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Pritzker launches re-election campaign with two-day statewide tour
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Governor Pritzker’s two-day tour kicks off with a rally on Chicago’s South Side…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * NBC Chicago…
As I told you yesterday, this bill stalled during the session. It never moved out of committee. Yet the myth lives on. From Facebook… And it didn’t come out of thin air. Forbes may have actually started this misinformation campaign. They’ve since updated their story to reflect reality. Click here to read an excerpt of the original version. * AJ Wilhelmi | Medicaid cuts in Senate bill threaten care, access and jobs in Illinois: For Illinois, the impact would be severe and far-reaching. The Commonwealth Fund estimates our state could lose at least $2 billion in Medicaid funding each year. Just one element of the proposal — a 10-percentage-point reduction in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) — would alone cost Illinois more than $800 million annually. The American Hospital Association estimates that each $1 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years would cost Illinois $2 billion in lost economic activity and more than $71 million in lost tax revenue. Multiply that by the projected $2 billion in annual cuts over 10 years, and the consequences become even more alarming. * Illinois Business Journal | Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Press Foundation award grants to 26 high school journalism programs: More than $35,000 total in grants will be distributed to the schools in the fall to pay for laptops, cameras, broadcasting equipment, newspaper printing costs, website hosting fees and more. The Illinois Press Foundation Board of Directors’ Education Committee approved the grant recipients. * WAND | Gluten free food handling proposal arrives on Pritzker’s desk, awaits signature: The legislation requires all hospitality workers to receive training about what celiac disease is and how to stop gluten contamination with gluten-free food. Sen. Sally Turner (R-Lincoln) said this is a great way for Illinois to support people with celiac disease. “It’s interesting when you go to a restaurant and some don’t have a menu for celiac disease,” Turner said. “Sometimes the servers don’t even know what it is, so I think this awareness is a really good thing so we can fully understand it, ourselves and also people working in the industries.” * WAND | Bill requiring seat belts on school buses arrives on Pritzker’s desk: This bill could mandate that any school buses manufactured in Illinois have three-point seat belts starting in 2031. Sponsors said this change is solely about student safety, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want children to come and go from school safely. * Center Square | IL legislator continues quest to eliminate property taxes for 30-year homeowners: Proposed by Anderson earlier this year, Senate Bill 1862 seeks to end property taxes for state residents who have lived in and paid on residential properties for at least three decades. “I think it’s just a fundamental idea that at some point you have to own your own stuff,” Anderson told The Center Square. “Right now, in America, and I don’t care what state it is, you can pay your house off, pay property taxes for 40, 50 years and then you fall on hard times, can’t pay your property taxes and now the government can take it. At some point, you have to own your stuff. It has to be yours and you don’t owe anybody anything.” * Tribune | Bucking policy trend, public access to video of CPD Officer Krystal Rivera’s fatal shooting is delayed: A judge has barred the release of video and other materials related to the investigation into the friendly fire shooting death of Chicago police Officer Krystal Rivera, a move that came after the Cook County state’s attorney’s office asked that the information be shielded from public records requests. Rivera, 36, a four-year veteran of the department, was mistakenly shot and killed by a fellow officer on June 5 after a confrontation with an armed suspect. * Edward Keegan | Chicago Fire stadium plans cry out for a bit of quirkiness: As shown, the new stadium is simple, unimposing and not unattractive. The developers explain that Gensler has designed in the “‘Chicago School’ of architecture,” but it’s more of a generalized warehouse aesthetic that you might find at a contemporary shopping mall anywhere in America. It cries out for a bit of quirkiness that would make the structure more distinctive and genuinely grounded in Chicago’s unique architectural culture. An exposed steel canopy over the stadium’s seating will provide welcome shade during the summer and some protection from precipitation, but its most important function is helping to define the stadium’s interior as a more intimate space than a 22,000-seat venue might otherwise feel. It’s also where a more contemporary take on Miesian structural expression might create a more memorable building. * Block Club | South Side Community Gardens Need Water Access From The City — But Getting It Is A Struggle: Gladly’s farm isn’t the only one that’s had to get creative while tending to crops. Dulce Margarita Morales, co-founder and lead educator at Cedillo’s Fresh Produce, runs a farm and a neighborhood garden in Englewood. The farm has water access, but the garden has been without it since 2020, she told Block Club. “Before that, we were able to utilize it. But then all of a sudden, somebody came Memorial Day weekend [that year] and left the hydrant open for three days. Then the city came and put a cap on it,” said Morales, who has worked with the garden for nine years. * Sun-Times | White Sox, MLB ban spectator who taunted Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte: “Baseball is family,” the Rate Field video board declared from left field as Arizona’s second baseman walked to the plate Wednesday afternoon. “The White Sox community supports Ketel Marte.” Sox fans backed up that sentiment with an ovation for the All-Star infielder, but it sure didn’t feel like it a night earlier for Marte, who broke down in tears Tuesday after a fan hurled an insult about his late mother. The unidentified 22-year-old spectator’s vitriol earned him an indefinite ban from all MLB ballparks — and it forced fans, players and coaches to once again reckon with the verbal abuse that all too often rains down from the stands at the old ballgame. * Block Club | The Barrel That Launched A Sour Beer Movement Is Now At Chicago’s Off Color Brewing: Last month, Laffler received a surprise visit from a longtime friend and industry peer from St. Louis who brought with him a freshly emptied French oak barrel. It was stamped with three characters synonymous with the brewing method that has captured so much of Laffler’s imagination: pH1. First used as a wine barrel more than 30 years ago, pH1 has taken on an almost mythological aura in the craft brewing industry. It’s been described as “beer famous,” and the batches it produces, a fraction of most breweries’ typical yields, have led beer enthusiasts to scour message boards with faint hopes of finding a bottle available for trade. * Sun-Times | Ferris Bueller vest sells for $279,400 at auction: A vest worn by Matthew Broderick as the titular character in the Chicago-based cult classic, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” sold for $279,400 after it was auctioned off by Sotheby’s New York. The vest, worn by Ferris as he played hooky and frolicked through some of the city’s most iconic spots — including Wrigley Field and the Art Institute — was put up for auction June 5. * Tribune | Toni Preckwinkle picks new Cook County Forest Preserves boss: After a year and a half without a permanent leader, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has nominated a new head for the county’s Forest Preserves. On Wednesday, she named Adam Bianchi as her pick to become the district’s new superintendent. Her choice will face a vote from the Forest Preserves board — which has the same members as the Cook County board — next week. * Naperville Sun | DuPage to establish community land bank, trust to incentivize more affordable housing: “People that work in DuPage and contribute to our economic stability (being) able to afford to live and raise their families here seems like it should be a fundamental right, but it’s something that we’re struggling with,” DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy said. “We want to fix it.” The average median household income in DuPage County as of 2023 was $106,961, according to census data. Meanwhile, as of last month, the median sale price of a home in DuPage was $425,000, per data from Redfin, a national real estate brokerage. * Daily Southtown | Air Force veteran’s Park Forest home gets thousands in repairs through Cook County program: Launched in 2023, the Veterans Home Repair Program tapped $1.25 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. Along with Kellogg’s home, the county program repaired the homes of veterans in