WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement on today’s vote in the Senate: “Trump’s lawless agents are out of control. The American people are crying out for accountability after watching Border Patrol and ICE terrorize our streets, snatch up and detain kids, rip families apart and even publicly execute two U.S. citizens in broad daylight—with zero consequences. Congress cannot let this reign of terror continue. “It
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting for the five bipartisan government funding bills and a two-week stop gap funding measure for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while negotiations around reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continue: “Senate Democrats were successful in separating
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act today that would empower the families of U.S. citizens who were wrongfully killed by Trump’s lawless agents, as well as each citizen who was wrongfully detained and then released by Trump’s reckless agents, to sue the federal government for at least $500,000. Duckworth’s Citizens Are As Important As Senators amendment is modeled
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (D-VA-11) called on Donald Trump—who has repeatedly failed to deliver on his promise to provide free IVF for all Americans—to prove his self-proclaimed support for IVF by expanding coverage for the millions of hardworking Americans in our federal workforce. In their letter, the lawmakers called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to require all Federal Employees Health Benefits
FERGUSON, Mo. — Shannon O’Brien, 28, of St. Louis, was identified as the victim in a fatal shooting that occurred Friday afternoon, Jan. 30, 2026, in Ferguson, Missouri, authorities said. Just before 4 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2026, Ferguson Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 1700 block of Windward Court. Upon arrival, officers found O’Brien suffering from at least one apparent gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The Ferguson Police
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General (IG) Joseph Cuffari to discuss the urgent need to conduct an independent investigation into the egregious public execution of Alex Pretti and pattern of brutality from Trump’s lawless agents. The meeting comes after Duckworth repeatedly called on DHS and the Department of Justice IGs to establish a joint task force to investigate these abuses. Shamefully,
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate the Flores Settlement Agreement. The Flores Settlement Agreement, which has been in place since 1997, provides crucial protections against the inappropriate detention of children and ensures the children in immigration custody are held in facilities licensed in and subject to oversight by the states where the
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Elijah Treat, 24, of Florissant, Missouri, died after being struck by a vehicle on January 31, 2026, in the 4100 block of North Highway 67 near Old Halls Ferry Road, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. The crash occurred at approximately 9:33 p.m. when officers from the North County Precinct responded to a motor vehicle crash call. Treat was found in the roadway and transported to a nearby hospital for life-saving treatment but later succumbed
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) led a letter with Congressman Mike Bost (IL-12) and Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) to the Illinois State Board of Elections requesting answers regarding the accuracy of the state’s voter rolls and its compliance with federal election law. As Illinois prepares to begin early voting on February 5, the letter raised serious concerns about the state’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and th
ALTON – Two incidents of battery in public and one against an elderly victim have yielded felony charges against three local residents. Flynn M. Shaffner, 44, of Alton, was charged on Jan. 28, 2026 with a Class 3 felony count of aggravated battery. Shaffner allegedly pushed a victim who was 60 years of age or older out of their wheelchair on Nov. 17, 2025, knowingly causing bodily harm without legal justification. In a separate case, 37-year-old Donald L. Berry Jr. of Wood River also
ST. LOUIS, MO. – United Way of Greater St. Louis is providing free tax preparation services to local families with a household income of $69,000 or less in 2025. Through the 211 referral system and in partnership with local tax coalitions, over 600 certified volunteers will seek to help working families file taxes and maximize returns. Most tax site locations require appointments, which can be scheduled online or by phone. Local residents can dial 211 or visit 211helps.org to find their
SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Camp I Am Me by Illinois Fire Safety Alliance are partnering to raise awareness about the importance for burn prevention during Burn Awareness Week February 1-7, 2026. This year’s theme, “Burn Prevention Where You Live, Work, and Play – Preventing Burns in the Workplace,” highlights how small, proactive safety steps can prevent serious injuries. Burn injuries continue to be a significant public
ROXANA/WOOD RIVER - Rusty Wheat wants the community to know that the trash along county roads is “worse than it ever was,” but he’s not stopping his efforts to clean up anytime soon. In a recent interview on “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello , Wheat explained that he picks up trash along nine miles of roads in Madison County. He is usually out once a week on Highway 143, cleaning up exits off Interstate 255 and county roads like Moreland and Wanda Roads.
ST. LOUIS — Dametria McDile, 32, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, after being found unresponsive in her cell at the St. Louis City Justice Center, authorities said. McDile was discovered at approximately 4:45 p.m. Jan. 31, 2026, and medical personnel responded immediately, performing life-saving measures before transporting her to a St. Louis hospital. She was pronounced dead at a St. Louis hospital shortly after 6 p.m. on Saturday. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — The Fairview Heights Police Department welcomed two new K9 teams, adding K9 Coppo with Officer Lauren Reid and K9 Goose with Officer Shayne Korte to its ranks. K9 Coppo brings several years of experience to the department, while K9 Goose, who arrived from Belgium, is nearing the completion of training alongside Officer Korte. The addition of these teams aims to enhance the department’s capabilities in law enforcement and community safety. Officer Korte and Goose
ALTON — The Alton Police Department has released its 2025 Annual Report, detailing the department’s activities, accomplishments, and staffing changes over the past year. The report aims to increase transparency and keep the community informed about police operations and partnerships. In 2025, the department responded to 28,555 incidents, including 3,820 traffic stops and 691 felony charges. Officers filed 1,006 misdemeanor charges and 109 juvenile petitions, with 77 juveniles charged.
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has filed a complaint in Cook County Circuit Court against That’s Gino and Marty’s, LLC, its management company White Glove Service and Management, LLC, and several individual owners and managers, alleging violations of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act and the Illinois Minimum Wage Law . The complaint alleges that from December 2023 through August 2025, employees at the restaurant located in Chicago’s
ALTON – Challenge Unlimited is pleased to announce the newest addition to the Board of Directors, Reginald L. Harris. Reginald officially stepped into his new role January 20, 2026, bringing 17 years of experience as a federal prosecutor to the table. Harris’s connection to individuals with disabilities, both within his family and broader community, deepens his commitment to Challenge Unlimited’s mission and vision. “I believe strongly in the power of inclusion and opportunity,”
If every month were built on a clean, simple pattern, February wouldn’t exist the way it does. A year has about 365.24 days, which is an awkward number for a calendar that wants neat blocks of weeks and months. February is the “flex month” that makes the math work—most years it’s 28 days, and sometimes it grows to 29 to keep our dates from drifting out of sync with the sky. The basic problem: a year doesn’t fit neatly into months A calendar is a compromise
If a groundhog’s shadow can “predict” anything, it’s this: a small-town American festival can carry a surprisingly old European passport. Groundhog Day looks like pure North American folklore—top hats, cameras, cheering crowds, and one famous animal in Pennsylvania. But the basic idea behind it did not begin with groundhogs at all. It started as a religious calendar date, then picked up folk beliefs about animals and sunlight, and finally got translated into a ne
stLouIST