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An Illinois man, Byron Taylor, of Homewood, has made his initial appearance on an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Chicago. The indictment charges Taylor with 21 counts of preparing false tax returns for others through his business, We Are Taxes Inc.The indictment alleges that Taylor prepared false tax returns for clients for tax years 2017 through 2020. The returns contained false information, leading clients to claim refunds they were not entitled to. The false information included fraudulent business losses, false deductions like medical expenses, gifts...

CHICAGO (April 18, 2024) – This spring, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has commenced the cleanup of hazardous waste resulting from a structural fire that occurred on Sept. 13, 2023, at 502 N. Main St. in Cheboygan, Michigan. The agency expects the cleanup operation to span several months.The cleanup efforts involve the removal of various hazardous materials, as stated by an EPA official who mentioned, "The cleanup involves removing hazardous debris including a catch basin contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, along with a large quantity of...

An indictment was unsealed in Brooklyn, New York, today charging a Florida man with sex trafficking multiple women and coercion and enticement of a minor."Joel David Forney, 41, of Kissimmee, was charged with sex trafficking; interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution; and coercion and enticement of a minor." Forney allegedly trafficked women to work in commercial sex in New York, including at an open-air sex trafficking market along a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn known as the Penn Track."According to the indictment, for years, Forney preyed...

Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party have urged the State Department to increase diplomacy to combat Chinese forced labor globally, especially towards the European Union.In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the lawmakers expressed their concerns about goods made by Uyghur forced labor flooding into Europe and the United Kingdom. They emphasized the importance of working with allies and partners to ensure...

The Environmental Protection Agency's Mid-Atlantic Region has announced the opening of registration for its upcoming 3rd Annual environmental summit, scheduled to take place virtually on May 16, 2024. The summit, themed "Empowering Communities for Environmental Equity," aims to facilitate discussions on equitable access to healthy and sustainable communities.Senior Advisor and Assistant to President Biden, Tom Perez, will be delivering opening remarks alongside EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe at the event. The summit will bring together a diverse range of...

Commissioner Caroline D. Pham is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on recent CFTC developments and policy agenda. The event is set to take place at Steptoe LLP in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. (EDT).The event, hosted by the D.C. Bar and Steptoe LLP, will feature a discussion with Commissioner Pham, providing insights into the latest developments and the policy agenda of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).According to event information, there will be an opportunity for networking during the fireside chat with...

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) has introduced a new avenue for incarcerated borrowers to exit default through loan consolidation, offering them a chance to enhance their credit and access better repayment options. This initiative allows borrowers with student loans prior to their incarceration to consolidate their loans and access income-driven repayment plans like the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona emphasized the importance of this step, stating, "Every person deserves the opportunity to become the best...

Federico Valenzuela Ruiz, a 39-year-old man, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role as an east coast source for trafficking fentanyl. The sentencing took place on April 10 in the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island.

Fifty-five organizations and communities have been awarded funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Shelter and Services program for their work with migrants awaiting the completion of their immigration process. In addition to this, DHS has also announced a competitive grant opportunity through the Shelter and Services (SSP) program.

Builder sentiment remained unchanged in April as mortgage rates held steady at 7%, and the latest inflation data showed no signs of improvement in the first quarter of 2024. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today, builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes stayed at 51, the same as in March.NAHB Chairman Carl Harris, a custom home builder from Wichita, Kan., highlighted the importance of policy changes, stating, "With many frustrated buyers back on the fence waiting for...

Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court granted an emergency stay request in Poe v. Labrador, siding with Idaho’s ultraconservative Legislature and allowing the state’s ban on transgender medical care for minors to go into effect for the first time since the case began more than two years ago. Although the stay will remain until litigation is resolved, it does not apply to the families who brought the lawsuit, as their children are in the process of receiving transgender medical care. In response to the Supreme Court's decision, Cait Smith, director of LGBTQI+...

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has raised concerns about the safety of personal phone data, stating, "Depending on the network, the data at risk can include location information, health information, religious identity, sexual orientation, facial recognition imagery, private messages, personal photos, and more."EPIC also highlighted that personal data held by social media platforms is vulnerable to being accessed and misused by third parties, including law enforcement agencies. The organization's statement brings to light the potential risks associated...

