SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced he has returned over $2.5 billion in missing money on his watch, breaking all records in an I-Cash program that has been around since the 1960s. More than 2.5 million people, nonprofits, and businesses have been reunited with their missing money since Frerichs took office in 2015. Frerichs modernized I-Cash, allowing people to file electronic claims, taking on powerful insurance companies to return money to beneficiaries,
CHICAGO — Today, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB), in partnership with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), marked a historic milestone with the graduation of the inaugural cohort of the nation’s first Crisis Response Therapy Canine Certification Program. The inaugural class features 11 certified therapy canine teams representing seven agencies across Illinois. The program, launched to better equip law enforcement agencies with tools
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the State Employee Retirement System (SERS) cautioned state of Illinois employees and retirees about attempted investment scams directed at them . “State employees and retirees in Illinois should be on the lookout for unsolicited emails claiming to provide assistance with retirement planning,” Raoul said. “These entities often try to imply they are associated with the State Employees’ Retirement System, but they
ST. LOUIS – A man from Venice, Illinois, on Friday, April 24, 2026, admitted to helping carjack one man in St. Louis in 2024 and shooting at another. Harry Moore, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of carjacking and one felony count of possession and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. He admitted driving a Cadillac that had been stolen in Belleville, Illinois to the 2900 block of Minnesota Avenue in St. Louis on Sept. 4, 2024
ALTON – A Precious Organization, in partnership with the Alton Police Department and YWCA Southwestern Illinois, is excited to announce the return of the 9th Annual “Ballin’ With A Cop” event, taking place on Saturday, May 12th, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the YWCA Gymnasium, located at 304 E. Third St. in Alton. This dynamic and uplifting event brings youth teams together with members of the Alton Police Department for friendly basketball games that promote connection,
Actor, ventriloquist, letter carrier, and Panama–California Exposition gatekeeper George Mold died on April 25, 1926. An Alton Evening Telegraph article the next day announced the news. At the time of his death, Mold resided in Coronado Beach, California, but he grew up in Alton and frequently came back to the area to visit family and friends. George Mold moved to Wichita, Kansas, as a young man, and made “quite a success in amateur theatricals” there. In 1893, he played
Auction catalog available here . SPRINGFIELD – Collectible baseball cards of Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg, Nolan Ryan and Ken Griffey Jr., a gold ingot, and an 1868 French coin bearing the image of Napoleon III are just a few of the notable items available at the online ICash auction April 24-May 3, 2026. “Our online auction offers something unique and memorable for everyone,” said Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, whose office oversees unclaimed property in
BETHALTO - Five senior students from Civic Memorial High School have been offered an impressive scholarship and job opportunity through Mercy Hospital. These five students — Brock Green, Grace Burton, Mia Suarez, Emma Moore and Ava Fassler — have been “blessed with an opportunity beyond belief,” said teacher Angie Parish. The students will join Mercy’s Win From Within program, where they will work as Patient Care Associates at Mercy Hospital and then attend colleg
EAST ALTON — The East Alton Police Department responded to an domestic disturbance that led to a brief standoff Saturday evening in the 600 block of Valley Drive. Police blocked off Valley Drive as several officers surrounded the home. Officers were heard over a loudspeaker calling for a suspect to exit the residence with his hands up. Authorities were also seen speaking with a woman outside the home before the suspect came out. After the brief standoff, a man exited the house and surrendered
On April 25, 1915, Allied troops landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in the Ottoman Empire, opening a campaign that quickly became one of World War I’s most costly and influential struggles. The plan was to force a sea route to Russia and knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war, but difficult terrain, strong defenses, and flawed coordination turned the operation into months of trench warfare. It mattered then because it tied down enormous resources and reshaped strategy on several fronts.
WOOD RIVER – Midwest Members Credit Union is proud to sponsor the “Shell of the Month” program at Roxana High School. Students from each grade level are selected each month by members of RHS faculty. Each student is awarded a certificate and a Subway gift card. The Seniors selected each month will have the opportunity to compete for a “Shell of the Year” scholarship at the end of the school year. March's Shell of the Month winners are: Senior- Kylee Slayden
ALTON – A local man accused of firing a weapon towards an occupied vehicle and causing a traffic crash while under the influence of alcohol remains in custody on felony charges. Mylen T. Felton, 23, of Alton, was charged on April 20, 2026 with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm, reckless discharge of a firearm, aggravated driving while under the influence, and aggravated unlawful possession of weapons, each Class 4 felonies. The day prior on April 19, Felton allegedly
JERSEYVILLE — Jersey Community Unit School District No. 100 introduced the 2026 Jersey Community High School prom court, naming 14 students to the group, according to a district announcement. Those named to the 2026 JCHS prom court are Grace Russell, Taylor Woodring, Sophia Fraley, Abigail Chin, Madalyn Bodenbach, Adrian Blasa, Meredith Gray, Noah Borkowski, John Greathouse, Brandon Kennedy, Paul Slusser, Brady Maxeiner, Abe Kribs, and Connor Talley. Jersey's prom is from
EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville recently hosted a high-level delegation from the Québec Government Office in Chicago, reinforcing its commitment to international collaboration and economic partnership development. The visit focused on identifying opportunities for cooperation across key industries, including transportation, logistics, aerospace, and professional services. Coordinated by the SIUE Small Business Development Center (SBDC) International Trade
HARDIN - Calhoun County Sheriff Zach Hardin arrested a 37-year-old Louisiana, Mo., woman on multiple drug- and driving-related charges after a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon near the Joe Page Bridge in East Hardin, according to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. The stop occurred March 31, 2026, at about 1:43 p.m. on Illinois Highway 100, the sheriff’s office said. Following the stop and a subsequent investigation, Chelsi N. Griffin was arrested on charges of: • Aggravated
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) welcomed 20 new Troopers today from Cadet Class 152 at a graduation ceremony at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield. The new Troopers will report to three ISP Troop locations throughout the state on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Cadet Class 152 marks the 25th cadet class graduation under Governor JB Pritzker and ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. Since 2019, 741 troopers have joined ISP. “On behalf of the State of Illinois, I’d
NAPERVILLE, Ill. – A team of four students from Naperville Central High School will compete in the National Personal Finance Challenge in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 31-June 1 after winning a statewide financial literacy contest sponsored by Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. Naperville Central students Harsh Patel, Krish Patel, Taran Nathan and Rohan Jain outscored nine other teams in the finals of the Illinois Personal Finance Challenge. The contest is designed to provide students with
EDWARDSVILLE - After more than two decades in physical therapy, licensed physical therapist and movement educator Alex Schaefer opened Recovery Through Movement in O’Fallon. By applying a brain-based approach, Schaefer’s practice is centered on education, empowerment, and long-term outcomes rather than short-term symptom relief. The therapist received guidance in his new role as entrepreneur from the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern
GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will host a discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence on education at 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 5, 2026, on the Godfrey Campus. Hosted by LC President Ken Trzaska and the President’s Student Advisory Council, the event will feature a joint student and faculty panel promoting open dialog on campus around AI and its involvement with teaching and learning. “The idea is to have both sides of the coin represented — those