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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* KFVS…

A sudden rise in illnesses cancels classes at a growing number of Heartland schools.

Scott City, New Madrid County and eight other districts are dealing with the flu, COVID and more.

Anna School District #37 in Illinois canceled classes for two days because of the number of sick students. Now, leaders say they are using that time to deep clean school buildings for the protection of all students and staff.

“We’re going through. We’re wiping down all the lockers, the handles, all the doorknobs on the table tops, anywhere we can go,” said Superintendent Brent Boren. “We’re seeing Type A influenza, COVID and norovirus and it seems to hit all at once.”

*** It’s Just A Bill ***

* WTTW | Companies That Participated in the Slave Trade Could Face New Rules in Illinois Under Proposal: Companies that participated in the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries could have to fess up and pay up if they want to do business with Illinois in the 21st century. State Rep. Sonya Harper (D-Chicago), sponsor of the Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act (House Bill 1227), said it’s a way for corporations that profited on the backs of enslaved people to help repair the legacy of harm caused for generations of Black Americans.

*** Chicago ***

* Daily Line | Ethics board recommends end to decades-old ‘unwritten’ practice after OIG report on mayor’s acceptance of expensive gifts: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office failed to make a record of gifts the office has accepted publicly available and denied the Chicago Office of the Inspector General (OIG) access to a “gift room” where items such as luxury handbags and nice shoes were being stored, the OIG alleged in an advisory issued Wednesday. As a result, the OIG and Board of Ethics have advised the mayor’s office to no longer follow an “unwritten agreement” with the ethics board that has allowed the mayor’s office to skirt government transparency rules for decades.

* Chalkbeat Chicago | How are Chicago schools responding to increased immigration enforcement? Here are five examples.: In Brighton Park, a majority Latino neighborhood on the city’s southwest side, an elementary school principal has been sharing his experience as an immigrant, so that families feel more comfortable. In Pilsen, a predominantly Latino neighborhood and historically a neighborhood where Mexican families have immigrated to, a high school launched an emergency immigration chat and told parents that it’s OK for students with immigration concerns to stay home.

* NBC Chicago | Former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke requests commutation, reducing prison sentence: According to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Pardon Attorney, Burke has filed an application for a commutation of his sentence. A clemency case has been opened, and the petition is under review, according to the department’s website. The petition was filed in 2025, but it is unclear what date. That application is now up for President Donald Trump’s administration to grant or deny. It can take months, even years, before a sentence commutation is granted or denied. The application goes through several levels before it reaches the president’s desk.

* Block Club | Rogers Park Business Alliance Expands Classes For Entrepreneurs With New State Funding: The Rogers Park Business Alliance, a local chamber of commerce, was recently awarded a grant through the state’s Economic Empowerment Centers Program, which gives money to groups that provide local business support. With the infusion of $250,000 in state funding, the Rogers Park Business Alliance is rolling out Grow More/Progresando Más, a bilingual program to assist minority-owned small businesses in the neighborhood, said executive director Sandi Price. The money will be used for personnel to lead classes and events at no cost to business owners, she said.

* WBEZ | Charlie Trotter’s son fires up the stoves at his father’s legendary Chicago restaurant: “People under the age of 40 don’t know who Charlie Trotter was, and my goal is to change that,” Dylan said. Charlie died of a stroke in 2013, less than a year after closing the restaurant. “This is a historic Chicago landmark that should be known by everyone, young and old,” said Dylan. “I think the younger generation should look back at history and see: How did we get to where we are now?”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Cook County state’s attorney to push for prison sentences in machine-gun cases: According to the policy, prosecutors on their own cannot enter into a plea agreement for a probation term or other punishments that do not involve prison time in cases where the defendant used or possessed “any machine gun conversion device, extended magazine, drum magazine, automatic switch, as well as a privately made firearm, ghost gun and/or defaced firearm.” Assistant state’s attorneys can seek permission from a supervisor if they believe the policy should be modified in individual cases, but officials said supervisors would likely only waive the terms in specific circumstances.

* WGN | ‘It got real crazy:’ The inside story of bad blood that boiled over into a brawl during a Thornton Township board meeting: Seconds after making slurs about Tiffany Henyard’s sex life and parenting, a fight erupted on the floor of the township meeting, with community activist Jedidiah Brown and Henyard’s boyfriend, Kamal Woods, coming to blows. Henyard herself even jumped in. “She ran from behind the table with a microphone in her hand and she hit me with it while another one of her staff members was kicking me in the head and I was defending myself against Kamal and other individuals,” Brown said.

*** Downstate ***

* WMBD | UPDATE: I-155 still closed in Logan County as ISP crisis team negotiates with driver: The Illinois State Police is asking drivers to avoid a five-mile stretch of Interstate 155 on Thursday, saying there has been “an incident.” […] The Illinois State Police has provided more information on the “incident” that is ongoing in Logan County. According to the state police, at 10 p.m., troopers responded to a motorist assist call on Interstate 155 northbound near Emden, milepost 9, in Logan County. The motorist then and now is refusing to leave the vehicle.

* KHQA | Western CUSD 12 shuts down for the week amid Influenza A outbreak: Western Community Unit School District 12 in Barry, Illinois will not hold classes the rest of the week due to an outbreak of Influenza A and other illnesses. On Tuesday, January 28th, when they made the announcement, nearly half of the students and a third of the staff were out sick in some buildings.

* NPR | Criminal records of Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by Trump include rape, domestic violence: Theodore Middendorf was accused by Illinois prosecutors of “Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child.” Prosecutors said in a court filing obtained by NPR that Middendorf “committed an act of sexual penetration.” Indiana state records indicate that Middendorf’s victim was 7 years old. Middendorf entered a guilty plea in that case in May 2024 and was sentenced to 19 years in prison. He is currently registered as a sex offender in the state and remains in custody on those charges. Separately, Middendorf pleaded guilty to destruction of government property for striking a window at the U.S. Capitol with a flagpole on Jan. 6. He had not yet been sentenced for his role in the Capitol riot when the Justice Department moved to dismiss his case following Trump’s order.

* SJ-R | All of Springfield’s McDonald’s soon to be owned by same person: As of Feb. 1, Mike Kasprzyk will own all 11 Golden Arches in the Capital City after purchasing two stores from to other franchise operators, Dr. Paul and Mary Breznay and Kim Derringer, in December. The back-to-back acquisitions doubled Kasprzyk’s Springfield footprint after only entering the market last year.

*** National ***

* NYT | Staffing was ‘not normal’ at airport tower, according to a preliminary F.A.A. report.: The controller who was handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one. This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that the controllers can use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters. While the controller is communicating with pilots of the helicopter and the jet, the two sets of pilots may not be able to hear each other.

* Chalkbeat | Trump executive order seeks to steer federal funds to private school vouchers: The executive order cites disheartening national test scores released Wednesday as one justification, saying families need options outside the public system. Securing federal funding has been a longtime goal of supporters of vouchers and educational savings accounts, which families can tap to pay for private education. Until now, with the exception of a voucher program in Washington, D.C., the use of taxpayer dollars for private education largely has expanded through state policy. A proposal to use federal tax credits to fund private school scholarships has not advanced in Congress — though new versions were recently introduced.

* The Atlantic | Why States Took a Gamble on Sports Betting: “I interviewed Charlie Baker, the former governor of Massachusetts who signed the bill legalizing bookmaking there in 2022, and then a few months later became president of the NCAA and has become a really vocal champion for limiting the amount of betting on college sports, particularly in light of the brutal harassment that college athletes and coaches get whenever their performance costs someone a bet,” Funt recalled. “It’s honestly horrifying, the sort of stuff they see on social media and in real life. And he has said point-blank, ‘I wish, in hindsight, this had stayed in Las Vegas.’”

* AP | Trump administration revokes deportation protections for 600,000 Venezuelans: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday that the Trump administration has revoked a decision that would have protected roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela from deportation, putting some at risk of being removed from the country in about two months. Noem signed a notice reversing a move by her predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas, in the waning days of the Biden administration to extend Temporary Protected Status. The change is effective immediately and comes amid a slew of actions as the Trump administration works to make good on promises to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.

  8 Comments      


Illinois Freedom Caucus complains about punishment

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I’ve been telling subscribers about this battle. From an Illinois Freedom Caucus press release…

The punitive measures Minority Leader Tony McCombie has taken against conservative House members are a blatant attempt to shut out conservative voices in the General Assembly, according to the Illinois Freedom Caucus members.

