“The Trump administration is paying El Salvador to keep (Kilmar Abrego Garcia) at CECOT,” Senator Chris Van Hollen revealed after meeting with Salvadoran Vice President Félix Ulloa on Wednesday. Van Hollen, who traveled to El Salvador in an effort to secure Abrego Garcia’s release, recounted that Ulloa made this assertion […]
Author: Dani Tietz
Trump Order Opens 59% of National Forest Lands—Over 112 Million Acres—to Accelerated Logging and Timber Projects
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has directed a significant increase in timber production and the rapid implementation of forest management projects across a majority of National Forest System lands. This includes 112,646,000 acres of National Forest System lands (59 percent of all national forest acreage). The move, outlined in Secretary’s […]
Illinois Senate Unanimously Approves Ban on Carbon Capture Near Mahomet Aquifer
The Illinois Senate has unanimously approved a bill that would ban carbon sequestration activities near the Mahomet Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for nearly one million residents in central Illinois. The measure, which passed 55-0, responds to mounting concerns from local communities and environmental groups about the potential […]
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Alerts Residents to Tularemia Risk Following Squirrel Deaths
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) has issued a health advisory after several squirrels in Urbana were found dead, with one testing positive for tularemia, a rare but serious bacterial disease that can affect both humans and animals. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, commonly found in wild animals […]
Trump Rolls Back Showerhead Water Limits, Citing Need for Better Flow to “Take Care of My Beautiful Hair”
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order aimed at reversing federal regulations on water flow in showerheads. The order, signed on April 9, directs the Department of Energy to rescind rules implemented during the Obama and Biden administrations that limited water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute across all […]
International Dark Sky Celebration 2025: A Night to Preserve the Stars
On Saturday, April 26, the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Rankin, Illinois, will host the International Dark Sky Celebration, an event dedicated to raising awareness about light pollution and promoting the beauty of natural night skies. This special occasion coincides with International Dark Sky Week, a global initiative that highlights […]
USPS Proposes July 2025 Price Hike, Plans Twice-Yearly Rate Increases Through 2027
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has announced proposed price adjustments for mailing services, set to take effect on July 13, 2025, pending approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The changes include a 5-cent increase in the cost of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, raising the price from 73 cents […]
Vermilion County Conservation District to Host Illinois RiverWatch Workshop at Forest Glen Preserve
The Vermilion County Conservation District, in collaboration with the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC), is set to host an Illinois RiverWatch Workshop at the Forest Glen Preserve on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will take place at the Gannett Education Center […]
Trump Issues Executive Order Delaying Stricter EPA Emissions Standards in Bid to Boost Coal Industry
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order titled “Regulatory Relief for Certain Stationary Sources to Promote American Energy,” granting a two-year extension for compliance with stricter emissions standards under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). The executive order is part of the administration’s broader […]
Trump Executive Order Targets State Climate Laws
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order titled “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach.” This is a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to dismantle state-level climate regulations and bolster domestic energy production. The order says that it aims to secure “American energy dominance” by removing what the administration […]