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

Partial government shutdown imminent as Congress leaves town

By Thérèse BoudreauxThe Center Square Lawmakers have left town after failing to pass the Homeland Security full-year funding bill, ensuring a partial shutdown of DHS beginning Saturday. This is the...

Illinois Quick Hits: Man sentenced for robbing postal worker

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A federal judge has sentenced a Chicago man to four years and three months in prison for...

Sultan in Epstein files resigns, global turmoil continues

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square An executive of a Dubai-based company resigned on Friday after documents released by the Justice Department tied him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sultan...

Temporary protected status terminated for Yemen nationals

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square Yemeni nationals in the U.S. on temporary protective status will have 60 days to leave the country. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced...

Advocates argue new data center restrictions might close Illinois market

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers have proposed stricter regulations on data centers in the state, but an industry advocate says...

Illinois advocates urge senate action on SAVE Act

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois election-integrity advocates are pushing the U.S. Senate to agree with a recent House move and...

Ford returning to the Middle East as tensions rise with Iran

By Sarah Roderick-FitchThe Center Square A second aircraft carrier is en route to the Middle East as tensions build with Iran, according to multiple reports. The USS Gerald Ford, the...

Lemon faces federal arraignment today in St. Paul church protest case

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Journalist Don Lemon is scheduled to appear in a Minnesota courtroom today to be arraigned on federal charges related to a protest that disrupted a...

Senate GOP wants companies funding lawsuits to be revealed

By John O’Brien | Legal NewslineThe Center Square U.S. Senate Republicans have introduced a bill targeting companies that invest in lawsuits, proposing rules that would force them to identify themselves...

Election 2026: Cooper social post is now you see it, now you don’t

By Alan WootenThe Center Square Roy Cooper vetoed mandatory requirement of photo identification in 2018. Thursday, the U.S. Senate candidate vetoed a photo of himself presenting photo ID to cast...

Illinois Quick Hits: Chicago mugging captured on video

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A video capturing an armed assault and robbery Thursday afternoon in Chicago has drawn millions of views...

January inflation cools to 2.4%, lowest since May

By Andrew RiceThe Center Square Consumer prices rose by 0.2% overall in January, according to recent data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the inflation rose to...

McCuskey praises federal rollback of Endangerment Finding

By Chris Dickerson | Legal NewslineThe Center Square West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey is praising the federal government’s decision to repeal an Obama-era scientific finding on climate change. On...

State of the College: President Namuo Pushes for Bachelor’s Degrees, Cites Record Graduation Rates

Joliet Junior College State of the College | February 4, 2026 Article Summary: JJC President Dr. Clyne Namuo highlighted the college’s legislative push to offer bachelor's degrees in applied fields...

Emergency Freezer Replacement Approved for Adult Detention Facility

Finance Committee Meeting | February 3, 2026 Article Summary: The committee authorized an emergency expenditure of $155,000 to replace a failed walk-in freezer system at the Adult Detention Facility (ADF)....

« Previous
1
…
93
94
95
96
97
…
205
Next »