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

US House passes Save Our Shrimpers Act

By Nolan MckendryThe Center Square The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation aimed at stopping American taxpayer dollars from helping finance foreign shrimp operations that Gulf Coast lawmakers say...

CBO says Pentagon’s Golden Dome estimate off by $1 trillion

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday that President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense shield could cost American taxpayers as much as $1.2 trillion...

Frankfort Establishes New Mural Regulations for Downtown Historic District

Frankfort Village Board Meeting | May 4, 2026 Article Summary: The Village Board approved a comprehensive set of regulations to govern the installation, maintenance, and approval process for murals within...

VA budget tops $488B as workforce stays above DOGE target

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The Department of Veterans Affairs is requesting $488.2 billion for fiscal year 2027, a 7.7% increase over current spending levels, as VA Secretary Doug Collins...

DEA warns fentanyl mixtures overwhelming overdose reversal drug

By Brett RowlandThe Center Square The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warned Americans Tuesday that fentanyl is increasingly mixed with a dangerous array of synthetic substances that can limit the effectiveness...

Cook County must pay for taking homes over unpaid property tax: Judge

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square Cook County could be on the hook for at least tens of millions of dollars, if not more than $100 million, to...

Chicago aldermen consider $54.7M tax break for United Center project

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Chicago City Council may consider a $54.7 million property tax break for owners of the Chicago...

Farmers call for fertilizer price transparency, domestic growth

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Farmers and advocates on Tuesday called on Congress to implement transparency reporting requirements in fertilizer pricing. The U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee held...

Major nationwide Tren de Aragua crackdown, more than 80 firearms seized

By Bethany BlankleyThe Center Square The Trump administration continues to crack down on violent Tren de Aragua Venezuelan prison gang members after they flooded the country during the Biden administration....

Illinois Quick Hits: State taxpayers to cover student loan debt for civil engineers

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that the state will pay $15,000 of eligible student loan...

WATCH: Ex-rep sues Pritzker, Illinois over race-based congressional map

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois’ congressional district map is being challenged over what some argue are unconstitutional racial requirements for districts....

Lawmakers tussle over impacts of ‘equitable’ school funding in Illinois

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The evidence-based funding formula for public schools in Illinois, signed into law in 2017, was under the...

Illinois Quick Hits: $42.6M UIS student library on schedule

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois Capital Development Board says a $42.6 million state taxpayer-funded library project is on schedule at...

State Legislative Update: Housing Mandates, Mega Projects, and Data Centers Prompt Local Control Concerns

Will County Board Legislative Committee Meeting | May 5, 2026 Article SummaryState lobbyists from Mac Strategies briefed the Will County Board Legislative Committee on the final push of the spring...

Data center regs proposed as $20 billion, 795-acre Joliet project advances

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Opponents of a planned $20 billion data center project in Joliet say big tech money arrived before...

« Previous
1
…
33
34
35
36
37
…
201
Next »