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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Herald…
* Pantagraph…
* WCIA | CMS releases memo detailing next steps for state workers with Health Alliance insurance: Last month, Health Alliance announced they are ending their insurance offerings by the end of 2025. Now, state employees only have a few months before making a choice, officials said in a memo obtained by WCIA. […] All current coverage will stay in place until June 30. State employees will need to choose a new health plan or opt out of State of Illinois coverage during their open enrollment period between May 1 and June 2. Click here for the CMS FAQ on Health Alliance insurance. * Hyde Park Herald | Rep. Buckner forecasts looming Trump threats, Springfield session: Buckner said he hopes that Democrats don’t fall into the trap of “responding to the thunder that we miss the lightning.” Although he made sure to acknowledge the dangers of inflammatory rhetoric and condemn such speech, Buckner feels that a lot of Trump’s “nasty comments” about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, are “thunder,” meaning a scary distraction, and not “lightning,” meaning those actions which will do specific damage to people’s lives. * WCIA | Broad coalition lays out impacts of potential cuts to Illinois Medicaid: “I think that the fact that it’s such a large amount, $880 billion over ten years, there’s no way they can cut that much out of the federal budget without touching Medicaid,” Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) said. […] “I think, this is performative. We don’t know what will happen. There’s a lot of things that we have no control over budget negotiations going on at the national level,” Rep. Bill Hauter (R-Morton) said. * Sun-Times | Putting Illinois’ big trees on the map: There is also a national register. Illinois has two national champs, both in DuPage County: Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) inside the circle drive at the Hyatt Lodge in the old McDonald’s campus and a Kansas hawthorn (Crataegus coccinioides) at Morton Arboretum. On Wednesday, I went to find the Ohio buckeye and was justly rewarded with a massive sprawling tree that looked as battered as a heavyweight boxer at the end of 12 rounds. Just magnificent inside a decidedly urban circle of blacktop. Now, I’m inspired to find more champions. * WTTW | Want to Represent the 35th Ward on the Chicago City Council? Here’s How to Apply: A four-member committee of 35th Ward residents will advise Mayor Brandon Johnson on who should replace soon-to-be former Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa on the Chicago City Council. Ramirez-Rosa is set to leave the City Council March 31 in order to lead the Chicago Park District, where he will oversee the city’s 600 parks and 6,000 employees. State law gives Johnson two months to pick a replacement for one of his closest allies on the City Council, who will serve out the remainder of Ramirez-Rosa’s term. * Steven Can Plan | If parking relief is granted to just about every development, why require parking in the first place?: The Chicago zoning code requires nearly every development, new or renovated, to provide on-site car parking. The code also provides relief from that requirement, most often in the form of cutting the requirement in half if the development is in a “transit served location”. Further relief – getting closer to zero parking spaces required – can be requested via administrative adjustment to the Chicago Zoning Administrator. […] Sometimes, however, that administrative adjustment must be converted to an application for variation that’s heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). * WTTW | Chicago Launches New Dashboard to Track Vacant Positions After Budget Clash: The new database, which will be updated on the first of every month, launched one week after WTTW News reported that approximately 250 positions charged with implementing a court order that requires the Chicago Police Department to stop routinely violating Black and Latino residents’ constitutional rights are vacant. * Tribune | Chicago’s storied U.S. attorney’s office at crossroads as indictments dip, search for leader underway: Through the turmoil of changing administrations and a global pandemic, scores of veteran prosecutors fled for private practice or judgeships, leaving large gaps in leadership. Morale has dipped amid a variety of issues, sources told the Tribune, including COVID-era hybrid work schedules that limited face-to-face time, a focus on one-off gun cases, and now a federal hiring freeze. The bleeding continued last week, with the announcement that Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu, the veteran boss of the Public Corruption and Organized Crime Section who led the prosecution of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan, is leaving Friday. * FYI…
* WBEZ | Rising rents aren’t just a problem for those living in poverty: A recent WBEZ examination shows the cost of rent and utilities has grown three times faster than income over the last two decades. And the tidal wave of rising rents has come crashing down hardest on Chicagoans who are least able to pay. Before the surge in rent prices, most of those struggling to get by were already spending more than half their income on housing costs and barely keeping their heads above water. * WTTW | Registration Open for Chicago’s Home Repair Program. Here’s What You Need to Know: Starting Monday, eligible homeowners can register for a chance to apply for a city program designed to provide roof and porch repairs at no cost to homeowners. The program is open to residents who own and occupy a single family or duplex residential property as their primary and only residence. Households earning up to 50% of the area median income are eligible to participate in the program. View income qualifications here. * Sun-Times | Concrete chunks fall from viaduct, damaging woman’s car: ‘It could kill someone’: Sections of the viaduct show obvious signs of deterioration. Paint is chipping away in spots. Some support columns have sections of concrete missing and visible cracks. And some of the overhead sections are missing large patches of concrete, leaving rebar exposed. The viaduct is owned by Union Pacific. A spokesperson for the company said such structures are inspected a minimum of twice a year, with inspectors examining each bridge component for corrosion or cracks in trusses and decking. * Daily Southtown | Calumet City District 155 Board member censured for inappropriate behavior with students: The Calumet City Elementary District 155 Board recently censured one of its members, Lamarr Miller, after learning he previously was disciplined for inappropriate behavior with students. […] “One day, as I’m walking from the nurse, he put an arm around me and said, ‘I haven’t told you how fine you look in awhile,’ and he was squeezing me so I told him to move and he shouldn’t be telling me that,” the student also reported in the account. * Daily