ST. LOUIS - A cold front moved through the St. Louis region Wednesday morning, Jan. 14, 2026, ushering in the first push of Arctic air and marking a significant drop in temperatures for the area in the coming days, according to the National Weather Service. National Weather Service Meteorologist Jared Maples in St. Louis said the region can expect a stronger push of cold air from Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, into Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, with temperatures remaining below normal through at least Monday,
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined 11 other attorneys general in suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for unlawfully conditioning hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding on states’ agreement to discriminate against transgender people. Under a new HHS policy, recipients of federal health, education, and research funding must certify compliance with a presidential executive order that seeks to deny the existence of transgender people
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with officials from Growth Energy, the nation’s leading biofuel trade association, to underscore her support for ethanol production, as well as her commitment to helping strengthen our national and energy security, expand year-round E15 sales, drive down gas prices, support our farmers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and drive rural economic opportunity in Illinois and across the country. “Investing in clean
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) introduced a motion to defeat the so-called "Tipped Employee Protection Act” which would make it easier for employers to undercut worker wages at a time of rising costs. The Republican legislation would change federal wage law to allow companies to treat almost any worker as a “tipped employee,” even if they receive small or occasional tips, and legally pay them as little as $2.13 an hour. “In a time
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) in leading 12 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in urging U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee leadership, including the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development leadership, to defend funding for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (IPR) gran
NORMAL — Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined agency officials, local legislators, university leaders, and students at Illinois State University (ISU) to break ground on the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts (WKCFA) Transformation Project. This multi-year, $87 million state investment, made possible through Rebuild Illinois, will expand ISU’s fine arts complex to offer academic, instructional, and performance spaces through phased renovation, demolition, and new construction work. “Illinoi
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined their colleagues in urging Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to reverse the Department of Education’s decision to discontinue $168 million in Full-Service Community Schools grants across 12 states, including Illinois. In the letter led by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the Senators expressed deep concern that the abrupt cuts to this
ALTON/GODFREY - Zeke Jabusch, the North Alton-Godfrey Business Council’s president, shared more about his goals for the organization going forward. NAGBC meets once a month at various businesses across the Riverbend. Entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders are invited to join the council to connect with like-minded individuals. Jabusch has led the council for years and works hard to ensure everyone has the support they need to succeed. “Business is not easy, an
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to enforce its preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration’s demand that states turn over personal and sensitive information about millions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. Despite the court issuing a preliminary injunction in October 2025 to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) access to the data of millions
WASHINGTON – As the Senate Banking and Agriculture Committees consider cryptocurrency market structure legislation this week, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Durbin, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, urged the Committee Chairmans to work across the aisle to explore proper protections and regulations in the crypto market before moving forward. In his remarks, Durbin noted that crypto assets are a risky, volatile, and unpredictable investment. Durbin said, “While we await
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) participated in a hearing hosted by the Congressional Steel Caucus to advocate for long-term investment in Granite City Works. Budzinski, who has worked alongside the United Steelworkers to protect steel jobs in Illinois’ 13th District throughout her two terms, emphasized the need for concrete commitments from U.S. Steel to continue their operations in Granite City past 2027. “Today, we have an important and
OLATHE, Kansas - MidAmerica Nazarene University announced its President's List, Dean's List and Honor Roll for the fall 2025 semester. A total of 480 students qualified for one of the honors. All students in traditional undergraduate programs who carry 12 or more semester hours and have a term GPA between 3.2 and 4.0 may qualify for one of these academic honors. The President's List is a 4.0 grade point average for the semester; the Dean's List ranges from 3.5 to 3.99; and the Honor Roll is 3.
MURPHYSBORO – U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) applauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision today granting him standing in his lawsuit challenging an Illinois law that allows vote-by-mail ballots received up to 14 days after Election Day to be counted. Vote-by-mail ballots without postmarks can also currently be tabulated up to 14 days later if they are dated on or before Election Day. “ I’m thankful the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled strongly in our favor and concluded
BETHALTO - Precision Point Armory offers firearm training to create responsible gun owners. Ben Julian, owner of Precision Point, emphasizes safety in everything he does. His classes range from basic fundamentals to concealed carry classes. Julian ultimately wants to make sure people are safe when handling firearms. “It’s a lot of fun. We enjoy just practicing different things and different skills,” he said. “I really enjoy working with newer people, but I also
ST. LOUIS, MO. – Join the American Red Cross and the St. Louis Blues at the annual St. Louis Blues Blood Drive, sponsored by FanDuel Sports Network, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and Carelon on Tuesday, January 20, from 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. at one of eleven convenient locations in Missouri or Illinois and from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Stifel Theatre. Louie and the Blue Crew will be briefly visiting several locations. “The St. Louis Blues have been an outstanding partner
EAST ST. LOUIS - Land of Lincoln Legal Aid announced today that the Simon Law and Keefe, Keefe & Unsell, P.C. Holiday Party fundraiser, held last month, raised $76,850 in support of free civil legal services across central and southern Illinois. The annual holiday celebration, hosted by Simon Law and Keefe, Keefe & Unsell, P.C., brought together attorneys, staff, and community supporters for an evening of giving, fellowship, and shared commitment to equal access to justice. Proceeds from the even
ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy , a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, is pleased to announce that Luke Pfeifer has been elevated to partner, effective Jan. 1, 2026. “We are delighted to announce Luke’s well-earned promotion,” said Simmons Hanly Conroy Managing Partner Laurence V. Nassif . “He is an esteemed firm ambassador who demonstrates our commitment to client-focused advocacy daily. I’m
SWANSEA - The Rotary Club of Swansea was honored with the Governor’s Trophy for Best Small Club for the 2024–2025 Rotary year during the Rotary District 6510 Conference held November 7–8, 2025, in Effingham, Illinois. The award was presented by Past District Governor Robin Dean. Rotary District 6510 includes 43 clubs across Southern Illinois. The Rotary Club of Swansea has a notable history of recognition, having previously won the Governor’s Trophy for Best Small Club
ALTON — On Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 13, 2026, a vehicle struck a building near 1650 Washington Avenue in Alton after reportedly leaving the Walgreens parking lot and crossing the street, according to local authorities. At approximately 1:08 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2026, the Alton Police Department received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the incident. One caller suggested the driver may have been shot before the crash. Upon arrival, officers confirmed that no shooting had occurred. The vehicle
ALTON - A few lucky couples can enjoy a special wedding ceremony this Valentine’s Day. On Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, six couples will be married at Vera Lee Meeting and Event Venue in Alton in a series of pop-up weddings. Kirstan Gray, owner of Vera Lee, can’t wait to give couples an affordable alternative to their special day. “What this is designed to be is a one-stop wedding experience without the full-blown wedding. It’s a pop-up wedding on steroids,” Gray
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