ST. LOUIS — Washington University Police Chief Angela Coonce said after a thorough investigation, they do not believe reports of an armed person on the university’s Danforth Campus were credible after the campus briefly went into a shelter-in-place on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Coonce added that Washington University Police will continue to investigate and “pursue charges against anyone who is found responsible for the false reports that caused the shelter-in-place.” On
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At today’s joint Senate (SVAC) and House (HVAC) Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing with Veterans Service Organization (VSOs), combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out the Trump Administration for once again attacking our Veterans and failing to consult Congress or VSOs before they ushered in an interim final rule that effectively disincentivizes our nation’s heroes from both seeking earned coverage for service-connected disabilities
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today reintroduced the Fairness in Federal Disaster Declarations Act. As the Trump Administration continues to play political games by denying critical assistance for Democratic-led states, the Senators’ bill would reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) disaster declaration process to make it more transparent and equitable to small and rural communities in larger states
COLLINSVILLE – Collinsville High School senior Melanie Gutierrez was selected to receive a 2026 Racial Harmony Award from the Center for Racial Harmony. The award was presented on February 22, 2026. The Center for Racial Harmony is located in Belleville, Illinois. The organization is dedicated to promoting understanding, cooperation and communication among all races and ethnic groups. Each year, they recognize students who have gone above and beyond to promote goodwill and respect. Ms.
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced a transformative public-private partnership to restore and redevelop the historic Hotel Florence and key buildings within the Pullman State Historic Site on Chicago’s South Side — leveraging $21 million in state capital funds to unlock more than $83 million in private investment for a total project value exceeding $100 million. “Pullman is a treasured piece of Illinois’ story, and with this public-private partnership,
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, provided new whistleblower disclosures to support the investigation into FBI Director Kash Patel’s excessive use of FBI aircraft for personal travel. These disclosures were provided after Patel was spotted celebrating with the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team shortly after their win over Canada in the gold medal game. In a follow-up letter to the Government Accountability
ALTON – While national projections indicate a 9% increase for inpatient days (i.e. length of stay) for the next 10 years, along with a long-term trend of a 5% decline in inpatient admission volumes for hospitals, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center and OSF Medical Group continue to see patient volumes increase in outpatient services and office visits respectively - and not just from 2024 to 2025, but also since 2022. “The year-over-year increases in our outpatient
ROLLA, Mo. - Over 1,000 students received degrees from Missouri University of Science and Technology during commencement ceremonies held at Missouri S&T on Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. HOMETOWN, STATE; ZIPCODE - NAME, DEGREE, HONORS (if listed): Alton, Illinois 62002 - Reiley Clark, Architectural Engineering, BS, Magna Cum Laude 62002 - Reiley Clark, Civil Engineering, BS, Magna Cum Laude Edwardsville, Illinois 62025 - Matthew Reid, Computer Engineering, BS Glen
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (D-IL) State of the Union guest, Jeremy Schumacher of Carbondale, Illinois, delivered powerful testimony about how the Trump Administration’s devastating health care cuts—combined with the rising costs of groceries and other everyday necessities—have made it nearly impossible for his family to make ends meet. Mr. Schumacher, the primary source of income for his household, saw his health insurance deductible
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate’s Aviation Subcommittee Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Speaker Mike Johnson and 131 House Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to defeat the bipartisan Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, which already passed the Senate with unanimous support last December and would have implemented critical safety enhancements to prevent
EAST ST. LOUIS - The Center for Racial Harmony honored K-12 students for “outstanding character traits” during its annual “The Gathering” youth recognition program this past weekend. At the event, Dunbar Elementary School fourth-grader Chaya Reynolds from the East St. Louis School District 189 was recognized. “The Gathering” is a youth recognition program that honors students who “consistently demonstrate outstanding character traits”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) and Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), led several of their Republican colleagues in introducing the bicameral Stop Illegal Alien Cops Act today. The legislation is aimed at prohibiting illegal aliens who work as armed law enforcement officers from possessing firearms or ammunition provided to them by a government entity, such as a police department. This bill aligns with existing federal law that already prohibits illegal aliens from possessing
ALTON - Megan Dees knows firsthand the value of book clubs. After all, she has started several through Hayner Public Library District — and the lucky librarian recently won a major prize through her own book community. Dees, who oversees the TeenSpace programming at Hayner, started the Comic Chaos comic book club for teenagers a few months ago. But in her personal life, she enjoys the friendships she has made through an online book community, where members talk about books, authors
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump delivered his State of the Union address. “Tonight, President Trump made it unmistakably clear that the State of our Union is strong and growing stronger because we are once again putting America First,” said Congresswoman Miller. “Under this administration, we are reversing the destructive decisions of Joe Biden and seeing lower costs, a
ALTON - The Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club will host their 40th annual Chili Chowdown to support their community projects. On Monday, March 2, 2026, community members can stop by Main Street United Methodist Church in Alton from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 4:30–7 p.m. for a chili meal. For $10, you can enjoy all-you-can-eat chili, a beverage and dessert with carry-out options available. “All proceeds go to supporting the community, which is what Alton-Godfrey Rotary is all about,”
ST. CLAIR COUNTY - Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, charged a Fairview Heights man in St. Clair County Circuit Court with eight counts of disseminating child sexual abuse material after investigators searched a residence in the city and said they found evidence of the material. Brian J. Grapperhaus, 45, was charged with eight counts of disseminating child sexual abuse material, each a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison, according to Raoul’s
GLEN CARBON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced a full closure of the intersection of Illinois 157 and Illinois 162 in Madison County starting, weather permitting, at 7 a.m. on Monday, March 3, 2026. Both eastbound and westbound Illinois 162 will be closed, and neither will have access to Illinois 157. The closure is necessary to construct two new bridges, a new signalized four-way intersection, and bike and pedestrian accommodations. Illinois 157 and the easter
CARROLLTON — Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is scheduled to make a campaign stop in Carrollton on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, as part of his statewide bus tour, according to Billy Springman, the 21-year-old Greene County coordinator. The event is set for 3 to 4 p.m. at Walnut Hall Estates and is free and open to the public. Springman said the stop is intended to give local residents a chance to meet Bailey, hear his plans for Illinois and discuss issues important to the community.
SWANSEA – State Senator Christopher Belt announced the release of a $4 million state grant for the Village of Shiloh to construct a new police station. The funding, previously announced as part of a $4.75 million allocation secured alongside State Representative Jay Hoffman, is now available to move the project toward a projected June or July groundbreaking. “As Shiloh continues to grow, we have a responsibility to ensure our law enforcement officers have a facility that
A single swipe can start a romance—but for most of human history, a “match” was something your family negotiated, your neighbors watched, and your community enforced. Courtship has never been just about two people liking each other. It has always been tied to money, safety, social rules, and the way people meet. What’s changed over the centuries is who gets to choose, how public the process is, and what counts as “serious.” The shift from supervised visits
stLouIST