a Better Bubble™

Aggregator

Duckworth Stresses Importance of Illinois' National Labs to AI Leaders, Condemns Trump & Musk’s Cuts to Technology Innovation Research

7 months 3 weeks ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST)—underscored to Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and other artificial intelligence (AI) leaders how important Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory are to accelerating scientific breakthroughs in fields such as particle physics, AI and cancer research, as well as how pivotal the labs are to Illinois and our nation’s economy. During her remarks, Duckworth also condemned Donald Trump and Elon Musk for taking a chainsaw to federal research funding, which threatens to set our country back decades and hurts our capacity to be a world leader in scientific breakthroughs. Video of Duckworth’s remarks can be found on her YouTube . “Illinois is the proud home of two crown jewels of scientific innovation and research—Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory—and there’s nothing more important than sustaining

Continue Reading

Lane Closures On I-64 In Washington County

7 months 3 weeks ago
NASHVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that one lane in each direction of Interstate 64 will be closed from 1 mile west of CH 11 to the Jefferson County line in Washington County starting, weather permitting, at 7 a.m. Monday, May 12, for pavement patching. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. The project expected to be completed by mid-summer. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com .

Continue Reading

Duckworth, Wyden, Murray and Booker Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers About Firings of Congressionally-Mandated CDC IVF Team

7 months 3 weeks ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today demanded answers from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for eliminating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) team responsible for making sure people who are trying to become parents have the information they need to thoughtfully and safely grow their families—despite Donald Trump’s broken promise to support families seeking IVF treatments. “Because IVF is a complicated and expensive process, the American people deserve access to the best information possible to inform their family building journey. Unfortunately, hollowing out National Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Surveillance System capabilities and capacity is consistent with Donald Trump’s deceitful and disingenuous rhetoric on IVF,” the Senators wrote in a letter to HHS Secretary Kennedy. “Your

Continue Reading

Edwardsville Elected Officials Sworn In

7 months 3 weeks ago
EDWARDSVILLE – New and returning elected officials for the City of Edwardsville were officially sworn in at the May 6, 2025 City Council meeting. Sworn in on Tuesday were Mayor Art Risavy, Ward 2 Alderman Adam Hanna, Ward 4 Alderman SJ Morrison, and Ward 6 Alderwoman Jennifer Warren (each pictured above). City Clerk Michelle Boyer, who was absent from the meeting and due to be sworn in this week, will be sworn in at a future meeting. Madison County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Carruthers administered the Oath of Office for each elected official. While each alderman ran in uncontested races during the latest round of Madison County municipal elections, this will only be one official’s first term. Hanna is serving his first term as Ward 2 Alderman, following the ward’s former alderman, Hal Patton. Returning for their second terms are Risavy, Warren, and Boyer, while Morrison has secured his third term. The newly sworn in council members also made a series of appointments

Continue Reading

DOGE Aide Who Helped Gut CFPB Was Warned About Potential Conflicts Of Interest

7 months 3 weeks ago
This story was originally published by ProPublica. Republished under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 license. Last month, a Department of Government Efficiency aide at the nation’s consumer watchdog agency was told by ethics attorneys that he held stock in companies that employees are forbidden from owning — and was advised not to participate in any actions that could benefit him personally, […]
Mike Masnick

Illinois Governor Pritzker Signs Executive Order Protecting Autistic Residents

7 months 3 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD — Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2025-02 on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, affirming Illinois’ commitment to protecting the civil rights, human rights, and data privacy of autistic residents. The order restricts unauthorized data collection and sharing by state agencies and requires that autism-related information be handled only when necessary and with informed consent. The executive order was issued in response to growing national concerns about federal efforts to create autism registries or databases without clear legal safeguards or accountability. It prohibits state agencies, contractors, vendors, and grantees from collecting or disclosing personally identifiable autism-related data unless it is required for care, legal compliance, or program eligibility. All disclosures must follow strict privacy and data minimization rules and be limited to the minimum information necessary, with anonymization applied where feasible. “Every Illinoisan deserves

Continue Reading

Bruce Holland to Receive SIUE’s Distinguished Service Award at Engineering Commencement

7 months 3 weeks ago
Bruce Holland, founder and CEO of Holland Construction Services (HCS), has been named the 2025 recipient of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering Distinguished Service Award. Holland will receive this prestigious award for decades of dedication to the Metro East region and the SIUE community. Holland’s leadership in construction, local innovation, student mentorship […]
Dede Hance