The National Symphony Orchestra is set to pay tribute to the late Leonard Cohen with a very special night of music. Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, taking place April 26…
ALTON - The City of Alton will host DMV services at Alton City Hall, located at 101 E. 3rd Street, once a quarter starting on Jan. 18, 2024. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, Alton residents can get or renew identification cards, renew driver’s licenses, purchase registration stickers or complete the process to get a REAL ID. “On these designated mobile days, the community will have access to a wide array of DMV services, excluding the driving test,” the city said in a press release. “From license renewals to registration updates, the Alton City Hall will serve as a hub for residents to address their motor vehicle-related needs efficiently.” The quarterly mobile days will largely negate the need for Alton residents to travel to Bethalto or Edwardsville for DMV services. The City noted that this new program is a result of a “groundbreaking collaboration” between the City of Alton and the Illinois Secretary of State Office.
Customers can pick up the brand's popular gooey butter cake, Grammy’s carrot cake, brownies, and more from Fresh Thyme, Schnucks, Straub’s, and Wally’s.
The police SUV that crashed into a St. Louis bar earlier this week did not have a dashboard camera, police said Wednesday in their first public comments about the crash and the resulting interaction with the bar owners.
Political leaders and former employees of a St. Louis nursing home called for its operators to be held accountable after it abruptly shut down Friday, saying at a rally Tuesday that 170 residents were sent to other care centers with just the clothes on their backs, the Associated Press reported.
After Northview Village Nursing Home closed down Friday, shuttle buses carried residents to some 14 other St. Louis-area care centers, and some relatives said that, days later, they hadn't yet found out…
In this encore, listen back to our September interview with columnist and commentator Michael Harriot. Harriot's debut book, “Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America,” offers a compelling retelling of American history. Harriot discusses why he tackled a sweeping retelling of American history, and also shares his experiences from covering protests in Ferguson in 2014 and St. Louis in 2017.
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
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,
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
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
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 […]
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
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
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
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
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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