The federal prosecutor who had been heading up a high-profile case alleging a Chicago gang member solicited the murder of Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino is leaving the U.S. attorney’s office just weeks ahead of a scheduled trial.

Bradley Tucker, who joined the U.S. attorney’s office in June 2022 and had been assigned to the Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, would be the latest in a string of federal prosecutors to depart in recent months.

His final day is scheduled to be in early January, said Joseph Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office.

It’s not clear why Tucker is leaving. But news of his departure comes a little over a month before he had been scheduled to lead the prosecution of Juan Espinoza Martinez, whose arrest on murder-for-hire charges at the height of Operation Midway Blitz made national headlines amid daily clashes between agents and protesters.

The timing is unusual, particularly given the sensitivity of the Espinoza Martinez case. For more than two months, Bovino and other immigration enforcement leaders have repeatedly held the charges up as an example of the alleged violence toward immigration officials in Chicago and around the country.

Sources also said that Tucker, who came to the office from Chicago law firm Sidley Austin LLP, is leaving before having landed a new position elsewhere, which is an atypical move.

Espinoza Martinez is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 20. With a deadline looming last week for pretrial filings, two other prosecutors filed appearances in the case for the first time, including Jason Yonan, who was recently named first assistant U.S. attorney, reporting directly to U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros.

Tucker could not be reached for comment about the situation. Espinoza Martinez’s lawyer, Jonathan Bedi, declined to comment.

In a written statement to the Tribune, Boutros did not address Tucker’s impending departure, saying instead that violence directed against law enforcement is “among the most serious crimes that any U.S. Attorney has the duty to prosecute faithfully and without fear or favor.”

“We will put forth our best and most sincere efforts to prosecute such cases and hold accountable those who flagrantly seek to destabilize our normal way of life,” Boutros said. “This job requires toughness and grit and a strong resolve to do justice in each and every one of our cases without pulling punches. We will uphold the oath we took. We are full steam ahead.”

While Tucker had been expected to lead the prosecution at Espinoza Martinez’s trial, his absence will likely have little impact on the relatively straightforward case. In the Friday filings, the U.S. attorney’s office identified only three witnesses who will definitely be called to the stand — and two of them are investigating agents.

The list of proposed exhibits by the U.S. attorney’s office is also limited to mostly screenshots of Snapchat messages allegedly culled from the phones of Espinoza Martinez and the lead informant.

According to a criminal complaint filed Oct. 5, Espinoza Martinez, 37, an alleged ranking member of the Latin Kings, told a law enforcement source after an immigration agent shot a woman in the Brighton Park neighborhood “that he had dispatched members of the Latin Kings to the area of the 39th and Kedzie … in response to the shooting.”

A day later, the source showed a screenshot to law enforcement that had been sent to him by Espinoza Martinez depicting a conversation Espinoza Martinez had with an unknown individual, according to the complaint. In that conversation, Espinoza Martinez allegedly said, “lets get some guys out here bro.” The other person wrote back, “Let one of us be in front with the (green gun emoji),” the complaint stated.

The law enforcement source also shared Snapchat messages that Espinoza Martinez had sent him saying, “2k on information when you get him” and “10k if u take him down,” according to the complaint.

The message also stated “LK on him,” which was a reference to the Latin Kings, the complaint alleged.

Included in the message was a photo of Bovino, the Border Patrol “commander at large” who headed up an immigration enforcement surge in California before becoming the public face of Midway Blitz in Chicago. That surge ended Nov. 10, however Bovino returned to the city with a smaller contingent of agents on Tuesday.

Prosecutors have said Espinoza Martinez is not a U.S. citizen and sought to keep him held without bond as a flight risk and danger to the community. Espinoza Martinez’s lawyers initially pushed for a detention hearing, but backed off after being told that immigration officials would likely pick him up as soon as he was released.

In the days after Espinoza Martinez’s arrest, Bovino addressed the charges without identifying himself as the target of the alleged plot.

