EDWARDSVILLE/GRANITE CITY - The Madison County Board chose to postpone the vote that would decide whether Arena Libra Solar can build a commercial solar energy facility in Nameoki Township near Granite City. During the Board’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, the Board was asked to grant a Special Use Permit to Arena Libra Solar, LLC, to develop a commercial solar energy facility on property zoned as an Agricultural District. The Zoning Board of Appeals recommended this
A lot of people say they want “alone time”—until they actually get it. The moment the house goes quiet, the phone stops buzzing, and there’s no one to talk to, something shifts. The silence can feel less like peace and more like a spotlight. For many of us, being alone doesn’t just mean being by ourselves. It can feel like being unprotected, unseen, or even unwanted. That reaction isn’t a personal flaw. It’s a mix of biology, learning, and culture. Understandin
On February 19, 1942, the United States government issued Executive Order 9066, a wartime directive that led to the forced removal and incarceration of around 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry—most of them U.S. citizens—from the West Coast. It mattered immediately because it reshaped daily life for entire communities almost overnight, based largely on ancestry rather than individual evidence of wrongdoing. It still matters today because it remains a widely studied example of how
This morning begins with dense fog reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions. Temperatures start cool near 34 degrees but will quickly rise as the day progresses. By afternoon, expect mostly cloudy skies with a high around 65 degrees. A gusty thunderstorm may roll through the area with a 33% chance of storms, bringing heavy rain, hail, and damaging winds. Winds will be out of the south at 10 to 12 mph, gusting near 30 mph. As evening sets in, the skies
SPRINGFIELD, IL. – Governor JB Pritzker delivered his annual Budget/State of the State Address Wednesday to a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly. Governor Pritzker’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget is a record-high $56 billion, nearly a billion dollars more than last year’s enacted budget. Pritzker’s spending plan relies on $728 million in new revenue, including new taxes on social media platforms and higher gaming taxes. Assistant Republican Leader
SPRINGFIELD, IL - Illinois Governor JB Pritzker presented his annual Budget Address and State of the State to the General Assembly today. State Representative Amy Elik (R-Alton), House Republicans’ Deputy Budgeteer, issued the following statement after the governor’s budget proposal: “The Governor’s budget proposes another increase in state spending, making this another record amount, financed by more targeted taxes and fees. The speech today was short on details
ST. LOUIS - A Belleville man admitted in federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, to choking and assaulting a woman on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park, according to a plea agreement detailing an incident that began during an argument in Belleville, Illinois, and ended on a service road in St. Louis. Darrion Lamont Evans, 20, of Belleville, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of assault by strangulation and two counts of interstate domestic violence. In
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) released the following statement after Governor Pritzker’s State of the State and Budget Address: “As a working parent in a family of five, I know affordability is not a slogan. It is about whether families can pay their bills, plan for the future, and feel secure in their homes. The same is true for seniors living on fixed incomes. Right now, too many Illinoisans are watching property taxes, utility bills,
WOOD RIVER – Wood River will soon be home to a new hub for esports and film production. At their Feb. 17, 2026 meeting , City Council members voted unanimously to authorize the sale of city-owned surplus real estate to WR Farm Investments LLC, the company behind the purchase and development of Hollywood River Studios . Also approved was a redevelopment agreement for a related TIF project between the city and WR Farm Investments LLC. The company has agreed to pay $1 million to purchase
Belt reacts to FY 27 budget proposal SPRINGFIELD – After hearing the governor’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2027, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) released the following statement: “Even though the federal government has put funding for many Illinois programs on the chopping block, Illinois families and small businesses cannot afford any new taxes. Democrats and Republicans have to work together over the next several months to pass a balanced budget, because
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Governor JB Pritzker unveiled his eighth balanced budget proposal — a fiscally responsible plan centered on making Illinois more affordable for working families while protecting the state’s long-term financial stability. At a time when families are facing higher costs driven by national economic uncertainty, the FY27 budget prioritizes affordability without raising taxes on working people. The Governor’s budget builds on seven years of restored
ST. LOUIS — Boeing said Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, it is relocating its Defense, Space & Security business back to the St. Louis area, a move the aerospace and defense contractor framed as a way to place leadership closer to a major production hub. The business, known as BDS, was previously headquartered in Berkeley, a St. Louis suburb, from 1997 to January 2017, when it relocated to Arlington, Virginia. Boeing’s statement did not say when the move would be
COLLINSVILLE - The Collinsville, Illinois, Police Department has named Officer Guiseppi Coppotelli its January Officer of the Month after he made 13 arrests during the month, all stemming from self-initiated activity, the department said. In a statement, the department said Coppotelli’s arrests came during “a month of cold and snow” as he focused on “those seeking to commit crime in Collinsville.” The department said the arrests were the result of self-initiated
EDWARDSVILLE – Every year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) honors educators across the state, and this year, Edwardsville Community Unit School District 7 instructional technology coach Shanyra Cox is among the 2026 recipients. The awards program is divided into two categories – the “Illinois Teacher of the Year” cohort and the “Those Who Excel” awards. Within “Those Who Excel” are three different awards: the Award of Excellence,
EDWARDSVILLE — A 24-year-old man was killed late Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, after Illinois State Police said a pursuit ended in a crash involving a pickup truck that struck a downtown Edwardsville building. Illinois State Police on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, identified the driver in the fatal accident as 24-year-old Ryan C. Drew of Hamel, Illinois, Trooper Shafer McKune said in a statement. The crash happened a little after midnight at the intersection of South Main and East Vandalia streets,
ALTON - Community members can enjoy a day of free activities, crafts, demonstrations and recreational fun at the National Great Rivers Museum. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, the National Great Rivers Museum (NGRM) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host their fifth annual Ice Jam at the Dam. This event encourages people of all ages to visit with different organizations, complete activities, and learn more about winter recreation and safety. “It’s
EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine has appointed Assistant State’s Attorney Ali Foley as First Assistant State’s Attorney. Foley joined the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office in 2010 as a legal intern and began her career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in 2011. In 2021, she was named Chief of the Children’s Justice Division, where her focus has been the prosecution of cases involving crimes against children, working
JERSEYVILLE – Residents of Jerseyville and the JEM Fire Protection District are asked to hold off on burning until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. The U.S. National Weather Service Saint Louis Missouri announced on the afternoon of Feb. 17 that any fire started north of I-70 could experience “erratic fire behavior” due to a combination of low humidity and gusty southwest winds, especially in dry grassy areas and agricultural fields with dry crop debris. According to
ALTON - As parishioners filed into St. Mary’s Catholic Church for their Ash Wednesday Mass, Father Nathan Marzonie, OMV, reflected on what the church means to the community. On Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, community members gathered at St. Mary’s at several times during the day to worship and receive ashes ahead of the Lenten season. Fr. Marzonie noted that Lent is also known as “the season of grace,” and he encourages people to reflect on their faith. “I really
FERGUSON - A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Shannon O’Brien, a 28-year-old woman who was found with at least one apparent gunshot injury in Ferguson, Mo., St. Louis County police said on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. O'Brien was a graduate of Edwardsville High School and has family in the Edwardsville area. O’Brien was identified Feb. 2, 2026, as the woman killed in the shooting, police said. She lived in the 4300 block of De Tonty Street in
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