By Shia Kapos

Good Thursday morning, Illinois. We let some readers reminisce about memorable snowstorms in Reader Digest.

PsiQuantum's first U.S. utility-scale quantum computer would anchor the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. | Rendering via Business Wire

FIRST STEP: The quantum park that Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson and others are banking on to help make Illinois the next Silicon Valley goes before the Chicago Plan Commission today.

It’s a pivotal vote that will allow the project to move to the Zoning Committee for approval and then to the full City Council, where it’s expected to sail through, given the promise of thousands of future jobs — and support by the 10th Ward’s alderman, Ald. Peter Chico.

The project isn’t without resistance. A few local organizations want to slow down plans for the campus, including the Coalition for a Southworks Community Benefits Agreement and Friends of the Parks — the group that opposed the Lucas Museum, which is now a destination spot in Los Angeles.

It’s a point that Johson addressed with reporters earlier this week. “Are we moving with the expediency to ensure that there's economic development on the southeast side of Chicago? Absolutely,” the mayor said.

There’s a reason, added Chicago Chief Operating Officer John Roberson. The project will have “significant impacts” for the healthcare and financial industries. “So, yes, we are moving at the speed of light in order to get this project done.”

For Chico, it’s personal. The project would be built on the old U.S. Steel site, which closed 32 years ago. “At its height, it employed 20,000 people. My grandfather was the president of the union. So along with being the alderman, I have a vested interest in the property because I know it’s important to the community,” he told Playbook. “It's how people put a roof over their heads and raised a family.”

To his point, dozens of supporters have signed a letter backing the Quantum campus that will be anchored by PsiQuantum, whose mission is to build the world's first utility-scale quantum computer. Some of them will be at today's hearing along with opponents who worry about environmental impacts (even though the Illinois EPA says the site has already been remediated).

Playbook 101 on quantum: Quantum computing solves problems that conventional computers aren’t able to tackle because they’re just not powerful enough. PsiQuantum’s goal is to create a large-scale system that can tackle challenges faced by a wide range of industries. Read more about PsiQuantum’s big plans here.

Thom Serafin is merging his public affairs firm with Mercury, headed in Illinois by former Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. | Photo provided

SCOOP: In a huge move in the public affairs consulting world, Thom Serafin’s Serafin and Associates in Chicago is merging with Mercury Public Affairs, a national strategy firm that’s growing its Chicago office under the direction of Cheri Bustos, the former congresswoman.

Serafin will bring its brand and communications portfolio to Mercury. Serafin describes it as an “opportunity to enhance our capabilities in the Midwest and scale our reach nationally for Serafin’s clients.”

It’s a boost for Mercury: Bustos’ team said the merger allows Mercury to strengthen its growing presence in Illinois. Mercury also has offices in New York, Washington and Los Angeles

Serafin and Bustos have known each other for years. He worked with her father, Springfield political strategist Gene Callahan.

Serafin’s career in Illinois is legend. He’s gone from working as a reporter in Springfield to managing campaigns and working in public affairs across the state. He says merger with Mercury is just the “next chapter in what feels like a magic carpet ride.”

A message from Capital One:

At Capital One, our affordable housing initiatives support inclusive, thriving, resident-centered communities right here in Illinois. We strive to promote individual well-being by financing both the development and preservation of affordable housing, along with services that directly respond to resident needs. From 2020-2023, we provided nearly $378 million in capital for community development across the state – primarily for safe, equitable, and quality housing to help transform resident lives.

No official public events

At mHub at 6:15 p.m. for the Eden Career Institute ribbon-cutting

At the Cook County Building at 9 a.m. to preside over the vote on the FY25 budget — In the building at 3 p.m. to discuss funding for groups that provide wrap-around services to abortion patients

Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com

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— POINT-COUNTERPOINT on Rahm Emanuel possibly leading the Democratic National Committee:

Emanuel leading the Democrats is a nonstarter, by Laura Washington in the Tribune

Emanuel is the best choice to lead Democrats out of the political wilderness, by Andy Shaw in the Tribune

— Congressman Brad Schneider was elected chair of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of center-left House Democrats known for working across the aisle.

