|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* Axios | Pritzker tries to put past donations to AIPAC behind him: Pritzker and aides have said publicly in recent weeks that he previously supported AIPAC, but Pritzker’s team declined to tell Axios how much he gave to the group. […] The foundation gave to the group until at least 2020, but Pritzker’s team told Axios he stepped away from the foundation in 2017. * WBEZ | Can replacing Illinois’ toxic lead pipes lead to a workforce boom?: A recent report proposes a plan to replace the state’s staggering inventory of toxic lead pipes and create tens of thousands of jobs. To do so, the analysis calls on state and local officials to fast-track pipe replacements for communities that have suffered from the most lead exposure and to use the projects to build a more diverse local workforce. It also urges the Illinois General Assembly to help plug a multibillion-dollar budget gap for lead pipe replacements. * Crain’s | AI data center boom drives surge in Great Lakes water use: Part of that collaboration involves sharing insights across jurisdictions. Last year Minnesota passed a law that establishes a framework for data center developments, including mandating that proposed projects route through a state-level clearinghouse instead of proceeding directly to local governments. Now other regional leaders are considering Minnesota’s legislation as they debate similar regulations. In February, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker proposed suspending the state’s data center tax incentives, a move intended to slow development and give the state time to flesh out its regulatory approach. Last year’s Ohio budget includes a similar suspension of tax incentives, but Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the provision. State legislators are now considering a push for an override. * Crain’s | Six years on, Illinois builds defenses for the next pandemic amid federal retreat: Illinois is stockpiling medical supplies, joining international disease-tracking networks and forming alliances with other states to prepare for the next pandemic — steps driven by what public health officials describe as a hostile and hollowed-out federal public health infrastructure under President Donald Trump. The state’s go-it-alone planning comes six years after Illinois shut down to battle COVID-19, which, between 2020 and 2023, killed nearly 42,000 Illinoisans. * Center Square | Judge declines CTU’s motion to dismiss financial audit lawsuit: A Cook County judge on Monday denied a Chicago Teachers’ Union motion for summary judgment and granted plaintiffs’ request to compel discovery in a case over the union’s lack of releasing financial audits to its members. “The court saw through CTU’s effort to avoid scrutiny,” Sara Albrecht, chair of Liberty Justice Center, the nonprofit law firm representing union members who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement. “Simply posting documents after being sued doesn’t erase legal obligations. With discovery now moving forward, we intend to get a full accounting of whether CTU has complied with its duties to its own members.” * Crain’s | WBBM vows to fill the void from CBS News Radio closure: When CBS News Radio shuts down for good in two months, local Chicago affiliate WBBM Newsradio will continue broadcasting diligently, just with less national material from its longtime and storied partner. WBBM’s two local stations — 780 AM and 105.9 FM — will broadcast that much more local material from Chicago-area journalists, the station said in a press release. “CBS News Radio service is shutting down, but WBBM Newsradio is here to stay,” the station posted March 20 on X, in response to the CBS news. * Block Club | Chicago Is Hemorrhaging Breweries — Is There A Way To Stop It?: In Chicago, while overall retail sales of beer haven’t seen a huge dropoff, package sales of craft beers have plunged. While Chicago stores sold $824 million worth of beer and other alcoholic beverages like hard seltzers in the 12 months ending in early March — a 1.1 percent decrease from the same period last year — craft beer sales dropped 8.3 percent in that time, to $76.9 million, according to Circana, a market research company. Craft sales are down 17 percent from three years ago. Although the data doesn’t capture everywhere craft beer is sold at the retail level in Chicago, it’s indicative of the trend. * WBEZ | Steppenwolf Theater receives Sondheim Foundation grant to restart program for new plays: Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre will reboot a program that supports new plays after receiving a grant from the Stephen Sondheim Foundation, an organization established under the will of the revered composer-lyricist. The foundation has announced an inaugural round of cultural grant funding. Neither Steppenwolf Theatre nor the Sondheim Foundation would disclose the amount of the grant. * Daily Herald | Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi lost big where property taxes in city, suburbs soared: Even more stark was the 35,000-vote gap between Kaegi and Hynes in the suburbs, where property tax increases were even more pronounced, and where Hynes markedly outperformed Kaegi. In the county’s North suburbs, where homeowners picked up 60% of the new tax burden, property taxes grew by 3.7%, compared to a 3.1% increase in the south suburbs, according to the treasurer’s office. * NBC Chicago | Court awards nearly $46k to Will County election worker in doxing case: “This verdict is important not just for Ellen Moriarty, but for anyone who has been targeted by false online attacks,” said attorney Joe Giamanco, counsel for Moriarty and managing partner of Giamanco Law Partners, Ltd. in a statement. “People cannot manufacture or spread fake content, try to destroy someone’s livelihood, and then expect to walk away without accountability. Keyboard warriors should pay attention to this verdict and think twice before they go on the attack.” The law, that took effect at the start of 2024, creates a civil cause of action for anyone harmed by doxing. Under the statute, “doxing” includes intentionally publishing another person’s identifiable information (including social media profiles) without consent with the intent to harm or harass someone and that leads to harm of that person, including economic injury, mental anguish, fear of serious bodily injury or death, or a substantial life disruption. * Aurora Beacon-News | Batavia delays new downtown TIF district plans: At a meeting last week, the City Council opted to temporarily pause moving forward on the creation of the new TIF District 7, which is set to include a segment of Batavia’s downtown, largely west of the Fox River. The proposed redevelopment area generally includes property south of Wilson Street, north of Union Avenue, west of South River Street and east of South Lincoln Street. A TIF district is a sort of economic development tool that essentially freezes the amount of property tax revenue each taxing body receives from an area at the point at which the TIF is instituted. The extra or “increment” taxes created by the development of the property go into a special fund used to pay for costs related to improving the area. * WICS | Sangamon County to vote on CyrusOne data center Monday: But Monday night starting at 6pm, Sangamon County board members will finally vote on the project’s permits. Sangamon County board members, unions, and residents for and against a potential data center will flock to the BOS center in downtown Springfield. The Sangamon County data center would be located in an agricultural zone, in the southwest corner of the county. * WCIA | What to know for spring trout fishing season in Illinois: More than 80,000 rainbow trout are being released into 58 bodies of water where fishing is permitted during the spring fishing season. The season starts on April 4, but anglers can start fishing Saturday at select sites as long as they release the fish they catch. At other sites, anglers are not allowed to fish at all before April 4, and anyone attempting to harvest fish before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations. * PJ Star | ‘Truly honored’: Illinois Central College names next president: Jamonica Rolle, who holds a Doctor of Education degree in higher education administration, will assume the position on July 1. “I am truly honored and excited to serve as Illinois Central College’s sixth president, and I extend my sincere gratitude to the Board of Trustees, the search committee, and the entire ICC community for this opportunity to serve,” Rolle said in a news release. “ICC is a thriving college with deep community roots and a proud record of student success. I look forward to working alongside faculty, staff, students, and community partners to advance student learning, expand life outcomes, and continue driving innovation and opportunity throughout the region.” * Tribune | Illinois big men rediscover their nastiness in advancing to the Sweet 16: ‘That’s a recipe to win for us’: Whether it was their size advantage against the lower-seeded teams or Underwood’s challenge in the days after, the Illini, particularly their big men, showed the nastiness is still there. “I think we’ve had them,” Underwood said. “I think they’re maybe just a little refocused on the importance of being that. And that’s going to have to continue throughout.” The Illini have bigger challenges ahead against second-seeded Houston in the Sweet 16 in Houston on Thursday. * The Atlantic | How the Midwest Became the Place to Move: Particularly attractive are towns that are near a big city but have much smaller price tags. Take Rockford, the most popular housing market from the Zillow report. Although it’s within easy driving distance of Chicago, the average home value is about $170,000, to Chicago’s $300,000. A hybrid worker could conceivably work from Chicago a day or two a week while paying much less for a house than if they lived in the city. The same goes for Milwaukee, which is also an hour and a half from Chicago. As more people have moved there, midwestern home values have also risen: Rockford’s home prices are up nearly 10 percent year over year, compared with 3.9 percent in 2020, for example. But because they started at a much lower price point, these homes still seem affordable compared with houses in, say, Miami or Austin.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign stuff
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Comments Off |
|
The best Statehouse advice also apparently applies to baseball
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I flipped to a White Sox game last night and I believe shortstop Chase Meidroth was being interviewed. Whoever it was, the team is apparently taking Dave Sullivan’s sage advice…
|
|
Your occasional state budget/revenue reminder
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Discuss.
