SPRINGFIELD – In response to the news that attorneys general have settled a landmark lawsuit for social media’s addictive harm to school-age children that will provide $768 million to the state of Illinois, Illinois Federation of Teachers President Stacy Davis Gates called on lawmakers to designate those funds to address the funding crisis for school districts across the state. “The Governor has said he supports more funding for education but didn’t know where it would
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias today announced that Governor JB Pritzker has signed landmark legislation establishing Illinois’ first comprehensive, statewide safety standards for high-speed e-bikes, e-motos and other electric micromobility devices. The new law closes regulatory safety gaps, establishes long-overdue rules for rapidly evolving technology and equips communities with consistent rules to better protect riders, pedestrians and motorists.
CHICAGO – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs marked National Dog Day on Wednesday by returning $28,000 in unclaimed property to PAWS Chicago. “PAWS Chicago does such a great job finding so many dogs and cats their forever homes, and it’s our job to reunite people with money that belongs to them through the I-CASH program,” Treasurer Frerichs said. “We are proud to team up with PAWS Chicago to put the money to good use helping connect people with pets.” “We
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 25 states, today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Postal Service challenging its new rule that purports to authorize the USPS to regulate mail voting in elections. Raoul and the coalition argue the Postal Service’s rule risks disenfranchising voters and will prevent states from effectively administering their mail voting programs, putting voters at risk of being disenfranchised. “The right to vote
ALTON - State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) has secured $95,000 in state funding for the City of Alton to support road improvements and new equipment for the Alton Police Department. “Roads and public safety are basic services our communities depend on every day,” said Senator Harriss. “I am proud to bring these dollars back to Alton and help the city move forward with these projects.” Of the funding, $75,000 will support two road improvement projects in Alton
EDWARDSVILLE- Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7’s Preschool for All program has earned the Gold Circle of Quality, the highest rating awarded through ExceleRate Illinois, the state’s quality recognition and improvement system for early learning programs. The Gold Circle of Quality recognizes early learning programs that meet or exceed high standards across multiple areas, including learning environments, instructional quality, staff qualifications, professional development
EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville High School is ranked No. 115 among 984 Illinois high schools in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings. The school also ranks No. 25 among high schools in the St. Louis metropolitan area, making Edwardsville High School the highest-ranked school on the Illinois side of the metro area. Nationally, Edwardsville High School is ranked No. 2,817. U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on factors including student performance on state-require
This Day in Music History: Aug. 27 On Aug. 27, 1965, the two biggest forces in popular music met privately at Elvis Presley’s Bel Air home: Elvis and the Beatles. The gathering was not a concert, a recording session or a publicity event. It was a guarded meeting between the performer who helped make rock ’n’ roll a mass phenomenon in the 1950s and the Liverpool group that had become its global standard-bearer a decade later. Its importance lies in that handoff of eras. The
On August 27, one of the most consequential events in world history took place in 1928, when the Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed in Paris. The agreement brought together many of the world’s major powers in a formal promise to renounce war as a tool of national policy. At the time, it reflected the deep desire for peace after the destruction of World War I. Although it did not prevent future conflicts, it still mattered in a lasting way: it helped shape the idea that aggressive war should
ALTON – Alton officials recently passed new regulations on sidewalk pop up shops in an effort to prevent them from undermining the city’s current businesses. City Council members on Aug. 26, 2026 unanimously passed a resolution to introduce an ordinance allowing sidewalk pop up shops in the City of Alton. The item will return in ordinance form for a first reading and final vote at future meetings. Under the new regulations, those looking to operate a sidewalk pop up shop must
CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today announced that Illinois has received its 11th credit rating upgrade since 2021, as Moody’s upgraded the State’s general obligation bonds to A1, Illinois’ highest Moody’s rating since December 2011 and the second upgrade from Moody’s in the last year. Moody’s cited Illinois’ sustained financial improvement and strengthened governance, as well as confidence in the State’s management team’s ability
EDWARDSVILLE — Logan Garman, a senior guard on the Edwardsville football team’s offensive line, is expected to be one of the Tigers’ top leaders as Edwardsville embarks on its 2026 campaign. Garman is helping anchor the line for a team that finished 4-6 last season and reached the IHSA Class 7A playoffs before losing in the first round on the road to Oak Lawn Richards. The Tigers opened practice Aug. 5 at Tiger Stadium, where Garman said summer sessions went well and that ha
ST. LOUIS – A man from Jefferson County, Missouri, on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, admitted requesting and receiving child sexual abuse material from a teen and then forcing her to produce more. David Paeper, 20, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of receiving child pornography. He admitted meeting a 15-year-old girl on Instagram and requesting and receiving sexually explicit images of her. When she later refused his request for more images, he threatened to
BETHALTO — Bethalto Police executed a search warrant Aug. 25, 2026, at Sasa Massage, 408 W. Bethalto Drive, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into suspected criminal activity at the business, the department said in an Aug. 26, 2026, information release. The Bethalto Police Department said it was assisted by the Illinois State Police and the Madison County Sheriff’s Enforcement Team in the warrant execution. Bethalto Police said the warrant followed a long-term
GRANITE CITY – Two separate cases of theft involving packages delivered to Granite City addresses were filed in Madison County last week. Bobby D. Watson, 33, of Granite City, was charged with a Class 3 felony count of theft by deception on Aug. 20, 2026. From March 2 to Oct. 17, 2025, Watson allegedly knowingly obtained approximately 146 packages by means of deception. Charging documents state the stolen packages had a value between $500 to $10,000 and were property of Amazon.com Services
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) in Illinois for 2026. The confirmed case involves a resident of Piatt County. In addition, IDPH has identified three other probable human cases of WNV from northern Illinois. About one in five people who contract the disease caused by a bite from an infected mosquito may develop common symptoms, including fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, or other potentially
JERSEYVILLE – A Jerseyville resident was charged last week with possessing individually packaged fentanyl and cocaine allegedly intended for delivery. James G. Hillmann, 37, of Jerseyville, was charged in Jersey County court last Friday, Aug. 21, 2026 with three counts of unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, each Class 2 felonies. Hillmann also faces a Class A misdemeanor count of unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe or needle. Hillmann was allegedly
EDWARDSVILLE — Madelyn Ohlau, a four-year varsity player for the Edwardsville High School girls volleyball team, is preparing for her final season with the Tigers as the team opens Sept. 1, 2026, at Collinsville, aiming to build on last year’s 26-12 finish and contend in an expanded Southwestern Conference. Ohlau, an outside hitter and defensive specialist, said during a preseason practice break that Edwardsville’s preparation has been encouraging. “I think things
ALTON - Local businesses have a unique chance to support and celebrate Alton students. Alton Community Unit School District #11 will start a new initiative to distribute Redbird Reward Cards to students who meet academic and attendance goals. Community partners can provide a benefit such as a discount, a complimentary item, or a buy-one-get-one offer that students can redeem with the card. Superintendent Elaine Kane believes it’s a great opportunity to connect the school district and
GODFREY - Vitality Women’s Clinic is preparing for their annual Jingle and Bid auction, and they’re asking for the community’s support. Vitality is a pro-life, faith-based pregnancy center in Godfrey that provides free STI and pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, as well as resources and parenting support. They do not perform or refer for abortions. Executive Director Jackie Duty and Board member Shannon Vitali explained that fundraisers like Jingle and Bid allow them to provide
stLouIST