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* Tribune…
Five people are facing federal charges stemming from weekend protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in suburban Broadview that’s become a flashpoint for the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown.
In court Monday, a federal magistrate judge noted there has been “a tendency for ICE to be very aggressive” in managing the protests and that it was “not a surprise that there was a confrontation” in Broadview that night.
One of those charged, Paul Ivery, 26, of Oak Park, allegedly told an agent “I’ll (expletive) kill you right now” before attempting to evade arrest by jumping onto a car, according to a criminal complaint made public Monday.
Also arrested were a husband and wife, Ray Collins and Jocelyne Robledo, of the South Side of Chicago, who each allegedly had loaded guns with them as they scuffled with officers who were trying to widen a security perimeter, another complaint alleged. Both have lawful permits to carry the firearms.
Sun-Times federal courts reporter Jon Seidel…
Fuentes is ordering Collins detained.
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) September 29, 2025
Paging ISRA!
* The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition…
On Tuesday, September 30, advocates with the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) will join clean energy companies, legislative champions and consumers hurt by a massive, statewide electricity price spike to urge the General Assembly to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act (SB25), in the October veto session. New state analysis shows that the CRGA Act, even under the most conservative estimates, will lead to lower bills for consumers across Illinois–relief that is desperately needed.
WHAT: Press conference calling for the passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act in the October veto session
WHEN: Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 10:00am CT
WHERE: The Imperial Room, Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel, Chicago Loop, 171 W. Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601 and live-streamed via facebook.com/ILCleanJobs/live_videos.
* Governing | Illinois Considers Unusual Approach to Gun Regulations: An Illinois bill proposes a novel approach to gun regulation and gun violence prevention. The Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act, if passed, would subject firearm manufacturers to a variable licensing fee: The more often their guns are found to have been used in injury-causing incidents, the higher their fee. The money would go toward compensating gun violence victims or to cover other costs associated with gun violence.
* Treasurer Michael Frerichs, Daniel Elliot | It’s time to turn down the temperature and treat each other with dignity : Our offices can’t pass laws to fix the country’s divisions. But we can set an example: Lead with respect, work together where we can and remember that behind every vote, every opinion and every bumper sticker is a person who wants to be heard. It’s the spirit of our country that must remain intact. So, the next time you’re tempted to fire off that angry Facebook comment, stop and think. Let’s all try to turn down the temperature, listen more and treat each other with decency. That’s how we make our communities stronger and our country better. Civility isn’t weakness — it’s the first step toward a stronger America.
* Tribune | Downtown aldermen rip ‘public relations stunt’ day after Border Patrol agents patrolled busy Chicago streets: Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, called the parading federal agents, who walked along Michigan Avenue and in front of Millennium Park, a “bizarre image to see on a beautiful image,” and said the move “only served to scare people and intimidate people.” On Monday morning, there appeared to be no sign of the agents’ reappearance. Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Reilly said his constituents were “deeply disturbed” by the moves, which stem from the Trump administration’s increased efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. U.S. Border Patrol agents have recently joined federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers as part of a surge in which often masked agents have detained people across the city and suburbs. An ICE officer on Sept. 12 fatally shot an undocumented father, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, after a traffic stop in Franklin Park.
* Sun-Times | Deportation fears are new stressor for many Chicago youth: Now, our 2025 Youth Survey continues that work but asks new questions to get to the heart of what it means to grow up in Chicago right now. This summer, we heard from hundreds of youth citywide between the ages of 10 and 24. While mental health remains a top concern, this year’s results reveal new and urgent trends, including the impact of deportation fears, the drivers of chronic absenteeism and the lack of safe, welcoming spaces for youth. These are not just numbers, these are the lived experiences of our city’s young people.
* Block Club | What Will Downtown Look Like In 2045? Plan Calls For Better Transit, Riverwalk Extension And More: Last week, the city released its vision with a draft Central Area Plan, a blueprint for economic development and growth Downtown. Last updated in 2003, the plan charts a 20-year course to add tens of thousands of housing units, create jobs, convert vacant offices, cut carbon emissions and expand green space while boosting transit and Downtown culture.
* Crain’s | UChicago sells market data unit to Morningstar in $375M deal: The University of Chicago is selling off Center for Research in Security Prices, CRSP, in a $375 million transaction with Chicago-based research and investment firm Morningstar. The university in a news release said proceeds from the transaction will provide support for university research and education. It will also continue to have access to CRSP’s data for university researchers.
