OAK BROOK, Illinois, April 19 -- Ace Hardware, a retailer-owned hardware cooperative, issued the following news: Ace Hardware, the world's largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative, announced today the launch of Vintage Threads(TM) - a collection of high-quality shirts and hats that feature historic logos from Ace Hardware's history, some dating back to the company's founding in 1924. The new product line is part of the retailer's 100-year anniversary celebrations taking place this year. "We  more

NORTHBROOK, Illinois, April 19 (TNSres) -- Allstate, a property and casualty insurance company, issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) today announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of March of $328 million or $259 million, after-tax. March month catastrophe losses include six events estimated at $343 million or $271 million, after-tax, with approximately 80% of the losses related to one hail event, partially offset by favorable re  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- Duane Morris, a law firm, issued the following news release: Duane Morris LLP has released the Duane Morris Antitrust Class Action Review - 2024, the inaugural edition of this publication. It analyzes the key rulings, settlements and litigation developments in 2023 in the antitrust class action space and the significant trends that are apt to impact these types of lawsuits in 2024. Written by Duane Morris partners Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Jennifer A. Riley, with  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- RSM U.S., an independent audit, tax and consulting firm, issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: RSM, the leading global assurance, tax and consulting provider to the middle market, today announced that Ernest John Nedder will succeed Jean Stephens as the new Chief Executive Officer for RSM International, effective June 1, 2024. Ernest "E.J." Nedder is currently Partner and Chief Strategy Officer for RSM US LLP, where he leads the development, commun  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Institute of Technology issued the following news release: In a rapidly urbanizing world, where 70 percent of the global population is projected to live in cities by 2050, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) have positioned themselves at the forefront of architectural education with their groundbreaking Master of Tall Buildings and Vertical Urbanism (M.TBVU) program. A year and a half sin  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- GE HealthCare, a subsidiary of General Electric, issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: GE HealthCare (Nasdaq: GEHC) today announced the launch of the Voluson Signature 20 and 18 ultrasound systems, which comprehensively integrate artificial intelligence (AI), advanced tools and an ergonomic design to speed exam time for clinicians while delivering a clearer picture of various conditions impacting women's health. These latest systems combine high-per  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- Governors State University issued the following news release: Citing historic underfunding for Governors State University (GovState), President Cheryl Green asked the state's Higher Education Appropriation committees to consider a 12 percent budget increase for FY25, netting an additional $3.1M over FY24 or a total appropriation of $29 million. Despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker's proposed 2 percent increase for higher education for FY25, Dr. Green thanked him for th  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- Grubhub, an online food delivery marketplace, issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: Grubhub and Mercato, an online marketplace for independent grocery stores, have partnered to bring Mercato's inventory of more than 950 merchants across the country to the Grubhub Marketplace. Customers can order from hundreds of locations today, with all merchants becoming available over the next few weeks. With this first-ever third-party delivery partnership for M  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release: The Illinois Commerce Commission recently approved stipulated agreements to replace outdated crossing warning devices at two Illinois Central Railroad highway-rail grade crossings (AAR/DOT #292858Y and #291241P) along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the City of Decatur. "Keeping Illinoisans safe on and alongside train tracks is a top priority for the ICC," said ICC Commissioner Michael T. Car  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release: The Illinois Commerce Commission recently approved a stipulated agreement to install new automated warning devices and grade improvements at the County Road 1550 North highway-rail grade crossing (AAR/DOT #289107D) of Illinois Central Railroad Company's track near Tuscola. "Keeping Illinoisans safe on and alongside train tracks is a top priority for the ICC," said ICC Commissioner Michael T.   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release: The Illinois Commerce Commission recently approved a stipulated agreement to install new automated warning devices at multiple Fayette County roads that intersect CSX Transportation Inc.'s tracks. The upgraded highway-rail grade crossings will include County Road 2000 East (AAR/DOT #546476J) near St. Elmo; County Road 1950 East (AAR/DOT #546478X) and County Road 1900 East (AAR/DOT #546477R) ne  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release: The Illinois Commerce Commission recently approved two stipulated agreements to install new automated warning devices and gates at multiple Knox County highway-rail grade crossings. Safety improvements will be made to the County Road 2800 North (AAR/DOT #065616E) crossing of BNSF Railway Company's track in near Rio and the County Road 2200 North (AAR/DOT #065607F) and the County Highway 35 (AA  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Commerce Commission issued the following news release: The Illinois Commerce Commission recently approved a stipulated agreement to install new automated warning devices at the South 32nd St highway-rail grade crossing (AAR/DOT #292952M) of Illinois Central Railroad Company's track in the City of Mattoon. "Keeping Illinoisans safe on and alongside train tracks is a top priority for the ICC," said ICC Commissioner Michael T. Carrigan. "The Grade C  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced his legislation to clarify that Illinois' child pornography laws apply to images and videos created by artificial intelligence (AI) technology was passed by the House of Representatives. The measure builds on the work being done by Attorney General Raoul's office, in collaboration with state and federal law enforcement agencie  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Auditor General issued the following compliance examination on April 18, 2024, involving Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Here are excerpts: * * * FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS VOUCHER PROCESSING WEAKNESSES The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (Committee) did not exercise adequate control over voucher processing. During testing of 27 non-payroll and non-travel vouchers, we noted the following: * Two (7%) vouchers   more