— New leaders for DuPage Dems: The Democratic Party of DuPage County Central Committee elected Reid McCollum and Dianne McGuire to head the organization.

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: State Sen. Willie Preston has been named Senate chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus. He ran unopposed for the post. He takes over at a turbulent time in Illinois politics as state lawmakers grapple with a projected $3 billion-plus budget deficit while also wanting to fund important projects. For Preston, the focus will be on pillars that address systemic racism: criminal justice reform, education and workforce development, economic access and health care and human services. “Those pillars and the needs of our communities are most important,” the Chicago Democrat told Playbook.

— Conservative group asks U.S. Supreme Court to reverse ruling that allows Illinois mail-in ballots to be counted after Election Day, by the Tribune’s Rick Pearson

— MADIGAN TRIAL: ‘This is how I award my good soldiers’: Ex-precinct captain testifies Madigan gave him yearly $45,000 do-nothing consulting contract: Ed Moody, “one of Michael Madigan’s most loyal precinct captains,” testified how he was paid $4,500 a month even though he did little work for ComEd, by the Tribune’s y Jason Meisner, Megan Crepeau and Ray Long.

— Anti-abortion groups sue Illinois over state law requiring insurers cover abortion, by the Sun-Times’ Kade Heather

— The Springfield Republican who funded attack ads that helped sink campaign of Sangamon County’s lone Democratic office-holder, by the Illinois Times’ Scott Reeder

— Wall Street sounds the alarm about Chicago finances: “Standard & Poor’s has put Chicago on a “credit watch,” which could raise the interest rate the city pays by about one-quarter of a percentage point. And with the city planning to refinance $1.5 billion in bonds, even that slightly higher rate could cost taxpayers $4 million a year over 40 years,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman.

— Now this: Johnson's proposed alcohol tax hike likely dead amid pushback from Chicago's hospitality industry, by Crain’s Justin Laurence and Ally Marotti

— Chicago Park District $600M budget includes fee hikes but stable property taxes, by the Tribune’s A.D. Quig

— Chicago ‘solves’ murders in which no arrest is made, by WGN 9’s Ben Bradley and Andrew Schroedter

— City contractor ‘failed’ clients as migrant shelter complaints mounted, staffers say, by the Block Club’s Emeline Posner

— Firing Oath Keepers in the Chicago Police Department isn’t as simple as it seems, public officials say, by the Triibe’s Corli Jay

A message from Capital One:

— Elk Grove Village reduces property tax levy nearly 2 percent, by the Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek

— In Orland Park: Former Trustee Jim Dodge to challenge Mayor Keith Pekau in April, by the Daily Southtown’s Mike Nolan

— NW suburban state Rep. Martin McLaughlin on track for reelection by just 47 votes, by the Sun-Times’ Mitchell Armentrout

— Chicago woman dead after judge declines to jail her alleged abuser: Activists are calling for Judge Thomas Nowinski to be reassigned, by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman and Molly DeVore.

— Barrington man ‘savagely’ beat doctor with bat before shooting her in front of their child, prosecutors say, by the Daily Herald’s Barbara Vitello

— Judge denies husband’s attempt to halt funeral of woman found dead in South Loop building, by the Sun-Times’ Sophie Sherry

— Crystal Lake man pleads guilty in Jan. 6 case, by the Sun-Times’ Davis Giangiulio

— NO JOKE: The Onion’s executive editor talks about plans for its purchase of Infowars, by WTTW’s Brandis Friedman Shelby Hawkins

Don't just read headlines—guide your organization's next move. POLITICO Pro's comprehensive Data Analysis tracks power shifts in Congress, ballot measures, and committee turnovers, giving you the deep context behind every policy decision. Learn more about what POLITICO Pro can do for you.

Chicago was hit by more than 20 inches of snow on Jan. 14, 1979. | Fred Jewell/AP

We asked about memorable snowstorms.

Clem Balanoff: “The 2011 storm that shut down Lake Shore Drive. I was chief of staff for Cook County Clerk David Orr — so the County seal was on my desk. The next morning, I had to get downtown so the seal could be used on the document declaring a disaster area. I made it thanks to my neighbors helping shovel the alley.”

