…Adding… Press release…

Gov. Pritzker’s Statement on the Passing of Cindy Pritzker

CHICAGO- Today, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement: ​

“My aunt Cindy Pritzker passed away on Saturday, and it leaves a hole in my heart. She was not only a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, a loyal friend to so many, and a committed Chicagoan through and through, but she also played an important role in my life. When my father died and my mother was ill and I was just 12 years old, she and my uncle Jay took me in and made sure I felt safe and loved. I would not be who I am today without her love, laughter, and kindness.

“Cindy grew up in the Kenwood neighborhood and embodied the spirit of the city she dedicated much of her life to – fierce, caring, and full of joy. From leading the Chicago Public Library Board and her work to build the Harold Washington Library to helping create the Pritzker Architecture Prize and Chicago’s Millennium Park Music Pavilion, Cindy shaped the city of Chicago just as much as it shaped her. She will live on in the many institutions she strengthened, the causes she championed, and the more vibrant Chicago she helped build.

“Our whole family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of warmth, blessings, and stories being shared by so many. They are a testament to her infectious energy and the countless lives she touched. To honor her legacy, we will strive to live each day with the passion, kindness, and enthusiasm that Cindy did.

May her memory be a blessing to us all.”

* Shaw Local…

Attorneys for the city of Joliet blasted a former mayor’s conspiracy lawsuit as a “brazen attempt at political revenge” that only sought to hijack the federal courts to harass political foes.

A motion for sanctions against former Mayor Bob O’Dekirk was filed on Thursday by David Matheus, an attorney with Hervas, Condon and Bersani.

The Itasca law firm has defended the city against O’Dekirk’s lawsuit. The former mayor alleged in the suit that he was the victim of a 2020 conspiracy by a “cabal” that plotted to have him charged with a crime.

O’Dekirk filed the lawsuit several months after Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy defeated him in landslide election in 2023.

“Federal courts are not venues for personal spite or political backlash. Giving such lawsuits any traction injects poison into the political process and the judicial system delays the resolution of legitimate legal disputes,” said Matheus in a memorandum supporting the motion for sanctions.

* Belleville News-Democrat…

For local farmer Ben Stumpf, the steady stream of income from a new federal grant allowed him to quit his second job working nights for UPS in Belleville and focus full-time on his small Monroe County vegetable farm.

He even hired his first employee and started breaking more ground to expand Rumblin’ Ernie Farm’s production from a half acre to an acre in Columbia. […]

But now, about a year after the grant money became available to farmers, the federal funding has been terminated — one of the many cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration. Stumpf and other family farmers now face abrupt uncertainty about how to fund plans they made for their growing businesses.

They say the loss will affect their communities, too. The grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture paid local farmers to send their fresh produce, meat and other products to people in need through regional food banks.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | In remarks to teachers union, Pritzker lashes out at Trump’s education cuts: In a campaign-style speech before a friendly audience of about 1,200 representatives of the Illinois Education Association, the state’s largest labor union, Pritzker lashed out at the president and his supporters, whom he called “bootlickers” and “DOGE-bags,” a reference to the Trump’s unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois lawmakers weigh new proposal to set guardrails around AI: State lawmakers have proposed two bills in the House and Senate that would create an advisory committee to create and distribute guidance on using artificial intelligence. Both bills — HB2503 and SB1556 — would require school districts to include how students, teachers, and districts are using artificial intelligence to the Illinois State Board of Education in their annual report on the use and policies of education technology.

* Shaw Local | Talk-Line with Steve Marco talks state government with Rep. Brad Fritts: 74th District State Representative Brad Fritts discusses the time table of general assembly work underway plus comments concerning Governor JB Pritzker’s budget address and work in various committees.

*** Statewide ***

* Press Release | More than $99,600 awarded for student field trips to state parks, natural areas: More than 7,000 students will visit Illinois state parks, natural areas, museums and other natural resources sites this year to learn about nature and conservation thanks to grant funding through the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today announced more than $99,600 funding was awarded for 113 student field trip grants. Grant recipients represent 32 counties in the state.

*** Downstate ***

* Pantagraph | Normally routine U.S. Rep. Miller staff event in Coles County draws concerned crowd: The mobile office hours offered by Congressional staff are typically routine events where a handful of constituents seek help with Social Security, veterans benefits or other federal issues. […] However, the mobile session that the staff of Republican U.S. Rep. Mary Miller of Hindsboro, who represents the 15th District, held at the Coles County Council on Aging’s LifeSpan Center on Tuesday was anything but routine. More than 50 community members turned out to share their concerns about ongoing cuts to federal programs and workforces, rollbacks on diversity initiatives, tariffs on imported products, and other issues.

* IPM News | Dozens protest Trump policies and congresswoman in Mahomet; Other Reps. quiet on town hall planning: Dozens rallied in front the Mahomet office of Illinois’ 15th Congressional District Representative Mary Miller (R-IL) on Saturday. They protested her recent votes in Congress, a lack of public town hall for constituents, and her support of conservative federal policies. Marti Brandt, organizer and founder of March for Democracy, said that an event beginning with three people swelled into an event with over 400 people interested on Facebook.

