House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) tweeted “I was thrilled to welcome several 4-H participants to my office in Springfield, earlier this session! I’m excited to see how you all continue to develop your skills and connect with the community.” 

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) tweeted a link to a news story about the Illinois State Board of Education changing the way private schools are treated for not complying with Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate, saying, “A small victory for due process. ISBE quietly restored due process for nonpublic schools after I & other JCAR members questioned whether they could remove schools' recognition. I still have questions about their potential overreach but this is a start.” 

Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) tweeted about his upcoming business roundtable, which will feature discussions about state assistance and the challenges facing small businesses.

Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago) tweeted a reminder about a virtual town hall he is co-hosting with Rep. Kelly Burke (D-Evergreen Park) and Rep. Fran Hurley (D-Chicago) on Thursday.  

Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) announced Wednesday that she was recently appointed to the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding, which was created by a measure (SB 815) she sponsored. Ammons was appointed to the commission by House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) on Sept. 28. Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), Rep. Mike Marron (R-Fithian), Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) and Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) have also been appointed to the commission by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) and Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich), respectively.  

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) shared Department of Transportation design plans for a new pedestrian plaza outside the Logan Square Blue Line station and wrote, “I can't wait until the day I exit the Logan Square Blue Line into La Placita.” 

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) tweeted that Latinos make up 18 percent of Illinois' population but "Unfortunately, of the 18 Congressional members representing the State of Illinois, only one represents the diverse interests of the Latino community." 

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) tweeted that he would "like to add my voice to those calling for the resignation of Parks CEO Mike Kelly. This is unacceptable and the opposite of leadership or accountability."

Ald. Matt Martin (47) in an email notified residents that his office is rescheduling its budget town hall, originally scheduled for Oct. 6, to Oct. 14. The rescheduling comes “as the Alderman continues to have conversations with neighbors and representatives from our public safety institutions about recent incidents of gun violence in our community,” according to the email.  

Ald. Harry Osterman (48) tweeted a photo of himself and a Chicago Architecture Biennial art installation called Parasite Parking, which he wrote is “a commentary on the privatization of parking in Chicago. Food for thought as I went to another day of Budget Hearings.” Osterman also wrote that he saw the installation during while biking to City Hall. 

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) shared an editorial on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposal for a guaranteed income program published in the Sun-Times and wrote “A guaranteed income pilot is what 39% of Chicago households need to help make ends meet. The pilot builds off work by the Chicago Resilient Families Task Force in 2019, as well as initiatives and work by [Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36)], [Ald. Sophia King (4)], and myself.” 

Members of the Housing Justice League and Right to Recovery Coalition will join Ald. Maria Hadden (49), Ald. Matt Martin (47), Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25), Ald. Daniel La Spata (1), Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22) and Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) for a news conference outside City Hall at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in support of the Just Cause Eviction ordinance (O2020-3449). The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate hosted a subject matter hearing last month to discuss the ordinance, but committee chair Ald. Harry Osterman (48) has not brought it up for a vote.  

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will be the keynote speaker for the Academy of Architecture for Justice summit, titled, “Bending Toward Equity: Redefining and Transforming Urban Justice,” at 11 a.m. next Wednesday. Online registration is required for the virtual event. 

Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) tweeted “The IL Treasurer is holding more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed funds for Illinoisans. On October 13 from 2-5pm my office is bringing iCash to YOU with a mobile iCash event at St.Charles Public Library. https://tiny.one/icash for more info or a link to search the database now!” 

Sen. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) tweeted about a property tax appeal workshop she is co-hosting on Thursday.  

Sen. Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) tweeted about a COVID-19 vaccine clinic the Illinois Department of Public Health is hosting on Wednesday.  

Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Riverwoods) tweeted about a Wednesday Facebook live webinar on the state’s Back to Business Grant program that she is co-hosting along with Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), Rep. Daniel Didech (D-Buffalo Grove), Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) and Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield). 

Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Plainfield) tweeted about a mobile driver services unit that she and Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) will be hosting on Oct. 15.  

Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the appointments of Jennifer Watson to the Illinois Finance Authority, Marc Bell to the Illinois Gaming Board and Cynthia Haliemun to the Mid-America Intermodal Port District Board. All three appointment must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Officials from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday the Old State Capitol building in Springfield will begin welcoming visitors again starting Thursday. The building has been closed to visitors since last spring as the facility underwent renovations and repairs. The building will be open to visitors between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted that Mayor Lori Ligthfoot “is intentionally suppressing CPD hiring, limiting new hire officers at 200 for 2022 despite having 1,147 vacancies. That gimmick allows her to “bank” money for next year’s budget gap & #DefundthePolice through attrition.” 

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) tweeted a thread rebutting Lightfoot’s criticism of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx on prosecutions, writing, “We can’t be parroting lies to deflect responsibility.” 

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) thanked the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for supporting efforts to eliminate tax breaks for vacant storefronts and wrote, “Our communities need policies that (1) disincentivize land-banking and speculation, and (2) promote immediate investment. I will continue to support good policy that supports our small businesses and promotes thriving commercial corridors.”  

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) shared a tweet thread from Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell and wrote, "Just do yourself a favor and follow @SharoneMitchJr so that you can be informed on the facts, not just the tired “tough on crime” talking points that CPD and Mayor Lightfoot continue to push.

Ald. Harry Ostmeran (48) tweeted, “@SecFudge gets the needs of cities like Chicago & the urgency of investing in communities w/ safe, accessible, affordable housing. I thank the Secretary for visiting Chicago & add my voice to the many calling on Congress and the Senate to pass #BuildBackBetter now. 

Cook County Comm. Bridget Degnen (D-12) wrote in her latest newsletter that she has “advocated for spending our American Rescue Plan Act dollars on economic development, mental health initiatives, climate change mitigation and after-school education.” She will be hosting a virtual town hall event at 6 p.m. next Tuesday to “talk priorities,” she said. 

Comm. Kevin Morrison (D-15) tweeted, “There is an existential threat to reproductive rights – and it is critically important that Cook County uses every tool at its disposal to ensure access to reproductive healthcare.” He shared a video of himself speaking during a Cook County Board committee meeting before the committee advanced a resolution condemning the recent Texas six-week abortion ban law.

The Chicago Department of Public Health removed Connecticut from its COVID-19 Travel Advisory because its average daily new caseload dropped below 15 cases per 100,000 residents, officials announced Tuesday. Connecticut joins California and Puerto Rico, which were previously removed from the advisory, leaving 47 states whose unvaccinated travelers are now required to quarantine for 10 days or get tested upon arrival in Chicago. Officials said Washington, D.C., Louisiana and Massachusetts are next poised for removal from the watch list, as their case averages hover just above the 15 per 100,000 mark. 

Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin will host a virtual Financial Services Career Fair, when participants will join “private or video chats with financial service employers,” starting 9 a.m. next Thursday, Oct. 14. The event will include “job readiness workshops” all morning and a “virtual career fair” from noon to 4 p.m. Online registration is required. 

Rep. Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago) tweeted a link to a statement she recently issued about opportunities for low-income residents to heat their home in the fall and winter.  

Rep. Natalie Manley (D-Joliet) tweeted a reminder about her Tuesday “coffee & conversations” event in her district.   

Rep. Barbara Hernandez (D-Aurora) tweeted about a “community canvassing” event she is hosting with Planned Parenthood on Oct. 16.  

Rep. Maura Hirschauer (D-Batavia) tweeted about her recent appointment to the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Task Force.  

Sen. Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) tweeted images from a recent property tax appeal event she co-hosted.

Rep. Camille Lilly (D-Chicago) is set to host a webinar on the state’s back to business grant program on Oct. 7. Registration is required. 

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted, “Yes, it is true: I have an agenda. It is to keep Chicago safe. I’m not here to carry Lightfoot’s water or pretend we are not a city walking off a cliff. That is too much for truth for some to handle. I was elected to defend the interests of 15th Ward. I will not waiver from that.” 

Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) tweeted, “Congratulations to Alderman Tabares and the great people of the 23rd Ward for another successful event to support the men and women of the CPD and the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.” 

