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In a sweeping rebuff of four different utilities, Illinois regulators have sharply curtailed record rate hikes proposed for more than 4 million gas customers across the state, while also blocking most spending on a controversial pipe-replacement program that has fueled a heating affordability crisis for consumers in recent years. Under the rulings by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Thursday, customers of Peoples Gas, Nicor Gas, Ameren Illinois and North Shore Gas will still incur a rate increase, putting more stress on already struggling families – a pattern consumer advocates have said they are determined to stifle in coming years. Nonetheless, the decisions significantly limited the size of the rate hikes that the utilities threatened to inflict on consumers, and they collectively signaled that the regulatory climate in Illinois may be shifting decisively in the direction of stronger consumer protections. In each of the cases, the ICC’s reduction to the rate hik

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WOOD RIVER - Riverbend Family Ministries (RFM) is thrilled to announce an impactful donation of $50,000 from Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery. This generous contribution will directly support the vital operations of RFM’s Client Service Department, dedicated to providing personalized support to individuals and families in crisis throughout Madison County. This gift will play a vital role in delivering personalized support for children, youth, and families who’ve experienced trauma, most often due to violence, addiction, poverty, and homelessness. RFM’s Client Service Department supports clients and their families with resources such as rental and utility assistance, job coaching, interview skills, resume writing, financial fitness, social service navigation, rehabilitation connections, laundry, showers, and more. RFM is also home to 9 additional non-profit agencies, providing convenient access to additional resources and support services clients may require. All service

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), founder of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Ethylene Oxide Task Force, today issued the following statement on the report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) evaluating the public health impacts of the ethylene oxide (EtO), a cancer-causing agent, emitted from the now-closed Sterigenics medical sterilization facility in Willowbrook, Illinois. The report, which was released today for public comment until January 3, analyzed EtO concentrations measured in Willowbrook from November 2018 to March 2019. In the report, ATSDR concluded that, prior to February 15, 2019, long-term breathing of air within one mile of the Sterigenics facility is a concern

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GRANITE CITY - Dr. Justin Warren's Vocational Culinary Arts class at Granite City High School tied with Reigning Champions East St. Louis for first place overall in the Sixth Annual Platinum Chef Competition held Thursday at SWIC. It was a true group-effort win by the team, led by Madison Kie. The team consisted of Kie, Desirae Dobrynski, Johnnie Smith, Aiden Wylie, Xander Watkins, Courtney Cochran, Taylor Carson, Luke Stepanek, Crystal Womack, and Audrey Whitehead. Dobrynski was named the MVP of the competition, while the team also won Best Table Display. The Vocational Competition team beat out very skilled teams from Highland, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Civic Memorial and Triad. The hard work and dedication of the students in Dr. Warren's class truly shined positively on Granite City. For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net .

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ST. LOUIS - Thanksgiving and the day before are the top two days in this country for the chance of a cooking fire to happen in someone’s home. The American Red Cross of Greater St. Louis offers safety steps everyone can follow if they will be preparing their family’s Thanksgiving feast. “Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, home fire injuries and the second leading cause of home fire deaths,” said Beth Elders, Executive Director, Red Cross of Greater St. Louis.“Most happen because people leave cooking food unattended. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoyable holiday, so don’t leave the kitchen while you’re cooking.” COOKING SAFETY TIPS Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a fire escape plan to practice with your family. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. Us

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today, along with her U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic colleagues U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), issued the following statement on President Biden’s meeting with President Xi. “We welcome the progress between President Biden and the People’s Republic of China’s President Xi, particularly on fentanyl, climate cooperation and military-to-military communications. These are some of the most pressing issues in our bilateral relationship and we applaud President Biden for his leadership in engaging with the People’s Republic of China to address them. While China has taken some long-overdue steps to curb the production and shipment of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors, Beijing must do much mor

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with Presidents and staff from Chicago State University (CSU) and Malcolm X College to discuss federal support for Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) in Illinois. During the meeting, Durbin and the school leaders also discussed the struggles PBIs face in securing federal investments, and expressed support for increased federal funding to help PBIs build capacity and student support services. “Predominantly Black Institutions, particularly those in Illinois, offer high-quality, educational opportunities and financial support to Black students,” said Durbin. “In speaking with presidents and staff from Illinois’ PBIs today, I reiterated my commitment to working alongside these institutions to secure federal resources for their schools and the students they serve.” Photos of the meeting are available here . PBIs serve high proportions of Black students and other minority

