IDOT's wild abandon
Good morning, Chicago. ✶
???? Below: The state's top transportation authority has been running afoul of Illinois' wildlife regulators, according to internal documents.
????️ Plus: A judge's electronic monitoring decision is criticized after a fatal police shooting, Obamacare premiums sharply rise in Illinois and more news you need to know.
???? Keeping score: The Cubs beat the Padres, 8-3; the White Sox bested the Angels, 5-2.
???? Subscribe: Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox weekday mornings.
⏱️: An 8-minute read
TODAY’S WEATHER ⛅
Partly sunny with scattered showers and a high near 56.
PUBLIC SAFETY ✶
Judge criticized for putting man later charged with shooting cops on electronic monitoring
By Sophie Sherry
Shooting suspect: In December, Judge John Lyke Jr. placed Alphanso Talley, 26, of South Shore, on electronic monitoring after the convicted felon was charged with armed carjacking and armed robbery. Talley is now charged with killing Chicago police officer John Bartholomew and wounding another officer in an ambush attack at Endeavor Swedish Hospital on Saturday.
At issue: Some officials have seized on Lyke’s decision to grant Talley leniency, saying it exposes the potentially fatal flaws of Cook County’s electronic monitoring program and the state’s cashless bail system. Advocates for bail reform argued that blame should primarily be placed on Lyke, not on the historic overhaul of the state’s criminal justice system.
What's next: Talley, who on Tuesday was supposed to answer for the arrest warrants before Lyke, will face a full detention hearing Thursday.
HEALTHCARE ????
Obamacare premiums in Illinois rose sharply but not as much as expected
By Elvia Malagón
Rise in payments: Monthly premium payments for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, have risen by about 25%. Nearly three months after open enrollment ended, providers say it’s still early but worry that increased healthcare costs could drive up insurance rates — and it all could lead to more uninsured patients.
Zooming in: The household ACA monthly average premium is $328, up from $260 a year ago, according to state data. But if people buying coverage on the ACA exchange hadn’t adjusted their plans at all this year, the state expected the monthly average to rise to $464.
Listen up ????: Reporter Elvia Malagón appeared Friday on WBEZ’s talk show “Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith.” Callers shared stories about navigating rising healthcare costs, including forgoing well-paying jobs to stay on Medicaid and shopping around for an affordable measles vaccine. Listen to the full episode by clicking below.
ENVIRONMENT ????
Illinois state agencies at odds over endangered species protections
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Fish story: Bigeye shiners, fish on the state’s endangered species list, have managed to survive despite habitat loss driven by decades of construction and industrial farm runoff. But an ongoing dispute between the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources over species protections is testing how the freshwater animal will endure.
Key context: The standoff between IDOT and IDNR, outlined in internal state documents, is at the center of an ongoing clash that broke out last year after IDOT repeatedly ignored recommendations from state experts to pursue permits designed to protect imperiled species during road, bridge and other transportation work.
Bottom line: The widening rift between the state’s largest public landowner and its top wildlife conservation agency shows how transportation projects may have overridden Illinois’ Endangered Species Protection Act in 11 cases in the past year.
MORE NEWS YOU NEED ????️
- UIC grad workers strike: Two thousand unionized graduate student workers at the University of Illinois Chicago went on strike this week after bargaining with administrators for a year and failing to reach a contract. They rallied Tuesday, calling for better healthcare and pay.
- Man charged after park shooting: A 20-year-old Evanston man has been charged with attempted murder in connection to a shootout blocks away from Evanston Township High School, according to police
- Cop charged with sex assault: Patrick Cacho, a former part-time Park City police officer, was charged with repeatedly sexually assaulting a woman during traffic stops, police said.
- Musician charged in home invasion: Isaiah Dukes, known as Chicago drill rapper Lil Zay Osama, is among six men facing robbery and kidnapping charges in a federal indictment over a Winnetka home invasion last month, in which the intruders allegedly demanded access to a safe, a computer and online cryptocurrency accounts.
- Warlord expansion nixed: Plans appear to have been called off for the buzzy restaurant to expand to Humboldt Park, months after chef and co-owner Trevor Fleming was charged with sharing sexually explicit images of a woman without her consent.
- Titanic watch nets $800K: A gold pocket watch that John Jacob Astor IV was wearing on board the Titanic when the ship sank in 1912 sold at auction last week in Chicago.
EDUCATION ????
