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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 January through March 2026, ISP missions resulted in the following: Vehicles recovered

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed the future of the Department of Justice (DOJ) after President Trump’s firing of Pam Bondi and the beginning of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s temporary tenure. Durbin began by addressing Bondi’s firing, saying: “She transformed the Department from the nation’s preeminent law enforcement agency

CHICAGO — Governor JB Pritzker today joined community leaders to cut the ribbon at the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council’s (BPNC) new service center. The new facility will allow BPNC and network partners to support families through youth programming, family services, and other community engagement efforts in Chicago’s Brighton Park neighborhood. The State of Illinois provided $3 million in capital grant funding for the new facility “BPNC is beacon of hope and resilience

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for Haiti and Syria. Raoul and the coalition filed an amicus brief today in Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe in support of a challenge to the Trump administration’s termination of the TPS designations. “I am a proud son of Haitian immigrants, so this issue is personal to me,” Raoul said.

ALTON - Mike Brey is proud to call Alton home and pleased he could help develop the town’s youth throughout his career. Brey, who serves as an assistant principal and CTE director at Alton High School, will retire from the Alton Community Unit School District #11 at the end of this school year. He knew since he was a sophomore in high school himself that he wanted to be a basketball coach and athletic director. After achieving that dream by 32, he set his sights on new goals and went

SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Illinois State Police (ISP) are joining together to celebrate and honor all Illinois telecommunicators. April 12–18, 2026 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week recognizing the dedicated professionals who answer the call, calm the chaos, and help guide first responders when every second counts. “Telecommunicators are the calm, steady voice in moments of crisis. Their professionalism, training,

MILLSTADT - State Representative Kevin Schmidt (R-Millstadt) will be hosting a Coffee Talk event in Millstadt on April 20 th and is encouraging his constituents to attend. He said the event will be a great opportunity for the public to have open conversations about state issues that are important to them. “My upcoming Coffee Talk event will allow my constituents to have conversations about policies coming out of Springfield,” Schmidt stated. I look forward to this event and encourage

EDWARDSVILLE - Jack Puent is a senior infielder/outfielder/pitcher with the Alton High baseball team and helps to provide the senior leadership that the Redbirds depend on to be a successful team this 2026 season. Puent pitched two innings in a 9-2 loss to Edwardsville on April 7, 2026, at Tom Pile Field, giving up five runs, three earned, on only one hit, and walked four and struck out two. For the season, he's currently 1-1 in five appearances on the mound, with three starts, and carries

EDWARDSVILLE - Students at Goshen Elementary School in Edwardsville recently had an experience that was out of this world. On Friday, April 10, 2026, students had the chance to visit the Skydome in the school’s gymnasium. This mobile, inflatable planetarium by Mobile Ed Productions gave students a closer look at the stars while encouraging conversations about space-related careers and topics. “It is a fully immersive experience of a trip through our solar system, and the kids

ST. LOUIS — The Saint Louis Zoo invites guests to slow down and look up at the new Sloth Atrium, a re-imagined, open-air habitat inside the historic Primate House. The new space provides an unobstructed view of Hoffman’s two-toed sloths, including Rolo, a one-year-old male making his Saint Louis Zoo debut. Rolo arrived at the Zoo on March 28, from Zoo Atlanta, an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited institution, on recommendation from the AZA Hoffman’s

ALTON – A local man was charged by Alton Police last week with battering and robbing an elderly woman. Jared K. Lewis, 35, of East St. Louis, was charged on April 9, 2026 with one count each of robbery (a Class 1 felony), aggravated battery (a Class 3 felony), and theft (a Class 4 felony). Lewis allegedly knowingly punched a 73-year-old woman in the face without legal justification and took $10 from the same victim by use of force on Jan. 7, 2026. A petition to deny Lewis’s pretria

Godfrey Fire Protection District Chief Eric Cranmer said a pedestrian suffered critical injuries after being struck by a vehicle around 8:30 p.m. Monday, April 13, 2026, in the 5600 block of Humbert Road in Godfrey. Chief Cranmer, who lives near the location, rushed to the scene after receiving calls about the accident. He said he did not know details about how the crash occurred, but the vehicle involved was traveling south toward Alby Street when the pedestrian was struck in the middle of

ST. LOUIS COUNTY - A 32-year-old woman - Chauncia Meekins - was fatally shot late Wednesday, April 8, 2026, while working at a Steak ’n Shake drive-thru on Bellefontaine Road in St. Louis County, after a situation developed with occupants of a vehicle after an order, authorities said. Meekins, a St. Louis resident, died at the scene after the shooting, which happened about 11:35 p.m. on April 8 in the 11000 block of Bellefontaine Road, according to the St. Louis County Police Department.

EDWARDSVILLE - During their work session on Monday, April 13, 2026, the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7 Board of Education received an update about Hamel Elementary School’s upcoming construction and asbestos abatement. Last fall, the Board held several discussions about the district’s priorities and how to spend the remaining bond money. They agreed that Hamel Elementary School was a top priority because it needs asbestos abatement. During the meeting on April

The brain treats a good surprise like a small, private jackpot. You see it in everyday moments: a friend shows up when you didn’t expect them, a package arrives early, a song you love plays in a café, or someone remembers a detail you mentioned once. Even when the surprise is simple, it can brighten your mood fast. That reaction is not random. Humans are built to notice the unexpected—and often to enjoy it—because surprises help us learn, connect, and feel alive. Surprise

On April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic, setting off one of the most famous maritime disasters in modern history. The ship was considered a triumph of engineering and a symbol of confidence in new technology, yet the collision exposed how quickly that confidence could be undone by nature, limited safety planning, and human decision-making. The tragedy mattered immediately because more than 1,500 people died, many of them immigrants and working-class travelers

GODFREY — Emergency crews responded to a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle Monday night in the 5600 block of Humbert Road. The Godfrey Fire Department, along with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, were dispatched just after 8:30 p.m. for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, firefighters located the injured pedestrian and quickly determined the severity of the injuries required advanced care. An Arch medical helicopter was requested to the scene.

BETHALTO – Three Bethalto police officers were recently awarded for their lifesaving efforts. Acting Chief Ryan Dugger presented Lifesaving Awards to Patrolman Alex Dodge, Detective Brad Henry, and Sergeant Jordan Lind at the April 13, 2026 Bethalto Village Board meeting . Fire Department Paramedic Patrick Kelly also earned a Lifesaving Award but was not present at the meeting. Dugger said the three officers arrived at the 500 block of Spencer Street on April 7, 2026 in response to an

HARDIN - Law enforcement officials from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office traveled to Augusta, Georgia, on Feb. 28, 2026, to apprehend Timothy R. Whitaker, 57, of Augusta on allegations of theft and wire fraud after an investigation that began with a complaint in Calhoun County, Illinois, authorities said. Whitaker is accused of theft in the amount of $10,000 to $100,000 and wire fraud, according to the sheriff’s office. The investigation began June 12, 2025, when the Calhoun

GRAFTON - In an effort to reduce overdose deaths and increase access to life-saving resources, a new 24/7 Naloxone (Narcan) access box has been installed in the Jersey County community. This initiative ensures that anyone can access Narcan at any time — day or night — free of charge and without judgment. Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, is a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. With opioid-related emergencies continuing to impact communities across the country,