Because of irreconcilable differences in policy, approach and results, several House Republican members could not in good conscience support Leader McCombie in her run for Minority Leader. Instead, they opted for a respectful low profile swearing in ceremony at the Capitol. As a result of not receiving their votes for leader, the Minority Leader instituted childish retaliatory actions. Specifically, she has denied the following services from State Reps. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich), Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville), Chris Miller (R-Hindsboro), Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) and Marty McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills):

    • Spokesman positions on legislative committees
    • Access to larger offices that were consistent with their seniority in the House Republican Caucus
    • Access to their state websites, emails, and email newsletter services
    • Access to Communications staffers including access to social media sites, audio and visual services, graphic design, and press release services
    • Secretarial services at the Capitol
    • Biography services
    • All press conference assistance services

    • All outreach assistance services
    • Media tracking services
    • Access to Bill Analysis
    • Access to research assistance from House Republican staff
    • Access to House Republican staff generated media lists

The Illinois Freedom Caucus is issuing the following statement:

“Minority Leader Tony McCombie has officially declared war on conservatives. She seems to be more interested in going after conservative members of her own caucus than she is in taking on the Democrats who control every level of government in our state and who have run our state into the ground.

Our goal is to win seats so that we can advance a conservative Republican agenda in Illinois. While we do not believe Tony McCombie is the kind of leader we need to accomplish this goal, we nonetheless support the mission of the House Republican Caucus. We do not care about offices, titles or other accolades that go along with being an elected official. We are solely focused on enacting the kind of policies we need to turn our state around and voting against the bad policies. The idea that our own leader would impede our efforts is a major disappointment, but we will not be deterred in our fight to restore Illinois. She can put us in broom closets for all we care because it won’t change our resolve for our mission.

Our only regret is that the person who has presided over zero pickups in the last election and who is so desperate to be the minority leader is also so completely unserious about her job. We are not the ones who are suffering because of her bad leadership – it is the millions of Republican voters who are suffering at the hands of her failures. They deserve to have a Republican Leader who embraces conservative voices and works to unify the party, rather than a leader who attacks conservatives and demands absolute loyalty like a monarch.”

* Politico…

They missed McCombie’s criticism of Democrats during the recent inauguration because they held their own separate inauguration.

“This decision was not made lightly and remains subject to further review,” McCombie said in a statement. “Leadership resources are a privilege, not an entitlement, and they are allocated to those committed to advancing our caucus’s priorities — not fueling distractions.” There’s also a concern that the Freedom Caucus sometimes blurs the line of being a political organization. That’s not allowed when doing work in the Capitol. […]

McCombie isn’t the first to take away some privileges. Former House GOP Leader Jim Durkin also pulled back the benefits.

That statement wasn’t specifically a response to the above press release, I’m told.

  26 Comments      


Roundup: Jury begins deliberations in Madigan corruption trial

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. If you want live updates on the trial, the Sun-Times will be texting out the latest on jury deliberations and the verdict. Click here to sign up.

* Capitol News Illinois…

[O]n Wednesday, after three months of listening to testimony followed by a marathon week of closing arguments, the lead prosecutor in Madigan’s corruption trial presented that idiom to jurors before they were finally released to deliberate.

In a final attempt to weaken defense attorneys’ arguments over the racketeering, bribery and other corruption allegations against Madigan and his co-defendant, longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu told jurors that Madigan and McClain were neither “stupid” nor “beginners.”

“Mr. Madigan and McClain are adept at making sure Mr. Madigan’s fingerprints are not left at the scene,” Bhachu said of an episode involving a proposed land deal that forms the basis of five charges against the defendants. “They’re not playing checkers. They’re playing chess. And the two of them are grand masters of corruption.”

It was a line Bhachu used nearly two years ago in closing arguments in a related trial in which McClain and three other former executives and lobbyists for electric utility Commonwealth Edison were charged with bribing Madigan.

* Sun-Times…

When Michael J. Madigan’s longtime friend penned a retirement letter in 2016, he compared the record-breaking Illinois House speaker to Chicago’s famous “Boss” mayor, the late Richard J. Daley.

Michael McClain wrote that “Illinois is a great state because of your hand on the rudder, and you know instinctively now, just like Richard J. Daley, when to start, slow or turn off the engine.” […]

“He also had something else in his hand,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu said. “He had the trust that was placed in him by each and every member of the public. But in guiding that ship, if you will, Mr. Madigan abused that trust. He lost his way. He was blinded by profit. By power. By his desire to stay in power.”

Madigan threw that trust “overboard, abandoned it,” Bhachu said. And, in the final argument in Madigan’s four-month trial, Bhachu told the jury “you have the evidence” to hold Madigan accountable for “that sunken trust.”

* Courthouse News Service…

Madigan and McClain’s attorneys, during their closing arguments, attacked Solis’ credibility. Madigan’s attorney Dan Collins went so far as to call him a “malignant tumor at the heart of this case.” […]

They pointed out that Solis testified he feigned his interest in the state board job as part of his undercover work. In a secretly recorded June 29, 2017 conversation, Solis also asked an uncertain property developer named Andy Cretal if there would be a “possibility” for Madigan to get legal work from his company ZOM Living’s “Union West” apartment project.

Bhachu, on Wednesday, countered that Madigan had plenty of chances to walk away from dealing with Solis — especially after June 23, 2017, when in another conversation Solis implied the Union West developers understood development “works” via quid pro quo arrangements. Madigan also continued helping Solis find a state board job in 2018, even after Solis told the then-speaker “I’ll continue to get you legal business” that June.

“Use your common sense here,” Bhachu told the jurors during his rebuttal closings on Wednesday.

* Today’s jury update…


* Tribune…

The panel, which was selected anonymously, also announced they had elected Juror 16 as their foreman, a white man who appears to be in his 40s or 50s who said during jury selection he was born and raised in Chicago’s 19th Ward on the Far Southwest Side, where he still lives.

His parents were close friends with the previous 19th Ward alderman, Virginia Rugai, he said. He also knows the current alderman, Matt O’Shea, but does not discuss city operations or personal matters with him, he said.

The juror also said he had not done much political work apart from voting, and his recent contact with the ward office was limited to getting a block party permit. He works as an insurance underwriter and has three children, he said.

Juror 16 also said during selection that he did not want to be on the panel.

* More…

  17 Comments      


Pritzker says Dem gov convo with Schumer was ‘good,’ but doesn’t discuss details

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The New York Times…

A group of six Democratic governors pressed Senator Chuck Schumer of New York during a tense call on Wednesday night to be more aggressive in fighting back against President Trump’s nominees and agenda, all but begging the minority leader to persuade Senate Democrats to block whatever they could.

The call, described in detailed notes as well as interviews with two participants and five other people briefed on the conversation, revealed the growing tensions among Democrats about how forcefully they should oppose Mr. Trump. Mr. Schumer convened the call to discuss a collective response to the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans, which was pulled back on Wednesday. […]

Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts each told Mr. Schumer that Senate Democrats should not vote for Mr. Trump’s nominees after the administration issued a memo freezing the funding. […]

Gov. Laura Kelly of Kansas, who is the chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association and helped organize the call along with Mr. Pritzker, said their party needed to do a better job with its digital outreach in response to Mr. Trump. She called for Democrats’ online strategy to become “down and dirty.”

* The governor was asked about the call today during an unrelated news conference…

Pritzker: As to the call that we had last night with Leader Schumer in the US Senate. It was a productive call. We had a lively conversation about the challenges that people in our states are going through as a result of the threat of the freezes that appear to be the aim of the Trump administration. And Leader Schumer was receptive to things that we had to say. Understood, you know, he’s from New York. They also had the same things happen to them in New York, and he heard directly from people that are his constituents. So it was a good conversation. I think Chuck-

Reporter: Have the lines of communications reopened between the state and federal government?

Pritzker: Yeah, I haven’t heard of a failure to communicate between the two after that day. When there was so much of a challenge and we had some of our people rejected having conversations with our counterparts at the federal level. I haven’t checked in to see if those conversations have reopened. But my sense is, I haven’t heard anything new, that things have calmed down quite a lot.

Having said that, there is no indication, you heard this from the White House press secretary, there’s no indication that the Trump administration has any intention of pulling back on the idea of a freeze or even an elimination of major federal programs that benefit people in the state of Illinois, Meals on Wheels, Head Start, Medicaid, things that really matter to people every day. Not to mention grant programs for state police, for local police, those are all things that are at risk as a result of the threat that was made.

And it’s clearly their intention to carry it out. It’s just that they got so much negative feedback all in one day from all across the country, including from Republican elected officials, Democratic elected officials and nonprofits across the country. So I think they’re rethinking how they can still accomplish the goal without getting all the negative feedback.

  25 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* IPM Newsroom…

In 2018, Joseph Dole was one of a group of students facing about 20 lawmakers. He didn’t have any public speaking experience, so he was a little nervous.

The students were in Stateville Correctional Center on life sentences. They had studied law journals and studies and formed teams, each arguing for the most effective way to bring parole back to Illinois. […]

Although the Illinois Department of Corrections canceled the class soon after the public debate, the students kept pushing their vision. They wrote House Bill 3373 (also known as Senate Bill 2129) for last year’s General Assembly and are introducing the bill again this year. […]

The state abolished its parole system in 1978. Prior to that, a board could let people out before completing their sentence.

“What we have now is a determinate sentencing scheme where you give people a fixed sentence. There’s no reviewing their progress throughout the sentence,” said fellow student, Raúl Dorado.

