ALTON - Mary Jason is guided to help others through tragedy. Jason, one of the YWCA’s eleven 2026 Women of Distinction, will be honored at the Y’s annual gala for her commitment to the community. After losing her son 29 years ago, Jason has created a support group for grieving mothers that helps people after they’ve experienced the unimaginable. “Everybody that loses somebody is hurting. But when a mother loses a child, it’s so different,” she explained.
The wait is often better than the win. A movie trailer can make your heart race more than the movie itself. A package “out for delivery” can steal your focus all day, even if what’s inside is something small. Anticipation doesn’t just fill time—it turns the volume up on your emotions. Anticipation is the mind’s way of leaning into the future. It can make joy brighter, fear sharper, and disappointment heavier. Understanding why it works this way can help you
Feb. 13 is closely tied to the end of the Second World War in Europe because it marks the start of the 1945 bombing of Dresden, a major German city. Over several raids, large parts of Dresden were destroyed and many civilians were killed. At the time, the attacks were part of a wider Allied strategy aimed at weakening Germany’s ability to keep fighting by disrupting transportation, industry, and morale. The Dresden raids still matter today because they remain a lasting example of how modern
Friday morning starts clear and cool with temperatures near 34 degrees. By afternoon, expect mostly sunny skies and a high around 61. Winds will be from the south at 8 to 16 mph. Evening brings increasing cloudiness with temperatures dropping into the upper 40s. Overnight, skies stay mostly cloudy with lows near 34 degrees and light southeast winds up to 10 mph. Saturday looks cooler and wetter. Rain is likely starting late in the morning and continuing through the night. Highs reach about 47 wit
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine said Thursday that a jury found Dustin Shires, a 41-year-old man from Highland, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his 3-month-old son, Jameson Shires, after a trial in Edwardsville that began Feb. 3. The verdict came after a trial lasting more than a week that included extensive testimony from multiple medical experts. The jury deliberated for about three hours, Haine said. Paramedics and police went to the Shires residence
GRANITE CITY – A Belleville man charged with firing a weapon in a residential area and a Granite City resident accused of unlawful weapon possession face felonies in separate cases. Leon J. Craig, 36, of Belleville, was charged on Feb. 6, 2026 with a Class 4 felony count of reckless discharge of a firearm. Craig allegedly knowingly discharged a firearm in a reckless manner on Jan. 1, 2026. Charging documents state Craig “fired several rounds from a firearm in a residential area,”
WOOD RIVER - Firefighters from Wood River, East Alton and Roxana battled an intense yard and shed fire Thursday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2026, that spread across multiple properties in Wood River, officials said. Wood River Fire was called at 12:56 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, to a blaze that ultimately involved yards in the 700 block of Pervis and the corner of the 600 block of Maurice, Wood River Deputy Chief Nate Kamp said. At one point, four yards and three sheds were involved, Kamp said. Kam
GLEN CARBON – The latest phase of the Glen Carbon Road Shared Use Path is moving forward after village trustees unanimously approved a funding agreement for the project’s design. At their Feb. 10, 2026 meeting, Village Board members unanimously approved a resolution executing a joint funding agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) for the Glen Carbon Road Shared Use Path Phase 3. This newest stretch of the shared use path will span 0.37 miles from Dunwoody
ALTON - Carol Morris has dedicated her retirement to giving back. Morris, one of the YWCA’s eleven 2026 Women of Distinction, will be honored at the Y’s annual gala for her commitment to the community. Since retiring, she has spent her time gardening, knitting and cooking for others, using her passions and “the gifts that God gave” her to help people. “It’s fun to volunteer,” Morris said. “You’re giving to the community, and this is
ST. LOUIS - A 19-year-old St. Louis man has been accused in a federal indictment of robbing someone at gunpoint on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park, a case that investigators say stemmed from an online arrangement to buy shoes. Thomas Durgins was indicted on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The indictment accuses Durgins of stealing money and shoes from
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS - Fairview Heights police are warning residents about a computer pop-up scam after the department received a report on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, that an elderly victim lost $90,000 in what authorities described as “computer pop-up fraud.” According to the Fairview Heights Police Department, the victim received a pop-up alert on a desktop computer claiming the device had been compromised. Police said the victim was then contacted by individuals posing as
The Alton Community Unit School District is proud to announce a leadership transition within the Facilities Department following the retirement of Dave McClintock, who will conclude his 20 years of dedicated service at the end of this school year. Approved by the Board of Education in January, Eddie McCrady has been appointed as the district’s next Director of Facilities. An Alton High School graduate, Mr. McCrady began his career with the district as a summer technology employee
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) published an opinion piece in Fox News laying out their recently-announced New Democrat Coalition agenda to address affordability. The piece discusses policy proposals to lower five core costs crushing working Americans: groceries and household essentials, healthcare, housing, energy, and family care. Budzinski and Houlahan write, “The American people need a real plan
ALTON - The Alton Community Service League (ACSL) is pleased to announce that it is now accepting Grant Applications from 501C3 organizations. The objectives of ACSL are to render volunteer Service and financial support to the Greater Alton Area. Support for projects in the areas of: Civic, Cultural, Education, Health and Welfare, Youth, and Area Beautification are considered. The amount of financial support given is dependent upon the amount available through ACSL’s Charitable fundraising
Whenever Paul Engelman’s wife left the house to join friends at their monthly book club gathering, the Rockford resident found himself looking for something to do. With all their children grown and out of the house, he could watch a sporting event or knock out some items from his honey-do list. But what he really was looking for was a social outlet of his own. Over the years, Engelman has had plenty of male friends. Guys he grew up with, attended school with or served with in the military.
At-home technology for diabetes continues to evolve, giving people more peace of mind that the disease is in check while they enjoy their day. But how do you know you have the right device for your health and lifestyle? Jennifer Adcock, RN, BSN, CDCES, a certified diabetes care and education specialist at OSF HealthCare, has a roadmap. She says there are two main categories: Insulin pumps: These deliver insulin into your body to mimic the body’s natural production. This helps keep bloo
GRANITE CITY – The Rotary Club of Granite City recognized juniors Jersey Egberg and Adalynn Knowlton as Students Of The Month for February. Students were nominated by teachers, and were chosen on the basis of academics, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and civic honors and awards, and organization membership and leadership. Each honoree will receive a framed certificate and a gift card, and will be recognized at the Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast on March 24, 2026. JERSEY
BUNKER HILL — The Bunker Hill Fire Department Co. 1 hosted an ice rescue training session Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. The ice training included 20 members from Station 1 in Bunker Hill, Station 2 in Shipman, and 10 members of the Brighton Betsy Ann Fire Protection District for a six-hour program. The Bunker Hill Fire Department said the training was intended to sharpen ice rescue skills and strengthen teamwork with mutual aid partners. “It was a productive, educational,
EDWARDSVILLE – A local woman accused of criminally neglecting her elderly husband for five days faces a felony charge in Madison County. Bonnie E. Hajny, 60, of Edwardsville, was charged on Feb. 5, 2026 with a Class 3 felony count of criminal abuse or neglect of an elderly person. Charging documents state that in addition to being the victim’s wife, Hajny was also his legally defined caregiver. Hajny allegedly observed the victim “fall in their shared home and observed he
CASEYVILLE - A man accused of fleeing police in two separate incidents in Caseyville, Ill., including one in which a utility terrain vehicle overturned during a pursuit, has been charged with multiple offenses, the Caseyville Police Department said. Bobby J. Mahan, a white male born April 13, 1972, was formally charged Feb. 11, 2026, after cases were presented to the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, police said. The charges stem from incidents on Oct. 12, 2025,
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