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MARYVILLE - The Home Builders and Remodelers Metro East Association has worked hard to bring infill programs to local communities. HBRMEA has helped establish infill programs in Granite City and Belleville. Executive Director Shannon Stelling said she is also in conversation with the City of Alton about starting a program in the Riverbend. She believes infill programs allow more first-time homebuyers to get into homes and build neighborhoods. “The whole goal is to bring neighborhoods back to these communities, to put homes where homes once sat, to give opportunities to first-time homebuyers or maybe even retirees,” Stelling said. She explained that the infill programs allow municipalities to work with builders. They acquire the lots for one dollar, and then the builders do not charge the consumer for the cost of the property. Stelling said that consumers are “basically getting the land for free” as a result, saving anywhere from $30–50,000.

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CHICAGO – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 17 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting a legal challenge to two of President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives. Raoul and the coalition filed their brief in Chicago Women in Trades v. Trump before the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) is a nonprofit organization that helps women overcome discrimination, harassment and other obstacles to entering and staying in skilled trade professions. CWIT challenged multiple provisions in the executive orders, asserting that they unlawfully threaten its federal funding and its First Amendment rights, including a requirement that recipients of federal grants and contracts certify they do not operate any “programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.” The Trump administration has not defined

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PEORIA - As a part of his Driving Change campaign, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias hosted a sixth virtual Town Hall for Peoria residents Wednesday evening to discuss the skyrocketing cost of auto insurance. Between the first six virtual Town Halls, over 850 Illinoisans have participated to learn more about the issue and share their stories. Residents shared their first-hand accounts of auto insurance rates increasing due to a recent move, a poor credit score or advanced age – reasons that have nothing to do with their driving record. This was the sixth of a series of virtual Town Hall meetings that the Secretary of State’s office is conducting over the next several weeks to gather feedback from Illinoisans to help inform state legislation for members of the General Assembly to consider. “We’re over halfway through our Driving Change virtual town hall visits, and the resounding message from hundreds of Illinois families could not be clearer:

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ALTON – The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is preparing to host its second Illinois grain tour of 2025, welcoming international buyers from six Middle Eastern and Asian countries (China, Vietnam, Egypt, Jordan, Singapore and the island of Mauritius) as part of a four-day event. “Thanks to Trump’s reckless economic policies, Illinois’ $26.4 billion agriculture industry is being pummeled by tariff-driven trade disruptions, costing farmers income and jeopardizing jobs across rural communities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As we find ways to address the impact of these disastrous economic policies, I commend IDOA for hosting a second grain tour to showcase our leading agriculture industry while attracting international buyers.” Last month, buyers from Latin American countries took a similar tour. The groups were split for the first time because of the overwhelming success of the program and the number of people interested in participating.

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CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker today announced the appointment of members to the newly created Autism Data Privacy Advisory Group, established under Executive Order 2025-02 to strengthen protections for the civil and human rights of people with autism in Illinois. “More than ever before, protecting the rights and dignity of people with autism requires both innovation and vigilance,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This Advisory Group reflects the breadth of expertise and lived experience we need to make Illinois a national leader in autism rights and data privacy. I am grateful to these distinguished volunteers for their service.” The Executive Order came in response to a flurry of concerning actions and statements from Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., including falsely linking vaccines to autism , announcing a national autism patient registry , and diminishing the abilities of people with autism . The

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ST. LOUIS, MO — As fall officially begins, the American Red Cross urges people to mark the new season with a lifesaving blood or platelet donation to help keep the blood supply strong. Donors of all blood types, especially those with types O positive and B negative blood, are needed now. For many, daily routines shift as the seasons change, but blood and platelet donations must remain top of mind. Every single donation is key to making sure all patients relying on critical transfusions, including car accident victims, those living with sickle cell disease and those facing cancer, get the care they need. Fall into donating blood or platelets. Make an appointment to give now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org , calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. All who come to give blood, platelets or plasma Sept. 22-Oct. 19, 2025, will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Fall . Upcoming blood donation opportunities

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Ozzy Osbourne may be gone, but his unmistakable voice now lives on ... for a good cause.A charity version of the Black Sabbath classic "War Pigs" has been released: It's…

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“We’re trying to figure out how to keep our home and keep our kids together. We’re not giving up.”

Today in the Riverbend area, expect a high near 81 degrees with a low around 52 degrees. The day will be mostly sunny and pleasant with light north-northwest winds at about 5 mph. The air feels very comfortable with highs that seem warmer at around 85 degrees in the sun. Allergy alert: Mold levels are moderate, so those sensitive should take precautions. Grass and ragweed pollen are low, and the UV index stands at a moderate level of 5, so appropriate sun protection is advised. Tomorrow's forecast calls for a high of 83 degrees and a low of 53 degrees. It will be sunny with warm temperatures and light southwest winds. A beautiful start to the weekend is expected with plenty of sunshine and pleasant conditions. For the latest weather updates, visit https://riverbender.com/weather .

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Measuring academic progress is becoming increasingly important as Missouri schools recover from pandemic-related learning loss, with researchers and the state’s education officials championing growth as a vital metric. St. Louis University’s PRiME Center, a nonpartisan education think tank, held a half-day conference on the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia Thursday to dig into how […]

While members of Congress waste time grandstanding about “censorship” and politicians threaten to jail tech executives for their moderation choices, actual trust & safety teams are quietly doing work that saves lives in active war zones. But you’d never know it from all the political theater. That’s why we’ve partnered with the International Committee of […]

The "Evolution Festival" returns to Forest Park this weekend for its third consecutive year, featuring two days of live music, local foods and packed crowds.