“It’s a war zone out there,” Bovino told Fox News host Sean Hannity about Chicago. “(Homeland Security) Secretary Kristi Noem mentioned a bounty on the heads of federal agents. That $2,000 to kidnap, $10,000 to kill senior Border Patrol officials and senior ICE officials here in Chicago. Now, Sean, what happens between the kidnapping and the killing portion? That’s something out of a third-world country. Is this America?”

Other federal leaders have alleged the case is part of a coordinated effort by criminal gangs to go after immigration officials, though they’ve offered no further evidence.

Espinoza Martinez’s lawyers, meanwhile, have said that not only is he not a high-ranking Latin King, but he has no gang affiliation at all, and no prior criminal history. The father of three and volunteer youth sports coach was arrested at the construction site where he was working long hours to support his family, his relatives and lawyers said.

In their pretrial filings Friday, the defense argued the jury should not hear any evidence that Martinez has used or possessed drugs in the past, which they said is irrelevant to the charges and would be highly prejudicial.

They also are seeking to bar evidence that Espinoza Martinez lives in Latin Kings territory and that he has a relative who may have been affiliated with the gang “over a decade ago.”

“Even if believed, a family member’s involvement or affiliation in an organization or street gang does not mean that everyone in their family is also part of that organization or street gang,” the defense filing stated. “His family member’s affiliation has no bearing on Mr. Espinoza Martinez’s guilt or innocence of the charge.”

A final pretrial conference in the case is set for Jan. 7 before U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow.

Meanwhile, Tucker is just the latest in a flood of Chicago federal prosecutors who have left the U.S. attorney’s office in recent months, including several section chiefs.

While it’s common to have a turnover with every new administration, the exodus in the past year has been larger and more sustained than usual.

Many blame the shifting policies of the administration of President Donald Trump for the exodus, which have led to unprecedented turmoil and embarrassing episodes such as the disqualification of several Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys and the abrupt dismissal of controversial cases, including the one against former FBI Director James Comey.

In addition to Tucker, several other prosecutors and civil attorneys are parting ways with the U.S. attorney’s office this month.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/lead-prosecutor-bovino-stepping-down/ 

Our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend.

DJ Diesel

Shaquille O’Neal presides over the party this weekend. The former NBA champion has dabbled in music for decades and will perform at The Salt Shed as his EDM alter ego DJ Diesel. As Rolling Stone once wrote, “Shaq is dead serious about dubstep.”

8 p.m. Dec. 20 at The Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave.; tickets (ages 17+) from $69.30 at saltshedchicago.com

“Roses for The Roches, Redux”

Nora O’Connor, Sima Cunningham and Kelly Hogan offer a tribute to The Roches — the folk-pop group was known for its unexpected harmonies, and there’s no better crew to sing their songs than these three fixtures of the Chicago scene. Performer Alex Grelle will host.

4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave.; tickets from $28.65 at hideoutchicago.com

“The Holiday in Concert”

Yes, Hans Zimmer scored a romcom. And that romcom is “The Holiday,” a 2006 Nancy Meyers film starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black. The Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the soundtrack live — which is more memorable than the movie itself.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive; tickets at auditoriumtheatre.org

Anthony Rapp: “Home for the Holidays”

Anthony Rapp — the original Mark Cohen in “Rent” and Lt. Paul Stamets in “Star Trek: Discovery” — stars in an intimate holiday cabaret. The Chicago/Joliet native will be accompanied by Rick Bertone as well as local voices.

7 p.m. Dec. 19 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at Lookingglass Theatre, 163 E. Pearson St.; tickets from $59.95 at lookingglasstheatre.org

Professional bull riders participate in the PBR Rodeo at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 5, 2025, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Professional Bull Riders

Professional Bull Riders’ “Unleash the Beast” series rides into the United Center, featuring eight-second battles that pit humans against bovines. Winners may qualify for the World Finals this spring in Fort Worth, Texas.

