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The Illinois Supreme Court has halted the elimination of cash bail that was set to take effect January 1. The high court says it ordered the stay to maintain consistent pretrial procedures throughout Illinois while the justices prepare to take up the matter. The decision follows days of confusion after Kankakee County Judge Thomas Cunnington [...]

The first billionaire ever is thought to be Standard Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller back in 1916, or perhaps Henry Ford in 1925. Fast forward some 100 years to 2021: as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage, a record-breaking 660 people became billionaires globally, growing the previous year's number by 30%. While the U.S. is [...]

The St. Louis American wishes you a joyous and prosperous new year.

ST. LOUIS - The term “plant-based diet” has garnered a lot of attention and headlines in recent years and for good reason. Research over many years has linked plant-based diets to lower rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. What better way to start out the New Year than with a new diet rich in all the vitamins and minerals that plants and dairy foods have to offer? What does “plant-based” mean? So what exactly is a plant-based diet, and does it have superior health benefits? Plant-based diet has no official definition. For some, it means choosing plant foods first, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains, before adding foods from animal sources, such as cheese, yogurt, chicken or beef. For others it means only choosing plant foods, omitting the other food groups, and potentially the nutrients they provide. According to registered dietitian, Maggie Cimarolli, “The term plant-based can allow for

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– U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released her first Term in Review , highlighting her work and accomplishments for the people of Illinois throughout the past six years. The new report outlines Duckworth’s efforts to champion and pass legislation to help working families get ahead and keep more of their hard-earned money, protect our communities from crime and gun violence, defend women’s rights, create good-paying jobs across the state, help bring environmental justice to overlooked communities in Illinois, support our allies in Ukraine and improve the lives of servicemembers, Veterans and military families. “It has been a true honor to serve the great state of Illinois for the past six years, and I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished for hardworking Illinoisans from Chicago to Cahokia Heights, Peoria and beyond,” Duckworth said. “As I look forward to the years ahead, I know there’s still much work to do to help

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Just some of the people in the arts, business, government and faith who died this year.

"Frank Viverito has been a treasure to this city,” said ESPN broadcaster Joe Buck.

Inflation is breaking records at more than 8%, and a global recession is likely on the horizon for 2023. While the news can be daunting, there are several steps you can take to stabilize your finances during a rocky economy. Create a financial plan (or update the one you have) A financial plan is your guiding light in a tumultuous market because it documents your short- and long-term goals. If you don’t already have a formal financial plan, your financial team can work with you to outline your…

Happy New Year 2023! But what is the significance of the newborn baby cryptid, and why do we have one?

"On Sunday, January 1, 2023, the Pretrial Fairness Act will take effect in Illinois. A Kankakee County circuit judge ruled that he believes the law is unconstitutional and today issued a final order declaring as much. The order, however, is not an injunction that would prevent the law’s implementation. Every county in the state of Illinois is legally allowed to implement this historic law on January 1st, unless a judge with jurisdiction issues an injunction governing that county. If counties continue to set money bonds, they are choosing to ignore the will of the people of Illinois as expressed in the democratic legislative process. "We are excited to see the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act on January 1 in many of Illinois’ largest counties, but we are dismayed that in other parts of the state, judges and prosecutors who are stubbornly opposed to progress continue to impede implementation of these historic reforms. "We call on the Illinois Supreme Cour

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At Commerce Bank, we recognize the important role immigration will have on the future of our region. The St. Louis area has a long history of attracting people from all over the world, and that has positively affected everything from our culture to our economy. Continuing that influx of foreign-born people is important to the growth and stability of our population both in the city and the surrounding counties. The numbers, however, are clear: the St. Louis region has fewer immigrants, and has attracted…

Turning to plants as an energy source is something we take for granted. Every day, we power our bodies and feed our livestock with plants. Ongoing climate change poses a threat to this energy source as some of our most-used crops are facing stressors like never before. But a promising new candidate, sorghum, is changing the game. As we begin to see the effects of climate change, it is clear that not all crops will be reliable producers in the long term — extreme weather patterns and changing ecosystems…