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* Sun-Times…
U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski on Tuesday confirmed her name was included in notes left behind by Vance Boelter, the man charged with killing a Minnesota lawmaker and injuring another.
“On Sunday, I was informed by Capitol Police that my name was included in the Minnesota murder suspect’s notes,” Budzinski, D-Ill., wrote on X. “I want to again send my condolences to the family of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. I will continue to keep them as well as State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in my prayers. My deepest sympathies go out to their families, friends, and the entire Minnesota community.
“As I’ve said before, there is absolutely no place in this country for political violence. We must be a nation that values civility and mutual respect — always,” Budzinski said.
She declined further comment.
* United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881…
Local 881 United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) endorsed Robert Peters for Congress in Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday. Local 881 represents 34,000 hard-working members across Illinois, including thousands in the district, in grocery, retail, pharmacy, cannabis, food processing, and other essential industries.
“Robert Peters has always been a champion for working people,” said Local 881 UFCW President Steve Powell. “He understands the challenges our members face, from wages and health care to safe working conditions and dignity on the job. We need his voice fighting for us in Washington.”
As a current Illinois State Senator and longtime organizer, Peters has stood shoulder to shoulder with labor, advocating for fair pay, strong unions, and a people-first economy. His campaign for Congress centers working families, racial and economic justice, health equity, and a bold vision for the future of Illinois and the nation.
“I’m proud to receive the support of Local 881,” said Peters. “Their members—essential workers who keep our communities going—deserve more than lip service. I will continue standing for their right to organize, earn a living wage, and build a better life for their families as we fight back against Trump’s onslaught against working people.”
* The state headquarters building in Chicago experienced a power surge today. This email was sent out by CMS at noon…
555 W. Monroe just experience a power surge. Power has been fully restored to the building; however, we are in the process of manually switching power back on throughout the building. The surge effected the elevators, and we are working to have the power restored quickly. If you need to exit the building during this time, please take the stairs to the ground level. We will keep everyone informed as we work through this situation.
Several employees went home to work remotely, we’re told.
* Press Release | Illinois governor signs bill, delays implementation for state interchange act: “Credit unions across Illinois applaud Governor Pritzker for his swift action in signing House Bill 742, extending the effective date of the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act,” said Ashley Sharp, senior vice president of state advocacy and legislative Counsel for the Illinois Credit Union League. “While litigation challenging the law proceeds, it is imperative to provide relief to credit unions, local banks, Main Street businesses and consumers throughout the state of Illinois – all who stand to be negatively impacted by this law.”
* WaPo | Maps show the cities about to experience extreme humidity and heat: Chicago: Maximum humidity level: Very high: High humidity will develop Tuesday, becoming very high Wednesday, when strong-to-severe storms are possible. After a brief break Thursday, humidity levels will surge from Friday through next week as a period of dangerous heat arrives. … St. Louis: Maximum humidity level: Extreme: High to extreme humidity levels show no signs of letting up through next week. This will fuel strong-to-severe thunderstorms on Wednesday. A period of excessive heat is forecast to arrive on Saturday.
* Tribune | Photos: Our Route 66 road trip: As the 100th anniversary of Route 66 approaches in 2026, join Pulitzer Prize winners Jonathan Bullington and E. Jason Wambsgans as they spotlight the stops and people who live along America’s highway. Route 66 was created to connect us, a fused chain of existing roadways many unpaved that stretched 2,448 miles across eight states and three time zones, starting steps from Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago and ending near the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica’s famed fishing pier.
* Injustice Watch | Pilsen tenants followed the law in withholding rent. They were forced to move out anyway.: By the time three Pilsen tenants began writing letters to their landlord requesting repairs in May 2023, water was dripping from the ceiling of a third-floor hallway even on sunny days. “Right outside my unit, there is water leakage from the fourth floor and damage in floorboards due to oversaturation,” wrote Cristina Miranda, one of the tenants, who just months earlier had moved into the four-story building on the southern edge of the trendy Mexican neighborhood. “This water leakage is random and independent from rainy weather,” Miranda wrote.
