
Daywatch: Legislators consider action after State Farm rate hike
Gov. JB Pritzker wasted no time in calling on state legislators to do something about rising insurance rates after State Farm announced it was hiking homeowners insurance by 27.2% beginning this month, citing rising costs due to extreme weather events and pricier repairs.
'Enact a legislative solution during the veto session that prevents insurance companies from taking advantage of consumers through severe and unnecessary rate hikes, such as those proposed by State Farm,' Pritzker said in a social media post.
The governor's angry words were met with a quick rebuttal from the Bloomington, Illinois-based insurer and state business interests, but other officials were just as quick to join in the politically popular call to hold down costs.
'I do agree with the governor that what State Farm did is wrong and they need to fix it,' House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, told the Tribune. 'If they don't, as a leader in this state, as a leader of one of our chambers, we're going to take a look at it because we have to protect our consumers.'
Right now in Illinois, there's no effective mechanism to prevent companies like State Farm from imposing rates for home and auto insurance that are deemed to be excessive, according to those familiar with Illinois insurance law.
Lawmakers are considering ways to address increased homeowners insurance costs including legislation championed by the Pritzker administration that would require a rate review process, compelling insurance companies to open their books so that state officials can assess whether the rate increases are too burdensome.
Read the full story from the Tribune's Jeremy Gorner and Lizzie Kane.
Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: how a plan to upzone Broadway is dividing Edgewater, why the Bulls signed the shortest player in the NBA to a two-way contract and the history (and mystery) of ice cream sundaes.
Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History
Thirteen-year-old Xally Morales stared blankly at a letter she received from the Department of Homeland Security last month. She could not read the dozens of lines in English addressed to her.
'They say I have to leave the country immediately,' the young teen whispered in Spanish, barely meeting anyone's eyes at a Chicago law firm on a recent Friday afternoon.
Swastikas were spray-painted on several buildings in Little Village over the weekend, and one building was tagged a second time with a pro-immigration enforcement statement, community members said.
In the empty sky above a grocery store parking lot, Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth can see the future.
There are more trees, more people walking. Gone is the gray asphalt that sits before her on Edgewater's 6000 block of North Broadway. She imagines a tall building rising in its place, bustling with commercial space at the bottom.
As the deadline approaches for Congress to renew the U.S. Farm Bill, agricultural experts and farmers are calling on legislators to prioritize protecting topsoil in the Midwest and throughout the country, especially as the federal government is withdrawing from conservation initiatives.
Natasha McClendon had $20 in her bank account and a bag of chicken in her fridge. It wasn't going to be enough to feed her three daughters, her husband and herself, which meant it was time to take her monthly visit to the St. Sabina parish food pantry.
In the last several months, the McClendons have watched their government food assistance shrink. In December, Natasha McClendon took to shopping once a month at her church's food pantry to keep her family fed, supplementing what she could afford from Food4Less and Jewel-Osco. But there are still days she worries her kids are hungry.
With a mix of curiosity and a little apprehension, the man stepped inside Our Lady of Mount Carmel in East Lakeview to celebrate Mass on a recent Sunday.
It was the first time David Charles of Des Plaines had entered a church in roughly 20 years.
The Bulls might have entered the NBA Summer League focused on rookie Noa Essengue and second-year forward Matas Buzelis, but Yuki Kawamura quickly stole the show. He averaged 10.2 points, 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals over five games of action in Las Vegas.
Coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles have spent the last six months rebuilding the Chicago Bears offense to Johnson's specifications. They overhauled the line and brought in several new weapons for second-year quarterback Caleb Williams.
Now it's time to see what this looks like on the field.
The origin story behind the ice cream sundae comes swirled with mystery, history, as well as chocolate and even a cherry on top.
This summer in Chicago, three of the city's most prominent art spaces are presenting major exhibitions with LGBTQ themes.
