SPRINGFIELD - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) is raising concerns over a proposal from Governor JB Pritzker to keep the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) share rate flat at 6.23% for FY27. Schmidt warns that the move could shift the burden onto local taxpayers and force communities to make difficult financial decisions. Schmidt argues that local governments should not be penalized for years of fiscal mismanagement at the state level, cautioning that stagnant LGDF funding
You pack a jacket, then regret it. You skip the jacket, then regret that too. April has a talent for making normal planning feel like a gamble. That “unpredictable” feeling isn’t just in your head. It comes from a mix of fast-changing air patterns, big temperature contrasts, and the way people talk about April as if it has a personality. Add in school schedules, holidays, and the pressure to switch routines, and the month can seem like it can’t make up its mind. Here’s
On April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War came to an end when North Vietnamese forces entered Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, and the South Vietnamese government collapsed. The moment mattered immediately because it ended a long, costly conflict that had drawn in global powers, reshaped politics across Southeast Asia, and displaced millions of people. It still matters today because it influenced how countries think about military intervention, alliance commitments, refugees, and postwar rebuilding.
WOOD RIVER – A convicted felon from St. Louis remains in custody after an alleged armed assault incident at a Wood River residence. Christopher E. Browning, 36, of St. Louis, was charged with three counts of felon in possession of a weapon (each Class 3 felonies) and two counts of aggravated assault (both Class A misdemeanors) on April 23, 2026. The day prior on April 22, 2026, Browning allegedly knowingly pointed an Adams Arms Model AA-15 short barreled rifle at two other individuals.
BENTON — A St. Clair County tax return preparer who owned and operated several tax preparation businesses pleaded guilty in federal court in Benton to charges that she intentionally made false statements on tax return forms and committed wire fraud, according to court documents and federal officials. Dormeshia A. Haire, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of false statements on a tax return, one count of wire fraud, and three counts of aiding and abetting in submitting false and fraudulent returns
TROY - The Troy/Maryville/St. Jacob/Marine Chamber of Commerce is inviting professionals from across the region to attend a Business Builder Series workshop focused on presenting, networking and leadership skills on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the Tri-Township Public Library in Troy, Illinois. The “Business Builder Series: Presenting, Networking & Leading with Impact Workshop” is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The chamber said the interactive, hands-on format is designed to
ROXANA - Roxana High School senior Dalton Carriker is concluding his athletic career in style this spring for the Shells baseball team as a key player. He earned All-Conference honors in baseball and football and was the 2025 Baseball Offensive Player of the Year, according to information provided by Stephanie Carriker. Carriker, a Roxana athlete and straight-A student, has also earned Academic All-State recognition in football. In baseball, he has “already broken multiple Roxana records”
EDWARDSVILLE - The American Legion Riders Post 199 rode more than 400 miles as part of its annual Haven Ride, including a stop at a traveling wall of remembrance at the Mt. Vernon Airport, and presented a $1,000 check to The Haven, a day camp for veterans on Crab Orchard Lake in Southern Illinois. The ride involved members of American Legion Riders Post 199, whose annual event included visiting the traveling wall of remembrance and making a donation to The Haven. The Haven serves veterans, primarily
ST. LOUIS – Eight people, including six who entered the country illegally, were arrested Wednesday on charges including trafficking in firearms and cocaine. The eight are: Ivan Said Henriquez-Corea, 34, of St. Louis. Jose Edwardo Maldonado-Vargas, 21, a.k.a. Oscar Rodriguez-Lopez, of St. Louis County. Manuel DeJesus Hernandez-Maldonado, 47, of St. Louis. Heber Marcelino Figueroa-Bardales, 27, of St. Louis. Edgar Cruz-Ramirez, 36, of St. Louis County. Thomas Allen Hull, 37,
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a former bartender who admitted possessing child sexual abuse material and installing hidden cameras in the bedroom and bathroom of a former residence to 13 years in prison. Judge Divine also ordered Anthony Thomas, 49, of St. Charles County, to pay $104,500 to victims who appeared in the child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that he downloaded. Thomas possessed thousands of media files containing CSAM and thousands
JERSEYVILLE – Jerseyville officials are asking the public to keep grass clippings away from public sidewalks and streets as lawn mowing ramps up amid the spring season. Mayor Kevin Stork issued a reminder regarding mowing season at the April 28, 2026 City Council meeting. “It’s mowing season and we know that with all this heavy rain we’re getting, if we can eliminate the grass clippings in the road that end up in our storm ditches, it’s greatly appreciated,”
ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District invites the community to join them for a special dedication ceremony and party to celebrate the library. From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2026, library staff and members from the Illinois State Historical Society will be at the Jennie D. Hayner Park outside of the downtown library for the ceremony. The library will receive an official Illinois State Historical Society marker that will share information about the district’s history.
