Illinois Agriculture: Illinois pumpkin output rose in 2025 to about 533 million pounds, and growers say this year’s crop is a mixed bag after late frost, flooding and timely rains; with major processors in Morton and Princeville, the state’s harvest can quickly translate into tax and production activity. Defense Construction: NAVFAC MIDLANT awarded a $975M multiple-award construction contract for Marine Corps installations east, plus a $40M A-E engineering deal and nearly $15.3M dredging work at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. Power & Data Centers: Google signed a 20-year, $4.3B nuclear power deal with Constellation, including uprates at multiple reactors in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, supporting thousands of jobs during construction. Energy Costs & Farming: Trump signed an order easing limits on tax-free red-dyed diesel, aiming to cut fuel costs for agriculture and trucking ahead of midterms. Food Safety: PepsiCo recalled 122,000+ cases of Gatorade in 37 states, including Illinois, after undeclared artificial yellow dyes. Chicago Industrial Real Estate: Leasing activity is rebounding in parts of the Chicago market, with more landlord concessions as tenants weigh renewals and moves. Illinois Policy Watch: Illinois Supreme Court set to resolve a solar siting split, while the state also delayed crypto tax implementation amid industry court fights.