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VIRDEN, Ill. - North Mac High School will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 722 N. Springfield, inside Fellowship Hall. What: North Mac High School Community Blood Drive When: Wednesday, July 15, 2026, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Where: Sacred Heart Catholic Church Fellowship Hall, 722 N. Springfield, Virden, Ill. Appointments:

JERSEYVILLE - Nashville recording artist and Jerseyville native Mattie Schell will bring some fun to her hometown on the Fourth of July. From 6–9 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2026, community members can enjoy a “Rock the Block” performance by Schell in downtown Jerseyville under the water tower. The Independence Day fun starts with an ice cream social at 4 p.m. at the Jersey County Courthouse and concludes with fireworks at the Jersey County fairgrounds at 9:30 p.m. Schell i

CHICAGO– Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 23 attorneys general, urged the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reverse a dangerous new policy ending investigations and public reporting of deaths that occur shortly after people are released from ICE custody. In a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Acting ICE Director David Venturella, Attorney General Raoul and the coalition condemn the new policy

Former Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel has pleaded guilty in a 2025 drunk driving case in central Missouri.

SPRINGFIELD – Today, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director James Jennings issued the following statement commending Governor JB Pritzker for signing House Bill 5070 into law: “Longstanding environmental protections have repeatedly come under attack by the Trump administration, necessitating action at the state level to ensure Illinois’ environmental regulations remain intact and Illinois residents are protected. I am especially grateful to Representative

SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor JB Pritzker signed the child care licensing redesign legislation (HB 3595) into law. This bill streamlines the license exemption structure and application requirements to provide consistent licensing decisions and reduce delays. It also helps the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) reach another efficiency milestone by updating outdated industry terms in the Act and allowing IDEC to tie background checks to the individual instead of the provider.

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today recognized Pride Month and highlighted his office’s continued work to defend the rights of all LGBTQ+ Illinoisans against unlawful attacks by the federal government. “As we mark Pride Month, I want to be clear that in Illinois, we protect all individuals’ rights to live as their authentic selves and be free from discrimination each day, no matter who they are or who they love,” Raoul said. “The Trump administration

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Mullin v. Doe. “The Supreme Court’s decision in Mullin v. Doe is disturbing on several levels. As a Haitian-American, for me it is deeply personal and painful. The majority’s opinion concludes that the Secretary of Homeland Security’s determination to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is not subject to judicial review,

St. Louis County prosecutors have charged two St. Louis men in approximately 50 car burglaries over 11 days.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation spearheaded by Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza to strengthen regulatory oversight of crematories was signed into law by the Governor today. The measure responds to horrific cases in which crematories mishandled and improperly stored remains, delayed cremations, and failed to maintain accurate records of the deceased—causing unnecessary anguish for families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. HB 4695 , sponsored by Representative

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined legislators and community members ahead of the Chicago Pride Parade to sign into law three bills that will empower more Illinoisans to live authentically and freely, without the fear that their private information will be weaponized against them. These measures prevent out-of-state parties from using medical records stored in Illinois’ prescription monitoring database to punish individuals for receiving lawful, gender-affirming care

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Conservation Police are investigating a two-vessel crash that occurred on Lake Michigan near Monroe Harbor in Chicago late Thursday. One person, a 26-year-old Chicago woman, has died from injuries suffered in the crash. First responders were summoned to the lake just before midnight for reports of a boat collision with multiple injuries. According to conservation police, a 33-foot cabin cruiser motorboat carrying nine passengers struck a smaller vessel carrying

GLEN CARBON – Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois proudly recognizes Elisabeth Preston from Edwardsville, Illinois for receiving a $5,000 Gold Award Scholarship. The Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship is awarded to one remarkable Girl Scout per council who demonstrated extraordinary leadership and sustainable impact while addressing a national or global issue. Elisabeth’s Girl Scout Gold Award project promoted the exploration of STEAM fields for youth. Elisabeth has a strong

WOOD RIVER/EAST ALTON/ROXANA - The Riverbend East Rotary Club has selected Helmkamp Construction Company as their Business of the Year. Riverbend East Rotary Club Business of the Year Selection Committee Chairperson Glenn Breuklander presents the plaque to Helmkamp Construction representatives Alyssa Spa, Project Manager and Chairperson of the Helmkamp Cares Foundation, and Jen Jackson, Marketing Director. Helmkamp Construction Company is a full service general contractor with self-perform and

SPRINGFIELD – Over-the-year, total nonfarm jobs increased in 2 metropolitan areas, leading to a new record number of jobs for Chicago and six consecutive months of year-over-year growth in Lake County, with 10 metro areas experiencing a year-over-year decrease. The unemployment rate increased in all 12 metro areas for the year ending May 2026, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (DES). “The