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ILGOP fundraises off Pritzker hearing quote

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Crain’s…

In response to other Democrats’ friendly questions, Pritzker landed some digs at White House border czar Tom Homan for allowing TV host Dr. Phil McGraw to accompany federal officials on one of the Trump administration’s first immigration raids in Chicago earlier this year.

And the governor practically dared White House border czar Tom Homan to try to arrest him, as Homan suggested recently he might do to California Gov. Gavin Newsom if he interfered with federal immigration enforcement.

“First of all, I would say, he can try,” Pritzker said. “I will tell you I will stand in the way of Tom Homan going after people who don’t deserve to be frightened in their communities, who don’t deserve to be threatened, terrorized. I would rather that he came and arrested me than do that to the people of my state.”

Asked by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., about growing protests across the country, Pritzker said he encourages people to “peacefully protest.”

* The ILGOP is fundraising off the quote…

Pritzker is DOUBLING DOWN, and now he’s bragging that he will stand directly in the way of ICE agents doing their jobs.

It’s happening right now. J.B. Pritzker is testifying before Congress and making a complete FOOL of Illinois in front of the entire nation.

In front of the entire nation, our governor just said:

“I will stand in the way of Tom Homan…”

Pritzker refuses to support our ICE agents or secure our border. Instead, he is actively obstructing law enforcement and putting Illinois families at risk.

And now, while violent riots are breaking out in Los Angeles, Pritzker is pushing the same dangerous, lawless agenda here in Illinois, inciting division and emboldening chaos in our streets.

While Illinois families are struggling to survive rising taxes, out-of-control crime, and failing schools, Pritzker is using YOUR voice to push a radical national agenda.

He doesn’t speak for us. We will not let this stand.

Our ILGOP rapid response team is fighting back, but we need YOU to help us stop this madness.

  29 Comments      


Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea…

Following the RTA Board Meeting in which the transit authority detailed the need for potential cuts, station closures, and layoffs, Tim Drea, on behalf of the Labor Alliance for Public Transportation and Dany Robles, on behalf of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, are calling on Springfield to take swift and immediate action to address the transit fiscal cliff ahead of the October veto session, and pressing the RTA to outline shared principles grounded in equity and accessibility for proposed service cuts:

“Today’s RTA board meeting unveiled the disastrous consequences of Springfield’s inaction to address the transit fiscal cliff. As a result, the CTA, Metra, and Pace are being asked to plan for budget cuts, transit workers across Illinois will face inevitable job cuts, and Chicago may be left with a public transit network smaller than Madison, Wisconsin.

While the RTA, labor, transit, and environmental advocates made it clear from day one that answers were needed by May 31, the legislature put politics and corporations above working people who rely on public transit at all hours. Their choice to do so will harm our environment, put more cars on the road, and exacerbate the traffic that already plagues Northeastern Illinois for decades to come.

Riders and workers have made it clear that they want the reforms and dedicated revenue stream that were negotiated in the spring legislative session. Transit workers and riders deserve better, and need the RTA to act with transparency and to urge collaboration across the agencies as they navigate the forthcoming cuts. Our transit system serves riders throughout all of Illinois, and it’s critical that RTA, CTA, Metra, and Pace work with Springfield to reduce the potential harms these cuts will cause.

We cannot wait any longer – the General Assembly needs to avert further disaster and address the transit fiscal cliff with reforms and dedicated revenue, while working with existing agencies to ensure that we are investing in the future of our transit systems. The time to act is now.”

* Associated Press…

The Illinois secretary of state on Thursday asked for an investigation into a suburban Chicago police department after learning that it violated state law by sharing data from automatic license-plate readers with a Texas sheriff seeking a woman who had an abortion.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias asked the attorney general to review the matter. He also is creating an audit system to ensure police departments don’t run afoul of a 2023 law banning the distribution of license-plate data to track women seeking abortions or to find undocumented immigrants. […]

The incident was revealed by a website called 404 Media, which reported that the Texas sheriff sent a nationwide request for data from 83,000 cameras operated by the private company Flock Safety, including those in Mount Prospect. […]

At Giannoulias’ request, Flock Safety blocked access to 62 out-of-state agencies that have sought data related to abortion or immigration, [deputy Secretary of State Scott Burnham] said. The company also set up a program to flag the terms “abortion” and “immigration” in requests for access and deny those requests.

* USA Today…

Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Illinois rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Thursday.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 10,468 in the week ending May 31, up from 9,991 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 247,000 last week, up 8,000 claims from 239,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

* I’m having issues with WBEZ and WTTW. What about y’all?…


*** Statewide ***

* Brownfield Ag | New IL FFA President comes from a long line of service: Natalie Pratt, daughter of Andy & Katie Pratt and a member of the Amboy High School FFA Chapter, says her family has a history of serving the organization. “My mom was a state reporter, and so was my aunt when they were my age, and my uncle was a state treasurer a couple of years after them, and currently on stage right now is Emma Dingus, my cousin, the current state treasurer.” She says, “So, FFA and the blue jackets run in our blood. It’s something that I’ve always known that I wanted to do.”

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | After six decades on Illinois’ public stage, Michael Madigan’s likely last act will be his sentencing in a courtroom Friday: On Friday, six decades after the constitutional convention, Madigan will appear for what likely will be his last public act. And it will play out in a forum that virtually no one — especially a shrewd political tactician such as himself — would have ever seen coming. The stage will be a federal courtroom on 12th Floor of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where Madigan, 83, is scheduled to be sentenced for his conviction in February on a wide range of corruption charges alleging he used his public office to increase his power, line his own pockets and enrich a small circle of his most loyal associates.

* IPM | Illinois lawmakers strengthen law requiring hospital care for sexual assault survivors: The 49-year-old Illinois law requires hospitals to be designated either “treatment” or “transfer” hospitals. The former must provide key services to all rape victims, with some exceptions in pediatric cases. The latter must get state approval to transfer rape victims elsewhere. APM Reports found some hospitals transferred patients as far as 80 minutes away even though a closer hospital could have treated them and collected evidence.

* Press Release | Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns WW II Purple Heart to Suburban Geneva Family: Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today returned a lost Purple Heart medal to the grandson of a World War II veteran who earned it while fighting to liberate Germany. The medal earned by Private First-Class Edward Gorski Jr. was returned to his grandson, Shawn Gorski, who also served in the Army. […] The Purple Heart was among items in a bank safe deposit box submitted to the state treasurer’s office in 2003. This is the 14th Purple Heart medal Treasurer Frerichs has returned to the soldier or the soldier’s family, an unparalleled record in Illinois and the nation. A list of unclaimed Purple Heart medals in possession of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is available at the Operation Purple Heart web page, as is a list of the medals returned.

* WICS | Illinois Freedom Caucus to address sanctuary cities after Pritzker testimony: The event is scheduled to take place at the Elm Tree Site, with an estimated start time of 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Speakers at the press conference will include Rep. Chris Miller, Rep. Blaine Wilhour, Rep. Brad Halbrook, and Sen. Andrew Chesney.

*** Chicago ***

* Sun-Times | ComEd offers $500 payments for customers who can’t pay electric bills: The utility is offering individuals grants of $500 each and providing nonprofit groups that help those struggling to pay their bills up to $1,000 each. A total of $10 million is available under the program. Customers can apply for assistance beginning July 7 by going online at www.comed.com/relief. To be eligible for the program, people have to show they fall below federal poverty levels and have a past-due balance on their account.

* WTTW | Pay Man Who Spent More Than 29 Years in Prison After Being Tortured, Wrongfully Convicted $14.75M, Chicago’s Lawyers Recommend: For more than three decades, James Gibson has said he was tortured by Chicago police detectives directly supervised by Jon Burge, a disgraced former Chicago police commander. Dozens of lawsuits and complaints alleging physical abuse have been filed against detectives trained by Burge, who city officials admit tortured and beat more than 100 Black men during his career. Even though no physical evidence or eyewitness ever linked Gibson to the murders of 61-year-old Lloyd Benjamin and 56-year-old Hunter Wash in an Englewood garage in December 1989, the then 23-year-old was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison after telling police he was in the garage when the two men were killed.

* Crain’s | Rideshare pay ordinance stalls — but the fight’s not over: An ordinance meant to boost the pay of rideshare drivers stalled out this morning, but it may only be a temporary victory for Uber and Lyft. A scheduled vote on the ordinance today in the Workforce Development Committee is being delayed at the request of some members of the City Council who want more information and are hesitant to support a measure that’s drawn fierce opposition from the business community.

* Chicago Reader | Passages Charter School shutters pre-k program: The decision to close the preschool could have unintended ramifications. More children were enrolled in preschool than in any other grade at Passages, according to Kady Pagano, lead teacher in the preschool department. “It’s displacing more families than, I feel, the CEOs realized, or maybe even cared about,” Pagano says.

* WBBM | Chicago’s Field Museum receives rare asteroid sample: Philipp Heck said leading the study of a nearly five billion year old asteroid sample is the “highlight of my career.”"We are very excited to have a piece of asteroid Bennu here that was collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx space mission,” he said. “This was collected in the year 2020. It arrived on Earth in 2023.”

* Bloomberg | Chicago Bears weigh sale of late McKenna’s minority stake: The exact size of the stake isn’t known. McKenna, a former chairman of McDonald’s, died in 2023. The descendants of George Halas, the team’s founder, own approximately 80% of the team. In addition to McKenna’s stake, some shares are owned by insurance billionaire Pat Ryan, 88. Ryan and McKenna originally purchased 19.7% of the club in 1990. It’s likely the Halas descendants, along with Ryan, will have the right of refusal for any potential investors. Galatioto Sports Partners was hired to handle the potential sale.

* Block Club | The Windy City Times Told LGBTQ+ Stories When No One Else Would. 40 Years Later, They’re Still At It: One of its founders was Tracy Baim, a 22-year-old recent college graduate who had just taken a typesetting job at Gay Life, a prominent LGBTQ+ periodical of the era. The daughter of journalists, Baim hadn’t planned on starting a newspaper — but she recognized what was missing in those times. When Baim began her career, the AIDS crisis had barely made headlines — Chicago had reported just over 100 cases. But by 1985, the epidemic became impossible to ignore — and for Baim, there was no more urgent time to document the community, she said.

* Shermann “Dilla” Thomas | I grew up internalizing homophobia, but meeting Bernard helped me grow: Bernard let out a sigh and sat up straight. “Dilla,” he said, “I was the best dressed in high school four years running. My brother worked at Foot Locker. I have every pair of Jordans ever made. But when it came down to picking ‘best dressed,’ they didn’t vote for me because they knew I was gay. I was a student leader and got things done for my class, but they wouldn’t vote for me as class president because I was gay. I tried out for the basketball team for four straight years. I was the best player on the court every time, but the coaches never picked me because I was gay. If all I had to do was like women and think that boobs were cool, I would have done it in a heartbeat. So no, Dilla, being gay is not a choice. No one in their right mind would choose to be picked on and left out.” In that instant, I understood and felt shame for every gay joke I’d ever cracked. I felt bad for his childhood experience. I felt bad that it took me so long to see what was clearly an incredible human being.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Homewood OKs grocery tax; Hazel Crest mulls same path: The Homewood Village Board voted Tuesday to approve a replacement tax, also of 1%, to take effect in January. Hazel Crest officials discussed implementing a tax at a Village Board committee meeting Tuesday. Nearly 190 communities across the state have so far enacted a tax to replace the state tax, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue. Locally, that includes Blue Island, Chicago Heights, Crestwood, Evergreen Park, Markham, Oak Lawn, Richton Park and Tinley Park.

