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Report: ICE planning to send ’strike team’ to Chicago (Updated)
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background is here if you need it. Washington Post…
* Looks like we missed something…
Info here. * More from the Sun-Times…
Months? * The governor told reporters earlier today that he’d heard nothing official, but was hearing at least some through back channels…
…Adding… Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * WTTW…
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* The 74th House District is currently held by Rep. Bradley Fritts (R-Dixon). Shaw Local…
[Note from Rich: This district leans Republican. No word on whether the HDems will step in, but they have many other closer contests next year.] …Adding… Tribune…
* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association | New Report Underscores Importance of International Trade to Manufacturers in Illinois and Across Midwest: In Illinois, Canada is the largest source of imports, with nearly $64 billion annually, followed by China at $42 billion with Mexico coming in third with $19 billion. Top imported products to Illinois include oil and gas, communications equipment, pharmaceuticals and medicines, computer equipment, and beverages. * WICS | Illinois tourism booms with record visitor spending in 2024: Illinois experienced a tourism surge in 2024, welcoming 113 million domestic and international visitors who spent a record $48.5 billion, according to data from Tourism Economics. This marked an increase of 500,000 visitors and $1.3 billion in spending compared to 2023. * Bloomberg Law | M.A.C. Cosmetics Violates Illinois Biometric Law, Class Alleges: M.A.C. Cosmetics’ virtual try-on feature, with which customers can virtually apply makeup via video live-stream, violate Illinois biometric privacy laws, according to a class complaint filed in Cook County Circuit Court. Plaintiff Fiza Javid went to a M.A.C. store at a mall in the Chicago suburbs and was offered the option to virtually try on lipstick and lipliner, after which a salesperson scanned her face, according to the complaint. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Days before budget vote, CPS tells school board it can borrow in the future in a ‘true emergency’: In a memo obtained by Chalkbeat, Chief Financial Officer Miroslava Mejia Krug said the district’s legal counsel advised that the school board can authorize emergency borrowing after the budget is passed through a simple majority vote, even though budget amendments typically require a two-thirds vote. “This would ensure that any additional borrowing would be used to prevent cuts to schools and core district operations — in line with the request from many board members regarding a contingency plan in the case of a revenue shortfall,” Krug wrote in the memo sent Tuesday to board members. * Block Club | Some Call It The ‘Death Hospital’: Inside The Northwest Side Medical Center Plagued By Problems: Then there is the facility itself, which is in disrepair. The hospital’s garage deteriorated so much that the city shut it down last summer, and it didn’t reopen for more than a year. In January, a water pipe burst, flooding portions of the emergency room’s ambulance bay. Despite these problems, since 2020, the hospital has spent more than $140,000 donating to state political committees, including campaign funds for Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon, records show. * WTTW | Chicago Paid $100K to 14-Year-Old Boy Pinned to Park Ridge Sidewalk by Off-Duty CPD Sergeant: Records: Chicago Police Sgt. Michael Vitellaro was acquitted by a Cook County judge on felony charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct in connection with the incident that began when his son told him on July 1, 2022, that his bicycle had been stolen from outside the Park Ridge Public Library. Vitellaro, who was off-duty at the time of the incident, located the bicycle outside a coffee shop, and forced the teen he saw with the bicycle down to the pavement and pinned him there. The teen testified during Vitellaro’s trial that he thought he was going to die. * Sun-Times | Black Chicago cop sues city, claims he was called N-word by fellow officers: Officer Anthony Banks claims the racist onslaught came after he responded to a heated exchange involving another officer and a pregnant woman on March 17. Banks eventually stepped in and tried to deescalate when the other officer bumped into the woman, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court against the city and a group of cops. Back at the district station later that day, the other officer pressed Banks about his conduct, the lawsuit says. Other officers then surrounded Banks and allegedly made a series of racially charged remarks, calling him the N-word and telling him to return to his old post in the Grand Crossing District, which the suit says “is known for having predominantly African-American officers.” “Go back to where you came from,” one officer allegedly said. * ABC Chicago | City unveils free Narcan Newsstands program ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day: City officials will launch the program during the Harm Reduction Fair on Wednesday at the Department of Family & Support Services at 845 W. Wilson Avenue. The public can get free naloxone at Nourishing Hope on Sheridan, Cornerstone Community Shelter on Clinton, ICA Building on Sheridan, and the Department of Family and Supportive Services on Wilson. * WGN | ‘It was a rush’: Fisherman’s epic catch on Chicago River goes viral: The 47-year-old Vivar has caught big carp over the years. But without a scale on Saturday night, the 235-pound, 6-foot-tall master fisherman could only offer a guess. Vivar estimates the catch to be close to 35-40 pounds. At the end of Saturday’s epic struggle, Vivar did what he always does: he released his catch back into the river. * Evanston RoundTable | Evanston shuts down license plate cameras, terminates contract with Flock Safety: A city news release issued Tuesday evening says that all 19 cameras operated by the city are “deactivated,” and that the city issued a notice to terminate its contract effective Sept. 26. The decision is attributed to the findings of a system audit ordered by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, which were announced Monday afternoon. “The findings of the Illinois Secretary of State’s audit,” the city’s statement reads, “combined with Flock’s admission that it failed to establish distinct permissions and protocols to ensure local compliance while running a pilot program with federal users, are deeply troubling.” * Daily Herald | DuPage County clerk a no-show for budget presentation: The DuPage County Clerk’s Office was a no-show for a scheduled budget presentation at the county board’s finance committee meeting Tuesday — one day after a judge ruled the clerk must follow the county’s accounting procedures. Neither DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek nor a representative from her office were on hand to review their proposed budget. “That makes her the only elected official who has refused to come before the board to present,” said Paula Deacon Garcia, who heads the county board’s finance committee. * Crain’s | A mystery semiconductor investment lands in Aurora: The investment in Aurora is part of a broader $700 million domestic R&D investment announced earlier by the company. “A portion of this investment will be used to develop its Aurora, Illinois, location into a state-of-the-art U.S. Technology Center,” Entegris said in a written statement. The company offered few details on the project, such as how much will be invested, how many jobs it will create or a specific timetable. Economic-development officials don’t have much to add, either, and the city of Aurora didn’t respond to a request for comment. * Evanston RoundTable | With deadline looming, council sets Sept. 8 discussion on grocery tax: Council members voted 5-3 to postpone further discussion until their Sept. 8 meeting on implementing a local grocery tax to replace the state tax, which expires Jan. 1. The tax generates roughly $2.5 million annually for the city and is one of its major revenue sources. After the vote, Mayor Daniel Biss informed members that the item will require six votes — the number needed to override a mayoral veto — if the council were to move ahead Sept. 8 on passing a grocery tax. Biss made it clear during discussions he supported a property tax hike as less regressive. * Shaw Local | DeKalb city budget deficit coming, city warns amid pension reform plea: DeKalb city staff acknowledged during a recent special joint meeting of the City Council and Finance Advisory Commission that they expect to run into budget shortfalls by 2034 due to pension obligations. For years, city leaders have been grappling with potential shortfalls between property taxes and what the city owes, officials said. Mayor Cohen Barnes said the city has a growing problem. “We have a shortfall between … all the property taxes that the city of DeKalb receives, all that economic development on the south side goes directly toward the police and fire crisis, and it’s not enough,” Barnes said. * Daily Herald | After ‘big misunderstanding,’ Mueller returning to Glenbard District 87 school board: Mueller recently took a job as a routing coordinator for busing provider Safeway, the district’s regular and special education transportation contractor, Glenbard Superintendent Jessica Santee said last month. […] But “on the mistaken assumption that this created an unlawful conflict of interest,” Safeway advised Mueller that she had to either resign from her job or resign from the board, Santee said. * Daily Herald | ‘It just doesn’t seem very Barrington’: Commission opposes gated community at former PepsiCo site: “It just doesn’t seem very Barrington,” Plan Commission Chairperson Anna Bush said. “It just doesn’t seem community focused.” Commissioner David Holtermann added: “I think gated community promotes things we don’t like. It promotes a sense of division. It reduces social cohesion.” * Daily Herald | A seasoned conductor agreed to conduct the Wheaton Municipal Band when he turned 100. He just kept his word: [Arnald Gabriel] turned 100 years old in May, but because he now struggles to walk, he couldn’t fly to Illinois. Moss found another way for Gabriel to keep his word. Moss sent a film crew to record Gabriel conducting two songs in his Alexandria, Virginia, condominium, last month. During the concert a week later, his wrinkled face, creased with experience, appeared on an auditorium screen, as CBS News first reported. * WCIA | Vermilion Co. union hosts meeting listing grievances against Viscofa: Union representatives say it started three years ago. Then, in the spring of last year, they say food casing manufacturer Viscofan tried to get rid of the union. The effort failed after employees voted to keep it, but workers at the factory say it didn’t end there. “They just want you to come in, do this job. If you don’t like it, that’s too bad,” said former employee Tim Miller. “You can leave. You know, we’ll get rid of you.” * WCIA | Meta, Constellation celebrate new partnership in Clinton: Executives and employees from both companies gathered at Clinton’s nuclear plant recognized the 20-year partnership. The plant’s current agreement with the State of Illinois expires in 2027. “Meta of course, is consuming electricity in other places on the United States electric grid and it’s important to them they can match up their usage with clean energy,” Constellation Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Kathleen Barrón said. * ProPublica | How DOGE Left Mohammad Halimi’s Life in Tatters: It was early morning on April 1 when Mohammad Halimi, a 53-year-old exiled Afghan scholar, got a panicked message from his son. Halimi’s name had just appeared in a viral post on X, shared by none other than the site’s owner and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. […] The work he was pursuing with USIP had nothing to do with supporting the Taliban. It was the opposite. ProPublica has obtained records making clear that Musk and his team at the newly formed DOGE should have known this too. Halimi’s work at USIP was spelled out in precise detail in the agency’s records, down to the tasks he performed on specific days. His role at the institute was far from top secret, but it had been treated as highly sensitive and confidential. Among other tasks, it involved a program gathering information on the ground about living conditions for Afghan women, who are largely barred from education past primary school or from having a role in public life. * WIRED | The Magic Phrase Behind Donald Trump’s Power Grab: Nestled in the order was a phrase that’s become increasingly familiar to me over the past seven months as I’ve read piles of boring documents issuing from the administration, trying to figure out what it’s doing. “Discretionary awards must, where applicable,” it read, “demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities.” This phrase, and variants, come up a lot. It has popped up everywhere from the White House’s description of the Office of Presidential Scheduling (it works to “create an agenda that strategically advances the President’s priorities,” apparently) to a website where the Coast Guard explains that its secretary is assigned to “fully align the Service to execute the President’s priorities.” * AP | ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ will likely be empty within days, top Florida official says: top Florida official says the controversial state-run immigration detention facility in the Everglades will likely be empty in a matter of days, even as Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and the federal government fight a judge’s order to shutter the facility dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by late October. That’s according to an email exchange shared with The Associated Press. In a message sent to a South Florida rabbi on Aug. 22 related to providing chaplaincy services at the facility, Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said “we are probably going to be down to 0 individuals within a few days.” The rabbi’s executive assistant who sent the original email to Guthrie confirmed its veracity to the AP. * AP | FDA approves updated Pfizer COVID shots but limits access for some kids and adults: Pfizer said in a release its vaccine is now approved for all seniors to protect against the virus this fall. But the Food and Drug Administration narrowed its use for younger adults and children to those with at least one high-risk health condition, such as asthma or obesity. That presents new barriers to access for millions of Americans who’d have to prove their risk — and millions more who may want to get vaccinated and suddenly no longer qualify. * WaPo | National Guard troops deployed in D.C. add sanitation, landscaping duties: Typically, custodial work like this falls to the National Park Service, which was already facing staffing shortfalls when the Trump administration this spring directed additional cuts as it gutted the federal workforce. The service used to have 200 people assigned to maintain thousands of acres of trees and gardens in D.C., and now there are 20, a Park Service official told The Post.
