A federal appeals court on Friday permanently blocked the Biden administration from requiring religious doctors and hospitals to perform transgender medical services that violate their conscience, becoming the second court to do so.

Here’s a link to the story at Fox News.

EDWARDSVILLE — For six area families, Saturday marks the first anniversary of the day they lost loved ones when an EF-3 tornado struck an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville.

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MARION — When plans were being made to exchange Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for WNBA star Brittney Griner, negotiations were taking place far from Southern Illinois. But to get the trade accomplished, Bout’s journey would begin in Marion.

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Democratic state Sen. Scott Bennett of Champaign, who played an integral role only days ago in passing legislation that clarified the state’s landmark criminal reform justice act, died Friday from complications of a large brain tumor, according to a statement released by his office. He was 45.

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

After keeping the world at arm’s length for roughly two years, the entertainment world could finally get more personal again in 2022. And it did. The year in photos.

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SPRINGFIELD — A new 730 area code overlaying the current 618 area code will be introduced in Southern Illinois next year, the Illinois Commerce Commission announced Wednesday.

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It is the most uneven of swaps at the most unlikely of times, but perhaps the intense pressure of this moment is why the exchange of a US basketball star for a Russian arms dealer ended up happening now.

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A Zelenskyy quip. A Trump conspiracy. A Biden gaffe. Here are the 10 most notable quotes of the past year.

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CARBONDALE — SIH, the region’s largest healthcare provider, announced today that 76 positions within senior leadership, management and corporate services would be eliminated or reorganized.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

(The Center Square) – After lawmakers approved amendments to the SAFE-T Act that eliminates cash bail in Illinois, a lawsuit challenging the measure’s implementation will now be heard Dec. 20, just 11 days before no cash bail is to take effect.

Here’s a link to the story at Center Square.