MILLSTADT – Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Millstadt, Illinois local Boy Scout leader, for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online. The Attorney General’s office charged Kaleb Rakers, 25, in St. Clair County Circuit Court
ALTON — Louise Moehn, of Alton, a pioneering gymnastics and dance educator and longtime nurse, died on Jan. 26, 2026, at age 85. Moehn was an owner and operator of Mid-Illinois Gymnastics and Dance Academy from its founding in 1968 until her retirement, helping to establish the institution as a cornerstone of the local community. Born Nov. 7, 1940, in Quincy, Moehn graduated from Alton High School and DePaul University School of Nursing. She worked as a registered nurse at Saint Anthony’s
GLEN CARBON – Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois congratulates Elisabeth Preston from Edwardsville for becoming a Gold Award Girl Scout—a designation she earned by creating a STEAM lab at St. Ambrose School in Godfrey. Elisabeth has a strong connection with the STEAM fields, particularly math, science, and art. Through research, she learned that interest in these fields can decline as youth approach their teenage years. Keeping that interest alive – along with giving back to her
FERGUSON, Mo. — Shots were fired during a funeral service at the Cotton-Branch Mortuary on North Florissant Road on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, injuring several people and prompting a multi-agency emergency response. The Ferguson Police Department received a call at approximately 11:58 a.m. Wednesday, reporting gunfire at the funeral home, which was hosting a service attended by hundreds. Officers arrived within two minutes to find chaos as attendees scattered in all directions.
EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County Clerk & Recorder’s Offices will launch a new text messaging service, TextMyGov, on Feb. 5, 2026, to provide residents with timely notifications and easy access to information. The service aims to enhance communication by allowing residents to receive updates on election dates, deadlines, reminders, and more directly via text. Linda A. Andreas, Madison County Clerk & Recorder, said the adoption of TextMyGov reflects the office’s commitment to implementing
BETHALTO – Authorities in Bethalto have charged a local man in his fifth domestic battery case since 2017. Mark A. Chappell, 43, of Dorsey, Ill., was charged on Jan. 20, 2026 with his fifth offense of domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. Chappell allegedly knowingly and without legal justification committed an act of domestic battery against a household or family member on Jan. 6, 2026. Charging documents state Chappell was previously convicted of domestic battery on four prior occasions
ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District has a busy month ahead, with events that are perfect for those interested in reading, history, music and more. Mary Cordes, Hayner’s executive director, noted that the library offers a wide variety of free activities to promote community and bring people together. She hopes patrons come out to access the library’s resources, but also to engage with their programs. “That’s one of the things that we’re really trying
JERSEYVILLE — St. Francis Holy Ghost Catholic School welcomed Dawna Egelhoff, an Alliance Educator for area hospitals, to speak with seventh- and eighth-grade science students about the intersection of science, healthcare, and future career opportunities. The visit took place recently in Joan Dougherty’s science classes at the school in Jerseyville. Egelhoff’s lesson focused on real-life applications of scientific concepts within healthcare settings, highlighting how science
ROXANA – The Roxana High School girls basketball team routed Madison in the consolation bracket of the 51 st Annual Lady Hawk Invitational on Tuesday night. It wasn’t much of a game, Roxana handily taking care of the Trojans 81-8. The big reason for celebration wasn’t just the win, but a milestone reached by senior Daisy Daugherty. She poured in 21 points, leading her team. But that’s nothing new. That game put her at 1,347 career points, breaking the all-time program
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) announced a comprehensive Anti-Corruption Agenda aimed at cracking down on self-dealing, dark money, and restoring accountability to government. The agenda consists of forward-thinking legislation introduced by Budzinski’s colleagues in Washington, with the hope that a comprehensive agenda could be considered more formally. Later today, Budzinski will join End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller for a conversation
JACKSONVILLE – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced that a South Jacksonville, Illinois man pleaded guilty to disseminating child sexual abuse material and was sentenced to prison. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online. Gary Steininger, 50, was sentenced to 24 years in prison
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) announced its opposition Wednesday to a proposed rate increase filed by Illinois American Water, warning that the hike would place additional financial strain on customers already facing substantial water and wastewater bill increases over the past decade. Illinois American Water, the largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in Illinois, submitted its rate hike request to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) on Tuesday, Jan. 27. The company serves
BELLEVILLE — Illinois American Water filed a request Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, with the Illinois Commerce Commission seeking approval for new rates to support about $577 million in water and wastewater infrastructure investments through 2027. The utility, which serves more than 1.3 million people across 148 Illinois communities, said the funds would be used to modernize pipelines, upgrade treatment facilities, and address regulatory requirements, including emerging contaminants such as PFAS.
CLINTON COUNTY - The victim who went under the ice attempting to rescue his dog on a frozen pond in New Baden, IL., has been identified as 23-year-old Luke Kitterman of New Memphis, IL. The incident occurred on the ice in a pond on Clinton County Road and Tenth Road. Kitterman was hunting with five others at the time and fell through the ice. Rescuers used a sonar scan to locate him. Herb Simmons, the Director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency, made this statement about
ALTON — City workers were seen once again throughout Alton on Wednesday morning, Jan. 28, 2026, clearing snow and debris left by a massive winter storm that struck the area over the weekend. The city crew was viewed in the morning on Third Street in the cleanup role. The cleanup efforts followed a storm that began Saturday and continued into Sunday, leaving the city covered in snow. Alton Mayor David Goins praised the Public Works and police departments for their response during and
EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt helped secure a $990,000 state grant through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program for R3 Development in East St. Louis and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville. “We want to make sure that people in our community have real access to the construction trades and the good-paying jobs that come with them,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “The Illinois Works Program opens doors for local residents to gain the skills
ILLINOIS - The Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) recently invited school leaders to learn more about the benefits of school libraries and certified library staff. On Jan. 20, 2026, school administrators and school board members across the state joined a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the impact of school libraries on students. Dr. Carol Hogan-Downey explained that IHLS works with schools to help students access books, resources and more. “Our goal is to get a certified
BELLEVILLE - A historic building in Belleville has been restored. Located at 1112 West Main in Belleville, the new Harp Pub opened in December, but the journey to restoring the building was several years in the making. Co-owner Glen McElligott shared that the community has expressed excitement about a new restaurant in town, with many people thanking him for keeping the building’s vintage roots. “She’s an old building. She dates back to 1850, and she had a few little quirk
ALTON — United Steelworkers Local 3643 members learned Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, that Alton Steel will be closing its operations, a decision communicated simultaneously to the union executive board and company employees, according to union president Scott Hall. Since the announcement on Jan. 26, union leaders have been seeking clarification from the company regarding the status of employees’ wages, benefits, and the duration of any guarantees related to pay, healthcare, and other contractual
ILLINOIS - Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski has called for major reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following a check presentation in Glen Carbon on Jan. 27, 2026, Budzinski spoke to the press about ICE and changes she wants to see as tensions rise in Minnesota. She noted that she has voted against additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security. “ICE needs to leave Minneapolis,” Budzinski said. She expressed her opinion that Secretary
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