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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Daily Herald…
* Press release | NRF Honors Rob Karr with 2026 J. Thomas Weyant Award: The National Retail Federation today presented the 2026 J. Thomas Weyant Award to Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA). Karr was recognized at NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit, where retailers, industry leaders and policymakers from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the retail industry’s premier advocacy event. “For more than three decades, Rob Karr has been a trusted friend, advocate and voice for retailers and their businesses, employees and the communities they serve,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “His work through the years has had a lasting impact on the retail industry in Illinois, and we are proud to recognize him for his remarkable career and all he has accomplished.” * WCIA | Carol, Aaron Ammons plead not guilty to federal charges of wire fraud, obstruction of justice: On Thursday at the Federal Courthouse in Urbana, it was a packed courtroom. It quickly reached its capacity — 49 people — so an overflow room was needed to accommodate everyone who showed up for Carol and Aaron’s first federal court appearances. […] When asked two different times if she will still be on the ballot in November, Carol said she looks forward to continuing to serve her constituents, but she did not mention the general election. * Crain’s | Kwame Raoul urges feds to reject Enova, OppFi bids for national bank charters: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul urged federal banking regulators to reject attempts by nontraditional financial lenders such as Enova International and OppFi to obtain bank charters that would allow them to offer high-interest loans across a national platform. “Some of these companies engage in high-risk practices that threaten both consumers and the stability of the financial system,” according to a letter Raoul, along with 19 other states’ attorneys general, sent today to the heads of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Federal Reserve. “Allowing such companies into the national banking system without guardrails empowers and incentivizes predatory lending and needlessly leaves consumers vulnerable to harm.” * Tribune | Air quality hits hazardous levels in Chicago from wildfire smoke and could worsen tonight: Particulate matter levels in the Chicago area by midafternoon had reached an index of 549, eclipsing a scale that tops out at 500, according to AirNow, a website that combines data from county, state and federal air quality agencies nationwide. Air quality was even worse in the North Shore suburbs, where Wilmette and Winnetka registered above 700. Levels between 200 and 300 are “very unhealthy,” and anything above 300 is “hazardous.” When the forecast is hazardous, everyone should stay indoors and reduce activity levels. * Sun-Times | City Council joins chorus demanding Boutros’ resignation as U.S. attorney: Only a handful of alderpersons opposed the resolution, which adds the Council to the chorus of those demanding Boutros’ resignation and urges the Justice Department to “ensure a full review of obligations and matters connected to Operation Midway Blitz, the Broadview prosecutions and related proceedings.” Northwest Side Ald. Jim Gardiner (45th) accused his colleagues of political hypocrisy and advised the Council to “stay in our lane.” * Crain’s | Congressional hearing on UIC med school veers from antisemitism to DEI, gender care: In his opening comments, Walberg went on to say the schools have integrated DEI into their admissions decisions and curricula, promoting courses that have nothing to do with medical science, but seek to turn medical students into “far left activists.” In opening testimony, Benedetti addressed the questions over antisemitism at the medical school, which has campuses in Chicago, Peoria and Rockford, saying the school has taken steps to better deal with religious and other bigotry. * Tribune | Toni Preckwinkle backs Red Line extension connections, wins approval for transit picks: “We have a challenge across the board with our service agencies because they are siloed and they have not been collaborating,” Preckwinkle said during a Wednesday news conference. She cited a failure to plan a Metra station for the site where the future CTA Red Line Extension will cross its tracks, and the fact the bus service that PACE extended to downtown Round Lake doesn’t take riders to the Metra station there. “Everybody’s just sort of planning for themselves and not having any coherent, holistic plan.” * Tribune | William Shatner will debut his new heavy metal band at Riot Fest: Metal, the final frontier. Joining the musical lineup at Riot Fest in September is the debut of William Shatner’s new heavy metal band The *Uckers. The band will be added to the bill on Sunday and will feature, along with Shatner, guitarists Marcus Nand (Mike Tramp, Candice Night) and Britt Lightning (Vixen, Cactus), bassist Phil Soussan (Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol) and Fred Aching (Kings of Thrash, Dead Groove, Fraxures) on drums. * Bond Buyer | Fitch Ratings upgrades Cook County: Fitch Ratings upgraded Cook County, Illinois, to AA-plus from AA on Monday, citing the county’s moderating long-term liability burden, restrained new money debt issuance and sustained resource base growth. The outlook is stable. * Tribune | Cook County watchdog finds Samantha Steele offered job to opponent: Cook County’s watchdog found this week that Board of Review commissioner Samantha Steele made “an offer of employment” to her opponent in the March primary election, concluding she misled the public and “made blatantly false statements.” […] The IG’s investigation included an interview with one of the intermediaries, their phone records and a voice message, statements Steele made to the media, and a review of her phone records. Steele did not reply or show up to an interview with the inspector — a violation of the county’s ethics code that requires participation in IG investigations. * Capitol News Illinois | Trump budget proposal could threaten airline service at downstate airports: Congress is evaluating the budget proposal, which calls for reducing funding for the Essential Air Service program at the U.S. Department of Transportation by $372 million. The program, which subsidizes flights to rural areas and small cities throughout the country, costs about $633.5 million annually as of May 1, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s annual report. Current funding includes $18.7 million for commercial flights from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Decatur, Quincy and Marion — airports that otherwise would not have commercial aviation without the EAS program. It’s early in the budgeting process, so implementation dates and the amount of cuts, if any are approved, are subject to change. * Capitol News Illinois | A woman’s death was the first fatal shooting by Illinois State Police this year. Were the trooper’s actions justified?: Tarrence’s shooting received little or no attention. No one took to the streets. The governor didn’t comment on her death. And the only investigation was launched by the same state agency that employed the trooper who fired the fatal shots — the Illinois State Police. Months after the completion of that investigation in February, there still is no definitive answer on whether the trooper so feared for his life or the lives of others at the liquor store that the only action he could take was to shoot. * WAND | Charleston Middle School relocates after tornado damage: “For some of our students, it may be a new look for them, but what they need to know is that we’re going to have the same culture,” said Robert Lynn, principal of Charleston Middle School. School will be held inside Eastern Illinois University’s Coleman Hall. CMS students will use the first two floors for classes. Lynn said the partnership shows how communities come together after a tragedy. * WGLT | One year post defunding: WGLT saw strong and steady revenue throughout the year. But we have a lot of work to do to make up for an annual loss of $175,000. And while we’re cautiously optimistic, we don’t yet know if last year was a complete outlier or if the defunding moment will turn into a movement and become our new normal. * ABC | White House teleprompter operator made more than $100K betting on Trump’s speeches: Gabriel Perez, a technical assistant to the president who has been operating Trump’s teleprompter since 2016, is in talks with federal regulators to settle allegations he used his inside knowledge of the president’s speeches to win more than $100,000, the sources said. According to the sources, Kalshi alerted its regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), to the suspicious activity on its “Mentions” market, where users can bet on whether specific words, phrases or topics are uttered during a public speech. * WSJ | Kalshi to Offer Contracts Predicting Flight Cancellations: The contracts will allow users to predict the percentages of flights canceled at an airport within a given timeframe. The prediction-markets platform disclosed the contracts in a Tuesday filing with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Kalshi said it plans to use the flight-tracking platform FlightAware to resolve the contracts, with data from the U.S. Department of Transportation as a backup.
