Local Business Headlines
State Senator Erica Harriss to host January Listening Sessions
State Senator Erica Harriss (R-56th-Glen Carbon) will host a series of Listening Sessions in January to provide residents of the 56th District an opportunity to meet one-on-one with the Senator and share their concerns, ideas, and feedback. “Meeting directly with the people I serve is the best way to understand the issues that matter most…
Read MoreGovernor Pritzker celebrates 2025 accomplishments
Despite attacks from federal government, Illinois continues to deliver new economic opportunities, stronger education and healthcare, and essential civil rights protections Throughout 2025, the State of Illinois faced new challenges. The federal government created chaos and uncertainty for the national economy, stripped away healthcare and food assistance from seniors and children, and attacked fundamental American…
Read MoreUrban Training Center to be built on LCRA property
Facility to train hundreds of individuals a year After issuing a request for proposals to redevelop land owned in Wellston, Mo., the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of the County of St. Louis (LCRA) has announced that the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) will build an Urban Training Center at Plymouth Industrial Park,…
Read MoreMadison County honors retiring leaders whose public service careers changed lives
Careers in public service are often measured not in years, but in lives changed — on Wednesday (Dec. 17), the Madison County Board honored two leaders whose work changed thousands as they set to close the door on their careers. “These are careers defined by service and impact,” Board Chairman Chris Slusser said. “Tony Fuhrmann…
Read MoreCareers in View: Data specialist Ideah Bradley, SIUE TRIO Upward Bound success story
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville TRIO Upward Bound’s Ideah Bradley is on a full-circle journey as the newest program data specialist who graduated from the college readiness program as a teen in 2021. Bradley begins her MBA at SIUE in January 2026. Throughout her academic career, she has stayed connected to the TRIO Upward Bound experience.…
Read MoreFrom SCORE: How do I pay myself as a small business owner?
High on your priority list as a business owner is getting a financial benefit from all your hard work. So, one of the first and most pressing questions you’ll ask yourself is: “How do I pay myself?” The answer isn’t necessarily obvious because it’s not the same for every business. How you go about it…
Read MorePrairie Rivers Network, Sierra Club Illinois challenge federal expansion of Illinois coal mining
Environmental organizations file lawsuit to challenge TVA decision that will allow a coal mine with a history of environmental and labor violations to significantly expand its coal mining operations in Southern Illinois As of Dec. 18, 2025, Prairie Rivers Network and Sierra Club Illinois are suing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a federally owned…
Read More‘Share the Warmth Drive’ hosted by Senator Harriss to benefit Riverbend families
Thanks to the generosity of residents across the 56th District, State Senator Erica Harriss’s annual Share the Warmth Drive has wrapped up as a success. Donations collected over the month were delivered to Riverbend Family Ministries, helping local families stay cozy and cared for this winter. “This year’s Share the Warmth Drive truly showed the…
Read MoreAmeren Illinois, Illinois EDC, economic development partners launch Site Development Program
Aim is to accelerate preparation of shovel ready properties, target compatible industries for attraction and expansion Ameren Illinois, the Illinois Economic Development Corporation, and local partners are teaming up to launch the Ameren Site Acceleration Program (ASAP) to prepare prime development-ready sites in economically disadvantaged areas for business expansion and economic growth. Through ASAP, due…
Read MoreFrom Senator Belt: Big win for local chicken farmers
Starting Jan. 1, a new law supported by State Senator Christopher Belt will allow smaller poultry producers increased access to the poultry market while still upholding basic food safety measures. “Farmers markets are popping up all over Illinois. They are a great way to grow local businesses, and now we will allow smaller poultry producers…
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