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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Donald Trump fired Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and announced U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as his preferred replacement: “Kristi Noem was the face of an unpopular, illegal, and outright dangerous mass deportation campaign that claimed the lives of innocent Americans and terrorized many

ALTON - The Alton School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mack Ivory as the new Assistant Principal at Alton High School. Mr. Ivory holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from Missouri Baptist University, as well as two Master’s degrees from Missouri Baptist University: one in the Art of Teaching and the other in Educational Administration. Mr. Ivory began his educational career in January 2020 as a Student Support Specialist in the Rockwood School

ALTON - The Alton School District Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Amanda Beiser as Assistant Principal at Alton Middle School for the 2026-2027 school year. Mrs. Beiser is a proud graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Learning Behavioral Specialist, as well as a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership. She began her teaching career in the Alton School District

EDWARDSVILLE – When water flows cleanly from a tap, it carries with it the expertise of professionals trained for a job most people never see but upon which everyone depends. Illinois policymakers had the opportunity to see that infrastructure in action while touring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC). ERTC welcomed Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart on Feb. 20 and Illinois State Senator Erica Harriss on March 2 for

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) war powers resolution that would have blocked President Trump from ordering further strikes on Iran unless authorized by Congress. Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states that the power to declare war is an explicit power of Congress and Congress overwhelmingly reaffirmed this constitutional provision when it passe

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker pressed the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar to take immediate federal action to protect Americans stranded in the Middle East following recent U.S. military strikes and responses. In a letter to Secretary Rubio, Governor Pritzker raised alarms over how President Trump admitted yesterday that there is no plan to help evacuate Americans from the region whose safety has been jeopardized by

CHICAGO - Today, in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats and Republicans alike pressed Secretary Kristi Noem on her failure to uphold a core responsibility of the the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security: protecting the American people. Following a nearly five-hour-long hearing, here are questions Secretary Noem failed to answer: When Senator Durbin (D-IL) asked if Noem retracts her statements labeling Chicago school teacher Marimar Martinez, Renee Good, and Ale

EAST ALTON/BETHALTO - A man wanted in a murder investigation was arrested Tuesday morning, March 3, 2026, in the parking lot of Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, and local officials said the case was separate from a federal operation last week in Bethalto in which four employees of a Mexican restaurant were taken into custody. East Alton Police Chief Scott Golike said the person arrested at Eastgate Plaza was wanted in a murder investigation by the U.S. Marshals Office and that the arrest was not

ALTON - After carefully considering over twenty applications, the Alton School District is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Rick Reinhart as our new Head Football Coach. Coach Reinhart brings outstanding head coaching experience from Mascoutah, Fairfield, Civic Memorial and Tuscola. He has a deep knowledge of the game and a passion for developing student athletes both on and off the field. His coaching philosophy is grounded in high expectations, accountability and a steadfast commitment

EDWARDSVILLE - A large MBI tractor-trailer caught fire on Interstate 255 and drove off the road to an exit ramp, briefly closing the ramp before firefighters extinguished the blaze, officials said on Thursday morning, March 5, 2026. The fire involved an MBI tractor-trailer that pulled over on a ramp in Edwardsville, according to Edwardsville Deputy Fire Chief Robert Morgan. The ramp “did close ... for a short period of time” and “should have since reopened,” Cathy Hensley,

EDWARDSVILLE - A late-night fire at a Captain D’s restaurant in Edwardsville rapidly drew multiple fire departments to the scene, and the fire was contained quickly by those efforts. However, the fire and smoke left the building too damaged to reopen immediately, according to the Edwardsville Fire Department. The call came in at 11:26 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from a nearby resident reporting a fire at the Captain D's restaurant in the 1900 block of Troy Road, the department said Thursda

WOOD RIVER – A new park with a stage, pavilion, and more may be coming to downtown Wood River. City Manager Steve Palen announced plans for a future “City Center Park” at the March 2, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting . Palen said the park would be built on the former site of the Brown Tire & Automotive Center at the intersection of Ferguson Avenue and 1st Street. He said the park design features several amenities, including a stage, pavilion, an open greenspace area,

A bright room can make you feel lighter even before anything in your life has changed. No new text message. No good news. Just light—hitting your eyes—and your mood shifts. That tiny, almost automatic reaction is a clue: daylight doesn’t just help you see. It helps your brain decide how to feel. Daylight is more than “good vibes” People often talk about sunlight as if it’s only psychological—like a pleasant backdrop that makes life seem nicer. But dayligh

The most globally significant event tied to March 5 is the 1946 “Iron Curtain” speech, when former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill warned that Europe was being split into rival spheres of influence after World War II. Speaking in Fulton, Missouri, with U.S. President Harry S. Truman in attendance, Churchill described a new political and military divide running “from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic.” At the time, many people were still hoping th

ALTON – An Alton resident accused of using Roblox and Google Chat to solicit a minor faces felony charges in Madison County. Dameon M. Spraggs, 22, of Alton, was charged on Dec. 5, 2025 with one count each of indecent solicitation of a child (a Class 3 felony) and grooming (a Class 4 felony). Madison County court records show the charges against Spraggs were sealed on Dec. 5, 2025 and made public on Feb. 25, 2026. The motion to seal his court file states Spraggs posed a risk of flight

WOOD RIVER - A local nonprofit is seeking support as they gear up for Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month. Refuge 4 Kids works with kids under age 11 who have experienced complex trauma. The organization provides counseling and support for families. On April 30, 2026, they will host their annual dinner banquet at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey to raise money so they can continue their work in Madison County. Executive Director Erin Bickle pointed to their theme — “Hope

EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Fire Department responded to Captain D's in the 1900 block of Troy Road for a structure fire Wednesday night. A passerby called 911 at around 11:30 p.m., reporting smoke coming from the roof of the business. Edwardsville Police arrived first and relayed that smoke was coming from the building, along with visible fire toward the back of the structure. A commercial box-alarm was requested, bringing additional manpower from Glen Carbon, Wood River, Troy, Holiday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On CNN today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after he criticized the media for making “the President look bad” by focusing coverage on the six American servicemembers who have been killed in Trump’s needless war of choice. Duckworth fired back against Hegseth that it is incumbent upon those in the halls of power to honor our troops’ service, professionalism and sacrifice by making

EAST ST. LOUIS – Illinois State Police special agents arrested 30-year-old Corey C. Ayers of East St. Louis on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the April 2025 shooting death of 22-year-old Jamya T. Dukes of Granite City, authorities said. The arrest followed an investigation that began April 1, 2025, when the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis requested assistance from the Illinois State Police in a homicide case. Dukes was dropped off at

Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) presented legislative solutions to help make buying and staying in a home more affordable in Illinois. Last year, first-time home buyers dropped to a record low of 21 percent of total purchases, while the average age of first-time buyers climbed to an all-time high of 40 years, according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. “There’s