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City of Alton Achieves Credit Rating Upgrade from S&P Global Ratings

1 year 3 months ago
ALTON – The City of Alton is pleased to announce that S&P Global Ratings has upgraded its credit rating from an A to an A+, reflecting significant improvements in the city’s financial health, including enhanced budgetary performance and effective management of its pension plans. This upgrade is accompanied by a stable outlook, reinforcing confidence in the city’s fiscal policies and strategies. “This enhanced rating from S&P Global is a testament to the City’s solid financial strategy and discipline followed over the last 3 years,” said Debbie Dunlap, City Comptroller. “We are proud of the significant strides the City has accomplished by being fiscally responsible, thus creating a strong financial foundation for the City of Alton.” S&P Global Ratings recognized the City of Alton's substantial strides in its budgetary performance over the past two fiscal years. After facing challenges including above-budget spending, revenue reductions

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SIUE Celebrates Day of the Dead with Annual Festival

1 year 3 months ago
EDWARDSVILLE - SIUE hosted its Day of the Dead celebration to honor Mexican culture. Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is an annual tradition at SIUE’s Lovejoy Library. On Oct. 29, 2024, students could enjoy dance and music performances, vendors, food and more. “It’s important for me just to get students engaged,” said organizer Simone Williams. “We do this every year, and it normally has a good turnout.” Though some of the students can be “shy” about joining in on the celebration, others participated throughout the day by singing, dancing, getting their faces painted and more. Students from SIUE’s Hispanic Student Union also had an informational booth for attendees. Williams, Diversity and Engagement Librarian and an assistant professor, noted that the event brings together students and community members and allows them to interact. She explained that it’s important to bridge the gap between the university

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The Harris secrecy assessment

1 year 3 months ago

It’s likely Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris would be less secretive than her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, but that is an almost nonexistent threshold.

While a Harris administration would likely be more transparent than a second Trump administration, maintaining transparency norms like publishing the White House visitor logs and releasing her tax returns, there are areas for concern, especially for whistleblowers.

Harris has not spoken explicitly about secrecy issues as vice president, but her time on the Senate Intelligence Committee provides insights on ways she could shape secrecy in the United States:

Espionage Act

Harris’ current position on persecuting journalists under the Espionage Act is not known.

In 2019, Harris didn’t clearly state if she thought it was constitutional to charge Julian Assange under the act. Instead she hedged, saying that if elected president, “The Justice Department should make independent decisions about prosecutions based on facts and the law. I would restore an independent DOJ and would not dictate or direct prosecutions.”

The silence on necessary reforms is remarkable considering that as vice president-elect (but still a senator), Harris herself could have been punished under the Espionage Act if she revealed classified information to President Joe Biden after he won the 2020 presidential election but before he received his security clearance. (The lack of reform is doubly remarkable considering that Biden may have broken the law for mishandling information the government purported to be classified.)

Press freedoms

As vice president, Harris has made few, if any, specific remarks on press freedoms beyond a social media post on World Press Freedom Day in 2021. She sat for limited interviews during her presidential campaign and hasn’t voiced her stance on the PRESS Act, a federal shield law protecting journalists and their confidential sources.

In 2019, as senator, Harris joined Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, and then-Sen. Tom Udall in demanding the Department of Homeland Security stop Customs and Border Protection’s unconstitutional surveillance of journalists along the Southwest U.S. border.

In 2018, she condemned the shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, stating, “Journalists play such a critical role in our democracy and too often face risk at home and abroad.”

Whistleblower protections

Several Senate Intelligence Committee hearings point to her support for whistleblower protections, including their right to share complaints with Congress. She also pressed agencies like the CIA to ensure they do not retaliate against whistleblowers.

However, during a 2018 Senate hearing, she alluded to the “damage” caused by “insider threats” at the National Security Agency, a clear reference to Edward Snowden, an important whistleblower regardless of his status under the Whistleblower Protection Act.

This demonstrates a concerning potential preference for whistleblowers only if they work within the government’s system, even though Harris knows it is a system rife with abuse.

Executive orders

Neither Biden nor Trump authored a new executive order on classified national security information, leaving the executive order signed by President Barack Obama, EO 13526, intact.

It’s possible a Harris administration would revive efforts to author a new EO. If it does, the Harris administration should both consult rights organizations and look at a recent Senate bill on classification that includes good ideas on how to reduce overclassification.

Surveillance and Section 702

The Biden administration expanded government surveillance under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a program that “incidentally” collects millions of Americans’ data, including that of journalists.

Harris was vocally in favor of surveillance reform and skeptical of the FBI’s authority to conduct warrantless searches under FISA when she served in the Senate. She also questioned what legal basis the intelligence community has for refusing to provide an estimate of the number of Americans who have been caught up in Section 702 surveillance. But she hasn’t commented on the campaign trail on intelligence agencies’ continuing failure to provide such an estimate.

Congressional oversight

Harris was stymied by agencies’ refusal to provide information to Congress under the Trump administration, going so far as to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to the Justice Department for information on Ukraine. She’s gone on the record stating executive privilege should not prevent “public scrutiny and oversight” of agency deliberations, noting Congress’ constitutional authority to access agency information.

