stLouISTAggregator
McDonald's Shooting Sends Two Women to Hospital
BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Two women were shot during an altercation Wednesday evening at a McDonald’s restaurant in Belleville, according to police. The shooting occurred shortly before 5 p.m. at the McDonald’s located in the 100 block of South Belt East. One of the victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital. The condition of the second victim is unknown, but she was taken to a St Louis hospital. A female employee of the restaurant is currently in custody as authorities continue their investigation.
GOP members of US Senate protest Trump freeze of $6.8B in school funding
WASHINGTON — Republican members of the U.S. Senate called on Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought in a letter Wednesday to release the $6.8 billion in funds for K-12 schools that the Trump administration is withholding. The letter marked a major friction point between President Donald Trump and influential lawmakers in his own party as […]
Thousands of delayed federal transportation grants will get paid out, secretary pledges
WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged patience Wednesday from Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee who asked about a backlog of approved grants the department has yet to pay out to state and local governments. Duffy, in his first appearance before the panel, said former President Joe […]
Granite City Residents Charged In Weapon Possession, Burglary Cases
GRANITE CITY – Two people from Granite City face felony charges in separate cases of illegal weapon possession and vehicular burglary. Martez D. Moss, 19, of Granite City, was charged on July 8, 2025 with two counts of aggravated unlawful possession of weapons (both Class 4 felonies) and a Class A misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. On June 7, 2025, Moss allegedly carried a tan FN Five-Seven 5.7 caliber pistol in his vehicle, which was uncased, loaded, and immediately accessible at the time of the offense. His possession of the weapon was unlawful as he was under 21 years of age and had no valid Fireram owner’s Identification (FOID) card or Concealed Carry License (CCL). Moss was additionally accused of driving on I-255 in Madison County while his driver’s license had been suspended. The Illinois State Police presented the case against Moss, who was granted pretrial release from custody. Another Granite City resident was charged in a separate
IDPH Posts Nursing Home Violations for First Quarter of 2025
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced that it has posted the 2025 First Quarter Report of Nursing Home Violations. Details on the 243 violation reports completed in the first quarter of 2025 may be found HERE on the IDPH website. The four facilities listed below were cited with type “AA” violations of the Nursing Home Care Act during the first quarter of 2025, the most severe type of violation. An “AA” violation is cited when there is a condition or occurrence at the facility that proximately caused a resident’s death. Click on the links below to view the completed “AA” violation reports: Alden Estates of Huntley , a rehabilitation facility in Huntley, was fined $50,000 for an “AA” violation. Bria of Palos Hills , a nursing home in Palos Hills, was fined a total of $52,000 for an “AA” violation and a “B” violation. City View Multicare Center , a skilled nursing
Madrina Silk Road Dinner Series
Madrina the Italian-American neighborhood restaurant in Webster Groves, will host the Silk Road Dinner Series, a three-part dinner experience celebrating diversity in the St. Louis culinary space. The Silk Road […]
The post Madrina Silk Road Dinner Series appeared first on Explore St. Louis.
Deputy Secretary of State Blames the Devoted Public Servants He Wrongfully Fired for Their Own Terminations in Wake of State Department RIFs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continuing Donald Trump and his Administration’s long record of blaming victims, Deputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas today shamefully tried to argue that hundreds of dedicated State Department employees who were wrongfully fired by the Trump Administration last week were to blame for the Administration’s—and his—own poor decisions. In today’s U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) hearing, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) noted for Mr. Rigas that individuals who were hired under Veterans preference were among the more than 1,350 employees who were fired at the State Department, thereby illustrating how sloppy and short-sighted these RIFs were carried out. Duckworth’s remarks can be found on the Senator’s YouTube . “How the State Department conducted Friday’s RIFs was already appalling—but putting the blame on hundreds of devoted public servants whose lives have been abruptly upended i
OSFM Awards $5 Million in Grants for the Construction or Rehabilitation of Fire Stations in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD - Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to announce the inaugural Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program awards totaling $5 million to 16 grantees across the state. This funding will allow fire departments or fire protection districts to repair, upgrade, or construct new fire stations. “I am proud to be celebrating inaugural Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program awards, a crucial lifeline for fire departments across the state – particularly those in rural areas – to upgrade their facilities and equipment,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our firefighters put their lives on the line every single day, and these investments can make all the difference in keeping our communities safe and protected.” “This was the inaugural year of the grant program, established as part of the OSFM’s ongoing commitment to assist the Illinois Fire Service in identifying