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Repubs called out for voting against state budgets and celebrating in-district spending
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * I figured there’d be more of these over three years, but it is kinda funny that two Illinois Freedom Caucus members (Miller and Niemerg) celebrating the distribution of government money. From the Democratic Party of Illinois…
[Many thanks to Isabel for formatting this post.]
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Turning Promise Into Progress For Illinois Students
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Thank you, Governor Pritzker and members of the General Assembly for taking an important step forward for Illinois students with a $26 million investment in free, healthy school meals, a $17 million increase and the largest expansion in over a decade. Your leadership is turning policy into meaningful action, helping schools provide nutritious meals that support students’ health, learning, and success every day. At a time when families and educators are facing growing challenges, this investment demonstrates a strong commitment to the well-being of Illinois children. This significant progress begins to fulfill the promise established in 2023 to expand access to healthy school meals and shows what is possible when leaders prioritize the health and success of students. While this investment marks an important milestone, more work remains to fully fund school meals and ensure every child has reliable access to the nutrition they need to learn, grow, and thrive. We look forward to building on this momentum together to make that vision is a reality for every Illinois student. Learn more at: https://www.healthyschoolmealsil.com/
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And now for something completely different
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rosetta “Rosie” Brown is the Democratic candidate taking on Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) in the 111th House District race. That’s Ms. Brown on the left, and behind her is a casket with a person in it. I’m making no judgements here, but I’ve never seen video of a candidate standing in front of an open coffin… The family of the deceased didn’t seem to mind, so to each their own, I suppose…
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Rep. Ammons pleads not guilty to fraud, obstruction charges
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Click here for some background if you need it. The News-Gazette…
* Center Square reporter Sean Reed…
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Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
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It’s almost a law
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Politico…
* WAND…
* National Federation of Independent Business…
* WAND…
* Press release…
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is calling on the governor to veto HB5511…
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Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] All In One Laundry Center and Services is a Springfield-based, full-service laundry company led by President and CEO Pamela Frazier. Services include coin laundry, wash-and-fold, dry cleaning, alterations, commercial laundry services, and pickup and delivery. Under Pamela’s leadership, All In One Laundry has grown to be recognized for its exceptional service and commitment to the community in Central Illinois. 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 Pamela in Springfield who serve their communities with dedication and pride. Please visit https://WeAreRetail.IRMA.org/.
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: Illinois State Board of Education issues AI guidance, written with help from AI. Capitol News Illinois…
- The 409-page document was developed with input from a blue-ribbon panel of experts in education, technology and public policy. But it also includes a note saying, “Initial drafts for this guidance used AI (ChatGPT primarily but, to a lesser extent, Claude and Gemini).” - The guidance itself, however, emphasizes that teaching and learning are shaped by human relationships and experiences, and that artificial intelligence is only a tool to inform teaching and learning, not a substitute for human interaction. * Related stories… * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Subscribers know more. Patch | Burr Ridge Mayor Wins Battle In Defamation Case Against Political Consultant: On Monday, though, the 3rd District Appellate Court ruled a genuine issue remains for a jury to determine whether Corbett defamed Grasso. According to the ruling, Mottl received bad poll results leading up to the 2019 election, so he was advised to undertake a negative campaign against Grasso. In a deposition, Corbett, now an independent candidate for governor, acknowledged relying on a research firm’s report on Grasso. The report asserted Grasso may have fraudulently benefited from property tax exemptions over two years, to the tune of $12,000. But Mottl’s campaign flyers said the mayor benefited by “more than $36,000.” * Sun-Times | With mayoral race looming, Mayor Johnson falls further behind Giannoulias in fundraising: Johnson already faced a huge fundraising disadvantage, having closed the first quarter of 2026 with $813,125 in campaign cash on hand — compared to $18.3 million for Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. Giannoulias, a prolific fundraiser, has continued to widen that gap. In the three-month period ending June 30, he took in about $3.65 million and spent about $106,000, leaving him with about $21.85 million in cash on hand, according to the quarterly fundraising report filed Wednesday. That gives him a roughly $21 million lead over Johnson. * Capitol City Now | Executive Director of Springfield’s ALPLM to step down: The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM) will be looking for a new executive director. Current Executive Director Christina Shutt announced Wednesday she’ll be stepping down at the end of her current 5 year term. She’ll stay in the role until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition. Shutt has served at the helm of the ALPLM since June 2021, making her the longest-serving director in the ALPLM’s history. * Illinois Times | Residents sue Sangamon County, CyrusOne: Several Waverly residents who live approximately a mile or less from the site recently approved for the CyrusOne data center filed a lawsuit against Sangamon County and the Sangamon County Board July 6 seeking to overturn the county’s approval of the project. Chloe Russell, a Plainfield lawyer, filed the case that claims the county’s approved resolution from April 7 is misdated as March 23, the prior month’s meeting, when the proposal was actually tabled after hours of public comment. It also claims allowing a data center on agricultural land without knowing all the impacts could be detrimental to nearby farms, residences and a nearly 20-year-old dog kennel business. The filing also cites an Illinois local zoning law that says any county board decision related to zoning is subject to fresh judicial review “as a legislative decision,” so long as any action