hospitals. They come to the health system. They come to the clinics. It’s our responsibility to make sure the patients leave the hospital and are set up for success with their medications.” Sinai Chicago is one of Illinois’ largest safety net providers. 340B has meant it can offer low-income patients discounted medication. It has also helped the health system expand clinical services and invest in meeting the community’s growing and diverse healthcare needs. Hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers will lose a vital lifeline for their patients—and face additional financial challenges—unless House members pass HB 2371 SA. “Given all the curveballs coming our way and all the cuts, why risk it? Let the 340B program continue to work the way it was designed.” Stand with patients and providers: Vote YES on HB 2371 SA this legislative session. Learn more.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Suburban counties lose bid to blame Illinois for unconstitutional property tax sales. Crain’s…
- If that happens, counties may be on the hook for millions of dollars in excess equity homeowners lost when county treasurers sold the deeds to their homes in the process of collecting unpaid property taxes. - An analysis by California-based researchers of the amount investors received in excess equity on Illinois properties between 2014 and 2021 pegged the amount at an estimated $148 million. * At 9 am, Governor JB Pritzker will give remarks at Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day and announce the 2026 Illinois State Fair headliner. Click here to watch. * Press release | ICC 2025 Supplier Diversity Report shows robust investment from Illinois’ largest utilities: The Illinois Commerce Commission’s (ICC) Office of Diversity and Community Affairs’ (ODCA) 2025 Annual Report shows the state’s largest investor-owned utilities’ diverse spending remains robust at over $1.7 billion. The 2025 report, which covers data from the 2024 calendar year, found that Illinois’ six largest utilities averaged nearly 35 percent of their total spending with diverse suppliers, including minority, women, veteran, and small business enterprises, with some utilities reaching as high as 43 percent total diverse spend. * Press release | CTU: Gov. Pritzker Needs to Lead Decisively, Not Leave Room for Mendoza’s MAGA Privatization Plan in School Voucher Fight: A statement from the Chicago Teachers Union Executive Vice President Jackson Potter on Governor JB Pritzker’s inaction and Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s support for a MAGA private school voucher scheme “At a time when working families in our city are demanding affordability, stability and investments in their neighborhoods, it is deeply disappointing to see Governor Pritzker hesitate while other governors–including Democrats like Andy Beshear in Kentucky—have drawn a clear line against Trump’s schemes that would siphon public dollars into the hands of privatizers.” * Journal & Topics | Chicago Voters Prove Tough Task For Walker In State Central Committeeman’s Race: Outgoing Wheeling Township Democratic committeeman and State Sen. Mark Walker (D-27th) lost in his bid for the 5th District state central committeeman’s seat on Tuesday. Voters were asked to vote for two in a three-way race among Democrats, which saw John Cullerton and Margaret Croke elected to the party post. The role of a party state central committeeman is like that of a party township committeeman: to work to see candidates successfully elected to office from their party. * TSPR | WIU advocates to rally for equitable higher ed funding in Springfield: * Fox Chicago | Fired top aide to Chicago mayor alleges Brandon Johnson has ‘hostility’ toward law enforcement: Whitfield was fired alongside then Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood, with senior Johnson staff members claiming they wanted to go in a different direction. Whitfield said some of the discord stems from the fact that he and Gatewood placed an employee on probation for poor performance and failure to show up for work. Whitfield said that the employee is close with the mayor and senior leadership and was placed on a performance improvement plan with the Department of Human Resources. But instead of disciplining the employee, Whitfield said he and Gatewood were fired instead. * Sun-Times | Top business leader demands end to stalemate over City Council’s pick for Zoning chair: Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jack Lavin said more than 40 development projects have been stalled by City Council’s failure to agree on new permanent chair for the powerful Zoning Committee. He wants Mayor Brandon Johnson to forge a compromise to break the stalemate. * Sun-Times | United Center owners’ massive 1901 Project could get nearly $55 million property tax break: Mayor Brandon Johnson has proposed a nearly $55 million property tax break for the United Center’s 1901 Project — a benefit the arena’s owners say is an essential piece to get their self-funded $7 billion project underway. Johnson introduced the estimated $54.7 million in property tax incentives to the City Council on March 