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) tweeted, “Looking at the cost-benefit analysis of having a billionaire like Ken Griffin spending dozens of millions of dollars last year to avoid paying his fair share of taxes & defeat the fair tax amendment, the cost of violence & fiscal issues all suggest we are better off without him.”  

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) tweeted, “@aldcardenas just threatened me in city hall for commenting on his brother’s contract with CPS. He yelled at me outside the chambers and said to me ‘there are consequences for what you are doing.’ Thought I’d let y’all know.” Rodriguez-Sanchez and Cardenas had earlier engaged in a public tiff on Twitter.  

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) shared a Block Club article about efforts to overturn a Cook County tax break offered to vacant storefronts.  

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) invited people to participate in a virtual budget town hall at 6 p.m. Thursday, when she will “share updates on the 2022 budget proposal and hear feedback from residents.”

The Chicago Department of Assets, Information and Services opened a Request for Qualifications on Monday for “food, beverage, retail, arts” and other businesses to operate on the Chicago Riverwalk during the 2022 season. Applications are available online and due on Nov. 8. The assets department will host a “pre-submittal seminar” at 2 p.m. on Oct. 13, when city officials will “explain the application process, describe the Community Marketplace program, and answer questions,” according to an announcement. 

The Illinois Housing Development Authority has disbursed more than $443 million in rental assistance across 49,100 households through the Illinois Rental Payment Program, state officials announced Friday. The program, launched in May, provides emergency rental assistance to cover up to 12 months of past due rent and up to three months of future rent payments for tenants "suffering a financial hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic," according to the announcement. Payments are made directly to the landlord on behalf of the tenant, but only if the landlord does not pursue eviction. The recipients represent about half of the almost 99,000 people who applied for rent relief through the program.

Sen. Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) posted to Facebook about a recent decision of the Kendall County Court, writing, "you cannot strip state recognition away from nonpublic schools without providing due process."

Sen. Jil Tracey (R-Quincy) shared a Senate Week in Review that highlighted Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Sept. 24 signing of the new legislative maps. 

Rep. Margaret Croke (D-Chicago) tweeted about her cryptocurrency bill: "I'm proud to lead the effort to pass HB3968 and establish Illinois as a leader in the financial technology industry, bringing new jobs and opportunity to our state," she wrote.  

Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) tweeted about a ribbon cutting he attended at the YWCA in Evanston. "I was able to prioritize and release $700,000 for the family support center in the capital bill," he wrote "Thank you to the YWCA/Northshore for supporting women and working to eliminate racism!"

Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) tweeted​, "addressing the climate crisis will require sustained and aggressive action at all levels of government" along with a link to the federal proposal known as the The Clean Electricity Performance Program.

Ald. Matt O'Shea (19) included information in his latest newsletter of a recent robbery and burglary in his ward and wrote, "Since these incidents occurred, I have spoken to Superintendent Brown and been in regular communication with Commander Joyce of the 22nd District. The Commander has requested and received additional police resources to address this uptick in criminal activity."

Ald. Matt Martin (47) wrote in his latest newsletter that he plans on Thursday to host a "budget town hall," when he "will provide an overview of the Mayor’s proposed budget and spotlight a number of important areas about which we regularly hear from residents, including gender-based violence, affordable housing, and tree trimming and planting."

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) shared WBEZ's reporting on the timeline of the Chicago Park District lifeguard sexual harassment scandal and tweeted, "The Meg Linehan quote "what is rotten, what needs to go?" re #NWSL is spot on. In Chicago Parks, it means they fire the investigator. #Backwards"

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) shared a tweet about Ald. George Cardenas' (12) brother benefitting from parking fees near RiotFest and wrote, "Wow. I never cease to be amazed by some of my colleagues." Cardenas replied in a tweet, writing, "Not sure what your are suggesting here but I suggest you get facts straight here. Call the principals! Smear campaigns are just that"

Cook County Comm. Scott Britton (D-14) wrote in a statement that he was diagnosed with throat cancer. He is "currently undergoing treatment with a prognosis for a full recovery" and plans to return to attending meetings in person by the end of this year.

