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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Fewer bets, more money. Tribune…
* Politico…
* Halle Berry, Juliana Stratton and Dr. Pauline Maki | Newsom Dropped the Ball on Menopause, But Other States Are Ready to Lead: Even with California’s failure of leadership, other states are leading the way. In Illinois, bipartisan leadership established the state’s first Menopause Awareness Week, a foundational step toward Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton’s goal of making Illinois a national model for comprehensive women’s health policy. Starting in Jan. 2026, health insurance plans must cover all FDA-approved hormonal and non-hormonal menopause treatments. And this is only the beginning of a larger vision to ensure that Illinois becomes the best state in the nation for women and girls at every stage of life. * Pantagraph | Meet JB Pritzker’s ‘indispensable right hand’: Liz Brown-Reeves, a prominent Springfield contract lobbyist close to Caprara, described her as “a visionary” who “always has her eyes on the prize” while giving deputy governors room to run their own portfolios. That approach stood out in a political culture that had long been dominated by “insecure white men having to be involved in every nuanced thing.” * Tribune | Mayor Brandon Johnson’s head tax plan defeated in council committee vote: The 25-10 vote shooting down the revenue package was a remarkable rebuke against the first-term chief executive who has steadily overseen more losses in City Council than his predecessors. But not in modern times has a mayor lost a budget vote, even in committee. How aldermen navigate the waters after Monday’s defiance could chart a new course in City Hall’s power dynamics and prove consequential to Chicago’s longstanding fiscal woes, but their stance against the mayor sends the process for a second straight year toward a critical end-of-year deadline. * Sun-Times | Finance Committee rejects Johnson’s $600M tax package: Johnson can try to save face politically by portraying opponents as champions of the wealthy and opponents of working people. However, he’s also lost control of a budget process that Chicago mayors have long dictated. Johnson had hoped to put his budget to bed by Thanksgiving to avoid a repeat of last year’s budget stalemate that ended in a 27-23 vote the week before Christmas — and only after the City Council unanimously rejected the mayor’s proposed $300 million property tax increase and refused to raise property taxes by any amount. * Crain’s | U of I bids out the next two buildings at quantum park: The new buildings include the National Quantum Facility, a 62,200-square-foot structure that will include a cryogenic plant needed to produce super-cooled temperatures needed for some quantum-computing equipment. The other, called Quantum Works, will serve as the front door to the quantum park. It will total 150,000 square feet of research and office space and be occupied by U of I’s Discovery Partners Institute. The building also will feature community space. * Tribune | Record property tax increases slam Chicago homeowners as downtown owners see cuts: The long-awaited second installment of Cook County property tax bills was mailed to property owners on Friday and is due Dec. 15. Across the county, residential and commercial property owners are being billed a total of $19.2 billion, a nearly 5% increase from last year. But the burden is falling unequally. Audrey Pierce, 71, last year paid about $3,300 in property taxes for the greystone three-flat she has owned on Christiana Avenue in North Lawndale since 2000. On Thursday night, she logged onto the treasurer’s website to discover her new annual bill now is nearly $7,000. * WTTW | Property Tax Bills for South, West Side Homeowners Set to Jump 30%: Study: Kaegi, who is running for reelection, has vowed to more accurately pinpoint the value of commercial properties to ease the size of property tax burden on homeowners. But that effort was once again largely thwarted by the Cook County Board of Review, a government agency made up of three elected commissioners, which frequently rules in favor of commercial property owners who object to Kaegi’s determination of their properties’ value, reducing their tax bills. * Block Club | Jackson Park’s Burnham Building To Be Restored With Help From $500,000 Federal Grant: The restroom will feature “all new utilities,” Park District spokesperson Michele Lemons said. Accessibility improvements will be integrated into the comfort station, which was completed in 1912 and designed by D.H. Burnham & Company, Lemons said. Parks officials told members of the Jackson Park Advisory Council this month the restoration will be a multimillion-dollar project, the Herald reported. * Tribune | CTA Holiday Train returns to Chicago on Black Friday: The decked-out holiday train, a CTA tradition for more than three decades, will make appearances on all of the agency’s rail lines beginning Nov. 28. It will launch that day from the Midway Orange Line station. The CTA’s holiday bus will travel on 19 of the CTA’s bus routes this season, with its run lasting Nov. 25 through Dec. 20. * ABC Chicago | Mayor declares ‘emergency order’ amid death threats against Broadview officials: Mayor Katrina Thompson said there was a specific death threat made against her on October 13. On Sept. 4, the Village Hall received a bomb threat via telephone. Thompson said on Saturday, Nov. 14m a group allegedly tried to “storm Village Halland explicitly threatened to ’shut down’ the scheduled” a board meeting scheduled on Monday, Broadview police said. * Tribune | Federal judge certifies class in lawsuit over conditions at Broadview ICE processing center: A federal judge has allowed a lawsuit alleging inhumane conditions at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Broadview to proceed as a class action, authorizing two former detainees to represent potentially hundreds of current and future immigration arrestees processed at the west suburban facility. The complaint, filed in October, accused Department of Homeland Security officials of cramming people into dirty holding cells and not providing enough food and water, among other problems, as they sought to boost immigration arrests during the Operation Midway Blitz enforcement operation. It also claims that officials blocked attorney access at the site and coerced people into signing voluntary deportation forms. * Law & Crime | ‘Irretrievably destroyed’: Trump admin says video footage inside ICE facility at center of class action lawsuit ‘cannot be produced’ in line with court’s discovery order:: The plaintiffs, for their part, say they are “in the process of hiring an IT contractor” who will work with ICE’s discovery liaison and attorneys “to attempt to work through issues concerning the missing video, including whether any content is able to be retrieved.” The missing footage will be pursued, at least in some fashion, the status report says, but the plaintiffs say the issue is not paramount. * Naperville Sun | Next year’s Naperville Park District budget to hike tax levy, program fees: Naperville Park District’s proposed budget for next year calls for a property tax increase as the district works to balance rising costs. If approved, the average homeowner would pay an increase of about $17 more in taxes to the park district. For a home value assessed at $515,000, the increase would hike the park district’s portion of the property tax bill to about $458. The park district is budgeting a 3.9% levy increase that includes all capped and non-capped funds. * Aurora Beacon-News | East Aurora School District’s Illinois Report Card: Chronic absenteeism rates top 30%, but graduation rates on the rise: The figures from ISBE also show attendance rates declining slightly in District 131, for an average of just over 88% for 2025. That’s lower than the state average of a little under 92%. Chronic absenteeism continues to be an issue for the district, mirroring a statewide trend. According to its 2025 data, more than 30% of district students missed 10% or more of school days with or without a valid excuse, a figure that has ticked upwards in recent years. * ABC Chicago | Flossmoor man guilty of aggravated battery against Kim Foxx, documents show: William Swetz of Flossmoor allegedly threw a drink in Foxx’s face before he tried to hit her with his vehicle in June 2024, prosecutors said. The crime happened in Flossmoor outside a home on Sterling Avenue, the documents show. The defendant was allegedly inside his vehicle