Illinois
Route 66, America’s ‘Mother Road,’ readies for its centennial
From its earliest days, Route 66 has reflected the American culture of the moment. When the road connected Chicago to Los Angeles in 1926, it represented the possibility of the automobile. In the 1930s, it served as an east-to-west escape route from the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. By the 1950s, the 2,400-mile highway […]
Offshore wind in the Midwest? Some Great Lakes leaders think so.
Years from now, when Chicagoans stroll the Lake Michigan waterfront, they may see the blades of wind turbines glinting on the horizon. Clevelanders could glimpse wind farms over Lake Erie. And cities like Milwaukee and Buffalo could be vying to attract a burgeoning offshore wind industry on the Great Lakes. That’s the vision some regional leaders have […]
We’re not kitten: States could move to ban declawing of cats
Lawmakers in more than a dozen states have filed legislation this year to outlaw the declawing of cats, which many animal advocates and some veterinarians say is a cruel deforming of felines’ bodies and impedes their natural instincts to climb and scratch. Maryland last year joined New York, which prohibited declawing in 2019, as the […]
In Rush to Fight Climate Change, Cities Coordinate to Battle Heat With Trees
From Seattle to Palm Beach, Florida, city leaders agree that urban areas need more trees to alleviate the effects of climate change. Amid the growing attention to tree canopy — and an infusion of federal funding — more than a dozen cities are convening to share ideas and plan the urban forests of the future. […]
Spring Brings Commerce, Concerns for States Along Mississippi River
DUBUQUE, Iowa — As Old Man River slowly awakens from its winter slumber, eagles work the edges of the opening channels and marina docks groan as the slow current wrestles the ice. Anglers — and an occasional whitetail deer — tread cautiously on the big river. Just like any other early spring on the Upper […]
States With Legal Pot Consider How to Protect Cannabis Workers
Most cannabis dispensaries are cash-only businesses, constantly at risk of being robbed. Indoor growing facilities use harsh lighting, and plants get sprayed with pesticides. Those conditions can create daily hazards for cannabis workers, which is why labor organizers are trying to unionize them as legalization spreads and the marijuana workforce grows. “Cannabis consumers might assume […]
Democrats Divided Over Strikes by Teachers, Principals
Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed a bill allowing Chicago school principals to unionize and possibly go on strike. But Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, also a Democrat and in an equally liberal state, said just the other day she opposes legislation that would explicitly permit teachers to strike. Across the country, teachers and other […]
‘Ghost Buses’ Haunt Transit Agencies and Frustrate Riders
Noah Appelbaum was freezing on a bitterly cold evening as he stood waiting at a Chicago bus stop earlier this month. He was headed to work and didn’t want to be late. The bus-tracking app on his smartphone kept showing that the next bus would be there in just a few minutes. But that time […]
New Gun Restrictions Are Coming in States Where Democrats Reign
Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct the date of the mass shooting in Oxford, Michigan. Illinois lawmakers wasted no time in the new legislative session, taking just five days to pass major gun safety measures that include a ban on semi-automatic rifles, high-capacity magazines and gun attachments that simulate automatic fire. In signing the […]
States Put Grocery Taxes on Ice
As inflation soared in the past year, families in some states suffered a double whammy — paying food sales taxes on top of higher-priced groceries. At least five of the 13 states where groceries were taxed as of last Jan. 1 passed laws to reduce, eliminate or ease the pinch — Kansas, Virginia, Illinois, Tennessee and […]
Motley Marijuana Laws Drive Consumers — and Revenue — Across State Lines
SOUTH BELOIT, Ill. — Less than half a mile south of the Wisconsin border in Illinois, the Sunnyside Cannabis Dispensary bustles with activity. Cars with license plates from Wisconsin, Minnesota and other pot-banning states slide in and out of the shop’s expansive parking lot. The bright and airy retail store is an easy hop off […]
‘Green Banks,’ Poised for Billions in Climate Funds, Draw States’ Attention
In recent years, several states have created or helped to fund specialized banks that lend money to homeowners and businesses for energy-saving and climate projects. Now, states have billions more reasons to establish such institutions, known as green banks. Congress last year approved a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund of billion, largely to pour money into […]