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Tariffs Impact Everyone
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] At Hello Tokyo, a variety store in Niles, one hundred percent of the merchandise is imported from overseas with much of the inventory originating in Japan and China, thus putting the store directly in the crosshairs of the global tariff battle now taking shape. Tariffs impact everyone. Hello Toyko’s owner, Jin Park, says his store is in a holding pattern to see what to do next, because there’s still a lot of uncertainty. Retailers like Jin enrich our economy and strengthen our communities, even during the uncertainty of increased tariff expenses. IRMA is showcasing some of the many retailers who continue to make Illinois work.
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Tracy says he put $2 million into his US Senate campaign (Updated)
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Press release from a Republican US Senate candidate…
Discuss. Also, I’m assuming this is a loan, but I’m awaiting a response on that point. …Adding… The campaign confirmed that this is a loan.
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Insurance company claims Wyndham hotel damage was inside job, refuses to cover losses
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Some background from a WAND TV report in March…
* And now a new bombshell report from WAND…
Mr. Rajabi’s lawsuit is here. * From the insurance company’s counter-suit…
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Navy captain: Potential federal surge in Chicago will focus on downtown
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sun-Times…
* Scroll down…
At least it’ll be convenient for most of the Chicago teevee stations, which may be the whole point. I do feel sorry for all those folks who will have to suffer through commuting on the expressways every day. Maybe they should look into buying monthly passes from Metra.
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More state bashing
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Earlier yesterday, Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at an organized labor event alongside several Democratic state legislators. He turned on them later. From a Tribune city hall reporter…
The legislators who were with him earlier yesterday are all in favor of progressive revenue. But then he threw them under the bus with everyone else? Between the Johnson folks and the Eastern Bloc, I’m really not sure who’s the more tiresome Illinois bashers. * More from Alice’s thread…
* Fox 32 was also there…
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Consumers Are Getting Slammed With Higher Electric Rates – Don’t Add Fuel To The Fire With ROFR
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois consumers are feeling the heat, both from triple-digit temperatures and soaring electricity bills. Ameren customers are seeing 18–22% rate hikes. ComEd has customers paying as much as triple-digit increases. And it’s going to get worse. In July, the PJM Capacity Auction hit another record high - a 22% increase on top of the record highs everyone just started paying. This will already lead to further rate increases next year! As frustration heats up, lawmakers must choose: support competition that drives prices down or fan the flames of electricity inflation with “Right of First Refusal” (ROFR) legislation. ROFR kills competition and boosts prices by giving incumbent utilities exclusive rights to build transmission lines. It’s so anti-competitive that both presidents - Biden and Trump - opposed it in 2020 and 2023. As the ICC has said, “The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) believes that competition among transmission developers spurs innovative results and helps control costs.”  ROFR would send electricity prices even higher. Springfield should focus on long-term strategies to lower electricity bills, not raise them. As ROFR may resurface this fall, legislators should reject it and stand up for cost-cutting competition that benefits consumers.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Former Illinois National Guard general says troops can’t act as law enforcement in Chicago. CBS Chicago…
- “They could stand on corners and basically do nothing. They could certainly protect federal property, that’s a reasonable thing to do,” Hayes said. “But it’s not a law enforcement function.” - Chicago is different than the Washington, D.C., deployment because, one: they don’t have a governor and the president does exert more control there than almost anywhere in the country over the National Guard. But because the National Guard doesn’t have the authority to arrest or handle law enforcement, they would be largely restricted to protecting federal buildings and federal agents in Chicago. * Related stories… * Governor Pritzker will join Black Men United at 11 am in Maywood for a ribbon-cutting to open a new affordable housing facility. Click here to watch. * WBEZ | Federal loan limits could turn off prospective social workers from going to school, advocates say: Starting July 2026, students will only be allowed to borrow $20,500 from the federal government per year. Master’s degrees in social work can cost upwards of $45,000 a year, particularly at private universities — and in most cases a graduate degree is needed to work in the field. […] “The rub is that colleges cannot reverse years of price increases overnight,” Granville wrote. “Students will still face high tuition bills and living costs despite the new borrowing limits, and they will shoulder the burden of this change if they want to continue to pursue higher education.” * Sun-Times | Trump’s planned Chicago blitz would use naval base to house ICE agents, possibly National Guard: Agents with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection would be housed at Naval Station Great Lakes near North Chicago from Sept. 2-30, according to an email Monday from Navy Cpt. Stephen Yargosz to his leadership team. “These operations are similar to what occurred in Los Angeles earlier this summer. Same DHS team,” wrote Yargosz, the commanding officer of Naval Station Great Lakes. “… This morning I received a call that there is the potential to also support National Guard units. Not many details on this right now. Mainly a lot of concerns and questions.” * WAND | Wyndham owner faces allegations of intentionally vandalizing hotel: According to documents filed with the U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, WAND News learned that the Springfield fire and police departments were investigating after they said it appeared that the property was intentionally vandalized. The State Fire Marshal shuttered the hotel March 28. Then in June, hotel owner Al Rajabi sued his insurance company, claiming Affiliated FM Insurance was stalling to pay the claim. Rajabi said he was losing thousands of dollars on cancelled reservations and events. * Center Square | WATCH: IL Hospital Association: $50B rural hospital fund ‘woefully inadequate’: Illinois Hospital Association President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi acknowledged the $50 billion fund for rural hospitals. “But I think we would all agree that when we’re talking about $50 billion out of a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicaid, that is woefully inadequate,” Wilhelmi said sitting next to Pritzker Friday. “Nevertheless, these funds are critically important to rural hospitals and providers in this room and across the state of Illinois.” * WIFR | Illinois sees record-breaking tourism in 2024: According to data from Tourism Economics, Illinois saw 113 million domestic and international visitors spending $48.5 billion in 2024. That’s an increase of 500,000 visitors and $1.3 billion more than in 2023. Visitor spending generated $4.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, and supported nearly 300,000 jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry, according to the report. The increase in tourism also led to a 14% increase in hotel tax revenue, totaling $367 million. * Capitol City Now | Frank Lesko to run for Illinois Senate seat: Former Springfield Alderman, City Clerk and Park Board member Frank Lesko — the current Sangamon County Recorder — says he wants the seat in the Illinois Senate currently occupied by former city colleague and Democrat, Doris Turner. * Capitol News Illinois | Trump threatens Illinois’ federal funding for eliminating cash bail: “It’s clear that the president really hasn’t read any of the background or actually what’s happened as a result of the law being put in place,” Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters in Decatur on Tuesday. […] Illinois’ law does not automatically allow people charged with felonies to remain out of jail before their trial. Local prosecutors decide whether to petition a judge to keep a person detained as they await trial, and the law directs the justice system to cite and release most low-level, nonviolent offenders. * WNIJ | Illinois has significantly increased MAP grant funding since the budget crisis. What has it done for college affordability?: “If you go back a decade, the MAP grant (max award), at least at NIU, was covering about 38% of tuition and fees,” said Jensen. “Today, that is covering about 60% of our tuition fees.” Jensen says another thing to note about MAP is that it’s a first-come, first-served system. During the budget impasse, funding ran out quickly. At NIU, it meant that around 10% of students who qualified for awards didn’t get any. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools’ debt has hit over $28,000 per student. Here’s what that means: In the years before the 2008 financial crash, district officials also engaged in risky borrowing in an effort to lower interest rates on existing debt that backfired when the economy collapsed, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. And in the mid-2010s, at a time of intense financial strain before the state overhauled how it funded public education, Chicago’s school board did what officials today call “crisis borrowing” — much of it to pay for servicing its existing debt. * Chalkbeat Chicago | About 200 students with disabilities in Chicago don’t have classroom placements as second week of school begins: Although CPS added nearly 100 new cluster programs in the past two years with classes exclusively for students with disabilities, families were notified in an Aug. 15 letter that there are “limited seats available.” District officials said the delay is not impacting all special education programs, just students slated for placements in cluster programs. Cluster classrooms are only for students with disabilities and serve up to 10 students in early childhood education programs and 13 students from kindergarten up until a student ages out of the school district at 22, according to district officials. * Sun-Times | Civil rights attorney with history of suing CPD to serve as Mayor Johnson’s strategy chief: Sheila Bedi is a clinical professor of law at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and director of the Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic. The clinic describes itself as providing “students with opportunities to work within social-justice movements on legal and policy strategies aimed at redressing over-policing and mass imprisonment.” […] Bedi was also the attorney who represented activist Miracle Boyd and persuaded the city to compensate Boyd with a $280,000 settlement for being roughed up and having her front tooth knocked out by a Chicago police officer during a 2020 protest at the Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park. That statue has since been removed from its pedestal. And Bedi served on the legal team for the family of Dexter Reed, who was shot to death by police officers in 2024 after Reed shot and wounded one of them during a traffic stop. A $1.25 million proposed settlement that would have compensated the Reed family stalled in the Council’s Finance Committee amid opposition from pro-police Council