BOLINGBROOK, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Working to expand access to better and more affordable healthcare coverage for Illinois families, state Rep. Dagmara "Dee" Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, is backing a new measure aimed to reduce costs and hold big insurance companies accountable. "We all know someone who's struggled to afford medical care or has been hit with skyrocketing insurance premiums. We must cultivate a health care system that works for   more

BOLINGBROOK, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: State Rep. Dagmara "Dee" Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, is cracking down on junk fees that cost consumers an estimated $90 billion per year, with a new measure that holds businesses accountable for charges added on top of advertised purchase prices. "Transparency is key in building trust between businesses and consumers. My colleagues and I are committed to re-establishing this trust with this first-of-its-kind   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Illinois families are set to benefit from improved and more cost-effective health care coverage through a new initiative supported by state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado of Chicago. This measure focuses on reducing health care costs and enhancing the quality of care for individuals and families across the state. "Prioritizing the urgent health needs of our families is essential," Delgado said. "This legislation   more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, and members of the House Democratic New Arrivals Working Group are seeking to curb inhumane, politically motivated busing of migrants from border states with new criminal and civil penalties for dropping off passengers at unsafe locations and at unscheduled times. "This measure is the result of months of work by the New Arrivals Working Group in conjunctio  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Illinois families will have access to better and more affordable health care coverage under a new measure backed by state Rep. Elizabeth 'Lisa' Hernandez, D-Cicero, aiming to reduce costs and hold big insurance companies accountable. "Families in my community suffer because the profits of large insurance companies have been prioritized over their health and wellbeing, but this legislation shifts our focu  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Reproductive health decisions will be better protected under a new bill passed by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, ensuring that employers, landlords, financial institutions, and others can never discriminate against a person on the basis of contraception decisions, utilization of abortion care, or fertility treatment including in vitro fertilization. "No one should ever face stigma for making dec  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news on April 18, 2024: State Rep. Lilian Jimenez, D-Chicago, passed a measure on Wednesday to open up state funds for homelessness advocacy organizations to handle case loads. "On-the-ground organizations are in a bind: they want to help their homeless populations, but they don't have the staff and administrative capacity to do so," Jimenez said. "As more people face homelessness because of rising housing and  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Victims of auto theft will be better protected under a new measure passed by state Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-South Holland, preventing insurance companies from denying needed coverage because of the circumstances of a crime. "Insurance companies have been finding loopholes to deny customers coverage for too long," Jones said. "No one chooses to get their car stolen so owners shouldn't have to pay for someon  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: State Rep. Mike Kelly, D-Chicago, is supporting first responders and their families by passing a pair of bills assisting first responders who have been injured, disabled or killed in the line of duty out of the Illinois House of Representatives. "As Vice-Chair of the Police & Fire Committee and a firefighter for nearly 20 years, I understand the importance of helping those who have sacrificed in the name  more

ROMEOVILLE, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: As part of the larger effort to eliminate the teacher shortage in Illinois, State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is encouraging local high schools to apply for the CTE Education Career Pathway Grants, which prepares students for a career in education. "There is an urgent need to address the teacher shortage in Illinois, and one thing is fundamentally clear -- we must do more to invest in our future educato  more

