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RETAIL: Strengthening Communities Across Illinois

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Retailers throughout Illinois remain focused on serving their neighborhoods. Luckeyia Murry, owner of Luckeyia’s Balloons & Distribution in the city of Homewood, says running a small business is a lot of hard work. She wants policymakers to understand it is small businesses who build community and keep people connected.

Retail generates $7.3 billion in income and sales tax revenue each year in Illinois. These funds support public safety, infrastructure, education, and other important programs we all rely on every day. In fact, retail is the second largest revenue generator for the State of Illinois and the largest revenue generator for local governments.

Policies that support small businesses help communities thrive as retailers like Luckeyia are better equipped to meet local needs. We Are Retail and IRMA are showcasing the retailers who make Illinois work.

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Isabel’s afternoon roundup

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sun-Times federal courts reporter Jon Seidel…

#BREAKING The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refuses to undo order blocking deployment of National Guard troops within Illinois.

"We conclude that the district court's factual findings … were not clearly erroneous, and that the facts do not justify the President's actions." pic.twitter.com/yguUR1sZSp

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) October 16, 2025

And on the question of whether the president can execute federal law: "The administration has been proclaiming the success of its current efforts to enforce immigration laws in the Chicago area." pic.twitter.com/FCZEIbh2aQ

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) October 16, 2025

Click here for the full opinion.

*********************** Advertisement **********************

Illinois families are already stretched thin and a delivery tax would push them even further. For Illinois residents, delivery services are essential, not optional. Working parents, seniors, and those with limited mobility rely on them for groceries, meals, and everyday needs. Now, a proposed delivery tax threatens to raise costs on the families who can least afford it.

Learn more about the impact of a delivery tax and why we MUST stop it.

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*** Statehouse News ***

* Capitol News Illinois | Dabrowski sets fundraising bar at $1.5M in GOP primary for governor: According to quarterly fundraising and spending reports that campaigns filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections on Wednesday, Dabrowski raised $1.5 million since forming his campaign on Aug. 20. A sizeable portion of that, $250,100, came from Dabrowski himself. Dabrowski, of Wilmette, is a former researcher for Wirepoints, a conservative media website dedicated to researching and proposing public policy solutions in Illinois.

* IPM Newsroom | New Illinois law looks to put guardrails on AI in mental health as researchers push for innovation: Morgan said he thinks the increased use of artificial intelligence is inevitable. He said the goal of the new law is not to ban companies from using AI to help treat mental health, but to establish a set of standards guiding how the technology can be used. “This need for mental health care is just so high that it’s unrealistic to think that our existing network of actual people, of licensed professionals, are going to be enough to satisfy the need,” he said. “That’s why we have to have guardrails.”

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Mayor Brandon Johnson Calls for $617M in New Taxes to Close Budget Gap, Avoid Layoffs: Instead, it would close the city’s massive shortfall in part by imposing a $21 per employee tax on large companies to generate $100 million to fund violence prevention and youth employment programs. Johnson also proposed a first-of-its-kind tax on social media companies to generate $31 million to fuel the city’s public mental health clinics and crisis response programs, according to the proposal.

* Sun-Times | Mayor Johnson’s $16.6B budget would revive corporate head tax, tax social media companies: “It’s not a job killer. It’s a job creator. The top priority that businesses have expressed over and over again is to ensure that our city is safe,” Johnson told reporters during a budget briefing this week. “We’re talking about 3% of companies who will be asked to put more skin in the game; 97% of businesses won’t be impacted by this.”

* The Triibe | Mayor Brandon Johnson reveals budget to ‘Protect Chicago’ from Trump cuts: Recommendations include $200 million in cost cuts that will result in savings, along with no “new property taxes or regressive fees,” according to materials provided by the city’s Office of Budget Management (OBM). Johnson’s FY 2026 budget equates to $16.6 billion, a 3.2% decrease from last year’s budget due to losses of pandemic-era grants and pension costs, according to materials sent by the OBM.

* Tribune | CPS gets $522 million boost from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget proposal: The draft budget, unveiled Thursday, calls for the city to draw $1 billion from its Tax Increment Financing districts, or TIFs. More than half of that money is slated for CPS, covering the $379 million the district already anticipated and a controversial $175 million municipal pension payment. The move marks a rare victory for CPS, allowing school officials to maintain their August spending plan — which relied heavily on TIF money — and spare classrooms from deeper cuts.

* Sun-Times | Chicago police supervisor hopes $1M settlement over traffic stop quota sends ‘clear message’ to bosses: He insisted that his crusade against Barz and the police department “was never about the money.” He said he plans to use the settlement to make charitable contributions, including to the scholarship fund honoring Officer Ella French, a member of the Community Safety Team who was fatally shot during a traffic stop.

* Crain’s | Weiss Memorial, West Suburban owe $69 million in taxes: report: The owner of shuttered Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown and financially troubled West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park owes more than $69 million in state taxes and penalties, the Chicago Tribune reports. Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services records obtained by the Tribune showed Manoj Prasad, CEO of Resilience Health, was sent letters from the department about both hospitals. An HFS spokeswoman told the Tribune the taxes and penalties are up to $27.7 million owed by Weiss and $41.6 million owed by West Suburban.

* WBEZ | ICE activity is stressing Chicago’s building managers, who warn rents could rise: Other property managers and owners said workers are not showing up to job sites — frightened by ICE — and it’s causing delays on building repairs and maintenance. Some residents are not able to pay rent on time as they are holed up at home, too afraid to go to work with federal agents popping up throughout the city. This adds to the already rising business costs for building owners and managers, some of whom say they are eating the increased expenses connected to ICE raids. But if the enforcement activity continues into the busy spring moving season, property managers and owners like Warren said they may have to increase rents to recoup some of their costs.

* Tribune | Immigration agent who shot Chicago woman drove ‘rammed’ vehicle to Maine, attorneys reveal: [Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Parente] said he was particularly worried about the Border Patrol agent’s vehicle, since where and how it sustained any damage would be pivotal evidence in the case. Parente said after he demanded to inspect the vehicle, he was notified the agent was allowed to “drive it back to Maine, which I believe is 1100 miles away.” “I assumed this car was being kept as evidence,” Parente said, adding the agent should be instructed immediately to not get the vehicle repaired or washed. “I shouldn’t have to find that out…how they let this happen is beyond me.”

* Crain’s | Former generals warn against troop deployment in Chicago: “It is imperative that as citizens we stand up to the overreach of the federal government today in Illinois, in California and elsewhere,” retired Maj. Gen. Bill Enyart, former adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard, said today during a press conference after meeting with Gov. JB Pritzker. “Our National Guard members joined and serve to defend our nation to respond to national disasters. They are not policemen, they are not political pawns.”

* Block Club Chicago | Criterion Collection’s Famed Movie Closet Coming To Chicago: The Criterion Mobile Closet will be parked at NEWCITY Lincoln Park, 1457 N. Halsted St., Friday through Sunday. This is the Closet’s first visit to Chicago. “We love curation,” said Vivian Teng, managing director of the Chicago International Film Festival. “Just like how we consider ourselves curators of international independent film, Criterion shares that same philosophy. We both serve cinephiles and film lovers.”

