Midwest
Illinois Republican congressional candidates fight for favor of Trump supporters
At a local restaurant meet-and-greet, Darren Bailey led his audience in prayer, then suggested reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before failing to find an American flag in the room. The stars and stripes were spotted on Brandon Baston’s T-shirt and Bailey summoned the 37-year-old Walmart employee to turn and face the audience.
Say what you want about Bailey, he’s adaptable. The 57-year-old southern Illinois farmer was a rookie Republican state representative when he catapulted to statewide notoriety in 2020 by filing a lawsuit against Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s COVID-19 restrictions. He jumped to the Senate the following year and from there bested better-financed candidates to win the 2022 GOP nomination for governor. That earned him the cherished endorsement of former President Donald Trump before losing to Pritzker in a state where Democrats have a virtual lock on power.
Now, he’s challenging a five-term Republican representative, and after talking up a repeat endorsement, he’s been forced to adapt again: Trump chose the incumbent, Rep. Mike Bost. Disappointed, Bailey now says Trump’s choice “didn’t move the needle much,” though his “grassroots movement” also trails Bost badly in the money race.
ILLINOIS TO CUT STATE-FUNDED HEALTH CARE FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, GREEN CARD HOLDERS AFTER SOARING COSTS
As it winds down to a March 19 primary showdown, the race could be seen as a measure of Trump’s clout. Bost is a popular incumbent, but he’s running in a time and place where disdain for government is white-hot. Establishment Republicans are angry their man has to face an intraparty challenge, which is the attitude Bailey argues needs to be dislodged. But it will be up to voters to decide whether adaptability and hard work are enough to overcome incumbency, tenure and an endorsement from the nation’s Republican leader.
“Being a farmer, you have good years, you have bad years. When you have those bad years, you buckle down, and you work harder,” Bailey said. “We keep going because people need encouragement. They’re frustrated, they’re concerned. We bring hope and they know that they’re going to have somebody who’s going to be fighting for them.”
Bost, a 64-year-old Murphysboro resident, is campaigning on experience. The Marine Corps veteran is chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and sits on the committees for Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure. With tenure comes knowhow and relationships that help him help his district, he said.
Congressional candidate Darren Bailey, right, leads the Pledge of Allegiance at a campaign stop with the help of Casey resident Brandon Baston and his American flag T-shirt on Feb. 27, 2024 in Casey, Illinois. (AP Photo/John O’Connor)
“I’m at the place where we can have the most benefit for the people in my district, whether it’s in constituent service or moving legislation or knowing and understanding the issues,” Bost said. “Right now, the United States and the world are facing some very large issues and we don’t need some person going in there on the first day for on-the-job training.”
But Bost is still getting to know a large chunk of his constituency. Instead of occupying a cozy corner in southwestern Illinois, the current 12th District, redrawn after the 2020 Census, now encompasses much of the previously adjacent 15th District, what Monroe County Republican Central Committee Chairman Ed McLean calls the “Eastern Bloc.”
In all, it is 34 counties making up the bottom one-third of the state. While Trump won the old 12th District with at least 55% of the vote in 2016 over Hillary Clinton and in 2020 against President Joe Biden, he twice took more than 70% of the tally in the former 15th.
The issues are clear: Bucking any regulation on the right to possess firearms, fighting inflation, opposing abortion and locking down the U.S. southern border, an issue that’s exploded in Illinois because of the arrival of 36,000 migrants who have crossed the border and have been transported largely from Texas. It’s a race to win the hearts and minds of true Trump conservatives.
In few places is that clearer than in Casey, a town of 3,300 in the northeast “Eastern Bloc” — and an hour’s drive from Bailey’s home in Xenia — which is known for its collection of “World’s Largest” things: wind chime, golf tee, rocking chair and more.
“America should be ‘America first,’” said 71-year-old Casey resident Marlene Watts. “We have always been a nation where you can help the ones that are poor and needy. But right now, the (migrants) come before us. The American people are sort of last now.”
Bailey flaunts ratings showing Bost’s conservative voting record on par with former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, now reviled by the right. Bost scoffs, maintaining that the group cherry-picks votes it reviews and reciting a litany of endorsements aside from Trump’s.
In 2014, Bost flipped a district that had not elected a Republican in seven decades — the legendary Melvin Price reigned for 43 of those years. But Bost calls himself a “governing conservative,” explaining that he’s “not willing to burn down everything in Washington just so I can keep 100% of what I’m asking for.”