18. Under Cook County’s Class 7b special assessment, the project’s property tax rate for the first phase would be 10% for the first 10 years, 15% for Year 11, then 20% for Year 12. The 1901 Project’s first phase is valued at $500 million. Projects must be valued at $2 million or more to be eligible for Class 7b incentives, according to the city. * WTTW | Chicago Taxpayers Have Spent $1.76M to Defend Officer Who Shot 13-Year-Old Boy Without Justification, Leaving Him Paralyzed: The Civilian Office of Police Accountability determined that Officer Noah Ball’s decision to shoot the boy was unjustified, a conclusion endorsed by Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling, records show. Cierra Corbitt, the boy’s mother, has sued the city, alleging Ball “recklessly, callously, and wantonly” shot her son — identified in court records by his initials, A.G. — in violation of his civil rights as he obeyed officers’ orders to surrender after a brief foot pursuit near Chicago and Cicero avenues in Austin on May 18, 2022. * Sun-Times | Bears QB Caleb Williams moves to trademark ‘Iceman’ moniker: A search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shows Caleb Williams Inc.’s “Iceman” applications for sporting goods, footballs, sweatshirts, T-shirts, hats, jerseys, jackets, vest, water bottles, mugs, bags, backpacks, luggage, sunglasses, posters and downloadable trading cards. Williams has already filed trademark applications for his name, initials, bear claw logos and other quarterback images. * Sun-Times | Chicago women embrace ‘Hot Girl Walk’ trend to build confidence, community: Lind said she hopes women continue the Hot Girl Walk movement beyond the meetups. “If we’re only bringing this positivity to the world at our events, then we’re not doing our jobs,” she said. “We want to carry that momentum of women supporting women, whether that means giving a girl a compliment on her shoes as she’s walking by, or giving your barista an extra tip.” * WBEZ | Axolotls! Where to see the TikTok famous amphibians in Chicago: And at the Brookfield Zoo, which began displaying one axolotl in a habitat last year, it’s an even bigger hit than the penguins right across from it, said Mike Masellis, lead animal care specialist for aquatics. “It’s fun to see someone look at a penguin and then scream about an axolotl,” he said. Last year, the Brookfield Zoo took in 20 rescued axolotls after they were confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as they were illegally brought through O’Hare from Indonesia. * Shaw Local | Yorkville could approve 2 more data center projects, including 540-acre Project Steel: The city of Yorkville has two more large data center projects on the agenda for its Tuesday meeting, this coming on the heels, of a near six-hour meeting over the of the 1,034-acre Project Cardinal data center. Both the 540-acre Project Steel data center and the recently downsized, 80-acre Meyer data center campus could take significant steps forward with City Council approval. The planning and zoning commission on Jan. 14 unanimously voted to not recommend the Meyer data center for approval. * Daily Southtown | Will County judge orders former Homer Township collector to pay $45,901 in damages: A Will County judge awarded $45,901 in damages to a Homer Glen woman who said Homer Township collector Michael Gondek harassed her by falsely suggesting she was celebrating Donald Trump’s 2024 assassination attempt. The case is likely the first of its kind to reach a verdict under the Civil Liability for Doxing Act, which took effect Jan. 1, 2024. Ellen Moriarty said Gondek spread a doctored image attributed to her that claims she was celebrating the July 2024 assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, when Trump was a former president campaigning again for the office. * Daily Herald | Former Hersey High School coach resigns from teaching job amid wrestling program probe: Former John Hersey High School wrestling coach Joe Rupslauk — who had already been stripped of his coaching responsibilities amid a probe into residency and recruiting violations — has resigned from his teaching position at the Arlington Heights school. Rupslauk’s resignation from his special education teaching job took effect last Friday, following approval of personnel actions by the Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board Thursday. * Daily Herald | College of DuPage board approves another tuition increase: The COD board of trustees has authorized a $4-per-credit-hour increase for students who live within the community college district. Those students will end up paying $160 per credit hour, including fees, starting with the fall 2026 term. The Glen Ellyn-based school will charge Illinois students from outside the district $368 per credit hour, up from $359. * Shaw Local | Driver sues over Cary police pursuit that led to crash, serious injuries: The lawsuit, filed Friday in McHenry County court, claims willful and wanton conduct against the village of Cary for the police pursuit on July 8, 2025, that started in the village and led to a crash at the intersection of Route 31 and Three Oaks Road in Crystal Lake. The