ALTON – An Alton resident remains in custody after nearly two years of alleged sexual abuse against a child. Dustin R. Green, 33, of the 30 block of Holly Hill Drive in Alton, was charged on Oct. 7, 2026, with three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, each Class 1 felonies. From Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2024, Green allegedly committed multiple acts of sexual conduct with a victim who was 6 years old when the alleged abuse began and 8 years old when it reportedly ended. Charging
EDWARDSVILLE - Community members can stop by Leclaire Parkfest for a day of local history, food, live music, artisans, trolley tours and more fun. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, Friends of Leclaire will host their 34th annual Leclaire Parkfest at Leclaire Park in Edwardsville. The event promises to share more about the history of the Leclaire neighborhood while bringing people together for a fun day and raising money for the beautification of the park. “We call it
EDWARDSVILLE — A perfect round of 25 targets has become a recurring milestone for Edwardsville High School Trap Club members this fall as they compete against area schools at the Edwardsville Gun Club. Multiple Edwardsville shooters have hit 25 consecutive targets during the 2026 fall season. Coach Brian Wilkinson said the club emphasizes safety and mental commitment while recognizing accomplishments. The Edwardsville High School trap team members are Edison's Entertainment Complex
On Oct. 12, 1965, the Beatles began recording “Rubber Soul” at EMI’s studios in London, starting a concentrated stretch of work that helped change expectations for the pop album. Released that December, the record brought more adventurous sounds and increasingly mature songwriting into the group’s music. Its importance extended beyond the Beatles: It helped establish the album as a unified artistic statement, rather than simply a package built around hit singles. Looking
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MO. — Two women were charged Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026, after authorities alleged they assaulted an off-duty police officer working at a business on Lusher Road, leaving him with injuries that required hospital treatment. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Shaniya Lewis, 20, of St. Louis, and Nayonna Griffin, 20, of Florissant, Mo., with second-degree assault involving a special victim and resisting or interfering with arrest for a felony.
EAST ST. LOUIS — East St. Louis police Officer Jaylon Lee received the city’s Life-Saving Valor Award for rescuing a passenger trapped inside a burning vehicle, according to the police department. The East St. Louis Police Department said Lee risked his own life to reach the trapped passenger. The department did not provide any additional information about the incident. The East St. Louis Police Department credited his quick thinking and decisive actions with helping
SPRINGFIELD – Before Medicare's Open Enrollment period begins on Oct. 15, the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) is encouraging beneficiaries to start browsing plans early and to get trusted advice through the state's Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). “I want to express to people with Medicare Part D plans and or Medicare Advantage plans that it is necessary to check your current plan and the benefits offered for 2027. Some premiums (for Part D plans) have gone from $0 per mont
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced that he secured a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve truck parking availability and safety along Interstate 57 in Effingham and Marion counties. “Having grown up in the trucking business, I know firsthand how important it is for our truck drivers to have safe, reliable places to pull over and rest,” said Bost. “These hardworking men and women spend countless hours on the road delivering
EDWARDSVILLE – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) recently announced $17 million in funding to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) to expand the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC), which includes $15 million from the State of Illinois and $2 million from the Illinois Corn Growers Association. The investment will allow NCERC to build capacity and support companies that are developing and commercializing ne
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today sent a letter to Don Berthiaume, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG), requesting that he investigate the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) decision to modify the hiring standards that govern the FBI’s workforce by removing theft from an employer, sex solicitation, and bestiality from its list of automatic hiring disqualifications.
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 14 states, filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s unlawful decision to terminate millions of dollars in funding to improve states’ unemployment insurance systems and prevent fraud. “Congress approved this funding for states to improve the administration of their unemployment insurance programs, so they can better detect and prevent fraud and make the unemployment claims process more
On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus’s expedition reached an island in the Bahamas, beginning a period of sustained contact between Europe and the Americas. The landing helped transform trade, migration, food production, and political power across the world. For Indigenous peoples, the changes also brought conquest, forced labor, displacement, and devastating disease. Columbus did not reach an uninhabited continent, nor was he the first European to visit the Americas. The lasting significanc
ALTON — Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s leading plaintiffs’ law firms, has been named a 2026 Illinois Regional Powerhouse by Law360. The legal business publication annually recognizes a select group of law firms for their impact on their state’s legal market and work on significant matters with broader regional and national implications. Founded in Alton, Illinois, in 1999 as a seven-person asbestos litigation firm, Simmons Hanly Conroy has grown into one of the
WOOD RIVER – A “ghost hunting” trip in a Wood River cemetery landed an Alton resident in Madison County custody on felony charges of aggravated robbery and battery. Nathan C. Endicott, 18, of Alton, was charged on Oct. 6, 2026 with one count each of aggravated robbery (a Class 1 felony) and aggravated battery (a Class 3 felony). Three days prior on Oct. 3, Endicott allegedly knowingly stole a cell phone and U.S. currency from another individual by use of force while indicating
BRIGHTON - A new nonprofit hopes to one day open a sober living house for women in the Riverbend region. Jane’s House was established in 2024 by Arielle Bozarth and her sisters after they lost their mother, Jane, to a substance use disorder. Named the October Nonprofit Spotlight for the RiverBend Growth Association, Jane’s House is continuing to grow, with several outreach opportunities available as they move toward opening their recovery community. “Our goal is to open
DECATUR — Marquette Catholic capped a remarkable girls golf season with a fifth-place finish at the IHSA Class 1A State Tournament in Decatur on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Sophomore Maggie Pruetzel won the individual IHSA Class 1A state golf championship by two strokes. Pruetzel finished at 5-over par to claim the individual title. Marquette posted a two-round total of 687, or 111 over par, shooting 347 in the first round and 340 in the second. The Marquette Catholic girls are Tucker's Automotive
CHICAGO – The Accessibility Committee for Employees with Disabilities (ACED) has named the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) its Outstanding Agency of the Year, recognizing DoIT’s leadership and commitment to advancing digital accessibility across state government. Throughout the year, DoIT’s digital accessibility team has expanded statewide accessibility efforts by producing new guides and training, improving compliance tracking, and raising awareness of
COLLINSVILLE - A local nonprofit is hosting a major fundraising gala to fight childhood cancer. From 5–10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, community members can support Kellsie’s Hope Foundation in their mission to raise money for cancer research and grant wishes to kids undergoing cancer treatment. Started by Kellsie Marchbanks, the foundation aims to help kids and the gala is another step toward that goal. Kellsie’s mother, Gail, is proud to carry on her daughter’s
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has received the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA) Innovation in State Government: Customer Service and Experience Award for the CMS Personnel Academy, a statewide initiative designed to strengthen human resources services across Illinois state government. The award recognizes the Personnel Academy’s innovative approach to creating consistent, accessible and continuous professional developmen
SPRINGFIELD – The top students representing Illinois’ colleges and universities will be honored during special ceremonies hosted by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield on Saturday, October 24. In order to accommodate all of the student laureates and their families, half of the students will be recognized during an 11 a.m. ceremony and the other half during a 2 p.m. ceremony. The 52nd annual Lincoln Academy Student Laureate
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