EDWARDSVILLE - Amy L. Bryant, 43, of Madison County, Illinois, has been charged with five counts of criminal sexual assault of a male minor, according to a charging document filed on Monday, May 4, 2026, by the Madison County State’s Attorney Office. Thomas A. Haine, the state’s attorney for Madison County, charged that the alleged offenses occurred “from on or about October 1, 2023, through on or about April 15, 2025,” in Madison County. The defendant is identified
BETHALTO - Deana McDonough always knew she wanted to work in special education. It took some time, but her life led her to where she was meant to be. McDonough is the District Behavior Interventionist who works closely with students at Wilbur Trimpe Middle School in the Bethalto Community Unit School District #8. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she is remembering why she chose this job. “I became a teacher to help empower students,” she said. “I am passionate about teaching
ALTON - Meme Evans loves building relationships with her students. This is one of Evans’s strengths as a fourth grade teacher at West Elementary School in the Alton Community Unit School District #11. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she remembers why she started working in the education field and her passion for helping students succeed. “My favorite part of the job is building relationships with the students. They are all unique and have something to teach me,” she said.
ALTON - Joy Sawyer didn’t always expect to become a teacher, but she has definitely found the right path for her. Sawyer is a K–1 Special Education Instructional Class teacher at Lovejoy Elementary School in the Alton Community Unit School District #11. This Teacher Appreciation Week, she is grateful for the decisions and experiences that led her to this career so she can help students shine. “Teachers are many things to a student, really, to a family,” Sawyer said.
Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day—and that single mix-up explains why the holiday can feel confusing on both sides of the border. The date marks a specific battle, fought in a specific place, under pressure from a much bigger global story. Over time, it turned into a symbol of pride and resistance in Mexico, then grew into a broader celebration of Mexican heritage in the United States. Understanding its roots makes the day feel less like a party theme and more lik
In the early 1800s, Europe was reshaping itself after years of war, and May 5 carried one of those turning points. In 1818, Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on the island of Saint Helena. His rise had helped spread new ideas about law and government, while his wars redrew borders and left deep scars across the continent and beyond. At the time, his death closed a chapter that many Europeans had lived through as a constant crisis. Over the long term, the debates his career sparked—about
MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Lt. Brittaney Hughes, whose family lives in Fenton, Mo., serves the U.S. Navy assigned to U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Hughes graduated from Lee’s Summit North High School in 2012. Additionally, Hughes earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Missouri in 2016 and a master's in nursing in 2022 from Liberty University. Hughes joined the Navy 10 years ago. “I joined the Navy to practice
WOOD RIVER – Wood River City Council members approved the appointments and reappointments of several city officials at their May 4, 2026 meeting. With little discussion, councilmen unanimously approved the appointments of new and existing members of the city’s Traffic Commission, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, Fire & Police Commission, Parks & Recreation Commission, Library Board, Police Pension Board, Appearance Board, and Vaughn Hill Cemetery Commission. Aside
EDWARDSVILLE - Sofia Rossetto is a senior striker for the girls' soccer team at Father McGivney Catholic High School and has found the back of the net nine times this season. Her latest goal may be the most important of the season to date. Rossetto scored in the 79th minute on April 29, 2026, to rescue a point for the Griffins in a 1-1 draw at Edwardsville in a thrilling match at Tiger Stadium, which saw Edwardsville dominate the play for the first 20 minutes of the match, with McGivney slowly
GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will celebrate its 55th annual Commencement, May 20, 2026, featuring alumna and former Illinois Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe as the event’s keynote speaker. The ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. at the Hatheway Cultural Center’s Ann Whitney Olin Theatre. “It is a tremendous honor to welcome former Sen. Crowe to Lewis and Clark,” said LC President Ken Trzaska. “She is a longtime friend and passionate advocate
ALTON - Intermittent daytime lane closures are set to begin Thursday, May 7, at the intersection of Illinois 100 and U.S. 67 in Alton as the Illinois Department of Transportation evaluates pavement conditions. The Illinois Department of Transportation announced the closures today for the intersection in Madison County, weather permitting. The agency said the lane closures are necessary for the evaluation of pavement conditions. Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate
EDWARDSVILLE – Madison County authorities filed several charges against a Missouri man accused of attempting to burn down an Edwardsville business, burglarizing and damaging cars and buildings in the process. Mark R. Ross, 38, of Springfield, Mo., was charged on April 28, 2026 with four counts of burglary (each Class 2 felonies), two counts of criminal damage to property (both Class 4 felonies), and one count each of aggravated intimidation (a Class 2 felony) and attempted arson (a Class
RIVERBEND - As spring storms pick up, Ryan Darr encourages community members to speak to local, licensed contractors about hail damage. Darr, with Michael Ryan Exteriors , noted that the past few weeks have been riddled with hail and heavy storms. A lot of people aren’t sure what to do after a storm causes hail damage — or how to even know if there is damage in the first place. That’s where a roofing contractor like Michael Ryan Exteriors can help. “Before you cal
ST. LOUIS - Three women, including a Ritenour High School senior - Jordyn Williams - who had recently been crowned prom queen, were killed Friday night, May 1, 2026, in a three-vehicle crash on Lewis and Clark Boulevard in St. Louis County. The crash was reported at 8:32 p.m. May 1, 2026, on southbound Lewis and Clark Boulevard north of Haviland Drive, Missouri State Highway Patrol investigators said. A 2013 Cadillac SRX traveling southbound sideswiped a 2020 Lexus RX350, causing the Lexus to
ST. LOUIS – A man on supervised release from a prior carjacking case on Monday admitted being caught with a fully automatic handgun after fleeing from police in a stolen car. Davell A. Horton, 29, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted that on July 15, 2024, St. Louis County Police Department officers spotted an Infiniti G37 with no license plates that matched the description of a stole
ST. LOUIS – Two men have been sentenced to prison for two carjackings in St. Louis in 2024. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Monday sentenced Davion Pruitt, 19, of St. Louis, to nine years in prison. Tywone Calvin, 20, of Pine Lawn, was sentenced on April 27 to nine and one-half years in prison. The pair stole a 2011 Cadillac Escalade at gunpoint on Dec. 23, 2024. Three days later, they carjacked a 2017 Chevrolet Trax. The Escalade’s driver had met a woman, Mya Reagan,
CHICAGO – Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the opening of the office’s first-ever Business Services Center in downtown Chicago, bringing together key business-related services in a centralized, customer-focused location while reducing operational costs. Located on the first floor at 160 N. LaSalle St., the new Business Services Center reflects the office’s continued efforts to modernize operations, improve accessibility and better serve Illinois entrepreneurs,
SPRINGFIELD – This is National Small Business Week and Comptroller Susana Mendoza is highlighting programs that are available through the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC). According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 1.4 million small businesses in Illinois , employing 2.4 million people. “Small businesses are what keep our economy and our communities strong,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “I want all of our local entrepreneurs to succeed, and my
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’s newly-updated School Vaccination Coverage Dashboard shows that coverage rates for all school-required childhood immunizations are holding steady compared to last year, and all but one of those immunizations is above the state’s 95% coverage goal to optimize prevention of infectious disease spread. The dashboard is put together each year by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), using data provided to the Illinois State Board of Education
CHICAGO – The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) is asking local community members, residents, and leaders to participate in the development of the 2027 Illinois Housing Blueprint (Blueprint) through two opportunities: (1) take the resident survey and/or (2) attend a Community Listening Session. The Blueprint is a forward-thinking, grassroots planning initiative designed by IHDA to provide a deeper analysis of the trends and priorities around housing at a regional level
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