* WICS | Neoga school superintendent outlines potential plans for reopening post-storm damage: Superintendent Kevin Haarman announced that all district schools will remain closed this week: “All district schools will be closed from March 17 through March 21. This closure will allow time for a thorough damage assessment, continued mitigation efforts, and the development of a long-term instructional plan.” Superintendent Haarman emphasized that plans could change, but as of now, the elementary school is expected to reopen in the same building next Monday.

* WSIL | Church bells to ring in Murphysboro exactly 100 years after Tri-State Tornado hits community: An event on the final day of the week-long commemoration for the 100th anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado will take place on Tuesday, March 18, in Murphysboro. There will be a Pubic Commemoration at Longfellow Park, at 401 North 20th Street in Murphysboro, at 1:30 p.m. to remember the victims of the Tri-State Tornado. Local officials will read off proclamations and resolutions and unveil a historical marker.

* WCBU | Federal judge James Shadid named next president of Bradley University: Shadid is set to assume the new role April 1. He replaces former President Steven Standifird. Standifird left Bradley in May 2024, announcing his resignation after a tumultuous year at the Peoria institution that included budget cuts and on-campus student protests. Shadid is currently a United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois. He was appointed to the position by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2011.

* WGLT | Normal’s mayoral candidates offer diverging paths on where taxes and fees go next: Incumbent Chris Koos and town council member Chemberly Harris have similar voting records – generally willing to raise taxes and fees, or keep them flat, to sustain public services. The third candidate, council member Kathleen Lorenz, has repeatedly voted against tax and fee increases and thinks the corresponding budget impact can be absorbed without too much disruption. Lorenz, for example, voted against the creation of a 1% town grocery sales tax to make up for the elimination of the state’s grocery tax on Jan. 1, 2026. That would’ve cost the town around $2.3 million in revenue (about 2.4% of the budget), while saving shoppers $1 on a $100 cart of groceries. Lorenz was outvoted, and the council approved the town grocery tax with support from Koos and Harris.

* WCIA | Illinois women’s basketball returns to the dance as eight-seed: After missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid in the 2023-24 season, Illinois women’s basketball is returning to the dance as an eight-seed. The Illini are in Regional 3. They will open play in Austin, Texas against nine-seed Creighton on Saturday, March 22. This is the third-straight year under head coach Shauna Green that the Illini have accepted an invite to play in some sort of postseason tournament.

* News-Gazette | Special concert announcement: ‘Back Where It All Began’: Six members of the chart-topping, Champaign-born band founded 58 years ago will reunite for one special gig — in the city where it all started. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday for “Back Where It All Began,” a concert retrospective honoring the legacy of REO Speedwagon, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at State Farm Center. The show will feature special guests and former band members Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Bruce Hall, Terry Luttrell, Mike Murphy and Steve Scorfina, plus an in memoriam to early members Gary Richrath and Gregg Philbin.

* WCBU | Summer Camp Music Festival’s move to Peoria Riverfront delayed to 2026: In a Facebook post in December 2024, organizers announced a new direction for the festival on the Peoria Riverfront. The new festival would be three days of musical performances over Memorial Day weekend; camping would no longer be an option. In a new post on Thursday, organizers announced the cancellation of this new iteration of the festival. In its place, Summer Camp will present a series of shows throughout the summer at the Peoria Riverfront.

*** Chicago ***

* Chicago Reader | Are Chicago police using CrimeTracer?: In August, the city paid SoundThinking $727,361 for CrimeTracer, according to a receipt released to the Reader by the Office of Public Safety Administration (OPSA). The receipt doesn’t mention CrimeTracer by name, but it was provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for payment records related to the software, and the OPSA confirmed the payment was for CrimeTracer. […] CrimeTracer is used by more than 2,500 law enforcement agencies and boasts access to the “largest network of agency data in America”—essentially Google for police. The software allows subscribers to search for a person’s license plate number, name, or even general description among more than 1.3 billion records contained in CrimeTracer’s “Information Network,” culled from license plate readers, 911 calls, booking photos, arrest warrants and reports, ShotSpotter alerts, gun ballistic reports, wedding certificates, vehicle registrations, and more. Analytics and visualization tools draw maps that link related people, events, properties, and vehicles.

* WGN | New mobile vehicle emissions testing could come to you: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency on Friday announced updates to the state’s Vehicle Emissions Testing Program, including the reopening of the Forest Preserve Drive location in Chicago. In a new release Friday, Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings said that in addition to the Chicago testing station resuming operations, self-serve kiosks and mobile testing units will become available beginning Monday, March. 17.