Comm. Kevin Morrison (D-15) promoted a column he cowrote in the Daily Herald about public investments in mental health, tweeting, "Now more than ever, we need to make transformative investments in mental health care."

Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office sent a notice on Friday urging renters to take advantage of city and nonprofit resources following Sunday's expiration of the statewide eviction moratorium. People can apply through the Department of Housing's website for inclusion in the next round of the city's Emergency Rental Assistance Program, or they can call the free "Rentervention" legal assistance line operated by the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing at 312-347-7600.

The #CancelShotSpotter Coalition will hold a news conference on the third floor of City Hall at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning, before the Chicago Police Department budget hearing, to call on the City Council to end the department's contract with ShotSpotter.

Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) tweeted a Tribune article about the Chicago Bears’ move to Arlington, in which she was quoted as saying “I have a hard time finding my way to state funding for a sports facility when we have so many other issues we need to address with state funds that I think are more impactful to people’s lives and deliver more in the way of jobs.

Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) also tweeted about Soldier Field: “Public funds paid by residents made it possible for the Bears to expand the [Chicago] stadium. Everyday taxpayers foot the bill for the Bears only for them to turn their backs on the very people who stood by them year after year, even when they failed on the field.”

Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) tweeted about a potential repeal of parental notification requirements in Illinois law, writing, “keeping abortion legal is necessary, but legality alone is not & has never been enough.”

Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) tweeted about shipping problems on the West Coast, writing, "this is fascinating - but very scary. Stock up now on important items!"

Gov. JB Pritzker's office on Thursday announced the first round of recipients for Back 2 Business small business grants, but applications will remain open until October 13. The program, an extension of the Business interruption Grants launched in 2020, is available through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Grants are targeted at businesses whose 2019 revenues came in below $20 million and saw declines during the pandemic, officials said. The program prioritizes firms in sectors that have been hardest hit by COVID restrictions, like hospitality. Eligible businesses can apply before the deadline on the department's website.

Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) tweeted at the North Park University alumni Twitter account that “I’m having the wonderful moment of serving as alderman during Chicago budget hearings while fellow Viking and COPA interim chief administrator Andrea Kersten presents the work of her department. That’s significance and service right there!” 

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) tweeted, ““independently elected & do not report to the mayor” #Amen” 

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) tweeted, “One of my colleagues doesn’t understand structural racism so we are discussing it at a CDPH budget hearing... He expressed a lot of outrage at the existence of structural racism. He wasn’t aware of it and it just came to his attention that it’s a thing. He demands that it stops right now.”  

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) tweeted, “City Council's COVID seating arrangement has given me a full view of Council Chambers, and I can now say: man, this room is ugly. Chambers would be well served by wall-to-ceiling murals on either side of the rostrum. Realist murals depicting the history and grandeur of our city.” 

Ald. James Cappleman (46) tweeted information in his latest newsletter about Chicago Pride Fest, which will take over Northalsted this weekend. 

Ald. Harry Osterman (48) shared Block Club’s coverage of Monday’s budget hearing with the Department of Family and Support Services and tweeted, “We’re in the middle of a crisis. We should be expanding the shelter system. Read about @ChiFamSupport Budget Hearing & the critical need to support unhoused individuals & develop a robust plan to address a possible rise in homelessness throughout our City.”  

Cook County Comm. Scott Britton (D-14) will host a “virtual panel discussion on domestic abuse victim support services and solutions” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, he announced. The panel will be accessible via Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook. 

Comm. Sean Morrison (R-17) tweeted about a spike in Chicago homicides and wrote, “Sadly “most” of the local Media outlets allow Intentional deceptive narratives From SA FOXX’s office to go unchallenged.”

Chicago Public Schools is “in the process of doubling the number of contact tracers” to track down COVID-19 cases in its schools, district officials announced Thursday. The district has also updated its COVID-19 dashboard and webpage, which will now “provide updates on all reported cases of COVID-19 among District staff and students within 24-hours of report, and will include self-reports and positive COVID-19 results found through the CPS screening testing program,” according to the announcement.