Catch the latest energy news from around the Great Lakes region. Check back for these biweekly Energy News Roundups.
Chicago Democrat Michael Madigan — known for being the longest-serving legislative leader in United States history — was convicted last week of conspiracy, bribery and wire fraud. The 23-count indictment accused Madigan, 82, who served as the Illinois House Speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021, of using his influence to pass favorable legislation for companies including ComEd, Illinois’ largest utility. Madigan was convicted of 10 counts and acquitted of seven. The jury deadlocked on the remaining six counts after more than 10 days of deliberation.
Meanwhile, ComEd announced $100 million in new rebates for electric vehicle purchases and charging installations. The rebates include about $53 million for business and public sector EV purchases, $38 million for non-residential infrastructure upgrades and $9 million for residential charging. ComEd’s rebate program comes as part of Illinois’ push to have a million EVs on the road by 2030. It is independent from the federal government, the utility said, meaning that it will not be impacted by the Trump administration’s attempts to block billions of dollars in grants and loans.
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Federal funding for climate science is drying up under the Trump administration, too. That has imperiled research and development initiatives across the Great Lakes region, including several projects led by Indiana University professor Gabriel Filipelli, director of the school’s Environmental Resilience Institute. Proposals containing language related to diversity, equity, and inclusion — such as those related to environmental justice — are particularly at risk.
“I think what people don’t fully recognize,” Filipelli told Grist, “is that if you disrupt funding on a wide scale, even for a short time, the hangover effect lasts for a long time.”
Ohio’s top utility regulator said the state should prioritize building more “base load” power generation sources, like coal, natural gas and nuclear, as opposed to intermittent sources like renewables. Jenifer French, chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, told state lawmakers that the growth of manufacturing and data centers coupled with closures of aging fossil fuel plants “is leading to a supply and demand imbalance” on the electric grid.
The Chicago area is poised to double the size of its electric bus fleet. A $58 million state grant will help pay for 57 new electric buses, including 30 for the Chicago Transit Authority in the city and 27 for Pace in the suburbs. The transit agencies had previously purchased about 25 electric buses each and are aiming to fully electrify their bus fleets by 2040.
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Featured image: Time lapse electricity pylons at dusk. (Photo Credit: Great Lakes Now)
(WAND) – The National Weather Service confirmed five tornadoes touched down in central Illinois during Sunday’s storms.
The tornado count for the WAND viewing area, which does not include all of central Illinois, is now at 61 as of June 22.
For reference, the area averages 20 tornadoes annually.
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The NWS confirmed an EF-1 east of Neoga in Cumberland County, along with EF-0 tornadoes southwest of Stewardson in Shelby County and northeast of Toledo, also in Cumberland County.
Additionally, the NWS office in St. Louis confirmed two EF-0 tornadoes south of Shobonier in far southern Fayette County.
CHICAGO (WLS) — The Jimmy Awards honoring “theatre kids” is happening on Monday night in New York City!
Jane Nuich from Park Ridge and Logan Arroyo of Tinley Park will represent Illinois. They’ll be competing against over 100 students from across the nation.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
ABC7’s Hosea Sanders has been following their adventure that leads to a Broadway debut.
When asked if they’ve been intimidated about what’s to come, Arroyo said, “Yes, it’s scary. It’s a scary place, especially putting yourself out there on a stage or alone. I want to be an actor, and I will do whatever I can to do that.”
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Nuich added, “It’s a huge opportunity to work with industry professionals and with so many other talented young people. And you get to experience so much in New York in that short week. And it’s, I think, such a cool experience rather than a big competition.”
Sanders also Arroyo and Nuich what growing up in the Chicago area has done for their exposure and their goals.
“I think the immediate access to all of the theater that Chicago has to offer has been so incredible to me. As a young student of theater and young performer in theater, I think it’s been so educational to me, and so inspiring to be able to anywhere in Chicago in a quick moment from the suburbs to just see so much theater,” Nuich said. “I think it’s so comforting to know you’re surrounded by so many artists who are just as passionate as you. And I think that going into a career in this, it’s so incredible to be exposed to so many young performers who are so talented and passionate as this age.”
Arroyo added, “I’m so excited to be around people I care about and love this as much as I do.”
When asked what previous Illinois Jimmy winners have told the performs, Nuich said, “It goes by really fast, that a lot will happen, but it’s important to stay grounded and to take it all in and realize what a special experience it is, and you just keep working hard.”
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“My big dream is to do what I love and love myself for doing it,” Arroyo said.
MT. VERNON, Ill. – A tornado caught on video tore through southern Illinois on Sunday, killing at least two people, hurting several others and destroying homes.
What we know:
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The tornado touched down shortly after 5 p.m. in northeastern Jefferson County and moved northeast, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Soon after, 911 dispatchers began getting calls about damaged homes, fallen trees, downed power lines and missing people.
Several police, fire and ambulance agencies responded to help search for people and clear damaged areas.
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By 9 p.m., officials said three homes had been completely destroyed, and many other buildings were damaged.
Two people died in separate homes that were destroyed by the storm. Both were single-wide mobile homes.
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Five people were taken to local hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
What we don’t know:
Officials have not released the names of the two people who died.
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The National Weather Service has not yet said how strong the tornado was or how far it traveled.
Local perspective:
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Fallen trees blocked at least three roads across the area.
Power lines were knocked down in multiple places, but officials said power had been restored to most customers by Sunday night.
Authorities asked people to stay away from northeastern Jefferson County unless they had an emergency reason to be there.
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The backstory:
The storm came less than two weeks after another round of severe weather produced more than 20 tornadoes across parts of Illinois and northwest Indiana on June 11.
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What they’re saying:
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office thanked first responders and volunteers who helped with search and rescue efforts.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of those lost in this tragic event,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
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The Source: The information in this story came from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
