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What the government shutdown means for USDA agencies

2 months 3 weeks ago
Nearly half of U.S. Department of Agriculture employees will be furloughed during the federal government shutdown, though key programs that support nutrition, forest preservation and wildfire prevention, the most pressing plant and animal diseases and agricultural commodity assessments will continue. Many offices, including county USDA service centers, will be closed or operating with minimal staff […]
Cami Koons

Louisiana issues arrest warrant for California doctor who allegedly sent abortion pills

2 months 3 weeks ago
Louisiana has issued an arrest warrant for a California doctor for allegedly mailing abortion pills to a Louisiana woman  — the latest legal volley in an ongoing fight between states with abortion bans and those that have enacted protections for abortion providers who use telemedicine to send abortion medication over state lines. The existence of […]
Nada Hassanein

Missouri, Illinois lawmakers react to government shutdown

2 months 3 weeks ago
Missouri and Illinois lawmakers are split sharply along party lines after the federal government shut down Wednesday, with Republicans accusing Democrats of blocking a plan to keep the government open and Democrats blaming Republican leaders for refusing to address what they call a self-inflicted health care crisis.
Alex Barton

NGRREC Hosts 23rd Annual Water Festival

2 months 3 weeks ago
GODFREY – The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC?) held the 23rd Annual Water Festival Sept. 26 on Lewis and Clark Community College’s Godfrey campus. This year’s festival was the largest to date, with 975 fifth graders from 11 area schools participating in the event. Pictured, a group of students from St. Norbert School in Hardin learn about boating safety from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the National Safe Boating Council’s Wear It campaign. To learn more about Water Festival and other educational programs offered by NGRREC, contact Environmental Educator Erica Doerr at edoerr@lc.edu . National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) Founded in 2002 as a collaborative partnership between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Lewis and Clark Community College, NGRREC is dedicated to the study of great river systems and the communities that use them. The center

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Gov. Pritzker Announces Largest Infrastructure Program in State History

2 months 3 weeks ago
CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined state and local leaders, labor and transportation stakeholders today to announce the largest multi-year program to build and repair infrastructure in state history: $50.6 billion over six years, continuing an unprecedented investment in safety, mobility and quality of life made possible by the Governor’s Rebuild Illinois capital program. The new program, spread across all modes of transportation and touching every Illinois county, also includes $400 million to support 223 local projects. These projects, ranging from street and transit upgrades to bike and pedestrian improvements, are based on priorities submitted by counties, cities, townships, transit districts and other local agencies. ? “Today, I’m proud to launch the latest roadmap – the largest in the history of the Illinois Department of Transportation,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Over the next six years

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Reagan-Appointed Judge Torches Trump Admin’s Bullshit Chilling Effects Campaign Against Pro-Palestinian Speech

2 months 3 weeks ago
We’ve spent plenty of time talking about various people who are failing to meet this moment, but I will say that a number of district court judges have really been stepping up. The latest example is Reagan-appointed conservative Judge William Young (who had previously—somewhat sarcastically—mocked the Supreme Court’s ridiculous abuse of the shadow docket), who […]
Mike Masnick

Fall Trout Season Opens In Illinois Oct. 18

2 months 3 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD – The 2025 Illinois fall trout fishing season will open Saturday, Oct. 18 at 60 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state. Early fall catch-and-release trout fishing will open at select sites on Oct. 4. No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites until the season opens at 5 a.m. Oct. 18. The daily catch limit is five trout. All anglers must have an Illinois fishing license and inland trout stamp which are available at IDNR license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores, and other retail outlets. Check the IDNR agent locator website for locations. The public can purchase fishing licenses and trout stamps online. The Illinois Catchable Trout Program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the fall season. An additional

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Hawley Wants Answers from FEMA on Slow Tornado Assistance Response

2 months 3 weeks ago

From St. Louis Public Radio: U.S. Sen. John Hawley, R-Mo., says he wants answers after reports the Federal Emergency Management Agency delayed response to the May 16 EF3 tornado that ripped through St. Louis. In a letter to FEMA, Hawley said residents of disaster areas should receive approved federal assistance in a “timely manner.” “St. […]

The post Hawley Wants Answers from FEMA on Slow Tornado Assistance Response appeared first on Construction Forum.

Tom Finan

Daily Deal: The Ultimate Unity Game Development Bundle

2 months 3 weeks ago
The Ultimate Unity Game Development Bundle has 4 courses are designed to designed to teach about game dev and how to create your own games using the Unity engine. You’ll learn about the fundamentals of C# programming, 2D and 3D game development, mobile game development, how to build amazing cutscenes, and more. It’s on sale […]
Daily Deal

Lane Closures On Eastbound I-64 In St. Clair County Begin Oct. 3

2 months 3 weeks ago
EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that lane closures on eastbound Interstate 64 between 15th and 25th streets in St. Clair County will begin, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, for bridge deck patching. Traffic will be reduced to one lane. All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 6. 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. 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 .

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Attorney General Raoul, Department Of Labor Urge Illinois Supreme Court To Reject Amazon's Attempt To Limit State Minimum Wage Law

2 months 3 weeks ago
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) today urged the Illinois Supreme Court to reject Amazon’s request to limit the Illinois Minimum Wage Law in a lawsuit filed against the company by its Illinois warehouse workers. Raoul and IDOL filed an amicus brief in Johnson v. Amazon.com Services LLC in support of the workers, who say Amazon failed to pay them for time they spent undergoing mandatory public-health screenings at the warehouses before their work shifts. “Illinois law goes further than federal law when it comes to protecting the rights of our workers,” Raoul said. “In Illinois, when a worker is required to spend their valuable time at a workplace for pre-shift tasks, they’re entitled to be paid for that time. I will continue advocating for Illinois workers and ensuring our wage-and-hour standards are respected and enforced.” “Illinois law is clear that workers must be paid for the time

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Comptroller Mendoza Highlights Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a Warning About Phishing, Smishing and Vishing

2 months 3 weeks ago
SPRINGFIELD – October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza is reminding the public to be wary of potentially fraudulent emails, texts and phone calls. The Illinois Office of Comptroller sends out more than 11,000 checks a day, so cybersecurity is a vital component of daily operations. The public also needs to make sure they are constantly on the lookout for attempts to steal their personal data. “These scams used to be easier to spot because of poor grammar and obviously bogus looking messages,” said Comptroller Mendoza. “But with the explosion of AI technology, it’s getting harder and harder to discern what’s legit and what’s fake.” There are several ways con artists are trying to lure people into giving up their personal information and ultimately their hard-earned money: Phishing: Phishing occurs when cybercriminals use emails to try and get people to divulge information that could lead to

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