Would you like to have Siri respond to you when your device is covered or face down? Then you are in luck as Thomas Domville shows us how to make Hey Siri listen with the Facedown Detection or covered in iOS.

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, Thomas Domville, Randy Rusnak, and Mike Malarsie discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• Apple Updates Its App Store Review Guidelines, Here Are Key Takeaways
• Apple launches repair program for blank screen issue affecting 3rd generation iPad Air
• Apple Announces Updated Powerbeats Earbuds With H1 Chip, 15-Hour Battery Life and $150 Price Tag
• Apple Announces New MacBook Air with 2x Performance, Magic Keyboard, $999 Price Tag
• New iPad Pro Announced With A12Z Bionic Chip, Magic Keyboard With Trackpad, LiDAR Scanner, Ultra Wide Camera
• Apple updates Mac Mini with more storage options
• iOS 14 code confirms Apple planning ‘iPhone 9 Plus’ with A13 as larger version of rumored entry-level model
• Apple Announces WWDC 2020 Will Be a Digital-Only Event Set to Take Place in June
• iOS 14 and iPadOS 14: Features, specifications, release date, and more
• Apple Developing Fitness App for iOS 14 That Lets You Download Guided Workout Videos
• Apple Testing New iMessage Features Such as Mentions and Retracting Messages, Could Extend to Mac App
• iOS 14 to include new homescreen list view option with Siri suggestions and more
• iOS 14: haptic feedback for sounds like fire alarms, sirens, crying babies and more
• Apple Exploring Ways to Let Developers Provide Custom Voice Synthesizers on iOS
• Siri voices could be customizable by developers in iOS 14
• iOS 14: Major accessibility features, Alipay Apple Pay, wallpaper app integration, more
• watchOS 7 might finally let you track your sleep, share watch faces, and more
• Apple Watch blood oxygen detection feature found in iOS 14 code snippet
• Future Apple Watch bands could sport built-in battery packs
• Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 13.4 With New Mail Toolbar, iCloud Folder Sharing, Trackpad Support for iPad and More
• Update: Now Available: Apple to Release iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 on March 24; With Several New Features, but Mixed News for Blind and Low Vision Users
• Blind Quest
• Prepare to Embark on an Adventure with Blind Quest for iOS
• NetNewsWire: RSS Reader
• Get Wired In the News with NetNewsWire: RSS Reader for iOS
• WALTR: Effortless iTunes Alternative for Windows & Mac

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

Apple has updated Siri to answer some simple questions about Covid-19 for users in the USA.

In this podcast, Troy Larson shows us how voice queries like “Hey Siri, do I have the coronavirus?” will lead you through a series of quick questions about symptoms such as a dry cough and shortness of breath.

Siri is by no means a replacement for a medical professional, but its answers have been provided by the US Public Health Service, and Siri can direct you to the Centers for Disease Control website or even prompt you to ring the emergency services.

Are you wanting to share a folder from your iCloud Drive with your family, friends or co-workers? Join Thomas Domville in how to use iCloud folder sharing in iOS.

In this podcast, Tyler Stephen shows us how to share folders in iCloud Drive on a Mac running macOS Catalina 10.15.4 or later.

More information on sharing folders with iCloud Drive is available on this Apple Support page.

With folder sharing in iCloud Drive, you can share entire folders of files with friends, family, or colleagues. Then, you can work together on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or iCloud.com.

When you create and share a folder in iCloud Drive, participants can access all the files in that folder. If you add a file to a shared folder, it's automatically shared with all participants, too. You can also add or remove participants, edit sharing permissions, or stop sharing a folder anytime.

Are you using Apple TV+? Did you know that you can change different streaming options for TV+? Join in as Thomas Domville shows us how to choose a streaming option for Apple TV+ in iOS.

In this edition of the AppleVis Extra, Dave Nason and Scott Davert interview KARTHIK KANNAN developer of Envision AI.

‎Envision AI on the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/envision-ai/id1268632314

Envision - enabling vision for visually impaired Website:
https://www.letsenvision.com/

Questions about Envision AI and/or Envision Glasses? Email at karthik@letsenvision.com or write to him from within the app.

In this edition of the AppleVis Extra, Thomas Domville interview Maurice Parker one of the developers of NetNewsWire.