7:45 p.m. Dec. 19 and 6:45 p.m. Dec. 20 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.; tickets from $31.91 at unitedcenter.com

Woodson Regional 50th Anniversary Celebration

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of this Washington Heights institution. The day will feature a half-dozen events, ranging from crafts and story time to discussions of the Woodson Archives and a tour of the “Praise and Protest” exhibit in the Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection. The exhibit explores the Chicago Black Renaissance.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 20 at Woodson Regional Library, 9525 S. Halsted St.; details on the free event at chipublib.bibliocommons.com

Reduction 11 and Taiko Legacy 22

In tandem with the “Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind” exhibit, Asian Improv aRts Midwest offers two performances this weekend at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. On Dec. 19, Reduction 11 will feature the music of Ono’s “Skylanding,” originally recorded by Tatsu Aoki to accompany Ono’s Jackson Park sculpture of the same name. Aoki’s Miyumi Project will be joined by Tskukasa Taiko’s Gintenkai, an ensemble of traditional Japanese music and dance performers. On Dec. 20, Gintenkai, featuring Melody Takata and members of San Francisco’s GenRyu Arts, will present a contemporary take on Japanese percussion.

Reduction 11 is at 7-8:30 p.m. Dec. 19 and Taiko Legacy 22 is at 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; tickets from $10 at mcachicago.org

A tree representing Egypt at the “Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light” exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry on Nov. 18, 2021. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

“Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light”

Hosting out-of-towners? Head to the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry to wow them and be sure to stop in at the “Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light.” The 83rd installment of this exhibit features 50 trees and displays decorated by community volunteers. The celebration of global heritage goes well beyond Christmas to include Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali and more.

Through Jan. 5 at the Griffin Museum of Science & Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive; included in general admission $9.95-$25.95 at griffinmsi.org

Holiday lights around Chicago: Our top 10 seasonal displays, from Chicago Botanic Garden to the Cantigny estate

Renegade Chicago

The craft fair brings together more than 170 artists from across the country—particularly those from Chicago and the Midwest. Textiles, prints, jewelry, pottery, paper goods are all here. Got someone on your list who’s impossible to buy for? Wander these aisles.

5-8 p.m. Dec. 19 and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 20-21 at Morgan Manufacturing, 401 N. Morgan St.; $5 suggested entry fee; details at renegadecraft.com

Hyde Park Holiday Makers Market

For an even more local take on the holiday craft show, check out South Side artisans during the latest Hyde Park Handmade Artisan Bazaar. Expect art, jewelry, holiday stationery, packaged goods, gift baskets and more. Groove to live performances as you shop and enter two raffles.

9 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 21 at The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West; details at promontorychicago.com

Have something to do around Chicago? Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/what-to-do-chicago-dec-20/ 

We members of Muslims for Human Rights express our deepest solidarity with the Jewish community and families who have recently suffered at the hands of extremists in Australia. This act of violence has inflicted profound pain and anguish on innocent lives, and we stand with them in their time of grief.

We are happy to see that a Muslim saved many lives there by risking his own. As Muslims, we are happy to see heroes like Ahmed al Ahmed, but disheartened that the actions of two extremists are being used to tarnish the reputation of our community.

The overwhelming majority of the more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide condemn such violence unequivocally. These extremists bring nothing but hate, chaos and division, while the values of Islam — peace, compassion and justice — are diametrically opposed to the ideology of terror. The surviving perpetrator should be given an exemplary punishment to send a lesson to other like-minded fundamentalists.

It is crucial that we all foster an environment of inclusivity, respect and mutual understanding, instead of sowing seeds of fear and division. Political leaders have a moral responsibility to ensure that all people are treated with dignity and equality.

We call on the readers of the Tribune and all people of good conscience to support the fundamental human rights of all individuals, irrespective of their background, and stand against any kind of violence anywhere. Let us come together and pray for justice, compassion and peace in our communities.

Together, we can build a hate-free world where everyone can live in safety and with respect and dignity.