Herald | Village resident tabbed as Antioch’s new parks director: Katie Kotloski was selected from more than 25 applicants for the position, which comes with an annual base salary of $110,000. The post had been filled on an interim basis by retired Highland Park District executive Jeff Nehila since Mary Quilty retired in August. Kotloski has overseen recreation programs for the Lindenhurst and Northbrook park districts and managed cooperative programs for the Highland Park-based Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association. * River Bender | Illinois Secretary of State’s Mobile DMV Will Be Offered at R.P. Lumber Center in April: The City of Edwardsville and the Illinois Secretary of State are teaming up once more to offer a Mobile DMV service in the city. It will take place at the R.P. Lumber Center on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The Mobile DMV is part of an effort by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office to provide some of the basic Illinois Department of Motor Vehicle services, including REAL IDs, at easily accessible community sites. It’s an additional and alternative option to visiting a traditional DMV location. This service of the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office has been offered in Edwardsville several times since last year. * Daily-Journal | Manteno police gun range tabled: Manteno Trustee Joel Gesky posted on social media Wednesday night that he and fellow Trustee CJ Boudreau met with resident Greg Olejarz and his wife after Monday’s Village Board meeting. […] When reached by phone Thursday, Gesky said the proposal for a gun range would be tabled for at least six months. “We’ve got to look at other options,” he said. “What else is there available, and what makes sense? And we’re asking for public input. … It was never a done deal, and we were exploring our options.” * BND | Congressman tells metro-east leaders cuts to Medicaid, Social Security will hurt residents: A Chicago-area congressman traveled to East St. Louis on Saturday to meet with Black leaders who shared their concerns about cuts to federal programs by President Donald Trump’s administration. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat representing the 8th Congressional District, told them to expect reductions in Medicaid benefits and Social Security services to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy if the president and billionaire Elon Musk have their way. * WSIL | Boys and Girls club of Southern Illinois will host a Spring Break Camp: Carbondale’s Director Halston Lewis is helping to plan some of the fun activities. “We’re going to have the kids do a triple play. We’re going to have them doing basketball,” Lewis says. “And we get into the arts and crafts.” Lewis says he has grown with the Southern Illinois branch, starting as a member in 2004. He wants to make it feel like a second home for the kids. * AP | Top US health agency makes $25,000 buyout offer to most of its 80,000 employees: Most of the 80,000 federal workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid under the auspices of the Health and Human Services Department were emailed an offer to leave their job for as much as a $25,000 payment as part of President Donald Trump’s government cuts. * Pew | Slowdown in Private Sector Jobs a Boon for State and Local Hiring: Since January 2023, more than 1 in 5 new jobs in the U.S. have been in either state and local government or public education, which is over twice the scale of public sector job growth seen in the decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis of federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data conducted by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The public sector hiring surge marks a clear turning point from the years immediately after the pandemic-induced recession, when states and localities struggled to staff up and accounted for fewer than 1 in 10 new jobs. The shift in public sector hiring over the past two years also created a rare role reversal in which state and local government employment growth outpaced the private sector’s rate—a phenomenon not seen since the onset of the Great Recession in 2007. All told, states and localities have added more than 1 million employees since the start of 2023 and now employ more than 20.5 million people.
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New Hampshire ain’t what it used to be
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Do I think the governor is seriously mulling a 2028 run for president? Of course. But, unless the Democratic Party changes its rules, New Hampshire’s primary votes don’t count, so this Fox story is a bit over the top…
Anyway, what are your thoughts on the governor’s plans?
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Question of the day
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * How are you holding up with the time change?
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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments. Retailers like Kristina enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Annual survey: Illinois educator shortage eases, but staffing pipeline challenges continue
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Illinois State Board of Education…
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WTVO…
* Sen. Ram Villivalam…
* Richard Day dug into the Metropolitan Mobility Act for Streetsblog Chicago…
Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl…
* Daily Herald…
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Misguided Insurance Regulation Proposals Could Increase Premiums For The Majority Of Illinoisans
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Several bills proposed this legislative session seek to ban certain factors that insurance companies use to set fair and accurate insurance pricing for customers. The bills would ban the use of credit-based insurance scores, zip codes, age, and gender in insurance pricing. An op-ed published recently in the Chicago Tribune explains why such bans could cause insurance rates to rise for the majority of consumers. Case in point: When the use of credit was banned in Washington in 2021, more than 60 percent of Washington drivers saw an increase in their insurance premiums. Should similar legislation pass in Illinois, the majority of Illinoisians with better-than-average credit could see premium increases. With stubbornly high inflation and high property taxes, now is not the time to pass bills that could end up hiking insurance premiums for most Illinoisans. Click here to learn more.
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Foster care services in jeopardy: ‘We can’t let that happen’
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
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Open thread
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Let’s belatedly kick off Women’s History Month with a big bang…
* Here you go…
Stop acting like boys and be men * What’s going on in your world?
