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* ICYMI: Feds to retry Sen. Emil Jones III after mistrial on bribery, lying to FBI charges. Capitol News Illinois…
* Related stories…
* 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…
LIVE coverage 6:30 PM @BlueRoomStream:
Senator Feigenholtz and Senator Villivalam Transit Webinar (Post-Session Transit Update). Virtual.#Illinois #twill
— BlueRoomStream (@BlueRoomStream) June 11, 2025
* 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.
* 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.
* 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…
Thank you @MartyForIL for your kind words about the General Assembly’s historic $122 million investment in Lake County Stormwater. You may have voted NO on this project for five straight years, but deep down you know our budgets are big winners for the people of Lake County! pic.twitter.com/h5TrFy1w8k
— Rep. Daniel Didech (@RepDidech) June 10, 2025
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
posted by Isabel Miller
Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 7:44 am
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Didech, Love it. This is what we need more of in the Democratic Party. Well done.
Comment by low level Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 8:38 am
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“It is disappointing to see a campus that prioritizes social justice removing groups doing the work they uplift in their classrooms in such a manner,” Maya Roman, PPGenAction DePaul president, said in a statement. “It was made clear that we have not broken any rules or policies and it was solely our affiliation with Planned Parenthood that resulted in our disbandment.”
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The silver lining here, is that young people are learning the most important thing to the faith leaders is appearing to follow rules and teachings to brag about how pious one is, not to actually follow them.
By the schools own actions their group was used as way to publicly brag about social justice to others, but also to individually and more privately punish the individuals in the group to remind them who is in control of their lives.
They’ve just learned the most important part of the organization. Breaking their youthful spirit is the point. Now knowing this, their choice is completely their own if they continue to belong to such an organization or not.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 8:42 am
Although I think the DuPagers are simply reacting here, in general I like home rule for counties because then the county administrator would be elected. I also believe it would tend to discourage some of the abuses of home rule powers if city managers of HR communities were elected as well.
Comment by yinn Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 9:59 am
For the Third St project and turning it into a walking and biking path, the city needs to figure out a way to enforce its no motorized vehicles on trails law/rule. Increasingly, motorized bikes, scooters, and stand-ups are zooming along and some are at speeds well over 20mph. This is a bad combo with kids, dogs and strollers.
Comment by Lurker Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 10:25 am
Years ago Springfield had a trolley system. Given the infrastructure that would remain, instead of ripping it all out permanently, it’d seem like a perfect opportunity to turn it into a light rail public transit linking downtown to the South and North sides. Even if only used at certain times of the year, especially the Fair, it might work.
Comment by fs Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 10:38 am
“Daily Herald | Cosplay crackdown: Rosemont bans fake guns at fan fests”
Many of the major comic book conventions have banned them for years.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 10:38 am
“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.”
Grab them bootstraps, red states. Republicans should slash federal taxes. Who wants to pay for this “government?” Let Florida and other hurricane states pay for themselves.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 10:42 am
Who is giving Don Harmon all this bad advice on how to follow the campaign finance limits and disclosure laws? Its one thing after another.
Comment by Hey Anony Nonny Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 10:55 am
If only there were something voters in DuPage and other collar counties could do to fight back against being treated as a cash cow by Chicago.
I guess it will just forever remain a mystery.
Comment by JB13 Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 11:28 am
=Years ago Springfield had a trolley system. Given the infrastructure that would remain, instead of ripping it all out permanently, it’d seem like a perfect opportunity to turn it into a light rail public transit linking downtown to the South and North sides. Even if only used at certain times of the year, especially the Fair, it might work=
Same with a lot of the old Illinois Terminal interurban lines that were mostly parallel to main rail routes, including the 3rd street tracks. If many of those were still around in the Springfield area and actually still extended to St. Louis, maybe a case could have been made to extend MetroLink to Springfield. With stops in the likes of at least Chatham, Auburn, Virden or Girard, Carlinville, Godfrey, etc.
Comment by Leatherneck Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:01 pm
Didn’t have these kind of problems until Don Harmon got the job. I expect they are working the phones to raise money to pay his fines.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:03 pm
Re: Capitol News and gun-rights groups
Why can people just recognize that the case is moving to the Federal level, and will almost certainly be on the U.S. Supreme Court docket next year? Filing cases seems more of DeVorist move by grifting lawyers, than a strategy that will in any way change what is coming next year before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:17 pm
Yeah I think the Sox, Blackhawks, and Bulls should’ve just kept their deal with NBC Sports. We got more of a headache with the new regional sports network.
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:23 pm
Count me in Leatherneck. Board a train in Chatham that takes me to Busch? Heck yea.
Comment by Captain Obvious Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:24 pm
===extend MetroLink to Springfield===
Amtrak.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:26 pm
Brian Wilson RIP. Do we lower flags or turn the volume?
BTW everyone try find Big Words touching ethics mish mash on some blog. He omitted a review actions by Single Mom, p.o. boxs and absentee ballots. Maybe statute has not run
Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Jun 11, 25 @ 12:30 pm