Intelligence community secrecy and classification reform

One of Harris’ most memorable moments in the Senate came during Gina Haspel’s confirmation hearing to lead the CIA. Harris, who voted no on Haspel’s nomination, asked Haspel if she would recuse herself from declassification decisions about her own record, citing an obvious conflict of interest over her torture records. Harris suggested that the director of national intelligence would be the more appropriate declassification authority if a conflict of interest arose.

Harris did not attend a 2019 hearing on potential reforms to the declassification process, so her stance on specific reforms to the outdated classification system is not known.

Read the other blogs in this series Excessive government secrecy and the presidential election SecrecyArticle

This multipart series assesses the secrecy risks of both presidential candidates, the systemic problems that will challenge either presidential administration, and the ways the public can most effectively fight for transparency.

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper The Trump secrecy assessment SecrecyArticle

The first Trump administration flouted transparency norms, preservation laws, and attempts at congressional oversight. How might a second Trump term continue this trend?

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper Is entrenched secrecy more powerful than the presidency? SecrecyArticle

Secrecy isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a systemic one. What are the key government secrecy issues that must be addressed regardless of who wins the election?

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper
Lauren Harper

Unforgettable Night of Fun and Philanthropy at YWCA Southwestern Illinois' Trivia Night Fundraiser

1 year 3 months ago
ALTON - Get ready to put your trivia skills to the test at the YWCA Southwestern Illinois’ Trivia Night Fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at the Best Western Premier Alton! This isn’t just another trivia night; it’s an evening filled with excitement, laughter, and the chance to make a real difference in our community. Host Jared Henning, a beloved local personality, will lead the evening as our fabulous emcee. Joining him will be our esteemed celebrity judges: Mayor David Goins, City of Alton, Tiana Gipson, Alton School Board Member, and Al Womack, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club. With their insights and charm, they’re sure to add an extra spark to the event! Prepare for 10 invigorating rounds of trivia, where teams will battle it out for bragging rights and prizes. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Enjoy a silent auction, participate in our 50/50 raffle, and engage in the exciting heads and tails game. Tickets are just $25 per person o

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The Trump secrecy assessment

1 year 3 months ago

Former President Donald Trump’s first term flouted transparency norms, preservation laws, and attempts at congressional oversight.

Here are some important areas where a second Trump administration could continue this trend:

Press protections

Trump has said journalists should go to jail for protecting their sources, made vulgar suggestions about what would happen to them there, belittled journalists — female journalists in particular — and threatened to strip the networks he doesn’t like of their broadcasting licenses.

His administration also pursued eight Espionage Act cases, as many as President Obama but in half the time.

A second Trump administration could be more aggressive, overturning press protections, and further empowering counterintelligence agencies to persecute journalists. This makes it imperative that the Senate pass the PRESS Act and protect journalists’ freedoms and source confidentiality.

Executive orders

Trump did not author an executive order on classified national security information, and the current order outlining what can be classified and how classified information is handled, 13526, dates to the Obama administration.

But the legal battles surrounding Trump’s mishandling of classified information may encourage him to draft an EO that would grant him more expansive authority on classification issues during a second term.

While it’s unlikely a new EO would establish a president's ability to declassify documents just by “thinking about it,” as Trump claimed he did, one area where a new EO could try to carve out more presidential authority is nuclear weapons. Nuclear information is declassified differently than other government information, and the rules are mandated by the Atomic Energy Act. A new EO claiming more authority over nuclear information could face legal challenges, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility.

Presidential records

Whether ripping up records, not preserving calls with foreign leaders, using disappearing messaging apps, or refusing to transfer ownership of presidential records to the government at the end of his administration as required by law, Trump showed a consistent disregard for the Presidential Records Act.

None of the legal actions against Trump since he left office have attempted to enforce compliance with the PRA. A second Trump administration may exploit the ongoing lack of enforcement by more recklessly destroying presidential records.

Agency records

Federal agencies are required to preserve their records in accordance with the Federal Records Act and to provide public access to those records under the Freedom of Information Act.

During his first term, Trump undermined these complimentary laws by appointing agency heads who discouraged federal officials from creating records in the first place or from communicating with the public and Congress, who ordered agencies to stop posting press releases, and who explicitly sought ways to avoid compliance with FOIA.

There are no indications a second Trump term would be more compliant with either the FRA or FOIA.

Agency secrecy

In 2020, the Trump administration approved Customs and Border Protection’s request to be labeled a “security agency.” This designation makes it even more difficult for the public to access CBP’s records. If more agencies apply for this designation under a second Trump administration, there’s little reason to believe they would be denied.

At the same time, Trump could renew efforts to undermine the FBI and the intelligence community. Some of the accusations made by Trump against law enforcement and intelligence agencies may be baseless, but other complaints may touch on legitimate problems. The most effective way for agencies to defend themselves from baseless attacks would be to show their work and be more transparent.