* Block Club | Chicago Police Have Failed To Solve More Homicides. Could A New Law Help?: The late May passage of the Illinois Homicide Data Transparency Act — which will require law enforcement to track and publish detailed, standardized homicide reports — was welcome news to gun reform advocates in Chicago, a city where many shooting survivors say they distrust police. That distrust exists, in part, because Chicago Police typically solve gun crimes at lower rates than their counterparts in other cities, and they report their clearance rates in a way that tends to inflate their track record.
* WGN | Illinois Congressmen visit immigration facility in South Loop as Trump orders ICE to increase deportation efforts: Two Illinois Congressmen, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District) and U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (1st District), visited the ISAP (Intensive Supervision Appearance Program) office in the South Loop on Tuesday. The immigration office is run by ICE officials. Several Chicago residents have received text messages to show up there. When they arrived for check-in, they were detained. […] “For ICE and Donald Trump to specifically target Chicago for these types of raids and these types of fraudulent text scams to get people to come in, only to be snatched away, is wrong,” the congressman said.
* The federal legislators entered the ISAP office but were denied access once inside…
.@rep_jackson and I were just denied entry to the South Loop ICE facility in Chicago.
We went to ask questions and perform congressional oversight of potential illegal ICE activities as Donald Trump's administration targets immigrant communities.
More to come. pic.twitter.com/ufrHr1k2dl
— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) June 17, 2025
…Adding… Statement from Krishnamoorthi…
“People in Illinois are confused, scared, and deserve answers,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “It is my responsibility as an elected member of the United States Congress to conduct oversight of this center and get answers for our neighbors and constituents. These raids are not isolated incidents. The facility leadership’s decision to deny me entry into the center is disappointing and outrageous, and I will continue to demand information from ICE personnel to ensure everyone’s rights to due process are being upheld – as is the law.”
On Monday, a man was arrested and detained by ICE agents in Elgin, located in Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s congressional district, despite having no previous criminal record and having lived and worked in Elgin for 12 years.
…Adding… Sun-Times…
“We made it through the double doors into the facility. We talked to an ICE officer who refused to identify himself. He was wearing a mask to obscure his identity. We asked for his name. We asked for his badge. He refused,” Krishnamoorthi said. “He then called Chicago Police to evict us from the property as trespassers. This is federally paid property. We should be able to conduct oversight here, and we’re going to insist following this visit on doing just that.”
Jackson said police officers were “gracious and kind,” and he called them “conflicted.”
“What you’re beginning to see is the officers are conflicted. He was calling the police on two members of Congress and said that we were trespassing,” Jackson said. “This is a federal contractor in the 1st District, and there’s been some really slimy and scammy things that have happened with text messages and people being picked up. We came here simply to ask.”
Krishnamoorthi said “several people” from Elgin, in his district, have received texts to show up to an ICE office. Jackson said two constituents have reached out to his office about missing family members.
* Block Club | MAT Asphalt Complaints Continue Even After Mitigation Technology Installed Last April: Over the last year, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has received more than two dozen air pollution complaints against MAT Asphalt and ticketed the facility for environmental ordinance violations, according to records obtained by Borderless Magazine. In a handful of instances, inspectors have identified odors escaping from the plant and trucks when loaded with asphalt, a petroleum-based material, according to environmental inspection records.
* Tribune | Ald. Jim Gardiner cleared of ethics charge, $20k fine; ethics board chair stepping down: It’s a rare win in a string of other controversies for the alderman. Czosnyka and others won a $157,500 settlement after claiming Gardiner unfairly blocked critics from his official Facebook page, which was paid in part by the alderman and partly with taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers also had to pick up the tab for a separate $100,000 settlement to a man that claimed Gardiner had him wrongfully arrested. Gardiner also publicly apologized for what he described as “offensive” texts using derogatory language against City Council colleagues and women.
* Tribune | Chicago police still seeking suspect in foot chase that led to shooting death of Officer Krystal Rivera: Meanwhile, investigators with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability continue to probe the gunshot that resulted in Rivera’s on-duty death, CPD’s first of 2025. In the moments after the chase, Rivera was shot and killed by her own partner, authorities have said. […] With no time to wait for an ambulance, Rivera was placed into a squad car to be driven to University of Chicago Medical Center. During the trip to the hospital, though, the police vehicle caught fire and Rivera was transferred to a different squad car. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. In the chaos, the suspect who prompted the stop was able to escape. A Police Department spokesperson told the Tribune that they remained at large.