— Sami Uddin, Bolingbrook

Involved bystanders

In the understandably exasperating coverage contained in the editorial “Bondi Beach. Brown U. The Reiners. A weekend of hellish violence.” (Dec. 16), the Tribune Editorial Board leaves out one ray of striking and heavenly light among all those dark tragedies. That was the response of the Muslim hero who became an involved bystander by tackling and disarming one of the perpetrators. He represents the best of humanity and crosses our conflictual interfaith boundaries. He should become a model for all of us in how to be involved bystanders by addressing day-to-day incidents of stereotyping and discrimination, though of course that has to be done with some care for the risk involved.

As a psychiatrist knowing well the vulnerabilities of our human nature, I also know how we are capable of overcoming them.

— H. Steven Moffic, Milwaukee

Post about Rob Reiner

During my 86 years in America, I was always proud of our presidents who expressed in a timely way human feelings and sympathy for crime victims and their families. I am mortified that we have a president who found time to lash out at the deceased Rob Reiner just because Reiner had a different political viewpoint. Think of the additional sorrow and grief this president’s crude, callous and cold words must have caused Reiner’s family and friends during a time of mourning him and his wife. Donald Trump should be ashamed to be such a hard-hearted and unfeeling human being.

— Richard J. Aronson, Highland Park

Trump’s personal attack

I am appalled that the Tribune printed the article titled “Trump claims Reiner’s opposition tied to death” (in print Dec. 16). To give any voice to President Donald Trump’s disrespectful, absurd and inflammatory rhetoric is irresponsible journalism.

This is not news. It is a petty, personal, malicious tirade from someone who has no compassion or respect for anyone other than himself.

Don’t give credence to his personal attacks. The Tribune should be better than that. Print responsible news, not vindictive, personal attacks.

— T. Widder, St. Charles

Low approval ratings

According to news reports, President Donald Trump’s approval ratings continue to drop. This is no surprise. While I agree with most of Trump’s actions, his messaging is awful.

In sports and business, there is a saying that actions count more than words. However, in politics, the opposite seems to be true. For instance, while I didn’t agree with many of President Barack Obama’s decisions, his messaging was very good, and thus he was reasonably popular. So, if Trump wants to see his approval ratings increase, he needs to be more humble and stop bragging about how good his decisions are.

Unfortunately, given his aggressive personality and ego, I doubt this will happen, and therefore his approval ratings will continue to drop and will probably hurt Republican candidates in the 2026 elections.

— Dan Schuchardt, Wheaton

ICE versus Scrooge

Every year, I reread “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. This year, it strikes me that Ebenezer Scrooge wasn’t nearly as bad as today’s players. Not even close.

On Tuesday, government immigration officials abducted an older man, described as hardworking, humble, and fragile, while he was selling tamales. Where are they taking him? Will he be OK? I can’t imagine his family’s terror.

Yeah, Scrooge underpaid Bob Cratchit (although converted to today’s money, Bob made more than our minimum wage), didn’t donate to help people in need and was generally unpleasant, probably not someone you’d want at your holiday party. But none of his crimes equal what Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol are doing to people in our city.

And please don’t talk about anyone being “illegal” or not following immigration rules — not when ICE has abducted people showing up for mandated immigration hearings.

Unless you’re Native American. Only then, in my book, do you have any right to talk about “illegal” immigration.

— Diane O’Neill, Chicago

Will America recover?

The Wednesday front-page photo of Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino parading around Chicago streets with an assault rifle in hand and finger ready at the trigger is absolutely disgusting. What real commander in war walks around with a machine gun? Who does Bovino think he is going to use that gun against and for what?

This is nothing but a picture of a man pathologically playing soldier for a media appearance, done precisely to put himself on the front page, but in reality, it recalls nothing more than the storm troopers of the 1930s on the streets of Germany. This is not coincidental.

I worry for my grandchildren who have grown up under 10 years of dominance by a monomaniacal leader and for members of their generation, who may not easily realize that this is not normal and not what this country stands for (or used to).

Will the country ever recover from the malice that Bovino represents?

— Frank Stachyra, Oak Park

Recall WWII generals

I was struck by the picture on the front page of Wednesday’s Tribune of U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino with an assault rifle strapped to his chest and surrounded by masked agents. I guess he thinks that this makes him look strong and macho. What it really does is make him look pathetic.