Chicago, Blue Island, Calumet City, Dolton, Homewood, Lansing, Matteson and Richton Park. Interior and exterior work was done on all of the homes, with costs ranging from $15,000 to $45,000, according to the county. * Daily Southtown | Defeated Markham Park Board member appointed to Bremen District 228 Board: Bremen High School District 228 recently welcomed a new board member, filling an almost three-month vacancy after the previous member ran for a village board. School Board members chose Laurence Patterson II to fill the vacancy. Patterson, who was a Markham Park Board member from 2019 to 2023, when he lost a reelection bid, said he is excited for the opportunity to continue his long-term goal of “breaking down generational barriers” and helping local youth engage with their community. * WAND | Champaign considers changes to parking requirements to boost affordable housing development: The city is considering eliminating the minimum parking space rules for new apartments and houses. The council hopes that this ordinance change will encourage the development of more affordable housing options, such as duplexes and townhomes. A formal vote on the proposed change is expected in the coming weeks. * IPM | Champaign County workers threaten to strike over stalled contract negotiations: More than 100 workers rallied Monday afternoon outside the Champaign County Courthouse in Urbana. The group, represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, claims administrators are not offering fair wages or affordable insurance. “In this economy, everybody’s losing ground,” said local AFSCME president Cece Phillips. “We deserve to not worry about how to put food on the table. We work for the freaking county.” Phillips said the county has offered a 2% raise — which she said isn’t enough, especially for employees earning $16 an hour. * BND | Controversial solar farm at Belleville cemetery to bring less income than expected: The original lease would have required Belleville Solar LLC to pay an initial lump sum of $500,000 and annual rent payments of $69,375. An amended lease will reduce the lump sum to $250,000 and annual rent payments to $50,252 for the first 25 years and $55,311 for the last 10, according to Mayor Jenny Gain Meyer. * WGLT | Carle expands transitional outpatient mental health program to Normal: Carle BroMenn Medical Center developed its intensive outpatient program [IOP] called “Journey” in Normal based on a similar initiative at Carle Health Methodist Hospital in Peoria. “Having an IOP option allows us to offer patients a way to more easily transition back to their daily lives before they found themselves in crisis,” said Heather Hintz, executive director of Carle Behavioral Health, in a statement. “They receive more intensive and frequent treatment while also having some level of independence and return to their daily routine.” * The Guardian | Harvard hired a researcher to uncover its ties to slavery. He says the results cost him his job: ‘We found too many slaves’: The initiative received its first public blow last spring, when two university professors on the committee to create a memorial stepped down, saying in a letter obtained by the student newspaper that the university had attempted to “dilute and delay” their efforts to reach out to descendants. The committee was formed in 2023, based on one of the recommendations of the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery report to “honor enslaved people through memorialization”. In a statement made to the student newspaper, a spokesperson for the university said it “take[s] seriously the co-chairs’ concerns about the importance of community involvement and of taking steps that will enable Harvard to deeply engage with descendant communities”. * Reuters | Judge blocks feds from withholding EV charger funds: The U.S. Transportation Department in February suspended the EV charging program, which was part of former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, and rescinded prior approval of states’ spending plans. Lin’s ruling did not apply to District of Columbia, Minnesota and Vermont, which also sued over the funding rescission but did not provide evidence that they would suffer immediate harm as a result of the Transportation Department decision.
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Update: Lawmakers, advocates call for special summer session - Dems respond to several suburban mayors’ complaints about mass transit package
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Seems a bit late. From the Suburban Mayors Coalition for Fair Transit via the Illinois Municipal League…
* From a spokesperson for Reps. Eva-Dina Delgado and Kam Buckner…
* From Senate President Don Harmon’s spokesperson John Patterson…
Your translation of the responses? * Meanwhile, Sen. Ram Villivalam talked to Governing Magazine about the immediate future…
In other words, the governance and related reforms are basically locked down. Some revenues are still up in the air. …Adding… Press release…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - This just in (Updated)
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. Pritzker’s 2026 campaign slogan? (Snark is not discouraged).
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An unintentional peek behind the scenes
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * From a Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) fundraising email…  I’m thinking her consultant might be a bit peeved that Rep. Scherer shared the secret sauce, but also that she didn’t follow the consultant’s advice. Discuss.
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Why Are Tax-Exempt Hospitals Getting Rich?
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Across Illinois, big hospital systems and PBMs are abusing the 340B drug discount program – making massive profits while patients drown in medical bills. One whistleblower called it “laundering money.” Here’s how the scam works: big hospitals buy discounted 340B drugs, bill patients full price, then split the difference with for-profit pharmacies and PBMs. 340B was meant to help Illinois communities in need. But there are no rules requiring hospitals and PBMs to pass savings on to patients. No transparency. No oversight. Just higher costs for working families, small businesses, and taxpayers. Meanwhile, tax-exempt hospitals cash in – and PBMs get a cut too.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Recent 4 Non Blondes… And so I cry sometimes when I’m lying in bed Keep your comments Illinois-centric please. Thanks.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Ex-Ald. Ed Burke about to become ex-con Burke. NBC Chicago…
- Burke’s two-year sentence behind bars is set to end after serving less than ten months. - Several sources with direct knowledge of his case tell NBC Chicago that Burke will be released from the Thomson federal prison in northwestern Illinois to a halfway house or, more likely, home confinement. * WBEZ | Chicago indie filmmakers say the Illinois Film Office is causing them headaches: Prairie State Production Alliance — a group of 61 independent filmmakers and production companies — sent a letter to Pritzker last month in which it said the Film Production Tax Credit program is unfairly forcing indie filmmakers to go through bureaucratic obstacles and interpret rules that aren’t clear. They say the roadblocks have pushed some to decrease their film budgets, leading to fewer jobs, that others have canceled projects, and some are considering moving productions to other states and that these are all issues the tax-credit program was supposed to guard against. * NBC Chicago | 3 Chicago-area hospitals with broken air conditioning as heat, humidity continues: Even prior to a heat wave that swept over the Chicago area beginning on Saturday, patients at Weiss Hospital in Uptown were affected by issues the building had with air conditioning, leading to the relocation of some patients to West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park. However, when temperatures soared this past weekend, patients began to suffer at West Suburban as well, with some rooms becoming extremely hot and requiring the relocation of patients. * WBEZ | On Dobbs anniversary, Illinois is more crucial than ever for abortion access: Last year, Illinois had around 35,000 out-of-state abortions. However, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for women to get timely abortion access, with two-to-three week wait times that can leave women in dangerous positions. Reset checks in with advocates about the current state of access – and demand – in Illinois. * WTVO | Vaping is about to get more expensive in Illinois on July 1st: The tax on vaping products, cigars, chewing tobacco, and synthetic nicotine will increase from the current 15% to 45% of the wholesale price. The extra taxes are expected to bring in $50 million in revenue for the state. * WGEM | Tracy to run for re-election to the Illinois Senate in the 50th District: Tracy, who serves as the Senate Republican Whip, said she is seeking another term to continue fighting