AGP Executive Report

Energy & Data Centers: Google signed a 20-year, $4.3B power deal with Constellation Energy for 3,590 MW, including upgrades to multiple Constellation nuclear units in Illinois and the Midwest—aimed at feeding growing data-center demand. AI & Business Infrastructure: Chicago-based Professional Diversity Network ordered an NVIDIA B300 system to expand commercial AI compute services, while Descartes unveiled an “Agent Control Plane” to help logistics teams coordinate AI agents across companies with guardrails. Illinois Agriculture: Illinois pumpkin production rose to about 533M pounds in 2025, with acreage leading the nation; growers credited weather resilience, while some areas still saw losses from flooding. Local Economy & Real Estate: Redfin says more Chicago-area sellers are cutting prices as mortgage rates stay high, signaling a stronger buyer market. Supply Chain & Manufacturing: Chicago industrial leasing is rebounding, with more tenant deals and landlord concessions showing up in submarkets. Food & Consumer Safety: A frozen berry recall tied to possible E. coli contamination expanded to additional Walmart and Trader Joe’s lots—buyers should check codes and dates.

Education & Fraud: Former DeKalb school superintendent Devon Horton pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion tied to kickbacks and improper use of district contracts. Public Safety & Courts: Cook County Judge D’Anthony “Tony” Thedford is releasing accused felons at nearly twice the rate of other pretrial judges, raising questions about detention standards. Chicago Police Accountability: Chicago City Council finance committee approved a record $260.8M police misconduct settlement tied to former CPD detective Reynaldo Guevara, with payments planned over two years. Insurance Costs: State Farm filed for another nearly 8% homeowners insurance rate increase in Illinois, citing extreme-weather losses. Food & Business: True Food Kitchen filed for Chapter 11 and permanently closed 12 locations, including in Chicago. Antitrust & AI: McDonald’s faces a federal class action alleging AI-powered menu pricing helped coordinate franchise prices in violation of antitrust law. Aviation: Contour Airlines was selected for new Essential Air Service at DuBois Regional Airport, adding nonstop routes to Atlanta and Chicago O’Hare starting Feb. 1, 2027. Local Politics: Outgoing state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit plans to run for Oswego Village Board, citing local growth and governance experience.

Mortgage Tech & Lending: Dark Matter Technologies says its Empower loan origination platform now lets lenders use Mezzo’s one-to-many verification orchestration through a single gateway, aiming to cut the cost and timeline of adding new verification vendors. Illinois Courts & Housing Finance: The Illinois Supreme Court delivered another win for mortgage lenders, ruling mortgage liens can survive beyond the statute of limitations. Illinois Politics & Transparency: DePaul students are set to vote on whether the university should disclose its financial activities and adopt “disclose and divest” policies tied to investment oversight. Chicago Business & Public Safety: A federal complaint alleges a Lincolnwood man ran an investment fraud scheme exploiting the Orthodox Jewish community, including claims of misused investor funds and undisclosed compensation. State Budget & Pensions: A new look at Chicago’s fiscal strain highlights how pensions and debt obligations are crowding out the city’s non-grant budget. Weather & Insurance Costs: A report argues the Midwest hail surge is driving home insurance price spikes, with Illinois among the states facing rising insurer losses. Dairy Industry Leadership: Midwest Dairy CEO Corey Scott was selected to lead the national dairy checkoff as president and CEO. Consumer Recall: PepsiCo recalled 28-ounce Gatorade bottles in multiple states, including Illinois, due to missing label disclosure of certain yellow food dyes.

Antitrust & Housing Costs: A federal judge refused to dismiss antitrust claims against RealPage and property managers, keeping alive allegations that confidential pricing data helped push rents higher. Illinois Business & Finance: Illinois pumpkin production rose in 2025 to about 533 million pounds, with acreage leading the nation—good news for processors like Nestlé Libby and Seneca Foods, though weather still created uneven results. Illinois Economy & Jobs: Illinois leaders and business groups continue to weigh the promise and backlash of data centers, as new reporting highlights potential job creation alongside public concerns. Global Trade & Illinois Ties: India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited Chicago, urging the diaspora to strengthen US-India economic links. Local Business Leadership: Citizens First Bank named Kristine Wiersema branch manager for its new Morrison location, expanding real estate lending in the region. Public Safety: Chicago police said a 7-year-old girl was fatally stabbed in Chatham; a woman was detained and arrested.

