Illinois
Illinois lands $100M federal grant for EV truck chargers
Public charging for electric trucks — including the largest semi-trailers — is on the way in Illinois.
The state has landed a $100 million federal grant for the construction of 14 public charging stations for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Located at strategic points along major truck routes, the charging stations will have a total of 345 ports — enough to charge up to 3,500 trucks a day, according to Illinois electric vehicle officer Megha Lakhchaura.
“Illinois can be a critical connecting node for (electric) trucks going across the county,” said Lakhchaura, noting there is already some charging infrastructure on the East Coast and in the West.
“This would be that critical node that helps trucks actually go across the country, north to south and east to west,” she said.
Charging station locations will include the Chicago area, Springfield, and the Metro East and Quad Cities regions.
Medium- and heavy-duty trucks are responsible for 21% of the country’s transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, although they account for just 5% of vehicles on the road.
In addition, most of these trucks run on diesel fuel, a growing health concern in neighborhoods such as Little Village, which experience heavy truck traffic.
Exposure to diesel exhaust can lead to asthma and respiratory illnesses and worsen existing heart and lung disease, especially in children and the elderly, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The agency considers diesel exhaust a likely carcinogen.
At the Chicago-based Respiratory Health Association, Brian Urbaszewski, environmental health programs director, said 14 truck-charging stations is a good start for Illinois.
“It’s really encouraging that the state went for this money, got this money, and is working with businesses to get (the chargers) into the ground,” he said.
Urbaszewski noted that the state also landed a $430 million EPA climate pollution reduction grant in July, of which $115 million will be aimed at truck electrification. And in November, the EPA awarded the state $95 million to electrify transportation and equipment at ports, including the Illinois International Port in the East Side neighborhood.
“This is another piece to a larger puzzle,” Urbaszewski said of the truck-charging grant, “and more funding aimed at things like electrifying trucks.”
Electric trucks remain less than 1% of the medium- and heavy-duty trucks on the road, but sales have been rising.
Lakhchaura said that the future of big electric trucks in Illinois is hard to predict, and a lot is going to depend on the broader market.
“The big problem has been that battery costs haven’t gone down, which is why the long-range (option) hasn’t taken off,” she said.
Medium-duty trucks with ranges of 150 to 160 miles are selling, she said, but for long-distance hauls you need a semi with a range of 500 miles and an attractive price.
Among the companies in the race to produce that truck is Tesla, which has announced plans to begin high-volume production of its semi in late 2025. The Tesla semi has an advertised range of up to 500 miles.
Lakhchaura noted that Tesla’s breakthrough electric cars — the Model 3 and Model Y — changed consumer perceptions of EVs, and she said she’s hoping that a similarly game-changing semi is on the horizon.
In the meantime, she is encouraged by the private sector’s response to Illinois’ grant proposal for the 14 truck charging stations.
Illinois applied for the funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation, but private companies will build the stations and pay some of the cost.
“The state said, ‘Who’s interested in building these chargers?’ and the private sector came, so that gives me a lot of confidence. It’s them coming to us and saying, ‘Yes, we see this (coming),’” she said.
The companies building the charging stations include Tesla, Prologis, Gage Zero and Pilot.
The truck charging stations — some of which will have onsite solar and batteries — should start appearing within two or three years, Lakhchaura said, although that’s a conservative estimate.
“I think (the companies building them) would like to do it sooner,” she said.
nschoenberg@chicagotribune.com
Illinois
Illinois Wesleyan to Launch First-of-its-Kind Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Quantum Science and Engineering Program
Fisher Center for Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering positions Illinois
as a leader in next generation quantum education
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University today announced the creation of the Fisher Center for
Interdisciplinary Quantum Science & Engineering, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate
program that brings together multiple areas of study to better prepare students for
careers in this emerging field.
The Fisher Quantum Center will make Illinois Wesleyan the first undergraduate liberal
arts university in the United States to offer an interdisciplinary quantum program,
positioning both the University and the state as leaders in the quantum space.