when he threw a “brown liquid substance from a drink cup” at Foxx. Foxx had to step out of the roadway in fear of being struck by his accelerating vehicle, prosecutors said. * Aurora Beacon-News | Oswego board to vote on accepting donation of site tied to village’s agricultural history: The structures on the property include a feed mill dating from 1898-1905 and two grain elevators, one dating back to the late 19th century. There’s a storage building and three silos as well on the property. A 2009 survey commissioned by the village listed these structures as historically significant for their association with Oswego’s agricultural history, Oswego Village Administrator Dan Di Santo said in a report to the Village Board. With the owner’s permission, the village recently had murals painted on the silos, he said. * Daily Herald | Accessibility along Naperville Riverwalk improved after $3 million project: In addition, the project created a second point for street-level access, eliminating the need for patrons using the lower walkway to turn around and exit the same way they came. “Not only does this project improve accessibility for people with disabilities or families with strollers, but it also dramatically improves the appearance of this highly visible section of the Riverwalk,” said Geoff Roehll, chairman of the 2031 Master Plan Fund committee. * Daily Southtown | With construction complete, downtown Flossmoor plans grand reopening: Construction work on the Downtown Flossmoor Streetscape Project began in June, but the project was in the works for nearly 10 years. Traffic analysis and work to obtain funding began in 2017. “The streetscape project was twofold. One, making our downtown safer for pedestrians, and it’s a very pedestrian heavy part of our village, with the Metra stop there, with all of the restaurants, with it being a crossing for folks going to and from school,” said Mayor Michelle Nelson. “The most important part of that project was slowing cars down to make it safer for pedestrians.” * Naperville Sun | Naperville-based, all-girls robotics team clutches fourth place at international competition: The team of girls from Naperville, who call themselves “Robot Penguin,” were also the only all-girls team in the competition this year (they call themselves “Robot Penguin” because they say they all really like penguins). “In my mind, they’re no longer ‘Robot Penguin.’ They’re ‘Mighty Penguins’ because they impressed a lot of people,” Sharma’s father said. “There were so many coaches and parents who were coming and saying, ‘Oh, these girls are really good. Your team is strong.’” * WGLT | Mobile home park owner Oak Wood’s business practices trap residents with rising costs: Even now, Greta and Steve are paying $545 a month in lot rent – up 36% from two years ago when Oak Wood took over. Soon it’ll jump to $595. They’re struggling. (Greta and Steve are not their real names. They asked for anonymity because of concerns that Oak Wood would retaliate against them.) “I’ve had to work a little overtime. She’s had to get a second job, and it’s just we have no time at home,” Steve said. “We bought a home to be at home, not to be at work.” * WGLT | Why private equity sees a moneymaker in B-N’s mobile home parks: Oak Wood bought Grandview Estates and four other manufactured home parks (aka mobile home parks) in Bloomington-Normal two years ago for $86 million, property records show. It’s part of a nationwide trend toward consolidation in manufactured home park ownership, often led by private equity acquisitions. Oak Wood even got help from Freddie Mac, a government entity that is supposed to help make housing more, not less, affordable. * WAND | Local, state leaders come together to sign beam for upcoming Springfield transportation hub: State and local leaders met Thursday morning for the signing of the beam in Springfield. It will be part of the upcoming Springfield Sangamon County Transportation Hub that will be located behind the Sangamon County Assessor building on 9th Street. The Hub will house Amtrak facilities and connections to Greyhound routes. * The Southern | Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library delivers 100,000 books: The power of a good story has reached a remarkable milestone in Southern Illinois. The local chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has officially distributed its 100,000th free book to children across an 18-county region, inspiring a lifelong love of reading and helping prepare young learners for school success. Since launching in July 2024, the Imagination Library of Southern Illinois has provided high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to children from birth to age five—at no cost to families. * WCIA | ‘We know he’s going to beat this thing’; Maroa-Forsyth rallies behind mascot battling leukemia: Matthew Clary’s principal called him a great kid filled with school pride. The sophomore asked to be the Maroa-Forsyth’s mascot while he was in junior high. “He has been our mascot, and he is at as many events as we will let him go to,” said Principal Brice Stewart. “He’s never happier than whenever he makes a little Trojan fan smile.” * Bloomberg | NIH grant cuts leave hundreds of clinical trials, 74,000 patients in limbo, study finds: Trials on prevention and infectious-disease, as well as those conducted outside the US, were the hardest hit among the more than 380 affected studies, the analysis from Harvard Medical School showed. The largest concentration of terminated projects were in the US Northeast. Cancer, cardiovascular and mental-health studies were also affected. The cancellations mark the most extensive disruption to federally funded medical research in modern history, halting studies across every major disease area and undermining the stability of a $48 billion-a-year system that underpins global biomedical innovation. Researchers say the fallout extends far beyond academic labs, threatening drug development, clinical care and the country’s scientific credibility abroad. * The American Prospect | ICE Air’s Sloppy, Dangerous Deportation Flights: Flight attendants have also long questioned how migrants can reach for oxygen masks, since their handcuffs are attached to a waist chain. And on November 13, an Avelo ICE flight declared an emergency when the cabin lost pressure, according to air traffic control transmissions. The plane made a rapid descent and landed safely. Of 88 people on board, six were injured, an emergency notification message said, experiencing nosebleeds. The notification does not say how many of the six were migrants, guards, or crew members. * Politico | Indiana Republican called out by Trump on redistricting is swatted: An Indiana Senate Republican who President Donald Trump called out in a Truth Social post Sunday for not backing the White House’s plan to draw new congressional maps was later targeted by a swatting, according to local authorities. Greg Goode, who Trump posted was a “RINO” he was “Very disappointed in” Sunday was targeted hours later by what Vigo County Sheriff Derek Fell called a “swatting” in a statement. Despite Trump’s social media post insinuating otherwise, Goode has not publicly announced his position on redistricting. * WSJ | He’s Been Right About AI for 40 Years. Now He Thinks Everyone Is Wrong.: Most of his recent takes have been knocks on the LLMs at the center of Zuckerberg’s ambitions–and also of nearly every other major tech company’s. “We are not going to get to human-level AI just by scaling LLMs,” he said on Alex Kantrowitz’s Big Technology podcast this spring. “There’s no way, absolutely no way, and whatever you can hear from some of my more adventurous colleagues, it’s not going to happen within the next two years.” * The Harvard Crimson | As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’: “She must be very confused or maybe wants to cut me off but wants professional connection a lot and so holds to it,” Summers wrote in a March 2019 exchange to Epstein, explaining why he believed she continued to engage with him despite tensions. A spokesperson for Summers said that the woman described in the exchanges was never Summers’ student, but declined to comment further for this article.
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WIU’s lousy enrollment numbers
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rosy press release…
* But that positive release overlooks the current problem child of Illinois higher education: Western Illinois University…
* Also, Illinois State University’s numbers are trending downward or flat-lining. Take a look.