* Crain’s | With latest deal, United Center owners cross $100M in land purchases: A venture controlled by the Reinsdorf and Wirtz families, which co-own the Near West Side venue, paid just more than $12 million late last month for a surface parking lot and brick building at the southeast corner of Washington Boulevard and Damen Avenue, according to Cook County property records. The entity bought the property from an affiliate of Red Top Parking, a longtime operator of parking lots near the United Center that has sold other land nearby to the team owners in recent years.
* Sun-Times | Chicago public pools to open 7 days a week for first time since COVID-19 closings: The outlook this summer is for above-average temperatures and intense humidity, according to Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford. Chicagoans will get the first taste of extreme heat this weekend when temperatures are forecast above 90 degrees and humidity levels are expected to be oppressive, Ford said. It’s been a cool June so far.
* Sun-Times | Earl Moses, ‘true newsman,’ former Sun-Times editor, dies at 94: Moses, a respected Chicago newspaperman, died May 24 at his home in Torrance, California. He was 94. […] Moses joined the Sun-Times in 1962, rising from reporter to night city editor, then city editor, assistant managing editor, assistant to the personnel director and assistant to the editor before taking early retirement in 1988 after suffering a stroke. “My dad was a true newsman. The Sun-Times was his life,” said Matthew Moses, who remembers his father interacting with colleagues. “Roger Flaherty, Leon Pitt, I remember their confidence. They saw through all the bs going on in the city. It was fun watching them hang out, hearing them swap stories. That made him a superhero in my eyes.”
* Daily Southtown | Students complained about Bloom Trail teacher years before sexual assault charges brought, records show: Records obtained from District 206 show Giglio was placed on paid administrative leave for an investigation on the same day the district was served with a lawsuit, May 14, 2024. The school board voted to terminate his employment July 8, 2024. In February 2021, a person stating they were a parent of a Bloom Trail student sent the district an anonymous email listing concerns with Giglio’s behavior. The parent claimed to have contacted Bloom Trail Principal Glynis Keene with concerns in December 2020 and wanted to know why Giglio was still teaching.
* Daily Herald | Hoffman Estates approves $385,000 purchase of TIF-funded land: The redevelopment includes the land on the southeast corner of Barrington road and the Interstate 90 tollway which is adjacent to the village’s public works maintenance garage. Although 11 acres of land were purchased, not all are usable, which resulted in the affordable price, according to village manager Eric Palm.
* Daily Herald | Indivisible Elk Grove Township’s inaugural event draws 6,000: One of the Indivisible Movement’s newest chapters, Indivisible Elk Grove Township, hosted their first event on June 14 in Arlington Heights to join with millions of protesters nationwide who gathered on Flag Day to demand an end to executive overreach and to reclaim a country that is governed according to the Constitution by We the People. Lynne S, the Indivisible Elk Grove Township chapter’s founder, attributes the overwhelming success of this event to many factors. “We had an incredible lineup of speakers headlined by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and including state Rep. Mary Beth Canty (54th), state Rep. Nicole Grasse (53rd), County Commissioner Kevin Morrison (15th) and Jesse Rojo (Illinois Veterans for Change) among others.”
* Daily Herald | Ex-chief to get $99,210 from Wheeling in separation deal: Former Wheeling Police Chief Jamie Dunne will receive more than $99,200 from the village when he officially retires in a few weeks. Dunne will get a one-time, lump payment of nearly $86,305 within 14 days of his July 4 retirement, documents indicate. He’ll also receive a $12,905 payment for his employee-sponsored retirement account. Additionally, Dunne is due unspecified payment for earned but unused vacation time and personal time. The payments are part of a separation agreement approved by the village board Monday night. The deal was authorized without public discussion as part of the consent agenda, which is reserved for routine matters.
* WGLT | Bloomington looks to adopt new housing rehabilitation strategy: The proposed Housing Rehabilitation Program, part of a larger neighborhood revitalization effort, was presented publicly for the first time during Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Cordaryl Patrick, the city’s community impact and enhancement director, said estimates indicate Bloomington has about 300-400 properties that are currently vacant and derelict and would be targeted by the initiative.
