Illinois

New Illinois GOP chair Kathy Salvi is either misinformed or embracing 'big lie' about voting fraud

Published

2 years ago

July 19, 2024

New Illinois GOP chair Kathy Salvi is either misinformed or embracing 'big lie' about voting fraud

As a Lake County election judge, I take great offense at new Illinois Republican Chair Kathy Salvi raising an envelope that read “election integrity” as she spoke to the GOP Illinois delegates in Milwaukee (“New Illinois GOP chair Kathy Salvi vows to end ‘blue funk’: ‘We’re gonna make Illinois red again’ ”).

She said she “wants to make sure that every honest vote is counted,” which implies they were not, raising at the same time the tired lie that there were fraudulent votes in the last few elections.

There are only two options here: Either she doesn’t understand how elections are run in Illinois and how difficult it would be to cast fraudulent ballots, or she is just another Trump Republican embracing his big lie.

I challenge Salvi to produce any evidence that “honest” votes were not counted or that fraudulent ones were. Trump couldn’t produce any. Can she? If not, then she should be quiet.

We election judges do an excellent job, and there are dozens of security measures that prevent fraud. And she wonders why the Republican Party is a joke here in Illinois. Just look in the mirror.

Laurence D. Schiller, PhD, Deerfield

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Blagojevich attends RNC while Pence is sidelined? Say what?

Hulk Hogan, Amber Rose, Rudy Giuliani and convicts Peter Navarro, Paul Manafort, Rod Blagojevich and Roger Stone were all welcome at the GOP convention. The last Republican vice president of the United States wasn’t. Just as well probably. Some delegates might have built a gallows.

Michael M. Bates, Tinley Park

Housing is a human right when you pay for it

In touting Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez for City Council Zoning Committee chair, Mayor Brandon Johnson said Sigcho-Lopez is someone who believes housing is a human right. I have recently paid off a three-decade housing mortgage, and now I have a human right to housing.

Does Sigcho-Lopez refer to this kind of right, or is there a document somewhere expressing another form of human rights to housing? I would hate to think I paid off an expensive three-decade mortgage to get my housing right, when there may exist less pricey means to do so.

Willam ONeill, Near West Side

Warning: New insurance laws could raise costs

As president of the Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council, I am writing in response to the governor’s signing House Bill 5395 into law, a measure intended to improve access to affordable high-quality health care.

Since early spring, the council has been involved in frequent discussions with the governor’s office, Illinois Department of Insurance and legislators to shape the complex legislative initiative.

These discussions amplified the indispensable role insurance companies play in the affordability of health care and nurtured a spirit of cooperation, which led to several key compromises improving the bill signed into law today. These include:

Inserting language clarifying the intent for prior approval of large-group insurance rates.
Preserving an insurance company’s ability to manage its prescription drug formularies.
Giving insurance companies additional time — until Jan. 1, 2026 — to implement the changes under the Act.

Unfortunately, there were also a couple of provisions on which we could not find common ground, which may bring about unintended consequences in the form of increased costs to consumers, namely:

Banning the use of step therapy and restricting the use of prior authorization, which limit the tools insurance companies have to control costs. These changes in the new law could lead to an increase in health insurance premiums as the cost of medical care continues to outpace cost increases for other goods and services.
Banning short-term limited duration insurance, effective Jan. 1, 2025, that was inserted into another bill, House Bill 2499. Short-term limited duration insurance is designed to fill gaps in coverage to ensure against catastrophic medical events. Eliminating the availability of these insurance products will leave more consumers vulnerable to going without any financial protection against unexpected medical needs because they may not otherwise qualify for enrollment in subsidized Affordable Care Act health insurance or even be able to afford those options.

I want to re-emphasize the Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council is committed to continue working with all parties as implementation of the complex new law is being developed and executed over the next year and a half. This is the next phase in the process, and working together we can achieve results that will accomplish our shared goals: improving access to affordable high-quality health care.

Laura Minzer, president, Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council

Electric stoves stink

I read with interest the letter from the reader questioning the wisdom of converting everything to electric in view of the recent storm outages. I would add that I have never seen a professional chef cooking on an electric cooktop.

I absolutely despise my electric stove and long for the gas cooktop I used to have. It takes minutes for it to heat up, and you cannot just turn the heat down if something threatens to boil over. You must move the cooking vessel and wait for things to cool down. While some home appliances operate as well on either gas or electric power, not all do.

Regina Gomory, Crystal Lake

Gas pumps require electricity

People always seem to “worry” about electric cars when we have the occasional and usually quite short power outages. Could people possibly not understand that gasoline pumps require electricity, too?

Don Anderson, Oak Park

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Illinois

Illinois Wesleyan to Launch First-of-its-Kind Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Quantum Science and Engineering Program

Published

24 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

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

Wanda Lindquist ’26 conducts research in a quantum lab at Illinois Wesleyan University.

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.

Ben Heinz at a computer in a physics lab — Ben Heinz ’27 studies quantum science at Ilinois Wesleyan as a double major in physics
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.

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Illinois

Host of new Illinois laws would target various parts of the AI industry

Published

1 day ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Host of new Illinois laws would target various parts of the AI industry

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.

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Illinois

First Dutch Bros coming to Chicagoland. Here’s where

Published

2 days ago

May 13, 2026

Press Room

First Dutch Bros coming to Chicagoland. Here’s where

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.