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Second federal judge seems to be prepared to block Trump spending pause

7 months 1 week ago
WASHINGTON — A second federal judge appears ready to issue an order blocking the Trump administration from freezing funding on grant and loan programs, despite a move by the Office of Management and Budget to rescind a controversial memo Wednesday just before the hearing. Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court […]
Jennifer Shutt

Gov. Pritzker Announces $31 Million in Regional Site Readiness Program Grant Awards

7 months 1 week ago
JERSEYVILLE - Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and local leaders to announce Regional Site Readiness Program awards totaling $31 million to support site readiness activities at 24 sites across the state. The program includes two competitive funding opportunities: Planning grants to support due diligence activities, studies and site plans, and Capital Ready grants to support capital infrastructure improvements. Through this funding, 13 Planning grantees and 11 Capital Ready grantees will undertake due diligence and development projects to better prepared sites to attract future investment and new job opportunities in the industrial sector across Illinois’ Economic Development Regions. “Readiness planning, assessments, infrastructure improvements – these things are all the fundamental work that must be done for businesses and investments to flourish and jobs to grow across the state,” said Governo

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Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Mentoring To Succeed Act

7 months 1 week ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), today introduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act in recognition of January as National Mentoring Month. U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04), and Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this week. This legislation creates a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to ensure that children who experience barriers like poverty, disability, adverse childhood experiences, or drug or alcohol abuse, can successfully transition to high school, college, and the workforce. The Mentoring to Succeed Act would strengthen investments in mentorship programs to help youth facing risk develop the academic, social, and workforce skills that lead to success. “Across Illinois and the country, young kids, especially from underserved communities, fac

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Jazz Artists and Grammy Nominee Return for Two-Night Performance at SIUE and Jazz St. Louis

7 months 1 week ago
EDWARDSVILLE - Jazz artists from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Concert Jazz Band and four featured SIUE alumni will take the stage in both Edwardsville and midtown St. Louis in February for two stellar evenings. Opening night on the Edwardsville campus will precede “An Evening with the Chancellor at Jazz St. Louis.” The Edwardsville concert will also feature the inaugural Brett Stamps Jazz Alumni Award. Performances are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. Alumni musicians scheduled to appear include saxophonist and organist Austin Cebulske (’12), jazz pianist Kara Baldus-Mehrmann (’03, ’05), bassist and Grammy nominee Nick Jost (’08, ’12) and drummer Marty Morrison (’09, ’12). “I’m beyond thrilled to return to SIUE, a place that was so crucial to my development as a musician and pivotal in my career as an educator,” said Cebulske, who teaches

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Sierra Club Illinois' Three Rivers Project, Alton YWCA, and the Hayner Public Library District to Host Two Winter Seed Swaps

7 months 1 week ago
ALTON - The Three Rivers Project of Sierra Club Illinois, Alton YWCA, and Hayner Public Library District are hosting two Seed Swaps this winter to provide community members with a space to swap and share quality seeds, cuttings, and bulbs. Join fellow farmers and gardeners in celebration of the start of the spring gardening season at this community event, which is free and open to all. The first seed swap will be held at the Alton YWCA on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025 from 12 to 2 p.m. To register for the first Seed Swap at the Alton YWCA, visit https://sc.org/seedswap-YWCA . The second seed swap will be held at the Downtown Alton location of the Hayner Library on Saturday, March 8 from 12 to 2 p.m. To register for the Seed Swap at the Hayner Library, visit https://sc.org/seedswap-library . If you are sharing self-collected seeds, please label the homegrown seeds with the common or species name, year, and your name. If you are sharing commercial seed packets, there is no need to label the

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Belt to chair Senate Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee

7 months 1 week ago
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt will serve as the chair of the Senate Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee for the 104th General Assembly. “My number one focus is to hold the line on funding for law enforcement and gun violence prevention,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We need to make public safety a priority, and I will advocate for state spending to reflect that.” Prior to serving in the Illinois Senate, Belt enjoyed an 18-year career as a law enforcement officer. He spent 16 years with the St. Clair County Probation and Detention Center and two years as the regional deputy administrator of aftercare for the central and southern regions of Illinois. Since taking office, Belt has passed laws to advance public safety, develop pre-apprenticeship programs across the state and secure funding to upgrade roads and bridges. Under Belt’s leadership, the Illinois State Police saw historic funding to hire and train 200 new

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Advertisers Aren’t Thrilled With Zuckerberg’s Embrace Of Hate Speech

7 months 1 week ago
After years of Meta insisting its content moderation was essential for platform health, Zuckerberg’s sudden embrace of fake “free speech” is having exactly the consequences anyone paying attention would expect. Just as advertisers fled ExTwitter when Musk decided “brand safety” was for wimps, Meta’s advertisers are getting nervous about their own brands being associated with […]
Mike Masnick

Daily Deal: Cybersecurity Projects Bundle

7 months 1 week ago
The Cybersecurity Projects Bundle offers a hands-on program featuring five real-world cybersecurity projects, totaling 35 tasks. Participants start with an introductory video for each project, detailing objectives and requirements, followed by task completion that mirrors real cybersecurity challenges. Support from industry professionals ensures personalized feedback and guidance. Upon completing the program, participants gain practical experience, […]
Daily Deal