Rep. Dagmara Avelar (D-Bolingbrook) tweeted, “SB3988 passes out of the education committee unanimously!”  

Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago) tweeted, “NY Speaker @CarlHeastie visits @RepChrisWelch and the Illinois House of Representatives.”  

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) tweeted, “As long as we keep sending armed officers trained in lethal violence to respond to homelessness, mental health calls, & traffic violations, these killings are not going to stop. We need to transform the role of police in society. #JusticeForAnthonyAlvarez”  

Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) tweeted, “How should we solve Illinois’s teacher vacancy issue? We start by making sure our teachers are supported and have the funding necessary to succeed.”  

Rep. Mark Walker (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted, “Tucker's show has drifted into straight-up Russian propaganda. I wonder who is influencing his scriptwriter.”  

Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) tweeted, “Inflation is costing the average American family an extra $296 per month. Illinois has one the highest tax rates in the nation, adding additional costs for Illinois taxpayers. Out-of-control government spending needs to stop.”  

Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) tweeted, “Glory to Ukraine.” 

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has completed sampling for PFAS, a family of chemicals, in the state’s water. Samples were taken at 1,428 locations. About 12 percent of samples were positive for PFAS chemicals, which the agency says is similar to numbers found in other states.   

The Illinois State Board of Higher Education approved creating a College of Engineering at Illinois State University. The first class of students to enroll at the college is expected to be in 2025.

Ald. Sophia King (4) tweeted “The Chicago Park District wants to hear from you! Join them for a series of Town Hall Meetings to discuss their new Office of Prevention and Accountability.”  

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted “17 members tried to do their job today. City Council has failed its citizenry courtesy of Lightfoot’s political antics.”  

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) tweeted “Chicago City Council's rightwing called a ‘Special Meeting’ to discuss COVID "natural immunity." The meeting did not reach quorum. Good. It was a waste of time, an excuse for rightwing theater. I, like most alders, spent the day in ward working on substantive local matters.”  

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) tweeted “Yesterday morning I stood alongside members of @northsideaction and residents of Northpoint Apartments to demand that the multibillion dollar owner, Related Midwest, do better in responding to residents’ health and safety requests.” 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Wednesday that she had appointed Lynn Osmond to serve as the new president and CEO of Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism organization. Osmond is set to be the first woman to serve as the organization’s leader and previously served as the president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center.  

The Pace Suburban Bus Board of Directors during their meeting on Wednesday appointed Melinda J. Metzger as the agency’s first female executive director. Metzger has served as interim leader of the agency since December and previously served as the agency’s general manager and chief operating officer. Metzger has also previously managed operations for the Regional Transportation Authority. “Melinda has been a leader at Pace since the beginning,” Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski said in a news release. “I am confident she will continue to serve the agency and its riders well during this time of change and opportunity.”

Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) tweeted, “Last night, a Crest Hill officer was stabbed & a Shorewood officer was threatened. As officers investigate, let's continue to send our thoughts & prayers to these heroes, as well as their families, friends, & brothers and sisters in uniform who serve & protect our communities.”  

Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) tweeted, “The average woman makes 82 cents for every dollar a man makes. The wage gap is even greater for Black, Native American and Latina women. This Equal Pay Day, I remain committed to making sure ALL women receive equal pay for equal work.”  

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) tweeted, “Too often, people of color have been shut out of home ownership, and this is a time for us to turn that around and say, we can make investments to bring people of color into home ownership and into generational wealth building,” #Housing is a #HumanRight"  

Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) tweeted, “I am honored to be one of the co-chairs of the new Illinois Assyrian Caucus. Together, we can elevate the voices of our Assyrian American neighbors and partner in a united effort in addressing the issues their community faces.”  

Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) tweeted, “5 years ago today the Illinois law allowing Trans folks to correct their birth certificates passed out of committee on the way to becoming law. I am proud that in Illinois we support our Trans neighbors.”  

Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) tweeted, “Serving as a sub on Energy and Environment hearing a bill brought by @RitaMayfield and @ilenviro to force cleanup of coal ash ponds in Waukegan. Opponents were offended that I asked if they lived in Waukegan or would move their families next to the coal ash ponds. #SorryNotSorry"  

Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) tweeted, “Clean Green Energy is a laudable goal. But it shouldn’t jeopardize the standards of living of working families. We DIDN’T VOTE for Dems to clean all the green out of middle class bank accounts. We need to change the policies that have driven gas & energy prices sky high levels.”   

Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) tweeted, “Pritzker's state agency in charge of the LaSalle Veterans Home didn't have any answers when this tragedy occurred back in 2020. Since then, there has been an unacceptable lack of transparency. The families who lost loved ones deserve better.” 

The Illinois Department of Labor will no longer enforce the Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act because the state’s unemployment rate is no longer above 5 percent. The act requires 90 percent of workers employed on a public works project to be from Illinois when the state’s unemployment rate is above 5 percent for two or more consecutive months.   

New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Consul General of Ireland to the Midwest Kevin Byrne will speak to the Illinois House this week. Heastie will address the chamber on Wednesday and Bryne will speak on Thursday. Both visitors mark a change to the House’s COVID-19 protocols allows guests to visit the chamber.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted “After four days, we finally got a six-page response from Lawyer Lightfoot. Her abbreviated reply: Starts with an ‘F’ and ends with a ‘U’”  

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) tweeted “Last week we shared an update on the work that we are doing in collaboration with incredible volunteers and neighbors of the Ward to provide support to victims of the Richmond/Montrose fire. Thank you to all who donated and have shown support!”  

Ald. Michele Smith (43) and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) tweeted a “joint statement” on the North Branch Park Preserve.  

Ald. Harry Osterman (48) tweeted “Earlier today there was a fire at 1054 West Hollywood. No one was injured and the Chicago Fire Department has extinguished the fire.”  

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) tweeted “I joined 32 other council members this afternoon to file our Chicago United Map for referendum. Voters will get to decide which map best represents Chicago in June.”  

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50) tweeted “We dropped off large donations at two of our community partners today: @ICNARelief and Chicago Chesed Fund. Thank you to both organizations for all the work you do on behalf of our community!” 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office on Tuesday released the name of 27 people who applied for the opportunity to be appointed as the next 11th Ward alderman. “A committee of dedicated public servants and 11th ward community members are currently reviewing the applications and will provide a final slate of candidates to the Mayor for selection,” according to a news release. The full list of applicants and other information about the appointment process are available online.  

The Chicago Department of Public Health removed 16 states from its COVID-19 Travel Advisory on Tuesday because their new daily rates of infection have spent at least a week below 15 per 100,000 residents: Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. The change leaves 18 states and one territory on the travel advisory list. But eight more states are due to come off the list next week because their cases have dropped below 15 per 100,000: New Mexico, California, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Oregon, North Carolina, Montana and Alabama.  

Michael Claffey has stepped down as director of public affairs for the Chicago Department of Transportation, a role he held since 2015, he announced Tuesday. He will become communications manager at the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

Rep. Suzanne Ness (D-Crystal Lake) tweeted, “I was pleased to carry HB4828 on behalf of the McHenry County Board. The bill is an initiative to repeal a law that unfairly targeted McHenry County. As the law is currently written, it does a disservice to the taxpayers of McHenry County.”  

Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) tweeted, “Breast reduction surgery is a medically necessary procedure for many Women. Back pain, finding clothes that fit, and self confidence can all be issues that many women have to endure, making HB4271 an important bill.”  

Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) tweeted, “No better way to celebrate Pi Day than traveling through my Senate District with Cindy. We grabbed a couple of delicious pies from Niemerg's, a freedom-loving restaurant in Effingham. I love being in my district and spending some much-needed time with my family at the homestead.”  

Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) tweeted, “Today I attended the official name announcement for the NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway. The upcoming race will have an enormous economic boost for our community!”  

Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted, “I am deeply thankful for Dr. Ngozi Ezike’s leadership during this once in a lifetime public health crisis. Her devotion to following science in making some of the hardest decisions have saved thousands of lives.”  

Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) tweeted, “We need to help those who are struggling, not those who vacation in the Caymans. I’m fighting for targeted tax relief for low-income Illinoisans this year. #ExpandEIC @EconsecureIL"  

Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) tweeted, “It was great to meet with @YinamCohen, the Consul General of Israel during his visit to Springfield @IsraelinChicago" 

Illinois’ office of tourism, Enjoy Illinois, will be the sponsor of June’s NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, just outside St. Louis, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday. The race will officially be known as the Enjoy Illinois 300. It’s the Cup Series’ first event at the Illinois track. The track also hosts a NASCAR Truck Series race and an IndyCar Series race. Illinois has not held a Cup Series race since 2019 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet.  

Members of the Asian American Caucus will host a day of remembrance on Wednesday to honor lives lost because of anti-Asian hate. The caucus will host a press conference in the morning and a virtual vigil at 7 p.m. Registration for the vigil can be found online.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted “Last week many of us asked for assurances from  

@chicagosmayor in writing on moving forward using all scientific metrics available, not just those that fit her narrative. In the days since we have been talked about but not part of the discussion. See y’all Wednesday!”  

Ald. Michael Scott (24) tweeted “The Town Hall for West Side communities has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 19th and will be IN-PERSON.”  

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) tweeted “Proud to have stood with @LSNAChicago this morning as we fight for policies that address displacement and bring us closer to housing as a human right. The 606 Demolition Impact Fee Ordinance that our community fought for must be extended and expanded.”  

Ald. Harry Osterman (48) tweeted “Happy Pi Day! If you're looking to celebrate with pie from a local baker, pre order a specialty pie from Honeypie Bake Shop to enjoy when they reopen on Wednesday.”  

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) tweeted “Elise Malary is an amazing advocate and person. She’s been missing for more than 2 days; her parents have filed a missing persons report with Evanston PD. She’s part of the RP community as well. Let’s help bring her home to safety. If you have any info, please call 773-991-8198.” 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office will host a “community safety town hall” event at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Garfield Park Gold Dome Field House, where attendees will be asked to “inform the city’s efforts to reduce violence and help us make our neighborhoods safer.” Information and registration are available online.  

The Northpoint Tenant Association will join Ald. Maria Hadden (49) to host a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday at 7717 N. Paulina St to draw attention to “the inhumane living conditions in affordable housing units at Northpoint Apartments.” The apartments are owned and managed by Related Midwest.

Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) tweeted, “This week Florida’s senate passed the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” to ban discussion of gender identity & sexual orientation related topics in school. This also ends protection for LBTQ+ students. This shameful bill does nothing but hurt students who are already struggling & vulnerable.”  

Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) tweeted, “HB4729 (@repwillis77) has passed out of the House with overwhelming Bi-Partisan Support! Guns are the leading cause of death of Illinois children ages 1-17 years old. We are all safer when guns are safely stored and it is critical that we spread a safe storage message.”  

Sen. Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) tweeted, “Museums give people an experience to learn and understand our history which is why I'm pleased to announce that @ExploreNMMA is set to receive $750,000 to make improvements and create new exhibits.”  

Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) tweeted, “Members of the Jewish Caucus and President Harmon met with Israeli Consul General Yinam Cohen to discuss Israel-Illinois relations and how we are working to protect Jewish communities with rising anti-Semitism.”  

Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted, “36 museums across IL will receive $19.7M to improve their facilities and expand their exhibits - including Arlington Heights' Banta House. The Banta House is an arts & crafts home and was the first architect-designed house in AH.”  

Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) tweeted, “I spoke with Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton and others at a conference on the importance of obtaining a professional license and how this process shouldn’t keep people waiting months in order to practice a profession.”  

Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) tweeted, “Opioid overdoses have been occurring at alarming rates in Illinois. That's why I led SB 2535, to require pharmacists to inform the patient that opioids are addictive and offer to give the patient naloxone – a common opioid reversal medication.”  

Sen. Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) tweeted, “Support workers are essential workers. These individuals care for residents who rely on them to do basic day-to-day tasks that many of us do without thinking. It’s vital that these workers are taken care of and paid a fair wage.”  

Rep. Jonathon Carroll (D-Northbrook) tweeted, “Love the people I’ve met in Springfield. @staterepwest is my seat mate and one of my best friends. Blessed to have him in my life. #twill #ilgov" 

The University of Illinois-Springfield Public Affairs Reporting program will host an online conversation with Tribune reporter Ray Long at 12 p.m. on Thursday, March 17. Long will discuss his new book “The House that Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois’ Velvet Hammer.” Registration for the event can be found at https://go.UIS.edu/RayLong.  

The Illinois Attorney General’s office received a $750,000 federal grant to provide services to sexual assault victims. The Attorney General’s office says the grant will be used to support two programs in central Illinois.  

The Secretary of State’s office announced the expiration date for driver's licenses and IDs will be extended until July 31. The expiration date has been extended several times by the Secretary of State since the beginning of the pandemic.

Ald. Michael Scott (24) will host a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday to discuss the “project pipeline” for the Ogden Avenue Corridor with Department of Planning and Development Comm. Maurice Cox. Online registration is required.  

Ald. Silvana Tabares (23) tweeted, “The Archer Ave parade is raising money for police & Ofc. French is the Honorary Grand Marshal. My thoughts & prayers are with my CPD family today & my vow to keep fighting.”  

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) tweeted a Tribune article about carjackings and wrote, “Read this! We need massive investments in public structures of care. “before they were a shooter or a carjacker, they were likely some combination of hungry and poor and traumatized by the violence happening on the blocks where they are supposed to thrive”  

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted, “The City of Chicago helped to defeat the citizenship question on the 2010 census questionnaire. I am not surprised to see that Latinos were undercounted at more than three times the amount in 2010. #letthepeopledecide”  

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) wrote in his latest newsletter, “Green & Bransford, LLC has filed a Special Use application to operate an Adult Use Cannabis Dispensary at 212 East Ontario Street. The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) will hold a public hearing on a later date to consider this application.”  

Ald. Matt Martin (47) wrote in his latest newsletter, “This week and throughout the last several months, I’ve met with Angela Tovar, our city’s Chief Sustainability Officer, to discuss key components of the plan—which range from expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure and reducing the carbon footprint of new and existing buildings, to providing community-wide composting services and building solar and wind infrastructure to scale—and how we can ensure the plan is implemented quickly and completely once it’s finalized.”  

Cook County Comm. Sean Morrison (R-17) wrote in a statement, ““Instead of holding Jussie Smollett accountable for devising a hate crime hoax, breaking the law, disregarding law enforcement officials and their time, and wasting taxpayer resources — Kim Foxx opted to use the authority of her elected office to provide favors for a political ally, and mislead the public, the press, and facilitate a cover-up for a politically connected celebrity.” 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday announced the appointment of Alexandra Antoine as the new artist-in-residence for Legler Regional Library. She is the library system’s first artist-in-residence. 

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi will host historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas at 6 p.m. Friday for a virtual event described as “a candid conversation that will focus on historical connections to the work of property tax reform and the challenges and opportunities of getting it right.” Online registration is required.  

The Chicago Area Public Affairs Group will host an event at 11:30 a.m. next Thursday at the Union League Club of Chicago titled “Chicago’s Water Advantage,” billed as an opportunity to “to learn about the supply of water to the Chicago region and its impact on economic growth.” Speakers will include Chicago Department of Water Management Comm. Andrea Cheng and Current Water executive director Alaina Harkness. Tickets are available online. 