The jab at Bailey references the challenger’s affiliations with firebrands such as GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who campaigned for Bailey and is among a contingent that frowns on cooperating with Democrats in Congress.
Will Stephens, who holds the nonpartisan post of Murphysboro mayor and has volunteered on Bost campaigns since he was a teenager, likens Bailey to former professional boxer Reggie Strickland, who over 19 years in the ring compiled a record of 66-276 but took on all comers.
Stephens said Bailey will “go to Washington — he’s going to do a performance-artist fight and he’s not going to win any fights,” Stephens said. “Then he’s going to send you an email and ask you to send him some money for his campaign.”
Bailey counters that he’s willing to compromise with Democrats when they abandon extreme positions such as an “open border” or what he considers public school moralizing.
“When you have these radicals that want to hijack and destroy public education, when you have these radicals that want to destroy life, it makes it awful difficult to compromise with that,” Bailey said. “I’ve got a pretty good track record of working with Democrats on particular bills. That wall’s never existed.”
As in many political races, money might be decisive. In the second half of 2023, Bost took in $1 million, spent $574,000 and had $1.36 million in the bank at year’s end. Bailey had $326,000 in contributions, spent $209,000 and had $117,000 on hand.
It’s money Bost shouldn’t have to spend, according to McLean, the Monroe County chairman.
“Darren Bailey is stirring up the Eastern Bloc Republicans to turn against a seated Republican,” McLean said. “Why doesn’t he take out a Democrat?”
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CLEVELAND, OH – JUNE 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers throws a pass against the Golden State Warriors in the first half during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
LeBron James could return for a final run with the Cleveland Cavaliers with a massive caveat, and it involves center Jarrett Allen, who has been one of the team’s defensive anchors.
According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, the Cavaliers could get LeBron from the LA Lakers in exchange for Allen, a center the Lakers would want to pair with their franchise superstar, Luka Doncic.
However, Windhorst said James would first want to go to Cleveland to make the deal happen. On the other hand, such a trade is a no-brainer for the Lakers.
“There is a thought process in Los Angeles where they have to sign-and-trade LeBron James for Jarrett Allen. And I think if the Cavs are willing to do that, they can have LeBron,” Windorst said via ESPN Cleveland radio.
“Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs, but if your pathway to paying LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him, the Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen. Kill for him. All right? They would do that deal in 17-tenths of a second.”
How A LeBron James-Jarrett Allen Deal Would Work
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – NOVEMBER 25: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots over Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 25, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Lakers defeated the Cavaliers 121-115. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent after his contract with the Lakers ended in the past season.
If they were to trade Allen, the Cavaliers could accommodate James’ expected hefty salary, as reports indicated that he is not willing to take a pay cut on his next contract.
There have been rumors about retirement for James and a possible homecoming once more to Cleveland over the past few months, but there are no decisions yet on his future.
There is no word yet about James’ contract value or how long a contract he would sign for, if he is to remain an active NBA player beyond 41 years old.
On the other hand, Allen is locked into a highly secure financial situation after signing a three-year, $91 million contract extension with the Cavaliers.
James last played with the Cavaliers in 2018, leading them to the NBA Finals, but they got swept by the Golden State Warriors. After that NBA Finals stint, he signed with the Lakers and has stayed in Los Angeles since then.
Such a deal suits the Lakers’ biggest offseason objective of getting an A-list center, as reportedly requested by Luka Doncic.
LeBron James’ Future Remains Up In The Air
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the media during a press conference after the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
LeBron James, who had won an NBA championship with Cleveland in 2016, has been contemplating many things at this juncture of his life.
As retirement looms and Father Time starts to creep in, James is expected to decide on his career in the coming weeks.
Right now, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne, James’ future remains up in the air.
“LA is the first team he can talk to because they’re their own free agent,” Shelburne said during her interview on SportsCenter. “My understanding is they had initial conversations with LeBron James’ representative, but he has not even fully committed to returning next year in these conversations.”
James’ decision is one of the most awaited ones in free agency as teams could still be interested in getting one of the greatest players of all time for a final hoorah in the league.
Rob Andrew Lo Rob Andrew Lo is a writer at Heavy Sports and is covering the NBA. He has covered local, collegiate, professional and international sports in various sites. He was the sports editor of The Varsitarian, the official student publication of University of Santo Tomas, and a sports, entertainment, and lifestyle writer for Rappler.
A Journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, he has built his voice across both collegiate and international platforms, previously contributing NBA coverage to Fansided and Sportskeeda.
