ALTON - Pride, Inc. hosted their biannual City Wide Litter Pickup. On Saturday, April 12, 2025, community members across Alton participated in the cleanup. Pat Stewart, president of Pride, Inc., expressed her gratitude to the many groups and individuals who came out to help the community. “We had a great turnout. We’re so appreciative of everybody,” Stewart said. “Obviously, trash is more than a twice-a-year problem, so the more we can get the message out, maybe people will start carrying a trash bag in their car. And who knows, if they see a nasty street, maybe they’ll just pull over and continue to do this cleanup throughout the year.” Stewart said many “concerned citizens” took time to help out on Saturday, including the Alton Boys and Girls Club and St. Ambrose School. She emphasized the importance of getting the youth involved and teaching kids about how to properly dispose of trash and care for the community. "It’s
In an unforced error that will only burnish ICE’s reputation for being a brawn operation that’s talked itself into believing it’s a brains operation, ICE briefly let the American public know it was no longer willing to let illegal ideas to enter (or even exit) the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s job is to […]
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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a coalition of 21 attorneys general sent a letter regarding a raft of proposed changes that would undermine the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making it more difficult and expensive for individuals to enroll in health coverage on federal and state exchanges. Changes would also bar Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients from buying health insurance on the exchanges. If allowed to take effect, the proposed ACA changes will cause up to two million Americans to lose health insurance coverage in 2026 and will create significant health and economic damage to the states as more people are forced to go without health insurance, driving up costs for everyone. “These proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act are unnecessary and disturbing,” Raoul said. “Everyone in this country deserves access to lifesaving health services and these changes could cause hundreds of thousands of Americans to be uninsured. I will
BELLEVILLE - Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today awarded more than $19 million in funding to 38 program recipients serving 1,900 community members statewide to expand the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The program creates a qualified talent pipeline of diverse candidates in the construction and building trades. The Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program launched in 2021 with the goal of increasing diversity and access to apprenticeship programs in well-paying fields. Comprehensive pre-apprenticeship programs help participants gain admission to apprenticeship programs, which provide a greater opportunity to obtain employment in the construction trades and secure a lifelong career. “The greatest resource we have is the hardworking people of Illinois, and the greatest return on investment we have is training and educating them,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “That’s why workforce development
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced $24 million from the 2023 Juul Labs settlement will support efforts by Truth Initiative, the country’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing youth and young adult nicotine use and addiction, to provide Illinois youth with vital resources for vaping prevention and cessation through Truth Initiative’s EX Program, the Vaping: Know the Truth curriculum, and a targeted media campaign. Truth Initiative’s EX Program is an evidence-based quitting resource developed in 2008 by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic. EX Program can increase the odds of quitting nicotine by up to 40%, by offering young people personalized digital quitting support accessible via their phones, internet and social media that is tailored to their lifestyle. “E-cigarette use is an ongoing epidemic among youth in Illinois as flavored, disposable vaping products that appeal to teens and youth have flooded
A Maryland Heights, Missouri, man accused of vandalizing a police camera while attending Mardi Gras festivities in Soulard appeared in court Monday afternoon.