Gov. JB Pritzker’s tax-and-spend fiscal policies and to stand up for Illinois families against government overreach and burdensome mandates. * Chicagoland Journal | Pritzker Administration Announces 2025 Affordable Housing Tax Credit Developments: The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board approved awards totaling $24 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and an additional $39 million in federal and state subordinate resources that will finance the creation and preservation of 16 affordable housing developments in 11 counties throughout Illinois. The LIHTC awards are expected to generate an estimated $180 million in private capital to support the development of 850 affordable homes for low- to moderate-income families, seniors, and veterans. * WTTW | After Objections, CPD Agrees Officers Will Not Search Vehicles Based on Smell of Raw Cannabis: Reform Groups: The coalition, led by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, “applauds” CPD for amending the policy in late May, calling the latest version “an improvement” that reflects an agreement reached in August 2023 that prohibits officers from “conducting an investigatory stop or search of an individual based solely on an officer smelling cannabis/marijuana without any other specific and articulable facts of criminal activity,” in a court filing made Monday. * Crain’s | Push for mandatory security cameras puts City Hall at odds with biz and the ACLU: A measure introduced last week at the City Council requiring businesses in Chicago to maintain security cameras has drawn pushback from business groups and civil liberty advocates. The opponents of the measure say it’s overly broad, imposes burdensome costs on businesses, and gives the Chicago Police Department expanded subpoena authority. Introduced by West Side Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th, with 24 cosponsors, the ordinance requires all companies with a business license from the city to install security cameras focused on all entrances and exits, the public sidewalk near doors and their parking lots. * Nadig Newspapers | Sale of ‘any cannabinoid hemp’ product to be banned in 41st, 45th wards on Chicago’s NW Side: The ban is primarily intended to help prevent minors from using products that include Delta-8 or Delta 9 THC, which contains compounds found in cannabis plants. These compounds can be found naturally from cannabis plants or produced synthetically. THC is an active ingredient of cannabis. However, under the ordinance the sale of these products will be banned to both children and adults. The ordinance doesn’t make it clear if there are exceptions, such as infused liquor products and other beverages that are sold only to those age 21 and over. Hemp beverages are becoming increasingly popular at retail shops and bars. * WGN | TSA breaks record for busiest day ever at O’Hare: The Transportation Security Administration released a statement Tuesday that said Sunday, June 22 broke the record for most people screened on a single day at O’Hare. The stat was reflected around the country as TSA reports the day was also the busiest day nationwide. “Officers screened nearly 3.1 million individuals,” the statement said. * Sun-Times | Hundreds attend visitation for slain CPD Officer Krystal Rivera: For Ariana Vilcins, to know Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera was a “privilege.” Vilcins, who taught Rivera’s daughter, described Rivera as a devoted and kind mother — qualities she sees reflected in 11-year-old Bella. “Krystal was 100% devoted to her child and wanted her daughter to have the best education, the best life and the most love that she could possibly have,” Vilcins said. “Bella is a cheerful, loving little girl, and it’s a result of the way she brought up her daughter.” * Sun-Times | Griffin MSI’s new online collection lets visitors experience the 1893 World’s Fair — and more: The free searchable database will feature 7,000 pieces from the museum’s 35,000-item collection and about 1,000 images have been uploaded so far. * Crain’s | New York’s famous Katz’s Deli is doing a pop-up in Chicago: The event is meant to promote Windy City Smokeout, the annual barbecue and country music festival held outside the United Center. The festival is planned for July 10-13 this year. Tickets to the pop-up event cost $45, which includes the price of the sandwich and sides. * WGN | 12th annual Chicago Food Truck Festival returning to South Loop this weekend: The Chicago Food Truck Festival is returning to the South Loop on June 28-29, celebrating its 12th season with a nod to one of the city’s most iconic bites: the Chicago-style hotdog. The festival, held at 2300 South Indiana Avenue, will feature classic comfort food and innovative dishes from over 40 food trucks and local vendors. * Fox Chicago | Juneteenth flag dispute in Aurora sparks backlash against new mayor: Aurora residents questioned why the Juneteenth flag wasn’t officially raised, while a Pride flag ceremony earlier in the month was held as planned under the previous administration. Mayor John Laesch said he’s scaling back city-run flag raisings to be more fiscally responsible, instead encouraging community-led celebrations. The issue was addressed at Tuesday’s city council meeting, where residents spoke out; the mayor’s office says groups can still request flag raisings. * Legal News | Man stays in jail indefinitely until pays ex-wife $10M: Appeals court: A 60-year-old man who has been held in the Cook County Jail for nearly three years despite facing no criminal charges will need to remain there, a state appeals court has ruled, because he can’t prove to the courts that he doesn’t actually have $10 million to pay his ex-wife, as a Cook County judge ordered him to do. On June 24, a three-justice panel of the Illinois First District Appellate Court backed the decision of Cook County Judge Michael Forti to keep that man, Steve Fanady, in custody under a civil contempt order. * Shaw Local | Ex-Joliet Township trustee loses bid to dismiss pandemic relief fraud case: A former Joliet Township trustee must still face 16 felony charges accusing him of pandemic relief fraud and other financial crimes after a judge denied a pretrial motion that alleged prosecutorial misconduct. * Shaw Local | Out-of-town shoppers pay more grocery taxes than St. Charles residents, finance director says: St. Charles and Geneva are two of the last Kane County municipalities yet still undecided, after Batavia voted in May to impose the tax, joining Algonquin, Burlington, Montgomery, North Aurora, South Elgin and Sugar Grove. The St. Charles City Council is expected to put the tax to a final vote at its July 7 meeting. City staff, in favor taxing groceries, have presented a local tax as maintaining the “status quo,” not enacting an additional, new tax on residents. City finance director Bill Hannah presented that view for the first time to officials during a recent Government Services Committee meeting. The committee supported the tax unanimously, though a Council vote still is needed. * Daily Southtown | Mokena joins other towns in replacing state’s 1% grocery tax: The village of Mokena has joined numerous other municipalities in continuing the 1% grocery tax the state of Illinois will end Jan. 1. The Mokena Village Board voted 6-0 Monday to continue the tax that brings in about $850,000 a year, funding general services, “anything affecting public safety, streets, administration, those types of things,” Village Manager John Tomasoski said. * Daily Herald | After 18 months of debate, Prospect Heights adopts rules for backyard chickens: The move still had its critics, but the crowd of about a dozen people who attended the city council meeting Monday was much smaller than those attending previous hearings on the issue. “People finally realized the council wasn’t saying no to chickens,” Mayor Patrick Ludvigsen said. Advocates of the rules said the practice could no longer exist in the city without some restrictions. Building and Development Director Dan Peterson said resident complaints that surfaced in October 2023 couldn’t be ignored, leading city staff and the council to take action. * Crain’s | Three suburban Mariano’s set to close: “This closure is part of a larger company-wide decision to run more efficiently and ensure the long-term health of our business,” Amanda Puck, vice president of communications and brand development for Kroger’s Mariano’s and Roundy’s divisions, said in a statement. Cincinnati-based Kroger acquired Mariano’s former parent company, Milwaukee-based Roundy’s, in 2015. Roundy’s is now a subsidiary of Kroger. * News-Gazette | Tolono board OKs ordinance holding parents responsible for kids’ unlawful acts: Village President Terrence Stuber said the board is frustrated by antics of a few scofflaws and want to take a proactive approach in hopefully remedying the situation. “There has been a lot of juvenile mischief and vandalism throughout our community, and some board members were fed up with it,” Stuber said. “They were fed up with the vandalism at the park; they were fed up with the