taken to seek judicial review begins no later than 90 days after the decision – meaning July 6 was the last day petitioners could cite that law based on the April 7 action. * WGLT | Bloomington mayor checks in with peers on data centers: The city recently announced its planning commission will meet publicly at 5 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. There will be a panel of experts and others who have experience with data centers. Exactly who will be on the panel has not yet been announced. Brady would like to invite members of a former statewide data center task force that includes mayors of municipalities that have moved forward with building those projects. * Reuters | Americans are angry about data centers. Politicians are feeling the pressure: In this deeply polarized country, opposition to data centers is among the few issues that unite voters across ideological lines. Just a third of Americans approve of the pace of data-center construction, according to a June Reuters/Ipsos poll. Only 14% of respondents would support a data center being built in their community. That tension is increasingly pronounced in Michigan, where at least 13 data centers are in various stages of planning — and communities in Saline and beyond are fighting back. * Columbus Dispatch | Amazon, Meta avoid millions in property taxes for Ohio data centers: Amazon Web Services avoided $5.4 million in property taxes for two Hilliard data centers in tax year 2024, the most recent figures available, according to the Franklin County auditor’s office. Neighboring Licking County reported $1.8 million in forgone taxes from Meta’s Prometheus campus last year. A Google data center in Lancaster cost $1.3 million The statehouse bureau sought to examine local tax agreements for data centers amid mounting opposition to these projects. That information is located in a patchwork of records across dozens of governments, making it difficult to understand the full picture. * Center Square | Benton pulls name from ballot after resignation: Former state Rep. Harry Benton, D-Plainfield, who resigned from his seat in the Illinois House of Representatives at the start of this month following investigations into alleged misconduct while he was in office, has followed through on his promise to withdraw his name from November ballots. The Will and Kendall County Democrats shared an open call for residents of the 97th district to apply to replace Benton, both for the remainder of his term and separately on the Democrat line of the ballot. The application closed Monday, but a candidate could be appointed by the chairs anytime before August 21, the day ballots are finalized. * Politico: HAPPENING TODAY: Gov. JB Pritzker is set to sign a pair of bills aimed at helping law enforcement agencies fill vacancies and stiffening consequences for some of the most serious violations of Illinois’ Move Over Law. One measure, sponsored by state Sen. Bill Cunningham and state Rep. Mary Gill, loosens age restrictions for certain sheriff’s department hires in an effort to address staffing shortages. Beginning in 2027, individuals as young as 20 will be able to serve as county police officers if they have completed two years of approved law enforcement studies. The age at which correctional officers and full-time deputy sheriffs not employed as county police officers can be appointed would be lowered from 21 to 18 under the measure. * Tribune | Chicago Public Schools plans to lay off 760 teachers as officials look to close massive deficit: If more money doesn’t materialize from the city or the state, CPS will convert five paid professional development days into furlough days next winter. All are non-attendance days, which means they won’t affect students’ instructional time. * Tribune | Cook County will ‘explore’ making Chicago Public Schools eligible for late property tax loan: Cook County is considering whether to extend a financial lifeline to Chicago Public Schools by including the district in an interest-free loan program so the cash-strapped school system can avoid some costs because of late-landing property tax money. But the $300 million pot of loan funding Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced last month is not even enough to cover a month of payroll, CPS said in a statement Tuesday. The district estimates county Treasurer Maria Pappas also still owes it $250 million from the last round of late property tax bills. Pappas’ office estimates that figure is closer to $70 million or $80 million. * Chalkbeat Chicago | Chicago Public Schools releases $9.88 billion 2026-27 budget amid deepening financial strain: District leaders said hundreds of staff layoffs, a push for more revenue, and other cost-saving measures took a $450 million bite out of the $732.5 million deficit the district faced this summer. To help close the remaining gap, CPS is bumping up the amount it expects the city would contribute in special tax dollars for development, known as TIF, from $100 million to $200 million. Last year, CPS received more than $500 million in TIF dollars, a record amount, but district officials said they wanted to be more conservative in projecting this year’s influx. * Capitol News Illinois | Peoples Gas cuts $58 million from rate request: The adjustment, reflecting lower than expected costs for recent infrastructure investments as well as the deferral of other construction to later years, brings the revised request to $144 million. If approved by regulators this December, the amended request would add around $7-8 to monthly bills for typical residential customers, down from the $10-11 sought in the original request. It would take effect at the end of 2026 or start of 2027, depending on the timing of the decision. * Crain’s | ShotSpotter, festival venue advance for Chicago ballot as other questions stall: Chicagoans will be asked in November if they want the city to bring back gunshot detection technology and build a permanent outdoor festival space, but it’s unclear if questions about city finances and federal immigration enforcement will be on the ballot as the City Council took turns blocking non-binding ballot referendum questions today. The uncertainty came after aldermen took turns blocking votes on each factions non-binding referendum proposals, but another City Council meeting on July 24 was scheduled by opponents of Mayor Brandon Johnson, potentially settling the dispute next week. * Block Club | Chicago’s Air Quality Could Worsen As Canadian Wildfire Smoke Spreads Across The Midwest: The National Weather Service issued an air quality alert and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency declared an Air Pollution Action Day for Tuesday and Wednesday due to high levels of ozone. The agencies have advised sensitive Chicagoans — including anyone with lung disease like asthma, as well as children, teens and older adults — to limit their time outdoors. And another issue could soon arise: The Illinois EPA predicts that wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Ontario will reach Chicago early Thursday, leading to unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups Thursday and Friday. * ABC Chicago | 3 elevated CTA Loop stations to temporarily close for the next 2 weekends: During the