SPRINGFIELD – Part-time workers may be dissuaded from taking time off to donate a life-saving organ due to fears of losing their job. That will change come Jan. 1, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Christopher Belt ensuring part-time workers are covered for this time away. “We need all the organ donors we can get,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “I received a life-saving kidney transplant, so I know firsthand that donations save lives. This law removes barriers for
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Reps. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Mike Bost (IL-12) introduced legislation to remove outdated eligibility barriers that prevent modern family farms from accessing U.S. Department of Agriculture loan programs. The USDA Loan Modernization Act updates eligibility standards to better reflect the structure of today’s multi-generational, family-run farms. This bill would expand access to operating, emergency, and real estate loans for producers in Central
MADISON COUNTY – Felony charges have been filed against a local man and woman accused in separate cases of possessing a stolen vehicle, title, and more. Tyler M. Buckingham, 24, of Wood River, was charged on Dec. 11, 2025 with one count each of unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle (a Class 2 felony) and possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver (a Class 3 felony). Buckingham was allegedly in possession of a Kia Rio bearing an Illinois registration number which he knew
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is returning $100,000 in missing money to food pantries throughout the state. Each December, Frerichs’ office focuses on returning money through the ICash program to nonprofit groups that help people in need. This year, Frerichs decided to help food pantries that saw resources stretched and demand spike when the federal government shutdown stopped food assistance to many Illinois families in November. “Food pantries always
WOOD RIVER - Allison Schardan knew something was wrong with her 3-year-old son when the normal bumps and bruises of childhood started to intensify. In October, Carsen, a loving, vibrant toddler, began to bruise easily and often. It confused Schardan, who also noticed red dots on his skin, called petechiae. She asked her mom, a nurse, who agreed there was “something going on with his blood.” The pediatrician drew labs and discovered Carsen’s platelet count was at a nine.
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois will soon have an official state bean starting Jan. 1, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Doris Turner. “Our state’s symbols highlight the important pieces that make Illinois what it is,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “The soybean powers our farms, fuels our economy and feeds our future.” Turner’s law designates the soybean as the official state bean of Illinois. According to the Illinois Soybean Association,
ST. LOUIS - 2026 will mark the opening of the MetroLink extension to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, completion of the Secure Platform Plan, debut of a new fare system, next steps with the alternatives analysis for Bus Rapid Transit and an ongoing commitment to increasing transit accessibility and safety on both sides of the river — all in the midst of an ever-changing funding landscape at the local, state and federal levels. Much is at stake, and the area’s transit advocacy organization
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with the Head of Mission at the Polish Embassy, Bogdan Klich, to discuss Poland’s strong support of Ukraine as Vladimir Putin continues his brutal war. They also discussed Russia’s provocative incursion into Polish airspace, creating a dangerous escalation of the war in Ukraine
ALTON — Alton Firefighters Local 1255 will hold its Ninth Annual Turkey Giveaway on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Crisis Food Center, located at 21 E. 6th Street in Alton. The event will feature a drive-up only distribution, with vehicles lining up on Market Street between East 4th and East 6th Streets, heading north before turning right onto East 6th Street. Drivers will pull up in front of the Crisis Food Center, where volunteers will load one turkey and one bag
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation’s servicemembers into American communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, the Senate passed a provision authored and championed by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) that would rein in Trump’s misuse of the military, help strengthen public trust in the military and ensure servicemembers identify themselves as part of the Armed Forces when assisting federal law enforcement in
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After the Trump Administration ended the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today introduced a resolution to recognize the 28 Illinois schools that were selected to receive the designation of Blue Ribbon Schools this year. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program was a national recognition from the U.S. Department of Education given to public, charter,
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At today’s U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (CST) Aviation Subcommittee hearing, Ranking Member Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) reiterated the urgent need to modernize our nation’s air traffic control system, expressing support for providing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with an additional $20 billion to ensure long-term funding certainty, while calling on the FAA to prioritize phase one investments on the systems and infrastructure
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 35 attorneys general, called on Meta to better enforce its own policies about pharmaceutical and wellness ads on Instagram and Facebook, and take additional measures to prevent AI-generated weight loss content in ads. These ads are likely to see an uptick during the holiday season and the new year, when conversations around weight loss and appearance tend to increase. GLP-1 weight loss drugs have exploded in popularity
SPRINGFIELD – Today, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reaffirmed the recommendation for a universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth to prevent hepatitis B, a serious viral infection that can lead to acute or chronic liver disease. The guidance aligns with decades of scientific consensus and endorses recommendations from the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee (IL-IAC). These actions come in response to recent moves by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization
SPRINGFIELD – For too long, consumers have been left tricked when gyms and fitness centers offer a lifetime membership, only to change the terms of the deal after the fact. That will change come Jan. 1, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Christopher Belt ensuring these businesses keep their word. “If you run an honest business that provides quality service to your customers, then this law won’t concern you,” said Belt (D-Swansea). "We are going after bad
WORDEN – A Bunker Hill man’s reportedly reckless driving has resulted in an injury to a road worker and a felony charge in Madison County. Duane A. Young, 42, of Bunker Hill, was charged on Dec. 9, 2025 with one count each of aggravated reckless driving (a Class 4 felony) and driving while license is suspended (a Class A misdemeanor). Young allegedly drove a motor vehicle on Wieseman Road in Worden with a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of people or property on Sept.
EDWARDSVILLE – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) will host a series of Listening Sessions in January to provide residents of the 56th District an opportunity to meet one-on-one with the Senator and share their concerns, ideas, and feedback. “Meeting directly with the people I serve is the best way to understand the issues that matter most in our district,” said Senator Harriss. “These conversations help guide my work in Springfield and ensure I am representing
MADISON COUNTY — A Madison County grand jury indicted DJ W. Marshall, 26, on Thursday, December 18, 2025, charging him with multiple felonies related to a December 5, 2025, incident involving a Granite City Police officer. Marshall faces four counts: attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, and felon in possession of a weapon. The charges stem from an incident in which Marshall allegedly fired multiple shots at
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) welcomed 21 new Troopers today from Cadet Class 151 at a graduation ceremony at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield. The new Troopers will report to seven ISP Troop locations throughout the state on Sunday, December 21, 2025. Cadet Class 151 marks the 23rd cadet class graduation under Governor JB Pritzker and ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. Since 2019, 713 troopers have joined ISP. “I am proud to congratulate each
SWANSEA — On Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) led seniors from across Illinois’ 13th District in an advocacy day focused on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. Budzinski attended an event hosted by AgeSmart Community Resources in Swansea, while the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging and AgeLinc held concurrent events in Champaign and Springfield, respectively. The seniors who participated in the advocacy day wrote postcards to the
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