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CHICAGO – An early holiday gift surprised The Salvation Army of Illinois and will help thousands of people in need. Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs returned $64,500 in I-CASH missing money to The Salvation Army, the charitable organization with a global reach widely known for its iconic Red Kettle Christmas fundraising campaign. The Salvation Army is the largest non-government provider of social services in the United States. “We place a special emphasis on returning missing money to non-profits and groups that help others in their time of need, especially during the holidays,” Frerichs said. “I am grateful that we found these funds for The Salvation Army, its team of volunteers, and the life-saving services it provides throughout the year.” Illinois’ missing money program — also known as I-CASH — is one of the state’s oldest consumer protection initiatives. The State Treasurer is tasked with safeguarding unclaimed

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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today filed a consent decree resolving a lawsuit the office filed against a deli meat processing company based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The settlement requires Greenridge Farm Inc. (Greenridge) to pay $3 million in back wages and damages to resolve allegations that Greenridge failed to pay overtime wages to over 282 now-current and former employees. “Any company doing business in the state of Illinois must follow laws that require employees to be fairly paid for the time they work,” Raoul said. “This settlement sends a message that employers cannot get away with evading Illinois law. I appreciate the United States Department of Labor’s collaboration, and I am committed to holding businesses – large and small – accountable for violating laws that safeguard workers and support law-abiding businesses in Illinois.” A joint investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s office and the United

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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Chair of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—today issued the following statement after the Senate passed a short-term extension of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) authorization. “As Chair of the Aviation Safety subcommittee, I’m encouraged that Senate negotiators are close to finalizing a strong, full FAA Reauthorization bill that builds on the existing post-Colgan safety system—including leaving the 1,500 hour rule as-is—supercharges air traffic controller hiring, improves on the technology and equipment needed to prevent near-misses and ensures the FAA has the tools it needs to strengthen pilot training and safety margins. Today’s vote will give us the time we need to do just that.”

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Peter Welch (D-VT) to send a letter to Wellpath—the nation’s largest private provider of prison health care—raising concern over reports of inadequate care at federal, state, and local prisons and jails. “Since its creation, Wellpath has been the target of multiple federal investigations and lawsuits, and the company has faced growing public scrutiny,” wrote the lawmakers. “A host of federal investigations, press reports, and reports by incarcerated people have revealed apparent deficiencies in Wellpath’s care.” Wellpath is a private equity-owned, for-profit company and currently operates

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) today introduced bipartisan legislation to support military and foreign service spouses and their families by creating more job flexibility when a servicemember is deployed or transferred. The READINESS Act , which was developed by current and former federally employed military spouses, aims to encourage the retainment of military spouses across the federal government and lower high employee turnover. U.S. Representatives Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30) introduced the House version of the bill in November. “When the brave members of our military and Foreign Service are relocated or transferred to a new duty station, we should be doing everything we can to support their families who sacrifice so much to go with them—including sometimes having to leave their jobs,” said Duckworth. “I’m proud to join Senator

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SPRINGFIELD – The State Treasurer’s Office has made more than $1.2 billion in investment earnings from the state investment portfolio in 2023, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced today. That amount includes the $115 million earned in November. Another $891 million in gross investment earnings was earned for cities, villages, school districts, counties and other units of government that take part in the highly rated Illinois Funds local government investment pool operated by the State Treasurer’s Office. That amount includes $86.6 million earned in November. “Every dollar we make through smart, safe investing is a dollar that does not need to be raised in taxes,” Treasurer Frerichs said. “The Treasurer’s Office is part of the solution in Illinois.” Treasurer Frerichs is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer. He is responsible for the state investment portfolio and an investment pool for units of local government

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and 42 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), urging them to reject any new poison pill policy riders in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 appropriations bills, including the anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-abortion policy provisions that House Republicans inserted into their appropriations bills. “The Senate has had tremendous success both passing bipartisan bills in committee and on the Senate floor because these bills are free of new poison pill riders,” the Senators wrote. “Unfortunately, the House appropriations bills are filled with new highly partisan provisions, including anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ riders, that should be removed from any final appropriations bills.” These extreme, poison pil

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, and called for leadership to address the immediate suffering and longer term needs for a two-state solution. During his speech, Durbin also remembered the victims of the October 7 th horrific Hamas terrorist attack and called for all remaining hostages to be released—including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who has ties to Illinois. Durbin repeated his warning that Israel not make the same mistakes in a cloud of rage that the U.S. did after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. He also called on the Israeli government to alleviate the mounting humanitarian toll inflicted on the people of Gaza, a distressing number of them children. “This Hamas attack was a reminder that there are still those who do not recognize Israel’s right to exist and their right to self-defense. But it also raised larger questions about how Israel should defend itself