|
|
Report: ICE agents at TSA checkpoints in O’Hare Airport, 12 others
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * First, some background from the Associated Press…
* The reforms being pushed by US House and Senate Democrats…
* CNN…
* One thing working in O’Hare’s favor is that its security lines haven’t been nearly as long as those in Houston, Atlanta and San Diego. On Air Parking estimates passengers spend about 45 minutes on average getting through security. Reddit users have been reporting quick lines. * NBC Chicago…
* Sun-Times…
* More… * Block Club | ICE Agents Working At O’Hare Airport Monday As Feds Seek To Shorten Long TSA Lines: The agents seen working at O’Hare Airport wore masks, despite Trump saying in a social media post that he’d “greatly appreciate” if the agents didn’t wear masks while working at airports. Many federal immigration agents wore masks and sought to remain anonymous during major immigration programs — including Operation Midway Blitz — in recent months. * NYT | ICE to Aid Airport Security Amid Partial Shutdown, Border Czar Says: The agents are expected to conduct tasks to free up Transportation Security Administration agents to handle processing travelers, according to an official from the Homeland Security Department, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the location of ICE agents. * The Hill | Homan: ICE officers will not assist with airport security scanning amid TSA staffing shortage: White House border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers will not be directly involved in security scanning measures at airports, a day before agency officials will begin assisting Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees. “Wherever we can provide extra security, I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine, because we’re not trained in that,” Homan told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.” * CBS Chicago | ICE agents seen at Chicago O’Hare International Airport amid long TSA wait times and lines: A passenger who had just arrived at O’Hare said he saw agents “just hanging around.” “Talking. They were just in the exit area, not even the TSA area per se. I guess guarding people where you would see them if they went in the wrong directions,” the passenger said. A TSA worker by baggage claim identified a man dressed all in black inside a security exit downstairs as an ICE agent. That man did not have any insignia identifying him as an ICE agent. * NBC Chicago | Chicago travelers prepare as Trump pledges to place ICE agents at airports: According to officials, more than 400 TSA workers have left their posts since the partial government shutdown began in February, leading to long lines and canceled flights at airports across the U.S. * The Hill | Republicans reject Democrats’ effort to pay TSA by suspending Senate rules: Senate Republicans on Saturday voted against an unusual procedural gambit by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) to suspend the Senate rules and advance a bill through the Rules Committee to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The motion failed by a party-line vote of 41 to 49. It needed 60 votes to succeed. * Fox Chicago | Spring break travel surges at Chicago airports as TSA staffing concerns grow: According to the Chicago Department of Aviation, more than 3.76 million people are expected to pass through security checkpoints at O’Hare and Midway, between Thursday, March 19 and Monday, March 30. TSA recommends getting to the airport two hours early for domestic flights. For those traveling internationally, it’s recommended you get to the airport at least three hours in advance.
|
|
It’s just a bill
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * 25News Now…
The Illinois Public Interest Research Group…
More react…
* Daily Herald…
Both bills have passed out of committee. * Press relase…
* Rep. Marty McLaughlin…
* More…
* Press release | Ortíz Advances Proposal Looking to Make Community College More Affordable for Adult Learners: Ortíz’s House Bill 5135 removes the maximum reimbursement rate per credit hour for community colleges, allowing for more tuition assistance to flow to in-state adult learners pursuing their education. Currently, state adult education fund rules unnecessarily follow federal requirements found in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and other regulations. Ortíz’s plan would remove the state from this self-imposed restriction, providing greater flexibility to prioritize adult learner funding. * Press release | IL State Rep. Du Buclet’s Advances Legislation to Expand Youth Civic Engagement in Illinois: House Bill 4339, also known as the Jesse Jackson Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Act, passed the House Ethics and Elections Committee with unanimous support. The legislation ensures that all public high schools offer students of voting age the opportunity to register during the school day in a safe, accessible, and nonpartisan environment. Too often, voter registration efforts are tied to political campaigns or outside organizations that may influence how someone votes. This bill removes that pressure and ensures young people have a first-time voter experience rooted in trust, education, and independence. * Press release | Rep. Sheehan Introduces the Law Enforcement Mental Health Leave Act to Support Officers After Traumatic Events: HB 4715 establishes a statewide standard granting officers five days of paid mental health leave within a 12‑month period when they experience a mental illness resulting from a traumatic event. The bill requires every law enforcement agency in Illinois to adopt a clear, confidential mental health leave policy and prohibits retaliation against officers who use the leave they are entitled to. This bill also extends these protections to campus police officers, Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice employees, and local correctional staff who routinely face high‑stress, high‑risk situations. * River Bender | Harriss Pushes Bill Requiring Solar Developers to Cover Cleanup Costs: Senate Bill 3953 would require companies seeking to construct commercial solar facilities to secure a surety bond before receiving county approval. The bond must be sufficient to cover the full cost of decommissioning the facility and address any environmental damage caused during construction or operation. “Taxpayers should not be forced to clean up after private energy companies,” said Senator Harriss. “This legislation ensures that those who profit from these developments are also responsible for properly maintaining and ultimately removing them.” * WCIA | Illinois lawmakers propose new kratom regulations: If passed, the bill would set boundaries for what can be sold or consumed. Last year, Monticello banned the sale of kratom products in the city, and supporters of that move said they’re on board with this one too. “The problem is, it’s kind of the Wild West. There’s absolutely no regulation for kratom right now, the synthetic or the purely,” said Piatt County Board member Michael Beem. “And I feel like any substance can be synthesized and made into something more dangerous. There needs to be stopgaps in place.”
