Data Centers & Local Power: A new wave of community pushback is delaying or blocking data center projects nationwide, with local opposition groups and bans/moratoriums spreading fast—an issue Illinois lawmakers are also grappling with as they weigh how to regulate siting, water use, and energy impacts. Illinois Clean Energy Growth: SunVest opened a larger Chicago Loop headquarters as it scales battery energy storage, aiming for nearly 300 MW of owned assets under management by year-end. Wildfire Smoke & Fossil Fuels: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi urged major oil companies to cut emissions, pointing to research linking fossil pollution to worse wildfire smoke that has repeatedly hit Chicago. Beluga Transfers to Illinois: Thirteen beluga whales were moved from Canada’s shuttered Marineland to U.S. facilities, including Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, as conservationists question what comes next for the animals. Food & Farming Support: Whole Foods and the National Young Farmers Coalition launched a fund backing beginning farmers under 40 using climate-smart practices. Local Governance: A lawsuit targets a planned Grayslake data center, seeking to void village approvals and halt further permits.