driver who filed the lawsuit, Munividyasgar Mokkala, cited “personal injuries” in the crash, which have resulted in both past and future damages, including but not limited to medical expenses, lost wages and earning potential, loss of normal life, disability, disfigurement and pain and suffering,” according to the complaint. Mokkala is seeking over $50,000 in damages. * SJ-R | Emotional plea helps lead to data center vote being tabled: The vote to table it came after an emotional plea from Sangamon County board member Craig Hall, whose district the proposed data center would fall in. “We’re not for sale; I would like to ask this board to listen tonight and I would like to ask if we could take another vote to table this… please.” A rally of cheers and equally dismayed faces washed over environmental advocates who went home cheering at the decision to table the vote. It is unclear if the board will vote on the data center during its next meeting April 7. * WGLT | Residents bring objections to the idea of a data center to Bloomington City Council: Ten of the 11 people who spoke during the public comments portion of Monday’s Bloomington City Council meeting voiced opposition to a perceived possibility of a data center development on 375 acres south of the intersection of Ireland Grove Road and Abraham Road. “Basically, data centers have never been profitable. They don’t create significant numbers of long-term jobs,” said Katherine Scheck. “That’s not a long-term investment, and it’s going to ruin our community in the process.” At the outset of the meeting, Mayor Dan Brady said the item authorizing a three-party agreement between the city, Central Illinois Regional Airport and CES Farm, LLC, was removed from the night’s consent agenda. * WMBD | The effort to stop O’Brien Steel’s purchase of Detweiller Marina: It’s a battle between industry development and green space priorities, as O’Brien Steel Service Company is moving to purchase most of the park area around Detweiller Marina. Opponents to the move said there has been little transparency around the potential purchase, only learning about it in a Peoria Park District meeting in March. An issue that even has state Sen. Dave Koehler concerned. “This is exactly the way you don’t want to do any kind of development in the community,” said the Peoria Democrat. * WGLT | Bloomington OKs revised development plan for former State Farm building downtown: The Bloomington City Council on Monday approved revisions to an existing agreement with UEP Bloomington on a $68 million project to convert the former State Farm office building along East Street into a mixed-use residential and commercial center called “G.J. Lofts.” “As is the case with projects of this size and scope, they sometimes change over time. Financial markets change, constructions costs change, etc, etc.,” Senior Deputy Assistant City Manager Billy Tyus told the council during the 95-minute meeting. * IPM News | Vanderbilt eliminates Illinois women’s basketball from the March Madness Tournament: Once the second quarter began, Illinois began to crumble as it missed consecutive shots and repeatedly turned the ball over. This led Vanderbilt to go on a 10-point run and grab an 11-point lead heading to halftime. Vanderbilt maintained the momentum in the second half. Illinois sophomore guard Berry Wallace tried to get the team back in the game as they were able to cut the lead back into single digits. * Politico | It’s 3 times harder for blue states to get disaster funding under Trump: He approved just 23 percent of disaster funding requests from states with a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators since returning to office 14 months ago. For states with a Republican governor and two Republican senators, it’s the opposite — Trump has approved 89 percent of their requests. * NPR | Despite state bans and restrictions, the number of abortions in the U.S. holds steady: Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, anti-abortion rights advocates have continuously pursued laws and court cases to make access to abortion more difficult. A report published Tuesday finds those efforts haven’t worked in one basic way: The number of abortions in the country hasn’t budged. “There were an estimated 1,126,000 abortions provided by clinicians in the U.S. in 2025 — that’s pretty much unchanged from 2024,” says Isaac Maddow-Zimet, data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit research organization that supports abortion access. * NYT | Trump, Who Calls Mail-in Voting ‘Cheating,’ Just Voted by Mail: According to voter records on the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections website, Mr. Trump voted by mail in Palm Beach County, home to his Mar-a-Lago Club. Records show he has been registered to vote there since 2019 — and that he mailed his ballot at least one other time, in 2020.
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Good morning!
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Mar 24, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Mar 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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