members. * Tribune | Family members raise questions about arrest after video appears to show officers throwing punches: After about a minute, as Douglas continues to resist, the video appears to show one officer punch him in the stomach. “Why you punch me?” Douglas is heard asking. The officer replies: “You just punched me” as Douglas then says, “I didn’t punch you.” The second officer then swings twice at his face, according to the video. The video did not appear to show Douglas punch the officer, though the officers partially block him from view of the camera. * WBEZ | Johnson to appoint new CPS board member ahead of tight budget vote: Ángel Vélez is a diversity, equity and inclusion consultant with a doctorate in education policy, organization and leadership, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He’ll be sworn in at Thursday’s board meeting to represent District 9A on the South Side, a seat that has been empty since June. In a statement, Vélez said he brings his professional experience and lived experience as an Afro-Latino man who went to Clemente High School in Humboldt Park and now lives in West Englewood. His child attends a Chicago public school. * CBS Chicago | Lawmakers call for federal relief after repeated flooding on Chicago’s West Side: Also Tuesday, leaders on the city’s West Side called for flood relief from the federal government. The West Side has been hit hard by flooding in recent years. This summer, many West Side residents had their homes inundated after significant rain on July 25. Some got hit again last week. Many residents are dealing with expensive repairs and costly mold removal projects. * Tribune | Chicago police issue community alert after latest antisemitic stickers, graffiti found in Hyde Park: Since June, vandals have tagged eight locations in the South Side neighborhood — including a mailbox, stop sign, emergency bell and lockers — with stickers or graffiti carrying antisemitic messages, the latest found Monday afternoon in the 1300 block of East 53rd Street, authorities said. * NBC Chicago | Restaurant launches legal fight to restore Chicago Riverwalk location: Robert Gomez, owner and operator of Beat Kitchen, says city officials pushed him out at the conclusion of a five-year contract without providing an explanation of why, and he’s fighting to get his location back along the Riverwalk. Tuesday marked the first hearing in civil court on the matter, with Gomez having filed a lawsuit against the city. * High Speed Rail Alliance | Metra’s South Chicago Branch and the Illinois Quantum Campus: The Quantum Campus brings attention to a unique Metra line: the Metra Electric District South Chicago Branch, a 4.7-mile spur from the Metra Electric Main Line, built in 1883 by the Illinois Central Railroad, and electrified with overhead wires in 1926. The South Chicago Branch is the only Metra line that operates entirely within Chicago, it’s electric, no freight trains operate on the branch, and it serves the densely populated urban neighborhoods of South Shore and South Chicago. With minimal upgrades, it would operate more like a CTA L line than a traditional Metra commuter rail line. * WTTW | Chicago Grocery Mart Owner Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison For Defrauding Millions in SNAP Benefits: Prosecutors alleged Alhawa maintained multiple checking accounts at different banks set up to receive benefit payments purportedly redeemed through his store. From 2011 to 2019, Alhawa fraudulently redeemed SNAP and WIC benefits for non-eligible items or cash even though no eligible food items were ever sold by Olive Mount Mart to those recipients or their designees. Alhawa admitted in a plea agreement with the government that he caused a loss to those programs of more than $8.3 million. * Daily Southtown | Calumet City calls for new trial in document destruction lawsuit against Clerk Nyota Figgs: The lawsuit claiming Figgs illegally shredded records shortly after Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones first entered office was thrown out last month when Judge Joel Chupack found the city’s case “woefully insufficient.” Jones and Figgs independently won reelection to their seats this year in a race characterized by political divisions and personal attacks. Calumet City requested the judge hearing a separate lawsuit overrule Chupack’s verdict or grant a new trial, after Chupack denied a city request for extra time to file posttrial motions on Aug. 20. The city also filed a motion asking to enforce a settlement it says was reached with Figgs before Chupack ruled. * Daily Herald | ‘Hiring slushie’: Aurora mayor to limit filling of vacant city jobs: Aurora Mayor John Laesch plans to limit filling vacant municipal jobs, as he believes the city should rein in spending amid a potential $29 million budget deficit next year. Laesch outlined his plans Monday, as he and city finance officials discussed the general fund portion of the budget they are preparing for 2026. Laesch said he is instituting a “hiring slushie,” under which city departments won’t be able to hire new people to increase staff or fill vacancies without first getting approval from his office. * Naperville Sun | Gun-related arrests at Naperville Topgolf now top 15 for the year: Officers conducting a foot patrol of the Topgolf parking lot at 3211 Odyssey Court about 10:30 p.m. Aug. 21 observed a handgun in plain view inside an unoccupied Kia Forte, Naperville police spokeswoman Kelley Munch said. Upon further investigation, they learned the registered owner of the vehicle, identified as Wright, did not possess a valid FOID card or a concealed carry license, Munch said. He also had a previous felony conviction out of Indiana. * Evanston RoundTable | New Illinois law protecting students is ‘relief’ in Evanston immigrant community: Mendoza told the RoundTable that COFI members had brought up concerns about the safety of kids in schools. She specifically cited concerns about information and data privacy. Both Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and Evanston School District 202 are Safe Haven School Districts. Neither district asks for student or family immigration statuses, and they are never asked to provide documentation regarding their immigration status. * Daily Herald | Extra trains on track for Metra BNSF riders and more stops on the UP West: Here’s what it means to you: On the UP West Line from Chicago to Geneva, up to four stops will be added at off-peak hours. […] For BNSF riders traveling between the suburbs and downtown, two additional morning trains will make stops from Lisle to Downers Grove, then head straight to Union Station. On the evening commute, two trains will travel express from Chicago to Congress Park, then make all stops until Fairview Avenue; two other trains will express to Downers Grove, then stop at all stations to Aurora. * WCIA | Carle announces expanded services in CU as OSF shrinks: The healthcare landscape in Champaign-Urbana is getting a shakeup as one provider reduces services in the region and another expands its services in response. OSF previously announced that it will be consolidating its hospital system into two campuses and closing down several of its units in Urbana. Carle, meanwhile, expects that this will result in a substantial increase in the number of patients at its hospital, adding to an already high demand. * WGLT | Access-to-care gaps persist in updated Community Health Needs Assessment for McLean County: A foundational planning tool used to tackle some of McLean County’s most pressing health challenges has just been refreshed. It’s the first update to the Community Health Needs Assessment in three years. The document packed with data will be used in many ways, including the creation of a new three-year health improvement plan. The three significant health needs selected for action are access to care, behavioral health (including mental health and substance abuse), and healthy eating and active living, the same as last time. * BND | Controversy over cemetery solar farm draws Belleville Diocese into fray: For at least two decades, the Catholic Diocese of Belleville has been leasing a small section of Mount Carmel Cemetery land to a trucking company that’s digging a borrow pit and hauling out fill dirt, east of the burial grounds on the bluff. The operation didn’t attract much attention until last year, when a group of local residents began fighting the city of Belleville’s plan to buy nearby Mount Hope Cemetery, clear-cut 25 acres of woods and build a solar farm. City and solar officials addressed environmental concerns, in part, by portraying the solar farm as the lesser of two evils. Mount Hope’s fate would be so much worse, they said, if the trucking company or some other private developer got control of the land. * WCIA | Decatur PE teacher among those arrested during human trafficking operation: Olson is listed on the DPS staff directory as a PE teacher at Eisenhower High School, and on Tuesday, the district sent a recorded robocall to parents to address the matter. […] “ The district is aware of the recent arrest of an employee. In accordance with the court’s * WSIL | Cairo Alumni Launch Labor Day Revitalization Effort: Organizers are inviting all Cairo High School alumni to join the first annual Labor Day Revitalization event on Saturday, August 30, 2025. The community-wide effort will focus on cleanup and beautification projects designed to spark pride and show what’s possible when neighbors work side by side. Organizers say there are several ways to show your support. You can volunteer your time, donating supplies, make a financial contribution, or simply just spreading the word. * AP | Researcher who has distorted voter data appointed to Homeland Security election integrity role: Pennsylvania activist Heather Honey is now serving as the deputy assistant secretary for election integrity in the department’s Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, an organizational chart on its website shows. The political appointment, first reported by Democracy Docket, shows how self-styled election investigators who have thrown themselves into election conspiracy theories since 2020 are now being celebrated by a presidential administration that indulges their false claims. Her new role, which didn’t exist under President Joe Biden, also comes as Trump has used election integrity concerns as a pretext to try to give his administration power over how elections are run in the U.S. * Working Economics Blog | Unions can play a critical role in safeguarding reproductive freedom: When looking at these state policies, it’s worth noting that many of the states with abortion protections are also states with higher levels of unionization. Our recent report documents the strong correlation between high union density and a range of economic, personal, and democratic well-being metrics. In the same way unions give workers a voice at their workplace, unions also give workers a voice in shaping their communities. * AP | A US tariff exemption for small orders ends Friday. It’s a big deal to some shoppers and businesses: Although the president previously ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will require vetting and be subject to their origin country’s applicable tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%. For the next six months, carriers handling orders sent through the global mail network also can choose a flat duty of $80 to $200 per package instead of the value-based rate. * NBC Chicago | The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses: As of July 1, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) program has reduced surveillance to just two pathogens: salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told NBC News. Before July, the program had been tracking infections caused by six additional pathogens: campylobacter, cyclospora, listeria, shigella, vibrio and Yersinia. Some of them can lead to severe or life-threatening illnesses, particularly for newborns and people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems.
