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Nearly one week after halting new city construction contracts tied to minority- and women-owned business goals, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer publicly defended the move on Thursday, citing threats to federal disaster funds.

EAST ST. LOUIS – Illinois State Police (ISP) conducted a violent crime suppression detail on July 29-30, 2025, in St. Clair and Madison counties, focusing its efforts on East St. Louis and neighboring Metro East communities. The operation utilized intelligence and technology to target known high crime areas, violent offenders, and structured criminal groups in the communities of the Metro East. Detail Results Arrests: 7 Felony Charges: 7 Criminal Charges: 13 Firearm Related Charges: 8 Firearms Seized: 7 Stolen Vehicles Recovered: 1 There were several notable events and arrests during the detail. On July 29, 2025, troopers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for Illinois Vehicle Code (IVC) violations. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a firearm and ammunition. One subject was taken into custody. Charges are pending. On July 30, 2025, a trooper located and recovered an unoccupied, stolen vehicle with no registration parked

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SPRINGFIELD - Bipartisan legislation drafted by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias designed to improve security at libraries and enhance safety for librarians was recently signed into law. The measure, which was approved in the General Assembly this spring, allows the Secretary of State’s office to issue funding grants to increase security measures at public, school and academic libraries. “I firmly believe that libraries should serve as welcoming places for life-long learning and community engagement, but, unfortunately, they have faced increased threats of violence and acts of intimidation in recent years,” Giannoulias said. “Meanwhile, the personal safety and welfare of many librarians has been placed at risk for simply doing their jobs. Their personal safety at work should not be their primary concern.” The legislation, which was signed into law last week by Governor JB Pritzker and takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, was sponsored by

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G&W Engineering is proud to welcome Mike Balles as Senior Data Center Consultant, bringing more than 41 years of mission critical experience to the firm’s growing service portfolio. With Mike’s leadership, G&W Engineering is now positioned to serve as a centralized, turnkey provider for comprehensive data center solutions, delivering coordinated expertise from concept through commissioning […]

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EAST SAINT LOUIS - Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School offers a “Peacemaker” approach to life and education for its K–8 students. As the school prepares to welcome back students and new principal Kenny Nance, staff members are looking forward to another great year of education. Roberta Trost explained that the community is more of a family than a school, and they are eager to share their lessons and their love with the students. “It’s a caring and loving and positive, disciplined approach to education and life,” Trost said. “There’s so many things that we do that help to shape the minds and the hearts of these young boys and girls.” Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School is the only remaining Catholic school in East St. Louis. Trost explained that they provide “a holistic approach to education,” with a focus on music and the arts. Every student plays violin, and there are opportunities for students to participate in

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In 1982, Peter Gabriel launched the WOMAD Festival, which stood for World of Music, Arts and Dance, and now he’s revisiting one of his performances for a new digital album.The very first WOMAD…

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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general, sent a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Justice on Tuesday urging action to address the rampant spread of illegal offshore gaming operations across the country. In their letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Raoul and the coalition stressed the need for action to combat harm to the rule of law, consumers and the economy from unprecedented growth in illicit online gambling. “Illegal gaming operations fuel criminal enterprises and prey on vulnerable adults and young people,” Raoul said. “These operations also increase the tax burden for all taxpayers, as states are forced to make up for billions in lost gaming revenue. I urge the DOJ to prioritize enforcement against illegal offshore gaming operations, upholding the rule of law and protecting states and our residents in the process.” Illegal online sports betting and gaming operations are largel

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Two people were killed after a helicopter crashed into a barge on the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis.

GRANITE CITY – Three individuals from around the Riverbend have been charged in separate cases with burglarizing local homes and a Granite City business. Dustin W. Thebeau, 37, of Granite City, was charged on July 31, 2025 with a Class 2 felony count of burglary. Thebeau reportedly entered a Granite City residence on June 24, 2025 without authority and with the intent to commit a theft. The Granite City Police Department presented the case against Thebeau, who was granted pretrial release from custody. In a separate case, 38-year-old Jimmy L. Harrison of Collinsville was also charged with a Class 2 felony count of burglary on July 31, 2025. Harrison reportedly entered a Wood River residence with the intent to commit a theft on June 26, 2025. He was also ordered released from custody pending trial in the case presented by the Wood River Police Department. Dennis M. Sinskey, 60, of O’Fallon, Ill., was charged in another separate case on Aug. 1, 2025 with one count of

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EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt announced that 24 school districts across the Metro East will receive over $6 million in evidence-based funding, in addition to the base funding that the state provides. “Investing in our public schools means investing in the future of Metro East students,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This evidence-based funding gives our local school districts the resources they need to deliver quality education our communities expect and deserve.” The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors. School districts

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First, the Trump administration gutted the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, probably because it was too concerned about protecting constitutional rights. Whoever still remained was “allowed” to do whatever Trump’s DOJ (now headed by yet another regrettable Trump pick, Pam Bondi) wanted it to do… like go to bat for the Second Amendment, which has never […]

A St. Charles-based contractor is accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars from a client and not delivering or installing home cabinetry.

ALTON - Whether you want houseplants, plant accessories, or yoga classes, GreenLens in Alton might be the spot for you. Located at 2511 B State Street in Alton, GreenLens opened in March. The experience has been “transformative” for owners Hunter and Katie, who expressed their appreciation for the Alton community and their excitement to continue growing the business. “It’s a very aesthetic business,” Hunter said. “We try to have things look good and feel good in the shop. We put a lot of effort into creating a nice, cool space.” A year ago, six team members came together to start GreenLens. They have a major online presence at their website , and they also host live sales on the Palmstreet app. But people can always pop into their shop in Alton, browse, and meet Katie, Hunter and their “beloved” store mascot, Carl the golden retriever. Katie noted that people come from far away to check out the store for themselves,

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(The Center Square) – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson have taken up Texas’ fight to enforce its immigration law.

Bax Engineering is proud to announce the addition of four new team members, reinforcing the firm’s long-standing commitment to quality, accuracy, and timely delivery of civil engineering and surveying services across the region. The new hires – two field survey personnel and two drafting technicians – bring valuable skills and experience to meet the increasing […]

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The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, who passed away in June at the age of 82, has been laid to rest, according to an Instagram post by one of his daughters, Wilson Phillips singer Carnie Wilson. "Today we…

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The four-story MILA Apartments in Ellisville is reporting brisk leasing as it celebrates its grand opening. The 227-unit luxury apartment community is developed by Midas Hospitality and Double Eagle Development. Located on a seven-acre site at 15970 Manchester Rd., MILA Apartments feature eight unique floor plans for studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging in […]

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