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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 37 attorneys general, is urging Instagram to make immediate changes to its newly implemented location-sharing feature. In a letter to Instagram , Raoul and the attorneys general outlined serious public safety and data privacy concerns about the change, which allows users’ precise locations to be displayed on a map. The letter emphasized the heightened dangers for vulnerable users, including children and survivors of domestic violence, noting that such tools can be exploited by predators, stalkers and other bad actors. “Location sharing should be an optional feature that users and guardians can turn off to help prevent the dangers associated with predators using social media to learn the location of a child or domestic violence survivor,” Raoul said. “In Illinois, we will always put the well-being of our children and survivors first. I am calling on Instagram to take steps

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When Siri Fiske founded the Mysa Microschool in Washington, D.C., in 2016, there wasn’t a widely accepted term for her small, one-room schoolhouse model. Now, the school is referred to on its website as one of the first microschools in the nation, and Fiske has seen a growing microschool movement since the COVID-19 pandemic. In […]

Robert Plant has released another track off his upcoming album with his acoustic band Saving Grace. The latest is the tune “Gospel Plough,” which is now available.According to a description on Instagram, with “Gospel…

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U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Town and Country, calls for 'immediate' firings of St. Louis area Postal Service leadership.

For years we’ve talked about the serious problems of the Bayh-Dole Act, which encouraged universities to patent every damn idea that anyone associated with the university came up with in the hopes of “commercializing” it. In practice this has been a total disaster. Universities locked up a ton of (often publicly funded) research behind “patents” […]

ROXANA — This is one of those stories that isn't done because of performances on cross-country courses, but one about a group of young runners who did the right thing for their community after a recent severe storm. During a recent run through a local park, the Roxana junior high cross country team encountered Roxana Park and Recreation staff cleaning up debris left by a recent storm that caused major power outages and issues in the region. The Roxana athletes chose to join in the cleanup effort, assisting the staff in restoring the park. In recognition of their help, the Park and Recreation staff thanked the team by providing Bomb Pops and pool passes. One team member reflected on the experience, saying, “We came, we ran, and we left the park a better place.” The Roxana junior high cross country boys are Midwest Members Credit Union Male Athletes of the Month. Roxana’s Athletic Department expressed gratitude toward Deb Ferry and the entire Park and

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GRANITE CITY — Granite City High School track and field coaches announced the passing of Naiesha Henry, a 2025 graduate and key member of the girls track team, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. Dr. Donald Harris, Granite City School District's Superintendent, issued this statement about Henry's loss: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of 2025 GCHS graduate and former track and field student-athlete Naiesha Henry. Our thoughts and prayers are with Naiesha’s family, friends, and all who knew her during this difficult time." Henry was described by her coaches as “the heart and soul” of the team this past season. Henry’s family, friends, and teammates are mourning her loss, with the coaches saying she is “irreplaceable and will be forever in the hearts” of those who knew her. The Granite City track team will dedicate its 2026 spring season in her memory. Henry posted notable times in 2025, running the 100 meters in 12.72 seconds and the 200 meters

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ALTON - The Wedge hosted its monthly Community Collaboration Lab to engage community members in conversations about public safety data. On Aug. 13, 2025, community members came together for a free workshop at The Wedge titled “Making Public Safety Data Work for Communities.” Led by Dr. Dennis Mares, Professor of Criminal Justice Studies and Director of the Center for Crime Science and Violence Prevention at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the conversation centered on how to access and utilize public safety data. “We’re trying to unlock the potential of the data,” Mares said. “How does it help a community to figure out what problems a community has, and what can we do to make those problems less?” Mares explained that public safety data includes computer-assisted dispatch data, or the data that comes from 911 calls, and records management system data, or crime data. His organization is working with local police departments

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After a spring and summer of wet conditions throughout almost the entire state, drought is returning to Missouri. About 10% of Missouri is now classified as abnormally dry, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a map that tracks drought and updates weekly. “We hadn’t had a week in July or August with a map that […]

The Festival of the Little Hills will once again fill Historic Main Street and the grounds of Frontier Park in downtown St. Charles with shoppers, music lovers and foodie folks as it has nearly every year since 1971.

