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Martin Luther King Jr. Day didn’t start as a feel-good holiday. It started as an argument—loud, emotional, and deeply political—about what the country owes to the people who pushed it to change. The day matters because it is one of the few national holidays created to honor a citizen who challenged the government and the culture around him. It is also a reminder that progress is not automatic. It has to be demanded, organized, and defended. Understanding how this holiday was

The first sip of a hot drink can make your whole body feel warmer—even though it barely changes your core temperature. That little burst of comfort is real, and it’s one of the reasons people reach for tea, coffee, cocoa, or broth when the air turns cold. Warm drinks in cold weather aren’t just a habit. They hit several systems at once: your nerves, your senses, your emotions, and your social routines. Some of the effects are physical, some are psychological, and most are

This morning starts off very cold with clear skies and a low near 12 degrees. A cold weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. due to dangerously cold wind chills that could drop to 15 below zero. Winds from the WNW at 15 mph with gusts up to 29 mph add to the chill, making it feel bitterly cold. By afternoon, expect mostly sunny skies and frigid temperatures peaking at a high of 20 degrees. The brisk wind continues, with gusts keeping it feeling colder than the thermometer shows. This evening

Silence isn’t just the absence of sound. It has a texture—and sometimes it feels so thick you can almost lean on it. That’s why a quiet street can feel completely different depending on what’s happening in the world around it. One kind of quiet feels open and relaxed, like a pause between conversations. Another feels sealed shut, like the world has pulled a blanket over itself. The difference isn’t only in your head. It comes from how sound moves, what the landscape

On January 19, 1915, the world saw the first large-scale aerial bombing raid on Britain when German Zeppelin airships attacked towns on England’s east coast. Air raids were not entirely new, but this moment showed how quickly war was expanding beyond battlefields and into everyday civilian life. At the time, it forced governments and ordinary people to confront a new kind of danger: attacks arriving from the sky with little warning. It still matters today because it marked an early turning

BELLEVILLE - On the night of Saturday, January 17, 2026, police responded to multiple shots fired on the 1700 block of Jamestown Road in Belleville, Illinois, resulting in one woman’s death and injuries to another, authorities said. At approximately 11:19 p.m., officers from the Belleville and Swansea Police Departments arrived at the scene and found three female victims. One woman was deceased in the roadway, while two others were inside a nearby parked vehicle. One of the women in the

MACOUPIN COUNTY — Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged Michael Upton, 34, of Palmyra with multiple felony counts related to child sexual abuse material and drug possession following a search of his residence on East Oak Street in Palmyra. The charges, filed in Macoupin County Circuit Court, include two counts of dissemination of child pornography, each a Class X felony carrying a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Upton also faces 10 counts of possession of child pornography,

ROYAL LAKES - A man is facing multiple felony charges following an alleged domestic battery incident that occurred earlier this month. According to charging documents filed by the State’s Attorney’s Office, Eugene Arnold of Royal Lakes is accused of attacking the victim, on January 6, 2026. Charging documents allege Arnold struck her in the face, causing a fractured nose. The injury is listed as great bodily harm, resulting in a charge of aggravated battery causing great bodily

ALTON – Alton Police have charged a local resident with recklessly firing a weapon and engaging in an act of animal cruelty. Jonathon H. Vincent, 20, was charged on Jan. 12, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of reckless discharge of a firearm and a Class A misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals. On Jan. 9, 2026, Vincent allegedly discharged a firearm in a reckless manner multiple times in close proximity to another individual, endangering the victim’s bodily safety. He is also accuse

ALTON — Woody’s Chicken, a well-known local brand that closed in 2019, made a test comeback on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, by serving its signature chicken tenders from a food truck. The event took place at the Mr. Everything parking lot, 211 E. Elm St., starting at 10 a.m. and will continue until supplies run out. Vehicles lined up in unbelievable numbers for the event, reflecting strong community enthusiasm for the legendary Woody's Chicken product. Nate and Lilly Dettmers, family

On January 17, 1991, the United States and a broad international coalition began the air campaign of the Gulf War, launching strikes against Iraq after months of failed efforts to persuade Iraqi forces to leave Kuwait. The fighting mattered immediately because it tested whether the post–Cold War world would respond collectively to a major act of cross-border invasion. It also mattered to ordinary people far from the battlefield, because it was one of the first wars watched in near real

SPRINGFIELD - In response to the Illinois State Board of Education vote today to recommend the minimal required allocation in funding under the evidence-based formula , President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Chicago Teachers Union, Stacy Davis Gates, issued the following statement: “The recommendation from the state board of education is not what is needed to meet this moment and we are certain it will change as others in the Assembly take up the urgent need for a ta

ST. LOUIS – The City of St. Louis has been selected to be part of the Gateways for Growth (G4G) program through the American Immigration Council and Welcoming America , two national nonprofits working to support immigrant inclusion in communities across the country. As part of G4G Round VI, the City will receive tailored research briefs, customized technical assistance and participation in a community of practice with the intention of deepening the cultivation of international communities'

O'FALLON, IL. - After being held in northern Illinois for decades and growing into one of the largest conservation gatherings in the Midwest, the Wild Things Conference is taking root in Southern Illinois this month. With a focus on connecting people and nature across Illinois, the conference brings together conservation professionals, volunteers, educators, and advocates for a full day of learning about and celebrating the ecosystems and wild places of the Midwest. The Wild Things 2026 Conference

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is warning Illinoisans to lookout for text message scams claiming to be from the “Illinois State Department of Motor Vehicles.” The messages threaten to suspend vehicle registration and driving privileges, while falsely claiming that enforcement actions will begin tomorrow, January 17th. The Illinois Secretary of State’s office never sends text messages requesting personal or financial information. These text messages

HOYLETON — Hoyleton Youth and Family Services announced two leadership promotions that will strengthen its residential and congregate care programs. Tami Sadler has been promoted to Director of Therapeutic Residential Services for the Hoyleton Campus and transitioned into her new role on Jan. 5. Sadler was most recently the Clinical Supervisor for Residential Services and has been a member of the Hoyleton team since December 1998 and bringing more than 25 years of experience to her position.

HERMANN, MO — 2025 marked a record-breaking year for Stone Hill Winery’s Beast Feast, with the 37th annual fundraiser raising $62,250.78 for Blood Cancer United, once more making the event the largest Blood Cancer United fundraising event in the state of Missouri. Founded as a tribute to James Richard Held, son of Stone Hill Winery’s President Jon Held, who passed away in 1988 at the age of five after a battle with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), the Great Stone Hill Beast

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined the Center for American Progress (CAP), U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) for a policy summit where they discussed common-sense solutions to address our nation’s housing shortage and lower housing costs for middle-class families. As the cost of housing continues to consistently increase more than the rate of wages, Duckworth underscored the urgent need to address

ST. LOUIS – January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to honor donors who selflessly give the gift of life. The need for blood donations is great at the start of the new year and one of the most challenging times to collect blood products. Save a life this January and make an appointment to give now. Join the American Red Cross and Walter Knoll Florist, in partnership with 103.3 KLOU and iHeartRadio St. Louis, at the Walter Knoll Florist Blood Drive, on Friday, January 23, from 5 a.m

ALTON - On January 8, 1926, a TC-7 military airship sailed “majestically over the city” during a snowstorm. Altonians frequently saw airships fly above the city and had gotten used to the sight. But the dirigible flew at a low elevation and the noise of the drumming motor during the snowstorm “drew the attention of thousands to the dirigible, for it was the first visit of an airship in mid-winter.” Mayor Davis and other city officials were inspecting the Turner Tract,