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Attorney General Raoul Supports EPA Research On The Harms Of Microplastics In Drinking Water, Calls For Additional Monitoring Of Public Water Systems

10 hours 28 minutes ago
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 14 attorneys general, affirmed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) efforts to add microplastics to a list of contaminants in drinking water prioritized for research and called for the EPA to further monitor microplastics. Microplastics pose special concerns due to their suspected overall prevalence and their ability to accumulate and persist in the environment. They are generally described as often-invisible

Belleville Family Turns To Community After Ni'Kajha Johnson's Death

10 hours 29 minutes ago
BELLEVILLE - A GoFundMe campaign organized by Brandy Stanback is seeking donations to cover funeral expenses and support the two children of Ni’Kajha A.K. Johnson, a 24-year-old Belleville woman who was fatally shot on June 3, 2026, while sitting in a vehicle at 25th Street and Ridge Avenue in East St. Louis. Stanback, Johnson’s mother, said in the fundraiser that Johnson’s death has left her children and loved ones grieving and that the money raised will help “lay my

Senator Erica Harriss Announces Grant For Long Lake Volunteer Fire Department

10 hours 43 minutes ago
PONTOON BEACH – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) is pleased to announce that the Long Lake Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded funding through the federal Volunteer Fire Capacity (VFC) Grant Program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The $7,320 grant will provide reimbursement for eligible equipment purchases and firefighter training expenses. “Strong volunteer fire departments are vital to public safety in communities across

Duckworth Joins Markey, Senate Democrats in Calling for Affordability, Safety, Worker Priorities in Surface Transportation Bill

10 hours 48 minutes ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (CST)—joined U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and 14 of their Senate Democratic colleagues to call on the Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate Committees on Environment and Public Works; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and Appropriations to continue the progress made in the Bipartisan

Budzinski, LaHood Introduce Bill to Support Veterans Battling Parkinson's

11 hours 3 minutes ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Darin LaHood (IL-16) introduced the Boxing Therapy for Parkinson’s Access Act to expand access to evidence-based boxing programs for veterans and individuals living with Parkinson’s. Specifically, the bill will reduce financial barriers and ensure greater access to these programs for our nation's veterans living with Parkinson's and movement disorders. "Our veterans sacrificed so much for our country and

"Little Free Art Library" Vandalized; Residents Encouraged to Leave and Take Art Supplies from Other Locations

11 hours 14 minutes ago
ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District and Jacoby Arts Center announced that the Little Free Art Library at Olin Park is no longer available due to vandalism. The Little Free Art Libraries were created through a collaboration between Hayner Library, Jacoby Arts Center, and Lewis and Clark Community College. These boxes were installed throughout town and allow people to leave and take art supplies. The goal is to make art more accessible and encourage reusing materials. On Wednesday,

Why Water Can Calm the Mind in Just Minutes

11 hours 21 minutes ago
A view of water can lower stress in just a few minutes. That helps explain why people will drive across town to sit by a lake, pay extra for an ocean-facing room, or stand under a hot shower longer than they planned. Water does more than keep us alive. It calms us, draws our attention, and makes ordinary moments feel better. Why water feels good almost instantly People are built to notice water. At the most basic level, we need it to survive. Our bodies are made mostly of water, and we cannot

Why Play Matters for Children and Adults More Than It Seems

11 hours 25 minutes ago
Play looks frivolous right up until you see what happens without it. Remove free play from a child’s day, or playful freedom from an adult’s life, and stress rises, creativity shrinks, and relationships often become more brittle. Why play matters more than it seems Play is easy to dismiss because it does not always produce something visible. It may not earn money, check off a task, or solve a problem on command. But psychologically, play does important work. It helps people explore,

June 7 in History: Treaty of Tordesillas, Battle of Midway and Other Turning Points

11 hours 30 minutes ago
On June 7, one of the most consequential events in world history took place in 1494, when Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas. The agreement drew an imaginary line through the Atlantic Ocean and divided newly claimed lands outside Europe between the two kingdoms. At the time, it was meant to reduce conflict between two rising maritime powers competing for trade routes, territory, and influence. Its effects reached far beyond diplomacy. The treaty helped shape the future of Latin