Trump denies disaster relief for Illinois
Good morning, Chicago. ✶
???? Below: Summer storms last year affected more than 400,000 Illinoisians. Many residents are still dealing with the aftermath, yet the Trump administration has denied requests for federal disaster relief funds.
????️ Plus: Cook County prosecutors drop charges in a clergy-led protest, a Chicago-based conductor shines in Bad Bunny's halftime show and more news you need to know.
???? Keeping score: The Bulls fell to the Nets, 123-115, in their fifth straight loss.
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⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER ????️
Partly sunny with a high near 43.
TODAY’S TOP STORY ????
Illinois appeal for summer storm disaster relief is denied by Trump administration
By Tina Sfondeles
No relief: The Trump administration has officially denied an appeal from the state of Illinois requesting disaster relief funds for summer storms last year that affected 438,000 residents in five Illinois counties.
Key context: Gov. JB Pritzker requested authorization of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s individual assistance for affected counties, as well as disaster loan programs to help Illinoisans after a multiday storm Aug. 16-19 that passed through Boone, Cook, Kane, McHenry and Will counties.
At issue: Trump in October approved major disaster declarations for Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. In announcing assistance for Alaska and North Dakota, Trump posted on social media that he won Alaska "BIG" in 2016, 2020 and 2024. He touted the same for North Dakota. That led Pritzker to call the denial politically motivated — and to try to appeal the decision. The governor reiterated that point Monday, calling the denial "a politically motivated decision that punishes thousands of Illinois families in a critical moment of need."
IMMIGRATION ✶
Cook County prosecutors drop charges against 19 arrested during clergy-led protest of ICE
By Sophie Sherry
Charges dropped: Prosecutors have dropped charges against 19 of the people arrested during a clergy-led protest outside the Broadview immigration facility last fall.
Key context: The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in suburban Broadview became a hub for protests last fall as President Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign tore through the Chicago area. Local law enforcement took over crowd control outside the building in October, drawing criticism from demonstrators who accused them of aiding federal agents and using harsh tactics.
Day of arrests: The Rev. Michael Woolf and fellow faith members had set out to provide religious counseling to detainees at the facility the morning of Nov. 14 but were denied entrance. Scuffles broke out with local law enforcement, and 21 people were arrested. The Cook County state’s attorney’s office has now dropped charges in 19 of those cases.
Keeping track: We're tracking every known federal prosecution in Chicago tied to Trump’s immigration blitz. You can check the status of those cases here.
CITY HALL ????️
Despite business’ concerns, City Council committee backs parking enforcement by citizens
By Fran Spielman
Proposal OKd: The City Council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety approved a newly revised ordinance Monday that would authorize Chicagoans to use their cellphones to provide recorded evidence of bus lane, bike lane and crosswalk parking violations.
Arguments against: Three months ago, concerns raised by business groups stalled the ordinance championed by Committee Chair Daniel La Spata (1st). They argued Chicago was already a maze of protected bike lanes, bump-outs and "changes in parking and turning patterns" that have limited curb access for commercial deliveries and repair vehicles. They also claimed even well-intentioned drivers can struggle to locate legitimate legal loading zones.
LET’S HEAR FROM YOU ????️
Should Chicagoans be empowered to use their phones to record parking violations in crosswalks and bus and bike lanes? Tell us why or why not.
Email us your answer (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.
MORE FROM CITY HALL ✶
- Corrupt cop settlement mulled: City Council on Wednesday will weigh another $29.1 million in settlements linked to allegations of police misconduct committed by ex-Chicago Police detective Reynaldo Guevara. Four proposed recipients were framed for murders they didn't commit.
- Cash flow crunch: Top mayoral aides assured City Council that a full $260 million advance pension payment will be made, and that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s decision to pay in installments to ease a cash flow crunch won't trigger another costly reduction in Chicago's bond rating.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED ????️
- Reversing course: The Chicago Housing Authority reversed course after moving to permanently block Lovie Diggs, the daughter of longtime CHA Board Commissioner Debra Parker, from continuing to do business with the agency, records show.
- Narrowing school funding gap: A plan to boost funding for public education statewide has been introduced to both houses of the state Legislature as some lawmakers aim to eventually tax millionaires and digital ads to help bridge billions needed to finance schools.
- Cupich demands Trump apology: Cardinal Blase Cupich is calling on President Donald Trump to apologize after he shared a racist social media post depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as primates.