* Sun-Times…

For more than four years, a bill to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board has floated through the halls of Illinois’s Statehouse to no avail. […]

[Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine,] and state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, filed the bill in each of their chambers of the General Assembly. Their biggest challenge could be just getting the bill to the floor. […]

In sessions past, the bill failed to reach that threshold. This year’s version is the same as past years, but while its substance hasn’t changed, Syed says legislators’ opinions have.

“I believe, especially now more than ever, we have the ability to get more than enough members on board to get legislation like this across… coming off of election season, many of my colleagues have heard at the doors that people can’t afford groceries, they can’t afford to pay their mortgage and they can’t afford their prescription drugs,” she said.

* Center Square…

A sexual assault involving school kids in a small central Illinois community has prompted an Illinois lawmaker to take action.

State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said he was shocked to find out that the student who committed the sexual assault was allowed to stay in class. […]

McClure introduced legislation that would require school districts to expel a student for at least one year for committing a sexual assault or sexual violence. He said many people have reached out to him after he presented the legislation. […]

Democratic lawmakers in Illinois have a long history of rejecting legislation that is considered a “penalty enhancement.” McClure said he doesn’t classify the bill as a penalty enhancement but a safety enhancement, and it is his hope that the offending student will go to an alternative learning center and get the treatment needed to get them on a better path.

* Rep. Kam Buckner filed HB1894 yesterday…

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person is not prohibited from photographing his or her own ballot at any time during the voting process or from viewing a photograph of a completed or partially completed ballot. Provides that any person who gives, promises to give, or receives any money or other valuable consideration in connection with the dissemination or viewing of a photograph of a completed or partially completed ballot is guilty of a Class 4 felony. Effective immediately.

Illinois election code…

Except as permitted by this Code, any person who knowingly marks his ballot or casts his vote on a voting machine or voting device so that it can be observed by another person, and any person who knowingly observes another person lawfully marking a ballot or lawfully casting his vote on a voting machine or voting device, shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.

* Sen. Willie Preston…

Today, legislators and advocates gathered to announce the filing of Senate Bill 74 and House Bill 1224, landmark legislation to reform Illinois’ retainage policies.

“This legislation is about fairness and modernizing our laws to support Illinois contractors,” said State Senator Willie Preston (D-Chicago), chief sponsor of Senate Bill 74. “Our small businesses and workforce deserve payment practices that reflect the realities of today’s economy.”

The bills aim to end the practice of withholding payments from contractors across the board and instead adopt federal standards that impose retainage only when specific project issues arise. The bills would only apply to state agencies and public universities, not local governments or private developments.

Advocates called on lawmakers to support the legislation and act swiftly to pass it during the current session. “We urge lawmakers to recognize the urgency of this reform. Retainage policies affect thousands of workers and businesses across the state. The time to act is now,” said Jaemie Neely, Executive Director of the Federation of Women Contractors.

Advocates emphasized the detrimental effects of the current policy on contractors and small businesses, noting how delayed payments disrupt cash flow, limit job growth and threaten livelihoods.

“Retainage reform is a critical step toward fostering a healthier business environment in Illinois. Contractors should not have to wait for money they’ve rightfully earned,” said Jacky Gomez, Executive Director of the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association.

By aligning Illinois’ policies with federal standards, the legislation aims to provide contractors with the financial flexibility they need to complete projects efficiently while ensuring accountability in construction practices.

* WAND…

Sen. Sally Turner (R-Lincoln) has reintroduced a bill to allow tiny homes to be exempt from a 2023 state law requiring all homes to be built with electric vehicle charging capacity.

Turner told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that the well-intended law is actually a costly mandate for nonprofit organizations like the Central Illinois Veterans Commission.

“One of our most unique services in the CIVC is our tiny home projects we provide veterans with affordable permanent housing, and it’s tailored to their specific needs,” Turner said. “We have many of them that are handicapped and need that handicap accessibility.”

The bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and now heads to the Senate floor. Senators unanimously approved the same bill last year, but the plan died in the House.

  22 Comments      


Open thread

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on in your part of Illinois?…

  8 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Illinois’ eighth graders outperform their peers in all but one state in national math and reading test. Tribune…

    - Third through eighth graders showed the highest English proficiency rate to date, which, according to Pritzker, is “a testament to the great strides Illinois students are making academically,” the governor said in a Wednesday news release.
    - According to the report, 70% of eighth-graders performed at or above grade level while 33% of students achieved proficiency, which in the assessment is described as a more “aspirational” level of performance beyond grade level.
    - For the state’s fourth graders, 59% performed at or above grade level in both math and reading, while 30 expressed proficiency.

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* WSIL | Brick thrown through window of State Representative Severin and State Senator Bryant’s joint office building: Both Severin and Bryant say they condemn the violent incident at their office and shared the following statement… “It is our honor to represent the people of Southern Illinois, and we take our responsibility to be their voice seriously. Our commitment has always been to advocate for policies that improve the lives of our constituents and all Illinoisans. Acts of violence like the one committed against our district office this morning will not deter us from that mission – instead, it only strengthens our resolve.

* NYT | In Tense Call, Governors Push Schumer to Fight Harder Against Trump: Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois and Gov. Maura Healey of Massachusetts each told Mr. Schumer that Senate Democrats should not vote for Mr. Trump’s nominees after the administration issued a memo freezing the funding.

* WBEZ | Illinois settles two lawsuits linked to prison education programs: The department agreed to pay $90,000 to five men who say officials retaliated against them for debating parole reform in front of state legislators. In the other settlement, the state will pay $5,000 to a peer educator fired for teaching about racist Jim Crow literacy tests. Both cases involved prison education programs, and both showed prison officials struggling to respond when those programs prompted incarcerated people to engage with sensitive political and social issues.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WBBM | Gov. JB Pritzker yet to decide on run for third term: “Families of politicians go through a lot that they shouldn’t have to,” he mused. “They didn’t choose, necessarily, to be in that life. So that’s part of the decision-making process. And of course, the other part is… what’s ahead? What could we accomplish if we kept going?”

* Tribune | Assessor Fritz Kaegi says Chicago properties worth a combined $50.8 billion in 2024, calls for bill relief in Springfield: Kaegi touted the need to pass “circuit-breaker” legislation in the General Assembly during Wednesday’s appearance. Supporters have floated several forms of a circuit-breaker program in recent months. Most involve a rebate or credit to low- or fixed-income homeowners who see their property tax bills rise above a certain percentage. Kaegi’s plan would apply to “the bottom half of people who are experiencing spikes of 25% or more,” he said Wednesday. “We know the key is making it a priority in Springfield.”

*** Statewide ***

* Journal & Topics | Del Mar Resigns As State GOP Co-Chair Effectively Immediately: In early December, Del Mar announced his intention to resign from his role as state party co-chair. At the time, he told the Journal he planned to explore a run for a statewide office and would step down as state party co-chair in January or February. […] Del Mar in his letter Wednesday said: “I can no longer, in good conscience, remain in this role while awaiting a successor and facilitating a transition. To be clear I will remain in my duly elected role as state central committeeman, (of the) 5th Congressional District.” Del Mar is also the Palatine Township Republican committeeman and is running for reelection as Palatine Township highway commissioner in the April 1 election.

* Crain’s | After Trump’s opening volley on grants, Illinois’ research universities on alert: NU ranks 30th in the country, having received $678 million in federal support in 2023, according to data from the National Science Foundation. Data for 2024 is not yet available. UChicago, 41st, and U of I, 43rd, were awarded $477 million and $460 million in 2023, respectively. About 40% of funding for basic research, much of it done at universities, comes from the federal government, according to the NSF.

* Crain’s | Trump’s moves to curb abortion spending spell trouble for Illinois: “It’s going to increase the retribution that the federal government will take on the state of Illinois,” said Margie Schaps, executive director of the Health & Medicine Policy Research Group. “They’ve shown themselves to be vindictive.” Asked today how it was responding to the Trump administration’s recent actions, a Pritzker office spokesman told Crain’s: “During this time when reproductive health care has been under assault, Illinois will remain a state where every person is entitled to the full range of reproductive health care, including family planning services, birth control and abortion.”

* WTVO | Illinois receives 2 F’s on tobacco control report card: Illinois received an F grade in tobacco prevention and cessation funding as well as an F in restrictions on flavored tobacco products. Graders gave the state an A grade for having smoke-free air and access to cessation services, in addition to a C grade for tobacco tax.

*** Chicago ***

* WBEZ | New CPS Board president says he took the volunteer job because ‘I love this city’: Sean Harden says he knows this question is on many people’s minds. The 51-year-old single man with no children says he pursued becoming president of the Chicago Board of Education because he saw an area where he could step up. […] Harden faced an avalanche of criticism last week after it surfaced that he had requested a CPS driver and a car that would cost the school district $150,000. FOX News’ Paris Schutz reported that story based on internal CPS documents shared by sources. Harden points out that past board presidents have had cars and drivers, though the last two did not. The last president to have the service was Frank Clark, but he ended it some time between 2015 and 2018, CPS said. And budget crises are, as history shows, nothing new for CPS.