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Catching up with the congressionals
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Evanston Now…
* Daily Herald…
Cleveland posted a Facebook video of her trying to give Abughazaleh the “gift.” More from the Daily Northwestern…
* Politico…
We told you last week about another endorsement flub by Commissioner Miller, who announced support from Dolton Mayor Jason House, except he had already endorsed her opponent, Willie Preston. * Sen. Lakesia Collins has endorsed 7th Congressional District candidate Anthony Driver Jr. in the race to replace retiring US Rep. Danny Davis…
* US Senate candidate Juliana Stratton’s father has passed away…
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Rate the endorsement video
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Sound on…
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Most Illinois turkey farms avoid bird flu resurgence, but prices are still up
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The New York Times…
Have you reserved or bought a bird yet? * More… * AP | Trump says Thanksgiving dinner will cost 25% less this year. His numbers are misleading: While Walmart’s 2025 meal basket costs about 25% less than the one from 2024, that’s because it offers fewer items and different products that make it more affordable. “It’s not apples to apples, right?” said David Anderson, a livestock economist at Texas A&M University. “What this does highlight is individual retailers’ strategies for getting customers in the door.” * ABC Chicago | Turkey supply lower than normal for Thanksgiving following bird flu outbreak this year, farmers say: Butcher on the Block sells fresh turkeys straight from the Harrison’s Poultry in Glenview. They are seeing the impact of the bird flu up close. Kyle Zimmerman with Harrison’s Poultry says this is the smallest turkey flock in 40 years. “Supply is definitely down,” Kyle Zimmerman said. “This isn’t some scare tactic on the news. It’s real. The farmers are feeling it.” * Wisconsin Public Radio | Your Thanksgiving turkey could be more expensive this year. Tariffs are a big culprit: Hubbell said animal feed often makes up 60-70 percent of a producer’s operating costs. While each farmer has their own special feed mixture, usually prepared by a nutritionist, most include minerals, vitamins and other ingredients imported from abroad. Those ingredients have recently been hit by tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration. Higher bird populations could help rein in higher poultry costs, but with bird flu having already killed over 7 million commercial fowl this year, that’s unlikely to happen. * NPR | Americans could see a big sticker shock for Thanksgiving turkeys this year: Those opting for beef instead of turkey should also prepare to pay more. Beef prices are nearly 15% higher than they were last year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Canned vegetables are 5% more expensive compared to last year, due to higher packaging costs from the steel and aluminum tariffs the Trump administration put in place earlier this year.
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Chuy talks about the hand-off
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Discuss.
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When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Galesburg is home to Sprinkle & Spoon, a vibrant retail venture offering an allergy-free alternative to ice cream. Co-owners Lora Barajas, Jania Glass, and Gabriel Wynkoop say they feel the weight of state and local requirements necessary to operate their business. Jania wants lawmakers to know that like most small retailers, they are working diligently to follow every rule but wishes there could be more assistance offered. Findings of a recent economic study are clear: the retail sector is a cornerstone of the state’s economy and crucial to our everyday lives. Retail in Illinois directly contributes more than $112 billion in economic investment annually – more than 10 percent of the state’s total Gross Domestic Product. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Sprinkle & Spoon are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: National Guard leaving area as Homeland Security shutters local command center, reports say. Block Club Chicago…
- The moves come days after Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino, who led the local enforcement efforts for Homeland Security, was confirmed to have left Chicago. - Citing a Homeland Security official, the Sun-Times previously reported 1,000 federal agents could return to Chicago in March. * Related stories… Sponsored by PhRMA
* Tribune | Staffer of Illinois Senate President Don Harmon robbed at knifepoint, authorities say: The staffer was not hurt during the incident, which occurred at Harmon’s district office in the 6900 block of West North Avenue in Oak Park, and Harmon said in a statement on Sunday that it did not appear “to have been politically motivated.” […] The man asked “about a bill,” and at one point, when the assistant looked away and turned back, the man was holding a knife in one hand and the assistant’s cellphone in the other, Yopchick said. * ABC Chicago | FAA ends restrictions for flights at O’Hare, Midway airports: The end of reductions, that caused mass cancellations and delays, comes in time for the Thanksgiving holiday next week. Earlier this month the FAA issued an order to cut down flights, up to 6-percent, at large transit hubs. At the time, the agency cited safety concerns due to staffing shortages during the record-long government shutdown. * Tribune | Illinois consumers face high health insurance prices, with Obamacare subsidies still in limbo after shutdown: [H]undreds of thousands of Illinois residents will face higher costs if the federal government doesn’t extend enhanced tax credits that reduce the monthly costs of insurance bought through the Affordable Care Act exchange. The issue was at the heart of the government shutdown, and though the shutdown is over, the fate of the enhanced subsidies remains in limbo. Meanwhile, many other Illinoisans are also facing higher prices for the insurance they get through employers. Across the country, the cost of health benefits per employee is expected to rise 6.5% on average next year, the highest increase since 2010, according to responses from more than 1,700 employers surveyed by consulting firm Mercer. * STLPR | Want to change your name? A new Illinois law means more privacy during the process: In Illinois, a new law, Public Act 103-1063, took effect in March that eliminated that requirement. It also reduced the amount of time a petitioner must reside in the state before applying from six months to three months. And it allows individuals to file a motion to impound their name-change record if it would have a negative impact on the person’s health or safety. In those cases, however, the name change must be reported to Illinois State Police so that criminal history transcripts can be updated, if applicable. * Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker’s Accountability Commission still ramping up as federal immigration surge starts to subside: Even as the controversial head of the federal operation, Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, has left Chicago in recent days, the commission’s website remains bare bones, with a phone number to contact an outside organization added Friday only after an inquiry from the Tribune. As of Friday, the site still did not provide an email address or other digital method for contacting the commission to share the type of eyewitness cellphone videos the governor has repeatedly asked the public to record and hand over since the chaotic, violent crackdown began in early September. * Capitol News Illinois | From new train lines to parking regulations: What else is in Illinois’ transit bill: A key priority for lawmakers in the bill was supporting development near public transportation corridors and stops. The bill would allow transit agencies to buy, build, own, operate or maintain sites for residential or commercial development. Areas for development would be within a half mile of a train station or one-eighth of a mile of a bus stop. The goal is to allow more people to live, work or engage in economic activity with easy access to public transportation. * Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson will push for budget vote next week, even with Finance chair opposed to head tax ‘at any level’: Dowell said she has no idea whether Johnson has the votes to push the head tax through her committee over her objections. “I want to have a conversation with some colleagues about this budget, and those conversations will continue, hopefully through the weekend,” she said. “I want to look at this budget comprehensively. I just don’t want to foreclose on any options at the moment.” * Crain’s | Johnson to City Council: Give alternatives to my $16.6B budget: After the meeting, Johnson essentially told the City Council it’s time to put up or shut up. “There has not been one alternative that has been presented,” the mayor said. “I’m for more deliberation if we’re actually debating over something, but to slow it down just for the sake of slowing it down, it just doesn’t make sense.” * Sun-Times | Johnson signs executive order directing more resources to organizations affected by SNAP