* Evanston RoundTable | Miracle Jenkins enters primary for Illinois’ 9th District, aims to make life ‘easier’ for working Americans: Miracle Jenkins, who grew up in Evanston, officially announced Wednesday his bid for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District in the 2026 primary. Jenkins’ platform aims to promote livable wages, expand healthcare for all and support union workers, according to his campaign website. “The reason I’m running is is to make it easier for the working people this country,” Jenkins told the RoundTable. “Specifically, like I said, it’s been far too hard for the working people of this country, and it’s time for bold policy decisions to make life a little bit easier.”

* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora City Council approves up to $95 million bond issue for construction projects: The tax-exempt general obligation bonds would go to pay for the construction of a relocated Fire Station 9, a new Fire Station 13, the new fire department headquarters building, the RiverEdge Park renovation and the recently-constructed new Public Works facility as well as the roadway improvement project around Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road. All of the projects to be funded through the newly-approved bond sale have begun, and several are already “out of the ground,” according to Minick. These projects were approved under former Mayor Richard Irvin, and current Mayor John Laesch voted against some of them.

* Crain’s | Tempus, Northwestern partner to focus AI on Alzheimer’s research: In a multiyear collaboration, Tempus will use its Lens data analytics platform to analyze and restructure genomic data from the Abrams Research Center on Neurogenomics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. The Abrams Center and Tempus will work to uncover genomic patterns that can better researchers’ understanding of the disease and the gene and cell types affected, the company said in a news release. The groups hope to find new therapeutics and accelerate the creation of novel clinical applications.

*** Downstate ***

* WGN | Group sues to remove Ten Commandments monument from southern Illinois courthouse lawn: The lawsuit, filed Monday in Illinois’ 2nd Judicial Circuit Court, targets Jefferson County, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners and several Jefferson County board members. It also references Sheriff Jeff Bullard, not explicitly as a defendant, but as an individual who allegedly had a role in moving the monument from its original location inside the courthouse to the lawn outside. According to the lawsuit, Bullard commissioned the monument last year with help of private donations, and the monument was initially installed inside the courthouse lobby.

* WBUR | Southern Illinois farmers face a growing problem: What to do when nature reclaims your land:Just before New Year’s Day 2016, the Mississippi River punched a hole in the Len Small levee, built in 1943 to protect farmland along an S-shaped curve in the river known as Dogtooth Bend. That hole was never repaired. When the water rose again in 2019, it washed six barges through the breach. Four were retrieved before the flood receded, but two were left to rust. Through the almost mile-long gap in the levee, Thomas spies a boat gliding downstream. “The view is beautiful at night when one goes by,” he said. “It looks like a floating hotel.” The view might be beautiful, but that levee breach is a reminder that Dogtooth Bend is going to flood again.

* Daily Illini | Champaign County workers vote to strike if necessary, UI professor weighs in: Champaign County workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 900 voted on May 29 to authorize a strike if deemed necessary. 90% of eligible employees voted, of whom 96% were in favor of strike authorization. Negotiations have stalled for 150 days following the expiration of the union’s contract with Champaign County at the end of 2024. AFSCME Council 31 said county officials “still have failed to come forward with the fair wage increases and affordable health insurance they know are needed to settle a new contract.”

* BND | Metro east healthcare provider opens 16 affordable housing units: Dubbed “Vivian’s Village,” the $6.5 million facility will provide a safe and stable option in the lower-income Metro East community, according to leaders of the Sauget-based healthcare organization. “I think this is something that’s needed in every community,” said SIHF Healthcare CEO Larry McCulley. “This is the way we bring health back to healthcare. This is where we bring dignity back to healthcare.” McCulley, along with local and state leaders, sees the project as a new way to think about healthcare in the United States, providing more holistic services outside the typical hospital and clinical setting.

* WKMS | ‘Up, up and away’ in Metropolis, southern Illinois city prepares for annual Superman Celebration: Metropolis’ legacy with Superman started when local businessman Bob Westerfield realized his Illinois town was the only Metropolis in the United States. After Westerfield connected local officials with DC Comics, the city – which bears more of a resemblance to Clark Kent’s canonical hometown of Smallville – became the official hometown of Superman in the summer of 1972. Before the decade’s end, the Superman Celebration was born.

* WTVO | Grammy-winning CeeLo Green to take stage in Rockford on Aug. 15: CeeLo Green, the singer-songwriter formerly of Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley, and one-time celebrity judge on TV’s The Voice, will be performing in Rockford in August. Green will take the stage at Hard Rock Live, located inside the Hard Rock Casino Rockford, on Friday, August 15th at 7 p.m.

*** National ***

* WIRED | The EPA Wants to Roll Back Emissions Controls on Power Plants: In a press conference on Tuesday, flanked by legislators from some of the country’s top fossil-fuel-producing states, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin accused both the Obama and Biden administrations of “seeking to suffocate our economy in order to protect the environment.” Zeldin singled out data centers as helping to drive unprecedented demand in the US power sector over the next decade. […] The proposed EPA rollbacks target a suite of rules on the power plant sector put in place last year by the Biden administration. Those regulations mandated that coal- and gas-fired power plants reduce their emissions by 90 percent by the early 2030s, primarily by using carbon capture and storage technology.

* NYT | F.T.C. May Put Unusual Condition on Ad Mega Merger: No Boycotting: A proposed consent decree would prevent the merged company from boycotting platforms because of their political content by refusing to place their clients’ advertisements on them, according to two people briefed on the matter. The restrictions being discussed by the Federal Trade Commission as part of its merger review are part of an effort by the Trump administration to use federal agencies to root out what it considers political bias in corporate America against conservative voices and causes.

  3 Comments      


DuPage Republicans will launch pilot program to address vote by mail reluctance

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Background is here if you need it. Naperville Sun…

After a spring election in which Democrats were victorious across the suburbs, DuPage County Republicans are launching a pilot program to encourage mail-in voting among their GOP base.

Set to begin in earnest until later this summer, party officials have high hopes the initiative will help the GOP regain strength in DuPage, a once Republican stronghold that has been shifting blue for years now.

“For numerous cycles now, strong DuPage County Republican candidates have been defeated by lesser Democratic candidates who have benefitted to an enormous degree from vote-by-mail (VBM) voting,” DuPage GOP Chairman Kevin Coyne, a former Naperville City Council member, said in a statement on social media earlier this month. […]

Through the pilot program, the local party will be encouraging Republican voters in select precincts across DuPage to sign up for the county’s permanent vote-by-mail program, Coyne said in a call.

A pilot program won’t make much difference in the short term. But financial and human resources could be playing a role in keeping it small.

* But even if they do go all-in, the Republican Party has a serious branding problem in DuPage. And as the last municipal election showed, it’s seeping into the groundwater.

We’ve watched this play out the other way in most of southern Illinois. The voting pattern change started at the top of the ticket and then went all the way down to the lowest municipal rungs, to the point where Democrats don’t even try anymore.

  8 Comments      


Why Are Tax-Exempt Hospitals Getting Rich?

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Across Illinois, big hospital systems and PBMs are abusing the 340B drug discount program – making massive profits while patients drown in medical bills. One whistleblower called it “laundering money.”

Here’s how the scam works: big hospitals buy discounted 340B drugs, bill patients full price, then split the difference with for-profit pharmacies and PBMs.

340B was meant to help Illinois communities in need. But there are no rules requiring hospitals and PBMs to pass savings on to patients. No transparency. No oversight. Just higher costs for working families, small businesses, and taxpayers.

Meanwhile, tax-exempt hospitals cash in – and PBMs get a cut too.

  Comments Off      


Pritzker congressional testimony coverage roundup (Updated)

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Click here to read the governor’s opening remarks and click here to watch the hearing…


* Daily Herald…

In congressional testimony Thursday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of terrorizing the state’s schools, neighborhoods and families.

Pritzker also said he’s proud of how Illinois has responded to what he called a “broken immigration system,” saying the state has promoted public safety, treated people with dignity and respected the rule of law. […]

In a more than 4-minute opening statement, Pritzker testified violent crime is down in Illinois and said violent criminals have no place on its streets.

“And if they are undocumented, I want them out of Illinois and out of our country,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker spoke of his family’s immigrant roots, telling the committee about how his great-grandfather came to the U.S. to escape persecution of Jews in Ukraine. He went on to say Illinoisans value what he called “the most American ideal of all — that where your life began matters far less than the reams you can realize here for yourself and your family.”

* Sun-Times…

Many Republican lawmakers repeatedly suggested that sanctuary policies protect immigrants who commit violent crimes and inhibit ICE’s ability to carry out its job.

Mark Fleming, associate director of litigation at the Chicago-based National Immigrant Justice Center, said the Trust Act does not stop ICE from doing immigration enforcement in the state.

“Under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, it’s not the responsibility nor is it a requirement that local law enforcement help enforce a federal regulatory program,” Fleming said. “States like Illinois have decided that it’s not in their best interest. That in reality, it harms public safety because people are scared to come to the police when they’re witnesses and victims of crime for fear that some sort of collateral immigration consequence may result from it.”

Jaime Dominguez, associate professor of political science at Northwestern University, said the Trust Act falls within the scope of a state’s right, and that Illinois legally does not have to carry out the responsibility of the federal government.

* NBC Chicago…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker didn’t mince words when asked about the possibility of being targeted for arrest by Trump administration officials over the state’s immigration policies. […]

“I have the highest duty to protect the people of my state, and if Tom Homan were to try to arrest me, I can say first of all, he can try,” Pritzker said. “I can also tell you that I will stand in the way of Tom Homan going after people who don’t deserve to be frightened in their communities, who don’t deserve to be threatened or terrorized. I would rather he come and arrest me than do that to the people of my state.”

Pritzker and Homan have been at odds before. In the leadup to Trump’s inauguration, Homan spoke at a conference in Phoenix and said that Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson needed to cooperate with the federal government, or face consequences.

“Put up all the roadblocks you want, because we’ll knock them down,” he said.

* WTTW…

U.S. Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky), the committee’s chair, began the hearing by decrying the death of Katie Abraham, a 20-year-old University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who was killed in a January car crash. Julio Cucul Bol, who authorities said entered in country with false documents, has been charged in connection with Abraham’s death.

Comer accused Pritzker of turning Chicago into a “haven for drugs and crimes” by protecting undocumented immigrants from deportation. However, homicides dropped 28% during the first five months of 2025, and the number of shootings dropped 35%, as compared with the first five months of 2024, city records show.

Comer accused all three governors of prioritizing “criminal illegal aliens over the American people.”

* Tribune…

Because the Oversight Committee is a contentious forum with partisan firebrands competing for attention the panel’s hearings often devolve into side political skirmishes. That happened Thursday between Pritzker and Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill when he asked the Illinois governor, “Do you think biological men should be using women’s restrooms?”