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Tribune | Video of teen arrested in Hoffman Estates prompts call for federal investigation: Agents from ICE went into the police station Friday afternoon to file a report alleging an assault, the chief said, but left, saying they would come back later after protesters gathered at the police station as word of their presence in the suburb spread. […] Hoffman Estates police confirmed that the video posted online was of the arrests. The intersection is the same area where the Hoffman Estates squad car was and the squad car in the video bears markings that match those of Hoffman Estates police.

* Daily Herald | Ex-Campton Hills police chief Steven Millar charged with money laundering, gun crime: Steven Millar is charged with official misconduct, forgery, money laundering, misapplying governmental funds, wire fraud, theft, and delivering guns before a 72-hour waiting period is over. Illinois State Police arrested him, Douglas Kucik and two former officers — Scott Coryell and Daniel Hatt — Thursday morning. The other three were charged with official misconduct, theft, money laundering and delivering guns before a 72-hour waiting period.

* Crain’s | Walgreens lays off 80 corporate employees: Newly private Walgreens Boots Alliance has fired 80 employees this week from its corporate offices in Chicago and Deerfield, according to an internal memo obtained by Crain’s. The layoffs come a little more than a month into private equity firm Sycamore Partners’ $10 billion acquisition of the retail pharmacy giant.

* Daily Herald | Elgin asks residents to weigh in on potential plastic shopping bag ban: The city’s Sustainability Commission brought the issue to the city council in April. The council, in turn, directed city staff to draft an ordinance that mirrors an Illinois Senate bill introduced by Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin. If passed, SB 1872 would prohibit retailers from offering single-use bags to consumers starting in 2029. Under the draft ordinance, the ban and fees would apply to retail establishments larger than 5,000 square feet. Restaurants, small nonchain retailers and pop-up shops would be exempt. There are also exceptions for bags for frozen foods, flowers, bakery goods, and several other items.

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Illinois soybean farmers react to short and long-term tariff effects: Severs says they’re focusing on making diesel and grease for farm equipment out of soybeans as another way to help make up the loss. But, ideally, he would want to see China’s market open back up with a new deal.

* WCIA | 1.8 million pounds of soybeans spilled after Martinton grain bin collapse: First responders said it happened around 1 p.m. at a Donovan Farmers’ Cooperative facility in the small village of Martinon. The 90-foot-tall grain bin, which officials said was built in 1972, structurally failed and collapsed, spilling over 30,000 bushels of soybeans — or 1.8 million pounds — that were stored inside. No one was hurt, but the village was without power until Thursday morning.

* WSIL | Illinois JusticeCorps aids court users in southern Illinois courthouses: Illinois JusticeCorps has placed volunteer Brock Freeman at courthouses throughout the First Circuit. Freeman provides non-legal support, including help with court procedures, e-filing, and self-help resources. Freeman’s role is to assist court users in navigating the courthouse. He does not provide legal advice but offers clear and respectful assistance to make the court experience more user-friendly.

* Harvest Public Media | Corn, but shorter: Why Midwest farmers are experimenting with smaller varieties: Moore is a third-generation farmer who grows corn and soybeans on about 1800 acres in central Illinois, south of Decatur. He’s also the self-described guinea pig among farmers in his area and is now in his second year growing the short-stature corn, called the Preceon Smart Corn System. The new variety doesn’t look too different from the road. It’s only about three to four feet shorter than the rows of corn you see as you drive through states like Illinois — corn that is largely used to feed livestock and make ethanol fuel.

*** National ***

* ProPublica | Immigration Agents Have Held More Than 170 Americans Against Their Will, ProPublica Finds: “If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U.S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States,” Kavanaugh wrote, “they promptly let the individual go.” But that is far from the reality many citizens have experienced. Americans have been dragged, tackled, beaten, tased and shot by immigration agents. They’ve had their necks kneeled on. They’ve been held outside in the rain while in their underwear. At least three citizens were pregnant when agents detained them. One of those women had already had the door of her home blown off while Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watched.

* Investigate Midwest | The shutdown is poised to deepen hunger in America — just as the Trump administration stopped tracking it: In the midst of it all, America’s ability to track the real-world impacts of the shutdown on hunger is disappearing. Shortly before the shutdown, the Department of Agriculture moved to scrap the Household Food Security Report, the nation’s primary tool for tracking food insecurity, and in doing so, stripped away the very infrastructure needed to remedy rising hunger in America.

* AFP Fact Check | White House’s Chicago ‘chaos’ video uses footage from other cities: But many of the video’s sensational scenes purporting to depict the “mess” in Chicago are outdated and were filmed outside of the city. The Daily Beast first reported that some of the shots were from April in Florida, a Republican-leaning state home to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate (archived here). An AFP investigation, based on reverse image searches and a review of the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service’s (DVIDS) video archive, has revealed that the White House’s video lifted numerous additional shots from footage of immigration-enforcement operations in California, Arizona, Texas, South Carolina and Nebraska. Some of the videos date to 2024 and 2023, when former president Joe Biden was in office.

* The American Prospect | The AI Ouroboros: There’s just one problem with this master plan: OpenAI doesn’t have the money to pay for it. For example, OpenAI is committing to pay Oracle $60 billion in capex investment annually for five years. For reference, Meta, one of the most valuable and profitable companies in the world, which brought in $164.5 billion in revenue in 2024 and ended the year with a free cash flow of $52.10 billion, plans to spend $72 billion in 2025 building data centers. OpenAI, on the other hand, is on pace to bring in $12.7 billion this year, expects to lose $9 billion, predicts its losses will swell to $47 billion by 2028, and doesn’t expect to break even until 2029. How can OpenAI plan to spend five times what it brought in?

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Pritzker pressed on gambling winnings (Updated)

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From earlier…

Since reporters noticed ⁦@GovPritzker⁩ reported $1.4M in gambling winnings on his income tax filing - so many questions. Today his spokesman says the Las Vegas blackjack winnings will be donated. pic.twitter.com/pXcYHHntLp

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) October 16, 2025

* From the governor’s press conference today…

Q: On your income, are you concerned that AOC or another potential rival in a presidential primary could use the capital gains, the gambling winnings against you as fodder in the campaign?

Pritzker: No. (Laughs). No. I think people know when I got elected, and have known for some time that, you know, I’m very fortunate in my life. And if they want to use something like that in the campaign, I don’t know, but I’m not, you know, right now I’m focused on running for reelection as governor. That’s the only thing I’m focused on politically, and of course, most importantly in my job as governor today, protecting the people of Illinois from the unlawful acts of Stephen Miller and Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, Tom Homan and Gregory Pavino.

Q: Governor, can you just explain a little more the circumstances of the $1.4 million? That’s some big winnings. Was it a high roller table? Were you gambling millions and millions of dollars?