attempts to break into people’s cars, all of the disturbing of the peace that has been going on by (minors).” * WGLT | With location secured, shelter village in Bloomington is on track to open for winter: “We will get construction started as soon as humanly possible,” Burgess said. Burgess said he has already begun speaking with the general contractor and has submitted permits to the City of Bloomington. Even with the lot purchased and a behavioral health grant secured, funds are still needed to build The Bridge. Burgess said in the coming weeks HSHM will launch a “Build The Bridge” campaign, asking the community for donations. * WGN | First human West Nile Virus case confirmed in Illinois: Illinois had its first confirmed human case of the West Nile Virus of the year Tuesday, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The confirmed case is an individual from southern Illinois who was hospitalized due to complications of the infection. * WSIL | SIH breaks ground on new $19.9 million Mulberry Center in Harrisburg: The project will increase inpatient capacity from 30 to 42 beds, including 12 private rooms. It will also feature modern healing spaces with renovated Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry wings, updated communal areas, and a refreshed outdoor courtyard. The facility will also provide specialized medical-psychiatric care for patients with both medical and psychiatric needs. Enhanced care programs will include expanded group therapy, therapeutic activities, crisis care, and improved follow-up care after discharge. * BND | More than 3,000 lost power in Fairview Heights area at height of afternoon heat: Brian Bretsch, public relations manager for Ameren, a power line pole malfunctioned and fell on top of another power line, causing the outage. The utility has reroute power to all but 111 customers by 4 p.m., Bretsch said. Power was restored to all customers by 5:35 p.m., he said. * WGLT | Airbnb owner: Normal’s coming ban is an ‘overcorrection,’ and there are better options: The Normal Town Council banned new short-term rentals [STRs], such as Airbnb and Vrbo, and will require owners of existing STRs to convert them to long-term rentals within five years. That’s aimed in part at addressing noise, parking and other complaints that may result from allowing what’s essentially a business in a single-family neighborhood. “As it stands today, I think it’s an overcorrection,” said Marie Poundstone, who manages four STRs in the area under the name Bloomington Retreats, including one in Normal. “I am hoping they’re going to look through data and try to figure out a better option.” * WTVO | ‘I could be dead,’ Rockford teenager reflects on traumatic experience after hit-and-run: “I could just see this car coming towards me, and I didn’t have enough time to react, and it just hit me.” Hunt said she flew into the air before landing on nearby grass. She said her bruises are fresh, but she is grateful to still be here today. “It was very hard riding in the back of the ambulance,” Hunt said. “So many thoughts were racing through my mind. I’m just glad to be alive, because if I was a second later, I could be dead.” * WICS | Lincoln enlists former Pontiac mayor to boost Route 66 tourism efforts: As Central Illinois gears up for the Route 66 Centennial, the city of Lincoln is turning to a former mayor to spearhead its tourism efforts. Scott McCoy, who previously served as mayor of Pontiac, has been appointed as Lincoln’s new director of tourism. McCoy is credited with elevating Pontiac to one of the top three Route 66 tourist destinations in Illinois, a success Lincoln officials hope to replicate. “We can only hope to be as successful as Pontiac, but they’ve been at it for a lot longer, so we have to start somewhere,” said Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch. * WSIL | Judge closes Williamson Co. hunting club for 2 years; two ordered to pay fines: Hugh Thomas Burns Jr., 67 of Carbondale, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. The attorney’s office said, as the owner of Burns Hunting Club, LLC, Burns was involved in the sale of wildlife in violation of federal law. […] Court documents stated the hunting club sold memberships and provided paid guiding services on its property to migratory bird hunters. Burns and co-defendant Michael McKinney, 52 of Benton, were both accused of providing guided services over illegal baited hunting fields. * WCIA | New childcare facility filling a void in Christian Co.: Monday morning, they celebrated their ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Assumption community childcare center. “And it’s been really exciting because it’s been such a buildup and our communities, both communities, and all the surrounding ones really have really needed this,” said Aimee Younker, childcare teacher. “And so, it’s been such an excitement to watch it grow.” Fundraising efforts include more than $300,000 raised to open their doors. Younker has four children of her own and she said she remembers when it was hard to find childcare herself. * WGLT | Chicago teen charged in shooting at ISU’s Bone Student Center: Thomas is accused of shooting another person April 27 outside a sorority event being held at the Bone Student Center. The victim, who was not a student, was injured but survived. ISU Police said Thomas has “no affiliation with Illinois State University” other than being at the Bone that night. Police released security-camera photos of someone they subbed a “person of interest” within a day of the shooting. It’s unclear how long Thomas has been the suspect but remained at large. * USA Today | ‘Killer bees’ keep spreading (and killing) across the US: In the last three months alone, a man mowing his property died after a bee attack, three people were taken to the hospital after tree trimmers disturbed a colony, hikers ran a mile to get away from an agitated hive and a woman and bees spooked by a lawn mower swarmed three horses. The horses later died from “thousands” of stings, their owner said. Scientists say the bees’ temperament is a defense mechanism to ward off predators – and note that because honey bees die after stinging, they are sacrificing themselves to protect their colony. But to unsuspecting humans, killer bees sure seem aggressive, spiteful and terrifying. * WTTW | Advocates Say ‘Really Vulnerable Lives’ at Stake as Trump Administration Moves to Shutter LGBTQ+ Suicide Prevention Line: According to the latest data from SAMHSA, more than 14.5 million people have called, texted or sent chats to the 988 Lifeline and have been transferred to a crisis contact center since July 2022. Nearly 1.3 million of those were routed to the LGBTQ+ specialized service. “We know LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to commit suicide than their youth counterparts,” said Precious Brady-Davis, a commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. “Youth deserve people who understand what it’s like to come out. It’s support services, it’s resources, it’s comfort, it’s someone telling them it’s OK to be who you are.” * Cannabis Business Times | US House Committee Approves Bill to Close THCA ‘Loophole,’ Ban Intoxicating Hemp Products: The House Appropriations Committee voted along party lines, 35-27, on June 23 to approve the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The 138-page spending bill includes more than $25 billion in discretionary allocations to address myriad issues facing U.S. farmers, ranchers and rural communities. In addition to focusing on America’s food and drug supply, this year’s bill also includes language to rewrite the rules around hemp-derived cannabinoid products. The provision aims to address what elected officials and law enforcement groups nationwide have increasingly viewed as a public health and safety concern in the aftermath of the 2018 Farm Bill’s federal legalization of industrial hemp cultivation. The 2018 Farm Bill regulates hemp as an agricultural commodity but not finished goods containing the plant’s derivatives. * Sports Illustrated | California’s Anti-Sweepstakes Bill Could Shake Up Online Gaming And Fantasy Sports: California is moving in lockstep with states like New York and Louisiana, proposing legislation that would make it illegal to support, facilitate, or promote sweepstakes-style online casinos. That means no wiggle room for payment processors, game suppliers, platforms, or even high-profile influencers who back them. If passed, California would join Connecticut and Montana in formally banning these operations.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jun 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Jun 25, 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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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