Workforce & Public Safety: Champaign’s Hire360 East Central Illinois pre-apprenticeship program held a graduation that also spotlights the city’s gun-violence prevention blueprint, with graduates moving into union trades like glazing. Local Government & Infrastructure: Dixmoor is replacing its aging water meters with a digital system funded by state and Cook County grants plus Illinois EPA support, aiming to end estimated billing and improve leak detection. Food & Consumer Safety: Sterling Pharmaceutical Services in Dupo, Illinois initiated a recall of Walgreens-branded lubricant eye drops and other products after FDA flagged “lack of assurance of sterility,” affecting hundreds of thousands of units. Higher Education & Research: The Modern Greek Studies Association will run its 28th symposium Oct. 15–18 at UIC, bringing 180 presenters and a keynote by Harvard’s Michael Herszfeld. Business & Economy: Illinois reported a 2.8% increase in sales and gross receipts tax revenue in 2024, while Illinois sports betting jumped 22% in July. Politics & Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court begins a new term with major cases tied to voting rights, the Second Amendment, and climate-change lawsuits.

ALDS Spotlight (Chicago): The White Sox opened the AL Division Series with a 3-0 Game 1 win over the Guardians, powered by Munetaka Murakami’s two-run homer and a five-pitcher, three-hitter effort that kept Cleveland off the board. State Tax Watch (Illinois): Illinois collected $66.9 billion in state taxes in 2024, with sales and gross receipts taxes totaling $27.7 billion—up 2.8% year over year—per Census Bureau data. Digital Asset Policy (Illinois): The Illinois Department of Revenue invited public comment on draft rules for the state’s Digital Asset Tax Act, aimed at clarifying how the tax applies to digital asset brokers and Illinois customers. Energy & Environment (Illinois): Carus, based in the Illinois Valley, is expanding PFAS remediation offerings through a partnership with Australian firm RemBind. School Transportation Costs (Illinois): With diesel pressure still squeezing budgets, Illinois districts are dealing with higher school bus transportation costs, often by cutting elsewhere or tightening routes. Local Business & Compliance (Illinois): Illinois health officials shut down an unlicensed home-based caterer after a high school football team dinner sickened at least 45 people and forced a homecoming postponement. Housing & Cost Pressure (National, housing angle): A Reuters/Ipsos poll highlights affordability as the top midterm issue, while reporting ties tariff-driven material costs to higher homebuilding expenses.

Medicaid Shake-Up: New federal eligibility rules that took effect Wednesday could jeopardize coverage for thousands of Illinois Medicaid enrollees, with additional changes expected as the state and advocates brace for ripple effects across hospitals and clinics. Housing & Consumer Protection: A federal judge paused the Trump administration’s move to withhold more than $56 million in congressionally approved housing counseling funds, keeping a key foreclosure- and eviction-prevention lifeline intact for Illinois families. Local Infrastructure: In Chicago’s Wicker Park, neighbors say repaving money was approved for a West Crystal Street alley but the road is still riddled with potholes and standing water. Political Money: A new look at state races finds Democrats are being outspent in several key gubernatorial contests, even where polling suggests they could win. Tech, Markets & Policy: Illinois is also facing scrutiny and legal action tied to federal policy shifts, from crypto tax implementation changes to broader regulatory fights affecting businesses.

AI Safety Push: Researchers at OpenAI and Anthropic are pressuring executives for stronger AI safety and more say in regulation, complicating how the industry deals with Washington. Illinois Courts & Markets: Kalshi and Coinbase won a partial injunction in Illinois over sports event contracts, with a judge saying some state licensing rules likely conflict with federal derivatives law. Banking Security: Fifth Third rolled out “SmartShield” in its app to help customers flag phishing scams by submitting suspicious texts, emails, or voicemails. Illinois Housing Finance: The Illinois Supreme Court ruled mortgage liens can survive for decades even after foreclosure time limits to sue have passed, limiting quiet-title challenges. Chicago Business & Consumer Protection: The FTC settled with Southern Glazer’s, alleging it discriminated against smaller alcohol sellers through discounts and rebates. Local Economy & Risk: Chicago is seeking tougher security at the shuttered Ford City Mall after a mass break-in, raising pressure on owners to prevent repeat incidents. Energy & Jobs: The Trump administration is preparing about $4B in loans for Vistra to upgrade nuclear plants, aiming to meet rising power demand from data centers. Corporate Fraud: A Bensenville HVAC firm says a bookkeeper siphoned $1.3M and triggered 40 layoffs, facing felony theft and identity theft charges.