Pritzker: I, I obviously, I’ve explained this, or at least we did in a statement. You know that I went on vacation with my wife, with some friends. I was incredibly lucky. You have to be to end up ahead, frankly. Going to a casino anywhere, it was in Las Vegas, and I like to play cards. And so you know that I founded a charitable poker match here in Chicago called the Chicago Poker Challenge that raises millions, has raised millions of dollars for the Holocaust Museum here, and particularly to stand up for civil rights. That’s much of what the Holocaust Museum does. And so anyway, that’s that’s all I can say about it. Had fun doing it. I encourage people to come to the state of Illinois and gamble in our casinos here, we have some really lovely places to go.

Q: The number that was reported, can you say how much you’ve lost gambling?

Pritzker: I believe that’s a net number. So, yeah, but, but, I mean, it was, it was all, you know, it all happened over one trip and again, it was just, I mean, incredibly lucky. And as you know, most of the time, anybody who’s been to a casino, you win, and you know all of anybody who’s played cards in a casino knows that you know you often play for too long and lose whatever it is that you won. I was fortunate enough to have to leave before that happens.

Q: What was the final hand?

Pritzker: Oh, I don’t remember.

Thoughts?

…Adding… Darren Bailey…

While hardworking Illinois families are stretched thin by record taxes and rising costs, Governor J.B. Pritzker was sitting at the high-roller tables in Las Vegas, winning $1.4 million.

According to his 2024 tax filings, Pritzker reported $1.4 million in gambling winnings from Las Vegas – a snapshot of just how far removed he is from the economic reality most Illinoisans live every day as a result of the Governor’s failed policies.

The Darren Bailey/Aaron Del Mar campaign is issuing the following statement:

“While hard working families are struggling, JB Pritzker is living the high life in Las Vegas. Not only is he gambling with his own money, but he also is gambling away the future of working families. Instead of rolling up his sleeves and working to improve public safety or bringing legislators to the table to lower property taxes in Illinois and solving the state’s pension crisis, JB Pritzker is playing high stakes games in Las Vegas.

We need and deserve a Governor who is focused on the problems of Illinois. The JB Pritzker/Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson cabal has been an abject failure. Both of these inept leaders are making our communities less safe and spending us into bankruptcy. We can’t afford to gamble on Illinois’ future. We need to make the safe bet and elect Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar.”

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Business groups put Chicago mayor’s budget proposal on blast, while CTU strongly supports (Updated)

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Sun-Times…

Mayor Brandon Johnson Thursday delivered on his promise to “challenge the ultra-rich” and make corporations pay their fair share, proposing a $16.6 billion budget for 2026 that includes $586.6 million in progressive tax and fee revenues and a record $1 billion tax increment-financing surplus to rescue the city and Chicago Public Schools.

The tax-heavy budget, which aims to erase a $1.15 billion shortfall, would hit Chicago businesses hard. It includes a revived and dramatically expanded employee head tax, a second consecutive increase in the tax on cloud computing, a first-of-its-kind social media tax and a broadening of the city’s amusement tax to include online sports betting.

In his budget address to the City Council, Johnson said Chicago is the 10th wealthiest city in the world, with 127,000 millionaires and 24 billionaires — while 1 in 4 Chicagoans under the age of 18 are mired in poverty.

“Our budget proposal asks large corporations and the ultra-wealthy to chip in more so that working families are not burdened with higher property taxes, or grocery taxes or garbage fees,” Johnson said. “This intense and growing wealth inequity is not sustainable for our city.”

Click here to read the mayor’s budget outline, which includes some cost reductions and program expansions.

* IRMA…

Illinois Retail Merchants Association Statement on Mayor Johnson’s Proposed 2026 Budget

CHICAGO – The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) released the following statement regarding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget proposal:

“For several years now, Chicago retailers have faced smash-and-grab robberies and organized theft rings that have forced shop owners to lock up merchandise, reduce store hours, or close their doors entirely. Rather than supporting retailers, the City has responded with higher taxes, added regulations, and onerous licensing requirements. The mayor’s budget plan does nothing to reverse these trends and will instead lead to more empty storefronts in neighborhoods across Chicago, including shuttered restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO, Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “Taxing job creators won’t drive economic growth or improve public safety. What we need are real, immediate solutions—not budget gimmicks or political blame games.”

* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) today released the following statement regarding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget proposal:

“Under the Mayor’s budget proposal, manufacturers would be punished for creating jobs in Chicago. Instead of fostering economic development, which is key to addressing the city’s underlying financial problems, he is giving businesses yet another reason to take their investments elsewhere,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “It’s time for this administration to get serious about solving problems, supporting growth, and creating opportunities for families throughout Chicago.”

* Illinois Chamber…

Illinois Chamber of Commerce Statement on the City of Chicago FY26 Budget Address

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce represents more than 3,000 member companies across the state, including hundreds of employers that are proud to call Chicago home. On behalf of these businesses and the thousands of employees and families they support, we must express our deep concern and disappointment with several challenging provisions contained in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed FY26 budget.

At a time of economic uncertainty, a stagnant labor force, and rising costs of doing business, this budget sends the wrong signal about the future of our great city. Proposals to revive an outdated and harmful head tax, presented as a tool for “community safety”, along with yet another increase to the cloud tax, and the creation of incredibly flawed social media tax place Chicago at a competitive disadvantage nationally. At a time Chicago seeks to establish itself as a global hub for quantum computing and technological innovation, policies that penalize job creators in rapidly growing sectors are shortsighted and risk damaging the city’s economic vitality.

The Illinois Chamber urges the City Council to reject this proposal and instead work in partnership with the business community to pursue solutions that foster growth, attract investment, and strengthen every Chicago neighborhood. We stand ready to collaborate with the Administration and Council members on pragmatic reforms, identifying efficiencies, applying reasonable cost controls, and advancing pro-growth policies that support both residents and employers across Chicago.

* Civic Federation…

Statement from The Civic Federation on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Budget Proposal

CHICAGO — Today, The Civic Federation released the following statement:

“The proposed FY2026 budget repeats past mistakes and fails to provide progress toward sustainable, structural solutions to the City’s immense fiscal challenges. Especially disappointing is that the proposed budget does not meaningfully engage or incorporate the recommendations of the Chicago Financial Future Task Force, relying on revenue increases over structural cuts and savings. As proposed, this budget limits prospects for future growth and leaves unaddressed the even larger deficit the City itself projects for 2027, all but ensuring that the City will likely be in a worse position next year. We see this as the start of a longer process that must involve deeper engagement by the City Council. We look forward to working with the Council and the Mayor’s Office to achieve a stronger, more sustainable plan that will support Chicago today and going forward.”

* CTU…

Chicago Teachers Union Applauds Mayor Brandon Johnson’s “Protect Chicago” Budget, Historic Investment in Public Schools

CHICAGO— Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates issued the following statement following Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget address:

Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson delivered the most transformative budget to come out of City Hall in generations. He is protecting our city from Trump’s cuts and proposing a budget that fights for working people instead of against them.