weekends of July 18-20 and July 25-27, Washington/Wabash, Adams/Wabash, Clark/Lake (elevated portion), will be closed. The construction will begin Saturday at about 2 a.m. and regular operations should resume by 5 a.m. Monday, the CTA said. Only the Green, Brown and Orange Line trains will operate via the Wells and Van Buren side branches of the Loop Elevated. * WTTW | Horner Park Is Saving Its Ash Trees One Beer at a Time Thanks to Annual BrewFest: Horner Park’s eighth annual BrewFest, set for Friday night at the North Side park, features tastings from dozens of local craft brewers, with proceeds from ticket sales supporting the park advisory council’s efforts to maintain a healthy grove of ash trees. Even as the ash borer has felled hundreds of thousands of ash across Chicago, BrewFest has raised enough money for the council to continue treating the park’s ash trees with a life-saving injection. * Sun-Times | Judge gives ex-Summit police chief three years in bribery plot: ‘You sounded like a gangster’: When a federal judge sentenced former Summit police chief John Kosmowski on Wednesday to three years in prison for bribery, conspiracy and obstruction of justice, he quoted the former top suburban cop’s recorded words right back at him. A secret government cooperator caught Kosmowski in 2022 insisting “there is no truth,” and “it’s gonna be their version against ours. It always is.” […]“How on Earth has the message not gotten out in the Chicagoland area, to public officials, that they cannot take bribes?” Seeger said. “I don’t understand why public corruption has so deeply infested the body politic in this town. I don’t get it.” * Daily Herald | White Sox legend to host celebration of life for school security guard who died protecting students : The program will be emceed by ESPN’s David Kaplan and Chicago White Sox legend Ron Kittle, who share a personal connection with the Rivas family. Orlando’s father, Roy Rivas, served as a chef for the Chicago White Sox for 40 years, and Orlando also worked for the organization. The evening will include opening remarks from Kaplan and Kittle, community reflections honoring Rivas’ life and legacy, a raffle featuring White Sox memorabilia, game tickets and other donated prizes. Also, live music by Replay and a buffet. * Daily Herald | Arlington Heights could close downtown street for ice skating rink this winter: The 40-by-80-foot mechanically-chilled rink is being eyed for Eastman Street between Arlington Heights Road and Evergreen Avenue — just south of North School Park, site of the annual tree lighting and holiday decorations. “We thought that it had tremendous synergy with the tree-lighting ceremony,” said Village Manager Randy Recklaus. “That event already looks like a Norman Rockwell painting, and it could look even more like that.” It’s the same block where the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre staged performances within a 40-by-90-foot tent in 2021 during the pandemic. The village extended electricity from the nearby parking garage to the street level at that time, so that could be done again to power the chiller that creates the ice surface, officials said. * Illinois Times | Creating a recovery movement: Wooden It Be Lovely buys building to expand its mission of helping women re-enter society: Farley has been working for several weeks at Wooden It Be Lovely, a nonprofit in Springfield that gives women in transition from poverty and/or in recovery jobs of refurbishing donated wood furniture, sewing products and making candles to market. Farley plans to remain with the nonprofit as it moves its headquarters from Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church, 501 S. Douglas Ave., across a parking lot to the building formerly known as Temple Israel at 1140 W. Governor St. in Springfield. * WCIA | Urbana City Council may need to fill third vacancy after alderwoman announces departure: For the third time this year, the Urbana City Council may be searching to fill another vacancy. Grace Wilkin, the Ward 6 Council Member, announced that her time on the council will come to an end near the end of July. Wilkin did not share an exact reason for her departure Monday night, but she did say more updates will be shared at a later time. * WJBD | Marion County Sheriff wants to ban Kratom and 7-OH: Cripps will work with the State’s Attorney to put together a resolution to be brought back to the next law enforcement committee meeting in August. […] Salem has already approved a ban on the sales and Kinmundy will take up the issue at its next meeting. * WSIL | Touch of Nature plans for a new lake as Little Grassy stays drained: Touch of Nature in Jackson County is planning to build its own small lake after losing access to one of its most used resources. The outdoor education center is moving forward with the project while Little Grassy Lake remains drained for repairs. Brian Croft with Touch of Nature said the new lake will offer a variety of water activities for campers and visitors. “We’re gonna be able to put water slides and rope swings and all kinds of stuff. Like think of a swimming hole like that you would think of in Southern Illinois. And that’s kind of what we want to make here,” Croft said. * Northwest Indiana Times | Northwest Indiana unions vow to oppose politicians who don’t back Bears stadium food tax: Randy Palmateer, who serves as business manager and executive director of the Northwest Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council, said the 31 different trade unions that he represents and their thousands of members will not back any elected officials who do not back the food and beverage tax that would cost an extra $1 on a $100 restaurant tab — or any other aspects of the Bears stadium financing plan. * 404 Media | Hack Reveals Suno AI Music Generator Scraped YouTube, Deezer, and Genius: The hacked data is a rare look at exactly how AI models and tools are built. Suno is one of the largest AI music generation tools on the internet, and has been the subject of several major lawsuits from the record industry, which accused the company of training on millions of copyrighted songs. As part of these legal proceedings, Suno previously admitted that it was trained on “essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open internet,” which included a total of “tens of millions of recordings.” Suno has been making the argument that it is allowed to train on copyrighted works as fair use in those cases, one of which has been settled. * NYT | Diesel Hits $5 a Gallon Again, Up 33% Since the Start of Iran War: The average national price on Thursday was $5.01, according to the AAA motor club, up 7 cents from the day before. Soaring prices of diesel can reverberate across the rest of the economy because of its many uses, including industrial machinery, commercial transport and electricity generation. U.S. diesel prices first surpassed $5 a gallon in March, the highest level since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. The prices retreated below $5 in June after Iran and the United States announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding that was meant to quell the fighting in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical thoroughfare for the world’s oil.
