CHICAGO – Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois Literacy Foundation and the Chicago Cubs are launching Illinois Reads Together, a statewide summer reading challenge that gives students who complete their local library’s summer reading program the chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field. The initiative builds on the free summer reading programs already offered by public libraries across Illinois. Students who complete the
ALTON - The Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street, and Jacoby Arts Center are calling for proposals for artist grants for the 20th annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival. The festival, which will be held from 12:00 to 10:00 PM on Saturday, September 19, 2026, brings together thousands of community members in celebration of the Mississippi River through art, music, and conservation. Local artists are invited to submit proposals via this form by Friday, August 21 t
SWANSEA – State Senator Christopher Belt announced the Illinois Workforce Pell, a new program expanding on the federal Pell Grant by allowing eligible students to use grant funding for short-term workforce training programs aligned with in-demand occupations, is now accepting applications. “This is an opportunity to develop unique skills while putting students in line for high-demand jobs,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “The Workforce Pell is a smart investment in Illinois’
New York, July 20, 2026 — The New York Times reported today that the Trump administration issued third-party subpoenas seeking communications not only of journalists’ phone and text records but those of their relatives, including spouses and parents.
The subpoenas were part of the government’s investigation into the source of reporting that President Donald Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One replacement was deemed unsafe to fly him back from the NATO summit in Turkey because, despite hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars spent to retrofit the plane, it still was not up to the standards of the existing Air Force One. Trump appears to have later admitted the plane needed a security boost, telling reporters it is now being “maxed out.”
The following can be attributed to Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) Chief of Advocacy Seth Stern:
“Even the Mafia says families are off limits. It’s gross that the administration — in its never-ending effort to harass and intimidate reporters who reveal its incompetence — is going after the communications of journalists’ relatives.
“The administration’s own guidelines say pursuing journalists is a last resort. But instead, it’s looking for any excuse to snoop on reporters and their relatives, because this has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with chilling journalism. They’re even seeking records from months before the report they claim they’re investigating.
“The Times’ reporting actually bolstered national security by ensuring that Trump and those who travel with him, including journalists, aren’t flying on an unsafe plane to serve the president’s personal vanity. Trump’s hangers-on should be sending the Times thank- you cards, not subpoenas.”
FPF is also suing the Department of Justice for the legal memorandum that reportedly justified the acceptance of the jet. We were forced to sue after the DOJ told us it would take 620 days to respond to our Freedom of Information Act request for the memo.
Please contact us if you would like further comment.
WASHINGTON — In the wake of two fatal shootings in Texas and Maine, U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officers will wear “at least one body camera” during traffic stops, Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, said over the weekend. Homan, who President Donald Trump has tasked with leading his mass deportation campaign, said in a […]
If you've gotten a letter about municipal electric aggregation, you're not alone. My office keeps hearing the same questions: Is this a scam? What is this? What am I supposed to do? Electric bills keep climbing, and years of flawed energy policy in Springfield are a big reason why. That's part of why these notices are getting so much attention right now. So let's break down what municipal electric aggregation actually is. It's a program where your city or village negotiates the electricity suppl
Soundgarden has posted a birthday tribute to the band's late frontman, Chris Cornell, who would've turned 62 on Monday."Happy Birthday, brother Chris," the post reads. "We’re thinking of you today and…
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a coalition of 24 states won a key ruling today declaring the Trump administration illegally misused its regulatory authority to unlawfully pull billions of dollars in federal funding that Congress had set aside for crucial state programs and services. The decision explained that five words in U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, referencing situations where a grant “no longer effectuates … agency priorities,”
CHICAGO — After the landmark bipartisan 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act became law without President Donald Trump’s signature, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today visited a Chicago-based modular home developer to discuss how the new law could help supercharge their work building more homes for Illinoisans. During the Senator’s visit with Inherent Homes , Duckworth discussed how this groundbreaking law will help expand acces
An Illinois state trooper who shot and killed a Maryville woman earlier this year will not be charged, following investigations by the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office and Illinois State Police’s Division of Internal Affairs.
SPRINGFIELD - Following the Chicago Tribune’s reporting on the lack of action by House Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch after receiving reports of sexual harassment against former State Representative Harry Benton, State Representative Amy Elik issued the following statement: “Members of the Illinois General Assembly must be held to the highest ethical standards, but under Speaker Chris Welch’s leadership we’ve seen a total lack of accountability. Sexual
CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, today sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin urging them to end the improper application of certain civil penalties in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to law-abiding
EDWARDSVILLE – Recent national discussions regarding election security and potential vulnerabilities have renewed public interest in how elections are conducted and protected across the country. Regardless of political affiliation, maintaining secure, accurate, and transparent elections should remain a shared priority. As Madison County Clerk, I welcome conversations that encourage continued improvements to election administration. Election security is not a one-time achievement—it
SPRINGFIELD - As temperatures continue to rise across Illinois, pools remain one of the most popular ways for families to cool off and enjoy the summer. Whether you're spending the day at a neighborhood pool, visiting a local aquatic center, or relaxing in your own backyard, it's important to remember that fun in the water comes with responsibility. A moment of distraction can quickly turn into a life-threatening emergency, making constant supervision and safe swimming practices essential.
BELLEVILLE - With the opening of the MetroLink extension to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport set for late summer, the St. Clair County Transit District (SCCTD) is further strengthening its commitment to rider safety and security through a new partnership with the Mascoutah Police Department. At its July 17 board meeting, the SCCTD Board of Trustees approved a memorandum of agreement with the Mascoutah Police Department to provide law enforcement services at the new MidAmerica MetroLink Station,
Tim Whitney had always wanted to be in law enforcement. And he achieved his goal by working his way up to being the second-in-command at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
But after a number of years of overseeing day-to-day operations for the agency, Whitney is making the transition to politics by running for Jefferson County executive — something he said is a continuation of his public service and his love for his home county.
“I love Jefferson County,” Whitney said on St. Louis Public Radio’s “Politically Speaking.” “As I say that, I can hear listeners gasping or rolling their eyes because that's a political answer. As somebody who has been in law enforcement my whole life… When I said those words, they were taken at face value. The day you become a politician, there's a sense of skepticism that applies to that. And there should be because of the things politicians before have done.”
Whitney is running against John Stockton in the GOP primary on Aug. 4. The winner will be the heavy favorite to succeed Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon, who is not running for re-election.
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is asking the public for their feedback on the state's transportation system and the agency’s performance through the annual Traveler Opinion Survey. Available now through Tuesday, Aug. 11, the survey is available online by clicking https://go.uis.edu/Traveler2026 or visiting idot.illinois.gov . Conducted in partnership with the University of Illinois Springfield, the survey is an opportunity for people who live in Illinois
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s reckless attacks on our nation’s elections. “What we saw tonight was another pathetic attempt to rewrite the past and ignore the will of American voters. Donald Trump’s obsession with an election he lost six years ago does not change the fact that the 2020 election was secure. In fact, it was one of the most secure elections in our nation’s history. More
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