The Illinois General Assembly is considering a new bill aimed at making homeownership more accessible for first-time and “second-chance” home buyers in the state. Senate Bill 148, introduced by Senator Cristina Castro (D-22), proposes the creation of the “Illinois Home Buyer Savings Accounts Act,” which would offer tax-advantaged savings accounts […]
A federal judge in Massachusetts has denied a request from several labor unions to block the Office of Personnel Management’s (“OPM”) “Fork in the Road” directive, a controversial policy that allows certain federal employees to resign with pay through the end of the fiscal year. Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. […]
The Associated Press (AP) reported on Tuesday that its White House correspondent was barred from attending an Oval Office event after refusing to adopt President Donald Trump’s directive to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” The decision by the Trump administration has sparked concerns over press […]
The White House issued an executive order on Monday pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for at least 180 days. The order, titled “Pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement to Further American Economic and National Security,” cites concerns that the FCPA has been “stretched beyond proper bounds” […]
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Bishops of the United States, Pope Francis voiced his concern over mass deportations and the treatment of migrants, urging the Church to uphold the “infinite and transcendent dignity” of every human person. The letter, dated February 10, 2025, comes amidst ongoing debates […]
A federal judge has ordered several U.S. government agencies to restore health-related webpages and datasets that were removed in compliance with President Donald Trump’s recent executive order. U.S. District Judge John Bates issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, in response to a lawsuit filed by the […]
Federal Judge Angel Kelley has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to slash billions of dollars in medical research funding. The ruling came on February 10 after The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), the Association of American Universities (AAU), and the American Council on Education (ACE) filed a […]
Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 4144, also known as Karina’s Law, into law on Monday, February 10, 2025. This legislation aims to strengthen protections for victims of domestic violence by ensuring the swift removal of firearms from individuals subject to restraining orders. Karina’s Law is named in memory of […]
The third annual Feeding Champaign County Food Summit is scheduled for February 26, 2025, at the I Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign, Illinois. This day-long event, running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., aims to tackle the pressing issue of food insecurity in the region. Organized by Illinois Extension in […]
The Trump administration has effectively shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an agency created to protect consumers after the 2008 financial crisis. Russell Vought, the newly installed director of the Office of Management and Budget and acting head of the CFPB, has ordered the agency to cease nearly […]
