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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

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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

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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’

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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 […]

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Police arrested five people, including three juveniles, in the stolen car.

CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced his appointment of Brandon Ragle, a leader in IT strategy and management with 20+ years of experience, to lead the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology. Ragle currently serves as interim Secretary following the departure of Sanjay Gupta. Before his position as Interim Secretary, Ragle served as Deputy Secretary and Deputy Chief Information Officer from 2023-2025. “As part of our continued efforts to bolster the technology and innovation sectors across our state, I’m excited to appoint Brandon Ragle as the next leader of DoIT,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m confident that his extensive expertise and leadership experience will optimize software systems and support staff across the agency. I look forward to leveraging his distinct operational knowledge to further DoIT’s critical statewide initiatives.” Ragle began his career with the State of Illinois in May 2002, working as a software

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06) and Don Bacon (R-NE-02) reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would help expand leave benefits for the millions of devoted health professionals serving in the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps. Despite being responsible for leading our nation’s emergency response to dangerous public health crises, PHS officers are still the only federal entity—civilian or uniformed—without access to essential leave benefits, including extended parental leave, emergency leave, court appearance leave and rest and recuperation leave. The lawmakers’ Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act would rectify this issue by ensuring PHS officers have access to the same authorized leave that is available to members of th

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SPRINGFIELD– Illinois Senate Republican Leader John Curran (41st–Downers Grove), alongside State Senator Erica Harriss (56th–Glen Carbon) and State Senator Darby Hills (26th–Barrington Hills), today unveiled their legislative package to make childcare more affordable for Illinois families and businesses. “Investing in childcare is investing in Illinois families and businesses,” said Curran. “Our legislative package is a holistic approach that empowers families, businesses and the state to work together to provide both immediate relief and long-term structural improvements to childcare in Illinois.” According to Capitol News Illinois, the state has lost nearly 4,300 licensed childcare providers—approximately 33 percent—over the past decade. In response, Curran has filed Senate Bill 1120 to help reduce staffing shortages and red tape for providers in childcare deserts and provide financial relief to working families struggling

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Now here she goes again: Stevie Nicks will be performing in both stadiums and arenas this summer and fall.In addition to her four scheduled stadium shows with Billy Joel in…

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) are warning drivers to Move Over or Get Pulled Over. ? The Move Over Law, known as Scott’s Law in Illinois, requires drivers to move over and slow down when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated. ? If changing lanes is unsafe or ? impossible, drivers must slow down to a safe speed, proceed with caution, and be prepared to stop if necessary. ? “We’ve all heard it, move over and slow down for emergency vehicles on the side of the road with their emergency lights activated,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. ? “Despite this, we continue to see to crashes, including deadly crashes, because someone refused to move over and slow down. ? To help end this reckless behavior, we want the public to know that if you fail to move over and slow down in Illinois, you will get a ticket. ? The days of receiving a warning are

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A woman from Old Jamestown, Missouri, has been charged for the death of a cohort during a drug deal that ended in gunfire.

SPRINGFIELD - As Medicaid marks its 60th anniversary in April, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is celebrating the program’s six decades of high-quality healthcare coverage and Medicaid’s position as the backbone of Illinois’ healthcare landscape. Medicaid provides a wide range of essential healthcare services to roughly 3.4 million people in Illinois, or roughly one in four Illinois residents. Illinois Medicaid is the largest health insurer in the state, providing coverage to people and supporting the healthcare infrastructure in every region of Illinois. Now is a time to preserve and protect Medicaid Medicaid in the face of federal Congressional proposals that would do just the opposite. “On the 60th anniversary of Medicaid, I am reflecting upon the millions of working families across Illinois that depend on these live-saving services,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Even as we uplift how this vital healthcare program

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Fair is thrilled to announce that The Chainsmokers , GRAMMY® Award-winning, RIAA Diamond-certified duo, will perform at the Illinois Lottery Grandstand stage on Friday, August 15. Known for their boundary-defying fusion of pop, indie, electronic, alternative, and rock, Drew Taggart and Alex Pall have consistently shaped the landscape of popular music. Fans can expect an electrifying performance featuring some of their biggest hits like Closer, Something Just Like This, the GRAMMY®-winning Don’t Let Me Down, and anthemic new classics from Addicted to the cross-genre smash, Don’t Lie. “Bringing world-class talent like The Chainsmokers to the Illinois State Fair emphasizes our commitment to providing top-tier entertainment for fairgoers,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. Since their independent breakthrough in 2013, The Chainsmokers have consistently delivered viral sensations

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SPRINGFIELD – Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) says the fight for homeschool families continues following news that the Homeschool Act, HB 2827, was held on third reading and not brought for a vote by Friday’s House bill deadline. This bill places unnecessary mandates on homeschool families and includes an annual registration scheme. The public has been vocal in opposition to this bill. Elik’s concerns are about the cost of the mandates on different levels of government as well as the restrictions this will have on homeschool families. “This is a bad bill, and it couldn’t get the votes necessary to pass it through the House,” said Rep. Amy Elik. “Illinois has far bigger problems right now than mandating homeschool families. Although this bill could still come back, this is a big win for Illinois families.” The sponsor held HB 2827 on third reading, meaning it could still come back to for a vote prior to adjournment on May 31, however

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Jackson Browne is headed to Las Vegas this fall.The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has announced a five-night limited engagement at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort Las…

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee led six Senators in urging Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to reverse the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent decisions to effectively terminate the Department’s cryptocurrency investigations and prosecutions. The memo , sent to staff earlier this week, also stated that DOJ will disband its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), which was established to investigate and prosecute criminal misuse of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. In their letter, the Senators also raise concerns about the potential connections between DOJ’s actions and the cryptocurrency ventures of President Trump and his family. “We write in response to your April 7, 2025

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