Illinois gets 1st stimulus funds for broadband access
Crain's Chicago Business
February 19, 2010
Far West DeKalb County won $13.2 million in federal and state money to improve Internet access, the state's first broadband access grant under the federal stimulus program. Illinois is seeking more than $400 million from the $7.2 billion set aside for states and localities that don't have access to fast Internet service now. That includes $100 million sought by Chicago to create free public wireless networks across the city.

Cities of Chicago, Peoria and Village of Hoffman Estates Awarded Funding to Prepare for Energy Emergencies and Disruptions
U.S. Department of Energy
February 19, 2010
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that the Department of Energy is making selection of awards for more than $8 million to 43 cities and towns across the country to develop or expand local energy assurance plans that will improve electricity reliability and energy security in these communities.  These emergency preparedness plans, funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will help ensure local governments can recover and restore power quickly following any energy supply disruptions.

Illinois universities get health IT stimulus money
Associated Press
February 13, 2010
Two Illinois universities are receiving federal stimulus money to develop regional centers on health information technology. Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University are getting about $7.5 million each. The schools plan to develop regional centers to help health professionals as they adopt digital medical records that can be shared securely.

Illinois Awarded Nearly $19 million in Recovery Funding to Improve Health Information Exchange
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
February 12, 2010
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis today announced a total of nearly $1 billion in Recovery Act awards to help health care providers advance the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (IT) and train workers for the health care jobs of the future. The awards will help make health IT available to over 100,000 hospitals and primary care physicians by 2014 and train thousands of people for careers in health care and information technology. This Recovery Act investment will help grow the emerging health IT industry which is expected to support tens of thousands of jobs ranging from nurses and pharmacy techs to IT technicians and trainers.

Caterpillar joins FutureGen power project
Crain's Chicago Business
February 8, 2010
Caterpillar Inc. has joined the FutureGen Alliance, putting a clean coal power plant slated for Mattoon one step closer to reality. FutureGen backers are scrambling to meet the Energy Department's demand for more private investment in the project before the Obama administration decides whether to proceed with a $1.1 billion federal investment in the plant. A decision is expected in the next month or two.

House Approves S&T Legislation to Improve Cybersecurity R&D by Overwhelming Majority
U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology
February 4, 2010
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4061, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act, by a vote of 422 to 5. This bill will improve cybersecurity within the federal government as well as the public and private sectors by: helping to develop a skilled cybersecurity workforce; coordinating and prioritizing the federal research and development (R&D) portfolio; improving the transfer of cybersecurity technologies to the marketplace; and promoting cybersecurity education and awareness for the general public.

Obama Announces Steps to Boost Biofuels, Clean Coal
U.S. Department of Energy
February 3, 2010
President Barack Obama today announced a series of steps his Administration is taking as part of its comprehensive strategy to enhance American energy independence while building a foundation for a new clean energy economy, and its promise of new industries and millions of jobs.