CHICAGO – Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the Illinois Department of Revenue  say their joint, ongoing criminal enforcement operation to prosecute gas station owners who evaded sales tax payments has recovered more than $100 million for the state. The ongoing operation led by Madigan’s Special Prosecutions Bureau and IDOR’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation was launched…

Most construction firms report they are having trouble finding qualified craft workers to fill key spots as the industry recovers from its years-long downturn, according to the results of an industry-wide survey released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials called for new career and technical school programs, as well as other…

Dr. Mark Allendorph and Vickie Garvey tend to a patient in Alton Memorial Hospital’s Digestive Health Center, which earned one of the six 5-Star Awards for AMH from Professional Research Consultants this year. ALTON – Alton Memorial Hospital won eight prestigious honors at the 2014 PRC (Professional Research Consultants) National Excellence in Healthcare Conference, held…

Scott Credit Union recently presented a $1,700 check to representatives from the Collinsville Main Street Community Association to sponsor its 2014 Fall Festival that will be held on Oct. 25 on Main Street. Pictured, from left, are Collinsville Main Street Association Vice President and City of Collinsville Uptown Coordinator Leah Joyce, SCU Community Relations Representative…

EDWARDSVILLE – The economics and finance graduate program within the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business is ranked 12th in The Financial Engineer’s 2015 Financial Economics Rankings released this week. “It is always rewarding to see the hard work and dedication of our faculty and students recognized,” said John Navin, interim dean of the…

HIGHLAND – State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons will speak Thursday at a seminar on identity theft sponsored by the Highland Chamber of Commerce. The event, “Identity Theft: Don’t Become the Next Victim,” will discuss how individuals can avoid becoming victims and targets of identity thieves. Topics include money wiring scams, identifying ATM skimmers and holiday identity…

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett says the agency has met its target of registering 3,000 small sources since the 2012 inception of the Registration of Smaller Sources program, part of a major regulatory streamlining effort designed to reduce the burden and costs on small businesses. The Registration of Smaller Sources program was created…

Groundbreaking photo includes from left: Bill Paape, acting director of the Office of Gateways for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration; Ellen McCurdy, senior policy adviser to the ILDCEO director; Kelli Gilliam, commercial relationship manager at Regions Bank; Dale Stewart, executive director of Southwestern Illinois Building Trades Construction Council; Mayor John Hamm III of…

GODFREY – Businesses who want to attract the right customers – rather than the high-maintenance ones – are invited to attend a one-hour seminar at Liberty Bank in Godfrey beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30. Sponsored by the Southwestern Illinois chapter of nonprofit business counseling organization SCORE, the no-cost session will offer practical,…

BELLEVILLE – Gov. Pat Quinn has announced a $6.1 million investment to build an Early Childhood Education Center at Southwestern Illinois College. The announcement was made as the governor was joined Thursday by school and local officials to dedicate SWIC’s new Veterans and Career Services Center, and to celebrate the prestigious LEED Gold certification for…