The record half a billion dollars proposed for Chicago Public Schools helps the majority of aldermen who lobbied CPS with a promise of a TIF surplus actually keep that promise. It goes above and beyond what our district was counting on. While we fight for the $1.6 billion the state owes, the City is stabilizing funding, protecting Black Student Success from Trump, and securing the retirement of the workers whose MEABF pensions have been treated as a political football.

Our union will be pushing every city councilmember to vote ‘yes’ on the Protect Chicago budget and then moving on to Springfield to demand Governor Pritzker and the IL General Assembly do their part.

Our mayor inherited generations of divestment – including school and mental health clinic closures in Black and brown communities – and is rebuilding broken systems while federal dollars are being withheld. He is showing us, to maintain vital services without burdening already overburdened working families, we must tax the wealthiest corporations and individuals – the entities that have profited from Trump’s tax breaks for billionaires.

Neither Chicago nor Illinois needs austerity or cuts; we need political leadership willing to stand up to Trump by delivering on the promise that brought generations here in search of freedom and opportunity: good jobs, safe communities, and fully funded schools. Today, we are one step closer.

Discuss.

…Adding… Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association…

CHICAGO – The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association issued the following statement in response to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget.

“While we appreciate that Mayor Johnson did not propose raising Chicago’s already high property and hotel taxes, we are disappointed that his proposed 2026 budget includes implementing a job-killing head tax. Businesses, especially hotels, continue to face a host of challenges caused by rising costs and ongoing economic uncertainty. This additional tax will only make it harder for them to grow, create jobs, invest in their employees and remain competitive. Rather than continuing to add to the existing burden, the city should prioritize policies that will allow long-term growth, create new opportunities for our workforce, and drive investment across the city. The hospitality industry stands ready to collaborate on creative ways to increase revenue and keep Chicago a world-class destination and a place where businesses and workers alike can thrive,” said Michael Jacobson, President and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association.

* Chicagoland Chamber…

CHICAGO – The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement in response to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget:

“Mayor Johnson’s proposed 2026 budget relies on placing a tariff on jobs in Chicago and implementing policies that will further inflationary burdens on Chicago businesses and residents. If we want to be serious about fixing Chicago’s fiscal challenges, we need to focus on long-term strategies to grow and create jobs, not quick fixes and job-killing taxes like the head tax and cloud tax that hurt businesses of all sizes and sectors. The 2026 budget proposal includes about $200 million in cost reductions, when the budget has increased by more than $6 billion in recent years. Rather than embracing shared sacrifice, this budget seeks to tax and borrow its way out of a deficit and, in the process, disincentivize job creation and hiring, deter relocation and expansion, and make Chicago less attractive at a time when national and global competition for jobs and investment is at an all-time high.

“The best way to address our fiscal challenges and strengthen essential city services is through growth. We stand ready to work with the mayor and members City Council to find serious solutions that will attract and support new employers, expand growing industries, and strengthen our tax base through opportunity and investment in every neighborhood,” said Jack Lavin, President and CEO of Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.

* Chicago Federation of Labor…

(Chicago, Ill.) – Today, Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter issued the following statement on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget address:

“Chicago needs a responsible budget with realistic revenue that protects the workers and services city residents rely on every day. Chicagoans recognize how dedicated city workers pick up trash, fill potholes, and help keep residents safe and healthy, even as the city’s workforce has shrunk over the past decade. They already do more with less.

“We are glad that the mayor’s budget proposal appears to avoid new layoffs beyond those previously announced. But we are concerned that shorting the advanced pension payment and filling long-term operational shortfalls with one-time maneuvers does not address the structural problems that put us in this $1.2 billion hole to begin with. These tactics impede public infrastructure projects across the city while continuing to kick the can down the road.

“This proposal will be the first draft of many. The CFL is ready to partner with those interested in exploring pragmatic revenue options, identifying operational efficiencies, and ultimately passing a budget that protects the high level of service Chicagoans expect and deserve.”

* Institute for Public Good…

“We applaud Mayor Johnson’s 2026 budget released today as it represents a major shift in how the city solves its budget problems. For decades, the city has relied on regressive taxation on working class Chicagoans, privatization, and cuts in city employment and services – and in this moment when the infrastructure working families rely on is being attacked by Trump, we need leadership that is willing to fight back. This budget turns the page on those decisions of the past and decades of corporate welfare. It taxes large corporations that will receive almost a trillion dollars in tax breaks from Trump’s tax policies over the next decade, and asks a portion of them – less than 3% of Chicago businesses – to give just a drop of those tax breaks back to the city. Mayor Johnson has opened the door to progressive revenue in this city, and we need to continue to push those largest corporations to increase their contribution to the city services we all rely on that make Chicago the cultural, economic, and talent hub that it is.

We are also heartened to see that this city is taking serious the responsibility to ensure we have consistent funding within the Department of Public Health. While Donald Trump has slashed federal funding for CDPH, we need to find every available pathway to protect our public health services – it’s the highest ROI we can have on every dollar that goes into the budget.

The choice is clear: To further Trump’s agenda to take money from working families and give it to corporations or to ask corporations to pay their fair share in order to invest in our people and our neighborhoods. This budget has made a clear choice, and we hope that City Council does the same.”

26 Comments

Judge orders ICE field director to court to explain alleged violations of her order: ‘I’m not blind’

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Jon Seidel at the Sun-Times…

A week ago, a federal judge forbade agents from using gas and other “riot control” weapons without warning in Chicago as they carried out President Donald Trump’s deportation blitz.

That same judge took the bench early Thursday at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, where she told one of Trump’s lawyers, bluntly, “I’m not blind.”

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis cited reports in the Chicago Sun-Times and other media that have given her “serious concerns” about whether the Trump administration has followed her order in recent days.

Then she insisted that Russell Hott, director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Chicago field office, appear in her courtroom Monday to clarify what’s going on. […]

“The field director is going to explain to me why I am seeing images of tear gas being deployed and reading reports that there were no warnings given before it was deployed,” Ellis said.

* The Tribune’s Jason Meisner…

Ellis: “If everybody kind of follows what's outlined in this TRO, conforms their decisions and behavior to what the Constitution demands, then, you know, all copacetic and we can go on and live our lives."

— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) October 16, 2025

* More from Seidel…

Ellis tells both sides to get together and discuss this. "I would not require people to turn on a body camera that they don't have."

But, she says she'll want to know from Hott how many agents in Chicago have them, and if this area will be getting them soon.

— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) October 16, 2025

* Tribune…

Ellis’s restraining order forbids agents from firing tear gas and other projectiles at peaceful protesters, clergy or journalists unless they pose an immediate threat of physical harm to a person, and to do so only after issuing warnings. Agents were also ordered to stop dispersing people if they have a lawful right to be at a location. […]

In advance of Thursday’s hearing, the plaintiffs filed a motion asking for expedited discovery ahead of a hearing next week on a full injunction. The motion stated that both sides had met on Wednesday to discuss potential violations of the TRO, “in which federal officers appear to be using violence, tear gas, and other munitions against protestors and journalists.”

