BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL – Governor Pritzker today convened local officials, community members, and construction and business representatives in McLean County to discuss building more housing to lower costs. During the roundtable, the Governor heard from local leaders and discussed how his Building Up Illinois Developments (BUILD) proposal can help make renting and owning homes more affordable in one of downstate Illinois’ fastest-growing regions and throughout the state. “For too
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in introducing the Extending WIC for New Moms Act , a bicameral bill to expand eligibility and support mothers and infants into the postpartum and breastfeeding periods through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs. This legislation extends WIC eligibility
The Alton Kennel Club held its inaugural dog show on March 23 and 24, 1926. There was not going to be a St. Louis Dog Show in 1926, so the Alton Kennel Club expected a large turnout, but even the Kennel Club members were surprised at the wide interest leading up to the Alton show. An Alton Evening Telegraph article on February 24, 1926, mentioned that applications had so far been received from fifteen states, including New York, Texas, Colorado, and South Dakota. Participants entered
ST. JACOB - Melissa Oelke, a 21-year-old St. Peters, Mo., woman who was reported missing after leaving her home Thursday morning, March 26, 2026. Law enforcement reported on Saturday, March 28, 2026, that she was found deceased in Madison County, Illinois. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said in an update posted March 28, 2026, that Oelke “has been located deceased.” The sheriff’s office said the case remains an active investigation, but investigators “do not
On March 28, 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania suffered a partial meltdown after a combination of equipment failures and human error. No one was killed, and later studies found only small releases of radiation, but the incident immediately shook public confidence in nuclear energy. It mattered at the time because it exposed how quickly a complex system could spiral into crisis, even without a dramatic explosion. It still matters today because it changed how nuclear
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in Official Committee of Asbestos Claimants of Bestwall LLC v. Bestwall LLC, supporting the hundreds of thousands of victims of exposure to Georgia-Pacific’s asbestos-linked products. To avoid facing the legal claims of victims in court, Georgia-Pacific
EDWARDSVILLE — Revity Credit Union employees raised $1,405 for the Main Street Community Center in Edwardsville through the credit union’s ongoing Jeans for Generations program, which allows employees to donate to a selected charity in exchange for wearing jeans and tennis shoes on Fridays and Saturdays. The March contributions were dedicated to the Main Street Community Center, which supports adults 50 and older with programs and services aimed at helping them stay healthy, active
ALTON/BETHALTO – An Alton man with a history of domestic violence faces his latest set of felony charges after an alleged assault and domestic battery involving an illegally possessed firearm. Jonathan L. Brown, 38, of Alton, was charged on March 10, 2026, with one count each of possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender (a Class X felony), unlawful possession of weapons by a felon (a Class 2 felony), his fourth or subsequent offense of domestic battery (a Class 3 felony) and
PEORIA – OSF HealthCare is pleased to announce Zach Yoder, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, as the president of three Western Region OSF hospitals. Effective Sunday, March 29, Yoder will transition to president of OSF HealthCare Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth, OSF HealthCare Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee and OSF HealthCare St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg. Yoder has been serving as interim president of OSF St. Mary Medical Center and OSF Holy Family Medical Center for
MADISON COUNTY — On April 2, 2026, the Madison County Drug Court will celebrate a major milestone: its 30th anniversary. As the first drug court established in the State of Illinois, this anniversary marks three decades of innovation, perseverance, and life-changing outcomes. The celebration will coincide with a drug court graduation ceremony, where 14 participants will complete the rigorous program and take their next steps toward long-term recovery. Founded in 1996, the Madison
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting 11 workshops throughout the state to help local governments and communities learn about and apply for funding opportunities through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program. Organized through IDOT’s ongoing Special Programs Assistance Conferences, the workshops will help stakeholders identify projects that qualify and learn how to craft successful applications. Each session will take place over two days, with
CHICAGO – On Thursday, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved its annual five-year Crossing Safety Improvement Program (FY 2027-2031) to implement life-saving safety upgrades at highway-rail crossings. The plan authorizes $376 million in funding for grade crossing safety improvements and highway-rail grade separations at approximately 387 crossing locations. “Illinois is home to more than 10,000 public highway-rail crossings. The ICC’s Crossing Safety Improvement
SPRINGFIELD – Today, State Senator Rachel Ventura and State Representative Daniel Didech joined fellow General Assembly members and clean energy advocates to launch a campaign to pass legislation enabling plug-in solar in Illinois. The Plug-In Illinois Act (SB3104/HB4524) would unlock access to affordable solar power for millions of Illinoisans who cannot install rooftop solar – because they are renters, apartment dwellers, or can’t afford the upfront cost – by removing
EDWARDSVILLE - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville admissions staff and multiple campus partners hosted admitted students for the academic year 2026-27 along with their families. During two weeks in March, the SIUE delegation, which included alumni, greeted more than 100 students in venues across Chicago and St. Louis, Mo. as well as high school counselors from nearly 40 suburban Chicago high schools. "What stood out in Chicago was the energy across all the events. At the student receptions,
EDWARDSVILLE – An Edwardsville restaurant owner accused of filing false tax returns to avoid paying over $100,000 in sales taxes to the State of Illinois was recently indicted by a grand jury. Saran Puribhat, 54, of Belleville, was indicted on two counts of theft of governmental property over $100,000 (both Class X felonies), one count of sales tax evasion (a Class 1 felony), one count of wire fraud (a Class 3 felony) and 35 counts of fraudulent filings of sales tax returns (each Class
ST. LOUIS – Three people accused of involvement in a conspiracy that stole $8 million from elderly victims have been federally charged in St. Louis and arrested. Raj Chauhan, 33, Monarch Sachdev, 28, and Elon Harper, 27, were each indicted on Feb. 4, 2026, with one count of wire fraud. Chauhan was the final defendant to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, where he pleaded not guilty Friday. All three were arrested in February outside Missouri: Harper was arrested in Maine, Sachdev
BETHALTO - Civic Memorial High School had an exciting assembly as 18 students and several staff members shaved their heads for childhood cancer awareness. On Friday, March 27, 2026, the school community came together for a St. Baldrick’s fundraiser and head-shaving event organized by the National Honor Society. Students and staff could sign up to shave their heads, with fundraising proceeds going to St. Baldrick’s to fund childhood cancer research. “It just touches th
ALTON - The Alton Museum of History and Art, closed since the COVID-19 Pandemic era in 2020, and Executive Director Brian Combs spoke on "Our Daily Show!" with host C.J. Nasello on Friday, March 27, 2026, about the museum and its future. Combs cited ongoing building problems; the museum is located at Loomis Hall on the Southern Illinois University campus in Alton. While repairs have been made over time, he said much more needs to be done with the building. He also cited what he described as distan
GRANITE CITY - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced on Friday, March 27, 2026, that a 19-year-old Collinsville man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery stemming from the theft of a designer cross-body bag in Granite City. Jalon O. Mathis pleaded guilty Friday in Circuit Court to a charge of armed robbery, a Class X felony, Haine said. Mathis admitted that, while armed, he stole the bag from a victim on June 23, 2025, in Granite
ALTON - Alton High School students hosted a fish fry to thank administrators and community members for their work. On Friday, March 27, 2026, students in the cooperative work training program served meals to teachers, administrators, hospital workers, first responders, partner companies and more. Joe Michalski, the teacher who oversees the program, explained that this community service element is an important part of their work. “It’s a thank-you to the community,” he
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