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
TROY, IL — The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce invites the community to light up the night at GloBingo 2026, happening Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Tri-Township Activity Center in Troy. The event will feature GloBingo, a high-energy, glow-themed bingo experience provided by Tribout Distributors, transforming Friday the 13th into a lucky night full of fun, prizes, and excitement. GloBingo 2026 is proudly sponsored by Troy Car Care and Edward Jones (Linda Manley), whose
EDWARDSVILLE - Community members can play with LEGOs for a good cause. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at the Edwardsville American Legion, local philanthropists Danielle and Brandon Adair will host Bricks for Water. This event invites people of all ages to see LEGO displays, build their own creations, and chat with finalists from “LEGO Masters.” Proceeds from the event will go to World Vision International, which provides clean water to communities in need.
You can change your life in an afternoon without changing your life at all. That sounds like a trick, but it points to the real meaning behind “fresh slate” thinking. A fresh slate is not a magic reset button. It’s a mental move: you decide that what happened before does not get to control what happens next. You don’t erase the past. You stop letting it write the next line for you. What “fresh slate” really means (and what it doesn’t) When people sa
On January 14, 1784, the United States Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, the agreement that formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent nation. The fighting had largely stopped months earlier, but this vote mattered because it turned a battlefield outcome into an internationally accepted political reality. At the time, it helped open trade, set boundaries, and pushed the new country toward building stable institutions. It still matters
GLEN CARBON – Glen Carbon trustees advanced site plans for a new church and dental office building at their Jan. 13, 2026 Village Board meeting. Among the items approved was a site plan for the future Glen Carbon location of Heartland Dental to be built in Orchard Town Center. Erika Heil, Director of Community Development, said the 4,200 square foot medical office building will occupy 0.99 acres in Outlot 5, which is near the current site of Olive Garden. The site plan submitted by consultin
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