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ALTON - Vintage Voices' record-breaking turnout in 2023, with 633 guests, is a testament to the community's strong support and the event's growing popularity. “Each year we’ve experienced an increase in attendance and the number of sponsorships,” said committee chair Jody Basola. “We are so grateful for the community’s appreciation of this event.” A treasured October tradition, Vintage Voices features costumed actors portraying historical individuals near their grave sites in the picturesque Alton Cemetery. The unique setting and the fact that the actors write their own scripts gives guests the feeling that they are learning first-hand about the individuals' contributions to Alton’s history. While the primary mission is to preserve and share local history, Vintage Voices makes an additional impact by giving back to the community. More than $3,500 will be distributed among various local organizations, including Alton Cemetery, Boys and Girls

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GLEN CARBON - Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is pleased to announce that Loretta Graham has been selected to be part of Team Scott’s 2025 Class of Honorary Commanders. Twenty-four community leaders from across the St. Louis metropolitan region were chosen for this prestigious honor. “I am honored and humbled to be selected as a Team Scott Honorary Commander,” said Graham, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. “The values that ground us in Girl Scouting – such as serving our country and helping people at all times – align with the values of the men and women who serve in our military. I am excited for this opportunity to work together to make our community – and the world – a better place.” Designed to educate and increase knowledge and understanding of the military and the installation, the Honorary Commanders program is a two-year in-depth orientation of the various missions, programs, and assets of Scott

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WASHINGTON, DC – After meeting with American families of hostages being held by Hamas including the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American who has not been heard from since he was taken hostage after losing his arm in the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7th despite clearly needing immediate medical attention, U.S. Senator and member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tammy Duckworth underscored the need for all parties to remain laser-focused on the safe return of all hostages being held by Hamas while also working to enhance humanitarian pause windows and deliver humanitarian aid to innocent civilians suffering in Gaza. Duckworth issued the following statement: “Since October 7th, the civilized world has been haunted by the faces of the hundreds of innocent human beings taken hostage by Hamas and by the faces of the thousands of innocent Palestinian children buried in rubble. We’ve been haunted by the faces of all the Israelis massacred

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COOK COUNTY - Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved a balanced $9.26 billion FY2024 budget which includes millions in funding for equity programs and pandemic relief without increasing taxes or cutting vital services. The budget passed unanimously 17-0, following a month of departmental hearings, commissioner questions, and amendment proposals. “We have faced no shortage of challenges but despite these many difficulties over the last couple of years, we are in a strong financial position,” said President Preckwinkle. “This is a balanced budget that provides equitable services to our residents without any tax or fee increases. I am proud of our hard work and dedication to the County’s financial management that is helping create a better Cook County for all our residents.” In the coming year, with equity as the guiding principle of the decision-making process, Cook County will continue implementation of critical projects funded in FY2023

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate increased +0.2 percentage point to 4.6 percent, while nonfarm payrolls decreased -15,000 in October, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and released by IDES. The September revised unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, unchanged from the preliminary September unemployment rate. The September monthly change in payrolls was revised from the preliminary report, from +9,500 to +11,400 jobs. The October unemployment rate and payroll jobs estimate reflect activity for the week including the 12th. In October, the industry sectors with the largest monthly payroll job declines included: Professional and Business Services (-6,700), Manufacturing (-5,300), Financial Activities (-2,900), and Educational and Health Services (-2,900). The industry sectors with the largest over-the-month job gains included: Government (+4,200), Leisure and

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SPRINGFIELD - Today, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias unveiled the monarch butterfly decal license plate, a project seven years in the making that will support the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) Monarch Habitat Fund. Funds from the decals will directly support Illinois’ efforts to foster habitats that support butterflies’ migratory journey south to Mexico each fall. In partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Illinois Environmental Council, Sierra Club Illinois’ Monarch Team proudly advocated for this project starting in 2016. Thanks to the grassroots advocacy efforts of thousands of pollinator enthusiasts, Illinois lawmakers passed a bill in 2016 that put this project into motion. In response, Sierra Club Illinois Director Jack Darin released the following statement: “We applaud Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias for his leadership in cutting through years of red tape to finally

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EDWARDSVILLE - Community members gathered for a panel discussion on homelessness and the new Overnight Warming Location in Edwardsville. On Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, the League of Women Voters of the Edwardsville Area (LWVEA) sponsored the discussion at St. John’s Methodist Church in Edwardsville. Panelists included Michelle Babb, Director of Servant Ministries at St. John’s; Cornelia Smith, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 (ECUSD7); Lindsey Apple, pastor at Newsong Fellowship Church; David Kerr, with Madison County Community Development (MCCD) ; and Peter Hough, the minister who oversees the Overnight Warming Location in Alton. The discussion was moderated by John Harvey, a LWVEA member and organizer with the Edwardsville Community Housing Alliance. The panelists discussed the rate of homelessness in the Edwardsville area and some of the assistance programs available through Madison County. They also