“Young children and even babies appear to have been subjected to the indiscriminate use of tear gas by defendants’ officers,” the motion stated. “And it does not appear that defendants’ agents are consistently wearing prominently displayed visible identification.”

The government, according to the motion, “believes the TRO has not been violated at all.”

30 Comments

What Illinois Can Learn From Texas On Battery Energy Storage

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

As Illinois confronts skyrocketing electric bills, legislators are on the hunt for solutions that provide relief as quickly as possible. Battery energy storage is our best and most cost-effective solution.

But last session— without evidence —opponents attempted to claim that battery energy storage wouldn’t work. Try telling that to Texas, where the rapid deployment of battery storage has already prevented blackouts and saved consumers billions.

Called “Ground Zero for the US Battery Boom” by Bloomberg, Texas added enough storage in 2023 to power 3 million homes and drop grid emergency risk during peak hours from 16% to less than 1%. The result? Storage saved consumers an estimated $750 million in 2024.

Texas has proven that storage is the quickest, cheapest, most reliable way to get consumers relief from skyrocketing, demand-induced price spikes. Storage is a nimble way to address growing populations, power-hungry data centers, and meet other electrification-related power needs. These are benefits Texas saw from storage even as the state reduced its gas generation capacity by 166 MW last year.

Illinois lawmakers should follow Texas’s lead and pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Act this fall to deploy 6GW of energy storage by 2035. Click here for more information.

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It’s just a bill

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* Sen. Cristina Castro…

State Senator Cristina Castro led a measure through the Senate that would make a temporary “cocktails to-go” state law permanent and create new rules to allow more small Illinois distilleries to self-distribute spirits. […]

The measure would create a class 3 craft distiller’s license, which would allow the distillery to manufacture up to 100,000 gallons of spirits annually. These licensees would then be able to apply for the ability to self-distribute up to 2,500 gallons annually.

The legislation would also make permanent a temporary law permitting bars and restaurants to sell cocktails and mixed drinks for delivery and curbside pickup — often referred to as “cocktails to-go.”

To ease barriers for small businesses seeking a liquor license, the measure would also eliminate the requirement for a business applying for a liquor license to provide a tax bond during the application process. On average, a tax bond costs small craft manufacturers or distributors $500 to obtain from a financial institution, creating another monetary barrier for those seeking to start or expand their business.

* Chicago Appleseed Center for Fair Courts…

Chief Judge Evans has issued a General Administrative Order (GAO), effective today, asserting the common law privilege against civil arrests of people attending court in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

The order states that no one attending court, as a witness or otherwise, “will be subjected to a civil arrest in or around the courthouse” except in cases where there’s a judicial warrant or order authorizing that arrest or an emergency. This includes civil immigration arrests by ICE agents and other federal officials. The order notes: “The fair administration of justice requires that courts remain open and accessible, and that litigants and witnesses may appear without fear of civil arrest.” […]

Both Chicago Appleseed and our partners at the Chicago Council of Lawyers have also joined in support of the Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Norma Hernandez and Senator Celina Villanueva, would ban civil arrests—including immigration arrests made without a judicial warrant—in courthouses and codify common law privilege in Illinois. In the past several months, the unprecedented increase in civil arrests by federal immigration officials in and around Illinois courthouses has made communities less safe and hindered access to justice, with at least 14 Illinois residents being subjected to civil immigration enforcement actions at courthouses.

The Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act does not apply to any federal or immigration courts, but would prohibit civil arrests from taking place “inside, on the way to, or coming home from, any Illinois courthouse.” It would also allow for a civil action to be taken against those who violate the law. We urge the Illinois Legislature to pass the bill and encourage Governor Pritzker to sign it promptly.

* Inside Climate News…

The [Illinois Environmental Council rally] coincided with the second day of the state legislature’s brief fall veto session, six days spread through this month that are the last chance this year to pass bills. In addition to transit funding, many attendees advocated for passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, a sweeping omnibus energy bill aimed at ensuring the state meets its goal to transition to renewable energy by 2050.

State Rep. Ann Williams, a Democrat representing Chicago’s North Side, introduced the CRGA Act during the spring legislative session, but the bill never made it to a vote. Disagreements over battery financing, data center regulations and lifting a moratorium on nuclear plant construction drove a wedge between environmental, labor and industry groups.

Kady McFadden, a legislative strategist for the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, thinks a lot has changed about the political landscape since then. […]

The state legislature has a full schedule during the session this month. But McFadden believes that rising electricity costs paired with sharp federal funding cuts add urgency to the push for energy legislation.

“This bill is ready to go,” said McFadden. “We’ve been able to take the summer to make sure that stakeholders are in alignment. … Now all that’s left is to vote.”

* Subscribers know much more. Daily Herald…

The Chicago Bears are poised to move to the suburbs. But are Illinois lawmakers — and local taxpayers — going to help them do it? […]

Among those proposals is a bill sponsored by state Rep. Mary Beth Canty, a Democrat from Arlington Heights, where the Bears plan to build a new stadium on the former Arlington Park site.

Canty’s bill would allow mega projects — defined as those in which at least $500 million is invested within seven to 10 years — to freeze their property tax assessments and make annual payments negotiated through a local review board that would include representatives from municipalities and other local governments. […]

Democratic state Rep. Anne Stava of Naperville cited similar reasons for her opposition to Canty’s bill in its current form.

“Property taxes are already a huge burden for too many families, so giving special property tax breaks to billionaires and developers is tone deaf. … If local governments want to give tax breaks, they should go ahead. But they should bear the cost, not shift it to others,” Stava said.

* NBC Chicago…

Illinois lawmakers are facing a series of tough questions during their fall veto session, including the future of public transit and of the Chicago Bears.

While lawmakers have been cool on the idea of approving public funding to help support the Bears’ proposed stadium project in suburban Arlington Heights, State Rep. Kam Buckner is looking to demand plenty of transparency should any deal take place. […]

The STARS Act was introduced by Buckner this week in Springfield, requiring teams to fund cost-benefit analysis studies and to publish the findings online for public perusal before any deal can be agreed to. […]

It’s unclear whether that measure, or the Bears’ pursuit of a property tax freeze and assistance in upgrading infrastructure around the proposed stadium, will even be discussed during the veto session.

* Illinois Public Interest Research Group director Abraham Scarr…

Across America and here in Illinois, homes and cars are among the most expensive things people buy. But payments on these pricey purchases don’t end with mortgage or car loan installments. Insurance to protect these investments is costly as well — but much less costly than not having insurance, in case of some sort of disaster or accident.

Like almost every other state, Illinois requires that vehicle owners hold an active auto insurance policy. And while no state law mandates homeowners insurance, mortgage lenders, who want to protect their financial stakes in our homes, do. […]

Gov. JB Pritzker is trying to fix this. His Department of Insurance filed legislation in the spring that would give the department the ability to reject or modify home and auto insurance rate increases. Along with state House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and state Senate President Don Harmon, the governor called on legislators in a Tribune op-ed to act on this issue when the Illinois General Assembly convenes for two weeks this October. Despite this strong message from leaders in Springfield, change won’t be easy. The insurance industry is working to block or water down the proposed reforms.