Congressional requests and inspectors general

The Trump administration often failed to comply with congressional oversight requests, especially if those requests did not come from a committee chair. A second Trump administration could continue this trend, preventing lawmakers from accessing information they are constitutionally entitled to. If so, congressional committees may be forced to sue federal agencies for information, although individual members would face significant legal challenges when filing suit.

The first Trump administration also failed to staff key oversight and civil liberties boards and undermined the effectiveness of inspectors general across the government by either replacing them (IGs are nonpartisan and usually have open-ended appointments), firing them, or leaving those positions vacant. A second term may see a similar attack on agency oversight mechanisms.

Transparency norms

Trump didn’t follow transparency norms like publishing his tax returns, providing access to the White House visitor logs, or hosting regular press briefings during his first term, and there is no reason to think he would change during his second.

There is already too much room for excessive executive secrecy, and the Supreme Court’s ruling granting presidents broad immunity for their “official acts” all but ensures a second Trump administration would be more secretive than the first — with little, if any, fear of accountability.

Read the other blogs in this series Excessive government secrecy and the presidential election SecrecyArticle

This multipart series assesses the secrecy risks of both presidential candidates, the systemic problems that will challenge either presidential administration, and the ways the public can most effectively fight for transparency.

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper The Harris secrecy assessment SecrecyArticle

How secretive would a Harris administration be? Her time in the Senate provides insights on ways she could shape secrecy in the United States as president.

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper Is entrenched secrecy more powerful than the presidency? SecrecyArticle

Secrecy isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a systemic one. What are the key government secrecy issues that must be addressed regardless of who wins the election?

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper
Lauren Harper

Excessive government secrecy and the presidential election

1 year 3 months ago

How secretive would a second Trump or a Harris administration be? And how much could either presidential candidate rein in the government’s sprawling secrecy system if they wanted to?

The answers to these important questions will impact every American, because excessive secrecy undercuts the promise of a free press, effective oversight, and the public’s ability to self govern.

I’ve analyzed past stances of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on key transparency issues, including access to presidential records, agency compliance with congressional oversight requests, and press freedom issues, to get a sense of what may come.

I’ve also surveyed the ways successive presidents have failed to rein in needless secrecy. From agencies routinely ignoring presidential instructions to be more transparent, to convincing multiple administrations that their records (and their budgets) are too sensitive to see the light of day, I’ve highlighted the key secrecy issues that will need to be addressed regardless of who wins the election.

Read the series below The Trump secrecy assessment SecrecyArticle

The first Trump administration flouted transparency norms, preservation laws, and attempts at congressional oversight. How might a second Trump term continue this trend?

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper The Harris secrecy assessment SecrecyArticle

How secretive would a Harris administration be? Her time in the Senate provides insights on ways she could shape secrecy in the United States as president.

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper Is entrenched secrecy more powerful than the presidency? SecrecyArticle

Secrecy isn’t a partisan issue, it’s a systemic one. What are the key government secrecy issues that must be addressed regardless of who wins the election?

Oct. 30, 2024 Lauren Harper
Lauren Harper

Country Music Festival, Rocky Horror, Craft Beverage Festival, & More Headline Your Weekend Guide

1 year 3 months ago
This weekend, a diverse array of exciting events is set to captivate audiences, from S.T.E.A.M. activities for children to thrilling musical performances and cultural festivals, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy. For a full event listing and more details, visit Riverbender Events . If you want to make sure even more of the region is aware of your event email cj@riverbender.com and explore our range of Event Promotion Services! Featured Get ready for an unforgettable musical experience at the 2nd Annual Grafton Country Music Festival ! Taking place from November 1st to 3rd in Grafton, Illinois, this exciting event will feature over 15 incredible bands, including headliner RUSSO & CO, alongside food, drinks, and contests throughout the weekend. Enjoy free live country music and join in on the fun with a community-driven atmosphere that promises fantastic entertainment for everyone! Experience the cult classic like never before at the Alton Little Theater Presents:

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Missouri anti-abortion PAC gets $1 million boost from group tied to Leonard Leo

1 year 3 months ago
A group associated with conservative activist Leonard Leo donated $1 million on Tuesday to a campaign opposing Missouri’s abortion-rights amendment.  The Concord Fund, an advocacy organization funded by groups connected to Leo, stepped into the fight over Amendment 3 with a $1 million check to a PAC called Vote No on 3, according to filings […]
Anna Spoerre

Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce to Host Women's Conference

1 year 3 months ago
EDWARDSVILLE/TROY - The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce will host its fifth annual Women’s Conference next week. On Nov. 6, 2024, community members are invited to attend “Women’s Conference: Be the Change: Transforming Generations” at the Outlet Event Center in Edwardsville. Attendees will learn from different panels and breakout sessions throughout the day. “We just want a day where people can learn, network, have some good food and just enjoy the day,” said Dawn Mushill, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. The event begins at 8:15 a.m. with opening remarks and a panel titled “Successful Women in a Male-Dominated Industry.” From there, attendees can choose three breakout sessions to attend, including “Breaking Imposter Syndrome,” “Step Into Your Domme Power,” “Why Are Women Perceived Bossy Instead of Decisive,” “Emotional Intelligence – Understanding It and Using

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