MARYVILLE - A newly constructed roundabout at the intersection of Illinois Route 162 and Keebler Road opened to traffic on April 9, 2026, in Maryville, Illinois, following more than a decade of planning that local and state leaders pursued after a fatal crash at the site. The Village of Maryville announced the opening, saying the project was developed in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Transportation, neighboring communities, Juneau Associates, Inc., P.C., Engineering Firm, and
MADISON COUNTY, IL. - The Madison County Regional Superintendent, Dr. Robert W. Werden, along with Mannie Jackson and Dr. Ed Hightower, are pleased to announce the winners of the Alma Irene Aitch Scholarship for Madison County, Illinois high school seniors. This award is given in the amount of $1,000 to 11 graduating seniors from across Madison County who displayed high academic achievement, personal drive, success, and excellence in their four-year high school careers. The Aitch Scholarship
EAST ST. LOUIS — East St. Louis School District 189 has reached an important financial milestone that will directly benefit local taxpayers and support upcoming school improvements. Moody’s Ratings has upgraded the School District’s credit rating from Ba1 to Baa2. This two-level increase moves the East St. Louis School District from a below-investment category into “investment grade” status — similar to improving a credit score. Such a two-level upgrade
GRAFTON - Several excited community members boarded the new Grafton Ferry to celebrate its inaugural crossing of the river. On Friday, April 10, 2026, Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow and members of the Grafton ferry taskforce led a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the ferry. Attendees then boarded the ferry and rode it across the river to Missouri and back. “This is going to be absolutely wonderful for the entire region,” Morrow said. The ferry opened at 5 a.m. on April 10. By 10 a.m.,
EAST ST. LOUIS - A 29-year-old Belleville man was shot and killed inside a vehicle in East St. Louis just after 5 a.m. Friday, and state and local police are investigating, authorities said. The shooting happened in the area of South 22nd Street and Market Avenue, according to the Illinois State Police. ISP said the East St. Louis Police Department initially responded to the call and discovered one person dead and another suffering from a gunshot wound. The gunshot wound victim was transported
CHICAGO — Yesterday, Governor JB Pritzker joined a bipartisan coalition of governors across the PJM Interconnection region — the grid operator for Northern Illinois — to call for the operator to ensure data center electricity use does not drive up energy costs. The coalition also called for continued efforts to bolster its consumer protections for working families. “As electricity demand and costs rise across Illinois and the region, our top priority is to put
ST. LOUIS COUNTY - St. Louis County Police detectives are investigating a double homicide after two adult men were found fatally shot late Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the 5600 block of Gatesworth Avenue in the City of Country Club Hills. Officers from the City of Country Club Hills responded at 10:25 p.m. April 9, 2026, to a call for service reporting a shooting in the 5600 block of Gatesworth Avenue, according to the St. Louis County Police Department. Officers located two adult males suffering
SPRINGFIELD – With gas prices soaring across Illinois and the nation, State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) is backing legislation to suspend the state sales tax on gas for six months. As of the first week of April, the average price of gasoline hit $4.27/gallon in central Illinois. Motorists are being squeezed at the pumps not only because of world events affecting oil prices, but because Illinois has the second-highest gas tax in the nation, currently 48.3 cents/gallon.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9 PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS SCOREBOARD BASEBALL Metro-East Lutheran 14, Maryville Christian 4 Belleville West 6, Collinsville 1 Freeburg 10, Columbia 0 Father McGivney Catholic 13, Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran 2 Edwardsville 11, Alton 3 Edinburg 13, Bunker Hill 13 Mascoutah 19, Waterloo Gibault Catholic 2 Belleville Althoff Catholic 9, Marquette Catholic 8 Greenfield Northwestern 15, White Hall North Greene 1 Granite City 7, Quincy 6 Roxana 20, East
ALTON - Alton Community Unit School District #11 invites all incoming kindergarteners to attend kindergarten enrollment, where families can tour the schools, meet the teachers and more. All families with children who will be 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2026, are asked to attend if you are living within the district. Students will take a pre-k assessment while their caregivers complete the enrollment process. Afterwards, families can enjoy a tour of the school, meet with teachers, eat a snack, pos
