SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt)'s legislation to honor Illinois veterans and service members passed the House unanimously. House Bill 4385 now advances to the Senate for further consideration. Schmidt filed HB4385 to expand access to military license plates as a small but meaningful way to recognize those who have served our country. "This bill allows veterans and service members who already have military plates to obtain an identical set for a second vehicle
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined leaders from IBM and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to announce the renewal and the expansion of the IBM–Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute, a forward step for Illinois’ fast-growing quantum and AI ecosystem which highlights the state’s continued commitment to strengthening our workforce to develop the next-generation of computing. “I’m pleased to see the IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator
EDWARDSVILLE — From new playgrounds to trail expansions and major park upgrades, communities across Madison County are set to see visible improvements following the approval of $3.3 million in Parks Enhancement Program (PEP) grants on April 16. The County Board approved funding for the program during its meeting Wednesday night. The grants will support projects in municipalities, townships and park districts, with awards ranging from $49,700 to $310,000. The program allows local governments
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure that would ban the use of AI tools in teacher evaluations. “This measure protects teachers by ensuring their evaluations are written by people, not AI,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This will keep the process fair, transparent and more focused on real classroom performance.” Senate Bill 2909 would prevent school administrators from using AI to write teacher evaluations. A teacher evaluation is a formal
SPRINGFIELD/HIGHLAND – On Saturday, April 11, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored a group of creative fifth and sixth-grade students selected for their artistic and writing skills used to express environmental awareness, as part of our Annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The students selected from throughout Illinois were recognized at a ceremony at the Illinois State Library. Each year, fifth and sixth-grade students in Illinois take part in the Poster,
ALTON - Alton High School and local businesses have partnered to offer internships to local students. The Alton Educational Foundation worked with local businesses and the high school to start an internship program for students last fall. Kristie Baumgartner, executive director of the Alton Educational Foundation, noted that the program has been positive for all involved. Students receive valuable job experience while local employers find hard-working interns. “As much as teachers
SPRINGFIELD, IL. – Legislation sponsored by State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) to help rural ambulance services meet staffing requirements has been passed by the Illinois House. House Bill 5446 extends eligibility for an alternative staffing model to vehicle service providers that serve rural or semi-rural communities and are made up of volunteers, paid-on-call, or part-time employees. Currently, the use of part-time employees is not an option. Representative
JERSEYVILLE – In conjunction with Jerseyville Banking Center, J.C.H.S. has selected their “Students of the Month”. The recipients for the month of March are Adalyn Hutchins (10) left & Meryre Maynard (11) right. The selection of a “Student of the Month” is based upon the number of F.O.C.U.S. nominations, which a student receives for a given month. F.O.C.U.S. (Finding One Clearly Unique Student) is a program, which acknowledges a student each week for academic or
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias released a new study today detailing how auto insurance companies use non-driving factors to significantly increase costs for Illinois drivers. The release of the study reinforces the need for legislative reforms advanced through the office’s Driving Change campaign and was compiled from nearly 2,000 responses from Illinois residents. The Illinois Secretary of State’s office commissioned an independent study fro
GRANITE CITY – The Rotary Club of Granite City recognized juniors Olivia Heck and Elizabeth Weaver as Students of the Month for April. Students were nominated by teachers, and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. Each honoree received a framed certificate and a gift card, and was recognized at the Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast on March 24, 2026. OLIVIA HECK High
GLEN CARBON – Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSofSI) would like to congratulate the Top Cookie Sellers from the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program for 2026. Girl Scouts made door-to-door sales, hosted cookie booths, and even made online sales to friends and family near and far. GS of SI would like to recognize the girls who sold the most packages for their Service Unit. Let’s give a shout out to the following girls for being Top Cookie Sellers for their respective areas: Kennedy
The National Museum of Transportation is proud to announce a special exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66. Titled “Roads, River, Rooms, and Reels,” the exhibit will open […]
Scientists have uncovered a “blind spot” in the research on rising seas, revealing that tens of millions of people thought safe from coastal flooding are at risk of inundation.
The High Low Gallery presents a new exhibition, Night Comfort, featuring works by St. Louis artist Jeremy Rabus, opening Friday, March 27 and running through Sunday, June 14. Night Comfort explores nostalgia through […]
ST. LOUIS - Rain is gradually ending from west to east this morning. Once it's done, the remainder of the weekend will be dry. We'll see clearing skies from northwest to southeast through the day and breezy northwesterly winds. Temperatures will be much cooler, rebounding to only the mid to upper 50s this afternoon. Mostly [...]
LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. - Three individuals sustained serious injuries Friday night after their vehicle, a 1999 Ford Ranger, struck a tree that had fallen across the road due to the storms. The incident occurred on Tropicana Village Drive just north of Blackburn Court around 9:45 p.m. in Lincoln County. The vehicle's occupants, identified as a [...]
Begin Again: Wak'a Garden is the second installment in Laumeier’s Begin Again series, honoring the Park’s 50-year history of collaborating with artists and supporting new commissions and exhibitions. The organic, amphitheater-shaped sculpture, built […]
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