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U.S. Steel Ends Slab Processing At Granite City Works Plant

1 month 2 weeks ago
GRANITE CITY — U.S. Steel announced Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, it will cease processing steel slabs at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois by November 2025, shifting operations to other facilities following the recent $15 billion acquisition by Japanese company Nippon Steel. The decision comes three months after Nippon Steel finalized its purchase of the iconic American steelmaker. U.S. Steel said it will focus on processing raw steel at its Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania and Gary Works in Indiana. Despite ending slab processing at Granite City, the company stated it will not lay off any of the roughly 800 workers at the plant or reduce their pay. Employees will maintain the facility to keep it operational in case circumstances change. Granite City Mayor Michael C. Parkinson has expressed frustration over the lack of clear investment plans for the plant, which reopened in 2018 after President Donald Trump’s visit. The plant had ceased raw steel production in 2023 afte

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Trending Topics: Facebook privacy settlement: What to know

1 month 2 weeks ago
SPONSORED – Brittany sits down with digital producer Alex Barton to chat about the latest trending topics on fox2now.com. Today’s topics: Facebook privacy settlement payments have started: Here’s what to know, Ford recalling almost 1.5 million vehicles over a rearview camera issue, and if you want a LEGO Advent calendar for the season, you should [...]
Alex Barton

Alton LeadHERship Conference to Promote Women's Professional Growth and Empowerment

1 month 2 weeks ago
ALTON - The RiverBend Growth Association is excited to host their annual LeadHERship Conference to empower local women. On Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, community members will attend the sold-out conference at Enjoy Church in Alton. The half-day seminar will include presentations by Kalli Erwin, Lori Hopkins and Brittany McCrady. RBGA officers Debbie and Stefanie can’t wait to connect with business owners, entrepreneurs and leaders in the community. “It’s about professional growth and personal,” Debbie explained. “We try to keep it to topics they can take back to their workplace and share with others who maybe didn’t get to come to the seminar. But it all kind of flows together.” With 200 women slated to attend the conference, Debbie and Stefanie are “very happy” to see the event’s growth over the last 25 years. They hope that the speakers will resonate with attendees. Kalli Erwin, owner of Just Right Organizing, will talk

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How to Host a Cozy Outdoor Movie Night in Early Fall

1 month 2 weeks ago
Imagine gathering your friends and family under a star-lit sky, the flicker of a movie screen casting gentle light on smiling faces wrapped in warm blankets. Outdoor movie nights have surged in popularity, with over 50% of Americans saying they would attend one if given the chance, according to a 2023 survey by Eventbrite. Yet, creating a truly cozy and memorable experience requires more than just setting up a projector. When executed thoughtfully, an outdoor screening can transform an ordinary evening into a cherished ritual of connection and entertainment. Selecting the Perfect Location The foundation of any successful outdoor movie night lies in choosing the right setting. Ideally, the location should be spacious enough to accommodate your guests comfortably without feeling crowded. A backyard with a flat lawn is often perfect, but community parks or even driveway spaces can work well if permissions are secured. Consider proximity to a power source, as most projectors and speakers

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This Day in History on September 10: The Discovery of Neptune

1 month 2 weeks ago
September 10 has long been a date marked by significant moments that have shaped history across the world. On September 10, 1846, the world of science was captivated by the discovery of Neptune. Johann Galle and Heinrich d'Arrest, acting on predictions by Urbain Le Verrier, successfully observed the planet for the first time. This discovery not only expanded our understanding of the solar system but also demonstrated the power of mathematical prediction in astronomy. The arts have also found a place on this date. In 1897, the first modern Olympic Games were awarded to Athens, Greece, setting the stage for the revival of a tradition that celebrates athleticism and international unity. The Olympics have since grown into a global phenomenon that transcends cultural and political boundaries. September 10 has its place in technological history too. In 1960, the LCD (liquid crystal display) was first demonstrated by George H. Heilmeier and his team at RCA Laboratories. This innovation

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Programs for Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-Diversity Push

1 month 2 weeks ago

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.

The U.S. Department of Education has pulled funding for programs in eight states aimed at supporting students who have both hearing and vision loss, a move that could affect some of the country’s most vulnerable students.

The programs are considered vital in those states but represent only a little over $1 million a year in federal money. Nonetheless, they got caught in the Trump administration’s attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, with an Education Department spokesperson citing concerns about “divisive concepts” and “fairness” in acknowledging the decision to withhold the funding.

The funding, which was expected to continue through September 2028, will stop at the end of the month, according to letters from the Education Department to local officials that were obtained by ProPublica. The government gave the programs seven days to ask officials to reconsider the decision.

The programs, part of a national network of organizations for every state, provide training and resources to help families and educators support students who are deaf and blind, a condition known as deafblindness that affects the ability to process both auditory and visual information. Those students often have significant communication challenges and need specialized services and schooling. (Education Week first reported that the department had canceled grants related to special education.)