|
|
Money can’t buy me love
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
|
|
When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Hello Tokyo in Niles brings the fun and charm of Japanese dollar stores to Chicagoland. Owner Jin Park, inspired by his love of family and Japanese culture, modeled the store after popular 100-yen shops. With over 10,000 products starting at $1.99, shoppers can explore snacks, toys, kitchenware, stationery, beauty items, and a wide variety of unique Japanese-themed goods. Findings of a recent economic study are clear: the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Jin in Niles are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: AIPAC funded secretive super PACs that hid contributors and spent big in Democratic primary, new records show. Tribune…
- United Democracy Project, AIPAC’s affiliated super PAC, directed more than $5.3 million to bankroll the groups Elect Chicago Women and Affordable Chicago Now, according to Federal Election Commission filings released Friday night. - The two super PACs, along with UDP itself, emerged as the largest outside spenders in Chicago’s four competitive congressional primaries, part of a surge that reached an unprecedented $32.9 million in outside spending. But who was behind and funded the groups remained shrouded until after the March 17 primary election, a tactic that sparked controversy as opponents decried hidden influence. * Governor JB Pritzker is in California today to participate in a panel at the Common Sense Summit on Kids and Families. * At 1:15 pm, Attorney General Kwame Raoul will hold a virtual press conference to announce new legal action to federal funding that supports multiple programs. Click here to watch. * Daily Herald | English learner programs in Illinois schools face uncertainty amid federal funding cuts: At the start of this school year, most districts around the country had payment of their Title III funds delayed by about two months and were left unsure whether they would receive them at all. “These are very uncertain times for many schools,” said Theresa Guseman, superintendent of Joliet Township High School District 204, where almost a quarter of the student population are English learners. “We’re expecting continual government cuts, but we don’t know what they’ll be yet. It’s hard to plan not knowing what’s coming, so we’re budgeting very conservatively to remain in a strong financial place.” * Tribune | In texts, Gov. Pritzker, Comptroller Susana Mendoza split over Trump-backed school tax credit program in Illinois: Pritzker sent the lengthy message to Mendoza last month after she wrote an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune urging Illinois to join the federal program. In the text, the governor warned Mendoza that the incentives could support schools that “teach values that are racist or antisemitic or Anti-American.” “State/federal tax credit dollars would go to support schools that teach children that gay people are evil, that ‘the KKK was fighting against the decline of morality,’ that white supremacy is God’s will — and other crazy notions,” Pritzker texted Mendoza. * Capitol News Illinois | Regulators OK ComEd’s plan to increase deposit costs for large-load projects like data centers: The ICC called the approval of ComEd’s June request an “important first step.” But consumer and environmental advocates sought broader protections that the commission ultimately determined were out of scope for the proceedings. The ICC did, however, direct its staff to initiate new proceedings next month to investigate the unaddressed issues and adopt new ratepayer protections, recognizing what it called “significant reliability, affordability and policy risks” caused by large-load projects in ComEd’s territory. * Pretty cool…
* Legal Newsline | Google Gemini face scans violate IL biometrics law: Class action: Google has been hit, again, by a class action lawsuit under Illinois’ stringent biometrics privacy law, this time accusing the tech giant of allegedly illegally scanning the faces of people pictured in photos uploaded to be edited through the company’s Gemini A.I. Attorneys with the firm of McGuire Law P.C., of Chicago, filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court against Google, accusing the company of allegedly violating the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA.) The lawsuit was filed on behalf of named plaintiff John Adams, identified only as a resident of Illinois. * Sun-Times | Pritzker quips on weight loss, Rahm and 2028 buzz in Washington speech: Pritzker, who is widely seen as a Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential primary, addressed the speculative chatter during a quippy, joke-filled 13-minute address and did little to squash it. His appearance capped a big week of wins for the governor, who just won his third primary with no opposition and is being credited with helping Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton win her Democrtic primary bid for the U.S. Senate. Pritzker’s popularity among Democrats in the state helped boost Stratton’s numbers — and the governor also doled out millions to a pro-Stratton PAC to help her run ads. “As far as my own plans for 2028, here’s what I’ll say right now, I’m 100% focused on the people of Illinois,” Pritzker said. “That’s not just me talking. That’s also a 2006 quote from Barack Obama.” * WAND | Illinois Secretary of State warns residents about surge in text message scams: The Secretary of State’s Office said the messages threaten vehicle registration suspension, license penalties or other enforcement actions if someone does not click a link or pay an alleged fine. According to the office, scammers have recently improved their tactics, crafting messages that look more official by referencing fake regulations, deadlines or penalty commencement dates. “These text messages look legitimate and are designed to frighten people into acting quickly before they have time to think,” said Giannoulias. “Our office will never send a text message demanding payment or threatening to suspend someone’s license. If you receive a message like this, remember it’s a scam – plain and simple.” * Capitol News Illinois | ‘Illinois farmers can feed Illinois’: State grant program offers assistance: Illinois food producers and businesses can apply for a share of $3.6 million in state grant funding through March 27 as part of a program to reduce Illinoisians’ reliance on food from out of state. The Local Food Infrastructure Grant program, through the Illinois Department of Agriculture, supports small agricultural operations and food producers working with cold storage, processing equipment, refrigerated transportation and distribution systems. * Block Club | Feds Froze $3.1 Billion For CTA Because Of ‘Political Retaliation,’ Suit Says: In a Friday news release, the CTA said the agency responded to federal officials right away and submitted more than 1,000 pages of information to the department on Oct. 21. The CTA said the feds requested more information on Dec. 1 — which the agency provided on Dec. 10. The CTA said it has not received any communication from the department since that time. On Friday, it filed a 51-page complaint in U.S. District Court that accused the federal government of trying to “hold hostage billions of dollars in federal grants for crucial infrastructure projects” in Chicago, which the CTA said violates federal law and the constitutional separation of powers. * Fox Chicago | Community honors fallen Chicago firefighter Michael Altman: Murguia said, “Seeing the support the community come around to support the whole city of Chicago, really, come out and remember Mike and remember him for the great human he was the great friend he was, the great father, he was, husband.” They hope Altman’s family sees the red ribbons and roses placed in tribute to a hero who put others’ safety ahead of his own. Sullivan said, “Hopefully they know they’re loved people care, we support ‘em.” * Sun-Times | Transportation department’s changes to federal diversity program risks hurting Chicago’s small businesses: The DOT has called the Chicago Transit Authority’s diversity programs “discriminatory” and has said it’s reviewing the $5.7 billion Red Line Extension and Red and Purple