AI & Media Standards: A debate is heating up over whether newsrooms should pause or tighten rules as AI “slop” spreads, with calls for stronger transparency and consistent newsroom standards. Retail Tech: NielsenIQ says its NIQ Spaceman platform now uses AI and automation to speed store planograms, flag execution gaps, and scale merchandising decisions. Politics & AI Spending: A report says AI firms tied to OpenAI and Anthropic spent $55.7M to influence 2026 races, largely without naming AI or data centers. Chicago Crime: A man was fatally shot at a Portage Park smoke shop; police are searching for witnesses after no arrests. Nonprofit & Governance: United Planet announced new board officers, while a separate piece highlights the push for financial transparency in government reporting. Real Estate & Growth: Cross Street added senior leaders to expand its apartment management platform, and Essex Realty Group brokered a $24.3M Mundelein apartment sale. Data Centers & Local Impact: Amazon pledged $1B+ for community projects around data centers and says it will change practices amid backlash. Illinois Business & Industry: Nova Capital Management acquired BMP Group and RB Medical; Alta Equipment approved a preferred stock dividend. Energy Costs: States moved to curb gas and diesel prices as fuel costs stay high.

Cubs Legal Win: A federal judge ruled Wrigley View Rooftop can’t sell tickets to watch Chicago Cubs games from its rooftop, saying the business profited from Cubs games without authorization. Bears Stadium Talks: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois lawmakers, keeping Illinois in play as the Bears weigh options beyond Hammond, Indiana. AG Raoul Targets Drug Pricing: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sought court approval for a $400 million settlement with Sandoz over alleged generic-drug price-fixing and reduced competition. Climate Fight: Raoul also sued to block EPA rollbacks of greenhouse-gas limits for power plants. Maternal Care Pressure: Roseland Hospital’s plan to end labor-and-delivery services by Oct. 31 is raising alarms about “obstetric deserts” and access for South Side families. Data Centers Debate: A new report projects Illinois data centers could create 121,000 mostly temporary jobs and add tax revenue, but also raise electric bills—pushing calls for “guardrails.” Local Business & Talent: Illinois State University’s fall internship and career fair drew 84 employers and strong student turnout.

MLB Playoffs: The Chicago White Sox shocked the AL by sweeping the Houston Astros in the wild-card round and now face the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, setting up a rare postseason run for Chicago after consecutive 100-loss seasons. Chicago Infrastructure & Finance: Chicago City Council approved a $2.53 billion parking meter lease deal that hands the remaining 57 years to Stonepeak Partners, while some aldermen floated ideas to charge suburban drivers more to park. State Politics: Illinois voters are headed toward a high-stakes 2026 election cycle, with explainers spotlighting the U.S. Senate race to replace Sen. Dick Durbin and the Illinois comptroller race. Healthcare & Jobs: Illinois’ Choate Developmental Center service cuts were pushed from March 2027 to June 2027, extending uncertainty for workers as lawsuits continue. Business & Tech: Rivian’s robotaxi push got a major boost via Uber’s planned $1.25 billion equity bet, tying funding to technical milestones and scaling autonomous rides. Cybersecurity & Markets: Amplify ETFs highlighted AI-driven cybersecurity risks tied to its HACK and HAKY products, while TransUnion set its Q3 2026 earnings date for Oct. 27.

Healthcare & Biotech: Frontier Medicines named three drug-development veterans to expand its leadership team as it nears clinical milestones, including data expected at ESMO. Medical Research: A City of Hope study suggests cutting sugar during antibiotic treatment may help protect the gut microbiome for high-risk blood cancer patients. Illinois Health Policy/Regulation: Illinois is tightening Equal Pay Registration Certificate (EPRC) data standards, including changes to race/ethnicity reporting starting in January 2027. Medical Devices & Compliance: ICUS challenged a widespread “state law” misconception about sonographers administering IVs and ultrasound contrast, and filed FDA citizen petitions to broaden contrast-enhanced ultrasound uses and remove outdated “black box” warnings. Chicago Business & Governance: Chicago passed a rule requiring a larger majority of aldermen to approve new city borrowing, a move aimed at slowing debt growth. Public Safety/Local Economy: Police are investigating an isolated shooting at Oakbrook Center; the mall remains open. Trade & Enforcement: U.S. Customs seized 200 counterfeit Cartier watches worth $28 million at O’Hare. Higher Education & Philanthropy: Ken Griffin’s $3 billion gift to Carnegie Mellon is driving a major expansion, including a new Miami campus. Sports Business/Local Interest: The Chicago Bears opened a 21-day practice window for DB Kyler Gordon as the team prepares for the Jets.