* Sun-Times | Text from Johnson to firefighters’ union president could ignite stalled contract talks: Asked what it will take to bring negotiations to a close, Cleary said: “Don’t give me what I could have gotten three-and-a-half years ago: an average, b.s. contract. Give me a good contract. Reward us for waiting so long.” Johnson directed his negotiating team to draft a substantive proposal on the outstanding issues of pay, benefits, staffing and equipment. Cleary wouldn’t reveal details of that latest proposal, which will be the subject of this week’s talks. The goal is to narrow to a handful the number of outstanding issues that must be decided by an independent arbitrator.

* Tribune | ‘I did something wrong’: Chicago man arrested by ICE asks forgiveness, victim’s mother supports possible deportation: In another video shared on social media, Pavuluri is shown sitting inside a black sedan as a federal agent opens the door and allows a reporter from the pro-Donald Trump website Frontline America to stick a microphone in the 31-year-old man’s face and question him. Pavuluri, who was born in India, explained he had been in prison since 2018, serving an eight-year sentence for a drunken driving incident that killed 20-year-old Mariyah Howard of Beecher. He had been released from prison only 16 days earlier, according to Illinois Department of Correction records. Looking into the camera, he asked for a “fair chance” and pleaded for grace from no one in particular. “I did something wrong,” said Pavuluri, who was in the country on a student visa at the time of the crash. “I’m sorry about what I did.”

* Sun-Times | Historian Shermann ‘Dilla’ Thomas partners with DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center: “We are thrilled that Dilla is joining our DuSable team,” Perri Irmer, DuSable’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “His knowledge of Chicago’s rich history and his dynamic approach to social media and storytelling will be a wonderful avenue to reach and engage with our community and with new audiences. We are excited for the future and look forward to the impact he will make in this new role.”

* Sun-Times | Gene Schroeder, NFL’s oldest known living ex-player who was once close to George Halas, dies at 95: In the summer of 1952, a young Gene Schroeder, fresh off his first season with the Chicago Bears, found himself at a party in Washington D.C. He was “kind of famous” among the partygoers for his sports ability by then, Carole Schroeder, his eldest daughter, told the Chicago Sun-Times. There he met his future wife, Doris Richey. They fell in love, and married only months later. Their connection laid the foundation for much of his life. When later asked how he managed to sustain a long and healthy life, he’d always give the same answer: “Sixty wonderful marriage years to a wonderful woman and a wonderful family.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Sun-Times | Thornton Township board ‘deeply disturbed’ over brawl during meeting attended by Tiffany Henyard: Henyard’s lawyer said Wednesday says she was “verbally assaulted and her personal safety threatened” at the Tuesday night meeting. Thornton Township trustees issued their own statement bemoaning what they described as “chaos and violence.” “We are deeply disturbed by the events that transpired during last night’s board meeting,” the trustees said Wednesday morning.

* Daily Herald | ‘We were a little shocked’: As ICE knocks on doors in the suburbs, immigrant groups push solidarity: Last weekend, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers “were just knocking on doors at an apartment complex in Waukegan,” Ortiz said. If the agency is “targeting people with criminal backgrounds, why aren’t they holding warrants?” Immigrant Solidarity DuPage Coordinator Cristobal Cavazos headed to Palatine on Sunday after hearing of a contingent of ICE officers parked near a popular Hispanic grocery store. “They say, they’re just looking for criminals, don’t worry. But in the process, they nab anybody that they can get,” Cavazos said.

* Daily Herald | Forest preserve district sues to acquire property, while West Chicago wants housing there: The district is seeking to acquire roughly 43 acres or so on the north side of North Avenue, a bit west of Route 59. The tract is adjacent to the existing Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve, and contains a remnant old oak ecosystem with more than 200 mature oak trees, noted Executive Director Karie Friling. “Some of these trees are more than 100 years old and are part of a unique, undisturbed ecosystem critical for supporting diverse wildlife, including insects, birds, and mammals,” Friling said in a written statement. “Adjacent development would degrade the ecological value of existing protected lands within Pratt’s Wayne Woods, diminishing its role as a sanctuary for wildlife and a resource for the community.”

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | Springfield may have new procedure for appointing vacant city positions: An ordinance about a new procedure to appoint certain vacant positions within the city of Springfield is up for debate after a debate of its own at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting. The ordinance, which will be taken up by the full city council on Feb. 4, seeks to create a formal appointment procedure when appointing a new mayor, treasurer or clerk. Public comment would be an active part of the process prior to a vote.

* WCIA | Rantoul mayor says village needs change to keep up with growth in community: Mayor Charles Smith said it could cost millions, and it all has to do with infrastructure. He said with several big businesses opening up in town and more on the way, they need a complete overhaul. The village currently has construction crews working on water and sewer expansion. Smith said the village also provides its own electrical service to the community and some of the system is outdated.

* WTVO | These neighbors are suing the Winnebago Landfill over littering, odor complaints: Illinois passed two new laws last year, requiring landfills to have cleaning facilities for trucks, and for garbage truck drivers to secure tarps over their load to prevent litter from escaping. However, DeBlauw said he hasn’t seen much of a change since the laws were enacted. “I don’t think that they abide by any cleaning of the truck,” he said. “They come out and … if it’s muddy or whatever they spread their mud out on the road…and you pick it up on your car when you drive by. And I don’t see where, if there are those laws, I don’t see where they’re following them.”

*** National ***

* ABC | Bird flu is ‘widespread’ among birds in Massachusetts, state officials say: There has been a history of intermittent bird flu outbreaks in Massachusetts since early 2022, officials said. In early January, an outbreak of bird flu was suspected of causing the death of Canada geese, swans and other birds in Plymouth. Now, more positive cases are being reported, officials said.

  19 Comments      


Live coverage

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. 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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Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Jan 30, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup (Updated)

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* A little déjà vu yesterday…



...Adding… Pritzker had a little fun with Elon’s adolescent joke…


* The Illinois Generative AI Task Force…

Today, the Illinois Generative AI and Natural Language Processing Task Force released a new report that provides the first in-depth analysis by the state on the far-reaching effects of generative AI on civil rights, education, labor, consumer protections, and the environment. The report outlines critical recommendations for AI regulations and standards in Illinois.

Task force members, led by co-chairs Rep. Abdelnasseer Rashid (D-Bridgeview) and Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago), Secretary Sanjay Gupta of DoIT, labor leaders representing AFSCME Council 31, SAG-AFTRA, and joined by Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), the ACLU and others, held an event on Wednesday to announce the report.

“This report serves as both a call to action and a roadmap for ensuring that generative AI is harnessed responsibly in Illinois,” said Rep. Adelnasser Rashid, co-chair of the task force, “We need to foster innovation, while safeguarding against the very real risks that AI poses to privacy, equity, and public trust. Technology can be used to uplift – but only if there is transparency and accountability.” […]

Key recommendations include:

    - Supporting Workers: Implementing proactive measures to reskill workers, protect labor rights, and mitigate economic displacement caused by AI automation.
    - Safeguarding Civil Rights: Cracking down on algorithmic discrimination in hiring, housing, banking, healthcare, and other industries to ensure that AI does not perpetuate and amplify systemic bias and racism.
    - Protecting Democracy: Regulating the use of deepfakes in political ads and communications to safeguard against misinformation and inference in our elections.
    - Enhancing Privacy and Consumer Rights: Strengthening data protection laws and implementing privacy-first principles in AI applications to safeguard consumers’ rights and data.
    - Fostering Sustainable AI Development: Encouraging the development of energy-efficient, low-carbon AI technologies to minimize environmental impacts. […]

Rep. Rashid will be asking the General Assembly to extend the task force into the future to allow for ongoing monitoring of the effects of AI in Illinois.

Click here for the full report.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | State lawmakers weigh TikTok’s value: Rep. Patrick Sheehan, R-Lemont, posted his only two videos to TikTok in January. He said he likes comedy, recipe and workout videos, and he wants to reach out to his constituents. “My kids are on the platform, and they kept saying ‘Hey, you know, RFK Jr. is on the platform, and we see his videos everywhere. Now President (Donald) Trump’s on the platform, he’s everywhere, Joe Biden’s everywhere,” Sheehan said. “So, I got kind of interested in seeing how they were reaching out to a whole different type of audience, so I decided to get on.” Sheehan said he wasn’t concerned about using TikTok right now, despite the national security concerns.

* Tribune | State lawmakers move measure aimed at protecting warehouse workers amid complaints that demands for speed hinder safety: The measure, passed by state lawmakers earlier this month, is in response to reports that warehouse workers are too often pushed beyond their physical limits. In December, Amazon reached a $145,000 settlement with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration over accusations that conditions at an Illinois warehouse left workers exposed to elevated risks of injury. If Pritzker signs the bill into law, Illinois would join five other states that have similar measures on the books and dozens of others that have introduced legislation attempting to address warehouse workplace issues.