“I’m not sure how this has to do with immigration,” Pritzker responded. Gill noted Pritzker used social media to urge people to use the other gender’s restroom as a protest to Trump rescinding protections for transgender youth.

“Have you ever used the women’s restroom?” Gill then asked Pritzker. “Not that I recall,” the Illinois governor responded.

“Did you ever consider that women don’t want you in their bathrooms?” Gill said.

During the debate, Pritzker said to the congressman, “So you’re admitting that this is just a political circus,” in response to the questions.

* Sun-Times…

Almost two hours into the hearing, GOP Texas Rep. Brandon Gill went on the offensive against Pritzker with rapid-fire questions ranging from the cost of providing health care to people in Illinois without legal status, to whether the governor supports Hamas.

“Sir, I do not. They are a terrorist organization,” Pritzker responded. “I have spent my life fighting antisemitism… I know Republicans want to take away people’s right to free speech. We don’t in Illinois.”

* Meanwhile…


* And a sideshow…

Also from Sen. Chesney..

State Senator Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) joined a group of conservative Illinois lawmakers in Washington D.C. on Thursday for the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform as Congressional legislators grilled Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and two other Governors about the impact of Sanctuary State policies on their states.

“Governor Pritzker is a master at twisting words, deflecting facts, and rewriting narratives to suit his own political purposes,” said Chesney. “I came here to set the record straight and speak for the families who are suffering under Pritzker’s woke agenda and failed sanctuary state policies.”

Joining Governor Pritzker on the panel of Sanctuary State Governors were Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.

“Governor Pritzker, in his efforts to gain national headlines, has turned Illinois into a safe haven for illegal immigrant criminals who are terrorizing our communities,” Chesney said. “Pritzker is more interested in appealing to liberal elites than protecting Illinois families. His failed sanctuary state policies have cost the taxpayers of Illinois billions, and he will do anything to grab the national spotlight, even at the expense of the citizens he claims to represent.”

* More…

…Adding… This could complicate matters…

A northwest suburban police department illegally shared automatic license plate reader information with a Texas sheriff searching for a woman who got an abortion, according to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.

Mount Prospect police have also shared license plate data in hundreds of immigration-related cases in violation of a state law that took effect last year, Giannoulias’ office says — and they’re probably not alone among Illinois departments cooperating with out-of-state law enforcement when they shouldn’t be. […]

A further probe found Mount Prospect plate data was accessed in 262 immigration-related matters during the first few months of this year alone. The violations could block the suburb from state grant funding.

  16 Comments      


Staggering domestic violence-related numbers documented in new report

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a press release…

Today, The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence is releasing the third volume of its annual data report, Measuring Safety, covering key trends from calls to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline.

Measuring Safety reports assess various systems survivors of gender-based violence engage with to provide a comprehensive overview of survivor needs and systems responses. This volume specifically reviews resources provided and services requested through the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline in 2024.

* Executive summary…

In the five years since pre-pandemic 2019, contact to the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline (the Hotline) has more than doubled.

    • In 2024, after years of steady growth, the Hotline received 59,704 contacts, a 26% increase in contact from 2023 and a 140% increase from 2019.
    • This included increases from Cook County and the City of Chicago, which had seen stagnation in contact from 2019-2022.

Domestic violence shelter remains the number one need among survivors who contact the Hotline and shelter capacity is not able to meet demand.

    • The Hotline received a record breaking 18,940 requests for shelter across Illinois in 2024, a 5% increase since 2023 and 112% increase since 2019.
    • In Chicago, there were no available beds or cribs in DV shelters for 130 days in 2024.
    • The shelter crisis was even more marked in the suburbs where there were no available beds or cribs in DV shelters for 173 days in 2024.

Demand for affordable and transitional housing also continued to skyrocket as shelters remained full.

    • In 2024, the Hotline received 2,325 requests for affordable or transitional housing across Illinois, a 77% increase from 2023 and a staggering 383% increase from pre-pandemic 2019.
    • Demand also grew locally, with 980 requests for affordable or transitional housing coming from Chicago, a 67% increase from 2023

In recognition of limited service capacity to meet survivor needs, The Hotline continued to expand its own supplemental programming to bridge the gap.

    • In 2024, the Hotline provided hotel stays to 1,285 survivors and covering nearly $800,000 in housing costs, nearly 10 times the amount provided in 2023.
    • In 2024, the Hotline’s Safe Rides program provided 2,233 rides to 3,456 passengers which was nearly double the number of passengers taken to safety compared to 2023 (94% increase).
    • In 2024, the Hotline received 1,873 program requests for interpretation services across Illinois, representing a significant 223% increase compared to 2023 while followed a 241% increase compared to 2022.

Discuss.

  1 Comment      


Field of soy dreams

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* 2024 soybean cropland via NASA…


* More from NASA…

In Illinois, soybeans are big business. The state’s farmers harvested 64 bushels per acre in 2024, producing a record 688 million bushels of the versatile legume. The plant’s protein-rich beans are widely used as food for both livestock and people, as well as for the production of biodiesel and other industrial products.

The map above depicts data from the Cropland Data Layer, an annual, geo-referenced, crop-specific land cover dataset created by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) for the contiguous United States. It uses data collected by Landsat satellites and Sentinel-2 to identify crop types. The elevation data layered onto the image comes from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Areas classified as soybean fields in 2024 are light green. Farmers in the Midwest often grow soybeans in rotation with other crops, usually corn and wheat.

The 2024 soybean harvest in Illinois was the nation’s largest, amounting to 16 percent of the total U.S. crop. A harvest of that scale supports tens of thousands of jobs and generates roughly $7 billion in economic output. Iowa trailed closely with 597 million bushels, followed by Indiana and Minnesota with 341 million and 329 million bushels, respectively.

Illinois growers benefit from having access to fertile soils, flat terrain that enables easy harvesting, and convenient transportation options and processing facilities. Soybeans are grown widely, with the exception of the Chicago area and the hilly region in the southern part of the state. McLean County, in east central Illinois, had the largest harvest of any U.S. county in 2024, producing 22.6 million bushels.

Illinois is also an important hub of agricultural innovation and research. Through the NASA Acres consortium, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is working with other universities on 14 programs designed to convert satellite data into useful information for farmers.

For instance, University of Illinois researcher Kaiyu Guan, chief scientist for NASA Acres, is leading an effort to combine satellite data with ground sampling and hyperspectral imaging to determine the optimal nitrogen levels for crops. Guan and colleagues recently released an online calculator—the Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) Tool—designed to help Illinois farmers maximize profit while minimizing environmental problems.

Pretty neat.

* Farm Week Now…

Of the 62 reporting counties in Illinois for 2024, more than half (37) averaged 200-plus bushels per acre for corn and more than a quarter (16) averaged 70-plus bushels per acre for soybeans. Statewide, yields averaged 217 bushels per acre for corn and 64 bushels for beans last year.

“If you think about the year weather-wise, it wasn’t the greatest,” [Brad Summa, regional director of field operations for the NASS Heartland Regional Office in St. Louis,] said. “It seems like we had just enough good weather to keep the crops going and on pace for these incredible yields.”

County corn yields in 2024 ranged from a high of 248 bushels per acre in Sangamon County to a low of 144.9 bushels in Williamson. Soybean yields ranged from a high of 77.8 bushels per acre in Macon County to a low of 43 bushels in Williamson.

McLean County once again led the state and nation for total production of corn (76.2 million bushels) and soybeans (22.6 million bushels) in 2024.

  13 Comments      


It’s almost a law

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Tribune…

Last-minute changes approved by Illinois lawmakers in the waning days of the session will cost Chicago taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in their first year and billions over time by giving some police officers and firefighters more lucrative pensions.

Lead sponsor Sen. Robert Martwick, a Chicago Democrat, told the Tribune the tweaks were a negotiated fix agreed to by Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker that was promised to both bring parity between Chicago and downstate first responders and help bridge a shortfall in benefits for employees hired after 2010. […]

Johnson’s finance team estimated the initial cost would be $52 million in 2027. Budget watchdogs warned it will add billions to the city’s pension liability, a figure that topped $37 billion by the end of 2023. […]

Dave Sullivan, a lobbyist for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, wrote in the union’s monthly newsletter that several years ago Pritzker called “personally to assure me that he would make Tier 2 parity … a reality,” and he looked forward to the governor’s signature.

Pritzker’s office didn’t respond to a question about whether there was such an agreement and said the bill was under review.

* WAND…

A bill on Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk could improve public safety while addressing the state’s appeals process for FOID card decisions. Sponsors said the plan will provide more due process for people whose FOID cards are revoked or denied.

Anyone can lose their FOID card if they are reported to the Illinois State Police as a danger to themselves or others by medical professionals, law enforcement, or school officials.

House Bill 850 could establish an expedited review process for people who believe they have been wrongly deemed a clear and present danger. Gun owners would be able to receive any information related to their case and object to redactions they feel are necessary for a full and fair review.

“We’re talking about situations where somebody has their FOID card revoked under Clear and Present Danger. There are a variety of elements under Clear and Present Danger,” said Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highland Park). “Specifically, when they’ve had their FOID card revoked and they want to find out whether or not that was based on correct information, that piece is missing now. This language would provide that.”

* WCIA…

The Illinois Legislature passed a bill to the governor’s desk that would ban the use of therapy offered by Artificial Intelligence. Mental health professionals would also only be able to use AI transcriptions of sessions if the patient consents to it.

The National Association for Social Workers said while artificial intelligence could be a promising tool in the future, right now it is not bound by ethics.

“These AI chat bots, even though you can try to program as best as you can, they’re not human,” said Kyle Hillman, the legislative director for NASW-IL. “They don’t have that interaction they don’t have that kind of response. And so, they’re influenced by what kind of data comes into those products and that influence is changing the biases towards, I think, dangerous conservations.”[…]

If signed into law, Illinois would be the first state to ban these chatbots.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Under a bill awaiting the governor’s signature, certain insurance plans would have to cover hippotherapy and other forms of therapeutic horseback riding in Illinois.

Hippotherapy is a type of physical, occupational and speech therapy where the movement of a horse is used to treat a patient’s specific disability or disorder. The practice is used to treat conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, strokes, head and spinal cord injuries, as well as behavioral disorders and psychiatric disorders, including PTSD.

Marita Wassman is the founder of Ride On St. Louis, a nonprofit organization that provides equine-assisted services to both children and adults in the St. Louis area. As one of five licensed certified therapeutic riding instructors at the advanced level in Missouri, Wassman’s stable has provided services to patients for over 27 years – the majority of whom she says are children needing physical or intellectual services.

A previous patient of hers was an 8-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who struggled to hold her head upright on her own for extended periods of time. After four months of treatment, Wassman said the girl’s parents reported that she was able to both sit and hold her head up for over an hour when they went out to dinner – when previously, she would rest her head on her arms for a majority of the dinner.

“If you were to go ride a horse for an hour, it could benefit you exactly the same way as if you did a powerwalk for an hour,” Wassman said. “And for people specifically who can’t get that on their own, who are in wheelchairs or even if they are ambulatory but don’t have a symmetrical movement, sitting on a horse that is nice and even is really going to help their muscles.” […]

Senate Bill 69 passed the Senate unanimously in April as well as the House in late May on a vote of 78-33. It will become law if signed by Gov. JB Pritzker.

