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ALTON — Alton Parks & Recreation is excited to announce a partnership with Metro East Every Survivor Counts to host a community Trunk or Treat event on Saturday, October 31, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Rock Spring Park in Alton. The event will bring the community together for an afternoon of Halloween fun to kick-off the Annual Halloween Parade, encouraging families and individuals of all ages to dress up in their favorite costumes and enjoy a festive atmosphere. Attendees will have th

JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville city officials recently passed new regulations on shipping containers which they say are completely unrelated to a data center being proposed in Jersey County . Jerseyville City Council members approved an ordinance at their Oct. 27, 2026 meeting to amend a section of the City Code regarding zoning regulations for accessory buildings, adding language pertaining to shipping containers. Mayor Kevin Stork said a concerned community member reached out to ask if these

Photos courtesy of Vicky Schlueter ALTON — A large crowd of protesters carrying signs gathered outside The Wedge Innovation Center during an open house hosted by TerraWatt, the developer of a proposed Alton data center. Video from the scene, according to the person who shared it, shows lines stretching around the building. The footage has not been independently reviewed, and an attendance estimate was not available. The gathering highlights opposition among those protesting but does

EDWARDSVILLE — The Edwardsville Police Department has been awarded a federal grant to put additional officers on the road to reduce crashes and save lives, with enforcement planned during holidays, late-night hours and other periods when the risk of serious crashes is highest. The federal fiscal year 2027 Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program grant, administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation, will fund additional traffic enforcement from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027

EDWARSVILLE - Two people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a Volkswagen and a Jeep collided about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, near Golden Oak Pancake House in Edwardsville, leaving the Jeep on its side. Edwardsville Police and firefighters responded to the crash at the intersection of Edwardsville Crossing Drive and Edwardsville Crossing Drive, on private commercial property within the Dierbergs complex. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

ALTON – A developer seeking to transform a vacant Alton lot into a “for-profit park” will have to wait longer for city approval as questions from officials remain unanswered. Hugh Halter has repeatedly presented plans to city officials for “The Park Alton” at 401 Piasa Street. The two-block site would feature rental spaces for 14 to 16 different vendors to provide social and competitive activities like rock-climbing walls, pickleball, family dining and event renta

EDWARDSVILLE — An East Alton man who kicked his way into a couple’s home and fought with an armed resident was sentenced Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, to 12 years in prison for home invasion, Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced. Associate Judge Neil Schroeder sentenced Jesse E. Stewart, 42, after he was found guilty at an August 2026 trial of home invasion, a Class X felony. According to evidence and testimony, the couple awoke July 4, 2025, when they heard someone

ALTON - The City of Alton welcomed one of the most well-known former mayors in North America to share his 9/11 story of kindness and community. On Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, Alton Mayor David Goins met Claude Elliott, the former mayor of Gander in Newfoundland. Gander, population 9,300, took in 7,000 passengers from around the world for five days following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Elliott shared more about the town’s work on 9/12 and the days following the attacks, and

Dennis Craft, a retired Collinsville School District superintendent and current school board member, has endorsed Judge Patrick King for circuit judge, citing King’s fairness on the bench and commitment to family and community. “Judge King is a fine steward of the law. He is community and family oriented. He is at all times objective and fair making decisions from the bench,” Craft said. Dennis Craft Opinions expressed in this section are solely those of the individual author

COTTAGE HILLS – A non-compliant sex offender from Cottage Hills faces another felony charge after her latest alleged violation of the Sex Offender Registration Act. Courtney A. Runion, of the 1400 block of 1st Street in Cottage Hills, faces a Class 2 felony charge for her second or subsequent offense of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender. Runion is accused of failing to report on a quarterly basis in person with the Madison County Sheriff as required under the Sex Offender

O’FALLON, Ill. — As another milestone in HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s $116 million growth project to expand access to care in the region, the new outpatient imaging services department will open to patients Oct. 28, 2026. The imaging services available at this standalone building, located at 45 St. Francis Way on the northeast corner of the hospital campus, include open MRI, mammography, CT, X-ray and bone density (DEXA) scans. All services except X-ray have relocated

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 12 attorneys general, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today announced that Playpower has abandoned its proposed acquisition of BCI Burke (Burke) just a week after Raoul and the coalition filed a lawsuit challenging the transaction. Playpower and Burke are two of the largest commercial outdoor playground manufacturers. Raoul and the coalition had alleged that the potential merger would drive up prices and

ALTON – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th–Glen Carbon) announced she has secured state funding to help Crisis Food Center make needed improvements to its facility while reducing long-term operating costs. The $5,000 investment will support the replacement of outdated fluorescent lighting with energy-efficient LED lighting, helping the organization lower utility expenses and direct more resources toward serving local families. “Crisis Food Center provides an important service

SWANSEA - Swansea Police took a suspect into custody on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, after responding to a reported domestic disturbance involving a person armed with a knife in the 200 block of East Caroline Street, according to the department. A victim with multiple injuries was taken to a hospital. Officers responded at approximately 2:12 p.m. on Monday. While they were en route, dispatch advised that the disturbance had escalated into a physical altercation involving an individual armed with a knife

ALTON — Alton residents have one fewer option for disposing of leaves this year, as a strike-related staffing shortage in the Public Works Department has sidelined the city’s leaf vacuum service, officials said on Tuesday morning, Oct. 27, 2026. The mobile vacuum normally collects leaves that residents rake to the curb. It will not operate this year because the Alton Public Works Department is short on manpower due to the strike. Residents can instead burn yard waste on Wednesdays

The witching hour does not have a fixed time—and it has no necessary connection to witches. Depending on who is speaking, it might mean midnight, 3 a.m., or the early evening stretch when a baby will not stop crying. What connects these meanings is the feeling that ordinary life has become a little less predictable. The phrase sits at the meeting point of folklore, fear, and everyday experience. Understanding it means looking not only at stories about the supernatural, but also at why

This Day in Music History: Oct. 27, From Heifetz’s Debut to Pop Reinvention On Oct. 27, 1917, a 16-year-old violinist stepped onto the Carnegie Hall stage and delivered one of classical music’s defining American debuts. Jascha Heifetz’s first U.S. recital introduced American audiences to a performer whose precision and command would become a benchmark for violin playing. For this Oct. 27, 2026, look back, his arrival leads a century of milestones involving soul standards, Motown’

This Day in History: October 27, 2026 On October 27, 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis reached its most dangerous point. An American reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over Cuba, while a separate encounter between U.S. naval forces and a Soviet submarine created another risk of nuclear escalation. Leaders in Washington and Moscow faced decisions that could have turned a confrontation over missiles into a much wider war. The date became known as “Black Saturday.” Its importance lie

EDWARDSVILLE — The Glen-Ed Pantry has raised $2 million toward its $3 million capital campaign for a new 9,000-square-foot facility. Today, the pantry launched a year-end push to raise the remaining $1 million by December 31, 2026. The pantry broke ground on the new building in May and plans to open it in summer 2027. The facility is designed around the neighbors the pantry serves and the volunteers who serve them and includes: Improved accessibility, so every client, volunteer and

ALTON - St. Peter and Paul Parish (The Old Cathedral), Alton, is excited to announce their 27th Annual Christmas Bazaar, to be held on Saturday, November 21st from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Bazaar is held in the Parish Community Hall (formerly the gymnasium), located behind the church. The Helping Hands Ministry will sponsor the bazaar, and the funds raised will be used to assist the needy in the Alton/Godfrey community. The Bazaar will include one of the largest basket raffles in the area donated