* Tribune | Top candidates for the US House in Illinois’ 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th districts for the 2026 election: The domino effect that began in late April with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement that he wasn’t seeking a sixth term has caused two members of Congress — U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg — to declare their interest in Durbin’s seat. That means their spots in Congress are opening up. In addition, much of the north and northwest suburbs will see their first new members of Congress in nearly three decades as U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is retiring at the end of her term. * WAND | Violent crime reporting proposal arrives on Pritzker’s desk, awaits signature: Police departments would also be required to document when each crime occurred and the status of criminal cases. “The purpose of this is to streamline the process to get away from the clearance rate number that we’re using right now that is a bit opaque and doesn’t provide true justice for people,” said Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago). “The amendment also brings ICJIA and the Illinois State Police to neutrality on the bill.” * Crain’s | Chicago-area home prices rising at four times the nation’s: In the Chicago metro area, where home prices used to be among the slowest-rising in the U.S., prices in May went up at four times the speed of the nation. That’s according to reports from Illinois Realtors and the National Association of Realtors, released separately June 23. A month ago, Chicago-area prices were going up at more than three times the national pace, and before that, they were going up at more than double the U.S. rate. * Tribune | City mum on what documents it provided ICE in Streets and Sanitation subpoena: After first asserting it did not turn over personal information about city workers to U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Law Department is now hedging on how exactly the administration responded to a federal subpoena for employment eligibility forms. Johnson Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry told reporters last week the city’s response to an ICE subpoena for the forms of Streets and Sanitation employees that determine whether they can legally work in the U.S. contained no personal information about those workers. But on Monday, a Law Department spokesperson declined to go that far when the Tribune asked about what documents ICE did receive and what information they contain. * Sun-Times | Mayor Brandon Johnson credits tipped minimum wage law with fueling growth in Chicago: Samoora Williams, an organizer with advocacy group One Fair Wage, bartended in Chicago from 2019 to 2022. She made a base pay of $10 an hour; additional tips did not bring her up to minimum wage, she said on Monday. Williams wasn’t aware of the federal law mandating employers pay minimum wage if tips don’t bring workers to that baseline. One Fair Wage organizer James Rodriguez worked as a host at a Lincoln Park Italian restaurant for two years. He said the eatery paid tipped workers minimum wage if they didn’t reach that threshold with tips. But “a lot of workers don’t know they’re supposed to be making that,” said Rodriguez. “These are so many cases of abuse of the law. The city doesn’t have the manpower to go after those restaurants.” * Sun-Times | Patients evacuated from Weiss Memorial Hospital over heat suffer again during heat wave at new facility: Then the heat came. Last Tuesday, Weiss evacuated its entire inpatient unit after failing to fix the hospital’s air conditioning system as temperatures inside the building rose to 90 degrees and a heatwave moved into the city. Hospital leaders blamed the problem on an aging air conditioning system that had not been maintained by previous owners, which forced the 239-bed acute care hospital to transfer or discharge 45 patients. The AC may not be fixed for two more weeks, they said. * Tribune | Indicted on fraud charges, ex-Loretto Hospital exec wages bizarre PR campaign from Dubai: And while the news release, dated Sunday, claimed Ahmed is still based in Chicago, he actually fled to Dubai before the first charges were filed and has not returned to answer to either case. A warrant for his arrest remained active as of this week, court records show. The news release was the latest in a strange public relations campaign that appears aimed at rebuilding Ahmed’s image and possibly courting the attention of President Donald Trump, who has recently granted executive clemency in a number of notable Chicago-area cases, from Gangster Disciples boss Larry Hoover to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. * WGN | ‘Potential death’: Chicago firefighters, alderman raise concerns with OSHA-backed policy change: “There’s going to be a lot of buildings burning down and potential death,” said Patrick Cleary, President of Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2. “That’s what’s gonna happen.” The specific issue Cleary is fired up about involves new tactical guidelines affecting the first fire engine to respond on scene to a fire. According to the new policy, the officer on smaller, four-man rigs responding to fires must become the incident commander, with two other firefighters performing specific duties. * Block Club | Wicker Park Neighbors Fight ‘Atrocious’ Rat Problem In Dean Park. So Far, The Rats Are Winning: The city has taken some action to remedy the issue this spring, with 311 requests showing the Department of Streets and Sanitation baited the park with rat poison three times since May, including on Monday. Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) said his office is also working on improving sanitary conditions in the surrounding area. But neighbors have continued to see rats in the park after the first two baitings, with some digging new holes over the weekend along the fence near Gutstadt’s apartment, Gutstadt said. * Crain’s | Can buying pot be as easy as buying groceries? A Chicago company aims to find out.: Verano Holdings, which has 157 stores across 13 states, is opening a pilot location in Cave Creek, Arizona, that’s more like a convenience store than the traditional dispensaries that most companies operate. This type of setup is rare in the tightly regulated industry, where most products are kept behind the counter and handed over by staff after ID checks. * Tribune | PETA names Chicago the country’s most vegan-friendly city: Brody said PETA chose Chicago because it has become so easy “to enjoy classic Chicago dishes” in vegan form, citing Buona’s Italian beefless sandwich and Kitchen 17’s vegan deep-dish pizza. At Runaway Cow, Eichhorn offers fully vegan beef sandwiches and Chicago dogs. Rafael Tenorio, who lives in LaGrange, has been vegan for 10 years. He stopped eating meat after he began volunteering at animal shelters, joining his daughter in the lifestyle. He has found it easy to maintain in the Chicago area. Most restaurants, he said, can accommodate vegans even if their menus are not designed for them. * WBBM | Chicago journalism icon Craig Dellimore retires after 42 years at WBBM: “I think what made everyone think twice was, frankly, the civil unrest of the 60s, and going forward, because people realized that you didn’t have a variety of voices, that they didn’t see it coming,” said Dellimore. “I think that’s really what it was. People didn’t see all of this coming, and said maybe we ought to either train and or hire people who had a different perspective.” * Fox Chicago | What’s happening in Chicago this summer? A lot—from jazz nights to burgers and beer: This summer, Millennium Park and the Shedd Aquarium are offering fun and unique experiences open to the public from May through August. While Jazzin’ at the Shedd requires a ticket, all concerts and movies at Millennium Park are free. Check out the highlights below for details on event dates, performers, and what to expect. * Block Club | West Side’s ‘Unsung’ Blues Legacy Gets Its Due In New Austin Exhibit : “Unsung Austin-West Side Stories,” organized and presented by the Chicago Blues Museum, explores 70 years of musical history on the West Side through large reprints of archival photos, banners and posters along with extensive descriptions. The free exhibit is hosted in the lobby of the park’s cultural center, 5610 W. Lake St. This is the first time the West Side is getting an exhibit that chronicles its unique history and contributions to music, said Gregg Parker, founder of the Chicago Blues Museum and curator of the exhibit. * Daily Herald | It’s so hot you could fry an egg on the buckling pavement — asphalt eruptions dot suburbs: Heat indexes above 100 degrees and humidity create perfect conditions for asphalt and concrete blowouts, IDOT explained. When there’s no more room for the pavement to expand, it pushes up. Bartlett drivers were down to one lane along Route 59 north of Stearns Road on Sunday afternoon, when the roadway buckled. More street meltdowns occurred Monday in Buffalo Grove. * Daily Herald | Homer Glen names former Willowbrook police chief, real estate agent, as trustee: Schaller worked for the Willowbrook Police Department for 28 years, including five years as police chief. For the last two years, he has been a real estate broker in Orland Park. Schaller said his extensive background in government will make him an effective