WASHINGTON – Retail sales in the United States continued to show an increase in March, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. National Retail Federation Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz highlighted the resilience of consumer spending despite inflationary pressures, stating, "March’s Census Bureau numbers confirm that consumer spending remains steady." Kleinhenz attributed the growth in retail sales to various factors such as an early Easter holiday, larger tax refunds from 2023, and improved job market conditions. However, he also pointed out a concerning trend...

The U.S. House recently voted to drastically expand the Section 702 surveillance program rather than reining it in, a move that has sparked concerns among civil liberties advocates. Vinh Vuong, CEO of investment firm Garrison Fathom, expressed his apprehensions about the expansion, stating, "We are going to do everything we can from a civil liberties standpoint to educate the Senate and make sure the wording is revised to not have this expansion, as well as to have a warrant requirement."Vuong, who has been a vocal campaigner for FISA reform, previously worked as a...

Chinese chemical companies are poised to become global innovators in the industry within the next decade or two, according to a recent report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).ITIF President Robert D. Atkinson emphasized the importance of China's strategic shift towards innovation in the chemicals industry, stating, "China has dominated basic chemical manufacturing for more than a decade. Moving forward, the Chinese government has made a strategic decision to focus more on new chemicals for new applications—with a goal of increasing fine...

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has issued a statement regarding the American Privacy Rights Act, with CEO Gary Shapiro expressing the organization's support for the initiative. Shapiro emphasized the importance of a federal data privacy law to safeguard consumers' personal information and foster innovation in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.Shapiro stated, “The Consumer Technology Association appreciates this bipartisan, bicameral effort to pass a federal data privacy law to protect consumers’ personal information. CTA has long advocated that...

Pedro Israel Orta is an Army and CIA veteran, evangelical minister, and author of the book, “The Broken Whistle: A Deep State Run Amok”.

Nicholas Anthony, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, stated that the Nigerian government is "looking for anything other than its own actions to blame" for the fall of the naira. He suggested that they have "somehow named Binance as the culprit," resulting in the detention of two Binance employees. Anthony shared his statement on the Cato Institute's website on April 11.

Henri Arslanian, co-founder and managing partner of the cryptocurrency-focused hedge fund Nine Blocks Capital Management, has expressed concern over the detention of Tigran Gambaryan, an American citizen and Binance employee. According to a post made by Arslanian on March 30, Gambaryan, who is also a former U.S. federal agent, "has dedicated his life to fighting crime and upholding the rule of law" and must be repatriated.

The National Park Service (NPS) has announced a solicitation for electronic comments on the significance of properties nominated before April 6, 2024, for listing or related actions in the National Register of Historic Places. Comments should be submitted electronically by April 30, 2024.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center, represented by counsel Thomas McBrien, has raised concerns about Amazon's role in a tragedy where a chemical sold by the company led to the deaths of 15 individuals. McBrien, who supports the plaintiffs in one of the cases against Amazon, highlighted the company's fast approval processes for sellers and products, suggesting that this may lead to fewer safety checks being implemented by the e-commerce giant.According to McBrien, Amazon's swift approval procedures could result in a lack of stringent safety measures, allowing...

The Functional Government Initiative announced the release of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) which show President Joe Biden’s Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Director of Communications Pamela Rucker Springs contacting “fact-checking” site Snopes to adjust a rating on a public statement made by a CPSC Commissioner.

Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress' Reel Progress program is hosting a screening of the documentary "Columbine 2024: 25 Years of Trauma," which follows the journey of Columbine teacher Kiki Leyba and his wife, Kallie Leyba, as they navigate the enduring aftermath of the Columbine tragedy. "By exploring the individual experiences of Kiki and Kallie, viewers gain a complex understanding of how trauma shapes lives over time," said the announcement.The film aims to honor the memory of those affected by the Columbine shooting while shedding light on the...

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration announced $7.4 billion in debt relief, meaning about 4.3 million—or 1 in 10—borrowers have had their student debts canceled to date. The administration has consistently taken bold action to alleviate the burden of student loan debt for borrowers across the country. Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced a new student loan relief plan that would address ballooning interest and cancel student debts for tens of millions more borrowers. Following today’s announcement, Jared Bass, senior vice president for...

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a final rule to update the federal oil and gas program. The reforms would apply to hundreds of millions of acres of public lands and modernize rates for royalties, rents, fees, and bonding. They would also address other reforms to fix the de facto subsidies for oil and gas companies. In response, Nicole Gentile, senior director for Conservation at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:"These long-overdue reforms will finally hold the oil and gas industry accountable for its...