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Good morning!
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Isabel’s afternoon roundup
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Tribune…
* WICS | Illinois launches statewide circuit court survey: The Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois Judicial Conference have launched a new statewide survey to gather feedback on the state’s circuit courts. Officials said it is the first statewide circuit court survey conducted since 2015. The results will be used to help inform future policy decisions and improve court services. The survey began Tuesday and will remain open through July 31. * University of Chicago | The Polsky Center Joins Statewide Effort to Attract NSF Quantum X-Labs Teams to Illinois: The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is joining the State of Illinois and quantum organizations across Chicago to provide funding, facilities, and venture-building support for teams pursuing quantum technologies through the U.S. National Science Foundation’s X-Labs initiative. Earlier this month, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the Illinois X-Labs Fast Fund, a $3 million capital fund designed to encourage teams receiving NSF X-Labs Phase 0 awards to establish and grow their work in Illinois. * Press release | Illinois Ranks #2 in the Country for FAFSA Completions: The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) released their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Tracker for the Class of 2026, and Illinois is now ranked second in the nation and first in the Midwest for completion of the FAFSA — the highest position and the highest rate (71.4%) ever for an Illinois high school graduating class. “Illinois’ increase in FAFSA completion is a testament to the hard work of students, families and educators – and a clear demonstration that the state’s continued efforts to expand awareness, remove barriers, and connect students with financial aid are making a real difference,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Every completed FAFSA represents a world of opportunity opened and brings Illinois a step closer to making educational attainment a reality for every student in every corner of our state.” * Press release | Gov. Pritzker Signs Legislation Strengthening Support for Illinois Service Members and Veterans: Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed three bills into law that will fortify recruitment to the Illinois National Guard with newly incentivized peer-to-peer referral practices, as well as connect our state’s veterans to continued education pathways and life-saving breakthrough therapies for suicide prevention. SB 3737: Requires universities to promptly readmit students following academic military leave, effective January 1, 2027 (Sen. Porfirio/Rep. Stuart) SB 3818: Incentivizes Illinois National Guard recruitment with peer-to-peer referrals, effective January 1, 2027 (Sen. Porfirio/Rep. Swanson) SB 3926: Moves the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Program Advisory Council under the Department of Public Health, effective January 1, 2027 (Sen. Porfirio/Rep. Hirschauer) * Fox Chicago | Data center craze draws concerns from wary Illinoisans: Illinois is the third largest data center market in the country, but some people are concerned with the environmental and economic effects. FOX Chicago’s Liz Dueweke breaks down the numbers on data centers in Illinois and the Midwest and why people are protesting data center development. * Politico | Pritzker, Hochul diverge on data centers: Hochul is enacting a pause on permits for up to one year for the largest new data centers in New York while state officials there sort out how to regulate the fast-growing industry. The move followed action by New York lawmakers, who passed legislation that would implement a one-year pause on data center construction. Hochul didn’t sign or veto the bill. Illinois lawmakers never got that far. Pritzker hasn’t stopped data center construction, but he has shut off a key incentive. On July 1, his administration stopped processing new tax incentive agreements after state lawmakers left Springfield without passing the broader regulatory package he wanted. * Reuters | Pollution from Musk’s unpermitted xAI power project hits hardest in Black communities: Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has installed 59 natural gas turbines for its Colossus 2 data center project in Tennessee without securing federal clean air permits, according to communications between regulators and xAI representatives. Potential emissions from the turbines are far beyond the threshold that would require a federal permit, and would be released near predominantly Black communities already estimated to be suffering disproportionately high rates of lung disease, according to a Reuters analysis based on government data and information in the correspondence with regulators. * Sun-Times | Big financing steps forward for The 78, Foundry Park projects: Two of Chicago’s most pivotal but challenging undeveloped sites — Foundry Park on the North Side and the vacant South Loop parcel known as The 78 — moved forward in a big way Wednesday before the City Council adjourned for a summer recess. Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced a $201.6 million tax increment financing subsidy for JDL Development’s scaled back vision for North Side industrial land along the Chicago River that once was supposed to be home to the Lincoln Yards megaproject. And despite a slew of concerns from Council members, the full Council approved a $425 million TIF for The 78, a reference to Chicago’s unofficial 78th community area. The subsidy will bankroll public improvements needed for the South Loop development, anchored by a $750 million soccer stadium privately financed by Chicago Fire billionaire owner Joe Mansueto. * Block Club | Homeless Shelter Coming To Far Northwest Side: ‘This Is Overdue’: The shelter will be non-congregate, meaning resident will stay in double or single rooms, and there will be 40-70 beds. The shelter will serve single adults and will give priority to people 60 and older. LaPointe said her office has started to talk with potential shelter operators and plans on putting out a formal request for operators to be considered to manage the shelter. Julietta Mkrtychian, LaPointe’s chief of staff, said her team hopes to have a shelter operator chosen by late 2026 or early 2027. * Crain’s | Sprout Social to lay off 20% of its staff: The Chicago-based maker of software to monitor and manage social-media accounts said today it will lay off 260 workers. The company didn’t blame the cuts solely on AI but said the goal is “to streamline the company’s organizational structure and align its cost base with its strategic priorities, including its ongoing investments in AI-powered social intelligence.” * WTTW | Teen CPD Employee ‘Goose-Stepped’ Across High School Stage Wearing Nazi Uniform: Watchdog: “The uniform, march and salute created the impression that the individual was evoking Nazi Germany,” bringing discredit to the police department, according to the first quarterly report released by Inspector General David Glockner. Another member of CPD was fired after showing other employees of the police department photos of the teen dressed in the Nazi uniform while at work, creating “an offensive work environment,” according to the inspector general’s report. * Block Club | Edgewater Synagogue Redevelopment With Lakefront Access Gets Alderperson’s