SPRINGFIELD – Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias issued another warning to Illinois residents about a surge in text-message scams impersonating the DMV and demanding payment and personal information. To raise public awareness, Giannoulias launched a statewide consumer protection campaign – Don’t Click. It’s a Trick – urging Illinoisans not to click on any links. Giannoulias emphasized that neither the Secretary of State’s office nor the DMV ever send text
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and their Democratic colleagues in releasing new data obtained from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealing that the Trump Administration has attempted to deport hundreds of Veterans and their family members after promising immigration protections at the time of recruitment. The new data also reveals that, in some
ALTON – Plans to operate a waste-to-energy facility in Alton are on hold as city officials seek answers on its potential environmental impacts. At their March 25, 2026 meeting, Alton City Council members agreed to postpone a request for a special use permit from Anzu Power to operate a petroleum product manufacturing facility at 8 Cut Street, near the former site of Alton Steel. Orion Bailey with Anzu Power gave a presentation at the meeting highlighting several alleged benefits of
EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that westbound Interstate 64 will be reduced to one lane between Ninth Street and the westbound I-55 merge in St. Clair County for bridge maintenance. The lane closures will occur at the following times: Wednesday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning Friday, April 3, at 9 a.m. through Sunday, April 5, at 9 p.m. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged
ALTON - Community members can support local beautification efforts through upcoming events sponsored by Pride Inc. As an organization, Pride Inc. works with the Alton and Godfrey communities to maintain garden beds, pick up litter, and advocate for beautification. People can support their work by donating to them during their 7–11 a.m. roadblock on Friday, April 10, 2026, at Humbert Road and Tolle Lane, followed by their Citywide Litter Cleanup from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday,
JERSEY - Three Jersey Community High School students have been invited to the Illinois State Capitol to serve on the Illinois Senate Student Advisory Committee, according to Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100. The students — Cloud Sutton, Madalyn Bodenbach, and Rayven Utterback are shown in Springfield participating on the advisory committee. Serving on the statewide committee will leave a lasting positive impact on all three Jersey students.
CHICAGO — An Illinois iLottery player is celebrating a big win after a casual at-home play landed her an $800,000 Lucky Day Lotto ® jackpot.The winner, who chose to remain anonymous under the name ‘Jenny,’ purchased her winning ticket using a meaningful set of numbers—her children’s birthdays. “My usual numbers are always a combination of my birthday and my kids’ birthdays,” Jenny said. “I was in complete shock when I saw I
MONROE COUNTY - The Monroe County State's Attorney's Office has issued felony charges against a Millstadt man following an investigation into an October 2025 head-on crash in the unincorporated Columbia area that killed a Waterloo woman, authorities said. The sheriff’s department said on March 25, 2026, that its investigation into the crash on Bluff Road just south of Bottom Road was complete and that charges had been filed against one of the drivers involved. Deputies, along with Columbia
SPRINGFIELD - State Representatives Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) and Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) held a press conference today, alongside Principal Darla Wall from Annette Officer Elementary School in East St. Louis to discuss their support for a Kindergarten requirement. HB 4253 , filed by Rep. Schmidt and co-sponsored by Rep. Schweizer, would require all students in Illinois to enroll in kindergarten to learn essential skills in reading, writing, and mathematics before entering 1st
Green shows up on “progress” bars, in health logos, on money apps, and on signs that say “Go.” That’s not an accident. For most people, green doesn’t just look pleasant—it feels like things are moving forward. Humans associate green with growth because our brains learned, over a long time, that green often meant “life is working.” Food is more likely nearby. Water is more likely close. The environment is more likely safe enough to stay
On March 26, 1979, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in Washington, D.C., ending three decades of open war between the two countries. The agreement mattered immediately because it reduced the risk of another large regional conflict and set formal rules for borders, diplomacy, and security. It still matters today because it became one of the most durable state-to-state peace deals in the modern Middle East, showing how long-running disputes can shift when leaders accept difficult compromises
CASEYVILLE - Caseyville Police said they arrested a man wanted in connection with an attempted homicide investigation in Shelby County, Tennessee, after tracking him from a motel in Caseyville to a bank in Cahokia Heights and later finding suspected cannabis and a loaded handgun in belongings left in an Uber driver’s vehicle. Officers were dispatched Feb. 23, 2026, to the Quality Inn in Caseyville “in reference to a phone ping indicating the location of a subject wanted for charges
HOLIDAY SHORES — The Holiday Shores Fire Department responded to a fully involved house fire just before 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning in the 1800 block of Sextant Dr. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the home was already fully engulfed in flames. “There was a single occupant in the house. The occupant heard a loud pop, and as they were leaving, the back of the house was on fire,” said Holiday Shores Fire Chief Jim O’Brien. “It appears the fire may have
ALTON – Alton is moving forward with allowing liquor sales to start one hour earlier on Sunday mornings. City Council members approved a resolution on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 to introduce an ordinance to allow liquor license holders to start selling alcohol at 8 a.m. on Sundays, one hour earlier than the city’s current start time of 9 a.m. This follows a request from a local golf course which aims to use the earlier start times to book 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. tee off times for Sunday
GODFREY - As Vitality Women’s Clinic prepares for its annual fundraiser, Board Chairman Dale Blachford and Executive Director Jackie Duty shared more about their goals to support individuals experiencing unplanned pregnancies. The fundraiser, planned for April 10, 2026, will raise money to provide free and confidential services like pregnancy and STI testing, ultrasounds, and spiritual counseling. The clinic will talk through all options with you but will not perform or refer for abortions.
ST. LOUIS – A Missouri woman on Wednesday admitted acting as a money mule and receiving more than $2 million from elderly fraud victims around the country, despite repeatedly being warned by investigators and bank officials. Sharon Dolisi, 79, of Phelps County near St. James, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. She admitted depositing cashier’s checks and personal checks from 28 victims into her personal bank accounts from about April 21, 2023,
EDWARDSVILLE – A local man faces multiple charges after allegedly using his vehicle to strike a school crossing guard and more in Edwardsville. Jerry L. Holt, 56, of Glen Carbon, was charged with two Class 3 felony counts of aggravated battery, three Class 4 felony counts of aggravated assault, and a Class A misdemeanor count of reckless driving on March 20, 2026. The charges stem from an incident that allegedly took place on Jan. 16, 2026, when Holt is accused of knowingly causing
SPRINGFIELD - Reacting to the murder of a Loyola student by an illegal immigrant on Chicago’s lakefront, State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) exposed the many public safety failures of Governor JB Pritzker’s sanctuary state policies. Last week, in a devastating act of violence, a Loyola University student was tragically shot and killed by an illegal immigrant who had an outstanding arrest warrant. It is yet another deadly consequence of Governor Pritzker’s
SPRINGFIELD – In response to the tragic killing of 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago last week, State Senators Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) , Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), and Steve McClure (R-Springfield) held a press conference calling for justice for Sheridan and renewed action to repeal Illinois’ TRUST Act and related sanctuary policies they say have endangered public safety. “Like so many people across Illinois and around the country, we are mourning the loss
ST. LOUIS – A familiar avian presence has returned to Franklin County as a pair of Peregrine falcons has officially claimed the nest box, where at least one egg has already been laid – now streaming live on Ameren Missouri’s Falcon Cam. After last year’s successful fledging, the stage is now set for another season of hatchlings and first flights as the species continues to populate across Missouri. Much like the widely followed raptor cams in other parts of the country,
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