board member, and said he’s worked hand in hand with various municipal departments during his tenure in Willowbrook. Schaller said he is confident and ready to get to work on the Homer Glen Village Board. “I’m hitting the ground running,” he said. * Sun-Times | For older adults, a robust network of friends, relatives key to better health outcomes, study finds: The analysis was led by Lissette Piedra, a professor of social work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who found three types of social networks emerged among older adults. Those in an “enriched” network — a larger social circle filled with diverse relationships that included friends and relatives from different social circles — reported better health scores and lower rates of loneliness, Piedra said. Researchers used a health indicator model in which adults in the study ranked their own health. * WIFR | ‘Starved Rock Killer’ Chester Weger dead at 86, reports say: Chester Weger, the man convicted of slaying a woman at an Illinois state park in 1960, has died, according to a report from Shaw Local. He was 86 years old. Weger, also known as the “Starved Rock Killer,’ spent nearly 60 years in prison for killing Lillian Oetting, one of three women found dead in St. Louis Canyon. * WGLT | Bloomington council OKs updated massage business regulations in effort to halt illicit operations: “Really, what we want is compliance, and we want to get a regulatory structure in place,” said City Manager Jeff Jurgens. “We understand that we have a lot of great massage therapists out there and establishments, and we understand that the illicit ones are likely not going to go through this process. But we will use this regulatory process to shut them down.” Two weeks after tabling an original proposal, the city council on Monday unanimously approved an adjusted ordinance to include application fees and other regulations for massage establishments. * WCIA | Effingham man accused of human trafficking after pastor, others help victim escape: “A trusted third party who is the pastor of a local church brought the juvenile to the police department to make the report,” officials said. “The pastor had previously attended an informational meeting for community leaders on how to be an advocate for victims, which was led by Effingham Police officers.” After the initial report, the victim received immediate medical attention and was given protective assistance from child-victim crisis professionals. * WaPo | Supreme Court for now allows Trump to deport migrants to ‘third countries’ : The court’s order, which drew a sharp dissent from the three liberal justices, was the latest of several allowing President Donald Trump to move forward with a major change in policy while litigation on the issue continues in lower courts. Each has been made as part of the court’s “emergency docket,” which means they are decided based on truncated court filings, not oral argument, and the justices do not always explain their reasoning. * NYT | The Global A.I. Divide: Nations with little or no A.I. compute power are running into limits in scientific work, in the growth of young companies and in talent retention. Some officials have become alarmed by how the need for computing resources has made them beholden to foreign corporations and governments. “Oil-producing countries have had an oversized influence on international affairs; in an A.I.-powered near future, compute producers could have something similar since they control access to a critical resource,” said Vili Lehdonvirta, an Oxford professor who conducted the research on A.I. data centers with his colleagues Zoe Jay Hawkins and Boxi Wu. * Rockwood Notes | A Profile: Nicholas J. Pritzker: While his grandsons Jay (the financier) and Bob (the operator) are often credited with the family’s vast wealth, and his son A.N. was the first real dealmaker, Nicholas played a different, but arguably more fundamental, role. It’s not a story of high profile deals but of perseverance through relentless hardship and tragedy, pieced together from an autobiography he wrote entirely from memory. He was the family’s first lawyer and, inspired by the Rothschilds’ centuries of success, unified the family’s assets under a shared ethos that would define the family for nearly a century. * The Atlantic | The Archaic Sex-Discrimination Case the Supreme Court Is Reviving: By invoking Geduldig, the Roberts Court is doing what the Supreme Court of earlier eras did: supplying tortured legal logic to justify long-standing hierarchies. In Plessy v. Ferguson, for example, the Court insisted that laws that required white and Black individuals to ride in different train cars were not impermissible racial discrimination—the rules applied to and burdened everyone, after all. That logic sounds like the thread in Skrmetti that maintains that bans on gender-affirming care don’t constitute gender-identity discrimination because the bans allow transgender and cisgender kids to access hormones and puberty blockers—just not for treatment of gender dysphoria. In Korematsu v. United States, the Court claimed that the internment of Americans of Japanese descent did not constitute racial discrimination; the policy was about national security. That reasoning tracks with Skrmetti’s insistence that the health-care bans do not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender identity; they are about age and medical procedures. * WaPo | The plan to vaccinate all Americans, despite RFK Jr.: The American College of Physicians, one group involved in the talks, said Kennedy’s recent changes to the ACIP and lack of transparency in the process “puts at risk decades of progress in vaccine development, access, and public trust, and contributes to confusion and uncertainty.” If the panel departs from long-standing recommendations, “we will need to look elsewhere for reliable information guided by the best-available evidence to guide the use of vaccines,” said Jason Goldman, the group’s president, in a statement.
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Musical interlude: Mick Ralphs
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * AP…
* This Ralphs song truly swings… I can’t get enough
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Ten years and $9 million
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * More than eight years after the old station was destroyed, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a new station, which won’t be completed for another two years and is projected to cost almost $9 million…
* This is what commuters are getting for almost $9 million…  Not trying to pick on Metra here, just pointing out how long it takes to build anything - and how expensive it is. * Of course, that little station pales in comparison to the $80 million Damen Green Line Station and is barely a speck of dust next to the CTA’s $5.75 billion Red Line extension - which works out to a mind-boggling billion dollars per mile. * The High Speed Rail Association looked at this a few years ago…
Discuss. * Related…
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * AInvest…
* Illinois Treasurer Frerichs…
* The Question: Should Illinois allow the state treasurer to invest in cryptocurrency? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
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Pritzker to announce reelection bid Thursday, sources say
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers got the news first yesterday. Politico…
* NBC Chicago…
* Fox 32 Political Correspondent Paris Schutz…
Thoughts? * More…
* WGN | Pritzker to announce reelection bid Thursday: sources: Pritzker has reportedly scheduled multiple campaign-style events this Thursday to kick off his third run for governor. The next gubernatorial election in Illinois is November 3, 2026.
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It’s almost a law
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WAND…
* The Crain’s Editorial Board…
* WAND…
* WGLT…
* Meanwhile… Forbes wrote about SB1938, a bill that never made it out of committee…
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Caption contest!
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * From my high school days…  I’m the Fender copy bass player, in case you couldn’t figure out where I am. Good times.
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Why Are Tax-Exempt Hospitals Getting Rich?
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Across Illinois, big hospital systems and PBMs are abusing the 340B drug discount program – making massive profits while patients drown in medical bills. One whistleblower called it “laundering money.” Here’s how the scam works: big hospitals buy discounted 340B drugs, bill patients full price, then split the difference with for-profit pharmacies and PBMs. 340B was meant to help Illinois communities in need. But there are no rules requiring hospitals and PBMs to pass savings on to patients. No transparency. No oversight. Just higher costs for working families, small businesses, and taxpayers. Meanwhile, tax-exempt hospitals cash in – and PBMs get a cut too.
