WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced two pieces of bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation—the Smarter Sentencing Act , to modernize federal drug sentencing policies, and the Smarter Pretrial Detention for Drug Charges Act , to provide judges additional flexibility when determining if pretrial detention is appropriate for those accused of nonviolent
GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College has established a new Student Advisory Council (SAC) to help give students a platform on campus, and to provide the college’s president and executive team with student input on various matters affecting them. Student Trustee Jim Eck said the idea was born out of several informal sessions with President Ken Tzraska last fall, during which several students shared their positive learning experiences. “We are building on that
BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School students presented a check to the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8 Board of Education to increase literacy in the community. During the Board’s regular meeting on Feb. 26, 2026, four members of the Educators Rising program at Civic Memorial spoke about their fundraising efforts to assist with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Madison County. Through several initiatives, students have raised money to help continue this program in
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today unveiled nearly $200,000 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that help people stay in their homes and get job training. “We are helping people who need a helping hand at a time when so many folks are struggling due to higher costs and as our federal government yanks away lifelines,” Treasurer Frerichs said at a news conference at Rockford. “I’m proud to partner with nonprofit organizations
WOOD RIVER – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced traffic impacts near the Phillips 66 refinery’s north entrance along IL 143. Beginning March 2, local law enforcement will change the traffic signal located at IL 143 and the Schnuck’s entrance to red flash between the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. as well as 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., daily through April 18. These adjustments are necessary to facilitate safe, efficient traffic flow during shift
GRANITE CITY – 1st MidAmerica Credit Union announced its three recipients of the Granite City Community Unit School District #9 Teacher Grants for the 2025 Fall Semester at the February 24, 2026 GCSD9 School Board Meeting. 1st MidAmerica Credit Union Business Development Representative Martha Morse presented each honoree with a $250 grant. Below is a list of the three honorees and how the $250 grant will be used: Jessica Farris - Prather Elementary School Novel for all class reading
SPRINGFIELD - Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today unveiled nearly $200,000 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that help people stay in their homes and get job training. In Wood River, Riverbend Family Ministries will receive $20,000 from the grants. “The Charitable Trust program has been a transformative support for our work with families facing housing instability in Madison County,” said Rachel Craddick, executive director of Riverbend Family Ministries
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt introduced a new measure to increase access to life-saving mental health resources and strengthen suicide prevention efforts across the state. “What we’re doing is expanding suicide prevention education across the entire state,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “These are meaningful steps to address mental health proactively and compassionately.” Belt’s measure would require numerous public buildings across
EAST ALTON - East Alton students learned about unity through several Black History Month activities. On Feb. 25, 2026, the Black History Month celebrations concluded with an assembly at East Alton Middle School, where choir members sang songs and students performed a step routine. Fifth grade students at Eastwood Elementary completed a live museum project, and students across the district were encouraged to enter a poster contest. Angela Gray, the school social worker, and Karinsa Moline,
WILDWOOD, Mo. - The combination of low relative humidity, gusty winds, and dry vegetation on the ground made Friday especially dangerous when it came to the brush fire risk. “Today is all about awareness. We just want people to be aware that these conditions are right for these types of fires. And to just know [...]
We have a weak cold front that has dipped into the region and stalled overhead. This will create a bit of a temperature range for this afternoon from the upper 50s north to the low 70s south. Highs in St. Louis will likely hit the mid 60s. Localized elevated fire weather conditions are also possible [...]
Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting marks Laumeier’s 50th anniversary by celebrating five decades of artist commissions and exhibitions. Featuring hundreds of artists and rarely seen works from Laumeier’s collection, […]
JEFFERSON CITY — The House Education Committee is considering a bill that would bring driver’s education back to Missouri public schools at the elementary and secondary education levels. Rep. Rodger Reedy, R-Windsor, sponsor of House Bill 2195, told the committee at a hearing on Wednesday that he aims to allow public schools to integrate driver […]
If you polled Missourians, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys paying taxes, regardless of political affiliation. Yet most Missourians recognize that some services are essential — things like roads, schools, and programs that support independence, self-sufficiency and community health. These services provide stability not just for individuals, but for entire communities. The […]
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