a Better Bubbleโ„ข

Aggregator

Durbin, Illinois Delegation Members Send Letter To Protect Regional EPA Workers

1 year 1 month ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) led members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin urging him to reconsider reported plans to terminate more than 1,100 probationary EPA employees, including many based in Illinois. “We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts such terminations—done across the board without consideration for positional need or programmatic impact—would have on the agency’s ability to protect public health and the environment in the state of Illinois and across the nation,” the lawmakers wrote. “Though they are probationary, many of these employees are long-standing federal workers and subject matter experts with experience vital to running the EPA effectively and efficiently. They perform critical functions protecting Americans from dangers related to pesticides, waste

Continue Reading

Man Faces 9 Charges Following Alleged Sexual Assaults

1 year 1 month ago
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (AP) — Yahya Maly, a 28-year-old resident of Ballwin, Mo., faces multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree rape and seven counts of second-degree rape, following a series of alleged sexual assaults involving five women. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced the charges on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. Maly is currently being held on a cash-only bond of $500,000. According to the probable cause statement, the alleged incidents occurred between March 2023 and February 2025. Maly reportedly met the victims through dating websites, where they believed they shared similar conservative values. In the first incident, which allegedly took place between March 1, 2023, and March 1, 2024, Maly invited a woman, referred to as Confidential Victim 1, to his apartment. After making repeated sexual advances, Maly allegedly forced himself on her despite her objections. Another victim, Confidential Victim 2, visited Maly's residence

Continue Reading

Meet the Candidate hosted by the Bethalto Chamber of Commerce

1 year 1 month ago
BETHALTO - The Bethalto Chamber of Commerce will host “Meet the Candidate” to provide village residents an opportunity to meet the candidates running for election April 1, 2025. Village Officials and Trustees running uncontested: Village President: Gary Bost Village Clerk: Sue Lowrance Trustees: Terri Keister, Brady Dugger, Jay Wright School Board Candidates: Michael Kirby Samantha Pritchett Sharon Rothe Tom Beiermann Natalie Langenfeld Dana Aronin Amanda Winn Dallas Zimmerman Desiree Potter The forum is open to the public and will take place on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 7 p.m. at the Bethalto Senior Citizens Center located at 100 E. Central in Bethalto, IL. The format of the meeting will include an informal Meet and Greet followed by each candidate having an opportunity to respond to a set of pre-submitted questions. Light refreshments will be provided. Early Voting begins on March 17 with the general election on April 1. To locate your polling place

Continue Reading

Godfrey Trustee Candidates Answer Questions at Candidate Forum

1 year 1 month ago
GODFREY - Five candidates for the Village of Godfrey’s trustees seats shared their platforms at a recent candidate forum. On Feb. 11, 2025, East End Improvement Association hosted a candidate forum for the mayoral, clerk and trustee candidates. You can read more about the mayoral candidates here . You can read more about the clerk candidates here . There are three trustee seats available and five candidates in the running. Ryan Mouser, Gerard Fischer and Nathan Schrumpf are running while Rick Lauschke and Sarah Woodman are defending their seats. The candidates began by introducing themselves and sharing more about why they decided to run. Nathan Schrumpf Schrumpf explained that he previously served on the Village Board six years ago. He grew up in Godfrey and attended Alton High School and Lewis and Clark Community College. He previously ran a lawncare business and currently works at Phillips 66, and he owns a few commercial properties in the Village. “I’m

Continue Reading

Former Illinois Speaker Of House Madigan Found Guilty On 10 Counts

1 year 1 month ago
CHICAGO — Michael Madigan, the former Illinois House Speaker and longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, was convicted of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in a high-profile corruption trial that has drawn significant attention. A jury found him guilty on 10 counts while acquitting him of seven others, leaving six counts unresolved after more than 10 days of deliberation. Madigan, who held his position for over three decades and once led the Democratic Party of Illinois, was implicated in schemes involving the state’s largest utility, ComEd, and efforts to secure a state board position for a Chicago alderman. The trial, which began in October 2024, featured testimony from over 60 witnesses. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued these comments after the Madigan verdict: “ Trust in public officials is hard-earned. Public service ought to be a high calling for honest people with integrity. And those who violate the public’s

Continue Reading

SIUE's 2nd Annual Jazz Alumni Concert Showcases an Inspiring Legacy

1 year 1 month ago
EDWARDSVILLE - SIUE’s Dunham Hall Theater resonated with vibrant sound of jazz as the SIUE Concert Jazz Band welcomed four celebrated alumni for the 2nd Annual SIUE Jazz Alumni Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. The evening brought together past and present Cougars in a dynamic showcase of jazz artistry, featuring a rotation of guest performances from four nationally recognized musicians who got their start at SIUE: Austin Cebulske, '12, saxophonist, Kara Baldus, '03, '05, pianist, Nick Jost, ‘08, ‘12, bassist, and Marty Morrison ‘09, ‘12, percussionist. The evening culminated in the dedication of the inaugural Brett Stamps Jazz Alumni Award, to guitarist Rick Haydon, professor emeritus, in absentia. Under the conduction of Garrett Schmidt, associate professor of jazz studies, the SIUE Concert Jazz Band opened with a roiling arrangement of "Fascinating Rhythm" from George and Ira Gershwin. An eight-piece set followed, featuring compositions from greats

Continue Reading

GOP Is Quietly Freaking Out About Elon; Time For Them To Take A Stand

1 year 1 month ago
It turns out that when you let the world’s richest man take over significant portions of the federal government, some people might get nervous. Who knew? Last week we wrote about how some staunch conservatives were finally admitting that Elon’s takeover of the government represented a constitutional crisis. Then earlier this week, we showed how […]
Mike Masnick