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Open thread
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Evangeline… For the songs she sings * Keep it Illinois-centric, please. Thanks much.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: The Trump administration is making an unprecedented reach for data held by states. NPR…
* Daily Herald | Metra, Pace and CTA now have a day pass to ride all three systems: The new fare will be offered for six months as a pilot program and could be made permanent in 2026, depending on funding, officials said. Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority are facing a massive budget shortfall of $771 million next year. […] The day pass will cost $2.50 more than the usual Metra day pass. * Decatur Now | Amid soaring temps and increased prices, Citizens Utility Board calling on utilities to work with customers: Ameren has estimated the increase will cost customers an average of 18 to 22 percent, or about $38 to $46 more per month over the summer. The spike is connected to an increase in the price for reserve power, also called “capacity.” CUB argues that capacity costs have skyrocketed largely because of policy problems with the power grid operator for central and southern Illinois, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, or MISO, which runs an auction that determines the capacity price. * Tribune | Top candidates for the US House in Illinois’ 2nd, 7th, 8th and 9th districts for the 2026 election: The domino effect that began in late April with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s announcement that he wasn’t seeking a sixth term has caused two members of Congress — U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Schaumburg — to declare their interest in Durbin’s seat. That means their spots in Congress are opening up. In addition, much of the north and northwest suburbs will see their first new members of Congress in nearly three decades as U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky is retiring at the end of her term. * Tribune | Illinois must build 227,000 units in 5 years to keep up with housing demand, report finds: The joint study published Tuesday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that although the rental and for-sale housing markets in Chicago and Illinois as a whole remain more affordable than many coastal cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, and some other states, Illinois still faces a severe housing shortage that is escalating affordability challenges. * BND | IDOT using ‘safer, faster and cheaper’ full closures for roadwork projects: In recent years, the Illinois Department of Transportation has been using full closures of major roadways in the metro-east during construction because it offers three distinct advantages. “We have found that full closures are safer, faster and cheaper,” said Joel Cumby, IDOT’s District 8 project implementation engineer based in Collinsville. “Now, we will look at it, but we will only use a full closure if we do have good parallel routes, good alternate routes — a good detour.” * Sarah Moskowitz | Frustrated — even ‘heartbroken’ — Nicor customers wonder when enough is enough: Nicor Gas usually delivers the heat, but at a recent Illinois Commerce Commission public forum in Joliet the utility was the one on the hot seat — over escalating bills. One Nicor customer walked to the microphone and directly addressed the utility bigwigs who were on stage to champion their proposal for the largest gas hike in Illinois history. The consumer said she was “heartbroken” over high gas bills that were burdening families. “We’re still suffering,” she said, calling on Nicor to lower bills so they are “truly affordable for all of us.” Given Nicor’s track record, it’s doubtful Illinois’ biggest gas utility got the message. Nicor has slapped its over 2 million customers with four rate hikes since 2017–raising delivery rates by 114%, or $747 million, and helping its parent, Southern Co., laugh all the way to the bank with $25.2 billion in profits * Daily Herald | After narrow loss in 2024, Maria Peterson making second bid for state House: Months after falling less than 50 votes short of a seat in the state legislature, Maria Peterson announced Monday she will again run for the 52nd District House post. […] “Since the last election, I have committed countless hours to electing Democrats locally, and worked with Barrington Giving Day, the Rotary Club, and others to help families who are drowning in property taxes, paying more for child care than their mortgage, and skipping doctor visits due to costs,” Peterson said in Monday’s announcement. “I am ready to take this and years of fighting for our community to Springfield.” * Decatur Now | State Rep Sue Scherer announces intention to run for re-election: June 23, 2025 – State Representative Sue Scherer has announced her intent to run for re-election in the 2026 election. […] Scherer notes her work to increase educational funding, DCFS reform and for bringing billions of dollars in infrastructural advances to the 96th district. * Financial Advisor | State Budget Wounds Intensify From Trump, DOGE Policy Shifts: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a $55 billion budget for the 2026 fiscal year that is smaller than his proposal in February. Pritzker has said no state can backfill the billions of dollars the US government provides for services such as Medicaid. “This year, that task was made harder by the turbulent national economic conditions and unstable federal funds flow caused by the chaos and ineptitude of the Trump administration,” Pritzker said. “The Trump slump is effecting the entire nation.” * LSR | The Richest Men In Illinois And The Billion-Dollar Sports Betting Grudge: Bluhm’s portfolio features city-shaping commercial properties in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston, along with personal residences at a surf club in Miami and a mountain retreat in Aspen. He’s served on the board for the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum in New York, and his homes are adorned with pieces from his $300 million personal collection. He has a wife and three kids, an ownership stake in the Bulls and the White Sox, and he once hosted a birthday party for Barack Obama. He is a prolific philanthropist. Neil Bluhm doesn’t need anything. But what he seems to want more than everything is revenge against two of the country’s biggest sports betting and online casino companies. His grudge against FanDuel and DraftKings has lasted for at least a decade, driven millions of dollars in political donations, and found validation from another of Illinois’ wealthiest men. * Sun-Times | CPS needs to borrow to avoid cuts, CTU chief Stacy Davis Gates argues: Davis Gates said the mayor has only supported taking out a loan to manage the structural deficit in the short term without laying off school workers or cutting programs. She said the real long-term solution remains persuading the state Legislature and governor to provide adequate funding. According to the state’s own formula, CPS should be getting about $1.2 billion more each year. * Sun-Times | Heat wave linked to rise in opioid overdoses in Chicago over the weekend, health experts say: Sixty opioid overdoses were reported Friday and Saturday — including more than 37 Saturday alone — triggering the city’s spike alert system, the Chicago Department of Public Health said. […] The heat wave may have also played a role in the spike in overdoses, according to Jenny Hau, medical director of behavioral health and interim deputy commissioner at CDPH. “We always see a seasonal increase in the number of overdoses in Chicago, as well as many other places in this country and around the world,” Hau said. “So certainly heat has a pretty close correlation in terms of the amount of overdose activities.” * WGN | Woman arrested, charged in connection to anti-ICE protest where car drove through crowd: According to the Chicago Police Department, 30-year-old Dierdre Kemp was charged with one felony count each of aggressive reckless driving/bodily harm and aggravated fleeing/bodily injury, one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license, and one citation each of operating an uninsured motor vehicle and involuntary committed obedience to police officers. Kemp turned herself in at the 1st District Chicago police station on South State Street on Thursday, June 19, where she was then placed under arrested and later charged. * Crain’s | Former Black McDonald’s franchise operators back upcoming boycott: The boycott is being organized by The People’s Union USA, a grassroots advocacy organization led by Illinois resident John Schwarz. It’s the same group that championed the massive “economic blackout” in February that impacted brands nationwide. In an Instagram post promoting the McDonald’s boycott, Schwarz accused the Chicago-based company of price gouging, exploiting tax loopholes, suppressing workers’ rights and practicing “performative DEI,” though he did not offer specific examples or evidence of those claims. * WTTW | Comedy and Crime Fighting Join Forces in Chicago for Police Learning Leadership Skills: Officials at the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s Policing Leadership Academy brought members of The Second