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CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) are urging the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn an appellate court’s opinion barring employees of a Chicago manufacturing company from recovering overtime wages and penalty fees they argue should have been paid. Raoul, along with the IDOL, filed an amicus brief in Mercado v. S&C Electric Company (S&C) to ensure that the Illinois Minimum Wage Law protects employees’ right to earn fair compensation for overtime hours worked, as well as their right to recover lost wages and penalties in court. “Employees deserve to receive fair wages they have earned from all their hours of work. They also have the right to recover penalties if their employer violates Illinois’ Minimum Wage Law,” Raoul said. “If the appellate court’s opinion is allowed to stand, employers could withhold overtime wages, provide them only on demand, and avoid paying any penalties. I urge the Suprem

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CHICAGO - Governor JB Pritzker today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has advanced the city of Decatur as a finalist for a grant to advance employment revitalization. The EDA also announced that the city of Springfield will receive planning dollars to develop a proposal for a similar award. The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act, targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal to close this gap through flexible, locally driven investments. “The CHIPS Act and the Biden-Harris Administration continue to open doors for Illinois working families,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The Recompete Plan will help ensure economic development impacts every community, including those who have historically faced barriers to employment. The Springfield Economic Empowerment Project exemplifies that spirit,

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to strongly consider the Springfield Rail Improvements Project (SRIP) for federal rail grants in 2024, as the project was not awarded any federal support in 2023. SRIP, a joint effort between the City of Springfield, Sangamon County, and the Illinois Department of Transportation, aims to relocate all passenger and freight traffic from the Third Street Corridor to Tenth Street in Springfield. Durbin began his letter by recognizing the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) previous support for the project, including its most recent RAISE grant allocation in 2022. However, the final portion of the project, including building a new transportation center with train, bus, and parking access, cannot be completed without additional federal funding. Because SRIP was not a recipient of any 2023 DOT grants, the project will not be finalized in 202

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SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias rejected more than 304 vanity and personalized license plates this year that were deemed too obscene or defamatory. The Secretary of State’s office received 54,768 requests for vanity and personalized plates this year, including the 304 that were denied because of their inflammatory or offensive nature or because they were difficult to read. The rejected plate requests this year include: EATBUTT, BONER, MILFS, WOOPASS, POOPSY, DZNUTZ and IOWASUX. “I appreciate the creativity and pride Illinoisans take in choosing their own customized license plates, but they must meet the standards of good taste and decency,” Giannoulias said. “We keep an eye out for anything tawdry, lewd or offensive, all of which are rejected and placed on our permanent rejection list.” The Secretary of State’s Office oversees the process by which Illinoisans may request specific vanity or personalized license plates

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The attacks on generative AI started out claiming that it was all about protecting the creators whose works were being “stolen” in some mysterious way by virtue of software analyzing them. In some cases, that high-minded stance has already degenerated into yet another scheme to pay collecting societies even more for doing next to nothing. But beyond all this […]

A previous effort to do away with residents’ veto power on shelters in their neighborhoods failed this fall.

SPRINGFIELD – A new law going into effect on Jan. 1 is expected to eliminate the number of food deserts in Illinois’ communities, thanks to State Senator Christopher Belt. “There is no reason why individuals should struggle to find access to fresh food,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We have communities all over the state that have this issue, and it’s time that is addressed.” In 2021, the Illinois Department of Public Health issued a study that found 807 census tracts are considered food deserts, meaning urban residents have to travel more than a half-mile and rural residents must travel more than 10 miles to get to the nearest grocery store. Under the new law, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is required to provide grants and other forms of financial assistance to grocery stores located in or to be located in a food desert. This aims to help mitigate the issue of food deserts across the state. “The Grocery Initiative

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today applauded President Biden for signing into law their bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act, which reauthorizes relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation will protect a long-standing bipartisan carveout from means-testing restrictions in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. The legislation passed the House of Representatives and the Senate earlier this month. The bill was signed into law yesterday. “Declaring bankruptcy is a difficult choice for any American, and that option should be assessed using an accurate depiction of a person’s income and financial standing. Our National Guard members and reservists must not be penalized for any active duty pay