* WTTW | Judge Orders Chicago to Speed Up Efforts to Make Crosswalks Accessible to Blind Pedestrians; Just 85 of 2,713 Intersections Upgraded: The order comes after a 2023 ruling in federal court that Chicago’s long-running failure to protect blind pedestrians violated the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, following on the heels of a similar ruling in New York City. Judge Elaine Bucklo’s opinion chided the city for years of scattershot, unfulfilled promises to install accessible pedestrian signals, known as APS. Those use audio cues to help people with visual disabilities know when it’s safe to cross.

* Streetsblog Chicago | At CTA board meeting, talk of funding doomsday scenario, bus lane enforcement contract, new concessions / newsletter / podcast: While the CTA’s own board didn’t discuss any details during this week’s monthly meeting, Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen made it clear that, in the absence of additional funding, the slashing of train and bus schedules would be dire. But she emphasized that the cuts would not disproportionally impact the South and West sides, which have historically borne the brunt of such cuts. And she promised the CTA will do its best to avoid such as doomsday situation. During the same meeting, Leerhsen announced that the CTA is launching a new monthly newsletter and a new employee podcast. The also board approved a new contract for bus-mounted cameras that will help enforce laws against drivers standing and parking in bus and bike lanes.

* WTTW | Ancient Visitors to the Modern Wing: Art Institute Welcomes First Visit of Rare Roman Sculptures Collection: Now that medley of marble has taken its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean and settled into the Art Institute of Chicago where, starting this weekend, the ancient works will hold court in the Modern Wing. “We wanted to bring the past to the present,” co-curator Lisa Ayla Çakmak told WTTW News. “Placing these works in the Modern Wing can bridge the seeming disconnect between past and present and reinforce one of the key themes of the show: that the ancient Romans lived in a visually saturated world that resonates with us today.”

* Daily Southtown | Despite the cold and snow, South Side Irish Parade organizers estimate 77,000 turn out: The parade featured more than 100 entries and floats, including one with, fittingly, Santa Claus. Irish dancers were bundled and many of the younger dancers were too cold to dance. Even Bozo the Clown needed to keep his orange hair and makeup dry by using an umbrella. […] The grand marshal this year was the Big Shoulders Fund, and the community honoree was the Brother Rice Mount Sion Program, a special education inclusion program.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Early voting now open in all suburban counties: Early voting is now open in all counties ahead of the April 1 election. Election officials in Kane and Lake counties had made polling sites available at limited locations earlier this month, while all other counties waited until Monday to begin offering it.

* Daily Herald | Bears stadium or not, Rolling Meadows considers shrinking nearby Kirchoff Road: Currently two lanes of traffic in each direction with a turn lane in the center, Kirchoff would be altered by removing an eastbound lane and a westbound lane, and replacing them with on-street parking spaces. Protected bike lanes would be nearest to the curbs. That would take place west of Meadow Drive, near the Jewel-anchored shopping center and city hall.

* Shaw Local | Will County fortifying entrances of all local high schools: The county approved $70,000 for the first phase of a project that will reinforce the glass in the windows and doors of school entrances, making them bullet proof and resistant to extreme weather conditions, including tornados and hail, according to Will County Regional Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff. The funding was sourced from the county’s cannabis tax revenue.

* Daily Southtown | Homewood resident creates Ava’s Pathways to help women facing struggles: It was that concern for struggling people that led her to start Ava’s Pathways in 2024, a nonprofit that offers coaching and events to empower women at any stage of their lives. Co-founder and Vice President Alice Pryor and the board focus on individuals affected by injustice, domestic abuse, divorce and other challenges. But it’s all done through a compassionate acceptance of people no matter their backgrounds, mistakes or emotional makeup. “I want to be able to help people understand it’s OK to not be OK,” said Shaheed-Jackson, executive director/president.

* Tribune | Evanston offers public campaign funds. But mayor hopefuls Daniel Biss and Jeff Boarini aren’t getting them: The program is meant to “empower grassroots supporters by amplifying small donations and reducing candidates’ reliance on large donors or special interest groups,” according to the city’s website. City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza said in a phone call to Pioneer Press that candidates who have accepted donations over $150 cannot use the program. Mendoza said both Biss and Boarini were notified of the program and how it functions. Both have accepted larger donations.

*** National ***

* WIRED | Everything You Say to Your Echo Will Soon Be Sent to Amazon, and You Can’t Opt Out: In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of every command spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud.

* NBC | Democratic Party hits new polling low, while its voters want to fight Trump harder: Voters did have different views of how congressional Democrats and Republicans have been navigating Trump, with 53% saying Republicans have been too supportive, while 50% say Democrats have been too critical.

* WIRED | DOGE’s Cuts at the USDA Could Cause US Grocery Prices to Rise and Invasive Species to Spread: Before he was abruptly fired last month, Derek Copeland worked as a trainer at the US Department of Agriculture’s National Dog Detection Training Center, preparing beagles and Labrador retrievers to sniff out plants and animals that are invasive or vectors for zoonotic diseases, like swine fever. Copeland estimates the NDDTC lost about a fifth of its trainers and a number of other support staff when 6,000 employees were let go at the USDA in February as part of a government-wide purge orchestrated by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).