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Open thread
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * “The world’s first Grateful Drag band BERTHA performing ‘Mississippi Half Step’ by the Grateful Dead at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, CO on June 17, 2025.” Well, OK then… They say that Cain caught Abel rolling loaded dice * What’s going on in your neck of the woods?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Wednesday, Aug 27, 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 (Updated)
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
…Adding… US Sen. Dick Durbin has endorsed Yasmeen Bankole in the race for Illinois’ 8th Congressional District. Press release…
* Alton Telegraph | Illinois Senate race: 17 file as Raja Krishnamoorthi leads fundraising: According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), as of Aug. 20, a total of 17 candidates have begun their campaigns to take the seat that Durbin has held for nearly 30 years. These candidates consist of nine Democrats, six Republicans, and two Independents. As of June 30, the three who have received the most funds are Krishnamoorthi, Kelly, and Stratton. The remaining candidates have not raised over $100,000 as of June 30, which is the most recent filing information available from the FEC. * Press Release | AG Raoul leads 44 states in demanding companies end predatory AI interactions with kids: Internal Meta documents reveal that the company authorized its AI assistants to “flirt and engage in romantic roleplay with children” as young as 8 years old. Raoul and the coalition’s letter also cites cases where other chatbots have allegedly encouraged harmful behavior in teenagers, including suicide and murder. * Block Club | Would The National Guard Actually Curb Crime In Chicago? Probably Not, Experts Say: Lance Williams, a professor at Northeastern Illinois University who works with numerous violence intervention groups across Chicago, said he doesn’t think the National Guard would help combat crime over the long term in Chicago — especially if, like in D.C., troops mostly focus on Downtown and tourist-heavy areas. Leaders also cited declines in violent crime categories in the city over the past year — a trend that is taking place in cities across the United States — as proof that federal intervention is unnecessary. * Bloomberg | To Boost Housing, Chicago Kills Parking Minimums: Removing zoning regulations that mandate a minimum number of spaces is a growing trend across the US, with cities from Santa Monica to Hartford, Connecticut, striking down parking rules in an effort to reduce building costs and encourage developers to create more affordable housing. In 2024, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson launched his Cut the Tape Initiative, a push for new home construction that aimed to grease the wheels for developers by getting rid of some levels of bureaucracy; that effort also recommended eliminating minimum parking requirements. * Bloomberg | Chicago schools’ overdue pension payment magnifies fiscal mess: While the accrued costs may appear small, any additional burden on the district — particularly related to severely underfunded pensions — exacerbates its cash crunch. The Chicago Board of Education is trying to pass a budget this week to close a $734 million deficit before the Aug. 29 deadline. Tensions are already high as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is expecting school officials to come up with funds to cover a separate $175 million municipal pension payment for non-teacher school employees to ease the city’s own $1 billion budget hole. * Tribune | Despite DNA match, no new charges in 1994 slaying as wrongful conviction suits advance: While the suits continue to work their way through the civil court system, the lack of new criminal charges has drawn criticism from Coleman and his lawyer, who say justice is being left undone. Bridgeman disappeared in April 1994 after celebrating her 20th birthday and was found dead more than two weeks later. Coleman and Fulton were convicted in 1997 and freed after two decades when DNA testing did not find a match with either of them, or with Bridgeman’s boyfriend. Instead, the DNA matched the man later identified as Neal, according to court records. * CEO of Urban Growers Collective Erika Allen | Chicago doesn’t have to choose between jobs and health: The proposed Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance will make sure that the neighborhoods absorbing the most polluting industry have a greater voice in decisions that impact their health. The ordinance will ensure transparency, public engagement and common-sense environmental review. In 1979, Hazel founded People for Community Recovery to address tenants’ rights in Chicago’s Altgeld Gardens housing development where she lived, including the need to address her community’s suspiciously high cancer rates. She coined the term “toxic donut” to describe the landfills and industrial corridors surrounding Altgeld Gardens and neighboring waterways — which meant breathing air and drinking water contaminated with heavy metals and noxious chemicals. * Crain’s | UIC medical school under congressional scrutiny in antisemitism probe: The college was one of three medical schools to receive letters from Education & Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, R-Mich., for allegedly failing to address antisemitism under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The two other letters were sent to the University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Los Angeles Geffen School of Medicine. * Crain’s | Chicago Reader gets a lifeline with acquisition by Seattle-based Noisy Creek: The Reader joins Portland’s The Mercury and Seattle’s Pulitzer prize-winning The Stranger at Noisy Creek, which aims to lift the Chicago outlet’s business model with a diverse stream of revenue to make it more financially sustainable. “The Reader is an iconic publication and part of the fabric of Chicago. We’re thrilled to help grow and invigorate the Reader,” wrote Noisy Creek Founder and former Grist CEO Brady Walkinshaw in a press release. “Also, I love Chicago.” * Crain’s | Restaurant group bringing Italian trattoria to Bally’s casino in River North: One Off’s Chef Paul Kahan created the menu for Tre Denari, and the restaurant group will train the casino’s staff at its commissary before handing off restaurant operations to Bally’s. The bar manager at Avec River North created the cocktail list for Tre Denari, and will train the bartenders, Alexander said. The restaurant will serve bread from Publican Quality Bread. * Block Club | The ‘Mayor Of Mayfair’ Has Been Cleaning Up His Northwest Side Neighborhood For 26 Years: The Air Force veteran usually starts his work about 8 a.m., walking around Mayfair armed with his metal grabber and bucket, collecting trash and surveying the neighborhood. Every couple of weeks, Eliason brings his riding lawnmower to the grassy area near the Montrose Blue Line Station to trim the grass. He’s also helped fundraise for neighborhood improvement projects. But now that he’s 90, Eliason said he is ready for someone else to take the reins. * Evanston Now | Alders move to keep grocery tax: While voicing much reluctance, Evanston city council members opted Monday night to move forward with plans to impose a 1% local tax on groceries to replace an identical state tax the state legislature has repealed. Their move drew support from Therese McGuire, a Kellogg School of Management, who specializes in state and local government finance. During public comment at the meeting, McGuire suggested that maintaining the grocery tax was the least bad of a bad set of options. * Tribune | Oak Park and River Forest High School removes bathroom doors to prevent student vaping: When the change was announced at the senior class assembly during the first week of school, some seniors reportedly booed. “Our jaws dropped,” said Ryan Burns, a senior at OPRF. “We were like, that’s crazy. People were booing. They were upset, frustrated.” Though not much of the bathroom can be seen from the hallways and stall doors remained, the move is concerning to some students. * Daily Herald | More personnel changes in Wheeling Police Department as new deputy chief named: Cmdr. Joseph Kopecky was promoted to deputy chief Monday, effective immediately, village officials said. He will succeed Deputy Chief Al Steffen when Steffen retires Jan. 1, Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said. Until then, Kopecky will serve alongside Steffen and Deputy Chief Michael Conway under Interim Chief Bill Murphy. Kopecky joined the department as a patrol officer in 1997. He’s also served in investigations and in command-level positions, according to the village’s news release. * WAND | Case IH debuts new equipment, technology at Farm Progress Show: Kurt Coffey, Vice President of Case IH North America, said the show is a special one for him. “I’ve been coming to these shows my whole life. I grew up down in Coles County,” he said. “So, I’m obviously excited to always come out here to the Farm Show and see a lot of locals and people we’ve worked with.” * WAND | Everything you need to know before going to the 2025 Farm Progress Show: The Farm Progress Show will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. August 26-28. This year, the Farm Progress Show returns to Illinois, celebrating two decades in Decatur and its first event at the semi-permanent sites. * WAND | Mattoon releases report on response to July algal bloom events: The report outlines the full timeline of events, water distribution, water delivery, a summary of actions taken, lessons learned, and next steps and recommendations, which will be added at a later time. Those interested can check out the full report online. * Journal Courier | Republican Club member plans precinct committee campaign: Ryan Zipprich, the media chairman for the Morgan County Republican Club for almost 10 years, said he’s running to be a Republican precinct committeeman. A precinct committeeman’s responsibilities include educating people about election matters as well as recommending people to fill certain vacancies, such as for a county board. […] Zipprich, 45, said he has endorsements from Congressman Darin LaHood, state Sen. Steve McClure and state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer. He said he wants to organize more meet-and-greets between voters and constituents. * WGN | Illinois WWII veteran’s Purple Heart, Bronze Star returned to family: An Illinois family has been reunited with a deceased World War II veterans military honors that had been missing for several years. In a special ceremony last week at VFW Post 1301 in Marion, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs turned over a lost Purple Heart and other medals to relatives of the late Stephen J. Grabowski. Grabowski, a Chicagoan and son of Polish immigrants, fought in the European theater during the war. Army Private Grabowski was a rifleman in Company B, 473rd Infantry. * Pantagraph | Bloomington taps firm to perform concept plan for future public works campus: At Monday’s regular meeting, the council approved a $154,740 contract with Kluber Architects and Engineers, an Aurora-based firm with an office in Bloomington, to perform a concept development plan on the site of the former home of Owen Nursery, at 10 Finance Drive, which would house the new campus. Deputy City Manager Sue McLaughlin said the concept plan is the next logical step to converting the facility. The campus would include space for administrative offices; solid waste, streets and sewers staff and equipment; fleet vehicles; the Citizen Convenience Center; and stormwater detention. * WGLT | How to cook 240 ears of corn in 10 minutes: Delightfully mild weather helped to bring out big crowds for this year’s Sweet Corn Circus in Uptown Normal – enough to gobble up 3,600 ears of corn. Can you imagine a more beautiful thing? WGLT visited the corn-cooking crew at North and Broadway to learn how they cook 240 ears of corn in 10 minutes using the power of steam. * WAND | Upgraded security measures coming to Memorial Stadium entrances: University of Illinois Athletics said in a press release Monday that the University’s Division of Public Safety and the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics have added walk-through metal detection services to all stadium entrances. Fans will keep their belongings on them while passing through the system, and anyone who triggers it will receive a secondary check with a security wand. The clear bag policy, which began in 2018, remains in effect, and fans entering with bags must pass through the existing bag check before entering metal detection. * Lexis Nexis | Lawmakers Aim to Cut Utility Returns: To help ratepayers, lawmakers in at least six states have introduced legislation this year to limit utility companies’ ROE. Pending bills in New York (SB 5687) and Rhode Island (HB 5018) seek to cap utility profit margins at 4%. Proposals in four other states eschew a hard cap in favor of revised guidance to existing utility regulators. * AP | August consumer confidence dips in US with jobs, tariffs and high prices driving most unease: The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index ticked down by 1.3 points to 97.4 in August, down from July’s 98.7, but in the same narrow range of the past three months. The small decline in confidence was in line with the forecasts of most of the economists who were surveyed. A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market fell by 1.2 points to 74.8, remaining significantly below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. * NYT | A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In.: And at one critical moment, ChatGPT discouraged Adam from cluing his family in. “I want to leave my noose in my room so someone finds it and tries to stop me,” Adam wrote at the end of March. “Please don’t leave the noose out,” ChatGPT responded. “Let’s make this space the first place where someone actually sees you.”
