By ED HIGHTOWER Edwardsville, Ill. In high-pressure moments, when everything is on the line, leaders must be able to make the right call. As March Madness takes hold this spring, Illinois lawmakers are encouraged to make the tough call regarding affordable housing. Growing up in a family of eight children in Southeast Missouri, I knew what it…
By DAMOND BOATWRIGHT, MHA, MHS, FACHE President and CEO Hospital Sisters Health System Attention across the nation is rightly focused on potential massive and drastic Medicaid cuts under consideration by Congress that would imperil health care for nearly 80 million of our most vulnerable neighbors – low-income families, expectant moms, children and senior citizens, as…
By DENNIS GRUBAUGH Financially speaking, my mother spent so much time planning her demise she was ready for it when it came. I was, too. The preparations she made could well serve as an instructional for other people in their end-of-life considerations. Joy Grubaugh Richey passed away in October at age 89, after a fall…
To the Editor: The City of Wood River values its history while looking forward to the future. Our downtown district, with its blue-collar charm and historic architecture, is the heart of our town. To support this vital area, Wood River established a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District in 2019. This initiative has led to significant…
A spending cap, school district efficiency, pension reform and right-sizing government health care costs could permanently balance Illinois’ budget. The alternative is big deficits. Even after receiving $35 billion in unexpected revenue during the pandemic, Illinois’ state government faces budget challenges with a projected $3 billion deficit in 2026 and a $5 billion shortfall by…
The guilty verdict on 10 counts against disgraced former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is an indictment of the culture of corruption that has been the hallmark of Illinois government for far too long, according to the Illinois Freedom Caucus. “My first term in the Illinois House Michael Madigan was still our Speaker, and he…
Illinois Policy Institute research shows the policies that allowed former House Speaker Madigan’s 36-year reign have yet to be dismantled After 11 days of jury deliberation, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been found guilty of 10 counts of federal corruption charges including conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery. Proceedings will continue to determine his…
By DENNIS WILMSMEYER When established in 2014, the St. Louis Regional Freightway was tasked with some specific goals. Topping the list was enhancing and optimizing the region’s freight network, while strengthening modal flexibility, and raising awareness about the area’s global connectivity and ideal positioning for manufacturing and logistics businesses. Fast forward to 2025, and the…
By DENNIS GRUBAUGH Aging should be a universally noble and respected process, but the past year sure has left our perceptions in a mishmash. On one hand we engaged for months in a debate over the wisdom of electing an older man for president. On the other, we concluded that Jimmy Carter was quite the…
Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser issued an official statement today discussing the recent freeze on federal funding: Slusser said that he was never concerned about the pause because the federal money Madison County receives does not conflict with the president’s executive orders, or the memo issued through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).…