CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined community leaders and lawmakers to encourage Illinoisans to participate in the Back-to-School State Tax Holiday, which waives the state sales tax on back-to-school necessities fromAug. 7 through Aug. 16, 2026. This 10-day period is expected to provide an estimated $10 million in savings to online and in-store consumers on essential back-to-school items, including clothing, footwear, and school supplies. “In Illinois, parents are working
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today celebrated Governor JB Pritzker’s signing his legislation to support efforts to combat workplace rights violations. “The Workplace Rights Bureau in the Attorney General’s office has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of Illinois workers. This new law will enhance our ability to investigate and prosecute potential violations of the laws that protect working people around Illinois,” Raoul said. “I appreciate
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - A 31-year-old St. Louis man was seriously injured Sunday night, Aug. 2, 2026, in a two-vehicle crash on southbound Missouri 367 north of Chambers Road in St. Louis County after Moline Acres Police attempted a traffic stop, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. The crash happened at 9:50 p.m. Aug. 2, 2026, and was investigated by Trooper D. Bittick. The report said Moline Acres police attempted to stop a 2013 Chevrolet Spark after observing it being driven
GODFREY – A Godfrey man accused of committing a hate crime and assault in a public place faces charges in Jersey County. Troy D. Hacker, 39, of Godfrey, was charged on July 29, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of hate crime and a Class A misdemeanor count of aggravated assault on public property. On July 26, 2026, Hacker allegedly knowingly committed an act of aggravated assault against another individual by reason of the victim’s actual race and color, charging documents state. Hack
DOW - The community can help Treehouse Wildlife Center raise $15,000 in two months. Treehouse Wildlife Center rehabilitates injured, sick and orphaned wildlife throughout the region. An anonymous donor has pledged $10,000 if the center can crowdfund an additional $5,000 by Sept. 30, 2026. With the community’s help, the center hopes to receive $15,000 total, which will go toward the care of the animals. “We are completely a grassroots organization, so we are not funded any other
VIRDEN - First Christian Church in Virden will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 at 101 N. Church St., inside Donor Bus. What: First Christian Church Virden Community Blood Drive When: Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. Where: ImpactLife Donor Bus, 101 N. Church St., Virden, Ill. Appointments: To donate, please contact Kelsie Bentley at (217)
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following statement in response to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois ruled against the Trump administration in its lawsuit seeking unredacted Illinois voter data containing voters’ sensitive personal information. “For the 19th time, a federal court has ruled that the Department of Justice does not have authority to demand a state’s unredacted voter registration list. The Trump administration’s
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB 3224, officially renaming the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired (ISVI) to be the Illinois School for the Blind. The updated name reflects years of feedback and advocacy from students, faculty, alumni, families, and Blind Illinoisans who emphasized the importance of language that recognizes identity, independence, and achievement. The change honors the school’s historic legacy while aligning with the terminology embraced by many
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to challenge a federal rule that once again illegally undermines the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and would make health insurance more expensive and harder to obtain for millions of Americans. Raoul and the coalition’s lawsuit seeks to block provisions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS)
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is sharing the following upcoming events and noteworthy items for August 2026. State parks, historic sites, and museums have events throughout the month. Cap off August with a visit to Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield Aug. 13-23 or a visit to Conservation Village at the Du Quoin State Fair in southern Illinois Aug. 28-Sept. 7. Aug. 8 Intro to Bouldering Pere Marquette State Park Grafton
EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville Police Department issued 65 speeding citations, five citations for other infractions and made one felony traffic arrest during a speed enforcement campaign conducted throughout July 2026 in Edwardsville, authorities said. The campaign was part of a broader effort by the Edwardsville Police Department and other state and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to reduce highway fatalities by reminding motorists to slow down to save lives. In addition
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) issued the following statement following the release of the Legislative Inspector General's report regarding former State Representative Harry Benton: "The release of this report is an important step toward ensuring Illinoisans have the transparency they deserve from their state government. When allegations of misconduct involve elected officials, the public has every right to expect those matters will be investigated thoroughly
NAPERVILLE – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released devastating insights into conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center (Dilley) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility. The visits to Dilley provided new, incriminating insights into the cruelty of the illegal Trump mass deportation agenda, including inhumane conditions, deficient medical care, taunting children, inadequate education
ST. LOUIS — The following students have been named to the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester at Washington University in St. Louis: HOMETOWN, STATE; (ZIP CODE) - NAME, SCHOOL Alton, Illinois (62002) - Quentin Roose, who is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. East Alton, Illinois (62024) - Clara Nipper, who is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. Edwardsville, Illinois (62025) - Jackson Weaver, who is enrolled in the university's
JERSEY - Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 announced that new student registration will be held Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, from noon to 7 p.m. at each child’s school, while returning students are asked to complete online registration through Skyward Family Access. The district shared the registration information in a notice to Panther families and directed families to its school registration page for details on school supply lists, required documents, important dates and
CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Children’s Social Media Safety Act (HB5511), a sweeping set of protections designed to keep Illinois kids safe online. The bill establishes comprehensive safeguards for children against the most addictive social media platform features and strengthens protections for minors. The bill was passed with unanimous support in both chambers, reflecting the broad, bipartisan concern about tech companies profiting off the attention and mental
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - Fairview Heights Police are investigating the disappearance of Clark Jefferson, who was last seen leaving his residence in the 800 block of Foxgrove Drive in Fairview Heights during the first week of June 2026, authorities said. The Fairview Heights Police Department said detectives have been searching for Jefferson since a missing person report was filed July 24, 2026. Fairview Heights Police said Jefferson left the residence with a man identified as “Marcus”
ALTON - The City of Alton is improving transparency by making public records easily accessible to the public. Requestors of public information will now have the option of submitting Open Records Requests through an online form. While other methods for submitting requests are still available, the City of Alton is excited to be able to offer a more convenient option. "The City of Alton chose Just FOIA to help streamline their citizens' open records request process and improve efficiencies within,”
ALTON — The Alton Amphitheater will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alton native Miles Davis with an expanded Alton Jazz & Wine Festival on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 6–10 p.m. Experience nationally acclaimed jazz in an intimate riverfront venue, with tickets starting at just $10. The evening will feature outstanding jazz music, wine, food vendors and premium VIP experiences—all celebrating the living legacy of one of music's greatest innovators. As the world marks the
A harvest festival is never just about food. It is about fear, relief, hard work, luck, and the simple fact that for most of human history, one good harvest could mean survival. That is what gives harvest traditions their staying power. Even in places where few people farm, people still decorate tables with grain, gather for shared meals, thank the land, and mark the end of a growing cycle. These customs feel festive on the surface, but their roots run deep. They began as practical responses
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