Matthew Beaudet: “Blizzard of 1979. My sister went into labor, and we had to get my dad’s van out of the garage. The whole block got together to shovel out the alley.”

Judi Blakemore: “Definitely the blizzard of 1967. It was the only time I remember school closing due to weather!”

Eli Brottman: “The 2011 Groundhog Day blizzard.”

Jim LaCognata: “The storm of 1967. I broke my leg delivering papers.”

Charles Keller: “January 1967. I jumped out of the second-story window of our apartment into a drift that totally covered the first-floor windows. Thank God, it was wet, heavy snow or I'd have never gotten out.”

Jim Lyons: “March 16, 2001. It was only five inches, but it was the day I got married.”

Ed Mazur: “Jan 26-27, 1967. I abandoned my VW in the middle of the street and reclaimed it three days later.” 

David Prosperi: “The 20.3 inches of snow on Jan. 12-14, 1979, drove me to apply to business school in Washington, D.C. “

David Ruskin: “Valentine’s Day 1990. It took several hours to drive just a few miles from the Loop to Lincoln Park!”

Andy Shaw: “1979, the Jane Byrne election year. I jogged down the middle of streets because the snow was four feet high on the sidewalks.

Alison Pure-Slovin: “The Great Blizzard of 1978, which began on Jan. 25 and lasted for three days. It was memorable as I was married on Jan. 29.”

John Straus: “The 1967 blizzard of 23 inches. It caused college entrance SAT exams to be canceled.”

Barbara Stubblefield: “Valentines Day 1990. I was a bus operator for CTA and it took me nearly five hours to drive from Archer Garage to State and Kinzie streets, then four hours to go the other way. A customer gave me a rose for stopping to pick him up.”

Timothy Thomas: “1979. Determined to maintain my four years of perfect attendance, I trudged all the way to school only to find out that CPS closed for a snow day.”

Next question: To what length have you gone to plan Thanksgiving? Email skapos@politico.com

— Congressman Sean Casten pledges to force a vote to release the Gaetz report: “The Illinois Democrat will attempt a fast-track procedural move to let the full House vote on releasing the Ethics Committee report on Matt Gaetz,” by POLITICO’s Katherine Tully-McManus and Daniella Diaz.

— Trump bets he can scandal-proof his most controversial Cabinet picks, via POLITICO

— Biden inks billion-dollar climate deals to foil Trump rollbacks, via POLITICO

— Rand Paul breaks with Trump on using military for mass deportations: ‘Huge mistake,’ by POLITICO’s Greta Reich

A message from Capital One:

At Capital One, we are committed to changing banking for good here in Illinois. We proudly employ more than 1,700 Chicagoans – who support this city from our offices and Cafés each day. In the last 10+ years, we’ve provided over 500 grants to nonprofit organizations in Illinois, including programs that focus on community service, education, and workforce development. Our efforts are informed by a long-standing belief that our partners—who are closest to the needs of the community—are best positioned to develop effective and sustainable solutions. Deep community relationships with affordable housing developers, nonprofit organizations, local government, and civic leaders are at the heart of our community programs. We are committed to continuing to spend with diverse suppliers operating in the state of Illinois, with over $8M in one year period spent with businesses owned by people of color, veterans, and women.

— Camiella Williams has been sworn in as the village clerk of Glenwood. She was appointed by Mayor Ronald Gardiner. The position had been vacant since Sandra Washington stepped down in the summer. Williams is a community organizer and chair of the board of trustees at Prairie State College. She also volunteers for Congresswoman Robin Kelly’s violence prevention task force.

— Dr. Edward M. Barksdale Jr. is now chief of surgery for the Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance and professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago. He was surgeon in chief at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital/University Hospitals of Cleveland.

— Isabella Mazzanti is now an attorney at Romanucci & Blandin, a national personal injury firm in Chicago.

WEDMESDAY’s ANSWER: Russell Geisler served as an Illinois state representative for 23 hours and 59 minutes.

TODAY’s QUESTION: Who served as corporation counsel for Mayor Harold Washington and also counted Black Panthers and the Blackstone Rangers as clients? Email skapos@politico.com