I don’t remember ever seeing a photo of Generals Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur and George S. Patton with an assault rifle strapped to their chests when they went into battle in World War II.

— John Matton, Indian Head Park

Note to readers: We’d like to know your hopes for the new year. Please send us a letter, of no more than 400 words, to letters@chicagotribune.com by Sunday, Dec. 28. Include your full name and city/town.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/letters-121825/ 

Growing up in rural Louisiana, I always found the Christmas season to be a joyous time of the year. A time when we forget about the weight of our problems. It is a time of hope, peace, joy and love. The birth of Jesus was special: The savior of the world was born not in an inn or home but in a stable in Bethlehem. His birth was one of profound humility.

The Magi, three wise men from the East, followed a star to find Jesus. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to symbolize his kingship, divinity and mortality. This began the tradition of gift giving. 

Christmas is filled with the joy and laughter of families and friends coming together. There is the beauty of Christmas trees and holiday decorations. The holiday lights to me represent Christ as the light of the world.  

Many department stores such as the old Marshall Field’s, now Macy’s, have windows decorated. Everyone seems to be in a good mood at Christmas, especially children who eagerly await the arrival of Santa. The music of Christmas is uplifting, hopeful and soulful. I think about songs such as “Joy to the World,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Silent Night,” “The First Noel” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” No matter what you are going through, hearing the songs of Christmas eases the pain. These songs trigger happy memories, reduce stress and foster a sense of togetherness.

In the fourth century, Pope Julius I selected Dec. 25 as the official date when Christians would celebrate the birth of Jesus. By 432, Christmas had spread to Egypt, and by the Middle Ages, Christmas spread around the globe. The celebration of Christmas became a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870. 

The birth of Jesus Christ is symbolic of love and light for fallen humanity trapped in darkness. During this season, all across the world, the themes of hope, unity and love permeate. Love can transform hate and bring about peace.  

The Bible declares in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” To Christians, Jesus is love made flesh, the son of God who embraced human suffering rather than remain distant from it. John 14:23 states: “Jesus saith, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” That is enough to make me shout hallelujah.  

Love, like light, must be visible. In times such as these, love in action is feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and seeing those in prison. God’s love never fails. 

I remember doctors telling me when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer that I would not make it. I told them yes, I will — because I know the real doctor, and his name is Jesus. Christ does not ask us to look away from such pain. He asks us to look directly at it — and still dare to trust in the light of the world. The good news is that God is still performing miracles today. We must exhibit faith even when the clouds are the darkest.  

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The celebration of Christmas is a universal message of hope and salvation for humanity. The attempts to make right wrong, and wrong right, must always be met with the equal force of love. As William Cullen Bryant noted, “Truth crushed to earth, shall rise again.” Eighteenth century philosopher Edmund Burke said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

The following are some suggestions to consider during this Christmas season:

Express kindness and love toward someone during this season. 
Do more listening than talking. 
Parents, consider taking your children to church and say a prayer for healing and renewal.
Pray for our leaders and loved ones.  
Get involved in your community and let your light shine.
Help a senior citizen and say thank you to a police officer.
Commit to reading the Bible at least once a day.

In this season, we commit ourselves anew to hope, peace, joy and love, until every shadow is met by God’s light. Although there are different faiths in the world, we all share a common theme of hope for a brighter future.  

As we celebrate the birth of the light of the world — Jesus Christ — I am hopeful that we will spread love throughout the world. As the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. noted: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” Merry Christmas and jingle bells all the way. 

I write this commentary to make those comfortable with promoting darkness over the light uncomfortable.  

Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/opinion-christmas-birth-of-jesus/ 

In the past 15 years, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has faced major budget cuts and a 21% decline in staffing, according to a recent report from the Environmental Integrity Project. 

Illinois is among the 14 U.S. states with the most significant cuts to its state environmental agency, the report by the national nonprofit says. These states, which cross political and geographic boundaries, will likely conduct fewer inspections and weaken protections against pollution, said Jen Duggan, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project. 