OK: Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth said she will support Emanuel Congregation’s revised plans after the developer also agreed to include more family-sized housing units, public bathrooms and donations for nearby park improvements. * Daily Herald | Hindu group sues Elgin to get OK to build temple: A Hindu congregation that wants to build a temple and townhouses in eastern Elgin is suing the city to get a 59-year-old court-ordered restriction on the land removed. Umiya Mataji Sanstha Chicago Midwest argues in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court that a 1967 consent decree violates the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which forbids discrimination based on religion when it comes to land uses. The federal law was enacted in 2000. The lawsuit also argues the decree violates the congregation’s First Amendment religious freedom rights and Illinois law. * WJOL | Romeoville Mayor Noak Appointed To New Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Board: Romeoville Mayor Noak has been appointed to the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, a new regional transit board that will oversee and shape public transit policy in the greater Chicagoland region. The board is made up of 20 directors — appointed by state and regional stakeholders — and oversees the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace. In addition, Mayor Noak will continue to serve on the Pace Suburban Bus Board of Directors as the positions are paired under the new governance structure. Mayor Noak has served on the Pace Board since 2022. * TWICS | Y-block project sees support from city, but questions remainEXT: IDNR representatives answered some key questions during Tuesday night’s meeting, though the timeline remains unclear for the project. What we do know is that IDNR promises the Y-block will still be able to welcome previous events back following the development. IDNR outlined their plan for city council members, from potential features to possibly classifying the block as a state park…but Russell Orrill, the deputy director, said the public won’t lose any access. * An unlikely alliance | David Timm, Republican candidate who lost March primary, throws support behind Democrat Marc Bell for sheriff: Democrat candidate Marc Bell, who dropped out of the Sangamon County sheriff’s race prior to the March primary and rejoined the race in April, is now being endorsed by David Timm, a former Republican candidate. Bell held a July 14 fundraiser in Springfield where the two men made a joint appearance and Timm praised the idea of bipartisanship in Bell’s campaign. Timm, a former sheriff’s deputy who received about 46% of the roughly 17,000 ballots cast in the March primary, announced on social media the day before the fundraiser that he’s supporting the Democratic challenger in the November general election over his own party’s candidate, incumbent Sheriff Paula Crouch. * WCIA | Champaign Co. School Districts hoping to get teacher contracts done before the first bell: Both Prairieview-Ogden and Fisher teachers unions are in talks for a new contract. Both groups say they want more money — specifically a number that brings them onto a similar playing field with other schools in the area. “We have teachers that are making $10,000 differences in pay that have similar years of experience and education,” said P.V.O. Education Association Vice President Taylor Owens. * WQAD | Sweet corn season off to a strong start at Smeltzly’s Farm in Cordova: Sweet corn season is underway across the Quad Cities, and one Cordova family says favorable growing conditions have helped produce a strong crop. At Smeltzly’s Farm, freshly picked corn makes the trip from the field to a roadside stand within the same day. “The sweet corn this year, we’ve had plenty of moisture, plenty of heat, and luckily we do have it under irrigation in case we do have to run it,” Travis Smeltzly said. “It’s been a very good crop.” * WCIA | Mahomet Police Department appoints first-ever detective: The Mahomet Police Department has added a new role they’ve never had before: a detective. “As Mahomet is continuing to grow, the police department needs to grow with them,” said Chief of Police Dave Smysor. “It’s for bigger, more complex cases.” But, it’s not a new face for the department. Joel Jessup has been with Mahomet Police since 2023, working as a patrol officer. Now, he is their first detective. * AP | ICE should keep making traffic stops despite recent shootings, Trump says: Ending those stops, Trump wrote, would be “playing right into the criminal’s hands.” “We CANNOT give up one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media site. Hours after Trump made his views known, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued his own statement saying people illegally in the country would be “arrested and deported wherever they are.” But Mullin didn’t say whether ICE officers will be allowed to carry out traffic stops.
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Benton finally drops out of House reelection bid
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Subscribers were told about the unusual circumstances surrounding this withdrawal earlier today. They were also given a withdrawal update. I thought there might be some news stories by now, but this is it so far…
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Poll: Giannoulias generates most excitement in early mayor’s race
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * Crain’s…
Percentage of respondents excited for each candidate among likely voters Percentage of respondents who don’t know enough about candidate among likely voters
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias also had the lowest “not excited” rating among the potential candidates tested, with just 14.5% of likely voters saying they were not excited about a possible Giannoulias candidacy. Comptroller Susana Mendoza followed at 16%, while 20% said the same about US Rep. Mike Quigley. * The Methodology…
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to today’s edition
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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Anti-union lawyers might have cost their clients a lot of money
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
Patrick Hughes was the attorney in the Illinois Policy Institute’s attorney who handled the successful Janus v. AFSCME lawsuit, which gutted the rights of public employee unions. Amy Kessem is one of the plaintiffs. She’s the former 41st Ward Republican Committeeperson who has been affiliated with numerous far-right groups. The opinion is here. * The bottom line is that Kessem and other plaintiffs might now be on the hook for the teachers’ union legal fees, possibly including the costs of appeal…
Oops. * From the opinion…
Oops.
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Governor Pritzker, Fight For Us.
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Advertising Department [The following is a paid advertisement.] Working families face rising costs and medical debt, while hospital systems continue to profit by exploiting the 340B program - making billions, while patients are paying the price. Leaders in Kentucky, Virginia and California recognize that a program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t become a profit stream for billion-dollar hospital systems and their business partners. Governor JB Pritzker has the opportunity to lead the way. Illinois deserves better — veto 340B Profit-Grab (HB 2371).
