SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Access to abortion is essentially locked down in Illinois. But Democrats are looking for ways to further protect the practice and its availability, including to outsiders who potentially face home-state penalties for seeking treatment here. Legislation approved by both houses of the General Assembly include requiring Illinois insurers to cover abortion-inducing [...]
Owner of The Roughneck Grooming & Beard, Brad Jackson, says it’s time for a change, which includes closing his brick and mortar shop, at 7282 Manchester Road, after this weekend. Hey, Maplewood! After 7 amazing years, we’re making the hard decision to evolve and close The Roughneck Grooming & Beard Store in downtown Maplewood. This […]
GRAFTON - Aerie's Resort is proud to announce that they are now offering online bookings for all of their attractions. This exciting news means that families looking for summer fun can easily plan their visit to the Midwest's best resort with just a few clicks of a button. Aerie’s opened Illinois’ first Zipline Canopy Tour in 2012, and the Grafton SkyTour aerial lift has been wowing visitors with incredible views since 2019. In the fall of 2022, we opened the first Alpine Coaster in the state, and more exciting attractions are on the way. Now, with the convenience of online booking, guests can reserve their spot at any of these amazing attractions with ease via smartphone, laptop, or any internet-connected device. The online booking process is simple and user-friendly. Customers can easily navigate the Aerie's Resort website and select their desired attraction, date, and time. Once their booking is confirmed, they can sit back and relax, knowing that their adventure at
CHICAGO – Ameren Illinois’ proposed four-year electric rate hike should be slashed by at least $492 million, the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) announced Monday, citing expert testimony it filed. "While a utility has to maintain its system, Ameren should not get a blank check,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. "Our expert witnesses combed through Ameren’s rate-hike proposal and cut out the fat, including an excessive profit rate for shareholders. We are hoping other parties will be able to recommend further reductions.” Ameren customers can visit CUBHelpCenter.com to sign a petition to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) against the proposed increase. On January 20, Ameren Illinois filed for a four-year, $1.3 billion rate hike with the ICC. For a customer who uses about 10,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually (or about 833 kWh a month), the hike would increase Ameren delivery rates by an average of roughly $6.27 a month eac
GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College held its inaugural State of Trailblazer Nation event Monday, May 15, closing the 2022-2023 academic year on a high note. Sessions were held at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. – the former being an internal event for L&C team members, and the latter for the general community. Both comprised comments from President Ken Trzaska, and leaders from mover teams representing the four key directions (KD) of the college’s strategic plan. "The college first started this journey in early Spring 2021 with an internal survey to team members about what efforts we should start, stop and continue as an institution,” he said. “The outcomes of that initial feedback eventually became these four key directions.” KD1: Expect Enrollment and Retention Improvements KD2: Invest in Program and Curriculum Development KD3: Build a Transparent and Inclusive Campus Culture KD4: Broaden Community and Educational Collaboration
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt is pushing for tax credits for electric vehicle manufacturers as part of the General Assembly’s final revenue package. This will incentivize electric vehicle manufacturing and renewable energy investments in Illinois and will pave the way for significant economic growth and a cleaner, more sustainable future for the state. “Tax credits for electric vehicle and renewable energy manufacturers will result in economic prosperity in our state,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “In addition, this will send a clear message that Illinois is open for a favorable business environment and committed to sustainable innovation.” Senate Bill 2576 would establish tax credits, known as Renewable Energy Vehicle credits, for qualifying electric vehicle and renewable energy manufactures that make substantial investments in capital improvements and maintain a strong workforce. To qualify, businesses must invest a minimum of $500 million
PONTOON BEACH - As weather heats up and schools begin releasing for the summer, Madison County Transit (MCT) is pleased to once again offer Madison County students ages 18 and under free rides on all MCT public buses with the 2023 MCT Summer Youth Pass. The MCT Summer Youth Pass is valid from Memorial Day to Labor Day and allows students in kindergarten through 12 th grade the opportunity to ride MCT for free all summer long. “For 15 years, the MCT Summer Youth Pass has provided Madison County students with a free and safe way to access summer jobs, classes, community resources, shopping areas, pools, parks, and more.” said MCT Managing Director SJ Morrison. “I want to thank the MCT Board of Trustees for their continued support of this program for our young people.” MCT’s Summer Youth Pass program was created in 2008 to provide affordable transportation access for Madison County youth and their families, and accounts for more than 550,000 boardings o
A bill filed at the St. Louis Board of Aldermen today would make it much harder for people to brandish loaded assault rifles on the city streets — by limiting open-carry rights to people with a concealed-carry permit. Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who filed the board bill for introduction this Friday, says that while Missouri law does not require concealed-carry permits, it gives municipalities the right to require them for anyone who wants to openly carry a firearm within its borders. Kansas City already does so — and lawyers Spencer consulted believe it would be one way to restrict some firearms in St. Louis, even with Missouri's notoriously lax gun laws.
CHAMPAIGN – Busey Bank is committed to building strong communities. Each year, we offer financial support toward continuing education endeavors to applicants of all ages and educational backgrounds through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship. “We are proud to support the educational aspirations of students across our footprint through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship,” said Sandy DeMond, Senior Vice President – Director of Community Banking. “We recognize the financial challenges that come with continuing education and hope to ease that burden for students and their families. By investing in their education, we’re not only helping the students themselves, but also our communities as a whole.” Through the Busey Bank Bridge Scholarship Fund, $25,000 in the aggregate will be awarded annually. Funds will be disbursed through 10 individual scholarships of $2,500 throughout the Busey Bank service areas. Applicants must reside in one of the
There may be an entire commission behind the push to mandate client-side scanning in the European Union, but there’s one truly propulsive force behind it: Commissioner Ylva Johansson, the person in charge of the Home Affairs office. Johansson is the one who penned a largely incoherent defense of the proposal back in August 2022, long […]
GRAFTON - Jersey County Circuit Clerk Daniel Schetter presented Grafton Police Chief Eric Spanton and Mayor Morrow with a check in the amount of $5,000 at the City Council meeting on May 16. Schetter’s goal was to help the smaller cities in Jersey County to bolster government services, and Grafton is one of the beneficiaries. The gift was made possible through his office from traffic ticket revenue in the county. “We need to work together to help each other and to make our communities safer for everyone,” Schetter said. Chief Spanton said, “This money will be used to purchase new handheld radios with improved reception, which will enhance officer safety and allow quicker response time.” The county provided funds last year to transition Grafton police cruisers from analog to digital radios. “We are very grateful for the continued support from the county,” said Mayor Morrow. Grafton City Council meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each
Foo Fighters are performing at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula 1 race. Dave Grohl and company will take the stage following the events of the race's final day…
A regional crime summit held at the Washington University School of Medicine came five days after two influential business groups called on St. Louis’ elected leaders to set homicide reduction targets, saying the region’s high murder rate is harming the economy not only from loss of life but also as a “leading barrier to growth.”
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