* Rep. Joyce Mason…

A new measure led by state Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, continues her commitment to public health by ensuring that Illinois catfish are processed safely and inspected thoroughly before being cleared for sale on the open market and human consumption.

“Allowing bad fish to make its way into our grocery stores presents a public health hazard,” Mason said. “The resulting spread of food poisoning and related illnesses, sudden burden on our hospitals and lasting blow to trust in the fish industry would pose serious challenges for our community. These new safeguards help prevent that harm.”

Mason has fought for the public safety of her community on a variety of fronts since she came into office, and taking a lead role in the passage of Senate Bill 2459 is another step forward for that cause. This measure makes small changes to definitions in the Illinois Meat and Poultry Inspection Act to allow catfish (Siluriformes fish) to be inspected by Illinois health experts.

Senate Bill 2459 received strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate and now goes to the Governor’s desk for consideration. It has the backing of the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Freedom Civic Coalition.

“Maintaining public safety is a responsibility that requires a holistic approach,” Mason said. “We are always working on keeping violent criminals off our streets, ensuring that our water is safe to drink and our air is safe to breathe, advancing renewable energy technologies and, in this case, we are working on making sure the food we buy is safe to eat. This is a responsibility I take very seriously.”

* State Journal-Register…

House Bill 2516, commonly known as the PFAS Reduction Act, passed in the Senate in a vote 77 to 39. Beginning in 2032 the sale and distribution of certain items with intentionally added forever chemicals in the state will be against the law.

Unintentionally added PFAS that occur during the process of production through water contamination are not part of the bill, as well as firefighting foam, which is commonly made using PFAS.

Items protected from added PFAS under the bill are cosmetics, dental floss, children’s products, menstrual products and intimate apparel. […]

Originally, the bill called for implementation in 2026 and included cookware like nonstick pans and food storage to be lumped in with the rest of the list. In a senate amendment on May 13 however, the articles were dropped, and a clause was added requiring the EPA to prepare and submit a report to the General Assembly by August of 2027.

  13 Comments      


RETAIL: The Largest Employer In Illinois

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retail creates more jobs in Illinois than any other private sector employer, with one out of every four workers employed by the retail sector. Importantly, retail is an industry in which everyone, regardless of credentials, can find a viable career path.

Retailers like Jackie in Macomb enrich our economy and strengthen our communities. We Are Retail and IRMA showcase the retailers who make Illinois work.

  Comments Off      


Open thread

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Brian Wilson’s 1966 album Pet Sounds changed everything about everything. No joke…

You know it’s gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and stay together

An absolute masterpiece. Everything about that song is perfect, particularly the demand for personal freedom during the post-war, outrageously ridiculous neo-Victorian hypocrisy. The record was one of the best psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll albums ever, with a hard Frank Sinatra swing.

Brian should’ve won a Nobel Prize.

* Also…


RIP

What’s up?

  17 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: In House committee testimony, Pritzker will defend TRUST Act, point finger at ‘abuses of power.’ Sun-Times…

    - Gov. JB Pritzker plans to tell House Oversight committee members Thursday that the state of Illinois isn’t a place for violent criminals who lack legal status — and it will not tolerate “violations of the law or abuses of power.”
    - The Democratic governor will also staunchly defend the state’s TRUST Act, which was signed by his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
    - Pritzker will also blame both Democrats and Republicans for lacking a comprehensive immigration policy, which he outlined in an October 2023 letter to President Joe Biden as a failure that “created an unprecedented strain on Illinois’s resources.”

Click here to read the governor’s opening remarks and click here to watch Pritzker’s testimony at 9 am.

* Related stories…

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*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Mt. Prospect probed for sharing Illinois license plate reader data in Texas abortion case: Mount Prospect police have also shared license plate data in hundreds of immigration-related cases in violation of a state law that took effect last year, Giannoulias’ office says — and they’re probably not alone among Illinois departments cooperating with out-of-state law enforcement when they shouldn’t be. That’s why the state is launching an audit to make sure police across Illinois are following the law that’s intended to shield people seeking abortions or lacking legal status from out-of-state prosecution, officials announced Thursday.

Secretary Giannoulias will announce new measures “aimed at preventing further abuse” today at 11 am.

* Sun-Times | Michael Madigan is being sentenced Friday. Here’s what you need to know.: U.S. District Judge John Blakey will have a lot of options when he sentences Madigan. Federal prosecutors have asked him to sentence Madigan to 12 ½ years. Madigan’s attorneys have asked for probation. Blakey is more likely to come down somewhere in the middle. Madigan is 83. And his circumstances are remarkably similar to that of ex-Chicago Ald. Edward M. Burke, who was sentenced to two years behind bars for racketeering last year amid the same investigation.

* Tribune | New paper sheds light on experience of Black prisoners in infamous Illinois prison malaria experiments: “They haven’t been properly acknowledged in the past, and their participation in these studies was really foundational in launching the field of pharmacogenetics and, later on, precision medicine,” said Allen, who recently completed her doctorate at the University of Utah. Starting in the 1940s, researchers infected inmates at the Joliet-area prison with malaria to test the effectiveness of drugs to treat the illness as part of a U.S. military-funded effort to protect American troops overseas, according to the paper. A University of Chicago doctor was the principal investigator. The inmates consented to being part of the studies and were paid for their participation.

*** Statehouse News ***

* WCIA | Illinois lawmakers allocate $35M to after-school programs: After months of demands from after-school advocates and tough budget decisions, lawmakers have allocated $35 million for after-school programs in the budget they passed at the end of May. Now, programs like the Central Illinois Boys and Girls Clubs are counting on the distribution of that funding and hoping to restart some of the services they lost. The lack of funding has had a ripple effect on many programs across the state, according to ACT Now.

* WJPF | Former IL State Senator Ken Buzbee passes away: Buzbee, a Democrat, was first elected to the state senate in 1972, where he served on several powerful committees, including Appropriations and Higher Education. In 1984, he chose not to seek re-election to the senate in order to run for Congress. Buzbee lost that primary election to the late Ken Gray.

*** Chicago ***

* Block Club Chicago | Chicago Braces For Surge In Immigration Raids As Mayor Brandon Johnson Urges City To ‘Resist’: Cristina Pacione-Zayas, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s chief of staff, said to reporters Wednesday city officials have been told federal agents received notice a day earlier that they had 48 hours to deploy to five Democrat-led cities, including Chicago. Pacione-Zayas said that the tactical teams would be “targeting workplaces in terms of the raids.” It comes as another anti-Trump rally is again expected to draw thousands Downtown this weekend.

* NBC Chicago | Woman speaks after she was struck by vehicle during Chicago immigration protest: “At one point I look behind and I saw a red car accelerating towards us my husband was able to jump out of the way but the next thing I knew people were getting me to the sidewalk and asking me if I needed an ambulance and I said yes because I hit my head,” she said. In addition to her fractured arm, Blair said she will have follow-up appointments for her teeth and face, but is thankful that a bad situation didn’t turn out worse.

* The Athletic | Sky’s Ariel Atkins says Angel Reese’s ‘crown is heavy,’ urges media to show more respect: “Whatever questions y’all got like about our team, basketball-wise, we appreciate it, but all the other nonsense, like it’s irrelevant. This is a 23-year-old kid who handles herself with grace. Her crown is heavy.” Atkins, 28, was acquired by the Sky in February to bring her defensive-minded leadership to the young Chicago roster. The two-time All-Star helped the Washington Mystics win the 2019 WNBA title.

* ABC Chicago | Pope Leo XIV wears Chicago White Sox hat at the Vatican: There’s now a mural at Rate Field near where he sat for that game. On Saturday, a video message from Pope Leo will play during a sold-out celebration and Mass at the ballpark. The big celebration starts around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. You can watch it live on ABC7’s website and wherever you stream.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Southtown | Plaintiff in FOIA lawsuit won’t accept former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s affidavit: An attorney for former Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard agreed Wednesday to amend an affidavit Henyard filed stating she does not possess documents sought through the Freedom of Information Act after the organization suing her claimed it did not meet state standards. Henyard’s attorney, Beau Brindley, reached the agreement ahead of Wednesday’s hearing held via Zoom after Cook County Judge Kate Moreland said Henyard would be fined $1,000 for each day she failed to either produce documents requested by the nonprofit Edgar County Watchdogs, or submit an affidavit explaining she didn’t possess them.

* Daily Herald | District 15 budget operating deficit could reach $7.2 million in 2026: Palatine Township Elementary District 15 is projecting a $7.2 million deficit in its operating revenues for the 2026 fiscal year and could see shrinking reserves. School finance officials presented the sobering forecast as they unveiled the tentative budget at Tuesday’s board meeting, attributing the shortfall to several key factors. That included the loss of dollars previously received from federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds and the Corporate Personal Property Replacement Tax.

* Daily Herald | Barrington officials say progress is being made on pedestrian gates at UP crossings: All parties agreed on a draft interim order to reimburse the village for engineering design costs, which is expected to be approved later this month. Union Pacific will begin its engineering design work soon, with an estimated completion time of four months, after which they will determine project costs and material needs, village officials said.

* Daily Herald | Arlington Heights mayor pushes for EV charger restrictions in basement garages: Prompted by nationwide instances of long-burning lithium ion battery car fires sparked during the charging process, village officials are in the early stages of drafting a local ordinance that would limit the locations of EV chargers in new construction properties. One of the example ordinances they’re looking at is from Rosemont, which placed a temporary moratorium on the installation of parking garage chargers in March. The local prohibition — prompted by a large electric vehicle fire on the first floor of the Fashion Outlets of Chicago garage in January 2024 — is believed to be the first approved by a municipality in Illinois.

* Daily Herald | New era, old name? Debate grows over honoring former mayor at new Schaumburg village hall as construction nears: Family members of Schaumburg’s influential early mayor Bob Atcher see no reason the new village hall shouldn’t carry his name like the recently demolished building. But current Mayor Tom Dailly isn’t so sure that will be the case when the paint dries and the doors are opened. “It’s not the old building,” Dailly said, referring to the 52-year-old Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center demolished in April. “It’s not a building that Mayor Atcher ever attended or had anything to do with its design.”

* Crain’s | North Aurora warehouse sale shows industrial property strength: The price at roughly $135 per square foot is well above the recent average for local industrial property sales, particularly ones along the outer edges of Chicago’s suburban collar. Rising rents along the Interstate 55 corridor that warehouse users have coveted have pushed more companies to lease industrial space even farther from the city. And with a lack of available sites closer to Chicago for large-scale industrial projects, investors see value in owning warehouses like Park 88 that might have been considered too far off the beaten path several years ago.

*** Downstate ***

* WGLT | Trump administration derails McLean County’s ‘equity’ initiative for digital literacy: McLean County Assistant Administrator Anthony Grant said the county appeared to be in great shape to get a nearly $1 million federal grant. He became concerned when he saw a social media post from President Trump in early May saying he was going to end the Digital Equity Act. Trump called the program a “racist and illegal $2.5 billion dollar giveaway.”

