Stories by Associated Press
EPA to Limit Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
| Associated Press
The plan would limit toxic PFAS chemicals to the lowest level that tests can detect. PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated substances, are a group of compounds that are widespread, dangerous and expensive to remove from water.
Biden Administration Lets Ukrainians Who Fled War Stay in US
| Associated Press
The Homeland Security Department said the extension is for certain Ukrainian nationals and their immediate family members who were let into the U.S. before the Uniting for Ukraine program started.
2 Large Banks Catering to Tech Industry Have Collapsed. Here’s What Comes Next.
| Associated Press
Over the last three days, the U.S. seized the two financial institutions after a bank run on Silicon Valley Bank, based in Santa Clara, California. It was the largest bank failure since Washington Mutual went under in 2008. How did we get here? And will the steps the government unveiled over the weekend be enough?
‘It’s Hard to Focus’: Schools Say American Kids Are Hungry
| Associated Press
Soaring food prices are adding strains on families who are seeing reductions in multiple kinds of financial assistance. One federal program that ends this month had given nearly 30 million Americans extra food stamps during the pandemic.
Chicago Bears Trade No. 1 Pick in NFL Draft to Carolina Panthers: AP Sources
| Associated Press
The move allows the Panthers to acquire a potential franchise quarterback, although it remains unclear which QB Carolina prefers. The Bears are committed to Justin Fields at quarterback, and that gave them leverage to trade down.
Spring Forward: Standard Time Giving Way to Daylight Saving on Sunday
| Associated Press
In Chicago, you’ll lose an hour of sleep for one night but gain more daylight in the evening in the months ahead.
Another US Hiring Surge: 311,000 Jobs Despite Fed Rate Hikes
| Associated Press
America’s employers added a substantial 311,000 jobs in February, fewer than January’s huge gain but enough to keep pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates aggressively to fight inflation.
US Rep. Darin LaHood Says FBI Wrongly Sought Surveillance Info About Him
| Associated Press
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., did not say why the FBI may have searched his name in information collected under a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act known as Section 702, and a spokesman for the lawmaker did not respond to a request for further clarification.
Biden’s Budget Aims to Cut Deficits Nearly $3 Trillion Over 10 Years
| Associated Press
The deficit reduction goal is significantly higher than the $2 trillion that Biden had promised in his State of the Union address last month. It also is a sharp contrast with House Republicans, who have called for a path to a balanced budget but have yet to offer a blueprint.
Founder of Mr. Beef, Shop That Inspired ‘The Bear’ TV Show, Dies at 69
| Associated Press
Mr. Beef, the no-frills sandwich joint in Chicago’s River North, has been a neighborhood staple for decades. But it became a national sensation after it was portrayed by the gritty, fast-paced show released in June 2022. The founder Joseph Zucchero has died at 69.
US Sues to Block JetBlue From Buying Spirit Airlines, Arguing Deal Would Drive Up Prices
| Associated Press
The Justice Department said the tie-up would especially hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options to JetBlue and other airlines.
Joe Biden Plans New Taxes on the Rich to Help Save Medicare
| Associated Press
President Joe Biden wants to increase the Medicare tax rate from 3.8% to 5% on income exceeding $400,000 per year, including salaries and capital gains. The White House did not provide specific cost-saving estimates with the proposal
Toblerone Drops Iconic Design Due to Rules on ‘Swissness’
| Associated Press
Mondelez International of Deerfield, Illinois, which owns the Swiss-born brand, said Monday that it's in the process of adapting the packaging of Toblerone products to conform with strict rules in Switzerland about how products qualify for the coveted “Swissness” moniker.
Twitter Glitches as Links, Images Fail to Load
| Associated Press
The company, which has experienced an uptick instability and bugs in recent months after Elon Musk cut its staff sharply, said “Some parts of Twitter may not be working as expected right now. We made an internal change that had some unintended consequences. We’re working on this now and will share an update when it’s fixed.”
Many Kids Are Struggling in school. Do Their Parents Know?
| Associated Press
It’s widely known from test scores that the pandemic set back students across the country. But many parents don’t realize that includes their own child.
In Chicago, Adapting Electric Buses to Winter’s Challenges
| Associated Press
The CTA started experimenting with electric buses in 2014 and plans to move to an all-electric fleet by 2040. But as the temperature drops, lithium-ion batteries that run the buses aren't as efficient and lose range.
Abortion Clinics Crossing State Borders Not Always Welcome
| Associated Press
As clinics have been forced to shutter in Republican-dominant states with strict abortion bans, some have relocated to cities and towns just over the border, in states with more liberal laws. The goal is to help women avoid traveling long distances. Yet that effort does not always go smoothly.
Warrant: Bomb Materials Found at Home of Alleged Highland Park Parade Gunman
| Associated Press
According to an affidavit, the alleged gunman charged in last year’s Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park told FBI agents he mulled the possibility of deploying explosives in the attack.
Trump Can Be Sued for Jan 6 Actions, Justice Department Says
| Associated Press
The department wrote that although a president enjoys broad legal latitude to communicate to the public on matters of concern, “no part of a President’s official responsibilities includes the incitement of imminent private violence.”
Long-Lost 19th Century Ship Found in Lake Huron, Confirming Tragic Story
| Associated Press
The 191-foot cargo vessel collided with a grain hauler on a blustery night in September 1894, sinking both. The Ironton’s captain and six sailors clambered into a lifeboat but it was dragged to the bottom before they could detach it from the ship. Only two crewmen survived.
Stellantis Idles Illinois Plant, Takes Step Toward Closure
| Associated Press
The factory, which employs about 1,350 workers, officially was placed on “idle” Tuesday; that term means the company intends to shut down the plant. Belvidere’s future is likely to be an issue in national contract talks coming up with the United Auto Workers union, one that could bring a strike.
Biden to Nominate Julie Su as Next US Labor Secretary
| Associated Press
If confirmed, Julie Su would be the first Asian American in the Biden administration to serve in the Cabinet at the secretary level. The civil rights attorney and former head of California's labor department was central to negotiations between labor and freight rail companies late last year.
Supreme Court Student Loan Case: The Arguments Explained
| Associated Press
The Supreme Court is about to hear arguments over President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan, which impacts millions of borrowers who could see their loans wiped away or reduced.
Feds Seek to Limit Telehealth Prescriptions for Some Drugs
| Associated Press
The proposal could overhaul the way millions of Americans get some prescriptions after three years of relying on telehealth for doctor’s appointments by computer or phone during the pandemic.
Pritzker Plan to Target Kids’ Mental Health Crisis Through Streamlining, Agency Coordination
| Associated Press
A report examining the capacity and condition of Illinois’ response to behavioral health in young people has been in the works for nearly a year. It sketches avenues to help families understand mental illness, then make it easier for them to get required care without wrangling among disparate state agencies.
Illinois Labor Officials Investigating Local Drugmaker Akorn’s Abrupt Closure
| Associated Press
State labor officials are investigating an Illinois-based pharmaceutical company’s decision to abruptly close all of its operations, including its out-of-state locations in New Jersey, New York and Switzerland, and to lay off hundreds of workers with almost no warning.
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