* Block Club | Pilsen Neighbors Urge City To Reject Fisk Power Station Demolition Permits: The city has yet to approve the permits, officials said Wednesday at a community meeting held at Dvorak Park and virtually. More than a dozen neighbors raised concerns about the city’s and contractor’s plans, calling on the city to implement better measures to protect neighbors in a neighborhood that’s already disproportionately affected by pollution and environmental racism.
* Sun-Times | Lake Street bridge to close for repairs, won’t reopen till 2028: The Lake Street Bridge will close Oct. 6 for a years-long rehabilitation project. It’s the latest city bridge to be shut down for major construction work. The 109-year-old bridge will be under construction until January 2028, according to the the Chicago Department of Transportation. The bridge, which stretches over the south branch of the Chicago River, will fully close for cars and pedestrians. CTA service on the Green and Pink lines will continue while the bridge is closed except for two shutdowns planned for fall 2026 and spring 2027, according to the transportation department.
* Crain’s | Political consultant Lisa Schneider Fabes dies at 60: Schneider Fabes served as transition manager for Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration after her election in 2019. At the time of her death, Schneider Fabes was managing Phil Andrew’s campaign in the crowded race to succeed Jan Schakowsky in the 9th Congressional District. “Anyone doing anything hard and impactful needed Lisa on the team,” Andrew said in a written statement. “Her energy, skill, sharp wit and tongue always brought humanity to good works. Our lives and community are better for Lisa. She was a gift.”
* Aurora Beacon-News | Aurora considering voluntary staffing cuts to help balance budget: The “2025 Voluntary Reduction In Force Incentive Plan” currently being considered would offer eligible employees two months of pay and benefits if they agree to leave their job at the city. That’s according to Chief of Staff Shannon Cameron, who gave a short presentation about the potential plan at a specially-called Aurora City Council meeting on Thursday. The plan was only discussed at that meeting, and the Aurora City Council did not formally vote. Cameron said the plan is expected to formally come before the Aurora City Council for approval on Oct. 14, which is the next regularly-scheduled meeting.
* ABC Chicago | Cook County launching relief fund for homeowners who saw high property tax increases: Eligibility requirements include: A property tax bill increase of at least 50% in any year since the 2021 tax year An income at or below 100% of the Area Median Income for the applicant’s household size. For example, a four-person household making $119,900 or less would be eligible. The home must be the primary residence of the applicant.
* ABC Chicago | New temporary Illinois DMV to open in Orland Park Monday: In July Orland Township trustees voted to close the Secretary of State’s office at Village Hall. At that time the Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias promised to find a new location. Monday, local officials opened the new temporary SOS office in Orland Park. […] “Our new Orland Park DMV is bigger and will offer more services to accommodate more southland residents,” Giannoulias said. “It is conveniently located just five miles drive south on LaGrange Road from the old facility and right off of the I-80 Expressway,”
* Aurora Beacon-News | Oswego board OKs repayment agreement with District 308 over water billing issue: New water meters were installed across the village starting in 2019 including at Oswego High School and Oswego East High School, village officials said. After the installation of the new 6-inch meters, the two schools were only billed for one-tenth of the actual water used, Oswego Finance Director Andrea Lamberg said in a report to trustees. […] Village staff members reached out to the district to review the billing history and discuss a repayment agreement, Oswego officials said. Both sides agreed to a repayment arrangement to run from Sept. 15, 2025, to July 15, 2034, Lamberg said.
* Daily Southtown | 56-year grassroots effort at Park Forest’s Thorn Creek needs volunteers as members retire: But the Halloween and Garlic events stopped as the organizers behind them left or retired, and Chamberlain, 84, said she is worried about getting a new generation of people to lead the preservation association, known as Friends of Thorn Creek Woods, which celebrates its 56th anniversary this year. “It’s a good feeling to know that there are so many good people that volunteer, but the only problem is now they’re all getting old,” Chamberlain said. “That’s why we need people to step up and volunteer and we need some new officers because most of our board is elderly.”
* Daily Herald | Double diploma: Students will be able to get Harper College degree while in high school: Harper College and the three districts — Northwest Suburban High School District 214, Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 and Barrington Area Unit District 220 — are launching the College Now dual degree program, which will have motivated high schoolers taking college-level coursework on the Palatine community college’s campus starting in the fall of 2026. […] Starting this week, the three high school districts will host information sessions for students and families to learn more, with initial applications from interested sophomores due Oct. 15. Should they meet the program’s qualifications for grades and attendance, they’ll be notified of acceptance within the week.