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois joins lawsuit seeking to halt ‘illegal’ mass firings of federal workers. WTTW…
- According to Raoul’s office, nearly 446 terminated federal employees in Illinois have applied for state unemployment benefits in the two months since Trump’s inauguration. - “These unannounced mass layoffs have created growing chaos and confusion,” the lawsuit states. “Thousands of affected individuals have been fired and must now make pressing decisions about healthcare, unemployment benefits, and reemployment.” * Related stories…
∙ Press Release: AG Raoul asks court to stop mass firings and seeks reinstatement of federal probationary employees ∙ Crusader: Attorney General Raoul asks court to stop mass firings and seeks reinstatement of federal probationary employees * Tribune | Illinois patients, hospitals fear potential Medicaid cuts: ‘I hope people have some kind of compassion’: Outlaw is one of more than 3.4 million people in Illinois on Medicaid — more than one-quarter of the state’s population — who are anxiously watching discussions in Washington, D.C., over the future of the program. In late February, House Republicans passed a budget resolution instructing the committee that oversees Medicaid to cut $880 billion in costs over the next 10 years to help pay for new and existing tax cuts and enhanced border and national security, according to House Republicans. * Sun-Times | As Medicaid cuts loom, patients, officials defend care for chronic pain, behavioral health and addiction: Current Illinois law would automatically end Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions in the state if federal funding is cut, significantly reducing who qualifies for the coverage. State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, has sponsored legislation to repeal the law, though the issue of funding the care would remain. * WGN | The Homeschool Act aims to implement regulations to protect kids in Illinois: An investigation by ProPublica and Capitol News Illinois discovered that children were being mistreated and neglected while being homeschooled. State Representative and Chair of the Adoption and Child Welfare Committee in the Illinois House, Terra Costa Howard, joins Dane Neal, filling in for Jon Hansen for Let’s Gel Legal. The two discuss homeschooling and the new bill that hopes to protect children’s education when they are learning at home. * Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker’s $300M proposal seeks to attract developers to abandoned sites that now draw only vandals: In a budget proposal that included no new taxes and cuts to key programs like health care for noncitizen immigrants, Pritzker is proposing the state invest $300 million to prepare the sites for private development. Funding would come from the state’s capital budget. The Pritzker administration said the program would create jobs and support community revitalization, and the project would attract new businesses, potentially leading to billions of dollars in private investment. The five sites in the proposal were identified as “high priority,” though others might be considered in the future. * WTTW | Illinois Pitches Two New Prisons as a Way to Modernize and Address Aging Facilities. Some Advocates Aren’t Sold: Illinois’ prison population continues to shrink, with facilities now having a 26% vacancy rate, leading some of those inside and their advocates to question the state’s plan to build two new prisons. Some opposed to new prisons say if they are to be built, they should be small and close to Cook County for services and loved ones’ visits. Others look toward decarceration and consolidation of other decrepit facilities. The state, meanwhile, is pitching the rebuilding plan as necessary due to the high amount of deferred maintenance on existing buildings and the need for a modern, rehabilitative design. * Sun-Times | New data breach exposes thousands of CPS students’ info: The data breach affected roughly 700,000 students dating back to the 2017-18 school year, CPS said. Students’ names, dates of birth, gender and their CPS student ID numbers were accessed. Students enrolled in Medicaid also had their Medicaid ID number and dates of eligibility exposed. Social Security numbers, financial and health information were not exposed in the breach, CPS said. * Sun-Times | Amid Loop vacancies, Chicago’s property tax burden shifts to neighborhoods: The property taxes paid by the once-bustling but now-struggling Water Tower Place, for instance, have plunged from $16 million annually to $6.8 million last year. With Water Tower Place paying less, that means other homeowners and businesses have needed to make up the shortfall to cover the taxes that pay for police, firefighters, schools and other services. * Crain’s | Chicago makes its move to get in on the data center boom: Microsoft last year acquired more than 500 acres for a data center in southwest suburban Plano. Compass Datacenters is building a five-building campus on 200 acres at the former Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates. CyrusOne is also developing a 230-acre complex near Yorkville. With the explosion of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, technology companies are racing to build data centers, a collection of servers and networking equipment that stores, processes and distributes electronic data, from personal email and entertainment programs to business payroll and sales functions. * Tribune | Illinois clinic one of first places in the country to offer new device to spinal cord injury patients: The device, called the ARC-EX, delivers electrical pulses to his spine during his sessions at Next Steps Chicago, a neurological rehabilitation clinic in Willow Springs. The device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December, with some experts hailing it as a milestone in therapy for people with spinal cord injuries. Next Steps is one of the first two clinics in the country offering it. * Crain’s | WFMT workers plan to unionize: Content creators at Chicago’s classical radio station 98.7 WFMT-FM intend to organize with SAG-AFTRA, a large union representing professionals in entertainment and media. In a press release earlier this week, SAG-AFTRA said the workers have faced “ongoing challenges” at the station for years and the only option to address them is through collective bargaining. * Tribune | ‘A fun experiment’: Chicago White Sox get a close look at Automated Ball-Strike System testing at Camelback Ranch: According to Major League Baseball, ABS uses a set of cameras around the field to track pitch locations. Each team starts with two challenges, which can be used by the batter, pitcher or catcher. The challenge must be immediate and made without the assistance from the dugout or other players. A team retains a successful challenge, but loses it if the umpire’s call is confirmed. MLB is using the testing this spring to see whether ABS is suitable for use in the majors down the line. It has been tested in the minors since 2021. According to MLB, more than 60% of the 2025 spring training games will be played with ABS, including eight Grapefruit League parks in Florida. * WBEZ | Even after guilty plea, Highland Park residents still trying to make sense of mass shooting: Some Highland Park residents still avoid Port Clinton Square, right across the street from the building where, nearly three years ago, a young man sprayed bullets into a crowd gathered for the town’s annual 4th of July parade. “This is the first time I’ve had enough courage to walk over there without breaking down,” Vincent N. Carani said on Thursday morning. * Daily Herald | Metra asks feds for relief in feud with Union Pacific over ‘unreasonable’ costs to run trains on tracks: Metra filed separate actions with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board and in federal court seeking relief from what they called “windfall” rates proposed by UP to use its tracks. The issue dates back to 2019 when the freight railroad decided it was no longer feasible to operate trains on Metra’s three commuter lines, the UP North, Northwest and West. * Tribune | DuPage County, sheriff agree to $11 million payout for jail death: Approved by a judge last month, the settlement caps a federal lawsuit brought by Aguilar-Hurtado’s daughter, Cristal