“These agencies ensure that our drinking water is clean and safe, that the air we breathe is free from harmful pollution, and that our rivers, lakes and coastal waters remain healthy,”  Duggan said. “Their efforts safeguard lives and enhance the overall quality of life for people across the United States.” 

As the administration of President Donald Trump pushes for a 55% cut to the U.S. EPA for fiscal year 2026, these findings should raise alarms for states, said Jennifer Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, an organization that advocates for environmental policies.

“This report is a warning,” Walling said. “If both lines of defense, our state agencies and the U.S. EPA, are weakened at the same time, pollution enforcement will falter, emergencies will happen and public health will suffer.”

The report highlights a nationwide trend that saw over half of U.S. states cut their environmental agency budgets. Illinois ranks high on this list, with over 193 IEPA job cuts between 2010 and 2024, according to the Environmental Integrity Project report. In 2024, IEPA had 760 staffers.

Environmental budget cuts are occurring at the state and federal level, with the U.S. EPA budget shrinking by 40% since 2010. 

This means state environmental agencies have been left to pick up the slack, according to Duggan. 

“If EPA capacity to do its job is further diminished, how prepared are our states to shoulder more responsibility from these threats?” Duggan asked. “Unfortunately, not well, as it turns out.”

In Illinois, the IEPA budget has shrunk partially due to the state’s failure to contribute general revenue to the agency since 2003, the report says. This has forced the IEPA to rely on unstable funding streams like permit fees and industrial and federal grants, Walling said. 

“We’ve asked our environmental agency to do more every year while giving it less than it had a generation ago,” she said. 

The IEPA didn’t initially comment on how a lack of general revenue from the state since 2003 has affected operations at the agency.

Walling also said she believes IEPA budget strains are affecting how quickly open positions can be filled at the agency. Slower hiring has caused major program delays, including a backlog for closure permits for toxic coal ash ponds across the state. 

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“When state capacity is stretched thin, that pressure falls on already cash-strapped cities like Chicago and other local governments that are juggling urgent public health, housing and infrastructure challenges,” Walling said. 

The report spotlights recent Illinois environmental hazards, like the 2021 explosion at the Chemtool manufacturing plant in Rockton. 

In June 2021, the Rockton plant caught fire and released an estimated 700 tons of carbon monoxide and 58 tons of toxic organic compounds, according to the report. Residents were forced to evacuate and it took nine days for crew members to put out the flames.  

Many Rockton residents, like U.S. Army veteran Brent Loomis, say they felt betrayed by Illinois agencies in the wake of the environmental disaster.

Firefighters from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin battle an industrial fire at Chemtool, Inc., on June 14, 2021, in Rockton. The chemical fire at the plant, which produced lubricants, grease products and other fluids, prompted local evacuations. (Scott Olson/Getty)

Loomis had left the windows in his home open that day. Less than a mile away, the plant exploded, destroying his house and, he says, eventually causing the fatal cancer that killed his service dog a year later.

“I wound up having to leave because everything I own got destroyed,” said Loomis, who moved to Florida. “All these chemical catastrophes are destroying everything and everyone, as far as I’m concerned.”

Loomis said it took days for cleanup crews to arrive at his home, where chemicals had settled into the soil and coated the sides of nearby houses. He and other residents, including Evan Schoepski, say they resent having to shoulder the consequences of the plant’s negligence.

“A small town like Rockton cannot afford to clean up the multidecade environmental impacts of machinery, engineering waste and petroleum products seeping into the groundwater,” Schoepski said. “They’re already struggling with the loss of a corporation that negligently blew itself up.”

Rockton is one example among many across Illinois, as the state’s environmental agency remains underfunded and short-staffed, according to Walling.

“These types of disasters can be prevented by strong permitting, inspection and enforcement,” Walling said. 

In Chicago, a massive asphalt spill at the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal last February has left behind an environmental crisis that has gone unresolved, she said. 

“Pollution remains and cleanup has stalled because the federal government has simply walked away from an incomplete cleanup,” Walling said. “Local and state agencies simply don’t have the resources to pick up the cases when the U.S. EPA steps back, all the time.” 

