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Underwood tells CNN she won’t run for US Senate (Updated x4)
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Not unexpected…
…Adding… Raja out with a poll from… April?…
Ancient numbers, but interesting. …Adding… Press release…
…Adding… Congresswoman Robin Kelly…
…Adding… Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* AP…
* CUB Warns of June 1 Price Spike on ComEd Bills : While cautioning that pricing information could be adjusted before June 1, CUB said its preliminary review of ComEd tariffs filed Friday shows the utility’s summer supply rate, June through September, would be about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This rate, which includes the supply price and a transmission charge, would represent about a 45 percent increase over last June’s price of 6.9¢ per kWh. The price will change again in October. CEJA will partly offset the price spike. The law requires a line item on ComEd bills called the Carbon Free Energy Resource Adjustment (CFERA) to subsidize energy generated by Illinois nuclear power plants. But consumer advocates pushed for a provision that changes the charge to a credit when energy prices go above a certain level, as in June. According to CUB’s review of ComEd tariffs, this credit will reduce ComEd’s price by about 1.7 cents per kWh, or about 17 percent, in June. While it could be adjusted up or down on a monthly basis, a credit of some amount is expected to stay on bills for at least the next 12 months. * My Journal Courier | Program to explore court’s role in slavery in Illinois: John Lupton and Samuel Wheeler will present “Slavery in Illinois? The Presumption of Freedom: The Illinois Supreme Court and the Fate of Slavery in Illinois” at 7 p.m. Wednesday on the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Lupton is executive director of the Illinois Supreme Court Historic Preservation Commission, while Wheeler is director of history programs at the commission. * AP | Illinois mulls ending a health program for some immigrants living in the US illegally: Rep. Barbara Hernandez, a suburban Chicago Democrat, said the program helps many families. “There’s a huge need in the undocumented community that cannot get health care otherwise,” she said. If Democrats, who control the Illinois General Assembly, can’t find money to continue the plan — estimated to cost $404 million this year — tens of thousands of migrants will be left without Medicaid-style health coverage. * Sun-Times | $15.5M settlement is ‘first win in a series of losses’ on Chicago’s lopsided parking meter deal: “This is our first win in a series of losses on this deal — and it still doesn’t feel like a win,” said former Finance Chair Scott Waguespack (32nd), who cast one of only five votes against the parking meter deal that Chicagoans love to hate. The settlement is further proof that the City Council “rushed through a deal that wasn’t fully open, wasn’t fully transparent” and “should have been shelved,” Waguespack said, a deal created simply to help then-Mayor Richard M. Daley avoid raising property taxes. * WBEZ | Chicago parents say kids will be at risk if Trump guts consumer product safety panel: On May 8, Trump fired three of the five commissioners who lead the bipartisan, independent agency. That came after they voted to advance a safety standard for lithium-ion batteries linked to fatal fires involving e-bikes and scooters in defiance of a Trump executive order requiring White House review of all new proposed regulations. Though the moves are certain to be fought in court, dismantling the agency upends more than a half century of independent oversight of product safety from an agency created by Congress to be largely insulated from politics. * The Triibe | Teen third spaces were once the epicenter of Chicago’s music and dance trends. What happened?: Those spaces have largely disappeared. Mall culture, for example, nearly died as online shopping and social media-inspired dropshipping consumed the consumer. Accidents, shootings and insurance issues led to the closure of teen clubs. So today, the third space for the under-21 crowd has not just eroded, it just might be extinct. […] Schools also played an essential role in the teen social scene of the 1970s and ’80s. During a 2019 panel about high schools’ role in the House and dance scene, House DJs such as Celeste Alexander and Kirk Townsend detailed why school “sock hops” were pivotal. * Crain’s | Mesirow raises $1.25 billion fund for multifamily real estate investments: The Chicago-based firm received commitments from institutional investors for Mesirow Financial Real Estate Value Fund V, which is 66% bigger than the previous fund for multifamily investments. Like Fund IV, which closed with $750 million in financial commitments in 2021, the new fund will target its investments in the top 25-30 U.S. markets, including Chicago. * AP | White Sox to unveil a graphic installation honoring Pope Leo XIV: The graphic installation at Rate Field marks the location where the future pope cheered for Chicago in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. The White Sox beat the Astros 5-3 on their way to a four-game sweep for the title. The team said the pillar artwork commemorates the pope’s Chicago roots “and the unifying power of baseball on the world stage.” * Crain’s | LanzaTech is laying off 44 from its Skokie HQ amid clean energy pullback: The company, which employed 383 people globally at the end of last year, disclosed the layoffs at its headquarters in filings with the state of Illinois and the Securities and Exchange Commission. LanzaTech, one of Chicago’s most successful clean-tech startups, has been struggling lately, scrambling to raise money and cut costs. The company’s revenue declined 21% last year to $50 million, and it lost $138 million. LanzaTech is trying to cut expenses by $30 million a year, or about 20%. * Daily Herald | Parents refuse to give up as St. Alphonsus Liguori school faces closure once again: Then, the threat of closure was announced at the end of December 2015 and families were given the winter to reach a $400,000 fundraising goal that was ultimately met. It bought time to move the school’s attendance from 137 to the Archdiocese of Chicago’s preferred level of 225. But this time, because the archdiocese and parish are in agreement that financial and attendance goals are sufficiently unattainable, no goal was presented to the school community, said Katie O’Dea, senior director of communications and marketing for the Office of Schools. * Daily Herald | New pot dispensary, tattoo parlor get approval from Elgin City Council: It took Elgin nearly five years to find a home for their first adult-use cannabis dispensary. They will soon have a second. Last week, the city council approved a plan for Jane & Buds Cannabis Dispensary to open in the former Boston Market location at 205 S. Randall Road. New council member Diana Alfaro abstained from the 8-0 vote. * WBEZ | Here’s your 2025 guide to farmers markets throughout Chicago : Chicago has a wealth of farmers markets, but reliable information about them can be scattered across websites and social media. To help, this guide brings together the most current information for farmers markets throughout Chicago. (We broke out 56 suburban markets into its own 2025 guide.) * BND | Controversial Freeburg school board member resigns after judge rules against him: Stein’s resignation follows a ruling by St. Clair County Circuit Court Associate Judge Stacy Campbell on May 6 to extend a workplace protection restraining order against him until December. The judge had issued an emergency order last November on request from district officials. Stein was prohibited from entering school property, forcing him to attend board meetings via Zoom. The district’s request alleged that he had screamed and used profanity at board meetings and, in a phone call with Interim Superintendent Mark Janssen, threatened to run over officials with his vehicle. Stein denied the allegations. * WSIL | Tornado recovery: Marion CUSD #2 seeks help for impacted families: The district is asking for donations to assist families in need of essentials like clothing, food, and temporary shelter as they rebuild. “Every contribution—large or small—will make a difference in the lives of Unit #2 students, staff and families who are trying to find stability and hope after this traumatic event,” said the district. Monetary donations, including cash, checks, or gift cards, can be made at any Marion CUSD #2 school buildings or the Unit #2 Administration Office. * BND | What to know about Belleville school district’s 15,000-square-foot CAVE expansion: Belleville School District 201 unveiled the 15,000-square-foot expansion to its Center for Academic and Vocational Excellence, better known as The CAVE, Wednesday. Community members got an up-close look at the new CAVE Annex, which is a separate building that sits southeast of the main building, at an open house. There, they marveled at the retired Falcon jet, tested flight simulators and explored a digitally automated human cadaver. * PJ Star | Tragedy, drama and comedy: Here’s the history of a surviving Downtown Peoria theater: The on-again, off-again saga of Peoria’s Apollo theater is on again, with the site of the historic downtown movie palace up for sale. Along with the listing came interest in the history of the century-old Apollo, once one of a handful of downtown theaters. Today, the venue is a shell of its former glory, but remnants of the storied theater − including its ornate balcony − remain. The Apollo was not the grandest of the downtown theaters, but held its own charms, including a jungle-themed stage mural, graceful ceiling fixtures and wall ornamentation.
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Catching up with the congressionals
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * More adventures in embargoes…
I’ll pass, thanks. * Friday email…
Alex Arroyo is not a DuPage County Board member. He’s on the Kane County Board. * Politico today…
Is it really a SCOOOOOOOOP when the press release went out Friday and I posted it on the blog then and the Sun-Times had it online hours before Politco did this morning? lol * And speaking of that Sun-Times article, here’s more from the 9th Congressional District…
It’s a good piece, you should go read the whole thing.
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Today’s quotable
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Illinois Secretary of State and rumored candidate for Chicago mayor…
Many of the replies are, um, non-supportive. Your thoughts?
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DCFS staffing increases 44 percent, IDHS direct care workers now fully staffed (Updated)
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Here’s something you don’t see much, if ever: A state government touting an increase in staffing levels. But most states didn’t hollow out their workforces to the point where some agencies couldn’t perform their tasks. And I doubt it took many other states almost a year just to hire somebody. Press release…
111 days to hire someone is still too long, but it’s a drastic improvement. You wonder whether the federal government will have to do the same sort of thing in the future after drastically cutting some of its workforce this year, in many cases without much rhyme or reason. …Adding… Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II was interviewed by RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer…
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It’s just a bill
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Illinois Families for Public Schools…
* Click here for some background. Rep. Dan Ugaste…
* Rep. Maura Hirschauer…
* WAND…
* Donovan Griffith, Jack Lavin and Lou Sandoval…
* Illinois Public Interest Research Group Director Abraham Scarr…
SB2385 and its companion bill in the House have yet to pass through committee. * WAND…
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Illinois Medicaid: Working Together To Support The Health Of Our Families, Communities, And State
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] ‘You showed up in my life at the perfect time’ On any given day, nearly 26,000 Illinois residents experience homelessness. Last summer, “Trinity,” a 33-year-old mom from central Illinois, was one of them. Trinity and her children had moved into an emergency shelter, which partners with a Medicaid health plan to host mobile clinic events at their facility. When Trinity showed up at an event, the scope of her family’s medical needs became clear. The family had visited emergency rooms twice in the past week. All of her children were overdue for well-child exams. And Trinity was 16 weeks pregnant—without any prenatal Practitioners acted swiftly, checking up on the kids and performing prenatal assessments on Trinity. She was prescribed medication for extremely high blood pressure and monitored at three subsequent clinic events. In November, Trinity delivered a healthy baby boy. And she brought him home to long-term housing she secured near the shelter—with assistance from her health plan. “You showed up in my life at the perfect time,” Trinity says. “You have helped me so much, and I don’t feel alone.” Paid for by the Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans
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Your moment of small-town Illinois zen
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * From “Joe & Nic’s Road Trip” YouTube page…
* Their drive-throughs of Cabery, Kempton, Emington, Cullom, Chatsworth, Strawn, Sibley, Colfax & Cooksville… * And this is from their visits of Illinois river towns Henry, Lacon, Chillicothe and Peoria…
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When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Findings of a recent economic study were clear — the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product. Retailers like Jessica in Mahomet enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Welch on Crespo: ‘I can’t allow someone to go rogue and be an individual’
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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Seniors’ Lives Are On The Line
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] 20,000 seniors are going without home care because wages are too low to keep workers. Support HB 1330/SB 120 because Illinois seniors deserve quality care. Care can’t wait!