* WAND | Sangamon County regional morgue facility officially opens Wednesday: The new $6 million facility is located in the Sangamon South building, which was formerly the State Journal-Register building. Sangamon County says it “brings autopsy, storage, investigative, and administrative functions under one roof, creating a modern, centralized hub for coroner services in Central Illinois.” In response to growing case volumes, the facility also has a refrigerator that can hold up to 50 bodies, and a freezer that can hold an additional 12.

* WGLT | Bloomington mayor says proposed massage therapy ordinance needs input from businesses: Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady thinks there is a need for more regulation of massage businesses to prevent sex trafficking, and agrees the city council did the right thing in postponing consideration of an ordinance to achieve that. Brady said the city needs to do more work to see how local regulation fits with existing state rules governing such businesses. “There has been movement in Peoria, Springfield — when I say movement, I mean ordinances similar to what Bloomington is trying to do. And I think there is a need for it,” Brady said in an interview on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.

* WMBD | McLean County Executive Committee approves $1.34 million grant for non-congregate shelter village: The McLean County Executive Committee unanimously approved a proposal for grant funding for the non-congregate shelter village project. The $1.34 million will go towards The Bridge shelter village. The committee sat through a presentation showcasing the plan for The Bridge. There will be 48 units, 40 for single occupancy and eight for double occupancy. Residents will also have a clubhouse with a kitchen, gathering spaces and an off-leash dog area for pets.

* WAND | Former coach named in lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct at Paxton-Buckley-Loda: The 14-count civil lawsuit was filed on Friday, June 6, by civil rights attorney Bhavani Raveendran on behalf of three plaintiffs: a former student, a parent of a former student, and a parent of a current student. The lawsuit seeks over $50,000 in damages for each count.

* WGLT | ISU looks for a consultant to create master plan for campus housing and dining: The project description envisions a three-phase assessment of housing and dining operations. Phases I and II will consist of an assessment of the current conditions and operations of residential facilities on campus. The goal of phase III is to produce a 10-year master plan for both housing and dining at ISU.

* WSPD | WPSD temporary set to be upgraded in July: The new, state-of-the-art set will have a wall that will wrap around a majority of the studio. It will have the WPSD Local 6 logo and various LED lights built into it. Large monitors will provide space for journalists to report in the studio, instead of at the anchor desk like with the temporary set. Michael Wright, owner of Wright Set, worked to produce the WPSD Local 6 set design for nearly one year. He has previously worked on two set updates for WPSD in the past, but has never completely rebuilt it. Upon the design completion, the design was given to Culton Companies, who have been working on constructing the set pieces since May of 2025.

*** National ***

* Military.com | Bragg Soldiers Who Cheered Trump’s Political Attacks While in Uniform Were Checked for Allegiance, Appearance: Internal 82nd Airborne Division communications reviewed by Military.com reveal a tightly orchestrated effort to curate the optics of Trump’s recent visit, including handpicking soldiers for the audience based on political leanings and physical appearance. The troops ultimately selected to be behind Trump and visible to the cameras were almost exclusively male. One unit-level message bluntly said “no fat soldiers.”

* WaPo | RFK Jr. picks new members of influential vaccine committee after purge: His picks for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include a well-known pediatric infectious-diseases expert and at least three people who have criticized the use of mRNA coronavirus vaccines. Some of the more notable selections include Martin Kulldorff, the co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, which called for herd immunity through mass covid infection in 2020, and Vicky Pebsworth, who is listed on the board of the nation’s oldest anti-vaccine group.

* WaPo | Fulbright board resigns over alleged Trump administration interference: The board accused the White House of denying Fulbright awards to a “substantial” number of individuals who were selected for the 2025-2026 academic year through a rigorous, merit-based process. The board also alleged that the administration is putting an additional 1,200 foreign Fulbright recipients through an “unauthorized review process” that could lead to the termination of their awards.

  11 Comments      


Selected press releases (Live updates)

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

  Comment      


Live coverage

Thursday, Jun 12, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Click here and/or here to follow breaking news. Hopefully, enough reporters and news outlets migrate to BlueSky so we can hopefully resume live-posting.

  Comment      


City officials: ICE tactical teams on standby for Chicago deployment

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* CBS Chicago…

City officials confirmed reports that President Trump is sending ICE tactical teams to Chicago, a move that precipitated massive protests in Los Angeles.

At a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Chief of Staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas said the city has received word that the tactical teams were given 48-hour notice to “stand by and be ready to deploy.”

“There will be tactical teams, mini-tanks, other tools they use in which they plan to do raids, as we saw in Los Angeles,” Pacione-Zayas said.

Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed he had spoken with Gov. JB Pritzker about an hour before the news conference, as well as Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and that he is working to coordinate with both the state and county about these tactical teams. They are keeping open lines of communication, Johnson said.

* NBC Chicago…

According to the sources, the teams will be activated in Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, northern Virginia, including Washington, D.C., and New York.

It is not clear if raids in these regions will begin immediately, but units in those areas have been told to be ready to deploy, the sources said.

The potential deployments come amid protests nationwide driven by anger over Trump’s stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws that critics say are tearing apart migrant families.

“It’s a moment for our communities to come together,” Brandon Lee, communications director at Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, told NBC Chicago. “It’s a moment for us to make sure we are looking out for one another and it’s a moment to make it plain and clear that it is ICE and the Trump administration that is making the communities less safe.”

  11 Comments      


Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Politico…

Trump’s aggressive action in California — sending in the National Guard and Marines to deal with protests typically handled by local police — is putting Democrats across the country on the spot. […]

Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth issued statements Tuesday condemning violence caused by protesters and also attacking Trump’s actions. And Illinois Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul said he supports a California lawsuit filed against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in response to their “unlawful orders to federalize the California National Guard,” according to a statement.

Raoul said local police can handle any Illinois protest, and he pointed to demonstrations during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last summer as an example. “Local law enforcement knows how to best protect both free speech and public safety,” he said.

* Tribune…

The Tribune is launching a series of special reports analyzing the hurdles many farmers face in trying to be good stewards of the land as climate change intensifies. Experts preach growing a variety of crops as weather resilience and food security strategies. But Illinois farmers report that the labor demands of fruits and vegetables and the rising cost of that labor are deterrents to growing anything but corn and soybeans.

While most produce must be handpicked from trees, vines and bushes, expansive and uniform rows of corn and soybeans cater to repetitive processes that are relatively simple to automate. Combines have been used to harvest grain and beans since the 1930s.

Engineers are betting that, one day, artificial intelligence will provide a means of meeting the more delicate labor demands of specialty crops. […]

“You identify the fruit, reach the fruit and put it in a container. You need a brain and vision or you need a computer and cameras to see the fruit and complete the process,” said Yuzhen Lu, an assistant professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering at Michigan State University.

Drawing on advances in facial recognition technologies and autonomous vehicles, Lu and his team aspire to develop an AI-powered robot that can recognize and harvest fruits and vegetables.

* WAND…

The theme of the 2025 Illinois State Fair will be Adventure Awaits.

The Twilight Parade will kick off at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7. That starts the 11-day celebration at the state fairgrounds. […]

“The Twilight Parade is the perfect way to kick off this adventure,” said Jerry Costello II, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. “This year’s theme invites every fairgoer to discover something new, and it all starts with the parade.”

*** Statewide ***

* Crain’s | State colleges are cutting back as funding falls and costs rise: Since 2010, Illinois State University has raised annual in-state tuition by nearly $1,200 as state funding tumbled 34% to $80 million a year. With a $12 million deficit this academic year, the university has suspended salary increases for faculty and staff, cut department allocations for travel and research and delayed capital improvements. “This was a shock to many on campus, because they never believed this could happen to us,” says ISU President Aondover Tarhule.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Daily Herald | New Illinois laws aim to make streets safer for bikers, pedestrians: The Micromobility Fire Safety Act (SB2247) will keep e-bike and e-scooter riders safer, especially anyone living above a bike shop. Let me explain. Whether manufactured, sold, or leased/rented in Illinois, SB2247 requires electrical systems and batteries of these mobility devices meet safety standards certified by an accredited lab. It also prohibits assembling/reconditioning rechargeable lithium-ion batteries from used ones. Components meeting standards are less likely to spark fires in garages, repair shops, or elsewhere.

* Sun-Times | FanDuel eyes 50-cent fee on every Illinois sports bet, thanks to new state tax: They’ll start adding the $0.50 fee to online betting tickets Sept. 1, Jackson said — just in time for the gambling glut of a new NFL season. […] The budget package approved by the Illinois General Assembly May 31 calls for licensed sportsbooks to pay a tax of $0.25 for each of the first 20 million wagers they accept per year, then $0.50 for every bet beyond that. Those levies will take effect July 1, pending Gov. JB Pritzker’s expected signing of the budget.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | CTA Leader Warns of ‘Severe and Sobering’ Choices Ahead if State Lawmakers Don’t Come Through With Transit Funding: Speaking at the agency’s board meeting Wednesday, Leerhsen cautioned that there will be no changes to CTA service during 2025 and highlighted ongoing plans to boost frequency and adjust certain bus routes aimed at improving rider experience. But Leerhsen said the agency will soon consider multiple plans for next year: one based on Chicago-area transit receiving some $1.5 billion in annual state funding, as transit agencies, advocates and lawmakers have discussed; one that anticipates lawmakers only addressing the coming fiscal cliff created by COVID-19 relief money drying up; and one that anticipates no additional funding state funding, necessitating “draconian” service cuts.

* Sun-Times | 17 arrested, 4 charged with felonies as thousands gathered for anti-ICE protests in downtown Chicago: A 66-year-old woman broke her arm in a hit-and-run when a red 2003 Kia Spectra drove through a group of protesters in the street, officials said. The victim, who broke her arm as the car fled the scene, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released, officials said.

* Block Club | Uber Overcharged Riders Nearly $1.8 Million In Congestion Fees, City Records Show: The overcharges were paid to the city, which routinely collects the congestion fees from Uber. Now, Uber is asking the city to pay them the nearly $1.8 million back. “As is procedure with overpayments, we asked for a credit for future payments,” Uber spokesman Josh Gold said in the statement. The city’s finance department, which collects the surcharge fees from Uber, did not return a request for comment.

* Crain’s | City Council members could soon have blanket power to ban Airbnb from their wards: An ordinance introduced by Far Northwest Side Ald. Anthony Napolitano, 41st, was approved in committee today with little opposition. It would give the local alderman the ability to ban short-term rentals on a precinct level in his or her ward. Residents and the companies could attempt to overcome the ban by collecting the signatures of at least 10% of registered voters in the precinct.

* Sun-Times | A Chicago judge says an immigrant who was framed for threatening Trump can be freed: A Chicago judge ruled on Tuesday that a Mexican immigrant who was falsely accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump can be released from a Wisconsin prison on bond. In federal immigration court, Judge Carla Espinoza said Ramon Morales Reyes did not pose a risk to the community. That contradicts a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security in late May, which accused Morales Reyes of authoring a letter that detailed a plot to shoot Trump. The statement included Morales Reyes’ photo and a screenshot of the letter he allegedly wrote.

