December 3rd has always been a date marked by remarkable achievements and significant events that have shaped the course of history across the globe. Moving back in time, December 3rd, 1984, witnessed one of the most tragic industrial disasters in history—the Bhopal gas tragedy in India. On this day, a leak of methyl isocyanate gas from a pesticide plant resulted in thousands of deaths and long-term health issues for countless residents. The event highlighted the critical importance of
Today expect a cold day with a high of 37 and a low of 12. Winds will be light from the southwest at about 6 mph, gusting up to 12 mph. The chance of rain is very low, around 2%, but some light flurries are possible in the evening, with a 55% chance of snow late in the day. Temperatures will feel colder than the actual readings, especially in the evening when the wind chill drops to around 5 degrees. This morning will start out with some sun and patches of high clouds, but by the afternoon, mostly
EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville voters will have a chance next spring to make their stance on video gambling known to city leaders. Edwardsville City Council members on Tuesday approved adding a non-binding referendum on the March 17, 2026 General Primary Election Ballot regarding video gambling in Edwardsville. The exact wording was amended after a lengthy discussion between council members and will appear on the ballot as follows: “ Shall the city of Edwardsville allow video gambling,
GODFREY - Riverbend residents came together to support the Community Christmas initiative at Freer Auto Body’s 18th annual Cookies and Cocoa event. From 4–6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, Freer Auto Body opened their doors to community members to donate toys, cash, clothing, hygiene products and more while enjoying cookies and hot cocoa. The event collects donations for Community Christmas, which are distributed among local nonprofits to give to families in need. “The
ALTON - Jon Podner, who works in technology systems at Marquette Catholic High School, captured a captivating drone photo of the school during a snowstorm on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. Podner said he believed the image was one many in the area would appreciate. The snowfall and preliminary ice event made travel hazardous throughout the region on Monday, prompting Marquette Catholic to cancel classes on Tuesday due to the accumulation of snow. Temperatures dropped to 26 degrees on Tuesday, with a lo
WOOD RIVER - As temperatures drop and the holidays approach, the services offered by Riverbend Family Ministries are as important as ever. Located at 144 E. Ferguson Avenue in Wood River, Riverbend Family Ministries (RFM) is composed of several nonprofits working together under one roof. RFM itself provides a daytime warming center for those in need during the colder months. They have also partnered with other community organizations to serve their clients through Community Christmas,
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO. — Jacob Mercer, 23, of St. Peters, Mo., has been identified as the person fatally shot by police at a Walgreens on Dorsett Road on Sunday evening, Nov. 30, 2025, after St. Louis County Police authorities say he fired at officers. The incident unfolded around 6 p.m. Sunday at the Walgreens located in the 12500 block of Dorsett Road in Maryland Heights. Officers from the Maryland Heights Police Department responded to a call for service and encountered Mercer, who was
HARDIN - On November 19th 2025, at approximately 2:06 AM, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a Disturbance in Progress occurring in the 400 block of Porcupine Ln., Hardin, Calhoun County, Illinois. Deputies from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and a Deputy from the Pike County Sheriff’s Department immediately responded to the residence and conducted interviews and an investigation. Subsequently, Helois M. Foster, aged 40, of Alton, Illinois, was arrested
HARDIN On August 6th and September 18th 2025, Gena F Wilson, aged 35, of Hamburg, Illinois, was ordered to submit to a Court Authorized Drug analysis. These samples were collected and submitted to the lab for analysis by the Calhoun County Probation Office. The matter was forwarded to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation. Subsequent to an investigation and analysis by the lab, it was confirmed that Wilson had falsified or altered the test. On October 15th 2025,
ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District invites the community to come out to a few unique events this weekend. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, community members can stop by the library at Alton Square Mall for the Local Author Book Fair. Across town at that same time, the Genealogy and Local History Library will host their Holiday Open House. Executive Director Mary Cordes noted that the Local Author Book Fair is a great chance to meet local writers and learn
CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined state officials, bill sponsors, and public health experts to sign HB 767. The legislation expands and codifies Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order 2025-04 , which empowers the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer transparent, science-based vaccine guidelines through its expert Immunization Advisory Committee (IAC), while also expanding vaccine access. “While RFK Jr. and his QAnon-inspired colleagues spread conspiracy theories
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in opposing the Trump administration’s expansion of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to include sensitive information of U.S.-born citizens who have never interacted with the immigration system or consented to the use of their personal data. In a letter to the Trump administration , Raoul and the coalition argue the expansion of the SAVE program violates the
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, condemned President Trump’s pardon of the former Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernández. Durbin began by outlining the horrendous conduct of Mr. Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker. “The former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, was prosecuted by the federal government of the United States for
CHICAGO – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 16 attorneys general, submitted comments opposing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) interim final rule that eliminates the automatic extension of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for up to 540 days for eligible workers who filed timely renewal applications. Now, immigrant workers, including refugees, asylees, and others who have already been vetted to work legally in the United States,
As the nation’s health care system grapples with inequities, violence, and social challenges that extend far beyond hospital walls, one national leader in pediatric surgery says the key to progress might not be new technology — but renewed humanity. Dr. Edward M. Barksdale Jr., MD, professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and chief surgical officer for the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance, delivered the keynote address
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After unanimously passing the Senate in May and passing the House in November, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to make it easier for parents to safely embark on air travel with breast milk and breastfeeding supplies is now law. Senator Duckworth’s Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act —co-led by U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)—requires th
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a multi-state coalition of seven attorneys general, today sent letters to the six largest buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) providers seeking detailed information regarding their pricing and repayment structures, consumer contracts, user agreements, and disclosures. The inquiry aims to determine if BNPL companies are complying with consumer protection laws and whether their products may be placing Illinois consumers at financial risk. The letters
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor to honor the two National Guard members who were shot in Washington, DC, last week. During his speech, Durbin remembered 20-year-old Specialist Sarah Beckstrom who tragically passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He also prayed for 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe’s recovery. Staff Sergeant Wolfe remains in critical condition. “We pray for his recovery and—as one nation—send
GODFREY - The Village Garden in Godfrey has unveiled a new bridge, enhancing the community space for visitors. The project was completed with the support of several local organizations and individuals, including Tom Bechtold, Cindy Gelsthorpe, First Fruits, Alton Community Service League, and Hamilton Steel. The new bridge aims to improve accessibility and the overall experience at the garden, which serves as a gathering place for residents and visitors alike. Organizers expressed gratitude
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a $120 million settlement with Monsanto Company (Monsanto) and affiliates Solutia Inc. and Pharmacia LLC over the environmental and health effects of Monsanto’s decades-long production of polychlorinated biphenyls, known as PCBs. Raoul’s office filed a 2022 lawsuit alleging the company was aware of the chemicals’ toxicity while publicly denying any knowledge of the danger to human health and the environment. This settlement
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