CHICAGO, Illinois, April 11 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Midwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on April 10, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area - March 2024": * * * Area prices were up 0.6 percent over the past two months, up 2.7 percent from a year ago * * * Prices in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), a  more

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, April 11 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Mountain-Plains Regional Information Office issued the following report on April 10, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, Midwest Region - March 2024": * * * Area prices were up 0.7 percent in March, up 2.8 percent over the year * * * Prices in the Midwest Region, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.7 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Lab  more

WASHINGTON, April 11 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following opening statement on April 10, 2024, by Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger at the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee meeting: * * * Welcome to Kansas City, Missouri. First, I would like to thank our hosts at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. I am also glad that we could have this meeting in conjunction with AgCon, and I want to thank the Chairman for continuing the tradition of holding Ag  more

SANFORD, Florida, April 11 -- Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida, issued the following news release on April 9, 2024: This week, First Lady Casey DeSantis joined officers from the Sanford Police Department for a law enforcement de-escalation training at Decision Tactical's facility. The First Lady also met with families of fallen officers and awarded the Seminole County Sheriff's Office Community Foundation and Central Florida Concerns of Police Survivors nonprofits with $20,000 each through the Hope  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 10, 2024: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim today announced $25.1 million is being awarded to 20 applicants for electric vehicle charging infrastructure under the Driving a Cleaner Illinois program. The grants will fund 643 new Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) ports at 141 locations throughout the state. The awards are based on   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 10 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Working families will have better access to affordable, adequate health care under a new measure sponsored by state Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, aiming to reduce costs and hold insurance companies accountable. "For far too long, big health insurance companies have continually reduced amenities and found loopholes to lessen their costs while doing very little to help plan holders," said Scherer. "Since th  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on April 10, 2024: A measure led by State Senator Laura Ellman to make the property tax exemption process easier for qualified seniors passed the Senate on Tuesday. "My goal is to make property taxes seamless for seniors and remove their worries about the application process," said Ellman (D-Naperville). "We are building on what has worked for our seniors in previous years, and this legislation extends t  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: A measure led by State Senator Laura Ellman to mitigate the opioid crisis by providing free fentanyl test strips advanced out of the Senate Wednesday. "The opioid crisis in Illinois continues to be a source of concern for families, and the state is taking an important step to keeping our residents safe from fentanyl-laced substances," said Ellman (D-Naperville). "This life-saving resource should be acce  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on April 10, 2024: State Senator Laura Ellman's legislation to prioritize water protections by targeting critical water issues and implementing necessary recommendations passed the Senate on Tuesday, moving it one step closer to becoming law. "Access to clean, high-quality water is vital to sustaining a healthy and safe future for everyone," said Ellman (D-Naperville). "This measure will allow Illinois t  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: State Senator Adriane Johnson championed a measure to require certain non-profit organizations to disclose the aggregate demographic data of their boards of directors and officers, and to make this information available on their website. "We are taking vital steps to support diversity and inclusion in the non-profit sector," said Johnson (D - Buffalo Grove). "While individual board members can decline t  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: State Senator Robert Martwick has advanced a measure that would prohibit municipalities from discharging police officers due to a line-of-duty injury. "With this measure, we are giving our dedicated police officers the same protections that we offer to our firefighters," said Martwick (D-Chicago). "First responders should never be at risk of losing their job because of a work-related disability." Martw  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: To help physicians meet patients' end-of-life wishes, State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to create an electronic registry to store treatment preferences for critically ill individuals. "How much or how little treatment a person receives at the end of their life should be up to each individual instead of the one-size-fits-all approach," said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). "This measure will enable   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: The cost of managing diabetes can be a significant burden for many families. To help ease the financial strain experienced by people with the condition, State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to expand insurance coverage for medically necessary glucose monitors and related supplies. "Being forced to make the choice between insulin and other necessities is unacceptable," said Morrison (D-Lake Fore  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: Under a new measure from State Senator Laura Murphy, residents of mobile home parks could see improved transparency and protections. "Access to information about tenants' rights is crucial for promoting stability and preventing exploitation," said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). "Empowering residents allows them to make informed decisions and advocate for themselves and their rights effectively." Under current  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: In an effort to safeguard the rights of young people, State Senator Robert Peters advanced a measure out of the Senate to update regulations on child labor to shield young individuals from exploitation. "This measure shows we're committed to keeping young people in the workforce safe," said Peters (D-Chicago). "Protecting youth in work environments