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ALTON - The Alton Community Unit School District #11 (ACUSD11) Board of Education voted unanimously to approve Dr. Brian Saenz as the new Alton Middle School principal during the Board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Saenz will replace Dr. Cindy Inman, the current middle school principal, effective July 1, 2024. “It seems like it’s full circle because I started in the middle school and I’m coming back to the middle school, so a lot of the parents I had in middle school, now I have their kids in elementary,” Saenz said during the meeting. “So it’s exciting for me to continue all the initiatives that Dr. Inman has been working on at the middle school. It’s even more exciting for me to see some of the kids that I have coming up through elementary and kids I’ve had in the past, to see them through middle school into high school. So I thank you for the opportunity and appreciate it.” Saenz has worked with

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CHICAGO – Illinois Lottery players have a chance to become a multi-millionaire this holiday as the Powerball jackpot jumps to $572 million for tonight’s drawing. This is the fourth Powerball jackpot to surpass the half-a-billion-dollar mark in 2023. No one has hit the jackpot since October 11, 2023, when a lucky ticket holder in Frazier Park, California claimed the second-biggest jackpot in lottery history - a mouth-watering $1.765 billion. You could be next! With over 7,000 Illinois Lottery retailers across the State, lottery players can conveniently pick up a ticket at their local store - or they can login to the Illinois Lottery website or app and purchase a ticket online. Powerball tickets are $2 each, and players have the option to add the Powerplay for an additional $1 for the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes. Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 9:59 p.m. (CT).

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EDWARDSVILLE - Plummer Park in Edwardsville is one step closer to getting a championship pickleball court, thanks in part to a $135,000 donation from One More Game (OMG) Pickleball Club. The new court will allow Edwardsville to host regional pickleball tournaments while providing more space for bleachers, concessions, practice/warm-up areas, and more. Edwardsville City Council members unanimously approved a donation agreement to accept the donation at their meeting on Tuesday. Alderwoman Elizabeth Grant recognized OMG for their continued generosity. “This is a $135,0000 donation over seven years for the championship court at Plummer Family Park,” Grant said. “It’s not the first time OMG has helped us out and we’re excited about their generosity.” OMG Pickleball Club previously fundraised and donated $60,415 to help fund the installation of new sports lighting at the Plummer Park pickleball courts, which helped lower the cost to the city

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HARDIN - A Baylis, IL., man has been arrested on aggravated battery and other charges. Calhoun County Deputy Sergeant Zach Hardin provided this narrative: "On December 14, 2023, the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office was notified by West-Central Illinois 911 dispatch, of a Domestic Disturbance and possible Home Invasion in Progress, on the 200 block of High Street, Kampsville in Calhoun County." Hardin responded to the scene and began an investigation. Sergeant Hardin was assisted by Law Enforcement officials from various neighboring agencies. After an investigation, Zachary N. Schwalb, age 31, of Baylis, Illinois, was arrested for the following offenses: Aggravated Battery Domestic Battery (Two Counts) Criminal Damage To Property (Over $500) Criminal Damage To Property (Less than $500) Schwalb was arrested without incident and was booked into the Greene County Jail and is currently being held without Bond. Schwalb was recently released from Mandatory Supervised Release (Parole)

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Greetings! As we head into the final week of this year, I want to sincerely thank you for allowing me to serve as your State Senator for the 56 th District. Nearly 12 months ago, I took an oath of office to represent our community and this experience has been an incredible honor. I spent much of January through May in Springfield engrossed in the legislative process. There is no handbook for “how to be a Senator” and it’s often viewed as “drinking from a firehose.” Our days started early, ended late, and were filled with nonstop action. From early meetings, or breakfasts, to committee meetings, and floor action, any time gap we had was filled with meeting with constituents, support groups and doing “homework” each night reviewing legislation or bill drafts. This year I was appointed to six Senate Committees serving as the Minority Spokesperson on the Local Government Senate Committee. I also served as a member on the Energy and Public Utilities

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EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) announces the arrest of 37-year-old Travione M. Willis of Belleville, for First Degree Murder (Class M Felony) and two counts of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm (Class X Felony). On October 22, 2023, ISP DCI PSEG agents were requested by the East St. Louis Police Department to assist with a homicide investigation with multiple shooting victims that occurred in the 500 block of Missouri Avenue. One victim, 19-year-old Marshon Martin of East St. Louis, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were transported to area hospitals where they were treated for non-fatal gunshot wounds. After a thorough investigation, the case was presented to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric, and the above-mentioned charges were filed against Willis on December 4, 2023. On December 19, 2023, the United States Marshal