* Crain’s | American Bar Association defends role reviewing judges against Trump AG’s freeze-out: ABA President Bill Bay disputed the bias claims in a letter to Bondi, noting the ABA’s standing committee on the federal judiciary has given “qualified” or “well-qualified” ratings to at least 96.9% of each president’s nominees during the past 20 years, which includes the first Trump administration. “Your statements that the ABA is an activist organization and the suggestions that what the ABA may or may not support somehow permeates the ratings process are unsupported by the facts,” Bay’s letter said.

* WBEZ | Are healthy Chicago trees getting the ax?: Schucher isn’t alone in noticing supposedly healthy trees being cut down in Chicago. But officials from the Department of Streets and Sanitation say the timber does not come down so easily. What might appear to be a healthy tree is likely dead or diseased and could be a hazard to residents. The health of Chicago’s urban forest goes beyond safety and aesthetics. Experts say the city’s tree canopy provides $416 million in benefits like energy cost savings, stormwater mitigation and air purification. However, the city has a wide tree canopy disparity, compounded by an old urban forestry system. In recent years, the city has sought to revamp that system and is working to improve how it manages its trees.

* Crain’s | What’s next for the Hancock’s 95th floor? A new view is coming to the old Signature Room: 360 Chicago will become the city’s first multilevel observation deck, taking up the 95th floor in the former John Hancock Center at 875 N. Michigan Ave., as well as the 94th, which it currently occupies, the company announced today. The floor above will be turned into a private event space, envisioned as a premier destination for celebrations and corporate gatherings.

* Tribune | Chicago Street Race adds Arby’s as major sponsor for July Fourth NASCAR event: Arby’s, which is new to NASCAR, is replacing Chicago-based McDonald’s as a major sponsor of the street race. In addition to race weekend visibility and promotions, Arby’s is offering chances through June 22 to win tickets to the Chicago Street Race at 47 restaurants in the city and suburbs. The unique event on the NASCAR calendar features an Xfinity Series race on July 5, and the nationally televised Grant Park 165 Cup Series race on July 6.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Daily Herald | Palatine Township mental health board appointed amid controversy: Referendum organizer Justin O’Rourke criticized the lack of transparency in the selection process, noting at least one trustee hadn’t received the names of appointees as of Sunday. “Do the trustees even know right now the names of the appointments that they’re going to be voting on?” he asked.

* Aurora Beacon-News | Kane County Regional Office of Education Superintendent Patricia Dal Santo retiring: And, in her place, the Kane County Board appointed John Jonak at Tuesday’s board meeting to serve the rest of her term as superintendent. Jonak was originally set to serve as an assistant regional superintendent in the office, succeeding Deanna Oliver, who is also retiring per the Kane County Regional Office of Education. But Dal Santo, upon deciding to retire, recommended Jonak to the county board for the superintendent position, a spokesperson for the office told The Beacon-News.

* Daily Herald | ‘A very good vibe’: New businesses discuss their moves to Schaumburg: Four businesses that recently moved to or are relocating to Schaumburg discussed their experiences Tuesday during the Schaumburg Business Association’s Mid-Year Economic Update. They ranged from Wheels, Inc., which manages 900,000 vehicles for clients in 58 countries from its new headquarters in the iconic Zurich North America building, to Sweet Reserve Cafe & Bakery, which chose the village’s Town Square for its fourth location.

* Lake County News-Sun | Lake County arts website launched; ‘A place for the promotion and connection … to arts and culture’: ArtsLink North launched its website in early June for residents of Lake County and visitors to the area, giving them an opportunity for one-stop shopping for a wide variety of artistic and cultural events from Highland Park to Antioch, and Waukegan to Barrington. At the top of the website are eight headings — theatre and dance, music, film, visual art, literary, museum, family and festivals. A click on one of the headings, like theatre and music, shows “Hairspray” at the PM&L Theatre in Antioch through June 22.

* Fox Chicago | Steve Carell to deliver Northwestern commencement address: Carell, known for his roles in “The Office,” and “The Morning Show,” will also receive an honorary Doctor of Arts degree during the ceremony. “Steve Carell is an absolute treasure, and I am thrilled he will be our commencement speaker,” Northwestern President Michael Schill said in a statement. “Steve is such a versatile actor, who brings humor and humanity to every role.”

*** Downstate ***

* The Telegraph | Jersey County treasurer sentenced for $58K theft from public funds: A former Jersey County Treasurer pleaded guilty and was sentenced Monday for taking more than $50,000 from the county. Katie Abbey, 37, pleaded guilty June 9 to theft by deception, a Class 1 felony, during a hearing before Sangamo County Circuit Court Chief Judge Daniel Wright.

* BND | Metro-east solar company uses farmers instead of mowers to do their lamb-scaping: Utilizing the sheep comes with the benefit of establishing partnerships with agricultural entities, keeping local farmers and shepherds employed in non-traditional way, an official with Pivot says. While solar companies get a low-cost means of keeping their locations tidy, farmers get new grazing land for their livestock. “As farmers, we’re always looking to build our herd,” says Curtis Thompson, owner of Freedom Farms in Kinmundy in Marion County. “To do that, we always need new pastures. This helps provide that — it’s a win-win.”

* WSIL | Carbondale federal building vandalized; FBI vows justice: Authorities said the incident occurred on June 10, when individuals gathered outside the entrance of the Senator Paul Simon Federal Building. During the gathering, some participants reportedly defaced the building’s exterior, and officials are currently assessing the damage.

*** National ***

* The Hill | Two-thirds support policies prioritizing birth sex over gender identity: Gallup: Roughly two-thirds of Americans support policies preventing transgender people from participating on sports teams that match their gender identity or changing their sex designation on government documents such as passports and driver’s licenses, according to a poll released Tuesday by Gallup.

* QuinniPac University | Majority Of Voters Oppose GOP Budget Bill, With Just 67% Of Republicans In Support, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Trump Job Approval: 38%, His Handling Of Russia - Ukraine War Lowest Among List Of Issues: Nearly half of voters (47 percent) think federal funding for Medicaid should increase, 40 percent think it should stay about the same, and 10 percent think federal funding for Medicaid should decrease. Among Republicans, 21 percent think federal funding for Medicaid should increase, 56 percent think it should stay about the same, and 18 percent think it should decrease. Among Democrats, 69 percent think federal funding for Medicaid should increase, 27 percent think it should stay about the same, and 2 percent think it should decrease. Among independents, 47 percent think federal funding for Medicaid should increase, 39 percent think it should stay about the same, and 11 percent think it should decrease.

* WIRED | A Political Battle Is Brewing Over Data Centers: A senior official directly involved in negotiations in the Energy and Commerce Committee told WIRED that restricting states’ rights over data centers, including the use of water, is not the intent of the moratorium—something lawmakers should have “communicated better.” Rather, the goal was to establish a framework for regulating AI models at the federal level and to avoid any confusion that might come with a patchwork of state policies. […] While the intent of the AI moratorium may not have been to regulate physical infrastructure, the reaction from Massie illustrates just how much of a hot-button issue data centers are becoming across the country.

  16 Comments      


Caption contest!

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Paging Tom DeVore…

  14 Comments      


Pritzker set to face congressional questions on Illinois sanctuary laws

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* CBS Chicago…

Gov. JB Pritzker will head to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to testify before Congress about Illinois’ sanctuary laws protecting undocumented immigrants.

In April, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) called on Pritzker, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to come before the committee.

Aides for Pritzker said he will defend the Illinois Trust Act, saying it’s fully compliant with federal law.

“Despite the rhetoric of Republicans in Congress, this public safety law ensures law enforcement can focus on doing their jobs well while empowering all members of the public, regardless of immigration status, to feel comfortable calling police officers and emergency services if they are in need of help,” Pritzker spokesman Alex Gough said last month after the governor agreed to testify at the hearing. […]

Pritzker has said the legislation, which was signed into law by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2017, is meant to make all people living in the state comfortable to call police for help, regardless of their immigration status.

Click here for an Illinois Trust Act primer.

Thoughts?

  42 Comments      


It’s almost a law

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…

Several initiatives spearheaded by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias aimed at enhancing road safety, bolstering library security and modernizing the office to boost efficiency were approved by state lawmakers. […]

House Bill 1226 calls for enhanced safeguards to bolster road safety while increasing the age at which Illinois drivers must take a behind-the-wheel driving test from 79 to 87.

The bill would establish new procedures aimed at preventing unsafe motorists – regardless of age – from driving. If a motorist’s driving skills begin to significantly decline or cognitive or medical issues prevent safe driving, immediate relatives could request that the Secretary of State’s office review a submitted written report, which could require the driver to undergo a driving test or submit a medical report from their physician.

Illinois is currently one of only five states that do not allow immediate family members to report concerns about a relative’s driving ability. In addition, Illinois is the only state in the nation that requires a behind-the-wheel driving test for seniors based on age. […]

House Bill 1576 would modernize the way the Illinois Court of Claims functions and expedite the business of the court, which is reliant on paper filings and in-person sessions that can cause delays.

The measure enables the court to hold sessions remotely and allows the public to file claims, provide evidence or testimony, and pay fees electronically. [..]

House Bill 2983 is a piece of multi-pronged legislation that would add protections to prevent Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) exam cheating, allow the office to administer tests online and enhance bicycle safety.

The measure criminalizes any attempt to have someone else provide answers to an individual taking a CDL exam, including attempts to use a hidden microphone or cell phone.

* Advantage News…

Planned Parenthood Illinois Action is celebrating the passage of a new law that broadens access to abortion medications on public college campuses across Illinois.

House Bill 3709 will require public colleges with health services and pharmacies to provide abortion medications starting in the 2025–2026 school year. Gov. J.B. Pritzker on social media said he’d sign HB 3709 and shared a video of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign student Emma Darbo.

“It would eliminate a big barrier for students in terms of accessibility, affordability and other unique obstacles that students are facing, whether it be cost, insurance coverage, or transportation,” said Darbo of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Generation Action student chapter.

The bill followed a UIUC student referendum in spring 2024 that showed strong campus support for expanding reproductive health access, including at the McKinley Health Center. Student leaders Darbro and Grace Hosey later testified before legislative committees to push the bill forward.

* WIFR…

Several libraries in Illinois received violent threats in recent years according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

That led lawmakers to pass a bill to help libraries increase safety measures. All it needs now is Governor JB Pritzker’s signature. […]

[SB 1550] will allow the Secretary of State’s Office to issue security grants for libraries throughout the state, ensuring their ability to provide a safe environment for patrons, employees and the community.

“Smaller libraries that do not have the budget because of property taxes but do have a population that is much larger than ours will really benefit from a grant to get security cameras and silent alarms,” [Byron Public Library Director Jason Shirley] said.

* Brownfield Ag News…

The president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association says lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved changes to the state’s pesticide applicator licensing process.

Kevin Johnson says the bill allowing recertification through continuing education instead of a required test every three years is headed to the Governor’s desk.

“What we would like to see is an option like what most states have around us.” He says, “Pass that test the first time, but then take continuous education classes to keep up your license.” […]

Johnson says if signed into law, the measure goes into effect January 1st, but it’ll likely take up to a year to fully institute the changes. He says the current recertification test every three years would remain an option for applicators.

* WTVO…

The Illinois Senate passed [House Bill 3140] that would ensure long-term veterinary care for retired K9s.