gives them the opportunity to learn and grow while cont  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: State Senator Robert Peters is working hard to help more people affected by crime by expanding assistance under the Crime Victims Compensation Program. "We need a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to support people affected by crime on their journey to justice," said Peters (D-Chicago). "Each person is different and it's important that our laws take into account the diverse range of experiences   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: Last summer, significant flooding hit Cook County in the wake of historic storms, leaving numerous properties with immense damage and leading President Joe Biden to approve a federal disaster declaration for the area. In response, State Senator Mike Porfirio is leading legislation to address future flooding concerns by giving renters the right to receive critical information about a property's flooding h  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: Promoting an environmentally conscious approach to hospitality, State Senator Laura Fine passed a measure out of the Senate to phase out the use of small, single-use plastic bottles in hotels across Illinois. "According to researchers, by 2050, plastic could outweigh all fish in the oceans," said Fine (D-Glenview). "Personal products available in plastic bottles are common in hotels and pose immediate r  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news on April 10, 2024: Burdensome medical debt can quickly snowball, making it difficult for people to keep up with the cost and, in turn, affecting their credit scores. During a press conference Wednesday, State Senator Steve Stadelman outlined his measure aimed at prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from including adverse information related to medical debt in credit reports. "Medical debt should not b  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Democrats issued the following news: To create continued opportunities in higher education for immigrants, State Senator Ram Villivalam advanced a measure out of the Senate Higher Education Committee to expand pathways for an individual to be eligible for in-state tuition. "Expanding eligibility pathways for in-state tuition is vital to providing affordable and accessible higher education for all people within our communities," said Villiv  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Republicans issued the following news on April 10, 2024: State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) continues his advocacy to address food deserts across the state by unanimously passing Senate Bill 3265 off the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon. "Our state is making great strides in raising awareness to the food desert problem that several of our local communities face," said Senator Fowler. "Addressing food deserts requires a multifaceted approac  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Republicans issued the following news: State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) passed legislation to potentially help save lives by requiring automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be present at all school locations and events. "While AEDs are already required under state law to be accessible at any physical fitness facility on public and private school premises, it only made sense to further extend the protection provided by AEDs   more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Republicans issued the following news: Even when a person has passed away, governments may still be charging them interest and penalties on property taxes, creating significant financial issues for their heirs. State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) is advancing legislation to help provide relief. "Government shouldn't be taxing and fining people who are dead, it's that simple," said Senator McClure. "This is a commonsense idea that will   more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 11 -- The Illinois Senate Republicans issued the following news on April 10, 2024: Help is coming for organizations that provide affordable housing to at-risk veterans, thanks to legislation passed by State Senator Sally Turner (R-Beason). Her legislation unanimously passed the Senate on April 9th. The 2023 Electric Vehicle Charging Act requires all new affordable housing developments to include EV-capable parking spaces. After the Act's enactment, the Central Illinois  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 11 -- Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs issued the following news release: Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs likely has missing money for you, your spouse, your business or your favorite charity. Hundreds of thousands of people have billions of dollars in cash and property they have not claimed under the Illinois State Treasurer's I-Cash program, which safeguards unclaimed property including unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts an  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 11 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Midwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on April 10, 2024, entitled "Consumer Price Index, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Area - March 2024": * * * Prices in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), advanced 0.6 percent in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table A.) Regional Commiss  more

WASHINGTON, April 10 -- The National Labor Relations Board issued the following weekly case summary for March 25-29, 2024: * * * Summarized Board Decisions Universal Protection Services, LLC d/b/a Allied Universal Security Services (12-CA-305972; 373 NLRB No. 38) (https://apps.nlrb.gov/link/document.aspx/09031d4583cbf6bf) Homestead, FL, March 27, 2024. The Board granted the General Counsel's Motion for Summary Judgment in this test-of-certification case on the ground that the Respondent fail  more

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina, April 10 -- The U.S. Army Reserve Command issued the following news: CHICAGO - In the heart of baseball season's opening day, where fans eagerly filled the stadium, another significant presence was there -- the proud representation of the Army. Leaders from all three components of the Army, Army civilians and community partners attended the Chicago White Sox home opener at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on March 28, 2024. Brig. Gen. Antoinette   more

WASHINGTON, April 11 -- The White House issued the following transcript of a news call via via teleconference by Vice President Kamala Harris on reducing gun violence and expanding background checks: * * * THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Stef, for the introduction and for your longstanding leadership on the issue of gun violence. And to everyone, thank you for joining. So, I'll start with this. Every person in our nation has a right to live free from the horror of gun violence. I do believe   more