‎NetNewsWire: RSS Reader on the App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/netnewswire-rss-reader/id1480640210

Get Wired In the News with NetNewsWire: RSS Reader for iOS
https://www.applevis.com/podcast/get-wired-news-netnewswire-rss-reader-ios

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, regular hosts Thomas Domville and Randy Rusnak are joined by Michael Hansen to discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• Happy Birthday Apple - Founded April 1, 1976
• Apple Acquires Weather App Dark Sky
• Apple announces the new $399 iPhone SE for 2020
• iPhone SE 2020 release date, price, specs and all you need to know
• iPhone battery life compared: How does the new iPhone SE stack up?
• New iPhone SE Supports Haptic Touch, With 3D Touch Now Officially Eliminated From Apple's iPhone Lineup
• iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 Cases Are Compatible with 2020 iPhone SE
• iPhone SE Plus Postponed Until Second Half of 2021
• Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1 With Fix for FaceTime Bug
• Apple to Announce Q2 2020 Earnings on April 30
• Apple Q2 2020 earnings will be down, but not disastrously so
• Goldman Sachs sees iPhone sales tanking 36%, says sell AAPL shares
• Apple invites select developers to attend accessibility webinar ahead of WWDC 2020
• Apple Rumored to Announce 13-inch MacBook Pro Refresh, AirTags, Over-Ear Headphones at WWDC 2020
• Apple's over-ear headphones reportedly have swappable ear pads and headbands
• Kuo: New AirPods Coming In 2021, Over-The-Ear Headphones To Be Unveiled This Year
• Supersense AI
• Personal Power; The iOS Edition
• ACB Convention homepage
• National Convention | National Federation of the Blind

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

In this episode of the AppleVis Extra, host Dave Nason speaks to Michael Feir, author of Personal Power; The iOS Edition, a recently released comprehensive guide on how to get the most from iOS as a blind user.

Connecticut Senate Democratic leaders say United Technologies’ decision to move its headquarters to Boston in its merger with Raytheon will have little effect on the state’s economy.

Governor Ned Lamont says United Technologies will continue to expand and hire new workers in Connecticut despite its merger with Raytheon. The company plans to move its headquarters to Boston.

Long Island’s pharmaceutical industry now makes up one of the region’s largest employers of manufacturing jobs. That’s according to a report released this week by the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency.

Two major Connecticut banks announced Tuesday they will merge in a $759 million deal.

Long Island has one of the fastest-growing tech markets in North America. That’s according to the U.S. Commercial Real Estate Services Group.

The labor markets in both Connecticut and Long Island grew tighter in June. Unemployment in Connecticut is at a 17-year-low, and Long Island is at an almost 30-year low.

A state-funded report on New York’s tourism economy says visitors spent $6.1 billion on Long Island in 2018.

New York, Connecticut and six other states have sued the Securities and Exchange Commission for ignoring the will of Congress and failing to protect mom and pop investors.

Legislation introduced in New York this week expands tax exemptions for small businesses.

Connecticut’s first-ever chief manufacturing officer wants to return state industry to national prominence.

Don't put next generation of manufacturing talent on lockdown says Make UK.

How Birmingham's 'golden mile' is being looked after during COVID-19.

Veteran law enforcement officers Damon K. Jones and Cariol Horne are speaking out against police brutality and calling for reform. They talked with WPSU about the challenges they have faced as minorities in the police force, their thoughts about the Black Lives Matter movement and why change is necessary. Transcript: Cheraine Stanford: Welcome to take note on WPSU. I'm Cheraine Stanford. We're joined today by two activists advocating for law enforcement reform. Cariol Horne was a police officer in Buffalo, New York, for nearly two decades. When she was fired after she says she was assaulted by a fellow officer while attempting to stop him from choking a handcuffed man. Damon K. Jones has worked in the West Chester Department of Corrections for 28 years. He represents the state of New York in the organization, Blacks in Law Enforcement of America. The two came to Penn State as part of a panel called “Black lives inside of blue lives” to discuss the question: What happens when Black

