Amid warnings of impending energy shortages, Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed a wide-ranging energy reform package into law aimed at bolstering the state’s power grids after years of negotiations. www.stlpr.org/health-scien...

Illinois and the four other Democratic-led states that were subject to the Trump administration’s freeze on $10 billion in federal funding for child care and family services filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to block the move. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

The draining of the Alton sinkhole appears to be getting close to complete. 📷: 618 Drone Service

INBOX: @budzinski.house.gov says some key water projects in the Metro East passed in the House budget. They will still need Senate approval. Some of these had been notably cut from last year's budget.

ALTON, Ill. — The effort to drain the water from the sinkhole in the middle of a soccer field has started. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/news-briefs/...

SPRINFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Republican candidate for governor Darren Bailey says a DOGE-like system can achieve savings and efficiencies in Illinois’ budget. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social @benszalinski.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

The Illinois Department of Human Services mistakenly uploaded private health-related info to a publicly accessible website and left it there for more than three years before it discovered the mistake. Why did it take so long to find out? @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

ICYMI: The Trump administration plans to halt $10 billion in federal funding for child care assistance, low income and social service funds in Illinois and four other Democrat-led states, alleging unspecified "massive amounts of fraud." @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

Tammy Duckworth, who lost both of her legs in Iraq, said today that she sees parallels between the invasion in the Middle East in the 2000s and the recent actions taken in Venezuela. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Even with signs of fiscal challenges reemerging in Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker and Democrats do not appear to be considering raising income taxes on the wealthiest this year, @brendenmoore.bsky.social reports. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

WSJ: The open seat to replace Sen. Dick Durbin is a test of Gov. JB Pritzker’s clout in a state where he has leveraged his wealth to dominate the Democratic Party. www.wsj.com/politics/ele...

Remember STAR bonds? Kansas will use them to help build the new Chiefs stadium. In Illinois, the legislature just expanded its program — which are designed to lure developers that will do at least $60 million in gross sales annually. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

ICYMI: Illinois American Water completed $157 million in upgrades to its Metro East regional water treatment plant in East St. Louis this year. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Illinois American Water completed $157 million in improvements to its Metro East water treatment plant. The East St. Louis facility provides drinking water to dozens of communities in St. Clair and Madison counties.

Metro East business owner and father Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval is preparing for his deportation to Mexico — a country he left decades ago and where his attorney said he is afraid to return because of cartel violence. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/news-briefs/...

Breaking News: Ben Sasse, a Republican former senator from Nebraska and a former president of the University of Florida, announced that he had received a diagnosis of terminal Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — The Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 will pay its recently departed superintendent $64,604, according to a separation agreement obtained by St. Louis Public Radio. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/education/20...

The state’s ag director says the Trump administration’s $12 billion farm aid package won’t come close to covering the losses farmers have suffered. Peter Hancock reports 👉 https://loom.ly/DMZPYR0

A once dying Mall in Southern Illinois is getting a mighty makeover, thanks to $112M bond deal, but the project has hit a speed bump — the latest from me and @bhundsdorfer.bsky.social for @illinoisanswers.bsky.social @capitolnewsil.bsky.social illinoisanswers.org/2025/12/15/a...

CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill. — After the U.S. Senate failed to reach a consensus regarding the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois says the result will be “devastating.” @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Senate Republicans reject new congressional maps in defiance of Trump’s redistricting push.

The federal lawmakers are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to look into Veolia's incinerator in Sauget. The CDC previously completed an air pollution investigation in May, which suggested the EPA should monitor air quality and conduct soil testing. From the Belleville News-Democrat:

SAUGET, Ill. — Federal lawmakers would like the EPA to look into Veolia's incinerator. The CDC previously completed an air pollution investigation in May, which suggested the EPA should monitor air quality and conduct soil testing. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/health-scien...

ALTON, Ill. — It has still not been determined who will pay the estimated $35,000 to $53,000 cost of removing the water from the sinkhole in a public park. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi has donated $29,300 — the entirety of campaign contributions from Palantir chief technology officer Shyam Sankar — to immigrant rights groups, his Senate campaign said on Wednesday. chicago.suntimes.com/the-watchdog...

