ALTON – Local businesses in Alton have launched a food drive to restock the Salvation Army’s food pantry, running from Feb. 9 to Feb. 20, 2026. Donations can be dropped off at participating locations, including Freer Auto Body, Arrow Signs and Outdoor Advertising, the Alton Memorial Hospital gift shop, Carrollton Bank’s Alton branch, Evergreen Senior Living, Persnickety by Jen Farley, Simmons Hanly Conroy, and Nicki G’s Catering. Gloria Vaughn of the Salvation Army emphasize
SULLIVAN, Mo. — A helicopter carrying four people crashed into powerlines and plunged into the Meramec River near Meramec State Park Thursday afternoon, Jan. 29, 2026, officials said. The crash occurred around 1 p.m. on Jan. 29, 2026, while a group of state park team members and the pilot were conducting an ecological survey of the area, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. All four occupants — the pilot and three passengers — were rescued from the river
ALTON - The Wedge Innovation Center, powered by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is excited to host a compelling conversation on entrepreneurship, innovation and brand-building which is told through one of history’s most unexpected success stories. Joan Fernandez who is a former Edward Jones General Partner and senior marketing executive will speak at The Wedge in a featured presentation titled “The Van Gogh Entrepreneur: Building a Billion-Dollar Legacy from Nothing.”
GLEN CARBON – Major changes are coming to the Glen Carbon Police Department building. On Jan. 27, 2026, trustees unanimously approved a resolution accepting a $2,103,456 budget proposal from FGM Architects for the Glen Carbon Police Department renovation project. Police Chief Todd Link said this project has “been in the process for seven or eight years now” and aims to make the most efficient use of existing space as department staff is expected to continue growing. “Our
ALTON - Alton Steel Inc. announced earlier this week it will cease operations after this week, ending 25 years of business in Alton. The closure affects 253 employees, as well as contractors and vendors connected to the company. To assist those affected, a Rapid Response Workshop will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at the Local 3643 Union Hall, located at 2821 E. Broadway in Alton. The Rapid Response Workshop is designed to inform employees about free services available
GRANITE CITY – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that repairs on eastbound and westbound Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will require lane closures starting, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30. One lane will remain open in each direction. All lanes are expected to reopen by 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate routes during this lane closure. Drivers are
ALTON - Patients facing a cancer diagnosis no longer have to wait weeks or months to get results. OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center has launched its new Rapid Diagnosis Clinic through the Moeller Cancer Center. Two healthcare workers explained how the clinic works, when patients should utilize it, and the ways in which early detection can spare lives — and a lot of anxiety. “A rapid diagnosis clinic is exactly what the name is, trying to get you a diagnosis as rapidly
BELLEVILLE — Belleville Township High School District 201 officials addressed concerns Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, about reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence at district schools this week, following social media posts linked to a naturalization ceremony scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at Belleville West High School. In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Jan. 28, 2026, the Belleville School District 201 administration clarified that an earlier email sent
BELLEVILLE — Sgt. Jacquelyn Laminack of the Belleville Police Department received the Life Saving Award at the 33rd Annual SILEC/SIPCA Awards Banquet last week for her prompt response to a medical emergency in July 2025. Sgt. Laminack was dispatched to assist a 10-year-old juvenile who was unresponsive and not breathing. The Belleville Police said Laminack was in the immediate area, and she arrived within 60 seconds of the 911 call. "Upon arrival, Sgt. Laminack retrieved
Sister M. Mikela Meidl, F.S.G.M., has been appointed president of OSF HealthCare. This transition will occur over several months as current president, Michelle Conger, prepares to become CEO upon Bob Sehring’s retirement in April. This will allow for a smooth and thoughtful shift in responsibilities, operational processes and governance structures. Sister M. Mikela brings nearly four decades of deep Mission commitment and broad leadership experience to her new role. She entered the Sisters
While Dry January is coming to a close, the topic of drinking alcohol is still making headlines. Heavy drinking habits among adults that started during the COVID-19 pandemic haven’t slowed down, according to a study. The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine , found that alcohol use among adults ages 18 and older increased by 4% from 2018 to 2020, with heavy alcohol use increasing by a whopping 20%. Researchers say the increase continued in 2022. The pandemic caused plenty
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As our nation continues to see Trump’s lawless federal agents repeatedly use excessive force and kill American citizens, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today voted against the government funding package that included the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill: “Alex Pretti was publicly executed while trying to protect a woman from being assaulted—just two weeks after Trump’s agents had already gunned down another citizen in Minneapolis.
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today denounced the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) latest attempt to coerce the state of Minnesota. Raoul, as part of a coalition of 21 other attorneys general, submitted a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, condemning the Trump administration’s effort to use the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Minnesota
EAST ST. LOUIS / CHAMPAIGN-URBANA / NORMAL, IL — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) launched his Illinois affordability tour yesterday with stops across the state to highlight how rising costs and federal funding cuts are hitting Illinois families — and to press for solutions that lower everyday expenses and protect opportunity. “Across Illinois, families are paying more for everyday essentials – prescriptions, groceries, and more – while this administration
CHICAGO — If you played Lucky Day Lotto ® yesterday, you might want to check your ticket – that’s because you could be $550,000 richer! One lucky Illinois Lottery player matched all five numbers in the Wednesday, January 28 evening drawing to win the game’s $550,000 jackpot. The winning numbers were: 2-10-17-29-38. The ticket was purchased at Exxon gas station, located at 8359 S. Robert Rd. in Justice, Illinois. For selling the winning Lucky Day Lotto ticket,
COLLINSVILLE – Illinois State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) and State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton) toured the Collinsville Area Vocational Center (CAVC) expansion site to get a firsthand look at building progress and to learn more about plans for the expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. CAVC Director Joe McGinnis led the tour to share the vision of what each of the large spaces will become and how the state-of-the-art facility will benefit students, as well
ALTON – In cancer care, early detection helps save lives, with delays in diagnosis and treatment which can potentially lead to significant negative impacts on patient outcomes. With the objective to accelerate cancer detection and care for the Riverbend region, the OSF Moeller Cancer Center is launching a new Rapid Diagnostic Clinic (RDC), a specialized service specifically designed to save lives by helping patients get clear answers sooner - with personalized care. “Even
EDWARDSVILLE - A local program that provides free transportation to seniors is seeking volunteers. Faith in Action organizes volunteers to drive seniors to the grocery store, the bank, their appointments, and similar spots across the Greater St. Louis area. Alex Gambrill, FIA program assistant, noted that many of these seniors would have no transportation without FIA. Now, they need volunteers to help. “I mean, a lot of our clients would just be stuck,” she said. “It
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to increase the number of faculty to train new nurses, a root cause of the nursing shortage facing the country. The Nurse Faculty Shortage Reduction Act would incentivize more nurses to pursue teaching roles—the lack of which is a primary cause of the nationwide nursing shortage—by addressing the pay gap between clinical
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting against the government funding package that includes the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill: “As we have said, Democrats are ready to pass the five bipartisan government funding bills now, but the DHS bill needs serious work. I’m glad that the
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