funding lapse: Johnson also announced a micro-grant program to support local retailers and restaurants that have been “hit by the one-two punch of reduced SNAP purchasing power, fear-driven drops in foot traffic from escalated immigration enforcement, and rising requests for free and donated goods.” * Tribune | Under new leadership, can Columbia College Chicago overcome its financial woes?: The school’s revenue streams have been hollowed out by shrinking enrollment, now hovering at 4,400 students. Administrators clawed their way back from a bitter, 49-day adjunct strike in late 2023. Still, even after program cuts and layoffs, they face a $40 million structural deficit. It’s an uphill battle — yet Bolton remains undeterred. The president has cast herself as a “student-centered” leader, a champion of the arts. She has professed a commitment to financial stability with equal parts pragmatism and optimism. * Sun-Times | Black neighborhoods hit hardest with Cook County property tax bill increase, analysis finds: Pappas summed up the issue in a news release: “When the Loop gets a cold, the rest of the city gets pneumonia.” Lance Williams, professor of urban studies at Northeastern Illinois University, said the shifting tax burden to the city’s poorest residents is a result of bad public policy. “It’s unfortunate that this crisis downtown now has to be felt by Black and brown neighborhoods,” said Williams, a South Sider who is studying the links between public policy and neighborhood disinvestment and violence. * Sun-Times | Pastors speak of brutality of arrests at hands of local cops at Broadview ICE facility: […] Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson said protesters, whom she called “out-of-towners,” had “chosen their fists,” though video of Woolf’s arrest minutes after the protesters were pushed out of the street shows the situation was calm before an officer grabs him by the wrist from the crowd. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office noted four officers were injured during the protest. It did not answer if changes were being made after the mass arrest Friday or address accusations the agencies were in violation of the TRUST Act, which prohibits Illinois law enforcement from working with federal agents on immigration enforcement. * Daily Herald | Palatine leaders hope to rebuild trust in wake of immigration arrests: Palatine is taking steps to address community concerns stemming from recent federal immigration enforcement in the village, including a resolution, an online resources page and the creation of a focus group. The village council on Monday will vote on the resolution, which states the mayor, village council and village staff do not condone the tactics of federal agents that have been witnessed by the community. “The stress that recent federal actions have caused on our community is creating fear and eroding the trust that the Village and law enforcement have built through the past several decades,” the resolution reads. * Tribune | Naperville Council considers funding for police mental health crisis response next year: Councilman Ian Holzhauer pushed the city to explore funding options for the Naperville Police Department’s Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT) at a budget overview workshop Monday, arguing that fully funding the program is critical to properly addressing mental health crises in the city. “We’ve been talking about this program for years and this is an essential to me,” Holzhauer said. Earlier this year, city staff were staring down a $6.5 million deficit caused by the elimination of the state grocery tax alongside a $4 million deficit caused in part by skyrocketing health insurance costs and a decline of certain city revenue sources. The city has since found ways to plug both, but noted that this year’s budget calls for no new positions and few new initiatives. * Aurora Beacon-News | Yorkville City Council gives first green light to controversial 1,000-acre data center campus: There would be a total of 14 data center buildings, along with two electrical substations, a utility switchyard and stormwater detention basins, according to the city. After two public hearings over the summer, the rezoning of the land for the project and a Planned Unit Development, or PUD, and preliminary PUD plan were recommended for approval in July by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. * Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora agrees to financially support Paramount Theatre with ‘one-time’ $2 million payment: That proposed 2026 city budget doesn’t just have a reduction in the previously-discussed funding for the Paramount. It includes none of those funds at all, which surprised theater officials. But on Friday, a joint statement from the city of Aurora and the Civic Center Authority said that an agreement had been reached for the city to support the organization with a “one-time off-ramp” payment of $2 million. This payment, the statement said, will ensure the organization can continue running its live performance spaces throughout downtown as well as the Paramount School of the Arts. * Daily Southtown | Thornton Township District 205 giving teachers $5,000 bonuses for good attendance: The bonuses for teachers present for 95% or more of the school year, or absent for about nine days, were first instituted for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years in negotiations with the district’s faculty union. They were later extended through the current school year as part of a separate agreement with the union. The District 205 faculty union did not respond to requests for comment. * Daily Southtown | 41 towns receive $118,000 each from Wind Creek Casino’s first year: The remaining 3% is split equally among 43 municipalities, including East Hazel Crest and Homewood, and distributed monthly. As of Nov. 7, that came out to $118,154.10 apiece. The money can only be used for capital improvement projects or pension payments. “A lot of the municipalities are underfunded, so they use that money for their pension plans,” said East Hazel Crest Village President Thomas Brown. “I think it probably draws some more businesses.” * WGLT | McLean County budget priorities similar to current spending plan: McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said the priorities in next year’s $144.5 million budget approved this week remain similar to the current year spending plan. “This budget really looks at maintaining the quality of services for McLean County, but what we’re also looking at doing is the investments in our buildings, that deferred maintenance. We are looking at HVAC upgrades across the buildings. We’ve got lighting upgrades moving to LED ballasts in many of our facilities to increase energy efficiencies,” Johnston said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. * WCIA | ‘It all started with us just needing support, wanting to get together’: Spouses, partners of first responders finding community in Champaign: On Sunday, Champaign firefighter’s loved ones bonded over their experiences and met for their annual Firefighter Spouse Appreciation Brunch. They also welcomed new spouses into the family, giving them a glimpse of what their future can hold and the support their group has to offer. * WSIL | Vienna High students gain hands-on construction experience: Six students from Vienna High School are participating in the Illinois Laborers and Contractors Construction Craft Preparation Program. This program provides hands-on experience in the construction industry alongside valuable technical training. […] “We are proud of these young men for taking initiative and investing in their futures,” Giffin said. “Opportunities like this bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience, and that is what education is all about.” * CNN | Charlotte is the latest stop on DHS’ immigration blitz. Locals say it’s political: Immigration into the city has increased in recent years. Around 18.2% of the city’s population was foreign-born in 2023, according to US Census data, around double that of North Carolina at large. And there have been disagreements in the city in the past about immigration enforcement. Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden ended the county’s decadelong 287(g) partnership with ICE in 2018, to the chagrin of Republican officials. * Fortune | There’s still ‘no evidence’ China is buying all the U.S. soybeans it promised under Trump’s trade deal amid oversupply from South America: China’s soybean processors have purchased about 40 million tons from South America this season and “have zero financial incentive” to buy more U.S. soybeans, he added. Such purchases would have to come from state buyers for China’s reserve, but there’s very little indication that they are on track to buy 12 million tons by year’s end or 25 million next year, Suderman warned. * NYT | Homeland Security Missions Falter Amid Focus on Deportations: Homeland security agents investigating sexual crimes against children, for instance, have been redeployed to the immigrant crackdown for weeks at a time, hampering their pursuit of child predators. A national security probe into the black market for Iranian oil sold to finance terrorism has been slowed down for months because of the shift to immigration work, allowing tanker ships and money to disappear.
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Good morning!