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Open thread
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * A friend of mine came to a little party I threw on Saturday and tipped me to this vintage Illinois campaign video… Click here for more background on Lurlean Hunter. What’s up?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: AG: Tollway violated the Open Meetings Act with settlement vote. Daily Herald…
-Now, the Illinois attorney general’s Public Access Bureau has concluded the tollway board violated several sections of the Open Meetings Act at that Aug. 29, 2024 session. - The tollway previously contended that since the livestream meeting video was restarted after executive session and a recording was available after adjournment, the board had complied with the law.
$148 billion in annual economic value. Thousands of jobs, countless products, and cleaner-burning biofuels mean endless opportunities for our state. Renewable, versatile, and a powerhouse for local economies, homegrown corn and Illinois farmers are creating a sustainable future.
* Tribune | Federal DEI crackdown threatens Illinois graduate student scholarship program: On March 31, the U.S. Department of Justice notified universities participating in the Diversifying Higher Education in Illinois scholarship and the Illinois Board of Higher Education, which disperses the scholarship funds, that the program “unconstitutionally discriminated on the basis of race in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment,” according to an April 11 Department of Justice news release. “After the Justice Department threatened to file suit, the state and six universities suspended the program,” the DOJ release said. * Post-Tribune | Feds want to sentence Snyder on tax charge, cancel bribery trial: The second bribery conviction, over allegations surrounding a $13,000 payment involving around $1 million in contracts for garbage trucks, stood after two trials, only to get overturned last summer when the Supreme Court ruled that the payment was a gratuity, not a bribe, and criminalizing the payment put even routine campaign contributions at the risk of the federal government’s wrath. Overturning Snyder’s conviction had a ripple effect on countless other cases, most notably prominent cases in Illinois, including the trial of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan and the case of the “ComEd Four” who were convicted of a scheme to bribe him. * Sun-Times | Chicago experiences first dust storm since the Dust Bowl 91 years ago: It was the first time the city had seen a dust storm since May 10, 1934, which was during the first wave of the Dust Bowl — a series of intense dust storms caused by a combination of drought and poor farming methods in the mid- to late-1930s — according to National Weather Service meteorologist Zachary Yack. The storm was carrying dust picked up from farms in central Illinois, and raced north toward the Chicago area, bringing 60- to 70-mph winds and reducing visibility to less than a quarter of a mile. Strong winds originating out of a cluster of severe thunderstorms moving across central Illinois caused the dust storm, the weather service said. * Capitol News Illinois | Native ancestors’ return to rest: A paperwork-laden process underway in Illinois: Raphael Wahwassuck, a council member and citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Illinois’ only federally recognized tribe, said that when he started as the tribe’s point of contact for NAGPRA, he was initially greeted by stacks of paperwork. “I had bankers boxes, probably four high, 10 rows deep, of notices that come in,” Wahwassuck said. “Since that time, we’ve cleaned up our internal processes to where now we’re asking for a lot of electronic notices. … I could probably check my phone right now and have maybe 50 (notices), and, it’s just – I don’t know that it will ever slow down.” * Sun-Times | Crowded field of challengers growing as Dick Durbin exodus creates opportunities for Democrats: Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement last month set the stage for a game of political musical chairs, as Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly and Raja Krishnamoorthi quickly jumped into the race. That leaves their districts full of eager competitors. With U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood still deciding whether she’ll run for Durbin’s seat, the 14th District could also come into play. And U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s announcement earlier this month that she wouldn’t be seeking reelection opens her seat wide open. * Crypto News | Coinbase sued in Illinois over biometric data practices tied to KYC checks: Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on May 13, the lawsuit alleges that Coinbase’s Know Your Customer checks involve scanning users’ facial geometry without proper notice or consent, a move the plaintiffs say directly breaches Illinois’ biometric privacy laws. According to the complaint, users were required to upload a government-issued ID and a selfie, which were then processed by third-party facial recognition software. * Capitol News Illinois | After 150 years, Mary Lincoln’s ‘madness’ still haunts American psyche: On May 19, 1875, a Cook County jury handed down a verdict in a case concerning the health and welfare of Mary Lincoln, widow of the former president who had been assassinated a decade earlier. After listening to only a single day of testimony, the 12 men on the jury signed the standard verdict form stating simply that they “are satisfied that said Mary Lincoln is insane, and is a fit person to be sent to a State Hospital for the Insane …” * WIFR | Illinois casinos must implement human trafficking training and reporting procedures: The new rule to combat human trafficking from the Illinois Gaming Board is effective immediately. Illinois casinos must develop and implement human trafficking training and reporting procedures and post awareness notices. “Human trafficking is one of the most underreported and under-identified crimes,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Because human trafficking can come in many forms and can happen almost anywhere, it is important to train people working in industries targeted by human traffickers to recognize the signs so they can report the crimes and help save lives.” * Advantage News | College insurance “mess” debated at Illinois Capitol: Illinois lawmakers are having discussions about pension obligations and payment backlogs which continue to plague the state’s College Insurance Program. Funding problems were discussed Wednesday during a joint meeting of the House Appropriations-Higher Education and Personnel and Pensions committees. Illinois’ College Insurance Program is dealing with a $50 million loan to go along with a $38 million deficit. * Farm Week Now | Q&A with IDOA’s Jerry Costello on poultry ban, state budget: Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) Director Jerry Costello II is citing an uptick in highly pathogenic avian influenza as the reason the agency extended a ban on poultry exhibitions through next month. In this wide-ranging conversation with RFD Radio’s Rita Frazer, Costello discusses this year’s “wild” planting season, expectations from the state budget process and what prompted IDOA to extend the poultry exhibition ban in county fair season. * Crain’s | Johnson’s budget group begins work to plug $1 billion shortfall: Mayor Brandon Johnson launched the task force through an executive order demanding city departments continue looking for efficiencies in the city’s $17 billion budget. The group is expected to deliver preliminary recommendations in August ahead of the city’s annual budget process, with a final report coming in 2026. While the city has long known what’s on the table to cut spending or raise revenue, Johnson is hoping a coalition of labor, business and civic leaders can provide cover for the mayor and the City Council to find the collective political will necessary to implement the measures. * ABC Chicago | Mayor Johnson outlines vision for future of administration at South Side church: “We can be the safest, most affordable, big city in America,” Johnson said. “My vision for the city moving forward, we’re gonna repopulate the West and South Sides of Chicago. We’re gonna educate our children. We’re gonna create opportunities for entrepreneurial growth. We’re gonna build the most affordable, safest, big city in America, and we’re gonna do it together.” * Sun-Times | Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates and her team win reelection: With one challenger, Gates’ Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators, or CORE, won with 64% of the vote, according to the CTU. It’s better than CORE performed in the last election, when it had two opponents, but not a blowout as some had predicted. The CTU did not say how many members had voted. * Tribune | Chicago housing nonprofit providing rental subsidies for very low-income renters facing a $10M budget shortfall: The trust fund is staring down an estimated $10 million shortfall for its $14.1 million 2025 budget as two of its funding streams have dried up. That number represents subsidies for about 600 units. The trust fund said it has sufficient reserves to fill the budget hole for this year. It has also begun a subsidy attrition plan for units that are or will become vacant as of Jan. 1 (the start of its new budget cycle) to reduce costs. About 16% of those subsidies will not be subject to attrition as they are part of a special program serving those with specific needs. * The Triibe | What’s it like to raise teens in 2025?: They might find there isn’t much out there for them. Third spaces have disappeared or been cut off from teenagers, and the COVID-19 pandemic locked many at home for months. Not long ago malls in and around Chicago were the go-to spot for high schoolers with nothing to do, which eventually led to parental supervision rules at Water Tower Place and a youth escort policy at Ford City Mall. These restrictions essentially ban teens 17 or younger from being at these malls starting Friday evening and spanning the entire weekend, unless they’re accompanied by a parent or adult over 21. * The Triibe | ‘There are no places for us to just be free’: “We always talking about the kids, but you don’t hire them. You tell them what you feel they should have and how they should think, and right there is where we go wrong,” Phillips said. “How you going to dissect or solve a problem without the people you deem the cause of it? So you have to have them in a room.” I spoke with eight Black teenagers from the South and West Sides to understand their experiences. They spoke about the challenges of meeting up with friends, the lack of neighborhood spaces to gather in majority-Black communities, and their thoughts on the city’s proposed revised youth curfew policy. Here are their stories, as told to TRiiBE systemic racism reporter Tonia Hill. * Tribune | US Rep. Jonathan Jackson spending taxpayer dollars to rent district office space from longtime business partner: Jackson last spring moved the district office into the first floor of a high-rise in the Theodore Lawless Gardens apartment complex that is owned and managed by Higginbottom. A Chicago political powerbroker who has been an ally of Illinois governors and Chicago mayors for decades, Higginbottom is a close friend of the Jackson family, including the congressman’s father, civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson. * Daily Herald | Rare dust storm that raced through Chicago area caused by strong winds from cluster of thunderstorms: However, this was the first time a dust storm warning was issued that included the Chicago metropolitan area, the agency reported. The last time a significant dust storm affected Chicago was during the Dust Bowl on May 10, 1934. […] A dust storm lasting about three hours developed near Bloomington caused by strong winds originating out of a cluster of severe thunderstorms moving across central Illinois. * Sun-Times | Dozens of people were arrested protesting at the DNC. What happened to their cases?: Nine months after the Democratic National Convention swept over Chicago, the city’s law department continues to prosecute ordinance violations leveled at protesters arrested during demonstrations against the war in Gaza. But the city has little to show for the effort in the way of winning cases at trial or securing meaningful punishments in plea deals. The harshest punishment the city has secured so far was 10 hours of community service as part of a plea deal, according to the National Lawyers Guild, which is tracking DNC protest-related cases. * Daily Herald | Former Kane treasurer’s office employee switches party, announces plan to challenge ex-boss: Cain won the GOP nomination for the 66th Illinois House District in the 2022 primary, but lost to incumbent Democratic Rep. Suzanne Ness. She also lost a bid to serve on the Algonquin-based Community Unit District District 300 school board in 2023 Regarding her party switch, Cain said the GOP is ineffective. “You can’t win elections in 2025 with strategies from 1990,” she said. * CBS Chicago | Emails reveal missing materials, staff shortages, renovation delays at mental health facility contributed to patient’s death: Webster is now suing certain Madden doctors and nurses working the day Anthony died, as well as the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) — alleging neglect in the care of her son. Admission records indicate Anthony was a “moderate risk” for suicide and should be checked on every 15 minutes. An Illinois State Police investigation determined that the observation order was not followed. * Daily Herald | More cops, new fire station needed to handle a Bears stadium in Arlington Heights?: Village officials have been contemplating the question ever since the NFL franchise announced its interest in relocating to the Northwest suburb. It led top brass in the fire and police departments in 2022 to shadow municipal counterparts in NFL stadium communities, including Inglewood, California, Foxborough, Massachusetts, Arlington, Texas, and Las Vegas. But Arlington Heights officials are starting to have more serious planning discussions now that the Bears appear more serious about developing the 326-acre property the team owns on the west side of town. