INBOX: @durbin.senate.gov and @duckworth.senate.gov have filed companion legislation in the U.S. Senate to expand the Gateway Arch National Park to East St. Louis. The same bill has already been filed in the U.S. House.

St. Clair County Transit District recently completed a 4.5-mile extension of its bike trail from near Scott Air Force Base to just shy of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. It runs parallel to the MetroLink rail line.

Madison County Transit unveiled a 640-foot pedestrian and bicycle bridge over Illinois 111 in Pontoon Beach on Thursday. The $6.3 million bridge will allow users of MCT’s Schoolhouse Trail to avoid crossing the state highway on the northeast corner of Horseshoe Lake. cc: @brianmoline.bsky.social 👀

NEWS: Jeff Wilson has beaten Joshua Loyd for the Republican nomination in IL-13, according to the Associated Press. As of now, Wilson is up 67% to 33% with 42% of the vote reported. He’ll face incumbent Democrat Nikki Budzinski in November. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social

NEWS: @budzinski.house.gov has defeated progressive challenger Dylan Blaha in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press. Currently, the incumbent Democrat is up 76.1 to 23.9% in the primary contest with 63% of the vote reported. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social

From St. Louis Magazine's business newsletter: Gas prices in the counties that make up the Metro East average now $3.90 per gallon. That's up $1.06 per gallon from last week.

Glen Carbon’s board of trustees voted unanimously Tuesday night to establish the boundaries for a sales tax and revenue bond district, which now awaits approval from the state.

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — The 15 homicides committed in 2025 represent the lowest level seen in the Metro East town in 45 years, according to new data released today by Illinois State Police.

INBOX: Chris Slusser, the chairman of the Madison County Board, will lead the East-West Gateway Council of Governments for the next year.

INBOX: Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski delivered $1.1 million in congressional earmarks to Glen Carbon today, which will be used to help fund the construction of a new water treatment plant.

INBOX: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Scott Air Force Base will now host the headquarters for the military's moving company, which is responsible for transporting soldiers' personal property when they are transferring to a new location.

INBOX: The Illinois EPA says Dupo's water has exceeded the federal limit for a forever chemical, PFOS. According to IEPA, it tested at 4.5 part per trillion. The limit is 4 ppt. They've also notified Columbia and Prairie du Pont Public Water District, which can get water from Dupo in emergencies.

The Alton sinkhole has been "dewatered." 📷: 618 Drone Service

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.

Statement from United Steelworkers leadership:

Statement from @govpritzker.illinois.gov:

Happy Sunday to everyone but the jerks who broke into my car in the 25 minutes that I was parked at Forest Park just now. I hope you enjoy my tantalizing interviews on the @stlpublicradio.bsky.social tape recorder you stole. Please return to 3651 Olive St. No questions asked lol.

NEWS: The Alton city council voted 5-2 tonight to eliminate all late night liquor licenses in town. Come Jan. 1, all establishments will need to stop selling liquor at 1 a.m. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social

INBOX: @budzinski.house.gov, D-Springfield, weighs in on the latest news regarding Granite City Works.

ICYMI: Tornadoes are becoming more active further east, out of what was traditionally known as tornado alley. That has been on display this year, as Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee have seen heavy activity. @stlpublicradio.bsky.social www.stlpr.org/2025-07-01/t...

U.S. Rep Mike Bost made if official last night: He's running for a 7th term to represent Illinois' 12th Congressional District. If you're counting, there are 312 days until Illinois' primary elections.

ICYMI: President Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Mike Bost yesterday for re-election next year — likely dissuading any other Republicans from trying primary the 6th term congressman.

INBOX: Illinoisans overwhelmingly favor retaining the current state flag, per Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “Some may call it an SOB – a seal on a bedsheet – and the vexillogical community may hate it, but people overwhelmingly prefer our current state flag,” he said.

Former Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler has taken a new job with Phyllis Schlafly Eagles, a conservative advocacy organization that has locations in Clayton, Alton and DC, per @shiakapos.bsky.social.

"I've got a great relationship with President Trump. The only thing that President Trump and I ever disagreed on was letting Rod Blagojevich out of jail." — U.S. Rep. Mike Bost in April 2023

"I think that they all would get about a letter grade B from flag design experts. Each of them has the opportunity to be an even better design with some polishing." www.stlpr.org/government-p...

INBOX: I-255 in Cahokia Heights and Sauget will be shut down for six months starting Feb. 1 for construction, per IDOT. The full closure will cut the project down from two years to six months and save about $10 million in taxpayer money.