Complete coverage of the local and national primary and general election, including results, analysis and voter resources to keep Chicago voters informed.
Illinois
Illinois Democrats already hold a supermajority of state House seats. They want more.
Democrats already hold a great deal of political power in Illinois.
In addition to every constitutional office — from the governor to the comptroller — being occupied by a Democrat from Chicago, the legislative body in Springfield is overwhelmingly blue.
All 118 state House seats are up for grabs this year. Currently, Democrats hold 78 — or two-thirds — of them, well past the 60% majority needed to pass a bill out of the chamber.
But even with that comfortable margin, the Democratic Party of Illinois wants more.
Lisa Hernandez, chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, said they have spent the past few months knocking on doors, hosting public town halls and running phone banking events in an attempt to get out in front of voters across the state.
“The momentum, the excitement, the kind of feedback I’m getting, I can’t help but tell you that it looks good in Illinois,” Hernandez said.
The Cicero Democrat has served in the Illinois House as a state representative since 2007. She believes state Republicans have, over the years, fallen out of touch with voters.
“The Republican view has been consistent on just dividing,” Hernandez. “The hatred that has been spread, it has not stopped … Illinois is not going to tolerate that.”
Hernandez said Democrats are eyeing six Republican-held House seats across the state in the hopes of flipping them this November. Last week, House Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillside, tweeted, “In 2022, we voted blue. In 2024, we want more.”
“We are about keeping and preserving our democratic values,” Hernandez said. “The fight is there when it comes to women’s rights, working families’ [rights].”
One of the six seats Democrats hope to flip is the 114th District, which covers East St. Louis and some of the rural areas surrounding it. The district is currently held by Rep. Kevin Schmidt, R-Millstadt. His challenger, Democrat LaToya Greenwood, previously held that seat for six years.
She lost to Schmidt in 2022 by more than 2,000 votes.
“I remember just trying to understand, actually, what happened that next day,” Greenwood said. “Where did I go wrong?”
Greenwood said she was caught off guard because the area had been occupied by a Democrat for many years. A couple of weeks before the 2022 election, the East St. Louis Branch NAACP filed a federal lawsuit against the state, blocking the newly drawn legislative maps from taking effect. They argued East St. Louis’ Black population would be split up into multiple districts, diluting their vote. A three-judge federal panel rejected that argument three months later.
East St. Louis’ population is 95% Black. Greenwood, who is Black and from East St. Louis, said Schmidt just doesn’t understand the community.
“He hasn’t voted for a budget that would bring resources to my community or the Metro East area,” Greenwood said. “I believe in representing the least of those amongst us — and by representing the least of those amongst us, we lift up all of us in the process.”
Schmidt is a white chiropractor from Millstadt, a village of about 4,000 people 13 miles south of East St. Louis. He said he’s not worried about losing to Greenwood.
“She was in office, I believe, for three terms, and never lifted a finger as far as listening to constituents in the entire district,” Schmidt said.
But he has his work cut out for him to get reelected. Greenwood has enjoyed a massive fundraising advantage over Schmidt.
This is a disadvantage House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said is true for most Republicans in down-ballot races across Illinois. This is because some of their big donors, like hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin and former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, have left the state.
“We’re not going to get a late surprise here in October from a million-dollar donor,” McCombie said.
Her party faces an uphill battle in the quest to get more seats. Part of that is because, she argues, the legislative maps drawn in 2022 are gerrymandered to the Democrats’ favor.
So while the Democrats are targeting six incumbent Republicans for defeat next month to expand their supermajority even more, the Illinois GOP is taking the long view, trying to inch its way back to power.
“We’re not going to say we’re going to become the majority party,” McCombie said. “We’re going to do this one cycle at a time, bit by bit, and get us closer to the map in the 10-year time.”
Mawa Iqbal covers Illinois state government and politics for WBEZ.
Illinois
Illinois Wesleyan to Launch First-of-its-Kind Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Quantum Science and Engineering Program
Fisher Center for Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering positions Illinois
as a leader in next generation quantum education
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University today announced the creation of the Fisher Center for
Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate
program that brings together multiple areas of study to better prepare students for
careers in this emerging field.