- Remembering Peter Conroy: A former leader of the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band, Mr. Conroy kept the group sounding — and looking — sharp. He died Jan. 20 at age 90.
- 4 stars for ‘Così fan tutte’: This sparkling, high-energy take on Mozart’s 1790 classic shifts to 1930s upper-crust America, giving the farcical operatic comedy's revival a modern zing, writes Kyle MacMillan in a review for the Sun-Times.
ELECTIONS ☑️
What to know about the 9th Congressional District Democratic primary race
By Sun-Times staff
Hot seat: A former journalist turned progressive social media creator, a suburban mayor and a state senator are leading a field of an astounding 15 Democrats vying for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s seat in one of the most competitive races the state has seen in decades.
Who's running: Those candidates are Kat Abughazaleh, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, state Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview), Phil Andrew, Bushra Amiwala, state Sen. Mike Simmons, economist Jeff Cohen, State Rep. Hoan Huynh, former federal prosecutor Nick Pyati, veteran Sam Polan, civil rights attorney Howard Rosenblum, Evanston resident Bethany Johnson, union organizer Justin Ford, Patricia A. Brown and Mark Arnold Fredrickson.
GOP hopefuls: Rocio Cleveland, John Elleson, Paul Friedman and Mark Su are running in the Republican primary.
Why it matters: The seat in this very blue congressional district hasn’t been open since 1999.
FROM THE PRESS BOX ⚾????????
- Sox sued: Isaiah Carranza, a former White Sox pitching prospect, is suing the team, claiming he was pushed into getting a COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 that he says resulted in severe allergic reactions that derailed his career.
- After Bulls’ purge: While the likes of Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter were sent to new locations, current Bulls players like Matas Buzelis are reckoning with the aftermath.
- NFL analysis: While the Super Bowl usually reminds the Bears how far away they are, this year they’re measuring themselves against what they hope will be a step into contention next season, writes Jason Lieser.
- Lake County star: Warren Township's Jaxson Davis passed 2,000 points, nearing a Lake County scoring record.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD ????
Today's clue: 6A: Beloved White Sox and Blackhawks announcer Gene ___
BRIGHT ONE ????
Bad Bunny taps Chicago conductor to lead surprise orchestra in Super Bowl halftime show
By Kyle MacMillan
Eagle-eyed Chicago classical music fans spotted a familiar face during Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show: Giancarlo Guerrero, artistic director and principal conductor of the Grant Park Music Festival.
Guerrero was spotlighted Sunday among some 700 performers who took part in Bad Bunny’s sprawling performance, which included famed vocalists Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga as well as singers and musicians across a wide range of genres.
Guerrero, who was named to the Grant Park Music Festival post in 2024 and conducted his first concerts last summer, led a 30-member string orchestra composed of San Francisco-area musicians in the song "Monaco."
"It has been an absolutely unbelievable, unforgettable, life-changing experience all around," Guerrero told WBEZ and the Sun-Times on Sunday night. "To be part of it, honestly, is one of the greatest joys in my life and something that will stay with me forever."
In what he called a "beautiful surprise," Guerrero was invited to take part in the show just nine days before it took place.
WATCH: GIANCARLO GUERRERO AT THE SUPER BOWL ▶️
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
Yesterday, we asked you: Should Chicago be like the suburbs and install roundabouts or more traffic circles?
Here’s some of what you said, edited for space and clarity:
"Sadly, Chicago drivers are unable to navigate the traffic circles we have now, so adding more would make traffic more dangerous, if that's even possible." — Tom Covell
"Roundabouts could help with some of the multiway intersections like where Broadway meets Bryn Mawr and Ridge [avenues]." — Michael Ross
"I think Chicago would benefit greatly if it implemented more traffic circles near school districts, especially in residential streets ... They can easily be implemented ... Creating a safer environment for city residents!" — Jaime Duque
"I live alongside a roundabout in Lake County ... Before the roundabout, traffic would backup for a 1/4 -1/2 mile while waiting to traverse the intersection during rush hours. Now, traffic of 3-4 cars may accumulate for seconds during the same time spans. The only downside: I have to put my life at risk every day to retrieve my mail from the other side of the road." — Mike Lyne
"Drive the back streets of Rogers Park and get back to us. I'd focus on the streets between Pratt [Boulevard] and Devon [Avenue]. Oof. Oof. Oof." — Suzanne Till
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Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
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