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted “Interesting that as the @CCLBA seeks an agreement with the City, signs declaring the bank’s ownership FINALLY appear in the community identifying who is responsible for maintenance.”  

Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) tweeted “The 19th Ward St. Patrick’s Day Donation Drive in support of the Maple Morgan Park Food Pantry was a huge success! Thanks for your generosity.”  

Ald. Silvana Tabares (23) tweeted a statement responding to Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson (D-1) and his “demands for the City Council to further Defund CPD Resources”  

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) shared information about the city’s series of virtual community safety town halls and tweeted “City personnel at mtg answerd questions the length of the meeting. Still need county/state officials present to answer questions when it's out of city hands. Next mtg tonight. Register early, make sure you get Zoom link, not just Eventbrite email.”  

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) tweeted “High school sophomores and juniors! Sign up now to be a Student Election Judge, learn about elections, & earn up to $230. To learn more about this program visit: https://tinyurl.com/Mikva-SJ”  

Ald. Matt Martin (47) in a thread tweeted “In the past five years, Lincoln Square and Northcenter have lost affordable homes at a faster rate than nearly every other neighborhood in Chicago. And the deconversion and demolition of small multi-unit buildings continues to contribute to that rapid loss of affordability. NEXT WEEK: Join us for the first in a series of community conversations about the impact of deconversions and demolitions of two- and three-flats.” 

Gov. JB Pritzker appointed Laura Daley to the Statewide 9-1-1 Advisory Board and TaLana Hughes, Timothy Cunniff and Susan Axelrod to the Rare Disease Commission.  

Monday is the last day for candidates running for office to file their nominating petitions with the State Board of Elections. Petitions must be submitted by 5 p.m. Those who submit petitions between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday will be in a lottery to get placed in the last spot on the ballot.   

The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced the state’s unemployment rate in January declined by .1 percentage points to 5 percent. The state also added more than 8,600 non-farm jobs. The state’s labor force participation rate was also 1.5 percentage points higher than the national average.

Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) tweeted, “It is critical that the General Assembly acts immediately to provide some kind of relief to Illinoisans struggling to keep up with skyrocketing gas prices and surging inflation.”  

Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort) tweeted, “An unacceptable truth, over 260 expressway shootings in 2021, that was during a pandemic. Another one last week. I don’t care if your from the city or suburb, it’s wrong … and we’re going to do something about it.” 

Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) tweeted, “The land of Chief Shab-eh-nay and his band was illegally sold. Recognition of this act of injustice by the federal government will begin to repair the harm and ensure that the land is recognized as reserved for the Potawatomi people in northern Illinois.”  

Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) tweeted, “Today, alongside @Tarver25th and @justice4all44, I presented HR649, to recognize June 3, 2022 as Gun Violence Awareness Day. Gun Violence Awareness Day began in tribute to Chicago teenager, Hadiya Pendleton. On 1/29/13 Hadiya was tragically shot and killed at the age of 15.”  

Rep. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago) tweeted, “Yesterday, the Illinois House Labor & Commerce Committee held a subject matter hearing to analyze the wages and working condition of our dedicated Direct Support Personnel (DSPs). @afscme31 @SEIU @SEIU73 State funding dollars need to make it to the pockets of the workers.”  

Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) tweeted, “What @fergieajenkins said. Mama needs baseball, stat.”  

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) tweeted, “It was great to see the folks from @ChiHomeless in Springfield during their day of action yesterday! Thanks for all the advocacy you do to prevent & end homelessness in Chicago— And thanks for sharing all the important work & goals you're championing this legislative session”  

Rep. Mike Zalewski (D-Riverside) tweeted, “Nature is healing. First Revenue & Finance in person hearing since that fateful day in 2020 in Bilandic when @hannahmeisel sneezed a few times and basically it was all downhill from there.”