ALTON – Since the heart is one of the most important muscles in the human body, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center continues to be “heart healthy” after bulking up even more by flexing its cardiology services specialty program “muscle” in 2025. Just as a physician recommends patients to develop a plan to maintain a strong and vibrant heart (proper nutrition, exercise, plenty of sleep, reduce stress, etc.), OSF Saint Anthony’s, for the second
ALTON - Alton resident Greg Snyder, a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime community volunteer, is seeking financial help through a GoFundMe organized by Jacinda Dunlap to cover mounting medical expenses and major vehicle repairs needed for transportation to the John Cochran VA Hospital in St. Louis. The online fundraiser says Snyder underwent surgery last year to remove lung cancer from his right lung and is now facing new concerns after “a mass in his left lung has doubled in size in recent
EDWARDSVILLE - Taliyah Sykes is a senior guard for the girls basketball team at Granite City High School who played an important role in a historic season for the Warriors, as the team reached the 20-win circle for only the fourth time in the program's history, and the first time in 15 years. Sykes averaged 8.4 points and 1.8 rebounds-per-game for Granite in helping the team go 20-9 in the regular season, which ended with a 56-33 loss to Edwardsville Feb. 12 at Lucco-Jackson Gym. In her postgame
EDWARDSVILLE - Mia Semith played her final regular-season home game on Feb. 12, 2026, and went out with a flourish, as the Edwardsville girls basketball senior guard scored 19 points to lead the Tigers to a 56-33 win over a vastly improved Granite City side at Lucco-Jackson Gym. It's been a banner year for Semith, who led the team in scoring with 10.6 points-per-game, and in rebounding with a 4.9 rebounds-per game average. She also contributed 39 assists and 77 steals to the Tigers, who finished
EDWARDSVILLE - Illinois State Police investigators are reviewing a Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Police pursuit that ended with a driver’s death after a crash into a business building late Sunday night, Feb. 15, 2026, in Edwardsville. The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Police Department requested the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 6 to investigate the pursuit, which ended in a fatal crash, according to information issued on Monday, Feb.
LOUISVILLE, IL. – Illinois gubernatorial candidate and former State Senator Darren Bailey and his running mate Aaron Del Mar are launching a second statewide tour beginning on Monday, Feb. 16 th and running through Saturday, Feb. 21. “One of the things I enjoy most about campaigning is traveling this state and meeting the great men and women who make Illinois a special place to live and raise a family,” Bailey said. “I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting
ALTON - Community members have the chance to experience a powerful musical performance to start the Lenten season at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026, St. Paul’s will host a performance of Pergolesi’s “Stabat Mater,” a musical rendition of the Passion of Christ through Mary’s eyes. The performance by Baroque Orchestra from Early Music Missouri promises to be an emotional reflection on the Lenten season. “Lent i
GRANITE CITY - Granite City High School’s speech team has qualified for the Illinois High School Association State Tournament, scheduled for Feb. 20-21, 2026, in Peoria, according to the Granite City School District #9. The district congratulated the team on its state qualification and highlighted individual and group results from the qualifying round. Bug Wise was listed as a state qualifier in extemporaneous speaking, placing second, and in impromptu speaking, placing third.
ALTON - Heaven Everage, a senior at Alton High School, has been named one of two Alton–Godfrey Rotary Club’s February Students of the Month, an honor recognizing her academic work, leadership, and community service in the Alton area. Everage and Jessica Eales, a Marquette Catholic senior, are the February Alton-Godfrey students who were selected. Everage said she is “truly honored and grateful” for the recognition. First and foremost, she gives thanks to "God, who is
ALTON – A sex offender from Alton faces new felony charges after allegedly fleeing from police in a high-speed vehicle chase and on foot among other offenses. Dallas M. Cook, 47, of the 3000 block of Glenwood Avenue in Alton, was charged on Feb. 9, 2026 with his second subsequent offense of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender, a Class 2 felony. Cook was also charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer (both Class 4 felonies), unlawful
ALTON — Marquette Catholic High School senior Jessica Eales was recognized as an Alton-Godfrey Rotary Club February Student of the Month during a recent event at Gentelin’s on Broadway Restaurant, honored for her academic, athletic, and extracurricular achievements. Eales was one of two students recognized, alongside Heaven Everage of Alton High School, as a Rotary Club of Alton-Godfrey Student of the Month. Eales, the daughter of Christopher and Christina Eales, has a 4.8 GPA
In letter to Noem and Lyons, Senate Democrats cite 30+ deaths since the start of the Trump Administration with concern over continued expansion of immigration detention WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led 22 Senate Democrats in sounding the alarm on the dramatic increase in deaths in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention, with over 30 deaths since the start of the Trump Administration.
