Metro East Sun

State Representative Kevin Schmidt recently visited the Eagles Nest of St. Clair County, presenting the Illinois State Flag to The Joseph Center, a housing facility for homeless male veterans. During his district visit, he also stopped by Billie’s Pastries in East Saint Louis.

In Springfield, Rep. Schmidt expressed disappointment following Governor Pritzker's signing of the FY26 budget. He criticized the $55.2 billion budget as being filled with "gimmicks, revenue sweeps and nearly $1 billion in tax hikes," predicting it would burden working families and fail to meet residents' needs.

The Leu Civic Center in Mascoutah offers various recreational activities and family support services at low costs. It hosts free community events like a Halloween Event, Metro-East Youth Art Show, National Night Out, Family Art Nights, and other pop-up events throughout the year.

This session saw 6,745 bills filed in the Illinois General Assembly; however, only a small fraction passed both houses. Of those passed bills, 86% were introduced by Democrats. This disparity is attributed to legislative districts drawn by Democrats that minimize opposition.

Governor JB Pritzker was questioned by Congress over Illinois’ sanctuary state laws during an eight-hour hearing before the House Oversight Committee in Washington D.C., alongside governors from Minnesota and New York.

As summer begins with longer days and warmer nights, many look forward to activities such as beach outings or backyard grilling.