Modernization projects “to determine whether any unconstitutional practices are occurring.” It froze the remaining federal funding for both projects, totaling $2.1 billion. It also put under review New York’s Second Avenue Subway and Hudson Tunnel projects. “Illinois, like New York, is well known to promote race- and sex-based contracting and other racial preferences as a public policy,” the DOT said. * Sun-Times | Chicago seeks to make the West Side’s Madison Street shine again: “Madison [is] probably the most visible and historically significant commercial corridor on the West Side,” Chicago Department of Planning Supervising Planner Brian Hacker said of the Madison Street Corridor Study. “We’re looking at the levers that we can pull as a city planning department — zoning, regulatory, environmental … to facilitate development.” It’s not a bad time to rethink Madison Street, particularly within the study’s boundaries that include the Near West Side, East Garfield Park and West Garfield Park. East of the study area, construction will soon begin on the 1901 Project, a $7 billion effort by the Reinsdorf and Wirtz families to turn those barren parking lots around the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., into a new neighborhood and entertainment district. * Sun-Times | Park District paints over César Chavez mural as calls grow to rename public buildings in Chicago: On Friday a Sun-Times reporter observed fresh green paint covering a part of the mural where Chavez’s face had previously been before. Other historical figures on the mural including Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. remained visible. A Park District spokesperson confirmed that they had removed Chavez from the mural, saying in a statement: “The Chicago Park District takes recent allegations of misconduct by Cesar Chavez seriously … and are conducting a district-wide review of any other park features that may honor him. Where appropriate, we will take further action consistent with our values and standards.” * Tribune | Aurora’s proposed data center regulations head to final vote: The Aurora City Council on Tuesday is set to consider regulations on data centers that officials say would be among the most strict in the country. Data centers are currently considered warehouses under Aurora’s city codes, so they have no special requirements and can be built in certain areas without Aurora City Council approval. The proposed changes would give the City Council the ability to approve or deny proposed data center developments, plus would set requirements around energy use, water use, noise and other emissions. “What is being recommended by staff is, as far as we can tell, the most restrictive zoning ordinance in Illinois for sure, and very much so among those nationwide,” said Aurora Corporation Counsel Yordana Wysocki, who later called it “the first of its kind.” * NBC Chicago | Court awards nearly $46k to Will County election worker in doxing case: “This verdict is important not just for Ellen Moriarty, but for anyone who has been targeted by false online attacks,” said attorney Joe Giamanco, counsel for Moriarty and managing partner of Giamanco Law Partners, Ltd. in a statement. “People cannot manufacture or spread fake content, try to destroy someone’s livelihood, and then expect to walk away without accountability. Keyboard warriors should pay attention to this verdict and think twice before they go on the attack.” The law, that took effect at the start of 2024, creates a civil cause of action for anyone harmed by doxing. Under the statute, “doxing” includes intentionally publishing another person’s identifiable information (including social media profiles) without consent with the intent to harm or harass someone and that leads to harm of that person, including economic injury, mental anguish, fear of serious bodily injury or death, or a substantial life disruption. * Sun-Times | Judge rules Broadview protest curfew violates First Amendment: Judge Edmond Chang said Broadview’s daily curfew “cannot stand under the First Amendment,” but the village is allowed to maintain the “free speech zones” and can enact a curfew in specific circumstances. * Sun-Times | Suburban couple wants Will County prosecutors investigated for seizing their Ford Broncos, retirement savings: The criminal case against Regnier and Keranen is still in court. But, in a dramatic twist, the couple has beaten a separate attempt by Will County prosecutors to seize millions of dollars in investment accounts and six vehicles under Illinois’ civil asset forfeiture laws. Two of those vehicles — late-model Ford Broncos — prompted a blistering rebuke to prosecutors from a Will County judge who ordered the SUVs returned in January. “The money-laundering statute is not a catchall for all things that the state cannot find in a legitimate way to seize,” Judge Brian Barrett wrote. * Daily Herald | ‘Billions of dollars in savings’: Argonne unveils giant ‘treadmill’ to test and improve truck efficiency: Road-hogging, diesel-guzzling, pavement-shaking trucks may hardly seem candidates for scientific breakthroughs. But researchers at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont would disagree. A team at Argonne’s Heavy-Duty Vehicle Dynamometer Test Facility is eager to debut new technology they expect will improve energy efficiency and move goods more economically. “Anything that you consume is delivered by truck,” Argonne Transportation and Power Systems Division Director Thomas Wallner said during a facility tour Thursday. “And, transportation is probably 10% of gross domestic product, so it’s a huge piece of the U.S. economy and growing, with e-commerce. The importance of delivering goods quickly and efficiently has become even more important.” * 25News Now | State official ‘disappointed’ ISU did not send out emergency alerts after mass shooting: Woodruff is responding to criticism from Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza who said she has a “personal connection” to an ISU freshman who was one of the victims. Mendoza said in a Facebook post that she was shocked by the violence that happened about 2:40 a.m. in the 700 block of Franklin Avenue, just south of campus. “I am also disappointed that apparently ISU did not issue an emergency alert as administrators have done in other shooting incidents near campus,” Mendoza said. * WGLT | Why ISU opted against sending an emergency alert after a mass shooting near campus: As a matter of practice, ISU issues campuswide alerts when they are threats to public safety, but Woodruff said those are determined on a case-by-case basis. Woodruff said Normal Police officers responded when they heard reports of gunfire but were initially unable to pinpoint a location. “We were getting some conflicting information about where it was and so by the time they sorted it out — the location and what had occurred — that imminency had kind of passed,” Woodruff said, adding that at least some of the victims were not on scene when police arrived. * Capitol News Illinois | Carterville coach at center of sexual abuse investigation has history of disciplinary action: In an eight-count “notice of charges,” the district at the time also accused him of drinking in front of students before driving to catch the bus headed for a football game that he helped coach. It also said that he let students remain in his home unsupervised. He did not face criminal charges. Wakey joined the Carterville district in the fall of 2003, days after he ended court supervision for a misdemeanor conviction for providing liquor to minors earlier that same year in Coles County, about 150 miles north of Carterville, court records show. * WREX | Boone County Board Member to be reprimanded after theft charge: On March 10, 2025, Thornberry was charged with theft after being accused of stealing a $20 bill from a donation envelope at a Belvidere church. The local government said Thornberry intended to permanently deprive the church of that money. On March 9, 2026, Thornberry pleaded guilty to one count of attempted theft. Boone County Government said his actions betrayed the public’s trust. * Illinois Times | Leland Grove police chief’s license to be suspended: Starting March 23, Leland Grove Police Chief Dan Ryan will not be able to drive a motor