Nationally, there are about 10,000 children and young adults, from infants to 21-year-olds, who are deafblind and more than 1,000 in the eight affected states, according to the National Center on Deafblindness. The programs targeted by the Education Department are in Wisconsin, Oregon and Washington, as well as in New England, which is served by a consortium for Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont.

“How low can you go?” said Maurice Belote, co-chair of the National DeafBlind Coalition, which advocates for legislation that supports deafblind children and young adults. “How can you do this to children?”

In Oregon, the 2023 grant application for the deafblind program there included a statement about its commitment to address “inequities, racism, bias” and the marginalization of disability groups. It also attached the strategic plan for Portland Public Schools, where the Oregon DeafBlind Project is headquartered, that mentioned the establishment of a Center for Black Student Excellence — which is unrelated to the deafblind project. The Education Department’s letter said that those initiatives were “in conflict with agency policy and priorities.”

The director of the Wisconsin Deafblind Technical Assistance Project received a similar letter from the Education Department that said its work was at odds with the federal government’s new focus on “merit.” The letter noted that the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, which oversees the project, had a policy of ensuring that women, minorities and disabled veterans would be included in the hiring process.

The Education Department also was concerned about other words in the application, said Adrian Klenz, who works with deafblind adults in the state. He said he has talked with state officials about the discontinuation of the grant.

“I was told that apparently the administration is going through past grants and two words were flagged: One was transition and one was privilege,” Klenz said. “Transition — transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Privilege came up because a parent wrote a glowing review of staff that said what a privilege it was to work with them.” ProPublica obtained a copy of the grant application and confirmed that those words were included.

In a statement, Education Department Press Secretary Savannah Newhouse told ProPublica that the administration “is no longer allowing taxpayer dollars to go out the door on autopilot — we are evaluating every federal grant to ensure they are in line with the Administration’s policy of prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education.”

Newhouse said the Education Department renewed more than 500 special education grants that fund services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. She said the agency decided not to renew fewer than 35.

“Many of these use overt race preferences or perpetuate divisive concepts and stereotypes, which no student should be exposed to,” she said, adding that the funds will be put toward other programs.

The department started funding state-level programs to help deafblind students more than 40 years ago in response to the rubella epidemic in the late 1960s. While the population is small, it is among the most complex to serve; educators rely on the deafblindness programs for support and training.

Deafblind programs help educators learn the most effective ways to teach reading and connect families with state and local resources. The programs also tally the number of students across the country who are affected by deafblindness.

Disability advocates, who promote inclusion for people in their communities with disabilities, said they are struggling to reconcile how they can now be under attack for language about inclusion.

What’s more, under Joe Biden, who was president when the grant applications were submitted, language about diversity and inclusion efforts was required. The department at the time noted that “deafBlind children have complex needs and are among the most diverse groups of learners served” using federal special-education funds.

“We were required by the Biden administration to write a statement around equity,” said Lisa McConachie, of the Oregon DeafBlind Project, which serves 114 students in the state.

She said the Trump administration’s view of DEI is different from how inclusion is thought of by disability advocates. “Our passion and our mission is around advocacy for inclusion for kids with disabilities,” she said. “Students in special education are often marginalized in their schools. Students in special education are often excluded.”

Lanya Elsa, who lives in Washington and has two sons served by the state’s deafblind program, said the organization has provided strategies for her son’s educators over the years and has helped her connect with other families. She also is the former director of the Idaho program.

Elsa said that while the funding loss may seem small, “those vulnerable students have nothing else. It is devastating.”

The Education Department notified Wisconsin on Friday that funding for its deafblind program as well as a separate federal grant to recruit special-education teachers was being discontinued. Officials there plan to appeal, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

About 170 deafblind students in Wisconsin are served by that grant, which funds assistive technology tools, coaching, family support and professional training across the state. And the recruitment of special-education teachers was begun to address a severe shortage.

“Make no mistake, losing these funds will directly impact our ability to serve some of our most vulnerable kids,” Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly said in a written statement. “Losing these dollars at this point in the year will be devastating for the kids who need these supports the most.”

In Oregon, the impact will be felt soon. McConachie said about 20 families had signed up for a parent retreat next month to swap medical equipment, share resources and learn about services to help students when they get older.

“Gathering those families together is a lifeline for them,” she said. “These families are vulnerable and so are the kids.”

Without funding, the weekend will now be canceled. “The impact can’t be undone,” she said. “The disruption will be harmful for many years to come.”

by Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards

UPDATE: Detectives Arrest Man After Woman Shot, Killed in Mount Pleasant Neighborhood

1 month 2 weeks ago

UPDATE: A 32-year-old man has been arrested for this incident. The victim has been identified as 44-year-old Robyn Jones. The victim’s family has been notified. On September 7, 2025, around 1:30 a.m., District 1 officers responded to a shooting in the 4400 block of Minnesota. When officers arrived on scene, they found a woman, believed […]

The post UPDATE: Detectives Arrest Man After Woman Shot, Killed in Mount Pleasant Neighborhood appeared first on St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Mitch McCoy