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EAST ST. LOUIS — A former executive of the Bank of O’Fallon was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to a $2 million check kiting fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. Andrew P. Blassie, 70, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 63 months in prison and ordered to pay $2,461,887.67 in restitution following his admission to one count of bank fraud and one count of interstate transportation of funds obtained by fraud. The sentencing took place in federal court in East St. Louis. Blassie, who served as the Executive Vice President at the Bank of O’Fallon, engaged in a scheme from September 2023 through September 2024 to inflate his personal checking account balance by depositing checks he knew were backed by non-sufficient funds, the U.S. Attorney said. The checks originated from four personal accounts at three banks and one credit union, according to the indictment. Duri

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MADISON COUNTY — Madison County Coroner Nicholas P. Novacich has identified a 20-year-old man from St. Charles, Mo., whose body was found in the Mississippi River near the Interstate 270 and Chain of Rocks Bridge construction site. Brendon L. Krill was discovered Monday morning, Aug. 11, 2025, by construction workers. Positive identification was confirmed through DNA testing, the coroner’s office said on Sept. 17. Krill had been reported missing after last being seen on June 14, 2025, on Island 522 along the Mississippi River, according to a Missouri Highway Patrol missing person alert. He was described as 6 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 195 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The alert noted a tattoo of the word “Relentless” on his left arm and that he was last seen wearing pink and green flamingo swim trunks. The final cause of death has not yet been determined, pending the results of a forensic autopsy and toxicology testing. Authorities from the Madison

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U2 is set to be honored with the 2025 Woody Guthrie Prize.Named after the late folk icon and presented by the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the award recognizes “a recipient who embodies the…

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ALTON - The 19th annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival invites community members to enjoy a day of conservation, art, music and more on the riverfront. From 12–10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, at the Alton Amphitheater, the festival will celebrate the Mississippi River with artist booths, live music, vendors and additional fun. The event, hosted by Alton Main Street, the Sierra Club and Jacoby Arts Center, encourages people to come out and show their appreciation for the river. “We’re very committed to keeping this a free, family-friendly event for our community to celebrate the river,” said Sara McGibany. “We have 121 booths and exhibits this year, and we are just really excited to bring everybody down to the riverfront on Saturday.” McGibany and Christine Favilla noted that the festival has family-friendly activities until 6 p.m. Kids can complete 23 activities and fill out a passport for the chance to win a gift card to Funky Planet

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Nathaniel L. Stokes, 35, of Champaign, was arrested in Normal for predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13 and aggravated criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13 after an investigation was started in July.

Iron Maiden is going to be very busy in 2026.The rockers just announced their first tour dates for next year, which will have them hitting Europe and the U.K.The Run For…

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From St. Louis Business Journal: There’s a new plan for the Boy Scouts headquarters in the Central West End, after another firm dropped its project at the site earlier this year. Garrison Cos., a Mission Woods, Kansas-based developer, is pursuing a $51 million, four-story development at 4568 W. Pine St. The building, named Pinehouse, is […]

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ST. LOUIS – Today, Mayor Cara Spencer is proud to join Gov. Mike Kehoe in announcing that FEMA has approved additional assistance to support clearing debris from private properties in St. Louis following the May 16 tornado. For this mission, FEMA will provide an initial lump sum, in addition to the $100 million that the Missouri General Assembly has provided to the City of St. Louis for disaster relief, with FEMA covering 75% of eligible debris removal costs. The State of Missouri and the City of St. Louis will lead the private property debris removal efforts, with the State procuring a contractor to complete the work and the City obtaining right of entry from property owners before debris can be removed from private property. FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will support with on-the-ground technical assistance, oversight and best practices. “This is a big win for St. Louis and will help us quickly and effectively help St. Louisans get uninhabitable buildings

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From KSDK: The development arm of a local church believes they’ve found the secret to bringing people back to blighted communities by centering their approach around faith. At Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, they love celebrating success in the City of Champions. “There are good things happening in East St. Louis,” Dennis Jackson Sr. said. […]

The post Mt. Sinai Aims to Transform East St. Louis With Homes and Hope appeared first on Construction Forum.

TYSONS, VA – Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined policymakers, researchers, industry executives, investors, and academics for the 2025 Quantum World Congress, a global exposition bringing together the world’s quantum leaders to set the agenda for the newest era in technological exploration and experimentation. The Governor offered keynote remarks, speaking to the state’s unprecedented efforts to build out quantum infrastructure in Illinois—the future quantum capital of the world. “The Quantum World Congress is an opportunity for the brightest minds in the field to chart the course toward realizing an exciting vision for our quantum future,” said Governor JB Pritzker . “Quantum has the potential to help solve humanity’s greatest challenges, create billions of dollars in economic value, and fundamentally change the future of society. Innovation at this pace and scale will require a truly global effort, and events like the Quantum World

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GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that repairs on eastbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19. One lane will remain open. All lanes are expected to reopen by 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this lane 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.

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ST. LOUIS – Plaza West Tower, the new 16-story patient care tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, will welcome patients beginning in October. The tower will provide private rooms for heart and vascular patients, advanced imaging, and the latest in surgical preparation and recovery. Plaza West Tower is designed to enhance the experience for patients and their families under the expert care of WashU Medicine physicians and BJC HealthCare clinical teams. As a major referral center in the Midwest, and the fifth largest hospital in the country, Barnes-Jewish Hospital provides advanced care for patients with complex conditions, making facilities like the Plaza West Tower vital. Internationally recognized WashU Medicine physicians lead this effort, driving innovation through clinical expertise, pioneering new therapies and advancing research that shapes the future of care. Together BJH and WashU also play a significant role in training the next generation of health care professionals.

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From Leader Publications: County Executive Dennis Gannon released his office’s list of priority capital improvement projects for the next five years, 2026-2030, including some big-ticket items like a new athletic center and, potentially, a new county courthouse. The Jefferson County Council narrowly approved the Jefferson County Capital Program and Strategic Plan by a 4-3 vote […]

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From Bob Clark Beyond: Every once in a while, a book comes across your desk. It’s mentioned in a quiet conversation with someone you respect. And it makes you stop and look at the world a little differently. Engineering in Plain Sight by Grady Hillhouse is one of those books. Infrastructure, Made Simple This illustrated […]

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On Monday, I published a two-part blog post about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement with Aylo, parent company of Pornhub. The FTC’s complaint alleged that Aylo violated federal consumer protection law by allowing child sex abuse material (CSAM) and non-consensual pornography (which I’ll call NCII) on its various sites, despite claiming it didn’t. The […]

Today on TAP: Making jokes has never been this dangerous, except in authoritarian states.

Plaza West Tower, the new 16-story patient care tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, will welcome patients beginning in October. The tower will provide private rooms for heart and vascular patients, advanced imaging, and the latest in surgical preparation and recovery. Plaza West Tower is designed to enhance the experience for patients and their families under the […]

The post Barnes-Jewish Hospital Unveils State-of-the-Art Patient Care Tower appeared first on Construction Forum.