ROMEOVILLE, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Grandparents and other relatives caring for children will have better access to resources and support under a new bill advanced by state Rep. Natalie Manley, D- Joliet, allowing area agencies on aging and other local agencies to provide support to caregivers. "As a mother and grandmother, I'm constantly reminded of the countless grandparents and caregivers across our state who share the same love and resp  more

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: Illinois families will have access to better and more affordable health care coverage under a new measure backed by state Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, aiming to reduce costs and hold big insurance companies accountable. "The fact of the matter is that healthcare has for far too long centered the needs of large, multi-billion dollar corporations versus those of working families and underserved communities,  more

BLOOMINGTON, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois House Democrats issued the following news: State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, is working to protect taxpayers from the high cost of flood damage to critical infrastructure by passing bipartisan legislation through the Illinois House of Representatives to make sure Illinois state properties receive federal assistance for floods. "We know that natural disasters are a matter of when, not if," said Chung. "When our state buildings and infrastruc  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- The Illinois Senate Republicans issued the following news April 18, 2024: Members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus are calling attention to serious issues with a proposed funding formula for the state's higher education system. The Senators held a press conference on April 18th to inform the public about the changes that could be coming to university funding. "Our universities play a vital role in shaping our state's future, so it is important that any ne  more

BLOOMINGTON, Illinois, April 19 -- Illinois Wesleyan University issued the following news release: Professor of Mathematics Zahia Drici was awarded the highest teaching honor at Illinois Wesleyan University on April 17 as the 2025 recipient of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. The recipient is selected by a committee of faculty and is based on nominations from colleagues. Supported by the Kemp Foundation, the award recognizes teaching spirit, passion, scholarship and service.  more

ASHLAND, Ohio, April 19 (TNSres) -- Ashland University issued the following news: Dan Hogan is excited to start his in-person classes this summer at Ashland University. "I'm registering for some really interesting classes on Race and the 14th Amendment and From the Schoolhouse to the Courthouse," said Hogan, who will be working toward a Master of American History and Government (MAHG) degree. "I'm excited to see what other course offerings are available in upcoming semesters." Hogan, a high s  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- Kirkland and Ellis, a law firm, issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: Kirkland & Ellis represented Benchmark Energy (Benchmark), a subsidiary of Acacia Research Corp. (Nasdaq: ACTG) and McArron Partners, in obtaining a new $150 million secured revolving credit facility from Frost Bank, along with a syndicate of other Texas-based regional banks. The new credit facility refinances existing indebtedness, supports ongoing working capital needs, and hel  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 (TNSres) -- Circana, a company that says it is a leading advisor on the complexity of consumer behavior, issued the following news release on April 18, 2024: In March 2024, U.S. retail sales revenue and unit demand, including both discretionary general merchandise and consumer packaged goods (CPG), grew 2% compared to the same month last year. However, retail sales during the week ending April 6, 2024 declined across all retail segments when compared to the week of E  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- Mayer Brown, a law firm, issued the following news: Mayer Brown has achieved significant success at the IJGlobal Awards 2023 for Asia Pacific, winning the "Oil & Gas Deal of the Year - LNG Terminal" award for advising on Hong Kong's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. Mayer Brown advised the project developer, Hong Kong LNG Terminal Limited (HKLTL), a joint venture between Castle Peak Power Company Limited (CAPCO) and The Hongkong Electric Co., Ltd. (HK E  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 -- McDermott Will and Emery, a law firm, issued the following news release: International law firm McDermott Will & Emery represented MCN Investments Ltd., a holding company for Habi, the leading residential real estate technology company in Latin America, in the structuring, negotiation and documentation of a $30 million financing agreement with the International Finance Corporation and Victory Park Capital. The investment will improve the buying and selling proces  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 19 (TNSres) -- The University of Chicago issued the following news: Two members of the University of Chicago faculty have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a distinguished lifetime honor within the scientific community. Profs. Guangbin Dong and Benoit Roux have made breakthroughs in organic synthetic chemistry and biophysics. They join the 2023 class, announced April 18, which includes scientists, engineers and innovato  more

MACOMB, Illinois, April 19 -- Western Illinois University issued the following news release: Last week ended on a high note, with the Western Illinois University Foundation and Development Office hosting the annual Major Donor Banquet. This year's theme, Celebrating Generosity, did just that. More than 350 alumni and friends filled the University Union Grand Ballroom for an evening celebrating philanthropy in action at WIU. Attendees heard updates on For the W: The Campaign for Western Illinoi  more