While the IEPA is the smallest it’s been in 15 years, Illinois has also experienced an increase in major polluters in recent years. The study notes that since 2016, Illinois has had a nearly 8% increase in polluters like oil and manufacturing plants coming to the state, requiring more IEPA regulation and oversight.

The report noted that the IEPA has seen improvements since Gov. JB Pritzker took office in 2019, with increased staffing, climate programs and the number of environmental enforcement cases sent to the Illinois attorney general’s office. 

IEPA spokesperson Kim Biggs confirmed the agency has added 223 staffers during Pritzker’s administration. She said the IEPA’s state-funded budget has increased by over 57%, or $228 million, since 2019.

However, Walling said this isn’t enough.

“IEPA is still operating at a deficit of resources compared to what Illinois communities truly need,” she said. 

Other states that have significantly cut funding for their environmental agencies include Texas and New York, as well as neighbors like Wisconsin and Iowa. Mississippi slashed its budget by 71%, the most of any state.

As Congress prepares to vote next month on the 2026 budget that includes funding for the U.S. EPA, members of the Environmental Integrity Project say they hope this report serves as an urgent call to action for state and federal lawmakers to do more to ensure environmental safeguards nationwide.

“If both lines of defense fail through harsh cuts to federal and state environmental agencies,” Duggan said, “public health, our natural ecosystems and the global climate will suffer serious and lasting harm.” 

Christiana Freitag is a freelancer.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/illinois-epa-staff-cuts-trump/ 

Of all the pernicious impacts from overreaching teachers unions, few are as perplexing as the view that every school building now is a hill upon which every union or school board member must be ready to die.

How did we end up here? After all, schools with way more space than kids aren’t the kinds of schools that kids generally like or that serve them well. And buildings have never taught kids much of anything; teachers have.

For a sense of just how absurd all this has become, we point you to the wild recent shenanigans at District 65 in Evanston/Skokie, communities long admired for a highly educated populace and capable school district. Indeed, last fall we praised the District 65 superintendent, Angel Turner, for facing up to harsh budget realities and being willing to make the necessary cuts.

We underestimated the impediment of her board, it has turned out. That school board for District 65 is failing both its municipalities and its kids.

The board currently has six members; the full complement is seven, but a board member named Omar Salem resigned in November, saying in an open letter that he and his family had an opportunity that would take them away from Evanston for a while. Fair enough.

Seven is an odd number. Six allows for ties and that bit of inconvenient math has rendered this sharply divided board impotent on matters of great import to a district still fighting its way out of a fiscal and organizational crisis fermented by its previous superintendent, Devon Horton, who was indicted in October by a federal grand jury in Chicago on 17 counts, including wire fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion. (Horton has pled not guilty.)

Former Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton, center, arrives at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Oct. 23, 2025, to be arraigned on federal charges of fraud stemming from the time Horton was in charge of the school district. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Federal prosecutors alleged Horton issued more than $280,000 in bogus contracts to fake companies created by three of his pals and got $80,000 in kickbacks for his trouble. After swinging a wrecking ball through the district (we’ve heard reports of families leaving the district in exasperation, even before the criminal matters), Horton left Evanston in 2023 to (incredibly) become superintendent of the DeKalb County School District in Georgia, reportedly making $360,000 a year. Once the indictment relating to Evanston came down, Horton first was suspended in Georgia and then resigned.

But our main concern here is Evanston/Skokie and a school board that says it is so deadlocked (3-3) that it can’t even agree on who to appoint as the seventh member needed to break the tie. Presumably each side wants to turn their own cabal into 4.

Talk about a dereliction of duty.

At a Monday meeting, board Chair Pat Anderson said there had been “no progress” on the deadlock. Anderson should lock herself and her dysfunctional D65 school board into a room until it can come to some agreement and do its job. If all juries were like these people, the criminal justice system would grind to a halt. Instead, the board is not meeting again until mid-January.