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Trump hedges again about sending troops to Chicago without an invitation (Updated)
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Background from yesterday is here if you need it. Today…
Again, he says so many things that your guess is as good as anyone’s about what he ends up doing, so I’m not gonna bother trying. …Adding… Later in the press conference…
* You may have missed it late yesterday afternoon, but Derek Douglas, the President of the Civic Committee and the Commercial Club of Chicago (which counts among its membership some of the most successful businesspeople in the city) listed some good reasons for why the idea of just barging in with the military is a bad idea. Excerpts from his remarks yesterday…
* By the way, CNN debunked some of President Trump’s claims about DC crime. Via Mediaite…
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After 12 years of promises, large fertilizer plant appears to move forward
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Flashback to April 11, 2013…
* July 25, 2013…
* October 29, 2014…
* July 20, 2020…
* December 2, 2021…
* Today…
* Cronus Chairman Keyman did not attend the event, but sent a video message. Keyman said a project labor agreement had been reached with unions, and the company had made an agreement to use recycled water from a local sanitary district. The company also signed an EDGE tax agreement with the state. * Reporters had questions…
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IPA: SB40 With Energy Storage Will Slash Sky-High Electric Bills
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Consumers across Illinois are seeing massive increases in their bills because of inadequate energy supplies and rising demand. And yet a tool that numerous studies have shown could have averted some of these increases now and in the future, battery energy storage, waits for legislative action. Last session, without evidence, opponents claimed adding energy storage in Illinois would spike ratepayer bills. But no fewer than a half dozen studies in Illinois and across the country from groups like the Illinois Power Agency, Clean Grid Alliance and NRDC have shown that storage saves billions for ratepayers. The Facts:
- ComEd customers would save “from $1.52/month to $2.32/month by 2030 and $7.89/month to $8.52/month by 2035.” The facts don’t lie – consumers are seeing the cost of doing nothing in their spiking electric bills NOW. Adding energy storage to Illinois’s electric grid will save consumers billions. That’s why CUB is asking lawmakers to pass SB40 as the best way “to contain costs for electric customers while managing unprecedented energy demand.” Illinois must follow the facts and enact SB40 this fall to deploy 6 gigawatts of energy storage by 2035. Click here for more information.
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Pritzker warns fellow governors not to send their troops to Illinois
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker yesterday…
* He also aimed this at the federal government…
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The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association: Protecting Working People & Fighting Trump’s Predatory MAGA Agenda
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Don’t be fooled by the same front groups, associations and companies that are backing Trump’s predatory MAGA agenda of raising prices, slashing Medicaid, and gutting the Environmental Protection Agency, Food & Drug Administration, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. They want Illinois to turn its back on people who have been harmed by the negligence and malfeasance of big corporations, and wrongly believe our state can’t be pro-worker and pro-business. The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association is proud to stand with state elected officials who are aggressively fighting Trumpian policies and those who support them. While the federal government and other states abandon their responsibilities to protect Americans from preventable harms, Illinois is a beacon in the nation’s dark night, showing what responsible government looks like. Our state balances the needs of business with workers’ rights and consumer protections to create opportunities for everyone to thrive, not just the wealthy and well-connected. Trial lawyers will always fight for working people and the most vulnerable, helping them to receive justice and holding corporate wrongdoers accountable. For more information about the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, click here.
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Catching up with the federal candidates
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The spot… Transcript…
* US Senate candidates Juliana Stratton and Raja Krishnamoorthi joined the governor at his press conference denouncing President Trump’s call to send federal troops to Chicago…
* WQAD…
* WMBD…
* 8th Congressional District candidate Junaid Ahmed’s statement on Trump’s threats to send the National Guard to Illinois…
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Giannoulias: Audit shows Illinois license plate data shared with US Customs, violating state law
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * AP…
* WTVO…
* WMBD…
* More…
* VPM | The feds’ hidden immigration weapon: Virginia’s surveillance network: At least five Virginia counties shared data collected by Flock Safety automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) with federal authorities for immigration enforcement, despite prohibitions against using the surveillance for such operations, according to law enforcement logs. About 50 immigration-related enforcement searches were conducted in Flock data in Fairfax, Chesterfield, Isle of Wight, Loudoun and Stafford counties between June 2024 and April 2025, according to an analysis of the logs. Law enforcement agencies create logs of searches for license plate and vehicle data collected by the Flock Safety cameras. * Courier Press | Evansville’s AI-powered license plate cameras tapped for immigration enforcement: A Courier & Press analysis of law enforcement data shows that officers in Florida, Texas and other jurisdictions far afield from the Tri-State repeatedly queried the artificial intelligence-powered Flock Safety cameras operated by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office for immigration-related investigations through a nationwide data-sharing program. In response to questions about the practice, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson and Evansville Chief of Police Phil Smith said their agencies would not restrict outside jurisdictions’ access to local license plate camera data, citing a need to fight cross-jurisdictional crime. The technology-focused outlet 404 Media first reported on Flock Safety cameras’ use by immigration investigators in May.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: As President Donald Trump appears to waffle on National Guard in Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker says, ‘do not come.’ Tribune…
-Emphasizing that there is no ongoing emergency that would justify deploying the Guard, the governor said such an action would infringe on Illinois’ sovereignty. - “We don’t know exactly the exact circumstances in which the deployment would take place, so a preemptive lawsuit … couldn’t be targeted to a specific targeting of the military, so we don’t anticipate that,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. * Related stories… * Governor JB Pritzker will announce new investments in Illinois agriculture at the 2025 Farm Progress Show at 11 am. Click here to watch. * Sun-Times | Trump signs order targeting no-cash bail, but advocates say he can’t force Illinois to reverse its policy: “The President of the United States cannot commandeer state and local policy by threatening to cut off funds and abandon the federal government’s responsibility to fund state and local government,” Ed Yohnka of ACLU Illinois said Monday. “That is not the way the system works.” * Aurora Beacon-News | State Sen. Karina Villa joins race for Illinois comptroller: ‘Budgets are a moral document’: On Monday, Villa said her financial background included addressing student needs while still passing a balanced budget each year when she served as a West Chicago School District board member. Likewise, she said, her time in the state legislature involved passing budgets, even when programs that she “really stood for” were cut, like a health care program for immigrant adults that was sunsetted in July, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. “There is a give-and-take with budgets, and it’s not always pretty,” Villa said. * Sun-Times | Business investments in Illinois expected to create 19,000 jobs, report says: More than 700 businesses committed to expand in or relocate to the state, said the Illinois Economic Development Corp., which also announced its rebranding from Intersect Illinois. From July 2024 through June 2025, business projects announced $25.8 billion in investments — a 107% jump compared to the previous fiscal year. * Capitol News Illinois | DOJ demands Illinois voter personal information by Sept. 1: In addition to the database, DOJ also asked the state in its July 28 letter to identify the number of people purged from the rolls due to being noncitizens, adjudicated as incompetent or having felony convictions. And the agency asked for a list of all state and local election officials who have been responsible for carrying out list maintenance functions since the November 2022 elections. * WLS | Illinois SOS Giannoulias holding town hall on Driving Change campaign: Tuesday, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is hosting a virtual town hall as part of his Driving Change campaign. The campaign aims to prevent car insurance companies from using socio economic data to charge customers higher rates. * WAND | People could face criminal charges for threatening teachers, school staff under new Illinois bill: Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago) told WAND News that people should face criminal charges if they threaten teachers, principals, or other school leaders. Teachers across the state have confronted school boards over recent years to address the rise in student violence. Yet, parents and guardians are also leaving many educators and administrators terrified to go to work. “I don’t live this life. I don’t really know what they’re dealing with day to day, but they’re telling me that they don’t want to be attacked by parents,” Evans said. “They don’t want to be sometimes attacked by students. You know, they just want to do their job.” * Sen. Sara Feigenholtz | Screening kids for mental health struggles connects intervention to prevention: A recent Tribune editorial acknowledged the progress made in removing the stigmas associated with mental health but called into question a state bill I sponsored that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law last month. It requires public schools to offer universal mental health screenings to students in grades three through 12. […] While the editorial cites statistics around false positives in screenings, the benefits of identifying mental health issues on the front end far outweigh any reason to delay. Divorce, family dysfunction, substance abuse, changes in friendships, romantic breakups, social isolation and bullying are examples of what could be seen as “false positives” that are also among the leading causes of child and teenage suicide. * Tribune | How Trump’s directive to submit race-based admissions data impacts Chicago-area universities: “From the administration’s perspective, any effort to preserve diversity is unconstitutional, essentially affirmative action in disguise,” Starr said. “That legal vision, I think, is misguided.” The Tribune contacted five of the largest universities in the Chicago area for comment: the University of Illinois Chicago, DePaul University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University and Loyola University Chicago. All either declined to comment or did not respond. * Sun-Times | A decade ago, the city committed to eliminating traffic deaths by 2026. It’s not even close: Almost a decade after the city set out to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2026, nearly as many people are dying on Chicago streets as they were when the ambitious goal was announced. What’s more, the number of yearly injuries and crashes on the roads has actually increased in that time, despite the city’s efforts to upgrade dangerous intersections and install miles of bike lanes, among other safety measures. * Tribune | As girls flag football continues to grow, Chicago Bears look to middle schoolers: White was one of more than a dozen players from Butler in Lake Forest on Aug. 14 to partake in the festivities that surround Chicago Bears training camp. The event was among a handful this summer that brought five high schools with girls flag football teams to camp, including Simeon, Harvard, Homewood-Flossmoor and Carver Military Academy. The athletes met players, coaches and Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren, who donated cleats to each team. * WBEZ | Graffiti artists face off in Battle 4 the City competition: ‘This is pure passion’: And between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, they were all in the running for a $10,000 prize for the winning crew. IKS Crew from Mexico were named the winners. “I’m just excited to be out here with everyone,” Statik said. “This is hip-hop. … It’s like a game of basketball — we play till the clock is out.” * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights residents, officials divided on criminalizing homeless behavior — but proposal moves forward: Arresting people for loitering when they have nowhere else to go is “inhumane” and a waste of municipal resources, the Rev. Martha Ross-Mockaitis said. But not everyone in the packed boardroom agreed. Resident Steve Blye fears more people who are homeless will flock to Arlington Heights if word gets out that the village isn’t doing anything about people loitering or camping in town. He also challenged audience members to invite people who are unhoused to temporarily live in their homes or on their lawns. * Daily Herald | DuPage judge sides with county board in ongoing dispute with clerk: Monday’s decision marks the latest in a yearslong battle that at times has pitted the Democratic-led county board against the clerk’s office, also led by a Democrat. At issue has been how bills get paid and the internal control Kaczmarek has over her office. Last September, the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office filed a lawsuit, called a writ of mandamus, claiming the clerk was breaking state law by refusing to indicate from where in her budget a bill should be paid when the line item does not have enough money to cover payment. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora facing nearly $30 million budget deficit, city officials say: That preliminary number, shared at a meeting with reporters on Monday, is based on early work city officials are doing to build next year’s budget. Not included in that nearly $30 million figure is the additional $10.3 million requested by departments as a part of the budget process, which officials say they still need to go through. “We’re going to have, basically, some tough choices,” Aurora Chief Financial Officer Stacey Peterson said of the 2026 budgeting process. * WGN | Round Lake District 116 faces budget shortfall due to forecasting error: According to the school district, the 2024-2025 budget, which was approved by the school board, significantly underestimated some of their expenses, including staff salaries and special education programs. […] The school district says a former business manager made the error. The district has hired a new Chief Financial Officer. The district says to fix the error, they’ll be reducing eight administrative positions, leaving select vacant positions unfilled, limiting overtime expenses, and more. * CBS Chicago | Graduates get second chance at Restorative Justice Community Court in Chicago’s south suburbs: “When I first got arrested, I thought that it was over with,” Robinson said, “because the way that the officers came about it, they made it seem like it was a very hard charge.” Robinson felt deflated. But now, he feels uplifted — thanks to Sauk Village’s Restorative Justice Community Court. The program invites young men and women with nonviolent offenses on their records to make a change in their lives with peace circles, community service, and other activities — with the promise that their crimes will get wiped off their records. * The Real Deal | Glencoe weighs incentives for historic homes as teardowns increase : The Preservation Commission pitched a package of new incentives, from tax rebates to permit fee discounts, aimed at encouraging owners to landmark their properties, the Record North Shore reported. But trustees balked at the potential price tag, questioning whether the village should shoulder the cost of keeping older homes intact. * Muddy River News | Quincy City Council votes in favor of continuing grocery tax, 13-1: By approving the measure by October 10, 2025, the tax will continue to be collected in Quincy with no gap in money collection. It’s estimated, the city could have lost $1.2 million in annual revenue without the tax. Just weeks ago, during her weekly Minutes with the Mayor Podcast here at Muddy River News, Mayor Linda Moore said she changed her mind in support of a local grocery tax after the revelation that so many people from outside the city limits were shopping here. “If you’re using infrastructure to come shopping, why shouldn’t you have to pay?” * WGLT | Group urges Bloomington leaders to sign pledge against intolerance, bigotry: “From the from the beginning of Not In Our Town, the City of Bloomington has always been a partner,” said Mike Matejka, the group’s co-chair. “So I don’t know if every individual council member 30 years later is still involved and affirming, but we want to give them that opportunity and that invitation.” Mayor Dan Brady joined council members in filling out pledge cards and returning to the Not In Our Town representatives, viewing it an expression of unity in regard to public safety. * WSIL | Arrowleaf secures grant to fight hunger in Vienna and Cairo, IL: Arrowleaf has received a $7,500 grant from the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation to boost its food pantries in Vienna and Cairo, Illinois. This grant aims to provide families across Southern Illinois with access to fresh and nutritious food while allowing them the dignity of choice. “Food insecurity is happening all around us, and we’re honored to partner with organizations dedicated to fighting hunger,” said Julie Waitman, CEO of the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. * AP | Green spaces are key to combating record heat in marginalized communities: Environmentalists say one solution to beating the heat in sprawling cities is planting more trees, creating green spaces like parks and meadows and covering rooftops with plants. […] Last fall, the New York City Council passed laws adding trees to the city charter’s sustainability plans and requiring the city to develop an urban forest plan to increase tree cover from 22 to 30 percent by 2035. Still many predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods do not have green spaces within a five mile radius. * NYT | Judge Allows Blocking of Funds to Maine Abortion Providers: In a blunt, 19-page opinion, Judge Lance E. Walker of the Federal District Court in Maine wrote that particularly after the Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade, he could neither consider abortion services a constitutional right nor stop Congress from advancing laws to defund organizations that provide them.