I’m thrilled to announce more than $789,000 to support fire departments across Central and Southern Illinois! This federal funding will help ensure that our brave first responders have the equipment, training, and technology they need to stay safe on the job.

Convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has asked President Donald Trump for a pardon, Department of Justice records show. www.stlpr.org/government-p...

FREEBURG, Ill. — As more than 800,000 Illinoisans served by Ameren turn to natural gas to heat their homes, the utility maintains that the modernization efforts underway at its local storage sites are needed. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

After being off the list in recent years, Madison and St. Clair counties have once again been named “judicial hellholes” by the American Tort Reform Association. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/law-order/20...

U.S. Senate candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi on Monday said he may “revisit” contributions from Shyam Sankar, a prolific GOP donor and chief technology officer for a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contractor.

The three top Democrats vying to become the party’s nominee for U.S. senator in Illinois have released proposals detailing how they plan to make life more affordable for Americans. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — In celebration of the centennial of Route 66, SIUE will compete as the SIUE 66ers at various times during the 2026 calendar year. siuecougars.com/news/2025/12...

GRANITE CITY, Ill. — U.S. Steel is eyeing an April 1 restart of the second of its two blast furnaces at Granite City Works, but it could come sooner, the local steelworkers union president said. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

FREEBURG, Ill. — Before the outbreak, the Metro East producer had about 900 chickens and guinea hens, 80 ducks and 20 geese. All had to be killed when the Illinois Department of Agriculture detected avian influenza. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Statement from @govpritzker.illinois.gov:

Today’s announcement from U.S. Steel is welcome news for the residents and proud steelworkers of Granite City. Driven by consumer demand, the decision will result in new good-paying jobs and significant investment in the community.

Other potential factors, according to the Wall Street Journal: • U.S. Steel will start supplying about 750,000 tons of steel slabs next year to an Alabama plant owned by rival ArcelorMittal, as part of a seven-year supply contract. www.wsj.com/business/u-s...

U.S. Steel will begin the process to restart its second blast furnace at Granite City Works next year, the company announced late on Thursday. “It's way better news than what we've heard in the last year — for sure,” one steelworker said. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

BREAKING: U.S. Steel will restart the second blast furnace at Granite City Works. www.businesswire.com/news/home/20...

Metro East state representatives Jay Hoffman, Katie Stuart, Charlie Meier and Amy Elik are among the most effective Illinois lawmakers. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

ICYMl: Ameren Illinois residential customers will see an average $3.65 increase on their natural gas bills in January after the Illinois Commerce Commission recently slashed proposed rate hikes for two of the state’s largest utilities. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

CARLYLE, Ill. — A “temporary” police chief has been appointed to lead the police department after the current chief was placed on paid suspension amid an FBI investigation. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

WSJ: Private Medicaid insurers dominate the government healthcare program that covers more than 70 million Americans. But when Medicaid-plan enrollees need care, they often can’t get appointments — including an 8-year-old Belleville boy. www.wsj.com/health/healt...

CBS: John Michel, a retired Air Force brigadier general based in Swansea, sought a new mission: to create the first certified mobile food-truck apprentice program in America. www.cbsnews.com/video/feedin...

ALTON, Ill. — The company that’s renovating much of downtown has launched a $25 million fiber internet network that will reach nearly 94% of the city's residents. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

Former Metro East factory workers linked to the Manhattan Project have secured Illinois’ first radiation-exposure compensation awards. They’d been excluded from federal aid for years because none tested positive for the specific cancers required.

Roughly 70 former employees of a Metro East factory tied to the Manhattan Project, and the spouses of deceased workers, have become the first group in Illinois to receive workers’ compensation for radiation exposure. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/health-scien...

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — A activist aligned with former Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler, who's running to be the next county clerk, has filed an objection to the current clerk's filing paperwork. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...

The Illinois Commerce Commission has gone further than administrative judges asked it to go earlier this year — cutting Ameren Illinois’ $128.8 million rate increase request for natural gas delivery services by $55.8 million. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/economy-busi...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Leaders of the Veterans Assistance Commission of St. Clair County warned county officials that veterans could face waitlists and service delays if the agency does not receive additional funding for increased staffing. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/government-p...