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ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 held a Truth in Taxation hearing before their regular Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Mary Schell, the district’s Director of Financial Services, explained the proposed 2023 tax levy to the Board and community members. “A Truth in Taxation hearing is held to let voters and taxpayers in the community comment on the proposed local property tax levy the district’s making for the current year taxes payable in the following year,” Schell said. “When the district’s proposed aggregate levy is greater than 105% of the prior year's aggregate extension, a Truth in Taxation hearing must be held…In summary, this Truth in Taxation hearing is taking place because the 2023 district aggregate levy, based on 15% increase in , exceeds the 2022 aggregate extension by more than 105%.” Schell explained that the levy is “simply an educated guess” about the projected amount

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GRAFTON - The kids are off from school and you have a few days of vacation before the holidays really start. If you’re looking for something fun to do, the City of Grafton has got you covered this weekend whether you want a family outing, a date night or a relaxing solo afternoon! You can always find good food and drinks at the many eateries, wineries and bars in town. Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, is the final day the famous Oyster Bar will be open until their season resumes in February, so stop by for some good Cajun cuisine and seafood. When you’re ready for dessert, Grafton Fudge and Ice Cream is a sure way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Located at 321 E. Main Street, the shop also has lots of candy for sugary stocking stuffers. Do you still have some last-minute shopping to do? There are plenty of great gift cards available for fun in Grafton, starting off with a super deal on Oyster Bar gift cards where you pay just $35 for a $50 card. Supplies are going

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Billy Gibbons has added one more show to his 2023 schedule. The ZZ Top rocker is set to headline a concert at New York’s City Winery, with the gig billed as “Billy Gibbons & Friends.” The…

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EDWARDSVILLE — Give the gift of travel this holiday season. “Do you know someone who is in need of a passport?” Madison County Circuit Clerk Tom McRae asked. “If so, the Circuit Clerk’s Office can help.” McRae said he wants to remind the public about passport services offered by the office. “If you know someone who is planning a trip out of the country and doesn’t yet have their passport, consider bringing them to our office to apply for one,” McRae said. “It’s a gift that will keep on giving for the next 10 years.” The Circuit Clerk’s Office offers passport processing, including photo service. “It’s a one-stop for both the photo and the application process,” McRae said. The circuit clerk’s office began offering photo service six months ago after acquiring equipment specifically designed to take pictures for passports. McRae said the federal government routinely rejects passport

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EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 (ECUSD7) has replaced Dr. Rusti Blount as principal of Lincoln Middle School. Dr. Beth Renth will serve as interim principal until further notice. A spokesperson for the District said they are “unable to comment on personnel issues.” Blount had previously served as a principal with Seagraves School District in Texas and as an education professional on the Houston County Board of Education in Georgia. She took on the role of Lincoln Middle School principal in July 2022. Renth retired from ECUSD7 in December 2022 after serving as the principal of Worden Elementary School for 22 years. During the regular Board of Education meeting on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, Board President Jill Bertels made a motion to amend the meeting agenda to remove action item 9.13 “Approval Resolution to Dismiss and Authorize Notice of Dismissal of a Classified Employee.” The Board unanimously approved the motion.

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One detainee bit another this morning at St. Louis’ troubled City Justice Center, an incident severe enough that one inmate is facing assault charges while the other had to be taken to the hospital. The St. Louis Fire Department has confirmed they were called to the jail around 5:30 a.m. and that they took one detainee to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Stifel Theatre, located adjacent to the Enterprise Center downtown, for the first time will host a sports event with its stage featuring a collegiate wrestling match.

WOOD RIVER - Wood River City Council members are proceeding with caution to potentially pursue membership in the Illinois Main Street organization. After lots of questioning and discussion at Monday’s meeting, city officials’ hesitancy seemingly centers around an obligation to provide financial support to the organization for at least three years if they were to join. The agenda item in question concerns “a Letter of Intent with Wood River Business Alliance to pursue Main Street Affiliation and provide partnership and financial support for a minimum of three years.” The city’s financial obligation to the organization upon officially joining would amount to $25,000 per year for three years. The Wood River Business Alliance, formerly known as Wood River Economic Development, is an organization promoting new and existing small businesses in Wood River. Illinois Main Street is part of a larger national organization, Main Street America. According to

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On Saturday, December 16, a submerged car was retrieved from a pond on private property in the southern part of Camden County. The vehicle has been linked to a missing person, Donnie Erwin.

Are you looking for gifts that are sure to arrive in time for Christmas? If so, you may want to consider giving subscription gifts to those left on your Christmas shopping list.

This is a.......yellow flower of some kind. It seems like it should be easy to identify, but I tried a couple of flower ID sites and they didn't help. Any ideas? I took the picture in southern Colorado.