* IDPH | IDPH Awards $4.5 Million in Grants to Support Governor Pritzker’s Birth Equity Efforts Across Illinois: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced it has awarded $4.5 million to 12 groups across the state funded through Governor JB Pritzker’s 2024 Birth Equity Initiative. The grants, ranging from $100,000 to $700,000, were awarded through a competitive process and are designed to support innovative, community-based efforts that have the potential to reduce inequities in populations historically at higher risk for adverse birth outcomes. “Illinois has one of the most robust birth equity initiatives in the entire nation and today’s announcement brings us closer to a state where every mother – no matter her race, economic status, or ZIP code – is afforded the right to a safe and healthy pregnancy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “We’re grateful to our community-based grantees who are assisting pregnant women and families to drive healthier births, improve long-term health outcomes and create more culturally responsive care infrastructure.”

*** Statewide ***

* KWQC | Illinois, Iowa eighth grade reading scores among highest in US on report card: But Illinois and Iowa showed mostly steady results, and eighth graders excelled in reading. Only two states scored higher than Illinois, and three in Iowa. Overall, Illinois is doing fairly well, especially compared to the national average. Math has seen a little improvement, but reading is staying steady with slight dips. Overall, Iowa shows steady results but with slight declines, especially in math and reading over the years, but it’s still performing better than the national average in most areas.

* Tribune | Advocate Health Care closing all 47 of its clinics inside Illinois Walgreens stores: Advocate noted that, as part of a recently announced plan to overhaul how it provides care on the South Side of Chicago, it will open care locations in churches and community centers where advanced practice providers (such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants) will address common needs such as colds, sore throats, flu and chronic disease management, over video calls. It also plans to expand services at its Imani Village outpatient clinic on the South Side.

*** Chicago ***

* Crain’s | Fritz Kaegi has finalized his Chicago property assessments. Now come the appeals: Commercial property values in Chicago grew last year by more than residential ones, according to new numbers from Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, suggesting some of the local property tax burden will shift from homeowners to landlords when bills come out later this year. But that’s all likely to change in the months ahead. Kaegi today released the final figures from his 2024 reassessment of all Chicago properties, estimates that show the total assessed values of real estate citywide grew by 23% between 2023 and 2024.

* Unraveled | Cop who shot and killed Dexter Reed quits amid investigations: Officer Alexandra Giampapa, who played a lead role in the deadly traffic stop that killed Dexter Reed, Jr. last year, has resigned from the department as investigations into past misconduct mount. She was one of four CPD officers who fired at the 26-year-old during a traffic stop on March 21, 2024. Police records obtained via Freedom of Information Act request show the five-year veteran resigned from the department on November 17. Her resignation comes months after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability opened new investigations into a pattern of dozens of other potentially unlawful investigatory stops conducted by Giampapa and her team. Two weeks after her resignation, city lawyers tentatively reached an undisclosed settlement with Reed’s family.

* Sun-Times | Chicago’s shuttered Pitchfork Fest faced escalating costs, ‘compromises’ in bookings, co-founder says: Mike Reed says he felt increased pressure from Condé Nast, the festival’s new owners, to chase after commercial pop acts such as Justin Bieber or Demi Lovato, signaling to him they were unaware of the alternative nature of the music that made Pitchfork special in the first place.

* Crain’s | Griffin Museum of Science & Industry lands $10M grant to renovate historic South Portico: The project, which is supported by the grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation — the largest donation in the foundation’s history — aims to increase accessibility to the museum, add modern amenities such as a cafe and create a new public space connecting the museum to the Columbian Basin and the rest of Jackson Park.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Lake County News-Sun | Waukegan hospital asks court to remove coroner from death investigation; accuses her of ‘vendetta’: Reacting to what it believes is a vendetta against Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, Vista Health Systems sued Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek Tuesday while seeking an independent investigation into the death of hospital patient Chelsea Adolphus of Waukegan. […] For the past year, Spiegel said Banek has posted critical and “false” remarks about the hospital on a dedicated social media page after she was relieved of her duties as a nurse anesthetist at Vista.

* Sun-Times | Cook County sends first installment of tax bills to 1.8 million property owners: Property owners can choose to make payments online at cookcountytreasurer.com. Over 12,000 owners have paid through the website, totaling $64 million in online payments. “Each year more and more people use our website to pay their property tax bills online,” Pappas wrote in a statement. “People like the convenience of paying online and not having to come downtown to pay in person or write a check and pay for postage.”

* Patch | Man Taken By ICE In Lake Co. Arrested For DUI 20 Years Ago: Family: A Waukegan father and grandfather who came to the United States from Mexico more than 30 years ago — and who was charged with a DUI more than 20 years ago — was arrested by ICE over the weekend. His daughter, Yenitza, told the Lake County News-Sun Andres Marquina obtained a green cardafter coming to the U.S., worked in a warehouse and raised a family in the U.S. He was working with an attorney to get the driving while under the influence charge expunged from his record.

* ABC Chicago | Elgin family says undocumented man who had not committed any crimes taken into custody: Less than an hour later nearby, officers, including ICE, smashed a car window to take another man into custody. After asking the man in the passenger seat to get out of the car, the window was smashed in Elgin early Tuesday morning. The man was on the phone with his wife as it was happening.

*** Downstate ***

* WAND | Sangamon County Juvenile Detention reopens: The Sangamon County Juvenile Detention is reopening after more than a year. The facility had been shut down after an armed teenager took another juvenile hostage and was killed by police officers in the fall of 2023. Kent Holsopple, the Director of Probation and Court Services, said Sangamon County worked closely with the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts to reopen the Juvenile Detention Center. “With the new security measures in place, including the use a body scanner, and adequate staffing levels the Administrative Office gave approval for Sangamon County to begin accepting juveniles who meet criteria for detention. Over the next 45 to 60 days as we proceed with the reopening we will work toward bringing juveniles currently being held in other counties back to Sangamon County,” Holsopple said in a statement.

* Sun-Times | Eastern Illinois University student dies in off-campus shooting after ‘disarming’ police officer: When officers arrived, they encountered Yahacov Dennis, 22. “A rapidly evolving event” then took place, and Dennis disarmed a police officer of his gun before turning it on himself and firing, police said. […] In a message shared on X, state Rep. Kam Buckner, Dennis’ cousin, said he was devastated by the loss. “While there are still more questions than answers, one thing that is certain is how deeply we loved him,” Buckner said.

*** National ***

* ABC | Fact-checking RFK Jr.’s claims on vaccines, pesticides at confirmation hearing: Claim: Kennedy: ‘I probably did say, Lyme disease is “highly likely a militarily engineered bioweapon”‘Context: Lyme disease is caused by a type of bacteria and spreads through the bite of blacklegged ticks.

* AP | Fed hold rates steady, says job market is solid, inflation ’somewhat elevated: The Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday after cutting it three times in a row last year, a sign of a more cautious approach as the Fed seeks to gauge where inflation is headed and what policies President Donald Trump may pursue. The Fed reduced its rate last year to 4.3% from 5.3%, in part out of concern that the job market was weakening. Hiring had slowed in the summer and the unemployment rate ticked up, leading Fed officials to approve an outsized half-point cut in September. Yet hiring rebounded last month and the unemployment rate declined slightly, to a low 4.1%.

  21 Comments      


Chicago IG sting exposes decades-old handshake agreement that exempted mayors from ethics ordinance

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune…

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office improperly blocked public access to a City Hall room where they said they store Gucci bags, designer cufflinks and other gifts, according to an investigation by the city’s Office of the Inspector General.

A report released Wednesday by Inspector General Deborah Witzburg found Johnson’s office violated the city’s ethics policy that requires mayors to record gifts above $50 and “accepted on behalf of the City” in a publicly available log maintained on the 5th floor of City Hall. Covert OIG investigators visited the mayor’s office last June but were denied access to the log.

The report says Johnson’s staff refused to hand over the list of gifts and directed the undercover investigators to make a Freedom of Information Act request instead. The mayor’s office then allegedly blew past the deadline to respond and only produced an incomplete list of gifts over a month later after the OIG made an official document request.

* Sun-Times…

Perhaps most troubling to the inspector general was how difficult it was to secure the information, which is supposed to be “promptly” reported to the Chicago Board of Ethics and the city comptroller so the items can be added to “an inventory of the city’s properly.”

Witzburg found every mayor since Eugene Sawyer in the late 1980’s has been exempt from those rules, based on an informal agreement with the Board of Ethics that has never been put into law.

Wait. What?

