Illinois quick hits: O’Fallon man allegedly work with cartel; most dangerous for nursing home safety

September 25, 2025/

Spread the love

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

O’Fallon man allegedly work with cartel

High-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel are among 26 defendants facing federal charges for their alleged involvement in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine into southern Illinois and laundering the proceeds to Mexico.

Earl Frank, 56, of O’Fallon, Illinois is among the 26 defendants who allegedly participated in the cartel-sourced drug distribution pipeline.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the indictment is a significant blow to the Sinaloa Cartel’s infrastructure.

Most dangerous for nursing home safety

According to a new study, Illinois is the most dangerous state in the nation for nursing home safety violations.

Anidjar & Levine found that Illinois had 2,300 penalties among its 682 certified nursing facilities.

Total fines reached $78.4 million for an average of $115,000 per facility.

Blue Ribbon Schools announced

A record-breaking number of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago have met the criteria for the National Blue Ribbon School Award, given by the U.S. Department of Education.

Ten schools were informed in August that they would receive the honor. Several schools scheduled celebrations Thursday.

Latest News Stories

Frankfort Board Denies 24-Hour Drive-Thru Permits for McDonald’s

Frankfort Village Board Meeting | November 3, 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Village Board on Monday, November 3, 2025, denied special use permits that would have allowed two local McDonald's...

Frankfort Library Board Approves 2025 Tax Levies

Frankfort Public Library District Meeting | September 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Public Library District Board of Trustees has unanimously approved its 2025 tax levy ordinance and a separate building...

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Frankfort Park District Committee for September 23, 2025

Frankfort Park District Special Committee Meeting | September 23, 2025 The Frankfort Park District Committee on Tuesday reviewed results from a community survey about a proposed indoor recreation center, which...

Hunter Prairie Park Redevelopment on Track, Four-Year Journey Detailed

Frankfort Square Park District Meeting | September 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Square Park District's multi-year redevelopment of Hunter Prairie Park is progressing, with a detailed timeline presented at the...

Frankfort 157-C Board Approves $47 Million Budget for 2025-2026 School Year

Frankfort School District 157-C Meeting | September 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort School District 157-C Board of Education unanimously approved a balanced budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, projecting total...

Park District Gathers Sports Group Input for State-Funded Master Plan

Frankfort Park District Special Committee Meeting | September 23, 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Park District is actively engaging with local sports organizations to gather feedback for its new master plan,...

Frankfort Square Park District Issues $136,000 in Bonds, Abates Taxes for Residents

Frankfort Square Park District Meeting | September 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Square Park District Board of Commissioners approved issuing $136,000 in new bonds to pay off existing debt and...

Lawmakers introduce bills to slash their own pay during government shutdowns

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square With the ongoing government shutdown dragging on for a record-breaking period of time, U.S. lawmakers are introducing bills to make shutdowns as painful for Congress...

94% of sanctioned scholars suffered from free speech attacks

By Tate MillerThe Center Square A Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey shows that 94% of sanctioned university scholars have experienced a negative impact following the attacks on their...

Illinois soybean farmers face uncertainty amid MAHA push against seed oils

By Catrina BarkerThe Center Square Illinois soybean farmers face a potential market shakeup if public sentiment, and eventually policy, turns against seed oils, experts warn. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now...

Family-based visa quotas cause system backlogs

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square One of the most prevalent ways for immigrants to gain legal status in the United States is through family-based visas. However, backlogs in the system...

Fort Frankfort Playground Surface Poured, But Equipment Delays Persist

Frankfort Park District Special Committee Meeting | September 23, 2025 Article Summary: The Frankfort Park District reported significant progress on the Fort Frankfort playground, with the "poured n' play" safety surface...

Association says housing aid to continue through December

By Madeline ShannonThe Center Square Federally-funded housing assistance will continue to be paid through December, a national housing association director told The Center Square Friday afternoon. Previously, those who rent...

WATCH: Father of Housing First points to success; We Heart Seattle highlights failures

By Carleen JohnsonThe Center Square On an overcast mid-October day, just inside the Third Avenue offices of We Heart Seattle, Executive Director Andrea Suarez and two of her staff members...

Death threats against ICE officers up by 8,000%, DHS says

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square Death threats against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are up by 8,000% compared to the same timeframe last year, the Department of Homeland Security...

« Previous
1
…
146
147
148
149
150
…
202
Next »