Illinois State Police are expected to create the Police K9 Care Fund, which would award grants to handlers.

The grants would provide up to $1,500 in veterinary care reimbursements. […]

The bill now heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk to be signed into law.

* Rep. Gregg Johnson…

A new measure led by state Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, will strengthen public safety by stepping up enforcement of anti-human trafficking protections at hotels.

“Human trafficking is an atrocious crime and a terrible reality for far too many communities here in Illinois,” Johnson said. “We have a responsibility as legislators—and human beings—to do everything in our power to fight human trafficking. This legislation will help prevent and protect the most vulnerable among us, including children, before they become victims.”

Continuing his record of fighting for public safety, Johnson led the House effort to pass Senate Bill 1422. This legislation gives law enforcement agencies the authority to monitor and enforce compliance with the Lodging Services Human Trafficking Recognition Training Act, which requires hotel and lodging service employees to be trained to identify the signs of human trafficking. Employers repeatedly violating this act after notification can face fines.

Senate Bill 1422 had unanimous support in the House and Senate, and now heads to the governor’s desk for signature. It has the support of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association.

* Rep. Thaddeus Jones…

State Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, passed Senate Bill 1418 out of the House. [The] legislation expands coverage for lifesaving screenings for Peripheral Artery Disease, a condition impacting 21 million Americans annually and disproportionately Black and Hispanic populations. […]

The Jones-backed Senate Bill 1418 would require new and renewing health coverage plans to include annual Peripheral Artery Disease screenings for at-risk individuals.

“The Illinois chapter of the American College of Cardiology wishes to thank Chairman Jones for his leadership and advocacy of this vital legislation,” said Dr. Benjamin Freed, Governor of the Illinois ACC Chapter. […]

Peripheral Artery Disease (P.A.D.) occurs when there is a severe blockage in the blood vessels flowing to and from the arms and legs. This is most commonly caused by a build up of plaque along the inside of the arteries. Typical P.A.D. cases lead to chronic numbness, developing sores, or muscle atrophy. In severe cases, this decreased blood flow can cause tissue death, leading to the amputation of the limbs. These P.A.D.-related amputations account for 85% of all amputation cases yearly. With earlier, covered screening, these amputations can be prevented.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has P.A.D. Additionally, African-Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with P.A.D. as their white counterparts.

The bill now heads to the governor for final consideration.

* WCIA…

A bill that passed out of the capitol last month would stop fitness centers from deceptive lifetime memberships.

It would require owners to be transparent about any changes in prices or benefits. […]

“I understand it’s easier to bring in revenue as a gym owner if you have them sign a longer contract, but in the grand scheme of things … you’re going to have that moment where you’ve got to do things you don’t want to do if you have them sign a contract,” said Jeremy Ferry, owner of Pure Performance Fitness Center.

The bill has some exceptions, including if the gym is sold to new management or if a customer agrees to revisit the contract within writing.

  5 Comments      


More Bears clickbait from the Tribune

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Chicago Tribune…

In a move sure to lend further credence to the view that the Chicago Bears will build a new stadium in Arlington Heights, Kevin Warren, the team’s president and CEO, in May paid $2.25 million for a five-bedroom, 8,725-square-foot shingle-style mansion in Lake Forest.

Um, I’m not saying that the Bears are staying at Soldier Field. I’m just saying that Lake Forest is also where the Bears’ Halas Hall headquarters is located. All Bears players and coaches spend more time in Lake Forest than at Soldier Field.

  25 Comments      


Why Are Tax-Exempt Hospitals Getting Rich?

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Across Illinois, big hospital systems and PBMs are abusing the 340B drug discount program – making massive profits while patients drown in medical bills. One whistleblower called it “laundering money.”

Here’s how the scam works: big hospitals buy discounted 340B drugs, bill patients full price, then split the difference with for-profit pharmacies and PBMs.

340B was meant to help Illinois communities in need. But there are no rules requiring hospitals and PBMs to pass savings on to patients. No transparency. No oversight. Just higher costs for working families, small businesses, and taxpayers.

Meanwhile, tax-exempt hospitals cash in – and PBMs get a cut too.

  Comments Off      


Open thread

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

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

  16 Comments      


Isabel’s morning briefing

Wednesday, Jun 11, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: Feds to retry Sen. Emil Jones III after mistrial on bribery, lying to FBI charges. Capitol News Illinois…

    - A jury earlier this spring deadlocked in their deliberations over the three counts and after 23 hours of behind-closed-doors debate, Judge Andrea Wood declared a mistrial.
    -Back in her courtroom nearly seven weeks later, Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri told Wood “the government would like to retry the case.”
    - Scheduling a retrial won’t happen until next week, however, Kolluri noted that the judge may want to consider blocking off four weeks for the new trial “because there may be a few additional witnesses.”

* Related stories…

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Sponsored by Community Action for Responsible Hospitals

*************************************************

* Governor JB Pritzker has no public events scheduled for today.

* BlueRoomStream.com’s coverage of today’s press conferences and committee hearings can be found here…

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Crain’s | Rush, Lurie get state funds to beef up ability to deal with high-risk pathogens like Ebola: Under separate agreements, Rush will receive $900,000 and Lurie will get $600,000. IDPH said in its release the federal government maintains a national network of 13 Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers, but there are none in Illinois. With the closest being in Michigan and Minnesota, transporting Illinois residents to those centers “is both logistically and clinically challenging,” the release said.

* Tribune | Troubled Cook County tech firm used insider lobbyist who was later convicted in ComEd corruption scheme: As a fledgling tech contractor looking to build its business in the insular world of Cook County politics, Texas-based Tyler Technologies turned to one of Illinois’ most well-connected lobbyists to get the job done. […] There is no direct connection between Jay Doherty’s work for ComEd and what he did for Tyler. Unlike Tyler’s efforts seeking contract opportunities, the ComEd case detailed a vast criminal scheme of bribery and influence peddling as part of the utility’s efforts to get legislation passed. But interviews and records about Doherty’s work for Tyler and details from his 2023 trial reveal striking parallels in how he repeatedly smoothed paths for both clients, including creating informal interactions at City Club events attended by government officials so the two sides could discuss business outside the office.

*** Statewide ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Despite setbacks, gun rights groups continue push to overturn Illinois assault weapons ban: In briefs filed Friday with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, attorneys representing plaintiffs challenging the law urged the court to uphold the decision of a lower court judge in East St. Louis who said the law violates the Second Amendment because it bans weapons that are commonly used for lawful purposes like self-defense. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office is appealing that decision, arguing that the weapons banned under the law such as the AK-47, AR-15 and other similar firearms are primarily military in nature and therefore are not protected by the Second Amendment. The state has until June 27 to file a response to the gun industry’s brief. The court is then expected to set a date for oral arguments, possibly later this year.

*** Statehouse News ***

* Tribune | Illinois Senate President Don Harmon faces potential $9.8 million fine for improperly accepting campaign cash: State election officials have informed Senate President Don Harmon that he will face more than $9.8 million in penalties pending an appeal of a case alleging he broke an Illinois election law designed to rein in big money in political campaigns. The calculation of the potential penalty emerged only days after the Oak Park Democrat attempted to pass legislation designed to wipe away the election board case and the potential penalties, a maneuver stymied amid bipartisan backlash only hours before the spring session adjourned early June 1.

* WGLT | Central Illinois GOP lawmakers host online town hall to discuss the spring session: The town hall took place online on Sen. Sally Turner’s Facebook page. Turner was accompanied by Rep. Bill Hauter and Rep. Regan Deering, who each represent parts of McLean County. The lawmakers said they were disappointed with the final days of the session, citing the last-second discussion of the budget and the new taxes worth up to $1 billion.

* Fox Chicago | Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker preps to defend sanctuary laws in front of Congress: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing will get underway at 9 a.m. Chicago time on Thursday. The hearing will feature some of the most firebrand members of Congress, including Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace, as well as Democratic members like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett.

* Ouch…


*** Chicago ***

* The American Prospect | Chicago’s Public Transit Is in Limbo: Since the operators receive federal money, they will need to make cuts in accordance with Title VI, which mandates that any service changes don’t disproportionately affect people of color or low-income people. The operators will need to study which lines and bus routes to cut, and then hold public forums where community members can comment on the proposed changes.

* Sun-Times | Car plows through Chicago protest as thousands rally in solidarity with L.A. anti-ICE demonstrations: Shortly after the car plowed through the crowd, it appeared to hit a woman who fell to the ground. Protesters gathered around her to offer help. Chicago police did not release information about the driver as of late Tuesday night, and it wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was hospitalized.

* Crain’s | Rideshare pay ordinance faces crucial vote — and deep divisions — in City Council: The amended ordinance, scheduled to go before the Workforce Development Committee on June 12, would establish a $7 minimum payment to drivers for every trip. Drivers would receive $1.50 per mile and 62 cents per minute for every drive, with annual inflationary increases. The proposed wage formula would account for the time drivers are logged in to the app, waiting to be dispatched for a pickup.

* Tribune | Alderman seeks power to ban short-term rentals from Chicago precincts: If a Far Northwest Side alderman gets his way, Chicago City Council members could gain the authority to block short-term rentals like Airbnb’s from popping up in their wards. Ald. Anthony Napolitano, 41st, is pushing forward legislation that would give aldermen the ability to unilaterally ban new rentals on a precinct-by-precinct level. The rental companies could overturn the bans by collecting signatures from 10% of the precinct voters, around 150 to 200 signatures, he said.

* Block Club Chicago | Speed Camera Installed At Dangerous Intersection, But NW Side Neighbors Say It’s Not Enough: A speed camera has been installed at a dangerous Northwest Side intersection where multiple pedestrians have been hit in the past year. Neighbors, however, say slowing drivers down won’t solve everything. Arlene Luna opened Moonwalker cafe in 2022 at the intersection at Belmont and Karlov avenues, where the speed camera was recently put in place. Since opening the cafe, she’s witnessed several crashes at the intersection.

* Sun-Times | Outgoing CPS CEO bids farewell to Chicago at graduation ceremony at his alma mater: The graduation ceremony for John A. Walsh, which Pedro Martinez attended, was held at Benito Juarez Community Academy, the high school he graduated from. “I want to thank the community and most importantly the district, which has given me so much,” Pedro Martinez said.

* Sun-Times | Former Chicago cop Eric Tabb pleads guilty to aggravated battery: The case against Eric Tabb was highlighted in an Invisible Institute-ProPublica investigation that found that Chicago police officials have frequently failed to vigorously investigate allegations of sexual misconduct made against city officers. Tabb, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony, and was sentenced to 30 months of probation. As part of a plea agreement, Tabb’s charges were reduced and he was required to enroll in a sex offender program.

* Sun-Times | Planned Parenthood-affiliated group at DePaul is disbanded: DePaul told the organization, Planned Parenthood Generation Action DePaul University, that the university does not allow student groups to work with outside organizations “whose core missions are in direct conflict with the values and teachings of the Catholic Church.”

