ALTON - New signage now greets motorists and pedestrians at Lincoln-Douglas Square in Alton, where the Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club worked with the city to add an identifying marker to the western side of the historic site at the Landmarks/Piasa/Broadway intersection. The sign marks Lincoln-Douglas Square, which commemorates the 1858 debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in their contest for the U.S. Senate. According to the provided information, the site had stood for decades but
JERSEY - Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100's Camp SMART at Jersey Community Middle School had what was described as “another fantastic week of learning and fun” last week, with students taking part in STEM activities, creative writing, games, and a school-wide kickball event to culminate activities. The district said Camp SMART highlighted student participation in a series of camp-themed activities at JCMS. The district said students brought “so much energy
MACOUPIN COUNTY – The Macoupin County Public Health Department confirmed the first positive surveillance pool for West Niles Virus in the county in 2026. The Macoupin County Public Health Department has confirmed the county’s first positive surveillance pool for West Nile virus in 2026, officials said after a mosquito pool in Gillespie tested positive on June 19, 2026. The department announced the finding and urged residents to take steps to reduce mosquito breeding areas and protect
CHICAGO – Operation Lifesaver has designated June 24 as Emergency Notification System (ENS) Sign Awareness Day to highlight the importance of blue and white signs posted at rail crossings across the country. “All motorists and pedestrians should know about these potentially life-saving signs, what the information listed means, and the steps to take if you or someone you witness get stuck on train tracks,” said Aisha Jackson, ICC Rail Safety Specialist and Illinois Operation
CHICAGO — The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) today announced 147 grants to organizations totaling $50.8 million in the latest round of Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program funding. These grants continue the state’s commitment to uplifting communities that have experienced systemic racism and historic disinvestment. “Illinois is proud to make historic investments in neighborhoods that have too often been left out and left behind,” said Governo
SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans are invited to chronicle their stories, memories and reflections in audio recordings that will be permanently archived at the U.S. Library of Congress during a series of community recording sessions scheduled for this summer. Illinois Voices 250 is an initiative led by the Illinois America 250 Commission in partnership with Illinois Humanities and StoryCorps Studios. It’s the most expansive effort yet to ensure Illinois’ commemoration of the nation’s
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, sounded the alarm over the dramatic increase in deaths among detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since January 2025. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin and ICE Acting Director David Venturella, th
ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY, Mo. - A small plane crashed on a road in St. Francois County Tuesday morning. According to St. Francois County Sheriff Jeff Crites, a single-engine plane was reported to have crashed just before 10:30 a.m. near the town of Bismarck. No injuries were reported in the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration is [...]
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker joined nine fellow governors from across the country urging Congress to reject federal legislation that would grant sweeping legal protections to fossil fuel companies and limit the authority of states and local governments to enforce their own laws. In a letter signed by California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Illinois, the coalition of governors underscored that the proposed legislation
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor offering condolences to the families and friends of Delores Shelton and Sarita Kimble—who were killed by the recent tornadoes in Illinois this weekend. According to the Chicago Tribune , Illinois has experienced more than 147 confirmed tornadoes over the past six months, nearly three times the state average of 54 from 1990 to 2020. In 2024, the previous record year for tornadoes