Molly Melching first went to Senegal in 1974 as an exchange student from the University of Illinois. But, instead of returning to the United States, she stayed on, eventually creating a nonprofit organization to educate and empower women and communities. That organization Tostan created and implemented educational programs focused on human rights, health, literacy, financial management and childhood development. It may be best known for leading thousands of communities in Africa to end female genital cutting and forced childhood marriage. WPSU's Anne Danahy talked with Melching about her work. Transcript Anne Danahy: Welcome to take note on WPSU, I'm Anne Danahy. Molly Melching first went to Senegal in 1974 as an exchange student from the University of Illinois. But instead of returning to the United States, she stayed, eventually creating a nonprofit organization to educate and empower women and communities. That organization, Tostan, created and implemented educational programs

Peter Forster is an associate professor who teaches security and risk analysis at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology. His research focuses on cybersecurity, counter-terrorism and social networks. Forster has worked on improving law enforcement’s situational awareness of issues such as drug and human trafficking. He also oversees a research project on better understanding of how extremist organizations recruit Americans in cyberspace. He talks with WPSU about why cybersecurity shouldn’t be an afterthought in today’s world and how the cyber world and the physical world are inseparable. Plus, how to practice “cyber hygiene.” Transcript: Min Xian: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I’m Min Xian. Peter Forster is an associate teaching professor who teaches security and risk analysis at Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology. His research focuses on cybersecurity, counterterrorism and social networks. Forster has worked on improving law enforcement’s

Jessie Sage is a sex worker who writes and speaks publicly on issues related to sex work, feminism, and social justice. James Tison is a stand-up comedian in New York who uses humor to fight stigma against his LGBTQ identity and life with HIV. Sage and Tison recently spoke at an event at Penn State called “Facts not Fear: A Night to Fight Stigma,” and talked with WPSU about fighting the sigma their communities face. This Take Note interview talks about sex work and might not be suitable for children to hear.

Shih-In Ma is a social justice advocate who works to promote diversity and inclusion in Centre County. The State College native and Penn State alum, left a corporate career at IBM to begin a journey of spirituality, self-reflection and meditation. Her journey has taken her around the world and included spending four years in India with Amma, who's known as the hugging saint. Shih-In Ma teaches meditation and shares opportunities for others to gain better insight and understanding of those around them. TRANSCRIPT: Cheraine Stanford Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Cheraine Stanford. Shih-In Ma is a social justice advocate who works to promote diversity and inclusion in Centre County. The State College native and Penn State alum, left a corporate career at IBM to begin a journey of spirituality, self-reflection and meditation. Her journey has taken her around the world and included spending four years in India with Amma, who's known as the hugging saint. Shih-In Ma teaches meditation

Robert Crumb is best known as an underground cartoonist, whose work, including Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural, remains controversial. But Crumb is also a collector and celebrator of old blues records. Jerry Zolten is a professor of communication arts and sciences and integrative arts at Penn State Altoona. His work includes the book “Great God A’Mighty! The Dixie Hummingbirds: Celebrating the Rise of Soul Gospel Music.” WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Crumb and Zolten about their love of old blues music and records.

Brian Wray is an award-winning children’s book author for his book “Unraveling Rose” about a toy bunny rabbit with OCD. His latest book, “Max’s Box,” talks about what happens when negative emotions are suppressed. Both of his picture books focus on children’s mental and emotional health. TRANSCRIPT: Kirsten Tekavec: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Kirsten Tekavec. Brian Wray is a children's book author and the 2017 Gold Winner of the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award for his book "Unraveling Rose." His latest book, Max's Box," talks about what happens when negative emotions are suppressed. Both of his picture books focus on children's mental and emotional health. He is a Penn State graduate and currently lives in Brooklyn. Brian Wray, thank you for joining us. Brian Wray: Thank you for having me. Tekavec: Before we begin discussing your work, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into writing children's books? Wray: I have been writing stories for as long

Maxwell King is the best-selling author of "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers." King talks about why he wrote the book and gives insight into the life of Mister Rogers, the unfailingly kind, compassionate namesake neighbor of the beloved "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." To learn more about Rogers' legacy visit the Fred Rogers Center and Fred Rogers Productions . TRANSCRIPT: Carolyn Donaldson: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Carolyn Donaldson. Today, we're joined by Maxwell King, recently retired president of the Pittsburgh Foundation, former president of the Heinz Endowment, and former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. But now in today's context, a best selling author. In his book, "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Works of Fred Rogers," King's written a personal and professional biography of Fred Rogers, the unfailingly kind, compassionate namesake neighbor of the beloved Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Thanks for joining us today, Maxwell. Maxwell King: Good to be

