WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC) and Foreign Relations Committees (SFRC)—once again slammed Donald Trump for launching an illegal attack against Iran without Constitutionally-required authorization from Congress, without any known imminent threat to our national security and without a plan to mitigate the instability that will come next as the Administration continues to spend more than
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today met with members of the Illinois Farm Bureau to discuss the current state of the farm economy as the military attacks on Iran, directed by President Trump, and the standstill of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have increased expenses for diesel and fertilizer. Durbin and the members of the Farm Bureau also discussed the importance of transportation
NEW ATHENS, Ill. – State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) has been donating his legislative pay raise to different local organizations throughout his district for three years. He voted against politician pay raises and chose to give it back to the community to help families in need. This month he donated various items to the CESNA Food Pantry in New Athens to support “Blessings in a Backpack”- a mission to feed school children across the state. “Working together
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a coalition of 13 attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rescind a new policy that would significantly weaken federal environmental enforcement and delay action against polluters. In a letter to EPA Commissioner Lee Zeldin, the coalition warns that the EPA’s December 2025 Compliance First memorandum would slow enforcement of environmental laws, create bureaucratic barriers to holding
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act , and U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) led 39 of their Senate Democratic Caucus colleagues in a letter to outgoing U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow demanding DHS reduce the delays in processing renewal applications under the Deferred
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell to co-lead a coalition of attorneys general filing amicus briefs in support of the Endocrine Society (ES) and World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which are being targeted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over recommendations that run counter to the Trump administration’s preferred policies. Raoul and the coalition filed amicus briefs
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses at his spotlight forum entitled “The Kids Are Not Alright: How Mass Deportation is Traumatizing Children.” Today’s forum, which featured testimony from Chicago residents, examined how the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant campaign has terrorized both immigrant and U.S. citizen children and is leaving lasting emotional
ST. LOUIS - The city of St. Louis will impose a short-term, targeted overnight curfew for young people in parts of downtown from Friday through Sunday, March 20-22, 2026, while increasing public safety measures ahead of the opening rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament at Enterprise Center, city officials said. The curfew applies to individuals 17 and under in the Downtown and Downtown West areas from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and will be in effect the nights of Friday, March
A groundhog isn’t a meteorologist, yet millions of people still watch one animal’s shadow like it’s a forecast. That odd habit points to something bigger: long before weather apps and satellite maps, people built “prediction tools” from what they could observe—clouds, wind, animal behavior, and the calendar of farm work. Some of those sayings were clever pattern-spotting. Others were more like memory aids or community rituals. Either way, weather folklore
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called out the Trump Administration’s assault on Chicago that put innocent students in the crosshairs of their violent, error-ridden and out of control tactics throughout Operation Midway Blitz. At U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) spotlight forum, “The Kids Are Not Alright: How Mass Deportation is Traumatizing Children,” Duckworth underscored the absurdity of the Department of Homeland
TROY - As high school begins to wind down for the year, students will be looking for employment. The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce is proud to host their Annual Triad High School Job & Resource Fair on April 30, 2026, at Triad High School. “This event provides an opportunity for local employers to meet the high school students and for the high school students to learn of open employment positions” said Dawn Mushill, President/CEO of the Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine
On March 19, 2003, the United States and its allies launched the invasion of Iraq, beginning a war that quickly toppled Saddam Hussein’s government and reshaped politics and security across the Middle East. At the time, supporters of the invasion argued it would remove a dangerous regime and reduce long-term threats, while critics warned it could destabilize the region and strain international norms around the use of force. What happened next—years of conflict, shifting alliances,
EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Habitat for Humanity Board inquired with Edwardsville Township in 2025 to express interest in the vacant lot in hopes of building a home for a deserving family. Edwardsville Township did not have any plans nor resources to develop a project on the vacant parcel located at 216 Crane St., Edwardsville, IL 62025 which is the former site of the Hays-Mallory Community Building. On November 17, 2025, Edwardsville Township held a Special Town Meeting to
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul released the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit largely upheld a lower court order blocking the Trump administration’s illegal effort to categorically freeze trillions of dollars in essential federal funding to states. “This is a huge win for the health and safety of Illinoisans and all Americans. Within the first week of President Trump’s second term, his administration attempted t
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general today in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Miot, et al. v. Trump, et al. , opposing the Trump administration’s effort to overturn a lower court’s decision to postpone the termination of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation while litigation on the termination continues. “As the proud son of Haitian immigrants, this issue is personal. TPS protects th
ALTON - Rondilynn “Roni” Smith has been named Assistant Principal of North Elementary School, effective July 1. Ms. Smith brings more than 12 years of experience in elementary education, including her time as a classroom teacher and her current role as a behavior specialist in O’Fallon District 90, where she has worked closely with teachers and administrators to support the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. “This opportunity is incredibl
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), a member of the House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Grocery, Farm, and Food Worker Stabilization Grant Program Act, legislation that would create a new, permanent grant program to provide stabilization payments to farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers in the case of a major disaster. “During disasters, workers at grocery stores, farms, and meatpacking plants are
ALTON - The Alton School District has announced a new plan for student transportation beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the ACUSD Board of Education unanimously approved a five year agreement with Robinson Transport Incorporated, marking a transition from the district’s current transportation provider, Illinois Central. The decision followed a competitive bidding process, in which Robinson Transport Inc. stood out for its strong pricing package
HARDIN – Following are the 2025-2026 3rd quarter honor roll lists for Calhoun High School: Senior High Honors: Reagan Clendenny, Anabel Eilerman, Sadie Kiel, Jack Zipprich Senior Honors: Addison Becker, Marissa Fraley, Jack Goode, Stella Gress, Tyler Grimes, Layla Johnson, Rodney Johnson, Hannah Klaas, Mia Krysl, Blake Nolte, Tamara Osterman, Carly Pohlman, Emma Rose, Mary Squier, Max Toppmeyer, Brody White Junior High Honors: Noah Bailey, Henry Barczewski, Ian Gilman, Gabriella
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine released his office’s annual report detailing prosecution trends and internal initiatives from calendar year 2025, presenting it on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, to the county board in Edwardsville. The report, covering the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, outlines work across multiple divisions and is intended to show “the breadth and magnitude of the office’s work,” including areas that
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