BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School recently recognized the retirement of Johanna Runion-Piper, a Career and Technical Education paraprofessional, celebrating her service to the school community and her support for students and staff. The Civic Memorial High School administration said Runion-Piper served as a CTE paraprofessional, playing an important role in supporting its Career and Technical Education programs, students and staff. “Johanna has been a valued member of
On May 24, the most far-reaching event in world history is often traced to 1844, when Samuel Morse sent the first official long-distance telegraph message from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore. The short message, “What hath God wrought,” marked the start of a new age in communication. For the first time, information could travel much faster than any person, horse, ship, or train. At the time, that changed government, business, journalism, and daily life by shrinking distances in a practica
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general today opposing the U.S. Department of Education’s proposal to remove certain reporting requirements related to racial and ethnic disparities in special education, including in disability identification and in suspension and expulsion rates for children with disabilities. In a comment letter , Raoul and the attorneys general urge the department to maintain opportunities for oversight and collaboration,
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul applauded the General Assembly’s passage of his legislation, Protecting Access to Higher Education for Illinois Servicemembers and their Families, which would ensure Illinois servicemembers and their families are not academically penalized when military duty interrupts their higher education. Senate Bill (SB) 3737 unanimously passed the Illinois Senate April 29 and the Illinois House of Representatives today. Illinois Sen. Mike Porfirio and
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 15 attorneys general, urged several large donor-advised charitable fund sponsors to carefully evaluate their decisions to stop payments to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) following the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) highly controversial indictment of the SPLC. In a letter to the donor-advised fund sponsors, the coalition warns of the harm that could result from penalizing nonprofit organizations being targeted
CHICAGO – As warm summer days approach and families gear up for backyard pool parties and trips to the beach, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Safe Kids Illinois and Lurie Children’s Hospital are teaming up to promote a simple life-saving strategy everyone can use to keep children safe when they are in or near water: designate a Water Watcher. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , drowning is the leading cause of death
SPRINGFIELD – Comptroller Susana Mendoza and former Chicago Planning Department official David Doig are championing a bill barring municipal officials from raiding neighborhood development funds to plug budget holes. They offered testimony before the House Revenue and Finance Committee this morning on HB 4712 , sponsored by Rep. Bob Rita (D-Blue Island). Video is available here . Tax Increment Financing or “TIF” funds raise money in neighborhoods that is meant to stay i
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director James Jennings today announced another round of annual funding to provide grants to units of local government for the collection and proper disposal of household sharps from their residents. Sharps, including needles, syringes, and lancets, collected from private citizens are a household waste. Through the grant program, Illinois EPA reimburses grantees that operate a sharps collection station as defined
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and 13 of her Senate colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to prioritize American workers during the review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) and push back against China. The lawmakers laid out a comprehensive plan and called on the Trump Administration to address the offshoring of American jobs, stop China from undermining U.S. businesses and consumers, hold Mexico
GODFREY – An Illinois man who allegedly hijacked someone’s vehicle while attempting to outrun police after being seen on video stealing from the Godfrey Walmart faces several criminal charges. Troy E. Chappell, 30, of Dorsey, Ill., was charged on May 21, 2026 with one count each of vehicular hijacking (a Class 1 felony), felon in possession of a weapon (a Class 3 felony), possession of a controlled substance, and retail theft under $300 (both Class 4 felonies). He was also charged
SPRINGFIELD, IL. - With demand for physicians rising nationwide, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine added a new cohort of doctors to the health care workforce on Saturday, May 16, as fourth-year medical students received their medical degrees and prepared to begin residency training. The commencement ceremony at the BOS Center in Springfield celebrated the achievements of 72 graduates (70 MDs and 2 PhDs) and featured remarks from faculty members, alumni and honorees. SIU School of
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul applauded the Illinois Senate’s passage of his legislation to support his office’s efforts to combat workplace rights violations. House Bill 4725, sponsored by Sen. Omar Aquino, was approved with bipartisan support and will now go to the governor for approval. “The Workplace Rights Bureau in the Attorney General’s office has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of Illinois workers. This measure will enhance our ability
CHARLESTON - Sophie Shapiro of Edwardsville returned Saturday, May 23, 2026, from the IHSA Class 3A State Girls Track and Field Meet with four medals, including a state title in the 300-meter hurdles. She said sharing the team championship with Homewood-Flossmoor was what made her most proud of the entire weekend. Shapiro finished first in the 300 hurdles in 41.29, took second in the 100 hurdles in 13.79 behind Conant’s Daisha Brunson, who won in 13.67, and ran on Edwardsville’s
ALTON - Rayna Raglin of Alton won state titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter races and placed eighth in the 400 on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at the IHSA Class 3A Girls State Track and Field Meet at Eastern Illinois University’s O’Brien Field in Charleston. Raglin, a senior, finished first in the 100 meters in 11.87 seconds and first in the 200 meters in 23.41. She also took eighth in the 400 in 57.06. “I am happy all the hard work paid off,” Raglin said. Raglin said
CHARLESTON - Edwardsville’s Jayla Gathing won the girls discus state championship Saturday, May 23, 2026, after a tiebreaker decided first place, while teammate Joi Story surged from 10th to third, giving Edwardsville two top-three finishes in the event. Gathing threw 46.17 meters, matching Jaloni Wiley of Homewood-Flossmoor. Gathing won the title because she had the better second-best throw. “We were tied for first,” Jayla said. “Then my last throw of 44 meters was better
CHARLESTON - Edwardsville’s Jayla Gathing won the girls shot put state championship Saturday, May 23, 2026, after a tiebreaker decided first place, while teammate Joi Story surged from 10th to third, giving Edwardsville two top-three finishes in the event. Gathing threw 46.17 meters, matching Jaloni Wiley of Homewood-Flossmoor. Gathing won the title because she had the better second-best throw. “We were tied for first,” Jayla said. “Then my last throw of 44 meters was
CHARLESTON — Edwardsville senior Joi Story won the shot put title Saturday, May 23, 2026, at the 3A IHSA State Track and Field Meet, taking first place with a toss of 13.52 meters, or 44 feet, 4.25 inches, in the championship round. Jaloni Wiley of Homewood-Flossmoor finished second with a toss of 13.45 meters. Story, a previous state discus champion for Edwardsville, said her approach has centered on consistency rather than chasing marks. Story is a Spencer Homes Female Athlete of th
FERGUSON, Mo. — A 4-month-old baby girl who was the subject of an Amber Alert in Ferguson was found safe Saturday morning, May 23, 2026, authorities said, while the suspect identified in the case remained at large. The Missouri State Highway Patrol launched the search after the baby was taken from a home on Perch Drive in Ferguson around 1:20 a.m. Saturday. Authorities issued the Amber Alert early Saturday morning after what they said was an abduction following an assault on the child’s
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) exposed how VA Secretary Doug Collins’ proposed budget is effectively a plan to strongarm the VA toward privatization—a move that would devastate our Veterans’ access to comprehensive, tailored VA care when they return home from war with unique, complex needs. During the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing, Duckworth called out Secretary Collins on the Trump Administration’s
On May 23, the most far-reaching event in world history is often linked to 1949, when the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany came into force, creating West Germany in the aftermath of the Second World War. This was more than a legal step. It marked the rebuilding of democratic government in western Germany after the collapse of Nazi rule and the destruction of the war. At the time, it mattered because Europe was trying to recover while tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western
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