Cool kids friendly desserts
Attorney General Raoul Sues Trump Administration For Unlawfully Ending Disaster Mitigation Program
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its attempt to illegally shut down the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) bipartisan Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, designed to protect communities from natural disasters before they strike. For the past 30 years, the BRIC program has provided communities across the nation with resources to fortify their infrastructure against natural disasters. By focusing on preparation, the program has protected property, saved money that would have otherwise been spent on post-disaster costs, reduced injuries and saved lives. “We can look to the many recent natural disasters, such as the devastating California wildfires in January and the tragic flooding that occurred in Texas earlier this month, and witness the heartbreaking destruction and loss of life these events can cause,” Raoul said. “We
Axon’s Draft One Is Designed To Defy Transparency
Axon Enterprise’s Draft One — a generative artificial intelligence product that writes police reports based on audio from officers’ body-worn cameras — seems deliberately designed to avoid audits that could provide any accountability to the public, an EFF investigation has found. Our review of public records from police agencies already using the technology — including […]
Dr. Sylvia Jenkins Appointed 13th Chair of the Illinois Community College Board
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) proudly announces the appointment of Dr. Sylvia Jenkins as the new Chair of the Board by Governor J.B. Pritzker. Dr. Jenkins becomes the first woman to serve as board chair, succeeding Dr. Lazaro Lopez, who completed his term as Chair on June 30. A long-standing champion of student success, workforce development, and institutional excellence, Dr. Jenkins brings decades of leadership experience to her new role. She served as President of Moraine Valley Community College from 2012 until her retirement in 2023, when she was honored with the title of President Emeritus. Her appointment as Chair marks a continued commitment to advancing Illinois’ community college system with a student-centered and equity-driven approach. She has served as a member of the Illinois Community College Board since 2022. “Dr. Jenkins is a proven leader with a deep commitment to student success and equity. Her experience and steady
Coroner Announces Identification Of Human Remains Found In Alton Woods
ALTON — Human remains found in a wooded area near 7th and Market Street in Alton, Illinois, have been identified as Angela M. Coyle, a 50-year-old unhoused white female, Madison County Coroner Nicholas P. Novacich announced Wednesday, July 16, 2025. The remains were discovered on July 13, 2025. Senior Investigator Kelsey Jones and Ashley Reed responded to the scene and pronounced Coyle deceased at 2:40 p.m. that day. The Office of the Coroner was notified immediately following the discovery. The investigation involved coordination with the Alton Police Department Criminal Investigations Division, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Unit, and the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office Forensic Anthropologist. The scene was secured until July 14, 2025, when a full-scale recovery of the remains took place. Evidence and personal effects were collected, and radiological comparisons were conducted to confirm the positive identification. The case remains under active investigation
Last time I made a post about La Tienda having the biggest burritos in St. Louis, there was only a fork for size comparison. Here's one taking up the majority of a to-go box.
Edwardsville Moose Lodge Donates To Local First Responders
EDWARDSVILLE – Members of the Edwardsville Moose Lodge donated the proceeds of a highly successful barbecue to local first responders at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Three checks, each for $2,800, were proudly presented to the Edwardsville Police and Fire Departments, as well as the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Police Department. Leigh Ann Acra, Vice President of Edwardsville Moose Lodge, said one of their members had the idea to host a barbecue to support first responders. The event was a massive success, with bounce houses, 38 vendors, a cornhole tournament, Madison County first responder vehicles, and a large turnout from the community. Plans are already in the works to make the barbecue an annual occasion, with next year’s event set for Sept. 12, 2026. In addition to the trio of $2,800 checks, the lodge also donated three cases of “Tommy Moose” plush toys for each department to give to children in distress. “ W
Madison County: I-270 Lane Closures Begin July 18
GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that repairs on eastbound and westbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, July 18, 2025. One lane will remain open in each direction. All lanes are expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone. For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com .
Missouri Supreme Court asked for quick hearing on decision to restart abortions in the state
A ruling earlier this month that allowed abortions to resume in Missouri should be set aside because the laws and rules it blocks are important safeguards for women’s health, Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office said in a filing last week to the Missouri Supreme Court. The document asks the high court to suspend Jackson County […]
No, reporting is not ‘incitement’
Remember when President Donald Trump derided the news media and flatly declared that “what they do is illegal” during a speech at the Department of Justice?
Turns out, he meant it.