The Fisher Quantum Center will make Illinois Wesleyan the first undergraduate liberal
arts university in the United States to offer an interdisciplinary quantum program,
positioning both the University and the state as leaders in the quantum space.
The Fisher Quantum Center is supported by a founding gift from Ann ‘82 and Alan Fisher,
providing the resources to establish the center and launch programming. Ann is a graduate
of Illinois Wesleyan University and serves on the university’s Board of Trustees.
The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to grow in phases and will expand its curriculum,
facilities, and partnerships over time.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a defining step forward as the first undergraduate
interdisciplinary quantum program. Quantum is reshaping industries and the way we
solve complex problems, and this complexity is an ideal fit with Illinois Wesleyan’s
cross-curricular approach to undergraduate education. We are especially grateful to
Ann and Alan Fisher for their generous gift that is making this distinctive program
possible,” said Illinois Wesleyan University President Sheahon J. Zenger.
What is Quantum?
Quantum science studies how matter and energy behave at the smallest scale, where
the differences can be used to create new, more powerful technologies. Because of
this, quantum has a wide variety of real-world applications and is poised to transform
everyday lives and revolutionize industries ranging from computing and cybersecurity
to healthcare, finance, and agriculture.
Most quantum programs are primarily offered at the graduate level and focus on a single
area of study. The Fisher Quantum Center takes a fundamentally different approach
by focusing exclusively on undergraduate education and bringing together physics,
chemistry, computer science, mathematics, biology, business, philosophy, and engineering
into one holistic curriculum. Instead of separating these fields and narrowing the
focus, it connects them to better reflect the broad applications of quantum. This
first-of-its-kind approach prepares students not only with the technical skills for
these emerging careers, but with an understanding of the economic, ethical, environmental,
and societal implications of quantum technologies.
and instrumental performance (euphonium). He has also conducted research on the ethical
implications of quantum computing.
Students will be able to engage with quantum in multiple ways, including through individual
courses, certificates, concentrations, hands-on experiments, projects, faculty-mentored
research, and internships. The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to be flexible, inclusive,
and accessible to undergraduate students from all areas of study to create a gateway
into quantum for students who might not otherwise encounter the field. It will also
serve as hub for visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty to collaborate
on strengthening undergraduate quantum laboratories and infrastructure.
“We are proud to support the creation of the Fisher Quantum Center and the unique
opportunity it creates for students coming to Illinois Wesleyan. The Fisher Quantum
Center will open the door for students from many different backgrounds to engage with
quantum in a way that is accessible and better prepares them for future careers. We
are excited to see how this program grows and the impact it will have on Illinois
Wesleyan students, the university, and the broader community,” said Ann and Alan Fisher.
The first courses through the Fisher Quantum Center will be available in Spring 2027,
alongside enhanced quantum lab space, with programming expanding throughout the year.
Beyond the classroom, the Fisher Quantum Center will support outreach initiatives
to engage high school teachers and students to strengthen pathways into quantum and
STEM fields. Beginning in Summer 2026, Illinois Wesleyan will host a fully funded
Quantum Day Camp for high school STEM teachers and counselors from surrounding counties,
with a residential Quantum Camp for high school students anticipated for Summer 2027.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a first-of-its-kind program that will create
new opportunities for students to engage with quantum across disciplines while preparing
them for the high-quality jobs of the future. Quantum technology is already shaping
the future of the global economy, and Illinois is positioning itself as a global leader.
To compete, we need to continue building a strong workforce pipeline, and Illinois
Wesleyan is playing a critical role by giving students the skills and training needed
to fill these emerging jobs and help keep Illinois at the forefront of innovation,”
said Gov. JB Pritzker.
At a time when Illinois is emerging as a national hub for quantum innovation, the
Fisher Quantum Center will play a critical role in developing the next generation
of talent, expanding awareness of quantum careers and opportunities, and ensuring
the state remains competitive in this rapidly evolving field.