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora schools recruit, fill positions and find alternatives as teacher and staff shortages persist statewide: Last year, the district began partnering with Aurora University to help individuals — including current employees of the district — earn college credit or teaching licenses to fill high-demand positions, said the district’s Associate Superintendent of Staff and Student Services David Ballard. The district is currently working on a similar partnership with Northern Illinois University. The district also provides stipends to bilingual teachers and staff who relocate to the Aurora school district, and it also has a teacher mentor program that it hopes will help attract candidates for open positions. * Tribune | Economic development seen as key to legacy of former Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin: It was hope that drove Irvin, who grew up in low-income housing, was raised by a single mother and was the first in his family to graduate from both high school and college, to make a name for himself, he recently said in an interview with The Beacon-News. And it was that same hope that he later turned towards the city, Irvin said, to make his hometown into something, too. “I’ll be known for a lot of things, but I think what I did best, and what I was able to convey to our residents, was hope,” he said. * WGLT | Central Illinois humanities organizations ask for state funding after federal cuts: The Trump administration has started canceling National Endowment for the Arts [NEA] grants. Much of it was already committed to organizations when it was suddenly cut. The president’s proposed budget would eliminate both the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Lawmakers on the Illinois House’s Museum, Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Committee held a special hearing Thursday to address funding concerns facing the humanities and the arts. It drew organizations from across the state, including Bloomington. * Tribune | Dolton Mayor Jason House won’t rule out public purchase of Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home: “I’m interested in a peaceful transfer,” House, who was sworn in as mayor May 5, told the Daily Southtown. He said he is excited for the property’s potential as an attraction and historical landmark, and is prioritizing ensuring it is “honored in the proper way.” House said it’s too early to say how much the village would be willing to pay for the 1,050-square-foot home on 141st Place or whether it should be converted into a museum or historical landmark. He said he plans to speak with the homeowner early next week to discuss the property. * WGLT | Bloomington residents get letters ahead of 10-year lead service line replacement: The city has been sending out letters to thousands of residents whose water lines are — or could be — made of lead. The letter explains the health effects of lead exposure and steps you can take to reduce exposure. Bloomington Water Director Ed Andrews said the city also sent out the letters last year. Both mail drops sparked lots of questions. “When we start having conversations about lead, lead services, lead pipes, people have legitimate concerns,” Andrews said. “We have not found the perfect combination of media dialogue and upfront letter to help soften that.” * The Guardian | Oklahoma high schools to teach 2020 election conspiracy theories as fact: The previous standard for studying the 2020 election merely said: “Examine issues related to the election of 2020 and its outcome.” The new version is more expansive: “Identify discrepancies in 2020 elections results by looking at graphs and other information, including the sudden halting of ballot-counting in select cities in key battleground states, the security risks of mail-in balloting, sudden batch dumps, an unforeseen record number of voters, and the unprecedented contradiction of ‘bellwether county’ trends.” * AP | DHS asks for 20,000 National Guard troops for immigration roundups, Pentagon reviewing request: How the troops would be used may depend on whether they remain under state governors’ control. Under the Posse Comitatus Act, troops under federal orders cannot be used for domestic law enforcement, but units under state control can. The addition of 20,000 National Guard troops would provide a huge boost to immigration enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the DHS agency responsible for immigration enforcement in the interior of the country, has a total staff of about 20,000 people spread across three divisions. * AP | Moody’s strips U.S. government of top credit rating, citing Washington’s failure to rein in debt: Moody’s lowered the rating from a gold-standard Aaa to Aa1 but said the United States “retains exceptional credit strengths such as the size, resilience and dynamism of its economy and the role of the U.S. dollar as global reserve currency.” Moody’s is the last of the three major rating agencies to lower the federal government’s credit. Standard & Poor’s downgraded federal debt in 2011 and Fitch Ratings followed in 2023. * WaPo | Trump Justice Dept. considers removing key check on lawmaker prosecutions: Federal prosecutors across the country may soon be able to indict members of Congress without approval from lawyers in the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, according to three people familiar with a proposal attorneys in the section learned about last week. Under the proposal, investigators and prosecutors would also not be required to consult with the section’s attorneys during key steps of probes into public officials, altering a long-standing provision in the Justice Department’s manual that outlines how investigations of elected officials should be conducted.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, May 19, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Turn it all the way up… Waste your summer praying in vain
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* Ald. Debra Silverstein…
…Adding… He gone…
* WAND | State Senate Republicans demand the removal of the IL Department of Corrections director: GOP members criticized the IDOC director for the death of inmates under her leadership. State Sen. Jason Plummer said it is a “blessing that no staffers have died.” “She couldn’t even tell us how many inmates have died this year,” Plummer said. * Crain’s | Chicago tourism inches up, but business travel still drags: More than 55 million visitors came to Chicago last year as the city’s tourism sector continued its gradual post-pandemic comeback. But there is still a long way to go on the road to match pre-COVID numbers. City tourism arm Choose Chicago today announced its total visitation estimate for 2024, the first full year after the official end of the public health crisis. The 55.3 million figure was up 6.5% from 2023 and buoyed by a strong return of international visitors, but still trails the record of 61.6 million tourists that visited Chicago in 2019. * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s team defended failed property tax hike plan to investors: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration stressed his attempts to increase property taxes in his 2025 budget in a presentation to city investors this week, his team told reporters Friday. On Thursday, the first day of an annual conference hosted by the mayor’s office, potential buyers of city debt heard from Johnson and his budget team about Chicago’s financial state and its borrowing and spending plans — though this year the mayor broke with tradition and barred reporters from attending. But Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski briefed reporters Friday on what she said transpired in the closed-door gatherings the previous day. * Sun-Times | Chicago Teachers Union leaders face challengers in election Friday: But a group of teachers that calls themselves the Respect Educate Advocate Lead (REAL) caucus don’t see it that way and are vying to take over the union. Erika Meza, REAL’s candidate for CTU president, said the high contract approval mark was due more to members wanting the political turmoil from the nearly yearlong negotiations to come to an end. She thinks members are frustrated by leadership she says has become too insular and combative. She likes REAL’s chances on Friday. * WTTW | National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago Facilitates Repatriation of Ancient Mayan Frieze Back to Mexico: The frieze had recently been donated by the family of Jeanne and Joseph Sullivan, based in the Chicago area, who National Museum of Mexican Art Visual Arts Director and Chief Curator Cesáreo Moreno described as being “very happy” the piece is being returned to Mexico. “I really have high hopes that people find out that repatriation can be a really good thing because sometimes when you read about it in the news, it’s a legal battle,” Moreno said. “It’s an ugly story, oftentimes.” * WBEZ | A new play captures the longing of children in Chicago foster care: The play, which opens Saturday and runs through May 23, offers an artistic look at the experiences of young people in Chicago’s foster care system — a system that currently is responsible for 2,428 children, according to Illinois Department of Children and Family Services data. Written in collaboration with LYDIA Home, a nonprofit that provides housing for children in the foster system, the production feels authentic because it is: Foster children co-wrote the show and came up with the characters. * WTTW | Chicago’s Parks Are Full of Trees, But No One Knows How Many. They’re About To Get Counted: In recent years, the district has bulked up its forestry program and has been aggressively planting new trees, Breitenbach said, but it has done so in the absence of a firm tree count. Estimates are somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000. Information on the species composition and health of the district’s tree canopy is also lacking. The district is proposing to close that knowledge gap with a tree inventory, to be conducted by Davey Resources Group, paid for with a $1.3 million grant administered by Morton Arboretum, Breitenbach told commissioners. * WGN | Vintage Chicago entertainer blends history & humor in ‘Park District Bathroom Reviews’: Scorch is the man who named the Chicago River’s large snapping turtle, “Chonkasaurus,” in a viral video. He also penned a poem about hot dogs in the style of Emily Dickinson. Scorch is the man behind a popular series of social media videos that celebrate the city’s neighborhood park system and also spoof the ubiquitous TikTok trend of reviewing real estate and restaurants. He assumes the character of a classic blue-collar Chicagoan as he lovingly reviews Chicago Park District bathrooms. * Sun-Times | Hometown kid Nicky Lopez to see Crosstown Classic from the other side: “When I was younger, it was very hostile and a very big rivalry,” Lopez said in a conversation with the Sun-Times. “But everyone gets up for it, so you can see the fans getting into it.” Lopez, the hometown kid, was with the White Sox last year. The franchises were on opposite trajectories — the Sox rebuilding and the Cubs nursing playoff aspirations. But the two games at Wrigley Field were nail-biters. * Daily Southtown | Glenwood trustee candidate Rodrick Murdock may challenge coin-toss win of Felicia Brown: Rodrick Murdock, the only candidate on Village President Toleda Hart’s slate who did not win a board seat, tied with incumbent Felicia Brown, who ran on former Village President Ronald Gardiner’s Glenwood Progress Party slate, with each receiving 617 votes, according to the Cook County clerk’s election results. “At one point, I thought that I was winning the election. The opposing party didn’t want to concede because they thought the vote was too close,” Murdock said. “We have a right to challenge the ballots to make certain that there’s nothing wrong about the ballots, meaning that if there’s wrong addresses on the postmarks, the signatures and things of that sort.” * Tribune | Homer Glen board votes to ban nitrous oxide to prevent recreational use: “We don’t need it in our village,” said Homer Glen Trustee Curt Mason, chair of the village’s Public Services and Safety Committee. “It’s another addiction. It’s another method for people to make money off the demise of our children, and it’s not going