The Illinois Senate has passed a bill that would require all newly purchased school buses in the state to be equipped with seat belts by 2031. Senate Bill 191, sponsored by Senator Julie Morrison (D–Deerfield), mandates that every designated seating position in any newly purchased school bus have a combination […]
President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy,” have sparked significant concern among advocates for women, Black Americans, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities. Critics warn that these policies risk reversing decades of progress in combating discrimination and promoting financial independence for historically excluded groups. […]
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, a prominent American pastor, social justice activist, and Yale Divinity School professor, was arrested by U.S. Capitol Police while praying inside the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. on April 28. Barber was joined by two others-Rev. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Steve Swayne, director of the […]
The Trump administration reacted angrily Tuesday to reports that Amazon was considering displaying the costs of President Donald Trump’s tariffs directly alongside product prices on its platform. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the potential move a “hostile and political act,” showcasing the administration’s frustration with the idea of […]
Consumer confidence in the United States fell sharply for the fifth consecutive month in April, dropping to levels last seen at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index® declined by 7.9 points to 86.0 (1985=100), marking its lowest reading since May 2020. The decline was […]
A leaked federal budget proposal has revealed plans to eliminate specialized suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ youth through the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, launched in 2022, was designed as a universal, easy-to-remember number for individuals in mental health crisis-similar to 911 for […]
In a significant decision affecting hospitals that serve low-income patients, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 on Tuesday in favor of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a long-running dispute over how Medicare calculates extra payments to hospitals treating a disproportionate share of poor patients. The case, […]
Parkland College’s Support for Workforce Training (SWFT) program is set to launch a new Telecommunicator 9-1-1 training this summer, offering local residents a pathway into high-demand emergency dispatcher careers. The two-week training, which begins June 2, will be held through Parkland’s Office of Workforce Development and is open to community […]
An Illinois House Bill aimed at strengthening protections for students with disabilities by prohibiting certain waivers in special education agreements has passed the House and moved to the Senate for consideration. House Bill 2337 (HB2337), sponsored by State Representative Laura Faver Dias and a broad coalition of co-sponsors, seeks to […]
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans starting Monday, May 5. This marks the end of a pause that began in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The average amount of student loan debt college graduates leave with in […]