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Open thread
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Tuesday, Aug 26, 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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Business leader: ‘Deploying federal troops or federalizing the National Guard… is unprecedented and unwarranted’
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Derek Douglas, President of the Civic Committee and the Commercial Club of Chicago, speaking today at the governor’s press conference…
* More business types were subsequently quoted in the governor’s press release…
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AG Raoul again refuses to answer questions about Adams County sheriff’s defiance of state law
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * First, some background…
We have been trying without success to get a comment from Attorney General Kwame Raoul since July 18. WTTW was also unable to extract something from him. * So, Isabel pressed Raoul about it today…
Isabel followed up. His response: “No comment on that right now. Thank you.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - More campaign news
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Did President Trump just back down?
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Just before Gov. Pritzker’s press conference denouncing a military intervention, this appeared…  Dude says a lot of things. So your guess is as good as anyone’s what happens next. But the Pritzker people have long said that the best way to deal with Trump is to push back hard. * From the story…
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Mayor Brandon Johnson will also be attending the governor’s press conference on President Trump’s planned military deployments. Paris Schutz…
* WTTW | Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Yanking Funding From Chicago Over Immigrant Protections: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from yanking funding from Chicago and 33 other cities and counties because they have laws designed to protect undocumented immigrants by prohibiting state and local law enforcement officials from helping federal agents. U.S. District Judge William Orrick issued an injunction late Friday that will prevent the Trump administration from blocking funding for some of the nation’s largest cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Boston and Baltimore. * Tribune | After 40 years of covering the city’s West Side, Voice Newspapers faces uncertain future in wake of editor’s death: The publication, today known as the Voice Newspapers, faces an uncertain future after Cummings — who was its acting editor — died in an apartment fire in Austin, which also killed three others, nearly two months ago. In his absence, Jones, likewise still at the top of the Voice masthead as publisher and photography director, has been confronted with how to carry the publication forward. It has not only lost its linchpin, but is also tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Jones, who now lives in Virginia but sat down for an interview with the Tribune about 3 miles west of the Voice Newspapers’ office at 5236 W. North Ave., said he hopes to eventually pass the venture onto successors in the community who will provide the same entrenched coverage he and Cummings brought to the West Side for decades. To do so, though, Jones first needs to ensure the publication is fiscally sound, he said. If he can’t, he’ll have to say goodbye to more than his friend. * Chicago Mag | Polish Party: Artur Wnorowski and Gosia Pieniazek put the fun into their home country’s cuisine with three new restaurants: It wasn’t right away, though, that they fully embraced their heritage cuisine. They had met at a Polish hip-hop festival (yes, that’s a thing) in Chicago in 2007. Two years later, they opened Lokal, where they served European comfort food. “We weren’t presenting it as Polish,” Wnorowski recalls. “Maybe we weren’t ready, maybe Chicago wasn’t ready.” Still, a Polish-influenced pierogi Benedict was a hit on the brunch menu. * Block Club | Polar Express Train Rides At Union Station Have Been Canceled Again This Holiday Season: The rides, which would have been based out of Union Station, 225 S. Canal St., were called off for the 2025 winter season due to extensive city street construction above the station, according to the organizers’ Facebook post. “We understand this event is an important experience for families and hope to return in the future,” organizers said in the post. The Polar Express rides are themed around the book and movie of the same name, and allow families to enjoy a decked-out train ride experience — often in pajamas — where they can meet Santa Claus and leave with a bell. * Tribune | Can Chicago White Sox avoid a 3rd straight 100-loss season? They’ll need to go over .500 the rest of the way: The Sox lost three of their next four before beating the Minnesota Twins 7-3 on Saturday night at Rate Field to improve to 46-83. They need to go 17-16 the rest of the way to avoid a third consecutive 100-loss season. The Sox entered 2023 with just four 100-loss seasons in franchise history (102 in 1932, 101 in 1948, 106 in 1970 and 100 in 2018). They lost 101 games that season and followed it up by completely falling off the cliff, setting the modern major-league record with 121 defeats. They’re on pace for 104 losses this season. To finish with fewer than 100, they’ll need a roll similar to the stretch immediately after the All-Star break when they won 10 of 14. * Daily Herald | District 116 to explain impact of $11 million budgeting error: District officials have emphasized no money is missing but the oversight by a former employee has created ripple effects they are scrambling to address. Doing that involves cutting expenses for the current and next school year. That will include reducing eight administrative positions in 2026-27 and not filling some vacancies, limiting overtime and reducing discretionary budgets by 10% this year. * Daily Southtown | Racist graffiti found at Flossmoor Metra station and park: Police responded about 5:30 a.m., to a report of graffiti painted on a wall near the pedestrian entrance of the Flossmoor Metra station. Two hours later, they were called to Leavitt Park, where similarly “racial and discriminatory” graffiti was found on a sculpture, according to a Flossmoor police news release. Flossmoor police said in both instances the graffiti was covered by public works staff Friday. Police say they are investigating the graffiti in an attempt to identify those responsible. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora police make nearly 500 DUI arrests in 2024, highest in the state besides Chicago and state police, AAIM reports: The department made 473 drunken driving arrests in 2024, an almost 30% increase from the previous year, according to AAIM’s figures. AAIM is a Schaumburg-based citizen activist group founded in 1982 by victims of drunk driving, according to a news release from the group. It has been conducting a statewide survey of Illinois police departments annually since 1990 to analyze the number of DUI arrests police make each year. The survey is funded by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora Mayor John Laesch looks back on his first 100 days in office: During Aurora Mayor John Laesch’s inauguration speech on May 13, he said not to “look for me to impress anyone in my first 100 days.” Now looking back on those 100 days, Laesch agrees with his past self-assessment. He told The Beacon-News in an interview on Tuesday, two days before his official 100th day in office, that he hasn’t done any “media events or anything like that” to create an “aura of change,” and that he didn’t expect to rush anything through in his early days. * Naperville Sun | West Nile virus detected in Naperville, city urges caution: The two traps that tested positive were on Oleson Drive and Jackson Avenue, according to a news release from the city. In response to the positive samples, city crews have sprayed immediate areas, checked for breeding sites and retreated area catch basins, the release said. The city will take further precautions by spraying the area around Jackson Avenue on Aug. 29 in advance of the start of Last Fling, Naperville’s annual Labor Day Weekend festival. * WGLT | Unit 5 and District 87 start school year with new high school phone policies: “Responsible use” was the emphasis when the Unit 5 superintendent sent an email message Monday, explaining the updated policy to families of students. The policy approved in July restricts personal device use in classrooms to only allow it if a teacher gives permission and it is being used for educational purposes. Phones are allowed outside the classroom, meaning students can use them before and after school, during lunch and between passing periods. * WCIA | Next step for major Central Illinois health network seeking change: After announcing several changes, the next step for OSF took place in a public hearing on Thursday. The changes they’re pushing for, in addition to consolidating their hospitals under one name with two campuses, are closing several of their units like the pediatrics unit, open heart surgery, the ICU, comprehensive physical rehab and the catheterization unit in Urbana. * WSIL | Take on Giant City’s rugged Red Cedar Trail and stone fort history walk: The Red Cedar Trail Challenge invites hikers to tackle the rugged 12-mile trail throughout the month. Participants can take selfies with ten strategically placed password signs along the trail and present them at the Visitor Center to earn a Red Cedar patch. The trail, which takes at least seven hours to hike in full, can be completed in sections. Trail maps are available at the trailhead and the Visitor Center. * CNN | FEMA workers warn agency at risk of Hurricane Katrina-type failures: More than 180 current and former Federal Emergency Management Agency employees – most signing anonymously – sent a sharply worded letter to Congress on Monday, warning that the Trump administration’s sweeping overhaul is gutting the disaster relief agency’s authority and capabilities, undoing two decades of progress since the failures of Hurricane Katrina. Titled “Katrina Declaration,” the letter accuses President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees FEMA, of eroding the agency’s response capabilities and appointing unqualified leadership. The group calls for FEMA to be shielded from political interference and for its workforce to be protected from politically motivated firings. * WaPo | Harvard’s research is shrinking amid the Trump administration’s freeze: A lab at Harvard Medical School recently discovered something that could change the way cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders and other diseases are understood, treated and prevented. But the federal grants that funded that work were abruptly terminated this spring, as the Trump administration froze more than $2 billion in research funding to Harvard in its fight to force the university to yield to its demands for change.