to happen here.” Nitrous oxide is sold under multiple brand names such as Galaxy Gas, MassGass, and Whip-it!, according to the FDA. Village Manager Joe Baber said because of way it can be misused, it’s concerning. Flavored nitrous oxide containers appear to be marketed to children, he said. * Shaw Local | ‘Whole new city’: Joliet unveils plans for reimagined downtown: More than 100 people came to an open house this week on plans for redevelopment in downtown Joliet, showing at least that the public is interested in seeing change. The plans presented to the public included construction of multi-story apartment buildings to bring residents downtown and moving City Hall to make room for riverfront construction. * Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office back to in-person operations after AC repairs: The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office is operating fully in person again, according to a press release from the office Friday, following the completion of air conditioning repairs at the Kane County Judicial Center. The office shifted to remote work on April 29, citing excessive indoor heat in its facilities at the judicial center in St. Charles. The office retained minimal in-person staff for essential operations. The repairs were part of a $2 million air conditioning system renovation to replace failed chillers at the judicial center that maintained the building’s temperature, air flow and air quality, according to Friday’s release. * Daily Herald | Suburban police officers hit the rooftops to raise money for Special Olympics: Elgin police Detective Blake Huffmon could have climbed up on a rooftop. But he made a more perilous choice when he climbed inside the Dunkin’ coffee cup mascot costume during Friday’s annual Cop on a Rooftop fundraiser for Special Olympics. “It’s sweaty. It doesn’t smell the best. My back and shoulders hurt,” Huffmon said from inside the costume. “But it’s for a good cause. We’re here for the athletes.” * Daily Herald | ADP moving 1,000 employees from Elk Grove Village to Zurich building in Schaumburg: A deal has been announced for ADP payroll services to relocate from its Elk Grove Village offices to join Wheels, Inc. in leasing space Zurich North America has made available for tenants at its iconic Schaumburg headquarters. On Aug. 1, the payroll company will move 1,000 employees to Schaumburg. Representatives of Zurich confirmed the deal Friday, though their counterparts at ADP did not respond to a request for comment. * Naperville Sun | New golf simulator business seeking Naperville OK to serve beer and wine: Clubhouse540, a new indoor golf business to be located at 1466 Chicago Ave., is one step closer to opening after passing through the Naperville Liquor Commission with ease last week. The business requested an increase in the number of Class M recreational liquor licenses so it can offer alcohol to patrons during virtual play. Commissioners unanimously endorsed the request. The matter is headed to the Naperville City Council for consideration at its meeting Tuesday night. * KFVS | More than $2M in grants awarded to 2 southern Ill. grocery stores: The grant money includes $9.6 million through the Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores in Food Deserts Program and $600,000 through the Equipment Upgrades Grant Program. According to the governor’s office, the money will address food deserts and prevent grocery store closures in Illinois. Grantees were selected through Notice of Funding Opportunity processes. * WQAD | Woman accused of embezzling over $900K from Rock Island County released from jail with ankle monitor: Cichon also argued that Streeter poses a flight risk. He cited overseas travel, including a recent trip to Hawaii and past visits to Europe, as well as the possibility of undiscovered assets that could help her flee. He noted that hundreds of thousands of dollars remain unaccounted for. * PJ Star | ‘Vile’ social media onslaught follows East Peoria restaurant’s inaccurate Facebook post: In a now-deleted Facebook post, Peoria barber Jorell Glass and his family were accused of walking out on their bill at El Gallo Bar & Grill in East Peoria. Glass later showed they had paid the bill via QR code, and the restaurant owners say a glitch in their system was to blame. The restaurant, which later issued an apology and deleted the original post, says it has received backlash after the incident, including threats. * Press release | Gov. Pritzker Cuts Ribbon on New Enclosed Arena at Giant City Stables: Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), Senator Dale Fowler and local leaders to celebrate the opening of a new enclosed horse arena at Giant City Stables. The new enclosed facility, part of Giant City State Park in southern Illinois, will offer year-round therapeutic horse-riding for youth, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, as well as riding lessons and trail rides for the park’s visitors. The design offers greater privacy for therapeutic riding lessons, while preserving the dignity of clients and their families. * Press Release | SIU Carbondale among 21 U.S. universities named top for research and opportunity: “Many institutions can say they conduct top-level research, and many schools can say they offer affordability and a great return on investment,” said Chancellor Austin A. Lane. “These designations from Carnegie show very few – less than 1% in fact – can say both. At Southern, we can.” One-hundred-eighty-seven of the nearly 4,000 institutions evaluated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education are Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production, or R1, the same designation as elite private universities and flagship schools. R1 universities must have at least 70 research doctorates and $50 million in research expenditures. In 2023, for example, SIU Carbondale had 102 research doctorates and $58.3 million in research expenditures. * New York Daily News | Kid Rock’s Nashville restaurant sends staff home to avoid ICE raid: report: Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that ICE and Tennessee Highway Patrol officials had arrested 196 undocumented individuals. Less than half of those taken into custody had criminal records, DHS officials said. The other two restaurants owned by the conservative restaurateur that were reportedly forced to close their kitchens and interrupt the busy weekend rush were Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and Rippy’s Honky Tonk. * CNBC | Consumer sentiment slides to second-lowest on record as inflation expectations jump after tariffs: The index of consumer sentiment dropped to 50.8, down from 52.2 in April, in the preliminary reading for May. That is the second-lowest reading on record, behind June 2022. The outlook for price changes also moved in the wrong direction. Year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 7.3% from 6.5% last month, while long-term inflation expectations ticked up to 4.6% from 4.4%.
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Repeal IFPA Now
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.]  IFPA Will Harm our Members and our Communities. “Our cards are absolutely critical to our members.” Stop the Chaos for Our Hard-Working Credit Union Members! Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.
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Rep. Morgan calls congressional AI proposal ‘as dumb as it is risky’ (Updated)
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * It’s just a bill, but it could be a big one…
* Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) has an AI regulation proposal this year. Morgan’s response…
* Elon Musk’s Grok offers a case in point…
* The Sun-Times ran two opposing and informative op-eds on this topic. Click here to read them. Thoughts? …Adding… Interesting point…
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Governor moves some universities to ‘no position’ on his community college baccalaureate bill
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * From the governor’s office…
* From the universities…
Discuss.
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False alarm - Pritzker will not be traveling to Utah on May 31
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Deseret News…
Pritzker traveling to Utah on the final scheduled day of spring legislative session would be big news… in Illinois. But that’s not happening. “He’s delivering a video message,” campaign spokesperson Jordan Abudayyeh said today.
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Still not a done deal, but Bears now focusing far more intently on Arlington Heights
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Tribune…
I’m told the Bears finally figured out they couldn’t obtain state funding for a new stadium and it would have to be privately funded. The Arlington Heights site would not require government funding. * However, the Bears would still likely have to pass a bill through the General Assembly…
The legislation is Rep. Mary Beth Canty’s HB2789, which wouldn’t be Bears-specific. But that’s still a heavy lift because it would trigger a Bears Chicago exit (Bexit?). And, keep in mind, Canty will need 60 firm House Democratic votes to move it forward. But Sen. Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights) told Isabel that a proposal would be “negotiated among the Governor and Legislative leaders.” We’ll see if that even happens. Such a bill could cause a lot of intra-party division at a crucial spring session point. Again, we’ll see. “Members will support what works for them,” Walker said. “The Bears are a valuable asset for Illinois, and I will support whatever’s best for them and the state overall. It now appears what’s best will be the Bears moving to Arlington Heights.” * From Mayor Brandon Johnson’s press office…
Background info…
• The Bears have been looking at multiple options. • The City remains open and will help facilitate any movement to keep the team in Chicago. • The Bears have been considering moving to Arlington Heights since 2021.
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Free clinic warns it can’t replace state health insurance program for undocumented residents
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Deputy Gov. Andy Manar was on WJPF Morning news yesterday…
* I asked for a response from Laura Starr, Director of External Affairs for the free clinic CommunityHealth…
Thoughts?
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It’s just a bill
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WAND…
* WGLT…
* One Aim Illinois Executive Director Yolanda Androzzo and Paul Nestadt from Center for Gun Violence Solutions…
* WGEM…
* Sen. Willie Preston…
* Sen. Bill Cunningham…
* Rep. Katie Stuart…
* WAND…
* Sen. Rachel Ventura…
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A last-minute provision called the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA) was snuck into the budget process last May and will create chaos for small businesses and consumers across Illinois if it takes effect on July 1, 2025. The IFPA gives corporate mega-stores like Walmart and Home Depot — who pushed for this backroom deal — millions more in profits, while small business owners get new expenses and accounting headaches. What’s more, consumers could be forced to pay for parts of their transactions in cash if this law moves forward. A recent court ruling in the litigation challenging the law suggests IFPA is likely pre-empted by federal law for national banks and will only apply to credit unions and local Illinois banks, putting local banks at a disadvantage against their national competitors. Illinois lawmakers should repeal the IFPA and focus on protecting small businesses and consumers across the state — not lining the pockets of corporate mega-stores. Stop the countdown to chaos by supporting a repeal of this misguided and flawed policy. Learn more at https://guardyourcard.com/illinois/ 
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Sen. Peters reports good haul in first 72 hours (Updated with Biss $ numbers and comparison to ‘influencer’)
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Not bad. No word yet on how many text messages Peters had to send to get these results /s…
…Adding… Daniel Biss did well…
* And by “well,” I mean that a certain “influencer” received national coverage for raising $150,000 less than Biss in her first 24 hours for the same race… 
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Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] What if Illinois could expand its energy grid, attract AI and emerging tech companies to the state, and provide over 60,000 new jobs with no impact on communities or the environment? SOO Green makes it possible. Built along existing rail corridors, this underground transmission project will deliver 2,100 MW of low-cost reliable power making the electric grid more resilient in the face of extreme weather while unlocking billions in economic investments for Illinois. The SOO Green Advantage:
• 60,000+ new jobs • Lower energy costs for families and businesses • $26 billion in economic benefits statewide • $9.8 billion in health benefits by reducing emissions With SOO Green all ratepayers will enjoy a more reliable grid, protection from rising energy costs, and a stronger economy for Illinois. Learn more at www.soogreen.com.