* Block Club Chicago | As Top Street Fest Producer Closes, Lawsuit Emerges Over Handling Of Taste Of Randolph: The West Loop Community Organization filed a lawsuit in August accusing Star Events of underreporting revenue, inflating expenses and mishandling ticket sales for Taste of Randolph, one of the city’s best-known summer street festivals, which takes place Friday through Sunday. The lawsuit stems from public backlash over how the festival was managed, including concerns about how donations were collected, which has been previously reported by Block Club.

* Block Club | Failed Crosstown Expressway Could Become Bike Trail Connecting Bucktown To Botanic Gardens: The 3.2-mile trail would follow a Union Pacific rail line and connect The 606 to the North Branch Trail. The freight rail line was once proposed for the Crosstown Expressway, which was successfully shut down by neighbors.

* Block Club Chicago | XS Tennis Wants To Expand Washington Park ‘Tennis Village’ With Hotel, Apartments: Kamau Murray, founder and president of the XS Tennis and Education Foundation, has applied to rezone 5301-25 S. State St. in Washington Park to a “residential business planned development.” If the rezoning is approved, Murray — through XS Tennis and his Center Court Development LLC — would build a 51-unit apartment building with 28 one-bedroom units and 23 two-bedroom units, as well as a 125-room hotel, according to the application documents.

* Tribune | Loss of over-the-air TV leaves some Chicago sports fans frustrated with new CHSN-Comcast deal: “As a result, it will cost me an additional $30 per month because I will need to change my TV service from ‘Popular’ to ‘Ultimate’ and pay the full RSN fee plus some additional tax,” Hedstrom said. “Will I do it? Yes, but I’m unhappy about it.” Getting on Comcast, and potentially reaching its one million Chicago-area subscribers, was nonetheless crucial for CHSN.

* Tribune | Pitcher Grant Taylor becomes the latest Chicago White Sox prospect called up: ‘Everything I’ve dreamed of’: The Chicago White Sox officially promoted the right-handed pitcher from Double A to the majors on Tuesday. Taylor joined the Sox at Daikin Park ahead of the team’s three-game series against the Houston Astros. Reports of the move surfaced Monday. […] Taylor, 23, produced eye-popping results at Birmingham, where he had a 1.01 ERA, a .135 opponents average (including zero home runs allowed), 0.86 WHIP and 37 strikeouts in 15 games (six starts). He is the No. 6 prospect in the Sox system according to MLB.com.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Crain’s | Northwestern announces cuts, cost-saving measures as federal funding freeze hits home: Northwestern University’s leadership announced today new cost-saving measures in the wake of federal investigations and funding freezes that have hurt the school’s financial outlook. In a message to the Northwestern community, the school’s leadership said the new measures would include a faculty and staff hiring freeze, reductions in academic budgets, and a “0% merit pool with no bonuses in lieu of merit increases,” among other actions.

* CBS | Child protection Judge Patrick Murphy responds to Cook County State’s Attorney ethics complaint over gifts to impoverished children: CBS News Chicago Investigators has obtained a communication from Judge Patrick Murphy, who serves on the Juvenile Court in the Child Protection Division, to Chief Judge Timothy Evans responding to an ethics complaint filed by the Cook County State’s Attorney against him for giving gifts to “abused and neglected” foster children who appear before him. In the communication, Murphy said he will stop giving gifts to children as the Judicial Inquiry Board investigates the complaint, and notes that the complaint – which he said he has not seen directly – stated that it is the state’s attorney’s office’s stance that it is unethical for him to give gifts to some children but not others.

* Daily Herald | ‘Wake-up call’: Why some say DuPage County could benefit from home rule: DuPage County officials could revisit a discussion of whether to pursue home-rule powers in light of a controversial measure that emerged in Springfield to save public transit from a massive budget shortfall. County Board Chair Deb Conroy last month denounced a provision in a bill as a “cash grab from the suburbs.” One piece of that proposal would have clawed back millions of dollars in Regional Transportation Authority sales tax dollars allocated to the collar counties for transportation and public safety.

* Sun-Times | Southern Cook County has long history of great high school basketball players: There are few programs across the state that can match the lengthy success Thornton basketball has had. The winning began with a 1933 state championship, and it really hasn’t stopped. There have been state appearances and state trophies won in nearly every decade since.

* Daily Herald | Cosplay crackdown: Rosemont bans fake guns at fan fests: “With unfortunately — I hate to call them out — the anime folks that come around with these things that look real, we need to have some ability to regulate these things,” said Mayor Brad Stephens. The Northwest suburban town’s Donald E. Stephens Convention Center annually hosts popular fan gatherings where costumes and accessories are the norm. Police say they’ve gotten calls from people who mistake imitation weapons for the real thing in and around the facility.

*** Downstate ***

* 21st Show | Breaking down Meta’s deal with Clinton power plant: What does it mean for future of nuclear energy?: The Meta corporation, which owns Facebook and Instagram, one of the Big Five American tech companies — is looking to make an investment in Central Illinois. Meta recently signed a 20-year deal with the nuclear plant owned by Constellation Energy in Clinton, Illinois. An energy expert discusses the complexities of this agreement, what it means for the future of nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, and the region.

* WCIA | ‘It is appalling’: Parents file lawsuit against PBL teacher, district, admin: A lawsuit is peeling back the curtain of what parents said their children faced while at school and practice in Ford County. It includes accusations of grooming and sexually assaulting kids for more than a decade — and the families feel the Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District didn’t do enough to stop it.

* Dispatch Argus | Rock Island-Milan deputy superintendent placed on leave after unspecified incident: Rock Island-Milan’s deputy superintendent has returned to work after being placed on leave in mid-May. According to a letter provided by the district in response to an open records request, Jeff Dase was placed on administrative paid leave effective Monday, May 12, during an investigation of “an incident” that occurred on May 8. The letter did not specify the nature of the incident nor did it provide an end date for the leave. The investigation found he did not violate school board policies or laws and he returned to work effective May 31, according to documents provided to the Dispatch-Argus/Quad-City Times by Dase.

* NPR Illinois | Meeting set for Third Street greenway project: Billed as a transformational project for Springfield, the 3rd Street Corridor redevelopment is another phase of rail relocation in the city. With train traffic being moved to 10th Street, the city wants to add a trail for walking and biking through the heart of the city and downtown. The proposed change, which Mayor Misty Buscher has dubbed The Linc, would connect the Illinois State Fairgrounds to the Interurban/Wabash Trail and include other improvements.

* WCIA | Decatur entrepreneur among 2025 Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees: On Tuesday, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) announced the 2025 class of inductees, which recognizes individuals, products and companies that have had a lasting impact on the manufacturing industry across Illinois. One of the people being inducted is J. Gerald Demirjian, a Decatur engineer and entrepreneur. Demirjian acquired the York Division compressor line in 1987 and started TCCI Manufacturing, a global innovator in compressor and thermal management technologies. From Central Illinois to customers across the world, TCCI has created jobs, driven innovation and strengthened communities.

* WICS | Sangamon County approves juvenile transfer agreement with Cook County: The Sangamon County Board has unanimously approved a new agreement to transfer juvenile detainees to Cook County. The decision comes after the reopening of the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center, which had been closed for over a year due to a deadly inmate issue. Sam Cahnman, a board member from District 18, questioned the necessity of the agreement, saying, “We just opened our own detention center so why do we need a contract to place detainees in Cook County?”County Administrator Brian McFadden explained that the request from the juvenile detention center was to phase back the return of youth detainees. “This particular individual has been problematic, this is the only juvenile detention center in the state that will house him,” McFadden said.

* WICS | Champaign Township Board okays $86,000 state-funded flooring for Strides Shelter: Strides Shelter first opened in 2022 with help from COVID-19 relief dollars. But once those dried up, shelter leaders looked to the public for long-term support through a tax referendum. Voters said no — not once, but twice. That left one big question hanging in the air: How would the shelter, which currently houses 74 people, continue operating?

* PJ Star | Tensions arise over best affordable housing options for Peoria neighborhoods: The Peoria City Council was asked to approve a measure that would allow the city to accept $475,000 in state grant money to demolish vacant and dilapidated homes in the 61605 and 61603 ZIP codes. What was sparked instead was a debate about how to best use vacant land left behind from demolitions and whether or not multi-family housing was the best thing for those neighborhoods.

* WGLT | Salvation Army in Bloomington hosts sleepover for cyclists pedaling 4,000 miles for cancer awareness: The nonprofit Texas 4,000 for Cancer is based at the University of Texas at Austin and hosts an annual charity bike ride raising funds and awareness for cancer research. The organization has been around since 2004. “We’ve been doing the world’s longest annual charity bike ride for the last 21 years,” said recent UT-Austin graduate and Texas 4,000 member John Kangos.

* WAND | Artisan marketplace to pop up throughout the summer in Decatur: The event features over 20,000 square feet dedicated to vendors selling small-town treasures, antiques, and more. If you’re in a hurry for dinner while shopping, they also have food trucks and entertainment available for visitors. The market is designed for families, with a kids’ booth ready for the little ones. The market will take place every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. throughout the summer.

* Pantagraph | From the archives: Solo Sly Stone ‘just feels like workin’ again’: The actual “interview,” via telephone, was a long time coming and then lasted only about 30 fleeting seconds before Sly asked to be excused momentarily. That was the last we heard from him. The last we heard until Monday, that is. As if to make amends for the previous interview snafu, Sly, sans the Family Stone, stopped by The Pantagraph in the flesh to finish what had just barely begun about three weeks ago.

*** National ***

* CNN | Trump says he plans to phase out FEMA after 2025 hurricane season: “We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down to the state level,” Trump told reporters during a briefing in the Oval Office, later saying, “A governor should be able to handle it, and frankly, if they can’t handle it, the aftermath, then maybe they shouldn’t be governor.”

* WSJ | X’s Sales Pitch: Give Us Your Ad Business or We’ll Sue: Late last year, Verizon Communications got an unusual message from a media company that wanted its business: Spend your ad dollars with us or we’ll see you in court. The threat came from X, the social-media platform that has been struggling to resuscitate its ad business after many corporate advertisers fled over concerns about loosened content-moderation standards following Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase in late 2022. It worked. Verizon, which hadn’t advertised on X since 2022, pledged to spend at least $10 million this year on the platform, a person familiar with the matter said.

* Reuters | Trump tax bill squeeze on clean power could raise energy bills: The bill, which is now being debated by the Senate, shortens the window for developers to start and complete new clean energy projects in order to qualify for a production tax credit (PTC) or an investment tax credit (ITC). Developers would have to begin construction within 60 days of the bill’s enactment and the project must become operational before the end of 2028 in order to access the tax credits. The inflation act stipulated these tax credits would be available until at least 2032.

* NOTUS | House Republicans Found a New Way to Go After Abortion Access in Blue States: House Republicans added a last-minute provision to their reconciliation bill via a manager’s amendment that would block certain Affordable Care Act funds from going to state health plans that cover abortion services. There are currently 13 states — California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington state — with laws in the books that require insurers to cover abortion. If the provision becomes law, it could force state officials to choose between maintaining abortion accessibility and ensuring that residents maintain their health care coverage. After years of arguing abortion policy should be left to the states, some congressional Republicans acknowledged they want to have a say in what the states do — at least when it comes to funding.

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* Rep. Hoan Huynh jumps into packed race for Schakowsky’s seat (Updated)
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