Moreno Aguilar, accusing the county, Mendrick and 11 jail medical staff members or corrections officers of repeatedly failing to act as her mother’s health rapidly deteriorated. A county pathologist determined her death was due, in part, to “medical neglect.” * Shaw Local | Should DeKalb enact a local grocery tax? Mayoral candidates weigh in: In an email to Shaw Local News Network, DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas said the loss of the tax from grocery stores including Jewel-Osco, DeKalb Fresh Market, Aldi and Schnucks would cost the city about $800,000 in estimated grocery tax revenue for 2024. Typically, the city allocates revenue generated from the state grocery tax toward departmental operations. “Any drop in such proceeds would have to be offset by an equal increase in some other general revenue to maintain the current level of operations,” Nicklas said. * Shaw Local | La Salle County YANA to host gubernatorial candidate James Mendrick on March 13: The grassroots political group YANA (You Are Not Alone) is celebrating its four-year anniversary with an event at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at Jamie’s Outpost, 602 Clark St., Utica. The keynote speaker will be DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick, the first Republican to announce his candidacy for Illinois governor in the 2026 election. Mendrick’s visit provides attendees with an opportunity to hear directly from a gubernatorial candidate and discuss the future of Illinois. * WCIA | Pritzker stops by Urbana restaurant with Democratic primary winner: “We’ve been doing this a long time and [to] have somebody of that high-profile come in and eat your food and that you share with the community that you grew up with and grew up in,” Baldarotta said. “It’s amazing what he ordered at the Guido. It was recommended by DeShawn because that’s where he gets a lot when he gets in here. But I couldn’t let him leave without trying our porketta.” * Tom Kacich | Calling it a career: Now it’s time to give this precious space to the young journalists with their energy, enthusiasm, passion and dreams. They are practicing a noble profession (another term for underpaid) with the great responsibility to inform the public, shed light on government, institutions and culture, and call it as they see it. There are many reasons the task is much more difficult today than it was in 1975, not the least of which is misinformation on social media, including much from the government. * BND | Tax incentive, new infrastructure part of proposed ‘transformative’ development in O’Fallon: Park Place is a joint effort by Bruce Holland of Holland Construction, Rich Gorazd of State Construction and Michael Hamburg of Pier Property Group that city leaders have said could be the biggest development of its type. As proposed, it would feature recreation, entertainment, retail, restaurants and a variety of housing options that could include 50 villas and 429 multi-family units. The cost is estimated cost of the project is $275 to 300 million. * WCIA | Alcohol compliance checks will happen more often in Pana after 50% of businesses fail: 14 establishments in Pana were checked. Half of them sold alcohol to a person who was under 21 years old. The establishments inside City limits found to be non-compliant were given a City Ordinance Violation for Prohibited Sales of Alcohol with a $500.00 fine. The sellers outside City limits were cited for Illegal Gift/Sale of Alcohol to Minors. All seven establishments were served notice by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission Office and will be given additional fines for the violation. * ESPN | Illini investigating allegations of ‘inappropriate comments’: The University of Illinois said Saturday that it is investigating allegations of “inappropriate comments” that were made toward Purdue supporters after Boilermakers star Trey Kaufman-Renn said his 13-year-old brother was subjected to racist language and his family was “cussed out” by opposing fans during his team’s 88-80 loss to the Fighting Illini in Champaign, Illinois, on Friday night. * The Telegraph | Governor JB Pritzker congratulates SIUE basketball on historic NCAA Tournament berth: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker sent congratulations to the SIU-Edwardsville men’s basketball team and SIUE head coach Brian Barone for reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. “Huge congrats to Coach Barone and the entire SIUE team,” Pritzker said Sunday on social media. “Best of luck to you all in your first ever NCAA Tournament!” * NYT | 30 Charts That Show How Everything Changed in March 2020: Decades from now, the pandemic will be visible in the historical data of nearly anything measurable today: an unmistakable spike, dip or jolt that officially began for Americans five years ago this week. […] Three million Americans filed for unemployment benefits in the first week, then six million the next, one of the earliest shockwaves to ripple through the economy. * Santa Fe New Mexican | Assault weapons ban modeled after Illinois law now on the table: The Senate Judiciary Committee decided late Monday to take time to study a proposed assault weapons ban for the state modeled after an Illinois law that is currently tied up in the courts. “We’ll have you ready to go at our very next meeting on Wednesday,” Sen. Joe Cervantes, a Las Cruces Democrat who chairs the committee, told the sponsors. * AP | Kennedy and influencers bash seed oils, baffling nutrition scientists: It’s the catchy description coined by internet influencers, wellness gurus and some politicians to refer to common cooking oils — think canola, soybean and corn oil — that have long been staples in many home kitchens. […] “I don’t know where it came from that seed oils are bad,” said Martha Belury, an Ohio State University food science professor. In a Senate hearing Thursday, Dr. Marty Makary, nominated to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, called for a closer review of the products. * Above the Law | Trump Signs Executive Order Calling Out Top 50 Biglaw Firm, With Intent To Wage War Against Other ‘Leading Law Firms’ Over Their DEI Policies: In a move that could seriously disrupt the very ecosystem within which Biglaw firms exist, Trump has directed the chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to “review the practices of representative large, influential, or industry leading law firms for consistency with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” * MSN | The FAA’s Troubles Are More Serious Than You Know: Many FAA employees were prepared to follow that advice, agreeing to leave their government jobs and get paid through September, according to internal government records I obtained as well as interviews with current and former U.S. officials who spoke with me on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. More than 1,300 FAA employees replied to the email, out of a workforce of about 45,000. Most of those who responded selected “Yes, I confirm that I am resigning/retiring.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Mar 10, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller Yeah, most times you can’t hear ‘em talk Make your stand
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Misguided Insurance Regulation Proposals Could Increase Premiums For The Majority Of Illinoisans
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Several bills proposed this legislative session seek to ban certain factors that insurance companies use to set fair and accurate insurance pricing for customers. The bills would ban the use of credit-based insurance scores, zip codes, age, and gender in insurance pricing. An op-ed published recently in the Chicago Tribune explains why such bans could cause insurance rates to rise for the majority of consumers. Case in point: When the use of credit was banned in Washington in 2021, more than 60 percent of Washington drivers saw an increase in their insurance premiums. Should similar legislation pass in Illinois, the majority of Illinoisians with better-than-average credit could see premium increases. With stubbornly high inflation and high property taxes, now is not the time to pass bills that could end up hiking insurance premiums for most Illinoisans. Click here to learn more.