* From the Office of Inspector General’s report…

OIG has been informed by [the Chicago Board of Ethics] of a 1989 arrangement made between BOE and Mayor’s Office during the administration of Mayor Eugene Sawyer. This arrangement, never codified in the text of the [Governmental Ethics Ordinance] as a further exception to the general rule prohibiting accepting gifts and never adopted in a formal BOE advisory opinion, allows the Mayor to disregard provisions of the GEO that require gift disclosures to BOE. Instead, pursuant to this unwritten agreement, successive mayors have been advised by BOE that they may keep a publicly available log of gifts instead of making statutorily required gift disclosures to BOE. This unwritten arrangement purported to relieve successive mayors from their responsibility of obtaining approvals from BOE and making disclosures to BOE that are expressly required of all City employees and officials by the GEO. According to BOE, this informal arrangement has continued until the present day and is communicated by BOE to mayoral staff during ethics trainings and in informal ethics opinions. BOE’s website does not clarify that gifts to a mayor would not be disclosed on BOE’s website due to the arrangement between BOE and the Mayor’s Office.

The arrangement between BOE and the Mayor’s Office, which excuses mayors from making statutorily required disclosures to BOE, is contrary to the plain language of the GEO and undermines requirements of the GEO that promote accountability and public transparency. BOE communicated to OIG that, pursuant to the arrangement, the mayor should log gifts “in a publicly available log book” which is “kept in the 5th floor suite of offices in City Hall.”

Yeah, maybe they should codify that.

  21 Comments      


Today’s must-read

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Grace Hauck and Janelle O’Dea at Illinois Answers…

Samantha Slecka spent the better part of three days strapped down to a chair in Madison County Jail in the summer of 2022. It was the same jail where her fiancé had attempted suicide only months earlier.

She had been arrested and detained for meth possession and a warrant for possession of a controlled substance—a charge that was later dropped. Despairing, in withdrawal, and calling out for help in her cell, Slecka said she tried to take her own life.

In response, jail staff restrained her in a chair for 36 hours, then again the following day for nearly 12 hours. She said it was days before she saw a mental health professional.

“I was just screaming the whole time because it just … felt like I was being punished,” said Slecka, 40. “To not have even the ability to move anything—it’s just pretty traumatizing.”

In Illinois Answers’ investigation into the use, misuse, and abuse of restraint chairs in Illinois county jails, Madison County stands out. From 2019 to 2023, the jail reported more incidents exceeding the chair manufacturer’s upper limit–10 hours–than any other jail in the state. Neighboring St. Clair County restrained more people than Madison County did, but largely for shorter periods. […]

In most cases, county records indicated the person restrained had a diagnosed mental illness or need for mental health crisis intervention. Multiple people defecated or urinated on themselves while restrained, which experts often say is evidence of extended restraint or improper care.

* The county jail’s administrator claims improvements are happening…

Endicott assumed the role of jail administrator in August of 2023. He said inquiries from Illinois Answers in early 2024 prompted him to review and reform the jail’s policies and practices around the use of restraint chairs.

A few months ago, Endicott updated the jail’s system for documenting supervision checks on people restrained, switching from handwritten logs to electronic software. He said he has increased de-escalation training, which he believes has already led to “improvements” in reducing the need to use restraint chairs.

Endicott said he also plans to require staff to video all uses of restraint chairs. That hasn’t always happened in the past. When Illinois Answers requested video of one 17-hour incident from 2019, the county said no video was recorded.

St. Clair County also has a major problem. Go read the rest.

  4 Comments      


White House rescinds federal spending freeze order (Updated x5) - Judge will grant TRO after Leavitt statement

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* NBC News Senior National Political Reporter…


Should be fun watching how all the cheerleaders for that unconstitutional nonsense yesterday react now - or whether the White House doubles down in a different way.

If you want to cut the federal budget, you gotta pass a bill.

The original memo is here, and the spreadsheet with impacted programs is here.

…Adding… More from NBC…

A senior administration official confirmed to NBC that the original OMB memo is rescinded, and said that additional guidance is to come.

…Adding… People are already rushing to their favorite reporters to take credit. From The Hill…

The decision came amid strong behind-the-scenes pushback from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, according to a GOP senator who was apprised of the decision to reverse the policy order. […]

GOP senators had been flooded with calls from community leaders who expressed confusion and concern about losing federal grants.

…Adding… NY Times…

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, emailed the following statement after the retraction of the funding memo:

“In light of the injunction, OMB has rescinded the memo to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage. The executive orders issued by the president on funding reviews remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented by all agencies and departments. This action should effectively end the court case and allow the government to focus on enforcing the president’s orders on controlling federal spending. In the coming weeks and months, more executive action will continue to end the egregious waste of federal funding.”

The “dishonest media coverage.” Hilarious. Leavitt couldn’t answer questions about it yesterday.

They could’ve done funding reviews without unilaterally (and unconstitutionally) cutting off funding. This was such an unnecessarily cruel plan that was doomed to failure.

…Adding… This is from the EO on government funding…

Each agency, department, or commission head, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Director of OMB, and the Director of OPM, as appropriate, shall take the following actions within sixty days of this order:

    terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” offices and positions (including but not limited to “Chief Diversity Officer” positions); all “equity action plans,” “equity” actions, initiatives, or programs, “equity-related” grants or contracts; and all DEI or DEIA performance requirements for employees, contractors, or grantees.

    provide the Director of the OMB with a list of all:

    agency or department DEI, DEIA, or “environmental justice” positions, committees, programs, services, activities, budgets, and expenditures in existence on November 4, 2024, and an assessment of whether these positions, committees, programs, services, activities, budgets, and expenditures have been misleadingly relabeled in an attempt to preserve their pre-November 4, 2024 function;

    Federal contractors who have provided DEI training or DEI training materials to agency or department employees; and

    Federal grantees who received Federal funding to provide or advance DEI, DEIA, or “environmental justice” programs, services, or activities since January 20, 2021.

    direct the deputy agency or department head to:

    assess the operational impact (e.g., the number of new DEI hires) and cost of the prior administration’s DEI, DEIA, and “environmental justice” programs and policies; and

    recommend actions, such as Congressional notifications under 28 U.S.C. 530D, to align agency or department programs, activities, policies, regulations, guidance, employment practices, enforcement activities, contracts (including set-asides), grants, consent orders, and litigating positions with the policy of equal dignity and respect identified in section 1 of this order. The agency or department head and the Director of OMB shall jointly ensure that the deputy agency or department head has the authority and resources needed to carry out this directive.

So, unless they want another court fight, they won’t be terminating much of anything. And the rest is what they should’ve been doing in the first place: Examining spending and reporting back to OMB.

…Adding… This is a different judge in the state attorneys general lawsuit…

  39 Comments      


Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail provides one out of every five Illinois jobs, generates the second largest amount of tax revenue for the state, and is the largest source of revenue for local governments. But retail is also so much more, with retailers serving as the trusted contributors to life’s moments, big and small.

We Are Retail and IRMA are dedicated to sharing the stories of retailers like the Berchtolds, who serve their communities with dedication and pride.

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Today’s quotable: ‘I mean, it’s your job’

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Press release…

JERSEYVILLE — Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and local leaders to announce Regional Site Readiness Program awards totaling $31 million to support site readiness activities at 24 sites across the state. The program includes two competitive funding opportunities: Planning grants to support due diligence activities, studies and site plans, and Capital Ready grants to support capital infrastructure improvements. Through this funding, 13 Planning grantees and 11 Capital Ready grantees will undertake due diligence and development projects to better prepared sites to attract future investment and new job opportunities in the industrial sector across Illinois’ Economic Development Regions.

“Readiness planning, assessments, infrastructure improvements – these things are all ​ the fundamental work that must be done for businesses and investments to flourish and jobs to grow across the state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “In every corner of Illinois, there are communities that are overflowing with untapped potential but do not have the resources and support they needed to fully realize it. Now, standing in front of you, I’m happy to say a whole lot has changed – we are investing in our sites, we are thinking about the future, and we are growing economic development across the state.” […]

“Economic growth has a unique power to bring people together. It transcends differences and unites us around a common goal. These resources allow us to pursue developments that are not only the right fit for Jerseyville but align with our values, strengths, and ambitions,” said Jerseyville Mayor Kevin Stork. “Thank you again, Governor, DCEO, and Intersect Illinois for your partnership, vision, and belief in Jerseyville.”

* Pritzker took questions today from reporters. One asked whether he was concerned that Illinois, as a “Blue State,” would have contingencies on federal aid moving forward…

This upsets me, this whole conversation. Because, you know, once you get, I get it, you run in an election, and it’s, you know, it’s the red kid, you know, the Republican candidate against the Democratic candidate. And you know, you’re battling it out. It’s a battle of rhetoric.

And finally, the voters vote. Then you take office. Your responsibility is to all of the people that you lead and represent. So, you know, I’m a Democrat, but I know I did not win Jersey [laughs], Jerseyville. And I know that there are areas of the state that I didn’t win. It’s my responsibility nevertheless, to help build business opportunities and help education systems grow and, you know, get better, and invest in our community colleges and universities. I mean, it’s your job.

And so the idea that a president would target certain areas that didn’t vote for him, I think is something I hope we will not come to accept as okay. It’s not okay. So, that’s disturbing to me.

Do I think that this President will take out his revenge against states that didn’t vote for him? All I can say is, I hope not, and I’m going to try like heck to make sure that they don’t. And I do think that, as discovered yesterday, a lot of these programs, they affect red states, blue states all the same. And so it’s a bad idea to target when you’re going to hit some others that you didn’t know you would.