More about Rob Andrew Lo
The Illinois Polymer Maker Lab, Beckman’s newest core facility, will open soon in the institute’s basement. The lab will be the first-of-its-kind facility for the automated formulation and testing of polymer-based materials and will soon be open to researchers across campus and across the nation.
The lab will help researchers accelerate the development of materials and products related to paints and coatings, adhesives, personal care items, composites, and materials for 3D printing. It could also help researchers design resins for energy-efficient manufacturing and products in the food science industry. It’s funded by a Major Research Instrumentation grant from the National Science Foundation.
“The core capabilities will be pretty unique,” said Dan Krogstad, the lab’s manager and a research professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. “The IPML facility at Beckman provides researchers with an incredible opportunity to accelerate the development of polymer-based formulations through the creation of rich, digital datasets using automated equipment and workflows.”
The lab joins four other Beckman core research facilities: the Biomedical Imaging Center, Microscopy Suite, Molecular Imaging Lab and Visualization Lab.
“The Illinois Polymer Maker Lab is another example of how Beckman provides cutting-edge facilities that you can’t find anywhere else,” said Beckman Director Steve Maren. “This facility will fuel materials discovery for our researchers and especially allow them to push the boundaries of knowledge through AI.”
The Anton Paar high-throughput rheometer, an HTR 7000, was the first instrument to be installed in IPML earlier this spring. It’s a robotic instrument capable of dispensing polymers and measuring their flow behavior automatically.
For example, the rheological properties tell us whether a paint will drip after being applied to a surface, how easy it is to squeeze toothpaste out of a tube or how well the materials will flow through pipes in a factory.
However, while the rheological properties are important in the development of new materials, collecting related data can require a lot of time. High-throughput systems, like IMPL’s Anton Paar HTR 7000, help overcome this limitation.
Sam Tawfick, a co-leader of the Autonomous Materials Systems group, said his Beckman research colleagues are researching how to better manufacture advanced materials through 3D printing or resins for polymers reinforced with carbon fibers
“The flow behavior of polymers is critical to assess their manufacturability,” said Tawfick, the Anderson Family Scholar and professor of mechanical science and engineering, adding that the IPML rheometer’s usefulness is in how it dispenses polymers and automatically measures their flow.
“This changes the students’ workflow in the lab by minimizing sample preparation steps and enabling the equipment to run and take measurements 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For the students, this means higher productivity and the ability to focus on interpretation of the results.”
Beyond reducing the time required, automating rheological measurements promotes machine learning by making procedures more uniform, creating organized digital datasets and increasing the amount of data that can be collected.
Tawfick believes access to the lab will have incredible implications for both expanding knowledge and offering new materials to the public.
“I personally think students will achieve more during the same timeline of a Ph.D. or postdoctoral training, connecting more dots around their discovery and tightening both the scientific understanding and the reliability of their discoveries,” he said.
In the past, it’s taken up to 20 years for a new polymer, like a high temperature resistant silicone or high strength composite, to be ready for commercial use. Material readiness is ranked on a scale (called the Technology Readiness Level, or TRL) between 0 and 9, the latter which describes a material that’s commercially established.
“It takes about 10 years to move the concept of a material from TRL 0 to TRL 3 in a lab,” Tawfick said. “IPML is targeting this stage, with the aim of shortening it from a decade to potentially weeks.”
And because the lab will be a Beckman core facility, knowledge can transfer among users thanks to the help of expert staff members and the creation of institutional knowledge, Tawfick said.
“Groups from campus and external users from the private sector will benefit from and contribute to this institutional knowledge,” he said. “This will be accomplished by gradually optimizing the workflows and the AI models used in the facility.”
The body of a 13-year-old boy was recovered from Lake Michigan during a multiple-day search near a beach in Michigan City, Indiana.
Officials did not provide further details.
A search has been underway since Monday night after witnesses reported seeing a child wearing red shorts enter the water.
Michigan City police said officers responded to a possible drowning just before 5:40 p.m. on Monday near Washington Park Beach.
Police said the child disappeared underwater just south of the lighthouse and did not resurface.
A search was initiated with dive efforts, a fishing boat, drone technology, and a medical helicopter deployed.
The Michigan City Fire Department said three divers suffered minor injuries during the search and are being treated at Franciscan Health. Fire officials said divers encountered “challenging water conditions” before the search was suspended.
Officials have not identified the body recovered.
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