The MCA's 'City in a Garden: Queer Art and Activism in Chicago,' is a messy, exuberant gathering of painting, sculpture, photography, film and ephemera stretching from the 1980s to the present day, writes Lori Waxman.
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New York Post
37 minutes ago
- New York Post
Why top NYC restaurants are bringing in famed chefs from around the world
Top New York City restaurants are increasingly turning to collaborations with renowned chefs from around the globe to boost business and stand out from high-end rivals, Side Dish has learned. The collabs, while not a new phenomenon, have taken on added importance as President Trump's tariffs create challenges for chefs to source some of their favorite ingredients. However, importing talent from all corners of the globe – which at popular Tribeca haunt l'abeille means bringing in chefs from England, France, Belgium, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand – remains tax-free. 7 l'abeille in Tribeca is importing talent from all corners of the globe. Eric Vitale Photography 'Global residences help everyone grow and learn — from the guests to the staff. They keep the restaurant interesting,' said Howard Chang, co-owner of Kuma Hospitality Group's l'abeille with partners Rahul Saito and executive chef Mitsunobu Nagae. The dinners these top chefs serve up at ticketed events aren't cheap. At a recent, prix-fixe collab dinner at l'abeille, Nagae worked with London-based chef Chet Sharma, who studied physics at Oxford and now helms the standout Indian-themed restaurant BiBi in London's swanky Mayfair neighborhood. The meal cost $325, with an additional $295 for wine pairings. The exclusive events, however, often don't bring in more money than regular a la carte dinners, restaurateurs told Side Dish. That's because the higher prices are offset by the cost of flying in the foreign-based chefs, along with some of their team members, and putting them all up in hotels. 7 Chet Sharma, left, and Mitsunobu Nagae collaborated on a prix-fixe dinner. Eric Vitale Photography 7 The collabs, while not a new phenomenon, have taken on added importance as President Trump's tariffs create challenges for chefs to source some of their favorite ingredients. Eric Vitale Photography The upside, they say, is that global collabs raise the restaurants' profiles, bring in new diners and offer educational benefits for staff. On the Upper East Side, Sushi Noz's executive chef Nozomu Abe is bringing in Michelin-starred Chef Endo Kazutoshi, a third-generation sushi master who trained in Japan before opening his namesake restaurant, Endo, at the Rotunda in London. 7 At Sushi Noz on the Upper East Side, executive chef Nozomu Abe, left, is bringing in Michelin-starred Chef Endo Kazutoshi. Hannah Wyatt Last week, the pair offered a rare collaborative omakase where they presented their culinary visions through the use of local fish and other influences. 'We started the Japan series in 2019,' said Hannah Wyatt, Sushi Noz's operations manager. 'Our goal was to showcase top chefs from Japan through collaborative dinners with chef Noz, with a focus on sushi and kaiseki chefs at the top of their respective fields.' In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the owners of Layla's began bringing in chefs during COVID and continue to have pop-ups for 'brand exposure.' 7 The dinners these top chefs serve up at ticketed events aren't cheap. Eric Vitale Photography 7 The exclusive events, however, often don't bring in more money than regular a la carte dinners, restaurateurs told Side Dish. Eric Vitale Photography The most recent international collab involved chef Kyle Garry and chef Whyte Rushen of Whyte's in London, who is now on a 'worldwide' tour. 'We did it once, and it was really successful and fun and now it's something we try to do as often as we can,' Samuel Lynch, one of Layla's co-owners along with Stefano D'Orsogna and David Lacey, told Side Dish. The trend has even extended to the Hamptons, where Mavericks Montauk will welcome the crew from Michelin-starred Parisian restaurant Contraste on July 31. 7 The upside, they say, is that global collabs raise the restaurants' profiles, bring in new diners and offer educational benefits for staff. Interior of l'abeille, above. Eric Vitale Photography The collaboration was made possible by the deep-rooted friendship between Mavericks' pastry chef Remy Ertaud and Contraste's Louis De Vicari. We hear … that celeb chef Scott Conant is opening a posh new Italian restaurant, Leola, in the Bahamas at Baha Mar this fall. Leola will be on the casino level of Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, joining hotspots including Jon Batiste's Jazz Club, Marcus Samuelsson's Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud, and Dario Cecchini's Carna. The 8,800 square foot space comes with 106 seats in the main dining room and 130 seats outside. 'Bringing Leola to life at Baha Mar is something I've dreamed about for a long time,' Conant said. 'I've always been inspired by the beauty and spirit of the Bahamas, and it felt like the perfect place to create a restaurant that's both personal and inviting. With Leola, we're blending the kind of food and hospitality I love—warm, soulful, and rooted in connection.' Conant will also participate in the Fourth Annual Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival, which runs from Oct. 22-26.


