With tornado outbreaks and hurricane season looming, he nation’s primary responder to natural disasters, FEMA, is at a crossroads. President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal calls for a $646 million cut to FEMA, targeting grant programs that the administration says duplicate existing state and federal efforts, while the department, which responds […]
Urbana School District 116 (USD116) will once again offer free meals to all children 18 years old and younger during the summer months through its annual Summer Meal Program. The initiative, running from June through mid-July 2025, is designed to ensure that local youth have consistent access to nutritious food […]
A bill aimed at bolstering safe drinking water protections across Illinois is now headed to Governor JB Pritzker’s desk, following approval by both chambers of the General Assembly. Senate Bill 2266 seeks to enhance oversight and enforcement for non-community water systems, facilities like schools, factories, restaurants, resorts, and churches that […]
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provided its analysis of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H. Con. Res. 14) on May 20, 2025, setting the stage for a contentious vote in the House just days later. The legislation narrowly passed the House of Representatives in a 215-214 pre-dawn vote. The […]
On May 1, 1865, just weeks after the Civil War’s end, a remarkable procession unfolded at Charleston’s old racecourse. Nearly 10,000 people, most of them newly freed African Americans, gathered to honor 257 Union soldiers who had died as prisoners of war and were buried in a mass grave behind […]
Illinois lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would make it significantly easier for residents to access a full range of contraceptive options, including the prescription-only emergency contraceptive Ella (ulipristal acetate), directly from pharmacists, without the need for a doctor’s visit. House Bill 3489, championed by State Senator Rachel Ventura […]
The recent settlement between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Rare Breed Triggers marks a pivotal moment for the aftermarket trigger industry, especially for forced reset triggers (FRTs) like the Rare Breed FRT-15. The agreement ends the federal government’s ban on these devices, which had previously been classified as illegal […]
The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Alina Habba, announced Monday that her office is dismissing the misdemeanor trespassing charge against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka but is filing federal assault charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) following a confrontation earlier this month outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention […]
Illinois officials and community leaders are voicing strong opposition after the Trump Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), abruptly terminated the Digital Equity Capacity Program in mid-May. The move halts more than $23.7 million in planned federal grants that would have expanded digital […]
The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Venezuelan nationals living in the United States, a move that could lead to widespread deportations and loss of work authorization for those affected. In a brief order, the […]