SPRINGFIELD - As construction season gets underway, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is issuing a reminder about the state’s prevailing wage laws, requiring fair pay to workers on publicly financed projects. The prevailing wage is set by county, marking the least amount of money and benefits a contractor is required to pay workers. Besides ensuring fair pay, these laws are also necessary to help create a level playing field and fair bidding process for all contractors on taxpayer funded projects. “I want the hardworking people of Illinois who are building our roads, re-enforcing bridges and putting up new structures to know that we have their back,” said Comptroller Mendoza. “As state comptroller, I am the state’s chief fiscal and accountability officer and the last line of defense in making sure workers on public projects are paid properly.” In 2019, Comptroller Mendoza signed an executive order to give state prevailing wage laws more teeth
EDWARDSVILLE – Main Street Community Center is excited to partner with Sunrise Tours to offer the Dakotas Showcase Travel Trip, an unforgettable journey through the American frontier. This adventure, scheduled for June 10-17, 2025, will feature a Theodore Roosevelt Experience in Medora, a full-day tour of the Black Hills, and visits to iconic landmarks such as Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, and Badlands National Park. To provide interested travelers with all the details, Main Street Community Center will host an informational meeting on April 22, 2025 at 10 a.m. at its location in Edwardsville, Ill. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the itinerary, pricing, and registration process. As an added incentive, everyone who attends the meeting will be entered into a drawing to win $100 off their trip, provided they sign up that day or have already registered. This trip, organized by Sunrise Tours, offers a unique chance to explore the rich history and breathtaking
Director of communications, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Ed Rich, submitted the following letter from the MRH Board of Education to the 40 South News readers. Dear 40 South News Readers, The members of the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District Board of Education extend our heartfelt gratitude to the voters of our community. With overwhelming […]
ALTON – YWCA proudly announces the 2025 Josephine Marley Beckwith Future Leader (JMBFL) Scholars: Elizabeth Blackmon and Cameron Conwell. Elizabeth, a standout student at Alton High School, plans to major in computer science and/or mechanical engineering, while Cameron, another exceptional student from Alton High School, aims to pursue a major in Biology with a Pre-Med direction. In addition to these remarkable scholars, the following students have qualified for renewal scholarships: Jada Bruce (Alton), Guadalupe Calixto (Bethalto), Isabella Hall (Alton), Samantha Kulish (East Alton), and Emma Smith (Bethalto). These young women have demonstrated ongoing academic excellence and commitment to leadership, earning them continued support through the Josephine Marley Beckwith Scholarship. YWCA awards $1,000 renewable scholarships to deserving young women, honoring the legacy of Mrs. Josephine Marley Beckwith, a Woman of Distinction in the Class of 2002. These scholarships empower
WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department is paying El Salvador $6 million to house hundreds of immigrants deported from the United States in an immense and brutal prison there, Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, or CECOT. But a U.S. law bars State’s financial support of “units of foreign security forces” — which can include military and […]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department is paying El Salvador $6 million to house hundreds of immigrants deported from the United States in an immense and brutal prison there, Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, or CECOT. But a U.S. law bars State’s financial support of “units of foreign security forces” — which can include military and […]
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 21 attorneys general today in filing two amicus briefs supporting law firms challenging unconstitutional executive orders imposing severe sanctions on the firms in retaliation for doing work disfavored by the Trump administration. “Attacking attorneys because they represented a client in a matter adverse to the government or made arguments disfavored by the government threatens our First Amendment rights, right to counsel principles and the independence of law firms,” Raoul said. “I join my fellow attorneys general in asking the courts to block these orders and defend lawyers from political retribution. As our states’ top legal officers, we stand with all our colleagues in the legal community, in Illinois and across the country, who stay true to the ideals and values of our profession.” President Donald Trump has issued executive orders retaliating against law firms whose advocacy, clients
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week joined U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 15 Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to help ease the financial cost of adoption and support prospective and adoptive families. The Adoption Tax Credit Refundability Act restores the refundable portion of the Adoption Tax Credit. By allowing the tax credit to be refundable, families will be able to access the full amount as a refund, even if the credit exceeds a family’s tax burden. The existing Adoption Tax Credit allows adoptive families to deduct up to $16,810 in qualified expenses. “We should be doing everything we can to make things more affordable for families,” Duckworth said. “Adoption can put a financial strain on families, but by making the Adoption Tax Credit fully refundable we’re helping ensure these families can keep more of their hard-earned money to pay for their loved ones’
All aboard! The Riverboats at the Gateway Arch provide an unparalleled experience on the Mississippi River. The one-hour St. Louis Riverfront Cruise is narrated by a captain from the National […]