Local Business Headlines
How budget season can be one of the strongest growth levers for businesses
By LINDA FARHA As businesses enter the early stages of 2026 planning, many leaders find themselves engaged in the same annual ritual: reviewing past spending, finalizing departmental budgets and shaping priorities for the year ahead. While this process may feel procedural, economic indicators suggest it is far more consequential, particularly in states like Illinois where…
Read MoreFoundral launches with a mission to unite commercial contractors across the Midwest
Backed by McNally Capital, the platform builds upon Smith & Oby, a leading mechanical contractor in Northeast Ohio Foundral, a newly formed platform dedicated to building and rapidly scaling a family of union-backed mechanical contracting companies, recently announced its official launch. Integrating experienced teams throughout the Midwest and surrounding growth markets and supporting them with…
Read MoreFrom AG Raoul: Former Metro East police officer pleads guilty to theft, wire fraud
Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced on Dec. 10, 2025, that a former Metro East police officer pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $58,000 from the Alton Police Department Benevolent and Protective Association while employed by the Alton Police Department. Jeremiah T. Dressler, 42, of Brighton, Ill., pleaded guilty on Tuesday [Dec. 9, 2025] to one count…
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: Fix Tier 2 and protect public safety
By CHUCK SULLIVAN President, Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois As families across Illinois celebrate the holidays, thousands of professional firefighters and paramedics are spending their days and nights protecting our communities — often missing their own celebrations to respond when lives are on the line. While most people are gathered around their tables, firefighters are…
Read MoreIndian national sentenced to federal prison for scamming elderly residents
Victims spanned five Midwest states with an intended loss of more than $2.2 million EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced an Indian national to 90 months in federal prison for his involvement in an imposter scheme to defraud 11 identified victims, including elderly residents from Edwardsville and Effingham, Ill., and St. Louis,…
Read MoreIllinois wheat crop looks promising heading into winter
By RHIANNON BRANCH FarmWeek Many Illinois wheat fields, now covered in snow, looked good heading into winter and the onset of dormancy. The climatological winter began Dec. 1 while the official start of the winter solstice arrives Dec. 21. “We had a dry fall, so that allowed for a wide window of wheat planting,”…
Read MoreEdwardsville Police participating in statewide holiday season enforcement efforts
The holiday season is filled with celebrations. To help make sure those celebrations don’t end in tragedy, the Edwardsville Police Department is joining law enforcement agencies across Illinois in a major traffic safety effort. From Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, through Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, Edwardsville officers will take part in the statewide “Drive Sober or…
Read MoreNew youth emergency shelter created by Caritas Family Solutions supports children in crisis
The shelter provides 24-hour care, counseling, and a safe environment for vulnerable youth waiting for a home In the U.S. alone, over one million children experience homelessness each year. Caritas Family Solutions is working to address this critical need in the state of Illinois by creating a new Youth Emergency Shelter (YES). For the past…
Read MoreSIUE announces ‘alternate identity’ in celebration of Route 66 centennial anniversary
In celebration of the centennial of Route 66, SIUE Athletics has announced the department’s first” alternate identity.” At various times during the 2026 calendar year, beginning on New Year’s Day with men’s and women’s basketball, SIUE will compete as the “SIUE 66ers.” The SIUE 66ers will compete with a new logo and color scheme including…
Read MoreFrom IDOT: Funding opportunity for new EV charging stations
The Illinois Department of Transportation recently announced the third official notice of funding opportunity through the Illinois National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, which will provide approximately $65.6 million for the construction of charging stations across the state. The latest opportunity builds on the first two rounds, which awarded funding for 62 charging stations along Illinois…
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