* Daily Herald | ‘A sense of comfort and peace’: How some suburban care facilities are using doll therapy for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients: As it progresses, dementia takes away who a patient is but leaves behind elements of who the person was, said D’Agostino, a geriatric psychiatrist with Ascension Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates. “A lot of things that mattered to them still matter to them on some level,” he said. For many, that includes caring for a child. Replicating that experience with a doll can help calm a patient, particularly when confusion, anxiety or restlessness escalate.
* WSIL | Building Bold Futures: Cairo Students Explore Careers at Construction Industry Expo: The event gave students a firsthand look at the wide range of careers in construction, engineering, and skilled trades. From hands-on demonstrations to conversations with industry leaders, the expo offered real-world experiences designed to spark curiosity and guide future career paths. Students tested equipment, explored multiple job tracks, and gained valuable insights into industries that are in demand and shape the infrastructure of Southern Illinois and beyond.
* STLPR | Illinois historic home could become a visitor center thanks to preservation grant: An effort by Calhoun County, Illinois, to preserve a historic home to tell more of its history has gotten a boost from a statewide nonprofit. The county’s Historic Preservation Commission was one of six groups that recently received $5,000 from Landmarks Illinois’ Preservation Heritage Fund. The commission will use the money to study the possibility of creating a visitor center at Perrin’s Ledge in Kampsville, about 70 miles northwest of St. Louis.
* National League of Cities | Local Official Checklist: Navigating a Federal Government Shutdown: In other words, federal discretionary grants that are administered to local governments from shut down federal agencies will be unavailable for reimbursement to local governments, and the application process for new grants will be paused until the shutdown ends. Federal agency staff will generally be unavailable to answer questions or offer technical assistance throughout the duration of a federal government shutdown. Federal contractors and employees across the country will likely stop receiving paychecks through the duration of the shutdown and local employees funded by federal grants may also be required to stop work.
* AP | Trump’s Transportation Department Pulls Trail and Bike Grants Deemed ‘Hostile’ to Cars: The department recently sent letters to local governments in at least six states — Alabama, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico — informing them it was withdrawing money awarded under the $1.1 trillion infrastructure law former President Joe Biden signed in 2021. The reversals are among the clearest signals yet of the drastic shift from the Biden administration’s emphasis on alternative transportation, such as transit and biking, to the Trump administration’s focus on preserving and expanding lanes for cars and trucks.
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 2:47 pm
Previous Post: Catching up with the congressionals
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2A rights don’t go away when you choose to exercise your 1st Amendment rights. You can exercise both at the same time responsibly. Judge Fuentes is wrong in ordering Collins detained.
Trump DOJ has been making a big show about protecting 2A rights. Might be fun to ask them how they feel about Judge Fuentes reasoning.
Comment by SKI Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 3:29 pm
===Trump DOJ has been making a big show about protecting 2A rights. Might be fun to ask them how they feel about Judge Fuentes reasoning. ===
The judge was simply agreeing with the US Attorney’s office.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 3:39 pm
Illinois concealed carry law list these as places you shall know knowingly carry a concealed firearm on or into:
An area under the control of an officer of the executive branch of government
An adult or juvenile detention or correctional institution
, prison or jail.
430 ILL comp stat 66/65
Comment by Think again Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 3:46 pm
===An adult or juvenile detention or correctional institution, prison or jail. ===
That facility legally qualifies as none of those.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 3:50 pm
==Both have lawful permits to carry the firearms.==
Paging Harmeet Dhillon.
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 3:58 pm
The ICE Broadview location is certainly a prohibited place to conceal carry as it qualifies under this category of IL state law
An area under the control of an officer of the executive branch of government
Comment by Think again Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 3:59 pm
===officer of the executive branch of government===
1) The statute appears to be for state government; but
2) These people were on the public right of way.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 4:02 pm
==These people were on the public right of way.==
And just because ICE put fencing up across 25th Avenue, there’s still more to eminent domain than the feds picking a spot in the public way and saying “mine now.”
Comment by Roadrager Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 4:08 pm
McLean County had a grant approved but now won’t be funded. It was to help design the three sections (9 miles) of the 47 mile biking/walking trail that parallels Route 66. This will keep bicyclers and walkers off of the road during these sections. Denying this $675,000 grant is hostile to the many who use this trail. I often take Route 66 from north Normal to go to Towanda, Lexington, or Chenoa. I have met tourists from Europe as well as other parts of the U.S. who are following the Mother Road on bikes followed by a van toting their luggage and supplies.
Comment by Nearly Normal Monday, Sep 29, 25 @ 4:30 pm