WASHINGTON, D.C. – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pressed a top U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) leader, Mr. Mark Ditlevson, to assure the American people that the Trump Administration would not station troops near polling places in future elections, which is against the law and against our nation’s fundamental democratic values. When Mr. Ditlevson refused to provide that assurance at his nomination hearing today, Duckworth pressed further asking him what th
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today filed an amicus brief at the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of birthright citizenship. Raoul and a multistate coalition filed the brief in support of a legal challenge to President Trump’s unlawful effort to rewrite the Constitution and overturn federal law. On his first day in office in 2025, President Trump issued an executive order purporting to end birthright citizenship for countless children born in the United States to immigrant
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, with a bipartisan group of 11 attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), reached a $100 million multistate settlement with Walmart today over allegations that the company deceived customers and drivers who participated in its Spark Driver (Spark) program. Walmart has paid Illinois drivers more than $1.1 million because of Walmart’s alleged actions. Raoul and the coalition’s settlement resolves allegations that Walmart
EDWARDSVILLE - The League of Women Voters and the NAACP hosted a candidate forum ahead of the primary election on March 17, 2026. Candidates for Illinois’s 15th Congressional District include Ryan Tebrugge (R), Judy Bowlby (R), Randy Raley (D), Jennifer Todd (D), Kyle Nudo (D) and Dr. Paul Davis (D). Incumbent Mary Miller (R) was unable to attend. During the forum on Feb. 25, 2026, each candidate introduced themselves and answered questions. Tebrugge shared that he grew up on a farm
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and lead author of the Dream Act, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, and U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today released the following statement after U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested 261 Deferred Action for
EDWARDSVILLE - The League of Women Voters and the NAACP hosted a candidate forum ahead of the primary election on March 17, 2026. Candidates for Illinois’s 13th Congressional District — Dylan Blaha (D), Jeff Wilson (R), and Joshua Loyd (R) — introduced themselves and shared information about their platforms. Incumbent Nikki Budzinski (D) was unable to attend. Blaha described himself as “a pro-peace U.S. Army veteran and former cancer research scientist” who live
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to commemorate Black History Month and honor leaders in the African American community. The event, held at the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office in the Marine Bank Building in downtown Springfield, was an opportunity to reflect on the great achievements of Black leaders. The eight Downstate Illinois honorees included a Springfield dentist, the CEO and President of the Springfield Urban League,
GRANITE CITY - The Granite City Warriors’ season of significant progress ended Wednesday night, Feb. 25, 2026, with a 42-39 loss to the Collinsville Kahoks in regional play, closing a turnaround year that saw Granite City improve to 16-15 after going 9-23 in 2024-25. The basketball boys are Stillwater Senior Living Male Athletes of the Month for Granite City. “Last year, the year before, we graduated nine seniors, and last year, we were 9-23," he said. "So, we’re happy with
ST. CLAIR COUNTY – The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to discuss a study for the proposed improvements on Illinois 177 in Mascoutah. The meeting will be held: Wednesday, March 18 4-7 p.m. Mascoutah High School 1313 W. Main St., Mascoutah The project involves replacing the existing pavement on Illinois 177 in Mascoutah that was originally constructed in 1921 and last rehabilitated in 2002. The project will also evaluate intersection
ALTON – 1st MidAmerica Credit Union will award five $1,000 scholarships to area high school seniors in May. Applications are available online here . Applications are due Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Over 130 area youth have benefited from the 1st MidAmerica Credit Union scholarships, which were introduced in 2005. Scholarships may be applied to tuition, fees or other educational expenses. Eligibility Requirements Applicant must be a member of 1st MidAmerica, a primary accountholder an
