skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

The New Reason it’s Called the Windy City

play audio
Play

Tuesday, November 9, 2010   

CHICAGO - Chicago has long been known as the "Windy City," but now that term takes on a new meaning. A new report from the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) says Chicago and the rest of Illinois is quickly becoming a Mecca for the production of the components needed to produce wind energy. The report says there are at least 104 companies in the state that are doing wind energy business.

Center Executive Director Howard Learner says old line manufacturers like the Brad Foote gear works near Chicago and A. Lucas and Sons Steel in Peoria are reinventing themselves.

"Old-line manufacturing companies are retooling to make the new clean energy equipment that's emerging in our clean energy economy."

Learner says the state's wind power supply chain touches more than 15,000 employees. The report says about 17 manufacturing jobs are created for every megawatt of power developed, translating into over 2500 jobs for a 150- megawatt utility-scale wind farm. There are currently 25 wind farms in Illinois.

Learner says the jobs being created by the wind industry in Illinois are very diverse.

"They are creating manufacturing jobs, corporate headquarters jobs, finance jobs, legal jobs and construction jobs."

Learner says prudent energy policy is the key to growing this emerging Illinois job generator. He cautions that if we don't take this opportunity, other nations are poised to take advantage.

"Well let's face it, we live in a global economy, and a very competitive global economy. China in particular is investing heavily in wind power."

The analysis by the Environmental Law and Policy Center shows that most of Illinois' wind development jobs are created at small- to medium-sized companies.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
A report from the Tennessee HealthCare Campaign recommended the federal government needs to strengthen 340B drug pricing and other federal negotiation mechanisms to make needed medicines more readily available and less expensive for hospitals to purchase and administer. (Spotmatikphoto/AdobeStock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …


Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…


Nearly 13 million Americans receive health coverage through unique plans under both Medicare and Medicaid. They are known as Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

More than six in 10 Americans favor keeping the abortion pill mifepristone available in the U.S. as a prescription drug, while over a third are opposed, according to a Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New research shows more than six in 10 abortions in the U.S. last year were medically induced, and U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto - D-NV - is …

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado is working to boost the state's agricultural communities by getting more fresh, nutritious foods into school cafeterias - and a new online …

Social Issues

play sound

Missouri lawmakers are concerned with protecting people from the potential risks of the increasing accessibility of AI-generated images and videos…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021