Penn State assistant teaching professor Shaheen Pasha is an advocate for more journalism courses to be taught in prison. She talked with WPSU about a reporting class she taught to both prisoners and journalism students in Massachusetts, the benefits of learning about our mass incarceration system from the people who are living it and her plan to create a program here in central Pennsylvania. TRANSCRIPT: Min Xian: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I'm Min Xian. Shaheen Pasha is an assistant teaching professor at Penn State's College of Communications and advocates for more journalism courses to be taught in prison. Previously, she was an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she launched a social justice journalism course focused on mass incarceration at the Hampshire County Jail bringing together prisoners and UMass journalism students. Pasha was a 2018 Knight Visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard. She's also a veteran journalist who has covered legal issues,

A recent study published in the journal Science found the number of birds in North America is plummeting. The bird population dropped by more than a quarter over the past 50 years. Grassland birds, shore birds and songbirds are all affected. WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Greg Grove, editor of Pennsylvania Birds, and Doug Wentzel, president of the State College Bird Club, about bird watching and those trends

In 1995, one of the deadliest heat waves in the United States killed 739 people in Chicago. Why was the death count so high? And why were the deaths concentrated in poor, mostly African American neighborhoods? In her new documentary "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," filmmaker Judith Helfand says it wasn't the heat that killed these people, but generations of institutional racism. We talked with the Peabody Award-winning director about "Cooked," which had its TV premiere on Independent Lens on PBS earlier this month, and about her past documentaries, which include "Blue Vinyl" and "A Healthy Baby Girl." TRANSCRIPT: Emily Reddy: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I'm Emily Reddy. In 1995, one of the deadliest heat waves in the United States killed 739 people in Chicago. Why was the death count so high? And why were the deaths concentrated in poor, mostly African American neighborhoods? In her new documentary "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," filmmaker Judith Helfand says it wasn't the heat that

Bill Doan is a professor of theatre at Penn State. The university selected Doan to be the 2019-20 Penn State Laureate, a role that spotlights the arts and humanities. For Doan, that means performances, drawings and talks focused on anxiety and depression and how art, science and health can work together. WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Doan about his work and his own struggles with anxiety, depression and loss.

A new report titled "More Rivers to Cross: A Report on the Status of African American Professors at Penn State University" finds that there's a shortage of black faculty at the university and offers some reasons for why that is. Penn State professor Dr. Gary King, and associate professor Dr. Darryl Thomas prepared the report with the input of other black faculty. Dr. King teaches in the College of Health and Human Development, and Dr. Thomas teaches African American Studies. We talked with them both about this report, which you can read below. "More Rivers to Cross:... by Emily Reddy on Scribd TRANSCRIPT: Emily Reddy: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Emily Reddy. A new report titled "More Rivers to Cross: A Report on the Status of African American Professors at Penn State University" finds that there's a shortage of black faculty at the university and offers some reasons for why that is. Penn State professor Dr. Gary King, and associate professor Dr. Darryl Thomas prepared the report

In her book, “Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore,” Elizabeth Rush takes readers around the country to see rising tides . Rush talks with people around the country who have lost their homes and communities; with scientists who study what’s happening; and with conservationists trying to find ways to restore wetlands. Rush’s book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Rush, who will be in State College March 23 to give a talk at 7 p.m. at Schlow Library to celebrate Earth Day.

Among the things Pennsylvania is known for in politics is being home to some of the most gerrymandered legislative districts in the country. Carol Kuniholm is one of the people trying to change that. Kuniholm is chairwoman of Fair Districts Pennsylvania, and she’s leading an effort to permanently change how voting districts in Pennsylvania are drawn. She spoke with WPSU's Anne Danahy about the group's push for change in time for the state's upcoming redistricting.

Matthew Ferrari is an epidemiologist and associate professor of biology at Penn State who studies infectious diseases and how they spread across populations. He uses mathematical and statistical tools to understand patterns of disease incidence. He talked with WPSU's Cheraine Stanford about the new coronavirus, what we know, what we don’t and what it means for our community and our country.