Darren Bailey defeated Pritzker in Jersey County 74 percent to 23 percent.

Discuss.

  16 Comments      


Roundup: McClain’s defense wraps up closing arguments

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times…

The long relationship between Michael J. Madigan and Michael McClain played a central role in multiple corruption trials over the last few years in Chicago, and a jury will soon begin to consider a sweeping racketeering conspiracy case against both men.

But first, McClain’s attorney sought Tuesday to define the relationship between Madigan and McClain for the jurors. Defense attorney Patrick Cotter told them that McClain was a lobbyist to Madigan, as well as an adviser. But, Cotter said, “he was also his good friend.”

“We know, now, he’s not,” Cotter told the jury. “And that’s — I guess that’s a casualty of this case. But it was real.”

Soon after Cotter made that comment, McClain reached for a tissue from his seat on the other side of the courtroom, and he pressed it against his eyes.

* Tribune…

McClain was a diligent — if sometimes “blunt” and “earthy” — lobbyist who never agreed to or knew about any bribery scheme, his attorney Patrick Cotter told jurors in closing arguments Tuesday. He only ever acted out of a commitment to his clients and a true respect for Madigan, Cotter said.

“Did this very real, very unique and — I would submit based on the overall evidence in this case — very decent human being actually have the intent to engage in a conspiracy to bribe the person he thought of as his closest friend?” Cotter asked. […]

He brought up McClain’s retirement letter to Madigan, which was shown by prosecutors earlier in the trial and included a personal message to the speaker about their close bond.

“This was a very private letter,” Cotter said, adding that McClain “never in a million years” would have thought one day it would be held up in court as evidence in his own corruption trial.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Cotter on Tuesday also went after the government’s other star witness, former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez, who began cooperating with the FBI after agents approached him in January 2019 and secretly recorded meetings with McClain and their other colleagues.

Cotter reminded the jury of Marquez’s “long history of lying,” including to a judge during his divorce proceedings a decade ago and last spring when he attempted to buy a gun in Arizona and did not check the box that said he was convicted of a felony.

When questioned on cross-examination in November about McClain bringing job recommendations to ComEd from Madigan, Marquez acknowledged that it was part of McClain’s job as the utility’s chief external lobbyist – and that not all of the recommendations were hired.

Cotter also pointed out that Marquez kept his contention vague when testifying about the purpose of the alleged bribery conspiracy, repeatedly saying giving jobs and contracts to Madigan allies was to keep Madigan “positively disposed” toward ComEd’s legislative agenda.

* Cotter also went after FBI mole Danny Solis’ credibility. Jon Seidel…


* WTTW…

Another scheme outlined by prosecutors involved Madigan and McClain’s alleged efforts to illegally steer business to the speaker’s private property tax law firm amid efforts to develop a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development.

Cotter denied that McClain was involved in any bribery in any of those alleged schemes and said that if there had been any recording or email that laid out the breadth of those allegations, the government would have found it and used it at trial.

“It’s not there,” Cotter said, “because the story isn’t true.”

After Madigan and McClain’s respective defense teams finish their closing remarks, the government will next present rebuttal arguments Wednesday before jury deliberations begin.

  5 Comments      


It’s just a bill

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* The State Journal-Register…

Illinois Senate Republicans Tuesday announced they would again try to repeal a law that limits state and local law enforcement’s participation in federal immigration enforcement.

Sponsors seek to reverse aspects of the 2017 law that prohibits law enforcement from participating, supporting or assisting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Illinois law enforcement can currently only work with ICE if presented with a federal criminal warrant or otherwise required by federal law.

Senate Bill 1313 would rather require state law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE, “ensuring undocumented immigrants charged with or convicted of a felony are identified, reported, and deported,” according to a news release.

The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Andalusia) and was filed Tuesday morning. Additional legislation, sponsored by State Senators Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport), seeks to repeal the Illinois TRUST Act in its entirety.

* Sen. Lakesia Collins’ filed SB1224…

Creates the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Provides that the Illinois Gaming Board may regulate the conduct of fantasy contest operators under the Act. Allows the Board to levy and collect fees, surcharges, civil penalties, and, on adjusted gross fantasy contest receipts imposed under the Act, monthly taxes, and identifies other powers and duties of the Board. Includes restrictions, including requiring licensing, of fantasy contest operators. Includes license requirements and requirements for allowable fantasy contests. Contains provisions relating to denial of a license, independent audits, reporting and investigation of prohibited conduct, taxes, compulsive gambling and voluntary self-exclusion, and supplier diversity goals for fantasy contest operators. Amends the Sports Wagering Act. Excludes fantasy contests from the definition of “sports wagering”. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that participants in fantasy contest wagering shall not be convicted of the offense of gambling when conducted in accordance with the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Excludes any real estate, vehicle, boat, or any other property whatsoever used for the purposes of gambling under the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act from the definition of “gambling place” under the offense of keeping a gambling place. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Grants the Illinois Gaming Board emergency rulemaking authority to implement the Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act. Effective immediately.

* Rep. Curtis Tarver filed HB1839 yesterday…

Creates the Safe Autonomous Vehicle Act. Provides definitions. Provides that upon notification to the Secretary of State, a Motor Vehicle Manufacturer may commence a safe autonomous vehicle project with a vehicle installed with an Automated Driving System after providing notification to the Secretary of State and after self-certification under certain conditions. Provides that the Manufacturer shall determine the geographical boundaries of the project and shall maintain incident records and provide periodic summaries to the Secretary of State and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Provides that the Participating Fleet in the program shall be insured by the Manufacturer who shall assume liability for incidents where the automated driving system technology is at fault for that incident. Provides that any person operates a vehicle with automated driving system technology without first satisfying the eligibility requirements in the Act shall be fined $10,000 for a first violation and a second or subsequent violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Preempts home rule powers. Effective immediately.

* Sen. Michael Hastings in the Tribune…

Illinois homeowners and drivers are increasingly blindsided with unwelcome news from their insurance companies that their homeowner and auto premiums are going up — in some cases, by double-digit percentages. […]

The General Assembly must prioritize two solutions this spring. The first is the Insurance Rate Fairness and Consumer Protection Act, which would limit excessive rate hikes and protect consumers from arbitrary pricing practices.

This bill that I have sponsored would require insurers to seek approval from the Illinois Department of Insurance before raising premiums. If the department does not approve the increase within 60 days, the insurer cannot implement the hike. Additionally, rate increases will be capped at 15% per year, unless the insurer can provide exceptional justification — such as increased claims from natural disasters or changes in the regulatory landscape. […]

Another bill, the Insurance Rate Transparency Act, would ensure consumers are fully informed about the cost of their insurance policies before they are forced to renew to address the many people who are caught unaware until their renewal notices arrive with dramatic premium increases.

* SB1342 from Sen. Don DeWitte…

Amends the Video Gaming Act. Provides that a municipality with a population that is greater than or equal to 1,000,000 may not pass an ordinance prohibiting video gaming within the corporate limits of the municipality. Provides that, in such a municipality, video gaming may be prohibited only by referendum. Preempts home rule powers. Provides that a tax of 34% is imposed on net terminal income in such a municipality and shall be collected by the Illinois Gaming Board, of which 83% shall be distributed to the Regional Transportation Authority and 17% shall be distributed to the municipality in which the terminal is located. Makes conforming changes.

* HB1844 filed by Rep. John Cabello…

Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act. Creates the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of holding bitcoin as a financial asset. Provides that the State Treasurer may accept gifts, grants, and donations of bitcoin from Illinois residents and governmental entities for deposit into the Fund. Provides that the State Treasurer shall hold all bitcoin deposited into the Fund for a duration of at least 5 years from the date that the bitcoin enters the State’s custody. Allows the State Treasurer, after this period, to transfer, sell, appropriate, or convert to another cryptocurrency any bitcoin in the Fund. Adds provisions concerning the management and security of the Fund; reporting requirements; and voluntary donations of bitcoin by Illinois residents. Provides that the State Treasurer may adopt rules necessary to administer the Act. Effective immediately.

  20 Comments      


Open thread

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* What’s going on? Please keep it Illinois-centric!!

  5 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Subscribers know more. ICYMI: Trump administration’s surprise federal funding freeze sows havoc across Illinois before being blocked by federal judge. Tribune…

    - U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan blocked the Trump administration effort to freeze federal grants and potentially trillions of dollars in spending the action minutes before it was set to go into effect at 4 p.m.
    - The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.
    - The judge’s decision capped a day filled with confusion, frustration and fear across the nation after Trump’s Office of Management and Budget called for the temporary pause on funding, including for programs related to “foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,”

* Related stories…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* SJ-R | Illinois Supreme Court will take up State’s petition on Sean Grayson’s detention: Oral arguments will be heard by the high court after the State and defense attorneys for Sean P. Grayson file briefs. The petition, or PLA, asks the Supreme Court to address a Nov. 27 ruling from the Fourth District Appellate Court that would have cleared the way for Grayson’s release from detention under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act, which is part of the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today, or SAFE-T Act.

