Category: Government

Oswego water update: PFAS testing and legal action

The Village of Oswego has completed four consecutive quarters of testing its public water supply for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). While no detections were reported during the first two quarters, recent sampling revealed trace amounts of PFAS in four wells—each

Reader’s Commentary: I.C.E.: Criticized for enforcing the laws of the land

By Bela “Bill” Suhayda John Whitehead, a contributor to The Voice, and for The Rutherford Institute, is a dunderhead. Since Donald Trump’s election, Dunderhead…whoops… Whitehead, has been lampooning the U.S. as Nazi Germany. “Wayne’s World” Johnson along with Charles “The Sponge” Coddington have been attempting to outdo each other with

Wearables trap: How the government plans to track us

By John & Nisha Whitehead Bodily autonomy—the right to privacy and integrity over our own bodies—is rapidly vanishing. We are entering a new age of algorithmic, authoritarian control, where our thoughts, moods, and biology are monitored and judged by the state. This is the dark promise behind the newest campaign

Illinois hospitals fear massive cuts under Trump Administration

By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Hospital officials in Illinois say they will have to make some difficult decisions in the next few years that could involve laying off staff, cutting back services, and even closing some facilities entirely. That’s the expected result of federal funding cuts built into the recently

Illinois solar at risk with federal incentives cut

By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans earlier this month curtailed federal tax incentives for the solar energy industry and for individuals and companies that purchase solar panels. The move sent shockwaves through the industry nationwide, pulling key incentives for major projects and residential rooftop solar

Reader’s Voice: Foreign government money in the U.S.

July 13, 2025Dear editor; This submission concerns money received from foreign governments in the U.S.. One year ago, Democratic senator Robert Menendez was found guilty in what U.S. attorney Danielle R. Sassoon called an “egregious abuse of power.” She added, “attempts to corrupt the Nation’s foreign policy and the rule

Bill Foster legislation to increase data collection transparency

Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) introduced the Designing Accounting Safeguards to Help Broaden Oversight and Regulations on Data (DASHBOARD) Act Tuesday, July 15. The legislation would require data harvesting companies, like social media platforms, to tell consumers and financial regulators what data they are collecting from customers and how it is

Revised Revelation’s Four Horsemen for modern times

From the vault, September 4, 2014 (revised): In the biblical book of Revelation (chapter 6, verses 1-8), the so-called “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” are described. The first wields a bow, wears a white crown, and rides a white horse; he is called “Conquest.” The second wields a great sword

Trump’s push for megaprisons could lock us all up

By John & Nisha Whitehead America is rapidly becoming a nation of prisons. Having figured out how to parlay presidential authority in foreign affairs in order to sidestep the U.S. Constitution, president Donald Trump is using his immigration enforcement powers to lock up—and lock down—the nation. Under the guise of

Federal food assistance changes threaten thousands of Illinoisans

By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans could lose benefits from a federal food assistance program while the state will be required to cover more costs under changes passed in the latest domestic policy plan. President Donald Trump signed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act” into law

Housing funding cut in Illinois, as homelessness increases

By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com The number of homeless people in Illinois is rising, but the State’s spending on homeless prevention and other housing programs is headed in the other direction. Facing a tight budget year with constrained spending and limited natural revenue growth, the $55.1 billion fiscal year 2026

Reader’s Voice: Thoughts on the rise of fascism

June 29, 2025Dear editor; There isn’t a lot Americans agree on. However, up until very recently, there was a broad consensus, among representatives from the socialist left to the neoconservative right, that the United States’ effort to halt the spread of fascism in World War II was laudable. Of course,

Foster against Republicans’ Big Bill; meeting on SNAP

Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after voting against the Republican reconciliation bill: “I voted no on Republicans’ budget bill. I watched in disgust as Republicans cheered for the largest cut to health care and food assistance in American history. “This bill will rip health care away from

Reader’s Commentary: Trump stopped Iran’s enrichment program, Dems dawdled

By Bela “Bill” Suhayda Why build uranium enrichment facilities 300 feet below a mountain? Why not build above ground where excavation of millions of tons of granite isn’t required? This question occurred to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). They asked the Iranians if they could get a “look-see” what

Inalienable rights at risk in an age of tyranny

By John & Nisha Whitehead We are now struggling to emerge from the wreckage of a constitutional republic, transformed into a kleptocracy (government by thieves), collapsing into kakistocracy (government by the worst), and enforced by a police state algogracy (rule by algorithm). This week alone, the Donald Trump administration is

Illinois direct admissions program for state universities

By Andrew AdamsCapitol News Illinoisaadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois students won’t need to fill out applications for most state universities to be admitted — if they have high enough grades. With his signature, governor JB Pritzker on Monday approved a bill creating the direct admissions program. Along with it, he approved bills that