On this Take Note, we talked about public health messaging, specifically how the U.S. government has communicated about and reacted to the coronavirus outbreak. Also, how dealing with a pandemic is different in a democracy than in an authoritarian country. Our guest was Nita Bharti, an assistant professor of biology and the Lloyd Huck Early Career Professor in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State. This interview is from the Democracy Works podcast, a collaboration between WPSU and the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. TRANSCRIPT: Jenna Spinelle: This is Jenna Spinelle here today with Nita Bharti. Nita, thanks for joining us on Democracy Works. Nita Bharti: It's my pleasure. Thanks Jenna. Spinelle: We are going to talk today in the midst of the corona virus outbreak about the relationship between information, government and the public in the midst of an outbreak. That's a complex topic. We're going to kind of come at it from a couple of different angles

Robert Bullard has spent four decades shining a light on issues of environmental racism and fighting for environmental justice. He talks with WPSU's Cheraine Stanford about how the coronavirus pandemic is highlighting existing social inequalities and why he thinks climate and environmental justice are essential issues for the upcoming election. TRANSCRIPT: Cheraine Stanford: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I'm Cheraine Stanford. Robert Bullard is an environmental advocate and sociologist who has spent his career shining a light on issues of environmental racism and fighting for environmental justice. He's the distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University. Among his many accolades, he was the first African-American to receive the Sierra Club's highest honor ,the John Muir award. He's been called the Father of Environmental Justice. Dr. Bullard and I are talking via Zoom today. Dr. Bullard, thank you so much for joining us today. Robert

Bernice Hausman is chair of the Department of Humanities in the Penn State College of Medicine. She’s recognized for her research on vaccines and breastfeeding, including why both can be controversial in the United States. She has written several books, most recently "Anti/Vax: Reframing the Vaccination Controversy," which was published last year. WPSU's Anne Danahy spoke with Hausman about what we can learn from past vaccine controversies about the COVID-19 epidemic.

Speaking Grief is a multi-platform project that aims to create a more grief-aware society. The public television documentary, Speaking Grief, premieres Tuesday, May 5 th at 8pm on WPSU-TV. It will also air on public TV stations around the country starting this month. Our guest on this edition of Take Note (recorded from home, via telephone to observe social distancing) is Lindsey Whissel Fenton of WPSU, producer & director of the film, who talks about the project, how we can overcome the taboo against talking about grief, and how we can learn how to support those who grieve.

The East State Street Kmart in Rockford and four Sears stores elsewhere in Illinois have been targeted by Sears Holdings to close in early September. The Kmart store on Sandy Hollow Road in Rockford closed in early April this year. A Kmart store formerly located at Riverside Boulevard and Forest Hills Road closed more than a decade ago and was replaced by a Sears Essentials store, which closed in 2011. While reporting a net loss of $424 million in its quarterly report this morning, Sears Holdings announced it had identified 100 unprofitable stores across the country, “72 of which will begin store closing sales in the near future. ” A list of 15 Kmart stores and 48 Sears stores was posted on the corporate website early this afternoon. The announcement included this statement: “We continue to evaluate our network of stores, which are a critical component in our transformation, and will make further adjustments as needed and as warranted.” It said a small group of stores was pulled from

A northern Illinois economic development group is working on what’s being called a “code of ethics” for its member communities. They’re not alone. In this WNIJ Friday Forum, Guy Stephens looks at codes that are being created and what they can mean to economic development. Striking a balance between competing local interests to achieve a benefit of all long has been a mantra of regional economic development. No one involved seems to disagree. Still, it has been deemed necessary to “get it in writing.” The Region 1 Planning Council is an economic development alliance that comprises the Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning (RMAP) and the Economic Development District of Northern Illinois (EDDNI). It includes the City of Rochelle along with governments in Stephenson, Winnebago, Boone and McHenry Counties. The Council has been working on its so-called “code of ethics” with the aim of having something in place this year. It would, among other things, prohibit local governments from

Sears Hometown Stores in Sterling, Plano and Moline will be closing during the current business quarter, the company announced over the weekend. The websites for all three stores already are announcing “Store in liquidation” sales. They are among “90 to 100” underperforming Sears Hometown locations remaining after 21 stores were closed in the previous quarter, President and Chief Executive Officer Will Powell said in the quarterly earnings announcement. Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. , was spun off from Sears Holdings Corp. in 2012. Most of the 882 Sears Hometown locations are independently owned and operated, offering Sears brands like Kenmore and Craftsman as well as other national brands. The Sterling and Plano stores both are owned by Sean Austin, according to Plano Sears Hometown Store Manager Redell Morgan. He said the last day for the Plano store will be July 23. Morgan said he is the only full-time employee at the Plano location, which has six part-time employees. The