The main issue at hand is school closings: District officials and their consultant, as we have previously noted, have said that some district schools must be closed because enrollment is shrinking and the budget is in the red. But the board can’t agree on how many (one or two) or which schools to close. Since they are taking no action, that means no schools will be closed during the current academic year or even during the 2026-7 year, beyond the Bessie Rhodes School, which was previously approved.

The consequence of this inaction, given that it only worsens the District 65 budget woes?

Layoffs. Big-time layoffs. There is still a $5 million budget gap for the 2026-27 school year and the cuts have to come from somewhere.

According to the district’s Chief Financial Officer Tamara Mitchell at Monday’s meeting, not closing schools means that necessary layoffs will go from 35 positions potentially all the way up to 78, with many coming from student-facing roles.

We find it lamentable that the District 65 board opted to let the regional superintendent of schools (for northern Cook County) choose its seventh member (by law the default option) rather than do its job for the people of Evanston and Skokie, who should be its first responsibility, not its own dug-in positions. That decision worsens this delay in facing up to fiscal reality; the time it will take for the regional official to make the choice likely will necessitate having to finalize those deep personnel cuts, the CFO suggested Monday.

Surely, every reasonable person can see here that the cost structure of the district no longer matches the number of students in the system, and this level of board dysfunction only will encourage more parents to make other arrangements and shake their heads at what once was a much-admired school district in a university town. To restate: Kids need good mentors and role models around them, not half-empty buildings and painfully indecisive leaders.

We suspect Turner and her CFO Mitchell are beyond irritated at the board to which they report and which they rightly depend on to make wise and timely decisions, not blather on (as did Anderson) about a “unique situation,” seemingly a euphemism for two camps unwilling to compromise.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/editorial-evanston-skokie-school-district-closures-board/ 

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https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/south-side-home-rooftop-terrace/ 

Why Coal Is Here To Stay, In One Chart

Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/18/2025 – 05:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/javier-blas-chart-day-reveals-coal-here-stay 

Today is Thursday, Dec. 18, the 352nd day of 2025. There are 13 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 18, 1892, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception from critics.

Review: In its 10th year, the Joffrey Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ is the best version of itself

Also on this date:

In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

In 1916, the Battle of Verdun, World War I’s longest at 10 months, ended between French and German forces; it led to nearly 1 million casualties.

In 1917, Congress proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting alcohol; the 18th Amendment was declared ratified in 1919 (Prohibition was repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment).

In 1957, the world’s first commercial nuclear power plant, the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, began supplying electricity to customers. (It was taken out of service in 1982.)

In 1972, with peace talks stalled, the U.S. launched Operation Linebacker II, its heaviest bombing of North Vietnam in the Vietnam War. The operation lasted 11 days (an agreement known as the Paris Peace Accords was signed in January 1973.

In 2019, the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial (It was the first of two Trump impeachment trials that would end in acquittal). The articles of impeachment accused him of abuse of power to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden before the 2020 election and obstructing Congress’ investigation of the matter.

In 2011, the last convoy of heavily armored U.S. troops left Iraq in the final moments of a nearly nine-year war.

In 2022, Argentina beat France 4-2 in a penalty shootout to claim a third World Cup, the first for star Lionel Messi.

Related Articles

In 2023, Pope Francis approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples under certain conditions, a radical shift in policy that aimed to make the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage.

Today’s Birthdays: Chef Jacques Pépin is 90. Rock musician Keith Richards is 82. Filmmaker Alan Rudolph is 82. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg is 79. Filmmaker Gillian Armstrong is 75. Actor Brad Pitt is 62. Singer Alejandro Sanz is 57. Tennis Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is 54. Pop singer Sia is 50. Country singer-songwriter Randy Houser is 50. Actor Katie Holmes is 47. Singer Christina Aguilera is 45. MLB outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is 28. NFL quarterback Jayden Daniels is 25. Singer Billie Eilish is 24.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/18/today-in-history-the-nutcracker-opens/ 

Trump Claims There’s ‘Peace In The Middle East’

Tyler Durden
Thu, 12/18/2025 – 05:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-claims-theres-peace-middle-east