Chicago’s school board election is coming — here’s what to know, what’s at stake
By Emmanuel Camarillo
Historic election: On Nov. 3, voters will elect all 21 members of the Chicago School Board for the first time. It’s a significant shift for the governing body, which was under mayoral control for decades. The city held its first-ever school board elections in 2024, but that year, only 10 seats were up for grabs. The rest, including the board president, were appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Key context: For years, advocates pushed for an elected board, arguing it would inject democracy and community voice into the board’s decision-making. But there are concerns that big money expected to flow in this year’s races will undermine that goal.
Stay informed: We've broken down what you need to know about the board’s responsibilities and what to expect in the elections later this year here.
SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS ✍️
Whether you’re a Chicago Public Schools parent or taxpayer, the future of our city’s school system affects you.
That’s why WBEZ, the Sun-Times and Chalkbeat Chicago want to know what issues matter the most to you — and what questions you have for school board candidates.
Your responses will shape our community-driven elected school board voter guide, to be released this fall.
WATCH: LEARN THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION BASICS ????️
ON WBEZ 91.5 FM ????
In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons, 9 a.m.
- Denim Day: Guests Jillian Furey of Resilience, Megan Greeson of DePaul University and Laura Ng of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services explain how Chicagoans are standing in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence.
- 'Michael': With mixed reviews, the Michael Jackson biopic honors the Jackson 5's early ties to Midwest music scenes. WBEZ contributor and Chicago film critic Reginald Ponder, Karen Toering of the Gary International Black Film Festival and Rayonna Burton-Jernigan of Capital B News Gary discuss.
Say More with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith, 10 a.m.
- Talking tariffs: President Donald Trump hiked import taxes on products from dozens of countries. A north suburban Illinois company challenged them, and won when the U.S. Supreme Court struck them down. We’re hearing mixed reports from local companies navigating red tape to apply for refunds. Sun-Times reporter Amy Yee and callers weigh in.
FROM THE PRESS BOX ????⚾????
- Where will Bears land?: As the Bears' decision to leave Chicago for Arlington Heights or Hammond, Indiana, remains unresolved, fans from all over say they're holding out hope for a new stadium.
- Stable Sox?: The White Sox are loving Munetaka Murakami’s home-run bonanza but are striving for balance on offense.
- Is this the year?: Moises Ballesteros's offense has been impressive so far this season. Could he be the Cubs' first Rookie of the Year since Kris Bryant?
- Friends and foes: The Sky and Angel Reese are striking a friendly tone before Wednesday's Chicago-Atlanta preseason matchup.
CHICAGO MINI CROSSWORD ????
Today's clue: 4A: Annual NASCAR event around Grant Park
BRIGHT ONE ????
Chicago songwriter lost her voice but found new strength in vulnerability
By Joshua M. Miller
The title of Gia Margaret’s new album "Singing" is more than a word or action – it’s a celebration of the Chicago singer's nearly eight-year journey toward reclaiming her voice after her vocal cords were damaged.
"I think singing for me is so much more than just the act of it," explained Margaret, 38. "I think singing is the ultimate vulnerability."
It’s a quality she’s sought to showcase since her acclaimed 2018 debut, "There’s Always A Glimmer." Primed for the next level, the artist was in talks for a label deal. There were also plans for a headline tour and a follow-up album.
However, nerve damage to her vocal cords left her in pain whenever she tried to sing.
"I definitely was scared that my career was over and everything that I had worked for was finally coming to fruition," she said. "It all felt like it was falling apart."
After releasing two instrumental albums, years of vocal therapy and voice lessons, "Singing" is a triumph for Margaret and the start of a new chapter with a new voice.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
What aspect of buying tickets for big Chicago events like concerts and sports frustrates you the most, and what's your strategy for dealing with it?
Reply to this newsletter (please include your first and last name). We may run your answer in a future newsletter or story.
Yesterday, we asked you: What’s your favorite springtime activity?
"Weeding!" — Rhonda Peebles
"Having a plan B when we get together. It could be an alternate location or menu, based on daily or hourly weather changes." — Christine Bock
"Seeing all the beautiful tulips displaying their diverse colors downtown, along suburban roads, or at a tulip farm/festival. After being dormant for many months, the bulbs coming back to life are so life-affirming!" — Paul Lockwood
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Written and curated by: Matt Moore
Editor: Eydie Cubarrubia
Hat tip: Sun-Times' Joel Carlson for today's subject line, which you'll find on the front page of today’s newspaper — on newsstands and online now.
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