City, Chicago’s storied improv theater, to teach police leaders the more diverse skills found in improv exercises — like thinking on your feet, reserving judgment and fully listening. The academy, a workshop taught over five months, tackles some serious topics like to make data-driven decisions or how to help officers handle on-the-job trauma. * Block Club | The Ultimate Guide To Chicago Ice Cream 2025: 100+ Spots For Scoops, Popsicles, Gelato, Italian Ice And More: Block Club rounded up more than 100 ice cream shops, cafes, bakeries, paleterias and other Chicago businesses ready to dish out loads of summer favorites this year. Menus and hours can vary from shop to shop, so consider calling ahead of your trip. * Daily Southtown | Residents of Park Forest apartments swelter as air conditioning goes unfixed; village promises fines: Residents of a large Park Forest apartment complex that has been without air conditioning for several days complained Monday the problem hasn’t been fixed, while the village promised to levy fines against the property owner. The village said Monday it is demanding staff at Autumn Ridge, 119 E. Sycamore, “work quickly to restore air conditioning for its residents” and said daily fines will be imposed. * Daily Herald | ‘Basically reckless driving’: Schaumburg enacts regulations on use of e-bikes and scooters: The village board this month approved a measure setting a minimum rider age of 16 years old, requiring riders to wear helmets and use vehicle lights at night, and prohibiting their operation on sidewalks. “It’s basically reckless driving that’s going on right now,” Mayor Tom Dailly said. “I’m seeing it all the time myself.” * Tribune | Wilmette adopts initial plan to boost affordable housing from 4.8% to required 10%: The plan, approved unanimously by the Wilmette Village Board on June 10, is the first piece in a more robust housing plan that will be developed by the village and the Wilmette Housing Commission over the next 12 to 18 months, Village Manager Michael Braiman said. “This is more of a bare bones plan that has to conform to certain requirements that the state lays out,” he said. * Aurora Beacon-News | Campton Hills considers annexation for 900-unit residential project after years of local opposition to area’s development: Another development project is under consideration for a plot of land in what is currently rural La Fox, an unincorporated community in Kane County, which multiple developers have tried and failed to turn into a housing development since the early 2000s. But, this time, the proposed plan — which features a less dense housing plan and is set to allocate more than half of the area to open space — has the backing of the local open space organizations which have previously opposed the area’s development. * CNN | NIH Froze Funding for Clinical Trials at Northwestern University. By Fall, They’ll Run Out of Funding: Brown became the first patient to enroll in the trial, which now has signed on more than 1,700 people and is designed to run for another four years. If it proves that some people can manage their AFib in an individualized way, it could revolutionize treatment for millions of Americans, reducing use of costly blood thinners that can come with unpleasant side effects. “This is huge,” Passman said. But he may never get the results. The trial is funded with $37 million from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and Northwestern hasn’t received any funding from the federal biomedical research agency since the end of March. * Daily Southtown | Will County Board refuses to drop 143rd Street widening from transporation plan, but stalls passage: Recently, a bill authorizing the county to use quick-take powers to seize property along 143rd Street stalled in Springfield. Although the bill was not voted on by the time the legislature ended their spring session May 31, that does not stop the widening project. Will County began engineering studies in 2009 to widen 143rd Street from two to five lanes from State Street/Lemont Road to Bell Road. For more than a decade, county officials voiced their support for the project, and $6.2 million has already been spent. A $7 million federal grant earmarked for the project must be obligated by 2026. * WCBU | Bradley professor challenges incumbent Darin LaHood in U.S. House race: An adjunct economics professor at Bradley University in Peoria is joining the race for U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood’s seat because he says the financial policy just doesn’t “math up.” Before Joseph Albright taught accounting and other classes at Bradley, he was a campus police officer there for nine years. Before that he worked for almost a decade in health insurance. Albright says between his careers and his home life he has a personal stake in all the issues that form pillars of his campaign platform. * WCIA | DeWitt County getting new transportation system: “Piattran” will be available for DeWitt community members beginning July 1. Residents will be able to use the door-to-door service for medical appointments, work, shopping, social visits, and more. Officials said it will offer safe, reliable, and accessible transportation throughout the county. […] Piattran will serve the entire county, and will be available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rides will cost between $1-$8, based on distance, and rider discounts (seniors and those with disabilities could qualify for a reduced cost). Piattran officials said rides must be scheduled by 2 p.m. the previous day. * WGLT | Rally crowd opposes federal immigration crackdown after ICE arrest at McLean County courthouse: LUCIR [Latinos United for Change and Immigrant Rights], The Immigration Project, and Punks Against Trump organized the rally. It came two weeks after Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] took into custody a man who was at the McLean County courthouse for a criminal hearing. […] Alvarez said The Immigration Project wants to make sure everyone understands that national enforcement operations should be separated from local law enforcement and local court. “We’re in talks with the McLean County Board and we want to talk to Sheriff Lane and we want to talk to the court to make sure everyone is aware of and upholding state law under the Trust Act,” Alvarez said. * BND | O’Fallon school building damaged by mine subsidence. Here’s how it will be fixed: Mine subsidence has caused cracks in floors and both exterior and interior walls, which have gradually worsened with over the years. In one 18 month span, the floor dropped 9 inches on the north end of the school, O’Fallon Central School District 104 Superintendent Gabrielle Rodriguez said. “It was sickening to go in every day and watch these cracks widen,” Rodriguez said. “We had actual walls separating.” * WaPo | In West Virginia, Medicaid is a lifeline. GOP cuts could devastate the state.: At least five hospitals in West Virginia are at risk of immediate closure if the changes to Medicaid go into effect, said Rich Sutphin, president of the West Virginia Rural Health Association. (Hampshire Memorial is not among those five.) The state already struggles with access to maternity care, emergency medical transport and mental health, and has few hospitals that are able to perform complicated surgeries or treat high-risk patients. Sutphin said his group has been in “constant contact” with Capito, Justice and the state’s two House members, Reps. Carol Miller and Riley Moore, both Republicans who voted for Trump’s budget bill. * AInvest | Texas Allows Unlimited Bitcoin Investment in State Fund: With the proposal signed into law, Texas became the third state in the US with an official Bitcoin reserve, joining New Hampshire and Arizona. The statute does not cap allocations, meaning lawmakers could appropriate the full balance of the Economic Stabilization Fund. The ESF closed fiscal 2024 with $21 billion in cash and investments, according to the Comptroller’s annual cash report and supplemental ESF fact sheet. * NYT | Media Matters Sues F.T.C. Over Advertising Investigation: Media Matters said in its lawsuit that the Federal Trade Commission had employed “sweeping governmental powers to attempt to silence and harass an organization for daring to speak the truth.” The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., claimed that the agency was trying to limit the organization’s free speech rights, and asked a judge to immediately halt the investigation. * Iowa Capital Dispatch | Iowa’s revenue shortfall becomes political fodder for 2026 campaign: The Iowa state government will be dipping into reserve funds to meet spending obligations in the 2026 fiscal year under the budget passed by lawmakers in 2025 — a decision Republican leaders said was accounted for when they approved income tax cuts, but that Democrats said could leave the state in a risky position in the case of economic downturns. The merits of the state tax cuts and Republicans’ budget decisions have become partisan talking points in the early days of the 2026 campaign, as candidates begin to position themselves to run for governor and other offices.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Jun 24, 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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