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ALTON - After carefully considering over twenty applications, the Alton School District is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Rick Reinhart as our new Head Football Coach. Coach Reinhart brings outstanding head coaching experience from Mascoutah, Fairfield, Civic Memorial and Tuscola. He has a deep knowledge of the game and a passion for developing student athletes both on and off the field. His coaching philosophy is grounded in high expectations, accountability and a steadfast commitment

EDWARDSVILLE - A late-night fire at a Captain D’s restaurant in Edwardsville rapidly drew multiple fire departments to the scene, and the fire was contained quickly by those efforts. However, the fire and smoke left the building too damaged to reopen immediately, according to the Edwardsville Fire Department. The call came in at 11:26 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2026, from a nearby resident reporting a fire at the Captain D's restaurant in the 1900 block of Troy Road, the department said Thursda

WOOD RIVER – A new park with a stage, pavilion, and more may be coming to downtown Wood River. City Manager Steve Palen announced plans for a future “City Center Park” at the March 2, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting . Palen said the park would be built on the former site of the Brown Tire & Automotive Center at the intersection of Ferguson Avenue and 1st Street. He said the park design features several amenities, including a stage, pavilion, an open greenspace area,

A bright room can make you feel lighter even before anything in your life has changed. No new text message. No good news. Just light—hitting your eyes—and your mood shifts. That tiny, almost automatic reaction is a clue: daylight doesn’t just help you see. It helps your brain decide how to feel. Daylight is more than “good vibes” People often talk about sunlight as if it’s only psychological—like a pleasant backdrop that makes life seem nicer. But dayligh

The most globally significant event tied to March 5 is the 1946 “Iron Curtain” speech, when former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill warned that Europe was being split into rival spheres of influence after World War II. Speaking in Fulton, Missouri, with U.S. President Harry S. Truman in attendance, Churchill described a new political and military divide running “from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic.” At the time, many people were still hoping th

ALTON – An Alton resident accused of using Roblox and Google Chat to solicit a minor faces felony charges in Madison County. Dameon M. Spraggs, 22, of Alton, was charged on Dec. 5, 2025 with one count each of indecent solicitation of a child (a Class 3 felony) and grooming (a Class 4 felony). Madison County court records show the charges against Spraggs were sealed on Dec. 5, 2025 and made public on Feb. 25, 2026. The motion to seal his court file states Spraggs posed a risk of flight

WOOD RIVER - A local nonprofit is seeking support as they gear up for Prevent Child Abuse Awareness Month. Refuge 4 Kids works with kids under age 11 who have experienced complex trauma. The organization provides counseling and support for families. On April 30, 2026, they will host their annual dinner banquet at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey to raise money so they can continue their work in Madison County. Executive Director Erin Bickle pointed to their theme — “Hope

EDWARDSVILLE – The Edwardsville Fire Department responded to Captain D's in the 1900 block of Troy Road for a structure fire Wednesday night. A passerby called 911 at around 11:30 p.m., reporting smoke coming from the roof of the business. Edwardsville Police arrived first and relayed that smoke was coming from the building, along with visible fire toward the back of the structure. A commercial box-alarm was requested, bringing additional manpower from Glen Carbon, Wood River, Troy, Holiday

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On CNN today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) called out Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after he criticized the media for making “the President look bad” by focusing coverage on the six American servicemembers who have been killed in Trump’s needless war of choice. Duckworth fired back against Hegseth that it is incumbent upon those in the halls of power to honor our troops’ service, professionalism and sacrifice by making

EAST ST. LOUIS – Illinois State Police special agents arrested 30-year-old Corey C. Ayers of East St. Louis on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the April 2025 shooting death of 22-year-old Jamya T. Dukes of Granite City, authorities said. The arrest followed an investigation that began April 1, 2025, when the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis requested assistance from the Illinois State Police in a homicide case. Dukes was dropped off at

Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and State Senator Erica Harriss (R-Glen Carbon) presented legislative solutions to help make buying and staying in a home more affordable in Illinois. Last year, first-time home buyers dropped to a record low of 21 percent of total purchases, while the average age of first-time buyers climbed to an all-time high of 40 years, according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. “There’s

GODFREY – Godfrey officials are seeking nearly $200,000 in grant funds for various upgrades to the village’s parks. Trustees unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Parks and Recreation Director Chris Logan to apply for Park Enhancement Program (PEP) grant funds from Madison County at their March 3, 2026 Village Board meeting. The Village of Godfrey is applying for up to $199,961 in grant funds for the following projects: Repair or replacement of the Glazebrook Park pedestria

ALTON - OSF thoracic surgeon Dr. Richard Anderson says the leap from standard 2D scans to advanced 3D modeling – which allows viewing in virtual reality – gives surgeons an unprecedented view inside the body. “Just imagine looking at something on a piece of paper with two different pictures, side to side, as opposed to having a model in your hand and moving it all around in different directions — upside down, inside out. It’s really the difference between 2D and

EDWARDSVILLE - Senior shooting guard Miccah Butler led Edwardsville with 18 points in the Tigers' 61-43 win over Collinsville to win the IHSA Class 4A regional on Feb. 27, 2026, at Lucco-Jackson Gym, extending an incredible three-year career for Edwardsville. Edwardsville won again over Alton in the sectional semifinals on Tuesday night and now heads to Rock Island for the sectional championship game. Miccah had nine points in the sectional semifinal win. It's the first-ever regional championship

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, today filed an amicus brief challenging the first Trump administration’s 2017 and 2018 regulations undermining the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) guarantee of no-cost contraception coverage by employer health care plans. The regulations expand religious and moral exemptions to allow employers to strip workers of guaranteed, no-cost coverage for birth control and other contraceptive car

Letter To The Editor: The governor's budget proposal (you reported on) was a good start, but he failed to address one of the affordability issues I experienced as a person with disability. I spent years in a nursing home I didn't want or need to be in. The barrier was lack of affordable and accessible housing in the community. Home and community-based alternatives to institutions provide better care, better working conditions, at less cost to the state. Fortunately, some legislators, like

CARLYLE - The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is asking the public for help as it investigates the death of 41-year-old Carlyle resident Sadie L. Tull, who was found dead at her home in the 2100 block of Fairfax Street in Carlyle, Illinois. Tull was discovered with a single gunshot wound to the head, according to information released by the Major Case Squad. The case is being investigated in Carlyle, in Clinton County. Since the investigation began, detectives have followed up on more

ST. CLAIR COUNTY - The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating a fatal shooting after a 911 caller reported a weapon had been fired at a residence early Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in unincorporated Belleville, Illinois. The department said its emergency communications center received the call at 12:24 a.m. reporting shots fired at a home in the 200 block of Sheffield Drive. Deputies who arrived at the scene found a 36-year-old male victim who was already dea

GRANITE CITY – Granite City Community Unit School District #9 has announced the District Young Authors winners for the 2025-26 school year. The Young Author competition is open to all student’s kindergarten through 8th grade. After receiving student submissions, each building selects a number of winners based on their school population. From the individual building winners, entries advanced to the district-level judging. Maryville Elementary School Principal Dr. Liz Niepert

EAST ST. LOUIS — As the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announces that Illinois ranks among the top five states nationally for Advanced Placement (AP) participation and performance, East St. Louis Senior High School is contributing to that statewide momentum with continued growth and student achievement. According to ISBE, 31.4% of Illinois public-school graduates in the Class of 2025 earned a score of 3 or higher on at least one AP exam — the benchmark at which most colleges