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BLOOMINGTON - A proposal to change the IHSA football scheduling format to eight districts in all eight classes was voted down by member schools in voting, of which the results were released on Tuesday afternoon. The proposal, which would have seen all football-playing schools divided into eight districts, was rejected 379-272, with 76 abstentions, during a voting period that ended on Monday night at midnight. The proposal, which would have begun in the 2024 season, would have had schools in each district play each other from weeks three through nine, with the top four teams in each district qualifying for the playoffs. It would have eliminated traditional conference set-ups, and in some cases, long-standing rivalries that have done much to enhance the sport's appeal over the years. "The IHSA Board of Directors has already had discussions about the potential of forming a football ad-hoc committee in 2024 in the event that this district proposal failed to pass," said IHSA Executive

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding reports that the Japanese-based Nippon Steel Corp. has agreed to purchase U.S. Steel, the parent company of Granite City Works in the Metro East. U.S. Steel, the Pittsburgh steel producer that played a key role in the nation’s industrialization, is being purchased by Nippon Steel in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $14.1 billion. The overall transaction is worth about $14.9 billion when including the assumption of debt. “I’ve been fighting for years to save jobs at Granite City Works. And I’ve been troubled by announcements over the last several years about reducing production and slashing jobs at this plant. With the recent news that U.S. Steel will be purchased by Japanese-based Nippon Steel Company - despite the concerns of its workforce — even more questions and concerns are raised. “The United States used to lead the

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The Catholic Diocese of Peoria was established in 1875. Bishop Louis Tylka serves at the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria. The Diocese serves nearly 135,000 Catholics across 26 counties located in North Central Illinois. The Diocese of Peoria has 156 parishes, 13 hospitals, 36 Catholic elementary schools, six Catholic secondary schools and two Catholic PK-12 schools. More information can be found at cdop.org. Building on their 147-year legacy, The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis have aligned with the Diocese of Peoria to create a Diocesan Public Juridic Person. This step ensures OSF HealthCare continues as a faithful Ministry of the Catholic Church and serves all with the greatest care and love. “The Sisters have always had a special and collaborative working relationship with the Bishops of Peoria,” said Sister Judith Ann Duvall, O.S.F., Chairperson of the Boards, OSF HealthCare. “At this time in our history, it seems to be a natural transition

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY - On Tuesday, December 19, 2023, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued charges on suspect Joshua Simmons-Pollard, 25 years of age, of the 6100 block of Lucille Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri 63136, for Burglary Second Degree and Stealing $750 or More. A booking photo of Simmons-Pollard is attached. Simmons-Pollard is being held on $30,000 cash only, no 10%, bond. Please note, charges are merely an accusation and Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. The probable cause statement reads: On December 6, 2023, a jewelry store at 11563 was burglarized, wherein items of jewelry were taken after two subjects were hiding around the store and one of them broke into the front of the store by breaking the glass out. Police received a call for a suspicious vehicle parked nearby, and police discovered that a similar vehicle had been stopped for a traffic violation hours before this and another burglary. The

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EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville Township Board of Trustees pledged support for Edwardsville’s new Overnight Warming Location (OWL). The OWL provides critical overnight warming services and supplies to residents of all ages in Edwardsville Township. “As we enter winter, it is great to see this organization step forward to provide warm meals and a warm place to stay on our coldest nights,” said Township Supervisor Kevin Hall. “We see this as the Township’s initial support of a vital program to get off the ground and we have had discussions with the OWL leaders how best we can help their patrons.” The Board approved $1,000 in funds that will be used to purchase an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and Personal Protect Equipment (PPE) along with covering the cost for their volunteer’s CPR Training and background checks. This equipment is essential for providing life-saving medical services to individuals at the OWL. "The Edwardsville OWL wil

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EDWARDSVILLE - At their regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 (ECUSD7) Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the 2023 tax levy. “Madison County has forecasted a 9.6 increase for the Edwardsville School District, and the estimated tax rate will be $4.67,” explained Board Vice President Terri Dalla Riva during the finance committee report. Later in the evening, the Board voted unanimously to approve the levy. Members Kristen Pfund and Lynne Sanderson were absent. The vote followed numerous discussions over the past few months. Before voting, Board member Bob Paty clarified that the tax levy had not changed from the last time the Board discussed it during their regular meeting in November. Dave Courtney, the district’s chief financial officer/chief operations officer, responded that it had changed “just slightly” from the previous estimate. During the Nov. 27 meeting, Courtney explained

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