The Trump administration is increasingly accusing journalists of inciting violence or lawlessness — and possibly breaking the law — by simply reporting the news. It’s now made these claims at least three times, all related to reporting on the government’s immigration crackdown.
It’s bad enough that the administration wants to jail journalists for refusing to reveal their sources or for obtaining and publishing classified information. But these recent accusations seem to raise a third possibility: prosecuting journalists for incitement, the crime of instigating others to break the law.
Unsurprisingly, none of the reporting that the government has attacked comes anywhere close to the legal definition of incitement under the First Amendment. But even baseless accusations aren’t harmless. They can chill reporting and leave the public less informed.
A trio of troubling threats
The most recent example of the Trump administration accusing reporters of incitement for straightforward journalism is its attack on CNN for reporting on ICEBlock, an app that alerts users when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are nearby.
In response to a question from The Daily Wire suggesting that CNN’s report was “promoting” ICEBlock, press secretary Karoline Leavitt directly accused CNN of inciting “further violence against our ICE officers.”
Leavitt admitted that she hadn’t actually watched the CNN segment before she made this accusation. If she had, she would have seen that nothing in CNN’s report comes even remotely close to encouraging violence against ICE officers.
Rather, CNN spoke to ICEBlock’s creator, who described how the app works and, crucially, how it could allow people to avoid encountering ICE officers, who have been known to violently attack people and arrest U.S. citizens. The CNN reporter also quoted a warning from the app that said it’s not to be used to interfere with law enforcement or incite violence.
Yet the Department of Justice is reportedly considering prosecuting CNN, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem flatly declared, “What they’re doing is illegal.”
Similarly, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr strongly implied to Fox News that radio station KCBS had encouraged violence against ICE agents by reporting on an immigration raid in east San Jose earlier this year. KCBS is now the subject of an unconstitutional investigation by the FCC for its report, which the station appears to have removed from its website.
When discussing the KCBS broadcast on Fox, Carr made sure to note both that the area of the city being raided was known for “violent gang activity,” and that the broadcast was made “against the backdrop of Democratic leaders in Congress saying it’s time for people to take fights to the street against Trump’s agenda.” What Carr didn’t mention is that there was no evidence of any violence against ICE agents during or after the raid.
Finally, the White House recently rebuked The New Yorker for its reporting on the Trump administration’s targeting of Democratic lawmakers and their staff who’ve opposed the immigration crackdown, like Rep. LaMonica McIver, who was charged with assaulting a federal officer outside of an immigration detention facility in a case that she’s called “political intimidation.”
In response to the New Yorker’s reporting about these and other incidents, a White House spokesperson said, “It’s alarming Democrats think they can obstruct federal law enforcement, assault ICE agents, or physically push law enforcement officers while charging a cabinet secretary, without consequence—it’s even more alarming that the New Yorker is encouraging this lawless behavior.”
Again, nothing in the New Yorker’s report “encouraged” anything. The magazine relied on regular journalistic techniques for its reporting, such as interviewing sources, and reviewing videos and past reporting to report straightforwardly on what’s happened to Democrats detained or arrested while opposing the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
None of this is incitement
Not only does none of this reporting actually encourage anyone to do anything illegal, it also fails to meet the legal standards for “incitement,” which the First Amendment sets incredibly high.
Under the First Amendment, a person can be found guilty of incitement only if they advocate for imminent lawless action and their speech is likely to incite or produce such action. It also requires intent to induce another to break the law. To protect against governmental overreach and censorship, general advocacy — even of violence or another crime—can’t be criminalized.
Writing a news story about someone else’s conduct, even if their actions are illegal, obviously doesn’t meet this standard. Reporting on something isn’t an endorsement of it, let alone advocacy for others to immediately break the law. Even editorials or op-eds praising illegal conduct would fall under the category of general advocacy, protected by the First Amendment.
But the officials slinging these accusations against the press don’t care as much about the law as they do about chilling reporting. It’s not surprising, then, that they’ve focused on journalism about ICE.
As the public’s approval for Trump’s handling of immigration drops, the government knows that the more people learn about the cruel, illegal, and deadly tactics it’s using to deport their neighbors, the more blowback it will face. It’s counting on its spurious accusations to silence reporting. The only antidote? For journalists to keep reporting.
Travel time, costs for abortions increased after state bans, researchers find
Travel costs for abortions and delays in care have increased in the wake of state abortion bans, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco surveyed more than 800 people across 14 states that implemented bans on abortion after the U.S. Supreme […]