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Isabel’s morning briefing
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller * ICYMI: AI bumps power cost 60% as Chicago’s grid fails to hit supply goal. Bloomberg…
- PJM Interconnection LLC, which serves 13 states stretching from the East Coast to Chicago, said Tuesday that its auction to procure power for the year starting June 2028 tied a $16.4 billion record set in late 2025. Data centers accounted for roughly $6.3 billion of that total, said Joseph Bowring, president of Monitoring Analytics, the grid’s independent market monitor. - The auction fell 6.8 gigawatts short of what PJM will need to guarantee system reliability during demand spikes. The shortfall is equivalent to almost seven traditional nuclear reactors. * Related stories… * Gov. JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled today. * Tribune | Illinois raises limits on wrongful conviction payouts under new law Gov. JB Pritzker has signed: Illinois has had the most exonerations of any state for six of the past seven years, according to the National Registry of Exonerations. But until now, compensation for exonerees through the state court of claims was limited to an inflation-adjusted cap of about $300,000. The change marks “a major stride in criminal legal reform and accountability to those who are wrongfully convicted and imprisoned,” Pritzker said in a video statement. It eliminates the overall $300,000 limit and raises the cap to $50,000 per year of wrongful incarceration, including time in jail or juvenile detention before a wrongful conviction, and $25,000 per year for those wrongfully placed on parole, probation or the sex offender registry. * Block Club | Ex-Loretto Exec Gets Deal That Could Keep Her Out Of Jail: Bergdahl and prosecutors have agreed on a deferred prosecution agreement — a type of agreement where, if Bergdahl follows the terms outlined in it, the government will dismiss charges against her in about a year. Prosecutors did not detail the conditions Bergdahl must meet during Tuesday’s court hearing. * WGLT | Bloomington sets date at BCPA for public forum on data centers: Bloomington is in the midst of a six-month moratorium on proposals for data centers. It started in late May, following similar action by Town of Normal. Bloomington is planning to take several months to develop regulations and plans for facilities that use 5 megawatts or more of energy. * WSJ | Data-Center Builders Are Racing to Offload Stakes Worth Billions: America’s data-center developers are ready to cash in on the AI boom. Data-center builders and operators across the U.S. are working with bankers to sell majority equity stakes worth tens of billions of dollars in their companies this summer, according to people familiar with the efforts. * The Center Square | Illinois state diversity leader resigns amid criticism: The head of the embattled Illinois diversity commission has moved to a different state job after a series of investigative stories by The Center Square exposed failures at the agency and prompted bipartisan criticism. Alexandria Wilson held the job at the Commission on Equity and Inclusion for about three years and oversaw a switch to a new computer system that upended its mission to increase access to government contracts for businesses that are owned by racial minorities, women and people with disabilities. * Reuters | Illinois Senator: Bears ‘50-50′ to stay in state: State Sen. Sue Rezin said Tuesday that she considers the Bears’ stadium search a close race between staying in Illinois and moving across the state line. Her assessment came about five weeks after the team’s board approved a proposed development in Hammond, Ind. “I would give it a 50-50 chance to have the Bears stay in Illinois,” Rezin said during a legislative update. * WTVO | Collin Corbett certified for Illinois gubernatorial ballot as legal challenge is dropped: The challenge, filed by Republican nominee Bailey’s campaign, contested Corbett’s petition to appear on the ballot. The complaint was officially dropped on Tuesday, clearing the way for Corbett to run. Independent candidates for governor are a rarity in Illinois. In the last 86 years, only three have qualified for the ballot. * WGN | Jesse White: Tumbling Team overcomes tragedy while competing on ‘America’s Got Talent’: Jesse White, founder of the Jesse White Tumbling Team, joins Lisa Dent to talk about his current team’s advancement on America’s Got Talent. Their advancement coincided with the death of longtime tumbling team member Jeff Williams, who was killed in a car crash the same day. Jesse takes a moment to spotlight Jeff and his contributions to the team. Despite emotions being high, both Jesse and the team maintain a positive attitude regarding the competition and hope to continue providing entertainment and doing good for others. * WBEZ | Mayor Johnson’s controversial plan to crack down on ICE agents now faces City Council scrutiny: Police were directed to form new procedures within 30 days to implement the mayor’s order. But nearly five months after that deadline, it’s unclear what the decree has accomplished or what more needs to be done to enforce it. Those questions will be the topic of a City Council hearing this week as enforcement intensifies in the Chicago area, with advocates reporting at least 17 arrests last week by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. * Crain’s | Midway’s private-aviation facilities are getting a $100M+ makeover: The City Council will vote today on plans to extend the contracts of two companies who operate hangars, fueling and other facilities for non-commercial aircraft at Midway for 20 years. As part of the new deal with with the city, Signature Flight Support and Atlantic Aviation will invest more than $100 million in new hangars, office space and customs facilities. * Block Club | Plan For Loop’s 2nd Weed Dispensary Could Go Up In Smoke: The recent ruling blocked Bloc Dispensary from opening a shop in the South Loop at 400 S. Wells St. after a nearby dispensary sued, arguing that the location, only 470 feet away, violated state law, Crain’s reported. State law generally prohibits a cannabis dispensary from opening within 1,500 feet of another dispensary. The restriction is intended to prevent cannabis businesses from clustering too closely together and saturating the market. The law includes limited exceptions for some social equity licenses, allowing them to open near dispensaries that are not operating under social equity licenses. * CBS Chicago | Immigration rights groups say ICE halting most vehicle stops “a very good first baby step”: Immigrant rights advocates in Chicago said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s move to halt most vehicle stops nationwide is “a very good first baby step,” but believe much more needs to be done to obtain real change in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Except in cases of serious criminal targets, ICE agents nationwide will temporarily stop pulling people over, multiple law enforcement sources told CBS News. * CBS Chicago | Air Quality Alert issued for Chicago area due to high ozone pollution during hot, stagnant weather: The National Weather Service has issued the alert for McHenry, Lake, Kane, DuPage, Kendall, Grundy, Cook and Will counties in Illinois and for Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana through midnight. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has also put an Air Pollution Action Day into effect, which is declared when widespread ozone or particulate levels are expected to be at or above the level deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups for multiple days. * Daily Herald | Driver gain or wallet pain? Tollway hits the road to sell rate hike, capital plan at statewide hearings: Multiple speakers belonged to labor unions or were affiliated with construction and engineering firms. “Since the last toll adjustment in 2012, the cost of building and maintaining highways has increased between 75 and 85% — far outpacing general inflation,” Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association President Michael Sturino noted Monday. * Paulick Report | ITHA: Hawthorne Sold To ‘Non-Racing Entity’: The announcement comes just over two weeks after Hawthorne, which has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since February, disclosed it had received a $90 million “stalking-horse bid” for the 108-acre property from an unidentified buyer widely expected to redevelop the site rather than continue horse racing. The identity of the stalking horse bidder has not been made publicly available: court documents indicate the bidder is a Delaware-registered limited liability corporation, whose identity is shielded by Delaware laws. The documents for the stalking-horse bid indicated that the prospective purchaser had no plans to operate a racetrack or pursue Hawthorne’s long-delayed racino project. * Shaw Local | AID funding loss leaves gap in Kane County mental health service; agency blames technical glitch: The Association for Individual Development announced it closed its 24/7 Living Room crisis respite program in Aurora on June 30 after losing a $1.4 million state grant due to a technical funding glitch. “The Living Room is for anybody in mental health crisis to have some place to go that doesn’t rise to the level of the need for hospitalization,” AID President and CEO Lore Baker said. The Living Room provided 1,200 visits for people experiencing mental health crises since opening in January 2024. Baker said AID is asking people to call the governor’s office at 312-814-2121 on Tuesday, July 14 to urge its application to be considered for the grant funding. * Daily Southtown | Thornton Reservoir down to 73% capacity as drainage continues: * Fox Chicago | DuPage County rat infestation isn’t over, and neighbors say they’re facing backlash: Residents first contacted FOX Chicago in May, saying rats from a neighboring property were spreading into their yards and homes and claiming the county wasn’t responding quickly enough. Now, several neighbors allege county code enforcement targeted them with citations after they spoke out. DuPage County officials strongly deny those claims. * Journal Courier | Tensions flare as Morgan commissioner accuses board of sidestepping agenda rules: The Open Meetings Act is legislation that requires business of a government body only to be discussed during formal, regular meetings as a point of public transparency. After Monday’s meeting, Woods sent an email to Morgan County State’s Attorney Gray Noll about issues with the agenda. “Over the past several months, I have repeatedly requested that chairman Wankel place specific items on the agenda for public discussion,” Woods said. “Those requests have not been accommodated. I have also requested that meeting materials be distributed electronically in advance of meetings so commissioners have adequate time to review information before being asked to vote. Those requests have likewise not been honored. I remain concerned that substantive discussions and direction to staff are occurring outside of properly noticed public meetings.” * WSIL | Mounds Community Begins Cleanup After Floodwaters Recede: While the American Red Cross has visited the neighborhood, several residents say they do not qualify for assistance because floodwaters inside their homes did not reach the required threshold. Thomas says local community members came out to help him.[…] The Housing Authority of Pulaski County held a meeting at 2:00pm on Monday for residents to share concerns and discuss what resources are still needed. Mounds fire officials estimate about 25 people were rescued from flooded homes, including residents at the apartment complex. * WCIA | Rantoul will vote on cannabis coming to the village, how board trustees are voted in during November election: Neither ordinance creates any immediate change, according to the board. Instead, it approves placing these referendums on the ballot in November, allowing residents to vote in favor — or against — either of these changes coming to the village. […] Now, however, voters will be asked in the November 3, 2026 election if the village should elect trustees on a village-wide basis instead. * WCIA | Champaign County Forest Preserves looking to expand Homer Lake property: The conservation organization says they’re in talks to buy nearly 34 acres of land across from the entrance. Officials say the new land would allow them to add to the area — while maintaining the three tenants they’re built around. “Those are conservation. We would restore the land to be a native prairie. Education will help people to understand more about the land and the residents like the wildlife that use it. And recreation by putting a trail in there. I know that trails are always things that people want more of in our community, and quite frankly, most of our forest preserves are pretty built out in terms of trails.” said Executive Director Laurie Pearson. * WGLT | ISU Solar Car Team will speed alongside the competition in newest solar car: “It gets a little boring in there sometimes, I’m not going to lie, if there’s not a lot of things going on around you, then you just kind of zone out,” said Mac Brody, president of the team. “There’s no music in there, and there’s no air conditioning… but it’s a lot of communicating with the pit crew.” As the car makes its journey, starting in Minnesota down to Texas and partially along historic Route 66, it is escorted by lead and trail vehicles to alert motorists. Along the 1,500-mile journey, competitors do not forget it’s still a race. * Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Wisconsin election officials refer 2 complaints against Elon Musk: The motion approved by the commission states that it “finds probable cause” Musk violated the state’s election bribery statute “by making a social media post that offered one million dollars to individuals who voted in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court Election in order to induce them to vote in that election.” * Reuters | Inside RFK Jr.’s push to dismantle decades of U.S. vaccine policy: Early this year, Kennedy went to his director of the NIH, Jay Bhattacharya, with a costly proposal, according to two officials familiar with the request: The research agency should spend $5 billion studying the link between vaccines and autism. That would have dedicated more than a tenth of the NIH’s annual budget to investigating a hypothesis already refuted by scientists worldwide. * Reuters | Trump cuts to clean energy linked to $83 billion in delayed or canceled projects: The analysis found that 223 manufacturing and clean energy projects representing $82.9 billion in investment and 111,765 jobs have stalled or been cancelled during President Donald Trump’s second presidency.
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Good morning!
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Florencia Andrada and Julio Fabiani cover the Stones… And please excuse me while I hide away Call me lazy bones What’s up?
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Selected press releases (Live updates)
Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
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