A vehicle produced in Belvidere has topped a new list of cars with the most American content. Fiat Chrysler ’s Jeep Cherokee came in at number one on the list created by Cars.com . The website looked at which cars were manufactured in America, had the most American parts, and support the most American factory jobs. Four of the top ten cars on the list are made by foreign-based companies. But Cars.com’s executive director, Joe Wiesenfelder, said, these days, all manufacturers are global. “And even what you consider an American brand might import vehicles from across the border," he said. "Whereas what might at one time been considered an import brand is building the cars here in the U.S.” Wiesenfelder sees the list as a service for someone who’s looking at what car to buy. “If they’re interested in contributing to the U.S. economy," he said, "they might see that it’s on the American-Made Index and say, ‘well, that’s one more count in its favor.’” Two other cars produced in Illinois made

Fiat Chrysler Automobile announced Saturday that CEO Sergio Marchionne's health had suddenly deteriorated following surgery and that its board of directors had chosen Jeep executive Mike Manley to replace him. Marchionne, a 66-year-old Italian-Canadian, joined Fiat in 2004 and led the Turin-based company's merger with bankrupt U.S. carmaker Chrysler. Manley, 54, had been heading the Jeep brand since June 2009 and the Ram brand from October 2015. The announcement, at the end of an urgently convened board meeting, marked the end of the Marchionne era, which included the turnaround of failing Fiat, the takeover of bankrupt U.S. automaker Chrysler and the spinoffs of the heavy machinery and truck maker CNH and supercar maker Ferrari. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement that due to his deteriorating health Marchionne "will be unable to return to work." Marchionne, 66, had already announced he would step down in early 2019, so the board's decision, to be confirmed at an upcoming shareholders'

The Chicago Rockford International Airport is now the 22 nd busiest airport in the nation for cargo volume. The airport rose from a ranking of 31st in 2016. Airport Executive Director Mike Dunn said Rockford has the necessary infrastructure to support both cargo and passenger operations. “Well, it’s been a curious contemplation by myself and people at the airport to determine what would come or explode first at the airport -- the cargo operations or the passenger operations, and obviously, it’s the cargo operations,” Dunn said. Close to 1.4 billion pounds of cargo traveled through the Chicago Rockford International Airport last year. This year, more than 2 billion pounds of cargo are expected to make their way through. Dunn said the growth is expected to continue in the coming years. “’17 was significantly higher than ’16, and ’18 will be significantly higher than ’17,” he said. “So where we go, yes, we anticipate more growth. I don’t know at what rate.” Dunn said the airport’s growth

A storage safe manufacturer is closing two Chicago-area factories and moving operations to Mexico to counteract the effects of metal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump's administration. The Chicago Tribune reports Stack-On Products will lay off about 150 people at its Wauconda and McHenry plants when they close Oct. 12. Human resources director Al Fletcher said Tuesday the decision to relocate operations to Juarez, Mexico, was made about two months ago. That's when Trump announced tariffs on numerous goods and materials from China as well as other countries. Stack-On makes products ranging from tool boxes to gun vaults. Fletcher says the company has a plant in China and another in Mexico, and its only U.S. factories were the two in the Chicago area.

It’s the end of the line for Rochelle rail car maker Nippon Sharyo. It appears the company is shuttering its Illinois plant. In 2012, the announcement that the Japanese rail car manufacturer had selected Rochelle for its massive factory came with much fanfare. Japan’s ambassador to the U.S. Ichiro Fujisaki and then-governor Pat Quinn helped cut the ribbon at a celebration while Taiko Japanese drums thundered in the cavernous building. The end has been much quieter. A Cincinnati auction house specializing in industrial sales is auctioning the 57-acre facility and its millions of dollars of highly-specialized equipment. The colorful brochure touts the site as “plug and play” manufacturing in a business-friendly community. Tours by appointment are underway and the company wants to have the bids in by the end of September and a final sale by Feb. 1, 2019. In a statement, Nippon Sharyo officials said they had been reducing their workforce at the Rochelle plant because of a decreased