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * I’m just completely heartbroken by Todd Snider’s death… Old timer, old timer My new stuff is nothing like my old stuff was I am an old timer, old timer I’ve met every fool that ever signed their name upon these walls I thought that I’d be dead by now And now he is. * Also… A little out of place All I wanted was one chance I got nothin’ to lose, nothin’ to gain He always felt like kin to me. Billy Strings may have felt the same way. “He was a real troubadour, a real ramblin’ man.” [Some NSFW language at that link.] RIP. * Anyway, what’s up in your town?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Live coverage
Monday, Nov 17, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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Reader comments closed for the weekend
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * Have a good weekend… Sometimes I don’t speak right
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller …Adding…The Tribune…
* Sun-Times…
* The Grist | ‘They’re playing games’: Illinois lawmakers press Trump administration over stalled lead-pipe funding: Lead pipes are ubiquitous. At this point, no state has gotten rid of all of its toxic lead service lines, which pipe drinking water to homes and businesses. But some cities like Chicago, New York City, and Detroit have more lead plumbing than others, and replacing it can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Biden-era infrastructure law, promised $15 billion for lead pipe replacements across the country to be disbursed over five years. But in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency sent earlier this week, a group of Illinois congressional delegates allege that $3 billion appropriated for lead pipe replacements nationwide for the fiscal year that ended in September has not reached communities yet. They warn that the delay is a “dangerous politicization” that puts children and families at risk. * WCIA | New gun legislation looking to make a difference in Illinois: Mayors, police chiefs and more heard the breakdown of the Responsibility In Firearms Legislation Act, or RIFL. Experts say people being hurt from firearms costs the public in Illinois between $18-20 billion each year. This new act would pass those costs onto gun manufacturers instead. * The Real Deal | Pritzker’s attack on surging home-insurance rates killed in Springfield: Illinois’ regulatory void has become a political liability. Pritzker, speaking Thursday in Chicago, framed the State Farm hike as exactly the kind of move that should trigger state oversight. The Bloomington-based giant blamed extreme weather and rising repair costs, but the governor said that explanation wasn’t enough. “We don’t know if homeowners are being gouged,” he said, adding that a nearly 30 percent jump “ought to be reviewed by a state regulator.” * BND | ‘Something came off’ Bailey helicopter before it crashed, witness says: The witness, whose name was not released, said she saw the helicopter flying low over the Chalk Buttes ahead of the Cessna. […] “She stated that the helicopter then began to gain altitude, and something came off it, after which it descended out of her line of sight,” the report states. * Tribune | Key alderman warning Mayor Brandon Johnson a vote on budget ‘premature’: Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, told reporters after weeks of budget hearings for Johnson’s $16.6 billion spending plan concluded Thursday that she advised the Johnson administration not to proceed with a vote in her committee Monday. But she stopped short of saying she would try to block a vote should the mayor proceed regardless. “I think going on Monday is premature. I have said that to the administration,” Dowell told reporters. “My role as the Finance chair is to give advice, and on Monday I’m going to have a meeting, and those things will either be on the agenda or they won’t. And I will call balls and strikes, and we’ll see where this goes.” * Fox Chicago | Chicago alders urge Mayor Johnson to slow down on $16.7B budget push: Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) is questioning the timing, as folks will be hearing about these higher taxes just as their second installment Cook County property tax bills arrive in the mail. “But that’s going to create the kind of atmosphere that will make it difficult for this mayor to pass a budget that doesn’t include any cuts and efficiencies,” he said. “People will open their tax bill and they’ll get angry, and they’ll call their elected official and they’ll say, ‘what’s going on here? Why did my bills go up?’ They don’t want to hear that elected official say, ‘well, you know, we’re going to tax you even more this year, but don’t worry about it.’ That’s a very hard sell in an anti-tax environment like we’re faced with right now.” * WTTW | DoorDash Agrees to Pay $18M to Settle Chicago Lawsuit Alleging Firms Hurt Restaurants During COVID-19 Pandemic: The lawsuit was brought by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The city also sued Grubhub, another third-party delivery service, and that lawsuit is scheduled for trial on Dec. 10. A spokesperson for DoorDash could not immediately be reached for comment. The city’s lawsuit against DoorDash claimed the firms “lured consumers into a bait-and-switch with deceptively small delivery fees upfront, only to charge misleading fees at the end of the transaction.” That inflated the final bill by as much as six times higher than the advertised amount, city officials said. * Crain’s | Realtor group’s turnaround CEO rolls out plan to hang onto members: Two years after she was brought in to take over the troubled National Association of Realtors, Nykia Wright yesterday laid out a lengthy agenda for building up the trust and transparency she said the Chicago-based association’s membership is demanding. With just under half of NAR’s members saying they are somewhat or very satisfied with the organization in the wake of its sexual harassment scandal, $418 million settlement in the legal battle over agent commissions and reports of past officers’ lavish spending, Wright and NAR President Kevin Sears took the stage at one of the industry’s biggest conferences to lay out a three-year plan for rebuilding the organization’s ties to its base. * The Triibe | Emmy win highlights Dilla’s quest to preserve Chicago’s Black heritage: Winning an Emmy is no easy feat. Usually networks submit the works of creators, but in Thomas’s case, he submitted his own after sifting through what he describes as“hundreds” of categories. He also paid a submission fee. Voters from the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences view the content and select finalists and then a winner. When asked if he thought he had a chance of winning, Thomas was quick with a “Hell no.” * WBEZ | Obama Presidential Center takes shape after 10 years of delays and construction: My full critique of the complex will have to wait until the project is done. But enough work has been completed to get a solid look at what will be the most expensive presidential center in U.S. history. Construction costs come to $620 million. The current leader, the George W. Bush Presidential Library, cost $327 million to build, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. More importantly, enough has been built to get a sense of what the public will get for giving up 20 acres of historic Jackson Park for a campus of new buildings, gardens, parkland — and the much-discussed 225-foot museum tower. * Daily Southtown | Following Riverdale Mayor Lawrence Jackson’s perjury conviction, village faced with filling vacant seat: According to Illinois law, any person who has been convicted of a felony is automatically ineligible to hold public office unless they are pardoned or receive a restoration of rights from the governor. The statute says that a qualifying guilty plea or verdict constitutes an automatic resignation. An attorney representing the village confirmed the mayor’s position is now officially vacant following the verdict, and said the Riverdale Village Board would have to select an acting mayor from among its ranks to serve until the April 2027 municipal election. * AP | Protesters arrested after clashing with police outside Chicago-area immigration facility: Authorities arrested 21 protesters Friday outside a Chicago-area federal immigration facility that activists say functions as a de facto detention center and is plagued by inhumane conditions. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office said the arrests were made by midday, and that it was working on verifying identities and potential charges. Just moments before the clash, demonstrators were singing and chanting. Around 10 a.m., a large group, knowing they were going to be arrested, allegedly crossed the protest barrier and attempted to walk up toward the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. * Tribune | Activists rally outside Morton Grove board meeting, calling for ICE-free rules in town. Mayor Witko says they would only be ‘symbolic.’: Demonstrators chanted and hoisted signs during the nearly hourlong rally, pushing for legislation that activists say would help protect residents – and others in the village – against federal immigration enforcement agents, including from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. […] “I feel your frustration. I feel your anger. And I understand that protesting against inhumane immigration policies can feel futile. Sometimes, it can seem like our objections to this invasion are just a drop in the bucket,” Bushra Amiwala, a member of the Skokie School District 73.5 Board of Education and candidate for Congress, said to the rally goers. “But they’re not.” * Tribune | West Chicago brothers are on the front lines against ‘Operation Midway Blitz.’ And they’re only teenagers.: At 16 and 17 years old, Sam and Ben for the past two months have made it their mission to follow, investigate and capture federal immigration activity across the Chicago area. It’s an undertaking the brothers say happened naturally after growing up in a household where social justice and civic duty were as much a part of their homeschool curriculum as math and science. “If I get the opportunity to fight like this for the rest of my life, I would be totally OK with that,” Ben said. * Crain’s | Chicago-area warehouse space is almost full. Are developers getting back to building?: Local warehouse developers ought to be hurrying to kick off new projects, based on the lack of available space in the area. But with wishy-washy tariffs and stubborn borrowing costs clouding the future, they’re taking their time. The Chicago-area industrial vacancy rate ticked down to 4.67% midway through the year from 4.79% at the end of the first quarter, according to data from real estate services firm Colliers. The metric is down from 4.84% one year ago and inching closer to the all-time low of 4.5% set at the end of 2022, when companies adjusting to a pandemic-induced online shopping boom were scrambling for space to store and distribute goods. * Daily Herald | All about that new roundabout art in Woodstock — and the artist’s response to critics: The sculpture is by Woodstock artist Bobby Joe Scribner, who named it “Whorled.” He said the name is a play on words, as it sounds like “world” and “whirl.” […] Social media reaction has been mixed, with some people calling the art a welcome addition and others saying it’s too expensive, unnecessary and a potential distraction for drivers. A few people called it ugly. Regarding the public’s response, Scribner said you can’t please everyone and that he hasn’t really read the comments. * WGLT | McLean County Board approves 2026 budget; hears concerns over aquifer protections: No changes were made from the first presentation made in September. The $144.5 million budget calls for a nearly 5% increase — $7.2 million — over the previous budget, and is less than the $147 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year. “Staff worked very hard this year,” said board chair Elizabeth Johnston. “I would like to applaud the staff for their excellent work in creating a budget that is well within reason, given the inflationary pressures that we all face.” * WGIL | Objections filed against 5 Knox County GOP candidates for 2026 primary: Five Republican candidates for Knox County office face objections to their nominating petitions ahead of the March 17, 2026, primary election, County Clerk Scott Erickson confirmed Thursday. The objections, filed Monday with the Knox County Clerk, allege that the candidates filed multiple invalid signatures, sometimes indicating “a pattern of fraud, that would undermine the integrity of the nominating process in Illinois.” * WQAD | Sheriff: Whiteside County man arrested for threatening judge: A man has been arrested after a judge received a death threa, the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office said According to the sheriff’s office, deputies began investigating the threat on Oct. 30. During the investigation, officials said they identified 30-year-old Alexander A. Lopez as a suspect. Lopez had attempted to purchase a handgun at a business in Whiteside County earlier the same day, according to the sheriff’s office. * WICS | Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign engage public in superintendent selection process: Respondents emphasized wanting a superintendent who stays long-term, is visible in schools and the broader community, and builds trust through strong relationships with families and staff. Springfield District 186 saw more than 1,500 responses. * WCIA | Former employees of a Vermilion Co. factory blame chronic diseases on work conditions: One employee who worked for almost 50 years at the plant said she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s after she retired and believes it was caused by working in the factory. Another person said her spouse suffers from chronic respiratory illness, something many at Thursday night’s meeting said comes from the building’s conditions — although they aren’t sure. * WCIA | Parkland College announces new auto maintenance apprenticeship program: Parkland College and Rick Ridings Automotive Group have announced a new partnership to offer a student apprenticeship program in the field of automotive maintenance. The school’s Director of Apprenticeships, Aimee Densmore, said she knows how much Central Illinois employers value local hires. The program’s goal is to help students grow during college and set down roots in the area after graduation. * Thresholds | Housing Advocates Urge HUD to Avoid Forcing Thousands of Illinoisans into Homelessness: For several weeks, there have been reports that the NOFO would be a vehicle for fast-tracking a dramatic restructuring of the program, including a 30% cap on the funds that can be used for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and other permanent housing, which is in the released NOFO. Currently, more than 80% of federal CoC funding in Illinois is used for these purposes—an evidence-backed, market-based approach to ending homelessness that also generates economic activity in the form of rent to property owners and on-site services. “Rather than making drastic changes to the CoC program with no input from stakeholders or Congress, we urge HUD to renew existing grants for one more year as authorized by Congress to prevent a devastating gap. This will keep our community members safely, stably housed, and avoid pushing them back into homelessness,” said Mark Ishaug, President and CEO of Thresholds, one of the state’s largest providers of permanent supportive housing. * WaPo | First, the frogs died. Then people got sick: What is becoming increasingly clear is that without them, humans are in trouble. It turns out that frogs — in biblical times regarded as a plague — are actually guardians against disease. As dozens of frog species have declined across Central America, scientists have witnessed a remarkable chain of events: With fewer tadpoles to eat mosquito larvae, rates of mosquito-borne malaria in the region have climbed, resulting in a fivefold increase in cases. * HR Dive | Front-line workers are more difficult to find, train and retain, study says: Three-quarters of front-line workers feel burned out, and 51% say they “feel like a number, not a person,” fueling their sense of feeling overworked, underappreciated and disconnected, the Nov. 5 report found. * Courier | We created a searchable database with all 20,000 files from Epstein’s Estate: To make this massive data dump more accessible, COURIER has compiled the 20,000 documents from Epstein’s estate into an easily searchable repository via Google Pinpoint. Use the search tool here. * AP | Epstein emails reveal enduring ties with influential figures even after his sex crime conviction: During that time, Epstein’s network was eclectic, spanning the globe and political affiliations: from the liberal academic Noam Chomsky to Steve Bannon, the longtime ally of President Donald Trump. Some reached out to support Epstein amid lawsuits and prosecutions, others sought introductions or advice on everything from dating to oil prices. One consulted him on how to respond to accusations of sexual harassment.
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Report: Indiana Senate won’t convene to take up redistricting bill
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller * As you’ll recall, Gov. JB Pritzker said he would push for a congressional remap here if Indiana redrew its congressional boundaries. From an Indiana Statehouse reporter…  Bray is the Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore. * So, unless Pritzker comes up with another state “pairing” idea, or if Indiana politicians change their minds, this issue looks to be finally off the table.
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Stratton, Kelly and Krishnamoorthi make their cases to union members at Senate forum
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * The Illinois AFL-CIO…
* Rick Pearson covered the forum for the Tribune…
* Krishnamoorthi got a little off topic on a question about affordability. From the forum…
Please pardon any transcription errors.
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Catching up with the congressionals
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Evanston Now reporter Mathew Eadie covered a 9th Congressional District candidate forum last night…
More on the candidate forum from The Daily Northwestern…
* Evanston Now…
* Donna Miller announced some endorsements in CD2. Press release…
Commissioner Miller also announced an endorsement from Dolton Mayor Jason House this morning…
Miller (no relation) deleted that post, probably because the Willie Preston campaign reached out to say House has actually endorsed him…
* Crain’s…
According to the State Board of Elections, Sigcho-Lopez would need 10,816 valid signatures to run as an Independent. He could collect up to 17,304 signatures.
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IBHE urged to push governor to release the rest of higher ed’s budget hike
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
I get why the union leaders, advocates and students quoted in the story want the money released. But this is not previously appropriated money that is being withheld from the system. It’s new money that is being held back just in case. And these days, “just in case” is a reasonable assumption, even though inflation is eating up all of that 3 percent hike. Anyway, there’s more, so go check it out.