“Developing the next generation of talent is essential to maintaining Illinois’ momentum
in quantum,” said Illinois Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Christy George. “Illinois Wesleyan’s new program creates opportunities for students in high demand
fields while helping build the workforce pipeline Illinois industries need. The Fisher
Center reflects the forward-thinking approach that has helped position Illinois as
a growing hub for quantum innovation and emerging technologies.”
For more information about the Fisher Quantum Center, visit www.iwu.edu/fisher-quantum-center.
Illinois Senate Democrats are trying to impose limits on artificial intelligence, or AI, in the final weeks of the legislative session.
The proposed package of eight different bills would target specific areas impacted by the emerging technology, including its effects on mental health and the usage of AI in schools.
State Sen. Bill Cunningham said because Congress has not put much regulation around AI, state lawmakers feel they have to step into the void.
“Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be a powerful tool for good, but currently there are minimal guardrails in place. It’s like the wild, wild west. Illinois needs to create a roadmap for responsible innovation to prevent catastrophic risks. And that is why we are all here today,” said State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen.
Edly-Allen’s proposal, which passed out of committee Wednesday and now heads to the full Senate, aims to increase transparency from big AI companies like ChatGPT and Claude. It would require large companies to make annual reports explaining what they are doing to prevent what lawmakers call “catastrophic risks.”
If a company learns about a critical safety incident, it has to report it within 72 hours, or 24 hours if the incident poses a serious risk of harm or death.
Another bill, led by Sen. Laura Ellman, aims to address the growing number of young people turning to AI during a mental health crisis, specifically people who confide in a chatbot about their suicidal thoughts. AI companies would have to implement methods to detect self harm and refer the user to a resource, such as the suicide hotline.
Other bills try to crack down on AI being used to fix rent prices, curb someone’s data from being used for targeted ads or sold to third parties, ban teachers from using AI to grade a student’s work and cut down on bots scooping up tickets to concerts and sports.
The current legislative session is set to end on May 31, with lawmakers working to pass a host of bills before that date arrives.
IKEA announces new locations opening for 2026
IKEA revealed plans to open 10 new stores in various U.S. cities by 2026 as part of its expansion strategy.
The Chicago metro area is getting its first Dutch Bros cafe this week, with additional Illinois locations set to open later this year.
The West Coast coffee chain announced the openings in a press release Wednesday, May 13, adding details about available freebies.
Dutch Bros coming to Melrose Park
Dutch Bros will be making its Chicago suburbs debut in Melrose Park, with doors set to open Thursday, May 14, at 1931 N. Mannheim Road.
The cafe will operate from 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Melrose Park customers will be able to snag a free keychain with any drink purchase on opening day, while supplies last, according to the chain.
“Opening in the Chicago area has always been a dream for us at Dutch Bros, and Melrose Park is just the beginning,” Dutch Bros Local Market Lead Allie Lahti said in the release.
Where else is Dutch Bros opening locations in Illinois?
The chain also announced plans to open cafes in Rockford, New Lenox and Buffalo Grove, with locations slated to open this summer. The chain lists the Rockford location as “coming soon” to 7103 E. State St. on its website.
Meanwhile, job listings for “Broistas” at 550 W. Maple St. in New Lenox and 80 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove are available for applicants on the site.
But that’s not all.
A spokesperson for the Village of Oak Park told NBC News Chicago the chain “is also in the process of opening a location in Oak Park” at 316 Madison St.
The village approved plans for the new location in October 2025, and the chain told NBC the cafe is still “in the very early stages.”
Peoria City Councilman Alex Carmona told the Journal Star in April that a new Dutch Bros location will be built at the busy intersection of University Street and War Memorial Drive.
Construction is set to kick off in May at 3624 N. University St., with the location slated to open in the fall.
The Peoria Journal Star reached out to Dutch Bros about the upcoming Illinois locations and will update this story accordingly if a response is provided.
List of Dutch Bros locations in Illinois
The coffee chain has five existing locations in the following Illinois cities:
CONTRIBUTING: JJ Bullock, Peoria Journal Star
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