Banking & M&A: Peoples Bancorp agreed to buy Capital Bancorp in an all-stock deal valued at about $728.1 million, creating a larger, multi-state franchise with roughly $14B in assets and 150+ locations. Illinois Politics & Business Climate: In the governor’s race, candidates are trading views on data center costs and infrastructure, while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faces renewed scrutiny over corporate fund budgeting and how incentives affect local revenue. Cybersecurity & Fraud: Two Nigerians tied to a $2.4M cyber fraud scheme were sentenced to a combined 189 months, including alleged diversion of funds through accounts linked to Chicago. Consumer Pressure: NielsenIQ reports 34% of global consumers say they’re financially worse off than a year ago, with households shifting spending toward value and premium options. Local Economy & Growth: Harrison Street Asset Management agreed to take a majority stake in Vicinity Energy, a district energy provider operating across major U.S. cities. Tech & Operations: Descartes will showcase logistics AI in Chicago, aiming to automate shipment tracking and document work for supply chains. Sports & Commerce: With both Cubs and White Sox in the MLB postseason, Chicago sports bars are seeing a surge in business.

Labor & Education: City Colleges of Chicago faculty and staff union Local 1600 is preparing for a strike after contract talks stalled; members voted to authorize job action and could announce a strike date at the board meeting. Energy Assistance: Kankakee County’s LIHEAP administration was stripped from the long-running local operator, with Will County Community Concerns set to take over—raising questions about where the Kankakee office will be and how quickly help will reach residents. Local Government & Taxes: A coalition of 29 Chicago aldermen is setting budget “lines in the sand,” including no property tax increases and no corporate head tax, as the city faces an $882.4 million deficit. Business Expansion: Woodman’s Food Market opened a new 243,500-square-foot store in Plainfield, adding another major grocery footprint in the I-55 corridor. Community & Health: iHeartMedia Chicago stations will team up for the Oct. 3 “Sista Strut Pink Celebration” walk on the South Side benefiting Sisters Network Chicago. Aviation: Albertus Airport in Freeport was named IDOT Large General Aviation Airport of the Year.

Credit Cards Fight: A federal judge expanded an injunction against Illinois’ interchange-fee ban, siding with federal credit unions and leaving merchants and the Merchants Payments Coalition arguing the state’s savings plan is being undermined. Mortgage Costs: TransUnion will extend VantageScore 4.0 mortgage pricing at $0.99 per score through Dec. 2028, aiming to give lenders more pricing certainty as modern credit scoring adoption grows. Local Business & Housing Ops: EliseAI, which automates housing and healthcare operations, raised $350 million at a $4 billion valuation and plans a second engineering hub in San Francisco. Franchise Expansion: GreenLight Mobility opened in Chicago’s northern suburbs, signing a Libertyville U.S. Navy veteran as a new franchisee to expand home-modification services. Energy & Development: Mahomet is in preliminary talks with Clean Cloud Energy about a rural data-center campus, while nearby communities weigh tax benefits against impacts. Health Care Access: A KFF Health News report highlights how ER delays and billing issues can hit Illinois patients hard, underscoring pressure on safety-net systems. Markets & Food: Amplify ETFs announced September income distributions, and Jimmy John’s rolled out limited-time “Swicy Jimmy Pickle Bites” in a collectible bucket.

Markets & Jobs Watch: Traders are bracing for a busy U.S. data week—payrolls Friday, plus JOLTS, ADP, jobless claims, and key inflation and manufacturing reads—while Illinois investors track what it could mean for rates and growth. Illinois Business & Policy: Chicago’s City Council budget fight is heating up as aldermen press for no property tax increases and no head tax, while a separate push on workplace heat rules faces pushback from manufacturers. Agriculture & Trade: U.S.-China tariff talks leave soybeans out of relief, keeping pressure on Midwest farmers; commodity markets are reacting. Corporate & Finance: AAR posted fiscal Q1 earnings; Valley National Bank is moving to acquire fintech Bluevine for $340M; FDIC proposes parity rules for state and national banks. Antitrust/Consumer Impact: States and the FTC reached a settlement with Corteva over pesticide loyalty programs, aiming to restore competition and lower prices. Chicago Sports Business: The Bulls traded Rob Dillingham to the Hornets for Buddy Hield and cash, signaling a perimeter-shooting push as the rebuild narrative takes hold. Local Economy Notes: Illinois regulators fined companies over unlicensed student loan debt relief; Springfield promoted EV charging stations; a $10K grant is upgrading computers at an Illinois Valley library branch.