HIGH HONOR ROLL High Honor Roll – 12th Grade Lillian Ackerman Benjamin Alexander Jack Alexander Madelyn Allen John Almos Malak Amer Jeffrey Andrews Alaynah Archer Clara Armstrong Joy Azoji Finley Baker Atticus Ball Kain Barker Kira Bartoszkiewicz Ella Bates Schaefer Bates Kennedy Baugh Derrian Becker Jaylinn Bell Adler Bendel Owen Berning Ryan Bigtas Emma Birkenmeyer Haley Bloodworth Estelle Borden Lily Bowker Maggie Bowser Andrea Brenner Alexander Brewster
ALTON - Lyla Hsu’s artwork, from fiber arts to photography, helps her make sense of the world. Hsu is this month’s Milton Schoolhouse Artist of the Month. Her art is on display at Milton through the end of February, but her passion goes beyond this first exhibit. She hopes she can continue creating and inspiring others as she begins her professional career. “It’s a way to reflect on my experiences and then make sense of it, and just kind of a way for me to understand
ALTON - Debbie Sheary has spent a lifetime advocating for others. Sheary, one of the YWCA’s eleven 2026 Women of Distinction, will be honored at the Y’s annual gala for her commitment to the community. She explained that her career in education has guided her as she continues her community service through the YWCA and similar organizations throughout Alton. “I really love my community, and I just think we have such potential. I just try to be where I'm needed when I’m
EAST ST. LOUIS - East St. Louis School District 189 announced that Meonshai Houston, a teacher at Annette Officer Elementary School, received the Illinois State Board of Education’s Award of Special Recognition as part of the Those Who Excel 2026 honors. The award “celebrates educators who are valued for the skills, passion, and dedication they bring to their school communities each day,” the district said in its announcement. “Ms. Houston’s commitment
JERSEYVILLE — Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 announced that Cali Breden has earned a spot on the 2026 Illinois Athletic Directors Association All-State Team, an honor that recognizes senior student-athletes for athletics, academics, leadership, and community service. Breden is also a 2026 JCHS Illinois State Scholar. Breden is a Sparklight Female Athlete of the Month for Jersey. Breden, a senior student-athlete, is averaging nearly 10 points per game for the Panthers
ALTON – Soulcial Kitchen will host its monthly Block Party for Good on Friday, February 27, 2026, from 2:00–4:00 PM at Soulcial Square (Market & 5th Street, Alton, IL) — providing free groceries, hot chef-prepared meals, and medical information and assessments to the community at no cost. The event is open to all. No ID is required. Supplies are available while they last. The February Block Party for Good will feature: Free Groceries provided by the St. Louis Area
The month that’s supposed to celebrate love is also one of the busiest times for breakups. That sounds backward. Yet relationship counselors, dating apps, and even social media trends often notice the same pattern: a spike in “we need to talk” moments around February. It’s not that February has magical breakup energy. It’s that the month stacks pressure, expectations, and practical stress in a way that exposes cracks that were already there. The “love month”
EDWARDSVILLE/MORO - First-grade students at Midway Elementary School celebrated Lunar New Year with their teacher, who spent five years teaching in China. Chelsey Phipps, a first-grade teacher at Midway, explained that she wanted to share her experiences in China with her students in the Edwardsville class. Students have spent the past week reading and learning about the Lunar New Year. On Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, they created a paper lantern craft, enjoyed oranges as a snack, and received
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