Bob “Spider” Purcell admits he doesn’t move as fast as he used to. But he’s OK with that. At 96, Purcell is more than content getting in his exercise by swimming laps nearly every morning at the YMCA in Ottawa, Illinois. “I'm a slow swimmer,” says the Ottawa resident and retired high school teacher. “I just freestyle for a half hour, and that's it. It keeps me going in the morning, really. I can feel down or not ready to do anything, but I get in that
GODFREY – Anderson Healthcare has donated a lead gift of $1,000 to a fundraiser by Mandie Clark, a hospital employee and alumna of Lewis and Clark Community College’s Nursing program. Clark collected donations to start the True North Nursing Scholarship for students at LC. Her fundraising efforts ran in conjunction with an inaugural Galentine’s Day Celebration for the public that was held Saturday, Feb. 7, at Post Commons in Alton. True North Aesthetics Co., founded
EDWARDSVILLE - The League of Women Voters and the NAACP hosted a candidate forum ahead of the primary election on March 17, 2026. A candidate for the Illinois House of Representatives for the 109th District, Zachary Meyer, presented his platform. Incumbent Charlie Meier, a Republican, was unable to attend the forum on Feb. 25, 2026. Meyer, also a Republican, introduced himself and his ideas. Meyer explained that he is an attorney and a professor. He started his own law firm and grew it
ALTON – The Alton Amphitheater seeks to expand its event offerings for 2026 with a new production company and a newly appointed member. At the Feb. 23, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting , Rob Honke with the Alton Amphitheater Commission announced the group’s plans to partner with a new production company as part of their efforts to revitalize the venue. Honke said the Amphitheater Commission is developing a new long-term strategy, shifting from “auto-pilot” to
EDWARDSVILLE - The League of Women Voters and the NAACP hosted a candidate forum ahead of the primary election on March 17, 2026. Candidates for the Illinois Senate 56th District — Marsie Geldert-Murphey and Kevin Hall — introduced themselves and spoke about their platforms. During the candidate forum on Feb. 25, 2026, Democrats Geldert-Murphey and Hall shared more about their decision to run for Illinois Senate to represent the 56th District. Hall explained that he is a Glen
O’FALLON, Ill. — O’Fallon Township High School Principal Dan Howe recently told the school board that vaping remains a persistent problem in high schools, including at OTHS, where staff are increasing supervision and information campaigns while enforcing strict discipline for students caught with nicotine or THC vapes. Howe spoke to the school board recently in-depth about vaping, the problem of it in all high schools, and O’Fallon’s deterrents. Howe said vaping
EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police’s (ISP) crime reduction efforts in the Metro East continue to make communities safer with the fewest number of homicides in East St. Louis in at least 45 years . In 2020, to combat the seemingly intractable problem of gun violence in East St. Louis and ensure investigations are handled professionally and with integrity, ISP created the Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG), a national urban policing model. PSEG is reducing crime
EDWARDSVILLE - The League of Women Voters and the NAACP hosted a candidate forum ahead of the primary election on March 17, 2026. Candidates for Madison County Clerk and Recorder — Linda Andreas and Kurt Prenzler — spoke about their platforms. During the candidate forum on Feb. 25, 2026, Republicans Andreas and Prenzler introduced themselves and answered questions about the job. Andreas, the incumbent, shared that she comes from a military family and has a nursing and education
EAST ALTON — The East Alton Fire Department had another busy day Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, responding to a brush fire in the 200 block of Virginia Street. As firefighters were leaving the station, heavy black smoke was visible from the area, prompting a request for mutual aid. Wood River Fire Department and Roxana Fire Department also responded to assist. Upon arrival, crews encountered smoke and flames coming from a brushy area next to a house. It appeared that brush and junk were
EDWARDSVILLE - The City of Edwardsville has begun construction of The Courthouse 618 at Plummer Family Park. On Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, community leaders gathered at Plummer Family Park for a groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate the construction of The Courthouse 618, an indoor recreational facility that will be located within the park. The 50,000-square-foot facility will host the Parks & Recreation Department’s youth and adult basketball leagues with five high school regulation-size
stLouIST