Nothing has highlighted the need for reform more than State Farm’s half-billion-dollar homeowners insurance rate hike this summer. State Farm, which covers roughly one-third of insured homes in Illinois, raised average premiums by 27%, or $750 annually, with some policies rising as high as 40%.

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Credit Unions Spread Kindness

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Each year, Illinois credit unions designate special initiatives to support the people and communities they serve. This year’s CU Kind Day showcased the incredible power of credit unions coming together to make a difference across Illinois and beyond. This one-day initiative continues to grow - spreading kindness, inspiring collaboration, and creating lasting community impact.

Our Springfield team spread kindness by supporting The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois! We donated $500 and stocked up on after-school snacks to fuel the 1,000+ kids who participate in their programs, helping them grow into healthy, responsible citizens.

Learn more about CU Kind Day: https://creditunions.com/features/theres-nothing-random-about-these-acts-of-kindness/

Paid for by the Illinois Credit Union League.

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Illinois Republicans say Pritzker, Johnson ’should be in jail’

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Illinois Republican Party…

Who should be held accountable when leaders defy the law, endanger our communities, and protect illegal immigrants over American citizens?

President Trump just said what many Illinoisans have been thinking for a long time:

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor JB Pritzker should be in jail.

Why? Because instead of standing with our ICE agents and instead of helping law enforcement protect our border, they stood in the way. They chose open borders. They chose sanctuary policies. They chose criminal chaos over American security.

I’M WITH TRUMP

HOLD ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS ACCOUNTABLE

Now, National Guard troops are being deployed to Chicago — not to protect citizens from foreign invasion but to stop our own leaders from undermining immigration enforcement.

This isn’t just political theater. It’s life and death for families across Illinois. Every illegal immigrant released, every ICE officer obstructed, every criminal protected by Democrat leadership is a threat to our safety.

And while Pritzker and Johnson cry foul, a federal judge just confirmed what we already knew: ICE was following orders, and Democrat leaders were deliberately obstructing justice.

The Left is furious that Trump is holding them accountable. We say: it’s about time.

We stand with law enforcement, with ICE, and with every American who believes in the rule of law. But we need your help to fight back.

STAND WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT

This is bigger than politics. This is about justice and safety. Are you with us?

Sincerely,

Illinois Republicans

* Response from the Democratic Party of Illinois…

This email is nothing but an extension of the President’s dangerous disregard for the law. What’s clear here is that Donald Trump is a wannabe dictator who does not value the Constitution and Illinois Republicans are nothing more than his lap dogs. Instead of seeking to jail their political opponents and inciting violence in their communities, every single Republican in the state should condemn this violent, hateful rhetoric.

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Vote YES On HB 2371 SA 2 To Protect The 340B Program And Invest In Low-Income Chicago Communities

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Sinai Chicago serves an area including 1.5 million people on Chicago’s West and Southwest sides, where poverty rates range from 30%-50%. As the state’s largest private safety net provider, Sinai considers the federal 340B program a “safety net in and of itself.” With 340B savings, the health system has provided patients with free or deeply discounted medications, and it has invested in specialty clinics and medication management services.

Yet, drugmaker restrictions on hospitals have reduced Sinai Chicago’s ability to expand access to care and offer new healthcare services—counter to the 340B program’s intent. The program requires drugmakers participating in Medicaid to discount outpatient medications to healthcare providers caring for uninsured and low-income patients. One glaring drugmaker restriction is limiting where patients can get discounted drugs. In some instances, hospitals are only allowed to contract with one pharmacy for an entire community.

“Such a policy does not ensure access to essential drugs for a patient population like the one Sinai serves,” the health system said. “The threat and fear of 340B program reductions can prevent planned extensions of care and new programs in clinical areas greatly needed in our community that would not otherwise have access to care.”

Support House Bill 2371 SA 2 to stop drugmakers from restricting the 340B program and patient access to care. Learn more.

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Isabel’s morning briefing (Updated)

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Isabel Miller

* ICYMI: ‘Dramatic, quick, and devastating’: Prairie Research Institute losing millions in funding. WCIA…

*********************** Advertisement **********************

Sponsored by Ameren Illinois

The summer of 2025 has been a tough one for residents and businesses in the Ameren Illinois service territory. Supply constraints, extreme hot and humid conditions, and increased energy usage have led to a significant spike in electricity prices and higher-than-normal monthly bills for residential, commercial and industrial energy users. We appreciate and thank legislators, regulators and stakeholders who are working hard to address the energy challenge in Illinois. Energy policy is complex, and we’re encouraged that there are some creative ideas being proposed and a willingness to work together to find answers.

While Ameren Illinois cannot control the price or availability of energy, we can ensure that the system that delivers energy to homes and businesses — electric poles, wires, and technology; and natural gas distribution pipelines and storage fields — is equipped to operate at peak performance to withstand severe weather events, facilitate business expansions that grow local communities, and enable the transition to renewable generation.

We have an opportunity to build an energy system that is smarter, cleaner, reliable, resilient, and affordable for Illinois families and businesses. As discussions on short- and long-term legislative solutions occur this fall, we will continue to advocate for our 1.2 million customers.

If you know of someone who is struggling to pay their energy bill, please encourage them to visit www.AmerenIllinois.com/PathToSavings for information on available financial assistance and energy saving programs.

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

* Governor Pritzker will hold a press conference with former U.S. Major Generals, Admirals, and veterans to discuss the militarization of American cities. Click here to watch at 11 am.

*** Isabel’s Top Picks ***

* Sun-Times | Gov. JB Pritzker won $1.4 million via gambling, 2024 tax returns show: The latest windfall was boosted by $1,425,000 in gambling winnings, their federal filing shows, in addition to $4.2 million in capital gains, nearly $3.9 million in ordinary dividends and more than $800,000 in taxable interest. Pritzker doesn’t take a salary as governor.

…Adding… NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern…

Since reporters noticed ⁦@GovPritzker⁩ reported $1.4M in gambling winnings on his income tax filing - so many questions. Today his spokesman says the Las Vegas blackjack winnings will be donated. pic.twitter.com/pXcYHHntLp

— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) October 16, 2025

* Capitol City Now | SNAP changes leave a bitter taste: Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository and co-chair of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger, said the federal government, which has been paying virtually 100 percent of the costs, will eventually offload up to $800 million per year to Illinois. Maehr said such requirements add unnecessary hoops to jump through and do not promote work or economic stability.

