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CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed a package of legislation that protects some of the most vulnerable Illinoisians. This includes expanding safeguards for older adults, people with disabilities, children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and individuals with serious mental illness. Together, these measures promote independence, safeguard against exploitation, improve access to critical services, strengthen oversight, and help ensure Illinoisans receive the support and protection

ALTON – The Alton Police Department has made significant progress in the investigation into the fatal shooting that occurred on Friday, July 24, 2026, in the 200 block of West Delmar Avenue. On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, a juvenile was taken into custody in connection with the ongoing investigation. Because the individual is a juvenile, no additional information will be released. As a result of the same investigation, the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office has charged

ALTON – Alton officials last week delayed a move to share the city’s financial and social media account passwords with the city clerk and treasurer. A resolution allowing the Alton city clerk and treasurer to be provided with all business account passwords was laid over at the July 20, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting . Treasurer Betsy Allen said she is currently the only person able to access certain financial accounts for the city. While Allen said that access should be

High school athletes across the country are already feeling the heat as teams begin practices for several sports, including football, cross country and soccer. While student athletes and coaches are anxious to get the season under way, experts say it’s important to stay safe, especially when it comes to practicing during the grueling August temperatures. “The summer heat is very dangerous for so many different reasons, and it is important to know and identify those risk factors associate

EDWARDSVILLE — Moira Krueger, an incoming junior at Metro East Lutheran High School, was named a BJ’s Printables Female Athlete of the Month after making significant strides in girls cross country last fall and contributing in track and field for the Knights. Krueger emerged during her sophomore year as one of the program’s most improved runners, according to Metro East Lutheran Head Cross Country Coach Kevin Reiseck. He said she entered the season running three miles in 26

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois coroners and medical examiners will soon have access to critical mental health counseling services thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) that was signed into law Friday. Senate Bill 2770 expands Illinois' first responder mental health coverage to include coroners, deputy coroners, medical examiners, and deputy medical examiners. The new law allows these professionals to receive mental health counseling without deductibles,

CHICAGO – Thanks to Governor JB Pritzker’s historic investments, this past school year saw 190,000 students enrolled in Illinois public universities, the highest number in 10 years. By investing in public schools, removing barriers, and increasing financial aid opportunities, Gov. Pritzker is making higher education accessible to a record number of students. Gov. Pritzker has expanded access to higher education by: Helping more than 162,000 students afford college by

ALTON – A sex offender from Alton who allegedly gave a fake name to police after years of failing to register faces new charges in Madison County. Gary L. Vancil, 63, of the 3200 block of Fernwood Avenue in Alton, was charged on July 13, 2026 with his second subsequent offense of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, a Class 2 felony. He also faces a Class A misdemeanor count of obstructing identification in the same case. Vancil allegedly failed to register as a sex offender

MASCOUTAH – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced he has charged a Mascoutah, Illinois, man with possessing child sexual abuse material. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online. Brian Favinger, 22, was charged in St. Clair County Circuit Court with three counts of possessing child

ALTON — Marquette Catholic High School freshman William Waters is recognized as a Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Male Athlete of the Month after an outstanding 2026 spring tennis season. At one point in the boys tennis season, he posted a 15-0 overall record across singles and doubles play and helped lead the Explorers' varsity team. Marquette Catholic's athletic department congratulated Waters and said his boys tennis play had been dominant on the court during the spring season. Waters

ST. LOUIS - A 46-year-old man riding a Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle was killed shortly before 4:40 a.m. Wednesday, July 29, 2026, in a crash with a Metro bus at Market and South 14th streets in the Downtown West neighborhood in St. Louis, according to a preliminary investigation. Accident Reconstruction is investigating the fatal crash, which happened when the eastbound motorcycle violated a red electric traffic light and struck the center right side of the bus, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police

SPRINGFIELD — Governor JB Pritzker has officially proclaimed August as Illinois No-Kill Shelter Month . This critical initiative underscores Illinois’ commitment to making the entire state no-kill*, which means saving every healthy or treatable pet in shelters. Best Friends Animal Society , a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and making the country no-kill, applauds this proclamation as a meaningful step toward ending

LITCHFIELD/RIVERBEND - This August, “The Buzz Magazine” will mark 17 years with its 200th issue. Owner Tara Simmons never set out to run a magazine. But in 2009, she and her husband Tony decided to take a shot and publish “The Buzz Magazine” to help local businesses. Nowadays, the magazine has grown exponentially, but that core mission remains. “It’s clean, it’s positive, it’s uplifting, and people just love it,” Tara said. “We

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has recovered more than $110,000 following an investigation into prevailing wage violations on a solar energy project in Winnebago County. The investigation found that Premise, Inc. failed to pay the required prevailing wage rates to laborers and electricians performing work on the project near Rockford. As a result, the company paid $91,991.60 in back wages to 27 affected workers and $18,398.32 in statutory penalties to the Illinois

CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) announced on National Whistleblower Day the launch of a new online page for whistleblower complaints to be submitted to the Division of Financial Institutions. IDPFR now offers a dedicated whistleblower complaint page where industry insiders can directly submit to the agency complaints about potential violations of law they may have witnessed or be aware of within the industries the Division regulates.

EDWARDSVILLE – A dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026 at the City’s new all-abilities playground on the N.O. Nelson campus of Lewis & Clark Community College. The public is invited to join in the celebration of this new accessible play space made possible with the help of numerous community partners. “It brings me so much happiness to know how much this playground will be used and enjoyed by children and families from

CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) announced that Illinoisans who lost their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive a one-time $400 benefit per eligible household member through the new Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) program. This $70 million program was enacted as part of the Governor’s FY27 budget , which was focused on making life more affordable for Illinois families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today called out the Trump Administration’s inhumane conditions in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities, where detainees have been subjected to overcrowding, inadequate medical care and abusive treatment. During her questioning at U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) spotlight forum, Duckworth underscored the lack of timely data regarding ICE detainees in the Chicago

On July 30, one of the most significant events in global history took place in 1945, when the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the final weeks of World War II. The American warship had just completed a secret mission delivering parts for the first atomic bombs that would soon be used against Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the ship sank in the Philippine Sea, hundreds of sailors were left stranded in the water for days, facing dehydration, exposure, and shark attacks

GRANITE CITY - Granite City Police said an individual was wounded in a shooting Wednesday evening inside a residence in the 4600 block of Maryville Road, and a suspect has been taken into custody. The Granite City Police Department said officers were dispatched at approximately 5:39 p.m. July 29, 2026, to a residence on Maryville Road in reference to an individual with a gunshot wound. An initial investigation found that at least one round was fired inside the residence, striking the subject,