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GLEN CARBON — Carson Barone has played a steady role in Father McGivney Catholic’s most successful boys basketball season in program history, and the junior guard is already looking ahead to what comes next. Barone, a Byron, Carlson, Petri & Kalb Male Athlete of the Month for the Griffins, posted his highest-scoring game of the 2025-26 season with 22 points against North Greene on Jan. 5, 2026. He has been described as a dependable player for McGivney during the season. “I

WOOD RIVER – Certain fees are set to increase at the Wood River Rec Center and Belk Park Golf Course as the city seeks Madison County grants funds for park improvements. City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance updating rates and fees for the Belk Park Golf Course and Wood River Recreation Center at their March 2, 2026 meeting . Parks & Recreation Director Pat Minogue said Rec Center fees will be increasing slightly after remaining unchanged for the past two years. The

GODFREY - NexGen Fieldhouse will host an open house to celebrate their new business in the Godfrey community. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2026, community members can stop by NexGen Fieldhouse at 5773 Godfrey Road in Godfrey for giveaways, pictures with Fredbird, and more fun. Frank Bock, who opened NexGen Fieldhouse earlier this year, can’t wait to show the community all the possibilities at the sports facility. “We feel that in Godfrey specifically, even

GODFREY - Students at Lewis and Clark Community College have an exciting opportunity to complete a four-year degree online at a lower cost through a partnership with Southern Illinois University Carbondale. On Thursday, March 5, 2026, LCCC President Dr. Ken Trzaska and SIU Chancellor Dr. Austin Lane met at LCCC’s Godfrey campus to complete the sub-agreement. Known as the Saluki Step Ahead program, this agreement guarantees SIUC admission to LCCC students for specific degree tracks.

Whether you’re dealing with a job loss, financial woes or embroiled in relationship issues, we all suffer from stressful situations from time to time. No matter what the situation, stress is not good for our health in so many ways. It can impact our cardiovascular health, mental health, sleep and even our skin and hair. One of the biggest problems is how stress affects our gut health. Stress can cause diarrhea, constipation, bloating or make conditions such as irritable bowled syndrome o

MONROE COUNTY - Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Freeda’s Bar in Renault, Illinois, early on March 1, 2026, after a report of a large fight, and Sheriff Neal Rohlfing said video surveillance shows a 25-year-old man struck a 49-year-old man without any prior interaction as misinformation about the incident circulated online. Deputies were sent to the bar at 2071 Main Street at about 12:55 a.m. on March 1, 2026, Rohlfing said. The Waterloo Police Department assisted

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Thursday sentenced a woman who secretly took out insurance on her fiancé before having him killed to 225 months in prison. Victoria Rena Williams, 67, pleaded guilty in September to one count each of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, aiding and abetting murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Michael Grady, 70, was convicted by a jury on Monday of the same three counts. Charles Harris III, who worked

MADISON COUNTY – A Chicago-area man accused of sexually abusing someone at a Madison County rest area has been charged and released from custody. Bowala Rakkitha, 49, of Bolingbrook, Ill., was charged on Feb. 18, 2026 with one count each of criminal sexual abuse (a Class 4 felony) and aggravated battery (a Class 3 felony). Rakkitha allegedly committed an act of sexual conduct by touching a 24-year-old victim who was “unable to give knowing consent” on Aug. 18, 2025, according

U.S. Rep. Mary Miller met with Illinois Farm Bureau President Phil Nelson to discuss the agriculture economy, support for producers and the organization’s priorities for 2026, according to a statement attributed to Miller. Miller, a congresswoman, said she met with Nelson, who leads the Illinois Farm Bureau. The statement did not specify when or where the meeting took place. “It was great meeting with my friend Phil Nelson, President of the Illinois Farm Bureau,”

CARLYLE - A fundraiser has been launched to help pay funeral and memorial expenses for Sadie Tull, a 41-year-old Carlyle business owner who was found shot to death on March 4, 2026, inside her home on Fairfax Street, as the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis investigates the killing. Myrna Piehl organized the fundraiser following Tull’s death. Authorities said detectives have followed up on dozens of leads and are asking anyone with information to contact investigators. In the GoFundMe

S WANSEA - KinderCare Learning Center has officially opened its new location in Swansea, and leaders emphasize that they are much more than a daycare. As an early learning center, KinderCare offers childcare and educational programs for infants, toddlers and preschool-age children. Swansea’s Center Director, Tori Siron, explained that the center aims to provide support to the whole family while educating kids and giving them opportunities to grow. “We love welcoming all

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after President Donald Trump fired Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and announced U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) as his preferred replacement: “Kristi Noem was the face of an unpopular, illegal, and outright dangerous mass deportation campaign that claimed the lives of innocent Americans and terrorized many

ALTON - The Alton School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Mack Ivory as the new Assistant Principal at Alton High School. Mr. Ivory holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from Missouri Baptist University, as well as two Master’s degrees from Missouri Baptist University: one in the Art of Teaching and the other in Educational Administration. Mr. Ivory began his educational career in January 2020 as a Student Support Specialist in the Rockwood School

ALTON - The Alton School District Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Amanda Beiser as Assistant Principal at Alton Middle School for the 2026-2027 school year. Mrs. Beiser is a proud graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Learning Behavioral Specialist, as well as a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and Leadership. She began her teaching career in the Alton School District

EDWARDSVILLE – When water flows cleanly from a tap, it carries with it the expertise of professionals trained for a job most people never see but upon which everyone depends. Illinois policymakers had the opportunity to see that infrastructure in action while touring Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC). ERTC welcomed Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart on Feb. 20 and Illinois State Senator Erica Harriss on March 2 for

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against Senator Tim Kaine’s (D-VA) war powers resolution that would have blocked President Trump from ordering further strikes on Iran unless authorized by Congress. Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution states that the power to declare war is an explicit power of Congress and Congress overwhelmingly reaffirmed this constitutional provision when it passe

CHICAGO — Today, Governor JB Pritzker pressed the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar to take immediate federal action to protect Americans stranded in the Middle East following recent U.S. military strikes and responses. In a letter to Secretary Rubio, Governor Pritzker raised alarms over how President Trump admitted yesterday that there is no plan to help evacuate Americans from the region whose safety has been jeopardized by

CHICAGO - Today, in the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrats and Republicans alike pressed Secretary Kristi Noem on her failure to uphold a core responsibility of the the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security: protecting the American people. Following a nearly five-hour-long hearing, here are questions Secretary Noem failed to answer: When Senator Durbin (D-IL) asked if Noem retracts her statements labeling Chicago school teacher Marimar Martinez, Renee Good, and Ale

EAST ALTON/BETHALTO - A man wanted in a murder investigation was arrested Tuesday morning, March 3, 2026, in the parking lot of Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, and local officials said the case was separate from a federal operation last week in Bethalto in which four employees of a Mexican restaurant were taken into custody. East Alton Police Chief Scott Golike said the person arrested at Eastgate Plaza was wanted in a murder investigation by the U.S. Marshals Office and that the arrest was not

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