The Fisher Quantum Center is supported by a founding gift from Ann ‘82 and Alan Fisher,
providing the resources to establish the center and launch programming. Ann is a graduate
of Illinois Wesleyan University and serves on the university’s Board of Trustees.
The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to grow in phases and will expand its curriculum,
facilities, and partnerships over time.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a defining step forward as the first undergraduate
interdisciplinary quantum program. Quantum is reshaping industries and the way we
solve complex problems, and this complexity is an ideal fit with Illinois Wesleyan’s
cross-curricular approach to undergraduate education. We are especially grateful to
Ann and Alan Fisher for their generous gift that is making this distinctive program
possible,” said Illinois Wesleyan University President Sheahon J. Zenger.
What is Quantum?
Quantum science studies how matter and energy behave at the smallest scale, where
the differences can be used to create new, more powerful technologies. Because of
this, quantum has a wide variety of real-world applications and is poised to transform
everyday lives and revolutionize industries ranging from computing and cybersecurity
to healthcare, finance, and agriculture.
Most quantum programs are primarily offered at the graduate level and focus on a single
area of study. The Fisher Quantum Center takes a fundamentally different approach
by focusing exclusively on undergraduate education and bringing together physics,
chemistry, computer science, mathematics, biology, business, philosophy, and engineering
into one holistic curriculum. Instead of separating these fields and narrowing the
focus, it connects them to better reflect the broad applications of quantum. This
first-of-its-kind approach prepares students not only with the technical skills for
these emerging careers, but with an understanding of the economic, ethical, environmental,
and societal implications of quantum technologies.
and instrumental performance (euphonium). He has also conducted research on the ethical
implications of quantum computing.
Students will be able to engage with quantum in multiple ways, including through individual
courses, certificates, concentrations, hands-on experiments, projects, faculty-mentored
research, and internships. The Fisher Quantum Center is designed to be flexible, inclusive,
and accessible to undergraduate students from all areas of study to create a gateway
into quantum for students who might not otherwise encounter the field. It will also
serve as hub for visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty to collaborate
on strengthening undergraduate quantum laboratories and infrastructure.
“We are proud to support the creation of the Fisher Quantum Center and the unique
opportunity it creates for students coming to Illinois Wesleyan. The Fisher Quantum
Center will open the door for students from many different backgrounds to engage with
quantum in a way that is accessible and better prepares them for future careers. We
are excited to see how this program grows and the impact it will have on Illinois
Wesleyan students, the university, and the broader community,” said Ann and Alan Fisher.
The first courses through the Fisher Quantum Center will be available in Spring 2027,
alongside enhanced quantum lab space, with programming expanding throughout the year.
Beyond the classroom, the Fisher Quantum Center will support outreach initiatives
to engage high school teachers and students to strengthen pathways into quantum and
STEM fields. Beginning in Summer 2026, Illinois Wesleyan will host a fully funded
Quantum Day Camp for high school STEM teachers and counselors from surrounding counties,
with a residential Quantum Camp for high school students anticipated for Summer 2027.
“The Fisher Quantum Center represents a first-of-its-kind program that will create
new opportunities for students to engage with quantum across disciplines while preparing
them for the high-quality jobs of the future. Quantum technology is already shaping
the future of the global economy, and Illinois is positioning itself as a global leader.
To compete, we need to continue building a strong workforce pipeline, and Illinois
Wesleyan is playing a critical role by giving students the skills and training needed
to fill these emerging jobs and help keep Illinois at the forefront of innovation,”
said Gov. JB Pritzker.
At a time when Illinois is emerging as a national hub for quantum innovation, the
Fisher Quantum Center will play a critical role in developing the next generation
of talent, expanding awareness of quantum careers and opportunities, and ensuring
the state remains competitive in this rapidly evolving field.
