Good morning, Chicago.
With less than three weeks until the Illinois legislature’s scheduled adjournment, lobbyists, nonprofits, activists and others are ramping up efforts to get a piece of the state’s multibillion-dollar budget for everything from after-school funding to housing for people leaving prison.
But Gov. JB Pritzker’s February spending plan leaves little wiggle room for lawmakers. In addition to a projected budget shortfall estimated at close to $1 billion, legislators have to come to terms with President Donald Trump’s tariffs that have rattled the economy, while his newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has vowed to slash significant federal funding across the board. Pritzker’s adversarial relationship with the Republican president could make Illinois a target for any of those federal cutbacks.
At a luncheon event last week, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch discussed how the uncertainty could force lawmakers back to Springfield this summer to make adjustments to the budget that goes into effect July 1.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Jeremy Gorner.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including why a member of the mayor’s detail was suspended, where the Bulls landed in the NBA draft lottery and why there will be an influx of cowboy boots worn into Soldier Field this week.
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Judge refuses to block IRS from sharing tax data to identify and deport people illegally in US
A federal judge yesterday refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants’ tax data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the U.S.
McDonald’s plans to hire 375,000 U.S. workers this summer
McDonald’s said it plans to hire up to 375,000 U.S. restaurant employees this summer, its biggest hiring push in years. The company, which has more than 13,500 restaurants in the U.S., plans to open 900 more by 2027.
It can be difficult to find therapists who take health insurance in Illinois. Lawmakers are considering a bill to change that.
In Illinois and across the country, a number of therapists have stopped accepting private insurance, saying health insurers don’t reimburse them enough money for their services and force them to jump through too many hoops to give patients the care they need. That can leave patients in a bind, forcing them to choose between paying out-of-pocket for care, waiting for care from a therapist who will take their insurance, or sometimes forgoing help altogether.
A bill sponsored by Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, seeks to address some of the barriers that therapists say keep them from taking private insurance. The bill would require private insurers to pay in-network therapists at least 141% of the rate Medicare pays for the same behavioral health or substance use disorder service.
Cop on mayor’s detail suspended after allegedly drinking at Trump inauguration celebration, showing up for work
Records obtained by the Tribune show the officer was allegedly drunk when he arrived for his shift at Mayor Brandon Johnson’s home after leaving the inauguration celebration at Trump Tower.
A breathalyzer test administered that night revealed a .134 BAC, according to Chicago Police Department internal affairs records.
Cook County property tax bills likely to be delayed
Tax bills for Cook County property owners are likely to be delayed after a data snafu at the Cook County Assessor’s office held up a key step in the property tax process, setting off another round of finger-pointing among feuding property tax leaders.
Swath of Lincoln Yards site, still mostly empty 6 years after winning City Council approval, could be sold
The long-stalled Lincoln Yards megadevelopment could soon find a new owner as Chicago’s JDL Development looks to close a deal to buy a large swath of the North Side site.
Chicago Bulls stay put in NBA draft lottery and will have the No. 12 pick in the 1st round
Luck was not in the Chicago Bulls’ favor last night.
The Bulls didn’t improve their positioning in the NBA draft lottery at McCormick Place and will have the No. 12 pick in the first round. The Dallas Mavericks won the No. 1 pick — despite the fourth-worst odds at 1.8% — and almost certainly will select Duke superstar Cooper Flagg.
Chicago Bears will play Green Bay Packers on the Saturday before Christmas — and Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday
After a two-year hiatus, the Chicago Bears-Green Bay Packers rivalry is returning to prime time — and the Bears also will be playing on Black Friday.
Transfer portal has shifted priorities in college football recruiting. One response: High school showcases.
Chicago’s western suburbs played host to a sort of “high school crawl” for college football coaches Wednesday, with talent evaluators shuttling from one DuKane Conference football field to the next in search of recruits.
Antique, resale shops claim a holiday of their own with Vintage Store Day
Emma Lewis, the owner of Rare Form in Chicago, believes that vintage stores deserve a day dedicated to them. So, she created one. May 17 will be Vintage Store Day.
Quiet influence, loud wines: Inside RieslingKenner’s mission to bring German wine to Chicago
Since 2020, RieslingKenner has quietly assumed the role of an evangelist for Germany’s most underappreciated wines — riesling, of course, but also spätburgunder (pinot noir), weissburgunder (pinot blanc), chardonnay and more. They haven’t gotten around to setting up a website yet. Instead, RieslingKenner relies primarily on Instagram to communicate with their small but dedicated cohort of roughly 3,000 followers who tune in for bottle shots captioned with thoughtful notes and occasional event postings.
Beyoncés Cowboy Carter Tour arrives at Soldier Field, inspiring Western-themed fan outfits and deep album dives
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour gallops into Chicago this week, for concerts May 15, 17 and 18, a performance-packed three days worth of boots, spurs and Beyoncé classics. The superstar’s arrival in the Midwest will close a two-week, five-concert showcase at Los Angeles’s SoFi stadium that began on April 28.
Fans can anticipate the tour will arrive in Chicago with an immersive journey into the album’s inspirations. The “Cowboy Carter” album recounts stories of American history between bars of Western tales and horse-gaited rhythms. The Southern-influenced work spurred a surge in Western wear and an interest in Black American history among fans.
