The Social Security Administration (SSA), long regarded as a nonpartisan institution dedicated to serving the public, is facing sharp criticism after sending out a mass email this weekend lauding the passage of President Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” The message, signed by SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano, claimed the new law […]
Other News
State ends fiscal year with record revenue
by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois July 2, 2025 Article Summary: Illinois closed fiscal year 2025 with record $54 billion in revenue. While that marked a surplus from the enacted budget, the extra revenue was anticipated when lawmakers approved the current-year budget in May. It doesn’t give lawmakers any extra […]
Trump Administration Walks Back Epstein Files Claims as DOJ Finds No ‘Client List’ or Murder Plot
What began as a campaign pledge to expose the truth about Epstein’s network has morphed into a public relations disaster for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who repeatedly promised revelations that never materialized. The Trump administration’s highly publicized promises to release explosive Jeffrey Epstein files have ended with a dramatic reversal, […]
Barbecues, Borders, and Broken Ideals: The Fourth of July in 2025
For as long as I can remember, the Fourth of July was always my favorite holiday. There was something pure about it: no pressure to buy gifts, just the promise of smoky barbecue, fresh veggies, laughter echoing over lawn games, music drifting through the humid air, and fireworks shimmering in […]
NOAA Extends Controversial Satellite Data Termination to July 31, 2025
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has extended the termination date for critical weather satellite data to July 31, 2025, following an initial announcement that would have ended the service on June 30. The extension comes after NASA requested additional time and amid significant backlash from the meteorological community during […]
Tax Benefits Now, Bigger Consequences Later: The Projected Legacy of HR1
Republicans are setting up a celebration of HR1 (the One Big, Beautiful Bill) for the Fourth of July weekend while many of the most impactful parts of the measure will not be felt by the American people until the next president and congress is seated in 2028. The delayed impact […]
Fourth of July 2025: Champaign and Danville Area Event Guide
Thursday, July 3 Friday, July 4 Saturday, July 5
State Releases Updated List of High-Risk Lead Exposure ZIP Codes: Champaign and Vermilion Communities on Alert
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released its latest list of pediatric high-risk ZIP codes for lead exposure, highlighting several communities in Champaign and Vermilion counties as areas of concern. This designation means that children living in these ZIP codes are at increased risk for lead poisoning, a serious health […]
Trump to Visit New 5,000-Bed Immigration Detention Facility Dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”
The deportation and detention of immigrants in the United States has been political fodder for Trump administration officials and advisors since his second term began in Jan. 2025. From U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s selfie with detainees in El Salvador to Trump advisor Laura Loomer expressing enthusiasm about […]
DOJ Memo Signals Massive Expansion of Citizenship Revocation
The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a memorandum that expands the federal government’s pursuit of denaturalization, the revocation of citizenship from naturalized Americans. A June 11, 2025 memo, signed by Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, directs Civil Division attorneys to “prioritize and maximally pursue denaturalization proceedings in all cases […]