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 introduced the bipartisan National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act to reauthorize relief for an additional four years for qualifying members of the National Guard and Reserves experiencing financial hardship. The legislation would protect a long-standing bipartisan carveout from means-testing restrictions in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases. “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,” said Durbin. “Our National Guard members and reservists must not be penalized for any active duty pay should financial calamity force them to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This bipartisan legislation ensures that they won’t be.”
CHCAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 10 attorneys general, today filed comments in support of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regarding changes to the H-2A program. The H-2A program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform temporary agricultural work. The proposed regulations would strengthen worker protection measures for H-2A agricultural workers and the DOL’s capability to monitor compliance and take enforcement actions. “Individuals who come to the U.S. to fill critical workforce shortages deserve to be protected from abuse and unsafe workplaces,” Raoul said. “The Department of Labor’s proposed rule strengthens its H-2A program to enhance the department’s ability to protect vulnerable workers as they play important roles enhancing our nation’s economy.” The H-2A program, and agricultural
From St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Plans for a dual-branded hotel moved forward Tuesday after a St. Louis board gave an initial approval to tax abatement for the project. The board of the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority approved 10 years of tax abatement, worth $7.3 million, for Midas Hospitality’s project. The dual-branded hotel — a boutique […]
The Train Shed at St. Louis Union Station has been transformed into a glittering holiday retreat. With wall-to-wall bling, The Sleigh Shed puts the excess of the holidays on full […]
PBS has shared a preview of Foo Fighters' upcoming episode on its long-running music performance TV series, Austin City Limits. The clip, streaming now on YouTube, captures a show-closing rendition of…
From RiverBender: The Alton City Council recently passed two ordinances related to the Alton Landfill Solar Farm project, which was first announced earlier this year and is taking shape as progress continues. One item passed was a lease agreement between the City of Alton and Alton Landfill Solar LLC, while the other was an electric […]
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is proud to announce the promotion of Rebecca Hooks from Lieutenant Colonel to First Deputy Director, effective immediately. First Deputy Director Hooks is the first female to achieve this position within ISP since its inception in 1922. As the First Deputy Director, Hooks is second in command to Director Brendan F. Kelly. “First Deputy Director Hooks is an outstanding example of the kind of grit, intelligence and integrity found within to ISP,” said Director Kelly. “With First Deputy Director Hooks, the ISP will continue to move sharply forward into our second century!” First Deputy Director Hooks is not a newcomer to the realm of ISP Command. Prior to her recent promotion, she was the Chief of Staff for the Office of the Director. First Deputy Director Hooks has served with ISP for more than 21 years, beginning her career in 2002 as part of Cadet Class 105. Her first assignment was patrol in the
From Planetizen: By Devin Partida: Many governments are in too much debt to fund new city development. Private companies, however, are often in a good financial position to finance new projects and have a solid incentive to do so—they often receive the operating profits once a project is complete. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are good for […]
New data-driven state investments will provide shelter to those at police stations and airports, speed transition to independent living CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker announced today that the State will invest an additional $160 million via the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis presented by the arrival of over 24,000 asylum seekers from the U.S. Southern Border. The State, alongside our local partners, has led a comprehensive data driven analysis of the ongoing asylum seeker response, rooted in not only data but also input from frontline partners and new arrivals, which identified several “bottlenecks” where services and resettlement tended to slow. These bottlenecks included delays in initial intake at landing sites, access to shelter, and the transition to independent living. This has led to backlogs and capacity issues, most visible in individuals sleeping outside police stations, but more broadly acros
Last week Ohio was the latest state to institute a reproductive rights amendment to its constitution. The vote was cheered by Democrats in Missouri, but a similar fight in the Show-Me state may not lead to electoral success for Democrats.
Carlose G. Mosley, 23, of Belleville, is set to remain in custody until his trial date. Madison County State’s Attorney, Tom Haine, filed a petition requesting Mosley's continued custody, citing concerns about public safety and flight risk due to the nature of his alleged crime.
Major League Baseball owners Thursday approved the Oakland Athletics' plans to move to Las Vegas, potentially sending the city's last major-league sports franchise into its final at-bat in the East Bay.
The late Robbie Robertson was honored for his work on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon at the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards on Wednesday, November 15, in Los Angeles. Robertson, who passed away in…
From St. Louis Business Journal: A big-box retail site in North County that houses Burlington and Five Below stores has hit the market for $8.2 million. An affiliate of Aventine Development is marketing the site at 10895 W. Florissant Ave., calling the shopping center it’s part of the “gateway to Ferguson.” It added that Burlington […]
From NPR: By Evy Lewis: The Missouri General Assembly passed a law in 2017 making it harder for people to prove housing discrimination cases. Because that violates the federal Fair Housing Act, Missouri loses hundreds of thousands of dollars every year that would have been used to investigate discrimination complaints. Every year since 2017, Missouri has […]
Missouri Governor Mike Parson recently broke bread — or at least a few barbecue-slathered ribs — with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. No big deal, right? Just two middle-aged white people in neighboring states finding common ground.
From St. Louis Business Journal: By Erin Wright: You’ve probably never heard of Roanoke Construction. Even peers in the local construction industry are often surprised to learn that Roanoke has been around since 2012. The St. Louis-based general contractor has spent the past 11 years quietly focused on building affordable housing serving families across the […]
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