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* Shaw Local…
* USA Today…
* Associate professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago Kate Lowe | Labor has a solid plan for public transit, but lawmakers must address funding: Without tackling the growing $771 million operating shortfall this legislative session, our region must start planning for devastating service cuts that would most hurt low-income riders and transit workers, with ripple effects to our environment and economy ($2.6 billion less in GDP, according to the RTA). Labor’s bill is a good alternative to proposed legislation that would eliminate Pace, the Chicago Transit Authority and Metra, which have different union contracts and service constraints. The bill has strategies for better accountability and coordination, along with (overdue) regional fare integration. * WAND | Illinois bobcat season finishes with 649 harvested: A total of 415 (61.6%) of bobcats were taken by hunting, while trapping accounted for 234 (34.7%) of the harvest. 25 (3.7%) were salvaged by permit holders from circumstances such as roadkill. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources issued 2,000 bobcat permits in the 2024-2025 bobcat lottery out of 9,200 applicants. * Tribune | A flag football first in Illinois: History will be made Saturday as sport continues to grow nationally: Benedictine and Rockford will compete in the first women’s college flag football game in Illinois when they meet at 6:15 p.m. Saturday inside the Chicago Bears’ Walter Payton Center on the Halas Hall campus. The Bears expect about 300 fans, including family and friends of the athletes, high school and college coaches and Bears staff. Bears player personnel coordinator Ashton Washington is slated to speak with both teams before the game. * Shaw Local | Will federal cuts to national parks lead to more state park visitors? Travelers are monitoring effect: The cuts to 10% of the National Parks staff come just as the National Parks Service announced almost 332 million visitors in 2024 – a record year in attendance. About 1,000 probationary National Park Service employees were fired Feb. 14 and about 700 National Park workers are expected to participate in the buyout program. In theory, staff reductions and reduced operations at the national parks could result in an influx of visitors at Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks. So far, however, Matthew Kosch isn’t seeing any signs of a surge at the state-run parks. * Tribune | Chicago victims of credit card scam warn others to be on guard: ‘I was just blinded by my naivety’: Eliazar Rodriguez was running errands in Roscoe Village when he was stopped by two men with a laminated flyer outside a Starbucks. They said they were raising money for their little brother who was killed in a drive-by shooting and told Rodriguez that they were struggling to gather funeral funds. […] He gave the men $15 through Apple Pay and wrote his name down on a sheet pledging his donation. One of the guys took Rodriguez’s phone to make the transaction, showed him the screen to confirm that Rodriguez donated $15 and the two men went on their way. Next thing Rodriguez knew, he got an instant notification from his bank telling him he had a $3,000 charge for a carpet purchase. * Bloomberg | Opinion: Private equity’s $24 billion Walgreens bid is wild: Walgreens’ market value had shrunk to less than $8 billion from more than $100 billion in the past decade before Sycamore’s interest emerged in December. The pharmacist has endured myriad problems, which are ongoing. Selling consumer health care products from stores is a low-growth business facing competition from Amazon.com and Walmart. Those challenges are exacerbated by high theft rates. And Walgreens’ foray into health care services, providing access to physicians in clinics, has proved a costly mistake. * Tribune | Illinois Holocaust Museum will close for renovations, with a temporary location opening downtown: In the meantime, a satellite location will open with some of the museum’s more popular exhibits at the former site of the Museum of Broadcast Communications (360 N. State St.) in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. The IHMEC first opened in Skokie in 2009 in a $45 million building designed by Chicago architect Stanley Tigerman — the project of what was the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, founded in 1981 in the wake of a threatened march by neo-Nazis in Skokie. * Crain’s | Kim Kardashian’s Skims to open first Chicago storefront in Gold Coast retail corridor: Skims, the shapewear and apparel brand co-founded by influencer and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian, plans to open a store at 1000 N. Rush St., sources familiar with the deal said. Chicago-based L3 Capital paid $21.5 million for the retail space last month, according to online property records. * Sun-Times | Lake County’s top prosecutor says detective lied on witness stand in murder case: Now Rinehart and Owens are presenting evidence that a North Chicago detective lied in his police reports and on the witness stand at trial. The detective, Olander Warner, claimed an informant initially identified Williford as a suspect, but Warner had typed Williford’s name into a police database five days before he says he met with the informant, according to the petition. Also, Warner and Williford were having an affair with the same woman, casting the motives for the detective’s “targeted investigation” into doubt, according to the petition. * Daily Herald | Attorney jailed for missing start of trial in DuPage County: But Chicago attorney Cierra Norris, who has nearly 500,000 followers on TikTok, found herself posing for a different kind of camera Wednesday — capturing her booking photo at the DuPage County jail. DuPage County Judge Margaret O’Connell found Norris in indirect criminal contempt of court, and ordered her to a five-day stay in jail for failing to show up for the start of a jury trial Tuesday. * Daily Southtown | Federal subpoena seeks Dolton records for bar and grill subject of Tiffany Henyard lawsuit: The subpoena, provided by the village via a Daily Southtown Freedom of Information Act request, seeks inspection reports and communications between village officials, former and current building tenants and property owners as part of a criminal investigation. Dolton Trustee Jason House, who beat Henyard in the Feb. 25 Democratic primary for mayor, said Monday he was unaware of the details of the subpoena but said the village will comply with the federal investigation. * Sun-Times | Family wants answers after ‘life of the party’ fatally struck by Cook County Sheriff’s officer in Glenview: Mercedes Smith, 28, was fatally struck by a Cook County Sheriff officer’s vehicle about 5 a.m. Tuesday in the 9800 block of Milwaukee Avenue, according to Glenview police. She was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where she was pronounced dead at 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and Glenview Police Department. * Daily Herald | Candidates for Hanover Park president debate bringing back 1% municipal grocery tax: Both candidates for Hanover Park village president see a different answer to the question of how to address