vehicle while he’s awaiting trial for driving under the influence. At a March 20 court appearance, Ryan’s attorney asked for a continuation of the hearing related to an automatic license suspension, which was granted by Sangamon County Judge Rudolph Braud. The statutory summary suspension is a state penalty that automatically suspends anyone who refuses to test, or tests over legal limits, for substance impairment while driving a motor vehicle. The law, which is a civil penalty rather than a criminal charge, automatically leads to a driver’s license suspension for a minimum of one year should the driver of a motor vehicle refuse chemical DUI testing. * Legal Newsline | Female prison workers can sue IDOC over inmate ‘masturbatory attacks’: In an opinion filed March 10, U.S. District Judge Jonathan Hawley, of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, granted a motion to certify the complaint as a class action seeking “relief for themselves and other female medical and mental health employees of IDOC and Wexford at Pontiac for allegedly being forced to endure exposure to masturbation and other vulgarities and sexual harassment on a regular basis as a term and condition of their employment.” According to the complaint, the reported incidents occur nearly daily. Workers accused the defendants of opting against corrective action and affirmatively acting to cause or increase attacks. The women say the situation constitutes violations of Civil Rights Act Title VII protections against sex discrimination and hostile work environments. * WGLT | More McLean County defendants are using ChatGPT as their lawyers. It’s not going great: * SJ-R | Springfield nonprofit loses state funding amid fraud claims: A Springfield nonprofit has had state grant funding frozen by the state, limiting HIV testing and other essential programs. The Phoenix Center has been under investigation from Illinois agencies for more than two years and is now losing funds. In January of 2024, the Illinois Department of Public Health investigation began an investigation into the Phoenix Center grant use, funded through the department. The investigation in conjunction with Illinois State Police has led to all previous grants the nonprofit received, including HOPWA, the John Pritzker Family Fund, to freeze according to the center. * WAND | U of I Board of Trustees approves engineering technology degree at UIS Springfield: The U of I System said the major will help meet employers’ and the state’s need for engineering technologists across the engineering field. The major will debut in the fall 2027 semester. According to UIS News, the 120-credit-hour degree will prepare students for careers in manufacturing, technical management, automation and other industries. * Sun-Times | Illinois’ NCAA path blocked by Houston, a powerhouse that will be hard to handle in Sweet 16: Seven more Sweet 16 matchups were to be determined Sunday, but by the end of tournament play Saturday, the only one set was Illinois-Houston — and, at least for those on the outside looking in, it felt almost as big as it gets. The No. 3-seeded Illini have arrived as a tournament regular under ninth-year coach Underwood and clearly possess the talent and size to have a shot at the Final Four. The Elite Eight in 2024 is the furthest the program has gone since the national championship near-miss of 2005. * Post-Tribune | Experts: SAVE America bill would require more documentation to vote: Driver’s licenses in many states would not be enough. The legislation says that the identification must be compliant with new REAL ID rules and also indicate that the applicant is a citizen of the United States — which few state licenses do. Trump also wants new provisions added to the bill, including a ban on most mail-in ballots and a ban on trans women competing in women’s sports. * LA Times | More than half a million ballots seized by top GOP candidate in California governor’s race: Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a leading Republican candidate for governor, has seized more than 650,000 ballots from last November’s election to determine, he says, whether they were fraudulently counted. “This investigation is simple: Physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes recorded,” Bianco said at a news conference Friday. The unusual probe drew a sharp rebuke from California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, who said in a statement that it is “unprecedented in both scope and scale” and appears “not to be based on facts or evidence.”
|
|
Good morning!
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Live coverage
Monday, Mar 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
|
|
Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Miss Jenny and the Howdy Boys… Miss Jenny is a southern Illinois music icon. Definitely been missing her since she moved out to North Carolina. Get outside and enjoy the weather!
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* The Daily Egyptian | Doody gets GOP nomination for 118th Illinois House seat: The former radio host of the “Working Man Show” said he felt hesitant to enter the race because he’s not a politician. However, after his campaign manager, Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens, asked him to think it over, he was ready for the task, he said in a February interview. Doody said his main goals are to give back to his community by rebuilding infrastructure and promoting tourism. “I know the territory, I know the geography, I know the people. I identify with them,” Doody said in the interview. “When you’re in the super minority like the Republican Party is, then you’ve got to play three-dimensional chess all the time.” * Chicago Reader | The fight over Illinois’s data center boom is coming to a head: The POWER Act would require data centers to bring their own clean energy, ensuring Illinois can meet its climate goals and that everyday ratepayers are not footing the bill for the industry’s electricity use. Consumers in the sprawling PJM market—the largest electric grid operator in the U.S., responsible for delivering power to 65 million people from Illinois to New Jersey—will collectively pay $9.3 billion for energy used by data centers between 2025 and mid-2026, according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. * Press release | Ness, COWL to Hold Literacy Forum in Springfield Tuesday: “This is a great opportunity to hear from subject matter experts on issues they’re seeing in education and explore ways we can better equip both educators and students to improve literacy rates in areas across the state,” said Ness. “This information is invaluable as we get into the thick of budget negotiations and debate what money goes where to get the best deals for our residents and our local schools.” * Crain’s | Johnson proposes $55M tax break for Bulls, Blackhawks 1901 development: With both the administration and local Ald. Walter “Red” Burnett, 27th, in support, the incentive for what’s been dubbed The 1901 Project is likely to be approved as soon as next month, but the tax break raises eyebrows when both a cash-strapped city and Chicago Public Schools rely heavily on property taxes. The potential tax abatement is the first disclosure of public dollars being tapped to support the $7 billion redevelopment of surface parking lots surrounding the United Center into a mixed-use campus featuring a 6,000-seat music hall, 233-room hotel, public parks and up to 9,463 residential units. * Sun-Times | Chicago Park District pays more than $2 million to ‘sexually exploited’ lifeguard: The toxic workplace culture that once festered at Oak Street Beach led the Chicago Park District to pay more than $2 million to a female former lifeguard there — bringing the total legal tab for the sexual misconduct scandal at the city’s public beaches and pools to more than $8.7 million. The misconduct in the latest case included “grooming, exploitation and sexual assault” by park district supervisors that began when the plaintiff was still a “minor,” according to court records. * WTTW | Chicago Appeals Order Requiring Officials to Destroy Millions of Police Body-Worn Camera Videos: Requiring the city to delete those videos could complicate efforts by a team appointed by a federal judge to assess the