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Consumers Are Getting Slammed With Higher Electric Rates – Don’t Add Fuel To The Fire With ROFR
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Illinois consumers are feeling the heat, both from triple-digit temperatures and soaring electricity bills. Ameren customers are seeing 18–22% rate hikes. ComEd has customers paying as much as triple-digit increases. And it’s going to get worse. In July, the PJM Capacity Auction hit another record high - a 22% increase on top of the record highs everyone just started paying. This will already lead to further rate increases next year! As frustration heats up, lawmakers must choose: support competition that drives prices down or fan the flames of electricity inflation with “Right of First Refusal” (ROFR) legislation. ROFR kills competition and boosts prices by giving incumbent utilities exclusive rights to build transmission lines. It’s so anti-competitive that both presidents - Biden and Trump - opposed it in 2020 and 2023. As the ICC has said, “The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) believes that competition among transmission developers spurs innovative results and helps control costs.” ROFR would send electricity prices even higher. Springfield should focus on long-term strategies to lower electricity bills, not raise them. As ROFR may resurface this fall, legislators should reject it and stand up for cost-cutting competition that benefits consumers.
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Some days I hate everything and this is one of those days
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I really don’t like these sorts of videos…
C’mon. Reporting “all is well” at sunrise on the lakefront? Of course it doesn’t feel unsafe there. Maybe try taking an evening walk through Englewood without an Illinois State Police executive detail and then report back to us? However, if DC provides us a good preview, I seriously doubt we’ll see a major federal presence in Englewood or other troubled Chicago neighborhoods. They’ll mainly stick to the high-profile spots like downtown, or the lakefront. So maybe Pritzker’s video is of some use. * Let’s be clear: Imposing the National Guard on a city without any sort of advance cooperation and planning is simply just bad policy. And President Trump gave away the game today when he said…
Well, then maybe don’t “barge in.” But even the president himself acknowledges this is not ideal…
But…
Please. It seems the whole point is to make this look like an invasion instead of an actual attempt to solve a very real problem. Simple solutions are almost always neither, and this will be no exception, unless the feds plan to make this a permanent encampment. And even then, that’s gonna cause other huge problems. Permanent military occupations are not a popular thing. * In my own opinion, Mayor Brandon Johnson framed it best…
His message is spot-on. Unfortunately, the messenger is deeply flawed. * In other news, President Trump issue a press release today entitled “‘Cashless Bail’ Is a Government-Backed Crime Spree.” From that release…
If you read the appellate court’s decision upholding the pretrial release (with lots of supervisory conditions), you’ll see the evidence connecting the defendant to the crime was pretty thin. And the defendant’s court docket indicates he’s been showing up for his hearings. Also, remember that considering the not-strong case initially presented, he probably would’ve been released on cash bail anyway. * More from that press release…
OK, first of all, the man was released by a federal judge, not a local judge. And, secondly, can you imagine the reaction you’d get if you called 911 and reported that somebody threw a sandwich at you? * President Trump also issued an executive order…
Gonna be another court case. Click here for the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice’s press release on this topic.
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign stuff
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Today’s number: 8
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * President Trump last week…
* The Black ladies in the red hats belong to @FlipChicagoRed. The group has been relentlessly hyped by outlets like Fox News and made its bones by pitting Black people against migrants…
* Center Square has also highlighted them. Video… More here, and here, and here, and here. * For some reason, Sun-Times columnist Neil Steinberg never heard of them before. But he did a bit of digging…
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Sen. Karina Villa launches campaign for Comptroller
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Subscribers were told earlier this morning. After narrowly losing the Cook County Democratic Party’s slating vote last month, Sen. Karina Villa officially announced her bid for Illinois Comptroller today. Press release…
Rep. Margaret Croke, Rep. Stephanie Kifowit and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim are already in the race for Comptroller. Champaign County Auditor George Danos and former State Sen. Rickey Hendon have also expressed interest in the office. * Villa’s campaign also announced three endorsements…
Thoughts?
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The ‘real’ Chicago way: Let somebody else pay for it
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
I’m still reading the book and Joyce claims that Richard M. Daley had the same “make somebody else pay for it” philosophy as his father.
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Tariffs Impact Everyone
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] At Hello Tokyo, a variety store in Niles, one hundred percent of the merchandise is imported from overseas with much of the inventory originating in Japan and China, thus putting the store directly in the crosshairs of the global tariff battle now taking shape. Tariffs impact everyone. Hello Toyko’s owner, Jin Park, says his store is in a holding pattern to see what to do next, because there’s still a lot of uncertainty. Retailers like Jin enrich our economy and strengthen our communities, even during the uncertainty of increased tariff expenses. IRMA is showcasing some of the many retailers who continue to make Illinois work.
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React to Trump’s threat of National Guard deployment in Chicago (Updated x2)
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for background if you need it. Governor JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and community leaders will hold a 3 pm press conference emphasizing “there is no emergency that requires President Trump to send military deployments to Chicago.” Click here to watch. * Senate President Don Harmon…
* The Cook County Sheriff’s Office…
* House Speaker Chris Welch…
* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…
* Chicago Federation of Labor, Equality Illinois, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Personal PAC and Sierra Club Illinois…
* Gov. JB Pritzker…
* Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson…
* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…
* US Sen. Tammy Duckworth…
* US Sen. Dick Durbin…
* US Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi…
* Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot…
* NYT…
* NBC Chicago…
…Adding… Darren Bailey…
…Adding… Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke…
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Johnson, Pritzker, other local leaders ponder steps to counter potential Pentagon plans to deploy National Guard in Chicago. Tribune…
- Mayor Brandon Johnson blasted the reported plan as unconstitutional and vowed legal action if necessary, with Johnson saying Chicago “does not need a military occupation.” - US Sen. Tammy Duckworth has sharply criticized what she said were Trump’s attempts to politicize the nation’s military and use them to “intimidate Americans in their own communities.” * Related stories… * Governor Pritzker will speak at the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Satellite Campus opening at 10:30 am and hold a 3 pm press conference in downtown Chicago on Trump’s planned military deployments. Click here to watch. * Crain’s | Intersect Illinois undertakes a rebranding as it markets the state’s economy: The organization, which has 56 corporate members, now calls itself the Illinois Economic Development Corp. What the name lacks in pizzazz, it makes up for with pragmatism. To outsiders, who are the group’s primary audience, Intersect Illinois doesn’t say much about what the entity does. “Illinois EDC embodies our sharper strategy and bold vision to make Illinois a premier destination for business and innovation,” Chairman John Atkinson said in a written statement. * Tribune | Justice Department demands Illinois hand over voter data. Election officials are debating compliance: The Labor Day deadline, sent to Illinois State Board of Elections officials via email Thursday, marks an escalation of a conflict that’s been brewing between state and federal officials since the Civil Rights Division of Trump’s Justice Department in late July requested the voter data and a laundry list of other information on Illinois elections and voters. The push for disclosure of Illinois voters’ sensitive personal information is part of a broader effort from the Trump administration to exert federal authority over state-run elections, including shifting the Civil Rights Division’s focus from ensuring access to the polls to combating the specter of voter fraud. Several other states, including neighboring Wisconsin, have received similar data requests this summer, while the Justice Department in recent months has filed lawsuits against election officials in North Carolina and Orange County, California, over issues related to their voter rolls. * Inside Climate News | ‘Forever chemicals’ in drinking water pose challenge for Illinois communities: As part of the new groundwater quality regulations, the Illinois EPA is collecting PFAS data from every water system in the state. The agency provided guidance to local officials through seven PFAS health advisories issued between 2021 and 2024, EPA public information officer Kim Biggs said in an email. “We will continue our work with community water systems to ensure residents receive information on these important issues, as well as working with systems to determine any necessary actions to reduce exposure to PFAS,” Biggs said. * Crain’s | How federal changes to SNAP will put pressure on Illinois’ food system: Farmers markets will also feel the pain, as many accept SNAP and a statewide program enables recipients to double their buying power and farmers to sell more fruits and vegetables. Less SNAP is likely to lead price-conscious shoppers to forgo fruit and vegetables in favor of less nutritious but calorie-dense food such as pizza and hot dogs, experts say. “Wherever SNAP is spent, whether it’s at a corner store, a farmers market, or a larger grocery store, those dollars do not evaporate. They circulate and they feed local economies,” says Connie Spreen, executive director of the nonprofit Experimental Station in Hyde Park, which runs the Link Match program. The program doubles the value of Link purchases at farmers markets by providing matching currency redeemable at the market for fruits and vegetables, according to the program’s website. * CBS | Why utility bills are rapidly rising in some states: The increasing demand is a big reason why the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects residential electricity rates to increase steadily by as much as 18% in the next few years, far outstripping the annual inflation rate of about 2.7%. The fastest way to bring rates down would be to increase supply, but there are challenges. * Daily Herald | How much additional revenue did your school district receive through state’s evidence-based funding formula?: Nearly $1.4 billion is headed to 102 suburban school districts in the Northwest and Western suburbs, ISBE records show. “The additional EBF funding will be used to support educational programming, including hiring the additional teaching staff needed to maintain the district’s current class size targets as well as additional support for our growing English Language Learner populations,” said Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 Superintendent Michael Connolly. “We will also utilize portions of the additional funding to defray the increasing costs of operations, including increased transportation, utility and costs for materials and services.” * WSIL | Giannoulias announces $1.5M in grants to Southern Illinois libraries: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced nearly $1.5 million in grants for Southern Illinois libraries. He toured the Du Quoin Public Library and visited the State Fair on his recent visit. The Du Quoin library received $12,500 in technology grants and $8,594 in per capita grants. These grants aim to ensure access to quality resources and programming. * Daily Herald | Here’s how new road test rules for seniors, reporting unsafe drivers will work: The rule goes into effect July 1, 2026. At that point, drivers ages 79 and 80 seeking to renew their licenses still will need to visit a DMV and take a vision test. Motorists between the ages of 81 and 86 still will be required to renew their licenses every two years in person at a DMV and take a vision test. Road exams are eliminated for ages 79 through 86. The legislation also allows immediate relatives of unsafe drivers, regardless of