the state’s decision to stop imposing a 1% grocery tax on municipalities’ behalf now that each has the authority to have its own. Incumbent Rod Craig, who’s held the office for 18 years, is being challenged by Mark Elkins, a 30-year member of the Hanover Park Park District’s board of commissioners and its current president. * Crain’s | Skokie hotel developer hit with $24 million foreclosure lawsuit: X-Caliber alleged in the lawsuit that E&M defaulted on its mortgage by failing to get the lender’s consent to increase the project’s budget by almost $17.3 million, among other infractions. The project went awry when the actual construction costs turned out to be far higher than an initial estimate from Russell “to the point where the project simply did not make fiscal sense,” said E&M General Partner Mark Meyer. Cook County property records show a slew of liens in 2023 against the developer from subcontractors alleging they weren’t paid for their work. * Shaw Local | What these city council candidates say about Joliet’s future development: In election questionnaires sent out to Joliet City Council candidates, The Herald-News asked What is your vision for the city’s future development? What you would like to see in the city’s comprehensive plan being developed? * The Southern | SIU’s Paul Simon Institute to host discussion on expanding educational equity: Melissa Connelly, CEO of OneGoal, will join Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for a virtual conversation on Tuesday, March 18, to discuss the barriers facing first-generation and low-income students in achieving a college education. Connelly will speak with John Shaw, institute director, about her work leading OneGoal, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all students have an equitable opportunity to achieve postsecondary success. * WCIA | CONO holding Decatur candidate forum this weekend: The non-partisan group will hold a forum at the Decatur Public Library on the second-floor auditorium Saturday afternoon. From 1-2 p.m., city council candidates will take the stage and from 2-3 p.m., school board candidates will respond to their questions. […] “Our goal is to inform voters on the stance of the candidates about local issues,” CONO President Kathy Williams said. “These office holders decide our tax bills and so much more! We also want to see as many people as possible vote.” * Muddy River News | United Way of Adams County, Quincy Public Schools partner to support student mental health: “Our mission is to connect as many residents as possible with the vital services available in our community. Quincy Public Schools has offered an opportunity that exemplifies our ongoing dedication to making resources more accessible and fostering a stronger, more supportive Adams County.” Participants will be engaged in a discussion on gaps in available mental health services. Attendees have the opportunity to meet with participating organizations to gain insights and explore additional solutions for student mental health support in their schools. * WTTW | It’s Time to Spring Forward an Hour This Weekend, But Is the Clock Ticking on Daylight Saving?: A 2021 poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that indeed more Americans are in favor of permanent Standard Time or Daylight Saving, with 43% opting for the former and 32% for the latter. Another 25% prefer the status quo of switching back and forth. * Crain’s | As ‘rule of law’ becomes a partisan talking point, what do bar associations have to say?: “Why would we go down the political route and alienate half of our membership?” asks John Sciaccotta, president of the Chicago Bar Association. It recently emailed a rule-of-law appeal to its 17,000 members, which did not mention President Donald Trump by name. William Bay, president of the American Bar Association, put his name on three statements, beginning last month. Still, says a spokesman for the Chicago-based group, “members generally want us to do more.” * Politico | Sex, Drinking and Dementia: 25 Lawmakers Spill on What Congress Is Really Like: To get an inside look at what it’s like to serve on Capitol Hill — after years of gridlock, government shutdowns and now another Donald Trump stampede through Washington — we sat down with 25 lawmakers who were ready to dish. We talked about what they hate and love about Congress, why it’s broken and how to fix it (one suggestion: bring back the powdered wigs). They also told us what would really shock the public if they knew the truth about life as a lawmaker (it’s what’s for dinner).
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IEMA, DoIT directors depart
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release…
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Sen. Durbin’s dangerous idea could worsen the problem he wants to solve
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background…
* Durbin’s justification…
Whoa. Not the greatest video he’s ever posted. * Regardless, his idea is so ridiculous… 
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Stop Credit Card Chaos In Illinois
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] A last-minute provision called the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act (IFPA) was snuck into the budget process last May and will create chaos for small businesses and consumers across Illinois if it takes effect on July 1, 2025. The IFPA gives corporate mega-stores like Walmart and Home Depot — who pushed for this backroom deal — millions more in profits, while small business owners get new expenses and accounting headaches. What’s more, consumers could be forced to pay for parts of their transactions in cash if this law moves forward. A recent court ruling in the litigation challenging the law suggests IFPA is likely pre-empted by federal law for national banks and will only apply to credit unions and local Illinois banks, putting local banks at a disadvantage against their national competitors. Illinois lawmakers should repeal the IFPA and focus on protecting small businesses and consumers across the state — not lining the pockets of corporate mega-stores. Stop the countdown to chaos by supporting a repeal of this misguided and flawed policy. Learn more at https://guardyourcard.com/illinois/ 
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It’s just a bill
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Rep. Kevin Olickal and Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Ognisanti…
* WAND…
* Rep. Patrick Sheehan…
* WJBD…
* Yesterday HB2409 passed out of the Police & Fire Committee unanimously…
* WAND…
* Rep. Kevin Schmidt…
* WAND…
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Open thread
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on? Keep it Illinois-centric please…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois Gov. takes action to support workers impacted by federal job cuts. Fox 2 Now…
- The job fairs are for various fields, including engineering, health care, accounting and environmental services. - “If things can be taken away at the federal level, people need to look at all other resources. If their job is impacted, have a plan B,” said Moses Holman from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. - A second job fair is scheduled for March 20 at Malcolm X College in Chicago * Related stories…