*** Statewide ***

* Abortion, Every Day | Illinois Woman Denied Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy: The 28-year-old—who had to go to multiple healthcare centers and hospitals before getting the care she needed—tells me that she was sure she was going to die. “I was 100% convinced,” she says. That’s in no small part because Harmonie lost her right fallopian tube in another ectopic pregnancy a few years ago. So when she was diagnosed again last week, she knew how dangerous the situation was—and how important it was to get quick treatment. […] Here’s what Harmonie didn’t know: this particular OBGYN was affiliated with Ascension—a multi-billion dollar Catholic health system that’s been at the center of similar firestorms. A federal investigation actually found that an Ascension hospital in Texas violated EMTALA when they refused another woman care for her ectopic pregnancy in 2023.

*** Statehouse News ***

* NCSL | His Advice After Beating Cancer? ‘Maximize the Moments’: “I’ve always had an enthusiasm and positivity,” Evans says. “But when you have cancer, and you’re near death, and you make it through, you just value time more. It has changed me tremendously because I don’t want to miss an opportunity. I just try to maximize the moments.” He adds, “I’m going to live life until life is no more. You’ve got to keep moving through life’s challenges.”

* AP | Illinois Joins Other States in Forming a Public Health Alliance in Rebuke of Trump Administration: They’re framing it as a way to share data, messages about threats, emergency preparedness and public health policy — and as a rebuke to President Donald Trump’s administration, which they say isn’t doing its job in public health. “At a time when the federal government is telling the states, ‘you’re on your own,’ governors are banding together,” Maryland Governor Wes Moore said in a statement.

* Capitol News Illinois | Pritzker tax summaries show more than $10M in 2024 income — not including trusts: The 2024 summary prepared by Deloitte Tax LLP shows Pritzker and his wife, MK, made $10.7 million, including $4.2 million from capital gains. Pritzker received a $4.8 million standard deduction, meaning he paid taxes on $5.9 million in income. The trust benefiting the Pritzkers paid $4.5 million in state taxes and $30.2 million in federal taxes last year, according to his campaign. The first family also reported $3.3 million in charitable donations. […] Mitchell made $595,830 last year and claimed a $65,841 deduction.

* WMBD | Illinois lawmakers clash on how to condemn political violence: Democrats and Republicans went back and forth, criticizing the other party in its failure to reduce political violence. […] Two lawmakers on the House floor said they have received death threats over being a lawmaker. Democrat state Rep. Harry Benton said he’s been physically assaulted and had his cars taillights smashed in. State Rep. Nicole La Ha has recently received threats to her life for being a lawmaker. The Republican from Lemont said the House should do more to reduce political tensions.

* WAND | Insurance group calls for ‘fairness’ in response to IL SOS town halls: Illinois Insurance Association Executive Director Kevin Martin told WAND News that no one from the Secretary of State’s office has “engaged experts” from the insurance industry. “Political theater is not the best approach for public policy development and risks doing a disservice to the millions of Illinoisans who rely on a stable, competitive insurance marketplace,” Martin said in a statement to WAND.

*** Chicago ***

* WTTW | Same Name, New Legacy: Ald. Walter ‘Red’ Burnett on His New Role and Development in the West Loop: The 29-year-old Walter “Red” Burnett was confirmed Sept. 25, officially making him the youngest member of the City Council. Burnett says he is charting a new path for the 27th Ward, overseeing several development projects and addressing affordability for longtime residents.

* Sun-Times | What to know about PIT, the driving maneuver feds used in Southeast Side car chase: The maneuver, known as a precision immobilization technique, or PIT, is a driving tactic used by some law enforcement agencies to end a vehicle pursuit. However, some law enforcement professionals, legal experts and advocates say the move is ineffective and dangerous. Many police departments across the country, including the Chicago Police Department, bar or limit their officers from using the maneuver.

* Tribune | CPS tells JROTC students to only wear military-issued uniforms inside: The district is immediately revising its dress code policy to require students to travel to and from school in civilian clothes, wrote Tyese Sims, executive director of CPS’ JROTC department, in a Friday letter to families. “Unfortunately, when they are in uniform, there is no way for the general public to distinguish these CPS students from members of the military, including the National Guard,” Sims said.

* Sun-Times | Driven by arts and culture, pedestrian traffic in Downtown Chicago exceeds pre-pandemic levels, report finds: New data from the Chicago Loop Alliance show that Downtown pedestrian traffic now exceeds pre-pandemic levels from 2019, with more visitors drawn by arts and culture and dining. The new numbers validate efforts to make the Loop a social destination and combat high retail and office vacancy rates that have plagued the area since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to CLA President and CEO Michael Edwards. But even as the Loop evolves into a more complete urban district, there are concerns that threats from President Donald Trump to send the National Guard to Chicago — currently delayed due to a federal appeals court ruling — could impact progress.

* Chicago Reader | Chicago’s creatures of the night: Fidino studies how animals change their behavior according to their environment, especially when their environment contains humans. In Chicago, he and his colleagues at the zoo monitor one hundred or so motion-triggered trail cameras, or camera traps, that they’ve scattered in a 25-mile radius from the city’s center: in city parks, outside forest preserves, on golf courses, along the 606 trail, and in cemeteries. “We’ve got cameras next to the Bean!” he told me. Four times a year, for the last 15 years, those cameras are turned on for a month.

* Sun-Times | ‘Chicago Rat Hole’ was not made by a rat, say rodent researchers: The “Chicago Rat Hole” captured hearts in Chicago and on social media last year. Researchers analyzed the anatomical dimensions of the famous imprint and found the creature responsible was not a rat, but most likely a squirrel.

*** Cook County and Suburbs ***

* Press release…

U.S. Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García, D-Chicago, and Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, join elected officials, community leaders, advocates and voters to launch Juanita Irizarry’s candidacy for District 1 commissioner on the Cook County Board of Review.

The Chicago Democrat will be supported by Illinois’ Latino and progressive communities, including state Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago; former Cook County Clerk David Orr; Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th); Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st); Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd); Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th); Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th); Ald. Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14th); Josina Morita, County Board commissioner; and Ebony DeBerry, member of the Chicago Board of Education. They will stand with Irizarry as she draws sharp ethical contrasts between herself and her opponent who has long been supported by corporate interests.

WHO: Speakers at the news conference will include:

U.S. Rep. Jesús G.
“Chuy” García, D-Chicago
U.S. Rep Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago
State Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago
Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th)
Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd)

WHEN & WHERE: 9:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20, 2025

Northwest Corner of Wabash Street and Wacker Drive on the Chicago River across from Trump International Hotel & Tower

* Shaw Local | McHenry County Board to consider raising property tax levy to pre-referendum level: Under the state lookback law, a taxing body is permitted to reset its property tax levy to the highest level in the past three years. In the county’s case, doing that would bump the levy up to the $73.8 million it approved in 2023. The levy was lowered to about $65 million last year after voters approved switching the Mental Health Board funding mechanism to a sales tax.

* Tribune | Hollywood Casino Joliet posts higher revenue at new land-based facility in September: The new Joliet casino, which opened in August, generated more than $11.2 million in adjusted gross receipts last month, ranking fourth in revenue among the state’s 17 casinos, according to Illinois Gaming Board data. That’s up 48% year-over-year, when Hollywood Casino Joliet was an aging vessel docked on the Des Plaines River. Admissions to Hollywood Casino Joliet topped 96,000 for September, ranking fifth in the state and up nearly 75% over last year, according to Gaming Board data.