A cracked window can change your whole mood—even if the room looks exactly the same. The air feels lighter. Your head feels clearer. You might even stand up straighter without meaning to. That reaction isn’t just “in your head.” It’s a mix of biology, memory, and the way humans are built to read the world through smell, temperature, and movement. Fresh air feels like a reset button People often describe fresh air as “clean,” “crisp,” or
On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic set out from Southampton on its first voyage, carrying more than 2,200 passengers and crew toward New York. At the time, the ship stood for modern engineering and confidence in new technology: it was larger, faster, and more luxurious than most ocean liners of its era, and it was widely described as exceptionally safe. What followed—after the Titanic struck an iceberg four days later and sank—became one of the best-known maritime disasters in
WOOD RIVER – A new work schedule for the Wood River Fire Department was approved this week on a one-year trial basis in an effort to boost the wellness and work-life balance of the city’s firefighters. On April 6, 2026, City Council members unanimously approved an ordinance amending the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the city and the International Association of Firefighters Local 2371 to modify the work schedule of union Fire Department employees for a one-year trial
EDWARDSVILLE – A New Mexico resident accused of hiding the proceeds of illegal activity in a vehicle while driving through Madison County faces felony charges. Antonio Hernandez, 22, of Las Cruces, N.M., was charged on April 1, 2026 with two counts of money laundering, both Class 1 felonies, in Madison County. On March 30, 2026, Hernandez reportedly knowingly transported $285,000 in U.S. currency which was “wrapped in bundles and hidden within a concealed compartment of a motor
HARDIN - The Calhoun Sheriff's Office has announced charges for a Godfrey man after a complaint alleging child sexual assault in rural Calhoun County. A 38-year-old Godfrey man was arrested Dec. 30, 2025, after Calhoun County authorities investigated the complaint, according to the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. On December 30, 2025, Sheriff Zach Hardin arrested Tommy R Thompson, age 38 of Godfrey, Illinois, for the following offense: Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault – Victim
TROY, IL. - The Madison County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, April 9, 2026, released the names of three victims killed in a house fire that followed multiple explosions in rural Troy, Illinois, on April 5. The victims were identified as Madeleine I. Maxeiner, 18, of Troy; Ayden R. Hendrickson, 19, of Collinsville; and Paisley Nishwitz, 12, of Troy, the sheriff’s office said. Maxeiner was positively identified through dental examination. She was pronounced dead at the scene at
BETHALTO - Civic Memorial’s boys 4x200 relay team of Parker Walters, Ty Books, Reed Wallace and Grady Farrell set a new school record last week at the O'Fallon Relays, recording a time of 1:33.22 to break a mark that had stood since 1979. “The 4 x 200 relay record has been longstanding,” Civic Memorial head track and field coach Jacob Peal said. “It was awesome to see this group of guys break it last week, we think we can go faster and would love to be able to ru
ALTON - Students at Eunice Smith Elementary School in Alton learned what it means to be courageous this month. The students learn about a different character trait every month, but most recently, they were asked to write about “courage” and a time they were brave. Principal Christina Coy emphasized that activities like this aim to empower the students while building up their characters. “They’re still learning who they are, and they’re learning these skills
GODFREY - Vitality Women’s Clinic will host its annual fundraiser this weekend, but there are other ways to support the pregnancy center. Vitality will welcome nearly 400 community members to Lewis and Clark Community College on Friday, April 10, 2026, for their dinner fundraiser. While all the seats are full, Executive Director Jackie Duty outlined several additional opportunities for people to donate toward the clinic in the coming weeks. She believes this is a great way to support
EAST ST. LOUIS - The East St. Louis Police Department responded to an incident involving a suicidal individual on the Eads Bridge in East St. Louis on Thursday, April 9, 2026, where officers found a person who had climbed over the railing on the westbound side of the bridge and threatened to jump. As a safety precaution, westbound traffic was temporarily shut down, the East St. Louis Police Department said. The department requested assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department t
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