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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Pamela Frazier, owner of All In One Laundry Center & Services, has a message for lawmakers: “Come and visit to see the barriers and challenges with running a small business.” Pamela is firmly committed to serving her customers in Springfield, particularly those in her community needing access to clean, quality laundry services. Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments. Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Pamela are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Full SNAP benefits going out starting Friday as shutdown ends, Illinois officials say. Sun-Times…
- “This crisis was entirely avoidable — the Trump Administration had the funding to fully support SNAP but chose not to, putting tens of millions of Americans at risk of hunger,” the Illinois Department of Human Services said in a statement on Thursday. - The bill signed by President Donald Trump Wednesday night funds SNAP through next September. Across the state, there are 1.8 million people who get SNAP benefits each month, receiving about $370 on average, according to IDHS. * Tribune | Gov. JB Pritzker renews push for Illinois homeowners’ insurance rate oversight after bill fails in state House: Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday renewed his call for legislation requiring insurance companies to justify and disclose the reasons behind steep homeowners’ insurance rate hikes — a proposal that stalled in the Illinois House last month despite support from the Democratic-controlled Senate. Pritzker said the state’s lack of authority over insurers leaves homeowners vulnerable to sharp premium increases, pointing to Bloomington-based State Farm’s decision this summer to raise home insurance rates by more than 27%. The company attributed the increases to extreme weather coupled with costly repairs. * Sun-Times | Clock ticking for Illinois lawmakers to navigate hemp hurdles: That measure easily passed Illinois Senate President Don Harmon’s chamber, but never got a vote in the House, facing steep opposition from the hemp industry and pushback from lawmakers reluctant to criminalize products that have supported thousands of jobs. “This surprised everybody, and we’re trying to figure it out,” Harmon said. “Obviously, the Senate’s been trying to regulate hemp for a long time, and maybe this changes the baseline and gives us a fresh perspective from which to tackle the problem, but it’s just too early for us to pronounce what direction we’re going in.” * Capitol News Illinois | Durbin defends shutdown vote, says it wasn’t coordinated with Schumer: “I think that is the crudest form of political weapon that I can imagine — and that’s why I came to the conclusion that we had tried to find a bipartisan agreement, and we reached it,” Durbin said following an unrelated event in Springfield. Durbin was one of eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus who joined Republicans in advancing the deal, providing the votes needed to break a filibuster. The measure passed Congress and was signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. * WTWO | Illinois Lottery named top performing lottery in the nation for second time: The Illinois Lottery under Allwyn Management has managed to be named the highest-performing lottery in North America even after an absence of major multistate jackpots. Despite this, the Illinois lottery has only seen a 2.6% decline, beating the next state by .4%. Illinois also ranked in the top 10 nationally for total instant ticket sales and record online sales of $702,000,000 in fiscal year 25. This is also impressive with Illinois holding no billion-dollar or more jackpots throughout the fiscal year. * Press Release | Prominent Union Endorsements Propel Momentum–United Steelworkers District 7 Endorses State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit for Illinois Comptroller: United Steelworkers (USW) District 7 has given its endorsement of State Representative Stephanie Kifowit for Illinois Comptroller, citing her unwavering pro-labor record, her deep financial expertise, and her visionary plan to protect workers’ rights and pensions through the Comptroller’s office. * Journal & Topics | Moylan’s Health Issues, ‘Frustration’ Led Dem Candidate Cochran To Run In Primary: Justin Cochran, the 38-year-old Des Plaines resident whom it’s believed will replace longtime State Rep. Marty Moylan (D-55th) on the March 17, 2026 Democratic primary ballot, said this week that “frustration” with politics, specifically the Donald Trump presidential administration, is what directed him into the political arena. Cochran’s entry into local politics was in 2018 and within a year he was working as Moylan’s legislative office chief of staff. In that role, he provides constituent services, schedules meetings for Moylan, and “interfaces with Springfield.” * WMBD | On the Record: Energy bill will not raise rates according to Peoria Democrat: That second measure would allow the creation of “energy storage facilities.” Once constructed, the storage units will hold power produced by solar and wind, allowing it to be dispersed when the sun isn’t out or the wind is slow, Koehler said. “We have to add more supply and battery storage adds supply,” he said. “We know that we have to put more energy onto the grid if we’re going to bring prices down. It’s a simple fact of supply and demand, and we know that demand is high in the summertime. * Capitol News Illinois | Education union, students call on governor to release higher education funding: But the governor’s office said in an email to Capitol News Illinois that it does not intend to release the state-approved funding until it sees “stability” on federal education policy coming from Washington. “(President) Trump’s budget bill and reckless tariffs have wreaked havoc on state revenues nationwide, making it essential to double down on fiscal discipline,” a spokesman in the governor’s office said. * Tri States Public Radio | Illinois education groups call for tax on millionaires : The president of a union representing employees at more than half a dozen public universities in Illinois said they will be pushing state lawmakers next year to improve funding for the institutions, even though it’s an election year. “There is no good year, right? Every year is always a reason not to do something. So when is the reason to do something?” said John Miller, President of the University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100. * Muddy River News | Quincy lobbyist Michael McClain gets 45-day extension to report, after prison screw up, defense attorney says: Judge Manish Shah has granted lobbyist Michael McClain until December 29 to report for his two-year prison sentence as part of the Commonwealth Edison conspiracy case. “It’s not like we’re begging for more time,” defense attorney Patrick Cotter said. “The Bureau of Prisons screwed up, again.” McClain was scheduled to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by October 30, but his attorney was forced to seek an extension when the BOP failed to designate a location. * Crain’s | Johnson wants $1.3 billion as part of $18 billion, 5-year infrastructure plan: Mayor Brandon Johnson is seeking $1.3 billion in new borrowing to support a $18 billion, five-year capital funding plan in the City Council. The infrastructure plan includes issuing up to $3.9 billion in general obligation bonds over five years, and the new borrowing is drawing fire from members of the City Council who only authorized $830 million in infrastructure borrowing in February in a narrow 26-23 vote after a protracted fight over the structure of the financing. * Crain’s | Johnson unveils amended budget to a skeptical City Council: The largest revenue change is increasing the city’s lease tax, which extends to everything from film production equipment rentals to computing software, from 11 to 15% to bring in an additional $416 million. Johnson’s initial proposal called for a 14% rate. […] Jack Lavin, CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement the City Council should push off a vote until more detail is provided on the overall plan. “Our city’s businesses, families, and taxpayers deserve greater transparency and demand better accountability,” he said. * NBC Chicago | ISIS terror plot exposed against 2024 Chicago Pride Parade: An ISIS plot to attack the Chicago Pride Parade with a backpack bomb in 2024 was discussed on a terrorist website but never carried out, according to FBI records obtained by the NBC Chicago investigative team. The bombing plot was to be carried out as an initial salvo in a series of attacks against gay targets in the U.S., according to an FBI affidavit in a terror case indicted Thursday in Detroit. * Sun-Times | Judge plans March trial over feds’ use of force in Chicago deportation push: During a hearing Thursday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis told lawyers, “All I know about this is what I’ve read in the paper, which is that the operation is changing, I guess, over the next few months. … But then I read that they intend to be back in March.” Justice Department lawyer Andrew Warden told the judge, “There has been a transition of officers. There always is. Folks come in and out of operations. As far as, ‘will there be a sort of ramp-up in the spring?’ I don’t know whether that’s the case.” * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago offers free virtual therapy to students, but some have concerns: CPS and the company, Hazel Health, say the provider safeguards student data and has helped the district tackle a teen mental health crisis at a time of limited access to care, threatened further by looming Medicaid cuts. “CPS has worked hard to ensure all CPS high school students have access to free, high-quality online therapy and counseling while maintaining student safety, privacy, and trust,” a district spokeswoman said in a statement. But student privacy advocates are urging the school board to drop or overhaul the district’s agreement with Hazel Health. They say the company’s parent consent form raises concerns about the possible use of student data to develop its product in violation of the state’s online student privacy law. * Block Club | Derrick Rose Moves Back To Chicago In Retirement: ‘I Love Chi. