PIASA — Josie Hagen, a senior athlete at Southwestern High School, has signed a letter of intent to play softball and attend Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. Hagen's career batting average at Southwestern High is .328, with 83 hits and 77 RBI since her freshman year. Josie is an Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for her recent signing recognition and her outstanding career with the Piasa Birds athletic program. Hagen, who stands 5-foot-8,
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of nine attorneys general, today announced a proposed multistate settlement with Greystar Management Services LLC (Greystar), the largest landlord in the U.S. The $7 million proposed settlement resolves claims against Greystar that is a part of the coalition’s ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices in rental markets across the country. In August, Greystar reached
ALTON - Alton recently honored Ja'Kori Steen, the seventh-grade state champion in the girls' 100-meter hurdles, by dedicating a street sign at the entrance of Alton Middle School in her name. Steen, now an eighth grader, won the seventh-grade 4A state finals with a time of 15.52 seconds, narrowly edging out Zoei Johnson of Manhattan, who finished second at 15.57 seconds. Ja'Kori is also an Auto Butler Female Athlete of the Month. Steen’s achievement has drawn praise from her coaches
EDWARDSVILLE – A convicted felon found in possession of multiple controlled substances while illegally armed faces new Class X felonies after a Madison County traffic stop. Jayleon D. Tally, 29, of National Stock Yards, Ill., was charged on Nov. 13, 2025 with armed violence, possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, unlawful possession with the intent to deliver methamphetamine, and two counts of possession with intent or delivery or a controlled substance, all Class X felonies.
ALTON – Challenge Unlimited, Inc. proudly announces the appointment of Joni Lombardo as Chair of the Board of Directors, effective September 15, 2025. Her appointment follows a unanimous vote by the Board, succeeding Tom Morrissey, who served with distinction as Chair for ten years and will continue to support the organization in an advisory capacity as an active board member. In addition to her new role, Lombardo also serves as Vice Chair for Project CU, a Challenge Unlimited affiliate
COLLINSVILLE – Ameren Illinois residential customers who use natural gas to heat their homes and power their appliances can expect stable supply prices this winter. In the last five years, Ameren Illinois' natural gas supply prices have declined 30%, driven in part by Ameren's purchasing and price hedging strategies. The company buys natural gas in the summer when prices are lower, stores it in underground reservoirs, and delivers it for customers to use in the winter months. "Natu
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) announces the return of the Illinois Product Holiday Market to Downtown Springfield. The market will be held on December 5, 6, and 7 at the “Y Block,” located north of the Governor’s Mansion. This festive market will feature a wide array of Illinois products that are perfect for everyone on your shopping list this season. “The market checks all the boxes for a weekend in December – enjoy live music,
SPRINGFIELD – The Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site, the oldest surviving capitol building in Illinois, will host public candlelight tours the evening of Saturday, Dec. 13 as part of the site’s annual Christmas open house. The free festivities are scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Visitors will find the building illuminated by more than 150 candles and trimmed with holiday decorations along the tour. The first 100 families to visit will receive a free holiday ornament. The site will
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the judicial nominations of David Clay Wilkerson Fowlkes, to be the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas; Nicholas Jon Ganjei, to be the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas; and Aaron Christian Peterson, to be the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed the House of Representatives in a 427-1 vote and now heads to the President’s desk: “First and foremost, this vote is in tribute to and honor of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes—and any victim or survivor
O'FALLON, Ill. - Last week, Jimmy Ford, Republican candidate for State Representative in the 112th District, joined the O’Fallon Police Department for a ride-along to see firsthand the critical work officers perform every day. “I was immensely grateful for the opportunity to ride along with the O’Fallon Police Department and see what these brave officers face on any given shift,” said Ford. “Every elected official should do this to understand the complexities
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered another scathing rebuke of the Trump Administration’s so-called “ Operation Midway Blitz ” in Chicago. Since the operation launched nearly three months ago, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have used extreme tactics to unlawfully detain residents
GRANITE CITY – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th District) welcomed nearly 50 high school students and educators to Southwestern Illinois College Sam Wolf Campus this month for her Fall Youth Advisory Council (YAC), an initiative designed to give students a firsthand look at state government. “I love hosting the Youth Advisory Council because it gives students a chance to see government in action and explore how they can shape their communities,” said Senator Harriss. “Watching
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in leading their Senate Democratic colleagues in calling on Leader John Thune (R-SD) to immediately bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the Senate floor for a vote, without delay or unnecessary process distractions. The Senators’ call follows the U.S. House of Representatives’
SPRINGFIELD – With temperatures falling, frosty mornings becoming common and snow starting to creep into the forecast, the public is reminded that it’s time for “Winter Weather – Get it Together.” The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police and Illinois Tollway spend the entire year preparing for snow and ice season but are asking you to get ready for winter travel over the coming months. “At IDOT, we have been busy bringing in extra
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) reminds firearm deer hunters that mandatory check stations will be open this year in counties where chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected. The 2025 Illinois firearm deer season dates are Nov. 21-23 and Dec. 4-7. The detection of CWD in Bureau, Ford and Lee counties has prompted IDNR to open new check stations in 2025. Mandatory CWD surveillance counties now include Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Ford, Grundy,
O'FALLON, IL. - One person died Tuesday morning, Nov. 18, 2025, in a multi-vehicle crash in a construction zone on eastbound Interstate 64 near O’Fallon, IL., the Illinois State Police has reported. The crash occurred around 8 a.m. on Nov. 18, 2025, and involved two tractor-trailers, a utility work truck, and a Ford Bronco. Authorities have not released the identity of the deceased pending an ongoing investigation. The right lane of eastbound I-64 remained open during the investigation.
GODFREY – Godfrey trustees are expected to vote on an ordinance next month setting new rules for video gaming licenses in the village. The proposed ordinance would lower the number of video gaming licenses allowed in the village by one each time an establishment with video gaming goes out of business. This move seeks to prevent such establishments from transferring their gaming licenses to other entities, since the number of allowed licenses would remain the same under the current
ST. LOUIS — A Rochester, New York, man was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, to 54 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit Xanax on the dark web, both before and after his indictment. U.S. District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig handed down the sentence to 31-year-old John Cruz, who pleaded guilty twice to conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs, and sell counterfeit drugs. Cruz admitted to purchasing counterfeit Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication, on the darknet and resellin
EAST ST. LOUIS - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) donated his pay raise for the month of November to Press Play x 2 Shinn, in the form of a food donation. He was more than happy to meet with Nancy Nixon and help her feed people in the community. Every month Rep. Schmidt donates his pay raise to a different local food pantry or non-profit organization throughout his district. “Nancy and I are both passionate about fighting food insecurity,” said Schmidt. “It’s
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