* Capitol City Now | District 186: Scope makes progress: The rising cost of before- and after-school care in District 186 is a concern administrator Terrance Jordan is feeling. The popular Scope program now must be self-sufficient, after the administration’s attempt to transfer it to the YMCA failed. “Currently, if they don’t receive CCC, which is Community Child Care Connection, that price is $115 per child,” said the district’s Terrance Jordan, “and we have received emails from concerned parents about that increase and how it may be pricing them out.”
* WSIL | T-Mobile grant to enhance safety and access in Carbondale: The City of Carbondale has been awarded a $46,000 Hometown Grant from T-Mobile. This makes Carbondale one of just 25 communities nationwide and one of two in Illinois to receive this grant in the latest funding round. […] The grant will fund the installation of decorative wayfinding signage along the Downtown-Campus Connector and decorative alleyway lighting in three key downtown locations. These improvements will enhance connectivity and safety between Southern Illinois University (SIU) and downtown Carbondale.
* WCIA | Vehicle drives into Baskin-Robbins in Springfield; two hospitalized: In a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon, Springfield Fire Fighters Local 37 said they responded to a vehicle impacting the Baskin-Robbins at the intersection of S MacArthur Blvd. and W Laurel St. As a result, two occupants of the vehicle were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Additionally, nobody inside of the Baskin-Robbins nor the neighboring business were hurt in this incident, and everyone involved has been accounted for.
* WSIL | Anna, IL to boost accessibility with $2.1M transportation grant: “We’re pleased to receive this money from ITEP and excited to put these dollars to work in our community,” said City Administrator Dori Bigler. “The multi-use path to Walmart will improve accessibility while increasing safety for residents and visitors alike.” The path will extend from the intersection of Springfield Avenue and East Vienna Street to Walmart. Anna is among 66 projects statewide receiving funding, with a total of $139.2 million awarded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
* Lexis Nexis | Will Genetic Privacy Concerns Raised by 23andMe’s Collapse Last?: In the wake of 23andMe’s bankruptcy announcement, attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, California, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Texas all issued warnings to their residents about the company’s collapse and encouraged them to delete any genetic data held by the company. In the wake of 23andMe’s bankruptcy announcement, attorneys general in Alabama, Arizona, California, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Texas all issued warnings to their residents about the company’s collapse and encouraged them to delete any genetic data held by the company. […] This month, 27 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent 23andMe from selling customers’ genetic data without obtaining their “explicit consent” first.
* Nielsen | Streaming Reaches Historic TV Milestone, Eclipses Combined Broadcast and Cable Viewing For First Time: Streaming reached a historic milestone in May as its share of total television usage outpaced the combined share of broadcast and cable for the first time ever, according to Nielsen’s monthly report of The Gauge™. Streaming represented 44.8% of TV viewership in May 2025, its largest share of viewing to date, while broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) combined to represent 44.2% of TV.
* TPM | Senate Republicans Propose Gutting Medicaid Further To Make Trump Tax Cuts Permanent: Committee Republicans propose steeper cuts to certain programs, including Medicaid and the Child Tax Credit, in order to make President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent. The panel has also proposed a slower phase out on the Biden-era clean energy tax credits, though experts point out the overall effect would still be equal to gutting the clean energy incentives. Many Senate Republicans have vocalized issues with a handful of provisions in the House version of the bill — Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has warned against a “full-scale repeal” of current energy tax credits; Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MS) has made some noise about cutting Medicaid; Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) goes back-and-forth daily about whether he’s content with the federal spending cuts outlined in the bill.
posted by Isabel Miller
Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 2:44 pm
Previous Post: Today’s must-read
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CMS has now closed 555 W. Monroe.
Comment by Sangamo Girl Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 2:57 pm
The “secret police” don’t have to answer to anyone and that’s the way they like it.
