Illinois fiscal rankings, waste survey, and water hearing converge

 

Illinois was the focus of three recent developments: U.S. News & World Report ranked the state near the bottom for long-term fiscal stability this week, the University of Illinois Extension launched a household food-waste survey in Urbana to gather behavioral data, and residents in Bolingbrook publicly opposed Illinois American Water’s...

Judge restricts comments as family faces abuse charges

 

Hamden, Ohio — On June 30 police removed 16 children from a Hamden residence and this week Vinton County prosecutors charged four family members, including Gary Siders Jr., with child endangering and related counts. On Tuesday a judge signed a gag order in the case, restricting public comment by those...

United States issues urgent warning to formula industry

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday, July 13, 2026, issued an urgent letter to the infant formula industry and its supply chain partners after back-to-back multistate infant botulism outbreaks linked to powdered formula. The letter, sent to manufacturers, packagers, distributors, exporters, importers and retailers, demands immediate, rigorous supplier...

Brooklyn singer Ariana Grande fuels Ricky Alvarez reunion rumors

 

Ariana Grande altered the lyrics of her 2018 hit “Thank U, Next” during the opening night of her Eternal Sunshine concert residency at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on July 13, 2026, prompting renewed speculation about a possible reunion with ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez. Instead of the original line, “Now I listen and...

California faces Paramount threat to relocate headquarters

 

LOS ANGELES, California – California faces a high-stakes clash with one of its most prominent entertainment companies as Paramount Global considers relocating its corporate headquarters and shifting up to $30 billion in planned annual spending out of the state. People familiar with internal discussions say close confidantes and advisers to...

Minnesota obtains federal bodycam evidence in ICE shootings

 

Minneapolis officials said Monday they obtained body-worn camera footage and hard drives from federal authorities in the January shootings that killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced at a press conference, noting the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has Good's car and related statements for forensic...

Washington justices seek expanded security funding amid threats

 

In Washington on July 14, 2026, U.S. Supreme Court Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee to defend the Court’s budget request and urge millions in additional funds for security. The rare testimony, the first by sitting justices before Congress since 2019 outside of...

U.S. funds ReElement expansion, joins NSF critical consortium

 

Marion, Indiana — ReElement Technologies, a minority-held affiliate of American Resources Corp, this week received a $25 million award from the U.S. Department of War’s Industrial Base Fund to expand rare-earth and critical mineral refining capacity at its Marion campus, financing equipment, production-line installation and working capital to scale commercial...

Cheyenne Annexes 3,500 Acres for Microsoft Data Campus

 

Cheyenne, Wyo. — The Cheyenne City Council approved a roughly 3,460–3,500-acre annexation this week after multi-hour hearings held Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, expanding the city by about 20% to accommodate a Microsoft data center campus; Microsoft closed on the property June 26 after purchasing the land from the family...

Atlanta: Angel Reese double-double lifts Dream

 

ATLANTA, Georgia — Angel Reese returned from a one-game injury absence on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, and delivered 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Dream to a 101-92 win over the Los Angeles Sparks at Gateway Center Arena. Reese, who had missed Saturday’s loss to the Portland...