Oak Park Nerd

Trump says JPMorgan, Bank of America rejected his deposits The Trump administration is expected to take additional efforts to crack down on perceived bias against conservatives in the financial system.

Maybe I will stick with Chase. “Trump said in an interview on CNBC that JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and others refused to accept more than $1 billion of his deposits. Trump said he eventually had to spread his cash across small banks ‘all over the place.’”
www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

Columbia and Brown to Disclose Admissions and Race Data in Trump Deal

The government will get “data on accepted and rejected applicants broken down by ‘race, color, grade point average and performance on standardized tests.’” www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/n...

Application to be a Cook County election judge: connect.cookcountyclerkil.gov#/application

Flock officially cancelled in Oak Park. Voting yes were Leving-Jacobson, Enyia, Straw, Eder, Scaman.

Taglia and Wesley vote no. They wanted to deactivate Flock for 90 days for time to discuss alternatives with OPPD. (Scaman also voted yes for this.)

Dem party role contested as Davis retires, Welch and Harmon vie for seat  - Wednesday Journal Don Harmon and Emanuel “Chris” Welch seek 7th District State Central Committeeman office after Davis announces retirement.

“If Harmon does in fact choose to run for committeeman, it would set up a contest that would be both very expensive and likely be portrayed as a public internal fissure in the state Democratic Party...” www.oakpark.com/2025/08/05/w...

Oak Park to adopt 1% replacement grocery tax  - Wednesday Journal Oak Park faced a $1.4 million budget shortfall if it didn’t pass the replacement grocery tax after the state scrapped the tax last year

www.oakpark.com/2025/08/05/o...

Oak Park finance director resigns after five months  - Wednesday Journal The person tabbed earlier this year to lead Oak Park’s finances into the future has resigned after a few months on the job.

“She is the latest Oak Park departmental leader to resign this year, joining ex-Development Services Director Emily Egan and ex-village DEI head Danielle Walker.” www.oakpark.com/2025/08/05/o...

Oak Park Village Board meeting on now! FLOCK, zoning amendment consultant, Oak Park Ave streetscape, etc. oak-park.granicus.com/player/event...

Agenda: oak-park.legistar1.com/oak-park/mee...

Oak Park Village Board meeting tonight at 6:30. Will discuss fate of Flock cameras, hiring a consultant for zoning amendments to pave the way for missing middle housing, Oak Park Ave streetscape, and tax rebates for new Barnes and Noble. Agenda: oak-park.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...

Hell yes.

As a current downstater, I am looking forward to being in a district with Oak Park

This is fucked up

Help for those being evicted. Proof of citizenship not required. www.illinoishousinghelp.org?fbclid=IwQ0x...

Trump Administration Is Freezing Over $300 Million for U.C.L.A.

Moving on to the West Coast. “The move makes U.C.L.A. the latest university to be targeted by Trump administration officials. It comes amid a broader pushback by the administration against what it sees as ‘woke’ ideologies.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/u...

Trump’s Domestic Use of Military Set to Get Worse, Leaked Memo Shows A Department of Homeland Security memo obtained by TNR signals top-level discussions about a potential escalation of the Pentagon’s domestic anti-immigration role, and lays out new details.

“Trump’s use of the military for domestic law enforcement on immigration could soon get worse. The memo… has unnerved experts who believe it portends a frightening escalation.” newrepublic.com/article/1987...

Department of Homeland Security Memo Here’s the text of a memo obtained by The New Republic, written by Philip Hegseth, senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and DHS liason to the Department of Defense.

Memo about DOD and ICE coordination anticipates “[a] verbal agreement to find places where DoD can detail personnel within ICE and CBP (and vice-versa) to increase information sharing, and specifically support nationwide operational planning capabilities.” newrepublic.com/article/1986...

Oak Park fundraiser with Danny Davis and LaShawn Ford on 8/12 at Albion rooftop.

RSVP here: www.dannykdavis.com/event-detail...

Texas Dems to flee state amid national redistricting battle They will head to Illinois, where Gov. JB Pritzker has expressed sympathy for their plight.

Welcome! “They are expected to touch down in Illinois on Sunday, setting off a standoff with Abbott in the high-stakes redistricting battle.” www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

Bless The Man Who Called Out Trump For Cheating At Everything Doing the Lord's work.

"He was caught on video cheating on the golf course; he cheated on his taxes, he cheated on his business loans, he cheated on his wives, he cheated on the business contractor that he stiffed through forty years of business, and he tried to cheat on the 2020 election."

Lisa Murkowski Suddenly Realizes She Got Played on Trump Budget Bill The Alaska senator clearly thought the leopards would never eat her face.

Shocking! “Now Murkowski claims that she and her pals were duped. ‘Do I feel like the administration was not being up-front with us? Yes,’ she told the Anchorage Daily News.” newrepublic.com/post/198157/...

West Side Alderman, Neighbors Reject Housing Development On 'Congested' Stretch Of Harlem Some neighbors said they'd prefer to see a different type of development, such as a library, veteran's hall or senior center.

Neighbors: none of our problems are being resolved!!

Also neighbors: 80 new homes on a large lot that’s been vacant for 20 years!? Take that 🤬 to Oak Park!!

🤦

blockclubchicago.org/2025/08/01/w...

Here it is. Up at the 8/5 Oak Park Village Board meeting there are competing motions to cancel Flock completely and “temporarily deactivate” it. Agenda notes canceling may increase staff hours for police “to investigate cases and conduct research.” oak-park.legistar.com/LegislationD...

Moving quickly! On 8/5 the Oak Park Village Board will discuss an economic incentive agreement for the new Barnes and Noble in the old Fields/Borders space on Lake. Would rebate to B&N 50% of sales tax revenues for 20 years, up to $2M. Plans to open 5/2026. oak-park.legistar.com/LegislationD...

When Terri Hemmert from WXRT plugs the next Oak Park Thursday Night Out, you know it’s going to be a good one.

Oak Park banned natural gas in new buildings, but a legal fight is underway The west suburb was the first municipality in the Midwest to pass an electrification ordinance. Opponents of the ban said it violates the federal Energy Policy Act.

“Trade and real estate groups joined to file a federal complaint in April against Oak Park over the natural gas ban.“
chicago.suntimes.com/real-estate/...

New: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting says it is shutting down

cpb.org/pressroom/Co...

Oak Park police nearly doubled traffic enforcement in 2024  - Wednesday Journal The department nearly doubled the amount of traffic stops it made in 2024 compared to 2023, making 5,167 stops last year

Oak Park police nearly doubled traffic enforcement in 2024

My fellow Bike Walk Oak Park member delivering public comment at a Village Board Meeting wearing a black Rovelo Creative tshirt that reads in white letters “I just wanted to bike my kids to school. Now I spend more time at city hall than at home.”

Perfect shirt to wear to give comment at the Board meeting, @tomflood.bsky.social- the Bike Plan passed, btw, in spite of MANY neighbors up in arms about losing their parking to bike lanes (so predictable.)

Tomorrow 8/2– lovely program from Oak Park Township, River Forest Township and District 97.

Oak Park’s “First Fridays” on Madison Street tonight! www.firstfridaysoakpark.org/madison-firs...

Yep- just one school. Oak Park River Forest High School. Love it, but you said it— wow.