The Hill
37 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump this time is trying to help GOP avoid messy primary fights
President Trump is using his influence to help Republicans avoid messy primary fights as the party prepares for the midterms. Trump recently waded into both Michigan's Senate race and the New York gubernatorial contest in an effort to convince notable candidates — Rep. Bill Huizenga (R) and Rep. Mike Lawler (R), respectively — to opt out of the contests. In both cases, the candidates bowed to pressure. The president's moves underscore how Republicans are already seeking to coalesce around candidates in some of next year's most high-profile races, as they look to buck historical trends that suggest the president's party will lose congressional seats and other contests. 'He's clearly far more involved in this round than he was in 2017 and 2018 but at the same time it's a totally different situation,' one national Republican operative said of Trump. The different situation is the narrow House GOP majority. It leaves Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) dealing with very tight margins on crucial votes. The president's political operation is effectively being led by Chris LaCivita, a Republican operative who served as co-campaign manager on Trump's 2024 presidential bid. One source close to the White House said Trump and his team would like to avoid messy, drawn-out GOP primaries in state-wide races that could damage candidates for the general election or divide the resources and attention of Republicans. The source pointed to the contentious Pennsylvania Senate primary in 2022 between now-Sen. Dave McCormick and Mehmet Oz, who prevailed in the primary but lost in the general election. Trump spoke directly with Huizenga earlier this month and urged him not to launch a Senate bid, a source familiar with the meeting confirmed to The Hill. NOTUS first reported that Trump had directly asked Huizenga to stay out of the race, effectively clearing the field for former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), whom Trump endorsed Thursday. In North Carolina, Trump is backing Michael Whatley, who is expected in the coming days to announce his campaign to replace retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The source said Whatley would not have entered the race without Trump's blessing to leave his position at the Republican National Committee. 'They're also at the same time trying to do a balancing act where they want to be supportive of people who have been loyal to the president and drive who and what they think is in their best interest,' the national Republican strategist said. The strategist said those two criteria are 'not a perfect match,' pointing to Trump's backing of Whatley. The strategist argued that a candidate like Whatley is a riskier bet in the swing state. 'He essentially sacrificed Tillis who was a much safer bet than Lara Trump would have been or Whatley today,' the strategist said. 'If I were drawing a map, I would shade North Carolina in light blue.' Other Republicans push back on the notion, pointing to Whatley's deep ties to the state's grassroots from his history as chair of the North Carolina GOP. 'No polling has indicated that Thom Tillis was going to be a better candidate than a pro-Trump Republican,' said a second national Republican operative, noting that Trump has won North Carolina three times in the past. Republicans are also seeking to put a bow on Georgia's GOP Senate primary as the party looks to oust Sen. Jon Ossoff, arguably the most vulnerable Democratic incumbent up for reelection in the upper chamber. One other race to watch for Trump's influence is the Kentucky Senate campaign to replace outgoing Sen. Mitch McConnell (R). Trump has so far not weighed in as multiple Republicans have announced their candidacies. In Georgia, Fox News reported Friday that Trump's political operation and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's (R) had butted heads over their preferred candidates, with Kemp pushing former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. Businessman Nate Morris has been building his pro-Trump resume. He announced his candidacy on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast and has already scored endorsements from Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), both staunch Trump allies. Morris is also close with Vice President Vance. Trump also has not waded into the Texas Republican Senate primary, where state Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking on incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Both Republicans are considered Trump allies, with Paxton being popular with the president's base and Cornyn a key GOP voice in the Senate. Most polls show Paxton with a considerable lead over Cornyn, but hypothetical general election polling shows Cornyn performing better than Paxton against Democratic candidates. Last week Cornyn said Trump has relayed to him that he is not ready to endorse in the race. Democrats argue that their chances at flipping Texas at the Senate level are boosted with a Paxton nomination. 