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly’: The city declared Jan. 4 “Derrick Rose Day” in honor of the former All-Star point guard, while Rose had an Englewood garden dedicated to him and the Chicago Bulls announced plans to retire his jersey on Jan. 24, 2026. Rose discussed how his move back to Chicago was motivated by him wanting to be present for his three children. “Since I retired, I had time to really think about what’s the difference between a dad and a father,” Rose said, reflecting on his father’s absence in his life. “I always looked at my pops in the father category because he never was around.” * NBC Chicago | Popular Chicago pie shop adds Malort-flavored item to their menu: “Here’s to you Chicago! We don’t have a liquor license so we can’t raise a glass, but we can raise our forks. Bring your big shoulders in for a slice of Chicago Sunrise (aka Malort and grapefruit) pie!” the post said. The pie is described on the shop’s website as a “one of a kind pie” that’s “garnished with a ring of lightly sweetened whipped cream.” * Sun-Times | Metra, Pace approve budgets with no fare hikes: Metra’s leaders approved a budget that spares riders from a fare hike next year, but they acknowledged it won’t be an express train to the hoped-for transformational service expansion. The commuter rail agency won’t see any service cuts next year, thanks to the $1.5 billion transit bailout passed in Springfield last month. But Metra’s $1.2 billion proposed budget, passed Thursday by the agency’s board of directors, largely keeps the status quo with plans for yet-to-be determined “modest service increases.” Metra CEO Jim Derwinski said there is still tough work ahead to expand service, even though the agency has overcome an impending deficit when federal COVID-19 funds run out next year. * CBS Chicago | Judge tours Broadview ICE processing facility amid claims of inhumane conditions: Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not speak to reporters after completing the tour. In a statement from the MacArthur Justice Center, the ACLU of Illinois, and Eimer Stahl of Chicago, attorneys declined to discuss the conditions they saw inside the facility during the tour. * WGN | Costs mount as National Guard soldiers sit on standby: On a military base an hour southwest of Chicago, National Guard soldiers from Texas are more than a month into a deployment. The Trump administration ordered troops to the area to protect federal property and personnel during immigration enforcement operations. […] The military says 200 National Guard soldiers from Texas and 300 from Illinois have been federalized for the Chicago operation for 60 days. The left-leaning Institute for Policy Studies pegs the deployment cost at a minimum of $647 per day, per soldier. The estimated total cost: $12.8 million. * Daily Southtown | Homer Glen trustees again voice support for license plate reader cameras: Homer Glen officials are preparing to move forward with installing license plate reader cameras in town, but want to hear all potential privacy concerns before final approval. All six trustees voiced their support for the Flock Safety license plate camera system at a board meeting Wednesday and want to obtain more information about price, locations they would be installed and how they would be implemented. No vote on installing the cameras was taken, and trustees plan to continue discussion in December. * Daily Herald | DuPage County clerk’s request for more money denied; board member suggests censure: In addition to raising doubts about the need for extra money, board members pointed to an ongoing lack of communication, questions over billing and bidding practices in the clerk’s office and Kaczmarek’s absence from county board meetings. “They are giving us information piecemeal, which makes it really difficult for us to have a full financial picture,” board member Yeena Yoo said. “I just feel like we’re giving them a blank check.” * Daily Herald | ‘Belief in the limitless potential of our kids’: Boys and Girls Club turning old school into Impact Center: On Thursday, the club held a ceremonial wall-smashing where leaders took small sledgehammers to demolish a piece of drywall. Leaders also updated community members about the organization’s plans to help middle school and high school students. “This space will once again be filled with the sounds of young people learning, laughing and growing,” Barrington Unit School District 220 Superintendent Craig Winkelman told the crowd. * KWQC | Emails show Mercer County superintendent ordered nurse to turn over student health records: KWQC obtained his emails through the Freedom of Information Act. They center on communications in September between Farquer and a nurse, Amber Wood. According to the emails, Wood alerted the county health department that the school was seeing cases of hand, foot and mouth disease. Farquer asked Wood to compile information about the students, but Wood was reluctant. * PJ Star | Peoria County approves fee increases for five departments in $174 million : A gradual increase of some user fees in Peoria County was approved by the Peoria County Board on Thursday night after some debate about how to structure the fee increases. User fees will be raised across five county departments, but only the new fees raised by the County Clerk’s Office will be implemented on a two-year ramp after County Clerk Rachael Parker raised concerns about the increases. * Illinois Times | Voters to weigh tax increase for mental health board: The Mental Health Commission unanimously voted to approve language for a March referendum asking Sangamon County residents if they would approve a half-percent sales tax increase (an additional 5 cents per $10 of goods purchased, 50 cents per $100) to fund a county mental health board that would disburse such taxes toward various mental health initiatives. The tax would not be included on grocery or medication purchases. If approved, the tax would generate more than $14 million for a mental health board, according to county estimates. * WGLT | Explosion of sports wagering discussed at problem gambling conference in Normal: Dave Wohl is executive director of the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling [ICPG], the nonprofit hosting the conference at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Wohl said the council is neutral on gambling but is opposed when it leads to addiction, noting gambling is the leading cause of suicide among all addictions. “As with any addiction, when it starts affecting other aspects of your life, that’s when you need to talk to somebody, you need to get some help,” Wohl said in an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas. * Illinois Times | Newly formed PURPLE Coalition aims to tackle unresolved inequalities: Made up entirely of volunteers and organized as a limited liability company, the Springfield-based coalition will “bring our community together, not through fear or division, but through understanding and community,” she said. “We will keep listening, keep organizing and keep pushing until justice, transparency and compassion are the standard, not the exception,” she said. Standage said the group’s name is an “ode” to Sonya Massey, the 36-year-old Black woman who was murdered in her home in Woodside Township, just outside the borders of Springfield’s east side, in July 2024 by former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson. The acronym formed by the coalition’s name was Massey’s favorite color. * WICS | Lanphier High principal resigns amid battery charge for allegedly punching student: Christopher Hampsey, the Lanphier High School principal who faces an aggravated battery charge as authorities said he punched a student in the face, has resigned. Hampsey was previously on administrative leave after an incident involving Hampsey pushing a student into a corner and punched him in the face and head. * Rockford Register Star | Rockford apartments for rent saw price increases since last October: Renters in Rockford saw apartment listing prices increase 8% from last year’s median of $999, an analysis of new data from rental marketplace Zumper shows. The typical apartment listed for rent at $1,080 in October. Median listing prices in Rockford are trending 8% upwards from last month’s $1,000 price. * News-Gazette | Campustown restaurant to close after 53 years: Timpone’s Ristorante, 710 S. Goodwin Ave., announced the news in a Saturday advertisement with The News-Gazette. The business is set to close on Dec. 20. “Until our final day of service, we will continue to offer the signature made-from-scratch menu that has defined Timpone’s Ristorante since 1972,” the business stated in its ad. “We warmly invite you to join us one last time to savor your favorite dishes, share a story or two, and celebrate the wonderful journey we’ve shared together.” * Newsweek | Tokyo Named World’s Richest City—Here’s Where US Cities Ranked: U.S. cities dominated the top 25 spots, with Greater Chicago coming seventh, followed by the San Francisco Bay Area (9), Greater Washington (12), Dallas-Fort Worth (13), Greater Houston (14), Greater Boston (15), Greater Seattle (18), Greater Philadelphia (19), Metro Atlanta (20) and Silicon Valley (24). * AP | The trend of unproven peptides is spreading through influencers and RFK Jr. allies: But the peptides being promoted by influencers, celebrities and wellness gurus are different: Many have never been approved for human use and much of their purported evidence comes from studies in rats and other animals. Several peptides, such as BPC-157 and TB-500, are banned by international sports authorities as doping substances. “None of them are proven,” said Dr. Eric Topol, a research methods expert and director of Scripps Research Translational Institute. “None of them have gone through what would be considered adequate clinical trials, but nonetheless many people are taking these. It’s actually quite extraordinary.”
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Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Friday, Nov 14, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here and/or here to follow breaking news on the website formally known as Twitter. Our Bluesky feed…
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