Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 5h

Kina Collins is back again. She is a progressive who thrice challenged Rep. Danny Davis, including a close 52–45 race in 2022. Kina filed to run for Congress once more in Illinois’ 7th District for 2026.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 13h

Michael Madigan is now at the Federal Prison Camp in Morgantown, West Virginia.

“Country roads, take me home… to the place I belong.”

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 16h

Billionaire Lester Crown just dropped $100,000 to back an Illinois statewide redistricting reform referendum 💰

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 1d

My great-grandfather left Italy for New York in 1906, became a U.S. citizen in 1918, and made a home on 2418 Wentworth Ave in Chicago, once Italian, now the heart of Chinatown.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 5d

CUBS WIN! 🏳️‍

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Reposted by Frank Calabrese

Gregory Pratt @royalpratt.bsky.social · 5d

RIP Sister Jean, Loyola’s beloved icon.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 7d

Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele is scheduled for her DUI trial from November 13–14, with a pretrial hearing on November 12. (That’s my reading of the handwritten court notes.)

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 8d

Judge April Perry just set oral arguments for the National Guard lawsuit for Thursday. Illinois v. Trump.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 13d

Congressman Mike Quigley files paperwork with the Illinois state board of election to run for the mayor of Chicago

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 19d

James Comey’s lawyer is Patrick Fitzgerald. In DC he is known as the prosecutor in the Scooter Libby case. In Chicago he is known as the U.S. attorney who convicted Gov. Blagojevich. He served under both Bush and Obama, something unheard of today.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 19d

Update: Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson didn’t have the clout or votes to make Ald. Daniel La Spata chair of the Zoning Committee. Ald. Bennett Lawson will remain interim chair indefinitely.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 19d

Normington Petts survey of likely Democratic voters in IL-08, Aug 18 to 21, 2025, n=400, MOE ±4.9. Note: Bean paid this firm $104,779 in 2010, her last race, and she lost to Joe Walsh url4027.email.politico.com/ss/c/u001.6g...

url4027.email.politico.com

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 19d

IL-08 Democratic primary initial ballot: Bean 10, Ahmed 8, Morrison 5, Bankole 3, Tully 3, Khot 1, Others 1. Undecided 68. From Normington Petts, a pollster that has previously worked for Bean. #IL08

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 20d

Mayor Brandon Johnson reshuffles Chicago city council chairs to bolster base and progressive support. Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) replaces Walter Burnett (27th) as Zoning chair; Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) named vice-mayor

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 23d

Story from @adquig.bsky.social @alexnitkin.bsky.social on how South & West Side homeowners are bracing for tax bill shocks after assessments doubled or tripled: www.chicagotribune.com/2025/09/21/t...

Brace for impact: Tax hikes loom for South, West side homeowners

Property assessments double for 37,000 homes in Chicago’s historically neglected neighborhoods amid fresh investor interest.

www.chicagotribune.com

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 23d

Chicago South & West Side face massive tax hikes: 37,000+ properties saw assessments double since 2023. Median jumps hit 119–160% in Englewood, Roseland & North Lawndale (vs 22% citywide).

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 27d

MARIA
PAPPAS
BAG

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · 27d

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas just broke the caps by donating $101,000 to herself. She has no known opponent for the 2026 Democratic primary. Pappas has not had a contested primary since 2018, when she won 82%. Maybe Pappas is fundraising for a 2027 Chicago mayor run?

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Sep 10

Round 2 Voting

Beach 144
Evans 109

Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Sep 10

Round 1 Voting (info from a judge)

Charlie Beach 123
Tim Evans 117
Nicole Patton 14

Patton supported Beach in the second round.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Sep 10

Judge Tim Evans, who has served as Chief Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court since September 2001, just lost in the second round of voting to Charles Beach to be the next chief judge. Chief Judge is elected in a ballot among judges.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Sep 10

Chicago Ald. Brendan Reilly just dropped his Cook County Board President video. Not sure a white guy can beat Toni Preckwinkle, but he has $689,098.60 on hand and a downtown donor base youtu.be/mY102G3Rr8s

Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Aug 15

ChicagoSpeaks survey by UChicago’s NORC + Mansueto Institute. n=1,111 Chicago adults, fielded June 23–July 9, 2025. chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/20...

Past his term's midpoint, Mayor Johnson's job approval rating stands at 26%, survey shows

Chicagoans are disenchanted with Brandon Johnson no matter where they live, how old they are, what race they are or how much money they earn.

chicago.suntimes.com

Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Aug 15

New UChicago NORC/Mansueto poll puts Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval at 26% and disapproval at 58%.

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Frank Calabrese @frankcalabrese.bsky.social · Aug 13

Survey of 615 likely Democratic primary voters in Illinois, fielded Aug 8 to 10, 2025. Margin of error ±3.952%. Conducted by Z to A Research for IA Impact. drive.google.com/file/d/1bJzu...

Memo _ IA Impact _ IL Senate Primary Poll _ August 2025.pdf

drive.google.com