GRANITE CITY - Granite City School District #9 recently received generous donations from two local organizations aimed at supporting students as they begin the 2025-26 school year. Hope Lutheran Church contributed socks, underwear, and school supplies as part of their July Social Ministry project. The school district expressed gratitude toward Pastor Alan Beuster, his wife Sandy, and the entire congregation for their ongoing support of the students. In addition, Jesus Saves Ministries donated 100 school supply sets for junior high and high school students, along with 55 TI calculators and extra supplies for all students in the district. These additional items included folders, glue sticks, scissors, toothbrushes, colored pencils, pens, loose-leaf paper, and earbud cases. Director DeeAnn Billings and Outreach Minister John Cipponeri were acknowledged for their generosity. These donations are intended to help Granite City School District #9 students start the school year prepared

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GRANITE CITY - Ryan Brokaw is a senior running back and defensive back for the football team of Granite City High School, and feels very confident that the Warriors will have a successful season in 2025. Last year, for a team that finished 0-9, Brokaw was the team's leading rusher, running for 179 yards and two touchdowns, also catching nine passes for 63 additional yards. He had his most success returning kickoffs, taking 12 back for 313 yards, also running back one punt for 25 yards. He expressed confidence and enthusiasm over how things have gone for Granite in the opening week of workouts. Brokaw is a Stillwater Senior Living Male Athlete of the Month for Granite City. "It's been going pretty well," Brokaw said, "We've had very intense practices, a lot of energy. It's looking good, we're excited, ready to play Alton next week (in a week zero scrimmage Aug. 22), we're ready to go get them." The Warriors open up the 2025 season at home Aug. 29, 2025, against Peotone, and Brokaw

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DECATUR – The Illinois State Police (ISP), partnering with the Decatur Police Department, the McLean County Sheriff’s Office, and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, has created the Illinois Trafficking Enforcement Group (ITEG) to take its work in combating human trafficking to the next level. Similar to the nine ISP Metropolitan Enforcement Groups and 13 Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Forces created to combat drug trafficking, ITEG will consist of local and state partners focused on fighting human trafficking, while also working with community groups and health organizations to provide trauma-informed support services to individuals who have been trafficked. “Human trafficking occurs not just globally, but locally, and it is critical law enforcement at all levels work together,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The Illinois Trafficking Enforcement Group enables state and local law enforcement to literally work side by side, while coordinating with ou

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GLEN CARBON - Kannon Kamp was a standout player for McGivney High School’s baseball team during the recent season, according to head coach Chris Erwin. Kamp, who wore No. 20, was a key contributor both at the plate and on the mound, helping lead the team to one of the highest-scoring seasons in the country. Erwin described Kamp as the team’s “No. 1 pitcher” and a “mainstay at the top of the order” as a lead-off hitter. Kamp finished the season with a .410 batting average, collected 50 hits, including 12 doubles, and drove in 37 runs while drawing 38 walks. His offensive production was part of a larger team effort that scored 437 runs, tying for third most in the country. Kamp and Justin Terhaar were McGivney IHSBCA All-State selections. Kamp is a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for the Griffins. On the pitching side, Kamp was a workhorse for the team, starting the state championship game and compiling an 8-1 record with

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CARROLLTON - Greene County Deputy Sheriff Chris Weller is pleased to declare his candidacy for Greene County Sheriff in the 2026 general election following the retirement of Robert McMillen in August, 2026. With over 25 years of experience in law enforcement, Weller has built a substantial resume that illustrates his commitment to his community. He began his career as a correctional officer at the Greene County Jail in 2000, where he worked until graduating from the Police Academy in 2002. While working as a temporary full-time deputy, he went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois College in 2004. During those years, Weller served as a police officer in Greenfield, Carrollton, White Hall, and Roodhouse. In 2006, he began his full-time career with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Weller takes great pride in having served his home county for the entirety of his career, accumulating experience in all the major municipalities. A lifetime resident of Greene County

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