ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy , a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, is pleased to announce that Luke Pfeifer has been elevated to partner, effective Jan. 1, 2026. “We are delighted to announce Luke’s well-earned promotion,” said Simmons Hanly Conroy Managing Partner Laurence V. Nassif . “He is an esteemed firm ambassador who demonstrates our commitment to client-focused advocacy daily. I’m
SWANSEA - The Rotary Club of Swansea was honored with the Governor’s Trophy for Best Small Club for the 2024–2025 Rotary year during the Rotary District 6510 Conference held November 7–8, 2025, in Effingham, Illinois. The award was presented by Past District Governor Robin Dean. Rotary District 6510 includes 43 clubs across Southern Illinois. The Rotary Club of Swansea has a notable history of recognition, having previously won the Governor’s Trophy for Best Small Club
ALTON — On Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 13, 2026, a vehicle struck a building near 1650 Washington Avenue in Alton after reportedly leaving the Walgreens parking lot and crossing the street, according to local authorities. At approximately 1:08 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2026, the Alton Police Department received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the incident. One caller suggested the driver may have been shot before the crash. Upon arrival, officers confirmed that no shooting had occurred. The vehicle
ALTON - A few lucky couples can enjoy a special wedding ceremony this Valentine’s Day. On Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, six couples will be married at Vera Lee Meeting and Event Venue in Alton in a series of pop-up weddings. Kirstan Gray, owner of Vera Lee, can’t wait to give couples an affordable alternative to their special day. “What this is designed to be is a one-stop wedding experience without the full-blown wedding. It’s a pop-up wedding on steroids,” Gray
TROY, IL — The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce invites the community to light up the night at GloBingo 2026, happening Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Tri-Township Activity Center in Troy. The event will feature GloBingo, a high-energy, glow-themed bingo experience provided by Tribout Distributors, transforming Friday the 13th into a lucky night full of fun, prizes, and excitement. GloBingo 2026 is proudly sponsored by Troy Car Care and Edward Jones (Linda Manley), whose
EDWARDSVILLE - Community members can play with LEGOs for a good cause. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at the Edwardsville American Legion, local philanthropists Danielle and Brandon Adair will host Bricks for Water. This event invites people of all ages to see LEGO displays, build their own creations, and chat with finalists from “LEGO Masters.” Proceeds from the event will go to World Vision International, which provides clean water to communities in need.
You can change your life in an afternoon without changing your life at all. That sounds like a trick, but it points to the real meaning behind “fresh slate” thinking. A fresh slate is not a magic reset button. It’s a mental move: you decide that what happened before does not get to control what happens next. You don’t erase the past. You stop letting it write the next line for you. What “fresh slate” really means (and what it doesn’t) When people sa
On January 14, 1784, the United States Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris, the agreement that formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent nation. The fighting had largely stopped months earlier, but this vote mattered because it turned a battlefield outcome into an internationally accepted political reality. At the time, it helped open trade, set boundaries, and pushed the new country toward building stable institutions. It still matters
GLEN CARBON – Glen Carbon trustees advanced site plans for a new church and dental office building at their Jan. 13, 2026 Village Board meeting. Among the items approved was a site plan for the future Glen Carbon location of Heartland Dental to be built in Orchard Town Center. Erika Heil, Director of Community Development, said the 4,200 square foot medical office building will occupy 0.99 acres in Outlot 5, which is near the current site of Olive Garden. The site plan submitted by consultin
ALTON — SCI Engineering has made notable progress this week in draining a sinkhole that formed beneath the soccer field at Gordon Moore Park, city officials said Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. The sinkhole draining started on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. The sinkhole, which developed above a mine operated by New Frontier Materials beneath the field, first appeared on June 26, 2024. The City of Alton hired SCI Engineering as an independent consultant to investigate the site and develop a remediation
GODFREY - Don Ehrman at Riverbend Investment Management wants people to know they have options when it comes to planning their financial future. Ehrman explained that his business, located in Godfrey, is focused on helping people manage their finances. He works with clients to plan for retirement and make investments that will support them long-term. To do so, he makes an effort to get to know his neighbors and engage with the community. “Everybody is different. Everybody’s
EDWARDSVILLE — The trial of Keith A. Sanders, charged with the murder of 13-year-old Ra’Niya Steward, continued Tuesday with the prosecution presenting testimony from 11 witnesses on the second day of proceedings. Sanders, who waived his right to a jury trial on Monday and requested a bench trial, is accused of orchestrating the shooting that resulted in Steward’s death. Prosecutors allege Sanders instructed four co-defendants to carry out the shooting amid an ongoing dispute
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to target vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crimes using grant funding from the Illinois Secretary of State Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council. ? ISP was awarded a $10 million grant for the first fiscal year, another $677,000 in June 2024, and $637,500 in July 2025. From October through December 2025, ISP missions resulted in the following: Vehicles recovere
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) reintroduced the Credit Card Competition Act , which will increase competition in the credit card market and put an end to the Visa-Mastercard duopoly that is squeezing small businesses—and, ultimately, consumers. President Trump endorsed the legislation early this morning Today, Visa and Mastercard control about 85 percent of the credit card market and refuse to negotiate
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County Police Chief Kenneth Gregory announced Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, a steady decline in major crimes within the department’s jurisdiction, with an overall 8.5 percent reduction in major offenses in 2025 compared to the previous year. The department reported significant decreases across nearly all crime categories, including a 9.6 percent drop in homicides and a 10.5 percent decline in aggravated assaults. Crimes against persons fell by 6.6 percent.
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Department of Health has ended its search for vervet monkeys reportedly seen in the northern part of the city and is now focusing on enforcing local ordinances that prohibit the ownership of non-human primates. The decision was announced Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, following several resident reports of monkey sightings beginning Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, near a northern city park. Despite deploying Animal Care and Control officers and increasing patrols after additional
PIASA — Maci Timpe, a senior libero for the Southwestern Piasa Birds, concluded her volleyball career in the fall of 2025 after demonstrating consistent improvement throughout the season. Timpe’s development on the court earned her recognition as the Altonized Community Federal Credit Union Female Athlete of the Month for the Piasa Birds. Southwestern head girls volleyball coach Derek Dempsey praised Timpe’s growth, noting her enhanced ability to read angles and anticipate plays
EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education learned more about the district’s ridership audit amid conversations about changing the school start times and transitioning to a seven-period day at the high school. Over the past year, community members have advocated for and against changing the start times to accommodate seven class periods in high school students’ schedules. During their work session on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, Interim Superintendent
GODFREY – Two individuals face felonies in Madison County after an alleged burglary and theft from a business in Godfrey. Kevin D. Ingram III, 21, of St. Louis, and Maurice D. Brown Jr., 22, of East St. Louis, were both charged with Class 2 felony counts of burglary and Class 3 felony counts of retail theft over $300. Brown was charged on Jan. 7, 2026, while Ingram was charged the next day on Jan. 8 in two related cases. Both allegedly knowingly entered The Dugout on Godfrey Road on Dec
ALTON — Monica Klockenkemper, a senior runner for Alton High School, concluded her fall 2025 cross country season with notable performances, highlighted by a personal best time of 19:46.1 for three miles at the IHSA 3A Regional meet held at Belleville West. Her time earned her 26th place in the competition. Klockenkemper also competed at the IHSA 3A Sectional meet at Normal Community, finishing with a time of 20:23.7. Earlier in the season, she posted a time of 22:06.7 to place 16th a
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