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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker today signed two pieces of legislation that allow for the expanded use of expressway cameras, empowering law enforcement agencies to investigate criminal activities along expressways and State highways. “There is nothing more important than keeping Illinoisans safe—in our schools, in our parks, and on our expressways,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The tragic incidences of gun violence on our highways requires aggressive and intentional action. By signing this bill, law enforcement agencies will have the tools to respond to criminal activity in a timely and efficient manner—ensuring the safety and security of our residents, while holding perpetrators accountable.” “Automated license plate readers play a growing, critical role in ISP investigations and arrests in the Chicagoland area,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP now routinely uses this technology to track down expressway shootings

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Senator Ron Wyden has never been shy about demanding both the government and the private sector stop doing so much damn spying on their constituents/users. Eleven years ago — long before it became apparent federal agencies were accessing/buying location data from any private party willing to give them access — Wyden was looking to enact […]

Missouri corrections officers would receive a back pay settlement and future payments worth more than $100 million under an agreement to end a long-running claim the Department of Corrections was underpaying …

“You should be a mother” was what my own mother said to me the week before she died. I held her thin, weakened hand across the hospital bed and nodded. I was in my early 20s, and children seemed a faraway possibility in an unlikely land that included marriage, mortgages and other such responsibilities.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty is scheduled to drive the Enjoy Illinois 300 ceremonial laps Friday afternoon.

Statistics don’t have faces.   While statistics about the number of homeless veterans in the United States are staggering, they do not show the people

The post In the Faces of Patriotism: The Homeless Veterans Project appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

TROY - Are you ready to start the kids’ summer off right? Let’s fill them with a world of pure imagination! Goshen Theatre Project will be performing Willy Wonka, Jr., the captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale. The musical will feature the well-known catchy tunes from the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Performances will take place at Triad High School (Troy, IL) kicking off on June 9 and 10 at 7:00 p.m., with a matinee on June 11 at 3:00 p.m. These family-friendly shows are estimated to be 90 minutes, which includes a 15 minute intermission. Tickets can be purchased immediately at https://gtp.booktix.com/ . Use code PURPLE on Sunday, June 5 th and earn 15% off of your ticket price! Before the show, audience members are encouraged to visit our creative concession stand which will include anything from chocolate squirrels, inflatable gummy bears, candy kebabs, a popcorn bar, and even Wonka bars (will you get the Golden Ticket?)!

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A line of nurses gathered outside of SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, holding a long fabric signs stamped with handprints. They chanted and shook noisemakers to protest conditions inside the hospital. One nurse held a sign that read “Honk if you support nurses” and passing cars responded frequently in kind.

There is one week left to submit your nomination for the St. Louis Business Journal's annual Champions for Diversity & Inclusion Awards program, which also includes awards for the outstanding nonprofit partner and the outstanding for-profit partner. The program, including all three awards, celebrates individuals, companies and nonprofits who have shown exceptional commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace or in the St. Louis community. Nominations are due Friday, June…

(THE CONVERSATION) - Individual states and some cities are taking legal steps to either limit or allow abortions, gearing up for what will likely be a fierce national battle if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the constitutional right to abortion. The Supreme Court is set to soon release a final verdict on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization , one month after a leaked Supreme Court draft majority opinion showed it could reverse Roe v. Wade. But a ruling – likely to come sometime in June or July 2022 – will be only one important step in the ongoing national abortion saga. While 13 states, including Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, have “trigger laws” that would almost immediately restrict abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, the legal future for abortion in 10 states is uncertain . As a professor of health law, public health law and medical ethics, I think it is important to understand that it may take time to see the full effects o

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ALTON - Back by popular demand, the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau is celebrating all things epic with a local focus on the epic foodie experience throughout southwest Illinois during the month of June. Kicking off the month-long event is Epic Pizza Week which runs from June 6 – 10. Enjoy epic pizza specials at the participating restaurants located throughout southwest Illinois. Epic Pizza Week is followed by Epic Wing Week June 13 – 17, Epic Burger Week June 20 – 24 and closes up with Epic Ice Cream Week June 27 – July 1. “We started highlighting our epic foods last year and it was an amazing success,” said Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. “We had dozens of locally owned and operated restaurants participate serving up thousands of burgers, pizzas and ice cream treats to residents and visitors alike. Now we want to take our epic foods to the next level and the participation has grown. We have more

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After being presented an honorary doctorate by Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music virtually last month during the school's 2022 commencement festivities, Ringo Starr got to accept the degree in…

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Take a load off and take in the views on a relaxing daytime cruise that shows St. Louis from the river that built it. Narrated

The post St. Louis Riverfront Cruise appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

(The Center Square) – With the highest inflation rates in 40 years, most Illinoisans' wages are not keeping up. According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the average worker in Illinois needed a pay raise of $5,360 to match the price increases on goods and services this past year, but the average worker received a raise of $3,164. Essentially, the average Illinoisan took a pay cut of $2,200. “We do know that wage growth is slower in Illinois than in other states,” said Bryce Hill, senior research analyst for the Illinois Policy Institute. “It is very likely that inflation is taking a larger chunk out of Illinoisans' income than it is in other states.” Most of the U.S. has been seeing just “slight or modest” economic growth over the past two months, according to a Federal Reserve report released Wednesday. In addition to broader views on the economy, the report said most districts showed price increases rising at a “strong or

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ALTON - The June Memorial Service/Scholarship Awards Program of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at the Lovejoy Gravesite in Alton City Cemetery. The gravesite is located behind the Lovejoy Monument. The program begins at 4:00 p.m. Bonnie Fox, President of the Lovejoy Memorial will preside and offer the welcome. Minister Elam A. King, III, Associate Minister, Greater St. James Baptist Church will offer the Invocation and Benediction. Vocal soloist is Brenda Mack-Lancaster. The scholarship awards will be presented by Lovejoy Board members Renee Bauer, Mary Buckley and Dr. Brian Saenz. The highlight of the program will be the presentation of scholarships to six (6) 2022 graduates of Alton High School. The Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial Scholarship was first awarded in 1954. This year it will be presented to Kamren Mason-El. She will receive $25,000 total during the four (4) years of her college education. In 2019 the Lovejoy Memorial established the

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A St. Louis alderman and a top county aide have expired license plates.

– U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and all 47 other Senate Democrats in introducing a Senate resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month. The Senators’ resolution highlights the contributions LGBTQ individuals have made to American society, notes several major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ Americans and resolves to continue efforts to achieve full equality for LGBTQ individuals. The resolution also recognizes how the U.S. Supreme Court’s pending decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could potentially undermine and erode other constitutional rights also grounded in privacy, including the right for same-sex couples to marry or engage in consensual relationships without the risk of criminal prosecution “No one should face discrimination because of who they are or who they love—we all deserve to live and thrive as our most authentic selves,”

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CHICAGO – In an effort to further the state’s commitment to addressing the ongoing opioid crisis, Governor JB Pritzker signed several pieces of legislation designed to prevent overdoses and provide easily accessible treatments. “Deaths from opioid overdoses are as tragic as they are preventable,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By deploying harm reduction strategies and expanding drug-court treatment programs rooted in rehabilitation, we can save countless lives. Drug dependency is not a choice—it’s a disorder and should be treated as such. These bills mandate the tools, resources, and compassion necessary to help Illinoisans with substance use disorders while addressing the opioid crisis head on.” “Fentanyl overdoses are killing far too many Illinoisans, as this synthetic, cheap, and deadly opioid is cut into everything from other drugs to diet pills,” said State Representative Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago). With the enactment o

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