* WGN | ‘I’m worried about him’: Undocumented father of 4 removed from Elgin home during raid targeting different man: Ramos was wanted for a parole violation for aggravated battery with a firearm and charged with attempted first-degree murder. Family members said Ramos has not lived at the home for months. […] Agents did not find Ramos, but they did encounter 44-year-old Raul Lopez, a father of four who was living in the country illegally. A task force spokesman told WGN-TV that ICE was part of the team and removed Lopez from the house after finding him hiding in the attic.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Illinois GOP sues over Democratic legislative remap, calling it ‘not just a little corrupt’: In their lawsuit, Republicans argued the boundaries drawn to give Democrats supermajorities in the state House and Senate are in violation of both the state constitution’s mandate that elections be “free and equal” and a requirement that districts be drawn compactly. The legislative boundaries enacted into state law in September 2021 were “drawn with the primary motivation to ensure Democrat victories and is anything but ‘free and equal,’” the lawsuit argues. “The Enacted Plan thus denies voters their equal right to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of their choice.”

*** Statewide ***

* Chalkbeat Chicago | Illinois’ 4th grade NAEP scores drop in both reading and math: The latest round of test scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as NAEP, released on Wednesday shows that Illinois students who missed school or went through the interruptions and struggles of remote learning may still have gaps in their education from that time. However, Illinois eighth grade students — who would have been in fourth grade when the pandemic started — either held steady or outperformed their peers in 2022 in reading and math but their scores lagged behind their peers who took the exam in 2019.

* Tribune | If you’re arrested by ICE in Illinois, what happens next? Legal experts explain the process: Nearly everyone else is up to the discretion of ICE on whether or not they should be detained, Hallett said. Deciding factors that go into that process include whether ICE believes a person is a flight risk, poses a danger to their community or even whether an ICE facility has enough beds to hold someone. “In many cases, ICE is sort of forced into releasing people because there simply aren’t beds available to detain them,” Hallett said.

* Daily Herald | Bicyclist fatalities: How Illinois aligns with — and differs from — national trends: Time of day for fatal bike crashes in Illinois differed significantly from the national trend. NHTSA refers to this as the “time/light condition,” reporting, “over half (56%) of bicyclist fatalities occur in dawn, dusk, or nighttime conditions; the highest proportion.” In contrast, 87% of Illinois bicyclists were killed during those same time/light conditions, based on 20 of 23 crashes in which time of day was identified.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | CTA Says Federal Funding for Red Line Extension Still Expected Despite Freeze: “Our position is that the Red Line Extension Project’s full funding grant agreement that the CTA and (Federal Transit Administration) executed recently, like similar grant agreements that the CTA secured for projects such as the Red Purple Modernization Program, is a binding and legal commitment by the federal government to provide the committed and obligated funds,” CTA spokesperson Tammy Chase told WTTW News in a statement. “As a result, we do not interpret any recent activity to have any impact on the federal government’s commitment to fund this essential transit project.”

* ABC Chicago | ICE arrestee from local weekend raid ordered released by federal judge: After spending roughly 48 hours in federal custody - first at the HSI offices in Lombard, then at the MCC Chicago federal prison - Martinez-Cermeno is scheduled to be released from custody Tuesday evening. While prosecutors mentioned that there is an “ICE detainer” for Martinez-Cermeno, and that ICE would likely take him into custody upon his release, the judge said this was legally unacceptable as ICE did not have the proper judicial warrant to detain him further, and that an ICE detainer is only a “civil request.”

* Block Club | Chicago Emergency Response Times Are Worsening. A Slain Rapper’s Mom Wants to Know Why.: Weekly’s lawsuit highlights a persistent chorus of concerns over Chicago’s emergency response times, which critics say are too slow to help injured people. In Illinois, the state’s administrative code requires fire departments to measure EMS response times against a standard of six minutes, one minute longer than the National Fire Protection Association’s widely followed five-minute standard. Weekly’s lawsuit states that the city’s failure to transport Duck sooner delayed his access to care that could have potentially saved his life.

* WTTW | Johnson Declines to Immediately Respond to Request to Testify to Congress About Sanctuary City Status: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday declined to respond to a request from the Republican chairperson of the U.S. House Oversight Committee about the city’s self-proclaimed status as a sanctuary city. Instead, Johnson referred questions to the city’s top lawyer, Corporation Counsel Mary Richardson-Lowry, who said the letter sent by U.S. Rep James Comer (R-Kentucky) was under “legal review.”

* Crain’s | Johnson’s invited to talk sanctuary cities in Congress, but will he go?: Johnson said he’d be willing to meet with Trump to discuss immigration issues, but has not reached out to the White House. “If the president of the United States of America wants to meet with me, I’m a phone call away,” he said.

* Dan McGrath | Wrapping up a miserable year in Chicago sports: The White Sox literally set a record for ineptitude with their 121 losses, but if you thought that was as bad as it gets, along came the Bears. They’ll finish 4-13 barring some unlikely miracle on Green Bay’s frozen tundra. They’ve done worse seven times in their century-long history — remember 1-13 in 1969? — but the 11-game losing streak the team will carry into next season is more representative of its flailing futility than the record.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* FOX Chicago | Tiffany Henyard involved in scuffle at heated Thornton Township meeting: According to those present, Henyard’s boyfriend confronted the activist, Jedidiah Brown, leading to an altercation. Henyard reportedly pushed her table aside and ran to the back of the room, allegedly joining the brawl. Police were on the scene as the situation unfolded.

* Shaw Local | Will County schools, local governments evaluate plans after Trump’s call to freeze federal funds: Lockport Township Supervisor Alex Zapien said the potential ramifications of the pause on federal funding are “concerning,” with several vital initiatives that could be affected. “For example, [Lockport] Township currently has an ARPA-funded senior bus project in progress and this may face delays or disruptions depending on the length of this pause. Furthermore, our partnership with the fire department on a mental health counseling program, which serves residents who heavily rely on Medicaid, could be jeopardized if Medicaid funding in Illinois is indeed blocked as is being reported,” Zapien said.

* Daily Herald | ‘A better toolbox’: Winter presents unique opportunities for restoration work in forest preserves: The large-scale restoration work of removing aggressive, invasive species and helping native ones flourish follows seasonal changes across the collar counties. […] “When you’re out chainsawing down trees and dragging brush, it is super physically intensive, and so you are not cold because you’re working so hard,” said Shaela Rabbit, natural resources specialist with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. “When it’s not very cold and the ground isn’t frozen, that means that we can’t have large equipment helping us clear, and we can’t get as much done as during the winter.”

*** Downstate ***

* SJ-R | ‘More questions than answers.’ White House memo sends Springfield agencies scrambling: One project that still could be left in the lurch is the Springfield Rail Improvements Project, according to U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield. Budzinski called Trump’s freeze on federal funding “reckless.”

* 25News Now | City of Bloomington leaders contemplate solutions to ‘terrifying’ reality of housing market: During Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, Bloomington Normal Economic Development Council President and CEO Patrick Hoban said as the population continues to grow, there is already a need for 4,500 houses in 2025. “The terrifying part is if you project that out to 2030 and 2035, it’s saying you need 16,000 houses,” Hoban said. According to Mid-Illinois Realtors Association President Tracy Patkunas, there are only 99 homes on the market right now in Bloomington-Normal.

* 217 Today | A school district in northern Illinois banned smartphones this year. How is it going so far?: In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn about a school district in northern Illinois that banned cell phones in their high school and middle school hoping it would help students both socially and academically.

*** National ***

* NBC | ICE makes close to 1,200 arrests in one day: Data first obtained by NBC News shows that Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a total of 1,179 people on Sunday, which is more than the 956 arrests that the agency posted on X on Sunday night. But just 613 of those total arrests — nearly 52% — were considered “criminal arrests.” The rest appear to be nonviolent offenders or people who have not committed any criminal offense other than crossing the border illegally.

* NYT | Kennedy, in His Own Words: Flu, Diabetes, Autism and More: For years Mr. Kennedy has questioned the safety of vaccines, including those for polio and measles, two diseases that continue to harm children. More recently, he has said that he’s not planning to take vaccines away from Americans but wants to release safety data to the public — even though nearly all of the data is already publicly available.

  16 Comments      


Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition (Updated)

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Live coverage

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* You can click here and here to follow the Madigan trial. 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.

  Comments Off      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

  Comments Off      


« NEWER POSTS PREVIOUS POSTS »
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Catching up with the congressionals
* Do better
* Big Beautiful Bill roundup: Pritzker says special session may not be needed, warns 330,000 Illinoisans could lose Medicaid; Planned Parenthood of Illinois pledges to continue care despite cuts (Updated)
* RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois
* 'The Chosen One' tones himself down
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today's edition
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Live coverage
* Selected react to budget reconciliation bill passage (Updated x3 - Comments open)
* Yesterday's stories

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