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Mother’s Day didn’t start as a card-and-flowers holiday. In the United States, it began as a public campaign led by a woman who later spent years trying to undo it. That twist matters because it reveals what Mother’s Day has always been: a mix of love, politics, grief, and culture. The day we recognize with brunch reservations and last-minute grocery-store bouquets grew out of real family stories and social movements. Understanding that history can make the holiday feel less

A bouquet can say “I’m sorry” without using a single word—and most people will still understand it. That’s the strange power of flowers. They are just plants, yet they carry emotional meaning in a way few objects do. We use them when we’re in love, when we’re grieving, when we’re proud, and when we don’t know what else to say. So why do flowers, of all things, become stand-ins for feelings? Flowers speak when words feel risky Emotions ca

A mother’s work is often most visible when she’s not in the room. The packed lunch appears. The permission slip is signed. The birthday candle is found at the last minute. When a job is done well enough, it can look like it happened on its own. Traditions that honor mothers push back against that illusion. They make care visible. Why mothers are singled out in tradition Most traditions are built around what a community cannot afford to lose. Food, safety, belonging, and identity

On May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen shot and killed four students and wounded nine others during a protest at Kent State University in the United States. The crowd had gathered in response to the Vietnam War and the recent expansion of U.S. military action into Cambodia. The deaths quickly became a national shock, not only because the victims were young and unarmed, but because they highlighted how deeply divided many societies can become during wartime. At the time, the shootings intensified

ST. LOUIS — Police are investigating the fatal stabbing of a man in his 20s following an overnight dispute outside Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where two contractors were working, authorities said. The stabbing happened about 2:45 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2026, on the property outside Busch Stadium in the 700 block of Clark Avenue, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Police said the incident involved two third-party contractors working overnight at the stadium. Officers

ALTON - The Alton Police Department has filed felony charges against a 20-year-old Alton man in connection with a shooting at Salu Park that police said followed a physical altercation on April 27, 2026. Police said officers were dispatched at about 12:47 p.m. after receiving a 911 call reporting a fight at the park and a firearm being discharged. Officers determined that after the fight, a male retrieved a handgun and fired multiple shots in the direction of several individuals, according t

ALTON – An Alton area man remains in custody after reportedly firing shots at two people in James H. Killion Park. Jacob C. McAfoos, 20, listed as homeless out of Alton, was charged on May 1, 2026 with two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm (both Class 1 felonies) and one count each of possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number (a Class 3 felony), aggravated unlawful possession of weapons, and reckless discharge of a firearm (both Class 4 felonies). McAfoos is accused

ALTON/GRAFTON/HARDIN - As previously predicted, the Mississippi River and Illinois River levels are dropping. Grafton Ferry officials said it will resume operations Sunday, May 3, 2026, after being closed since the middle of last week because high water affected the Missouri-side landing in St. Charles County, Mo. However, river levels along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers were forecast to fall, according to recent reports citing the National Water Prediction Service. Flood warnings for

On May 3, 1947, Japan’s postwar constitution took effect, reshaping the country from an empire at war into a parliamentary democracy under the rule of law. It mattered immediately because it set new ground rules for political power, civil rights, and the relationship between the state and the individual after the devastation of World War II. It still matters today because it continues to define how Japan governs itself, how citizens understand their freedoms, and how the country approaches

ALTON - Sam Roberts, a retired Marine Corps sergeant major and longtime Alton business owner, has been selected as grand marshal of the 159th Alton Memorial Day Parade, which is scheduled to step off at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25, 2026, from Alton Middle School in Alton, Illinois, parade organizers announced. The Alton Memorial Day Parade Committee of the East End Improvement Association, Alton Area Optimist Club, and the RiverBend Growth Association, sponsors of this year’s parade, said Robert

SPRINGFIELD– State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure that would prohibit retailers from refusing cash payments up to $500. “Cash is still a reality for millions of families, seniors and small-business owners,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “No one should feel excluded from participating in routine transactions simply because they choose to pay with cash.” Belt’s measure would prohibit retailers from refusing cash payments up to $500 or posting signage that

DECATUR – State and local fire safety experts gathered at the Decatur Fire Department to raise awareness about the importance of working smoke alarms in homes and to highlight a no-cost smoke alarm installation program in place for city residents. “Working smoke alarms save lives, it’s that simple! The OSFM is a proud partner in the “Be Alarmed!” Smoke Alarm Installation Program, a proven lifesaving initiative. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the dedicated

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 11 attorneys general, filed an amended complaint against Nexstar Media Group Inc. (Nexstar) and Tegna Inc. (TEGNA) in the ongoing challenge of the broadcast giants’ merger. Last month, Raoul and seven attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the merger of Nexstar and TEGNA , a deal that is expected to create the largest broadcast station group in the United States, put more broadcast programming

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced changes to his office’s leadership team. Starting May 1, former city of Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg joins the office as chief of staff. “I am excited to welcome Deborah Witzburg to the Attorney General’s office. Deborah served the city of Chicago with distinction, and her experience as inspector general and a former prosecutor gives her perspective to lead the office prioritizing efficiency and

ALTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rivers Project, in partnership with Jacoby Arts Center, Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, and Mooneyham Art LLC, is excited to announce its second annual Plein Air art competition, “Mississippi Riverscapes.” This event is an open-air painting and drawing competition at Rivers Project recreation areas throughout the month of May and is open to all amateur and professional artists ages 16 and up. Artists will compete for regional

CHICAGO – Tim C. Kisabeth, M.D., was elected trustee-at-large of the Illinois State Medical Society (ISMS) at its recent annual meeting. Dr. Kisabeth is an obstetrician-gynecologist at JCH Healthcare in Jerseyville, Illinois. He earned his medical degree at Ohio State University and served his residency at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. A member of ISMS since 1986, he has served as chair of the Council on Membership and Advocacy and as a downstate delegate to the ISMS Annual Meeting

MADISON – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced upcoming lane closures on eastbound Interstate 55/70 in St. Clair County to allow for bridge maintenance. Beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, May 4, traffic will be reduced to two lanes on eastbound I-55/70 between Illinois 203 and Exchange Avenue. In addition, beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, May 4, the ramp from westbound I-64 to eastbound I-55/70 will be closed. All lanes, including the ramp, are expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Wednesday

BETHALTO - Detective Lee Bazzell represented the Alton Police Department on Thursday at the Micro Career Fair at Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto, speaking with students about careers in law enforcement and forensic work. Bazzell, who serves as the department’s Criminal Investigation Division crime scene and evidence detective, discussed what a typical day looks like, the training required, and the realities of working crime scenes, according to a post from the Alton Police Department.

CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today urged Illinoisans to understand their rights when setting up automatic payments – often referred to as autopay – for recurring fees like gym memberships, utility bills, subscriptions, student loans, car payments and mortgage or rent payments. “While many consumers enjoy the ease of paying for recurring fees and memberships through autopay, it is important they have information on their rights and options when issues do arise,”

Mrs. Lottie Zeuch, second wife of Charles F. Zeuch, died Tuesday, March 2, 1926. By the end of April, Charles had remarried his first wife, Stella. At the time of their second wedding, Charles was 66 and Stella was 63. They were first married in 1879 and had three daughters. Then, “after a series of petty quarrels,” they divorced in 1894. Two years later, Charles married Miss Lottie Green of New York. Charles and Lottie did not have children, but she clearly considered Charles’s