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Open thread
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I highly recommend the Carter Vintage Guitars YouTube page. I visit multiple times a week to watch gems like this… Happy Friday.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois considers lowering scores students need to be considered proficient on state exams.Chalkbeat Chicago…
- “Our system unfairly mislabels students as ‘not proficient’ when other data — such as success in advanced coursework and enrollment in college — tell a very different story,” state schools chief Tony Sanders wrote in a message to school leaders this week. - The Illinois State Board of Education agreed Wednesday to move ahead with a process to change the state’s testing system, though the exact details still are being worked out. - That process will include creating new “cut scores,” or the lowest score needed for a student to be sorted into broad categories of achievement on state assessments. 
* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Sun-Times | Illinois is the last state still unlawfully stripping wealth from homeowners in tax foreclosures: The Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a decades-old practice of taking every cent of people’s home equity over unpaid property taxes. Experts say Illinois lags behind other states with a segregation-era law that mostly affects Black communities. * Tribune | Hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents could lose Medicaid coverage under House Republican proposals: It’s unclear exactly how much federal money Illinois could lose under the current proposals, but a number of the provisions would directly affect Medicaid funding in Illinois. The bill includes work requirements for people on Medicaid, and would restrict taxes that states including Illinois now impose on providers to help raise money for Medicaid. It would also cut funding for states that offer health care coverage to undocumented immigrants, such as Illinois — a provision that could trigger an end of coverage for more than 770,000 Illinois residents who gained it under the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid. * 21st Show | One-on-one with Senator Dick Durbin ahead of retirement: U.S. senator for Illinois, Dick Durbin is in his fifth term in the Senate, and for 20 years he’s been the number two Democrat there. However, he recently announced he would not be running for reelection. Durbin discusses working with Republicans on budget negotiations and the Trump administration’s latest policy decisions. * Press release | Youth Unemployment tops 80% in parts of Chicago, new report shows: The report, “Youth Employment Data Brief: Racial and Geographic Inequities in Youth and Young Adult Joblessness and Disconnection in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and the U.S., 2019–2023,” finds that while overall labor market conditions have improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, many young people, particularly those in communities of color, remain disconnected from both school and work. To fill the gap, a coalition of nonprofits proposes a job-training and placement program fueled by a $150 million appropriation from the state. Coalition members say that money could put 50,000 jobless youth and young adults into jobs paying $15 per hour throughout the summer and for the entire year for those not in school. * WAND | Pritzker administration lowers Fiscal Year 2026 revenue projection by $536 million, citing unpredictable Trump economy: “Recent reports have been pointing to slower GDP growth and even the potential for a recession,” said GOMB Director Alexis Sturm. “So, like we do every year, we’ll overcome those challenges and pass a balanced budget but we do recognize that there is a lot of uncertainty and headwinds at the state level.” Meanwhile, the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability said Illinois could expect to end the current fiscal year with roughly $54 billion in revenue. COGFA leaders said the revenue growth comes from strong income tax receipts during April. * Press release | Healthy Illinois urges state to protect healthcare for all: “HBIA is a lifeline for the 33,000 individuals who depend on the program for lifesaving care. Despite the continuation of the process ending the program, we are committed to working with our state legislators to protect access to coverage,” said Enddy Almonord, director of the Healthy Illinois Campaign. “The program saves money for the state in the long run and protects the lives of people who are vital to our state’s culture and economy. “There is no other viable alternative, and there is no valid reason for Gov. Pritzker and Illinois to abandon their leadership position on this vital issue. In the face of the federal government’s threats to punish states for protecting their most vulnerable populations, Illinois must not capitulate but instead continue to defend healthcare for everyone, regardless of immigration status.” * Sun-Times | City has run out of money set aside for settlements, but $62M more has been added to tab: The city of Chicago has already gone through the $82 million that Mayor Brandon Johnson set aside for settlements and judgments in 2025. Now the fund could soon be $62.4 million in the hole. That’s how much six new settlements on the agenda for Monday’s meeting of the City Council’s Finance Committee would end up costing taxpayers. That’s not counting a $15.5 million settlement to private investors who leased Chicago parking meters. * Crain’s | Two years in, Brandon Johnson’s progressive allies worry their movement is stalled: Without getting into specifics, Johnson acknowledged he didn’t do enough to keep his coalition together as he filled out his administration while responding to the influx of roughly 30,000 migrants bused and flown to Chicago from the southern border. “I did not do the due diligence of securing and making sure that the coalition had everything that it needed and had complete understanding of what we were facing,” the mayor told Crain’s. “That was an error on my part, and I should have worked harder to ensure that that coalition remained engaged.” * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson, Chicago finance officials to privately pitch investors: “Closing it to the media undermines the transparency that residents and taxpayers deserve — particularly at a time when major decisions about debt, investment, and budget strategy are being made,” the letter said. Jaworski responded in a letter hours after the conference kicked off. “We recognize and respect the important role the media plays in fostering transparency, accountability, and public understanding of the City’s financial outlook and policy decisions,” she said, but limiting the meeting to just “current and prospective municipal bond investors, credit analysts, and ratings agencies … is consistent with peer municipalities across the country.” * Crain’s | Jenner & Block lawyer’s security clearance pulled by Trump administration: A lawyer for Jenner & Block, which is challenging the Trump administration’s executive order against the firm, had their security clearance suspended, according to a court filing. Jenner won a temporary restraining order in March blocking much of the actions outlined in Trump’s executive order, including restrictions on access to federal buildings and the termination of government contracts with the firm, but the section related to security clearances was not addressed. * Chalkbeat Chicago | A quarter of Chicago high schoolers missed more than a month of school last year: Across Chicago Public Schools, nearly 25,000 high school students — or a quarter of all high schoolers — missed at least 35 days last year, according to CPS data obtained by WBEZ and Chalkbeat. That’s double the number of students who missed that much school in 2019 — and twice the number of days the state deems troublesome enough to flag a student as chronically absent. * Tribune | Which way, CTU? Election tests union’s strategy and solidarity: The opposition slate argues that the current leadership’s bullish nature doesn’t allow for dissenting voices, lacks financial transparency and has shed union allies. Their presidential candidate, Erika Meza, a 25-year veteran teacher from the Southeast Side, is unhappy with what CTU has come to symbolize. “There’s a lack of solidarity right now. We want to bring that back,” Meza said in an interview with the Tribune. “We need to make this a decision for the whole union.” * Crain’s | ‘Makes no sense’: UIC dental dean blasts science behind FDA fluoride order: Federal regulators now want to remove ingestible fluoride supplements from the market, claiming they harm children, interfere with the gut microbiome and are not necessary because topical fluoride on the teeth is what actually matters. Dentists in and around Chicago don’t see the line. * Tribune | Oak Park trustee Susan Buchanan once targeted by InfoWars resigns, citing burnout: She got her first and perhaps worse taste of that vitriol in the fall of 2019, less than six months into her first term on the Village Board. Buchanan received threats that caused her and her family to leave their home for a couple days after she had what she described in retrospect as a “hissy fit” when she told two white male Village Board members, Deno Andrews and Dan Moroney, to “shut up” when they asked for the term “systems of oppression” to be clarified during a discussion of the village’s diversity statement. Despite apologizing for the comment after the meeting, her “shut up” comment went viral when a video of her comment was posted on Infowars, the website hosted by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. * ABC Chicago | Thousands across Chicago area wake up without power after storms topple trees, power lines: On Thursday evening, the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch and Severe Thunderstorm Warning for multiple counties in Illinois and northwest Indiana. They have all since expired. Clean up began since Thursday night for city and sububran public works. ComEd said more than 47,000 woke up without power on Thursday. * Lake County News-Sun | Federal funding cuts hurting Lakeside Tower improvement plans; ‘We’re living in uncharted territory’: “We may have to lessen the scope of our plans if we have $9 million less,” he said. “We’ll see what happens with court cases. We’re living in uncharted territory.” After the city of Waukegan sued the former owners of the building for what then-Mayor Ann Taylor called “inhumane conditions,” the lawsuit resulted in a sale to the current ownership nearly two years ago. Valery said at the time at the time of the purchase his group planned to spend $20 million giving each of the 150 apartments new kitchens, bathrooms and more, as well as curing years of deferred maintenance untouched by the former owners. * Daily Herald | Long Grove planning chair replaced in wake of QuikTrip vote: The village board delayed the vote on QuikTrip last month after it became clear the board did not have the four votes needed to pass. During the meeting, Kritzmire, who was sitting at her last meeting as trustee, declared her support for QuikTrip. Following the appointment, one of Wilson’s fellow commissioners, Archana Mohanchandra questioned Jacob about whether Wilson had resigned and why she was replaced. “She has not resigned at this point,” he said. “We’re going in a different direction.” * Crain’s | With federal action looming, Northwestern hits the gas on lobbying efforts: In the first quarter of this year, the school has doled out more than $600,000 toward lobbyists, according to federal records, nearly exceeding what the university would typically spend in a full year on such efforts The big Q1 follows a year when the school spent more than $1 million on lobbying, its largest figure on record, according to the nonprofit database OpenSecrets, which tracks lobbying expenditures. The nonprofit has NU’s annual congressional lobbying figures going back to 1998. * Tribune | After Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss announced run for Congress, locals have mixed reactions: Newly elected 8th Ward City Councilmember Matt Rodgers said he was split on whether or not Biss running for Congress is a good move for the city and its residents. “I think it’s very beneficial anytime you have someone who’s local in a national office and they understand Evanston, they fully get Evanston,” Rodgers said, adding that it can boost the amount of federal grants the city could receive from the federal government, particularly at a time when the feds are looking to make cuts. * Daily Herald | Bird-friendly rules extended to new residential construction in unincorporated Lake County: Changes to the building code approved Tuesday by the Lake County Board require that at least 80% bird-friendly glass be used on exterior surfaces from the ground level to 100 feet. The rules take effect July 12 and also apply to accessory structures such as free-standing glass walls, railings, windscreens, greenhouses and similar features. * WSIL | Marion’s STAR Bond Project breaks ground, promising jobs and growth: Gov. JB Pritzker and local leaders broke ground on a new 550,000 square-foot retail, entertainment, and hospitality development in Marion. This project is the first Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond Project in Illinois. “Today’s groundbreaking is one of the direct results of our bipartisan efforts to bring to life the economic growth opportunities that were stifled for far too long in Marion and Southern Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. * Fox 2 Now | Pritzker unveils new grocery store for Venice community: Illinois Grocery Initiative is really about growing those locally grown initiatives,” Pritzker said. “The idea here is that it can be a private enterprise or small business or a public enterprise coop or anything in between. The grocery initiative is about something that is locally grown helping it thrive or helping it come into existence without the state imposing an answer about it.” Former Superintendent Ed Hightower was asked to help revitalize the struggling community. He turned to lawmakers who found a bipartisan way forward through the Illinois Grocery Initiative. * BND | O’Fallon bank VP’s alleged ‘financial betrayal’ detailed in police reports: Police reports provide a deep look into the investigation of a