If you’re a U.S. consumer trying to stretch your paycheck right now, there’s good and bad news. Inflation ticked up slightly in June, according to official government data. However, new tariffs on imported goods threaten to drive up prices across a wide range of products, especially essentials like food, clothing, and cars, in the months ahead. Here’s what you need to know as you head into the […]
Author: Dani Tietz
Justice Department Issues Guidance to Implement Trump’s English-Only Executive Order
The U.S. Department of Justice has issued new guidance to federal agencies in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order officially designating English as the language of the federal government. Signed by President Trump in March 2025, Executive Order No. 14,224 declares English the official language of the United States. […]
States File Federal Lawsuit to Unfreeze $6 Billion in Withheld Education Funds
A coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia filed a landmark lawsuit in federal court this week, alleging that the U.S. Department of Education and Office of Management and Budget unlawfully froze over $6 billion in funding for vital K-12 and adult education programs. The states argue this freeze, […]
Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden-Era Rule to Remove Medical Debt from Credit Reports
On July 11, Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan of the Eastern District of Texas vacated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) rule titled “Prohibition on Creditors and Consumer Reporting Agencies Concerning Medical Information (Regulation V).” This rule, adopted in January 2025, would have prohibited consumer reporting agencies from including […]
Supreme Court Clears Path for Trump’s Education Department Dismantling in 6-3 Ruling
The Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration’s request to lift a lower court injunction that had blocked the mass firing of nearly 1,400 Department of Education employees, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to continue his efforts to dismantle the federal agency. The decision, which appeared to split […]
Lawmakers Decry “Internment Camp” Conditions at Alligator Alcatraz Detention Facility in Florida Everglades
On July 12, a group of Democratic lawmakers held a press conference following their tour of the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades. The press conference, featuring Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Darren Soto (FL-9), painted a disturbing picture of conditions inside […]
Champaign County Clerk and Recorder’s Office Relocates to New Downtown Urbana Location
The Champaign County Clerk and Recorder’s Office has officially moved to a new home on the first floor of the Bennett Administrative Center at 102 E. Main St., Urbana, IL 61801. The relocation was completed ahead of schedule. Nearly all services provided by the Clerk and Recorder’s Office are now […]
Two Shoes and Urbana Review to Headline Summer Concert Series at Middle Fork River Forest Preserve
Music fans across Champaign County are gearing up for an evening of live entertainment as the Summer Concert Series presents Two Shoes and Urbana Review on July 19. The concert will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve. Two Shoes, known for their […]
Federal Court Blocks Enforcement of Executive Order Restricting Birthright Citizenship
A federal judge in New Hampshire has issued a classwide preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the Biden administration’s controversial executive order, “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship.” The order, which sought to restrict the automatic granting of U.S. citizenship to certain children born on American soil, will […]
CDC Reports Sharp Rise in U.S. Measles Cases: Over 1,200 Confirmed in 2025
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a significant surge in measles cases across the United States, with 1,288 confirmed cases as of July 8, 2025. This marks the highest case count since 2019 and signals a growing public health concern as outbreaks spread to 39 jurisdictions […]