“Developing the next generation of talent is essential to maintaining Illinois’ momentum
in quantum,” said Illinois Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Christy George. “Illinois Wesleyan’s new program creates opportunities for students in high demand
fields while helping build the workforce pipeline Illinois industries need. The Fisher
Center reflects the forward-thinking approach that has helped position Illinois as
a growing hub for quantum innovation and emerging technologies.”
For more information about the Fisher Quantum Center, visit www.iwu.edu/fisher-quantum-center.
Illinois Senate Democrats are trying to impose limits on artificial intelligence, or AI, in the final weeks of the legislative session.
The proposed package of eight different bills would target specific areas impacted by the emerging technology, including its effects on mental health and the usage of AI in schools.
State Sen. Bill Cunningham said because Congress has not put much regulation around AI, state lawmakers feel they have to step into the void.
“Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be a powerful tool for good, but currently there are minimal guardrails in place. It’s like the wild, wild west. Illinois needs to create a roadmap for responsible innovation to prevent catastrophic risks. And that is why we are all here today,” said State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen.
Edly-Allen’s proposal, which passed out of committee Wednesday and now heads to the full Senate, aims to increase transparency from big AI companies like ChatGPT and Claude. It would require large companies to make annual reports explaining what they are doing to prevent what lawmakers call “catastrophic risks.”
If a company learns about a critical safety incident, it has to report it within 72 hours, or 24 hours if the incident poses a serious risk of harm or death.
Another bill, led by Sen. Laura Ellman, aims to address the growing number of young people turning to AI during a mental health crisis, specifically people who confide in a chatbot about their suicidal thoughts. AI companies would have to implement methods to detect self harm and refer the user to a resource, such as the suicide hotline.
Other bills try to crack down on AI being used to fix rent prices, curb someone’s data from being used for targeted ads or sold to third parties, ban teachers from using AI to grade a student’s work and cut down on bots scooping up tickets to concerts and sports.
The current legislative session is set to end on May 31, with lawmakers working to pass a host of bills before that date arrives.
IKEA announces new locations opening for 2026
IKEA revealed plans to open 10 new stores in various U.S. cities by 2026 as part of its expansion strategy.
The Chicago metro area is getting its first Dutch Bros cafe this week, with additional Illinois locations set to open later this year.
The West Coast coffee chain announced the openings in a press release Wednesday, May 13, adding details about available freebies.
Dutch Bros coming to Melrose Park
Dutch Bros will be making its Chicago suburbs debut in Melrose Park, with doors set to open Thursday, May 14, at 1931 N. Mannheim Road.
The cafe will operate from 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Melrose Park customers will be able to snag a free keychain with any drink purchase on opening day, while supplies last, according to the chain.
“Opening in the Chicago area has always been a dream for us at Dutch Bros, and Melrose Park is just the beginning,” Dutch Bros Local Market Lead Allie Lahti said in the release.
Where else is Dutch Bros opening locations in Illinois?
The chain also announced plans to open cafes in Rockford, New Lenox and Buffalo Grove, with locations slated to open this summer. The chain lists the Rockford location as “coming soon” to 7103 E. State St. on its website.
Meanwhile, job listings for “Broistas” at 550 W. Maple St. in New Lenox and 80 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove are available for applicants on the site.
But that’s not all.
A spokesperson for the Village of Oak Park told NBC News Chicago the chain “is also in the process of opening a location in Oak Park” at 316 Madison St.
The village approved plans for the new location in October 2025, and the chain told NBC the cafe is still “in the very early stages.”
Peoria City Councilman Alex Carmona told the Journal Star in April that a new Dutch Bros location will be built at the busy intersection of University Street and War Memorial Drive.
Construction is set to kick off in May at 3624 N. University St., with the location slated to open in the fall.
The Peoria Journal Star reached out to Dutch Bros about the upcoming Illinois locations and will update this story accordingly if a response is provided.
List of Dutch Bros locations in Illinois
The coffee chain has five existing locations in the following Illinois cities:
CONTRIBUTING: JJ Bullock, Peoria Journal Star
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