∙ Fox2Now: SIUE hosts job fair to aid former federal workers in job search * Tribune | ‘I hope people have some kind of compassion’: Illinois patients, hospitals fear potential Medicaid cuts: “It’s pretty much saving my life right now,” said Outlaw, 38, who lives on the city’s West Side. If something happened to Outlaw’s Medicaid coverage, “it’s the end for me,” he said. Outlaw is one of more than 3.4 million people in Illinois on Medicaid — more than one-quarter of the state’s population — who are anxiously watching discussions in Washington, D.C., over the future of the program. In late February, House Republicans passed a budget resolution instructing the committee that oversees Medicaid to cut $880 billion in costs over the next 10 years to help pay for new and existing tax cuts and enhanced border and national security, according to House Republicans. * ABC Chicago | Victims of SNAP, EBT fraud will no longer be reimbursed for stolen food benefits : Thieves have found a way to steal from people’s SNAP accounts. Now the state of Illinois is telling the I-Team they are no longer able to replace the funds, leaving some families struggling to put food on the table. It is a sophisticated scheme that is affecting people nationwide. Hackers have been clearing out people’s food benefits over the last few years. * STLPR | Illinois residents had the chance to pick a new flag — they chose the old one In total, Illinoisans cast nearly 384,000 votes in the contest. The current flag earned more than 165,000. Anyone could cast a ballot once per 24 hours during the five-week voting period. While the next closest option received less than 9% of the vote — nearly 57% of votes were cast for a different option. That may signal that the state does indeed want change, said flag enthusiast Ted Kaye, secretary of the North American Vexillological Association. * Capitol News Illinois | Hundreds rally at the Capitol to oppose homeschool bill While the number of homeschooled children is growing, determining the number of children who are educated at home is difficult, as registration is not required. The bill would also require data collection from each Regional Office of Education across Illinois for the first time on the number, grade and age of homeschooled children in their regions. * State Rep. Barbara Hernandez | Improving teacher diversity is crucial to the success of all students: Now more than ever, Illinois must make a strong and united show of support for MTI and the continued funding of this important effort. In January, I was proud to vote for the passage of a bill that highlights the value and importance of MTI. It is my hope that my colleagues in the Illinois Senate will follow suit with their support of this important program. Despite progress in Illinois, there is still a wide disparity in representation between teachers and their students. While students of color make up 54% of Illinois’ K-12 student population, teachers of color make up only 18% of the teacher workforce in the state. * Jim Dey | Supreme Court’s ruling on bribes further complicates Madigan, ComEd convictions: The ComEd Four were convicted before the Supreme Court ruled in the Snyder case that post-deal “gratuities” are legal. So U.S. Judge Manish Shah threw out four of the nine convictions, in spite of his comments that evidence showed the utility’s payments were bribes. What’s next? The government may cut its losses and proceed to sentencing on the remaining guilty verdicts. All four face likely prison sentences. Or it may retry the four on bribery charges under different statutory language. * IPM | Gov. Pritzker: Champaign’s school district is a model for a potential statewide K-12 cell phone ban: “[Champaign Unit 4] has helped to lead the charge in this work implementing its own cell phone policy this year,” Pritzker said. “Teachers, administrators and students have told me that there’s a stark improvement in the overall learning environment.” The Champaign Unit 4 School District banned cell phones in the classroom last fall. Superintendent Shelia Boozer said in a recent survey, Unit 4 families and teachers reported the change is having a positive impact. She said students have been cooperative and are adjusting. * Sun-Times | Trump’s latest tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China have Illinois businesses facing ’scary times’: On Monday afternoon, Sandya Dandamudi had five trucks racing to cross the Canadian border by midnight. The trucks, full of American granite that was fabricated in Canada, needed to be in the U.S. or they risked being slapped by President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian imports. Dandamudi, president of Chicago-based stone supplier GI Stone, said the last truck came in at 11:30 p.m. — a half-hour before the tariffs went into effect. * Crain’s | Walgreens to be bought by private-equity firm Sycamore for $10B: After several months of rumors that Walgreens Boots Alliance would take itself private, the Deerfield-based pharmacy giant confirmed today that it will sell itself for an equity value of around $10 billion to New York-based private-equity firm Sycamore Partners. Sycamore, which has traditionally specialized in retail and consumer investments, will acquire Walgreens for $11.45 per share in cash, a premium of 29% to the company’s closing share price of $8.85 on Dec. 9, the pharmacy chain said today. * Crain’s | Small Business Administration closing Chicago office over sanctuary city law: SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced Chicago will join five other major U.S. markets in relocating regional offices to “less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law,” according to a news release today. The department will also begin requiring SBA loan applicants to verify their U.S. citizenship and lenders to confirm that businesses are not owned in whole or in part by people without legal status. * Block Club | Bomb Threats Made To Jones And Hancock College Prep Were Unfounded, Police Say: Jones was one of two schools to receive threats on Wednesday, according to police. John Hancock College Prep in Clearing on the Southwest Side was also targeted. Both incidents were deemed “non-bonafide” — or unsubstantiated — by police. “It’s a very serious matter. It frightens everybody, the students, the administrators, and the community,” Bird said. “That’s why the officers responded as swiftly as they did, and we had resources on the scene to clear the school and ensure everyone was safe.” * Block Club | Dogs Keep Getting Shocked Outside Luxury Apartment Downtown — And Tenants Are Desperate For Answers: Emails shared with Block Club Chicago from Feb. 4 show Owczarski addressing concerns about a possible live current in front of the building. “Thank you for the information, Alison. I will inform the maintenance team so they can figure this out ASAP,” management said in an emailed response that same day. The couple thought the issue had been corrected until they heard other residents’ stories, including Johnson’s. Howard and Owczarski said they have since heard similar accounts from at least 20 other dog owners. * Tribune | ‘Notorious’ firearm store linked to illegal weapons