metro-east bank executive who federal prosecutors have accused of defrauding his employer of nearly $2 million and stealing another nearly half million dollars from a Lebanon couple’s retirement savings. The reports portray a man who borrowed from wealthy friends to support extravagant spending habits – including a $200-per-day allowance for a favorite waitress who called him “sugar daddy” – and out of desperation committed bank fraud when his debts came due. * WGLT | McLean County Board formalizes transit provider swap, upgrades jail to protect guards: The McLean County Board on Thursday approved a resolution formalizing an intergovernmental agreement between Connect Transit and the county to provide rural transportation services. The resolution allows Connect Transit to take control of the county’s rural transportation service. The county will help with policy for hours, services, fares charged and the annual budget. In June of last year, the board officially withdrew from an intergovernmental agreement [IGA] with ShowBus. * WCIA | Fisher making efforts to get first public library: Right now, they’re still in the initial process and are hoping everything goes smoothly. One volunteer said this isn’t their first time making the attempt for a public library. “Fisher is one of the only small towns in the area that doesn’t have their own library,” said volunteer Kim Clemmons. “About 25 years ago, there was a push to try to get one at that point, and the tax referendum failed at that time. We definitely could use a library here in our town.” * WSIL | Southeastern Illinois College celebrates 63rd graduating class: “In a world that can feel increasingly fast-paced and far away from places like this, it’s important to remember that some of the most valuable skills don’t just come from a textbook,” Weiss said. “They’re forged in real life—in long shifts and late nights, in caring for kids while attending class, in commuting long distances to chase a dream.” Weiss also acknowledged the college’s achievements, including state championships in speech, Model Illinois Government, and eSports. * Next Gov | DOGE went looking for phone fraud at SSA — and found almost none: Under the new policy, the agency found that only two benefit claims out of over 110,000 had a high probability of being fraudulent — and they aren’t guaranteed to be so. Less than 1% of claims were flagged as even potentially fraudulent at all. “No significant fraud has been detected from the flagged cases,” the internal document said. * WaPo | What we get wrong about Mark Twain: Overall, Chernow’s “Mark Twain” is less a literary biography than a deep dive into “the most original character in American history.” Born in 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who adopted the pen name Mark Twain, was by turns a printer, steamboat pilot, journalist, stand-up storyteller, best-selling author, publisher, political pundit, champion of racial equality and all-around scourge of authoritarianism. * ARS Technica | Judge admits nearly being persuaded by AI hallucinations in court filing: “Directly put, Plaintiff’s use of AI affirmatively misled me,” Judge Wilner wrote in a May 5 order. “I read their brief, was persuaded (or at least intrigued) by the authorities that they cited, and looked up the decisions to learn more about them—only to find that they didn’t exist. That’s scary. It almost led to the scarier outcome (from my perspective) of including those bogus materials in a judicial order. Strong deterrence is needed to make sure that attorneys don’t succumb to this easy shortcut.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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Jackson says he didn’t formally endorse Robin Kelly
Friday, May 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller [Bumped up to Friday for visibility.] * Tribune…
Rep. Kelly has endorsements from several members of the Congressional Black Caucus, but none of those members represent Illinois.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were told about this earlier today. Tribune…
* Crain’s…
* Bloomberg | Pepsi Asks Another Illinois Court to Reject Tax Dodge Claims: Pepsi asked an Illinois appeals court Wednesday to cancel a $10.9 million tax bill just months after a sister circuit upheld another assessment after finding a subsidiary isn’t tax exempt. A state trial court ruled in January that PepsiCo Inc. should’ve included snack food subsidiary Frito-Lay North America Inc.’s income on its Illinois tax returns because Frito doesn’t operate as an exempt foreign corporation. The court upheld the Illinois Department of Revenue’s determination that Pepsi set up PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC as a shell company under Frito-Lay to exclude Frito-Lay’s earnings from its Illinois combined tax return in 2016. * WaPo | David Hogg, who has rankled DNC, makes first endorsement in open Ill. race: The DNC vice chair used his organization Leaders We Deserve to back liberal state Sen. Robert Peters in an open congressional race in Illinois. Hogg has drawn criticism over his strategy of involving himself in primaries. * WAND | Illinois House passes bill requiring stricter police hiring practices following Sonya Massey’s murder: Police departments would not be able to make final offers of employment for probationary or law enforcement officers unless they review all past employment records, including background investigation materials, duty-related physical and psychological fitness-for-duty examinations, work performance records, arrests, convictions, and any records of criminal, civil, or administrative investigations of conduct. * WICS | Home care workers rally for fair pay amid Illinois budget talks: Greg Kelley, president of SEIU Healthcare Illinois, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “Over twenty thousand seniors in Illinois who need home care services are not receiving care,” Kelley said. “Meanwhile, frontline home care workers, who care for our family members, can’t pay rent, or afford the basics on poverty wages.” * WTTW | Pay $15.5M to Parking Meter Firm to Resolve Claim City Violated Deal During COVID-19 Pandemic, Lawyers Urge: The much-loathed 2008 deal requires the city make “true-up” payments to Chicago Parking Meters to compensate the firm for lost revenue when meters are removed, temporarily taken out of commission with the city’s permission or used by motorists with disabled parking permits. Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced during a March 18, 2020, news conference that tickets would “only” be issued for safety reasons and specifically said that parking at an expired parking meter did not represent a public safety threat. Lightfoot told drivers they should still pay to park at meters. * Sun-Times | Firm run by CPS school board chief interested in O’Hare concession sweepstakes, raises potential for conflict: Harden showed up at a recent bid conference for the tranche of O’Hare concession contracts, even as he works to execute Mayor Brandon Johnson’s education agenda and tries to pave the way for the mayor’s chief of staff, Cristina Pacione-Zayas, to become interim CEO of the Chicago Public Schools. Although the O’Hare bids are not due until the first week in June, Harden’s dual role is raising what Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson calls “the appearance, or potential appearance, of a conflict” of interest. * Block Club | City Adds 11 New Speed Cameras — Here’s Where They Are: The cameras went live in bunches May 1 and Thursday, the second phase of a city plan to add 50 speed cameras this year, according to a Chicago Department of Transportation news release. Drivers have a month-long warning period with the cameras where they aren’t ticketed; then, there will be a two-week “blackout” when the cameras will be turned off to give drivers time to receive their warnings in the mail, according to CDOT. Real tickets will be issued after that. * Sun-Times | Former Lincoln Park High School administrators removed from Chicago Public Schools ‘Do Not Hire’ list: Former Principal John Thuet and Assistant Principal Michelle Brumfield were fired in 2020 over allegations that they mishandled claims of sexual misconduct — landing them on the CPS list, which bans individuals from employment in the school district. In January, an attorney representing Thuet and Brumfield filed a petition to have their names removed from the list. CPS CEO Pedro Martinez granted the petition Tuesday. * Block Club | Dandelions Are Everywhere — And That’s Good News, Park Officials Say: If you’ve wondered why those little yellow dandelions (that many call weeds) are running wild at city parks this spring, the Park District has a short answer: It means the grass is healthy. To help protect visitors and the environment, nearly 90 percent of Chicago parks refrain from using chemical weed control products, according to a Park District press release. So each spring, dandelions grow freely throughout Chicago’s parks and public spaces. * WBEZ | Are there fallout shelters left in Chicago? : Big, industrial cities like Chicago were considered major targets for a possible nuclear attack. Diane Addams, who grew up in the Woodlawn neighborhood during the 1950s, remembers it as an anxious time. “It was kind of scary,” she says. “People were buying and making fallout shelters, and trying to find out where we could go if there was an attack and all that kind of stuff. And they had those little signs that were saying that you go here, like in the subway, or certain other areas.” * Tribune | Cook County to pay $15 million civil rights settlement, $28 million for medical malpractice cases: John Fulton and Anthony Mitchell sued the Chicago Police Department and the county in 2020 alleging they were railroaded as teenagers and falsely confessed in 2003 to the murder and burning of Christopher Collazo. The two men won a record $60 million each in damages from a jury this March after successfully arguing they were the victims of a bogus murder investigation by police and Cook County prosecutors. The teenagers were convicted and sentenced to 31 years in prison for the murder. Attorney Jon Loevy told reporters after the jury verdict that Fulton, then 18, spent more than 100 hours being interrogated and Mitchell, then 17, spent more than 40 hours under interrogation. He said both were coerced into false confessions that evidence didn’t support. * Daily Herald | Going, going, almost gone: The demolition of Sears campus in Hoffman Estates is almost done: “They’ve actually done an amazingly speedy job on this,” Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McLeod said Wednesday. The 273-acre site on the west side of the village is being cleared in preparation for Dallas-based Compass Datacenters’ construction of five hyperscale data centers — each more than a quarter-million square feet. The project represents a $10 billion investment by the company and its partners. * Crain’s | Anonymous $25 million gift will fund new Northwestern mental health institute: Northwestern University will launch the Institute for Adolescent Mental Health & Well-Being with a $25 million gift from an anonymous donor, the university announced today. The interdisciplinary research initiative will look into the psychology and mental health of young adults and is specifically meant to use its findings to benefit Northwestern students, the school said in a press release. * IPM News | McLean County immigrants fear dire consequences as Illinois ends medical coverage: State enrollment data shows 118 McLean County residents are among 33,000 Illinoisians who relied on this program for their health care. They will soon need to find other options. Advocates say it could be a life-or-death proposition for some. * KWQC | Retired county employee accused of stealing $900K, money laundering: A former Rock Island County employee is facing multiple charges after officials say she stole $900,000 over 21 years. The Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police searched the home of Leisa Streeter, 62, of New Windsor, Illinois, on Wednesday. According to a joint news release from Rock Island County State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal and Sheriff Darren Hart, Streeter retired from the county as the administrative assistant in court services after 34 years. * WSIL | Wine Trail Wilderness in southern Illinois named one of top vineyard camping experiences: Wine Trail Wilderness, a unique camping retreat in Southern Illinois, has earned a spot among the Top Vineyard Camping Experiences in the United States, according to Hipcamp. Nestled on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, the 37-acre property offers campers easy access to the area’s famed wineries and hiking trails. Wine Trail Wilderness is also within close walking distance of Pomona Winery and Hickory Ridge Winery. * WICS | Scheels Sports Park dome to be raised in June, officials say: The project manager or civil engineer with Crawford Murphy Utility, Chris Stritzel, said with the concrete poured and the turf set. The inflation of the dome will start in June. Stritzel said the process of raising the dome will take six weeks. * Tribune | Older people in crosshairs as government restarts Social Security garnishment on student loans: Christine Farro has cut back on the presents she sends her grandchildren on their birthdays, and she’s put off taking two cats and a dog for their shots. All her clothes come from thrift stores and most of her vegetables come from her garden. At 73, she has cut her costs as much as she can to live on a tight budget. But it’s about to get far tighter. As the Trump administration resumes collections on defaulted student loans, a surprising population has been caught in the crosshairs: Hundreds of thousands of older Americans whose decades-old debts now put them at risk of having their Social Security checks garnished. * NYT | D.H.S. Requests 20,000 National Guard Members to Help With Immigration Crackdown: The Defense Department is reviewing the request. If approved, one official said, it would be the first time National Guard troops were used to help enforce an immigration crackdown in the country. * AP | Walmart says it will raise prices due to tariff costs after posting solid first quarter sales: Walmart’s first-quarter profit slipped, and it said it must raise prices due to higher costs from tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump.