'Paxton can't win a general but Cornyn probably can't win a primary,' the GOP strategist said. 'There's very complicating factors, but I think they're trying to balance their MAGA loyalties with the practicalities of making sure they keep the Senate comfortably and try to find a map that gives them a House majority that includes redistricting.' Redistricting has become a major topic of conversation in national political circles as Texas Republicans pursue redistricting ahead of the midterms. Trump spoke earlier this month with Texas Republicans, where he urged leaders in the state to redraw congressional maps to boost the GOP. The president has also made clear he would support other red states doing the same. 'Just a very simple redrawing, we pick up five seats,' Trump said of Texas. 'But we have a couple of other states where we'll pick up seats also.' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) floated 'middecade' redistricting to reporters Thursday, noting that he has spoken to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about the matter. 'They said they were going to redo the count in time for 2026,' the governor said, referring to the census. 'They would have to do that relatively soon because you need time to draw maps and you need time to get that done.' Population shifts in states like Florida could benefit House Republicans, particularly in south Florida, where Democratic Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jared Moskowitz and Lois Frankel could be negatively impacted. 'Any advantage you can get the better,' the GOP strategist noted. 'That gives you a lot of breathing room even if you lose some tough races.' Trump's poll numbers have wavered in recent surveys, a result largely attributable to independents souring on his handling of key issues like the economy and immigration. But Trump allies argued the president's endorsement is still a make-or-break factor in primaries because of his enduring popularity within the party. 'His numbers are stronger than ever before with the Republican base,' one Trump ally said. 'Republican voters are happier with him now than ever before.' The second national Republican operative called Trump's popularity 'a huge asset' in the midterms. 'If you are trying to run a campaign that wants to win you need to replicate the pro Trump coalition,' the operative said, referring to the president's general election win last year.


The Hill
37 minutes ago
- The Hill
Johnson calls Massie, Khanna Epstein files effort ‘reckless'
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday called an effort from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein 'reckless' as controversy over the disgraced financier roils Washington. 'House Republicans insist upon the release of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way,' Johnson told NBC News's Kristen Welker on 'Meet the Press.' 'But we are also insisting upon the protection of innocent victims. And our concern is that the Massie and Khanna discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented. It does not adequately include those protections,' he added. Earlier this month, Massie said he would try to use a long-shot procedural gambit to force a vote on requiring the Justice Department to release files related to Epstein. 'We all deserve to know what's in the Epstein files, who's implicated, and how deep this corruption goes. Americans were promised justice and transparency,' Massie said in a post on the social platform X in mid-July. 'We're introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the US House of Representatives on releasing the COMPLETE files,' he added. A discharge petition needs 218 signatures to go past House leadership and force a vote on a measure. Massie and Khanna's bill has 11 Republican co-sponsors, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), all known as staunch members of the GOP's hard-right flank. Khanna and Massie also made a Sunday appearance on 'Meet the Press' in a joint interview, with Massie saying the Epstein controversy 'is going to hurt Republicans in the midterms, the voters will be apathetic if we don't hold the rich and powerful accountable.' 'I think when we get back, we can get the signatures required to force this to the floor. Speaker Mike Johnson should do the right thing and just bring it to the floor and not require us to force it,' Massie said of his and Khanna's effort.