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EDWARDSVILLE - Realtor Lisa Webb with Third Street Realty said the current real estate market is in good shape, even with looming headlines of higher interest rates and question marks around the market. Citing statistics from the latest National Association Of Realtors (NAR) report, she said numbers paint a more optimistic picture of the market. “There’s so much going on right now in the news about the interest rates … is the market crashing? Is it a bad market? A lot of agents are leaving the industry because they feel like it’s a bad market,” Webb said. “I just want people to understand that it’s a good market.” Webb cited the NAR’s 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers , which found the number of first-time home buyers is on the rise: 32% of homebuyers were first-timers this past year, up from last year's 26%, but still below the 38% average seen since 1981. She also noted that despite overwhelmingly negative

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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $25 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) NewBiz program. Following state recovery programming for businesses totaling $1.5 billion, the latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded opportunity is designed to provide additional support for businesses in hard-hit sectors who launched during the pandemic. Businesses that launched in 2020 or 2021 and remain in operation have faced significant impacts during the pandemic, but they have not been eligible for other federal or state relief programming since they were not operational prior to the pandemic. To provide hands-on support and raise awareness about the program, the State has mobilized a network of nearly 100 community navigators across Illinois. Applicants are encouraged to visit b2bnewbiz.com to learn more and apply. “Small business owners contribute to our thriving

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Rotary Club has chosen to honor Edwardsville High School student Ameenah Abdul-Rasheed with the Student of the Month Award for the month of November. Ameenah Abdul-Rasheed was nominated by Social Sciences teacher Erin Kloster of Edwardsville High School. Ameenah is the daughter of Jocelyn B. and Hakeem Abdul-Rasheed. She is very involved in her extracurricular activities, where she is the Head of Documentation for the EHS Robotics Club and is also president of the Rhoer Club, which is an affiliate group of the sorority Sigma Gamma Rho. This group benefits the community by helping young women learn about leadership and how to give back to their community through community service. Additionally, Ameenah is also a member of National Honors Society, National Science Honors Society, National Math Honors Society, National English Honors Society, and National Music Honors Society. As well as being very involved in the school and community, she has also been

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EAST ST. LOUIS – In October 2023, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office (SCCSAO) filed 53 charges in Illinois State Police (ISP) Zone 6 Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) cases, 44 felony and nine misdemeanor charges. PSEG is a joint effort between ISP and the East St. Louis Police Department (ESTLPD) for violent crime investigations. PSEG was created to provide more highly trained resources in East St. Louis to help solve and reduce crime. SCCSAO charged the following cases in October. The dates listed are the dates the incident occurred. On April 13, 2023, PSEG agents responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of 39 th Street in which an 11-year-old male was shot while inside his residence. As part of an ongoing investigation where three other individuals had previously been charged, the SCCSAO charged a fourth person in the case. SCCSAO charged a 15-year-old female with Aggravated Battery with a Firearm, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm,

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MATTOON — First Mid Bancshares, Inc. (First Mid) is proud to announce they have earned two 2023 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence awards, just a few months after receiving the prestigious 2023 Top Workplaces Industry award. Energage, a purpose-driven organization that builds and brands employers of choice, determines the awards. The Top Workplaces program has a 17-year history of surveying and celebrating people-first organizations nationally and across 60 regional markets. Top Workplaces Culture Excellence awards recognize organizations that excel in specific areas of workplace culture. First Mid received an award for Employee Well-Being, which celebrates organizations who put the health and wellness of their employees at the center of their workplace culture. First Mid also received an award for Professional Development, which celebrates organizations who focus on developing their employees’ careers and enable them to grow professionally. “Being recognized with Culture

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O’FALLON, Ill. — New moms, moms-to-be and families are invited to attend “Bundles for Babies,” HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s special holiday community event on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon in the main hospital lobby at 1 St. Elizabeth’s Blvd., O’Fallon, Illinois. Guests will meet St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center staff, receive health and safety information and learn about services available to help them welcome their bundle of joy. Guided tours will also be offered of the Women and Infants Center. The tours will be limited to small groups to respect current patients’ privacy and safety. Christmas activities are also planned for children, including free photos with Santa while sharing cookies and milk and creating a fun holiday craft project to take home. Each family attending will receive a ticket to win an attendance prize. Additional tickets will be available for a $1 donation. All funds collected wil

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