city’s compliance with the federal court order known as the consent decree, which requires CPD to overhaul the way it trains, supervises and disciplines officers while weakening “oversight by limiting the development of accurate, evidence‑based assessments of how policing is actually carried out,” according to the statement. The city has never destroyed even a single video captured by a CPD officer’s body-worn camera, according to evidence presented to Mullen during the court case brought by the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 7. * Tribune | Campfire Milkshake is back for more at Chicago White Sox games. And it’s bringing some new friends.: “We’re introducing our Campfire Milkshake 2.0,” Nick Toth, executive chef at Rate Field, said with some measure of pride while he stood in front of all the new offerings. The 2.0 version of the shake is not all that different from the original, but “we twisted it up a little bit,” Toth said, “to make it shareable for two guests.” On the field, the Sox have not done a lot of things all that well in recent years. Eleven of the past 15 seasons have ended with losing records. They’ve lost at least 101 games in each of the past three seasons. Hope has dimmed amid the losses, and good seats are regularly available at Rate Field, and usually on the cheap through third-party ticket vendors. * Block Club | DePaul Faculty, Artists Put Pressure On University To Save Art Museum: In an open letter penned by philosophy professor Sean Kirkland and fellow faculty, thousands of DePaul community members, artists, curators and more signed on to oppose the museum’s closure. Since its publication Feb. 28, the letter has received nearly 3,800 signatures. The closure, slated for June 30, “appears to us short-sighted, wrong-headed and grounded in some deeply disappointing principles of prioritization,” the professor wrote. * Daily Herald | Elgin police officer fired for social media posts about immigration enforcement: It’s the second time Lentz has been fired over social media posts. In September 2014, he was terminated by the department after Facebook posts that appeared to have racial connotations. An arbitrator ruled that the termination should be reduced to a six-month suspension after a grievance was filed by the police union. * Daily Herald | ‘It’s very bittersweet for me’: Hollywood Blvd. Cinema to auction decades of movie memorabilia to fund makeover: Some 600 items reflecting decades of accumulated memorabilia, decor, fixtures, and furnishings will be on the block when Donley Auctions holds “The Redesign Auction” for Hollywood Blvd. Cinema. […] “I know we do need to be updated,” she said. “All of the funds are going right back into the building. Nothing will be kept, it’s just to get the new chairs, to do all the updates we’re planning, whole new menu, new rewards program.” * Crain’s | Amazon wants to eat Costco’s lunch in Chicago’s suburbs: With two test case stores opening in Chicago’s suburbs, Amazon is picking a deliberate fight with the likes of big box retailers Costco and Walmart that promises to be a “battle to watch,” analysts predict. The stores mark Amazon’s latest attempt to crack the notoriously difficult grocery market and compete head-on with established players in brick-and-mortar retail — a space where the e-commerce giant has struggled despite its 2017 Whole Foods acquisition and subsequent experiments with smaller-format stores. * Neil Steinberg | Definition of a company man? Calbert Wright, who’s been working at Ford’s Chicago Heights plant since 1963: When Wright began work at the age of 23 at Ford, John F. Kennedy was president. Henry Ford still ran the business — albeit Henry Ford II, grandson of the man who founded the automobile manufacturer in 1903. That means Wright, who prowls the floor today checking that workers on the line have enough parts to keep the robots busy — and takes their place when they go on bathroom breaks — has worked for Ford a little more than half the 123 years since the company sold its first car, a two-cylinder, two-passenger Model A, in red, the only color available, for $850 to Ernest Pfennig, a dentist on Clybourn Avenue. * IPM News | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students to pay more for campus health insurance in fall: Champaign-Urbana undergraduates will pay $30 more a semester, starting in the 2026-2027 school year. Graduate students will pay $37 more. Nicholas Jones is the vice president of the University of Illinois System. He told the University of Illinois Board of Trustees Academic and Student Affairs Committee on Wednesday that costs are increasing because prescriptions are getting more expensive and more students are needing more mental health care. […] Costs are also going up in Chicago and decreasing in Springfield. Chicago students have the highest dollar increase, but will still have the lowest total cost at $753 a semester. Springfield students will pay $1,110 a semester. * WCIA | Champaign Co. evaluating year-long moratorium on mega data centers: Thursday night, the Champaign County Zoning Board of Appeals looked at a year-long moratorium stopping construction on any data center larger than 10,000 square feet. Also part of the conversation was the public. They let the board know how they felt about moving forward. Director of Planning and Zoning John Hall said the county would put together a task force to look into what guardrails they need in place for these centers. Thursday night, the Zoning Board of Appeals decided whether or not to take the next step, and it was a packed house, filled with people eager to let them know that they want this passed. * WCIA | NJCAA basketball tournament brings $1 million economic impact to Danville: The City of Danville is seeing a boost in business this week as the National Junior College Athletic Association hosts its Division II men’s basketball tournament there. Danville Area Community College is serving as the host site for the tournament. The Danville Area Visitors’ Bureau said these games can bring more than $1 million into Danville. Hotels are sold out, and visitors are packing restaurants each night. * WSIL | Shawnee Forest to burn 869 acres at Sulphur Springs today: Officials evaluated weather conditions before the burn. If conditions were not favorable, they were prepared to cancel the activities. Residents were advised they might experience smoke during the burn. “When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road,” an advisory stated. * AP | Judge rules US government overreached with transgender health care declaration: The ruling grants preliminary relief to health professionals who provide the treatments. The judge also denied the government’s motion to dismiss the case. “Today’s win breaks through the noise and gives some needed clarity to patients, families, and providers,” Letitia James, the Democratic New York attorney general who led the lawsuit, said in a statement Thursday. “Health care services for transgender young people remain legal, and the federal government cannot intimidate or punish the providers who offer them.” * AP | CBS News shutters its storied radio news service after nearly a century, ending an era: When it went on the air in September 1927, the service was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow’s rooftop reports during the Nazi bombing of London during World War II kept Americans listening anxiously. Today, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the country and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday. * WaPo | Teens allege Musk’s Grok chatbot made sexual images of them as minors: Police alleged a person arrested in December had used Grok, xAI’s chatbot, to edit photos, including one from the teen girl’s Instagram account, removing a blue bikini from one image to “depict her without any clothes,” according to a lawsuit filed Monday. The teen is suing xAI as part of a group of Tennessee teenagers who allege the company’s AI tools were used to create nude images of them by editing photos in which they were clothed. The edited photos spread across Discord and Telegram in recent months, and some were bartered for other child sexual abuse material in online chatrooms, according to the complaint, which was first reported by The Washington Post.