age, to report problems to the secretary of state’s office. Issues could be a decline in driving skills or cognitive or medical issues. If authorities find the concerns are credible, a driver would need to submit a medical evaluation and/or have written, vision and behind-the-wheel tests to keep their license. * WCIA | New Illinois law will bring farmers more opportunities at farmers markets: The new law will let smaller producers like Anna process more of her own birds, saving her time and money that would have been spent at big meat lockers. “A lot of the processors are reserved for red meat and with rising cost, a lot of the processors now have minimums and so small producers that are raising less than 100 birds in a batch can’t get into the most popular processor in like a three hour radius,” Morrell said. * STL PR | Warehouse safety bill that followed the deadly Edwardsville tornado is now law: The new requirements are the product of a task force state lawmakers created the following year to study possible legislative solutions after an EF3 tornado tore through half of an Amazon warehouse, killing six employees. The law now mandates all warehouse operators prepare a tornado safety plan, requires new warehouses contain a designated refuge area as a form of shelter and dictates that city and county building inspectors hold a certification from the International Code Council. * Sun-Times | Trump Medicaid cuts threaten ‘the little hospital that could’ on Chicago’s Far South Side: A “firing squad” is how Tim Egan, the hospital’s president, describes the expected cuts. A majority of Roseland patients are on Medicaid, according to the Illinois Hospital Report Card. […] As Khan walks around the 134-bed hospital, he says the expected funding cuts will mean the hospital will have to make do with fewer support staff, like certified nurse assistants and specialists who help treat wounds. They are also already thinking of how to save money by reducing medical equipment like ventilators that were in demand during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. * Tribune | Aldermen opting out of new tenant powers, but proponents defend anti-gentrification effort: While the Northwest Side Preservation Ordinance aims to slow gentrification by giving tenants a “right of first refusal” and discouraging development that decreases density, a pair of aldermen are opting out. They say the still-nascent law that affects neighborhoods including Avondale, Humboldt Park and Logan Square severely disrupts real estate deals and strips homeowners of the right to control their property. * Sun-Times | In Chicago stop, Bernie Sanders says the ‘day has come and gone’ for America’s oligarchs: Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” Chicago stop also helped to highlight State Sen. Robert Peters, who is running for the 2nd Congressional District, and U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, who is running for reelection in the 3rd Congressional District. * Tribune | Grain Belt Express pits Chicago businessman, politicians and farmers in power line battle: [Michael Polsky’s] Chicago-based company Invenergy is the country’s largest privately held generator of renewable power. And his investors include Blackstone, the world’s biggest private equity firm. But it’s been a seesaw battle, and the outcome is still in doubt. One of the main problems for Polsky’s power line is that it needs to cross lots of farmland in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. And lots of farmers hate the idea of eminent domain, especially when it’s a private developer such as Polsky who wants their land. * Sun-Times | Illinois Holocaust Museum’s satellite location brings survivor stories to life through virtual reality experiences, interactive holograms: It also features a gallery, “Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory.,” which comprises 61 carefully preserved objects and images from Holocaust and global genocide survivors. Museum CEO Bernard Cherkasov said the satellite location is opening during a time when “the world feels in crisis.” “There is dehumanization, there is suffering [and] polarization that’s happening in our own society and around the world,” Cherkasov said. “The Holocaust, as one of the darkest moments in our human history, has so much to teach people now.” * Daily Southtown | Suburban community college presidents among the highest paid in the state: Topping the list are Harper College President Avis Proctor, Oakton College President Joianne Smith, College of Lake County President Lori Suddick and McHenry County College President Clinton Gabbard, based on their latest contracts and salary data from the Illinois Community College Board. Statewide, the salaries for district executive officers range from $169,950 to $377,825. A community college president’s salary in Illinois is on average $246,642, according to ICCB’s 2024 annual salary report. * Daily Herald | Feds appeal judge’s ruling denying intervention in Haymarket’s lawsuit against Itasca: The saga began in 2019 when Haymarket proposed a comprehensive substance use and mental health treatment center in Itasca for people from DuPage County and surrounding communities. Itasca trustees, however, unanimously turned down Haymarket’s zoning request to convert a former Holiday Inn into a 240-bed facility. In response, the nonprofit provider sued the village in January 2022, arguing that officials violated antidiscrimination laws. According to its original complaint, Haymarket is unique among substance use and mental health treatment facilities in the area because it accepts people for treatment regardless of their ability to pay and provides additional services, including career counseling. * Shaw Local | Woodstock hires firm to communications about Route 47 widening: The City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday to approve a contract with Downers Grove-based Metro Strategies. Council member Gregg Hanson was the only one who voted no; Mayor Mike Turner and Council member Melissa McMahon were absent. Council members Bob Seegers, Tom Nierman, Natalie Ziemba and Darrin Flynn voted yes. Hanson said he wasn’t worried about who the contractor was or the dollar amount of the contract, but he said he wanted “some sort of restraint in spending.” * Daily Herald | Lawmakers continuing public events despite disruptive pro-Palestinian protests: The most recent protests occurred last month during events featuring U.S. Reps. Sean Casten of Downers Grove and Bill Foster of Naperville. The legislators were berated over their support of Israel’s war against Hamas and its extremist allies at the expense of Palestinian civilians. Casten and Foster haven’t been the only suburban lawmakers targeted by pro-Palestinian activists. So have U.S. Reps. Brad Schneider of Highland Park and Jan Schakowsky of Evanston. * Shaw Local | Special recreation program serves Will County kids and adults with disabilities: Family bingo, swimming lessons, bumper bowling, walking club, pickleball and Parents’ Day Out are among the fall programs offered by the Northern Will County Special Recreation Association for children and adults with disabilities from ages 3 to 99. Northern Will County Special Recreation Association provides year-round recreation programs and services for children, teens and adults with disabilities. * WGLT | Heartland Head Start wins $4.4 million federal grant renewal: Federally funded Head Start agencies across the country have been anxious in these first months of the second Trump administration. The Project 2025 conservative blueprint that’s guided many of Trump’s moves called for Head Start’s demise, and there already have been unsuccessful attempts to eliminate funding. It was tough timing for Heartland Head Start, whose five-year grant was up for renewal this summer. The agency has faced other challenges in recent years, including numerous leadership changes, workplace-culture complaints, and compliance issues. * The Southern | Environmentalist groups take the fight to Forest Service over logging: Decades after initially fighting against logging operations at the Shawnee National Forest, Friends of Bell Smith Springs are once again taking the fight to the U.S. Forest Service. A lawsuit filed in federal court in July seeks to halt a Forest Service project that has marked 70 acres of trees to be cut in the watershed of Hunting Branch Creek, which flows into Bell Smith Springs. […] “Regardless of what the Forest Service and the timber industry try to sell the public on, never in the history of this planet has a forest been logged back to health,” Stearns said. * Capitol News Illinois | United Methodist Church buys billboard space that hosted Proud Boys sign: In response to the uproar over a Proud Boys message displayed on a billboard near Central Community High School, the United Methodist Church has a simple message: “Hate Divides, Love Unites.” The church purchased billboard space in the same location as the Proud Boys sign, which was removed this week. It paid $2,100 for the next four months. * Tribune | New database catalogs plant species in latest effort to restore prairies: Zinnen was part of a team that recently launched the RELIX database, alongside Jeffrey Matthews, associate professor in natural resources and environmental sciences at the U. of I. RELIX catalogues every plant species in 353 prairie remnants — parts of the native grasslands of the Midwest that were not converted to farmland during colonization. “A good way to think about prairie remnants is, they were spared by accident,” Zinnen said. “These were places that you really couldn’t farm or were not worth farming, and many of them had these kind of lucky conditions to keep them as a prairie community and not be turned into woodland or some type of non-native ecosystem.” * Illinois Times | Securing mental health funding: Social workers and mental health providers informed Sangamon County Mental Health Commission earlier this month about the possible ways they could benefit from dedicated funding and planning from a community mental health board. The vast majority of counties in Illinois have these boards, which approve funding for local social service organizations through some form of tax revenue. The boards, which are also known as 708 Boards, provide a more consistent avenue for mental health providers to fund their work when compared to applying for fixed state or federal grants. * WCIA | Girl Scouts of Central Illinois serving 10K girls in a new building: The new building is three times larger than their last one. They plan to use the space for programs and meetings. There is also a boutique inside. In total, the branch has 10,000 girls serving 38 counties in the area. * WGLT | Town of Normal is working on growth in new strategic plan: The strategic plan focuses on several ever-present initiatives, including housing strategies, infrastructure, and finishing fire station number two. A new item appearing on the radar is planning for infrastructure in north Normal where there is an opportunity for growth, said city manager Pam Reece. “What we’re specifically looking at is the area along Business 51 and I-39, that northwest area of Normal. Growth is going to be driven by infrastructure. It’s going to require water, sewer, storm water services, additional roads. We’ve got our hands full in terms of looking at how to prime that area in the future for growth and take advantage of the highway adjacency,” said Reece. * Illinois Times | Robert Moore reflects on his life: Born in 1943, Moore grew up in the Jim Crow era in a Mississippi farming community. He graduated from an all-Black high school after never experiencing an integrated school. He declined a scholarship to play basketball in junior college and enlisted in the U.S. Army, setting him on a life journey that he boldly designed. He describes all of this in his autobiography, Off My Neck, published Aug. 1. He says the title “doesn’t just reflect a moment. It reflects a lifetime. It bridges my journey as a Black man growing up in Mississippi who found his purpose in life in Illinois.” * CNN | National Guard troops in Washington, DC, begin carrying weapons: US National Guard members deployed to Washington, DC, started carrying their sidearms on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Joint Task Force carrying out the mission told CNN. This follows a directive by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week that authorized members of the National Guard, who were deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s anti-crime agenda in the nation’s capital, to begin carrying weapons. * NYT | How Trump Used 10 Emergency Declarations to Justify Hundreds of Actions: Tracking the use of these emergency orders to justify tariff actions is extraordinarily complicated: Mr. Trump has changed rates; extended and further extended deadlines; and made specific adjustments to minimize disruption to particular American industries, among other actions. But the result, at least so far, has been a landscape of punishing rates — starting at 10 percent and going as high as 50 percent — that have taken effect for more than 90 trading partners. Attempts in Congress to block or forestall the tariffs have not been successful, but court challenges remain underway.
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Open thread
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Aug 25, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Aug 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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