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Catching up with the federal candidates
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Putting a dent in my inbox today. From Juliana Stratton…
* Laura Fine in CD9…
* Daniel Biss in CD9…
* Robert Peters in CD2…
* Also in the 2nd District…
* Tribune on CD8…
Discuss.
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Question of the day
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * IPM News last year…
* The latest survey of education leaders by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools points to progress. Chalkbeat Chicago in March…
* Senate Democratic Caucus today…
* The Question: Which (if any) of these ideas do you think will work, and which (if any) won’t? Explain.
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Powering Illinois’ Energy And Economic Future
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] What if Illinois could expand its energy grid, attract AI and emerging tech companies to the state, and provide over 60,000 new jobs with no impact on communities or the environment? SOO Green makes it possible. Built along existing rail corridors, this underground transmission project will deliver 2,100 MW of low-cost reliable power making the electric grid more resilient in the face of extreme weather while unlocking billions in economic investments for Illinois. The SOO Green Advantage:
• 60,000+ new jobs • Lower energy costs for families and businesses • $26 billion in economic benefits statewide • $9.8 billion in health benefits by reducing emissions With SOO Green all ratepayers will enjoy a more reliable grid, protection from rising energy costs, and a stronger economy for Illinois. Learn more at www.soogreen.com.
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Roundup: CPS unveils budget banking on uncertain city, state revenue
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Sun-Times…
* Tribune…
* ABC Chicago…
Thoughts?
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RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path. Retailers like the Ken enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WAND…
* WGN…
* Sen. Robert Peters…
* WAND…
* Sen. Mike Porfirio…
* WCIA…
SB314 received a deadline extension in the House, giving the bill until May 31 to move through the chamber. * WAND…
* WAND…
* KSDK…
* Rep. Murri Briel…
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Advocates, Lawmakers Delivered A Clear Message At Capitol Rally Wednesday: Invest In Home Care Workforce
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Over 20,000 Illinois seniors are going without needed home care because wages are too low to keep and attract workers. “In the past five years, I’ve had five different home care aides, because they can’t support themselves and have to find better paying jobs,” said senior Demetrice Davis. “It’s heartbreaking and makes me worry that I won’t be able to get the help I need to stay in my home.” “It’s time to decide whether we’re going to do what it takes to provide our seniors with the care they need,” said State Senator Celina Villanueva. “Making this investment in care workers so our seniors don’t suffer—it’s an easy decision. When we have billionaires in DC attacking our most vulnerable, it’s time for us as a state to show our real values by making the wealthiest pay their fair share to fund the services our seniors need.” As state revenue forecasts continue to decline, advocates and their elected supporters are calling for major corporations and the ultra-wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes, ensuring Illinois has the necessary resources to support investments in seniors and working families. “As a state, we need to get our priorities right. Investing in the home care workforce with so many seniors’ lives on the line—it’s the right thing to do,” said Senator Villanueva. Support HB1330/SB120 because Illinois seniors deserve quality care. Care can’t wait!
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Everything old is new again
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. When the Democrats passed a temporary income tax increase under Gov. Pat Quinn, the Senate Republicans unveiled a “menu” of budget cuts as an alternative to a tax hike. The Senate Democrats used those cut ideas to blast Republican incumbents and candidates in the 2012 election cycle and prevailed in every contest. The SGOPs’ attacks on a very real tax hike were essentially outdone by the Democrats’ attacks on a hypothetical list of possible cuts. The Democratic Party of Illinois is using a tried and true angle…
Discuss.
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See What Real Shoppers Have To Say About The IFPA
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] The IFPA would create chaos for local businesses and shoppers – potentially requiring Illinoisans to pay CASH for sales tax. What do real shoppers think about this untested mandate from Springfield? We found out.
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Open thread
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Lemmy… I watched with glee What’s going on?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois Head Start officials react with caution to RFK Jr.’s assurances of continued funding. Tribune…
-“ Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, executive director of the Illinois Head Start Association, said Kennedy’s testimony was “good news and I hope there’s continued good news going forward.” - Morrison-Frichtl said there are still issues with delayed funding to Illinois Head Start programs due to federal actions such as the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency’s late April “defend to spend” initiative requiring increased justifications for grants from the Department of Health and Human Services.
* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here. * Gov. Pritzker will be downstate today, starting with an 11 am visit to Venice Recreation Hall to announce awards supporting the establishment of new grocery stores in food deserts. At 2:30 pm, he’ll be in Marion for the groundbreaking of the first STAR Bonds project. Click here to watch. * Tribune | 3 CTA board members join calls for nationwide search for new leader: Amid speculation that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to appoint one of his top deputies to lead the Chicago Transit Authority, three CTA board members said they support a national search for a new president Wednesday, echoing calls made by transit advocates and signaling the mayor could face more opposition to his plans for the role. Three of the seven members, including one appointed by the mayor, said they back the nationwide search during a sometimes heated CTA board meeting. * Tribune | Race for retiring US Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat opens up contests for Chicago-area congressional seats: On Thursday, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss became the latest but likely not the last congressional contestant, announcing his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Schakowsky’s 9th Congressional District, which includes the city’s Far North Side and numerous north and northwest suburbs. In addition to Schakowsky’s seat, candidacies in recent days have been announced to succeed Democratic Reps. Robin Kelly of Matteson in the 2nd Congressional District that includes parts of the city’s South Side as well as many south suburbs and downstate areas, and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg in the northwest suburban 8th Congressional District. Both Kelly and Krishnamoorthi have declared they are running to succeed Durbin. Click here to watch Biss’ announcement video. * Crain’s | CVS’ drug middleman gives Illinois $45M to settle rebate dispute: Illinois officials indicated that the settlement is about a larger issue than just a contract dispute with one PBM. “PBMs have gone from being useful administrative service providers to behemoths that control the pharmaceutical industry at the expense of patients and independent pharmacies,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. “This settlement is part of my office’s ongoing work to hold PBMs accountable to the people of Illinois, which also includes calling on Congress to take federal action to reign in PBMs. I will continue to advocate for reforms that ensure transparency and competition in prescription pricing.” * WBEZ | Illinois immigrants closely following Supreme Court arguments on birthright citizenship: Daniela, an asylum seeker from Nicaragua who lives in a small town near DeKalb, Illinois, will be watching closely on Thursday, when the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments about the right to citizenship for children born in the United States to immigrant parents. Almost all legal scholars say there is no basis for denying citizenship to people born in the United States, but Thursday’s oral arguments could ultimately impact the citizenship status of millions of children across the country, including Daniela’s newborn. * Subscribers know much, much more. Politico | Huge shake-up: Democratic state Rep. Fred Crespo was stripped of his leadership positions and kicked out of the Democratic caucus by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch. The reason: “He wouldn’t return calls” from House Majority Leader and chief budgeteer Robyn Gable, and “didn’t complete” tasks that he was assigned as chair of the House Appropriations-General Services Committee, which reviews funding for statewide offices such as treasurer, comptroller and attorney general, and some state agencies, according to a person inside the speaker’s office. “We understand he was trying to introduce a budget proposal that didn’t reflect input with [his Democratic] colleagues and leadership,” according to the person. “He didn’t work in collaboration with people who the speaker put in charge of budget negotiations.” * Capitol News Illinois | Governor’s office cuts revenue projection by $500M in latest downward estimate: While Pritzker’s office blamed changes made by the Trump administration for revenue shortfalls, the new fiscal reality is almost certain to make passing a budget more difficult as lawmakers are forced to consider approving new revenue streams or cutting state programs to make up the difference. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget lowered revenue projections for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, by $536 million from its February estimate. It’s a 1% decrease that puts the state on track to finish FY26 with $54.9 billion in revenue. * KSDK | ‘Slap in the face’: Illinois Lt. Governor blasts Trump EPA’s rollback of PFAS regulations as over 400,000 residents face contamination: — Just over a month after officials warned over 400,000 Illinois residents that their water is contaminated, the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency announced it would be rolling back numerous regulations aimed at protecting drinking water. EPA on Wednesday announced it would be weakening drinking water rules for “forever chemicals,” or PFAS. The Biden administration originally set the first-of-their-kind limits on PFAS due to their increased risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and babies being born with low birth weight at high levels. * Axios | Illinois makes HIV drug PrEP more available: As the federal government cuts funding for HIV and AIDS research, Illinois is trying to make HIV prevention meds more available. Better access to the medication could reduce the risk of contraction for those most at risk — men who have sex with men and Black and Hispanic people. The Illinois Department of Public Health issued an order allowing Illinoisans to obtain the medication PrEP, which can reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sex by 99% when taken correctly, directly from a pharmacist without first requiring a doctor’s prescription. * Sun-Times | Rahm Emanuel flirts with idea he’d run for president: Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel openly flirted with a 2028 presidential candidacy Wednesday, telling a nationally televised talk show audience that he is “in training” for a White House bid. Emanuel’s remarks on ABC’s “The View” stopped short of an actual announcement that he intends to run for what constitutionally should be an open seat, given that President Donald Trump will have served two terms. * Tribune | CPS faces $529 million shortfall as school budgets roll out: There are additional challenges in the upcoming school year, officials told reporters in a briefing Wednesday, due to the expiration of federal pandemic relief funding, rising prices and greater student needs. CPS faces an estimated $529 million shortfall heading into next year. But outgoing schools chief Pedro Martinez said the district