closes: A south suburban firearms store once described as “Chicago’s most notorious gun shop” has closed its doors. At Chuck’s Gun Shop and Pistol Range in Riverdale, which for years was known as a leading local source of guns recovered at Chicago crime scenes, a sign taped to the window reads “going fishing forever.” A metal folding gate blocks the storefront that drew activists for “die-ins” as recently as 2022. […] The shop has been the subject of numerous media reports from local and national outlets highlighting the high volume of guns recovered at crime scenes that came from the store, and has drawn protests since at least 2007, when the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. and the Rev. Michael Pfleger were arrested for trespassing while demonstrating outside. * Fox Chicago | Cook County farm says $200K grant and two other pending grants were canceled: Kakadoodle, located in Matteson, revealed on Facebook that in addition to the $200,000 grant awarded for remodeling a pole barn into a new distribution center, two other pending grants have also been canceled. Furthermore, the company’s steady revenue from moving food to local food banks has halted. * NBC Chicago | Pace express bus service could expand into west, northwest suburbs: Pace is in the early stages of studying whether to add shoulder-riding buses on I-290 and I-88, potentially expanding express service to the west and northwest suburbs. The suburban bus agency has run buses along the shoulders of I-55 and I-94 for years. Expanding this type of express service to the I-290/88 corridor could reduce travel times, congestion and add more transit options. * Crain’s | Wirtz family’s proposed Ivanhoe Village has local officials feuding over fees: The Wirtz family’s plan to develop Lake County land it has owned since the mid-19th century into a community of about 3,600 homes will have a big impact on the schools, roads and other services in the area, and planning for that impact has set off a feud between the local school districts and Mundelein village officials. Leaders of the elementary and high school districts say they’ve been sidelined in negotiations over the impact fees the developers of the Ivanhoe Village community should pay. In late February, they published a letter to residents asking for citizens’ support to “demand the Wirtz Family do what’s right for our schools and communities.” * Eye On Illinois | Guilty plea another step in moving forward after Highland Park tragedy: “We are not the first community to go through this, and we are not the last.” Ashbey Beasley spoke those words to reporters gathered outside the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan Monday, according to Capitol News Illinois, and it’s difficult to isolate a more searing quote in relation to the guilty plea of the gunman who terrorized the 2022 Highland Park Independence Day parade. * Daily Herald | Obama archive in Hoffman Estates planned move to Maryland before appearance on DOGE list: But Bob Huber, vice president of investment sales for Imperial Realty Co., which handles the building’s leasing, said the lease was due to end in September 2025 anyway. He sees the change as an opportunity, rather than a hardship. “I am starting to market the thing right now,” Huber said. As soon as the property showed up on DOGE’s list of terminating federal leases, he said he’s been flooded with inquiries about its availability — including about 200 on Wednesday alone. * NBC Chicago | Illinois’ ‘largest’ fireworks show cancelled for 2025, village board says: The decision was announced at the Itasca Village board meeting Tuesday, where village administrator Carrie Ann Ergo explained that construction happening around the park would make the celebration “logistically unfeasible” for summer 2025. “This was an extremely difficult decision to make,” Ergo said in a statement. “Itasca takes great pride in hosting the biggest and best fireworks show in northern Illinois. Our first priority is always the safety and security of Itasca residents, businesses and visitors. Given the unique challenges presented this year, we cannot confidently recommend hosting fireworks in 2025.” * Pantagraph | LGBTQ+ town hall focuses on state legislation, safety, rights: wo Central Illinois state lawmakers pledged support for pro-LGBTQ+ legislation at a town hall Thursday that also drew a range of organizations supporting that community in the face of the current U.S. political climate. “We know what’s happening across the country with this hostile administration because we know that they’re attacking LGBTQ people, specifically trans individuals,” said José Wilson, director of civic engagement at Equality Illinois. * WCIA | Federal funding cuts impact Central Illinois food banks, farmers: “The access to nutritious food is extremely important,” said EIF President and CEO Kelly Daly. EIF distributes millions of pounds of groceries across 18 counties through their mobile distribution program. Daly said they’re not stopping anytime soon, but budget cuts are making it a bit more challenging. * WAND | Danville gives green light on cannabis lounge: Just under one year after opening their location in Danville, Co-Founder and CEO Brad Zerman said he is appreciative how many people support Seven Point and appealed to City Council. “The community wants it. We had over 325 signed petitions from Danville residents.” Zerman says he hopes to open the lounge in April. * WAND | ‘It’s a tough spot to be in,’ says brewmaster concerned about tariff on aluminum: Brent Schwoerer, the owner, founder, and brewmaster of Engrained Brewing Company said that he expects to see an increase in their 4-pack beers. “It may be up to a dollar in cost increases, we’re proposing for these 4 packs.” Even beyond the recent tariffs, Schwoerer said that other brewmasters have been seeing an increase in various costs over the past two years. * FYI…
* AP | War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon’s DEI purge: References to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan and the first women to pass Marine infantry training are among the tens of thousands of photos and online posts marked for deletion as the Defense Department works to purge diversity, equity and inclusion content, according to a database obtained by The Associated Press. The database, which was confirmed by U.S. officials and published by AP, includes more than 26,000 images that have been flagged for removal across every military branch. But the eventual total could be much higher. * Tribune | President Trump signs executive order to establish government bitcoin reserve: Under Trump’s new order, the U.S. government will retain the estimated 200,000 bitcoin it’s already seized in criminal and civil proceedings, according to Trump’s “crypto czar” David Sacks. “The U.S. will not sell any bitcoin deposited into the Reserve. It will be kept as a store of value. The Reserve is like a digital Fort Knox for the cryptocurrency often called ‘digital gold,’” Sacks said on social media.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Friday, Mar 7, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Friday, Mar 7, 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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