* Daily Herald | Metra reviewing cause of glitch that delayed thousands: About 80 trains and thousands of passengers on the Metra Electric Milwaukee District, Rock Island, Southwest Service and Union Pacific lines were delayed. The glitch started around 5 p.m. and involved the Positive Train Control (PTC) system, technology designed to stop a train if a crash is imminent. “What happened was a telecom network time-source failure,” Metra spokesperson Meg Thomas-Reile explained Wednesday. “Basically, the times weren’t syncing in the system, and when it did that … some of the devices went back to 2006.

* Daily Herald | Barrington borrowing $6.8 million to replace iron filtration plant: The village board this week agreed to issue general obligation bonds to be paid off over a 20-year period. It will pay off the bonds by charging water users a fixed monthly fee. Deputy Village Manager Marie Hansen said the village is still deciding out how much users will pay. That will be determined when the village passes next year’s budget.

* Crain’s | Maplewood Brewery expands to Glen Ellyn, defying industry headwinds: Maplewood plans to take over the home of Two Hound Red, a brewpub that closed Oct. 12. Co-founder and CEO Adam Cieslak said he expects the new location, which will be Maplewood’s second, to open by early spring. “For some time, we had been looking at just growth and expansion opportunities,” said Cieslak, who grew up in the western suburbs along with co-founders Paul Megalis and Ari Megalis. “We’ve looked at a lot of different buildings, a lot of different areas. . . .We went and saw (this one) and really, really liked the spot, and thought it’d be a nice growth opportunity out into the suburbs.”

*** Downstate ***

* WCIA | Officials share more information about Martinton grain bin collapse: Terry Winger, General Manager of the Donovan Farmers Cooperative location in Martinton, said employees noticed one of the cement silos showing “signs of distress.” Employees evacuated the site and contacted first responders. Several hours later, the silo collapsed.

* BND | Metro-east IDOT supervisor back at work, despite scathing report on bad behavior: Yet the yard supervisor, Joe Hamm, a non-management union member whose formal title is “lead worker,” returned to the job last fall after being on administrative leave for 10 months with full pay during the investigations, according to employees. “It was a paid vacation,” said Highway Maintainer Mike Turner, 32, of Godfrey, one of seven employees who complained about Hamm’s behavior in 2023, prompting the investigations. Investigators interviewed more than 25 other employees, past and present, before concluding that “sufficient evidence” existed to back up most of the allegations and that Hamm’s superiors had failed to intervene or take corrective action.

* Rockford Register Star | Rockford area judge suffers ‘threats and harassment’ after releasing homicide suspect: Winnebago County Chief Judge John Lowry is blaming a Facebook post by Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara for a spate of “threats and harassment.” They come after McNamara posted comments critical of Associate Judge Heidi E. Ruckman-Agustsson’s decision to grant pretrial release to a suspect charged with first-degree murder. The release came over the objections of the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s office which has filed a motion asking the courts to reconsider.

* IPM News | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign unlikely to join federal higher education compact: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leaders said Monday the school would likely decline to join the kind of compact the Trump administration has proposed for higher education institutions. Illinois’ flagship university was not one of the nine universities invited to join the compact. During a student and faculty senate meeting, Provost John Coleman recognized a similar request could come from the White House in the future.

* WGLT | Bloomington mayor says sales tax vote is consistent with earlier decisions: Last month, the council created the local tax to begin when a similar state tax expires at the end of the year. It was supposed to help narrow a structural budget deficit and be used for infrastructure. Brady broke a tie vote Monday night that now dedicates all the $3 million in estimated annual grocery tax money to infrastructure. “We tangibly show the electorate, the taxpayers, what are we going to do with the money. It’s not just going back to the city general fund,” said Brady.

* SJ-R | With the Sean Grayson trial on the brink, a timeline of the Sonya Massey shooting: With the trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, accused of murdering Sonya Massey, set to begin in Peoria on Oct. 20, The State Journal-Register has compiled a timeline of events, beginning with the fatal shooting on July 6, 2024.

* WCIA | Central Illinois National Guard units under federal command in Chicago: WCIA confirmed with U.S. Northern Command, which is in command of National Guard troops in Chicago, that the troops will be mobilized for 60 days and will be under the command and control of the Commander of U.S. Northern Command for that time. This means the troops are under federal command, not state command. While the Northern Command was unable to break down the specific number of troops from each Central Illinois armory, staff could confirm troops from the armories in the region were among those in Chicago.

* WCIA | SNAP benefit cuts impacting food banks in Central Illinois: Volunteers with the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen in Champaign said with more SNAP benefit cuts on the horizon… the soup kitchen will be serving more people and handing out more meals. The president, Bob Goss, said they went from serving around 600 meals a day to nearly 1,000 in just the past six months. He said they serve a five-course-meal every day at noon… and then send their guests home with a sack lunch.

* WBEZ | Students for profit? University of Illinois campuses pay company per online student: The University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield are paying a for-profit company for each student it recruits to online programs — a practice that would be illegal if done by the universities’ admissions offices and one that’s been banned by another state, a WBEZ investigation has found. Critics, including U.S. senators and consumer protection advocates, say this kind of arrangement incentivizes the company, Risepoint, to recruit as many students as possible, whether the online programs are a good fit or will help the students get better jobs or make more money.

*** National ***

* NYT | Trump Considers Overhaul of Refugee System That Would Favor White People: The proposals also advise Mr. Trump to prioritize Europeans who have been “targeted for peaceful expression of views online such as opposition to mass migration or support for ‘populist’ political parties.” That appeared to be a reference to the European far-right political party Alternative for Germany, whose leaders have trivialized the Holocaust, revived Nazi slogans and denigrated foreigners. Vice President JD Vance has criticized Germany for trying to suppress the views of the group, which is known as the AfD.

* The Atlantic | The Lincoln Way: How he used America’s past to rescue its future: Cautions aside, Lincoln’s claim that the Declaration carried across generations set him squarely against those who sought to narrow its promise. In its Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court declared that Black Americans “had no rights which the white man was bound to respect” and sought to anchor that exclusion in the very history of the founding. To Lincoln, that teaching did not merely misread the past—it rewrote it, extinguishing the Revolution’s promise in the present. He claimed that whoever “teaches that the negro has no share, humble though it may be, in the Declaration of Independence” was “muzzling the cannon that thunders” the Revolution’s “annual joyous return.”

* SCOTUS blog | Court appears ready to curtail major provision of the Voting Rights Act: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared ready to strike down a 2024 congressional map that a group of voters has challenged as the product of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering – that is, according to them, it sorts voters based on race in violation of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. During nearly two-and-a-half hours of oral arguments, the court’s conservative justices signaled that they are likely to undermine a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, even if they may not ultimately strike it down altogether.

20 Comments

Good morning!

Thursday, Oct 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This one’s for the Herbivore…