is moving ahead under the assumption that it will receive $300 million in additional money from either the city or the state, and prioritize cost-saving measures that avoid impacting schools directly. * WTTW | Ald. Moore Warns CTA Board Not to Be ‘Backbiting Snake’ by Opposing Mayor’s Pick for Agency Leader as Some Call for National Search: In his fiery, unscheduled remarks to directors at the end of the usual public comment period, Moore slammed transit advocates’ outcry for a national search to find the next CTA leader and said the board should fall in line behind the mayor’s nomination. Moore touted Roberson’s long track record of work across local government and claimed advocates for a full-fledged search don’t actually represent commuters who rely on the CTA. Among his previous jobs, Roberson once served as chief of staff for Moore. * WBEZ | ‘It’s just devastating,’ Chicago State president says of federal cuts: It’s not only big-name institutions that are feeling the effects of President Donald Trump’s attacks on higher education. The administration’s decision to freeze nearly $800 million in funding for Northwestern University has gotten a lot of attention. But on the other side of Chicago, in the Far South Side neighborhood of Roseland, Chicago State University has been hit by federal cuts as well. * Crain’s | Chicago blocks press from investor event amid $1B budget warning: The city made the decision to block the press from attending the city’s annual investor conference after hearing from financiers who said they would provide less guarded feedback and more pointed questions without journalists in the room. A group of news outlets, including Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, WBEZ, Bloomberg, Block Club Chicago and the Better Government Association this week wrote a letter asking the administration to reverse course — to no avail. * Sun-Times | Gambling regulators give Bally’s permission to resume construction of Chicago casino: The work site had been shut down since the Chicago Sun-Times discovered a waste-hauling company with reputed mob ties was being used at the River West site where a permanent casino is being built. * WTTW | With Labor Contract Secured, CTU Members Now Set to Vote on Union Leadership: The union on Friday is holding officer elections in which current leaders — the Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators (CORE) — will face off against challengers from the Respect Educate Advocate Lead, or REAL, caucus. CORE, which took over union leadership in 2010 under powerhouse president Karen Lewis, is now headed by Stacy Davis Gates, who is wrapping up her first term as union president following her election victory in 2022. * Crain’s | Troubles mount at Appraisal Institute, Chicago-based center of property valuations: Problems are piling up at the Chicago-based Appraisal Institute, an influential group in the real estate industry because of its key role in property valuation. They include a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former CEO, a lengthy investigation published by The New York Times and, according to the ex-CEO, entrenched business practices that allegedly undermine the integrity of appraisals done for homes and commercial property. * Crain’s | Lincoln Yards poised for reset as full site sale nears: Chicago-based JDL Development is in talks to buy the southern portion of the proposed megaproject land along the North Branch of the Chicago River from a joint venture of J.P. Morgan Asset Management and developer Sterling Bay, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. The discussions come as JDL is also in advanced discussions, first reported by Crain’s, to buy the vacant northern portion from lender Bank OZK, which seized that parcel from Sterling Bay in March to resolve an outstanding loan balance. * NBC Chicago | Chicago Bears’ schedule released by NFL Wednesday: The Chicago Bears will be hoping to get back to the postseason this year, and we now know the road that they will have to take to get there. The Bears’ schedule features 10 games against teams that reached the playoffs last year, including a Week 13 showdown against the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. * Daily Southtown | Tiffany Henyard skips final regular meeting during tenure as Thornton Township supervisor: The Township Board voted to settle a lawsuit with employee Kathryn Granberry and to spend $3,000 for an “employee luncheon.” The board also paid bills with the exception of several reoccurring services Henyard previously pushed. Meeting attendees, including newly elected trustees Mary Avent and Valeria Stubbs who take office Monday, expressed gratitude for board members Chris Gonzalez, Carmen Carlisle and Stephanie Wiedeman for their leadership during Henyard’s three-year tenure as supervisor. * Daily Herald | New Aurora mayor calls for people-centered economic development, better relations with aldermen: “The big-picture goal of our city has to be bringing living-wage jobs,” he told a crowd of about 1,100 people at the inauguration ceremony at the Paramount Theater. That will be the litmus test for any company looking to build in Aurora, he said. Laesch also said he wants to share more power with the aldermen and treat all of them equally after being treated as a “second-class citizen the last two years.” He pledged to keep relations civil. * Shaw Local | Threatened cuts to programs fighting opioid overdoses called ‘disastrous’ for communities: Although the Trump administration named overdose prevention among its top drug policy priorities, in recent weeks, CNN and The New York Times have reported on a draft budget proposal to cut a $56 million annual grant program for the training and distribution of Narcan. […] Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said these “dangerous cuts would be disastrous for communities” throughout the county. The region has been plagued by fatal heroin and opioid overdoses in the past. * Daily Herald | DuPage Forest Preserve District volunteer honored with Governor’s Award: Bruce Kulik, a volunteer with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award by the Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. The Bolingbrook resident was honored as the Outstanding Senior Volunteer in Region 2 at a ceremony on April 24 in Chicago. He is thought to be the first volunteer from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County to earn the honor. Since joining the Forest Preserve District in 2020, Kulik has contributed more than 1,600 hours at sites including Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton and Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago. * NBC Chicago | Wheaton family blames radio personality for more than $134K investment loss: A few years passed, and when Phil finally saw his policy statement, he noticed thousands of dollars in what he assumed were monthly fees. “It just shows an asset charge $17,000, negative $17,000,” said Phil. “We have so many fees on this thing, we wouldn’t have money left in it.” * Daily Southtown | Making amends: Lockport Vietnam War veteran funds library in Binh Dinh Province where he served: The 83-year-old veteran’s bright blue eyes grew translucent with tears, guilt and sorrow overcoming his otherwise stoic visage. “You pay for the war for the rest of your life,” Picciolo said, almost 60 years after his nine-month stint in the southeast Asian country. Picciolo said he is considered 60% disabled from Agent Orange, the now infamous herbicide the United States government disseminated in Vietnam to control vegetation. * Sun-Times | Illinois Supreme Court considers pretrial release of Sonya Massey murder suspect: The Illinois Supreme Court is considering whether a former sheriff’s deputy accused of murder in the fatal shooting of Springfield resident Sonya Massey should be released from jail before his October trial date. Sean Grayson, 30, responded to Massey’s 911 call reporting a potential home intruder on July 6, 2024. Body camera footage shows Grayson, a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy at the time, threatening to shoot 36-year-old Massey for not removing a pot of boiling water from her stove top, before opening fire and striking her in her face. * WCIS | Sonya Massey’s family speaks out, following Sean Grayson’s pretrial release hearing: Sonya Massey’s family, including both her parents, were present at the hearing. Members of the family embraced Sonya’s mom while her father supported himself with his cane, as tears welled in his eyes. “I don’t think there are any terms or any conditions that this guy is going to comply with,” Sonya Massey’s Father, James Wilburn, said. Sonya’s family opposes Grayson’s request for pretrial release. Sonya’s cousin, Sontae Massey, said if the roles were reversed, Sonya would’ve been issued punishment a long time ago. * WGLT | Trump’s proposed NEA cut will hurt small communities most — but artists have been here before: Last week, grants already promised to arts nonprofits were yanked by letter — in a move that looks quite like other recent federal grant revocations. Cultural Arts Director for the Town of Normal Beth Whisman said, for now, they haven’t received one of those letters. The town received a $50,000 NEA grant for a mural in the eventual Uptown underpass. “We’re bracing for it,” said Whisman on the possibility for losing the grant that would primarily impact community engagement tied to the project. * WCIA | Over 13% of Central Illinoisans are food insecure: EIF, Feeding America: In the EIF’s area, more than 143,000 people — which is 13.3% of the population — live in food-insecure households. Out of those people, nearly 40,000 are children. […] Nationwide, the study also found that nearly nine out 10 high food insecurity counties are rural. And, more than two out of five people facing hunger nationwide may not qualify for SNAP benefits due to income limits. In Eastern Illinois, that number jumps to 44%, while 29% of children facing hunger may not qualify for free or reduced-price meals. * WCIA | Illinois, Oklahoma State tie for NCAA Regional title: Illinois men’s golf couldn’t maintain a three-stroke lead it held entering the final day of play at Atkins Golf Club. However, the Illini didn’t fully give up the lead either. Instead, Oklahoma State and Illinois wound up tied for the top spot at the conclusion of the three-day tournament in Urbana. Both teams finish 15 under par on the week and will share the regional crown. Since the top five teams all advance to NCAA Nationals, a playoff to determine the winner was not played. * NYT | House Republicans Push Forward Plan to Cut Taxes, Medicaid and Food Aid: The measure would extend Mr. Trump’s 2017 tax cut and temporarily enact his campaign pledges not to tax tips or overtime pay. Cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and subsidies for clean energy would partly offset the roughly $3.8 trillion cost of those tax measures, as well as increased spending on the military and immigration enforcement. * The Atlantic | The Cynical Republican Plan to Cut Medicaid: The fiscal centerpiece of the “big, beautiful bill” now making its way through Congress is to take Medicaid away from jobless adults. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the work requirement would save $300 billion over a decade and take health insurance from 7.6 million people. This would not come close to offsetting the deficit-exploding effects of extending and expanding the 2017 tax cut, but it’s one of the only big spending reductions the congressional Republican caucus can agree on. * WaPo | RFK Jr. to Congress: ‘I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me’: During one of the sharpest lines of questioning in the first hearing in front of a House Appropriations subcommittee, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) asked if Kennedy, the founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group, would vaccinate his own child against measles today. Kennedy paused before answering, “Probably.” Kennedy went on to say, “I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me,” and he did not directly answer whether he would vaccinate his own children against chicken pox and polio today. * WaPo | NOAA scrambles to fill forecasting jobs as hurricane season looms: Some National Weather Service forecasting teams are so critically understaffed that the agency is offering to pay moving expenses for any staff willing to transfer to those offices, according to notices recently sent to employees and obtained by The Washington Post. The worker shortages have forced several offices to stop operating 24 hours a day — a drastic step for an agency whose ethos is to prepare and warn a “weather-ready” nation.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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