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ALTON – It’s official: the Godfrey Timberwolves will have “priority scheduling” at Diamond #8 in Gordon Moore Park for the next five years. At their Feb. 11, 2026 meeting, Alton City Council members unanimously approved an agreement passed earlier this week by the Committee of the Whole for the organization’s use of Diamond #8 until 2031. The agreement grants the Godfrey Timberwolves “priority scheduling” at the baseball diamond, but does not guarantee

ALTON - Aaron Wilson is sharing a personal love story with the community about his wife, Lauren Wilson. Lauren is the Alton City Clerk. Aaron Wilson describes their marriage and what he says sustains their relationship. Wilson said he and Lauren Wilson were married on June 6, 2015, in Alton. He described their relationship as being built on “teamwork and consistently covering each other’s blind spots.” In a shared memory, Wilson wrote to his spouse, “You care deeply

EDWARDSVILLE - An Edwardsville High School student has received national recognition for her art. Zara, a senior at EHS, has been working for years to compile her portfolio as she applies to fine arts college programs. Her self-portrait, titled “Her and Her Shadow,” received a Scholastic Gold Key, a major accomplishment that encourages the young artist to continue creating. “I was so excited and proud of myself, especially for the Gold Key, because it's a huge achievement

ALTON - A fully engulfed SUV fire on the Clark Bridge drew considerable attention Monday night, Feb. 9, 2026, in Alton, but thankfully, everyone in the vehicle got out safely, according to the Alton Fire Department. When the Alton Fire Department arrived at the scene on Monday, everyone in the vehicle was out of the vehicle, Capt. Michael Shewmaker said. Capt. Shewmaker said the vehicle was “fully engulfed” when firefighters arrived. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, and

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College’s long-time Dental Hygiene Adjunct Instructor Jackie Cooper has been chosen by her peers to receive the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s (ICCTA) 2026 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award nomination. The nomination, which was announced during January’s in-service week leading up to the start of the spring semester, recognizes the instructor’s high achievements. Cooper, who began her dental

EDWARDSVILLE – Madison County Associate Judge Vernoica Armouti received the Advocate Award for Excellence in legal advocacy Associate Judge Veronica Armouti received the Advocate Award for Excellence in legal advocacy at the inaugural Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL) Illinois Region Legal Leaders Awards held on January 8th in O’Fallon, Illinois. Beyond the courtroom, Judge Armouti is deeply engaged in the community. She supports local and pro bono organizations,

BETHALTO - Several area military veterans gathered Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Bethalto to raise awareness about veteran suicide, walking about 4 miles as part of an effort they said is aimed at honoring those who served and drawing attention to a daily death toll they want to reduce. Dustin Dixon of Lakeside Warriors of Missouri and Illinois teamed up with Brad Lafield in support of GWOT100, Nick Neidlinger of American Flag Mother Ruckers, and veterans Elliott Ferguson and Jordan Graham. Veteran

GRANITE CITY – Two Granite City men face felony charges after a rifle was allegedly tossed from a vehicle window during a 100 mph police chase. Brandon P. Rogozinsky, 33, and Christopher L. Marcum, 49, both of Granite City, were charged on Feb. 5, 2026 with one count each of unlawful possession of a stolen firearm (both Class 2 felonies) and felon in possession of a weapon (both Class 3 felonies). Rogozinsky was additionally charged with one count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to

GODFREY/WOOD RIVER - Community members have multiple fun opportunities to support the Alton Symphony Orchestra while enjoying live music. From 6–8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, Rustic Roots in Wood River will host ASO’s biggest fundraiser, “Sips and Strings.” Attendees can shop local vendors and enjoy wine tastings while listening to the ASO string quartet. At 3 p.m. on Feb. 28, the full orchestra will perform its spring concert at Hatheway Hall on the Lewis and Clar

RIVERBEND - Marsie Geldert-Murphey wants people to know that she cares about the future of the 56th District. Geldert-Murphey (D) is preparing for the primary election on March 17, 2026, as an Illinois State Senator candidate for the 56th District. She stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with CJ Nasello for a conversation about her platform, which encompasses infrastructure, public education, and healthcare. “I was told by a client I’m a bulldog with class,”

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a convicted felon to 146 months in prison for attempting to rob a cabdriver at gunpoint after a drunk driving crash and trying to carjack a “good Samaritan” who stopped to help. Judge Divine also fined Cornell Woolfolk $3,000. Woolfolk, 29, pleaded guilty in November in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that early on the morning of Dec

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois motorists, lenders and dealers will soon experience faster title processing, fewer delays and stronger fraud protections as the Secretary of State’s office transitions to mandatory participation in its Electronic Lien and Titling (ELT) program statewide, Secretary Alexi Giannoulias announced. All financial institutions that process five or more liens annually in Illinois will be required to transition to ELT by July 1, 2026. By replacing paper titles with

ALTON - Alton Mayor David Goins provided another update on the Alton sinkhole at the Gordon More Park soccer field on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. He said testing is continuing as the city awaits a report on how to fix the damage. The drone photos by Doug Booten show the progress and the present view of the work on the Alton sinkhole. “The sinkhole is completely drained, and SCI Engineering is still doing tests and analyzing it,” Goins said. Mayor Goins said the winter that began

SPRINGFIELD – As interest in locally grown food and community-based agriculture continues to rise, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) is inviting individuals and families to take part in the 2026 IDOA Community Garden, a hands-on opportunity to grow fresh produce, build food security, and connect with agriculture in the heart of the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The Community Garden offers 200 individual 10x10 plots, available on a first come, first served basis. With 100 plots

SPRINGFIELD – Nearly $40,000 in grants for 24 schoolyard habitat projects throughout Illinois have been awarded by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Conservation Foundation for the 2026 application period. The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program supports the development or enhancement of wildlife habitat on school grounds and other public spaces. Funding is provided through donations to the Illinois Conservation Foundation and program sponsor

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with leaders and members of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) to discuss their efforts to ensure higher education remains accessible and affordable as the Trump Administration attempts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and the programs that support students in attending college. The Senators also discussed job training programs provided at

SPRINGFIELD – 1099-G tax forms are now available for claimants who received unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in 2025, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today. Claimants who collected UI benefits last year will need the 1099-G tax form to complete their state and federal tax returns. Also called ‘Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments,’ this form is necessary for individuals who received state or UI benefits. Claimants who opted to receive

CHICAGO – Illinois is helping to ensure that all students have access to higher education with One Click College Admit Month! Activities throughout the month are part of an ongoing campaign to increase awareness of and participation in Illinois’ new, simple and quick direct college admissions program. Last summer, the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC),

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced the inclusion of $7 million for the Open Textbook Pilot Program in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Fiscal Year 2026 bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Since 2018 when Durbin helped create the Open Textbook Pilot Program, he has secured $61 million in total federal funding to support college students across the country in accessing

ALTON - The Wedge Innovation Center has several exciting events planned for Entrepreneurship Week. The Congressionally-recognized week celebrates the work of entrepreneurs and aims to help business owners learn and connect with resources. At The Wedge, there will be featured speakers and events from Tuesday, Feb. 17 through Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. “Entrepreneurship Week launched in 2006. It’s a Congressionally-recognized thing that really is by design to boost the entrepreneurial