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CHICAGO – Operation Lifesaver has designated June 24 as Emergency Notification System (ENS) Sign Awareness Day to highlight the importance of blue and white signs posted at rail crossings across the country. “All motorists and pedestrians should know about these potentially life-saving signs, what the information listed means, and the steps to take if you or someone you witness get stuck on train tracks,” said Aisha Jackson, ICC Rail Safety Specialist and Illinois Operation

CHICAGO — The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) today announced 147 grants to organizations totaling $50.8 million in the latest round of Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program funding. These grants continue the state’s commitment to uplifting communities that have experienced systemic racism and historic disinvestment. “Illinois is proud to make historic investments in neighborhoods that have too often been left out and left behind,” said Governo

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans are invited to chronicle their stories, memories and reflections in audio recordings that will be permanently archived at the U.S. Library of Congress during a series of community recording sessions scheduled for this summer. Illinois Voices 250 is an initiative led by the Illinois America 250 Commission in partnership with Illinois Humanities and StoryCorps Studios. It’s the most expansive effort yet to ensure Illinois’ commemoration of the nation’s

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, sounded the alarm over the dramatic increase in deaths among detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since January 2025. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin and ICE Acting Director David Venturella, th

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker joined nine fellow governors from across the country urging Congress to reject federal legislation that would grant sweeping legal protections to fossil fuel companies and limit the authority of states and local governments to enforce their own laws. In a letter signed by California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Illinois, the coalition of governors underscored that the proposed legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor offering condolences to the families and friends of Delores Shelton and Sarita Kimble—who were killed by the recent tornadoes in Illinois this weekend. According to the Chicago Tribune , Illinois has experienced more than 147 confirmed tornadoes over the past six months, nearly three times the state average of 54 from 1990 to 2020. In 2024, the previous record year for tornadoes

EDWARDSVILLE — Did you know that every two seconds someone needs blood in the United States? Or that blood and platelets cannot be manufactured, they can only come from volunteer donors? To help meet the current demand for blood donations, State Senator Jason Plummer is partnering with Moose Lodge 1561 to host a blood drive on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at the Moose Lodge in Edwardsville. Donors are encouraged to come out to participate. Who: State Senator Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville)

DECATUR — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced today that ADM will invest over $103 million to modernize key facilities at its North American headquarters in Decatur, where the company has maintained a presence since 1939. The company’s investment will create 50 new full-time jobs and retain over 1,000 existing full-time jobs, reinforcing Decatur’s role as a global center for agriculture and manufacturing. “F

View the public service announcement. SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois families prepare to celebrate Independence Day, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias released a public safety announcement urging residents to leave fireworks to trained professionals and attend organized community displays. Giannoulias joined fire safety officials and medical professionals to highlight the serious injuries and tragedies that occur each year during Fourth of July celebrations. “Fireworks are

MT. VERNON/CHARLESTON, IL. - The National Weather Service has confirmed at least three tornadoes from Sunday, June 21, 2026, storms in Southern Illinois and western Kentucky, including an EF3 that killed two Jefferson County residents, while survey crews continue assessing additional reports of tornado activity. An EF3 tornado (Enhanced Fujita Scale) has estimated wind speeds of 136 to 165 mph. The National Weather Service findings show the strongest tornado tracked from north-central Jefferson

EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education has approved a new Curriculum Advisory Committee. During their regular meeting on Monday, June 22, 2026, the Board discussed the creation of the committee. This committee’s goal is to “inform, educate, and ensure that all curriculum decisions brought before the Board are reviewed, assessed, and accompanied by a well-reasoned recommendation prior to Board action.” The Board discussed

On June 23, 2016, voters in the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union in a referendum that quickly became one of the most consequential political decisions of the early 21st century. The result, widely known as Brexit, reshaped British politics, altered the EU’s future, and raised broader questions about national sovereignty, economic integration, migration, and democratic decision-making. It mattered immediately because it unsettled financial markets, brought down a prime minister,

ALTON – An ongoing effort to add restrooms to Hellrung Park in Alton faces another delay. Committee of the Whole members voted 5-1 to lay over a resolution approving the allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Alderman Michael Velloff moved to lay the item over without further comment. After being laid over at the committee’s previous meeting on June 8, 2026, the item is now set for reconsideration on July 6, 2026

WOOD RIVER — State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) is proud to announce a $100,000 state grant to assist Madison County with the acquisition of a new facility that will support operations of the Madison County Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB). "Supporting our 911 system and emergency communications network is one of the most important investments we can make in public safety," said Senator Harriss. "This grant will help Madison County continue providing dependable emergency

ALTON - Elijah Heru has signed to attend Blackburn College, where he will compete for the school’s Division III track and field team and major in business management. “It was a perfect fit for me athletically and academically,” he said after his signing. Heru, who was named Most Improved on Marquette’s track and field team as a junior, brings versatility to Blackburn’s program. This past season, he competed in sprints, sprint relays, and the high jump for Marquette

ALTON — Karly Davenport recently concluded her track and field career at Marquette Catholic, earning recognition as the Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Female Athlete of the Month after a season that included school records, meet victories, and praise from head Explorers Coach Billy Sprague. Sprague described Davenport as a “gold standard of student athletes” and pointed to both her academic and athletic accomplishments. “She was the school's Scholar Athlete of the

EDWARDSVILLE — Alton senior guard Justice Haynes, a key contributor to the Redbirds’ girls basketball resurgence over the past two seasons, said the team’s full-court pressure defense helped fuel a 28-3 campaign in 2025-26 after a 34-3 season and third-place finish in the IHSA Class 4A state finals in 2024-25. Haynes was one of the seniors on the Redbirds' team this past season. She helped anchor the Redbirds’ pressure defense. “Our pressure is really what helps

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police and regional bomb and arson investigators are investigating a fatal house fire that left an adult man dead early Monday, June 22, 2026, in the 2500 block of Palm Drive. Officers from the North County Precinct responded at about 5:30 a.m. Monday, June 22, 2026, to assist the Florissant Valley Fire Department with a house fire at the residence, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. When officers arrived, they found the victim inside the home

MADISON COUNTY - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office started an Independence Day traffic enforcement campaign in the county on June 19, 2026, and it runs through July 6, 2026, targeting impaired drivers and seat belt law violators as part of a broader statewide effort. The enforcement campaign will cover three summer weekends leading up to and after the Fourth of July holiday, according to the sheriff’s office. The agency said it will join the Illinois State Police and more than 200

GILMAN — Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) celebrated Incobrasa Industries’ new soybean processing plant and solar array in Gilman, reinforcing Illinois' position as the nation's leading soybean-producing state and a growing hub for biofuels, food processing, and advanced agricultural manufacturing. “Illinois is proudly the nation’s top soybean producer, and Icobrasa is powering the modern economy with those