Comment by Techie Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:01 pm
There was the arrest of the judge in Milwaukee, the arrest of the mayor of Newark, a congressperson charged in New Jersey, and today NYC’s city comptroller was arrested by masked ICE agents. Raja and Jackson could be next.
https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/06/17/brad-lander-arrest-ice-immigration-court/
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:10 pm
=In a Facebook post Tuesday afternoon, Springfield Fire Fighters Local 37 said they responded to a vehicle impacting the Baskin-Robbins at the intersection of S MacArthur Blvd.=
Just saw the photos of an accident–”impacting” is an understatement. Looks like the Baskin-Robbins building is a total loss, the whole front end collapsing.
Hopefully BR can find a new location on MacArthur. The old TitleMax or Hibachi Grill places would be a nice spot, or go into one of the Town and Country storefronts.
Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:17 pm
I thought JB said no Illinois politicians were on the list?
Comment by Nano Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:28 pm
Since Roe, 11 doctors who performed abortions have been murdered in cold blood by “pro-life” terrorists who have also committed thousands of other acts of violence. If you are shocked by the MN assassinations, you haven’t been paying attention.
https://www.acog.org/advocacy/abortion-is-essential/trending-issues/violence-against-providers-of-abortion-care-and-clinics
Comment by Cosgrove Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:36 pm
I thought trump people were against masks. Or does that just apply to masks to protect people’s health.
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:48 pm
These actions remind me of a period in history called the Nativist Movement. Immigrants from Eastern Europe particularly Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia came to America to seek work in the steel mills, refineries, and railroads.
Many changed their ethnic names to be hired in the industries. Some signed documents pledging that they would no longer be subjects of Emperor Franz Joseph.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:49 pm
Did Krishnamoorthi or Jackson ever visit the ICE facility prior to 2025 for fact finding and oversight purposes?
Comment by Curious Timing Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 3:57 pm
Curious Timing:
Does it matter whether they did or not?
You have law enforcement wearing masks not identifying themselves and hiding information like some tinhorn banana republic run by dictators….
And you’re worried whether 2 Congressmen had been there before.
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 4:03 pm
—I thought JB said no Illinois politicians were on the list?
This has been confusing as the way the information has gotten out doesn’t differentiate what was on the list he had with addresses information and notes he had that were kind of scattershot from the descriptions. I think she was in the latter is the likely difference.
Comment by ArchPundit Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 4:13 pm
===Did Krishnamoorthi or Jackson ever visit the ICE facility prior to 2025===
Kind of a weak shot.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 4:14 pm
What Archpundit said.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 4:20 pm
==Did Krishnamoorthi or Jackson ever visit the ICE facility prior to 2025 for fact finding and oversight purposes?==
Why would they have? ICE’s recent activities have been questionable, at best. The masks, lack of ID, process twisting (everything from ignoring the Bill of Rights to subverting the hearing process), and a host of other actions are very problematic. That’s when Congressional oversight becomes necessary. Frankly, I’d like to see a few Republican Congresscritters asserting on behalf of their branch as well.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 5:21 pm
It looked more like a staged publicity stunt. Just saying,
Comment by Curious Timing Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 5:31 pm
Prior to 2025?
How about going way back to the 8 years of the Obama administration when over 3 million were deported?
Or during the Biden administration when 4.4 million were deported
Trumps first term only 1.2 million were deported
Crickets because it was a Democratic administration
https://www.vox.com/politics/416901/trump-mass-deportation-obama-border-raids-ice
Comment by Mac Daddy Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 5:33 pm
Agreed…..just looking for some cameras……
Comment by It's always Sunny in Illinois Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 5:39 pm
===It looked more like a staged publicity stunt===
It may have been, but calling the CPD on two sitting congressmen who have a legit oversight role is a bit much.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 5:56 pm
“Crickets because it was a Democratic administration“
I think the crickets are from democrat administrations affording due process.
Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 5:56 pm
==I think the crickets are from democrat administrations affording due process.==
Agreed. And more targeted.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 6:11 pm
Maybe the Democratic politicians can go back to DC and work to legislatively fix the big mess they have helped make. If I was ICE I’d handcuff them and toss them out of the building.
Comment by Tim Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 6:35 pm
=It looked more like a staged publicity stunt. Just saying,=
Now do literally any kristi noem activityt like going on ice raids etc. I’ll wait. Lol.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jun 17, 25 @ 8:55 pm