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Millions will see rise in health insurance premiums if federal subsidies expire

1 year ago
Andrea Deutsch, the mayor of Narberth, Pennsylvania, and the owner of a pet store in town, doesn’t get health care coverage through either of her jobs. Instead, she is enrolled in a plan she purchased on Pennie, Pennsylvania’s health insurance exchange. Deutsch, who has been mayor since 2018, is paid $1 per year for the […]
Shalina Chatlani

"Civic Memorial is a Family": Justin Newell Celebrates Principal of the Year Honor

1 year ago
BETHALTO - For Civic Memorial High School Principal Justin Newell, Bethalto is a lot more than a job. It’s a family. And, just like he would for his own family, he spends most of his free time with the students at CM. He watches everything from basketball games to band competitions, and he loves being there for his students. “You would go support your own kids. So you also have to go out and support your own students,” he said. “While my inside life and outside life are intertwined, I wouldn’t change it. I love it. I love being out there enjoying all the athletics and activities, and we celebrate that as a family, that we can go do that together.” Newell was recently named the Illinois Principals Association Southwest Region Principal of the Year. The community has recognized him as a valuable asset to Bethalto Community Unit School District #8, but Newell argues that the award speaks more to his staff at Civic Memorial than his personal

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Community Rallies to Honor Veterans at Alton Ceremony Despite Difficult Rain

1 year ago
ALTON — The Alton Wreaths Across America event took place on December 14, 2024, at the city cemetery, where volunteers gathered to honor veterans by laying wreaths on their graves. Despite challenging weather conditions, the event saw the participation of local scout and youth groups, who helped transport 560 wreaths to the National Cemetery. Margaret Hopkins, the coordinator of the event, emphasized the importance of the day, stating, "Remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach children the value of freedom." The event's activities were scaled down due to the weather, but the spirit of the occasion remained strong as volunteers from East Elementary School worked alongside veterans to lay wreaths. Art Williams, a 101-year-old World War II veteran, participated in the wreath-laying ceremony, continuing a tradition he has upheld for the past 18 years. The event also featured performances by buglers Quinn Halliday and Seana Grey, who played taps after the wreaths

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Gov. Pritzker Announces Support for Stronger Hemp Regulations to Protect Public Health

1 year ago
CHICAGO - Today Governor JB Pritzker, joined by medical experts and legislators, announced his support for proposed legislation intended to regulate the “intoxicating hemp” industry, a term used to describe hemp-derived THC and CBD products currently sold outside of a licensed dispensary setting (such as Delta-8 products). The legislation, which follows reports of minors ingesting misleading or poorly labelled products, sets limits on intoxicating hemp products like those imposed on legal cannabis through the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA). These regulations would ban misleading marketing and packaging that rips off consumer brands to appeal to children while moving intoxicating hemp products into the state’s existing marketplace to follow safe testing and dosage requirements. “This regulatory gray area has created a loophole that put Illinois consumers of all ages, but particularly children, in danger while an underground market flourished—the

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Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $7 Million to Help Prepare Young Illinoisans to Succeed in High-Demand Careers

1 year ago
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced more than $7 million in grant funding for five youth organizations in Illinois participating in the U.S. Department of Labor’s YouthBuild Program , which is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational services for 16 to 24 year-olds who left school without a secondary diploma. “I’m glad to see this funding go to these important organizations across our state to help educate and train even more young Illinoisans for good-paying jobs in high-demand industries while at the same time helping create more affordable housing throughout our state,” said Senator Duckworth. “These sorts of investments can help change lives and communities for the better, and I’ll keep working to bring additional federal funding like this home to Illinois.” “Communities are made stronger when the federal government invests in building

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McCarthy Named One of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America

1 year ago
McCarthy Holdings, Inc. (McCarthy) is proud to once again be included in an organization named one of the 2024 Healthiest 100™ Workplaces in America. The Heathiest 100 honors the “best of the best” in corporate health and wellness. McCarthy, comprised of McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. and Castle Contracting LLC, is the oldest privately held national […]
Dede Hance

UN Cybercrime Treaty: A Trojan Horse For Transnational Repression

1 year ago
This week, the United Nations General Assembly is set to adopt the UN Cybercrime Convention, almost exactly five years after it approved a resolution to launch its negotiation. The Convention text has been widely panned by digital security experts, human rights organizations, industry, even the UN’s own human rights office, among many others. Yet still […]
Mike Masnick

Durbin Leads Letter To Department Of Education Calling For Data Collection On Diversity Of Educator Workforce

1 year ago
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Representative Matthew Cartwright (D-PA-8), today sent a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging him to include additional data on the diversity of the educator workforce in the annual Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). Maintaining a diverse educator workforce has shown to improve outcomes for all students. “The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) is a valuable tool to measure whether students have equal access to educational opportunities, including a high-quality, diverse educator workforce. Yet, there is no permanent national mechanism to collect teacher and principal data at the school district-level. We urge the Department of Education (Department) to collect data on teacher and principal demographics and teacher certification similar to our Strengthening Educator Workforce Data Act (S.3736 / H.R.7250) in the 2025-26 CRDC and 2027-28 surveys,” the lawmakers wrote. In their letter,

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Duckworth's Aviation Safety Subcommittee Emphasizes Urgent Need to Improve Air Traffic Control Systems to Prevent Near-Misses & Protect Flying Public

1 year ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator and pilot Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Chair of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—led a subcommittee hearing focused on the challenges facing our passenger aviation system amid the busy holiday travel season, where she underscored the urgent need to invest in updated air traffic control (ATC) systems and equipment to prevent near-misses and protect the flying public. This hearing comes amid the chilling surge in near-deadly close calls involving commercial airlines that is adding serious pressure to our aviation workforce and putting the safety of the flying public at risk, and after the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a September report that determined a significant amount of ATC equipment was outdated, unsustainable and in urgent need of modernization. Full videos of Senator Duckworth’s opening remarks and questions are available

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