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SPRINGFIELD – At a Capitol news conference Tuesday, Assistant Republican Leader C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) joined his House Republican colleagues to highlight a legislative package focused on stopping illegal immigration in Illinois. Under the Biden Administration’s Open Border policy, the United States and the State of Illinois were unable to keep up with the flood of migrants coming into the country. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, Illinois is home to the fifth most foreign nationals in the country, with at least 530,000 illegal immigrants residing across the state. “The surge of illegal immigrants into Illinois has led to a string of horrific crimes, endangered public safety, and has blown a huge hole in our already-strained budget,” Rep. Davidsmeyer said. Representative Davidsmeyer is sponsoring legislation ( HB 1317 ) to repeal the Illinois TRUST Act, a misguided law that prohibits law enforcement agencies from working with

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ALTON - The Ninian Edwards Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held the 72nd annual award ceremony on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Asbury Village in Godfrey. DAR Good Citizenship Award is given to seniors based on their involvement in extra-curricular activities; contributions to the community; scholarship; and demonstration of the good citizen qualities of dependability, honesty, leadership, and patriotism. This year’s winners are: Alton High School: Jacobi Solomon Civic Memorial High School: Carlie Pritchett East Alton-Wood River High School: Kelsey Moore Marquette Catholic High School: Rodger Zawodniak Mississippi Valley Christian School: Herbert Gray Sapp III Roxana High School: Meredith Pitchford In the essay portion of this award, Carlie Pritchett’s essay was picked to advance to district competition. She was given a $100 gift card for being chosen.

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SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to combat trafficking, including human trafficking. ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly, along with key stakeholders representing human trafficking survivors, law enforcement, and support service providers, will appear before the Senate Criminal Law Committee today to speak to Senate Bill 2323 . The proposed legislation includes development of a strategic plan to improve the victim-centered, trauma-informed law enforcement response to individuals who have been trafficked, as well as developing training standards for detection, investigation, and response to human trafficking. “Human trafficking can come in many forms, from commercial sex acts to forced labor,” said Director Kelly. “Because human trafficking has many faces and can happen almost anywhere, it is important to have a comprehensive, statewide trauma-informed response that encompasses those who may come in contact with individuals who are

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure to simplify the college admissions process for high school seniors and community college transfer students. “To keep more students in our state for college, we have to make the application process as seamless as possible,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We have done a lot of work on the admission process in Illinois in recent years, and this measure is another step in the right direction.” Senate Bill 2448 would reduce barriers for students by offering direct admission to qualified applicants at all public institutions of higher education and community colleges that participate in the program. Under the legislation, students would no longer face the burden of repeated application processes or unnecessary application fees, ensuring a smoother transition into postsecondary education. The measure would also require school districts to provide student directory information to each public institution

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Kloss posted photos on Instagram with her two sons and a new baby bump captioned "three's a party."

SPRINGFIELD – This week, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Congressman Frank Mrvan (IN-01), and Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) led a letter to President Trump expressing willingness to work with him to invest in domestic manufacturing and American steelmaking. The members expressed support for tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to counter the influence of bad actors in the global market, incentivize the use of American-made materials and promote fair trade, but highlighted concerns with implementing tariffs on close trading partners like Canada. The members write , “Section 232 tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, like those you announced on February 10, can help counter the influence of bad actors in the global market, like China, India, and Mexico. The use of this important policy tool can also incentivize the use of American-made materials and promote fair trade. While your administration should be applauded for wanting to pursue policies to

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The city of Jennings plans to appeal a $2 million judgment entered against it last year, according to new court records.

ALTON – Support beautification efforts in downtown Alton with the purchase of a new T-Shirt available for sale now at the Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa St., Alton. The Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau created a new T-Shirt designed to specifically support on-going Alton beautification efforts. That work is spearheaded by Pride, Inc. which will receive 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the shirts. Pride, Inc. is a community beautification organization which focuses its volunteer efforts on the greater Alton region. “Every purchase of a T-Shirt directly contributes to enhancing the look and feel of downtown Alton,” said Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. “This initiative will foster community pride and promote a more vibrant and attractive downtown environment.” The Bureau purchased the T-shirts which are selling for $25 each plus tax. The Alton Visitor Center is open Wednesdays through Sundays

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This weekend offers an exciting array of events that cater to diverse interests, from engaging community fundraisers and delicious fish fries to lively music performances and creative workshops, ensuring there's something for everyone to enjoy. For a complete listing of all events happening in the area, be sure to visit https://www.riverbender.com/events/ . Featured Join Fish Haven at Alton VFW Post 1308 for a Fish Fry Every Friday in Lent . Come hungry, bring your crew, and enjoy great food, cold drinks, and live music! Dinner includes Fish (Buffalo, Catfish Filet, Catfish Nuggets, or Cod), Hushpuppies, 2 Sides, and Bread for $15. Available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Godfrey Knights of Columbus Friday Fish Frys will be held Every Friday, March 7 through April 11, 2025 , from 4-7 p.m. at the McNicholas Club on Stamper Lane. Buffalo, whitefish, whole catfish, shrimp, and baked fish and cheese pizza will be served. Buffalo and whitefish are All You Can Eat. Sides will include fries,

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Most kids celebrate their birthday with cake and candles. Tucker Mullinax, however, celebrated his 12th birthday with the catch of a lifetime.

Police said the department's Criminal Investigation Division was conducting an investigation "to determine the cause and manner of death."

Jill Stein, 72, and Jeron Hicks, 25, was issued criminal summonses on Friday related to Washington University campus demonstration in 2024.

A man reported missing by the St. Peters Police Department has been found deceased, officials announced Wednesday.

In what he calls “pro-labor and pro-family” legislation, Missouri’s senior GOP senator proposes bill that would eliminate income taxes on overtime pay.

A franchisee for an Indiana-based soccer training business has expanded to the St. Louis area.

ALTON - As I step down from my role as Ward 7 Alderman, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on my time in office and express my strong support for Mayor David Goins’ continued leadership. Serving on the City Council has given me a firsthand look at the challenges our city faces and the critical decisions required to move Alton forward. Over the past several years, Mayor Goins has worked diligently to stabilize the city’s finances, foster economic growth, and take the long-overdue step of developing a city-wide strategic plan—something Alton has not had since 2003. His leadership has been defined by fiscal responsibility, proactive decision-making, and a willingness to collaborate with businesses, developers, and state and federal officials to bring meaningful opportunities to Alton. One of Mayor Goins' most significant accomplishments is launching the process to develop a comprehensive strategic plan. A strategic plan serves as a roadmap for a city’s

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Elton John and Brandi Carlile are headed to Saturday Night Live in April.The artists will be the musical guests for the April 5 episode of the NBC late night comedy…

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A lawyer wanted to check on a landlord in St. Louis. He ended up in an absurd tug-of-the-war with the city over public records.

One of the darker threads of Walled Culture the book (free digital versions available) is how complex copyright enforcement systems can be abused, for example by sending Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests for material that is perfectly legal. A recent post on the Public Citizen blog offers an extreme example of this blight. Here’s the summary […]