ALTON - Marquette Catholic High School has named Sam Rea and Addie Bryson as prom king and queen for “Prom 2026 - Lights, Camera, Prom,” according to a school announcement. The Marquette Catholic administration congratulated the prom court and highlighted Rea and Bryson for their prestigious king and queen honors. The court, pictured above from left to right, includes CJ Steib, Addie Bryson, Sam Rea, Livia Mallory, Elijah Heru, Sofia Lamere, Cameron Golike, Jami
ST. LOUIS, MO. - As daily air quality forecasting resumes for the 2026 season on May 1, the American Lung Association’s newly released “State of the Air” report reveals that, even after decades of efforts to clean up air pollution, millions of Americans — including residents across the St. Louis region — continue to be exposed to unhealthy air. The report, which covers the period of 2022-2024, finds that 44% of people nationwide, or 152.3 million individuals, are
ALTON – Two local men accused of battering someone at a laundromat in Alton face felony charges in connected Madison County cases. Richard A. Heil, 47, of Alton, and Derek M. St. Peters, 47, of Wood River, were both charged on April 23, 2026 with one count each of aggravated battery (both Class 3 felonies) and mob action (both Class 4 felonies). The two are accused of knowingly acting together to strike another individual victim in the face multiple times, causing injury to the victim
ALTON/GRAFTON/HARDIN - A stretch of the Mississippi River in the St. Louis region is forecast to climb into minor flood levels in the coming days, with the National Weather Service in St. Louis issuing a minor flood warning for the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in Alton and the Mississippi River at St. Louis. The forecasts, based on observed precipitation and forecast precipitation, show the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam in Alton is expected to rise abov
ALTON – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) and State Senator Jil Tracy (50th-Quincy) have teamed up with the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office to host an ICASH event Monday at the Hayner Public Library at Alton Square Mall. Constituents are encouraged to stop by to check if they are owed unclaimed property and receive assistance filing a claim. ICASH Event Details Who: Senator Erica Harriss, Senator Jil Tracy, Illinois State Treasurer’s Office When: Monday,
ALTON – Centerstone is marking Mental Health Awareness Month with multiple upcoming events across the Southern Illinois region: Step Into the Conversation: You Are Not Alone Centerstone is honored to host an official Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation Reading alongside the unveiling of “The Weight of the Shadow” a powerful sculpture by artist Ariana Berman and commissioned by Lucas McKenney that represents the unseen emotional burdens many carry. This piece is
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and IBM today announced the company’s new FutureNow Chicago delivery center at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP). As part of FutureNow Chicago, IBM will create 750 new full-time jobs in AI, cybersecurity, data science, quantum, and more. FutureNow Chicago will serve as an innovation and delivery hub, helping IBM clients and industry partners solve complex, real-world business and technology challenges while creating clear pathways
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a total of $22,470,985 in federal funding for port infrastructure development projects for the Kaskaskia Regional Port District and Seneca Regional Port District. This funding is provided through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), a Maritime Administration discretionary grant that supports projects improving the safety, efficiency and reliability
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