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Invite
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Credit Unions: Long-Term Financial Empowerment
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Credit unions play a major role in housing stability, financial wellness, and long-term financial empowerment. Programs generally include: ✔ Certified financial counseling These programs reflect the People Helping People cooperative philosophy—helping members build financial security and achieve homeownership. Great Lakes Credit Union Foundation’s Executive Director, Matthew Rizzie speaks to their financial education and counseling program, stating that “every year we work with more than 1,000 individuals and members that need help with looking at their budget, looking at their savings plan, developing a plan to improve their credit. In the last year, not only did we work with more than 1,000 people, we’ve been able to save more than $7 million in homes that would have gone into foreclosure. And in the past 3 years, we’ve saved more than $50 million in homes that would have gone into foreclosure with the work that we’re doing”. Learn more at https://betterforillinois.org/ Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
Comments Off |
|
Question of the day
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * 25News Now…
* The advisory referendum’s full language…
Both Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macías will need to collect at least 10,816 valid signatures to run as independents against Patty Garcia, who secured the Democratic nomination after Rep. Chuy Garcia dropped his reelection bid at the last minute. Patty Garcia only needed 697 signatures, according to the State Board of Elections. For US Senate, independents face a much higher bar, they must gather signatures equal to 1 percent of the vote in the last statewide general election, or 25,000 valid signatures. Democratic and Republican candidates only need a minimum of 5,000. And in the race for Sen. Dale Fowler’s seat, independent candidate William Lo will need at least 3,973 valid signatures to get on the ballot. His opponents, Republican Rep. Paul Jacobs and Democrat Tamiko Mueller, only needed 1,000. * The Question: Should Illinois lower signature requirements for independent and third-party candidates to equalize them with major party candidates? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
|
|
It’s just a bill
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * National Association of Social Workers - Illinois…
* WTVO…
* WTVO…
HB4737 has been assigned to the House Cannabis & Intoxicating Products Subcommittee.
* Canary Media…
* WAND…
* Fox Chicago…
* WAND…
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
Comments Off |
|
Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois lawmakers plan to rescind Cesar Chavez Day. WGN…
- They plan to instead honor Dolores Huerta on her birthday which is April 10. - The New York Times investigation includes sexual abuse claims by Dolores Huerta, a civil rights icon herself. She says she kept silent about the abuse for decades out of fear that it would damage the farmworker movement. * Tribune | ICC approves ComEd proposal requiring multimillion dollar deposits for new data center projects: The new tariff provisions are “an important first step” to addressing the impacts of large demand project applicants and customers (LDPAC) on the grid, ICC Chairman Doug Scott said during the ruling Thursday. The modifications include requiring scaled-up application deposits starting at $1 million per data center project, as well as larger deposit requirements – often in the tens of millions of dollars – for infrastructure buildout such as new substations and transmission connections. * SJ-R | Postmaster General says Illinois is USPS’ ‘biggest problem’ area: He said the district is “right, dead in the center of the heart of where our biggest problem is. Right down the center of America, from Chicago to St. Louis to Memphis.” Steiner added he believes problems in central and southern Illinois to be more of a staffing problem than a network problem. “My understanding is it’s a staffing problem. That it is hard to get employees to work in the plants where we need them to work, and we don’t have a lot of flexibility to give retention bonuses … because of the way our union contracts work. But that area, I can promise you, is looked at by us – not just every week – every single day, and the numbers are getting better. They absolutely are not there yet,” Steiner told Budzinski. * Block Club | Chicago Women Outvoted Men By 23% In Tuesday’s Primary Election, Data Shows: Unofficial results from the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners showed women cast 223,376 ballots and men cast 171,385 — a difference of about 23 percent. Those numbers will change somewhat as final votes are tallied, but they fall in line with historical turnout: Women in Chicago outvoted men by about 23 percent in June 2022’s primary and 19 percent percent in March 2018’s primary, according to data from elections board spokesperson Max Bever. “Election after election in Chicago, female voters outpace men every single election,” Bever said. “There’s generally more female registered voters in Chicago, and they also turn out at better rates election after election.” * Crain’s | Illinois high court finds employers could be on the hook for time worked outside normal hours: Although federal regulations exclude that requirement, the court found Illinois’ wage law does not include any similar provisions. That means employers could be required to compensate employees for required activities outside of the normal work day. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit asked the state’s high court to decide if state law includes the federal regulation found in the Fair Labor Standards Act. The question originates from a civil suit brought against Amazon by two former employees, although the court’s ruling is not an official ruling in that case. * Tribune | Planned Parenthood of Illinois agrees to pay $500K over allegations of discrimination against white employees: Staff were required to regularly attend the DEI training sessions or “affinity caucuses” that were racially segregated, according to the EEOC. Planned Parenthood of Illinois also gave Black employees greater access to time off than white workers, the EEOC alleged. Planned Parenthood of Illinois “took action to remove the manager responsible for the misconduct uncovered by the investigation,” according to the EEOC. * Oak Park Journal | Franklin dominates field in State House 8th District primary: While her 20% winning margin may have been a surprise to some, it wasn’t to Franklin, who said her victory was the result of old school political leg work in the precincts, and networking with people. “It was important to me, as a new face, to not be outworked by anyone,” she said on the day following the election. “Building trust with voters really started when I gathered petitions (in August),” she said. “My strategy was ‘get your (butt) on those doors.’ I knocked on over 25,000 doors. * CNI | Christian Mitchell sizes up the Pritzker vs. Bailey rematch: “I absolutely view Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar as real opponents for a couple of reasons,” Mitchell said. “One is they’re on the ballot, and they’re going to be running hard, and there’s going to be a lot of money probably coming in from the outside in opposition. And I think that at the end of the day, they have a very extreme agenda that would take Illinois backward.” * NBC Chicago | Illinois’ film industry sets new record for production spending: * CNI | Margaret Croke wins Democratic primary for Illinois comptroller: “Thank you to the voters across Illinois for putting their trust in me to serve as the Democratic nominee for state comptroller,” Croke said in a statement Thursday. “I am running for this office to be a fiscal watchdog who will protect taxpayer dollars, ensure transparency in how our state spends money, and pay bills on time. I am incredibly grateful that my message is resonating with so many people across our state.” Results of the closely contested race as of Thursday afternoon show Croke receiving 34.6% of the vote with 92% of precincts across the state reporting. The race was too close to call on Tuesday night as Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, trailed by a few points. * CNI | ‘Illinois farmers can feed Illinois’: State grant program offers assistance: Illinois food producers and businesses can apply for a share of $3.6 million in state grant funding through March 27 as part of a program to reduce Illinoisians’ reliance on food from out of state. The Local Food Infrastructure Grant program, through the Illinois Department of Agriculture, supports small agricultural operations and food producers working with cold storage, processing equipment, refrigerated transportation and distribution systems. The grant program is currently open for applications, and applicants must complete a pre-registration before applying. Funds will be distributed in June. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson fires community safety chief: Gatewood said he received little explanation from other top administration leaders when he was fired, but was told in a meeting by Johnson’s senior advisor Jason Lee that the administration hoped to focus more on policy in place of his on-the-ground approach. Gatewood served as a key liaison between Johnson’s City Hall team and the Chicago Police Department. Leading the office created by Johnson, he became a regular at neighborhood safety meetings, heated protests and crime scenes. Fox Chicago’s Paris Schutz interviewed Gatewood last night. Click here to watch. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Meisha Ross Porter, former NYC schools chief, drops out of the running for Chicago Public Schools CEO: That leaves two finalists: interim CEO Macquline King and Sito Narcisse, former superintendent of East Baton Rouge Parish schools. The Chicago Tribune first reported that Porter had withdrawn. Porter had not yet met with Mayor Brandon Johnson or a community panel, meetings expected to happen this week with all the finalists. * Sun-Times | Brandon Johnson’s budget director got illegal property tax breaks for five years: Guzman and Kaegi say that, until asked by a Chicago Sun-Times reporter about the tax breaks, they were unaware she was violating state law by collecting the homeowner exemption on her investment property and also her Bronzeville home. Illinois law allows homeowners one such exemption every year and requires them to live in the home. Now, Kaegi’s staff has canceled the homeowner exemption on the investment property and ordered Guzman to repay $2,071.89 in tax breaks she got — not what she wrongfully failed to pay for the past five years but just for the past three years. Kaegi also waived any interest payments. * Sun-Times | CPS revokes Aspira’s ability to operate charter schools in Chicago in rare move: Aspira’s two high schools started the school year with about 600 students, but the campuses are being emptied out. Aspira’s leaders said the organization didn’t have enough money to continue operating through the end of the school year, while the district said state law forbade it from continuing to float Aspira as much cash as it needed. Board members did not comment before they canceled Aspira’s contract, but in the past, several said Aspira’s poor financial management necessitated the closure. They also said they felt terrible about the students having to transition midyear. * ABC Chicago | Some question if Chicago school should be renamed after César Chavez sex abuse allegations: At the Haymarket Memorial that commemorates labor struggles through the years, a plaque that honored Chavez is now covered over with black tape. And in the Southport Corridor, a mural outside Cafe Tola honoring Chavez will be repainted with a picture of Dolores Huerta, according to the restaurant’s head of operations. * Tribune | Chicago schools, parks consider renaming César Chavez monuments after bombshell sexual abuse allegations: The reaction to Wednesday’s story was swift and immediate as activists, elected officials and other leaders across the country began talking about changing institutions named in Chavez’s honor. On Thursday, Chicago Public Schools said in a statement that it has begun the process to consider a name change for César E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. The district said it will begin to solicit feedback from the school community and bring recommendations to the school’s Local School Council for review. * WBEZ | Obama Presidential Center is taking a big swing at contemporary art: When you think about presidential libraries, you probably don’t picture fine art. Among the 13 institutions in the United States dedicated to a more recent slate of presidents, only one features a notable commission: an expansive mural created in 1960-61 by regionalist Thomas Hart Benton for the lobby of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. Chicago will be the exception, keeping with President Barack Obama’s vision for a presidential center that veers far from the conventional approach to presidential libraries. Obama and his wife, Michelle, envisioned art as being a fundamental part of the $800 million Obama Presidential Center when it opens on Juneteenth after 10 years of planning and construction. * WGN | Joliet City Council passes 795-acre AI data center development project: JCC passed the A.I. data center development project on an 8-1 vote Thursday evening, moving forward with a project to construct the largest data center in the State of Illinois — roughly the size of New York City’s Central Park. The project is set to construct 24 two-story buildings on the 795-acre campus of the “Joliet Technology Center” near South Rowell and West Bernhard roads, just south of the Chicagoland Speedway. Developers said the project will unfold in four phases across 5-7 years, with each phase including the construction of six two-story buildings and a power substation to tap into high-power electricity resources on the local grid. * Pioneer Press | Glencoe Library $17.5 million referendum passes; will add 4,000 square feet: Glencoe residents easily approved the $17.5 million advisory bond referendum for the library at 320 Park Ave., which has not undergone a major renovation since opening in 1941. The measure received 1,168 votes in support and 590 opposed, according to results posted on the Cook County Clerk’s website. “We were so happy the community came and supported the renovation plan,” Library Director Andrew Kim said. * WCIA | UIS union employees authorize strike amid contract dispute: Union leaders said negotiations have stalled for months, with little progress since talks began last summer. Faculty and staff said they are particularly frustrated with a salary proposal from UIS Chancellor Janet Gooch and school administration. According to union officials, they were offered a one percent raise, amounting to 16 cents more per hour for some employees. Thomas Gebhardt, support staff president for University of Professionals Illinois, said offers like these undermine the value of workers to the university. * Fox Chicago | Takeaways as Illinois basketball dominates Penn to open the NCAA Tournament: The No. 3-seeded Illini pulled away from the Ivy League champ and No. 14-seeded Penn with an epic presence in the post and beyond the arc. Learn More The Illini pasted Penn 105-70. It was the kind of win that gets Illinois over a collapse in the Big Ten Tournament. * NPR | The Postal Service may be out of cash in 2027 without Congress’ help, postmaster says: The warning is the latest development in longstanding money troubles at USPS — a unique federal government agency that relies on stamps and service fees, not tax dollars, to deliver mail and packages six days a week to every address in the country. “I am not sure that the American public is aware that the Postal Service is at a critical juncture. I know that I wasn’t aware of the extent of it before I took on this role, but at our current run rate and if we continue to pay our required obligations in the same manner as we have done in recent years, then we will be out of cash in less than 12 months,” Steiner, who joined USPS last July, said in a written statement released ahead of a House Oversight subcommittee hearing on Tuesday. * Crain’s | Billionaires Uihlein and Thiel pump millions into Republican PAC: The Restoration of America PAC, largely funded by Lake Forest billionaire Richard Uihlein, also gave an additional $2.5 million last month to the super PAC arm of the Club for Growth, which advocates against high taxes and government regulation. Uihlein and his wife Elizabeth contributed $72 million to federal candidates and political groups during the 2024 election cycle, making them the biggest Illinois givers on a ranking compiled by Open Secrets, a nonprofit that tracks money in U.S. politics. The Uihlein family run Uline, a privately held distributor of office supplies and packaging materials based in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
|
|
Good morning!
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Today we have the largely unknown pioneer of electronic music, Daphne Oram… * Stylist…
What’s going on?
|
|
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Comments Off |
|
Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
|
|
Live coverage
Friday, Mar 20, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
|
| « NEWER POSTS | PREVIOUS POSTS » |
