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CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $50.7 million in new infrastructure grants awarded to 34 communities, counties, and localities across Illinois for critical infrastructure projects including bridge replacement, water treatment upgrades, road construction projects and more. State funds will be met with $72.1 million in matching commitments for capital projects, which brings the total investment to nearly $123 million. This funding is made possible by the Rebuild Illinois Public Infrastructure (RIPI) Capital Program, part of Governor Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan capital program, Rebuild Illinois, and a key priority outlined in Illinois’ 5-year economic plan, a blueprint to create economic growth. RIPI is one of several infrastructure programs created by the state to provide investment in aging infrastructure, as well as job opportunities for communities. In total, the Rebuild

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O'FALLON - GCS Credit Union has recently awarded the $2,000 Nicole R. Thorp Scholarship to Ryan Merrill from O’Fallon Township High School. GCS was looking for applicants who receive good grades, have an opinion on effective money habits and who are actively involved in school and the community. Nicole R. Thorp, who the scholarship is named after, was a big believer in helping out where needed. Ryan is ranked number thirty-two in his class, played soccer for OTHS, and is an Eagle Scout of Troop 555. Ryan will be attending Brigham Young University in Idaho. Candidates were also required to submit an essay on three principles they believe should guide a new college student’s money habits. Ryan believes, “I first need to make sure all other obligations and dues are paid before spending money on my wants. Material things come and go, but college students should understand that a place to live, the ability to attend college, and bad credit scores will be crucial i

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EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt supported a number of measures signed into law aimed at helping law enforcement – including mental health support, pay increases, retention incentives, retirement assistance, day care help and other benefits. “Law enforcement officials protect our communities,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “I was proud to vote for these laws that offer support and ensure that police officers have the tools and training to do their job.” Among the new laws Belt supports are House Bill 3863, which creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to assist departments through the hiring and training processes and improve retention strategies. He also supported House Bill 1568, which permits employees of Sheriff’s Departments and Department of Corrections security employees and parole agents who are honorably retiring in good standing to purchase any badge previously issued to the employee by the employer and

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St. Charles police are searching for a Montgomery County, Missouri, officer accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend and releasing nude images of her.

CHICAGO — Governor Pritzker today signed historic and equity-focused nursing home rate form legislation (HB246) that will improve care for nursing home residents across Illinois. The legislation holds facility owners accountable by tying new funding to improving care for vulnerable Illinoisans. The reform principles include increased funding that is tied to staffing levels, a proven predictor of improved health outcomes for residents; a new pay scale for certified nursing assistants that increases wages based on years of experience; and funding connected to improving key quality measures. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services first introduced these reforms in March 2021, and they were also included in the Governor’s budget for this fiscal year. Illinois will become the first state to implement this reform model, as well as the first to incentivize better nursing home staffing at this magnitude. For the first time in Illinois, there will be a direct

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ST. LOUIS - Today, the City of St. Louis Department of Human Services begins its free summer food program, Schools Out Cafe. A partnership with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Schools Out Cafe brings together city and community resources to connect children to available food from over the summer at city recreation centers and local nonprofits at more than 30 locations across the city. “Good nutrition for our children is a year-round goal,” said Department of Human Services Director Yusef Scoggin. “The Department of Humans Services is committed to helping make sure children don’t go hungry this summer with Schools Out Cafe.” One meal per child is available both at breakfast and lunch. Parents or guardians may visit any site at any time, but attending the same site will help staff coordinate. The program runs from May 31, 2022, to August 19, 2022, and a list of the 31 sites and hours can be found on the City’s website .

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AMBER Alerts, part of a national system that offers information on child abductions, will soon appear on Instagram.

First, there was flax. Then chia. Now the latest food craze is hemp. It is a nutritional powerhouse and you can find it on your local supermarket shelves in the form of seeds, milk, and powder. Hemp contains all of the essential fatty and amino acids required by the human body. The seeds are an excellent source of protein, minerals, and dietary fiber. Hemp is actually a variety of the cannabis plant and is grown commercially for its many uses including use as food, paper, textiles, rope, fuel, building materials, and even a fuel alternative. It’s probably one of the most useful plants on earth. Hemp cultivation dates back more than 10,000 years and hemp has been utilized for hundreds of products from food to fuel to fiber. The 2018 farm bill reclassified industrial hemp as a commodity crop, which made it legal. This opened up a world of possibilities. Hemp has the power to transform the environment and strengthen local economies while having a positive impact on the environment

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Decision to strip voting rights could affect many people in Phelps County, Missouri, who have guardianship orders.

Bag Phones, Brick Phones, Blackberries, a Satellite Phone and more – these are some of the cellular telephones you’ll see at the Jefferson Barracks Telephone

The post Cellular Telephone Exhibit appeared first on Explore St. Louis.

William Gary Barnes II is a police officer in New Florence. He's considered armed and dangerous.

A Florissant native and ex-Boeing employee opened Loading Bar in Edwardsville, which bills itself as "a gaming and pop culture themed escape."

From St. Charles to downtown St. Louis to Metro East, there are plenty of ways to celebrate in June and beyond.

Back when Netflix was a pesky upstart trying to claw subscribers away from entrenched cable providers, the company had a pretty lax approach to users who shared streaming passwords. At one point CEO Reed Hastings went so far as to say he “loved” password sharing, seeing it as akin to free advertising. The idea was that as […]

St. Louis not only retained a spot among the top 10, it rose in the ranking, according to an annual study by financial website SmartAsset.

“It’s so obvious, we’re surprised that no one had done it before us,” says Matthew Fuller, co-owner of STL Toasted.

Centene Corp.'s Missouri subsidiary, Home State Health, has hired a former Mercy executive as its new CEO.

PIASA - Emily Lowis finished her high school track and field career with a strong performance at the IHSA Girls State Track and Field Meet in Charleston. Emily cleared 2.75 meters in the pole vault and finished in a six-way tie for 25th place. Emily said it was “awesome” qualifying for the state track and field meet. She thanked both of her coaches Gary Bowker and pole vault specialist Jenna Wernsing for her efforts. Bowker said Jenna medaled at the state meet in high school and was a competitor at Western Illinois University. Jenna had a large impact on Emily. “Emily is a great girl,” Jenna said. “Her form now from where she first started four years ago is night and day different. She looks at and evaluates what she is doing and understands what it takes to be successful.” Emily said overall, “it was just a fun season. I got a chance to go to state and extend my track season a little longer.” She said not only did she enjoy the state

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